Crypto analysts have dubbed the Japanese venture capital fund the “MicroStrategy of Japan” for its voracious Bitcoin purchases.

In an interview at Michael Saylor’s New Year’s Eve Party in Miami on Tuesday, Gerovich said Japan would be sure to follow if Trump establishes a US Bitcoin reserve.

Trump Bitcoin Reserve to Start a Movement

JUST IN: Metaplanet says “if President Trump does adopt it as a strategic reserve, then Japan and many other countries in Asia will do the same” at Michael Saylor’s 100K #Bitcoin party

Incoming Nation State FOMO pic.twitter.com/eH4dNIflwY

— Simply Bitcoin (@SimplyBitcoinTV) January 1, 2025

Gerovich seemed to drop a reference to Saifedean Ammous’ popular tome on cryptocurrency, “The Bitcoin Standard.”

“I’m slowly but surely seeing Bitcoin becoming a topic of discussion at the highest levels of government. Corporations around the world are beginning to adopt it as a Bitcoin standard,” Gerovich said.

The Metaplanet CEO is hopeful Trump will follow through with plans to establish the vaunted US Bitcoin reserve:

“I think the Bitcoin community in the US helped elect the president. So hopefully President Trump will do what he has said that he will—to make Bitcoin a strategic reserve,” the CEO said.

Furthermore, he predicted the move will validate Bitcoin as a national resource for other countries and create urgency for other governments to join the race.

“Countries around the world will follow,” Gerovich said. “Japan is one of those countries where they do look to the US as sort of their big brother. So I think if President Trump does adopt it as a strategic reserve, then Japan and many countries in Asia will do the same.”

“I think a lot of the countries in Asia [will follow Trump’s lead]. I think a lot of the third world countries in particular will see Bitcoin as a way to shore up their own currencies,” he added.

MicroStrategy Hastens BTC Accumulation

Metaplanet is following in the path of the US tech firm MicroStrategy, making Bitcoin stockpiles an essential part of its own strategy to maximize wealth for its investors.

“In April for us—that’s when we decided we want to begin adopting Bitcoin,” Gerovich said. “And now what we want to do is accumulate more Bitcoin over time for our shareholders.”

In December, Metaplanet made its largest-ever purchase of 619.7 BTC worth some $60.6 million at the time. Virginia-based MicroStrategy, led by founder Michael Saylor, has bagged a total of 446,400 BTC so far.

The business intelligence and cloud-based services firm first started buying Bitcoin in Aug. 2020. Saylor credits “The Bitcoin Standard” for radicalizing him in favor of Bitcoin.

MicroStrategy stocks fell 36% in December, correcting a year of roaring gains to a yearly increase of 342% with a 121% six-month gain for MSTR shares.

The post Seismic BTC Shift: Asia Will Follow US On Bitcoin Reserve: CEO of ‘Japan’s MicroStrategy’ appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The initiative, spearheaded by a group of 10 Bitcoin advocates, including Giw Zanganeh, who happens to be Tether’s vice president of energy and mining, and Yves Bennaïm, founder of the Swiss Bitcoin think tank 2B4CH, seeks to amend the Swiss Federal Constitution.

The Proposal

The proposed amendment to Article 99 Paragraph 3 would require the SNB to build sufficient monetary reserves from its own earnings, with part of them consisting of gold and Bitcoin. Advocates for the initiative argue that incorporating BTC into the nation’s monetary framework would promote a financially sound and sovereign Switzerland.

According to the official document, the process to secure a referendum requires the collection of 100,000 valid signatures from Swiss citizens by June 30, 2026. This represents approximately 1.12% of Switzerland’s population of 8.92 million. If the threshold is met, Swiss citizens will vote on the proposal through the country’s direct democratic process.

The initiative is a renewed effort by 2B4CH, which had initially postponed a similar proposal in October 2021 due to Bitcoin’s relative novelty as a strategic national asset at the time. Since then, the global dialogue on Bitcoin’s role in national reserves has gained traction, bolstering the case for its inclusion.

