Trump’s troubling tariff drama turned the crypto market upside down until he gave a moment of breath to crypto assets by pausing the tariffs for 90 days. Bitcoin reacted quickly and surged to $84K. Others gained, too, but overall, the market is in bad shape. As the crypto market navigates macroeconomic uncertainty, all eyes are …
The OM token, native to the Mantra blockchain, suffered a severe market crash on April 13, dropping from around $6.30 to below $0.50 within a single day. According to CryptoSlate’s data, this sharp decline wiped out more than $5 billion from its market capitalization, which nosedived from approximately $6 billion to just $530 million. While […]
The post OM token crashes over 90%, Mantra blames centralized exchanges appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Malware operations targeting holders of Ethereum, XRP, and Solana cryptocurrencies have been exposed by cybersecurity researchers. The threat attacks Atomic and Exodus wallet owners by using compromised software packages installed by developers unaware of the malware contained in the code. The malware, upon execution, is able to send cryptocurrency to thief-held addresses with no indication on the wallet owner. Related Reading: Whale Alert: Ripple Sends 200 Million XRP Into The Shadows How The Attack Works Researchers say the attack starts when developers unwittingly include hacked node package manager (NPM) packages in their projects. One such package named “pdf-to-office” appears genuine on the surface but conceals malicious code within. The package searches computers for installed crypto wallets and then injects code that intercepts transactions. This enables criminals to steal money without the user’s awareness or permission. Multiple Cryptocurrencies At Risk Security researchers have concluded that the malware can divert transactions on multiple of the world’s leading cryptocurrencies. They include Ethereum, USDT, XRP and Solana. The attack is what researchers identify as “an escalation in the ongoing targeting of cryptocurrency users through software supply chain attacks.” Technical Details Reveal Sophisticated Methods ReversingLabs discovered the campaign by scanning for suspicious NPM packages. Their analysis revealed several warning signs such as suspicious URL associations and code structures matching well-known threats. The attack employs sophisticated techniques for evasion from security tools and is multi-stage in nature. The infection begins when the malware package executes its code aimed at wallet software on the target’s machine. It specifically looks for application files in some of the predetermined paths before injecting its malicious code. No Visual User Warning Signs According to reports, this malware’s effect can be catastrophic since transactions appear absolutely normal on the wallet interface. The code substitutes valid recipient addresses with attacker-controlled addresses through base64 encoding. Related Reading: Bitcoin Maxi Takes Aim: Ethereum’s True Value? Lower Than You Think For instance, when a user attempts to send ETH, the malware substitutes the recipient address with the attacker’s address, which is concealed in encoded form. Users have no visual clue that anything is wrong until they check the blockchain record afterward and discover their money went to an unexpected address. The security threat indicates increased harm to cryptocurrency owners who might not be aware their transactions are compromised until funds go missing. The modus operandi of the attack is evidence of how hackers keep coming up with new methods of pilfering digital assets. Cryptocurrency users should be extremely cautious when verifying all transaction addresses. Developers are also advised to double-check the security of any packages they install on cryptocurrency-related projects. Featured image from Enterprise Networking Planet, chart from TradingView
Why some blockchains die Blockchains can die from flawed tokenomics, scams, security issues or lack of community and development momentum. Without active participation, even cutting-edge technology gathers dust.Ever heard of a blockchain that no one uses? It happens more often than you think. While the cryptocurrency space is full of innovation, but not every blockchain finds its tribe. Some are ghost towns with zero transactions, no developers and just a handful of holders stuck with worthless tokens. So, what makes a blockchain go quiet? And can they ever come back to life?Not all blockchains are built to last. Some blockchains, like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana, have survived harsh market conditions, proving their resilience. Terra, however, plummeted from top-tier status to near oblivion in 2022 after its algorithmic stablecoin imploded. Even well-intentioned projects can fail. Without ongoing development, user incentives or a strong community, blockchains can become unusable. Once the validators stop running nodes, the network effectively turns into a broken