The multi-year partnership covers the US and Canada, marking Polymarket's continued expansion into traditional sports markets.
Ethereum price is back in focus as the token has been holding a crucial support range at $2000, regardless of the growing bearish pressure. It is also outperforming Bitcoin, which is undergoing a horizontal consolidation. Moreover, the on-chain data suggests that the ETH price is experiencing massive selling pressure across derivative markets. Despite this, the …
Trader skepticism highlights the challenges of achieving swift diplomatic resolutions, impacting market confidence and geopolitical stability.
The post GCC and UN call for US-Iran ceasefire as market shows skepticism: FT appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The low odds of a ceasefire highlight the challenges of diplomatic efforts and the potential for prolonged instability in the region.
The post GCC and UN call for immediate ceasefire in US-Israel-Iran conflict appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted Coinbase (COIN) a conditional approval for a national trust bank charter, a move that would place the crypto exchange among a small group of five digital-asset firms — including Ripple, Circle (CRCL) — that have received similar tentative sign-offs from the agency. If the charter is finalized, Coinbase would be able to expand beyond custody services to offer payment products and other infrastructure under federal supervision, Coinbase’s chief legal officer, Paul Grewal, told CNBC. Coinbase Eyes Broader US Payments Suite During his interview, Grewal said that the approval opens the door for Coinbase to develop a broader range of services in the US, particularly in the area of payments: Over the long haul we will be able to explore, with the OCC, offering not just custody products but also other infrastructure products, particularly around payments, that we think will expand and extend crypto payments in all sorts of new and interesting and important directions. Related Reading: National Trust Bank Bid: Citadel Securities-Backed Crypto Exchange Enters The Fray However, the decision has reignited criticism from traditional banking stakeholders. The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) responded with a letter opposing the OCC’s conditional approval of Coinbase National Trust Co., the subsidiary named in the application. ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey called the approval “a grave mistake” that, in the group’s view, would put US consumers at risk. The ICBA’s letter alleges the application contains significant shortcomings — including inadequate risk controls, unclear profitability prospects, and unresolved resolution risks — and argues that Coinbase’s filing fails to satisfy requirements set by the National Bank Act and the OCC’s own regulations. IBCA Demands OCC Rework National Trust Bank Rule The trade group warned that the influx of charter applications from non-bank entities suggests firms are seeking the benefits of a federal bank charter without being subject to the full spectrum of bank regulatory safeguards. That, the Independent Community Bankers of America alleges, could undermine consumer protection and threaten the broader stability of the financial system. Moreover, the ICBA also aimed at the OCC’s final rule on national trust bank chartering. Related Reading: What April Could Mean For XRP: Past Patterns And Key Price Catalysts To Watch The trade group objects to the OCC’s plan to charter uninsured national trust banks that could carry out non‑fiduciary crypto-related business without being subject to the Bank Holding Company Act or the prudential requirements that apply to FDIC‑insured institutions. In its letter, ICBA reiterated calls for the OCC to withdraw the rule or reissue a revised proposal that aligns with the agency’s statutory authority and longstanding legal precedent. Despite the OCC’s conditional approval, Coinbase’s stock, which trades under the ticker name COIN, was trading at $171 at the time of writing and had seen little to no change compared to Wednesday’s trading session. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
The airstrike's escalation could lead to increased geopolitical tensions, impacting global markets and international diplomatic relations.
The post Airstrike on Iranian site raises odds of US ground forces entering Iran to 66% appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Ripple’s Treasury platform joining the SWIFT Certified Partner Program is being seen as a major step toward traditional finance. Still, analysts say the reality is more nuanced than the hype suggests. So, let’s break down what actually happened. Ripple Pushes Deeper Into Banking Rails Following its $1 billion acquisition of GTreasury in 2025, Ripple has …
Iran's military escalation diminishes diplomatic prospects, impacting market confidence and increasing geopolitical tensions in the region.
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Escalating tensions and military actions diminish prospects for peace, necessitating significant diplomatic efforts to alter current trajectories.
The post Ceasefire odds drop sharply amid escalating Iran conflict and missile strikes: FT appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Naoris debuts its quantum-resistant mainnet, which uses algorithms approved by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Rising tensions and military posturing could destabilize the region, impacting global markets and geopolitical alliances significantly.
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Can a stablecoin choose not to freeze your funds and still be a stablecoin? That question, posted on X by Columbia Business School professor Omid Malekan, just got a sharp technical reality check from Ripple CTO Emeritus, David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz. The timing could not be more loaded. Malekan’s argument was straightforward. In a space where …
Other major bitcoin miners have been selling their BTC holdings amid a broader shift toward AI and HPC infrastructure.