Additionally, El Salvador, the first country in the world to use Bitcoin as legal tender, partnered with Lugano, Switzerland, in October 2022 to promote Bitcoin adoption across Europe. As part of the deal, the Central American country even opened a “Bitcoin office” staffed by an Honorary Consul dedicated to this mission.

SNB’s Skepticism

Despite the momentum that has stemmed from public and global interest, the proposal faces an uphill battle. It is important to note that the SNB has historically been skeptical of cryptocurrencies.

In fact, the central bank’s chairman Chairman, Martin Schlegel, recently expressed caution regarding assets like Bitcoin and Ether. Schlegel raised issues about the high volatility of these assets, arguing that it hinders their use for payments. He also brought attention to their connection with illegal activities and the complexities involved in regulating them.

However, the initiative’s registration in itself is a significant milestone as it reflected a growing interest in integrating digital assets into traditional financial systems. It also aligns with Switzerland’s reputation as a hub for cryptocurrency innovation and adoption.

The post Switzerland Federal Chancellery Registers Bitcoin (BTC) Proposal for Public Vote appeared first on CryptoPotato.

• Bitcoin (BTC) soared over 100% in 2024, peaking at $108,000, with analysts predicting new highs of $120K to $340K or even $1 million in 2025.
• Exchange reserves have dropped to 2018 levels, signaling reduced selling pressure and increasing optimism for further BTC gains.

Gearing up for Another Successful Year?

Bitcoin (BTC) became the talk of the town in 2024, with its price charting a triple-digit rally in the past 12 months. The real bull run started shortly after Donald Trump won the US elections at the beginning of November. Recall that BTC was trading at around $68,000 before the voting, while less than six weeks later, it shot to a new all-time high of over $108,000.

The end of December offered a substantial correction, suppressing the asset’s valuation to under $92K. However, BTC started the new year on the right foot, climbing to as high as $96,700 (as of this writing). Numerous market observers believe the resurgence is just the beginning of another rally that could last throughout 2025.

Crypto Rover and Doctor Profit were among those weighing in. The former speculated that BTC might hit a new ATH of $120,000 during the first three months of the year. 

Doctor Profit suggested that the cryptocurrency’s price will continue to trade in the $90-$110K zone for the next few weeks, and later it could shoot above $125,000. 

The X user Trader Tardigrade was even more bullish, saying the BTC 4-year cycle “is still in play” and envisioned a price jump to $280,000 sometime this year. 

“If you miss the BTC peak in 2025, you’ll have to wait until 2029,” the analyst assumed. 

Other optimists who chipped in earlier this week include the X user 0xNobler and the NBA legend Scottie Pippen. The analyst predicted that BTC’s next pump could start this month and push the price to $340,000.

For his part, the former basketball player set a target of a whopping $1 million. Interestingly, in September 2024, he said that he had a dream with the anonymous creator of BTC, Satoshi Nakamoto, who told him that BTC’s price would hit $84,650 on November 5 last year. The valuation crossed that mark just a week later. 

This Indicator Signals Further Gains

One important metric worth observing when speculating about BTC’s price is the asset’s reserves stored at exchanges. According to CryptoQuant, the metric has recently plummeted to a level last observed in the summer of 2018.

This suggests a shift from centralized platforms toward self-custody methods. It could be viewed as a bullish sign since it reduces the immediate selling pressure. 

The post Interesting Bitcoin (BTC) Predictions for 2025 appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The world’s largest community-powered computing network launches with over 100,000 nodes processing 185.1 TB of data daily

Koii Network, in a watershed moment for distributed computing, has activated its mainnet, transforming 100,000+ personal computers into the world’s most powerful community-owned supercomputer. This milestone marks the first time a decentralized network has launched with infrastructure already processing more data than established cloud providers.

“Today isn’t about launching a network – it’s about democratizing the backbone of AI computing,” states Al Morris, founder of Koii Network. “While the industry debates theoretical capabilities, we’ve built a supercomputer powered by people, not corporations.”

