![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6c01-2a90-71f4-b406-84332580cc2f.png\")
UBS, PostFinance, Sygnum, Raiffeisen, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Banque Cantonale Vaudoise and Swiss Stablecoin AG have launched a sandbox to test use cases for a Swiss franc stablecoin in Switzerland.
Announced on Wednesday, the initiative will allow participating banks to test selected fanc stablecoin use cases in what the partners described as a secure digital live environment or sandbox. The group said the project is intended to build experience in handling digital payment methods.
The sandbox will be conducted in 2026, with Swiss Stablecoin AG providing the issuance infrastructure. The project is also open to other banks, companies and institutions that want to take part.
The project marks the latest effort by major Swiss lenders to test how blockchain-based financial applications can connect to the Swiss franc.
Bitcoin Suisse AG previously issued the Swiss franc-based CryptoFranc, or XCHF, which it described as a payment token. But Bitcoin Suisse announced on Aug. 16, 2024, that it would discontinue the stablecoin, including issuance and redemption.
UBS Group is the largest Swiss bank with $1.7 trillion in total assets, followed by Raiffeisen Schweiz with $353 billion, Zürcher Kantonalbank with $241 billion and PostFinance with $121 billion, according to data from Advratings.
Related: Cardano can now be used to pay at 137 Spar stores across Switzerland
In September 2025, UBS, PostFinance and Sygnum Bank completed a deposit token proof of concept under the Swiss Bankers Association, which tested legally binding interbank payments on a public blockchain.
The Swiss Bankers Association said the trial tested whether tokenized deposits could support secure, programmable transactions on public blockchains while remaining compliant with Swiss financial rules. One use case covered payments between bank customers, while another tested an escrow-like exchange involving tokenized real-world assets.
While the test confirmed the “feasibility” of institutional blockchain payments, the SBA noted that scaling these payments requires “additional design adjustments” and broader cooperation with other banks, authorities and infrastructure providers.
Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight
", "description": "UBS has partnered with some of the largest Swiss banks to launch a sandbox for a Swiss franc stablecoin and grow the country’s digital payment ecosystem.", "published": "2026-04-08T09:58:44+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "blockchain" }, { "slug": "ubs" }, { "slug": "switzerland" }, { "slug": "banks" }, { "slug": "payments" }, { "slug": "swiss-franc" }, { "slug": "swiss-national-bank" }, { "slug": "stablecoin" } ], "slug": "ubs-five-banks-swiss-franc-stablecoin-sandbox", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259947" }, { "category": { "slug": "explained" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Will quantum-safe cryptography slow Ethereum down? The performance tradeoff explained", "leadText": "Will quantum-safe cryptography slow Ethereum? It is likely to affect gas fees, validator load and network efficiency, prompting Ethereum to pursue a broader redesign strategy.", "author": { "slug": "dilip-kumar-patairya" }, "bodyText": "Ethereum relies on cryptographic systems that remain secure against classical computers. However, sufficiently advanced quantum machines could one day break these systems, potentially exposing private keys and putting billions of dollars in value at risk.
Ethereum’s post-quantum initiative sends a clear message: there is no immediate threat, yet delaying action is not an option.
Upgrading a global, decentralized network is a complex, multiyear effort that requires:
protocol redesign
ecosystem-wide coordination
comprehensive testing and verification
For that reason, Ethereum is targeting quantum-safe readiness around 2029, well before the threat is expected to become practical.
At first glance, quantum-safe cryptography comes with a key tradeoff: many post-quantum schemes are more resource-intensive than the cryptographic systems Ethereum uses today.
Compared with today’s cryptographic signatures, most post-quantum alternatives tend to:
generate larger signatures, increasing the amount of data per transaction
require more computational resources for verification
lack efficient built-in aggregation capabilities
This creates three key challenges for Ethereum:
Larger signatures result in:
bigger transactions
more data moving across the network
faster growth in blockchain storage requirements
Validators are responsible for verifying signatures. If those signatures become more complex:
block validation slows down
hardware demands risks
the network’s decentralization could suffer
Ethereum’s consensus layer currently benefits from Boneh-Lynn-Shacham (BLS) signatures, which allow efficient aggregation. Most quantum-safe schemes do not support this capability natively, creating a significant scalability hurdle.
The most significant performance risk lies in Ethereum’s consensus layer. Thousands of validators currently submit attestations that are efficiently aggregated through BLS signatures. This helps maintain:
low bandwidth usage
fast validation
strong overall scalability
Many quantum-safe alternatives do not currently offer the same level of efficiency, especially in areas such as aggregation.
If Ethereum were to simply replace BLS with a heavier alternative, the network could face:
slower block propagation
higher validator load
lower overall efficiency
Did you know? Ethereum is not replacing signatures outright. Instead, it is using SNARKs to compress thousands of heavy proofs into a single, compact cryptographic receipt.
Instead of accepting a performance slowdown, Ethereum developers are pursuing a smarter path: redesigning the system to operate within quantum-safe constraints. The core idea is SNARK-based aggregation.
What does this involve?
Rather than verifying thousands of large signatures one by one, the network verifies a single compact cryptographic proof that attests to the validity of all the underlying signatures.
This method:
compresses large amounts of data into compact proofs
reduces verification overhead
helps maintain scalability
Put simply, Ethereum is working to rebuild efficiency on top of more resource-intensive cryptography.
The execution layer, where wallets and transactions operate, is where users would feel the effects most directly.
Potential adjustments include:
modestly higher gas costs due to more complex signature verification
updated wallet designs that leverage account abstraction
a phased migration rather than an abrupt, network-wide transition
The goal is to minimize disruption while allowing:
the old and new cryptographic systems to operate alongside each other
users to upgrade on their own timeline
developers to adapt in a controlled manner
Did you know? Quantum-safe upgrades are not just about security. They represent a full-stack challenge involving cryptography, networking, economics and wallet design. Ethereum is turning a potential headache into an engineering opportunity.
Quantum-safe cryptography affects more than individual transactions. It also places additional strain on Ethereum’s data layer.
Larger cryptographic elements can:
increase pressure on data availability systems
affect blob storage used in scaling solutions
complicate network propagation
That is why Ethereum’s roadmap includes upgrades across multiple layers, rather than focusing solely on signature replacements.
At its core, the discussion goes beyond speed alone. It is about striking the right balance among:
security (protection against quantum attacks)
performance (throughput and latency)
cost (gas fees and validator resources)
decentralization (keeping node requirements accessible)
If handled poorly, quantum-safe upgrades could lead to:
higher costs
advantages for larger validators
greater strain on the network
However, if executed well, they could:
improve cryptographic design
streamline validation
strengthen decentralization
Did you know? Without careful engineering, quantum-safe cryptography could raise gas fees and push smaller validators out. Ethereum’s multilayer approach aims to keep the network fast, affordable and truly decentralized.
Ethereum is intentionally avoiding a rush toward any single solution. There are several reasons for this.
Choosing the wrong cryptographic system could:
introduce new vulnerabilities
lock the network into inefficient designs
open attack surfaces that did not previously exist
Instead, developers are prioritizing cryptographic agility:
the ability to upgrade algorithms over time as needed
the flexibility to respond to new discoveries
the avoidance of irreversible tradeoffs
The push toward quantum-safe cryptography is revealing a deeper reality. This is not just a security issue. It is a full-stack engineering challenge spanning cryptography, networking, economics and user experience.
If Ethereum were to adopt quantum-safe cryptography without redesigning its underlying architecture, the network would almost certainly become heavier, slower, and more expensive to run.
But that is not the strategy Ethereum is following. Instead, it is using several technologies to absorb the overhead of quantum security without passing the costs on to users:
SNARK-based aggregation
account abstraction
protocol-level redesign
multilayer optimization
Ethereum is working to absorb the overhead of quantum security without burdening users with the consequences.
The onchain value of stablecoins on the Ethereum network has reached an all-time high of $180 billion, according to blockchain analytics firm Token Terminal.
Ethereum holds 60% of the stablecoin supply at $180 billion, which is up 150% over the past three years, the firm reported Tuesday.
The company projected that around $1.7 trillion is expected to come onchain across all networks over the next four years and that Ethereum could see $850 billion in “new flows” by 2030, if it grows 470% in that time.
Standard Chartered predicted in late 2025 that more than $1 trillion may exit banks and flow into stablecoins by 2028.
Ethereum has been the dominant network for stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), with major financial institutions such as BlackRock, JPMorgan and Amundi launching tokenized funds on the network as the total stablecoin supply across all networks reached a record $315 billion in the first quarter.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6bb9-3963-7551-bcf7-a7e28dacc0d3.jpg\")
Real-world asset metrics provider RWA.xyz reports a slightly lower figure of $168 billion in stablecoin value on Ethereum.
It also confirms that Ethereum is the industry leader with a market share of 56%. This increases to over 65% when EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) and layer-2 networks such as Arbitrum, ZKsync Era, and Base are included.
Related: Stablecoin supply reaches $315B in Q1 as USDC rises, USDT declines
The data highlights Ethereum’s dominance in stablecoins and onchain liquidity, “fueling strong positive sentiment and crypto’s recent rally,” Nick Ruck, director of LVRG Research, told Cointelegraph on Wednesday.
“This momentum strongly supports a sustained long-term bull cycle driven by tokenized assets and institutional adoption, though competition from rival chains, regulatory hurdles, and macro volatility remain key roadblocks to further upside,” he added.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon acknowledged that a “whole new set of competitors is emerging based on blockchain, which includes stablecoins, smart contracts, and other forms of tokenization,” in the annual shareholder letter released on Tuesday.
The Wall Street bank launched its first tokenized money market fund (MONY) on Ethereum in December.
“The world’s largest bank is live on Ethereum, and its CEO is publicly saying they’re still not moving fast enough,” stated Ethereum infrastructure startup Etherealize on Tuesday.
Magazine: No more 85% Bitcoin collapses, Taiwan needs BTC war reserve: Hodler’s Digest
", "description": "Ethereum’s onchain stablecoin value reached a record $180 billion, with projections pointing to as much as $1 trillion by 2030.", "published": "2026-04-08T07:21:14+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "ethereum" }, { "slug": "stablecoin" }, { "slug": "rwa" }, { "slug": "rwa-tokenization" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "stablecoin-supply-ethereum-hits-180b-all-time-high-token-terminal", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259927" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "3 Polymarket traders made a timely bet on a US-Iran ceasefire", "leadText": "Lookonchain noted that the “yes” bets were placed at probabilities between 2.9% and 10.3%, with the three wallets placing their first bets within 26 hours of the announcement.", "author": { "slug": "brayden-lindrea" }, "bodyText": "Three newly created wallets profited a combined $484,575 on Polymarket betting that the US and Iran would agree to a ceasefire by Tuesday, in the latest event to raise suspicion of insider trading.
The wallets were created and funded on Tuesday and had no prior onchain activity before betting on Polymarket’s “US x Iran ceasefire by April 7” market, blockchain data shared by Lookonchain revealed on Wednesday.
Polymarket data shows the profits secured by the three wallets were $200,525, $158,600 and $125,450 at the time of writing.
The \"yes\" bets were placed at probabilities between 2.9% and 10.3%.
One Polymarket trader made their first trade on the “US x Iran ceasefire by April 7” market at 1:59 pm UTC on Tuesday, roughly eight and a half hours before US President Donald Trump confirmed that a ceasefire agreement had been made in a post on Truth Social at 10:32 pm UTC.
The other two traders placed their first bets at 10:01 am UTC on Tuesday and 8:50 pm UTC on Monday.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6bb3-f4f1-716a-b071-94ddb964097b.png\")
The bets were paid out after both the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, although neither side has ruled out the possibility of further military action.
Prediction markets have become one of the fastest-growing uses for crypto and are consistently surpassing $10 billion in monthly trading volume.
However, lawmakers and regulators around the world have heavily scrutinized prediction platforms over fears of rising insider trading and market manipulation.
In January, US lawmakers introduced a bill to restrict government officials from trading on prediction market platforms after one Polymarket user profited over $400,000 on a market related to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro being captured by US forces.
The successful bet raised suspicion of insider knowledge.
Related: Polymarket takes down market on missing US pilot after backlash
In February, Israeli authorities arrested and indicted two people for allegedly using secret information to place bets related to Israel striking Iran on Polymarket in June 2025.
One of those arrested was a member of Israel’s military.
Polymarket and Kalshi have implemented their own measures to spot and deter insider trading.
In February, Kalshi said it formed an independent advisory committee and partnered with crypto trading surveillance platform Solidus Labs “to detect, investigate, and address market abuse.”
Magazine: ‘Phantom Bitcoin’ checks, Drift hack linked to North Korea: Asia Express
", "description": "Three Polymarket traders profited $484,575 on a market related to the US and Iran agreeing to a ceasefire by Tuesday, raising concerns of possible insider trading.", "published": "2026-04-08T07:18:34+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "iran" }, { "slug": "united-states" }, { "slug": "data" }, { "slug": "industry" }, { "slug": "polymarket" }, { "slug": "prediction-markets" } ], "slug": "3-polymarket-traders-made-a-timely-bet-on-a-us-iran-ceasefire", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259922" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Coinbase plans expansion to stock trading in Australia after securing license", "leadText": "The approval puts Coinbase under Australia’s financial rules as the country formalizes oversight of crypto platforms.", "author": { "slug": "stephen-katte" }, "bodyText": "Coinbase is planning to expand its offerings in Australia to include derivatives, equities and payments after securing an Australian financial services license (AFSL).
John O'Loghlen, regional managing director for APAC at Coinbase, said the Australian financial services license (AFSL) will see the exchange initially offer crypto and equity perpetuals but will open the door for futures, options and other traditional financial products.
“We’re going to compete with traditional financial services on stock trading, payments and other TradFi products with the speed and execution of crypto,” O'Loghlen said.
Holding an AFSL subjects Coinbase to the same standards of conduct, disclosure, governance and consumer protection that apply to traditional financial services providers, marking a significant milestone in Australia’s push to establish a dedicated regulatory framework for digital assets.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6bad-302c-7775-97dc-62145734adc4.png\")
The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 passed both houses of the Australian Parliament on April 1. The bill is now waiting for royal assent, the final step before becoming law. It’s set to take effect 12 months after assent.
“Thoughtful regulation is good for customers, good for the industry and good for Australia's ambition to be a leading digital economy in the Asia-Pacific region,” O'Loghlen said.
In February, crypto executives, including O'Loghlen, told Cointelegraph that Australia’s crypto market is making progress in user growth and regulatory reforms, but there are still a range of issues to iron out.
Crypto exchange Independent Reserve's Cryptocurrency Index estimates that 33% of Australians have exposure to cryptocurrency, up from 31% in 2025, among a population of more than 27.7 million. It also found that a growing number of people are using crypto to pay for goods and services compared with the year before.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6bad-3f68-7e07-8e95-9c0301010df0.png\")
Along with its AFSL license, Coinbase said it has been expanding its local team with senior hires across legal, compliance, marketing and operations, drawing from other regulated industries.
Related: Australia fines local Binance unit $6.9M over client onboarding failures
In September, Coinbase and crypto exchange competitor OKX introduced services for self-managed superannuation funds in Australia, giving individuals new ways to add crypto to the country’s retirement savings system.
Australia’s total superannuation assets were estimated at around 4.5 trillion Australian dollars ($3.1 trillion) by the end of the third quarter of 2025.
Magazine: ‘Phantom Bitcoin’ checks, Drift hack linked to North Korea: Asia Express
", "description": "Coinbase has been granted an Australian Financial Services License, allowing it to offer crypto and equity perpetuals in Australia and opening the door to futures and other financial products.", "published": "2026-04-08T07:13:30+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "coinbase" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "business" }, { "slug": "australia" }, { "slug": "adoption" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "coinbase-afsl-license-australia-crypto-equity-trading", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259917" }, { "category": { "slug": "market-analysis" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Ethereum buyers are back, data shows, as bulls defend $2K support", "leadText": "Ethereum analysts said buyers were back in control, but holding the $2,000 support was key to reversing the market structure.", "author": { "slug": "nancy-lubale" }, "bodyText": "Market analysts say Ether (ETH) could be ready for a “regime shift” as buying pressure builds up, but bulls must hold $2,000.
Key takeaways:
Ether shows resilience above $2,000, as onchain data shows signs of returning demand, suggesting a possible “regime shift”.
ETH price support around $1,800-$2,000 needs to hold for a positive trend change.
Ether’s net taker volume suggests the “formation of a stronger bottom“ as demand for ETH derivatives returned, data from CryptoQuant shows.
Net taker volume, a metric that measures the imbalance between aggressive buyers and sellers in derivatives markets, has remained positive since March 6.
Related: Ethereum Foundation nearly reaches 70,000 staked ETH goal
The chart below shows that while the net taker volume has remained negative most of the time since 2023, it is now positive, rising to as high as $140 million on March 16.
Currently, the indicator shows that “buying pressure is prevailing, with $104 million,” CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost said in an X post on Tuesday.
“This is the first time since the previous bear market that we are witnessing such a regime shift in Ethereum derivatives,” the analyst said, adding:
“If this dynamic persists and the spot market and ETFs begin to support the move, Ethereum could potentially restart a positive trend.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d68a2-01d4-7f99-a455-d30f919c9e54.png\")
The futures open interest (OI), the total number of outstanding futures contracts that have not been settled or closed, further reinforces this picture.
The metric now stands at now stands at 6.4 million ETH, close to its all-time high of 7.8 million ETH reached in July 2025.
“After falling to 5 million ETH in October, open interest has gradually recovered,” Darkfost said in an X post on Sunday, adding:
“Derivatives markets on Ethereum remain highly active.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d68a2-0f67-7f6a-a359-7554446f9008.jpg\")
Meanwhile, spot Ether ETF flows flipped positive, with these investment products recording $120 million in net inflows on Monday, the highest since mid-March.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d68a2-1b59-7cf7-98d7-1d4bac551fc1.png\")
This pointed to a return in demand from US investors following a couple of days of outflows, which could propel ETH price higher.
On the price chart, ETH/USD remains cautiously bullish as long as it holds the $1,800-$2,000 support zone. This is where the 20-day exponential moving average (EMA) and the lower boundary of a symmetrical triangle converge.
