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April 17, 2025

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Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy firm has been making waves in the web3 industry. Today only Galaxy announced that its venture firm is set to surpass its set target of $180 million in fundraising by June 2025.

Now, in another strategic effort by it for the deeper integration of traditional finance (TradFi) with the world of digital assets, it has revealed new product launch with State Street’s Hong Kong Branch.

According to the sources, as one of the world’s largest asset manager, State Street and Galaxy’s investment arm are set to launch a new crypto investment application”soon”. The new application will be aimed at institutional and retail investors across Asia.

Notably, this launch is part of their collaborative partnership signed in June, 2024 for working on new crypto trading products together.

What is Galaxy-Side Street New Crypto App About

Set to launch later this year, the app is tentatively named “GalaxyStreet”.

Though the info about the details of the app remain scarce, the app is set to provide users with seamless access to curated crypto portfolios, real-time market analytics, tokenized asset investments, and decentralized finance (DeFi) opportunities.

According to the vision of Galaxy-Side Street partnership unveiled last year, the State Street Galaxy App will be aimed at providing democratize access to digital asset investment opportunities

Certain expected features include:

1. It can use Galaxy’s proprietary analytics to track token movements, wallet activity, and market sentiment. This will help in providing on-chain analytics and real-time blockchain monitoring

2. There can be built-in tools as well for hedging volatility, analyzing token correlations, and assessing protocol risk.

3. It will be useful for institutions and high-net-worth individuals who want more than just BTC/ETH exposure.

Given the crypto-focused ETFs that SideStreet launched with Galaxy last year, it can provide access to digital asset ETFs, managed portfolios, and potentially tokenized securities in the future.

Notably, Canada is set to launch the world’s first spot Solana ETFs this week after receiving regulatory approval from the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC).

Source: ETF Data

The app seems to be developed for Institutional investors which includes asset managers, pension funds, family office and accredited retail investors too. Especially in regulated Asian markets like Hong Kong and Singapore.

According to reports, Galaxy and Side Street eyes $5 billion in AUM for the app – by end of 2026.

Notably, this app represents a milestone for institutional crypto adoption in Asia as it combines Wall Street-grade asset management (State Street) with crypto-native intelligence (Galaxy).

Regulatory Tailwinds

The Galaxy Street launch further aligns with Hong Kong’s push to become a regulated crypto hub.

Hong Kong is set to roll out an updated “virtual‑asset policy framework” by the end of 2025, which will introduce dedicated compliance licenses for over‑the‑counter (OTC) trading, custody services, and stablecoin oversight.

Thus, the regulatory clarity is improving in Hong Kong with a growing appetite for digital assets among Asia-Pacific investors.

The launch is also part of a larger trend of institutional TradFi players leaning into the crypto ecosystem amid renewed global interest in digital assets.

With Bitcoin ETFs making headlines in the U.S. and Europe, and Asia warming up to regulated crypto platforms, the GalaxyStreet app could serve as a blueprint for future collaborations.

The crypto world will be watching closely as its planned beta launch is scheduled for Q4 2025.

The post Galaxy and State Street Hong Kong to Launch New Crypto Investment App appeared first on CoinGape.

The crypto investors are looking for Solana and XRP spot ETF approvals, as they witness the impact that Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds have on the digital assets’ prices. Not only can this provide the much-needed regulatory clarity, especially for the Ripple token, but it could boost its price. Now, as both the ETFs await the SEC’s approval, let’s discuss which one is better and why.

Solana ETF vs XRP ETF, Listing, Approval & Other News Updates

With the approval of the Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs in 2024, investors have been awaiting the approval of the other altcoin spot ETFs. Based on the demand, the Solana and XRP exchange-traded funds are next in line. Interestingly, Canada recently became the first jurisdiction to launch multiple spot Solana ETF. 

However, despite that, the U.S. is lagging in approval, as U.S. firms like Grayscale, Bitwise, and VanEck await the SEC’s approval. The same is true for the XRP exchange-traded fund, which has higher filings than SOL. Interestingly, May 22 is an important date for this Ripple token’s ETF, as the SEC might respond to Grayscale’s application.

Experts like Kaiko’s research claim that XRP is leading the U.S. Spot Altcoin ETF race and may get approved next. The prime reason behind this is the high liquidity of this digital asset on the U.S. exchanges.

Which is Better Between Solana ETF and XRP ETF?

Although both ETFs are far from approval at the time of writing, crypto experts believe their assets’ demand and performance could help in concluding which one is better. The XRP ETF approval odds in 2025 on Polymarket have reached 77%, but the same for SOL has reached 88%.

These odds have surged significantly since Teucrium launched the XRP ETF  and Canada launched the Solana ETF. Moreover, Paul Atkins’s taking over the SEC also influences investors’ sentiments.

