Nearly a week after it was removed, the TikTok app is still missing from Apple and Google’s app stores.

The app was pulled from both stores after the US’ ban-or-divest law went into effect last weekend, which resulted in the service going dark within the United States. While TikTok came back online shortly after the ban, the app didn’t return to either mobile store. Apple and Google are at risk of paying billions in fines if they make TikTok available, and it’s unclear if President Donald Trump’s executive order refusing to enforce the ban actually removes that risk.

Apple and Google haven’t replied to multiple requests for comment from The Verge — including requests I made today — about if or when the app might be available again. Apple and Google do have statements about the removal of TikTok and other ByteDance-owned apps like Lemon8 and Marvel Snap, but otherwise, no comment since.

TikTok didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment, either, however, Marvel Snap developer Second Dinner posted Friday evening on X, saying, “Our current estimation is that Marvel Snap will be back in the app stores as early as next week barring any setbacks.” Without explaining further, Second Dinner co-founder Ben Brode answered a question on Bluesky about what would happen for next month’s updates, saying, “we’re hoping to have it back before then.”

Because these app stores are the primary way many people get the software, TikTok’s absence basically means you can’t newly install the app — at least, for the time being — without jumping through a lot of hoops. It also means they can’t deliver updates to add new features or address any bugs, including potential security flaws.

If you had TikTok on your phone before the ban kicked in, however, the app should work for you as normal. (As a result, people are trying to sell used phones with the TikTok app still on them.) You can also use TikTok in a browser — including on your phone.

Update, January 24th: Added new details about Marvel Snap.

CATZILLA is stealing the spotlight from Raydium’s $10 target with its high growth potential.

While Raydium sets its sights on a notable target, the real buzz centers around CATZILLA. This emerging contender has investors talking about its potential to surge by high values.

CATZILLA: The meme coin redefining success

CATZILLA is generating a seismic buzz in the crypto world with its growth potential. This emerging meme coin is more than just a flashy newcomer — it’s a bold, community-driven project poised to challenge crypto norms and deliver massive returns.

CATZILLA’s mission is to confront greed, expose scammers, and create a fairer crypto ecosystem. With a rebellious spirit and a fierce drive for innovation, its rallying investors, meme enthusiasts, and DeFi advocates to join its mission of decentralized financial empowerment.

CATZILLA isn’t just another fleeting meme coin. It’s designed with longevity and value at its core, offering early investors an incredible 88% presale discount. Starting at $0.0002, its 14-stage presale gradually increases prices, ensuring those who act early benefit the most.

Triple utility power:

1. Governance – Empowering the community to shape CATZILLA’s future.
2. Incentives – Rewarding active engagement and contributions.
3. Staking – Offering opportunities for passive income by holding and staking CATZILLA tokens.

By blending humor, financial opportunity, and a transparent roadmap, CATZILLA is turning heads as a serious contender in the meme coin arena.

CATZILLA’s strength lies in its passionate community and commitment to inclusivity. It’s a platform where creativity meets innovation, uniting seasoned investors and meme fans in a collective pursuit of financial freedom.

Whether for the laughs, the gains, or the mission, CATZILLA promises a fresh approach to crypto — a space where collaboration thrives and possibilities are endless.

Interested investors can join the CATZILLA movement via presale.

Raydium eyes further growth

Raydium’s recent surge is catching eyes as its price maintains between $5.79 and $8.67. With a 6-month climb of over 227%, the potential for more growth is compelling. The nearest resistance sits at $9.57, signaling a pivotal point. If broken, the path to the second resistance at $13.07 opens, hinting at more than a 50% gain from current levels. 

The RSI at 43.34 suggests room to run before overbought levels. The MACD’s positive nature bolsters this bullish sentiment. Recent 1-week and 1-month gains of over 39% and 54% respectively reflect growing momentum. As traders eye these levels, Raydium’s future looks promising in what could be shaping up to be an altcoin season.

Conclusion

While coins like RAY show limited short-term potential, Catzilla stands out as a meme coin aiming to bring financial freedom. With a 700% ROI potential during its presale — starting at $0.0002 and rising to $0.0016 over 14 stages — it offers governance features, rewards for loyalty, and staking options. Catzilla looks to unite enthusiasts to challenge toxic systems and reach new heights.

For more information on Catzilla, visit their website, X, or Telegram News.

Layer 2 protocols have played a critical role in scaling the Ethereum network. The blockchain’s co-founder Vitalik Buterin noted that Layer 2s in 2025 represents a significant evolution from their experimental beginnings in 2019, having achieved certain decentralization milestones, secured billions of dollars in value, and scaled Ethereum’s transaction capacity by 17-fold, all while simultaneously lowering fees.

However, Buterin stated that challenges remain, particularly around scaling and heterogeneity.

Blob Space and Interoperability Challenges

In his latest blog post, Buterin pointed out that Ethereum’s current blob space – a resource for storing and processing data on the blockchain – barely meets the demands of today’s Layer 2s and their use cases. As such, this limitation could hinder the platform’s ability to accommodate future growth.

Additionally, the heterogeneity of Layer 2s creates challenges when it comes to interoperability, composability, and user experience.

While Ethereum’s initial vision for scaling involved a shard-based system of homogenous blockchains, Buterin noted that Layer 2s have instead evolved into a fragmented ecosystem of chains created by different actors, each with different standards and infrastructure requirements.

To address these challenges, the Ethereum co-founder outlined several key steps. On the Layer 1 side, Ethereum must accelerate scaling blobs and expand the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and gas limits to handle activities such as proofs, large-scale DeFi, deposits, withdrawals, and mass exit scenarios.

On the Layer 2 front, he stressed the need for improved security, ensuring guarantees such as censorship resistance, light client verifiability, and the absence of trusted parties. Interoperability across Layer 2s and wallets must also be prioritized to enable easy interactions across chains through standardized addresses, message-passing protocols, bridges, and efficient cross-chain payments.

For users, Ethereum should feel like a unified ecosystem rather than a collection of disparate chains, Buterin added.

Strengthening ETH as a Triple-Point Asset

Buterin also stated that Ethereum’s future as a strong triple-point asset – functioning as a store of value, medium of exchange, and unit of account – requires a “multi-pronged” strategy to maximize the value of ETH.

The first step is to cement ETH as the primary asset across the combined Layer 1 and Layer 2 Ethereum economy. This includes prioritizing ETH, the main collateral for decentralized applications and financial ecosystems.

Next comes incentivizing Layer 2s to allocate a portion of their fees toward the broader Ethereum ecosystem, which could generate sustainable funding. This may involve burning part of the fees, staking them, or channeling proceeds into public goods for the Ethereum network.

Third, while rollups offer opportunities for Layer 1 to capture value through MEV, it’s important to maintain flexibility, recognizing that not all rollups can adopt this model due to different application requirements. Finally, Ethereum could explore raising the blob count as a potential revenue stream.

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TechCrunch Disrupt continues its mission by bringing you the latest insights from pioneering founders, CEOs, and venture capitalists who will share their invaluable wisdom. This is a must-attend event for entrepreneurs looking to learn from the top minds in the industry. Here’s a preview of the distinguished speakers who joined us last year:

• Alex Pall and Drew Taggart from The Chainsmokers, Co-founders and Partners, Mantis Venture Capital
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XRP is currently at a critical juncture, trading at a key level after breaking its all-time high just eight days ago. Despite the market’s inherent volatility, price action remains robust, fueling optimism among investors and analysts. As the broader crypto market enters a bullish phase, XRP is gaining attention as a potential leader in the next major rally.

Related Reading

Market sentiment is growing increasingly positive, with analysts predicting a massive move into price discovery. Among them, crypto expert Carl Runefelt has shared an intriguing technical analysis on X, highlighting a bullish setup for XRP. According to Runefelt, the price is forming a bullish pennant pattern on the 4-hour timeframe, a classic indicator of potential upward continuation. This pattern suggests that XRP is consolidating before a significant breakout, which could propel the price into uncharted territory.

As excitement builds, investors are watching closely to see whether XRP can sustain its momentum and capitalize on the bullish market environment. A breakout from the bullish pennant could confirm XRP’s trajectory toward new milestones, reinforcing its position as one of the market’s most dynamic assets. 

XRP About To Enter Price Discovery

XRP is on the verge of entering price discovery as the broader crypto market signals a bullish rally. Following a strong pump in early November, XRP’s price action has remained resilient, fueling optimism for substantial gains in the months ahead. As the market flirts with a decisive phase, XRP continues to stand out as a top contender for life-changing returns for investors and traders.

Renowned crypto analyst Carl Runefelt has shared an insightful technical analysis on X, highlighting a bullish setup for XRP. According to Runefelt, the price is forming a bullish pennant pattern on the 4-hour timeframe, a classic indicator of potential upward continuation. Based on this setup, Runefelt has set a price target of $4.20 in the coming weeks, aligning with broader expectations of a market-wide rally.

The bullish pennant suggests that XRP is consolidating before its next major move. If the pattern holds, the breakout could propel XRP into uncharted territory, confirming its position as a leading asset in this market cycle.

Related Reading

As the market gears up for a potentially explosive phase, XRP is well-positioned to capitalize on the momentum. With its strong price action and favorable technical setup, XRP has the potential to deliver significant returns. Investors and traders are closely watching as XRP prepares for its next move, with anticipation building for what could be a pivotal rally.

Price Testing Critical Levels

XRP is currently trading at $3.19, following a massive surge above its previous all-time high last week. The recent price action highlights XRP’s strength as it continues to attract investor interest during this bullish phase. However, the asset has entered a brief consolidation phase, which could signal preparation for its next move.

For bulls to maintain momentum and sustain the uptrend, reclaiming the $3.25 resistance level is critical. Breaking above this mark would likely reignite buying pressure and pave the way for another push toward new all-time highs. Achieving this would reinforce the bullish structure and solidify XRP’s position as one of the market’s top-performing assets.

Conversely, holding above the $3.05 support level is equally important to confirm the ongoing trend. This level has become a key line of defense, and a breakdown below it could signal weakness, potentially leading to a deeper correction and testing lower demand zones.

Related Reading

As XRP consolidates, investors are closely monitoring these crucial levels. A breakout above $3.25 or a strong defense of $3.05 will provide clearer direction for XRP’s next move. The coming days will be pivotal in determining whether XRP can sustain its bullish momentum or face temporary headwinds.

Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

Remember those middle-school writing prompts: Describe your favorite cookie.

Your teacher told you to write it as if to an alien, a being who had never encountered a cookie before, which meant touching on each sense – sight, sound, smell, touch, taste. You might not have realized it then, but describing something in a way that allows people to get a clear picture is actually quite hard.

Let me try to describe Matheus Pagani, founder and CEO of Venture Miner. Matheus is a male with light caramel skin and dark brown hair. Even though his hair is cut close, you can tell it’s curly. He’s got a thick dark brown, almost black beard, which connects to a mustache. His eyes are dark brown behind thin wire glasses. His bottom lip sticks out a little further from his top lip, giving him a look of assurance, but not arrogance.

Picturing him yet? How confident are you?

Oh yeah, and he’s Brazilian.

Got it?

Let’s see what Matheus Pagani actually looks like.

Is this what you had come up with in your head from my description? Doubt it. Whenever I told you he was Brazilian, did you accessorize him in bright colors and a feathered headdress? Something like this?

If so, check your bias, but also you’re thinking like an AI. That was what ChatGPT came up with from the prompt “some Brazilians having fun.” Pagani showed this and other examples spit out by our generative AI (Italians have fun by sitting around long tables with multiple generations eating pizza) during the AI2Web3 Bootcamp in NYC in early December.

The bootcamp, run by Pagani and Build City, brought together 59 participants across all skill levels to learn how the two buzziest (and often misunderstood) technologies can be brought together to create useful products and services. Pagani used a version of the middle-school assignment to explain how and why AI made the significant leaps that have kept us all excited and on edge over the past few years. Before there was largely only text data being used to train AIs, and as the exercise highlights, that only goes so far. But mix text information with visual data, and you get a fuller picture.

And understanding this, getting hands on with both AI and blockchain technology to understand its core components is what the bootcamp was all about. For Pagani, these skills are going to be relevant for nearly all people – engineers, tech users, journalists, artists, doctors – real soon.

“We want to join brilliant minds from all backgrounds to come and work with AI and Web3, since the junction of their multiple perspectives can uncover new use cases that we would never envision just with a specialized Web3 or AI mindset alone,” Pagani said. “Nowadays we have tools to easily enable any non-technical enthusiasts to build practically functional applications and systems just with “plain English,” so what matters is bringing passionate people interested in solving problems together with the proper education. When you have this combination, you just need to light the match and watch it burn.”

Mind-Boggling Building

What makes the intersection of these two technologies so exciting is just how much you can build in such a short amount of time without really any prior technical experience.

Not only will AI source whole codebases with the right prompt, but the crypto industry is also building tools to help make developing at the intersection of both more intuitive and accessible.

For instance, Coinbase, who sponsored the bootcamp, launched AgentKit in November. The framework allows developers to build AI agents with their own crypto wallets, enabling the agents to interact autonomously with blockchain networks. This could be used to build a squad of agents that can monitor the markets and execute trades automatically based on predefined rules and guardrails.

“One day, we’ll have AI agents own their own cars and operate their own taxi service that gets paid by customers in crypto and then uses that crypto to purchase repairs,” Lincoln Murr, associate product manager at Coinbase, told the attendees.

Coinbase currently has a grants program ongoing for building with AgentKit. “What you build doesn’t have to be useful; we have a bias towards cool stuff,” Murr told the bootcamp, hoping to inspire projects and applications that no one has yet thought of.

Ora Network also has an interesting model for developers looking to build AI-enabled Web3 applications or vice versa. The network allows developers to utilize current large language models, including Meta’s Llama3 and Stable Diffusion, but it also enables developers to build their own models and offer a so-called initial model offering (IMO) to crowdfund its continued development.

“It’s kind of winner-takes-all right now in AI, but with this model, we’re allowing the crowdfunding of AI building and training, so people can have a share of the models, which is empowering if we think these models will run society in a decade,” Alec James, partnerships and growth lead at Ora, said during the bootcamp. “If that’s the case, we’ll want that development distributed.”

Near, Fleek and Alora were also among the companies that sponsored the bootcamp and presented their various tools and programs for building at the intersection of these two innovative technologies.

Can Devs Do Something?

During the final day of the bootcamp, nine teams presented working prototypes for projects that blended Web3 and AI. These projects ranged from AI assistants meant to help you pick gifts, order delivery or diversify your financial portfolio to applications to help crypto operators pump out memecoins with big virality potential.

Jackie Joya, a participant who had flown in from San Francisco, said the bootcamp has really inspired her to keep building. With a background in animal science, Joya is still new to engineering, but was amazed how much a novice could build with the tools available.

Other participants, across all skill levels, said similar things. Choudhury Imtiaz, a market researcher from Bangladesh, who is in the U.S. on an H-1B1 Visa waiting for a placement, hasn’t heard of Web3 before the bootcamp, but was able to pitch a team project on the last day. And Isayah Culbertson, who has worked as an engineer for both crypto and AI projects separately, was able to learn skills for building with both, which he thinks has the potential to change the world for the better.

“I see the combination accelerating the research and development of so many different fields, while also allowing for a more equitable distribution of wealth generated from that R&D,” he said.