“As long as the $2,000 support zone holds, Ethereum could have another upside move,” analyst Ted Pillows said in a Tuesday X post, adding:
“Losing the $2,000 level means a new yearly low could happen soon.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d68a2-2d64-7198-bcc8-f74218198c28.png\")
The importance of this support level is reinforced by cost basis distribution. The heatmap below shows that over 3.5 million ETH were acquired for around $2,000.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d68a3-1104-7ab8-a194-4af01a85f548.png\")
Below that, the next line of defense is the $1,750-$1,800 demand zone, where investors acquired 1.36 million ETH.
If the ETH price drops below this level, it would be on a free-fall toward the measured target of the symmetrical triangle at $1,460, or 30% below the current price.
As Cointelegraph reported, holding $1,800-$2,000 would be a sign of strength among the bulls who must push the ETH/USD pair above the $2,400 range high to regain control.
Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin exchange-traded fund is set to debut on the NYSE Arca stock exchange on Wednesday, making it the first major commercial bank to offer a Bitcoin ETF in the US.
The launch of the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (MSBT) on April 8 was confirmed in a listing notice by the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6b4e-306b-7680-9014-19552dbcf9c3.png\")
It would make MSBT the first spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETF product to enter the market in nearly two years, since crypto asset manager Grayscale introduced its Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF in July 2024.
MSBT is entering a competitive market led by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) and the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC), which have tallied a combined $74.3 billion in net inflows since launching in January 2024, according to Farside Investors data.
While Morgan Stanley will be playing catch-up, the bank set the fee for MSBT at a low 0.14%, potentially pressuring rivals to cut costs to stay competitive.
“This bank happens to have 16k advisors managing $6T in assets. They are the ultimate gatekeepers of rich boomer money,” said Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6b4e-3612-704c-be6b-305277b691e1.png\")
Morgan Stanley previously selected Coinbase and BNY as the proposed custodians for its Bitcoin ETF.
MSBT’s launch will add to Morgan Stanley’s aggressive push into the crypto market this year. The bank also applied for a national trust banking charter in February that would enable it to custody crypto, execute sales and swaps for clients, and offer staking services.
Related: Bitcoin may hit $110K as Strategy absorbs nearly 3x new BTC supply
The Wall Street bank also filed to list a staked Ether (ETH) ETF and Solana (SOL) ETF in the first week of January. Later that month, it appointed one of the company’s longest-standing executives, Amy Oldenburg, to lead its digital asset team.
Magazine: Bitcoin may face hard fork over any attempt to freeze Satoshi’s coins
", "description": "The Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust will launch on the NYSE Arca stock exchange on Wednesday, making it the first bank to offer a Bitcoin ETF in the US.", "published": "2026-04-08T05:42:37+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "nyse" }, { "slug": "banking" }, { "slug": "united-states" }, { "slug": "morgan-stanley" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-etf" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "morgan-stanley-bitcoin-etf-debut-wednesday", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259907" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Anthropic limits access to AI model over cyberattack concerns", "leadText": "AI models have reached a level of coding capability that rivals or exceeds that of most human experts at finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities, Anthropic said.", "author": { "slug": "martin-young" }, "bodyText": "Anthropic is limiting access to its new AI model after the company said it identified thousands of software vulnerabilities across major systems, raising concerns about potential misuse in cyberattacks.
The new general-purpose model, Anthropic said, also found high-severity vulnerabilities in every major operating system and web browser.
“Given the rate of AI progress, it will not be long before such capabilities proliferate, potentially beyond actors who are committed to deploying them safely.”
AI has already been widely adopted by hackers to conduct cyberattacks. There was a 72% year-over-year increase in AI-powered cyberattacks, with 87% of global organizations experiencing AI-enabled cyberattacks in 2025, according to AllAboutAI.
Anthropic expressed concern over what would happen if similar AI capabilities were used by bad actors.
To combat this, Anthropic announced Project Glasswing on Tuesday, a new initiative that brings together more than 40 companies, including Amazon Web Services, Apple, Cisco, Google, JPMorgan, the Linux Foundation, Microsoft and Nvidia.
Project Glasswing will use Claude Mythos Preview's capabilities to defensively find bugs, share the data with its partners and get ahead of threats by patching critical vulnerabilities before bad actors can exploit them.
A zero-day vulnerability is a software bug that can be exploited before anyone with the ability to fix it even knows it exists. Finding and patching them has historically required rare, expensive human expertise, but AI could change the scale and speed of detection.
Anthropic said the vulnerabilities it finds are “often subtle or difficult to detect.”
Many of them are 10 or 20 years old, with the oldest found so far being a now-patched 27-year-old bug in OpenBSD — an operating system known primarily for its security, it added.
It also found a 16-year-old bug in the FFmpeg media processing library, a 17-year-old remote code execution vulnerability in the open-source FreeBSD operating system and numerous vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel.
Related: Cybersecurity stocks fall after Anthropic unveils Claude Code Security
Mythos Preview also identified several weaknesses in the world’s most popular cryptography libraries, algorithms and protocols, including TLS, AES-GCM and SSH.
It added that web applications “contain a myriad of vulnerabilities,” ranging from cross-site scripting and SQL injection to domain-specific vulnerabilities such as cross-site request forgery, which is often used in phishing attacks.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6b4d-cf8d-7285-b863-2a1830a3b27f.jpg\")
Anthropic claimed that 99% of the vulnerabilities it found have not yet been patched, “so it would be irresponsible for us to disclose details about them.
Anthropic said that this is likely just the beginning of a trend, and the “work of defending the world’s cyber infrastructure might take years,” but AI will help harden software and systems.
“In the long run, we expect that defense capabilities will dominate: that the world will emerge more secure, with software better hardened—in large part by code written by these models. But the transitional period will be fraught.”
Magazine: Nobody knows if quantum secure cryptography will even work
", "description": "Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview found thousands of critical vulnerabilities in major operating systems and browsers, some decades old and unpatched.", "published": "2026-04-08T05:30:59+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "apple" }, { "slug": "google" }, { "slug": "microsoft" }, { "slug": "cybersecurity" }, { "slug": "ai-and-hi-tech" } ], "slug": "claude-mythos-finds-thousands-of-zero-day-os-and-browser-vulnerabilities", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259902" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "SEC admits certain crypto enforcement cases delivered no investor benefit", "leadText": "Under SEC Chair Paul Atkins, the number of SEC enforcement actions against public companies has decreased by about 30%.", "author": { "slug": "stephen-katte" }, "bodyText": "Some past enforcement actions against cryptocurrency companies lacked clear investor benefit and misinterpreted federal securities laws, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said on Tuesday.
Since the 2022 fiscal year, the SEC brought 95 actions and imposed $2.3 billion in penalties for “book-and-record violations,” it said in a statement about its enforcement results for 2025.
“Together with seven crypto firm registration-related and six ‘definition of a dealer’ cases, these cases identified no direct investor harm from those violations, produced no investor benefit or protection.”
It also reflected a “bias for volume of cases brought versus matters of investor protection,” a misallocation of resources and a misinterpretation of federal securities laws, the SEC said.
It is the latest example of the regulator’s shift in approach towards enforcement since it came under the leadership of SEC Chair Paul Atkins in April 2025.
His predecessor, former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, has been accused of pursuing a regulation-by-enforcement approach toward crypto. Since his departure, the SEC has adopted a friendlier stance toward digital assets.
In the lead-up to Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration, the SEC’s enforcement division engaged in an “unprecedented rush” to bring cases and moved ahead with an “aggressive pursuit of novel legal theories,” the agency said.
Atkins said the agency has since shifted away from this approach, ending regulation by enforcement and refocusing on the commission’s core mission by prioritizing cases that provide meaningful investor protection and strengthen market integrity.
“We have redirected resources toward the types of misconduct that inflict the greatest harm—particularly fraud, market manipulation, and abuses of trust—and away from approaches that prioritized volume and record-setting penalties over true investor protection,” he added.
Consulting firm Cornerstone Research reported in November that under Atkins, the number of enforcement actions against public companies, including those involving crypto, decreased by about 30% in fiscal 2025 compared with fiscal 2024.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6aed-5a14-7a0f-89a3-2a818ae0fbe9.png\")
In connection with 2025 enforcement actions, the SEC said it obtained orders for monetary relief totaling $17.9 billion, comprising $7.2 billion in civil penalties and the remainder in disgorgement and prejudgment interest.
Related: Crypto market safe harbor lands at White House for review
“This year’s enforcement results clarify the flaws of these actions and their respective penalties and re-establish the definition and measure of enforcement effectiveness, grounded in Congress’ original intent and focused on bringing actions that actually prevent investor harm instead of headlines and inflated numbers,” the SEC said.
Despite the SEC’s enforcement shift, several crypto companies were still hit with enforcement actions in 2025.
In May 2025, Unicoin and four of its current and former executives were sued by the SEC for allegedly raising $100 million by misleading investors about certificates that purported to convey rights to receive Unicoin tokens and stock. However, the platform has accused the agency of distorting its regulatory statements to build a case.
The SEC also filed a civil complaint against Ramil Ventura Palafox in April 2025, CEO of Praetorian Group International, for allegedly orchestrating a $200 million Ponzi scheme. A parallel criminal case brought by the US Department of Justice resulted in Palafox's February sentence of 20 years in prison.
Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter
", "description": "The SEC says some past crypto enforcement actions failed to deliver investor protection and misapplied securities laws, as the agency shifts its focus to fraud and market harm cases.", "published": "2026-04-08T03:40:40+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "business" }, { "slug": "sec" }, { "slug": "united-states" }, { "slug": "regulation" } ], "slug": "sec-crypto-enforcement-cases-no-benefit", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259897" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "FDIC moves to regulate stablecoin issuers under the GENIUS Act", "leadText": "FDIC’s proposed rules providing insurance for corporate deposits of stablecoin issuers will not extend to the stablecoin holders, as it would conflict with the GENIUS Act’s text, the FDIC said.", "author": { "slug": "brayden-lindrea" }, "bodyText": "The US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has proposed new rules to regulate FDIC-supervised stablecoin issuers in accordance with the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, which was signed into law nine months ago.
In a statement on Tuesday, the FDIC said its board of directors voted to issue a proposal that would set reserve, redemption, capital, risk management and custody standards for stablecoin issuers and insured depository institutions under its supervision.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6aa3-b1f7-782f-8c17-67e9de37de72.png\")
The FDIC insures deposits at more than 4,000 financial institutions and supervises over 2,700 banks and savings associations to maintain stability in the US financial system.
The GENIUS Act granted the FDIC authority to oversee stablecoin activity within the banks and institutions that it supervises when it was signed into law in July, though it is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 18, 2027, if not earlier.
While reserve deposits backing a payment stablecoin would be insured under the FDIC’s proposed rules, that protection won’t extend to stablecoin holders, the FDIC said.
The FDIC argued that treating stablecoin holders as the insured depositors “seems inconsistent” with the GENIUS Act’s prohibition on payment stablecoins being subject to federal deposit insurance.
Related: Stablecoins flip automated clearing house volume in February
However, the FDIC said its rules would still provide a more “secure environment” for stablecoin holders by offering them “increased assurance that their payment stablecoins are subject to elevated regulatory and supervisory standards.”
The FDIC invited the public to offer feedback on 144 questions related to how it should regulate stablecoin issuers. Comments will be accepted for the next 60 days.
It marks the FDIC’s second proposal for implementing the GENIUS Act, following a Dec. 19 plan to establish an application procedure for IDIs seeking approval to issue payment stablecoins through subsidiaries.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is also working to implement the GENIUS Act. The OCC would cover a broader scope of stablecoin activity than the FDIC, as it oversees national bank subsidiaries and certain nonbank issuers.
Magazine: Would Bitcoin really be at $200K if not for Jane Street? Trade Secrets
", "description": "The FDIC board of directors has voted to approve a notice of proposed rulemaking outlining how FDIC-supervised stablecoin issuers would operate under the GENIUS Act.", "published": "2026-04-08T02:25:57+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "law" }, { "slug": "insurance" }, { "slug": "united-states" }, { "slug": "stablecoin" }, { "slug": "regulation" } ], "slug": "fdic-moves-to-regulate-stablecoin-issuers-under-the-genius-act", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259892" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Bitcoin reclaims $72K after US, Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire", "leadText": "Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday accepted a two-week ceasefire with the US, but emphasized this did not mean an end to the war.", "author": { "slug": "ciaran-lyons" }, "bodyText": "The price of Bitcoin pushed past $72,000 for the first time in 20 days after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
“I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, hours before his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face military attacks on key infrastructure.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council also said it accepted the ceasefire. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, “If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations.”
“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations,” Araghchi said.
Bitcoin (BTC) climbed 2.6% in the hour following the announcement, reaching $72,339 at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap.
Crypto traders have historically seen geopolitical tensions as a headwind for prices, with any hints of easing often triggering quick relief rallies.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6a6b-046e-70b4-afaf-a069f1e78a7a.png\")
The ceasefire agreement also came hours after Trump renewed his threats against Iran.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump said in a post on Monday.
On April 1, Trump said the US could wrap up its military campaign in Iran within weeks, claiming the goal of eliminating Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been achieved.
Related: Bitcoin wallets absorb 4.37M BTC as network activity flips to 'bull phase’
The last time Bitcoin traded above $72,000 was March 18, as sentiment continues to drag in the crypto market.
Bitcoin’s upward price move came just a day after MN Trading Capital founder Michael van de Poppe said that “the decision for direction isn’t that far away,” adding:
“Well, because it did reject at $70K again, and it's having higher lows, with its recent higher low at $66.5K. This means that price is compressing and the markets are unsure which direction it wants to go.”
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index, which measures overall crypto market sentiment, posted an “extreme fear” score of 11 on Tuesday, signaling that investors are taking a cautious approach to the crypto market.
Some industry participants, such as veteran trader Peter Brandt, are not anticipating that Bitcoin will reach a new all-time high in 2026.
Magazine: ‘Phantom Bitcoin’ checks, Drift hack linked to North Korea: Asia Express
", "description": "Bitcoin’s price climbed back above $72,000 on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump announced he would suspend military action against Iran for two weeks.", "published": "2026-04-08T01:20:34+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "bitcoin" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-price" }, { "slug": "adoption" }, { "slug": "donald-trump" } ], "slug": "bitcoin-price-spike-us-president-donald-trump-iran-ceasefire", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259887" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Iran’s Bitcoin hashrate falls 77% over the past quarter amid conflict", "leadText": "The 30-day simple moving average of the global network hashrate has also declined, though an analyst says the slump is due to Bitcoin prices hurting mining profitability rather than conflict.", "author": { "slug": "stephen-katte" }, "bodyText": "Iran’s hashrate has plummeted over the past quarter amid an ongoing conflict with the US and Israel, though the war itself has not dragged down global hashrate, according to a new report from Hashrate Index.
Iran has lost roughly 7 exahashes per second (EH/s) quarter over quarter, said Ian Philpot, marketing director at Luxor Technology, in a report published Monday. The country’s hashrate now sits at about 2 EH/s according to the Hashrate Index heatmap.
Philpot noted that while the regional conflict clearly impacted Iran, it could have triggered a ripple effect for neighboring countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Oman, yet so far, neither has been affected.
“The impact was contained to Iran; neighboring UAE and Oman remained stable. The global hashrate at ~1,000 EH/s persists because no single region has enough capacity to threaten network continuity. Regional disruptions redistribute hashrate rather than destroy it,” he said.
The Middle East conflict escalated in February after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran, which has led to retaliatory strikes from both sides. A deal for a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran was reached on Tuesday. Iran is estimated to have 427,000 active Bitcoin (BTC) mining rigs.
Miners are the backbone of the Bitcoin network. They validate and record all Bitcoin transactions into new blocks. The more miners participate, the higher the hashrate, which helps secure the network.
The 30-day simple moving average global hashrate declined from 1,066 EH/s in Q1 to around 1,004 EH/s in Q2, a 5.8% quarter-over-quarter decline that Philpot attributed to a slump in Bitcoin prices.
Miners earn Bitcoin for each block they solve, but with prices down, those rewards do not always cover the cost of running their rigs.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin has fallen more than 45% from its all-time high of $126,000, set in October, pushing hash prices to record lows. Philpot said mining profitability, not energy costs or regulatory policy, is the primary driver of today’s geographic shifts in hashrate.
“At these levels, older-generation equipment, 25+ J/TH efficiency, operates at negative gross margins, forcing shutdown. We estimate 252 EH/s of marginal capacity sits offline—most legacy hardware already retired,” he added.
Related: Solo Bitcoin miner bags $210K Bitcoin block reward
“This pattern is cyclical. Mining profitability drives machine deployment and retirement more than energy costs or regulatory frameworks. Geographic shifts observed in Q1 and Q2 reflect operators testing which regions can sustain operations once the down-cycle ends and hashprice normalizes.”
The US holds the largest share of global hashrate at over 37%, followed by Russia at around 17% and China at 12%, according to the Hashrate Index heatmap.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d66ae-08ed-7a89-943c-7fc44edd25fa.png\")
Philpot said the hashrate among the largest players is roughly flat, however the composition is changing, with legacy equipment forced offline and modern hardware deployed selectively to regions where it can remain profitable long term.
“Growth is characterized by deployment of modern hardware alongside retirement of legacy equipment. Canada shows similar dynamics: slight quarter-over-quarter pullback but positive year-over-year growth, reflecting optimization rather than exodus,” he added.
Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum — BIP-360 co-author
", "description": "Iran’s Bitcoin hashrate dropped sharply amid conflict, but global mining remained stable as capacity shifted elsewhere, said Luxor Technology.", "published": "2026-04-08T01:07:11+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "bitcoin" }, { "slug": "business" }, { "slug": "iran" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-mining" }, { "slug": "hashrate" } ], "slug": "iran-bitcoin-hashrate-drop-results-mining-redistribution", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259882" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Crypto billionaire to prison: CZ’s autobiography revisits turbulent Binance era", "leadText": "Changpeng Zhao’s memoir recounts Binance’s rapid rise, regulatory scrutiny and prison sentence, offering a first-person account of crypto’s most turbulent era.", "author": { "slug": "sam-bourgi" }, "bodyText": "Changpeng “CZ” Zhao became a household name in the cryptocurrency sector after founding Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange. Following a series of legal and regulatory challenges that culminated in a prison sentence, Zhao has authored an autobiography recounting his rise — and subsequent fallout.
The 364-page manuscript, titled “Freedom of Money,” presents a first-person account of Zhao’s life and career. The foreword is written by Yi He, a Binance co-founder who has worked with Zhao since 2014.
