The MANTRA (OM) token suffered a catastrophic price collapse on April 13, plummeting over 90% in under an hour and wiping out more than $5.5 billion in market capitalization.
The sudden crash, which took OM from a high of $6.33 to below $0.50, has drawn comparisons to the infamous Terra LUNA meltdown, with thousands of holders reportedly losing millions.
Why did MANTRA (OM) Crash?
Multiple reports suggest that the trigger is a large token deposit linked to a wallet allegedly associated with the MANTRA team. Onchain data shows a deposit of 3.9 million OM tokens to OKX, sparking concerns about a possible incoming sell-off.
Given that the MANTRA team reportedly controls close to 90% of the token’s total supply, the move raised immediate red flags about potential insider activity and price manipulation.
The OM community has long expressed concerns around transparency. Allegations have surfaced over the past year suggesting the team manipulated the token’s price through market makers, changed tokenomics, and repeatedly delayed a community airdrop.
When the OKX deposit was spotted, fears that insiders might be preparing to offload were amplified.
Reports also indicate that MANTRA may have engaged in undisclosed over-the-counter (OTC) deals, selling tokens at steep discounts — in some cases at 50% below market value.
As OM’s price rapidly declined, these OTC investors were thrown into losses, which allegedly sparked a mass exodus as panic selling took hold. The chain reaction triggered stop-loss orders and forced liquidations on leveraged positions, compounding the collapse.
The MANTRA team has denied all allegations of a rug pull and maintains that its members did not initiate the sell-off.
In a public statement, co-founder John Patrick Mullin said the team is investigating what went wrong and is committed to finding a resolution.
The project’s official Telegram channel was locked during the fallout, which added to community frustration and speculation.
“We have determined that the OM market movements were triggered by reckless forced closures initiated by centralized exchanges on OM account holders. The timing and depth of the crash suggest that a very sudden closure of account positions was initiated without sufficient warning or notice,” wrote MANTRA founder JP Mullin.
If OM fails to recover, this would mark one of the largest collapses in crypto history since the Terra LUNA crash in 2022.
Thousands of affected holders are now demanding transparency and accountability from the MANTRA team, while the broader crypto community watches closely for answers.
Aqua 1, a Web3 investment fund based in the UAE, announced today that it’s spending $100 million on WLFI tokens. It and World Liberty Financial are partnering to expand WLFI’s blockchain ecosystem.
However, the announcement didn’t go into many specifics, and there are a lot of unanswered questions about this deal. If nothing else, both firms plan to support BlockRock, an RWA tokenization firm.
Today, this Aqua 1 partnership plans to change things even further with a $100 million WLFI purchase:
“We’re excited to work hand-in-hand with the team at Aqua 1. Aligning with Aqua 1 validates our blueprint for global financial innovation, as we have a joint mission to bring digital assets to the masses and strengthen our nation’s standing as a champion and leader of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology,” claimed World Liberty co-founder Zak Folkman.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much information available on Aqua 1, which could be useful for dissecting the WLFI purchase. Its X account was created this month, and all its posts relate to today’s deal.
Aqua 1’s press release is very noncommittal, briefly touching on many Web3 buzzwords like DeFi, blockchain infrastructure, AI, global adoption, and more.
Nonetheless, this deal is quite strange. Aqua 1 invested $100 million in WLFI, more than three times as much as Tron founder Justin Sun. The fund is now its largest individual investor.
The Federal Reserve is having a closed-door meeting today to discuss potentially cutting interest rates. This would help crypto in a few ways, spurring risky investments and possibly even weakening the dollar.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell has been hesitant to cut rates, but he is under a lot of pressure. BlackRock’s CEO Larry Fink is currently pessimistic about rate cuts, claiming that they may even increase this year.
Soon after, the White House denied the rumors, resulting in a crash. However, the Federal Reserve is having a closed-door meeting today, and it may plan to cut interest rates:
“A closed meeting of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System at will be held 11:30 am on Monday, April 7, 2025. The following matters of official Board business are tentatively scheduled to be considered at that meeting: review and determination by the Board of Governors of the advance and discount rates to be charged by the Federal Reserve Banks,” the Fed’s website read.
