Iran's selective diplomacy with Iraq highlights regional complexities, while skepticism over US-Iran ceasefire persists in trading markets.

The post Iraq appreciates Iran’s oil tanker passage decision amid US-Iran ceasefire doubts: FT appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The passage of Iraqi tankers hints at potential diplomatic openings, yet market skepticism underscores persistent regional instability.

The post Iraq thanks Iran for allowing tankers through Strait of Hormuz amid tensions appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Iran's firm stance on conflict diminishes ceasefire prospects, impacting market confidence and suggesting prolonged regional instability.

The post Iran remains committed to prolonged conflict, reducing ceasefire odds significantly appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Trump's rhetoric exacerbates tensions, diminishing ceasefire prospects and highlighting the fragile nature of diplomatic resolutions.

The post Trump’s comments on Iran’s military strength add to ceasefire uncertainty appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The downing of the U.S. F-15E highlights vulnerabilities, complicating diplomatic efforts and reducing ceasefire prospects significantly.

The post Ceasefire odds plummet after US F-15E downed, April 7 now at 1% YES appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Charles Schwab Teases Direct Bitcoin Trading With New ‘Schwab Crypto’ Account

Financial services giant Charles Schwab is preparing to expand deeper into digital assets, announcing plans for a forthcoming product that will allow clients to buy and sell cryptocurrencies directly through its platform.

The firm revealed that “Schwab Crypto” is in development and will be offered through Charles Schwab Premier Bank, positioning the product as a gateway for retail investors seeking direct exposure to leading cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. The company has opened a waitlist for clients interested in early access, though availability will be subject to regulatory approval and eligibility requirements.

The move marks a notable shift for Schwab, which until now has limited crypto exposure to indirect investment vehicles. Currently, clients can access digital asset markets through exchange-traded products (ETPs), crypto-related equities, and thematic funds. Examples include publicly traded firms like Coinbase, MicroStrategy, and Riot Platforms, as well as funds tied to blockchain and crypto industry performance.

All aboard the Charles Schwab Bitcoin train

Schwab’s entry into spot trading places it in more direct competition with established crypto platforms such as Coinbase, Robinhood, and Webull. 

CEO Rick Wurster first signaled the firm’s intent to enter spot crypto markets in late 2024, citing expectations for a shifting regulatory environment under the administration of Donald Trump. The company has since positioned itself to move once conditions allowed for broader participation by traditional financial institutions.

Schwab is also preparing additional crypto-related products, including a potential stablecoin offering following the passage of the GENIUS stablecoin bill.

A recent report from Charles Schwab found that Bitcoin volatility has declined significantly, with historical volatility falling to 42% in 2025 — about half its 2021 level — making it comparable to or lower than major tech stocks like Tesla and Nvidia. 

Despite fewer extreme swings, bitcoin still experiences sharp drawdowns, including a 32% drop in 2025 and a 50% peak-to-trough decline over three years. 

Long term, volatility remains elevated versus traditional assets. The report suggests bitcoin is maturing as it integrates into mainstream finance, with growing institutional adoption and ETF developments signaling increased acceptance.

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 license material. In Bitcoin, as in media: Don’t trust. Verify.

This post Charles Schwab Teases Direct Bitcoin Trading With New ‘Schwab Crypto’ Account first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Jack Dorsey Reveals Bitcoin Faucet Revival with “Bitcoin Day” Announcement

Tech entrepreneur and longtime Bitcoin advocate Jack Dorsey sparked excitement in the BTC community on Friday when he posted a link to a new page titled “Bitcoin Day | Earn Free Bitcoin.”

The post quotes an announcement from the “Bitcoin at Block” account stating that “The bitcoin faucet is back” on April 6, 2026, with a link to btc.day. Dorsey’s shared URL (hosted on AWS CloudFront) currently displays only the bold headline promoting free BTC on “Bitcoin Day,” with a countdown timer. 

No further details were given. 

In 2010, a site known as the Bitcoin Faucet gave visitors 5 BTC after they completed a simple captcha challenge. This was done to help spread awareness and use of BTC, which at the time was a new digital currency with almost no market value.

The site was created by Gavin Andresen, a software developer who later became one of BTC’s lead developers. Andresen loaded the faucet with his own BTC to distribute to visitors who solved the CAPTCHA.

Over the months the faucet operated, it handed out about 19,700 BTC in total. At today’s prices, that amount would be worth in the billions of dollars.

Bitcoin’s rough price performance

Over the past six months, BTC has experienced one of its weakest performance periods in years, with the price declining sharply from late 2025 highs. According to price history data, BTC’s value is down roughly 50% over the last half-year, reflecting a significant drawdown from levels above $120,000 in November 2025 to around the mid-$60,000s today.

BTC’s retreat has erased gains made earlier in the cycle and marked its worst six-month streak since 2018, driven by a mix of macroeconomic headwinds and reduced risk appetite among investors.

In March, it seems like the price stabilized near the high $60,000s, with market participants watching key technical levels and macro signals for clues on the next move. 

Block has held 8,883 BTC since October 6, 2020, currently worth about $593.74 million at an average cost of $32,939 per BTC, for a gain of roughly +102.92% at today’s prices.

The company, trading under ticker XYZ, has a market cap of about $36–$37 billion. At the time of writing, BTC is trading near $67,000.

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 license material. In Bitcoin, as in media: Don’t trust. Verify.

This post Jack Dorsey Reveals Bitcoin Faucet Revival with “Bitcoin Day” Announcement first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Cathie Wood Calls Bitcoin’s 50% Crash a “Victory” as Market Tests New Floor

Nearly six months after the Oct. 10 flash crypto crash erased millions of dollars in a single day, Bitcoin remains under pressure, trading well below its recent peak. The asset reached an all-time high of $126,080 on Oct. 6, but has since fallen about 47% to roughly $67,000.

Despite the drawdown, Cathie Wood, a long-time BTC advocate and chief executive of ARK Investment Management, is urging investors to maintain a long-term perspective.

Wood, whose firm was among the first publicly listed asset managers to gain exposure to Bitcoin in 2015, has maintained an active presence in crypto-related equities. ARK Invest continues to trade shares of companies tied to the digital asset sector, including Coinbase, Robinhood Markets, Block, Circle Internet Group, Bitmine Immersion Technologies, and Bullish, adjusting positions in response to market conditions.

In an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Wood addressed the current downturn, framing the magnitude of BTC’s decline as a sign of maturation rather than weakness. 

She argued that a roughly 50% drop from peak levels represents a shift from the extreme volatility seen in earlier cycles, when Bitcoin routinely experienced drawdowns of 85% to 95%.

According to Wood, such severe collapses are unlikely to recur. She described Bitcoin as a “proven technology” and a “new asset class,” suggesting that its market behavior has evolved alongside broader adoption and institutional participation. 

In her view, the current correction would be considered a “real victory” within the Bitcoin community if losses remain limited to around half of its peak value.

Bitcoin’s vicious cycles

Historical data supports the comparison to prior cycles, though the current downturn has yet to match earlier bear markets in severity. During the 2021–2022 cycle, Bitcoin fell nearly 80% from its then-record high of about $69,000, eventually bottoming near $15,600. 

Onchain data from Glassnode indicates that the present decline, measured against the October 2025 high, has reached roughly 52% at its lowest point.

All this is happening as bitcoin’s price decline forces a growing number of public companies and sovereign entities to unwind their BTC treasuries, marking a sharp reversal from the accumulation trend of the past two years. Firms that once championed long-term holding are now selling to manage liquidity, repay debt, and fund strategic pivots.

Companies like Riot Platforms, Genius Group, Empery Digital, Nakamoto Holdings, and Marathon Digital have all reduced holdings, in some cases significantly. Marathon alone sold over 15,000 BTC for $1.1 billion to cut debt, while Genius Group fully exited its position. Riot has also been offloading bitcoin as it shifts focus toward AI and high-performance computing infrastructure.

Even firms still committed to bitcoin are trimming reserves. Empery Digital sold part of its holdings to repay loans, while Nakamoto Holdings liquidated a smaller portion to support operations. Meanwhile, Bhutan has been reducing its state-backed bitcoin reserves after previously accumulating through mining.

Despite the sell-off, public companies still collectively hold about 1.16 million BTC, over 5% of the total supply. 

This post Cathie Wood Calls Bitcoin’s 50% Crash a “Victory” as Market Tests New Floor first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Riot Platforms Sells 3,778 Bitcoin in Q1 as Miner Strategy Shifts Toward AI Infrastructure

Riot Platforms sold 3,778 bitcoin in the first quarter of 2026, generating $289.5 million and marking a shift in strategy as the miner redirects capital toward infrastructure and high-performance computing.

The volume sold exceeded the company’s quarterly production of 1,473 BTC by roughly 2.6 times, signaling a drawdown of treasury holdings rather than routine profit-taking. Riot ended the quarter with 15,680 BTC, down 18% from 18,005 BTC at the close of 2025.

The selling appears to have extended beyond the reporting period. Blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence flagged a 500 BTC outflow from a wallet linked to Riot following the end of the quarter, suggesting continued liquidation activity.

The imbalance between production and sales comes as Riot accelerates its expansion into artificial intelligence and high-performance computing colocation. The company has begun repositioning its business model away from sole reliance on bitcoin mining, seeking to monetize its energy assets and data center footprint through long-term infrastructure contracts.

In January, Riot sold 1,080 BTC to fund the purchase of 200 acres at its Rockdale, Texas site. It also entered a ten-year agreement with Advanced Micro Devices to provide 25 megawatts of capacity, with an option to scale to 200 MW. The deal is expected to generate about $311 million in contract revenue over its initial term.

Operational metrics complicate a distress narrative. Riot reduced its all-in power cost to 3.0 cents per kilowatt hour, a 21% decline from the prior year, while increasing deployed hash rate by 26% to 42.5 exahashes per second. Average operating hash rate rose 23% to 36.4 EH/s, reflecting continued investment in mining capacity.

The company also generated $21 million in power credits during the quarter, more than double the year-ago period, through participation in grid services and energy programs.

Bitcoin HODLers like RIOT are selling

Industry conditions remain a factor. Rising energy costs tied to geopolitical tensions have pressured margins across the mining sector, prompting several operators to liquidate holdings. MARA Holdings, Genius Group, and Nakamoto Holdings collectively sold more than 15,000 BTC in recent days, reflecting a broader shift in capital allocation.

Riot’s Q1 activity underscores a turning point for the sector, where bitcoin reserves are deployed as funding sources for diversification rather than held as long-term balance sheet assets.

The trend extends beyond corporate treasuries. Bhutan has continued to reduce its BTC holdings, selling a total of 3,103 BTC. A single transaction on March 30 accounted for 375 BTC, according to Glassnode data. 

The country had built its position through state-backed mining operations, reaching more than 13,000 BTC at its peak in October 2024.

Despite the recent selling, public companies still hold about 1.16 million BTC, or more than 5% of bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million, according to BitcoinTreasuries.net.

