$100 Portfolio Update — July 2025
Another Month, Another Step Forward...
Another month has passed, and again, we’re putting another $100 into the crypto portfolio. Let’s be honest—these aren’t exactly thrilling times. It’s one of those moments where crypto feels like it’s moving sideways, people are bored, distracted, or just tired. But here’s why we stick to our plan anyway: this is precisely the kind of moment when putting in the work matters most.
Before we dive into the details, it’s worth briefly acknowledging the bigger picture. We saw a flare-up between the U.S. and Iran recently—just enough to remind us how quickly markets can shift based on global events. Bitcoin dipped a bit, then recovered, and other markets reacted similarly. No big crash, just enough to remind everyone that crypto doesn’t exist in isolation.
But honestly, we don’t buy or sell based on headlines. Those come and go, markets get shaky, and the only real advantage we have is consistency.
Month after month, we build slowly, steadily, and deliberately. That’s exactly what we’re doing again now.
How We’re Spending the $100
Here’s the breakdown of where this month’s $100 is going, with current prices and the units we’re snagging:
Bitcoin (BTC): $10
Long-term Picks ($40 total):
Avalanche (AVAX): $10
Internet Computer (ICP): $10
Ondo Finance (ONDO): $10
Render (RENDER): $10
Trending/Narrative Coins ($40 total):
Aptos (APT): $10
Aerodrome (AERO): $10
Worldcoin (WLD): $10
ASI (FET): $10
Risky Bets:
Arcana Network (XAR): $5
Drift Protocol (DRIFT): $5
See exactly where we are invested each month and track portfolio performance in real time with this read-only, real-time portfolio link; Freedom Porfolio.
Now, let’s get into the meat of it—why these coins, what’s happening with them, and what we’re thinking.
Bitcoin (BTC) — $10
Bitcoin doesn’t really need a new narrative every month. It’s steady, it’s reliable, and that’s exactly why it stays in our portfolio. We buy a little every month, not because we think it'll jump 10x overnight, but because it anchors everything else we do.
Recently, when things got messy geopolitically, Bitcoin proved again why it matters. Prices briefly dipped, showing it’s not immune to fear, but then quickly stabilized. This is important.
Bitcoin behaves like digital gold—not in the exaggerated sense, just literally as a store of value that doesn't panic easily.
It's worth noting that institutional adoption keeps ticking forward in the background. Large funds and even some governments are still slowly adding Bitcoin as part of their reserves. It's becoming increasingly clear that Bitcoin's real strength is long-term stability, even in an unpredictable world.
So we’re sticking with our simple approach: another $10 quietly added. Nothing dramatic, just steady accumulation.
Long-Term Investments ($40 total)
These coins are about looking several years ahead—not weeks, not months. They’re chosen because we think their technology, community, or real-world applications will still be relevant well into the future.
Avalanche (AVAX) — $10
Avalanche continues to build a strong case as one of the most practically useful layer-one blockchains out there. It’s not about hype—it’s about actual usage.
Recently, Avalanche reached over 20 million daily transactions. That number isn’t just impressive, it means Avalanche is actually being used by people building real things: games, financial services, tokenized real-world assets.
The architecture behind Avalanche matters too. It’s designed to scale with "subnets," which are basically customizable blockchains within Avalanche’s ecosystem. This isn't just technical jargon; it means Avalanche can grow flexibly without becoming congested or too expensive.
Prices have stayed relatively low despite these developments, likely because attention is elsewhere. But we don't invest based on immediate price jumps; we invest because the long-term roadmap and current real-world usage look genuinely strong.
Internet Computer (ICP) — $10
ICP is different from almost anything else in crypto—and that’s both its biggest challenge and greatest strength. Its idea is genuinely unique: fully decentralized, fully on-chain websites, apps, and services. No Amazon, no Google Cloud—just blockchain technology that can handle everything independently.
They've recently released more tools to make building fully decentralized web apps easier, like Caffeine AI, where you literally speak commands to build an entire on-chain app. That sounds futuristic (and it is), but it’s already functional, not just theoretical.
ICP hasn't been kind to short-term investors, that’s true. But that’s partly because its goal isn't short-term. It's trying to build a decentralized internet—something very complex, but incredibly important if it works out. Imagine a world where websites can’t just disappear or get censored arbitrarily by governments or corporations. That’s the kind of internet ICP is trying to create.
