Binance Alpha, the platform dedicated to early-stage crypto projects by the global cryptocurrency exchange Binance, has announced the listing of Xterio (XTER). Despite the news, the token’s price fell by double digits.
Moreover, the exchange stated that it will list SOON (SOON). The trading for this token is set to begin on May 23, 2025.
The funds were dedicated to accelerating game creation, supporting the integration of AI technologies, and facilitating the launch of Xterio’s tokens to expand its gaming ecosystem.
Notably, XTER’s latest listing also includes an airdrop on Binance Alpha. According to a May 19 post on X (formerly Twitter), eligible users can claim 294 XTER tokens starting at 8:00 UTC on May 19, via the Alpha Event page.
“Users need to confirm the claim on the Alpha Events page within 24 hours (before 8:00 UTC on May 20, 2025), otherwise it will be deemed that users have given up claiming the airdrop,” the announcement read.
To qualify, users must have accumulated at least 194 Binance Alpha points. In addition, claiming the airdrop requires spending 15 Binance Alpha points, which will be deducted from the user’s balance.
Nonetheless, the listing did not have a positive impact on the price. BeInCrypto data showed that XTER dipped 15.8% over the past day. At the time of writing, it was trading at $0.28.
Meanwhile, in another post on May 19, Binance Alpha also revealed the addition of SOON tokens.
“Get ready! Binance Alpha will be the first platform to feature SOON (SOON)! Trading will open on May 23,” Binance posted.
Like XTER, SOON will be distributed to eligible users with Alpha points. However, the exchange is yet to reveal the eligibility requirement. The airdrop event page and detailed activity rules will be published on May 23.
The SOON token serves as the native utility token of the Solana Optimistic Network (SOON) ecosystem, a high-performance Layer 2 (L2) blockchain platform.
In fact, the system has significantly fueled activity. BeInCrypto reported that the introduction of Binance Alpha Points triggered a surge in trading volume. According to the latest data from Dune, the cumulative volume has reached approximately $12 billion, with total transactions exceeding 25 million.
Raydium launched its LaunchLab on April 17, 2025. Within five days, Raydium LaunchLab generated 3,787 tokens, achieving a “graduated rate” of 1.14%.
This article analyzes Raydium LaunchLab’s performance, compares it with competitors, and provides a comprehensive overview of the ongoing meme coin launchpad war.
According to Dune data, Raydium LaunchLab created 3,787 tokens in its first week, achieving a “graduation rate” of 1.14%. This rate is based on the number of tokens reaching a threshold of 85 SOL (approximately $11,150) to transition to trading on Raydium’s Automated Market Maker (AMM).
While these figures reflect a promising debut, Raydium LaunchLab still trails behind Pump.fun. The pioneering Solana-based platform, Pump.fun, boasts an average daily graduation rate of 1.13%—slightly lower than LaunchLab’s.
Moreover, Pump.fun has had a longer runway to build its community and refine its processes, and created over 600,000 tokens in January 2025. This shows Pump.fun’s continued dominance, even as Raydium LaunchLab exerts significant competitive pressure.
Meme Coin Launchpad War
Beyond Raydium LaunchLab and Pump.fun, the meme coin launchpad war includes other platforms like SunPump (Tron), Dgen.fun (Aptos), or Auto.fun. However, their performance remains modest.
Per Dune Analytics, SunPump has created only eight tokens today, while Dgen.fun has generated 21. These numbers indicate that neither platform can yet compete with Raydium LaunchLab or Pump.fun’s scale.
Despite backing from Justin Sun and the Tron ecosystem, SunPump struggles to attract users. This may partly stem from Tron’s weaker appeal to the meme coin community than Solana. Similarly, Dgen.fun has yet to make a significant impact, likely due to Aptos being a relatively new blockchain with a smaller community to drive meme coin development.
Key Factors Behind LaunchLab’s Appeal
Raydium LaunchLab boasts several competitive advantages. First, the platform allows free token creation, offering features like customizable bonding curves and no migration fees. Once a token reaches the 85 SOL threshold, it automatically transitions to Raydium’s AMM, ensuring immediate liquidity.
Additionally, Raydium imposes a 1% transaction fee, of which 25% is allocated to buy back RAY tokens—a move designed to boost the value of its native token.
