Marinade&#8217;s MNDE token surged 30% after unveiling instant SOL withdrawals and a 
new creator rewards program, as Solana&#8217;s DeFi activity rebounds. Marinade&#8217;s 
governance token MNDE (MNDE) shot up nearly 30%, briefly hitting $0.17, as the 
Solana-based liquid staking protocol rolled…

Marinade’s MNDE gains 30% amid Solana DeFi revival, new gov initiative

The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped a portion of the criminal case 
against Roman Storm, co-founder of the crypto mixer Tornado Cash, weeks ahead 
of his trial set for July 14. In a letter dated May 15, Acting U.S.…

DOJ narrows charges against Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm ahead of July 14 trial

## What is Tether AI?
_Tether AI is an open-source, decentralized artificial intelligence (AI) 
platform launched by Tether, the company behind the Tether USDt (USDT) 
stablecoin. Unlike traditional AI services that depend on centralized servers 
and require application programming interface (API) keys, Tether AI runs on a 
distributed peer-to-peer (P2P) network, offering enhanced privacy, autonomy 
and resilience. _
Designed to be modular and composable, Tether AI can operate on any hardware, 
whether mobile, desktop or edge devices, without centralized control or a 
single point of failure.
A core innovation of Tether AI is its integration with cryptocurrency 
infrastructure. It natively supports Bitcoin (BTC) and USDt payments using 
Tether&#8217;s Wallet Development Kit (WDK), enabling seamless onchain transactions. 
This makes Tether AI one of the first AI platforms to offer direct crypto 
payment functionality at the protocol level.
According to Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether AI, it is a &#8220;fully open-source AI 
runtime, capable of adapting and evolving on any hardware and device, no API 
keys, no central point of failure, fully modular and composable, WDK-infused 
to enable USDT and Bitcoin payments.&#8221;
Ardoino said Tether AI&#8217;s primary objective is to create the &#8220;ideal 
technological foundation&#8221; for realizing the AI vision of Isaac Asimov, the 
celebrated science fiction author behind I, Robot and The Robot Series. In a 
separate post on X (written in Italian), Ardoino further asserted, &#8220;AI will, 
in the coming decades, become part of the very fabric of the universe.&#8221;
## How Tether AI personalizes infinite intelligence
_Tether AI is built around the AI runtime structure of &#8220;personal infinite 
intelligence,&#8221; which envisions customizable AI agents tailored to individual 
user needs and device capabilities. Developers can leverage Tether&#8217;s open- 
source WDK, launched in November 2024, to create mobile, desktop and web 
wallets with complete self-custodial control._
The platform enables native payments in USDt and Bitcoin to be processed 
directly over a peer-to-peer network, eliminating reliance on centralized 
payment processors.
It emphasizes user ownership, ensuring individuals control their assets 
without intermediaries. This decentralization-first model supports Tether&#8217;s 
mission of making AI accessible and censorship-resistant.
Ardoino has been critical of the AI industry&#8217;s dependence on centralized APIs 
and cloud platforms; Tether AI aligns with this mission.
The project will facilitate integrating native USDt and Bitcoin payments into 
autonomous systems and software agents. The objective is to create a 
decentralized, censorship-resistant foundation for AI tools.
_**Did you know?** Tether AI CEO Paolo Ardoino favors locally executable AI 
models that can run directly on the user&#8217;s device, be it a smartphone or 
laptop, eliminating the need for third-party servers. This ensures that data 
stays local and allows for offline use._
## How Tether AI brings decentralized intelligence to Keet and Pear
_Tether AI is expected to integrate with Tether &#8216;s existing peer-to-peer 
ecosystem, including Keet, a decentralized messaging app, and Pear, a 
framework for building P2P applications. Initially unveiled in December 2024, 
the platform is slated for launch in 2025, marking Tether&#8217;s strategic entry 
into decentralized AI with embedded crypto functionality._
This initiative is part of a broader corporate shift announced in April 2024, 
which had Tether restructuring its operations to create dedicated units for AI 
and peer-to-peer technologies, such as Tether Data.
Tether is actively developing Tether AI and a suite of AI-powered 
applications. These include a real-time AI translation tool for international 
communication, a voice assistant for hands-free platform and application 
control, and a Bitcoin wallet assistant to streamline transaction management. 
Tether, under Ardoino, views AI as a cornerstone of technological advancement.
Tether&#8217;s AI expansion follows the company reporting $1 billion in operating 
profit for Q1 2025, mainly from US Treasury returns. With $149.3 billion in 
total assets and $5.6 billion in excess reserves, Tether remains dominant in 
the stablecoin sector. Its move into AI underscores a commitment to 
innovation, positioning the firm at the forefront of crypto and next- 
generation intelligent technologies
 _**Did you know?** Decentralized intelligence allows AI models to run across 
a network of devices instead of a single centralized server. This approach 
reduces the risk of data breaches, avoids single points of failure and gives 
users greater control over their data._
## Key features of Tether&#8217;s WDK
_Tether &#8216;s WDK, launched in November 2024, is an open-source framework 
designed to simplify the creation of self-custodial wallets across mobile, 
desktop and web platforms. The WDK empowers developers to build crypto wallets 
that support secure, peer-to-peer transactions without relying on centralized 
infrastructure._
Key features of the WDK include:
 * **Modularity:** WDK has modules that enable developers to customize wallet functionalities based on specific use cases, including payments, storage or integration with decentralized applications (DApps). 
 * **Pre-built components:** WDK includes pre-built components for encryption, transaction management, key recovery and cross-platform compatibility, making it highly adaptable for beginners and advanced developers. 
 * **User sovereignty:** All wallets built using WDK enable full self-custody, meaning users retain exclusive control over their private keys and funds. 
 * Integration with other P2P technologies: WDK supports seamless integration with Tether&#8217;s other peer-to-peer technologies, including Keet and Pear.
In the context of Tether AI, WDK will play a critical role in embedding native 
crypto payments into decentralized AI applications, allowing automated agents 
and users to transact onchain with minimal friction. By bridging wallet 
development with AI and Web3 infrastructure, WDK advances Tether&#8217;s vision of a 
decentralized digital economy.
_**Did you know?** In collaborative AI development, models are trained and 
improved by a global community without central ownership. This open-source 
approach can lead to fairer, more inclusive AI systems that are free from the 
biases or profit motives of centralized tech giants._
## Implications of merging AI with blockchain are just beginning
_Tether AI signals a transformative shift in how AI can be developed, deployed 
and monetized in a decentralized ecosystem. Blending AI capabilities 
withblockchain infrastructure and native crypto payments has enabled Tether to 
create applications that are not only intelligent but also financially 
autonomous and resistant to centralized control. _
Tether AI will facilitate direct execution payments on peer-to-peer networks 
without any role for intermediaries. For developers, Tether AI opens up new 
avenues to build adaptive AI systems that run on any device, support real-time 
crypto payments and prioritize user sovereignty. For users, it means greater 
control over personal data, enhanced privacy and transparent interaction with 
AI services.
This paradigm challenges the dominance of cloud-based AI monopolies, offering 
an open-source alternative that can evolve with community input.
In the long term, Tether AI could influence sectors such as decentralized 
finance (DeFi), content moderation, Web3 gaming and autonomous economic 
agents. It positions AI not as a corporate product, but as a public utility &#8212; 
transparent, modular and composable &#8212; while integrated with crypto.
By merging AI with the trustless architecture of blockchain, Tether is 
pioneering a new class of decentralized digital infrastructure.

