Weekly Recap: Trump’s Crypto Advisor Hints, CZ’s Dog Name Sparks ‘Broccoli’ Memecoin Frenzy

Welcome to the latest edition of ChainPlay's Newsletter, where we dive into the week's most exciting and innovative crypto news.

ChainPlay.gg provides the latest updates, trends, and insights in the crypto market. Stay informed about key developments, investments, and growth across the industry.

Biggest VC Deals of Last Week

Crypto Adoption

Trump’s Crypto Advisor Hints at Major Industry Announcement

David Sacks, President Trump’s advisor on digital assets and AI, has teased a major crypto-related announcement. His remarks follow reports of increased regulatory coordination in Washington.

Key agencies, including the SEC, CFTC, and the Presidential Working Group on Digital Assets, are collaborating on crypto regulations. Bo Hines, a close Sacks associate, has facilitated meetings between regulators and industry leaders.

Industry groups, such as the Blockchain Association, are engaged in policy talks on staking, ETFs, and tokenized assets. Meanwhile, a CFTC forum will discuss stablecoins in futures markets.

With heightened government-industry collaboration, expectations are rising for a significant policy shift.

Tether Engages with US Lawmakers on Stablecoin Regulations

Tether is actively working with US lawmakers to influence the development of new stablecoin regulations, as confirmed by CEO Paolo Ardoino. The company aims to ensure that its perspective is considered in the legislative process, expressing a readiness to adapt its operations to align with regulatory requirements while maintaining its market leadership.

The proposed regulations would require Tether to conduct monthly audits and maintain one-to-one reserves backed by high-quality, liquid assets, such as US Treasury bills. Currently, Tether holds over $114 billion in short-term Treasury bills, which accounts for approximately 60% of the stablecoin market share with its USDT. Analysts from JPMorgan suggest that compliance with these new rules may necessitate Tether selling some of its Bitcoin and precious metals holdings.

Three significant stablecoin bills are currently under consideration in Congress, including the STABLE Act, which seeks to establish a regulatory framework with bipartisan support, and the GENIUS Act, which proposes federal oversight while preserving state authority. The GOP-controlled Congress is targeting April for a bill to be signed into law, indicating a swift move toward regulatory clarity in the stablecoin sector.

GameFi

Ethereum NFT Project Goblintown Unveils 'Really Hard Driving Game'

Goblintown, the Ethereum NFT project, has announced its upcoming game, Goblintown: Really Hard Driving Game, set to launch on Steam and the Epic Games Store. The game, described as a "foddian" experience, features the familiar Goblintown Burger Truck and presents players with a challenging obstacle course reminiscent of titles like Getting Over It and Only Up.

The game's trailer humorously highlights its difficulty, with end credits stating, "It’s really hard, by the way," and recounting a player's experience of crashing immediately. Despite its Web3 origins, the game will not incorporate any crypto or NFT elements, as it is designed as a traditional Web2 game.

Goblintown: Really Hard Driving Game is expected to be released in 60-90 days, with further details to be announced, including its connection to Abstract, a new consumer-focused Ethereum layer-2 network launched by Igloo Inc., the parent company of Pudgy Penguins.

Shiba Inu Gaming Arm Launches Fifth Ecosystem Game

Shiba Inu's gaming division, PlayWithShib, has launched a new mobile sprint racing game called Shibridge. Announced via an X post, the game challenges players to race against opponents while collecting bricks to build bridges faster. Players can employ tactics to slow down rivals or block their paths, making speed and strategy crucial for victory.

Currently available for download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, Shibridge is set to have a Web3 version integrated with Shibarium after attracting a significant user base. With this launch, the Shiba Inu gaming ecosystem now includes five games: Shiba Eternity, Agent Shiboshi, Shiboshi Rush, Lap Dogs, and Shibridge. Meanwhile, the community eagerly awaits updates on the SHIB: The Metaverse project, as hinted by Shiba Inu's leader, Shytoshi Kusama.

Blockchain games see a 3x year-on-year rise in activity for January: DappRadar

According to a report from DappRadar, blockchain gaming experienced a remarkable threefold increase in activity in January 2025, with over 7 million daily unique active wallets (UAW), marking a 386% rise compared to January 2024.

This growth reflects strong momentum in the industry, driven by advancements in layer-2 technology, evolving token economies, and collaborations with AAA game developers. Despite a downturn in investment, with $1.8 billion raised in 2024—a 38% decline year-over-year—analysts remain optimistic about the future of Web3 gaming, citing ongoing confidence in infrastructure and innovation within the sector.