time capsule. Blockchain adoption challenges in 2025 Blockchain adoption in 2025 still faces hurdles like unclear regulation, fragmented developer tooling, infrastructure gaps and the struggle to attract real users over bots despite some chains like Ethereum and Solana paving the way forward.Regulatory uncertainty is one of the biggest roadblocks. Governments are still figuring out how to regulate crypto, and inconsistent or overly restrictive rules can strangle innovation before it takes root. Beyond policy, a thriving developer ecosystem is non-negotiable. Jumping between languages such as Solidity, Rust and Move-based systems demands versatility, and not every blockchain can lure the talent it needs to grow.Then there’s the user problem — chains are overrun with bots chasing airdrops instead of real people engaging with the tech. Without authentic activity, a network’s bustling metrics are just smoke and mirrors.Infrastructure is another major hurdle. Strong blockchains need robust tooling, high-quality remote procedure call (RPC) services and a decentralized validator set that ensures uptime and security. In the context of blockchains, RPC services refer to a mechanism that allows applications (like wallets, DApps or developer tools) to communicate with a blockchain network remotely. On top of that, a thriving blockchain must rally a strong community of users, builders and commentators who genuinely believe in its long-term success. Handling fear, uncertainty and doubt, or FUD, credibly is another test, especially when negative narratives arise; how a blockchain ecosystem responds can make or break trust. Keeping user loyalty while maintaining a sense of novelty is a delicate balance. Ethereum has mastered this across multiple market cycles, evolving while retaining its core developer and user base. Since the FTX collapse in 2022, Solana has demonstrated resilience, overcoming reputational damage to rebuild its ecosystem, attract developers, and drive real usage through improvements in speed, efficiency and community support.Did you know? Blockchain nodes expose RPC endpoints (often via HTTP or WebSocket protocols) that handle these requests. For example, when you use a decentralized app (DApp) on Ethereum, it might connect to an RPC service like Infura or Alchemy to fetch data or broadcast transactions. What blockchains are still active in 2025? As of April 2025, Ethereum, Solana, Bitcoin, BNB Chain, Polkadot, Near, Sui and Tron stand out as active blockchains, each excelling in distinct niches — DApps, speed, value storage, affordability, interoperability or scalability. Active chains show daily user engagement, developer momentum and sustained transaction volume, while inactive ones become digital graveyards.Not all blockchains are dead, but not all are thriving, either. Below are the insights into the standout survivors shaping the crypto landscape as of April 2025:Bitcoin: Bitcoin focuses on value storage, with a $1.636-trillion market capitalization on April 6, 2025, and regular transactions. The 2024 Bitcoin halving and approvals of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) keep it relevant. About 960 developers work on scalability, like Lightning Network, despite limited smart contract features.Ethereum: It powers decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and DApps, processing millions of daily transactions via layer 2s like Arbitrum as of April 2025. It had over 5,900 monthly active developers in June 2023. High total value locked (TVL) persists, though gas fees are a challenge without layer 2s.Solana: According to DefiLlama, Solana’s daily active addresses reached 3.68 million as of April 8, 2025. The surge is likely supported by its fast transactions and low fees. After the 2022 FTX dip, it recovered, supporting gaming and DeFi. It had over 1,400 developers in June 2023, with past outages noted as a concern. Also, the TRUMP token’s crash in March 2025, dropping over 85% from its January peak, strained Solana’s momentum.BNB Chain: Binance’s BNB Chain has 1.93 million daily users as of April 1, 2025, with affordable transactions. It shows notable TVL and volume, mainly in DeFi and gaming, though its centralized nature is debated.Polkadot: Polkadot connects blockchains, with over 1,900 developers in June 2023 working on interoperability. It supports multiple parachains, with moderate but growing activity as of April 2025, though it’s less accessible to casual users.Near Protocol: Near logs 3.18 million daily addresses as of April 1, 2025, using sharding for scalability. It supports DeFi and gaming, with developer tools aiding growth, but it’s still proving itself against larger chains.Sui: Sui, with 2.46 million daily users as of April 1, 2025, uses an object-oriented model for speed. Active in DeFi and gaming, it’s newer and lacks the ecosystem depth of older networks.Tron: Tron has 2.45 million daily addresses as of April 1, 2025, focusing on stablecoin transfers like Tether USDt (USDT). It handles