Paxos Labs funding brings in $12 million to expand Amplify, a platform for yield, borrowing, and branded stablecoin issuance.

The post Paxos Labs raises $12M, launches Amplify platform for onchain finance appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Genetic testing in IVF sparks debate over ethics and the balance between science and parental choice.

The post Kian Sadeghi: Genetic influence on IQ is 50%, the ethical complexities of embryo selection, and the historical dangers of eugenics | Tucker Carlson appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Marxist ideology's influence on global events challenges traditional views on capitalism and societal structures.

The post Emmet Connor: Marxist ideology is reshaping global events, globalism is a rebranded form of communism, and political labeling is a deflection strategy | The Peter McCormack Show appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Goldman Sachs' increased Bitcoin involvement signals growing institutional acceptance, potentially influencing broader financial market dynamics.

The post Goldman Sachs doubles down on Bitcoin exposure with new premium income ETF appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan says the Iran conflict shows Bitcoins growing role as both digital gold and a neutral global settlement asset.

The post Bitwise CIO says Iran conflict is showing Bitcoin’s geopolitical value beyond digital gold appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Kraken Reportedly Confirms Confidential IPO Filing as Valuation Falls to $13.3B

Kraken has confidentially filed for an initial public offering, co-CEO Arjun Sethi said Tuesday at Semafor World Economy in Washington, D.C., confirming earlier reports. The disclosure marks a renewed step toward public markets after earlier plans were paused amid volatile crypto conditions.

The San Francisco-based exchange was valued at $13.3 billion in an April funding round, down from a $20 billion peak in late 2025, according to Semafor. The round included backing from major investors such as Citadel Securities and reflected shifting sentiment across digital asset markets.

Sethi said Kraken aims to bring institutional-grade trading tools to retail users. He compared the platform’s ambitions to services offered by firms like Jane Street and JPMorgan Chase, emphasizing broader access to sophisticated financial products.

Earlier reports indicated Kraken had paused IPO plans due to weaker trading volumes and falling crypto prices, though the company has not ruled out a future listing. Market conditions have weighed on recent crypto public offerings, including performance declines among newly listed firms.

Kraken also recently secured a master account with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, granting access to U.S. payment infrastructure, including Fedwire. The move allows direct dollar settlement without intermediary banks, a significant milestone for a crypto-native firm.

However, the account does not provide interest on reserves or access to Federal Reserve lending facilities. 

Kraken’s recent extortion scare and Deutsche Börse investment

Earlier today, Deutsche Börse disclosed an investment of $200 million in Kraken, acquiring a 1.5% fully diluted stake in Payward Inc via secondary share purchase, pending regulatory approval and expected to close in Q2 2026. 

The deal deepens an existing partnership announced in December 2025, aimed at integrating traditional financial infrastructure with digital asset markets, including regulated crypto trading, derivatives, tokenized assets, and institutional liquidity services. 

Separately this week, Kraken disclosed two insider-related security incidents involving support staff who accessed limited client data through internal tools. About 2,000 accounts (0.02%) were affected, though no trading systems or client funds were compromised. 

The incidents led to an extortion attempt by a criminal group claiming to possess internal videos, which Kraken refused to pay. The company revoked access, identified responsible individuals, notified users, and is cooperating with law enforcement while strengthening controls.

The episodes highlight ongoing insider threat risks across crypto firms. Galaxy Digital also reported a separate cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to a development environment, though no client data or funds were impacted.

This post Kraken Reportedly Confirms Confidential IPO Filing as Valuation Falls to $13.3B first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Relics of a Revolution, Part III: The Suit, The Songs, The System

Revolutions leave behind artifacts. In August 2022, seven Adams County sheriff’s deputies in Ohio executed a search warrant on the home of Joseph Foreman — better known to the world as Afroman. They found nothing (save the lemon pound cake), and no charges were filed. What followed was a First Amendment masterclass in an American flag suit.

Using footage from his own home surveillance system, Foreman turned a botched raid into songs, videos, and a public record the Ohio deputies could no longer control. The officers later sued him for defamation, emotional distress, and invasion of privacy, claiming the videos ridiculed them and damaged their reputations. In March 2026, a jury ruled in Afroman’s favor. But by then, the videos and songs had grown exponentially beyond anything a courtroom could contain.

Born Joseph Edgar Foreman in Los Angeles, most people still know him from “Because I Got High” — the 2001 breakout hit that made him a household name. But what happened in Ohio revealed something more enduring beneath the comedy: an instinct for turning humiliation into visibility, and visibility into power. In his own telling, the deputies “brought me material.” What they intended as force became fodder. What could have remained a private violation became songs, satire, and evidence.

What unfolded was not just a legal victory. It was protest art in the modern age — raw, low-budget, absurdist, and deeply American. Wearing the flag while defending free speech. Turning ridicule back on the people who expected silence. Alongside Mear One’s Occupy Wall Street murals and Kolin Burges’ Mt. Gox vigil sign, Afroman’s American flag suit belongs to a lineage of cultural objects created when people refuse to let institutions bury the story. That suit will be on display at Bitcoin Conference 2026 in Las Vegas as part of Relics of a Revolution, an exhibition exploring protest art and asymmetric responses to institutional power.

I sat down with Joseph Foreman to talk about the raid, the songs, the verdict, and what it means to turn injustice into art.

BMAG: You testified that “the whole raid was a mistake” and that “all of this is their fault.” Seven deputies with assault rifles found nothing in your home and filed no charges. What was the first thing you did after they left?

Afroman:  I put on my green and white outfit that matches my house and I quickly took a picture of the most damaged part of my house so I could infinitely reflect on the positivity of my mentality. I wanted to show humanity how I was gonna turn a bad situation into a financial good one. So as soon as I got home, I dressed up and I took the picture for the album LEMON POUND CAKE. 

BMAG: You’ve said that if they hadn’t raided your house, there would be no songs, no lawsuit, and you wouldn’t even know their names. They sued you for defamation over the music you made from their own raid. What do you think they expected you to do instead?

Afroman: They expected me to get bullied like the rest of the small American civilians they bully every day. They weren’t expecting me to stand up to them using my FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

BMAG: “They stormed my home with assault rifles and they want to sue me for cracking jokes?” Why does humor disarm or scare power so much? The songs went viral — you can’t un-laugh or unsee it.

Afroman: They know that if a joke shows how wrong and pathetic they are, it can spread like wildfire through the population. It’s hard for five cowboys to control hundreds of cows that KNOW THEIR RIGHTS. The thought of the hundreds of cows — the American people — unifying and trampling a few cowboys is the worst-case scenario for a crooked government official. So if a joke points out how crooked or wrong a government or law official is, they want to silence you before they lose control over the population, and their jobs.

BMAG: To step back for a moment — what’s going on in Ohio? “Four Dead in Ohio” was fifty years ago and the state is still making headlines for the wrong reasons. Or is that just America?

Afroman:I’m from Los Angeles and Mississippi. You have two types of people in this world — good and bad — and they’re gonna be all over America. They’re gonna be all over the world. Just to put everything in a nutshell: I am a new Ohio immigrant. I don’t know too much of Ohio’s dirty past. All I know is this — BAD PEOPLE ARE NEVER GOING AWAY. Therefore, good people must put things in place that check the bad people. There’s always gonna be a common cold, but humanity is no longer scared of the common cold because when we get the common cold, we have the remedies to treat it. So good people need to have remedies for bad people, no matter what, where, why, or when.

BMAG: After the verdict, you walked out of the courthouse shouting “We did it, America” and “Power to the people.” You said “we” — not “I.” In a country that keeps dividing people into sides, who were you talking to?

Afroman: I WAS TALKING TO THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I was talking to all sides. We all almost lost our freedom of speech — and I’m gonna say “we” because people’s hearts and spirits were fighting with me on the internet. People were riding by the courthouse blowing their horns. I didn’t do it by myself. I fought with America. America fought with me. Thanks to that unification, America still has freedom of speech.

BMAG: The suit will be on display at Bitcoin Conference 2026 inside Relics of a Revolution. Claire Salvo painted your portrait on a dollar bill. Songs get pulled. Platforms disappear. Footage gets buried by algorithms. Even the dollar loses its value over time. The suit is the one thing from this story that can’t be deleted or devalued. Now you’ve got a Constitution suit and a Statue of Liberty suit in the works.  When did the suits become part of the art?

Afroman: One time I went to a party — and all of my friends are cool, all my friends dress really cool — and me and my friend almost wore the same suit to the same party. It was that night I decided to go custom. All cool guys shop at the same store, so me and another cool guy, we’re gonna like the same outfit. TO STOP THESE CLOTHING CATASTROPHES, I began ordering, designing, and making custom-made suits.

This is Part III of a three-part interview series accompanying the Relics of a Revolution exhibition. Part I features Kolin Burges, and Part II Mear One.

Fix the money. Fix the world.

Afroman will appear as a main stage speaker and performer at Bitcoin Conference 2026 at The Venetian in Las Vegas, April 27–29. The auction for his American flag suit can be previewed on Scarce.city at scarce.city/auctions/americanflagsuit. 

The Bitcoin Museum & Art Gallery (BMAG) is the curatorial and cultural programming division of BTC Inc and the Bitcoin Conference. Since 2019, the BMAG conference art gallery has facilitated more than 120 BTC in art and collectible sales. Learn more about BMAG at museum.b.tc.

Bundle your Bitcoin 2026 pass with a stay at The Venetian and get your fourth night free. Use code AFTERS for a free After Hours Pass, or get your pass alone here. 

This post Relics of a Revolution, Part III: The Suit, The Songs, The System first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Dennis Koch.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Moves Past Halfway Point in Halving Cycle as Supply Tightens Toward 2028

Bitcoin is moving deeper into its current halving cycle, with the network now past the midpoint as the next supply cut approaches in 2028.

The next halving is expected in mid-April 2028 at block height 1,050,000, according to Bitcoin Magazine Pro data. Roughly 105,000 blocks remain in the current cycle, placing the network just over halfway through what is known as epoch five, which began after the April 2024 halving.

Bitcoin halvings occur every 210,000 blocks and reduce miner rewards by half, tightening the flow of new supply. Miners currently receive 3.125 BTC per block, a figure that will fall to about 1.562 BTC after the next event. Daily issuance will decline from around 450 BTC to near 225 BTC, reinforcing bitcoin’s fixed supply model capped at 21 million coins.

The mechanism has long supported bitcoin’s scarcity narrative. Previous halvings in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 preceded major price expansions as reduced issuance met sustained demand. This cycle, however, is showing a different pattern.

Bitcoin has gained about 15% since the April 2024 halving, rising from near $64,000 to around $74,000. The asset reached a peak near $126,000 in October 2025 before falling to about $60,000 in February. The current cycle reflects slower gains compared with prior periods, a trend often linked to BTC’s growing market size and broader adoption.

Larger capital inflows are now required to drive price movements, contributing to reduced volatility and more measured trends. Institutional participation continues to shape market structure, with spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds drawing significant inflows.

Recent price action has also been driven by derivatives activity. BTC climbed from about $70,700 to above $76,000 within roughly two days, as liquidations of leveraged short positions accelerated upward momentum. Around $225 million in positions were wiped out during the move.

At the same time, miners face pressure as block rewards decline. Lower issuance may compress margins, pushing operators to depend more on transaction fees and scale.

Bitcoin miners are pivoting to AI

Bitcoin miners are pivoting toward artificial intelligence as profitability in core mining operations deteriorates. Following the 2024 halving, block rewards were cut in half while energy, cooling, and hardware costs remained elevated, compressing margins across the industry.

In response, miners are repurposing their existing infrastructure — power-heavy data centers, cooling systems, and land — into high-performance computing hubs for AI workloads. This shift allows them to tap into more stable, long-term revenue streams tied to the surging demand for AI training and inference.

Companies like TeraWulf and Core Scientific have already secured multi-billion-dollar AI hosting agreements, while others are reallocating capital away from BTC holdings to fund data center buildouts.

This post Bitcoin Moves Past Halfway Point in Halving Cycle as Supply Tightens Toward 2028 first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Satochip Announces Bridge Financing as It Prepares U.S. Push for Open-Source Hardware Wallets

Satochip SRL, a Belgium-based company specializing in secure hardware solutions for digital asset self-custody, today announced that it has secured part of its ongoing bridge financing round with support from existing shareholders and new business angels.