Zhao writes that his story has been shaped by media coverage, court filings and public commentary. He describes the book as an account intended to provide additional context to those narratives.
Throughout the memoir, Zhao emphasizes the human dimension behind Binance’s rapid ascent — and his personal and professional downfall — which he argues has been lost in soundbite-driven coverage.
The memoir covers his early life and career in finance and technology, as well as the founding of Binance in 2017. It outlines the company’s rapid growth into one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
Zhao served a four-month prison sentence in the United States in 2024 after pleading guilty to violating US Anti-Money-Laundering laws, as part of a broader settlement with authorities that also required him to step down as Binance CEO.
The case marked a major enforcement action by the US Department of Justice, which had initially sought a longer sentence to reflect the severity of the violations. Binance, for its part, agreed to pay billions of dollars in penalties and implement sweeping compliance reforms.
US regulators had for years scrutinized Binance over alleged failures related to anti-money laundering controls, sanctions compliance and operating without proper licensing. The settlement effectively closed one of the most high-profile investigations in the crypto industry.
In the memoir, Zhao reflects on the decisions and missteps that led to these outcomes. He recounts the events surrounding the settlement, his guilty plea and his resignation, describing the tradeoffs made during Binance’s rapid growth.
The book also includes detailed descriptions of his time in federal prison, including the adjustment from leading a global company to living in a confined environment.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d68b2-71f6-7fa8-bd70-d0e0259eeeef.png\")
Related: Binance led Q1 crypto derivatives as Hyperliquid cracked top 10: CoinGlass
The book’s title reflects a central theme of the memoir. Zhao describes the “freedom of money” as the idea that cryptocurrency can address barriers to financial access, particularly in countries with limited banking infrastructure or strict capital controls.
He links part of Binance’s growth to users in emerging markets who used the platform to move funds across borders, hedge against local currency volatility and access global financial markets.
Zhao also acknowledges that expanding access at scale introduced challenges. He writes that Binance’s rapid growth often outpaced regulatory frameworks, contributing to gaps in compliance and oversight that later drew scrutiny from authorities.
Related: Crypto’s 2026 investment playbook: Bitcoin, stablecoin infrastructure, tokenized assets
", "description": "The former Binance CEO outlines key decisions, legal fallout and his time in US custody in a first-person account of one of crypto’s biggest cases.", "published": "2026-04-08T01:00:00+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "changpeng-zhao" }, { "slug": "books" }, { "slug": "binance" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "crypto-billionaire-cz-autobiography", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259822" }, { "category": { "slug": "markets" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Bitcoin wallets absorb 4.37M BTC as network activity flips to ‘bull phase’", "leadText": "The Bitcoin supply held in long-term investor wallets moved above 4 million BTC, while a network activity index flashed a “bull phase” signal.", "author": { "slug": "biraajmaan-tamuly" }, "bodyText": "New data suggests that Bitcoin (BTC) could be moving closer to a bull market phase as its supply slowly shifts back into long-term, retail-linked wallets. The figure surpassed 4 million BTC in Q1 2026.
The accumulation trend aligns with a rise in Bitcoin network activity index to levels last seen in April 2025, signaling a return of stronger network activity.
CryptoQuant data shows that balances held by accumulating address cohorts continued to rise into Q1 2026. The total BTC held by these cohorts has crossed 4.37 million BTC as of Tuesday, up from about 2 million BTC in early 2024, signaling sustained supply absorption.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6959-7ece-76ed-b3ae-f49894b75108.png\")
The retail-investor-linked accumulation addresses added roughly 857,000 BTC, while the accumulating pattern wallets, defined as addresses that steadily add BTC at recurring intervals with minimal outflows, expanded to 1.29 million BTC.
This growth occurred while the price remained capped below $70,000 throughout the first quarter of 2026.
In contrast, the inflows from centralized exchanges and highly active addresses have slowed. During the 2023–2024 expansion phases, the inflows often exceeded 1.2 million to 1.5 million BTC. The recent activity has averaged 300,000 to 350,000 BTC.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d695d-0d69-7a92-be88-19b8a9425789.png\")
The divergence shows a shift in coin distribution. More BTC is moving into long-term wallets, while fewer coins are circulating on the exchanges. This indicates a tightening of the liquid supply and a reduction in short-term trading turnover.
Related: Bitcoin holds $67K support as data exposes price to sentiment divergence
The CryptoQuant Bitcoin network activity index has climbed to 3,600 from 3,320 on March 22. The index aggregates broader usage signals, including transaction counts and network throughput.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6957-919a-7446-bee1-2696bb06e9e2.png\")
As observed in the chart, it has moved above its 365-day moving average for the first time since December 2024 and entered what CryptoQuant classifies as a “bull phase” for the first time since April 2025.
Despite the increase in the network activity index, active address momentum remains weak, suggesting the current phase is driven more by accumulation than broad user participation
In parallel, Bitcoin’s active addresses momentum dropped to -0.25 on April 6, the lowest reading since April 2018. The metric tracks the rate of change in active addresses, with negative values pointing to declining user participation.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6958-a5dd-7329-87d7-b2f64f3c99c1.png\")
The low activity levels have persisted since July 2025, echoing a similar stretch in 2024 that preceded a 35% price decline.
According to crypto analyst Gaah, the drop in activity signals the absence of short-term participants, or “tourists.” The network usage is now dominated by long-term holders focused on accumulation.
Historically, low readings have aligned with profitable accumulation phases. The reduced activity often coincides with lower sell pressure as the coins move into long-term wallets.
Related: Bitcoin’s quantum challenges are ‘more social than technical’: Grayscale
", "description": "Bitcoin accumulators boosted their buying activity, but it is too early to determine if BTC’s “bull phase” will hold.", "published": "2026-04-07T22:16:16+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "bitcoin" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-price" }, { "slug": "markets" }, { "slug": "market-analysis" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-etf" } ], "slug": "bitcoin-wallets-absorb-4-37m-btc-as-network-activity-flips-to-bull-phase", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "Market Update" } ] }, "id": "259842" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Democrats question CFTC chair on insider trading in prediction markets", "leadText": "The seven House members may have affirmed the commission’s authority over prediction markets, but they questioned its inaction on insider trading.", "author": { "slug": "turner-wright" }, "bodyText": "Seven members of the US House of Representatives sent a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Michael Selig, asking for information on the agency's inaction on insider trading on prediction markets and event contracts related to war and conflicts.
In a Monday letter, lawmakers said that the CFTC had the authority under the Commodity Exchange Act “to apply its rules and regulations for the purpose of preventing evasion of the [act’s] underlying swap provisions.” The statement signaled that the representatives affirmed Selig’s position that the commission had jurisdiction over prediction markets.
However, the House members expressed concerns about how the CFTC was policing “morally obscene” event contracts, including those on US military actions in Iran and Venezuela — in those cases, there were suspicious trades related to the timing and outcomes of US military involvement.
“Such corrupt trades deserve swift and decisive oversight,” said the letter. “Allowing these contracts to persist raises troubling concerns about the Commission’s desire and capacity to fulfill a global regulatory role.”
![\"Government,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d69ad-f13a-7147-8049-5adfb0872869.png\")
The legal battles over regulating prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are being waged at both the federal and state levels. Several US state gaming authorities have filed lawsuits alleging that the companies are illegally offering sports bets, while the CFTC, under Selig, claims that the event contracts on the platform amount to swaps and fall under its federal regulations.
The seven House members requested that Selig respond to their six questions by April 15.
Related: Polymarket bags 97% of onchain prediction market fees after pricing overhaul
In one of the most recent legal decisions, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed a lower court ruling blocking New Jersey gaming authorities from filing enforcement actions against Kalshi. Two out of three circuit judges said that the company had a “reasonable chance of success” in arguing that federal commodities laws preempted state authorities.
The Monday letter followed CFTC Enforcement Director David Miller responding to concerns over insider trading, which has also resulted in legislation proposed by Democrats. According to Miller, the commission would only prosecute instances “against those who tip or trade with misappropriated information,” but not dedicate resources to “trivial” cases.
Magazine: All 21 million Bitcoin is at risk from quantum computers
", "description": "Seven members of the US House of Representatives called on CFTC Chair Michael Selig to answer for how the agency was policing “morally obscene” event contracts.", "published": "2026-04-07T22:11:42+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "government" }, { "slug": "cftc" }, { "slug": "trading" }, { "slug": "regulation" }, { "slug": "prediction-markets" } ], "slug": "congress-cftc-oversight-prediction-markets-insider-trading", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259837" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Here’s what happened in crypto today", "leadText": "Need to know what happened in crypto today? Here is the latest news on daily trends and events impacting Bitcoin price, blockchain, DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and crypto regulation.", "author": { "slug": "cointelegraph" }, "bodyText": "Today in crypto, inflows into US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rebounded sharply this week, suggesting that institutional selling is finally reversing course. Elsewhere, South Korea ordered all crypto exchanges to verify their actual asset holdings every five minutes, and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins said the crypto market safe harbor proposal is now at the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review.
US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs saw strong investor demand on April 6, recording $471 million in net inflows — the largest single-day total since late February, according to SoSoValue. The surge marks a notable shift after weeks of selling activity, suggesting institutional appetite for Bitcoin exposure is picking up again.
The bulk of inflows was concentrated in a few major funds, led by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust and Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund, with ARK 21Shares’ ETF also contributing significantly.
The renewed momentum follows a broader turnaround that began in March, when Bitcoin ETFs returned to net positive flows after experiencing outflows earlier in the year. Total assets under management have climbed back above $90 billion, indicating that capital is re-entering the sector as market conditions stabilize.
Despite the positive inflow data, market sentiment remains sensitive to macroeconomic forces. Analysts note that upcoming inflation data and broader economic signals could still influence whether this recovery in ETF demand continues or proves short-lived.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6985-6116-75d5-813d-a98193a6db9e.png\")
South Korea has ordered all crypto exchanges to reconcile their internal ledgers with actual asset holdings every five minutes after an inspection uncovered weaknesses in internal controls.
The directive was announced on Monday by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) after a meeting with top crypto exchanges and the Digital Asset Exchange Alliance (DAXA), during which they discussed the findings of an emergency inspection triggered by the Bithumb payout incident.
The inspection found that three of the country’s five major exchanges were reconciling balances only once every 24 hours, limiting their ability to respond quickly to discrepancies. Systems designed to halt trading during major mismatches were also found to be insufficient, raising concerns about how exchanges would handle large-scale errors.
In February, Bithumb mistakenly distributed 620,000 Bitcoin (BTC) to 249 users during a promotional event. The exchange later announced that it recovered 99.7% of the funds the same day. The remaining 0.3%, 1,788 BTC that had already been sold, was covered using company reserves.
Under the new measures, exchanges must implement automated ledger-to-wallet reconciliation systems operating on a five-minute cycle. They will also be required to introduce defined criteria for triggering automatic transaction halts in the event of significant discrepancies.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67d2-d67d-7cf5-96aa-662c33820628.PNG\")
US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins has revealed that a key crypto market safe harbor proposal has landed at the White House for review.
Speaking at the Digital Assets and Emerging Technology Policy Summit on Monday, Atkins said the Regulation Crypto Assets proposal — outlined by the SEC in mid-March — has now been submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
\"We will have reg crypto that we will be proposing here shortly. It's in fact at OIRA right now, which is the next step before being published,\" he said.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d66a8-855b-7ee8-8886-6cc52bda6c8e.png\")
Regulation Crypto Assets covers three main ideas: a startup exemption, a fundraising exemption and an investment contract safe harbor for issuers.
If the proposal does end up becoming official rules as part of the SEC’s oversight, it could drive more crypto innovation in the US while providing further regulatory clarity for the industry.
Atkins emphasized that the SEC wants to \"hear from the marketplace\" to make the whole package \"workable.\" He did not go into many specifics but said there were a few things the SEC is \"building into it\" alongside measures such as crypto safe harbors and exemptive relief.
", "description": "Today in crypto, Bitcoin ETFs rebound, South Korea mandates 5-minute asset checks for crypto exchanges, and SEC crypto safe harbor heads to White House review.", "published": "2026-04-07T21:01:04+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "south-korea" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrency-exchange" }, { "slug": "donald-trump" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-etf" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "what-happened-in-crypto-today", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "110589" }, { "category": { "slug": "market-analysis" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Spot Bitcoin ETF inflows top $471M but BTC is pinned under $70K: Here’s why", "leadText": "Bitcoin ETF inflows hit $471 million, but stress on digital asset treasuries, selling from miners, and the war in Iran are keeping BTC stuck below $70,000.", "author": { "slug": "marcel-pechman" }, "bodyText": "Key takeaways:
BTC failed to hold $70,000 despite strong ETF inflows as selling by public miners offset recent institutional buying.
Options markets reflect high demand for downside protection as a 17% put premium signals cautious sentiment.
Bitcoin (BTC) failed to sustain Monday’s $70,000 level despite $471 million in net inflows into US-listed spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The market’s initial excitement faded following reports that multiple US and Israeli aircraft and equipment were destroyed during a military operation in Iran over the weekend.
Since the S&P 500 remained relatively flat between Friday and Tuesday, Bitcoin’s inability to maintain bullish momentum likely stems from other factors.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6971-7704-772c-b246-5567f229cae5.png\")
The US-listed Bitcoin ETFs recorded $471 million in net inflows on Monday, the highest in over five weeks; however, the trend for the preceding two weeks remained muted, signaling a lack of conviction. Part of traders’ concern stems from recent Bitcoin sales by publicly listed miners.
MARA Holdings (MARA US) reportedly transferred 250 BTC on Tuesday, according to Lookonchain data. MARA previously announced the sale of 15,133 BTC in March and reported 38,689 BTC held in total. Traders fear additional sell pressure as multiple miners focus on trimming debt to fund a strategic shift toward AI computing data centers.
Riot Platforms (RIOT US) transferred 1,500 BTC for sale during the first week of April, according to Arkham data. Per the latest operational update, the company held 15,680 BTC, intensifying fears of continued liquidations as high energy costs negatively impact operations.
Other addresses linked to large miners sold 265 BTC on Tuesday after accumulating since early 2024, according to Lookonchain. The address 3PFNdgGi…myCh139 still holds 112 BTC. Regardless of the rationale behind these movements, sentiment worsened after Bitcoin’s hashrate dropped to 953 exahashes on Monday, down from 1,083 exahashes in late February.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6971-7a42-7ecc-875f-cd80af0a253c.png\")
Strategy (MSTR US) continued accumulating Bitcoin, totaling 4,871 BTC in the previous week alone. However, investors increasingly fear that few buyers remain after a two-month bear market, especially as companies that raised debt to accumulate Bitcoin face heavy pressure and are forced to sell some reserves.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6971-7e36-7031-aefa-cc07c039d2ac.png\")
Among the companies that reduced Bitcoin holdings over the past month are Sequans Communications (SQNS FR) and Nakamoto Inc (NAKA US). More concerning, a handful of other listed companies face losses of 35% or more on their Bitcoin holdings, including GD Culture Group (GDC US) and OranjeBTC (OBTC3 BR), according to BitcoinTreasuries data.
Related: Bitcoin price risks '$15K shakeout' in the next 5 months, BTC analyst warns
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6971-80ba-708e-a14d-ac931531a3f9.png\")
Bitcoin options markets signaled discomfort on Tuesday as put (sell) options traded at a 17% premium relative to call (buy) instruments. Traders believe whales have a better gauge of the market, but the options skew results from regular traders constantly buying downside protection rather than a premeditated movement from market makers.
There is no indication that professional traders are leaning bearish, but a single day of strong ETF net inflows does not prove heightened institutional demand. Hence, even if a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz lifts risk markets, odds are Bitcoin could struggle to sustain levels above $75,000 given the risk-averse sentiment.
", "description": "Bitcoin miner selling, stress on digital asset treasuries, and the general risk-off mood among investors are preventing BTC from rallying to new highs.", "published": "2026-04-07T20:45:05+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "bitcoin" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-price" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-mining" }, { "slug": "markets" }, { "slug": "united-states" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrency-exchange" }, { "slug": "market-analysis" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-options" }, { "slug": "microstrategy" }, { "slug": "s-p-500" } ], "slug": "spot-bitcoin-etf-inflows-top-dollar471m-but-btc-is-pinned-under-dollar70k-here-s-why", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "Market Update" } ] }, "id": "259817" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Americans lost $11B to crypto scams in 2025, says FBI", "leadText": "According to the bureau, a large number of minors aged 17 and younger were included in complaints related to crypto or crypto ATMs, resulting in more than $5 million in losses.", "author": { "slug": "turner-wright" }, "bodyText": "The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that Americans’ losses from crypto-related scams increased to more than $11 billion in 2025.
In its annual internet crime complaint report released on Monday, the FBI said that cryptocurrency and AI-related scams were “among the costliest” for Americans in 2025, with 181,565 complaints totaling more than $11 billion. According to the bureau, it received more than one million complaints in 2025 reporting losses of about $21 billion due to cyber-enabled crimes.
![\"FBI,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d695f-2420-73be-8819-c0579c29d65c.png\")
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that investment scams resulted in the highest percentage of victims reporting losses in crypto as opposed to cash, debit cards, gift cards and other media of exchange. In addition, about 10% of the 13,168 complaints involving cybercrimes targeting minors aged 17 and younger were related to crypto or crypto ATMs, resulting in more than $5 million in losses.
The complaints the FBI received were despite the bureau’s efforts to “identify and notify people who are currently falling victim to cryptocurrency investment fraud” through its Operation Level Up in 2024. Globally, blockchain analytics platform Chainalysis reported in March that illicit addresses received $154 billion in 2025, driven in part by sanctions evasions.
Related: Cambodian lawmakers propose severe prison time for crypto scammers
According to the FBI report, there were 32,424 complaints involved in impersonation of government officials, resulting in about $800 million in losses. However, the report did not mention bureau officials issuing a March notice warning Americans that a token on the Tron blockchain was impersonating the FBI with the goal of obtaining personal information.
Tron users reported receiving a token with the FBI logo claiming that their wallet was “under investigation.” The users were then prompted to enter personal information under the guise of an FBI anti-money-laundering verification to avoid their accounts being frozen.
Magazine: Are DeFi devs liable for the illegal activity of others on their platforms?
