Cryptocurrency
Why South Africa May Leapfrog the World in Bitcoin Adoption: Interview With VALR CMO Ben Caselin

As the global crypto landscape matures, Africa is undoubtedly emerging as one of the hottest regions to watch – where regulatory clarity, grasroots adoption, and institutional interest are starting to covnerge.
Positioning itself at the centr of this transformation, VALR is a Johannesburg-based exchange that’s now leading the continent in terms of trading volumes.
In the following interview, Ben Caselin, the Chief Marketing Officer at VALR, as well as a veteran of crypto hubs such as Hong Kong and Dubai, shares his perspective on the state of Bitcoin adoption in underserved communities, the evolving role of decentralized finance, and why integrity as opposed to hype may be crypto’s biggest asset.
How would you characterize the current state of the cryptocurrency market in South Africa, and what unique challenges or opportunities does it present?
The South African market for crypto has come a long way and is well-positioned to see more growth in the coming years.
Crypto adoption, particularly around stablecoins and Bitcoin, is taking place at all levels of society. There are numerous projects driving the uptake of Bitcoin in townships and among communities who have for too long been excluded from the traditional financial system.
At the same time, we have seen pronounced institutional interest in crypto assets, from companies adding Bitcoin to their treasuries and remittance companies looking to leverage stablecoin infrastructure, to banks looking into expanding their services to accommodate for crypto.
With regulatory frameworks evolving globally, how is VALR navigating the changing regulatory landscape in South Africa and other markets where you’re expanding?
In South Africa, already for years, VALR has closely worked with the country’s regulator, the FSCA, and we maintain healthy communication channels. In my view, South Africa’s regulatory regime is among the world’s foremost, perhaps even better than those in places like Singapore or Hong Kong.
We do also have approval, through Poland, to offer crypto services in the European Union, but regulatory developments in Europe have been somewhat constrained. We continue to follow such developments closely. At the same time, we are exploring other licenses that can make it easier for VALR to pursue global expansion.
What trends are you observing around institutional adoption of crypto in South Africa and across the African continent?
In South Africa, especially since the FSCA’s licensing regime has come into effect, we have seen interest from a range of financial services providers looking to expand their offerings to their customers.
We are partnering with several remittance companies, where VALR provides the necessary infrastructure and liquidity and, similarly, we are closely working with some of the largest banks in Africa to assist them in expanding their services to include crypto as well. We are not yet in a position to give any more information, but we do expect to make announcements around these developments in the next few months.
I believe that within the next two to three years, we will see most major banks in Africa offer access to bitcoin and USD-pegged stablecoins to their customers, and all major remittance companies leverage crypto infrastructure to optimise for cross-border payments.
How does VALR approach the integration or support of decentralized finance (DeFi) within its ecosystem, and what role do you see DeFi playing in Africa’s financial future?
We hold the view that DeFi is here to stay, but also that from a user experience perspective, DeFi is not for everyone.
On VALR, we have recently launched ‘DeFi Lending’, making it very easy for customers to earn a yield on their stablecoins and tokens by lending out their assets on platforms like Aave, without actually having to leave the VALR platform at all. This is one of the ways in which we are working to make crypto accessible to more and more people from all walks of life.
What specific measures does VALR take to ensure the security of customer assets and data, particularly given the rise in cyber threats targeting exchanges?
VALR takes security very seriously. We have a strong and pro-active security team who monitors activities at all levels of operation. We also work with external security firms for regular penetration testing, and constantly tighten security based on evolving threats. Other than that, we don’t share details about the specific measures we take.
How do you balance innovation and compliance in a space that is constantly evolving and often ahead of regulation?
We strive to balance innovation and compliance through communication. We are law-abiding, we don’t go where we are not welcome, and we believe that being compliant is the surest way to protect customers over the long term.
We are also relatively conservative when it comes to token listings and leveraged trading and even our marketing spend is measured. We aim to establish VALR as a trusted financial institution that can be around for decades.
Perhaps most importantly, VALR is a values-driven organisation, which means that we never compromise on our values for the sake of profit. Instead, we believe that principles like truthfulness, integrity and service set us up for long-term growth and will guide us well into the future.
As VALR expands internationally, how do you plan to maintain trust, transparency, and alignment with local financial and legal standards across jurisdictions?
From day one, which is now over 7 years ago, VALR has upheld the highest standards of integrity – this makes it easier for us to obtain licenses as they become available around the world, since we are compliant by default.
