Today, the crypto market is expected to be highly volatile as all eyes turn to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy decision. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is holding its scheduled meeting on May 6–7 to assess the economic outlook and understand the future of U.S. interest rates. The FOMC, led by Chair Jerome Powell
Jerome Powell Jerome Hayden “Jay” Powell is an American attorney and investment banker who has served since 2018 as the 16th chair of the Federal Reserve
Finance
will announce its decision at 2 PM Eastern Time on May 7 (11:30 PM IST).
Initially, there were expectations of a full percentage point of cuts due to concerns over Trump tariffs. But now they expect a smaller 0.75% cut for the year. Powell has repeatedly said that the Fed needs to wait for clarity on Trump’s policies before making any decision.
Some analysts also believe the Fed could signal the end of Quantitative Tightening (QT), a policy that has been draining liquidity from markets since 2022. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet Chinese officials in Switzerland this weekend to discuss any possible tariff changes.
As the US and China are looking to ease the ongoing trade tensions, Bitcoin has already started climbing again, reaching around $97,000, and many altcoins are turning green as traders prepare for possible positive news. Although Bitcoin dominance remains high—now above 65%, this could shift soon, opening the door for altcoin season.
Bitcoin is showing signs of recovery, and the price is now approaching a resistance zone between $96,100 and $97,400. If Bitcoin can hold above $95,300, the upward trend could continue, possibly forming a stronger move higher.
So far, the current bounce is looking good, but it’s too early to confirm a full trend reversal. A pullback could still happen, and how the price reacts next will help confirm whether this recovery continues or if more downside is coming.
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XRP has been on a consistent downtrend in recent days, with its price falling sharply and approaching the $2 mark. This has resulted in extended losses for the cryptocurrency, with a notable rise in selling pressure.
Despite the bearish momentum, key investors are trying to offset the negative impact.
XRP Whales Are Uncertain
Whale activity has been a major factor contributing to the recent decline in XRP’s price. Addresses holding between 100 million and 1 billion XRP have sold over 1.12 billion XRP, worth $2.34 billion, in the past seven days. This has brought their total holdings down to 8.98 billion XRP.
The selling activity from these whale addresses reflects a cautious outlook for XRP. While whale selling often indicates uncertainty in the market, it’s important to note that their behavior can also have significant short-term price movements. The recent heavy selling could signal that market participants are unsure about the short-term price action, and further bearish trends could follow if this continues.
On the broader market level, XRP’s macro momentum shows signs of divergence from the whale selling. The Liveliness metric, which tracks the behavior of long-term holders (LTHs), is currently declining.
A falling Liveliness typically signals that LTHs are accumulating more of the asset at lower prices rather than selling. This drop to a three-month low suggests that long-term holders are sticking to their conviction and accumulating XRP, even as whale selling intensifies.
The steady accumulation of LTHs might help cushion the bearish effects created by the whales. This behavior can counteract the selling pressure, potentially offering stability to XRP’s price and supporting a recovery if market conditions improve.
XRP’s price has fallen by 14.5% this week, bringing it to $2.09, which is dangerously close to losing the critical $2.02 support level. The ongoing bearish momentum has created mixed signals in the market, which are likely to keep the price stuck in a narrow range for the time being.
If XRP can bounce back from the $2.02 support, it could recover some of the recent losses. However, the altcoin may remain consolidated below the $2.27 resistance level unless more positive news or market conditions arise to push it higher.
If XRP breaks through the $2.27 barrier or falls below $2.02, it could invalidate the current consolidation outlook. A successful breach of $2.27 could pave the way for a price recovery, with $2.56 being the next significant target.
In the crypto market, a new generation of on-chain banking products is currently taking shape. Highlighting this evolution, EVAA Protocol, the first and leading DeFi protocol on TON, is hosting deFINTECH, a legendary side event of TOKEN2049 Dubai, in collaboration with TAC, the Layer 1 TON EVM network extension that connects the TON blockchain with Ethereum apps, allowing Telegram users to access popular EVM applications directly from their TON wallet.
The event is supported by key partners, including sponsor Ston.fi, the leading DEX on the TON blockchain, and media partners BeInCrypto and INCRYPTED, providing official media coverage. The curated gathering will take place on April 30, 2025, from 2 PM to 6 PM at DAOS HUB Dubai, deFINTECH’s official venue partner.
deFINTECH brings together the builders, product leaders, and fintech visionaries who are actively reimagining the future of banking on blockchain rails. The event focuses on envisioning on-chain neo-banking—financial services built natively on-chain and natively integrated into everyday platforms like Telegram. This includes exploring stablecoin payments, Telegram-native wallets, tokenized vaults, and intuitive on-chain yield tools.
Hosted by EVAA Protocol, deFINTECH highlights the platform’s dedication to DeFi accessibility and efficiency. EVAA provides liquidity market solutions and leveraged staking strategies, integrated deeply with Telegram and top-tier TON applications like Tonkeeper, Notcoin, Ston.fi, FIVA, TG Wallet, and DeDust. This creates a frictionless experience for users to borrow, lend, and earn yield on TON.
