Cryptocurrency
Execs remain positive on long-term prospects amid VC funding downturn

As crypto prices remain at lower levels, venture capital (VC) funding also recorded one of its worst quarters since 2021. Despite this, executives in the space remain optimistic about the industry’s long-term potential.
Crypto data platform RootData highlighted that the second quarter of 2023 delivered one of the worst performances in terms of crypto fundraising. Compared with the first quarter of 2022, where $12.62 billion were raised across 559 funding rounds, Q1 2023 saw around $2.1 billion across 292 rounds — an 83% decrease in VC investments flowing into the space.

Despite the flow of venture capital funds slowing down, professionals working in the space believe there’s still a strong ongoing belief that crypto has potential in the long term.
Gvantsa Chkuaseli, the head of structuring and fundraising at Web3 accelerator Outlier Ventures, told Cointelegraph in a statement that despite the downturn in Q4 2022, there’s also been an uptick in activity. According to Chkuaseli, this suggests investors strongly believe in blockchain’s long-term potential.
“We can see with our own portfolio, such as Mawari’s recent $6.5 million seed round co-led by Blockchange Ventures and Decasonic, and Zinc’s $5 million Series A, that there is interest despite the challenging conditions,” Chkuaseli explained.
Chkuaseli added that some investors appear undeterred by the recent downturn and continue to back early-stage companies within the sector. “We still believe, though, there are reasons to be optimistic,” Chkuaseli said. The executive also noted the massive interest in startups focused on artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting that fetch.ai received $40 million in funding from DWF Labs earlier this year.
JUST IN: AI-focused #crypto protocol @Fetch_ai has raised $40 million in new funding from @DwfLabs.$FET rose 13.9% to $0.388 following the news.
: https://t.co/eeHLD0FOGa pic.twitter.com/czlV9oNrZb
— CoinGecko (@coingecko) March 29, 2023
Saqr Ereiqat, co-founder of Dubai-based venture-building firm Crypto Oasis, believes that despite the negatives brought about by the downturn, there are still positive takeaways from the current situation. Ereiqat explained:
“On the positive side, this shift allows for a more discerning selection process, ensuring that only the most promising projects receive funding. Moreover, the challenging times serve to crystallize the winners, separating the truly innovative ventures from the rest.”
Even though there are positive outlooks, the executive still expressed empathy toward projects that are struggling because of the lack of funding. “It’s disheartening to witness numerous companies facing the risk of extinction due to the scarcity of funding opportunities,” he said. Ereiqat also told Cointelegraph that this situation emphasizes the importance of strategic decision-making for projects.
Similar to Chkuaseli, Ereiqat also highlighted how AI-focused projects are still seeing massive amounts of investments. Citing the $1.3 billion funding round for Inflection AI, the executive said there’s a growing opportunity within the AI startup landscape.
Related: Crypto VC is struggling only from a North American perspective — Animoca Brands CEO
Meanwhile, Phillip Lord, the president of the crypto payments platform Oobit, believes that it’s necessary for entrepreneurs to focus on building companies with sustainable business models and clear revenue streams. According to Lord, this help VCs be compelled to invest in their projects. He said:
“We are currently in a higher interest rate cycle, and rates are expected to remain high for the next three to five years. As such, businesses should avoid the ‘growth at any cost’ model, and instead focus on building strong and sustainable operations that will stand the test of time.“
Lord also highlighted that the VC model is experiencing a change because of AI. “Burn rates of companies can drastically come down if AI is fully embraced,” Lord said. The executive also predicted that there would be solo entrepreneurs earning more than $25 million annually “with literally no staff” because of AI.
Magazine: AI Eye: Is AI a nuke-level threat? Why AI fields all advance at once, dumb pic puns
Cryptocurrency
Gate Launches xStocks Trading Section, Bridging Crypto Finance and Global Capital Markets

