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Standard Chartered, Animoca Brands, and HKT Partner to Launch Hong Kong Dollar-Backed Stablecoin

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Standard Chartered Bank, HKT, and Animoca Brands are establishing a joint venture to issue a Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin. 

According to a press release today, the initiative follows the new regulatory framework set by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). The partnership aims to secure a license under this regime to introduce a compliant stablecoin into the financial system.

Bank-Grade Infrastructure and Stablecoin Expertise

Standard Chartered has a history of working with stablecoin issuers globally. The bank’s involvement enables the joint venture to utilize its established infrastructure and governance frameworks.

Moreover, SCBHK has participated in all HKMA-led tokenized money projects in recent years, reinforcing its position in Hong Kong’s digital asset sector. 

The bank’s role in the joint venture aligns with its broader strategy of supporting tokenized financial instruments, including stablecoins and central bank digital currencies. SCBHK intends to contribute governance, compliance, and risk management expertise to the venture.

Notably, the new stablecoin initiative is expected to play a role in integrating digital assets with traditional finance. Standard Chartered’s participation in HKMA’s stablecoin issuer sandbox has positioned it among the early players in Hong Kong’s regulated stablecoin market.

The venture plans to introduce a stablecoin designed for use across multiple applications, ensuring security and reliability for institutions and individuals.

Digital Payment Use Cases

Animoca Brands, headquartered in Hong Kong, will provide its expertise in the Web3 ecosystem. The company’s involvement will enable the joint venture to explore innovative stablecoin applications in blockchain-based transactions. 

Animoca Brands has emphasized the growing role of stablecoins in Web3 and aims to leverage its network to drive adoption. The venture will develop new use cases for stablecoins in retail and enterprise sectors.

Meanwhile, HKT, a leader in telecommunications and digital payments, will contribute its mobile wallet infrastructure.

The company aims to integrate stablecoins into domestic and cross-border transactions, enhancing efficiency in digital payments. HKT plans to utilize advanced Web3 technologies to support merchant transactions while ensuring security in digital payments.

Shiba Inu Targets $0.00004807 and $0.00007078 if Resistance is Surpassed, Analyst Says

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An analyst argues Shiba Inu must break the $0.00001856 resistance level to exit its downtrend and move toward the $0.00004807 and $0.00007078 levels.

Shiba Inu has experienced a significant downturn over the past month, with its 30-day performance declining by 29.6%. The downtrend signals sustained selling pressure, though long-term holders have still recorded gains. 

Over the past year, the asset has risen by 65.4%, indicating that despite short-term volatility, investors who held for an extended period maintain notable returns.

Meanwhile, its 7-day and 14-day gains of 0.5% and 7.4%, respectively, suggest signs of potential consolidation. However, a 1.5% drop in the past 24 hours highlights ongoing market uncertainty.

Amid the fluctuation, a TradingView analysis has identified critical price levels that could determine Shiba Inu’s next movement.

Shiba Inu Targets to Watch 

According to the analysis, breaking the asset’s downtrend requires surpassing the $0.00001856 resistance level. Failure to do so may sustain bearish pressure. 

SHIB/USDT Price Chart, TradingView
Shiba Inu Price Chart, TradingView

The analysis also points to a potential death cross formation near the $0.00001916 level on the daily time frame, a development that could trigger a deeper downtrend. However, the risk of a death cross diminishes if Shiba Inu closes a strong candle above $0.00002123 on the 8-hour chart.

The analyst also outlined potential price targets for the next two months. In a bullish scenario, Shiba Inu could reach $0.00004807 and $0.00007078. Conversely, in the event of a market correction, the asset may decline to $0.00001028.

Additionally, Shiba Inu’s performance remains closely linked to Ethereum’s price action. Per the analyst, a sustained uptrend in Ethereum may provide bullish momentum for Shiba Inu.

SHIB Breakout Potential

A separate analysis from Javon Marks presents a more optimistic projection for Shiba Inu’s price trajectory. The assessment indicates that the asset has broken out of a Falling Wedge pattern, a formation often associated with bullish reversals. If the pattern holds, the breakout could result in a significant price increase.

