Aqua 1, a Web3 investment fund based in the UAE, announced today that it’s spending $100 million on WLFI tokens. It and World Liberty Financial are partnering to expand WLFI’s blockchain ecosystem.
However, the announcement didn’t go into many specifics, and there are a lot of unanswered questions about this deal. If nothing else, both firms plan to support BlockRock, an RWA tokenization firm.
Today, this Aqua 1 partnership plans to change things even further with a $100 million WLFI purchase:
“We’re excited to work hand-in-hand with the team at Aqua 1. Aligning with Aqua 1 validates our blueprint for global financial innovation, as we have a joint mission to bring digital assets to the masses and strengthen our nation’s standing as a champion and leader of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology,” claimed World Liberty co-founder Zak Folkman.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much information available on Aqua 1, which could be useful for dissecting the WLFI purchase. Its X account was created this month, and all its posts relate to today’s deal.
Aqua 1’s press release is very noncommittal, briefly touching on many Web3 buzzwords like DeFi, blockchain infrastructure, AI, global adoption, and more.
Nonetheless, this deal is quite strange. Aqua 1 invested $100 million in WLFI, more than three times as much as Tron founder Justin Sun. The fund is now its largest individual investor.
Made in USA Coins are gaining traction heading into the final week of May, with AVA, Solana (SOL), Pi Network (PI), Uniswap (UNI), and Worldcoin (WLD) all drawing attention. AVA surged nearly 10% amid renewed AI interest, while SOL saw rising institutional accumulation despite ETF delays.
PI rebounded above $0.80 as momentum builds despite lingering ecosystem concerns. Meanwhile, UNI faces legal pressure from Bancor, and WLD remains in the spotlight following regulatory challenges and a U.S. expansion push.
AVA
AVA is the native token of Holoworld, an AI-powered storytelling platform designed for creators, brands, and developers.
The ecosystem enables users to craft immersive experiences using customizable AI avatars, lifelike animations, and voice-based interactions. It claims to have over 1 million users and tens of millions of interactions.
Originally launched on Solana’s PumpFun launchpad, AVA currently holds a market cap of around $65 million and has climbed nearly 10% in the last 24 hours amid renewed interest in AI-themed tokens.
Technical indicators are turning bullish, with AVA’s EMA lines suggesting a golden cross could form soon. If this momentum holds, the token could rise to challenge resistance at $0.069, and a breakout may open the path toward $0.0919 and even $0.015.
However, if bullish momentum fades and the $0.060 support level fails, the token could retrace to $0.0519, and potentially fall to $0.047 or even $0.0417 if the downtrend intensifies.
Solana (SOL)
Solana is seeing increased accumulation from institutional investors in May 2025. Whales have staked large amounts, and some have invested millions into Solana-based assets.
Over 65% of SOL’s supply is now staked. Q1 app revenue reached $1.2 billion, the highest in the past year, showing strong ecosystem growth.
Despite a quiet altcoin market, analysts are comparing Solana’s structure to Ethereum’s in early 2021. On-chain inflows and developer activity continue to rise.
Meanwhile, the SEC delayed its decision on five Solana ETF proposals, pushing the timeline to mid-2025. Still, SOL rose 2.7%, showing resilience.
Technically, SOL is holding support at $164. If this holds, it could test $176.83 and $184.86. If $164 fails, the next supports are $159.48, $154, and $141.
Pi Network (PI)
Pi Network has faced several major setbacks since its mainnet launch in February 2025, quickly becoming one of the most hyped Made in USA coins. These include a lack of Binance or Coinbase listings, poor price performance, and unfulfilled ecosystem promises. Despite 86% of the community voting for a Binance listing, no listing has occurred.
Still, PI is showing signs of short-term strength. It’s up nearly 10% in the past 24 hours, breaking above the $0.80 mark. Its market cap is nearing $6 billion again, and EMA lines suggest a golden cross could form soon.
