MARA Cuts 15% of Workforce After Selling $1.1 Billion in Bitcoin to Pivot Business Focus

Deribit's CCO mentioned a significant $40 billion open interest in Bitcoin options, with $15 billion set to expire soon. The put-to-call ratio indicates traders' sentiment, with a potential max pain point at $102,000. Despite geopolitical uncertainties, Bitcoin's implied volatility has dropped to its lowest since October 2023.

Ripple, the company behind XRP, has been actively acquiring companies, with Hidden Road being one of its recent purchases for $1.25 billion. Ripple's Chief Technology Officer mentioned ongoing talks for multiple acquisitions, including upgrades to its XRP Ledger blockchain for increased programmability and a new lending protocol.

Lingerie Fighting Championships (BOTY) plans to acquire up to $2 million worth of Bitcoin within the next six months, coinciding with their upcoming shows in the UK. CEO Shaun Donnelly expressed belief in Bitcoin's growth potential.

A Tether co-founder and former Blackstone dealmaker are seeking to raise $1 billion to establish a digital asset treasury for a company they plan to make public. The duo, Chinh Chu and Reeve Collins, will use their SPAC M-3 Brigade Acquisition V Corp. to secure the funds, holding assets like Bitcoin, Solana, and Ethereum.

Aqua 1 Foundation invested $100 million in World Liberty Financial's WLFI tokens to advance a blockchain financial ecosystem merging traditional and decentralized finance. The project, backed by President Trump, aims to create an institutional-grade marketplace for traditional assets.

Ethereum's price hovers around $2,500, with prediction markets split on its future. Despite recent upgrades and institutional interest, uncertainty remains about Ethereum's direction. Technical indicators suggest a bearish short-term scenario, with $2,000 seeming more likely than $3,000.

Coinbase introduced wrapped Cardano (cbADA) and Litecoin (cbLTC) on its Ethereum layer-2 network, Base, joining DOGE, XRP, and BTC. These wrapped assets allow seamless swapping between the wrapped version and the native token, enhancing cross-chain functionality for users.

Coinbase's shares surged 5% to $375 at Thursday's market opening, potentially reaching its highest closing price ever. Analysts attribute the rise to factors like Circle's IPO, stablecoin legislation, and the potential impact of the CLARITY Act on institutional adoption.

Tether, the issuer of USDT, owns over 10% of Juventus FC and seeks a more active role in the club's operations. Despite initial requests being declined, Tether is coordinating for a potential board seat and increased involvement in the club's future.

Ripple is enhancing multichain interoperability by integrating Wormhole, a cross-chain messaging protocol, with the XRP Ledger and its EVM-compatible sidechain. This move supports seamless asset movement across blockchain networks, enabling cross-chain smart contract interactions and facilitating compliance-focused multichain applications for developers and institutions.