- Tron founder Justin Sun says he will not sell Ethereum (ETH) despite the price dump
- CartelFi gains momentum in its presale after raising over $1 million so far
- Meme-coin focus and DeFi integration put CartelFi in the spotlight
Tron founder Justin Sun recently reaffirmed his commitment to Ethereum (ETH), even as the leading altcoin has come under price pressure.
At the same time, CartelFi, a new meme-coin-focused project, is gaining traction during its presale and offering a fresh take on the meme-coin toolkit. With the broader crypto market showing signs of resilience, is CartelFi worth watching?
Justin Sun stands firm on ETH
On April 17, 2025, Justin Sun, founder of Tron, took to X to express a bullish stance on Ethereum. Despite the token’s subdued price, Sun said,
“ETH is currently at a low price, but we have no intention of selling our ETH holdings. Tron will continue seeking opportunities to collaborate with more Ethereum developers and build the industry together.”
Sun’s statement comes amid Ethereum’s ongoing price challenges — following a rally toward $4,000 in 2024 and subsequent pullbacks since then.
With selling pressure persisting while ETH trades near $1,500, Sun remains confident the top altcoin will rebound. His emphasis on partnering with Ethereum developers signals a long-term outlook that could bolster sentiment among investors and developers alike.
CartelFi rises as top meme-coins show signs of recovery
While Ethereum navigates its price headwinds, the meme-coin sector is also beginning to show renewed life after a rough stretch.
Since earlier volatility tied to major global events, many meme-coins experienced declines that mirrored wider market uncertainty. Nonetheless, leading meme-coins have shown resilience, and indicators suggest a potential bounce as investor interest returns.
Amid this backdrop, CartelFi has emerged as a notable project aiming to bridge meme-coins and DeFi.
Q1 has been loco.
But while the world still figures out memecoin legitimacy, we are already making moves.
We don’t rely on politicians or spectacle to make moves. The cartel is creating value, extracting power, and shaping the market without waiting for permission.…
— CartelFi (@CartelFi_) April 17, 2025
CartelFi bills itself as “the definitive bridge between meme-coins and DeFi,” enabling users to transform meme tokens into both speculative moonshots and reliable cash-flow assets. The project’s meme-centered liquidity and staking pools aim to unlock tens of billions in meme-coin capital and channel it into the DeFi ecosystem.
What sets CartelFi apart is its “deflationary DeFi” model: protocol fees are used to burn CARTFI tokens. This approach has drawn enthusiasm, and the presale has eclipsed $1 million in raised capital.
Early buyers are projecting potential returns of up to 300% in unrealized gains by the time the presale concludes, according to presale metrics and community chatter.
What to watch for with CartelFi
CartelFi’s roadmap lays out a clear path for development, making it a project to monitor in the coming months.
Phase 1, scheduled for Q2 2025, covers the ongoing presale, continued protocol development, and the creation of single-asset staking pools to establish the initial ecosystem. Phase 2, targeting Q3 2025, plans the platform’s official launch, the conclusion of the CARTFI presale, activation of single-asset pools, and onboarding of token partners.
Looking further ahead, Phase 3, spanning late 2025 into 2026, aims to roll out full functionality including meme-coin and stablecoin liquidity pools, a comprehensive DeFi suite, and sustained marketing initiatives to drive adoption.
By combining meme-coin virality with DeFi tools, CartelFi positions itself as a potentially transformative player in the crypto space. Its success will depend on execution, adoption, and how effectively it converts meme-coin liquidity into sustainable DeFi use cases.
Explore more about CartelFi and its presale through the project’s official website.