Ripple Labs has settled with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over their ongoing lawsuit. As part of the agreement, Ripple will pay a reduced fine of $50 million and drop its cross-appeal. Additionally, the SEC will return $75 million of the original $125 million fine. The SEC is now set to request the lifting of the injunction on Ripple, marking a significant step forward in resolving the case.
The US government’s strategic crypto reserve has been a hot topic of discussion, sparking expert opinions and debates. While President Donald Trump has already signed an executive order for a Bitcoin reserve, the fate of XRP, SOL, and ADA hangs in balance. However, the Trump administration’s upcoming disclosure of its crypto holdings is expected to bring clarity to the inclusion of altcoins in the US reserve.
Notably, the US Department of the Treasury and other government agencies are expected to expose their Bitcoin and other crypto holdings this week. Let’s unveil this crucial move’s potential implications on the US crypto and financial landscapes.
US Government To Disclose BTC and Crypto Holdings
In a recent X post, Bitcoin Magazine CEO David Bailey unveiled a crucial event on April 5, 2025, which is poised to revolutionize the US financial economy. According to Bailey’s post, the US government is set to complete a comprehensive audit of the country’s Bitcoin holdings this Saturday. Bailey said, “Depending on what we learn, might answer many of the open questions about the recent price action.”
The upcoming audit will provide a detailed inventory of the government’s Bitcoin portfolio, held across federal agencies. It will also provide insights into the collection of other cryptocurrencies like XRP, SOL, and ADA. Thus, this audit could also provide clarity into the possibility of including these altcoins in the US crypto reserve.
How Will the Audit Impact the US Crypto Reserve?
For context, President Donald Trump proposed a strategic crypto reserve to include XRP, ADA, and SOL in the US reserve. This development came amid growing speculations of the adoption of Bitcoin as a reserve asset.
Significantly, Trump’s move invoked criticism, with Bitcoin maximalists questioning the legitimacy of other cryptocurrencies to be a national reserve.
Though Trump signed an executive order for establishing a BTC reserve, there is still uncertainty surrounding the altcoin reserve. However, the US government’s decision to reveal its crypto holdings could bring transparency and clarity to the nation’s digital assets. The audit may also shed light on the potential developments within the government and its decision on altcoin reserves.
US Government’s BTC Holdings: A Closer Look
According to Arkham Intelligence data, the US government currently boasts a total of 198,012 BTC worth around $16 billion. As per crypto czar David Sacks’ statement, the US government has seized approximately 400,000 Bitcoin through civil and criminal asset forfeitures over the past decade.
Though the US government’s Bitcoin holdings are well-documented, its altcoin portfolio is still shrouded in uncertainty. Nonetheless, experts believe that the audit has the potential to clarify the government’s altcoin holdings and reserve management strategies.
Donald Trump’s broader circle and business avenue is reportedly planning to launch a crypto game based on Monopoly this month. Trump is a longtime fan of the game, launching an officially licensed spinoff in 1989.
Bill Zanker, who helped Trump launch NFTs and his TRUMP meme coin, is spearheading development. However, the community response is skeptical, as very little information about the crypto element is public.
Trump Is Launching a Crypto Monopoly Spinoff
The intersection of blockchain and gaming has a wide variety of uses, from Tap-to-Earn tokens to NFT use cases and more. A surprising addition to this space is coming soon, as a new report claims that Trump’s family will launch a crypto game loosely based on Monopoly soon.
The exact details are somewhat hazy, but reporters have managed to identify a few key facts. This Monopoly game is being spearheaded by Bill Zanker, a longtime Trump associate who worked with him to launch his NFTs in 2023 and was also involved in the TRUMP token.
It’s unclear when the two renewed their partnership, but the game is set to release this month. Anonymous sources claimed that players will earn in-game cash, which is presumably where the crypto element comes in.
Both developers quoted directly compared this game to Monopoly, and its rules will likely match up. Further reports suggest that Zanker is looking to buy the IP rights for the 1980s Trump Monopoly spinoff board game.
In other words, this IP question could present a possible difficulty if Monopoly’s owners don’t license another spinoff to Trump. Even if the crypto game doesn’t bear any Monopoly branding, Hasbro could sue if the gameplay is substantially similar.
