Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson is in the spotlight as he recently hinted at major changes to expect ahead of the Ouroboros Leois update. Among the key things to expect, according to Hoskinson, is that AI agents may be deployed for stress-testing Ouroboros Leois.
Charles Hoskinson on the Cardano Ouroboros Leios
The Cardano Founder disclosed this in an X post, raising discussions within the community. Hoskinson announced a testnet for the Leios protocol, a research initiative to boost Cardano’s transaction throughput. This initiative is part of a broader 2025 roadmap, as Cardano aims for scalability and quantum resilience.
Notably, the Cardano founder explained that the Leois testnet will be populated by thousands of AI agents to trade amongst each other. This strategy is important to stress-test the network’s speed, security, and scalability before involving tangible assets or users. It is also an exciting opportunity for Cardano Decentralized Applications (DApps) to leverage high-speed trading with AI.
Simply explained, AI agents are software programs that use machine learning models to process real‑time data and make fast decisions. These agents function as decision-makers. They process input from their environment, evaluate it using sophisticated algorithms, and act promptly to meet objectives.
The Ouroboros Upgrade: Key Takeaways
Ouroboros Leios is a significant redesign of Cardano’s Ouroboros consensus, still in prototyping. This transformative upgrade is designed to achieve scalability and throughput, pushing Cardano beyond its current limits.
It targets faster block processing to scale Cardano for global DApps and paves the way for advanced Decentralized Finance (DeFi). Leois also ensures the efficiency of the Cardano blockchain while maintaining decentralization and protocol security.
Full development could take another year or two, reflecting Cardano’s methodical, research-driven approach.
Can Cardano Leios Compete With Ethereum Pectra
Like Cardano, the Ethereum network is close to launching a new update called Pectra. The upgrade is expected to increase the network’s scalability and security. Pectra promises to make staking even greater and adds a few usability boosts.
Pectra faced many challenges, including failing to finalize on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets. However, developers soon devised a strategy to stabilize the Holesky testnet environments, hastening the upgrade.
Hopes remain high that Pectra can revitalize Ethereum and pave the way for innovations throughout the EVM stack. Lower fees would benefit the Ethereum network and its Layer-2 solutions, such as Optimism.
Pectra rivals Cardano’s Ouroboros Leios, with an expected mainnet launch in May. Both upgrades offer promise; thus, many are watching to see their overall impact, but not really which network emerges as the winner.
After peaking at $3.7 trillion in Q4 2024, the crypto market entered 2025 with weaker momentum. Bitcoin had hit $109,000 and a $2.1 trillion market cap, driven by ETF inflows and favorable macro trends.
However, H1 2025 saw a sharp slowdown. The total market cap fell to $2.4 trillion mid-cycle before recovering to $3.31 trillion by July 1. Bitcoin experienced a major drawdown but rebounded to a new ATH of $112K, supported by steady institutional buying from Strategy and Metaplanet.
Macroeconomic pressures added to volatility. The Fed held rates steady at 4.25%-4.5%, with inflation at 2.4%. Geopolitical tensions, including U.S.-China tariffs and Middle East unrest, kept investors on edge. Despite this, crypto showed resilience, backed by regulatory clarity and rising demand from emerging markets.
Investor sentiment was highly volatile. The Fear & Greed Index plunged from 94 in December to 10 in March but recovered to 64 by July. Still, sentiment remains range-bound between 40 and 65, signaling lingering caution in the market.
Continued protocol upgrades, Stablecoin and DeFi activity remained strong.
Institutional flows into ETH ETFs increased massively.
The price stayed suppressed due to Geopolitical factors.
Top Category Breakdown
Category
Notable Tokens
H1 Trend Summary
Layer‑1
SOL, ADA, AVAX
Bright growth led by ecosystem expansion and ETF odds are higher
Layer‑2
OP, ARB, MATIC
Strong gains as scaling adoption increased
Meme Coins
DOGE, SHIB
Volatile but fetching attention, especially DOGE, with ETF odds rising
AI Tokens
FET, RNDR, AGIX
Momentum aligned with AI and crypto crossover
Gaming/Metaverse
SAND, AXS, GALA
Modest growth is witnessed
DeFi
UNI, AAVE
Gained from on‑chain activity and yield demand
Top Gainers
Cryptocurrency Gainers
Percentage Gain (H1 2025)
Major Catalyst
Monero (XMR)
$186 to $318 ~ 71% gains
Significant price surge due to heightened demand for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.
