The Japanese yen (JPY) is one of the most active and volatile currencies in the foreign exchange (FX) market. 

The Japanese yen (JPY) is one of the most active and volatile currencies in the foreign exchange (FX) market. Traders around the world focus on JPY pairs like USD/JPY, EUR/JPY and AUD/JPY because they offer strong price movements and frequent opportunities.

Unlike stocks or cryptocurrencies that typically swing wildly, most FX pairs are relatively stable. That’s why JPY moves stand out. For example, in July 2024, the USD/JPY ratio reached 162 — its highest level since December 1986. Then, it dropped to 139 by September — a 14% decline in just two months.

By January 2025, USD/JPY bounced back to 158, only to fall again to 139 in April. These large moves show why JPY is a favorite for traders seeking momentum and volatility.

Interest rate gap: The most important driver

One of the main drivers behind JPY price movements is the 

 between Japan and other major economies — especially that of the US.

In simple terms: currencies with higher interest rates usually attract more capital. When US rates rise and Japanese rates stay low, investors shift money into the dollar and out of the yen. This pushes USD/JPY higher.

But when Japan starts raising its rates — or the US holds rates steady or cuts them — the gap narrows. Then, investors shift back into the yen, pushing USD/JPY downward.

Right now, the US interest rate is 4.5%, while Japan’s is just 0.5%. That’s a big gap. However, this could change soon.

If Japan raises rates or signals higher rates while the US holds or cuts its own, expect downward pressure on USD/JPY. If both rates stay unchanged, the focus will shift to the tone of the policy statements and forward guidance.

Beyond interest rates, the yen is also seen as a 

During times of global uncertainty and/or geopolitical risk, investors prefer holding assets that are seen as stable and less risky. JPY fits this role. This is especially true when tensions rise between major economies, like the ongoing 

In early 2025, after US President Trump returned to office and reignited trade tensions, the yen gained strongly. So far this year, it’s up 

The reason is simple: traders and investors are nervous about global growth. If Trump pushes for more tariffs, or if trade talks fail, the yen is likely to rise further. On the other hand, 

, the dollar could recover against the yen.

Technical analysis: Levels and indicators to watch

The current technical setup for USD/JPY is interesting for traders.

In short: 139 is the floor, and 150–155 is the ceiling. Traders should watch price reactions at these levels closely.

Key events ahead: Rate decisions and trade headlines

Two major types of events will shape JPY trading in the short term:

Conclusion: Volatility, strategy and the JPY outlook

The Japanese yen offers one of the most attractive trading setups in the FX market. Its strong volatility, sensitivity to global news and clear technical levels make it a prime choice for both short- and medium-term strategies.

The key to trading JPY successfully lies in watching the 

. June 2025 will be a critical month, with back-to-back central bank meetings in Japan and the US.

technical chart shows strong support at a level of 139

, backed by clear CCI signals. On the upside, resistance lies at 150 and 155 — levels that could come into play if the market turns more optimistic.

Traders should also keep in mind that if a trade deal is signed between the US and China, the dollar could gain ground, easing pressure on USD/JPY.

Until then, the Japanese yen remains one of the best currencies for active traders looking for momentum, opportunity and global relevance.

Advanced

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Bybit x FXStreet FX Report: Why the yen is a trader’s favorite

MetaMask will roll out native support for Solana ($SOL) in May 2025, enabling users to directly access SOL tokens and interact with Solana-based decentralized applications (dApps) from within the wallet. 

Daily top performer — Hyperliquid (HYPE)

The S&P 500 rose 0.41% on Thursday, supported by trade optimism and cooling inflation, marking its fourth straight gain. Gold climbed 1.3% to $3,218 as weak U.S. data and a softer dollar raised Fed rate cut hopes, while geopolitical tensions added safe-haven demand. The Coindesk Indices, which tracks the broader crypto market, down 0.91%, with Bitcoin and Ether down 0.13% and 2.42%, in the past 24 hours. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today's top performer is HYPE, which rose 7.9% after Hyperliquid was spotlighted in a Bloomberg podcast for its transparent onchain revenue model.

