Ethereum’s derivatives market on Binance is flashing a setup that could leave short sellers exposed if the recent move higher continues. According to analysis shared on X by CryptoQuant contributor Darkfost, positioning has become increasingly one-sided even as ETH has rebounded sharply from its February low, creating the conditions for further short squeezes. Ethereum Bears Crowd In On Binance The core of the argument is a mismatch between price action and trader conviction. Darkfost said that since February, around 350,000 ETH has been added to open interest on Binance, which now represents roughly 37% of total market share. At current prices, that amounts to more than $1 billion flowing into Binance’s ETH derivatives complex. Related Reading: A Historic Ethereum Signal Just Fired – Discover What Happens Next What stands out is not just the size of that increase, but the direction of positioning behind it. “What is paradoxical is that despite the recent price increase (+35% since the February low), the majority of investors appear to be positioning for a correction by shorting the market,” Darkfost wrote. “This can be observed through ETH funding rates on Binance, which have reached levels not seen since the previous bear market.” That matters because funding rates offer a read on which side of the perpetual futures market is leaning more aggressively. Darkfost said Binance funding has remained mostly negative since late January, suggesting traders have continued to pay to hold short exposure rather than chase the rebound. In other words, the move higher has not fully reset bearish conviction. Related Reading: Ethereum Profit-Loss Indicator Is Hovering Just Below Neutral – The Market Waits for A Catalyst The post argues that this skepticism has now reached a level that is unusual even by recent standards. “Observing such negative levels, with funding rates dropping below -0.01%, is relatively rare and indicates a significant buildup of short positions while investors remain in disbelief,” Darkfost wrote. “When this level of consensus forms, it is not uncommon for the market to move against the majority, triggering liquidations of the most aggressive positions and leading to short squeeze events, like the one observed yesterday.” That squeeze dynamic has already started to show up in the liquidation data. Darkfost noted that more than $3 million in short positions were liquidated twice within a single hour on Binance, a sign that even modest upside extensions are capable of forcing leveraged bears out of the market. In crowded setups, those forced exits can become self-reinforcing, as liquidations add incremental buy pressure and push price into the next pocket of vulnerable positions. The broader implication is not necessarily that Ethereum is entering a straight-line rally, but that the derivatives structure has tilted in a way that can amplify upside if sentiment remains slow to adjust. Darkfost framed the recent rally as the “early phase of the uptrend,” arguing that months of short accumulation could continue to provide fuel if traders remain positioned for reversal rather than continuation. There is, however, one important shift underway. Funding rates are now beginning to turn positive again, with Darkfost citing a reading around +0.01%, though the day’s data was not yet complete. If that change holds, the market structure would begin to look different: less driven by disbelief-fueled squeezes, and more by traders starting to align with the move. For now, the message from Binance’s ETH derivatives market is fairly clear. Shorts have piled in aggressively, but the more crowded that trade becomes, the more fragile it is if Ethereum keeps grinding higher. At press time, ETH traded at $2,318. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Firms and protocols are accumulating Strategy’s preferred stock to capture yield and bitcoin-linked exposure.
DoubleZero’s private fiber network aims to eliminate latency advantages like Hyperliquid’s Tokyo edge, but exchanges have yet to show an interest.
The Senate Banking Committee’s schedule for the week of April 20 contains one item: a nomination hearing for Federal Reserve Chairman candidate Kevin Warsh. The CLARITY Act is absent. Chairman Tim Scott, who controls the committee calendar, has not announced a markup date for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act despite the Senate returning from …
The acquisition ties in the retail trading platform with advanced wallet technology meant to help protect users' assets.
AI's transformative impact on finance is unlocking new value and revolutionizing investment strategies with real-time insights.
The post Jan Szilagyi: AI is revolutionizing investment strategies, unlocking value from financial data, and enhancing real-time decision-making | Forward Guidance appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
TeraWulf shares slid in pre-market trading after upsizing its equity raise to $900 million to fund an AI data center campus.
Pakistan's regulatory shift could foster innovation and transparency in the virtual asset sector, potentially boosting economic growth and financial inclusion.
The post Pakistan’s central bank overrides ban on accounts for crypto service providers appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The issuer plans to buy 20,000 shares from the trust at $25 per share as an initial seed creation basket to buy HYPE prior to the listing.
Portland's strong defense and strategic plays position them as formidable playoff contenders.
The post Kirk Goldsberry: Key games define player careers, Portland’s defense is playoff-ready, and Dylan Brooks elevates team success | Bill Simmons appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Ripple and Kyobo Life are piloting tokenized government bond settlement as South Korea builds rules for token securities and digital asset payments.
East Asia's nuclear power revival could reshape energy markets amid rising electric vehicle demand and geopolitical tensions.