Following the LaunchLab announcement, RAY’s price surged nearly 15%, reaching $2.41 before settling at $2.21. This reflects strong community optimism about LaunchLab’s potential. However, to surpass Pump.fun, Raydium must improve its graduation rate and attract more users, particularly as Pump.fun has built credibility with its simple, transparent mechanism.
The meme coin launchpad war is not solely about the number of tokens created—it’s a battle of technology, community, and sustainability. Pump.fun remains the leader, thanks to its first-mover advantage and massive scale. However, Raydium LaunchLab is emerging as a formidable contender, backed by the Solana ecosystem, renowned for its fast transaction speeds and low costs.
As the competition intensifies, Raydium LaunchLab’s ability to innovate and grow its user base will be critical in challenging Pump.fun’s dominance in the meme coin launchpad arena.
After numerous Congressional debates and revisions, the GENIUS Act is now on the verge of becoming law. The bill, which aims to regulate the stablecoin industry across the United States, is widely expected to be signed.
According to representatives from Digital Chamber, a D.C.-based advocacy group for the blockchain industry, the bill approval will likely come before the end of June. Such a move would increase institutional adoption and strengthen the US dollar’s dominance globally.
When Will the GENIUS Act Pass?
Poised for passage, the GENIUS Act is a landmark bill that would federally regulate the US stablecoin industry.
Despite recent disagreements between Republican and Democratic Senators, the bill passed a key procedural vote. Kristopher Klaich, Policy Director at The Digital Chamber, strongly believes in its impending approval.
“I feel pretty strongly that there won’t be more hiccups… I think the industry has been such a strong player in politics for the last couple of years and supporting campaigns… there’s a high cost for members that may be the stick in the mud,” he told BeInCrypto.
According to Taylor Barr, the advocacy group’s Government Affairs and PAC Manager, 53 amendments have been made.
“Majority leader Thune is committed to having what he’s calling a fully open amendment process, which means every single amendment has the full right to go through a debate vote and to have full closure on each amendment. So at the end of the day, that could be a three-week-long process,” Barr told BeInCrypto.
However, Barr clarified that a fully open process with 53 individual debates is unlikely. He expects these amendments to be divided into three or four groups, resulting in a more efficient and abbreviated open amendment process, given that many are duplicative.
If Barr’s estimations are correct, the bill will pass before the end of this month. When it does, the significance will be substantial for the greater crypto industry.
Understanding Stablecoin Impact
Stablecoins are arguably the most globally adopted digital asset. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or altcoins, they provide worldwide access to a stable medium of exchange.
According to a January report by crypto exchange CEX.io, the total stablecoin transaction volume reached 27.6 trillion in 2024, exceeding Visa’s total payment volume and Mastercard’s by 7.7%.
Tether and Circle dominate the market at $151 billion and $59 billion, respectively. Together, they have an 89% market share, according to rwa.xyz.
Tether and Circle dominate stablecoin market share. Source: rwa.xyz.
Their heavyweight presence in global economies makes a bill like the GENIUS Act all the more significant. This is especially true in the context of a debilitated US dollar.
The Dollar’s Waning Influence
The US dollar started the year exceptionally weakly. Two days ago, the US Dollar Index (DXY)—a key measure heavily influenced by the euro—fell nearly 9% to just under 99. The results marked its weakest calendar year opening since at least the mid-1980s.
This situation and broader de-dollarization efforts by major US debt holders like China and Japan intensify concerns about the dollar’s future.
US Dollar Index Continues to Decline. Source: Yahoo Finance
Data from Ark Invest illustrates this shift. In 2011, these three nations held 23% of the $10.1 trillion in outstanding US Treasury debt.
By November 2024, despite the total outstanding US Treasury debt rising to $36 trillion, their combined holdings had dropped significantly to approximately 6%.
This substantial decrease in holdings by key foreign creditors highlights growing worries about the dollar’s long-term stability and the United States’ ability to refinance its massive debt.
“Dollars are the world reserve currency. Demand for dollars has waned at the sovereign level. Over recent years, the largest purchasers of treasuries are cutting their holdings of treasuries. That is not a good situation for the United States as they try to refinance,” Klaich said.
