Inner Chain: Issue 16

🚀 Editor's Note

Welcome to the 16th edition of Inner Chain Crypto your weekly no-hype, straight-talking guide to what’s really happening in Crypto and Web 3, from a passionate squad of crypto enthusiasts from Brooklyn to Accra.

This week’s Federal Reserve symposium in Jackson Hole is the macro anchor, setting the tone for the rest of 2025. Eyes are glued to Fed Chair Powell’s speech on Friday, markets are bracing for clarity on rate-cut expectations.

Amid the noise, ETH is still grinding toward all-time highs and beyond with a key target of $5k. Key crypto narratives following its moves include: Ethereum Layer 2s and RWA projects. At the same time, the Trump administration is committed to positioning the U.S. as the “crypto capital of the world,” while supporting crypto projects that are Made in America.

Don’t get sidelined. Lock In 🔒️ 

If Ethereum is the institutional backbone, then projects built on its ecosystem are the growth engines. Key players like Arbitrum, ENA, Optimism, Base, and Starknet are worth watching and could be smart additions to your portfolio as Ethereum beta plays.

ETH Ecosystem Beta Plays:

• Arbitrum (ARB) → Biggest TVL, DeFi-heavy, ecosystem leader.

• Optimism (OP) → Coinbase’s Base + other OP Stack chains, strong U.S. institutional alignment.

• Ethena (ENA) – The stablecoin disruptor. ENA’s synthetic dollar ($USDe) is seeing massive adoption, bridging DeFi yield with RWA flows.

• zkSync (ZK) → Zero-knowledge rollup, developer-friendly, scaling DeFi + gaming.

• Starknet (STRK) → Cairo-based ZK rollup, strong dev culture, scaling RWAs + DeFi.

• EigenLayer (EIGEN) → Restaking infrastructure, powering modular security for L2s + RWAs

💹 MARKET WATCH

🔥 Inner Watchlist

• $ENA

• $ENS

• $AERO

• $ALLO

• $AVAIL

• $NEET

• $ANON

• $TRX

🔶 BINANCE WATCHLIST

The largest crypto exchange in the world Binance has memes on BSC chain. BNB Season is here with the following picks - none listed on Binance…yet. You can purchase using pancake swap exchange.

🪙 BITCOIN supply is running out, and you are the last to know.

🗞️ News

• Jackson Hole could unlock crypto bullrun

• Chamath is launching a $250M SPAC called American Exceptionalism Acquisition Corp

• The Bank of Internal Settlements (BIS) wants to start marking bitcoins

• Federal Reserve to scrap program devoted to policing banks on Bitcoin, crypto, and fintech activities

• JP Morgan Analysts: We think Ether $ETH is Emerging

🧑‍💻 Who We Are

We’re a small squad of crypto natives - traders, builders, and research freaks who are deep in the trenches with a wealth of knowledge of the crypto market.

_Disclaimer

^{_{The information provided in this newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The content, including any trading ideas, charts, or strategies, is not intended to be, and should not be interpreted as, an offer to buy, sell, or hold any financial product. The information shared does not account for the investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of any individual recipient.}}

Till next time,

INNER CHAIN

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