The bridge round will support the company’s strategic expansion into the United States, enabling Satochip to establish a local presence and accelerate sales in one of the world’s largest digital asset markets.

Founded in Belgium, Satochip develops open-source secure hardware wallets and smart card solutions, designed to give users full control over their digital assets. The company’s technology emphasizes security, transparency, and sovereignty, “aligning with the growing global demand for self-custody solutions” according to a press release shared with Bitcoin Magazine.

Satochip SRL offers a focused line of open-source NFC smartcard-based hardware solutions for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency self-custody. Its flagship product, the Satochip, is a credit-card-form-factor hardware wallet equipped with an EAL6+ certified secure element that supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, and over 1,000 tokens and NFTs. It pairs with desktop wallets such as Sparrow and Electrum, as well as mobile apps, and requires no battery or screen—transactions are verified through connected software. The company also produces the Satodime, a giftable bearer cold-storage card serving as a modern paper-wallet replacement, and the Seedkeeper, a hardware vault for securely storing seed phrases and passwords. 

All products are fully open-source (AGPLv3 Java Card applet), allowing users to flash generic smartcards themselves. Community adoption has grown notably through integrations such as the SeedSigner + Satochip combo, which enables users to build affordable, air-gapped DIY Bitcoin signing devices, experiment with the technology and develop new grassroots niches and use cases.

“The United States represents a critical market for the future of digital asset security,” said Bastien Taquet, co-founder of Satochip. “With strong support from our investors, this bridge round allows us to build a foothold in the U.S. market while continuing to innovate secure hardware solutions for the global crypto ecosystem. We are welcoming additional strategic investors who want to join us on this growth journey.”

The funding will primarily be used to establish a U.S. operational presence, expand sales and distribution channels, and strengthen B2B partnerships within the crypto ecosystem.  The Satochip Team will attend the Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas at the end of April.

Editorial Disclaimer: We leverage AI as part of our editorial workflow, including to support research, image generation, and quality assurance processes. All content is directed, reviewed, and approved by our editorial team, who are accountable for accuracy and integrity. AI-generated images use only tools trained on properly licensed material. In Bitcoin, as in media: Don’t trust. Verify.

This post Satochip Announces Bridge Financing as It Prepares U.S. Push for Open-Source Hardware Wallets first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Juan Galt.

Bitcoin Magazine

Trump Fed Pick Kevin Warsh Reveals Stake in Bitcoin Lightning Startup Flashnet

Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chair, Kevin Warsh, has disclosed an equity stake in Bitcoin payments start-up Flashnet. The holding appeared in financial disclosure forms filed ahead of Warsh’s Senate confirmation hearing, which could begin as soon as this week but will most likely start next week.

Flashnet positions itself as a lightning-style Bitcoin payment system for merchants and fintech platforms, part of a broader push to speed up and cheapen transactions on the Bitcoin network. Warsh’s stake links the incoming Fed chief directly to a company whose fortunes depend on Bitcoin adoption and transaction volume, at a time when he has publicly framed Bitcoin as “an important asset” and “a very good policeman for policy.” 

During past comments, he has argued that Bitcoin’s price can signal when the Fed is behind the curve on inflation or financial conditions.

The Fed chair oversees interest-rate policy and the regulatory environment that shapes liquidity conditions for all risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Warsh has been cast in some corners of the industry as the first overtly pro‑Bitcoin Fed chair, with supporters arguing that his familiarity with the asset class will help with institutional normalization rather than bias. 

$100 million in filings for Warsh

Warsh disclosed other assets likely exceeding $100 million in the required ethics filings. His report lists massive investments, including stakes over $50 million in Juggernaut Fund LP and multimillion-dollar consulting income from Stanley Druckenmiller’s firm, alongside numerous holdings in AI and other crypto ventures. 

Warsh pledged to divest several opaque or potentially conflicting assets, a step ethics officials said would bring him into compliance. The filing advances his nomination to replace Jerome Powell, with a Senate confirmation hearing expected as early as next week.

The disclosure also included assets held by Warsh’s spouse, Jane Lauder, whose family is tied to the Estée Lauder Companies. Forbes estimates her net worth at about $1.9 billion. Several of her municipal bond holdings were reported broadly, with some listed simply as “over $1 million.”

Warsh reported relatively modest liabilities. These include a 2015 mortgage of up to $5 million from JPMorgan Chase at a 2.75% rate, a revolving line of credit of up to $5 million from PNC Bank at roughly 6%, and capital commitments totaling $1.95 million to THSDFS LLC, one of the holdings he has pledged to divest.

Editorial Disclaimer: We leverage AI as part of our editorial workflow, including to support research, image generation, and quality assurance processes. All content is directed, reviewed, and approved by our editorial team, who are accountable for accuracy and integrity. AI-generated images use only tools trained on properly licensed material. In Bitcoin, as in media: Don’t trust. Verify.

This post Trump Fed Pick Kevin Warsh Reveals Stake in Bitcoin Lightning Startup Flashnet first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Strategy's perpetual preferred stock, STRC, played a key role in the company's Bitcoin strategy this week after it saw more than $1.1 billion in daily trading volume.

In an X post, Strategy declared April 13 the record date for STRC. Michael Saylor also noted that the security closed at par with just “one penny of volatility” after $1.156 billion in liquidity moved through the market.

This trading surge came after Strategy revealed it had bought 13,927 Bitcoin for about $1 billion between April 6 and April 12.

With this purchase, the company now holds 780,897 Bitcoin, bought for a total of $59.02 billion, averaging $75,577 per coin.

The company stated that the purchase was fully funded through at-the-market (ATM) sales of 10.02 million STRC shares, generating approximately $1 billion in net proceeds.

Meanwhile, that pairing of record trading activity in STRC and a weekly Bitcoin purchase funded exclusively through that preferred program marks a significant shift in emphasis for the company.

For equity investors, this shift could significantly change the balance of potential gains and risks. Increased reliance on preferred stock may reduce immediate dilution for common shareholders, since fewer ordinary shares are issued right away.

However, it brings more fixed claims ahead of equity in the capital structure, meaning holders of preferred stock have the right to receive dividends before common shareholders receive anything. In other words, preferred shareholders are prioritized for payments, so common shareholders only benefit if the company has enough profit left over after meeting these obligations.

This approach could enhance returns if Bitcoin performs well, but it increases reliance on ongoing market access and disciplined dividend management. While the shift may boost short-term buying power and reduce equity dilution, it also raises financial leverage and execution risk for common shareholders over time.

How STRC preferred stock took the lead for Strategy's Bitcoin purchases

Launched in July 2025, STRC was designed to operate fundamentally differently from Strategy's MSTR common stock.

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Jul 22, 2025 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

The preferred stock carries a variable annualized dividend rate, currently at 11.50% as of April. Its adjustable-rate structure is intended to incentivize trading near its $100 par value strongly.

This stable price anchor enables Strategy to use its ATM issuance program efficiently. Issuing new STRC shares at a consistent price allows the company to quickly raise capital and convert it into Bitcoin, minimizing the friction and discounts typically seen with large secondary offerings.

Market observers note that STRC aims to provide investors with double-digit returns and minimal price volatility, combining high-yield income with capital stability.

Essentially, Strategy's executive chairman, Michael Saylor, said:

“STRC delivers money market–like stability with market-leading risk-adjusted returns.”

Since its inception, STRC has financed the acquisition of nearly 70,000 Bitcoin, according to STRC.live. The recent $1 billion volume on April 13 could fund the purchase of over 6,000 additional BTC.

Unsurprisingly, STRC's market capitalization has ballooned alongside this utility, nearly doubling from $3.4 billion in February to $6.36 billion today. With $21.6 billion worth of STRC shares still authorized for future issuance, the runway for further BTC accumulation remains vast.

Related Reading

Strategy is using a high-yield funding engine to buy billions in Bitcoin and chase 1 million BTC

Strategy’s path to 1 million Bitcoin hinges on a high-yield engine that could either supercharge growth or break it.

Mar 17, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

Bears point to reserves, refinancing, and the growing preferred stack risks

Despite market optimism, several analysts have raised concerns about the sustainability of this model, citing Strategy's own financial disclosures.

Because Strategy's software business does not generate sufficient operating cash flow to meet its financial obligations, the company established a $2.25 billion reserve in early February. This reserve serves as a financial safety net, intended to cover nearly 2.5 years of dividend payments on preferred stock and interest payments on outstanding debt.

The reserve is necessary because, without enough regular business income, the company relies on this set-aside cash to meet fixed payments. If this reserve is depleted before Strategy generates enough new income or finds additional sources of financing, the company could face pressure to sell assets or issue more shares, putting both preferred and common shareholders at risk.

Critics argue that a structure reliant on ongoing market access may appear stable until financing conditions shift.

Independent Bitcoin analyst Derin Olenik recently published a critical analysis of the company's obligations, warning that the current ATM growth rate is unsustainable.

According to Olenick's calculations, the STRC obligations are growing astronomically, with the notional value growing at a compound monthly rate of roughly 30%.

At this pace, the company's obligations could more than double every three months and increase tenfold within a year, dramatically accelerating the pressure on cash flow and reserves.

If this trajectory holds, Olenik estimates Strategy will burn through its $2.25 billion reserve in just nine to ten months, rather than the projected two-and-a-half years.

He warned that, to cover such a deficit without selling Bitcoin, Strategy would need to dilute its common shareholders significantly.

Even if MSTR returns to its previous all-time high, Olenik calculates that the company would need to issue over 1 billion new shares to pay preferred dividends, diluting existing common equity by nearly 400%.

Considering this, he concluded that:

“If ATM issuance halts, Bitcoin accumulation stops. If issuance continues, the math dictates hyper-dilution regardless of the stock price. From a common shareholder's perspective, STRC should not be viewed as Digital Credit, but rather Digital Kamikaze.”

MSTR bulls see STRC as a cleaner way to add Bitcoin

However, Strategy supporters argue against the grim picture Olenik has postulated.

According to them, Strategy has successfully tapped into a distinct investor pool of income-oriented buyers willing to accept a fixed claim and limited upside for STRC.

By directing proceeds from these conservative investors into an asset with high expected long-term volatility and upside, Strategy maintains Bitcoin exposure for common shareholders.

Preferred investors receive a yield-focused instrument that currently trades more like short-duration credit than a cryptocurrency proxy. In practical terms, ‘short-duration credit' refers to debt securities or financial instruments that mature in a relatively short period, typically less than five years.

These investments are often considered less risky because their values are less sensitive to interest rate changes and are expected to return principal to investors sooner. For STRC, this means its trading behavior is more stable and predictable, similar to short-term corporate bonds, rather than following the price swings typical of cryptocurrencies.

Notably, Strategy itself has consistently referred to STRC as its flagship “Digital Credit” instrument.

Bitcoin analyst Adam Livingston said:

“[STRC] is a machine that converts capital markets access into long-duration Bitcoin exposure, while the fixed claim gets smaller and smaller relative to the asset if BTC keeps compounding.”

Supporters argue that the model is effective as long as Bitcoin appreciates faster than the cash cost of servicing the preferred dividend.

In this scenario, each successful STRC issuance converts capital markets demand into additional Bitcoin holdings, while the fixed preferred claim becomes smaller relative to the asset base as Bitcoin appreciates over time.

Saylor has also reassured jittery investors, saying:

“Our BTC Breakeven ARR [Accounting Rate of Return] is approximately 2.05 percent. If Bitcoin grows faster than that over time, we can cover our dividends indefinitely without issuing new MSTR shares.”

MSTR common shareholders remain the key audience

For MSTR holders, the real question is whether this funding model remains accretive to the common stock over time.

In the near term, the evidence is positive. STRC saw record turnover, remained at par, and Strategy used this market access to purchase $1 billion of Bitcoin in one week.

This outcome supports management's view that STRC can serve as a reliable, repeatable funding channel rather than a one-time financing tool.

Over a longer horizon, the picture is inherently more complicated. Every successful STRC raise adds another layer of fixed claims ahead of the common stock.

Strategy's own risk disclosures acknowledge that future preferred issuance could dilute existing shareholders and that adverse shifts in financing conditions could make it harder to maintain the necessary dividend reserves.

Dilution refers to the reduction in existing shareholders' ownership percentage when new shares are issued, thereby decreasing each shareholder's claim on the company's assets and profits. Financing conditions matter because if the company cannot access cheap or stable funding, it may struggle to raise enough capital to support dividend payments or maintain its financial structure, increasing overall risk for both preferred and common shareholders.

