In the current market uncertainty, whale interest appears to have shifted to CAKE, the native token of PancakeSwap. Recently, data from the on-chain analytics firm Santiment reported that PancakeSwap leads all assets in whale activity, having skyrocketed over the past week.
Whale Activity in CAKE Surges 440%
The report revealed that the percentage change in transactions made by whale wallets holding over $100,000 worth of CAKE increased by 439.71% over the past week, followed by HEX and Mantle (MNT), which recorded jumps of 275% and 144.44%, respectively, during the same period.
Source: Santiment
However, this massive whale activity might be the reason behind CAKE’s 56% upside momentum in the past week, while major assets like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and XRP struggled to gain traction. Besides this strong rally, CAKE appears to be following a similar pattern.
Current Price Momentum
On March 22, 2025, the asset surged over 4.5% in the past 24 hours and is currently trading near $2.70. During the same period, its trading volume increased by 15%, indicating higher participation from investors and traders compared to the previous day.
With the massive price surge in recent days, CAKE has reached a crucial resistance level with a strong history of price reversals. In other words, this level has previously acted as a significant selling pressure zone.
Pancakeswap (CAKE) Technical Analysis and Upcoming Levels
According to expert technical analysis, CAKE has reached a strong resistance level at $3 and has been consolidating near this level for the past three days. Based on recent price action and historical momentum, if CAKE breaches this resistance and closes a daily candle above $3.05, there is a strong possibility that the asset could soar by 45% to reach $4.30 in the coming days.
Source: Trading View
On the other hand, if it fails to break the resistance, the asset could repeat its historical pattern and experience a price decline. Additionally, CAKE is now trading above the 200 Exponential Moving Average (EMA) on the daily timeframe, indicating that the asset is in an uptrend.
Coinbase, the largest US-based crypto exchange, received regulatory approval from the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) to launch XRP futures contracts through its derivatives arm.
This development marks a pivotal moment for institutional access to XRP altcoin, amid a broader derivatives market shakeup.
XRP Futures Now Live on Coinbase
Earlier in the month, Coinbase revealed its intention to bring regulated XRP futures to market, showing that it had filed for the offering with the CFTC. BeInCrypto reported that the US-based exchange filed to self-certify the product.
“We’re excited to announce that Coinbase Derivatives has filed with the CFTC to self-certify XRP futures—bringing a regulated, capital-efficient way to gain exposure to one of the most liquid digital assets,” read the announcement.
The firm anticipated the contract going live on April 21. During the late hours of the US session on Monday, Coinbase confirmed in a follow-up post that the product was live.
“Coinbase Derivatives, LLC now offers CFTC-regulated futures for XRP,” the exchange stated.
This approval suggests a fast-track endorsement by the CFTC, potentially opening the door to broader crypto derivatives activity in the US.
It is unsurprising that the agency has recently pivoted toward easing entry into the crypto derivatives sector. As BeInCrypto reported earlier this month, the CFTC rolled back several regulatory hurdles that had previously deterred traditional and crypto-native firms.
“As stated in today’s withdrawal letter, DCR [Division of Clearing and Risk] determined to withdraw the advisory to ensure that it does not suggest that its regulatory treatment of digital asset derivatives will vary from its treatment of other products,” the CFTC explained.
The changes simplify registration requirements and lower operational barriers for launching crypto derivatives products.
XRP Network Activity Soars 67.5%
With XRP historically maintaining high liquidity and a global user base, it represents a strong candidate for derivatives trading, especially in a newly liberalized environment.
Unlike more volatile mid-cap tokens, XRP benefits from a combination of legal clarity following the Ripple lawsuit outcome, broad exchange availability, and a sizable market cap. These elements make it attractive to institutional traders seeking capital-efficient exposure.
Recent on-chain data reveals a sharp uptick in network activity, further bolstering the case for XRP futures. Data shows XRP active addresses surged by 67.5% between April 19 and 20, ahead of Coinbase Derivatives’ XRP futures debut, climbing from 27,352 to 40,366.
The spike suggests growing engagement from retail and institutional participants, possibly in anticipation of expanded market access through derivatives.
Still, market sentiment around XRP remains mixed. Despite the regulatory milestone, XRP’s spot price has declined 1.26% in the past 24 hours, reflecting broader market consolidation and investor caution.
This suggests that while futures listings can enhance liquidity and price discovery over time, short-term price action often diverges from structural developments.
Coinbase’s move aligns with its broader strategy to position itself as a regulated gateway to crypto derivatives in the US. With the futures of Ethereum and Bitcoin already live, XRP has joined the lineup. This signals Coinbase’s confidence in XRP’s long-term viability despite lingering skepticism in parts of the US regulatory arena.
Earlier reports from VanEck’s Matthew Sigel suggested that Circle’s planned IPO had a $4 to $6 billion equity valuation. So, it looks like Ripple attempted to match that valuation.
The planned IPO and current circumstances suggest that Circle may be open to acquisition offers in the future. After all, analysts have previously raised concerns about Circle’s financials.
Circle’s revenues grew 16% but EBITDA and Net Income fell sharply.
Why? Four main reasons –>
Increased Partner Costs: A significant rise in distribution and transaction costs driven by higher fees paid to partners like Coinbase, due to increased reserve income and strategic… https://t.co/CHEv1PFdOk
— matthew sigel, recovering CFA (@matthew_sigel) April 1, 2025
Ripple’s executives, for their part, recently asserted that they have no plans to go public. However, the company has shown increasing interest in acquisitions.
