• As transactions become riskier due to Trump’s economic policies and U.S. limitations, Wall Street banks are reducing their investments in China.
• Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, and Goldman Sachs have closed offices, cut employees, and are even getting ready to completely leave China.
• Major banks are barely making millions while making billions abroad as a result of the drop of profits from China.

Because investing in China is riskier than ever due to President Donald Trump’s unclear economic intentions, Wall Street is pulling out of the nation. As US regulations tighten, banks that had invested billions in China are now reducing employees, closing branches, and getting ready for a potential complete withdrawal, according to a Bloomberg article.

Top executives from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and other large corporations met with US Treasury officials in mid-December to discuss the most recent investment regulations that target Chinese firms that have been identified as national security threats. They left with more questions than answers.

China might see another financial shutdown similar to that of Russia if Trump keeps his repeated pledges to impose tariffs and sanctions since taking office.

Wall Street finds it difficult to travel to China because of the US.
Banks are rushing to determine what is still legal in the wake of the US government’s crackdown on investments tied to China. It was formerly estimated that Wall Street’s overall exposure to China will reach $45 billion by 2030, yielding about $9 billion in earnings annually. However, it is now evident that this prediction is failing.

According to the Bloomberg research, the four biggest international corporations (Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon) made just $33.7 million in China in 2024, while Wall Street’s total revenues from China-related activities, such as loans, trading, and investing, have decreased by 20%.

In contrast to JPMorgan’s $57 billion global earnings in 2024, the brokerage division in China generated only $26 million during a five-year period. A little better, Goldman Sachs made 490 million yuan ($67 million) in China from 2018 to 2023. But that’s a tiny 0.50% of its global $13 billion net income last year. It’s also barely above CEO David Solomon’s $39 million annual salary. And so in response, Wall Street companies are making drastic cuts their workforces.

In 2023, JPMorgan underwent significant leadership changes, appointing new co-country heads and removing important executives in its China division. Even worse, the bank is getting ready for a total US ban on doing business with China. Similar to how businesses reacted when sanctions were imposed on Russia, executives have secretly developed plans to move corporate data out of China.

Morgan Stanley reduced their expansion plans, resulting in the largest number of job cutbacks in China in recent memory. Instead of launching a full-fledged China brokerage, executives decided to operate out of Hong Kong for the majority of their business.

China’s headcount at Goldman Sachs has decreased by 15% since 2022, falling well short of the bank’s initial target of 600 workers. The mainland investment banking team at UBS China has been cut in half since 2019, leaving just 50 people.

Citigroup shut down its onshore consumer wealth division, while its attempt to launch a China securities unit has stalled. US regulators ordered the bank to fix its risk and data compliance issues before expanding in China.

Bank of America, meanwhile, is the only Wall Street giant without an onshore presence in China—and according to the report, it’s staying that way.

Wall Street is not buying China’s return, despite the surge in AI stocks

Chinese stocks are soaring as Wall Street pulls back. In anticipation of China’s remarkable AI breakthrough, DeepSeek, analysts at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, and UBS have increased their targets for Chinese stocks.

The CSI 300 is now anticipated to reach 4,700, while the MSCI China Index is expected to increase by an additional 16%. According to Kinger Lau, chief China strategist at Goldman, the adoption of AI may boost China’s earnings-per-share by 2.5 percent annually over the next ten years.

In a note on Saturday, he stated, “DeepSeek and other AI models have changed the narrative of China technology, re-rated investors’ optimism about the growth of and economic benefits from AI.”

In the meantime, Man Group and Morgan Stanley are referring to Chinese stocks as one of the highest conviction trades of the year. Wall Street is optimistic on paper—but behind the scenes, banking executives are preparing for a scenario where China becomes completely off-limits due to Trump’s policies.

Some banks are actually reallocating resources to Japan and India, trying to fill the hole China leaves behind, according to the Bloomberg report, which also claims that Wall Street executives have admitted privately that no other country can replace China’s market size.