[PRESS RELEASE – Panama City, Panama, July 3rd, 2025]
In July 2025, Gate, a global leading digital asset trading platform, officially launched its xStocks trading section, covering both spot and futures markets. The initial listings include 8 popular tokenized stocks, such as COINX, NVDAX, CRCLX, AAPLX, METAX, HOODX, TSLAX, and GOOGLX, enabling global users to trade tokenized stocks directly with crypto assets like USDT. Gate Alpha has also rolled out support for xStocks, listing MSTRx, CRCLx, SPYx, NVDAx, TSLAx, and AAPLx, further expanding users’ access to on-chain assets and strategic trading options.
This initiative not only diversifies investment channels for crypto users but also marks a new phase in the convergence of crypto finance and traditional markets. Gate is now the first platform to launch a futures market for tokenized stocks, establishing a fully closed-loop trading infrastructure at the intersection of digital and traditional finance.
Removing Barriers: Connecting Global Users to Wall Street
Gate’s xStocks trading section adopts a compliant, asset-backed tokenization model. All tokens are fully collateralized and represent publicly traded U.S. stocks. These tokens are freely transferable and compatible across multiple blockchains and ecosystems.
Unlike traditional brokers that require regional accounts, complex KYC, and fiat settlement, Gate’s tokenized stocks services are globally accessible and require no KYC, allowing users to invest using USDT and other crypto assets. This borderless trading model significantly lowers entry barriers for global participants, offering a seamless path for cross-border capital movement and global portfolio allocation.
The platform also supports 24/7 trading, fractional investment, and on-chain liquidity, breaking down traditional time and regulatory constraints, and delivering a highly flexible, decentralized investment experience that links TradFi and DeFi.
World-First Futures Market for Tokenized Stocks, Redefining Derivatives Boundaries
As the first platform globally to launch the futures market for tokenized stocks, Gate enables users to apply leverage and execute two-way strategies on U.S. stocks, all under a USDT pricing system, empowering more dynamic risk and return management.
The trading infrastructure has been fully optimized for this launch, with upgrades to matching engines, pricing models, and risk control systems. Tailored to the liquidity profiles of U.S. stocks and the behavioral patterns of crypto-native traders, the system delivers high responsiveness, strong compatibility, and robust user experience across both spot and futures markets.
A Strategic Leap Toward the Next-Generation Crypto Exchange
Gate’s expansion into tokenized stocks represents a key milestone in its long-term strategy of bridging traditional and future finance. By building crypto-native infrastructure for traditional assets, Gate is redefining how users access and interact with global capital markets.
Dr. Han, Founder and CEO of Gate, stated: “Our mission isn’t just to add a new asset class, but to transform the relationship between users and assets. We aim to create a truly global, borderless investment platform that empowers everyone to access financial opportunities worldwide.”
In 2025, Gate completed a major brand upgrade and transitioned to the unified domain Gate.com, marking a new chapter in its global strategy. The platform currently ranks Top 2 globally in spot trading volume, with continued strength in derivatives, liquidity depth, and user activity, reinforcing its position as a leader in global crypto financial infrastructure.
As the digital transformation of global finance accelerates, Gate’s launch of tokenized stocks offers a model for the industry and demonstrates a pioneering approach to integrating decentralized infrastructure with traditional capital markets, propelling the platform toward its vision as the next-generation crypto exchange.
About Gate
Gate, founded in 2013 by Dr. Han, is one of the world’s earliest cryptocurrency exchanges. The platform serves over 30 million users with 3,600+ digital assets and pioneered the industry’s first 100% proof-of-reserves. Beyond core trading services, Gate’s ecosystem includes Gate Wallet, Gate Ventures, and other innovative solutions, while its global partnerships extend to top-tier sports brands like Oracle Red Bull Racing in F1 and Inter.
For more information, users can visit: Website | X | Telegram | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube
Disclaimer:
This content does not constitute an offer, solicitation, or recommendation. You should always seek independent professional advice before making investment decisions. Gate may restrict or prohibit certain services in specific jurisdictions. For more information, users can read the User Agreement via https://www.gate.com/user-agreement.
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Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin Price Shoots Toward $110K while Fartcoin and BONK Lead Meme Coin Gains: Market Watch

