Schlagwort: crypto markets

• Ripple will invest $5M to expand its University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI) in six APAC countries.
• The total UBRI funding in Asia now exceeds $11 million.
• New focus areas include AI agents, RWA tokenization, and zk-SNARKs.

Ripple Labs has announced a fresh $5 million investment to expand blockchain education and research across the Asia-Pacific region, strengthening its long-standing commitment to developing real-world blockchain applications through academic partnerships.

The new funding, revealed on June 10, is part of Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI), which now totals more than $11 million in regional support since its launch.

With this expansion, Ripple is reinforcing its presence in six countries, including deepening collaborations in South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, and forging new partnerships in Taiwan and Australia.

The initiative reflects Ripple’s broader strategy to nurture a global talent pipeline in blockchain technology, particularly through applied research on the XRP Ledger and related innovations.

Ripple is eyeing student innovation across top Asian universities

Ripple is focusing heavily on student-led innovation and academic research, targeting universities known for their influence in fintech and digital asset studies.

In South Korea, Ripple has renewed a $1.1 million partnership with Korea University, which will fund advanced blockchain research, including projects on privacy-preserving technologies such as zk-SNARKs and scalable layer-2 solutions.

This follows earlier collaborations with Yonsei University and Hanyang University, both of which are conducting research into secure blockchain infrastructures and decentralized finance models.

In Japan, Ripple continues to back the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, where previous UBRI grants have already surpassed $1.5 million.

These institutions are playing a key role in exploring next-generation blockchain use cases, contributing directly to the region’s rising prominence in digital innovation.

Taiwan has joined the UBRI network with RWA tokenization focus

Ripple’s expansion into Taiwan marks a significant milestone for the UBRI program, with the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST) becoming UBRI’s 60th global partner.

The university will explore the tokenization of real-world assets, an area gaining momentum in Taiwan’s financial sector, supported by initiatives from the Financial Supervisory Commission and leading financial institutions.

As part of the grant, NKUST will launch a student XRPL Builders Club and operate a validator node, offering students direct engagement with blockchain infrastructure.

Research at NKUST will also examine the cross-chain implications of tokenizing assets across XRPL, Ethereum, and Solana, as well as the policy and compliance challenges involved.

Singapore has ramped up AI-on-blockchain research

Ripple is also doubling down in Singapore, where funding now exceeds $3 million across two major institutions: Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

At NTU, researchers are building an autonomous AI agent network on the XRP Ledger, aiming to develop a transparent and modular system for collaborative AI development using blockchain technology.

Meanwhile, Ripple’s renewed support for NUS will further initiatives such as the first university-based DAO in Asia, which was created through earlier UBRI backing.

These projects illustrate Ripple’s interest in the intersection of AI, decentralized governance, and real-world blockchain use cases.

Australia is seeing renewed academic ties and legal research

In Australia, Ripple has expanded its presence by partnering with Victoria University and renewing its long-term relationship with the Australian National University (ANU), raising its total academic investment in the country to $1.3 million.

Victoria University will focus on curriculum development to integrate blockchain into core educational programs, helping to equip students with industry-ready skills.

At ANU, Ripple’s funding supports ongoing research into blockchain law, virtual assets, and smart contract platforms, including the Layer 2 Evernode project built on XRPL.

Ripple also noted that ANU will continue publishing research through its Journal of Law and Technology while operating an XRPL validator to contribute to the network.

UBRI’s role in Ripple’s larger APAC strategy

The expanded UBRI investment aligns with Ripple’s broader push in the region, where it launched the XRPL Japan and Korea Fund in 2024 and partnered with Web3 Salon to support XRPL-based startups.

Ripple also remains a key investor in HashKey Capital’s XRP Tracker Fund, Asia’s first institutional investment fund centered on XRP.

This year’s UBRI Connect event will be hosted at the XRP Ledger Apex Summit, with a pre-summit hosted at NUS, underlining the growing role of APAC in shaping the future of blockchain.

With this $5 million boost, Ripple is not just funding research but laying a strategic foundation for blockchain adoption led by academia and student innovators across Asia.

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• The meme coin sector’s total market capitalization jumped more than 6% on Tuesday to exceed $62 billion.
• Investors seeking outsized returns are turning to early-stage projects like Bitcoin Pepe.
• The ongoing crypto presale has raised over $14 million to date, and the token is currently priced at around 0.0396.

Bitcoin climbed above $110,000 on Monday, marking its highest level so far this month and erasing last week’s pullback.

The move brings the cryptocurrency to within 2% of its all-time high reached in May, reinforcing a wave of renewed bullish sentiment across the market.

