The UN accusation against Iran heightens geopolitical tensions, potentially destabilizing global markets and hindering diplomatic resolutions.

The post US accuses Iran of holding global economy hostage with Hormuz blockade at UN appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The new alliance could reshape Israeli politics, but its success hinges on strategic maneuvers within a tight timeframe.

The post Israeli opposition forms ‘Together’ alliance to challenge Netanyahu appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Musk's rising net worth from Tesla's compensation plan diminishes Ellison's prospects of leading the billionaires index, impacting market dynamics.

The post Musk’s Tesla compensation weakens Ellison’s chances of topping billionaires index appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Market skepticism highlights the volatility and unpredictability of geopolitical tensions on oil prices, impacting global economic stability.

The post WTI crude oil surges 44% amid Iran war, traders skeptical of record highs appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Russia's mediation could significantly alter US-Iran diplomatic dynamics, potentially easing tensions and impacting global geopolitical stability.

The post Russia hosts Iran’s FM in St. Petersburg for US-Iran talks discussion appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

House Republicans Warn That the America’s Bitcoin Weakness Will Benefit China

Three members of Congress positioned digital asset regulation as a matter of national security and economic competition during a panel discussion at The Bitcoin 2026 Conference in Las Vegas on Monday.

Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) spoke on “The Bitcoin Bloc: A New Force in American Politics,” moderated by Faryar Shirzad, Chief Policy Officer at Coinbase.

Miller-Meeks described Bitcoin as “financial democracy” and linked cryptocurrency adoption to America’s 250th anniversary, framing support for digital assets as patriotic. She cited the Chinese Communist Party as a threat and characterized crypto policy as a national security issue.

The Iowa congresswoman shared her background working through medical school and highlighted Bitcoin’s potential to protect women experiencing domestic abuse or violence. 

She said digital assets can provide women with resources beyond government reach, citing Canada’s trucker protest as an example of government intervention in financial accounts. Miller-Meeks acknowledged that older Americans express concerns about digital asset safety.

Chinese is driving bitcoin policy urgency

Both Miller-Meeks and Nunn emphasized competition with China as a driver for U.S. crypto policy. Miller-Meeks stated that China continues to pursue leadership in the digital asset sector but said the United States remains the best environment for innovation.

Nunn warned that failing to advance American leadership in Bitcoin and digital assets creates national security risks. He called for holding China accountable and said losing the November midterm elections could reverse 18 months of legislative progress, allowing adversaries to gain ground while the U.S. falls behind.

“Decisions and elections have consequences,” Nunn said, pointing to specific anti-crypto Democrats as he discussed the stakes of the upcoming midterm elections.

Nunn highlighted progress in Congress and the crypto sector, noting that the SEC under former Chair Gary Gensler imposed fines in the millions of dollars for violations involving concepts Gensler did not understand. Gensler was fired earlier in the Trump administration.

Lawler referenced the GENIUS Act as a positive step but said Congress must establish a comprehensive federal regulatory framework. 

He cited Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s op-ed in The Wall Street Journal and stated that passing regulatory clarity will position America at the forefront of the digital asset space. Lawler said SEC regulations should serve the crypto industry’s best interests.

As a New Yorker, Lawler said he wants the crypto industry to remain in New York and feel secure operating in the state.

The ‘double taxation’ of bitcoin mining

Nunn criticized double taxation on Bitcoin mining operations, questioning why the U.S. taxes Bitcoin mining differently than other forms of asset extraction. He said excessive taxation drives innovation to other countries and emphasized the need to avoid making it difficult to conduct business in the United States.

The panel discussion reflected a broader shift in congressional Republican attitudes toward digital assets, with lawmakers framing crypto policy through the lens of geopolitical competition and individual financial freedom rather than consumer protection or financial stability concerns that dominated earlier regulatory debates.

This post House Republicans Warn That the America’s Bitcoin Weakness Will Benefit China first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Lawmakers Warn Crypto Clarity Will Decide U.S. Leadership as 2026 Election Looms

U.S. lawmakers and White House officials used a Nakamoto Stage panel to argue that clear crypto rules will decide whether the United States leads or cedes ground in the next phase of financial innovation.

The discussion, titled “Are We Getting More Clarity?”, focused on the Clarity Act, enforcement under past administrations, and the risk that political swings could undo progress on crypto regulation.

Senator Cynthia Lummis warned that another hostile administration would mean “game over for sensible regulation,” framing the 2026 election cycle as a direct test of whether Congress can lock in a durable framework for digital assets. 

She argued that predictable rules are now essential for builders and capital, and said the industry cannot plan around policy that shifts with each change in the White House. Lummis also pushed back on concerns about crypto and crime, saying “it’s easier to solve crimes in digital assets than fiat currencies” because transaction records give law enforcement a trail that cash does not.

Witt:USA should dominate in crypto

White House digital asset adviser Patrick Witt set out an aggressive vision for U.S. leadership. “We want to dominate,” he said, calling crypto “the future of financial infrastructure” and tying that claim directly to passage of the Clarity Act. He said that once lawmakers deliver a clear regime for digital assets, “Bitcoin and crypto will take off like a rocketship,” with greater integration into markets and the banking system. 

Witt described the bill’s focus as defining obligations for exchanges that list exchange-traded products, wallet providers, and developers who build on Bitcoin, and said that set of rules is “critically important” so market participants understand their responsibilities and can connect Bitcoin more deeply to the broader financial system.

Witt also criticized earlier policy and enforcement choices. He said the industry “got wrongly targeted and criticized” in recent years, which he argued pushed innovation offshore and let foreign hubs claim core parts of the market. 

He pointed to the location of the largest centralized exchanges outside the United States as “a failure of U.S. leadership,” and cast the Clarity Act as a chance to reverse that trend. In his view, the measure could bring trading venues and developers back onshore and support a domestic ecosystem around Bitcoin exchange-traded products, custody, and payments infrastructure.

Across the panel, speakers returned to the same question: whether Washington will offer lasting clarity or continue to rely on fragmented enforcement. Lummis framed the stakes in terms of investor protection and national competitiveness, while Witt stressed the opportunity to anchor the next wave of financial infrastructure in the United States. Both cast the coming legislative window, and the election that follows it, as a turning point for Bitcoin, broader crypto markets, and the country’s role in them.

This post Lawmakers Warn Crypto Clarity Will Decide U.S. Leadership as 2026 Election Looms first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Kalshi Says Bitcoin Payments and Prediction Markets Are Building a New Exchange for Big Money

Kalshi’s head of crypto, John Wang, used a Bitcoin 2026 fireside chat to argue that regulated prediction markets offer a more accessible way to trade Bitcoin than traditional spot venues. He opened by describing his path at Kalshi and pushed back on the idea that the exchange is a pure crypto platform, saying Bitcoin and other digital assets serve as key payment rails rather than its core product. 

According to Wang, Bitcoin is now the largest source of user payments into Kalshi’s apps, underscoring how deeply the asset’s audience overlaps with the platform’s trader base.

Bitcoin predictions and insider trading on Kalshi

Moderator Conner Brown asked Wang on why a Bitcoin holder would choose Kalshi over spot markets to express a price view. Wang said prediction markets are attractive because they can apply to almost any outcome while preserving a simple user experience.

He argued that people already like trading Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and find them accessible, but that spot markets remain out of reach for many users compared with a straightforward contract that settles on a clear event result.

In his view, Kalshi can sit on top of that demand and package directional Bitcoin views in a format that feels more intuitive than managing wallets and navigating crypto exchanges.

Brown also raised concerns about insider trading and where to draw the line in event markets. Wang said Kalshi uses know-your-customer checks and internal protocols to protect traders and emphasized that information asymmetry is a challenge in equities and other markets as well. 

He framed the question as one of incentives, warning that if platforms fail to protect their users they risk turning markets into insider arenas that erode trust. The safeguards and norms for prediction markets are still developing, he said, but he expects investor protection standards to converge with those in more established asset classes.

Looking ahead, Wang positioned Kalshi as an exchange being built from the ground up for a new category of contracts rather than a niche trading venue. He said the company is constructing infrastructure for event-based exposure that can sit alongside traditional markets and added that he expects large hedge funds to take significant positions in prediction markets over time. 

Kalshi is set to launch cryptocurrency perpetual futures today, expanding beyond its core event-based contracts into continuous derivatives trading. The new product will allow traders to hold positions without expiration, using U.S. dollars as initial collateral, with plans to add stablecoins later.

Backed by its regulatory status and growing trading volumes, the move positions Kalshi to compete more directly with offshore crypto derivatives platforms.

This post Kalshi Says Bitcoin Payments and Prediction Markets Are Building a New Exchange for Big Money first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Aven Launches Bitcoin-Backed Visa Card Offering Up to $1 Million Credit Lines Without Asset Sales

Aven has introduced a bitcoin-backed credit card that allows users to borrow against digital assets without selling holdings, marking a shift in crypto-linked consumer finance, according to statements shared with Bitcoin Magazine. 

The Aven Bitcoin Visa Card, unveiled today at the Bitcoin Conference 2026 in Las Vegas, provides a credit line of up to $1 million secured by bitcoin collateral. The product targets long-term holders seeking liquidity without triggering taxable events tied to asset sales.

The card combines a revolving credit line with fixed-term loan options, offering repayment periods of up to 10 years. Interest rates for both structures start at 7.99% APR, which the company said is below typical rates in the bitcoin-backed lending market.

“The industry norm for borrowing at fixed rates against bitcoin is a 1-year term. At Aven, we have 10X the industry standard, unlocking a wide variety of use cases previously not feasible,” Aven’s Sisun Lee said, speaking at The Bitcoin Conference.

Aven’s bitcoin custody structure

Borrowers pledge bitcoin through custody and infrastructure provided by BitGo Inc. and BitGo Bank & Trust, a federally regulated digital asset trust bank. The structure separates asset custody from card issuance, which is handled by Coastal Community Bank under a Visa network license.

The product includes no annual or origination fees and offers 2% cash back on purchases. Aven positions the card as a tool that bridges crypto holdings with traditional credit access, aiming to expand the utility of bitcoin within household balance sheets.

The card also offers up to a 5-year interest-only period for added flexibility. The company is one of the few Bitcoin-backed loan providers offering both fixed-term and interest-only plans in the same product.

“At Aven we believe that the hardest money ever created deserves the best financial products. With the Aven Bitcoin Card, we’re just getting started,” Lee said.

Bitcoin-backed lending has grown with the rise in digital asset adoption, though it has faced scrutiny over risk management and collateral volatility. Fixed-rate, longer-term structures such as Aven’s may appeal to borrowers seeking more predictable repayment schedules compared with margin-style loans that can face liquidation risk during price swings.

Aven, founded in 2019, focuses on asset-backed lending products designed to lower borrowing costs. The company reports that its platform has saved customers more than $300 million in interest payments through March 2026.

The launch signals continued convergence between crypto infrastructure and regulated financial services, as firms seek to integrate digital assets into mainstream credit markets while addressing risk, custody, and compliance requirements.

This post Aven Launches Bitcoin-Backed Visa Card Offering Up to $1 Million Credit Lines Without Asset Sales first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

SEC, CFTC Chiefs Signal ‘New Day’ for U.S. Onshore Crypto, Tokenization and Future‑Proof Rules

SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Mike Selig used back‑to‑back fireside chats on the Nakamoto Stage at The Bitcoin 2026 Conference to signal a reset in Washington’s approach to digital assets, tokenization, and market structure. 

Atkins described it as “a new day at the SEC,” while Selig said regulators are “turning over a new page” and need to harmonize their efforts.