", "description": "In its annual internet crime complaint report, the FBI said that crypto and AI-related scams were “among the costliest” in 2025, resulting in more than $11 billion in losses.", "published": "2026-04-07T20:44:32+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "fbi" }, { "slug": "fraud" }, { "slug": "united-states" }, { "slug": "crimes" }, { "slug": "scams" }, { "slug": "regulation" } ], "slug": "fbi-americans-crypto-scams-losses", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259812" }, { "category": { "slug": "sponsored" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "How social usernames could become the next payment rail: AMA recap with HandlPay", "leadText": "In a Cointelegraph AMA, HandlPay founder Gregor Arn explained why peer-to-peer payments still lag behind messaging and how social handles can simplify global transfers.", "author": { "slug": "nihatcan-yanik" }, "bodyText": "Disclaimer. This content is part of a paid partnership. The text below is a sponsored article that is not part of Cointelegraph.com editorial content. The material is written by our advertorial team and has undergone editorial review to ensure clarity and relevance, it may not reflect the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.com. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the company. Disclosure.
![\"Privacy,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d68ae-7e99-79ad-964b-fc5fee275a86.jpg\")
Stablecoins have emerged as one of crypto’s clearest real-world use cases. During Cointelegraph’s recent AMA, HandlPay founder Gregor Arn said the industry has already built much of the underlying infrastructure for global digital payments. What it still has not solved is the user experience.
\n\n\nRethinking Crypto Payments: AMA with HandlPay on Privacy, Stablecoins and Social Handles [Brought to you by @HandlPay] https://t.co/PCUJ8q5xSm
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) March 25, 2026
“Stablecoins are an amazing foundation,” Arn said. “But what crypto has failed to do in all this time is that the UX is super complicated.”
That gap is exactly where payments solution company HandlPay is positioning itself. The company turns social media usernames, WhatsApp numbers and other familiar identifiers into payment handles, aiming to make receiving money feel as simple as getting a text message.
Arn traced the idea back to a frustration that has existed for years: communication became instant and borderless, but payments never caught up. People can message anyone in the world in seconds, yet sending even a small amount of money often still involves unnecessary complexity.
“You can talk to everyone,” he said, “but you can’t send five dollars.”
In Arn’s view, this problem is especially visible in small-value, cross-border payments. If the sender has to think through addresses, chains, gas fees, transfer methods or whether the recipient can even receive a given asset, the process quickly becomes too cumbersome. For sub-$100 payments, that friction often kills the transaction altogether.
HandlPay’s answer is to use social identity as the payment entry point. If someone already communicates through Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp or email, Arn believes that same identifier should work as the destination for money.
“The benchmark we set from a UX perspective is how you make a payment in a coffee shop with a card: you tap and the money gets sent all the way to the merchant.”
That comparison captures HandlPay’s broader ambition. The goal is not to turn more people into crypto experts. It is to remove the need for technical knowledge from the payment flow. A sender chooses the payment method they prefer, while HandlPay handles routing and delivery behind the scenes.
Arn described the model almost like a phonebook: the platform knows which wallet and blockchain sit behind a given social handle, then takes care of the rest. “You should be able to use that username as a payment address,” the founder said.
A major part of that system is abstracting crosschain infrastructure. Arn compared the approach to Stripe’s role in traditional payments, similar to “what Stripe does with banks.”
In practice, that means users do not need to understand how a payment gets from point A to point B. HandlPay manages the routing layer so that someone can pay in the format most convenient to them, while the recipient receives funds in the connected destination wallet.
Arn said the company is focused on handling “all the complexity that people don’t want to deal with.” For him, that is the only way crypto payments become usable beyond a niche technical audience.
Arn also emphasized that privacy becomes much more important once crypto moves from trading into everyday consumer payments. Public blockchain transparency may be acceptable for some use cases, but daily spending is different.
“If you are making a payment in a grocery store or in a restaurant, you may not want to broadcast these transactions to the entire world.”
That is why HandlPay integrated Canton Network as a privacy layer. Arn framed privacy as a practical requirement for normal financial behavior. “Once you’ve lost privacy, it’s a big deal,” he said, arguing that many users do not fully realize the tradeoff until that information is exposed. Cash historically offered that by default. Digital payments, especially on public blockchains, often do not.
While the model has clear implications for freelancers and international peer-to-peer transfers, Arn identified social commerce as one of HandlPay’s strongest near-term use cases.
Millions of people already sell products, services or access through social platforms, but the payment step still often happens through awkward back-and-forth in direct messages. For Arn, that is a major opportunity. If commerce already happens around social identity, payments should fit naturally into the same flow.
He also pointed to creator engagement and small-value reward distribution as promising areas, especially where Web2 audiences can be reached without forcing them through a complicated crypto onboarding process.
HandlPay’s broader thesis is simple: payments should work more like messaging and less like infrastructure management. Arn’s view is that the next phase of crypto adoption will not be driven by adding more features for power users, but by stripping away the complexity that still keeps ordinary users out. If that shift happens, paying someone on a username or WhatsApp number could eventually feel as natural as sending them a DM.
", "description": "In a Cointelegraph AMA, HandlPay founder Gregor Arn explained why peer-to-peer payments still lag behind messaging and how social handles can simplify global transfers", "published": "2026-04-07T19:00:00+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "blockchain" }, { "slug": "privacy" }, { "slug": "payments" }, { "slug": "adoption" }, { "slug": "instagram" }, { "slug": "social-media" }, { "slug": "web3" } ], "slug": "how-social-usernames-could-become-the-next-payment-rail-ama-recap-with-handlpay", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "Recap" } ] }, "id": "259762" }, { "category": { "slug": "market-analysis" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Bitcoin holds $67K support as data exposes price to sentiment divergence", "leadText": "Wintermute analysts said Bitcoin’s price stability against the extreme bearish sentiment present in the market is a positive. Will BTC ever flip $70,000 back to support?", "author": { "slug": "biraajmaan-tamuly" }, "bodyText": "Bitcoin (BTC) continues to show strong support at $67,000, even as a growing split between BTC's price stability and bearish sentiment among investors leaves the cryptocurrency in a state of equilibrium.
BTC’s resilience in avoiding dips below $60,000 has been driven by strong institutional investor demand and long-term buying, despite volatility stemming from the US-Israel-Iran war.
Market maker Wintermute noted that Bitcoin’s price and sentiment were diverging. The Fear and Greed Index sat at 11 on Tuesday, staying in “extreme fear” for over a month.
The sentiment index has remained in this range for the longest period in its history.
However, BTC has absorbed a $403 million liquidation event, persistent negative onchain demand, and repeated war headline shocks without losing its yearly lows set at $60,000 on Feb. 6.
Wintermute explained that the institutional demand played a central role in March. Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) absorbed around 50,000 BTC, while corporate buying added 44,000 BTC.
Morgan Stanley also received approval for a spot ETF from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), expanding access to 16,000 advisers. The total net inflows reached $1.32 billion, ending a four-month streak of net outflows.
The demand from accumulator addresses supported this trend. CryptoQuant data indicates that demand from long-term wallets rose to 289,971 BTC on April 7, up from 158,336 BTC over the previous two weeks, i.e., an increase of 83%.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d687d-7a92-7e02-9e47-2bc69917ee59.png\")
Crypto researcher Rei noted that this divergence points to steady absorption, with the 30-day average trend acting as a key confirmation signal. Rei said,
“If that happens alongside price establishing acceptance at higher levels, the signal becomes significantly more convincing.”
Related: Bitcoin waits at $68K as hours tick down to Iran deadline
Wintermute also noted that despite surging institutional demand in March, ETF flow data shifted toward the end of the month. ETF activity flipped to $414 million in outflows in the final week, while over-the-counter (OTC) positioning moved to neutral and early selling from buying.
Meanwhile, crypto analyst Maartunn pointed out that BTC’s surge to $70,000 on Monday was a leverage-driven pump. 75% of such rallies have retraced completely in 2026, with the recent rally taking shape from $67,000.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6873-822c-71f5-84be-dfa8738d5190.jpg\")
A daily candle close above $67,000 on Tuesday will be a positive development and will continue to signal a rising uptrend on the short-term chart.
On the daily chart, BTC has closed below $67,000 on 26% of total trading days (16 out of 61) since Feb. 5, the first time it fell below that level since October 2024.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d687c-40dc-771a-8a93-7f62722a226b.png\")
Related: Bitcoin price risks '$15K shakeout' in the next 5 months, BTC analyst warns
", "description": "Bitcoin holds $67,000 as support, which is a sign of accumulation, but BTC’s struggle to overcome $70,000 remains a concern.", "published": "2026-04-07T18:49:12+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "bitcoin" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-price" }, { "slug": "adoption" }, { "slug": "markets" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrency-exchange" }, { "slug": "leverage" }, { "slug": "price-analysis" }, { "slug": "market-analysis" }, { "slug": "liquidity" } ], "slug": "bitcoin-holds-dollar67k-support-as-data-exposes-price-to-sentiment-divergence", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "Market Update" } ] }, "id": "259787" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "US prosecutors reject Tornado Cash co-founder’s argument for dismissal", "leadText": "Roman Storm, the co-founder of the crypto mixing service, still faces a possible retrial on two charges after a jury failed to reach a verdict in 2025.", "author": { "slug": "turner-wright" }, "bodyText": "Jay Clayton, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) and former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has penned a response to Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm’s motion for acquittal, criticizing his alleged criminal conduct.
In a Tuesday filing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Clayton said that Storm’s criminal use of Tornado Cash was “window dressing at best and outright misdirection at worst,” rejecting arguments that he be allowed to use a civil copyright case in his defense.
The US Attorney’s filing followed a Thursday notice from Storm’s lawyers saying they intended to use a 2026 Supreme Court case, Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment, as part of an argument about the Tornado Cash co-founder’s intent to participate in the crimes of which he is accused: conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate sanctions.
Clayton said that Storm’s conduct “bears no resemblance” to that in the Cox case, which involved civil liability for copyright infringement. According to the US Attorney, there was no evidence that the Tornado Cash co-founder implemented effective anti-money-laundering measures.
“The defendant’s conduct simply is not comparable to the conduct at issue in Cox,” said Clayton. “In any event, a civil copyright case has no relevance here in the first place.”
![\"Law,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d68a8-c3fc-7d45-963e-dbc6fd2f1edd.png\")
Last August, a jury convicted Storm of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, but deadlocked on conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate sanctions charges, opening the door to a potential retrial. The case has drawn widespread attention from the crypto industry for how developers may be held responsible for their code.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys in the Storm case are scheduled to meet on Thursday.
Related: US lawmakers move to protect blockchain devs from prosecution
Last week, US President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, substituting Deputy AG Todd Blanche as acting head of the Justice Department until the Senate can vote on a replacement. Blanche, who previously acted as Trump’s personal attorney, also penned an April 2025 memo calling for the end of what he called “regulation by prosecution” in the Justice Department.
Although Blanche did not call out Storm by name, he did say that the department will “not pursue actions against the platforms that [criminal] enterprises utilize to conduct their illegal activities” and called for an end to cases inconsistent with that goal.
Storm cited Blanche’s memo in a March X post after prosecutors called to retry the Tornado Cash co-founder on the two deadlocked counts.
”The 2 counts = up to 40 years in federal prison,” said Storm. “For writing open-source code. For a protocol I don't control. For transactions I never touched. A jury already couldn't agree this was criminal. But the SDNY prosecutors want to keep trying with the hope of getting a different answer.”
It’s unclear how Blanche may use his new role to direct DOJ policy, or how long he will remain as acting AG. Clayton has asked a federal judge to consider an October retrial for Storm, but as of Tuesday, no date had been set.
Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter
", "description": "Lawyers for the US government filed a letter opposing Roman Storm’s notice intending to use a Supreme Court case in arguments as part of a motion to dismiss.", "published": "2026-04-07T17:48:05+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "law" }, { "slug": "trial" }, { "slug": "copyrights" }, { "slug": "court" }, { "slug": "crimes" }, { "slug": "regulation" }, { "slug": "tornado-cash" } ], "slug": "us-prosecutors-tornado-cash-roman-storm-copyright-argument", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259772" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Split Capital winds down as founder joins stablecoin startup Plasma", "leadText": "Split Capital founder Zaheer Ebtikar is closing his crypto hedge fund after strong returns to join Plasma as chief strategy officer, citing a major industry shift.", "author": { "slug": "helen-partz" }, "bodyText": "Split Capital, a digital asset hedge fund founded by investor Zaheer Ebtikar, is shutting down, with the founder joining Peter Thiel-backed stablecoin startup Plasma.
Ebtikar announced the news in an X post on Tuesday, saying Split Capital was profitable both in 2024 and 2025, and delivered over 100% in returns.
“We were a top performing fund by every mark,” Ebtikar claimed, adding that his decision to wind down the business was driven by a belief that the crypto market had shifted away from strategies that hedge funds are designed to capture.
“The hedge fund model did not make sense for crypto, in perpetuity,” he said.
Ebtikar’s decision came amid continued pressure on crypto hedge funds, which have reportedly faced more challenging market conditions since the 2022 market downturn.
Ebtikar described his early years in crypto as “PvP button-clicking,” where traders competed in fast-moving markets driven by momentum and narratives. But after nearly a decade, he said those conditions have changed.
“The industry no longer rewards traders chasing momentum, it has matured into a space where the only real question is ‘What does the future look like and where is the value?’” he said.
Ebtikar said that many investors, including critics, were ultimately right to question whether funds such as Split Capital were sustainable in a rapidly evolving market.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d684c-105c-7874-8861-f3b6f9c22cdc.png\")
“As time went on, our conviction narrowed around a small number of founders and verticals I genuinely believed in,” Ebtikar said.
Ebtikar said his conviction in Plasma grew after working closely with its founding team throughout 2024 and 2025.
Plasma is focused on building infrastructure for stablecoin settlement and global financial access. The platform raised $24 million in February last year from investors such as Framework Ventures, Bitfinex, Peter Thiel and Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino.
Related: Standard Chartered says faster stablecoin turnover could curb demand
As chief strategy officer at Plasma, Ebtikar will work across partnerships, growth and go-to-market efforts, as well as engage with investors and policymakers ahead of the rollout of Plasma One and ongoing ecosystem expansion.
He framed the move as part of a larger belief that crypto is entering a new phase defined less by speculation and more by building global financial systems.
“The last dance of crypto’s old era and the hope and deep belief that our work at Plasma can get us to a new golden age for our space,” Ebtikar said.
Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter
", "description": "Split Capital, a digital asset hedge fund founded by investor Zaheer Ebtikar, is shutting down as its founder moves to Peter Thiel-backed stablecoin startup Plasma.", "published": "2026-04-07T15:50:26+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "venture-capital" }, { "slug": "peter-thiel" }, { "slug": "stablecoin" }, { "slug": "hedge-fund" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "split-capital-wind-down-founder-plasma-stablecoin-startup", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259747" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Polymarket bags 97% of onchain prediction market fees after pricing overhaul", "leadText": "Polymarket has become one of decentralized finance’s highest fee-generating protocols, pulling in about $7.1 million in fees in the first week of the second quarter.", "author": { "slug": "christina-comben" }, "bodyText": "Polymarket has become one of decentralized finance’s most profitable protocols after a pricing overhaul, generating about $7.1 million in fees in the first week of the second quarter, according to new data.
That pace implies an annualized run rate of roughly $365 million if sustained, placing the onchain prediction platform among the industry’s top fee generators and giving it nearly all of the sector’s revenue, at 96.8% of onchain prediction market fees.
The gains follow a March 30 pricing change that pushed daily fees to around $1 million, a level that has largely held as trading activity remains elevated, data from DeFiLlama shows, and makes Polymarket the eighth-largest DeFi protocol by fees, along with stablecoin issuers Circle (USDC) and Tether (USDT) and decentralized derivatives exchange Hyperliquid.
Onchain metrics also show Polymarket’s footprint beyond fees. Total value locked on the platform was over $432 million on Tuesday, according to DefiLlama data, close to its November 2024 US election high of around $510 million, as its share of onchain prediction market revenue rises.
![\"Fees,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6801-9902-719c-ac7e-f32566d63eb0.png\")
Polymarket’s fee engine has started to attract more mainstream partners. Intercontinental Exchange, the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, deepened its bet on Polymarket on March 27, completing a $600 million cash investment as part of a broader $2 billion commitment that will see ICE distribute the platform’s event-driven data to institutional clients.
Related: Iran war bets turn prediction markets into real-time macro radar: Sygnum
At the infrastructure level, Polymarket announced Monday that it is replacing its bridged USDC.e collateral on Polygon with a new 1:1 USDC-backed token called Polymarket USD, which will take over as trading collateral as part of the platform’s April exchange upgrade, as it continues to spin up highly-traded markets on the US-Iran conflict, oil, inflation and equities indices.
Despite its growing revenue, regulation remains a risk. Prediction markets continue to face pushback from some US states and gambling regulators elsewhere, including recent moves by Hungary and Portugal to order local blocking, and Argentina issuing a countrywide block on Polymarket, arguing that the platform operates as an unlicensed gambling site.
Magazine: Bitcoin’s ‘biggest bull catalyst’ would be Saylor’s liquidation — Santiment founder
", "description": "Polymarket’s March 30 fee overhaul pushed weekly fees to $7.1 million, giving it 96.8% of onchain prediction market revenue.", "published": "2026-04-07T15:20:47+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "fees" }, { "slug": "defi" }, { "slug": "trading" }, { "slug": "industry" }, { "slug": "polymarket" }, { "slug": "prediction-markets" } ], "slug": "polymarket-grabs-97-onchain-prediction-market-fees", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259742" }, { "category": { "slug": "markets" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Bitcoin waits at $68K as hours tick down to Iran deadline", "leadText": "Bitcoin and risk-asset price action tried to brush off new US-Iran war rhetoric just hours before the deadline for a deal passed.", "author": { "slug": "william-suberg" }, "bodyText": "Bitcoin (BTC) stayed near a key long-term trend line at Tuesday’s Wall Street open as markets waited for US-Iran war cues.
Key points:
Bitcoin and US stocks attempt to shrug off claims by US President Donald Trump that a “whole civilization will die” after his Iran deadline expires.
Oil eyes a rematch with multiyear highs as escalation fears take control.
Bitcoin traders see lower levels resulting from current indecision.
Data from TradingView showed BTC price action focusing on its 200-week exponential moving average (EMA) near $68,300.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6844-4844-7003-bbe9-a39652a6fdcf.png\")
Volatility briefly entered prior to the US trading session as President Donald Trump said that “a whole civilization will die tonight,” referring to his 8 p.m. ET deadline for a deal with Iran.
