Rising energy costs amid geopolitical tensions may hinder economic recovery, complicating monetary policy and impacting consumer spending.

The post March CPI inflation rises to 3.3% as energy shock offsets core stability appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The collaboration could democratize dApp development, enhancing security and accessibility, potentially accelerating blockchain technology adoption.

The post ASI Alliance and Matterhorn launch vibecoding with built-in safety for blockchain apps appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Japan's regulatory shift could enhance crypto market stability, attract investment, and position the nation as a competitive financial hub.

The post Japan’s Cabinet approves bill to regulate crypto as financial products appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Covenant AI's exit highlights the challenges of maintaining true decentralization in blockchain networks, impacting investor confidence.

The post Covenant AI exits Bittensor over centralization concerns, TAO falls 15% appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Buyers are eyeing Geminis UK and EU units for regulatory access after layoffs, overseas retrenchment, and a stock collapse.

The post Gemini may sell parts of Europe business as buyers seek licenses: CoinDesk appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Could Be Quantum-Safe Without Protocol Changes, New Proposal Claims

A new research proposal claims it can make Bitcoin transactions resistant to quantum attacks without changing the network’s core rules, a goal that has drawn attention as concerns grow over future cryptographic risks.

In a paper published on April 9, Avihu Levy of StarkWare outlined “Quantum-Safe Bitcoin Transactions Without Softforks,” introducing a scheme called Quantum Safe Bitcoin, or QSB. The design aims to protect transactions from threats posed by quantum computers while remaining compatible with the existing Bitcoin protocol.

The proposal targets a known vulnerability in Bitcoin’s current design. Standard transactions rely on ECDSA signatures over the secp256k1 curve. In theory, a sufficiently powerful quantum computer running Shor’s algorithm could potentially break this system by solving discrete logarithms, which would allow attackers to forge signatures and spend funds.

QSB replaces reliance on elliptic curve security with hash-based assumptions. Instead of trusting ECDSA, the scheme uses it as a verification mechanism while shifting security to hash pre-image resistance. This approach draws from earlier work known as Binohash, which embeds one-time signature schemes into Bitcoin Script.

At the core of QSB is a “hash-to-signature” puzzle. The system hashes a transaction-derived public key using RIPEMD-160 and treats the output as a candidate ECDSA signature. Only a small fraction of random hashes meet the strict formatting rules required for valid signatures, creating a proof-of-work condition. The paper estimates the probability of success at about one in ~70.4 trillion attempts.

Bitcoin resistant to quantum attacks

Because the puzzle depends on hash properties rather than elliptic curve hardness, it remains resistant to Shor’s algorithm. A quantum attacker would gain only a quadratic speedup from Grover’s algorithm, leaving meaningful security margins. The paper estimates about 118-bit second pre-image resistance under a Shor threat model.

The construction works within Bitcoin’s existing scripting limits, including a cap of 201 opcodes and a maximum script size of 10,000 bytes. It uses legacy script structures and avoids any need for consensus changes or soft forks, a feature that may appeal to developers wary of protocol fragmentation.

The transaction process unfolds in three stages, the proposal claims. First, a “pinning” phase searches for transaction parameters that produce a valid hash-to-signature output, binding the transaction to a fixed structure. Next, two digest rounds select subsets of embedded signatures to generate additional proofs tied to the transaction hash. Finally, the transaction is assembled with all required preimages and verification data.

The design introduces tradeoffs. QSB transactions exceed standard relay policy limits, which means they would not propagate across the network under default settings. Instead, they would require direct submission to miners through services such as Slipstream. The scripts also consume significant space and computational resources.

Despite these constraints, the cost of generating a valid transaction appears within reach. The paper estimates total compute expenses between $75 and $150 using cloud GPUs, with the workload scaling across parallel hardware. Early testing reports successful puzzle solutions after several hours using multiple GPUs.

The project remains incomplete. While the paper and script generation tools are finished, parts of the pipeline, including full transaction assembly and broadcast, have not been demonstrated on-chain.

Still, the proposal adds to a growing body of research exploring how Bitcoin could adapt to a future with quantum computing. By avoiding protocol changes, QSB presents one path that relies on existing rules rather than consensus upgrades, a direction that may shape further debate on long-term network security.

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

This post Bitcoin Could Be Quantum-Safe Without Protocol Changes, New Proposal Claims first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Strategy’s (MSTR) Bitcoin Ambition Is Reshaping Corporate Finance. Everyone Else Is Falling Behind

The bitcoin numbers from March are hard to ignore and are bullish at first glance. Public and private companies collectively added 47,435 BTC to their treasuries last month — worth roughly $3.2 billion at month-end prices — but strip away one name from the ledger and the picture shifts dramatically. 

Nearly every one of those coins was bought by Michael Saylor’s Strategy. Everyone else, collectively, is in retreat, according to bitcointreasuries.net March report shared with Bitcoin Magazine. 

That divergence is becoming the defining story of corporate Bitcoin adoption in 2026. Strategy purchased 44,377 BTC in March alone, including one of its largest-ever single-week purchases — 22,337 BTC disclosed on March 16, funded by $1.57 billion in ATM sales from its STRC preferred shares and MSTR common stock. 

The company now controls two-thirds of all Bitcoin held by public companies, and its holdings sit at roughly 762,000 BTC with a plausible, if aggressive, path to 1 million.

STRC is helping Strategy build an accumulation machine

To understand how Strategy keeps buying at this scale in what BitcoinTreasuries.net describes as “a bear market,” you have to understand STRC — the company’s variable-rate perpetual preferred share product. 

STRC targets a price near $100 and currently yields approximately 11.5% annually, reset monthly. It sits above common shareholders in Strategy’s capital structure, offering more predictable returns than MSTR stock while still being anchored to the Bitcoin treasury underneath.

March was a watershed moment for the instrument. STRC recorded its highest-ever single-day trading volume on March 12 — $746 million — followed by its second-highest on March 31, at $522 million. Weekly volumes hit $2.27 billion from March 9–13 alone. That demand didn’t just set records; it funded Bitcoin buying. 

Strategy’s 8-K for the week of March 9–15 reported $1.2 billion in STRC ATM proceeds and $396 million in MSTR proceeds, together financing that record 22,337 BTC purchase.

Now Strategy has filed for a new $42 billion ATM program, split evenly between STRC and MSTR, plus an additional $2.1 billion in STRK. According to BitcoinTreasuries.net modeling, if proceeds arrive at a rate of roughly $2.3 billion monthly over 19 months — and Bitcoin hovers near $75,000 — Strategy could reach 1 million BTC by November 2026. 

A more conservative projection using Strategy’s average monthly buy rate of 21,000 BTC since January 2025 pushes that date to March 2027.

A Bitcoin leaderboard in freefall

March also triggered a major leaderboard reshuffling that reflects just how different the playbook looks outside of Saylor’s orbit. MARA Holdings — once the second-largest public Bitcoin treasury — sold 15,133 BTC, worth roughly $1.1 billion, to repurchase convertible senior notes. The sale wiped nearly 28% of its previous holdings. 

As BitcoinTreasuries.net’s Tyler Rowe put it: “MARA borrowed aggressively to stack sats during the bull run and is now selling Bitcoin at a loss to service that debt. This is the precise scenario critics of debt-fueled treasury strategies have warned about.”

That opened the door for Jack Mallers’ Twenty One Capital (XXI) to move into second place, currently holding 43,514 BTC — though notably, XXI hasn’t purchased Bitcoin since August. Its rise is purely a function of MARA’s decline. Metaplanet, the Japanese firm that has become one of the most aggressive Bitcoin accumulators outside the U.S., followed in early April by acquiring 5,075 BTC to reach 40,177 BTC, leapfrogging MARA for third place.

GameStop’s story is perhaps the most unusual. The retailer-turned-crypto-treasury pledged 4,709 BTC as collateral in a covered call strategy with Coinbase Credit, leaving just 1 BTC in direct holdings. 

The counterparty holds rights to sell or rehypothecate the pledged Bitcoin, though GameStop maintains a contractual right to receive an equivalent amount back. The move dropped the company from the 21st-largest Bitcoin holder to near position 190 on the leaderboard.

Public company bitcoin accumulation is stalling

Beyond the leaderboard drama, the March report surfaced a quieter but more important trend: excluding Strategy, corporate Bitcoin conviction is cooling sharply. Public companies other than Strategy aggressively accumulated last summer, but net buying has declined and outright sales have accelerated since October. 

The number of monthly buyers has fallen steadily since September, reaching just 16 in March.

Ryan Strauss of the Bitcoin Consulting Group put it bluntly in the report: “What stands out to me is just how structurally dependent headline holdings growth is on Strategy — once you remove it, the underlying signal flips from strength to clear deceleration. The pullback in both net accumulation and participant count suggests this isn’t just noise, but a broad cooling in corporate conviction following last summer’s aggressive positioning.”

Among the sellers: Exodus Movement, whose Bitcoin holdings fell by an estimated 1,084 BTC as it funds its acquisition of W3C Corp; Fold Inc., down 178 BTC; and Cango Inc., down 331.3 BTC following a mining update.

A new financial ecosystem forming around STRC

What may be most significant about March isn’t the buying or selling — it’s the emerging ecosystem of financial products being built around STRC itself. At least five entities have disclosed allocations to STRC or plans to acquire it. Strive, the asset manager led by CEO Matt Cole, has committed $50 million — over one-third of its corporate treasury — calling STRC “an alternative to a USD reserve mainly made up of cash in low-yield money market funds”. 

DeFi protocol Apyx, which describes itself as the first dividend-backed stablecoin, held approximately 450,000 STRC shares worth $45 million as of early April, using the yield to back its apxUSD stablecoin.

Meanwhile, mutual funds and ETFs now hold more than $2 billion in digital credit products in aggregate, with STRC alone accounting for $591 million across datasets from Capital Group, BlackRock, Fidelity, VanEck, and others. 

BitcoinTreasuries.net frames this institutional on-ramp as particularly timely amid a private credit crisis in which some issuers have restricted retail fund withdrawals or capped redemptions — a structurally opaque system that, the report argues, compares unfavorably to Bitcoin-backed digital credit where collateral is on-chain and pricing is publicly visible.

Overall, the broader takeaway from March 2026: corporate Bitcoin adoption is not weakening, but it is concentrating. Strategy isn’t just the biggest player — it is increasingly the market itself, with an expanding financial architecture designed to keep accumulating regardless of where the price goes.

This post Strategy’s (MSTR) Bitcoin Ambition Is Reshaping Corporate Finance. Everyone Else Is Falling Behind first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Stacked (formerly Lightning Pay) launches self-custodial Lightning wallet as New Zealand’s last major non-custodial Bitcoin exchange

Formerly known as Lightning Pay, Stacked may be the only Bitcoin exchange left standing after a series of mergers and bankruptcies in the New Zealand crypto industry. Doubling down on their vision to make Bitcoin “useful as money,” they just launched a self-custodied Lightning wallet.

Found at StackedBitcoin.com, the company has taken a different path than larger exchanges in the country, which, according to Simon, co-founder and CRO of Stacked, are going all-in on selling custodial and paper bitcoin. Exchanges like Sharesies are built following the Robinhood model, with no path to withdraw crypto to self-custodied wallets. While EasyCrypto, a popular swap exchange that received user fiat and sent crypto back to user wallets — similar to the Bull Bitcoin model — was recently bought out by SwyFTX and shut down, funneling its userbase to the parent custodial exchange. 

Stacked, a 4-person company that’s seen significant growth in the country in recent years, believes this is the wrong direction for the local Bitcoin industry, and as such has launched a self-custodied Bitcoin and Lightning wallet that complements their own swap exchange offering. Users send fiat to Stacked and receive Bitcoin into their self-custodied wallet of choice. They can also pay utility bills or even their rent with Bitcoin through Stacked, who settle out the fiat recipients via New Zealand’s innovative Open Banking payments framework. 

The Stacked wallet, which features a sleek and modern design, uses Breez and Spark SDKs in the back end to provide users a stable and easy-to-use Bitcoin experience, with full Lightning Network integration. The app lets users purchase Bitcoin manually and on a schedule via Autostack a DCA style set it and forget it purchase feature. Users can also manage contacts in the app to pay with bitcoin on their end and deliver fiat to recipients. The country has no capital gains tax; instead, Bitcoin profits are taxed as income, resulting in what may be a much more favorable regulatory environment for hyper Bitcoinization.  

Stacked has been focusing its efforts to make Bitcoin useful as money in the Bitcoin Basin, a growing circular economy in Queenstown, New Zealand, which boasts around Bitcoin-accepting merchants to date. The company has created a dedicated website for the community and hosts regular events in the area, encouraging the local bitcoin economy. 

In the 2025 financial year, 227,000 New Zealanders were identified as unique cryptoasset users partaking in around 7 million transactions. Local cryptocurrency exchange volumes reached approximately NZ$7.8 billion. Stacked projects the local digital asset market will to generate revenue exceeding US$200 million in 2026. Nearly 50% of New Zealanders are current or prospective Bitcoin and digital asset investors, according to 2024 research by Protocol Theory.

This post Stacked (formerly Lightning Pay) launches self-custodial Lightning wallet as New Zealand’s last major non-custodial Bitcoin exchange first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Juan Galt.

Bitcoin Magazine

Tim Draper Confirmed as a Bitcoin 2026 Speaker

Tim Draper has been officially confirmed as a speaker at Bitcoin 2026. The founder of Draper Associates, DFJ, and the Draper Venture Network, Draper is one of the longest-standing and most vocal Bitcoin advocates in the venture capital world and one of the few investors who put real money behind the asset before it was widely taken seriously.

In June 2014, Draper made headlines by winning the U.S. Marshals auction of nearly 30,000 bitcoins seized from the Silk Road marketplace, spending approximately $19 million at a price of around $600 per coin. The bet has aged well. Draper has since invested in over 50 crypto companies, leading investments in Coinbase, Ledger, Tezos, and Bancor, among others. More recently, Draper led a $2.5 million pre-seed funding round in Ark Labs, a Bitcoin scaling startup building payment infrastructure, stating that “soon many people around the world will live on the Bitcoin standard.”

Draper Associates manages $2 billion in assets and has seeded some of the most valuable companies in history, including Tesla, SpaceX, Skype, Baidu, Coinbase, and Robinhood. His price conviction on Bitcoin remains intact. In a recent interview, Draper reiterated his $250,000 Bitcoin price target, rooted in the view that Bitcoin is in the middle of replacing the financial system itself describing it as infrastructure where contracts, payments, and ownership all move onchain without the layers of intermediaries that define today’s economy.

With over a decade of conviction behind him, Draper takes the Bitcoin 2026 stage as one of the asset’s earliest and most consistent voices, having put real money behind Bitcoin long before it was considered a credible institutional bet. Hear more from Tim Draper at Bitcoin 2026 taking place April 27–29 at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.

Bitcoin 2026 is Returning to Las Vegas

Bitcoin 2026 will take place April 27–29 at The Venetian, Las Vegas, and is expected to be the biggest Bitcoin event of the year.

Focused on the future of money, Bitcoin 2026 will bring together Bitcoin builders, investors, miners, policymakers, technologists, and newcomers from around the world. The event will feature a wide range of pass types, including general admission passes designed specifically for those new to Bitcoin, alongside premium passes for professionals, enterprises, and institutions.

With multiple stages, immersive experiences, technical workshops, and headline keynotes, Bitcoin 2026 is designed to serve both first-time attendees and long-time Bitcoiners shaping the next era of global adoption.

Past Bitcoin Conferences in the U.S.

Bitcoin’s flagship conference has scaled dramatically over the past five years:

• 2021 – Miami: 11,000 attendees
• 2022 – Miami: 26,000 attendees
• 2023 – Miami: 15,000 attendees
• 2024 – Nashville: 22,000 attendees
• 2025 – Las Vegas: 35,000 attendees

Get Your Bitcoin 2026 Pass

Bitcoin Magazine readers can save 10% on Bitcoin 2026 tickets using code ‘ARTICLE10‘ at checkout.

Stay at The official hotel of Bitcoin 2026, The Venetian, and get a guaranteed low rate plus 15% off your pass. Be in the middle of where the fun is all happening, and where the networking never ends.

And don’t forget:

Volunteer at Bitcoin 2026 and get Pro Pass access plus exclusive perks.

All students ages 13+ can apply for a Student Pass and get free general admission access to Bitcoin 2026.

For more information and exclusive offers, visit the Bitcoin Conference on X here.

Why Attend Bitcoin 2026?

Bitcoin 2026 is the definitive gathering for anyone serious about the future of money. With 500+ speakers, multiple world-class stages, and programming spanning Bitcoin fundamentals, open-source development, enterprise adoption, mining, energy, AI, policy, and culture, the conference brings every corner of the Bitcoin ecosystem together under one roof.

From headline keynotes on the Nakamoto Stage to deep technical sessions for builders, institutional strategy discussions for enterprises, and beginner-friendly Bitcoin 101 education, Bitcoin 2026 is designed for everyone—from first-time attendees to the leaders shaping Bitcoin’s global adoption.

Whether you’re looking to learn, build, invest, network, or influence, Bitcoin 2026 is where Bitcoin’s next chapter is written.

Bitcoin 2026 Pass Types: Something for Everyone

Bitcoin 2026 offers a range of pass options designed to meet the needs of newcomers, professionals, enterprises, and high-net-worth Bitcoiners alike.

Bitcoin 2026 General Admission Pass

Ideal for newcomers and those looking to experience the heart of the conference.

• Limited access on Days 2 & 3
• Entry to Main Stage
• Access to Genesis Stage
• Full access to the Expo Hall

Bitcoin 2026 Pro Pass

Designed for professionals, operators, and serious Bitcoin participants.

Includes all General Admission features, plus:

• Full 3-day access, including Pro Day
• Entry to the Pro Pass Reception
• Access to Enterprise Hall, Enterprise Stage, and Networking Lounge
• Conference App networking features
• Access to the Bitcoin For Corporations Symposium
• Entry to Compute Village and Energy Stage
• Complimentary lunch, coffee, tea, and snacks
• Dedicated registration and check-in
• Reserved seating at Main Stage
• Huge savings when you bundle your hotel and Pro Pass

Bitcoin 2026 Whale Pass

The all-inclusive, premium Bitcoin 2026 experience.

Includes all Pro Pass features, plus:

• Reserved seating at Main Stage
• All-inclusive gourmet food and beverages
• Entry to Whale Night and Whale Reception
• Access to all official after-parties
• Networking app access to connect with other Whales
• Premium access to The Deep — an exclusive networking lounge with intimate speaker sessions
• Complimentary stay at The Venetian when you bundle your whale pass and hotel (use promo code ‘WHALEHOTEL’ here)

This is the most immersive way to experience Bitcoin 2026.

Bitcoin 2026 After Hours Pass

Your ticket to the night.

Most deals are done with a drink in your hand. Get exclusive access to 3 official Bitcoin 2026 after-parties across Las Vegas — each with a 2-hour open bar — where the real conversations happen and the best connections are made.

• Access to 3 official Bitcoin 2026 after-parties
• 2-hour open bar at each event
• Evening events across Las Vegas, April 27–29
• Network with Bitcoiners, builders, and industry leaders after hours

More headline speaker announcements are coming soon.

Don’t miss Bitcoin 2026.

This post Tim Draper Confirmed as a Bitcoin 2026 Speaker first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

Bitcoin Magazine

SEC Chair Paul Atkins, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, David Sacks Push Congress to Pass Crypto Market Structure Bill ‘Now’

Three prominent voices in finance, crypto, and policy urged Congress this week to move quickly on the Clarity Act, a long-awaited bill to define how cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based financial products operate under U.S. law.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for the Senate Banking Committee to advance the legislation to President Trump’s desk, saying that Congress has spent years debating a framework to “onshore the future of finance.”

“Senate time is precious, and now is the time to act,” Bessent said on social media, echoing points from his Wall Street Journal op-ed that argued U.S. leadership in global finance depends on clear, durable digital-asset rules.

The Clarity Act, seen as a companion to the Genius Act signed by President Trump last year, seeks to establish regulatory boundaries between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. 

The bill defines when a token qualifies as a security, sets operating pathways for trading platforms, and introduces new anti-fraud and anti-money-laundering measures.

David Sacks, who championed last year’s Genius Act on stablecoins and is the White House’s former Crypto Czar, endorsed Bessent’s call. He said the Clarity Act would provide “rules of the road” for all other digital assets. “Secretary Bessent is right — the time to act is now. Senate Banking, and then the full Senate, should pass market structure,” Sacks wrote. He added that he expects Congress to deliver the bill for President Trump’s signature.

SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins also joined the push. “The project is designed so once Congress acts, the SEC and CFTC are ready,” Atkins said on X. “It’s time for Congress to future-proof against rogue regulators and advance comprehensive market structure legislation.”

Bessent: Crypto innovation is going to other countries

In his op-ed, Bessent warned that the absence of clear crypto regulation has driven innovation overseas to jurisdictions like Abu Dhabi and Singapore. Without consistent U.S. rules, he wrote, developers and investors face uncertainty about registration, compliance, and enforcement.

“Nations that provide clarity attract innovation,” Bessent wrote. “The Clarity Act would restore confidence that digital-asset businesses can build and grow in the United States.”

The Genius Act last year established a framework for dollar-backed stablecoins, aligning blockchain-based payments with the U.S. dollar’s global role. The Clarity Act would extend that foundation to the broader digital-asset ecosystem, including tokenized securities, decentralized exchanges, and blockchain-based settlement systems. 

Supporters argue the crypto bill would enhance financial oversight while keeping blockchain innovation — and its associated jobs and tax revenue — within U.S. borders.

By codifying legal parameters, they say, the legislation would protect investors, reduce regulatory uncertainty, and keep the U.S. at the forefront of financial technology rather than ceding ground to foreign markets.

“The United States became the world’s financial center by leading during moments of technological change,” Bessent wrote. “Passing this legislation ensures that the next generation of finance is built on American rails, backed by American institutions, and denominated in American dollars.”

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

This post SEC Chair Paul Atkins, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, David Sacks Push Congress to Pass Crypto Market Structure Bill ‘Now’ first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin mining is still running on the subsidy, not demand.

That is the more useful place to start as we head into the next Bitcoin difficulty adjustment window, which CoinWarz now estimates for April 18, 2026, with difficulty projected to fall from 138.97 trillion to 132.14 trillion, a decline of 4.91%.

The schedule matters less than the structure underneath it. YCharts, using Blockchain.com data, showed daily Bitcoin transaction fees at 2.443 BTC on April 8, down 69% from a year earlier.

With the block subsidy fixed at 3.125 BTC and the network producing roughly 144 blocks a day, fees are still contributing only a sliver of miner revenue in BTC terms.

That leaves the next few weeks framed by a narrower and more useful question. If fees stay pinned near the floor, what actually determines miner survivability?

The answer starts with the revenue stack, then moves to the cost stack, then to the adaptation stack. Revenue still depends overwhelmingly on the subsidy and Bitcoin price.

Costs still depend on power, fleet efficiency, debt, and treasury policy. Adaptation depends on how much flexibility an operator has when mining alone no longer offers an attractive enough return on power and infrastructure.

The role of the coming difficulty is secondary. A lower difficulty target can ease pressure on operators by improving output per unit of hash when price and fees hold steady. In the current environment, that distinction shapes the entire operating map for miners.

Subsidy carries the revenue stack while fees stay close to the floor

Bitcoin miners get paid from two sources: the subsidy and fees. Subsidy is the protocol-level issuance attached to each block. Fees are the extra amount users pay to get transactions confirmed.

In stronger on-chain environments, the fee layer becomes a genuine contributor to miner economics. In weaker ones, it shrinks back toward irrelevance, leaving miners tied much more directly to Bitcoin's market price.

That is where conditions sit now. A recent snapshot from mempool.space showed low-, medium-, and high-priority transactions clustered around 1 sat/vB. YCharts put the average Bitcoin transaction fee at $0.3335 on April 8, down 80.53% from a year earlier. The network is still functioning smoothly, blocks are still getting mined, and users are still getting access to block space cheaply.

For miners, the revenue implication is straightforward. Fee income is providing very little incremental support. Bitcoin sits around $71,800 on April 10, up 7.4% over the past seven days and 3.1% over the past 30 days. That move helps, though mainly through the value of the subsidy rather than through any revival in user-paid demand for block space.

The scale of the imbalance is large enough to define the frame on its own. Bitcoin still produces about 144 blocks a day. At 3.125 BTC per block, that means around 450 BTC in newly issued subsidy every day before fees. Against that base, the April 8 total fee figure of 2.443 BTC suggests fees contribute roughly half of 1% of miner revenue in BTC terms.

This is why the live question is what keeps miners alive when the fee layer is barely helping. The next reset still belongs in the analysis, though it belongs in the right place.

A lower difficulty setting can improve economics at the fleet level because miners require less computational work to find a block. It can ease the pressure. Miner survivability over the next few weeks will still be determined largely by price, efficiency, power costs, debt, and treasury discipline. Power costs, machine quality, debt loads, and treasury policy decide who bends first

Once the revenue side is stripped down to subsidy plus price, the cost stack becomes much easier to see. Miner survivability depends on who can produce Bitcoin at a cost that still leaves room for operating cash flow.

That comes down to the price of electricity, the efficiency of the fleet, the cost of hosting, the level of debt on the balance sheet, and whether management has sufficient treasury flexibility to avoid selling in weak conditions.

CoinShares gives the clearest external framework for that hierarchy. In its Q1 2026 mining report, CoinShares said Q4 2025 was the toughest quarter for miners since the 2024 halving and put the weighted average public-miner cash production cost near $79,995 per BTC in Q4 2025.

That figure does give a clear sense of how narrow the spread had become across the listed space. CoinShares also said any miner below an S19 XP paying 6 cents per kilowatt-hour or more was losing money at $30 per PH/day.

That helps build a much sharper three-tier hierarchy.

The first tier is made up of low-cost operators with modern fleets, favorable hosting or self-mined power, and balance sheets that can absorb volatility without immediate forced selling.

These miners still face pressure in a low-fee market, though they have sufficient efficiency and financial flexibility to ride it out. Their problem is margin compression, not immediate survivability.

The second tier is the disciplined middle. These operators can remain viable, though only with tighter treasury management, more selective deployment, slower expansion, and a harder filter on capital spending.

They can survive the next few weeks if Bitcoin price holds up and if the projected difficulty cut lands close to current expectations. They still have much less room for error than the top tier because the fee layer is offering so little support.

The third tier is where the real strain sits. These are higher-cost legacy fleets, operators running older machines, miners with weaker power economics, and firms carrying capital structures that do not give them much time.

This group breaks first because weak fees remove the one revenue line that could have softened a difficult quarter. For them, the question is often no longer about growth. It is about curtailment, site-by-site triage, machine shutdowns, opportunistic treasury sales, and whether any part of the fleet still deserves incremental capital.

This is the operating leverage point that mining coverage often blurs. Price still matters here, although mainly as an input into hashprice and cash margins. CoinShares estimated that hashprice could rise to around $37 per PH/day if Bitcoin recovered to $100,000 and to roughly $59 per PH/day if it retested $126,000.

Those ranges show how quickly conditions can improve when the price moves far enough. They also show why the current environment still feels tight. Bitcoin has stabilized, though it remains well below the levels that would create broader comfort across the mining stack.

That leaves treasury policy as a more important variable than usual. Operators with stronger treasuries can hold through periods of weak fees and middling hashprice.

Operators with less flexibility have to decide sooner whether to sell BTC, cut capex, idle older rigs, or pull back from marginal sites. In a market where the subsidy is doing almost all the work, treasury management becomes part of the production model.

Curtailment, fleet triage, and the AI pivot define the adaptation stack into the next reset window

Once revenue stays thin and the cost stack tightens, the next question is adaptation. What do miners actually do when pure Bitcoin mining stops offering enough operating leverage?

The first adaptation is curtailment. Operators shut off higher-cost machines, reduce exposure at weaker sites, and preserve cash while waiting for better price conditions or a more favorable difficulty profile.

The second is fleet triage. Capital is directed toward the most efficient hardware and the best-performing sites, while older machines remain online only if they can still cover power and hosting costs.

The third is strategic diversification, where miners begin looking beyond Bitcoin mining itself and ask what their power, land, cooling, and data center assets might earn in adjacent markets.

In its report, CoinShares said listed miners have announced more than $70 billion in cumulative AI and HPC contracts and could derive as much as 70% of revenue from AI by year-end, up from about 30% now.

That projection says a great deal about how miners are ranking their options. A site with sufficient power access and data center potential may earn more from another workload than from mining Bitcoin in a low-fee environment.

Weak fees also lower the relative attractiveness of mining compared with other compute-intensive businesses competing for the same infrastructure footprint. A miner does not need ideological conviction to make that shift.

The next reset window still gives the market a clear near-term test. CoinWarz places the next difficulty adjustment on April 18, with the projected move pointing lower to 132.14 trillion. If that adjustment lands near expectations, miners should get some marginal relief on output economics. The sharper question comes after that. Does anything in the fee layer actually change?

A meaningful improvement would require a firmer Bitcoin price, a visible fee rebound, or both. Without a fee recovery, a lower difficulty setting still leaves miners dependent on subsidy and price.

Over the next few weeks, the winners are likely to be miners with efficient fleets, better power economics, stronger treasury control, and enough strategic flexibility to shift capacity where returns are highest.

The losers are likely to be miners that need fee support to compensate for legacy equipment, high power costs, or fragile balance sheets.

Bitcoin mining is still producing blocks on schedule, and the next difficulty adjustment may give operators some relief.

The deeper condition remains the same. Demand for block space is contributing very little, and miner survivability is being determined by who can endure a weak-fee environment long enough for either price, fees, or both to improve.

The post Bitcoin miner fees are close to zero as cost to mine nears $80,000 with difficulty about to drop 5% appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The Trump administration and the broader crypto industry have initiated an unprecedented, multi-agency pressure campaign aimed at forcing the Senate to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, signaling a decisive final push to overhaul the regulatory framework of the $2.4 trillion cryptocurrency market before the 2026 midterm elections.

In a highly synchronized effort this week, the Treasury Department, the White House Council of Economic Advisers, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) unleashed a barrage of reports, op-eds, and proposed rules.

The coordinated moves are designed to strip away the traditional banking lobby’s remaining arguments against the bill and corner the Senate Banking Committee into holding a long-delayed markup.

The overarching message from the executive branch to lawmakers is stark: The regulatory infrastructure is built, the economic risks have been debunked, and time is running out.

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CLARITY Act deadline in weeks could kill stablecoin earnings and push money into Bitcoin

A Senate breakthrough on CLARITY could formalize a US market structure in which Bitcoin becomes the clearest institutional winner.

Mar 31, 2026 · Gino Matos

In an April 8 post on X, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said:

“Congress has spent the better part of half a decade trying to pass a framework to onshore the future of finance. It is time for the Senate Banking Committee to hold a markup and send the CLARITY Act to President Trump’s desk.”

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressed similar support for the bill, while pointing out that “progress [was better than] perfection.”

The CLARITY Act, which passed the House with a bipartisan 294-134 vote in July 2025, has languished in the Senate for nearly a year. The primary bottleneck has been an intense lobbying war between traditional financial institutions and the digital asset industry over how the legislation treats yield-bearing stablecoins.

Banks have argued that allowing stablecoins to pay interest could trigger a massive flight of deposits, crippling traditional lending. However, the White House has moved aggressively to neutralize that narrative.

White House dismantles banking industry arguments

In a direct challenge to banking groups, the White House Council of Economic Advisers released a report concluding that stablecoin yields pose no significant threat to traditional lending.

The council estimated that banning yields on stablecoins would increase total US bank lending by just $2.1 billion. In the context of the $12 trillion US lending market, that represents a negligible 0.02% shift, with community banks projected to gain just $500 million.

Conversely, economists warned that prohibiting stablecoin yields would impose an $800 million annual welfare loss on American consumers, depriving them of interest on their digital assets.

According to the report:

“The conditions for finding a positive welfare effect from prohibiting yield are similarly implausible. In short, a yield prohibition would do very little to protect bank lending, while forgoing the consumer benefits of competitive returns on stablecoin holdings.”

The public dismantling of the bank lobby’s economic defense removes crucial political cover for Senate Republicans who have hesitated to advance the bill.

It frames the delay not as a matter of systemic economic protection, but as the entrenchment of the financial status quo at the expense of American innovation.

Notably, President Donald Trump had previously amplified the administration's stance, publicly criticizing traditional banks for obstructing the legislation. The president accused the banking sector of using the disagreements over stablecoin yields to hold both the CLARITY Act “hostage.”

Against this backdrop, James Thorne, chief marketing strategist at Wellington Altus, noted that “the entrenchment of the status quo has significantly impeded the societal integration of blockchain technology.”

He added:

“A coordinated alignment of interests between the administration and Wall Street has effectively delayed technological progress, setting back innovation by several years relative to its potential trajectory. Can we please finally get the Clarity Act passed for heaven’s sakes.”

Regulators signal readiness for CLARITY Act with ‘Project Crypto’

As the White House provided intellectual cover for the bill, the nation’s top financial market regulators moved to eliminate another frequent congressional excuse: bureaucratic unreadiness.

In separate posts on X, SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Mike Selig publicly declared that their respective agencies have already laid the groundwork to implement the sweeping jurisdictional changes required by the CLARITY Act.

The legislation fundamentally alters market structure by creating a mechanism for digital assets to transition from SEC-regulated securities to CFTC-regulated digital commodities once they achieve sufficient decentralization.

“Project Crypto is designed so once Congress acts, the SEC and CFTC are ready to implement the CLARITY Act,” Atkins said Wednesday. “Secretary Bessent is right. It’s time for Congress to future-proof against rogue regulators and advance comprehensive market structure legislation to President Trump’s desk.”

Selig echoed the sentiment, explicitly framing the legislation as a necessary bulwark against future shifts in political winds. He wrote:

“It’s time to future-proof digital asset markets in America with legislation that can’t be undone by rogue regulators under a new administration. Chair Atkins and I stand ready to implement CLARITY.”

Treasury deploys the regulatory stick

While the administration dangled the carrot of market-structure clarity, it simultaneously wielded a heavy regulatory stick.

On April 8, a joint proposal from the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the Office of Foreign Assets Control outlined strict new controls for stablecoin businesses.

The rules serve as the implementation phase of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins, or GENIUS Act, which Trump signed into law in July 2025.

The proposed framework formally classifies stablecoin issuers operating in the US as “financial institutions” under the Bank Secrecy Act. The rules mandate that issuers establish rigorous anti-money-laundering and sanctions-compliance programs, effectively turning crypto firms into bank-like gatekeepers.

Crucially, the proposal requires stablecoin issuers to engineer their tokens with the technical capability to “block, freeze, and reject” transactions that violate US law or sanctions. Issuers will also be expected to serve as active allies in FinCEN’s pursuit of entities identified as primary money-laundering concerns.

However, the Treasury Department signaled a degree of deference to the industry, noting that firms running appropriate prevention programs would generally be safe from enforcement actions absent a “significant or systemic failure.”

The timing of the FinCEN and OFAC rules is highly strategic. By aggressively tightening the leash on stablecoin issuers regarding illicit finance, the Treasury Department is demonstrating to skeptical lawmakers that the administration takes national security seriously.

Bessent said in a statement:

“This proposal will protect the US financial system from national security threats without hindering American companies’ ability to forge ahead in the payment stablecoin ecosystem.”

Without the broader market structure provided by the CLARITY Act, the stablecoin framework established by the GENIUS Act is incomplete, leaving decentralized exchanges and tokenized assets in a regulatory gray area.

Midterm pressures and global competition

Meanwhile, the administration’s full-court press is driven by a closing legislative window. With the 2026 midterm elections fast approaching, the political calendar threatens to consume congressional bandwidth. A shift in the balance of power in Congress could stall cryptocurrency legislation indefinitely.

Industry advocates warn that the United States cannot afford further delays. Nearly one in six Americans currently holds some form of digital asset, and regulatory uncertainty has actively pushed crypto development offshore to jurisdictions with clearer rules, such as Abu Dhabi and Singapore.

Jake Chervinsky, CEO of the Hyperliquid Policy Center, said:

“The CLARITY Act is the most urgent policy priority in D.C. right now. The bill has improved dramatically since the Senate Banking markup in January. If those changes hold, the bill is a ‘must pass’ for crypto. But time is short. Congress must act soon, or we’ll miss our chance.”

David Sacks, chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, noted that the executive branch has done its part, and the burden now rests entirely on Capitol Hill. He said:

“The GENIUS Act established US leadership on stablecoins. The CLARITY Act would do the same for all other digital assets by providing clear rules of the road…Senate Banking, and then the full Senate, should pass market structure. I’m confident that they will. And then President Trump will sign this landmark bill into law.”

Whether the Senate Banking Committee relents to the administration’s pressure campaign before election-year politics overtake the legislative agenda will determine the future of the U.S. digital asset market for years to come.

The post CLARITY Act faces White House blitz as Treasury and SEC flood Senate with coordinated pressure this week appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Money market Dolomite users are at risk of bad debt because the WLFI token is used as collateral under the WLFI Markets initiative.

By World Liberty's own description, WLFI Markets is only an interface, as Dolomite smart contracts handle the lending logic, collateral rules, and liquidations underneath.

The model explains how a Trump-linked venture could launch a branded lending market, with WLFI-supported collateral from day one, and why responsibility gets blurry the moment outside lenders start asking who approved the design and who bears the downside if it breaks.

The visible trigger is a large WLFI-backed stablecoin borrow, recently reported in the tens of millions, that pushed USD1 pool utilization past 100% and sent supplier rates sharply higher.

Dolomite's own documentation warns that risky collateral can expose the protocol to bad debt and describes “vaporizations,” the state in which liquidation exhausts collateral while debt persists and spreads across liquidity suppliers.

World Liberty built its lending product on top of Dolomite's protocol, as stated in its January 2025 launch materials, which included WLFI, ETH, cbBTC, USDC, and USDT as supported collateral assets and framed the product as a way to expand USD1 utility.

WLFI acquired a ready-made lending engine, enabled fast product launch, and provided immediate utility for its own tokens, while Dolomite owned the most failure-prone layer.

WLFI's overview notes that the interface does not custody assets, issue loans, or control protocol behavior. All supply, borrowing, repayment, withdrawal, and liquidation functions execute through Dolomite smart contracts.

Its terms state that users conduct transactions directly with WLFI Markets through Dolomite and are responsible for evaluating the risks of interacting with the brand.

That accountability hinges on brand on top and risk engine underneath, and was the product's architecture from the start.

The front end and the back end

WLFI's disclaimer establishes its right to an integration and marketing fee from Dolomite. Reports noted that President Donald Trump's family held claims to 75% of net revenues from token sales and 60% of net revenues from operations.

By the time insiders took their cuts, calculations pointed to about 5% of the $550 million raised to date would remain with the venture to build the platform.

The collateral decision was a governed choice, documented in Dolomite's own governance materials. The money market's framework for asset listings requires price oracles, DEX liquidity, historical volatility, holder concentration, redemption mechanics during liquidation, and whether the protocol or DAO provides initial liquidity.

WLFI's concepts page says risk parameters are set by Dolomite governance and can change over time, while Dolomite's governance docs confirm that asset listings and parameter updates can be processed through DAO processes or by operators for management purposes.

The public materials establish that the WLFI configuration was acceptable, but leave the decision-makers unnamed.

The warning was public

Dolomite's risk documentation explicitly describes the guardrails it can apply to risky assets: supply caps, collateral-only modes, borrow-only modes, and strict-debt configurations.

The same docs warn that allowing risky assets as collateral can expose the protocol to bad debt if prices crash.

WLFI launched as supported collateral on the Ethereum mainnet on day one, leaving open the question of what governed the decision about WLFI's specific configuration if the guardrails existed.

Dolomite's own admin-transaction repository shows that WLFI's market limits were repeatedly raised from 635 million to 900 million, then to 2 billion, then to 5.1 billion WLFI.

In the bull case, the structure survives and produces better architecture. Parameters tighten, the governance trail for who approved what becomes visible, supply caps or strict-debt modes limit WLFI-specific exposure, and the accountability split becomes an acknowledged feature.

Dolomite's own framework already encompasses all of those tools.

In the bear case, growth incentives keep outrunning guardrails. WLFI continues to benefit from token utility, brand distribution, and integration economics, and Dolomite absorbs the hard risk-engine role.

The next time utilization spikes, each side has a ready-made script: WLFI points to the interface-only language, Dolomite points to decentralized protocol design, and lenders absorb the gap between those disclaimers.

That outcome fits the current fee structure, the user-risk language in both sets of docs, and public records that stop short of naming the specific person who approved the WLFI collateral configuration.

The accountability gap

Ethics commentators flagged conflict risks around World Liberty as Trump oversees US crypto policy, Democratic lawmakers seek records tied to potential conflicts, and USD1 featured in a $2 billion Abu Dhabi-linked Binance investment.

The “Super Nodes” tier, which requires users to lock up the equivalent of $5 million in WLFI to access the protocol's team, added a dimension of preferential access. Those details raise the governance threshold for any venture operating at this level of political proximity.

A Federal Reserve staff note published on Apr. 8 reported that stablecoins had reached roughly $317 billion in aggregate market cap as of Apr. 6 and identified three specific vulnerabilities: more complex intermediation chains, greater vertical integration, and greater opacity about the source of stress.

The WLFI/Dolomite structure meets each criterion by providing a branded front end, third-party lending infrastructure, token incentives concentrated at the front end, and stablecoin pools beneath it.

White-label crypto finance can scale distribution faster than it scales accountability, and the Fed's framework says that gap is exactly where stress amplifies.

Outside lenders supplied USD1 and USDC to shared pools, while WLFI supplied the brand, collected fees, and disclaimed liability for protocol performance per its own terms. Dolomite supplied the risk engine and, per its own docs, warned that risky collateral could create bad debt.

Accountability for whether WLFI met that standard was diffuse by design. If the position eventually produces a shortfall, each party has a documented basis to point elsewhere, while lenders absorb whatever gap is left by those disclaimers.

The post How Trump-linked WLFI set up a lending model where lenders pay the price of failure appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin (BTC) moved from roughly $67,000 to $72,000 in the days surrounding the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire announcement, a 7.5% rebound that reduced volatility and lifted sentiment across risk assets.

Glassnode's Apr. 8 Week On-chain report noted that the bounce and stabilization still fit the fingerprint of a bear market rebound. BTC still trades inside a bear market value zone, and the level that would genuinely flip the picture is $81,600.

That number is the Short-Term Holder Cost Basis, which is the aggregate breakeven price for Bitcoin bought in recent months. Glassnode identifies it as the line the market needs to reclaim before rallies can plausibly represent a durable move.

Below it, recent buyers as a cohort carry losses, and the report says every rally into that range is apt to run into supply from trapped holders seeking to exit near breakeven.

The ceasefire eased the macro shock, compressing the volatility of the options markets. Short-dated implied vol fell to the low 40s, and the 6-month tenor settled around 45%.

Reuters reported on Apr. 9 that the truce already looked fragile, with oil rebounding and broader risk sentiment softening within a day of the announcement.

Three numbers

Glassnode's framework reduces to a clean progression, pointing to the $69,000-$71,500 zone as to where dealer positioning shows long gamma concentration, a mechanical structure that may help absorb near-term selling.

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With BTC trading slightly above $72,000 at press time, the market is above the top of that support shelf. The $78,000 True Market Mean sits 8.5% higher and represents the probable ceiling for any relief rally.

Glassnode places the AVIV Ratio at 0.92, below 1.0 since early February. The firm says that reading is comparable to May-June 2022, a period during a bear market, and is well above the deepest capitulation extremes of late 2022.

The current setup is a bounce inside an ongoing bear phase, with a plausible floor, a probable near-term ceiling, and a more important level above both.

Binance's 30-day relative spot volume holds below its 1.0 baseline, which Glassnode reads as weak organic demand. US spot ETF flows turned modestly positive on a 14-day basis, ending an extended outflow stretch, with Apr. 7 and 8 still showing negative prints.

Futures volume contracted sharply and rolled over on a 30-day basis, while the 25-delta options skew still tilts toward puts, meaning that traders continue to pay a premium for downside protection.

Together, those readings describe a market stabilizing on thin participation.

The architecture of a relief rally

Glassnode says the market has entered a more balanced state, in which catastrophic downside is less imminent, a grind toward $78,000 is plausible, and durability is still an open question. The difference comes down to whether the buyer base is absorbing or distributing.

Below $81,600, recent buyers are carrying losses, creating a mechanical constraint on upside momentum. Each rally toward breakeven delivers an exit opportunity to a cohort that accumulated at higher prices and waited out a drawdown.

Glassnode explicitly describes that mechanism, saying that distribution pressure from trapped holders makes rallies within the current range structurally vulnerable.

Long-term holders have realized losses of over 4,000 BTC per day since November 2025. The report noted that cooling that figure toward under 1,000 BTC per day, alongside a reclaim of $81,600, would constitute the clearest on-chain signal of a genuine regime turn.

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Potential pathways

In the bull case, BTC reclaims $81,600, ETF inflows continue to expand, and futures participation re-expands, pulling volume back into the market.

Glassnode's own framework provides that falsification test: a reclaim of the Short-Term Holder Cost Basis, combined with long-term-holder realized losses cooling materially, would be the most credible on-chain confirmation that the current bear phase is giving way to a pre-bull recovery structure.

In that outcome, the ceasefire was the catalyst that began a genuine demand-regime transition.

In the bear case, BTC loses the $69,000-$71,500 support shelf, and weak spot demand fails to absorb supply from trapped holders.

The relief rally stalls well short of $78,000, and the current bounce earns a footnote as a volatility event. Glassnode's data on softer futures, persistently defensive options positioning, and still-weak spot volumes make that outcome consistent with the current participation profile.

The ceasefire reduced near-term volatility and left sustained demand improvement yet to follow.

Ceasefire late shock

The macro backdrop sets the ceiling on sentiment-driven demand. The US-Israel-Iran truce compressed volatility faster than it rebuilt risk appetite, and the one-day reversal in oil prices that Reuters captured on Apr. 9 illustrates why geopolitical relief rallies carry an expiry date.

Once the acute fear subsides, the demand structure reasserts itself, and Glassnode's data indicate that the underlying structure remains thin.

Realized volatility at 42.5% and implied vol in the low 40s describe a calm market that has yet to turn bullish.

Durable breakouts require expanding volume, improving ETF flows beyond modest, and futures curves showing real speculative appetite. On Glassnode's Apr. 8 data, those conditions have yet to appear.

For now, the cleaner read from Glassnode is that Bitcoin has found enough footing for a bounce.

Below $81,600, the market is still rallying within a bearish structure, and the participants most likely to sell on the next push are the same buyers who have been underwater since the rally peaked.

The post Bitcoin’s rally is still just a bear market bounce unless it reclaims this key level appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The U.S. economy entered 2026 with far less momentum than markets had priced in a few months earlier. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, fourth quarter 2025 GDP growth was revised down to 0.5%, a sharp step down from the 4.4% pace recorded in the third quarter.

On its own, that revision would usually support the view that the Federal Reserve is moving closer to rate cuts. The problem is that inflation has not cooled enough to give policymakers much room.

New PCE data released today shows headline inflation at 2.8% year-over-year in February, with core PCE at 3.0%. Monthly gains in both measures came in at 0.4%, a pace that still points to sticky price pressure rather than a fast return to the Fed’s 2% target.

That combination has become the real macro question for Bitcoin and the broader crypto market. Investors are dealing with an economy losing steam, while inflation remains firm enough to keep the Fed cautious.

The gap between the two trends has begun to shape the risk environment. It shapes the path of Treasury yields, the pricing of future rate cuts, and the willingness of investors to keep allocating into risk assets.

Bitcoin has already shown that it can attract capital amid difficult macro conditions, especially when exchange-traded fund demand remains firm, and supply remains structurally constrained. Even so, weaker growth does not automatically produce an easier backdrop for crypto.

The transmission channel runs through yields, liquidity, and confidence in the policy path.

The GDP downgrade changed the macro setup for Bitcoin

As of press time, April 9, CryptoSlate’s Bitcoin price page has BTC trading at $71,201, down 0.72% over 24 hours, up 7.60% over seven days, and up 0.99% over the past month. That profile captures the current market state well.

Bitcoin has bounced, while the move has unfolded inside a macro environment that still feels unresolved. A weak GDP revision can appear to be a simple recession signal at first glance.

The larger point sits elsewhere. The downgrade landed at the same time that inflation remained elevated enough to keep the usual rescue mechanism out of immediate reach.

For Bitcoin, the next move still depends less on one growth print and more on whether incoming data can push rates and real yields lower in a durable way.

The 0.5% GDP reading challenged the idea that the U.S. economy was moving through a controlled slowdown with enough resilience to absorb tight policy and enough disinflation to bring borrowing costs down in an orderly way.

The sequence of official estimates, from the advance release to the second estimate and then the third estimate, showed a clear erosion ofconfidence around late-2025 growth. Markets can usually absorb a weak quarter when inflation is cooling fast enough for the Fed to step in.

This time, the inflation side of the equation has stayed stubborn enough to keep that path uncertain.

February’s PCE report intensified that problem. Headline PCE met expectations at 2.8% year over year, and core PCE came in slightly cooler than expected at 3.0% against a 3.1% consensus.

The monthly details were less comforting. Both headline and core increased 0.4% from the prior month, a pace that still leaves inflation running above where the Fed would want it if the central bank were preparing to pivot aggressively.

That is why the GDP revision and the inflation print belong in the same frame. The growth slowdown points toward easier policy. The inflation data keeps that outcome conditional.

Sticky inflation kept the Fed from offering easy relief

That tension also explains why the market response has been more complex than a standard reaction in which weak growth lifts hopes for faster easing. Treasury yields remain elevated enough to keep financial conditions restrictive.

The 10-year Treasury yield hovered around 4.3% after the GDP and PCE releases, while real yields have stayed high enough to preserve competition from safer assets. For Bitcoin, that creates a meaningful constraint.

Investors can still earn solid nominal and inflation-adjusted returns in traditional fixed income, which raises the hurdle for non-yielding assets. CryptoSlate recently framed this dynamic directly in its analysis of how Bitcoin trades real yields first.

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That remains the clearest transmission mechanism here.

The labor market has added another layer to the picture. The latest BLS employment report showed March payroll growth of 178,000 and unemployment near 4.3%.

Weekly claims have moved higher at the margin, with the Department of Labor showing 219,000 initial jobless claims, yet the broader labor backdrop still looks resilient enough to give the Fed cover to wait. A labor market that is softening slowly, rather than cracking quickly, supports the case for policy patience.

Markets are therefore dealing with two incomplete signals at once: weaker growth and inflation that is still warm enough to keep caution in place.

For households, the practical consequence is straightforward. The economy is slowing, household costs still feel high, and interest-rate relief may take longer than many expected.

Mortgage rates, credit card costs, and consumer financing conditions all sit downstream of that same tension. Bitcoin enters this setup as a market that often benefits from looser liquidity, lower real interest rates, and a stronger appetite for alternative stores of value.

Those supports are only partially present right now. The GDP downgrade made the soft-landing narrative harder to defend.

It did not, on its own, deliver a clear all-clear for risk assets.

ETF demand is helping Bitcoin absorb a tougher macro backdrop

Bitcoin’s recent price behavior reflects that ambiguity. The asset has recovered enough to show that demand remains real, yet the move has not carried the kind of decisive follow-through that would signal a fully restored risk-on backdrop.

According to CryptoSlate’s BTC market data, the coin is up strongly on the week while remaining almost flat over the past month. That mix suggests a market willing to respond to supportive flows and tactical optimism, while still respecting that macro conditions have not yet resolved into a clearer pro-risk regime.

One reason Bitcoin has held up is the continuing support from spot ETFs. Spot Bitcoin ETFs drew roughly $470 million on April 6, one of the strongest inflow days of the year.

Those flows provide an important counterweight to macro pressure because they create a persistent source of demand from investors who are allocating through regulated products rather than trading short-term volatility directly on crypto-native venues. ETF demand does not erase macro risk.

It does change the asset's resilience profile. A market with real institutional inflows can absorb more pressure than one driven purely by speculative leverage.

Still, the next phase depends on whether the slowdown becomes a rates story or a stagflation story. The distinction is critical.

A rates story would involve weaker growth gradually pulling yields and policy expectations lower, thereby improving the environment for Bitcoin, growth equities, and other duration-sensitive assets. A stagflation story would involve weaker growth alongside sticky inflation pressure that even re-accelerates, leaving the Fed constrained and risk assets facing a more difficult backdrop.

CryptoSlate’s recent explainer on why stagflation is becoming a market word again is useful here because it translates the jargon into something people already understand: costs stay high while the economy feels weaker.

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Oil, inflation, and policy risk are colliding in the same window

That is where the outside-world collision becomes more important than any single crypto-specific catalyst. Energy is back in the macro conversation.

CryptoSlate recently noted that oil risk and reduced rate-cut expectations are starting to converge in the market narrative. If energy price pressures feed through into inflation expectations, the growth slowdown becomes harder for risk assets to celebrate.

The same weak GDP print that might usually lift hopes for faster easing could instead deepen concern that the Fed is losing room to respond.

Bitcoin fits into this environment through several layers. The first layer is policy expectations, which govern the path of front-end rates and shape broader liquidity conditions.

The second layer is real yields, which influence the opportunity cost of holding BTC. The third layer is structural crypto demand, particularly ETF inflows and spot accumulation. The fourth layer is risk sentiment, which determines whether markets interpret incoming data as easing-friendly or growth-threatening.

Bitcoin can perform well when one or two of those layers improve. Sustained upside usually becomes easier when three or more align.

Right now, structural demand looks constructive, while policy and rates remain mixed. That is why the market still feels lively rather than settled.

The slowdown has opened the door to a more supportive macro path for Bitcoin. The inflation data has kept that door only partially open.

The next test has a clearer roadmap; inflation, yields, ETF flows, and the incoming growth data will tell markets whether the 0.5% GDP print was a late-2025 air pocket or the start of something more durable.

The next 30 to 90 days will decide which side of the contradiction gives way first

The next quarter has enough scheduled data to force that choice. The immediate checkpoints are the next inflation releases, the April Federal Reserve meeting, and the first estimate of the first quarter GDP.

The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model will shape expectations into that report, while the Cleveland Fed’s inflation nowcast offers a live look at how sticky price pressure may remain before the official numbers arrive. These indicators keep the focus on what changes next rather than on a backward-looking debate over whether fourth-quarter weakness was large or merely surprising.

A constructive scenario for Bitcoin would start with a renewed disinflation trend. That could come from softer monthly CPI and PCE readings, easing energy pressure, or clearer signs that demand is cooling without a deep labor-market break.

In that setup, yields would have room to fall, Fed cuts would move closer in the market’s calendar, and Bitcoin would gain from a lower-rate environment while still enjoying structural support from ETF demand. The Federal Reserve’s March Summary of Economic Projections still points to 2.4% GDP growth in 2026, 2.7% PCE inflation, and a year-end fed funds rate of 3.4%.

Those numbers show that the official baseline still leans toward a slower but intact expansion. If incoming data moves in that direction, the current growth scare could become a bridge to easier conditions rather than a warning of broader deterioration.

A more difficult scenario would involve inflation staying close to current levels or moving higher again, especially if oil or other supply-driven pressures keep monthly prints firm. In that case, the growth slowdown would feel less like an invitation for policy relief and more like a constraint on the Fed.

Bitcoin could still attract demand as a scarce asset and as a hedge against long-term policy stress, yet the first-order market reaction would likely stay tied to broader risk sentiment. High real yields and delayed rate-cut expectations would continue to compete with the bullish structural case coming from ETFs and long-term accumulation.

There is also a middle path, and it may be the most realistic one over the next several weeks. Growth could stay soft without collapsing, inflation could cool slowly without offering immediate comfort, and Bitcoin could continue to grind inside a range where each positive impulse meets a macro counterweight.

That kind of market often frustrates directional conviction while still rewarding selective accumulation. It also tends to favor disciplined interpretation over dramatic conclusions.

The broader global backdrop reinforces the need for balance. The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook update still projects global growth of 3.3% in 2026.

That keeps the U.S. slowdown in perspective. It is a serious signal, especially because it coincides with inflation that remains above target, yet it has not become a full-system global break.

Bitcoin sits in the middle of that distinction. It remains exposed to macro tightening and sensitive to real yields, while also benefiting from stronger market infrastructure, deeper institutional access, and a structural demand base that did not exist in prior cycles.

One conclusion stands above the rest. The GDP downgrade exposed real weakness in the soft-landing narrative.

The inflation data kept the Fed from offering immediate reassurance. Bitcoin is therefore trading an unresolved macro contradiction, one that will likely be settled by the next sequence of inflation, labor, and growth data rather than by today’s revision alone.

Growth has slowed sharply, inflation still has a grip on policy, and Bitcoin’s next sustained move will depend on which side of that tension gives way first.

The post Bitcoin reacts to US economy moving close to stalling, but inflation still too hot for easy Fed rescue appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Pulse, a player in the health-wearable DePIN space, has officially announced it is shutting down its independent operations.

In a candid message to its community, Pulse revealed that it has entered an agreement to transition its users to the JStyle app, its OEM partner. This move marks the end of a vision that sought to reward users for health data, falling victim to the "unforgiving" capital requirements of the hardware industry and a shifting investment landscape that has pivoted toward AI.

Is Pulse Shutting Down?

Yes, Pulse is sunsetting its app and website. The company has confirmed it can no longer scale due to a lack of capital. Users have until May 14, 2026, to migrate their data and transition to the JStylePro app to maintain device functionality.

What is DePIN and Why is it Struggling?

DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) refers to protocols that use crypto-incentives to build and maintain real-world hardware networks—from WiFi routers to health sensors.

While software-based protocols can scale with minimal overhead, DePIN projects face massive "CapEx" (Capital Expenditure). They must design, manufacture, and ship physical goods. Pulse’s failure stems from a DePIN funding gap, where venture capital for physical infrastructure lagged behind the hype of liquid tokens and AI agents, leaving hardware-heavy firms with empty treasuries.

The Pivot to AI: A Case of "Too Little, Too Late"

The Pulse team admitted that they attempted to pivot toward Artificial Intelligence to capture the 2026 market momentum. However, the complexity of integrating AI into a failing hardware business proved insurmountable.

In the current crypto news cycle, projects that didn't secure long-term runway during the 2024-2025 bull run are now facing a "liquidity wall." Pulse’s experience shows that in the high-speed world of Web3, a pivot must happen before the burn rate consumes the core product.

Action Plan for Pulse Users: How to Save Your Data

If you own a Pulse wearable, the transition is mandatory to keep your device from becoming "e-waste."

Step-by-Step Transition Guide

• Firmware Upgrade: Open your existing Pulse app and install the latest firmware. This is required for compatibility with the new partner app.
• Download JStylePro: Access the new interface via the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
• Data Export: Visit pulse.site/export immediately to download your historical health metrics.
• The Deadline: The Pulse ecosystem will be sunset on May 14, 2026. After this date, no data recovery will be possible.

Analyzing the 2026 Market: Why Companies Build and Quit

Pulse is part of a larger trend of "build and quit" cycles in the crypto space. Many projects raised significant seed rounds during the 2024 craze but failed to build a sustainable business model that didn't rely on token price appreciation.

Bittensor (TAO) is currently weathering its most significant crisis to date. In a staggering 12-hour window, the TAO price crashed by 27%, effectively erasing nearly $900 million from its total market capitalization.

The sell-off was triggered by the sudden departure of Covenant AI, one of the network's most prominent contributors. This exit was not a quiet one; the team accompanied their withdrawal with a scathing critique of the protocol's governance, accusing the leadership of maintaining a "decentralized theater" while exercising absolute control.

Did TAO Price Crash?

As of April 10, 2026, the Bittensor ($TAO) price sits at $263, representing a 24-hour decline of approximately 19%. This volatility has resulted in over $9 million in TAO long positions being liquidated, as the market reacted to reports that Covenant AI offloaded 37,000 TAO tokens, valued at more than $10 million.

What is Bittensor and who is Covenant AI?

Bittensor is a decentralized machine learning protocol that allows various "subnets" to compete and provide AI services in exchange for TAO rewards. Covenant AI was the developer behind some of the most successful subnets, including Subnet 3 (Templar), which recently made headlines for training large-scale AI models on decentralized infrastructure.

Why did Covenant AI Abandon Ship

The turmoil began when Sam Dare, founder of Covenant AI, published an open letter announcing the immediate withdrawal of their three subnets: Templar, Basilica, and Grail. The decision comes after months of behind-the-scenes friction regarding how the network is managed.

According to the statement, Covenant AI alleges that:

• Centralized Control: The founder of Bittensor, Jacob Steeves (known as "Const"), reportedly holds unilateral power over emission schedules.
• Economic Sabotage: The team claims their emissions (rewards) were halted as a punitive measure during a private dispute.
• Market Manipulation: Allegations surfaced that the core team used their large token holdings to apply downward pressure on the market during negotiations.

Market Impact and Liquidations

The exit of such a pivotal player created a vacuum of confidence. According to data from CoinMarketCap, TAO fell from its weekly high near $337 to a local low of $263. This sharp move caught many leveraged traders off guard.

• Total Liquidations: ~$9.2 million (primarily longs).
• Market Cap Loss: ~$880 million in 12 hours.
• Subnet Performance: Related subnet tokens collapsed by over 55% following the news.

Should you Sell TAO Coin?

While the broader AI crypto sector has been bullish throughout early 2026, Bittensor's internal governance issues have created a "decoupling" effect. While competitors are trading on utility and growth, TAO is currently trading on reputational risk.

Investors are now questioning the "Triple Multi-sig" governance structure that Bittensor has long championed. If one of the largest subnet operators can be forced out through administrative pressure, the "decentralized" label becomes difficult to defend.

The road ahead for Bittensor depends on two factors:

• Founder Response: Whether the Bittensor Foundation can provide transparent evidence refuting the centralization claims.
• Subnet Migration: Whether other developers follow Covenant AI's lead or stay to fill the gap left by the Templar subnet.

Japan has officially moved to recognize cryptocurrency as a financial asset. This legislative pivot marks a departure from the previous "payment instrument" classification under the Payment Services Act (PSA), transitioning oversight to the more rigorous Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA).

The move is not merely a semantic change; it is a strategic maneuver by the Japanese government to integrate digital assets into the traditional financial system. This transition aims to enhance investor protection, foster institutional entry, and significantly reform one of the world's most debated crypto tax regimes.

Japan Crypto News: A New Status for Crypto

To address the core development: Yes, the Japanese Cabinet has approved the bill to reclassify 105 cryptocurrencies—including $Bitcoin and $Ethereum—as financial assets. This bill is expected to pass through the Diet (Japan's parliament) in the second quarter of 2026, with full enforcement slated for early 2027.

From "Money" to "Investment"

Previously, Japan treated crypto as a "property value" used primarily for payments. Under the new framework:

• Old Status (PSA): Regulated as a means of payment, similar to prepaid cards or electronic money.
• New Status (FIEA): Regulated as a financial instrument, putting it on the same legal footing as stocks, bonds, and derivatives.

This reclassification allows for more sophisticated financial products, such as spot Bitcoin ETFs, to potentially gain approval in the Japanese market.

The Tax Revolution: A Flat 20% Rate

One of the most significant implications of this bill is the long-awaited reform of crypto taxation. Historically, Japan has been known for its "punitive" tax rates, where crypto gains were treated as miscellaneous income, subject to progressive rates as high as 55%.

By treating crypto as a financial asset, investors can now offset losses against gains over a three-year period, a standard practice in the equities and stock markets.

Institutional and VC Expansion

The bill also codifies earlier initiatives allowing Japanese Venture Capital (VC) firms to hold and invest in crypto assets directly through Limited Partnerships (LPS). Previously, Japanese VCs were restricted to equity, forcing many Web3 startups to seek funding from foreign entities.

This change, supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), is a cornerstone of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's "New Capitalism" policy, which identifies Web3 as a pillar for Japan's future economic growth.

Market Integrity and Investor Protection

By moving under the FIEA, crypto exchanges in Japan will now be subject to:

• Strict Disclosure Requirements: Mandatory reporting for all listed tokens.
• Insider Trading Prohibitions: Applying the same anti-manipulation rules found in the stock market.
• Segregation of Assets: Strengthening the already robust requirements for holding user funds in cold storage.

Oil Back at $100 Is Shaking Global Markets

Global markets are entering a critical phase as oil prices surge back above the $100 mark. This move is not just a headline — it is a macro shock that is already impacting equities, bonds, and crypto markets alike.

The rise in oil is driven by escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route. Even limited disruptions are enough to tighten supply expectations and push prices higher.

👉 And crypto is reacting — but not fully yet.

Bitcoin is holding above $70,000, while Ethereum and altcoins are showing mild weakness. This suggests hesitation rather than panic — a market waiting for confirmation.

Why Oil Prices Matter for Crypto More Than Ever

At first glance, oil and crypto may seem unrelated. In reality, they are now deeply connected through macroeconomic conditions.

Here’s the chain reaction:

• Oil prices rise
• Inflation increases
• Central banks delay rate cuts
• Liquidity tightens
• Risk assets like crypto come under pressure

👉 This is the exact environment we are entering.

With oil back above $100, inflation could remain elevated longer than expected — forcing the Federal Reserve to maintain restrictive policies.

For crypto, this is not bullish in the short term.

Inflation Data Confirms the Pressure Is Not Gone

Recent economic data reinforces this narrative:

• Core PCE inflation remains around 3%
• Jobless claims came slightly above expectations but remain low
• Economic growth is slowing but not collapsing

👉 This creates a dangerous mix:

• Inflation is still too high
• Growth is weakening

This is the definition of a stagflation-like environment, which historically puts pressure on risk assets.

Crypto Market Reaction: Calm Before the Storm?

Despite these developments, crypto markets are not crashing.

• Bitcoin (~$70K) remains stable
• Ethereum (~$2.1K) is slightly down
• Altcoins are seeing controlled declines

👉 This is not a panic — it’s positioning.

Markets are waiting for a clearer signal, especially from institutional flows that will return with full force when traditional markets reopen.

Why Monday Could Decide Everything

The current market conditions are deceptive.

Over the weekend, liquidity is lower, and price movements can be misleading. The real reaction will likely happen when Wall Street fully digests the macro situation.

👉 Monday becomes a key catalyst.

Institutions will react to:

• Oil above $100
• Inflation staying elevated
• Rate cut expectations shifting
• Geopolitical risks

This could trigger a strong directional move in crypto.

Key Bitcoin Levels to Watch Next

If macro pressure increases:

• First support: $68,000
• Major support: $65,000

If markets stabilize:

• Resistance: $72,000
• Breakout zone: $75,000+

👉 A break in either direction could define the next trend.

The Bigger Picture: Crypto Is Now a Macro Asset

This cycle is different.

Crypto is no longer driven purely by internal narratives like halving cycles or token launches.

Instead, it is increasingly reacting to:

• Oil prices
• Interest rate expectations
• Global liquidity
• Geopolitical risk

👉 In short: crypto has become a macro-sensitive asset.

Conclusion: Expect Volatility, Not Stability

The return of $100 oil is not just an energy story — it is a warning signal for global markets.

For crypto, this means one thing:

👉 The next move is likely to be sharp and decisive.

Whether it’s a breakout or a breakdown will depend less on crypto news — and more on macro developments in the coming days.

Currently trading at $1.33, many investors are asking: Is XRP still a "must-have" for a diversified crypto portfolio? This analysis breaks down the current market positioning, the distance from its historical peaks, and the fundamental drivers for the remainder of 2026.

Is XRP Worth It?

For investors looking for a quick answer: XRP remains a high-utility asset that has finally shed its regulatory "handcuffs." While its price action remains more conservative than high-beta meme coins, its integration into the global financial "plumbing" via the XRP Ledger and stablecoin initiatives like RLUSD makes it a staple for those seeking institutional-grade exposure.

Understanding XRP’s Position: Current Price and ATH Gap

To understand if XRP is "worth it," we must look at where it stands relative to its history.

• Current Price (April 2026): $1.33
• 2025 Local High: $3.65 (reached in July 2025 following the ETF hype)
• All-Time High (2018): $3.84
• Distance from ATH: ~65% below the 2018 peak.

Unlike $Bitcoin, which has frequently tested and broken new ground, $XRP is still in a multi-year recovery phase. This "gap" represents either a significant opportunity for growth or a sign of long-term resistance. However, with the CLARITY Act moving through the Senate in April 2026, the legislative tailwinds have never been stronger.

XRP Analysis: Why XRP in Your Portfolio?

The value proposition of XRP in 2026 is no longer based on rumors. It is built on three distinct pillars:

1. Institutional Inflows and ETFs

The launch of spot XRP ETFs has been a game-changer. Reports from early 2026 indicate that institutional investors plan to increase their XRP exposure from 18% to 25% this year. Unlike retail-driven pumps, ETF inflows provide a consistent "floor" for the crypto market price action.

2. Real-World Asset (RWA) Tokenization

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) has emerged as a leader in tokenizing assets. From just $24.7 million in early 2025, the value of tokenized assets on the XRPL has surged to over $2 billion by March 2026. This utility gives the token intrinsic value beyond simple cross-border payments.

3. Regulatory Certainty

With the SEC case officially closed and both parties withdrawing appeals in late 2025, Ripple is now expanding its US operations. According to Reuters, the clarity provided by US courts has made XRP one of the few digital assets with a clear "non-security" status for retail transactions.

XRP Price Prediction: Q2 2026 and Beyond

Technically, XRP is navigating a consolidation phase between $1.15 and $1.60.

Should You Buy XRP Coin Now?

When building a portfolio, XRP serves as a "Bridge Asset." It typically shows lower volatility than $Solana or newer Layer 1s, but offers higher stability.

• For Conservative Investors: XRP is a strong "Hold." Its inclusion in regulated exchange-traded products makes it a safer bet than unproven altcoins.
• For Aggressive Traders: The $1.30 range is a strategic entry point for a "buy the dip" play, targeting the $1.60 resistance level in the short term.

Crypto firms like Coinbase and Kraken teamed up with government agencies to trace and freeze millions in funds tied to crypto scams and fraud.

TD Cowen remains positive on $55 billion Bitcoin treasury pioneer Strategy, despite trimming its price target yet again.

The Florida attorney general's probe into AI giant OpenAI cites national security and child safety risks tied to ChatGPT.

There's now an application for a Pepe ETF, but Dogecoin funds have generated tepid inflows, according to CoinShares' James Butterfill

Both OpenAI and Anthropic are restricting access to their most powerful cybersecurity capabilities, releasing them only to vetted organizations.

Japan sets a regulatory timeline for XRP and the rest of the crypto market, $343 million flows into Bitcoin ETFs as BTC holds $70,000 and Binance CEO reveals the 2026 security hack to end phishing.

XRP Ledger sustained over 140 TPS, with blocks having up to 987 transactions.

Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz argues that Satoshi Nakamoto's Bitcoin keys were likely lost or destroyed years ago, removing any future market risk from the dormant one million BTC holdings.

Samson Mow believes Bitcoin's defenses against nonexistent quantum computers is moving along.

Whales provide a lot of traction on Hype as the price of the asset is slowly crawling to new heights.

Key Takeaways

• Nakamoto (NAKA) has requested shareholder authorization for a reverse stock split ranging from 1-for-20 to 1-for-50
• Shares currently hover between $0.21 and $0.22, representing approximately a 99% decline from their May 2025 high point
• The primary objective is restoring compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum $1 bid price rule
• More than 400 million shares have been registered for potential resale by existing stakeholders, while a shelf registration covers approximately $7 billion in future securities
• The firm liquidated roughly 5% of its bitcoin treasury, retaining 5,058 BTC

Nakamoto (NAKA) is scrambling to maintain its Nasdaq position following a devastating stock price decline to approximately $0.21 — representing a staggering 99% drop from its peak in May 2025.

Nakamoto Inc., NAKA

The bitcoin-focused treasury company submitted a preliminary proxy statement (Schedule 14A) requesting shareholder consent for implementing a reverse stock split. The contemplated consolidation ratio ranges between 1-for-20 and 1-for-50. In practical terms, a 1-for-20 consolidation would convert 20 shares valued at $0.20 each into a single share priced at $4.

This strategic maneuver focuses purely on meeting price thresholds. While a reverse split consolidates shares without altering fundamental company value, it would mechanically elevate the stock price above Nasdaq’s mandatory $1 minimum bid threshold — at least initially.

Nasdaq listing standards mandate that companies preserve a minimum $1 per share bid price. Extended non-compliance with this requirement triggers potential delisting procedures. For Nakamoto, time is running short.

Nakamoto isn’t navigating this challenge in isolation. Strive Asset Management executed a comparable strategy earlier this year. Bitcoin treasury corporations have collectively suffered as BTC’s market price tumbled from above $126,000 in October to the current $70,000–$72,000 range.

Significant Supply Overhang Looms

Apart from the consolidation plan, Nakamoto submitted a Form S-3 registration covering over 400 million shares available for resale by current shareholders. While this doesn’t involve raising fresh capital, the substantial volume represents considerable potential selling pressure that typically weighs on market sentiment.

Additionally, the company maintains a shelf registration permitting approximately $7 billion in future securities offerings. A separate at-the-market (ATM) facility worth roughly $5 billion enables the firm to distribute newly created shares directly into public markets gradually.

This represents substantial prospective dilution hanging over a stock currently valued at just $0.21 per share.

Bitcoin Treasury Also Facing Adjustments

Nakamoto recently divested approximately 5% of its bitcoin reserves, reducing its holdings to 5,058 BTC. This transaction suggests proactive liquidity management as the company contends with simultaneous stock price deterioration and cryptocurrency market weakness.

The decision reflects similar actions taken by other blockchain-exposed companies attempting to balance treasury optimization with operational funding requirements.

Shareholder authorization remains necessary before the reverse split can proceed. Once approved, management will determine the specific ratio within the approved 1-for-20 to 1-for-50 range.

The post Nakamoto (NAKA) Stock Plummets 99%: Reverse Split Plan Emerges to Save Nasdaq Listing appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• SpaceX has confidentially filed for a public offering anticipated to generate $75 billion at approximately $2 trillion valuation
• Market watchers are evaluating the possibility of a SpaceX-Tesla combination
• Musk has described his approach as “convergence,” consolidating his business empire
• Tesla shares have declined more than 20% year-to-date, with JP Morgan projecting potential additional 60% drop
• A unified SpaceX-Tesla entity could reach a valuation exceeding $3.5 trillion

On April 1, 2026, Elon Musk’s SpaceX submitted a confidential filing for an initial public offering. The anticipated capital raise of $75 billion would dwarf Saudi Aramco’s 2019 record of $29 billion by more than 150%. When SpaceX debuts on public markets, analysts project its valuation could approach $2 trillion, positioning it among America’s most valuable corporations.

Yet the public listing may represent just the opening move. Financial analysts and market participants are actively discussing whether Musk intends to consolidate SpaceX with Tesla, forming an enterprise valued north of $3.5 trillion. Such a transaction would constitute the largest corporate merger ever recorded.

Musk has employed the term “convergence” when discussing his vision for integrating his various business ventures. While he hasn’t officially acknowledged merger negotiations, his recent strategic moves have amplified the conjecture.

During February 2026, SpaceX finalized its combination with xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, establishing a combined valuation of $1.25 trillion. Subsequently, Tesla revealed a $2 billion capital commitment to xAI, securing minority ownership in SpaceX. Musk additionally unveiled Terafab, a collaborative semiconductor manufacturing facility, alongside Digital Optimus, a shared artificial intelligence agent initiative, further intertwining Tesla and SpaceX business operations.

SpaceX’s Business Case

SpaceX executes over half of global orbital launch missions. Its Starlink satellite internet service accumulated more than nine million paying customers by late 2025, representing approximately 100% annual growth, with subscribers paying a minimum of $600 per year.

Musk’s extended strategic vision centers on orbital data centers. He projects these facilities could achieve operational cost advantages over terrestrial alternatives within a two-to-three-year horizon. Should this materialize, SpaceX would gain access to a computing infrastructure market currently valued above $60 billion annually, based on OpenAI’s existing expenditure patterns.

SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 launch system currently achieves estimated launch costs of $2,000 to $3,000 per kilogram for low Earth orbit missions. Its developmental Starship vehicle promises to reduce these expenses by an additional 80% to 90%.

Greg Martin, managing director at Rainmaker Securities, calculates SpaceX’s Ebitda profit margins reached as high as 50% prior to the xAI combination.

Tesla’s Challenges

Tesla stock has depreciated over 22% since January 2026 and currently trades near September 2025 levels. JP Morgan’s Ryan Brinkman maintains an Underweight position on the equity with a $145 valuation target, representing approximately 58% downside from current pricing.

Tesla’s first quarter 2026 deliveries totaled 360,000 units, significantly underperforming earlier Wall Street projections. Musk had committed to launching autonomous taxi services across nine metropolitan areas during the first half of 2026, yet operations remain limited to Austin, Texas exclusively.

Skepticism about the merger concept persists. Gary Black, co-founder of Future Fund, contends Tesla shareholders would contribute approximately 55% of combined earnings while receiving only 40% of equity in the merged organization. Columbia Law Professor Dorothy Lund observes such a transaction would necessitate shareholder approval and likely trigger antitrust regulatory examination.

Baird analyst Ben Kallo said of the potential merger: “I think it’s probable. It looks like that’s going to happen.”

SpaceX targets a public market debut by July 2026.

The post Elon Musk’s Plan to Combine SpaceX and Tesla (TSLA) Into a $3.5 Trillion Giant Faces Skepticism appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• CoreWeave secured a multi-year cloud infrastructure partnership with Anthropic to support Claude AI development
• Infrastructure deployment will launch in phases starting later this year, with expansion potential built in
• CRWV shares surged 4.3% during Friday’s premarket session after the partnership was announced
• This announcement follows Thursday’s news of a $21 billion expansion to CoreWeave’s Meta Platforms agreement
• The company now counts nine out of the top 10 AI model developers among its customer base

CoreWeave has secured yet another high-profile partnership, announcing a multi-year cloud infrastructure agreement with Anthropic to power its Claude AI platform. This latest win caps off an impressive week for the New Jersey-headquartered cloud provider.

Under the new partnership, CoreWeave will deliver computational resources to support both Claude’s ongoing development and its deployment at scale. Infrastructure rollout is scheduled to begin in stages throughout the remainder of this year, with built-in flexibility for future expansion.

Shares of CRWV climbed 4.3% during Friday’s premarket session immediately following the announcement.

CoreWeave, Inc. Class A Common Stock, CRWV

CEO Michael Intrator put it succinctly: “AI is no longer just about infrastructure, it’s about the platforms that turn models into real-world impact.”

The timing is remarkable — this Anthropic deal was unveiled merely one day after CoreWeave announced it had expanded its Meta Platforms partnership to $21 billion, which also featured two separate bond offerings. CRWV gained 3.5% Thursday on that announcement, bringing its year-to-date performance to a 28% increase.

Two major announcements in consecutive days — and the market responded accordingly.

Dominating the AI Infrastructure Space

With Anthropic joining its roster, CoreWeave now claims that nine of the 10 leading AI model developers rely on its infrastructure. It’s a market position the company has earned through aggressive expansion and strategic positioning.

The firm operates facilities packed with Nvidia’s most advanced GPUs — the very chips that tech giants have been competing fiercely to acquire. CoreWeave has positioned itself directly in the center of this unprecedented demand cycle.

However, maintaining this infrastructure leadership requires substantial capital investment. CoreWeave is currently executing a massive, debt-funded expansion of data center capacity throughout the United States. Winning contracts with companies like Anthropic and Meta represents more than revenue growth — it validates the company’s entire strategic approach.

What This Means for CRWV Investors

Market participants have been monitoring CoreWeave’s client acquisitions with keen interest. Every major partnership announcement demonstrates the company’s ability to attract and retain contracts with AI’s most influential players.

Securing both Meta and Anthropic represents significant achievements. These organizations are among the most aggressive innovators in artificial intelligence, and both have now committed to multi-year infrastructure partnerships with CoreWeave.

The staged deployment structure of the Anthropic agreement deserves attention. Initial capacity will be modest, with scaling occurring over time. This approach is standard for infrastructure deals of this magnitude, though it suggests revenue growth may be incremental rather than immediate.

Nonetheless, the strategic trajectory is unmistakable. CoreWeave is establishing long-term partnerships with the most prominent names in AI during a period when computational demand shows no signs of slowing.

CoreWeave’s stock closed the most recent regular session up 3.49%, with premarket trading showing an additional 4.3% gain following the Anthropic partnership reveal.

The post CoreWeave (CRWV) Stock Surges on Anthropic Partnership Following Massive Meta Expansion appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• MOR Wealth Management acquired 26,685 shares of AAPL valued at approximately $7.26M, representing 3.3% of its total holdings
• Chief Executive Tim Cook liquidated roughly $16.5M in shares while SVP Deirdre O’Brien sold approximately $7.66M through Rule 10b5-1 arrangements
• The tech giant exceeded Q1 earnings projections with EPS of $2.84 versus analyst expectations of $2.67 and revenue of $143.76B, reflecting 15.7% annual growth
• Shares began Friday trading at $260.49, positioned within a yearly trading band of $183.00–$288.62
• Analyst community maintains a “Moderate Buy” stance with a mean price objective of $301.23

MOR Wealth Management LLC established a fresh stake in Apple (AAPL) throughout the fourth quarter, accumulating 26,685 shares worth approximately $7.26 million. This investment currently constitutes 3.3% of the firm’s entire portfolio, positioning it as the 8th-most significant holding.

Apple Inc., AAPL

Numerous additional institutional players have demonstrated recent activity in the stock. Sellwood Investment Partners expanded its AAPL holdings by 110.9% during the third quarter, while ROSS JOHNSON & Associates dramatically increased its stake by 1,800% in Q1. LSV Asset Management, HFM Investment Advisors, and Miller Global Investments each initiated fresh positions across recent reporting periods. Collectively, institutional stakeholders and hedge funds command 67.73% of outstanding AAPL shares.

Meanwhile, two top-level executives executed stock disposals on April 2nd. Chief Executive Timothy Cook divested 64,949 shares at a mean price of $254.23, generating proceeds of $16.51 million. Post-transaction, Cook maintains ownership of 3.28 million shares valued at approximately $834 million. Senior Vice President Deirdre O’Brien liquidated 30,002 shares at $255.35, collecting $7.66 million. Her divestment marked a 17.99% decrease in her stake. Both sales occurred through pre-established Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangements.

Robust Quarterly Results Reinforce Optimistic Analyst Sentiment

Apple’s latest quarterly disclosure, published January 29th, surpassed Wall Street projections. The technology leader delivered earnings per share of $2.84, exceeding the analyst consensus of $2.67 by $0.17. Quarterly revenue reached $143.76 billion, substantially outpacing the $138.25 billion forecast and representing a 15.7% increase versus the corresponding period one year earlier. The company maintained a net profit margin of 27.04% alongside a return on equity measuring 159.94%.

Wall Street forecasters project full-year earnings per share of $7.28 for the ongoing fiscal period. The company distributed a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share on February 12th, equating to an annualized dividend yield of 0.4%.

Analyst perspectives remain generally constructive, albeit varied. TD Cowen maintains a “buy” recommendation with a $325 price target. KGI Securities elevated its rating to “outperform” with a $306 objective. Raymond James, DA Davidson, and UBS each assign neutral ratings to the equity. Among 36 analysts monitored by MarketBeat, 23 recommend buy or strong buy, 12 suggest hold, and one advises sell. The consensus price target stands at $301.23.

Product Pipeline and Trading Dynamics

Regarding product developments, iPhone 17 unit sales reportedly exceed those of predecessor models, while Mac delivery timelines have extended—both indicators suggesting robust hardware appetite. Speculation surrounding a foldable iPhone design has attracted investor attention, with earlier reports of engineering challenges triggering brief price weakness, though subsequent updates present conflicting timelines.

AAPL commenced Friday’s session at $260.49. The equity’s 50-day simple moving average registers at $260.74 while its 200-day average stands at $263.70. The 12-month trading range extends from $183.00 to $288.62. The company’s market capitalization totals $3.82 trillion, carrying a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.93 and a beta coefficient of 1.11.

The post Apple (AAPL) Stock: Tim Cook Sells $16.5M While Institutional Investors Load Up on Shares appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• StarkWare presents quantum-resistant Bitcoin solution leveraging current protocol architecture
• Hash-based cryptographic model replaces vulnerable ECDSA signatures
• Implementation requires no consensus changes or network forks
• Substantial GPU processing expenses restrict practical everyday adoption
• Framework serves as interim protection while permanent solutions develop

StarkWare has unveiled an innovative approach to protect Bitcoin transactions from quantum computing threats while preserving the network’s existing protocol structure. This technical proposal demonstrates how security enhancements can be implemented within current operational parameters, despite increased transaction expenses. The development places StarkWare prominently within the cryptocurrency community’s quantum resistance initiatives.

Hash-Based Security Model Replaces Traditional Signatures

StarkWare’s Quantum Safe Bitcoin framework operates entirely within Bitcoin’s current consensus rules, eliminating the need for protocol modifications or network upgrades. The system substitutes conventional digital signature verification with a cryptographic construction based on hash function resistance that withstands quantum computer attacks. StarkWare proves that Bitcoin possesses inherent adaptability through its native scripting capabilities.

The architectural foundation transitions security dependencies away from elliptic curve mathematics toward hash pre-image resilience. This transformation neutralizes vulnerabilities to quantum algorithms like Shor’s method, which threatens current cryptographic standards. Consequently, StarkWare delivers a mechanism that maintains effectiveness against sophisticated quantum computational power.

StarkWare constructs the entire framework within Bitcoin’s established Script environment, respecting all opcode restrictions and transaction size boundaries. The implementation employs a hash-to-signature challenge requiring intensive brute-force calculation. StarkWare demonstrates that Bitcoin’s foundational architecture accommodates innovation without demanding network-wide consensus modifications.

High Computational Requirements Create Economic Barriers

StarkWare recognizes that implementing the Quantum Safe Bitcoin approach demands substantial computational resources for each transaction processed. Every transfer necessitates GPU-intensive brute-force operations, dramatically elevating processing costs. StarkWare projects expenses ranging from $75 to $150 per individual transaction.

The methodology generates non-standard transaction formats that cannot propagate through conventional network relay mechanisms. Participants must deliver these specialized transactions directly to mining operators rather than broadcasting through standard channels. StarkWare restricts this technique to high-value transfers rather than routine payment activities.

StarkWare clarifies that the framework does not retroactively protect previously generated Bitcoin addresses. Legacy pay-to-public-key wallet formats remain susceptible to quantum vulnerabilities. StarkWare characterizes this system as an interim protective measure rather than a comprehensive long-term resolution.

Industry-Wide Quantum Security Conversation Accelerates

StarkWare’s technical proposal has amplified ongoing conversations regarding Bitcoin’s preparedness for quantum computing evolution. Although the approach provides immediate safeguards for newly created transactions, it cannot protect legacy holdings. StarkWare emphasizes the critical importance of comprehensive protocol-level security enhancements.

Recent developments from Google have heightened awareness about accelerating quantum computing capabilities. These discoveries indicate that breaking contemporary cryptographic systems may require fewer resources than previously anticipated. Accordingly, StarkWare’s contribution addresses increasingly urgent security priorities throughout the blockchain ecosystem.

Development teams across the cryptocurrency space continue investigating alternative approaches including advanced signature algorithms and asset recovery frameworks. These initiatives pursue scalable Bitcoin protection without sacrificing decentralization principles. StarkWare provides an interim solution while comprehensive protocol upgrades undergo continued research and testing.

The post StarkWare Introduces Quantum-Resistant Bitcoin Solution Without Hard Fork appeared first on Blockonomi.

The highly anticipated Consumer Price Index data for March, the first full month of the war between the US and Iran, was announced minutes ago, showing what many expected that there’s a significant uptick in inflation.

Bitcoin’s price reacted immediately with some fluctuations as the asset had settled at around $72,000 before the data went live.

Recall that the inflation numbers for February matched expectations, showing an increase of 2.4% year-over-year and a 0.3% rise for the month.

The actual CPI data for March, though, indicated a more significant 0.9% month-over-month increase, and the biggest difference came from the energy sector due to the skyrocketing costs of fuel.

The core CPI’s rise was actually slightly lower than expected – 2.6% rather than what experts predicted – 2.7%.

BTC continues to trade above the $72,000 mark despite the rather worrying inflation data, which will align with a previous statement from US Fed Chair Jerome Powell that the central bank is unlikely to cut the rates in the next several months.

The post Bitcoin Price Reacts as US CPI Data Shows Significant Increase in March appeared first on CryptoPotato.

With the world’s attention set on the quickly developing tension in the Middle East, the big news from this week was that the US and Iran announced a 14-day cease-fire. The impact on the crypto markets was immediate.

But first, let’s rewind to the previous weekend, which was highly eventful on the war front. The US and Israel struck numerous targets in Iran, while President Trump gave the enemy a 48-hour deadline (which was extended) to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, otherwise the attacks will intensify.

BTC remained sideways at first, failing to move out of the $66,000-$67,000 range. It finally showed some volatility on Monday morning, jumping to a then-local peak of $70,000 after reports emerged that the US and Iran had engaged in negotiations. However, it dipped later that day as other reports suggested the talks had stalled.

With just hours left until the deadline expiration, Trump announced the long-sought cease-fire on his social media platform, indicating that both countries will halt the attacks for two weeks and Iran will reopen the Strait. The markets reacted with immediate fluctuations, with BTC surging to $72,600, while oil prices dropped.

However, this cease-fire remains somewhat questionable as the Strait hasn’t opened fully. Israel continued to attack Lebanon, but Trump urged Netanyahu to scale down the strikes. For now, the uncertainty remains high, but bitcoin’s price has felt the positive consequences of a cease-fire, currently trading around $72,000.

This means that the asset has gained 7.4% weekly, followed by ETH’s 6.8% surge. HYPE has jumped by 14% within the same timeframe, while ZEC has stolen the show with a massive 60% surge to over $375.

Market Data

Market Cap: $2.530T | 24H Vol: $96B | BTC Dominance: 57.2%

BTC: $72,200 (+7.4%) | ETH: $2,220 (+6.8%) | XRP: $1.34 (+1.4%)

This Week’s Crypto Headlines You Can’t Miss

Japan Approves Legislation Granting Crypto Financial Instrument Status. A report by Nikkei said earlier today that the Japanese government has approved a bill classifying cryptocurrencies as financial instruments. This should enhance investor protection and ban insider trading based on undisclosed information.

Morgan Stanley’s MSBT Bitcoin ETF Debuts with $34M in First-Day Trading Volume. One of the largest US banking behemoths and long-term Bitcoin supporter, Morgan Stanley, debuted its spot BTC ETF this week. The financial product saw trading volume of almost $35 million.

BTC Surges Toward $73K as Iran Reportedly Demands Bitcoin for Hormuz Passage. Bitcoin’s price experienced more volatility earlier this week after the Financial Times noted that Iran will require ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to pay the tolls in BTC and other digital assets.

Hong Kong Issues First Stablecoin Licenses to HSBC, Standard Chartered-led Consortium. In what became a groundbreaking approval, Hong Kong’s Monetary Authority (HKMA) granted HSBC and a consortium led by Standard Chartered the first stablecoin issuer licenses, which will allow the issuance of such tokens pegged to the local dollar and the conduct of cross-border payments.

Cardano Whale Wallets Hit 4-Month High as ADA Stays Depressed. Whale wallets holding Cardano’s native token reached a 2026 peak at 424. However, the underlying asset continues to struggle with its price performance, currently down by 3% monthly, even though most other alts have posted notable gains lately.

Saylor’s Strategy Resumes Bitcoin Accumulation Spree With 4,871 BTC Purchase. After a brief hiatus, Michael Saylor’s Strategy resumed its bitcoin purchase announcements on Monday. In the latest accumulation, the company spent roughly $330 million to increase its stash by 4,871 BTC to almost 767,000 units.

Charts

This week, we have a chart analysis of Ethereum, Ripple, Cardano, Binance Coin, and Hyperliquid – click here for the complete price analysis.

The post Bitcoin Reclaims $72K as US-Iran Ceasefire Sparks Hope for War End: Your Weekly Crypto Recap appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The team behind Pi Network has recently unveiled several announcements and upgrades. However, many community members remain dissatisfied with the progress, complaining that ongoing issues are a major obstacle.

Bitcoin (BTC) has rebounded following the two-week ceasefire that the US and Iran agreed on, but some analysts believe the asset has yet to reach its bottom during this cycle. Meanwhile, Ethereum (ETH) could experience a triple-digit price increase if it holds above its “line in the sand.”

What’s New With Pi Network?

The Core Team rolled out several important updates across the whole ecosystem. Two months ago, it released protocol version 19.6, followed by v 19.9 in early March.

After that came version 20.2 – a major upgrade because it prepares the network for future smart-contract features. The next planned step is v 21, which was scheduled for earlier this month, but the developers haven’t shared any details on whether that development actually happened.

Apart from the protocol updates, Pi Network announced the start of the second migrations, and last week it advised Pioneers to set up Pi Wallet two-factor authentication (2FA) to complete the process.

Several days ago, the team revealed that the first distribution of KYC validator rewards had been concluded. “Rewards were calculated for over 526 million validation tasks completed by more than 1 million KYC validators,” the message reads.

As usual, the X post caused some frustration among community members. Many say they never received rewards, even though they completed tasks months ago. Others are upset that Pi Network keeps posting announcements, yet real progress feels slow, and PI is still not available for trading on numerous major centralized exchanges.

BTC Remains in Danger

The primary cryptocurrency, which was struggling below $70K at the start of the week, was positively impacted by the temporary treaty that the United States and Iran agreed on. Several hours ago, its price neared $73,000, while it is currently hovering around $71,700 (per CoinGecko’s data).

Despite the resurgence, many analysts believe the worst part of this cycle might still be ahead. X user Ted predicted that the whole crypto market would dump to new lows in the near future, while Lofty envisioned a possible crash to $30,000.

The popular analyst Ali Martinez also added his name to the list of pessimists, forecasting a potential decline to almost $35,000. Nonetheless, he thinks that such a pullback could offer a generational buying opportunity.

Is ETH Ready for a Big Move?

The second-largest cryptocurrency has been trading at around $2,200 over the past few days, with Martinez arguing that its price action could be in an ascending triangle. He claimed that holding above the “line in the sand” of $1,800 might open the door to a staggering surge to $4,900.

Ted and ALTS GEMS Alert echoed the prediction. The former suggested that as long as the $2,000 support holds, the asset could have another upside move, while the latter envisioned a quick retest that could trigger a rally beyond $4,000.

The post Pi Network’s (PI) Latest Updates, Worrying Bitcoin (BTC) Predictions, and More: Bits Recap April 10 appeared first on CryptoPotato.

XRP’s exposure to future quantum attacks appears limited, with fewer than a handful of large dormant wallets at risk.

This is according to new on-chain analysis shared on April 8 that draws a sharp contrast with Bitcoin, where inactive “whale” holdings and legacy address types leave a wider surface area open if quantum computing advances.

XRP’s Dormant Wallets Show Limited Exposure

In a thread on X, researcher Vet said roughly 300,000 XRP accounts holding a combined 2.4 billion tokens have never made an outgoing transaction, meaning their public keys remain hidden and therefore resistant to quantum-based attacks.

By comparison, only two large XRP wallets holding about 21 million coins each have been inactive for more than five years, while also exposing their public keys.

“Dormant vulnerable XRP whales are almost nonexistent,” Vet wrote. “The rest is active and has their public key exposed but is also reasonable to expect to rotate keys if needed.”

This, they said, is very different from the Bitcoin network, which still has large dormant holdings such as the stash believed to belong to founder Satoshi Nakamoto, made up of more than 1 million BTC.

The distinction lies in how the XRP Ledger handles accounts, given that addresses on it do not expose their public keys until transactions are signed, unlike Bitcoin’s older pay-to-public-key format. This means that accounts that have never sent funds cannot be hit by attacks that rely on deriving private keys from public ones.

Even for active accounts, Vet argued that risk can be managed. The XRP Ledger supports signing key rotation, allowing users to update credentials without changing the underlying account. “It’s not a perfect solution,” they noted, adding that more advanced quantum-resistant cryptography may be adopted later.

Other developers in the thread, like Ripple engineer Mayukha Vadari, said the chain’s escrow mechanisms also offer additional safeguards. According to her, funds locked in escrow cannot be accessed before a set time, regardless of computing power. And while some edge cases remain, such as an attacker rendering an account unusable, the financial incentive to do so would be limited since the attacker cannot claim the funds.

“If you have any doubts just escrow your holdings,” Vadari advised.

Broader Quantum Concerns Remain Unresolved

Concerns about quantum computing and crypto security have gained traction recently, following a Google research paper published on March 31, which suggested that sufficiently advanced machines could break the private keys of major Ethereum and Bitcoin wallets in minutes, raising the possibility of attacks even before transactions are confirmed.

In addition, crypto analyst Udi Wertheimer argued in early April that the Lightning Network is structurally vulnerable because its payment channel design requires public keys to be shared with counterparties, leaving those keys exposed offline.

Efforts to address such risks are already underway, with Blockstream researchers saying they have deployed post-quantum signature schemes on a sidechain, allowing users to opt out into stronger protections without altering Bitcoin’s base protocol.

The post Analyst: XRP Better Positioned Than Bitcoin Against Quantum Attacks appeared first on CryptoPotato.

In an industry first, Hong Kong has awarded HSBC and a consortium led by Standard Chartered the city’s first stablecoin issuer licenses, marking its latest step towards embracing the industry’s leading use case.

Commenting on the matter was Darryl Chan, the deputy chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), who said:

The two applicants have experience in traditional financial and risk management, which fits the mission of stablecoins that aim to bridge traditional finance and digital finance.

Both licenses allow the issuance of stablecoins pegged to the Hong Kong dollar and the conduct of cross-border payments.

The South China Morning Post reports that, according to the licensees’ business plans, they intend to complete the necessary preparations and launch operations within the next few months.

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