Thailand is taking a big step toward modernizing its financial system. Soon, tourists will be able to use cryptocurrency through their credit cards, making spending easier and more flexible. Alongside this, the government is working on major financial reforms to bring traditional banking and digital assets closer together. These changes aim to create a smoother, more unified market that welcomes both old and new forms of money. It’s a clear sign Thailand is embracing the future of finance.
Welcome to the US Morning Crypto News Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.
Grab a coffee to see what analysts say about Bitcoin amid the showdown between BTC behemoth Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) and Jack Mallers’ investment firm, 21 Capital. With their Bitcoin models coming into question, is there a specific definition of what winning means in Bitcoin?
Strategy Grows Bitcoin Stockpile, Buys $1.42 Billion in BTC
Strategy announced that it recently purchased another 15,355 BTC worth approximately $1.42 billion at an average price of $92,737 last week.
The firm currently holds 553,555 BTC, valued at approximately $52.7 billion. The average buying price is $68,459, and the unrealized profit is $14.8 billion.
“By continuing to grow its Bitcoin holdings, the company maintains its status as a major force in the cryptocurrency market, drawing interest from investors and industry analysts. Strategy is the largest Bitcoin Treasury Company, an independent, publicly traded business intelligence company, and a Nasdaq 100 stock,” Phoenix reported.
A recent US Crypto News publication highlighted the advent of 21 Capital. The Bitcoin investment firm sprouted after Cantor Fitzgerald, SoftBank, Tether, and Bitfinex pooled $3 billion in capital.
Based on sentiment, this new venture could inadvertently challenge Strategy’s position at the helm of corporate Bitcoin ownership in a model sense. According to 21 Capital, Strategy size could make increasing its Bitcoin per share difficult, a metric investors tend to consider.
Amid chatter that 21 Capital could threaten the Michael Saylor-led firm, BitStrategy, a shareholder at Strategy, challenged the prospective market rival’s business model.
Tension Grows in Bitcoin Treasury Space
In a detailed post on X (Twitter), BitStrategy acknowledged the brewing tension in the Bitcoin treasury arena. However, it holds that Strategy is way ahead of the competition.
“Their company is in direct competition with ours, and they seek to exploit a perceived vulnerability in our structure, openly highlighting their strengths relative to ours to win investment,” BitStrategy challenged in a recent post.
Beyond BTC Yield, also reported in a recent US Crypto News publication, the firm initiated key performance indicators months ago- BTC Gain and BTC $ Gain.
Bitcoin Gain multiplies the BTC Yield by Strategy’s aggregate balance, reflecting the scale of the firm’s operations.
Bitcoin $ Gain takes this further, converting the BTC Gain into dollar terms, for added transparency.
This proactivity by Strategy suggests a commitment to defend its position as a leading Bitcoin-holding corporation amidst rising rivals.
“You can fake an impressive BTC Yield. You cannot fake an impressive BTC Gain,” BitStrategy chimed.
However, analyst KenjiKoshu argues that while Strategy may show substantial Bitcoin gains, smaller companies like 21 Capital could achieve higher Bitcoin per share.
“As someone who has done deep thinking about why MSTR is undervalued, it might be true BTC gain can still be substantial if not higher for MSTR. On a per-share basis, however, which would be what supports the stock; it will be hard to deny a smaller, similarly reputable company is going to make more Bitcoin per share when on the same strategy,” the analyst wrote.
This outlook aligns with sentiment from 21 Capital that Strategy’s large size impedes increasing its Bitcoin per share.
However, BitStrategy articulated that the point of BTC Gain and BTC $ Gain signals the importance of a whole-of-company view of performance relative to a per-share view.
Per the shareholder, there is no agreed-upon conventional valuation methodology for Bitcoin companies. This means any metric is somewhat arbitrary.
Investors increasingly turn to digital assets as a safe haven, with Bitcoin becoming a hedge against the US dollar’s volatility as crypto inflows surge to $3.4 billion.
