Ethereum has recently shown an attempt to recover from the significant losses it sustained toward the end of March. The altcoin, often considered the leader in the smart contract space, is currently trading at $1,774.
While this reflects an effort to regain momentum, Ethereum’s recovery might be hindered by short-term holders (STHs) looking to capitalize on any immediate profits.
Ethereum Investors Are Prone To Selling
Ethereum’s network value and user activity are showing signs of a possible recovery, but its current market sentiment remains under pressure. The Net Unrealized Profit/Loss (NUPL) indicator, which gauges the overall profit or loss of coins in circulation, has entered a phase of capitulation.
Despite the uptick in Ethereum’s price, the underlying sentiment remains cautious. The increase in the NUPL could quickly reverse if short-term holders (STHs) decide to liquidate their positions.
Ethereum’s recovery hinges on investor confidence, with those holding onto their assets being the key to avoiding another sell-off. If more STHs choose to HODL instead of selling, Ethereum could see sustained upward momentum in the coming weeks.
On a broader scale, Ethereum’s macro momentum presents mixed signals. The Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) Long/Short Difference indicator is currently deeply negative at -30%. This suggests that the market may face additional resistance in its recovery efforts.
The indicator highlights the disconnect between long-term and short-term holders, with the latter showing profits at a two-year high. The last time this occurred was in January 2023, when Ethereum experienced significant sell-offs, pushing the price lower.
The presence of STHs in a profitable position increases the likelihood of further selling pressure on Ethereum. As these investors are more likely to liquidate at the first sign of profits, the recovery could face challenges.
Ethereum’s price could struggle to maintain upward momentum, especially if short-term holders capitalize on their gains, pushing the altcoin back into a downtrend.
Ethereum’s price has risen by 11% in the past week, currently trading at $1,774. It is now testing the resistance at $1,796, and breaching this level is crucial for Ethereum to continue its recovery toward the $2,000 mark. A successful breakout above this resistance would signal a continuation of the recovery trend, pushing Ethereum closer to its previous high.
However, considering the market sentiment and the current indicators, Ethereum’s chances of reaching $2,000 in the short term seem unlikely. Ethereum is at risk of falling below the $1,671 support, which could trigger a deeper pullback to $1,522. This bearish outlook suggests that the recovery may be short-lived unless strong buying support materializes.
If the broader market conditions remain strong, Ethereum could manage to breach the $1,796 resistance and even push past $1,906. A move above these levels would set Ethereum on track to reach $2,000, invalidating the bearish outlook and signaling a more sustainable recovery for the altcoin.
The non-fungible token (NFT) sector experienced explosive growth in 2021. Artists, investors, and collectors were all swept up in the frenzy. Yet, its meteoric rise was followed by a downturn, prompting questions about the sector’s sustainability.
Alexander Salnikov, co-founder of Rarible, believes the market is not facing a collapse but rather a shift. In an exclusive interview with BeInCrypto, Salnikov offered his perspective on the state of NFTs in 2025 and their role moving forward.
Are NFTs Still Relevant in 2025, or Have They Run Their Course?
The rise of NFTs, fueled by excitement and speculation, was inevitable for a market experiencing such rapid innovation. Nonetheless, like many emerging technologies, this early surge was followed by a correction. The hype gave way to the realities of market maturation and sustainability.
According to the latest report by DappRadar, the art NFT market saw an impressive surge in 2021, with trading volumes reaching $2.9 billion. However, by the first quarter of 2025, the trading volume was recorded at just $23.8 million, marking a 93% decline.
NFTs Trading Volume Over the Years. Source: DappRadar
Similarly, the number of active traders peaked at a record high of 529,101 in 2022. Yet, this figure sharply declined by 96%, with just 19,575 active traders remaining by Q1 2025.
A previous industry report from DappRadar revealed that the underwhelming performance wasn’t just a trend in 2025. In fact, 2024 was one of the worst-performing years for the NFT market since 2020. In addition, BeInCrypto also reported on a study that revealed 98% of NFT projects launched in 2024 were essentially “dead.”
Despite the decline, Rarible’s Salnikov has maintained a positive outlook for the sector. He emphasized the importance of a clear purpose when it comes to NFTs.
“Once upon a time, after the .com burst, the headlines rang that the internet was only a fad. But as more companies integrated the technology into everyday use cases, it became ingrained as a part of life,” he told BeInCrypto.