Tether AI: What it is and why it matters for crypto and AI

A1 Abraaj Restaurants Group has become the first publicly traded company in 
the Middle East to adopt bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset, signaling a 
major shift in regional finance. Bahrain’s A1 Abraaj Embraces Bitcoin for 
Crypto Treasury In a regional first, Bahrain-based A1 Abraaj Restaurants Group 
(Bahrain Bourse: ABRAAJ) has officially adopted bitcoin as […]

A1 Abraaj Becomes First Middle Eastern Public Firm to Adopt Bitcoin Treasury Strategy

Ethereum (ETH) experienced a slight price pullback over the past 24 hours, 
declining by 2.1% to hover slightly above $2,500. Despite this daily decline, 
ETH has remained at more than 30% over the past week, marking a strong 
recovery trend from earlier market conditions. The rally follows broad 
strength across the crypto market, with Ethereum pushing into new price zones 
that have brought it above several important realized price levels. The price 
movement from Ethereum prompted one of CryptoQuant’s contributors, 
BlitzzTrading, to closely monitor ETH&#8217;s realized price data, particularly how 
it relates to different wallet cohorts. Related Reading: $1.2B In Ethereum 
Withdrawn From CEXs – Strong Accumulation Signal Understanding Realized Prices 
Across ETH Wallet Tiers BlitzzTrading highlighted that Ethereum has moved 
above the average cost basis of most holders, broken down by wallet size. This 
“average cost basis,” or realized price, refers to the average price at which 
a given cohort of investors acquired their ETH. It is calculated by assessing 
the aggregate value at which the coins were last moved, providing insight into 
whether those investors are currently in profit or loss. Tracking these levels 
can help traders identify potential support zones or areas where profit-taking 
may occur. According to BlitzzTrading’s data, holders with balances between 
100–1,000 ETH have a realized price of $2,225, those with 1,000–10,000 ETH 
hold at $2,196, and wallets holding between 10,000–100,000 ETH have an average 
cost basis of $1,994. Larger wallets, with over 100,000 ETH, have a much lower 
average cost basis of $1,222. As the current ETH price hovers around $2,500, 
most of these groups are in profit. However, price corrections to retest these 
levels, especially after sharp rallies, are common in both bullish and 
sideways market structures. Profit-Taking by Ethereum Whales Raises Questions 
About Short-Term Top In a related post, BlitzzTrading explored the behavior of 
large Ethereum holders, referred to as “whales,” defined as addresses holding 
over 10,000 ETH. These large investors can have a disproportionate impact on 
market prices due to the volume of their trades. The analyst noted that after 
ETH previously reached the $4,000 mark, whale-driven profit-taking contributed 
to a drop in price down to $1,300. Monitoring such activity is vital, as it 
can signal upcoming shifts in trend or potential short-term price ceilings. 
Related Reading: Ethereum Stakers Enter Profit Zone as Price Climbs Above 
$2,400 Currently, ETH is once again approaching territory where whales are 
significantly in profit. If these large holders begin to offload their 
positions, similar to previous cycles, it may introduce downward pressure. 
However, if whale wallets continue to hold or accumulate, it may reinforce 
broader market confidence. Real-time monitoring of whale flows remains a key 
tool for interpreting Ethereum’s short-term trajectory. Featured image created 
with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView

Cryptocurrency price in USD