CleanSpark's holdings now exceed 12,000 BTC, worth just over $1 billion at current prices.
Polygon’s new product, AggLayer, aims to fix the fragmentation that has slowed growth in assets. Afra Wang meets the man making it happen.
Bitcoin joins the safe-haven debate as trade tensions rise For decades, investors fled to gold and US Treasurys during crises, but in today’s digital, decentralized world, Bitcoin is starting to enter the safe-haven conversation. Despite its volatility, Bitcoin (BTC) has shown signs of resilience during global turbulence, including trade wars, prompting a fresh look at its role in preserving value.Let’s rewind a bit to understand where this question comes from. For decades, whenever uncertainty rattled the global economy, be it war, inflation, or sudden political shifts, investors did what they always do — run to the safest hills. Historically, those hills were made of gold or filled with US Treasury bonds. But things are changing. In a world that’s more digital, decentralized, and volatile than ever, people are asking whether Bitcoin might now be part of the conversation as a modern safe-haven asset, especially during disruptive events like trade wars.To get into this, you need to explore what makes an asset a safe haven in the first place, how Bitcoin has behaved during recent trade-related turbulence and whether it has earned its spot alongside more traditional defensive plays.First, the concept of a “safe haven” isn’t about making a profit. It’s about preserving value. In times of crisis, investors want assets that hold up under pressure. Gold has done this for decades. The US dollar, despite being fiat, is often seen as a safe haven due to its global reserve status and the strength of US financial institutions. Treasury bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the US government. All these assets are supposed to be relatively low in volatility and high in liquidity.Now, here’s the twist: Bitcoin is not low in volatility. It’s notoriously wild. But despite that, you might have seen moments where it behaves like a safe haven. Not always, but sometimes, and that’s interesting.Isn’t it? The 2018-19 trade war vs Bitcoin’s role in times of turmoil During the 2018–19 US-China trade war, Bitcoin surged as traditional markets faltered, hinting at its potential as a hedge in turbulent times. While its “digital gold” narrative gained traction, Bitcoin’s behavior often mirrors that of speculative tech stocks, keeping its safe-haven status an open question.Take the 2018–19 US-China trade war, for example. As tariff threats escalated and tensions between the two economic giants intensified, global markets became increasingly jittery. Tech stocks took a hit. Commodities wavered. Amid all this, something strange happened. Bitcoin quietly surged. From April to July 2019, the price of Bitcoin climbed from about $5,000 to over $12,000. It wasn’t alone. Gold also rallied during that time. However, this was one of the earliest signs that Bitcoin might not be just a risk-on asset but could also serve as a hedge in turbulent times. That period sparked a new narrative: Bitcoin as “digital gold.”The fixed supply of 21 million coins gave it scarcity. Its decentralized nature meant it wasn’t bound to any single government’s policies. And because it lived on a global, censorship-resistant network, it was insulated from the kind of capital controls that often follow during periods of financial stress. These qualities started to resonate with investors looking for alternatives to traditional safe havens.To be fair, Bitcoin hasn’t always stuck to the script. While there are moments where it moves inversely to risk assets, more often than not, it behaves like a speculative tech stock, especially over short time frames. Historically, Bitcoin has had a strong correlation with the Nasdaq. So, while the “digital gold” narrative is growing, it still sits side-by-side with the idea of Bitcoin being a high-beta bet for risk-seeking investors.Did you know? A 2025 study titled Institutional Adoption and Correlation Dynamics: Bitcoin’s Evolving Role in Financial Markets analyzed daily data from 2018 to 2025. The study found that Bitcoin’s correlation with the Nasdaq 100 intensified following key institutional milestones, with peaks reaching 0.87 in 2024. This suggests that Bitcoin has transitioned from an alternative asset toward a more integrated financial instrument. Inside the Trump tariff wars of 2025: Markets rattle, Bitcoin rises In early 2025, Trump’s sweeping tariffs triggered panic across financial markets, with the Nasdaq and S&P suffering historic drops. Within two days, US stock indexes lost trillions, reigniting the debate over Bitcoin's role as a modern safe haven.Fast forward to April 2025, and the question of whether Bitcoin can serve as a safe haven got tested again. This time, it was in a much more pronounced way. In February 2025, Trump, now in his second term as president, announced a fresh wave of aggressive tariffs aimed at revitalizing American manufacturing. This was the kind of headline that immediately spooks financial markets, especially when major trading partners began whispering about retaliation. By April 2, Trump had declared what he called “Liberation Day,” a sweeping set of tariffs covering nearly all imported goods. It was framed as economic patriotism, but to markets, it spelled chaos.Chaos came quickly. On April 3, the Nasdaq Composite plunged by nearly 6%, losing over 1,000 points in one session. This was a record-setting drop in terms of raw numbers. The S&P 500 didn’t fare much better, falling close to 5%. Investors began to panic about supply chain disruptions, inflationary pressures and a possible global slowdown. Then came April 4, and the panic only deepened. The Nasdaq slid into official bear market territory, and the Dow lost over 2,200 points in a single day. Within 48 hours, America’s major stock indexes had lost trillions in value.Did you know? Barry Bannister, chief equity strategist at Stifel, noted that Bitcoin and the Nasdaq 100 have been driven by speculative fervor fueled by lenient Fed policies. He highlighted that Bitcoin tends to trade in tandem with highly leveraged tech-focused ETFs, indicating a strong correlation between Bitcoin and tech stocks. Bitcoin didn’t soar amid market crash, but It didn’t sink either During the April 2025 market crash, Bitcoin held steady while stocks plunged, surprising many with its resilience. It didn’t surge, but its stability amid chaos hinted at its growing role as a value-preserving asset in turbulent times.So, what did Bitcoin do? Surprisingly, nothing catastrophic, and that was the story. While nearly everything else was tanking during the tariff-fueled sell-off, Bitcoin didn’t crash. That alone turned heads.In a market where even the most established benchmarks