WisdomTree has tipped XRP and Solana (SOL) to spearhead an altcoin resurgence in 2025 as investors turn their gaze outside Bitcoin (BTC). The firm’s report points to impressive use cases and incoming mass institutional adoption for both assets.
2025 Will Be The Year Of The Altcoins, Says WisdomTree
After the regulatory milestones achieved by Bitcoin and Ethereum in 2024, WisdomTree says 2025 will see altcoins record similar wins. WisdomTree’s Market Outlook predicts that key jurisdictions will warm up to exchange-traded funds for top altcoins in 2025.
The report specifically mentions XRP and Solana as altcoins expected to receive ETPs in global markets. Analysts at WisdomTree say both assets have demonstrated potential as “institutional-grade investment vehicles.”
For Solana, its capabilities for NFTs, DApps, and DeFi make it a top blockchain in the cryptoverse. On the other hand, XRP is carving a niche for itself in cross-border and global settlements.
“By approving ETPs for assets such as Solana and XRP, regulators would broaden the spectrum of crypto investment opportunities,” read the report.
At the moment, billions in ETF outflows from BTC and ETH have dampened the enthusiasm of investors, triggering interest in new ETPs.
The report highlights Solana’s stablecoin functionalities and XRP Ledger’s near-instant transaction as part of the reasons for ETP approvals. WisdomTree analysts say the approvals open doors to nearly “$300 trillion of managed wealth.”
The Inclusion In A Crypto Strategic Reserve Underscores XRP and SOL’s Relevance
SOL and XRP made the cut for a US Crypto Strategic Reserve, accentuating their growing institutional influence. The announcement sent asset prices surging to new highs amid whispers of a flippening for Ethereum.
XRP’s case with the SEC is inching toward a dismissal with analysts predicting May as the end to the lawsuit.
Frank Templeton has filed an S-1 with the SEC to launch a Solana spot ETF, fuelling speculation for a fresh rally. Experts say the approval for the Solana ETF will happen in 2025, citing a change in stances by the SEC.
Controversy has trailed the announcement of a Crypto Strategic Reserve with critics taking swipes at crypto czar David Sacks over allegations of unjust enrichment. Gemini cofounder Cameron Winklevoss has waded in to defend Sacks, noting that the crypto czar is losing a fortune in gains by preventing a conflict of interest.
Gemini Founder Says Sacks Could Lose Up To $1 Billion In Crypto Gains
Amid swirling speculations of unjust enrichment, Sacks confirmed the sale of all his cryptocurrency holdings to avoid a conflict of interest. Gemini Founder Cameron Winklevoss remarked that Sacks’ decision to sell off all cryptocurrencies would cost him gains running into a billion dollars.
“David Sacks is going to easily lose out on $1 billion in crypto gains over the next 4 years,” said Winklevoss. “He sold all of his crypto holdings (including $85 million of his personal holdings) prior to becoming AI and crypto czar.”
Sacks has previously confirmed the sale of his digital asset holdings while denying Multicoin exposure after divesting his stake. According to Sacks, he cumulatively sold $200 million worth of cryptocurrencies while disposing of $85 million worth of personal assets. He confirmed that he liquidated his holdings in crypto funds, including Bitwise and Blockchain Capital, before assuming office.
Cameron says Sacks is at the helm of a policy shift for cryptocurrencies in the US but will not reap any benefits from the windfall of changes.
“He is doing tremendous work and will not be sharing in any of the economic upsides to avoid even the slightest appearance of a conflict,” said the Gemini cofounder.
Sacks Leads The Charge For New Crypto Policy Without Pecuniary Benefits
David Sacks has hit the ground running since his appointment as crypto and AI czar, playing a key role in setting up the White House Crypto Summit. His efforts led to the establishment of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US Digital Asset Stockpile.
Sacks disclosed that the US has lost over $17 billion from the previous sale of confiscated Bitcoins. The concerted efforts of Sacks are expected to trigger new institutional interest in the ecosystem, sending prices to new all-time highs by the end of Trump’s first tenure.