There are many reasons why the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates. High rates make fixed-income investments more attractive, drawing capital away from riskier assets like stocks and cryptocurrencies, while low rates make these assets more attractive.
Rate cuts have often corresponded with market rallies, especially with ZIRP after the 2008 crash.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell initially signaled that he was reluctant to cut rates at this moment, but pressure has been building for him to do so. Unfortunately, that may not matter yet.
Larry Fink, BlackRock’s pro-crypto CEO, has been very pessimistic about possible cuts. In a recent televised interview, he claimed that most CEOs believe the US is already in a recession and that the country is currently not a “global stabilizer” in the markets.
Under these conditions, he stated that there’s a 0% chance of 4 to 5 rate cuts and that rates may even increase.
BREAKING: Blackrock CEO Fink says that he worries that Trump’s actions are much more inflationary than the markets expect, and the economy is weakening as we speak.
He also says that he sees a 0% chance of four or five interest rate cuts this year, and sees a chance of interest… pic.twitter.com/wyTpBoCP5W
When the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, it isn’t a bullish signal across the board. They also tend to weaken the US dollar as its yield advantage diminishes relative to other currencies.
This would also be good for crypto, considering its use as a store of value, but the Fed isn’t particularly interested in that. The industry won’t be the deciding factor either way.
Still, other commentators have been highly skeptical of Fink’s claim. Powell is under a lot of pressure to cut rates, so raising them would buck market expectations. Investors are betting on multiple rate cuts, and these hypothetical cuts may be priced to a certain extent.
Looking back at previous cycles, periods of rate cuts have often coincided with market rallies. For instance, during the post-2008 recovery, rate cuts revived equity and emerging asset classes.
Overall, lower rates typically mean easier access to credit, leading to more liquidity in the market. This extra liquidity can help drive up demand for riskier assets, including cryptocurrencies.
So, If the FOMC signals a shift toward lower interest rates, this could boost overall market confidence. As traditional markets begin to stabilize and recover, crypto markets might experience a rebound.
Investor sentiment, already shaken by the recent sell-offs and heightened volatility, could turn more optimistic with the prospect of easing monetary conditions.
Most importantly, institutional investors, who have been cautious during the current volatile period, may adjust their strategies in a lower-rate environment.
With lower fixed-income yields, portfolio managers could increase their allocation to alternative assets, including cryptocurrencies, to achieve higher returns. This influx of institutional capital could lend credibility to the crypto market and help drive a recovery.
TradFi’s relationship with Bitcoin continues to evolve, with 34 public corporations now holding a combined 699,387 BTC—worth over $72 billion. MicroStrategy remains the undisputed leader, holding 555,450 BTC alone.
While some view Bitcoin treasury strategies as bullish catalysts, the data tells a more nuanced story: adding BTC to a balance sheet isn’t a guaranteed stock booster. Outliers like Metaplanet have surged over 3,000% since their BTC entry, but many others have seen far more modest gains, or even declines.
Metaplanet Inc.
Metaplanet is a Japanese public company that has quickly transformed from a traditional business—formerly involved in hotel operations—into one of Asia’s most aggressive Bitcoin-focused firms. Its transformation shows how some TradFi players are reshaping their models around digital assets.
Since launching its Bitcoin Income Generation strategy in late 2024, the company has pivoted sharply toward crypto, with 88% of its Q1 FY2025 revenue—¥770 million ($5.2 million)—coming from Bitcoin option premium harvesting.
Metaplanet first added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in April 2024 and now holds 5,555 BTC worth approximately $576.8 million. Since that initial move, the company’s stock has soared over 3,000%, with recent filings showing a 15x increase in share price year-to-date.
The firm’s aggressive BTC accumulation strategy—targeting 10,000 BTC by year-end—has drawn growing investor interest, expanding its shareholder base by 500% in a year.
Despite short-term valuation losses due to Bitcoin price fluctuations, Metaplanet reported ¥13.5 billion in unrealized BTC gains as of May 12, signaling strong confidence in its long-term crypto positioning.
NEXON
Nexon, a major Japanese gaming company behind global hits like Dungeon&Fighter and MapleStory, added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in April 2021 and currently holds 1,717 BTC—worth approximately $178.3 million.