Hyperliquid (HYPE), launched in June 2023, is a decentralized perpetuals exchange built on a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain. It offers fast, low-cost perpetual futures trading with full on-chain transparency and performance comparable to centralized exchanges. Bloomberg’s Surveillance podcast 

 crypto’s role in shaping the future of finance, citing projects like Hyperliquid for their transparent, onchain revenue models.

Check out the latest prices, charts, and data of 

, enabling users to directly access SOL tokens and interact with Solana-based decentralized applications (dApps) from within the wallet. Confirmed by MetaMask’s CEO and co-founder, this integration marks a major step in expanding beyond Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chains. The move enhances interoperability across blockchain ecosystems and broadens MetaMask’s reach in the multichain DeFi space.

Yesterday, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $294.8 million in net outflows on May 15, with $39.1 million from GBTC and $255.7 million from other issuers.

, offering users a chance to earn testnet access through Galxe quests. Participants can complete tasks to win invite codes for the APT Game, a rollup built by Radius. Only 1,000 codes will be released over the next month.

Beginner

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Metamask to add native Solana support in May, expanding beyond EVM chains

Explore Vulcan Forged (PYR), a leading web3 ecosystem with gaming, NFTs, metaverse, and its own L1 blockchain, Elysium. Discover what sets it apart.

Vulcan Forged started out as a gaming hub targeting 

 users who could access play-to-earn (P2E) games on it that are powered by 

 blockchains. However, over time, Vulcan Forged has evolved into an all-encompassing blockchain and web3 platform. It now offers Elysium (a Layer 1 blockchain), a 

 (NFT) projects, and Vulcan Studios for developing mobile and PC web3 games.

Let's explore the Vulcan Forged web3 ecosystem and learn why it's definitely a project to watch in the busy web3 space.

, a blockchain-powered gaming ecosystem, offers comprehensive solutions to web3 users, suited to all gaming needs.

Founded in 2019 by a team led by current CEO and founder Jamie Thomson, Vulcan Forged started out as a gaming hub in which users could access NFT-powered web3 games. However, with Thomson at the helm, Vulcan Forged has transitioned into a full-fledged blockchain ecosystem that’s designed to solve the challenges faced by web3 users, such as high fees, slow transaction times and user-unfriendly gaming interfaces.

At the core of its comprehensive ecosystem is Elysium, a 

 designed specifically to power gaming and the metaverse. By leveraging the Elysium blockchain, Vulcan Forged is better positioned to offer enhanced functionalities, such as dynamic NFTs, an advanced suite of tools and a more immersive gaming experience.

Vulcan Studios, part of the Vulcan Forged ecosystem, supports the development of blockchain games. Several enhancements to Vulcan Studios now provide for an interconnected universe for gamers, a critical move in the platform's bid to become a more unified gaming ecosystem.

Vulcan Forged NFT marketplaces like Agora and Cedalion offer users a seamless experience in trading and creating digital assets. In particular, Agora provides a user-friendly interface for minting NFTs without gas fees that makes it accessible for creators and collectors alike.

Furthermore, the Vulcan Forged team has announced that VulcanX, its 

 (CEX), is almost complete. VulcanX will provide the platform's users with a gamified trading experience in which landholders In its ecosystem will share in generated revenue.

The entire Vulcan Forged ecosystem is governed by a dual-token economy consisting of PYR and ELY (previously LAVA) tokens.

 blockchain developed by Vulcan Forged that’s designed to power the future of web3 gaming, NFTs and 

 (DApps). Created with developers and users in mind, Elysium combines scalability, high throughput and a strong sustainability ethos to deliver a robust and eco-friendly blockchain ecosystem.

 (EVM) framework, Elysium supports fast, low-cost transactions, and is fully compatible with both Ethereum-based and Substrate-based tools. Its interoperability makes it an ideal platform for developers looking to deploy DApps, launch NFT collections or create gaming projects with dynamic on-chain mechanics.

A standout aspect of Elysium is its growing ecosystem of integrated tools, such as:

In addition to its robust technology, Elysium is central to the larger Vulcan Forged vision of a unified digital universe. It underpins diverse applications, including Vulcan’s NFT marketplaces, upcoming CEX and multi-game metaverse.

