Kevin Hassett as Next Fed Chair: How 2026 Dovish Nomination Supercharges Crypto Markets (Investor Deep Dive)

The post Bitcoin, ETFs, and the ‘dual strategy’ analysts are talking about today appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Bitcoin [BTC] has spent the past year being pulled in two directions. One is Wall Street’s neatly packaged ETFs, the other is back to its roots of “not your keys, not your coins.” And instead of choosing a side, the crowd is choosing to embrace both. In 2025, the real Bitcoin strategy isn’t maximalist or institutional. It’s a split personality that finally makes sense. ETFs vs. self-custody ETFs have become the most convenient doorway into Bitcoin for a growing class of investors who want exposure without the hassles of private keys. Institutional access, deep liquidity, and integration with retirement accounts have turned them into the default entry point. Source: SoSoValue And the numbers back that up. Across 2024 and most of 2025, monthly spot Bitcoin ETF flows were overwhelmingly positive, with multiple months posting $4B to $6B inflows. This is especially during late 2024 and mid-2025. Even total net assets climbed steadily toward the $140B range by July 2025, so institutional allocations are aggressive. ETF analyst Eric Balchunas seems to agree, saying in an X post, “What I don’t understand is why the snobby OG’s were totally fine with crypto exchanges holding your bitcoin and not ETFs? It’s the same outsourced custody concept, except ETFs are waaay cheaper and safer.” For many new investors, that clarity is important. Bitcoin held in an ETF feels familiar and regulated. And that, packaged for the TradFi world, seems to be exactly what a large part of the market wants. However, for long-time Bitcoin users, the appeal has always been sovereignty. That’s why self-custody remains non-negotiable for many OGs, even as ETFs gain mainstream momentum. As Sam Wouters, Director of Marketing at River, put it, “On an exchange you can withdraw to self-custody at any time, that’s not the case with an ETF.” That…

Author: Lao Bai During my time at OKX Ventures in the middle of this year, project discussions weren't as frequent as in 2023-2024, mainly because the primary market was much cooler than in the previous two years. However, this had its advantages: I could discuss each project in more detail and had more time for due diligence and research. We could have more in-depth discussions. Almanak left a deep impression on me. The CEO, a guy I knew from first glance, seemed like a tech enthusiast, a feeling reinforced after our hour-long conversation. To research their products, we not only thoroughly tested Almanak but also tried out several of their competitors. I even deposited a few thousand USDT into Almanak's Vault to track my earnings. If I hadn't seen the latest news from Almanak Games, I probably would have forgotten I still had some money in there… Okay, let's get back to the main topic. What does this project do? Look at its Twitter description: "Your personal AI quant team." This goes a step further than a regular AI agent that helps you yield or trade cryptocurrencies; I'll build you a quantitative trading team composed of AI agents. Even cooler is that you can think of Almanak as a Cursor in the DeFi world. No coding knowledge is required; you can use Vibe Coding, through the AI Agent Swarm, to build, test, and deploy institutional-grade coded financial strategies. In other words, you can command this AI-powered quantitative team to build quantitative strategies according to your requirements. You give the requirements, and the agent automatically senses, makes decisions, backtests, and executes… This is why Almanak far surpasses other companies in Agent Yield's website rankings across all metrics, with its TVL exceeding 100 million in just a few months, leaving its competitors several times larger. At the time, my investment team and I not only tried Almanak, but also several competing products such as Hey Anon, Griffin, and Giza. Indeed, Almanak was an order of magnitude superior in terms of product functionality and complexity. Its 18 agents were responsible for strategy design, auditing, alpha discovery, and, more importantly, backtesting and optimization. They used historical simulations and stress tests to determine approximate returns and potential drawdowns—something that typical "de-agent" projects or teams simply couldn't achieve. This likely explains why Almanak was able to secure over ten million dollars in investment from top VCs like Delphi, HashKey, Bankless Ventures, RockawayX, and Shima, and why its Legion IPO in August was oversubscribed by 400% despite an extremely cold market. The project is innovative not only in its product but also in its TGE (Treasure Token Offering). Many projects create a bunch of fake metrics, fake interactions, and fake communities before TGE, desperately trying to secure airdrops before rushing to list and release their tokens. Almanak, in addition to prioritizing product development, also focuses on a completely transparent design, community co-creation, and high-participation incentives. This avoids hidden lock-up periods and unpredictable changes. The upcoming Almanak Games (12/11–1/31) is an on-chain competition designed to discover real users and communities – users can earn rewards for trading, holding, LP, and deploying strategies on $ALMANAK. - Rewards include: Token rewards (1.5%–3% Supply) Stablecoin rewards (unlocked with community participation, the amount is substantial, including up to $1 million in stablecoin rewards). You can also receive Boost if you commit to holding the position until the end of 2025. Of course, the project is still in its early stages. The richness of the strategies and data verification still need more time to be tested by the market. However, judging from the functions provided and the framework built so far, it should only be a matter of time before a powerful "on-chain quantitative strategy" is developed. We look forward to the rise of "Agent Defi Summer"!

The post FOMC Week Playbook: Bitcoin Has Followed the Same Pattern Twice—Will History Repeat? appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. FOMC Week Playbook: Bitcoin Has Followed the Same Pattern Twice—Will History Repeat? | Bitcoinist.com Sign Up for Our Newsletter! For updates and exclusive offers enter your email. Sebastian’s journey into the world of crypto began four years ago, driven by a fascination with the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize financial systems. His initial exploration focused on understanding the intricacies of various crypto projects, particularly those focused on building innovative financial solutions. Through countless hours of research and learning, Sebastian developed a deep understanding of the underlying technologies, market dynamics, and potential applications of cryptocurrencies. As his knowledge grew, Sebastian felt compelled to share his insights with others. He began actively contributing to online discussions on platforms like X and LinkedIn, focusing on fintech and crypto-related content. His goal was to expose valuable trends and insights to a wider audience, fostering a deeper understanding of the rapidly evolving crypto landscape. Sebastian’s contributions quickly gained recognition, and he became a trusted voice in the online crypto community. To further enhance his expertise, Sebastian pursued a UC Berkeley Fintech: Frameworks, Applications, and Strategies certification. This rigorous program equipped him with valuable skills and knowledge regarding Financial Technology, bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). The certification deepened his understanding of the broader financial landscape and its intersection with blockchain technology. Sebastian’s passion for finance and writing is evident in his work. He enjoys delving into financial research, analyzing market trends, and exploring the latest developments in the crypto space. In his spare time, Sebastian can often be found immersed in charts, studying 10-K forms, or engaging in thought-provoking discussions about the future of finance. Sebastian’s…