Atkins said the SEC is taking a new approach to digital assets and wants that activity onshore rather than pushed to foreign jurisdictions. He said the SEC and CFTC are now working together on digital assets and aim to set a new benchmark for inter‑agency collaboration.

That cooperation underpins the joint token taxonomy guidance, which draws lines between digital commodities, collectibles, and tokenized securities and offers a framework market participants can use as they classify assets.

Atkins revisited the long‑running debate over how the Howey test and existing securities laws apply to crypto. Atkins said the SEC is trying to apply that framework to digital assets, tokens, and related instruments while grappling with the boundary between securities and commodities. 

Atkins: “Innovation exemption” is coming

He indicated that an “innovation exemption” is coming, designed to give crypto projects room to build within a defined regulatory lane instead of staying in a gray area or moving offshore.

Atkins tied that effort to Congress and said legislators need to speak clearly on digital assets so there are durable rules and so entrepreneurs can pursue their goals in the United States.

He argued that it is important to have a statute that is future proof for this space and said nothing future proofs of a market like clear statutory law drafted with emerging technology in mind. He pointed to token taxonomy guidance as a step in that direction but stressed that a statute from Congress would anchor policy across administrations.

On the recent guidance, Atkins said the agencies wanted to provide principles and definitions without publishing a prescriptive list of tokens or implying recommendations about what investors should buy. He cited President Donald Trump’s GENIUS Act on stablecoins as an example of a principles‑based regulatory model that leaves room for innovation while drawing firm boundaries around risk. 

He said the SEC is focused on tokenized securities through a principles‑based approach rather than detailed product‑by‑product prescriptions.

Atkins also addressed the Clarity Act and broader crypto market structure legislation. He said there could be movement on that package in May, with the possibility of passage in June, but he cautioned that nothing is guaranteed. 

If crypto structure reform does not pass, he said, industry participants should remember that elections have consequences, pointing to pivots at both the SEC and CFTC as evidence of how quickly supervisory priorities can shift.

Looking ahead, Atkins framed crypto and blockchain technology as the most exciting aspect of the current transition. He highlighted the prospect of instantaneous settlement and said faster settlement can reduce risk in the financial system.

Instant or near‑instant settlement, he argued, can shrink counterparty and settlement risk and free up capital that is now tied up in back‑office processes. He said regulators are trying to foster that outcome rather than stand in its way.

Atkins said “this is a new day at the SEC” and previewed the agency’s next step: an initiative that will allow firms to experiment on‑chain with tokenized and securitized instruments over the next few weeks. 

Under that effort, companies will be able to test tokenization in a supervised environment while staying within federal securities law. He framed this as part of the coming innovation exemption, intended to open a sandbox for tokenized securities under clear parameters rather than through informal no‑action relief.

Selig: CFTC is turning a new page on crypto

In his own session, Selig echoed the theme of regulatory reset. He said the CFTC is “turning over a new page” in its approach to digital assets and emphasized the need to harmonize the agency’s work with the SEC. For markets that trade products with both commodity‑like and security‑like features, he said, the two agencies need a coordinated framework instead of overlapping or conflicting rules.

Selig also grounded his remarks in a broader principle, saying “our country was founded on the idea of private property.” In the context of crypto, that line underscored his view that token holders and innovators should have clear, enforceable rights in law. 

He suggested that a coherent crypto market structure for digital assets should respect property rights and give market participants predictable rules, rather than drive activity into less regulated jurisdictions.

This post SEC, CFTC Chiefs Signal ‘New Day’ for U.S. Onshore Crypto, Tokenization and Future‑Proof Rules first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

South Korea's Kbank has signed a strategic partnership with Ripple to test blockchain-based overseas remittances, placing a bank with a central role in Upbit's KRW account access beside one of crypto's longest-running payments infrastructure firms.

Local reports describe the work as a technical verification, or proof-of-concept, focused on whether Ripple's infrastructure can improve the speed, cost, and transparency of overseas remittances. ZDNet Korea separately described the test as part of a phased push around bank-linked overseas remittance infrastructure.

For now, the commercial pieces remain open: launch date, customer access, fees, live volume, and the exact settlement asset.

Kbank already sits inside South Korea's crypto market through Upbit's real-name account system. Its Ripple pilot, therefore, lands as more than a remittance experiment: it tests whether bank-side crypto infrastructure can move from exchange access toward ordinary cross-border payments while the product design and rulebook remain unfinished.

What Kbank and Ripple are testing

The Kbank-Ripple agreement points to bank integration rather than a standalone crypto app. Local reports said Kbank CEO Choi Woo-hyung and Ripple APAC head Fiona Murray attended a signing ceremony at Kbank's Seoul headquarters, with the companies discussing a Ripple digital-wallet proof-of-concept, support for Kbank's overseas remittance model, and broader digital-asset cooperation.

The sequence starts with a separate app-based remittance structure. The next step virtually links customer accounts and internal systems to test remittance stability, checking whether blockchain remittance rails can be mapped onto account and operations layers that resemble the systems a regulated bank would actually use.

That second phase also reportedly tests on-chain transfers involving corridors such as the UAE and Thailand. The corridor detail makes the PoC more operationally specific than a generic partnership announcement while keeping the commercial model open.

Palisade brings the wallet and custody layer into the test. Global Economic said the second phase uses or evaluates Ripple's SaaS-based digital wallet Palisade, while Ripple's own Palisade acquisition announcement describes the platform as wallet-as-a-service and custody tooling with features aimed at institutional digital-asset operations.

That makes the test a wallet and key-management exercise as much as a transfer-speed exercise. Production deployment by Kbank remains unannounced.

The technical focus is still meaningful. A bank remittance product has to solve compliance, custody, account linkage, settlement, and broader regulatory requirements. The PoC appears to test parts of that stack, while the full commercial design remains open.

Related Reading

Ripple’s dollar stablecoin hits a wall in Japan, one of XRP’s friendliest markets, as megabanks earn most of the trust

Nomura’s latest survey suggests Japanese institutions trust stablecoins issued by major financial institutions most, a potential hurdle for RLUSD even in a market where XRP has long enjoyed unusual traction.

Apr 17, 2026 · Gino Matos

Why Upbit changes the stakes

Kbank's role in Upbit's fiat access gives the Ripple test its market-structure relevance. The bank was moving to extend its real-name deposit and withdrawal account partnership with Upbit through October 2026, according to ChosunBiz.

Upbit's own real-name account verification guide says deposit and withdrawal account verification is possible only with Kbank.

Taken together, the partnership report and Upbit's guide make Kbank the bank behind Upbit's KRW real-name deposit and withdrawal account verification rail. They do not show Upbit participating in the Ripple PoC or Kbank running the test on Upbit's behalf.

The size of the Upbit relationship explains why the context has force. Upbit-linked funds accounted for about 24% of Kbank's 30.4 trillion won deposit balance as of the third quarter of 2025, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.

The same report quoted Choi discussing Kbank's need to reduce reliance on Upbit while positioning stablecoins and cross-border payments as future opportunities.

Kbank's crypto-linked banking role has been built around exchange access. The Ripple test examines whether similar bank-side plumbing can be used for payments.

Related Reading

Naver merger talks to route 30M shoppers to Upbit sparking fee collapse

Cheaper stablecoin checkout could force banks and card giants to cut rates.

Sep 25, 2025 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

The first use case is account access for trading. The next possible use case is cross-border money movement. Between those two sits the unresolved question of regulation.

That context should not be stretched into Upbit participation. Upbit explains why Kbank's banking role matters to South Korea's crypto rails; the Ripple agreement remains a Kbank-side remittance PoC.

Related Reading

Wanchain-backed FinNexus expands to XRP Ledger for tokenizing real-world assets

Apr 29, 2020 · Shaurya Malwa

CryptoSlate's prior coverage helps define the surrounding terrain. A June 2025 article covered South Korean banks pursuing a won-backed stablecoin push, while an April 2026 CryptoSlate report on Ripple's RLUSD in Japan showed how bank trust can shape Asian stablecoin adoption.

Regulation keeps the test provisional

South Korea's bank-led stablecoin debate gives the remittance test a policy edge. The Kbank pilot is already being tied to South Korea's stablecoin rulemaking debate, while Seoul Economic Daily reported that delayed digital-asset legislation has kept some Korean blockchain and remittance infrastructure from moving into actual operations.

Related Reading

K-Won is coming: South Korea’s 8 mega-banks to unleash world’s newest stablecoin shockwave

Megabanks collaborate to stem foreign stablecoin dominance and bolster Korea's monetary sovereignty.

Jun 25, 2025 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

Banks can test the mechanics before they know the final rulebook. They can examine wallet architecture, account linkage, compliance controls, and cross-border flows. They can also build optionality without committing to a product launch.

Note: Kbank, the South Korean internet-only bank in the Ripple partnership, should be kept separate from Thailand's KASIKORNBANK, often branded KBank.

KASIKORNBANK has appeared in related Korea-Thailand digital-asset remittance discussions, including a February cooperation announcement with Orbix and BPMG. The connection is corridor context and naming clarity, while the South Korean Kbank and Thailand's KASIKORNBANK remain separate institutions.

The practical split is straightforward: what the pilot tests, what remains undecided, and why Kbank's Upbit rail gives the work market weight.

The next test is commercial proof

Kbank is now sitting between two roles. One is already visible: banking access for Upbit's KRW deposit and withdrawal verification.

The other is being tested: blockchain-based overseas remittances that connect with bank accounts and internal systems.

That bridge has strategic value because South Korea's crypto market already depends on tightly controlled bank-account rails. If a bank tied to those rails can also make blockchain remittances operational, the boundary between exchange access and payment infrastructure becomes less fixed.

The same compliance-heavy banking layer could become a place where crypto-linked infrastructure moves from trading access into cross-border money movement.

For now, the PoC covers testing, corridors, account-system simulation, and Palisade evaluation. It does not yet provide the commercial pieces that would turn the work into a live remittance business.

The next threshold is concrete: a named product, a live customer flow, a settlement asset, a fee model, and regulatory clearance.

Until those pieces arrive, Kbank's Ripple partnership is best read as a readiness test with unusually important surroundings. It shows that one of South Korea's key crypto-linked banking rails is examining the payments infrastructure.

It also shows how much still depends on regulation before a technical pilot can become a real remittance business.

The post The South Korean bank powering Upbit is testing Ripple integration for cross-border payments appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The European Union’s latest Russia sanctions package, its twentieth so far, brings crypto settlement squarely into an already fractured geopolitical spotlight.

Adopted on April 23, the package adds 120 new listings and rolls out financial measures that touch just about every corner of Russia’s crypto scene. That includes service providers, decentralized trading platforms, ruble-backed tokens, payment agents, and even support for the digital rouble.

Earlier rounds of restrictions mostly went after specific exchanges, wallets, or operators. This time, the EU is aiming higher up the stack, targeting the service layer that keeps Russia-linked crypto settlement running. That means third-country platforms and tools that can keep money moving globally, even if a particular exchange gets shut down.

Related Reading

Sanctions risk is forcing a rethink of reserve safety — and Bitcoin is now in the debate

Reserve managers are starting to ask not just what is safe, but what stays usable when politics, sanctions, or conflict hit.

Apr 2, 2026 · Gino Matos

The EU frames these new rules as a way to close loopholes. According to Council materials, Russia is leaning more and more on crypto for international payments as traditional finance routes get squeezed by sanctions.

The package is the bloc's largest move to sanction Russia in years, with crypto restrictions among its most specific measures.