Prices right now reflect doubt, confusion, or maybe just plain impatience. But again, we’re not buying for today's sentiment—we’re buying because ICP is making steady, meaningful progress toward its ambitious goal.
Render Network (RNDR) — $10
Render solves a very clear, practical problem: GPU computing power is expensive and difficult to access, and the demand for it is skyrocketing because of things like AI, animation, and gaming. Render allows people with spare GPU capacity to connect directly with people who need GPU power.
It’s already actively used by creators and studios. If you consider how costly GPU rentals are through traditional providers like AWS or Google Cloud, the potential here is huge. The more AI, gaming, and visual effects grow, the more services like Render become not just useful, but essential.
Render isn't chasing a trendy narrative; it’s solving a real bottleneck in digital creation. Right now, its adoption is steady but relatively quiet. Over the next few years, if decentralized GPU marketplaces become more standard—and they likely will—the patient holders today might look back and feel pretty good about staying consistent.
Ondo Finance (ONDO) — $10
Ondo is about bridging traditional finance with crypto. They’ve focused on tokenizing real-world assets, like U.S. Treasury bonds, in a regulated, transparent way. This matters a lot because, while crypto loves to talk about bringing traditional finance into the blockchain, very few have actually done it successfully.
Ondo recently made significant moves, partnering with established names like Pantera Capital to create large-scale investments in real-world asset tokenization. They've also secured important regulatory footholds, like buying Oasis Pro, an SEC-regulated broker-dealer, meaning they can handle real-world securities within a compliant crypto framework.
This is all about positioning for what could be the next big wave in crypto:
institutional, traditional money moving safely and clearly onto blockchain-based platforms.
Ondo’s steady progress makes it a strong long-term bet. It won't be exciting overnight, but this isn’t about excitement—it’s about thoughtfully placing ourselves where real change is quietly taking shape.
Trending Narratives (40% total)
These next coins are the ones currently sitting in the middle of growing narratives. We invest in these because narratives can drive real adoption, and getting in before they're fully mainstream can make a difference. But let's talk honestly about what these coins do, and why they're even worth our attention.
Aptos (APT) – $10
Aptos has always been one of those coins people watch closely, partly because it had so much early backing. Recently, it’s been moving again, and people have started paying attention again too. The narrative around Aptos hasn't changed much—it's still about scalability, speed, and usability for big, mainstream applications. What’s different now is the environment:
crypto is slowly heating up again, and scalable layer-one blockchains could quickly become the hot ticket again, especially if Ethereum remains expensive and slow.
We’re buying Aptos now because it’s positioned to benefit if the “fast, scalable blockchain” narrative catches fire again. Not because it's guaranteed to win, but because it’s well-funded, has strong tech, and decent odds of catching the wave if and when crypto picks up again seriously.
Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET) – $10
AI has obviously been huge recently, but most AI crypto tokens don’t actually do much besides ride hype. Fetch.ai (FET) is different, though. It’s not just about putting "AI" on a token—Fetch is building decentralized AI infrastructure. Specifically, AI agents that can automate transactions, negotiations, and interactions across decentralized networks.
The reason we’re allocating money here isn't just to chase the buzzword—it’s because decentralized AI agents actually make sense in a crypto context. Imagine bots that handle trading, manage decentralized markets, or automate DeFi strategies. Fetch is one of the few projects working on this for years, and now the market is starting to pay attention again.
If decentralized AI moves from being a concept to being practical and mainstream, Fetch stands to benefit. This is about real infrastructure that could underpin future crypto and digital economies.
Aerodrome (AERO) – $10
Aerodrome is becoming a strong name within the DeFi space, especially on Coinbase's L2 chain, Base. Unlike many other decentralized exchanges (DEXs) that rely on temporary incentives or fake volumes, Aerodrome's strength is its ability to actually earn real fees consistently.
The core advantage here is its model that encourages users to lock their tokens for long periods (4 years on average), providing stability and predictable cash flows. That's quite unusual in crypto, where short-term thinking dominates. Aerodrome is a genuine business model in DeFi, something surprisingly rare.
