Bitwise's Avalanche ETF launch may accelerate competition in altcoin ETFs, potentially reshaping investor strategies in crypto markets.
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High Roller stock jumped more than 100% after announcing a Crypto.com prediction markets deal tied to U.S. event contracts expansion.
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Allbirds' pivot to AI cloud services highlights a strategic shift in response to financial struggles, potentially reshaping its market identity.
The post Allbirds stock moons 800% as it swaps sneakers for AI cloud appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The divergence between stock and crypto markets highlights potential volatility, with geopolitical shifts and investor sentiment playing crucial roles.
The post Stocks surge toward record highs as dollar weakens on Iran diplomacy hopes appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Kadence's innovative approach to hybrid work helps companies cut leasing costs and enhance workspace efficiency.
The post Dan Bladen: Companies can save $1 billion in leasing costs with Cadence, the US corporate real estate market is a $22 trillion opportunity, and why the seat-based model remains relevant | SaaS Interviews appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Developers Propose Bitcoin Quantum Migration Plan That Would Freeze Legacy Coins
A new proposal circulating among Bitcoin developers is forcing the network to confront a long-standing theoretical risk: the impact of quantum computing on its cryptographic foundations.
Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 361 (BIP-361), introduced by a group of researchers including Jameson Lopp, outlines a structured plan to migrate the network away from legacy signature schemes and toward quantum-resistant alternatives. If adopted, the proposal would impose a phased deadline that could ultimately render unmigrated coins permanently unspendable.
The proposal aims to reduce Bitcoin’s exposure to a future scenario in which sufficiently advanced quantum computers can break the elliptic curve cryptography that underpins its current system.
“Even if Bitcoin is not a primary initial target of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer, widespread knowledge that such a computer exists and is capable of breaking Bitcoin’s cryptography will damage faith in the network,” the BIP authors wrote.
Today, Bitcoin relies on ECDSA and Schnorr signatures to secure transactions. Both remain robust against classical computing but are theoretically vulnerable to Shor’s algorithm, which could allow an attacker to derive private keys from exposed public keys. This risk is not evenly distributed across the network. Older address types, particularly pay-to-public-key outputs and reused addresses, reveal public keys onchain and are considered the most vulnerable.
Estimates cited by the proposal suggest that more than one-third of all bitcoin in circulation falls into this category, including early holdings attributed to Satoshi Nakamoto. In a quantum attack scenario, those funds could be compromised, potentially destabilizing the network and redistributing wealth to technologically advanced actors.
BIP-361 introduces a three-phase transition designed to preempt that outcome. Phase A, expected roughly three years after activation, would prohibit new transactions from sending funds to legacy address types. While users could still move funds out of vulnerable addresses, the restriction would push wallets and services toward adopting quantum-resistant formats.
Phase B, beginning about two years later, would escalate the transition by invalidating all legacy signatures at the consensus level. At that point, any bitcoin that has not been migrated would become effectively frozen, unable to be spent under network rules.
A proposed Phase C, still under research, would offer a limited recovery mechanism. This would rely on zero-knowledge proofs tied to seed phrases, allowing users to demonstrate ownership of frozen funds without exposing private keys. The feasibility and timeline of this phase remain uncertain.
The proposal frames the forced migration as a defensive measure rather than a punitive one. By freezing coins that fail to upgrade, the authors argue the network can eliminate a major attack surface before quantum capabilities emerge.
They also note that permanently inaccessible coins would reduce effective supply, a dynamic long discussed within Bitcoin’s economic model.
No activation timeline has been set, and BIP-361 remains in draft form.
This post Bitcoin Developers Propose Bitcoin Quantum Migration Plan That Would Freeze Legacy Coins first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.
Bitcoin Magazine

Virginia Enacts Law Requiring State to Hold ‘Unclaimed’ Crypto in Original Form for One Year
Virginia has enacted a new framework for unclaimed digital assets, requiring the state to hold dormant cryptocurrency in its original form for a set period before any sale.
Governor Abigail Spanberger signed House Bill 798 into law on April 14, marking a shift in how the state handles abandoned crypto accounts. The measure will take effect on July 1, 2026, and updates Virginia’s unclaimed property statute to include digital assets.
Under the law, cryptocurrency held in customer accounts that show no activity for five years will be presumed abandoned and transferred to state custody. Unlike prior practices in many jurisdictions, the assets must be transferred “in-kind,” meaning the state takes possession of the actual tokens rather than converting them into cash upon receipt.
The change addresses a long-standing concern among crypto users and industry firms. In many cases, states have liquidated digital assets soon after taking custody, leaving owners who later reclaim funds with only the cash value at the time of sale. That approach exposed claimants to the risk of missing gains during market increases.
Virginia’s new statute aims to reduce that risk. It requires the state to hold digital assets for at least one year before any liquidation. During that period, owners who come forward can reclaim their property in its original form if it remains unsold, or receive either the sale proceeds or the market value at the time of the claim, whichever is greater.
The law defines digital assets as representations of value used as a medium of exchange, unit of account, or store of value, while excluding certain items such as in-game currencies and non-transferable rewards.
It also outlines what constitutes owner activity, including transactions, account access, or other actions that demonstrate awareness of the account, all of which reset the dormancy period.
Custody rules depend on whether a holder, such as a crypto exchange, controls the private keys tied to the assets. If full control exists, the holder must transfer the assets directly to the state. If control remains partial, the holder must retain the assets until transfer becomes possible. The law also allows the state to direct liquidation in cases where it cannot safely custody certain assets.
Industry reaction has been positive. Paul Grewal, chief legal officer at Coinbase, said the measure ensures that digital assets are handled in a way that preserves their native form during the unclaimed property process.
Virginia joins a growing number of states that have moved to update unclaimed property laws to account for digital assets. States such as California have taken similar steps, though approaches vary on whether assets must be liquidated or held in-kind.
For crypto firms operating in Virginia, the law introduces new compliance requirements tied to reporting, custody, and transfer procedures.
For users, it offers stronger protections against forced liquidation and a clearer path to reclaiming assets that fall into dormancy.
Editorial Disclaimer: We leverage AI as part of our editorial workflow, including to support research, image generation, and quality assurance processes. All content is directed, reviewed, and approved by our editorial team, who are accountable for accuracy and integrity. AI-generated images use only tools trained on properly licensed material. In Bitcoin, as in media: Don’t trust. Verify.
This post Virginia Enacts Law Requiring State to Hold ‘Unclaimed’ Crypto in Original Form for One Year first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.
Bitcoin Magazine

Pakistan Ends Bitcoin and Crypto Banking Ban, Opens Financial System to Licensed Firms
Pakistan’s central bank has formally reversed its long-standing ban on banking services for cryptocurrency firms, allowing regulated banks to open accounts for licensed virtual asset service providers (VASPs) under a new legal framework.
The decision, announced in a circular by the State Bank of Pakistan and reported by Reuters, follows the enactment of the Virtual Assets Act 2026 and marks the country’s first structured move to integrate digital asset businesses into its formal financial system.
“This is a foundational step in bringing virtual assets into the formal financial system of Pakistan,” said Bilal bin Saqib, chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, in an official statement.
Under the new rules, banks can provide basic financial services to crypto firms, but must first verify that the entities are licensed by PVARA. Strict safeguards have been put in place to mitigate financial risks and ensure compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing standards.
Banks are required to conduct full due diligence, maintain updated risk profiles for VASP clients, and report suspicious transactions to regulators.
They must also ensure that client funds are held in segregated, non-interest-bearing accounts denominated in Pakistani rupees. The commingling of customer and company funds is strictly prohibited.
However, the central bank has drawn a firm line on direct exposure to digital assets. Banks are explicitly barred from investing in, trading, or holding cryptocurrencies using either their own capital or customer deposits. Their role is limited to facilitating payment rails and custody of fiat funds tied to licensed crypto activity.
The move represents a sharp reversal from Pakistan’s 2018 policy, which effectively cut off crypto firms from the banking system and stifled industry growth. With the new framework in place, authorities are now positioning the country as a regulated hub for digital asset innovation.
Pakistan has already taken steps to attract global crypto players. Officials signed a memorandum of understanding with Binance in December to explore tokenization initiatives potentially involving up to $2 billion in assets, and have granted initial regulatory clearances to both Binance and HTX.
In parallel, the country has explored blockchain-based financial infrastructure through discussions with an affiliate of World Liberty Financial, including the potential use of stablecoins for cross-border payments.
Editorial Disclaimer: We leverage AI as part of our editorial workflow, including to support research, image generation, and quality assurance processes. All content is directed, reviewed, and approved by our editorial team, who are accountable for accuracy and integrity. AI-generated images use only tools trained on properly licensed material. In Bitcoin, as in media: Don’t trust. Verify.
This post Pakistan Ends Bitcoin and Crypto Banking Ban, Opens Financial System to Licensed Firms first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.
Bitcoin Magazine

Back-To-Back Billion-Dollar Days: Strategy’s STRC ATM Clears $2.7B In 48 Hours
Strategy’s STRC ATM has produced $2.7+ billion in volume across just two trading sessions this week, more than all of last week combined, absorbing an estimated 29,914 BTC with every single share trading above par.

Yesterday, I wrote about how Strategy’s STRC ATM had just printed its first billion-dollar volume day. Today, it did it again, bigger.
Tuesday, April 14 closed with an estimated $1.57 billion in STRC volume, 100% of it above the $100 par threshold, implying roughly 16,762 BTC absorbed in a single session. That’s 37 times the daily mined Bitcoin supply, more than a month of global issuance pulled off the market in one trading day.
Combined with Monday’s $1.17B, this week has produced $2.74 billion in STRC volume through just two sessions — and an estimated 29,914 BTC acquired via the ATM.
For context: last week’s total, confirmed via Strategy’s most recent 8-K filing, was 13,927 BTC across five full trading days.
This week has more than doubled that in 48 hours. +115%, with three sessions left.
The stat that should not be buried: on both Monday and Tuesday, 100% of STRC’s traded volume cleared above the $100 par threshold. And the STRC ATM live tracker is the best way to watch it happen in real time.
That is the trigger condition for the ATM. Strategy’s variable-rate perpetual preferred is designed to convert demand into Bitcoin whenever the stock trades above par, and for two consecutive sessions, every tick has qualified. Not 84%. Not 95%. Every single share.
That’s a level of demand persistence the STRC ATM Tracker hasn’t seen before.
At the current pace, this week is tracking toward a run rate of roughly 75,000 BTC in five days, a figure that, if it holds, would rewrite what “large corporate Bitcoin treasury” even means.
It almost certainly won’t hold. Monday and Tuesday are outliers by definition. But even a sharp deceleration over the back half of the week leaves Strategy’s STRC ATM on pace for multiples of every prior week on record. You can watch the next three sessions unfold live here.
Two things, mechanically:
The pattern Strategy has been executing, build the instrument, park it at par, let the market do the conversion, is working at a scale that was theoretical last year.
In the 10 trading days since the ATM went active, the market has absorbed estimated BTC in quantities that rival multi-year treasury accumulation strategies from other corporate Bitcoin buyers. And the instrument has one job: buy more.
Today’s number is not a one-day spike. It’s the second day of a pattern. And the pattern, so far, looks like this:
Back-to-back billion-dollar weeks. Back-to-back billion-dollar days. Every single share above par. Three trading days remain in the week. Track STRC ATM here →
The ATM moves fast, but the data that matters drops on an 8-K cadence, and the story around it is worth a deeper read than a tweet can carry.
Every Monday, The STRC Report delivers the full weekly recap: confirmed 8-K data, capture rates, BTC acquisition breakdowns, and the context behind the numbers. Free, no noise, no hype, just the data.
Subscribe to The STRC Report →
Disclaimer: This content was prepared on behalf of Bitcoin For Corporations for informational purposes only. It reflects the author’s own analysis and opinion and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Nothing in this article constitutes an offer, invitation, or solicitation to purchase, sell, or subscribe for any security or financial product. Live estimates only, 15-minute intervals, and full methodology at bitcoinforcorporations.com/strc-atm-tracker. All figures are tracker estimates derived from public market data, actual ATM proceeds and BTC acquisitions are disclosed in Strategy’s SEC filings.
This post Back-To-Back Billion-Dollar Days: Strategy’s STRC ATM Clears $2.7B In 48 Hours first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Nick Ward.
Bitcoin Magazine

