President Donald Trump is considering a new round of stimulus checks targeting low-income Americans, according to unconfirmed reports.
The unconfirmed reports say that the proposal is under review as part of broader economic support plans. Though still a rumor, the move might mirror pandemic-era relief policies that injected billions into American households.
What Are Stimulus Checks?
Stimulus checks are direct cash payments from the federal government to eligible citizens. They aim to boost spending and reduce financial stress during economic downturns or emergencies.
In 2020, under the CARES Act, individuals received $1,200, while joint filers got $2,400. The government followed up with additional rounds in December 2020 and March 2021.
Trump’s name was printed on the memo line of the first batch, drawing criticism for politicizing aid.
However, the payments helped millions cover essentials—and many others turned to investing.
Stimulus Checks and the 2020 Crypto Boom
A significant portion of recipients used their stimulus checks to buy cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin.
Data from Coinbase and Binance at the time showed a spike in $1,200 BTC purchases within days of the disbursements.
Retail investors flooded into crypto markets, helping drive Bitcoin from around $7,000 in April 2020 to over $60,000 by April 2021.
Altcoins like Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Uniswap also saw parabolic growth in the months that followed.
Stimulus-fueled buying coincided with the rise of Robinhood traders, NFT speculation, and the first wave of DeFi expansion. It was a retail-driven phase that brought millions into digital assets.
Potential Impact on Crypto in 2025
If a new round of checks is approved, crypto markets could see renewed retail activity. This comes as institutional flows into Bitcoin ETFs have slowed in recent weeks, leaving room for consumer sentiment to move prices.
Unlike 2020, the crypto space in 2025 includes more onramps, tokenized assets, and mobile-first investing tools.
So, this makes it easier for users to convert stimulus cash into digital assets, especially stablecoins and trending tokens.
HBAR, the native token of Hedera, has been experiencing a steady uptrend recently, attracting the attention of investors. The price surge has contributed to increased trading activity, but for traders, especially those holding short positions, this could lead to significant liquidations.
While the altcoin is expected to continue its rise, the situation may become challenging for those who bet against it.
HBAR Traders Are In Danger
The Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) indicator shows strong inflows into HBAR, signaling that investor sentiment is bullish. The CMF has bounced above the zero line for the first time since December 2024, showing strong demand.
The inflows indicate that investors continue to pour money into the asset, bolstering the price movement. With the CMF turning positive, the likelihood of sustained growth for HBAR increases, as long as the broader market maintains its bullish tone.
The liquidation map for HBAR, which tracks short positions, indicates that traders betting against the asset could face significant losses if the price continues to rise. HBAR’s current price sits at $0.19, not far from the key resistance level of $0.22. If HBAR breaches this resistance, approximately $70 million worth of short positions could be liquidated, leading to further upward pressure. This scenario highlights the intense battle between bullish investors and bearish traders.
Short traders who bet against HBAR are now at risk, as the broader market sentiment pushes the altcoin higher. The increasing momentum fueled by the strong inflows will likely catch many short positions off guard, forcing them to liquidate. If this liquidation occurs, it could lead to a sharp rise in the price of HBAR, further solidifying its bullish outlook.
HBAR is currently trading at $0.194, just below the significant resistance level of $0.200. The altcoin has shown consistent growth over the past month, and with the current positive market sentiment, it is likely to continue rising. A successful break above $0.200 could confirm the bullish momentum and open the path for further gains.
Should HBAR manage to flip $0.200 into support, a rise to $0.220 would likely follow, triggering the $70 million in short liquidations. This would create additional upward pressure, accelerating HBAR’s price move and potentially pushing it higher in the short term.
However, if HBAR fails to maintain its upward trajectory and falls below the uptrend line, the price could slip under the $0.182 support level. Such a decline would likely bring HBAR to around $0.167, invalidating the current bullish outlook. Therefore, traders should closely monitor these key levels to determine the next steps for HBAR’s price action.
Web3’s future is being shaped by those who bridge technology and sustainability. As blockchain matures, real-world utility has become the currency of trust for both individuals and institutions. In this pivotal moment, VeChain CEO Sunny Lu offers a unique perspective on his company’s mission—and the larger transformation unfolding in crypto.
Sunny Lu is the CEO of VeChain, a pioneering enterprise blockchain platform recognized for its commitment to sustainability and mass adoption. BeInCrypto interviewed Lu in June 2025 to discuss the rollout of Stargate, VeChain’s new decentralization engine, and how the project’s evolving strategies aim to move beyond speculative hype into measurable impact.
