Weekly Recap: Preparing for a New Era Under Trump

As the crypto industry gears up for a new presidency and a potentially more regulatorily-friendly environment, CoinDesk's coverage has intensified. Key highlights include: Senior analyst James Van Straten's report on companies investing in bitcoin, following in the footsteps of MicroStrategy's Michael Saylor. Markets reporter Krisztian Sandor explored the surge in Solana's SOL, XRP, and Hedera's HBAR amid rumors of a potential 'America-first' crypto reserve. Markets Co-Managing Editor Omkar Godbole examined the reasons behind bitcoin's current price stagnation, but noted that the recent downturn is unlikely to deter long-term institutional adoption. Senior reporter Ian Allison interviewed new Binance.US chief Norman Reed, who revealed that SEC officials had attempted to restrict the exchange's banking relationships during their 2022 investigation. Asia reporter Sam Reynolds investigated how regulators in several countries have tried to ban Polymarket, as prediction markets navigate gambling laws. Meanwhile, crypto ETFs are poised to experience a significant surge in volume, following their successful debut in 2024. Litecoin, an early bitcoin rival, is expected to be the next project to receive official approval for ETF trading. Reporter Tom Carreras noted that a Litecoin ETF could attract $580 million in inflows if it proves as popular as bitcoin was last year. On the regulatory front, Deputy Managing Editor Jesse Hamilton reported that the Trump administration is prioritizing the issue of 'de-banking' in the crypto industry. The SEC and CFTC are also clearing out 'anti-crypto' officials, paving the way for new administrators to join in the coming weeks. As the weekend approaches, the crypto community is set to gather in Washington D.C. for a series of inauguration parties and events, with CoinDesk providing full live coverage on Monday.