Presidio Bitcoin Releases Quantum Readiness Paper
Today Presidio Bitcoin, a Bitcoin hub located in the Bay Area in California, has launched a knowledge repository/living report on Github to track the current state of research related to Bitcoin’s quantum vulnerability.
The report aims to be a central location where people in the ecosystem can easily keep track of and analyze the current state of research around the issue.
It currently takes a comprehensive look through the state of:
They plan to regularly update the repository/report as new research comes out, and solutions and plans are further refined and updated.
The announcement comes after growing claims that Bitcoin developers are not doing anything to acknowledge or address the issue, and aims to highlight the on-going research and development into solutions to the issue conducted by developers.
Read the current version of the report here.
This post Presidio Bitcoin Releases Quantum Readiness Paper first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Shinobi.
Goldman Sachs, the $3.5 trillion banking giant, has filed to launch an actively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) that uses covered calls to generate income from Bitcoin.
The April 14 filing for the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF marks a strategic pivot for the investment bank, which previously had a hostile relationship with the flagship digital asset.
Moreover, what makes the new product more distinct is that Goldman is not launching a conventional spot Bitcoin product to compete in the increasingly saturated $100 billion BTC ETF market.
Instead, the banking giant is looking to engineer a moderated, yield-bearing version of Bitcoin tailored specifically for income-oriented portfolios. In this case, the firm intentionally forgoes a portion of the upside in top crypto in exchange for yield.
The proposed fund operates on a fundamentally different chassis than the spot ETFs that have dominated the market’s attention over the past two years.
According to the preliminary prospectus, the fund will not buy or hold Bitcoin directly. Instead, it will gain exposure by investing in spot Bitcoin ETPs, options on those ETPs, and options on indices that track them.
To generate its yield, the fund will systematically sell call options against that underlying exposure.
By operating as an actively managed, non-diversified fund, Goldman is positioning the ETF as a specialized wealth-management tool rather than a passive commodity tracker.
The filing details a complex operational structure to navigate regulatory constraints, including the use of a wholly owned Cayman Islands subsidiary to manage the spot-Bitcoin ETPs and related instruments, thereby allowing the primary fund to remain within US-registered fund tax and derivatives guidelines.
Goldman has tapped its own asset management arm, GSAM, to advise the fund, with Raj Garigipati, Oliver Bunn, and Sergio Calvo de Leon named as day-to-day portfolio managers. BNY Mellon will serve as custodian and transfer agent.
Utilizing the Rule 485(a)(2) filing path, the prospectus is marked for effectiveness 75 days after filing, pointing to a potential launch around June 28, 2026, assuming no regulatory delays.
The structural choices outlined in the filing make it clear that Goldman is not arriving late with a copycat product.
Rather, the banking giant is attempting to enter the crypto ETF arena through deliberate differentiation, leveraging its history in structured finance rather than competing in a race for pure beta.
While the prospect of yielding income from a historically volatile asset is a strong sales narrative, the product’s design ensures it is not a free lunch.
The fund monetizes Bitcoin’s volatility, but the mechanics of the covered-call overwrite strategy strictly limit potential gains while leaving investors exposed to underlying price drops.
Under normal market conditions, Goldman expects the fund’s overwrite level to range between 40% and 100% of its Bitcoin exposure.
When the fund sells a call option, it collects a premium from the buyer, who gains the right to purchase the asset at a specific strike price.
If Bitcoin rallies sharply beyond that strike price, the fund’s upside is capped; it is obligated to sell at the lower price, meaning the fund will inevitably lag behind direct spot investments during aggressive bull runs.
Conversely, if the cryptocurrency’s price collapses, the collected premium offers only a fractional buffer against the losses.
The filing is explicit about these trade-offs and also outlines the complex tax implications for prospective buyers.
The fund intends to declare and pay distributions from net investment income and option premiums on a monthly basis.
However, Goldman warns that the options strategy is expected to generate higher short-term capital gains and ordinary income than a simpler passive fund.
Furthermore, a significant portion of the monthly distributions may be classified as a return of capital for tax purposes, complicating the after-tax yield for investors holding the asset in taxable accounts.
Goldman’s move reflects a broader maturation taking place across the $12.5 trillion asset management industry.
The first phase of the Bitcoin ETF era was defined by access, which established the legal and structural plumbing to enable traditional brokerage accounts to purchase spot Bitcoin.
The market has now definitively entered its second phase, which is defined by packaging.
Institutions are aggressively redesigning the same underlying Bitcoin exposure to satisfy different buyer preferences.
Notably, BlackRock, the largest asset management firm in the world, is currently refining the structure of its 1933 Act-covered call product, the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF (BITA), which will seek to capitalize on the massive liquidity of its $60 billion spot fund, IBIT.
Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley chose to compete in the pure access lane, recently launching its MSBT spot fund with a highly competitive 0.14% fee that undercut the wider market and absorbed $83.6 million in its first week.
Moreover, Goldman is stepping into a yield-generating sub-sector that already features established players such as Grayscale.
Funds such as the NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF (BTCI) and the Roundhill Bitcoin Covered Call Strategy ETF (YBTC) boast annualized distribution rates well above 40%.
Against this backdrop, Goldman is betting that its institutional weight, combined with its recent $2 billion acquisition of Innovator Capital Management, a firm known for options-based and defined-outcome products, will allow it to scale a strategy that smaller issuers have already proven viable.
The commercial logic driving the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF is rooted entirely in traditional client psychology.
The bank recognizes a substantial demographic of financial advisers and traditional investors who desire a measured allocation to digital assets but cannot tolerate the behavioral and portfolio shock of raw spot volatility.
By wrapping Bitcoin in a covered-call strategy, Goldman is converting an unpredictable digital commodity into a familiar, income-bearing financial product.
Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas captured the target audience for this risk-adjusted profile, describing the fund's low-risk, low-reward mechanics as “Boomer candy.”
This is because it slots neatly into the conventional portfolio conversations that advisers have been having with conservative, yield-seeking clients for decades.
Meanwhile, this strategy starkly contrasts with Goldman’s historical stance on digital assets. In 2020, the bank’s wealth management division famously declared that cryptocurrencies were not a legitimate asset class, citing their highly speculative nature and reliance on the greater-fool theory.
As of the end of 2025, the bank held more than $1 billion in BTC on behalf of its clients, according to SEC filings.
Beyond that, it is willing to attach its name to a Bitcoin-linked fund through a highly engineered structure that dampens the raw asset’s profile and aligns it with traditional finance models.
As Nate Geraci, President of Nova Dius Wealth, observed following the filing:
“Think about the names now involved [with] bitcoin ETFs… It’s a who’s who of asset management.”
The Goldman Sachs filing ultimately suggests that the next frontier in the digital asset market will not be fought over who can provide the cheapest access to Bitcoin.
It will be a battle over who can most effectively redesign that access, packaging the asset’s inherent volatility into the broadest, most marketable forms for the traditional financial system.
The post New Goldman Sachs Bitcoin fund is built for advisers seeking yield, not traders chasing the next rally appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Anthropic's Mythos threat to the crypto industry can trigger hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in sudden, irreversible losses.
That is the stark reality facing digital asset markets following Anthropic’s quiet unveiling of Claude Mythos Preview, a vulnerability-seeking AI model the San Francisco startup admits is simply too dangerous to release to the public.
Deddy David, chief executive of blockchain security firm Cyvers, told CryptoSlate about the catastrophic scale of the problem, noting that the financial exposure of AI-driven exploits in crypto ranges from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars.
He said:
“If AI can identify vulnerabilities at scale across core internet infrastructure, crypto will be one of the first markets to feel the impact.”
If those estimates are correct, the scope of potential damage is staggering.
Moreover, the scale of this new threat isn’t just about bad actors writing slightly better phishing emails or generating malicious code snippets.
Instead, it is about an autonomous system capable of finding deep, emergent logic flaws across smart contracts, wallets, and cross-chain bridges before human auditors even know where to look.
For years, crypto founders and security researchers have obsessed over “Q-Day,” the theoretical future date when a quantum computer becomes powerful enough to shatter blockchain cryptography.
But Mythos recent launch is forcing a pivot. Security experts have noted that the most immediate threat to digital assets is no longer a future attack on cryptography. It is an AI system that can already uncover exploitable flaws in the very software layer the industry depends on.
Anthropic’s Mythos model fundamentally rewrites the timeline of infrastructure risk.
According to the company, the model has already successfully identified vulnerabilities across every major web browser and operating system. In one alarming instance, it unearthed a 27-year-old bug buried in a critical piece of security infrastructure, alongside multiple deep-seated flaws within the Linux kernel.
This was also corroborated by the UK government's AI Security Institute (AISI), which noted:
“Our evaluation of Mythos Preview shows that it – and potentially future models – could be directed to autonomously compromise small, weakly defended, and vulnerable systems if given network access.”
The primary danger from these revelations is not simply that artificial intelligence makes cyber risk possible. Hackers have always existed. It is that AI radically compresses the time between bug discovery and exploit development.
This means that vulnerability research that historically required months of painstaking human labor can now be executed at machine speed.
For the traditional financial system, this represents a severe escalation in the cyber arms race.
For the crypto industry, where transactions are instantaneous, irreversible, and governed entirely by autonomous code, it represents an immediate, systemic vulnerability.

The architecture of the crypto ecosystem makes it uniquely vulnerable to machine-speed auditing.
While traditional banks rely on siloed, proprietary networks with centralized fail-safes and circuit breakers, the digital asset sector runs almost entirely on public code.
The industry is built on open-source dependencies, browser-based wallets, remote procedure call infrastructure, and smart contracts that are completely transparent to anyone or any AI model wishing to inspect them.
This transparency creates a massive, publicly available attack surface.
Compounding the risk is a severe structural mismatch between the value secured on-chain and the security budgets of the organizations that maintain it. Lean protocol teams frequently manage aging codebases that hold hundreds of millions of dollars in total value locked.
Alex Svanevik, the chief executive of the agentic trading platform Nansen, told CryptoSlate:
“Mythos is a different kind of threat: it’s already finding vulnerabilities in the infrastructure crypto runs on that humans and every automated tool missed for decades.”
When AI-accelerated vulnerability discovery meets instant value transfer, the results can be devastating. Thus, the industry can no longer rely on traditional audits or post-incident detection.
David explained:
“When you combine AI-accelerated vulnerability discovery with instant, irreversible transactions, you dramatically shorten the path from bug to breach to loss. This is not just an increase in attack surface, it’s an acceleration of time-to-exploit in a system where seconds matter.”
So what exactly is an AI model looking for?
According to security experts, the most exposed layers are highly complex smart contracts and cross-chain bridges.
These protocols are susceptible to emergent vulnerabilities, such as subtle state inconsistencies between upgradeable contracts or edge-case interactions across different modules.
These are not simple syntax errors that a standard audit catches. Instead, they are complex interaction paths that large-scale AI simulations can easily surface.
While artificial intelligence poses an immediate threat to the software layer, quantum computing remains the ultimate, looming threat to the cryptographic foundation of digital assets.
Google Research has warned that future quantum computers may be able to break the elliptic-curve cryptography used in crypto systems with fewer resources than previously estimated. A sufficiently powerful cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) could derive private keys from public keys in minutes.
With Bitcoin hovering around $70,000, the digital asset ecosystem presents a multi-trillion-dollar bounty. Current estimates suggest that up to 37% of circulating Bitcoin could be vulnerable to such a quantum hijacking before the network confirms the transaction.
However, Google’s public messaging remains focused on preparation and migration. The tech giant recently announced a 2029 target for a full industry transition to post-quantum cryptography.
That contrast highlights the core of the industry's current dilemma. Anthropic’s model represents software exploits happening right now. Quantum computing could pose a cryptographic threat later, assuming the industry fails to migrate its security standards in time.
Chris Smith, chief executive of the cryptography firm Quantus, emphasized this exact distinction in his statement to CryptoSlate. He noted that while AI models are highly effective at finding and locating software bugs, quantum computing threatens the very foundations of the mathematics on which the crypto industry is built.
If the underlying algorithms are broken, even flawless software becomes entirely insecure.

Recognizing the sheer immediacy of the AI threat, the defensive race has officially begun.
Through a new initiative called Project Glasswing, Anthropic has partnered with major tech firms and financial institutions, including Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, and JPMorgan Chase, to use Mythos Preview to proactively find and fix flaws in critical systems.
The company is committing up to $100 million in usage credits to help secure infrastructure before malicious actors can develop similar offensive capabilities.
The threat has reached the highest levels of government. Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a surprise meeting with major US bank chief executives to discuss the specific systemic risks posed by models like Mythos.
Meanwhile, the crypto industry is scrambling to join this defensive perimeter.
Major exchanges, including Coinbase and Binance, are reportedly in close communication with Anthropic to secure early access to the Mythos model.
Decentralized platforms are also echoing the urgency, with Uniswap founder Hayden Adams publicly requesting access to test the model against the platform. Uniswap is the largest decentralized exchange protocol, with more than $3 billion in assets locked.
Nansen's Svanevik argues that the crypto industry could utilize the tools in ways that would make it “the best security auditing tool ever built.”
According to him:
“Smart contracts have historically been audited by humans — slow, expensive, incomplete. An AI that can find a 27-year-old bug in OpenBSD can also find the reentrancy vulnerability that hasn't been caught yet in a major DeFi protocol. The question is whether defenders get access before attackers do — and whether the crypto industry moves fast enough to use it proactively rather than reactively.”
Simultaneously, OpenAI has expanded access to a more cyber-permissive model, GPT-5.4-Cyber, through its Trusted Access for Cyber program, allowing vetted security vendors to stress-test their own systems.
Despite the severe implications of machine-speed vulnerability discovery, crypto markets have shown remarkably little reaction to the advent of frontier cyber-offensive AI.
Financial markets have spent years developing a vocabulary for quantum risk. Investors broadly understand that a quantum computer could break current encryption standards and the catastrophic impact that would have on digital ownership.
However, the market appears far less prepared to price a systemic threat that operates not through a dramatic break in mathematics, but through quiet audit failures, compromised wallet dependencies, and complex exploit chains.
As artificial intelligence fundamentally reshapes the speed and scale of cyber warfare, the digital asset market may significantly underestimate the fragility of the very infrastructure on which it is built.
The post Anthropic’s secretive Mythos AI can hunt crypto smart contract flaws at machine speed, and billions in DeFi could vanish fast appeared first on CryptoSlate.
A recent White House economic study has changed the focus of Washington’s debate over the CLARITY Act. The report addresses the main issue slowing the bill in the Senate: whether limiting stablecoin yields actually protects the banking system.
The study’s findings are central to ongoing talks. After reviewing recent data on stablecoin activity, consumer habits, and bank liquidity, it found little proof that stablecoin yield products currently threaten bank lending or deposits.
Instead, the report said that banning yields would mostly limit consumers’ ability to earn returns on digital cash, while offering little or no real benefit to the stability of traditional funding.
This puts more pressure on those who support strict limits, especially since negotiations are already at a difficult stage.
The timing is important because CLARITY has entered a phase where broad support for federal market structure is no longer the main constraint. The unresolved question sits one level lower.
Washington’s key institutions increasingly agree that digital asset laws need a strong framework for custody, disclosures, registration, oversight, and clear roles for regulators.
The tougher debate is over the details of the framework, which will decide who benefits financially, who pays for compliance, and who controls the main channels for dollar liquidity.
The stablecoin yield issue is now the main point where these competing interests are being worked out.
This shift has been clear for months, but recent official comments have made it even more focused. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called market structure legislation the next big step after stablecoin law and pointed to the House’s CLARITY Act as a framework for clear rules.
SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the agency’s rules can rely on congressional work, specifically mentioning CLARITY. The SEC’s March guidance also described its approach as supporting Congress’s efforts to create a full market structure.
This shows real alignment between the executive branch and the main securities regulator. It gives political backing, helps staff with implementation, and brings laws and oversight closer together.
Even with this alignment, the Senate faces the same practical question. A bill can have positive studies and support from Treasury and the SEC, but it can still fail when political compromises are needed.
That’s why the CLARITY debate is now about action, not just support. The real test is whether Senate Banking can turn stronger evidence and wider support into a markup process that withstands pressure from banks, doubts from some Democrats, and the usual rush as the legislative calendar tightens.
At this point, analysts should look for a few key steps: a formal announcement of a committee markup to put the bill on the Senate Banking Committee’s agenda. Before markup, the committee might hold hearings, share revised drafts for review, and meet privately to finalize the language and discuss possible changes.
If markup happens before the summer break, passing the bill in committee could allow for a full Senate vote later, though timing will depend on the broader legislative schedule and other priorities.
If the committee waits until after summer or into the fall, chances of passing the bill drop as election pressures and legislative delays grow. In short, the key signs to watch are when markup is scheduled and any signs of movement from committee leaders.
The White House has strengthened the bill’s position, but the Senate still needs to prove it can move it forward.
One of the clearest developments in recent weeks is the extent to which CLARITY now looks less like an isolated industry priority and more like the draft around which Washington is building a federal operating model for digital assets. That distinction changes the politics.
When a bill is treated as an external ask from one sector, every controversial clause becomes easier to delay, dilute, or trade away. When the same bill serves as the legislature’s working chassis for interagency coordination, delay becomes more expensive because uncertainty imposes costs on regulators as well as on markets.
The House section-by-section summary shows why CLARITY has become the focal point. It attempts to answer the questions that have made US crypto regulation unstable for years, which assets fit within securities law, which fall into a digital commodity bucket, what disclosures issuers should provide, how intermediaries register, and how the SEC and CFTC divide responsibilities in a market where instruments and functions often overlap.
Senate Banking’s own fact sheet presents the bill as a package of disclosure standards, anti-fraud protections, insider-trading restrictions, and coordinated oversight, while separate committee documents outline the approach to DeFi and software developers, as well as the tools directed at illicit finance.
This policy setup has gained more open support from officials who were more cautious in the past. Bessent’s backing matters because Treasury’s opinion on market structure influences more than just crypto experts.
It affects sanctions, payment systems, bank competition, capital formation, and the government’s overall approach to financial innovation. Atkins’ comments are just as important, but for different reasons.
When the SEC chair says the agency can base its rules on CLARITY’s framework, it signals to the market that Congress’s text could quickly become policy. This reduces a big worry: whether agencies might interpret unclear parts in ways that restart debates after the law passes.
Senate Banking remains the key decision-maker, since most bills stall in committee before reaching the Senate floor. The challenge is built into the process.
Lawmakers are now deciding how much financial opportunity those rules leave for issuers, exchanges, banks, brokers, and infrastructure providers.
They’re also deciding how much freedom regulators will have in the future. These are really questions about who gets what, even though they look like technical drafting issues, and that’s where agreement often breaks down.
The White House study is especially important because it tackles the issue that has become the bill’s main obstacle. Stablecoin yield is now central to the debate.
It is the place where several larger fights converge at once: bank franchise protection, the competitive role of tokenized dollars, consumer access to return-bearing digital cash, and the question of how far Congress is willing to permit crypto-native distribution models to compete with the existing deposit system.
Banks say the yield issue threatens deposit stability. They argue that stablecoin products offering returns could take away their funding and weaken the financial system.
Crypto companies argue that letting stablecoins offer yields will boost innovation in payments and financial services without hurting banks, especially since digital asset volumes are still small compared to traditional banking.
Consumer advocates want lawmakers to balance safety concerns with keeping new options open for people to save or use digital cash. All sides are lobbying hard on this last issue, knowing it will shape the future rules and who benefits.
The main argument against yield is about financial stability and bank lending. If people can earn returns on tokenized dollars, the thinking goes, money could move from banks to digital channels, making funding less stable and limiting credit.
The Council of Economic Advisers paper cuts through that logic by arguing that a yield prohibition offers only limited support for bank lending while reducing the returns available to consumers. That does not decide the issue politically, since politics often survives weaker evidence, but it changes the terms on which a prohibition can be defended.
Lawmakers who want restrictions now need a better reason than just saying banks need protection to keep credit moving.
This makes things harder for those who want strict rules, but it gives CLARITY supporters solid evidence just when they need it.
Crypto advocates have long said that banning all yields would hurt competition, protect established players, and make digital dollars less useful, even as the market is getting more regulated. Until now, opponents could respond with arguments that sounded safe for institutions.
Now, the White House has offered a different official view that supports a more open approach.
The stakes extend beyond stablecoins themselves. If the Senate resolves yield in a way that preserves room for compliant returns, the bill’s broader architecture starts to look like a framework designed to enable onshore digital asset markets rather than merely contain them.
If the Senate chooses a strict ban or tight limits on yield, the market will see it as Congress recognizing crypto but still limiting its growth compared to traditional finance. In this way, the yield issue reflects the bill’s overall approach.
That’s why this new alignment among institutions needs careful management. Support from Treasury, the SEC’s willingness to work with Congress, and the White House’s stance on yield all make CLARITY stronger.
But none of these groups can force Senate Banking to make the final decisions. The committee still has to decide if support from the executive branch is enough to take on the political risks, especially since banks and some lawmakers remain cautious.
The fact that there’s no new public markup announcement is telling. There’s momentum, but no clear sign yet that Senate Banking is ready to act.
Last week, Bloomberg’s Sandra Ro said CLARITY might pass by July “if lucky,” showing the gap between positive signs and real certainty. Galaxy Research made a similar point, saying recent SEC guidance helps for now, but clear laws are still needed for digital assets to become a lasting part of US markets.
So, the next step is a test of action, not just talk. Can support from executive agencies actually lead to new laws?
That’s the main question for CLARITY now. The White House has made the evidence stronger.
Treasury and the SEC have narrowed the implementation gap. The Senate still has to publish the answer that counts, in text, in markup, and in the compromises it is willing to own.
Until then, the odds have improved for the bill, but the final result still depends on whether Senate support turns into real action.
The post White House exposes stablecoin yield ban wouldn’t help banks, raising the stakes for CLARITY in the Senate appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Bitcoin has spent the first half of April trading in the low $70,000s, with recent moves through the $71,000 to $75,000 zone keeping the asset close enough to its highs for retail attention to return quickly.
But there’s a more important change happening beneath the surface.
A lot of household cash is moving through the U.S. financial system as today's April 15 tax deadline arrives. This year, tax season is also more complicated for people who own crypto.
This overlap creates a more interesting situation than the usual talk about ETFs or the broader economy.
Recent IRS statistics show just how big the refund channel is now.
By April 3, the IRS had sent out 69.8 million refunds, up 3.1% from last year. The total amount refunded was $241.7 billion, a 14.5% increase, and the average refund rose 11.1% to $3,462.
Direct deposit refunds stood out even more.
The IRS reported 70.3 million direct deposit refunds, totaling $242.9 billion. The average direct deposit refund was $3,454.
That’s real money landing in household accounts at a time when Bitcoin is liquid, easy to access, and familiar enough that even a small investment feels possible for people who follow the market.
This link gets even stronger as the tax deadline approaches.
A recent MarketWatch report said the average refund is now about $351 higher than last year. The IRS has also received over a million fewer returns compared to this time last year.
The same report pointed to late-arriving forms and new crypto reporting rules as reasons for the slower pace of filings.
Together, these factors are changing how people talk about Bitcoin.
ETF buyers, institutions, and corporate treasuries still get a lot of attention, but there’s also a retail cash event happening right now. Some of that money is going to people who already know how to buy Bitcoin quickly.
The main point is simple: not every refund turns into a Bitcoin purchase.
Households have to set priorities and decide what to do first. Refund season starts as a balance-sheet event and can later become a market event.
Expenses like rent, credit cards, car repairs, travel, and emergency savings all compete for the same money.
Still, the size of the refund pool changes what’s possible.
When average refunds go up by hundreds of dollars, and the total reaches hundreds of billions, the question becomes more real.
A household with some market experience can pay off a few bills and still have enough left to think about putting some money into crypto.
This leads to behavior different from the rush to buy during big market surges.
Bitcoin has always relied on new demand from groups with different reasons for buying.
Institutions buy Bitcoin for reasons like building portfolios, managing liquidity, or meeting benchmarks. Long-term holders buy because they believe in it and want to accumulate more.
Retail buyers often act on emotion, like getting surprise cash, fearing they’ll miss out, or feeling like now is a good time to buy.
Tax season brings both surprise cash and a sense of urgency.
Today, April 15, is a key decision day for millions of households. Bitcoin is one of the top assets that can benefit when people suddenly have extra cash they can use right away.
The slower pace of filings adds another layer, making this situation more complex than just a simple refund story.
The MarketWatch report pointed to new crypto reporting rules as one reason for the delay in returns.
That detail deserves closer attention because it says something larger about where Bitcoin now sits in household finance.
Owning crypto now creates enough tax paperwork to cause headaches for regular people.
This is a bigger sign of adoption than many in the market want to admit.
It puts Bitcoin into one of the most routine and widespread parts of finance: compliance.
This change affects how people behave.
A retail investor who owns Bitcoin, sold some last year, moved coins between platforms, or had taxable events, now has to make sure all their records match before filing taxes.
The friction is procedural, and that is exactly why it carries weight.
This takes Bitcoin out of the world of abstract beliefs and puts it into the same paperwork process as wages, brokerage accounts, mortgage interest, and deductions.
For people who follow the market, this changes how they see Bitcoin. Now, Bitcoin looks like any other financial asset that needs to be tracked along with the rest of a household’s finances.
There’s an interesting balance at play here. On one hand, bigger refunds give people more money to spend. On the other, the paperwork can slow them down.
Some investors will wait until they finish filing before making new investment decisions. Others will use their refund to pay off debt or build up savings.
Some crypto holders might feel a new push to invest in Bitcoin because doing their taxes reminds them that crypto is already part of their finances.
Each path flows from the same catalyst, a tax season with more cash moving through the system and more crypto-related friction embedded in the filing process.
The official numbers show this is a widespread household event and a good way to track timing.
In its April 2 update, the IRS pointed out both the increase in refunds and the high rate of electronic filing.
Electronic filing and direct deposit shorten the time between filing taxes and getting your money.
A refund that used to take a while can now show up fast enough to be used in the market within days.
For Bitcoin, which is now easy to buy through major apps and brokerages, this faster process can strengthen the link between tax refunds and buying.
The delay in tax returns also means something else.
Part of the household cash release is still ahead, rather than already spent.
Many market-savvy filers are still working out how their crypto holdings fit with their tax obligations.
In practice, some demand might just be delayed, not missing.
This gives us a more detailed view of what might happen in the next few days.
The setup carries enough force to influence behavior, though the timing depends on when households complete the paperwork and on the condition of their balance sheets once the refund lands.
The best way to look at this situation is by thinking through different scenarios.
The optimistic scenario is simple: refunds arrive, some people feel more secure, and a portion of that money goes into Bitcoin.
Each person doesn’t need to invest a lot for the overall effect to show up in the market.
If enough people each put in a few hundred dollars, it can still create a noticeable impact, especially since Bitcoin is already trading in a high-interest zone and is a quick way to take on risk.
The most likely scenario is more cautious, and it matches the current data.
Refund season gets people’s attention, gives some households more options, and makes it more likely they’ll buy after filing taxes.
But everyday expenses usually get paid first.
That means Bitcoin gets a gentle boost, not a sudden jump.
This aligns with the bigger picture: strong refunds, many households involved, and enough paperwork to slow how quickly people spend their refunds.
This outcome captures the setup as it stands, a plausible near-term catalyst, though one that still has to compete with the reality of household budgeting.
The less optimistic scenario comes from financial stress.
Refunds might go toward overdue bills, debt, delayed expenses, or savings, and the extra crypto paperwork could make investors more cautious.
Even in that case, the main idea stays the same.
Tax season still matters for Bitcoin, but the impact might show up as delayed demand and slower activity, not a quick jump in buying.
What makes this moment interesting is how it focuses the next test for Bitcoin.
The question now is whether Bitcoin can turn this household cash-flow event into real, measurable demand.
The setup is more grounded than broad rhetoric about macro liquidity or sentiment swings.
The cash amounts are clear, the filing deadline is set, refunds are flowing, the paperwork is obvious, and the timing is tight.
That combination offers a clearer framework than most retail narratives used to suggest Bitcoin tax season was separate from the crypto world. This year, it’s part of the conversations inside it.
IRS data shows refunds are ahead of last year, but recent reports show filings are still behind, partly because of crypto paperwork.
Bitcoin is now both a place for extra cash and a reason for more tax paperwork.
This double role is the real change.
It shows that Bitcoin is now part of everyday financial life, where buying and reporting go hand in hand.
The next few days will reveal whether people spend their new cash on Bitcoin or use it for other needs first.
Either way, Bitcoin has already entered a new phase.
The post Bitcoin faces $240B demand shock as ‘surprise’ tax refunds and new IRS crypto rules arrive appeared first on CryptoSlate.
After losing 63% of its value over several tough months and challenging investor confidence, XRP made a strong comeback in April.
XRP’s recovery is driven by new privacy features for institutions, major retail adoption in Asia, and renewed interest in exchange-traded funds.
Cryptorank data shows XRP is on track for its first positive monthly close since September 2025.
With investors showing more interest in riskier assets, XRP has risen over 2% in April to $1.35 at the time of writing.
The price increase reflects big changes in where money is flowing and how investors feel. SoSoValue reports that US-based XRP exchange-traded funds saw about $12 million in net inflows in April, a big turnaround from March, when worries about the economy led to over $31 million in outflows.
This demand is not limited to the US. CoinShares data shows that global XRP exchange-traded products have seen about $20 million in net inflows this month.
While institutions are buying, many retail traders on social media seem worn out.
Santiment data shows that negative feelings about XRP, often called fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD), have reached their third-highest point in two years.

In the past, when retail traders were this negative, it often signaled a good buying opportunity. After many gave up during the nine-month decline, analysts now view this as a low-risk time to buy, which is helping drive the current rally.
Despite the difficult bear market in late 2025 and early 2026, CoinShares data shows that XRP is now the third most popular digital asset for global institutional inflows this year, behind only Bitcoin and Solana.
Analysts say this new financial support is due to major changes to the XRP Ledger, especially new privacy features and more options for regular users.
Public blockchains have long been too transparent for many traditional financial institutions.
All transactions, counterparties, and wallet balances are visible to everyone, which makes it easy for competitors and trading bots to track trading strategies and company money movements.
To address this, XRPL now uses zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs. This cryptographic method allows someone to prove a transaction is valid without revealing the details.
XRPL Commons and Boundless collaborated to build a RISC-V ZK verifier, which now runs directly on the ledger.
With this upgrade, XRPL becomes the first public blockchain to offer programmable privacy and compliance controls built into its core.
The rollout will take place in stages. ‘Smart Escrows' are planned for the second quarter of 2026 and will require a valid zero-knowledge proof before releasing funds. After that, ‘Smart Vaults' will launch, enabling fully private financial systems.
Institutions will be able to verify transactions against Know Your Customer and sanctions databases before settlement, keeping the data hidden from the public while remaining auditable by regulators upon request.
This has major implications for enterprise adoption. The infrastructure supports stablecoin payments, over-the-counter trades, and cross-chain swaps, while keeping amounts and counterparties confidential.
It also lets users use zero-knowledge identity tools, like zkPassport, to prove compliance without revealing personal data.
Odelia Torteman, director of corporate adoption at XRPL Commons, said:
“XRPL has always been built for institutional finance…we are making confidential, compliant execution native infrastructure on XRPL, unlocking a category of enterprise use cases that simply wasn't possible before.”
While privacy upgrades attract Wall Street, large-scale retail integration in Asia has created a strong foundation for the asset's utility.
Earlier this month, Rakuten, the Japanese e-commerce and financial services giant, officially added XRP to its Rakuten Wallet ecosystem.
The rollout goes beyond a simple exchange listing, exposing the platform's 46 million active users to the token and allowing them to purchase XRP using accumulated loyalty points.
Even more importantly, consumers can now spend XRP at over 5 million affiliated merchants throughout Japan.
With about $23 billion in loyalty points circulating in Japan, the Rakuten integration connects closed-loop rewards systems with everyday digital commerce, turning previously isolated points into liquid crypto capital.
Simultaneously, institutional testing of the network's cross-border payment capabilities has accelerated.
Recent reports among XRP supporters suggest that a group of Japanese banks recently finished a live pilot program comparing XRP settlements to the traditional SWIFT network for remittances between Japan and Southeast Asia.
Although CryptoSlate could not independently verify the pilot data by press time, supporters claim the tests showed XRP settling cross-border transactions in under four seconds at 60% less cost than traditional systems.
By avoiding the traditional correspondent banking model, which requires banks to keep billions of dollars in pre-funded overseas accounts for foreign exchange, the blockchain alternative offers significant capital efficiency for global lenders.
The ledger’s technological progress comes at a key moment for U.S. crypto regulation. Recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Trading and Markets issued strict guidance on broker-dealer registration requirements for decentralized finance interfaces.
However, developers say that XRPL's unique design protects it from these regulatory challenges.
Unlike Ethereum or Solana, which use third-party smart contracts and centralized front-end interfaces for decentralized trading, XRPL has a built-in decentralized exchange at the protocol level.
Vet, a prominent XRPL network validator, noted on the social media platform X that the network operates as a “shared public square,” handling order books and transaction routing natively without ever taking custody of user funds.
This setup could help XRPL avoid the compliance burdens that threaten third-party DeFi platforms.
To make sure this infrastructure can handle expected increases in volume, Ripple and the blockchain security firm Sherlock launched a $550,000 audit contest on April 13.
The two-week initiative aims to stress-test new protocol features, such as batch transactions, permission delegation, and confidential transfers.
The urgency of the audit shows a move toward proactive, institutional-grade security as new enterprise players get ready to join.
As the network hardens its smart contracts, developers are also addressing broader existential threats to blockchain security, notably the rapid advancement of quantum computing.
Recent claims by Google about the speed of quantum development have raised concerns that future machines could use Shor's algorithm to reverse-engineer private cryptographic keys from exposed public keys, which could drain blockchain wallets.
However, a recent vulnerability audit of XRPL suggests the network is mostly protected from near-term quantum threats.
This is because XRPL only exposes a user's public key to the network when they send an outbound transaction. Receive-only accounts stay cryptographically protected.
Vet's audit found that about 300,000 accounts holding 2.4 billion XRP have never sent a transaction, making them quantum-safe by default.
A few dormant whale accounts exposed their keys more than five years ago, but they hold only 21 million XRP, which is about 0.03% of the circulating supply.
The ledger also has a built-in “key rotation” feature that lets users change their signing keys without moving their funds to a new address.
“The XRP Ledger is account-based and allows for signing key rotation, so you can rotate keys that sign on behalf of an account without switching the account,” Vet said, noting that this acts as a robust stopgap before the network will eventually adopt fully quantum-resistant algorithms.
In the end, these changes in April, from retail traders giving up, to solving the public blockchain privacy issue, to securing mass distribution, have changed the market story around XRP. The focus has shifted from speculation to building an integrated financial infrastructure.
The post XRP flips green after a 63% wipeout as retail fear hits a 2-year extreme – now one Wall Street metric is spiking appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Bitcoin (BTC) has recently shown the volatility that defines the crypto market, surging toward a high of $76,088 before retreating into a correction phase. As of April 15, 2026, the Bitcoin price is hovering around the $74,000 mark. For many new investors, a "red candle" can be intimidating, but for seasoned traders, this movement often signals a vital phase known as price consolidation.
The current decline in the $Bitcoin price is primarily a downside correction following an overextended rally. After reclaiming psychological levels above $70,000 fueled by easing geopolitical tensions and ETF inflows, the market reached a local top. Traders are now taking profits, leading the price to seek out established support levels to validate the next leg up.

In technical analysis, consolidation describes a period where an asset’s price oscillates within a well-defined range after a significant move. Think of it as the market "taking a breath."
During this phase:
For Bitcoin, the current consolidation is happening between the $73,300 support and the $75,200 resistance zones. Staying above these support levels is crucial for maintaining the medium-term bullish structure.
Understanding Support and Resistance (S&R) is the bread and butter of a successful Bitcoin trading strategy.

If you want to benefit from the current Bitcoin price correction, follow this systematic approach:
To execute these strategies, you need a reliable platform with high liquidity and advanced charting tools. Bitget has emerged as a top-tier exchange for both spot and futures trading.

Why choose Bitget?
| Level Type | Price (USD) | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Major Resistance | $76,088 | Previous local high; breakout targets $78k+ |
| Key Resistance | $75,200 | Immediate hurdle for the bulls |
| Immediate Support | $73,950 | First line of defense for the current correction |
| Strong Support | $65,650 | 50% Fibonacci retracement level |
X has officially taken a massive leap toward becoming the "everything app" envisioned by Elon Musk. The platform recently rolled out Smart Cashtags, a feature that fundamentally changes how users interact with financial data and digital assets. By transforming simple ticker symbols into interactive widgets, X is effectively turning its timeline into a social trading terminal.
For the crypto community, this move is more than just a UI update; it represents the tightening bridge between social sentiment and instant market execution. Whether you are tracking the $Bitcoin price or looking for the latest meme coin, Cashtags are designed to keep you within the X ecosystem.
A Cashtag on X is a clickable financial ticker symbol prefixed with a dollar sign (e.g., $BTC, $ETH, or $TSLA). While basic cashtags have existed for years, the new "Smart Cashtag" update adds real-time pricing, interactive charts, and direct trading integrations. When a user clicks or searches for a Cashtag, X now surfaces a dedicated financial module powered by real-time data feeds, allowing for immediate market analysis without leaving the app.
The technical implementation of Cashtags relies on a sophisticated backend that connects X’s social infrastructure with market data providers like TradingView and brokerage partners.
The rollout specifically targets the pain points of the crypto industry. One of the most significant additions is the support for Smart Contract Addresses.
In the past, traders often fell victim to "scam tokens" with identical names. Now, by posting or searching a specific contract address on networks like Solana or Ethereum, the Smart Cashtag ensures the user is viewing the verified asset. This feature was championed by X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, who noted that billions of dollars are allocated based on information found on X.
To further professionalize the experience, X has reportedly increased its "compliance sweeps," purging crypto-drainer bots to prepare for the launch of X Money, the platform's upcoming internal payment system.
This feature is a direct move toward the "WeChat" model popular in Asia, where social media, payments, and investments coexist in a single interface. By integrating these tools, X aims to capture the "intent to trade" at the exact moment a user reads a breaking news story or a viral analysis.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Real-Time Charts | High-fidelity price action directly in the X timeline. |
| Contract Search | Find tokens by address to avoid ticker ambiguity and scams. |
| One-Tap Trading | Integration with external brokers (e.g., Wealthsimple). |
| Device Availability | Initially on iOS (US/Canada), with Web and Android following. |
The crypto market is moving higher, with Bitcoin (BTC) pushing toward the $75,000 level and major altcoins following. At first glance, this looks like another typical crypto rally.
But this move is not being driven by crypto-specific news.
Instead, the current upside is coming from a macro shift in liquidity expectations, triggered by cooling inflation data, falling oil prices, and renewed optimism across global markets.
The main catalyst behind today’s rally is the latest US inflation signal.
Core Producer Price Index (Core PPI) came in at 3.8%, below the expected 4.1%, indicating that inflation pressures are easing faster than anticipated.
This matters because:
👉 More liquidity typically leads to stronger performance in risk assets like crypto
This shift in expectations is currently one of the strongest drivers behind the broader market rally.
Another key but often overlooked factor is the sharp drop in oil prices.

