Cryptocurrency
Aleo Announces Former Circle Financial Exec Josh Hawkins As EVP Strategy, Policy & Communications

[PRESS RELEASE – San Francisco, California, May 16th, 2025]
Hawkins Was Instrumental in Strategy, Marketing & Communications That Helped Drive Global Adoption of the USDC Stablecoin, Will Play Central Role at Aleo in Shaping Privacy and Security, Pioneering Voice and Policy Engagements
The Aleo Network Foundation (Aleo), the leading platform for building private, secure, scalable, and programmable Web3 applications, today announced the appointment of Josh Hawkins as Executive Vice President of Strategy, Policy & Communications.
Hawkins joins from Circle Financial, the global fintech firm behind the $60 billion USDC stablecoin, where he served as Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications, most recently building a team in Strategy and Policy focused on strategic positioning and global thought leadership, playing a central role in shaping the company’s voice and executive presence.
At Circle, Hawkins helped guide the company through its rapid ascent as one of the most trusted names in digital assets. He led global communications strategy during critical moments of industry evolution, helped manage regulatory engagement across key markets around the world, and was a public voice for transparency, trust, and responsible innovation in crypto. His leadership extended beyond media and messaging — helping Circle navigate policy frameworks, expand its global footprint, and build institutional confidence in the crypto economy.
At Aleo, Hawkins will oversee global communications and policy. His focus will be on amplifying Aleo’s mission to bring programmable privacy to the Web3 world and the enterprise while helping shape the broader conversation around privacy, security, and compliance in the decentralized internet.
“Aleo is playing a critical role in enabling blockchain to deliver on its true potential by offering the most secure privacy in the history of technology,” said Hawkins. “The teams commitment to open-source values, cutting-edge cryptography, and thoughtful engagement with policy and developer communities is exactly what the industry needs. I’m looking forward to joining this exceptional team to help scale that vision globally.”
“We’re excited to welcome Josh to Aleo,” said Leena Im, Chief Operating Officer of the Aleo Network Foundation. “His deep expertise at the intersection of communications, policy, and fintech will be invaluable as we grow our presence in the global Web3 ecosystem. Josh’s leadership will help position Aleo as not just a technology leader, but a public voice for what responsible privacy can look like on the internet.”
Aleo is backed by top-tier investors including a16z, Haun Ventures, SoftBank, Samsung Next, and others. In 2024, Aleo announced a strategic partnership with Google Cloud to support the deployment and scalability of zero-knowledge applications with a robust developer infrastructure.
About Aleo
Aleo is building the infrastructure for the next generation of private, decentralized applications. Using zero-knowledge cryptography, Aleo enables scalable, off-chain execution with on-chain verification — delivering privacy without compromising programmability. Developers can build powerful, secure applications without exposing user data.
As the industry continues to push toward more secure and privacy-first solutions, Aleo remains committed to making privacy a native, accessible feature for all builders on the decentralized web. For more information about Aleo and to stay updated on its latest developments, visit www.aleo.org.
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Cryptocurrency
BlackRock’s ETH ETF Could Soon Offer Staking—SEC Filing Moves Forward

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has acknowledged BlackRock’s filing about allowing investors in its flagship Ethereum ETF to stake their assets.
Although this development doesn’t guarantee an official approval of the filing, it’s still a big step in the right direction.
NEW: U.S. SEC ACKNOWLEDGES BLACKROCK’S FILING TO ALLOW STAKING IN ITS SPOT $ETH ETF
— The Wolf Of All Streets (@scottmelker) July 29, 2025
The “acknowledged” part means that the securities watchdog has confirmed that it has received certain amendments made by the ETF issuer. Typically, the SEC also opens a public comment period, allowing stakeholders to weigh in on the matter.
BlackRock and Nasdaq submitted a 19b-4 rule change proposal that aims to allow investors using the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) to stake ETH with staking rewards treated as income to the fund.
ETHA is by far the largest Ethereum ETF, and it became the third-fastest to reach a $10 billion AUM milestone within less than a year after its launch.
It continues to attract substantial net inflows. The last day in the red was on July 2, with $46.9 million leaving the fund. Since then, it has been on a massive roll, attracting nearly $4 billion in net inflows in less than a month.
The underlying asset’s price has benefited substantially from these enormous inflows, having surged by over 50% in the past month alone. Moreover, ETH is up by more than 150% since its bottom in early April and is close to knocking on the $4,000 door now.
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Cryptocurrency
Ripple Price Reversal Incoming as Investors Pull XRP Off Exchanges?

