The extended airstrikes without ground troops suggest a cautious approach, impacting market expectations and highlighting strategic uncertainty.

The post Trump says Iran strikes to extend 2-3 weeks, no ground troops mentioned appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The IRGC's defiance signals internal stability, influencing prediction markets and potentially escalating US-Iran tensions.

The post Iran’s IRGC defies trump’s threats, impacting regime stability odds appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Iran's economic target shift heightens conflict risks, complicating diplomatic efforts and increasing uncertainty of US military involvement.

The post Iran attacks gulf aluminum sites, escalating US-linked conflict appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Iran's diplomatic outreach may signal potential de-escalation, impacting market confidence and altering geopolitical dynamics in the region.

The post Iran invites global powers to negotiate Strait of Hormuz transit appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Macron's diplomatic efforts could shift geopolitical dynamics, potentially reducing military tensions and influencing global energy markets.

The post Macron pushes for trust to reopen Strait of Hormuz, impacting ceasefire odds appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Interactive Brokers Adds Bitcoin Trading in European Economic Area

Interactive Brokers has launched crypto trading for eligible retail investors across the European Economic Area, extending its digital asset offering through Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited, an authorized crypto-asset service provider.

The rollout gives users access to 11 digital assets, including Bitcoin, alongside equities, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and mutual funds within a single account interface.

The offering is enabled through an integration with Zero Hash, which provides backend crypto and stablecoin infrastructure for institutional platforms. The partnership expands an existing relationship between the two firms and opens access to a market of roughly 450 million people across the EEA.

Clients can trade these assets across Interactive Brokers’ platform suite, including Trader Workstation, IBKR Desktop, Client Portal, IBKR Mobile, and IBKR GlobalTrader.

The company said the integration allows investors to manage digital assets and traditional securities in one place. The platform provides a unified portfolio view and shared infrastructure for execution, risk monitoring, and capital allocation.

“Our clients want the flexibility to diversify into crypto-assets while maintaining the tools, pricing, and trust they rely on,” said CEO Milan Galik. He added that combining asset classes within one platform supports more efficient management of liquidity and portfolio exposure.

Interactive Brokers set commission rates between 0.12% and 0.18% of trade value. The firm said the service avoids spreads, markups, and custody fees, while allowing limit orders for price control. Crypto markets on the platform operate on a continuous basis, reflecting the 24/7 structure of digital asset trading.

Growing bitcoin offerings in Europe 

The EEA expansion builds on existing crypto offerings in other regions. Interactive Brokers already provides digital asset trading in the United States through its domestic entity and in the United Kingdom through Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited. 

The latest rollout marks a continuation of the firm’s effort to integrate crypto within its global brokerage framework.

The move comes as European regulators implement new digital asset rules that formalize licensing requirements for crypto service providers. By operating through its Irish affiliate, Interactive Brokers aligns its offering with regional regulatory standards while expanding product access for retail clients.

The firm said the launch addresses demand from investors seeking exposure to crypto markets without relying on separate exchanges or wallets. By consolidating asset classes under one platform, Interactive Brokers positions its brokerage model as a bridge between traditional finance and digital assets.

This post Interactive Brokers Adds Bitcoin Trading in European Economic Area first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

U.S. Treasury Launches First GENIUS Act Rulemaking With 87-Page Proposal

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has formally begun implementing the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, releasing its first notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and opening a 60-day public comment period.

The 87-page proposal outlines how the Treasury will determine whether state-level stablecoin regulatory regimes are “substantially similar” to the federal framework—a key threshold allowing smaller issuers to remain under state supervision.

Under the GENIUS Act, stablecoin issuers with less than $10 billion in outstanding supply can opt for state-level regulation, provided those regimes meet or exceed federal standards. The proposed rule establishes broad principles to guide that determination, while leaving states flexibility in areas like licensing, supervision, and enforcement.

According to the document, the Treasury draws a clear distinction between “uniform requirements” — such as reserve backing and anti-money laundering compliance — and “state-calibrated requirements,” where local regulators retain discretion, including capital and risk management standards.

Notably, the proposal anchors the federal benchmark largely to rules and interpretations issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, signaling its central role in overseeing nonbank stablecoin issuers that transition to federal supervision after crossing the $10 billion threshold.

The rule also clarifies that state frameworks may exceed federal requirements, so long as they do not conflict with federal law or undermine overall comparability.

U.S. crypto legislation progress

The NPRM marks Treasury’s first formal step in translating the GENIUS Act — enacted in July 2025 — into an operational regulatory regime for payment stablecoins, with final rules expected after the public comment period closes.

State regimes would also be barred from weakening core disclosure standards, with issuers required to publish reserve composition reports at least monthly — matching federal frequency requirements. 

Naming restrictions would similarly apply across both frameworks, preventing state-regulated issuers from using prohibited terms in stablecoin branding. 

The proposal underscores that federal law remains the baseline, noting that any future legislation passed by Congress governing stablecoin issuers would automatically apply to state-regulated firms unless explicitly stated otherwise. 

The 2025 passage of the GENIUS Act marked a turning point in U.S. crypto policy, establishing the first federal framework for stablecoins and requiring full reserve backing, AML compliance, and regular disclosures. 

The law is widely seen as legitimizing dollar-backed stablecoins while reinforcing U.S. monetary dominance.

Since then, attention has shifted to implementation and follow-on legislation. Treasury reports issued under the GENIUS Act are expanding oversight tools, including measures targeting illicit finance and crypto mixers. 

At the same time, disputes between banks and crypto firms, especially over whether stablecoins can offer yield, have slowed broader market structure efforts.

Meanwhile, Congress is advancing complementary bills like the Clarity Act to define SEC and CFTC jurisdiction, signaling a broader push toward a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets.

This post U.S. Treasury Launches First GENIUS Act Rulemaking With 87-Page Proposal first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Citadel-Backed EDX Markets Applies for US Trust Bank Charter to Expand Crypto Services

EDX Markets, a cryptocurrency exchange backed by Citadel Securities, has applied for a national trust bank charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, marking a step toward deeper integration between digital asset firms and the US banking system.

The application, made public on April 1 according to recent filings, would allow EDX Markets to offer custody, asset management and principal trading services while continuing to operate its existing order-matching platform. The firm said the charter would place key functions such as custody and settlement under a regulated banking structure.

EDX Markets framed the move as part of an effort to reshape crypto market structure along lines seen in traditional finance. 

In its filing, the company argued that combining brokerage, exchange and custody functions within a single entity creates conflicts of interest and introduces operational risk. 

A trust bank model, it said, would separate custody and settlement from trading activity, aligning digital asset infrastructure with established financial market practices.

Banks are coming to crypto

Chief executive Tony Acuña-Rohter said the firm expects large banks to play a central role in the next phase of digital asset adoption. He said obtaining a trust charter would position EDX Markets to serve institutional clients that require regulated custody and settlement systems.

The application arrives during a shift in federal policy toward digital assets. Under the current administration, regulators have shown greater openness to crypto firms seeking entry into the banking system. Several companies have pursued similar charters in recent months as part of a broader push to operate under federal supervision.

In December, regulators granted conditional approval for trust bank charters to firms including Circle Internet Group and Ripple. Those approvals signaled a willingness to bring digital asset firms into the regulatory perimeter that governs custody and asset management.

EDX Markets said its proposed structure would reduce systemic risk by separating functions that are often combined on crypto platforms. 

The company pointed to traditional equities and derivatives markets, where exchanges, brokers, custodians and market makers operate as distinct entities. That separation, it said, limits conflicts between trade execution and asset custody while strengthening safeguards for client funds.

Founded in 2022, EDX Markets was built to serve institutional investors and financial firms entering the digital asset sector. In addition to Citadel Securities, its backers include Virtu Financial, Fidelity Digital Assets and Hudson River Trading. 

The platform was designed to mirror the structure of traditional financial markets, with a focus on separating trading activity from custody and settlement.

If approved, the trust charter would allow EDX Markets to expand its custody and settlement capabilities under federal oversight. National trust banks are permitted to hold client assets, provide fiduciary services and manage portfolios, subject to supervision by the OCC.

This post Citadel-Backed EDX Markets Applies for US Trust Bank Charter to Expand Crypto Services first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Genius Group (GNS) Dumps All Bitcoin Holdings to Clear Debt, Plans Treasury Rebuild

Genius Group sold its entire Bitcoin reserves to repay $8.5 million in debt, the company said today. The firm entered a Bitcoin first strategy in late 2024 after the US election, allocating most reserves to Bitcoin and building a treasury position that reached 440 BTC by February 2025.

After a court order blocked fundraising and share issuance, the company sold portions of its holdings and reduced exposure. In February 2026, Genius Group held about 84 BTC after prior sales that included roughly 86 BTC in the month before.

The remaining Bitcoin was liquidated to remove $8.5 million in liabilities and support debt repayment, leaving the company without crypto reserves and selling at a loss.

Genius Group reported Q1 2026 operational revenue of $3.3 million, up 171 percent from the prior year, with gross profit at $2.0 million and net operating profit at $2.7 million.

Adjusted EBITDA reached $600,000 as the company shifted focus toward higher margin education programs and experiential learning.

Genius Group: Rebuilding a bitcoin treasury at the right time

The company said it will rebuild its Bitcoin treasury when market conditions support renewed accumulation.

“In addition to an ongoing focus on profitable operations, the Company has restructured its debt agreements, selling the remainder of its Bitcoin Treasury and repaying in full the Company’s $8.5 million in debt. The Company will recommence building its Bitcoin Treasury when it believes market conditions are more favourable,” the company wrote in a release. 

Chief executive Roger Hamilton said the group focus remains on three units: Genius School, Genius Academy, and Genius Resorts. The group said legal actions progressed during the quarter and management focus stayed on operations and growth initiatives.

Genius Group outlined a series of operational and strategic developments as it continues to reposition its business around education technology and experiential learning. The company said its Genius Academy division expanded AI-powered learning programs tailored for enterprises and government partners, aimed at workforce training and skills development. 

Genius School also launched in Bali integrated primary middle and secondary curriculum under Cambridge system with focus on future education model

At the same time, Genius Resorts contributed incremental revenue through experiential education offerings, including hosted learning events in Bali that blend curriculum with immersive, on-site instruction.

The firm also reported progress on its broader infrastructure ambitions in Southeast Asia, citing continued expansion of its “Genius City” initiative in Bali. The project is designed to scale both student and residential capacity, building out a combined education and living hub.

On the financial side, the company pointed to insider buying as a signal of confidence, with its CEO accumulating a total of 5.5 million shares since 2024. Revenue growth was driven by expansion across business lines, alongside a shift toward higher-margin segments that improved the company’s overall gross margin profile. 

Genius Group also reported a return to net profitability, supported by a reduced debt burden and the restructuring of financing agreements. Adjusted EBITDA turned positive, which the company said aligns with its operational targets for fiscal 2026.

This post Genius Group (GNS) Dumps All Bitcoin Holdings to Clear Debt, Plans Treasury Rebuild first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

HRF’s Bitcoin Development Fund Announces Support for 26 Projects Worldwide

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has announced 1.5 billion satoshis in new grants through its Bitcoin Development Fund (BDF), expanding support for projects focused on Bitcoin infrastructure, privacy, and education.

The funding round targets open-source developers, researchers, and educational initiatives working across Bitcoin’s ecosystem, with an emphasis on tools that strengthen financial privacy and censorship resistance. According to HRF, the grants are intended to advance Bitcoin-based technologies that can support dissidents and human rights defenders operating under authoritarian regimes.