According to Marks, Shiba Inu could experience a rally of 422%, which would push its value to $0.00008841. This level would mark a new all-time high, surpassing previous peaks.

Bernstein Says Next Bitcoin Bull Run Is Loading, Expects US Fed to Sell Gold Reserve for BTC

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Leading brokerage firm Bernstein speculates that the U.S. Federal Reserve could issue debts or sell a portion of its gold reserve to purchase Bitcoin (BTC). 

The top broker made this bold prediction in a research report sent to clients today. According to the report, the digital assets presidential working group, led by Crypto Czar David Sacks, is focused on delivering a national Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR). 

If the SBR becomes a reality, Bernstein expects other nations to follow suit and acquire Bitcoin as a reserve asset. 

The potential creation of a national digital asset reserve has been a major topic of discussion. While some crypto enthusiasts argue the U.S. government might buy and hold only Bitcoin for over a decade, others suggested that the initiative might feature multiple crypto assets alongside BTC. 

Bernstein Shares Insights About Funding of Potential SBR 

Notably, Bernstein’s note also addressed two major structural questions relating to the potential Bitcoin reserve. 

The question revolves around which U.S. financial departments between the Treasury and Fed will acquire the Bitcoin for the reserve and how the acquisition will be funded. 

Per Bernstein, if the U.S. government chooses the Fed to acquire Bitcoin, this would require legislative approval. In terms of funding the BTC acquisition, Bernstein suggested that the Fed could either sell a portion of its gold reserves or issue debts. 

Another alternative, according to Bernstein, could involve adding the seized Bitcoin, totaling $20 billion, to the national digital asset reserve. 

Next Bitcoin Bull Run Loading 

Interestingly, Bernstein stated that the upcoming Bitcoin reserve could pave the way for the next leg of the bull market. The asset manager noted that anticipation for a Bitcoin ETF pushed the price of Bitcoin from $25,000 to $46,000 in January 2024, when the products launched. 

Afterward, strong inflows into the multiple Bitcoin ETFs further propelled Bitcoin price to $74,000. Meanwhile, optimism surrounding Donald Trump’s reelection later pushed the premier cryptocurrency to an all-time high of around $109,000. 

This optimism stems from Trump’s campaign promises to make the United States a leader in the global crypto industry. Now, Bernstein argues the creation of the Bitcoin reserve could usher in the next phase of the BTC bull run. 

Another potential catalyst for the next Bitcoin bull run is the rising institutional investments in Bitcoin ETFs. Specifically, Bernstein referenced a $437 million investment from Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala into BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).  

Other factors include MicroStrategy’s (now Strategy) continuous Bitcoin accumulation spree and potential crypto-friendly regulation in the U.S. 

At the Current Price of $2.67, Here’s How Much XRP Must Rise to Flip Ethereum

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As XRP continues to deliver stellar performance while Ethereum largely sees minimal movement, the gap between both assets continues to narrow.

As of today, XRP’s market cap stands at $155 billion based on its current circulating supply. Meanwhile, its fully diluted market cap (FDV) sits at $267 billion when accounting for escrowed tokens.

On the other hand, Ethereum maintains a consistent market cap and fully diluted cap, both standing at $331 billion.

With these close figures, commentaries have flooded the crypto community, suggesting that XRP could finally overtake Ethereum with just a 16% price surge from current levels.

In a tweet, Nic, Co-founder of Coin Bureau, highlighted that the XRP/ETH chart shows a major uptrend of 451% since November 2024. This suggests that XRP’s price has grown nearly five times against Ethereum over the past four months.

As a result, he concluded that the much-awaited flip is just a 50% price rally away.

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XRP/ETH chart by Nic

How Much Must XRP Rise to Flip Ethereum?

As XRP trades at $2.67 with an FDV of $267 billion, just a 24.70% price increase would be sufficient to attain a full cap of $333 billion, putting it ahead of Ethereum.

However, based on the popular ranking metric, which uses circulating supply, this valuation would not be enough to secure XRP the second spot. 