TL;DR
- XRP whales move over 80M tokens off exchanges, signaling long-term holding behavior.
- $845M in single-day losses follows co-founder’s $140M sell-off amid price pressure.
- RSI cools from an overbought zone, indicating that XRP may be stabilizing after the recent price drop.
Exchange Supply Drops Sharply
Between July 23 and July 26, the amount of XRP held on centralized exchanges dropped from around 4.45 billion to just over 4.25 billion, based on Glassnode data. This change suggests large holders may be moving their funds into cold storage rather than keeping them liquid.
According to Captain Redbeard, the shift shows users are not preparing to sell. Instead, they appear to be withdrawing assets, possibly to hold through current market conditions.
Glassnode data showed a clear decline in $XRP held on exchanges, suggesting that holders are moving assets into private wallets rather than preparing to sell pic.twitter.com/9osNr7w1M7
— Captain Redbeard ♂️ (@Brett_Crypto_X) July 29, 2025
XRP was priced at $3.15 at press time, down 3% in the past 24 hours and nearly 9% over the last week. The asset has slipped steadily since reaching a new all-time high at $3.65 on July 18. Despite this, wallet outflows have continued. The behavior suggests many holders are not rushing to exit positions.
Analyst Ali Martinez said that losing the $3.15 level could open the door to a test of $3. He added that such a move “could present a solid buy-the-dip opportunity.” That level now acts as the nearest key support zone.
Selling Spikes After Insider Move
On-chain data shows roughly $845 million in realized losses over the past day, one of the most significant single-day sell-offs this month. This followed reports that a Ripple co-founder sold $140 million worth of XRP. The move added pressure to an already declining market.
While some investors are taking profits, trading volume remains strong at $6.2 billion. XRP continues to trade well below its all-time high, and recent activity shows a cautious mood.
Momentum Builds Underneath
The BBTrend value now sits at 27.66, pointing to a shift in short-term momentum. The recent expansion in green bars indicates renewed buying interest.
Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has declined to 59 against the recent peak of 72. This shift indicates that the asset is no longer overbought, and it could now stabilize.
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Cryptocurrency
Dormant XRP Wallets Spring to Life – What Does This Mean for Ripple’s Price?

After hitting an all-time high of $3.65 in mid-July, XRP has entered a phase of consolidation. The token is gradually retracing to hover around the $3.15 mark. Despite multiple attempts to break higher, XRP has faced resistance near $3.3.
This price action reflects a cooling-off period following the sharp rally from early July, when it surged from around $2.2. Interestingly, older XRP wallets are on the move again, which could impact the asset’s future price trajectory.
Old Coins Return to Circulation
XRP is still up by almost 46% over the past month while holding slightly shaky at the $3.15 support level. According to Santiment’s latest data, one important on-chain signal is the reactivation of dormant coins, which suggests renewed investor interest and participation from long-term holders.
The average age of XRP investments has dropped by 91 days and is now standing at 593 days. This means that a wave of older wallets is moving assets back into circulation. Historically, such behavior has often preceded or accompanied bullish price action, lending further weight to the current market momentum.
However, crypto analyst Ali Martinez warned that if XRP fails to hold the crucial $3.15 support level, the crypto asset could retrace to the $3 mark. While this potential dip may concern short-term traders, Martinez said it could offer a compelling buy-the-dip opportunity for investors anticipating a rebound, especially given XRP’s strong performance and recent on-chain activity.
While traders eye short-term price action, major players are taking a longer-term view – especially through large-scale XRP allocations.
XRP Gains Institutional Traction
In what appears to be a growing corporate confidence in XRP as a strategic asset, Hyperscale Data has officially launched its $10 million XRP treasury program. The company plans to provide weekly updates starting August 12, in a bid to boost transparency and investor trust.
With a possible 36-month lockup under consideration, Hyperscale’s move indicates a long-term commitment rather than short-term speculation. The latest development comes on the heels of Nature’s Miracle’s $20 million XRP plan.
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