If you thought crypto was settling down, this past week had other plans. Between billion-dollar exits, new financial products, and the usual parade of strong opinions, the digital currency world kept everyone on their toes.

The Billion-Dollar Exit

Owen Gunden, who's been sitting on Bitcoin since 2011, decided this was the moment to call it quits. The early investor sold his entire stake—worth about $1.3 billion—with his final move being a $230 million transfer to Kraken. The timing is notable: Gunden made his exit during one of Bitcoin's steepest recent declines, with the cryptocurrency struggling below $83,000. After more than a decade of holding, he picked one of the market's rougher moments to walk away.

Dogecoin Goes Leveraged

In more optimistic news, Dogecoin got its moment in the ETF spotlight. The 21Shares 2x Long Dogecoin ETF launched on Nasdaq, offering investors leveraged exposure to the meme coin that started as a joke and somehow became a legitimate market force. Dogecoin's official handle responded with a characteristically on-brand "Much congrats." Yes, the Shiba Inu coin now has a leveraged exchange-traded fund. What a time to be alive.

Saylor Stands His Ground

Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of Strategy Inc., came out swinging to defend his company's Bitcoin-heavy business model. With the cryptocurrency facing pressure, Saylor insisted the strategy can weather Bitcoin's volatility and keep delivering shareholder value. His argument? As long as Bitcoin grows by just 1.25% annually, Strategy can maintain dividend payments indefinitely. That's a pretty modest growth assumption in a world where crypto can swing 10% in an afternoon, but Saylor seems confident in the math.

Schiff's Pessimistic Prediction

Peter Schiff, who's never met a Bitcoin rally he liked, offered his latest dose of skepticism. The long-time crypto critic warned that Bitcoin's only realistic shot at reaching new all-time highs now depends on one unlikely scenario: the U.S. government buying massive amounts of BTC for a Strategic Reserve. Schiff characterized this potential move as essentially a taxpayer-funded bailout of Bitcoin speculators. Whether you agree with him or not, he's consistent.

Hoskinson on the Trump Effect

Charles Hoskinson, the founder behind Cardano, offered an interesting take on recent market dynamics. He described the Trump-era crypto boom as a "rib-crushing hug" that threw the market's natural rhythm out of whack. According to Hoskinson, the rapid surge of political enthusiasm created an irrational capital rush that disrupted crypto's typical four-year cycle. His theory suggests the ecosystem needs time to recover from too much of a good thing—if you can call it that when the market subsequently tumbled.

All in all, just another week in crypto: fortunes made, fortunes liquidated, new financial products launched, and plenty of people with strong opinions about what it all means.