Crypto Rundown: The WILDEST Bitcoin Catalyst in History is Back!

The McRib’s return was framed as a playful Bitcoin bull-market indicator, not a dependable trading signal. AI-derived figures cited Bitcoin gains of 237% in 2020, 71% in 2023, and 58% during the McRib’s 2024 return in the UK, but also a 74% Bitcoin drawdown in 2021 after a McRib return. One host was “99%” sure a McDonald’s executive had posted on X that the sandwich would save or revive Bitcoin, but had not fact-checked it; a McRib meme coin had already surged and faded. The pattern was entertaining, but the examples themselves undermine any claim that it reliably predicts prices.

Bitcoin had pulled back from 84–85 and was trading around 81–82, with 90 and then 94 discussed as possible levels to watch. The hosts saw a market stuck in a range rather than an imminent crash or a new all-time high the next day. Their concern was that a longer consolidation could make the eventual move more forceful in either direction. Ethereum was moving between 23 and 25, Solana was above 100, and Zcash had risen about 9–10% over the week. Fear and Greed slipped from 50 to 48, while the seven-day market picture was roughly flat to green and trading felt sluggish.

Crypto had outperformed some macro indicators and larger markets, but had not rallied as much as hoped for October. The hosts described fundamentals as being in an “interesting lull” and said uncertainty around the midterms could prolong choppy trading. One view was that the midterms could become a “green light” for markets into year-end, including the AI trade; early-November momentum was also cited as a potential clue to the rest of the year and the start of the next. Recent ETF flows were a counterpoint: Bitcoin funds saw about $635 million in outflows, Ethereum funds about $110 million, and net outflows across crypto ETFs were roughly $759 million over the prior day or so. Brian cautioned against treating one reading as decisive, recommending attention to several consecutive days and the reasons behind the flows.

Brian said Solana’s Alpenglow upgrade was live and reduced transaction finality from nearly 13 seconds to a fraction of a second. He called it Solana’s biggest upgrade since launch and said faster finality could support payments, trading, and traditional finance products on-chain. He also distinguished the long-term case from an immediate price catalyst: the upgrade could be bullish over time without making SOL rise right away. Brian also described AERO as one of Base’s largest exchanges and said it was expanding to other chains, including Robinhood, with the expansion covering about seven chains by his recollection. AERO is rewarding stakers and ecosystem participants, though Brian noted execution risks and the need for existing holders and stakers to use a website migration process.

Citi Research’s description of Aave as a collateral mobility protocol for tokenized capital markets was treated as an encouraging signal for DeFi, not as news of a major partnership. Brian highlighted the potential to borrow against tokenized stocks or Treasury bonds without selling them, and the significance of Aave appearing in Citi’s research. Separately, Robinhood was approved to offer stocks, ETFs, and Bitcoin trading in the UAE, with rollout planned for 2027. Brian viewed the approval as a positive step toward Robinhood offering many financial products under one roof, but said it did not mean Robinhood Chain would launch there immediately. He linked tokenization and broader access to the need for more capital and global liquidity.

Pump.fun is moving beyond meme-coin trading into collectible packs and physical assets, including Pokémon and sports cards and Rolex watches. It reportedly recorded about $2 million in collectible-pack sales on its first day, alongside a partnership with Collector Krip. The hosts noted that mystery packs carry gambling-like risk: buyers pay for a chance at a valuable item, and many may lose.