were falling apart, Bitcoin’s relative stability stood out to portfolio managers and institutional watchers.Long criticized as too volatile for serious portfolios, Bitcoin quietly weathered the storm better than many traditional assets. This wasn’t a moonshot moment. It was a resilience moment. Value preservation over value multiplication. And that’s what investors look for in a safe haven. Its ability to hold ground while the Nasdaq and S&P plunged gave more weight to the idea that Bitcoin might be evolving into something sturdier.To be clear, Bitcoin hasn’t fully decoupled from risk assets. It still responds to liquidity flows, monetary policy and investor sentiment. But at times like April 2025, it showed something different. It didn’t break. It held! And for a growing number of investors, that’s starting to matter. Bitcoin isn’t the new gold, but it’s not the old BTC either Bitcoin’s growing resilience stems from a maturing market, rising institutional adoption and its appeal as a non-sovereign, portable hedge in times of financial or geopolitical stress. While not yet the ultimate safe haven, it’s clearly moved beyond its speculative roots and is earning a seat at the table.Part of this growing strength is structural. Over the past few years, the Bitcoin market has matured. Institutional adoption has risen. Spot Bitcoin ETFs now live in major markets. Custody solutions are better. And perhaps most importantly, there’s a broader understanding of what Bitcoin represents. Bitcoin is not just a speculative coin anymore. It’s a tool for financial sovereignty, for hedging against fiat depreciation and for stepping outside the boundaries of politicized financial infrastructure.There’s also the fact that Bitcoin is entirely non-sovereign. In a trade war scenario, where fiat currencies can be weaponized, and capital controls are deployed, Bitcoin becomes very attractive to people who want to move money across borders without interference. It’s portable, permissionless and increasingly liquid. These are three attributes of an asset you want in a crisis.Of course, none of this means Bitcoin is now the undisputed king of safe havens. Gold still plays that role for most of the world’s conservative investors. The US dollar is still the default when people want liquidity in a crunch. And Bitcoin’s price swings can still make people nervous. But you are seeing it graduate amid the market chaos. It’s no longer the outsider it once was. Bitcoin in times of crisis, safe haven 2.0? In both 2019 and 2025, Bitcoin showed flashes of safe-haven behavior, proving it can act as a hedge in times of geopolitical stress. While it’s not gold just yet, its unique properties make it an increasingly serious contender in the global financial playbook.During both the 2019 trade tensions and the 2025 tariff escalation, Bitcoin acted more like a hedge than it did in earlier cycles. And that’s noteworthy. Even if Bitcoin doesn’t yet consistently play the safe-haven role, it’s starting to show it can, at least in specific contexts.There’s a bigger question brewing here, too. What does it mean for financial markets if Bitcoin does become a mainstream safe-haven asset? How does that change portfolio construction, risk models or even geopolitical strategy? After all, Bitcoin isn’t gold. It plays by entirely different rules.Bitcoin is programmable. It can be moved across the world instantly. It can be sliced into satoshis and embedded into smart contracts. If it becomes part of the global toolkit for navigating crises, that changes the game. So, is Bitcoin the new safe haven during trade wars? Not quite, at least not in the traditional sense. But it has undoubtedly earned a seat at the table. Bitcoin may not be the asset your grandparents bought to protect themselves in uncertain times, but for a growing number of investors, especially in the digital age, it’s becoming their version of safety. As geopolitical tensions rise and confidence in traditional financial systems erodes, Bitcoin is positioning itself as a potential hedge for the future.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Key takeawaysPi coin finally went live on open mainnet in February 2025, unlocking real-world use cases after years in closed beta.You can spend Pi coin, but mostly within P2P communities and KYC-verified Pi apps — mainstream adoption is still in its early stages.Pi is now tradable on several CEXs, such as OKX, Bitget and MEXC, but Binance still hasn’t listed it despite 2 million+ user voters lobbying for the listing.Merchant adoption is growing slowly, with real goods and services being exchanged for Pi in localized markets and app-based ecosystems.Often described as a crypto for the people, Pi is a decentralized project that runs without the need for GPUs or gas fees. But five years since its closed mainnet launch in 2021, the million-dollar question still hangs in the air: Can you actually buy anything with Pi coin in 2025?Let’s dive into the Pi Network’s real-world usability and answer what every Pi miner and curious crypto observer is wondering: Does Pi coin work in real life, or is it still just theoretical digital dust?What is Pi coin, and what’s driving the attention around it in 2025? Launched in March 2019 by a trio of Stanford Ph.D.s — Nicolas Kokkalis, Chengdiao Fan and Vincent McPhillip — the Pi Network set out to solve one of crypto’s core problems: accessibility. Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, which require specialized hardware to mine, Pi coin was designed to be mined directly from a smartphone, without draining battery or data. The idea? Democratize crypto from the palm of your hand.The Pi Network quickly went viral, spreading through invitation-only mining that created a sense of exclusivity and social virality. By 2021, the app had surpassed 20 million engaged users, or “Pioneers,” and by late 2023, that number had reportedly hit 47 million, making it one of the largest pre-mainnet crypto communities in the world.Here’s a quick timeline of key moments:March 2019: The Pi Network launches a beta version of its app on Android and iOS.2020–2021: User growth accelerates through referrals; Pi phases move toward testnet. December 2021: Closed mainnet goes live; Pi transactions remain within the ecosystem. 