Ethereum (ETH) has entered Q2 2026 with a steep 55% drop from its August 2025 high above $4,900, as macro-driven pressures weigh on the price.
New data suggests that the unprecedented surge in the Total Transfer Count metric highlights that on-chain activity has reached peak levels.
Ethereum Usage Peaks
Ethereum’s on-chain activity has returned to record levels, as the 7-day simple moving average of Total Transfer Count climbed back above 1.3 million, matching its previous peak seen in mid-February, according to CryptoQuant.
The rise in transfer activity points to steady network usage, which means continued participation across decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, Layer 2 ecosystems, and other smart contract operations. This trend indicates that the Ethereum network is being actively used rather than simply held as a speculative asset.
At the same time, ETH’s price has remained relatively subdued as it continues to consolidate near the $2,100 level and is still trading well below its historical highs. This divergence between rising network activity and muted price action suggests that the network’s underlying utility is expanding faster than its market valuation.
To top that, the increase in transaction volume contributes to higher gas consumption, which in turn accelerates ETH burning under Ethereum’s fee-burning mechanism. Such a process gradually reduces the circulating supply and can contribute to long-term pressure on the asset’s availability. The data essentially reveals a period where network usage is strong despite relatively restrained price performance.
If high levels of activity continue, CryptoQuant stated that the chances of ETH’s price eventually catching up with these robust on-chain fundamentals in the mid-term remain highly favorable.
Target Points For ETH
According to an earlier analysis by Ali Martinez, Ethereum’s next rally may depend on reclaiming the $2,500 level, which he identifies as a major trigger for a new bullish phase. He flagged subtle signs of accumulation, especially as the $1,800 level continues to hold as support. This area also aligns with the 0.80 MVRV band near $1,880, a zone linked to market stress and potential bottoms where investors begin accumulating.
However, if the current structure flips, the crypto asset risks further downside, during which $1,550 and $1,070 will act as potential lower targets.
On a macro level, the violation of the ceasefire has added uncertainty to the market. As such, analyst Ted Pillows stated that the $2,150-$2,200 range is now a crucial support zone to watch. If ETH manages to hold this level, it could pave the way for another upward move. Losing this range may open the door to more declines.
TEN Protocol Launches Community-First Raise: Infrastructure Ownership for the Next Era of Ethereum
LONDON, August 5, 2025 – TEN Protocol, the Ethereum Layer 2 building encrypted execution for next-gen blockchain applications, is opening its public round via Legion from August 5–12. This community-first raise offers early access to The Final Network, the TEN Protocol infrastructure powering applications previously impossible on transparent chains, marking a shift from institutional backers to community ownership of infrastructure already proven at scale.
Unlike traditional fundraises, TEN’s public round is about enabling open ownership of working infrastructure. With over 548,000 wallets on testnet and a growing developer ecosystem, TEN already delivers encrypted execution for real-world use cases across gaming, AI, and institutional finance.
“We believe the people building, testing, and using TEN should be the ones who own it,” said Gavin Thomas, CEO of TEN Protocol. “This isn’t about speculation, it’s about giving early users a direct stake in infrastructure that’s already working and unlocking new markets for Ethereum.”
TEN’s encrypted execution layer solves what many see as Ethereum’s “transparency trap” – the inability to build apps requiring confidential logic, such as real gaming mechanics, private auctions, or institutional DeFi. By leveraging Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), TEN enables smart transparency, the next step in Ethereum’s evolution.
The Final Network’s public round via Legion is built around three core pillars:
Community-First Ownership: No insider deals. No exclusive allocations. Just direct access for users to own a piece of the network.
Smart Transparency: A breakthrough in privacy-preserving smart contracts, enabling billion-dollar categories like gaming, AI, and TradFi to go fully on-chain.
Credibility at Scale: The team previously built R3 Corda, trusted by central banks and institutions to settle trillions and manage over $10B in real-world assets.
TEN’s approach challenges the current L2 model, dominated by institutional capital and extractive economics, by offering sustainable infrastructure aligned with its users from the start.
“The infrastructure that powers global markets shouldn’t be controlled by a handful of investors,” said Cais Manai, Co-Founder of TEN Protocol. “We’ve proven this can be done differently, and now we’re inviting the community to own what they help create.”