Ultimately, STRC demonstrates both strength and risk. It performs as intended by attracting significant liquidity and maintaining a price near par.

Yet it creates tension because each issuance round ties the broader Strategy thesis ever more tightly to the company's ability to preserve market access, maintain dividend support, and keep Bitcoin valuable enough to justify the financial stack built around it.

The post Strategy’s STRC hits record trading volume after massive $1B Bitcoin purchase as market cap doubles since Friday appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin climbed to its highest level since the early-February sell-off after US producer prices went up, but rose less than economists expected, in March, with easing oil prices and stronger equity markets adding to the rebound in risk assets.

According to CryptoSlate's data, Bitcoin surged past the $76,000 mark during early US trading hours, with the broader crypto ecosystem adding around $110 billion billion to its market capitalization during the last 24 hours.

The prevailing market optimism has been largely driven by shifting expectations regarding the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, compounded by unexpected developments in ongoing geopolitical conflicts.

US equities surge as short sellers face historic squeeze

Meanwhile, the relief rally was not confined to the cryptocurrency sector alone.

Bull Theory, a macro-economics platform, noted that traditional financial markets absorbed the inflation data with equal enthusiasm, adding nearly $1.4 trillion in market capitalization to US indices over a two-day span.

According to the firm, the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite leaped 2.85%, adding $960 billion in value, while the Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks surged 3%. The S&P 500 advanced 2.12%, pushing it to within 100 points of a new historical benchmark.

Simultaneously, optimism regarding a stabilization in the Middle East drove a steep decline in global energy markets, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil tumbling 6% to settle at $93 per barrel.

For bearish traders positioned against a digital asset recovery, the sudden influx of bullish momentum proved devastating. According to derivatives market data provider CoinGlass, the rapid appreciation in Bitcoin prices triggered a cascading wave of liquidations.

In a single one-hour window, over $100 million in leveraged positions were wiped out. Total market liquidations swiftly breached the $650 million mark, with short-sellers bearing the brunt of the damage.

Traders betting on price declines lost an estimated $514.94 million, marking the highest level of short liquidations recorded since the market volatility of February.

Against this backdrop, Joao Wedson, the CEO of blockchain analytical firm Alphractal, stated:

“Most of the bears were liquidated today! Exactly on April 14th, which is curiously a peculiar and fractal day for Bitcoin!”

Inflation numbers fuel hawkish pivot fears

The primary catalyst for Tuesday’s risk-on environment was the release of the March Producer Price Index (PPI) by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data revealed that wholesale inflation is rising but below Wall Street's expectations.

According to the report, the headline PPI advanced 4% year-over-year in March, falling short of the consensus estimate of 4.7%.

Nonetheless, this represents a notable acceleration from the 3.6% annual increase recorded in February, and the highest annual growth rate in three years.

On a monthly basis, the PPI rose just 0.5%, matching February’s pace but coming in sharply below the 1.1% surge forecast by economists.

Core PPI, which strips out the volatile food and energy sectors, remained flat at 3.8% year-over-year, undercutting market expectations of 4.2%.

Market observers linked the rising inflation numbers to the US-Iran war, which drove up energy prices and rekindled fears of another inflation surge.

In macroeconomic environments characterized by sticky or accelerating inflation data, the Federal Reserve faces intensified pressure to maintain a restrictive, higher-for-longer interest rate regime.

As a result, market participants are forced to price out near-term rate cuts, betting instead that the central bank will maintain a hawkish stance and tighten monetary policy.

Historically, elevated borrowing costs drain liquidity from the broader financial system, disproportionately pressuring risk-sensitive assets such as Bitcoin and high-growth technology equities as capital rotates into yielding safe havens.

The changing narrative around Bitcoin’s role

Meanwhile, BTC's price rebound has also revived a deeper argument about the top crypto's place during periods of geopolitical stress.

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Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan said Bitcoin had outperformed many traditional assets since US and Israeli airstrikes began on Feb. 28. According to Hougan, Bitcoin was up 12% over that stretch, while the S&P 500 was down 1% and gold had fallen 10%.

That performance has challenged the view that Bitcoin should automatically trade lower during every geopolitical shock because of its reputation as a high-volatility risk asset.

Instead, some market participants increasingly see Bitcoin as carrying two overlapping roles. One is its more established function as a scarce digital asset that competes with gold and other stores of value.

The second is a more speculative role tied to its potential use in international settlement in a world where global payment systems are becoming more fragmented.

That second idea has gained traction since the West moved to cut major Russian banks off from the SWIFT network after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The shift accelerated the search for alternatives to traditional dollar-based rails, particularly among countries looking to reduce exposure to Western financial pressure.

Against that backdrop, the Middle East conflict has fueled fresh debate over whether Bitcoin could benefit when geopolitical fractures deepen, and the appeal of politically neutral payment systems rises.

That argument remains contested, and it has not displaced Bitcoin’s sensitivity to rates, liquidity, and equity-market moves.

Still, it has become a more visible part of the market conversation whenever geopolitical stress intensifies.

The post Bitcoin surges on $650 million short squeeze, passing $76,000 as US inflation numbers fuels risk asset rally appeared first on CryptoSlate.

A coordinated push to enact the CLARITY Act is colliding with a rapidly closing legislative window, prompting warnings from industry advocates that a failure to pass the bill this spring could stall crypto developments until the end of the decade.

With the November 2026 midterms looming, the legislative calendar is shrinking, and the complex jurisdictional divide among federal financial committees threatens to derail a bill that has been months in the making.

The CLARITY Act, which advanced through the House of Representatives in July 2025, remains bogged down in the Senate amidst an intense lobbying war between traditional financial institutions and the digital asset sector over the treatment of yield-bearing stablecoins.

Crypto advocates are sounding the alarm that if the Senate Banking Committee does not schedule a markup soon, the legislation will be swallowed by election-year politics.

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In an X post, Sen. Cynthia Lummis echoed the growing anxiety across the digital asset space, while warning:

“This is our last chance to pass the Clarity Act until at least 2030. We can’t afford to surrender America’s financial future.”

Notably, market sentiment is already reflecting this pessimism. Bettors on the decentralized prediction platform Polymarket currently price the odds of the CLARITY Act passing this year at 58%, a sharp decline from 82% in February.

On Kalshi, traders are projecting just a 13% probability that the legislation passes before June, 28% before July, and a 62% chance it remains unresolved into 2027.

A shifting industry consensus

Despite the tightening timeline, the crypto industry is presenting an increasingly united front, driven by a series of high-profile reversals.

The most notable shift comes from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, who previously withdrew his support for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in January over disputes regarding the bill's language on tokenized equities, ethics provisions, and stablecoin yields.

That withdrawal was highly influential, contributing to the Senate Banking Committee’s decision to delay a previously scheduled markup vote. Now, Armstrong is publicly urging lawmakers to move forward.

Armstrong's change in posture immediately followed an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who called on Congress to finalize the regulatory framework without further delay.

Taking to X, Armstrong explicitly backed the Treasury chief’s position, stating that months of aggressive negotiation had strengthened the text. He declared:

“It’s time to pass the Clarity Act.”

Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryary Shirzad also reinforced this optimism last week, noting the largest US-based crypto trading platform was “ready to do our part to get this done.”

The exchange's new decision comes as bipartisan negotiators were inching closer to a comprehensive agreement.

The Senate Agriculture Committee already cleared its portion of the legislation in a narrow 12-11 vote in January, under Sen. John Boozman.

However, that language must be reconciled with the securities-focused components under the Senate Banking Committee's purview, which has yet to act.

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New Coinbase CLARITY Act standoff over stablecoin reward is now holding up rules for the entire US crypto market

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The stablecoin yield battleground

The primary bottleneck preventing a full Senate floor vote remains a bitter clash over market liquidity and the foundational mechanics of stablecoins.

Traditional banking lobbies and crypto executives are fundamentally at odds over whether stablecoin issuers should be permitted to pass yields on to their users.

For the traditional banking sector, the concern stems from the mechanics of deposit flight.

The American Bankers Association (ABA) argues that if stablecoins function as high-yield, easily accessible digital assets, they could trigger a massive outflow of retail and commercial deposits from the traditional banking system.

When smaller, regional community banks lose these low-cost deposits, they are forced to replace the funding quickly to maintain their lending operations. This is typically achieved through higher-cost wholesale borrowing, such as tapping Federal Home Loan Bank advances or turning to capital markets.

The ABA maintains that allowing stablecoin rewards under the CLARITY Act would inevitably squeeze net interest margins, forcing banks to raise deposit rates and ultimately reducing credit availability and raising borrowing costs for small businesses.

To neutralize the banking lobby's narrative, the executive branch has launched an unprecedented, multi-agency pressure campaign.

The centerpiece of this effort is a newly released report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers. The CEA’s macroeconomic analysis directly challenged the ABA's warnings, concluding that the systemic risks posed by stablecoin yields have been vastly overstated.

According to White House economists, banning interest on stablecoins would increase total US bank lending by only $2.1 billion. Measured against the sprawling $12 trillion American lending market, the CEA framed this as a negligible 0.02% shift, with community banks projected to capture just $500 million of that total.

Conversely, the report warned that prohibiting yields would be a punitive measure against American consumers, resulting in an estimated $800 million in annual welfare loss by depriving them of standard interest on their digital holdings.

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The ABA immediately fired back as the Senate returned from its two-week recess. The banking group accused the White House of tracking the crypto industry’s preferred narrative by treating a yield prohibition as an “intervention” and focusing on the wrong macroeconomic questions.

According to ABA:

“By focusing on the effects of a prohibition, the CEA paper risks creating a misleading sense of safety by avoiding the much more consequential scenario: yield-paying payment stablecoins scaling quickly.”

The group stressed that the real threat is not a lack of system-wide reserves, but whether smaller banks possess the balance-sheet flexibility to absorb sudden outflows without abruptly cutting back on credit.

It added:

“The baseline doing the work in the CEA paper — currently an immature stablecoin market of roughly $300 billion — will not resemble a future market reaching $1–$2 trillion. In a larger market, yield is not a minor product feature; it is the mechanism that would accelerate migration out of bank deposits.”

A brutal calendar and electoral risks

While lobbyists spar over balance sheets, the ultimate threat to the CLARITY Act is the 2026 calendar.

Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott has yet to officially schedule a markup date, though proponents like Sen. Bill Hagerty have expressed optimism that the committee could move the bill out before the end of April.

Institutional analysts note that the window for error is practically nonexistent. Justin Slaughter, VP of Paradigm affairs, pointed out that the procedural mechanics of a Senate floor vote generally require two to three weeks.

He stated that the bill must clear the banking committee by mid-May to secure a vote before Memorial Day.

However, if the legislation bleeds into the summer, the political landscape shifts dramatically.

The Senate schedule features extensive non-legislative periods from August 10 to September 11 and again from October 5 through the general election on November 3.

Meanwhile, Senate candidate John E. Deaton has warned that failing to act now could prove fatal for crypto innovation. According to him, if the bill stalls and the November elections result in a shift in Senate control, the regulatory environment could tilt sharply.

Deaton cautioned that a change in leadership on the Senate Banking Committee, which could potentially install crypto-skeptic Sen. Elizabeth Warren as chair, would almost certainly pivot the committee's focus toward strict enforcement rather than structural market innovation.

With Washington’s attention inevitably pivoting toward campaign season after July 4, the next few weeks will dictate whether the digital asset sector secures a long-awaited regulatory framework, or if the US market is left waiting in legislative limbo for another four years.

The post CLARITY Act faces a 2 week deadline as Senate gridlock and bank pressure threaten freeze out until 2030 appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Iran conflict is already disrupting the hidden plumbing of global trade

The market spent the first phase of the Iran conflict watching crude. That was the visible layer. Today, prices have fallen below $90 a barrel for the first time in a while and Bitcoin is soaring alongside.

However, a consequential shift is still happening deeper in the system, where shipping, gas, fertilizer, aviation, petrochemicals, and trade finance sit. Those channels carry the real economic load.

They shape delivery times, input costs, working capital, factory schedules, food production, and freight capacity. Once pressure moves into those layers, the economic effect spreads far beyond the oil chart.

That broader disruption is already visible. The International Maritime Organization says commercial vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz have faced repeated attacks since late February, with civilian seafarers killed and thousands of crew still operating in the area.

