Today, June 2, the United States Mint began shipping 2025 Dr. Vera Rubin quarters to Federal Reserve Banks and their coin terminals for distribution into circulation. This coin marks the third of five unique quarter designs for this year and the eighteenth overall in the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters™ Program.
2025 Dr. Vera Rubin quarter
At the start of the four-year, 20-coin series in 2022, the trailblazers honored were Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren, and Anna May Wong. Quarters released in 2023 extended the celebration of the accomplishments and contributions made by American women by honoring Bessie Coleman, Edith Kanakaʻole, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jovita Idar, and Maria Tallchief. The 2024 quarters pay tribute to Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, Celia Cruz, and Zitkala-Ša. In addition to Dr. Vera Rubin, quarters for 2025 celebrate Ida B. Wells, Juliette Gordon Low, Stacey Park Milbern, and Althea Gibson.
Dr. Vera Rubin (1928–2016) was an American astronomer best known for her pioneering work on galaxy rotation rates, which provided critical evidence for the existence of dark matter.
“The data on dark matter from dozens of galaxies that Rubin presented to the International Astronomical Union in 1985 ultimately changed scientific conceptions of the universe and opened new paths in both astronomy and physics,” noted Kristie McNally, the Mint’s Acting Director.
The new quarter’s reverse (tails side) shows Dr. Vera Rubin in profile, smiling as she looks upward in contemplation of the cosmos. A spiral galaxy and surrounding celestial bodies frame the scene. Inscriptions include “DR. VERA RUBIN,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” with “DARK MATTER” appearing along the bottom.
This image was designed by Artist Infusion Program designer Christina Hess and sculpted by Mint Medallic Artist John P. McGraw.
“Dr. Rubin’s story exemplifies strength, dedication, and determination, and it was a great honor to illustrate her portrait and legacy,” said Hess. “By positioning her portrait off-center and toward the upper right, I aimed to move the audience’s gaze upward, symbolizing exploration beyond the coin’s boundaries, evoking a sense of infinite possibility and continuous motion.”
“Vera Rubin was an American astronomer and genius,” said McGraw. “Layering her portrait with the galaxy in the background made for a fun and challenging sculpt. I feel honored that I was given the opportunity to memorialize her and her contributions to science on a coin.”
The obverse (heads side) of every American Women Quarter features a common design – a portrait of George Washington. Sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser more than 90 years ago, the image was originally created to commemorate Washington’s 200th birthday.
Quarters for circulation are produced at U.S. Mint production facilities in Philadelphia and Denver.
On Tuesday, June 3, the U.S. Mint will offer circulating quality Dr. Vera Rubin quarters to the public via their website at https://catalog.usmint.gov. These quarters will be offered in three different product options:
a set of two rolls for $42,
a set of three rolls for $63, and
100-coin bags at $47.25 apiece.
Notably, the three-roll set includes a roll of quarters from the San Francisco Mint, offering a unique level of rarity since, unlike those from Philadelphia and Denver, these quarters are not released into general circulation.
24 April 2025, Cape Town – Eventus International is delighted to announce the appointment of Srinivas Kotni, Founder & Managing Partner of Lexport, as the Legal Adviser for SPiCE: The Reunion. This prominent event will focus on the theme of Legal & Ethical Gaming in India and is scheduled to take place on 25 – 26 November 2025, in the picturesque locale of Goa.
With over three decades of experience in the legal sector, Srinivas Kotni is a distinguished expert who founded the Delhi and Bangalore-based law firm, Lexport, in 2000. He has provided invaluable legal advisory services to a diverse array of corporate entities, navigating the complexities of legal and regulatory frameworks in India. His extensive background includes public speaking at professional conferences and seminars, where he addresses emerging legal issues, reinforcing his reputation as a trusted voice in corporate legal matters.
At SPiCE: The Reunion, Srinivas will lend his expertise to ensure compliance with legal mandates, navigate regulatory challenges, and protect the interests of the event and Eventus International. His broad knowledge encompasses key areas such as Indirect Taxation, Corporate & Commercial Laws, Foreign Trade Policy, International Commercial Arbitration, and more.
Event Overview – SPiCE: The Reunion SPiCE: The Reunion aims to provide a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaborative discussions on the legal and ethical dimensions of gaming in India. It will serve as a touch point for reconnecting with industry leaders, exploring opportunities for growth, and positioning Goa as a premier destination for ethical gaming.
Key Highlights of the Event:
Networking Opportunities: Facilitate meaningful connections among industry peers to foster collaboration and innovation in the gaming sector.
Education: Provide insights from decision-makers on legal frameworks, regulatory updates, and the socio-economic impact of gaming in India.
Cultural Engagement: Immerse attendees in the vibrant culture of Goa while promoting a relaxed atmosphere for networking and interaction.