Cryptopolitan Academy: FREE Web3 Resume Cheat Sheet – Download Now

• In its action against Coinbase, the SEC is requesting further time to react, implying a potential settlement as it concludes its Biden-era crypto crackdown.
• As Congress promotes three new legislation, Tether is collaborating with U.S. lawmakers to create stablecoin regulations with the goal of having one signed by April.
• With new leadership taking over the CFTC and an emphasis on more crypto-friendly monitoring, Trump’s administration is changing its approach to crypto policy.

The SEC’s anti-crypto enforcement campaign from the Biden administration is coming to an end. The agency informed an appeals court in Manhattan on Friday that a settlement in its well-known case against Coinbase might be imminent.

However, the government needs an additional 30 days to address the legal challenge to the transaction before that can occur.

The 2023 lawsuit sought to compel Coinbase to abide by the same regulations as Wall Street brokerages and stock exchanges. Crypto companies retaliated, arguing that digital assets are not covered by traditional financial regulations. The agency is now moving in a different direction under President Trump.

He directed the SEC and all other federal agencies to create a new regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies last month. This direction, according to the agency’s submission, “may assist the potential resolution” of the Coinbase lawsuit.

On Thursday, Coinbase reported a surge in revenue and profits in its Q4 earnings report. Investors are betting on a Trump-fueled crypto boom, and the numbers reflect that.

Congress is drafting stablecoin legislation with Tether’s assistance.
Tether is aggressively working with US lawmakers to influence stablecoin rules while the SEC takes its time. Due to its lack of thorough audits, the business, which holds 60% of the $230 billion stablecoin market, has generated controversy in Washington. Only quarterly reports from the international accounting firm BDO have ever been made available by Tether.

Hard assets, such as US dollars and Treasury bills, serve as the backing for stablecoins like USDT. With $114 billion in short-term Treasuries in its reserves, Tether is also among the biggest holders of U.S. government debt. The business wants a place at the table as new stablecoin laws approach.

Judges at the federal level are also contributing. Coinbase was granted permission by Judge Katherine Polk Failla to submit an interlocutory appeal last month. Whether current securities regulations even apply to cryptocurrency assets traded on the platform will now be determined by the Second Circuit.

Meanwhile, Congress is working quickly. Last Monday, Representative Bryan Steil, Senator Bill Hagerty, and Representative Maxine Waters introduced three additional stablecoin proposals. The objective? By April, get a bill to Trump’s desk.

Paolo Ardoino, the CEO of Tether, affirmed that the company is collaborating directly with legislators. “We will endeavor to provide guidance on each and every one of these field recommendations while adhering to the regulatory framework to ensure that our voice is heard,” he said.

If passed, the new laws would force Tether to undergo full monthly audits from a U.S.-approved accounting firm and maintain 1:1 reserves with assets pre-approved by regulators. But Ardoino made one thing clear: Tether isn’t backing down.

“We are not going to just throw in the towel and let Tether die just for the sake of not adapting to U.S. legislation,” he said. “But there is still a lot of uncertainty over what’s actually going to happen, and we want our voice to be heard in the legislative process.”

Trump is reshaping financial regulators, and the CFTC is changing its leadership.
The SEC isn’t the only agency changing crypto regulations. As the next enforcement head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Brian Young will take over. Acting Chair Caroline Pham, who assumed the role following Trump’s election, made the news on Friday.

In a statement, Pham added, “He is a fearless leader who will create an even more remarkable enforcement program that will remain true to the CFTC’s mission to protect the American public from fraudsters and scammers.”

Prior to assuming the top enforcement position, Young, a former DOJ veteran, oversaw the CFTC’s whistleblower unit. Trump’s larger ambition to change financial oversight in support of pro-business, pro-crypto policies includes his appointment.

Meanwhile,rian Quintenz, a former CFTC commissioner and current head of policy at Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z crypto arm, is set to lead the agency.

Quintenz served on the CFTC from 2017 to 2021 and has been one of the biggest advocates for clearer crypto regulations. His return signals a policy shift at the CFTC, where crypto-friendly policies are now back in play.

In her first major decision, Pham reorganized the CFTC’s enforcement division into two parts: complex frauds and retail fraud, wanting to streamline investigations while focusing on major financial crimes.