UNCTAD says vessel traffic through Hormuz collapsed from its pre-crisis norm into single digits in early March, a sign that physical trade flows have already seized up. A commodity shock changes expectations. A transport shock changes what can actually move.

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The economic consequences are starting to widen accordingly. China’s March trade data showed export growth slowing sharply while imports surged, a combination that points to rising input pressure and weaker external demand.

The IMF has signaled weaker growth and firmer inflation as the war feeds through global prices and transport channels. What began as a Middle East energy shock is turning into a broader supply-side impairment with direct consequences for industrial output and financial conditions.

For crypto markets, that shift changes the analytical frame. A narrow oil spike can be absorbed if liquidity remains loose and growth expectations hold.

A prolonged disruption across shipping, fuel, industrial inputs, and cross-border financing creates a different environment. It leans toward tighter financial conditions, weaker risk appetite, higher volatility in emerging market currencies, and more selective capital allocation across digital assets.

Bitcoin can still benefit from sovereign distrust and geopolitical stress in bursts. The wider crypto complex tends to trade more like growth-sensitive risk when macro conditions deteriorate in layers.

This also reopens a path for Bitcoin to reassert its inflation-hedge role. It has already outperformed gold year-to-date, a signal that capital is rotating toward higher-beta stores of value rather than traditional defensives. Price structure remains firm despite the noise around ceasefire negotiations, suggesting resilience rather than reflexive risk-off behavior.

If macro stress continues to transmit through inflation channels rather than outright demand destruction, Bitcoin’s positioning shifts from peripheral risk asset toward a more central hedge within the digital asset complex.

That leaves the hidden plumbing of trade more relevant to crypto than the first move in crude alone.

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Shipping and gas are moving from commodity stress into physical disruption

The first serious crack has appeared in merchant shipping. Tanker traffic draws attention, yet the larger issue is operational confidence.

Shipowners, charterers, insurers, and crews are all reassessing whether the corridor is worth the risk. The IMO’s call for a safe-passage framework captures the scale of the problem.

Even where navigation remains technically possible, commercial movement can still contract if war-risk premiums surge, crews refuse routes, or insurers tighten terms. That creates a drag which survives the first diplomatic pause because underwriting decisions and routing behavior tend to lag the front line.

Natural gas is the next transmission channel. The UNCTAD assessment of Hormuz disruption notes the strait carries a significant share of global LNG, with Asian importers exposed through power generation, chemicals, and industrial feedstocks.

The pressure is already showing up in trade data and industry alerts. Reuters reporting on China’s March imports pointed to weaker gas arrivals, while ICIS warned that India’s ammonia production faces risk because LNG supply concerns are already affecting the economics of imported feedstock.

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That takes the conflict straight into fertilizer, chemicals, and power pricing. It also reaches into manufacturing margins, especially in economies where industrial demand is already softening.

Aviation adds another layer because it is exposed on both routing and fuel. The International Air Transport Association has flagged airspace restrictions, airport limitations, and elevated operational uncertainty tied to military activity in the region.

Airlines can reroute around conflict zones, though that choice burns more fuel, lengthens rotations, tightens fleet use, and raises costs across passenger and cargo networks. At the same time, fuel itself is turning into a constraint.

Europe’s airport sector has warned of potential jet-fuel shortages within weeks if flows stay impaired, and Qantas has already cut flights and lifted fares as route economics deteriorate.

Fresh U.S. producer price data added an important near-term offset to the inflation picture. March PPI rose 0.5% month-on-month, below the 1.1% consensus, while core PPI increased 0.1%, below the expected 0.5%.

Annual producer inflation also ran below expectations, with headline PPI at 4.0% and core PPI at 3.8%. That softens the immediate case for a straight-line inflation acceleration.

It does little to remove the structural risk building underneath the surface, where shipping disruption, LNG tightness, fertilizer exposure, and aviation fuel stress can feed later rounds of cost pressure into the global economy.

That mix carries broad implications. Airfreight is crucial for high-value goods, pharmaceuticals, precision components, and time-sensitive electronics.

Higher costs and tighter schedules raise friction across supply chains that had only recently regained some balance. For crypto markets, the key point sits at the macro level.

A system that spends more on transport, insurance, and fuel has less room for growth, less room for margin, and less room for policy flexibility. That is the route through which a regional conflict starts leaning on global liquidity and risk assets.

Fertilizer and petrochemicals are emerging as the undercovered pressure points

The most undercovered part of the current disruption sits in fertilizer and petrochemicals. Those markets rarely lead the public narrative, yet they shape food prices, industrial production, and the cost base of a wide range of manufactured goods.

UNCTAD’s trade note says roughly one-third of global seaborne fertilizer trade passes through Hormuz. That is a large enough share to create second-order disruption even without a total collapse in volumes.

Tightness in ammonia, urea, and related feedstocks feeds directly into agriculture, where the cost shock tends to surface with a lag through planting decisions, input use, and eventually crop yields.

The FAO’s warning on food security risks gives this channel a sharper edge. Higher energy costs and disrupted fertilizer trade raise pressure on food systems well beyond the Gulf.

Countries with weaker currencies or thinner fiscal buffers can feel that strain first, especially where food imports already absorb a large share of external financing. The damage then migrates from commodity markets into household budgets, trade balances, and political risk.

Food inflation has a long memory, and the policy response is often clumsy because the shock begins upstream in gas and fertilizers before it lands at the supermarket.

Petrochemicals carry a similar logic. They sit inside packaging, plastics, solvents, textiles, industrial materials, consumer goods, and countless intermediate products.

S&P Global has reported that the war is already forcing companies and governments to rethink supply-chain strategies across chemical feedstocks. South Korea’s move to ban petrochemical hoarding offers a clearer signal of stress.

Governments do not ration behavior preemptively without seeing genuine risk in physical supply. Once naphtha, methanol, ethylene, and related inputs tighten, downstream manufacturers face a broader squeeze across costs and availability.

That becomes a volume issue as much as a price issue.

The conflict is starting to resemble a systems shock rather than a single-market shock. Oil can retreat on ceasefire news while fertilizer, chemicals, and food continue to work through delayed supply effects.

Shipping lanes can reopen formally while insurers and operators continue to price the corridor as unsafe. That lag helps explain why the next phase of disruption could feel more diffuse and more persistent than the first.

For crypto, these channels feed into the macro balance they create. Longer-lasting input stress keeps inflation sticky, growth weaker, and policy space narrower.

In that setting, capital tends to crowd toward quality, liquidity, and balance-sheet resilience. Bitcoin often holds that conversation better than the speculative edges of the digital-asset market.

If Hormuz stays constrained, disruption shifts from shock into regime

The next question is whether the present disruption stabilizes as a severe but temporary shock, or hardens into a regime where the costs of moving energy, goods, and capital remain structurally higher. If Hormuz stays constrained, the answer likely moves toward regime.

The first reason is simple. Shipping and insurance behavior can remain defensive long after formal access returns.

The IMO’s recent statements make clear that fragmented responses are failing to restore confidence. In commercial terms, confidence is the commodity that keeps routes functioning.

Without it, the corridor stays open on paper and half-closed in practice.

The second risk sits in fuel and transport. Warnings from Europe’s airport sector suggest aviation fuel could become a more immediate operational constraint if impaired flows continue.

That would ripple into travel, tourism, and freight. It would also hit high-value supply chains that depend on reliable air cargo.

The third risk is agricultural. The FAO’s longer-form assessment points to a delayed but serious impact on crop economics if fertilizer shortages persist into planting cycles.

That is the kind of lagged shock that can reprice inflation expectations months after the initial conflict premium fades from crude.

A fourth risk lies in emerging markets and trade finance. UNCTAD has warned of tighter financial conditions, weaker currencies, and rising borrowing costs across developing economies as the disruption spreads.

Those dynamics are highly relevant for crypto because they tighten global dollar conditions while increasing domestic financial stress in countries where stablecoins, dollar proxies, and cross-border digital payments already play a practical role. There is room for a two-speed crypto response here.

Bitcoin can benefit from geopolitical distrust and sovereign stress in bursts. The broader altcoin complex usually struggles when global liquidity becomes scarcer and the growth outlook deteriorates.

That leaves a clear conclusion. The Iran conflict has already moved beyond oil and the first inflation impulse.

It is disrupting the operating layer of the global economy, where ships sail, cargoes clear, feedstocks move, fuel reaches airports, and industrial inputs turn into finished goods. If the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained, those disruptions will keep spreading outward through food, freight, industrial margins, and external financing.

For markets, the next decisive pressure point may come from weaker trade volumes and tighter liquidity, with crude acting as only one transmission channel among several. For crypto, the setup favors a more selective environment, where macro sensitivity, funding conditions, and balance-sheet quality shape performance far more than reflexive risk-on narratives.

The post Oil prices fall but China trade and US inflation data weakens as Iran contagion spreads – in opportunity for Bitcoin appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Kraken says it is being extorted by a criminal group threatening to release internal material after two support staff members improperly accessed limited customer data.

In a security update published by chief security officer Nick Percoco on X, the crypto exchange said it identified two cases of inappropriate access to client support data, revoked access, notified affected users, and later received demands tied to videos allegedly showing internal systems with customer information visible.

Kraken said its core systems were never breached, funds were never at risk, and roughly 2,000 accounts, or about 0.02% of clients, were potentially viewed. Even so, the incident sharpens a growing problem for crypto platforms.

The highest-value security failure is not always a wallet exploit or infrastructure breach. It can begin inside the support layer, where limited customer context is enough to make the next message, call, or verification request feel legitimate.

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That distinction changes the nature of the threat. The issue is less about direct theft from exchange infrastructure and more about whether authentic internal access can be turned into a trust weapon against users.

The exposed information may have included some client account data, though Kraken has not publicly detailed the full field-level scope. In crypto, a small amount of real support information can be operationally valuable to criminals even when the exchange’s trading and custody systems remain secure.

The broader backdrop gives that risk more weight. In its 2025 Transparency Report, released on March 19, Kraken said it handled 7,957 law enforcement and regulatory data requests in 2025, up 16.5% year over year, spanning 13,082 accounts across 74 countries.

That report was part of a larger trust narrative around compliance, operational maturity, and financial-system integration. Days later, the conversation changed.

The issue has moved from how often outside authorities ask for data to how securely internal access is controlled in the first place.

For users, the concern is straightforward. The exchange may have secured wallets and core systems, yet the path to harm can still run through support, where a criminal only needs enough context to sound real.

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Support access has become a more valuable target than many code exploits

Kraken’s phrasing is precise. The company said there was no breach of its systems and no risk to funds.

It also said two insiders had inappropriately accessed limited client support data, one linked to an incident flagged in February 2025 and another tied to a more recent video showing similar activity. Across both incidents, Kraken says about 2,000 accounts were potentially viewed.

Soon after access was terminated, the company says it began receiving extortion demands threatening disclosure to media outlets and on social media. The attack chain described here is operational rather than cinematic.

Someone inside a support environment sees information they should not be using that way, records or shares evidence of access, and a criminal group uses that material as leverage.

That sequence suggests a repeatable attack path. A code exploit often depends on a specific bug. Insider recruitment scales through incentives, pressure, and weak access design.

Check Point Research said in late 2025 that cybercriminals were openly seeking insiders at major crypto exchanges including Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, and Gemini, with typical offers ranging from $3,000 to $15,000 for access or information.

Kraken’s own statement says the company has been collaborating with partners and law enforcement to investigate insider recruitment efforts affecting other sectors as well, including gaming and telecoms.

That places the exchange inside a larger pattern where customer-service and support operations have become a common pressure point across industries that rely on high-trust interactions and large pools of personal data.

Crypto has already seen what that pattern can look like once it moves from access to exploitation. In May 2025, Coinbase disclosed that overseas support agents had been bribed to copy customer information, with attackers then attempting to impersonate the company and trick users into transferring funds.

CryptoSlate later reported that law enforcement made an arrest tied to the Coinbase insider extortion case, which affected nearly 70,000 customers. Kraken’s disclosure is much smaller by account count, yet the significance lies elsewhere.

The incident reinforces the same mechanism. User-facing danger often arrives after the initial access event, when criminals begin contacting customers armed with real names, internal-looking references, and enough background to engineer urgency.

