The past few weeks have been brutal for crypto markets, with Bitcoin experiencing a 30% pullback and the total market cap wiping out $1 trillion. Fear is running high, but let’s take a step back. The broader economic backdrop—U.S. government policies aimed at lowering inflation, a push to drive interest rates down, and debt refinancing—has created uncertainty, impacting both crypto and traditional stock markets (S&P, NASDAQ).

Despite the downturn, I don’t believe we’re in a full-blown bear market. To quote myself in a previous newsletter:

If you’ve been around for a few cycles, you know the drill: shakeouts happen, but long-term fundamentals remain intact. I made most of my money from previous cycles, not by buying before the cycle began, but by buying the dips during the cycle. The key is to zoom out, manage risk, and look for smart entry points.

In saying that, I promised a review of my top altcoins, so let’s kick things off with the two heavyweights!

Ethereum: Institutional Momentum & Scaling Up

Ethereum has seriously underperformed so far, failing to keep pace with broader market movements. But let’s take an objective look at its current position—because behind the scenes, development is still progressing.

Some major updates:

• New leadership at Ethereum Foundation – This could bring fresh momentum and direction.

• Ethereumize initiative – A push to onboard institutions into the Ethereum ecosystem.

• Protocol Guild & Ether Guild – More decentralized support for Ethereum’s core development.

• Scaling DA (Data Availability) – Vitalik Buterin is advocating for increasing blob space to support rollups, a crucial step in Ethereum’s scalability roadmap.

• BlackRock’s bullish stance – The world’s largest asset manager is now openly endorsing Ethereum’s role in tokenizing real-world assets.

These developments are setting the stage for Ethereum’s long-term dominance. If you’re looking for conviction, this is it. The fundamentals are getting stronger, even if the market isn’t rewarding them right now. For these reasons, I’m continuing to DCA into Ethereum at these prices.

Solana: New Floor, Inflation Fix & Staking Stability

Solana has taken a beating due to overinflated blockchain activity and therefore price action, largely driven by the giant memecoin casino that has played out so far this bull run.

I believe the current price action is setting the new floor, and there is one major change currently in motion that would make me significantly more bullish on Solana going forward.

Solana is making a significant structural change by adjusting its token issuance model. Currently, Solana’s inflation rate sits at 4.6% (which is very high), but a new proposal could drop that below 1% (!!!) if staking ratios remain high (Which are currently around 62%).

This move would reduce sell pressure and make Solana a more deflationary asset in the long run, akin to Bitcoin's deflation. The vote takes place this week, so we will wait and see what happens.

Additionally, Solana’s dominance in high-speed DeFi applications and NFT trading remains strong. If Ethereum is the king of decentralization, Solana is positioning itself as the go-to blockchain for scalable consumer applications. These changes make Solana an increasingly attractive long-term hold in my book. I have the majority of my Solana allocation staked, and I'll continue to buy regularly.

🐻 My Investment Strategy for When Things Get Ugly…

With macro uncertainty looming, the best move is to stick to assets with real fundamentals.

📊 My current majors allocation is: 

• Bitcoin

• Ethereum

• Solana

• Coinbase

Proven assets that will survive any downturn.

✅ Stablecoins for yield

Parking funds in stablecoins and generating yield while waiting for market clarity is a smart play. I have utilised this strategy previously but am currently fully allocated. I would advise anyone with spare capital to check this out as there are a growing number of impressive APY stablecoin yields available.

❗ Limit high-risk, speculative assets

AI tokens, meme coins- I’m looking at you. Yes, I am as guilty as you in holding these bags all the way down. It's a tough spot to be in, but you may find it better to cut certain positions and re-enter when market sentiment and macro improves. My personal strategy is to hold and DCA into my highest conviction plays and cut any that don't fit this mold. 

Diversification remains essential. Betting everything on a single narrative (e.g., AI or meme coins) is risky. Instead, balancing exposure across different sectors ensures resilience.

And finally, patience is a virtue in investing. You don’t need to time the exact bottom—just position yourself for long-term success.

Final Thoughts: Build Conviction & Stay the Course

Bear markets (or deep corrections) are where the real winners are made. As I always say, "If you buy fundamentally strong assets and hold for the long term, you significantly increase your chances of success."

Use this time to:

1. Learn & Research – Deepen your understanding of the projects you believe in.

2. Rebalance & Strategize – Adjust your portfolio based on conviction, not hype.

3. Stay Rational – Emotional decisions rarely lead to good investment outcomes.

Crypto isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you stay patient and position yourself wisely, the next leg up will be incredibly rewarding. 🚀

🧹 Cleaning out the Closet: Facing Facts

In Matt's recent update, he shares his thoughts on some of the recent plays and the current state of the market. Now, it's been a rough time for many, but we need to acknowledge the success too. Despite the downturn, Matt has had many picks that have returned solid gains at their peaks. Just to name a few of recent memory: Kaspa at a +1000% gain, SBR at +450%, HashAI at +900%, and BOOE at a massive 1500%.

Now, the issue is profit taking. Matt, myself, and (even) Shoshin are all guilty at times of not taking profit on the way up! But the point remains, there have been opportunities for substantial profits.

Matt remains optimistic about the narrative behind his picks, even in a down market, and he’s focused on growing his channel to bring more eyes to his picks. Matt has been transparent about his losses and continues to work hard for the long-term success of his picks.

In a world of fast-moving markets and negativity, Matt’s message is clear: he’s in it for the long haul, committed to transparency, and encourages everyone to make their own decisions without pressure. The goal is to keep working hard, growing together, and staying positive as we ride through the ups and downs of the crypto market.

📙 Spreading the Word: The Book of Ethereum

Matt has been hosting regular spaces to cover The Book of Ethereum. If you missed out, here are some highlights:

• Unique Positioning in Crypto 💡

  • $BOOE focuses on long-term investment and community engagement, not quick profits.

• Community Engagement 🤝

  • It’s about building a passionate, committed community, not just trading.

• Credible Team 👥

  • Backed by Ethereum connections and transparent leadership.

• Influential Support 📈

  • High-profile figures like Joseph Lubin show confidence in $BOOE.

• Mysterious Hints 🔍

  • Cryptic clues keep the community engaged and excited for future developments.

• Whale Interest 🐋

  • Major investors have bought and held, signaling long-term potential.

This week’s trades:

🚨Buy Alerts

• $DXY - I still have Just as much faith, and now it’s a 200k MCAP 🤝 It will cook when its time is right.

• $DSYNC

• $KAS - Huge Bag at 0.0581 🔥

⚠️Sell Alerts

• Nil

For real-time alpha and trade alerts from Matt at What Is Crypto

📲 Follow on X: WhatIsCrypto
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🪙Bitcoin Update

Not much has changed— here’s a small update:

• $84k hit - I closed 50% and back to a fair bit of cash.

• BTC coming into daily resistance while trending down.

• It's possible we still move lower towards $74k and take out the recent low at $76k

Shoshin still has bids set at $76K down to $66K.

Right now, there’s not much to do. He’s keeping an eye on a few alts for the right moment, but for now, it’s all about patience—no overtrading, no unnecessary losses.

📊 The Shoshin Portfolio - Update

On the other end of the risk spectrum, Shoshin with an updated portfolio back to a large position in stables, awaiting further confirmation of an upward market trend.

Stay Up-to-Date with Shoshin

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As always. Zoom out. Take a breath. Touch grass. 🌱

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