👀 BTC Holds at $104K Amid Cooling U.S. Inflation

gm Defiers!

The crypto market continued to record volatility on Tuesday as Bitcoin hovered around the $104K mark. Meanwhile, Consumer Price Index (CPI) data came in softer than expected, signaling cooling inflation.

In other news, Yuga Labs revealed that it is selling the IP of the popular CryptoPunks NFT collection to the Infinite Node Foundation.

Additionally, Aave and Morpho recorded huge milestones this week, suggesting decentralized finance (DeFi) is rebounding after a rough first quarter in 2025.

✍️ In today’s newsletter:

Crypto market experiences volatility amid softer-than-expected CPI data
CryptoPunks IP changes hands after being sold by Yuga Labs
Aave and Morpho both hit new all-time highs in net deposits
DeGods NFT project CEO steps down
Stocktwits launches Cryptotwits
PumpFun rolls out revenue sharing

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Crypto Volatility Persists as Inflation Cools and Bitcoin Holds Steady

The crypto market stayed volatile for a second day following softer-than-expected U.S. CPI data, with Bitcoin up 1% at $104,000 and Ethereum rising 3% to $2,575. Solana held steady at $176, while XRP dipped 1% to $2.55.

Yuga Labs Sells CryptoPunks IP to Infinite Node Foundation

CryptoPunks are changing hands once again, with ownership transferring to the newly formed Infinite Node Foundation, which aims to build a cultural institution for digital art. The move comes as Punks trade at 47 ETH (~$120,000). The price of the sale has not yet been disclosed.

Aave Tops $40 Billion in Net Deposits, Morpho Surpasses $1 Billion on Base

Aave and Morpho hit major milestones this week, highlighting DeFi’s strong recovery after a tumultuous start earlier this year. Aave now boasts over $40 billion in deposits, while Morpho surpassed $1 billion on Base.

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Learn the difference between Proof of Agreement (PoA) versus Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanisms.

No consensus mechanism is perfect, and PoA does mean the network’s decentralization is as strong as the community’s web of trust. But for a financial infrastructure connecting known institutions, that trade-off yields a network that is highly resilient to the security issues currently plaguing PoS chains. In a world where blockchains may become critical public infrastructure, the Stellar approach of “staking reputation over coins” could prove to be a compelling way to safeguard consensus from both economically rational exploits and irrational threats.

LA Vape Cabal Member Announces Departure From DeGods NFT Project

Rohun Vora, aka Frank DeGods, has stepped down as CEO of the DeGods NFT project after a months-long social media hiatus, citing a personal chapter coming to a close. His departure follows backlash tied to the LIBRA memecoin scandal.

Stocktwits Launches Cryptotwits to Offer Crypto Insights to Over 10 Million Investors

Stocktwits has launched Cryptotwits, a new platform offering real-time crypto data and community insights to over 10 million users. Backed by partners like Grayscale and Gemini, the platform aims to become crypto's go-to social hub.

PumpFun Kicks Off Revenue Sharing

Solana-based memecoin launchpad PumpFun has introduced creator revenue sharing, allowing token creators to earn 50% of PumpSwap’s trading fees. According to the announcement, coin creators will also earn 0.05% of their tokens’ trades in SOL.