The support layer has a special role inside crypto because it sits at the point where users are already vulnerable. Locked accounts, delayed withdrawals, tax forms, identity checks, device changes, and password resets create conditions where customers expect to be asked for confirming details.

That is exactly why compromised support access is so valuable. It gives attackers the ability to mimic a legitimate workflow rather than invent one from scratch.

For people with Bitcoin exposure and little interest in security jargon, the practical takeaway is direct. A serious risk can arrive as a convincing support interaction, built on authentic internal context, even while the exchange’s wallets and matching systems remain secure.

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Bitcoin’s market reaction has stayed contained, while the trust cost can build over time

Bitcoin’s market behavior suggests traders are treating this as a contained exchange-security issue rather than a system-wide shock. As of press time, CryptoSlate’s Bitcoin page shows BTC at $71,806, up 0.41% over 24 hours, up 7.43% over seven days, and up 3.45% over 30 days, with $39.82 billion in daily volume and 59% market dominance.

Bitcoin continues to trade inside a broader macro and flow regime where ETF positioning, liquidity conditions, and risk appetite are carrying more weight than a single exchange’s internal security event.

Price resilience, however, should not be confused with irrelevance. Some consequences show up first in operations and user behavior, then feed into reputation, acquisition costs, and compliance overhead later.

The strongest near-term consequence is a trust tax on support interactions. Exchanges facing this class of threat typically respond by narrowing access privileges, increasing verification friction, segmenting internal tooling, and documenting more activity across help desks and vendor relationships.

Those steps are rational. They also make the user experience slower and more rigid.

A customer trying to restore access or confirm account activity may end up facing more questions, longer delays, and fewer discretionary workarounds from support agents. That is where a security event becomes tangible for a mainstream user.

The damage is measured less by a one-day move in BTC and more by a gradual decline in how natural and safe exchange interactions feel.

The wider cyber backdrop supports that interpretation. In its April 2026 release, the FBI said Americans reported more than $11 billion in cryptocurrency-related losses in 2025, while phishing, spoofing, and extortion remained among the most common complaint categories.

Separately, Mandiant’s M-Trends 2026 report said global median attacker dwell time rose to 14 days from 11 days a year earlier, with cyber espionage and North Korean IT-worker cases showing a median dwell time of 122 days. Those figures do not map one-to-one onto Kraken’s case, yet they point in the same direction.

The operating environment favors patient intrusions, social engineering, and access monetization. Crypto exchanges are operating inside that same environment while also carrying the added burden of irreversible transactions and a user base accustomed to phishing attempts.

That leaves Bitcoin in a familiar position. The asset itself can stay resilient while the rails around it face renewed scrutiny.

Centralized platforms remain a major access point for buying, selling, and storing BTC, especially for newer users. When support functions become a recognized attack surface, confidence in those rails weakens even if confidence in Bitcoin itself holds steady.

That distinction grows more important as exchanges continue trying to present themselves as mature financial infrastructure. Kraken has been expanding beyond crypto, including into equities and ETFs, and its transparency report was part of a broader effort to show institutional-grade discipline.

Incidents like this one pull the market back to a more basic question, whether the human layer is being secured with the same intensity as the balance sheet and wallet architecture.

The next phase depends on whether insider access turns into broader user-facing fraud

Kraken says affected users have already been notified, access has been terminated, and the company believes there is sufficient evidence to support identification and arrest of those responsible. If no leaked videos surface, no further data appears, and no visible wave of impersonation attempts emerges, the incident may settle into the category of a narrow but instructive security disclosure.

That outcome would still leave an imprint on how exchanges think about support operations, outsourced labor, and privileged access.

ANOT possibility is escalation through downstream fraud. This path deserves the closest attention because it is where user harm can widen quickly.

Once criminals have real support context, even from a limited number of accounts, they gain material for convincing follow-up messages. That can include references to account issues, location data, identity checks, or service cases, depending on what was visible.

Every exposed field does not need to be itemized to grasp the point. Authentic fragments make impersonation stronger.

Coinbase’s experience in 2025 already showed how insider access can become the starting point for a broader social-engineering campaign aimed directly at customers. Kraken’s disclosure revives that concern, especially because the company itself tied the incident to broader insider recruitment efforts across sectors.

There is also a third layer that deserves close coverage over time, the reputational and structural response. If insider recruitment is becoming a durable criminal market, exchange defenses will shift toward tighter role segmentation, more surveillance inside support tools, stronger contractor controls, and stricter outbound communication rules.

That will affect staffing models and vendor relationships across the sector. It could also create a clearer divide between exchanges that treat support as a low-margin operational necessity and those that treat it as a core trust function.

For public-facing crypto businesses, that difference may shape everything from user retention to institutional partnerships. A platform that secures reserves and internal wallets while leaving support exposed is still leaving a critical flank open.

For now, Kraken’s disclosure works best as a warning about where the next wave of crypto security failures may surface. The image of a hacker breaking through code still dominates public imagination.

A more realistic threat in many cases looks quieter, more human, and more scalable. A recruited insider, a support console, a short clip of internal access, and an extortion note can move the risk from infrastructure to trust in a matter of hours.

Bitcoin’s price can keep climbing while that shift unfolds. Users, exchanges, and the companies trying to turn crypto platforms into mainstream financial utilities still face the same conclusion.

The post Kraken is actively being extorted by criminals threatening to release the top crypto exchange’s internal data appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Crypto Market Rises — But Not for the Reasons You Think

The crypto market is moving higher, with Bitcoin (BTC) pushing toward the $75,000 level and major altcoins following. At first glance, this looks like another typical crypto rally.

But this move is not being driven by crypto-specific news.

Instead, the current upside is coming from a macro shift in liquidity expectations, triggered by cooling inflation data, falling oil prices, and renewed optimism across global markets.

Cooling Inflation Sparks Rate Cut Expectations

The main catalyst behind today’s rally is the latest US inflation signal.

Core Producer Price Index (Core PPI) came in at 3.8%, below the expected 4.1%, indicating that inflation pressures are easing faster than anticipated.

This matters because:

• Lower inflation reduces pressure on the Federal Reserve
• Markets begin pricing in earlier or more aggressive rate cuts
• Lower rates increase liquidity across financial markets

👉 More liquidity typically leads to stronger performance in risk assets like crypto

This shift in expectations is currently one of the strongest drivers behind the broader market rally.

Falling Oil Prices Add to the Bullish Setup

Another key but often overlooked factor is the sharp drop in oil prices.

After recent geopolitical tensions pushed energy markets higher, oil has now reversed lower, signaling easing inflation pressure.

Why this matters for crypto:

• Lower oil prices reduce overall inflation expectations
• This reinforces the case for a less aggressive monetary policy
• Markets interpret this as a positive signal for risk assets

In short, the energy market is no longer acting as a headwind — it is becoming a tailwind.

Markets Shift From Fear to Optimism

Geopolitical tensions remain present, but market expectations are shifting.

Recent signals suggest that diplomatic discussions, including potential US–Iran talks, could reduce escalation risks in the near term.

Markets don’t move based on current headlines — they move based on what comes next.

👉 Right now, investors are pricing in:

• Lower geopolitical risk
• Stabilizing global conditions
• Reduced pressure on inflation

This shift from fear to cautious optimism is supporting both equities and crypto.

Liquidity Returns to Risk Assets

Another important signal is the return of capital into global markets.

• Trillions have been added back into equities
• Stablecoin supply is expanding, including USD Coin (USDC)
• Capital is rotating back into higher-risk assets

Stablecoins, in particular, act as dry powder for crypto markets, often indicating incoming buying pressure.

👉 This suggests that the current move is not isolated — it may be part of a broader liquidity cycle.

Bitcoin Breakout Fueled by Market Positioning

Beyond macro factors, market structure is amplifying the move.

Before the rally, Bitcoin was consolidating near key support levels, with many traders positioned for downside.

As macro conditions flipped bullish:

• Short positions were liquidated
• Resistance levels were broken
• Momentum accelerated quickly

This explains why the move toward $75,000 happened so rapidly.

Is This the Start of a Bigger Rally?

The current crypto rally is not being driven by hype — it is being driven by macro fundamentals.

Cooling inflation, falling oil prices, and rising expectations of rate cuts are combining to create a liquidity-driven environment that supports crypto markets.

However, the key question remains:

👉 Is this the beginning of a sustained uptrend, or just a short-term reaction to macro data?

For now, one thing is clear:

Crypto is moving higher because liquidity expectations have shifted — not because of crypto itself.

What Is the New Stablecoin Tax Proposal?

A new legislative proposal in the United States is gaining attention across financial markets, suggesting that transactions involving regulated stablecoins may become tax-free.

Under the proposed framework, users would not be required to recognize capital gains or losses when spending stablecoins for payments. This effectively positions stablecoins as true digital cash equivalents, rather than taxable crypto assets.

👉 In simple terms:
Using stablecoins for everyday transactions could soon be treated like using traditional fiat currencies.

This shift could mark one of the most significant regulatory developments in crypto history.

Why This Changes Everything for Crypto Adoption

Stablecoins such as $USDT and $USDC already dominate crypto transaction volumes, but their real-world usage has been limited by tax complexity and regulatory uncertainty.

If this bill passes, several barriers disappear:

• No capital gains tracking for daily transactions
• Easier integration into payment systems
• Increased adoption by merchants and fintech platforms
• Clear regulatory framework for institutions

👉 This transforms stablecoins from trading tools into mainstream payment infrastructure.

For the first time, crypto could compete directly with traditional payment networks at scale.

The Bigger Picture: Banks vs Crypto

This proposal also highlights a growing power struggle between traditional banks and crypto ecosystems.

Banks have long maintained control over payment rails, settlement systems, and monetary flows. However, stablecoins offer:

• Instant global settlement
• Lower transaction costs
• Programmable money features

If stablecoins become tax-efficient, they could rapidly gain market share in:

• Cross-border payments
• Remittances
• E-commerce transactions

👉 This is not just a crypto story — it is a financial system shift.

Which Cryptos Could Benefit the Most?

While stablecoins are at the center of this proposal, the ripple effects could extend across the entire crypto market.

Stablecoins:

• $USDT (Tether)
• $USDC (USD Coin)

Layer 1 Ecosystems:

• $ETH (Ethereum) – dominant stablecoin infrastructure
• $SOL (Solana) – fast and low-cost transactions
• $TRX (TRON) – major stablecoin volume hub

Payment & DeFi Projects:

• Protocols enabling payments, lending, and settlement could see increased usage

👉 More stablecoin usage = more network activity = stronger demand for underlying blockchains.

Could This Trigger the Next Crypto Bull Run?

Historically, regulatory clarity has been a major catalyst for crypto market growth.

This proposal could act as a trigger for several bullish developments:

• Increased institutional participation
• Expansion of real-world crypto use cases
• Higher on-chain transaction volumes
• Renewed investor confidence

Combined with current market conditions — including rising liquidity expectations and growing institutional interest — this could create the perfect setup for a new bull cycle.

👉 The narrative shifts from speculation to utility-driven adoption.

What Are the Risks?

Despite the optimism, there are still key uncertainties:

• The bill is not yet passed into law
• Regulatory pushback from banking institutions
• Potential limitations on which stablecoins qualify
• Compliance requirements for issuers

👉 Markets may react early, but the full impact depends on final implementation.

Final Thoughts: A Turning Point for Crypto?

The possibility of tax-free stablecoin transactions represents more than a regulatory adjustment — it signals a fundamental shift in how crypto is used.

If implemented, this could accelerate the transition from:

• Crypto as an investment asset
  ➡️ To
• Crypto as a global payment system

And that shift could redefine the entire market structure.

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has officially initiated a compensation process for victims of the OneCoin fraud, one of the largest and most notorious cryptocurrency investment schemes in history. Between 2014 and 2019, OneCoin defrauded millions of investors globally, amassing over $4 billion through a fraudulent multi-level-marketing (MLM) network.

Following successful asset forfeitures from key figures in the scam, the DOJ is now making more than $40 million available for remission to those who suffered financial losses.

How to Claim OneCoin Compensation

Victims who purchased the fraudulent OneCoin cryptocurrency between 2014 and 2019 are eligible to file a petition for compensation. The process is managed by the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section.

• Official Website: www.onecoinremission.com
• Deadline: All petitions must be filed by June 30, 2026.
• Administrator: Kroll Settlement Administration LLC.

What Was the OneCoin Scheme?

