Méliuz, a Brazilian firm, became the largest corporate Bitcoin holder in Latin America after a $28.6 million purchase. The company bought BTC at the price of $103,864, so its investment has already grown.
Still, there are growing concerns about the number of businesses that, like Méliuz, recently pivoted entirely to crypto acquisition. Despite the benefits, it’s a risky decision, and participating companies might not be able to stand the volatility.
Still, despite the worldwide appeal, most of the biggest firms are US-based. Nonetheless, Méliuz’s recent purchase is interesting, as the firm is now Latin America’s top corporate Bitcoin holder:
“There is no public company in Latin America with more Bitcoin than Méliuz! After delivering a yield of 44% to our shareholders in the last 36 days, we now have almost 600 BTC. We purchased R$158 million ($28.7 million USD) by issuing new shares, and we’re just getting started!” the firm claimed over social media.
Méliuz also noted with pride that it purchased more Bitcoin than MicroStrategy today.
Méliuz is currently the largest corporate Bitcoin holder in Latin America and the 36th-largest holder worldwide.
Its main business was providing cashback and discount coupons for online and in-store purchases, but it pivoted to be a Bitcoin-first company. This, too, is part of a global phenomenon.
Still, there are growing concerns about this trend. How many corporate holders like Méliuz can Bitcoin really handle?
Earlier today, Anthony Pompliano announced a $1 billion merger to create a new firm offering “Bitcoin-native financial services.” Although the community reacted with hype, there’s growing speculation of a bubble, and the firm’s stock dropped 24%:
Overall, economic experts are becoming extremely concerned about so many companies worldwide pivoting to a Bitcoin-first strategy.
During macroeconomic distress, the extreme volatility of the crypto market and unstable economies of the traditional market could severely impact companies that try to balance both boats.
BeInCrypto sat down with members of the LBank team to analyze the possible resurgence of the meme coin market as a leading crypto narrative and what their fusion with artificial intelligence (AI) can have on their reach.
LBank also discussed the impact of the four-month-old Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation on its operations across Europe. They described a fundamental change in investor confidence in light of greater regulatory clarity and simplified accessibility.
Have Meme Coin Highs Given Way to Devastating Lows?
In recent years, the meme coin market has largely been characterized by overwhelming highs and devastating lows. The first few months of 2025 have further confirmed the volatile nature of these tokens, to the point that a vocal part of the crypto community believes that their recent lows have marked the end of the meme coin lifecycle.
These claims are not unfounded, especially now that the US President has become a meme coin player. When Trump launched his meme coin in mid-January, TRUMP reached a market capitalization of nearly $8.8 billion, a number never before seen by a meme coin launch.
When insider traders capitalized on the surge to sell off their holdings and retain millions of dollars in gains, retail investors bore the brunt of the massive sell-off, suffering hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
“The decline in meme coin market cap since January can be attributed to a combination of market dynamics and sentiment shifts. A key driver was the rapid rise and subsequent crash of the TRUMP token, which drew significant market capital due to its viral appeal but collapsed sharply, eroding investor confidence and triggering a broader risk-off sentiment,” Eric He, Community Angel Officer and Risk Control Adviser at LBank told BeInCrypto.
After similar experiences with the MELANIA token and the LIBRA launch, some of these retail investors realized that meme coins —as unregulated and unpredictable as they are— may not be the best investments.
Is the Meme Coin Frenzy Coming to a Halt?
Given the devastating effects that these episodes have had on the meme coin market, trading has reduced significantly. The crypto community seems to have become saturated with news of pump-and-dump schemes and rug pulls, likely contributing to a halt in the meme coin frenzy.
The total meme coin market capitalization has been free-falling since January’s peak following the presidential token launches. Now, its levels resemble those of September 2024. The greater economic downturn that traditional and crypto markets experienced over the past several weeks has only worsened prospects.
Yet, despite this downward pressure, the market still experiences a high level of activity. It has a $14.5 billion trading volume and a $57 billion market capitalization.
Total meme coin market capitalization. Source: CoinGecko.
According to the LBank team, the meme coin industry is due for a revival.
LBank’s Belief in the Revival of the Meme Coin Market
Though the decline in meme coin performance has been significant, the LBank team expressed that these circumstances are far from unexpected. Meme coins are inherently tied to community support and social momentum.
The sustained trading volumes and large market capitalization serve as tangible indicators that, even in a downturn, the market is seeing active community engagement and liquidity. Investors still see value in the tokens’ cultural and speculative appeal.
“We see it as a healthy market correction rather than a fundamental shift. Meme coins have always been volatile, but the fact that trading volumes remain high shows continued interest. What’s happening now is not the end of the trend—it’s just a recalibration before the next wave,” Mario Iemma, Head of Spanish Markets at LBank, told BeInCrypto.