Bitcoin’s upward momentum has helped fuel broader market optimism, historically a precursor to more expansive rallies.

This shift has rekindled investor appetite for risk, pushing capital back into speculative segments, particularly meme coins.

The meme coin sector saw a sharp resurgence, with total market capitalization jumping more than 6% on Tuesday to exceed $62 billion.

Dogecoin and Shiba Inu both gained over 5% on Monday, while PEPE surged more than 8%, reflecting increasing interest.

With meme coins staging a sharp rally, investors seeking outsized returns are increasingly turning their attention to early-stage projects like Bitcoin Pepe.

The project’s presale has maintained strong momentum, drawing sustained interest from participants looking to capitalize on the current wave of speculative inflows.

Meme coins among top gainers

Solana-based meme coins Fartcoin (FARTCOIN) and Dogwifhat (WIF) emerged as standout performers, registering double-digit gains over the past 24 hours amid Monday’s broad-based crypto rally.

Despite the market cooling on Tuesday, both tokens have managed to hold onto their recent advances.

Fartcoin’s surge follows news of its upcoming perpetuals listing on Coinbase International Exchange and Coinbase Advanced, set to go live Thursday at 9:30 am UTC.

The development has fueled bullish sentiment, giving the token a strong start to the week.

Meanwhile, WIF reclaimed the key $1 psychological level after climbing 15% on Monday.

As of Tuesday, it was trading at $1.03.

Technically, WIF has broken out of a double bottom pattern that had formed above the $0.786 support over the past two weeks, clearing the $1 neckline and signaling potential for continued upward momentum.

Investors shift attention to Bitcoin Pepe

This recent rally in meme coins has seen investors chasing asymmetric, high-upside opportunities, turning toward projects like Bitcoin Pepe.

With a vision to “build Solana on Bitcoin,” Bitcoin Pepe is pitching a blend of Bitcoin’s robust security with the scalability of Solana-like architecture—an approach aimed at offering more than the typical meme coin narrative.

Billed as the first meme-centric Layer 2 on Bitcoin, the project seeks to integrate meme culture with a scalable infrastructure layer, carving out a distinct position in an increasingly crowded sector.

The company describes its mission as uniting all memes on a single blockchain, to onboard the next billion users through a lightning-fast, retail-friendly trading experience secured by Bitcoin, the most trusted and secure network in the crypto ecosystem.

The ongoing presale has raised over $14 million to date, signalling strong backing ahead of a listing announcement on June 17.

With capital rotating into early-stage plays, Bitcoin Pepe is emerging as a notable contender in the current wave of meme-fueled crypto speculation.

The post Best crypto presales to buy as meme coins lead gains on Tuesday appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Bitcoin Pepe distinguishes itself with the ambition to “build Solana on Bitcoin.”
• The presale has raised more than $14 million so far, ahead of a listing announcement on June 17.
• BPEP has partnered with Super Meme, Catamoto, GETE Network, and Plena Finance for a stronger ecosystem.

The broader cryptocurrency market edged modestly higher on Monday, but sentiment remains tentative as traders digest the fallout from last week’s sharp sell-off.

Focus has shifted to the US-China trade negotiations in London, where US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.

The outcome of these talks is seen as a potential catalyst for markets, particularly given the fragile diplomatic truce and heightened sensitivity to macroeconomic signals.

For now, price action remains range-bound, with traders closely watching both macro developments and intra-day technical cues.

With Bitcoin struggling to mount a sustained breakout above key resistance, retail investors are increasingly shifting their focus to high-risk, high-reward tokens such as Bitcoin Pepe, which is nearing the close of its presale phase.

Speculative capital continues to rotate into early-stage crypto projects, driven by a hunt for momentum plays that offer the potential for outsized returns.

This risk-on appetite has lifted interest in smaller, narrative-driven tokens that could benefit from a broader market rebound.

In this environment, Bitcoin Pepe has emerged as a standout among retail traders, positioning itself as a preferred bet for those seeking exposure to speculative upside as the presale window narrows.

Blockchain Group to raise $340M for BTC treasury

Paris-based cryptocurrency firm The Blockchain Group plans to raise over $340 million to expand its Bitcoin treasury, reflecting growing institutional interest in crypto across Europe.

The company, which bills itself as Europe’s first dedicated Bitcoin treasury firm, aims to raise €300 million ($342 million) through a tranche-based offering modeled on the US “At the Market” (ATM) structure.

Shares will be sold under market conditions set by the company’s counterparty, with pricing tied to the higher of the previous day’s closing price or the volume-weighted average price, capped at 21% of daily trading volume.