Theme Focus Areas:
Industry Regulations: An overview of the current legal landscape governing gaming in India.
Ethical Practices: Best practices for responsible gaming and promoting integrity within the industry.
Economic Contribution: How the gaming sector can stimulate job creation and bolster tourism in Goa, enhancing the region’s economic stability.
“We are thrilled to welcome Srinivas Kotni as our Legal Adviser for SPiCE: The Reunion. His wealth of experience and commitment to upholding legal standards will be instrumental in achieving our objectives.” Said Yudi Soetjiptadi, Founder & CEO of Eventus International.
“It is a great honour to be part of SPiCE: The Reunion, where meaningful conversations on legal and ethical gaming in India will take centre-stage. As the industry continues to evolve, it is imperative that we build robust frameworks that enable growth while ensuring responsibility and compliance. I look forward to contributing to this important dialogue, supporting Eventus International’s vision, and in the process championing the cause of legal and ethical gaming in India. I would be truly delighted if, in doing so, I am able to play, even a small role, in promoting tourism and investment into the beautiful state of Goa.”
“Coming together was only the beginning; staying together exhibits the progress we have made; and continuous collaboration is what forms mutual success. ‘SPiCE: The Reunion’ is not just an opportunity to reconnect, but a celebration of our collective journey, where past successes inspire future collaborations. We look forward to reigniting the spirit of innovation and partnership that defines our community.” Said Lou-Mari Burnett, COO of Eventus International.
Eventus International is a leading summit and exhibition organiser, dedicated to connecting industry leaders and turning opportunities into realities. Our events focus on delivering practical solutions to the challenges faced by the sector, promoting growth and innovation in the gaming industry.
On May 26, Heritage Auctions, the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer, surpassed 2 million online bidder-members on its industry-leading platform (HA.com), where collectors buy and sell across more than 50 categories, from fine art to rare coins, sports and entertainment, luxury items and more.
“Surpassing 2 million bidder-members underscores the unmatched reach and influence of Heritage Auctions,” says Steve Ivy, CEO of Heritage Auctions. “For consignors, this means unprecedented access to a vast, engaged and global audience actively competing for the world’s most sought-after treasures. Our platform – backed by over 7 million previously sold lots – offers a proven path to achieving the strongest possible results.”
HA.com, the most visited website for fine arts and collectibles, offers exclusive tools like the Make Offer to Owner program, allowing members to bid on previously sold lots. Other features include tracking personal collections, registering ownership of past auction items, and creating customized Want Lists, enhancing the experience for collectors worldwide.
HA.com offers copious resources for new and seasoned collectors via its newsroom and newsletters, its semi-monthly magazine, Intelligent Collector, and its How-To, Trusts & Estates and Meet-the-Experts features, which walk prospective clients through the process of buying or selling with Heritage.
Heritage’s success can be credited in large part to significant growth across most of its more than 50 categories, led by Comics and Comic Art, Sports and Hollywood/Entertainment. The company that has long prided itself as “America’s Auction House” continued its national growth in 2024, expanding its office in West Palm Beach. But Heritage’s global record continued apace, too, with showrooms and offices opening in Tokyo and Munich.
Heritage Auctions set numerous records in 2024, led by the most successful Sports auction ever held over the summer, a $61.9 million grand slam, followed just a few months later by the record-setting Entertainment event that strutted down the Yellow Brick Road to a $38.6 million finish. Yet in 2024, no record loomed larger than the one set by the auction house itself: Last year, Heritage reached $1,867,023,603 in total sales, the highest ever for the 49-year-old company in the wake of three successive record-setting years.
“We’ve added half a million bidder-members in just a few years, with significant growth in key markets across Europe, Asia and Latin America,” Ivy says. “This milestone reflects Heritage’s evolution as the premier destination for collectors and consignors, driven by our commitment to innovation and accessibility.”
Heritage Auctions’ global reach and cutting-edge platform continue to set the standard for the industry, solidifying HA.com as the trusted hub for collectors seeking extraordinary opportunities.
About Heritage Auctions
Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Heritage also enjoys the highest Online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet’s most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 2 million registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of more than 7,000,000 past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit.
The wait is over. Whitman Brands™ proudly announces the debut of Whitman Prestige™, an all-new premium coin album line designed with the modern collector in mind.
New albums feature a larger size, enhanced construction, multiple embossed finishes and colors, and a sleek protective slipcase for added protection
Following months of anticipation and chatter across the numismatic community, Prestige redefines what it means to store and showcase a coin collection – combining elevated aesthetics with trusted functionality.
Crafted as an upgrade to the beloved Whitman Classic line, Prestige albums are larger, sturdier, and feature new art, measuring 7.8 x 9.4 inches with durable, soil-resistant grained leatherette covers.
