Bitcoin Pizza Day marks a significant event in the crypto industry’s history, as it resulted in the first-ever commercial payment transaction for this digital asset. As clear as its name, it has something to do with Pizza, and someone had paid 10,000 BTC for that. Interestingly, the same 10,000 tokens are worth nearly $1 billion today. Let’s discuss the key details. Bitcoin Pizza Day Celebrates Laszlo Hanyecz’s BTC Transaction The renowned Bitcoin Pizza Day is celebrated on May 22 and will mark the 15th anniversary tomorrow. It is celebrated by crypto enthusiasts and platforms all around the world, as the programmer Laszlo Hanyecz purchased two pizzas for 10,000 BTC, fifteen years ago. Not only did he buy Pizza with a digital currency, but he also marked the first commercial usage of BTC in history. Sources reveal that, on May 22, 2010, Hanyecz utilized 10,000 BTC, equivalent to $42 at the… Read More at Coingape.com
Altcoins have been attracting investor attention this weekend, with Bitcoin and Ethereum prices stagnating around $85,000 and $2,000, respectively, since Friday. Prominent crypto analysts have published data insights showing investors are increasingly rotating capital toward altcoins after recent U.S. macroeconomic updates.
Analysts Predict Altcoin Season as Fed Rate Pause Triggers Risk-On Appetite
The altcoin market had a rough start to March 2025 when U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Canada and Mexico. However, the macroeconomic landscape has since improved. The Trump administration made adjustments to the tariffs, while U.S. CPI and PPI data indicated that inflation risks from the tariffs were overestimated.
This shift in sentiment was further reinforced after the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Wednesday, where the U.S. Federal Reserve announced a pause in interest rate hikes.
S&P 500 Performance, March 23, 2025 | Source: NASDAQ
Traditional finance (TradFi) investors reacted by moving capital out of safe-haven assets like gold and into stocks, pushing the S&P 500 up by 31.7 points last week.
Crypto markets appear to be following suit, with traders increasingly rotating funds from Bitcoin and Ethereum into altcoins.
Crypto Analysts Signal Imminent Altcoin Breakout
Adding to the growing optimism around altcoins, two major crypto analysts took to social media to highlight technical indicators pointing to an incoming “Alt Season”—a market phase where altcoins significantly outperform Bitcoin.
“2025 #ALTSEASON starts in less than 3 days now,” alongside a chart illustrating past cycles of altcoin dominance relative to Bitcoin.
Crypto analyst Sensei (@SenseiBR_btc) made a bold declaration, March 21, 2025 ,
The accompanying chart showed clear historical patterns where altcoins surged against Bitcoin, with a third major rally seemingly about to begin.
In response, OBI Real Estate (@Obirealestate) weighed in on the discussion, adding, “Markets are buzzing, timing will be everything.”
Key Takeaways: Why This Weekend Matters for Altcoins
Capital Rotation: With Bitcoin and Ethereum trading sideways, traders are diverting funds toward altcoins, anticipating stronger returns.
Macro Trends: Improved inflation outlook and the Fed’s rate pause have boosted risk-on sentiment across global markets.
Technical Indicators: Historical charts from top analysts suggest that the long-awaited Alt Season could be days away from starting.
As traders look ahead, this weekend may present a critical window of opportunity to accumulate promising altcoins before a broader market breakout.
3 Top Trending Altcoins to Watch in the Week Ahead
Bitcoin (BTC) has surged past the $85,000 mark, signaling strong market sentiment despite a slight 0.9% decline in global crypto market cap over the past 24 hours. While BTC’s resilience suggests growing confidence, a look at broader market trends reveals that large-cap altcoins remain stagnant, while smaller-cap assets are seeing significant moves.
Crypto market performance, March 23 | Source: CoinMarketCap
Ethereum (ETH) remains subdued at $2,000, showing only a 0.5% gain in 24 hours. Similarly, Cardano (ADA) and Binance Coin (BNB) also moved sideways, conslidating at the $0.70, $620 respectively, while Solana (SOL), trading at $132 leads the top 10 assets with a 2.4% gain.
However a closer look at the Coinmarketcap above shows low-cap altcoins, are attracting significant search traffic, a move that could attract further capital inflows in the coming trading seesions.
1. Trump Memecoin (Official Trump) – Political optimism fuels rally
The Trump-themed memecoin is trading at $11.81, up 5.9% in the last 24 hours, making it one of the most notable gainers. This rally alligns with improved sentiment surrounding recent U.S. policy discussions and Trump’s appearance at the Blockwork’s Digital Assets Summit, last week.