high throughput but has limited DApp variety compared to others.Inactive chains like EOS and Terra, impacted by governance or collapse, contrast with the above blockchains. So, a blockchain’s success hinges on its daily activity. How many people are actually transacting on a blockchain every day? Are developers still building new DApps? Is there any meaningful transaction volume? If the answer to these questions is “not much,” the chain might be on its way to becoming a digital graveyard.Did you know? According to Santiment, the top five Ethereum-based cryptocurrencies by development activity in March 2025 were Chainlink (LINK), Starknet (STRK), Ether (ETH), EigenLayer (EIGEN) and Fuel Network (FUEL). This ranking reflects the volume of development work, a key indicator of potential growth and innovation in the crypto market. Blockchains that faded: What went wrong? Blockchains like EOS and Terra teach us that hype isn’t enough. A blockchain needs real utility, trust and continuous innovation to survive.Cases like EOS and Terra show that initial excitement isn’t enough to sustain a blockchain. Long-term survival seems tied to practical utility, trust and ongoing development rather than just hype.Some blockchains started with potential but struggled to maintain traction. EOS, once called an “Ethereum killer,” raised $4 billion in its 2017 initial coin offering (ICO). By 2025, it saw minimal use, affected by governance challenges and low adoption. Terra and its LUNA token faced a steeper drop in 2022 when its algorithmic stablecoin unraveled, erasing billions in value.These examples suggest hype alone doesn’t ensure staying power — blockchains appear to need real use cases, solid security and active evolution.Community often marks the divide between a blockchain that endures and one that fades. Ethereum has weathered multiple downturns, supported by a large developer base and active users. Developers building DApps draw in users, creating a cycle of growth. Validators and stakers enhance trust, boosting liquidity. Without this participation, even technically advanced chains struggle to remain relevant. How to spot a living blockchain Metrics like transaction volume, TVL, developer activity and validator count are essential signs of whether a blockchain is alive and trusted.How can you tell if a blockchain is healthy? Transaction velocity and volume are major signs. A strong, active blockchain sees consistent transactions, while low activity is a red flag. Total value locked (TVL) is another critical metric because if DeFi users trust a chain, they’ll lock funds into its protocols. A declining TVL suggests that users are leaving. Developer activity is also crucial. Are new projects launching? Is there ongoing development? A stagnant developer ecosystem often signals trouble. Validator and node count matter, too. A high number of validators shows decentralization and network security. And finally, liquidity and the onchain economy play a big role. If liquidity is drying up, so is the chain’s future.Developers and founding teams move across blockchains if they can’t scale from where they are originally based. It comes with a cost, often to rebuild skills and user base. But multiple projects moving out of a chain can indicate a bearish trend for the chain, and vice versa could also be true.For example, on April 3, 2025, the gaming project Infecteddotfun announced that it was shifting from Base to Solana due to scaling struggles. The project’s viral speculative simulation game drew 130,000 signups in 48 hours, overwhelming Base with transaction demand, spiking gas prices and halting gameplay. The team pointed to Ethereum Virtual Machine chain limitations, favoring Solana’s user-centric culture and robust user base. What brings a blockchain back to life? Inactive chains can return if they find compelling use cases, have a strong community, offer strong incentives, or evolve into new forms like layer-2 solutions.So, can a dead blockchain come back to life? Sometimes. The key is finding a reason for people to return. A new use case can revive interest, especially if it solves a real problem. Protocol upgrades that improve scalability, fees or interoperability can also rekindle activity. Strong incentives, such as grants, airdrops or liquidity rewards, can attract developers and users back to a network. In some cases, struggling projects pivot into layer-2 solutions or merge with more active ecosystems to stay relevant.But most of all, a thriving community that has a high conviction on the future of a chain can lead to its resurgence from the worst. Solana’s rise from the FTX debacle due to a committed community is a case study in that respect.The blockchain world moves fast. Some networks thrive, and some fade into obscurity. The ones that last are those with strong community support, real-world utility and continuous innovation. If a blockchain is silent today, it doesn’t mean it’s gone forever, but reviving it takes more than just wishful thinking.
