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How to choose a cryptocurrency exchange—3 key tips for 2025
With countless platforms vying for attention, finding a secure, efficient and innovative crypto exchange is essential for navigating the digital asset market in 2025.
Crypto exchanges are vital for accessing digital assets but vary greatly in security, efficiency and innovation. With top-notch security, lightning-fast trading and a keen eye for innovation, Phemex now empowers users to trade meme tokens on the Solana blockchain directly from their Phemex accounts.
Cryptocurrency exchanges are the cornerstone of the digital asset economy, offering a gateway for millions of users to trade, invest and manage their holdings. As digital assets generated over $57 billion in revenue in 2024, these platforms played a pivotal role in facilitating the vast majority of these transactions.
Their significance in the crypto ecosystem cannot be overstated. However, the rapid growth of the market has also highlighted a stark reality: not all crypto exchanges are built equal. While some exchanges provide cutting-edge security and user-friendly features, others have been marred by inefficiencies and catastrophic failures.
In an increasingly crowded and competitive landscape, how can one find an exchange that aligns with personal needs? To help navigate this critical decision, here are three essential tips for choosing the right crypto exchange in 2025. Read More
Ethereum fee earnings rise in 2024 despite cost-saving Dencun upgrade: CoinGecko
Ethereum was the highest-earning blockchain last year, earning more in fees compared to 2023 despite an upgrade in March that reduced costs on the network.
Ethereum collected $2.48 billion in fees over 2024, the most of any blockchain, followed by Tron, which brought in $2.15 billion. Bitcoin came in third place, earning $922 million, according to a Jan. 21 CoinGecko report.
Ethereum’s fee earnings last year were a 3% bump from the $2.41 billion earned in 2023.
“This suggests that Ethereum has continued to lead in fee earnings despite the Dencun upgrade in March 2024 that reduced L2 transaction costs and the ongoing user migration from the L1 chain to its L2 scaling solutions,” wrote CoinGecko research analyst Lim Yu Qian.
“Ethereum’s resilient fee earnings also comes in contrast to the price performance of ETH, which fell below expectations last year,” she added.
Crypto analysts have claimed that Ethereum’s March Dencun upgrade — which supported reduced transaction fees for layer 2 networks to scale the blockchain — could undermine mainnet revenue, negatively impacting the price of its native token, Ether. CoinGecko found Ethereum also earned $1.17 billion in the first quarter of 2024, which accounted for almost half of its total fee earnings for last year.
“This was also Ethereum’s highest earning quarter in the last two years, driven by increased onchain activity amid widespread airdrop programs,” Lim said. Read More
Trinity College Dublin and Ripple join forces for blockchain innovation
Trinity College Dublin has partnered with Ripple, a prominent player in the crypto space, to launch an interesting blockchain research initiative.
The partnership, which will be funded for two years with $200,000 (€194,531), will tackle critical issues in cryptocurrencies, cybersecurity, and fintech. According to the Irish Independent, the research hub will be established at the Adapt Research Ireland Centre within the university.
Ripple, renowned for providing digital asset infrastructure to financial institutions, is supporting the initiative through its University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI). This global program is dedicated to advancing blockchain innovation and education, and Trinity is the first Irish university to join the initiative.
At the helm of the project is Professor Hitesh Tewari from Trinity’s School of Computer Science and Statistics. He described the Ripple Blockchain Collaboratory as a space where students and researchers can delve into blockchain solutions for real-world challenges. “We are delighted to be the first university in Ireland to receive support through Ripple’s UBRI programme,” Professor Tewari stated. “The Ripple Blockchain Collaboratory will provide a platform for advancing blockchain research, enabling our students and staff to develop solutions to address real-world challenges in fintech, cybersecurity, and privacy.”
The collaboration will explore how emerging technologies are shaping the future of finance and technology, with a special emphasis on Ireland’s perspective. One of the key projects in the pipeline is a decentralised social media platform designed to offer users greater privacy and control by removing the need for a central authority. Read More
SEC Launches Crypto Task Force To Create Clear Regulatory Framework for Digital Assets
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is launching a crypto task force to clarify the rules of the road for digital assets.
In a press release, the agency says pro-crypto Commissioner Hester Peirce will lead the agency-wide effort.
The move is a clear contrast to the SEC’s stance under the Biden administration, which maintained that the Securities Act of 1933 is enough to protect investors in the emerging industry.
Today, the SEC under acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda has a very different message.
“To date, the SEC has relied primarily on enforcement actions to regulate crypto retroactively and reactively, often adopting novel and untested legal interpretations along the way. Clarity regarding who must register, and practical solutions for those seeking to register, have been elusive.
