Jan 20, 2025: Our weekly Institutional Insights explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

 explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

Weekly Highlight — Cooling CPI Relieves Market

Recent data indicated a stagnation or potential reversal in inflation progress, with a key measure of underlying price hikes — the core Consumer Price Index (CPI) — remaining unchanged for months. However, this trend shifted on Wednesday, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a slowdown in the core CPI for the first time in months.

The CPI, which tracks price changes for commonly purchased goods and services, showed an overall increase of 0.4% from November 2024, lifting the annual rate to 2.9%. This rise was primarily driven by surging gas and food prices, with energy costs alone contributing to 40% of the monthly increase. Food prices also remained high, impacted by weather conditions and disease affecting key staples like meat and eggs.

Excluding volatility for food and energy prices, the core CPI only rose 0.2% from November, easing to 3.2% after being stuck at 3.3% since September 2024. Market reactions were positive, as traders hoped the Federal Reserve would continue its rate-cutting campaign.

While inflation has slowed since peaking at 9.1% in June 2022, the journey back to normalcy has been bumpy. Everyday item prices are now 21% higher than in 2021, straining household budgets, particularly for lower-income Americans. Though wages have risen faster than inflation over the past 20 months, they still lag behind pre-pandemic levels.

This latest CPI report, the last before President Biden transitions power to president-elect Trump, underscores the ongoing challenges in managing inflation, particularly for essential goods and services.

Weekly Crypto Highlight — Crypto Cases Drop Before Trump’s Inauguration

Digital Currency Group and its subsidiary, Genesis Global Capital, reached a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday, indicative of a broader trend among cryptocurrency firms resolving regulatory issues as the Biden administration approaches its conclusion. Over the past week, multiple U.S. regulatory agencies — including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Justice Department and the SEC — have announced various settlements and charges across at least six cases involving digital assets, signaling a renewed focus on enforcement as the administration winds down.

During Biden's term, more than 100 enforcement actions were filed against crypto companies, reflecting heightened scrutiny of the industry. However, with president-elect Donald Trump set to take office, there’s an expectation of a paradigm shift in regulatory approaches. Trump, once a critic of cryptocurrencies, has appointed crypto-friendly officials to key positions and intends to prioritize legislation that supports the industry.

For many crypto firms, settling with regulators is seen as a strategic move. Legal experts note that such settlements allow these companies to close contentious chapters and redirect their efforts in a potentially more favorable regulatory environment. Jonathan Groth, a partner at DGIM Law, commented on the implications of the incoming administration, suggesting that support for extensive enforcement actions may diminish.

Recent high-profile cases include a $5 million fine against Gemini for regulatory violations and a $100 million penalty for BitMEX due to failures in 

 measures. Additional actions have targeted fraudulent schemes, and individuals involved in illegal cryptocurrency activities. As the regulatory landscape shifts, firms settling with agencies may be positioning themselves for a fresh start under a more accommodating regime.

Advanced

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Weekly Institutional Insights: Cooling CPI Relieves Market; Bitcoin Regains $100K Ahead of Trump’s Inauguration

Dive into HeyAnon, an innovative protocol launched by experienced DeFi builder Daniele Sesta, and merging DeFi interactions with AI agents.

 (DeFi) protocol designed to simplify DeFi interactions. By integrating conversational artificial intelligence (AI) with real-time data aggregation, HeyAnon empowers users to manage DeFi operations seamlessly. From 

 to tracking project updates and analyzing trends, HeyAnon combines natural language processing and actionable insights to redefine the DeFi user experience.

This article explores the emergence of DeFAI (DeFi + AI), HeyAnon’s groundbreaking features and its role in shaping the future of DeFi.

DeFAI is the birth child of DeFi and AI. It represents a groundbreaking evolution in blockchain technology, whereby AI agents are integrated into DeFi. This emerging sector goes beyond traditional AI applications, focusing on automating on-chain activities through autonomous trading agents, abstraction layers and AI-driven DApps.