The anticipated imminent diplomatic deal between the United States and China regarding the ongoing trade war has improved the odds for a crypto-bullish sentiment ahead. Bitcoin (BTC) price led the wider altcoin market in a mild recovery last week. With on-chain data showing significant confidence from whale investors, the crazy crypto speculation is likely to …
The company's holdings now total 531,644 BTC — around 2.5% of the total 21 million bitcoin supply — worth over $45 billion.
The $100K call option has become the most favored bet, with a notional open interest of nearly $1.2 billion.
A local court in China recently sentenced nine Chinese fraudsters to prison terms over defrauding Indians of about $6 million through USDT fraud. Notably, the scheme involved using translation and chat software to befriend foreigners, gain their trust and trick them into investment by defrauding their money. Over 66,000 Indians Fell To the Scam The …
JPMorgan now lets companies make 24/7 blockchain payments in British pounds (GBP), adding to its euro (EUR) and dollar (USD) options.
Company adds 319 BTC, bringing total holdings to 4,525 as part of aggressive treasury expansion backed by capital market activity.
The drop in the Mantra (OM) price raised many eyebrows just before the week’s trade. Mainly because Mantra was considered one of the fundamentally strong tokens and ranked number 1 in Real World Assets (RWA) tokens. In times when the markets are recovering from the latest bearish action, such events raise huge suspicion. The OM …
Renowned investor & the author of the Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, has warned that the world will now face the biggest financial crash in history, with the US dollar losing its strength. This warning comes as Donald Trump’s new tariff rules are creating more problems around the world. Despite this turmoil, Kiyosaki says …
As markets get shaky and investors hunt for safer ground, gold is once again proving to be a favorite. But this time, it’s not just the traditional yellow metal that’s winning attention, its digital versions are catching fire too. Recently Gold-backed cryptocurrencies like Paxos Gold (PAXG) and Tether Gold (XAUT) have been on a strong …
Andrew Kang, founder of the crypto venture firm Mechanism Capital, has seemingly doubled down on his bet that Bitcoin will gain in price with a $200 million long position, onchain data shows. “Andrew Kang just doubled his Bitcoin position,” crypto analytics firm Arkham said in an April 12 X post. It explained a crypto address tied to Kang made another $100 million long bet on Bitcoin (BTC) with an expected profit, or loss, of $6.8 million.On April 9, Arkham noted that the Kang-tied wallet had put on a $100 million leverage-long bet on Bitcoin after US President Donald Trump posted to his Truth Social platform earlier the same day that “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT.”Source: ArkhamJust hours later, the Trump administration announced a 90-day pause on its global hiked tariff regime, which sent crypto and stocks rallying. The tariffs, first unveiled on April 2, had gone live just hours earlier and had tanked most financial markets.Kang said in an April 12 X post that trade war capitulation and a “Trump put” — the belief that the president will work to bump the stock market — “are the perfect combination for BTC to reverse a multi month downtrend.”Kang noted Trump’s April 9 Truth Social post could be a sign of the so-called “Trump put.” Source: Andrew KangMeanwhile, Senate Democrats called on the Securities and Exchange Commission in an April 11 letter to launch an insider trading and market manipulation probe into Trump and his affiliates over the post, which they said “appears to have previewed his plans” to pause the tariffs.Bitcoin choppy on tariff confusionBitcoin has seen an over 2% swing over the past 24 hours as the Trump administration went back and forth on tariff exemptions for Chinese electronic goods.Related: NFT trader faces prison for $13M tax fraud on CryptoPunk profitsBitcoin hit a 24-hour low of $83,197, wiping most of the gains it made before the weekend, but it has since recovered to trade flat over the past day at around $85,000 after briefly hitting a top of $85,315, CoinGecko data shows.Trump posted to Truth Social on April 13 that “there was no tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday,” April 11, but that levies on Chinese electronics are “moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket’” of 20%.Asia Express: Bitcoiner sex trap extortion? BTS firm’s blockchain disaster
