Crypto Crafters

[PRESS RELEASE – Zug, Switzerland, January 11th, 2025]

Viewers will discover how blockchain technology empowers indie developers to innovate and overcome industry challenges

“Blockchain Gaming – Indie Games On-chain“, a Web3 documentary on indie gaming and the Polkadot ecosystem, officially debuts Saturday, January 11th at 9AM ET. The film offers an in-depth look at the intersection of indie game development and blockchain technology. Directed by award-winning photographer, Pnin the film serves as an accessible exploration of the fast-growing Web3 gaming industry.

The documentary provides an introduction to the possibilities of Web3 gaming, delving into the innovation and opportunities it presents for both players and developers. “Blockchain Gaming…” takes a warts-and-all, candid approach to exploring the challenges, skepticism, and negative sentiment surrounding blockchain from traditional gamers, and ultimately shows why blockchain is a natural, productive, and future-proof home for indie game development.

Featuring interviews with Polkadot-native game dev teams like Evrloot, Ajuna Network, Dot Play, and Team Step, the film also includes man-on-the-street interviews for a grassroots perspective and the perception of blockchain in traditional game development circles from non-crypto indie developer, Celrage.

By spotlighting the challenges indie developers face in traditional gaming and how blockchain addresses them, the documentary aims to onboard curious creators seeking transparent, objective information. With an emphasis on tech and transparency, it offers an opportunity for developers to learn about Polkadot’s ecosystem and its vibrant community.

“I have always preferred to let my work speak for itself,” said the film’s Director, Pnin, who self-funded the production over 2.5 months, shooting and editing 3.5 TB of raw footage across international locations. “This documentary is about passion, not just technology—showcasing the depth of the ecosystem and the dedication of its developers.”

By bridging traditional industry challenges with blockchain solutions, Blockchain Gaming provides a compelling case for Polkadot as a leader in Web3 gaming innovation.

To watch the documentary, users can visit the Kusamarian Youtube channel.

About Polkadot

Polkadot is the powerful, secure core of Web3, providing a shared foundation that unites some of the world’s most transformative apps and blockchains. Polkadot offers advanced modular architecture that allows devs to design and build their own specialized blockchain projects easily, pooled security that ensures the same high standard for secure block production across all connected chains and apps connected to it, and robust governance that ensures a transparent system where everyone has say in shaping the blockchain ecosystem for growth and sustainability. With Polkadot, users are not just participants, they’re co-creators with the power to shape its future.

[PRESS RELEASE – Grand Cayman, KY, January 10th, 2025]

Allora Network is excited to announce an upcoming integration with Story, bringing the power of Allora’s collective intelligence network to their ecosystem. This collaboration empowers developers and IP holders by providing access to Allora’s diverse suite of AI solutions and inferences, enabling the development of AI-enhanced dApps and the infrastructure for AI agents within the platform.

Story is a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain designed to tokenize intellectual property (IP) into programmable digital assets, allowing anyone to own, trade, and monetize IP permissionlessly. IP is the store of value for ideas. By creating a market for exchanging intangible assets — all of human knowledge and creativity — Story is creating a new intelligence economy. In this new economy, IP will fuel AI training, DeFi use cases and much more.

Allora will integrate its network of advanced aggregated AI models with Story, allowing for the development and deployment of dApps that leverage AI-driven features such as:

• Intelligent IP Management: Allora’s AI models can analyze market trends and user engagement to provide insights into the valuation and potential of creative works. This enables creators to make informed decisions about licensing, collaboration, and distribution.
• Price Feeds for Long-tail Assets: The Allora Network provides the opportunity to retrieve real-time price feeds for long-tail assets, illiquid assets, and inefficient markets such as small-cap tokens, NFTs, RWAs, carbon credits, and real estate markets. Artificial intelligence on the Allora Network can employ sophisticated techniques, such as upsampling, to create highly accurate real-time price feeds for this historically challenging class of assets.
• Enhanced User Engagement: Developers can build applications that offer personalized experiences to users by harnessing AI-driven analytics. This includes tailored content recommendations and interactive features that deepen user involvement in the storytelling process.
• Sophisticated AI-Powered Yield Strategies: Allora enables developers to design intelligent yield strategies by leveraging accurate forecasts for price, volatility, potential liquidity, and interest rates. These capabilities empower applications in areas like automated, leveraged farming, dynamic trading strategies, and adaptive fee structures.
• Real-Time, AI-Driven Risk Management: Protocols on Story can utilize Allora’s aggregated risk models to enhance risk management in real time. Features such as dynamic loan-to-value ratios, adaptive liquidation thresholds, unified liquidity, and automated downside hedging become accessible, improving both security and user experience.