Unlike other albums on the market, each album includes a sleek protective slipcase for both style and protection. Available in multiple embossed finishes and colors, Prestige albums start at $69.95.
“The community was ready for something new,” said John Feigenbaum, President and CEO of Whitman Brands. “My mandate to the team was to create a premium coin album that is both elegant and functional – and designed with the collector in mind. The result is, I believe, the new standard in storage and display for years to come: bold, beautiful, and accessible to collectors of all levels.”
Initial album releases include both classic and modern series with wide collector appeal such as Lincolns Cents, Morgan Dollars, and American Silver Eagles
Initial Prestige Series Titles Include:
Lincoln Cents 1909–1958, 1959–2008, Starting 2009
Statehood Series Quarters 1999–2009
Liberty Walking Half Dollars 1916–1947
Kennedy Half Dollars 1964–1996, 1997–2026
Morgan Dollars 1878–1891, 1892–1921
Peace Dollars 1921–1935
American Silver Eagles 1986–2021, Starting 2021
“At Whitman, we are extremely proud of our legacy of accuracy, quality, and innovation – and the Prestige line continues that tradition,” said Mike Pfeiffer, Chief Operating Officer of Whitman Brands. “While the initial rollout includes popular and time-honored series like Lincolns, Morgans, and Silver Eagles, we are already developing future series and sets based on community input. There is more to come!”
Titles Coming Very Soon:
Buffalo Nickels 1913–1938
Jefferson Nickels Starting 1938–2003, Starting 2004
Mercury Dimes 1916–1945
Roosevelt Dimes Starting 1945
Washington Quarters 1932–1964, 1965–1998
Franklin Half Dollars 1948–1963
Each Prestige album is available in black and burgundy in three different spine widths depending on page count. Clear plastic slides protect both sides of each coin, while thumb notches on each page allow for effortless removal.
Introducing Whitman Prestige – a new premium coin album that redefines collecting with style and precision
Labeled openings, historical context, mintage data, and series specifications are standard – reinforcing Whitman’s reputation for collector-first design and educational value.
“The new line gave us the chance to make subtle but important improvements,” noted Patrick Ian Perez, Chief Publishing Officer of Whitman Brands. “We brought current coin series more up to date, improved organization for sets spanning multiple volumes, and kept Proof coins separate from circulating issues. We also removed varieties not practical for album storage and standardized terminology across the board.”
Published by Whitman®, the most trusted name in numismatic literature, Whitman Prestige™ albums are available now at Whitman.com, Whitman’s Official eBay Store, bookstores, hobby shops, and authorized retailers nationwide.
New titles, themes, and global series will be added as the Prestige line expands.
For a closer look inside the new albums, click here.
GameStop (GME), the iconic video game retailer and meme stock legend, has stunned both Wall Street and the crypto world with a blockbuster announcement: a $513 million investment in Bitcoin.
On May 28, 2025, GameStop revealed it had acquired 4,710 Bitcoins, marking its first major foray into digital assets and signaling a bold new direction for the company’s treasury strategy.
The move comes as GameStop faces mounting pressure in its core business, with physical game sales declining and digital competition intensifying. But CEO Ryan Cohen isn’t backing down — instead, he’s taking a page from Strategy’s (MSTR) playbook, betting big on Bitcoin to rejuvenate GameStop’s financial future. According to the company’s SEC filing, the purchase was funded through a $1.3 billion convertible bond offering completed in March, giving GameStop the liquidity to make such a substantial crypto play.
The timing couldn’t be more dramatic. Bitcoin recently soared to an all-time high of nearly $112,000 before a sharp correction brought it back to the $106,000 range. GameStop’s average purchase price was $108,950 per bitcoin, meaning the company’s investment is already riding the waves of crypto volatility.
The announcement sent GameStop’s shares on a wild ride — initially up 2.4% in pre-market trading, then plunging by 6% as investors digested the risks.
GME shares plunged by 6% after the Bitcoin purchase. Source: TradingView
GameStop’s board has also amended its investment policy, removing any upper limit on future crypto purchases. This opens the door for even more aggressive moves, with the company holding $4.78 billion in cash and marketable securities as of February 1. The strategy echoes the recent surge in corporate Bitcoin adoption, with over 50 public companies adding BTC to their balance sheets in 2025 alone.
On social media, reactions were instant and intense.
“GameStop just went full Michael Saylor. Is this the turnaround they needed—or the final meme?”, commented one of the subscribers.
Meanwhile, analysts are divided. Some see GameStop’s Bitcoin buy as a savvy hedge against inflation and a way to attract a new generation of investors. Others warn of heightened risk, especially as Bitcoin’s price remains volatile and regulatory uncertainty persists.