A better exchange-traded fund depends on the investor’s needs, as XRP already dominates in terms of liquidity and has less slippage. It has previously flipped Solana, and further clarity on the Ripple vs SEC case could make that happen again.

With that, the XRP spot Exchange Traded Fund seems a better option, but the approval, investors’ acceptance, and other factors could bring different results.

The post Solana ETF vs XRP ETF: Which Is Better? appeared first on CoinGape.

XRP price has shown signs of recovery today as the broader crypto market stayed in the green. But experts are not convinced about a full recovery yet. In fact, popular analysts warn that XRP could still dip sharply to $1.4 or even $1.3 before rallying toward higher price targets, potentially hitting double digits in the coming days.

XRP Price Soars But Analyst Warns Another Dip Ahead

XRP price was up over 1% today and traded at $2.09 along with its trading volume falling 6% to $3 billion. The crypto has touched a 24-hour high and low of $2.12 and $2.06, respectively, while its Futures Open Interest rose 0.5% to $3.09 billion.

However, the market pundits might not be convinced yet of a continuing rally ahead. Instead, they predicted that the crypto could slip to $1.4 or even lower before a strong rebound. Besides, with recent developments in the Ripple Vs SEC case, investors are also keeping close track of the crypto.

Analyst Warns Dip Ahead

Despite recent optimism, crypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO suggests that Ripple’s native crypto may not be out of the woods and said “The XRP Kangaroo is Clucking”. In a recent post on X, he noted that unless XRP closes above $2.30–$2.50 on the 5-day chart, a retest of $1.85 remains likely. More alarmingly, he hinted at a possible liquidation event that could cause a temporary “wick” to $1.4.

Source: EGRAG CRYPTO, X

Meanwhile, he added that such sharp moves often come with surprise headlines. These narratives, he believes, are often orchestrated by market makers to trigger volatility. Drawing parallels with past events, the analyst highlighted how government policies like China’s mining bans or tariff announcements have been used to manipulate market sentiment.

EGRAG clarified that he isn’t trading actively right now. He’s neither shorting nor longing for the asset. Instead, he’s simply holding his position and accumulating more XRP at pre-defined levels. Despite the near-term risk, he remains confident in long-term targets at $7.50, $13, and even $27.

XRP Analyst Sees Liquidation Event As Market Tactic

EGRAG’s perspective suggests that the XRP price is vulnerable to quick, news-driven price swings. For context, the first XRP ETF goes live in the US successfully, fueling market sentiment recently. Besides, experts have said that Ripple price could hit a high of $15, citing JPMorgan’s prediction of ETF inflow.

Notably, these swings, according to him, aren’t always about fundamentals. Instead, they’re often tactics used by large players to shake out weak hands. He emphasized, “Tariffs on? The market dumps. Tariffs off? The market pumps.” This approach reflects how non-technical events are increasingly becoming tools for engineered volatility in crypto markets.

XRP Price Might Dip To $1.29 Before Rally

Adding to this cautious outlook, analyst Ali Martinez shared a similar bearish signal. He cited technical patterns that show XRP might fall to $1.29 before bouncing back. Martinez referenced renowned chart expert Thomas Bulkowski, stating that such a dip is not unusual.

“This pullback happens just to make trading interesting,” Martinez explained, referring to classic market behavior that aims to keep traders on edge. So, while a drop to the $1.4–$1.29 range looks possible, both analysts maintain a bullish long-term view.

Source: Ali Martinez, X

Considering that, the analysts have advised us to stay calm, avoid panic selling, and watch the charts. In other words, despite short-term woes, the experts are still optimistic about the long-term trajectory of the XRP price.

The post XRP Price Analysis Hints At Crash To $1.4 But There’s A Catch appeared first on CoinGape.

Chinese online retailer Temu, whose “Shop like a billionaire” marketing campaign made its way to last year’s Super Bowl, has dramatically slashed its online ad spending in the U.S. and seen its ranking in Apple’s App Store plunge following President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on trade partners.

Temu, which is owned by Chinese e-commerce giant PDD Holdings, had been on an online advertising blitz in recent years in a bid to attract deal-hungry American shoppers to its site. With hefty spending on TV ads as well across Facebook, the company promoted clothing, jewelry, home goods and electronics at bargain basement prices.

The strategy was so effective that Temu topped Apple’s list of the most downloaded free apps in the U.S. for the past two years. Downloads of Temu on Apple’s App Store have fallen 62% in recent days, according to data from SimilarWeb, a digital data and analytics company. Ads for 50-cent eyebrow trimmers and $5 t-shirts that used to blanket Google search results and Facebook feeds have all but disappeared.

President Trump’s tariffs have upended Temu’s business model, along with its advertising strategy. Packages shipped from China are now subject to a tariff rate of 145%, while the de minimis provision, which allows shipments worth less than $800 to enter the country duty-free, is set to go away on May 2.

