Cryptocurrency
Mounting Evidence of Ethereum’s Struggles: Volatility, ETF Losses, Weak Demand

Ether’s price has been struggling to break above the $2,750 resistance level, despite rising by over 44% this month.
Now, several evidence point to the altcoin’s struggles throughout the 2023-25 cycle, which revealed both volatility and capital flow patterns that contrast sharply with prior cycles and competitor assets like Bitcoin and Solana.
Ethereum Faces Significant Headwinds
One of the most notable indicators is Ether’s realized volatility, which has compressed across cycles as the asset’s size grows, currently hovering around 80%, down from over 120% in earlier periods, according to Glassnode’s latest report.
Typically, Ether’s 3-month realized volatility rises during bull markets and falls during bearish trends. However, this cycle has defied that pattern. In fact, after reaching 60% at the mid-2024 peak of roughly $4,000, realized volatility surprisingly climbed above 90% even as the price declined toward $1,500. This atypical increase in volatility amid falling prices signals increased market uncertainty and instability.
Moreover, while the drawdown structure in this cycle generally aligns with the typical Ether bull market pattern – where corrections of 40% or more from local peaks are common – the key deviation lies in the absence of a fresh ATH price for the altcoin, unlike Bitcoin and Solana, both of which set new peaks in this cycle. This lack of a new high has been a disappointment for many investors who expected the world’s second-largest crypto asset to track more closely with its peers.
Additionally, Ether’s downside price movements have been unusually volatile, with multiple drawdowns exceeding 40% and the current 2025 drawdown peaking at an unusually severe 65.4%. While previous cycles have seen similar or worse drawdowns, they tended to occur later in the cycle. As such, this early, steep correction suggests structural weaknesses unique to this period.
In terms of capital inflows, the Realized Cap – a measure of the value of all Ether based on the price at which coins last moved – has increased by only 38% since the cycle low in January 2023, growing from $176 billion to $243 billion.
This pales in comparison to the massive growth during the 2021 cycle, which saw more than a 1,000% increase. The relatively muted capital inflow of approximately $67 billion during this cycle underlines weaker liquidity support and helps explain the crypto asset’s subdued price performance.
Supporting this narrative, trade activity on major centralized exchanges has mirrored these trends: spot volume, which peaked at $14.7 billion per day during the $4,000 price high in December 2024, plunged by roughly 80% to $2.9 billion per day. Though recent trading volumes have rebounded to $8.6 billion daily, spot volumes have yet to establish new cycle highs, as seen with previous cycles.
Average ETH ETF investor Substantially Underwater
The firm’s analysis further revealed that the average investor in the BlackRock and Fidelity Ethereum ETFs is currently facing an unrealized loss of approximately 21%. Net outflows from these ETFs have tended to accelerate whenever Ethereum’s spot price drops below the average cost basis, observed during important declines in August 2024 and again in January and March 2025.
Despite initial excitement, the ETFs accounted for only around 1.5% of spot market trade volume at launch, pointing to a lukewarm reception. While this rose to over 2.5% in November 2024, it has since reverted back to 1.5%.
While the current market conditions reveal mounting pressure for the crypto asset, certain market experts also predict that it could hit the $3,000 mark as early as June.
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Cryptocurrency
CLAPS Levels up Crypto Gambling: New Sportsbook, Instant Deposits & 35 Free Spins

[PRESS RELEASE – Hamchako, Mutsamudu, the Autonomous Island of Anjouan, Union of Comoros, June 3rd, 2025]
CLAPS Casino keeps raising the bar. The platform now combines a full-fledged crypto-native sportsbook with fast deposits, a no-strings-attached welcome bonus, and over 2,500 games — all wrapped in a slick, privacy-first experience.
The platform features games from established providers such as Pragmatic Play, Evolution, and Hacksaw Gaming, including offerings like slots, roulette, blackjack, live dealer experiences, and high-stakes tables. The platform is designed to cater to a broad range of users, from casual participants to experienced digital asset enthusiasts.
CLAPS has launched its own sportsbook. Bettors can now place single, combo, or system bets in BTC, ETH, USDT, BNB, SOL, and more — pre-match or live. Bets are processed off-chain for speed, while deposits and withdrawals stay on-chain for transparency.
Getting started
Users can fund their accounts via any crypto wallet or purchase digital assets directly on the platform using a bank card or Apple Pay, facilitated by MoonPay integration. The process does not require wallet connections or know-your-customer (KYC) verification.
New users are eligible for an introductory offer that includes a 170% bonus on the first deposit (up to 1,000 USDT) and 35 spins on the game ‘Gates of Olympus,’ with no wagering requirements.
Licensed in Anjouan, CLAPS also supports responsible gambling tools, has 24/7 customer service, and runs a CPA affiliate program for content creators and partners.
About CLAPS
CLAPS is a crypto-native iGaming platform built to offer a seamless, transparent, and high-speed experience for digital asset users. Designed with a web3-first approach, CLAPS combines on-chain transparency with the performance of off-chain systems to deliver a user-centric environment for gaming and sports betting. The platform supports a wide range of popular cryptocurrencies and includes integrated wallet solutions to simplify user onboarding. CLAPS also provides partnership opportunities through its affiliate program, fostering growth within the decentralized gaming ecosystem.
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Cryptocurrency
Big News for Ripple and RLUSD: Details Here