The real test now is whether Europe can actually measure crypto settlement risk at the infrastructure level. That means platforms have to dig deeper than exchange names and look at where a provider is based, which tokens are in play, which settlement agents are involved, and whether the route relies on a state-backed digital currency.

The Ban Moves Down The Stack

The Commission says this package brings a blanket ban on doing business with any Russian crypto asset service provider. It also covers decentralized platforms if they’re being used to get around sanctions. Now, where a provider is based and how it operates matter just as much as whether it’s been named on a sanctions list.

TRM Labs ties the measure to platform succession risk after Garantex was disrupted. Its analysis of the package points to the Garantex-to-Grinex migration and the role of A7A5 as the bridge between those systems.

Chainalysis reaches a similar conclusion from a compliance angle. Its 20th package analysis describes the measure as a move against categories of evasion infrastructure rather than single named entities.

Related Reading

EU sanctions Russian crypto exchange Garantex over Ukraine conflict ties

The EU aims to close financial loopholes by directly sanctioning a Russian crypto exchange for the first time.

Feb 25, 2025 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

It’s one thing to screen a wallet address or exchange name. It’s a whole different challenge to spot a service provider set up in Russia, a third-country platform with Russian liquidity, or a settlement route built around a sanctioned token.

The Financial Times had already reported that EU officials were weighing a broad ban on Russian crypto transactions.

Prior CryptoSlate coverage of that proposal shows the continuity: Brussels was already testing a broader enforcement perimeter before the package was adopted.

Related Reading

New crypto ban targets Russia rails but one chokepoint decides whether flows die or just relocate offshore

If stablecoin issuers block redemption and the EU squeezes third country intermediaries, evasion costs spike in unexpected places.

Feb 11, 2026 · Gino Matos

The new rules reach into five different parts of the crypto settlement process.

Stablecoins Become Enforcement Infrastructure

A7A5 gives the policy a concrete example. Chainalysis identifies TengriCoin, doing business as Meer.kg, as the Kyrgyz venue where significant amounts of the government-backed stablecoin are traded.

The Council language is broader, pointing to a Kyrgyz entity operating an exchange where significant A7A5 volumes move.

The venue turns A7A5 from background context into a named enforcement path. TRM says A7A5 served as the financial bridge between Garantex and Grinex after Garantex was disrupted, while Chainalysis describes the token as a Russia-linked stablecoin rail for sanctioned businesses seeking access to the global financial system.

A 2025 U.S. sanctions report linked the Garantex, Grinex, and A7A5 network to earlier enforcement pressure. The EU package now codifies that route-level concern in its own sanctions framework.

Related Reading

OFAC targets Kyrgyzstan-based firms, stablecoins over Russian sanctions violations

Kyrgyzstan-based firms under scrutiny for facilitating Russian sanctions breaches via stablecoins.

Aug 14, 2025 · Assad Jafri

RUBx gives the package a second stablecoin layer. Russian state-owned conglomerate Rostec planned RUBx as a ruble-pegged token on Tron alongside a payment platform called RT-Pay.

The Commission now says the EU is prohibiting the use of and support for RUBx, as well as support for the digital rouble, a central bank digital currency under development by the Bank of Russia.

The policy signal is direct. The EU is treating a stablecoin, a CBDC project, and the service providers around them as parts of a sanctions-relevant payment architecture.

The role of the instrument carries more weight than the token ticker. If a ruble-backed asset can connect sanctioned businesses to liquidity, its issuer, venue, service provider, and supporting infrastructure all become part of the risk map.

Live market data shows these instruments are active across a huge global market. The focus here is on who can actually settle transactions.

Compliance Moves To The Whole Route

The netting ban shows how far the package reaches into settlement mechanics. The Commission says the package prohibits transactions with agents in Russia and other third countries that offer to facilitate international transactions from Russia to bypass EU sanctions. It also bars netting transactions with Russian agents.

Chainalysis describes this as significant for crypto compliance because netting can obscure the underlying counterparties of Russia-linked flows.

For crypto firms, risk can show up in the service provider behind the scenes, the country where an intermediary is based, the token used to settle, or the payment agent moving the money. Screening now means looking at the whole route, not just searching for familiar names.

For stablecoin issuers, custodians, exchanges, payment processors, and infrastructure providers, this means stepping up checks on any Russia-linked activity. TRM points out that the package moves the focus from just screening names to figuring out if a counterparty is actually based in Russia, even if it’s a brand-new service that hasn’t been listed yet. individual designation.

Related Reading

Russian-linked crypto wallets channel $8B to skirt sanctions using Tether's USDT

Stablecoins used to bypass global banking restrictions highlight the growing concern over cryptocurrency's role in sanctions evasion.

Sep 26, 2025 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

Chainalysis flags third-country platforms and intermediaries as sanctions-evasion risks when Russian settlement links are detected.

One likely result is more friction. If issuers, exchanges, and service providers really enforce these rules, settling Russia-linked crypto could get pricier and less dependable. The real squeeze is on the route itself; redemption, platform access, liquidity, custody, and payment-agent relationships all come under pressure.

Another outcome is migration. Successor platforms, nested services, and third-country brokers can push activity into less transparent venues. The EU's answer is to target the architecture that lets those routes keep functioning, pairing crypto restrictions with measures against third-country financial institutions and anti-circumvention channels.

Stablecoins and the digital rouble are now firmly inside the EU’s sanctions playbook, not just sitting on the sidelines. The EU has called out crypto rails as real financial infrastructure and built restrictions around the providers, tokens, platforms, and settlement mechanics that make them work. The big question now is whether enforcement can keep up as these routes keep shifting.

The post EU sanctions Russian crypto usage for 20th time adding bans on digital rubles and anyone using Russian crypto services appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Cardano's governance system is facing two deadlines that belong in the same conversation.

JPG Store, a prominent Cardano NFT marketplace whose product page calls it the #1 Cardano NFT marketplace, began a ‘Restriction Mode' on April 23 and scheduled its ‘Complete Shutdown for May 23′.

The shutdown gives users immediate work to do. The shutdown FAQ tells users to remove listings, cancel offers, and settle or cancel loans before the final date. A separate social-login wallet notice tells users to transfer NFTs, tokens, and ADA to a self-custody Cardano wallet before access through those wallets ends.

At the same time, Cardano voters are weighing Input Output's 2026 treasury slate, where Pogun asks for ₳12.29 million to build a Bitcoin liquidity and credit engine. The process is demanding by design: treasury withdrawals require delegated representative approval from 67% of active voting stake, plus Constitutional Committee approval.

Put together, those deadlines turn Cardano's funding priorities into a live test against the stress points users can see.

The evidence supports an application-level pressure point, while broader chain-health claims would need separate support. JPG Store attributed the decision to operating sustainability, and the closure materials do not establish chain-wide failure.

That distinction is important for the ongoing treasury debate. Cardano can still pursue an ambitious Bitcoin DeFi strategy, but the case for funding it now has to sit beside a visible consumer product telling users to unwind positions and move assets.

Related Reading

Cardano development teams wants almost $50 million for Bitcoin DeFi and Vision 2030

Cardano’s founding engineering lab wants to tap into the trillion-dollar Bitcoin market, but it needs the community’s approval for a $46.8 million development budget first.

Apr 23, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

A consumer deadline now sits beside the vote

Its ‘Restriction Mode' puts JPG Store into an immediate wind-down process. During that phase, core actions such as listings, offers, sales, and rentals are restricted, while users can still remove active orders and manage certain existing positions before ‘Complete Shutdown' on May 23.

That creates a migration problem for users and a visible comparison point for builders watching where Cardano treasury capital may go next.

Cardano's funding system is debating new infrastructure while one of its most recognizable consumer surfaces is asking people to move assets before it shuts down for good.

JPG Store winding down shows that a product with real visibility in Cardano's NFT market could not continue operating under its current model. Other parts of the ecosystem are still building, voting, and shipping, but the shutdown still adds pressure to the allocation question.

If treasury allocations are contested and voter approval is difficult to secure, the debate becomes a test of whether Bitcoin DeFi is the best near-term answer to the stress points users see.

A marketplace shutdown driven by sustainability pressure and a treasury request for new liquidity infrastructure can both be rational responses to the same ecosystem issues. Together, they set a clearer test: Cardano has to show that new funding can translate into applications, users, and liquidity, with the consumer layer as the proof point.

The closure also changes how the vote will be judged. A consumer deadline gives voters and builders a visible benchmark for any treasury ask.

Funding new infrastructure can still be rational, but the burden is higher when existing user surfaces are asking people to move assets and unwind positions.

The vote tests Cardano's allocation logic

Input Output's 2026 treasury package includes nine proposals. Pogun is the Bitcoin DeFi plank in that set, and its listed work includes a non-margin credit market, a yield application, institutional access, and a BitVM-powered trust-minimized bridge through 2026.

In plain English, the proposal aims to make Bitcoin useful within Cardano's DeFi stack. That is a coherent strategic target because it aims at liquidity alongside application growth.

The harder challenge is whether that target addresses the current weakness visible in Cardano's consumer and DeFi activity.

The live treasury withdrawal process listed Pogun as expiring May 24, with 1.04% DRep support toward the 67% threshold as of 09:30 UTC on April 24.

That can change quickly, but it captures the state of the process at a useful moment: the proposal is live, the threshold is high, and voter conviction still has to be built.

The broader request was already on the table. Input Output's teams were seeking almost $50 million for Bitcoin DeFi and Vision 2030, with the 2026 ask below the prior year's approved level.

JPG Store's closure adds pressure around how that funding case should be judged.

The Bitcoin-liquidity direction also predates Pogun. Cardano had already approved an Orion Fund first tranche tied to 50 million ADA, a $15 million first deployment, and an $80 million target.

Pogun, therefore, sits within a broader effort to connect Cardano with Bitcoin liquidity, a strategy that now has multiple pieces, from Orion to Pogun, while the consumer-product side has just set a new deadline.

The funding case has to show that those pieces connect, because a liquidity engine only strengthens the ecosystem if it eventually produces usable markets, credible demand, and applications that people return to.

The next test is delivery and usage

The market backdrop shows why Bitcoin DeFi is tempting. The aggregate crypto market sits at around $2.6 trillion, with BTC dominance near 60.1%.

CryptoSlate's Cardano price data show ADA trading near $0.25 with a market cap of around $9 billion, while BTC trades near $77,872 with a $1.56 trillion market cap.

Those figures show the scale mismatch Cardano is trying to solve. Bitcoin liquidity is enormous, and Cardano's own asset value remains large enough to make light application usage look like an execution challenge.

Cardano's activity metrics give the other side of the frame. DefiLlama shows about $134.57 million in DeFi TVL, $49.08 million in stablecoins, $556,520 in 24-hour DEX volume, and $3,575 in 24-hour NFT volume.

The shape is more important than the exact numbers. Cardano's market value is large, while measured DeFi and NFT activity remain comparatively light.

That makes the treasury question harder and more useful. A Bitcoin liquidity push could address one clear constraint by bringing a deeper asset pool into Cardano's DeFi system.

At the same time, a consumer NFT marketplace shutdown asks whether the ecosystem also needs stronger native demand, better product economics, or funding paths that sustain applications users already recognize.

Cardano's funding system was already in transition before this week. Project Catalyst had distributed more than $150 million, while the next rounds were paused as stewardship moved from Input Output to the Cardano Foundation.

That context places the current debate inside a broader governance reset and the strongest conclusion is conditional. JPG Store's closure leaves Cardano's Bitcoin DeFi strategy alive, but harder to judge by itself.

If Pogun and related liquidity work win support, ship on schedule, and create measurable activity, the treasury push can be understood as an attempt to connect Cardano to a larger pool of capital.