Cryptopolitan Academy: How to Write a Web3 Resume That Lands Interviews – FREE Cheat Sheet

• To distribute seized funds, WazirX is generating fresh RT tokens, which it may list for trading if user demand is strong.
• The delivery of tokens, rather than cash, is contingent upon the approval of creditors for a planned scheme.
• On WazirX’s First Distribution page, users may monitor their recovery status and rebalanced token allocations.

According to statements made by the company’s founder, Nischal Shetty, WazirX is issuing new Recovery Tokens (RT) to distribute stolen and recovered assets to its users. If users are interested, the tokens could soon be listed on the trading floor, providing an opportunity for liquidity and additional market exposure.

Naturally, the token distribution follows WazirX’s successful completion of the Net Liquid Platform Assets (NLPA) rebalancing procedure, which realigns platform assets with its liabilities.

WazirX’s recovery strategy consists of three primary strategies: the establishment of a decentralized exchange (DEX), profit-sharing, and the restitution of stolen assets. Speaking directly to WazirX users, Shetty declared, “We will do everything we can to help create value for our tribe.”

How WazirX plans to carry out its first significant token distribution

In order to decide whether to move forward with the Scheme of Arrangement, which involves the immediate distribution of rebalanced assets, creditors will meet with WazirX’s parent company, Zettai Pte Ltd, on January 23. This decision was approved by the Singapore High Court.

If accepted, creditors will be compensated with tokens rather than cash, exposing them to the market and potentially increasing their value.

Users may now view their allocation on the platform’s First Distribution page, which displays their calculated token breakdown, current market value, and effective USD recovery percentage, per WazirX’s official blog post on the subject.

A user expressed worry about the varying token values and disparities in displayed balances under Shetty’s article. The current value in USD differs from the NLPA value. The user said, “Please explain.” “You get to keep any market upside or downside from here on,” Shetty explained.

According to WazirX’s blog, the planned token distribution will take place within ten days of the scheme’s acceptance. However, several tokens with limited market liquidity, such as ANT, LOVELY, PUSH, GFT, OOKI, MDX, BOB, and WRX, will only be partially issued in their original amounts. The exchange stated that USDT or another stablecoin would be used to settle any outstanding amount.

WazirX’s strategies for upcoming recovery

“Where’s the 15% USD value if you currently display the 85% USD value for July 18, 1 PM?” asked Shetty immediately in response to a creditor. How will you demonstrate it? According to Shetty, the missing piece is directly related to the recently released RT tokens.

WazirX claims that if the creditors reject the scheme, they will have to wait for ownership conflicts over the platform to be settled, which the exchange expects to be a convoluted and drawn-out procedure.

Additionally, WazirX stated that token values are susceptible to fluctuation and are based on real-time market data from Coinmarketcap. Users can see their recovery amounts in real time by switching between INR and USD.

However, WazirX did caution that the high volume of token transactions during rebalancing and the volatility of cryptocurrency prices could result in small variations of up to 0.5% in recovery amounts.

Cryptopolitan Academy: Do You Make These Errors on Your Web3 Resume? Learn More Here

• After obtaining a 30-day postponement of Trump’s tariffs, Trudeau refocuses Canada’s trade strategy with the goal of lowering its dependency on the US and enhancing its attention to international markets.
• By boycotting American products in protest and calling for improved domestic economic policies, Canadians are spearheading the “Buy Canadian” movement.
• As they advocate for additional pipelines to increase oil and gas exports outside of the US market, industry leaders have rekindled discussions about energy infrastructure.

According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada should “walk away” from its long-standing economic dependence on the United States and open up to other international markets. Following a meeting with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Trudeau was able to gain a temporary exemption from US tariffs on Canadian exports.

The prime minister will hold an economic summit in Toronto this Friday, according to a story in the Financial Times. Business executives, policy specialists, and labor unions will gather at the summit to talk about growing Canada’s international trade presence.

Trudeau told reporters Wednesday, “The objective is to diversify export markets and make it easier to build and trade within our borders.” His Council on Canada-US Relations, which includes former province premiers and top auto industry executives, is part of the summit.

Trudeau is lobbying industry leaders to act on growing concerns that Canadian businesses can no longer depend on unrestricted access to the US market.