Day One Infrastructure Metrics

• 100,000+ active nodes globally
• 185.1 terabytes of data processed daily
• 7 million daily transactions automated
• Production-ready AI infrastructure
• Multi-token compute marketplace

The mainnet introduction delivers several transformative capabilities

1. Direct token liquidity for existing node operators
2. Enterprise-grade infrastructure through Stakecraft, Infstones, and Liquify
3. Seamless cross-chain operations via AllBridge
4. Decentralized AI compute marketplace

“Most networks launch with promises. We’re launching with power,” Morris continues. “Our infrastructure isn’t theoretical – it’s already the largest distributed computing grid in Web3, processing real workloads at scale.”

Strategic Launch Partners

• Stakecraft: Enterprise node infrastructure
• Infstones: Professional validator services
• Liquify: Institutional-grade staking
• Haji.ro: Network security
• Outlier Ventures: Strategic development

The activation follows multiple oversubscribed private rounds, with public participation opportunities arriving through premier launchpads this month. In an unprecedented move, node operators who built the network receive immediate token liquidity – reflecting Koii’s commitment to infrastructure over speculation.

Enterprise developers can now access the world’s largest distributed computing network through Koii’s comprehensive documentation. The platform supports everything from AI model training to general compute workloads, all tradeable through its revolutionary multi-token marketplace.

Critical Milestones

• January 2: Genesis Block & AllBridge Integration
• January 2-6: Partner Infrastructure Deployment
• January 6: Community Token Distribution Begins
• January 7-9: Launchpad KOII sales on Spores & Kommunitas
• January 13: Exchange Trading Commences = Token Listing

About Koii Network

Koii Network has united 100,000+ computers into the world’s largest supercomputer powered by People. Already handling more data daily than most networks process monthly, Koii democratizes access to advanced computing while ensuring fair compensation for infrastructure providers.

The post Koii Network Launches World’s Largest Community-Powered Supercomputer with Over 100,000 Nodes appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Aptis Analytics: Empowering Businesses to Build Trust with Regulators and Users

Aptis Analytics, a leader in AML compliance solutions for cryptocurrency, has successfully raised $3.8 million in its latest Series B funding round. This new investment underscores investor confidence in Aptis Analytics’ proven capabilities in crypto compliance, positioning the company to meet growing market demand amid stringent regulations such as the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) law.

Cutting-Edge Technology to Ensure Full Compliance with MiCA Regulations

This substantial funding will enable Aptis Analytics to accelerate the development of its innovative technology, aimed at helping crypto firms maintain full regulatory compliance with MiCA and global Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements. A portion of the investment will be allocated to R&D, ensuring the company stays at the forefront of AML compliance solutions. The funding will also support the expansion of Aptis’ transaction monitoring tools, enabling firms to adapt to evolving AML and transparency requirements efficiently.

“Securing this round of funding reflects our investors’ trust in Aptis Analytics as a leader in crypto compliance technology,” said Eric Levy, CEO of Aptis Analytics. “With its ongoing expansion, Aptis is recognized for its commitment to delivering secure and compliant solutions tailored to the needs of the rapidly evolving crypto landscape.”

Advanced Transaction Monitoring Tools for Enhanced Transparency and AML Compliance

The latest MiCA regulations demand enhanced scrutiny and transparency in crypto transactions, and Aptis Analytics is delivering tools that meet and exceed these standards. Aptis’ compliance suite includes features such as real-time transaction tracking, risk-based scoring, and automated reporting, simplifying AML compliance for cryptocurrency companies.

With this new funding, Aptis Analytics is positioned to continue innovating while setting a high standard in cryptocurrency compliance.

For more information, users can visit https://aptis-analytics.com.

About Aptis Analytics

Aptis Analytics is a pioneering provider of compliance technology solutions for the cryptocurrency industry. Specializing in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and regulatory compliance, Aptis enables crypto firms to build trust with users and regulators by offering cutting-edge tools that ensure transparency and accountability. The company’s mission is to empower businesses in the rapidly evolving crypto landscape by delivering secure, compliant, and reliable solutions.

Website: https://aptis-analytics.com

The post Aptis Analytics Secures $3.8 Million in Series B Funding to Bolster Trusted Cryptocurrency Compliance Solutions appeared first on CryptoPotato.