The post Alex Turnbull: The Strait of Hormuz closure threatens global oil supply, Asia’s reliance on Middle Eastern crude creates vulnerabilities, and negative refining margins challenge operational viability | Odd Lots appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The partnership could shorten settlement cycles from the typical two-day window to near real-time, the firms said.
US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs posted $411.5 million in inflows Tuesday as Goldman Sachs filed for a Bitcoin-linked ETF, lifting 2026 net flows back into positive territory.
The race for the next Federal Reserve chair is getting interesting, and according to Lark Davis, Kevin Warsh might be unlike any central banker seen before. Warsh, nominated by Donald Trump to replace Jerome Powell, has disclosed a net worth between $131 million and $209 million. His 69-page filing reads more like a Silicon Valley …
After losing 63% of its value over several tough months and challenging investor confidence, XRP made a strong comeback in April. XRP’s recovery is driven by new privacy features for institutions, major retail adoption in Asia, and renewed interest in exchange-traded funds. Cryptorank data shows XRP is on track for its first positive monthly close since September […]
The post XRP flips green after a 63% wipeout as retail fear hits a 2-year extreme – now one Wall Street metric is spiking appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Societe Generale's digital asset unit added its MiCA compliant USD stablecoin to MetaMask for fiat on- and off-ramps and trading.
During the last bull market, in what is popularly known as the Solana meme coin season, a number of new cryptocurrencies made their way to the forefront. These digital assets had gone from market caps in the tens of millions to cross the billion-dollar market cap, sometimes in only a matter of months. Due to their rapid growth rate, these meme coins have quickly garnered a wide holder base. However, as the bear market has rolled around, these billion-dollar meme coins have crashed by a large margin, completely eliminating the majority of their gains. POPCAT Meme Coin Goes From $2 Billion To Below $50 Million POPCAT is one of the most recognizable names to come out of the Solana meme coin season, but its growth trajectory is even more interesting. When the meme coin’s price crossed $1 back in 2024, it actually became the first cat-themed meme coin to officially cross this major milestone. Related Reading: Bitcoin Flashes ‘Dangerous’ Macro Fractal – What To Expect For Price The total growth from less than $1 million to over $2 billion happened in less than one year, showing one of the most impressive meme coin rallies in history. Even more interesting is the fact that the meme coin did not stop there, eventually reaching $2 billion before reaching a top. However, since the initial decline, which began back in November 2024, the price has now crashed by more than 97%. It has gone from $2.05 per coin at the peak, with the meme coin’s market cap dropping below $50 million as it is currently trading at $0.05 at the time of writing. This categorizes it as one of the worst crashes that has plagued a previously top meme coin. Cats In A Dogs World (MEW) Drops Rapidly Unlike POPCAT, Cats in a Dogs World (MEW) had made its entrance to the meme coin market ‘fully formed.’ The meme coin had burst into the scene with its market cap already trading above $100 million, earning it allegations that it was a ‘cabal coin.’ Related Reading: Bitcoin 23 Bar Theory: What Happens To The BTC Price If The Bottom Is In? Nevertheless, the meme coin had continued to move upward, eventually topping just above $1.2 billion. This was before the bear market hit, and the price began to fall again in November of 2024. Since then, the price has fallen by more than 95%, with its market cap now sitting at a mere $50 million. Peanut The Squirrel (PNUT) Meme Coin Disappoints Investors Peanut The Squirrel (PNUT) is a meme coin named after an Eastern gray squirrel which went viral after its dead in 2024. The death of the squirrel had led to public outcry after it was put down by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the meme coin was born not long after. Related Reading: Why XRP Price Is About To Stage The Breakout Of The Decade Following its launch, the meme coin quickly gained prominence, gaining support from the Binance crypto exchange and quickly getting listed. As a result, it was able to cross $1 billion market cap in less than one month, becoming the fastest on this list to reach the milestone. Just like its growth trajectory was fastest, the PNUT meme coin has suffered the most in terms of losses. According to data from the Coingecko website, the coin is down more than 98% since November 2024 and is now sitting at a $40 million market cap. Featured image from Dall.E, chart from TradingView.com
Ripple has announced a strategic partnership with Kyobo Life Insurance to pioneer institutional-grade blockchain infrastructure in South Korea. The collaboration will deploy Ripple Custody to enable secure, compliant on-chain settlement of tokenized government bonds and explore tokenized Treasury workflows within a regulated environment. By replacing manual, fragmented processes with real-time, transparent execution, the initiative aims …
Cardano (ADA) is back in focus as price hovers near $0.243, a level that has historically triggered sharp moves, and the market isn’t ignoring it this time. While the broader crypto market attempts to stabilize, ADA price is testing a key support zone under pressure, with momentum still weak and participation lacking. The setup is …
Ripple, a blockchain-based payment solution, has partnered with Kyobo Life Insurance to explore tokenized government bond settlement using blockchain in South Korea. The partnerships aim to make bond settlement from two days to near real-time. Despite this big news, Ripple’s XRP remains near $1.35, showing no sign of a rally. Kyobo brings Korea’s First Tokenized …
Societe Generale-FORGE said MetaMask will add its MiCA-compliant USDCV stablecoin, extending distribution for one of Europe’s bank-backed digital dollars.
As the broader market gained strength and Bitcoin price tested $76,000, Ethereum price also surged above $2,400. The structure is also improving, and the momentum is slowly shifting in bullish favour. However, the price remains stuck below the key resistance, and the broader crypto market structure remains uncertain, preventing confirmation. Now the question arises whether …
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its global growth to 3.1%, warning that the world economy could fall into a recession if the US-Iran war continues and oil prices surge through 2027. Bitcoin is currently trading around $74,000, down from its $126,000 peak. This IMF’s warning indicates a fragile macro setup that could weigh on …
Joe Mazzulla's Celtics championship win highlights the importance of resilience and mental toughness in sports.
The post Joe Mazzulla: Height matters in quarterback evaluation, resilience builds through jujitsu, and character drives team success | Pardon My Take appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
On-chain data shows the Ethereum versions of USDT and USDC, the two largest stablecoins, have seen their active addresses fall to the lowest level of 2026. USDC & USDT Active Addresses Have Fallen On The Ethereum Network In a new post on X, on-chain analytics firm Santiment has talked about the latest trend in the Daily Active Addresses for the Ethereum versions of USDT and USDC. This indicator measures the daily total number of addresses participating in some kind of transaction activity on the network. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whales Ramp Up Accumulation: Holdings Hit 2-Month High When the value of this metric goes up, it means more addresses are coming online on the blockchain every day. Such a trend implies user interest in the cryptocurrency is rising. On the other hand, the indicator observing a decline suggests holders of the asset are reducing their transaction activity as fewer of them are making moves on the network. Now, here is the chart shared by Santiment that shows the trend in this metric for USDT and USDC on the Ethereum blockchain over the last few months: As displayed in the above graph, both the top two stablecoins have seen a drawdown in the Daily Active Addresses, suggesting activity related to them has declined. More specifically, the metric has dropped to 202,300 for USDT and 109,300 for USDC. Both these values are the lowest that they have been since December. Stablecoins occupy a different spot in the sector than volatile assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum; investors use them when they want to stash their capital away from the volatility associated with the other cryptocurrencies. Because of this reason, stablecoins are often considered to represent the “dry powder” sitting on the sidelines in the digital asset sector. Whenever these tokens are on the move, it means investors are either stashing away capital or injecting it into the volatile side. Given that the Daily Active Addresses has plunged for the Ethereum blockchain version of USDT and USDC recently, it would appear that there isn’t much demand for stablecoin-related swaps right now. Interestingly, this trend has come alongside a recovery surge in Ethereum and other assets. As such, it’s possible that the volatility could soon ignite fresh activity in the space. As Santiment explained: With Bitcoin making good momentum today and pushing toward $75K, expect for traders’ buying power to pick up a bit as they look to take more chances. More volatility means more ‘dry powder’ being moved. Related Reading: Huge XRP Bull Market Ahead? Analyst Flags ‘Ultimate’ Buy Zone In related news, USDT has seen its market cap reverse course recently, as CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn has highlighted in an X post. The trend in the 60-day market cap change for USDT | Source: @JA_Maartun on X From the chart, it’s apparent that the 60-day change in the USDT market cap was negative earlier, but it’s just now starting to make its way back into the positive territory. ETH Price At the time of writing, Ethereum is floating around $2,300, up 10% in the last seven days. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
The legislation stipulates that unclaimed crypto assets in customer accounts will be transferred to state custody in-kind.
Bitmine Immersion Technologies, the largest corporate holder of Ethereum, reported a net loss of $3.82 billion for the quarter ended February 28, 2026. The loss was largely driven by major fluctuations in the fair value of its digital asset holdings. During the same period, the company generated about $10 million in revenue from ETH staking …
Bittensor (TAO) dropped nearly 25% after Covenant AI made an exit, accusing co-founder Jacob Steeves of having too much control over governance. Analyst Michaël van de Poppe explained that the real damage came when Covenant’s founder dumped 37K TAO, triggering panic selling and liquidations. That triggered a deeper chain reaction: Validators lost stake = consensus …
It is the second long-term social-engineering attack this month, after the $280 million exploit of the Drift Protocol.