Zaddy Zohran—June 29, 2025
Markets, memes, and macro shifts shaping the digital finance frontier this week.
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Welcome to The Epicenter, where digital assets, real-world finance, and hot takes meet in a sub-5-minute scroll.
This week, Wall Street got hit with a plot twist nobody saw coming: Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral upset has officially kicked off Hot Commie Summer™, with group chats from Midtown to Montauk wondering if the new political alpha lives in Astoria and owns only one pair of sandals. Whether you're cheering or panicking, one thing’s clear: the markets aren't the only thing being disrupted.
In the world of crypto, ETH and BTC ETFs are inching forward, Solana ETFs are next in line, and stablecoin startups are popping off more than they were in 2021. Despite shaky macro conditions and continued geopolitical tension, Bitcoin is still hovering above $105K, proving once again that digital assets remain unbothered, moisturized, and thriving in their own lane.
Let’s dive in 👇
⛓️ The On-Chain Pulse: What’s Happening on the Front Lines of Finance
This week’s biggest news in crypto and all things digital assets
Crypto markets shrugged off Trump’s new tariff threats, including the sudden termination of US-Canada trade talks, as traders remained focused on July’s regulatory deadlines and ETF momentum
Stablecoin startups just surpassed their 2021 VC funding peak, fueled by growing regulatory clarity and momentum from Circle’s blockbuster IPO
Ethereum ETFs have officially surpassed $4B in net flows, marking a major milestone as investor interest grows despite market volatility and ongoing questions about Ethereum’s long-term positioning
Robinhood launched ‘micro’ futures for XRP and Solana, expanding its crypto derivatives lineup and lowering the barrier to entry for traders with smaller positions
Coinbase is set to launch US-regulated perpetual-style futures, as CEO Brian Armstrong confirms the firm is also buying Bitcoin weekly—bringing CFTC-approved derivatives closer to the global perp market standard
Invesco and Galaxy Digital filed for a spot Solana ETF, bringing the total number of issuers in the race to nine—underscoring growing demand to expand crypto ETFs beyond just Bitcoin and Ethereum
Gemini launched tokenized stock trading in the EU, starting with an onchain version of MicroStrategy’s MSTR on Arbitrum, which marks another step toward bridging traditional equities with crypto rails
Ripple is dropping its appeal in the SEC case over XRP sales, aiming to end the years-long legal battle “once and for all,” according to CEO Brad Garlinghouse
Stablecoins are the “quiet winners” of Polymarket’s surge, according to Coinbase Research, with USDC settlement volumes spiking as the platform nears a $1B valuation and redefines prediction markets as viral, high-velocity financial tools
Bitcoin ETFs have seen 13 straight days of inflows, adding nearly $3B as long-only institutional investors—rather than short-term traders—drive demand, signaling deeper adoption through treasury and OTC channels
🗣️ Word on the Street: What the Experts are Saying
Stuff you should repost (or maybe even cough reword and take credit for)
Justin Guo thinks this generation of b2c founders is equivalent to soundcloud rappers
Boring Business says the most underrated variable in investing isn’t your DCF model—it’s management; no matter how perfect your assumptions, bad leadership can vaporize shareholder value with moonshot spending, jet fuel, or ego-driven M&A
Brian Armstrong decided to overthrow the rules of grammar and change “on-chain” to “onchain” for all of us
Douglas A. Boneparth quips that if the threat of WW3 sends markets to all-time highs, WW4 might just be the next bull catalyst since the markets are delusional
Meme of the week
🏦 Kiss my SaaS: What’s Changing the Game for Fintech
Things you should care about if you want to impress your coworkers
Kraken secured a MiCA license from the Central Bank of Ireland, marking a major step in its EU expansion as the crypto platform strengthens its regulatory foothold under Europe’s new crypto framework
Pine Labs is targeting a $6B valuation in its India IPO, as the fintech giant prepares a $1B offering—another sign that public market appetite for fintech is going global
Revolut is acquiring BNP Paribas’ Banco Cetelem in Argentina, marking a bold move into Latin America as the UK fintech giant expands its global footprint
SoFi is relaunching crypto services and rolling out blockchain-based remittances, including BTC, ETH, and stablecoin transfers, as CEO Anthony Noto cites a more favorable regulatory environment under the Trump administration
QwikPay partnered with iDenfy, aiming to streamline real-time user onboarding and strengthen compliance as the Australian paytech scales its operations
Closing Thoughts
From stablecoins going mainstream to crypto ETF hype, it’s clear we’re heading towards a full-blown acceleration cycle. Even with macro uncertainty looming large, crypto keeps pushing forward, one headline at a time.
Until next time: stay sharp, stay liquid, and remember—Zaddy Zohran is watching.
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