Pi Network Unveils PiDaoSwap, Boosts DeFi Trust Trump Media-Crypto.com Partnership Drives 20% CRO Surge GameStop Adds Bitcoin to Treasury, Stock Jumps Grayscale Updates Altcoin List for Q2 2025 Binance Lists Ghibli-Themed Tokens, Rides Meme Coin Wave

This week, the cryptocurrency space witnessed several significant developments, including advancements in the Pi Network ecosystem, strategic moves by Grayscale, and notable partnerships involving high-profile figures.

Pi Network made a significant stride in decentralized finance (DeFi) by unveiling PiDaoSwap, a community-driven decentralized exchange (DEX). This platform is designed to mitigate price manipulation and stabilize the value of Pi Coin, thereby enhancing trust within its ecosystem. According to Pi Network VietNames, once PiDaoSwap is fully operational, the true value of Pi Coin will be reflected, eliminating the influence of external exchanges. Additionally, Pi Network integrated with Telegram’s crypto wallet, potentially granting access to up to one billion users and expanding its mainstream adoption. However, concerns about decentralization and exchange listings persist, with critics arguing that the network's centralization undermines blockchain principles. The absence of Pi Network from major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase has been attributed to transparency issues.

In another notable development, Trump Media announced a partnership with Crypto.com, laying the groundwork for new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on Cronos, Bitcoin, and other assets. This collaboration sparked a nearly 20% surge in the Cronos (CRO) token, the powering token for the Crypto.com ecosystem. Despite concerns raised by blockchain investigator ZachXBT about potential token manipulation practices, Crypto.com emerged unscathed as the US SEC concluded its investigation without filing any charges. The announcement reaffirmed investor confidence in the exchange, with CRO’s price experiencing a notable jump.

GameStop, once a legendary meme stock, also made headlines by updating its investment policy to include Bitcoin as a Treasury Reserve Asset. While this announcement initially boosted the company’s stock prices, Bitcoin’s price remained largely unmoved. Analysts suggested that the lack of crucial details, such as the amount of Bitcoin being purchased, dampened market excitement.

Grayscale, a prominent institutional crypto asset manager, updated its list of investable altcoins for Q2 2025. The firm added Maple Finance (SYRUP), Geodnet (GEOD), and Story Protocol (IP) to its top 20 crypto investments, reflecting its strategy to diversify holdings and identify emerging digital assets with strong growth potential. Concurrently, Grayscale removed Akash Network (AKT), Arweave (AR), and Jupiter (JUP) from the list.

Binance responded to the emerging meme coin craze inspired by Studio Ghibli by listing two Ghibli-themed tokens, Ghiblification and GhibliCZ. These tokens gained rapid traction as part of a broader wave of AI and pop culture-driven crypto speculation. While some traders see opportunities for quick gains, others caution against speculative bubbles that could lead to rapid market corrections. Binance’s involvement in this trend reflects how major exchanges capitalize on trending narratives to attract trading volume, a strategy that continues to shape the DeFi space.

In summary, this week’s developments in the crypto space highlight the ongoing evolution of decentralized finance, strategic partnerships, and the influence of high-profile figures. The advancements in the Pi Network ecosystem, Grayscale’s updated altcoin list, and the partnership between Trump Media and Crypto.com underscore the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency market. Meanwhile, the integration of Bitcoin by GameStop and the emergence of meme coins inspired by Studio Ghibli reflect the broader trends and speculative activities within the industry.