2022–2024: Over 100 Pi apps are built for testing in the closed economy.February 2025: Pi Network officially launches its open mainnet, enabling blockchain interaction with the outside world. This long-awaited mainnet move opened the doors for Pi (PI) coin to be listed on centralized exchanges (CEXs) and used outside its sandbox — finally bringing the project closer to its goal of becoming a real digital currency for everyday use.From an ambitious student project to one of the most downloaded crypto apps ever, Pi Network’s journey has been anything but ordinary. But now that the tech is live and tradable, the big question is: Can you actually use Pi coin to buy things?Did you know? Over 2 million users voted for Binance to list Pi coin — and yet, Binance has remained completely silent. Despite Pi Network boasting 47 million users and a fully launched mainnet, the world’s biggest exchange hasn’t budged. Why? Some say it’s a lack of decentralization. Others point to the controlled KYC rollout. Either way, it’s a reminder that in crypto, even a viral army can’t force the gatekeepers to open the doors.Where can you buy Pi coin in 2025?Following the launch of Pi Network’s open mainnet in February 2025, Pi coin has become available for trading on several cryptocurrency exchanges. As of April 2025, Pi coin is listed on the following exchanges:OKX: One of the first to list PI, offering trading pairs such as PI/USDT.Bitget: Provides PI trading with liquidity and user-friendly interfaces.MEXC: Another early adopter, supporting PI trading pairs.BitMart: Supports PI trading, though some listings may be IOUs.HTX (formerly Huobi): Has listed PI, though it’s based on IOU listings.Despite community efforts, including over 2 million votes in favor, Binance has not listed Pi coin as of April 2025. Concerns over blockchain compatibility, transparency and regulatory issues have been touted as reasons for the hesitation.Did you know? Many Pi coin listings on exchanges are actually IOUs, which is not the real deal. These “I Owe You” tokens are speculative placeholders that aren’t backed by mainnet Pi, meaning you can’t withdraw or use them within the Pi Network ecosystem. It’s like trading a movie ticket for a film that hasn’t even premiered yet. Always check whether you’re buying the actual PI token or just a promise.What can you actually buy with Pi coin?Here’s where things get real (or not so real). While you might not be buying a Tesla with Pi (yet), the Pi community has been documenting purchases such as:T-shirts, mugs and phone accessoriesFreelance graphic design servicesBasic electronics and gadgetsFood, drinks and small restaurant meals (in localized Pi events)Handmade crafts and collectibles.The catch? Most of these transactions happen via social media groups, Telegram chats or Pi’s own ecosystem apps such as Pi Browser and Pi Chat. These platforms act as informal marketplaces, often relying on trust and reputation rather than formal escrow systems.So, while Pi isn’t quite ready for prime time in major retail environments, it is functioning — in a grassroots, community-driven way. Think of it more as a barter system with crypto flair than a fully integrated payment network. For now, at least.Pi Network merchant list — fact or fiction?If you search “Pi coin accepted stores” on Google, hoping for a list of your favorite retailers, you’ll be disappointed.There is no official Pi Network merchant list that guarantees where Pi is accepted. Instead, adoption is grassroots and highly localized. One group of Pi Pioneers in Indonesia might be able to buy food with Pi, while another in Vietnam uses it for mobile data top-ups. But it’s hard to track, standardize or verify.Merchant adoption is still early — but gaining traction.Now that Pi Network’s open mainnet is live, the conversation is no longer about “if” Pi will integrate with the broader crypto ecosystem — it’s about how fast it can onboard real merchants and use cases.One promising trend is the rise of Know Your Customer (KYC)-verified Pi apps, platforms that require users and businesses to complete identity verification before participating in the Pi economy. This layer of trust helps Pi Network build a more legitimate commercial environment, where merchants feel more confident accepting Pi coin as payment.In the months following the open mainnet launch, Pi Network’s developers and community have focused on scaling real-world integrations, which include:Local businesses in countries such as Nigeria, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines accept Pi for goods and services. Pi Chain Mall and other marketplaces are enabling digital commerce in Pi. Third-party integrations are being tested to connect Pi with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, crosschain bridges and non-fungible token (NFT) platforms. Pi Browser and Pi Apps allow decentralized application (DApp) developers to launch new payment-enabled services using mainnet Pi.With over 100 Pi apps already built during the testnet phase — and a global army of KYC-verified users — Pi Network now has the tools to grow a real, scalable economy. Whether that turns into a bustling merchant network or a niche payment layer depends on what the community builds next.With that said, there’s growing interest in onboarding merchants through KYC-verified Pi apps, hinting at a slow but potentially scalable adoption model.Now with the open mainnet live, Pi is also expected to launch integrated DeFi protocols, decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and NFT marketplaces. If these integrations succeed, serious use cases beyond the Pi bubble could be unlocked.Did you know? During PiFest 2025, over 1.8 million users engaged in transactions using Pi coin across 58,000 active merchants worldwide. This event showcased Pi Network’s growing real-world adoption and its potential to facilitate everyday commerce.Is Pi coin ready for real-world payments?Let’s be honest: Pi coin isn’t a Visa killer at the moment. It’s not ready to power global commerce or even compete with Bitcoin in El Salvador. However, it serves as a testbed for what crypto payments might look like when driven by community trust rather than institutional backing.Think of it less like a universal payment tool and more like a local barter system on crypto steroids.If the Pi Network nails its open mainnet rollout and expands merchant onboarding with real compliance and liquidity support, 2025 could mark the moment Pi goes from playful experiment to actual contender.Final verdict: Can you buy stuff with Pi coin?Yes — but with limitations.You can spend Pi coin, but only in select peer-to-peer (P2P) markets, community-driven stores or pilot programs run by Pi Pioneers. Most of it is still happening in closed circuits, with no large-scale merchant integration yet.But is that really a problem?Maybe not. After all, the early days of Bitcoin weren’t much different — experimental, niche and often dismissed.Back then, buying a pizza with Bitcoin (BTC) was groundbreaking. Now, BTC sits in exchange-traded fund (ETF) portfolios and corporate treasuries.Whether Pi Network breaks through or fades into obscurity depends on what happens next: regulatory clarity and whether the network can scale beyond its internal community.Believer or skeptic, one thing’s certain: The real-world test of the Pi Network economy is just getting started — and the world is watching.
These could be protective plays, one observer said, referring to the activity in the NVDA put options.
A coalition of US lawmakers led by Senator Elizabeth Warren has introduced a new ethics reform bill targeting Special Government Employees (SGEs) like Elon Musk and White House crypto advisor David Sacks. The proposal, titled the Special Government Employee Ethics Enforcement and Reform (SEER) Act, seeks to apply stricter transparency and accountability standards to individuals […]
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Janover's strategic Solana investment highlights a growing trend of traditional firms integrating crypto assets to diversify and enhance returns.
The post Nasdaq-listed Janover purchases $10.5 million worth of Solana after stock soars to record high appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
In a market update, prominent crypto commentator Rekt Capital examined Bitcoin’s latest dip through the lens of previous bull cycles, asserting that it closely resembles the 2017 pattern of multiple corrections en route to a parabolic top. Speaking in a video titled “Where’s The Bitcoin ‘Banana Zone’? – An Update,” the analyst referred to the “banana zone” as “effectively a term of endearment for the parabolic phase of the cycle when it comes to Bitcoin’s price action.” He described the current retracement as a natural but extended correction, emphasizing that it is “still on track” despite many traders feeling discouraged. Will Bitcoin Enter ‘The Banana Zone’ Again? Rekt Capital drew parallels between the present dip and historical market behavior, spotlighting the cyclical tendency for Bitcoin to experience two or more corrective periods once it breaks into new all-time highs. Citing the 2017 rally, he noted that there were instances of “34% to 38% to 40%” pullbacks, at least four in total, before the ultimate peak was reached. He also referenced 2013’s bumpy ascents and traced them against today’s price movement, explaining that “when we break to new all-time highs, it can get a little bit bumpy” both around old highs and immediately following new ones. Despite the current drawdown of 32% (max height), he maintained that “we’re going to see additional upside after this corrective period like we’ve seen in the past” and classified the market’s present position as part of the first of two probable corrections in the current price discovery phase. Related Reading: Bitcoin Weekly RSI Breakout Signals Trend Shift – Is $100,000 Next For BTC? Throughout his analysis, Rekt Capital underscored the importance of patience, noting that what might feel like a prolonged drawdown is not “out of the ordinary” for Bitcoin which historically endures multiple phases of uptrends and retracements on its way to a peak. “What’s out of the ordinary,” he said, “is that it’s taking longer, but it’s going to enable that next price discovery uptrend in the future.” He provided historical context by looking back at mid-2017 and other phases when Bitcoin underwent repeated downturns that ranged from around 30% to 40%. According to him, these corrections often deepen as the cycle progresses, although the final one before the next major move can sometimes be shallower. The analyst also delved into technical indicators such as the 21-week and 50-week exponential moving averages, suggesting that Bitcoin’s price has begun forming a triangular market structure as it becomes “sandwiched in between the 21-week EMA and the 50-week EMA.” He drew comparisons to the mid-2021 period, when a similar formation preceded a 55% downside move that eventually broke out into another bullish phase. “We ended that period with a weekly close and post-breakout retest of the 21-week EMA into support,” he recounted, predicting that a similar situation could see Bitcoin rally toward the $93,500 level if the move above the 21-week EMA holds. Related Reading: Bitcoin Lags Gold As Wall Street Doubts Persist, Claims Expert In addressing concerns that the market is entering a bear cycle, Rekt Capital asserted that “it’s not a bear market like everybody is saying.” While he acknowledged the emotional toll of large pullbacks and the prevalence of conflicting signals in the media, he advised keeping a level head and focusing on strong indications such as moving-average confluence, historical correction ranges, and the fact that “we’re in this first price discovery correction” rather than any final downturn. According to his outlook, the crypto’s price is still following the overarching blueprint set by previous bull runs, even if it is “a little bit of a deep one” and has disappointed traders hoping for more immediate parabolic momentum. Rekt Capital concluded his commentary by stressing reaccumulation phases are part of a lasting bull-market framework rather than the onset of a prolonged downtrend. At press time, BTC traded at $85,914. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin (BTC) was also a top performer, rising 0.7%.
The card will initially only support funds transferred from SVM wallets, with additional chains including EVM to be implemented later.
The infrastructure provider underpins tokenized funds by BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and Republic facilitating stablecoin settlements across 22 blockchains.