With an emphasis on accessibility, innovation and real-world use cases, Elysium is positioning itself as the core infrastructure for the mission Vulcan Forged has to merge gaming, blockchain and digital ownership into one immersive ecosystem.

In order to lower barriers to entry through enhanced user experience, Elysium offers three protocols that work together seamlessly to benefit web3 individuals and businesses. These protocols simplify the process of converting tokens, while offering fee delegation and allowing users to utilize any token in their wallets when transacting.

Vulcan Forged has created a comprehensive ecosystem to enhance web3 user experiences. Apart from the Elysium blockchain discussed above, other key components of the Vulcan Forged ecosystem are as follows.

Vulcan Studios is a gaming development platform designed to facilitate the creation, development and playing of PC and mobile games. In the revamped Vulcan Forged road map, these studios’ DeFi games are undergoing various enhancements to improve user experience.

Some of the notable games produced by Vulcan Studios include 

Vulcan Verse, Vulcan Runner, Berserk, Vulcan’s Creed

​MetaScapes is an innovative metaverse-as-a-service (MaaS) platform that empowers users to create and customize their own digital realms. Offering four distinct worlds — Fantasy, Cartoon, Urban and Futuristic — MetaScapes provides a versatile environment for creativity and exploration. Its users can personalize their avatars, design unique landscapes and even monetize their creations through in-world economies. 

With features like VR compatibility and AI assistance, MetaScapes aims to deliver an immersive and user-friendly experience, bridging the gap between imagination and digital reality.

The Vulcan Forged platform is powered by a dual token economy that consists of PYR and ELY tokens, each one playing a distinct role on the platform.

PYR is the primary token of Vulcan Forged. Initially, PYR was powered by the Ethereum and Polygon blockchains, but it’s now primarily powered by the Elysium blockchain. PYR plays three major roles on the platform: gaming, settlement and 

. It has a total supply of 50,000,000 tokens, with a circulating supply of 23,897,700 (as of May 15, 2025).

The primary use cases of the PYR token are as follows:

The second token on Vulcan Forged is ELY, which was formerly known as LAVA. ELY is Elysium's native and gas token. It also features many other uses, such as powering transactions and rewarding gameplay on Vulcan Forged games. You can earn ELY by participating in various games and accumulating XP points on the platform. Additionally, you can generate ELY tokens as rewards for holding PYR.

ELY’s total supply is 1 million tokens. Some uses of ELY include:

You can buy PYR on Bybit as the PYRUSDT Perpetual contract, with leverage of up to 12.5x. It's listed in Bybit's Innovation Zone, which gives you access to handpicked projects with a potential for high returns (also with higher fees and risk).

Vulcan Forged (PYR) crypto price prediction

As of May 15, 2025, PYR is priced at $1.34, 97.3% higher than its all-time high of $49.24 on Dec 1, 2021 and 51.8% higher than its all-time low of $0.88 on Apr 7, 2025.

Price prediction experts are cautiously bullish on PYR's future price. CoinCodex predicts that PYR 

 a maximum price of $1.49 in 2027 and increase to $4.43 in 2030. Meanwhile, DigitalCoinPrice is relatively more bullish on PYR, and expects that the token 

 a maximum price of $4.85 in 2027 and surge to $7.34 in 2030.

While these forecasts are bullish, they aren’t financial advice and they don’t guarantee the future price of PYR. We highly recommend that you 

 before you invest in Vulcan Forged or any other cryptocurrencies.

Vulcan Forged (PYR) is shaping the expanding universe of web3 gaming by merging cutting-edge technology with immersive player experiences. From its native Elysium blockchain to dynamic NFT ecosystems and the upcoming VulcanX decentralized exchange, the platform is setting new standards in decentralization, creativity and scalability.

Featuring a unified road map, tools like MetaScapes, NFT marketplaces, and Elysium Swap, Bridge and Scan, Vulcan Forged is building more than games — it’s forging a sustainable digital economy. As its ecosystem grows, PYR, its cross-platform utility token, remains at the heart of this transformation, empowering game developers, creators and players in the next era of decentralized entertainment. 

