15/06/2025. Weekly CryptoNews Digest (June, 9 – June, 15)
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Alright, let’s dive into the good stuff! Time for this week’s MNO Weekly CryptoNews Digest, covering all the action from June 9th to June 15th, 2025. We’ll explore the most impactful developments and key trends shaping the crypto market. Get ready for an insightful journey into the future of finance – I really hope you find it super valuable!
TRUMP’S CRYPTO FORTUNE: GENIUS INVESTOR OR GRIFTER-IN-CHIEF?
A significant talking point this week was the revelation of President Donald Trump’s substantial profits from his cryptocurrency investments. Financial disclosures and on-chain analysis reviewed this week indicated that Trump has realized a profit of approximately $57 million from his crypto portfolio, largely driven by the performance of tokens he has either received or promoted. This has positioned him as one of the most high-profile beneficiaries of the recent market cycle.
The portfolio’s success is closely tied to his political maneuvering and public embrace of the crypto industry. As Trump has increasingly positioned himself as a “crypto president,” hosting miners and accepting campaign donations in digital assets, the value of tokens associated with his brand has surged. This has created a feedback loop where his political statements directly inflate the value of his personal holdings, raising significant questions about conflicts of interest.
The news further cements the growing trend of political figures engaging directly with the crypto market. Unlike traditional investments held in blind trusts, the transparent nature of the blockchain allows the public to scrutinize these holdings in near real-time. This has brought a new level of analysis to the intersection of wealth, power, and digital assets, with every transaction and token acquisition becoming a subject of public debate.
This has sparked a fierce controversy. Supporters view Trump as a savvy investor who is astutely capitalizing on a new asset class while championing American innovation. Critics, however, argue that he is leveraging his political platform for personal enrichment, blurring the lines between presidential campaigning and promoting his own financial interests in a way that could be seen as a large-scale grift on his supporters and the market at large.
MARKET PANIC AS $236M LIQUIDATED IN 24 HOURS
The cryptocurrency market was gripped by a wave of intense volatility this week, culminating in a dramatic liquidation event that saw over $236 million wiped from leveraged positions within a single 24-hour period. The sudden and sharp price downturn caught many over-leveraged traders off guard, triggering a cascade of forced selling that exacerbated the market-wide slump.
The data revealed a clear bias in the liquidations, with long positions—bets that prices would rise—accounting for the overwhelming majority of the losses, totaling approximately $167 million. This indicates that a significant portion of the market was positioned for a bullish continuation, making them highly vulnerable to the sudden dip. The event served as a brutal reminder of the inherent risks of using high leverage in the unpredictable crypto markets.
Analysts pointed to a combination of factors for the sell-off, including weakening technical indicators for Bitcoin and a general risk-off sentiment in global markets driven by geopolitical tensions. The liquidation cascade itself became a primary driver, as forced selling pushed prices lower, triggering even more liquidations in a vicious cycle that quickly erased billions from the total crypto market capitalization.
This event has reignited the debate about the structure of crypto derivative markets. Critics argue that the easy availability of high leverage on unregulated or loosely regulated offshore exchanges creates a dangerously unstable environment, prone to manipulation and catastrophic losses for retail traders. Proponents, on the other hand, contend that leverage is a standard financial tool and that traders must accept personal responsibility for the risks they choose to undertake in a free market.
BRAZIL KILLS EXEMPTIONS WITH NEW 17.5% CRYPTO TAX
Brazil made a significant and controversial policy shift this week, implementing a new 17.5% capital gains tax on all cryptocurrency transactions, effective June 12th. The new law notably eliminates a previous exemption that allowed investors to avoid taxes on crypto gains if their monthly sales remained below a certain threshold, a rule that had benefitted many small-scale retail investors and traders.
The move is part of a broader effort by the Brazilian government to formalize its oversight of the digital asset market and increase its tax revenue. By removing the exemption for smaller transactions, the government is ensuring that all profits generated from cryptocurrency trading are subject to taxation, bringing the asset class more in line with the tax treatment of traditional financial investments. This is a clear signal that the era of loosely regulated crypto activity in the country is coming to an end.
The new tax law is expected to have a significant impact on the behavior of crypto investors in Brazil, one of Latin America’s largest crypto markets. Small retail traders who previously operated under the tax-exempt threshold will now face a more complex and costly reporting burden. This could potentially cool down retail speculation or push some activity towards unregulated peer-to-peer channels as users seek to avoid the new levy.
The policy has been met with sharp criticism from the local crypto community. Opponents argue that the 17.5% flat tax is punitive and will stifle innovation and discourage mainstream adoption, particularly among smaller investors who are crucial for grassroots growth. The government, however, defends the move as a necessary step towards creating a fair and equitable tax system where profits from all sources are treated equally, sparking a debate about balancing fiscal responsibility with fostering innovation.
METAPLANET OVERTAKES COINBASE AS TOP BTC HOLDER
In a stunning development that highlights the global trend of corporate Bitcoin adoption, Japanese investment firm Metaplanet announced this week that it has surpassed Coinbase to become the 9th largest corporate holder of Bitcoin in the world. The firm’s aggressive accumulation strategy has resulted in a treasury holding of 10,000 BTC, valued at nearly $947 million.
This rapid accumulation is part of Metaplanet’s strategic pivot to making Bitcoin its primary treasury reserve asset, a strategy famously pioneered by Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy in the United States. Metaplanet has been using various financial instruments, including a recent bond issuance, to fund its continuous Bitcoin purchases. This positions the company’s stock as a proxy for Bitcoin investment for Japanese investors, especially in a market with limited direct crypto investment vehicles.