“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social, while keeping full details sparse.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d683f-3dbb-79ea-bb43-67d643591b46.png\")
The post was accompanied by reports of strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure on Kharg Island.
Despite this, US stocks managed to avoid major losses on the day, leading commentators to suggest that Iran rhetoric was all but fully priced in.
“Markets have become numb to the headlines,” trading resource The Kobeissi Letter reacted on X.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6841-23b8-71fc-998e-9944271be9f3.png\")
The day prior, trading company QCP Capital noted that the same geopolitical pattern had been playing out for weeks.
“While the economic and humanitarian consequences of escalation would be severe, particularly via energy market disruption, markets are increasingly discounting the immediacy of this risk,” it wrote in its latest “Market Color” analysis.
QCP described stocks as “broadly stable,” with crypto showing “resilience.”
“After several weeks of weekend escalation rhetoric followed by early-week de-escalation signals, markets are beginning to recognise and fade this pattern,” it continued.
“Despite approaching deadlines and rising rhetoric, crypto markets continue to exhibit resilience rather than panic.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6841-7ba7-7774-b7ae-eb19c6e7f242.png\")
WTI crude oil nonetheless passed $116 per barrel on the day, coiling below its highest levels in nearly four years.
Commenting on Bitcoin and wider market trajectory, crypto trader Michaël Van de Poppe suggested that an inflection point was coming.
Related: Bitcoin RSI ‘nearly perfectly’ copying end of 2022 bear market: Analysis
“Prime question for this is likely whether there will be a ceasefire in the Middle-East or not,” he told X followers.
“From a technical standpoint, it's more likely that markets are turning downwards as the trend is clearly in that direction and (as I've mentioned earlier), sweeping the lows and grabbing that liquidity strengthens a potential reversal on the markets significantly.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6842-0a47-7ac2-9742-1910b464d7be.jpeg\")
Trader LP flagged overhead resistance making $72,000 a problematic hurdle to clear for bulls.
“Orderbook pressure showed strong buy pressure between 63–66K, which helped drive price toward the 70K region. However, sell pressure is now stepping in around 71–72K, acting as resistance and potentially capping price if it persists,” an X post read.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6843-230d-73a3-b629-0d77e4dc8f80.jpeg\")
CME Group is expanding its suite of cryptocurrency futures products, as more traditional finance (TradFi) entities launch regulated crypto trading products.
On Tuesday, CME Group announced plans to launch Avalanche (AVAX) and Sui (SUI) futures contracts on May 4, pending regulatory review.
Market participants will be able to trade both micro-sized and larger-sized contracts, including AVAX futures sized at 5,000 AVAX and Micro AVAX futures sized at 500 AVAX, as well as SUI futures sized at 50,000 SUI and Micro SUI futures sized at 5,000 SUI.
The news follows CME Group’s announcement in January of its plans to launch crypto futures contracts tied to Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK) and Stellar (XLM).
The move is the latest sign that traditional financial firms are broadening their regulated crypto product offerings.
CME Group’s continued expansion of its crypto derivatives suite reflects “growing demand for regulated, institutionally-sound products in this asset class,” said Justin Young, CEO and Co-founder of Volatility Shares.
During an earnings call in early February, CME Group CEO Terry Duffy said the exchange is mulling plans to launch its own digital token that could operate on a decentralized network.
CME Group is the largest derivatives exchange by volume, and reported a record average daily trading volume of 28.1 million contracts in 2025, according to a Jan. 7 announcement.
Related: Crypto exchanges gain as tokenized commodity market climbs to $7.7B
More TradFi entities are exploring ways to issue tokenized investment products with 24/7 trading. CME said on Feb. 19 that its cryptocurrency futures and options products will begin trading 24/7 on May 29.
Unlike traditional stocks and equities constrained to trading hours, cryptocurrencies are natively tradable 24/7 through cryptocurrency exchanges and decentralized venues.
On March 24, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced it was partnering with tokenization platform Securitize to mint blockchain-based shares of stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), Cointelegraph reported. The initiative is part of its parent company, Intercontinental Exchange’s (ICE) plan for a tokenized securities venue designed for 24/7 trading and instant onchain settlement.
Meanwhile, crypto exchanges are also venturing into tokenized TradFi products. Coinbase launched 24/7 stock perpetual futures for non-US traders on March 20, offering cash-settled exposure to major US stocks and indices, including Apple and Nvidia.
Crypto exchanges Binance and Kraken have also launched tokenized perpetual futures trading for non-US traders, along with other offshore platforms.
Magazine: Can Robinhood or Kraken’s tokenized stocks ever be truly decentralized?
", "description": "CME Group said it is expanding its regulated crypto derivatives suite with Avalanche and Sui futures contracts, as it prepares to launch 24/7 trading.", "published": "2026-04-07T15:15:55+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "nyse" }, { "slug": "investments" }, { "slug": "cme" }, { "slug": "futures" }, { "slug": "avalanche" }, { "slug": "sui" } ], "slug": "cme-group-launch-avalanche-sui-futures", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259732" }, { "category": { "slug": "market-analysis" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Bitcoin price risks '$15K shakeout' in the next 5 months, BTC analyst warns", "leadText": "Multiple Bitcoin indicators, including a bull-bear sentiment index and realized price metric, point to a possible final BTC shakeout toward $54,000", "author": { "slug": "yashu-gola" }, "bodyText": "Bitcoin (BTC) is showing signs of the bear market’s late stages but could see another leg lower in the coming months, says Joao Wedson, founder and CEO of on-chain analytics platform Alphractal.
Key takeaways:
BTC may still see one last big drop before recovering, based on one sentiment indicator.
The next likely downside target is near Bitcoin’s realized price at $54,000.
In a Tuesday post, Wedson said Bitcoin’s 720-day Tactical Bull-Bear Sentiment Index (TBBI), a long-term indicator that tracks multi-year cycles of fear and greed, had dropped into an extreme bearish zone below 20.
Historically, such readings have reflected “late-stage fear” among traders, a phase that can still produce one final shakeout before Bitcoin begins a more durable recovery.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67d8-0fff-74fc-85a0-c73927765531.jpeg\")
In 2022, for instance, Bitcoin fell more than 20% after the indicator reached similarly depressed levels.
A comparable setup also appeared before Bitcoin lost around 50% in 2018, prompting Wedson to see a similar possibility in 2026.
Related: Bitcoin RSI ‘nearly perfectly’ copying end of 2022 bear market: Analysis
He warned that Bitcoin could still face “a sharp move like a –$15K shakeout” over the next six months, implying a roughly 20% decline from current levels toward the $54,000 area.
The implied target matches earlier BTC downside calls that see Bitcoin falling toward the $50,000–$55,000 area on war-led oil inflation and quantum security risks.
The $54,000 level also nearly coincides with Bitcoin’s realized price (purple) on Glassnode’s MVRV Extreme Deviation Pricing Bands, suggesting any final shakeout could send BTC toward a key on-chain cost-basis support level.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d680f-a8a3-7e2f-9194-fc91ddb9551c.png\")
More bearish forecasts have also surfaced, with analysts such as Bloomberg Intelligence’s Mike McGlone warning that Bitcoin could eventually slide to as low as $10,000.
Still, Strategy’s aggressive Bitcoin purchases in recent weeks have helped absorb selling pressure and limit BTC’s downside, raising the possibility that the broader bearish scenario may fail to play out.
As Cointelegraph reported, Bitcoin could reverse sharply and climb back toward $100,000 or higher if the Michael Saylor firm continues its buying spree.
", "description": "Multiple Bitcoin indicators, including a bull-bear sentiment index and a realized price metric, point to a possible final BTC shakeout toward $54,000", "published": "2026-04-07T15:02:45+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "bitcoin" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-price" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-analysis" }, { "slug": "markets" }, { "slug": "tech-analysis" }, { "slug": "market-analysis" } ], "slug": "bitcoin-price-risks-dollar15k-shakeout-next-5-months-btc-analyst-warns", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "Price Analysis" } ] }, "id": "259727" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Ether treasuries need liquid staking edge to beat ETFs, says Lido exec", "leadText": "Lido’s institutional lead argues that more crypto treasury companies will need to incorporate liquid staking to outperform the returns generated by staked Ether ETFs.", "author": { "slug": "zoltan-vardai" }, "bodyText": "Ether treasury companies may need to use liquid staking and other active yield strategies if they want to offer investors something beyond the staking rewards already available through listed Ether products, Kean Gilbert, head of institutional relations at Lido, told Cointelegraph at ETHCC 2026.
Liquid staking lets Ether (ETH) holders stake their tokens while receiving a transferable token that can still be deployed elsewhere in decentralized finance (DeFi).
Gilbert said strategies such as posting ETH as collateral and borrowing against it could help treasury companies generate higher returns than passive staking products.
US-listed staked ETH products now include the REX-Osprey ETH + Staking ETF, launched in September 2025, Grayscale’s Ethereum Staking ETF and Ethereum Staking Mini ETF, and BlackRock’s iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF, introduced on March 12.
Issuer disclosures show different staking economics across Ether products, making direct yield comparisons difficult. Grayscale’s ETHE page showed 2.26% net staking rewards as of April 6, while Grayscale’s ETH page showed 2.56% as of April 2. Native ETH staking was yielding about 2.72% annually, according to Staking Rewards.
Related: Bitmine paper loss nears $8.8B as Ether slump tests cyclical thesis
Still, Jimmy Xue, co-founder and chief operating officer of quantitative yield platform Axis, said Ether treasury companies do not necessarily need to beat staked Ether products on headline yield because they are different investment vehicles.
“A staked ETH ETF is a passive vehicle. A DAT trading at a meaningful mNAV premium is promising something a passive ETF structurally cannot deliver, which is active, dynamic deployment of spot inventory across opportunities as they arise.”
“The mNAV premium investors pay reflects confidence in management’s ability to put that treasury to work,” Xue said, adding that basis trading is a major yield source for treasury companies.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d677e-4fc7-7f72-a0e0-6b4c0f270f8f.jpg\")
Public disclosures show several Ether treasury firms using staking or liquid-staking-related strategies, though the level of detail varies by company.
Sharplink Gaming, the second-largest corporate Ether holder, has generated 14,516 ETH (around $30.8 million) in staking rewards as of March. It derived 33% of these rewards from liquid staking and 66% from native staking, according to a March 1 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Sharplink reported a $734 million net loss for 2025, largely driven by the sharp crypto market downturn in the second half of the year.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6772-3a29-760f-ae71-fbd916b74abf.png\")
BTCS Inc., the 10th-largest Ether treasury company by returns, has also staked a part of its Ether holdings through the liquid staking protocol Rocket Pool. Out of its total 29,122 ETH holdings, the company has liquid staked 4,160 ETH ($8.8 million) through Rocket Pool nodes, according to a July 2025 SEC filing.
Cointelegraph has approached BitMine, SharpLink and The Ether Machine for comment on the role of liquid staking in their strategies.
Magazine: Sharplink exec shocked by level of BTC and ETH ETF hodling — Joseph Chalom
", "description": "Ether treasuries need to incorporate liquid staking to outperform the return generated by staked Ether ETFs, according to Lido’s institutional lead.", "published": "2026-04-07T14:15:10+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "ethereum" }, { "slug": "investments" }, { "slug": "staking" }, { "slug": "ethereum-etf" }, { "slug": "ethcc" }, { "slug": "yields" } ], "slug": "dats-liquid-staking-outperform-eth-staking-etfs-lido", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259712" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "South Korea orders crypto exchanges to verify holdings every 5 minutes", "leadText": "An inspection found slow reconciliation cycles and weak trade-halting systems across major crypto exchanges.", "author": { "slug": "amin-haqshanas" }, "bodyText": "South Korea has ordered all crypto exchanges to reconcile their internal ledgers with actual asset holdings every five minutes after an inspection uncovered weaknesses in internal controls.
The directive was announced on Monday by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) after a meeting with top crypto exchanges and the Digital Asset Exchange Alliance (DAXA), during which they discussed the findings of an emergency inspection triggered by the Bithumb payout incident.
The inspection found that three of the country’s five major exchanges were reconciling balances only once every 24 hours, limiting their ability to respond quickly to discrepancies. Systems designed to halt trading during major mismatches were also found to be insufficient, raising concerns about how exchanges would handle large-scale errors.
In February, Bithumb mistakenly distributed 620,000 Bitcoin (BTC) to 249 users during a promotional event. The exchange later announced that it recovered 99.7% of the funds the same day. The remaining 0.3%, 1,788 BTC that had already been sold, was covered using company reserves.
Related: Bithumb seeks to reappoint CEO despite recent controversies: Report
Under the new measures, exchanges must implement automated ledger-to-wallet reconciliation systems operating on a five-minute cycle. They will also be required to introduce defined criteria for triggering automatic transaction halts in the event of significant discrepancies.
Beyond reconciliation, regulators are pushing for sweeping changes to internal operations. High-risk processes like promotional payouts will require stronger oversight, including third-party cross-checks and multi-level approval systems. Exchanges will also need to separate high-risk accounts and implement automated verification tools for payments.
Furthermore, external audits will shift from quarterly to monthly, while disclosures will expand to include detailed asset balances by wallet and ledger.
“The financial authorities and the DAXA plan to complete the rule changes needed to implement the improvement measures within April this year,” the FSC wrote.
Related: South Korean brokerage Korea Investment & Securities eyes Coinone stake: Report
Last week, Bithumb announced it is now targeting an IPO after 2028, marking another delay from its earlier 2025 plans as it works through restructuring and regulatory pressure. The exchange said it will focus on strengthening accounting policies and internal controls through 2027, following an advisory agreement with Samjong KPMG.
Meanwhile, Naver Financial has also delayed its planned share swap with Dunamu by about three months, now targeting a shareholder vote on Aug. 18 and completion by Sept. 30.
Magazine: South Korea gets rich from crypto… North Korea gets weapons
", "description": "South Korea mandates 5-minute asset checks for crypto exchanges after a Bithumb incident revealed weaknesses in internal controls and risk systems.", "published": "2026-04-07T13:34:04+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "south-korea" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrency-exchange" }, { "slug": "bithumb" }, { "slug": "regulation" } ], "slug": "south-korea-crypto-exchanges-verify-holdings-5-minutes-fsc-rule", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259707" }, { "category": { "slug": "markets" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "XRP price risks drop to $1.10 as supply in profit drops to 17-month lows", "leadText": "XRP’s profitable supply fell to 43% as high capitulation and a bearish chart setup signaled a potential drop toward $1.10 in the coming weeks.", "author": { "slug": "nancy-lubale" }, "bodyText": "XRP (XRP) is staring at a potential drop toward $1.10, as a decline in profitable supply suggests growing bearish momentum and a classic setup for new lows.
Key takeaways:
XRP supply in profit has dropped to 43%, levels last seen in November 2024.
Investors have continued selling their XRP holdings, realizing losses at $110 million per day.
XRP rising wedge breakdown targets $1.10.
As of Tuesday, 43% of all XRP coins were in profit, levels last seen in November 2024, according to onchain data resource Glassnode.
Historically, the metric’s drop below 50% has signaled a transition from optimism to despair characterized by panic selling and high capitulation, as seen in the last stages of previous bear markets.
Related: XRP risk-reward improves as whale accumulation rises: Will price follow?
Between January and June 2022, for instance, XRP price dropped to $0.30 from over $0.75, a decline that coincided with XRP’s profitable supply falling to as low as 20% from just under 50%. A similar scenario was seen in 2018 when XRP price dropped another 70%, with the supply in profit going as low as 15%.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67a6-6235-7cac-80e6-4dcfa35e1aad.png\")
In fact, investors who accumulated XRP above $2 over the last 12 months “have been realizing losses at a pace of $20M–$110M/day since November 2025,” Glassnode added.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67a6-6832-7341-bd89-9ebb351bc341.jpg\")
In a Tuesday post on X, analyst Crypto Town Hall said this “reflects widespread holder drawdowns, often seen during late-stage corrections,” leading to sharp drops as holders continue realizing losses.
Additionally, the average wallets active on the XRP Ledger over the past year are down 41% on their investments.
“This is the lowest MVRV (Mean Value to Realized Value) for XRP traders since the FTX crash in November, 2022,” onchain data resource Santiment said in a Tuesday post on X, adding:
“Significantly negative average returns imply that there is much lower risk than average in buying or adding on to your $XRP positions, due to the fact that competing traders are already in severe 'blood in the streets' territory.”
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67ae-8268-7d11-b55b-b3f534490750.jpeg\")
This means fresh selling could be coming as investors seek to cut their losses, a key ingredient in keeping the downtrend going toward the $1.10 target.
XRP/USD is in the breakdown phase of a rising wedge on the daily time frame, a bearish pattern that forms when price compresses inside two upward-sloping trendlines after a sharp decline.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67a9-f5a6-788d-abec-6f96105085ea.png\")
The price slipped below the wedge’s lower trend line at $1.37 on March 27 and is now attempting a typical post-breakdown retest near the 50-day simple moving average around $1.38. That area is acting as immediate resistance.
If XRP fails to reclaim the trendline and moving averages, the setup points to a deeper move toward the pattern’s measured target near $1.10, roughly 16% below the current levels.
This is close to predictions by Polymarket bettors who price in a 57% chance that XRP price will hit $1.20 before the end of April.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67aa-0b2d-7b98-a195-a18b46b9c8fb.png\")
As Cointelegraph reported, if bulls fail to reclaim the moving averages and the price breaks below $1.27, the XRP price risks falling toward $1.11 and eventually to the $1 psychological level.
Crypto scams have become highly sophisticated cross-border operations that exploit advanced technology and human psychology. By the time victims become aware of the fraud, the stolen cryptocurrency is often rapidly dispersed across a chain of wallets and exchanges in multiple countries.
Operation Atlantic represents a coordinated international effort by law enforcement agencies from the US, the UK and Canada to counter this threat. Rather than limiting itself to post-incident investigations, the operation focuses on identifying, tracking and disrupting crypto scams while they are still in progress.
The initiative brings together key agencies, including the US Secret Service, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Ontario Securities Commission, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the UK Financial Conduct Authority, the UK National Crime Agency and the City of London Police.