As GameStop’s bold move reverberates through the markets, it’s also sparking a wider conversation about the future of corporate treasury management. Will other struggling retailers and legacy brands follow suit, using Bitcoin as a potential lifeline? Or will GameStop’s gamble become a cautionary tale of crypto’s unpredictable nature?
In the days following the announcement, Reddit forums and Discord channels lit up with speculation and memes, with some users even suggesting GameStop could launch its own NFT marketplace or accept Bitcoin payments for games and consoles. The company’s willingness to embrace new technology may help it forge a new identity in an era where digital assets and gaming culture increasingly intersect.
How Gamestop’s purchase of Bitcoin affected BTC’s price. Source: CoinCheckup
As GameStop embraces its new identity as a crypto pioneer, all eyes are on whether this bold bet will pay off — or if it’s just the latest twist in the meme stock saga. One thing is certain: both Wall Street and the crypto world will be watching every move.
It has been hailed as the world’s most secure store of value for many years, but Bitcoin is poised to become something much more valuable. With advances in its underlying technology, the great-grandfather of cryptocurrency is undergoing a rapid transformation and could soon emerge as the gold standard for the digital economy of the future.
Until now, Bitcoin’s utility has paled into insignificance when compared to rival cryptocurrencies. Ethereum has long since been considered the undisputed leader in terms of blockchain programmability, providing a foundation for decentralized finance, non-fungible tokens, and the alternative financial system.
In contrast, Bitcoin’s architecture has severely limited its potential. It could only be considered as a transactional network, suitable for payments, savings, and little else. Not so anymore. Thanks to the arrival of some innovative Layer-2 solutions, Bitcoin finally has what it takes to fulfill its true potential and act as an alternative form of money, just as Satoshi Nakamoto intended.
The emergence of the crypto economy
Bitcoin was revolutionary, but it was the arrival of Ethereum that paved the way for crypto’s alternative financial system. With its support for smart contracts, Ethereum created an environment for developers to build the first decentralized applications, expanding the utility of crypto beyond transactions. It led us into a world where things like decentralized lending, liquidity provision, staking, and yield farming were made possible. It gave birth to a financial economy that anyone could participate in, without any restrictions.
The success of Ethereum is legendary, but the staying power of Bitcoin is something else. Despite its lack of utility, it continues to stand apart from the rest of the crypto crowd as the undisputed king of digital assets. Just look at the total market capitalization of Bitcoin, which is worth more than that of every other cryptocurrency combined, valued at more than $2 trillion.
The downside is that this capital is largely sitting idle, but recent events suggest that won’t always be the case.
Bitcoin’s transformation
In the last few years, Bitcoin has transformed, with the approval of the first exchange-traded funds dramatically increasing its appeal. The ETFs paved the way for unprecedented institutional investment in Bitcoin, helping its value to soar beyond the $100,000 mark for the first time in late 2024.
More exciting are the recent technological developments we’ve witnessed. They began with the arrival of Lightning Network, which offered a solution to Bitcoin’s scalability bottlenecks, powering faster and lower-cost transactions by offloading them from the network. It also inspired additional pioneers, such as Rootstock and Liquid Network, which created environments for the first Bitcoin DeFi applications by minting digital assets pegged to its value.
The real game changer was the Taproot upgrade that was rolled out in 2021 after years of development. Taproot was the innovation that paved the way for Bitcoin to support smart contracts for the first time. It utilized a technique known as MAST (Merklized Alternative Script Trees), which condenses Bitcoin transactions into a single hash, easing the memory constraints of its blockchain.
Finally, in the last couple of years, further innovation arrived in the shape of highly sophisticated Layer-2 solutions on Bitcoin, such as Babylon and SatLayer. These new networks enable Ethereum-like programmability off-chain while anchoring their transaction data and execution on the underlying Bitcoin blockchain. This means Bitcoin can be used natively on those networks with the same kind of sophisticated applications we’ve seen arise on Ethereum and other smart contract blockchains. What’s more, these networks do not alter Bitcoin’s base layer, and they do not compromise its decentralized principles.
Because these programmable environments are so tightly integrated with Bitcoin, they provide a foundation for newer DeFi applications that can tap into the largest ocean of liquidity in the crypto ecosystem.
Building the Bitcoin ecosystem
Leading the charge is SatLayer, an ambitious project that aims to make Bitcoin the new gold standard for the decentralized economy. By bringing programmability to Bitcoin, SatLayer transforms BTC into a smart asset that will help to extend the DeFi ecosystem far beyond what it is now.
SatLayer sees Bitcoin as the perfect vehicle for an emerging class of tokenized, real-world assets, where traditional financial instruments such as stocks and shares, bonds, commodities, and real estate live on-chain, increasing liquidity. By cutting out intermediaries, lowering transaction costs, and boosting accessibility through fractional ownership, real-world assets promise to turbocharge the digital economy, and Bitcoin will play a central role in this transformation.