This integration is a big step forward in merging AI technology with decentralized IP. By combining Allora’s collective intelligence with Story’s technology, anyone can build a network around their IP, powering a new mode of internet-native IP monetization.

About the Allora Network

Allora is a self-improving decentralized AI network.

Allora enables applications to leverage smarter, more secure AI through a self-improving network of ML models. By combining innovations in crowdsourced intelligence, reinforcement learning, and regret minimization, Allora unlocks a vast new design space of applications at the intersection of crypto and AI.

To learn more about Allora Network, users can visit the Allora website, X, Blog, Discord, Telegram, and developer docs.

About Story

Story is a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain designed to tokenize intellectual property into programmable digital assets. By empowering IP holders to tokenize, protect, share, and monetize their ideas, Story creates a secure foundation for AI-driven innovation and decentralized collaboration. As the engine behind IP’s evolution into a critical asset class, Story bridges the gap between blockchain technology and the intelligence economy. Users can learn more at

To learn more about Story, users can visit their website, X, and developer docs.

Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX has responded to recent claims by Backpack regarding the acquisition of its European arm, FTX EU, and the repayment of customer funds.

In a statement released on January 8, the failed crypto firm clarified that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court has not approved the sale of FTX EU to Backpack, nor has it been authorized to manage fund distributions to creditors.

Misleading Statement

On January 7, global crypto-trading platform Backpack announced through social media that it had acquired FTX EU and would handle creditor repayments for European customers as part of a court-approved bankruptcy process. Further, founder Armani Ferrante emphasized that the firm was committed to working with all relevant parties to prioritize the return of customer funds in the bloc.

With a presence in over 150 countries, the exchange also claimed that the acquisition had received approval from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) with plans to expand through crypto derivative services such as spot, margin, and futures trading across the EU.

However, FTX denied these claims, stating that Backpack’s press release and related website contained multiple potentially misleading information. It clarified that its subsidiary, FTX Europe AG, still holds 100% of the share capital of FTX EU.

The company also said that although a prior agreement was made under court supervision to transfer FTX EU shares to former insiders of FTX Europe, this transfer has not yet occurred. It claimed that the indirect transfer of the former to Backpack, arranged by these insiders, was done without its knowledge or the court’s approval.

Backpack Has No Role in Fund Redistribution

Further, the statement stressed that Backpack has no authorization to make distributions to any creditors or customers, including former European clients. The defunct exchange reiterated that FTX EU itself remains solely responsible for returning funds to its customers.

“FTX will not be responsible for the repayment of any funds owed by FTX EU to its former customers and expressly disclaims any responsibility for such repayment by FTX EU,” read the disclosure.

It also explained that the amounts owed by its subsidiary to its customers have also not been determined by the relevant entities.

In a related update, the outfit confirmed the effectiveness of its Chapter 11 plan of reorganization on January 3, 2025, with an initial distribution record date set for the same day. Pending regulatory compliance, distributions to convenience class claimants are expected within 60 days.

Elsewhere, on January 2, another troubled crypto firm, Celsius, filed an appeal challenging a previous ruling that had dismissed its $444 million claim against FTX. The defunct crypto lender had claimed that FTX officials had undermined its reputation, making “unsubstantiated and disparaging statements” that contributed to its downfall in 2022, asking for up to $2 billion in damages.

Ethereum’s price has experienced a sharp decline following increased selling activity, reaching the decisive 100-day moving average at $3.1K.