Contrary to conventional investigations that begin only after funds have been stolen, Operation Atlantic is structured to:
Identify victims who are at risk
Detect active scam infrastructure
Interrupt fraudulent transactions
Help recovery efforts where feasible
Officials have stressed that the primary objective is to disrupt scams in near real time, marking a significant shift toward faster, more proactive enforcement strategies.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67e0-b767-73ae-9cb5-2b573e368dfc.jpg\")
A particular form of fraud known as approval phishing lies at the center of Operation Atlantic. Rather than stealing private keys or seed phrases, attackers deceive users into signing what appear to be legitimate blockchain transactions.
These transactions grant scammers permission to spend tokens directly from a victim’s wallet. Once approval is given, the attacker gains the ability to:
Drain funds at any time
Avoid immediate detection
Combine the exploit with convincing social engineering narratives
This makes approval phishing particularly dangerous. Victims often remain unaware that anything is wrong until their assets begin disappearing.
Scammers frequently integrate this technique into larger scams, such as fake investment platforms or gradual trust-building schemes.
The standout feature of Operation Atlantic is its emphasis on real-time disruption rather than post-event analysis.
This strategy rests on a straightforward idea: While crypto transactions are irreversible, they are also public and fully traceable.
By using blockchain analytics, authorities and private-sector partners can:
Detect suspicious wallet activity
Identify addresses linked to known scams
Track fund flows toward exchanges or liquidity pools
Alert platforms and investigators
Contact victims before their funds are completely drained
This model does not guarantee full recovery, but it opens a critical window during which meaningful intervention remains possible.
Did you know? The US Secret Service, originally established to combat currency counterfeiting in 1865, now tracks crypto fraud using blockchain analytics. It is one of the oldest agencies adapting to one of the newest financial systems.
Operation Atlantic did not happen overnight. It builds upon earlier efforts such as Project Atlas, which was launched in 2024 by Canadian authorities in partnership with the US Secret Service to target crypto fraud networks.
It also draws on lessons from Operation Spincaster, an effort that involved blockchain analytics firms, exchanges and law enforcement agencies.
Spincaster demonstrated that coordinated action could deliver tangible results:
Thousands of scam-linked wallet leads identified
Significant losses mapped across jurisdictions
In some cases, victims were warned in time to revoke malicious approvals
These initiatives suggest that crypto fraud can be interrupted while it is still in progress.
The concept of real-time disruption is sometimes misunderstood. It does not mean instant recovery or guaranteed prevention.
Instead, it operates across three stages:
Pre-loss prevention: spotting suspicious approvals before funds are moved
Mid-transaction disruption: flagging or freezing assets during transfers
Post-loss response: attempting recovery after funds have been dispersed
Operation Atlantic concentrates mainly on the first two stages, where intervention is still feasible.
Its success depends on how quickly data can be analyzed, shared and acted upon across borders and platforms.
Did you know? Approval phishing scams often exploit wallet permissions rather than passwords, which means victims technically authorize the theft themselves. This psychological twist makes these scams harder to detect than traditional hacking attempts.
Approval phishing scams are generally not standalone events. They typically operate as structured networks with several interconnected parts:
Social engineering pipelines to attract victims
Fake interfaces or decentralized applications
Wallet approval mechanisms
Consolidation addresses used to pool stolen funds
Exchange off-ramps for cashing out
This layered setup allows scammers to scale their operations while reducing the likelihood of detection.
Operation Atlantic treats these scams as coordinated financial networks rather than isolated crimes, an approach that is central to its real-time disruption strategy.
The urgency behind Operation Atlantic stems from the enormous scale of crypto fraud.
Approval phishing alone has been linked to billions of dollars in losses in recent years, affecting thousands of victims across multiple jurisdictions.
Even more concerning is that many incidents go unreported, suggesting the true losses may be substantially higher.
Monthly figures also show that while overall exploit losses may vary, phishing attacks continue to rise, confirming that user-targeted scams remain one of the most persistent threats in crypto.
Did you know? Law enforcement agencies increasingly use blockchain clustering to map entire scam networks, sometimes revealing thousands of linked wallets behind a single fraud operation. This forensic technique groups related wallet addresses.
A key aspect of Operation Atlantic is the close partnership between law enforcement and private-sector organizations.
Each participant contributes in specific ways:
Blockchain analytics firms identify suspicious patterns and wallet clusters
Exchanges monitor inflows and flag deposits linked to scams
Stablecoin issuers may help freeze funds in targeted cases
Platforms and wallets can warn users or block malicious interactions
This level of coordination enables faster responses than conventional investigations, which often rely on slower legal procedures.
At the same time, it raises expectations for platforms to play a more active role in fraud detection.
Despite its goals, Operation Atlantic faces several structural constraints:
Once funds are bridged or layered across multiple services, recovery becomes extremely difficult
User behavior remains a major vulnerability, particularly in social engineering scenarios
Cross-border legal processes can still delay enforcement actions
Wallet anonymity makes victim identification more complicated
In many cases, the most realistic outcome is preventing further losses rather than achieving full recovery of stolen assets.
Operation Atlantic reflects a broader shift in how crypto-related crime is being tackled.
Rather than viewing fraud as a fixed, one-time event, authorities now treat it as a dynamic, ongoing process that can be monitored and disrupted while it is still in progress.
For users, this shift may result in:
More frequent warnings about suspicious transactions
Greater emphasis on understanding wallet permissions
Increased awareness of scam risks
For platforms, it could lead to:
Higher expectations for transaction monitoring
Deeper collaboration with law enforcement
Integration of real-time risk detection tools
Update April 7, 2026, 12:27 pm UTC: This article has been updated to add comments from a Binance representative.
Crypto exchange Binance is introducing a new spot trading feature that restricts orders from executing outside a defined price range during periods of extreme volatility.
Binance said Tuesday that a mechanism called the Spot Price Range Execution Rule (PRER) will be rolled out on April 14.
The mechanism allows orders to execute only within dynamic price bands set around a reference price derived from recent trades, which Binance said is intended to help maintain a fair and orderly market during periods of unusual volatility. Binance said PRER may not be available for all trading pairs at all times, including when a reliable reference price cannot be determined.
The change aims to address a known risk during market stress, when thin liquidity can push trades far from recent prices and lead to distorted executions. It comes months after a liquidation-driven market dislocation in October 2025 highlighted how quickly liquidity can thin during stress, though Binance has not explicitly linked the move to that event.
A Binance representative told Cointelegraph the rule will apply to taker orders, meaning it takes effect when trades execute against existing liquidity. The representative added that the feature is not expected to affect trading under normal conditions and that price range parameters will be published when the rule goes live.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d676f-2637-72e7-bb53-31b611095939.jpg\")
Unlike stop-loss or limit orders set by individual users, Binance said PRER is an exchange-level market protection mechanism applied during order matching. This means trades can be restricted or partially canceled based on system-defined price limits, regardless of user intent.
The rule works by tying execution to a dynamic reference price based on recent trades, with percentage-based bands set above and below that level. According to Binance, orders will only fill within this range, and any remaining portion that would execute outside it is canceled.
Related: Binance led Q1 crypto derivatives as Hyperliquid cracked top 10: CoinGlass
Binance said the reference price and bands may vary by trading pair and can be adjusted in response to market conditions. The exchange said the feature does not eliminate slippage but is intended to limit extreme executions during periods of volatility.
The update comes months after Binance faced scrutiny during an October 2025 market sell-off, when the exchange later said some platform modules briefly experienced technical glitches and certain assets saw depegging issues after the broader downturn was already underway.
Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao later pushed back on claims that Binance contributed to the market liquidation event.
Magazine: AI agents will kill the web as we know it: Animoca’s Yat Siu
Cryptocurrency investment products recorded minor inflows last week despite mixed geopolitical signals and increasingly hawkish investor expectations.
Global crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) clocked $224 million in inflows last week, following a $414 million outflow a week before, CoinShares reported on Tuesday.
The fresh inflows brought total assets under management to about $131.8 billion, roughly in line with levels seen at the same time last year. Year-to-date inflows also totaled about $1.2 billion, compared with $960 million over the same period last year.
The inflows marked a brief rebound in sentiment before later-week macro data and policy expectations reversed momentum, CoinShares head of research James Butterfill said.
XRP (XRP) led inflows with about $120 million, contributing more than half of net weekly inflows.
The gains marked XRP’s largest weekly inflows since mid-December 2025, Butterfill noted, bringing its year-to-date inflows to $159 million.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d67a6-74b0-74d0-901a-514976ef61e7.png\")
Bitcoin (BTC) ETPs followed closely with $107 million of inflows, bringing year-to-date flows to slightly above $1 billion. Of those gains, only around $22 million was contributed by US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which remain in negative territory year-to-date.
Solana (SOL) also saw minor inflows totaling around $35 million last week, with steady inflows this year representing 10% of total assets under management.
On the other hand, Ether (ETH) investment products continued to lag, posting $53 million in outflows. That followed $222 million in outflows the prior week, bringing year-to-date outflows to $327 million.
Related: CoinShares stock makes US debut on Nasdaq following SPAC merger
CoinShares’ Butterfill attributed the negative sentiment around Ether to developments tied to the CLARITY Act, a major piece of crypto legislation closely linked to stablecoins, which are largely issued on the Ethereum blockchain. Following months of delays, US Senate Banking Committee member Bill Hagerty said Monday that he expects a potential path for the bill in the coming weeks.
Geographically, Switzerland led last week’s inflows at roughly $157 million, followed by Germany and the US, which both recorded about $28 million each, and Canada with $11 million.
Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter
", "description": "Crypto investment products saw $224 million in inflows last week led by XRP, as Ether posted outflows and sentiment turned cautious late in the week.", "published": "2026-04-07T12:30:54+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "switzerland" }, { "slug": "xrp" }, { "slug": "coinshares" }, { "slug": "etf" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "crypto-etp-week-224-million-inflow-xrp-leads-gains", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259677" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Argentine banks testing JPMorgan’s JPM Coin to speed up settlements: Report", "leadText": "Argentine lenders are reportedly testing JPMorgan’s JPM Coin to improve settlement speed and efficiency, even as the central bank maintains restrictions on crypto services.", "author": { "slug": "amin-haqshanas" }, "bodyText": "Argentine banks are reportedly testing JPMorgan’s deposit token infrastructure for back-end settlement workflows, even as the country’s central bank still bars lenders from offering most crypto-related services to clients, according to local outlet iProUP.
A group of financial institutions has begun piloting JPM Coin, a deposit token designed for institutional use. Banco CMF is among the confirmed participants, working through its newly launched corporate unit QORP as part of JPMorgan’s minimum viable product, per the report.
“In the first phase, banks are expected to work on integrating available services to verify improvements in settlement times and interbank reconciliations of integrated banks,” Maximiliano Cohn, chief information officer of CMF, reportedly told the outlet.
The tests are being conducted without moving real funds. Transactions are settled through traditional systems, while blockchain is used to record and reconcile operations. Industry sources cited by iProUP suggest other lenders, including Banco Galicia, BIND and Banco Comafi, are considering joining the program.
Related: New evidence in Libra probe renews questions about Milei involvement
The initiative comes as the Banco Central de la República Argentina (BCRA), the central bank of Argentina, is reviewing a rule that barred banks from offering crypto services. While the restriction remains in place, it does not prevent institutions from using blockchain infrastructure internally.
Cointelegraph reached out to Banco CMF for comment, but had not received a response by publication.
JPMorgan said in November 2025 that JPM Coin had become available to institutional clients following a proof of concept on the Coinbase-developed layer-2 network Base. In January, the bank joined Digital Asset to expand JPM Coin onto the Canton Network.
Related: Why Argentina is blocking Polymarket despite its global growth
Latin America has emerged as one of the fastest-growing crypto regions, recording nearly $1.5 trillion in transaction volume between mid-2022 and mid-2025, with monthly activity peaking at $87.7 billion in December 2024, according to Chainalysis’ 2025 Geography of Crypto Report.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6755-b299-7755-9641-27f1f46eb95f.png\")
Brazil led the market by a wide margin, accounting for nearly one-third of regional activity, followed by Argentina and Mexico, per the report.
Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum — BIP-360 co-author
", "description": "Argentine banks are reportedly testing JPMorgan’s JPM Coin to improve settlements, signaling a shift toward blockchain-based finance despite ongoing crypto restrictions in the country.", "published": "2026-04-07T12:22:32+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "blockchain" }, { "slug": "argentina" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "banks" }, { "slug": "tokens" }, { "slug": "jpmorgan-chase" } ], "slug": "argentine-banks-test-jpm-coin-crypto-dollar-jpmorgan-report", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259672" }, { "category": { "slug": "markets" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Bitcoin RSI ‘nearly perfectly’ copying end of 2022 bear market: Analysis", "leadText": "Bitcoin stochastic RSI signals led a trader to draw key comparisons between current BTC price action and its rebound after the 2022 bear market.", "author": { "slug": "william-suberg" }, "bodyText": "Bitcoin (BTC) is copying the end of its 2022 bear market “nearly perfectly,” according to a new BTC price analysis.
Key points:
Bitcoin stochastic RSI values are “nearly perfectly” repeating the end of its last bear market, new analysis claims.
Both recent local bottoms and the current rebound echo conditions from three years ago.
Standard RSI is already on the radar for a potential BTC price bottom signal.
In an X post on Monday, crypto trader Quantum Ascend revealed copycat moves playing out on Bitcoin’s stochastic relative strength index (RSI) indicator.
Stochastic RSI, also known as “stoch RSI,” is a derivative of traditional RSI — a classic leading indicator that helps traders identify overbought and oversold conditions, as well as BTC price trend changes.
Like its standard counterpart, stoch RSI flashes “oversold” price signals when it drops below 30/100 on its scale, with “overbought” entering when its value is above 70/100.
Stoch RSI moves between those two zones much more quickly, but Quantum Ascend sees a key long-term bull signal now locking in.
“RSI at the EXACT SAME point on the Daily as it was in 2022,” he told X followers.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6728-5182-7654-aff1-92b3a22424ab.png\")
An accompanying comparative chart shows stoch RSI making a double bottom along with price before both surged higher in early 2023. At the time, BTC/USD had recently set a multiyear low of $15,600 — a level that ended up forming the bear-market bottom.
Now, Quantum Ascend says, the repeat performance is “playing out nearly perfectly.”
“Breaking above the EXACT SAME level (blue line). At the EXACT SAME time,” he added.
The chart reveals that stoch RSI is now attempting to clear its 50/100 midpoint after two local lows in late January and late March, respectively.
RSI signals have already been firing in 2026 despite lackluster BTC price strength.
Related: First real bull signal since 2025? Five things to know in Bitcoin this week
As Cointelegraph reported, eyes are on weekly standard RSI to print a bullish divergence with price, again mimicking early 2023.
\n\n\nI stuck to my plan religiously in the bull, and I will do the same in the bear.
— Jelle (@CryptoJelleNL) April 7, 2026
As such, it's time to start paying attention - as it looks like $BTC is forming a potential higher low on the weekly RSI.
Giving it a few more weeks to develop, given how the previous bottoms had… pic.twitter.com/nnT84R5Til
At the time, weekly RSI set its lowest level on record — one so far not matched in 2026, per data from TradingView.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6727-8d25-713e-a2cb-d110f67b5d10.png\")
Bitcoin still faces bearish hurdles to recovery, with traders concerned about a bear-flag breakdown repeating on the daily chart.
“In a few days we will understand if the pattern is repeating or not,” analyst Aksel Kibar wrote on X over the weekend.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6726-a92b-738f-b48b-e8b87f8d5ba7.png\")
US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have renewed the pace of inflows, recording their largest daily flows in weeks.
Spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs posted $471 million in inflows on Monday, the largest daily inflow since Feb. 25, when the funds attracted $507 million, according to SoSoValue.
The inflows came as the Bitcoin price briefly approached $70,000 before retreating below $69,000, according to CoinGecko data.
The volatility occurred amid ongoing geopolitical pressure as well as renewed concerns over Bitcoin’s quantum resistance, while the Crypto Fear & Greed Index remained in “Extreme Fear” at 13.
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) led the inflows with about $182 million, followed by the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) with $147 million, according to Farside data.
The ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) ranked third with nearly $119 million, marking its largest daily inflow since July 10, 2025.
On Monday, the blockchain analytics platform Arkham observed that ETF outflows slowed to a halt last week, with major issuers selling just about $16.6 million in Bitcoin. ARK Invest’s ARKB ETF purchased the most BTC, or $34 million in a week, it said.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6713-bb13-7626-bebd-d74da21751a6.png\")
Following the three trading sessions in April so far, US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $307 million in net inflows, bringing total assets under management (AUM) back above $90 billion.
Related: Strategy adds $330M BTC as paper losses top $14.5B in Q1
In March, Bitcoin ETFs posted $1.3 billion in inflows, marking the first monthly gain after outflows of $1.61 billion in January and $207 million in February.
US spot Ether (ETH) ETFs followed the recovery in sentiment on Monday, recording $120 million in inflows and offsetting $78 million in outflows from the prior two trading sessions.
Ether ETFs posted three consecutive months of losses, bringing total outflows for the period to about $770 million.
Other altcoin ETFs saw muted activity, with XRP (XRP) recording zero inflows on Monday, while Solana (SOL) ETFs posted about $247,000 in inflows.
Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter
The challenge to solving the quantum threat to Bitcoin could be more social than technical, according to Grayscale’s head of research, especially if the community fails to come to an agreement on certain contentious issues.
Google released a paper that drew attention in the crypto industry on March 30, suggesting that a quantum computer could potentially crack the cryptography protecting Bitcoin (BTC) using far fewer resources than previously thought.
Grayscale head of research Zach Pandl, however, suggested the problem for Bitcoin doesn’t come from its technical solution, as “bitcoin has lower risk than other cryptocurrencies” because it uses a UTXO model and proof-of-work consensus, does not have native smart contracts and certain address types are not quantum vulnerable.
Instead, the challenge would be for the community to reach a decision on the way forward, said Pandl.
The Bitcoin community has been fiercely debating what to do about old dormant coins, particularly the roughly 1.7 million BTC locked in early P2PK addresses, including Satoshi’s estimated 1 million BTC stash, currently worth about $68 billion.
The Bitcoin community needs to decide what to do about coins where the private key has been lost or is otherwise inaccessible, wrote Pandl.
They have three main options: burning the coins, deliberately slowing their release by limiting the rate of spending from vulnerable addresses or doing nothing.
“All are conceptually doable, but the challenge is reaching a decision, and the Bitcoin community has a history of contentious debates over protocol changes, including last year’s dispute around image data stored in blocks.”