If the momentum holds, PI could test resistance at $0.96. A breakout could open room for rallies toward $1.30 and $1.67.
However, if the uptrend fades, PI could retrace to $0.66. If that level fails, the next supports are $0.57 and lower.
Uniswap (UNI)
Bancor has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Uniswap, claiming that the leading DEX used its patented automated market maker (AMM) technology without permission.
Bancor says it developed and patented the constant product AMM model back in 2017, a structure Uniswap later adopted for its own protocol. The lawsuit, filed in New York, seeks compensation from both Uniswap Labs and the Uniswap Foundation, making UNI one of the most interesting Made in USA coins to watch next week.
Meanwhile, UNI is trading near a key support level at $5.94.
If this level fails, it could drop to $5.649 and even $5.43. On the upside, a momentum recovery could send UNI back to test $6.329. If broken, further resistance lies at $6.52 and $7.36.
Worldcoin (WLD)
AI-related tokens have been attempting a broader recovery in recent weeks, and Worldcoin (WLD) has remained a focal point during this period. The project has faced both regulatory setbacks and notable expansion efforts, keeping it in the spotlight in the last weeks.
Around the same time, Indonesia suspended its operations over regulatory and certification concerns. Despite these headwinds, Worldcoin recently launched in six major U.S. cities and revealed plans to distribute 7,500 biometric verification devices across the country.
WLD is up 6.8% in the past 24 hours, showing signs of a short-term rebound. Its EMA lines suggest a golden cross could form soon, which would be a bullish technical signal.
If momentum holds, WLD could climb toward $1.19, and if that resistance breaks, extend gains to $1.36. However, if the token fails to hold above $1.11, it could slide to $1.05—and possibly dip below $1 if bearish pressure accelerates.
A recent Cambridge report confirms that the United States now leads global Bitcoin mining, prompting questions about how China will respond. Though the country has long held an anti-crypto stance, Chinese mining pools have historically controlled a substantial portion of the global Bitcoin hashrate.
The US’s current competitive edge and renewed hostility over trade policy might motivate China to recapitulate. BeInCrypto spoke with representatives from The Coin Bureau and Wanchain to understand what might encourage China to change its stance toward digital assets.
US Overtakes China as Top Bitcoin Mining Hub
The US has firmly established itself as the world’s largest Bitcoin mining hub. A recent Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) report revealed that the US accounts for 75.4% of the reported hashrate.
Global distribution of Bitcoin mining activity. Source: CCAF.
This newest development confirms a notable reversal of power over Bitcoin mining dominance. China emerged as the world’s leading Bitcoin mining nation as early as 2017, leveraging its extensive mining infrastructure and low electricity costs to contribute upwards of 75% of the global hash rate at one point.
Yet, the country would later crack down on the industry.
China’s Crypto Crackdown
In 2019, the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC) signaled its intention to prohibit cryptocurrency mining by releasing a draft law categorizing it as an “undesirable industry.”
Two years later, at least four Chinese provinces began shutting down mining operations. These crackdowns intensified amid concerns over excessive energy consumption.
However, China possesses a proven capacity to adjust to geopolitical shifts that could jeopardize its economic dominance, and the current environment may present such a challenge.
Has Bitcoin Mining in China Truly Stopped?
Even with China’s official stance toward crypto, mining activity has not stopped within the region. In July 2024, Bitcoin environmental impact analyst Daniel Batten reported that the hashrate within China currently accounts for approximately 15% of the global total.
7/8
Bottom lines: 1. 15%+ hashrate still comes from China
2. If you have 200-500 miners and want to do renewable-energy mining, you’re welcome
3. This is particularly in Inner Mongolia, the Texas of China, which has a lot of wasted renewable power they want to monetize pic.twitter.com/r6QUgmLmjT
“Despite the official ban, the infrastructure is already in place: from offshore mining to cross-border trading hubs. With more global momentum behind crypto adoption and the US taking the lead, China may find itself incentivized to lean in more strategically, even if unofficially,” Nic Puckrin, Co-founder of the Coin Bureau, told BeInCrypto.