UK government minister Lucy Powell’s X account was recently hacked to promote a fake cryptocurrency called “$HCC” claiming to be a “House of Commons” coin, BBC reported. House of Commons Leader’s Account Hacked to Promote Fake Coin The now deleted posts on the House of Commons leader’s account described the coin as “a community-driven” digital …
A crypto investment executive said the biggest problem with digital asset markets is price manipulation, claiming that collusion between market makers and exchanges distorts token prices. Arthur Cheong, founder of crypto investment firm DeFiance Capital, said in an X post that market makers and crypto projects work together to create artificial prices that can be sustained for long periods. Cheong wrote: “You don’t know whether the price is a result of organic demand & supply or simply due to projects and market makers colluding to fix the price to achieve other objectives.”He added that if the industry’s players don’t step up and improve the situation, a big part of the crypto market will remain “uninvestable for the foreseeable future.”Centralized exchanges turning a “blind eye” Cheong said it was strange that centralized exchanges (CEXs) are “turning an absolute blind eye” to the issue. He described the altcoin market as a “lemon’s market,” a term in economics that describes a market where low-quality products drive out the good due to information asymmetry.In addition, Cheong described most token generation event pricing in 2025 as an “absolute joke” where the assets’ prices went down by 70% to 90% a few months after listing. “Anyone that bought is down massively,” Cheong added. Related: Binance, KuCoin, MEXC report service issues due to AWS network interruption88% of crypto tokens listed on Binance in 2025 declined after listing Data compiled by crypto analyst Miles Deutscher showed that among crypto tokens listed this year on the trading platform Binance, only 3 out of 27 are performing well. This means that 88% of the tokens have declined since listing. The price drops ranged from 19% up to 90%. Deutscher said this was the reason why retail investors were quitting. Only 3 out of 27 tokens listed in Binance in 2025 are in the green. Source: Miles Deutscher A community member responded to the data saying that this is where the industry is currently at. The X user added that they hoped Binance would realize starting at a high valuation wasn’t good for users. Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao previously admitted that Binance’s listing process needs reform. On Feb. 10, the former Binance CEO said that the current system is flawed and suggested that CEXs should automate listings similar to how decentralized exchanges (DEXs) work. Magazine: New ‘MemeStrategy’ Bitcoin firm by 9GAG, jailed CEO’s $3.5M bonus: Asia Express
XRP (XRP) price is up 15% over the past seven days from a low of $1.61. According to several technical analysts, a sustained recovery daily close above $2.20 will signal a strong trend reversal that could put double digits within reach. XRP/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewXRP price must reclaim $2.20After the cryptocurrency market experienced a relief rally due to US President Donald Trump’s announcement of tariff exemptions for a range of tech products, traders are optimistic about the possibility of XRP price breaking into double digits.Analyst DOM said XRP’s recent retest of the support at $1.96 saw it regain a key “value area” above $2.00, established in December 2024. “$2.20 is now the only objective here,” the analyst said in an April 13 post on X, adding that a decisive move above this level would lead to a rise toward $2.50.An accompanying chart showed that the price has also reclaimed the election VWAP (Volume Weighted Average Price) at $2.03, suggesting a potential for further gains.“If $2.00 and election VWAP stay as support, this chart looks very constructive.”XRP/USD chart. Source: DomXRP’s immediate support at $2.10, also the 100-day exponential moving average (EMA), is especially important, according to the liquidation heatmap.A wall of bid liquidity is building around this level, suggesting that a retest of support and a liquidity grab here is becoming increasingly likely in the short term.XRP liquidation heatmap. Source: CoinGlassWill XRP price hit $20 in 2025?Following the recent recovery in XRP price, Maelius, an anonymous crypto analyst, said that the altcoin could reach $10 and an “optimistic” target of between $15 and $20, according to the Elliott Wave Theory on the weekly time frame chart.“Conservative case assumes XRP has completed its W3, currently in the process of finalizing W4, before expanding to a final W5.”He added that the price action and RSI were mirroring the 2017 cycle, with the RSI topping out in the resistance area (in red), suggesting overbought conditions. If the current cycle repeats, Maelius predicts XRP could reach a W5 target of around $10 toward the end of the year. “Conservative assumption is for a magnitude of W5 to replicate the one of W3, thus targeting $10.”XRP/USD weekly chart. Source: MaeliusContinuing, the analyst argued that there is a possibility that the W3 top is not in just yet.Related: Price analysis 4/14: SPX, DXY, BTC, ETH, XRP, BNB, SOL, DOGE, ADA, LEOThe reason given is a larger accumulation period compared to the 2017 cycle in terms of both price and the RSI.“Therefore, there is a possibility we have just completed W3 out of larger W3, meaning it is just taking a bit more time than previously,” Maelius explained. If it is taking longer this time, Maelius expects the RSI to retest the resistance to confirm the completion of the third wave. Also, the Eliott Wave count would be in line with the previous cycle, with a longer fourth wave within the third wave as before.“In such a case, the final W5 top could easily get prolonged to Q1-2 of 2026, with higher targets than in the conservative case, i.e. likely in the range of $15-$20 or even higher. ” XRP/USD weekly chart. Source: MaeliusMeanwhile, fellow analyst XForceGlobal noted that XRP is still in a “major bull market,” with its price action standing out dramatically from the rest of the crypto market from an Elliott Wave Theory perspective.“If we have all the ideas aligned together with even the simple technical analysis, there is a very good chance that we’re are gonna be working for all-time highs at the very minimum expectation.” XRP/USD daily chart. Source: XForceGlobalAs reported by Cointelegraph, XRP’s symmetrical triangle pattern suggests a possible rally to new all-time highs over $3.50. This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Bitcoin is trading near a critical technical resistance as multiple macroeconomic factors reshape capital allocation patterns in U.S. markets. On the daily chart, Caleb Franzen highlighted how BTC has broken out of a multi-month descending channel while consolidating above both its 200-day simple and exponential moving averages, indicating resilience near the $85,000 level. Cauê Oliveira, […]
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The seed round was led by 1kx and included Robot Ventures, Finality Capital, Spartan and more.