“The speculative phase had its moment, but now we’re watching NFTs evolve into actual infrastructure—tools creators use to build communities, products, and new digital economies,” he said.
NFTs Beyond the Hype: Unlocking Real-World Utility
Salnikov stressed that utility in the NFT space is no longer a distant concept—it is happening right now. Creators are using NFTs for membership, brands for loyalty programs, and games for player identity.
He pointed to a growing convergence between the digital and physical worlds, with NFTs being tied to merchandise, events, and even real-world assets. Binance Research’s April 2025 report further corroborates this trend.
The report spotlighted several real-world partnerships, indicating interest in NFTs. Examples include Azuki’s physical-backed NFT with Michael Lau, The Sandbox’s Jurassic World collaboration, EGGRYPTO’s anime characters with Eparida, and Sony’s Soneium platform partnering with LINE to create Web3 mini-apps.
“The next wave of growth isn’t about chasing a trend—it’s about unlocking new types of ownership and access that feel native to the internet generation,” noted Salnikov.
While this perspective offers optimism, the reality for many companies is quite different. Due to low trading volumes, major platforms like Bybit, X2Y2, and Kraken have resorted to discontinuing their NFT services.
Those that didn’t shut down explored alternative avenues. For instance, Magic Eden expanded beyond NFTs with the acquisition of Slingshot. Nevertheless, Salnikov dismissed this strategy, commenting,
“We’re not trying to bolt on non-NFT features just to stay busy—we’re building NFT commerce that actually fits the communities using it.”
He explained that this approach uses modular, customizable on-chain marketplaces. Creators can tailor them to fit their specific audiences, whether it’s a gaming project, an L3, or a legacy brand.
“NFTs are the feature—they just need the right framing,” the Rarible co-founder stated.
When Fame Fades: The Diminishing Returns of Celebrity-Backed NFTs
In January 2022, Bieber spent 500 ETH (approximately $1.3 million at the time) on Bored Ape #3001. This NFT is from Yuga Labs’ Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) collection.
However, according to the latest data, the NFT is worth only 13.51 WETH (around $24,174), a decline of 98.1%. Although the singer hasn’t sold his NFT, it has received little attention lately, with no promotional efforts or notable discussions around it.
Thus, while celebrities can bring attention to NFTs, this highlights the need for substance beyond the name itself. As Salnikov pointed out, celebrity involvement in the sector is fleeting.
According to him, a celebrity name alone can’t replace genuine creative direction or a strong community.
“Celebrity drops will come and go—it’s the culture behind them that determines if they stick,” he remarked.
He argued that celebrities treating NFTs as mere merchandise deters audiences. Nevertheless, when an NFT drop is intentional and truly taps into something meaningful like music, fashion, or fandom, that’s where the lasting value is found.
“We’re way more interested in working with creators who are building for the long haul than just chasing headlines,” Salnikov disclosed to BeInCrypto.
The executive also outlined the need for a more accessible and user-friendly approach for attracting interested users. He detailed that onboarding users should not feel “like a tech demo.” Salnikov pointed to Rarible as an example.
According to him, Rarible focuses on ensuring that each marketplace built on its platform is a product people genuinely want to use. This involves features such as fiat onramps, low-cost mints, a clean user interface, and, most importantly, content that resonates with users.
“We’re not selling NFTs—we’re powering experiences that just happen to be onchain,” Salnikov concluded.
While the NFT market faces ongoing challenges, it remains to be seen whether the industry is entering a new phase of growth or if further obstacles lie ahead in its evolution.
Welcome to the US Crypto News Morning Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.
Grab a coffee to understand why the share price of Cantor Equity Partners Inc. (CEP) is seeing downside pressure while the share price of Strategy’s stock (MSTR) is increasing. CEP is the company behind 21 Capital, a newly established firm imitating Strategy’s Bitcoin model.
Crypto News of the Day: Max Keiser Issues 21 Capital Warning as CEP Shares Sink
Twenty One Capital’s ambitions to become the next major corporate Bitcoin player are under fire. The share price of its holding company, Cantor Equity Partners Inc., is bearing the brunt of overhead pressure.
The CEP stock price is down by over 6% in the last five trading days. Meanwhile, the share price of its market rival, Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), is up by over 7%.