This fundraising follows a recent $68 million Bitcoin purchase by The Blockchain Group, bringing its total holdings to 1,471 BTC, valued at over $154 million.

Bitcoin Pepe’s continued momentum

Despite Bitcoin’s short-term volatility, its growing adoption by institutional players is creating a foundation for broader market momentum.

In this environment, investor focus is returning to speculative segments, with meme coins rapidly attracting capital.

Bitcoin Pepe is emerging as a notable project in this space, combining meme culture with serious blockchain infrastructure goals.

Recognised as one of the most watched crypto presales of 2025, Bitcoin Pepe distinguishes itself with the ambition to “build Solana on Bitcoin,” seeking to merge Bitcoin’s strong security with Solana’s scalability.

Unlike typical meme tokens driven largely by hype, Bitcoin Pepe is backed by a defined technical roadmap.

The presale has raised more than $14 million so far, ahead of a planned listing announcement on June 17.

To support its Layer 2 ecosystem, Bitcoin Pepe has formed several strategic partnerships with Super Meme, Catamoto, GETE Network, and Plena Finance.

With capital shifting toward early-stage projects, Bitcoin Pepe is poised to capitalise on this trend as it approaches the conclusion of its token sale.

The post Where is Bitcoin Pepe headed as another company plans major BTC acquisition? appeared first on CoinJournal.

• An actively managed meme coin ETF would bring much-needed visibility to the broader meme coin market.
• This credibility boost could directly benefit projects like Bitcoin Pepe.
• With more than $14 million raised in its ongoing presale, Bitcoin Pepe is attracting strong investor interest.

The broader cryptocurrency market edged slightly higher on Monday, though sentiment remains fragile following last week’s sharp volatility.

Investor attention is now fixed on the US-China trade negotiations underway in London, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng set to meet.

The talks are viewed as a potential macro catalyst, and traders are watching closely for any signs of progress or breakdown.

Bitcoin is attempting to stabilise, holding just above the $105,000 level.

The meme coin segment also continues to face headwinds.

According to CoinGecko, the total market cap for meme tokens dropped around 0.8% to $62 billion.

Leading names like Shiba Inu and Dogecoin were down roughly 1% each.

However, Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas thinks the market could see actively managed meme coin ETFs as early as next year.

Such a development would mark a significant milestone for the meme coin ecosystem, potentially opening the door for institutional capital inflows and accelerating mainstream adoption.

An actively managed meme coin ETF could boost visibility and credibility for emerging tokens like Bitcoin Pepe, attracting institutional interest and providing retail investors safer, regulated access to speculative assets.

Meme coin ETFs soon?

The market could soon see the launch of actively managed meme coin exchange-traded funds, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.

In a June 7 post on X, Balchunas said there’s a “really good chance” that a memecoin-focused ETF will become a reality — though not immediately.

“First, we’ll get a slew of active crypto ETFs,” he said, suggesting that a fund dedicated exclusively to meme coins could emerge as early as 2026.

His comments came in response to a post from the team behind Vladcoin, a Russia-themed memecoin, which argued in favor of an ETF that actively trades meme coins based on performance metrics.

The team proposed a dynamic fund that “holds the promising ones and sells off the weaker ones,” contrasting it with passive ETFs that typically track a single asset.

Meme coin trading has surged in 2025, with a market cap now exceeding $60 billion, driven largely by retail enthusiasm.

That momentum may entice ETF issuers to explore actively managed products that can navigate the sector’s extreme volatility and fast-moving trends.

An ETF structure, particularly one actively managed, could offer traditional investors exposure to high-risk, high-reward meme assets while providing a regulated investment vehicle that adheres to compliance and disclosure standards.

Bitcoin Pepe presale sees strong interest from investors

An actively managed meme coin ETF would bring much-needed visibility to the broader meme coin market, helping shift perceptions of meme tokens from pure speculation to structured investment assets.

This credibility boost could directly benefit projects like Bitcoin Pepe, which distinguish themselves with serious technical ambitions.

By aiming to “build Solana on Bitcoin” and combining Bitcoin’s security with Solana-like scalability, Bitcoin Pepe offers more than just hype.

Positioning itself as the first meme-focused Layer 2 built on Bitcoin, Bitcoin Pepe aims to fuse the network’s foundational security with the scalability of Solana-style frameworks.

The project has drawn attention not just for its concept but for its ability to deliver on early milestones.

With more than $14 million raised in its ongoing presale, Bitcoin Pepe is attracting strong investor interest amid a broader rotation into high-upside, early-stage tokens.

A listing announcement is scheduled for June 17.

Bitcoin Pepe is positioning itself as a prominent player in the emerging cycle of meme-driven crypto bets.

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