According to Dragonfly Capital managing partner Haseeb Qureshi, meme coins will lose market share to “AI agent” coins. Qureshi described this shift as a migration from “financial nihilism to financial over-optimism.”

Rise of AI Agent Tokens

In his recent post on X, Qureshi said that meme coins, known for their reliance on internet culture and speculative appeal, are being overshadowed by AI-themed tokens linked to autonomous systems or chatbots. While these “AI agents” are currently rudimentary and often rely on human intervention so that it doesn’t go “off the rails,” they are attracting attention due to the public’s growing fascination with artificial intelligence.

Qureshi stated that the buzz around AI agent coins comes from their perceived utility and the trend of using AI in different industries. However, he is skeptical about their long-term success, predicting that interest will fade as the novelty wears off and the technological limitations become clearer.

“Right now these chatbots are fascinating to us because they are so novel. It’s like seeing an elephant paint. The first time you see it, you don’t really care that the painting is not very good – it’s spectacular to see. But the 1000th time, the novelty wears thin. I believe that will start to happen as these chatbots plateau.”

By 2026, he expects market sentiment to shift, wherein users would possibly favor human-led projects over AI-driven ones. While AI agent coins may dominate attention in 2025, he warns that their impact could be temporary, driven more by hype than substantive advancements.

AI Meme Coins Surpass $10B Market Cap

On January 2, AI meme coins collectively reached a market value of over $10 billion, as per CoinGecko, as it increased by more than 26% in the past 24 hours alone. During the same period, the trading volumes hit $2.46 billion. ai16z topped the charts with almost a $2.66 billion market cap, while Fartcoin and Zerebro followed suit with $1.3 billion and $770 million in value, respectively.

The growth comes after last month’s slump as December saw an $18% drop in the meme coin sector, with its value falling from a $137 billion high on December 9 to a little over $98 billion at month’s end. Scams and rug pulls were key factors in the $40 billion loss.

The post Meme Coins’ Market Dominance Faces Threat from AI Agent Coins appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The decline in demand, especially from investors in the United States, is seen in the Coinbase Premium Index, which fell to a level not seen in the past 12 months.

Coinbase Premium Slumps Again

According to a report from the CryptoQuant official Burakkesmeci, the Coinbase Premium Index,  which monitors BTC demand from U.S. retail investors, has fallen to -0.237, its lowest point since December 2023.

This metric fell to -0.200 on October 25, 2024, shortly before the United States presidential elections, due to heightened uncertainty about the outcome of the political race. However, the indicator surged above 0.15 a few weeks later as BTC rallied above $100,000 following President Donald Trump’s election victory.

The index’s latest plunge came as BTC fell below $92,000 to roughly $91,300 at the start of the current business week. Burakkesmeci said the index was also affected by a low-liquidity bitcoin market at the end of the year and increasing seller pressure on U.S. soil.

Room for Price Rally?

Outflows from the U.S.-based spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) market prove American investors have been selling their BTC. These products bled roughly $700 million on two out of the last three trading days of the year, and even on the day of inflows, they collectively recorded a measly $5.3 million in injected capital.

Even during the four days leading to Christmas, the spot Bitcoin ETFs shed more than $1.37 billion as investors scrambled to withdraw their funds. Burakkesmeci’s analysis indicates weak institutional demand and a cautious sentiment among U.S. bitcoin investors.

“This drop not only signals a lack of institutional demand but also underscores the cautious sentiment among U.S. investors. Such trends can create a challenging environment for Bitcoin’s short-term price recovery unless we see a shift in macroeconomic conditions or renewed interest from institutional or retail buyers,” the analyst stated.

Nevertheless, a drop in the Coinbase Premium Index signals room for price growth, meaning that bitcoin’s value could experience a recovery in no distant time.

The post US Investor Seller Pressure Drags Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Index to 12-Month Low: CryptoQuant appeared first on CryptoPotato.

• Elon Musk’s influence has once again caused wild fluctuations in meme coin prices, with KEKIUS soaring 4,000% before collapsing 60%.
• The rapid price movements and lack of fundamental value in many meme coins highlight the importance of careful research and investing only what you can afford to lose.