Bitcoin’s price is starting to heat up again, pushing towards the important $110,000 level and recording an increase of around 1.6% in the past 24 hours. This comes amid an even more impressive rally from certain meme coins such as Fartcoin and Bonk.
The total crypto market capitalization added around $50 billion during the day and is inching closer to $3.5 trillion. All of this happens as important regulatory changes are likely to take effect in the United States.
Bitcoin Price En Route to New All-Time Highs
At the time of this writing, BTC trades at around $109,500 which is around 2% below its all-time high achieved on May 22nd – about a month a go. And while we’re on the topic of statistics – the all-time low recorded on CoinGecko took place on July 6th 12 years ago. Since then, the cryptocurrency has returned the staggering 161,270% increase.
Anyways, back to the day-to-day news. BTC looks eager to take on its former highs and this is happening as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” proposed by Donald Trump’s administration passed both Senate and the House votes in the past 24 hours.
It doesn’t include any direct crypto regulations, but it does intend to alleviate taxes on retail users and also introduce (or re-introduce, to be more precise) the so-called 100% bonus depreciation rule, which will allow Bitcoin mining companies to write off their equipment immediately, potentially allowing them to ramp up operations and increase the network’s hash rate, which has historically been bullish for the price.
In other BTC-related news, the BlackRock IBIT ETF, which tracks Bitcoin’s price, is now generating more fees than their legendary S&P 500 fund – a clear indication of the pent up demand and the fact that investors are willing to pay premium fees for exposure.
Fartcoin, Bonk Lead Meme Coin Gains
As you can see in the heatmap below, it’s a sea of green in the altcoins market today. Most of them are charting notable increases. Even the large-caps are up a lot – ETH gains 5.8%, DOGE – 7.7%, ADA – 8.5%, HYPE – 5.5%, SUI – 11.6%, and so forth.
But the most impressive gains for the day come from two of the more polarizing meme coins – Fartcoin and Bonk. The latter is today’s best performer, gaining about 20%, while the latter is up by 17%. Right behind them is Celestia (TIA), which gained 16%.
It’s one of those days where the worst-performing cryptocurrencies are stablecoins (ironically, of course), with just Fasttoken (FTN) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) struggling to gain and trade flat.
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Cryptocurrency charts by TradingView.
Cryptocurrency
Watch These 3 Ripple (XRP) Price Predictions in July

TL;DR
- Analysts see potential for further gains for XRP, with targets ranging from $2.80 to over $3.50 – while some even speculate on a parabolic rally similar to 2017.
- Despite the bullish outlook, XRP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) nears 70, signaling potential overbought conditions and raising the chance of a short-term correction before any continued breakout.
What’s Next for XRP?
XRP has followed the overall resurgence of the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, soaring to almost $2.30. Another factor that may have positively impacted its recent price performance is Ripple’s application for a license with the US national bank regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
According to multiple analysts, its ascent has yet to reach new dimensions. The X user CRYPTOWZRD noted that XRP closed the day “bullish,” setting $2.80 as the next resistance target.
“The intraday chart was highly volatile and bullish. It is now testing the $2.2550 resistance target. A successful breakout and a close above this level will offer the next long opportunity,” the trader added.
World of Charts believes an XRP breakout and retest has already been confirmed. The analyst expects a move towards $3 in the coming days, followed by a pump beyond $3.50 sometime this month.
The X user Maxi is even more optimistic. The crypto enthusiast believes XRP could replicate its performance in 2017 when it experienced a staggering 1,200% surge in a matter of days. Nowadays, a spike of that magnitude would drive the token’s valuation to a new all-time high of $30.
At the moment, such a rally seems quite unrealistic, considering that XRP’s market cap needs to skyrocket above $1.6 trillion. Currently, Bitcoin (BTC) is the only cryptocurrency whose capitalization exceeds that mark, while Ethereum (ETH) is far below with $313 billion.
Observing Some Indicators
Despite the bullish predictions, there are some red flags popping up suggesting the asset could head in the opposite direction in the short term.
The Relative Strength Index, which measures the speed and magnitude of recent price changes, has climbed to almost 70. Such readings generally mean that the valuation has increased too rapidly over a short period of time, signaling that it might be time for a correction.
If you’re curious about more indicators that could hint at XRP’s next move, check out our in-depth article here.
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