Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko stirred up heat this week by calling memecoins and NFTs “digital slop” with no real value. He made the remark on X as part of a back‑and‑forth with Base creator Jesse Pollak. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s New Clock: How Wall Street Killed The Old Cycle, According To Expert Yakovenko compared these tokens to loot boxes in free‑to‑play mobile games. His blunt take has drawn both praise and criticism from across the crypto world. Memecoins Face Harsh Words Yakovenko said he’s held this view since at least January 2024. He argued that the price people pay is all that gives these tokens any worth. Pollak shot back, saying that the content itself—like a painting hanging in a museum—carries its own value, no matter what you charge to see it. The debate has put a spotlight on how far Solana’s growth relies on the very things its leader dismisses. I’ve said this for years. Memecoins and NFTs are digital slop and have no intrinsic value. Like a mobile game loot box. People spend $150b a year on mobile gaming. — toly ???????? (@aeyakovenko) July 27, 2025 Solana Revenue Tied To ‘Slop’ According to Solana‑focused infrastructure firm Syndica, memecoins made up 62% of the network’s decentralized app revenue in June. That figure helped push Solana’s take to about $1.6 billion in the first half of 2025. Big chunks of that money came from Pump.fun’s launchpad and PumpSwap’s DEX aggregator. Yet Yakovenko said Apple’s loot boxes drive revenue for the App Store in much the same way—profitable but seen by many as exploitative. the content itself is valuable. ads are a way to monetize that value. but the content itself is valuable. just like a painting is fundamentally valuable, regardless of whether you charge people at the museum to see it. — jesse.base.eth (@jessepollak) July 27, 2025 Community Pushback Builds Critics have been quick to call him out. X user “Caps,” who writes for Flaunch, accused Yakovenko of mocking his own user base. Another commentator, Karbon, said he finds this stance “distasteful,” pointing out that Yakovenko promotes memecoins all the time, even while claiming they’re worthless. The clash has fans and skeptics debating whether it’s fair to scorn a market that’s so clearly feeding Solana’s growth. Competition Heats Up Meanwhile, a rival memecoin launchpad called LetBonk has been eating into Pump.fun’s lead. At various points, LetBonk even topped Pump.fun in 24‑hour revenue. Related Reading: Want Bitcoin Or Ether Exposure? Advisors Are Quietly Using Treasury Stocks—CEO This shows that users are ready to chase the next big token wherever it pops up. For Solana, it means more money in the short run but also more risk of instability if the hype shifts elsewhere. Featured image from iDrop News, chart from TradingView
Tokyo Beast, a cyberpunk blockchain RPG on Immutable zkEVM, will close on August 24th, just 45 days post-launch. Producer Naoki Motohashi attributed the shutdown to high operational costs and poor revenue. Refunds in USDC will be offered for NFTs and in-game assets. Despite Tokyo Beast’s closure, the larger TOKYO GAMES ecosystem remains active, continuing its …
Yuga Labs will need to continue defending its suit against Ryder Ripps, the creator of RR/BAYC.
The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned Yuga Labs’ $9 million trademark infringement award against artist Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen. The court ruled that Yuga had not proven consumer confusion over Ripps’ “Ryder Ripps Bored Ape Yacht Club” NFTs allegedly mimicking Yuga’s Bored Ape Yacht Club collection. The lawsuit now returns to …
Animoca Brands co-founder and executive chair Yat Siu believes that a resurgence in the NFT sector could push Ethereum to all-time highs, surpassing its previous peak during the 2021 bull run. In a July 21 post on X, Siu highlighted the historical relationship between Ethereum’s price and NFT market activity. He noted that Ethereum last […]
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Ethereum is marking its 10th anniversary with a symbolic gesture and a technical leap forward for the blockchain network. Ethereum Toch NFT On July 20, the network revealed that it launched a ceremonial “Torch” NFT to celebrate the people and principles that have shaped its decentralized journey since July 30, 2015. According to Ethereum’s website: […]
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The move also lifted the floor price of Pudgy Penguin NFTs and increased volume by nearly 690%.