Headed by James Mallers, Twenty One Capital presented as Strategy’s inadvertent market rival, or peer. It introduced BTC-native metrics like Bitcoin Per Share (BPS), effectively challenging Strategy’s model, where investors have indirect exposure to Bitcoin through MSTR stock.
In a recent US Crypto News publication, Bitcoin pioneer Max Keiser said institutions must “Saylorize” or die. Nevertheless, despite Twenty One Capital extending the “Saylorization” trend, the CEP stock price continues to endure downward pressure while Strategy’s stock price is gaining.
Against this backdrop, investors hoped that hype around Cantor Equity Partners Inc.’s planned SPAC merger could reverse the trend, but this appears to be false hope. Notably, the merger would see CEP stock listed under the new ticker XXI.
“Cantor Equity Partners (CEP) announced a merger with bitcoin treasury company Twenty One Capital in a $3.6 billion merger,” reports indicated.
The announcement propelled shares of the SPAC vehicle, Cantor Equity Partners (CEP), sharply higher, but now momentum is fading.
Investors who hoped for a post-merger rally have watched the stock drift downward toward the mid-$20s over the past five days.
BeInCrypto contacted Max Keiser for insights into why this is happening, with the Bitcoin maxi blaming it on Twenty One Capital’s model mimicking Strategy.
Mimicking Strategy Could Be Detrimental, Max Keiser Says
According to Max Keiser, Twenty One Capital’s attempt to mimic Strategy could prove far riskier and less effective.
“There’s a big difference between a company with a Bitcoin treasury strategy and a Bitcoin strategy company,” Keiser told BeInCrypto.
Keiser says Strategy is leveraging its heft as a company with lots of Bitcoin, harnessing volatility to buy more BTC. However, Cantor Equity Partners Inc. or Twenty One Capital does not meet that standard.
“CEP is a company that is looking to buy lots of Bitcoin, which is very volatile. I question if they can effectively harness that volatility like Strategy does,” he added.
Twenty One Capital is the third-largest corporate Bitcoin holder after Strategy and Bitcoin mining firm MARA Holdings. Data on Bitcoin Treasuries shows Strategy holds 568,840 BTC, while MARA holds 48,237 Bitcoin tokens.
Meanwhile, after Tether acquired 4,812.2 Bitcoin (now held in an escrow wallet as Twenty One Capital prepares to complete a SPAC merger with Cantor Equity Partners), Twenty One Capital holds 36,312 Bitcoin tokens.
Corporate Bitcoin holders by portfolio size. Source: Bitcoin Treasuries.
In the interview with BeInCrypto, Keiser articulated that trying to copy Strategy’s model without the infrastructure, discipline, or scale puts 21 Capital in a precarious position.
“A Bitcoin strategy company is inherently riskier, with no clear path to be as competitive as Strategy in leveraging market volatility to capture more Bitcoin,” he stated.
Further, despite the surge in interest from investors hoping to jump on what appeared to be the “next big BTC play, Keiser believes the long-term winner is already clear.
“Ultimately, the big winner will continue to be Strategy, with dozens of knock-offs trying to catch them, failing to generate the same returns, but increasing demand for Bitcoin substantially. That ends up benefiting STRATEGY proportionately more than the knock-offs, with less risk,” he concluded.
This aligns with a sentiment from Steven Lubka, the Head of Swan Private Wealth. As BeInCrypto noted in one of the US Crypto News publications, Lubka said the inadvertent competition between Twenty One Capital and Strategy will ultimately bode well for Strategy.
“Ironically, someone throwing the gauntlet at Microstrategy, ‘we want to become the most successful company in Bitcoin, ‘ Only makes Microstrategy more valuable,” Lubka remarked.
Charts of the Day
Strategy’s MSTR stock price performance. Source: Google Finance
This chart shows Strategy Inc.’s stock price rose by $28.61 or 7.28% over the past five days, closing at $421.61 on May 14.
Cantor Equity Partners (CEP) stock price performance. Source: Google Finance
This chart shows a 5-day decline in Cantor Equity Partners Inc.’s stock price, down by 6.22% since May 7. CEP closed at $29.84 on Tuesday and is attempting a slight pre-market recovery.
Byte-Sized Alpha
Here’s a summary of more US crypto news to follow today:
