Mad News: February 2025
Backpack in the Streets, Monad on Testnet, and Mad Lads Everywhere
February was a month of big headlines and major moves. While the space saw challenges, including Bybit’s $1.5 billion exploit, the $LIBRA controversy around Meteora and Jupiter, and renewed tariff talk from the Trump administration, it was also packed with energy and community.
Thanks to Mad Lads and Backpack, the month delivered excitement at NFT Paris, Hong Kong Consensus, and ETH Denver.
NFT Paris meets the Mad Lads
On February 13th and 14th, Paris turned red as crypto enthusiasts wearing Backpack flooded the city. A special dinner was organized, bringing our Lads and Lassies together for a wonderful evening
Key takeaways from the 2025 edition:
Web3 in e-commerce is becoming a priority for generating revenue and value
Projects are focusing on immersive experiences rather than traditional “staking”
Real-world assets (RWA) are gaining traction, though regulation and infrastructure remain significant challenges
Honk Kong Consensus
Consensus, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential crypto event, brings together key players from DeFi, blockchain, Web3, and the metaverse. Mad Lads had a strong presence at the event, and a special dinner was organized with our founder, Armani Ferrante
Key takeaways from the 2025 edition:
Hong Kong’s SFC is pushing forward with 12 initiatives to strengthen the virtual asset space, granting New York’s Bullish the first international virtual asset trading platform license
Institutional players are doubling down on crypto, signaling a market shift toward maturity and adoption
AI and blockchain integration is taking center stage, enhancing smart contracts, security, and decentralized governance in Web3
ETH Denver
Our CEO and founder, Armani Ferrante, took the main stage to share his insights on the future of crypto exchanges
Key takeaways from the 2025 edition:
Not ethereum Denver, on-stage content featured vocal Ethereum critics and alternative ecosystems. The exhibition space and sponsorships were dominated by competing L1s like Solana, Move, Monad, Sui, and NEAR
Bitcoin’s ecosystem is resurging with new protocols unlocking yield opportunities, while AI’s integration with blockchain faces scaling challenges
DePIN projects are showing real-world traction and is emerging as the most immediately promising and impactful sector
A special event also took place during ETH Denver, where Mad Lads and Backpack enthusiasts gathered to have fun and score some exclusive merch!
General News
Monad Testnet
Monad officially launched their testnet on February 19th. Don’t waste any more time, add it to your Backpack wallet and start exploring their ecosystem!
Backpack Public Beta
In February, Backpack launched the public beta of their futures trading feature, offering many rewards for traders. Many new tokens like $HYPE from BeraChain, $IP from Story Protocol or even $BNB from Binance were added to the Exchange
Institutions are here
It’s still unclear what is the real reason behind this post, but Fock it, Mad Lads on top
PODCAST CORNER 🎙️
February was a month full of podcasts and interviews featuring our beloved team and founder:
Why Crypto Wallets Are Broken | Armani Ferrante
Crypto exchanges, security and Solana’s rise in 2025: Backpack CEO
https://cointelegraph.com/news/how-centralized-exchanges-evolve-2025
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