In that version, consumer consolidation and Bitcoin DeFi expansion can coexist because the chain is trying to build new demand channels while some unsustainable products wind down.

If voting remains thin, activity metrics stay weak, or more consumer surfaces contract, the same proposal will face a tougher interpretation.

It will resemble a bet that a new liquidity narrative can repair problems visible in the existing application layer.

The next thresholds are concrete. JPG Store's final shutdown date is May 23. Pogun's listed treasury vote window expires May 24.

After that, the useful signals move from governance approval to delivery, usage, and liquidity. The useful question is whether the treasury process can direct capital toward constraints that users and builders can actually feel.

The post Should Cardano invest more into Bitcoin while top Cardano marketplaces like JPG Store shut down? appeared first on CryptoSlate.

AAVE, the native token of the Aave DeFi platform, is now available on the Solana blockchain network.

The move will give Solana users access to one of the largest lending protocols in decentralized finance without leaving the network.

This came less than two days after the Solana Foundation revealed that it would deploy part of its treasury into Aave.

Through this action, the non-profit joined a broader industry effort to contain the fallout from the KelpDAO rsETH $292 million exploit and restore confidence in decentralized lending markets.

Related Reading

DeFi lost $13B this month as the KelpDAO rescue shows both the best and worst of DeFi

The rescue effort that has already lined up tens of thousands of ETH also exposes the uncomfortable reality that DeFi’s biggest crises still depend on multiple factors.

Apr 26, 2026 · Gino Matos

Solana Foundation aids Aave recovery

On April 25, Lily Liu, chair of the foundation, said the nonprofit is lending USDT to Aave to support recovery efforts after the exploit left major DeFi protocols exposed to unbacked collateral and liquidity stress.

The step marks an unusual cross-chain intervention by Solana, which has spent years building its own DeFi economy around native lending, trading, and liquid staking applications.

It also gives the foundation a direct role in a recovery effort centered on Aave, a protocol more closely associated with Ethereum and its layer-2 networks.

Liu framed the move as support for the broader open-finance market, saying blockchain economies do not operate in isolation and that Solana’s long-term health depends on a functioning DeFi sector beyond its own ecosystem.

For Solana, the intervention signals that competition among chains does not preclude coordination when a failure threatens the market structure on which they all depend.

Related Reading

Six years after “DeFi Summer” is the sun already setting on the decentralized finance revolution?

DeFi hits "trust squeeze" as hacks erode credibility and TradFi's tokenization surge could push it into something darker

Apr 20, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

A bridge failure becomes a DeFi problem

The April 18 $292 million exploit began with KelpDAO’s rsETH, a liquid restaking token, after attackers allegedly exploited a weakness tied to its LayerZero bridge configuration.

According to reports, the attackers were able to redeem 116,500 unbacked rsETH tokens on Ethereum before depositing the assets as collateral across Aave, Compound, and Euler, then borrowing roughly $292 million in ETH and other assets.

This action caused broader contagion, especially in Aave's lending markets, where platform users exited en masse, and resulted in WETH utilization reaching 100% within hours of the exploit.

Galaxy Research explained:

“At full utilization, Aave's design doesn't allow withdrawals, because there is no idle liquidity in the pool to redeem against. Whoever withdraws first is made whole, while whoever comes later must wait for new supply to arrive or borrowers to repay.”

Oak Research, a crypto intelligence firm, said the mass exit led to a 17% decline in total value locked in DeFi, with Aave experiencing more than $12 billion in outflows.

The firm argued the episode could have become a defining failure for DeFi because it combined a bridge misconfiguration, a systemically important lending venue, and lenders unable to withdraw funds from depleted pools.

The liquidity crunch also showed how lending protocols can operate as designed while still importing risk from outside infrastructure.

Aave pools depend on borrowers, collateral, and liquidations functioning normally. When collateral quality collapses suddenly, lenders can be left waiting for liquidity until borrowers repay, liquidations occur, or new deposits enter the market.

Can ‘DeFi United' restore investors' confidence?

In response to the incident, Aave and KelpDAO helped organize DeFi United, a recovery vehicle aimed at replenishing rsETH reserves and making affected users whole.

According to DeFi United's official website, the effort has drawn commitments of nearly $240 million from several major DeFi participants, including Aave DAO, Arbitrum DAO, Mantle, Ether.fi, Lido, Kelp, Golem Foundation, and individual contributors.

Oak Research said this recovery effort is working because Aave was the protocol at risk.

In its view, the response may have been different if the losses had been isolated to a smaller restaking protocol or a bridge without broader systemic importance. Aave, as the largest DeFi lending venue, had stronger incentives to preserve its reputation and avoid a precedent in which lenders take losses from collateral accepted by the protocol.

That is what makes Solana’s support notable. The foundation is stepping into a sector-wide effort to prevent a bridge-linked collateral failure from damaging confidence in DeFi’s largest lending venue.

The move also gives Solana a strategic opening. Bringing AAVE to Solana could deepen cross-chain liquidity, broaden access for Solana users, and give Aave another distribution channel at a time when lending protocols are reassessing collateral risk, bridge dependencies, and emergency backstops.

Meanwhile, the recovery may still leave governance questions unresolved. Aave tokenholders must weigh the cost of using treasury assets against the reputational risk of allowing users to absorb losses.

While DeFi United can help close the immediate shortfall, the KelpDAO exploit has already shown that collateral standards, bridge design, and protocol risk controls are no longer separate issues.

The post Latest $290M exploit hit DeFi so hard it forced Aave onto Solana as part of rescue efforts appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin traded below $78,000 on Monday as EU markets opened for the week.

BTC price hit $77,819, down 0.28% over 24 hours, with a market capitalization near $1.56 trillion and 24-hour volume of around $32.1 billion. Total crypto liquidations stood near $295 million over the previous 24 hours on CoinGlass.

Bitcoin had been pressing the $80,000 decision area, then quickly slipped back under $78,000 before any clear fresh macro, regulatory, exchange, ETF, or issuer headline had emerged.

The immediate test is whether the drop was a short-lived leverage flush or the start of a broader risk-off move.

The distinction is substantive. A leverage flush can reset crowded positioning while leaving the larger market structure intact. A broader risk-off move usually needs follow-through across risk assets, weaker liquidity, or a new catalyst that changes how traders price the next several sessions.

For now, the evidence points to market structure first. Liquidation pressure was evident, the price level was fragile, but the cause has yet to be resolved into a single clear explanation.

Related Reading

Bitcoin’s uptrend towards $80,000 is increasingly attracting bears – but they keep losing

A two-week diplomatic pause and a dovish Federal Reserve nominee are forcing over-leveraged short-sellers into a violent wave of liquidations.

Apr 23, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

The $80,000 area was already loaded

The latest move landed in a zone that had already drawn attention. On Apr. 23, Bitcoin traded as high as $79,470 while moving toward the $80,000 threshold, before retracing to about $78,200.

The push was linked to forced liquidations and a more constructive macro and geopolitical setup.

Bitcoin was already testing a level where recent buyers, short sellers, and macro-sensitive traders had reasons to react. When price moves into that kind of area, the first rejection often says more about positioning than conviction.

A later CryptoSlate market-structure analysis gives the same zone a more tactical map. Bitcoin had failed to hold the upper-$78,000s after reaching the $80,000 level, while risk appetite and equities were doing more immediate work than crude oil.

The same analysis placed the constructive path around a hold of the $77,000 to $77,500 area followed by a reclaim of the upper-$78,000s.

That gives Monday's move a clean test. If buyers absorb the drop near the mid-$77,000s, the decline can remain a clearing event. If price fails there, the break starts to point to a broader reduction in risk.

The pattern also helps separate price action from explanation. Traders did not need a new headline to see why stops, hedges, or fast exits could cluster around a round-number level that had just rejected momentum. A market that has challenged $80,000 can reverse quickly when leverage is high, and the next buyer is waiting for a lower price.

That makes the first response around $77,000 to $77,500 more important than the search for a tidy headline. A fast reclaim would show demand absorbing forced flows. A stalled bounce would tell traders that the drop was spilling into spot conviction and broader risk appetite.

Recent CryptoSlate coverage explains why the $80,000 zone was crowded, why liquidations had helped shape the prior move, and why risk appetite could influence the next leg. It leaves the Apr. 27 drawdown as a live test, rather than a settled reaction to one event.

That framing separates the level from the narrative. The price zone can be real, and the catalyst can remain unresolved. Bitcoin had a clear technical pressure point, while the available evidence still leaves the trigger open.

Related Reading

Bitcoin braces for $8B options expiry as war, oil and the Fed threaten a volatility reset

Oil above $100, a 99.5% probability of a Fed hold, and $8 billion in Bitcoin options expiring Friday: the setup couldn't be less forgiving to anyone betting on a quiet week.

Apr 21, 2026 · Andjela Radmilac

Liquidations define what the evidence can support

The liquidation data adds pressure to that interpretation. Total crypto liquidations reached about $294.9 million over 24 hours, up sharply from the prior reading on the page.

CoinGlass also showed 89,011 traders liquidated and the largest single order on Binance's ETHUSDT pair at about $11.98 million.

The Bitcoin-specific page was more nuanced. BTC liquidations were about $95.55 million, split between about $38.8 million in longs and $56.75 million in shorts.

That split complicates the easy version of the move. A falling Bitcoin price often invites a simple long-liquidation explanation. The BTC-specific reading was short-heavy at the time checked, which suggests the liquidation backdrop was mixed and not a one-direction wipeout.

Still, liquidations were large enough to show forced position closure across the market, while the Bitcoin page showed activity clustered around the same hours as the European open. That supports a leverage and liquidity frame, with the immediate trigger still unresolved.

Market-cap data sets a second boundary. Global crypto market capitalization is near $2.59 trillion, and Bitcoin's dominance was around 60%. CryptoSlate's coins page shows Bitcoin's market capitalization is around $1.559 trillion.

Related Reading

This week Bitcoin will face major volatility across a key 48 hour period: Fed first, GDP and PCE right after

Bitcoin faces a 48-hour macro trap as the Fed speaks first, but GDP and PCE get the last word.

Apr 27, 2026 · Andjela Radmilac

Macro pressure sets the next test

The macro backdrop gives the move context. The Federal Reserve calendar shows a two-day FOMC meeting scheduled for Apr. 28 and 29, with a press conference on Apr. 29.

A separate Federal Reserve notice shows an Apr. 28 closed Board meeting to discuss monetary policy issues.

CryptoSlate's macro preview also framed the week as unusually compressed. Traders would get the Fed first, then GDP and PCE data shortly after, creating a tight test for rates, growth, inflation, and risk appetite.

That setup can explain why buyers may be less willing to step in aggressively. Bitcoin often trades as a liquidity-sensitive asset over short macro windows. When the market is heading into a packed policy and data sequence, traders have fewer reasons to add risk into a fast drop.

Still, the calendar is background pressure. During the Apr. 27 review window, no new Fed decision, fresh inflation print, regulatory action, exchange failure, ETF shock, or issuer announcement had emerged to explain the move.

The market had a plausible reason to be cautious, while the visible move looked more consistent with positioning and liquidity stress than a fully explained headline response.

The most defensible reading is that Bitcoin's drop below $78,000 looks like a leverage flush inside a risk-sensitive market, with no obvious fresh catalyst. That holds if the move stabilizes near the mid-$77,000s and buyers can push price back toward the upper-$78,000s.

A reclaim would suggest the market cleared excess exposure while preserving the larger range. It would also fit the pattern CryptoSlate mapped earlier: hold the $77,000 to $77,500 area, regain the upper-$78,000s, and put $80,000 back into play.

A deeper break would change the question. If Bitcoin loses the mid-$77,000s while equities weaken, yields firm, or the Fed week turns more hostile for risk assets, the same liquidation data would begin to resemble the first leg of a broader risk reduction.

That leaves the market with a precise test. The liquidation wave has shown where leverage was vulnerable. The next price reaction will show whether spot demand is strong enough to absorb the damage.

The post Bitcoin flash crashes below $78,000 at Europe market open with nearly $295 million in crypto liquidations appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Ethereum drops below $2,300 as crypto momentum fades

Ethereum fell below the important $2,300 level after Bitcoin failed to hold its recent pump toward $79K. The move came during a broader crypto market pullback, where Bitcoin dropped below $77K and several major altcoins turned red within a short period.

The latest market data shows ETH trading around $2,277, down nearly 3% over 24 hours. This drop is important because Ethereum had recently been supported by bullish institutional headlines, including reports of major ETH accumulation by BitMine. However, the market reaction shows that short-term traders are still focused more on Bitcoin’s price action, liquidations and weak market structure than on long-term accumulation news.

In simple terms, Ethereum did not drop because of one isolated ETH-specific event. It dropped because the broader crypto market lost momentum.

Why did Ethereum drop below $2,300?

The main reason Ethereum dropped is that Bitcoin rejected a key resistance zone. BTC briefly pushed toward $79K, but the move failed quickly. Once Bitcoin lost strength and fell back below $77K, Ethereum followed with a sharper decline.

This is normal during fast market reversals. ETH often behaves like a higher-beta version of Bitcoin, meaning it can rise faster during bullish momentum but also fall harder when the market turns. When BTC rejected the breakout, traders quickly reduced exposure across major crypto assets, and ETH became one of the first large-cap altcoins to feel the pressure.

The loss of the $2,300 level then made the move worse. For many traders, $2,300 is both a psychological level and a short-term technical support zone. Once Ethereum fell below it, stop-losses and leveraged long liquidations likely accelerated the decline.

Liquidations hit Ethereum after Bitcoin’s failed breakout

The speed of the drop suggests that liquidations played a major role. Social media reports pointed to a sharp amount of value being wiped from the crypto market in a very short time, with both BTC and ETH falling almost simultaneously.

This matters because Ethereum is heavily traded with leverage. When the market moves against crowded long positions, traders are forced to close positions or get liquidated. That selling pressure can push ETH lower even if there is no major negative news about Ethereum itself.

This is why ETH can drop despite bullish long-term headlines. Institutional accumulation may support the broader narrative, but short-term leverage can still control intraday price action.

BitMine buying Ethereum was not enough to stop the selloff

One of the more bullish headlines around Ethereum was the report that Tom Lee’s BitMine bought a large amount of ETH. This should normally support confidence in Ethereum’s long-term outlook, especially as institutional interest in ETH continues to grow.

However, today’s move shows the difference between long-term accumulation and short-term trading pressure. Big buyers can strengthen the investment case for Ethereum, but they do not automatically prevent sudden corrections. If Bitcoin rejects resistance, the market deleverages, and altcoins weaken, ETH can still drop below key levels.

That is exactly what happened here. The BitMine headline helped the Ethereum narrative, but it was not strong enough to stop the market-wide selloff.

Ethereum weakens as altcoins flash warning signs

Ethereum’s decline also fits the broader altcoin weakness. XRP, Solana, Cardano, BNB and Chainlink were all under pressure, confirming that this was not only an Ethereum problem. The market was reducing risk across major altcoins.

This is important because Ethereum usually needs broader altcoin strength to build a sustainable rally. When ETH rises while altcoins confirm the move, the market often looks healthier. But when ETH drops alongside most large-cap coins, it suggests that traders are becoming more defensive.

For now, Ethereum is still being treated like a risk asset. It is not leading the market higher. Instead, it is reacting to Bitcoin’s failed breakout and the broader weakness across crypto.

Ethereum price analysis: key levels to watch

The most important level for Ethereum now is $2,300. If ETH can reclaim this level quickly, the latest drop may be viewed as a temporary shakeout caused by Bitcoin’s rejection and short-term liquidations.

A move back above $2,300 would be the first sign that buyers are trying to regain control. After that, ETH would need to push toward the $2,350 to $2,400 zone to rebuild stronger bullish momentum.

However, if Ethereum remains below $2,300, the risk of further downside increases. In that case, traders may start watching lower support areas near $2,250 and then $2,200. Losing those levels could make the ETH chart look weaker and extend the correction.

For now, ETH is in a sensitive position. The next move depends heavily on whether Bitcoin can stabilize above $76K to $77K and whether Ethereum can recover $2,300 quickly.

Is Ethereum still bullish?

Ethereum’s long-term outlook has not been destroyed by this drop. Institutional buying, ETF-related interest and the broader Ethereum ecosystem still support the long-term narrative. But the short-term chart is clearly under pressure.

The problem is not that Ethereum has no bullish catalysts. The problem is that the market is not responding strongly to them yet. When bullish headlines fail to push price higher, it usually means traders are waiting for technical confirmation before taking more risk.

For Ethereum, that confirmation starts with reclaiming $2,300. Without that, the market may continue to treat ETH as weak in the short term.

Ethereum price prediction: bounce or deeper correction?

If Ethereum reclaims $2,300 and Bitcoin stabilizes above $77K, ETH could attempt a recovery toward $2,350 and then $2,400. A stronger move above that zone would suggest that the selloff was only a temporary liquidation event.

But if ETH fails to recover $2,300, the bearish case becomes stronger. A continued rejection below this level could send Ethereum toward $2,250 or even $2,200, especially if Bitcoin loses the $76K support area.

The most likely short-term scenario is continued volatility. Ethereum is stuck between bullish institutional narratives and bearish short-term price action. Until ETH turns $2,300 back into support, traders should expect more sharp moves in both directions.

Final thoughts: why ETH dropped and what comes next

Ethereum dropped below $2,300 because Bitcoin’s failed $79K pump triggered a broader crypto market selloff. The move was accelerated by liquidations, weak altcoin momentum and traders reducing risk across major crypto assets.

This does not mean Ethereum’s long-term story is broken. But it does show that ETH needs stronger confirmation before the next major rally can begin. Bullish accumulation headlines are important, but price action still matters.

For now, the key level is clear: Ethereum needs to reclaim $2,300. If it does, the market could start looking for a recovery. If it fails, ETH may remain under pressure and test lower support zones.

Bitcoin fails to hold the $79K pump

Bitcoin gave traders a short burst of optimism after briefly pumping toward the $79K level. The move looked like a potential breakout attempt, especially after fresh institutional buying headlines entered the market. However, the momentum quickly faded, and Bitcoin dropped back below $77K, erasing the gains from the previous move.

According to the latest market data, Bitcoin is trading around $76,600, down roughly 1.7% over 24 hours. This confirms that BTC is still struggling to build a clean continuation above the $78K to $79K range. The failed move also shows that buyers are not yet strong enough to push Bitcoin into a confirmed breakout above $80K.

The key question now is simple: why did Bitcoin pump toward $79K, then suddenly lose strength?

Why did Bitcoin drop below $77K?

The first reason is a classic failed breakout. Bitcoin moved higher, attracted short-term traders, but failed to hold the breakout zone. Once the price started rejecting near $79K, leveraged positions became vulnerable. The move then turned into a fast downside reaction, with reports pointing to billions being wiped from the crypto market in a short period.

This type of move often happens when the market pumps into resistance without enough spot demand to support the rally. Traders chase the move, liquidity builds above and below the price, and once momentum slows, the market reverses sharply.

In this case, Bitcoin’s drop below $77K suggests that the $79K area was not a real breakout yet. It was more likely a liquidity move, where the price pushed higher, trapped late buyers, and then quickly reversed.

Strategy buys more Bitcoin, but BTC still drops

One of the most interesting parts of today’s crypto news is that Bitcoin dropped even after bullish institutional headlines. Michael Saylor’s Strategy reportedly bought 3,273 BTC worth around $255 million, adding more fuel to the long-term Bitcoin accumulation narrative.

Normally, this type of news would support bullish sentiment. But today’s price action shows that institutional buying does not always create an immediate pump. Large buyers may support the bigger trend, but short-term price action still depends on liquidity, leverage, resistance levels and market confidence.

In other words, Strategy buying more Bitcoin is bullish for the long-term narrative, but it was not enough to stop the short-term selloff below $77K.

BlackRock and institutions are buying, but retail momentum is weak

The broader institutional story remains strong. BlackRock has reportedly accumulated hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin through spot ETF demand, while Strategy continues to add BTC to its balance sheet. This confirms that large players are still using weakness as an accumulation opportunity.

However, Bitcoin’s failure to break $80K shows that institutional demand alone is not enough. The market also needs stronger retail participation, better altcoin momentum, and a clear technical breakout. Without those elements, Bitcoin can continue to see sharp pumps and dumps inside the same range.

This is why today’s move is important. It shows a clear gap between the long-term accumulation story and the short-term trading reality.

Altcoins confirm the market weakness

Bitcoin was not the only asset under pressure. The latest crypto performance data shows that most major altcoins are also red. Ethereum dropped below $2,300, XRP fell by more than 2%, Solana moved lower, Cardano weakened, and Chainlink also declined.

This matters because a healthy crypto rally usually needs support from major altcoins. When Bitcoin pumps but altcoins remain weak, the move often looks defensive rather than broad-based. It means traders are not fully rotating into risk yet.

Ethereum’s weakness is especially important. ETH is trading around $2,277, down almost 3%, despite recent reports that Tom Lee’s BitMine bought a large amount of Ethereum. This shows that even bullish Ethereum accumulation headlines are not currently enough to reverse market pressure.

Peter Schiff adds bearish pressure to the Bitcoin narrative

Another headline adding attention to the market is Peter Schiff’s latest bearish comment, where he reportedly said Bitcoin could crash “close to zero.” Schiff has always been one of Bitcoin’s most vocal critics, so the statement itself is not surprising. But the timing matters.

His comment came while Bitcoin was failing to hold a breakout and dropping below $77K. This gives the market a stronger emotional contrast: institutions are buying BTC, but critics are using the failed pump as proof that Bitcoin remains fragile.

For traders, this does not mean Bitcoin is going to zero. But it does show that sentiment is still divided. The market is not in full euphoria mode. Fear, skepticism and leverage-driven volatility are still controlling short-term moves.

Why is Bitcoin weak while stocks hit all-time highs?

One of the most important parts of today’s market setup is that stocks are reportedly hitting all-time highs while Bitcoin is struggling below $80K. That is a major signal.

If US and Asian stock markets are strong, but Bitcoin cannot hold above $79K, it suggests that crypto is not currently leading the risk-on trade. Liquidity may be flowing first into equities, while crypto remains trapped by leverage, weak altcoin demand and resistance near $80K.

This does not necessarily mean the Bitcoin trend is broken. But it does mean that BTC needs stronger confirmation before traders can call the next major breakout. For now, the market is still reacting more like a fragile risk asset than a leading momentum asset.

Bitcoin price analysis: key levels to watch

The most important level now is the $76K to $77K support zone. If Bitcoin can hold this area and reclaim $78K, the market may attempt another move toward $79K and eventually $80K.

However, if BTC loses the $76K zone clearly, the failed $79K pump could turn into a deeper correction. In that case, traders may start watching lower liquidity areas and stronger support zones below the current range.

