Chainlink is playing an advanced role in Hong Kong’s push for cross-border payment functionality for its central bank digital currency (CBDC) experiments. Leaning on Chainlink’s infrastructure, participants in the pilot will attempt to move tokenized funds between Australia and Hong Kong. Chainlink Powers Cross-Border Fund Transfers Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) has been tapped to
A growing concern has hit the BTC space as a new update to Bitcoin Core, the software that powers most of the top coin’s nodes, is being questioned by key developers. The proposed change, which will affect how transactions are shared across the network, draws strong reactions. Many believe that if adopted, it could threaten the core of Bitcoin.
The Controversial Bitcoin Core Update
Jason Hughes, a respected voice in the BTC development space, recently raised an alarm over a pull request on Bitcoin Core. This change would affect the transaction relay policy.
It concerns how unconfirmed transactions move through the system before being recorded on the blockchain.
Hughes warned that it could let gigabytes of non-Bitcoin data pass through the network if approved. This would increase the size of the blockchain and make it harder for individual nodes to keep up. It could also lead to slower transaction processing.
Hughes referred to this problem as blockchain bloat, which is far from Satoshi Nakamoto’s original intentions. In his view, this kind of data overload may push Bitcoin away from its original design as a currency. He urged the community to consider Bitcoin Knots instead, a stricter version of the software maintained by Luke Dashjr.
According to Hughes, this version does not allow such loose transaction handling and would better protect the network. He also called crypto mining giants like AntPool and ViaBTC to reject the update to preserve Bitcoin’s function.
Community Stakeholders Reacts
Another longtime developer, Peter Todd, responded to the debate on X. He pointed out that, while more conservative, Bitcoin Knots still allows spam-like transactions inside blocks.
Todd suggested that a soft fork, a backward-compatible network change, might be the only way to block nonfinancial data on the blockchain. He recommended new rules allowing only valid hash digests or public keys in transactions.
This would make pushing junk data onto the chain harder, as it would now come with a computational cost.
Still, he admitted this would not stop all spam, especially those tied to token trades. Some developers, like Antoine Poinsot, disagreed, arguing the issue was being overstated.
Bitcoin and Institutional Adoption: Is Centralization at Risk?
This conversation is happening just as big institutions show greater interest in Bitcoin. Earlier this week, MicroStrategy bought 15,355 BTC for $1.42 billion, a move other firms have also adopted.
While many welcome institutional money’s stability, others worry that it gives more control to a few players.
Bitcoin’s promise of decentralization could be weakened if only a small group of firms makes key decisions, from software updates to mining operations. The recent debate over Bitcoin Core highlights how important it is to guard the network’s core values even as it grows in popularity.
Several interesting developments happened this week in crypto, cutting across diverse ecosystems. Key highlights, however, centered on Bitcoin (BTC) and XRP ecosystems.
In case you missed it, here is a roundup of the top stories this week in crypto.
Bitcoin Tests $97,000
Starting the list of what happened this week in crypto, Bitcoin tested the $97,000 milestone for the first time since February 2025. However, as of this writing, the pioneer crypto pulled back shortly after and was trading for $96,731.
Another key highlight this week in crypto concerned speculation of a possible collaboration between the Sui blockchain and Pokémon. Amidst these talks, the SUI price soared over 60% within the week.
These rumors sparked after a privacy policy update for Pokémon HOME featured Parasol Technologies, LLC, as a new developer. Parasol Technologies is a Web3 gaming infrastructure company that Sui’s developer, Mysten Labs, acquired in March 2025.
Nevertheless, changes in one of the circulating documents quelled the speculation, clarifying what had been a key driver for the SUI price this week.
“The official Sui Foundation blog confirmed (and removed) Pokémon NFTs. They seem to be developing a cloud infrastructure that uses blockchain technology to address bugs, hacks, and duping while enabling transfers between compatible games—something that is already possible with Pokémon Home,” another user highlighted.
Nevertheless, the correction did not quell speculation that Parasol may be involved in developing new features for Pokémon.
The SUI price has fallen almost 3% in the last 24 hours. As of this writing, it was trading for $3.47.
ProShares XRP ETF Rumors
Adding to the list of speculation this week in crypto, rumors spread that the US SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) had approved a ProShares XRP ETF (exchange-traded fund).
However, BeInCrypto shut down these claims, articulating that the approval was for ProShares’ Leveraged and Short XRP Futures ETFs. ETF analyst James Seyffart also provided further clarity, deeming the allegations false.
“UPDATE: A lot of people posting/reporting that ProShares will be launching XRP ETFs on April 30th. We have confirmed that this is not the case. We do not have a confirmed launch date yet but we believe they will launch — and likely launch in the short or possibly medium term,” Seyffart explained.
ProShares launched three futures-based ETFs: the Ultra XRP ETF, the Short XRP ETF, and the Ultra Short XRP ETF. This development followed the launch of Teucrium’s 2x Long Daily XRP ETF in early April.
ProShares’ XRP Futures ETF Sparked Optimism
Meanwhile, the approval of ProShares XRP futures ETF sparked optimism, inspiring sentiment that a spot XRP ETF would be next.
According to forecasts by industry expert Armando Pantoja, the move could lead to substantial capital inflow into the altcoin.
“A spot XRP ETF could be next, unlocking real demand and sending prices soaring. $100 billion+ could soon flood into XRP,” he wrote.
Pantoja recognized that the approval marked a significant turning point for the industry, expanding XRP’s investor base.
The approval cleared the runway for the XRP ETF, granting Ripple’s token a regulated and accessible avenue for major financial players to engage.
“Futures ETF = first domino. Spot ETF = the tipping point. XRP’s long-term setup just got way stronger,” Pantoja remarked.
Another analyst was more measured amid heightened optimism, noting that the futures ETF was not the game-changer many might expect.
“It’s not the silver bullet that will trigger mass adoption or massive price action. The real catalyst will come when a Spot XRP ETF gets approved. Real tokens. Real demand. Real market impact,” John Squire posted.
SEC Delays XRP ETF Decision
To add to the list of developments in the XRP ecosystem this week in crypto, the US SEC delayed its decision on a prospective XRP ETF until June 17.
Before this news broke, crypto market participants awaited the final decision of XRP, Dogecoin (DOGE), and Ethereum staking ETFs. However, these were all put off.
“These dates are all intermediate and we will likely see final decisions on a lot of the crypto ETPs in Q4. For the XRP spot ETF, [I am] eyeing mid-October, around the 18th, as a final decision deadline. It’s possible the SEC won’t take all that time to make its decision, but a lot will hinge on how actively they engage on the applications,” Seyffart explained.
For now, over 70 active ETF proposals await the securities regulator’s verdict. XRP ETF’s June deadline is not final, but the commission could still enact further delays until mid-October.
Meanwhile, data from Polymarket shows that bettors see a 34% chance that the financial instrument will be approved by July 31.