Their conversation, held at the launchpad of VeChain’s most significant upgrade yet, illuminated ambitions for a truly democratized and utility-driven future, covering protocol upgrades, compliance, developer opportunities, and VeChain’s global reach.
The following interview reveals VeChain’s multi-layered approach, from grassroots ESG incentives to staking innovations that open decentralization to everyone. Lu makes it clear: this is VeChain’s renaissance—and its boldest step forward.
The Evolution of VeChain: Infrastructure, Adoption, and Sustainability
VeChain has gone through three major phases, each shaped by a white paper. The first, in 2017, focused on building the core infrastructure. By 2019, we had moved to enterprise adoption, working with companies like Walmart, BYD, and others on food safety and sustainability.
In 2023, we launched our third white paper, “Web3 for Better,” which marks our current focus: building sustainability-driven applications. We launched vBetterDAO to encourage people to take better daily actions—so far, we’ve reached 2.7 million users and over 40 applications.
Now, we’re entering what we call the VeChain Renaissance, the most significant upgrade in our history. Its first milestone is the Stargate platform, launching July 1, designed to enable decentralization at scale.
Stargate and the Road to True Decentralization
Stargate is the first step of the VeChain Renaissance. It includes major protocol and tokenomics upgrades aimed at true decentralization. Most users can’t run validators because they require technical skills. Stargate introduces a staking system using NFTs to simplify participation.
Users can stake VET into smart contracts, mint NFTs of different levels based on their stake, and delegate those NFTs to validators, without giving up control of their funds. This approach removes technical barriers and brings in real rewards.
Validators can earn up to 15% APY, and delegators up to 12%.
Importantly, VET and VSO have been deemed MiCA compliant by the Central Bank of Ireland since March 2025, and we also ensure our model aligns with SEC guidance.
Weighted Proof-of-Stake and Flexible Participation
We’ll support 101 validators, as we do now with our Proof of Authority model, but we’re evolving to include up to 500,000 delegators through a weighted delegated Proof-of-Stake system.
Legacy XNode and Econode holders can swap into new NFTs, while new users can mint from seven NFT tiers based on staking amounts. The system is flexible and deflationary—users can unstake and burn their NFTs anytime.
Sustainability as VeChain’s Pillar: Applications and Impact
It’s still a pillar. Our vBetterDAO fosters both startups and big corporations to build decentralized applications that incentivize sustainable behaviors. For example:
Markshaw and GreenCard reward people for using recycled mugs or buying organic goods.
EVN, using Tesla APIs, rewards Tesla drivers for eco-friendly charging behavior.
BYB (Build Your Body), co-developed with UFC, rewards users for physical workouts using motion detection.
These applications are highly engaging—some have over a million users with exceptional retention.
ESG, Greenwashing, and the Bottom-Up Alternative
We acknowledge that ESG can be politicized or used as greenwashing. Traditional ESG is top-down, driven by big corporations or financial institutions. We do the opposite.
Our approach is bottom-up, empowering individuals to make daily sustainable choices. These actions accumulate into real impact. Our vision complements traditional ESG with grassroots action and technology.
Opportunities for Developers
We offer several entry points:
DevRel support – Our developer relations team is ready to assist.
Grant programs – We incentivize developers to build applications aligned with our vision.
BCG Consultation Program – In partnership with BCG, we help top developers with go-to-market strategies and partnerships.
Ultimately, vBetterDAO acts as an incubator, offering developers everything they need to launch and scale.
Global User Base and Institutional Vision
We’ve mapped our users worldwide: the U.S., Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa—you name it. We’re present almost everywhere, except a few sensitive regions.
We started in 2024. Johnny Garcia, formerly of Vanguard and Bitwise, joined us to lead our institutional strategy. We’re onboarding institutions not just as investors, but as validators.
These are long-term supporters, not speculators. They’re contributing to network security and aligned with our sustainability vision.
Everything is possible. We’re keeping our options open.
A Turning Point: Real World Utility in 2025 and Beyond
2025 is a turning point. Regulations are becoming clearer—MiCA in Europe, and increasing clarity from the SEC in the U.S.
Institutions are looking for real-world utility, not just narratives. That’s what we offer—real applications, real users, and real value.
We’re transitioning from a narrative-driven market to a fundamentals-driven one. It’s just like the evolution of the internet. I’m confident and bullish about where VeChain is headed.
