☝️ Uptober was real; Over to you Novembag!

Another seasoned GM bros and chicas

Fellas, the only thing better than a solid month in the crypto dunya is a full-on bull year! And while OGs like blocmates’ chief larp, Grant, reckon the Bull hasn’t kicked in yet, we can all agree—October sure lived up to its hype!

This week closed off UPtober, and we can say it’s almost done in grand style……. Hold up! Not without a few scandals, a routine Tether FUD, an unlikely marriage between DAOs and AI, brutal layoffs, and probably the most anticipated unlock of the year finally happening. 

And, If you’re wondering who’s behind the curtain this time, it’s not Lavina, Hixon, or Emiri from the Pub—it’s me, Ollie! When I’m not knee-deep in crypto brainrot, I’m either watching footy or hitting the courts for some tennis.  

So, without wasting any more of your time, let’s run through this week in crypto.

Tether FUD false again 

For those skeptical about Bitcoin as a Store of Value, think back—how many times have you scrambled to flip USDT for USDC (or vice versa) after some sudden FUD alert? 

It’s now a crypto rite of passage. Case in point: this past weekend, as the WSJ reported a US Gov probe into Tether, sparking the usual chatter.

Tether’s CEO, Paolo Ardoino, quickly debunked it, citing false reporting by the WSJ, and reassured everyone by revealing Tether’s hefty reserves—$100 billion in U.S. Treasuries, 82,454 BTC, and 48.3 tons of gold. So, no need to panic; it is just another day in the crypto wild West

And for a little sprinkle-sprinkle of conspiracy theory: rumor has it the WSJ’s parent company, NewsCorp, counts BlackRock as a top shareholder. 

Now, don’t go asking me what that might mean—just some good ol' conspiracy chatter, nonsense at best.

Plus, not financial advice, but if you are constantly worried about stablecoin FUD, maybe divest into more than one stablecoin to be a tad safe. Again, this is in no way financial advice. 

Is winter coming; layoffs are back 

All signs—both on the charts and in sentiment—point to a healthy market, with nothing that feels like a crypto winter in sight. So why the layoffs?

This week, two major players, DYDX and ConsenSys, made unexpected cuts of 35% and 20% of their teams, respectively. 

It’s a move that goes against the usual rhythm of companies hiring in lockstep with bullish price action. 

Are these layoffs a blip, or is there more to it beneath the surface?

DYDX cited a shift toward a leaner, more agile team as the reason for its layoffs. But the crypto community suspects another motive—competition. 

With Hyperliquid emerging as the new sheriff, dominating the volume charts, and pushing the race for on-chain trading efficiency, could DYDX’s move be a strategic pivot in response to this fresh powerhouse? Only time will tell.

As for ConsenSys, the consensus gossip in the corridors of CT is that a simple announcement of a token, accompanied by a TGE date, could’ve spared the job cuts and saved their now ex-team members from a miserable, extra-chilly winter Christmas.

True? Or greed speaking?

DAOs and AI form an unlikely marriage

Utility?  Serious crypto fundamentals? 

Those in the trenches couldn’t care less. Which is why DAOS.FUN has everyone doing a double-take.

DAOS.FUN pulls a bold move, blending the foundational principles of a DAO with the memecoin mania to create an AI-driven hedge fund DAO. 

This setup lets DAO members pool funds and leverage a smart wallet to trade memecoins for short-term gains. 

Naturally, we covered all the essentials for you—check it out and see what all the hype is about!

MR BEAST OR MR GRIFT? 

Jimmy Donaldson, popularly known as “Mr. Beast,” is about the most famous YouTuber on the planet right now, so I will assume that you know him. 

If you do know him, then you must’ve wondered, “Where does Mr Beast get his money?” 

The obvious answer is sponsorships—after all, big brands love the guy. However, the least expected explanation is what surfaced this week: crypto fraud.

Recent investigations carried out by a group of on-chain analysts, Hunter, Kasper Vandeloock, Angelfacepeanut, SomaXBT, and Parson, have tied Mr Beast to a series of insider trading with a profit of over 23 million US dollars. 

Could this be a case of a modern-day Robin Hood? Has the crypto community unknowingly been fueling MrBeast’s extravagant acts of ‘public good’ all along?

Whether the answer is yes, no, or somewhere in between, one thing’s for sure: MrBeast has yet to address these allegations since the story broke.

SEX FOR INSIDER INFO SCANDAL

Welp! MrBeast wasn’t the only big scandal rocking crypto this week. This next one? It’s a real gut-punch, leaving a sour taste for everyone involved.

Once again, we’re reminded that the on-chain world isn’t so different from the real one—especially when it comes to irregular human nature.

“I'll take you to catch a ride. I have a suite at the Murray Hotel. Be good to me, and I can give you more insider info. Girls work too hard; you don't have to take a job at a crypto project. I'll give you alpha, and you can make money."

These were the words of Eugene, a partner at DWF labs and founder of OpenEden labs, as he tried to persuade his date to come home with him. 

However, it gets worse. Recently released footage shows Eugene putting an unknown substance suspected to be a drug into the lady’s drink as she stepped out to use the bathroom. 

Really shameful behaviour, innit? 

DWF labs have since released a press statement stating that Eugene has been dismissed and investigations are underway. 

Who’s gonna stop Saylor?

What’s a Bitcoin rally to ATH without Michael Saylor swooping in with a buy order larger than most countries' GDPs?

MicroStrategy, the Saylor-led intelligence giant, just announced plans to raise a staggering $42 billion over the next three years to buy more Bitcoin. 

And if that wasn’t enough, this news comes right after Saylor recently shared his intention to leave his Bitcoin to the universe, citing his lack of kids or a significant other as a reason for his cosmic inheritance plan.

If by any means Saylor reads this newsletter, I would like him to know that my middle name is “Universe” 

Remember Starknet?

Starknet is a stark reminder of just how ruthless the crypto industry can be! For many of you reading this newsletter, it’s probably the first time you’re getting a Starknet update since the airdrop melodrama.

But the team hasn’t been idle—they’ve been hard at work and have just accomplished something that might just make Vitalik break into an even louder song on any stage he graces!

Word on the street is that Starknet has achieved a remarkable 127 transactions per second (TPS) for a full day, a new record for Ethereum L2s. 

Don’t scratch your head too much. Starknet might’ve recorded 8 users' activity post-airdrop, but it was not just 8 users spamming the network that achieved this. The team acknowledged that they coordinated a joint testing activity with Flippy Flop. 

Are these signs of things to come for Ethereum and its L2s? 

Sure, Vitalik has faced plenty of trolling over ETH’s sluggish price action, but it looks like there’s some strategic coordination happening with L2s to reignite momentum for Ethereum, and Starknet is playing a key role in this revival.

And now, for my final serve…

If you’ve made it this far, bless your heart—you deserve the inside scoop on my latest moves in the trenches.

I’ve ditched the scattershot approach of throwing cash at random memecoins. Now, I’m consolidating into tokens with real volume and strong communities. My filter? Tokens with sub-$150M market caps that have held over $10M in volume for at least a week.

Of course, this is what’s working for me, but it might not suit everyone—so do your thing. Also, keep an eye on TIA; with the recent unlock, it might be time to look for a bottom, but bid cautiously if you decide to jump in.

I’m keeping a close watch on Unichain’s launch, and I’ve got a feeling it could bring some serious opportunity. Not so much for DeFi tokens, but I’m expecting a flash of memecoin mania on the network that could be worth jumping into (for a short run, of course).

On a final note, remember: none of this is financial advice. If you happen to lose your grandfather’s hard-earned 60-year savings, that’s entirely on you!