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Now would be a good time for investors to curb their enthusiasm, just a little. This year has begun with the bulls largely in control. Already, US stocks have risen about 4 per cent, making this one of the stronger opening months to any year in the past decade.

The re-inauguration of Donald Trump as US president has ushered in a new period of “animal spirits” among business executives, as veteran investor Stan Druckenmiller put it this week. Chief executives are “somewhere between relieved and giddy” at the election result, he told CNBC. Meanwhile, US banks are in “go-mode”, a senior JPMorgan executive told the Davos crowd, while crypto is on the cusp of entering the “banana zone”, according to its boosters. (Nope, me neither. Apparently that’s good, though, indicating prices are about to surge.)

HSBC is sticking with the good vibes. Its multi-asset team this week outlined an “extremely positive” backdrop for risky assets in the first half of this year — a scenario it described as “Goldilocks on steroids”, quite the mental image. 

At the risk of spoiling all the fun, some market watchers — including some of the optimists — are getting a little nervous. The first big reason is the global government bond market, which has got off to a wobbly start to the year. This is not entirely a bad thing — it reflects a continuation of the US economic growth miracle. But it also reflects an expectation that inflation will continue to stick around and that the Federal Reserve will therefore struggle to keep reducing interest rates — no matter how much Trump would like it to. On the margins, it also suggests asset managers demand a somewhat higher rate of return for feeding government coffers.

Whatever your preferred narrative here, the point is that bond investors have been wrongfooted (again) and that the resulting drop in prices has pushed yields up (again). The most important benchmark of them all — the US 10-year yield — is sitting well above 4.5 per cent. That marks a recovery in prices since mid-January but is still high enough to undermine the case for loading up on stocks.

As my colleagues reported this week, US stocks have now reached their most expensive point relative to bonds in a generation. It is becoming ever harder to justify venturing further into stocks when their expected profits compared with earnings have sunk so far below the risk-free rate. 

Peter Oppenheimer, chief global equity strategist at Goldman Sachs, noted at an event at the bank’s swanky London office this week that stocks had largely shrugged off this competition from bonds so far — in large part because optimism around growth is so strong. But that leaves equities now “vulnerable to further rises in yields”.

It is mildly silly but nonetheless true that much here depends on round numbers, which act as useful psychological signposts to investors. The big test would be if US yields hit 5 per cent. At that point, one of two things would happen: the bond haters would capitulate and snap up some bargains to pull the yield back down again, or selling would intensify and every asset class would feel the pain. My strong hunch is the former.

We are not at that point yet, but as Lisa Shalett, chief investment officer at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, put it this week, “we’re still at a critical level”. 

“We’re really getting close to the zip code where slightly slower growth and slightly higher rates become a deadly combination for the markets,” she said. As a result, she is sceptical that equities in general, and highly concentrated, highly tech-dependent US stock markets in particular, can continue the spectacular run of the past two years. Shalett is anticipating gains in US stocks of between 5 and 10 per cent this year. That is not bad, by any stretch, but it would not be a repeat of the 20 per cent-plus performance in each of the past two years.

Another factor tapping on the alarm bells is the level of optimism itself, especially among retail investors. The American Association of Individual Investors reported that sentiment had “skyrocketed” in its latest monthly survey. Expectations that stock prices will rise over the next six months jumped by some 18 percentage points to January, the AAII said.

Even optimistic wealth managers, who advise a lot of these investors, are having a hard time holding them back. Ross Mayfield, an investment strategist for Baird Private Wealth Management, told me this week that he believes in the bull market, albeit with half an eye on bond yields, which have moved “up and to the right with no obvious reason”. But he sees anecdotal signs that the American exceptionalism theme is becoming overly entrenched among his clients. “I’m starting to get questions about whether you need to diversify at all,” he said.

None of this is a reason to run to the hills and shelter in the safest assets you can find. But the air is getting somewhat thin at these heights and the potential for slip-ups from the new US presidential administration is strong. Glassy-eyed optimism rarely ends well, no matter how muscly Goldilocks becomes.

katie.martin@ft.com