Author: Anmol Khatiwada

El Salvador Bolsters Bitcoin Reserves with 20 BTC Purchase This Week

El Salvador is stacking BTC fast, grabbing 21 more last week, pushing holdings to 6,068 BTC, worth $592M, despite IMF pressure.

El Salvador, the first country to make Bitcoin legal tender, is going all in on BTC again. Over the past week, it stacked 21 more BTC, bringing its total stash to 6,068 BTC—worth around $592 million. The country’s National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC) confirmed the latest buy, showing that El Salvador isn’t slowing down its Bitcoin strategy.

On Feb 4, 2025, the country copped 12 BTC in two separate buys—11 BTC at an average of $101,816 each and another 1 BTC at $99,114. This adds up to a solid 60 BTC purchase in just the last month. Originally, El Salvador planned to buy 1 BTC daily, but now it’s grabbing larger chunks, likely taking advantage of U.S. government Bitcoin auctions selling seized BTC for cheap.

The aggressive Bitcoin accumulation follows its $1.4B deal with the IMF, in which El Salvador loosened some Bitcoin policies; among them, the rule for mandatory BTC acceptance was lifted. Still, the country is doubling down on its Bitcoin future.

El Salvador’s moves are making waves around the world, with countries such as the United States, Brazil, the Czech Republic, and Poland watching intently, considering whether to start stacking BTC themselves.

Also Read: Canadian Hacker on the Run After $65M Crypto Heist

Has the Hawk Tuah Girl Been Arrested for Her Memecoin? Here’s the Truth

Hawk Tuah Girl’s $HAWK memecoin crashed 90%, sparking rumors of fraud and arrest, but fact-checks prove it’s false.



The Hawk Tuah Girl, also known as Haliey Welch, was an internet sensation this year, who blew up because of her viral “Hawk Tuah” sound. And just as quickly, it went sideways. It went to market like a bombshell and instantly hit a wild $490-million valuation. In what felt like a dream quickly turned nightmare, the price crashed 90% in 20 minutes, leaving investors in the dust.

Crypto fans weren’t happy, and rumors started swirling that Haliey was arrested for money laundering and securities fraud after the crash. Some wild claims even said she was facing charges for espionage related to the memecoin mess.

However, fact-checkers quickly shut down these rumors. A community note on X confirmed that the arrest claims were bogus, made by people trying to get more engagement for their own projects. The Crypto Times also clarified that Haliey’s still dealing with litigation from upset investors, but there’s no arrest news.

Even though things look bad, another X post suggests the Hawk Tuah Girl’s planning a comeback with a new coin called “Shaquille Oatmeal”, but she’s yet to make an official statement. Stay tuned!

Also Read: Banks Should Be Allowed to Offer Crypto, Says Coinbase

Trivago Teams Up with Travala to Enable Crypto Payments for Travel

Trivago partners with Travala, letting users book hotels with crypto. Crypto travel demand is booming, making blockchain adoption more mainstream!

Big news for travel and crypto lovers—Trivago just partnered with Travala, bringing crypto payments to hotel bookings! This means millions of Trivago users can now find, compare, and book over 2.2 million Travala properties worldwide and pay with 100+ cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and AVA.


Timo Itterbeck, Trivago’s Head of Account Management, made it clear that their mission has always been to give travelers the most choice, and adding crypto with Travala.com definitely does that. The NASDAQ-listed Trivaga operates in more than 190 countries with upwards of 3 million monthly active users who would now be directly exposed to cryptocurrencies.

Meanwhile, Travala is killing it: sales last year reached $100M, doubling from last year, while a full 78% of its bookings were paid in Bitcoin-a clear indicator that crypto travel is trending.

Travala CEO Juan Otero sees this as a huge step toward mainstream crypto adoption. He says real-world use cases like travel legitimize crypto and make it more practical for everyday transactions.

Experts agree—mass adoption needs real-world blockchain applications. The Open Network Foundation’s Justin Hyun believes user-friendly apps like Telegram Mini Apps could be the Trojan Horse that brings in the next 500M crypto users.

Also Read: WLFI and Crypto Holdings Plunge as Market Crash Hits, Despite Trump’s Backing

Pectra Hard Fork Set to Double Layer-2 Throughput, Says Vitalik

Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade drops in March, doubling Layer-2 capacity, cutting fees, boosting staking, and making wallets smoother. ETH already pumping!

Ethereum’s next major upgrade, the Pectra hard fork, is dropping in March 2024, and it’s bringing some serious upgrades. Vitalik Buterin just confirmed that this update will double Layer-2 capacity by increasing the blob target from 3 to 6—meaning faster transactions and lower fees.