We’re investing now because as Coinbase’s Base chain grows—and it's Coinbase, so we expect steady growth—Aerodrome should naturally benefit. It’s not flashy. It just works.
Worldcoin (WLD) – $10
Worldcoin is definitely controversial. Its main product—a biometric ID using iris scans—makes a lot of people uncomfortable. But let's put aside gut reactions and look at what it's trying to solve.
The core idea is proof of personhood: proving you're a unique, real human being without sacrificing personal data privacy. With AI-generated identities and bots flooding the internet, this problem is real. And if crypto is going to handle digital identity at scale, Worldcoin’s tech—despite the creepiness factor—might become essential infrastructure.
We invest a small amount here precisely because it’s controversial. It’s unclear if Worldcoin can overcome people's fears about privacy and biometric scans. But if it does, the potential upside in establishing digital identity standards is enormous.
Risky Small-Caps (10% total)
Here we allocate a small amount into coins that are new, uncertain, and high-risk, but potentially groundbreaking. These are very speculative plays, so we only put a little here. Still, we choose them carefully based on their thoughtful approaches to real problems.
Arcana Network (XAR) – $5
Arcana Network is interesting because it's tackling a subtle but fundamental problem: crypto user experience. Right now, using multiple chains is messy and complicated. Arcana’s idea is chain abstraction—basically, simplifying user experience by removing the complexity of switching between blockchains.
With Arcana’s tools, you see your assets as unified, no matter where they're located. You don’t need to bridge tokens or jump around chains manually. For instance, you can have USDC spread across Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, and other chains, and still interact with any app as if it were all in one place. It’s seamless—something crypto desperately needs to reach mainstream users.
This isn’t flashy; it's quietly revolutionary. If Arcana gains traction, it could significantly improve the usability of crypto apps, bringing in users who’ve been turned off by complexity. It’s still early-stage, but the concept is powerful enough to take a small bet on.
Drift Protocol (DRIFT) – $5
Drift Protocol calls itself a "DeFi super protocol," which sounds fancy, but let's break down what they really do. Drift’s core idea is capital efficiency—letting you use one pool of collateral across multiple DeFi products (like trading, lending, staking, and investing). It’s similar to traditional finance brokerage accounts, where you don't have to constantly move money around to do different things.
This simple idea actually solves a huge problem. In crypto, people constantly move assets from one DeFi platform to another, creating friction and risk. Drift eliminates that friction. They offer a single account where your assets can do multiple things simultaneously—trade with high leverage, stake for yield, borrow and lend—all without moving assets around.
They've shown early traction on Solana, with $1.5 billion in deposits and billions in transaction volume. They're now expanding into commodities, prediction markets, and wealth management products. It’s genuinely impressive for a newer protocol.
It's obviously high-risk—small-cap, early-stage—but Drift has a clear, practical use-case. If DeFi grows significantly, Drift's approach to managing assets could become standard, making it a meaningful play even with a small investment.
📌Wrapping Up: Consistency Is Everything
Here’s the bottom line, clearly and simply:
We're not trying to outsmart the market or chase every narrative. We’re consistently making thoughtful choices, month after month. The investments above are chosen for clear reasons—not flash, not hype, but thoughtful positions based on logic, utility, and potential adoption.
Investing this way might not feel exciting every month, but that's exactly why it’s valuable. Crypto rewards patience and thoughtful decision-making. The quieter it gets, the more important consistency becomes.
So, keep thinking, keep questioning, and most of all—keep staying steady. We’ll be here next month, doing exactly the same.
Remember:
Dumps = Discounts
Time in the Market > Timing the Market
Emotions are expensive
The Best Portfolios Are Built in Blood-Red Markets
No panic, no sell, no gloom—only calculated moves. Stay strong, do your own research, and as always—buy the dip.
Until next time,
-A.Z.
Founder, Freedom Finance
Money moves in cycles, patience wins, and most people panic at exactly the wrong time. That’s what we cover here at Freedom Finance—real market moves, actual strategy, none of the usual nonsense.
We’re also running a $100 Portfolio as a public experiment. No magic formulas, no hype—just seeing what happens when you invest small, stay consistent, and make decisions like an actual investor. Because if you can’t manage $100, why would you handle $10,000 any better?