Hip Hop legend Snoop Dogg released a nearly 1 million non-fungible token (NFT) collection on Telegram, which sold out in minutes. The launch created massive interest online and raised over $10 million in sales. Related Reading: Bitcoin Back In ‘Retesting Phase’ After Key Level Reclaim – The Calm Before The Storm? Snoop Dogg’s Telegram Drop Raises $12 Million On Wednesday, Snoop Dogg launched digital collectibles on Telegram, igniting an NFT frenzy on the platform. The collection offered unique NFTs inspired by the rapper’s style, including multiple marijuana-themed collectibles, anthropomorphic beagles, and vintage cars. The drop is part of Telegram’s Collectible Gifts, unique works of art on the platform that can be displayed on profiles and have special attributes. As the website explains, the collectibles can be transferred between users or auctioned on NFT marketplaces. Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, revealed that the Snoop Dogg drop sold out in 30 minutes, selling 996,000 NFTs for $12 million, adding that “Blockchain minting and the secondary market go live in 21 days. It’s going to be wild.” Last week, Durov shared that the 4th of July-themed Gifts also sold out within minutes, with over 800,000 collectibles selling in 10 minutes. Amid the collectibles’ launch, the rapper promoted it alongside a new track titled “Gifts” on his official Telegram Channel. He shared the link to the song’s music video and tagged Durov’s Telegram channel, saying, “time to drop it like it’s hot.” In the track, Snoop Dogg shouts out Toncoin (TON), the native token of the TON Blockchain, and Telegram. “Plug in my phone, get dressed, and then I plot my play / Critical existence, digital resistance / Shifted, gifted, and lifted / (…) / Stickers and games on Telegram, guess it’s coming soon / My privacy is not for sale,” some of the lyrics read. Notably, this isn’t the rapper’s first NFT venture, as he entered the space when the sector first gained mainstream popularity in 2021 and dropped collections in 2022 and 2023. NFT Mania Making A Comeback? On X, NFT lead at the TON blockchain, Zenith highlighted the drop’s success, as some of the supply gifts sold out in less than 2 minutes. He explained that Telegram gifts have had a peak market capitalization of over $200 million and a trading volume of $122 million since their launch. According to the post, the first OG collection, the Plush Pepe, now has a floor price of 4,200 TON, worth $11,886. “They are NFT Collectibles that are on the TON Blockchain and inside of Telegram!” he noted. To Zenith, this could be the start of a new NFT narrative, adding that they “would not be surprised if other famous brands or web3 IPs would want to launch some gifts too!” However, they pointed out that it could also mean nothing for the sector. In a recent report, DappRadar shared that Q2 data revealed new narratives are emerging, while old ones are “making a comeback.” The report claims that “NFTs are becoming more affordable, but the interest hasn’t disappeared. On the contrary, it’s shifting in nature,” a trend the platform’s analysts have been observing “for a while.” Related Reading: Solana Ready For $160 Reclaim? Analysts Say Breakout Is A Matter Of Time Notably, NFT trading volume dropped by 45% in Q2, but sales increased by 78%. Meanwhile, the number of traders increased 20% from Q1, with an average of 668,598 monthly traders. “Taken together with the spike in sales, this suggests a slow but steady return of users to the NFT space, although likely for different motivations than in previous cycles,” the report concluded. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
Rally's CEO Chris Maddern will become OpenSea's CTO as a part of the acquisition.
