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

Altcoins

Crypto

Crypto airdrop involves the free distribution of coins and tokens to users in exchange for project visibility. But is it truly free? Here's what you need to know.

Crypto-Airdrop.jpg

There are thousands of cryptocurrencies to date, and new ones are surfacing every other day. Each of these projects may stand out from its mechanisms, the purpose it serves but many of these projects struggle to bring mass awareness to the public. And that’s where crypto airdrop comes in. 

Crypto airdrop is typically considered a marketing stunt involving sending free crypto coins or tokens to users’ wallets and this tactic has now grown in popularity, and many new cryptos are using it to expand adoption.

In this article, we explore crypto airdrops and whether there are any risks associated with them.

Crypto airdrop involves free distribution of any new coins or tokens to users who own a specific coin. The purpose of giving out free coins is to increase a project’s visibility, increase the crypto’s 

, stimulate trade of the token and foster a thriving community.

For example, if you hold some Bitcoins you may be entitled to the corresponding tokens like XLM that are proportional to the amount of BTC/XLM. Generally, the endowment effect from crypto airdrop prolongs the lifespan of a coin in which airdrop recipients tend to value an owned object higher than its market value. Thus, lowering the selling pressure of a coin through the effective holding (HODL) of the airdropped coin for the long term. 

Besides generating users’ interest in the crypto space, it also makes the token valuable early on so that existing holders can start trading them immediately. Therefore, startups that want to enhance their crypto exposure use crypto airdrops.

Let’s say when a developer is ready to airdrop free crypto, they’ll generate hype posts about their upcoming coin — be it on their project’s website, or a third-party airdrop tracking website, or on Medium. The post is then shared across all social media crypto groups so that enthusiasts are aware of this new currency’s arrival.

When it’s time to release the cryptocurrency, the developers send a few tokens to users on a specific blockchain platform. For instance, a startup might choose to send free crypto to specific wallet addresses on Bitcoin and Neo Networks.

To be eligible for a crypto airdrop, you might be required to hold a certain token in your wallet or have a specific minimum balance. For example, people holding 

 will keep getting BitTorrent BTT crypto airdrops 

Alternatively, users may have to complete specific tasks in exchange for a crypto airdrop, such as posting about this new crypto on their social media pages.

Are Crypto Airdrops Similar to Initial Coin Offerings?

An initial coin offering (ICO) isn’t the same as a crypto airdrop, since the former is, in fact, crowdfunding for upcoming crypto.

In an initial coin offering, the developers launch a white paper of the project that explains how it will work and the number of tokens that will be mined. Then, they give investors a reduced price for tokens if they purchase them earlier on in the campaign.

On the other hand, in crypto airdrops, developers actually give away free tokens to raise awareness about their projects.

Although an airdrop is meant to create a crypto community for the introduction of the new coin, it doesn’t always work. For example, the token’s price might dip, leaving the recipients with little to no gains. However, there are many examples of success too. One of them is the 1inch Airdrop.

 tokens to over 55,000 wallet addresses. People who had completed a transaction before Sept. 15, or conducted four trades or transactions by Dec. 24 worth $20 or more, were eligible. When 1inch launched in Dec. 2020, its token’s price was $2.70. By April, 1INCH had risen above $6. Currently, the token is priced

Crypto airdrops may take place in different ways. The most common method is to deposit free tokens into a user’s wallet for minimal tasks, like registering their email address or posting on social media.

Here are some of the various types of airdrops.

In a bounty airdrop, the recipient has to do something in exchange for the free coins. For instance, they may have to tweet about this new project or post on Instagram and tag their friends in the post.

These requirements are set to increase awareness around the project: the more people who know about it, the better it is for the developers.

This is precisely what it sounds like. The recipients have to sign up for a newsletter or perform a similar task in exchange for an airdrop.

These airdrops are exclusively for some users, especially those who have been loyal users of a particular community, website or project.

A hard fork airdrop is different from a regular airdrop because a new token is created from a blockchain. Let’s say that Token X is Blockchain A’s crypto. When it hard forks, it creates Token Y on the same blockchain.