In other words, unlike some of our competitors, we don’t go around breaking rules and then proceed to get our act together as regulation takes shape. Instead, forfeiting superficial growth we take a gradual approach to global expansion and prioritise doing so in a safe and sustainable manner. This has worked well for VALR and continues to be our approach into the future.
Disclaimer: The content shared in this interview is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendation, or endorsement of any project, protocol, or asset. The cryptocurrency space involves risk and volatility. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with qualified professionals before making any financial decisions. This interview was conducted in cooperation with VALR, who generously shared their time and insights. The content has been reviewed and approved for publication in mutual understanding. Minor edits have been made for clarity and readability, while preserving the substance and tone of the original conversation.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
Cryptocurrency
Ethereum Foundation, Whales, and Hackers: What’s Driving the ETH Sell-Off?

TL;DR
- Whales, hackers, and the Ethereum Foundation wallets moved over $500M in ETH through large sales and withdrawals.
- Ethereum transfers rose to 4.6M ETH, nearing the monthly high of 5.2M recorded in July.
- Staking inflows hit 247,900 ETH, the highest in a month, locking more supply from trading.
Large Withdrawals and Whale Activity
Ethereum (ETH) has seen heavy movement from major wallets over the past few days. On-chain data from Lookonchain shows a newly created wallet pulled 17,591 ETH, worth $81.62 million, from Kraken in just two hours.
Over three days, two new wallets withdrew a combined 71,025 ETH, valued at $330 million, from the exchange.
One of these wallets, address 0x2A92, has withdrawn 53,434 ETH, worth $242.34 million, in two days. This includes a recent purchase of 30,069 ETH, valued at $138.46 million, during a market drop.
Major ETH Holders Offload Millions Amid Price Rally
In contrast, several separate entities have been disposing of some ETH holdings. A wallet tied to a hacker address 0x17E0 sold 4,958 ETH for $22.13 million at $4,463, securing a profit of $9.75 million. Earlier this year, the same address sold 12,282 ETH at $1,932 and later bought back part of the amount at higher prices.
A different whale sold 20,600 ETH for $96.55 million over the past two days, generating a profit of more than $26 million after holding the position for nine months.
Meanwhile, an Ethereum Foundation-linked wallet, 0xF39d, sold 6,194 ETH worth $28.36 million in the last three days at an average price of $4,578.
Recent sales from the same wallet included an additional 1,100 ETH and 1,695 ETH for over $12.7 million combined.
The #EthereumFoundation-linked wallet(0xF39d) sold another 1,300 $ETH($5.87M) at $4,518 ~11 hours ago.
Over the past 3 days, this wallet has sold a total of 6,194 $ETH($28.36M) at an average price of $4,578.https://t.co/4hfCWymHVG pic.twitter.com/ErUyEY8SJy
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) August 15, 2025
Network Activity on the Rise
CryptoQuant data shows Ethereum’s total tokens transferred have been climbing since August 9. After ranging between 1 million and 3 million ETH through late July and early August, transfers have risen to 4.6 million ETH, approaching the monthly high of 5.2 million recorded in mid-July. This increase has occurred alongside a price rally from about $3,400 to $4,600.
Interestingly, staking inflows generally stayed between 20,000 and 80,000 ETH per day over the past month. On August 14, inflows jumped to 247,900 ETH, the highest in the period.
At the time, ETH was trading near $4,600. Large staking deposits reduce the amount of ETH available for immediate trading, as staked coins are locked for a set period.
In the meantime, ETH trades at $4,647 with a 24-hour volume of $68.25 billion, down 2% on the day but up 19% over the week.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
Cryptocurrency
Massive DOGE Whale Activity Hints at $1 Breakout

TL;DR
- Whales bought two billion DOGE this week, lifting their combined holdings to 27.6 billion coins.
- A single 900M DOGE transfer worth $208M to Binance drew attention to large exchange movements.
- DOGE broke key resistance, with momentum building for a possible push toward the $1 price mark.
Price and Market Moves
Dogecoin (DOGE) traded at $0.23 at press time, slipping 4% over the past day but still showing a 2% gain for the week. Daily turnover came in at about $6.18 billion.
Meanwhile, the broader crypto market saw over $1 billion in liquidations. Hotter-than-expected US Producer Price Index data pushed traders to scale back expectations of a near-term Federal Reserve rate cut. DOGE had roughly 290,500 coins liquidated during the sell-off.
On the two-week chart, analyst Trader Tardigrade notes that DOGE has cleared a downward-sloping resistance line after completing what appears to be a “wave V” in an Elliott Wave sequence. Similar setups in the past, where prolonged declines stayed within falling channels before breaking higher, have been followed by sharp rallies.