Data from Kaiko Indices shows XRP and SOL boast the deepest 1% market depth on vetted exchanges, with XRP surging past SOL since late 2024 and doubling Cardano’s ADA in liquidity.
South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has taken fresh action against offshore crypto exchanges operating without regulatory approval. In a new directive issued on April 14, the agency asked Apple to restrict access to 14 mobile applications linked to unregistered digital asset platforms on its App Store. The FIU’s list includes major exchanges such as […]
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Total crypto lending is still down 43% from its 2021 peak, but decentralized platforms have seen a significant growth, Galaxy reported.
Monero has shown a long-term bullish shift with a golden crossover, breaking out of a consolidation pattern.
Only 20 of the 181 Bitcoin service providers registered with El Salvador’s central bank are operational, with the rest failing to meet the country’s requirements under its Bitcoin Law. Local media outlet El Mundo cited data from the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador, showing that 11% of the service providers are operational. According to the central bank’s database, the rest of the providers are classified as non-operational. The data showed that at least 22 non-operational providers have failed to meet most of the country’s Bitcoin Law requirements, which mandate that providers implement stringent supervision of their financial systems. Most of El Salvador’s Bitcoin service providers are non-operationalEl Salvador’s Bitcoin Law requires providers to maintain an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) program, keep records that accurately reflect the company’s assets, liabilities and equity and have a tailored cybersecurity program depending on the nature of its services. The data showed that 89% of the registered providers have failed to meet some of these obligations to be classified as operational. Still, a few firms have satisfied the legal criteria, including the state-backed Chivo Wallet and companies including Crypto Trading & Investment and Fintech Américas.Related: Cathie Wood to kick off El Salvador’s AI public education programEl Salvador’s Bitcoin experimentIn 2021, El Salvador became the first country to accept Bitcoin as legal tender along with the US dollar. This move made Bitcoin integral to El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s economic strategy. However, the Central American country recently signed a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a $1.4 billion loan in exchange for rolling back some of its Bitcoin-related efforts. Under the agreement, taxes will be paid in US dollars and public institutions will limit their use of Bitcoin.On March 3, the IMF asked the country to stop its public sector Bitcoin buys. Still, Bukele said the government will continue to purchase Bitcoin, seemingly contradicting its IMF deal.The IMF deal prompted speculation about whether the country would rescind Bitcoin’s status as legal tender. John Dennehy, an El Salvador-based Bitcoin activist and educator, said in an X Space with Cointelegraph that a rollback law changing Bitcoin’s legal status is set to take effect on April 30.Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research
Amazon Web Services (AWS) experienced a temporary outage on April 15 that disrupted several major crypto platforms and reignited concerns over the industry’s dependence on centralized infrastructure. On Social media platform X, Binance, the world’s leading crypto exchange by volume, revealed that it temporarily suspended withdrawals as a precaution after facing connectivity issues. The exchange […]
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Galaxy Digital has recently moved 12,500 ETH to Binance, which marks its second largest transfer in the last three days. A similar deposit of 12,500 ETH was made on April 12. The firm has sent a total of 25,000 ETH worth over $40 million in the last three days. Galaxy Digital moved the tokens in …
A well-known cryptocurrency commentator thinks Ethereum is poised to reach new all-time highs, potentially setting off large gains for other smaller cryptocurrencies. The analyst, Alex Becker, shared his expert analysis on these points in a recent livestream where he was talking about Ethereum’s price action and what that may portend for the wider market. Related Reading: Whale Alert: Ripple Sends 200 Million XRP Into The Shadows Ethereum Displays Signs Of Recovery Ethereum has risen nearly 5% in the past 24 hours, trading at $1,675, which is a 10% rise in the past week. The second-largest cryptocurrency recovered strongly after touching a multi-year low of $1,380 recently. The recovery has been very rapid, with Ethereum rising almost 20% in a five-day timeframe. In spite of this rise, current prices still indicate a steep 50% fall from where Ethereum had been trading at the start of 2025. Analyst Asserts 90% Probability Of Shattering Past Records The cryptocurrency also has a way to go before it hits its all-time high of $4,890, which is around 60% lower than the peak. Ethereum would have to more than double its current price to hit its previous record. Becker voiced strong optimism regarding Ethereum’s future, saying there’s a “90% chance” it will break its prior record high. He even dared viewers to come back in three years and ridicule him if his prediction fails to materialize. The analyst is optimistic in part due to what he perceives as widespread negativity in regards to Ethereum, with most investors writing it off as “dead.” However, Becker is going the other direction, indicating the cryptocurrency is overvalued and offers a good buying opportunity for those who had the willingness to accept the risks. Without hype there is a 90% chance ETH returns to its old ATH… Which will trigger huge gains in alts from these prices… Making this the easiest way to 3-8x your money in history. Ever. This isn’t even the best case scenario where it gets a true bull past aths. — Alex Becker ???????????? (@ZssBecker) April 11, 2025 Possible Ripple Effect On Other Cryptocurrencies According to Becker, an Ethereum “comeback” would have profound implications on other leading cryptocurrencies. He believes coins positioned just below Ethereum to experience explosive growth in case his