US tariffs cause massive panic in neighboring countries 

Earlier this week, Trudeau negotiated a 30-day delay on 25% US tariffs on Canadian imports, except for energy, which would be taxed at 10%. These tariffs were initially part of former US President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies targeting Canada, Mexico, and China, which he linked to illegal immigration and drug trafficking concerns.

For over ten years, Canada’s economy has been heavily dependent on its positive ties with the United States. 75% of Canada’s total exports in 2022 went to the US, according to a recent Reuters study. In contrast to the paltry 1.5% of US total exports to Canada, the percentage has since decreased to roughly 25%, although it is still a significant quantity.

According to former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister John Manley, “Canada’s strategy for the past 30 years has relied on trade agreements that Trump has disrupted and can no longer be relied upon as a business case for Canada.”

“Buy Canadian” becomes more popular
The Canadian government’s initiatives to lessen its dependency on the US are in line with the opinions of its people. According to a recent Angus Reid poll, 91% of Canadians favor moving away from trade dependence on the US preferring diversification over mending relations.

Public frustration with US tariffs has bridged political divides, with citizens rallying around Canadian businesses. A growing “Buy Canadian” movement has emerged, where consumers are deliberately avoiding American products to support local industries.

Carole Chandler, a retired schoolteacher from Halifax, said she had canceled an upcoming trip to Florida in response to the US tariffs. “I love America and Americans,” she told the BBC. “But I don’t want to be one.”

Discussions on Canada’s domestic economic policies, especially those pertaining to energy infrastructure, have been sparked by the economic hardship. Trudeau’s administration has been under fire from patriots for not building enough gas and oil pipelines to increase exports outside of the US.

Canada still lacks significant infrastructure to sell electricity abroad, even after funding the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline, which finally opened in May of last year after years of delays and cost overruns.

According to Adam Waterous, CEO of Strathcona Resources, Canada’s fifth-largest oil producer, “if we cut the red tape, we could have a pipeline built in two years.”

Download the Web3 Resume Cheat Sheet for Free from Cryptopolitan Academy right now.

• El Salvador has increased its Bitcoin holdings by acquiring eleven more.
• Congress has been pressured by the IMF agreement to ban Bitcoin as El Salvador’s currency.
• In spite of pressure from the International Monetary Fund, El Salvador consistently accumulates Bitcoin.

On February 4, El Salvador increased its strategic reserve of Bitcoin by purchasing 11 more units. Previously, the nation bought one Bitcoin every day, but in recent years, it has increased its purchases.

El Salvador possesses 6067.18 Bitcoins, which are currently worth $616,049,642, according to the Nayib Bukele Bitcoin tracker. In the past seven days, the nation has bought over 20 Bitcoins.

El Salvador and the IMF reached an agreement to ban Bitcoin as legal money. Crypto enthusiasts have mixed opinions about the agreement with the IMF, with some believing it would undermine El Salvador’s progress as a South American crypto powerhouse.

Analysts thought the IMF agreement would guarantee the nation’s cryptocurrency activity would slow down, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

As part of the $1.4 billion IMF deal, El Salvador had to make BTC payments voluntary, “confine” public sector involvement in the Bitcoin industry, and privatize the Chivo wallet.

The country acquired 11 BTC, valued at over $1 million, one day after signing the deal with the IMF.

The El Salvador Bitcoin Reserve has consistently elicited conflicting responses from international participants

There have been discussions on the El Salvador Bitcoin initiative on a number of different levels. Economic analysts and financial organizations laud the nation for its proactive approach to establishing El Salvador as a Bitcoin hub and its BTC adoption strategy.

Nonetheless, a number of analysts caution that the nation may experience inconveniences due to market volatility and the regulatory environment.

The impact of Bitcoin on financial stability worries the IMF and other institutions. Recent purchases, however, indicate that the nation is committed to acquiring cryptocurrency because of its possible benefits. Adoption of cryptocurrencies, according to the president, improves financial inclusion and economic diversification.

No one is certain of the long-term success of the continuing Bitcoin experiment in El Salvador. The accelerated purchases may be very productive for the country’s economy, or the market volatility may trigger serious drawbacks; only time will tell.

Even after lawmakers banned Bitcoin as legal cash, El Salvador has remained steadfast in its reserve policy.