Founded in 2014 by Ruja Ignatova (widely known as the "Cryptoqueen") and Karl Sebastian Greenwood, OneCoin was marketed as a revolutionary digital currency that would eventually kill Bitcoin. Headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria, the company operated through an MLM structure where users were paid commissions to recruit new investors into educational packages that purportedly included "mining" rights for OneCoin.

In reality, OneCoin had no verifiable blockchain, no legitimate value, and its price was manipulated internally. While Greenwood was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2023, Ignatova remains at large and is currently on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list.

The DOJ Asset Forfeiture and Remission Process

The current recovery effort is the result of years of litigation in the Southern District of New York. The Department of Justice uses asset forfeiture to "take the profit out of crime," seizing luxury assets, bank accounts, and real estate acquired with stolen funds.

"Today’s announcement marks an important step toward returning funds to those harmed," stated U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "While no recovery can fully undo the damage, our Office will continue working to seize criminal proceeds."

The $40 million currently available represents only a fraction of the total $4 billion lost, but it serves as a critical milestone for victims who have waited years for any form of restitution.

How To Get OneCoin Compensation

The remission process is open to international victims, reflecting the global scale of the fraud. To participate, individuals should:

• Visit the official OneCoin Remission portal.
• Download and complete the Petition Form.
• Provide documentation proving the dates and amounts of their OneCoin investments.
• Submit the form before the June 30 deadline.

Investors should remain cautious of secondary crypto scams claiming they can speed up the recovery process for a fee. The official DOJ process does not require upfront payments to recover funds.

The Search for the "Cryptoqueen"

While the compensation process offers some closure, the investigation remains active. The FBI and IRS-CI are still searching for Ruja Ignatova. Authorities believe she may have used plastic surgery or other means to alter her appearance to evade capture.

The DOJ’s efforts to return $12.5 billion to crime victims since 2000 highlights the scale of the Asset Forfeiture Program, and the OneCoin case stands as one of its most complex exchange and fraud investigations.

The cryptocurrency market has entered a phase of intense volatility as Bitcoin (BTC) successfully breached the $74,000 resistance level. This upward movement has put the premier digital asset on the doorstep of $75,000, a psychological milestone that traders have been watching closely throughout April 2026. The surge wasn't just a gradual climb; it was fueled by a massive "short squeeze," where traders betting against the market were forced to close their positions, further accelerating the price hike.

Is Bitcoin Price UP?

Is Bitcoin about to hit $75,000? Yes. Following a breakout above $74,000, Bitcoin is currently showing strong bullish momentum supported by high trading volume. The liquidation of over $175,000,000 in short positions has removed significant sell-side pressure, creating a "vacuum" effect that is pulling the price toward new local highs.

What is a Short Squeeze?

In crypto trading, a short liquidation occurs when the price of an asset rises to a point where traders who bet on a price decrease (short sellers) no longer have enough collateral to keep their positions open. The exchange "liquidates" or automatically closes these positions by buying back the asset at market price. This forced buying creates a feedback loop: higher prices trigger more liquidations, which lead to even higher prices.

The impact of Bitcoin's rally has been felt across the entire digital asset ecosystem. Historically, when BTC shows dominant strength, the "Altcoin" market follows suit as investor confidence returns to riskier assets.

Altcoin Performance Overview

While Bitcoin leads the charge, several major tokens have reached critical technical levels:

• XRP: Currently approaching the $1.40 mark, showing renewed interest in the payment-focused ledger.
• Solana (SOL): Trading at $86, maintaining its status as a top-tier layer-1 performer.
• Hyperliquid (HYPE): The decentralized perpetual exchange token has seen a massive move to $44.7, outperforming many legacy assets.
• Ethereum (ETH): Solidifying its base at $2,400, though lagging slightly behind BTC's percentage gains.

Short Sellers Squeezed Hard

The liquidation event didn't just affect Bitcoin. According to data from major providers like CoinGlass, the $175 million in wiped-out shorts included significant positions in ETH and SOL. This broad-market deleveraging has "cleansed" the order books, allowing for a more organic price discovery phase.

Crypto Price Today as of April 14th, 2026

The current market structure suggests that if Bitcoin can flip $75,000 into support, the next major resistance levels reside significantly higher. However, the "Hormuz Shock" and broader geopolitical tensions suggest that macro factors could still introduce sudden downside risks.

There are many brokers trying to out-feature each other. Algobi takes a different approach; instead of cramming every tool imaginable into one interface, they've built a platform around TradingView's charting engine and kept everything else minimal.

We opened an account, tested the platform for several days, and dug into the trading conditions. Here's what we found in our Algobi review for 2026.

Who Runs Algobi?

Algobi is operated by DXA Seychelles Limited, a company registered in Seychelles under number 8438281-1. The broker holds a license (SD218) issued by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles. Its registered office is at Providence complex, Office A17 C, Providence, Mahe, Seychelles.

FSA-regulated brokers are required to comply with KYC and AML standards, and Algobi does reference its license number across its site. It's worth noting that FSA Seychelles is an offshore regulator — it doesn't carry the same weight as a tier-one authority like the FCA or CySEC, but the license is publicly listed and verifiable, which already puts Algobi ahead of some competitors that bury or omit this information entirely.

What Can You Trade on Algobi?

Algobi gives you access to over 300 CFD instruments across multiple asset classes:

• Forex (majors, minors, and exotics) 
• Indices (S&P 500, Nikkei 225, and more) 
• Commodities (oil, wheat, coffee) 
• Stocks (equities from tech, healthcare, finance sectors) 
• Metals (gold, silver, platinum) 
• Crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple)

It's a well-rounded selection. You're not going to find the 10,000+ instrument catalogs that the mega-brokers offer, but for most retail traders, 300+ instruments across six asset classes covers everything you'd actually want to trade on a regular basis.

What we liked: TradingView is baked directly into the platform. That means you get access to over 100 technical indicators, drawing tools, and customizable chart layouts without needing to switch to a separate charting app. For anyone who's used TradingView before, this immediately feels familiar — and that's a real advantage over brokers who force you onto clunky proprietary charts.

Algobi Trading Platform in 2026

Algobi offers two ways to trade: a web-based platform (WebTrader) and a mobile app.

We spent most of our time on the WebTrader, which runs entirely in-browser with no downloads. The layout is clean — prices update in real time, order placement is fast, and switching between instruments doesn't lag or reload the page. It won't replace a full-blown desktop terminal for professional-level analysis, but for the kind of quick market scanning and trade execution that most retail traders actually do, it handles the job without friction.

The mobile app mirrors the WebTrader experience closely enough that you can monitor and manage positions on the go without missing anything critical.

Account Types on Algobi

Algobi structures its offering around three account tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each comes with progressively better trading conditions.

Silver Account

• Standard spreads (starting from ~1.9 pips)
• Leverage up to 1:200
• Minimum lot size: 0.01

Gold Account

• 50% spread discount vs. Silver
• 40% swap fee discount
• Leverage up to 1:200
• Minimum lot size: 0.01

Platinum Account

• 75% spread discount vs. Silver
• 60% swap fee discount
• Leverage up to 1:200
• Minimum lot size: 0.01

Algobi also offers Islamic (swap-free) accounts for traders who need Sharia-compliant conditions, and demo accounts for anyone who wants to test things out before committing real capital.

Deposits, Withdrawals, and Fees

Minimum deposit across all account types is $250. Algobi supports the following payment methods:

• Visa 
• Mastercard 
• Apple Pay 
• Google Pay 
• PayPal 
• Skrill 
• Neteller 
• AstroPay 
• Kuady2

Algobi states that they don't charge deposit fees, though withdrawal fees may vary depending on your payment provider. The range of options here is solid — particularly the inclusion of Apple Pay and Google Pay, which not every broker offers yet.

Customer Support

Algobi provides support through live chat, email (support@algobi.com), and phone, with regional numbers for the UK, UAE, and several Latin American countries. Support operates 24/5.

The platform itself is available in English and Arabic languages.

How to Open an Algobi Account in 2026

The process is straightforward. Register on the website, complete identity verification (government-issued ID and proof of address), fund your account, and you're in. We didn't hit any unexpected steps or unusual delays during the process.

Algobi Review 2026: Final Verdict

Algobi is a newer broker on the block, but what they do have is a clean, well-built platform powered by TradingView, a straightforward account structure, and enough instruments to cover most trading strategies.

The FSA Seychelles regulation is a good baseline, so if you're looking for a broker that prioritizes execution quality and a modern interface over feature bloat, Algobi in 2026 is worth testing with their demo account first.

As always, do your own due diligence. Read the terms, understand the risks of CFD trading, and never trade with money you can't afford to lose.

Visa joins Stripe and Zodia Custody by Standard Chartered as the first external validators for the Stripe-backed Tempo blockchain.

Jackrong, the developer behind Qwopus, has released Gemopus—a family of Claude Opus-style fine-tunes built on Google's open-source Gemma 4, putting all-American AI in your pocket and on your potato PC.

Former Wall Street banker Kevin Warsh, worth well over $100 million, also invested in numerous tech startups—including a “reversible male contraceptive solution."

Bernstein's analyst argued that prediction markets will be driven less by big league bets as institutions become more involved.

Tether’s self-custodial wallet aims to simplify crypto transactions with email-like identifiers, supporting stablecoins and Bitcoin alike.

Legendary venture capitalist Tim Draper is doubling down on his ultra-bullish cryptocurrency outlook.

Shorter after Morgan Stanley disrupted the market with its own highly successful Bitcoin fund, Goldman Sachs has filed for a unique structured product aimed directly at risk-averse, income-seeking investors.

Boundless ZK-proofs bring enterprise-grade privacy to the XRP Ledger. Explore how new integration solves bank compliance hurdles for scalable, private cross-border settlements.

Michael Saylor shifts from pitching Bitcoin to pitching STRC, a low-volatility instrument that absorbed 19,186 BTC in 10 days, combining money market stability with high liquidity and returns.

Solana achieves $1 trillion milestone in total economic activity for Q1, 2026, following a significant four-figure surge in the metric.

TLDR

• HYPE climbed above $45 for the first time in five months after gaining more than 20% in one week.
• Oil perpetual contracts ranked among the most traded assets on Hyperliquid during the price rally.
• Crude Oil generated over $840 million in 24-hour volume and became the third most traded market.
• Brent Crude Oil recorded more than $360 million in daily volume and ranked fifth on the exchange.
• HIP-3 daily trading volume reached about $5.4 billion in late March, led by commodity contracts.

HYPE advanced to nearly $45 early Tuesday, marking its highest level in five months. The token gained over 20% during the past week as trading volumes expanded. Oil-linked perpetual contracts drove much of the activity on Hyperliquid.

The token later eased to about $43.4 at press time. However, it held most of its weekly gains as traders stayed active. The recovery followed renewed focus on commodity markets listed on the exchange.

HYPE Price Rally Aligns with Commodity Trading Surge

HYPE climbed sharply as traders increased activity across builder-deployed markets on Hyperliquid. The token reached nearly $45 before trimming gains later in the session. It still traded firmly above late January levels.

The weekly advance exceeded 20%, reflecting stronger participation on the platform. Oil contracts ranked among the most traded assets during the rally. This trading momentum coincided with higher open interest across new perpetual listings.

Hyperliquid operates a permissionless listing structure under its HIP-3 framework. Outside developers can launch perpetual markets directly on the exchange. The protocol describes HIP-3 as a move toward decentralized perp listings.

This structure expanded the range of available markets beyond digital assets. Commodity and equity-linked contracts gained traction in recent weeks. As a result, overall trading activity shifted toward these instruments.

Market data showed builder-deployed markets topping $1.2 billion in open interest during March. Oil and equity futures contributed heavily to that figure. These contracts became central to daily trading flows on the platform.

Crude Oil emerged as one of the busiest contracts on Hyperliquid. The contract generated over $840 million in 24-hour volume. It ranked as the third most traded market on the exchange.

Brent Crude Oil also attracted strong participation from traders. The contract recorded more than $360 million in 24-hour volume. It ranked fifth among all listed markets.

Oil Frenzy Under HIP-3 Lifts HYPE Visibility

Trading activity accelerated during volatility tied to the US-Iran conflict. Traders used perpetual markets to react before traditional exchanges reopened. This dynamic increased volume across oil-linked contracts.

A March report from The Wall Street Journal detailed rapid volume growth. Cumulative oil futures volume jumped from $339 million to $7.3 billion within days. Traders favored nonstop markets during heightened geopolitical tension.

This surge extended beyond oil alone and covered other commodities. HIP-3 daily volume reached about $5.4 billion in late March. Silver, WTI, Brent, and gold contracts led that activity.

The post HYPE Hits $45 as Oil Contracts Boost Hyperliquid Volume appeared first on Blockonomi.

The dogecoin price prediction now sits at $0.0934 after a 70-day accumulation pattern squeezed into a descending triangle that analyst Ali Charts says is ready for a 30% move, per BanklessTimes. DOGE spot ETF products pulled in $1.34 million last week, the best single-week figure since January, but that inflow barely moves a $14.2 billion cap that needs billions to shift direction.

Meanwhile, Pepeto already has a live exchange running before its token even hits the open market. More than $9,012,000 poured in from early buyers, and every new stage brings the Binance listing closer.

Dogecoin Price Prediction Under Pressure as 70-Day Triangle Nears Its Breaking Point

Crypto analyst Ali Charts flagged a descending triangle on April 12 where lower highs keep pressing into flat support near $0.088 to $0.090, per BanklessTimes. The week ending April 10 saw DOGE spot ETFs pull in $1.34 million after four straight weeks of zero flow, pushing total net assets to $10.86 million per SoSoValue data. Developer contributions rose 300% year over year per Benzinga, and GitHub proposal #3776 targets cutting block rewards by 90%. The dogecoin price prediction faces a setup where the biggest chart pattern in months is about to snap, and that kind of tension sends the fastest money straight into early-stage entries.

Accumulation Breakout, Returning ETF Demand, and the Entry That Skips the Wait

How Pepeto Delivers What the Dogecoin Price Prediction Cannot Touch

No other token sale this cycle put a working exchange in front of buyers before asking for a single dollar. PepetoSwap, the multi-chain bridge, and the AI contract scanner were all live and tested before the sale opened. That build-first sequence is the reason $9,012,000 flowed in while the typical meme token can barely close its first round.

Zero trading fees on PepetoSwap mean your full stack stays yours after every swap. The bridge moves tokens across Ethereum, BNB, and Solana for free, so transfers never eat into gains. The AI scanner catches risky contracts before capital touches them. And because each stage raises the floor and shrinks what is left, today’s buyers get a better deal than anyone who follows.

The Pepe cofounder whose first project hit $11 billion without a single tool now leads this build alongside a Binance listings veteran. SolidProof audited every contract before the sale went public. Daily staking rewards at 184% APY keep compounding.

Every stage sells faster than the one before, the buzz keeps spreading, and the Binance listing date gets closer by the day. Against that, DOGE sitting at $0.0934 with a weak ETF trickle and no chart confirmation offers nothing close.

Dogecoin (DOGE) Price at $0.0934 as 70-Day Accumulation Nears a Decision Point

Dogecoin (DOGE) sits near $0.0934 per CoinMarketCap, up about 2.32% over the past day, with every major EMA still pressing down and $0.10 acting as the nearest wall. DOGE spot ETFs recorded $1.34 million in weekly inflows after four weeks of silence, pushing total assets to $10.86 million.

On-chain developer work rose 300% year over year, and GitHub proposal #3776 still targets a 90% block reward cut. The 2026 dogecoin price prediction range sits at $0.09 to $0.21. The gap between $0.0934 and the $0.21 bull target works out to about 127%, and all of it needs sentiment to flip. Pepeto’s path to 100x runs through one confirmed listing that gets closer by the day.

Conclusion

DOGE holds at $0.0934, ETF inflows barely trickling, and 70 days of sideways action still unresolved. Meme tokens with no real products behind them keep losing ground. Pepeto stands alone this cycle: a live exchange, the Pepe cofounder’s track record, and a confirmed Binance listing backing every dollar that enters.

Back in 2020, anyone who put $1,000 into DOGE at $0.002 walked away with $365,000 near the top. That kind of return is what Pepeto is built to deliver again, only now a full exchange and a Binance listing back the entry instead of pure hype. The wallets buying today are positioning for the breakout story 2026 gets defined by, and sitting on the sidelines while the dogecoin price prediction grinds sideways is the kind of miss that stings for years.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs

What is the dogecoin price prediction now that DOGE ETF inflows returned after four flat weeks?

Analysts target $0.09 to $0.21 for Dogecoin in 2026, with recovery needing a confirmed breakout above $0.10 that has not happened yet. DOGE spot ETFs pulled $1.34 million last week after four straight weeks of zero flow.

How does Dogecoin (DOGE) at $0.0934 stack up against a token targeting 100x on listing day?

Dogecoin (DOGE) trades at $0.0934 with a $14.2 billion cap and roughly 127% upside to the bull case over months. Pepeto at its early-stage entry targets 100x from a single Binance listing that keeps getting closer.

The post Dogecoin Price Prediction at $0.0934 and Why One Presale Has DOGE Holders Rushing In appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• High Roller Technologies announced plans to launch a U.S. prediction market in partnership with Crypto.com.
• The company will offer event-based contracts across finance, sports, and entertainment sectors.
• Crypto.com Derivatives North America will provide the infrastructure as a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse.
• High Roller’s stock surged by as much as 130% following the announcement.
• The shares later traded about 65% higher at $8.32 during the same trading session.

High Roller Technologies Inc. announced plans to launch a U.S. event-based prediction market with Crypto.com. The announcement triggered a sharp rise in the company’s stock price. Investors responded immediately as shares surged during early trading.

ROLR Shares Surge After Prediction Market Plan

High Roller Technologies revealed its intention to introduce event contracts for U.S. customers. The Las Vegas-based online casino operator plans to offer contracts across finance, sports, and entertainment sectors.

The company confirmed that Crypto.com Derivatives North America will provide the event contracts. CDNA operates as a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse in the United States.

Following the announcement, High Roller’s stock climbed as much as 130% during trading. Shares later stabilized, trading 65% higher at $8.32.

Company representatives emphasized regulatory compliance and operational readiness. A spokesperson stated, “This collaboration expands our product offering while adhering to U.S. regulatory standards.”

High Roller did not disclose a specific launch date for the prediction market. However, the company indicated that preparations for the rollout are already underway.

Market participants viewed the development as an expansion of High Roller’s digital gaming services. The company aims to integrate prediction markets into its existing customer platform.

Crypto.com Collaboration and Market Outlook

The partnership with Crypto.com strengthens High Roller’s entry into regulated prediction markets. Crypto.com’s affiliate, CDNA, will supply the infrastructure and clearing services.

Crypto.com’s CRO token reacted positively to the announcement. The token gained approximately 3% and traded near $0.07 following the news.

Prediction markets have evolved into platforms that aggregate probabilities of real-world events. Leading participants include Kalshi, a regulated U.S. exchange, and Polymarket, a decentralized marketplace.

High Roller stated that the prediction market sector could exceed $1 trillion in trading volume by 2030. The company highlighted increasing institutional and retail interest in event-based contracts.

Industry data indicates steady revenue growth within prediction markets. A recent Citizens report estimated annualized revenue above $3 billion.

The same report projected that revenues could reach $10 billion by 2030. These figures reflect expanding adoption across finance, sports, and entertainment categories.

High Roller reiterated its commitment to regulatory compliance and customer engagement. The company plans to provide accessible event contracts through its digital gaming ecosystem.

Crypto.com confirmed its role as infrastructure provider for the initiative. CDNA will manage trading and clearing operations once the platform becomes operational.

The post High Roller Stock Soars After Crypto.com Prediction Market Deal appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• JPMorgan CFO Jeremy Barnum warned that stablecoins could become a form of regulatory arbitrage under inconsistent rules.
• He stated that some stablecoin models may replicate bank-like products without adhering to traditional banking safeguards.
• Barnum emphasized that equal regulation for similar financial products is necessary to prevent an uneven competitive environment.
• He noted that yield-bearing stablecoins could resemble bank deposits while avoiding capital and liquidity requirements.
• Coinbase has advocated for the ability to pass interest earned on reserve assets to stablecoin holders.

JPMorgan Chase Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Barnum warned that stablecoins could become regulatory arbitrage tools under uneven rules. He spoke during the bank’s first-quarter earnings call on Tuesday. He said inconsistent oversight could let firms replicate banking products without meeting banking standards.

Stablecoins and Regulatory Standards

Barnum framed the issue as a matter of oversight rather than technology change. He said some stablecoin structures could mirror deposit products without similar safeguards. He warned that uneven rules could create regulatory arbitrage.

“If the same product isn’t regulated the same way, you open the door to arbitrage,” Barnum said. He added that some models offer rewards that resemble yield to customers. He said firms could “run a bank” without core banking regulations in that case.

Lawmakers continue to review digital asset legislation in Washington, D.C. The proposed Clarity Act seeks to define oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The bill also aims to clarify rules for stablecoins and related services.

The debate also centers on whether issuers can pass reserve interest to holders. Coinbase has urged lawmakers to allow yield distribution on stablecoin reserves. The company argues that interest sharing would improve utility as a savings product.

Banks oppose yield-bearing stablecoins under current frameworks. They argue that such products resemble deposits but avoid capital and liquidity requirements. They also say non-bank firms could attract funds by offering returns that banks cannot provide.

Barnum said JPMorgan supports clear digital asset rules. However, he stressed that consistency matters more than speed in policymaking. He warned that gaps could allow new entrants to operate outside existing boundaries.

JPMorgan Earnings and Digital Infrastructure

Barnum downplayed threats to JPMorgan’s core payments operations. He said the bank already runs a large wholesale payments network. He added that it processes transactions quickly and at low cost.

Instead, JPMorgan continues to build blockchain-based tools within its infrastructure. Through its Kinexys unit, the bank developed JPM Coin and tokenized deposits. These tools allow institutional clients to move funds around the clock.

Barnum described these efforts as part of modernization plans. He said programmable payments now integrate into existing systems. He stated that these features complement rather than replace traditional services.

On consumer products, Barnum addressed compliance requirements. He said stablecoins often appear as digital cash in public discussion. However, he stressed that identity checks and compliance rules still apply.

JPMorgan reported strong first-quarter financial results. Net income rose 13% year over year to $16.49 billion. Revenue increased 10% to $50.54 billion.

The post JPMorgan CFO Flags Regulatory Arbitrage Risks From Stablecoins appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• NHN KCP partners with Ava Labs to develop a payments-focused Layer 1 blockchain on Avalanche infrastructure.

• The network targets sub-second payment authorization with onchain encryption for secure merchant transactions.

• Ava Cloud will enable NHN KCP to deploy and manage a customizable blockchain for real-world payment use cases.

• The project also explores stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and cross-border payments pending regulatory approval.

South Korea’s NHN KCP signs deal with Ava Labs for crypto payment blockchain as the payment firm moves to develop a dedicated Layer 1 network on Avalanche infrastructure.

The initiative focuses on building a blockchain system optimized for merchant payments, settlement efficiency, and cross-border financial activity.

Ava Labs will provide deployment support through Ava Cloud, allowing NHN KCP to configure and operate its own blockchain environment.

The development is tied to broader efforts to integrate blockchain into regulated payment systems in South Korea.

Avalanche Infrastructure Claims and Live System Design

Avalanche Treasury Co. outlined a set of operational capabilities already running on live systems. The statement referenced real chains processing real transactions rather than conceptual frameworks. This positioning targets institutional requirements for verifiable execution.

The tweet described privacy controls that prevent external access to transaction data. It also referenced protocol-level KYC embedded directly into the network. This approach places identity verification within blockchain execution layers.

In addition, atomic settlement across sovereign chains was highlighted. This enables synchronized finality across separate networks. It is designed to reduce settlement mismatches in multi-chain environments.

Encrypted positions were also mentioned alongside non-proprietary technical design. This allows institutions to integrate systems without adopting specialized programming languages. It supports compatibility with existing financial infrastructure.

NHN KCP Payment Blockchain Development on Avalanche

NHN KCP is building a payments-focused Layer 1 using Ava Cloud as part of the agreement. The platform enables companies to deploy customized blockchain networks for specific use cases. The structure is intended for high-volume payment processing environments.

The system targets sub-one-second authorization speeds for transactions. This design supports fast merchant settlement across digital payment channels. It aligns with performance requirements in existing payment networks.