As a starting point, SatLayer is already providing the foundational security layer for a new generation of decentralized applications. Known as Bitcoin Validated Services, they will unlock fresh utility for Bitcoin in the shape of decentralized insurance, undercollateralized loans, and more.
Bitcoin’s ecosystem is expanding in other ways, such as Sovryn, further expanding Bitcoin’s utility. With Sovryn, users can deposit Bitcoin and use it to provide liquidity for decentralized trading or lend it to other DeFi users, earning passive income for these activities. Users earn the protocol’s native token, SOV. Meanwhile, Babylon Labs enables a different kind of use case for Bitcoin, leveraging it to provide security for other proof-of-stake blockchains. Users lock up their Bitcoin in Babylon smart contracts, and that capital, combined with the deposits of other users, is what’s used to secure third-party networks. Depositors are then rewarded with the native tokens of the blockchains their deposits secure.
Much more to come
The expanded utility of Bitcoin is getting a lot of attention. Recently, the hedge fund Fidelity, which boasts more than $5.9 trillion in assets under management, heaped praise on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, saying it’s the most efficient way to transact with digital assets. It’s an endorsement that reinforces the incredible potential of Bitcoin to provide so much more than just a store of value.
Many analysts predict Bitcoin’s nascent DeFi economy will thrive. Messari said recently that if Bitcoin DeFi is able to match the level of adoption seen in wBTC on Ethereum, tapping into just under 3% of its addressable market, its value will rise to an incredible $47 billion. But many expect Bitcoin DeFi will ultimately see much higher penetration than this, given the ocean of idle capital locked up in users’ wallets.
With Bitcoin’s value on the rise again, institutional investors paying more attention, and an ecosystem that’s expanding exponentially, there are more reasons than ever to think it really will become the new gold standard for the digital economy.
Blockchain developers live in a world where technological innovations drive rapid advances, and few have been more impactful than the rise of Rust, a powerful programming language that turbocharges decentralized application development.
The Rust programming language was never developed for blockchain. Instead, it began its life in 2006 as an experimental project by the Mozilla researcher Graydon Hoare, who was trying to create a multi-paradigm programming language with efficient memory management and a focus on concurrency, performance, and safety.
As MIT Technology Review describes, Hoare first conceived Rust while living on the 21st floor of an apartment block, where the elevator often failed, forcing him to ascend the stairs far too frequently for his liking. He soon realized that the elevator’s regular downtime was a result of its software being written in a language known for its extremely buggy nature, particularly with regard to memory.
Hoare, therefore, decided to do something about it and began creating an entirely new computer language that would make it possible to write code quickly and in a streamlined fashion. The idea was to eliminate these memory problems that are thought to be responsible for up to 70% of the bugs in older coding languages. He called this new language “Rust”, in honor of a particularly hardy species of fungi.
Fast-forward almost two decades, and Rust has become one of the most popular programming languages around, adopted by the likes of Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Discord, Dropbox, and Cloudflare. Developers love Rust because it enables them to build fast and reliable software with efficient memory usage and robust safety guarantees, with high concurrency and many other advantages.
Rust rules in blockchain
Rust has become especially popular in blockchain development, where it provides a couple of key advantages that are essential for the creation of healthy, decentralized networks. In particular, Rust is known for its straightforward syntax, which makes writing dApps much easier than in other languages. It also means it’s fairly simple for experienced programmers to learn.
The other key advantage is its memory safety, which avoids the need for a “garbage collector” used in languages such as Java. This is important, as the garbage collector significantly increases runtime overheads. Rust stands out for its robust memory management, which ensures very few bugs and performance issues for dApps utilizing the language.
Another major benefit of Rust is its vibrant developer community and its expansive ecosystem of tools, which has given birth to a vast ocean of libraries, tools, and other resources to support software development. In an industry as complex as blockchain, you can never have too much help!
Which blockchains implement Rust?
Aleo
Aleo is known as a privacy-focused blockchain network that’s designed to support truly anonymous interactions between users. It does this by integrating a cryptographic technique known as zero-knowledge proofs within programmable smart contracts, giving dApps a way to anonymize users’ transactions and deliver more personalized experiences.
With ZK-proofs, it’s possible for one user to prove to another that it knows the details of a transaction, without revealing the amounts sent or the sender or receiver, making truly private transactions a reality in blockchain.
With its privacy-focused blockchain, Aleo aims to appeal to institutions that demand the utmost secrecy in their business dealings. The use of ZK-proofs is what enables this, but the technology is incredibly complex. So Aleo simplifies it with its specialized programming language, Leo, which is based on Rust.