If you’re wondering, blobs are huge data chunks introduced in the Dencun hard fork last year. They help Layer-2 networks handle more transactions without blowing up gas fees. With Pectra, Ethereum will scale even further, making it more efficient and affordable to use.

Originally, Pectra was packed with 20 upgrades, but devs split it into two parts for a smoother launch. Besides boosting blob space, it’ll also increase validator staking limits and improve wallet experiences.

Meanwhile, Ethereum’s gas limit is back in the spotlight. Some think raising it will lower costs, while others worry about network stability.

Vitalik also floated an idea-let stakers vote on future blob capacity instead of relying on hard forks. That would make Ethereum more flexible, future-proof.

Market’s already reacting-ETH up 10% in a day and swinging back hard. The hype for Pectra is real, and Ethereum’s future is looking lit!

Also Read: Crypto Market Crash: Trump’s Tariffs or Overheated Top Signals?

Crypto Market Crash: Trump’s Tariffs or Overheated Top Signals?

Trump’s tariffs and crypto “top signals” caused a $500B market crash, with overbought conditions and geopolitical tensions fueling the downturn.

The crypto market just took a massive hit, dropping nearly $500 billion, and now everyone’s wondering: was it Trump’s tariffs or the crypto market getting too hyped? Some analysts think Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptos were overdue for a correction. The market had been showing signs of overheating for a while, with “top signals” popping up everywhere. These top signals happen when the market feels way too exposed, like when crypto apps hit new download records or celebrities jump on the crypto hype train.

One big event was Trump launching his own memecoin, TRUMP, on January 18. The launch made major headlines, bringing tons of retail investors into the mix. On top of that, Bitcoin recently hit new all-time highs without any real corrections, and we all know what happens next—sharp pullbacks.

While Trump’s tariffs definitely shook up the markets, many experts believe the crypto sell-off was more about the market being overbought than anything else. When retail adoption spikes and everything seems too good to be true, it’s a sign that things might crash. If geopolitical tensions continue and the trade war worsens, the bearish trend could stick around for a while, with traders now eyeing Bitcoin and Ethereum’s key support levels.

Also Read: February’s Top 5 Cryptos to Watch: XRP, Solana, Trump Coin, Dogecoin, and Pi Network

February’s Top 5 Cryptos to Watch: XRP, Solana, Trump Coin, Dogecoin, and Pi Network

Big developments in February for XRP, Solana, TrumpCoin, Dogecoin, and Pi Network promise to create new opportunities for investors.


Crypto is about to heat up this February, standing tall with five big players for uptick. First is XRP. The ongoing case with the SEC might cause a huge shift in the case of a Ripple win, possibly sparking massive investment that could see XRP boost up the ladder close to Ethereum and Bitcoin. If an ETF approval happens, XRP might lure more institutional investors, and this month of February is quite critical..

Next is Solana (SOL). Known for its speed and low fees, Solana’s been gaining traction, especially after Donald Trump launched his official memecoin on this blockchain. With increasing interest in meme coins and potential ETF approval, Solana’s future looks promising as it continues to lead the charge in the decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT space.

Then there is TrumpCoin ($TRUMP). Political factors and media hype might spur short-term interest, but meme coins like TrumpCoin are so dependent on buzz that February is anyone’s guess.

Dogecoin is still a fan favorite, thanks in large part to Elon Musk’s tweets. The billionaire has had a huge influence on its price. Dogecoin might just go on another tear as more and more people jump onto the meme coin bandwagon – if social media buzz calls for it.

Last but not least, Pi Network (PI). Known for their mobile mining, Pi is now preparing for mainnet in 2025, and February is expected to be an important milestone as the chain gets closer to full market integrations.

Thus, expect all these changes coming this month to the crypto market!

Also Read: Russia Cracks Down on Crypto Miners – Registration Now Mandatory

WLFI and Crypto Holdings Plunge as Market Crash Hits, Despite Trump’s Backing

Trump-backed WLFI lost $51.77M as crypto crashed, while his memecoin tanked 64%, wiping billions—analysts blame tariffs and market hype.



World Liberty Financial, Inc. (WLFI), the crypto investment firm endorsed by Donald Trump, was among those that suffered most from the market crash. Between January 19 and 31, WLFI had invested $242.77 million in several cryptocurrencies, the value of which decreased by 21%. That means a loss of $51.77 million to the firm, with major holdings such as Ethereum (ETH) and Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) being badly affected.ETH, the company’s largest investment, was down 24.45% and shed $36.67 million, while WBTC suffered a 12.07% decline that took more than $8.07 million off its value. Ethena, with a plunge of 43.72%, was the worst performer and burned more than $2 million. Other big losers were TRON (TRX), AAVE, and Chainlink’s LINK.

