📝#110: Trump Pump
MoonPay acquires Helio Pay. Coinbase launches Bitcoin-backed loans. Franklin Templeton published report on crypto x AI. OpenAI to launch AI Agent. Tether's HQ in El Salvador. Top reads & more.
Hey, it’s Marc. We just launched another newsletter “51x” focusing exclusively on AI x crypto. On Tuesday, we held X spaces with some of the leading projects & VCs on the state of the market / crypto x AI pre-Trump. Subscribe below & get the summary with all the alpha as long as it’s free
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— Sam Altman, CEO at OpenAI
This week’s question:
👉 Keep up with all our signals for Web3 execs on our Telegram channel.
Let’s dive in🦈
📚 Our Top Reads This Week
The Dawn of AI Agents. 51x. Link
The Year Ahead In Crypto. Pantera. Link
Intersection of AI Agents & the Crypto Ecosystem. Franklin Templeton. Link
Crypto x AI: State of Market and Post Trump Pump. 51x. Link
The Digital Pound and the Payments Landscape. Bank of England. Link
El Salvador’s law: a meaningful test for Bitcoin. PWC. Link
🚨 We’re going to release an exclusive report on Web3 for sports & entertainment soon. Sign up below to be among the first to get it:
Biggest Acquisition of 2025 (Yet)
MoonPay acquires Helio, the crypto payment processor, for $175M. [Press Release]
The goal? To expand its reach with seamless on-chain checkout across marketplaces, apps, and DEXs.
About Helio: Founded in 2022, Helio emerged as a crypto payments player on Solana for merchants and creators, with 6K+ merchants and 1M+ users.
It has processed over $1.5B in transactions, integrating with major platforms like Discord, WooCommerce, and Shopify.
Why it matters: MoonPay’s $175M acquisition of Helio shows strong institutional confidence in crypto payments. It also strengthens MoonPay’s position in decentralized finance and on-chain checkout solutions. The deal’s size and timing suggest there may be more acquisitions in the crypto payments sector.
Strategic moves: In May 2024, MoonPay launched Web3 Tools, a platform designed to simplify blockchain initiatives for brands. [Read more]
In June, it partnered with PayPal to enable U.S. users to buy 110+ cryptocurrencies directly using their PayPal balance or linked payment methods.
In October, it integrated with Venmo, allowing users to fund transactions with Venmo balances tapping 60M+ Venmo users.
It partnered with Ripple for the launch of RLUSD in December, providing infrastructure for initial trading and early access to stablecoin through multiple payment methods.
Stepping back: Last week, MoonPay received MiCA approval from the Dutch AFM, enabling continued expansion in Europe.
Tether Anchored in El Salvador
Tether is relocating from the British Virgin Islands to El Salvador, a country with a Bitcoin-first economy. [Announcement]
It has acquired a Digital Asset Service Provider (DASP) license, establishing El Salvador as its new global headquarters, within the country's regulatory framework.
What you should know:
Strategic Relocation: It aims to scale efforts in underserved regions by leveraging Bitcoin and stablecoins.
First Physical Headquarters: It establishes its first physical HQ in El Salvador, after operating remotely from the British Virgin Islands.
Leadership: Its leadership relocates to El Salvador, with plans to hire 100 locals.
Why El Salvador: El Salvador became the first nation to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021, attracting crypto firms with its supportive policies.
Why it matters: Tether’s move to El Salvador strengthens its operations in a crypto-friendly environment, positioning it to leverage the country’s Bitcoin-first economy while navigating rising regulatory scrutiny in the EU and US.
Zooming in: With the EU’s MiCA regulations in effect, Tether has yet to meet key compliance standards, jeopardizing its operations there. In the U.S., the DOJ and Treasury Department investigations are probing potential illicit use of USDT, including AML and sanctions violations.
Tether's transparency efforts, including quarterly attestations, haven't stopped delistings on platforms like Coinbase, contributing to a decline in market value.
Its market value dropped to $137.24B in 2025 due to MiCA compliance issues.
Past Penalties: Tether paid a $41M fine to the CFTC in 2021 for misleading customers about its reserves.
Also: In September 2024, Circle (Issuer of USDC) moved its global HQ to New York.
ChatGPT Operator: AI Agent by OpenAI
OpenAI is set to release ChatGPT Operator, its first AI Agent.
What you should know:
ChatGPT Tasks Beta: Its new feature, Tasks, allows ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro users to schedule reminders and actions in advance.
Operator’s Capabilities: Schedule meetings, write documents, and automate all kinds of tags (such as booking a flight)
Why it matters: In just 2 days, Tasks positions ChatGPT as a competitor to productivity apps like Google Calendar and Asana, streamlining task management in a chat interface. This suggests Operator could become the most adopted AI agent.
🚀 Work With 51: Scale Your Web3 x AI Corporate Adoption
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🚨 Other Highlights You Can’t Miss
Yuga Labs is not selling Cryptopunks’ IP but they might. Link
Sony launched its Soneium Mainnet with 15M active wallets and 47M transactions. Link
Bank of England advances the Digital Pound design phase. Link
Coinbase launches bitcoin-backed loans. Link
Trump to designate crypto as national priority, eyes US-Focused reserve including Solana, XRP, and Bitcoin. Link
👉 Keep up with all our signals for Web3 execs on our Telegram channel.
🚨 Top Under-The-Radar Macro Signals
Bitcoin:
MicroStrategy acquired 2,530 bitcoins for $243M, bringing its total holdings to 450,000 BTC valued at $40.7B.
Semler Scientific bought 237 more bitcoins for $23.3M, bringing its total to 2,321 BTC worth $221M.
Ming Shing Group acquired 500 Bitcoin for $47M.
Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's largest bank, purchased 11 BTC for €1M, its first investment in cryptocurrency.
Remixpoint bought 33.34 BTC for $3.2M, bringing its total holdings to 333.19 BTC worth $31.7M.
Partnership: Polygon Labs partners with Reliance Jio to bring Web3 to 450+M users. Link
💰 Money Moves
Sygnum: Crypto bank completed $58M funding led by Fulgur Ventures. Link
VOOX: AI-based crypto exchange raised $50M from Pinnacle Capital. Link
Grand Games: Mobile game publisher raised $30M Series A led by Balderton Capital. Link
Dfns: Web3 infrastructure company raised $16M Series A led by Further. Link
SoSoValue: Crypto research platform raised another $15M led by led by HongShan & SmallSpark. Link
SYNTHR: Infrastructure startup raised $10M led by Kronos and NGC. Link
That’s all for now, folks.
Talk soon,
– Marc & Team
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