With Leo, developers can abstract away all of the underlying cryptography, so they can focus on building secure dApps with native ZK-proof capabilities. They don’t need to understand how the ZK-proofs work, which makes the technology far more accessible than before.
In addition to privacy, Aleo also aims to be an extremely high-performance blockchain that can support versatile smart contracts. Leo enables this too, thanks to Rust’s fine-grained control over system resources, which enables it to accelerate transaction times. Leo boasts a lightweight concurrency model and support for multithreading to increase network throughput.
As such, it allows DeFi applications to run at incredibly fast speeds compared to older networks.
Solana
The Solana blockchain was built to address the scalability challenges of Bitcoin and Ethereum, and to that end, its creator, Anatoly Yakovenko, designed a novel Proof-of-History consensus mechanism that leaves those older networks behind in a cloud of dust.
Proof-of-History is the secret sauce that enables Solana to support thousands of transactions per second. It works by creating a timestamped record of blockchain events, removing the need for validators to coordinate and agree on the order of transactions. This dramatically increases its transaction throughput, resulting in a vastly more efficient blockchain.
To support such a blazing-fast network, Solana needed a similarly performant programming language, and Yakovenko quickly came to the conclusion that only Rust would do. He was particularly impressed with Rust’s robust concurrency model, which is necessary to handle thousands of transactions concurrently.
Rust also offers fine-grained control over low-level details, which is particularly useful for writing deterministic code, making Solana less prone to environment-specific variations.
Solana uses Rust to write smart contracts and NFTs, and its memory efficiency and reliability play a key role in facilitating the higher transaction volumes it supports.
Polkadot
Another high-performance blockchain based on Rust is Gavin Wood’s Polkadot, which introduced the concept of multiple “parachains” specifically for each dApp to increase the scalability of its Web3 ecosystem.
Polkadot makes extensive use of Rust. For instance, it serves as the basis of Polkadot’s core runtime for executing smart contracts and transactions, providing extensive safety features and low-level control to minimize risk and boost efficiency.
Rust is also the foundation of many of Polkadot’s ecosystem components. The Substrate framework, which provides a foundation for developing and deploying parachains atop of the Polkadot relay chain, is written in Rust. Substrate is an extensible, modular architecture that allows for each parachain to implement its novel consensus mechanism and link it to Polkadot’s PoS. It also provides a decentralized governance model and supports economic incentives for dApps. Utilizing Rust’s expressive syntax, developers can take full advantage of Substrate’s capabilities to build highly scalable parachains.
Finally, Rust is one of the key facilitators of interoperability between Polkadot and its parachains. Its cross-chain communication model is based on WebAssembly, which is a low-level virtual machine that makes it possible for code to run in different environments, easing interoperability headaches for developers. Rust provides native support for WASM.
Driving blockchain innovation
Rust is a great example of how innovation paves the way for further advances in blockchain, being especially well-suited for dApps that need high performance and concurrency.
It’s especially useful in DeFi applications, where speed and security are of paramount importance to end users. Thanks to Rust, developers can build incredibly sophisticated applications with rapid transaction processing and strong security guarantees. It’s because of Rust that other blockchains, such as Aleo, Solana, and Polkadot, are rapidly building out DeFi ecosystems to rival the one found on Ethereum.
What began life as a simple project to improve the efficiency of an elevator has since emerged as a favorite for blockchain developers. Rust is known for its strong performance and iron-clad security, making it a perfect tool for the creation of highly efficient and decentralized applications.
The markets during late May 2025 displayed unexpected spikes and significant declines along with puzzling economic patterns. Investors and market watchers have experienced an exceptionally dynamic period during this timeframe. The total value of cryptocurrency markets grew by 6.9% reaching US$3.55 trillion in the week ending late May as reported by Binance research while traditional markets experienced mixed results.
BTC and gold
The top performers for the week were Bitcoin which gained 6.3% and gold which increased by 4.9%. Bitcoin’s recent surge occurred during a period of increased ETF investment and a slightly weaker dollar while gold benefited from safe-haven demand and possibly additional concerns over the U.S. debt ceiling.
The S&P 500 and the powerful U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) experienced declines of –0.9% and –1.4%, respectively while U.S. 10-Year Treasuries and Ethereum (ETH) registered slight decreases.
Year-to-date: Gold leaves crypto in the dust
Gold secured the highest return in 2025 with a 27.1% year-to-date gain which surpassed Bitcoin’s respectable 17.8% YTD performance. Ethereum (ETH) has endured a terrible year with a significant decline of –22.2%. The S&P 500 shows minimal movement and remains slightly negative while the DXY index has decreased substantially by 8.3%.
