The Dypto Times

For the first time in history, a US president has made their own meme coin. And boy, is it a doozy. Early buyers made a fortune, and Solana hit a new ATH. Is this the future of crypto?

Let’s get after it.

From the Dypto Crypto Newsroom

Inflation Slows to 3.2% for December 2024

• New CPI data is out, showing that inflation is cooling off

• The crypto market ran hot at the end of the week, likely in part due to this information. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index (CPI) for December 2024 increased by 0.4% compared to the previous month, bringing the 12-month inflation rate to 2.9% — a significant drop from the previous year. Economists had forecasted the same annual figure, so we’re right on the money.

Why tracking inflation is important

If you’re new to the crypto world, you might wonder, “What does inflation have to do with cryptocurrency?” The answer is, well, a lot. Here are a few key ways the data intersects with the industry:

1. Hedge Against Inflation: Some investors turn to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation. When traditional fiat currency loses purchasing power, digital assets can hold (or even increase) value over time. The US dollar loses value over time. That’s what inflation is. The more USD you hold in your bank in the long term, the more buying power you lose.

2. Market Dynamics: Lower inflation could stabilize risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Lower interest rates (if the Fed pauses hikes) make riskier investments more appealing to some investors.

3. Macro Trends Impact Adoption: A slowdown in inflation and stabilized prices could create a more favorable environment for crypto adoption as people regain confidence in the economy.

Read the full article at Dypto Crypto

Coinbase Partners with Morpho to Offer Bitcoin-Backed Loans

TLDR

• Coinbase will now allow for borrowing Bitcoin-backed loans on its centralized platform.

• The lending partner is Morpho, the biggest lender on the Base DeFi chain.

• This solidifies BTC and crypto in general as the future of finance.

Borrowing against BTC and doing so with just a few clicks used to be something reserved for DeFi. But now Coinbase is tapping into its Layer 2 Base to offer loans on its centralized exchange.

Crypto-backed loans are the future of finance 

The partnership with Morpho is a step toward making crypto-backed financial services accessible to everyone. By merging DeFi functionality with a highly intuitive user interface, Coinbase is lowering the barriers to entry into crypto lending. 

Read the full article at Dypto Crypto

Vitalik Buterin on Changes at the Ethereum Foundation

TLDR

• Vitalik Buterin recently took to X to discuss upcoming changes to the EF.

• While there will be more of the same, some big changes are underway like bringing in fresh talent.

• At the end of the day, he and the EF want to focus on keeping Ethereum open-source, safe, and decentralized.

Ethereum mastermind Vitalik Buterin has dropped a major update that’s rattling the crypto sphere — big leadership changes are in the works at the Ethereum Foundation (EF). 

How is this relevant?

These changes might lead to better tools for developers, apps that better prioritize your privacy, and stronger community engagement. Translation? 

A more user-focused Ethereum ecosystem. If you’re just getting into Ethereum wallets or dipping into DeFi, expect smoother technology and easier onboarding over time. 

However, as with anything, you should also keep an eye out. Leadership shifts bring uncertainty and sometimes growing pains. But for now, Buterin’s vision reads like a game plan for sharper, leaner, and more decentralized EF operations.

Read the full article at Dypto Crypto

Question of the Week

From Facebook - “What’s the deal with President Trump’s token?”

Meme of the Week

Source

Deep Dive and Question of the Week Answer

The launch of the $TRUMP meme coin, officially tied to Donald Trump’s NFT ventures through CIC Digital, has had a massive impact on the crypto world, especially on the Solana blockchain. 

With a total supply of 1 billion tokens, allocations have been divided into 80% for CIC Digital, 10% for liquidity, and 10% for public distribution. Trump's announcement, made directly on social media, quickly garnered attention and raised eyebrows. Many people thought it was a scam and his accounts were compromised, but its legitimacy was later confirmed.

The token’s market performance was explosive. Within hours, $TRUMP reached extraordinary milestones, including a $9 billion market cap and a 500% price surge, with 24-hour trading volumes exceeding $12 billion. By the time of reporting, its market cap stood at $13 billion, with a fully diluted valuation of $64.5 billion. 

This frenzy spilled over into Solana’s DeFi ecosystem, setting an all-time high of $12.9 billion in daily decentralized exchange volumes, led by Solana-native platforms like Meteora, Orca, and Raydium. Even centralized exchanges such as Bybit, Gate.io, and HTX quickly listed the token to capitalize on the hype.

Update: RobinHood, Coinbase, and Binance have now listed the $TRUMP token.

The surge in activity has notably affected Solana’s native token, SOL, pushing it to a new all-time high of over $270 before a slight correction. This highlights Solana’s growing credibility in supporting groundbreaking token launches and DeFi projects.

Read the full article at Dypto Crypto

Closing Shenanigans

Thanks for reading. Dypto Crypto is a safe place where crypto newbies can learn and ask questions to help them make informed decisions in this exciting and volatile world. We’re having a lot of fun with YouTube shorts. 

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