expectations come to fruition. The analyst outlined specific cryptocurrencies he thinks will gain, such as Cardano (ADA), XRP, Dogecoin (DOGE), SUI, Avalanche (AVAX), and Solana (SOL). Though stressing the risks involved with cryptocurrency investing, Becker recommended such coins could be worth holding by long-term investors willing to deal with high-risk assets. Related Reading: Crypto Holders Beware! New Malware Drains ETH, SOL, XRP Wallets Price Targets And Growth Projections Becker drew a number of scenarios for growth in cryptocurrencies. For Ethereum, he predicted that a four-fold ROI on present levels can happen, and prices can possibly touch as much as $10,000 under a highly optimistic scenario. The analyst was even more optimistic about XRP, indicating that it could beat Ethereum by 25%-50% if it starts to close the market capitalization gap between the two cryptocurrencies. Even with his positive view, Becker admitted that investing in cryptocurrencies is still very risky. He cautioned that in the worst-case scenario, Ethereum can fall to $500, which is a 50% decline from current prices for investors. Featured image from Reuters, chart from TradingView
Canada is now the first country to launch a Solana spot ETF with staking. The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) has approved four asset managers to offer the new spot Solana: Purpose, Evolve, CI, and 3iQ. The Solana ETF will invest in physical $SOL long-term and stake them to earn more rewards. This will result in better returns than Ether staking. Read on to discover how this development could affect the larger crypto market. We’ll also talk about the Solaxy presale and how it’s at the center of Solana’s potential rise. ETF Race Heats Up The SEC approved a Bitcoin-pegged ETF in the US back in January 2024. However, it’s still mulling over a staking-enabled ETF, and Grayscale’s proposal to introduce staking in its spot ETH ETFs is on hold. Canada has always been a step ahead of the US in this aspect. For instance, it launched its first Bitcoin ETF back in 2021. But it’s likely only a matter of time before the US follows suit. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart says that it may happen as soon as the end of 2025. A lot of this development can be credited to the pro-crypto Trump administration. The president’s open support for crypto, backed by increasingly relaxed legislation, promises to propel crypto to new heights. The global ETF race is now heating up, with multiple applications pending with regulators. For example, the SEC is sitting on multiple applications for ETFs backed by different cryptocurrencies, such as Litecoin, XRP, Solana, and more. Hong Kong and Australia have also also launched their own crypto ETFs. Solana’s Price Showing Strength Besides the ETF buzz, Solana has also shown some technical strength over the last month. $SOL gained over 30% last week and is now trading at $133. Although still far from the $300 mark, a positive mini-rally has investors hopeful. The SOL/ETH pair has also rallied over 45% since the last week of February. It surged 25% in April alone and is currently trading at around 0.08012, close to its all-time high. The growing strength of $SOL over $ETH shows that it may outperform the latter in the coming weeks, which is exactly what the OSC thinks. BitBull, a popular crypto trader, compared the current $SOL setup with $ETH in 2021. Ethereum was trading around $1,600 in March 2021 and formed the same pattern as Solana has formed now. Post this, $ETH made a new high of around $4,500 in just 3 months. $SOL may follow a similar path, which means the $300 level may not take long. What’s Stopping Solana? Solana’s potential to rise to the ranks of $ETH and $BTC is undeniable. However, so far, it’s been unable to realize its true potential due to the network’s scalability issues. For context, Solana has always been perceived as the meme coin blockchain, thanks to its lightning-fast speeds and low costs. However, this changed after the launch of $TRUMP and $MELANIA. These two hyper-successful meme coins brought loads of new investors onto the Solana blockchain. A sudden spike in traffic overloaded Solana to the point where transactions either took a long time to go through or failed outright. In other words, Solana is in dire need of improved scalability. This is where a new cryptocurrency, Solaxy ($SOLX), comes in. Solaxy Promises to Breathe New Life Into Solana Don’t mistake Solaxy for just another meme coin on Solana. It’s a revolutionary token designed specially to solve Solana’s network congestion. It’s a meme coin with real utility. By building Solana’s first-ever Layer 2 scaling protocol, $SOLX will be Solana’s new support system. It will batch-process many of Solana’s total transaction requests on a sidechain, significantly reducing the burden on Solana’s mainnet. This will enhance throughput and ultimately crank up Solana’s scalability and speed back to, or even beyond, the levels it was always renowned for. It’s also worth noting that $SOLX, Solaxy’s native cryptocurrency, comes with multi-chain compatibility. It combine the benefits of Ethereum and Solana, merging the former’s vast liquidity pool with the latter’s speed and low fees to rejuvenate the home of the meme coins. $SOLX Could Be the Next Crypto to Explode Solaxy‘s one-of-a-kind mission has been all the talk. The crypto went into presale just a few months ago and has already surpassed $30M in funding, making it easily one of the best crypto presales on the market right now. Moreover, Solaxy’s large presale purse comprises both retail crypto investors and large whale buyers alike, which shows market-wide interest in the project. The best part, however, is that you can still buy $SOLX at a very low presale price of just $0.001694 per token. Additionally, we predict $SOLX could reach $0.2 by 2030 – a markup of over 11,800% in less than five years. No wonder it’s primed to be the next crypto to explode. To help you with the purchase process, here’s a guide on how to buy Solaxy. For more technical information about the project, check out Solaxy’s whitepaper. You can also subscribe to their X feed and join their Telegram channel for regular updates. Last, we’d like our readers to remember that the crypto market guarantees no returns. Invest carefully and do your own research. Our articles are not financial advice.