According to a February 2 article in the Spanish newspaper El Pais, cryptocurrency fans are not encouraged by the most recent events. El Salvador would no longer be considered legal tender, according to the newspaper.

According to the article, a revised Bitcoin Act that was discussed and approved by the El Salvadorian congress nullified Bitcoin as legal cash. According to the article, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) exerted pressure on the country to reach an agreement in order to secure a $1.4 billion loan.

According to the recently passed Bitcoin Act, BTC is not accepted as money in the nation. It does not, however, restrict business owners who are at ease and prepared to transact in it.

BTC is now voluntary, and no one can be forced to accept it as a form of payment. Alternatively, two parties can use the crypto as a payment tool if both of them agree to use it as a mode of payment. Alongside the payment option, it cannot be used to pay taxes.

Cryptopolitan Academy: Are You Making These Web3 Resume Mistakes? – Find Out Here

• Jesse Powell, the founder of Kraken, is backing Roger Ver, often known as Bitcoin Jesus, in his request for a presidential pardon.
• Powell notes that IRS activities appear to be lawfare and casts doubt on the validity of the evidence against Ver.
• In the crypto world, the majority of individuals think Ver is guilty and not being persecuted.

Jesse Powell, the founder of Kraken, has stated that he supports Bitcoin inventor Roger Ver’s request for a pardon from the president. Powell wrote in a post on X that Ver, who gave up his US citizenship, is not the tax evader that authorities portray him as, but rather a victim of government overreach.

The creator of Kraken claims that there is very little proof of tax evasion against Ver, also referred to as Bitcoin Jesus. Therefore, it seems like a witch hunt when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tries to prosecute and condemn him.

He wrote:

“The reality is, they just don’t like him, and they want to get him, and they will use any excuse they can to get him or make his life hell for as long as they can.”

Powell’s remarks come after Ver recently ran for a presidential pardon, which President Donald Trump had just given to Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht. One of the first Bitcoin investors, Ver also said that he has been harassed by rogue US officials since he is accused of tax evasion.

Ver was accused by the US Department of Justice in 2024 of mail fraud, tax evasion, and submitting fake tax forms. He abandoned his US citizenship in 2014, and the allegations were related to his Bitcoin holdings and his failure to pay exit tax. He is presently being held in Spain while he awaits extradition to the United States.

The Bitcoin community is split over Ver’s appeal

Powell is one of the few cryptocurrency players who publicly supports Ver’s pardon campaign, in contrast to Ulbricht’s, which received widespread support from the industry.

Even while the majority oppose taxes, they also think Ver is innocent of the accusations made against him and is not being persecuted by the government.

Dan Held, an advisor with Taproots Wizards, thinks Ver evaded taxes. According to him, the businessman made up a story about giving his partner his Bitcoin holdings in 2011. Held cites IRS correspondence between Ver and his 2016 tax consultants as proof that he may have done it merely to evade paying taxes.

Held also debunked claims that Ver was a Bitcoin advocate, noting that the entrepreneur engaged in acts to sabotage the Bitcoin ecosystem, including supporting Dr Craig Wright’s claim as Satoshi and promoting Bitcoin Cash over BTC.

He said:

“Roger is not Bitcoin Jesus, he’s Bitcoin Judas. There is no other actor I can think of in crypto that has tried to destroy Bitcoin more than him by using everything in his power to promote bcash.”

Jameson Loop, an early Bitcoin user, has noted that Ver’s US companies are being taxed by the IRS, and that the harsh actions taken against him are probably due to his refusal to cooperate. According to Loop, Michael Saylor, the CEO of MicroStrategy, had a similar problem but resolved it in 2024 by paying $40 million.

Powell, however, feels that Ver shouldn’t be persecuted by the government, particularly for crimes he didn’t commit. The founder of Kraken stated that he will stand behind Ver in the face of any corruption in the administration, even though he is unable to completely defend him against other accusations.

Cryptopolitan Academy: FREE Web3 Resume Cheat Sheet – Download Now

• It seems that the main reason for the 50% decline in the TRUMP market price was selling activity from one whale’s holdings.
• The wallets that were found belonged to seasoned traders who had exchanged USDC for TRUMP early.
• Experienced Solana users who also participate in early snipes of other popular meme tokens seem to be the owners of some of the discovered addresses.