Intermediate

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Vulcan Forged (PYR): The expanding universe of web3 gaming and beyond

Discover MapleStory Universe, Nexon's blockchain-powered version of the iconic MMORPG game loved by over 250 million players. Learn more about the launch of MapleStory N on May 15, the NXPC token and how to trade NXPC on Bybit.

, a simple, 2D MMORPG that quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Its blocky characters and iconic town of Henesys were etched in the memories of over 250 million players who played the game worldwide. Now, Nexspace, an Abu Dhabi–based subsidiary of Nexon, is recreating this world on-chain with MapleStory Universe. 

At its core, MSU is a faithful recreation of 

s legacy. It revives the beloved characters, art styles and lore while simultaneously improving the game by integrating blockchain technology. Nexpace believes this integration will transform the franchise from a centralized ecosystem into a player-owned universe, creating a win-win scenario for both the original players and web3 natives. 

 IP is already an established success, with 250 million players and over $5 billion in revenue. MapleStory Universe aims to bring its enormous player base into MSU through various incentives, such as cross-platform progression and exclusive rewards for legacy users. 

Behind all of this development is Nexpace, the blockchain-focused subsidiary of Nexon established in 2023. Sun Young Hwang is the CEO of Nexpace and a leader at MapleStory Universe. With 15 years of experience at Nexon, Hwang brings a wealth of expertise and a clear vision for the ecosystem’s growth in the web3 space. 

As part of its mission to launch a gaming universe, Nexpace teams announced 

, the first standalone game of the MapleStory Universe. It’s a PC-based MMORPG with onchain item ownership. The game is set for a global launch on May 15, 2025, and is currently available for 

. According to BlockchainGamer.biz, the game was so popular that it 

 players can issue, trade and manage in-game 

. Post-launch, the community can collaborate on content development, influencing the game’s evolution through creator tools. 

, a blockchain tailored for gamers. Built on 

, it combines Nexon’s 20-plus years of anti-cheat expertise with 

’s tamperproof randomness (critical for fair loot boxes). Transactions are free, fast and invisible during gameplay. No crypto wallets are required upfront. For 

 veterans, this offers a smooth gateway into web3, and for crypto natives, it brings a beloved gaming franchise on-chain.

Blockchain's role in the MapleStory Universe

The Henesys blockchain plays a crucial role in MSU’s development and execution. It provides sub-second finality and support for thousands of 

 (TPS), ensuring gameplay remains fluid and uninterrupted.

On top of that, the use of blockchain also enables players to own and trade in-game assets as NFTs. These NFTs are designed to be interoperable across every game that’s built in the MapleStory Universe, providing increased utility and value for these digital assets.

The game’s economy also relies on the decentralized nature of blockchains to create an ever-changing world. It incentivizes creators to design unique planets, each with its own tailored gameplay and social experiences, and rewards them with NXPC tokens for their contributions. 

NXPC is the native utility token of MapleStory Universe, with a fixed supply of 1 billion. It functions as the reserve currency of the universe, and is used to link gameplay assets to the border ecosystem. 

The token’s initial distribution also reinforces its decentralized nature, as 80% of NXPC is reserved for contributor reward, with just 0.696% allocated for the team and 0.4% for advisors,

Additionally, the team and advisors allocations also have vesting requirements. The team token has a structured vesting schedule with a 9-month cliff, followed by quarterly unlocks over the next three years. For advisors, there’s a 12-month cliff, followed by milestone-based vesting. 

MSU’s franchise has generated $5 billion in revenue since 2003. The organization behind the game is focused on longevity, as opposed to a quick money grab. Crucially, blockchain technology has matured to an extent where it can deliver seamless gameplay, matching the smooth experience players expect from traditional platforms. 

 starting on May 15, 2025. From now through May 28, 10AM UTC, new and existing Bybit users can stand a chance to win from a prize pool of 9,000,000 NXPC by 

. Register for this event at Bybit Token Splash 

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Nexpace (NXPC): MapleStory IP goes web3

Blockchain

Delegated proof of stake involves a voting and delegation mechanism to incentivize users to secure the network. But how is it different from PoS? Learn more.