For the bullish case to return, Bitcoin needs more than another quick pump. It needs to reclaim the $78K to $79K range, hold it as support, and show enough strength to challenge $80K with real volume.

For Ethereum, the key level is $2,300. If ETH remains below this zone, altcoins may continue to struggle, even if Bitcoin stabilizes.

Is the Bitcoin rally over?

The Bitcoin rally is not necessarily over, but today’s move is a warning sign. Bitcoin is still attracting institutional buyers, and major companies continue to accumulate BTC. However, the short-term chart shows that the market is not ready for a clean breakout yet.

The drop below $77K after a pump to $79K shows that traders are still selling into strength. It also confirms that $80K remains a major psychological and technical barrier.

For now, the crypto market is stuck between two forces. On one side, institutional accumulation supports the long-term Bitcoin story. On the other side, weak altcoins, liquidations and failed breakout attempts are keeping short-term pressure alive.

Until Bitcoin turns $79K into support and breaks $80K with conviction, the market may continue to see sharp pumps followed by fast pullbacks.

Tangem is heating up the self-custody market this spring with the launch of its exclusive Prize Draw Campaign, running from May 5 to June 6, 2026. This campaign offers users a chance to win a share of over 100 prizes, including a grand prize of $5,000 in BTC.

How to Participate in the Tangem Draw

To participate in the Tangem Prize Draw, users simply need to purchase a Tangem wallet directly through our exclusive promo link here during the promotion period. Participation is entirely automatic; every wallet item purchased counts as one entry—for example, a 3-pack order equals three tickets—with no additional sign-up required.

Prize Pool Breakdown: What Can You Win?

The campaign features a robust selection of 104 individual prizes. Beyond the headline Bitcoin rewards, Tangem is giving away the latest tech and specialized hardware security gear.

Winners will be announced on July 5, 2026, following a 30-day "cooldown" period used to verify that only non-refunded purchases are eligible. The announcement will take place on the Tangem blog and via a live stream on the Tangem Discord.

Bonus Offer: Double Your Entries and Save 50%

Running concurrently with the prize draw is a significant discount on high-capacity storage. Users who purchase a Family Pack (two 3-card sets) starting with a Black or Stealth wallet can receive the second set at 50% off by using our official discount link.

Notably, both sets in the Family Pack count as separate entries for the prize draw, effectively doubling your chances to win while securing your assets at a lower cost. Eligible collections for the discounted second set include popular designs like Bitcoin, White Stealth, and the "Hold Your Freedom" series.

Why Hardware Security Matters in 2026

In an era where Bitcoin prices are pushing toward six-figure milestones, the security of your private keys is paramount. Modern hardware wallets have evolved to address sophisticated 2026 threats like AI-enabled phishing and "pig butchering" scams.

Tangem's unique approach utilizes EAL6+ certified secure element chips within a card-shaped form factor. Unlike traditional devices, Tangem is battery-free and requires no cables; users simply tap the card to their smartphone to sign transactions. This eliminates the vulnerability of a written seed phrase, as the keys are generated and stored exclusively on the card's chip.

Safety and Anti-Scam Precautions

Tangem has issued a strict warning regarding security during this campaign. Official winners will only be contacted via email from the @tangem.com domain.

• No Payment Required: Tangem will never ask for payment to claim a prize.
• Privacy First: Official staff will never ask for your private keys or seed phrases.
• Verify Sources: If you receive messages from other addresses claiming you have won, it is a scam.

While Bitcoin ($BTC) remains in a choppy consolidation range near $77,500, a handful of high-beta assets have posted double-digit gains, diverging significantly from the broader index.

Historically, vertical moves of this magnitude—often exceeding 30% in seven days—invite a period of rebalancing. For traders, this week is less about chasing the "pump" and more about identifying where the floor sits. Here are 3 tokens that soared high and need to be on every trader's radar.

1. Humanity Protocol (H): The "Vesting Choice" Volatility

Humanity Protocol (H) has been the week's standout performer, surging over 45% following a massive spike in on-chain whale activity. Large-scale transactions for $H$ recently hit a five-month high, signaling that institutional players are positioning themselves within its "Proof of Humanity" ecosystem.

However, a fundamental headwind is peaking right now. The Humanity Foundation recently presented early backers with a difficult choice: extend their vesting schedules until late 2026 or accept a 70% haircut for immediate liquidity by April 26. This creates a complex supply dynamic for the remainder of this week.

• The Bull Case: If whales continue to defend the current breakout support at $0.12, a test of the $0.18 resistance level is likely.
• The Bear Case: A significant "cliff" token unlock is approaching on June 25 for those who chose the haircut. In the immediate term, the market is pricing in this "death spiral" risk. If $H$ fails to hold $0.14, expect a retracement toward the $0.11 EMA.

2. Stable (STABLE): Navigating Regulatory Momentum

Stable (STABLE) has climbed over 30% this week, reaching a market capitalization of approximately $742 million. This rally is fueled by the evolving regulatory landscape in the United States, specifically following the GENIUS Act guidelines and new institutional reserve portfolios from major banks.

Unlike purely speculative tokens, STABLE is positioning itself as a compliance-first asset. However, after such a rapid ascent, the token is showing signs of exhaustion.

• Key Levels: STABLE is currently hovering near a psychological resistance point of $0.035. A failure to break through this week could see profit-taking dominate the mid-week sessions, leading to a healthy retracement toward $0.028.
• Watch for: New Treasury Department rules regarding stablecoin AML frameworks, which could either solidify this rally or trigger a "sell the news" event.

3. MemeCore (M): High Gains vs. Thin Liquidity

The third asset on our radar, MemeCore (M), has been the "moonshot" story of the month, gaining nearly 30% this week and pushing its valuation into the multi-billion dollar range. While the price of $M is sitting near its local highs of $4.38, technical analysts are sounding the alarm.

The project recently executed a hardfork that reduced gas fees by 99%, attracting a wave of retail interest. However, on-chain scrutiny highlights a potential risk: a discrepancy between the high market cap and relatively thin liquidity in decentralized exchange (DEX) pools.

• Risk Factor: The volume-to-market cap ratio remains low. In thin markets like MemeCore's, even small sell orders can have an outsized impact on the price.
• Technical Outlook: Watch for a "double top" pattern near $4.65. If $M fails to sustain volume above its 24-hour average of $25M, a sharp correction toward the $3.89 support level is probable.

Summary: 3 Cryptocurrencies to Watch This Week

Ethereum ($ETH) has spent much of 2026 consolidating, leading many investors to ask the golden question: will Ethereum break its previous all-time high (ATH) of $4,900? A series of technical "ceilings" and shifting macroeconomic factors are currently dictating its pace toward a new record.

Can Ethereum Break its $4,900 ATH?

While a break above $4,900 is technically possible in 2026, it remains an optimistic target rather than a guaranteed outcome for the first half of the year. Analysts from major institutions like Standard Chartered and JPMorgan have set year-end targets ranging from $5,440 to as high as $10,000, contingent on a successful breakout from the current $2,300–$2,800 accumulation zone. However, as of April 26, 2026, ETH is trading near $2,333, indicating that the bulls still have significant work to do.

What Defines an "ATH Breakout"?

In technical analysis, an All-Time High (ATH) breakout occurs when an asset surpasses its highest ever recorded price—in Ethereum's case, approximately $4,878 (often rounded to $4,900). This event is significant because it enters a "price discovery" phase where no historical sell-side resistance exists. For ETH, the $4,900 mark isn't just a number; it is the final psychological barrier that separates the current range-bound market from a parabolic bull run.

Ethereum Price Prediction fr 2026

The journey to $4,900 is currently blocked by several key technical layers.

• The $2,750 Pivot: This is the immediate "line in the sand." Ethereum must reclaim this level to flip the medium-term trend from neutral to bullish.
• The $3,300 Resistance: A major supply zone. Historically, significant profit-taking occurs here, which could lead to temporary corrections back to $2,000.
• The Golden Cross: Traders are watching for the convergence of the 50-day and 200-day Moving Averages. A definitive "Golden Cross" in mid-2026 could be the catalyst for the final push toward the $4,900 ceiling.

Major Institutional Forecasts for 2026

The Role of External Catalysts

While internal technicals are vital, Ethereum's trajectory is heavily influenced by Bitcoin ($BTC). Bitcoin is currently trading near $78,000, maintaining high dominance. For Ethereum to lead the market toward its ATH, we typically look for a "rotation" of capital where investors move profits from BTC into ETH. Furthermore, news regarding US-Iran geopolitical de-escalation and energy price stability—often reported by Reuters—plays a silent but massive role in risk-on sentiment for 2026.

The Aave-led relief effort has gained widespread support, securing enough commitments to replenish the swiped funds.

Six weeks after telling staff to stop chasing distractions, OpenAI is reportedly planning a phone targeting 400 million units a year.

Paul Sztorc’s proposed eCash fork would give investors coins cloned from wallets believed to belong to Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto.

The trademark applications aim to strengthen her ability to fight AI-generated deepfakes, as image generation tools advance.

A new Federal Reserve study links ChatGPT's launch to a sharp halving of U.S. programmer job growth—the first institutional-level evidence connecting AI adoption to measurable developer hiring declines.

Enterprise blockchain firm Ripple has lit up the Las Vegas Strip with a towering "Raise the Standard" billboard ahead of the highly anticipated XRP Las Vegas 2026 conference.

Strategy doesn’t miss on its regular Monday purchases as the firm scoops another $255 million worth of Bitcoin this new week.

Prominent gold advocate and vocal cryptocurrency critic Peter Schiff claims that the executive's audacious prediction of a $1 million Bitcoin is mathematically doomed.

XRP has confirmed a Golden Cross, but the real story is the 30% technical gap to the long-term 200-day MA.

Shiba Inu ecosystem records impressive growth in its onchain movements as new users continue to massively onboard the network.

TLDR

• Shiba Inu added 24000 new wallets between April 20 and April 27, 2026.
• The total number of SHIB holders surpassed 1.585 million, reaching a new high for 2026.
• On April 25, the network recorded its largest daily increase with 10718 new holders.
• Shibarium has processed more than 1 billion total transactions since its launch.
• The team confirmed the updated wallet and transaction data on April 27, 2026.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) recorded sharp user growth and network activity between April 20 and April 27, 2026. The team reported 24,000 new wallets during the period, pushing total holders above 1.585 million. At the same time, Shibarium processed more than 1 billion transactions, marking a new network record.

SHIB Wallet Count Climbs to 1.585 Million

Shiba Inu’s team shared updated wallet data on April 27 through its official X account. The update confirmed that SHIB holders increased by 24,000 wallets within one week. As a result, the total number of SHIB wallets surpassed 1.585 million, reaching a new high for 2026.

The data showed the largest daily rise occurred on April 25. On that day, the network added 10,718 new holders, which marked the strongest daily growth this year. The team stated, “The ecosystem continues to expand as new users join the network each day.”

Earlier in the week, wallet growth began to accelerate from April 20. The steady rise continued through April 24 before the sharp spike on April 25. This pattern reflected rising participation during the recent crypto market rebound.

After the peak day, growth levels moderated but remained positive. On April 26, the network added 1,040 new holders. On April 27, it recorded another 1,100 new wallets, according to the team’s update.

These additions brought the cumulative holder count to its current level. The team described the increase as a continuation of rising engagement across the ecosystem. The figures reflect on-chain wallet data recorded during the reporting period.

Shibarium Surpasses 1 Billion Transactions

Shibarium also reached a new usage milestone during the same period. The layer 2 network processed more than 1 billion transactions, according to the shared data. This achievement places Shibarium among networks with high cumulative activity counts.