Specifically, a 25% surge would only elevate XRP’s price to $3.33, resulting in a market cap of $193 billion. Interestingly, XRP briefly held this position in mid-January but did not surpass Ethereum.

For XRP to attain a $333 billion cap from its current valuation of $155 billion, a more significant price movement is needed. Specifically, XRP’s price would need to increase by approximately 115% to reach a $333 billion cap. At this point, its price would be $5.76.

In this scenario, XRP would secure a spot behind only Bitcoin, becoming the second-largest crypto asset. Moreover, XRP’s fully diluted cap would be $576 billion at that price, placing it even farther ahead of Ethereum.

Notably, these estimations assume that Ethereum’s price remains stagnant or decreases while XRP continues to rise.

With Ethereum currently trading at $2,748, any further price advancements, such as reaching psychological levels like $2,800 or $3,000, would further delay the much-anticipated XRP flip.

SEC Shares Blame in Memecoin Rise: Ex-CFTC Chair

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Former Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Chris Giancarlo asserts that the SEC shares some of the blame for the dominance of memecoins in the current market cycle.

Amid the dominance of memecoins in crypto over the past year, a key question has become what is driving the rise.

While the discussion has long been around the allure of the sector’s high reward potential, disillusionment with the promise of altcoins, and worsening economic conditions, a rising theory suggests that regulators, specifically the Securities and Exchange Commission, could also be to blame.

The latest to champion this view is a former top market regulator.

A Disruption in Crypto’s Natural Evolution 

Former Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Chris Giancarlo has asserted that the SEC shares some of the blame for the dominance of memecoins in the current market cycle.

Giancarlo shared this view while speaking on a recent episode of the Thinking Crypto podcast, citing the agency’s barrage of enforcement actions with altcoins at the center.

“They [the SEC] attacked anything with value associated with it. So they created a landscape where memecoins effectively worthless were the only thing you could do,” he asserted.

The former top market regulator argued that the SEC’s so-called crypto regulation by enforcement campaign, which he slammed as an “abuse of authority,” had retarded the industry’s natural evolution.

Giancarlo is not the only one who has expressed this view in recent times.

Aligning with Changpeng Zhao

Recently, when trying to explain why the market seems to be gravitating more toward memecoins than utility tokens, former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao also pointed to the SEC.

“During the last four years, a powerful regulatory agency sued almost anyone with any utility token, falsely claiming they are securities. So, people started to launch memes,” he wrote.

The recent finger-pointing comes as there is a growing feeling that the memecoin craze is spiraling out of control, from dangerous promotional stunts to presidents raising ethical concerns about personal launches.

Still, the supposed conditions that nurtured this market environment may soon be set to improve as the regulatory climate in the U.S. appears to have taken a pro-crypto turn under the President Donald Trump administration.

The SEC, for one, has launched a crypto task force to inform sensible crypto regulations and clean up the perceived regulatory mess created by the former administration.

Dogecoin Risks Major Dip to $0.14 Amid MVRV Death Cross: Is a $1 Rebound Still Possible?

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Dogecoin (DOGE) has flashed a concerning technical signal that previously led to steep price corrections.

On-chain analyst Ali Martinez highlighted the development in a tweet today. He disclosed that DOGE’s Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) Ratio has just crossed below its 200-day moving average (MA), forming a bearish “death cross.”

Historical data suggests that this pattern has preceded significant downturns. Specifically, Dogecoin saw price declines of 26% and 44% the last two times this occurred. The latest crossover raises fears that DOGE could face another sharp correction if the pattern holds.

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Dogecoin historical chart by Martinez

MVRV Death Cross and Its Impact on Dogecoin Price

The MVRV Ratio is a key metric that indicates whether an asset is overvalued or undervalued by comparing its market price to the average price paid by investors. A cross below the 200-day MA signals a change in market sentiment from bullish to bearish.

For context, Dogecoin’s price has seen considerable volatility in recent months, with significant rallies followed by corrections. For instance, DOGE has fallen by 2.87% today. This has worsened its 30-day performance, which now shows a substantial 35% decline.

The latest dip follows a rally to nearly $0.30 on Friday after weeks of trading below this psychological threshold. While many had hoped the Dogecoin rebound would last, bearish sentiment is again gaining traction.

The MVRV death cross suggests that holders may be entering a loss phase, potentially triggering further sell-offs and adding downward pressure on the price.

Market Outlook for DOGE

Currently trading at $0.2622, the warning of a 26% to 44% correction implies that dip buyers may target new entries at $0.194 in the best case or even $0.14683 if conditions worsen.

For context, Dogecoin last traded in this range in October 2024, emphasizing the significance of the projected decline.

While historical trends lean bearish, broader market conditions and external catalysts—such as ETF news, whale accumulation, and social media hype—could help counteract the anticipated downturn.

In response to Martinez’s tweet, analyst CryptoLax suggested that Dogecoin bulls might find support around the $0.20 psychological level, which could serve as a basis for a rebound.

However, CryptoLax cautioned that the loss of key exponential moving averages (EMAs) could lead to further declines for DOGE.

While Martinez predicts the possibility of a major crash, other analysts remain optimistic. Some predict a 150% price surge for DOGE. Cas Abbe, in particular, noted that DOGE is currently in a bullish descending channel, similar to patterns seen in Q4 2023 and Q3 2024.

Abbe pointed out that both of these previous breakouts resulted in a 150% price increase. Meanwhile, he acknowledged that the sentiment around meme coins is currently low. Yet, he emphasized that Dogecoin has been a mainstay in the crypto space for a decade and is likely to maintain its presence.

“A $1 Dogecoin is a realistic price target for this cycle,” Abbe concluded.

How LIBRA Token Creator Compensated Dave Portnoy While Others Hold the Bag

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Portnoy spent 29,000 SOL worth $5.77 million on the LIBRA token roughly 9 minutes after it launched but has since received compensation for his losses.

Over the past few days, the crypto space has been racked with pump-and-dump allegations surrounding a token backed by Argentina President Javier Milei. However, while thousands of investors in the so-called LIBRA token have been left in the red, at least one insider who lost millions has been compensated.

Dave Portnoy Recoups Losses

One insider who had lost about $5.34 million on LIBRA was compensated $5 million. 

This insider, none other than Barstool founder David Portnoy, had spent 29,000 SOL worth $5.77 million on LIBRA tokens roughly 9 minutes after it launched at $2.51 per coin but quickly lost over $5 million as the token crashed amid speculation of foul play and as President Milei pulled his support, Lookonchain analysis showed on Monday, February 17.

After the loss, however, Portnoy was sent 5 million USDC in two tranches of 4.5 million USDC and 500,000 USDC. He also dumped his remaining LIBRA holdings after receiving this compensation.

The Lookonchain analysis broadly aligns with Portnoy’s account of events in a Monday, February 17, X post. The Barstool founder defended his refund by asserting that he was entitled to it as he had only invested in it thanks to trust in the primary member of the token creator team, adding that this individual had claimed that the refund was out of pocket.

The individual in question is crypto key opinion leader Hayden Davis, aka Kelsier Ventures. On Sunday, February 16, Portnoy disclosed that he was willing to become an advisor on the project following conversations with Davis and research on Milei. He also disclosed that he had received 6 million LIBRA to promote the project, which he has since returned.

The LIBRA Saga

The LIBRA saga began with a now-deleted X post on Friday, February 14, from Argentina President Javier Milei announcing the project’s launch to “encourage the growth of the Argentine economy.”

Unsurprisingly, crypto market speculators rushed to purchase the token, and its market cap quickly reached above $4 billion.

However, concerns just as quickly emerged, as crypto analytics platforms started to report that the token creator was taking out liquidity from the project to the tune of $87 million.

These concerns gained prominence as Milei pulled his support for the project, stressing that he was not associated with it and was previously unaware of the details. He added that having become aware of the details, he was no longer interested in pushing it.

At this point, the token has crashed to over 90% as investors rushed to exit.

Just a Big Misunderstanding?