The term gained traction during the rise of the AI agent meta, beginning with projects like 

 (GOAT), an innovation born from Andy Ayrey’s Truth Terminal experiment. 

This movement has spurred the creation of numerous AI agents and frameworks, eventually pushing the AI agent market to a peak 

 (as of Jan 15, 2025). Despite its overlap with AI agent concepts, DeFAI has carved out a distinct niche valued at $1 billion, emphasizing deeper blockchain integration. 

Unlike early AI agents, which primarily operated as bots posting on social media with limited on-chain utility, DeFAI agents can participate in blockchain activities. This shift indicates the prioritization of tangible applications, such as automated trading, staking and 

 is an AI agent network built to simplify DeFi interactions while providing users with unparalleled access to real-time information. By combining conversational AI with robust data aggregation capabilities, HeyAnon creates a seamless interface for managing DeFi operations.

Designed with user experience in mind, HeyAnon leverages natural language processing (NLP) to allow users to execute complex DeFi tasks through simple conversations. From automating bridging, swapping, staking and borrowing to monitoring market trends, HeyAnon streamlines operations that typically require advanced technical knowledge.

HeyAnon’s strength lies in its ability to aggregate data from diverse sources, such as X (Twitter), Telegram, Discord, GitHub and GitBook. It provides insights into project updates, community sentiment, development activity and price fluctuations, enabling users to make informed decisions with ease.

Essentially, HeyAnon aims to bridge the gap between technical complexity and user accessibility, improving the way we experience DeFi.

, a renowned figure in DeFi and the crypto market. Sesta is widely recognized for his past projects, including Wonderland (TIME), a decentralized reserve currency protocol that made waves during the DeFi 2.0 era.

HeyAnon empowers users to streamline their DeFi experience with the following features, while remaining informed, efficient and in control.

By leveraging advanced natural language processing (NLP), HeyAnon enables conversational interactions for managing DeFi operations. Users can perform tasks such as staking, swapping tokens or borrowing simply by engaging in a natural conversation with the platform. This intuitive interface eliminates the steep learning curve often associated with DeFi, making it accessible to both newcomers and seasoned users.

HeyAnon excels at consolidating real-time data from diverse sources, including X (Twitter), Telegram, Discord, GitHub and GitBook. By aggregating project updates, community sentiment, development activity and market data, HeyAnon provides users with actionable insights at a glance. For instance, it can monitor GitHub commits or X (Twitter) sentiment to keep users informed about a project’s health and progress.

Automation lies at the core of HeyAnon’s utility, simplifying the following complex DeFi tasks.

, in which several innovative projects are also making their mark. Following is an overview of some key players.

 is a prominent competitor that focuses on leveraging AI to simplify on-chain interactions.

 specializes in providing crypto market intelligence and automating the process of tracking market trends and interpreting data. 

 is an AI agent that aims to transform the way users interact with DeFi. It’s developed by 

, a company that builds infrastructure merging AI and blockchain capabilities. Orbit is available on over 100 blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana, and across thousands of DeFi protocols.

The ANON token is central to HeyAnon’s ecosystem, serving governance, community benefits and treasury purposes. As the governance token for the Anon DAO, ANON grants holders voting rights to shape HeyAnon’s development, influence agent skills and determine platform features. Holders enjoy free and/or discounted AI agent services, and can actively participate in shaping the project's road map and priorities.

, ensuring transparent fund use within the DAO’s treasury. Further details can be found in 

HeyAnon is one of the most promising projects in the emerging DeFAI market, combining advanced AI capabilities with actual utility. Its innovative features — automation, cross-chain interactions and data aggregation — could position it as a leader in DeFi and AI innovation.

With a strong team and an experienced DeFi founder in Daniele Sesta, HeyAnon’s road map is set to drive community-led development and enhanced DeFi solutions.