Memecoins

CZ’s Dog Name Sparks ‘Broccoli’ Memecoin Frenzy

Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, recently revealed his dog’s name, “Broccoli,” in an X post, igniting a surge of memecoins themed around the Belgian Malinois. The popularity of these Broccoli memecoins has exploded on various launching platforms, with at least 480 Broccoli-themed coins on Solana’s Pump.fun and around 300 on BNB Smart Chain’s Four.Meme. Notably, one Solana Broccoli memecoin reached a market capitalization of $1.5 billion shortly after the announcement.

Despite the frenzy, CZ clarified that he is not launching a memecoin himself, stating that it is “up to the community to do that (or not).” The recent excitement around memecoins follows a controversial month, during which US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania launched their own tokens, leading to a mix of enthusiasm and scams in the market.

In related news, PancakeSwap, a decentralized exchange on the BNB Smart Chain, has seen a significant increase in trading volume, surpassing $3 billion in the last 24 hours. The BNB Chain has expressed its commitment to supporting the meme ecosystem, indicating that the interest in memecoins may have contributed to the recent rise in the BNB token's value. However, traders are cautioned about the risks associated with memecoins, as many can turn out to be scams, leading to rapid financial losses.

$PENGU Leads Top NFT Tokens with Massive Weekly Trading Volume

The NFT sector has witnessed a remarkable surge in trading volume, with several projects experiencing significant increases. According to data from Phoenix Group, $PENGU has emerged as the leader, boasting an impressive $1.4 billion in weekly trading volume, despite a 27% decline in price. Following closely is $ANIME, which recorded $834 million in trading volume and a 27.7% price drop, while $GALA secured the third spot with $735 million in trading volume and a 22.6% decrease in price.

Other notable NFT tokens include $SOLV with $710 million, $APE at $539 million, and $SAND with $505 million in weekly trading volume. The list also features $ME with $500 million, $GMT with $461 million, $CHZ with $374 million, and $MANA, which rounded out the top ten with $333 million. Despite the surge in trading volumes, many of these tokens have faced significant price declines over the past week, highlighting the volatility within the NFT market.

NFT Activity on TON Boosted by Telegram Gifts

The TON blockchain is seeing a surge in NFT activity thanks to collectible Telegram gifts, with users minting over 20 million gifts as NFTs. By utilizing Telegram Stars, users can transform these gifts into NFTs, enhancing their value and enabling on-chain transfers. This development marks a significant step for TON as it aims to revitalize its NFT market, which is rapidly expanding.

The integration of Telegram gifts allows users to upgrade standard images into unique collectibles, unlocking features like background colors and serial numbers. This organic growth strategy has led to the creation of over 1,400 unique combinations. As TON strengthens its connection with Telegram, it focuses on providing seamless on-chain access while removing 

other cryptocurrencies as payment options, positioning itself for potential growth in the NFT space.

Source: TON stat

Explosive Growth in the Real-World Assets (RWA) Sector

The Real-World Assets (RWA) sector has experienced remarkable growth recently, with its total market cap surging 144% to $62.7 billion in the last three months. The total value of tokenized real-world assets has also risen by 13% to reach $17.3 billion. This rapid expansion is largely attributed to increasing institutional adoption and a more favorable regulatory environment in the US following Donald Trump’s election, which has fostered optimism among investors.

Most major RWA tokens have maintained their upward momentum, with only ONDO showing a decline in the past week. Despite this short-term dip, ONDO remains up 382% over the last year. Other leading tokens, such as Mantra and Injective (INJ), have seen gains of nearly 30% and over 16%, respectively, reflecting sustained investor interest. The total value of RWA continues to grow, with Private Credit dominating the market at $11.9 billion, followed by US Treasury Debt at $3.7 billion, indicating a strong demand for tokenized low-risk assets.

Pi Network Mainnet Launch Date: How Will It Affect Pi Coin Price?

The price of Pi Network (PI) recently approached $80, driven by positive sentiment following its listings on a major exchange like OKX. On February 16, the price surged 20% within the week, reflecting increased investor interest despite broader market uncertainties related to U.S. inflation data. The anticipation surrounding the upcoming mainnet launch on February 20 has further fueled speculation, as traders position themselves for potential volatility.

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ChainPlay team