In this issue:

• Crypto Bloodbath (by ZeHI)

• This Is CZ’s World (by ZeHI)

• Two Weeks in Neo Tokyo: $BYTES Blasts 4 Years and Ignites Armageddon (by DadFuture)

Before we start this week's newsletter, we send out our best wishes in the hopes that most of our readers survived this historic market crash relatively unscathed and are ready to fight on towards the prosperous future we are all seeking.

We’re all still digesting and analyzing the available information about the biggest liquidation event in the history of crypto. Was this all just about Trump’s China tweet, was the market already headed for this, or was this market manipulation on the grandest scale? Many are already pointing out clear sings of manipulation and insider trading.

One thing is certain: With the rise of Hyperliquid and other perp dexes, the market has become oversaturated with leverage trading.

Though leverage trading may give the average Joe opportunities to grow their wealth exponentially, no one should forget that - no matter how good you are at reading charts - we are not on a level playing field.

I’m sure listeners of Market Monday can guess which of us (Flower & ZeHI) thinks this is likely the beginning of the bear market, and who believes this is just the reset flush before the big Q4 pump. But we both agree that it is a good time to be cautious and stay alert as to what may come next.

May we see brighter days ahead.

With a tweet last month, supporting the launch of Binance’s new perp DEX - Aster - CZ reemerged with avengeance to take the crypto world by storm, and dominate both the mind share and liquidity of the market. It’s been a whirlwind of highs and lows. Is this just the start of a Binance Super Cycle, or are the ADHD crypto degens already moving on to the next thing?

With Aster’s early success and Binance soaring past ATHs (72% price increase this year - more than any other top 20 coin), everyone and their grandmother was bridging to BNB to take part in the latest crime season, and folks like me were abandoning their Dark Lord patronage to adopt a new, Chinese crypto daddy.

And, where there’s attention and money, - of course - there are memes. After a few runners started criming their way to nine figures, every tweet that CZ posted spawned ten memecoins. Everyone was making money, and everyone loved CZ.

Unfortunately, this “bull run” has Jovian levels of gravity, so whatever goes up must come down hard and fast. Some blamed it on the Solana trenchers bringing their carpet weaving ways to Binance. 

Others said it was CZ claiming that his tweets don’t endorse the memes that they spawn. 

Most thought it was the announcement that Binance’s new memecoin launchpad, Meme Rush, will require KYC nuked that meme market (even though degens can still access the platform without KYC through Trust Wallet). Whatever the reason, everyone agreed, it was all CZ’s fault.

CZ, meanwhile, claimed innocence. “People often give me too much credit, in good times and bad. I didn't do anything. Was busy all day.”

Although alt season is still scheduled for the twelfth of never, at least blockchain tribalism seems to be at an ATH these days. Solana and Hyperliquid stans have already begun dancing on what they perceive as Binance’s grave. 

This morbid celebration, however, is clearly unwarranted. 

IMO, there is absolutely no way CZ - the most powerful man in crypto -  is going to let his plans fall by the wayside so easily. After all, this is CZ’s world.

The Citadel just turned 4, and what a wild ride it’s been. From a scrappy NFT crew to a full-blown crypto gaming powerhouse, Neo Tokyo has flexed its way into the heart of the blockchain digiverse. Over the past 4 years, we’ve built a bustling ecosystem with unmatched talent redefining the space, $BYTES fueling deals, NT Plays slinging tournaments that crash servers, and a one-of-a-kind community that’s weathered bear markets, FUD storms, and moon runs like seasoned cyberpunks. The Citadel’s grit has turned it into a beacon for builders, gamers, degens, and visionaries alike. Here’s to the next four years of chaos, gains, gaming, and building the future, one block at a time.

ByteStreet dropped its first bomb with Project O, the inaugural investment raise revealed on NT News’s very own Market Monday show. This mobile-first strategic card battler, packing one-of-a-kind collectible cards, is set to redefine cross-platform TCGs. Citizens got a sneak peek at the pre-alpha demo via NT Plays, with hands-on action and behind-the-scenes scoops from the team. Catch the Market Monday recording (30 mins in) or dive into the Interlinked podcast with Founder Tim for the full rundown. Investment details dropped in the Citadel, with the raise kicking off soon after.

NT Plays kept the heat on with Project O’s event, letting Citizens test the pre-alpha and vibe with the future of mobile gaming. Access details were available in the Citadel—check the NT Plays X post for the recap:

Meanwhile, Reaper Actual launched on Etherlink, and the alpha got some serious love from streaming legend TimTheTatMan, who praised the game’s potential and gave props to the team for nailing the vibe, even in its early stage. Winners of the Alphabot raffle snagged their Stygian Oath Bundle—head to marketplace. ReaperActual.com, connect your NFT wallet, link your Epic Games account, transfer the bundle, and unpack the goods to jump in.

The weekly S1 ID Auction kept burning $BYTES, tightening the tokenomics like a cyber vice. Rarity hunters, check the Citadel for the breakdown on snagging those rare IDs.

A Citizen survey dropped in the Citadel to guide data-driven decisions on NT’s next moves—check it out if you haven’t already. NT Insider syncs, hosted by Council Member @subc0der, kept the Tuesday ritual alive with NT scoops, market roasts, and web3 gaming alpha. Noon EST, Citizens only—because the meat bags don’t get the gold.

This Week’s Neo Tokyo Content

Short Scoops

Until next next week, citizens.

All content from Neo Tokyo News is for entertainment purposes only, is not financial advice, and does not reflect the opinions of Neo Tokyo.

That’s it for our 116th edition of the Neo Tokyo Newsletter. Be sure to subscribe and share with your friends so you don’t miss out on future content.

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