The team behind real-world tokenized asset blockchain Mantra says its native token’s sudden 90% plunge was caused by exchanges forcibly closing positions without notice, with one currently unnamed exchange potentially to blame. On April 13, Mantra (OM) price dropped from $6.30 to below $0.50, rapidly shedding over 90% of its $6 billion market cap.“We have determined that the OM market movements were triggered by reckless forced closures initiated by centralized exchanges on OM account holders,” Mantra co-founder John Mullin wrote in an April 13 statement on X.“The timing and depth of the crash suggest that a very sudden closure of account positions was initiated without sufficient warning or notice,” he added. Source: John Mullin“That this happened during low-liquidity hours on a Sunday evening UTC, early morning Asia time, points to a degree of negligence at best, or possibly intentional market positioning taken by centralized exchanges.”Mullin told an X user they believe one exchange “in particular” was to blame but said they were still “figuring out the details.” He told others that the centralized exchange in question wasn’t Binance. Mantra has an upcoming community connect on X, where Mullin says the team would share more information.Source: John MullinSome traders allege the token collapse was a rug pull, while others are speculating the Mantra team had used their tokens as collateral to take out a massive loan from a centralized exchange and the team fell prey to a loan risk parameter change, then a margin call.Mullin denied these theories in follow-up X posts, saying, “The team did not have a loan outstanding” and haven't orchestrated a rug pull. “Tokens remain locked and subject to the published vesting periods. OM’s tokenomics remain intact, as shared last week in our latest token report. Our token wallet addresses are online and visible,” Mullin said.Source: John MullinThe price of OM staged a minor recovery in the aftermath of the price collapse, briefly returning above $1, but it is back down and currently trading around $0.7894, according to CoinGecko.The token hit an all-time high of just under $9 on Feb. 23 and is now down over 91% from that figure. Source: Star XuMillions of Mantra tokens moved in the week prior to collapse Blockchain analytics platform Spot On Chain said in an April 14 post to X that some OM whales moved 14.27 million tokens to the crypto exchange OKX three days before the crash. In March, the same whales picked up 84.15 million OM for $564.7 million.“Now, after a brutal 90% drop, their remaining 69.08 million OM is worth just $62.2 million, putting their total estimated loss at a staggering $406.3 million,” Spot On Chain said.“However, they may have hedged the position elsewhere, and it’s possible they contributed to the sharp drop.”Source: Spot On ChainAt the same time, blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain said that since April 7, at least 17 wallets deposited 43.6 million OM into crypto exchanges, representing 4.5% of the circulating supply. Related: Mantra unveils $108M fund to back real-world asset tokenization, DeFiIn January 2025, Mantra and investment conglomerate DAMAC signed a $1 billion deal to tokenize the investment conglomerate’s various assets. Meanwhile, Mantra announced on Feb. 19 that it had received a virtual asset service provider license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.Magazine: Illegal arcade disguised as … a fake Bitcoin mine? Soldier scams in China: Asia Express
The XRP price saw a rise in value over the weekend as bulls seemed to return to the table. Since the market has been low over the past few months, investors unsurprisingly took this as an opportunity to get out at a somewhat higher price. This has led to more negative networks over the last few days, adding even more red to the month of April that has been dominated by outflows. XRP’s April Outflows Cross $300 Million According to data from Coinglass, XRP has been struggling with negative net flows for the better part of April, recording more red days than green. Even the green days have been quite muted and have fallen short of the volumes recorded on the red days. With only 13 days gone out the month so far, there has already been more than $300 million in outflows recorded for the month already. Related Reading: Bitcoin Breaks Out: Chart Pattern Targets $96,200 To $102,100 As Next Big Test Zone So far, only four out of the 13 days have ended with positive net flows, coming out to $56.08 million in inflows for the month. In contrast, the other nine days have been dominated by outflows, coming out to $311 million by Sunday. This consistent outflow suggests that sellers are still dominating the market, which explains why the XRP price has continued to remain low throughout this time. Additionally, if this negative net flow trend continues, then the XRP price could suffer further crashes from here. However, in comparison to the last three months, the month of April seems to be recording a slow down when it comes to outflows. For example, months of January and March recorded $150 million outflow days, whereas the highest so far in April has been $90 million, which occurred on April 6. One More Dip Coming? While there has been a return of positive sentiment among XRP investors, bearish expectations still abound, although mainly for the short-term. Crypto analyst Egrag Crypto, a known XRP bull, has pointed out that the altcoin is likely to see another dip in price before a recovery. Nevertheless, the expectations for the long-term are still extremely bullish. Related Reading: Expert Analyst Warns Bitcoin/VIX Is Not Bullish: Bear Market Signals The crypto analyst highlights the possibility for the XRP price to dip to $1.4, but explains that he continues to hold his position. As for how high the price could go, the analyst maintain three major price targets: $7.50, $13, and $27. “For me, I follow the charts with a clear understanding that certain events will unfold, but I stay updated on the news to see what narratives are created to influence market movements,” Egrag Crypto explained. Featured image from Dall.E, chart from TradingView.com
April 14, 2025 07:08:23 UTC BRICS Plans Payment System to Bypass Western Sanctions? Global analysts suggest the upcoming BRICS payment system could significantly weaken the U.S. dollar’s dominance in global trade. Experts highlight key advantages, including lower costs, sanctions evasion, and reduced reliance on Western financial infrastructure. Anton Tabakh emphasized that the lack of alternatives …
Trump's tariff activity continues to weigh on sentiment toward the asset class, Head of Research James Butterfill said.
Crypto markets have relatively fared better and have stayed surprisingly calm even while the traditional market reacted sharply to Trump’s shifting tariff plans. However, Bitcoin fell over 2% on Sunday as markets struggled with uncertainty over the US China tariff concerns. Tariff Concerns Hit Crypto Bitcoin fell to $83,482 during Asian trading hours erasing some …
Trump’s World Liberty recently spent 775K USDC to buy 4.89M SEI tokens. This brings the total spent on 11 different tokens to $346.8M. However, the investment strategy hasn’t paid off, with World Liberty’s holdings now in the red, showing a total loss of $145.8M. Despite the losses, their current holdings are worth $102,180,717.87. The strategy …
The market capitulation for the Mantra (OM), a first-level layer 1 project focused on real-world assets (RWA) tokenization, has attracted significant attention. The previously highly decorated project has now been likened to the Tera Luna (UST) crash due to the similarity of the situation. Moreover, both projects had gained significant trust from both retail and …
Co-founder John Patrick Mullin alleged the movement was likely due to exchanges closing OM positions, which impacted all market exposure.
Metaplanet has just expanded its Bitcoin stash by buying an additional 319 BTC worth $26.3 million. This latest purchase brings the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to 4,525 BTC. The move highlights Metaplanet’s growing confidence in Bitcoin as a long-term store of value. As more companies turn to Bitcoin as a treasury asset, Metaplanet continues to …
XRP price started a fresh increase above the $2.050 resistance. The price is now consolidating and must settle above $2.20 for more gains. XRP price started a fresh increase above the $1.980 and $2.050 levels. The price is now trading above $2.080 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is a connecting bullish trend line forming with support at $2.10 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair (data source from Kraken). The pair might extend gains if there is a close above the $2.20 resistance zone. XRP Price Eyes Fresh Gains XRP price managed to stay above the $1.880 support zone and started a fresh increase, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The price climbed above the $1.980 and $2.00 resistance levels. A high was formed at $2.24 and the price recently started a downside correction. There was a move below the $2.120 support zone. The price dipped below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1.920 swing low to the $2.244 high. However, the bulls were active near the $2.080 support. The price is now trading above $2.100 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is also a connecting bullish trend line forming with support at $2.10 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair. On the upside, the price might face resistance near the $2.1680 level. The first major resistance is near the $2.20 level. The next resistance is $2.250. A clear move above the $2.250 resistance might send the price toward the $2.320 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $2.450 resistance or even $2.50 in the near term. The next major hurdle for the bulls might be $2.550. Another Decline? If XRP fails to clear the $2.20 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $2.10 level and the trend line. The next major support is near the $2.080 level and the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1.920 swing low to the $2.244 high. If there is a downside break and a close below the $2.080 level, the price might continue to decline toward the $2.00 support. The next major support sits near the $1.920 zone. Technical Indicators Hourly MACD – The MACD for XRP/USD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for XRP/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $2.100 and $2.080. Major Resistance Levels – $2.20 and $2.250.
