Several ecosystem-specific developments are already in the pipeline and are expected to drive volatility for select tokens this week. The topics range from industry regulation to crypto airdrops, proposal implementations, and product market debuts.

Forward-looking investors can front-run the following events to capitalize on expected volatility this week.

Arbitrum’s DeFi Renaissance Incentive Program

Arbitrum’s DeFi Renaissance Incentive Program (DRIP) proposal, aimed at injecting significant capital into its ecosystem, reaches its voting deadline on June 20, 2025.  

This high-stakes initiative seeks to bolster decentralized finance (DeFi) projects on Arbitrum, a leading Ethereum Layer 2 solution, by providing grants and incentives to developers and protocols.

The program could enhance Arbitrum’s scalability and attract more DeFi activity, potentially driving ARB token utility.

Reports indicate up to 80 million ARB tokens, spread across four targeted seasons, with the user-first incentives expected to supercharge DeFi growth.

If approved, the initiative could solidify Arbitrum’s position in the competitive Layer 2 space, with analysts predicting a surge in developer activity and user adoption.

“…sustainable growth comes from owning high-value DeFi use-cases—not from bribing protocols or inflating vanity metrics. By targeting specific activities where Arbitrum can win market share, DRIP builds lasting retention, not just temporary spikes,” wrote Entropy Advisors, which accelerates DAO Development on Arbitrum.

Solana ETF Issuers to Submit Amended S-1 Forms

Another top crypto news this week is the US SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) requesting Solana ETF issuers to submit amended S-1 forms. These submissions, expected by the end of the third week of June 2025, signal progress toward potential approval.

This follows Bloomberg Intelligence’s 90% approval odds estimate, driven by Solana’s growing network activity and $8.8 billion TVL (Total Value Locked), making it the second-largest Layer 1 blockchain.

BeInCrypto reported that several issuers have already updated their Solana ETF filings to include staking languages. This move follows recent SEC comments suggesting that staking may not automatically qualify a product as a securities offering.

“Possible but def not guaranteed. Could theoretically approve the SOL ETFs to launch with staking at same time they approve staking in ETH ETFs. But i have no insight into what will actually happen,” wrote analyst James Seyffart.

Virtuals Genesis Launchpad Backroom’s Debut

Backroom’s genesis launchpad on the Virtuals platform, set to go live on June 17, marks a significant milestone for the project. Described as a highly anticipated release, Backroom aims to leverage Virtuals’ infrastructure to offer novel DeFi and NFT solutions.

The launch is expected to drive user engagement and capital inflows, with analysts highlighting its potential to disrupt the Web3 space. Inspired by Friend.tech, it uses AI to convert private chat insights into tradable data.

With 37.5% of the supply in a 24-hour Genesis Sale and a 1.25% referral airdrop unlocking on July 30, it tackles liquidity issues that plagued FRIEND.

Rooted in the Attention Economy, Backroom’s ROOM aims to democratize data monetization, challenging centralized KOL models.

Sonic’s Season 2 Airdrop Campaign

Sonic’s Season 2 Airdrop Campaign, launching on June 18, aims to boost platform engagement by distributing tokens to users.

It follows the success of Season 1, which ends on Wednesday. The initiative targets active participants in Sonic’s ecosystem.

“Sonic Airdrop Season 1 Get ready to claim a few weeks after the season ends on June 18,” Sonic Labs noted.

The airdrop will reward activities like bridging and DeFi participation, similar to Starknet’s model. Sonic’s campaign is part of a broader trend of Layer 2 airdrops driving user adoption.

FOMC Interest-Rate Decision

The FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) interest rate decision is among the top crypto news stories this week. Policymakers will announce the interest-rate decision on Wednesday, June 18, a pivotal event for crypto markets.

On the one hand, Polymarket users predict a 97.8% chance that the Fed will not make any rate cut changes this Wednesday.

Higher rates could dampen risk appetite, impacting Bitcoin and altcoin prices. Meanwhile, a pause or cut might fuel bullish sentiment.

“But there’s something else which will be even more important than the rate cut decision. Powell Press conference, which will start after the rate cut decision. Due to the Iran-Israel war situation, the market is expecting oil prices to hit $100 this year,” Binance KOL Cipher X noted.  

According to the analyst, rising inflation risks could delay rate cut decisions. However, Cipher notes that if negotiations between Israel and Iran happen before FOMC, the Fed could hint towards ending QE and possible rate cuts.

“In this case, the markets could rally, and alts could pump. Otherwise, it’ll be a dump-only event,” the analyst added.