The organization estimates its efforts ultimately serve billions of people living under restrictive political systems, where access to open financial networks and uncensorable payment rails can be limited or surveilled. Supported projects will span software development, Bitcoin research, and grassroots education programs across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

HRF said the initiative is designed to reinforce Bitcoin’s role as a tool for financial freedom, enabling journalists, nonprofit organizations, and activists to more securely communicate, organize, and receive support globally through Bitcoin.

HRF’s grantees for the first quarter of 2026 include:

Bitcoin Privacy

Bitcoin Core P2P Privacy Enhancements

Bitcoin Core P2P privacy enhancements are an important area of ongoing work. Bitcoin Core developer Naiyoma is developing improvements to make it harder to track nodes running across multiple networks. This work strengthens the privacy of Bitcoin’s most widely used software implementations. HRF’s grant will enable Naiyoma to work full-time on these enhancements, helping activists and everyday users run Bitcoin infrastructure more safely in environments where financial activity may be monitored.

JoinMarket-NG

Bitcoin’s public ledger makes transactions traceable. CoinJoin is a privacy technique that improves this by combining multiple users’ transactions. This makes it harder to link payments to specific individuals. JoinMarket-NG is a new implementation of this technique that uses a peer-to-peer liquidity market, where some users provide liquidity and earn fees, while others pay for increased privacy. This grant will support development and the external security audits needed to fully launch JoinMarket-NG as an open-source tool that improves financial privacy for those who need it most.

Bitcoin Payments

Banxaas

Many people in heavily-authoritarian West Africa lack simple ways to convert between local currency and Bitcoin without banks or custodial services. Banxaas is a local platform created by Bitcoin developer Nourou that allows people to instantly exchange between the CFA franc and bitcoin without requiring accounts. Removing the many barriers common to centralized exchanges offers a way for more people in West Africa to use Bitcoin. HRF’s grant will help finalize Banxass’s mobile app development and integrate more mobile money providers into the service to expand bitcoin payments across the region.

ChapSmart

Tanzanians sending and receiving money across borders face some of the highest remittance fees in the world, losing a significant portion of every transfer to banks and intermediaries. ChapSmart, a Bitcoin application built by software developer Brian Mosha, helps Tanzanians send remittances, pay bills, and access Bitcoin — instantly and affordably — by bridging the Lightning Network directly to M-Pesa. It connects Bitcoin to existing payment rails, making the app usable for everyday activities. HRF’s grant will support development, outreach, and education to help Tanzanians preserve their savings and transact more freely under the country’s increasingly authoritarian regime.

Minmo

Centralized digital asset exchanges require users to submit sensitive user data. This creates surveillance risks for human rights defenders transacting under dictatorships. Minmo offers an alternative. It connects users with trusted local agents who facilitate exchanges between fiat currencies and bitcoin without relying on centralized platforms. Embedding these services into apps and community networks allows people to access bitcoin through trusted intermediaries rather than data-collecting exchanges. HRF’s grant will support Minmo’s operational growth, infrastructure, and expand access to bitcoin for dissidents facing financial repression.

Tando

In Kenya, most merchants rely on M-PESA, a mobile money system for digital payments. To provide Kenyans with greater financial freedom and global payment options, African technologist Sabina Waithira Gitau co-founded Tando, a payment app that lets anyone pay merchants with bitcoin while merchants receive Kenyan shillings through an integration with M-PESA. This allows Kenyans to spend bitcoin from their own Lightning wallets as everyday money in Kenya. HRF’s funding will support Tando’s expansion into new countries in the region, enabling more people to transact with the global mobile money that is bitcoin.

Tapnob

Across much of Africa, using bitcoin for everyday payments often requires high fees or complicated withdrawal processes. Tapnob addresses this by allowing users to buy bitcoin through local bank transfers and convert only the amount needed into local currency. This lets people cover daily expenses or send cross-border support in local currency, while preserving the value of their savings in bitcoin. HRF’s grant will support Tapnob’s expansion across the continent and the development of educational resources to help individuals use bitcoin to transact more freely.

Bitcoin Development

rawBit

Building secure applications on Bitcoin requires understanding how transactions and scripts work at the protocol level, which can pose a steep learning curve for new developers. The rawBit platform lowers this barrier with a free, open-source visual editor that lets users build and inspect raw transactions using drag-and-drop tools. Helping more developers understand Bitcoin’s underlying mechanics strengthens the open-source infrastructure upon which people under financial repression depend. While the platform already includes 14 interactive lessons, HRF’s grant will support new modules on advanced topics like Taproot and the Lightning Network. 

doblon8

Safely approving Bitcoin transactions without exposing sensitive data to the internet is a real concern for some users. One solution is air-gapped signing, where a Bitcoin transaction is made without ever connecting to the internet. Sparrow Wallet, a non-custodial Bitcoin wallet, supports this functionality using a webcam integration to scan QR codes. Bitcoin developer doblon8 is improving this feature by replacing outdated scanning software with faster, more reliable code. This grant will help strengthen this feature, making it easier and safer for human rights defenders to use Sparrow Wallet to manage their bitcoin.

Bitcoin Community

Bitcoin Benin

Benin remains tied to the CFA franc, a colonial-era monetary system that limits economic sovereignty and restricts access to the global economy. Bitcoin Benin, a local group of educators and developers, is building a Bitcoin Knowledge Hub to develop an alternative. The Hub will be a physical learning center and co-working space where individuals can learn how to use and build Bitcoin tools. HRF’s grant will support the hub’s infrastructure and the 2026 Bitcoin Mastermind conference, funding workshops and training programs expected to reach more than 1,000 participants.

Bitcoin for Good

Refugees, asylum seekers, and people living under authoritarian rule are often excluded from traditional banking systems. This makes it difficult for already vulnerable people to send, receive, and store their money. Bitcoin for Good, a program of the Groundswell Project founded by the late human rights activist Hadiyah Masieh, works with these groups to help use Bitcoin for remittances, savings, and direct donations. The program provides hands-on training for individuals who cannot rely on conventional financial services. HRF’s grant will fund community outreach and documentation to expand the program and replicate it in new communities.

Bitcoin House Malaysia

In Malaysia’s evolving political and regulatory environment, there is growing awareness of how financial systems and policies can influence public expression and community engagement. Bitcoin House Malaysia, an education hub in Kuala Lumpur founded by Nostr developer Shaun Time, offers hands-on learning for students to explore Bitcoin and other open-source technologies that promote free expression and financial autonomy. This grant will support operations and technical workshops, helping a local community build and use tools that strengthen resilience against censorship and centralized financial constraints.

Summer of Bitcoin

Students around the world — particularly those living under dictatorships and broken economies — lack a pathway to contribute to Bitcoin’s open-source development. Summer of Bitcoin meets this need by providing a global internship that pairs students with experienced mentors. Participants contribute to Bitcoin’s codebase through a developer track and improve user interfaces through a designer track while gaining hands-on experience. HRF’s funding will support student stipends and mentorship compensation, helping cultivate a more diverse group of contributors to Bitcoin’s development that reflects global needs.

Yes Bitcoin Haiti

In Haiti, persistent currency instability makes it difficult for many people to preserve the value of their work and savings. Local education initiative and community Yes Bitcoin Haiti is building a circular economy where individuals and merchants can earn, spend, and save without relying on the local currency. The initiative also undertakes educational outreach to local human rights defenders. HRF’s grant will support Bitcoin adoption and leadership development to equip Haitians and local civil society with the tools to transact freely in Bitcoin and preserve the value of their hard-earned labor within an open, borderless financial system.

Freedom Tech

The Activist Atlas

Oftentimes, activists meet at conferences, build powerful connections, and then lose contact once the event ends. To foster ongoing collaboration, Cato Policy Analyst Nick Anthony and Bitcoin educator Paco de la India created the Activist Atlas, an interactive digital platform that allows changemakers to stay connected, discover one another’s work, and coordinate year-round while introducing freedom technologies like Bitcoin for donations and Nostr for secure communication. HRF’s grant will support the platform’s launch and help grow a global network of activists using freedom tech to remain inspired and operational.

Krux

Securely holding bitcoin often requires specialized signing devices that rely on proprietary components. This makes them costly or difficult to obtain in corrupt regimes or weak economies. Krux is open-source software that transforms widely available devices into secure Bitcoin signing devices. It supports offline transactions and is available in 10 languages to broaden accessibility. HRF’s grant will support software developer Odudex in refining the project so more people can securely hold bitcoin under authoritarian regimes.

LearnNostr

Despite its potential as a censorship-resistant communication protocol, Nostr remains difficult for newcomers to understand and use. To lower these hurdles, educational platform LearnNostr provides a beginner-focused introduction that breaks the protocol down into practical lessons. Created by data scientist Cristy Almonte, the curriculum teaches real-world use cases (such as pseudonymous identities and secure publishing) for those living under the grip of dictators. HRF’s funding will support the platform’s development and help more people living under censorship communicate safely.

NetBlocks Internet Observatory

Authoritarian regimes increasingly shut down the internet and block platforms to silence dissent, obscure human rights abuses, and disrupt financial alternatives. NetBlocks, an internet observatory founded by technologist Alp Toker, tracks and documents these disruptions in real time. Its reporting creates a global record of internet censorship that helps hold authoritarian regimes accountable. HRF’s support will sustain this monitoring so activists and civil society can expose digital repression as it happens.

Bitcoin Research & Education

AmityAge
In many authoritarian countries, activists and civil society groups face currency instability, financial restrictions, and surveillance. To alleviate these pain points, Bitcoin initiative AmityAge launched the Bitcoin Educators Academy, a program that prepares local educators to teach financial sovereignty under repression. HRF’s support will fund event costs for five academies, training 75 educators in essential soft and communication skills to teach self-custody and the use of permissionless financial tools in their regions in a clear and understandable way.

Base58

For Bitcoin to function as freedom money, its development must remain neutral and independent. To better understand whether funding influences that independence, Base58, a technical Bitcoin education school, will publish “Funding and Open Source Contributions to Bitcoin,” a research report analyzing how funding sources shape open-source contributions using quantitative and visual data. HRF’s support will fund the personnel and equipment needed to complete this two-month study.

Bitcoin Policy Norway

Norway is considering a Bitcoin mining ban that could set a precedent across Nordic and European democracies if policymakers misunderstand Bitcoin’s broader role in financial freedom. This could provide cover for authoritarian regimes to implement more repressive policies. To address this risk, the Bitcoin Policy Norway launched Bitcoin Education for Norwegian Policymakers. This initiative will provide officials, aid organizations, and media with evidence-based research and testimonials from dissidents resisting authoritarian regimes on Bitcoin’s human rights applications. HRF’s grant will support operations, travel, and outreach to ensure decision-makers understand Bitcoin’s value and avoid policies that could restrict access to this technology.

BTC Shule

In Burundi, state control over financial access leaves little room for independent alternatives. BTC Shule, a local Bitcoin community founded by social entrepreneur ₿elyï, will launch an eight-month accelerator program to train developers to build open-source Bitcoin tools suited for this specific environment. The program will offer meetups and mentorship for participants. HRF funding will support a hackathon, stipends, and operational costs to build freedom tech tailored to Burundi’s local financial realities under an authoritarian regime.

Daniel Batten

Authoritarian regulation often determines whether people can legally use Bitcoin, shaping its potential as a tool for financial freedom in the places where it is most needed. Bitcoin researcher Daniel Batten will examine this issue through data-driven research and educational outreach. His work will focus on informing and training activists and civil society in countries such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt. HRF’s grant will help fund the research, production, and outreach that enable individuals to use Bitcoin more freely.