This post Riot Platforms Sells 3,778 Bitcoin in Q1 as Miner Strategy Shifts Toward AI Infrastructure first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

The Bitcoin Treasury Model With a Built-In Valuation Floor

There is a version of the Bitcoin treasury conversation that has become almost routine at this point. Bitcoin is hard money. Fiat debases. Companies that hold Bitcoin on their balance sheet are making a rational long-term decision. All of this is true, and none of it is the interesting question anymore.

The interesting question is structural. Not should a company hold Bitcoin, but what kind of company should hold it, and what that choice implies for how the company performs across a full market cycle, not just a favorable one.

Three models have emerged. Each reflects a different level of conviction, a different capital structure, and a different set of tradeoffs.

• The pure-play. A company whose primary purpose is accumulating Bitcoin through capital raises, financial engineering, etc, with no core operating business. Lean structure, singular mission.

• The digital credit issuer. The most sophisticated expression of the pure-play thesis. These companies issue Bitcoin-backed financial instruments, preferred stock, convertible notes, and similar products, to fund continued accumulation. At scale, this creates a compounding accumulation engine that simpler models cannot match.
• The operating company with a Bitcoin treasury. A business with real revenue, real clients, and operational activity, which holds Bitcoin as a long-term reserve asset in deliberate strategic relationship with the business itself.

All three are legitimate expressions of the Bitcoin treasury thesis. They are not optimized for the same objectives, and the differences matter more than most treasury conversations acknowledge.

What pure-play gets right

The pure-play case deserves genuine treatment because its strongest version has real force.

Financial engineering pure-plays are capital-efficient in a specific and important sense: every dollar raised goes directly to Bitcoin accumulation with no operational drag. The mission is singular and the structure reflects it. For investors, this creates clarity. Allocators know exactly what they are underwriting, direct Bitcoin exposure at the corporate level, and the investment thesis is legible and short.

The digital credit model extends this further. Companies that have successfully issued preferred instruments and Bitcoin-backed products have built accumulation engines that operating businesses cannot match on a per-dollar-raised basis. The compounding effect of a sophisticated capital structure, at scale, is genuinely powerful. It represents the fullest expression of the Bitcoin treasury thesis, and the destination it points toward is one every operator in this space should understand.

The prerequisite problem and what it means in practice

The digital credit model has a prerequisite that is rarely stated plainly: it requires scale, institutional credibility, and market infrastructure that most companies building a Bitcoin treasury today do not yet have. It is a destination, not a starting point.

The path there runs through an intermediate period where the financial engineering structure carries more exposure than is often acknowledged. During that period:

• There is no operating revenue to fall back on
• The ability to raise capital tracks closely with Bitcoin market sentiment
• Strategic options narrow when conditions are not favorable
• The company’s cost structure depends entirely on capital markets remaining open

This is not a criticism of the model. It is a description of the journey. The question for executives is what structure best serves the company while that journey is underway.

What the operating company model actually provides

The operating company with a Bitcoin treasury does not accumulate Bitcoin faster than a well-run pure-play. At meaningful treasury scale, operating cash flow is not moving the needle on accumulation. The advantage is different, and worth stating precisely.

An operating business generates revenue independently of where Bitcoin is trading. That revenue covers fixed costs, which means the company is not dependent on capital markets remaining open to fund its basic operations. It can continue hiring, serving clients, and accumulating at a measured pace without being forced into capital decisions driven by timing rather than conviction.

The compounding effect works like this:

• Operating revenue covers costs and preserves the Bitcoin position through the cycle rather than drawing it down under pressure
• A preserved balance sheet improves the terms on future capital raises, lower dilution, better access to facilities, stronger negotiating position with partners
• Operational credibility widens the available capital base by providing an investment thesis that reaches allocators who cannot underwrite pure Bitcoin exposure within their current mandates

None of these mechanisms make Bitcoin accumulate faster in favorable conditions. Together, they make the company more durable across the full range of conditions it will face.

The built-in valuation floor

Most Bitcoin treasury company valuations are driven by a single number: mNAV, the premium the market assigns to Bitcoin held at the corporate level. When sentiment is strong and capital is flowing into the space, that premium expands. When the narrative cools, it compresses. The valuation moves with the market’s appetite for Bitcoin exposure, not with anything the company is doing operationally.

The operating company model introduces a second component that behaves differently. A profitable operating business carries an earnings multiple underwritten by revenue, client relationships, and operational track record. It does not expand dramatically when Bitcoin is performing. But it does not compress when sentiment turns either. It is stable in a way that mNAV alone is not.

These two components, Bitcoin NAV and an earnings multiple on the operating business, do not move together. That is the point. When mNAV compresses, the earnings multiple holds. The company retains a defensible valuation floor that a pure-play structure, with a single-component valuation entirely dependent on sentiment, does not have.

In practice this matters in three specific ways:

• Capital raises. A company with a defensible valuation floor can raise capital on reasonable terms even when Bitcoin sentiment is cold. A pure-play with a compressed mNAV and no earnings component has less room to maneuver.
• Talent. Equity compensation tied to a two-component valuation is a more legible and stable proposition for prospective hires than equity tied entirely to Bitcoin’s market sentiment.
• Allocator access. Many institutional allocators cannot underwrite a valuation built entirely on mNAV within their current mandates. The earnings component creates a bridge, opening the door to capital that would otherwise be unable to participate regardless of conviction.

The floor is not just a comfort during difficult conditions. It is a structural advantage that compounds over time, widening the capital base, strengthening the talent proposition, and maintaining strategic momentum across the full cycle.

How to think about the decision

These three models serve different objectives. The right framework starts with honest answers to a few questions:

• What does the existing business look like? A company with established revenue and clients already has the foundation for the operating company model. A company without it is choosing between building that foundation and committing to a pure-play path.
• What is the realistic path to scale? The digital credit model is the most powerful expression of the thesis but requires scale and credibility that takes time to build. The operating company model does not depend on reaching that threshold to function well.
• What does the investor base look like? Pure-play structures appeal most clearly to allocators who want direct Bitcoin exposure. Operating companies reach a broader set of capital partners, including those whose mandates require an operating business to participate.
• What kind of company do you want to be running across a full cycle? This is the question underneath all the others. The answer should drive the structure, not the other way around.

Conclusion

The companies that define the next era of corporate Bitcoin adoption will not all look the same. Digital credit issuers will operate at the frontier of Bitcoin-native capital markets. Financial engineering pure-plays will build toward that destination with focused conviction. Operating companies will build businesses where the treasury and core operations strengthen each other across the cycle.

Each model is a genuine expression of the thesis. The goal of this framework is to make the differences legible, so executives can choose the structure that fits what they are actually building, with clear eyes about what each model asks of them in return.

The question was never which model holds the most Bitcoin. It was always which model fits what you are trying to build.

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.

This post The Bitcoin Treasury Model With a Built-In Valuation Floor first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Nick Ward.

Circle's biggest selling point may be becoming its biggest liability. On-chain investigator ZachXBT's “Circle Files” allege that the USDC issuer has inconsistently applied its freeze powers.

Circle was too slow in 15 cases involving more than $420 million in allegedly illicit funds since 2022, yet broad enough to sweep 16 operational business wallets in a sealed US civil matter. The wallets were tied to exchanges, casinos, and forex services that ZachXBT said did not appear connected.

Why this matters: USDC is a core settlement asset in crypto, widely used by exchanges, traders, payment flows, and DeFi protocols. Circle’s freeze decisions extend beyond individual legal disputes or hack responses and set the boundary for how much operational risk businesses accept when holding or moving dollars on-chain.

The firm later unfroze at least one of those wallets, belonging to Goated.com, adding weight to the question of how precisely Circle reviews the addresses it blocklists.

That sequence of “slow on theft, sweeping on civil process” lands at a difficult moment.

USDC held roughly $77.2 billion in circulation as of April 3, in a total stablecoin market of nearly $316.8 billion, accounting for about 24.5% of that pool. One of the cases ZachXBT cites, the Drift exploit, saw more than $280 million in USDC move across 100-plus transactions in roughly six hours.

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At that scale and speed, the gap between “can freeze” and “froze in time” is the entire practical question.

The legal stack Circle built

Circle's control surface has real on-chain teeth. Its EVM stablecoin contract includes a blocklist feature under a blocklister role, and blocklisted addresses cannot transfer or receive tokens.

Circle designed the contract to be both pausable and upgradeable.

That architecture existed long before this controversy arose, and Circle's Access Denial Policy codifies when that power is triggered.

Circle can block individual addresses on every blockchain where its stablecoins are issued. Once denied, the associated balance cannot move on-chain.

The policy limits freezes to two narrow triggers: when Circle decides, in its sole discretion, that failing to act would threaten network security or integrity, or when a valid legal order from a recognized US or French authority requires it.

Reversals require formal confirmation that the legal obligation or security basis no longer applies.

The USDC Terms add a second layer. Nothing in those terms obligates Circle to track, verify, or determine the provenance of users' USDC balances.

Yet, Circle also reserves the right to block addresses and freeze associated USDC that it determines, in its sole discretion, may be tied to illegal activity.

The Circle Mint User Agreement goes further: Circle may suspend accounts in its sole and absolute discretion, including under a court order, and may restrict redemptions or transfers when the law or a court order prohibits them.

The access-denial policy reads narrower and more formally rules-based, blocking sounds exceptional, tied to security events or legal compulsion. The broader USDC terms and user agreement grant the issuer considerably greater discretion.

Circle's legal terms afford the issuer considerably more latitude than the access-denial policy's narrow framing implies. When legal process and user continuity collide, Circle's own hierarchy prioritizes compliance and issuer control.

Where the criticism bites

The 16-wallet incident illustrates why that hierarchy now troubles operators. Circle's freeze power executed quickly and broadly when a sealed civil matter arrived at its desk.

ZachXBT's “Circle Files” allege the same power moved too slowly across 15 theft cases since 2022, and the Drift window, $280 million-plus across more than 100 transactions in six hours, is the sharpest example because the scale and transaction count appeared on-chain in real time.

The GENIUS Act, passed in July 2025, created a US regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, treating USDC-type products as regulated financial infrastructure.

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Jul 18, 2025 · Gino Matos

The OCC's implementing proposal has a comment deadline of May 1. FATF's March 2026 report stressed that supervisors should assess whether blockchain analytics and controls deliver tangible enforcement outcomes, and that timely public-private coordination is crucial for asset recovery.

That is the precise standard ZachXBT and affected operators are now applying to Circle.

Circle markets USDC as fully backed, transparently managed, and the world's largest regulated stablecoin. Circle's own 2026 Internet Financial System report cited $50 trillion-plus in cumulative USDC settlement, 40% of stablecoin transaction volume, and 29% of stablecoin circulation as of September 2025.

At that scale, freeze governance operates at systemic weight, and the examination it now faces reflects the infrastructure role Circle has claimed for itself.

Two paths for Circle

The bull path runs through transparency and speed.

If Circle publishes a clearer review standard for freezes tied to civil process, detailing what internal review fires before Circle blocklists operational business wallets, and demonstrates materially faster coordination in future hack response situations, the controversy becomes a governance maturation story.

