U.S. stocks closed higher Wednesday after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged and Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged growing uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook. The S&amp;P 500 edged up 0.43%, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.27% and the Dow Jones…

Dow Jones, major indices rise as Fed holds rates steady, Powell warns of trade and inflation risks

This week Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood CEO explained she believes the U.S. 
economy is emerging from what she describes as a three-year “rolling 
recession” triggered by the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes. Wood also noted that 
Ark has a 2030 bull prediction price target for bitcoin at $1.5 million. Wood 
Maps Out a New Bull […]

$1.5 Million Bitcoin? Ark’s Cathie Wood Sees Gold’s Market Share Slipping

XRP is now trading above the $2.35 mark, gaining momentum as bulls aim to 
break through critical resistance on the way to a potential all-time high. 
This move comes as the broader crypto market enters a new bullish phase, with 
Bitcoin soaring past $100K and Ethereum reclaiming the $2,200 zone in a sharp 
rally. XRP, long viewed as lagging behind majors, now shows notable relative 
strength compared to other altcoins. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whale Entry 
Prices Diverge Sharply – Confidence Builds At Higher Levels Analysts are 
turning their focus to XRP as it attempts to sustain this breakout, with some 
calling for a rally that could finally close the gap toward previous cycle 
highs. Supporting the bullish case is new on-chain data from Santiment, 
revealing that XRP whales have returned aggressively, accumulating over 880 
million tokens in the past month alone. This surge in accumulation by large 
holders suggests growing confidence in XRP’s trajectory and is often a signal 
that smart money is positioning early ahead of a major move. If current 
momentum holds and XRP clears its immediate resistance levels, it could be set 
for a powerful continuation. All eyes are now on the $2.50–$2.80 range, where 
market dynamics could accelerate rapidly. XRP Builds Strength As Whales 
Accumulate And Momentum Rises XRP is now standing out as one of the most 
resilient assets in the crypto market, showing notable strength during recent 
uptrends and consistent support through broader market corrections. Currently 
trading above the $2.00 level, XRP is positioned at a critical point where 
bullish and bearish forces are clashing. The broader market is also heating 
up, with Bitcoin trading above $100K and Ethereum holding the $2,200 zone 
after a breakout. XRP’s relative strength, however, is what’s catching the 
attention of analysts and traders. According to top analyst Ali Martinez, on- 
chain data reveals that whales have accumulated over 880 million XRP tokens in 
the past month. This level of accumulation is typically a bullish signal and 
suggests that large players are positioning themselves ahead of a possible 
rally. Still, macroeconomic uncertainty lingers in the background. With 
ongoing trade tensions between the US and China and an increasingly sensitive 
global financial environment, investor sentiment remains fragile. If Bitcoin 
holds its ground and altcoin momentum persists, XRP could be one of the top 
beneficiaries. As XRP continues to trade near a pivotal range, the coming days 
will be essential in determining the next phase. A decisive move above $2.35 
could open the door to a strong upward expansion, while holding support above 
$2.00 will be crucial to prevent a retracement. Backed by whale activity and 
growing interest from traders, XRP is once again on the radar as a potential 
leader in the next leg of the crypto bull cycle. Related Reading: Ethereum 
Breaks Key Resistance In One Massive Move – Higher High Confirms Momentum 
Price Tests Breakout Zone As It Pushes Above Resistance XRP is showing 
promising momentum after breaking above the $2.35 level and now trades at 
$2.36, signaling renewed bullish strength. This move comes as XRP tests the 
upper range of a consolidation structure that has been forming since late 
March. The price action is supported by a consistent uptrend of higher lows, 
which is now pressing against long-standing resistance. The 200-day SMA 
($2.10) and EMA ($2.00) both remain below the current price, reinforcing the 
strength of the ongoing trend. Volume has increased notably over the past few 
sessions, a sign that buyers are stepping in with confidence. A decisive daily 
close above $2.38–$2.40 would confirm a breakout and open the path toward 
retesting the previous highs around $3.00 and potentially new all-time highs. 
Conversely, a rejection here could lead to another retest of the ascending 
trendline around $2.15. Related Reading: Ethereum ‘Extremely Undervalued 
Against BTC’ – Supply Pressure May Delay Recovery The confluence of price 
structure, moving average support, and whale accumulation adds conviction to 
the breakout scenario. If current levels hold, XRP could become one of the 
strongest performers in the market’s next leg higher. Featured image from 
Dall-E, chart from TradingView

XRP Whales Are Back – 880 Million Tokens Accumulated This Month

The Polkadot price rose for two straight days, reaching its highest point 
since March 2, as sentiment in the crypto market improved. It also jumped 
after the developers achieved a key Polkadot 2.0 milestone. Polkadot (DOT) 
token jumped to a…