According to recent data, public companies have raced ahead of Bitcoin spot ETF issuers by snapping up more than twice as much BTC in the first half of 2025. Public firms added 245,510 BTC to their balance sheets from January through June, a 375% jump over the 51,653 BTC they bought in the same stretch last year. At the same time, spot ETF issuers purchased 118,424 BTC, leaving them well behind their corporate counterparts. Related Reading: Long-Term Bitcoin Holders Near Pain Point Last Seen In October 2024 Public Firm Purchases Smash ETF Buys According to data from Bitcoin Treasuries, the 245,510 BTC bought by public companies during H1 2025 is more than four times the 118,424 BTC ETF issuers gathered. That ETF component is 56% lower than the 267,878 BTC they purchased in H1 2024, despite the funds experiencing more robust inflows than they experienced towards the end of 2024. The difference indicates increasingly companies are holding Bitcoin directly instead of relying on exchange‑traded products. More Companies Join Bitcoin Rush Data shows 254 entities now hold Bitcoin, and 141 of those are public companies. That marks big growth from the start of the year, when only 67 firms had BTC, and the end of March, when the number hit 79. Those counts translate to a 140% rise in six months and a nearly 80% gain in three months, underlining how many new players have jumped in. Strategy’s Share Of Acquisition Dips Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) still leads corporate buyers, but its slice of the total has shrunk. In H1 2024, Strategy’s purchase of 37,190 BTC made up 72% of all corporate buys. In the first half of 2025, the Michael Saylor‑led company purchased 135,600 BTC but now accounts for 55% of the total—down from its previous dominance. Firms such as Metaplanet, GameStop and ProCap have stepped into the spotlight, each adding large sums to their Bitcoin holdings. Supply Shock Could Be Coming According to industry commentary, the increase in corporate purchasing in addition to continuing ETF demand could take a bite out of available supply. When the next halving event reduces new Bitcoin issuance, less will flow into the market. Analysts caution that increasing institutional interest and declining supply might produce a significant price response. Related Reading: Ethereum Network Awakens—Massive On-Chain Moves Signal What’s Coming As public firms climb aboard and ETFs keep on buying—though at a reduced rate—the battle for Bitcoin is escalating. Although Strategy’s investments have increased in absolute value, the arrival of new buyers indicates the market is expanding. If that trend continues and reward for miners decreases following the halving, the battle for Bitcoin’s scarce supply could get fiercer. Investors and analysts alike will be paying close attention to how these forces influence the price of Bitcoin in the second half of 2025. Featured image from StormGain, chart from TradingView
OpenSea has still not set a date for the token release.
NFTs, once the darling usecase of crypto, are all but out of favor among investors, with some holders ready to realize huge losses.
OpenSea, the leading NFT marketplace, is urging the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) not to classify NFT platforms under federal securities laws. The company argues that NFTs are digital collectibles, not investment contracts, and regulating them like traditional securities could hurt innovation in the Web3 space. OpenSea believes NFT marketplaces should be treated differently …
Magic Eden wants to broaden its offering beyond NFTs and streamline crypto trading across multiple blockchains.
The team is pivoting to a new project involving AI-powered, decentralized financial tools.
Wash trading and money laundering distort NFT markets, creating fake demand and facilitating illicit activities.
DTTM Operations filed a trademark application that hints at software that manages crypto, NFTs and virtual reality services.
The regulator’s decision comes after Coinbase said the SEC will vote on a deal to abandon its enforcement case against it.
The NFT market has failed to reach the dizzying heights of 2022, but maybe it doesn't need to.
Under new leadership and regulations, crypto may have a chance to make it mainstream.
The new platform OS2 will combine NFT and token trading and support multiple blockchains.
LinksDAO began by selling NFTs, but the market has moved on in the time since.
Polymarket odds on OpenSea issuing an airdrop before April spiked from 25% to 45% following the tweets.
Just $33 million worth of ether and stablecoins is currently deployed on Abstract.
Koinos.fun's innovation could accelerate blockchain adoption by simplifying user experience and eliminating transaction fees, challenging traditional models.
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Users reported that the claims website was down moments after launch.
New MakersPlace accounts were disabled immediately, but users can still purchase NFTs on the platform until it shuts down completely.
The co-founder of the exclusive Web3 community argues that Asia is uniquely positioned to lead the next phase of NFT innovation.
DappRadar found the NFT market last year was the worst since 2020 for trading and sales volumes, with both falling nearly 20% over 2024.
Sony has formally introduced its blockchain platform, Soneium, marking a substantial advancement toward decentralized technology. Sony Block Solutions Labs has initiated a new project to facilitate user engagement with blockchain technology, connecting the existing Web2 environment with the developing Web3 ecosystem. Related Reading: Sinagapore Bans Crypto-Based Prediction Platform Polymarket A New Era For Creators On […]