Michael Saylor, CEO of Strategy, has suggested that exposing Apple to Bitcoin could yield significant benefits for the company’s stock buyback strategy.

In this context, a strong Bitcoin rally has occurred since January 2025. The cryptocurrency gained approximately 11% during this period, outperforming Apple Inc. (AAPL) shares, which saw an estimated 18% decline.

Corporate Tech Giants Eye Bitcoin Integration

Apple’s performance limitations and the contrasting Bitcoin gains have led some experts to question the effectiveness of the company’s buyback program.

Saylor’s suggestion that “Apple should buy Bitcoin” follows criticism from TV personality Jim Cramer about the buyback program’s impact.

This discussion highlights a broader corporate trend: an increasing number of traditional enterprises are exploring digital asset adoption beyond just Bitcoin.

Fitness Equipment Maker Plans Major $500M Blockchain Investment

Interactive Strength (TRNR), a Nasdaq-listed company manufacturing fitness equipment, has announced plans Tuesday to raise up to $500 million.

The funding target is specifically for establishing the world’s largest corporate treasury focused on Fetch.ai (FET) token.

Leveraged Bitcoin Position Draws Analyst Scrutiny

An unidentified large investor (“whale”) opened a $300 million leveraged position in Bitcoin Wednesday.

This substantial long position hours after millionaire trader James Wynn expressed renewed market activity under an anonymous account has prompted conjecture about the investor’s identity.

Weekend Market Snapshot and Historical Comparison

Apple’s market performance in 2025 has been lackluster. Since the year began, the company’s shares have dropped over 17%.

Conversely, Bitcoin has registered a gain exceeding 17%, according to TradingView data.

When considering longer timeframes, Bitcoin’s appreciation becomes even more dramatic. Over the previous five years, the cryptocurrency has increased more than 1,000%. Apple’s stock, in contrast, has only multiplied approximately 1.4 times.

Regulatory Overhaul Proposed as SEC Staking Rules Face Criticism

US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins offered sharp criticism Monday, particularly regarding securities regulations promulgated during the previous administration.

Speaking at a regulatory task force event, Atkins asserted that the SEC’s stance on staking services needs legislative backing to maintain enforceability.

Furthermore, he defended the principles of self-custody for digital assets, characterizing it as a “foundational American value.”

I’m in favor of affording greater flexibility to market participants to self-custody crypto assets, especially where intermediation imposes unnecessary transaction costs or restricts the ability to engage in staking and other on-chain activities.

Atkins’ remarks contrasted sharply with assertions made during prior leadership.

FTX Claims Process: Uncertainty Persists for $2.2B in Disputed Payments

The ongoing bankruptcy proceedings of cryptocurrency exchange FTX have entered their second significant repayment phase.

Despite substantial disbursements toward established creditor claims, an estimated $2.25 billion remains in dispute by the FTX Recovery Trust.

Credentials indicate that approximately 30% of all claims submitted thus far are still under review.

I foresee most of the disputed [claims] getting allowed for the next distribution.

Certain claims face additional complexity due to geographical factors. Sunil reports these include claims originating from China.

Short-Term Blockchain Surge Driven by MapleStory Ecosystem

Avalanche network recently achieved a significant milestone: surpassing one million daily transactions for two consecutive days.

The network’s total transaction volume for the week starting June 2 (culminating with the record days) reached 5.8 million, marking the highest weekly total since early 2024.

This dramatic increase is attributed primarily to MapleStory Universe, a Web3 gaming ecosystem built on Avalanche.

Pinpointing this growth will be discussed in the context of DEX adoption and token performance.
Prior to the MapleStory game launch, daily Avalanche transactions had hovered significantly below half a million for most of 2025.

DeFi User Experience Enhanced with New Cross-Chain Capabilities

Decentralized exchange PancakeSwap has rolled out one-click cross-chain swaps via integration with the Across Protocol.

This innovation aims to simplify decentralized finance (DeFi) user experiences that previously required third-party bridges.

One-click swaps can now move assets between BNB Chain, Arbitrum, and Base without complex multi-blockchain steps.

A potential weakness of traditional cross-chain solutions continued vulnerabilities demonstrated in previous attacks triggered by protocol flaws.

DeFi Market Digest: Weekly Performance Review

This week, most cryptocurrencies ranked among the top 100 by market capitalization experienced a loss.

On-chain security Token saw the steepest drop at 14%, followed by Jupiter Token (JUP) declining over 13% year-to-date.

This analysis concludes the weekend newsletter’s coverage of significant DeFi movements. Join us next Friday for continued coverage of important developments in the decentralized finance sphere.