We need to talk

This 5min read includes:

• Ledger x w3.hub - Our exciting new house partnership with the global leader in crypto security (and the organic relationship-building that made it happen)

• BASE APP Transformation - How Coinbase is turning their wallet into a full Web3 social platform with Farcaster integration and a "Google login for Web3"

• Institutional Staking - Key insights on what large players are looking for as BlackRock announces ETH staking features

• Ethereum's Resurrection - As ETH climbs back to $3,700, the narrative has completely shifted (and I'm loving it)

• Mastercard & Stablecoins - How the payment giant is bringing crypto to billions with their new infrastructure

• Market Moves - From Grayscale's IPO filing to Sharplink becoming one of Ethereum's largest holders

  Be sure to read until the end, as I urgently need your help!

GM GM GM to THIS

I am currently in Frankfurt, the city that has somehow become my summer escape spot. Because the "Berlin summer" narrative is definitely dead (it's raining EVERY day), while it's beautifully warm in Frankfurt. I'm biased, this is my home.

And honestly, I don't even know where to start. This entire week in crypto feels like we got hit by a bull run we weren't even expecting.

Between the Genius Act & Clarity Act, my absolute favorite story (& memes!) is that Ethereum has risen from the dead.

As I'm writing this newsletter, ETH is climbing back to $3,700. I'm sure you've caught plenty of news about this over the last few days, so I got you cc'd on what I've experienced myself and what I've been working on as co-founder of w3.group.

Some partnerships just make sense.

This week, we officially announced Ledger as w3.hub's official house partner, and I couldn't be more excited about it.

This partnership feels like the perfect full circle moment, starting with our friend June (who now works at Ledger) at our very first w3pizza event back in April 2022. What began as a community connection evolved organically through Solana Build Station, joint events during Berlin Blockchain Week, and even fun times together at our w3wiesn events in Munich.

For those who don't know: Ledger is the global leader in crypto security with nearly 8 million devices sold, securing about 20% of all digital assets worldwide through their trusted hardware wallets and Secure Element chip technology.

As our community grows, so does the need for security education - making this partnership a natural fit. From small community gatherings to partnering with one of the most trusted names in Web3 – this is what organic relationship-building looks like.

Want the full story? Check out the detailed version in our Community Alpha Newsletter, written by my favorite author, the w3.hub intern.

And if you're feeling the vibe for this partnership, drop some love on my LinkedIn post!

This week, I was catching up on the latest “Alles Coin, Nichts Muss” - podcast where my favorite liquid fund manager (ok, I am super biased here) Julius Nagel broke down Coinbase's major announcement about their Base App (formerly Coinbase Wallet):

What caught my attention is how Coinbase is completely rebranding their wallet and transforming it from a simple crypto trading tool into a full-blown Web3 social platform.

The app now natively integrates Farcaster (the decentralized social network), allows content creators to tokenize their work through Zora, and even includes mini-apps similar to Worldcoin's approach.

Most interesting to me is that they're building a Base ID login system that could become the "Google login of Web3" - a single sign-on for the entire ecosystem.

Plus, they're rolling out payment solutions with partners like Shopify, making USDC payments seamless.

While the vision is ambitious (maybe even too ambitious by trying to do everything at once), I love that they're staying true to Web3 principles by integrating existing protocols rather than building competing alternatives.

They're not creating their own social network - they're integrating Farcaster. They're not launching their own tipping token - they're using what already exists.

You can read the official announcement here.

As you know, communication around w3.labs is my next big project after a successful Berlin Blockchain Week.

The topic of staking is becoming increasingly prominent in Germany, not least because of BlackRock's announcement that they want to add staking to their Ethereum ETF.

But what's the current focus in institutional staking? The key insights from our latest Web3 Investor Briefing:

• Institutions are seeking regulatory-compliant staking solutions that meet their compliance requirements

• Liquidity of staked assets is becoming increasingly important - nobody wants to lock their assets for an indefinite period

• Risk management is at the forefront: slashing protection and insurance are becoming must-haves

• Staking infrastructure is evolving into its own market with specialized providers

Combined with the positive announcements around Ethereum, attention to staking has suddenly moved into full focus.

I need your help!

To better understand the staking behavior of the people we're building products for, I'm currently launching a major interview survey (around 20 minutes).

Anyone who's interested in answering a few questions (there's no right or wrong) can reach out to me via email (just reply to this newsletter), LinkedIn or Telegram (@vickchick030). I'd especially love to hear from those of you who DON'T stake.

If you DON’T want to talk to me (even though I know it will be fun), you can also take 5mins of your time and support me with a survey about your staking behavior. You can be brutally honest.

I will share what I’ll learn along the way :)

• Mastercard is accelerating stablecoin adoption by launching new infrastructure that enables direct integration of stablecoins into their global payment network, potentially bringing crypto payments to billions of users worldwide.

• PayPal to expand its $PYUSD stablecoin to the Arbitrum network.

• Grayscale, one of crypto's largest asset managers, has confidentially filed for an IPO with the SEC, marking a significant milestone for institutional crypto adoption.

• Centrifuge has successfully tokenized the S&P 500 index on-chain with their "Proof of Index" technology, creating a fully collateralized and transparent representation of traditional financial markets in DeFi.

• Sharplink has accumulated 280,706 ETH (worth approximately $1 billion), surpassing the Ethereum Foundation's holdings to become one of the largest institutional holders of Ethereum.

• Grayscale's Q3 2025 research report highlights emerging crypto sectors with significant growth potential, offering investors a comprehensive analysis of market trends and opportunities beyond the major cryptocurrencies.

• What would a Stripe L1 look like?

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Phil is w3.hub member, and trust me: This is legit and he is actually quite funny ;)

That’s it.

See you next week 💅🏽

And while we're at it:

I'm on LinkedIn.

I'm on X.

Always here at w3.hub.

Active in the w3.group. Follow on LinkedIn to keep up with our projects.