High Roller stock jumped more than 100% after announcing a Crypto.com prediction markets deal tied to U.S. event contracts expansion.

The post High Roller stock jumps over 100% on Crypto.com prediction markets deal appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Allbirds' pivot to AI cloud services highlights a strategic shift in response to financial struggles, potentially reshaping its market identity.

The post Allbirds stock moons 800% as it swaps sneakers for AI cloud appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The divergence between stock and crypto markets highlights potential volatility, with geopolitical shifts and investor sentiment playing crucial roles.

The post Stocks surge toward record highs as dollar weakens on Iran diplomacy hopes appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Kadence's innovative approach to hybrid work helps companies cut leasing costs and enhance workspace efficiency.

The post Dan Bladen: Companies can save $1 billion in leasing costs with Cadence, the US corporate real estate market is a $22 trillion opportunity, and why the seat-based model remains relevant | SaaS Interviews appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The proposal could enhance governance efficiency and align incentives, potentially boosting WLFI's market stability and long-term growth.

The post World Liberty Financial proposes immediate 10% burn of insider WLFI allocation appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Developers Propose Bitcoin Quantum Migration Plan That Would Freeze Legacy Coins

A new proposal circulating among Bitcoin developers is forcing the network to confront a long-standing theoretical risk: the impact of quantum computing on its cryptographic foundations.

Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 361 (BIP-361), introduced by a group of researchers including Jameson Lopp, outlines a structured plan to migrate the network away from legacy signature schemes and toward quantum-resistant alternatives. If adopted, the proposal would impose a phased deadline that could ultimately render unmigrated coins permanently unspendable.

The proposal aims to reduce Bitcoin’s exposure to a future scenario in which sufficiently advanced quantum computers can break the elliptic curve cryptography that underpins its current system.

“Even if Bitcoin is not a primary initial target of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer, widespread knowledge that such a computer exists and is capable of breaking Bitcoin’s cryptography will damage faith in the network,” the BIP authors wrote.

Today, Bitcoin relies on ECDSA and Schnorr signatures to secure transactions. Both remain robust against classical computing but are theoretically vulnerable to Shor’s algorithm, which could allow an attacker to derive private keys from exposed public keys. This risk is not evenly distributed across the network. Older address types, particularly pay-to-public-key outputs and reused addresses, reveal public keys onchain and are considered the most vulnerable.

Estimates cited by the proposal suggest that more than one-third of all bitcoin in circulation falls into this category, including early holdings attributed to Satoshi Nakamoto. In a quantum attack scenario, those funds could be compromised, potentially destabilizing the network and redistributing wealth to technologically advanced actors.

The proposal’s transition phases

BIP-361 introduces a three-phase transition designed to preempt that outcome. Phase A, expected roughly three years after activation, would prohibit new transactions from sending funds to legacy address types. While users could still move funds out of vulnerable addresses, the restriction would push wallets and services toward adopting quantum-resistant formats.

Phase B, beginning about two years later, would escalate the transition by invalidating all legacy signatures at the consensus level. At that point, any bitcoin that has not been migrated would become effectively frozen, unable to be spent under network rules.

A proposed Phase C, still under research, would offer a limited recovery mechanism. This would rely on zero-knowledge proofs tied to seed phrases, allowing users to demonstrate ownership of frozen funds without exposing private keys. The feasibility and timeline of this phase remain uncertain.

The proposal frames the forced migration as a defensive measure rather than a punitive one. By freezing coins that fail to upgrade, the authors argue the network can eliminate a major attack surface before quantum capabilities emerge. 

They also note that permanently inaccessible coins would reduce effective supply, a dynamic long discussed within Bitcoin’s economic model.

No activation timeline has been set, and BIP-361 remains in draft form.

This post Bitcoin Developers Propose Bitcoin Quantum Migration Plan That Would Freeze Legacy Coins first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Virginia Enacts Law Requiring State to Hold ‘Unclaimed’ Crypto in Original Form for One Year

Virginia has enacted a new framework for unclaimed digital assets, requiring the state to hold dormant cryptocurrency in its original form for a set period before any sale.

Governor Abigail Spanberger signed House Bill 798 into law on April 14, marking a shift in how the state handles abandoned crypto accounts. The measure will take effect on July 1, 2026, and updates Virginia’s unclaimed property statute to include digital assets.

Under the law, cryptocurrency held in customer accounts that show no activity for five years will be presumed abandoned and transferred to state custody. Unlike prior practices in many jurisdictions, the assets must be transferred “in-kind,” meaning the state takes possession of the actual tokens rather than converting them into cash upon receipt.

The change addresses a long-standing concern among crypto users and industry firms. In many cases, states have liquidated digital assets soon after taking custody, leaving owners who later reclaim funds with only the cash value at the time of sale. That approach exposed claimants to the risk of missing gains during market increases.

Virginia must hold crypto for one year

Virginia’s new statute aims to reduce that risk. It requires the state to hold digital assets for at least one year before any liquidation. During that period, owners who come forward can reclaim their property in its original form if it remains unsold, or receive either the sale proceeds or the market value at the time of the claim, whichever is greater.

The law defines digital assets as representations of value used as a medium of exchange, unit of account, or store of value, while excluding certain items such as in-game currencies and non-transferable rewards. 

It also outlines what constitutes owner activity, including transactions, account access, or other actions that demonstrate awareness of the account, all of which reset the dormancy period.

Custody rules depend on whether a holder, such as a crypto exchange, controls the private keys tied to the assets. If full control exists, the holder must transfer the assets directly to the state. If control remains partial, the holder must retain the assets until transfer becomes possible. The law also allows the state to direct liquidation in cases where it cannot safely custody certain assets.

Industry reaction has been positive. Paul Grewal, chief legal officer at Coinbase, said the measure ensures that digital assets are handled in a way that preserves their native form during the unclaimed property process.

Virginia joins a growing number of states that have moved to update unclaimed property laws to account for digital assets. States such as California have taken similar steps, though approaches vary on whether assets must be liquidated or held in-kind.

For crypto firms operating in Virginia, the law introduces new compliance requirements tied to reporting, custody, and transfer procedures. 

For users, it offers stronger protections against forced liquidation and a clearer path to reclaiming assets that fall into dormancy.

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

This post Virginia Enacts Law Requiring State to Hold ‘Unclaimed’ Crypto in Original Form for One Year first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Pakistan Ends Bitcoin and Crypto Banking Ban, Opens Financial System to Licensed Firms

Pakistan’s central bank has formally reversed its long-standing ban on banking services for cryptocurrency firms, allowing regulated banks to open accounts for licensed virtual asset service providers (VASPs) under a new legal framework.

The decision, announced in a circular by the State Bank of Pakistan and reported by Reuters, follows the enactment of the Virtual Assets Act 2026 and marks the country’s first structured move to integrate digital asset businesses into its formal financial system.

“This is a foundational step in bringing virtual assets into the formal financial system of Pakistan,” said Bilal bin Saqib, chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, in an official statement.

Under the new rules, banks can provide basic financial services to crypto firms, but must first verify that the entities are licensed by PVARA. Strict safeguards have been put in place to mitigate financial risks and ensure compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing standards.

Banks are required to conduct full due diligence, maintain updated risk profiles for VASP clients, and report suspicious transactions to regulators.

They must also ensure that client funds are held in segregated, non-interest-bearing accounts denominated in Pakistani rupees. The commingling of customer and company funds is strictly prohibited.

Pakistani banks still can’t invest in bitcoin or crypto

However, the central bank has drawn a firm line on direct exposure to digital assets. Banks are explicitly barred from investing in, trading, or holding cryptocurrencies using either their own capital or customer deposits. Their role is limited to facilitating payment rails and custody of fiat funds tied to licensed crypto activity.

The move represents a sharp reversal from Pakistan’s 2018 policy, which effectively cut off crypto firms from the banking system and stifled industry growth. With the new framework in place, authorities are now positioning the country as a regulated hub for digital asset innovation.

Pakistan has already taken steps to attract global crypto players. Officials signed a memorandum of understanding with Binance in December to explore tokenization initiatives potentially involving up to $2 billion in assets, and have granted initial regulatory clearances to both Binance and HTX.

In parallel, the country has explored blockchain-based financial infrastructure through discussions with an affiliate of World Liberty Financial, including the potential use of stablecoins for cross-border payments.

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

This post Pakistan Ends Bitcoin and Crypto Banking Ban, Opens Financial System to Licensed Firms first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Back-To-Back Billion-Dollar Days: Strategy’s STRC ATM Clears $2.7B In 48 Hours

Strategy’s STRC ATM has produced $2.7+ billion in volume across just two trading sessions this week, more than all of last week combined, absorbing an estimated 29,914 BTC with every single share trading above par.

Yesterday, I wrote about how Strategy’s STRC ATM had just printed its first billion-dollar volume day. Today, it did it again, bigger.

Tuesday, April 14 closed with an estimated $1.57 billion in STRC volume, 100% of it above the $100 par threshold, implying roughly 16,762 BTC absorbed in a single session. That’s 37 times the daily mined Bitcoin supply, more than a month of global issuance pulled off the market in one trading day.

Combined with Monday’s $1.17B, this week has produced $2.74 billion in STRC volume through just two sessions — and an estimated 29,914 BTC acquired via the ATM.

For context: last week’s total, confirmed via Strategy’s most recent 8-K filing, was 13,927 BTC across five full trading days.

This week has more than doubled that in 48 hours. +115%, with three sessions left.

Every share, every day

The stat that should not be buried: on both Monday and Tuesday, 100% of STRC’s traded volume cleared above the $100 par threshold. And the STRC ATM live tracker is the best way to watch it happen in real time.

That is the trigger condition for the ATM. Strategy’s variable-rate perpetual preferred is designed to convert demand into Bitcoin whenever the stock trades above par, and for two consecutive sessions, every tick has qualified. Not 84%. Not 95%. Every single share.

That’s a level of demand persistence the STRC ATM Tracker hasn’t seen before.

The acceleration, in numbers

• Last week (confirmed, 5 days): $1.00B proceeds · 13,927 BTC
• This week (2 days so far): $2.18B proceeds · 29,914 BTC
• Delta: +115% BTC, in 40% of the trading time
• ATM streak: 10 consecutive days with activity above par

At the current pace, this week is tracking toward a run rate of roughly 75,000 BTC in five days, a figure that, if it holds, would rewrite what “large corporate Bitcoin treasury” even means.

It almost certainly won’t hold. Monday and Tuesday are outliers by definition. But even a sharp deceleration over the back half of the week leaves Strategy’s STRC ATM on pace for multiples of every prior week on record. You can watch the next three sessions unfold live here.

What changed

Two things, mechanically:

1. Price discipline. STRC has parked at exactly $100.00, yield 11.5%, with zero deviation. Every share that transacted, transacted at the trigger.
2. Volume expansion. $1.17B to $1.57B from Monday to Tuesday is a 34% day-over-day jump on an already record-setting base. Demand isn’t just holding; it’s accelerating intraday.

The pattern Strategy has been executing, build the instrument, park it at par, let the market do the conversion, is working at a scale that was theoretical last year.

The bigger picture

In the 10 trading days since the ATM went active, the market has absorbed estimated BTC in quantities that rival multi-year treasury accumulation strategies from other corporate Bitcoin buyers. And the instrument has one job: buy more.

Today’s number is not a one-day spike. It’s the second day of a pattern. And the pattern, so far, looks like this:

Back-to-back billion-dollar weeks. Back-to-back billion-dollar days. Every single share above par. Three trading days remain in the week. Track STRC ATM here →

Get the numbers first

The ATM moves fast, but the data that matters drops on an 8-K cadence, and the story around it is worth a deeper read than a tweet can carry.

Every Monday, The STRC Report delivers the full weekly recap: confirmed 8-K data, capture rates, BTC acquisition breakdowns, and the context behind the numbers. Free, no noise, no hype, just the data.

Subscribe to The STRC Report →

Disclaimer: This content was prepared on behalf of Bitcoin For Corporations for informational purposes only. It reflects the author’s own analysis and opinion and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Nothing in this article constitutes an offer, invitation, or solicitation to purchase, sell, or subscribe for any security or financial product. Live estimates only, 15-minute intervals, and full methodology at bitcoinforcorporations.com/strc-atm-tracker. All figures are tracker estimates derived from public market data, actual ATM proceeds and BTC acquisitions are disclosed in Strategy’s SEC filings.

This post Back-To-Back Billion-Dollar Days: Strategy’s STRC ATM Clears $2.7B In 48 Hours first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Nick Ward.

Bitcoin Magazine

Presidio Bitcoin Releases Quantum Readiness Paper

Today Presidio Bitcoin, a Bitcoin hub located in the Bay Area in California, has launched a knowledge repository/living report on Github to track the current state of research related to Bitcoin’s quantum vulnerability.

The report aims to be a central location where people in the ecosystem can easily keep track of and analyze the current state of research around the issue.

It currently takes a comprehensive look through the state of:

• The current state of quantum computing, as well as research into different quantum computing technologies that could lead to material engineering progress towards a viable device.
• The level of exposure, i.e. how many coins and how much overall value is currently vulnerable to long-range attacks by a capable quantum computer.
• Post-quantum cryptographic schemes, as well as the current state of research in developing variants of such schemes more heavily optimized for Bitcoin’s unique architecture and way of functioning.
• Different ways of implementing post-quantum cryptography in Bitcoin, and the trade-offs between these different paths.
• Different mechanisms for safely migrating vulnerable coins to quantum-safe addresses in the event that a powerful enough quantum computer is created before users migrate to post-quantum cryptography.
• An analysis of different ways that the actual migration could play out under different circumstances.

They plan to regularly update the repository/report as new research comes out, and solutions and plans are further refined and updated.

The announcement comes after growing claims that Bitcoin developers are not doing anything to acknowledge or address the issue, and aims to highlight the on-going research and development into solutions to the issue conducted by developers.

Read the current version of the report here.

This post Presidio Bitcoin Releases Quantum Readiness Paper first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Shinobi.

Goldman Sachs, the $3.5 trillion banking giant, has filed to launch an actively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) that uses covered calls to generate income from Bitcoin.

The April 14 filing for the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF marks a strategic pivot for the investment bank, which previously had a hostile relationship with the flagship digital asset.

Moreover, what makes the new product more distinct is that Goldman is not launching a conventional spot Bitcoin product to compete in the increasingly saturated $100 billion BTC ETF market.

Instead, the banking giant is looking to engineer a moderated, yield-bearing version of Bitcoin tailored specifically for income-oriented portfolios. In this case, the firm intentionally forgoes a portion of the upside in top crypto in exchange for yield.

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Apr 12, 2026 · Andjela Radmilac

Goldman Sachs Bitcoin ETF picks a different lane

The proposed fund operates on a fundamentally different chassis than the spot ETFs that have dominated the market’s attention over the past two years.

According to the preliminary prospectus, the fund will not buy or hold Bitcoin directly. Instead, it will gain exposure by investing in spot Bitcoin ETPs, options on those ETPs, and options on indices that track them.

To generate its yield, the fund will systematically sell call options against that underlying exposure.

By operating as an actively managed, non-diversified fund, Goldman is positioning the ETF as a specialized wealth-management tool rather than a passive commodity tracker.

The filing details a complex operational structure to navigate regulatory constraints, including the use of a wholly owned Cayman Islands subsidiary to manage the spot-Bitcoin ETPs and related instruments, thereby allowing the primary fund to remain within US-registered fund tax and derivatives guidelines.

Goldman has tapped its own asset management arm, GSAM, to advise the fund, with Raj Garigipati, Oliver Bunn, and Sergio Calvo de Leon named as day-to-day portfolio managers. BNY Mellon will serve as custodian and transfer agent.

Utilizing the Rule 485(a)(2) filing path, the prospectus is marked for effectiveness 75 days after filing, pointing to a potential launch around June 28, 2026, assuming no regulatory delays.

The structural choices outlined in the filing make it clear that Goldman is not arriving late with a copycat product.

Rather, the banking giant is attempting to enter the crypto ETF arena through deliberate differentiation, leveraging its history in structured finance rather than competing in a race for pure beta.

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The Bitcoin income ETF product comes with a ceiling

While the prospect of yielding income from a historically volatile asset is a strong sales narrative, the product’s design ensures it is not a free lunch.

The fund monetizes Bitcoin’s volatility, but the mechanics of the covered-call overwrite strategy strictly limit potential gains while leaving investors exposed to underlying price drops.

Under normal market conditions, Goldman expects the fund’s overwrite level to range between 40% and 100% of its Bitcoin exposure.

When the fund sells a call option, it collects a premium from the buyer, who gains the right to purchase the asset at a specific strike price.

If Bitcoin rallies sharply beyond that strike price, the fund’s upside is capped; it is obligated to sell at the lower price, meaning the fund will inevitably lag behind direct spot investments during aggressive bull runs.

Conversely, if the cryptocurrency’s price collapses, the collected premium offers only a fractional buffer against the losses.

The filing is explicit about these trade-offs and also outlines the complex tax implications for prospective buyers.

The fund intends to declare and pay distributions from net investment income and option premiums on a monthly basis.

However, Goldman warns that the options strategy is expected to generate higher short-term capital gains and ordinary income than a simpler passive fund.

Furthermore, a significant portion of the monthly distributions may be classified as a return of capital for tax purposes, complicating the after-tax yield for investors holding the asset in taxable accounts.

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Bitcoin is now less volatile than Nvidia, a statistical anomaly that completely changes your risk calculation

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Jan 3, 2026 · Gino Matos

The Bitcoin ETF market moves from access to packaging

Goldman’s move reflects a broader maturation taking place across the $12.5 trillion asset management industry.

The first phase of the Bitcoin ETF era was defined by access, which established the legal and structural plumbing to enable traditional brokerage accounts to purchase spot Bitcoin.

The market has now definitively entered its second phase, which is defined by packaging.

Institutions are aggressively redesigning the same underlying Bitcoin exposure to satisfy different buyer preferences.

Notably, BlackRock, the largest asset management firm in the world, is currently refining the structure of its 1933 Act-covered call product, the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF (BITA), which will seek to capitalize on the massive liquidity of its $60 billion spot fund, IBIT.

Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley chose to compete in the pure access lane, recently launching its MSBT spot fund with a highly competitive 0.14% fee that undercut the wider market and absorbed $83.6 million in its first week.

Moreover, Goldman is stepping into a yield-generating sub-sector that already features established players such as Grayscale.

Funds such as the NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF (BTCI) and the Roundhill Bitcoin Covered Call Strategy ETF (YBTC) boast annualized distribution rates well above 40%.

Against this backdrop, Goldman is betting that its institutional weight, combined with its recent $2 billion acquisition of Innovator Capital Management, a firm known for options-based and defined-outcome products, will allow it to scale a strategy that smaller issuers have already proven viable.

Why Wall Street thinks this will sell

The commercial logic driving the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF is rooted entirely in traditional client psychology.

The bank recognizes a substantial demographic of financial advisers and traditional investors who desire a measured allocation to digital assets but cannot tolerate the behavioral and portfolio shock of raw spot volatility.

By wrapping Bitcoin in a covered-call strategy, Goldman is converting an unpredictable digital commodity into a familiar, income-bearing financial product.

Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas captured the target audience for this risk-adjusted profile, describing the fund's low-risk, low-reward mechanics as “Boomer candy.”

This is because it slots neatly into the conventional portfolio conversations that advisers have been having with conservative, yield-seeking clients for decades.

Meanwhile, this strategy starkly contrasts with Goldman’s historical stance on digital assets. In 2020, the bank’s wealth management division famously declared that cryptocurrencies were not a legitimate asset class, citing their highly speculative nature and reliance on the greater-fool theory.

As of the end of 2025, the bank held more than $1 billion in BTC on behalf of its clients, according to SEC filings.

Beyond that, it is willing to attach its name to a Bitcoin-linked fund through a highly engineered structure that dampens the raw asset’s profile and aligns it with traditional finance models.

As Nate Geraci, President of Nova Dius Wealth, observed following the filing:

“Think about the names now involved [with] bitcoin ETFs… It’s a who’s who of asset management.”

The Goldman Sachs filing ultimately suggests that the next frontier in the digital asset market will not be fought over who can provide the cheapest access to Bitcoin.

It will be a battle over who can most effectively redesign that access, packaging the asset’s inherent volatility into the broadest, most marketable forms for the traditional financial system.

The post New Goldman Sachs Bitcoin fund is built for advisers seeking yield, not traders chasing the next rally appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Anthropic's Mythos threat to the crypto industry can trigger hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in sudden, irreversible losses.

That is the stark reality facing digital asset markets following Anthropic’s quiet unveiling of Claude Mythos Preview, a vulnerability-seeking AI model the San Francisco startup admits is simply too dangerous to release to the public.

Deddy David, chief executive of blockchain security firm Cyvers, told CryptoSlate about the catastrophic scale of the problem, noting that the financial exposure of AI-driven exploits in crypto ranges from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars.

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He said:

“If AI can identify vulnerabilities at scale across core internet infrastructure, crypto will be one of the first markets to feel the impact.”

If those estimates are correct, the scope of potential damage is staggering.

Moreover, the scale of this new threat isn’t just about bad actors writing slightly better phishing emails or generating malicious code snippets.

Instead, it is about an autonomous system capable of finding deep, emergent logic flaws across smart contracts, wallets, and cross-chain bridges before human auditors even know where to look.

For years, crypto founders and security researchers have obsessed over “Q-Day,” the theoretical future date when a quantum computer becomes powerful enough to shatter blockchain cryptography.

But Mythos recent launch is forcing a pivot. Security experts have noted that the most immediate threat to digital assets is no longer a future attack on cryptography. It is an AI system that can already uncover exploitable flaws in the very software layer the industry depends on.

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Nov 21, 2021 · Footprint Analytics

Anthropic's Mythos cyber model changes the timeline

Anthropic’s Mythos model fundamentally rewrites the timeline of infrastructure risk.

According to the company, the model has already successfully identified vulnerabilities across every major web browser and operating system. In one alarming instance, it unearthed a 27-year-old bug buried in a critical piece of security infrastructure, alongside multiple deep-seated flaws within the Linux kernel.

This was also corroborated by the UK government's AI Security Institute (AISI), which noted:

“Our evaluation of Mythos Preview shows that it – and potentially future models – could be directed to autonomously compromise small, weakly defended, and vulnerable systems if given network access.”

The primary danger from these revelations is not simply that artificial intelligence makes cyber risk possible. Hackers have always existed. It is that AI radically compresses the time between bug discovery and exploit development.

This means that vulnerability research that historically required months of painstaking human labor can now be executed at machine speed.

For the traditional financial system, this represents a severe escalation in the cyber arms race.

For the crypto industry, where transactions are instantaneous, irreversible, and governed entirely by autonomous code, it represents an immediate, systemic vulnerability.

Why crypto may be exposed faster than banks

The architecture of the crypto ecosystem makes it uniquely vulnerable to machine-speed auditing.

While traditional banks rely on siloed, proprietary networks with centralized fail-safes and circuit breakers, the digital asset sector runs almost entirely on public code.

The industry is built on open-source dependencies, browser-based wallets, remote procedure call infrastructure, and smart contracts that are completely transparent to anyone or any AI model wishing to inspect them.

This transparency creates a massive, publicly available attack surface.

Compounding the risk is a severe structural mismatch between the value secured on-chain and the security budgets of the organizations that maintain it. Lean protocol teams frequently manage aging codebases that hold hundreds of millions of dollars in total value locked.

Alex Svanevik, the chief executive of the agentic trading platform Nansen, told CryptoSlate:

“Mythos is a different kind of threat: it’s already finding vulnerabilities in the infrastructure crypto runs on that humans and every automated tool missed for decades.”

When AI-accelerated vulnerability discovery meets instant value transfer, the results can be devastating. Thus, the industry can no longer rely on traditional audits or post-incident detection.

David explained:

“When you combine AI-accelerated vulnerability discovery with instant, irreversible transactions, you dramatically shorten the path from bug to breach to loss. This is not just an increase in attack surface, it’s an acceleration of time-to-exploit in a system where seconds matter.”

So what exactly is an AI model looking for?

According to security experts, the most exposed layers are highly complex smart contracts and cross-chain bridges.

These protocols are susceptible to emergent vulnerabilities, such as subtle state inconsistencies between upgradeable contracts or edge-case interactions across different modules.

These are not simple syntax errors that a standard audit catches. Instead, they are complex interaction paths that large-scale AI simulations can easily surface.

Quantum remains the more serious threat, but not the nearer one

While artificial intelligence poses an immediate threat to the software layer, quantum computing remains the ultimate, looming threat to the cryptographic foundation of digital assets.

Google Research has warned that future quantum computers may be able to break the elliptic-curve cryptography used in crypto systems with fewer resources than previously estimated. A sufficiently powerful cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) could derive private keys from public keys in minutes.

With Bitcoin hovering around $70,000, the digital asset ecosystem presents a multi-trillion-dollar bounty. Current estimates suggest that up to 37% of circulating Bitcoin could be vulnerable to such a quantum hijacking before the network confirms the transaction.

However, Google’s public messaging remains focused on preparation and migration. The tech giant recently announced a 2029 target for a full industry transition to post-quantum cryptography.

That contrast highlights the core of the industry's current dilemma. Anthropic’s model represents software exploits happening right now. Quantum computing could pose a cryptographic threat later, assuming the industry fails to migrate its security standards in time.

Chris Smith, chief executive of the cryptography firm Quantus, emphasized this exact distinction in his statement to CryptoSlate. He noted that while AI models are highly effective at finding and locating software bugs, quantum computing threatens the very foundations of the mathematics on which the crypto industry is built.

If the underlying algorithms are broken, even flawless software becomes entirely insecure.

The defensive race has already started

Recognizing the sheer immediacy of the AI threat, the defensive race has officially begun.

Through a new initiative called Project Glasswing, Anthropic has partnered with major tech firms and financial institutions, including Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, and JPMorgan Chase, to use Mythos Preview to proactively find and fix flaws in critical systems.

The company is committing up to $100 million in usage credits to help secure infrastructure before malicious actors can develop similar offensive capabilities.

The threat has reached the highest levels of government. Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a surprise meeting with major US bank chief executives to discuss the specific systemic risks posed by models like Mythos.

Meanwhile, the crypto industry is scrambling to join this defensive perimeter.

Major exchanges, including Coinbase and Binance, are reportedly in close communication with Anthropic to secure early access to the Mythos model.

Decentralized platforms are also echoing the urgency, with Uniswap founder Hayden Adams publicly requesting access to test the model against the platform. Uniswap is the largest decentralized exchange protocol, with more than $3 billion in assets locked.

Nansen's Svanevik argues that the crypto industry could utilize the tools in ways that would make it “the best security auditing tool ever built.”

According to him:

“Smart contracts have historically been audited by humans — slow, expensive, incomplete. An AI that can find a 27-year-old bug in OpenBSD can also find the reentrancy vulnerability that hasn't been caught yet in a major DeFi protocol. The question is whether defenders get access before attackers do — and whether the crypto industry moves fast enough to use it proactively rather than reactively.”

Simultaneously, OpenAI has expanded access to a more cyber-permissive model, GPT-5.4-Cyber, through its Trusted Access for Cyber program, allowing vetted security vendors to stress-test their own systems.

What the market may still be underpricing

Despite the severe implications of machine-speed vulnerability discovery, crypto markets have shown remarkably little reaction to the advent of frontier cyber-offensive AI.

Financial markets have spent years developing a vocabulary for quantum risk. Investors broadly understand that a quantum computer could break current encryption standards and the catastrophic impact that would have on digital ownership.

However, the market appears far less prepared to price a systemic threat that operates not through a dramatic break in mathematics, but through quiet audit failures, compromised wallet dependencies, and complex exploit chains.

As artificial intelligence fundamentally reshapes the speed and scale of cyber warfare, the digital asset market may significantly underestimate the fragility of the very infrastructure on which it is built.

The post Anthropic’s secretive Mythos AI can hunt crypto smart contract flaws at machine speed, and billions in DeFi could vanish fast appeared first on CryptoSlate.

White House study sharpens CLARITY’s core fight as Senate execution remains the real test

A recent White House economic study has changed the focus of Washington’s debate over the CLARITY Act. The report addresses the main issue slowing the bill in the Senate: whether limiting stablecoin yields actually protects the banking system.

The study’s findings are central to ongoing talks. After reviewing recent data on stablecoin activity, consumer habits, and bank liquidity, it found little proof that stablecoin yield products currently threaten bank lending or deposits.

Instead, the report said that banning yields would mostly limit consumers’ ability to earn returns on digital cash, while offering little or no real benefit to the stability of traditional funding.

This puts more pressure on those who support strict limits, especially since negotiations are already at a difficult stage.

The timing is important because CLARITY has entered a phase where broad support for federal market structure is no longer the main constraint. The unresolved question sits one level lower.

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CLARITY Act faces a 2 week deadline as Senate gridlock and bank pressure threaten freeze out until 2030

Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong just flipped back to support after a Treasury push, yet Senate Banking still hasn’t moved.

Apr 14, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

Washington’s key institutions increasingly agree that digital asset laws need a strong framework for custody, disclosures, registration, oversight, and clear roles for regulators.

The tougher debate is over the details of the framework, which will decide who benefits financially, who pays for compliance, and who controls the main channels for dollar liquidity.

The stablecoin yield issue is now the main point where these competing interests are being worked out.

This shift has been clear for months, but recent official comments have made it even more focused. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called market structure legislation the next big step after stablecoin law and pointed to the House’s CLARITY Act as a framework for clear rules.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the agency’s rules can rely on congressional work, specifically mentioning CLARITY. The SEC’s March guidance also described its approach as supporting Congress’s efforts to create a full market structure.

This shows real alignment between the executive branch and the main securities regulator. It gives political backing, helps staff with implementation, and brings laws and oversight closer together.

Policy momentum has broadened, but the Senate still controls the outcome

Even with this alignment, the Senate faces the same practical question. A bill can have positive studies and support from Treasury and the SEC, but it can still fail when political compromises are needed.

That’s why the CLARITY debate is now about action, not just support. The real test is whether Senate Banking can turn stronger evidence and wider support into a markup process that withstands pressure from banks, doubts from some Democrats, and the usual rush as the legislative calendar tightens.

At this point, analysts should look for a few key steps: a formal announcement of a committee markup to put the bill on the Senate Banking Committee’s agenda. Before markup, the committee might hold hearings, share revised drafts for review, and meet privately to finalize the language and discuss possible changes.

If markup happens before the summer break, passing the bill in committee could allow for a full Senate vote later, though timing will depend on the broader legislative schedule and other priorities.

If the committee waits until after summer or into the fall, chances of passing the bill drop as election pressures and legislative delays grow. In short, the key signs to watch are when markup is scheduled and any signs of movement from committee leaders.

The White House has strengthened the bill’s position, but the Senate still needs to prove it can move it forward.

One of the clearest developments in recent weeks is the extent to which CLARITY now looks less like an isolated industry priority and more like the draft around which Washington is building a federal operating model for digital assets. That distinction changes the politics.

When a bill is treated as an external ask from one sector, every controversial clause becomes easier to delay, dilute, or trade away. When the same bill serves as the legislature’s working chassis for interagency coordination, delay becomes more expensive because uncertainty imposes costs on regulators as well as on markets.

The House section-by-section summary shows why CLARITY has become the focal point. It attempts to answer the questions that have made US crypto regulation unstable for years, which assets fit within securities law, which fall into a digital commodity bucket, what disclosures issuers should provide, how intermediaries register, and how the SEC and CFTC divide responsibilities in a market where instruments and functions often overlap.

Senate Banking’s own fact sheet presents the bill as a package of disclosure standards, anti-fraud protections, insider-trading restrictions, and coordinated oversight, while separate committee documents outline the approach to DeFi and software developers, as well as the tools directed at illicit finance.

This policy setup has gained more open support from officials who were more cautious in the past. Bessent’s backing matters because Treasury’s opinion on market structure influences more than just crypto experts.

It affects sanctions, payment systems, bank competition, capital formation, and the government’s overall approach to financial innovation. Atkins’ comments are just as important, but for different reasons.

When the SEC chair says the agency can base its rules on CLARITY’s framework, it signals to the market that Congress’s text could quickly become policy. This reduces a big worry: whether agencies might interpret unclear parts in ways that restart debates after the law passes.

The yield dispute has become the bill’s final pressure point

Senate Banking remains the key decision-maker, since most bills stall in committee before reaching the Senate floor. The challenge is built into the process.

Lawmakers are now deciding how much financial opportunity those rules leave for issuers, exchanges, banks, brokers, and infrastructure providers.

They’re also deciding how much freedom regulators will have in the future. These are really questions about who gets what, even though they look like technical drafting issues, and that’s where agreement often breaks down.

The White House study is especially important because it tackles the issue that has become the bill’s main obstacle. Stablecoin yield is now central to the debate.

It is the place where several larger fights converge at once: bank franchise protection, the competitive role of tokenized dollars, consumer access to return-bearing digital cash, and the question of how far Congress is willing to permit crypto-native distribution models to compete with the existing deposit system.

Banks say the yield issue threatens deposit stability. They argue that stablecoin products offering returns could take away their funding and weaken the financial system.

Crypto companies argue that letting stablecoins offer yields will boost innovation in payments and financial services without hurting banks, especially since digital asset volumes are still small compared to traditional banking.

Consumer advocates want lawmakers to balance safety concerns with keeping new options open for people to save or use digital cash. All sides are lobbying hard on this last issue, knowing it will shape the future rules and who benefits.

The main argument against yield is about financial stability and bank lending. If people can earn returns on tokenized dollars, the thinking goes, money could move from banks to digital channels, making funding less stable and limiting credit.

The Council of Economic Advisers paper cuts through that logic by arguing that a yield prohibition offers only limited support for bank lending while reducing the returns available to consumers. That does not decide the issue politically, since politics often survives weaker evidence, but it changes the terms on which a prohibition can be defended.

Lawmakers who want restrictions now need a better reason than just saying banks need protection to keep credit moving.

This makes things harder for those who want strict rules, but it gives CLARITY supporters solid evidence just when they need it.

Crypto advocates have long said that banning all yields would hurt competition, protect established players, and make digital dollars less useful, even as the market is getting more regulated. Until now, opponents could respond with arguments that sounded safe for institutions.

Now, the White House has offered a different official view that supports a more open approach.

Executive alignment has improved the bill’s footing, but markup remains the decisive threshold

The stakes extend beyond stablecoins themselves. If the Senate resolves yield in a way that preserves room for compliant returns, the bill’s broader architecture starts to look like a framework designed to enable onshore digital asset markets rather than merely contain them.

If the Senate chooses a strict ban or tight limits on yield, the market will see it as Congress recognizing crypto but still limiting its growth compared to traditional finance. In this way, the yield issue reflects the bill’s overall approach.

That’s why this new alignment among institutions needs careful management. Support from Treasury, the SEC’s willingness to work with Congress, and the White House’s stance on yield all make CLARITY stronger.

But none of these groups can force Senate Banking to make the final decisions. The committee still has to decide if support from the executive branch is enough to take on the political risks, especially since banks and some lawmakers remain cautious.

The fact that there’s no new public markup announcement is telling. There’s momentum, but no clear sign yet that Senate Banking is ready to act.

Last week, Bloomberg’s Sandra Ro said CLARITY might pass by July “if lucky,” showing the gap between positive signs and real certainty. Galaxy Research made a similar point, saying recent SEC guidance helps for now, but clear laws are still needed for digital assets to become a lasting part of US markets.

So, the next step is a test of action, not just talk. Can support from executive agencies actually lead to new laws?

That’s the main question for CLARITY now. The White House has made the evidence stronger.

Treasury and the SEC have narrowed the implementation gap. The Senate still has to publish the answer that counts, in text, in markup, and in the compromises it is willing to own.

Until then, the odds have improved for the bill, but the final result still depends on whether Senate support turns into real action.

The post White House study exposes stablecoin yield ban does little for banks, raising the stakes for CLARITY in the Senate appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Tax season is now more connected to Bitcoin’s retail demand.

Bitcoin has spent the first half of April trading in the low $70,000s, with recent moves through the $71,000 to $75,000 zone keeping the asset close enough to its highs for retail attention to return quickly.

But there’s a more important change happening beneath the surface.

A lot of household cash is moving through the U.S. financial system as today's April 15 tax deadline arrives. This year, tax season is also more complicated for people who own crypto.

This overlap creates a more interesting situation than the usual talk about ETFs or the broader economy.

Recent IRS statistics show just how big the refund channel is now.

By April 3, the IRS had sent out 69.8 million refunds, up 3.1% from last year. The total amount refunded was $241.7 billion, a 14.5% increase, and the average refund rose 11.1% to $3,462.

Direct deposit refunds stood out even more.

The IRS reported 70.3 million direct deposit refunds, totaling $242.9 billion. The average direct deposit refund was $3,454.

That’s real money landing in household accounts at a time when Bitcoin is liquid, easy to access, and familiar enough that even a small investment feels possible for people who follow the market.

This link gets even stronger as the tax deadline approaches.

A recent MarketWatch report said the average refund is now about $351 higher than last year. The IRS has also received over a million fewer returns compared to this time last year.

The same report pointed to late-arriving forms and new crypto reporting rules as reasons for the slower pace of filings.

Together, these factors are changing how people talk about Bitcoin.

ETF buyers, institutions, and corporate treasuries still get a lot of attention, but there’s also a retail cash event happening right now. Some of that money is going to people who already know how to buy Bitcoin quickly.

The main point is simple: not every refund turns into a Bitcoin purchase.

Households have to set priorities and decide what to do first. Refund season starts as a balance-sheet event and can later become a market event.

Expenses like rent, credit cards, car repairs, travel, and emergency savings all compete for the same money.

Still, the size of the refund pool changes what’s possible.

When average refunds go up by hundreds of dollars, and the total reaches hundreds of billions, the question becomes more real.

A household with some market experience can pay off a few bills and still have enough left to think about putting some money into crypto.

This leads to behavior different from the rush to buy during big market surges.

Bitcoin has always relied on new demand from groups with different reasons for buying.

Institutions buy Bitcoin for reasons like building portfolios, managing liquidity, or meeting benchmarks. Long-term holders buy because they believe in it and want to accumulate more.

Retail buyers often act on emotion, like getting surprise cash, fearing they’ll miss out, or feeling like now is a good time to buy.

Tax season brings both surprise cash and a sense of urgency.

Today, April 15, is a key decision day for millions of households. Bitcoin is one of the top assets that can benefit when people suddenly have extra cash they can use right away.

Larger refunds and slower filings suggest that crypto users are becoming more experienced.

The slower pace of filings adds another layer, making this situation more complex than just a simple refund story.

The MarketWatch report pointed to new crypto reporting rules as one reason for the delay in returns.

That detail deserves closer attention because it says something larger about where Bitcoin now sits in household finance.

Owning crypto now creates enough tax paperwork to cause headaches for regular people.

This is a bigger sign of adoption than many in the market want to admit.

It puts Bitcoin into one of the most routine and widespread parts of finance: compliance.

This change affects how people behave.

A retail investor who owns Bitcoin, sold some last year, moved coins between platforms, or had taxable events, now has to make sure all their records match before filing taxes.

The friction is procedural, and that is exactly why it carries weight.

This takes Bitcoin out of the world of abstract beliefs and puts it into the same paperwork process as wages, brokerage accounts, mortgage interest, and deductions.

For people who follow the market, this changes how they see Bitcoin. Now, Bitcoin looks like any other financial asset that needs to be tracked along with the rest of a household’s finances.

There’s an interesting balance at play here. On one hand, bigger refunds give people more money to spend. On the other, the paperwork can slow them down.

Some investors will wait until they finish filing before making new investment decisions. Others will use their refund to pay off debt or build up savings.

Some crypto holders might feel a new push to invest in Bitcoin because doing their taxes reminds them that crypto is already part of their finances.

Each path flows from the same catalyst, a tax season with more cash moving through the system and more crypto-related friction embedded in the filing process.

The official numbers show this is a widespread household event and a good way to track timing.

In its April 2 update, the IRS pointed out both the increase in refunds and the high rate of electronic filing.

Electronic filing and direct deposit shorten the time between filing taxes and getting your money.

A refund that used to take a while can now show up fast enough to be used in the market within days.

For Bitcoin, which is now easy to buy through major apps and brokerages, this faster process can strengthen the link between tax refunds and buying.

The delay in tax returns also means something else.

Part of the household cash release is still ahead, rather than already spent.

Many market-savvy filers are still working out how their crypto holdings fit with their tax obligations.

In practice, some demand might just be delayed, not missing.

This gives us a more detailed view of what might happen in the next few days.

The setup carries enough force to influence behavior, though the timing depends on when households complete the paperwork and on the condition of their balance sheets once the refund lands.

Bitcoin is now facing a test based on household cash flow.

The best way to look at this situation is by thinking through different scenarios.

The optimistic scenario is simple: refunds arrive, some people feel more secure, and a portion of that money goes into Bitcoin.

Each person doesn’t need to invest a lot for the overall effect to show up in the market.

If enough people each put in a few hundred dollars, it can still create a noticeable impact, especially since Bitcoin is already trading in a high-interest zone and is a quick way to take on risk.

The most likely scenario is more cautious, and it matches the current data.

Refund season gets people’s attention, gives some households more options, and makes it more likely they’ll buy after filing taxes.

But everyday expenses usually get paid first.

That means Bitcoin gets a gentle boost, not a sudden jump.

This aligns with the bigger picture: strong refunds, many households involved, and enough paperwork to slow how quickly people spend their refunds.

This outcome captures the setup as it stands, a plausible near-term catalyst, though one that still has to compete with the reality of household budgeting.

The less optimistic scenario comes from financial stress.

Refunds might go toward overdue bills, debt, delayed expenses, or savings, and the extra crypto paperwork could make investors more cautious.

Even in that case, the main idea stays the same.

Tax season still matters for Bitcoin, but the impact might show up as delayed demand and slower activity, not a quick jump in buying.

What makes this moment interesting is how it focuses the next test for Bitcoin.

The question now is whether Bitcoin can turn this household cash-flow event into real, measurable demand.

The setup is more grounded than broad rhetoric about macro liquidity or sentiment swings.

The cash amounts are clear, the filing deadline is set, refunds are flowing, the paperwork is obvious, and the timing is tight.

That combination offers a clearer framework than most retail narratives used to suggest Bitcoin tax season was separate from the crypto world. This year, it’s part of the conversations inside it.

IRS data shows refunds are ahead of last year, but recent reports show filings are still behind, partly because of crypto paperwork.

Bitcoin is now both a place for extra cash and a reason for more tax paperwork.

This double role is the real change.

It shows that Bitcoin is now part of everyday financial life, where buying and reporting go hand in hand.

The next few days will reveal whether people spend their new cash on Bitcoin or use it for other needs first.

Either way, Bitcoin has already entered a new phase.

The post Bitcoin faces $240B demand shock as ‘surprise’ tax refunds and new IRS crypto rules arrive appeared first on CryptoSlate.

After losing 63% of its value over several tough months and challenging investor confidence, XRP made a strong comeback in April.

XRP’s recovery is driven by new privacy features for institutions, major retail adoption in Asia, and renewed interest in exchange-traded funds.

Cryptorank data shows XRP is on track for its first positive monthly close since September 2025.

With investors showing more interest in riskier assets, XRP has risen over 2% in April to $1.35 at the time of writing.

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Apr 14, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

The price increase reflects big changes in where money is flowing and how investors feel. SoSoValue reports that US-based XRP exchange-traded funds saw about $12 million in net inflows in April, a big turnaround from March, when worries about the economy led to over $31 million in outflows.

This demand is not limited to the US. CoinShares data shows that global XRP exchange-traded products have seen about $20 million in net inflows this month.

While institutions are buying, many retail traders on social media seem worn out.

Santiment data shows that negative feelings about XRP, often called fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD), have reached their third-highest point in two years.

In the past, when retail traders were this negative, it often signaled a good buying opportunity. After many gave up during the nine-month decline, analysts now view this as a low-risk time to buy, which is helping drive the current rally.

Despite the difficult bear market in late 2025 and early 2026, CoinShares data shows that XRP is now the third most popular digital asset for global institutional inflows this year, behind only Bitcoin and Solana.

Analysts say this new financial support is due to major changes to the XRP Ledger, especially new privacy features and more options for regular users.

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Token Escrow on XRPL could force new XRP demand, but only if this adoption hurdle breaks

By integrating Token Escrow, XRPL evolves into an institutional-grade ledger supporting stablecoins and tokenized treasuries.

Feb 15, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

XRPL adds programmable privacy and attracts more institutions

Public blockchains have long been too transparent for many traditional financial institutions.

All transactions, counterparties, and wallet balances are visible to everyone, which makes it easy for competitors and trading bots to track trading strategies and company money movements.

To address this, XRPL now uses zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs. This cryptographic method allows someone to prove a transaction is valid without revealing the details.

XRPL Commons and Boundless collaborated to build a RISC-V ZK verifier, which now runs directly on the ledger.

With this upgrade, XRPL becomes the first public blockchain to offer programmable privacy and compliance controls built into its core.

The rollout will take place in stages. ‘Smart Escrows' are planned for the second quarter of 2026 and will require a valid zero-knowledge proof before releasing funds. After that, ‘Smart Vaults' will launch, enabling fully private financial systems.

Institutions will be able to verify transactions against Know Your Customer and sanctions databases before settlement, keeping the data hidden from the public while remaining auditable by regulators upon request.

This has major implications for enterprise adoption. The infrastructure supports stablecoin payments, over-the-counter trades, and cross-chain swaps, while keeping amounts and counterparties confidential.

It also lets users use zero-knowledge identity tools, like zkPassport, to prove compliance without revealing personal data.

Odelia Torteman, director of corporate adoption at XRPL Commons, said:

“XRPL has always been built for institutional finance…we are making confidential, compliant execution native infrastructure on XRPL, unlocking a category of enterprise use cases that simply wasn't possible before.”

Bridging Japanese retail and legacy banking

While privacy upgrades attract Wall Street, large-scale retail integration in Asia has created a strong foundation for the asset's utility.

Earlier this month, Rakuten, the Japanese e-commerce and financial services giant, officially added XRP to its Rakuten Wallet ecosystem.

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The rollout goes beyond a simple exchange listing, exposing the platform's 46 million active users to the token and allowing them to purchase XRP using accumulated loyalty points.

Even more importantly, consumers can now spend XRP at over 5 million affiliated merchants throughout Japan.

With about $23 billion in loyalty points circulating in Japan, the Rakuten integration connects closed-loop rewards systems with everyday digital commerce, turning previously isolated points into liquid crypto capital.

Simultaneously, institutional testing of the network's cross-border payment capabilities has accelerated.

Recent reports among XRP supporters suggest that a group of Japanese banks recently finished a live pilot program comparing XRP settlements to the traditional SWIFT network for remittances between Japan and Southeast Asia.

Although CryptoSlate could not independently verify the pilot data by press time, supporters claim the tests showed XRP settling cross-border transactions in under four seconds at 60% less cost than traditional systems.

By avoiding the traditional correspondent banking model, which requires banks to keep billions of dollars in pre-funded overseas accounts for foreign exchange, the blockchain alternative offers significant capital efficiency for global lenders.

XRPL’s regulatory protection and proactive security

The ledger’s technological progress comes at a key moment for U.S. crypto regulation. Recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Trading and Markets issued strict guidance on broker-dealer registration requirements for decentralized finance interfaces.

However, developers say that XRPL's unique design protects it from these regulatory challenges.

Unlike Ethereum or Solana, which use third-party smart contracts and centralized front-end interfaces for decentralized trading, XRPL has a built-in decentralized exchange at the protocol level.

Vet, a prominent XRPL network validator, noted on the social media platform X that the network operates as a “shared public square,” handling order books and transaction routing natively without ever taking custody of user funds.

This setup could help XRPL avoid the compliance burdens that threaten third-party DeFi platforms.

To make sure this infrastructure can handle expected increases in volume, Ripple and the blockchain security firm Sherlock launched a $550,000 audit contest on April 13.

The two-week initiative aims to stress-test new protocol features, such as batch transactions, permission delegation, and confidential transfers.

The urgency of the audit shows a move toward proactive, institutional-grade security as new enterprise players get ready to join.

Addressing the quantum computing threat

As the network hardens its smart contracts, developers are also addressing broader existential threats to blockchain security, notably the rapid advancement of quantum computing.

Recent claims by Google about the speed of quantum development have raised concerns that future machines could use Shor's algorithm to reverse-engineer private cryptographic keys from exposed public keys, which could drain blockchain wallets.

However, a recent vulnerability audit of XRPL suggests the network is mostly protected from near-term quantum threats.

This is because XRPL only exposes a user's public key to the network when they send an outbound transaction. Receive-only accounts stay cryptographically protected.

Vet's audit found that about 300,000 accounts holding 2.4 billion XRP have never sent a transaction, making them quantum-safe by default.

A few dormant whale accounts exposed their keys more than five years ago, but they hold only 21 million XRP, which is about 0.03% of the circulating supply.

The ledger also has a built-in “key rotation” feature that lets users change their signing keys without moving their funds to a new address.

“The XRP Ledger is account-based and allows for signing key rotation, so you can rotate keys that sign on behalf of an account without switching the account,” Vet said, noting that this acts as a robust stopgap before the network will eventually adopt fully quantum-resistant algorithms.

In the end, these changes in April, from retail traders giving up, to solving the public blockchain privacy issue, to securing mass distribution, have changed the market story around XRP. The focus has shifted from speculation to building an integrated financial infrastructure.

The post XRP flips green after a 63% wipeout as retail fear hits a 2-year extreme – now one Wall Street metric is spiking appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin (BTC) has recently shown the volatility that defines the crypto market, surging toward a high of $76,088 before retreating into a correction phase. As of April 15, 2026, the Bitcoin price is hovering around the $74,000 mark. For many new investors, a "red candle" can be intimidating, but for seasoned traders, this movement often signals a vital phase known as price consolidation.

Why is Bitcoin Falling Today?

The current decline in the $Bitcoin price is primarily a downside correction following an overextended rally. After reclaiming psychological levels above $70,000 fueled by easing geopolitical tensions and ETF inflows, the market reached a local top. Traders are now taking profits, leading the price to seek out established support levels to validate the next leg up.

What is Consolidation in Crypto Trading?

In technical analysis, consolidation describes a period where an asset’s price oscillates within a well-defined range after a significant move. Think of it as the market "taking a breath."

During this phase:

• Volatility decreases: The massive swings seen during the breakout settle into smaller fluctuations.
• Indecision rules: Neither bulls nor bears have complete control, causing the price to move sideways.
• Volume dries up: Trading volume often tapers off as market participants wait for a breakout or breakdown signal.

For Bitcoin, the current consolidation is happening between the $73,300 support and the $75,200 resistance zones. Staying above these support levels is crucial for maintaining the medium-term bullish structure.

How to Trade the Range: Support and Resistance

Understanding Support and Resistance (S&R) is the bread and butter of a successful Bitcoin trading strategy.

1. Buying at Support

• The Support level is the price floor where buying interest is strong enough to overcome selling pressure. Currently, Bitcoin has major support at $73,950 and a deeper structural floor at $71,200.
• The Strategy: Traders look for "bounce" signals at these levels. If $BTC hits $73,300 and begins to move upward with increasing volume, it presents a high-probability "Long" entry.

2. Selling at Resistance

• The Resistance level is the price ceiling where selling pressure typically halts an upward trend. For BTC, the immediate hurdle is $75,200, followed by the recent high of $76,000.
• The Strategy: Traders often set "Take Profit" orders just below these levels or open "Short" positions if the price shows signs of rejection (long upper wicks on candles) at the ceiling.

Step-by-Step: A Simple Bitcoin Trading Strategy

If you want to benefit from the current Bitcoin price correction, follow this systematic approach:

• Identify the Trend: Use daily charts to see if the overall trend is bullish. Despite the dip, BTC remains above its 100-hourly Simple Moving Average (SMA), suggesting the uptrend is intact.
• Wait for the Correction: Never "FOMO" buy at the top. Wait for the price to correct back to a known support level, such as the Fibonacci 23.6% or 50% retracement levels.
• Confirm with Indicators: Check the RSI (Relative Strength Index). If the RSI is near 30, Bitcoin is oversold; if it's above 70, it’s overbought. Currently, the RSI is neutral (around 50-55), giving the price room to move in either direction.
• Set Stop-Losses: Always protect your capital. If you buy at $74,000, place a stop-loss slightly below the next major support (e.g., at $72,500).

How to Get Started with Bitget

To execute these strategies, you need a reliable platform with high liquidity and advanced charting tools. Bitget has emerged as a top-tier exchange for both spot and futures trading.

Why choose Bitget?

1. User-Friendly Interface: Ideal for beginners and pros alike.
2. Copy Trading: Follow the moves of professional traders automatically.
3. Low Fees: Competitive pricing that doesn't eat into your profits.
4. Ready to trade the Bitcoin correction? Sign up on Bitget using our exclusive link here to get started

Bitcoin Key Levels to Watch

X has officially taken a massive leap toward becoming the "everything app" envisioned by Elon Musk. The platform recently rolled out Smart Cashtags, a feature that fundamentally changes how users interact with financial data and digital assets. By transforming simple ticker symbols into interactive widgets, X is effectively turning its timeline into a social trading terminal.

For the crypto community, this move is more than just a UI update; it represents the tightening bridge between social sentiment and instant market execution. Whether you are tracking the $Bitcoin price or looking for the latest meme coin, Cashtags are designed to keep you within the X ecosystem.

What is an X Cashtag?

A Cashtag on X is a clickable financial ticker symbol prefixed with a dollar sign (e.g., $BTC, $ETH, or $TSLA). While basic cashtags have existed for years, the new "Smart Cashtag" update adds real-time pricing, interactive charts, and direct trading integrations. When a user clicks or searches for a Cashtag, X now surfaces a dedicated financial module powered by real-time data feeds, allowing for immediate market analysis without leaving the app.

How Smart Cashtags Work

The technical implementation of Cashtags relies on a sophisticated backend that connects X’s social infrastructure with market data providers like TradingView and brokerage partners.

• Recognition: The system automatically identifies dollar-prefixed tickers and smart contract addresses.
• Visual Data: Clicking a Cashtag opens a "Mini-App" view featuring a live price chart, 24-hour change percentages, and market capitalization.
• Contextual Feed: Below the chart, X prioritizes high-engagement posts related to that specific asset, filtering out noise to show relevant market sentiment.
• Trading Integration: In specific regions, such as Canada via the Wealthsimple partnership, a "Trade" button appears, allowing users to execute orders directly.

Crypto Integration and Safety

The rollout specifically targets the pain points of the crypto industry. One of the most significant additions is the support for Smart Contract Addresses.

In the past, traders often fell victim to "scam tokens" with identical names. Now, by posting or searching a specific contract address on networks like Solana or Ethereum, the Smart Cashtag ensures the user is viewing the verified asset. This feature was championed by X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, who noted that billions of dollars are allocated based on information found on X.

To further professionalize the experience, X has reportedly increased its "compliance sweeps," purging crypto-drainer bots to prepare for the launch of X Money, the platform's upcoming internal payment system.

The Strategic Vision: The "Everything App"

This feature is a direct move toward the "WeChat" model popular in Asia, where social media, payments, and investments coexist in a single interface. By integrating these tools, X aims to capture the "intent to trade" at the exact moment a user reads a breaking news story or a viral analysis.

Key Features at a Glance

Crypto Market Rises — But Not for the Reasons You Think

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

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

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

Cooling Inflation Sparks Rate Cut Expectations

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

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

This matters because:

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

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

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

Falling Oil Prices Add to the Bullish Setup

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

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

Why this matters for crypto:

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

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

Markets Shift From Fear to Optimism

Geopolitical tensions remain present, but market expectations are shifting.

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

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

👉 Right now, investors are pricing in:

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

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

Liquidity Returns to Risk Assets

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin Breakout Fueled by Market Positioning

Beyond macro factors, market structure is amplifying the move.

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

As macro conditions flipped bullish:

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

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

Is This the Start of a Bigger Rally?

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

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

However, the key question remains:

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

For now, one thing is clear:

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

What Is the New Stablecoin Tax Proposal?

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

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

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

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

Why This Changes Everything for Crypto Adoption

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

If this bill passes, several barriers disappear:

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

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

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

The Bigger Picture: Banks vs Crypto

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

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

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

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

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

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

Which Cryptos Could Benefit the Most?

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

Stablecoins:

• $USDT (Tether)
• $USDC (USD Coin)

Layer 1 Ecosystems:

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

Payment & DeFi Projects:

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

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

Could This Trigger the Next Crypto Bull Run?

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

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

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

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

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

What Are the Risks?

Despite the optimism, there are still key uncertainties:

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

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

Final Thoughts: A Turning Point for Crypto?

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

If implemented, this could accelerate the transition from:

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

And that shift could redefine the entire market structure.

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

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

How to Claim OneCoin Compensation

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

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

What Was the OneCoin Scheme?

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

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

The DOJ Asset Forfeiture and Remission Process

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

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

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

How To Get OneCoin Compensation

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

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

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

The Search for the "Cryptoqueen"

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

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

Leading Ethereum treasury firm BitMine Immersion Technologies posted a major loss thanks to unrealized losses on its ETH.

The deal signals eToro's strategic push into self-custody solutions amid growing demand for non-custodial crypto infrastructure.

Banks in Pakistan can now provide services to registered crypto firms—but not trade crypto themselves—after a 2018 ban was rescinded.

Shares in High Roller Technologies nearly doubled Tuesday after the firm announced it was entering the prediction markets space.

Sterling Crispin's 'Nothing Ever Happens' bot automatically buys "No" on every non-sports Polymarket it finds. It's not that crazy.

The ongoing debate over Bitcoin's vulnerability to quantum computing has sparked a high-profile clash between two of the cryptocurrency industry's most prominent figures..

SBI CEO Kitao revealed as architect of Ripple-Kyobo deal. How has his 2025 acquisition paved the way for Korea's first tokenized bond settlement in 2026 via Ripple?

Michael Saylor, Strategy Chairman, hits X timelines with fresh Bitcoin endorsement that may actually be a 1,000,000 BTC goal confirmation as the company now absorbs thousands via STRC everyday.

Shiba Inu network usage continues to rise as investors begin to show renewed interest and traders increasingly pull off major moves as market sentiment rapidly turns bullish.

New listing will see SHIB step into everyday payments.

There is a question circulating among experienced online gamblers that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. What exists beyond Bet365? The platform that millions of players treated as the definitive answer to every gambling need is now the starting point of a search rather than the end of one.

The question is being asked more frequently with each passing month of 2026. Search interest in Bet365 alternatives has maintained a consistent upward trajectory, and the players asking are not novices testing the waters. They are experienced users who know exactly what Bet365 delivers and have decided to find out whether something delivers more.

ZunaBet keeps answering that question. A crypto-native casino and sportsbook that launched in 2026, it has established a growing presence in the results that Bet365 alternative searches produce. Here is whether the answer holds up under examination.

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The Question Starts With Bet365

You do not search for alternatives to something mediocre. You search for alternatives to something good when you suspect something better might exist. Bet365 is good. Exceptionally so.

Founded over two decades ago, Bet365 grew into one of the world’s largest online gambling platforms. Its sportsbook covers virtually every sport on the planet with the kind of depth, competitive odds, and live betting capabilities that made it the standard others chase. Football, tennis, basketball, horse racing, cricket, and dozens more sports all receive comprehensive treatment.

The casino delivers slots, table games, and live dealer experiences from reputable providers. A poker room adds depth. Regulatory licences across multiple jurisdictions provide the legal certainty and player protections that come with more than 20 years of compliance and operational excellence.

Bet365 earned the loyalty of millions through consistency. Reliable payouts. Regular improvements. The stability that comes from doing the same thing well for a very long time.

Everything operates through traditional financial infrastructure. Credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, and e-wallets handle transactions through banking intermediaries. Withdrawals follow timelines set by banking systems. Fees apply based on method and jurisdiction. Verification procedures add steps.

The question emerging from experienced players is not whether Bet365 does this well. It does. The question is whether the infrastructure itself represents the best available experience for players whose financial lives have moved to cryptocurrency.

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The Answer ZunaBet Provides

ZunaBet answers with a product built on completely different infrastructure. Not traditional systems with crypto added. Crypto systems with gambling built on top.

Strathvale Group Ltd owns the platform. An Anjouan gaming license (ALSI-202510047-FI2) provides regulatory standing. A development team with over two decades of combined gambling experience built it. The 2026 launch delivered a complete product without gaps or excuses.

The game library answers the content question definitively. ZunaBet hosts 11,294 titles from 63 providers. Pragmatic Play, Evolution, Hacksaw Gaming, Yggdrasil, and BGaming headline the collection. More than 58 additional studios contribute content across slots, RNG table games, and live dealer rooms. Over 60 providers on one crypto-native platform creates a catalog that exceeds most traditional casino sections in both volume and variety.

The sportsbook answers the coverage question. Football, basketball, tennis, and NHL handle traditional sports. Esports markets for CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant go further than most traditional operators dare. Virtual sports and combat sports round things out. One account covers everything.

The payment system answers the infrastructure question. Over 20 cryptocurrencies supported natively. BTC, ETH, USDT across multiple chains, SOL, DOGE, ADA, XRP, and more. Zero fees. Fast withdrawals. Apps on iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS. Non-stop live chat support.

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The Infrastructure Answer

The most important answer ZunaBet provides is to the infrastructure question. This is what drives the alternative search trend and what converts curious players into committed ones.

Bet365 moves money through banking intermediaries. Card networks, banks, e-wallet providers. Each adds its own timeline and potentially its own cost. Withdrawals follow institutional schedules that can stretch across business days. Fees attach to certain methods. Verification adds procedural layers.

ZunaBet moves money through blockchain. Direct. Fast. Free. A deposit leaves a wallet and arrives on the platform at network speed. A withdrawal returns the same way. No intermediaries sit between the player and their funds at any point.

For crypto-native players, this answer resolves the fundamental frustration that started their search. Every other financial transaction in their life operates at blockchain speed and cost. ZunaBet makes their gambling transactions work the same way.

Over 20 coins ensure broad accessibility. BTC, ETH, SOL, DOGE, ADA, XRP, USDT across chains. Direct connection from existing holdings. No conversions. No exchange fees.

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The Welcome Answer

Bet365 provides welcome offers that vary across markets and products. Specifics depend on jurisdiction and platform section. Traditional conventions apply.

ZunaBet answers with scale and structure. $5,000 plus 75 free spins across three deposits. First deposit matched at 100% up to $2,000 with 25 free spins. Second deposit matched at 50% up to $1,500 with 25 spins. Third deposit matched at 100% up to $1,500 with the final 25 spins.

Three deposit stages answer the engagement question. Each stage delivers value that rewards returning. Each return extends the player’s time with the platform. By the third deposit, the player has enough experience to answer their own question about whether ZunaBet deserves permanent commitment.

$5,000 across three deposits answers the value question clearly. It exceeds what most traditional operators provide at signup.

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The Loyalty Answer

Bet365 rewards regular players through promotions and VIP benefits varying by market. The approach follows traditional industry conventions.

ZunaBet answers the loyalty question with a mechanism that produces fundamentally different results. The dragon evolution system features a mascot named Zuno and progresses through six tiers with published rakeback rates.

Squire returns 1%. Warden returns 2%. Champion returns 4%. Divine returns 5%. Knight returns 10%. Ultimate returns 20%.

Traditional loyalty answers the reward question with points that accumulate and convert through variable redemption mechanics. Rakeback answers it with a fixed percentage of the house edge returned on every wager automatically. At 20%, one dollar comes back for every five the house would normally keep. No collection. No conversion. No variability.

The financial answer is mathematically conclusive. Twenty percent continuous rakeback outperforms any traditional loyalty model across every timeframe and wagering level. The advantage compounds with each session.

Tier benefits add to the answer. Free spins to 1,000 at the top. VIP club membership. Double wheel spins. Gamified progression giving each tier real weight. Complete transparency with every detail published openly.

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The Experience Answer

Players arriving from Bet365 bring high standards. They have used one of the best platforms in the world. ZunaBet needs to answer their quality expectations while simultaneously delivering everything Bet365 cannot.

It manages both. HTML5 drives a dark-themed responsive design working seamlessly across all devices. Native apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS provide optimised performance. Over 11,000 games stay organised through effective categorisation, filtering, and search. Casino and sportsbook integrate as one product.

Esports answers a question traditional operators have been reluctant to address fully. CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant receive dedicated sportsbook markets. For players whose interests include competitive gaming, ZunaBet answers that need where traditional platforms hesitate.

The team’s 20+ years of combined experience ensures every daily platform interaction meets the standard experienced players set. Speed, navigation, content discovery, and transitions all reflect deep expertise applied consistently.

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Does the Answer Hold Up?

Bet365 will continue to be one of the most important platforms in global gambling. Its sportsbook, its two-decade track record, and its regulatory depth across multiple jurisdictions represent assets that no new platform can replicate quickly. For players aligned with the traditional model, Bet365 remains among the best answers available anywhere.

But for the players whose question has evolved beyond what the traditional model can address, ZunaBet provides an answer that holds up under scrutiny. Over 11,000 games from 63 providers. A sportsbook with genuine esports commitment. More than 20 cryptocurrencies processed instantly and free. A $5,000 welcome bonus structured across three deposits. And a dragon evolution loyalty system where 20% rakeback answers the rewards question more convincingly than any traditional program can.

ZunaBet is still building the operational history that earns deep long-term trust. That answer takes time to complete regardless of product quality. But across every question that can be answered today, ZunaBet responds with substance that explains its growing visibility. The Bet365 players asking what else is out there are finding a real answer. And based on how the search trend continues to grow, more of them are finding it every month.

The post Bet365 Players Are Asking What Else Is Out There — ZunaBet Keeps Answering appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• British financial watchdog establishes October 2027 as implementation date for comprehensive digital asset rules

• Regulatory scope encompasses exchange platforms, digital wallet services, and token staking operations

• Public consultation period launched to refine regulatory approach for cryptocurrency sector

• Digital asset businesses must obtain complete FSMA authorization for operations

• Regulator establishes transparent compliance pathway for cryptocurrency enterprises

The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority has established a comprehensive timeline for digital asset oversight ahead of its October 2027 implementation. British regulators confirmed the official launch date while initiating stakeholder consultations to fine-tune regulatory requirements and establish clear compliance expectations for market participants.

Regulatory Framework Defines Digital Asset Business Categories

The British financial regulator defined specific cryptocurrency operations that will require oversight under the new system. Core activities include stablecoin creation, digital exchange operations, and asset custody solutions. The FCA incorporated token staking mechanisms and transaction facilitation services within qualifying digital assets.

British authorities seek to establish an organized marketplace promoting accountability and operational precision. The regulatory body continues developing classification criteria and acceptable business practices. Stakeholder feedback remains essential to ensuring workable implementation standards.

The consultation initiative emphasizes clarifying how businesses engage with regulated cryptocurrency operations. Published guidance assists companies in understanding their regulatory duties and operational parameters. Through this process, the regulator advances toward a cohesive and enforceable oversight system.

Authorization Application Window and Compliance Requirements Announced

The FCA announced that cryptocurrency businesses may submit authorization requests beginning September 2026. This submission period extends through February 2027 according to current proposals. This timeline provides businesses adequate preparation time for establishing compliant operational frameworks and internal controls.

The regulator emphasized that current money laundering prevention registrations will not automatically convert to full operating permissions. Every business must satisfy Financial Services and Markets Act criteria. The watchdog maintains uniform expectations throughout the industry.

Additional consultation papers addressing transparency requirements, trading standards, and financial stability measures continue rolling out. These initiatives seek to harmonize cryptocurrency businesses with established financial sector regulations. The oversight body reinforces uniformity across all financial service categories.

Regulator Advances Vision for Balanced Digital Asset Marketplace

The British financial authority indicated that forthcoming regulations will foster a competitive yet sustainable cryptocurrency ecosystem. The oversight strategy aims to encourage technological advancement while maintaining robust consumer safeguards. The FCA establishes Britain as a well-regulated digital asset jurisdiction.

The regulator maintains ongoing dialogue with industry participants through multiple consultation phases. The present feedback collection concludes on June 3, 2026. This engagement enables the authority to adjust regulatory provisions based on marketplace insights.

Prior to full implementation, cryptocurrency operations throughout Britain remain subject to limited oversight through marketing restrictions and money laundering prevention statutes. The regulatory body progressively expands its supervisory reach before complete enforcement begins. The authority thereby develops an all-encompassing oversight structure in advance of its October 2027 activation.

The post UK Financial Regulator Announces Comprehensive Crypto Regulation Timeline for 2027 appeared first on Blockonomi.

More than 420 million people now hold cryptocurrency worldwide — yet the overwhelming majority still trade manually, emotionally, and inconsistently. The result is predictable: they buy tops, sell bottoms, and hand their edge to the market every single cycle.

The best trading bot for crypto doesn’t just automate button-clicks. Done right, it applies a disciplined, rules-based (or AI-driven) strategy around the clock, without fear, fatigue, or FOMO. But “done right” is the hard part. The market is flooded with bots that are expensive to configure, opaque about performance, and quick to blow up accounts when volatility spikes.

This guide cuts through the noise. We’ll explain exactly how crypto trading bots work, break down the major strategy types, review the top platforms available in 2026, and give you a practical framework for choosing — and safely running — your first automated strategy. Whether you’re a complete beginner, an intermediate trader ready to step up from manual execution, or someone burned by Telegram signal groups, this guide is for you.

Disclaimer: Crypto trading carries significant risk. Past performance of any bot or strategy does not guarantee future results. Always use risk management controls and only allocate capital you can afford to lose.

Table of Contents

1. How Crypto Trading Bots Actually Work
2. Bot Strategy Types Explained
3. AI-Powered vs. Rule-Based Bots: What’s the Real Difference?
4. The Best Crypto Trading Bots in 2026 (Reviewed)
5. Head-to-Head Comparison: Strategy Type, AI, Pricing, and Best For
6. How to Choose the Right Bot for Your Goals
7. How to Set Up Your First Crypto Bot Safely (Step-by-Step)
8. What Can Go Wrong — and How to Protect Yourself
9. Performance Metrics That Actually Matter
10. Crypto Trading Strategies: A Plain-Language Primer
11. Frequently Asked Questions

How Crypto Trading Bots Actually Work

A crypto trading bot is software that connects to an exchange via API and executes buy and sell orders automatically based on a pre-defined set of rules or an AI model’s output. There is no magic. The bot is only as good as the strategy it runs.

Here is the basic loop:

1. Data ingestion — The bot continuously reads market data: price, volume, order book depth, and (in AI-powered systems) on-chain signals, sentiment feeds, or macroeconomic indicators.

2. Signal generation — A rule fires (“price crossed the 20-period moving average”) or an AI model produces a probability output (“65% probability of upward move in next 4 hours”).

3. Order execution — The bot sends a buy or sell instruction to the exchange. Speed matters: institutional-grade systems execute in milliseconds.

4. Position management — Stop-loss, take-profit, trailing orders, and position sizing rules activate automatically.

5. Logging and reporting — Every trade is recorded for performance analysis.

In practice, what this looks like is a bot running at 3 AM on a Tuesday when Bitcoin drops 8% in 20 minutes. A well-configured bot executes its stop-loss without hesitation. A human trader — asleep, or panicking — does not.

The critical limitation: bots optimise around historical patterns. When the market enters a regime it has never seen before — a black swan, a regulatory shock, a coordinated whale manipulation event — the bot has no special foresight. Human oversight remains essential.

Bot Strategy Types Explained

Understanding the strategy a bot runs is more important than the brand name on the platform. Here are the five major approaches:

Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) Bots

DCA bots buy a fixed dollar amount of an asset at regular intervals, regardless of price. This reduces the impact of volatility on entry price and suits long-term holders who believe in an asset’s trajectory.

Best for: Passive investors, beginners, long-term BTC/ETH accumulation. Risk profile: Low to medium. DCA doesn’t prevent capital loss in a prolonged bear market; it only smooths entry points.

Grid Trading Bots

Grid bots place a ladder of buy and sell orders at preset intervals above and below a price. They profit from price oscillation within a range, collecting small margins on each grid level filled.

Best for: Sideways or range-bound markets. Grid bots struggle in strong trending conditions — a market that breaks out of the grid range can cause significant losses. Risk profile: Medium. Grid width, number of levels, and total capital allocation are the key risk variables.

Momentum / Trend-Following Bots

These bots identify directional trends using indicators (RSI, MACD, moving averages, Bollinger Bands) and ride the move. They enter on breakouts and exit when momentum stalls.

Best for: Trending markets (bull runs, post-news breakouts). Risk profile: Medium to high. Momentum strategies suffer in choppy or whipsawing conditions.

Arbitrage Bots

Arbitrage bots exploit price discrepancies between exchanges or between spot and futures markets. They buy where the asset is cheaper and simultaneously sell where it is more expensive.

Best for: Institutional traders with low latency infrastructure. Retail arbitrage margins have compressed significantly as competition has intensified. Risk profile: Low per-trade risk, but execution speed and API reliability are critical.

Quantitative (Quant) Strategy Bots

Quant strategies use statistical models, factor-based analysis, or machine learning to identify repeatable edges in market data. This is the approach used by hedge funds and institutional trading desks — and increasingly, by platforms like SaintQuant, which deploys 18+ live quantitative strategies across crypto markets.

Unlike simple indicator-based rules, quant models analyse multiple data dimensions simultaneously, adapt to changing volatility regimes, and apply rigorous risk controls (position limits, drawdown thresholds, correlation management). SaintQuant makes this institutional-grade approach accessible to everyday traders through its managed strategy tiers — no coding, no configuration required.

Best for: Traders seeking consistent, risk-adjusted returns without having to build or manage strategies themselves. Risk profile: Varies by tier. Plans range from Low (Starter/Basic DCA) to High (Institutional Pro, Hedge Fund, Quant Fund Apex scalping strategies).

AI-Powered vs. Rule-Based Bots: What’s the Real Difference?

The term “AI” is used loosely in crypto bot marketing. Here is an honest breakdown:

The honest answer: Most consumer-facing “AI bots” use relatively simple machine learning (signal classification, basic NLP sentiment) rather than sophisticated deep learning. True AI-driven quant systems require large proprietary datasets, continuous model retraining, and institutional-grade infrastructure. Platforms like SaintQuant operate at this level, deploying models that analyse order flow, volatility regimes, and cross-asset signals simultaneously.

The Best Trading Bot for Crypto in 2026 (Reviewed)

SaintQuant — Best AI-Powered Crypto Trading Bot for Reliable, Risk-Adjusted Returns

Best for: Passive income seekers, complete beginners, and disillusioned signal followers who want professional-grade automation without building strategies from scratch.

What makes it different: SaintQuant is not a bot-builder. It is a fully managed, AI-powered quantitative trading platform. Rather than asking you to configure indicators or pick a grid range, SaintQuant gives you access to a tiered suite of pre-built strategies — each combining machine learning, deep learning, and proven quantitative models — and handles all execution automatically.

The model is simple: sign up, choose a plan that matches your risk profile and capital size, deposit funds, and the platform runs 24/7 across major crypto exchanges on your behalf. At the end of each contract period, your original capital plus earned profit is returned to your account.

In practice, what this looks like: A user signs up in under three minutes, selects a strategy tier (ranging from the $99 free Starter trial to institutional tiers for larger capital), and lets SaintQuant’s AI handle the rest — no indicator-tuning, no grid-width decisions, no overnight monitoring required.

Strategy Tiers (as of April 2026):

Target ROI figures are based on historical performance. All trading carries risk; past results do not guarantee future returns.

Key Features:

• 10 tiered strategy plans spanning DCA, Grid, Swing, and Scalping bot types
• AI + machine learning + deep learning models that adapt to live market conditions
• Built-in risk management: position controls, drawdown limits, diversified strategy execution
• 24/7 automated trading across major cryptocurrency exchanges
• No subscription fees — a small processing fee applies at withdrawal only
• Free $99 Starter trial to evaluate performance before committing larger capital
• Mobile app available; supports 9 languages for a global user base

Pricing: Plans start at $99 (free 10-day trial). No monthly subscription. Visit saintquant.com/page/strategies for current plan details. Experience Level: Beginner to Institutional

3Commas — Best for Multi-Exchange Active Traders

Best for: Traders who want hands-on control across multiple exchanges with structured entry/exit workflows.

3Commas is one of the most established automation platforms in the market, offering DCA bots, grid bots, and its flagship SmartTrade terminal. SmartTrade lets you set complex conditional orders — take-profit, stop-loss, trailing — from a single interface connected to multiple exchanges simultaneously.

The platform also integrates with TradingView, routing external signals directly into live orders. A basic AI assistant provides configuration suggestions, though these are primarily parameter recommendations rather than autonomous strategy generation.

Key Features: SmartTrade terminal, DCA and grid bots, TradingView signal routing, AI-assisted configuration suggestions, basic backtesting. Pricing: From ~$12.42/month (annual plan). Free tier available with limitations. Supported Exchanges: Binance, Bybit, OKX, Kraken, KuCoin, and others. Experience Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Risk Note: 3Commas requires active monitoring. The platform does not manage your risk for you — stop-loss configuration and position sizing are the user’s responsibility.

Cryptohopper — Best for Strategy Marketplace and Automated Switching

Best for: Traders who want access to pre-built strategies and automated strategy rotation without coding from scratch.

Cryptohopper’s standout feature is its Algorithm Intelligence system, which scores and rotates between strategies based on current market conditions. Rather than locking into one approach, the platform attempts to switch to whichever strategy is performing best in real time — a form of meta-strategy automation.

The Strategy Marketplace allows users to subscribe to third-party strategies, which lowers the barrier to entry but also means performance is dependent on the strategy creator’s skill.

Key Features: Strategy Marketplace, Algorithm Intelligence (strategy rotation), visual Strategy Designer, copy trading, backtesting and paper trading. Pricing: Free Pioneer plan; paid plans from ~$24.16/month. Supported Exchanges: Binance, Bybit, OKX, Coinbase Advanced, Kraken, KuCoin, and others. Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced

Coinrule — Best for Beginners Who Want No-Code Automation

Best for: Complete beginners who want to learn automation without touching a line of code.

Coinrule uses an IF-THEN rule builder with drag-and-drop interface, pre-built templates, and a demo exchange so users can test strategies without risking real funds. The learning curve is genuinely low. The tradeoff is limited strategy depth — the IF-THEN framework is powerful enough for simple momentum or DCA rules, but cannot replicate the sophistication of a quantitative model.

Key Features: No-code rule builder, strategy templates, demo exchange for paper trading, AI-assisted strategy optimisation. Pricing: Free tier; paid plans from $29.99/month. Supported Exchanges: Binance, OKX, Bybit, Bitget, Coinbase Advanced, Kraken, KuCoin, and others. Experience Level: Beginner

Pionex — Best Free Built-In Bots

Best for: Beginners who want free, zero-configuration bots on a built-in exchange.

Pionex is a centralized exchange that includes 10+ built-in trading bots at no extra cost — you only pay the standard trading fee (0.05%). The bots cover grid trading, DCA, and volatility-based strategies. The recent addition of PionexGPT allows users to describe their trading idea in plain English and have the system translate it into a configured bot — a genuinely useful feature for non-technical beginners.

Note: Pionex.com is not available in the US, though Pionex.US operates in 47 states.

Key Features: 10+ free built-in bots, PionexGPT (plain-English bot configuration), demo mode, low trading fees. Pricing: Free (0.05% trading fee). Exchange: Built-in Pionex exchange. Experience Level: Beginner

Bitsgap — Best for Multi-Exchange Unified Terminal

Best for: Active traders who operate across multiple exchanges and want a single dashboard.

Bitsgap aggregates connections to 15+ exchanges into one terminal, offering grid bots, DCA bots, and the COMBO futures bot. Its AI Assistant suggests bot configurations and portfolio allocations based on current market conditions — a useful starting point for configuring parameters, though users should validate suggestions with their own backtesting.

Key Features: Unified multi-exchange terminal, AI Assistant for configuration suggestions, backtesting, demo mode, advanced grid and DCA bots. Pricing: From ~$18/month. Supported Exchanges: Binance, Bybit, OKX, Coinbase Advanced, Kraken, KuCoin, Bitget, and others. Experience Level: Intermediate

HaasOnline — Best for Developers and Advanced Customisation

Best for: Quantitative traders and developers who want full scripting control over strategy logic.

HaasOnline’s differentiator is HaasScript — a proprietary scripting language that gives advanced users complete control over execution logic, including market-making strategies, arbitrage, and custom technical indicator combinations. It is the most powerful platform on this list for users who can leverage it, and the most complex for those who cannot.

Key Features: HaasScript visual and code editor, market-making and arbitrage strategies, built-in backtesting and paper trading. Pricing: From ~$23/month. Experience Level: Advanced / Developer

TradeSanta — Best for Quick Cloud Setup with Templates

Best for: Traders who want to get a simple bot running in under 30 minutes without deep configuration.

TradeSanta is cloud-based, beginner-friendly, and template-driven. Setup is genuinely fast. The trade-off is limited customisation depth — for users who want to go beyond the templates, the platform’s ceiling is lower than 3Commas or HaasOnline. But for the target audience (quick start, low friction), TradeSanta delivers.

Key Features: Strategy templates, long and short bot options, trailing take-profit, 24/7 customer support. Pricing: From ~$18/month. Supported Exchanges: Binance, Kraken, OKX, and 6+ others. Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Head-to-Head Comparison: Strategy Type, AI, Pricing, and Best For

How to Choose the Right Bot for Your Goals

Before you sign up for anything, answer these four questions honestly:

1. How much time do you want to spend managing your trading? If the answer is “as little as possible,” a fully managed platform like SaintQuant is the right fit — you deposit funds, choose a plan, and the system does everything else. If you enjoy chart analysis and active configuration, a tool like 3Commas or Bitsgap gives you that hands-on control.

2. What is your risk tolerance? Grid bots in sideways markets are relatively low-risk. Momentum bots in trending markets are higher-risk. Quant strategies with institutional risk management sit in a measured middle ground, targeting risk-adjusted returns rather than maximum upside.

3. What is your technical level? No-code tools (Coinrule, TradeSanta) are genuinely accessible for beginners. HaasOnline requires coding knowledge. Managed platforms (SaintQuant) require no technical skill at all — the complexity is handled for you.

4. What outcome are you actually trying to achieve? Passive income? Active trading income? Portfolio growth with reduced volatility? The right answer shapes the right tool.

How to Set Up Your First Crypto Bot Safely (Step-by-Step)

There are two distinct setup paths depending on whether you choose a managed platform (like SaintQuant) or a self-directed bot builder (like 3Commas or Bitsgap). Both are covered below.

Path A: Managed Platform (SaintQuant)

Step 1: Register — Create a free account at saintquant.com in under three minutes.

Step 2: Browse Strategies — Review the Strategies page. Each plan shows the bot type (DCA, Grid, Swing, Scalping), duration, target daily ROI, and risk level. Start with the free $99 Starter trial to evaluate real performance before committing larger capital.

Step 3: Deposit — Fund your account with your preferred cryptocurrency. Funds are held in institutional-grade cold storage.

Step 4: Activate Your Strategy — Select your chosen plan and confirm. The AI system takes over immediately — no further configuration required.

Step 5: Monitor (Lightly) — Check your dashboard periodically. At the end of the contract period, your capital plus earned profit is returned automatically.

Path B: Self-Directed Bot Builder (3Commas, Bitsgap, Coinrule, etc.)

Step 1: Choose Your Platform — Match the platform to your goals using the comparison table above.

Step 2: Create API Keys (Correctly) This is where most beginners make dangerous mistakes. When creating API keys on your exchange:

• Enable trade permissions only — never enable withdrawal permissions
• Enable IP allowlisting where available — restrict the key to the bot platform’s IP ranges
• Create a separate key for each bot platform — never reuse keys
• Store keys securely and rotate them every 90 days

Step 3: Start in Paper Trading / Demo Mode Before committing real capital, run your chosen strategy in demo mode for at least 2 weeks across different market conditions. Record performance and drawdown.

Step 4: Start Small with Real Capital Your first live allocation should be a small percentage of your intended total — 10–20%. Observe for 2–4 weeks. Verify that live performance aligns with demo results within a reasonable margin.

Step 5: Monitor, Don’t Abandon Automation does not mean zero oversight. Check your bot’s performance weekly at minimum. Review drawdown against your maximum acceptable threshold. Pause and reassess if the market enters a regime significantly different from backtest conditions.

Step 6: Rebalance and Refine As you gain confidence, expand allocation to strategies performing consistently. Reduce or pause strategies showing deteriorating Sharpe ratios. Diversify across multiple uncorrelated strategies where possible.

What Can Go Wrong — and How to Protect Yourself

Automation is powerful. It is not foolproof. Here are the most common failure modes:

API Key Compromise If your API key is stolen (phishing, data breach, insecure storage), an attacker with trade permissions can liquidate your positions or execute loss-generating trades. Use trade-only keys, IP allowlists, and two-factor authentication on both your exchange and bot platform accounts.

Exchange Outages Exchanges go down. During high-volatility events — exactly when you need execution most — APIs can throttle or fail. Platforms with robust error-handling (SaintQuant’s 24/7 execution infrastructure, for example) manage this more reliably than simple rule-based bots.

Overfitting in Backtests A backtest that shows 300% annual return usually means the strategy was curve-fitted to historical data that will never repeat exactly. Validate with out-of-sample data and paper trading. A realistic backtest on a robust strategy should show modest, consistent returns with manageable drawdown — not spectacular results.

Black Swan Events No bot can predict a Terra/LUNA-style collapse, a major exchange hack, or a sudden regulatory ban. Always maintain a maximum drawdown threshold and a manual override plan.

Strategy Regime Failure A grid bot configured for a $25,000–$35,000 BTC range will lose money if BTC breaks decisively above or below that range. Bots need to be monitored and parameters updated when market structure changes fundamentally.

Performance Metrics That Actually Matter

When evaluating any bot or strategy, look beyond “profit percentage.” These metrics tell a more complete story:

Sharpe Ratio: Measures return relative to risk taken. A Sharpe above 1.0 indicates better-than-average risk-adjusted performance. Above 2.0 is excellent. A strategy showing 200% annual return with a Sharpe of 0.3 is taking far more risk than the headline suggests.

Maximum Drawdown (Max DD): The largest peak-to-trough loss observed. If a strategy’s max drawdown is 60%, ask yourself: can you hold through a 60% paper loss without withdrawing? Most people cannot.

Win Rate vs. Risk/Reward Ratio: A strategy with 40% win rate but 3:1 reward-to-risk can be very profitable. A 90% win rate with 1:10 risk/reward is a disaster waiting to happen. These two metrics must be evaluated together.

Calmar Ratio: Annualised return divided by maximum drawdown. A Calmar above 2.0 is considered good. This is particularly useful for comparing strategies that chase different return/risk profiles.

Recovery Factor: How long does the strategy typically take to recover from its largest drawdown? A strategy with a 3-month recovery time is far more tolerable than one requiring 18 months.

Crypto Trading Strategies: A Plain-Language Primer

What Is Cryptocurrency Trading Automation?

Cryptocurrency trading automation means using software to execute trades based on predefined rules or AI models, removing the human from the execution loop. The goal is not to remove human judgment entirely — strategy design still requires it — but to ensure execution is consistent, fast, and emotionally neutral.

Why Automated Strategies Outperform Manual Trading for Most People

Humans are not wired for financial markets. We anchor on entry prices, hold losers too long, cut winners too early, and trade impulsively on news events. Automation enforces discipline that is extraordinarily difficult to maintain manually, especially through prolonged drawdowns.

Crypto markets also operate 24/7 — a significant structural advantage for bots over human traders who need to sleep.

The Role of Market Analysis in Strategy Design

Even the best automation requires periodic human oversight to validate that market conditions still match strategy assumptions. Tools like TradingView, CoinGecko, and on-chain analytics platforms (Glassnode, Nansen) provide the data layer that informs strategic decisions at the portfolio level — which strategies to run, and when to pause them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the most reliable crypto trading bot in 2026? A: Reliability depends on what you’re optimising for. For a fully managed, AI-powered approach with no configuration required, SaintQuant offers a tiered suite of DCA, Grid, Swing, and Scalping strategies — each with defined contract periods, built-in risk management, and capital returned at period end. For self-directed automation, 3Commas and Cryptohopper have well-established track records. “Most reliable” for a beginner is the platform that requires the least manual intervention to avoid costly mistakes.

Q: Can crypto trading bots make money for beginners? A: Yes — but with important caveats. Bots enforce discipline and execute 24/7, which gives beginners structural advantages over manual trading. However, a poorly configured bot can lose money just as fast as a bad manual trader. The safest entry point for beginners is a managed platform like SaintQuant, which offers a $99 free 10-day trial so you can evaluate real performance before committing larger capital. For self-directed platforms, always start in demo/paper trading mode.

Q: What is the best free trading bot for crypto? A: SaintQuant offers a $99 free Starter plan (10-day trial, AI QuickStart DCA strategy) with no subscription commitment — your capital and profit are returned at the end of the period. Pionex also offers 10+ free built-in bots with only a 0.05% trading fee. Coinrule has a free tier for rule-based automation. For serious capital, a paid plan with robust risk management is worth the investment.

Q: How much money do I need to start with a crypto bot? A: SaintQuant’s entry point is $99 for the free Starter trial, with paid plans beginning at $150 (Basic, 5-day DCA strategy). Self-directed platforms like Coinrule and Pionex have no hard minimums but practical minimums of $200–$500 to generate meaningful returns across grid levels. Institutional-tier strategies naturally require larger capital allocations.

Q: Are crypto trading bots legal in the US and Australia? A: Yes. Automated crypto trading is legal in both the US and Australia. You remain responsible for tax obligations on trading profits. In Australia, the ATO treats crypto as property and capital gains tax applies to profits — SaintQuant operates under Australian jurisdiction (SAIN PTY LTD, QLD). In the US, the IRS treats crypto as property. Use crypto tax software to track bot-generated trades accurately.

Q: What is the difference between a trading bot and a copy trading platform? A: A trading bot executes a strategy on your account automatically based on pre-set rules or AI models. Copy trading mirrors another trader’s manual trades in real time. Managed platforms like SaintQuant go further — they deploy proprietary AI strategies entirely on your behalf, with no need to connect your own exchange account via API.

Q: Can I trust AI crypto trading tools? A: AI crypto tools vary enormously in quality. Most consumer “AI bots” use simple signal classification rather than sophisticated machine learning. SaintQuant explicitly uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning models — and publishes its strategy types, risk levels, and historical target ROI data openly on its Strategies page. When evaluating any AI trading platform, look for disclosed strategy logic, verifiable performance data, transparent fee structures, and regulatory-grade security practices.

Q: What is cryptocurrency market analysis and do bots do it automatically? A: Market analysis involves evaluating price patterns, volume, on-chain data, macroeconomic factors, and sentiment to make trading decisions. Advanced AI bots like those powering SaintQuant’s strategies scan real-time market data across major exchanges continuously to inform each execution decision. Rule-based bots apply specific indicator logic. Neither replaces the need for periodic human review of whether a strategy still fits current market conditions.

The Bottom Line: Choosing the Best Trading Bot for Crypto

The best trading bot for crypto is the one that matches your goals, your risk tolerance, and your willingness to engage with the platform — not the one with the most features or the most aggressive marketing.

For passive income seekers and beginners who want professional-grade results without the complexity of building strategies from scratch, SaintQuant’s managed AI trading plans are the most accessible entry point in 2026. Start with the free $99 Starter trial — no subscription, capital and profit returned at the end of the 10-day period — and scale up from there. For active traders who want hands-on control, 3Commas and Bitsgap deliver mature, feature-rich platforms. For complete beginners testing the waters at zero cost, Pionex and Coinrule’s free tiers offer genuine on-ramps.

Whatever you choose: start small, verify performance before scaling, and never allocate more than you can afford to lose.

Ready to experience AI-powered crypto trading without the setup headache? Explore SaintQuant’s strategies and start your free trial →

The post The Best Trading Bot for Crypto in 2026: A Complete, Honest Guide appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• Bitwise introduces BAVA ETF on NYSE, providing investors with Avalanche blockchain access
• New fund features integrated staking mechanism for additional yield generation
• Initial $500M in assets under management exempt from fees during first month
• BAVA ETF combines traditional ETF structure with blockchain-native staking rewards
• Fund charges competitive 0.34% annual management fee after promotional period

On April 15, Bitwise Asset Management introduced its BAVA ETF to the New York Stock Exchange, marking another milestone in regulated cryptocurrency investment products. This exchange-traded fund delivers investors direct exposure to the Avalanche blockchain ecosystem through a traditional securities framework. The product distinguishes itself by incorporating native staking capabilities that generate additional returns beyond simple price tracking.

Fund Design and Competitive Positioning

The BAVA ETF employs a unique structure that mirrors Avalanche‘s market movements while simultaneously participating in the network’s validation process. Bitwise directs the fund’s AVAX token holdings into its proprietary staking infrastructure, creating dual revenue streams from both asset appreciation and network rewards. This design delivers comprehensive blockchain exposure through a single, accessible investment vehicle.

Fund management costs stand at 0.34% annually, positioning BAVA competitively within the digital asset ETF marketplace. To encourage early investor participation, Bitwise has eliminated all fees on the first $500 million in assets during the opening month of trading. This promotional strategy aims to build initial momentum and attract substantial capital commitments from institutional and retail investors alike.

With more than $11 billion in assets under management across its entire platform, Bitwise brings significant credibility to the BAVA ETF launch. The company has consistently expanded its cryptocurrency investment offerings through compliant, regulated products. BAVA represents the latest initiative in Bitwise’s mission to connect conventional financial markets with emerging blockchain technologies.

Avalanche Network and Enterprise Integration

Avalanche functions as a Layer-1 blockchain platform engineered for high throughput and customizable network deployment. The protocol empowers organizations to build specialized blockchain environments with customized validation requirements and permission structures. This architectural flexibility enables rapid transaction finality and minimal processing fees for diverse application types.

The platform currently powers numerous institutional implementations and government-sponsored blockchain projects worldwide. FIFA leverages Avalanche’s infrastructure to manage digital collectibles and fan engagement platforms. Various U.S. state agencies and multinational corporations have integrated Avalanche-powered systems into their operational frameworks.

Major financial services providers have embraced Avalanche for asset tokenization and blockchain-based portfolio management applications. Industry leaders including KKR and BlackRock are actively investigating tokenized financial instruments built on the ecosystem. The BAVA ETF launch coincides with accelerating institutional adoption of Avalanche’s technological capabilities.

Yield Generation Through Network Participation

Bitwise engineered the BAVA ETF to maximize investor returns by integrating blockchain staking functionality directly into the fund structure. The product targets approximately 5.4% annual staking yield on its AVAX token holdings through active network validation. This approach enables the fund to deliver both potential price gains and recurring income generation simultaneously.

Staking operations run through Bitwise Onchain Solutions, the firm’s specialized blockchain operations division. This internal management ensures direct oversight of validation activities while preserving daily liquidity for ETF shareholders. The architecture successfully balances traditional fund accessibility with native blockchain participation benefits.

BAVA establishes a pioneering model that fuses conventional ETF convenience with blockchain-specific reward mechanisms. Investors gain comprehensive Avalanche exposure without managing private keys, wallet software, or staking infrastructure. The fund democratizes access to Avalanche’s ecosystem within a fully regulated investment structure.

The post Bitwise Launches AVAX-Focused BAVA ETF on New York Stock Exchange appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• Oppenheimer slashed ServiceNow’s price target from $175 down to $130 but retained its Outperform rating
• Shares have plummeted 43% in 2026, hovering near $88 per share
• First-quarter results scheduled for April 22; analysts project $3.74 billion revenue, representing ~21% annual growth
• Federal government contract obligations plunged 72% compared to last year’s Q1, creating pressure on cRPO metrics
• Analyst projects NOW could achieve a milestone as the first enterprise software firm with 10%+ AI-driven revenue by Q4 2026

ServiceNow has experienced significant turbulence throughout 2026. Shares have tumbled approximately 43% since January, settling around $88 on Tuesday, as widespread anxiety over artificial intelligence disruption continues to pressure the enterprise software industry.

ServiceNow, Inc., NOW

Brian Schwartz, an analyst at Oppenheimer, reduced his price objective for NOW from $175 to $130, pointing to compressed valuation multiples throughout the software sector. Despite the downward revision, he maintained his Outperform recommendation.

Schwartz remains skeptical of the narrative suggesting AI will disrupt ServiceNow. Instead, he believes the enterprise could emerge as one of the most significant winners from the AI revolution in business software.

According to InvestingPro analysis, NOW’s intrinsic value sits at $130, indicating the shares may be trading below their fundamental worth at present price levels.

First Quarter Results Due April 22

Oppenheimer forecasts first-quarter revenue reaching $3.74 billion, marking roughly 21% growth versus the comparable period last year, alongside pro forma earnings of $0.96 per share. Schwartz indicated his channel checks suggested “some upside to consensus estimates.”

The investment firm highlighted notable weakness in the federal government vertical. Oppenheimer’s calculations show federal obligations contracted 72% year-over-year during Q1, landing at approximately $48 million — substantially below the three-year seasonal norm of $99 million.

Both a temporary government shutdown and difficult year-ago comparisons contributed to this decline. The weakness represents a continuing challenge for ServiceNow’s current remaining performance obligations (cRPO) metric, which investors monitor closely as a predictor of forthcoming revenue.

Apart from federal headwinds, industry feedback revealed reduced large-deal momentum and general public sector softness compared to the previous quarter.

However, these same industry sources indicated “accelerating usage growth and expansion activity for ServiceNow’s AI business,” Schwartz noted.

Artificial Intelligence Revenue Trajectory

ServiceNow maintains an impressive 77.5% gross profit margin and produced $4.6 billion in free cash flow during the trailing twelve months.

The organization has been embedding AI capabilities throughout its complete product suite, incorporating improvements to data connectivity, workflow automation, and security features — all provided at no extra charge to existing customers.

The company also introduced the Context Engine, a framework that leverages ServiceNow’s established data infrastructure to guide AI agent decision-making processes.

Wall Street remains divided on the outlook. Bernstein maintained its Outperform stance. JMP Securities elevated the stock to Market Outperform. Conversely, UBS downgraded shares to Neutral from Buy, expressing skepticism about the company’s AI competitive position. BTIG lowered its price objective while preserving its Buy recommendation.

Schwartz conceded that AI disruption concerns “may keep ServiceNow as a ‘show-me-stock’ post earnings.” Nevertheless, with investor sentiment approaching pessimistic extremes and shares down 43%, he considers the risk/reward profile appealing for investors with extended time horizons.

He anticipates ServiceNow will achieve a historic milestone as the first enterprise software company generating over 10% of total revenue from AI-related products, potentially by the fourth quarter of 2026.

The company reports quarterly results on April 22.

The post ServiceNow (NOW) Stock Plunges 43% in 2026 — Time to Buy the Selloff? appeared first on Blockonomi.

Sometimes markets move oddly when wallets act together, creating sharp pumps followed by sudden drops that feel highly coordinated.

One such token to have come under scrutiny is BinanceLife, after its rally coincided with large supply transfers from Binance by previously inactive wallets with no prior activity.

Another Coordinated Meme Rally?

BinanceLife, a meme token, has reached a market capitalization of around $300 million after a large portion of its supply was withdrawn from Binance.

According to on-chain analytics firm Bubblemaps, the token was launched in October 2025 as a community meme inspired by a joke from Binance co-founder Yi He. It briefly reached all-time highs shortly after launch but was later largely abandoned.

In the past two days, however, 15 wallet addresses withdrew 13.8% of the total token supply from Binance. It is important to note that these wallets had no prior transaction history, and many of the withdrawals occurred within similar time windows.

This pattern has raised questions about whether the activity may be coordinated. Bubblemaps speculated whether a single entity could be behind the movements and the price increase. The findings also reveal that other tokens, including PIPPIN and SIREN, recently experienced sudden price surges that some observers linked to coordinated trading activity.

RAVE Frenzy

The focus has shifted toward several other highly volatile assets, where price action has been far more extreme. One such example is RaveDAO (RAVE), which recently registered weekly gains of 6,000% as it reached nearly $16 at its peak and briefly pushed its market capitalization close to $4 billion. The price has since come down to $12, but this rapid move has placed it among the top 30 cryptocurrencies, overtaking several established altcoins.

On-chain and trading data point to similar unusual activity before the rally, including large token transfers from wallets linked to the project and a sharp rise in open interest and trading volume. These conditions were followed by heavy liquidations in leveraged positions.

Analysts have also flagged supply concentration, as a large share of tokens was held by a small number of wallets.

The post 15 Wallets, Zero History: BinanceLife Surge Raises Pump Questions appeared first on CryptoPotato.

On Tuesday, Bitcoin (BTC) hit $76,000 before falling back to around $74,000, and analyst Michaël van de Poppe thinks the market is getting ready for something bigger.

He argued in a post on X on Wednesday that low funding rates and rising open interest at resistance are the classic signs of a short squeeze, which could send BTC all the way up to $85,000–$88,000.

Overleveraged Shorts and a Third Attempt

Van de Poppe built his argument on derivatives data, not the price chart alone.

“The funding rate is negative,” he wrote. “This means people are overleveraged short while we’re attacking resistance.”

When funding goes negative, short traders are paying long traders to hold their positions open, which is a sign that the bearish trade has gotten crowded.

On top of that, he noted open interest has climbed sharply over the past few days, meaning more capital has quietly stacked up on the short side right where BTC has been rejected before.

That, he argued, is a trap waiting to be sprung, and if the cryptocurrency pushes through $75,000, those short sellers have to buy back their positions to stop the bleeding, which adds fuel to the move rather than dampening it.

He acknowledged the first two tests of this level worked out for bears, with traders happy to sell into strength there. However, the third test is different:

“There’s significantly greater potential for the markets to break higher now vs. the previous test, and if they do, it’s very likely that $85-$88K is the next resistance zone to be tested.”

Van de Poppe also pushed back on the “shooting star” candle that printed on the daily chart after the $76,000 rejection. While a lot of traders read the pattern as a bearish warning, the market watcher did not. According to him, lower timeframes are printing higher lows and higher highs, which tells him buyers are still engaged. As such, his floor is $72,000, and above that, he wants to be long, not short.

Trader George, posting around the same time, was less convinced. He stated that he would be staying in longs for now, but argued that no real breakout will happen until there’s a weekly close above $74,000.

“We’ve traded above on the LTF’s but we haven’t seen continuation or any HTF close above that level,” he explained.

Without that, he says, this could just be another liquidity grab, a fake pump above the highs before the range reasserts itself. The weekly close, he wrote, is going to matter.

Consolidation Marked By Macro Tailwinds

Bitcoin has been wrestling with $75,000 for weeks. The catalyst for this latest run came on April 14, when US Vice President JD Vance said progress had been made in negotiations with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. As CryptoPotato reported, crypto markets added around $100 billion in total capitalization within a single session.

The move extended to roughly $76,000 on Tuesday before reversing, and the asset has since been grinding to hold $74,000.

The post Analyst: Bitcoin Short Squeeze Setup Points to $85K-$88K Rally appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Ripple made the headlines after announcing another strategic partnership in Asia.

Its native token has posted a slight decline over the past week, but renewed interest in spot XRP ETFs signals that a rebound could be on the horizon.

More News From Asia

Earlier today (April 15), the crypto company revealed that it has struck a deal with Kyobo Life Insurance, one of South Korea’s largest insurance companies.

Under the agreement, both entities will evaluate the technical and regulatory feasibility of introducing tokenized Treasury settlement into the country’s financial system. Ripple will provide its institutional custody platform to safely store and move these tokenized assets, with the ultimate goal of making transactions faster and available 24/7. Speaking on the matter was Fiona Murray, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Ripple:

“Korea’s institutional financial market is at an inflection point, and we are privileged to be entering it alongside Kyobo Life Insurance – one of Korea’s most respected financial institutions and the first major insurer in the country to take this step with us. This partnership is a signal to the broader market that institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure is no longer a future aspiration; it is available, proven, and ready to deploy in Korea today.”

This isn’t the only step the company has taken in South Korea recently. At the start of April, Coinone (one of the leading crypto exchanges in the country) embraced RLUSD – Ripple’s stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the American dollar.

Another recent Asian initiative came from Japan, with SBI Ripple Asia revealing that it has finished building a token-issuance platform on the XRP Ledger (XRPL).

What Else?

Besides the major news from South Korea, Ripple’s team shed light on the upcoming Swell 2026. The annual conference, which brings together leaders from the blockchain world and the XRP community, will take place at the end of October in New York City.

The main topics of discussion will cover the sections institution, ecosystem, and innovation. Those willing to participate should submit by May 29.

Meanwhile, Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse celebrated 11 years at the helm of the firm. He shared the anniversary on his official X account, saying that the fight for regulatory clarity continues more than a decade later.

Not long ago, the two main financial regulators in the United States, the SEC and the CFTC, issued a landmark joint interpretive guidance on the digital asset sector, while SEC Chair Paul Atkins said that “most crypto assets are not themselves securities.” In a recent interview, Garlinghouse stated:

“I think what happened two weeks ago at the SEC and CFTC coming together as a joint statement was truly groundbreaking in a bunch of ways. And, from my point of view, it ended an era of lawfare against this industry, which turns out didn’t have the support of what the law actually said, so I think that was profound.”

XRP Outlook

As of this writing, Ripple’s native token trades at around $1.37, representing a minor 1% decline on a weekly basis. Lately, XRP has been locked in a tight battle with BNB for the fourth-largest spot in the cryptocurrency rankings. Currently, the former holds the lead with a market capitalization of about $83.8 billion, while its competitor follows closely at $83.3 billion.

The renewed interest in spot XRP ETFs may indicate that the asset’s price could rebound in the short term. On April 14, the inflows into those products surpassed $11 million, the highest level witnessed since the start of February.

However, this figure remains far below the daily inflows seen last year shortly after these investment vehicles saw the light of day. Recall that March even ended in the red, making it the first such month to do so.

The post Ripple (XRP) News Today: April 15 appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Ethereum is trading around $2.3k, posting its most constructive price action in months. For the first time since the correction began, ETH is showing genuine signs of a structural shift. Though the history of failed breakout attempts throughout this cycle demands that the current move be treated with measured optimism rather than outright conviction.

Ethereum Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

In a notable development on the daily chart, ETH is breaking above both the long-term descending channel’s upper boundary and the 100-day MA. These two levels have capped the price action for the past six months.

Therefore, the breakout, if sustained on a closing basis, would represent the most significant structural shift since the downtrend began in October 2025. The RSI trending into the high-50s to low-60s also supports the move with improving momentum rather than an overextended spike.

The immediate test is whether ETH can break and hold above the $2.4k zone on a daily close and build above it. The previous breakout attempt in mid-March faded quickly upon contact with this area.

Yet, if a confirmed breakout and hold above it occurs, it opens the door toward the $2.8k resistance zone. Meanwhile, a rejection and drop back inside the channel would be a discouraging false breakout, with the $1.8k area remaining the critical floor below.

ETH/USDT 4-Hour Chart

The 4-hour chart tells a more cautionary tale. ETH tried to push through the $2.4k resistance zone yesterday. The move initially looked like a clean breakout, but quickly reversed after the RSI reached overbought territory above, printing what appears to be another false bullish breakout from this well-tested supply area. The asset has since pulled back to around $2.3k, sitting just below the resistance band.

This is now the second time in recent months that ETH has tagged this zone with an overbought RSI and failed to hold above it. The ascending trendline from the February lows near $2k remains intact and continues to provide a rising floor.

A pullback toward that trendline that holds would keep the bullish structure alive, and a clean close above $2.4k on cooling momentum would be a far more convincing signal than the spike-and-reject pattern seen so far. However, the $1.8k support zone remains the key downside reference if the mentioned trendline gives way.

On-Chain Analysis

The February crash produced a massive spike in Ethereum’s active addresses, with daily activity briefly surging toward levels not seen over the past couple of years.

That sudden burst almost certainly reflects the chaos of a capitulation event — a wave of panicked selling, forced liquidations, and coins changing hands at distressed prices rather than organic demand entering the network. Spikes of this nature during sharp sell-offs tend to mark the moment of maximum fear rather than the beginning of a recovery.

What is more concerning is the trend that followed. Since that capitulation spike, active addresses have declined steadily, and the 30-day EMA has continued drifting lower.

This might point to lots of coins changing hands during the crash, but the market has not attracted fresh participants afterward to continue the trend higher. For ETH to build a sustainable recovery, active address trends need to turn upward consistently, not just spike during moments of stress. Until then, any price recovery will be harder to sustain over the medium term.

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

Analytics platform Santiment is contending that the combined net outflow of almost $300 million that hit US spot Bitcoin ETFs on Monday points to a potential dip-buying opportunity.

According to them, outflows of such sizes are often a sign of retail fear and have acted as reliable contrarian indicators for price bottoms in the past.

Large Outflow Mirrors Previous Buying Windows

Santiment reported that on April 13, $297.3 million left the BTC ETFs. However, data from other trackers, like Coinglass, SoSoValue, and Farside Investors, showed slightly lower readings of around $291 million. Regardless, Monday was the heaviest outflow experienced by the products since March 6, 2026, when they lost nearly $350 million.

There was great improvement yesterday, as the ETFs went back to green, recording inflows of $411 million, with Santiment describing what happened on Monday as a “huge surge” tied to retail panic. It presented the figure within the framework of ongoing analysis that treats heavy ETF flow days as counter signals, with large inflows coinciding with price tops and similar-sized outflows matching market bottoms.

The firm identified historical examples to back its argument, including July 10, 2025, when spot Bitcoin ETFs registered $1.18 billion worth of inflows, and October 6, 2025, which saw $1.21 billion come into the crypto funds. Both instances happened around the same time as a local price top for the cryptocurrency, and, according to Santiment, traders might have been better served taking profits.

Conversely, large outflow spikes, including $903.2 million on November 20, 2025, have often matched up with periods where buying the dip proved more effective.

“Heavy outflows actually suggest a buying opportunity, while heavy inflows are warning signs of a price top,” Santiment’s analysts explained.

Tension Between ETF Holders and Short-Term Traders

The outflow readings have come at a time when Bitcoin is trying to stay above a key cost basis level, with recent analysis by Axel Adler Jr. showing the cryptocurrency testing the average acquisition price of US Bitcoin ETFs, which he says is $74,232. The analyst says that if BTC can stay above that level, it will bring ETF holders back to break-even. He did, however, point out that the cost basis for short-term holders is close to $83,734, which means there is still a lot of selling pressure that could stop any potential rally.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin yesterday shot up to just below $75,000, after US Vice President JD Vance hinted at progress in talks between his country and Iran. The flagship cryptocurrency then pushed up even further, briefly going past $76,000 before facing a quick rejection that, at the time of writing, had pulled it back to a few bucks below $74,000.

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