Conclusion
Sunny Lu’s vision for VeChain is centered on accessibility, transparency, and measurable utility. Stargate’s NFT-based staking and global compliance drive VeChain to the forefront of decentralization.
Through sustainability initiatives and bold partnerships, VeChain continues to empower both individuals and institutions to generate tangible impact, one step at a time. As regulations clarify and technology matures, Lu’s confidence signals a new chapter where fundamentals and real-world value define blockchain’s next wave.
Stellar (XLM) has been up almost 19% over the last seven days, and its market cap is now close to $9 billion. The RSI has surged above 70, while the ADX shows rising trend strength, and the EMA lines confirm bullish momentum.
XLM is holding an uptrend and pushing toward key resistance around $0.30. However, if support levels fail, signs of overheating could lead to short-term pullbacks.
Is Stellar Overheating? RSI Hits 71.5
Stellar is currently showing strong bullish momentum. Its Relative Strength Index (RSI) climbed to 71.5, significantly from 55.2 just three days ago.
This rapid increase highlights a surge in buying activity, reflecting growing investor confidence in XLM’s short-term price prospects. The sharp move also suggests that Stellar has quickly transitioned from a neutral to a more aggressively bullish setup, capturing attention among traders who closely monitor momentum indicators for entry and exit signals.
Such a fast rise in RSI often indicates intense demand, but it can also signal that the asset is approaching stretched conditions, which may increase volatility.
The RSI, or Relative Strength Index, is a technical indicator used to assess the strength and speed of an asset’s recent price movements. It operates on a scale from 0 to 100, where readings above 70 generally suggest an asset is overbought, and readings below 30 indicate oversold conditions.
When the RSI crosses above 70, it often warns that the asset could be due for a pause, consolidation, or minor correction as buying momentum overheats.
With Stellar’s RSI now at 71.5, XLM has officially entered overbought territory. This could mean that while bullish sentiment remains dominant, the price is increasingly vulnerable to pullbacks if momentum slows or traders begin locking in profits after the recent surge.
XLM Trend Momentum Builds as Buying Pressure Dominates
The Stellar Directional Movement Index (DMI) chart signals strengthening trend momentum. Its Average Directional Index (ADX) is currently at 37.41, up from 26.56 just two days ago.
This sharp increase in ADX suggests that the trend is gaining strength, confirming that market participants are firmly committed to the prevailing direction.
An ADX above 25 generally indicates the presence of a meaningful trend, and with XLM’s ADX now approaching 40, the uptrend is well-established and becoming increasingly powerful, attracting more attention from momentum traders and technical analysts.
The ADX, or Average Directional Index, measures the strength of a trend. It does not indicate the direction. It moves between 0 and 100. Readings below 20 show a weak or non-existent trend. Readings above 25 suggest a strong and sustainable trend is underway.
Along with the ADX, the DMI tracks two other important lines. The Positive Directional Indicator (+DI) measures upward pressure, while the negative directional indicator (-DI) measures downward pressure.
XLM’s +DI is now at 33.59. It was at 22.81 two days ago but is slightly down from a recent peak of 36.47. This shows some short-term volatility, even with strong overall buying pressure.
Meanwhile, the -DI has dropped sharply to 9.91 from 19.8 three days ago. This signals that selling pressure has weakened considerably.
Taken together, these movements confirm that XLM remains firmly in an uptrend. However, small fluctuations in +DI suggest that while bulls are still in control, the pace of buying could face brief pauses or small pullbacks as the rally matures.
Stellar Bullish Trend Intact, but Key Support at $0.279 Must Hold
Stellar’s Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) are flashing strong bullish signals, with the short-term EMAs currently positioned above the long-term ones. This classic pattern reflects sustained upward momentum.
The next major resistance level sits around $0.30, a psychological barrier that could briefly slow XLM’s advance.
However, if Stellar manages to break decisively above $0.30, the path higher opens toward $0.349 and potentially $0.37, which would mark the first time XLM trades above $0.35 since March 2.
On the downside, the support level at $0.279 has become crucial for maintaining the bullish structure.
A successful retest of this support could serve as a healthy consolidation before another leg higher, but a clear loss of $0.279 could trigger a more meaningful correction.
If that happens, XLM price could slide toward the next major support at $0.258, and if selling pressure accelerates, deeper retracements toward $0.239 or even $0.20 are possible.
