BlockDAG's impressive fundraise has exceeded $435 million, making it one of the most rapidly expanding blockchain projects ahead of its scheduled exchange debut in February 2026. With 312,000 holders and 20,000 mining units sold, the current Batch 32 sale at $0.005 per token represents the last stage before the anticipated $0.05 launch price, according to a
Crypto.news report
. This surge has led to comparisons with landmark Layer-1 advancements, with some analysts calling it a possible "top crypto opportunity of the decade." Recently, the project faced controversy, but supporters have rallied behind founder Jason Turner after he claimed competitors orchestrated a "coordinated attack" to undermine trust, as outlined in a
Yahoo Finance article
. Turner's response, highlighting tangible technical progress and a February 10, 2026, accountability milestone, has strengthened community confidence and demonstrated the project's durability in a challenging market.
At the same time,
Shiba Inu
(SHIB) is making headlines as the first meme token to be included in a U.S. spot ETF application. T. Rowe Price, a global asset manager overseeing $1.77 trillion, has filed a Form S-1 with the SEC for an actively managed crypto ETF that features
SHIB
along with
Bitcoin
,
Ethereum
, and
Solana
, as reported by a
CoinChapter article
. This move represents a significant milestone for altcoins seeking institutional acceptance, with the fund aiming to outperform the FTSE Crypto U.S. Listed Index by actively rebalancing its portfolio, according to a
Coinrise report
. The Shiba Inu ecosystem, which now includes the Shibarium Layer-2 network and tokens such as LEASH and BONE, has evolved past its meme roots and is attracting institutional attention, as highlighted in a
Coinotag report
. Experts believe ETF inflows could enhance SHIB's liquidity and price stability, though regulatory clearance is still required.
Litecoin (LTC) has also experienced a price recovery, approaching the $100 mark as the first U.S.
Litecoin
ETF, Canary's LTCC, recorded $1.65 million in trading volume during its opening week, according to a
Yahoo Finance report
. Although its inflows lag behind those of Solana and
Hedera
ETFs, Litecoin's practical use on payment platforms like Stake.com—where it accounts for 16% of daily on-chain transactions—reinforces its utility. Thanks to minimal fees and fast processing times,
LTC
is regaining popularity in microtransaction networks, especially in areas that value affordable payment solutions.
The cryptocurrency sector is also being influenced by projects such as Mantle and
Aave
, which are driving renewed interest in DeFi and Layer-2 solutions, as explored in a
Coinrise analysis
. Nearly $435 million raised by BlockDAG, collaborative partnerships, and transparent Dashboard V4 analytics have created a sense of urgency among investors. With just 4.56 billion tokens left and a confirmed listing in February 2026, early backers are anticipating up to a tenfold return as the project addresses scalability, speed, and institutional trust, as that Coinrise analysis observes.