BRICS will expand in 2025 with nine new partner states, signaling surging global alignment with the bloc as more nations race to secure ties.

BRICS Expands With New Partner States in 2025

Several countries are set to gain BRICS partner status starting Jan. 1, 2025, following confirmations received by Russia, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov informed reporters on Tuesday.

Referencing the BRICS leaders’ summit in Kazan, Ushakov was quoted by Tass as saying: “One of the important results of the summit was the establishment of the category of BRICS partner countries and coming to terms on a list of 13 states. Invitations were sent to these states.” The Russian official added:

As of this time, confirmations of readiness to become a BRICS partner country have been received from Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.

“From January 1, 2025, they will officially acquire the status of BRICS partner states. But we expect that in the near future responses will come from four more countries, to which invitations were also sent,” he further explained.

Ushakov noted that Eritrea has shown interest in engaging with BRICS, reflecting a growing list of nations looking to collaborate with the bloc. Representatives from partner countries will be invited to key meetings, including BRICS summits and sessions of foreign ministers. The official elaborated: “We also believe it is right to involve partners in meetings of high representatives in charge of security issues, parliamentary forum and other events.”

Reflecting on Russia’s presidency in BRICS, Ushakov noted Moscow’s efforts to integrate new members into the organization’s framework. He highlighted that Russia had to facilitate BRICS operations in an expanded format “to make sure that the new members of the group harmoniously fit into the customary arrangements, customary ways of interaction.” Ushakov described the process as successful, underscoring the significance of Russia’s role in steering the bloc through a transitional phase.

#BRICS

The Best Wallet ($BEST) token presale continues to attract significant interest from investors as it crosses the $5 million mark.

It’s been just a few weeks since the capital raise started and the project’s advanced features appear to have been enough to persuade Web 3 enthusiasts to chip in and position themselves for massive gains once the token is listed.

The recent dip that the crypto market has experienced after the Fed’s hawkish comments this week has not deterred investors from pushing the $BEST presale to new heights. The crypto-supportive policies endorsed by Donald Trump continue to be a good reason to invest in the blockchain sector.

Best Wallet introduces innovative tools for# investors including a screener that will allow them to identify the most promising Web 3 projects in their earliest stages.

Moreover, the developing team’s roadmap includes the launch of a decentralized exchange (DEX) and a debit card service that would make spending crypto for users a seamless experience.

The native token of Best Wallet – $BEST – is currently available at a presale discount of just $0.02327. This latest batch will only be available for 27 more hours. After it concludes, the price will be raised.
Positive outlook for stablecoins and DeFi in 2025

Stablecoins have shined this year as crypto adoption across the globe continues to surge. The combined market capitalization of these digital assets has soared by 48% in 2024 to an all-time high of $193 billion as of December 1.

Meanwhile, data from Coinbase’s market outlook indicated that over $27 trillion in transactions involving stablecoins have been processed since the year started, which represents a 3X jump compared to the same period the year before.
The sector is showing no signs of slowing down and analysts believe that another $5 trillion could be added to these figures in 2025.

Moreover, the DeFi sector is poised to reemerge as a powerful force within the crypto industry after a few challenging years that led investors to question the security of most protocols.
#besttoken

Bitcoin Plunges: Could Trump’s Policies Spark a Crypto Comeback Trail?

Bitcoin (BTC) recently hit an all-time high of $108,364, only to tumble to $92,118 within three days. This dramatic price drop coincides with growing political unease in the U.S., as the federal government faces a potential shutdown. Despite the downturn, some anticipate the emergence of a “God candle” that could mark bitcoin’s most impressive rebound yet.
In recent days, the crypto market has been as unpredictable as the U.S. political scene. The looming U.S. government shutdown stems from stalled spending negotiations, a situation that historically affects markets in varied ways.

For instance, the S&P 500 has occasionally recorded modest gains during past shutdowns. Meanwhile, bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency space have shown even less predictable patterns under similar circumstances.

Adding to the intrigue, Arthur Hayes, the former head of Bitmex, recently predicted a “harrowing dump” in crypto markets near Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day. He attributed this to short-term disillusionment among market participants.

Former ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli is incredibly downbeat on bitcoin. Just recently, he declared that Microstrategy’s Michael Saylor might face liquidation, and he further suggested that bitcoin (BTC) might meander aimlessly for an extended period, possibly even years. He also cautioned that folks shouldn’t bank on Trump fulfilling his pledges, hinting that he might not deliver on them. Yet, some have merely dismissed Shkreli’s views with a nonchalant shrug.

These views runs counter to the optimism of those who believe a Trump comeback could spark another legendary God candle—a term describing a massive one-day price spike that overshadows surrounding activity on the chart. While Hayes’ warning has dampened spirits being a crypto supporter and Shkreli’s statements shrugged off, Trump supporters remain hopeful.$BTC

#RideTheKaiaWave #Bitcoin

Robert Kiyosaki: Biggest Crash in History Will Hit Boomers Hard—Act Now

Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki warns of an imminent economic collapse, urging swift action as baby boomers risk devastating losses in homes, stocks, and bonds
Renowned financial expert and best-selling author Robert Kiyosaki has issued a stark forecast, warning of an imminent economic downturn that he describes as “the biggest crash in history.” Known for co-authoring Rich Dad Poor Dad alongside Sharon Lechter, Kiyosaki’s work has sold over 32 million copies, been translated into 51 languages, and stayed on the New York Times Best Seller list for more than six years.

Sharing his concerns on social media platform X on Monday, Kiyosaki underscored the precarious position of baby boomers. He pointed out that their heavy reliance on conventional retirement assets such as homes, stocks, and bonds leaves them particularly exposed. “When stock market bursts, boomers will be the biggest losers,” he stated, highlighting the potential for significant financial turbulence in the years ahead.

He encouraged younger individuals to assist their parents in reevaluating their investments before market declines worsen, stating:

If I were a child of a boomer, I would nudge my parents to sell their home, stocks, and bonds now, while prices are high, before the crash that is coming … and buy gold, silver, and bitcoin now … before your boomer mom and dad move in with you, or expect you to pay for their rising healthcare or funeral costs.

Outlining broader economic risks, Kiyosaki linked the aging of the baby boomer generation to shifting market dynamics, which he believes could spark widespread collapses. “In 2020’s boomers’ old age will cause real estate and stock and bond market bust. I am a boomer born in 1947. I am not counting on my home to be an asset, or a 401(k) or IRA to keep me alive in retirement,” he remarked, signaling a lack of faith in traditional retirement strategies.

Coinbase’s new cryptocurrency index introduces a regulated crypto benchmark, offering investors broad exposure and setting a new standard for transparency in the digital asset market.

A New Crypto Benchmark Emerges — Coinbase’s Bold Move with COIN50 Index

Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN) has launched the Coinbase 50 Index (COIN50), which the crypto exchange described as “a regulated crypto benchmark developed in partnership with Coinbase Asset Management and Market Vector Indexes.”

The COIN50 benchmark tracks the top 50 digital assets listed on Coinbase that meet specific inclusion criteria, providing crypto investors a tool to observe broader trends in the cryptoeconomy. Designed for traders seeking insights into the overall performance of the cryptocurrency market, COIN50 enables users to gain diversified exposure to digital assets. Coinbase stated:

In traditional finance, indices and their associated tradable products have long provided a simple yet effective way for investors to gain broad exposure and benchmark their portfolios. Crypto is now ready for the same.

The new crypto index, rebalanced quarterly, is “a market cap-weighted index of the top 50 assets that meet the index’s criteria,” the announcement details. Coinbase noted that all assets in COIN50 are vetted through a rigorous process on Coinbase Exchange, which evaluates assets based on criteria such as token economics, blockchain design, and security measures. This systematic approach offers investors a transparent, standardized means to track crypto market performance, the crypto firm said, emphasizing that as the COIN50 covers approximately 80% of the global crypto market cap, it is positioned as a representative index for crypto investors.

The announcement details:

Beginning later today, eligible traders will be able to trade the Coinbase 50 Index via a COIN50 perpetual futures contract (COIN50-PERP) with up to 20x leverage on Coinbase International Exchange, for eligible institutional users, and Coinbase Advanced, for eligible retail users.

Central Banks Are Secretly Buying Bitcoin
It might sound like a conspiracy, but central banks are almost certainly already buying Bitcoin. Here’s why:

Hedging Against Their Own Policies

Nearly all countries are up to their ears in debt. Since austerity measures are not politically acceptable, they must find other ways to manage that debt – and the easiest path is just to inflate it away! If you make the value of each dollar of debt worth less and less each year, it naturally becomes easier to find the money to pay it off.

Here’s where central banks come in, and the game plan is simple: flood the economy with money to purposely cause inflation. In the United States, the Fed supposedly targets a 2% inflation rate, but in reality, they want the inflation rate to be as high as possible without causing political turmoil.

Of course, central banks know all about inflation, which is why they try to minimize the amount of currency they hold in reserve. Instead, they opt for hard assets – ie. assets that don’t get devalued year after year.

Gold is one such asset, and so are stocks, and even some kinds of bonds. Bitcoin is also an inflation-resistant asset, which is why central banks are probably scooping it up right now.

Bitcoin as a Hedge Against Uncertainty

The global economy is shaky, and as many investors turn to Bitcoin to hedge against financial instability, central banks are likely doing the same. Publicly, bankers may criticize Bitcoin, but privately they could be buying it to protect their reserves, particularly in countries seeking sanction-resistant assets. Bitcoin’s decentralized nature provides an escape from financial sanctions and offers a hedge against rising debts and inflation as trust in fiat currencies erodes. For central banks in geopolitically sensitive regions, accumulating Bitcoin could serve both as a safeguard against weakening traditional monetary systems and as a means to sidestep external pressures.

Between Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, recent data reveals that non-fungible token (NFT) sales slid 7.11% lower than the prior week.

Top NFT Collections of the Week: Froganas, Mythos Dmarket, and BAYC Lead Sales
This week’s total NFT sales clocked in at $89.26 million—a dip of 7.11% from last week’s numbers. Despite this decline, NFT buyer numbers surged by 42.20%, while the pool of digital collectible sellers grew by 52.55%.

Leading the blockchain pack in NFT sales was Ethereum, which recorded $31.20 million over the past seven days, marking a slight 2.96% decline. Solana ranked second with $18.42 million in sales, up by 12.39%
Bitcoin claimed the third spot, logging $14.37 million, which reflects a significant 34.02% decrease from the previous week. This week, Solana’s Froganas led the NFT pack, snagging the top spot with a $4.98 million haul—up by an impressive 123% compared to last week.

What’s Driving Paul Tudor Jones’ Latest Push for Bitcoin, Gold and Commodities?
Jones is optimistic about both gold and bitcoin, which have delivered solid performances so far this year. As an example, gold hit a high of $2,748.96 per ounce by Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, bitcoin was trading at $67.5K per coin, just 8.4% shy of its all-time high. During his CNBC appearance, Jones emphasized that he’s quite optimistic about commodities and BTC.

“All roads lead to inflation,” Jones told the CNBC hosts. “I’m long gold. I’m long bitcoin. I own zero fixed income. The playbook to get out of this [debt problem] is that you inflate your way out.”
It’s not the first time Jones has praised bitcoin, as he already holds a portion of BTC in his portfolio. Just over a week ago, he cautioned about rising geopolitical tensions, noting that the U.S. is “in its weakest fiscal position since World War II.” During his CNBC appearance, Jones also expressed ongoing concerns about the ballooning U.S. national debt.

Back in 2022, when BTC was recovering from the devastating Terra blockchain collapse and just before the FTX debacle, Jones predicted bitcoin’s price would climb “much higher.” Even then, he warned about the U.S. economic situation, predicting that “fiscal retrenchment” was on the horizon. His comments about bitcoin come just two weeks ahead of the 47th U.S. election, where many are expecting fiscal policy to be reshaped depending on the outcome.

Iran has called for BRICS nations to reduce their reliance on Western financial systems, warning of the risks posed by such dependence. Addressing the BRICS summit in Russia, Iran’s president urged the bloc to explore alternative structures and strengthen institutions like the New Development Bank to support new members. He reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to reshaping global economic management.