In an interview with “internet detective” Stephen “Coffeezilla” Findstein, Hayden Davis, who has admitted to being in control of the project’s liquidity and treasury, asserted that the move to pull out liquidity and even insider trading that yielded $6 million in profits, were all part of a complex strategy to support the project.

He argued that liquidity was pulled from the market to ensure that external snipers who had become whales did not dump all their holdings at once, crashing the market. He claimed that liquidity would have been put back as marketing efforts brought in more investors that could allow the market to mature. He claimed the same for the $6 million obtained from insider trading.

Davis has admitted to be sitting on about $100 million from LIBRA, which he has committed to put back into the market within the next 48 hours.

Whether this will be enough to make investors besides Barstool’s Portnoy whole remains to be seen.

Milei, meanwhile, faces the threat of impeachment and a fraud lawsuit. Davis has also been linked to the Melania Trump-backed MELANIA token.

2 Factors That Could Take Cardano to $7, Analyst Says ADA Will Flip Dogecoin and USDC

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Popular crypto analyst Tim Warren expresses bullish optimism about Cardano (ADA) price and market standing.

In a recent analysis, Warren issued a bold forecast for Cardano, emphasizing that the coin is capable of flipping assets like Dogecoin (DOGE) and USD Coin (USDC) and potentially competing for the sixth or seventh position. 

Currently, Cardano ranks as the ninth biggest cryptocurrency, with a market value of $28 billion. In comparison, USDC and DOGE stand as the seventh and eighth largest cryptocurrencies, with market caps of $56.47 billion and $38.57 billion, respectively. 

This indicates that ADA must soar by 40% and 110% from its valuation to overtake DOGE and USDC, respectively, assuming both tokens do not experience any significant growth.  

2 Factors That Could Drive ADA Price to $7 

Furthermore, Warren highlighted two major events that could drive ADA’s price to loftier targets like $7. According to him, ADA would experience a major surge during a strong bull market.

Also, he noted that ADA’s price could soar if the U.S. government adopts the Cardano blockchain for tracking spending. 

For context, with Elon Musk disclosing plans to adopt blockchain technology to foster the operations of the DOGE federal agency, many believe Cardano could be a potential choice for this initiative. 

Interestingly, Warren argued that if the U.S. government eventually adopts Cardano for this purpose, ADA could clinch a market cap of $250 billion. According to him, this translates to a unit price of $7, given its circulating supply of 35.9 billion tokens. 

Achieving a price target of $7 requires ADA to soar 776.53% from its current level of $0.7986.

Warren’s projection comes days after Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson forecasted that ADA will emerge as one of the cycle’s biggest gainers. 

Expert Sees ADA Hitting $10 This Year 

Meanwhile, ADA has demonstrated strong resilience over the past few weeks after plunging to a 3-month low of $0.63 on February 3. 

Interestingly, it rebounded to above $0.81 before experiencing a slight correction to $0.7986. At press time, ADA is up 2.48% in the past 24 hours and 13.85% in the past seven days. 

Following its recent surge, pseudonymous crypto commentator “SlumDOGE Millionaire” expressed conviction that Cardano could hit $10 by year’s end. For context, this would represent a 1,152% surge from the current price. 

Here’s How High XRP Price May Reach if It Follows This Cup and Handle Pattern

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XRP price could reclaim recently lost peaks if a prevalent cup and handle pattern on the 30-minute chart follows through.

This is according to market analyst Ali Martinez (Ali Charts), who remains bullish on XRP despite the ongoing consolidation phase. For context, XRP’s price action has been largely uncertain throughout February, with a recent recovery push facing resistance at $2.83 on Saturday, Feb. 15. 

The latest rebound effort followed a pullback that dominated the scene for several weeks. Notably, XRP collapsed after hitting a high of $2.8 on Feb. 4, 2025, as the month of February introduced intense bearish pressure across the entire crypto market.

XRP Price Forms Cup and Handle Pattern

Interestingly, while the ensuing retracement triggered concerns, Martinez has observed in his latest analysis that this downturn led to the formation of what he identifies as the cup portion of a bullish cup and handle structure on the 30-minute chart.