Solana-based Drift Protocol has suffered the largest exploit of 2026 to date, losing nearly $300 million in a “highly sophisticated operation” that has raised concerns about the growing threat of human-targeted attacks in the crypto space. Related Reading: Bitcoin ETFs Break Four-Month Negative Streak With $1.32B Inflows While ETH, XRP Funds Bleed Solana DEX Loses $285M On April Fool’s Day On Wednesday, Solana-based decentralized exchange (DEX) Drift Protocol was the victim of an exploit that stole hundreds of millions of dollars from its vaults. After online reports flagged unusual on-chain activity yesterday afternoon, Drift’s official channels confirmed the attack, quickly suspending deposits and withdrawals. According to reports, the attack lasted less than 20 minutes and stole around $285 million in multiple assets, including USDC, JPL, USDT, JUP, USDS, WBTC, and WETH, from nearly 20 vaults. This marks the largest crypto exploit of 2026 to date, and one of the largest hacks in the industry, just above WazirX’s $235 million hack. The hack wiped out half of the Solana-based project’s total value locked (TVL), which fell from roughly $550 million to $252 million, per DeFiLlama data. Drift protocol’s token, DRIFT, also plunged, retracing nearly 40% over the past 24 hours. Within hours, the exploiter had swapped $270.9 million into USDC, bridged them from Solana to Ethereum via the CCTP TokenMessengerMinterV2, and purchased 129,000 ETH, splitting them across multiple wallets. In a Thursday post, Drift shared the details of the incident, affirming that “a malicious actor gained unauthorized access to Drift Protocol through a novel attack involving durable nonces, resulting in a rapid takeover of Drift’s Security Council administrative powers.” Solana’s durable nonces are an advanced mechanism that allows transactions to bypass the typical short expiration date of regular transactions. This enables users to pre-sign transactions for future execution, offline signing, or complex multisig workflows. “This was a highly sophisticated operation that appears to have involved multi-week preparation and staged execution, including the use of durable nonce accounts to pre-sign transactions that delayed execution,” the post continued. Malicious Actors Targeting Humans, Not Smart Contracts The Solana-based DEX emphasized that the exploit was not the result of a bug in Drift’s programs or smart contracts, noting that they found no evidence of compromised see phrases either. “The attack involved unauthorized or misrepresented transaction approvals obtained prior to execution, likely facilitated through durable nonce mechanisms and sophisticated social engineering,” the project underscored. Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation, addressed the incident, asserting that it is a blow to the whole Solana ecosystem. Liu pointed out that “Smart contracts held up. The real targets now are humans: social engineering and opsec weaknesses more than code exploits.” Related Reading: Analyst Forecasts More Pain For XRP In Q2 – How Much Lower Can It Go? Ledger CTO Charles Guillemet linked Drift’s attack method to Bybit’s $1.4 billion hack, which was attributed to North Korean hacking groups. As he explained, the attackers likely compromised several machines belonging to multisig signers through long-term infiltration and misled operators into approving the malicious transactions. This modus operandi is similar to the Bybit hack last year, widely attributed to DPRK-linked actors. The pattern is becoming familiar: patient, sophisticated supply-chain-level compromise targeting the human and operational layer, not the smart contracts themselves. Guillemet affirmed that the incident is “yet another wake-up call for the industry” to raise the bar on security. “Ultimately, security is not just about code audits. It’s about giving operators and users the right information at the right time, so they can make informed decisions about what they sign,” he concluded. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
The reported acquisition talks come as South Korea is considering a 20% cap on major crypto exchange shareholders, which would force major platforms to restructure ownership.
