Another Friday, yet another day to bid the week farewell by going through the biggest headlines of the last seven days with our HODL Digest.

Crypto Market’s Top Gainers and Losers of the Week

Top 3 Gainers:

  1. Sui (SUI): SUI gained 10.07% over the last seven days to reach the press time price of $5.07.
  2. MANTRA (OM): OM rose by 7.16% over the last seven days, with a press time price of $4.06.
  3. Pudgy Penguins (PENGU): PENGU increased 5.58% over the last seven days, trading at $0.03479 at press time.

Top 3 Losers:

  1. THORChain (RUNE):  RUNE lost 8.51% over the last seven days to reach the press time price of $3.47.
  2. Helium (HNT): HNT fell by 3.46% over the last seven days, trading at $5.67 at press time.
  3. Neo (NEO): NEO lost 3.10% over the last seven days to reach the press time price of $14.76.

Ripple President Monica Long Hints a Possible XRP ETF

Looks like XRP might be gearing up for a front-row seat in the ETF party. Ripple President Monica Long hinted that an XRP ETF could soon hit the U.S. market, riding the wave of crypto-friendly vibes from Trump’s upcoming government.

With Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs already warming the bench, XRP seems ready to be the next star player. Throw in a possible fast-track approval under the current administration, and you’ve got a recipe for a potential ETF frenzy.

Meanwhile, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is out here making quiet but impactful moves. Launched on Ethereum and XRP Ledger, it already boasts a $72 million market cap. 

Ripple’s rolling it out on more exchanges soon, like a gift that just keeps giving. Oh, and it’s cozying up to Chainlink’s DeFi services to boost its utility by providing a more robust stablecoin. 

At the same time,  the coin is enjoying a serious post-election sugar rush. Trump’s crypto-friendly stance has Ripple signing more U.S. deals in six weeks than they did in half a year—and traders are loving it. The price has also skyrocketed over 300%, which shows that the coin is not going to slow down anytime soon.

Expert Believes China’s Economic Meltdown Could Accelerate the Bitcoin Bull Run

Chinese assets are having a rough start to 2025, with the yuan sinking to a new low of 7.32 per USD and the CSI 300 index taking a nosedive. Meanwhile, bond yields are free-falling to 1.6%, hinting at growing deflation woes. It's a financial melt down that could send capital fleeing into Bitcoin’s open arms. 

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) is trying to play whack-a-mole with the yuan’s decline, using daily fixes and offshore liquidity tweaks to keep it above water. 

But the market isn’t buying it—literally. With tighter capital controls making traditional exits harder, Bitcoin is looking like the escape hatch of choice. 

History backs it up: the 2015 yuan devaluation sent BTC prices skyrocketing, and traders are now dusting off their moon memes.

Bitcoin bulls, don’t pop the champagne just yet. If the PBOC pulls out the big guns and starts selling dollars to prop up the yuan, it could jack up the dollar index and rain on BTC’s parade. 

The dollar has already climbed from 100 to 108, riding high on Treasury yields, and further gains could spook risk-hungry investors. In short, the PBOC could still pull an out-of-the-blues-move and reverse the trend.

Gemini Exchange Gives in to CFTC, Accepts to Pay $5 Million as Settlement

The Winklevoss twins' Gemini exchange just dropped $5 million to make a 7-year-old headache go away, settling with the CFTC over allegedly fudging the facts about Bitcoin futures back in 2017. 

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According to Bloomberg, Gemini’s trial was set to kick off on Jan. 21, but thanks to this payout (and a classic no-admission-of-guilt move), it’s now off the docket. Crisis averted? Maybe, but their legal calendar is still pretty full.

As part of the settlement, Gemini agreed to an injunction to keep things honest with the CFTC moving forward—because apparently, that needs to be explicitly stated. But wait, there’s more! They’re also in hot water with the SEC, which got the green light in March to sue them for securities violations. Gemini’s legal drama is shaping up to be the crypto world’s favorite reality show.

Amid the regulatory chaos, some in the industry are hopeful for a crypto-friendly makeover in Washington. Trump’s pro-crypto vibes suggest a lighter touch from future regulators, potentially ending the enforcement-first era.

For now, though, Gemini joins Coinbase and Binance on the list of exchanges paying the price for operating in a legislative gray area. It’s a tough gig, but at least the memes are good.

Robert Kiyosaki, the Author Behind Rich Dad Poor Dad Predicts Bitcoin Sell-Off

Robert Kiyosaki is back with his favorite prophecy: Doom, gloom, and fire sale prices. The Rich Dad Poor Dad author warns of the “biggest stock market crash in history,” with houses, gold, and even Bitcoin hitting clearance sale levels. His take? Blame the ghosts of 2008 for bailing out banks instead of people. And for 2025, he predicts everything from housing to wine will tank—because, apparently, misery loves company.

Bitcoin, the so-called digital gold, isn’t escaping the carnage. Its price dropped nearly 7%, sliding below $100k as Nvidia and Tesla led a stock market nosedive. But Kiyosaki isn’t sweating it—in fact, he’s thrilled. "Bitcoin is on sale!" he chirps, sticking to his mantra: buy low, HODL, and let the fake dollars flow. Meanwhile, crypto analysts are urging investors to snag some BTC at a “discount,” because who doesn’t love a good bargain?

The crypto market’s latest dip has triggered $693 million in liquidations and a fresh debate about Bitcoin’s identity crisis: safe haven or just another risk asset? Bloomberg’s Eric Balchunas remains skeptical, calling stock market woes “Bitcoin kryptonite.” 

Add in a strengthening dollar and macroeconomic headwinds, and the mood feels more “end-of-season clearance” than bull market breakout. But hey, at least Kiyosaki’s got his shopping list ready.

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