Under Trump’s pro-crypto shift, Ripple is seeing a major opportunity to achieve dominance in the US market. As the SEC lawsuit nears an end, the firm is seemingly eyeing an aggressive expansion strategy.
It would be a powerful business opportunity if the firm could take over Circle’s stablecoin expertise and market share. For now, it is unclear if any further negotiations will take place, or if any other firms will make larger offers.
The aforementioned emerging projects offer streamlined solutions with real utility—whether it’s Bitcoin-based meme trading, meme coin staking, or one-click token creation. As the market moves forward, these three stand out as some of the best cryptos to buy now for those chasing performance without Ethereum’s bloated structure and developer hurdles.
Vitalik Buterin warns Ethereum is too complex—could simpler alternatives take the spotlight?
Ethereum’s price and philosophy are facing a critical moment. The network’s co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, has expressed concerns about Ethereum’s increasing complexity. He declared that Ethereum has become “needlessly complicated” and needs to be simplified urgently.
This comes when ETH is trading near crucial support levels, with investors watching closely to see if it can reclaim the $1,880 mark. A successful push above this zone could ignite a much-needed rally.
However, as Ethereum fights to overcome both technical and structural issues, investor attention is starting to shift. The very complexity Buterin warns about is pushing users and builders alike to look for simpler, more streamlined networks that are easier to use, more transparent, and developer-friendly from day one.
While Ethereum’s long-term potential is real, Bitcoin Pepe, CarterFi, and PepeX offer simpler protocols with long-term returns.
Bitcoin Pepe is turning Bitcoin into a meme coin powerhouse
Bitcoin Pepe is an ETH alternative creating a meme coin system similar to Solana on top of Bitcoin’s unmatched security. This project is a Layer-2 revolution. With lightning-fast transactions and a smooth user experience, Bitcoin Pepe brings the performance of Solana directly to Bitcoin’s foundation, unlocking new utility that the market has never seen before.
The real breakthrough lies in Bitcoin Pepe’s creation of the PEP-20 token standard—a Bitcoin-native framework similar to Ethereum’s ERC-20. This innovation allows for the seamless launch of new tokens directly on Bitcoin’s Layer 2 network.
For investors, this opens up access to meme coin trading without needing to bridge assets or leave the safety of the Bitcoin ecosystem. Bitcoin Pepe presents the opportunity to convert more than $2 trillion in unused Bitcoin capital into high-growth assets for the first time.
So far, the presale has already brought in over $7.7m from early buyers, with the token currently available at just $0.031. As the meme coin trend picks up steam again in 2025, Bitcoin Pepe stands out as the best crypto to buy now, both for its branding and for building the rails that could power the next cycle.
CartelFi brings passive yield to the meme coin bull cycle
Historically, meme coins have delivered some of the most significant returns when fresh capital floods into crypto. But this time, a major innovation is changing how meme coin investors prepare—and profit. CartelFi is turning unproductive meme holdings into high-yielding assets through its groundbreaking staking pools.
Instead of waiting for meme coins to pump, CartelFi users can now earn steady returns on their bags. These staking pools offer a range of options, from single-asset meme coin staking to stablecoin and large-cap token pair staking.
What makes CartelFi’s model truly revolutionary is its reward system. Investors who lock up the native CARTFI token get boosted APY, with returns as high as 1,000%, depending on the duration and the amount staked.
Currently, CARTFI is priced at just $0.045 and has raised $1.7m to date. With 30 presale stages and a 5% price increase at each stage, the potential upside for early investors is massive.
PepeX revolutionizes meme Coin launches with AI-driven fair launches
PepeX is garnering attention in the meme coin community due to its innovative branding and cutting-edge technology. As the first AI-backed token launchpad, PepeX gives anyone the tools to create and fund a crypto project in minutes. Its AKIRA AI engine handles everything from deployment to growth, breaking the usual barriers that favor venture capitalists and gatekeepers.
What sets PepeX apart is its radical fairness. The “5/95” model limits founders to just 5% of the total supply, ensuring that 95% goes directly to the community. This approach eliminates the threat of large insider dumps and puts power in the hands of everyday investors. Combined with anti-sniping tools and transparent on-chain systems, PepeX is redefining what fair launches should look like.
The project has raised over $2.1m in its public presale in just weeks. PEPX is currently priced at $0.0255, with prices set to rise in future stages. With this momentum, PepeX is becoming the infrastructure behind the next generation of crypto.
Time to switch from ETH to simpler alternatives?
The crypto market is shifting gears fast. Ethereum once set the standard, but even its creator, Vitalik Buterin, now warns that the network has become needlessly complex. This opens the door for leaner, faster, and more user-focused alternatives. Bitcoin Pepe brings Solana-style speed to Bitcoin. CartelFi gives meme coins utility through high-yield staking. PepeX democratizes capital with AI-powered token launches. These three may lead to the next breakout for those hunting for the best crypto to buy now.
The post Best Crypto to Buy Now Offering Simple ETH Alternatives appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
The aforementioned emerging projects offer streamlined solutions with real utility—whether it’s Bitcoin-based meme trading, meme coin staking, or one-click token creation. As the market moves forward, these three stand out as some of the best cryptos to buy now for those chasing performance without Ethereum’s bloated structure and developer hurdles. Vitalik Buterin warns Ethereum is …