The team confirmed the milestone while outlining recent network statistics. It stated, “Shibarium has now crossed 1 billion total transactions.” The update linked the transaction growth to expanding network usage.

Transaction volumes increased as wallet numbers climbed during the week. The network handled daily transfers that contributed to the cumulative total. Each processed transaction is added to the overall count tracked on-chain.

Shibarium operates as Shiba Inu’s layer 2 scaling solution. The network supports faster transactions and lower fees compared to the main Ethereum chain. Developers continue to build and deploy projects within the ecosystem.

The 1 billion transaction mark reflects total processed transfers since launch. The data covers all confirmed transactions recorded on the network ledger. The team released the figures alongside updated holder statistics on April 27, 2026.

The latest wallet additions and transaction totals represent the most recent verified data. Shibarium’s cumulative transaction count now stands above 1 billion as of April 27. Total SHIB wallet addresses exceed 1.585 million based on on-chain records.

The post Shibarium Records 1B Transactions Amid Wallet Growth appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Solana Foundation confirmed that its core developer teams selected Falcon as a post-quantum digital signature solution.
• Anza and Jump Crypto’s Firedancer independently agreed on adopting Falcon for future network protection.
• Solana developers have already started building and testing early versions of Falcon implementations.
• The foundation stated that current quantum computing risks remain distant, but migration plans are ready.
• Solana outlined a phased roadmap that includes research, wallet updates, and eventual network migration.

Solana Foundation detailed a plan to address future quantum computing risks and protect network security. The foundation confirmed that core developers aligned on a post-quantum signature standard. It said the threat remains distant, yet teams have prepared migration strategies.

Solana Aligns Core Teams on Falcon Quantum-Resistant Signatures

The Solana Foundation said its core teams selected Falcon as a post-quantum digital signature scheme. Anza and Jump Crypto’s Firedancer reached the same conclusion through independent technical reviews. The foundation stated that both teams have started building early Falcon implementations for testing.

The foundation said Solana developers examined performance tradeoffs before selecting Falcon for integration. The network’s high-speed design requires low latency and efficient cryptography. However, developers concluded that Falcon can operate within existing technical limits without harming throughput.

The foundation said it will continue research and testing before any protocol change. It added that developers understand migration steps and maintain readiness for deployment. “Quantum is still years away,” the foundation said in its blog update.

Roadmap Covers Wallet Migration and Ecosystem Tools

Solana outlined a phased roadmap for introducing post-quantum protections across the network. The plan includes research on Falcon and other cryptographic options. It also covers potential deployment for new wallets if quantum risks increase.

The foundation said developers could introduce post-quantum schemes for newly created wallets first. Later, teams would migrate existing wallets through planned updates. The foundation stated that such a transition would remain manageable under the current infrastructure.

The blog post also referenced ecosystem work that already supports quantum resistance. Blueshift launched its Winternitz Vault primitive on Solana more than two years ago. The foundation said Google Quantum AI recently cited this implementation in research materials.

The foundation explained that Winternitz Vault operates as a quantum-resistant primitive on chain. It allows users to store assets with alternative cryptographic safeguards. Developers have maintained the tool live on Solana without protocol disruption.

Solana developers stated that they will monitor advances in quantum computing research. They will adjust timelines based on scientific progress and industry benchmarks. The foundation emphasized that no immediate network changes are scheduled.

The foundation said internal testing of Falcon implementations will continue across both core teams. Anza and Firedancer engineers will refine performance benchmarks during development cycles. The foundation confirmed that deployment would follow clear governance processes.

The post Solana Developers Prepare Quantum-Resistant Upgrade Plan appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Bitcoin reached $79,488 before easing to $78,223 as futures activity powered the latest price move.
• CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju said the current Bitcoin rally is driven by derivatives, not strong spot demand.
• On-chain data shows Bitcoin’s 30-day apparent demand metric remains in negative territory.
• Michael Saylor’s firm, Strategy, purchased $255 million in Bitcoin after a $2.54 billion acquisition last week.
• Bitcoin ETFs acquired more than $2.6 billion worth of BTC this month despite weak on-chain demand.

Bitcoin climbed toward two-month highs as derivatives activity powered the latest advance. The asset reached $79,488 before easing to $78,223 during the session. However, CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju said futures markets, not spot demand, drive the current Bitcoin rally.

Bitcoin Rally Fueled by Futures While Spot Demand Stays Weak

Ki Young Ju stated that derivatives traders lead the present move in Bitcoin. He said rising open interest shows traders are increasing leverage across futures markets.

He explained, “This rally is futures-driven,” and he pointed to negative on-chain demand data. CryptoQuant data shows Bitcoin’s 30-day apparent demand metric remains below zero.

Meanwhile, institutional buyers continued acquisitions through direct purchases and exchange-traded funds. Michael Saylor’s firm, Strategy, bought $255 million in Bitcoin after acquiring $2.54 billion last week.

At the same time, Bitcoin ETFs accumulated more than $2.6 billion worth of BTC this month. Yet on-chain metrics did not reflect matching growth in spot-driven demand.

CryptoQuant data showed futures demand in strong positive territory during the same period. However, Ju said bear cycles end only when both spot and futures demand recover together.

He added that current data does not show that alignment. Therefore, the structure behind the Bitcoin rally remains uneven.

Short Squeeze Accelerates Bitcoin Price Surge

On April 23, Bitcoin rose from $76,351 to $79,447 within hours. The move marked a 4.05% increase during that session.

Carmelo Alemán, an on-chain analyst at CryptoQuant, attributed the surge to forced liquidations. He said short traders closed positions rapidly as prices climbed.

Open interest jumped from $24.88 billion to nearly $28 billion during the rally. This rise showed a sharp increase in leveraged futures positions.

Short liquidations exceeded $607.9 million in Bitcoin during that move. Ethereum short liquidations reached $580.9 million in the same period.

Together, short liquidations totaled about $1.19 billion across both assets. In contrast, long liquidations remained just above $111 million combined.

Alemán said the imbalance highlighted strong pressure on bearish traders. As shorts closed, forced buying pushed prices higher.

CryptoQuant data indicated that derivatives activity expanded faster than spot transactions. Therefore, leverage played a central role in the advance.

Ju reiterated that on-chain demand still shows weakness despite price gains. He stated that negative apparent demand contrasts with rising futures exposure.

Bitcoin traded near $78,223 after touching $79,488 earlier in the day. Open interest remained elevated near $28 billion at the latest reading.

The post Bitcoin Rally Builds on Leverage as Spot Demand Lags appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Strategy purchased 3,273 Bitcoin for $255 million at an average price of $77,906 per coin.
• The latest acquisition increased Strategy’s total holdings to 818,334 BTC.
• The company funded the purchase by selling 1,451,601 MSTR shares through its at-the-market program.
• Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings are now valued at about $63.7 billion at current market prices.
• The company’s position has returned to profit with an estimated gain of $1.9 billion.

Strategy expanded its Bitcoin holdings with a new 3,273 BTC purchase worth $255 million. The acquisition lifted total reserves to 818,334 BTC and returned the company to profit. However, Peter Schiff challenged Michael Saylor’s $1 million Bitcoin forecast and questioned the accumulation strategy.

Strategy Expands Bitcoin Holdings With $255M Purchase

Strategy confirmed it purchased 3,273 Bitcoin for about $255.0 million at an average price of $77,906. The company increased its total holdings to 818,334 BTC as of April 26, 2026. It acquired the entire stash for $61.81 billion at an average price of $75,537 per coin.

At current prices near $77,850, the holdings carry a market value of $63.7 billion. This valuation places Strategy at roughly $1.9 billion in profit. Earlier this year, Bitcoin traded below $70,000 and left the company’s position underwater.

Michael Saylor announced the purchase on X and reported a 9.6% Bitcoin Yield year-to-date in 2026. He also released the company’s Form 8-K filing with the U.S. SEC. The filing detailed that Strategy funded the purchase through its at-the-market equity program.

Between April 20 and April 26, 2026, Strategy sold 1,451,601 MSTR shares. The share sales generated $255.0 million in net proceeds after commissions. During the same period, the company sold no preferred stock.

Schiff Challenges $1 Million Bitcoin Prediction

Peter Schiff responded to Saylor’s update and targeted his $1 million Bitcoin forecast. In 2025, Saylor said Bitcoin could reach $1 million if Strategy acquired 5% of the total supply. Schiff argued that current accumulation trends do not support that outlook.

Schiff stated that Strategy now controls about 3.9% of the total Bitcoin supply. He said the company purchased 231,666 BTC since Saylor made the forecast. According to Schiff, similar price reactions to future purchases could push Bitcoin below $60,000 before Strategy reaches 5%.

He wrote that “if the next 231,666 BTC move the market as the last ones did, the price could be under $60,000.” Schiff used this calculation to dispute the $1 million target. He has repeatedly supported gold as an alternative store of value.

Schiff also criticized claims about covering a reported 11.5% yield on STRC with modest Bitcoin growth. He argued that continuous issuance raises the required price increase. He said falling STRC prices could force higher yields and strain the structure.

According to Schiff, selling Bitcoin to cover yields would pressure the market. He warned that such actions could trigger a “death spiral” unless Strategy cancels the dividend. Strategy’s latest Form 8-K filing, dated April 27, 2026, confirms the recent equity-funded purchase.

The post Peter Schiff Slams Saylor’s $1M Bitcoin Call After 3K BTC Buy appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• DeFi United has raised more than 132,000 ETH, valued at over $300 million, to address losses from the Kelp DAO exploit.
• Consensys and Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin pledged 30,000 ETH to support the coordinated recovery effort.
• Circle Ventures confirmed it is purchasing AAVE tokens to help stabilize the protocol after the exploit.
• The exploit involved unbacked rsETH minted through a compromised LayerZero bridge and used as collateral on Aave.
• Aave service providers proposed allocating 25,000 ETH from the DAO treasury to support the recovery plan.

DeFi United has secured more than 132,000 ETH valued at over $300 million to address losses from the Kelp DAO exploit. Consensys and Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin pledged 30,000 ETH to support the recovery. Circle Ventures also confirmed AAVE token purchases to reduce pressure on the lending protocol.

DeFi Coalition Accelerates Funding Drive

Circle Ventures announced it is buying AAVE tokens to support market stability. The firm stated, “Strong DeFi infrastructure does not build itself.” It added that Aave helps shape onchain finance and supports its broader community.

At the same time, Consensys and Joseph Lubin committed 30,000 ETH to the coordinated recovery plan. Aave confirmed the pledge on Monday and credited the contribution for accelerating progress. It said, “The recovery would not be progressing as it is without them.”

Consensys-backed treasury firm Sharplink will also provide strategic advice to the initiative. The combined effort has now raised more than 132,000 ETH. That amount equals over $300 million at current market prices.

Aave and Partners Target rsETH Shortfall

The exploit occurred after an attacker minted unbacked rsETH through a compromised LayerZero bridge. The attacker then used the tokens as collateral on Aave to borrow assets. This sequence left Aave with bad debt tied to the unbacked rsETH.

DeFi United directs contributions to close the remaining shortfall linked to rsETH. Last week, Aave service providers proposed allocating 25,000 ETH from the protocol’s DAO. That allocation equals nearly $58 million based on recent prices.

As of Monday, the broader effort had raised roughly $235 million worth of Ethereum before the latest pledges. Lido DAO proposed contributing up to 2,500 ETH to the plan. Ether.fi also proposed up to 5,000 ETH to support the recovery.