Pandl was referring to a big fracas that erupted in 2023 over the use of blockspace for Bitcoin Ordinals, technology that enables inscribing data such as text and images to a satoshi, the smallest unit of Bitcoin.
Two years later, the debate may have quietened down, but the two sides continue to hold opposing views.
Related: Researchers say quantum computers could, in theory, be ready by 2030
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6672-ddcc-7ddb-bcb7-91ac00092d80.jpg\")
Pandl cautioned that it was “time to get started” and that blockchains need to adopt post-quantum cryptography, echoing the sentiment from Google.
Both Solana and the XRP Ledger are already experimenting with post-quantum cryptography, wrote Pandl. Meanwhile, the Ethereum Foundation released its post-quantum roadmap in February.
Pandl concluded that investors “should not fret” for now, but it is time to accelerate efforts to prepare for our post-quantum future.
“In our view, there is no security threat to public blockchains from quantum computers today.”
Magazine: Nobody knows if quantum secure cryptography will even work
", "description": "Grayscale backed Google’s quantum warning but says Bitcoin faces bigger social and community challenges than technical ones in preparing for quantum threats.", "published": "2026-04-07T06:46:56+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "bitcoin" }, { "slug": "cryptography" }, { "slug": "grayscale" }, { "slug": "quantum-computing" } ], "slug": "bitcoin-quantum-challenges-more-social-than-technical-grayscale", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259607" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Onchain evidence was key to convicting 3 terrorism financiers: TRM Labs", "leadText": "One of the three convicted terrorism financiers sent $49,000 worth of stablecoins to a foreign exchange before it was routed to an ISIS-linked campaign.", "author": { "slug": "brayden-lindrea" }, "bodyText": "Onchain evidence was key to securing the conviction of three individuals for terrorism financing in Indonesia in 2024 and 2025, reflecting a clear shift in the way courts value onchain evidence.
“Indonesian courts have demonstrated that cryptocurrency evidence — wallet addresses, transaction histories, on-chain flows — is not only admissible but can anchor a terrorism financing prosecution,” TRM said in a statement Sunday.
TRM said terrorism financing networks have preferred cryptocurrency as a mechanism of choice to move money, as authorities and regulators have been slow to treat it with the same level of scrutiny as traditional fiat channels, but noted that this is now changing.
Indonesian authorities traced one defendant sending more than $49,000 worth of USDt (USDT) across 15 transactions from a local exchange to a foreign platform, with the funds later routed to an ISIS-linked terrorism fundraising campaign in Syria, according to the blockchain firm.
Indonesia’s financial intelligence team and its counterterrorism police unit, Densus 88, carried out the analysis and presented the findings to Indonesian courts, which accepted the blockchain data as key evidence in each of the three cases.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d663c-49ed-7c5a-a532-e1996e0d8ae3.png\")
Indonesia is not the only country in Southeast Asia using blockchain analytics to catch criminals, TRM said.
“Similar patterns are emerging across Southeast Asia, where governments are investing in blockchain intelligence capabilities and enhancing collaboration between public and private sectors to address illicit finance risks.”
TRM Labs said that Singapore and Malaysia’s financial intelligence units and law enforcement agencies are also building the technical capacity to trace cryptocurrency flows.
Related: Drift Protocol says $280M exploit took 'months of deliberate preparation'
On April 1, Cambodian and Chinese officials captured Li Xiong, a leader of the Huione Group, an organization that served scam centers in Cambodia that carried out “pig butchering” frauds and other investment schemes to steal crypto from victims around the world.
Xiong was extradited to China, where he is set to face fraud and money-laundering charges.
His extradition came three months after the arrest of Chen Zhi, the head of Prince Group, which operates Huione Group.
TRM reported in February that illicit entities received about $141 billion worth of stablecoins in 2025, marking a five-year high.
Magazine: Are DeFi devs liable for the illegal activity of others on their platforms?
", "description": "Indonesian authorities used blockchain tracing tools to present evidence against terrorism financiers in court, helping secure three separate convictions in 2024 and 2025.", "published": "2026-04-07T05:52:38+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "blockchain" }, { "slug": "law" }, { "slug": "indonesia" }, { "slug": "court" }, { "slug": "terrorism" }, { "slug": "crimes" }, { "slug": "counter-terrorism-financing" }, { "slug": "data" } ], "slug": "indonesian-officials-blockchain-data-evidence-convict-terrorism-financiers", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259602" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Crypto market safe harbor lands at White House for review", "leadText": "The proposal includes a startup exemption, a fundraising exemption and an investment contract safe harbor for issuers. ", "author": { "slug": "brian-quarmby" }, "bodyText": "US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins has revealed that a key crypto market safe harbor proposal has landed at the White House for review.
Speaking at the Digital Assets and Emerging Technology Policy Summit on Monday, Atkins said the Regulation Crypto Assets proposal — outlined by the SEC in mid-March — has now been submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
\"We will have reg crypto that we will be proposing here shortly. It's in fact at OIRA right now, which is the next step before being published,\" he said.
Regulation Crypto Assets covers three main ideas: a startup exemption, a fundraising exemption and an investment contract safe harbor for issuers.
If the proposal does end up becoming official rules as part of the SEC’s oversight, it could drive more crypto innovation in the US while providing further regulatory clarity for the industry.
Atkins emphasized that the SEC wants to \"hear from the marketplace\" to make the whole package \"workable.\" He did not go into many specifics but said there were a few things the SEC is \"building into it\" alongside measures such as crypto safe harbors and exemptive relief.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6619-bf0d-78bf-b62a-5a03b1492d5e.png\")
Generally, the SEC first votes to approve a formal proposal, which is then sent to OIRA for review. OIRA then completes the review and it is published in the Federal Register and put up for public feedback.
Cointelegraph reached out to the SEC for comment on the matter.
Related: CFTC chief launches innovation task force focused on crypto framework
The startup exemption would enable projects to raise up to a defined amount over a four-year period with softer disclosure requirements, while the fundraising exemption would enable issuers to raise a defined amount over 12 months while \"retaining the ability to rely on other exemptions from registration under the federal securities laws.\"
The investment contract safe harbor would protect certain assets from the definition of a security once the project team has ceased all of its managerial efforts \"represented or promised\" as part of the investment contract.
Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter
", "description": "SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the Regulation Crypto Assets proposal is at the White House's OIRA for review, with public feedback soon to follow. ", "published": "2026-04-07T05:13:33+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "interview" }, { "slug": "law" }, { "slug": "sec" }, { "slug": "us-government" }, { "slug": "regulation" } ], "slug": "regulation-crypto-assets-safe-harbor-lands-at-white-house-for-final-review-sec-chair-atkins", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259597" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "New evidence in Libra probe renews questions about Milei involvement", "leadText": "New documents seen by The New York Times suggest the Argentine president had seven phone calls with the entrepreneur behind the Libra token.", "author": { "slug": "stephen-katte" }, "bodyText": "Newly uncovered call logs suggest Argentine President Javier Milei spoke with one of the entrepreneurs behind the Libra token multiple times on the night he promoted the cryptocurrency, raising questions about Milei’s assertion that he had no connection with the project.
According to logs obtained by Argentine prosecutors investigating the token’s collapse, which were seen by The New York Times, there were reportedly a total of seven phone calls between the unnamed entrepreneur and Milei before and after he made his Libra promotion post on X.
The contents of those calls remain unknown, according to the Times.
The collapse of the Libra token has seen Argentine lawyers hit Milei with fraud charges and there were also calls for his impeachment. Fraud can attract a prison sentence of between one month and six years in Argentina.
Cointelegraph has contacted Argentina’s presidential office for comment.
In February 2025, Milei made a post on X promoting the Libra token as a way to grow Argentina’s economy by funding small businesses and startups.
The token surged before losing more than 96% of its value from its peak, costing investors around $251 million. Milei later deleted his posts, prompting accusations of a possible rug pull.
Milei has denied any wrongdoing in promoting the short-lived token, saying he was merely highlighting a private venture and had no involvement in the project.
“A few hours ago, I posted a tweet, like so many infinite other times, supporting an alleged private venture with which I obviously have no connection whatsoever,” he said in a post on X.
“I wasn't aware of the details of the project, and after becoming aware of them, I decided not to keep promoting it, that's why I deleted the tweet.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6610-5700-75fb-bc77-ea6cb0fe3280.png\")
Following the Libra collapse, federal prosecutors launched an investigation that has named Milei as a person of interest. The case remains ongoing.
Argentina's Anti-Corruption Office cleared Milei last June of violating public ethics rules and found his post was personal rather than in his capacity as president.
Related: Argentina turns up the heat in Libra scandal with sweeping asset freeze
In a recent March update, a judicial investigation uncovered a draft document on crypto lobbyist Mauricio Novelli’s phone suggesting a possible $5 million agreement connected to Milei’s promotion of the Libra token.
The draft note was reportedly written just three days before Milei posted about the Libra token on X, but it does not specify who would receive the funds.
Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum — BIP-360 co-author
", "description": "Argentine President Javier Milei reportedly had seven phone calls with a Libra-linked entrepreneur on the night he promoted the token, sparking new questions about his level of involvement.", "published": "2026-04-07T05:11:26+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "argentina" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "business" }, { "slug": "tokens" }, { "slug": "libra" }, { "slug": "javier-milei" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "milei-libra-token-investigation-new-evidence-raises-questions", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259592" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Solana Foundation looks to beef up DeFi security as attacks continue", "leadText": "The Solana Foundation and Web3 security firm Asymmetric Research unveiled a new security initiative called STRIDE, along with a real-time incident-response network.", "author": { "slug": "martin-young" }, "bodyText": "The Solana Foundation on Monday announced a new security auditing framework for Solana-based protocols in addition to an incident-response network, warning that “adversaries are rapidly innovating.”
The Solana Foundation, a Swiss organization that supports the adoption and security of Solana, and Web3 security firm Asymmetric Research unveiled the Solana Trust, Resilience and Infrastructure for DeFi Enterprises (STRIDE), stating that it was a “structured program for evaluating, monitoring and escalating security across Solana projects.”
The initiative works to evaluate the security of protocols across eight pillars: program security, governance and access control, oracle and dependency risk, infrastructure security, supply chain security, operational security, monitoring and incident response, as well as log management and forensics.
Protocols are independently assessed against these requirements, with findings published publicly, said Asymmetric Research. “This gives users, investors, and the broader ecosystem real transparency into the security posture of the protocols they interact with.”
The announcement comes just a week after one of the largest DeFi exploits this year, with the Drift Protocol losing around $280 million following a social engineering attack from North Korean-linked threat actors.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d65fd-2192-768d-b36d-938ca7ca2a27.jpg\")
The Solana Foundation also announced the Solana Incident Response Network (SIRN), a network of security firms for real-time incident response across the Solana ecosystem.
“Members will share threat intelligence, coordinate responses to active incidents, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of the STRIDE framework,” it stated.
Related: Crypto hackers steal $169M from 34 DeFi protocols in Q1: DefiLlama
The foundation did not mention artificial-intelligence agents directly, but the announcement comes at a time when they are becoming an increasing threat to crypto protocols.
In January, $40 million was drained from the Solana DeFi platform Step Finance, with AI agents amplifying the damage by executing large transfers autonomously, KuCoin reported last week.
Malicious actors stole over $168 million in cryptocurrency from 34 DeFi protocols in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from DefiLlama.
However, the figure has fallen significantly from the same period last year, when $1.58 billion was pilfered in Q1, 2025.
The largest exploit for the period was the private key compromise of Step Finance.
Magazine: No more 85% Bitcoin collapses, Taiwan needs BTC war reserve: Hodler’s Digest
", "description": "Solana Foundation launched STRIDE and SIRN to strengthen DeFi security for protocols using the network.", "published": "2026-04-07T05:04:35+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "cybersecurity" }, { "slug": "hacks" }, { "slug": "solana" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "solana-foundation-launches-new-security-tools-and-incident-response-network", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259587" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Chaos Labs taps out as Aave's risk provider, decision ‘not made in haste’", "leadText": "DeFi risk manager Chaos Labs said Aave’s planned migration to Aave V4 introduced risks that it wasn’t willing to assume, while Aave said Chaos wanted to take on full control as the sole risk service provider.", "author": { "slug": "brayden-lindrea" }, "bodyText": "Chaos Labs has parted ways with the Aave ecosystem after serving as the crypto lending protocol’s main risk service provider for three years, citing a budget dispute and disagreements over how Aave should manage risk.
“This decision was not made in haste,” Chaos Labs founder Omer Goldberg said in a post to X on Monday. “We worked in good faith with DAO contributors. Aave Labs was professional and supported increasing our budget to $5m to retain us. However, we are leaving because the engagement no longer reflects how we believe risk should be managed.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d65a7-8c70-74b1-ad0c-a74022de109a.png\")
Aave Labs CEO Stani Kulechov said that Chaos didn’t depart on bad terms, but claimed that Chaos pitched a proposal seeking to become the sole risk provider and thus force out other partners — a compromise Aave wasn’t willing to accept.
Chaos played a key role in Aave's back-end infrastructure, from pricing loans and managing risk in the Aave V2 and V3 markets since November 2022, during which Aave's total value locked rose fivefold to $26 billion.
Risk has been a major talking point in the Aave community after a user lost $50 million in a trade while interacting with Aave’s interface on March 12. The following week, Aave said it would introduce an “Aave Shield” protection feature to deter users from high-risk trades.
As for Chaos’ departure, Goldberg said there became an increasing misalignment over how the parties thought risk should be managed. He noted that some Aave contributors had left, raising its workload, while also arguing that Aave V4’s expanded functionality introduced additional operational and legal risks that fell on Chaos’ shoulders.
“While Aave Labs is optimistic about a swift migration to V4, history suggests these transitions take months and even years,” Goldberg said. “Until V4 fully absorbs V3's markets and liquidity, both systems need to be operated and managed simultaneously. The workload during the transition doesn't halve. It doubles.”
Weighing the risk of a protocol failure, Goldberg said, “There is no regulatory framework, no safe harbor, and no settled law that answers the question of what a risk manager or curator owes when a protocol fails. If things work, the work is invisible. If things break, the blame is not.”
As such, “We are walking away from a $5 million engagement,” Goldberg said.
Aave Labs CEO Stani Kulechov told a slightly different story, stating that Chaos wanted to be the sole risk manager and use its price oracles instead of Chainlink’s.
Following that request would have forced Aave to push out its other risk protocol partner, LlamaRisk, and thus abandon its two-layer economic risk model.
Related: DeFi lender Aave launches on OKX’s Ethereum L2, X Layer
Kulechov added Aave was unwilling to integrate Chaos-built price oracles, citing Aave’s “track record” with Chainlink’s services, which its “users are currently more comfortable with at scale.”
He also said Chaos was already “exploring winding down its risk consultancy services,” and that Aave had offered to double its payment to $5 million to retain them.
Cointelegraph reached out to Chaos Labs for comment.
Kulechov noted that Chaos’ departure hasn’t disrupted the Aave protocol, its smart contracts, token listings or network integrations.
Moving forward, Aave said it “will work closely with LlamaRisk to ensure a smooth transition” and maintain its two-layer economic risk model.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d65a7-913b-797d-96b7-b7738bd33f65.png\")
Chaos’ departure comes amid a protocol-wide feud over how much funding and revenue control Aave Labs should receive versus Aave’s decentralized autonomous organization.
Despite the internal issues, Aave crossed the $1 trillion mark in cumulative lending volume in late February, marking a first in the DeFi industry.
Magazine: Animoca teams up with Ava Labs, Shrapnel on Steam: Web3 Gamer
", "description": "Chaos Labs said it will no longer provide risk services to decentralized lending protocol Aave due to budget constraints and disagreements over how risk should be managed.", "published": "2026-04-07T03:04:45+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "blockchain" }, { "slug": "dao" }, { "slug": "lending" }, { "slug": "chainlink" }, { "slug": "defi" }, { "slug": "aave" } ], "slug": "defi-risk-manager-chaos-labs-leaves-aave-says-decision-not-made-haste", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259582" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Polymarket drops USDC.e for USDC-backed token in exchange overhaul", "leadText": "Polymarket is upgrading its exchange infrastructure in the coming weeks, introducing new contracts and a USDC-backed token while phasing out a bridged stablecoin.", "author": { "slug": "sam-bourgi" }, "bodyText": "Prediction platform Polymarket is overhauling its exchange infrastructure in the coming weeks, introducing a new collateral token and upgraded trading system that give the platform greater control over settlement and risk as it moves toward closer alignment with US regulatory expectations.
In an announcement on Monday, Polymarket said it will deploy new exchange contracts — dubbed version 2 — designed to simplify how orders are structured and matched. The upgrade is intended to make trading more efficient and to make it easier for developers to connect apps and trading bots to the platform.
The new system will also support EIP-1271, an Ethereum standard that allows smart contract-based wallets, such as multisigs and automated trading systems, to sign transactions, expanding compatibility beyond traditional wallets.
A central component of the upgrade is the introduction of Polymarket USD, a new collateral token that will replace USDC.e, the bridged version of USDC (USDC) previously used on the platform. The new token is fully backed 1:1 by USDC, giving Polymarket more direct control over its settlement layer while reducing reliance on bridged assets.
For most users, the transition will be handled automatically through the platform’s interface, requiring only a one-time approval.
The upgrade is expected to roll out over the next few weeks, though the company has not provided a specific timeline.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6485-7a98-790a-a86e-72771a7bfdff.png\")
Related: NYSE parent ICE completes new $600M investment in Polymarket
The move follows Polymarket’s broader efforts to curb manipulation and insider-trading risks, as it seeks to strengthen market integrity and align more closely with US regulatory standards.
In November, Polymarket received approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to operate an intermediated trading platform in the United States, clearing the way for its return after previously exiting the market.
Following that approval, Polymarket said it plans to onboard brokers and customers directly and facilitate trading through regulated US venues.
Interest in prediction markets has continued to grow, with users increasingly turning to these platforms to trade on real-world outcomes tied to politics, markets and policy. Industry data shows Polymarket’s fee revenue increasing in recent weeks after the platform expanded trading fees.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6485-7d64-7697-8bc5-13e07c93d2ff.png\")
Magazine: Are DeFi devs liable for the illegal activity of others on their platforms?