TL;DR
- Ripple took center stage today (June 3), but this time, thanks to a major development involving its stablecoin.
- The move comes a few days after Bitget enabled trading services with the product, thus joining the list of other well-known crypto exchanges that have embraced it in recent months.
Dubai Says ‘Yes’
Ripple’s stablecoin, dubbed RLUSD, was recognized by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) as a crypto token within the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC).
“This approval reinforces RLUSD’s position as a trusted, enterprise-grade stablecoin, built with regulatory compliance, utility, and transparency at its core,” Ripple emphasized in its official announcement.
Jack McDonald, Senior Vice President of Stablecoins at the company, described the approval as proof of the firm’s commitment “to building a stablecoin that meets the highest standards of trust, transparency, and utility.”
“With regulation-first design and enterprise-grade features, RLUSD is uniquely positioned to drive institutional use of blockchain technology across global markets, starting with cross-border payments,” he added.
The green light from Dubai allows other DFSA-licensed entities within the DIFC area to incorporate the product into their operations.
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is a special economic zone that serves as a financial hub for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region. It operates under its own legal system and courts, while businesses within the area benefit from a 0% corporate tax rate on qualifying income and no restrictions on capital repatriation.
In August last year, Ripple strengthened its global presence by partnering with the DIFC. A few months later, it received in-principle approval from the Dubai regulator to expand its services within the special economic area.
RLUSD’s Previous Achievements
The stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US dollar officially saw the light of day in December of last year. Initially, the exchanges that allowed trading services with it included Uphold, Bitso, Moonpay, Bitstamp, and others.
Later on, well-known names such as Gemini and Kraken also followed suit. As CryptoPotato reported last week, the latest to hop on the bandwagon was Bitget, which listed the RLUSD/USDT and RLUSD/USDC pairs.
Despite that, Ripple’s financial product remains an insignificant player in the stablecoin niche, with a market cap of around $310 million. This represents a mere 0.12% of the industry’s $250 billion capitalization.
It is important to note that Ripple supposedly tried to increase its presence in the stablecoin sector by acquiring Circle (the company behind USDC). Several reports indicated that the company is ready to pay over $10 billion to close the deal.
However, Circle rejected the speculation, saying that it was not for sale. It also plans to go public through an IPO in the United States.
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Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin Derivatives Market Shows Signs of Overheating, Further Pain Incoming? (Bitfinex)
Over the last almost two weeks, bitcoin has been experiencing its first meaningful correction since the recovery from April lows. The asset has dropped about 8% from its all-time high (ATH), marking a cool-off period from what analysts at the crypto exchange Bitfinex called one of the sharpest recovery rallies in recent history.
While the cryptocurrency continues to retrace its steps, the Bitcoin derivatives market is showing signs of overheating. This implies that the market is expecting heightened volatility and, possibly, deeper correction ahead, triggered by macro headwinds and structural profit-taking.
Overheating in the Bitcoin Derivatives Market
According to a report by Bitfinex, open interest in the options market surged to an all-time high of $49.4 billion last week, adding $25.8 billion within a few weeks. At some point, the figure was $6 billion higher than the ATH set in January. The open interest of Bitcoin perpetuals also rallied as BTC hit a new all-time high.
“The point here is that the notable uptick in derivatives activity signals expanding institutional participation, and, as it comes in the wake of Bitcoinʼs recent rally to new all-time highs, indicates that market participants are increasingly positioned for elevated volatility,” Bitfinex analysts stated.
Currently, options open interest has plummeted to $39 billion, although mostly due to the May 29 options expiry. However, the high open interest still highlights rising institutional activity and increased hedging following Bitcoin’s recent price peak. Investors are speculating about BTC’s next move, wondering whether it will continue its bullish trajectory or undergo a further correction.
Bitfinex stated that the open interest in Bitcoin perpetuals is one of the catalysts leading to the plunge in prices, as several long positions have been liquidated. Another reason is the aggressive profit-taking by investors over the past week.
Short-Term Turbulence
Despite the level of profit-taking observed, the unrealized profit in the Bitcoin market is currently higher than average, as indicated by the Relative Unrealized Profit metric. This indicator measures the scale of paper profits across the network relative to market capitalization. The Relative Unrealised Profit metric is in a region that has marked the onset of euphoric but short-lived phases in past cycles.
The metric suggests that while BTC could see more upside in the short term, investors are likely to lock in profits by selling, triggering significant volatility. This increases the possibility of short-term turbulence, according to Bitfinex analysts, which can only be offset by sustained demand.
Regardless of the market’s state, BTC remains structurally strong, with significant momentum.
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