The deal will be closed with $700 million in cash and 11 million in shares of Coinbase Class A common stock.
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close by the end of this year.
Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: COIN), a veteran cryptocurrency exchange based in the United States, announced that it has agreed to acquire Deribit, a top-tier derivatives exchange. According to the announcement, Coinbase is acquiring Deribit for $2.9 billion, which will include $700 million in cash and 11 million in shares.
Meanwhile, Coinbase announced that the deal is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. As a result, Coinbase expects the deal to be closed by the end of this year.
“As the leading crypto options platform, we’ve built a strong, profitable business, and this acquisition will accelerate the foundation we laid while providing traders with even more opportunities across spot, futures, perpetuals, and options – all under one trusted brand. Together with Coinbase, we’re set to shape the future of the global crypto derivatives market,” Luuk Strijers, CEO at Deribit, noted.
Coinbase Forges a Brighter Future for the Crypto Industry
Once finalized, Coinbase will become a major player in crypto derivatives in regards to open interest (OI) and options volume. Furthermore, Deribit currently has more than $30 billion in OI and recorded over $1 trillion in trading volume in 2024.
With Coinbase available in more than 100 jurisdictions globally, more crypto traders can now seamlessly access the derivatives market in a regulated manner. Most importantly, more institutional investors from around the world can access the Bitcoin and altcoins OI market through their respective Coinbase accounts.
Consequently, Coinbase will significantly diversify its revenue streams amid heightened competition from other crypto exchanges including Binance and Bybit. Following the announcement, Coinbase shares COIN surged 6 percent on the day to trade about $208 on Thursday, May 8 during the mid North American trading session.
There has been a sharp decline in daily active addresses across Smart Contract Platforms (SCPs) in recent months, raising concerns among investors and developers.
Meanwhile, Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade could be the turning point, with crypto analyst Jamie Coutts calling the current state a cleansing of the ecosystem.
SCPs See Sharp Decline in Active Users
Jamie Coutts, who built Bloomberg Intelligence’s crypto research product, says this is the worst decline ever recorded in the history of SCPs.
He also notes that it is far worse than the 2022-2023 bear market, with daily active addresses dropping 40.5% in just five months.
“This is the largest usage collapse in SCP history,” wrote Coutts.
Coutts’ analysis provides a deeper look at the broader crypto ecosystem, which is simultaneously witnessing an uptick in global liquidity and an all-time high in stablecoin market cap.
While the sector seems to be experiencing a shakeout, Coutts says this decline does not indicate the death of smart contract platforms. Rather, it is a necessary cleansing of the ecosystem.
The analyst attributes the drop in daily active addresses to several key factors, including the rise of artificial activity.
“Much of the past cycle’s growth was artificial: Usage inflated by bots and Sybil farms, Incentive programs created temporary traction without stickiness. The unwind reflects a cleansing of fake activity, not the death of the sector,” Coutts explains.
The rise of bots and Sybil attacks, where bad actors create multiple fake identities to manipulate a platform’s usage metrics, has artificially inflated the activity numbers across various smart contract platforms.
Now, as these fake users are being weeded out, the real growth potential of SCPs is becoming clearer.
Moreover, this trend suggests that SCPs with weak application ecosystems or limited use cases will face significant valuation compression. This is especially true without stablecoin integration or real-world asset (RWA) applications.
Coutts notes that many SCP tokens risk valuation compression if their platforms do not offer high throughput, low-cost, and real settlement capabilities.
The market will likely reward mature platforms capable of supporting real economic activity. These include stablecoin transactions, payments, and AI-native applications.
“…going forward, value will concentrate in platforms that enable high-throughput, low-cost, real settlement and agentic automation,” he added.
Ethereum Staking Surge Post-Pectra
Interestingly, these predictions align with the recent Ethereum Pectra upgrade, which went live on May 7, 2025.
The Pectra upgrade introduces key features that could help Ethereum, the largest smart contract platform, stay ahead in this playing field. Specifically, the upgrade improves Ethereum’s staking model and validator operations.
CryptoQuant recently indicated a notable spike in ETH staking around the Pectra Upgrade news. Specifically, before the Pectra upgrade news, ETH staking saw a net outflow of around 1.02 million ETH, reflecting uncertainty.
However, after the news, staking rebounded with a 627,000 ETH inflow, signaling renewed market confidence in the Ethereum staking ecosystem.
“Before Pectra News (Nov 16 – Feb 15): ETH staking dropped from ≈34.88M to 33.86M ETH, a net outflow of ~1.02M ETH. This period reflects market uncertainty and mild unwinding of staking positions ahead of the upgrade. After Pectra News (Feb 16 – May 16): Total ETH staked rose from 33.78M to 34.41M ETH — a net inflow of ~627K ETH. Indicates renewed confidence in the staking process following the upgrade,” wrote CryptoQuant analyst Kripto Mevsimi.
ETH Staking before and after Pectra Upgrade news. Source: CryptoQuant
In the same tone, Bohdan Opryshko, co-founder and COO at Everstake, told BeInCrypto that the Pectra upgrade may be Ethereum’s most institution-friendly update. He says the upgrade is the clearest signal that Ethereum is ready for conservative capital.
“For the first time, institutions can stake at scale with operational clarity and reduced complexity. It’s a green light for conservative capital to get involved in native Ethereum staking,” Opryshko told BeInCrypto.
Further, Pectra’s introduction of smart accounts allows Ethereum wallets to execute smart contract logic. This could drive stablecoin integration.
At the same time, it could enhance scalability. This would make Ethereum better suited to handle real economic activities such as payments and financial transactions.
Nevertheless, Coutts highlighted a divergence between price action and network activity, a common phenomenon in the crypto space. While markets stabilize, activity on many SCPs remains stagnant.
Coutts notes that this divergence will not last. More sophisticated capital will increasingly flow toward platforms that anchor real economic behavior, especially via stablecoin flows and payments.
“Markets may be stabilizing, but activity is not,” More sophisticated capital will increasingly rotate toward chains that anchor real economic behavior, especially via stablecoin flows, payments, and AI-native applications,” Coutts says.
Finally, Coutts predicts that a liquidity-driven rally will return, fueled by the significant liquidity expected to enter the system in the coming months.
However, he cautions that the value will likely accrue to a subset of SCPs that can deliver tangible value through real-world applications and stablecoin integration. This sentiment aligns with the structural upgrades brought by Ethereum’s Pectra fork.
As the crypto market regains its footing, investors are already scanning for the next crypto to hit $1—not just based on hype, but on real fundamentals. One project quietly climbing the radar is Mutuum Finance (MUTM). Still sitting at just $0.025, it’s gaining traction as one of the best cryptocurrencies to buy now for those focused on long-term growth and sustainable returns.
Mutuum Finance (MUTM)
MUTM isn’t a meme coin or a copycat—it’s the token powering a revenue-backed DeFi protocol designed to make lending and borrowing more efficient. With nearly $7 million raised in its ongoing presale and almost 9,000 wallets already on board, the market response speaks for itself. The token is currently in Phase 4 of an 11-phase presale, meaning that as each phase closes, the entry price rises. The next phase lifts the price to $0.03, making now the window to get in before that jump.
When MUTM reaches even $1, a $500 investment today (20,000 tokens) would translate to $20,000. That’s the kind of setup that has investors paying attention—especially since analysts are calling it one of the few low-cap cryptos with 40x potential heading into 2025.
Mutuum Finance allows users to lend and borrow crypto assets while retaining custody of their funds. When a user deposits, they receive mtTokens, which reflect their deposit and grow in value over time through earned interest. These tokens are flexible: they can be held, traded, or used in other DeFi ecosystems.
This system creates a passive income loop for users without requiring them to exit their positions or constantly manage them. It’s one of the reasons Mutuum is seen as a long-term play rather than a short-term gamble.
The protocol redirects part of its revenue to buy MUTM directly from the open market, and those tokens are then sent to active participants—especially mtToken holders. This creates organic demand and puts upward pressure on the token price, aligning incentives between the project and its users.
As lending activity grows and more users engage with the platform, more revenue gets reinvested into the ecosystem, reinforcing the price over time.
The idea that MUTM is the next crypto to hit $1 isn’t wishful thinking—it’s based on solid groundwork. The project is launching with working DeFi functionality, has committed to releasing a beta version of the platform alongside the token launch, and is lining up major exchange listings for post-launch liquidity and exposure.
As the token begins trading on public markets, wider access could trigger a significant wave of demand. And because the tokenomics are structured to reward long-term engagement, new users are more likely to hold rather than sell, limiting sell pressure and strengthening price momentum.
In crypto, the early entries always see the largest gains. The difference here is that MUTM has utility baked in, not promised later. For anyone seeking the best crypto to invest in now with both utility and upside, this is one of the clearest options on the table.
With the presale still active at $0.025 and a clear path laid out for growth, MUTM stands out in a crowded field. For those looking to secure a position in the next breakout token, this might be the moment.
For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:
The post Best Crypto to Buy Now With $1 Target? MUTM Has Utility, Revenue, and Room to 40x appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
As the crypto market regains its footing, investors are already scanning for the next crypto to hit $1—not just based on hype, but on real fundamentals. One project quietly climbing the radar is Mutuum Finance (MUTM). Still sitting at just $0.025, it’s gaining traction as one of the best cryptocurrencies to buy now for those …
The XRP price rally has created fresh momentum in the crypto market, as Bitcoin moves above $94,000. The price increased to $2.18, with a 6% weekly rise. This recent development pushed its market cap to $132 billion. With a circulating supply of 58.39 billion coins, XRP’s liquidity remains strong. The token’s volume also increased to $5.49 billion within the same period, a 124% growth that shows real demand.