Temu and Shein, a fast-fashion marketplace with ties to China, plan to raise their prices in response to the tariffs. Both companies posted notices to their websites in recent days that warned they’ll be raising prices late next week.

“Due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs, our operating expenses have gone up,” Temu said on its site. “To keep offering the products you love without compromising on quality, we will be making price adjustments starting April 25, 2025.”

Sellers on Amazon’s third-party marketplace, many of whom source their products from China, have said they’re considering raising prices as they reckon with higher costs from the tariffs. Many businesses on TikTok Shop, the social media app’s marketplace, also count on Chinese manufacturers for their items.

Amazon launched a competitor to Temu last November, called Amazon Haul, which features items under $20 that are largely from China.

The Temu app is now No. 69 in a list of the top free apps in the U.S., after consistently ranking in the top 10, according to data from Sensor Tower. Shein is currently at 42, down from 15 last month. PDD’s shares that trade in the U.S. have plummeted 22% this month, compared to the Nasdaq’s 6% drop. Shein is privately held.

Rival Chinese retailers have subsequently risen to the top of the app store ranks, including Beijing-based wholesaler DHgate, which surged to the No. 2 top free iPhone app in the U.S., and Alibaba’s Taobao, which ranked No. 7. Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that viral videos promoting their cheap products have spurred the download frenzy.

A separate analysis by SimilarWeb showed Temu’s paid traffic, or search, display and social media advertising that drove visits to its website, has dropped 77% since April 11. Temu’s paid traffic previously outpaced nonpaid traffic to its website by 2 1/2 times, Ben Parkes, a consumer goods and retail analyst at Similarweb, said in an interview.

Marketing firm Tinuiti found that 20% of U.S. Google Shopping ad impressions were bought by Temu on April 5. A week later, that number had fallen to zero. By comparison, Shein’s impressions remained at 17% on April 12, while 60% of impressions were bought by Amazon.

Representatives from Temu and Shein didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Temu was previously one of Meta’s largest advertisers, but it appears to have dramatically scaled back its spending on the platform. As of Wednesday, Temu is running six ads across Meta platforms in the U.S., a review of Meta’s ad library shows. Temu is running approximately 27,000 ads across Meta sites and apps globally, particularly in Europe and the U.K.

That could be troublesome for Meta’s advertising business, which has gotten a significant boost from the discount retailer. Advertising analyst Brian Wieser at Madison and Wall estimated that more than $7 billion of Meta’s $132 billion in ad revenue in 2023 came from China. Meta is scheduled to report first-quarter results on April 30.

E-commerce analyst Juozas Kaziukenas said he expects Temu to turn its ads back on in the U.S. at some point, but that the company appears to be shifting its dollars to other markets in the interim.

“It doesn’t mean Temu usage has dropped as significantly as the app did,” Kaziukenas said in an email. “But it means that new user acquisition is gone.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

OpenAI is in talks to pay about $3 billion to acquire Windsurf, an artificial intelligence tool for coding help, CNBC has confirmed.

Windsurf, formerly known as Codeium, competes with Cursor, another popular AI coding tool, as well as existing AI coding features from companies like Microsoft, Anthropic and OpenAI itself.

Bloomberg was first to report on the potential deal, which CNBC confirmed with a person familiar with the matter who asked to remain anonymous since the talks are ongoing.

OpenAI is rushing to stay ahead in the generative AI race, where competitors including Google, Anthropic and Elon Musk’s xAI are investing heavily and regularly rolling out new products. Late last month, OpenAI closed a $40 billion funding round, the largest on record for a private tech company, at a $300 billion valuation.

OpenAI on Wednesday released its latest AI models, o3 and o4-mini, which it said are capable of “thinking with images,” meaning they can understand and analyze a user’s sketches and diagrams, even if they’re low quality.

Should a deal take place with Windsurf, it would be by far OpenAI’s biggest acquisition. The company has made several smaller deals in the past, including the purchase last June of analytics database provider Rockset and video collaboration platform Multi. In 2023, OpenAI bought Global Illumination, which had been “leveraging AI to build creative tools, infrastructure, and digital experiences,” according to a blog post when the deal was announced. Terms weren’t disclosed for any of those transactions.

Windsurf is among the tools, alongside Cursor and Replit, that developers have flocked to in recent months to “vibe code,” a term that refers to having AI models quickly assemble code for new software. Andrej Karpathy, a former OpenAI co-founder, coined the term in a post on X in February. Earlier this month Microsoft, whose Visual Studio Code text editor is widely used among programmers, announced an Agent Mode feature with similar capability.

The startup’s investors include Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Greenoaks and Kleiner Perkins. TechCrunch reported in February that Windsurf was raising a funding round at a $2.85 billion valuation.

— CNBC’s Jordan Novet contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS