The UK's naval deployment may escalate regional tensions, impacting global oil flow and prompting further international military involvement.
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The potential collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire could destabilize global markets, elevate geopolitical tensions, and impact energy security.
The post US President Trump says ceasefire with Iran is ‘on life support’ appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Altcoins are showing signs of strength as the market prepares for a decisive week shaped by the CLARITY Act markup vote and price action testing key resistance levels across the board. The timing matters — and top analyst Darkfost has identified a shift in altcoin behavior that is worth paying attention to even against a backdrop that remains genuinely difficult. Related Reading: XRP Breaks $1.46 Despite $434M In Futures Selling – Discover What Comes Next The macro environment has not become friendly. US-Iran tensions continue to weigh on global risk appetite, with the ongoing conflict contributing to inflationary pressure that complicates the Federal Reserve’s path and keeps uncertainty elevated across financial markets. Against that backdrop, the fact that altcoins appear to be waking up is the notable development rather than a given. The context for what “waking up” means requires the preceding damage. The altcoin sector corrected by more than 50% — a decline driven partly by Bitcoin’s own correction, given its continued role as the market’s primary directional driver, but equally by a structural problem unique to this cycle. There are now approximately 51 million altcoins in existence, with 46% launched on Solana, 36% on Base, and 10% on BNB Smart Chain. That level of supply dilution across 51 million competing assets creates a liquidity fragmentation problem that no amount of market recovery can fully resolve — and it forms the structural headwind against which any genuine altcoin recovery must prove itself. 2% Above Their Key Level in February. 21% Today Darkfost’s data puts the current altcoin recovery in the precise historical context that gives it meaning. Among altcoins listed on Binance, approximately 21% have now reclaimed the 200-day moving average — the technical level that separates assets in structural recovery from those still trapped in downtrends. That reading represents performance not seen since September 2025, marking a genuine shift from the conditions that defined the worst of the correction. The February comparison is the most alarming data point in the analysis. At the depth of the altcoin decline, only 2% of Binance-listed altcoins were holding above their 200-day moving average. The progression from 2% to 21% over the intervening weeks is not noise — it is a directional shift in market structure that reflects the gradual return of investor interest to a sector that had been almost entirely abandoned. Darkfost’s framing is constructive but measured. The improvement is real, and the direction is encouraging — 21% represents a meaningful starting point for participants looking to build altcoin exposure before a broader recovery takes hold. The indicator is one of the most useful available for timing re-entry into the altcoin market, and its current trajectory is the most positive reading since before the correction deepened. The honest caveat Darkfost preserves is equally important. Calling an altseason from this position would be premature. The road from 21% to the kind of broad-based participation that characterizes a genuine altseason is long, and liquidity across 51 million competing assets remains constrained. The direction has changed. The destination is not yet confirmed. Related Reading: 21Shares Is Launching A Hyperliquid ETF: Here Is What Investors Need To Know Altcoins Attempt Recovery As Market Cap Reclaims Key Long-Term Support The total crypto market cap excluding the top 10 assets is trading near $201 billion after recovering from the sharp selloff that defined the first quarter of 2026. The chart shows that altcoins remain in a fragile but improving structure following a decline that pushed the sector below $160 billion during the February capitulation phase. Since then, buyers have gradually regained control, allowing the market to reclaim the psychologically important $200 billion region. Technically, the structure is beginning to stabilize. Price has recovered above the 200-week moving average, which currently sits near the $195 billion area and has historically acted as a key long-term trend indicator for the altcoin market. Holding above that level matters because previous cycles often used the 200-week average as the transition zone between broad bearish conditions and early-stage recovery phases. Related Reading: Altcoin CEX Volume Ratio Hasn’t Looked Like This Since The 2021 Bull Run: Capital Rotation Or Bear Market Rally? At the same time, the chart also shows that the market remains below the declining 50-week and 100-week moving averages. Those levels, currently between roughly $220 billion and $240 billion, continue to act as overhead resistance and define the broader downtrend structure that altcoins still need to overcome before a sustained expansion phase can begin. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
Dalio's critique highlights Bitcoin's volatility and transparency issues, potentially limiting its adoption as a reserve asset by central banks.
The post Ray Dalio critiques Bitcoin’s safe-haven status, favors gold appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
AI's role in education highlights the importance of skepticism and critical thinking for future generations.
The post Joanna Stern: Wearable AI devices have fallen short, the enduring role of smartphones in our lives, and the psychological effects of AI on human behavior | Big Technology appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Netanyahu's UAE visit amid Iran tensions may solidify regional alliances, potentially hindering prospects for an Israel-Iran peace deal.
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Political instability in the UK could lead to prolonged market volatility, affecting investor confidence and economic stability.
The post UK government bonds and sterling fall as pressure on Starmer rises appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Iran's strategic adaptation to bypass the US blockade may reshape regional trade dynamics and influence future geopolitical tensions.
The post Iran bypasses US blockade of Hormuz via Caspian Sea, rail to China appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Prediction markets trading volume had been tracking monthly gains as the sector gains popularity among short-term traders, but competition is also increasing.
Kevin Warsh wins Senate confirmation as Fed chair as inflation pressure complicates Trumps push for lower interest rates.
The post Kevin Warsh wins Senate confirmation as Fed chair amid inflation pressure appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
As the Senate Banking Committee prepares to mark up the long-anticipated CLARITY Act on Thursday, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has argued that the newest version of the bill represents a workable “compromise” and could meaningfully improve the US financial system. Speaking to FOX Business, Armstrong said the updated draft reflects concessions on both sides—what he described as the crypto industry meeting requests from bank lobbyists and lawmakers, while the banking sector also gave ground during negotiations. Coinbase CEO’s CLARITY Act Pitch Armstrong also highlighted one specific element tied to stablecoin rewards. He said the approach in the latest bill would only apply when there is “some sort of material activity on the account,” adding that he believes the overall package would make the system “more efficient.” The claim is that the legislation would help streamline financial services, reduce friction, and make access easier for consumers and businesses—while still keeping the framework aligned with banking-sector concerns that were raised during talks. Related Reading: New CLARITY Act Text Is Out: Expert Claims XRP Looks Strong In The Details Still, critics point to the banking industry’s pushback as evidence that the dispute is far from settled. As reported throughout the week by Bitcoinist, banking trade groups have opposed the CLARITY Act’s stablecoin-rewards provision, arguing that it could give crypto firms too much flexibility. Their position is that the policy might also encourage deposits to shift away from traditional, insured banking channels rather than strengthening them. Beyond the details of stablecoin rules, Coinbase CEO argued that the broader direction of the CLARITY Act reflects growing institutional interest in digital assets. In his view, banks are increasingly integrating stablecoins and crypto-related services because customer demand is rising—an angle that suggests the bill, if passed in its current form, could provide the clearer structure institutions want before expanding further. Can The Latest Crypto Bill Draft Survive? Supporters of the bill are not limited to Coinbase. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse also backed the current push, commenting on social media site X (previously Twitter) that the Senate Banking Committee is “putting in the work” to move the CLARITY Act forward. Garlinghouse’s message emphasized that Ripple supports the bill because crypto businesses and major participants should have the “same rules and protections as every other asset class,” and because—if the US is serious about leading in crypto—this is the moment to finalize legislation and get it done. Even with that backing, the legislative road ahead is not smooth. Politico reported that Senator Elizabeth Warren, a well-known crypto skeptic, is vowing to pursue extensive changes to the bill through amendments. Related Reading: First Hyperliquid ETF Launch: Day One Volume Hits $1.8M–Key Details The reporting says Warren and others are preparing more than 100 amendments ahead of the markup, following the release of an updated 309-page draft that expands on an earlier 278-page version introduced in January. According to the same reporting, Warren submitted more than 40 amendments on her own, with much of the rest attributed to Democratic members of the Banking Committee. This mirrors earlier moves around the bill: the January markup session drew 137 amendments, and it was eventually cancelled after a period of resistance that included Armstrong and Coinbase withdrawing support for the bill at the time. For now, the core question going into Thursday’s markup is whether the latest CLARITY Act draft can hold together. Featured image created with OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Amazon's Swiss franc bond debut highlights its strategic diversification in funding, potentially influencing other tech giants' financing approaches.
The post Amazon launches debut Swiss franc bonds in record six-part deal worth $3.6 billion appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The scrutiny of Altman's investments could impact OpenAI's IPO valuation and raise broader concerns about regulatory risks in tech markets.
The post OpenAI’s IPO faces scrutiny as Congress probes Sam Altman’s investments appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The escalation could destabilize the region, impacting global energy markets and complicating international diplomatic relations.
The post Saudi Arabia launches airstrikes on Iran, escalating regional conflict appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The MetaMask wallet builder had reportedly engaged bankers from JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs to lead the process.
Crypto pundit Pumpius has highlighted how XRP is quietly taking over with several upgrades and features on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). In line with this, the pundit also declared that this year will be the altcoin’s best year yet as it “moves the world.” XRP Is Quietly Taking Over Institutional Finance In an X post, Pumpius stated that while everyone is chasing memes and hype, the real story is that the XRP Ledger plumbing is quietly taking over institutional finance. He noted that in just two quarters, five massive protocol upgrades have dropped, and this is only the beginning for the network. Related Reading: Can XRP Catch Up To SWIFT? This Latest ISO Is Changing The Game As for other bullish fundamentals for XRP, he noted that spot ETFs are launching while CME futures are hitting $1 billion in open interest. Pumpius also mentioned that Moody ’s-related Wall Street debt was issued on the XRPL and that Société Générale is integrating its digital euro on the network. Meanwhile, the pundit noted that the institutional stack is live on the XRP Ledger. This includes the native lending protocol, Permissioned DEX, token escrow, and native zero-knowledge (ZK) proof technology. These features enable institutional investors to trade in a compliant, regulated environment. Pumpius declared that the “quietest, strongest foundation in crypto” is now fully armed for trillions in real-world value. He added that 2025 was “noise” and that this year is when XRP actually moves the world. XRP treasury firm Evernorth also highlighted the growth the XRPL is seeing this year, with its institutional utility on the rise. The firm shared data showing that transactions on the XRP Ledger have grown from 43 million to 71 million over the last year, a 65% increase. The top drivers of these transactions are Bitstamp, Ripple, Justtoken, Braza Bank, and VERT. XRPL Validator Floats Idea Of Layer-2s On XRPL XRP Ledger validator Vet recently floated the idea of layer-2s inside the XRPL layer-1, which could boost the network’s efficiency. He noted that such a move will keep the XRPL mainnet minimal and only used for things such as self-custody, settlement, and hard finality for the layer-2. Related Reading: XRP At $21.5 Isn’t A Bet: Why This Analyst Says A Measured Move Is Coming Vet also explained that the new layer-2 will run at a much higher TPS with its own features, a potential derivatives exchange, and rollups state to layer-1. He further noted that this will enable smooth interoperability between the two layers by collapsing the idea of a sidechain into a single place and addressing liquidity fragmentation barriers. The XRPL validator admitted that there are still many issues to address. This includes memory bloat, network bandwidth usage, and timer contention, since both layers will run at different block speeds. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.45, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Peakpx, chart from Tradingview.com
The looming Knesset dissolution vote could trigger early elections, potentially reshaping Israel's political landscape and Netanyahu's future.
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On Wednesday, the Senate voted to confirm President Donald Trump's pick for Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh.
Warsh's likely Fed Chair role signals potential shifts in U.S. monetary policy, impacting market expectations and economic strategies.
The post Kevin Warsh confirmed as Fed Governor, likely next Fed Chair appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Grayscale's move could redefine privacy coin investments, challenging regulatory norms and potentially broadening crypto market participation.
The post Grayscale files to launch first spot ETF for Zcash privacy coin appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Looking at last week's fee distribution across major chains, the rankings tell a different story than raw activity metrics might suggest.
Bitcoin traders eye a possible move higher as short-term selling pressure fades and the CLARITY Act vote boosts crypto market focus.
Increased geopolitical tensions may hinder diplomatic efforts, elevate regional instability, and impact global markets and alliances.
The post US alleges secret Chinese arms sales to Iran amid regional tensions appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Sovereign curves are back near old stress zones while Hormuz inflation risk keeps central banks boxed in.
The post Global financial crisis fears grow as bond yields hit 1998 levels and Bitcoin drops below $80,000 appeared first on CryptoSlate.
The halt highlights the challenges smaller firms face in emulating large-scale Bitcoin strategies, emphasizing the need for robust capital access.
The post The Bitcoin Society halts plans to build crypto treasury after brutal Q1 appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Suspending the federal gas tax could offer minor consumer relief but risks underfunding crucial infrastructure projects, impacting long-term growth.
The post Trump proposes temporary suspension of federal gas tax amid rising fuel prices due to Iran war appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
GameStop's failed bid highlights challenges in financing large acquisitions, impacting market confidence and future tech sector consolidation.
The post GameStop’s $56B bid for eBay rejected, market doubts acquisition success appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Bitcoin’s pullback is expected to find support near $79,000, but every recovery attempt is likely to be sold into.
Bitcoin’s recent price behavior has been everything the bulls hoped for, and that may be precisely the problem. Since bottoming out around $63,000 in early April, Bitcoin has posted a sequence of higher highs and higher lows and has now reclaimed $80,000. The structure looks bullish. However, technical analysis shows that Bitcoin has now entered into deceptive territory. Bitcoin’s Uptrend May Be Hiding A Compression Phase Bitcoin’s price action is now forming an interesting but deceptive pattern. The pattern in question is a rising wedge that has been forming on Bitcoin’s daily chart since February. The setup was highlighted by crypto analyst Merlijn The Trader, who described Bitcoin’s current pattern as “the most deceptive pattern in crypto.” His chart places Bitcoin near the upper end of the wedge, with the $84,000 area acting as a key rejection zone. Related Reading: XRP’s Current Predicament Is Only Temporary; These Factors Will Drive It To $18 A rising wedge is formed when price action grinds upward along two converging trendlines, printing higher highs and higher lows in a narrowing channel. The pattern resembles an upward price trend where the market constantly hits higher levels and never falls below prior price lows before bouncing back on the surface. However, a rising wedge is known to resolve more bearishly than bullishly. The chart shared by Merlijn shows Bitcoin pushing upward inside this structure, with the upper wedge boundary sitting around $84,000. That area is the zone where bulls may face their biggest test. That makes the next move around the $80,000 to $84,000 area very important. A clean move above the upper boundary would weaken the bearish wedge argument. A rejection around $84,000, followed by a breakdown under $80,000, would open up the path to lower price levels. Bitcoin Price Chart. Source: @MerlijnTrader On X Crash Below $60,000? The $80,000 price level is now carrying both psychological and technical weight. Bitcoin recently reclaimed this level for the first time in months, helped by improving market sentiment. Merlijn’s chart turns that same level into the breakdown trigger. According to the outlook, a break below $80,000 would confirm weakness inside the wedge and open the way for a move down to $56,000. This does not mean Bitcoin is guaranteed to fall there, but it shows where the bearish projection comes from if the wedge resolves to the downside. Related Reading: Pundit Predicts When The XRP Price Will Rally To $12 At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $80,920 after moving between $79,879 and $81,227 over the past 24 hours. This narrow range shows that buyers are still active around the $80,000 level, preventing a clean breakdown below the zone for now. The price action has also kept Bitcoin from showing any major sign of distribution, as support continues to hold near the lower end of the range. All that needs to happen now for bullish momentum is a weekly close above $84,000. However, a weekly close below $80,000 could shift the setup in favor of the bearish path. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
Enhanced US-Japan currency coordination may stabilize forex markets, potentially reducing volatility in risk assets and impacting global investments.
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