This level represents a crucial support zone and a potential inflection point for the cryptocurrency’s next move.

Technical Analysis

By Shayan

The Daily Chart

Ethereum’s bearish momentum has driven its price to the 100-day moving average at $3.1K, a significant and psychological support region. This level is anticipated to provide notable demand as it coincides with key technical indicators. However, the selling pressure has underscored the dominance of bearish sentiment, leaving the market in a precarious position.

If Ethereum manages to hold above this support, it could prompt a bullish rebound, easing concerns of further declines. Conversely, a break below the $3.1K support and subsequent breach of the 200-day MA would likely trigger a cascading sell-off, with the price potentially targeting the $2.5K level as the next significant support zone.

The 4-Hour Chart

On the 4-hour timeframe, ETH’s price action reveals the consequences of breaking down from an ascending wedge pattern, a bearish technical structure that often precedes declines. This breakdown has led to a quick sell-off, with the asset now hovering near a support range defined by the 0.5-0.618 Fibonacci retracement levels.

This support range is expected to temporarily stabilize the price, potentially initiating a short-term bullish rebound. However, the market remains on edge, as continued bearish pressure could lead to a breakdown below this support region. In such a scenario, the bearish retracement is likely to extend, further solidifying sellers’ control in the near term.

Onchain Analysis

By Shayan

Ethereum’s overall bullish trend is at risk as Funding Rates, a key indicator of derivatives market demand, show mixed signals. While rates spiked midway through the rally, their sharp decline after rejection at the $4K resistance highlights waning trader commitment.

Initially delayed, the Funding Rates’ rise indicated cautious optimism. However, their subsequent notable drop signals reduced demand, weakening ETH’s bullish momentum. Without renewed trader confidence, sustaining the rally becomes challenging. The $3K support level is vital, and holding it above it could stabilize the market and reignite bullish momentum. A breach, however, may lead to intensified selling and a deeper correction.

Overall, Ethereum’s outlook depends on reclaiming higher Funding Rates and defending $3K. These factors determine whether the market resumes its uptrend or faces further corrections.

[PRESS RELEASE – Panama, Panama, January 10th, 2025]

Despite the billions invested in Web3 gaming as a key catalyst for mass adoption, the industry faces significant challenges from complicated onboarding to unsustainable growth. While Telegram Miniapps have gained traction as a promising solution, their shallow gameplay and lack of on-chain integration are major barriers for them to sustain. This is where SEED will stand out, combining engaging gameplay with true on-chain integration.

SEED has secured a strategic investment from Sui Foundation, the organization dedicated to promoting the growth of the Sui blockchain, to unlock its transformative potential in Web3 gaming. This collaboration is focused on building a next-generation on-chain gaming ecosystem that combines sustainability, scalability, and innovation. United by a shared vision, SEED and Sui seek to pioneer the first sustainable Web3 gaming ecosystem on Sui with 100 million users and establish a ‘blueprint’ for the future of Web3 games.

With over 60 million users, SEED App isn’t just looking for scalability and low fees. With the support of Sui Foundation, SEED will gain an opportunity to co-build and shape the future of mass-user gaming, a key area for blockchain growth. On Sui, SEED becomes an important part of the Sui ecosystem, working closely with a supportive team to research, innovate, and grow together.

Strategic Investment and Ecosystem Growth

From a Telegram Miniapp, SEED is transforming into a mass messenger-based on-chain gaming ecosystem centered around a groundbreaking game inspired by the global appeal of Pokémon Go. Enhanced with VR, AI, and true on-chain logic, the next version of SEED will offer immersive gameplay fully connected to the blockchain, surpassing the shallow mechanics of current Miniapps.

Beyond its flagship game, SEED’s vision extends further. The two companies will support a durable ecosystem of games and applications through the SEED Combinator Program for startups, creating a self-sustaining Web3 ecosystem. Furthermore, this collaboration includes a commitment to jointly research fully on-chain games, develop advanced tools and infrastructure for builders, and host initiative programs to support developers within the ecosystem.

“Our partnership with SEED reflects a shared vision of leveraging blockchain technology to improve the gaming experience,” said Christian Thompson, Managing Director of Sui Foundation. “By leveraging Sui’s innovative infrastructure and unmatched scalability, we are excited to co-create a self-sustaining Web3 movement that empowers developers and engages millions of users worldwide.”

“At SEED, we believe in partnering with ecosystems that drive real impact. Choosing Sui as our technical backbone, with its unmatched scalability, efficiency, and developer-friendly architecture, enables us to empower builders and accelerate innovation. With Sui, we’re equipped to deliver on our mission at a whole new level.” – Dees, CEO of SEED.

About SEED

From the leading Play-to-Earn Telegram Miniapp with over 60 million players, SEED is evolving into the top RPG in Web3 gaming, inspired by the success of games like Pokémon Go and Axie Infinity. Leveraging the power of VR, AI, and seamless messenger-based onboarding, SEED not only ensures mass accessibility but also creates an engaging and interconnected gaming universe.

Website | Twitter | Telegram Channel

Media contact:

Alex Zhang

[email protected]

About Sui

Sui is a first-of-its-kind Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform designed from the ground up to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible to everyone. Its object-centric model, based on the Move programming language, enables parallel execution, sub-second finality, and rich on-chain assets. With horizontally scalable processing and storage, Sui supports a wide range of applications at unrivaled speed and low cost. Sui is a step-function advancement in blockchain and a platform on which creators and developers can build user-friendly experiences. For more information about Sui, users can visit

Media contact:

[email protected]

Ripple’s leadership, including CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty, kicked off the new year with a dinner meeting with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

The event could signal a significant start to 2025 for Ripple amid ongoing shifts in the cryptocurrency market.

Ripple’s Promising Start to 2025

Garlinghouse shared the news in a January 7 post on X, describing the evening as a “strong” start to the new year.

“Great dinner last night with Donald Trump and Stuart Alderoty,” the CEO said, sharing a picture of himself, his chief attorney, and the President-elect. In a separate post, Alderoty added some light-hearted commentary, claiming, “The beef bourguignon was really good.”

The meeting follows recent reports of Ripple achieving a final victory against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in their high-profile legal battle dating back to 2020.

Pro XRP attorney John E. Deaton has described the financial watchdog’s lawsuit as overreaching and harmful to the crypto firm’s operations. It has seen several developments and partial wins for the company, with Alderoty sharing a post on X hinting at finally beating the regulator, causing excitement within the crypto community about Ripple’s future.

The development also comes as Donald Trump prepares to assume office. Garlinghouse recently revealed a strategic hiring shift, with 75% of Ripple’s current open positions now based in the United States. This contrasts with the previous four years, during which regulatory pressures from the SEC, under Gary Gensler, forced the firm to expand primarily outside the U.S.

He attributed this post-election surge in crypto activity to the so-called “Trump bull market,” noting that the improved climate since his reelection has allowed Ripple to refocus on domestic growth.

Political Discussions and Growing Presence

The Mar-a-Lago dinner also aligns with broader discussions between political figures and cryptocurrency leaders. U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis, a proponent of blockchain, has been in active discussions with Paul Atkins, who is set to become the SEC Chairman under President-elect Trump. Their talks center on reforming the agency’s regulatory framework to support digital asset innovation.

Meanwhile, Ripple’s market presence continues to strengthen. XRP has emerged as one of the top-performing cryptocurrencies in the past week, with several market watchers predicting significant price gains. Captain Faibik, a cryptocurrency analyst, recently projected a potential 50% price surge for the token, while others anticipate a new all-time high of $4.

The firm is also expanding its product offerings, with President Monica Long announcing that RLUSD will be listed on more exchanges. Ripple has also partnered with Chainlink to integrate secure and accurate RLUSD pricing into the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

With its growing presence, changing regulatory environment, and positive market indicators, 2025 could yet shape up to be as strong a year for the company as its CEO suggested over beef bourguignon with Donald Trump.

TL;DR

• Analysts highlight a potential breakout for ADA, supported by bullish chart patterns and upcoming developments for Cardano.
• However, recent whale sales of millions of tokens could negatively affect the price.

The Bullish Scenario

Despite the solid start to the year, the past few days have not been kind to the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin’s (BTC) price has plummeted by around 9% on a 48-hour scale, while numerous altcoins have suffered even more substantial declines. 

Cardano’s ADA is one of those, with its valuation dumping by 20% since January 7. Currently, it trades at around $0.91 (per CoinGecko’s data), while its market capitalization fell well below $35 billion.

The popular X user Dan Gambardello, though, remains an optimist. Recently, he claimed that ADA has “one of the most bullish weekly pattern setups in crypto,” which represents an “inverse head and shoulders with upward sloping neckline.” Gambradello assumed that a breakout to the upside could result in a price rally to as high as $7.

Altcoin Daily chipped in, too. At the start of the year, they outlined bullish predictions about multiple cryptocurrencies, envisioning ADA’s valuation to hit $6.45 sometime in 2025. It is worth mentioning that the analyst said this target should not be taken for granted, suggesting that “any altcoin can theoretically go to zero at any time.“ They also warned people to invest only as much as they are ready to lose.

Meanwhile, Cardano is set to undergo some essential developments in the next 12 months that could trigger upward pressure on the price of the native token. Those willing to check what’s on the agenda can take a look at our dedicated video below:

How About a Further Pullback?

Contrary to the aforementioned bullish predictions, some factors signal that ADA could continue plunging in the near future. Earlier this week, the X user Ali Martinez revealed that whales have sold over 70 million tokens in the span of 48 hours.

Such actions from large investors increase the circulating supply of ADA and could be followed by a price decline (assuming demand doesn’t catch up with the pace). Additionally, the move may discourage smaller players and trigger a more substantial selling spree. 

Ethereum’s attempt to surpass the $4K crucial mark failed, leading to a sharp rejection and raising concerns about sellers’ dominance in the market.

Fear is mounting, with expectations of a potential sell-off in the coming days if key support levels fail to hold.

Technical Analysis

By Shayan

The Daily Chart

Ethereum recently experienced a spike, targeting the crucial $4K resistance. However, substantial selling pressure at the Fair Value Gap between $3.7K-$3.8K caused a firm rejection.

It has left ETH approaching its previous swing low at $3.3K. A daily candle close below this level could signal further bearish momentum. Nevertheless, in the broader picture, the $3K support region remains the buyers’ critical defense zone, as it aligns with the 100-day critical MA. Ethereum may experience a significant decline in the middle term if the price breaks below this region.

The 4-Hour Chart

On the lower timeframe, Ethereum’s price action formed a three-drive pattern at the $4K region, accompanied by a bearish divergence on the RSI indicator. This bearish reversal pattern highlights a loss of buying momentum.

The asset has since breached the crucial $3.5K support region, triggering a pullback and subsequent cascade. Currently, Ethereum is approaching a key support region at its major swing low of $3K, aligning with the 0.5-0.618 Fibonacci retracement levels.

A failure to hold this support could lead to further declines, with potential targets at lower price levels in the mid-term.

Onchain Analysis

By Shayan

The sustainability of any market price surge often relies on rising Funding Rates, which reflect robust demand in the derivatives market. Without this increase, upward trends may falter. Notably, this rise does not need to occur immediately, but its absence during a rally raises concerns about the market’s strength.

During the recent Ethereum rally, Funding Rates sharply increased midway through the upward trend, suggesting a delayed influx of demand. However, after ETH faced rejection at the $4K resistance, Funding Rates declined significantly.

This decrease highlights a reduced commitment from traders in the derivatives market and insufficient demand to maintain the uptrend. If Ethereum fails to hold above the $3K support, the market could face increased selling pressure and deeper corrections. Hence, the $3K support level remains crucial for ETH’s next move.

TL;DR

• Ripple’s stablecoin is gaining traction, with major exchanges like Coinbase expected to adopt it soon.
• The company’s president sees an XRP ETF likely in 2025, with pro-crypto SEC leadership potentially favoring the launch of such products.