Kelp DAO pledged 2,000 ETH to help restore rsETH backing. Dozens of individuals have also transferred smaller amounts of ETH and stablecoins. X user DCF GOD estimated that the funding gap had already been filled if all proposals passed.

Data from The Block shows total value locked across DeFi protocols stands at nearly $82 billion. That figure reflects a decline of over 25% from $110 billion at the start of the year.

The post DeFi United Surpasses $300M After 30,000 ETH Pledge appeared first on Blockonomi.

Ripple’s CTO Emeritus David Schwartz posted a warning on X, telling users that a phishing campaign had sent fraudulent security alerts appearing to come from Robinhood’s own email infrastructure.

Robinhood has since confirmed the incident, attributing it to an abuse of its account creation flow rather than any breach of its systems.

What the Phishing Email Looked Like and How It Got Through

According to Schwartz, the fake email, whose subject line was “Your most recent login to Robinhood,” claimed that there was an unrecognized login attempt on an “iPhone 17 Pro” device at a specified time and that an account telephone number ending in “87” would be updated shortly.

A “Review Activity Now” button sat at the bottom, alongside a warning that once changes were confirmed, they could not be reversed, which is standard panic-inducing language, designed to make people click before they think.

Schwartz said he was not certain of the exact mechanics but believed, based on a quick look, that the emails “were somehow injected into Robinhood’s actual email infrastructure at some point.”

That matters because the filters that most email providers use check to see if a message really came from the domain it says it did. If the sending path looks real, those checks pass, and that’s how the fraud landed in Schwartz’s inbox looking exactly like the genuine article.

Robinhood’s support account later confirmed that “some customers received a falsified email from noreply@robinhood.com,” adding that the attack exploited its account creation flow and that no systems were breached, no personal information was exposed, and no funds were touched.

The company’s guidance was for customers to delete the email, not click anything, and contact Robinhood through the app if worried.

A Pattern That Keeps Repeating

Reactions on X came quickly, with one user asking how a company of Robinhood’s size could have its official email compromised at all, while another, Demosthenes, noted that scam emails tend to multiply during unsettled market periods.

Web3 builder Dpac claimed they had received a similar phishing email two days earlier from attackers impersonating XRP Cafe and flagged a separate wave running through X itself, with hijacked accounts sending malicious links via direct messages and multiple reports of wallets being drained.

None of this is happening in isolation, with Ledger users in January being hit with phishing emails after a data breach at third-party e-commerce partner Global-e exposed their contacts and order details. Scammers then sent fake merger notices asking them to enter wallet recovery phrases on a fake website.

Furthermore, a February report by Scam Sniffer said phishing losses had climbed 207% from December, costing victims $6.27 million across 4,741 cases as attackers used wallet poisoning and fraudulent approvals to trick users into signing away access to funds.

The following month, the FBI warned Tron users about fake tokens impersonating the agency and pointing people toward a site built to harvest wallet credentials.

The post Ripple’s David Schwartz Warns of Phishing Campaign Using Robinhood Emails appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Earlier this month, it seemed like Ethereum (ETH) was on its way to reclaim $2,500, but the bears intercepted the move.

Currently, the asset trades at around $2,300, and some analysts believe a more substantial correction could be knocking on the door. On the other hand, certain on-chain indicators suggest that the bulls might regain control in the near future.

Plunge on the Way?

According to X user Ted, the asset is “looking weak” right now. He claimed that Bitcoin has reclaimed its key level, while the second-largest cryptocurrency keeps getting rejected from the $2,400 resistance zone.

The analyst added that the major support zone for ETH is around $2,200-$2,250 and claimed that a drop to that range won’t be a surprise before a rebound forms.

Prior to that, Ted has been paying attention to the asset’s sideways movement lately. He predicted that this week would be “very crucial” for the market, citing uncertainty surrounding the ongoing peace talks between the USA and Iran.

“If Ethereum manages to reclaim the $2,400 level, it’ll tap the $2,470-$2,500 liquidity. And if it loses the $2,300 zone, a retest of the $2,150-$2,200 support level will happen quickly,” he stated.

Crypto Tony – a popular trader with almost 600,000 followers on X – also weighed in, saying they await a plunge to the support level of around $2,290, which could offer the opportunity for opening a possible long position.

The Indicators Point in a Different Direction

Contrary to the aforementioned skepticism, several metrics suggest that ETH could be on the verge of a price rally. First on the list is the Relative Strength Index (RSI), which has dropped to 30. This means that the asset has entered oversold territory and could be due for an upward move.

Next is the declining amount of ETH stored on exchanges. CryptoQuant’s data shows that the figure recently tumbled to a nearly 10-year low of approximately 14.47 million. This development is seen as bullish since it reduces the immediate selling pressure.

Last but not least, there is renewed interest from institutional investors. According to SoSoValue, spot ETH ETFs have seen significant inflows lately, indicating that pension funds, hedge funds, and other big players are ramping up their exposure to the asset, forcing the issuers of these products to back the purchased shares with actual Ethereum.

The post Ethereum Under Pressure: Analyst Warns of a Potential Drop as ETH Is ‘Looking Weak’ appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Toobit is one of the most popular and award-winning international cryptocurrency exchanges. Today, it has announced a 150,000 USDT reward pool for its peer-to-peer (P2P) trading community. The event will start from April 27th and run through May 18th this year. It invites active traders to take part in a series of deposit and trading challenges, which will enable them to earn various bonuses and additional benefits.

More About the 150,000 USDT Reward Pool

The event is structured in a way that intends to reward both newcomers and existing high-volume traders. This will happen through two main activities.

Activity 1: New participants who make their first P2P deposit and engage in futures trading during their first week can claim a cumulative 100 USDT in Trial Funds.

Activity 2: Based on net P2P deposit volume, traders can receive up to 150 USDT in rewards and VIP Trial Passes, granting APR boosts of up to 4% on Toobit Earn products.

How to Participate in the Event

To take part and ensure eligibility, traders will have to register on the official campaign page.

Moreover, additional information regarding milestones, reward schedules, and terms is fully available on the Toobit announcement page.

It’s important to understand that this particular initiative follows the rollout of  P2P trading on Toobit earlier this year. The move introduced a marketplace for direct USDT exchange with no transaction fees, as well as support for more than 30 fiat currencies and integrated security measures, such as the T+1 withdrawal protocol and escrow protection.

This reflects a broader industry trend in 2026, where the shift toward P2P solutions is supported and encouraged. The global cryptocurrency user base has already reached more than 560 million as of the first quarter of this year, with P2P transaction volumes in emerging markets increasing by 28% year-over-year.

As the mainstream integration of tokenized assets continues accelerating through the maturing digital economy, the demand for secure and direct fiat-to-crypto gateways has reached an all-time high, with P2P trading now accounting for a rough 22% of global retail entry-point volume.

For more information about Toobit, visit: Website

The post Toobit Rewards P2P Traders with 150,000 USDT, VIP Perks, and APR Boosts appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Investment products tied to digital assets saw $1.2 billion in inflows after extending their run to four consecutive positive weeks. CoinShares revealed that the inflows likely reflect improving institutional interest, supported by Bitcoin reaching its highest price since early February.

However, some caution remains in the market as participants await the April 28-29 FOMC decision. Total assets under management increased to $155 billion, the highest level since February 1, though it remains far below the $263 billion peak recorded in October 2025.

Four-Week Inflow Streak

According to CoinShares’ Digital Asset Fund Flows Weekly Report, Bitcoin attracted $933 million in inflows, which pushed its year-to-date total to $4.0 billion. Short-Bitcoin products also brought in $16.5 million, close to the previous month’s average. This indicated steady but not increased hedging activity.

Ethereum, too, recorded $192 million over the past week – its third straight week above $190 million. Solana and XRP saw $31.8 million and $25 million, respectively, while Chainlink added $6.8 million during the same period. Litecoin and Sui also raked in smaller capital influxes of $0.5 million and $0.4 million, respectively.

Meanwhile, blockchain equity ETFs drew $617 million over the past three weeks and set record weekly levels amid growing interest in gaining exposure to the broader technology and digital asset sector among investors in recent weeks.

The United States led regional activity with $1.1 billion in inflows. Germany followed with $61.7 million, more than double the previous week. Switzerland saw a turnaround as it posted $35.2 million after recording $138 million in outflows a week earlier. Canada added $15 million, which was indicative of a broader participation across regions compared to recent weeks.

Australia and Brazil reported smaller additions of $0.8 million and $0.5 million, respectively. Besides, modest outflows were recorded in several markets, including Hong Kong, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden, reflecting mixed sentiment outside the leading regions during the same period.

Geopolitical Pressure

Even as inflows stayed consistent, QCP Capital noted that the crypto market’s trajectory is being influenced by geopolitical factors.

BTC and ETH initially moved higher, but gains were quickly reversed as new geopolitical concerns emerged. Despite this, Bitcoin remains up more than 15% this month, supported by steady ETF demand and continued accumulation.

The firm observed that a move above $82,000 is crucial for further upside, with a CME gap near that level. Positioning remains cautious, and negative funding rates mean that there are chances for a short squeeze. Upcoming earnings, inflation data, and the FOMC decision are expected to guide near-term direction.

The post Crypto Funds Pull in $1.2B as Bitcoin Rally Revives Institutional Demand appeared first on CryptoPotato.

XRP is trading around $1.42 as the broader crypto market finds its footing following weeks of macro-driven turbulence. With Bitcoin regaining some composure and risk appetite gradually returning to digital assets, Ripple’s token is showing early signs of building momentum. The question now is whether this is the beginning of a genuine breakout or simply another false dawn at the upper edge of a months-long descending channel.

Ripple Price Analysis: The USDT Pair

After spending the better part of Q1 2026 grinding sideways near the lows, XRP has quietly built a modest recovery setup. The asset is currently pressing against the upper boundary of the descending channel that has governed the price action since the October 2025 peak near $3.00, and for the first time in several months. The RSI has been hovering above 50, signaling that buyers are showing up with slightly more conviction than before.

The immediate overhead test is the channel’s upper boundary and the 100-day moving average, located around $1.50. Above that, the $1.80 zone is a wide supply band that served as support in late 2025 before flipping to resistance following the February breakdown. The 200-day MA is declining into that same area, adding structural weight to the resistance cluster.

A confirmed daily close above $1.80 would be the first meaningful technical break in this correction, opening the door toward the $2.40 supply zone where a heavier distribution band sits. On the downside, the trendline that price reclaimed in recent weeks and the February wick low at $1.20 remains the hard floor.

The BTC Pair

Against Bitcoin, XRP tells a different story. The pair is trading at 1,818 sats, sitting above the lower boundary of its own descending channel near 1,600 sats. While the USDT pair is challenging resistance from below, the BTC pair is declining, reflecting the fact that XRP has continued to underperform Bitcoin throughout this cycle’s corrective phase. The 100-day MA (~2,000 sats) and 200-day MA (~2,100 sats) both sit far above the current price and are still trending downward, with no sign of flattening.

The RSI on this pair hovers around 40, and there is no comparable bullish momentum building here to what is visible on the USDT chart. If the recent major low at 1,792 sats breaks on a closing basis, the next meaningful support lies at the 1,500 sats zone, with a deeper extension toward 1,200 sats possible.

On the other hand, a genuine recovery requires, at a minimum, a reclaim of the 2,000 sat level and the declining moving averages. Until XRP/BTC can clear that threshold, any dollar-denominated gains are more likely a product of Bitcoin strength lifting the broader market than XRP-specific outperformance.

The post Ripple Price Analysis: XRP Finally Shows Bullish Momentum Signs After Weeks of Consolidation appeared first on CryptoPotato.