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Delegated proof of stake is a type of blockchain consensus protocol that allows users to spend their coins to vote for various delegates. Once these delegates have been elected, they’re able to make critical decisions that apply to the whole network. For instance, the elected delegates can set protocol rules or validate transactions.

In general, delegated proof of stake has proven to be the most effective consensus mechanism available, which has helped to ensure that blockchain protocol remains sustainable and scalable. This stake consensus is able to eliminate the mining process that consumes so much energy with 

 protocols. The following guide takes a look at delegated proof of stake and the many benefits it provides as a consensus mechanism.

Before getting into the basics of stake-delegated proof and how it works, it’s important to take a look at what consensus algorithms are. Blockchain networks function because they’re decentralized. This means that every node within the network needs to verify transactions. A node is typically a computer or similar system.

 require separate transaction validation, the network itself must use some type of method to make sure each node agrees on the transactions that are valid and the ones that aren’t. The method the network uses to make sure that every node agrees is considered to be the blockchain consensus algorithm. Each type of blockchain uses a different algorithm. 

Delegated proof of stake works similarly to 

 (PoS) except it involves a voting and delegation mechanism to incentivize users to secure the network with their staked collateral. 

Users must stake their coins in order to participate in the both PoS and DPoS consensus mechanism. However, a successful block production involves network users elect witnesses, or delegates and only elected delegates and voters can validate transactions.

The elected delegates are oftentimes referred to as block producers or witnesses. When delegated proof of stake is used, it becomes possible to vote on delegates by pooling all of your coins into a centralized staking pool, after which you can link these coins to a specific delegate. It’s important to understand that your coins aren’t physically transferred from your wallet to any other when you link to a delegate.

When delegates are finally elected, it’s important that they’re able to agree upon which transactions should be rejected and which should be approved. 

Why Blockchain Needs Consensus Mechanisms

To understand just how beneficial stake-delegated proof can be, it’s first important to know why blockchain technology requires consensus. Blockchain is a kind of distributed ledger that’s able to record all of the transactions that occur across a network. 

 has proven to be an essential component of all blockchain technologies. This means that a single entity doesn’t keep track of every transaction that occurs. Instead, these transactions are distributed across numerous nodes in a network.

Even though transactions are spread across many different nodes, it’s possible to validate transactions with 

. These functions generate unique values for various unique inputs. It’s assumed that the record with the most nodes is less fallible than the others. In order for blockchain technology to function properly, it’s essential that it comes with consensus protocols. These protocols allow the different nodes within the network to properly validate legitimate transactions.

Looking specifically at Bitcoin, it uses the proof of work (PoW) consensus protocol, which delivers notable results but is considered to be time-intensive and energy-intensive. Because of this, the transaction speed is low when compared to standard networking protocols used by companies such as Visa and MasterCard.

Regardless of the protocols that different cryptocurrencies use, they’re necessary to ensure that all of the nodes within a server can come to an agreement about each transaction. With a consensus mechanism in place, the nodes are able to agree that a transaction should either be approved or declined. This technology also prevents users from spending a single coin on two separate transactions, known as double-spending.

There are many different components of delegated proof of stake that allow the technology to be effective and efficient at validating transactions. Even though proof of stake and proof of work is used by more blockchains at the moment, the stake-delegated proof is designed to solve most of the limitations that affect 

This particular consensus algorithm is maintained with a unique election system that selects nodes who are able to verify blocks. In most cases, delegates are voted in based on reputation. Every user who holds at least one coin with the DPoS blockchain can vote for the nodes who they want to validate transactions. Before using a DPoS blockchain, it’s highly recommended that you understand every facet of this system and how it works to achieve consensus.

Stake-delegated proof includes an all-important voting component. In order for nodes to be selected for the transaction verification process, different nodes must be voted in by users who would like to vote. Even though each DPoS network has its own voting system, most systems work by allowing DPoS consensus users to vote directly or provide their voting power to someone else who can vote on their behalf.

