Analysts are confident that Bitcoin is on a bullish breakout. They cite a potential uprise towards $130,000, provided it maintains a key support. In addition, subdued capital inflows imply that the rally can still gain further momentum before hitting a cycle where investor sentiment becomes overly optimistic. This cycle is known as the euphoria zone.
Avalanche (AVAX) has recorded a price increase of 4.21% today, July 21, to trade at $25, its highest price in two months. Because of these gains, AVAX price is now trading close to the resistance of a double bottom, and if it can make a strong move above this resistance, considering that network activity is
A lot happened this week in crypto, marking developments expected to continue shaping the industry. Important headlines came from administrative decisions, ecosystem developments, and analysts probing the market outlook.
In case you missed it, the following is a roundup of some of the most important developments in the crypto market this week.
XRP Lawsuit’s Jay Clayton Became New SDNY Attorney
“Trump’s former SEC Chair Jay Clayton has taken his position as interim US attorney for the Southern District of New York. He will serve for up to four months until confirmed by the Senate or appointed by Manhattan federal judges,” former Fox Business reporter Eleanor Terrett reported.
The move came as Democratic leaders in the Senate reportedly hinted at blocking Clayton’s nomination. Trump’s move to install him as interim could see Clayton avoid the Senate confirmation process.
Clayton is the legal expert who initially filed the longstanding legal action between the SEC and Ripple. As it happened, Clayton filed the lawsuit on December 22, 2020, and resigned the next day in what will be remembered as a “parting shot” for the agency.
Pi Network Pioneer Frustration Over Ambiguous Roadmap
Another crypto incident this week concerned Pi Network pioneers. As BeInCrypto reported, the controversial project released its Mainnet Migration Roadmap. However, it failed to impress pioneers as it lacked key details.
Specifically, several gaps sparked concerns, including failing to disclose how many Pioneers remain in the queue. Similarly, it was unable to show the network’s daily migration capacity. The absence of these figures makes it impossible for users to predict when their migration will occur.
Further, opaque criteria for node rewards and the UI’s “Transferable Balance” underestimating actual migrated amounts raised flags. Pi Network also offers no audit or error‑resolution process for users who spot mismatches in their historical mining data, exacerbating the fears.
“I thought we were mining all of these PI coins this whole time? I thought the security circles were the Consensus Mechanism. It kinda seems to me like there isn’t a blockchain, and never was one. What kind of “Blockchain protocol” would “Require” all tokens to be minted at genesis?” one community member wrote.
Pi Network (PI) price performance. Source: CoinGecko
Data on Coingecko shows PI coin was trading for $0.6539 as of this writing, up by a modest 1.1% in the last 24 hours.
Bitcoin Cycle Unfolds Noticeably Different From Previous Ones
More interestingly, BeInCrypto reported a concerning shift: this cycle is unfolding remarkably differently than the past ones post-halving.
In previous cycles, BTC price tended to rally aggressively months after the Bitcoin halving. The post-halving period saw strong upward momentum and parabolic price action.
This trend was largely driven by retail enthusiasm and speculative demand, which proved most pronounced from 2012 to 2016 and 2016 to 2020.
Things are happening differently in the current cycle. Instead of accelerating after the halving, the price surge began in October and December 2024, driven by Bitcoin ETF (exchange-traded funds) hype. This was followed by consolidation in January 2025 and a correction in late February.
PancakeSwap Announces CAKE Tokenomics Date
This week in crypto, PancakeSwap announced the official date for its CAKE tokenomics, April 23. As BeInCrypto reported, key changes included the removal of veCAKE, staking, and revenue sharing, with 5.3 million CAKE to be burned annually to curb supply.
However, there was also controversy as Cakepie DAO pushed back against veCAKE removal. 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.
Meanwhile, others voiced strong concerns on X (Twitter), criticizing the decision to eliminate veCAKE. Among them was Cakepie DAO, one of the largest veCAKE holders, who called it non-transparent and potentially damaging to projects built around that model.
Against this backdrop, PancakeSwap resorted to a $1.5 million CAKE compensation plan.
“PancakeSwap is willing to provide 1.5M USD in CAKE to CakePie DAO primarily used to compensate CKP Holders if CakePie DAO enables mCAKE holders to redeem 1:1 back to CAKE and opens the redemption page in a timely manner if the proposal passes. Detailed plans will be announced once the mirror proposal on CakePie is completed,” the Head Chef of PancakeSwap wrote.
Data on CoinGecko shows Pancake’s CAKE was trading for $2.12 as of this writing, up by nearly 10% in the last 24 hours.
Zora Airdrop and Token Launch Announcement
Adding to the list of the many events that happened this week in crypto, Zora Network announced that it would airdrop 1 billion ZORA tokens (10% of the total supply) on April 23. The tokens would reward early platform users across two snapshot periods.
As it happened, the crypto airdrop happened in style, sparking confusion as it lacked an official checker or claim site. Users were required to go to the contract address and check their allocations.
Speaking to BeInCrypto, Jesse Pollak, the creator of the Base blockchain, said that one must not understand anything about crypto or the underlying infrastructure before posting on Zora. He also defended the value of content coins, emphasizing their potential for creators despite volatility.
Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, gave a strong message about where blockchain is headed during his keynote at the ongoing Paris Blockchain Week. Speaking to a packed audience, he urged the industry to move past old habits and focus on lasting value that serves everyday people, not only tech insiders or early adopters.
The Fourth Generation of Blockchain Innovation
Charles Hoskinson said the blockchain industry is entering its fourth stage. He explained that the early days were about Bitcoin and decentralization. Later came smart contracts and efforts to improve how fast and large systems could grow. Now, this fourth phase must tackle real-world challenges at scale.
In a powerful keynote at @Parisblockweek, @IOHK_Charles laid out a vision that challenged the zero-sum mentality that’s long defined the Web3 space.
He reflected on where we’ve been, and where we’re headed.
He argued that blockchain should not just be for a few people who understand code or finance. It needs to be reliable, secure, and usable by billions. He pointed to Cardano’s research-driven model as a key part of that mission. The recent airdrop linked to the Midnight sidechain, which could involve 37 million users, shows how serious that goal is.
It is important to add that Hoskinson believes some platforms may not survive the next blockchain iteration. For example, CoinGape reported earlier that Hoskinson predicted that Ethereum may crash in the next 15 years. According to him, the technology is becoming outdated and is not built for long-term use.
However, some market participants think differently, as Ethereum is set to launch its Pectra upgrade on May 7. The upgrade is expected to drive significant development across the blockchain network.
Charles Hoskinson on Privacy, Decentralization and Interoperability
It is worth mentioning that more people are beginning to use blockchain in everyday settings like healthcare or shopping. The Cardano founder believes that privacy and identity protection will become more critical.
He also pointed out that blockchains need to connect, especially in the supply chain and logistics industries.
The absence of standard rules and security issues remains key challenges to overcome. However, Hoskinson said those are necessary hurdles in building a stronger future.
Merging TradFi and DeFi: The New Focus
At the event, Charles Hoskinson also mentioned that traditional and decentralized finance must stop acting like rivals. Instead, he proposed they merge into what he simply calls “Fi”. According to him, this model could help blockchain earn public trust while following real-world rules.
CoinGape earlier reported that Hoskinson believes the future of finance is already taking shape. For example, Cardano recently outperformed several top S&P 500 companies, and some analysts predict that ADA could reach $10.
If such outcomes materialize, investor focus may shift unless TradFi and DeFi innovations harmonize effectively. As of writing, data from CoinMarketCap shows Cardano (ADA) trading at $0.6856, down 3.69% in the past 24 hours.