The Official Trump memecoin (TRUMP) appeared unstoppable at its high over the weekend, but the initial 50% fall was caused by just one whale selling. The address of the implicated whale had previously been marked for early purchase.

The 50% TRUMP fall that sent shockwaves across the market could have been caused by a single whale, according to data published by Bubblemaps. Before dividing all of its holdings into ten new wallets, the on-chain analytics company identified one address that was involved in early accumulation.

In addition to holding an additional $75 million worth of tokens, the cluster of wallets has already realized $85 million in gains. It’s unclear at this moment whether the buying and selling was planned or if it was just a seasoned meme’s routine.

TRUMP’s decline from above $72 to the $40 area, with a more severe decline on certain trading pairs, may have been mostly caused by the selling. As market optimism propelled Bitcoin (BTC) to a new all-time high, it bounced back from the decline.

Questions regarding insider activity are raised by the whale wallet.
Eighty percent of TRUMP’s supply is still in the team’s primary wallet, making it a highly centralized meme coin. The potential that some whales would have extra inside knowledge to snipe the token that launched unexpectedly was brought to light by bubblemaps.

All TRUMP monies were transferred to ff.sol, an intermediate wallet, by the original sniper address. The tokens were then dispersed around ten addresses, primarily resulting in the liquidation of their holdings. The money from one of the addresses was transferred to MELANIA.

The original buyer address has no prior history of trading memes and was funded with USDC a few days ago. After ff.sol financed the intermediary wallet, TRUMP was returned to the originating address, where the sale proceeded.

Even before it was discovered that the TRUMP token was a genuine asset, activity from ff.sol was detected.

Social media users initially thought Donald Trump’s accounts had been compromised, which is a common occurrence. But early signs of privileged information were revealed by early token sniping and the trust of well-known wallets in the Solana ecosystem.

The wallet saw a surge in activity following the introduction of TRUMP, capitalizing on the recent trend of related PolitiFi coins. Though not with the intention of holding for a long time, the pocketbook rolled over into TRUTH, FIGHT, and VOX POPULI. Rather, the whale proceeded to the following launch after purchasing early and selling for USDC.

Because the whale was preparing to snipe the token, its actions raised questions about insider information. The presence of actively trading whales tests the status of TRUMP as a potential cult meme token, which is mostly held by the community.

Instead, the price action of TRUMP may feel the effect of large-scale wallets trading rapidly. Some of the TRUMP received by the early buyer wallet was sent to addresses with a track record of flipping meme tokens from previous trends. All the wallets listed by Bubblemaps had different selling strategies and achieved varied end results when locking profits.

Were insiders in Solana aware of Trump’s plans?
TRUMP’s launch was likely planned for some time and did not follow the customary procedures. This raised suspicions that members of the Solana ecosystem were aware of the token’s smart contract’s launch and even distribution.

There was a string in one of the first addresses that traded Trump that indicated it might be from a Solana insider. It was assumed that the vanity address, meowthLT61GwsPZCfdRcNXwSDPp1p6bNRM7PRnYHw3z, belonged to @weremeow, the founder of the Jupiter DEX aggregator. Additionally, sniping Hailey Welch’s meme coin, HAWK, was linked to the same address.

Shatter and other wallets.Sol’s early criticism of TRUMP also resulted in significant unrealized profits. They were also involved in HAWK’s first trading. Both Shatter.sol and goofyaahh.sol are suspected to be owned by the same person controlling ff.sol, and related to a trader or a group of traders.

The Shatter.sol wallet has been known to send funds to new Solana addresses with the intention of sniping tokens soon after launch. Previously, Shatter.sol also sniped and sold BONK.

Some of the techniques used to grab coins early was to send multiple failed transactions to a contract, to make sure an early buy would be possible.

Land a High-Paying Web3 Job in 90 Days: The Ultimate Roadmap

The rollout of TRUMP on ChangeNOW was announced in a post on social media X, allowing users to swap and purchase the token with fiat. 

Hold onto your toupees! @GetTrumpMemes is here, and it’s YUGE!

Born in the wild world of memecoins, @realDonaldTrump’s $TRUMP is all about bold statements and bigger-than-life moves.

Ready to make crypto great again? Get $TRUMP NOW!
https://t.co/9MReQgMSV5 pic.twitter.com/v9ioSgah5x

— ChangeNOW (@ChangeNOW_io) January 18, 2025

The platform offers over 1,200 cryptocurrencies and 500,000 exchange pairs. Fiat purchases are supported in more than 60 currencies, with payment options like Visa and MasterCard, and swaps are completed in five minutes on average. Some of the ChangeNOW exchange pairs for TRUMP available include TRUMP/USDT, TRUMP/USDC, and beyond. 

The token’s significant rise has shifted attention away from other meme coins like DOGE, which has dropped by 8%, and SHIB and PEPE, which have fallen by 6% and 5%, respectively, since TRUMP’s launch. As a result, trading pairs such as DOGE/TRUMP and PEPE/TRUMP are, among others, now actively traded, reflecting growing interest in TRUMP amidst a shifting market dynamic.

TRUMP by Numbers 

In under a day since its launch, TRUMP, the token from President Donald Trump, surged to $33, up from an initial price of $0.18, after Trump encouraged followers to claim their tokens before the 48-hour window expired.

It’s currently trading at $29,2, still reflecting a 320% increase, following a massive surge that allowed early buyers to make substantial gains. The token has also climbed the ranks, now sitting at 29th place on CoinMarketCap.

TRUMP’s market cap is nearing $6 billion, with daily trading volume approaching $11 billion. It has a total supply of 999,99 million tokens, with 200 million currently in circulation.

Trump’s Ongoing Crypto Support

The Trump family has been vocal about their support for crypto. In December, Eric Trump said at a Bitcoin conference that his father would make the U.S. the global leader in crypto, adding that his administration would avoid overregulating the industry.

This stance was reinforced when Donald Trump introduced his $TRUMP meme coin, declaring, “My NEW Official Trump Meme is HERE! It’s time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING!” 

The launch further built on Trump’s pro-crypto stance, with many supporters viewing the TRUMP token as a natural extension of his ongoing interest in digital assets, potentially signaling continued support for cryptocurrency upon his return to office.

• There have been more than 100 bullish posts about the token selections made by the AIXBT account.
• Over a brief period of time, a trader who followed its advice realized average returns of 24.18%.
• The two most popular stories with the best price performances over the last few days are AI and DeFAI.

A trader put AIXBT’s ability to find emerging tokens in the meme area to the test. During early-stage rallies, the majority of the transactions resulted in short-term profits.

The development of AIXBT by Virtuals Protocol’s data hub for crypto analysis is now underway. The AI personality is continuously suggesting tickers in the interim. Both news on more established initiatives and new tickers are posted by the AI agent.

Interestingly, although the AI agent has served as the foundation for the trading test, it is unable to accept accountability for its information or trading recommendations.

One trader made the decision to use AIXBT as a source for copy-trading, which is a popular practice used by memecoin traders who want to mimic the approach of high-performing investors. The trader made the decision to invest a small amount in each of the new tickers AIXBT listed.

The trader allocated $100 to each AIXBT recommendation, purchasing any that were even marginally positive. Following the first purchase, orders were placed at 12, 24, and 36 hours to divest the token using a dollar-cost averaging technique.

Every week, AIXBT promotes more than 100 tokens

AIXBT’s AI personality is very active, sharing token recommendations or insights every hour. On certain tokens, the trader found 117 posts that may be taken action on. The choices represented but a small fraction of the tens of thousands of primarily Solana-based tokens launched each week. 

The choices made by AIXBT also provided information about the most active stories. During the short-term test period, the trader made 54% more money with AI coins and AI agent tokens, 49% with meme tokens, and 21.5% with DeFi selections. Some of the outliers saw profits of 143% to 209% from specific token selections. But before some of the tokens reported their largest gains, the experiment came to an end.

ANON, ALPHA, and GRIFT are examples of older social media narratives that reported larger benefits over a little longer period of time. Because those tokens usually return for a fresh rollover of funds, AIXBT chose them.