Klaich added that legislation like the GENIUS Act is crucial:
“In my mind, there’s very little more important than the stablecoin bill being passed from an macroeconomic perspective… If demand for dollars diminishes at the sovereign level, structurally speaking, if that is or can be replaced by demand at a retail individual level, that is a huge boon to the US government.”
The data behind Klaich’s statements seems to back his analysis.
What Role Will Stablecoins Play in Future US Debt Demand?
The stablecoin market is poised for significant growth. According to an April report from Citigroup, the total stablecoin supply could reach $1.6 trillion by 2030. This growth could create a demand for US debt comparable to the historical levels supported by sovereign nations.
Stablecoin issuers could be one of the largest holders of US treasuries by 2030. Source: Citigroup.
The GENIUS Act could facilitate this transition.
“Hopefully, when it passes, demand for stablecoins will explode because there are many companies and banks that are planning to introduce stablecoins that will provide the rails for them to operate at a consumer and business level. So the efficiencies companies and individuals realize will help push that,” Klaich explained.
“It allows anybody in the world to access US dollars. What that affords the US from an economic warfare standpoint is significant,” Klaich added.
With persistent inflation risks, the Federal Reserve is unlikely to buy back significant amounts of US treasuries. Therefore, encouraging stablecoin use allows this market to effectively replace currently ineffective financial mechanisms.
Amendments to the Bill
If the GENIUS Act is implemented correctly, the stablecoin industry could become a valuable financial tool for the US government to ensure long-term support for the US dollar.
The bill underwent a difficult revision process. According to Barr, the process was tedious and politically challenging.
“If you look at all of the progress we’ve made, we’ve worked on this for three Congresses now. We’ve worked on this [through] multiple different leaderships– minority, majority split. So we’re so close. We’ve done all this progress so we can see the finish line. We’re going to get there,” he said.
However, multiple revisions were a prerequisite for its passage to ensure the bill responsibly addressed consumer protection, national security, and market integrity issues.
Klaich noted that these critical concerns were addressed fairly in the legislative process. He emphasized that recent versions of the bill effectively integrated these revisions.
“None of those issues are existential, and they’ve been negotiated into the latest version of the bill that’s being considered right now. I think the changes that have been made are reasonable and acceptable,” he said.
The future will reveal if the bill passes and achieves its desired effect in helping the US overcome its complicated economic reality.
Leading meme coin Shiba Inu has shed almost 10% of its value over the past week. As of this writing, SHIB trades at $0.0000125.
This price decline coincides with a significant drop in whale holdings during the same period. This signals waning confidence among large investors amid broader market weakness.
SHIB’s Market Confidence Wanes as Whale Sell-Off Accelerates
According to IntoTheBlock, SHIB’s large holders ’netflow has fallen 123% in the past week. This comes amid the meme coin’s 8% price dip.
SHIB Large Holders Netflow. Source: IntoTheBlock
Large holders refer to whale addresses that hold more than 0.1% of an asset’s circulating supply. Their netflow measures the inflow and outflow of tokens in their wallets to track whether they are accumulating (positive netflow) or offloading (negative netflow) their holdings.
When this metric falls, it indicates that whales are selling large portions of their assets, leading to increased supply and putting more downward pressure on price.
Moreover, this decline in SHIB whale netflow could worsen the weakening confidence among SHIB retail traders, prompting them to sell their coins in anticipation of further losses. This can accelerate SHIB’s price dip in the short term.
On the daily chart, SHIB’s falling Relative Strength Index supports this bearish outlook. At press time, this momentum indicator is a downward trend at 35.34.
An asset’s RSI measures an asset’s oversold and overbought conditions. It ranges between 0 and 100, with values above 70 indicating that the asset is overbought and due for a decline. Conversely, values under 30 suggest that the asset is oversold and could witness a rebound.
At 35.05, SHIB’s RSI indicates that the asset is approaching oversold territory but has not fully entered it yet. This suggests weakening buying pressure and hints at the potential for further downside unless the meme coin demand picks up.
SHIB Holds Below Descending Trend Line
SHIB has remained below a descending trend line since December 8, keeping its price in decline. This pattern is formed when an asset’s price consistently makes lower highs over a period, connecting these peaks with a downward-sloping line. It is a bearish trend, indicating sustained selling pressure among SHIB market participants.
If this decline continues, SHIB risks falling to a seven-month low of $0.0000107.
