Web3 Daily Digest - February 20, 2025

**Major crypto gains** as traditional finance embraces digital assets: - **Vanguard debuts crypto access** for clients - **Bank of America recommends up to 4% crypto allocation** for wealth management clients - BTC hits $93k, ETH at $3.1k, SOL at $141 **Key developments:** - **Ethereum's Fusaka upgrade** launches today - **Kalshi raises at $11B valuation**, co-founder Luana becomes youngest female billionaire - **UK creates new property category** for crypto and NFTs through Property Act - **Kraken acquires** tokenization platform Backed Finance - **Chainlink launches** LINK Everything initiative **Partnerships & expansions:** - Pudgy Penguins partners with NHL for Winter Classic - REKT Drinks gains access to 13,000 retailers through Superior Beverage Group - Hyperliquid Strategies merges with Sonnet Bio Therapeutics for $888M HYPE DAO Traditional finance continues its crypto adoption with major institutions offering new access points and allocation recommendations.

**Kalshi has officially launched prediction markets on Solana**, expanding beyond their previous beta testing phase. The platform allows users to bet on real-world events directly on the Solana blockchain. This follows Jupiter DEX's earlier beta integration with Kalshi in October. - Full rollout completed after Q4 2025 beta period - Real-world event betting now live on Solana - Builds on previous Jupiter partnership The launch represents a significant expansion of prediction market infrastructure in the Solana ecosystem, offering users new ways to speculate on outcomes beyond traditional crypto markets.

**NFT collector Deeze recently shared his growing discomfort** with holding onto some of his digital assets during an appearance on UnderExposedFM. Speaking alongside Tyler_Did_It, Deeze opened up about the **uncertainty he feels** regarding certain pieces in his collection. The discussion highlights a sentiment many collectors are experiencing as the NFT market continues to evolve. - Deeze's candid admission reflects broader market concerns - The conversation took place on the UnderExposedFM podcast - His comments suggest a shift in collector confidence This honest perspective from an established collector **provides insight into current market psychology** and the challenges facing NFT holders in today's environment.

**VanEck addressed Bitcoin privacy concerns** during a recent CNBC appearance, highlighting potential solutions through Zcash ($ZEC). The discussion covered: - Bitcoin's transparency limitations - Zcash's privacy-focused technology - Institutional perspectives on crypto privacy The conversation was featured on @fomohour with @farokh and @Tyler_Did_It providing additional insights. *Privacy coins continue gaining attention* as institutions explore enhanced transaction confidentiality options beyond Bitcoin's public ledger system.

- US government signals potential tariff relief for Mexico & Canada, driving major cryptocurrencies up 6-10% - Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Lutnick reveals Trump's upcoming Bitcoin Reserve announcement, with distinct treatment planned for other cryptocurrencies - Reddit co-founder expresses interest in TikTok acquisition, proposing blockchain integration - AVAX ecosystem sees new token $Blub reach $100M fully diluted valuation at launch - Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas moves 70% of portfolio ($3.5B+) into Bitcoin - USDC makes history as Japan's first approved stablecoin