With increasing political relevance and heightened social media buzz, this token is one to watch closely. A break above key resistance levels in the coming days could drive further gains.
2. Pi Network (PI) – Struggling to Break $1, But Buzz is Growing
Last week, PI endured major sell-offs as the network migration trigger mixed reactions among investors. However, Pi Network is now flashing recovery signals. At press time on Sunday, March 23, PI network price is facing strong resistance at the $1 mark, struggling to establish a breakout. However, with the token has become one of the most discussed assets in the last 24 hours, investor interest is evident.
If buying pressure continues and $1 resistance caves, a significant breakout could follow, making this an asset to monitor for a potential price explosion.
Ethereum’s native cross-chain bridge token, Wormhole (W) price, has surged 23.9%, driven by increased demand as investors rotate funds across chains.
Wormhole Price Action, March 23 | Source: Coingecko
The boost in market optimism, combined with the Fed’s recent decision to pause interest rate hikes, has further supported capital flows into decentralized finance (DeFi).
With more activity on cross-chain protocols, Wormhole’s demand could continue to rise, making it a strong candidate for further upside in the days ahead.
In Summary:
While Bitcoin’s dominance remains strong above $85,000, altcoins, particularly low-cap assets, are gaining momentum. The surge in Trump memecoin, Pi Network’s rising popularity, and Wormhole’s DeFi-driven gains all signal that the altcoin market could be gearing up for major moves. Traders should watch for key breakout levels as these assets continue to gain traction
The ongoing Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit may conclude without any changes to the $125 million judgment against Ripple, according to attorney Fred Rispoli.
The legal expert suggested that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) might be waiting for new leadership before making a final decision. This has led to discussions about whether Ripple could negotiate a reduced penalty or alternative settlement.
Ripple vs. SEC Lawsuit Could End with $125M Judgment
The US SEC, currently led by a 2-1 pro-crypto commission under acting Chair Mark Uyeda, has not dropped its case against Ripple, despite withdrawing other cryptocurrency-related lawsuits. Legal analysts Fred Rispoli in an X post believes the agency is waiting for new SEC Chair candidate Paul Atkins to take office before making further decisions on the case.
Fred Rispoli has argued that dropping the appeal while keeping the $125 million fine would save the SEC from further legal battles.
“The best satisfaction of this, if true, is that it nullifies the thousands of hours of work put in by SEC staff to get the $125M judgment,” Rispoli stated in a post on X.
The Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit remains one of the most complex legal battles in the cryptocurrency industry. While the SEC recently closed cases against Kraken, Coinbase, and ConsenSys, it has yet to take similar action against Ripple. Some legal experts believe the injunction on Ripple’s institutional sales of XRP may be a key factor in the delay.
Speculation Over XRP Payments and Strategic Reserves
There has been speculation that Ripple could settle the $125 million fine by transferring XRP instead of cash. Vincent Van Code, a market analyst, suggested that Ripple might be negotiating to pay the fine in XRP, which could then be allocated to a government-controlled cryptocurrency reserve.
According to Van Code, “Some are speculating that Ripple, rather than pay $125 million in dollars, provides the equivalent in XRP to the new crypto strategic reserve.” However, attorney Rispoli doubts that such an arrangement is likely, given the slow progress in legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, Ripple’s escrow holdings, which contain approximately 37.1 billion XRP, have been at the center of discussions regarding potential government acquisitions. Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that XRP would be part of the country’s digital asset reserve, fueling speculation that Ripple’s escrow could be involved in the legal negotiations.
XRP Sales Restrictions Remain a Key Issue
The Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit has focused on whether XRP should be classified as a security. In 2023, Judge Analisa Torres ruled that Ripple’s institutional sales of XRP were securities transactions, leading to the $125 million fine. Ripple has since been working to challenge the injunction that restricts certain sales of XRP to banks and payment processors.
According to legal experts, Ripple’s efforts to overturn the injunction could be a reason why the SEC has not yet dropped its case. Attorney Jeremy Hogan has suggested that Ripple may be engaging with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to contest the ruling.
Meanwhile, Ripple Chief Technology Officer (CTO) David Schwartz has dismissed concerns about XRP inflation. Schwartz reaffirmed that XRP’s total supply cannot be increased under the XRP Ledger’s code.
“There is literally no function to create any more XRP. The code to do such a thing does not exist,” he stated.
As for the Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit, it is currently under review at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The SEC submitted its arguments to the court on January 15, 2025, and Ripple has until April 16 to file its response.