After recent geopolitical tensions pushed energy markets higher, oil has now reversed lower, signaling easing inflation pressure.
Why this matters for crypto:
In short, the energy market is no longer acting as a headwind — it is becoming a tailwind.
Geopolitical tensions remain present, but market expectations are shifting.
Recent signals suggest that diplomatic discussions, including potential US–Iran talks, could reduce escalation risks in the near term.
Markets don’t move based on current headlines — they move based on what comes next.
👉 Right now, investors are pricing in:
This shift from fear to cautious optimism is supporting both equities and crypto.
Another important signal is the return of capital into global markets.
Stablecoins, in particular, act as dry powder for crypto markets, often indicating incoming buying pressure.
👉 This suggests that the current move is not isolated — it may be part of a broader liquidity cycle.
Beyond macro factors, market structure is amplifying the move.
Before the rally, Bitcoin was consolidating near key support levels, with many traders positioned for downside.
As macro conditions flipped bullish:
This explains why the move toward $75,000 happened so rapidly.
The current crypto rally is not being driven by hype — it is being driven by macro fundamentals.
Cooling inflation, falling oil prices, and rising expectations of rate cuts are combining to create a liquidity-driven environment that supports crypto markets.
However, the key question remains:
👉 Is this the beginning of a sustained uptrend, or just a short-term reaction to macro data?
For now, one thing is clear:
Crypto is moving higher because liquidity expectations have shifted — not because of crypto itself.
A new legislative proposal in the United States is gaining attention across financial markets, suggesting that transactions involving regulated stablecoins may become tax-free.
Under the proposed framework, users would not be required to recognize capital gains or losses when spending stablecoins for payments. This effectively positions stablecoins as true digital cash equivalents, rather than taxable crypto assets.
👉 In simple terms:
Using stablecoins for everyday transactions could soon be treated like using traditional fiat currencies.
This shift could mark one of the most significant regulatory developments in crypto history.
Stablecoins such as $USDT and $USDC already dominate crypto transaction volumes, but their real-world usage has been limited by tax complexity and regulatory uncertainty.
If this bill passes, several barriers disappear:
👉 This transforms stablecoins from trading tools into mainstream payment infrastructure.
For the first time, crypto could compete directly with traditional payment networks at scale.
This proposal also highlights a growing power struggle between traditional banks and crypto ecosystems.
Banks have long maintained control over payment rails, settlement systems, and monetary flows. However, stablecoins offer:
If stablecoins become tax-efficient, they could rapidly gain market share in:
👉 This is not just a crypto story — it is a financial system shift.
While stablecoins are at the center of this proposal, the ripple effects could extend across the entire crypto market.
👉 More stablecoin usage = more network activity = stronger demand for underlying blockchains.
Historically, regulatory clarity has been a major catalyst for crypto market growth.
This proposal could act as a trigger for several bullish developments:
Combined with current market conditions — including rising liquidity expectations and growing institutional interest — this could create the perfect setup for a new bull cycle.
👉 The narrative shifts from speculation to utility-driven adoption.
Despite the optimism, there are still key uncertainties:
👉 Markets may react early, but the full impact depends on final implementation.
The possibility of tax-free stablecoin transactions represents more than a regulatory adjustment — it signals a fundamental shift in how crypto is used.
If implemented, this could accelerate the transition from:
And that shift could redefine the entire market structure.
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has officially initiated a compensation process for victims of the OneCoin fraud, one of the largest and most notorious cryptocurrency investment schemes in history. Between 2014 and 2019, OneCoin defrauded millions of investors globally, amassing over $4 billion through a fraudulent multi-level-marketing (MLM) network.
Following successful asset forfeitures from key figures in the scam, the DOJ is now making more than $40 million available for remission to those who suffered financial losses.
Victims who purchased the fraudulent OneCoin cryptocurrency between 2014 and 2019 are eligible to file a petition for compensation. The process is managed by the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section.
Founded in 2014 by Ruja Ignatova (widely known as the "Cryptoqueen") and Karl Sebastian Greenwood, OneCoin was marketed as a revolutionary digital currency that would eventually kill Bitcoin. Headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria, the company operated through an MLM structure where users were paid commissions to recruit new investors into educational packages that purportedly included "mining" rights for OneCoin.
In reality, OneCoin had no verifiable blockchain, no legitimate value, and its price was manipulated internally. While Greenwood was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2023, Ignatova remains at large and is currently on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list.
The current recovery effort is the result of years of litigation in the Southern District of New York. The Department of Justice uses asset forfeiture to "take the profit out of crime," seizing luxury assets, bank accounts, and real estate acquired with stolen funds.
"Today’s announcement marks an important step toward returning funds to those harmed," stated U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "While no recovery can fully undo the damage, our Office will continue working to seize criminal proceeds."
The $40 million currently available represents only a fraction of the total $4 billion lost, but it serves as a critical milestone for victims who have waited years for any form of restitution.
The remission process is open to international victims, reflecting the global scale of the fraud. To participate, individuals should:
Investors should remain cautious of secondary crypto scams claiming they can speed up the recovery process for a fee. The official DOJ process does not require upfront payments to recover funds.
While the compensation process offers some closure, the investigation remains active. The FBI and IRS-CI are still searching for Ruja Ignatova. Authorities believe she may have used plastic surgery or other means to alter her appearance to evade capture.
The DOJ’s efforts to return $12.5 billion to crime victims since 2000 highlights the scale of the Asset Forfeiture Program, and the OneCoin case stands as one of its most complex exchange and fraud investigations.
Starbucks’ ChatGPT integration lets customers describe their mood or upload photos to receive AI-generated drink picks.
Leaked models, a new design tool, and an unreleaseable cyber weapon walk into a press cycle.
Leading Ethereum treasury firm BitMine Immersion Technologies posted a major loss thanks to unrealized losses on its ETH.
The deal signals eToro's strategic push into self-custody solutions amid growing demand for non-custodial crypto infrastructure.
Banks in Pakistan can now provide services to registered crypto firms—but not trade crypto themselves—after a 2018 ban was rescinded.
The ongoing debate over Bitcoin's vulnerability to quantum computing has sparked a high-profile clash between two of the cryptocurrency industry's most prominent figures..
SBI CEO Kitao revealed as architect of Ripple-Kyobo deal. How has his 2025 acquisition paved the way for Korea's first tokenized bond settlement in 2026 via Ripple?
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Shiba Inu network usage continues to rise as investors begin to show renewed interest and traders increasingly pull off major moves as market sentiment rapidly turns bullish.
New listing will see SHIB step into everyday payments.
Microsoft has taken control of a Norwegian data center agreement that OpenAI recently abandoned. The transaction brings over 30,000 Nvidia Rubin GPUs into Microsoft’s portfolio at the location, arriving as OpenAI reduces its infrastructure development plans.
Microsoft Corporation, MSFT
The installation, designated “Stargate Norway,” is under construction by Nscale, a UK-based artificial intelligence cloud company. Originally designed as a 230-megawatt complex, OpenAI had been negotiating to secure approximately half the available capacity as the “initial offtaker.” When these discussions fell through, Microsoft moved quickly to fill the gap.
The revised agreement enhances Microsoft’s current arrangement with Nscale at the Narvik location. The five-year contract commences in 2026, with all computing power sourced from renewable energy. The complete facility aims to accommodate up to 100,000 Nvidia GPUs at maximum capacity.
“Expanding our work with Nscale in Narvik helps ensure Microsoft customers have access to the advanced AI infrastructure they need as demand continues to grow across Europe,” said Jon Tinter, president of business development and ventures at Microsoft.
OpenAI has acknowledged ongoing conversations with Microsoft regarding potential compute capacity rental from the Narvik installation, rather than direct procurement. Company representatives indicated this strategy “makes more financial sense,” fitting within OpenAI’s current $250 billion commitment to Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure.
This development represents just one example of OpenAI‘s broader infrastructure withdrawal. The previous week, the organization announced it had suspended a different Stargate initiative in the United Kingdom, attributing the decision to elevated energy expenses and regulatory challenges. Microsoft similarly assumed control of a Texas-based Stargate project that originally included both OpenAI and Oracle.
OpenAI’s approach to infrastructure appears to be evolving significantly. During February investor communications, the company revealed updated spending projections of approximately $600 billion on computational resources through 2030—a substantial reduction from prior estimates of $1.4 trillion across eight years. Industry sources suggest OpenAI is transitioning toward capacity leasing rather than proprietary data center development.
Microsoft stock experienced a 4.19% gain on the announcement date, demonstrating strong investor confidence in the strategic move.
As OpenAI contracts its infrastructure ambitions, Microsoft continues expanding. During March, Nscale revealed plans to facilitate Microsoft’s deployment of Nvidia’s Vera Rubin platform throughout the UK, Norway, and additional territories. The Narvik expansion strengthens this partnership.
Microsoft has also announced intentions to purchase approximately 3,200 acres in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for supplementary domestic data center development. The Norwegian agreement complements the company’s existing $6.2 billion investment at the facility.
According to current market analysis, 38 Wall Street analysts assign Microsoft a “Strong Buy” rating, with a consensus price target of $573 over the next 12 months, suggesting approximately 40% appreciation potential from present trading levels.
The post Microsoft (MSFT) Stock Surges as Company Secures Norway Data Center Deal OpenAI Abandoned appeared first on Blockonomi.
Microsoft has acquired a Norwegian data center agreement that OpenAI recently abandoned. The transaction brings over 30,000 Nvidia Rubin GPUs into Microsoft’s portfolio at the Narvik location, coinciding with OpenAI’s strategic pullback from large-scale infrastructure investments.
Microsoft Corporation, MSFT
The infrastructure project, dubbed “Stargate Norway,” is under development by Nscale, a UK-based AI cloud provider. Initially designed as a 230-megawatt complex, the facility had OpenAI positioned as the primary tenant for approximately half the available capacity. When negotiations collapsed, Microsoft capitalized on the opportunity.
The revised agreement enhances Microsoft’s current partnership with Nscale at the Narvik location. The contract spans five years commencing in 2026, with all computing operations fueled exclusively by renewable energy. The complete installation aims to house up to 100,000 Nvidia GPUs at full buildout.
“Expanding our work with Nscale in Narvik helps ensure Microsoft customers have access to the advanced AI infrastructure they need as demand continues to grow across Europe,” said Jon Tinter, president of business development and ventures at Microsoft.
OpenAI acknowledged it is currently negotiating with Microsoft to lease computing resources from the Narvik data center instead of securing direct access. An OpenAI representative indicated this strategy “makes more financial sense,” fitting within OpenAI’s existing $250 billion commitment to Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure.
This withdrawal represents part of a larger trend for OpenAI. Just last week, the organization announced it had suspended another Stargate initiative in the United Kingdom, pointing to elevated energy expenses and challenging regulatory conditions. Microsoft similarly assumed control of a Stargate-associated development in Texas that had previously involved both OpenAI and Oracle.
OpenAI’s infrastructure blueprint shows signs of transformation. The company informed investors in February that it currently anticipates spending approximately $600 billion on computing resources through 2030 — a substantial reduction from prior estimates of $1.4 trillion across eight years. Industry sources suggest the company is transitioning toward capacity leasing rather than proprietary data center development.
Microsoft stock advanced 4.19% following the announcement, demonstrating favorable investor reaction to the news.
As OpenAI retreats, Microsoft continues expanding. In March, Nscale revealed it would facilitate Microsoft’s deployment of Nvidia’s Vera Rubin platform throughout the UK, Norway, and additional territories. The Narvik expansion strengthens that collaboration.
Microsoft is simultaneously planning to purchase approximately 3,200 acres in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for supplementary U.S. data center operations. The Narvik transaction complements its pre-existing $6.2 billion investment at the Norwegian site.
According to the most recent analyst data, 38 Wall Street analysts assign Microsoft a “Strong Buy” rating, with a consensus 12-month price target of $573, suggesting approximately 40% upside potential from present trading levels.
The post Microsoft (MSFT) Stock Surges 4% After Securing Norway Data Center Deal from OpenAI appeared first on Blockonomi.
The crypto market is currently witnessing a fascinating divergence in momentum. While established giants and long-term projects find themselves locked in technical consolidations, a new generation of Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) technology is rewriting the growth narrative. The Solana price remains entangled in a complex web of macroeconomic pressures and legacy liquidation risks, while the Pi Network price continues its methodical transition toward smart contract utility.
Contrasting these established paths is BlockDAG (BDAG), which has rapidly climbed the ranks of the top crypto gainers today. By combining Tier-1 exchange liquidity with a disciplined roadmap, BlockDAG is positioning itself as a high-velocity alternative for participants seeking to move beyond the sideways trends of the legacy market.
The Solana price is currently performing a delicate tightrope walk. Trading around $85.88, SOL has reclaimed its short-term moving averages, signaling a flicker of bullish resilience. However, the shadow of the long-term SMA-200 at $130.05 looms large, acting as a formidable ceiling that keeps the broader trend in check.
The market is currently wrestling with a “tug-of-war” between fundamental innovation and external pressures. While technical indicators like the RSI suggest mild buying interest, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and a $16 million supply overhang from FTX-linked liquidations are dampening institutional enthusiasm.

Experts anticipate a period of sideways consolidation, with SOL likely oscillating between $83.00 and $89.00. Until Solana can decisively break past immediate resistance at $85.09, the path of least resistance appears to be stability flavored with a hint of cautious downside risk.
The Pi Network price is currently navigating a period of “quiet transformation,” trading near $0.165. While the token has faced persistent bearish pressure, slipping below its 50-day EMA of $0.179, the underlying infrastructure is seeing its most significant upgrades to date. The Pi Core Team recently completed the migration to Stellar Protocol version 21, a mandatory move for node operators that prioritizes network stability and scalability.
Despite the muted price action, on-chain data offers a silver lining: selling pressure on centralized exchanges is beginning to ease, with recent data showing a net outflow of over 600,000 PI tokens. This shift suggests that the “supply shock” from initial mainnet migrations may be stabilizing.

With Protocol 22 on the horizon for late April, promising the long-awaited introduction of smart contracts, the Pi Network is shifting its focus from simple mobile mining to a utility-driven Web3 ecosystem. For now, the $0.163 support level remains the critical “line in the sand” for hopeful Pioneers.
The technical narrative for BlockDAG (BDAG) has shifted from speculative development to aggressive market expansion. Currently positioned among the top crypto gainers today, the project is preparing for a pivotal liquidity event: the BingX Tier-1 exchange listing on April 16. This integration represents a major structural upgrade for the network, providing the deep order books and institutional accessibility required to sustain its projected 127x growth potential.
Analytically, the current entry price of $0.0000016 functions as a final accumulation floor before decentralized market forces take full control. The momentum is backed by a disciplined operational roadmap rather than mere sentiment. Smart Wallet claims are already functional, and the upcoming Batch 4 claims on April 27 provide a clear timeline for token distribution and circulating supply management.
Furthermore, the scheduled launch of the first Casino Demo in two weeks introduces immediate utility, shifting the token from a store of value to a functional asset within a decentralized gaming ecosystem.

With three additional Tier-1 exchange listings confirmed for next week, the supply-demand equation is reaching a critical inflection point. For market participants seeking high-alpha opportunities, the window to secure BDAG at its fixed baseline is closing. As liquidity fragments across fourteen different platforms by the end of the month, the current price stability is expected to give way to high-velocity price discovery.
The current state of the market highlights the importance of timing and technical structure. The Solana price remains a benchmark for network resilience, even as it battles through a period of sideways consolidation and heavy resistance. Similarly, the Pi Network price serves as a reminder that building a decentralized ecosystem is a marathon, not a sprint, requiring patient technical upgrades like the Stellar Protocol migration.
However, for those looking at the top crypto gainers today, BlockDAG provides a compelling narrative of aggressive growth and institutional integration. By securing its place on Tier-1 exchanges and delivering immediate utility through its gaming demos, BlockDAG is proving that a well-executed roadmap can override broader market stagnation and deliver exceptional value.

Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network
Website: https://blockdag.network
Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial
Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu
The post BlockDAG Hits $0.0000016 for 127X Potential; BingX Listing April 16 Eclipses Solana & Pi Network Consolidation appeared first on Blockonomi.
Shares of Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) climbed 2.46% Wednesday following the announcement of a strategic collaboration with Nvidia (NVDA) aimed at advancing artificial intelligence applications in robotics.
Cadence Design Systems, Inc., CDNS
The partnership was revealed directly by the chief executives of both organizations during a Cadence-sponsored industry conference held in Santa Clara, California.
Nvidia shares edged up 0.44% during the same trading session.
At the heart of this collaboration lies the integration of Cadence’s sophisticated physics simulation platforms with Nvidia’s artificial intelligence training frameworks. Cadence specializes in physics-based modeling systems that accurately simulate how materials respond and interact under various conditions.
These simulation engines will now work in tandem with Nvidia’s AI infrastructure, which enables robots to undergo extensive training within virtual environments instead of relying solely on physical testing scenarios.
Virtual simulation training offers substantial time advantages over traditional physical training methods. Within digital environments, robots can process thousands of varied scenarios in the same timeframe required for just a few real-world exercises.
By incorporating Cadence’s precise physics modeling into this training methodology, the partnership seeks to enhance the realism and practical applicability of virtual simulations.
According to statements from both executives, the primary objective is to dramatically reduce the development cycle from initial training phases to fully functional robotic systems capable of executing real-world tasks.
Cadence stands as a leading provider of semiconductor design software solutions. The company’s technologies play a critical role in developing cutting-edge computing processors, positioning it strategically within the AI hardware ecosystem.
This new alliance builds upon that foundation, linking Cadence’s simulation expertise with Nvidia’s expanding robotics AI technology suite.
Nvidia has been systematically expanding its robotics AI ecosystem, with simulation-driven training serving as a fundamental component of that strategy. The company’s AI frameworks enable robots to acquire skills through repeated virtual practice at unprecedented scale.
Cadence contributes critical physics simulation technology. Its platforms accurately model material deformation, collision dynamics, and force responses — essential details for training robots to manipulate physical objects effectively in real-world applications.
Neither organization disclosed specific timelines regarding the commercial availability of jointly developed products or integrated tools.
The partnership announcement took place at Cadence’s proprietary industry event, providing the company with significant visibility for unveiling this strategic collaboration.
CDNS shares finished the trading day up 2.46% following the announcement.
The post Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) Surges on Nvidia Robotics AI Collaboration appeared first on Blockonomi.
Shares of Cloudflare (NET) experienced a significant boost on Wednesday after Piper Sandler elevated the stock to an Overweight rating from its previous Neutral stance, triggering a roughly 5% gain in afternoon trading.
Cloudflare, Inc., NET
Analysts at the firm established a $222 price objective, suggesting approximately 24% potential appreciation from the stock’s current trading price of $178.65.
The timing of this upgrade comes after a challenging period for shareholders. NET experienced a 15.4% decline during the previous week, which Piper Sandler characterized as an attractive entry point for investors.
Despite this recent pullback, shares have still delivered impressive returns of 64% over the trailing twelve-month period.
The fundamental rationale behind Piper Sandler’s upgrade centers on Cloudflare’s strategic positioning across numerous expansion opportunities — including content delivery, application security services, networking-as-a-service solutions, SASE offerings, infrastructure capabilities, and AI-as-a-service products.
Analysts at the firm have consistently viewed Cloudflare as among their preferred long-term investment opportunities. They believe evolving infrastructure requirements are creating conditions that align perfectly with Cloudflare’s core competencies.
Piper Sandler highlighted encouraging early signals from Q1 2026, noting accelerated website expansion, increasing market penetration, and robust customer demand for both security and networking solutions.
The firm anticipates Cloudflare will confirm its 2026 financial outlook during its upcoming earnings announcement.
A substantial component of the optimistic outlook relates to Cloudflare’s expanding presence within AI infrastructure markets. Edge computing — which enables AI processing nearer to end users — represents an increasingly important market segment, and Cloudflare appears strategically positioned to capitalize on this trend.
The organization maintains direct collaborative relationships with OpenAI and Anthropic, which analysts believe creates advantageous positioning as AI computational requirements expand across caching, security, and application delivery functions.
Piper Sandler characterized the company’s approach as a “true platform strategy,” with robust large language model partnerships expected to generate compounding revenue opportunities.
The company’s most recent quarterly results demonstrated 30% revenue expansion alongside an impressive 75% gross profit margin — metrics that reinforce the long-term investment narrative.
Analysts project approximately $2.79 billion in revenue for 2026, increasing to $3.6B during 2027, with earnings per share showing consistent improvement throughout both fiscal years.
Cloudflare has maintained an aggressive product development cadence. The organization recently unveiled Cloudflare Mesh, a private networking solution engineered to interconnect AI agents and infrastructure while maintaining isolation from public internet exposure.
Additionally, the company broadened its Agent Cloud platform capabilities to facilitate developer efforts in constructing and deploying AI agents at scale, while introducing Dynamic Workers, an isolate-based runtime environment designed for rapid execution of AI-generated code.
A strategic collaboration with Wiz, operating within Google Cloud’s ecosystem, was announced to enhance security frameworks for AI applications, providing security professionals with improved tools for protecting AI-driven workloads.
TD Cowen independently maintained its Buy recommendation on NET with a $265 price objective, projecting 30% year-over-year revenue growth for the first quarter of 2026.
Piper Sandler acknowledged that valuation metrics remain elevated compared to industry peers, and that maintaining growth rates in the high-20s percentage range over multiple years represents a necessary condition rather than merely an optimistic scenario.
Remaining performance obligations growth and coverage ratios provide the firm with confidence that Cloudflare possesses the capability to achieve these demanding performance benchmarks.
The post Cloudflare (NET) Stock Surges 5% Following Piper Sandler Upgrade to Overweight appeared first on Blockonomi.
Jameson Lopp and five other individuals have proposed freezing all quantum-vulnerable Bitcoin addresses to protect BTC from future quantum threats.
The motivation behind this development comes from a long-standing concern in the community that advances in the technology could eventually compromise the network’s current security structure.
In a Tuesday post on GitHub, the group outlined a three-step process to stop using older and less secure wallet types under Proposal BIP-361.
The draft builds on work that was first introduced in February on BIP-360. In this version, they proposed a soft fork that would introduce a new output type called Pay-to-Merkle-Root (P2MR). This, in turn, would remove the original key path found in Bitcoin addresses that makes the public keys vulnerable to exposure.
Under the latest proposal, the first phase would prevent users from sending Bitcoin to older addresses deemed quantum-vulnerable. This is meant to encourage people toward upgrading their wallets to newer models.
The second part would come two years later and introduce a stricter cut-off. At this stage, any wallet still using the old signature style will no longer be able to send Bitcoin at all. Simply put, if exchanges and everyday users do not move their holdings to newer and safer wallets by this point, they will become stuck and unusable.
However, developers are also discussing a possible third phase that would give people an opportunity to recover their funds if they missed the deadline. Furthermore, this step is not yet confirmed and requires more research and consensus within the Bitcoin community.
Industry projections show that quantum machines could become a real danger to Bitcoin’s cryptography as early as 2027 to 2030. At the same time, estimates also indicate that roughly 34% of the flagship cryptocurrency’s supply is already exposed to the vulnerability.
The proposal says that such an attack may not be obvious right away, which makes it easier for bad actors to gain access to the vulnerable addresses without being detected. As such, developers argue that waiting until the threat is immediate would be too risky.
The post also mentions some of the benefits that could come from a network-wide upgrade. For instance, such an update would make the whole network more resilient against future attacks and reduce uncertainty over its long-term security.
Another positive aspect the draft highlights is how a clear timeline would align everyone in the ecosystem. This, according to the developers, is because it would make it easier for wallets, exchanges, and institutions to prepare in advance for any future attacks instead of reacting while in a crisis.
Some institutions are already taking steps towards securing their holdings, with Blockstream Research recently announcing that it has deployed the first transactions on a live Bitcoin sidechain protected by post-quantum cryptography.
Meanwhile, the total supply of Bitcoin in circulation would greatly reduce once a huge portion of it becomes permanently inaccessible. While this may increase scarcity, developers also believe that it would make people more responsible for their holdings.
The post Bitcoin Developers Propose BIP-361 to Freeze Quantum-Vulnerable Legacy Addresses appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Sometimes markets move oddly when wallets act together, creating sharp pumps followed by sudden drops that feel highly coordinated.
One such token to have come under scrutiny is BinanceLife, after its rally coincided with large supply transfers from Binance by previously inactive wallets with no prior activity.
BinanceLife, a meme token, has reached a market capitalization of around $300 million after a large portion of its supply was withdrawn from Binance.
According to on-chain analytics firm Bubblemaps, the token was launched in October 2025 as a community meme inspired by a joke from Binance co-founder Yi He. It briefly reached all-time highs shortly after launch but was later largely abandoned.
In the past two days, however, 15 wallet addresses withdrew 13.8% of the total token supply from Binance. It is important to note that these wallets had no prior transaction history, and many of the withdrawals occurred within similar time windows.
This pattern has raised questions about whether the activity may be coordinated. Bubblemaps speculated whether a single entity could be behind the movements and the price increase. The findings also reveal that other tokens, including PIPPIN and SIREN, recently experienced sudden price surges that some observers linked to coordinated trading activity.
The focus has shifted toward several other highly volatile assets, where price action has been far more extreme. One such example is RaveDAO (RAVE), which recently registered weekly gains of 6,000% as it reached nearly $16 at its peak and briefly pushed its market capitalization close to $4 billion. The price has since come down to $12, but this rapid move has placed it among the top 30 cryptocurrencies, overtaking several established altcoins.
On-chain and trading data point to similar unusual activity before the rally, including large token transfers from wallets linked to the project and a sharp rise in open interest and trading volume. These conditions were followed by heavy liquidations in leveraged positions.
Analysts have also flagged supply concentration, as a large share of tokens was held by a small number of wallets.
The post 15 Wallets, Zero History: BinanceLife Surge Raises Pump Questions appeared first on CryptoPotato.
On Tuesday, Bitcoin (BTC) hit $76,000 before falling back to around $74,000, and analyst Michaël van de Poppe thinks the market is getting ready for something bigger.
He argued in a post on X on Wednesday that low funding rates and rising open interest at resistance are the classic signs of a short squeeze, which could send BTC all the way up to $85,000–$88,000.
Van de Poppe built his argument on derivatives data, not the price chart alone.
“The funding rate is negative,” he wrote. “This means people are overleveraged short while we’re attacking resistance.”
When funding goes negative, short traders are paying long traders to hold their positions open, which is a sign that the bearish trade has gotten crowded.
On top of that, he noted open interest has climbed sharply over the past few days, meaning more capital has quietly stacked up on the short side right where BTC has been rejected before.
That, he argued, is a trap waiting to be sprung, and if the cryptocurrency pushes through $75,000, those short sellers have to buy back their positions to stop the bleeding, which adds fuel to the move rather than dampening it.
He acknowledged the first two tests of this level worked out for bears, with traders happy to sell into strength there. However, the third test is different:
“There’s significantly greater potential for the markets to break higher now vs. the previous test, and if they do, it’s very likely that $85-$88K is the next resistance zone to be tested.”
Van de Poppe also pushed back on the “shooting star” candle that printed on the daily chart after the $76,000 rejection. While a lot of traders read the pattern as a bearish warning, the market watcher did not. According to him, lower timeframes are printing higher lows and higher highs, which tells him buyers are still engaged. As such, his floor is $72,000, and above that, he wants to be long, not short.
Trader George, posting around the same time, was less convinced. He stated that he would be staying in longs for now, but argued that no real breakout will happen until there’s a weekly close above $74,000.
“We’ve traded above on the LTF’s but we haven’t seen continuation or any HTF close above that level,” he explained.
Without that, he says, this could just be another liquidity grab, a fake pump above the highs before the range reasserts itself. The weekly close, he wrote, is going to matter.
Bitcoin has been wrestling with $75,000 for weeks. The catalyst for this latest run came on April 14, when US Vice President JD Vance said progress had been made in negotiations with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. As CryptoPotato reported, crypto markets added around $100 billion in total capitalization within a single session.
The move extended to roughly $76,000 on Tuesday before reversing, and the asset has since been grinding to hold $74,000.
The post Analyst: Bitcoin Short Squeeze Setup Points to $85K-$88K Rally appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Ripple made the headlines after announcing another strategic partnership in Asia.
Its native token has posted a slight decline over the past week, but renewed interest in spot XRP ETFs signals that a rebound could be on the horizon.
Earlier today (April 15), the crypto company revealed that it has struck a deal with Kyobo Life Insurance, one of South Korea’s largest insurance companies.
Under the agreement, both entities will evaluate the technical and regulatory feasibility of introducing tokenized Treasury settlement into the country’s financial system. Ripple will provide its institutional custody platform to safely store and move these tokenized assets, with the ultimate goal of making transactions faster and available 24/7. Speaking on the matter was Fiona Murray, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Ripple:
“Korea’s institutional financial market is at an inflection point, and we are privileged to be entering it alongside Kyobo Life Insurance – one of Korea’s most respected financial institutions and the first major insurer in the country to take this step with us. This partnership is a signal to the broader market that institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure is no longer a future aspiration; it is available, proven, and ready to deploy in Korea today.”
This isn’t the only step the company has taken in South Korea recently. At the start of April, Coinone (one of the leading crypto exchanges in the country) embraced RLUSD – Ripple’s stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the American dollar.
Another recent Asian initiative came from Japan, with SBI Ripple Asia revealing that it has finished building a token-issuance platform on the XRP Ledger (XRPL).
Besides the major news from South Korea, Ripple’s team shed light on the upcoming Swell 2026. The annual conference, which brings together leaders from the blockchain world and the XRP community, will take place at the end of October in New York City.
The main topics of discussion will cover the sections institution, ecosystem, and innovation. Those willing to participate should submit by May 29.
Meanwhile, Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse celebrated 11 years at the helm of the firm. He shared the anniversary on his official X account, saying that the fight for regulatory clarity continues more than a decade later.
Not long ago, the two main financial regulators in the United States, the SEC and the CFTC, issued a landmark joint interpretive guidance on the digital asset sector, while SEC Chair Paul Atkins said that “most crypto assets are not themselves securities.” In a recent interview, Garlinghouse stated:
“I think what happened two weeks ago at the SEC and CFTC coming together as a joint statement was truly groundbreaking in a bunch of ways. And, from my point of view, it ended an era of lawfare against this industry, which turns out didn’t have the support of what the law actually said, so I think that was profound.”
As of this writing, Ripple’s native token trades at around $1.37, representing a minor 1% decline on a weekly basis. Lately, XRP has been locked in a tight battle with BNB for the fourth-largest spot in the cryptocurrency rankings. Currently, the former holds the lead with a market capitalization of about $83.8 billion, while its competitor follows closely at $83.3 billion.
The renewed interest in spot XRP ETFs may indicate that the asset’s price could rebound in the short term. On April 14, the inflows into those products surpassed $11 million, the highest level witnessed since the start of February.

However, this figure remains far below the daily inflows seen last year shortly after these investment vehicles saw the light of day. Recall that March even ended in the red, making it the first such month to do so.
The post Ripple (XRP) News Today: April 15 appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Ethereum is trading around $2.3k, posting its most constructive price action in months. For the first time since the correction began, ETH is showing genuine signs of a structural shift. Though the history of failed breakout attempts throughout this cycle demands that the current move be treated with measured optimism rather than outright conviction.
In a notable development on the daily chart, ETH is breaking above both the long-term descending channel’s upper boundary and the 100-day MA. These two levels have capped the price action for the past six months.
Therefore, the breakout, if sustained on a closing basis, would represent the most significant structural shift since the downtrend began in October 2025. The RSI trending into the high-50s to low-60s also supports the move with improving momentum rather than an overextended spike.
The immediate test is whether ETH can break and hold above the $2.4k zone on a daily close and build above it. The previous breakout attempt in mid-March faded quickly upon contact with this area.
Yet, if a confirmed breakout and hold above it occurs, it opens the door toward the $2.8k resistance zone. Meanwhile, a rejection and drop back inside the channel would be a discouraging false breakout, with the $1.8k area remaining the critical floor below.

The 4-hour chart tells a more cautionary tale. ETH tried to push through the $2.4k resistance zone yesterday. The move initially looked like a clean breakout, but quickly reversed after the RSI reached overbought territory above, printing what appears to be another false bullish breakout from this well-tested supply area. The asset has since pulled back to around $2.3k, sitting just below the resistance band.
This is now the second time in recent months that ETH has tagged this zone with an overbought RSI and failed to hold above it. The ascending trendline from the February lows near $2k remains intact and continues to provide a rising floor.
A pullback toward that trendline that holds would keep the bullish structure alive, and a clean close above $2.4k on cooling momentum would be a far more convincing signal than the spike-and-reject pattern seen so far. However, the $1.8k support zone remains the key downside reference if the mentioned trendline gives way.

The February crash produced a massive spike in Ethereum’s active addresses, with daily activity briefly surging toward levels not seen over the past couple of years.
That sudden burst almost certainly reflects the chaos of a capitulation event — a wave of panicked selling, forced liquidations, and coins changing hands at distressed prices rather than organic demand entering the network. Spikes of this nature during sharp sell-offs tend to mark the moment of maximum fear rather than the beginning of a recovery.
What is more concerning is the trend that followed. Since that capitulation spike, active addresses have declined steadily, and the 30-day EMA has continued drifting lower.
This might point to lots of coins changing hands during the crash, but the market has not attracted fresh participants afterward to continue the trend higher. For ETH to build a sustainable recovery, active address trends need to turn upward consistently, not just spike during moments of stress. Until then, any price recovery will be harder to sustain over the medium term.

The post Ethereum Price Analysis: What’s Next for ETH After the Most Constructive Gains in Months? appeared first on CryptoPotato.