The nodes whom they vote in are referred to as witnesses. These witnesses are able to create blocks by validating transactions. In the event that all transactions in a single block are verified, the witnesses receive a special reward that can then be shared with every person who voted for that witness.

If the selected witness doesn’t validate every transaction within their allotted time, the block is missed, which means that none of the transactions is verified, and the witness earns no reward. In most cases, the reward that the witness would have earned is added to the one that the next witness receives, should they end up verifying all transactions. When this occurs, the block is considered stolen.

As mentioned above, witnesses are responsible for securing and validating the blockchain. While a user doesn’t need cryptocurrency in order to become a witness, they must be able to obtain enough votes to be elected. When a witness is able to confirm a transaction, it will officially be recorded in a ledger. The total number of witnesses in a single server can range from 21 to 101. Even though it’s possible for a witness to keep certain transactions out of a block, they’re unable to change the transaction’s information.

Keep in mind that the voting process is continual, which means that witnesses can be voted out if voters believe someone else is more trustworthy. If a large number of people are applying for the role of witness, there may be an ample amount of competition. In this case, reputation may be key to determining which people are voted in and which ones aren’t.

The stake-delegated proof transaction time refers to the amount of time it takes for the transaction to be processed. Because DPoS is designed to be a more efficient technology when compared to PoS and PoW, the transaction should process in a shorter period of time. However, transaction times differ with each stake-delegated proof network. For example, the TRON network uses DPoS and has an estimated transaction time of one minute.

With TRON, in order for a transaction to go through 20 confirmations are required. Two confirmations occur when one block is placed chronologically after another. TRON requires 20 separate confirmations to occur within one minute. In contrast, the estimated transaction speed for USD Coin, which uses a PoS consensus mechanism, is five minutes.

Delegates are users in a DPoS system who oversee governance within the blockchain. Delegates are voted in by other users. It’s possible for a delegate to propose altering the size of a single block, or changing how many witnesses are paid for validating blocks. When changes are proposed by a delegate, the users within the blockchain vote on adopting these changes.

 who are able to validate that blocks created by different witnesses adhere to the consensus rules. If a user becomes a block validator, all they’re required to do is run the validator and verify the network. Unlike being a witness, there’s no financial incentive to being a validator.

 between DPoS and PoS. In general, the stake-delegated proof is viewed as a more efficient and democratic version of PoS.

A PoS user builds blocks based on the exact stake they have in the currency and their time in the blockchain network. DPoS differs in that delegates and witnesses are voted in, with witnesses being able to create blocks.

Even though stake-delegated proof blockchains are highly beneficial for their inclusivity and for protecting users from double-spending, they do have a couple of limitations. For one, it’s possible for the network to become centralized in the event that only a limited number of users can act as witnesses. It’s also possible for weighted voting to occur, wherein users who don’t have a large stake in the currency decide not to vote.

While many popular blockchain networks use DPoS consensus, the primary ones are EOS, TRON and Cosmos.

When the EOS network, all delegates are referred to as block producers. An election occurs after a period of two minutes and six seconds. Once a user stakes some EOS coins, they can vote on as many as 30 candidates. Exactly 21 candidates are then elected. The minimum hardware requirements for each block producer include having at least 8GB of RAM.

This network refers to delegates as Super Representatives. When a user stakes TRON coins, they can vote for five SR candidates per election. These elections are held once every 24 hours. The top 27 candidates will be chosen as witnesses.

 network, delegates are called Validators. Around 100 of these Validators are able to verify the transactions that occur. Eventually, Cosmos intends to increase the Validator count to 300 to further decentralize their blockchain.

The stake-delegated proof technology known as DPoS is among the most effective consensus systems around. Along with using less energy than PoW systems, DPoS also takes less time than PoS systems. Consensus algorithms are at the heart of every blockchain network. Using the right algorithm ensures that transactions are validated quickly and securely. DPoS provides viable networking solutions at a time when faster transaction speeds, decreased energy consumption and network security are becoming top priorities for all blockchain protocols.

What Is Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS)?

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What Is Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS)?

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