Bitcoin is showing growing resilience to macroeconomic headwinds compared with traditional financial markets, according to an April 14 report from crypto market maker Wintermute.The report noted that Bitcoin (BTC) has held up relatively well during the ongoing market downturn, even as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropped to their lowest levels in a year and bond yields surged to highs that had not been seen since 2007.“Bitcoin’s decline was comparatively modest, revisiting price levels from around the US election period,“ Wintermute wrote.According to Wintermute, “This marks a notable shift from its historical behavior in crisis situations.” In the past, Bitcoin’s losses were considerably greater than those of traditional finance indexes. The shift highlights Bitcoin’s “apparent growing resilience amid macroeconomic turbulence.“Founder of Obchakevich Research, Alex Obchakevich, told Cointelegraph that he expects this to be a temporary trend:“As the trade war intensifies, Bitcoin may return to the list of risky assets. Because investors will most likely look for salvation in gold.“Obchakevich said that factors that caused the stability of Bitcoin were growing institutional interest through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and the promotion of Bitcoin as digital gold due to its decentralization and independence.Related: Bitcoin traders target $90K as apparent tariff exemptions ease US Treasury yieldsA change in Bitcoin market dynamicsOver the past week, Bitcoin’s price increased by 7% to $83,700 — later reaching nearly $86,000 at the time of publication. This growth occurred as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.4% year-over-year, with a month-over-month decline of 0.1% — the first monthly decrease since May 2020. This signals that inflation is cooling off.Year-over-year CPI percentage change. Source: US Bureau of Labor StatisticsFurthermore, the Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 2.7% year-over-year in March. The same metric stood at 3.2% in February, also showing signs of disinflationary pressures. Still, according to Wintermute, the trend may soon reverse:“Despite this progress toward the Fed’s 2% inflation target, the recent escalation in global trade tensions introduced new potential inflationary risks, which are not yet reflected in March’s data.”Monthly PPI percentage change. Source: US Bureau of Labor StatisticsRelated: Trade wars could spur governments to embrace Web3 — TruebitMore market turmoil expectedBitwise analyst Jeff Park recently argued that US President Donald Trump’s trade policies will create worldwide macroeconomic turmoil and short-term financial crises that will ultimately lead to greater adoption of Bitcoin. He said that we should expect an inflation increase:“The tariff costs, most likely through higher inflation, will be shared by both the US and trading partners, but the relative impact will be much heavier on foreigners. These countries will then have to find a way to fend off their weak growth issues.”Wintermute explained that the ongoing trade war heightens the risk of increased inflation and economic slowdown. Prediction market Kalshi traders recently placed the odds of a recession hitting the US this year at 61%, and JPMorgan sees a 60% likelihood.Magazine: Bitcoin eyes $100K by June, Shaq to settle NFT lawsuit, and more: Hodler’s Digest, April 6 – 12
Bitcoin (BTC) demands a breakout as a key leading indicator reaches its highest levels since January.Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView shows the relative strength index (RSI) hinting at more BTC price gains next.Bitcoin RSI breakout has days to “full confirmation” Bitcoin bull runs traditionally begin with telltale RSI signals, and on daily timeframes, conditions are ripe for a classic BTC price rebound.As BTC/USD made lower lows over the past month, RSI began trending in the opposite direction, setting higher lows and attempting a type of bullish divergence.More recently, the daily RSI broke above the 50 midpoint, only to successfully retest it as support from above before making new multimonth highs.BTC/USD 1-day chart with RSI data. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewAmong those monitoring the topic is popular trader and analyst Rekt Capital.“Bitcoin has successfully retested red as support & the Daily RSI Higher Low continues to maintain itself as well,” he commented alongside a chart in an X post this weekend.“Growing signs of a maturing Bullish Divergence here, with price just below the key Price Downtrend (blue).”BTC/USD 1-day chart with RSI data. Source: Rekt Capital/XRekt Capital also reported that RSI trends suggested a long-term BTC price floor at around $70,000.Meanwhile, fellow analyst Kevin Svenson captured similarly promising signals on weekly RSI this week.“Once confirmed, weekly RSI breakout signals have proven to be among the most reliable macro breakout indicators,” he told X followers. “6 Days until full confirmation.”BTC/USD 1-week chart with RSI data. Source: Kevin Svenson/XAs Cointelegraph reported, another key breakout currently under the microscope for Bitcoin market participants involves a downward-sloping trendline in place since January’s all-time highs.April BTC price performance far below medianCountering the bullish anticipation is an analysis focusing on the troublesome macroeconomic conditions in which Bitcoin now finds itself.Related: Bitcoin price metric that called 2020 bull run says $69K new bottomThe ongoing US trade war and risk-asset rout make for an unlikely influx of capital to BTC, which has closely followed stocks while gold sets repeated all-time highs.In his latest forecast for April, network economist Timothy Peterson saw little reason to celebrate.Uploading a chart of the median yearly price path for BTC/USD, he concluded that this year was a firm underperformer.“Half the days are above the blue line and half are below it. This April is obviously a 'below' month,” part of accompanying commentary read.“That is almost certainly not going to change, given the level of interest rates and other risk factors at work in the market and economy.”BTC price seasonality. Source: Timothy Peterson/XOther perspectives likewise see a lackluster April before bullish undercurrents catch up with Bitcoin, these in the form of record global M2 money supply and a weakening US dollar index (DXY).This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Potential stablecoin legislation in the U.S. could drive a nearly 10x increase in stablecoin supply by 2028, according to Standard Chartered.
Your day-ahead look for April 15, 2025