DIYbitcoin

In repressive environments, access to Bitcoin tools can be costly, restricted, or monitored. DIYbitcoin is a resource that helps individuals bypass these barriers by teaching them how to build and operate their own hardware using open-source software and affordable, off-the-shelf components. The project will create a multilingual library of visual do-it-yourself guides tailored to communities across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. This grant will fund workshops and educator training to help local communities adopt self-custody and run their own Bitcoin infrastructure.

Economic Inclusion Group

Financial exclusion is increasingly used by dictators to silence civil society and restrict democratic participation. To document and expose this growing pattern, Jorge Jraissati, president of the Economic Inclusion Group, is leading a research initiative titled Documenting, Communicating, and Protecting Victims of Financial Exclusion. The project will document 100 cases of dissidents cut off from financial systems worldwide. It will share these stories through articles, podcasts, and social media to reach more than three million people. HRF’s grant will support researchers and operational costs to publish these cases.

SeedSigner User Guide

Hardware wallets are one of the safest ways to store Bitcoin, but they can be expensive and technically challenging, especially for those new to self-custody. SeedSigner, an open-source hardware wallet, allows users to build their own signing devices from inexpensive, widely available components. However, its limited documentation can make the setup process more challenging for newcomers. Easy, a contributor to the SeedSigner project, is creating a step-by-step user guide to simplify the process. HRF’s funding will support the development of this resource, helping human rights defenders with limited resources securely store and manage their bitcoin.

This post HRF’s Bitcoin Development Fund Announces Support for 26 Projects Worldwide first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Treasury's first proposed GENIUS rule landed on April 1 as a notice of proposed rulemaking.

The text inside it builds the operational architecture for US stablecoin governance, addressing which institutions may issue payment stablecoins, under what conditions, and at what scale before federal oversight becomes mandatory.

Why this matters: This shifts stablecoins from a fragmented regulatory patchwork toward a nationally coordinated system. For users, it affects how safely dollars can be redeemed and moved. For issuers, it defines whether they can scale independently or must transition into a federal regime as they grow.

By defining when a state licensing regime qualifies as “substantially similar” to the federal framework, Treasury is now defining those terms.

The stablecoin market already holds roughly $316 billion, with USDT accounting for about 58% of the supply, per DeFiLlama.

Retail-sized volume for USDC, USDT, and PYUSD grew from $500 million to $69.8 billion between 2019 and 2025. FSOC's 2025 annual report described the GENIUS framework as a federal prudential system designed to onshore stablecoin innovation, protect holders in the event of insolvency, and support the US dollar's international role.

Treasury's NPRM now shows how that prudential vision operates on the ground.

Related Reading

Trump signs GENIUS Act into law, activating America's first regulatory framework for stablecoins

In addition to sign the stablecoin framework into law, Trump vowed to approve the market structure bill next.

Jul 18, 2025 · Gino Matos

The hidden fight over who governs

The Treasury chairs the interagency review committee that certifies state stablecoin regimes, which includes leadership from the Fed and the FDIC.

That committee's judgment rests on the “substantially similar” test, and Treasury's proposal defines that test to include the GENIUS Act itself, as well as the implementing regulations and interpretations issued by federal agencies over time.

Treasury says that substantial similarity would be hard to administer, and state and federal standards could “starkly deviate.”

As OCC, Treasury, the Fed, FinCEN, and OFAC add implementing rules, the standard Washington uses to measure states shifts with them. State regimes approved today must track a benchmark that Washington keeps building.

Treasury organizes the rule around two categories. The first, called uniform, covers the parts that establish trust in the instrument itself: reserve assets, redemption, monthly reserve publication, limits on rehypothecation, accountant examinations, BSA/sanctions compliance, lawful-order capability, and core activity limits.

State implementation of each uniform requirement must be consistent with the federal framework “in all substantive respects,” with no material deviations in definitions or scope. For BSA and sanctions specifically, states must cross-reference federal rules directly, with no room for state-drafted substitutes.

The second category allows calibration around some capital, liquidity, reserve diversification, risk management, applications, licensing, and certain redemption mechanics. Treasury still constrains that room, and state choices in the flexible bucket must produce outcomes “at least as stringent and protective” as the federal framework.

For example, a state may allow additional reserve assets only if the OCC has already approved them as similarly liquid federal government-issued assets. That is federal pre-clearance administered through state paperwork.

The $10 billion ceiling and what it produces

The GENIUS Act caps the state option at issuers with no more than $10 billion in consolidated outstanding payment stablecoins.

Treasury adds that state transition rules cannot impede a move to federal oversight once an issuer crosses that line, and issuers in a state that fails certification must either stop issuing payment stablecoins or move into the federal licensing framework.

The $10 billion ceiling is the structural tell, since the state lane functions as an entry point for smaller issuers. At scale, the federal framework becomes the only durable home.

Citi's updated 2026 forecast puts its base-case estimate for the 2030 stablecoin market at $1.9 trillion. Standard Chartered projected the market could reach $2 trillion by the end of 2028.

Related Reading

Treasury’s $2 trillion stablecoin vision meets a reality check as USD1 depegs

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Feb 24, 2026 · Gino Matos

A market at that scale runs on uniform reserve, redemption, and compliance standards and rewards issuers capable of absorbing national-style regulatory overhead.

Visa's concentration data already reflects the current destination: as of October 2025, more than 97% of the stablecoin supply had converged on USDT and USDC. Treasury's design standardizes the conditions that large, compliant issuers are already built to meet.

Standard Chartered estimated stablecoins could pull roughly $500 billion in deposits out of US banks by the end of 2028.

The number frames the context correctly: stablecoins are becoming claims on dollar liquidity that sit alongside traditional bank deposits, and the institution that governs the terms of stablecoin issuance governs an expanding piece of dollar infrastructure.

Treasury's proposal positions Washington as that institution.

Two paths through the same architecture

The bull case runs from clarity to scale. Uniform national rules on reserves, redemption, and compliance remove the uncertainty that has kept banks, card networks, and enterprise treasury teams cautious about deep integration with stablecoins.

Along that path, supply tracks toward the Citi and Standard Chartered forecasts, Visa's 130-plus card programs are overlaid on stablecoin wallets, and the state lane serves as a launch ramp for smaller issuers before they graduate to federal supervision.

Treasury's tight architecture then reads as the operating manual for US digital dollar expansion, which is a framework that made the market credible enough to absorb institutional demand at scale.

The bear case runs the same architecture in reverse. The forthcoming BSA/AML and lawful order rules, which both Treasury and the OCC have flagged as still pending in separate rulemakings, could entail heavy operational requirements.

If certification proves slow, costly, or politically fraught, smaller issuers may find the state lane functionally inaccessible even before they approach the $10 billion threshold.

The result would be a market that is legally cleaner but structurally oligopolistic, with innovation relocating to distribution and infrastructure, away from issuance.

Treasury frames a different goal. The predictable market response to high uniform compliance floors and a hard ceiling on state-lane scale is concentration, and Visa's existing market data shows the market was already moving in that direction before the rule arrived.

Washington holds the baseline

This NPRM is part of a larger regulatory framework. OCC's February proposal covered the required GENIUS regulations, except those tied to BSA, AML, and OFAC sanctions, which will be addressed in a separate rulemaking coordinated with Treasury.

Treasury's own NPRM flags that rules on lawful-order compliance are forthcoming as well. The full compliance map for stablecoin issuers awaits completion.

The $316 billion market and $10 trillion transaction volume settled the question of stablecoins belonging in the US finance. Treasury is deciding who gets to shape them as they enter it.

The first proposed GENIUS rule makes the answer clear: Washington accepts state participation in stablecoin issuance within a federal architecture that the Treasury continues to build, on Washington's terms.

The post US Treasury’s first GENIUS rule now redraws who controls stablecoins at scale appeared first on CryptoSlate.

On Mar. 31, Moody's assigned provisional Ba2 ratings to up to $100 million in taxable revenue bonds for the Waverose Finance Project. The bonds are secured by a loan to NH CleanSpark Borrower Trust 2026-1, with Bitcoin (BTC) as the pledged collateral.

Those numbers set the conditions under which traditional finance agreed to work with Bitcoin at all: 72.06 cents of credit for every dollar of collateral value, a two-day exposure window to act on price moves, and 1.60x initial collateral coverage, which forces action when it drops to 1.40x.

Bitcoin has spent years auditioning for legitimacy as a store of value, a corporate treasury reserve, and an ETF asset. The New Hampshire deal points to Bitcoin as collateral.

Collateral is where an asset earns credit utility, something institutions can borrow against inside structures that credit markets can understand, price, and, when necessary, liquidate fast. That is the line Bitcoin just crossed.

Why this matters: This is the first time Bitcoin has been formally translated into credit terms that public markets understand. Instead of being held or traded, BTC is now being assigned a borrowing value, a liquidation threshold, and a stress price, turning it from an asset into usable financial collateral. That shift opens a new source of liquidity for holders, but also introduces a system where price drops can trigger automatic selling across multiple structures at once.

The opening price of trust

The Waverose structure is a taxable conduit revenue bond.

New Hampshire’s role ends at the conduit, and bondholders carry all loss risk. This is limited-recourse, institutional plumbing.

Two things follow from that structure. First, it keeps risk quarantined: if the collateral breaks down, bondholders absorb the loss. Second, it lays out the precise terms on which traditional finance decided Bitcoin could enter the credit system.

At 1.60x initial collateral coverage, the bond starts with debt equal to about 62.5% of collateral value. The 1.40x trigger, at which automatic action kicks in, implies a debt of roughly 71.4%.

The structure hits its wire trip when BTC falls by approximately 12.5% from issuance pricing, a move Bitcoin has executed routinely.

Moody's stressed the collateral value at 72.06% of the market price. Mapped to Bitcoin's Apr. 1 price in the $68,000 zone, the stress zone lands near $49,600.

Standard Chartered put its near-term bear case for Bitcoin at $50,000, and the traditional finance firms calibrated their first public finance haircut on Bitcoin almost exactly on top of a downside path that one of the world's largest banks still considers reachable.

From owned to pledged

New Hampshire arrived alongside two other recent moves pointing in the same direction.

In February, S&P assigned the first-ever rating to a structured finance transaction backed by Bitcoin. The transaction was the Ledn Issuer Trust 2026-1, with roughly $199.1 million in loans secured by 4,078.87 BTC, carrying a fair market value of approximately $356.9 million, implying an LTV of about 55.8% at inception.

In March, Better and Coinbase launched what they called the first crypto-backed conforming mortgage, in which a borrower pledges $250,000 in BTC to fund a $100,000 down payment, while the first lien stays Fannie Mae-backed.

Bitcoin received three credit wrappers in roughly six weeks, each with different haircuts, liquidation mechanics, and regulatory constraints. Together, they describe a process in which Bitcoin enters credit markets through multiple doors at once, and those doors are edging closer to ordinary household finance.

The US municipal market carried $4.4 trillion in outstanding bonds as of the fourth quarter of 2025. Households held 48% directly and about 21% through mutual funds.

Munis occupy a specific psychological slot in American savings culture, sitting where advisors park money for clients who want safety adjacent to tax efficiency.

The Waverose bond lands in the taxable conduit corner. Taxable muni issuance ran only about $33 billion in 2025, less than 6% of the market total. At $100 million, this deal represents roughly 0.0023% of the outstanding muni market.

One mechanism for two potential futures

For Bitcoin holders and treasury-heavy firms, collateral utility cuts in opposite directions depending on where the price goes.

Strategy held 762,099 BTC as of Mar. 31. Between Mar. 4 and 25, MARA sold 15,133 BTC for about $1.1 billion to fund a debt repurchase, which were outright spot sales to cover a balance sheet obligation.

A functioning BTC-collateral market sits between the two postures of full accumulation and outright liquidation, while providing credit against reserves that lets holders raise capital while keeping their Bitcoin position.