Dumping Hard

The frog-themed meme coin Kekius Maximus (KEKIUS) has been a hot topic in the crypto space in the past few days.

The token (whose logo represents a frog dressed in ancient Roman armor) experienced a nearly 4,000% price increase between December 30 and January 1. The pump could be attributed to Elon Musk, who changed his profile picture on X with the eponymous meme. 

The impressive spike allowed savvy traders to make millions due to entering the ecosystem at the right time. Lookonchain recently revealed the case of one industry participant who turned a $66 investment in KEKIUS into more than $3 million in just 18 days. 

However, the coin’s rally was short-lived, with its valuation crashing by 60% in the past 24 hours. At one point, KEKIUS dumped to as low as $0.08, while currently, it trades at around $0.15 (per CoinGecko’s data). 

Its sudden collapse appears to have been triggered once again by Tesla’s CEO, who is now visible on X as himself in the background of the American flag and not as the logo of the frog-themed token.

Over the past few years, Musk has influenced the prices of many other meme coins through his tweets, public endorsements, and actions. One of the latest examples includes his comments regarding Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT). 

The meme coin is inspired by a pet squirrel named Peanut, which was euthanized to test for rabies after it reportedly bit a DEC worker during a seizure operation. Its death at the beginning of November last year caused huge controversy, with many people describing the move as unnecessary since the animal had lived indoors for years and showed no signs of the disease. 

Musk was among the critics, labeling the effort as a “government overreach” and provocatively saying that “Donald Trump would save the squirrels.” He continued to tweet about the animal in the following days, contributing to the coin’s price explosion to an all-time high of almost $2.30 on November 14. At that point, PNUT’s market cap surpassed $2 billion, placing the asset among the top 10 biggest meme coins.

In the past month, though, Peanut the Squirrel has lost over 40% of its valuation while its capitalization fell below $800 million.

Be Careful With Memes

The enhanced volatility in the sector and the lack of fundamental value (in many meme coin projects) should serve as warnings to those contemplating jumping on the bandwagon.

Traders who still want to enter the ecosystem should follow some key rules to avoid a devastating outcome, such as investing only as much as they are ready to lose and conducting proper research beforehand. 

The post This Meme Coin Crashes by 60% After Another Elon Musk Interaction on X: Details appeared first on CryptoPotato.

According to Glassnode’s tweet, these price levels were obtained by analyzing the Cost Basis Distribution (CBD) metric, which measures the total Bitcoin supply held by addresses with an average cost basis within specific price ranges.

Bitcoin’s Bottom Discovery Region

One key observation from analyzing the CBD is that BTC has a dense supply between the $88,100 and $103,000 levels. This means that many investors are offloading their bitcoins within these price levels, most likely to realize profits.

Below the dense supply cluster is an area with a much lower supply concentration—an air gap between $70,000 and $88,100. This means this region has much less supply than between the $88,100 and $103,000 levels.

Glassnode revealed that the implication for the air gap level is that the zone could act as a bottom discovery region if BTC enters a prolonged price contraction phase. During a bottom discovery phase, BTC could plunge to new weekly and monthly lows every now and then, just like it hit a record high daily during its price discovery phase in the aftermath of the U.S. presidential elections.

The silver lining about the air-gapped region is that crypto investors and new buyers could become more eager to accumulate BTC at a relative discount. Bitcoin falling to $70,000 could trigger massive buying among market participants, who anticipate substantial gains when the cryptocurrency rallies above $100,000 again.

Resilience or Massive Correction?

Interestingly, bitcoin has a significant chance of trading within the air-gapped region because it has been hovering around $88,100, the lower band of the dense cluster supply region, since mid-December. The price level also serves as the higher band of the air gap area.

Data from CoinMarketCap showed BTC changing hands at $96,000 at the time of writing after trading around $91,400 barely two days ago.

Regardless, Glassnode said $98,000 is a level where BTC buyers have remained resilient despite market fluctuations; hence, the region represents a critical zone of interest for price action.