Not even Trump’s personal crypto portfolio could avoid the bloodbath of carnage: his very memecoin, once heaping $55 billion onto the net worth he had, fell 64% since January 20, pulling $35 billion off its market value. He gave crypto too, after falling below the $5-million mark-while most of that is made out of memecoins.

Analysts are pointing fingers at the newly imposed tariffs by Trump, which could have contributed to the market downturn and wiped out almost $500 billion in value. According to some, the crash was inevitable due to an overheated market, but the tariffs might have accelerated the collapse.

Also Read: Taiwan Just Banned DeepSeek—Here’s Why

Gang Token Drama: Allegations, Mockery, and a Market Crash

Crypto influencer MrPunk.eth launched $GANG, cashed out $10M, and mocked investors. Allegations of a pump-and-dump scam fuel controversy.



The $GANG token, launched by crypto influencer MrPunk.eth, quickly went from soaring to crashing 98%. It all started with MrPunk.eth using his massive social media reach to hype the coin. However, after a brief surge, the token plummeted, and accusations started flying.

The famous crypto investigator @freakyfawi accused MrPunk.eth of selling $1.3 million in $GANG tokens within two minutes of tweeting about it, cashing out a total of $10 million weeks later. Of course, immediate rumors of a classic “pump and dump” surfaced, with prices suddenly spiking only to fall just as quickly and leaving most investors with extraordinary losses.

GoFundMeme, the company behind $GANG, took to its defense, stating that MrPunk.eth had used special features to avoid snipers and that the team wasn’t involved in buying tokens. Yet some users weren’t buying it, accusing GoFundMeme of being in on the scam.

Meanwhile, MrPunk.eth snubbed his followers’ concerns, even to the point of making fun of those who lost money by calling them “broke losers.” As the drama unfolds, @freakyfawi unveiled MrPunk.eth’s real identity as Rajinder Pathani. In any case, it was either market manipulation or a rug pull; the crypto community was abuzz with debate.

Also Read: Coinbase Bets Big on Solana & Hedera Futures – Here’s What’s Coming

Is XRP Heading for a Price Correction in February?

XRP dipped below $3, historically struggling in February. Traders hope Ripple’s U.S. crypto reserve move boosts demand and flips the trend.



XRP just slipped below $3, dropping over 4% in the past 24 hours. While that might not seem huge, history says February isn’t usually kind to XRP. Since 2014, February has averaged a -3% return, making it one of the coin’s weaker months.

Looking at the stats, XRP has only had four good Februarys—2016, 2019, 2022, and 2024. The biggest gain was in 2022, with a 26.3% jump, but most of the time, losses have been more common, including a brutal 33.4% crash in 2014.

But is this year different? Perhaps. With XRP already 3% down, most of its losses during the month of February in the past have been less than 10%. Therefore, even if it struggles this month, it may not fall that hard. Besides, the crypto market is looking strong, and U.S. regulators are warming up toward crypto.

The biggest game-changer? Ripple joining the U.S. crypto strategic reserve. If approved, demand would spike, thus driving XRP towards $4.
For now, XRP changes hands at $2.98, losing 3.69% with a volume of $4.46 billion. Traders now look to see whether this can finally mark an end to its losing streak in February.

Also Read: Pi Network Accelerates Migration Process in Preparation for Mainnet Launch

Pi Network Accelerates Migration Process in Preparation for Mainnet Launch

Pi Network is accelerating Mainnet migration, reaches 9M users, and is targeting more than 10M by Q1 2025. KYC deadline extended to Feb 28, 2025.



The Pi Network is going full steam into Mainnet migration, gearing up to reach over 10 million migrated users before the Open Network launch early this year, 2025. As of January 2024, over 9 million pioneers have jumped, while the team is pushing for another 2 million migrations by early this year.

For this to happen, Pi Network has increased the speed of migration, sometimes migrating as many as 200,000 users in one day. This will translate to quicker transitions by users and much smoother, seamless shifts to Mainnet. What’s the goal? A solid, inclusive ecosystem ready to thrive once the Open Network launches in Q1 this year.

On top of that, Pi Network has extended the Grace Period for KYC and Mainnet migration until February last day this year. This gives users extra time to verify their identity and complete the migration checklist.

If you’re a Pioneer, now’s the time to act. Get your KYC done, check off the Mainnet migration steps, and secure your Pi before the Open Network goes live. The clock’s ticking, but with the boosted migration speed, making the move has never been easier.

Also Read: Coinbase Bets Big on Solana & Hedera Futures – Here’s What’s Coming

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