Ripple Partners With Deutsche Bank, $2 Billion in Bitcoin Scooped by Whales, Schwartz Criticizes Logan Paul, Shiba Inu Price Enters Consolidation — Top Weekly Crypto News
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Logan Paul's $16 Pokémon card sale sparks criticism
Ripple's former CTO and XRPL architect, David Schwartz, explains why Logan Paul's $16.5 million Pokémon card sale was unfair. Logan Paul's sale of the PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator card for $16.49 million at Goldin in February 2026 set a public auction record, but the transaction has triggered legal threats from fractional investors
Ripple's former CTO, David Schwartz, criticized the deal's structure, arguing that it concentrated the potential gains with the sponsor while distributing the potential losses to retail investors.
The entire controversy began with Liquid Marketplace, a collectibles platform that Paul co-founded. It allows users to buy fractional interests in high-value assets. Investors are now saying that, after the reported $16.5 million sale, they are not receiving a fair share of the profits.
The dispute centers around a clause that apparently allowed Paul to repurchase shares at their original price before reselling them.
Supporters of the structure argue that the terms of the contract were clearly defined, and that the buyback provision establishes the economic limits of participation. Critics, however, contend that this can create an imbalance, especially when the valuation increases significantly after fractionalization.
$2 Billion in Bitcoin acquired by large investors despite price decline
Despite the prolonged market volatility, Bitcoin whales are not completely withdrawing. They have accumulated over 30,000 BTC in the last week. Bitcoin has not shown any major price recovery, but recent data indicates that whales are still quietly accumulating the leading cryptocurrency.
While this indicates strong conviction among large holders despite recent market weakness, it has sparked a wave of confidence among market participants amid hopes for a potential rebound. Based on Bitcoin's average trading price over the past week, which was around the $67,000 level, the notable accumulation by large holders during the period is worth over $2 billion.
The significant increase comes as Bitcoin continues to trade below recent highs, with the broader crypto market facing sustained selling pressure. Following the consistent price downturn experienced in the broader crypto market, Bitcoin has fallen significantly in recent weeks, and it is currently trading at levels that represent more than a 50% decline from its all-time high.
Deutsche Bank uses Ripple's technology for cross-border payments
Deutsche Bank is making significant investments in blockchain infrastructure, with ambitious plans for Ripple's technologies.
Ripple Labs Inc. has achieved another significant win in the institutional sector, as a major traditional bank in Europe, Deutsche Bank, has announced plans to adopt associated infrastructure. In an update shared by a developer in the community, known as Bird on X, Deutsche Bank has announced its willingness to integrate solutions powered by Ripple's technologies.
Notably, Deutsche Bank will use Ripple's technology to modernize cross-border payments. It will also rely on Ripple's infrastructure to settle transactions in seconds, as opposed to its longer-duration settlement system.
The move is likely to reduce transaction costs by up to 30%. This development represents a major win for Ripple and XRP, as it could increase the coin's visibility, depending on the arrangements between the two entities.
BTC is breaking a 12-year trend against gold
Willy Woo warns of a "Quantum Discount" as Bitcoin breaks a 12-year trend against gold.
The decade-long narrative of Bitcoin as "digital gold" is facing its most significant structural challenge yet. Renowned on-chain analyst Willy Woo, in a recent X post, warned that Bitcoin has broken a 12-year valuation trend relative to gold, citing a looming "Quantum Discount" that could suppress prices for years.
The primary concern is not just the security of the Bitcoin network, but a massive liquidity event. As Woo points out, approximately four million "lost" Bitcoins – untouched for years and often belonging to early adopters and even the creator of the cryptocurrency, Satoshi Nakamoto – could become vulnerable. If quantum technology can unlock these wallets, those coins would effectively return to circulation.
Shiba Inu enters a phase of low-volatility consolidation
SHIB's volatility is taking an unexpected turn, which is the last thing anyone would expect right now.
The price of Shiba Inu is clearly showing signs of consolidation, as it enters one of its quietest periods in recent months. SHIB has now entered a narrow trading range, where volatility has significantly decreased, following a series of lower highs and ongoing selling pressure throughout the larger cryptocurrency market
After reaching local lows, SHIB recently attempted a brief recovery on the daily chart, but this recovery was short-lived. Buyers were able to push the price up slightly, but the momentum quickly faded, indicating that market participants are not yet ready to invest a significant amount of money in a long-term recovery
The idea that traders are waiting, rather than aggressively positioning for the next move, is further supported by the declining volume