The post These Price Levels Hold the Key to Bitcoin’s Resilience or Deeper Correction (Glassnode) appeared first on CryptoPotato.

iExec, a platform to build, own, and monetize digital assets in Web3, announces strategic collaborations with leading venture capital firms and foundations, including CV Labs. As a leader in Decentralized Confidential Computing (DeCC) and a key innovator in the DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) space, iExec provides the tools to create privacy-first applications that empower users to retain full control over their data and assets.

Collaborating with Foundations to Empower Builders

In addition to its own iExec Grants Program, which offers tailored support for platform building using its developer tools, iExec actively collaborates with leading foundations to foster innovation in privacy-preserving technologies.

This commitment was exemplified at the Grants Pitch Day during Devcon 2024, an event organized by iExec in partnership with Avalanche Foundation, Polkadot, and Taiko. With up to $500,000 in funding on the table, the event attracted over 260 applications, narrowing down to 16 finalists who pitched live. Each foundation selected its top three projects for fast-track grants, highlighting the collaborative spirit driving the Web3 ecosystem forward.

One standout project selected during the event was Bridge23, a platform that lets you train AI agents while getting rewards for your data usage. This is made possible with the iExec DataProtector developer tool, which encrypts and safeguards data for training AI agents, ensuring user privacy is protected while enabling secure monetization. This showcases how iExec drives innovation in confidential AI, making privacy and data ownership central to AI advancements.

Strengthening the iExec Ecosystem in Partnership with CV Labs

This collaborative approach ties directly into iExec’s strategic partnership with CV Labs and CV VC, the ecosystem-building arm of Switzerland’s blockchain venture capital hub, Crypto Valley. CV Labs plays a pivotal role in driving the global blockchain ecosystem, driving innovation, and positioning blockchain as a transformative force in technology.

Through this partnership, projects participating in CV Labs incubation programs gain exposure to iExec’s developer ecosystem. This enables innovation in Confidential AI and other verticals like DeFi, RWA, and Data management, through DePIN and Decentralized Confidential Computing technologies. This collaboration helps builders discover iExec’s technology, and boost the iExec ecosystem.

Additionally, CV VC can connect projects building on iExec with potential investors, helping builders secure seed funding to scale their solutions.

Through CV Pad, iExec ecosystem projects can also TGE or conduct public fundraising, accelerating growth and adoption.

As a core driver of blockchain innovation in the fourth industrial revolution, CV Labs complements iExec’s mission to empower developers with the tools and support needed to thrive. Together, this partnership bridges cutting-edge technology with funding and mentorship, creating an ecosystem where privacy-first Web3 applications and decentralized AI can flourish.

“Strategic collaborations with CV Labs and other Web3 foundations illustrate how iExec can accelerate the innovation of confidential computing solutions, setting a new standard and pushing AI and Web3 industries towards adopting privacy-first principles” -Nathan Chiron, Chief of Revenue & Ecosystem at iExec. 

By bridging its Grants Program with initiatives like the CV VC partnership, iExec solidifies its role as a key enabler of privacy-first Web3 applications, empowering developers to build, own, and monetize digital assets with confidence.

About iExec

iExec is a Web3 platform for developers to build decentralized applications that empower users with control over their data ownership, privacy, and monetization. Building with iExec means offering users applications where privacy comes first. Users control what data they share and how they use their digital assets, with the ability to monetize them securely via iExec’s native RLC token.

iExec developer tools offer seamless integration of features like encrypted data management with DataProtector, privacy-preserving communication with Web3Mail, and real-world data integration using Oracle Factory. The iExec protocol leverages Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to encrypt and protect data in use, ensuring sensitive information is processed securely. Blockchain acts as a governance layer, verifying the integrity of the data and its processing. This powerful combination ensures that no unauthorized party can access or tamper with data during execution, offering a robust solution for privacy-focused applications. With iExec, developers can create dApps offering strong security, user-centric monetization, and true digital ownership through NFTs.

The post Collaborating for Privacy: iExec & VCs Drive Innovation in Web3 and AI appeared first on CryptoPotato.