Bitcoin becomes the live market over Easter as oil shocks hit and traditional finance goes dark The Bitcoin market now has three trading days where it will act as the live venue for geopolitical risk while much of traditional finance is closed. As of Friday, April 3, Wall Street is closed for Good Friday; several […]
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Cartesi (CTSI) price has broken out of a prolonged downtrend structure, delivering a sharp expansion move as price reclaims the $0.04 zone with strong volume support. The trading volume exploded by more than 1700%, reaching $184.16 million, making it one of the best-performing crypto for the day. However, this does not appear to be a …
Render (RNDR) is showing early signs of a potential breakout as price stabilizes near key support and derivatives activity picks up sharply. After weeks of downside pressure, RNDR price is now trading around $1.92, holding above its demand zone while approaching resistance. With participation rising and price compressing below a key level, the market is …
Bitcoin price today faced a sharp setback after a U.S. address in Iran triggered a global risk-off reaction, dragging prices down nearly 6% within hours. The move pushed BTC below the crucial resistance levels, with price now struggling under the $69,000 mark and failing to break the $72,500–$73,000 zone. Adding to the uncertainty, markets are …
Bloomberg senior strategist Mike McGlone has renewed a stark prediction for Bitcoin (BTC), arguing that the market’s leading cryptocurrency could resume a prolonged decline that takes it back toward $10,000. Why McGlone Sees Bitcoin Heading Back To $10K In a Thursday post on social media platform X (previously Twitter), McGlone framed the $10,000 level as a long-standing reference point for Bitcoin: it was a common trading price before the 2020–21 rally and has been among the most frequently traded levels since futures began trading in 2017. McGlone’s view, which he describes as a “bursting crypto bubble” scenario, is a minority stance among market analysts who predict a Bitcoin bottom this year as low as $38,000 in the worst scenario—much higher than the Bloomberg strategist’s price point. Related Reading: What April Could Mean For XRP: Past Patterns And Key Price Catalysts To Watch If Bitcoin were to fall from its current trading price to $10,000, the move would represent a roughly 92% drop, taking into account the retrace already seen from its all-time high of $126,000. That would be materially lower than the previous bear-market trough around $15,000. The idea that Bitcoin could revert toward $10,000 clashes with a common pattern observed in prior post‑Halving cycles. Historically, corrections following Halving rallies have produced higher lows compared with prior cycles. In that framework, a return to $10,000 would mark an unusually deep reversal well below the low of the last bear market. Still, McGlone contends that significant structural and behavioral shifts around the 2020–21 era mean the market could be reverting to an older norm centered on the $10,000 price point. Market Worries Mount Beyond long-term projections, Bitcoin is now range-bound with limited directional confidence. The leading cryptocurrency was trading at $66,938 at the time of writing, down around 2.5% in the previous 24 hours. Analysts point to heightened geopolitical tension as a near-term catalyst for risk-off moves: President Trump’s recent remarks suggesting intensification of strikes against Iran have reduced hopes for a swift de‑escalation, pressuring risk assets and prompting a pullback in crypto markets. “Trump’s latest comments on the war with Iran triggered a sharp sell-off amid a lack of de-escalation signs,” Alex Kuptsikevich, chief market analyst at FxPro, told Bloomberg, noting Bitcoin’s consolidation between roughly $66,000 and $69,000. Related Reading: National Trust Bank Bid: Citadel Securities-Backed Crypto Exchange Enters The Fray In addition, CryptoQuant data indicate that large holders — often referred to as whales — have moved from accumulation to net selling over the past year, a trend traders say helps explain the subdued price action. “Onchain data confirms what price action has been telegraphing: there’s zero conviction,” Jasper De Maere, a trader at Wintermute, commented. Institutional flows have not been supportive either. Net inflows to US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) turned negative on Wednesday, with investors withdrawing about $174 million from those vehicles, contributing to the retracement. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
XRP News: Two of Asia’s most prominent blockchain-focused firms SBI Ripple and DSRV have started a joint research project to explore how blockchain can improve remittance and payment systems in Japan and South Korea.They teamed up to make cross-border payments faster and cheaper, using the XRP Ledger at the center of their plan. SBI Ripple–DSRV …
Bitfinex's support for El Salvador's Bitcoin adoption highlights the need for broader institutional backing and regulatory clarity to drive market impact.
The post Bitfinex backs El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption, eyes on $100K by June 30: FT appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Bitcoin ended the first quarter of 2026 at $68,200 after falling 22% over the period, its weakest opening three months since 2018. The slide erased an early push higher that had briefly carried the cryptocurrency close to $95,000 before the market turned lower. Related Reading: XRP Could Soon Enter Arizona’s Treasury — Here’s What’s Happening A Sharp Turn After A Strong Start The quarter did not begin quietly. Bitcoin opened the year at a little past $87,000 and moved higher in the early stretch, showing enough strength to reach nearly $95,000. That momentum did not last. The price later sank to about $60,000 on February 6, marking a fast shift in tone after a strong start to the year. From there, the market kept swinging. Bitcoin managed a brief rebound to around $70,000 later in February, but the recovery faded. Selling pressure returned as tension in the Middle East spread through risk markets, and Bitcoin slipped again, touching about $63,000 before the quarter ended. Coinglass data used in the report shows how unusual the quarter was when set against recent history. Bitcoin fell nearly 50% in the first quarter of 2018, then posted smaller swings in the years that followed. Source: Coinglass It gained 8% in 2019, lost 10% in 2020, surged over 100% in 2021, slipped 1.40% in 2022, and then rebounded with gains of 70% in 2023 and 65% in 2024. The pattern broke again in 2025 with an 11% decline before this year’s deeper drop. Geopolitical Stress Kept Traders On Edge The latest decline was tied in the report to rising unrest in the MidEast. That pressure did not stay confined to one trading session. It lingered through March and helped push Bitcoin into a choppy finish for the quarter, with rapid price changes making it harder for the market to settle. The report also pointed to fresh selling at the start of the second quarter. After US President Donald Trump signaled a tougher stance and warned of further military action in the weeks ahead, Bitcoin fell 3% in 24 hours to $66,700. Ethereum, BNB, and XRP also traded lower by about 3% to 4% as the broader crypto market softened. Related Reading: Bitcoin Ends 5-Month Losing Run — Real Reversal Or Just April Fool’s Hype? April Brings A Different Seasonal Pattern Despite the weak finish to March, the report noted April has often been a better month for Bitcoin. Coinglass data cited in the report shows an average April gain of 11.90% and a median return of 5% over the years, which has kept some traders looking for a rebound even after the rough quarter. Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView
The memecoin debate is back in the spotlight after Changpeng Zhao explained why BNB Chain didn’t join the “PUMP” trend like Solana. Speaking in a podcast with ThreadGuy, CZ highlighted that the difference wasn’t just strategy, it was timing, regulation, and risk. Why BNB Stayed Away From ‘PUMP’ CZ admitted that if a PUMP-style platform …
Escalating tensions and market volatility highlight the fragile geopolitical landscape, complicating diplomatic efforts and economic stability.
