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

Metaverse

Wondering what is FashionFi? Read on and find out how MIRL will change the fashion world as the metaverse's first decentralized fashion brand.

 (NFTs), the metaverse has changed the crypto landscape as developers become increasingly ambitious. This is evident in buzzwords like 

 and the expanding scope of their projects. 

As the idea of a shared digital space evolves and more big-name companies and celebrities buy into the metaverse idea, it begs the question: Can the metaverse stretch beyond its virtual boundaries? Contrary to popular belief, the metaverse isn’t just confined to the virtual realm, as enthusiasts bridge the gap between the physical and virtual worlds. 

 (MIRL), which takes realizing your NFTs and crypto assets to the next level as the world’s first decentralized fashion brand. By bringing the fashion industry into the metaverse, and introducing designer NFTs, real-world wearables and talented new artists, MIRL supports and empowers aspiring designers in the metaverse. Interested in finding out how MIRL intends to make FashionFi the next big narrative in the cryptoverse? Scroll on, as this article covers everything you need to know about MIRL.

Before diving into what makes MIRL so special, it’s important to first know what FashionFi is. As metaverse games continue to challenge the way users interact with the real world, big brands are beginning to enter the NFT arena and setting a fashion precedent. From 

, these luxury brands are championing the FashionFi movement by letting users buy into clothing that has both a physical and virtual presence. 

Even celebrities are getting a piece of FashionFi action, as basketball icon 

 after collaborating with athleisure brand Under Armour. The sneaker marks the first cross-platform NFT wearable, available across major metaverse platforms like 

As famous people and brands take big leaps to announce innovative NFT ideas and partnerships, we’re seeing more innovative FashionFi projects begin to shape this niche space. One such project is MIRL, which seeks to merge digital and physical metaverse art while resolving existing fashion industry problems.

MIRL is the industry’s first decentralized fashion brand in the metaverse. It plans to usher in a new age of fashion by marrying it with DeFi. With their goals of sustainable fashion and designer empowerment, MIRL aims to be Web 3.0’s first fashion brand, in the process pioneering the FashionFi movement.

Behind the lofty, crypto-based ideals of MIRL lies a simple goal: MIRL seeks to combat traditional fashion industry problems like fast fashion wastage and exploitation of emerging designers. Through rewarding enterprising metaverse creators and giving community-driven projects the limelight, the MIRL ecosystem flips the script on conventional fashion industry issues. These include wastage from overproduction, barriers to entry for aspiring newcomers and lack of industry transparency. 

To combat these issues, the MIRL team has introduced four aspects that round out their ecosystem, namely MIRL NFTs, an MIRL Labs e-store, a decentralized autonomous organization (

To kick off the MIRL NFT collection, the team is planning to launch its Genesis MIRL NFTs in March 2022. Beyond signifying the beginning of an ambitious new NFT project, 

 will act as a privilege key for holders, letting users gain extra access to future perks, merchandise giveaways and digital and real-world experiences. In addition, these NFTs will be redeemable for a physical wearable that can be further customized upon request with other 

 NFTs owned by users in the MIRL Labs e-store. 

Speaking of MIRL Labs, it’s a platform where NFT collectors are able to customize basic apparel with NFTs that they personally own. In doing so, MIRL combats fast-fashion wastage and gives NFT holders greater ownership by having a personalized physical wearable featuring their favorite NFT art. On top of supporting a good cause, each purchase on the Labs e-store will qualify for a PoP (proof of purchase) NFT, which will subsequently also provide access to second-tier privileges and be redeemable for future airdrops.

To give the community even more control over the future of MIRL, the project is governed by a DAO. The DAO acts as MIRL’s governing body and determines future business directions, ranging from operations within the MIRL ecosystem to deciding member benefits. Overall, the DAO system allows for full transparency, as members partake in decision-making. It also grants every individual both the opportunity to raise proposals, and a unique voice in dictating MIRL’s future. 

All royalty proceeds from the NFT Genesis Collection — plus 50% of the profits generated by the MIRL Labs e-store — will be put into the DAO. This will enable the launch of subsequent new collections by other fashion designers, as well as provide scholarship grants for aspiring new designers.

Without the right platform, it can be tough for new designers to burst onto the fashion scene. With the MIRL incubator program, an emerging designer can easily manifest their new ideas into reality upon receiving proposal approval from DAO voters. If the vote passes, these designs will be sold via MIRL with exclusive quantities for Genesis and POP NFT holders. 

Thanks to the established industry connections and widely available audience, creators can solely focus on their art — instead of worrying about making the connections necessary to succeed in the fashion industry. Additionally, designers can file for scholarship grant applications. Upon approval, designers will help design new collections under the MIRL line while receiving assistance in building their brand via networking and connections.

MIRL, native to the MIRL ecosystem, is an 

/SPL token which serves as the utility token of MIRL. From granting voting rights to staking bonuses, MIRL tokens create utility for holders and will play a crucial role in cultivating the MIRL ecosystem as FashionFi ramps up its popularity. One such utility involves embracing the MIRL Wear-to-Earn concept. As MIRL brands desire to expand their presence in the metaverse, they can take advantage of Wear-to-Earn mechanics. For example, brands can compensate customers for promoting certain pieces by giving them access to exclusive items or airdropping fashion pieces to their virtual wallets.

There’s a maximum supply of one billion MIRL tokens, with fewer than 35 million in circulation during the token generation event. The large supply isn’t any cause for concern, as MIRL has a prolonged vesting schedule which locks in the tokens for the foreseeable future. This effectively allows the MIRL ecosystem to organically gain traction and grow, while reducing overall selling pressure for traders looking to make a quick buck and dump their MIRL tokens. 

Of the total supply, more than half of the MIRL tokens are dedicated to the MIRL ecosystem via staking, W2E, liquidity mining and overall development. These allocations ultimately showcase the team’s focus on accelerating MIRL’s growth, and giving investors incentives to hold for the long run.

Are MIRL Tokens a Good Investment for FashionFi?

When weighed against the competition, MIRL stands peerless, as there’s yet to be any other project of this scale. MIRL seeks to revolutionize the way crypto investors look at fashion and DeFi. Although NFT projects like 

 incorporate some elements of fashion, they aren’t solely focused on promoting FashionFi. Thus, the MIRL ecosystem differentiates itself from traditional fashion brands and 

 by focusing on physical NFT merchandise and ethical, sustainable fashion.

Curious about MIRL’s future plans? MIRL’s road map has a couple of milestones set up for the year. Beyond the Genesis NFT drop, the MIRL team is also looking at launching a creative metaverse festival and pop-up showcases across the world, in locations like London and Hong Kong. These will help bolster the communal aspect of MIRL, while boosting its overall exposure so more can learn about the FashionFi movement.

In conclusion, the MIRL project’s take on metaverse fashion makes it a sublime investment in the long haul if you’re confident in the future of FashionFi. By resolving systemic fashion industry problems and rehauling the way we look at NFT fashion, the MIRL ecosystem certainly has room to grow into a metaverse juggernaut. Ultimately, users looking for a fashion-based metaverse investment should give MIRL a good look and reward the project for its dedication to improving the fashion industry on its own terms.

What Is FashionFi? How MIRL Will Change the Fashion World

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Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards