UAE's potential coalition involvement heightens military conflict risks, diminishing prospects for diplomatic resolutions in the region.

The post UAE considers joining US-led coalition to secure Strait of Hormuz after rescue operation: FT appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The UAE's involvement may heighten regional tensions, impacting global oil markets and complicating diplomatic efforts for peace.

The post UAE joins US-led coalition to secure Strait of Hormuz amid military tensions appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Increased market odds of US troop involvement in Iran highlight geopolitical tensions and uncertainty despite diplomatic signals.

The post Trump hints at de-escalation in Iran conflict as troop market odds surge to 86% appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Trump's comments may temporarily ease invasion fears, but market trends suggest persistent geopolitical tension and potential escalation.

The post Trump’s comments cool speculation on US ground invasion in Iran, market shifts to 86% YES appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The viral song highlights growing unrest and potential power struggles, increasing the risk of regime instability and leadership changes in Iran.

The post Viral song boosts odds of Iranian regime collapse to 13.5% by June 30 appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

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

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

All aboard the Charles Schwab Bitcoin train

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

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

No further details were given. 

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

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

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

Bitcoin’s rough price performance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin’s vicious cycles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin HODLers like RIOT are selling

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin Magazine

The Bitcoin Treasury Model With a Built-In Valuation Floor

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

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

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

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

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

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

What pure-play gets right

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

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

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

The prerequisite problem and what it means in practice

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

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

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

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

What the operating company model actually provides

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

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

The compounding effect works like this:

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

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

The built-in valuation floor

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

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

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

In practice this matters in three specific ways:

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

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

How to think about the decision

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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

Algorand has emerged as an early standout in the crypto market’s latest quantum security debate after a recent Google Quantum AI paper highlighted the blockchain as a live example of post-quantum cryptography being deployed on a network.

The attention came as the paper sharpened concerns around Bitcoin and Ethereum, two networks whose size, age, and design choices could make any future migration to quantum-resistant infrastructure slower and more complicated.

Against that backdrop, Algorand’s quieter work on Falcon digital signatures, state proofs, and key rotation suddenly looked less like a niche technical experiment and more like a practical head start.

The shift in attention helped lift Algorand’s token sharply over the past week, with traders treating the Google paper as validation of work already underway on the network.

According to CryptoSlate's data, ALGO, the blockchain network's native token, is one of the top performers over the past week, gaining around 50% to rise to $0.12 as of press time. Notably, the price performance came less than a week after the token fell to an all-time low of $0.08.

Algorand's quiet quantum computing lead over Bitcoin and Ethereum

Algorand’s advantage over Bitcoin and Ethereum is narrower than the recent enthusiasm suggests, but it is also more concrete than what many larger chains can currently show.

In its paper, Google described Algorand as an example of real-world deployment of post-quantum cryptography on an otherwise quantum-vulnerable blockchain.

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The distinction was important. It did not say Algorand had solved the problem end-to-end, but it did point to a network that had moved from theory into live implementation.

Algorand’s core consensus and built-in transactions still rely on Ed25519, which remains vulnerable in a sufficiently advanced quantum scenario.

However, the network has already deployed Falcon digital signatures for smart transactions and state proofs, the cryptographic attestations used to verify blockchain state across chains. It has also made Falcon verification available as a primitive for developers building on the Algorand Virtual Machine, giving the ecosystem a working set of tools rather than just a roadmap.

The network executed its first post-quantum-secured transaction in 2025, a milestone that set it apart from many larger rivals that are still debating design paths, governance trade-offs, and implementation timelines.

Algorand also allows users to rotate the private keys associated with their accounts, a feature that does not eliminate the underlying threat but could make future migrations more manageable.

That combination, live transaction capability, developer tooling, state-proof support, and native key rotation, is what turned Algorand into a focal point as the paper circulated through the market.

In a sector where many conversations around quantum risk remain theoretical, Algorand could point to infrastructure already in production.

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Bitcoin and Ethereum face quantum computing risk

For Bitcoin, the concern is not only whether quantum computers will eventually be able to derive private keys from public information, but also how much of the network’s legacy footprint would be difficult to migrate in time.

The paper said a quantum computer with fewer than 500,000 physical qubits could crack the elliptic-curve cryptography protecting Bitcoin wallets, a far lower threshold than earlier estimates that ran into the millions.

Google’s own most advanced chip, Willow, remains far below that level, but the revised estimate has intensified scrutiny of how much Bitcoin could be exposed if the technology advances faster than expected.

The burden is particularly acute because some of Bitcoin’s oldest addresses keep public keys visible on-chain.

The paper cited an estimated 6.7 million BTC in older Pay-to-Public-Key addresses, including coins long associated with Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto.

Even outside those legacy wallets, the migration challenge is politically and technically heavy for a network that prioritizes backward compatibility and moves cautiously on base-layer changes.

Quantum risk, in Bitcoin’s case, is as much a governance and coordination problem as it is a cryptographic one.

Meanwhile, Ethereum’s exposure to the same quantum computing risk is somewhat broader.

Once an Ethereum user sends a transaction, the public key tied to that account becomes permanently visible on-chain. The paper said that this leaves the top 1,000 Ethereum wallets, holding roughly 20.5 million ETH, exposed under a sufficiently advanced quantum attack.

It also identified at least 70 major contracts with administrator keys visible on-chain, which ultimately control far more than the ETH they directly hold, including stablecoin minting authority and other system-critical permissions.

Moreover, the attack surface extends beyond wallets and contract administrators.

Ethereum’s proof-of-stake validator set, major Layer 2 networks, and parts of its data-availability architecture all rely on cryptographic components the paper described as vulnerable.

According to the paper, roughly 37 million ETH is staked, and much of Ethereum’s transaction load now flows through rollups and bridges that inherit assumptions from the base layer.

That means any serious post-quantum migration would have to reach not only users and validators, but also the network of applications and scaling systems built around them.

The post Algorand just jumped 50% after a Google flags quantum risk for Bitcoin and Ethereum appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The US economy added 178,000 jobs in March, nearly three times the consensus estimate of 60,000, and unemployment dipped to 4.3%. That is the kind of print that resets macro narratives and hits risk assets before traders finish their first read.

Bitcoin traded around $67,000, unfazed by the data. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed four basis points to 4.35%, and the dollar index ticked up to 100.08.

The market's first-order read was straightforward: a labor market that looks this strong gives the Federal Reserve less reason to cut, which in turn yields tighter financial conditions and weighs on a macro-sensitive asset like Bitcoin.

Why this matters: Bitcoin reacted to more than a jobs beat. The signal was a stronger labor market that reduces the Fed’s urgency to cut rates. If that view holds, yields and the dollar can stay firm, maintaining pressure on liquidity-sensitive assets like BTC.

Zoom in on where those 178,000 jobs came from, and the picture gets less clean. Health care alone added 76,000 positions, and 35,000 of those were workers returning from a strike in physicians' offices. The numbers represented a catch-up hiring.

Construction added 26,000, partly weather-aided, and transportation and warehousing contributed another 21,000. Federal government employment fell by 18,000, and financial activities shed 15,000.

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BLS noted that total payroll employment had moved little on net over the prior 12 months.

That backdrop makes March read as a rebound from a noisy February, with sector-specific catch-up doing most of the lifting.

The household survey runs the other way

The household survey, which tracks employed and unemployed individuals across the population, moved in the opposite direction from the payroll numbers.

The civilian labor force contracted by 396,000 in March, with participation falling to 61.9%. Household employment declined by 64,000, and the number of people not in the labor force rose by 488,000.

Marginally attached workers jumped 325,000 to 1.9 million, and discouraged workers climbed 144,000 to 510,000. The average workweek is shortened to 34.2 hours.

Average hourly earnings rose just 0.2% month over month and 3.5% year over year, with no wage acceleration to complement the payroll beat.

February's revision adds another layer. BLS marked February down to -133,000 from -92,000 and revised January up to 160,000 from 126,000. The net two-month revision was only -7,000, making the pattern noisy and lacking a consistent directional pull.

Payroll growth in the first quarter averaged roughly 68,000 per month, a soft pace by any expansion standard.

BLS revises monthly estimates twice as additional employer reports arrive and seasonal factors reset.

Since 2003, the average absolute revision from the first to the third estimate has been 51,000 jobs. A revision of that size would take March from 178,000 to around 127,000, which is noticeably less dramatic.

To erase the entire beat, March would need a job-creation figure exceeding 118,000, roughly 2.3 times the historical average, and ordinary revision noise does not get there.

BLS's annual benchmark revision stripped 898,000 jobs from the March 2025 payroll level, four times the average absolute benchmark revision of the prior decade.

The revision established that first-print payrolls have recently carried more uncertainty than markets typically price in during the first trading hour following a strong print.

The rates channel behind Bitcoin's drop

The Federal Reserve held its target range at 3.50% to 3.75% in March.

The median participant's projection put 2026 unemployment at 4.4%, PCE inflation at 2.7%, and the year-end fed funds rate at 3.4%. March unemployment at 4.3% and a payroll print of 178,000 gave policymakers no urgency to move.

NYDIG's research frames the Bitcoin-to-macro link in the same terms: BTC trades in line with real rates, liquidity, and risk appetite. A Fed that holds its position on a firm labor market removes the near-term catalyst that Bitcoin most needs.

The February JOLTS report reinforces this without turning alarming. Openings held near 6.9 million, but hires fell to 4.8 million, and the hiring rate dropped to 3.1%, the lowest reading since April 2020.

Initial jobless claims for the week ended March 28 came in at 202,000, near cycle lows.

Together, these data points describe a labor market in stasis, with layoffs contained, new hiring tepid, and firms holding headcount steady.

That environment does not trigger a Fed pivot, and a Fed that does not pivot keeps financial conditions tighter for longer.

Potential outcomes for Bitcoin

Bitcoin's price action on April 3 ran through the rates channel. Labor strength reduced cut expectations, firmer yields, and a stronger dollar tightened conditions for liquidity-sensitive assets. This channel can reverse.

If BLS revises March payrolls materially lower toward sub-100,000, and April payrolls also land soft while participation rebounds, the “headline-only strength” thesis gains traction.

Cut expectations would reopen, yields would ease, and Bitcoin would have room to rally on liquidity repricing. The weakness in the household survey, the strike-return distortion in health care, and the low-hiring JOLTS backdrop each make that path plausible, but April data on May 8 would need to confirm it.

If March holds near current levels or BLS revises it higher, and April payrolls land above roughly 125,000 while unemployment stays near 4.3% or below, February becomes the clear outlier.

The Fed extends its pause with more confidence, cuts get pushed further out, and Bitcoin keeps trading as a macro risk asset with no near-term liquidity catalyst.

The cross-asset move on April 3, with yields up, the dollar up, and BTC down, showed the market had already begun pricing that path.

The next Employment Situation release is scheduled for May 8 at 8:30 a.m. ET, bringing both April payrolls and the first revision to March.

That makes it the real checkpoint for every argument built on the April 3 print. March CPI is released on April 10, and the next FOMC meeting runs April 28-29, two data points the Fed absorbs before setting policy again.

CPI, in particular, will test if labor market firmness pairs with sticky inflation or with the wage deceleration that the March print already hinted at.

The post US jobs crush forecasts, yet hidden labor weakness could keep Bitcoin under pressure appeared first on CryptoSlate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The legal stack Circle built

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

Circle designed the contract to be both pausable and upgradeable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where the criticism bites

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two paths for Circle

The bull path runs through transparency and speed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The asset Schwab is normalizing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two paths from here

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The deeper floor is still standing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The first week of April 2026 has been a study in contrasts. While the broader financial markets grapple with macroeconomic shifts, the digital asset sector is doubling down on technical evolution. We are seeing a move away from the "meme-coin" cycles of the past toward institutional-grade infrastructure and significant protocol overhauls.

Crypto News Today: Market Highlights

The crypto market today is defined by Bitcoin’s price stability near the $67,000 mark and massive anticipation for Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade. Simultaneously, a significant exploit on the Solana-based Drift Protocol has served as a stark reminder of the security risks still inherent in decentralized finance (DeFi).

Market Snapshot: Bitcoin’s Quiet Resilience

Despite a slight 0.42% dip in the last 24 hours, Bitcoin ($BTC) continues to act as a stabilizing force for the entire ecosystem. Trading at approximately $67,000, the asset has shrugged off recent geopolitical volatility.

• Institutional Inflow: Recent reports from Goldman Sachs suggest that institutional "dip-buying" is keeping the floor high.
• Price Tracking: You can monitor live movements on our Bitcoin Ticker.

Ethereum Roadmap: The Glamsterdam Era

The biggest story in the developer community is the finalized scope for Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade. Scheduled for the first half of 2026, this hard fork is expected to be a "game-changer" for scalability.

What is the Glamsterdam Upgrade?

Glamsterdam is the next major evolution of the Ethereum mainnet following the Fusaka update of late 2025. Its primary goals are:

• Gas Fee Reduction: A projected 78.6% reduction in fees for smart contract calls.
• Parallel Processing: Introducing the ability to process multiple transactions simultaneously.
• Throughput: Increasing the gas limit per block from 60 million to 200 million.

This upgrade is essential for $Ethereum to remain competitive against high-speed chains like Solana.

The Solana Hack: Drift Protocol Exploit

While Ethereum builds, $Solana has hit a major speed bump. On April 1, 2026, the Drift Protocol—the network's largest perpetual futures exchange—was drained of $286 million.

"The breach was not a simple code bug, but a sophisticated six-month social engineering operation by highly resourced actors." — Drift Protocol Preliminary Report.

The attackers reportedly posed as a quantitative trading firm to gain the trust of the protocol's security council. This event has reignited discussions on the necessity of hardware wallets for all DeFi participants.

Regulatory Milestone: Coinbase Nabs OCC Approval

In a massive win for US-based crypto, Coinbase has received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust charter.

This does not make Coinbase a traditional commercial bank, but it provides federal regulatory uniformity for its custody business. This moves Coinbase into the same regulatory conversation as legacy giants like JPMorgan, further bridging the gap between "crypto" and "finance."

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

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

What is UNUS SED LEO?

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

Why is it named like this?

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

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

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

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

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

1. The 27% Revenue Burn

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

2. The Bitcoin Recovery Catalyst

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

3. Low Volatility and Institutional Trust

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

How LEO Price Reached the Top 10 Cryptos

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

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

From Digital Gold to Digital Dust

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

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

The $1.3 Million Entry: Bored Ape #3001

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

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

Why Did He Pay Such a Premium?

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

The 2026 Reality: A 99% Valuation Wipeout

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

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

Celebrity NFT Portfolios in 2026

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

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

Lessons from the NFT Bubble

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

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

Is there a Future for BAYC?

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

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

The "Saylor Signal" vs. Market Reality

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

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

Should You Buy Bitcoin Now?

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

 The 2026 Bitcoin Crash Explained

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

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

Historical Performance on Good Friday

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

Bitcoin Price Analysis: Analyzing the $67,400 Support

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

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

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

Bitcoin Strategy: How to Position Your Portfolio

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

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

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

XRP Price Today: Bulls Struggle at Key Support

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

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

Ripple News Today with RLUSD

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

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

The CLARITY Act: A Double-Edged Sword?

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

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

XRP Price Prediction for 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saylor has countered Peter Schiff's MSTR sell warning with data showing 36% returns since the "Bitcoin Era" started.

Bitcoin and XRP face fresh pressure as Brent crude surges to $113 amid Middle East choke point risks. All eyes turn to the April 9 U.S. inflation report for signs of a Fed rate pivot.

XRP metrics stay muted in holiday trading, but past precedents suggest bulls might have other plans for its price.

XRP hits 8.1M wallets despite a price slump, 13-year BTC whales lock 5,000x gains, and Shiba Inu (SHIB) faces North Korea rumors. Plus, Bitcoin is at $67,000 ahead of the April 9 CPE report.

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

Ripple trades near $1.32 right now. On April , the International Monetary Fund released a major new note on “Tokenized Finance,” calling tokenization a fundamental shift in how global finance works,  not just a small tech upgrade. The IMF highlighted faster settlement, better transparency, and huge potential for real-world assets and cross-border payments. This directly aligns with what Ripple and XRP were built for. 

Taurox, an AI-driven trading protocol, is designed to help regular stakers benefit from these big-picture shifts through smart autonomous agents that focus on steady, risk-managed returns.

Why XRP Still Moves Wildly,  Even When the Big Picture Looks Bright

Even with the IMF validating the exact type of tokenized future Ripple has been pushing, XRP holders often see sharp 20-30% swings due to escrow releases, market sentiment, and short-term noise. It can feel frustrating when the long-term story is strong but the price doesn’t always reflect it. Taurox was created to solve that. It pools deposits of USDT, BTC, or XRP into one shared trading pool and lets a global team of developers, quants, and AI engineers run multiple diversified strategies at once. 

Each strategy is strictly limited to 2% of the total pool to keep risk controlled, and smart built-in rules automatically maintain balance. The result is smoother performance,  without the constant stress of trying to time every headline or paying high management fees like traditional funds charge.

Pre-KYA Registration Is Open: Your Chance to Get Ahead

Taurox has opened the Pre-KYA Registration Table ahead of schedule. This early window lets developers, quants, and AI builders submit their trading agents before the full system launches. The first ones in get priority testing in the Proving Ground, faster access to pool capital, and extra rewards from the Agent Creator Fund (10% of total TAUX supply). If you already have a working trading strategy, this is your opportunity to position yourself early in the Taurox ecosystem.

How Taurox Works: Clean Pool + Strong Built-in Safety

When you stake, your funds go into one shared trading pool and you receive txTokens that represent your share of the pool’s value, starting at $1.00 each. The protocol keeps 15% in stablecoins as a safety buffer and puts the rest to work through autonomous agents. 

These agents only run real strategies after passing strict tests in the Proving Ground. Daily loss limits of 2%, single-trade caps of 5%, and an automatic pause if the pool drops 5% all help protect your capital. Everything is on-chain and fully transparent.

TAUX Tokenomics: Fixed Supply That Gets Stronger Over Time

TAUX has a hard-capped supply of 2 billion tokens that can never be increased after launch. Taurox charges zero upfront fees, it only takes 5% of the profits the agents make, buys TAUX on the open market, and permanently burns 30% of it. The rest is shared between stakers, the DAO, and the strategy creators. This design creates real scarcity: the bigger and more successful the pool becomes, the more valuable TAUX can get over time.

Taurox Presale: Phase 4 Is Live, A Strong Entry Point Right Now

The Taurox Presale has entered Phase 4 and has already raised over $950K. TAUX is currently priced at $0.018. Investors joining in this phase are positioned for nearly 4.5x returns when the token lists at $0.08. If Taurox reaches its $1 billion pool target, these early participants could see up to 103x gains as TAUX potentially climbs to $1.85. For example, a $500 investment today would grow to roughly $2,220 at listing and approach $28,000 if TAUX hits the $1 level. 

The presale includes a 1-month cliff and 20% monthly unlocks from month 2 to 5, so you can start staking quickly while limiting early selling. Combined with 30% burns and strong reserves, it offers real potential for both short-term and long-term upside.

Conclusion: Taurox Turning the IMF’s Tokenized Finance Signal Into Steadier Returns

The IMF just put a global spotlight on tokenized finance, exactly the space Ripple has been building toward for years. While the broader market sorts out the short-term noise, Taurox gives you a practical way to stay exposed without the usual volatility and guesswork. It combines intelligent AI agents with clear risk controls and a token that actually becomes scarcer as the protocol grows. If you believe in Ripple’s long-term role in the tokenized future, Taurox is built for exactly this moment.

Learn More

Buy TAUX: https://taurox.io

Whitepaper: https://docs.taurox.io/

Official Telegram: https://t.me/tauroxlabs

Official X/Twitter: https://x.com/TauroxProtocol

The post Ripple (XRP) Aims to Revolutionise Finance, Yet Analysts Say Taurox (TAUX) Might Make it Sooner After Opening Pre-KYA appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• ASST stock price is projected to rise from $9.75 today to $515 by 2034, marking a 53x potential gain.
• Strive’s Bitcoin holdings may grow from 13,628 BTC to 83,299 BTC by 2034 through continuous SATA issuance.
• CEBE per share is forecast to grow 3.2x from 13,193 to 42,028 sats, even after 91% total share dilution.
• Strive currently trades at 73% of NAV with only $10M in debt, offering discounted Bitcoin-amplified exposure.

ASST stock price has drawn growing attention from crypto-focused investors. A financial analyst recently published a detailed multi-year projection for Strive Asset Management’s shares.

The model suggests the stock could climb from $9.75 today to $515 by 2034. The forecast relies on Bitcoin’s historical power law trajectory and a balance sheet leverage model. The analysis has gained traction among those tracking Bitcoin-linked equity vehicles in public markets.

Bitcoin Power Law Forms the Backbone of ASST Stock Price Forecast

Analyst Adam Livingston published the projection via social media. He applied two analytical tools: the Bitcoin Power Law and the CEBE Framework. Bitcoin’s 15-year price trend follows the expression P(t) ~ t⁵·⁶⁹, carrying an R² of 0.961.

The model assumes Strive maintains a 48% amplification ratio throughout the forecast period. This ratio is sustained through continuous SATA preferred share issuance. All proceeds from those issuances are directed toward Bitcoin purchases.

Throughout the model, the enterprise value mNAV remains constant at 1.06×. That figure reflects Strive’s current market valuation. Bitcoin’s price path follows the power law curve across all projected years.

According to the model, Strive’s Bitcoin holdings grow from 13,628 BTC today to 83,299 BTC by 2034. That marks a 6.1× increase in holdings over eight years. The growth stems entirely from maintaining the current amplification strategy.

CEBE Framework Tracks Common Equity Gains Despite Share Dilution

The CEBE framework measures what common shareholders actually own on the balance sheet. It strips out all senior claims before arriving at common equity value. This approach offers a more precise view of shareholder exposure to Bitcoin.

Livingston stated in his post: “CEBE per share grows from 13,193 to 42,028 sats… a 3.2× increase in what common equity actually owns, AFTER subtracting all senior claims, DESPITE 91% total share dilution over 8 years.”

Preferred dividends are set at 12.75% and are paid through common share issuance. This creates roughly 8.4% annual dilution for existing shareholders. Yet Bitcoin’s projected appreciation rate near 35% per year more than offsets that drag.

The spread between Bitcoin’s power law CAGR and the preferred cost sits at approximately 22 percentage points. That gap consistently favors common shareholders over the projection horizon. As Bitcoin’s price rises, dollar-denominated preferred claims become less burdensome in Bitcoin terms.

Strive currently trades at 73% of its net asset value. Its outstanding debt stands at just $10 million, reflecting a 1.1% leverage ratio.

Livingston observed that the market currently assigns no premium to the Bitcoin accumulation engine. He described ASST stock price as a discounted entry point into amplified Bitcoin exposure, with limited debt risk attached.

The post ASST Stock Price Forecast: Analyst Projects 53x Surge to $515 by 2034 Using Bitcoin Power Law appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Silver has surged over 140% in 2026, drawing direct comparisons to the dramatic 2011 price collapse pattern
• Strong industrial demand from EVs and solar panels is attracting more leverage, raising crash risk further
• Silver’s $30B annual market size makes it highly vulnerable to violent swings driven by capital flow shifts
• Forced selling through futures, ETFs, and thin liquidity could trigger a rapid cascade once the turn begins

Silver’s sharp rally in 2026 is drawing comparisons to the dramatic 2011 price collapse, with analysts warning that crowded positioning and thin market liquidity could trigger a violent reversal.

The metal has climbed over 140% recently, fueling widespread optimism. However, some market observers believe the current setup mirrors past cycles where strong narratives masked serious structural risks beneath the surface.

2011 Pattern Resurfaces as Silver Climbs Past Key Levels

The 2011 silver rally remains one of the most studied price events in commodity markets. Silver ran from $18 to $49 within months before collapsing sharply. The driving forces then included quantitative easing, inflation fears, and a retail rush into hard assets.

Narratives during that period sounded strikingly similar to today. Talk of shortages, undervaluation against gold, and early-stage positioning dominated market commentary. Yet the fundamentals never supported those price levels, and supply remained adequate throughout.

Crypto analyst BLADE recently noted on X that the 2011 collapse was never about silver itself. “It was about liquidity,” the post read, adding that high prices killed demand as manufacturers began reducing silver usage.

The breakdown came fast once positioning unwound. Silver dropped from $49 to $30 within days, eventually falling to $15 over time. The move was driven entirely by leverage and positioning shifts rather than any change in the underlying asset.

Strong Fundamentals May Be Attracting More Leverage, Not Less Risk

Today’s silver market does carry stronger fundamentals than 2011. Industrial demand from electric vehicles, solar panels, and electronics is real. Supply deficits exist, and inventory levels are tighter than in prior cycles.

However, BLADE warned that stronger fundamentals can make situations more dangerous. “Strong fundamentals don’t prevent crashes — they attract more leverage,” the post stated directly.

Silver remains a structurally thin market, valued at roughly $30 billion annually. Most trading activity runs through derivatives rather than physical markets. That structure means price action is driven by capital flows, not fundamental value.

Silver does not peak when the story falls apart. It peaks when positioning becomes crowded, margin reaches its limit, and exit liquidity disappears.

At that point, forced selling starts, and the cascade effect moves quickly through futures markets, ETFs, and market makers simultaneously.

The pattern BLADE described shows how silver can still push higher before any reversal. Parabolic moves tend to stretch beyond expectations.

The concern is not about direction but about what happens when the turn comes. In thin, leveraged markets, that turn rarely offers time to react before significant losses accumulate.

The post Silver Price Rally Faces Dump Risk as Leverage and Thin Liquidity Build Up appeared first on Blockonomi.

The online gambling industry has seen a noticeable trend in recent months. More players are searching for alternatives to Stake.com, one of the biggest names in crypto gambling. While Stake remains a major player, a growing number of users appear to be looking for something new. One platform that keeps showing up in those conversations is ZunaBet, a crypto-focused casino and sportsbook that launched in 2026.

So what is driving these searches, and does ZunaBet actually offer something different? This article breaks down both platforms and looks at why players are exploring new options.

The Rise of Stake.com

Stake.com has been one of the most recognized names in crypto gambling for several years. It built its reputation on a clean interface, fast crypto transactions, and a strong presence in the sports sponsorship space. The platform offers thousands of casino games, a full sportsbook, and its own original games that have attracted a loyal user base.

Stake also gained significant visibility through partnerships with high-profile figures and sports teams. That marketing push helped it become a household name in the crypto gambling world.

However, no platform stays on top without facing competition. As the crypto casino market has matured, players have started looking for platforms that offer better rewards, bigger game libraries, or a fresh experience. Search data suggests that terms like “Stake alternative” and “sites like Stake” have been climbing steadily. This is not unusual in a fast-moving industry where players are always looking for the next best option.

What Is ZunaBet?

ZunaBet is a crypto-first online casino and sportsbook that launched in 2026. It is owned by Strathvale Group Ltd and operates under an Anjouan gaming license (ALSI-202510047-FI2). The team behind it has over 20 years of combined experience in the online gambling industry.

The platform offers 11,294 games from 63 providers, making it one of the larger crypto-focused game libraries currently available. Providers include well-known names like Pragmatic Play, Hacksaw Gaming, Evolution, Yggdrasil, and BGaming. The game selection covers slots, RNG table games, and live dealer titles.

Beyond the casino, ZunaBet runs a full sportsbook covering major sports like football, basketball, tennis, and NHL, along with esports titles including CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant. Virtual sports and combat sports are also available, making it a genuine hybrid platform.

ZunaBet supports over 20 cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, USDT across multiple chains, SOL, DOGE, ADA, and XRP. The platform does not charge processing fees and emphasizes fast withdrawals, which is a selling point for crypto users who are used to waiting at traditional casinos.

The platform also offers dedicated apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS, along with 24/7 live chat support.

The Welcome Bonus Comparison

One area where ZunaBet stands out is its welcome offer. New players can access up to $5,000 in bonuses plus 75 free spins spread across their first three deposits. The breakdown is straightforward: 100% up to $2,000 plus 25 spins on the first deposit, 50% up to $1,500 plus 25 spins on the second, and 100% up to $1,500 plus 25 spins on the third.

This structure encourages players to stick around beyond their first session, which benefits both the platform and the player. Compared to many crypto casinos that offer a single deposit bonus, the multi-deposit approach gives players more value over time.

Stake.com, by contrast, has historically taken a different approach to bonuses, often relying on its VIP program and reload offers rather than large upfront welcome packages. For players who want immediate bonus value from day one, ZunaBet’s offer is hard to ignore.

Loyalty Programs: Dragons vs. Traditional VIP

This is where things get interesting. Most online casinos use a fairly standard VIP system with generic tier names and incremental perks. ZunaBet has gone a different route with what it calls a dragon evolution system.

The program has six tiers: Squire, Warden, Champion, Divine, Knight, and Ultimate. Each tier comes with increasing rakeback percentages, starting at 1% for Squire and going up to 20% for Ultimate. Other benefits include tier-based free spins (up to 1,000), VIP club access, and double wheel spins. The program is built around a mascot called Zuno, giving it a gamified feel that sets it apart from the typical loyalty experience.

For players who grind regularly, the difference between 1% and 20% rakeback is significant. It directly impacts how much value they get back from their play over time. This kind of structured, transparent reward system appeals to a generation of players who grew up with progression systems in video games and want that same sense of advancement in their gambling experience.

Stake.com has its own VIP program, which is well-regarded in the industry. But it operates on a more invite-based, less transparent model. Some players prefer knowing exactly where they stand and what they need to do to reach the next level, which is where ZunaBet’s approach has an edge.

Crypto-First vs. Traditional Platforms

The broader trend behind all of this is the ongoing shift from traditional fiat-based gambling platforms to crypto-first operators. Major brands like DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel still dominate in regulated markets, but they are built around traditional payment methods. Deposits and withdrawals often take days, come with fees, and require extensive verification processes.

Crypto casinos like ZunaBet and Stake flip that model. Transactions are faster, fees are lower or nonexistent, and players have more control over their funds. For a growing segment of players who already hold and use cryptocurrency, this is simply a better experience.

ZunaBet leans into this fully. With support for 20+ coins and no platform processing fees, it is built from the ground up for crypto users rather than being a traditional casino that added crypto as an afterthought.

Is ZunaBet the Future for a New Generation of Players?

There is a reasonable case to be made that platforms like ZunaBet represent where online gambling is heading. The combination of a massive game library, integrated sportsbook and esports betting, crypto-native payments, and a gamified loyalty system checks a lot of boxes for younger, digitally native players.

This is a generation that expects fast transactions, transparent rewards, mobile-first design, and variety. They are not interested in waiting three to five business days for a withdrawal or navigating clunky interfaces built a decade ago.

ZunaBet is still new, and it will need to prove itself over time in areas like customer service consistency, game fairness, and long-term reliability. But the early signs suggest it is a platform worth watching. The fact that it is already appearing in conversations about Stake alternatives says something about the demand for fresh options in the crypto gambling space.

The Bottom Line

The rise in searches for Stake.com alternatives reflects a healthy, competitive market where players are not locked into one platform. Stake remains a strong option with a proven track record, but ZunaBet is making a compelling case as the more exciting new entry in the space.

With 11,000+ games, 20+ supported cryptocurrencies, a $5,000 welcome bonus, a unique dragon-themed loyalty program, and a full sportsbook, ZunaBet offers a package that is hard to overlook. For players looking for something fresh in the crypto casino world, it is quickly becoming the platform to watch in 2026.

The post Is ZunaBet Benefiting From Rising Stake.com Alternative Searches? appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• The Banque de France earned €12.8 billion upgrading 129 tonnes of non-standard gold held at the US Federal Reserve.
• France’s full 2,437-tonne gold reserve is now stored entirely in Paris, making it the world’s fourth-largest holder.
• The BdF executed 26 transactions at record-high gold prices between July 2025 and January 2026 to maximize returns.
• Germany faces pressure to pull 1,236 tonnes from the Fed amid concerns over unpredictable US policies under Donald Trump.

The Banque de France has completed a major gold reserve overhaul, generating nearly €13 billion in capital gains. The central bank sold off its remaining US-held gold and replaced it with higher-standard bars now stored in Paris.

This move concluded a long-running effort to modernize France’s gold holdings. The transaction covered 129 tonnes of gold, or roughly 5 percent of France’s total reserves, carried out between July 2025 and January 2026.

France Completes Full Gold Repatriation to Paris

The Banque de France announced a capital gain of €12.8 billion from upgrading its gold holdings. This came after 26 separate transactions executed at record-high gold prices.

The bank sold older, non-standard bars held at the US Federal Reserve and bought compliant bullion on the European market.

France’s total gold reserves now stand at about 2,437 tonnes, all stored in Paris. This makes France the fourth-largest gold holder in the world. The move marks the end of any French gold presence in New York.

The BdF had been gradually phasing out non-standard gold since 2005. It moved most of its reserves out of the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England between 1963 and 1966. The remaining US-held gold was the last piece of that older arrangement.

Rather than refining and transporting the existing stock, the bank found it more practical to sell and repurchase. BdF Governor François Villeroy de Galhau was clear that the decision was not politically driven.

He pointed to the practicality of purchasing higher-standard gold already traded on the European market, adding that refining and transporting the old stock would have been far more complex.

Economic Context and Germany’s Response to US-Held Reserves

The exceptional gains helped push the BdF’s net profit to €8.1 billion for 2025. This followed a net loss of €7.7 billion the previous year. The timing of the transactions, during a period of peak gold prices, worked in the bank’s favor.

Meanwhile, Germany is facing growing public pressure over its own US-held gold. The Bundesbank currently holds about 1,236 tonnes at the Federal Reserve, around 37 percent of its total.

Some German economists are calling for a withdrawal, citing concern over policy uncertainty under President Donald Trump.

Michael Jäger, head of the Association of German Taxpayers, did not hold back in his assessment. “Trump is unpredictable and he does everything to generate revenue,” he said. He added that Germany’s gold is “no longer safe in the Fed’s vaults.”

The Bundesbank has not yet announced any plan to move its reserves. However, the public debate in Germany is gaining traction. France’s completed repatriation may add further pressure on German authorities to act.

The post France’s Banque de France Nets €13 Billion After Pulling Last Gold Reserves Out of the US appeared first on Blockonomi.

The controversial and contrasting actions and comments from US President Donald Trump regarding the war in Iran continue, with the latest examples going live in the past 24 hours.

The question now is when and how bitcoin will finally react, as it has remained unusually calm over the weekend. Will history repeat and drop later today?

The Latest on the War

Although it has been a boring weekend in terms of price actions, it’s actually been highly eventful on the US/Israel-Iran war front. It started with more threats from Trump that Iran has 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, otherwise it would “rain hell” on the country.

Then, he declared Tuesday as “Power Plant and Bridge Day,” suggesting that these key infrastructures will be attacked next. Meanwhile, a US Navy SEAL team extracted the ejected US F-15E pilot from Iran in what was described as a “massive operation” involving hundreds of special operations troops and military personnel.

US intelligence claims Iran is unlikely to open the Strait soon because it’s the country’s biggest bargaining chip left. However, the POTUS reportedly said a few hours ago that the US and Iran have opened negotiations regarding the Strait and believes they can get a deal done by Monday. If they don’t, Trump is considering ‘blowing everything up,’ the report added.

*FOX: TRUMP SAYS MULLING TAKING OVER OIL IF NO IRAN DEAL

*TRUMP SAYS HE COULD GET DEAL W/ IRAN BY TOMORROW: FOX NEWS

*TRUMP SAYS NEGOTIATORS FOR IRAN GRANTED AMNESTY FOR NOW: FOX

*TRUMP MULLS ‘BLOWING EVERYTHING UP’ IF NO IRAN DEAL ‘FAST’: FOX

— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) April 5, 2026

Previously, one of his posts on Truth Social, which used unprecedented language from a sitting president, fooled even Grok, as the AI platform called it a “meme-style image of a fabricated Trump post.” The caveat, though, is that the post is real and it’s still active on Trump’s social media page.

President Trump’s Truth Social post about Iran this morning is so unprecedented, that even Grok is calling it a “meme-style image of a fabricated Trump post.”

This post is entirely real, buckle up for an eventful week ahead. https://t.co/kosStlB5Ok pic.twitter.com/i1qjQywvlS

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

When Will Bitcoin React?

Despite all of these escalations and contradicting messages, BTC’s price has remained unusually stable at around $67,000 for the entire weekend. The question now is, when will the reaction come?

Bitcoin has shown a similar lack of volatility on several occasions in previous eventful weekends after the war started. However, once the legacy financial markets started to open on Sunday evening and Monday morning, its volatility returned, usually heading south.

The post Calm Before the BTC Storm as Trump Says a Deal or Obliteration Is Next for Iran? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Ethereum’s price action continues to reflect a market in equilibrium, where neither buyers nor sellers have established decisive control. Following the sharp corrective phase earlier in the year, ETH has transitioned into a broad consolidation structure, with volatility compressing as the market searches for direction.

Ethereum Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

On the daily timeframe, Ethereum is clearly bounded within a well-defined range between the $1.8K support and the $2.4K resistance zone. The asset has repeatedly reacted to both boundaries, confirming them as key areas of supply and demand. The recent price action further reinforces this narrative, as Ethereum continues to oscillate within this range without any sustained breakout attempt.

This indicates a balance between accumulation and distribution, where market participants are positioning rather than committing to a directional move. As long as the price remains within this range, the broader outlook stays neutral, with range-trading conditions dominating the market structure.

A decisive breakout from either side of this range will likely define the next major trend. A confirmed move above $2.4K would signal strength and open the path toward higher resistance levels, while a breakdown below $1.8K would invalidate the current consolidation and expose the market to deeper downside continuation.

ETH/USDT 4-Hour Chart

Zooming into the 4-hour timeframe, the structure reveals a rising wedge formation developing within the broader range. This pattern typically reflects weakening bullish momentum, as the price continues to make higher highs and higher lows, but with diminishing strength. The wedge suggests that the recent upward movements are corrective rather than impulsive, aligning with the broader consolidation observed on the daily chart.

As the price approaches the apex of this formation, a breakout becomes increasingly likely. A downside break of the wedge would confirm the corrective nature of the structure and could trigger another leg lower, potentially driving price back toward the $1.8K support zone. Until such a breakdown occurs, short-term fluctuations may persist within the wedge boundaries, but the risk of a deeper correction remains elevated.

Sentiment Analysis

From a liquidity standpoint, the liquidation heatmap highlights a significant concentration of liquidity at and below the $1.8K level. This cluster represents a pool of resting liquidity that could act as a magnet for the price, particularly if bearish momentum begins to build. Markets tend to gravitate toward such zones, as they provide fuel for volatility through forced liquidations.

In this context, a breakdown of the rising wedge on the lower timeframe could act as the trigger that drives Ethereum toward this liquidity pocket. If that scenario unfolds, the $1.8K region becomes not only a technical support level but also a key liquidity target where a reaction or potential reversal could emerge.

Overall, Ethereum remains trapped in a broader consolidation phase, but the lower timeframe structure suggests increasing vulnerability to the downside. The interaction between the rising wedge and the $1.8K liquidity cluster will likely play a critical role in shaping the next directional move.

The post Ethereum Price Analysis: Will ETH Break Out or Plunge to $1.8K Next? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Under the current crypto market conditions, Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and some institutions are still in accumulation mode. However, spot demand remains weak. Market research platform CryptoQuant explained why this contraction has persisted in its latest weekly report.

According to the firm’s findings, spot demand has remained in deep contraction because broader market selling pressure outweighs institutional buying. Selling from retail and other market participants is more than offsetting incremental institutional buying; this trend is sustaining the current wave of distribution.

Spot Demand Remains Contracted

In March, ETF 30-day purchases increased sharply to roughly 50,000 bitcoin (BTC). This was the highest the investment products had recorded since October 2025. On the other hand, the business intelligence entity, Strategy, recorded a 30-day accumulation of approximately 44,000 BTC.

Contrarily, the 30-day apparent demand growth hovered at -63,000 BTC by the end of March. This figure reflected persistent selling pressure in the broader market. Spot demand has witnessed sustained contraction since late November 2025, confirming a distribution phase.

Among other market participants, Bitcoin whales have become net distributors, with the one-year change in their holdings reading -188,000 BTC. This cohort of investors accumulated over 200,000 BTC in 2024, but began distributing aggressively from mid-2025, with an increased pace in the last quarter of the year and early 2026.

“The 365-day SMA remains in a declining trend, confirming that this distribution is structural rather than temporary. Historically, sustained negative whale accumulation has coincided with periods of prolonged price weakness, and the current reading suggests selling remains a significant structural headwind,” CryptoQuant explained.

BTC Faces Possible Relief Rally

Unlike whales, mid-tier holders, also known as dolphins, have remained net accumulators, but at a reduced pace. The one-year change in the holdings of these investors has declined by more than 60% from almost 1 million BTC in October 2025 to 429,000 BTC today.

Furthermore, demand from U.S. investors has also weakened in recent weeks, as seen in the Coinbase Premium turning negative again. The metric turned negative after BTC hit its all-time high of $126,000 in early October and has since been unable to sustain a meaningful positive trajectory.

Given the market’s state, CryptoQuant analysts believe BTC may rebound toward $71,500-$81,200 in the short term if macro conditions, especially the US-Iran conflict, improve. In essence, de-escalating geopolitical tensions may serve as a positive catalyst, triggering a relief rally.

The post Bitcoin ETFs and Institutions Are Buying, So Why Is Spot Demand Still Weak? (CryptoQuant) appeared first on CryptoPotato.

It appears that the era of loud, energy-draining mining rigs is coming to an end, or at least to a change in 2026. The cryptocurrency market has matured considerably and is moving away from speculative noise toward functional utility that actually pays.

Investors are no longer happy with holding coins – they want their assets to work for them. In fact, a lot of the regulatory lobbying is focused that way as well. This shift has sparked a considerable surge in passive BTC models, which allow users to earn the world’s most valuable digital asset without having a degree in computer science or a massive electricity budget.

Bitcoin Everlight is at the forefront of this movement. It offers a streamlined way to tap into network transaction fees. The protocol prioritizes accessibility and real-world efficiency, proving that the next phase of Bitcoin won’t just be about hardware but also about decentralized infrastructure that rewards its community effortlessly.

Exclusive bonuses up now. Use Code SHARD15 at Checkout to Receive an Extra 15%

Redefining the Digital Asset Landscape

Bitcoin Everlight (BTCL) is a considerable shift in the way we perceive blockchain-based rewards. It’s not a speculative fork or a copycat coin. On the other hand, the team introduces a sophisticated routing layer, which is built to scale the Bitcoin network. At the time of this writing, the project is in Phase 4 of its presale, and the tokens are priced at $0.0014. The team has already secured $2.5 million from participants who are apparently eager to join the very next generation of finance.

With a fixed supply of 21 billion tokens, BTCL mirrors the scarcity of Bitcoin while offering a launch price target of $0.03110. This ecosystem turns participants into vital components of a decentralized network, ensuring that the rewards generated are rooted in actual network utility and speed improvements.

Unlocking Yield Through the Shard Architecture

The center of the model is the so-called Shard system. It provides a direct path to native Bitcoin earnings. That said, the recently launched Jade Shard allows users to enter for as little as $100 in BTCL tokens. It offers a 6% yield during the current phase, which will convert into native BTC rewards upon activating the mainnet.

It’s important to note that participants will retain 100% of the ownership of their BTCL tokens and can choose to sell once the official launch happens. However, to keep a Shard active, they will have to keep their balance above the required threshold. Otherwise, the Shard will enter a dormant state.

The tiered rewards are designed to grow as the user contributes: Azure ($500 / 12%), Violet ($1,500 / 20%), and Radiant ($3,000 / 28%+ APY).

Going forward, the rewards are generated from actual transaction routing fees. This eliminates the need for high energy bills or ASIC-based equipment. The shards upgrade automatically once the user’s cumulative contributions across assets like BTC, SOL, or ETH hit the following tier.

The Power of a Transparent Community

It goes without saying that social proof is a very important indicator for a project’s health. Bitcoin Everlight has already managed to establish a notable presence. The official X account is a primary source for real-time news and technical insights, while the Telegram community is a hub for shard holders to share their dashboard successes. This transparency is reinforced by live leaderboards and activity feeds, which foster a sense of healthy competition.

Strategic Market Expansion and Listing Goals

When it comes to the BTCL token’s growth potential, it’s worth noting that it’s closely tied to its upcoming listing on major centralized exchanges. The team is now working on securing debuts on global platforms. To ensure the price stays stable and the market remains healthy, 15% of the total token supply is reserved for liquidity on both decentralized and centralized exchanges.

As some industry observers have pointed out, early participants who secure their shards now are positioning themselves for significant upside as the project gains mainstream visibility. This strategic reserve ensures that as adoption grows, the ecosystem remains liquid and accessible for all holders.

Technical Innovation in Bitcoin Scaling

Bitcoin serves as a lightweight routing and validation layer that operates alongside the original chain, unlike traditional Layer-2 solutions. It’s designed to address real-world usability issues, including transaction speed and high fees, without changing Bitcoin’s core consensus.

Everlight Nodes handle the optimized routing paths, ensuring that security remains anchored to the base layer.

• The project has undergone rigorous security checks by Spywolf and Solidproof to ensure contract safety.
• Team identity is fully verified through Spywolf and Vital Block protocols.
• The shard model makes node-level participation accessible to retail investors for only a $10 minimum.
• This architecture is designed to remain profitable even as traditional mining difficulty rises.

Crypto Nitro has noted that this security-first approach is what gives the platform its competitive edge in a crowded market.

Effortless User Experience and Global Reach

The platform is built for everyone, not just technical experts.

The dashboard is fully responsive on both mobile and desktop, featuring WalletConnect integration for a secure and immediate link to your assets. With a simple three-step process: buy, activate, and earn, the friction of participating in Bitcoin rewards is gone. Support for multiple payment options ensures that anyone can participate without being slowed down by technical hurdles.

The live reward tracking and visual tier progress help users stay informed about their earnings in real time, making the journey toward passive income as simple as possible.

Conclusion

The transition toward passive BTC models is the defining trend of 2026, and Bitcoin Everlight is leading the way. By combining a secure shard system with a transparent technical foundation, the project offers a sustainable alternative to traditional mining. The opportunity to secure tokens at Phase 4 prices is a limited window that allows you to participate in the growth of the Bitcoin payment layer. As the project moves toward its mainnet launch and major exchange listings, the momentum continues to build for those ready to embrace the next phase of digital wealth.

To get started, visit our official site and use code SHARD15 at checkout to receive your exclusive 15% bonus.

Interested investors can find more information here or check Bitcoin Everlight’s X and Telegram.

Disclaimer: The above article is sponsored content; it’s written by a third party. CryptoPotato doesn’t endorse or assume responsibility for the content, advertising, products, quality, accuracy, or other materials on this page. Nothing in it should be construed as financial advice. Readers are strongly advised to verify the information independently and carefully before engaging with any company or project mentioned and to do their own research. Investing in cryptocurrencies carries a risk of capital loss, and readers are also advised to consult a professional before making any decisions that may or may not be based on the above-sponsored content.

Readers are also advised to read CryptoPotato’s full disclaimer.

The post The Next Phase of Bitcoin: Why Passive BTC Models Like Bitcoin Everlight Are Gaining Momentum in 2026 appeared first on CryptoPotato.

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

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

Perfect Financial Storm Is Here

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

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

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

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

BTC and Gold Are the Answer?

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

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

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

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