In that scenario, regulation under the GENIUS framework and MiCA rewards the most institutionalized issuer, and USDC circulation could recover to the $82 billion to $90 billion range, with 25% to 27% market share.

The 16-wallet incident, with Circle having already restored one wallet, would read as the moment Circle clarified its process.

The bear path runs through accumulation. More examples of slow hack responses or overbroad civil-process freezes, and operators who hold USDC in hot wallets, such as exchanges, payment companies, and DeFi protocols, are starting to diversify settlement routes.

A stablecoin can maintain its $1 peg while losing strategic relevance, and operators diversifying away from Circle would not trigger any depeg alert.

Tether, PYUSD, and a widening field of issuer-specific tokens each give operators a route away from Circle's control stack.

In that outcome, USDC circulation drifts toward a $68 billion to $75 billion range and a 20% to 23% market share, as businesses reprice the operational risk of sitting within Circle's discretion.

The next checkpoint arrives through operational performance, depending on how quickly Circle responds to the next hack, how quickly it restores blocklisted wallets, and if freezes land on operators with a clearer rationale than the last batch.

The OCC comment window closes on May 1, and the regulatory regime for payment stablecoins is taking shape while this dispute is live.

The market now wants to know if the compliance used by Circle model protects users or concentrates power in an issuer whose review standards operators cannot see.

The post Circle’s USDC freeze power faces fresh scrutiny after wallets were blocked while stolen funds moved appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Charles Schwab operates 38.9 million active brokerage accounts and holds $12.22 trillion in client assets. For years, investors in those accounts could reach Bitcoin and Ethereum through ETFs, crypto-related equities, and futures.

A phased launch beginning in the second quarter closes the gap with direct investments. Schwab Crypto, offered through Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, will let qualifying clients buy and sell Bitcoin and Ethereum directly.

The offer is available in all US states except New York and Louisiana, on a timeline that starts with employees and a small initial cohort before broadening.

Why this matters: Schwab is not introducing crypto to a crypto-native audience. It is testing whether direct Bitcoin and Ethereum ownership can sit inside the workflow of a mainstream brokerage customer. If that model gains traction, the implications reach beyond Schwab to product design, broker competition, and the next layer of retail crypto adoption.

The product architecture includes a structural boundary that clients and operators will immediately feel. Schwab Crypto operates through a dedicated account with an affiliated bank subsidiary.

This means that the structure is in a separate account from the brokerage accounts where investors already hold stocks, bonds, and ETFs. The crypto assets carry no SIPC or FDIC protection.

Schwab currently accepts no crypto deposits and does not settle securities or futures transactions in crypto. Mainstream access is real, and it arrives on carefully controlled broker-defined terms.

What drove the timing into 2026 is a policy calendar that dissolved three major institutional frictions within four months.

In January 2025, SAB 122 rescinded the earlier SAB 121 crypto safeguarding guidance that had made custody economics unattractive for traditional banks.

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In March 2025, the OCC reaffirmed that crypto custody, certain stablecoin activities, and participation in distributed ledgers are permissible for national banks and removed the supervisory nonobjection requirement.

In April 2025, the Federal Reserve withdrew its earlier crypto guidance and moved to supervise those activities through the standard process.

Schwab CEO Rick Wurster described those regulatory moves as “pretty green” for large firms to expand into crypto, and the launch's timing confirms how directly the policy calendar shaped the product calendar.

The asset Schwab is normalizing

In March 2026, Schwab published research describing Bitcoin as having matured into a mainstream asset and noting that by some measures it had become less volatile than certain Magnificent 7 stocks.

The research reflects the internal positioning that led to direct trading as the natural next step.

Reuters reported Wurster's view that the target user is an investor who already owns stocks and bonds and wants to hold a small slice of Bitcoin or Ethereum alongside those positions.

That is a narrower and more defensible market than the speculative base that drove 2021 volumes. Schwab is building a product for the mainstream investor who already trusts the brokerage brand and wants direct exposure within the brokerage environment they use.

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Schwab enters a market that Fidelity already occupies. Fidelity's crypto account lets customers buy, sell, and transfer crypto through its platform and the Fidelity app alongside their existing brokerage positions.

E*TRADE has published a coming-soon page for direct trading in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, and reports point to Morgan Stanley plans to run that service through Zerohash in the first half of 2026.

Schwab enters this race as the scale normalizer, being the firm whose distribution footprint turns a multi-broker pattern into an industry default.

When Fidelity launched direct crypto, the market could read it as one firm's idiosyncratic call.

When Schwab, Fidelity, and E*TRADE each offer some version of direct BTC and ETH access, the mental category moves. When Schwab, Fidelity, and E*TRADE each offer some form of direct BTC and ETH access, direct crypto ownership sits on the same mental shelf as any other optional asset sleeve in a diversified brokerage account.

Schwab's own site already markets crypto exposure “from a brand you know,” and the launch extends that branding promise from wrappers to the asset itself.

A distribution thought experiment frames the scale without overclaiming a price surge.

If 0.5% of Schwab's 38.9 million accounts eventually hold direct crypto, that equals roughly 194,500 accounts. At 1%, it becomes approximately 389,000, and at 2% adoption, that funnel reaches roughly 778,000 accounts.

Two paths from here

The bull path opens if Schwab broadens eligibility faster than the phased language implies, and if the product experience proves clean enough for existing clients to consolidate crypto holdings into the new account.

In that scenario, Fidelity, E*TRADE, and Schwab together create a demand flywheel within the mainstream brokerage channel, the kind of end-investor adoption that Citi cited in its bull case of $165,000 for Bitcoin and $4,488 for Ethereum.

Schwab's distribution footprint alone would push every broker that still routes crypto clients exclusively to ETFs or education pages to accelerate its own platform-parity timeline.

The bear path runs through friction. The Schwab Crypto account's state restrictions, bank-subsidiary architecture, absence of crypto deposits, and current transfer limitations each create gaps relative to crypto-native venues that more engaged users will notice.

If those frictions keep adoption narrow and investors who want direct crypto exposure continue to prefer Coinbase, Kraken, or Fidelity's more integrated setup, the launch reads as operationally thin.

An investor who wants crypto to sit alongside equities within a single operational view may find the bank-subsidiary rail an exposure vehicle with tighter product boundaries than the brand's integrated-portfolio framing implies.

The next readable data point arrives when Schwab discloses how quickly the initial second-quarter cohort converts and if the broader rollout accelerates on schedule.

How quickly Schwab moves this cohort to general availability will tell the market whether this launch is a genuine scale ambition or a carefully managed compliance exercise.

The post Charles Schwab’s Bitcoin and Ethereum rollout shows crypto is moving deeper into mainstream brokerage accounts appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin's price is still trading far above the depths of past bear markets, and that distance is now making the current moment feel pretty disorienting. Under the surface, a huge share of the market is already back in pain.

On-chain data show that by early April, roughly 46% of Bitcoin's supply was being held at a loss, meaning that nearly half of the coins on the network were last bought at prices above the current market price.

Markets tend to get emotionally unstable when large numbers of people are trapped in losing positions, and the gap between what a price chart shows and what the holder base actually feels can be quite large.

That's why the $60,000 level stands out. The number itself is all nice and round and memorable, but its real importance is in how it affects behavior. A move back there would pull even more of the market underwater and turn a slow grind lower into a vertical drop, a direct test of whether holders keep waiting or finally start selling.

People who bought during the run-up have long since shifted their attention from the next all-time high to harder questions: whether they misread the market, whether they should cut risk, and whether this drawdown has further to run. That's the territory where bottoms tend to form, and where panic, once it finds a foothold, tends to spread.

The deeper floor is still standing

The market is hurting, and the underlying levels that defined older cycle washouts are still holding.

The best example of this is the realized price, one of Bitcoin's simplest long-term anchors. It represents the average price at which the network's coins last changed hands, and it currently sits near $54,100. Bitcoin remains above it even after this slide, which means the average holder across the whole network is still not carrying any losses.

The weekly chart confirms this. Bitcoin is also holding above its 200-week moving average, which sits around the high $50,000s, leaving the market in a very unusual position. It feels weak enough to scare people, sour sentiment, and leave a very large share of holders in the red, while the foundational levels that past bear markets reached remain intact.

That distinction may be the clearest difference between this cycle and earlier ones. Bitcoin still behaves like a volatile asset, and drawdowns still inflict real damage, but the altitude at which that damage is occurring has risen considerably. The pain is happening higher up the chart than it used to.

That elevation likely comes from a broader and sturdier owner base. Bitcoin has attracted more long-duration capital and more institutional exposure over the last few years. That gives the market more structural support than it had in previous cycles, when fear could drag prices straight through every historical floor with very little resistance.

The real question, then, is whether this market can absorb more discomfort before it turns into forced selling.

If Bitcoin falls toward $60,000 and holds, this cycle will have demonstrated something meaningful: nearly half the market is already underwater, and the deeper foundation is still standing. If that level gives way and mass selling begins, it won't be long before we see the familiar bear-market sequence play out again.

The visible and structural damages are operating on different levels right now. Bitcoin can still appear relatively fine on a long-term chart while a huge share of holders already feels squeezed, and for anyone watching from outside the asset, that tension is the most useful way to understand the moment.

The market is absorbing a serious amount of pressure, and the question of how much more it can take before the foundation shifts is one that the next few weeks will start to answer.

The post Why $60,000 decides whether Bitcoin’s recent strength cracks as nearly half the market slips into loss appeared first on CryptoSlate.

OpenAI’s latest GPT-5.4 Pro model has now achieved an IQ score higher than 99.96% of all human beings, giving markets a fresh signal that AI capability gains are starting to outpace the usual product-cycle noise.

OpenAI’s GPT-5.4 Pro touches 150 on public IQ benchmark as markets enter another macro-heavy week

TrackingAI’s public leaderboard now places OpenAI GPT-5.4 Pro at an IQ score of 150, a sharp step up from the 136 score that OpenAI’s o3 posted on the Mensa Norway test last year.

The jump arrives at a moment when market attention has narrowed around Iran, energy, labor softness, and the next inflation print. That creates a different question for the week ahead: how quickly is machine intelligence compounding, and when will that acceleration begin to overlap with economic positioning?

Why this matters: A move from 136 to 150 on a widely understood benchmark compresses a complex capability shift into a simple signal. For businesses, that signal feeds directly into decisions around automation, software budgets, and headcount planning. For markets, it adds another variable alongside rates, inflation, and growth expectations.

OpenAI introduced GPT-5.4 as its most capable and efficient frontier model for professional work, with stronger coding, tool use, and computer use, and a context window of up to 1 million tokens. In the same release, OpenAI said GPT-5.4 achieved a new state of the art on GDPval and exceeded human performance on OSWorld-Verified.

Those benchmarks are separate from a public IQ test, yet the direction of travel aligns. Capability is rising across separate measurement systems, and that rise is becoming fast enough to influence budgeting, hiring plans, workflow design, and software spend.

A score of 150 on a public IQ-style benchmark compresses a broader capability move into a single, portable signal. The number is easy to understand even before the methodology is debated.

The earlier o3 Mensa result established the benchmark and its limits. GPT-4.1’s one-million-token context window showed how OpenAI was extending model utility across long-horizon code and document tasks, while our analysis of OpenAI’s expanding capital loop linked model progress to hardware expansion, financing loops, and infrastructure demand.

Taken together, those developments place the latest IQ score within a broader commercial and economic context. A move from 136 to 150 on a public benchmark is striking on its own. A move from 136 to 150 while OpenAI is pushing deeper into tool use, computer use, enterprise productivity, and capital-intensive infrastructure carries broader implications.

Public IQ benchmarks are limited, but the capability curve is still moving higher

Public IQ-style tests remain imperfect instruments for measuring frontier models. TrackingAI runs a public Mensa-style benchmark and also maintains a harder private offline test.

IQ-style tests compress a narrow slice of cognitive performance into a single number, obscuring variation across reasoning types, context handling, creativity, and real-world problem-solving.

For AI and humans alike, scores are sensitive to test design, training exposure, and pattern familiarity, which makes them a noisy proxy for general capability.

An IQ of 150 sits at the extreme upper tail of the distribution, often associated with individuals such as Albert Einstein or Richard Feynman. In practical terms, it implies very fast abstraction, strong pattern recognition, and the ability to navigate complex, multi-step problems with limited guidance.

The platform reports scores as rolling averages across recent completions, and the methodology raises familiar questions around prompt structure, reproducibility, training-set contamination, and format familiarity. Those concerns were already visible when o3 reached 136, and they remain active now that GPT-5.4 Pro sits at 150.

Related Reading

OpenAI’s o3 scores 136 on Mensa Norway test, surpassing 98% of human population

OpenAI’s o3 model reaches Mensa-Level IQ in independent testing.

Apr 17, 2025 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

Even with those limits, the broader pattern has become harder to dismiss. One isolated benchmark result can be explained away as a quirk. A cluster of gains across public IQ-style testing, coding, browser use, desktop navigation, and knowledge-work performance carries more analytical weight.

TrackingAI’s latest leaderboard places GPT-5.4 Pro at the top of its public IQ board ahead of all Cluade, Gemini, Qwen, and Grok models, offering an external, legible public benchmark that maps quickly onto the broader capability debate.

Few people need a detailed understanding of benchmark design to grasp that 150 sits in a rare range and investors do not need to accept every premise behind an IQ-style test to recognize that a jump of this size suggests acceleration rather than drift.

Enterprise buyers also do not need to believe that IQ equals general intelligence to see that systems with stronger pattern recognition, stronger tool use, and stronger long-horizon task handling are moving toward economically useful territory, extending far beyond puzzle-solving.

This points toward systems that can search, plan, verify, navigate, and produce real work across extended contexts. In that setting, the IQ score functions less as a novelty number and more as a signal of the density of frontier reasoning.

There is also competitive value in the leaderboard itself. A leadership position on a public benchmark reinforces OpenAI’s standing in the race for visible capability leadership, especially at a moment when model differentiation is becoming harder to discern from architecture notes alone.

Benchmark leadership compresses complexity into a simple hierarchy. It offers developers a signal, enterprise buyers a narrative handle, and investors another proxy for where the capability frontier currently sits.

OpenAI’s benchmark climb is beginning to overlap with the economic week ahead

The week ahead still runs through macro. The Bureau of Labor Statistics calendar clearly lays out the next key releases: the FOMC minutes from the March 17 to 18 meeting, due on April 8; the March Consumer Price Index, due on April 10; and the March Producer Price Index, due on April 14.

That schedule keeps rates, inflation, and growth anxiety in the foreground, but beneath that surface, a second economic track is taking shape, and OpenAI sits near its center.

Capability growth in frontier AI increasingly intersects with capital allocation. A model that pushes higher on public reasoning tests while also improving in coding, search, and computer use changes how businesses think about workflow redesign. It changes what software buyers expect from copilots and agents. It changes how quickly enterprises move from experimentation toward deployment.

Jack Dorsey recently posted that Block is moving “from hierarchy to intelligence,” using AI to take over coordination work once handled by management layers as the company reorganizes around individual contributors, directly responsible individuals, and player-coaches

Capability growth also changes which tasks can be carved out of labor cost structures and reassigned to software. These effects move through narrower channels first, including document workflows, spreadsheet workflows, customer support, research tasks, browser automation, internal operations, code generation, and verification loops.

OpenAI’s commercial direction reinforces that interpretation. In its GPT-5.4 launch materials, the company described stronger performance in professional work, stronger tool search, native computer use, and gains in benchmarked knowledge work across occupations that map directly onto the U.S. economy.

That places AI capability growth inside a familiar market question, where spending flows next if these systems continue improving at this pace.

The answer extends beyond model subscription revenue into cloud demand, chips, data centers, networking, power, software licenses, and labor productivity assumptions. OpenAI’s expanding capital loop already reflects part of that structure, and the benchmark gain adds a simpler public-facing signal on top of it.

That overlap is what gives the latest result broader relevance during a macro-heavy week. Markets already know the CPI setup. Markets already know oil prices can feed into inflation expectations. Markets already know the Fed minutes will be parsed for policy tone.

But is the growth in intelligence itself beginning to behave like a macro variable? Faster capability gains can alter enterprise spending plans, tighten competitive pressure across white-collar functions, support higher infrastructure outlays, and strengthen the case for AI-linked capital expenditure even in a slower nominal growth environment.

When TrackingAI shows GPT-5.4 Pro at 150, the number falls within a market that already views OpenAI as more than a lab. It is a platform company, a deployment company, an infrastructure customer, and a signal generator for adjacent sectors.

The next test sits in two places at once. One is methodological; public IQ-style benchmarks will keep drawing scrutiny, and they should. The other is economic; markets will decide, step by step, whether capability jumps of this size deserve to be priced alongside labor data, rate expectations, and capital spending trends.

OpenAI’s latest benchmark climb pushes that decision closer. The score is compact, legible, and easy to circulate. Its deeper relevance comes from the same place as the company’s broader product push; the frontier is still climbing, and the economic footprint of that climb is becoming harder to keep in a separate category.

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In July 2025, Genius Group announced it was targeting a Bitcoin treasury of 10,000 BTC, framing it as a statement of deep strategic conviction.

This week, however, the company sold its last 84 BTC to pay off $8.5 million in debt and declared its treasury empty. The 18-month gap between those two moments is a perfect example of what's happening to the Bitcoin treasury trade right now.

Why this matters: The Bitcoin treasury narrative has been one of the market’s strongest structural bullish arguments. If corporate and sovereign holders behave like cyclical sellers rather than long-term accumulators, institutional adoption may amplify volatility instead of stabilizing it.

Public companies, including Empery, Genius Group, and Riot, have all sold Bitcoin this week, citing debt repayment, liquidity needs, or strategic pivots into AI and high-performance computing, while sovereign selling accelerates with Bhutan offloading more holdings.

Taken individually, each of these is an easily explainable non-event. But taken together, they expose a structural problem with a trade built on the promise of permanence: for a growing number of holders, Bitcoin is now the first asset they sell when the bills arrive.

The treasury trade rests on a simple pitch. Starting around 2020 and accelerating through 2024, publicly traded companies began buying Bitcoin with corporate cash or borrowed money and presenting it to investors as a reserve asset superior to inflation-eroded cash.

A few high-profile early movers delivered spectacular returns, and the strategy spread. Public companies now hold roughly 1.165 million bitcoin worth approximately $77 billion, more than five percent of the currency's fixed supply of 21 million coins.

The problem is that a reserve asset only functions as advertised if the holder never needs the cash back.

Related Reading

Bitcoin treasury trade faces a new test after Nakamoto sold $20M at a loss

The sale turns paper losses into a funding test as markets start separating stronger Bitcoin treasury plays from weaker ones.

Mar 31, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

In the Bitcoin treasury trade, the debt comes first

Riot Platforms, one of the largest publicly traded Bitcoin miners in the US, sold 5,363 BTC for approximately $535.5 million in 2025, with its annual filing explicitly tying retention decisions to cash requirements for operations and expansion.

An earlier filing had already disclosed 3,300 BTC pledged as collateral against a $200 million credit facility. Riot continues to tap its treasury to fund a pivot into AI and high-performance computing, a strategy increasingly seen across the mining industry.

MARA Holdings sold 15,133 BTC for around $1.1 billion in March, using the proceeds to retire approximately $1 billion of convertible senior notes. Empery Digital sold 370 BTC for $24.7 million and used the proceeds to repay its outstanding term loan in full, freeing 1,800 BTC it had previously posted as collateral. Its shares are down 75% from their 2025 high.

The sequence is consistent across all of them: Bitcoin accumulated during optimism, pledged when capital was needed, and liquidated when the debt came due.

It's worth noting that the largest and best-capitalized players are still adding to their positions.

Metaplanet acquired 5,075 BTC in the first quarter of 2026, making it the third-largest corporate holder, while Strategy holds over 762,000 BTC as by far the largest treasury position in existence.

This tells us that the treasury trade isn't collapsing uniformly, but sorting into two camps: deep-pocketed accumulators who can afford to wait, and cash-pressured sellers who discover, when conditions tighten, that their strategic reserve is their most liquid asset.

The reserve asset that was always too easy to sell

The Bitcoin treasury trade gets quite a bit of weight when sovereign actors enter it.

Bhutan, a small Himalayan kingdom, built one of the world's more unusual government Bitcoin positions by mining it using surplus hydroelectric power at near-zero cost. The country's stack has fallen from a peak of about 13,000 BTC in late 2024 to roughly 5,400 BTC, a 58% reduction, with activity managed by its state-owned investment arm, Druk Holding and Investments.

Throughout March 2026, Bhutan offloaded tens of millions worth of BTC through controlled, low-impact transfers with no market disruption. This kind of distribution pattern shows that the treasury was running a planned drawdown rather than being shaken out by debt.

A significant portion of the cash from the offloaded Bitcoin was directed toward Gelephu Mindfulness City, a major national development project requiring real capital. Because Bhutan mined its coins rather than bought them, every sale it made was pure profit. The underlying logic, though, is exactly like that of our previously mentioned corporate sellers: the position exists to be monetized when a need for funding arises.

Bitcoin has been struggling to retain support at $67,000, going above and below the critical level for days. Altcoins are also struggling, with larger coins like ETH and SOL losing anywhere between 4% and 8% daily, while smaller tokens keep seeing even wilder volatility. With $200 million to $400 million liquidated every day in the past week, it's safe to say that crypto markets have been feeling the geopolitical pressure hard.

In that environment, treasury selling does more than just add supply to a struggling market. It exposes something the treasury trade's most enthusiastic architects may not have fully reckoned with: they built a buyer base out of the wrong material.

There's a deep irony in this. The very properties that made Bitcoin attractive as a treasury asset in the first place (its liquidity, its 24-hour markets, the frictionless ease of converting it to cash at any hour on any day) are exactly the properties that make it the first thing a cash-pressured CFO reaches for when a debt payment looms.

Compared to gold, Bitcoin is trivially quick and easy to sell, and the Bitcoin treasury promise of having a liquid alternative to cash inadvertently handed companies, well…a liquid alternative to cash.

Liquidity, by definition, gets used. Every company that pledged its BTC as loan collateral was simultaneously creating a forced-selling mechanism and embedding a potential margin call into its own balance sheet.

The longer-term consequence for Bitcoin is harder to quantify but still worth considering seriously. The institutional adoption story has been one of the most durable bullish arguments for Bitcoin over the past four years, resting on the assumption that corporate and sovereign buyers represent a fundamentally different, stickier class of holder than retail speculators.

If the current wave of selling establishes instead that treasury holders are just pro-cyclical, buying during enthusiasm, pledging during expansion, and then liquidating during stress, then the arrival of institutional capital does nothing to change Bitcoin's volatility profile. It just adds a more elaborately dressed version of the same behavior.

The buyers still standing, Strategy with its 762,000 BTC and Metaplanet with its methodical quarterly accumulation, may yet prove the thesis right, but they're proving it almost alone, which was never the point.

The treasury trade was supposed to be a movement, a permanent re-rating of how the world's balance sheets relate to a fixed-supply digital asset. What it turns out to have been, for a significant and growing number of its participants, is a short-term financing strategy wearing the mask of long-term conviction. When the mask comes off, what remains is an asset people buy when they have money to spare and sell when they don't, which is not a reserve but just another position.

The post Bitcoin’s “permanent buyers” are starting to sell as debt and cash pressures mount appeared first on CryptoSlate.

In a market often dominated by volatile meme coins and complex DeFi protocols, UNUS SED LEO ($LEO) has quietly climbed the ranks to become a heavyweight in the digital asset space. Originally launched as a utility token for the iFinex ecosystem, LEO has transitioned from its initial $1 exchange offering to a valuation exceeding $10 per token.

As of April 2026, LEO has officially broken into the top 10 largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, boasting a valuation of approximately $9.3 billion. This article explores the unique fundamentals, the aggressive deflationary model, and the institutional backing that have fueled this 1,000% journey.

What is UNUS SED LEO?

UNUS SED LEO is the native utility token of the iFinex ecosystem, which includes the prominent Bitfinex exchange. Launched in May 2019, the token was designed to provide holders with significant fee discounts and a variety of benefits across the platform's services. Unlike many other assets, LEO is a multi-chain token, existing on both the Ethereum and EOS blockchains to maximize accessibility.

Why is it named like this?

The token's name, "Unus Sed Leo," is Latin for "One, but a lion," a motto emphasizing quality and strength over quantity. It was born out of a crisis: iFinex launched the LEO token to raise $1 billion in capital after a payment processor's funds were seized by government authorities.

While it started as a recovery mechanism, it evolved into a pillar of exchange-based utility. Its primary function is to offer:

• Trading fee reductions: Up to 25% discount for holders.
• Lending fee discounts: Significant reductions for peer-to-peer lenders.
• Withdrawal/Deposit perks: Faster and cheaper transactions on Bitfinex.

The Path from $1 to $10: Why is the Price Rising?

The rise of LEO from its $1 launch to the current $10.05 level is not merely speculative; it is driven by one of the most transparent and aggressive buyback and burn mechanisms in the industry.

1. The 27% Revenue Burn

iFinex is contractually committed to using at least 27% of its consolidated monthly revenue to buy back LEO tokens from the open market and permanently destroy them. This creates a perpetual buy-side pressure. As Bitfinex remains a top-tier exchange for professional traders, this revenue stream provides a "floor" for the token price.

2. The Bitcoin Recovery Catalyst

A major factor in the 2024–2026 rally has been the legal resolution regarding the 2016 Bitfinex hack. Following court orders, nearly 94,643 BTC were earmarked for recovery. According to the token's whitepaper, 80% of recovered funds must be used to repurchase and burn LEO tokens. With $Bitcoin prices reaching new heights, the sheer dollar value of this buyback program has caused massive supply shocks.

3. Low Volatility and Institutional Trust

Unlike highly liquid assets that fluctuate wildly, LEO often shows "resilience" during market crashes. Because so much of the supply is held by long-term investors or is being systematically burned, the circulating supply (currently around 920 million LEO) continues to shrink, making each remaining token more valuable.

How LEO Price Reached the Top 10 Cryptos

Reaching the #10 spot by market cap is a feat of endurance. LEO's ascent was accelerated by the downfall of other exchange tokens (such as FTT) and the growing demand for "safe haven" utility assets.

By maintaining a steady growth trajectory while the broader altcoin market experienced massive drawdowns, LEO became a "non-correlated" asset. This attracted portfolio managers looking for stability.

From Digital Gold to Digital Dust

In early 2022, the world of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) was at its absolute zenith. Celebrities were flocking to the space, led by pop icon Justin Bieber, who made headlines by purchasing a Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT for a staggering sum. At the time, it was seen as a bold entry into the future of digital art and web3.

Fast forward to April 2026, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. The speculative bubble that once valued "cartoon apes" at millions of dollars has largely evaporated, leaving high-profile investors like Bieber with massive "paper" losses.

The $1.3 Million Entry: Bored Ape #3001

In January 2022, Justin Bieber acquired Bored Ape #3001 for 500 ETH. At the exchange rates of that time, the transaction was valued at approximately $1.3 million.

The purchase was immediately controversial among NFT collectors. Analysts pointed out that Bieber paid nearly five times the "floor price" for an ape that possessed relatively common traits. While $Bitcoin and $Ethereum were experiencing high volatility, the NFT market was still fueled by extreme hype and celebrity endorsements.

Why Did He Pay Such a Premium?

• Aura of Exclusivity: Ownership of a BAYC acted as a digital "black card" for elite social circles.
• Market Sentiment: In 2022, the belief was that "blue-chip" NFTs would act as a store of value similar to fine art.
• FOMO: Fear of missing out on the next evolution of social media avatars.

The 2026 Reality: A 99% Valuation Wipeout

Today, the secondary market for the Bored Ape Yacht Club collection tells a much different story. As of April 2026, the floor price for the collection has retreated to approximately 5.25 ETH to 6 ETH. With the current Ethereum price stabilizing around $2,000, Bieber’s Bored Ape is now valued at roughly $12,000.

This represents a staggering 99% decline from his initial investment. Even when compared to the broader crypto market news, the drawdown in the NFT sector has been significantly more severe than that of major cryptocurrencies like BTC or ETH.

Celebrity NFT Portfolios in 2026

Bieber isn't the only celebrity facing a "re-valuation" of his digital assets. The following table illustrates the peak vs. current estimates for major celebrity BAYC holders:

Note: Differences in loss percentages are often due to the rarity of the specific traits or the timing of the purchase.

Lessons from the NFT Bubble

The collapse of Bored Ape prices serves as a cautionary tale regarding liquidity and speculative assets. Unlike trading on major exchanges, where you can sell a token instantly, NFTs are illiquid. You need a specific buyer willing to pay your asking price for your specific token.

Furthermore, as reported by major financial outlets like Bloomberg, the shift toward "utility-based NFTs"—assets with actual function in gaming or identity—has left purely "profile picture" (PFP) projects struggling to regain their former glory.

Is there a Future for BAYC?

While the dollar value has dropped, Yuga Labs continues to develop the "Otherside" metaverse. However, for investors who entered during the 2022 frenzy, the road to "breaking even" appears nearly impossible. Most experts now categorize early NFT purchases as high-risk speculative plays rather than foundational investments.

Michael Saylor has sparked a fresh wave of debate with his latest X post, claiming it is a "Good Friday to buy Bitcoin." This comes as the $BTC price lingers near $67,400, a staggering 46% drop from its 2025 peak of $125,000.

The "Saylor Signal" vs. Market Reality

MicroStrategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor is back to his usual bullish antics. On April 3, 2026, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to declare, "It’s a Good Friday to buy Bitcoin." For the "HODL" community, this is a standard rallying cry. However, for investors who watched Bitcoin plummet from a euphoric $125,000 in October 2025 to its current level of approximately $67,400, the message feels different this time.

The market is currently grappling with a "correlation crisis." While Saylor remains the ultimate $Bitcoin maximalist, his firm has shifted focus toward its new "STRC" preferred stock dividends. With significant unrealized losses on recent tranches, many are wondering: Is this a genuine "buy the dip" opportunity, or is the "Saylor Signal" losing its luster?

Should You Buy Bitcoin Now?

Whether "now" is a good time to buy depends on your time horizon. Technically, Bitcoin is in a clear downtrend on the daily charts. However, historically, buying during 40-50% drawdowns from all-time highs (ATH) has been a profitable long-term strategy. The current price of $67,400 represents a significant discount for those who missed the $100k+ rally, but macro headwinds suggest the bottom may not be in yet.

 The 2026 Bitcoin Crash Explained

To understand why Saylor is calling for buys now, we must look at why the price crashed. The decline from $125,000 was not a single event but a "perfect storm" of factors:

• Monetary Policy Shifts: Recent hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve have drained liquidity from "risk-on" assets.
• Institutional De-risking: After the euphoria of 2025, major players have been trimming Bitcoin ETF holdings to lock in profits or cover losses in equities.
• The $67k Magnet: Since breaking below the $90,000 support, Bitcoin has been searching for a stable floor, finally resting in the mid-60s.

Historical Performance on Good Friday

While Saylor's post uses the holiday as a backdrop, does Bitcoin actually perform well on Good Friday? Historically, the Friday of Easter weekend sees lower trading volumes as traditional markets are closed. This "thin" liquidity can lead to sharp, erratic moves, but there is no statistically significant "holiday pump" trend. In fact, Bitcoin price action today remains largely sideways, reflecting what analysts call "aggressive caution."

Bitcoin Price Analysis: Analyzing the $67,400 Support

From a technical standpoint, Bitcoin is currently testing a critical psychological floor.

• Support Level: The $65,000 - $67,000 zone is vital. If BTC fails to hold this, the next major support sits at $58,000.
• Resistance: To turn bullish, BTC must reclaim the $72,000 level to break the current series of "lower highs."

Hedge funds have reportedly unwound nearly a third of their Bitcoin exposure according to recent Bloomberg market data. This institutional exit is the primary reason the price hasn't bounced as aggressively as retail traders hoped.

Bitcoin Strategy: How to Position Your Portfolio

If you are following Saylor’s advice, risk management is paramount:

• DCA (Dollar Cost Averaging): Instead of going "all-in," spread purchases over several weeks.
• Self-Custody: Given the volatility, moving assets to hardware wallets is recommended to avoid exchange risks.
• Monitor the DXY: A stronger U.S. Dollar usually correlates with further drops in the crypto market.

• XRP enters a pivotal 2026 phase despite weak price action
• Ripple is expanding utility via XRP Ledger and RLUSD
• Strong fundamental growth continues, especially in Asia and institutional adoption

XRP Price Today: Bulls Struggle at Key Support

As of April 4, 2026, the XRP price (referenced against major pairs) is trading near the $1.31 mark. Following a rejection at the $1.60 resistance level in late March, the token has entered a period of consolidation. Technical indicators like the Money Flow Index (MFI) are currently hovering around 35, suggesting that XRP is approaching oversold territory.

Traders are closely watching the $1.25 support level. A breakdown below this could see a retest of the 52-week low near $1.21. Conversely, a daily close above the 7-day Moving Average ($1.33) is required to signal a short-term trend reversal.

Ripple News Today with RLUSD

A major highlight in today's news is the continued expansion of Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD.

• South Korean Expansion: Ripple recently secured a listing for RLUSD on Coinone, one of South Korea's premier regulated exchanges. This allows for direct KRW/RLUSD trading, tapping into one of the world's most active XRP trading communities.
• Institutional Minting: On-chain data reveals significant activity, including a massive 69 million RLUSD mint earlier this month linked to Gemini.
• SWIFT Partnership: Ripple Treasury has officially joined the SWIFT partner program, a move designed to bridge traditional banking infrastructure with digital asset settlement.

The CLARITY Act: A Double-Edged Sword?

The legislative landscape is shifting with the introduction of the CLARITY Act in the U.S. Senate. This bill aims to provide a definitive framework for stablecoins and digital assets.

The latest draft of the CLARITY Act proposes a ban on yield for passive stablecoin holdings. While this could hurt competitors like USDC, analysts suggest that RLUSD is uniquely positioned. Because RLUSD’s growth is driven by cross-border payments and institutional collateral rather than retail yield incentives, it may emerge as a primary beneficiary of these new rules.

XRP Price Prediction for 2026

Despite the current price stagnation, institutional sentiment remains cautiously optimistic. Many analysts, including those from Standard Chartered, maintain year-end targets for XRP above $2.50, citing the eventual "re-risking" of the market as regulatory clarity settles.

After a volatile first quarter dominated by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, the market appears to be searching for a definitive floor.

Leading financial institutions and regulatory bodies have provided the "one-two punch" of confidence that many traders were waiting for. From Goldman Sachs declaring the bottom is near to the highly anticipated release of the Clarity Act draft, the narrative is shifting from fear to structural accumulation.

Is the Bitcoin Bottom Finally In?

According to a recent analyst note from Goldman Sachs, the six-month downward trend for Bitcoin may finally be exhausted. Analysts point to a reversal in institutional flow as the primary indicator. After four months of consistent net outflows, spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a staggering $1.32 billion in net inflows during March.

"The re-entry of institutional liquidity suggests that the 'leveraged washout' is complete," says James Yaro, lead analyst at Goldman Sachs. "With BTC testing critical support at $68,000, we are seeing a transition from speculative selling to long-term institutional holding."

Currently, the Bitcoin price is oscillating near the $67,000 mark. While it remains nearly 45% down from its previous highs, the stabilization at this level is viewed by many as a "springboard" for the next leg up, especially as the Federal Reserve hints at potential rate softening.

Regulatory Clarity: The "Clarity Act" and SEC Taxonomy

One of the biggest hurdles for the crypto market in 2026 has been the "gray area" of regulation. However, early April marks a turning point with the expected release of the Clarity Act draft. This legislation aims to provide a definitive framework for U.S. digital assets, separating "Digital Commodities" from "Digital Securities."

The SEC has also recently updated its token taxonomy, clarifying that:

• Digital Commodities: Assets like Bitcoin, where value is derived from automated network mechanics.
• Payment Stablecoins: Regulated under the GENIUS Act, providing a safer environment for users of Tether (USDT) and USDC.
• Digital Tools: Tokens used for utility, such as event tickets or identity badges, are increasingly being shielded from traditional securities litigation.

For investors, this means less "regulation by enforcement" and more "regulation by rulebook," which is a prerequisite for the next wave of massive institutional adoption.

Ethereum and Solana: Technical Upgrades on the Horizon

While $Bitcoin battles for its bottom, the "Big Two" altcoins are preparing for massive fundamental shifts.

Ethereum's "Glamsterdam" Upgrade

Ethereum is currently moving through its "Strawmap" and "Glamsterdam" upgrades. These developments are focused on PeerDAS and Zk-cryptography, with the goal of pushing the network's throughput toward 10,000+ transactions per second (TPS).

Solana's Alpenglow Protocol

Not to be outdone, Solana is rolling out the Alpenglow protocol. Developed by Anza, this upgrade introduces "Votor" and "Rotor," which could allow block finality in as little as 100 milliseconds. This competition between L1 giants is driving a "flight to quality" among developers and investors alike.

Crypto Price Today: Key Levels to Watch

Claude developer Anthropic registered an employee-funded PAC amid a legal battle with the White House and rising election-year scrutiny of AI.

Researchers say internal emotion-like signals shape how large language models make decisions.

Financial giant Charles Schwab is set to launch spot buying of Bitcoin and Ethereum by the end of the quarter, the firm said Friday.

The FIFA World Cup will feature a prediction market platform built on ADI Chain, with the network’s token hitting a new high Friday.

Publicly traded Bitcoin miner MARA cut 15% of its staff this week after selling $1.1 billion in Bitcoin to fuel an AI push.

Shibarium transactions have dropped significantly as the blockchain enters a stabilization phase.

Adam Back sparks a 2026 crypto firestorm by rejecting calls to freeze 4 million lost Bitcoins despite rising quantum threats.

XRP Tokyo 2026 is 48 hours away. As Ripple leadership arrives in Japan, the XRPL community prepares for critical updates on RWA tokenization.

Michael Saylor and MicroStrategy have effectively "won the game" of institutional cryptocurrency adoption.

Bitcoin's next price top could be higher than many anticipate.

TLDR:

• Every crypto cycle since 2017 has produced one dominant chain or narrative that rewarded early participants.

• The 2022 collapse of LUNA and FTX proved that capital preservation matters more than chasing the hottest trend.

• By 2025, nations began stacking Bitcoin as a reserve asset, shifting the buyer profile beyond retail investors.

• Entering 2026 with no clear winner yet, history points to a new season forming before most participants notice it.

Each crypto market cycle has produced a clear winner — until the next one arrived. Observers tracking blockchain trends over the past decade have noted a recurring pattern: capital, attention, and momentum rotate between chains and narratives.

Understanding these cycles has separated profitable participants from those who stayed focused on yesterday’s opportunities. The question entering 2026 is which season comes next.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Set the Foundation for Rotating Chain Dominance

Crypto market cycles began taking shape as early as 2017, when Bitcoin led the charge. Retail investors who simply held BTC through that period came out ahead.

The following year, Ethereum captured that momentum through the ICO boom, making it the dominant chain of 2018.

The bear market of 2019 offered a different kind of lesson. Bitcoin moved from $3,400 to $13,000 and back within a single year. Altcoins largely sat out. Surviving that period came down to patience and conviction rather than active trading.

Then 2020 introduced DeFi, and Ethereum rewarded on-chain participants generously. Protocols like YFI, AAVE, and UNI generated returns that traditional markets could not match.

Solana followed in 2021, establishing itself as a credible alternative to Ethereum and running hard across the board.

As analyst Jeremy noted on X, “Every chain has its season. Most people only notice after it’s over.” That observation holds true across each of these periods. The rotation was visible in hindsight, though rarely obvious in real time.

2022 Through 2026 Reflects the Shift Toward Institutional and National Narratives

The 2022 cycle stands apart from the rest. No single chain won. LUNA collapsed by May, and FTX followed in November.

The market rewarded caution over speculation that year. Those who avoided both disasters preserved enough capital to participate in the next cycle.

Bitcoin reasserted itself in 2023, quietly. Ordinals introduced a new use case directly on the Bitcoin base layer. Meanwhile, the ETF approval narrative built steadily while much of the market was still recovering from 2022.

Solana returned in 2024, this time through meme coins. The Pump.fun platform became the symbol of that era. Jeremy cited one trader who turned $72,000 into $30 million within three days on a meme coin. That kind of return drew a new wave of participants to the Solana ecosystem.

By 2025, the narrative moved beyond retail entirely. Nations began accumulating Bitcoin as a reserve asset. That shift in buyer profile changed the dynamics of the market in a way that previous cycles had not seen.

Entering 2026, no dominant chain or narrative has emerged yet. According to Jeremy, “The next season is loading.” Those positioned ahead of the cycle stand to benefit most.

The post Crypto Market Cycles Reveal Patterns That Repeat Across Each Blockchain Era appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Attackers minted 80M USR tokens illegally by hijacking Resolv’s off-chain signing infrastructure on March 22, 2026.

• A compromised contractor’s GitHub credential from a third-party project served as the initial entry point into Resolv’s systems.

• Around 46M of the illicitly minted USR was neutralized through direct burns and blacklist deployment after a timelock period.

• Resolv is now introducing on-chain mint caps, OIDC-based authentication, and automated pause mechanisms to prevent future breaches.

Resolv Protocol fell victim to a sophisticated cyberattack on March 22, 2026, resulting in a $25 million loss. Attackers exploited off-chain signing infrastructure to mint 80 million USR tokens without proper authorization.

The breach unfolded across multiple organizations and infrastructure layers. Resolv has since contained the attack, revoked all compromised credentials, and paused most protocol operations.

Pre-hack USR holders are being compensated on a 1:1 basis, with most redemptions already processed.

How Attackers Moved From a Third-Party Breach Into Resolv’s Core Systems

The attack began outside Resolv’s own infrastructure entirely. A contractor had previously contributed to a third-party project that was separately compromised.

The attackers obtained a GitHub credential linked to that contractor’s account. That single credential opened a door into Resolv’s code repositories.

Once inside, the attackers deployed a malicious GitHub workflow. This workflow quietly extracted sensitive infrastructure credentials without triggering outbound network detection.

Resolv confirmed in its postmortem that the attackers “removed their own access from the repository to minimize their forensic footprint” after pulling those credentials.

The extracted credentials then gave them entry into Resolv’s cloud environment. Over several days, the attackers conducted quiet reconnaissance, mapping services and probing for API keys tied to third-party integrations. They worked methodically before moving toward execution.

Gaining signing authority over the minting key was not straightforward. Multiple escalation attempts failed due to existing access controls.

As Resolv’s postmortem noted, the attackers ultimately used “a higher-privileged role’s policy management capabilities to modify the key’s access policy directly, granting themselves signing authority.”

How the Protocol Responded and What Changes Are Now Underway

Real-time monitoring flagged the first anomalous transaction within approximately one hour of the initial mint. The team then began preparing to pause contracts, halt backend services, and revoke compromised credentials. At 05:16 UTC, all relevant smart contracts with pause functionality were fully paused on-chain.

By 05:30 UTC, revoked credentials had severed the attackers’ cloud access entirely. Resolv noted that “forensic logs confirm that the attackers had been active as recently as 05:15 UTC,” meaning containment happened while the threat was still live. Around 46 million of the 80 million illicitly minted USR has since been neutralized through burns and blacklisting.

Resolv engaged several external firms to assist with recovery. These include Hexens for infrastructure forensics, MixBytes for smart contract audit, SEAL 911 for emergency coordination, and Hypernative for real-time monitoring. Mandiant and ZeroShadow are also set to join the broader investigation.

Going forward, Resolv plans to replace CI/CD credentials with OIDC-based authentication. The team stated it is “implementing on-chain mint caps and oracle-based price validation for minting operations” as part of its remediation plan.

Automated emergency pause mechanisms connected to live monitoring are also in development to prevent similar delays in future incident response.

The post How Resolv Lost $25M: The Full Story Behind the 80M USR Mint Attack appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• The US SEC and CFTC jointly classified $ALGO as a digital commodity, removing long-standing institutional barriers in 2026.

• Google’s Quantum AI team cited Algorand 32 times in a whitepaper, recognizing its post-quantum cryptography as industry-leading.

• Algorand and Algorand Technologies merged into one Delaware entity, backed by a $15 million protocol development commitment.

• Staking launched on Revolut for 70 million users as Post Finance added $ALGO custody, marking major mainstream access milestones.
  

Algorand is gaining renewed attention from institutions and regulators in 2026. The blockchain network, founded by Turing Award winner Silvio Micali, has recorded several major milestones in recent months.

These include regulatory guidance from US agencies, a Google quantum endorsement, and a major organizational overhaul.

Together, these developments are drawing fresh interest from banks, governments, and enterprise builders worldwide. The network has processed over 3.5 billion on-chain transactions with zero downtime since launch.

Regulatory Clarity and Quantum Recognition Open New Doors

In March and early April 2026, the US SEC and CFTC issued joint guidance classifying $ALGO as a digital commodity. This removed a major compliance barrier that had held back institutional investors for years.

Algorand Foundation CEO Staci Warden described the decision as “bedrock regulatory clarity.” Crypto analyst account @We_R_Crypto noted this language “resonates deeply in boardrooms wary of compliance risk.”

The classification aligns $ALGO with asset classes traditional finance already understands well. As a result, institutional capital that previously held back can now move more freely into the ecosystem.

Around the same time, the Foundation and Algorand Technologies merged into a single Delaware-based entity. The consolidation brought a new Board of Directors and a $15 million commitment to protocol development.

New appointments further strengthened the organization’s technical bench. Bruno Martins was named Chief Technology Officer, while Chris Peikert joined as Chief Scientific Officer. These hires reflect a clear focus on enterprise performance and long-term cryptographic security.

On March 31, Google’s Quantum AI team published a whitepaper citing the network 32 times. The paper positioned it as a leading real-world deployment of post-quantum cryptography.

Lattice-based cryptographic techniques used by the protocol address growing concerns about quantum threats to existing standards. The market responded with strong price momentum following the whitepaper’s publication.

Institutional Partnerships and Real-World Utility Drive Adoption

Algorand’s accessibility expanded when staking went live on Revolut in early 2026. The platform serves over 70 million customers globally.

Through this integration, users can now participate in network security and earn rewards. Swiss institution Post Finance also added $ALGO trading and custody services for its clients.

Beyond staking, the network is building momentum in real-world asset tokenization. Its low fees and efficient settlement infrastructure suit fractional ownership and programmable compliance applications. These use cases align naturally with where Algorand’s infrastructure is currently positioned.

The x402 standard for agentic commerce represents another frontier. Demonstrated live at SXSW, x402 enables autonomous agents to transact directly on-chain.

This opens doors for AI-driven payment models and automated subscription services. Humanitarian use cases, including cross-border aid distribution with UNHCR, further demonstrate the network’s real-world reach.

On the education side, the Algo_Bharat initiative has established 100 blockchain clubs at Indian universities. This effort builds a developer pipeline in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies.

The xGov programme complements this by funding community builders through transparent, retroactive grants.

The post Algorand Hits Regulatory and Quantum Milestones as Institutional Adoption Accelerates in 2026 appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• Marvell’s shares climbed 21.3% throughout March, fueled by robust quarterly results and a transformative Nvidia partnership
• Fourth-quarter revenue increased 22.1% to $2.2 billion, while adjusted earnings per share rose 33.3% to $0.80
• Nvidia committed $2 billion to Marvell through an equity investment and unveiled a comprehensive strategic collaboration
• Company executives project 40% data center revenue expansion in fiscal 2027, significantly exceeding Wall Street’s 25% forecast
• Erste Group launched coverage with a Buy recommendation on April 2, highlighting robust financial metrics and AI market positioning

March proved to be a landmark month for Marvell Technology. The semiconductor company not only exceeded expectations with its quarterly performance but also secured a game-changing agreement with Nvidia.

Marvell Technology, Inc., MRVL

The fourth-quarter financial results impressed investors. Revenue surged 22.1% compared to the prior year, reaching $2.2 billion. Adjusted earnings per share hit $0.80, representing a 33.3% increase. Both metrics exceeded Wall Street projections.

Forward-looking guidance reinforced the positive momentum. Executives forecast a 9% sequential revenue boost in the first quarter, with adjusted EPS projected at $0.79. These projections also surpassed analyst expectations.

However, the month’s most significant development arrived on March 31. Nvidia revealed a $2 billion equity stake in Marvell, accompanied by an extensive strategic alliance.

The collaboration encompasses custom silicon development, networking solutions, and optical technology innovations. At its core sits NVLink Fusion, Nvidia’s framework for incorporating external chips into its artificial intelligence infrastructure ecosystem.

The arrangement’s significance lies in the architectural flexibility it creates. Previously, AI infrastructure typically followed two paths: Nvidia-centric systems or custom XPU chip configurations with Ethernet connectivity. This alliance introduces hybrid possibilities — combining XPUs with Nvidia’s GPUs, CPUs, and interconnect technologies.

Data Center Revenue Projections Exceed Expectations

Management established ambitious targets for fiscal 2027. The chipmaker anticipates data center revenue will expand by 40% — substantially surpassing the 25% consensus among financial analysts.

This optimism appears rooted in its XPU operations, which supply custom AI chip intellectual property to cloud computing giants. While concerns had emerged about potential market share erosion at Amazon following the launch of Amazon’s Trainium chips, the aggressive guidance indicates the XPU business remains robust.

Marvell has simultaneously diversified its client portfolio. Microsoft introduced its enhanced Maia2 XPU processor in January, incorporating Marvell’s intellectual property into the chip architecture.

The Nvidia alliance also encompasses silicon photonics — an emerging technology poised to eventually supplant copper-based networking within AI data centers. Given that Nvidia’s existing NVLink infrastructure relies on copper, the partnership with Marvell represents a strategic shift toward optical interconnect solutions.

Wall Street Coverage Intensifies

On April 2, Erste Group launched coverage of Marvell with a Buy recommendation. The investment firm noted that net profits have doubled across the previous five quarters, while return on equity has climbed to 19%.

Erste additionally emphasized Marvell’s competitive advantages in high-performance analog and optical DSP technologies as fundamental drivers behind its optimistic assessment.

The Nvidia investment propelled Marvell to 52-week peak valuations. The stock had traded within a constrained range for much of the preceding six months, but the convergence of impressive earnings and Nvidia’s endorsement triggered a breakout.

Marvell presently trades at approximately 27 times forward earnings projections — a valuation premium compared to last year, though one that numerous analysts consider justified given the data center expansion outlook.

The company’s XPU offerings now interface with Nvidia’s NVLink Fusion infrastructure, potentially unlocking additional revenue opportunities throughout Nvidia’s expanding network of hyperscale clients.

The post Marvell (MRVL) Stock Soars 21% on Nvidia Partnership and Strong Earnings appeared first on Blockonomi.

Quick Overview

• Rocket Lab achieved 38% revenue growth, reaching $601.8 million in 2025, backed by a $1.85 billion record backlog
• An $816 million Space Development Agency contract strengthened Rocket Lab’s position in government aerospace
• AST SpaceMobile generated $70.9 million in 2025 revenue as it continues early-stage commercial infrastructure development
• AST maintains over $3.9 billion in pro forma liquidity to support satellite constellation expansion
• Analyst consensus favors Rocket Lab with a Moderate Buy rating, while AST receives a Reduce rating

Among space sector equities, Rocket Lab and AST SpaceMobile stand out as two of the most discussed investment opportunities. However, these companies pursue fundamentally different strategies and carry distinct risk-reward profiles. One has established a diversified operational foundation. The other represents a transformative vision for global mobile connectivity.

Rocket Lab delivered impressive financial performance throughout 2025. The company recorded 38% year-over-year revenue expansion, totaling $601.8 million. Its fourth-quarter performance reached a milestone with $179.7 million in revenue. Perhaps most significantly, the firm concluded 2025 with a $1.85 billion backlog—a 73% increase from the previous year. This substantial order book provides greater revenue visibility than most competitors in the space industry can demonstrate.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc., RKLB

The company’s revenue composition demonstrates meaningful diversification beyond launch services. Product sales generated $371.6 million during 2025, complemented by $230.2 million from service operations. Today’s Rocket Lab manufactures complete spacecraft, subsystems, and specialized components for defense and intelligence agencies.

Government Contract Wins Strengthen Rocket Lab’s Position

A significant milestone arrived when the company secured an $816 million agreement with the Space Development Agency. This substantial contract validates Rocket Lab’s capabilities for executing complex, multi-year government programs. Meanwhile, the Neutron medium-class launch vehicle represents management’s primary catalyst for the next phase of expansion.

Profitability remains elusive despite operational progress. Rocket Lab recorded a $198.2 million net loss for 2025. Leadership projected continued negative adjusted EBITDA for the opening quarter of 2026. Market valuations currently reflect anticipated future scale rather than present earnings performance.

AST SpaceMobile pursues an entirely different opportunity. The enterprise aims to deploy a satellite constellation providing cellular broadband connectivity directly to unmodified smartphones—eliminating requirements for specialized equipment. Successfully executing this vision at scale could unlock previously inaccessible market segments that conventional satellite providers cannot economically serve.

AST remains in the foundational stages of its mission. The company reported $70.9 million in total 2025 revenue. Fourth-quarter performance contributed $54.3 million, primarily from gateway equipment deliveries, mobile network operator partnerships, and government development milestones.

Strong Liquidity Position Supports AST SpaceMobile’s Deployment Plans

The company maintained $2.8 billion in cash and equivalents as of year-end 2025. Following additional capital raises completed in early 2026, pro forma liquidity exceeded $3.9 billion. This financial cushion enables continued satellite deployment without near-term funding pressures.

AST SpaceMobile, Inc., ASTS

AST has secured more than $1.2 billion in contracted revenue commitments from strategic partners. For a company just beginning to recognize meaningful revenue, this represents substantial commercial validation. Nevertheless, significant losses continue, and ultimate success depends critically on deployment velocity and network performance metrics.

Analyst sentiment clearly distinguishes between the two opportunities. Rocket Lab earns a Moderate Buy consensus rating, comprising 2 Strong Buys, 7 Buys, 7 Holds, and 1 Sell recommendation. AST SpaceMobile receives a Reduce consensus, with 2 Buys, 6 Holds, and 3 Sells.