Ethereum’s wild week
Ethereum experienced its greatest weekly advance since 2021 when it surged over 43% in seven days. That’s not just impressive; it’s legendary. ETH reached its previous weekly peak during the 2021 market frenzy when smart contracts became a common topic of conversation even at the barber shop. ETH’s 2025 downturn reached a low of –55% YTD by mid-April before recovering to approximately –20% by late May.
Bitcoin ETFs
Bitcoin Spot ETF inflows reached $43 billion by late May as they skyrocketed. Crypto assets have moved beyond their status as the oddball family member to become regular members of institutional investors’ portfolios.
Multi-asset performance: Equities, FX, commodities, bonds, and volatility
If you thought crypto was volatile, check out the VIX (the “fear gauge” for equities): The VIX saw a 15% rise during the past week and increased almost 70% from the same period last year. The MOVE Index which measures bond market volatility shows an increase yet remains less alarming in comparison.
The S&P 500 and NYFANG+ both experienced moderate weekly declines yet delivered respectable annual returns with NYFANG+ achieving an impressive 28.7%. Gold? Still dazzling, up nearly 38% year-over-year.
The bond market remains stagnant since the U.S. 10-Year Treasury bond values have dropped across all maturities. WTI crude oil prices experienced a continuous decline reaching a 21% drop compared to last year.
Correlations: BTC and ETH
The 2-month correlation matrix shows BTC and ETH moving closely together with a correlation of 0.84. The stocks display moderate correlations with the S&P 500 while gold maintains its independent rhythm which often leads it to move away from the dollar index (DXY).
Credit downgrades
Multiple sectors experienced challenges during this week. Moody’s lowered the U.S. sovereign credit rating to Aa1, citing rising debt and interest burdens. The rating actions follow substantial credit rating adjustments by S&P in 2011 and Fitch in 2023.
Anytime these ratings downgrades occurred they created disturbances throughout the financial markets. The 2011 S&P downgrade resulted in a 71% fall for BTC over 90 days while gold experienced significant gains. In the first three days BTC rose nearly 3%, gold increased by 3.3% but the S&P and U.S. 10-Year both showed declines. We’re experiencing a familiar situation yet this time the crypto market plays a bigger role.
What’s next? Key events to watch
The upcoming week features numerous potential catalysts beyond just price charts analysis. The upcoming U.S. FOMC meeting minutes release (which always makes markets tense) along with major crypto events like Bitcoin 2025 and ETHPrague promise to ignite market volatility.
Incorporating macroeconomic indicators such as U.S. services PMI together with durable goods orders and Japanese inflation and employment statistics leads to ongoing market volatility and potential investment opportunities.
Final thoughts
The continued strength of Bitcoin and the lustrous appeal of gold stand out but Ethereum’s difficulties show that major market players can face setbacks.
The essential advice for investors involves maintaining knowledge about market trends and spreading their investments across multiple assets. Crypto enthusiasts and traditional investors alike should monitor both market segments because each holds valuable insights. Stay ahead of the curve. Get exclusive market insights and trade on Binance.
Lincoln cents are composed of 2.5% copper, with the remainder in zinc, and cost 3.69 cents to produce
The U.S. Treasury Department has announced a plan to cease production of the one-cent coin, following bipartisan legislative efforts (S. 1525 and H.R. 3074) and a directive from President Trump, who called the coin’s production “wasteful.” The department placed its final order for blank pennies from the United States Mint earlier this month, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal, and cent circulation is expected to end once those inventories are exhausted. Earlier this year, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) also weighed in on the issue, posting on X about the high cost of penny production and citing data reported by CoinNews.
Each penny now costs 3.69 cents to produce – more than triple its face value and up 20.2% from 2023 alone – while the nickel costs even more at 9.63 cents apiece, according to the Mint’s fiscal year 2024 annual report. Combined, the two lowest denominations drained $103 million last year – $85.3 million for the penny and $17.7 million for the nickel. It marked the nineteenth consecutive year that the cost of producing both coins exceeded their face values. Ending penny production is projected to save tens of millions annually, though shared minting costs will shift to other denominations, raising their production expenses.
In calendar year 2024, the U.S. Mint produced approximately 3.23 billion pennies, representing about 57.5% of the year’s total coin output of 5.61 billion. An estimated 114 billion one-cent coins remain in circulation, though many see little active use. They will continue to be accepted as legal tender even after production ends. Over time, cash transactions are expected to round to the nearest nickel – a system already adopted by countries like Canada, which phased out its penny in 2012.
The U.S. Mint has been exploring more cost-effective ways to produce the five-cent coin and other denominations, focusing on alternative metal compositions and enhanced manufacturing methods. In its 2022 Biennial Report to Congress, the Mint identified an 80/20 cupronickel alloy – 80% copper and 20% nickel – as a viable alternative that could be implemented roughly one year after receiving congressional authorization. The proposed composition is intended to lower production costs while remaining compatible with existing coin-handling equipment.
