Tether's new wallet could democratize digital asset access, challenging traditional finance and enhancing user control over transactions.

The post Tether debuts self-custodial tether.wallet, enabling direct access to Bitcoin, stablecoins, and gold tokens appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Crypto's current cycle phase suggests a potential market bottom amid significant wealth destruction and investor optimism.

The post Michael Nadeau: Wealth destruction phase is reshaping crypto markets, investor sentiment suggests optimism, and understanding cycles is key to strategic investing | Bankless appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Deutsche Brse's investment in Kraken signifies a pivotal shift towards integrating crypto with traditional finance, potentially reshaping global markets.

The post Germany’s exchange giant Deutsche Börse puts $200M into Kraken parent appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Eigenlayer's innovative restaking protocol is redefining blockchain infrastructure with enhanced security and customizability.

The post Sreeram Kannan: Agents are transforming into ownable digital assets, blockchain provides stability against AI disruption, and Eigenlayer is redefining blockchain infrastructure | Bell Curve appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

SpaceX's rise highlights the untapped potential in stagnant industries ripe for innovative disruption.

The post Scott Nolan: SpaceX is set to dominate the space launch industry, overlooked physical companies present significant opportunities, and a contrarian investment approach is essential for success | Invest Like the Best appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

UK Lawmaker Calls for Probe Into Nigel Farage’s Bitcoin Ties

Political pressure is building in the United Kingdom as regulators face calls to examine bitcoin promotion tied to public officials, while broader scrutiny of digital asset markets continues across jurisdictions.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper urged the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate Nigel Farage over his involvement with bitcoin treasury firm Stack BTC. The request follows a promotional video in which the company said Farage executed a £2 million bitcoin purchase on its behalf. 

The company described the purchase as a “landmark moment” in British politics, stating that Farage is the first sitting MP and the first UK political party leader to publicly acquire bitcoin.

Farage had disclosed a prior investment in the firm, raising questions about conflicts of interest and market conduct.

In a letter to FCA chief Nikhil Rathi, Cooper cited concerns that Farage’s dual role as investor and promoter could expose retail investors to risk. She asked the regulator to determine whether the activity could amount to market abuse or improper influence. 

“Farage could be using the Trump playbook to put his own interests above the public good.” Cooper posted on X

The FCA confirmed receipt of the request and said it would review the matter.

The controversy also touches on political financing. Cooper pointed to a £9 million donation to Reform UK from crypto investor Christopher Harborne, which she described as unprecedented in scale. She argued that financial ties between political actors and digital asset firms could blur the line between advocacy and self-interest.

Farage has promoted policies aimed at expanding cryptocurrency adoption, including proposals for a national bitcoin reserve and tax payments in digital assets.

Farage’s investment into Stack BTC

Last month, the MP invested £215,000 in Stack BTC through his media firm Thorn In The Side Ltd, taking about a 6.3% stake as part of a £260,000 fundraising round for the London-listed Bitcoin treasury company linked to former UK chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.

The raise included participation from Blockchain.com and involved issuing 5.2 million new shares at 5 pence each, with listing planned on the Aquis Growth Market.

Farage, a long-time bitcoin advocate, has called for a Bank of England bitcoin reserve and pro-crypto legislation, while his party Reform UK accepts bitcoin donations through payment firm Radom.

Stack BTC focuses on bitcoin treasury management and institutional storage services, with backing that also includes investor Christopher Harborne.

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 UK Lawmaker Calls for Probe Into Nigel Farage’s Bitcoin Ties first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Deutsche Börse Takes $200 Million Stake in Kraken, Deepening Crypto Push

Deutsche Börse said Tuesday it has acquired a $200 million stake in U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, expanding its footprint in digital assets and strengthening an existing partnership between the two firms.

The investment, made through the purchase of existing shares in a secondary market transaction, gives Deutsche Börse a 1.5% fully diluted stake in Kraken’s parent company, Payward Inc. The deal remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second quarter, according to a note shared with Bitcoin Magazine.

The move builds on a partnership first announced in December 2025, as both companies look to bridge traditional financial infrastructure with the growing digital asset economy. Deutsche Börse said the expanded relationship will span regulated crypto trading, tokenized markets, derivatives, and institutional liquidity solutions across multiple regions.

The German exchange operator has accelerated its digital asset strategy over the past year. In 2024, it launched a dedicated crypto trading platform aimed at institutional investors. More recently, in March 2025, it unveiled plans to offer crypto custody and settlement services through Clearstream, its post-trade infrastructure arm.

Kraken, one of the longest-standing cryptocurrency exchanges, has focused on expanding its institutional offerings in recent years, including custody, derivatives, and infrastructure services. The partnership with Deutsche Börse is expected to enhance access for institutional clients seeking regulated exposure to digital assets.

Kraken’s extortion attempts

Yesterday, Kraken disclosed two insider-related security incidents involving support staff who accessed limited client data, followed by an extortion attempt by a criminal group. The company said no systems were breached and no client funds were at risk, emphasizing that the incidents were confined to internal support tools rather than core infrastructure.

Kraken’s chief security officer said attackers are demanding payment and threatening to release videos allegedly showing internal systems with user data. The firm refused negotiating and stated it will not comply.

Around 2,000 accounts, or about 0.02% of users, were potentially affected. Kraken identified the individuals responsible in both cases, revoked access, and notified impacted users.

The incidents, which began in February 2025, highlight ongoing insider threat risks. Kraken said it is working with law enforcement, strengthening safeguards, and tightening access controls while maintaining that its core systems remained secure throughout.

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 Deutsche Börse Takes $200 Million Stake in Kraken, Deepening Crypto Push first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Price Skyrockets 6% Near $75,000 as Short Liquidations Accelerate

Bitcoin price surged more than 5% in the evening of April 13, climbing near the $75,000 level and marking its strongest intraday move in a couple weeks as traders reacted to a mix of macro pressure and technical positioning.

The rally follows several days of choppy trading, with bitcoin price holding a tight range between roughly $68,000 support and $75,000 resistance amid geopolitical tension tied to U.S.–Iran developments over the last several weeks. 

Earlier in the week, the asset slipped toward $70,000 after the collapse of diplomatic talks and a U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which drove oil prices higher and weighed on risk assets.

The move also comes as broader markets remain under strain. Oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel following escalating tensions in the Middle East, while expectations for near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts have diminished amid persistent inflation. Despite these headwinds, bitcoin has shown resilience, holding above $70,000 for most of the past week.

Bitcoin price and Strategy’s accumulation

Bitcoin price started the day trading near $70,000 and skyrocketed into Monday’s close. Analysts had flagged a large cluster of leveraged short positions above the $72,000–$73,500 range, creating conditions for a rapid upside move once resistance levels broke. As prices pushed higher through that band, liquidations accelerated the rally, sending bitcoin price toward the top of its multi-week range.

On top of this, Strategy’s STRC at-the-market (ATM) program reached a new milestone on April 13, 2026, as its preferred stock recorded over $1 billion in single-day trading volume, with all activity occurring above the $100 par value required to trigger share issuance. 

This enabled the company to run its ATM program at full capacity throughout the session.

Based on tracker estimates from Bitcoin for Corporations, the volume generated roughly $796 million in proceeds in a single day, funding the potential purchase of about 10,834 BTC at an average price near $73,400. 

That figure represents more than 24 times the daily Bitcoin mining supply following the most recent halving.

The surge follows a confirmed $1.001 billion in net ATM proceeds for the week of April 6–12, according to a recent SEC filing. 

During that period, Strategy acquired 13,927 BTC at an average price of $71,902. The firm’s capture rate — the share of eligible trading volume converted into proceeds — climbed to 81%, up from 45% in early March, reflecting more aggressive execution and strong market demand.

Recent weeks show a clear acceleration, with multiple billion-dollar periods and rising efficiency in capital deployment. Monday alone approached 80% of the prior week’s total proceeds, putting the current week on pace to become the largest in the program’s history.

Strategy now holds approximately 780,897 BTC, acquired at a total cost of about $59 billion. The STRC ATM program has generated more than $3.5 billion in proceeds to date, reinforcing the company’s position as the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin and signaling continued expansion of its accumulation strategy.

This post Bitcoin Price Skyrockets 6% Near $75,000 as Short Liquidations Accelerate first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Strategy’s STRC ATM Just Did $1 Billion in a Single Day — And the Machine Is Only Accelerating

April 13, 2026 marked a milestone that even the most aggressive STRC bulls didn’t see coming this fast.

Strategy’s Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock — ticker STRC — just printed over $1 billion in single-day trading volume. Not over a week. Not a rolling average. One session.

And the kicker? 100% of that volume cleared above the $100 par threshold, meaning every single share that traded was eligible to trigger Strategy’s at-the-market offering. The ATM didn’t just run on Monday. It ran at full capacity.

We track this in real time with our STRC ATM Tracker, and even by the standards of what’s been an extraordinary stretch, today stands alone.

The Confirmed Numbers: Last Week’s 8-K Was Already Historic

Before we get to today, let’s anchor in what we already know — because the SEC filing that dropped this morning tells a story of its own.

For the week of April 6–12, Strategy’s 8-K filing confirmed:

That’s $1 billion in net ATM proceeds in a single week — the second time STRC has crossed that threshold. The first was the week of March 9–15, when the program generated $1.18B in proceeds and acquired 16,815 BTC at a $70,194 average.

But here’s what makes the April 6–12 week structurally different: the capture rate surged to 81%. For context, that rate was 64% the week prior (Mar 30–Apr 5), 61% the week before that, and just 45% in early March. The trend line is steep, and it tells you that Strategy’s execution desk is getting more aggressive in capturing eligible volume — or that market conditions are making it easier to do so. Likely both.

You can view the full confirmed weekly breakdown on the live STRC ATM Dashboard, where 8-K data is integrated the day it’s filed.

Today’s Session: The Billion-Dollar Monday

Now layer Monday on top of that. From the STRC ATM Tracker taken at 4:10 PM ET during after-hours trading:

• Volume: $1.06 billion
• % Above $100 Par: 100%
• Estimated ATM Proceeds: ~$796 million
• Estimated BTC Acquired: ~10,834 BTC
• BTC Price at Execution: ~$73,400

Let that number breathe for a moment. An estimated 10,834 BTC in a single day. The Bitcoin network mines approximately 450 BTC per day post-halving. That puts Monday’s estimated acquisition at 2,408% of daily mining supply.

Strategy didn’t just buy more Bitcoin than the network produced on Monday. It bought roughly 24 times more.

Here’s a full snapshot from today’s projections after market close:

Back-to-Back Billion-Dollar Weeks And the Third Is Loading

Zoom out and the pattern is unmistakable. Here’s how the last several confirmed weeks stack up:

Using the most recent confirmed capture rate as baseline.

The week of April 6–12 was a confirmed billion-dollar week. Today alone — a single Monday — is already tracking at roughly 80% of last week’s total proceeds. If STRC volume holds anything close to this pace through Friday, we could be looking at the largest single-week ATM execution in the program’s history.

We publish these numbers weekly. Sign up for the free STRC Weekly data report to get confirmed 8-K data, tracker estimates, and context delivered to your inbox every week.

Why 100% Above Par Matters

For anyone unfamiliar with the mechanics: STRC’s ATM program only activates when shares trade at or above the $100 par value. Below that, no new shares are issued, no proceeds are generated, and no Bitcoin is purchased. The percentage of volume above $100 is the gating metric for the entire machine.

On most active days, that number runs somewhere between 80% and 95%. On Monday, it was 100%. Every share that changed hands did so at par or better. There was no dead volume. The entire session was eligible for ATM execution.

For a stock with over $1 billion in daily turnover, that’s extraordinary market structure. It suggests consistent institutional demand at and above par — not retail-driven spikes that briefly touch $100 and retrace.

The STRC ATM Heatmap breaks this down in 15-minute intervals across the trading day. On days like Monday, the heatmap runs solid — no gaps, no dead zones.

The Cumulative Picture: 780,897 BTC and Growing

As of the latest confirmed data, Strategy holds approximately 780,897 BTC at an average cost basis of ~$75,577 per coin. Total cost: roughly $59 billion.

The STRC ATM program alone has generated over $3.5 billion in net proceeds across its ATM offerings since inception (separate from the $2.52B IPO), funding the acquisition of approximately 47,705 BTC through at-the-market sales.

And with the current week already on pace to potentially add another 10,000+ BTC from Monday alone, the gap between Strategy and every other corporate Bitcoin holder on the planet continues to widen.

What the Capture Rate Tells You

If there’s one metric that sophisticated STRC observers should be watching, it’s the capture rate — the percentage of eligible volume (above $100) that Strategy actually converts into ATM proceeds.

Here’s the recent trajectory:

• Early March: 45%
• Mid-March: 61%
• Late March / Early April: 64%
• Last Week (confirmed): 81%

This isn’t noise. It’s a deliberate, observable escalation. A higher capture rate means Strategy is issuing shares into a larger portion of the available above-par volume. The ceiling is 100% — you can’t sell more shares than the market is offering to buy — but 81% is already remarkably aggressive by ATM standards.

For the capital markets professionals reading this: that kind of capture rate on a $1B+ volume day implies deep, sustained liquidity at and above par. Strategy isn’t chasing price. The bid is coming to them.

What Comes Next

Nine consecutive trading days of ATM activity above $100 par. Back-to-back billion-dollar volume weeks confirmed by SEC filings. A single Monday that nearly matched all of last week’s proceeds. And a capture rate that has nearly doubled in six weeks.

The STRC ATM isn’t slowing down. If anything, the data suggests it’s reaching a new operating regime entirely — one where billion-dollar weeks may become the baseline rather than the exception.

We’ll be tracking every session, every 15-minute interval, every 8-K filing as it drops.

Track the STRC ATM live: https://bitcoinforcorporations.com/strc-atm-tracker/

Get the weekly data report in your inbox: https://bitcoinforcorporations.com/strc-report

Disclaimer: This content was prepared on behalf of Bitcoin For Corporations for informational purposes only. It reflects the author’s own analysis and opinion and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Nothing in this article constitutes an offer, invitation, or solicitation to purchase, sell, or subscribe for any security or financial product.

This post Strategy’s STRC ATM Just Did $1 Billion in a Single Day — And the Machine Is Only Accelerating first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Nick Ward.

Bitcoin Magazine

Crypto Exchange Kraken Faces Extortion Attempt After Insider Access Incidents Involving Support Staff

Crypto exchange Kraken disclosed two insider-related security incidents involving support staff access to limited client data, followed by an extortion attempt by a criminal group, according to a company statement and comments from its chief security officer.

The firm said no systems were breached and no client funds were placed at risk in either case. Both incidents involved inappropriate access to internal support tools rather than core trading infrastructure, and access was revoked once identified.

Kraken’s Chief Security Officer Nick Percoco said the company is facing demands from attackers who claim to possess videos showing internal systems with client data. The group threatened to release the material unless Kraken complies.

“Our systems were never breached; funds were never at risk; we will not pay these criminals,” Percoco said in a public statement, adding that the company will not negotiate with the actors involved.

Kraken said about 2,000 client accounts were potentially viewed across both incidents, representing roughly 0.02% of its global user base. Affected users were notified, and the company said the exposed information was limited to support data rather than sensitive financial controls.

Multiple security breaches at Kraken 

The first incident dates to February 2025, when the company received a tip about a video circulating on a criminal forum. An internal investigation identified a member of the support team as the source of the access. Kraken said it revoked permissions, conducted a review, and implemented additional safeguards.

A second incident emerged later after another tip referenced similar material tied to a different individual. Kraken said it again identified the source, terminated access, and notified impacted users while tightening internal controls.

The situation escalated after the latest access was shut down, when the group behind the videos issued extortion demands. Kraken said the attackers threatened to distribute content to media outlets and social platforms.

The exchange said it is working with law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions and believes there is enough evidence to identify and pursue those responsible. The company also pointed to broader insider recruitment efforts targeting firms across crypto, gaming, and telecommunications.

Security experts have warned that insider threats remain a persistent risk in digital asset markets, where support roles often require visibility into user accounts for troubleshooting. While such access is restricted, it can become a target for coercion or exploitation.

Kraken said it continues to review internal processes, strengthen monitoring systems, and limit access privileges to reduce exposure. The firm emphasized that its core infrastructure remained secure throughout both incidents.

The case comes as the industry faces ongoing security challenges tied to both external attacks and internal vulnerabilities. The combination of high-value assets and global access has made crypto platforms a frequent target for coordinated campaigns.

In a separate disclosure, Galaxy Digital reported a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to an isolated development environment. The firm, founded by Mike Novogratz, said no client data or funds were affected.

Kraken said it will continue cooperating with investigators and industry partners as the case develops. The company framed the incidents as contained events while warning of a wider pattern of insider-focused threats facing technology firms.

This post Crypto Exchange Kraken Faces Extortion Attempt After Insider Access Incidents Involving Support Staff first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin reclaims $71.5k and pushes through the old ATH band, now the market has to prove it can hold there

Bitcoin spent the last 24 to 48 hours doing what the market had repeatedly failed to do through the first part of the year. It moved through the $71,500 ceiling, reclaimed $72,000, and then started trading inside an old $73,500 to $73,800 resistance pocket.

On the latest 30-minute data, Bitcoin traded around $74,485 after printing an intraday high near $74,947. That leaves the market roughly 5.2% higher over 24 hours and about 4.1% higher over 48 hours, with the short-term range stretching from roughly $70,685 to $74,947 over the last day.

#1

Bitcoin BTC

$74,353.32

+4.99%

Market Cap $1.49T

24h Volume $55.62B

All-Time High $126,198.07

Sectors

Coin Layer 1 PoW

That sequence fits my channel work that has framed Bitcoin’s structure since 2024.

Related Reading

Bitcoin channel predictions align with market movements over 6 months

Analyzing Bitcoin's support at $49k and resistance at $61k using simple trading channels.

Aug 20, 2024 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

In my original article, Bitcoin channel predictions align with market movements over 6 months, the argument was straightforward. Bitcoin tends to respect recurring horizontal zones as areas of negotiation rather than isolated price tags.

In Above the all-time high of $73.7k these could be the new resistance levels to watch, the next ladder was mapped in advance, with the market expected to face resistance around $77,056 and then $78,959 once it entered price discovery above the prior high.

My later work returned to the same ladder from the other direction. Bitcoin failing 7 times to break $71,500 is much more ominous than boring sideways action treated $71,500 as the pressure point, while Bitcoin price next move: $92k or $79k? Let’s break it down laid out the same upside ladder, $71,500 first, then $72,000, then the $73,500 to $73,800 area.

The latest move has now carried price through that full stack.

The shift in short-term structure is clear. The market still needs to show acceptance above the former all-time-high region, yet the focus has changed. The key question is now whether Bitcoin can use $73,518 and $73,764 as support, because that pair marks the lower and upper edge of the immediate channel that price is trying to inhabit.

If that region holds, the next major test sits at $77,056, with $78,959 above it. If the market slips back through that band, then $72,017 and $71,523 return as the first lower shelves that have to absorb the pullback. Below them, the older support channels at $67,995 and $66,894 come back into view.

That is the framework the market has handed us. Bitcoin has climbed the exact resistance ladder that shaped the prior analysis.

The near-term task is no longer about reclaiming $71.5k. Whether the market can remain above the old ceiling long enough to turn a breakout into a base could define whether the market has bottomed or there is more pain ahead.

Repeated resistance has turned into a support test

The short-term chart tells the clearest part of the move. Bitcoin spent the earlier phase pressing into resistance, failing, backing off, and then trying again. That is what made the $71,500 ceiling so important in February and March.

The level had become the upper boundary of a market that could bounce, though could not secure follow-through. Each failure raised the pressure on lower support, especially as momentum started to look thinner on each retest.

The market had enough buying interest to hold together, while conviction remained too shallow to produce sustained expansion.

That behavior is why the current push deserves to be treated as a structural shift rather than a routine green day.

Price moved from the low $70,000s, pushed through $71,523, reclaimed $72,017, and then started trading above the $73,518 to $73,764 zone that had previously acted as the upper pocket of resistance.

That sequence is important because the market often reveals its intent through the order in which it clears levels.

Bitcoin did not leap straight into open space. Instead, it worked through the same ladder that had constrained prior rallies. Each successful reclaim reduced the burden on the next level and raised the odds that the market would at least probe the next channel higher.

The current structure can be organized in layers. The first layer is the reclaimed support band at $73,518 to $73,764. That is the zone that needs to hold during any near-term retracement. The second layer sits at $72,017 and then $71,523.

Those are the first supports that would define a healthy reset versus a failed breakout. If Bitcoin loses the upper band, dips into $72,000, and then rebuilds, the move remains constructive. If it slices back through $71,500 and starts trading below it again, the breakout phase would look increasingly fragile.

The upside is similarly clear. Above the current range, the next channel top sits at $77,056, followed by $78,959. Those are the next historical resistance bands identified through the same framework that mapped the prior all-time-high region. That is why the move into the mid-$74,000s carries weight beyond a simple percentage gain.

Bitcoin is now negotiating inside a zone that used to reject price. If buyers can keep the market above the old ceiling, the path toward $77,000 and then the upper $78,000s becomes the next logical progression.

This is also where the broader cycle work lines up with the shorter-term chart. In It’s foolish to pretend Bitcoin’s story doesn’t include $79k this year, the case was that $79,000 remained part of the plausible operating range once Bitcoin secured its position above the prior high. That view was built on the idea that once one channel gives way, the market usually seeks the next one. The present setup puts that logic back on the table.

Bitcoin has not reached $77,056 yet, and it has not tested $78,959, though it has finally done the groundwork that makes those levels relevant again.

Oil, inflation, and equities are still shaping Bitcoin’s short-term range

Bitcoin’s breakout attempt is taking place inside a broader macro environment that remains highly sensitive to energy prices and risk appetite.

That context helps explain why the composite view of Bitcoin, the S&P 500, and oil has been useful over the last several sessions. Bitcoin’s rally has developed alongside firmer equity pricing and a pullback in crude after the latest oil spike. The three charts are moving through the same macro sequence, even if each one expresses it differently.

The macro progression has been fairly direct. Oil surged after the U.S. said it would block Iranian ports, with traders also responding to renewed pressure around the Strait of Hormuz. The move pushed Brent above $100 before prices eased as diplomacy re-entered the picture, according to The Guardian.

At the same time, March inflation data showed how quickly energy can feed through to the broader economy. U.S. CPI rose 3.3% year over year, while core CPI increased 0.2% on the month and 2.6% on the year, a softer core outcome than many expected.

Related Reading

US inflation soars to 3.3% in largest jump since 2021 – so why did Bitcoin barely move?

A hotter-than-expected CPI print usually hits risk assets. Bitcoin barely moved, raising fresh questions about what the market priced in.

Apr 10, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

That combination created a mixed but tradable backdrop for risk assets. Headline inflation remained elevated because of energy, while core inflation gave markets room to argue that the shock had not yet spread evenly through the underlying data.

Equities responded accordingly. Risk sentiment improved as oil backed off its highs, and that gave Bitcoin room to extend higher with the broader market rather than trade as an isolated crypto event.

Recent CryptoSlate analysis on April’s historic gains had already framed the environment as a relief rally tied to easing geopolitical pressure, while that improvement was still tentative at the start of the month.

That is why the latest Bitcoin move should be viewed as both technical and macro. The technical side is obvious in the way price walked through the channel ladder. The macro side is visible in the timing. Oil softened, equities regained footing, and Bitcoin responded as a high-beta risk asset with strong internal structure.

That creates a balanced setup rather than a one-way verdict. If oil turns higher again and broad risk appetite weakens, Bitcoin could lose altitude even with a constructive chart. If oil stays contained and equities remain firm, Bitcoin has room to keep testing the upper part of the current channel map.

There is another reason this backdrop carries weight for Bitcoin specifically. The asset has spent much of 2026 behaving like a market that wants to rally whenever macro pressure eases, though it has also shown that it can be forced back into lower channels when the external environment tightens.

In my November 2025 piece, Bitcoin price next move: $92k or $79k? Let’s break it down, the key idea was that Bitcoin tends to move between scenario ladders rather than in a smooth trend.

The same logic applies now. Macro is shaping which ladder the market can access, while the channels define where price is likely to negotiate once it gets there.

Acceptance above $73.5k to $73.8k would keep $77k and $79k in view

Bitcoin has already achieved the first part of the job by moving through the old ceiling and entering the former all-time-high pocket. The next part is less dramatic and far more important for traders trying to understand whether this move has depth.

Price needs to keep working above $73,518 and $73,764, because that range is where prior resistance should begin to act as support. Markets that break out and hold above the former lid usually invite the next wave of buyers. Markets that break out and then immediately fall back through the lid often return to a more defensive posture.

That leaves $77,056 as the next obvious upside checkpoint. It is the next major channel on the chart, and it sits just below the broader upper band that leads toward $78,959. Those levels are where the next supply test is likely to show up.

If Bitcoin reaches them quickly, the market will have covered a remarkable amount of ground in a short period. If it approaches them more slowly while repeatedly holding the newly reclaimed support, that would arguably be a healthier pattern.

A market that builds a shelf beneath resistance usually has more room to continue than a market that sprints from one ceiling into the next without pausing.

The downside thresholds are equally clear. A retreat into $72,017 would still fit a constructive reset, especially if buyers show up there. A deeper move toward $71,523 would bring the old battle line back into focus and force the market to prove that the breakout was more than a brief overshoot.

Below that, the framework becomes less forgiving, with $67,995 and $66,894 returning as the stronger lower supports that defined earlier phases of the range.

Bitcoin has advanced from reclaim mode into acceptance mode. The breakout has shape, the channel framework remains intact, and the broader macro environment has shifted enough to give the move oxygen.

The next threshold sits near $77,056, followed by $78,959. Between here and there, the critical task is simple, hold the old resistance pocket and keep proving that $73.5k to $73.8k has become the new floor. If Bitcoin can do that, the path toward $77k and then $79k remains open.

If it cannot, the market will quickly slide back into the earlier ladder and force traders to reassess whether this was genuine expansion or only another short-lived burst through resistance.

The post Bitcoin price soars to 4 week high passing multiple resistance levels within hours with eyes on $77k appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's call for the Fed to hold off on rate cuts reflects a problem that reaches far beyond Washington: war-driven inflation is keeping the door to cheaper money shut.

Reuters reported that Bessent urged caution because the Iran conflict is lifting fuel costs and complicating the inflation outlook. The Fed's own March minutes told pretty much the same story: officials warned that higher oil prices could lift inflation in the near term, delay the return to 2%, and, if sustained, pass through into core prices. Futures markets had already shifted toward fewer cuts, with no reduction fully priced until December at that time.

When crude rises because of geopolitical conflict, gasoline, shipping, food production, and logistics all get more expensive, and inflation can climb even in an economy that isn't running hot.

That leaves the Fed trapped: cut too early and risk validating higher prices, or hold rates and risk squeezing consumers and businesses that are already struggling. Officials acknowledged the tension explicitly, noting that inflation risks had increased while employment risks were tilting to the downside.

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Strong US jobs report delays Fed relief as Bitcoin faces its next macro test

A hotter payrolls print pushed rate-cut hopes out, leaving Bitcoin vulnerable unless the next labor data weakens.

Apr 5, 2026 · Gino Matos

This creates a very specific problem for Bitcoin price.

The crypto market's most powerful bullish narrative over the past year has been that weakening growth and softening inflation would force the Fed to ease, driving liquidity into risk assets. An oil shock disrupts every link in that chain. Growth fears rise, but the Fed still hesitates because inflation isn't cooperating, and Bitcoin loses a macro tailwind it has leaned on repeatedly during past easing cycles.

Why the Fed is making Bitcoin less secure

The connection between rate expectations and crypto runs through three channels.

First, the cost of capital: when rates stay elevated, leverage remains expensive for hedge funds, market makers, miners, and retail traders on margin.

Second, risk appetite: if markets stop expecting near-term easing, the rotation into volatile assets slows, and Bitcoin rallies become more dependent on idiosyncratic demand than a broad macro tide.

Third, the dollar and real yields: a firmer dollar and higher real yields make speculative assets less attractive, and the Fed minutes noted that higher crude had already boosted inflation compensation and tightened financial conditions.

None of this means Bitcoin can't rally on supply dynamics, ETF flows, institutional adoption, or all of it combined. But rallies built on leverage rather than spot accumulation always unwind faster, and the macro floor many participants assumed would hold doesn't look very reliable now.

The consequences of a sidelined Fed are very concrete and immediate.

Gasoline stays expensive, credit-card rates remain punishing, mortgage and auto-loan relief doesn't arrive, and discretionary spending gets squeezed even more. The Fed minutes warned that a prolonged conflict could reduce households' purchasing power and weigh on hiring.

For the crypto market, and Bitcoin in particular, the effects layer on top of that pressure.

Retail holders face fewer macro tailwinds and more volatile swings around oil and inflation headlines. Traders contend with funding costs that can turn less forgiving and macro prints that carry more weight than crypto-native catalysts. Miners and crypto businesses needing to refinance or raise capital face tougher conditions across the board.

The most underappreciated effect is the simplest one: high living costs and high borrowing costs leave less spare cash to speculate, invest, or dollar-cost-average into BTC. That reduction in retail buying power doesn't show up in on-chain data right away, but it shapes the market from the bottom up.

So it's not Bessent's comment that's the main threat here. The threat is the macro environment it describes: one where the Fed can't deliver the cheaper money risk assets want, where households remain caught between high prices and high borrowing costs, and where the next phase of the crypto market depends on whether inflation actually cools enough to let policymakers move. That's a much more demanding test than the one most Bitcoin bulls had priced in.

The post Bessent tells Fed to ‘wait and see’ on cuts as war-driven inflation clouds Bitcoin appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The market may be pricing XRP through an outdated lens.

Over the past several days, the most consequential development regarding XRP has come from outside the crypto space. On April 8, the Federal Reserve proposed allowing U.S. banks and credit unions to use intermediaries through the FedNow Service, a change the central bank said could support private-sector cross-border payment solutions.

In the Fed’s own proposal details, the logic is explicit. Banks could use an intermediary, such as a correspondent bank, for the international portion of a transaction and use FedNow for the domestic U.S. leg.

That is a narrow regulatory change on paper. In practice, it reaches directly into the operational space XRP has spent years trying to own, faster movement of money across borders with fewer delays, less friction, and lower dependence on idle pre-funded capital.

That is where the market tension starts. XRP still trades with a utility narrative attached. Ripple’s own description of XRP presents the asset as infrastructure for global payments, with settlement in three to five seconds and transaction costs measured in fractions of a cent. XRPL’s overview goes further, describing XRP as a currency bridge within the network’s decentralized exchange. Those points have supported the asset’s core pitch for years.

If cross-border payments remain slow, expensive, and operationally fragmented, the case for a neutral bridge asset retains intuitive force. Once major payment rails begin to solve more of that friction within the regulated banking stack, the question changes. The issue becomes less about whether XRP can do the job and more about whether the job is becoming less scarce.

That shift carries immediate force because it lands outside crypto-native circles. People who do not trade XRP still understand the pain point. They have waited for international transfers, absorbed opaque FX costs, dealt with cut-off times, or discovered that a simple cross-border payment can still carry an unpleasant amount of uncertainty.

XRP built a following by sitting directly in that frustration. The latest Fed move suggests the incumbents are working on the same problem with the advantages they already hold: bank relationships, regulatory standing, and direct access to domestic settlement infrastructure.

For XRP holders, that creates a far more uncomfortable frame than the familiar regulatory argument. A token can survive a long court fight and still face a harder competitive landscape when the legacy system upgrades the very function that made the token feel unique.

Swift and central bank rails are reducing the scarcity value of the XRP payments thesis

The Fed proposal would be important on its own. It becomes more significant when it sits next to what is already happening in global payment plumbing.

On March 5, Swift said more than 25 banks had committed to processing payments under its new framework by June, spanning corridors across Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Germany, India, Pakistan, Spain, Thailand, the UK, and the US. Swift said recipients in five of the world’s ten largest remittance markets would be among the first to benefit.

The offer to customers is also easy to understand, certainty of cost, full-value delivery, the fastest possible speeds, including instant settlement where possible, and end-to-end traceability. Each of those features addresses a pain point long associated with the XRP pitch. Each of them also arrives through institutions that already dominate the movement of regulated fiat money.

The competitive implication here is sharper than the usual view that banks are borrowing crypto ideas. XRP drew attention because it sat in the gap between what finance needed and what finance’s existing rails were failing to deliver.

That gap is now narrowing. It is narrowing from the top down, through central bank policy changes and network-level reforms, and from the corridor level, where banks are promising more certainty on speed, value, and visibility. The user experience improvements do not need to be identical to XRP’s model to affect XRP’s premium. They only need to be good enough to reduce the urgency of switching to a bridge asset.

Recent settlement data from the Bank of England adds scale to that point. In March 2026, CHAPS processed 4.7 million payments worth £9.2 trillion over 22 settlement days, with an average daily value of £418 billion.

Those numbers describe an incumbent system that still moves enormous value every day and is modernizing while continuing to earn the trust of large financial institutions. The practical implication is easy to grasp.

The same institutions that once looked slow, layered, and expensive are investing real effort into becoming faster and more predictable. They are doing it inside regulated infrastructure, with existing customers, and at systemic scale.

That is where the angle around XRP becomes fresh again. The usual framing asks whether banks will ever use XRP more aggressively. A more revealing question asks what happens to XRP’s narrative if banks and central bank-connected rails can deliver a large share of the same customer outcome without needing XRP at all.

Utility in payments has never been an abstract concept. It is a solution to a workflow problem. Once that workflow begins to improve within the incumbent stack, investors have to consider moat compression. XRP can still have utility under that setup. It can still move value quickly. It can still serve specialized corridors and liquidity functions. The broader premium tied to rebuilding global payments becomes harder to defend when the present system is already starting to absorb that function.

XRP positioning still reflects belief, which leaves the market exposed to a thesis repricing

That is what makes the current market setup interesting. The competitive pressure is building in plain sight, yet derivatives positioning still suggests traders are willing to maintain substantial exposure.

According to CoinGlass XRP futures data, XRP was trading around $1.33 with roughly $2.43 billion in open interest and about $2.03 billion in 24-hour futures volume at the time of writing. Those are not the numbers of a market that has moved on. They point to a market that still cares, still carries leverage, and still sees enough optionality in the XRP trade to keep capital engaged.

Open interest by itself does not settle the argument. It does frame the risk. When participation remains elevated while the underlying narrative faces a structural challenge, the probability of a sharper repositioning rises. That does not require panic. It does not require a collapse. It requires a shift in how investors rank the asset’s main source of strategic value.

For years, the bullish case for XRP has rested on a broad assumption: cross-border finance is broken, and a purpose-built digital asset with fast settlement and bridge functionality has room to gain. The last several weeks have introduced a more uncomfortable variant. Cross-border finance remains imperfect, but the most powerful incumbents are now solving more of it within their own networks.

That leaves XRP in a more demanding spot. It has to prove that its role survives institutional modernization rather than assuming modernization validates the original thesis. That distinction is where many market participants can get caught leaning in the wrong direction. A central bank discussing cross-border functionality inside FedNow can sound superficially validating.

A Swift framework promising faster, more transparent, and more predictable retail payments can sound like confirmation that XRP identified the right problem years ago. Both interpretations contain a grain of truth. Neither answers the harder investment question. If the problem is becoming less acute through incumbent upgrades, what multiple should investors attach to the asset that built its identity around solving it?

Many participants still hear “XRP” and file it under crypto volatility, legal baggage, or periodic bursts of retail enthusiasm. Far fewer are watching the slow institutional encroachment on its home turf. That encroachment can reshape the asset’s upside without producing a dramatic one-day event.

It can narrow the room between XRP’s functional promise and the services customers can already access through banks. It can also push XRP toward a more selective role, one where corridor-specific liquidity and niche settlement efficiency carry the argument, instead of a sweeping claim about rebuilding global payments.

The next pressure point sits inside the thesis, not the token’s speed

The next test for XRP is therefore less about whether crypto markets remain interested and more about whether its strategic premium can survive a payments world that is starting to evolve in the same direction.

The market still appears willing to price belief into the asset.

The burden now sits with the thesis behind that belief. If incumbents keep compressing payment friction, traders may discover that the original XRP promise was strongest when the legacy system had not yet begun to learn the same lesson.

The post The Fed treads on XRP’s core payments use case with new FedNow banking system upgrade appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Private credit has crossed into a dangerous phase.

After rumblings last month, the pressure point is no longer confined to underwriting quality, isolated borrower stress, or a few awkward redemption notices buried in fund updates.

The market is now dealing with something more consequential: a live collision between illiquid assets, semi-liquid fund structures, and investors who want cash back at the same time. That shift is now visible across some of the industry’s largest platforms.

Barings Private Credit Corp. capped withdrawals after investors sought to redeem 11.3% of shares in the first quarter. Apollo Debt Solutions limited repurchases after requests reached 11.2%. Ares Strategic Income Fund hit the same wall after investors asked to pull 11.6%.

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The scale of the demand for exits is now large enough to change the frame. The Financial Times reported that investors sought to pull more than $20 billion from private credit funds in the first quarter. Then, the Wall Street Journal reported nearly $14 billion in requested withdrawals across a group of private-credit funds.

Capital is trying to leave, and managers are relying on quarterly caps, enlarged tenders, affiliated support, and fund mechanics to manage the gap between redemption demand and actual liquidity.

The next layer is where this starts to look less like a fund-specific issue and more like a market transition. Blue Owl disclosed that investors sought to redeem 21.9% of shares in Blue Owl Credit Income Corp. and 40.7% in Blue Owl Technology Income Corp., with both funds limiting repurchases to 5%.

Moody’s then shifted Blue Owl Credit Income’s outlook to negative and also moved its outlook on the broader BDC sector to negative. That sequence carries more weight than another gated-fund data point.

It brings flow stress, asset quality, financing costs, and confidence into the same frame. Once ratings agencies begin reacting to outflow pressure and maturity walls, the market has moved beyond temporary friction.

Liquidity pressure is turning private credit from a yield product into a structure test

Private credit spent years benefiting from a simple proposition. Investors were offered high income, smoother marks than public markets, and access to lending strategies that had once been reserved for institutions.

Wealth channels helped widen the buyer base, and the product increasingly reached investors who were drawn to stable reported values and steady quarterly distributions.

That model was always dependent on a critical assumption: capital would continue to come in fast enough, or at least remain patient enough, for the structure to avoid a real liquidity challenge. The current wave of withdrawal limits shows that the assumption is now under direct pressure.

This is why the shift should be viewed as a market transition rather than a passing fund-management issue. When redemptions rise across multiple managers at once, the market begins testing the difference between reported value and realizable value.

That distinction has been manageable for years because private credit portfolios are not repriced continuously in a public market. Manager marks, model inputs, and infrequent transactions have given the sector a calmer visual profile than public high-yield or leveraged loans.

Calm marks helped support the sales pitch. Once investors begin asking for cash in size, that profile comes under scrutiny.

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The challenge is already visible in the widening gap between public and private credit signals. The Wall Street Journal’s examination of private-credit valuations captured a growing question across the market, what are these funds actually worth when investors cannot freely exit and comparable public credit vehicles trade at discounts?

Mercer Capital noted that public BDC discounts are beginning to signal a disconnect between public pricing and private NAV assumptions. That gap is where the valuation debate will eventually concentrate. If public vehicles with similar exposures trade materially below stated NAV while private funds continue to report stable values close to par, investors will have an increasingly strong incentive to leave the private wrapper, accept liquidity, and re-enter exposure more cheaply in public form.

That process is already feeding a second development, the rise of dedicated secondary strategies aimed at private-credit portfolios.

The launch of a private-credit secondary strategy by Sycamore Tree is a useful signal because secondaries tend to expand when investors want out, portfolios need pricing discovery, and transactions become more urgent.

The emergence of a more active secondary market does not resolve the sector’s problems.

It introduces a market-based mechanism for forcing them into the open. Once secondary pricing starts influencing expectations, NAV stability becomes harder to defend through narrative alone.

The broad structure is easy to map. First came higher redemption requests. Then came gates and caps. Now comes a more explicit challenge to marks, ratings, and the durability of flows. That sequence shifts the market from a yield conversation into a structure conversation. It also changes the meaning of redemption limits.

Quarterly caps had long been presented as standard product design.

In the current environment, they function as the device preventing immediate price discovery across a less liquid asset base. Investors can see that. Distributors can see that. Ratings agencies can see that. The market has now started to price the structure alongside the loans.

The 2008 comparison sits in the structure, and in the sequence of stress now taking shape

Invoking 2008 has become common whenever a credit market shows strain, but the useful comparison here lies in structure rather than surface details.

Private credit is not a replica of pre-crisis subprime securitization. The borrower mix is different, the institutional plumbing is different, and the vehicles themselves are not identical to the pre-Lehman system.

Those distinctions are real. They do not remove the core concern. A market built on assets that do not trade frequently, funded through structures offering periodic liquidity, and distributed through channels that widened access deep into wealth management, is vulnerable to a confidence break once enough investors try to exit together.

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Jamie Dimon warned this week that private-credit losses may prove larger than expected because of weaker lending standards and optimistic assumptions, even as he stopped short of describing the sector as systemic on the scale of mortgages before the financial crisis.

That position is instructive. It shows that even establishment voices inside the banking system are now openly flagging loss recognition and opacity as live issues. Those are foundational fault lines in any credit cycle. They become more dangerous when combined with concentrated distribution and vehicles that promise periodic liquidity against less-liquid collateral.

The stronger allegation, and the one supported by more evidence right now, is that private credit has been carrying a significant liquidity illusion.

Investors were encouraged to treat a portfolio of largely illiquid loans as though it could deliver both yield enhancement and controlled access to cash under stress. That proposition holds while flows remain favorable and confidence remains intact.

It weakens rapidly when multiple large managers face redemption requests for fund shares in the low double digits within the same quarter. It weakens further when public comparables trade at visible discounts, when secondaries expand, and when ratings agencies respond to outflow pressure.

The current cycle still lacks some of the characteristics that would justify calling it a full systemic break. There has been no singular default cascade across the core of the industry. There has been no market-wide forced liquidation that resets marks overnight. There has been no evidence in the public record of a unified fraud architecture spanning the sector.

Evidence for sweeping claims of coordinated concealment remains mixed and uneven. Some borrower-level controversies and governance failures strengthen suspicion around underwriting discipline and monitoring. They support deeper scrutiny. They have not yet proved an industry-wide conspiracy.

What the public record does support is a more direct conclusion. The sector is now vulnerable to a self-reinforcing cycle in which withdrawal pressure drives gates, gates intensify valuation skepticism, valuation skepticism widens discounts and deepens secondary-market activity, and those pricing signals weaken fundraising and inflows.

Once inflows slow, managers lose the easiest buffer that has helped absorb redemptions without immediate asset sales or more visible financing strain. That is the pathway that deserves the 2008 comparison, a breakdown in confidence around funding certainty before the full repricing of assets has run its course.

The next phase could be slower, more political, and more consequential for Bitcoin

The next test for private credit sits in a narrow zone. If second-quarter redemptions ease, if the capped list stops expanding, and if ratings pressure remains contained, the market may absorb the first-quarter shock as a severe but manageable reset.

If outflows remain elevated into the next quarter, a more serious sequence begins to take shape. Managers would then face a harder set of choices, sell assets into a weaker transaction environment, lean more heavily on financing lines and affiliated support, or maintain withdrawal limits long enough to inflict reputational damage on the product itself.

Each path carries a different mix of price, funding, and confidence risk. None of them is benign.

This is also where the political layer becomes more important. Private credit has grown into a market large enough to matter beyond private funds and wealthy clients.

Distribution has broadened materially, and proposals to push private-market exposure deeper into retirement channels have remained active even as the sector is confronting withdrawal limits and valuation questions in real time. That sequence deserves far more attention.

A market discovering the hard edges of its own liquidity while it is still widening distribution creates an unstable policy mix. It raises the probability of future legal, regulatory, and reputational fallout once losses and lockups become more visible to a broader investor base.

Bitcoin enters this setup through macro behavior, funding confidence, and comparative transparency. That does not mean private-credit stress automatically produces a straight-line bid for Bitcoin.

Risk assets often sell together in the first phase of a credit shock, especially when liquidity is scarce, and investors need cash. The stronger case sits one step later. If private credit continues exposing the limits of opaque pricing, gated access, and manager-controlled valuation, capital may increasingly look for assets with continuous price discovery, visible collateral rules, and less dependence on private marks.

The implications for Bitcoin, therefore, run on two tracks. In an acute liquidity event, Bitcoin could face the same forced-selling pressure that hits many liquid assets first. In the subsequent repricing of trust, the asset stands to benefit from a contrast between markets that settle their stress in public and markets that defer it behind gates, models, and tender mechanics.

That is one reason this private-credit cycle deserves close attention from crypto investors. The issue extends well beyond one corner of Wall Street. It examines how capital ranks liquidity, transparency, and credibility when the credit cycle turns.

Where things stand now is clear enough. The evidence for worsening private-credit stress is strong. The evidence for a mounting valuation challenge is strengthening. The evidence for an imminent systemic break remains incomplete, but the path to one is clearer than it was a month ago because the market has begun to identify the exact points where confidence can fail.

Redemption waves across major managers, fresh gating at Barings, negative outlooks from Moody’s, and tens of billions in attempted withdrawals describe a market that has moved decisively out of the confidence phase.

What comes next depends on whether the industry can restore trust before liquidity pressure forces broader price discovery across the loans themselves.

The post New US credit crisis looms as more firms limit withdrawals – and Bitcoin could be hit first appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Hyperbridge, a decentralized bridge connecting the Polkadot ecosystem to the Ethereum network, suffered a major security breach that allowed an attacker to mint 1 billion unauthorized DOT tokens.

However, the hacker’s potential multimillion-dollar payday was drastically cut short to around $240,000 as there simply was not enough liquidity to cash out the fabricated assets.

While the direct financial losses from the exploit were relatively contained, the incident has sent shockwaves through the Polkadot ecosystem, driving the network's DOT native token toward its all-time low amid broader market anxieties regarding cross-chain security.

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Anatomy of the Hyperbridge exploit

Security experts explained that the vulnerability resided in how Hyperbridge’s contracts validated incoming cross-chain messages before passing them along to the token gateway.

Blockchain security firm BlockSec Phalcon identified the root cause as a “Merkle Mountain Range (MMR) proof replay vulnerability.” This is essentially a cryptographic blind spot that allowed the attacker to recycle old, valid security proofs and attach them to malicious, newly crafted requests.

At the core of the breach was a missing input validation within the system's `VerifyProof()` function. In standard cross-chain operations, a bridge must verify that a request originating on one blockchain is authentic before executing a corresponding action, such as minting tokens, on another.

In this instance, the Hyperbridge contract failed to properly bind the submitted request payload to the validated proof. The system merely checked that a request hash had not been used before, without verifying if the proof actually matched the message it was supposed to authenticate.

By manipulating the index parameters, the attacker bypassed the system's root computation entirely. This disconnect enabled the hacker to forge a valid cross-chain message, elevate their privileges to administrator status, and command the contract to mint 1 billion DOT tokens on Ethereum.

Meanwhile, the primary token minting was preceded by an initial, quieter attack. On-chain analyst Specter noted that roughly an hour before the massive DOT fabrication, an attacker exploited a related TokenGateway contract to siphon 245 ETH, worth approximately $537,000.

These funds were rapidly fragmented, distributed across 15 separate wallet addresses in increments of roughly 16.4 ETH, and laundered through the privacy protocol Tornado Cash.

How shallow market depth mitigated the damage

While the minting of 1 billion tokens usually signals a catastrophic, protocol-killing event, the attacker was thwarted by the very mechanics of decentralized finance: market depth.

When a hacker steals assets, they typically swap them into an automated market maker (AMM) liquidity pool for a more liquid, stable asset, such as Ethereum or a stablecoin. A liquidity pool prices assets based on the ratio of tokens held within it.

In this scenario, the bridged DOT pool on Ethereum was relatively shallow. When the attacker attempted to dump 1 billion forged tokens into the pool to extract ETH, the sheer volume of the sell order immediately overwhelmed the available liquidity.

As a result, the algorithm, rebalancing the ratio, drastically reduced the price of bridged DOT from $1.22 to tiny fractions of a cent within milliseconds.

Because the market could not absorb the massive order at stable prices, the attacker's profit was severely capped.

Blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence reported that the hacker was only able to extract roughly $240,000 worth of ETH from the DOT liquidity pool.

Meanwhile, had the vulnerability been exploited in a deeper pool or with a higher-value bridged asset, the financial devastation would have been exponentially greater.

From April Fools’ prank to reality

Meanwhile, this recent breach carries a heavy dose of irony for the Hyperbridge development team, arriving less than two weeks after the project published an April Fools’ Day joke about suffering a catastrophic exploit.

On April 1, Hyperbridge’s official channels posted a fake incident report claiming a $37 million breach across its Ethereum, Arbitrum, and Base deployments.

The mock post blamed fictional North Korean Lazarus Group hackers, rogue artificial intelligence agents, and even quantum computing. The post went so far as to joke that external auditors had attempted to warn the team, but developers were offline, eating KitKat bars to celebrate an engineer becoming a father.

At the time, the project brushed off community criticism of the joke, publicly boasting that their core community knew the protocol was “un-hackable.”

That hubris has evaporated as of press time, as the protocol developers were forced to halt the platform in real time.

Parity Technologies, the primary development firm behind the Polkadot ecosystem, quickly stepped in to manage the fallout. The firm clarified that the exploit was strictly isolated to Hyperbridge's Ethereum gateway contract.

It added that Polkadot’s core network, its connected parachains, and native DOT tokens remained fully secure and untouched by the breach.

Contagion fears push Polkadot toward all-time lows

Even though the underlying Polkadot blockchain was never compromised, the psychological impact of its most dominant bridge being exploited has taken a heavy toll on its native currency.

Following the news of the breach, Data from CryptoSlate showed that Polkadot’s native DOT token fell 5% during early Asian trading hours on Monday, dropping to $1.14.

The decline pushes the asset perilously close to its all-time low of $1.13. The token has been locked in a brutal downward spiral, shedding roughly 70% of its value over the past year amid a broader crypto market downturn and waning retail interest in legacy alternative layer-one networks.

For the Polkadot ecosystem, the Hyperbridge exploit is a worst-case scenario regarding market optics.

Even as developers emphasize the technical distinction between a vulnerable third-party Ethereum contract and the secure core Polkadot network, retail investors often view the brand as a monolith.

Until cross-chain infrastructure can achieve the same level of security as the underlying blockchains it connects to, these liquidity events will continue to drag down the broader market’s confidence.

Bridges remain Web3’s weakest link

Meanwhile, the Hyperbridge incident underlines a persistent and systemic vulnerability in decentralized finance: cross-chain bridges are inherently fragile.

In the Web3 ecosystem, bridges are essential infrastructure. They allow disparate, siloed blockchains to communicate, offering users greater flexibility, lower fees, and access to a wider array of decentralized applications.

However, to function, these bridges must hold massive reserves of locked assets on one side to issue corresponding “wrapped” assets on the other.

Because these protocols essentially act as massive honeypots governed by complex smart contracts, they represent the single most lucrative target for cybercriminals.

If a hacker can compromise the private keys of the bridge's validators or, as in the Hyperbridge case, exploit a vulnerability in the smart contract's code, they can seize administrative control and drain the underlying assets or print infinite supply.

Notably, the history of crypto is littered with devastating bridge exploits. In March 2022, the Ronin Network bridge, built for the Axie Infinity gaming ecosystem, was drained of over $600 million in one of the largest heists in crypto history.

Later that year, the BNB Chain’s cross-chain bridge suffered a code exploit, resulting in the unauthorized creation of 2 million BNB tokens worth roughly $566 million. Other catastrophic breaches include the $321 million Wormhole hack and the $190 million Nomad bridge exploit.

The post Polkadot Hyperbridge April Fools’ joke comes true as over 1 Billion fake DOT tokens were minted on Ethereum appeared first on CryptoSlate.

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.

$RAVE, the native token of RaveDAO, surged by more than 4,000% over the last seven days. This move made the project reach the top 100 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. While the broader market remains in a consolidation phase, RAVE's vertical ascent highlights the growing interest in Web3-native entertainment and decentralized event governance.

What is RaveDAO (RAVE)?

RaveDAO is a Web3-native entertainment collective designed to bridge the gap between the global electronic dance music (EDM) community and blockchain technology. At its core, the project functions as a decentralized organizer for large-scale music events, utilizing Ethereum-based smart contracts to handle everything from NFT ticketing to community governance.

Unlike many speculative tokens, the RAVE token serves several utility functions within its ecosystem:

• Staking for Access: Event organizers and vendors must stake RAVE to license the brand or qualify for participation.
• Deflationary Mechanics: A portion of profits from live events is used to buy back and burn RAVE tokens.
• Governance: Token holders can influence future event locations and project directions.
• Philanthropy: Through its "Rave for Light" initiative, the DAO reportedly donates 20% of proceeds to fund sight-restoring surgeries.

Why is RAVE Price UP?

The current Bitcoin price often dictates market sentiment, but RAVE has completely decoupled from the benchmark. According to data from major exchanges like Bitget, the rally was initially fueled by a massive short squeeze.

With over 70% of traders originally positioned to short the token during its early breakout, a cascade of liquidations forced the price higher, pushing it from under $0.50 to recent highs above $10.00. However, investors should remain cautious; on-chain data shows that wallets linked to the project's deployers moved millions of tokens to exchanges just before the pump, leading some analysts to question the sustainability of the current crypto news cycle surrounding the coin.

How to Trade RAVE on Bitget: Step-by-Step Guide

Bitget is one of the primary liquidity hubs for RAVE. Whether you are looking to ride the momentum or hedge your position, here is how to get started.

Step 1: Create and Verify Your Account

Visit the Bitget registration page and sign up with your email or phone number. To unlock full trading limits and ensure the security of your funds, complete the KYC (Know Your Customer) verification by uploading a valid ID.

Step 2: Deposit Funds

To trade RAVE, you typically need USDC or USDT. You can deposit them from an external wallet or purchase it directly on Bitget using a credit card or P2P trading.

Step 3: Navigate to the RAVE/USDT Pair

In the "Trade" menu, select "Spot Trading." Search for "RAVE" in the search bar and select the RAVE/USDT pair. You will see the live price chart and the order book.

Step 4: Execute Your Trade

• To Buy: Choose "Market Order" for an instant fill at the current price, or "Limit Order" to set a specific entry point.
• To Short: If you believe the price will drop, you can navigate to the "Futures" section to open a short position with leverage. Note: Shorting a parabolic asset like RAVE is extremely high-risk.

Step 5: Monitor your Trades

Given the 4,000% move, volatility is guaranteed over the short and medium terms. Keep an eye on important support areas breaks which might signal strong crashes. Since the price just moved to 11$, the 10$ price mark can be a strong support.

Is the RAVE Rally Sustainable?

From a technical standpoint, the RAVE/USD pair is currently in extreme overbought territory, with the RSI (Relative Strength Index) frequently hovering above 80. While the "Experience" and "Expertise" of the RaveDAO team in the EDM space provide a fundamental floor, the "Fully Diluted Valuation" (FDV) is significantly higher than the current market cap due to a large portion of the supply being locked.

Such supply dynamics often lead to significant price corrections when tokens are eventually unlocked. Traders should use strict stop-loss orders to protect their capital in this "high-risk, high-reward" environment.

As tensions in the Middle East reached a boiling point, risk assets—including $Bitcoin and major altcoins—faced a sharp "risk-off" liquidation. However, as diplomatic channels begin to signal a potential de-escalation, savvy investors are looking at the "blood in the streets" as a generational entry point.

Historically, markets overreact to geopolitical shocks. If a resolution is reached in early April, the pent-up liquidity currently sitting in stablecoins is expected to flood back into high-conviction projects that were unfairly hammered during the panic.

Is April a Good Time to Buy Crypto?

Potentially, as April 2026 is shaping up to be a prime recovery month. With many tokens trading at 20-30% discounts from their Q1 highs, the current "oversold" conditions on the RSI (Relative Strength Index) suggest a relief rally is imminent.

1. Ethereum (ETH): The Race Back to $3,000

$Ethereum remains the backbone of the decentralized economy. During the recent March turbulence, ETH slipped below its psychological support, but the fundamentals remain unshaken.

• Recovery Catalyst: The successful implementation of the "Prague" upgrade earlier this year has further reduced Layer-2 costs.
• Price Target: Analysts expect a swift recovery to the $3,000 mark as institutional ETH ETFs see renewed inflows once the global macro outlook stabilizes.

Investors should monitor the ETH price closely, as its recovery usually leads the broader altcoin market.

2. PEPE: The Volatility King

For those with a higher risk appetite, $PEPE remains the go-to memecoin for catching rapid bounces. Memecoins often act as high-beta plays on market sentiment; when the market turns green, PEPE tends to move twice as fast as the majors.

• Current State: PEPE lost significant ground in March but has maintained a strong community floor.
• Why Buy: Its extreme volatility makes it an ideal candidate for a "relief rally" play. As retail investors return to the market in April, the low-unit bias of PEPE often attracts massive speculative volume.

3. XRP: Regulatory Clarity Meets Institutional Adoption

$XRP has faced a double-whammy of geopolitical pressure and a temporary "capital flight" toward safer havens. However, its role in cross-border payments, especially in the Middle East, makes it a unique asset to watch as regional stability returns.

• Market Position: Having secured full regulatory clarity in late 2025, XRP is no longer a "gamble" but a utility-driven asset.
• Outlook: It has lost nearly 15% in the last month, making the XRP price highly attractive for those betting on the continued expansion of RippleNet.

4. Cardano (ADA): The "Deep Value" Opportunity

$Cardano is currently one of the most oversold "blue-chip" altcoins. While critics point to its slower price action, the network's resilience and growing DeFi TVL (Total Value Locked) suggest it is undervalued.

• The Dip: ADA has hit multi-month lows, hovering near critical demand zones.
• The Play: Historically, ADA performs well in the second stage of a market recovery.

5. Solana (SOL): The Ecosystem Powerhouse

No "Top 5" list for 2026 is complete without $Solana. Despite the market-wide dip, Solana continues to lead in retail transaction volume and NFT activity.

• Technical Outlook: SOL has shown incredible strength in bouncing off the $80-$100 support range.
• Why April: With the Firedancer upgrade nearing full optimization, Solana's throughput is unmatched. Any return of "risk-on" sentiment will likely see SOL outperform Bitcoin in percentage gains. You can compare Solana's performance against other majors on our exchange comparison page.

Top 5 Cryptos to Buy in April 2026

The Frankfurt exchange operator's investment values Kraken at $13.3 billion, as TradFi giants race to secure footholds in crypto.

Bitcoin and Ethereum are pumping. DeFi is winning. Saylor is buying big. And Kraken is getting extorted.

Bitcoin’s push towards $75K comes amid declining bearish options flow and spot buying, with analysts leaning slightly bullish.

Victims of the $4 billion OneCoin scam can petition for the opportunity to recover funds from over $40 million in forfeited assets.

The crypto exchange will distribute a record $1 million Cronos (CRO) fighter bonus pool at the upcoming UFC fight at the White House.

Ethereum surges against Bitcoin as bullish sentiment intensifies after its price reclaimed $2,391 amid rising greed signals in funding rates.

Shiba Inu volumes across spot and derivatives market show increased traders' positioning as the market rallies.

XRP Ledger saw a surge in transactional activity that we certainly didn't expect: what does it truly bring?

XRP volatility hits 2026 low as whales accumulate 20 million coins. Will the Bollinger Bands squeeze trigger a breakout to $2.00 or a drop to $1.15?

Hyperliquid is making waves on the market, solidifying its place as the strongest asset in the industry right now.

TLDR:

• Cardano Summit 2026 proposal requests $2.8M, reflecting a broader global expansion strategy in Singapore.
• Dual-event approach with TOKEN2049 aims to boost institutional reach and ecosystem visibility.
• Treasury funding includes strict oversight, milestone payments, and real-time transparency dashboards.
• Community vote will decide the proposal, with no revised plan if funding approval is denied.

Cardano Summit 2026 is at the center of a new treasury proposal that has sparked discussion across the Cardano ecosystem.

The Cardano Foundation confirmed it is reviewing community feedback regarding funding for the planned event and its alignment with TOKEN2049 in Singapore.

The proposal outlines a larger budget than previous years, reflecting a broader strategy aimed at institutional engagement during challenging market conditions while maintaining transparency and accountability.

Strategic Expansion and Budget Rationale

The Cardano Summit 2026 proposal introduces a notable increase in projected costs compared to earlier expectations.

The total budget now approaches $2.8 million, exceeding the previously discussed $1.2 million framework. This adjustment follows internal discussions and ecosystem developments that encouraged a broader global presence.

According to statements shared via the Cardano Foundation’s official communication channels, the decision reflects an effort to position Cardano as active despite market cycles.

The tweet emphasized that the initiative is designed as an anti-cyclical investment, reinforcing long-term ecosystem growth.

The higher costs are also linked to Singapore’s operating environment. Event logistics, vendor services, and general expenses in Singapore exceed those of previous locations such as Berlin. These factors collectively shaped the revised treasury request.

At the same time, sponsorship expectations remain conservative. The proposal assumes limited growth in sponsorship revenue, citing current market conditions. Lower ticket pricing, introduced after community feedback, also contributes to the funding gap.

Dual-Event Strategy with TOKEN2049

The integration of Cardano Summit 2026 with TOKEN2049 forms a central element of the proposal. This combined approach aims to leverage an existing global audience, offering access to institutional participants, developers, and media representatives gathered in Singapore.

The Cardano Foundation noted that TOKEN2049 attracts over 25,000 attendees, creating exposure levels difficult to replicate independently.

This environment provides opportunities for networking, partnerships, and ecosystem visibility within a concentrated timeframe.

As part of the sponsorship package, Cardano would secure a large exhibition space and a dedicated stage for ecosystem builders.

The arrangement also includes keynote speaking opportunities and promotional support across TOKEN2049 channels.

The scheduling decision also reflects regional strategy. Hosting the event in Singapore brings the Cardano Summit to the Asia-Pacific region for the first time. This move aligns with efforts to engage financial institutions and regulators within a global financial hub.

Governance, Oversight, and Community Accountability

The Cardano Summit 2026 proposal introduces structured oversight mechanisms designed to address community concerns about treasury usage.

Funds would be managed through audited smart contracts, with milestone-based disbursements tied to event delivery.

An oversight committee comprising ecosystem participants, including Sundae Labs and NMKR, would monitor progress.

This group holds authority to pause or adjust funding milestones if necessary, ensuring adherence to defined objectives.

Transparency measures include a public dashboard that tracks fund allocation and performance indicators in real time. Independent audits are also planned, continuing practices established during the 2025 Summit.

Key performance targets have been defined across multiple categories. These include attendee numbers, enterprise engagement, media reach, and developer participation. Metrics related to TOKEN2049 participation and hackathon outcomes are also included.

The proposal outlines clear provisions for unused funds. Any surplus or gains resulting from price appreciation would be returned to the treasury within six months.

If the proposal does not pass, the Cardano Summit 2026 will not proceed, and alternative initiatives will be considered.

The post Cardano Summit 2026 Proposal Sparks Debate Over $2.8M Treasury Allocation appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• CarMax reported a Q4 net loss of $120.7 million, equivalent to 85 cents per diluted share, primarily due to a $141.3 million goodwill impairment.
• Shares declined 6.8% during premarket hours on Tuesday following the earnings release.
• On an adjusted basis, EPS reached $0.34, surpassing the Street’s $0.18 consensus; quarterly revenue of $5.95 billion exceeded the $5.65 billion forecast.
• Gross profit per retail used vehicle declined to $2,115 from $2,322 year-over-year; wholesale unit profitability slipped to $940 from $1,045.
• The company outlined expansion plans including four new retail locations and four reconditioning centers in fiscal 2027, with projected capital spending near $400 million.

Shares of CarMax (KMX) tumbled 6.8% in premarket activity Tuesday following the used vehicle retailer’s announcement of a fourth-quarter net loss, weighed down by a substantial $141.3 million goodwill impairment.

The Virginia-headquartered automotive retailer disclosed a quarterly loss totaling $120.7 million, translating to a loss of 85 cents per diluted share. This marks a stark reversal from the prior-year quarter when the company generated net income of $89.9 million, or 58 cents per share.

However, excluding the non-cash goodwill charge, the financial results painted a more favorable narrative. CarMax’s adjusted earnings per share reached 34 cents — nearly double the 18-cent consensus forecast from Wall Street analysts.

CarMax, Inc., KMX

Quarterly revenue totaled $5.95 billion, representing a modest 1% decline compared to the same period last year, yet comfortably exceeding analyst projections of $5.65 billion.

The goodwill impairment wasn’t unexpected for market observers. CarMax attributed the writedown to a significant decrease in its market capitalization, underwhelming financial results throughout fiscal 2026, and adjustments to its forward-looking financial projections.

Profitability Per Unit Continues Decline

Per-vehicle profitability remained under significant pressure. The company’s retail gross profit margin per used vehicle contracted to $2,115 during the quarter, compared to $2,322 in the year-ago period. Similarly, wholesale gross profit per unit decreased to $940 from $1,045 year-over-year.

CarMax implemented pricing reductions to accelerate inventory turnover. The strategy yielded modest results — wholesale unit volume increased 3% to 122,781 vehicles. However, average wholesale selling prices declined approximately $270 per vehicle, offsetting much of the volume benefit.

Retail used vehicle units sold decreased 0.8% year-over-year to 181,188 vehicles. On a comparable store basis, sales fell 1.9%. Average retail transaction prices dropped roughly $110 per unit.

Total combined volume across retail and wholesale channels remained essentially unchanged, rising just 0.7% to 303,969 units.

Consumer purchasing behavior has added another headwind. Gasoline prices lingering around $4 per gallon have dampened consumer confidence and altered buying preferences. This macroeconomic pressure has accelerated interest in electric and hybrid vehicles, reshaping demand dynamics throughout the pre-owned vehicle marketplace.

Leadership Change Brings Strategic Pivot

Newly appointed President and CEO Keith Barr utilized his inaugural quarterly earnings call to outline a strategic recalibration.

“We are moving with urgency to improve execution, drive efficiencies, and sharpen our customer offering,” Barr stated. He emphasized that competitive pricing strategies and comprehensive vehicle selection would serve as primary mechanisms for recapturing market share.

Barr emphasized that the company’s objective is establishing CarMax as “the obvious choice for customers” by delivering aggressive pricing, maintaining substantial inventory depth, and enhancing the overall transaction experience from browsing to delivery.

Looking toward fiscal 2027, CarMax announced plans to launch four additional retail stores alongside four new vehicle reconditioning and auction centers. The company anticipates capital expenditures will approximate $400 million for the coming fiscal year.

The company’s fourth-quarter revenue of $5.95 billion represented a 1% year-over-year decline.

Full-year adjusted earnings per share contracted to 34 cents from 64 cents in the previous fiscal year, underscoring the sustained margin headwinds affecting all business segments.

The post CarMax (KMX) Stock Tumbles 6.8% Despite Beating Estimates on Tightening Vehicle Margins appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Points

• Fire erupted at BYD’s Pingshan manufacturing complex in Shenzhen early Tuesday at 2:48 a.m.
• A multi-story parking facility housing testing and decommissioned vehicles was engulfed in flames
• Emergency responders extinguished the fire with zero casualties
• Shares of BYD dropped 0.6% in trading following the incident
• Officials have not yet revealed what triggered the blaze

In the predawn hours of Tuesday, a significant fire erupted at BYD’s industrial complex located in the Pingshan district of Shenzhen, China. Both the automaker and regional firefighting officials have verified the occurrence.

BYD released a statement indicating that the blaze originated within a multi-level parking structure designated for housing test vehicles and those earmarked for disposal. The manufacturer confirmed that firefighting teams successfully put out the flames and that there were no reported injuries.

Firefighting officials in the region stated they received the emergency call at 2:48 a.m. in the Ma Luan subdistrict within Pingshan. Response units from both district and city-level departments were immediately mobilized to the location.

BYD Company Limited, BYDDY

Footage shared widely across Chinese social platforms depicted dense black smoke billowing from a several-story building at the site. Fire was observed spreading along an extended portion of the structure, with emergency vehicles and law enforcement units visible at the scene.

Reuters authenticated the video clips, confirming the magnitude of the fire before containment efforts succeeded.

BYD’s international headquarters are situated in Shenzhen’s Pingshan district, the identical location where Tuesday’s fire took place.

Market Impact

BYD stock declined 0.6% at 0208 GMT in response to reports of the fire. The relatively minor decrease appears to correlate with confirmation that no personnel were harmed and that the situation was rapidly controlled.

The parking garage that caught fire was used to house vehicles designated for testing purposes and those already decommissioned, rather than production-ready inventory or consumer vehicles awaiting delivery.

Unique Challenges of Electric Vehicle Fires

Industry specialists have highlighted that fires involving electric vehicles present distinct challenges compared to those with traditional gasoline-powered cars. EV fires typically burn for extended periods and prove more difficult to suppress, primarily because of the potential for battery cell thermal runaway and reignition.

Authorities have not yet clarified whether the stored vehicles were electric models or conventional internal combustion engine vehicles utilized for developmental testing.

Neither local investigators nor BYD have disclosed the underlying cause of the fire in their most recent communications.

Additional information regarding potential damage to testing equipment, prototype vehicles, or proprietary research data remains unavailable.

BYD has made no announcement suggesting any interruption to manufacturing operations or other activities at the Pingshan location.

The automaker has not revealed the total number of vehicles housed in the parking facility when the fire ignited.

Municipal authorities have verified that the blaze was completely extinguished, with no reported casualties or injuries.

The post BYD (BYDDY) Stock Slides Following Fire at Shenzhen Manufacturing Complex appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• Major payment processors Visa and Stripe join Tempo validator network

• Enterprise-grade infrastructure strengthens stablecoin settlement capacity

• Institutional participation drives global stablecoin payment adoption

• Leading financial firms accelerate blockchain-based transaction systems

• Tempo network gains robust validation from industry giants

Major payment processing companies are deepening their blockchain engagement as both Visa and Stripe become validators on Tempo’s network. This strategic development bolsters the stablecoin payment infrastructure built for substantial transaction volumes and institutional adoption. The expansion demonstrates growing appetite for stablecoin-based payment channels that enable round-the-clock, cross-border value movement.

These new validator partnerships support Tempo’s mission to deliver enterprise-level stablecoin payment solutions. The platform serves organizations demanding unwavering reliability, robust security protocols, and rapid transaction finality. This development also mirrors widespread industry trends favoring stablecoin integration within financial operations.

Enterprise-Grade Validators Fortify Network Foundation

Visa and Stripe have joined the Tempo ecosystem alongside Zodia Custody, which is supported by Standard Chartered. These organizations now run validator nodes responsible for transaction verification, sequencing, and confirmation throughout the network. Consequently, the infrastructure achieves enhanced operational resilience for stablecoin-based settlements.

Validator nodes ensure network availability and deliver consistent transaction execution across decentralized architectures. Established financial institutions contribute battle-tested infrastructure and worldwide server deployments. Such capabilities directly enable stablecoin networks to handle demanding enterprise workloads.

The Tempo platform operates on an Ethereum-compatible Layer 1 blockchain optimized for substantial payment throughput and settlement operations. The network addresses stablecoin applications including cross-border remittances and corporate treasury movements. Its architecture prioritizes transaction velocity, operational efficiency, and continuous availability.

Platform Development and Growing Ecosystem

Tempo emerged from an incubation program led by Stripe and Paradigm before transitioning to private testnet deployment. Subsequently, the project raised $500 million in Series A funding at a $5 billion valuation. These resources fuel ongoing stablecoin infrastructure development and ecosystem expansion.

The network is also investigating autonomous payment systems powered by artificial intelligence agents. Accordingly, certain stablecoin transactions could execute automatically without human intervention in specific operational contexts. This innovation introduces programmatic automation to conventional payment frameworks.

Tempo actively incorporates third-party services to enhance network functionality and market data availability. RedStone, for instance, provides real-time foreign exchange rates and stablecoin pricing information. Meanwhile, the omnichain stablecoin USDT0 expands liquidity options throughout the ecosystem.

These strategic partnerships enhance platform performance by delivering precise market data and improved transaction processing. As a result, stablecoin settlements benefit from trustworthy pricing inputs and enhanced cross-network compatibility. The infrastructure also gains from increased liquidity pools and multi-chain functionality.

Institutional Adoption Drives Blockchain Payment Evolution

The participation of prominent payment processors represents a meaningful transition toward institutional blockchain integration. These corporations facilitate trillions of dollars in annual transactions across international markets. Their engagement supports widespread stablecoin implementation at commercial scale.

Tempo aims to serve as foundational infrastructure for institutional stablecoin settlement platforms. The network prioritizes uninterrupted service availability, secure transaction validation, and optimized payment routing. Therefore, stablecoin systems increasingly mirror the reliability standards established by conventional payment networks.

This validator expansion underscores deepening integration between blockchain technologies and established financial infrastructure. Stablecoin utilization continues expanding across corporate treasury management and international payment applications. Tempo’s validator growth indicates sustained momentum within this emerging sector.

The post Stripe and Visa Reinforce Tempo’s Stablecoin Network as New Validators appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• Deutsche Börse has purchased a 1.5% ownership position in Payward Inc., Kraken’s parent entity, for $200 million
• This transaction places Kraken’s valuation at roughly $13.3 billion
• An initial collaboration between both organizations was established in December 2025 to bridge conventional and crypto markets
• Plans for Kraken’s public offering have been temporarily shelved amid challenging market dynamics
• Kraken achieved a historic milestone in March by securing the first Federal Reserve master account granted to a digital asset bank

The Frankfurt Stock Exchange operator, Deutsche Börse, has made a significant $200 million investment in American cryptocurrency platform Kraken. This strategic acquisition provides Deutsche Börse with a 1.5% fully diluted ownership interest in Payward Inc., the parent corporation behind Kraken.

The transaction assigns a market value of approximately $13.3 billion to Kraken. The investment structure involves acquiring existing shares through a secondary market exchange rather than a primary capital raise.

The relationship between these two financial powerhouses dates back to December 2025, when they initially unveiled a strategic alliance. This collaboration aimed to create seamless integration between conventional financial infrastructure and emerging digital asset ecosystems, particularly targeting institutional participants throughout Europe.

According to Deutsche Börse’s announcement, this equity investment significantly strengthens their existing partnership. The expanded collaboration now encompasses regulated cryptocurrency services, tokenization initiatives, derivatives products, and institutional liquidity solutions spanning multiple geographic markets.

Deutsche Börse Accelerates Digital Asset Expansion

Deutsche Börse has systematically developed its digital asset capabilities over recent years. The organization launched a dedicated institutional cryptocurrency trading venue in 2024.

By March 2025, the company rolled out cryptocurrency custody and settlement infrastructure via its Clearstream division. Additionally, it integrated support for euro and dollar-denominated stablecoins in post-transaction processing through a partnership with Societe Generale-FORGE.

Regulatory authorities must still approve the transaction, with completion anticipated during the second quarter of 2026.

Kraken previously disclosed intentions to pursue a public market listing in November 2025. Simultaneously, the company secured $800 million in funding, which included a $200 million contribution from Citadel Securities.

However, the initial public offering timeline has been postponed. Management cited adverse market circumstances as the primary factor. While an IPO remains under consideration, the company will wait for more favorable conditions before proceeding.

Legacy Financial Institutions Embrace Cryptocurrency

Deutsche Börse represents just one example of traditional financial institutions pivoting toward digital assets. In March 2026, the corporation that owns the New York Stock Exchange made an equity investment in cryptocurrency platform OKX.

Nasdaq similarly announced a strategic partnership with Payward Inc. during the same period.

These developments demonstrate how established exchange operators are assuming more prominent positions within the cryptocurrency sector, with particular emphasis on serving institutional clientele.

In a groundbreaking development during March 2026, Kraken achieved distinction as the inaugural digital asset banking institution to obtain a master account with the U.S. Federal Reserve. While significant, this achievement prompted questions from external observers regarding transparency protocols and potential financial stability implications.

The Deutsche Börse-Kraken agreement remains pending final regulatory clearance before achieving closure.

The post Deutsche Börse Invests $200M in Kraken: A Major Institutional Crypto Milestone appeared first on Blockonomi.

Bitcoin’s latest rally is defying a long-standing market assumption – that the cryptocurrency behaves like a risk asset during geopolitical crises.

The world’s largest digital asset climbed to nearly $75,000, its highest level in almost a month, even as tensions in the Middle East escalated. While traditional markets wavered, Bitcoin moved in the opposite direction.

According to Matt Hougan, the move is not coincidental. Instead, he argues that Bitcoin is benefiting directly from geopolitical instability, challenging the notion that it should fall during periods of increased uncertainty.

Dollar Dominance Cracks

Since US and Israeli airstrikes began on February 28, Bitcoin has risen 13%, while traditional assets have moved in the opposite direction, with the S&P 500 declining 1% and gold falling 10%. This divergence has challenged the conventional assumption that BTC behaves purely as a risk asset and should therefore decline during periods of geopolitical stress.

Hougan’s explanation centers on the idea that BTC represents two distinct but related use cases – it is already positioned as a store of value similar to gold, while also carrying the potential to evolve into a currency used for international transactions.

The second aspect is less established, but becomes more relevant during periods of instability, when traditional financial systems face pressure.

Geopolitical conflict strengthens both roles simultaneously. On one hand, uncertainty increases demand for alternative stores of value. On the other hand, it exposes weaknesses in the current global financial system, particularly its reliance on the dollar-based financial rails. This has been developing for several years, and a major turning point was following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

After the conflict began, Russian banks were removed from the SWIFT payments network, which effectively limited the country’s access to the global financial system. The move showed that financial infrastructure tied to the dollar can be restricted for political reasons. This prompted other nations to look for alternatives.

China increased its role in global settlement flows, and trade between Russia and China moved away from the dollar toward local currencies. Over time, this reduced reliance on dollar-based payment systems and demonstrated that alternatives can develop when needed.

These changes matter for Bitcoin because they highlight demand for a payment method that is not controlled by any single country. Hougan explained that in these situations, an apolitical alternative like Bitcoin becomes more relevant. This does not mean it replaces existing systems, but it increases the chances that it could be used alongside them, especially in cross-border transactions.

Out-Of-The-Money Call Option

The current Iran conflict provides a clear example of this trend. Hougan also spoke about a statement from Iran’s oil agency reportedly indicating plans to collect toll payments from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in BTC. This shows that, during periods of conflict, countries may actively consider using BTC for real economic activity.

While concerns have been raised about sanctions evasion, Hougan maintained that Bitcoin does not remove regulatory obligations. Transactions are visible on the blockchain, and any entity making payments must still follow US Treasury rules or face penalties. This transparency makes it difficult to use Bitcoin as a simple workaround for restrictions.

Countries are exploring different ways to settle transactions when geopolitical tensions rise. This increases the likelihood that Bitcoin could play a role in global payments over time. Hougan compared Bitcoin to an out-of-the-money call option.

According to him, BTC’s value increases when the probability of it being used as a currency rises or when volatility in the global financial system increases. Geopolitical conflict contributes to both. It creates uncertainty in how the current system operates and, at the same time, pushes countries to consider alternatives. The Middle East conflict has done both by increasing instability and introducing real-world examples of Bitcoin being considered for payments.

The post Bitcoin’s Two Use Cases Are Fueling Its Surge During Geopolitical Turmoil appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Pi Network’s team announced the completion of the latest update, which moved the protocol to version 21 and brought it even closer to the promised smart contract capabilities.

They also published a few key clarifications and a new Testnet feature, but the native token continues to struggle and has failed to join the market-wide rally today.

The Latest

Our last overall update on Pi Network’s ecosystem informed that the protocol had already moved off the previous versions 19.6, 19.9, and even 20.2. The last one was anticipated the most since it laid out the foundations for smart contract functions.

The next one, v21, was supposed to be introduced by April 6. Although the team didn’t confirm the completion by that date, they did it in a subsequent post a few days later and doubled down yesterday. As with the previous ones, node operators were advised to make sure their systems are up to date. The team also promised that the v22 upgrade is in the making.

The Pi Mainnet has successfully upgraded to Protocol 21.

Node operators, please ensure your systems are up to date and stay tuned for instructions regarding the upcoming v22 upgrade.

— Pi Network (@PiCoreTeam) April 14, 2026

The other big development was focused on an RPC server for Pi Testnet. It was introduced a few weeks ago, but the team clarified earlier this week that it supports development, testing, and future deployment of smart contracts within the broader ecosystem.

It also enables devs to “build responsive applications, test contract behavior, and integrate services using real-time blockchain data.” Third-party services and node operators are able to run their own RPC servers as well, the team explained.

Pi Token’s Price Moves

The project’s native token experienced its most significant revival in months in March ahead of a major listing announcement on Kraken. As the hype took over, the asset flew by nearly 100% in days and tapped $0.30 for the first time this year.

However, once trading began on March 13, the ‘sell-the-news’ event was instant, and PI plummeted to under $0.20 in less than 48 hours. The landscape worsened as the war in Iran progressed, and it dipped below the crucial support at $0.18, which has now turned into resistance.

CryptoPotato reported yesterday that it kept sliding, reaching a 7-week low of under $0.165. What’s even more concerning is that it has failed to rally in the past day, even though most of the market is well in the green, with BTC jumping by 5% and ETH soaring by 9%.

PI is still slightly in the red on a daily scale and continues to fight for $0.165. The next few days will see massive token unlocks, which could lead to even more profound losses.

The post Pi Network News and PI Token Price Moves: April 14 appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitcoin’s price has added over $4,000 in the past 24 hours as the asset just touched a monthly peak of $75,000.

Most altcoins have followed suit, which has helped the total crypto market cap add $100 billion in a day.

BTC Sees Monthly Peak

The primary cryptocurrency exploded at the beginning of the previous business week after the US and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire. The asset rocketed from $68,000 to a then-local peak of $73,000 in just a day. After a brief retracement, it went back on the offensive at the end of the week as the two sides prepared for peace talks in Pakistan.

Bitcoin rose to almost $74,000 on Saturday before the actual meeting took place. Once it became known that the delegations from the two nations failed to reach an agreement over the nuclear side, BTC dumped once again, slipping to $70,500.

However, the bulls intervened and helped it maintain the $70,000 level. The past 12 hours or so have been a lot more positive following new reports that Iran and the US could reopen negotiations soon. Bitcoin reacted with another price pump that drove it to $75,000 for the first time since March 17.

Its market capitalization has risen to $1.5 trillion, while its dominance over the alts has pumped to 57.3% on CG.

ETH Aims at $2.4K

Most altcoins have turned green over the past day, with ETH leading the charge from the larger caps. It has rocketed by over 9% in the past day and touched $2,400 earlier today for the first time in over two months. Ripple’s token is up by 3.5%, similar to BNB as both assets continue their fight for the fourth spot.

HYPE, LINK, CC, RAIN, PEPE, UNI, and SUI have marked impressive gains as well, but RAVE has stolen the show with another 60% surge that has driven it to over $14 as of now.

The cumulative market cap of all crypto assets has added over $100 billion in a day and now sits above $2.6 trillion on CG.

The post Bitcoin Soars to Monthly Peak at $75K, Ethereum Touches $2.4K: Market Watch appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Deutsche Börse has bought a $200 million stake in one of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges in the United States, Kraken.

The investment marks yet another direct capital injection by a traditional financial firm into a crypto business – a sign of broader institutional participation and deeper interest in the market.

According to a Bloomberg report, this values Payward Inc., the parent company of Kraken, at $13.3 billion.

Recall that earlier this year, Kraken became the first crypto exchange in the country to get access to a Fed Master account. Although it’s limited-purpose, the approval marked a significant shift in the way digital asset firms interact with the traditional finance system.

The post Deutsche Boerse Acquires $200 Million Stake in Kraken appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Investors are becoming increasingly cautious due to the ongoing geopolitical turmoil. The XRP market is also seeing significant weakness as traders appear to be pulling back from the crypto asset.

In fact, new data suggests that XRP’s derivatives market has taken a major hit.

Weak Speculative Demand

Glassnode reported that after the early October 2025 deleveraging event, XRP perpetual open interest dropped sharply from 7 billion to 2 billion tokens, a 71% decline.

The analytics firm observed that positioning has continued to shrink, and open interest fell another 25% to 1.5 billion XRP. Such a pattern potentially means that speculative activity remains low across derivatives markets.

In a separate update last week, Glassnode observed that more than half of XRP’s supply remains underwater. Investors who accumulated above $2 over the past 12 months have been realizing losses at a pace of $20 million to $110 million per day since November 2025, as selling pressure continues.

Amid this backdrop of weakening participation and losses, XRP is seeing widespread pessimism. Santiment reported that fear, uncertainty, and doubt surrounding XRP have climbed to their third-highest level in the past two years. The change comes after more than 60% price decline over the last nine months, which has driven many retail participants out of the market.

Historically, such spikes in bearish sentiment have coincided with a higher likelihood of relief rallies, as prices often move against prevailing expectations. As such, the current market structure could present an entry point.

Target Points

Analyst Ali Martinez flagged that XRP continues to trade within a large ascending triangle that has been forming on the monthly chart for nearly nine years. According to his analysis, the asset has repeatedly faced rejection at a major resistance level of $3.30 before retracing to a rising support trendline.

Following the latest rejection in August 2025, he expects XRP to retest the $0.75 to $0.80 range. Martinez also described this zone as a key accumulation area, while noting that a breakout from such a long consolidation could lead to a significant move.

The post XRP Derivatives Collapse Deepens as Open Interest Crashes 71%: Glassnode appeared first on CryptoPotato.