The result has been confusion about what is legal, which creates an environment hostile to innovation and conducive to fraud. The SEC can do better.
The Task Force’s focus will be to help the Commission draw clear regulatory lines, provide realistic paths to registration, craft sensible disclosure frameworks, and deploy enforcement resources judiciously.” Read More
Immunefi launches blockchain arbitration system for bug bounties
Immunefi launched the first blockchain-based arbitration system for bug bounties, aiming to boost trust, legal enforceability and enhanced cybersecurity across the industry.
Immunefi, a blockchain security firm, launched the world’s first legally binding blockchain dispute resolution system, which may set a precedent for more blockchain-based legal applications.
The system, announced on Jan. 21, is the first blockchain-based dispute resolution platform for bug bounties — open calls for developers to review a project’s code for vulnerabilities, prevent hacks and earn rewards.
While previous bug bounty programs relied on trust between parties, the new Immunefi Arbitration system legally binds projects to pay their bounties, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph.
Immunefi Arbitration will provide impartial assessments of vulnerability disclosures and determine the appropriate rewards. It is based on the London Chamber of Arbitration and Mediation, with rulings recognized and enforceable in international courts of law.
The new system aims to enhance efficiency, trust and integrity in bug bounty programs and the wider cybersecurity industry, according to Mitchell Amador, Immunefi’s founder and CEO.
“We’ve clearly seen how crucial bug bounty programs have been in saving projects from catastrophic vulnerabilities,” Amador told Cointelegraph.
”We aim to build on their success and ensure that all processes related to running a bounty program are seamless for both white hats and projects,” he added. Read More
The Significance Of Markethive Amidst The Crypto Renaissance
A profound economic transformation is on the horizon, driven by the transformative power of cryptocurrency and the decentralized technologies of Web 3. This seismic shift will be remembered as a pivotal moment in human history, rivaling the transformative impact of the original Renaissance. In the 15th century, groundbreaking innovations like ledgers and the printing press sparked the Renaissance and forever altered the course of global development. Similarly, the crypto renaissance is set to bring about positive changes in the global economy, offering a sense of optimism and reassurance.
This article highlights the correlation between the historical Renaissance, where populations were essentially freed from a life of serfdom, and the pervading crypto renaissance we see unfolding today. We also discuss the importance of Markethive’s position and how it aligns with this economic resurgence. Markethive, a decentralized platform, plays a crucial role in this revolution, enabling autonomy, financial sovereignty, and wealth distribution in a dynamic crypto-enabled ecosystem. It marks the creation of a renaissance within Markethive, positioning it as a key player in the crypto renaissance.
In medieval times, access to education was primarily reserved for the upper echelons of society. Fewer than one in twenty individuals received any kind of formal instruction, which frequently excluded basic literacy skills. However, the Renaissance era ushered in two groundbreaking technological advancements that would have a lasting impact on human history: the development of ledgers and the invention of the Gutenberg printing press. Read More
Toncoin becomes Telegram’s only accepted crypto for app services
Telegram will exclusively support Toncoin and the TON network for its apps and services following a new partnership.
Telegram will cease support for all blockchains other than The Open Network (TON) for its messenger services, including Mini Apps, according to an announcement on Jan. 21.
TON will become the exclusive blockchain infrastructure for Telegram’s Mini App ecosystem as part of a new partnership between Telegram and the TON Foundation.
Telegram will also continue to exclusively accept Toncoin for non-fiat payments in exchange for assets and services offered by Telegram, the announcement notes.
The new partnership builds on the close collaboration of Telegram and the TON Foundation, with Telegram having repeatedly endorsed TON as its blockchain network of choice for Web3 infrastructure. Read More
Ethereum ETF issuers expect staking to be greenlit soon: Joe Lubin
Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin says issuers are confident that staked Ether ETFs will be approved under new SEC leadership.
Ether exchange-traded funds issuers are hopeful that funds offering staking could “soon” be given the regulatory go-ahead, says Consensys founder Joe Lubin.
“We’ve been in discussions with the ETF providers, and they’re already working hard on that, so they expect that to be greenlit reasonably soon,” Lubin told Cointelegraph in reference to staked Ether ETFs.
The Ethereum co-founder added fund issuers are “working hard on creating the best solutions” for customers to deal with “any complexities around staking and slashing.”
“I think it’s going to be great for the technology and the ecosystem because they are leaning in to enable us to — as an ecosystem — do a better, more robust, more diversified job,” he said. “I think it’s going to lead to greater client diversity as well.”