Fidelity noted in March that public companies and ETFs together hold roughly 12% of Bitcoin's circulating supply, and that 2025 was Bitcoin's least volatile year on record, based on annualized realized volatility.

If that holds and Bitcoin trades toward the $100,000-$150,000 range Bernstein projected for late 2026, the collateral channel becomes genuinely attractive. BTC-rich firms carry large reserves at lower realized volatility, lenders build confidence in liquidation assumptions, and the haircut required to access credit shrinks across successive deal cycles.

Each rated transaction adds data to Bitcoin's nearly empty track record as pledged collateral. A second deal, a third, a cluster, and the pricing of trust starts to compress.

The bear case runs through the opposite direction of the same mechanism. Bitcoin revisiting $50,000, near Standard Chartered's downside projection and close to the Moody's stress zone from current prices, turns the operational question live.

Firms start to wonder whether the liquidation mechanics work cleanly when every BTC-backed structure needs to exit at once.

S&P's rating work on the Ledn ABS flagged operational and counterparty risk, event risk, and liquidation mechanics as the core uncertainties for Bitcoin-backed credit. It noted the market's ability to absorb forced selling from multiple structures tripping triggers inside the same price window.

A structure that reduces forced selling in calm markets can concentrate it in turbulent ones. That is the inherent geometry of collateralized credit, and Bitcoin's volatility makes the geometry sharper than it would be for any conventional pledged asset.

The first version of Bitcoin-backed public finance is small, speculative-grade, and built for taxable conduit territory. The architecture is constrained because those constraints were the only terms on which the credit system would engage.

What Moody's released on Mar. 31 was a pricing schedule for Bitcoin's entry into credit markets: the conditions under which bond investors set for accepting it as collateral.

Future deals will be negotiated on that schedule, tightening haircuts if volatility falls, widening them if it rises, testing different custody arrangements, and pushing toward the investment-grade boundary.

Each iteration adds institutional memory to a market that currently has almost none.

Bitcoin took years to become something institutions could buy through regulated channels. Becoming something they can lend against will follow the same logic of incremental, conditional growth, built on an accumulating track record.

The post Moody’s prices Bitcoin at a 28% haircut — and sets the trigger for forced selling appeared first on CryptoSlate.

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Once players advance past Level 9, the system transitions to a permanent 10% base rakeback paired with daily cashback rewards. Cashback begins at 2% and increases through the remaining tiers, reaching a maximum of 25% at the highest levels.

The redesigned progression curve addresses what the platform described as issues with the previous model, where early levels progressed too slowly and top-tier players reached the cap prematurely. The expanded 50-level structure distributes rewards more evenly across the full player lifecycle.

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Key Updates in Loyalty System v2

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Disclaimer: This was a sponsored post brought to you by Rakebit.

The post Rakebit Upgrades Rewards Program to 50 Levels, Offers Full Rakeback on First $1,000 Wagered appeared first on CryptoSlate.

What looks like a geopolitical threat aimed at US multinationals could quickly become a crypto story too.

That is because several of the companies threatened by Iran now sit inside the infrastructure, payments, and corporate treasury layers that parts of the digital-asset industry rely on.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the IRGC warned that US companies in the region would be targeted from April 1 and named firms including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla, and Boeing. Other multinationals mentioned in the reports included JPMorgan Chase, Oracle, Palantir, Cisco, HP, and Nvidia.

Why this matters: Crypto is no longer exposed only through exchanges and token prices. It now depends on cloud platforms, banking rails, and public companies with Bitcoin exposure, which means geopolitical threats aimed at mainstream firms can spill into digital assets faster than many investors expect.

The group said those companies would be treated as “legitimate targets” in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

For crypto markets, the significance is not that these are digital-asset companies in the narrow sense. It is that several of the firms named by Iran sit inside the operating stack that now supports large parts of the industry, from cloud computing and data processing to tokenized payments, treasury management, and corporate Bitcoin exposure.

The threat also comes after the war had already begun to hit infrastructure across the Gulf. Last month, Amazon Web Services data centers in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were damaged by drone strikes, disrupting cloud services and prolonging recovery efforts.

That episode showed how quickly geopolitical conflict can spill into the technical systems that businesses rely on, including companies tied to digital assets.

Meanwhile, the broader conflict has already expanded well beyond a conventional military exchange. Over more than a month of fighting, the US and Israel have struck Iranian energy and other national infrastructure, while Iran has launched more than 3,000 drones and missiles toward the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

Against that backdrop, the IRGC’s threat points to a wider phase of economic and corporate pressure, one that could extend into parts of the infrastructure surrounding crypto.

Which crypto-related firms are affected?

Not all of the companies named by the IRGC are crypto-native businesses. Still, several already have direct or indirect ties to the industry, making them relevant to the market beyond the usual reaction of Bitcoin and other tokens to war headlines.

• Google is the clearest example because it sits deep inside crypto’s operating stack, and its Web3 business is not a peripheral effort.

Google Cloud, a subsidiary of Google, offers managed node infrastructure, analytics tools, and developer services for blockchain applications, and works with firms such as Cardano-backed Midnight blockchain, Coinbase, and others.

In fact, the firm recently took a major step into blockchain infrastructure development with the launch of the Google Cloud Universal Ledger (GCUL). This is a Layer 1 blockchain network designed to enable faster payments and cross-border settlement.

Apart from that, Google has also emerged as an important financial backer behind Bitcoin miners’ shift toward artificial intelligence.

Rather than acquiring mining companies outright, the Alphabet-owned company has provided at least $5 billion in disclosed credit support tied to a handful of miners’ AI projects.

That backing has helped reframe some previously unrated Bitcoin miners as infrastructure-linked borrowers that lenders can view less as pure commodity businesses and more as counterparties with strategic data-center potential.

All of this does not make Google a crypto company, but it does place the firm close to one of the industry’s most important restructurings.

• JPMorgan’s link is different, but just as relevant.

Over the past years, the US banking giant has expanded its exposure to the crypto industry in several ways designed to foster adoption and growth.

For context, JP Morgan launched Kinexys in 2020 as a digital-asset service platform and has since processed more than $3 trillion of transactions.

The bank describes Kinexys as a blockchain-based payment rail that allows participating clients to move funds around the clock, including across borders, with availability spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The bank reportedly plans to double daily transaction values on its Kinexys blockchain platform to $10 billion.

Apart from that, JPMorgan has also pushed further into on-chain finance through its asset-management arm.

In December, it launched MONY on the public Ethereum network, giving qualified investors access to a tokenized money market fund backed by Treasuries and repurchase agreements. The firm also piloted JPMD, its dollar-denominated deposit token, on the Coinbase-backed Base network.

• Tesla is the most direct balance-sheet link among the companies named.

The Elon Musk-led company is not part of crypto’s infrastructure in the same way as Google or JPMorgan, but it remains one of the listed firms with measurable digital-asset exposure on its books.

According to data from BitcoinTreasuries.com, Tesla holds 11,509 Bitcoin as of press time, making it one of the top 20 public firms worldwide with BTC exposure. In fact, Tesla is the only top 10 company by market capitalization with exposure to the top crypto.

This stands it out in the broader market and confirms its conviction in the emerging industry.

Outside of Bitcoin, the company has also shown significant adoption for Dogecoin, the largest memecoin by market capitalization.

These efforts, alongside Musk's enduring interest in the crypto industry, make it a significant player within the sector.

The core shift here is simple: crypto risk is no longer confined to crypto-native companies.

As the sector becomes more entangled with big tech, banks, and public-company treasuries, threats aimed at those firms can become market-relevant for digital assets even when no exchange or blockchain company is directly named.

Other firms with crypto links

Beyond those first-order examples, the IRGC list also includes companies with looser but still notable ties to digital assets.

NVIDIA is one of them. The company is now defined primarily by AI computing and data-center revenue, but it previously had a long and sometimes contentious history with crypto mining.

Demand for its chips surged during earlier mining cycles, bringing both revenue upside and later legal scrutiny over disclosures tied to that business.

However, NVIDIA is no longer central to mining as it once was, but its historical connection to the sector remains part of the market’s memory, especially when crypto and AI capital spending begin to overlap.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s involvement with the emerging industry is more institutional and infrastructure-led.

The company’s crypto exposure has centered on enterprise blockchain through Azure rather than direct token holdings. It has accepted Bitcoin through BitPay in limited contexts, while also pursuing blockchain-as-a-service tools, decentralized identity work through ION, and research into secure computing systems relevant to digital infrastructure.

At the corporate treasury level, Microsoft has kept its distance. Its shareholders voted against adding Bitcoin to the balance sheet after the board recommended rejecting it. The board said such an assessment was unnecessary and preferred stable, low-risk investments over the volatility of crypto.

Taken together, the companies named by Iran show how far crypto’s exposure now extends beyond exchanges and token prices.

The industry’s links to cloud providers, global banks, AI infrastructure, and corporate treasuries mean geopolitical threats aimed at mainstream US firms can quickly become relevant to digital assets as well.

The next test is whether this threat remains rhetorical or starts to affect the companies and infrastructure layers that parts of crypto now depend on. If that happens, the market impact may show up first through cloud resilience, payments flows, and risk sentiment before it appears in token prices themselves.

The post Iran threatens major US companies in the Middle East creating new risk for crypto appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin is pushing back toward $70,000 as macro pressure eases, but each attempt is still being sold into. The market is improving on the outside while failing to resolve a key internal constraint.

Macro relief improves the backdrop as Bitcoin meets a crowded zone above $70,000

Bitcoin has opened April with a cleaner macro backdrop than the one that defined the final stretch of March.

The war premium in crude eased after reports that the U.S. could leave Iran within weeks if a peace deal advances, a shift that pushed Brent down to $99.44 and WTI to $97.55. Currency markets reflected the same cooling impulse, with the Dollar Index sliding to 99.534.

Rates softened into the week’s main U.S. macro event, with the 2-year Treasury yield near 3.76% and the 10-year near 4.28%. That combination has historically improved the operating environment for risk assets, including Bitcoin.

Price responded in kind. Bitcoin price traded around $68,724 on April 1, after swinging through an intraday range between roughly $66,000 and $69,2000.

Those numbers look contained at the daily close, although the structure under the surface carries more tension than a flat range suggests. The market has moved away from outright macro panic, while it has yet to secure the kind of broad, persistent demand that turns relief into expansion.

The result is a compressed setup, where a friendlier external backdrop meets thinner conviction near a heavily traded resistance zone.

Why this matters: It separates environment from execution. Macro conditions are becoming more supportive, but price is still failing at the same level. That gap typically resolves in one of two ways: either demand expands enough to absorb supply, or repeated rejection turns into a deeper pullback. The next move depends on which side gives first.

The key level in that equation remains $70,000. Glassnode’s recent market analysis shows Bitcoin struggling to secure clean closes above that area since early February. The same report shows realized profit momentum contracting by roughly 63%, a signal that the willingness to chase higher prices has cooled.

The pressure point comes from the group of recent buyers' trading decisions. Glassnode identifies the cost basis of holders with coins aged 1 week to 1 month at around $70,000, placing a dense block of supply directly overhead. When price revisits that zone, participants who bought the breakout often become sellers on a return to breakeven.

Repeated rejection can emerge from that structure even when the macro background improves.

This leaves Bitcoin in an unusually clear weekly frame. Oil has backed away from the highs, the dollar has softened, and yields have eased. Each of those shifts reduces one layer of pressure.

Yet the move above $70,000 still requires fresh demand capable of absorbing supply from recent entrants and late breakout buyers. That requirement sits at the center of the market’s current posture.

Stronger macro conditions have reopened the door for another push higher. Market structure still requires proof.

The next stage depends on how these layers interact. A cooler geopolitical premium in crude can continue to ease inflation stress. A softer dollar can improve liquidity conditions at the margin. Lower yields can support broad risk appetite.

Bitcoin still trades through its own internal constraint, which is the concentration of overhead supply close to the breakout zone. In that sense, the market enters the week with a better external environment and a more difficult internal test.

That distinction shapes the setup around Friday’s payrolls release and the weekend that follows.

Neutral funding, compressed volatility, and lighter leverage leave Bitcoin waiting for a conviction shift

The strongest fresh signal inside crypto comes from the derivatives complex. During stronger directional advances, perpetual funding usually leans clearly positive as traders pay to hold long exposure. That posture has faded.

Data from Coinalyze shows Bitcoin open interest near $20.1 billion, with average funding around -0.0046% and predicted funding near +0.0002%. That mix describes a derivatives market close to neutral.

The positive carry that often accompanies crowded bullish positioning has thinned sharply. The reset carries two implications. First, leverage has already been cleaned out to a meaningful degree. Second, the market is no longer leaning heavily enough in one direction to make the next move obvious from funding alone.

That reset becomes more important when paired with recent liquidation activity. Coinalyze places 24-hour liquidations near $48.6 million, a relatively modest figure given the range Bitcoin has traded through over the last several sessions.

Post-liquidation markets often enter a cleaner positioning state, where the next move can develop with fewer forced participants in the way. A reduction in open interest after leverage flushes also changes the character of the market.

The move that follows often emerges from a base that has already cleared excess exposure.

Volatility data reinforces the same reading. Glassnode’s implied volatility series showed Bitcoin at 52.32 on April 1, a level consistent with compression after a period of larger macro-driven swings. Recent market commentary has also noted realized volatility sliding from roughly 80 to just above 50.

Compression of that kind often precedes expansion, especially once expiry-related flows pass through the market and directional traders begin to rebuild. The setup points to conditions for a larger move once a convincing catalyst arrives.

Intraday behavior adds another layer. Daily closes have stayed relatively muted, although the path inside each session has become more unstable. Bitcoin has posted larger intraday swings while the broad range remains intact.

The pattern points to a market where conviction is fragmenting under the surface. Traders remain active, yet they are not pressing a broad directional consensus through the close. That condition often develops near turning points, where one side has lost momentum, and the other side has not yet secured control.

The market is no longer under pressure from leverage or macro shocks. The only unresolved question is whether buyers are strong enough to clear the $70,000 supply zone.

The buyer exhaustion argument fits within this structure, though it needs refinement. Broad demand has thinned at higher levels rather than vanished across the board. Spot flow data support that narrower conclusion.

Farside’s U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF figures show flows improving after a late-March drawdown, moving from -$225.5 million on March 27 to +$69.4 million on March 30 and +$117.5 million on March 31. CoinShares also reported $790 million in weekly Bitcoin inflows.

Marginal buying power above $70,000 has thinned, while demand at lower levels still exists. That distinction explains why dips can find support and why rallies continue to stall near the same zone.

The market, therefore, sits in a reset phase defined by three linked conditions: leverage has been reduced, volatility has compressed, and conviction above resistance remains incomplete. Each condition narrows the field for the next move.

Traders looking for a clear signal from funding are finding neutrality. Investors looking for evidence of structural demand are finding it in ETF flows, though not yet at a scale that clears the overhang supply in a single attempt.

The setup is less about panic and more about hesitation. In practice, that often creates a more binary reaction once macro data arrive.

Payrolls, oil, and yields now define the next test as Bitcoin moves into a macro-sensitive weekend

The week’s decisive catalyst comes from the U.S. labor market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the March Employment Situation on Friday, April 3, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. Consensus expectations tracked by major media point to roughly 60,000 new jobs with unemployment at 4.4%.

That estimate lands after a run of softer labor and confidence data. February job openings fell to 6.9 million, and hires dropped to 4.85 million, the weakest hiring pace since April 2020. Consumers are also showing strain.

The Conference Board’s March consumer confidence index fell to 91.8, while the expectations component slid to 70.9, a level often associated with recession risk.

Those readings shape the macro frame around Bitcoin directly. A softer jobs report could reinforce the recent decline in yields and extend pressure on the dollar, conditions that usually support scarce, liquid risk assets. That path would give Bitcoin a cleaner chance to test whether demand can finally absorb the $70,000 overhang.

A stronger report would carry a different consequence. Yields could rebuild, the dollar could firm, and the relief that followed the cooling in oil could fade quickly. In that case, Bitcoin would face a macro headwind while also confronting a dense resistance zone formed by recent buyers.

The calendar adds one more wrinkle. Friday’s data arrive into a holiday-affected schedule that leaves many traditional markets closed for Good Friday, while crypto continues trading.

That sequencing raises the odds that Bitcoin becomes one of the first venues where the market expresses a real-time reaction to payrolls into the weekend. The implication is practical. Macro data can hit a thinner cross-asset environment, and Bitcoin can become the first liquid expression of repricing before other major markets reopen.

In periods of geopolitical tension and shifting rates expectations, that timing effect can amplify moves that would otherwise look more measured.

Oil remains the external swing factor. If Brent stays below $100 and WTI holds under the psychologically important triple-digit zone, the inflation impulse that dominated the previous week continues to ease. That would support the softer-dollar, lower-yield mix that has already begun to reappear.

A renewed spike in crude would revive the pressure chain that links energy, inflation expectations, rates, and the dollar. Bitcoin has already shown that it trades through that macro ladder quickly. Over the last 24 hours, the balance of risk has shifted toward relief, with crude pulling back and bond yields easing instead of pressing higher.

For Bitcoin itself, the weekly map is now relatively clean. Supportive forces sit in one column, easing oil, a softer dollar, lower yields, healthier ETF inflows, reduced leverage, and compressed volatility. Restrictive forces sit in the other, thinner marginal demand above $70,000, a dense block of breakeven supply from recent buyers, and a derivatives complex that has not rebuilt strong directional conviction.

The interaction between those columns gives the market its current shape. This is a decision phase, driven less by broad panic and more by the absence of decisive control from either side.

The next test, therefore, sits in plain view. If payrolls and follow-through macro pricing preserve the current relief conditions, Bitcoin can challenge the upper boundary with a cleaner base under it than it had a few sessions ago.

The next move is now tied to a clear trigger. If payrolls reinforce the current easing in yields and the dollar, Bitcoin will test whether demand can finally absorb the $70,000 supply block. If macro pressure rebuilds, rejection at the same level risks turning into a more sustained pullback. The level is defined. The catalyst is scheduled. What remains unresolved is whether demand is ready to take control.

The post Bitcoin seems ready to push past $70k but one group keeps stopping the rally appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Safe Havens Are Failing — What’s Happening Right Now?

Global markets are entering an unusual phase where traditional safe havens are no longer behaving as expected. Despite escalating geopolitical tensions and ongoing military threats involving Iran, assets like gold and silver are declining instead of rising.

Silver has dropped below $70, losing nearly 7–8% in a single day, while gold has fallen under $4,600, wiping out over $1 trillion in market value. At the same time, oil prices are surging above $100, reflecting growing fears of supply disruptions.

Meanwhile, crypto markets are also under pressure, with Bitcoin struggling to hold key levels and altcoins seeing sharper declines.

👉 This is not a normal market reaction.

Why Gold and Silver Are Dropping During a War

In a typical risk-off environment, investors rotate into safe-haven assets like gold. However, this time the opposite is happening.

The reason lies in inflation expectations and interest rate pressure.

Rising oil prices are increasing fears of sustained inflation. When inflation rises:

• Central banks are less likely to cut rates
• Interest rates remain higher for longer
• Yield-bearing assets become more attractive

Gold and silver, which do not generate yield, become less appealing in this environment.

👉 As a result, even traditional safe havens are being sold.

The Oil Shock Is Driving Everything

The key driver behind this market behavior is the surge in oil prices.

Following statements that the US will continue strikes on Iran for the next 2–3 weeks, markets are now pricing in prolonged geopolitical instability. At the center of this risk is the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global oil route responsible for nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply.

Any disruption in this region could push oil prices significantly higher.

👉 And higher oil means higher inflation.

This creates a chain reaction across all markets.

Why Crypto Is Falling Despite Bullish News

Under normal conditions, recent developments should support crypto markets:

• Progress on stablecoin regulation
• Continued institutional involvement
• Growing adoption narratives

Yet, crypto is declining.

This is because macro conditions are overriding crypto-specific fundamentals.

When liquidity tightens and uncertainty increases, investors reduce exposure to risk assets — and crypto is one of the first to be sold.

👉 Bitcoin is not trading on news — it is trading on macro.

The Real Risk: A Liquidity Shock

What markets are facing now is not just geopolitical uncertainty — it is the risk of a broader liquidity tightening cycle.

The sequence is clear:

• Oil prices rise
• Inflation expectations increase
• Rate cuts get delayed
• Liquidity shrinks

This environment puts pressure on all major asset classes simultaneously — including stocks, commodities, and crypto.

👉 That’s why everything is falling together.

What Investors Should Watch Next

The next phase of the market will depend on a few critical developments:

• Escalation or stabilization in the Iran conflict
• Movement in oil prices above or below $100
• Signals from central banks regarding rate policy

If oil continues to rise, markets could see further downside across both traditional and digital assets.

Conclusion: This Is No Longer a Normal Market

The current environment marks a shift from isolated market movements to a fully interconnected macro-driven system.

Safe havens are failing. Risk assets are under pressure. And geopolitical uncertainty is dictating market direction.

👉 This is no longer a crypto market — it’s a macro battlefield.

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

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

Is April a Good Time to Buy Crypto?

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

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

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

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

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

2. PEPE: The Volatility King

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

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

3. XRP: Regulatory Clarity Meets Institutional Adoption

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

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

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

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

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

5. Solana (SOL): The Ecosystem Powerhouse

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

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

Top 5 Cryptos to Buy in April 2026

A major development has just hit the crypto industry. The U.S. Department of Justice has charged multiple individuals linked to crypto “market-making” firms for allegedly manipulating token prices and trading volumes.

According to the allegations, these actors engaged in coordinated schemes to artificially inflate volume and prices — commonly known as wash trading and pump-and-dump operations.

👉 In simple terms:

• Fake volume was created
• Prices were pushed higher
• Retail investors bought in
• Then positions were offloaded

This isn’t a new suspicion in crypto — but this time, it’s being formally prosecuted.

How Fake Volume Has Been Shaping Crypto Prices

For years, a significant portion of crypto trading activity has been questioned. Some market makers didn’t just provide liquidity — they allegedly manufactured it.

This artificial activity created the illusion of strong demand, tighter spreads, and active markets. In reality, part of that liquidity may have been recycled capital, designed to attract real buyers into inflated conditions.

👉 This matters because markets rely on liquidity to function smoothly.

If part of that liquidity was fake, then price stability itself may have been partially artificial.

What Changes Now?

If regulators successfully crack down on these practices, the immediate impact won’t necessarily be bullish. Instead, markets could enter a transition phase where:

• Liquidity becomes thinner
• Order books become less stable
• Price movements become sharper and less predictable

👉 In other words:
Crypto markets may become more “real” — but also more brutal.

Why This Comes at a Critical Time

This shift is happening while markets are already under pressure from broader macro conditions.

Geopolitical tensions, rising oil prices, and tightening liquidity are creating a fragile environment for risk assets. Even strong or bullish news has struggled to sustain upward momentum in recent sessions.

👉 That means crypto is now facing a double pressure:

• External macro stress
• Internal structural changes

What This Means for Investors

For traders and investors, this new phase changes how the market should be approached.

Lower artificial liquidity means:

• Breakouts may fail faster
• Dumps may accelerate more aggressively
• Volatility may increase across all timeframes

At the same time, this transition could ultimately strengthen the market.

With less manipulation, price discovery becomes more transparent, and long-term trust in the ecosystem can improve.

Final Thought

Crypto may not just be correcting — it may be recalibrating.

As fake volume disappears and enforcement increases, the market is shifting from an artificially supported environment to a more natural one.

👉 And in that transition, price action could become significantly more unforgiving.

Panic Grips the XRP Ledger Community

Early this morning, traders on a major US-based cryptocurrency exchange witnessed a terrifying anomaly: the $XRP price appeared to disintegrate, falling from its stable market value of $1.34 to exactly $0.01. The "crash" happened in a matter of seconds, creating a massive red candle on the hourly charts that suggested a total collapse of the asset’s valuation.

Did XRP Really Drop to $0.01?

If you saw the price alert on your phone and felt your heart skip a beat, you aren't alone—but you can breathe easy. XRP has not actually crashed to 1 cent. This was an elaborate April Fools' Day prank executed by the exchange’s interface team to mock the "XRP to $0.01" memes that have circulated in bear markets for years. While the UI displayed a penny valuation, the global XRP price remained steady at its actual market rate across all other global platforms.

Liquidity vs. UI Glitches

In the world of crypto trading, there is a huge difference between a real market event and a visual one:

• Real Flash Crash: Occurs when massive sell orders exhaust all available buy orders (liquidity), causing the price to hit bottom for a few milliseconds.
• UI "Prank" or Glitch: A change in how the data is shown to the user without affecting the actual underlying trades or the blockchain's integrity.

Today’s event was purely a visual trick. Actual orders placed at $0.01 were not filled, as the exchange's matching engine was still operating at the real market price of $1.34.

Ripple’s Regulatory Context in 2026

The timing of the prank was particularly effective because of the high-stakes environment surrounding Ripple. As of today, April 1, 2026, Ripple has officially activated its National Trust Bank status under new OCC rules, a milestone that has kept XRP news at the forefront of the financial world.

How to Protect Yourself from Real Market Volatility

While today's 1-cent price was a joke, real volatility is a constant in the crypto space. To ensure your assets are safe from actual exchange failures or technical errors, consider the following:

• Self-Custody: Move your long-term holdings into hardware wallets to avoid being affected by exchange-side UI glitches or outages.
• Verify via Aggregators: Always cross-reference prices on sites like CoinMarketCap before making a panic-driven trade.
• Exchange Diversity: Use multiple exchanges to ensure that a localized glitch on one platform doesn't freeze your entire portfolio.

Prank vs. Reality Comparison

The Morning the "World Computer" Stood Still

Early this morning, things got tense fast. Several on-chain monitoring tools started flagging what looked like a serious issue on the Ethereum network—something as extreme as a “state-level” breach.

Within minutes, rumors spread across social media claiming that someone had taken control of the consensus layer, potentially allowing transactions to be reversed and $ETH to be double-spent. For about half an hour, the market reacted hard. Ethereum’s price swung wildly as panic selling kicked in across major decentralized exchanges.

Was the Ethereum Blockchain Actually Hacked?

If you are looking for confirmation of a total network collapse, you can rest easy. The Ethereum blockchain was not hacked. This "exploit" was an elaborate April Fools' Day scenario designed to test the community's response to misinformation and to highlight the recent "Quantum Readiness" upgrades in the 2026 Ethereum roadmap. While the data feeds on certain community dashboards were intentionally "glitched" to show a 51% attack in progress, the actual Ethereum blockchain remained perfectly secure and operational.

Can a Blockchain Truly Be Hacked?

When people talk about "hacking a blockchain," they usually refer to one of two things:

1. Protocol-Level Attacks (51% Attack): In a Proof of Stake (PoS) system like $Ethereum, an attacker would need to control more than half of all staked ETH. As of 2026, the cost to acquire enough ETH to do this would be in the hundreds of billions of dollars, making it economically irrational.
2. Smart Contract Exploits: This is where most "hacks" actually happen. The blockchain itself is fine, but the code of a specific app (like a lending protocol) has a flaw.

Recent 2026 reports from Chainalysis confirm that while DeFi exploits continue to occur, the underlying Ethereum base layer has never been successfully "hacked" since its inception.

The Reality of Ethereum Security in 2026

Ethereum’s security model is currently at its strongest point in history. Following the 2022 "Merge," the network transitioned to Proof of Stake, and subsequent upgrades in 2025 and 2026 have focused on "Hardening the Layer 1 foundation."

Why a 51% Attack is Nearly Impossible

To compromise the network today, an attacker would face:

• Slashing: If a validator acts maliciously, their staked ETH is automatically destroyed by the protocol.
• Social Consensus: If a massive attack occurred, the community could coordinate a "hard fork" to ignore the attacker's chain, effectively vaporizing billions of dollars of the attacker's capital.
• Quantum Resistance: The 2026 roadmap explicitly introduced post-quantum cryptography to protect against future threats from advanced computing.

The "Hack" vs. Reality

Distinguishing Between Blockchain and Application Hacks

While the Ethereum blockchain is secure, users often confuse it with the applications running on top of it. For example, recent 2026 security audits have shown that 90% of "Ethereum hacks" are actually:

• Phishing: Users signing malicious permissions.
• Bridge Vulnerabilities: Flaws in the code that moves assets between different chains.
• Governance Attacks: Manipulating a DAO's voting system.

To stay safe, it is crucial to use secure hardware wallets and trade only on reputable exchange platforms that provide high-tier security features and insurance funds.

The crypto exchange's top lawyer dismissed banking industry concerns about deposit flight as lawmakers work to finalize stablecoin provisions.

Markets slumped as Trump claimed the Iran war was “nearing completion” while offering no clear plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Volatility Shares, the company that launched the first leveraged crypto fund in the U.S., is expanding its roster to smaller digital assets

Solana-based perpetuals DEX Drift Protocol has suffered an exploit impacting more than $200 million in funds.

Google's cheapest video model yet targets developers burned by high generation costs, arriving just days after OpenAI pulled the plug on Sora.

Shiba Inu's supply continues to plummet as the amount of SHIB tokens sent out of circulation over the last 24 hours surpassed eight million.

Quantum danger for cryptocurrencies is not just a headline anymore: Google's breakthrough has revealed the key weakness of the digital assets market.

XRP/BTC has confirmed a bearish monthly close below the Bollinger Band midline. With technical gravity shifting to the lower band, a 41% decline to 0.00001138 BTC is now the base case.

Gemini hot wallets linked to 150 million new RLUSD stablecoins on XRP Ledger.

A high-stakes legislative standoff over the future of U.S. cryptocurrency regulation may finally be coming to an end.

Key Highlights

• GNS stock advances 8.48% following impressive first-quarter financial recovery
• First-quarter revenue increases 171% year-over-year as operations strengthen
• Company eliminates all debt through Bitcoin asset liquidation
• Expansion in AI-powered education and experiential learning fuels momentum
• Improved profit margins and expense management indicate enhanced operational focus

Shares of Genius Group (GNS) finished the trading session at $0.3530, gaining 8.48% despite experiencing downward pressure earlier in the day. The stock’s rally came after the education technology company unveiled robust first-quarter 2026 financial results. The report showcased substantial revenue advancement and a successful return to positive earnings, demonstrating enhanced operational performance.

Genius Group Limited, GNS

Operational Revenue Surges with Return to Black Ink

Genius Group disclosed operational revenue totaling $3.3 million for the opening quarter of 2026. The figure represents a substantial 171% climb from the $1.2 million recorded during the comparable quarter one year earlier. Revenue acceleration stemmed from broadened activity across the organization’s three primary business divisions.

Gross profit climbed to $2.0 million, representing a 228% year-over-year advancement. Simultaneously, gross margin strengthened to 62% versus 52% in the prior-year period, indicating a strategic pivot toward premium-priced program offerings. The margin enhancement demonstrates superior operational leverage and improved pricing strategies.

The organization generated net operating profit of $2.7 million throughout the quarter. This performance represents a dramatic shift from the $0.5 million operating loss posted in Q1 2025. Adjusted EBITDA swung positive to $0.6 million, validating strengthened expense discipline and superior revenue characteristics.

Bitcoin Liquidation Eliminates Financial Obligations

Genius Group cleared all outstanding financial obligations by liquidating its cryptocurrency portfolio. The education firm repaid $8.5 million in total liabilities and completely exited its digital asset treasury position. This strategic decision diminished financial exposure and strengthened overall balance sheet health.

The organization had initially adopted a Bitcoin accumulation strategy beginning in late 2024. Nevertheless, compliance challenges and capital availability issues necessitated progressive reduction of cryptocurrency positions. Throughout early 2026, the company substantially decreased its Bitcoin allocation before executing the complete divestiture.

Executive leadership expressed intentions to potentially reestablish cryptocurrency holdings under favorable circumstances. The organization maintains primary focus on operational earnings and prudent capital allocation. This repositioning demonstrates a more measured and disciplined financial framework.

Educational Platform Growth Drives Business Momentum

Genius Group progressed its education-centered business model through several key developments during the reporting period. The organization introduced its Genius School framework in Bali operating under Cambridge educational standards. This program combines elementary, intermediate, and secondary instruction within an innovation-oriented academic structure.

Genius Academy broadened its artificial intelligence-enhanced professional development solutions targeting corporate and governmental organizations. These educational products emphasize skill advancement and technology competency development. Consequently, this division contributed meaningfully to consolidated revenue expansion and profitability enhancement.

Genius Resorts additionally bolstered quarterly results through immersive educational experiences and organized learning conferences. The company made progress on its Genius City initiative located in Bali. This ambitious project seeks to integrate educational facilities, residential properties, and permanent learning ecosystems.

Genius Group further noted ongoing share acquisitions by company insiders, with the chief executive officer expanding total equity purchases initiated in 2024. This buying activity corresponds with the firm’s comprehensive restructuring and expansion blueprint. The first-quarter results demonstrate transition toward financially sustainable operations and expandable educational frameworks.

The post Genius Group (GNS) Stock Climbs 8% After Q1 Revenue Soars 171% and Returns to Profit appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• March 2026 saw Tesla’s China production deliver 85,670 units, representing an 8.7% year-over-year increase
• The Shanghai manufacturing facility has now recorded five months in a row of sales expansion
• Q1 2026 deliveries surged 23.5% compared to the prior year, a significant acceleration from Q4’s modest 1.9% gain
• Strengthening European market demand played a significant role in the sales boost
• Analysts project Tesla’s worldwide Q1 deliveries will bounce back approximately 10% following last year’s decline

Tesla (TSLA) stock was trading up 2.56% during the session.

Tesla, Inc., TSLA

The electric vehicle manufacturer’s Shanghai production facility delivered another strong performance in March, with combined Model 3 and Model Y deliveries increasing 8.7% compared to the same period last year. The 85,670 vehicle total encompasses both Chinese domestic sales and shipments to European markets along with other international destinations.

This latest data extends the facility’s winning streak to five consecutive months of year-over-year sales growth, a trend that began building steam in the final months of 2025.

When viewed on a sequential basis, the performance appears even more impressive. March deliveries surged 46.2% versus February’s figures, based on Thursday’s release from the China Passenger Car Association.

First Quarter Shows Strong Momentum

Looking at the complete first quarter picture, vehicles manufactured at the Shanghai facility posted 23.5% year-over-year growth. This represents a dramatic improvement over the fourth quarter of 2025, which managed only 1.9% expansion.