The TEN x Legion public round is part of a broader campaign to redefine how networks grow, one rooted in transparency, credibility, and long-term alignment. In line with this mission and TEN’s commitment to rewarding active early users, the first 200 contributors from the Cookie3 campaign will receive guaranteed allocation (up to $5K ticket size). Investors who participate in the round will receive TEN tokens directly via the Legion platform, with TEN’s Token Generation Event (TGE) and public listing scheduled for later this year.
Media Contact:
Liam Quinn – liam@obscu.ro Head of Growth TEN Protocol
About TEN Protocol
TEN Protocol is a next-generation Layer 2 solution built on Ethereum, enabling confidential smart contract execution, programmable cryptography and encrypted data processing. The protocol provides industrial-grade encryption solutions for decentralised applications while maintaining the security guarantees of the Ethereum network.
In 2021, Shiba Inu (SHIB) transformed from a meme-based cryptocurrency to a market sensation, skyrocketing over 46,000,000% from $0.0000000001 in January to a peak of $0.00008845 in October. Launched in August 2020 as an Ethereum-based token, SHIB capitalized on Dogecoin’s hype, fueled by retail investor enthusiasm on platforms like Reddit and Twitter. Elon Musk’s tweets and Vitalik Buterin’s donation of 50 trillion SHIB to India’s COVID relief fund amplified its visibility. Trading volume surged, with SHIB briefly ranking among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap, hitting $39 billion.
Its decentralized exchange, ShibaSwap, launched in July 2021, boosting utility with staking and liquidity pools. Despite its meteoric rise, SHIB faced volatility, dropping 50% by year-end. The frenzy highlighted meme coins’ speculative appeal, drawing millions of holders, though its lack of fundamental use cases sparked debate about sustainability.
Dual Lending System: Flexibility and High-Yield at Layer-2 Speed
Shiba Inu (SHIB) made history in 2021 when it skyrocketed from a meme to a market sensation, delivering unbelievable returns in a matter of weeks. But while the hype was real, many investors were left chasing the tail end of its parabolic move. Today’s smarter capital isn’t hunting for viral spikes — it’s focused on real utility, DeFi infrastructure, and long-term growth. That’s where Mutuum Finance (MUTM) enters with powerful fundamentals and presale momentum that’s capturing serious attention.
Currently in Phase 5 of its presale, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is trading at just $0.03, with over $12.2 million raised, 13,200+ token holders, and 73% of the phase already sold out. A 20% price jump to $0.035 is imminent in the next phase, and listing is set at $0.06 — meaning current buyers are locking in 2x upside before launch, with analyst projections aiming far higher in the years to come.
Unlike meme tokens, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) will be a structured Layer-2 lending ecosystem, enabling real earning mechanisms through two robust models — peer-to-contract (P2C) and peer-to-peer (P2P) lending. In the P2C model, users will deposit assets like DAI, USDT, ETH, AVAX, or MATIC into pooled contracts and will earn passive yield based on real-time pool utilization and dynamic interest rates. With lucrative loan-to-value (LTV) ratios, the system will be optimized to protect deposits while delivering consistent rewards.
Meanwhile, P2P lending on Mutuum Finance (MUTM) will unlock a personalized DeFi experience. This model is being designed to support assets that traditional DeFi protocols often exclude — including meme coins like DOGE, SHIB, and PEPE. Lenders will negotiate one-on-one deals, setting their own interest rates, loan durations, and loan-to-value ratios. This flexibility allows both parties to create custom agreements, making it a powerful option for users holding unconventional or volatile tokens.
Built on Layer-2 infrastructure, Mutuum’s entire lending and borrowing process will benefit from lower gas fees, faster finality, and a seamless user experience. With the upcoming beta launch scheduled around the time of listing, the project will aim to onboard thousands of users into a scalable DeFi network designed to support real-time loan execution and yield tracking.
In parallel, a $100,000 giveaway campaign is building excitement among early participants and social followers — now surpassing 12,000 on X (Twitter) — while also boosting visibility across DeFi communities.
Stablecoin Architecture and Early Investor Gains Signal Strong Long-Term Growth
Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is laying the foundation for a decentralized, overcollateralized stablecoin that will only be minted when users borrow against assets like ETH. This stablecoin will be burned automatically upon loan repayment or liquidation, preventing unnecessary inflation. Its $1 peg will be maintained through governance-adjusted interest rates and arbitrage opportunities, ensuring price stability without relying on market-driven rate changes.