In this kind of airdrop, existing owners of Token X will get an equal amount of Token Y in their wallets when the hard fork makes its appearance.

 took place in 2017, in which users who already had Bitcoin got an equal amount of Bitcoin Cash in their wallets.

 (or holding) airdrop occurs when certain users who already have specific tokens in their crypto wallets get new tokens. These differ from hard fork airdrops because the new token isn’t a hard fork of an existing crypto on the blockchain.

The new token is entirely different from the token the users currently hold.

Crypto projects offer airdrops mainly for promotional reasons. When a startup enters the market, it needs exposure before users start trading it.

Previously, ICOs took center stage. However, these events oversaturated the market: many startups saw them as an opportunity to create hype around a project and get money from investors, but with nothing to offer in return.

The era of plagiarized and flimsy white papers ended when airdrops became popular. People who receive free tokens become advocates of the project, and its popularity grows organically.

Secondly, crypto projects use airdrops to reward their users. Since many investors in the world of cryptocurrency are in it to profit from the return on investment (ROI), they go from one project to another in order to increase their profits.

In doing so, they harm the project’s sustainability because they don’t provide any value to the project’s protocol. Many startups are countering this problem by giving free coins to their loyal users in exchange for holding the tokens in their wallets for specified periods.

More importantly, startups can hype their project using airdrops. Today, online interactions and metrics matter a lot. If a token starts trending on Twitter or any other social media platform, its popularity is bound to soar.

Investors study these analytics to determine the future prospects of crypto and invest in it accordingly. Therefore, a crypto airdrop raises community engagement, which further attracts investments and increases the overall capital raised by the startup in its early days.

Finally, crypto startups may ask for users’ information in exchange for free tokens. Then they can use these details, such as social media and email addresses, to create targeted marketing campaigns.

In most cases, airdrops are genuinely free. All you have to do is tweet about new crypto and get free coins.

However, not all forms of crypto asset airdrops come without monetary requirements. For instance, the startup might require users to have a certain amount in their wallets or conduct a specific number of transactions.

Although none of this directly costs you any money, these types of airdrops aren’t ideal for new enthusiasts who don’t have any investments in the market yet. But then again, you do get a bounty airdrop for free.

Risks Associated with Airdropped Cryptocurrencies

Although many amateur investors see airdrops as an opportunity to increase ROI, most experts would tell you that certain risks are associated with airdropped cryptos.

For one, there is always the risk of scams. A few years ago, many supposed “startups” created much hype about their projects — and produced nothing. They told interested investors to deposit a certain fee in order to be eligible for the airdrop and to make money. However, unbeknownst to the investors, there would be no airdrop — since there was none in the first place.

Here are some tips to stay safe from airdrop scams:

Another potential risk associated with crypto airdrops is depreciating prices. In the early days of an airdrop, when there’s excessive hype about a token, its price increases. However, a few months down the line, the investors might be left with nothing.

To reduce this risk, if you plan on getting an airdrop, make sure to trade it as soon as you can.

Keep in mind that airdrops aim to market a token, so any information about the event will be easy to find. When you search for “crypto airdrops” online, you’ll receive sufficient news about upcoming airdrops, or ones that are currently happening.

Alternatively, you can use websites such as 

Staying Alert for the Next Crypto Airdrop

Airdrop tracking websites aren’t the only way to search out new opportunities for getting free crypto. You can also use other methods, such as the ones below:

Besides keeping track of upcoming airdrops, it’s also essential to be active in the blockchain sphere. If you’re new to crypto, make sure you understand how smart contracts, staking and overall blockchain technology work. Being both knowledgeable and wary will help you stay away from scams.

With the increasing interest in blockchain and cryptocurrency, there’s also a rise in crypto exchange platforms, new tokens and blockchain layering. All these buzzwords and concepts may be a bit complicated to grasp for a newbie in the field.

Hopefully, this article has made you familiar with the concept of crypto airdrops and the need to tread lightly when you choose to receive them.

Crypto Airdrop: What It Is (and How to Get It)

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