This Week's Highlights: A Crypto Revolution

The crypto space witnessed a monumental week following Donald Trump's inauguration for a second term. The White House introduced an executive order focused on digital assets, advocating for a crypto-friendly stance across the administration and proposing the creation of a 'digital asset stockpile,' potentially a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. Our regulatory experts, Nik De and Jesse Hamilton, provided in-depth coverage of these developments. The SEC made significant moves, including the withdrawal of a contentious crypto accounting rule, the establishment of a crypto task force led by Hester Peirce, and the appointment of crypto-friendly Commissioner Mark Uyeda as acting chair. Senator Cynthia Lummis, a strong crypto supporter in Congress, was named to lead the Senate Banking Committee's new digital assets panel. The Trump family's launch of memecoins on the eve of the inauguration sparked controversy and substantial wealth creation, with 60 Solana whales gaining at least $10 million each. Despite the controversy, the memecoins' success led to filings for memecoin ETFs, as reported by Helene Braun. Additionally, the CME accidentally leaked information about XRP and SOL futures ETFs, impacting the market. After serving a 10-year prison sentence, Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, was released, fulfilling a key promise by the Trump team to the crypto community. The Ethereum community engaged in heated debates about its future, particularly concerning the Ethereum Foundation. With so many significant events unfolding, it's clear that the crypto landscape is rapidly evolving, and the coming week is expected to bring even more exciting developments.