Final Thoughts

Investment community confidence runs higher for Rocket Lab’s proven business model. While acknowledging AST’s substantial upside potential, analysts find the opportunity more challenging to quantify at this development stage. Rocket Lab offers greater operational maturity, revenue diversification, and broader analytical support. AST represents a higher-risk proposition with correspondingly larger potential returns if its satellite broadband architecture achieves technical and commercial success.

Rocket Lab presents the more established investment thesis currently. AST SpaceMobile offers the more ambitious transformational opportunity. The appropriate choice depends entirely on individual investor risk tolerance and portfolio objectives.

The post Rocket Lab (RKLB) vs AST SpaceMobile (ASTS): Top Space Stocks to Monitor in 2026 appeared first on Blockonomi.

Robert Kiyosaki, the New York best-selling author and investor, has reiterated previous warnings that the global economy could be on the verge of collapse.

In his latest post on the matter, he referred to historical events that began decades ago but are about to unfold now. Consequently, he outlined the assets investors should add to their portfolios.

Perfect Financial Storm Is Here

According to Kiyosaki, the world is now entering a dangerous phase marked by rising inflation, unsustainable debts, and a potential global conflict over oil and energy resources. And he dates this upcoming calamity to a pivotal year: 1974. He believes two major global shifts occurred back then, which reshaped the global financial system and are now coming back to haunt it.

The first was the transition of the US dollar into a petrodollar system, where the currency became tied to oil rather than gold. Fast-forward to today, Kiyosaki explained the world is once again on the brink of turmoil driven by energy conflicts, with inflation already on the rise as a direct consequence.

The second major shift was the introduction of retirement structures like the 401(k)-style systems, which replaced traditional guaranteed pensions. He argued that this change transferred risk from institutions to individuals, leaving millions unprepared for retirement.

These crises are converging at once now, Kiyosaki explained. Millions of retirees could soon face financial hardship as retirement savings fall short, while systems like Social Security and Medicare struggle under mounting pressure. This, combined with the rising oil prices, is pushing up the cost of living, impacting everything from fuel to food.

BTC and Gold Are the Answer?

After outlining the dangers in such a rapidly deteriorating global scene, Kiyosaki reiterated his solution – own real assets. Specifically, he praised gold, silver, and bitcoin as key stores of value in times of economic uncertainty.

Interestingly, he doubled down that BTC stands out as a modern alternative, serving as a decentralized, scarce, and independent of government control asset.

Although he didn’t guarantee that this escape plan would work for sure, he was clear in his stance, indicating that relying solely on traditional systems could be a mistake.

The post ‘History Has Arrived’: Robert Kiyosaki Warns of Collapse – Says Bitcoin May Be the Way Out appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Over a month has passed since the initial strikes against Iran took place on February 28, and the war scene in the Middle East has been rather controversial, to say the least.

Trump has remained very vocal on the topic, but many of his statements have contradicted each other. Some examples include stating after the first several days that there are no targets left in Iran to hit, while most recently, he outlined over 3,000 such possible sights that remain.

He also said initially that the war would likely end within four weeks, but more time has passed, and there’s no clear indication of a conclusion. The few positive takes came when he claimed Iran had begged for a deal, so he paused attacking certain infrastructure, which was refuted by the Middle Eastern country, and when the latter’s president said they could end the war but wanted certain guarantees.

Nevertheless, some experts remain hopeful that the end could be (almost) near, which is why we asked ChatGPT to speculate on what would happen with XRP’s price once there’s a solution in sight.

Explosion?

The AI solution noted that once geopolitical tensions cool down, markets shift into “risk-on mode,” meaning stocks rise, oil stabilizes or drops, and crypto often goes parabolic. If this is the case, investors should look for a BTC rally at first, followed by many alts, such as XRP. Moreover, many of them post even bigger gains.

XRP tends to perform strongly when global liquidity improves, macro uncertainty declines, and capital rotates into altcoins, ChatGPT added. A decisive conclusion of the war would likely “unlock sidelined capital, reduce fear-driven selling, and boost institutional confidence.”

Consequently, the popular AI solution outlined a short-term target for the cross-border token between $1.80 and $2.00 in the days after the war ends.

How XRP Can Go Higher?

OpenAI’s platform noted that the real reason behind XRP’s potential gains is not the actual conclusion of the war, but what happens after. Once the conflict is resolved, the likely scenario is that oil prices will decline, inflation pressure will be reduced, and the chances for central banks to lower interest rates will increase again.

This would lead to a situation in which liquidity rises, and “crypto LOVES liquidity,” said ChatGPT. This would be the best-case formula for XRP, in which it could skyrocket to well above $2.00 and aim at $2.50-$3 by the end of the year.

However, the AI chatbot also warned that XRP’s price moves are expected to be capped at $1.60 as long as the attacks continue and there’s no significant peace progress being made.

The post Will XRP Explode After the War? ChatGPT Weighs In on Ceasefire Impact appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The overall market calmness continues, but BTC has still dipped by a grand from yesterday’s peak, sliding below $67,000 minutes ago after the latest report on the war against Iran and its impact on some allies.

Most larger-cap alts are slightly in the red, with ETH, BNB, XRP, DOGE, and ADA dipping by up to 1.5%. Interestingly, XRP has lost the fourth spot in terms of market cap placement again to BNB.

BTC Slips Slightly

Bitcoin had a similarly uneventful weekend last time around, but dropped to a monthly low at $65,000 once the legacy financial markets began to open on Sunday evening and Monday morning. However, it rebounded almost immediately and experienced enhanced volatility, bouncing between $66,000 and $68,000 on a few occasions.

The bulls seemed in control on Wednesday when they drove bitcoin to a multi-day peak at $69,200 before Trump spoke about the war and said the strikes will continue. BTC slipped below $66,000 in hours as a result.

The following 48 hours or so were a lot calmer, as bitcoin recovered to $66,000 and spent the past few days trading sideways between that level and $67,000. It jumped to $67,600 yesterday after Trump’s latest reiteration of threats against Iran, but dropped by a grand today when a WSJ report claimed the US-EU alliance has reached a “breaking point” over the war.

For now, BTC’s market cap has declined to $1.335 trillion, while its dominance over the alts stands slightly above 56%.

XRP-BNB Race Continues

The battle between BNB and XRP for the fourth spot in terms of market cap continues. After Ripple’s cross-border token took the lead earlier this week, the asset linked to the Binance ecosystem has emerged on top today, even though both are slightly in the red.

ETH, SOL, DOGE, ADA, BCH, LINK, and HYPE have also charted minor losses, while ZEC and XMR have posted some gains. HASH has defied the overall market sluggishness with a massive 20% surge to over $0.11.

The total crypto market cap has lost around $10-$15 billion in a day and sits at $2.375 trillion on CG.

The post BNB Flips XRP Again, BTC Slips Below $67K: Weekend Watch appeared first on CryptoPotato.

After a prolonged period of little to no action, in which it maintained above $67,000, BTC’s price has dipped by about a grand since yesterday’s peak.

The latest price action coincided with a report from the Wall Street Journal, cited by The Kobeissi Letter, about the quickly deteriorating relationship between the European Union and the USA.

The coverage informed that the alliance, which has held for almost a century, is reaching a “breaking point” over the war in Iran as US President Donald Trump is unhappy with the fact that the EU leaders have refused to help.

Recall that several EU states, including Spain, France, and Italy, have repeatedly denied providing any military support to the US.

Some of the details from the latest WSJ report include Trump expressing “disgust” with European allies for not joining the war against Iran and questioning whether defending the Old Continent “serves US interests at all if Europeans do not help American military interventions in the Middle East or elsewhere.”

Additionally, the report described the White House’s stance as a “break” with American global strategy since the Second World War.

BREAKING: The US-Europe alliance is reportedly reaching a “breaking point” over the Iran War, and President Trump has “mused” to aides about backing out of NATO, per WSJ.

Details include:

1. Trans-Atlantic ties between the US and Europe are “deteriorating rapidly”

2. Trump has…

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) April 5, 2026

BTC remained flatlined for over 36 hours leading up to today. Even yesterday’s reiterated warning against Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz couldn’t really move it. However, it dipped to $66,600 ($1,000 lower than yesterday’s peak) after the WSJ report.

Still, this is a relatively minor price volatility in what was expected to be a less eventful weekend. However, the expectations for April are quite high for more fluctuations, starting from Monday when Trump’s deadline for Iran expires.

The post Bitcoin Price Dips as US-Europe Alliance Reaches ‘Breaking Point’ Over Iran War: Report appeared first on CryptoPotato.

A report from blockchain security firm Peckshield shows that crypto hacks rose 96% in March 2026, with scammers stealing about $52 million in major incidents.

It added that a new trend called the “shadow contagion” is also spreading the effects of these attacks to other DeFi platforms, meaning that protocols that aren’t affected have to deal with bad debt as a result.

Crypto Hacks Are Causing Ripple Effect

PeckShield identified 20 separate crypto exploits in March 2026, with the $52 million the industry collectively lost in those incidents being almost double the $26.5 million it says was stolen in February.

The platform added that these attacks are now triggering what experts call “shadow contagion” beyond the initial losses. Security researchers have noted that exploits are no longer behaving like isolated incidents. Instead, a single breach is creating a ripple effect that destabilizes lending markets, drains liquidity pools, and creates bad debt for protocols that were not directly compromised.

In its X post, PeckShield said that March’s largest security incident shows how this happens. Last month, attackers hacked ResolvLabs by exploiting a vulnerability in its AWS key management system that let them mint 80 million USR tokens. The breach caused direct losses of around $25 million and triggered bad debt across several other protocols like Morphoblue, Euler, and Fluid.

In the same way, a hacker bypassed the Thena (THE) market’s supply cap on Venus Protocol, inflated a collateral position to more than three times the intended limit, and borrowed nearly $15 million in assets. While initial reports framed the incident as a $3.7 million exploit, on-chain investigations show the attacker ended up losing over $4 million while creating $2.18 million in bad debt.

Other major exploits that occurred during the period include attacks on individuals, with one, a $24 million heist of crypto belonging to online personality Sillytuna, involving physical coercion and smart contract manipulation, and another, the theft of $18 million worth of ETH from a whale on Kraken, due to social engineering. On-chain data shows that the Kraken user had initially acquired 8,662 ETH, with the criminal gaining access to their wallet and bridging $1.7 million worth of ETH through Thorchain and putting an additional 5,347.9 ETH into the HitBTC platform.

April Opens With $285 Million Loss

Elsewhere, data from security researcher Jussy shows additional exploits of DeFi platforms like Cyrus Finance, which suffered a $5 million flashloan pool shares exploit on March 22, as well as Solv, a reserve protocol on the Bitcoin network, which lost $2.7 million on March 5.

Meanwhile, April started on a disastrous footing when a scheme hatched in March resulted in the loss of about $285 million from Drift Protocol, a perpetual futures exchange on Solana. In the aftermath of the incident, blockchain investigator ZachXBT called out stablecoin issuer Circle over perceived inaction as the attacker bridged millions in USDC from Solana to Ethereum across what he claimed were about 100 transactions.

The post Report: Crypto Hacks Rose 96% in March as Losses Hit $52M appeared first on CryptoPotato.