Hyperliquid (HYPE)
$22 to $39 ~ 74% gains
Rapid growth is attributed to enhanced liquidity and user engagement.
Top Losers
Cryptocurrency losers
Percentage Loss (H1 2025)
Major Catalyst
Bitcoin SV (BSV)
$55 to $24 ~ -45.23%gains
Regulatory uncertainties, and declining investor confidence due to competition and security concerns..
Pi Network (PI)
$2.99 to $0.48 ~ -36%gains
Price dropped due to weak market sentiment and failure to meet adoption expectations.
Stablecoin Performance & Market Share
Metric
January
June
Remark
Market Cap
$204 Billion
$251.55 Billion
Significant increase in overall market cap.
Stablecoin Market Cap Share
7.9%
8.9%
Jump in stablecoin market cap share.
On-Chain Volume
$982 Billion
$1.39 Trillion
Increase in on-chain transaction volume.
The first half of 2025 marked a new phase in stablecoin evolution, characterized by rising volumes, shifting dominance, growing institutional adoption, and increased legislative support. While USDT and USDC remained dominant, smaller players like PYUSD, RLUSD, and DAI slightly expanded their market share. Ethereum continued to lead as the primary stablecoin settlement layer, though TRON and Solana gained traction as emerging launchpads.
Crypto ETF Performance
US Bitcoin Spot ETF recorded a cumulative net inflow of $48.97 billion.
Total net assets for Bitcoin ETFs reached $134.11 billion as of June 30.
Bitcoin ETF holdings represent 6.27% of the total Bitcoin market cap.
US Ethereum Spot ETF saw a cumulative net inflow of $4.21 billion.
Total net assets for Ethereum ETFs stood at $10.32 billion as of June 30.
Ethereum ETF holdings equal 3.42% of the Bitcoin market cap.
In-kind redemption mechanisms are gaining popularity for assets like Dogecoin (DOGE) and Aptos (APT).
There are currently 72 altcoin ETF applications pending regulatory approval.
DeFi Sector Overview
Total Value Locked (TVL) in DeFi rose from $86 billion to $112 billion by June 2025, signaling increased adoption and capital inflow.
AAVE dominated the lending market with over 60% share and $16 billion+ in borrows.
The AAVE V3 protocol continued to attract collateral, and anticipation around the V4 launch further boosted confidence.
DEXs like Uniswap, Jupiter, and PancakeSwap saw increased network activity, resulting in higher fees and supporting DeFi’s rebound.
HYPE’s fee-free DEX enhanced user activity across multiple chains.
Lending protocols from HYPE also gained traction during H1 2025.
AAVE lending yields ranged between 5% to 8% APY, down from 2024 due to higher TVL and reduced risk premiums.
Important News & Events
In H1 2025, nearly 334 – 344 hacks caused $2.2 – $2.5B losses, including Bybit’s $1.5B breach.
ProCap and Grant Cardone’s firms entered the Bitcoin treasury race, intensifying corporate crypto adoption.
U.S. SEC signaled openness to in-kind redemptions for crypto ETFs, fueling speculation about future altcoin fund approvals.
Norway is exploring a crypto-mining ban, while a different country, Kazakhstan, is exploring a national crypto reserve.
Metaplanet and Strategy aggressively expanded their BTC holdings, marking a corporate treasury shift toward Bitcoin as a long-term reserve asset.
World Liberty Financial (WLFI), backed by Trump family ties, expanded USD1 stablecoin on BNB Chain, boosting RWA and DeFi interest.
Final Outlook For H2 2025
Despite all the ups and downs, H1 2025 proved just how resilient the crypto market has become. Bitcoin surged to a new high of $112K, and the overall market rebounded to $3.31 trillion.