The move is significant because it demonstrates that the corporate treasury strategy for Bitcoin is no longer a uniquely American phenomenon. International firms like Metaplanet are now adopting this bold approach, signaling a growing global consensus among certain corporate leaders that Bitcoin represents a superior long-term store of value compared to traditional fiat currencies. This could inspire other publicly traded companies in Asia and Europe to follow suit.
While lauded by crypto enthusiasts as a visionary move, the strategy remains controversial. Critics point to the immense risk involved in concentrating a company’s treasury into a single, highly volatile asset. They argue that these firms are effectively transforming themselves from their core businesses into leveraged crypto funds, exposing shareholders to risks they may not fully understand and creating a potential for catastrophic losses if the crypto market turns bearish.
CIRCLE CEO: STABLECOINS ARE HAVING AN “IPHONE MOMENT”
Jeremy Allaire, CEO of the USDC stablecoin issuer Circle, declared this week that stablecoins are on the verge of a breakthrough “iPhone moment.” Speaking at a conference, Allaire argued that the combination of regulatory clarity, technological maturity, and growing developer interest is creating an environment where stablecoins are poised for explosive, mainstream adoption, much like the iPhone transformed mobile computing.
Allaire’s optimistic proclamation is based on the increasing use of stablecoins as a foundational layer for a new generation of financial applications. He highlighted that developers are now building innovative services on top of stablecoin rails, using them for everything from global payments and remittances to decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. He believes this utility-driven growth will soon eclipse the speculative use cases that have historically dominated the crypto narrative.
This vision comes as regulatory frameworks for stablecoins are beginning to solidify in key jurisdictions around the world, including potential new laws in the U.S. and established frameworks in the EU and Hong Kong. Allaire argues that this regulatory clarity will provide the confidence needed for large corporations and financial institutions to begin integrating stablecoins into their core operations, unlocking trillions of dollars in potential transaction volume.
However, this bullish outlook is met with skepticism from those who view stablecoins as a solution in search of a problem for most mainstream users. Critics argue that for everyday payments in developed economies, traditional payment systems are still faster, cheaper, and better understood by the general public. The controversy centers on whether stablecoins will truly become a revolutionary tool for the masses or remain a niche product primarily used within the speculative crypto trading ecosystem.
BNB CHAIN SURPASSES ETHEREUM IN KEY METRIC
A significant shift in the blockchain landscape was noted this week as the BNB Smart Chain (BSC) reportedly overtook Ethereum in decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume. Despite this surge in on-chain activity, the price of Binance’s native BNB token has stagnated, falling around 6.7% from its recent peak to trade near $650, creating a confusing picture for investors.
The rise in BSC’s DEX volume highlights its continued strength as a hub for retail-focused DeFi activity and meme coin trading. The platform’s low transaction fees and fast confirmation times have attracted a massive user base, with data showing a significant lead over Ethereum in terms of daily active users and transactions. This demonstrates that for a large segment of the market, cost and speed are more important than the decentralization and security trade-offs associated with BSC.
However, the divergence between the chain’s high usage and the lagging price of its native BNB token has become a major point of discussion. Typically, increased network activity is expected to drive demand and value for the native asset used for gas fees. The failure of BNB’s price to reflect this on-chain growth suggests that other factors, such as broader market sentiment and concerns about Binance’s ongoing regulatory situation, may be weighing on the token’s performance.
This has sparked a debate about what truly drives the value of a Layer-1 token. Is it purely on-chain utility and user activity, as the BSC metrics would suggest? Or is it narrative, perceived decentralization, and regulatory compliance, areas where Ethereum is often seen as having an advantage? The current situation with BNB presents a complex case study, challenging the simple assumption that more users automatically translate to a higher token price.
HONG KONG FAST-TRACKS STABLECOIN LICENSING
Hong Kong’s financial regulators made a decisive move this week to accelerate the implementation of a licensing framework for stablecoin issuers. The push is part of a broader strategic effort to solidify the city’s position as a leading global hub for digital finance and virtual assets, signaling a clear intent to attract top-tier crypto firms by providing regulatory clarity and legitimacy.
The proposed framework will require all stablecoin issuers operating in Hong Kong to obtain a license from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). This will involve meeting stringent requirements related to reserve management, transparency, and operational resilience. By creating a robust and regulated environment, Hong Kong aims to foster trust and confidence in stablecoins, encouraging their use in both the virtual asset market and the wider economy.
This proactive approach contrasts with the slower, more deliberative and often contentious regulatory process seen in other jurisdictions like the United States. Hong Kong is moving quickly to capitalize on the growing demand for regulated stablecoins and to attract the talent and capital associated with the industry. This could give it a significant first-mover advantage in the Asian market as it competes with other aspiring crypto hubs like Singapore and Dubai.
However, the move is not without controversy. Some critics worry that by rushing to implement regulations, Hong Kong might create a framework that is overly restrictive or doesn’t fully account for the rapidly evolving nature of stablecoin technology. Others question whether a government-sanctioned framework could stifle the permissionless innovation that defines the crypto space, leading to a sanitized and centralized version of stablecoins that offers little advantage over existing digital payment systems.
Wow! What an absolutely jam-packed week it’s been in the crypto universe! The sheer speed of innovation is just mind-blowing, isn’t it? A massive thank you for being such a wonderful part of our MNO community and riding this incredible journey alongside us.
As your Sunday unfolds, make sure to grab some quality time to relax and recharge those batteries. And hey, while you’re kicking back, don’t forget to share your thoughts in my MNO TalkBack poll – your voice truly helps us shape what’s next!
I’m already super excited to connect with you all again next Sunday for your fresh Weekly CryptoNews Digest. Keep on growing those awesome digital assets, whatever they may be, and always remember – we’re right here with you on your financial adventure. You’re the heartbeat of MNO – For Money Lovers!
Filed under Cryptocurrencies, Daily News by on Jun 16th, 2025.