Lincoln cents are composed of 2.5% copper, with the remainder in zinc. Five-cent coins contain 25% nickel, with the balance in copper. Dimes, quarters, and half dollars each consist of 8.33% nickel, with the rest in copper.
According to the Mint’s most recent annual report, as previously reported by CoinNews, the cost to produce and distribute the remaining coins was 5.76 cents for a dime, 14.68 cents for a quarter, and 33.97 cents for a half dollar.
First struck in 1793 and bearing Lincoln’s profile since 1909, the penny has long been a subject of debate. Critics argue that eliminating it will streamline cash transactions and reduce waste, while others express concern over rounding impacts and potential effects on charitable giving.
Gambling enthusiasts the world over have been presented with more options than ever before in the casino space, and cryptocurrency in particular has attracted a lot of curiosity. Is it really better for speed and security? Are the improved bonuses actually worth it? Should you be considering a move to crypto if you’re a keen online gamer?
These are the questions we’re going to unpick for you in this article!
It’s an easy move
First things first – how hard is it to start gaming with crypto? Any payoffs you might get need to be weighed against the effort expended, and you can’t possibly assess the value of the move if you don’t know how challenging it’s likely to be.
Fortunately, it’s easy. While crypto might seem somewhat daunting to an outsider who has never handled these coins before, there are tons of guides for getting started with crypto, and making the jump really is pretty simple. You’ll just need to set up a wallet to store your crypto and then you can sign up for a casino platform using your currency of choice! Of course, you should make sure you pick a mainstream currency so you know the casino will accept it, but that’s pretty easy to do!
And the great news is, lots of casinos today accept various kinds of cryptocurrency. IgnitionCasino, for example, offers a range to its players, although some depend on the kind of account you have. You might be able to use USD Tether, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin, Bitcoin SV, or Ethereum. That means there are tons of options to give you flexibility in the crypto world! IgnitionCasino is also always expanding its offerings, meaning more choices for players everywhere. The fact that so many of the mainstream coins are already offered makes it even easier to get straight into the world of crypto gaming.
The advantages are significant
So, we’ve established that the move isn’t a particularly challenging one to make, but now, we need to explore what benefits you’ll actually enjoy. Even an easy move might not be worth it if the benefits are mediocre… but that’s not the case with crypto.
There are actually several major reasons to make the switch. You’ve likely heard of a few of them already, but let’s expound on them here anyway.
First of all, speed. If you’re tired of waiting for traditional bank transfers to take place, especially when it comes to withdrawing your winnings, you’re in luck. Crypto transactions usually take place within a few minutes, rather than over hours or days. Deposits are basically instantaneous. It’s a really satisfying feeling if you’re used to fiat transfers!
Next, there’s security. For a lot of people, this is the biggest draw. Cybercrime is huge in today’s world, and it’s not going anywhere, so we all need to take every precaution we can online. A lot of people feel uneasy about entering their bank details on online gaming platforms, even super reputable ones. Although a good casino will do everything in its power to protect your data, playing with crypto can be a great way to beef up your security even further.
The blockchain network that powers crypto transactions is designed to be almost impossible to hack and very difficult to defraud. It depends on a public ledger, where all transactions must be verified by a shared network of computers before they are recorded. This makes it much harder for a hacker to alter the network; even if they could change some records, the rest of the network would disagree and prevent the change from being recorded.
Furthermore, this system allows you to maximize your privacy. While banks and other financial institutions depend upon personal details to determine who you are and minimize fraud, blockchain transactions don’t need anything but your wallet address and the address of the wallet you’re sending funds to. No names, dates of birth, home addresses, etc. It’s much easier to maintain your privacy with this setup!
For a lot of people, those three factors alone are enough reason to jump on the cryptocurrency bandwagon and start taking advantage of these digital coins… but they’re not the only elements to consider.
Other benefits
There are a couple of other things that might convince you to “go digital” with your cash if you’re still on the fence. One is the bonuses. Casinos like IgnitionCasino often offer better bonuses and rewards for folks who play with cryptocurrencies. That’s because – without middlemen taking a cut of every transaction – they save money when you play with crypto, and they can therefore offer better benefits. You might also find you keep a greater percentage of any winnings, again thanks to the low fees associated with crypto.
That means if you win big, like the individual celebrated in this Instagram reel, you could find more of the money goes into your account at the end of the day. Nobody’s going to complain about that!
Furthermore, you’ve got incentives like access to a truly international currency. No conversion rates, no international fees, no extra delays, no frustrations. Cryptocurrencies are borderless.
All of those roll into a pretty attractive package that has set crypto casinos like IgnitionCasino apart from the competition. You can still play with fiat currency if you prefer, of course, but those benefits look rather appealing for a lot of savvy gamers in today’s world.