The Leaders to Embrace RLUSD ‘Imminently?’

Ripple revealed its intentions to launch a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar in April last year. The product (called RLUSD) passed through a testing phase in the following months before being officially approved by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) in mid-December. 

Uphold, Bitstamp, Bitso, Moonpay, CoinMENA, and others were the first cryptocurrency exchanges to embrace the stablecoin. Around Christmas, the Peter Thiel-backed Bullish also jumped on the bandwagon.

However, behemoths like Coinbase and Binance have yet to join the list. In a recent interview for Bloomberg, Ripple’s president, Monica Long, said people should expect such a move “imminently.”

The exec noted that the crypto market has been growing in the last quarters. She predicted that 2025 could also be successful for the industry, claiming that stablecoins might play a crucial role in the process.

“We think that the market’s going to grow tremendously in the course of the next year. Our business doubled within payments last year, and we see a really strong growth trajectory for our payments solution, and with that, RLUSD will have a premium role,” Long added.

What About an XRP ETF?

Ripple’s president also assumed that US-based companies would introduce more crypto ETFs this year and that an XRP exchange-traded fund “is likely to be next in line.” 

“We think, especially with the administration change, the approvals of those filing will accelerate,” Long suggested.

Recall that the US Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) will soon have a new leader – Donald Trump’s nominee, Paul Atkins. He will replace Gary Gensler, who has been considered a huge enemy of the crypto industry. During his tenure, the securities regulator filed numerous lawsuits against cryptocurrency businesses, and perhaps the most popular is the one against Ripple.

Gensler’s successor, Atkins, has shown a pro-crypto stance in the past, and the XRP army believes this could result in a favorable resolution of the legal battle that has been ongoing since December 2020. 

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is rapidly gaining traction in the European crypto landscape.

The MiCA-compliant token has greatly benefited from the strategic launch at a time when the bloc is undergoing a significant regulatory shift.

RLUSD Finds Opportunity in USDT’s European Decline

According to CryptoQuant’s analysis, RLUSD has already processed 33,953 transactions on the XRP Ledger and 1,690 on Ethereum since testing began in June 2024.

This sharp rise in transaction volume aligns with RLUSD’s design as a regulatory-compliant asset, positioning it advantageously under the European Union’s newly implemented Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations.

With the delisting of Tether stablecoins in Europe due to non-compliance, CryptoQuant analyst believes that RLUSD is poised to fill the void as a MiCA-compliant stablecoin, potentially driving further growth in adoption and transaction activity.

The latest development comes after Tether (USDT) saw its sharpest weekly market cap decline in the first week of January, to a level unseen since the FTX collapse in November 2022.

The decline follows MiCA regulations, which led several EU exchanges to delist USDT due to compliance issues. While EU traders can hold USDT in non-custodial wallets, trading on MiCA-compliant exchanges is restricted. Despite market speculation, experts argue the delisting won’t harm USDT’s dominance.

RLUSD’s Strategic Launch

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin launched in mid-December after receiving regulatory clearance from the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), following a period of extensive testing and preparation. Tied to the US dollar at a 1:1 ratio, RLUSD is a key component of the blockchain company’s strategy for boosting its cross-border payments.

It has quickly been adopted by various exchanges, including Uphold, Bitstamp, Bitso, Moonpay, and CoinMENA. Recently, Bullish, a cryptocurrency exchange backed by Peter Thiel, also integrated RLUSD, introducing trading pairs such as RLUSD/USDC, BTC/RLUSD, XRP/RLUSD, ETH/RLUSD, USD/RLUSD, EUR/RLUSD, and SOL/RLUSD.

Meanwhile, Ripple CTO David Schwartz had previously warned against FOMO surrounding the launch of RLUSD. Addressing concerns on social media, Schwartz highlighted potential price anomalies, citing a case where RLUSD was priced at $1,200 on the Xaman platform due to speculative behavior and limited supply during the initial rollout. The exec then reassured the community that such deviations would stabilize quickly through arbitrage, reaffirming RLUSD’s $1 peg.