Industry observers attribute much of this uptick to reviving demand across European territories. Rising petroleum costs, connected to the current Iran situation, may be providing additional tailwinds for electric vehicle manufacturers.

Tesla’s worldwide first-quarter deliveries are anticipated to recover nearly 10% from the previous year’s downturn. That 2025 weakness was partially attributed to customer pushback related to CEO Elon Musk’s political involvement.

The latest March figures indicate that demand has generally normalized, particularly in regions supplied by the Shanghai manufacturing operation.

Market Competition Intensifies

Despite recent gains, Tesla faces mounting competitive challenges in both Chinese and European territories. The automaker’s portion of China’s electric vehicle sector dropped to 8% during 2024, sliding from the previous year’s 10% figure.

Across European markets, Tesla experienced a dramatic market share decline last year, losing roughly half its position as domestic European manufacturers and Chinese competitors expanded their presence.

BYD, Tesla’s primary Chinese competitor, continues applying pressure in European territories. Nevertheless, BYD’s overseas expansion hasn’t fully compensated for sluggish domestic Chinese performance.

Tesla has been broadening its strategic focus beyond purely automotive products. The corporation is developing solar energy systems, humanoid robotics, and self-driving taxi services as potential future revenue streams.

Regarding procurement, Tesla is currently negotiating with Chinese suppliers for approximately $2.9 billion in solar manufacturing equipment, per a Reuters report published last month.

The March statistics from the China Passenger Car Association demonstrate that Tesla’s Shanghai manufacturing operations remain resilient, despite intensifying competition throughout its primary global markets.

The post Tesla (TSLA) Stock Climbs as Shanghai Factory Posts Fifth Consecutive Month of Sales Growth appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• The Tokyo-listed company acquired 5,075 BTC during Q1 2026, investing approximately $398 million with an average acquisition cost of $78,000–$79,898 per Bitcoin.
• Metaplanet’s cumulative Bitcoin reserve now reaches 40,177 BTC, with a market value ranging between $2.6–$3.9 billion based on fluctuating BTC valuations.
• This acquisition propelled the Japanese firm ahead of MARA Holdings, securing third place among global corporate Bitcoin treasuries.
• Strategy (MSTR) maintains dominance with more than 762,000 BTC in reserves; Twenty One Capital (XXI) holds the second position with 43,514 BTC.
• Bitcoin experienced a decline exceeding 3% to approximately $66,395, while BTC futures open interest contracted 4.7% to $46.71 billion.

The Japanese corporation Metaplanet expanded its Bitcoin position by 5,075 BTC throughout the initial quarter of 2026, deploying roughly $398 million in capital. The firm’s average acquisition price registered at approximately $79,898 per Bitcoin.

This strategic accumulation elevated Metaplanet’s aggregate Bitcoin reserves to 40,177 BTC. The Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed entity has now deployed approximately $4.18 billion in total Bitcoin acquisitions, establishing an average cost foundation of roughly $104,106 per BTC.

With Bitcoin currently exchanging hands around $66,395, Metaplanet faces an unrealized deficit approaching $1.5 billion on its cryptocurrency holdings.

Metaplanet Inc., 3350.T

Neverthstanding this paper loss, the organization disclosed a BTC yield of 2.8% for the year-to-date period in 2026. The company also generated operating revenue totaling JPY 2.96 billion through its Bitcoin Income Generation division throughout the quarter.

Chief Executive Officer Simon Gerovich announced the developments via X, validating the recent acquisition while communicating directly with the shareholder community.

Metaplanet Surpasses MARA in Global Rankings

The first-quarter acquisition provided sufficient momentum for Metaplanet to eclipse MARA Holdings within the worldwide Bitcoin treasury hierarchy. MARA recently reduced its BTC reserves, creating an opportunity for Metaplanet to advance in position.

Metaplanet currently occupies third position internationally. Twenty One Capital (XXI) maintains second place with 43,514 BTC. Strategy (MSTR) operates in an entirely separate category, commanding over 762,000 BTC.

The differential between Metaplanet and Twenty One Capital stands at approximately 3,337 BTC, suggesting the second-place ranking remains within reach should aggressive acquisition activity persist.

Metaplanet has additionally restructured its capital deployment framework. The refreshed approach targets enhanced BTC yield through perpetual preferred share mechanisms and recommends suspending common share issuance when mNAV drops beneath 1. The policy also encompasses expanded share repurchase programs designed to optimize BTC yield metrics.

Bitcoin Faces Downward Pressure Following Trump Statements

The equity decline coincided with a comprehensive Bitcoin market correction. BTC depreciated more than 3% to settle near $66,395, with the 24-hour price corridor spanning between $66,226 and $69,131.

Bitcoin trading activity decreased approximately 16% during this timeframe.

President Donald Trump’s remarks concerning potential intensification in US-Iran relations contributed to heightened market anxiety throughout the trading session.

BTC futures open interest on CME contracted 0.82%. Binance registered a 5.52% reduction. Aggregate BTC futures open interest market-wide declined 4.7% to approximately $46.71 billion, based on CoinGlass analytics.

Market participants appear to be adopting cautious positioning ahead of Friday’s Nonfarm Payrolls release and a scheduled cryptocurrency options expiration event.

Metaplanet shares have depreciated more than 6% over the trailing 30-day period and have fallen 25% year-to-date. The 24-hour trading bandwidth for the equity ranged from 298 to 313 JPY, with transaction volume tracking below the typical average of approximately 30 million shares.

The post Metaplanet Surges to Third Place in Global Bitcoin Holdings, Overtaking MARA Despite Stock Decline appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Cango Inc. raised $65M from leadership, issuing 49.2M shares settled in USDT on March 31, 2026.
• DL Holdings received a $10M convertible note and warrants for 370,370 shares at $2.70 each.
• The convertible note matures April 2028 and becomes convertible at $1.62 per share in 2027.
• Cango Inc. targets AI computing infrastructure and crypto mining facilities with the raised funds.

Cango Inc. (NYSE: CANG) has completed two major capital transactions aimed at strengthening its financial position. The Bitcoin mining company closed a $65 million strategic investment from company leadership.

It also secured a $10 million convertible note agreement with DL Holdings Group Limited (HKEX: 1709). These moves support Cango Inc.’s broader pivot toward AI infrastructure and energy computing.

Leadership Backs Cango Inc. With $65 Million Investment

Cango Inc. finalized the $65 million investment on March 31, 2026. The deal had been previously announced on February 12, 2026. Two entities, each wholly owned by board members, participated in the transaction.

Chairman Xin Jin and director Chang-Wei Chiu led the investment through their respective entities. The company issued 49,242,424 Class A ordinary shares as part of the deal. Net proceeds were settled in USDT, reflecting a crypto-native approach to capital management.

The transaction directly reinforces Cango Inc.’s balance sheet at a critical growth stage. Leadership’s financial commitment signals confidence in the company’s long-term strategic direction. This type of insider investment often carries weight in how the market reads a company’s trajectory.

Beyond balance sheet repair, the funds support the company’s previously disclosed 2026 financial strategy. That plan focuses on reducing leverage and securing liquidity for AI infrastructure expansion. Cango Inc. continues positioning itself as more than a Bitcoin miner.

DL Holdings Partnership Targets AI and Crypto Infrastructure

Cango Inc. entered a securities purchase agreement with Hong Kong-listed DL Holdings Group Limited. Under the agreement, DL Holdings purchased a $10 million convertible note and received a warrant. The warrant covers up to 370,370 Class A ordinary shares at $2.70 per share.

The note carries no interest unless the company defaults. It matures on April 1, 2028, and becomes convertible at $1.62 per share starting April 1, 2027. The warrant is immediately exercisable and also expires on April 1, 2028.

Cango Inc. and DL Holdings also signed a memorandum of understanding outlining a strategic cooperation framework.

DL Holdings expressed intent to co-invest with Cango Inc. across multiple opportunities. The combined potential value of those planned investments reaches up to $10 million.

These targeted investments are directed toward cryptocurrency mining facilities and AI computing infrastructure. The MOU formalizes a relationship that could grow beyond the current note financing.

Together, the deals move Cango Inc. closer to its goal of becoming an integrated energy and AI compute platform.

The post Cango Inc. Closes $75M in Capital Deals to Fund AI and Bitcoin Mining Expansion appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• SanDisk shares surged approximately 11% on April 1, 2026, benefiting from positive sentiment sparked by Cantor Fitzgerald’s optimistic outlook on Micron
• Cantor designated Micron as a premier investment opportunity with a $700 target, contending that TurboQuant concerns are exaggerated based on Jevons paradox principles
• Ongoing conflict in Iran is generating energy supply challenges in South Korea, potentially disadvantaging Korean memory chip manufacturers
• SanDisk upgraded its fiscal Q3 projections, anticipating revenue and profit figures exceeding Wall Street consensus
• Citi’s Asiya Merchant reinforced her favorable stance on the company

Memory semiconductor stocks experienced a welcome rally on April 1 following a challenging period. SanDisk (SNDK) advanced approximately 11.3% to reach around $692.73 during midday trading, while Micron (MU) posted comparable gains of +11.4%.

Sandisk Corporation, SNDK

What triggered the upswing? An optimistic research report from Cantor Fitzgerald focused on Micron created positive momentum throughout the entire memory chip industry.

The memory segment had faced headwinds after Alphabet unveiled its TurboQuant algorithm — a compression technology that could potentially reduce storage needs and diminish demand for memory semiconductors. That announcement negatively impacted the sector in the sessions preceding this rebound.

Cantor challenged that pessimistic view. The investment firm maintained that TurboQuant doesn’t represent the danger many believe, citing Jevons paradox: when resources become more efficient, consumption typically increases rather than decreases. Should Cantor’s analysis prove accurate, the TurboQuant-driven selloff may have been excessive.

Cantor reaffirmed Micron as a preferred investment with a $700 valuation target after conducting meetings with Micron’s executive leadership. That endorsement provided sufficient momentum to elevate the entire sector.

SanDisk isn’t merely benefiting from sector-wide optimism, however. The corporation enhanced its fiscal Q3 projections, now anticipating revenue and profit substantially exceeding Wall Street’s forecasts. This represents a genuine fundamental driver complementing the broader industry momentum.

Citi analyst Asiya Merchant also maintained her constructive perspective on the equity, supporting the thesis that profit expansion has additional upside potential.

International Dynamics Favor SanDisk

Cantor also highlighted a geopolitical dimension. The continuing Iran conflict is producing energy scarcity in South Korea, elevating operational expenses for Korean memory producers. This dynamic could provide SanDisk and Micron with competitive advantages against major rivals including SK Hynix and Samsung.

SanDisk’s production facilities are located in Asian regions dependent on petroleum and natural gas transported through the Strait of Hormuz, creating some vulnerability. Nevertheless, the overall assessment suggests Korean competitors may face more substantial challenges.

SanDisk only emerged as a standalone entity after separating from Western Digital in 2025. Since that time, the shares have appreciated roughly 168% year-to-date — a surge powered by constrained NAND availability, AI-related storage requirements, and ascending memory chip pricing.

Memory Market Fundamentals

The NAND marketplace remains supply-constrained. Artificial intelligence infrastructure deployments are consuming storage capacity rapidly, while production hasn’t matched demand. This environment has supported SanDisk’s profitability metrics and cash generation.

Market participants are evaluating whether this guidance enhancement indicates that SanDisk is securing a larger portion of the AI and data-center market than previously anticipated.

With shares trading at $692.73 and a market capitalization approaching $102 billion, SanDisk’s fiscal Q3 guidance revision and renewed analyst backing represent the primary drivers behind today’s price movement.

The post SanDisk (SNDK) Stock Soars 11% Following Bullish Analyst Notes and Guidance Boost appeared first on Blockonomi.