Intermediate

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HeyAnon (ANON): Daniele Sesta’s New DeFAI Platform

Swiss bank PostFinance has partnered with Sygnum to launch Ethereum staking, allowing customers to earn passive income via Ethereum blockchain integration into its e-finance platform.

Daily Top Performer — Morpho Protocol (MORPHO)

The S&P 500 dropped 0.21%, ending a three-day rise, with tech losses offset by gains in utilities, real estate, and industrials. Gold prices rose above $2,700, driven by weak US retail sales, rising jobless claims, and dovish comments from Fed Governor Waller, which fueled expectations of rate cuts. Falling bond yields further supported the uptrend, with gold targeting $2,750. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was up by 2.10%, with Bitcoin rising by 0.69% and Ether dropping by 3.34%, in the past 24 hours. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today's top performer is MORPHO, which surged nearly 37.1% following the launch of Coinbase's seamless crypto-backed loans powered by Morpho infrastructure.

Morpho Protocol (MORPHO), founded in 2021, is a decentralized Ethereum-based lending platform with a P2P order matching system. It offers customizable markets and Morpho Vaults for various risk levels. Initially launched in 2022 for Aave and Compound, it introduced Morpho Blue in 2024 for flexible lending. Morpho Labs continues to develop Morpho while supporting the original Morpho Optimizers. 

, allowing users to borrow USDC against BTC via the Coinbase app. The product offers competitive rates, flexible terms, and a seamless experience. This move highlights the growing use of Morpho's infrastructure for onchain finance, with more institutions expected to follow suit.

Check Out the Latest Prices, Charts, and Data of 

 with Sygnum to launch Ethereum staking, allowing customers to earn passive income via Ethereum blockchain integration into its e-finance platform. Customers can start staking with a minimum deposit of 0.1 ETH, and rewards will be displayed alongside other crypto assets. The service is currently limited to Ethereum, with plans to expand to other cryptocurrencies in the future.

Yesterday, Bitcoin spot ETF flows totaled $98.2M, driven by $168.2M inflows from non-GBTC products, offset by a $70M outflow from GBTC.

. Wave 1 eligibility is now live, limited to specific Quai Discord roles, with more waves to follow. NFT holders might qualify for allocations, though it's not yet confirmed.

Beginner

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PostFinance Launches Ethereum Staking for Passive Income on E-Finance Platform

Top Hat is an AI-based token launchpad built on the Solana blockchain. Learn about how this project works in this article.

There’s currently a huge demand for token launchpads that allow everyday consumers to create their own 

 plans to meet this demand by pairing classic launchpad design with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This exciting new product has the potential to make token creation more accessible and convenient than ever. If you're interested in learning more about Top Hat's design, check out this helpful guide.

Top Hat is an AI-based token launchpad built on the 

 blockchain. This user-friendly system requires no coding ability, and allows people to create personalized tokens and 

Not much is known about the team behind Top Hat. The project is a fairly new one, having just started in October 2024 and being made available to the public the next month. As of January 2025, its creators haven’t announced their identities. Instead, all of the communication from the Top Hat team 

 a Twitter/X account. Though this account hasn't revealed much about the creators' motivations or experience, it has disclosed that its team is focused on promoting AI and making Solana development fun and accessible.

Top Hat's goal is to provide the most user-friendly and low-effort experience possible. There’s a huge demand for launchpads, but many companies struggle to create one that can handle all of their potential users. By incorporating AI design, Top Hat hopes to reduce the burden of running a launchpad.

Top Hat’s other primary goal is to create a convenient space for people designing new cryptocurrencies and AI agents. Traditional web3 launches often require users to have advanced technical knowledge — such as the ability to code. Top Hat does away with such requirements, and instead guides users through a convenient interface. AI prompts, simple wording and clear menus make it much easier for the average person to create their own Solana-based token.

Top Hat runs on a Solana base integrated with Telegram, X and other social media sites. Solana is used to manage the cryptocurrency side of the website, generate tokens and keep track of individual transactions. 

Meanwhile, generative AI is used to create social media posts for each AI agent. This allows users' agents to develop their own personalities and socialize with each other. To guide users through the process of making AI agents, Top Hat employs the following mechanisms.

The manual build process allows people to create a customized, blockchain-based AI character. Simply link a Solana wallet, and follow the prompts from Top Hat as it asks for details about your desired personality, culture and goals for your character. A manual build also lets you create a new token and specify details such as token supply.

For those with a less defined concept, Top Hat also features a 

 setting. A user simply inputs their token contract address, and Top Hat's AI system will fill in all the details of the character for them. This can be useful for those who want to work with an AI agent but don't want to spend time designing the agent themselves.

Top Hat's creation options also include the ability to clone a public personality. Instead of defining a character themselves, users can simply enter the X account of a person, and the AI launchpad design will analyze and mimic that person's account. 

In just a few months, Top Hat has launched the public version of its site and acquired over 2,000 users. In 2025, Top Hat hopes to capitalize on its success by launching 

. This new and improved version of the site will include a full rebrand and more features for users to try out:

The HAT token plays a critical role in the Top Hat ecosystem. It's currently the native token for the site. Top Hat plans to add additional utilities in the future, such as fee payments and/or voting usage. The HAT token is 

, and the project’s owners plan to use the resulting revenue to buy back and burn 

There’s a maximum supply of 1 billion HAT tokens and a current total/circulating supply of just under 990 million. Because HAT is meant to be as accessible as possible, it features no predetermined distribution. Instead, anyone who wishes to acquire HAT can buy it directly from the market.

Looking to trade Top Hat tokens? Bybit now offers the HAT/USDT Spot trading pair. To get started, you’ll need to first create a Bybit account, fund it with cryptocurrency and navigate to the 

The Top Hat project is an exciting look at how crypto, AI and web3 technologies can be combined. It's grown rapidly, and has already acquired many users. This optimistic outlook is supported by HAT’s performance. Since its debut, its price has primarily stayed in the $0.05 to $0.10 range. There have been some notable price spikes, and a steady price increase that indicates opportunities for investors to profit. 

HAT certainly has some positive qualities, but keep in mind that this product is lacking in a lot of detail. Without knowing much about the team, or having a clearly defined idea of how the project’s technology runs, it's hard to say whether Top Hat is set up for long-term success. Therefore, it's a somewhat risky investment that investors need to approach cautiously. For best results, HAT should only be a small part of a diverse portfolio. Always 

 carefully before buying cryptocurrencies.

Through the power of AI, Top Hat makes it quick and easy to design custom, blockchain-based agents. These characters are capable of engaging with others on social media and managing complex plot lines. Thus, they have numerous applications for entertainment and meme coins. While Top Hat is still a new project that needs to fully prove its utility, it's already done a great job of appealing to a select group of web3 AI enthusiasts.

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Top Hat (HAT): Solana's First No-Code AI Agent Launchpad

Bybit Learn

Candlestick

Trading

Did you know it is possible to predict the market by reading the candlestick chart? Here's how you can translate these patterns into profits!

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Did you know that candlestick charts appeared over three centuries ago? The candlestick chart was invented in the 1700s by a Japanese rice trader — Munehisa Homma (or Homna, also known as Sokyu Honma or Homma). He used the candlestick elements (Open High and Close Low) to represent the prices in a trading period.

Today, almost all financial markets rely on candlestick charts for price representation.

Read on as we explain everything you need to know about candlestick charts, including how to read and trade with them for profit. 

 is a trading approach that analyzes financial instruments such as stocks, commodities and digital currencies through past price data and trading volumes. Market participants like traders and investors use technical analysis to pinpoint patterns and market movements that can guide them in choosing when to purchase, sell or hold a particular asset.

, which delves into the inherent value of an asset by evaluating a company's financial well-being, sector trends and other qualitative aspects, technical analysis focuses primarily on asset price and volume information.

Crypto charts provide traders with a visual representation of valuable information about the historical and current price movements of cryptocurrencies, as well as their trading volumes. Analyzing these charts allows you to gain insights into the market's behavior so you can make more strategic investment decisions. 

Key elements that crypto charts reveal include price trends, 

 and momentum indicators. These charts unearth patterns based on previous price action, providing a large context for information from indicators like 

 (RSI). Each chart pattern serves as a tool for identifying potential investment opportunities.

Using Trend Analysis to Understand Bull and Bear Markets

Trend analysis is essential for understanding 

, as it assists traders and investors in determining the market's overall direction. Market participants can make educated investment choices by recognizing and interpreting these trends. Here's how trend analysis can aid in understanding bull and bear markets.

A candlestick chart is a combination of multiple candles a trader uses to anticipate the price movement in any market. In other words, a candlestick chart is a technical tool that gives traders a complete visual representation of how the price of an asset has moved over a given period.

The candlestick chart is a crucial price action tool that shows detailed information about price, including the open, close, high and low for a particular time frame. Still, it’s confusing when compared side-by-side with a bar chart.

Here’s an example of the bar chart and candlestick chart:

The bar chart and the candlestick chart may look similar, but there’s indeed a difference. In a candlestick chart, the relationship between open and close is represented by the color of the body. In contrast, the bars have a single vertical line and two horizontal lines on either side of the vertical line.

 forms on a price chart, crypto traders can anticipate 

 or reversals. Therefore, both a single candlestick and a group of candlesticks are essential to define a crypto trading asset’s upcoming price movement. 

A comprehensive understanding of crypto trading charts is essential for anyone delving into cryptocurrency trading. These charts offer valuable insights into the market dynamics of digital assets, allowing traders to act decisively and capitalize on potential opportunities. Here's a breakdown of the critical components found in a typical crypto trading chart.

The trading pair represents two cryptocurrencies that can be exchanged for one another on a trading platform (e.g., BTC/ETH or BTC/USD). The first crypto quoted is usually the base currency, and the second crypto is the quoted currency.

Current Price, Mark Price, Last Traded Price

 The current price reflects the trading prices currently available for both buyers and sellers, as reflected by the 

 of the market. The mark price, also known as the fair price, is an estimated value that aims to provide a reasonable price valuation. It’s sometimes derived from an average across multiple exchanges or a combination of 

. Finally, the last traded price refers to the price at which the asset was traded in the most recent transaction.

The high and low prices indicate the maximum and minimum values reached by the trading pair during a specific time frame (e.g., 24 hours, one week, or one month)

The 24-hour trading volume represents the total amount of the trading pair exchanged within the past 24 hours.

 The unit of time corresponds to the time intervals displayed on a crypto trading chart, such as 1-minute, 15-minute, 1-hour or 1-day intervals.

 The price chart is a visual representation of the historical and current price movements of the trading pair over the selected time frame.

 Trading volume is the total quantity of the trading pair exchanged during a specific period, typically shown as a bar chart below the price chart.

 A limit order allows a trader to specify the maximum or minimum price at which they are willing to buy or sell a cryptocurrency.

 is an order type that automatically sells a cryptocurrency when its price drops to a preset level, helping to minimize potential losses.

The moving average line is a technical indicator that calculates the average price of a cryptocurrency over a specific period, smoothing out price fluctuations and revealing the underlying trend. Common moving averages include the 

Firstly, let’s have a look at a visual look of a candlestick:

Above we can see a bullish and a bearish candlestick, with opening and closing prices in opposite directions. 

The main body is the broader part of the candlestick that shows the opening and closing prices. In a bullish candle, the opening price is below the closing price, indicating the price has risen over the trading session’s period. 

On the other hand, the opening price is above the closing price in a bearish candle, showing that the price has decreased during the trading period.

The length of the candle’s body represents the market pressure. An extended length indicates strong movement, while a short length represents minor price movement.

Now, let’s learn how to read the red and green candlesticks in any crypto pair.

Typically, the green color (or buying pressure) of a candle represents a bullish candlestick, and red indicates a bearish candlestick. However, you can change the color at any time according to your choice and trading template. 

The wick is the thinner part of the candlestick, attached above and below the candle body. The wick above the candlestick’s real body indicates the highest price level during the trading time frame.

Opening High and Closing Low Price (OHLC) Explained

An OHLC (open-high-low-close) candlestick chart type shows the open, high, low and closing prices for a particular time period. 

The open level is the price at which the previous candle closes. This price will move up or down, and will create a new high or low. When the candle closes, it will point to a new closing price. The future price of a candlestick stock depends on how these levels (OHCL) appear. 

Let’s say that Bitcoin’s price has moved above $30,000 on a particular day, making a high above the crucial $30,000 level. However, the price then moves lower and closes the daily candle below $30,000 by forming a Doji or pin bar pattern.

It simply means that buyers tried to take the price above the $30,000 level but failed, and sellers thus took control over the price. This is a clear indication that the price has failed to achieve stability above $30,000, and that it may be a good idea to sell now.

Each candlestick forms patterns that traders can use to recognize major support and resistance levels. A great way to start is to first identify the candlestick patterns. Here’s what you need to know.

When Does a Candlestick Pattern Start to Show?

Candlestick patterns are a combination of some candlesticks representing a story about buyers and sellers for a particular time. However, price movement in financial markets depends on both supply and demand, and on traders’ emotions (which create “market sentiment,” or the market’s overall tone or mood). As soon as the price reaches a resistance or support level, candlestick patterns will start to emerge.

Therefore, when a price moves to a significant zone, candlestick patterns will become very important. 

For example, Bitcoin’s high psychological level of $60,000 in the spring of 2021 became a strong resistance level that attracted many buyers and sellers.

Let’s look at the BTC/USD graphic below.

Bitcoin creates an indecisive candle near the significant round number of $60,000, indicating a starting point of a pullback. Its price then falls with an impulsive bearish pressure toward the downside.

So, what will you do if you find an appropriate candlestick pattern at a critical support or resistance level?

You should closely track buyers’ and sellers’ activity, and enter a trade once the direction is set. The best solution is to wait for an appropriate candlestick pattern at either a support or resistance level, and enter your trade after a rejection.

Understanding Candlestick Chart Patterns and Trends

Trends are usually represented by the ups and downs of an asset’s price on the candlestick chart. The high and low points of several small trends are grouped to form a more significant trend.

: These appear when a chart has new low points, higher than the previous lows, and new high points that are higher than the previous highs. During an upward trend, traders are confident to trade, and the market is generally bullish. 

: As opposed to upward trends, a downward trend’s chart has new high points, lower than previous high points, and new low points that are also lower than previous low points. 

: The prices in a consolidation trend don’t move consistently in one direction. Instead, the movement switches between high and low, with the high and low points being relatively close to one another and forming a “channel.”

Candlesticks charts are like books in which a trader can easily read the price from left to right. They’re not technical to read, but there’s a learning curve to analyzing the chart. 

There are no specific rules, but it’s recommended that you start reading candlesticks from the far left until you see the first candlestick. Focus on the speed of the trend and candlestick formation at its end. 

Let’s take a look at a practical example to understand better.

Here we can see a daily Bitcoin chart in which the price has started to move higher with a 

. Later on, the trend corrects and moves lower. The price then forms another bullish engulfing pattern, moves higher and forms a new high.

Still, the best way to interpret the data of a candlestick chart is by using technical tools, such as stochastic and RSI indicators and moving averages, for an accurate price direction.

How to Read Candlestick Charts In Crypto Trading Like a Pro

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