Ripple CEO's Dogecoin Shift, SHIB's 92% Plunge, & Bitcoin STRD's Nasdaq Debut: Crypto News Roundup

Ripple CEO Embraces Dogecoin's Role in the Crypto Ecosystem

Garlinghouse's Evolving Perspective on Meme Coins

In a surprising shift, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has softened his stance on Dogecoin, acknowledging the meme coin's place in the crypto ecosystem. Garlinghouse, who previously spoke "not so kindly" about Dogecoin, now admits that the dog-themed cryptocurrency is here to stay. "It's part of the ecosystem. It plays a role," he said during a recent appearance at the Apex 2025 event.

However, Garlinghouse still believes that meme coins can have a negative impact on companies and developers focused on creating real products. He emphasized that he has never personally invested in such speculative assets, underscoring his preference for utility-driven cryptocurrencies. This nuanced perspective reflects the maturing crypto industry, where even prominent figures are recognizing the diverse roles different digital assets can play.

Shiba Inu Faces Mounting Concerns as Whale Activity Plummets

Bearish Signals Amid Declining On-Chain Metrics

Shiba Inu, the once-hyped meme coin, is facing a sharp decline in both price and on-chain activity, raising concerns among investors. At the time of writing, SHIB is trading at $0.00001276, down 5.25% over the past 24 hours, as it struggles to break past key resistance levels marked by major EMAs—a sign of a persistent downtrend.

According to IntoTheBlock data, the 30-day price drop stands at over 56%, indicating that whales (large holders) are not accumulating the token. Outflows have also fallen sharply, suggesting that major players are on the sidelines or have already exited the market. This reduced whale participation raises concerns about liquidity and the potential for a price rebound in the short term. Unless whale interest returns or bulls manage to break key EMAs, the token may continue to drift lower, potentially disappointing investors who had hoped for a SHIB revival.

MicroStrategy Doubles Down on Bitcoin with Nasdaq-Listed Preferred Stock

Saylor's Bullish Bet on BTC Continues to Pay Off

In a bold move, Michael Saylor, the cofounder and executive chairman of MicroStrategy, has announced the trading debut of the company's STRD, a Bitcoin-backed preferred stock, on the Nasdaq. This is the third in a series of such offerings designed to provide fixed-income investors with exposure to the flagship cryptocurrency.

Over the past four years, MicroStrategy has grown into a $100 billion company through aggressive Bitcoin purchases, and the strategy appears to be paying off. So far in 2025, MSTR's price has increased by 26%, outperforming major tech companies like Tesla, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon—as well as Bitcoin itself.

A week ago, Saylor revealed that the company has increased its STRD offering from $250 million to nearly $1 billion to fund more Bitcoin acquisitions. At the moment, MicroStrategy holds approximately 582,000 BTC worth around $41 billion, inching closer to the 600,000 BTC milestone. This unwavering commitment to Bitcoin reflects Saylor's conviction in the long-term potential of the asset, which continues to attract the attention of institutional investors.