DOT breaks out: Polkadot rides market rally, milestone upgrade

AAVE price continued rising on Saturday, reaching its highest level since 
March 6 this year as exchange balances fell and total value locked in its 
network fell. AAVE (AAVE) rose to $221.91, up by 95% from its lowest level on…

AAVE climbs 95% since April lows, tight supply sparks rally

_**Opinion by: Kevin Rusher, founder of RAAC**_
It&#8217;s a volatile world out there. This year, we&#8217;ve seen stocks take a wild ride 
as gold has pumped and crypto has been caught somewhere in the middle. 
Investors have dumped risk assets and scrambled for safe havens. Gold is 
leading the charge.
While gold is safe, it is not very hard-working. Unlike cash and treasuries, 
the yellow metal does not generate income. Now, more than ever, investors need 
to be able to earn yield on gold &#8212; particularly in the decentralized finance 
(DeFi) sector.
The only way to make money from gold is to buy low and sell high. Most 
investors don&#8217;t tend to buy gold like this. That&#8217;s for good reason &#8212; over the 
long term, gold&#8217;s performance is typically consistent, if not without a few 
peaks and troughs here and there, as we have recently seen.
For example, after the 2008 financial crisis, the price of gold soared 148% 
but stagnated for nearly a decade before the COVID-19 pandemic triggered 
another rally, and it&#8217;s likely we will see gold hold, if not fall from it&#8217;s 
new record high once markets revive. While it remains an excellent hedge, 
gold&#8217;s long-term track record is not a growth story.
Investors prefer US Treasurys or high-yield savings accounts as part of a 
balanced portfolio. While gold may outperform these assets in uncertain times, 
it offers a better balance of security and predictable income over the long 
term.
## The DeFi solution
This is where DeFi brings innovation to the world&#8217;s oldest asset. DeFi can 
significantly modernize gold investing, offering the speed and transparency of 
blockchain-based transactions and the ability to earn returns.
Currently, though, most tokenized gold is much the same as holding it in an 
exchange-traded fund (ETF). Stablecoin giants like Tether and Paxos have 
launched gold-backed tokens, which they say are fully backed by physical, 
audited gold reserves, yet offer no yield.
_**Recent:**__**Bitcoin &#8216;s safe-haven appeal grows during trade war 
uncertainty**_
Most DeFi investors prefer liquid, tradable assets like cryptocurrencies and 
stablecoins, which can generate attractive returns. Many would rather, for 
example, buy Tether&#8217;s USDt (USDT) stablecoin and stake it, earning rewards 
while still maintaining ownership.
Perhaps this is why the market capitalization of gold-backed tokens remains 
modest. Tether Gold, the world&#8217;s most significant gold token, has a market 
capitalization of just under $835 million, for example, while Paxos Gold sits 
at around $799 million. Combined, this is equivalent to just 1% of the market 
cap of USDT.
## Unlocking income from the world&#8217;s oldest asset
To unlock gold&#8217;s full potential, we need to take tokenization a step further 
by creating a DeFi ecosystem where tokenized gold is actively put to work &#8212; 
borrowed, lent and integrated into yield-bearing strategies.
One possibility is for companies such as gold miners is to issue tokenized 
versions of their reserves that can be turned into stablecoins that can then 
be staked to earn a yield. Leveraging protocols whose liquidity mechanisms 
enable the trading of stablecoins and real-world asset (RWA) tokens, holders 
could take advantage of further yield opportunities throughout the DeFi 
ecosystem.
Beyond the benefits of yield opportunities, blockchain technology means 
investors in tokenized gold can benefit from the flexibility of 24-hour 
trading, near real-time price discovery and near-instant settlement without 
compromising the stability of the asset.
## The future of gold investing
It is, perhaps, ironic that &#8212; just as governments worldwide are starting to 
put their stamp of approval on digital finance &#8212; gold is becoming a highly 
desirable commodity again. The public&#8217;s interest in it will grow as 
governments essentially ratify digital finance. At the same time, the appetite 
for gold in these uncertain times will also increase.
DeFi could bring these trends together and kickstart a natural evolution in 
gold ownership that provides a solid bridge between traditional and digital 
finance. While gold inside traditional markets attracts investors looking for 
stability, DeFi brings opportunities that don&#8217;t compromise that stability, as 
it presents new and unique yield opportunities.
Gold has captivated humanity for thousands of years. It&#8217;s the foundation of 
myths, the standard of wealth and the ultimate hedge against uncertainty. But 
in today&#8217;s financial world, it needs an upgrade.
Through integrating gold into the DeFi ecosystem, we could unlock its true 
potential &#8212; not just as a store of value but as an income-generating asset. 
The world&#8217;s oldest safe haven asset is finally on the brink of a digital 
evolution.
_**Opinion by: Kevin Rusher, founder of RAAC.**_
This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and 
should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and 
opinions expressed here are the author&#8217;s alone and do not necessarily reflect 
or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.