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Rising tensions and market skepticism highlight the potential for prolonged instability and the need for urgent diplomatic interventions.
The post Ceasefire odds drop sharply amid US-Israel airstrikes and Iran threats: FT appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
January saw the largest attack against a DeFi protocol of the quarter, the $40 million private key compromise of portfolio management platform Step Finance.
After aggressively accumulating Bitcoin over the past two years, several public companies are now reversing course. With BTC hovering around $66K and prolonged price weakness weighing on balance sheets, firms, especially mining companies, are increasingly offloading holdings to stay liquid. Riot Platforms Sold 3,778 BTC in Q1 2026 As per the latest report, Riot Platforms …
What began as a single protocol exploit is now affecting the entire Solana network. Drift Protocol, which lost $285 million in the attack, is no longer only Drift’s problem. New data from SolanaFloor shows 20 protocols are now exposed, with losses continuing to grow. Here’s how the Drift Protocol exploit impacts the other Solana protocol. …
Data shows the Ethereum Open Interest observed a sharp jump before the cryptocurrency’s price saw a decline of almost 5% over the past day. Ethereum Has Seen Bearish Price Action Over The Last 24 Hours This week saw some recovery for Ethereum and the wider digital asset sector during its first three days, but Thursday has brought with it a shift as the market as a whole has retraced. Related Reading: Dogecoin Bollinger Bands Tighten—Big Move Brewing? Ethereum had managed to recover above $2,150, but following this decline, its price is back near $2,000. In terms of the 24-hour percentage change, the ETH price has seen returns of nearly -5%, worse than Bitcoin’s 3% drop, but better than the losses that some of the altcoins have witnessed. Derivatives markets data may have already foreshadowed this volatility. ETH Open Interest Surged On Wednesday As highlighted by CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn in an X post yesterday, Ethereum saw a sharp surge in its Open Interest alongside the recovery rally. The “Open Interest” here refers to an indicator that measures the total amount of derivatives market positions related to ETH that are currently open on all centralized exchanges. When the value of the indicator rises, it means investors are opening up fresh positions related to the cryptocurrency. Generally, the total leverage in the market goes up when new positions appear, so an increase in the Open Interest can lead to more volatility for the asset’s price. On the other hand, the metric going down implies investors are either closing positions of their own volition or getting forcibly liquidated by their platform. In either case, the market can become more stable due to the leverage washout. Below is the chart for the 24-hour change in the Ethereum Open Interest that Maartunn had shared on Wednesday. As displayed in the graph, the Ethereum Open Interest rose by 7.1% as the price surge occurred, implying that new positions appeared to ride the wave. In the chart, the analyst also highlighted past instances of the metric going up sharply. It would appear that many of these coincided with local tops in the asset. “This setup plays out ~75% of the time,” noted Maartunn. Related Reading: Dogecoin Network Comes Alive: Active Addresses Jump 28% Given this pattern, it may not be surprising that Ethereum opened Thursday with a price plunge. The drawdown has meant that the investors who jumped in to bet on a further bullish outcome have been flushed out. In total, ETH has seen liquidations of more than $94 million over the past day, according to data from CoinGlass. From the heatmap, it’s apparent that Ethereum’s liquidations have been the largest in the cryptocurrency sector, with Bitcoin ranking second this time around with $83.8 million in contracts involved. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com