Onchain encryption is included to secure transaction data during processing. This ensures controlled access to sensitive financial information. It also supports configurable permissions for network participants.

NHN KCP CEO Jun-seok Park said the collaboration merges payment infrastructure expertise with blockchain technology. The companies will validate functionality through a proof-of-concept phase.

They also plan to explore tokenized deposits, stablecoin settlement models, and cross-border payments, with rollout timing dependent on regulatory developments in South Korea.

The post South Korea’s NHN KCP Partners with Ava Labs to Build Crypto Payment Layer 1 on Avalanche appeared first on Blockonomi.

Crypto exchange Kraken has disclosed that it is currently facing extortion attempts from a criminal group threatening to release videos allegedly showing its internal systems with client data.

The company stated that its systems were not breached, no funds were ever at risk, and it will not comply with or negotiate with the attackers.

Insider Access Scandal

In the latest post on X, Kraken’s Chief Security Officer Nick Percoco confirmed that it identified and shut down two separate instances of inappropriate access, which involved limited client support data. The first incident dates back to February 2025, when a trusted source alerted Kraken to a video circulating on a criminal forum that appeared to reveal access to its client support systems. An internal investigation quickly identified the individual responsible as a member of its support team.

The employee’s access was immediately revoked, and a full investigation was conducted. Additional security measures were also implemented, and a limited number of affected clients were notified. Following the incident, the exchange began working with industry partners and law enforcement agencies to address broader insider recruitment efforts targeting crypto firms, as well as companies in the gaming and telecommunications sectors.

More recently, Percoco said that the company received another tip, along with a new video showing similar unauthorized activity. Kraken again identified the individual involved, terminated their access, conducted a full investigation, and notified the small number of affected users. Across both incidents, approximately 2,000 client accounts, which represent about 0.02% of its user base, were potentially viewed.

Shortly after access was revoked in these cases, the company began receiving extortion demands. The attackers threatened to distribute materials related to both incidents to media outlets and on social media platforms if their demands were not met. Kraken reiterated that it will not pay the criminals. Based on intelligence gathered during its investigations and ongoing analysis, the company said there is sufficient evidence to support identifying and arresting those responsible.

The exec said that Kraken is currently working with federal law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions to pursue all individuals involved. Due to the active nature of the investigation, Percoco stated that he cannot disclose further details at this time, but encouraged anyone with relevant information to come forward.

Coinbase Data Breach

Coinbase also faced a major security incident in 2025 in which a hacker behind a large-scale data breach laundered millions in stolen crypto while openly mocking investigators. Unlike Kraken’s internal misuse case, the attack reportedly involved bribed customer support staff who granted unauthorized access to sensitive user data, including identities, account balances, and transaction histories.

The attacker also taunted prominent blockchain investigator ZachXBT through Ethereum transaction messages and posted “L bozo” alongside a meme video.  Coinbase said it refused a $20 million ransom demand tied to the stolen data.

The post Kraken Says No Funds at Risk Despite Insider Data Breach Attempt and Blackmail Threats appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The primary cryptocurrency has experienced a solid rebound over the past week, reaching a two-month peak before it retraced slightly.

Some analysts believe the rally might be just getting started and that the price is poised for more substantial upside in the short term, while others warn that bears still dominate the market and a pullback could be coming next.

The Bulls to Regain Control?

Several hours ago, BTC soared to just over $76,000, whereas currently it trades at roughly $74,400 (per CoinGecko’s data). This represents a solid 9% increase on a weekly scale and a 15% rise from the local bottom of $65,000 observed towards the end of March.

According to Ali Martinez, the asset’s upward move is “just getting started.” He argued that BTC has finally broken free of the descending trendline it has been caught in for months.

“This is a structural shift that signals the coiling phase is over,” he claimed.

Martinez thinks the bullish impulse isn’t happening in a vacuum, noting that Bitcoin miners have paused their forced selling after cashing out $330 million worth of the asset in the last few weeks.

He also spotted a spike in demand from US-based institutions, saying that the Coinbase Premium has flipped positive, signaling that “regulated capital is aggressively positioning for the next leg higher.”

X user Crypto Fergani also made an optimistic forecast, claiming that BTC has bottomed.

More Pain Ahead?

It is important to note that those predicting a future price plunge are just as vocal. X user Doctor Profit expects “a large trap for the bulls,” adding that the only question is how high BTC could rise before retreating by double digits.

For their part, Lofty suggested that the asset is about to repeat the 2022 bear market pattern, and if that plays out, it may collapse to as low as $38,000 in the coming weeks.

BTC’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) supports the bearish scenario. The technical analysis tool measures the speed and magnitude of recent price changes to give traders an idea about potential reversal points. Ratios above 70 signal that the price has increased too much in a short period of time and could be on the verge of a correction. On the other hand, readings under 30 are interpreted as bullish territory. As of this writing, the RSI stands at around 70.

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[PRESS RELEASE – Singapore, Singapore, April 14th, 2026]

Printr V2 introduces five creator-selectable fee distribution models, configurable liquidity, anti-vamp protection, and a new on-chain mechanism called Proof of Belief (POB) staking. Live on 8 chains from day one.

Printr, the omnichain token launchpad backed by Bybit Venture Studio, has launched Printr V2, a full infrastructure upgrade introducing five fee distribution models, configurable launch profiles, anti-vamp protection, and a new staking mechanism called Proof of Belief (POB).

The update arrives as the memecoin launchpad market faces structural challenges. The memecoin market lost 61% of its total value in 2025, with fewer than 1% of tokens on major launchpads surviving past their bonding curve out of over 11.5 million created.

Five Fee Distribution Models

V2 offers five models: Buyback & Burn, where custom fees create continuous buy pressure; Liquidity Compounding, where fees deepen the pool on every trade; POB (Proof of Belief) Staking, where 100% of custom fees flow to stakers; Creator Wallet, where fees go directly to the creator’s wallet; and No Fee, which removes custom fees entirely for lower-cost trading. Creators set their custom fee percentages, with total fees capped around industry norms. Every fee structure is visible on the token page before a trader makes a single trade.

Proof of Belief (POB) Staking

When a creator selects POB staking, 100% of the custom fee flows into a shared staking pool. Anyone, including the creator, can stake tokens and earn a share of the trading fees generated by that token. Lock durations range from 7 to 180 days, with longer commitments earning proportionally higher rewards. Creators must also stake to earn.

Before buying, traders can see how much of the supply is staked, who is locked in, and for how long. If the creator exits, the staking mechanics continue running, and the community can continue earning fees.

Full technical details are available in the Printr V2 documentation.

Creator Toolkit

V2 also introduces configurable launch profiles, allowing creators to choose preset economics or set custom bonding curve parameters including starting market cap, graduation market cap, supply, and liquidity/mcap ratio. At graduation, liquidity auto-migrates to a DEX with LP tokens locked.

The new anti-vamp protection applies a 48-hour cooldown on identical tickers and images to prevent copycat tokens from disrupting new launches.

Building for Tokens That Last

“When nearly every token on the biggest launchpads fails within the first few hours of launching, the problem is not bad actors. It is bad infrastructure,” said Fed, Founder of Printr. “We built Printr V2 to change the incentives, so that commitment becomes the rational choice.”

Availability

Printr V2 is live at app.printr.money. All key features, including POB staking, are available on 8 chains from day one: Solana, Base, BNB Chain, Mantle, Ethereum, Monad, Avalanche, and Arbitrum.

About Printr

Printr is an omnichain token launchpad built for the next generation of on-chain creation. From solo creators to AI agents and third-party applications, users can launch tokens across multiple chains. Printr V2 introduces five fee distribution models, configurable launches, anti-vamp protection, and Proof of Belief staking. Powered by LayerZero and backed by Bybit Venture Studio, Printr is building the infrastructure for a tokenized world.

Website: printr.money

App: https://app.printr.money

X/Twitter: https://x.com/printr

Documentation: https://printr.gitbook.io/printr-docs

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The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), on April 13, published a staff statement clarifying that certain user interfaces for crypto asset securities may not need broker-dealer registration.

According to a community contributor, the XRP Ledger’s built-in DEX appears to fit the criteria almost by accident.

SEC Guidance Draws the Line Between Interfaces and Brokers

In its statement, issued under its Project Crypto initiative, the SEC for the first time made a distinction between a trading platform and a pure interface layer.

The agency said that a user interface that lets someone prepare and submit crypto transactions from their own self-custodial wallet may not require broker-dealer registration, provided it meets some specific conditions, such as not holding user funds, not routing or executing orders itself, and not offering investment advice or price commentary. They must also only charge a fixed fee and must give users full control over transaction parameters.

Where XRPL enters the picture is through the structure of its protocol. Vet, a dUNL validator on the network, explained that the protocol has a built-in decentralized exchange, which includes its own order books, an automated market maker, and the ability to handle cross-currency transactions directly on the ledger without needing any outside contracts.

“Providing just access to the XRP DEX doesn’t require registration,” they wrote on X. “Because you don’t hold user funds and transaction routing is protocol level as well as execution and ordering.”

It means that the interface simply connects users to XRPL’s native DEX, without executing orders, holding funds, or routing transactions through proprietary systems, thus mapping quite closely to what the SEC described as acceptable.

What this Means for XRPL Developers

The practical effect of the SEC’s move is that now, US-based developers building interfaces or DEX frontends on XRPL have a clearer path to operating without having to register as broker-dealers, as long as they stay within the conditions the agency outlined.

However, the same clarity may be harder to claim for teams building on smart contract platforms where the contracts themselves handle order routing and execution in ways that may not fit the regulator’s definition of passive interface.

“It could well be one of the greatest differentiating factors of the XRPL as compared to smart contract based DeFi products,” stated XAO DAO co-founder Santiago Velez.

The XRP Ledger’s technical track record also adds weight to the practical case, with data recently shared by Vet showing the network sustained more than 140 transactions per second during a period of heavy load, with consistent three-to-four second settlement times and fees that remained at cents throughout. Furthermore, there has been increased usage of XRPL, with a report from March revealing that wallets on the network had surpassed the 7.7 million mark.

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On April 14, Ethereum (ETH) rose to just a few dollars short of $2,400, pushing its price ratio against Bitcoin (BTC) to the highest level since January, according to data shared by on-chain analytics firm Santiment.

At the same time, rising whale accumulation and changing derivatives signals are pointing to growing tension between bullish momentum and heavy short positioning.

Ethereum Rally Lifts ETH/BTC Ratio

Santiment shared its observation in a post on X, saying ETH’s price dominance against BTC was “officially at its highest” point since late January and adding that funding rates were flashing “familiar $ETH greed signals.”

In another update, the firm noted that wallets holding at least 100,000 ETH had increased from 54 to 57, concluding that such growth often correlates with price increases and adding that there was still room for Ethereum to grow.

“There is strong justification that the #2 market cap can continue its rise,” Santiment wrote.

Indeed, data from CoinGecko shows ETH trading near $2,300 at the time of writing, after moving within a 24-hour range between $2,178 and $2,393, taking it to its highest point in ten weeks.

The current price is a nearly 9% jump in one day. Over a one-week period, the asset was similarly in the green, having posted an almost 13% uptick, the same as the returns across 30 days. Trading volume also jumped sharply, climbing by more than 120% since yesterday, which points to renewed market activity.

Meanwhile, institutional flows were positive for the third trading day running, with US Ethereum spot ETFs recording about $9.44 million in net inflows on April 13.

Traders Not Sure of Bullish Recovery

Despite the rally, data from analyst Darkfost suggested that the market is still not fully convinced. According to him, since Ethereum hit its February lows, investors have added approximately 350,000 ETH to open interest on Binance, with the exchange now accounting for about 37% of total market share, whose notional value stands at more than $1 billion.

Interestingly, with ETH up 35% from the lows we saw in February, funding rates on Binance have been negative. Darkfost says this is because most of the traders on the platform were shorting the market in anticipation of a correction, which the analyst surmised was a sign that “they do not believe in a potential bullish recovery.”

However, funding rates now appear to be turning positive again, currently around +0.01%, according to Darkfost. If the switch persists, the derivatives market could support even more upward movement, making conditions rather difficult for late short sellers.

Elsewhere, trader Ted Pillows noted that $2,400 represents a key resistance level. “A daily close above the $2,400 level means Ethereum will form a bull trap around the $2,500-$2,600 level,” he explained, adding that a rejection from the zone will most likely confirm the uptrend’s end.

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