Metaplanet has acquired 5,075 Bitcoin for $405.48 million during Q1 2026 at an average price of $79,898 per BTC, to bring its total holdings to 40,177.

The purchase has moved the Japanese firm past MARA Holdings into third place among public companies with Bitcoin reserves, making it the first non-American corporate holder to break into the top three.

Metaplanet Climbs Rankings After Aggressive Q1

CEO Simon Gerovich announced the Q1 figures in an X post on April 2, noting that Metaplanet had achieved a year-to-date Bitcoin yield of 2.8%. The new purchase brought the company’s aggregate cost basis to just over $104,000, with its entire stash bought for approximately $4.18 billion.

That average is well above where BTC is trading today, with the cryptocurrency sitting below $67,000 after being rattled by proclamations made by U.S. President Donald Trump about his country’s next steps in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. At the current price, Metaplanet’s stash is worth about $2.6 billion, putting it in the red on paper for more than $1.5 billion.

The Tokyo-listed firm’s climb to third was helped in part by MARA’s sale of 15,133 BTC in March, which raised roughly $1.1 billion to buy back convertible notes and shore up its balance sheet. It allowed Jack Maller’s Twenty One Capital, holding 43,514 BTC, to move into second place, while Metaplanet’s 5,075 BTC buy took its ownership from 35,102 units to over 40,000, past MARA’s much-reduced 38,689 Bitcoin.

Michael Saylor’s Strategy is still king of the hill by far. Recall that a recent purchase of more than 1,000 BTC for almost $77 million took its holdings to 762,099, all bought for over $57 billion but valued at around $50 billion at the time of writing.

Transparency Questions and Long-Term Targets

In February and March 2026, Metaplanet sold shares and issued warrants to third parties as part of a larger deal worth about $255 million to help fund its Bitcoin accumulation.

However, its aggressive strategy has come under fire, and Gerovich has had to publicly defend the company against critics who questioned the timing and disclosure of past Bitcoin purchases, calling the accusations “inflammatory and contrary to the facts.”

Furthermore, he maintained that all purchases are announced when made and that wallet addresses are available through a live public dashboard.

He added that options positions the company runs, including put selling, are disclosed in financial statements, noting that Bitcoin per share, the company’s primary performance metric, grew more than 500% in 2025.

Metaplanet has said in the past that it wants to own 100,000 BTC by the end of 2026 and 210,000 next year. But as things stand, reaching those figures would require it to more than double its current holdings within nine months and then more than quintuple them in 2027.

The post Metaplanet Buys 5,075 BTC for $405M to Become 3rd Largest Corporate Treasury appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitcoin was rejected at $69,200 yesterday and plunged toward $66,000 earlier this morning after Trump’s latest statement that the war against Iran will continue with more strikes.

The altcoins are in the red as well, with ETH dropping to $2,050, while SOL and HYPE are down by over 5%. XRP has managed to overtake BNB in terms of market cap positioning.

BTC Dropped by $3K

Bitcoin’s weekly correction began last Wednesday when the asset was rejected at $72,000 and plunged to $65,600 by Friday. After losing over $6,000 in just a few days, the asset rebounded and remained above $66,000 during the weekend.

It dipped to a monthly low at $65,000 on Monday morning when some of the legacy financial markets opened. The bulls finally stepped up at this point and didn’t allow another leg down. Instead, BTC regained some traction and, despite the enhanced volatility due to the contrasting reports coming on the war in the Middle East, jumped to $69,200 yesterday.

However, then came Trump’s anticipated speech in which he was expected to de-escalate the tension in Iran, according to reports. However, the reality was just the opposite, as he said the conflict is likely to intensify and BTC dumped to just over $66,000, losing $3,000 from yesterday’s peak.

Although it has recovered some ground since then, it still trades below $67,000, and its market cap is down to $1.335 trillion on CG. Its dominance over the alts is above 56%.

XRP Flips BNB

The altcoins are deep in the red as well on a daily scale. Ethereum has lost over 3% of value and is down to $2,050 as of now. SOL, HYPE, LINK, and AVAX have plunged by 5-6%, while BCH, ADA, and DOGE are down by around 3-4%.

Although XRP has dropped by nearly 3% as well, it has managed to flip BNB in terms of market cap. There are also a couple of double-digit gains, but green is scarce today. STABLE and ALGO have rocketed by over 19% in a day.

The total crypto market cap dipped by $100 billion from top to bottom before rebounding to $2.380 trillion as of now.

The post XRP Surpasses BNB Amid Altcoin Crash, BTC Price Dropped by $3K: Market Watch appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Over the last few months, conflict in the Middle East has put pressure on crypto markets. Bitcoin faced a fresh decline of nearly 3% on Friday as the price dropped toward $66,000 from $69,200 yesterday.

Now, pseudonymous analyst Mr. Wall Street warned that the second quarter could be “full of blood” as downside risks build across both market structure and macro conditions.

Short-Term Hope Fades

In a recent post on X, the analyst said his earlier thesis of short-term bullishness and mid-term bearishness has now fully transformed to a bearish stance across both timeframes. He pointed to the recent 27% rally from $60,000 to $76,000 as a move driven by market makers to create liquidity for a larger downside move.

According to him, even if Bitcoin briefly pushes higher to sweep upside liquidity, such a move would only be temporary before a broader decline. Upon noticing the change, he stated that he closed his short-term long positions at $68,000 and opened shorts, while also placing additional short orders between $77,000 and $83,000 in anticipation of potential liquidity grabs.

He added that a large amount of liquidity has built up below the current price in recent weeks, along with levels from the 2024 summer range, which supports the thesis of a potential Bitcoin drop to $40,000-$45,000. Beyond technical factors, ongoing geopolitical risks have a crucial role to play. A possible escalation involving the United States and Iran could trigger a global recession driven largely by a sharp rise in oil prices, which is expected to weigh heavily on risk assets like Bitcoin.

Volatility Ahead

Echoing similar concerns around weakening fundamentals, João Wedson, founder of Alphractal, flagged reduced network activity. In his latest analysis, Wedson found that Bitcoin’s daily transaction fees, measured in US dollars, have dropped to levels last seen during previous market bottoms and now rank among the lowest observed in the past several years.

Such low fee generation indicates weak network demand, a condition that has historically led to periods of intense volatility.

In a separate post, Wedson warned traders against chasing upward price movements during a bearish market, while arguing that such behavior often benefits larger players rather than retail investors. The analyst stated that repeatedly buying into green candles in a downtrend is not a sound investment strategy, but instead provides exit liquidity for whales looking to offload positions.

The post ‘Q2 Will Be Full of Blood’: Analyst Flips Fully Bearish on Bitcoin appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitcoin prices fell below $67,000 on Thursday morning, dropping to $66,770 following Donald Trump’s latest update on the war with Iran.

“We are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly,” the President said at the White House on Wednesday. “We’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” he added.

The POTUS said that the US imports almost no oil through the Hormuz Strait and will not be taking any in the future.

“Between threatening Iran’s power plants, saying the Iran War would last 2-3 more weeks, and calling out NATO, there was nothing new,” observed the Kobeissi Letter.

“Yet, the market is now trading like the Iran war is ramping up for another month-long escalation. Why? Because he didn’t explicitly de-escalate.”

Selling Pressure Remains High

While crypto and stock futures tanked, oil prices surged back over $100 per barrel again, further pressuring the economies of nations that rely on the Middle East for their fuel supplies.

Zooming out shows that Bitcoin is still in the middle of its two-month range-bound channel, and there hasn’t been any major panic selling since early February.

Markets after Trump’s address.

No ceasefire, 2-3 more weeks of war and strait of Hormuz stays closed.

Nasdaq down 1.40% to 23,758.
Bitcoin down 2.28% to $67,202.
Gold down 2.90% to $4,692.

Oil up 6% to $103.51.
Straight up from $98 in one move.

Everything that was… pic.twitter.com/CubY55u3fg

— Bull Theory (@BullTheoryio) April 2, 2026

However, CryptoQuant observed that Bitcoin whales have flipped from buyers to sellers. Holders of wallets containing 1,000 to 10,000 BTC are now distributing, with 1-year holdings falling 188,000 BTC after more than 200,000 BTC of accumulation in 2024, it noted.

“This isn’t short-term. The 365-day trend is declining, signaling structural selling pressure.”

Overall, Bitcoin spot demand remains in “deep contraction,” despite accelerating ETF and Strategy purchases, it stated before adding that the 30-day apparent demand growth stands at -63K BTC, “indicating that broader market selling pressure continues to outweigh institutional accumulation.”

In a separate post, CryptoQuant analyst ‘Woominkyu’ said that Bitcoin’s “supply in profit” has hit a multi-year floor, while “supply in loss” is spiking. “This alignment has historically marked the terminal phase of market corrections,” they said.

Elsewhere on Crypto Markets

Ethereum prices dipped back below $2,100 again, but were holding above the psychological $2,000 level at the time of writing.

The altcoins have been hit harder as usual, with heavier losses for BNB, Solana, Bitcoin Cash, Hyperliquid, and Canton.

“Everything that was rallying on peace hopes sold off immediately,” said ‘Bull Theory.’

The post Bitcoin Falls to $66K as Trump Signals Further Escalation in Iran appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The Solana blockchain processed about $650 billion in stablecoin transactions in February 2026, setting a new monthly record, according to The Kobeissi Letter.

That spike placed stablecoin activity far above traditional benchmarks, with monthly volumes now approaching $2 trillion and outpacing CME gold future trading by a wide margin.

Solana Leads Record-Breaking Surge in Stablecoin Activity

The Kobeissi Letter says that Solana’s stablecoin volume in February was almost three times what it was in January. This was partly because of new products being released, as well as changing market conditions.

The market commentary account also noted that there are expectations of another increase when the March numbers come out, linking the potential rise to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The same narrative was shared in a report from QCP Capital, which revealed that stablecoin liquidity rose last month even as equities and precious metals folded from the pressure generated by the war being waged by the U.S. and Israel against Iran. At the time, USDC reached a record $81.1 billion, although data from DefiLlama shows the figure has since dropped back to just over $77 billion.

Part of the growth on Solana appears to be tied to new stablecoin offerings, including the rollout of Western Union’s USDPT and Jupiter’s JUPUSD. According to The Kobeissi Letter, part of JUPUSD’s attraction was its ability to return yield to users within its ecosystem, although such features are currently the subject of heated debate between banks and the crypto industry, with banks looking to codify digital asset firms not providing yield on stablecoins in the CLARITY Act.

The scale of stablecoin activity now dwarfs some traditional markets in comparison. Take, for example, the CME Group’s gold futures trading, which recently reached about $208 billion per month, making it about nine times smaller than the nearly $2 trillion recorded for stablecoin transaction volumes.

What’s Happening in the Broader Stablecoin Market

The stablecoin market as a whole has been growing steadily across several chains, with Ethereum boasting the most supply of circulating stablecoins at about $170 billion. It is followed by Tron, which has $86 billion, with Solana, by comparison, at around $16 billion.

In terms of cumulative transaction volumes, Ethereum is still the clear winner with about $52 trillion worth of transactions over time, followed by Base and Tron with $34.7 trillion and $23.8 trillion, respectively, per data from Artemis. Meanwhile, Solana has managed to pull slightly over $19 trillion.

A recent report from Ripple shows that increasing institutional interest is behind these figures. It revealed that 74% of finance executives see stablecoins as useful tools for treasury operations, with 72% of institutions now viewing the fiat-backed crypto assets as necessary to remain competitive.

The post Solana Sets Monthly Record as Stablecoin Volume Hits $650B appeared first on CryptoPotato.