The US Securities and Exchange Commission approved spot Ether ETFs last year, and nine products were launched in July. The funds had a slow start compared to their Bitcoin counterparts and currently have a cumulative inflow of around $2.7 billion.
The SEC has yet to approve a staked Ether ETF, but this may be about to change under new leadership, according to industry experts. Read More
'Protected' Bitcoin ETFs Hitting the Market—Here's What That Means
Bitcoin’s price has been a roller coaster ride for investors, but a new batch of ETFs seeks to offer up to 100% downside protection.
Bitcoin’s price has been a roller coaster ride for investors for 15 years, but a new batch of Bitcoin ETFs will seek to replace the asset’s stomach-churning free falls with relatively modest declines—or none at all.
Calamos’ first “Protected Bitcoin ETF” will hit the market Wednesday, offering investors 100% downside protection against Bitcoin’s price with limited upside potential.
From retail investors to financial advisors, Bitcoin’s risk profile has deterred a notable number of market participants who may be wary of Bitcoin’s steep drawdowns despite its growing adoption, Calamos Head of ETFs Matt Kaufman told Decrypt.
“Calamos has built Bitcoin exposure with a safety net, and you can choose how low that safety net goes,” he said. “Bitcoin is a historically extremely volatile asset, and so a lot of people have been on the sidelines watching this experiment turn into an institutional reality.”
Calamos’ ETFs will be listed on the Cboe, with its 100% Protected Bitcoin ETF set to debut at a price of $25 Wednesday. The product’s so-called cap range, expected to be anywhere between 10% to 11.5%, will be struck at the end of the day. From that point on, the ETF will aim to offer 100% downside protection against Bitcoin’s price, with a cap range struck again next year. Read More
Real-world asset tokenization: Unlocking a new era of finance
Tokenizing real-world assets sparks a shift in finance, enabling fractional ownership, liquidity, and new regulatory frontiers.
The digital age continues to revolutionize traditional sectors, with real-world asset (RWA) tokenization emerging as a groundbreaking concept. RWA tokenization has presented itself as an opportunity for much greater investment accessibility and operational efficiency than traditional securitization processes. Across the world, RWA tokenization depends heavily on navigating complex legal and regulatory landscapes, particularly in the United States.
Real-world asset tokenization involves representing physical assets like real estate, commodities, or financial instruments as digital tokens on a blockchain. These tokens function as digital proof of ownership, enabling fractional ownership, streamlined transactions, and enhanced liquidity. The tokenization of US Treasurys, real estate, and even air rights showcases the growing interest in this sector, with the market exceeding $12 billion in 2024. Read More
Trump to converge TradFi, crypto with regulatory clarity: Franklin CEO
Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson predicts that blockchain will ultimately be used to build ETFs and mutual funds because of the technology’s efficiency.
Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson believes the new Trump administration will begin working toward clearer regulations by integrating traditional finance and crypto.
“I think that the thing with the Trump Administration is we’re going to start to see them converge more, the TradeFi and the crypto, which is something that we need,” she told Bloomberg in a Jan. 21 interview.
“We need to have some sort of regulatory clarity so that you could bring these together because, fundamentally, it will drive out costs, and there is great innovation that the technology enables,” Johnson added.
Johnson says that blockchain technology, in particular, could be utilized for exchange-traded funds and mutual funds in the future.
“I think it’s really important to think of blockchain as a technology. It’s a programming language that does certain things really well,” she said.
“I do think that it’s likely that ETFs and mutual funds will ultimately be built on blockchain just because it’s an incredibly efficient technology.” Read More
XRP and Tron Battle for Dominance, but Analysts Highlight Remittix as a Top Contender
Ripple has gained a lot of credibility from its continuous legal disputes with the SEC, which have largely gone in its favor and according to some analysts, XRP trading may potentially hit $12 by the middle of 2025.
Why is this possible? Ripple is still the industry leader in cross border payments and has established solid international alliances. The launch of XRP’s proprietary digital currency for cross border transactions, RLUSD, is also drawing interest. It allows for faster and cheaper transactions, giving Ripple a big edge over competitors.
Whales (large investors who buy in bulk) are also betting on XRP. This shows confidence in its future. As these big players join in, the market gets more stable and XRP’s value could increase. The numbers back this up. Trading volumes are growing steadily and market trends favor Ripple’s mission.
Tron (TRX) Linked To White House Projects:
Tron, founded by Justin Sun, has also been making waves. Recently, there’s been news about World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a project connected to Donald Trump’s family, showing interest in TRX. WLFI might add Tron’s token to its growing collection of cryptocurrencies. Read More
Disclaimer: These articles are provided for informational purposes only. They are not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other advice.
Featured Image Source: Pixabay