Despite this sizable allocation, the move hasn’t paid off in terms of market performance, as Nexon’s stock is down nearly 29% since the purchase, showing how, for many TradFi firms, crypto exposure doesn’t necessarily translate into equity gains.
Unlike other firms that saw major investor enthusiasm from Bitcoin exposure, Nexon’s value remains more closely tied to the performance of its gaming franchises.
In its Q1 2025 earnings report, Nexon reported revenue of ¥113.9 billion, up 5% year over year, and operating income jumping 43% to ¥41.6 billion, driven by strong performance from core titles and lower costs.
Semler Scientific (SMLR)
Semler Scientific made its first Bitcoin purchase in May 2024 and currently holds 1,273 BTC, valued at approximately $132.2 million.
Since adopting Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset, the company’s stock has climbed over 55%.
While smaller in scale compared to top crypto treasury holders, Semler’s aggressive accumulation and performance have positioned it as a notable player in the Bitcoin corporate adoption narrative.
In its Q1 2025 earnings call, Semler Scientific reported a mixed performance. Revenue dropped 44% year-over-year to $8.8 million, driven by declines in its healthcare segment, while operating losses widened to $31.1 million amid $39.9 million in expenses.
A net loss of $64.7 million was largely due to an unrealized loss of $41.8 million from Bitcoin price fluctuations.
Despite these setbacks, the company reaffirmed its commitment to expanding its BTC holdings through a $500 million ATM program and a $100 million convertible note.
Tesla (TSLA)
Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has had a complex and headline-grabbing relationship with Bitcoin since adding it to its balance sheet in January 2021.
Musk, a long-time crypto enthusiast, has influenced market sentiment through both Tesla’s actions and his personal commentary on digital assets like BTC and Dogecoin. Tesla’s stock is up 34% since that initial Bitcoin buy, but the path has been volatile—peaking near $480 in late 2024 before collapsing below $107 in early 2023.
Despite the swings, Musk’s Bitcoin advocacy and Tesla’s early crypto exposure helped position the company as a bellwether for institutional adoption of crypto. Its journey reflects the volatility and complexity of crypto exposure within large TradFi companies, as BTC is up 212% in the same period.
In its latest Q1 2025 earnings, however, Tesla posted disappointing results. Automotive revenue dropped 20% year-over-year to $14 billion, dragging total revenue down 9% to $19.34 billion, well below Wall Street estimates.
Net income plummeted 71% to $409 million, and operating margin collapsed to 2.1% as production upgrades, price cuts, and political uncertainty—including rising tariffs—weighed heavily on performance.
Amid declining deliveries and intensifying global competition, Tesla highlighted progress in energy storage and AI infrastructure.
Still, with shares down 41% year-to-date and Musk’s growing political involvement drawing further scrutiny, investors remain cautious as the company prepares for a potential robotaxi launch in June.
Block Inc. (Formerly Square)
Block Inc., co-founded by Jack Dorsey, added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in October 2022 and currently holds 8,485 BTC, worth approximately $881 million.
Known for its early embrace of Bitcoin and crypto integration through Cash App, Block has positioned itself as one of the most prominent corporate Bitcoin holders.
Since its initial BTC acquisition, the stock has risen just 3.8%, reflecting a turbulent journey, peaking above $100 in December 2024, but also dropping to around $38.5 in November 2023 amid broader tech sector volatility and macroeconomic headwinds for TradFi.
Block’s Q1 2025 earnings revealed a mixed picture. The company missed both revenue and profit expectations, posting $5.77 billion in revenue versus the $6.2 billion expected.
Despite a 9% rise in gross profit to $2.29 billion, guidance for the rest of the year was cut due to macro uncertainty, including the impact of new tariffs.
Cash App’s gross profit rose 10% to $1.38 billion, thanks to the launch of Afterpay’s buy-now-pay-later feature and the expansion of its lending program under FDIC approval.
However, gross payment volume increased, and international exposure now accounts for 18% of the total volume.
While Block posted its most profitable quarter to date, shares are down 31% year-to-date, and investors remain cautious as the company prepares to deliver its first Bitcoin mining chips later this year.
BlockRock is now officially backed by both Aqua1 Foundation and World Liberty Financial — pioneering the next standard for TradFi × Web3 integration. 