Even though the trading experiment took place during a week that was generally gloomy, AIXBT’s picks still beat the market. The most profound personal loss for one of the tokens capped at just 37.5%, a relatively minor drawdown for memecoins. 

The total returns from 117 tokens returned an average of 24.18% on the whole portfolio. The returns are lower compared to more strategic whales, but overall, it was enough to retain the portfolio’s value. 

AIXBT continues to trade near peak

AIXBT itself turned into one of the hottest AI agent tokens. The asset gained to levels above $0.90 after days of waiting for a breakout. AIXBT rallied after a series of whale buying and has not yet seen a drawdown despite some profit-taking. 

The token’s rally and the constant posting and information also boosted engagement for AIXBT on X (formerly Twitter). 

The rising popularity of the project comes before the data terminal is launched, which will begin onboarding users to a closed version in the upcoming weeks.

Following weeks of searching for short-term winners, focus is now being placed on AI coins and agents that are developing platforms and offering long-term benefits.

The AI coin and agent story continues to be the most popular, with the new DeFAI category coming in second. Both in terms of price performance and social media mindshare, the narrative leads. As creators and liquidity move to agent tokens, the industry is still seeing a rollover from meme tokens. Agents competed similarly to memes due of the readily available means for token generation.

DeFAI’s rise stems from the expectation that AI agents will be able to evaluate the market more quickly than human traders. In order to explain its success following the recent Binance listing, AIXBT capitalizes on this niche.

AIXBT is the primary asset of DeFAI tokens. The entire industry recovered during the last week, hitting a $3.26 billion valuation. The market capitalization of AI agent tokens also increased, approaching all-time highs at $16.4 billion. In addition to the content-based AI agent, platforms and utility goods have seen a movement in liquidity among the top coins.

From Zero to Web3 Pro: Your 90-Day Career Launch Plan

• In January, Polymarket’s trading volume falls to a mere $515 million.
• The platform experienced its peak activity in November, driven by wagers on the US presidential election.
• Polymarket has been blocked by the Singaporean government.

Despite having a huge following in 2024, the American prediction site Polymarket has noticed a decline in activity just a few weeks into 2025. Usually, the prediction platform asks users to wager cryptocurrency on “yes” or “no” responses to a given topic.

The site had a sharp increase in wagers on the outcome of the election just prior to the November 5 election, indicating that the election outcomes were a significantly more interesting subject for the cryptocurrency community than the subjects it is now covering.

In January, Polymarket’s trading volume drops by $2 billion compared to November

In October and November, the trade volume on the prediction platform Polymarket was $2.3 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, according to Dune Analytics.

The increase in wagers on the outcome of the US election scheduled for November 5th is the reason for the spike in trade volume. The fact that November 2024 trading volume was about 37,700% higher than November 2023’s $6.8 million volume suggests that election outcomes were significant to cryptocurrency investors.

The market has found it difficult to sustain the same level of activity in 2025, even after a spike in November. In the first few weeks of 2025, trading volume has decreased from $1.9 billion in December to just $515 million.

Moreover, open interest on Polymarket slumped by 77% between November 6 and January 13.

Predictions regarding whether Donald Trump would try to buy Greenland, whether New York City would abandon its contentious congestion pricing program by summer, and how frequently Elon Musk will post on X this week were among the most trending markets as of January 14.

Market competition, user complaints, and regulations continue to be problems for Polymarket.

Despite the fact that Polymarket’s trading volume increased in November, its widespread appeal did draw regulatory attention. Shayne Coplan, the CEO of Polymarket, was searched by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation in November to see whether the market was still abiding by the 2022 prohibition on US markets.

In addition, Singapore joined Taiwan and France in limiting access to the prediction site in January.

Some of the platform’s users have even voiced concerns over some of the market’s bets, particularly those centered around LA wildfires. Some have claimed the platform was trying to profit from a national disaster, inviting criticism from concerned crypto investors.

Not to mention, the platform still has to fight off top competitor Kalshi after the firm won the court’s favor in September, allowing American users to bet on its platform.

Land a High-Paying Web3 Job in 90 Days: The Ultimate Roadmap