The price has recovered from key support levels and is now testing resistance around $2.20. If bulls break through this zone, analysts anticipate a push toward $2.30 or/”:> even $2.45. Technical indicators such as the MACD and Ichimoku Cloud are also showing bullish signals. Meanwhile, XRP’s network activity is heating up, with the number of daily active addresses increasing by 67%.
Source: XRP Scan
Bullish XRP price outlook for 2025 and beyond
As reported by ABC Money, predictions for 2025 suggest that the XRP Price may average $3.14, with highs reaching $3.77 if adoption increases. In a more bullish scenario, where Ripple’s cross-border payment technology gets more adoption, XRP could climb toward the $5 mark by mid-2025. Some long-term projections even place XRP between $12.84 and $25.68.
According to a crypto analyst on X, the XRP Price could start from $3 before moving to 5. Subsequently, investors could see the price jump from $10 to 20. The long-term predictions of this analyst are that the XRP Price could move to $1,000 in the future.
As capital flows into crypto assets increase, a new question emerges: what are the best cryptos to buy now as XRP ignites the next leg of the bull run? While the XRP Price captures headlines, beneath the surface, a select group of altcoins could become the next evolution in crypto infrastructure.
What is the best crypto to buy?
With XRP leading a new bullish momentum, investors are asking, What is the best crypto to buy right now? From established giants to new projects, the crypto market is more exciting and competitive than ever.
Bitcoin Pepe: Solana speed, Bitcoin security, meme energy
Bitcoin Pepe is one of the most talked-about new Layer 2s on the market. It was created as the first-ever meme-focused Layer 2 on Bitcoin; Bitcoin Pepe is bringing Solana-style throughput and UX to the world’s most secure blockchain. The mission? Turn Bitcoin into the definitive home for meme coin trading.
It is more than narrative hype. It brings Solana to Bitcoin, combining high-speed trading with maximum security. Bitcoin Pepe comes with the PEP-20 Token Standard, a native tokenization built for meme trading.
Bitcoin Pepe’s presale structure, split across 30 stages with 5% price bumps, rewards buyers and has already raised $6.9m. With BPEP tokens currently available for just $0.031, investors are getting ahead of the creation of a meme coin on the Bitcoin Network. Bitcoin Pepe is currently in stage 9 of its presale, and there are only around 785,000,000 tokens left before it ends.
CartelFi: Moonshots with compound yield
CartelFi could be the best crypto to buy. It is solving one of the most obvious pain points in crypto. Meme coins can be 10x, 100x, but they can’t yield until now.
CartelFi bridges memes and DeFi, offering a first-of-its-kind protocol that generates yield from meme coins without limiting their upside potential. No more choosing between degenerate gains and DeFi safety.
Users get specialized meme liquidity pools that maintain full price exposure while delivering Colombian-grade APYs through LP mechanics. Additionally, there are automatic buybacks and burns funded by up to 100% of platform fees.
By transforming idle meme capital into productive assets, CartelFi unlocks billions in dormant value and changes the utility of memecoins.
Still available at $0.037, CARTFI tokens are a direct play on crypto’s most viral sector, finally gaining serious DeFi mechanics. More than $1.1m has been raised from this presale, and there are 2 days left before the price goes up.
PepeX: Turning wallets into VCs
In an industry where VCs have long dominated the upside, PepeX democratizes access to capital. It’s a one-click platform that allows anyone to instantly tokenize an idea and grow it with built-in AI tools.
It enables permissionless tokenization, with the AKIRA AI Growth Engine managing marketing and scale. PepeX also has fair launch tokenomics, allocating 5% to founders and 95% to the community.
What they are building allows the world to become investable. A farmer in Kenya or a coder in Argentina can now raise capital for both real-world and digital projects, and investors globally can access these opportunities before the hype sets in.
Branded the “NASDAQ 2.0”, PepeX’s PEPX token is still available for just $0.0243 in presale, making it one of the best crypto buys now. It has already raised $1.5m in the presale.
Why these altcoins could outperform XRP and BTC
While the XRP price rally sets a bullish tone, altcoins like Bitcoin Pepe, CartelFi, and PepeX could deliver better returns.
Each one is tied to a foundational shift in crypto. Bitcoin Pepe is building the infrastructure for meme capital to thrive directly on the Bitcoin network. CartelFi transforms meme coins into productive assets by combining viral potential with DeFi-grade yields. Finally, PepeX brings together AI-driven growth with instant, permissionless tokenization.
As capital continues to shift from Bitcoin and XRP into high-upside altcoins, these tokens offer a rare combination of utility, timing, and meme virality.
The post Best Crypto to Buy Now as XRP Price Rallies appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
The XRP price rally has created fresh momentum in the crypto market, as Bitcoin moves above $94,000. The price increased to $2.18, with a 6% weekly rise. This recent development pushed its market cap to $132 billion. With a circulating supply of 58.39 billion coins, XRP’s liquidity remains strong. The token’s volume also increased to …