Metaplanet Inc., a publicly listed Japanese firm, has announced it has added 319 more Bitcoins to its balance sheet as part of its treasury strategy. The purchase was made at an average price of 11.8 million yen per BTC, totaling 3.78 billion yen. This brings Metaplanet’s total Bitcoin stash to 4,525 BTC, bought at an …
BTC is trading above $84K, while major stock indices in China are up.
Crypto markets have been fairly stable amid wider market panic caused by US President Donald Trump’s “on-again, off-again” sweeping global tariffs, according to a New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG) analyst.“Despite the carnage in traditional financial markets, the crypto markets have been relatively orderly,” NYDIG global head of research Greg Cipolaro said in an April 11 note. “Historically, in broad risk-off moves, we tend to see stresses show up in crypto markets. We have yet to see that.”Cipolaro said crypto perpetual futures rates have “been persistently positive,” with liquidations spiking on April 6 and 7 in the days after Trump first announced the tariffs on April 2 but only to a total of $480 million, which he added “was well below other notable liquidation events.”He noted that the price of Tether (USDT), a US dollar-tracking stablecoin widely used token in crypto trading, was below $1 but had “not experienced a sharp decline.” Trump unveiled a sweeping tariff regime on April 2 that lumped various levies on every country before pausing them for 90 days just hours after they came into effect on April 5 and instead charging a base tariff of 10%, besides China, which currently has tariffs of up to 145%.Traditional and crypto markets tanked after Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, and many assets haven’t recovered to the same level as before their unveiling.Stocks, bonds and foreign exchange volatility rates all rose after Trump’s tariffs announcement. Source: NYDIGOver the weekend, the Trump administration caused more confusion with its tariffs, saying on April 13 that an April 11 decision to exempt many electronics from tariffs was temporary and they would still be hit with levies.Bitcoin fares well, declining volatility to make it widely attractiveCipolaro said that Bitcoin (BTC) didn’t escape the market volatility, “but at current prices has fared far better than many other asset classes.”He added that Bitcoin’s volatility hasn’t risen to historic levels, unlike the traditional markets, and “has been relatively stable” despite instability instigated by the Trump administration.“Perhaps investors are increasingly searching for stores of value not tied to sovereign countries and thus not affected by the trade turmoil.”Bitcoin is down 22.5% from its mid-January peak of over $108,000 and has traded flat over the past 24 hours at $84,730, according to CoinGecko.Cipolaro said the narrowing gap between Bitcoin’s volatility and other assets makes it “increasingly more appealing” to funds with risk parity portfolios — those that use risk to choose asset allocations.He added that investors are likely reducing their risk exposure but “perhaps some reallocation of asset mix to Bitcoin is one of the reasons it has been more buoyant.”Related: S&P 500 briefly sees ‘Bitcoin-level’ volatility amid Trump tariff war“Risk parity funds allocating to Bitcoin can help dampen its volatility — making the asset more attractive and potentially reinforcing a virtuous cycle of increased adoption and stability,” Cipolaro said.However, YouHodler chief of markets Ruslan Lienkha told Cointelegraph in an April 12 note that despite a wider market rebound, “technical indicators are painting a concerning picture.”He said a “death cross,” when the 50-day moving average crosses below the 200-day moving average, is potentially forming on Bitcoin and the S&P 500.Lienkha said the pattern is “generally considered a bearish signal for the medium term, suggesting that markets may struggle to sustain upward momentum without a clear catalyst or a stream of positive macroeconomic developments.” Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again
The Tokyo-listed investment firm said it bought an additional 319 BTC, bringing its total holdings to 4,525 BTC.