So far, the online crypto community’s response has been incredulous. Users called Trump’s crypto-themed Monopoly spinoff a “joke,” an attempt to “max extract” value from his supporters, and called developers “the largest manipulators ever.”
Even if retail investors have potential upside, there seems to be a narrow window for gains.
“Are we about to witness another Trump family rug? Apparently, Trump’s a big fan of Monopoly. Zanker claims it’s not a MONOPOLY GO! clone — but confirmed the game is real and set to launch end of April. Incoming circus or giga pump?” said one user.
It’s difficult to determine the potential impact of this game on crypto, as we have basically no information about its tokenomics. For example, in Monopoly, users have to spend in-game currency to play.
Will that be a major component of Trump’s version? Will the in-game currency include the TRUMP meme coin? How will users extract value? These details will likely remain unanswered until an official announcement.
PancakeSwap, the largest decentralized exchange (DEX) on BNB Chain, has officially announced the implementation of CAKE Tokenomics 3.0. This marks a major shift toward a more sustainable and deflationary ecosystem.
According to the announcement, PancakeSwap will begin rolling out the new tokenomics model on April 23, 2025. The main goals are to curb CAKE inflation, optimize system efficiency, and deliver long-term value to the community. However, the CAKE 3.0 proposal has sparked considerable debate.
What Are the Key Changes in CAKE Tokenomics 3.0?
PancakeSwap has set three primary goals for Tokenomics 3.0: achieve an annual deflation rate of 4%, eliminate complex mechanisms such as veCAKE, and reduce CAKE emissions to improve sustainability.
Retirement of CAKE Staking, veCAKE, Gauges Voting, Revenue Sharing, and Farm Boosting: PancakeSwap will discontinue CAKE staking and the veCAKE mechanism, which required users to lock tokens in exchange for voting rights or benefits. All locked CAKE and veCAKE will be unlocked.
Burn Mechanism to Reduce Circulating Supply: PancakeSwap will burn tokens to reduce supply instead of sharing trading fees with users. The team expects to burn approximately 5.3 million CAKE annually, supporting the deflation target.
Phased Reduction in CAKE Emissions: Daily CAKE emissions will be reduced from 29,000 to 20,000, and later to 14,500 tokens.
Users will have six months from April 23, 2025, to withdraw their previously locked CAKE.
The Debate Around CAKE 3.0
Several developers and community members believe CAKE Tokenomics 3.0 will benefit the project in the long term.
“At its core, CAKE Tokenomics 3.0 defends true value and protects CAKE holders by strengthening long-term fundamentals—such as aggressively cutting emissions to accelerate deflation and sustainably grow value,” Chef Philip said.
However, not everyone agrees. Cakepie DAO—one of the largest veCAKE holders—voiced strong concerns on X. They criticized the decision to eliminate veCAKE, calling it non-transparent and potentially damaging to projects built around that model.
This reveals a divide in the community over how PancakeSwap is balancing deflation and stakeholder interests.
“Sunsetting veCAKE would be devastating for Cakepie and for every project built on long-term alignment with PancakeSwap. Our entire ecosystem is structured around veCAKE, with millions of CAKE locked for four years as a clear show of commitment. Removing veCAKE would erase that commitment overnight and undermine the trust and efforts of all builders who believed in PancakeSwap’s vision,” Cakepie stated.
In response, PancakeSwap proposed a $1.5 million compensation package in CAKE tokens. They offered this to CKP (Cakepie’s token) holders if Cakepie agreed to allow a 1:1 swap from mCAKE (Cakepie’s CAKE derivative) to CAKE.
However, Cakepie is currently voting on whether to accept the offer.
At the time of reporting, CAKE is trading around $1.97, up 17% since April 8, when PancakeSwap first proposed Tokenomics 3.0.
Additionally, data from DeFiLlama shows that PancakeSwap’s 24-hour trading volume has surpassed $1 billion, overtaking Uniswap.
Meanwhile, a report from BeInCrypto reveals that PancakeSwap controls over 90% of the DEX market share on BNB Chain. This highlights the strong relationship between BNB Chain and PancakeSwap.