Why deFINTECH Matters
With Telegram’s crypto ecosystem gaining significant traction and stablecoins becoming a preferred medium for payments and savings, particularly in emerging markets, novel opportunities are arising at the intersection of Web3, embedded finance, and real-world adoption. deFINTECH serves as a dedicated venue for those pioneering this transformation.
The event is designed for founders and product leads building on-chain fintech solutions alongside wallet teams, L1/L2 ecosystem developers, and Web3 banking infrastructure builders. It also brings together investors, early adopters in social finance and DeFi, institutional players exploring on-chain finance, media, and strategic contributors focused on this evolving sector. With 150–190 highly relevant guests expected, the event fosters an atmosphere centered on valuable connections and substantive discussions.
One unique aspect of deFINTECH is that it moves away from traditional conference formats. Instead of stages and panels, the event prioritizes meaningful dialogue, fosters early-stage collaboration, and encourages product-first conversations. The goal is to create an atmosphere where genuine connections are made and practical solutions for the future of on-chain finance are discussed. deFINTECH offers a focused environment for meaningful connections and strategic dialogue during the busy TOKEN2049 week. Attendance at the event is by invitation only.
What To Expect
Attendees can anticipate an afternoon centered around direct interaction and collaboration. The format includes focused roundtable discussions exploring the future of neo-banking and DeFi user experience. There will also be opportunities for live demos and product showcases presented in a casual, off-stage setting.
Attendees can also expect to participate in open networking with other participants, ensuring valuable interactions without superfluous presentations. deFINTECH cultivates a culture of co-creation, inviting attendees to actively take part in shaping the conversation rather than passively consuming content. The agenda features focused discussions, including insights from venture capital, partner spotlights, and collaborative talks, all interwoven with ample networking time.
The Venue: DAOS HUB Dubai
deFINTECH will be hosted at DAOS HUB Dubai, serving as the event’s official venue partner. Located in the heart of Dubai, DAOS HUB is a purpose-built ecosystem that provides a space where Web3 builders, contributors, and innovators can collaborate and grow. Its mission is to create an ideal environment for Web3 startups to thrive through network-native connections and curated access, making it a fitting backdrop for the event’s forward-looking conversations. The event runs from 2 PM to 6 PM on April 30, 2025.
“Web3 doesn’t need another conference. It needs a product room,” said Vlad Kamyshov, CEO of EVAA Protocol.“At deFINTECH, we stop pitching dreams and start building real tools — right inside Telegram, where our users already are. We believe stablecoin payments, Telegram-native wallets, and on-chain yield tools can reimagine banking—making it open, permissionless, and composable. This isn’t just a trend — it’s a movement. Our goal is to bring together the builders and visionaries shaping the next financial layer.”
For those actively working on Telegram-based payment rails, secure yield vaults for stablecoins, or compliance-friendly DeFi applications, deFINTECH offers a unique space to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the next wave of financial innovation.
Over the years, Ripple and its native token XRP have weathered waves of skepticism, controversy, and legal battles. But as 2025 unfolds, a growing number of experts, financial insiders, and crypto enthusiasts are beginning to ask a serious question: Is XRP becoming the “Bitcoin for banks” — the foundational digital asset for the future of global finance?
For many in the crypto space, Ripple has long been a polarizing topic. Critics often cite the events of 2017, when a flood of misinformation painted Ripple as centralized, overly corporate, and anti-crypto. Allegations of excessive control, fears of XRP being pre-mined, and speculation about its status as a security fueled skepticism that lingers with some investors even today.
But many of those narratives have since been debunked or disproven. XRP isn’t endlessly minted, it’s being burned with every transaction, and Ripple has established real-world partnerships with dozens of governments, central banks, and financial institutions.
A Shift in Institutional Sentiment
In addition to its institutional partnerships, XRP has also caught the attention of investment firms and market regulators. In a recent crypto market update, it was revealed that over 17 different XRP-based investment products are currently awaiting regulatory approval — an indicator of growing institutional interest.
Meanwhile, financial powerhouses like BlackRock and tokenization-focused platforms such as Ono Finance are working alongside Ripple to build tokenized versions of traditional securities and other real-world assets. This collaborative momentum highlights how tokenization is poised to reshape not just crypto, but the broader financial markets.
Could XRP Really Become the Financial Base Layer for Banks?
Industry insiders and former U.S. financial officials have publicly entertained the possibility of XRP being used as the base layer for the U.S. national banking system or as part of a CBDC initiative. While official decisions are yet to be made, the discussion itself marks a shift from the hostility Ripple once faced.
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) — often described as the “central bank of central banks” — has already collaborated with Ripple on CBDC projects and instant settlement solutions, signaling the token’s viability on a global scale.
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Over the years, Ripple and its native token XRP have weathered waves of skepticism, controversy, and legal battles. But as 2025 unfolds, a growing number of experts, financial insiders, and crypto enthusiasts are beginning to ask a serious question: Is XRP becoming the “Bitcoin for banks” — the foundational digital asset for the future of …