Ethereum price started a fresh increase above the $1,580 zone. ETH is now consolidating gains and might aim for more gains above $1,665. Ethereum started a decent increase above the $1,580 and $1,620 levels. The price is trading below $1,620 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is a new connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $1,640 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could start a fresh increase if it clears the $1,665 resistance zone. Ethereum Price Gains Pace Ethereum price formed a base above $1,500 and started a fresh increase, like Bitcoin. ETH gained pace for a move above the $1,550 and $1,580 resistance levels. The bulls even pumped the price above the $1,620 zone. A high was formed at $1,668 and the price recently started a downside correction. There was a move below the $1,650 support zone. The price dipped below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1,482 swing low to the $1,668 high. Ethereum price is now trading below $1,600 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. On the upside, the price seems to be facing hurdles near the $1,640 level. There is also a new connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $1,640 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. The next key resistance is near the $1,665 level. The first major resistance is near the $1,680 level. A clear move above the $1,680 resistance might send the price toward the $1,720 resistance. An upside break above the $1,720 resistance might call for more gains in the coming sessions. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $1,750 resistance zone or even $1,800 in the near term. More Losses In ETH? If Ethereum fails to clear the $1,640 resistance, it could start a downside correction. Initial support on the downside is near the $1,600 level. The first major support sits near the $1,575 zone and the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1,482 swing low to the $1,668 high. A clear move below the $1,575 support might push the price toward the $1,550 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $1,520 support level in the near term. The next key support sits at $1,480. Technical Indicators Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now above the 50 zone. Major Support Level – $1,575 Major Resistance Level – $1,665
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin argues it’s Ethereum’s application layer, not its infrastructure layer, where Ethereum needs “good social philosophy” the most. The app layer is where developers build decentralized applications on top of Ethereum’s base infrastructure and where they make decisions about how these programs operate. In an April 12 post on the social media platform Warpcast, Buterin responded to a user’s argument that Ethereum needs a new generation of developers rooted in Ethereum’s core values to renew itself. He argued that it’s the app layer that needs this more. “Apps are 80% special purpose. What apps you build depends heavily on what ideas you have of what Ethereum apps, and Ethereum as a whole, are there to do for the world. And so having good ideas on this topic out there becomes crucially important,” Buterin said. Source: Vitalik ButerinIn comparison, Buterin says a programming language like C++ may not be as influenced by the creator’s ideology, as it is a general-purpose tool that doesn’t have much surface to be made worse or improved by social philosophy. “Imagine that C++ had been made by a totalitarian racist fascist. Would it be a worse language? Probably not,” he said.Ethereum’s layer 1 is similar to an extent, argued Buterin, though it is more exposed to philosophical influence, citing its move to proof-of-stake (PoS) and supporting light clients as examples. “Someone who doesn’t believe in decentralization would not add light clients, or good forms of account abstraction,” he said. “Someone who doesn’t mind energy waste would not spend half a decade moving to PoS, but the Ethereum Virtual Machine opcodes might have been roughly the same either way. So Ethereum is perhaps 50% general-purpose,” Buterin added. Apps with good social philosophy vs bad In a follow-up post, Buterin told a user that in his opinion, crypto privacy protocol Railgun, Web3 social protocol Farcaster, decentralized prediction market Polymarket and messenger app Signal are examples of apps with a good social philosophy. Source: Vitalik Buterin“You build apps that do the right thing behind the scenes by default. Signal is a reasonably good example of this, though it has significant flaws of its own. Farcaster is also a good example of this,” Buterin said.Related: Vitalik Buterin criticizes crypto’s moral shift toward gamblingOn the other hand, Buterin said the memecoin platform Pump.fun, the collapsed crypto ecosystem Terra, its native token Terra (LUNA), and the collapsed crypto exchange FTX are examples of bad social philosophy.“The differences in what the app does stem from differences in beliefs in developers’ heads about what they are here to accomplish,” he said. Magazine: Bitcoin eyes $100K by June, Shaq to settle NFT lawsuit, and more: Hodler’s Digest, April 6 – 12