April 2025 Community Updates

GM OAX fam!

April 2025 was a lively month for crypto, with big market rebound, memecoin chaos, and Hong Kong continuing to make waves in Web3. Let’s break it down, quick, clear, and packed with what you need to know.

Markets Rally After Trade War Shift

Markets started shaky with trade war escalation, but then Trump switched gears, dropping 125% China tariffs to a low-key 10% deal. Stocks and crypto took off. Bitcoin soared to $94K, and the total crypto market’s closing back in on the $3 trillion mark again. Gold’s hitting new highs too, and here’s the twist: BTC’s holding steady like a real safe-haven, not just a risky play. Is crypto growing some roots? Could be. But let’s not get too comfy, Goldman Sachs sees recession risks, and with Fed bonds maturing in June, we may encounter drastic macro implications.

Memecoins Keep It Wild

The $TRUMP token jumped 77% in two hours after Trump’s team pitched a deal: top 220 holders get a private dinner with him at his golf club. Want the VIP White House tour? That’s $400K in $TRUMP. Supporters rushed in like it’s a rare NFT drop. Meanwhile, MANTRA’s $OM token crashed 93%, dropping from $6.15 to $0.40, wiping out billions fast. A questionable OKX deposit and insider sell-off rumors kicked off the slide. Takeaway? While leniency is kicking in from the whitehouse, investors remain to be exposed at risk with these wild swings - hype can boost you or break you.

Builders, Stay Focused

With markets, memecoins, and macro noise swirling, builders, keep your eyes on the prize. The future’s about tech that lasts, not pumps that fade. April’s global Web3 events showed what’s possible. Paris Blockchain Week brought 10,000 people together to talk about DeFi and AI. ETH Seoul got devs excited about Ethereum’s next steps. And in Hong Kong, the Web3 Festival highlighted our city’s growing role.

Hong Kong Web3 Festival: Our City Shows Out

The Hong Kong Web3 Festival brought thousands to our city, with 150+ projects and 300+ speakers sharing fresh ideas. Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum was obviously one of the highlights of the event. Other attendees included: Paul Chan (Financial Secretary of Hong Kong SAR), Xiao Feng (CEO of HashKey Group), Steve Yun (President of TON Foundation) and more.

On agenda, DeAI and DeFAI were front and center, showing how AI can power decentralized apps. A big focus? Prompting. Writing sharp prompts for AI agents is becoming a key skill. Will we all need to master this in the AI-Web3 era? Probably. Read more on our research in DeAI.

There were also some pretty cool side events happening around town during HK Web3 Festival, and of course we couldn’t miss out! We had a blast at Beyond Scaling: The DeFAI Era which was as mentioned above a super hot topic at the fest, and the Solana DeFi and MEV summit.

Thanks to Wanxiang Blockchain Labs and HashKey Group for hosting a standout event. It showed Hong Kong’s stepping up as a major Web3 player.

HashKey’s Staking Win: A Boost for HK Crypto

Hong Kong’s crypto game got a big upgrade this month. On April 10, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) greenlit HashKey Exchange to offer crypto staking services, one of the first regulated platforms in the region to get this nod. This means HashKey users can now stake proof-of-stake assets like Ether (ETH) and Ether ETFs, earning passive income by helping secure blockchain networks. It’s like letting your crypto earn interest while you hold, with rewards for supporting the system.

The SFC’s approval follows new staking guidelines from March, designed to balance innovation with investor protection. HashKey’s rolling this out with tight safeguards, think strong risk controls and clear reporting, to keep things transparent and secure. This is a game-changer for bringing in institutional investors and high-net-worth folks who want a safe, regulated way to stake. HashKey’s already a leader with its spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, and now staking strengthens Hong Kong’s push to be a global crypto hub. It’s a sign our city’s building serious infrastructure for the future of finance.

Atomicals Interview: Decentralized and Community-First

We caught up with the Atomicals team at WikiExpo and landed a great interview. They’re all about decentralization and community, sharing their insights across the crypto space. Their journey’s had its challenges, but how they navigate them is a lesson for us all. Like us, they’re big on open-source, making their code available for builders to jump in and take it further.

It’s the kind of approach that keeps Web3 open and growing. Check out the full interview here!

Community Polls and Activities

We’ve also been hosting regular community polls on our X to get a deeper understanding of what YOU guys are thinking - sometimes we touch on fun topics and of course, the community’s viewpoints on the crypto space.

When global markets faced immense turbulence earlier this month we were wondering what you guys were up to and if you thought BTC was a good hedge – and you answered! A good half of the community were HODLing throughout the market, while over 30% were stacking more Bitcoin while prices were dipping. Good on you!

Hang on tight for next month - we’ve got some even more exciting stuff coming for the OAX fam.

What’s Next?

Amid macro uncertainties, April showed crypto’s got staying power. From Bitcoin’s climb to Hong Kong’s Web3 momentum, we’re shaping a world where value moves freely and tech lifts everyone. But those memecoin swings and recession hints serve as a reminder to keep your guard up. Builders, keep coding what’s next, and community, let’s keep the energy rolling.

Best,
OAX Team

Disclaimer: The above is an opinion piece written by an authorized author, but in no way represents the official standpoint of OAX Foundation Limited, nor should it be meant to serve as investment advice.