Only approved issuers with set minting caps will be able to create this stablecoin, keeping system risk in check. All loans will remain overcollateralized and subject to automatic liquidation when necessary, helping preserve the integrity of the ecosystem over time.
Mutuum also rewards depositors with mtTokens, which reflect the user’s underlying principal and earned interest. These mtTokens can be staked in the designated smart contracts to earn dividends from the protocol’s revenue — offering a second layer of passive income for long-term holders. This dual-yield setup separates Mutuum from traditional DeFi platforms, where users typically earn yield from only one source.
Consider the investor who rotated $5,000 of capital from Ethereum (ETH) into Mutuum during Phase 1 at just $0.01. Today, that holding is worth $15,000 at the current $0.03 price — a 3X gain before launch. With the token set to list at $0.06, that position will soon reflect a 6x return, and a known analyst — known for spotting Solana (SOL) at $1 in 2020 — is now calling $0.30 targets by 2026, giving MUTM a 10x path forward.
Mutuum’s credibility is also reinforced by a CertiK audit with a 95.00 score, an active $50,000 bug bounty, and a roadmap that includes Layer-2 deployment, multi-chain integration, and governance expansion in later phases.
Shiba Inu (SHIB) may run again — but while retail chases past hype, smart investors are securing real utility. Only 27% of Phase 5 tokens remain at $0.03. Once Phase 6 begins, that price disappears forever. This is the final discounted entry for one of the most utility-packed projects of the cycle.
For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:
Shiba Inu has gone viral once again, lighting up social feeds with meme-powered momentum—but behind the noise, Lightchain AI is quietly gaining traction where real investors are paying attention. With all 15 presale stages completed and the Bonus Round now live, the project is moving beyond the hype cycle and into serious accumulation territory.
Lightchain AI brings forward an AI-native blockchain architecture featuring a purpose-built virtual machine and a consensus model that rewards actual computational value. As the July 2025 mainnet launch nears, early movers aren’t chasing memes—they’re looking to Lightchain AI as a platform built for intelligent, long-term utility.
Shiba Inu Trends Once More on Meme-Driven Hype
Shiba Inu (SHIB) hasn’t led the altcoin rally in the market but has recently gone breakout for the second time owing to meme coin hype and ecosystem related developments. At the time of writing, on May 26, 2025, SHIB is trading around $0.00001454, rising by only 0.02% in the last 24 hours. The rebound is a reflection of the growth in Shibarium, the Shiba Inu Layer 2 blockchain network, and the significant on-chain activities it witnessed, such as the spurt in its registered accounts and transfers.
A dramatic rate of SHIB burned — more than 2,200% over the past 24 hours — has lowered the supply for the token, potentially increasing its value. These developments show that the Shiba Inu may be growing beyond its meme roots for sustained relevance in the world of cryptocurrency.
Lightchain AI Gains Quiet Strength Among Serious Investors
Lightchain AI is gaining quiet strength among serious investors who look beyond short-term hype and focus on long-term infrastructure. The project’s Bonus Round, priced at $0.007, continues to attract steady accumulation due to its sophisticated tokenomics and technical depth.
Gas optimization is built directly into the protocol, ensuring that AI tasks run efficiently, with costs dynamically adjusted based on task complexity—keeping network usage both scalable and affordable. Lightchain’s tokenomics ensures balanced distribution, with clear utility across AI task payments, governance, and premium feature access.
Its architecture supports a structured workflow and data flow that enables seamless interaction between the AIVM, validator nodes, and off-chain storage. As attention sharpens, Lightchain AI is becoming a calculated pick for value-focused, technically-minded investors.
Unlock Massive Potential with Lightchain AI
Lightchain AI is revolutionizing the game by blending cutting-edge AI innovation with the power of blockchain. Imagine unparalleled efficiency and scalability at your fingertips! With its AIVM technology, developers can deploy smart AI tasks effortlessly across distributed networks, creating endless possibilities.
Backed by advanced tokenomics, Lightchain AI fuels a thriving ecosystem built to solve real-world challenges. Whether you’re an investor or a developer, this platform is your gateway to a decentralized future powered by intelligent solutions. The future isn’t just coming—it’s here with Lightchain AI.