XRP Price Action forms Cup and Handle Pattern Ali Charts
XRP Price Action forms Cup and Handle Pattern | Ali Charts

Nonetheless, XRP price secured a rebound from this pullback on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, amid reports confirming that the U.S. SEC had acknowledged NYSE Arca’s 19b-4 filing to trade the Grayscale XRP ETF. Shortly after, the SEC also acknowledged the filing for the 21Shares XRP ETF. 

XRP’s price skyrocketed on the back of these developments, surging from $2.43 in the late hours of Feb. 13 to the recent high of $2.83 on Feb. 15. This essentially marked the end of the cup portion linked to the cup and handle pattern.

Meanwhile, following the latest recovery, XRP is now facing a gradual pullback, with the bulls working hard to ensure they transform this to a consolidation phase instead. However, XRP still faces a generally downward trend, leading to the formation of the handle pattern.

Possible Push to $3.35

Currently, XRP has collapsed from the $2.83 peak to a current price of $2.68, reflecting a 5.3% drop over the past two days. Nonetheless, data from Martinez’s chart suggests that this downtrend is likely to continue for a few more hours, possibly leading to a drop toward the lower end of the $2.6 price level.

However, the analyst believes a breakout from the handle structure would lead to a massive upward push. Ali Martinez’s chart shows that this push could take XRP price toward the $3.35 price mark, representing a 25% increase from the current level.

Meanwhile, another analyst CryptoWZRD had previously suggested what could happen to XRP if it retests the $3.35 level and successfully breaks above it. According to his January analysis, such a successful breakout could take XRP to $4, the next psychological region, marking a new all-time high.

Ai16z Crashes 15% After Hackers Accessed Founder’s Account to Promote Scam ELIZA Token

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Hackers compromised the X account of Shaw, the founder of the AI agent token ai16z, and promoted a scam ELIZA token.

Multiple sources reported the Sunday exploit, with Shaw himself confirming it much later. He revealed that bad actors gained access to his X account inexplicably and promoted a Solana-based token with the ticker ELIZA.

According to DexScreener, the token surged considerably following the launch, hitting a high of $0.01162. However, the scam token has capitulated over 13% to its current price of $0.01008.

Token Unrelated to Shaw

The Modern Market Show contributor S4mmy first confirmed the suspicious activity on Shaw’s X account. He advised against interacting with the account or investing in the scam token ELIZA.

Furthermore, ai16z’s official X account attested to the hack, insisting the AI agent project has not launched a new token. The protocol also warned users of falling for the trick, encouraging abstinence from the X account.

A few hours later, Shaw verified that he had recovered his account. He branded the hack a “well-designed and targeted” attack, as he has several levels of protection, including two-factor authentication (2FA), a password manager, and a strong password.

Meanwhile, Shaw apologized to users who had lost their funds to the rug pull.

Notably, Shaw’s account of the hack failed to convince a faction of the crypto community, who suggested he may have a hand in it. Nonetheless, these assertions remain purely speculative and unconfirmed.

The reasons for the bias followed a recent disclosure from popular rapper Kanye West. For context, the artist revealed a company offered him $2 million to fake a hack and scam his community by promoting a fake Solana token.

Ai16z Falls 15% Amid Mixed Reactions

The AI agent token experienced an intense sell-off amid the uncertainties surrounding Shaw’s X hack, retracing over 15% to a low of $0.355. However, it has rebounded slightly to $0.3702 at press time.

Moreover, the token has corrected massively in the past month after a strong market outing late last year. Monday’s consolidation increased its monthly depletion to over 64%, and it is now 85% away from its all-time high of $2.509.

Nonetheless, this is one of the recent X compromises involving notable accounts. The decentralized exchange aggregator Jupiter’s account was recently hacked and used to promote a scam token with the ticker MEOW.

In the past, accounts belonging to footballer Kylian Mbappe, food chain McDonald’s, and EigenLayerX have faced similar plights amid the growing trend of social media hacks to rug pull users.