Now, if bullishness increases, then Bitcoin may hit $180,000 – $200,000, Ethereum $5,000 – $6,000, by year-end 2025. This growth could be fueled by future Fed rate cuts, ETF inflows, and the Stablecoin Payment Act. Moreover, DeFi is also regaining momentum with $112B in TVL, and institutional interest keeps rising. With altcoin ETFs on the horizon and big players entering the space, H2 2025 could be the setup for a major breakout, which could possibly take the total crypto market cap toward the $4 – $5 trillion mark.
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FAQs
What’s the outlook for H2 2025 crypto?
If ETF inflows, Fed cuts, and stablecoin reforms hold, Bitcoin could reach $180–200K, with market cap nearing $4–5T.
How did investor sentiment change in H1 2025?
Crypto sentiment swung from extreme fear (index ~10 in March) to moderate greed (~64 by July)
Is 2025 really a record-breaking year for corporate Bitcoin adoption?
Yep, it absolutely is. Public company holdings more than doubled from 2024 — from 64 companies to 151. Firms are no longer experimenting — they’re going all in, especially after the U.S. government signaled policy support.
How do corporate Bitcoin holdings affect the market?
Many users speculate that large corporate purchases can drive price surges, reduce circulating supply, and influence retail investor sentiment. There’s also concern about centralization if too much Bitcoin is held by a few large entities.
The post H1 2025 Crypto Market Report- Market Trends, Key Metrics, and Institutional Flows appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
After peaking at $3.7 trillion in Q4 2024, the crypto market entered 2025 with weaker momentum. Bitcoin had hit $109,000 and a $2.1 trillion market cap, driven by ETF inflows and favorable macro trends. However, H1 2025 saw a sharp slowdown. The total market cap fell to $2.4 trillion mid-cycle before recovering to $3.31 trillion …
Ripple recently moved over 230 million XRP, valued at around $498 million, to an unknown wallet, sparking excitement across the crypto space. The transaction was flagged by Whale Alert, with many speculating it could be a strategic transfer by Ripple or a massive whale move. While the destination wallet remains unidentified, the sheer size of the transaction has raised eyebrows, especially as it demonstrates the speed and efficiency of the XRP Ledger.
Why This Matters for XRP and Crypto
This major transaction isn’t just about the amount, it highlights XRP’s core strength. Unlike Bitcoin, which is more about holding value, XRP is built for fast and cheap global transfers. That’s why banks and financial institutions often lean toward Ripple’s tech. A transfer of nearly half a billion dollars with minimal fees and near-instant finality proves the XRP Ledger’s potential as a financial settlement layer.
Moreover, Ripple’s massive XRP transfer likely hints at internal fund management or prepping for a bigger institutional move. While the wallet remains unknown, it’s probably part of Ripple’s strategy to boost liquidity or adjust reserves ahead of regulatory or business developments.
Binance Sees XRP Inflows Surge
Meanwhile, the XRP Ledger is recording increased activity on Binance. On June 6, XRP inflow spiked to 47.8 million, compared to just 5 million the day before, based on CryptoQuant data. This inflow suggests growing trader interest, even as XRP’s price remains steady around $2.19. Generally, such spikes hint at increased trading activity, but the stable price shows no major sell-off, yet.
Institutional Momentum Builds Across Crypto
Beyond Ripple, crypto institutions continue to make moves. Gemini has filed for a U.S. IPO via an S-1, following in the footsteps of Circle’s NYSE filing. Ethereum ETFs are also seeing a strong streak of inflows in 2025, suggesting a broader bullish trend for digital assets.
Together, these signals point to growing confidence in blockchain-backed finance, and XRP may be right at the center of it.
The post XRP News Today: Ripple Transfers $498M to Unknown Wallet appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Ripple recently moved over 230 million XRP, valued at around $498 million, to an unknown wallet, sparking excitement across the crypto space. The transaction was flagged by Whale Alert, with many speculating it could be a strategic transfer by Ripple or a massive whale move. While the destination wallet remains unidentified, the sheer size of …