China also has a geographical advantage over the United States, especially regarding technological advancements.
Crypto mining, especially for proof-of-work cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, depends on Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) equipment to handle the necessary complex calculations for validation and mining.
China’s position as a top exporter of crypto mining hardware, particularly to the US, gives it a potential advantage should it decide to revive its mining sector.
Puckrin believes that the combination of trade friction and the US’s invigorated push for crypto dominance might be sufficient to make China reconsider its position.
“It’s unlikely China will make a public U-turn on its crypto mining and trading ban anytime soon. However, with US-based miners accounting for higher and higher proportions of Bitcoin’s hashrate, China is bound to be paying attention and may well be quietly reassessing its stance,” Puckrin told BeInCrypto.
However, China has strategies beyond restarting its Bitcoin mining industry to undermine the United States’ dominance.
China’s Nuanced Approach Beyond US Influence
Even though China opposes the widespread use of cryptocurrencies domestically, it may still see value in digital assets to counterbalance the US dollar’s global currency dominance.
Several countries worldwide have either adopted or are considering central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to strengthen their domestic currencies. China is at the forefront of these developments.
“Despite the ban on Bitcoin mining, China has actively participated in the digital asset space, through initiatives like CDBC research and the digital yuan, or e-CNY,” Wanchain CEO Temujin Louie told BeInCrypto.
In fact, China’s efforts to create a digital yuan are partly driven by its desire to de-dollarize its economy and lessen its dependence on the US dollar.
Louie also suggested that whatever move China makes, it won’t solely base its decision on what the US does or does not do.
That said, China’s decisions about digital currency will, in turn, affect how its position on crypto continues to develop.
“Weakening USD dominance, whether exacerbated or caused by President Trump’s approach to tariffs, may embolden China to be more aggressive in [its] efforts to internationalise the yuan, including the digital yuan, or e-CNY. Any change to China’s broader strategy will be reflected in [its] stance towards crypto,” he concluded.
China’s activity in other areas of international trade already proves how nuanced its policy changes tend to be.
Could China’s Conflicting Crypto Policies Signal a Change?
Aside from its appreciation of digital currencies like the e-CNY, China’s stance on crypto has already proven somewhat contradictory. These discrepancies may fuel the belief that the country might just be willing to revert—or at least soften—its total ban on mining.
A month ago, investment firm VanEck confirmed that China and Russia –two countries particularly burdened by US sanctions– are reportedly settling some of their energy trades using Bitcoin.
Russia and China are settling oil trades in BTC. I’ve heard first hand accounts of similar transactions with Venezuela. Full tankers are settled in BTC on the “grey” market. The U.S. Government crossed the Rubicon in 2022 by seizing Russian assets at the Federal Reserve and… pic.twitter.com/Y8OwJROw9W
“With the US dollar increasingly being used as a political lever –particularly in tariffed economies– other nations are actively exploring alternatives. Indeed, many countries around the world, including China and Russia, are already using Bitcoin as an alternative for trading in commodities and energy, for example. This trend is only going to accelerate as digital assets become a more prominent part of the global economy,” Puckrin told BeInCrypto.
According to Puckrin’s analysis of these indicators, China’s “shadow crypto economy” is projected to expand this year, which could result in a reassertion of its power. This resurgence would be primarily in response to de-dollarization efforts, rather than a reaction to US dominance in mining.
“We’ll likely see this activity ramping up in the near future, especially as more countries use crypto to bypass dollar-dominated systems,” he concluded.
It will remain crucial to interpret China’s intentions, especially regarding cryptocurrency, by observing its actions rather than relying solely on its official statements.
BlockRock is now officially backed by both Aqua1 Foundation and World Liberty Financial — pioneering the next standard for TradFi × Web3 integration.