In fact, Iemma believes that meme coins will not be dying out anytime soon.
AI agents represented the first significant shift in the evolution of the cryptocurrency industry. These autonomous systems proved that they could make decisions and perform tasks independently. This technology enhances intelligence, adaptability, and fairness in financial mechanisms.
Now, developers have unlocked artificial intelligence’s potential on tokens. Systems like Grok have already made news by using AI to automatically and independently design and launch tokens.
However, with a nascent technology like AI, the LBank team emphasized the need for responsible and thorough deployment for the long-lasting success of AI-generated tokens. This success hinges on two particular factors: accessibility and security.
Security and Accessibility Challenges for AI-Generated Tokens
The concept of security is frequently associated with any emerging technology. Artificial intelligence is no exception, especially in a particularly unregulated industry like crypto.
According to He, AI-generated token projects’ degree of security and transparency will determine their success.
Iemma agreed, adding that if AI-generative tokens become widely accessible, this development will also require additional layers of oversight.
“That same accessibility demands better filters, vetting, and AI-based security audits—areas where exchanges like LBank are already investing resources,” he said.
While reflecting on the security risks associated with artificial intelligence and the breaches in consumer trust that meme coins have had on the crypto community, the LBank team also emphasized the need for greater regulation in the industry.
The development of cryptocurrency regulations varies significantly across the globe. Notably, the European Union implemented comprehensive rules almost five months ago, while key markets such as the United States are still establishing adequate frameworks.
MiCA’s Effect on the European Crypto Market
Last December, with the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, the European Union became the first jurisdiction to establish a comprehensive and unified regulatory framework for crypto-assets across all its member states, marking a significant milestone.
According to the LBank team, MiCA gives users and institutions a trustworthy framework. This development has proven critical for industry growth across the region.
“MiCA has forced firms to become more transparent and compliant, which is a good thing for long-term trust. We’ve seen exchanges accelerate their legal and operational upgrades. For users, it creates a safer, more predictable environment,” Iemma said, adding, “With clearer rules, banks and investment firms are more willing to explore crypto partnerships, custody solutions, and even tokenized assets. Regulation reduces reputational risk, and MiCA is helping bridge that gap.”
However, this experience can be largely attributed to established firms in the industry and investors with access to substantial resources. Other players, however, have struggled to gather the requirements to apply for a MiCA license.
Future Accommodation for Smaller Crypto Businesses
In discussing the impact of MiCA since its enactment last December, He highlighted how different industry players have responded to the landmark regulation. He noted that startups struggle the most to obtain an operational license.
When evaluating the cost-effectiveness of an operational license, He’s conclusions make sense.
MiCA is an expensive regulation. It mandates minimum capital requirements based on the crypto services offered. These requirements range from €50,000 for advisory and order-related services to €125,000 for exchange and trading platforms and up to €150,000 for custody services. Businesses must maintain this capital as a financial safeguard.
Beyond minimum capital requirements, companies must factor in government and legal fees, local presence costs, bank setups, and ongoing operational costs. But for prominent exchanges like LBank, the benefits outweigh the costs.
Future MiCA updates could address the high compliance costs for smaller businesses. Meanwhile, other regions developing their crypto regulations should consider this aspect to avoid creating similar barriers.
Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), has suggested the firm may be preparing for another significant Bitcoin purchase.
His hint comes as Bitcoin gains fresh upward momentum, crossing the $100,000 threshold for the first time in months.
Strategy’s Growing Bitcoin Bet
On May 11, Saylor posted a screenshot of the company’s Bitcoin portfolio tracker on the social media platform X, accompanied by the phrase “connect the dots.”
Although brief, the post follows a familiar pattern of Saylor using cryptic messages ahead of official announcements. These messages typically indicate that the firm is preparing to add more BTC to its balance sheet.
Meanwhile, Strategy’s bold Bitcoin approach has influenced several other firms to follow suit.
For context, Japan’s Metaplanet, which now holds over 5,000 BTC, has earned comparisons to MicroStrategy in Asia. The firm recently launched a US-based unit to scale its Bitcoin strategy beyond regional borders.
As of press time, BTC trades at approximately $104,621, just 4% below its January all-time high of $109,021.
Market analysts at Santiment pointed out that current market sentiment is strongly bullish, which could result in a short-term correction. They note that heavy retail enthusiasm and media hype often coincide with local market tops.
“With Bitcoin breaching the all-important $100K psychological resistance for the first time since Feb. 3rd. Sentiment is quite bullish at the moment, which can be a double-edged sword for upcoming price movement from here,” Santiment noted.
Still, Saylor remains confident in the top asset’s long-term value. According to him, Bitcoin should already be trading at $150,000 if not for the recent selling pressure, which reflects short-term holders taking profits.
Nevertheless, he expects long-term investors to continue driving the rally forward in the weeks ahead.