$Doge/2-week#Dogecoin is gaining strong momentum to surge above $1 pic.twitter.com/TuSEKr19nv
— Trader Tardigrade (@TATrader_Alan) August 15, 2025
Momentum gauges are also turning up. The Stochastic RSI, which had dropped into oversold territory, is now heading higher. Previous reversals from this zone have coincided with sustained upward moves. The current formation points to a possible run that could carry DOGE past the $1 mark.
Heavy Whale Buying and Large Transfers
As reported by CryptoPotato, blockchain data shows large investors have added two billion DOGE in the past week, spending just under $500 million. That brings their holdings to about 27.6 billion coins, or 18% of the supply. The buying streak has prompted speculation within the community.
Recently, Whale Alert flagged a 900 million DOGE transfer worth about $208 million into Binance. The tracking indicates that it originated from a wallet connected to the exchange, likely as an internal activity. The address involved holds 2.88 billion DOGE, one of the largest balances on the network.
Ali Martinez also reports that transactions above $1 million reached a one-month high, with activity building since early August and peaking as DOGE traded at $0.25.
Whales are back! Dogecoin $DOGE activity at a 1-month high. pic.twitter.com/C83Pv68mCt
— Ali (@ali_charts) August 14, 2025
Sentiment Building
Analyst Gordon described the current setup as “a nice bit of consolidation” before a potential breakout, adding,
“This will be one of the first coins normies FLOCK to & the pump will be MASSIVE.”
With whale accumulation rising, high-value transfers increasing, and a bullish technical pattern in play, DOGE is positioned for a potential push toward $1 if momentum holds.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
Cryptocurrency
Ripple Price Analysis: XRP at Risk as Key Support Levels Could Trigger Sharp Drop

XRP has recently entered a consolidation phase after a strong rally earlier this summer, with the price action now hovering around key resistance levels on both its USDT and BTC pairs. Yet, while momentum has slowed, the charts still indicate a generally bullish structure, with multiple key support levels remaining firmly in place.
Technical Analysis
By ShayanMarkets
The USDT Pair
On the XRP/USDT daily chart, the price is currently trading near the $3.10 mark, facing a strong resistance zone around $3.40. This follows a breakout above the $2.70 range in July, which has now flipped into a support area.
Both the 100-day and 200-day moving averages are also trending upward and recently formed a bullish crossover around $2.45, reinforcing the medium-term bullish sentiment. If the $3.40 resistance breaks, a push toward the critical $4.00 range becomes likely.
However, the RSI hovering near the neutral 50 level suggests a lack of strong momentum for now, meaning a short-term pullback into the $2.80 support zone is still possible.
This zone will be key for maintaining the bullish structure. Losing it could open the door for a deeper correction toward the 200-day moving average located around the $2.40 mark. Yet, as long as the price stays above the moving averages, the broader trend remains bullish.
The BTC Pair
Looking at the XRP/BTC chart, the pair has recently pulled back after hitting the 3,000 SAT resistance, with the price currently around 2,600 SAT.
This follows a clean breakout above the long-term descending channel and a successful retest of its upper boundary, which coincided with the 200-day moving average and the 2,400 SAT support zone. This confluence remains a key bullish technical factor, as holding above it could attract renewed buying pressure.
That said, RSI levels around 48 show that momentum has cooled after the sharp July rally, meaning XRP may continue ranging between 2,400 SAT and 3,000 SAT in the near term. A decisive close above 3,000 SAT would likely open the path to the 3,400 SAT zone, while losing 2,400 SAT could shift the bias back toward 2,000 SAT support. For now, the structure still favors the bulls as long as higher lows remain intact.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
Disclaimer: Information found on CryptoPotato is those of writers quoted. It does not represent the opinions of CryptoPotato on whether to buy, sell, or hold any investments. You are advised to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Use provided information at your own risk. See Disclaimer for more information.
Cryptocurrency charts by TradingView.
- Forex3 years ago
Forex Today: the dollar is gaining strength amid gloomy sentiment at the start of the Fed’s week
- Forex3 years ago
Unbiased review of Pocket Option broker
- Forex3 years ago
Dollar to pound sterling exchange rate today: Pound plummeted to its lowest since 1985
- Forex3 years ago
How is the Australian dollar doing today?
- Cryptocurrency3 years ago
What happened in the crypto market – current events today
- World3 years ago
Why are modern video games an art form?
- Commodities3 years ago
Copper continues to fall in price on expectations of lower demand in China
- Economy3 years ago
Crude oil tankers double in price due to EU anti-Russian sanctions