
The 50 BTC allegedly stolen by the National Crime Agency officer would have been worth $77,000 in 2017—and $4 million today.
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Ripple SEC Deal Could Skyrocket XRP Price to $13 — Will Retail Traders be Priced Out?

As reports emerge that the SEC may soon settle its long-running dispute with Ripple Labs, the cryptocurrency world is filled with anticipation. Investors speculate that clearing this legal cloud, combined with the possibility of a potential XRP ETF approval , could drive XRP’s price from its current $2.31 level to a range between $7 and $13. XRP/USDT| TradingView Some long-term analysts even project a sky-high target of $333, although immediate gains remain the focal point. The crypto market, now valued at approximately $2.5 trillion, sets a dynamic stage for XRP. With a circulating supply of about 50 billion tokens, XRP’s market capitalization sits around $138 billion—a figure that could balloon dramatically if regulatory uncertainties dissipate. Ripple V. SEC Case to Conclude? Industry insiders suggest that a settlement may resolve a potential $125 million penalty and lift existing sales restrictions, ultimately paving the way for renewed investor confidence. Crypto analysts have noted historical patterns in similar legal developments. Positive rulings have previously led to swift, significant price jumps. In this case, analyst @TheCSCrypto predicts a surge to anywhere between $7 and $13 per token. XRP/USDT Chart|Source: Zach Reactor X Such a leap would attract broader institutional interest. However, despite the optimistic forecasts, many retail investors are exercising caution. Zach Rector notes that smaller investors await confirmed headlines before making decisive moves. Recent surveys backup this trend: only a minority of retail investors plan to buy additional XRP in the near term, while many prefer to hold or even exit positions. Will Retail Traders be Priced Out? This hesitance could be costly if larger players and “whales”—already responsible for a 30% uptick in trading volume and a 20% increase in large transactions—continue to ramp up their positions. Adding further intrigue to XRP’s prospects are its built-in utilities. Ripple now offers a 5% annual staking yield, incentivizing long-term holding and adding a layer of real-world value to the token. Additionally, XRP’s transaction fees remain remarkably low at just $0.0001, making it a desirable option for cross-border payments. These practical benefits and growing support from crypto-friendly regulatory environments like Dubai bolster XRP’s case as more than just a speculative asset. XRP appears poised at a pivotal juncture as the potential Ripple-SEC settlement looms. A favorable resolution could unleash a substantial rally, positioning XRP among the elite digital assets in the market. Decrypt

SIMD-228 Inflation Proposal Rejected as Solana Community Engages in Record-Breaking Vote
The Solana ecosystem witnessed a historic moment in crypto governance as stakeholders overwhelmingly participated in a crucial vote on inflation reform, ultimately rejecting the proposal despite its significant impact. The SIMD-228 proposal aimed to transition Solana’s inflation system from a fixed schedule to a dynamic, market-based model. However, it failed to secure the necessary 66.67% approval, as it ended up attracting only 61.4% of participating votes in favor. While 43.6% of the total staked supply supported the reform, 27.4% voted against it, and 3.3% abstained. Despite the proposal’s failure , the high voter turnout, over 74% of staked supply across 910 validators participated in Solana’s governance process. SIMD-228 Ends in Defeat Multicoin Capital co-founder Tushar Jain described the event as the largest governance vote in crypto history by both participant count and market cap involvement. The proposal sought to address concerns surrounding Solana’s current inflation mechanism, which follows a predetermined path – starting at 8% annually and gradually decreasing by 15% per year until stabilizing at 1.5%. Proponents of SIMD-228 argued that dynamically adjusting inflation based on staking participation would optimize network security, reduce unnecessary token issuance, and encourage greater use of SOL in decentralized finance (DeFi). With Solana’s inflation rate at 4.66% and only 3% of the total supply staked, supporters believed the proposed model could help stabilize the network’s economic dynamics and make SOL more appealing to long-term holders. However, opponents of the reform highlighted several risks, including increased complexity, potential instability from abrupt changes in staking rates, and a negative impact on smaller validators who rely on inflation rewards for sustainability. While the proposal’s defeat means Solana’s existing inflation schedule remains in place, the vote served as a major governance stress test – one that Solana passed with high participation and strong debate. Jain added that the vote revealed opportunities for refining the governance process and hinted at potential improvements for future proposals. “I want to thank everyone who participated in the debate and put themselves in the public arena in service of advancing Solana governance. Public discourse is critically important and it takes a critical mass of people who really care. We ended up revising this proposal over 7 weeks on numerous occasions before it went to a final vote. That wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions of Solana’s passionate community.” SIMD-228 Criticisms Solana Foundation Executive Director Lily Liu had previously criticized SIMD-228, calling the proposal “too half-baked.” She argued that changes to Solana’s economics must be carefully considered, especially at this critical stage of development. The exec also criticized the dominance of network engineers in the discussion rather than asset managers, which she believed led to an imbalanced approach. Defending Solana’s fixed-rate yields, she highlighted their predictability as a key factor for institutional investors while citing the success of Solana’s staked exchange-traded products (ETPs) in Europe as proof of stability’s importance. The post SIMD-228 Inflation Proposal Rejected as Solana Community Engages in Record-Breaking Vote appeared first on CryptoPotato . Decrypt