", "description": "Polymarket is upgrading its exchange with new contracts and a USDC-backed token, phasing out bridged USDC.e as it seeks to improve trading infrastructure and risk control.", "published": "2026-04-06T22:40:07+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "stablecoin" }, { "slug": "industry" }, { "slug": "polymarket" }, { "slug": "prediction-markets" } ], "slug": "polymarket-replace-usdce-usdc-backed-token-exchange-upgrade", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259567" }, { "category": { "slug": "market-analysis" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Bitcoin may hit $110K as Strategy absorbs nearly 3x new BTC supply", "leadText": "Bitcoin may invalidate its bear flag setup as Strategy buys 46,233 BTC in just over a month, outpacing the 16,200 BTC supply in the same period.", "author": { "slug": "yashu-gola" }, "bodyText": "Bitcoin (BTC) is trading within a bear flag pattern that projects a breakdown toward the sub-$50,000 area, or roughly 30% below current levels. However, Michael Saylor’s Strategy could spoil the bears’ plans.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d63eb-d6b1-7ed5-b2ec-5f827c9453e1.png\")
Key takeaways:
Bitcoin has avoided a bear flag breakdown for weeks as Strategy keeps buying BTC.
The setup now resembles Bitcoin’s 2018 bottom, when a bearish pattern failed and triggered a reversal.
Normally, a bear flag remains a bearish continuation pattern because there is not enough demand to overcome the broader downtrend.
In Bitcoin’s case, however, Strategy has been taking supply off the market faster than miners can replace it.
Since March 2, Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings have risen by 46,233 BTC, while miners have produced only about 16,200 BTC over the same period, meaning it has absorbed nearly thrice the new supply.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d63e2-b0cf-76ab-8804-7a1bcdf37a02.png\")
Much of that demand has come through STRC, Strategy’s variable-rate preferred stock. When STRC held near or above its $100 par value, Strategy kept issuing shares and accumulating BTC.
For instance, last week, Strategy raised $102.6 million through STRC sales to help fund a Bitcoin purchase worth over $330 million. BTC’s price has jumped by over 6.65% ever since.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d63df-8e72-702e-98b8-5883643efa48.png\")
During March 9–13, STRC sales raised about $776 million, enough to buy over 11,000 BTC, while Bitcoin rose more than 7% even as the S&P 500 fell 1.6%. The same period saw BTC’s price rising over 10.5%.
But when STRC slipped below par in mid-March, issuance slowed. Earlier below-par episodes had coincided with 25%–40% BTC pullbacks, including a nearly 40% drop over three weeks after a January pause.
Bitcoin’s long-term holders and whales drove much of the selling.
Bitcoin remains inside a bear flag after a sharp decline, but the pattern would begin to fail if price breaks above the upper trendline near the mid-$70,000 area.
That breakout would invalidate the immediate bearish continuation setup and shift focus to the bullish measured-move target near $108,000-$110,000.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d63fd-0d65-7422-bfa1-7674c0e078b3.png\")
A similar pattern failure occurred near Bitcoin’s 2018 bottom, when a rising wedge pattern led to a breakout instead of a breakdown.
Another factor supporting the upside case is Bitcoin’s position near its 200-week simple moving average (200-week SMA, the blue wave). In 2018, Bitcoin bottomed out near this level and rose by over 1,975% afterward.
As of 2026, the 200-week SMA has capped Bitcoin’s downside attempts successfully, raising the odds of a 2018-like bottom formation.
Related: Strategy’s STRC stock trading surge: How much Bitcoin can Saylor buy?
Some analysts anticipate BTC to rise to $400,000 if Strategy continues buying BTC at its current rate.
", "description": "Bitcoin may invalidate its bear flag setup as Strategy buys 46,233 BTC in just over a month, outpacing the 16,200 BTC supply in the same period.", "published": "2026-04-06T21:30:00+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "bitcoin" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-price" }, { "slug": "bitcoin-analysis" }, { "slug": "markets" }, { "slug": "tech-analysis" }, { "slug": "market-analysis" }, { "slug": "microstrategy" }, { "slug": "michael-saylor" } ], "slug": "bitcoin-may-hit-dollar110k-strategy-absorbs-3x-new-btc-supply", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "Price Analysis" } ] }, "id": "259557" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "US appeals court upholds preventing New Jersey enforcement against Kalshi", "leadText": "As states seek to regulate prediction markets, a panel of federal judges ruled in favor of Kalshi’s position that only the CFTC has jurisdiction.", "author": { "slug": "turner-wright" }, "bodyText": "A US appellate court has ruled against New Jersey gaming authorities for bringing an enforcement action against prediction market platform Kalshi over sports event contracts.
In a Monday-issued opinion, a panel of judges in the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled 2-1 in favor of Kalshi’s argument that the company had a ”reasonable chance of success” claiming that the Commodity Exchange Act preempted state law, setting the stage for a potential battle over gaming laws in the US Supreme Court.
\"This is a big win for the industry and millions of users,\" Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour said in a social media post on X.
The appellate court’s opinion affirmed a lower court ruling, in which Kalshi argued that the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) had “exclusive jurisdiction” in regulating sports-related event contracts as swaps that fall under its purview.
“Allowing New Jersey to enforce its gambling laws and state constitution would create an obstacle to executing the Act because such state enforcement would prohibit Kalshi, which operates a licensed [designated contract market] under the exclusive jurisdiction of the CFTC, from offering its sports-related event contracts in New Jersey,” wrote Circuit Judge David J. Porter. “This state regulation is exactly the patchwork that Congress replaced wholecloth by creating the CFTC.”
![\"Law,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d642a-5c89-749d-bd5f-2c63fa798ace.png\")
The circuit court ruling came just days after a Nevada judge extended a ban on Kalshi offering event-based contracts, following several other state authorities cracking down on sports betting on prediction markets. The patchwork of state-level rulings could lead to the US Supreme Court taking up one of the cases, potentially changing its 2018 decision giving states the authority to regulate sports gambling.
Related: Texas Lt. Gov. calls for study of crypto, prediction markets
In her dissent, Circuit Judge Jane Roth said the prediction markets platform’s actions were a “performative sleight meant to obscure the reality that Kalshi’s products are sports gambling,” adding that the company’s event contracts were “virtually indistinguishable” from those on betting websites:
“[T]he question of whether sports-event contracts are swaps is a thorny issue with the potential to radically upend the legal landscape governing the gambling industry, and I am not convinced the Majority’s analysis does this issue justice.”
CFTC Chair Michael Selig, the sole commissioner at the financial agency following the departure of acting chair Caroline Pham in December, has made prediction markets one of the commission’s central issues since taking office. In the last four months, Selig has claimed that the CFTC has “exclusive jurisdiction” in regulating event contracts on prediction markets, opened a proposed rule to public comment and filed an amicus brief supporting its position in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a case involving Nevada’s gaming authorities.
The regulator last week sued Arizona, Connecticut and Illinois to block them from pursuing what it said were unlawful efforts to regulate prediction markets.
“Our definition of commodity and statute is very broad,” Selig said at the Digital Assets and Emerging Tech Policy Summit at Vanderbilt University on Monday. “It includes events on sports, it includes events in politics, it includes corn and grains and all sorts of things. It doesn't really distinguish between if you're offering an event contract on grains, you're regulating that differently than an event contract on sports.”
The CFTC chair added that there were exceptions for event contracts that were “readily susceptible to manipulation.”
Magazine: AI agents will kill the web as we know it: Animoca’s Yat Siu
", "description": "The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled against New Jersey gaming authorities for bringing an enforcement action against prediction market platform Kalshi.", "published": "2026-04-06T21:13:38+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "law" }, { "slug": "new-jersey" }, { "slug": "regulation" }, { "slug": "enforcement" }, { "slug": "kalshi" }, { "slug": "prediction-markets" } ], "slug": "appellate-court-new-jersey-enforcement-kalshi", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259562" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon sees ‘new competitors’ from blockchain, stablecoins", "leadText": "The CEO's annual shareholder letter warned that new tech is reshaping finance, with tokenization and blockchain competitors gaining as the bank scales its own network.", "author": { "slug": "sam-bourgi" }, "bodyText": "JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said “new technologies” are intensifying competition across the financial sector, with blockchain-based players emerging alongside traditional rivals.
In his annual shareholder letter on Monday, Dimon identified artificial intelligence, data and advanced technology as “key to the future,” signaling a shift toward more automated, data-driven financial services.
While blockchain and digital assets were not a central focus, Dimon acknowledged that “a whole new set of competitors is emerging based on blockchain, which includes stablecoins, smart contracts and other forms of tokenization.”
The comments come as JPMorgan continues to focus on its own blockchain initiatives, even as Dimon emphasized that the bank’s long-term success will depend largely on its ability to deploy AI across its operations.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d63ba-dca0-7181-acc0-c38eed539179.png\")
JPMorgan has been expanding its in-house blockchain infrastructure, now known as Kinexys, which enables near-instant fund transfers without relying on traditional intermediaries.
The platform is targeting up to $10 billion in daily transaction volume and recently moved toward that goal by onboarding Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation. Other clients include Qatar National Bank and major institutional players such as Siemens and BlackRock.
Kinexys is also being positioned as a broader tokenization platform, with JPMorgan aiming to expand into markets such as private credit and real estate.
Related: SoFi expands into institutional finance with integrated crypto services
Dimon’s mention of blockchain and stablecoins comes at a contentious moment for the banking industry, as US lawmakers continue to debate digital asset legislation.
The passage of the GENIUS Act last year, which established a regulatory framework for stablecoins, is widely expected to accelerate adoption by providing clearer rules for issuers and institutions.
However, broader market structure legislation remains stalled in Congress. A key point of friction is yield-bearing stablecoins, which banking groups argue could undermine financial stability by allowing issuers to offer interest-like returns without adhering to the same regulatory requirements as banks.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d63ba-df43-7a72-b116-2b11cfa4a7c6.png\")
Tensions have also spilled into the public sphere. Dimon and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong have traded criticisms over the direction of crypto regulation, with Dimon pushing back against claims that banks are attempting to derail legislative efforts.
Industry lobbying groups, including the American Bankers Association, have made opposition to yield-bearing stablecoins a key policy priority this year.
Related: Stablecoin supply reaches $315B in Q1 as USDC rises, USDT declines
", "description": "JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warns of blockchain-based competitors as the bank expands Kinexys and doubles down on AI-driven financial infrastructure.", "published": "2026-04-06T19:48:29+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "banks" }, { "slug": "jamie-dimon" }, { "slug": "stablecoin" }, { "slug": "jpmorgan-chase" }, { "slug": "industry" } ], "slug": "jpmorgan-dimon-blockchain-competitors-kinexys-ai", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259552" }, { "category": { "slug": "sponsored" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Swiss-based DeFi platform arrives in South Korea", "leadText": "South Korea's crypto market welcomes a new entrant as a Swiss DeFi player makes its debut in the Asian country.", "author": { "slug": "ayse-karaman" }, "bodyText": "Disclaimer. This content is part of a paid partnership. The text below is a sponsored article that is not part of Cointelegraph.com editorial content. The material is written by our advertorial team and has undergone editorial review to ensure clarity and relevance, it may not reflect the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.com. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the company. Disclosure.
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d62d7-4f8f-7979-aaae-859d57c7f881.png\")
DeFi infrastructure provider THORWallet is expanding into Asia to provide local users with access to regulated decentralized finance.
Asia is home to a highly dynamic cryptocurrency market. Many countries in the region lead the pack in crypto adoption, while the region itself has recorded the highest growth in onchain activity over a 12-month period with a 69% increase.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d62d8-b3c8-767b-ac44-a81c4ef3df7a.png\")
High adoption is especially evident in South Korea. Around 31% of the population owns crypto, which translates to 16.2 million people. The number surpasses the stock investor count that stands at 14.1 million.
Though crypto is a hit in South Korea, much of the activity is concentrated on centralized exchanges. CEXs are responsible for almost 69% of crypto trading volume, while access to decentralized finance (DeFi) tools remains limited.
THORWallet, a comprehensive DeFi infrastructure, took a strategic step to fill this gap. The project announced its expansion into South Korea.
Based in Switzerland, THORWallet offers a noncustodial crypto wallet that brings traditional banking features to DeFi. Eligible platform users can open a multicurrency Swiss banking account with an IBAN, and access a seamless fiat-to-crypto gateway with support for many major currencies.
Users can acquire a free Mastercard debit card that allows payments with crypto when shopping, with instant conversion to fiat during the purchase. Fiat-to-fiat transfers within the wallet are also available.
\n\n\n30 seconds from USDC to Mastercard. 💳
— THORWallet - Onchain Finance (@Thorwallet) March 16, 2026
Open @THORWallet. Tap card. Top up.
That's it. Card loaded.
Groceries. Coffee. Gas. Whatever you want.
No bank transfer. No CEX. No waiting.
Highest limits in the space - up to $1,000,000.
DeFi yields. Real-world spending. Right now. 🌍 pic.twitter.com/LVWD2b0AuD
As for DeFi, the platform supports native crosschain swaps between prominent cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), XRP and Solana (SOL). Users can also tap into stablecoins through THORWallet’s partnership with Circle, and move USDC across major blockchains.
The company expects this hybrid approach to appeal to users in Asia looking for access to TradFi and DeFi in the same place.
“Many crypto users want access to both DeFi and traditional financial rails without giving up custody of their assets,” said Marcel Harmann, founder of THORWallet. “Combining a noncustodial wallet with banking functionality helps close that gap.”
South Korea serves as a strategic entry point in the project’s broader expansion plan into Asia, where crypto adoption continues to see exponential growth year after year. “We see Korea as an important starting point,” Harmann said. “From there, we plan to expand further across Asia as demand grows for mobile access to decentralized financial infrastructure.”
Since its launch in 2021, THORWallet has processed over $1.5 billion in crosschain swaps through liquidity networks, including THORChain, Maya Protocol and NEAR Intents. With its vast network of integrated blockchains, the wallet enables crosschain swaps without having to rely on wrapped tokens or centralized bridges.
Mobile design and a smooth user experience have been priorities for the project. This approach closely aligns with usage patterns in South Korea, where mobile crypto applications are highly preferred.
“Our goal is to provide a simple gateway that allows users to move from centralized exchanges into global DeFi liquidity,” the project founder said.
THORWallet’s debut in South Korea targets a market where crypto ownership is widespread, but DeFi access remains limited. The platform is entering that environment with a product that combines noncustodial wallet, banking features and crosschain functionality in a mobile-focused format.
For local users, that could mean less reliance on separate services for basic crypto activity. Instead of buying assets on one platform, swapping them on another and cashing out elsewhere, they can manage those steps within a single product. The addition of banking rails, card payments and crosschain access also gives the wallet a practical role beyond storage, extending its use into fiat conversion and spending.
", "description": "South Korea's crypto market welcomes a new entrant as a Swiss DeFi player makes its debut in the Asian country", "published": "2026-04-06T19:00:00+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "blockchain" }, { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "wallet" }, { "slug": "south-korea" }, { "slug": "defi" }, { "slug": "trading" } ], "slug": "swiss-based-defi-platform-arrives-in-south-korea", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "Spotlight" } ] }, "id": "259467" }, { "category": { "slug": "latest-news" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "US Senate Banking panel member confirms April timeline for crypto market structure", "leadText": "Acknowledging there is ”still a lot more work to do” before Congress can advance a market structure bill, Senator Bill Hagerty sees renewed attention starting next week.", "author": { "slug": "turner-wright" }, "bodyText": "US Senate Banking Committee member Bill Hagerty said Monday that he expects a potential path for a digital asset market structure bill in the coming weeks after months of delays in Congress.
Speaking at the Digital Assets and Emerging Tech Policy Summit at Vanderbilt University, he said his fellow Republican lawmakers planned to move the bill through the banking panel starting next week.
“We will be in a position, I hope, to bring all of this together very soon,” said Hagerty, referring to work on the bill in the Senate. “On the banking committee side, I think we’re very close, and my expectation is that we get it into committee in this next work period that starts on Monday of next week, so that over the next several weeks we should have this into the banking committee.”
The Tennessee senator added:
“There’re several issues still outstanding, I think none of them are insurmountable and we will get to a point I believe in April that we’ll have it out of the banking committee. There’s still a lot more work to do.”
![\"Cryptocurrencies,](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6398-d985-754f-baff-c587f36300d6.png\")
Originally titled the CLARITY Act when it passed the House of Representatives in July, the bill is considered by many lawmakers and industry leaders to be one of the most significant pieces of crypto legislation, but it has faced delays in Congress amid government shutdowns, industry pushback on stablecoin yield and ethics concerns.
It is expected to provide a comprehensive framework for cryptocurrencies in the US, including largely changing oversight of the market from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Because both agencies are involved, the legislation will need approval from the committee responsible for commodities — Senate Agriculture — and that for securities, the banking committee. The agriculture committee advanced its version of the crypto bill in a January markup, but concerns over tokenized equities, ethics, and stablecoin yield have delayed consideration in the banking committee, which needs to hold a markup before a potential floor vote in the Senate.
Related: CFTC chair says agency is ready to oversee entire crypto market
“We’re going into the midterms,” said Hagerty. “I think if we get this done in April, we can clearly get this taken care of before the midterms.”
Hagerty’s comments echoed those of Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal, who said last week that lawmakers were “close to a deal” on stablecoin yield and other issues in the market structure bill.
According to the Coinbase-backed advocacy group Stand With Crypto, the way lawmakers vote on the legislation could impact their chances for the 2026 midterms, setting the stage for crypto interest groups to potentially influence another major US election.
The crypto-backed political action committee (PAC) Fairshake, which reported spending more than $130 million on media buys in the 2024 elections, said in January that it had a $193-million war chest ahead of the November 2026 midterms.
The group is not alone in its support for crypto on the national stage. The Fellowship PAC, which claimed to have raised “over $100 million” from undisclosed backers aligned with the crypto industry, announced the appointment of Tether executive Jesse Spiro as chair on Wednesday.
Magazine: Clarity Act risks repeat of Europe’s mistakes, crypto lawyer warns
", "description": "Bill Hagerty spoke at the Digital Assets and Emerging Tech Policy Summit on Monday, laying out his hopes for how the Senate would pass market structure before the 2026 midterms.", "published": "2026-04-06T18:25:54+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "cryptocurrencies" }, { "slug": "law" }, { "slug": "politics" }, { "slug": "congress" }, { "slug": "regulation" } ], "slug": "us-senator-bill-hagerty-timeline-market-structure", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259537" }, { "category": { "slug": "market-analysis" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Can Trump’s ultimatum to Iran push Bitcoin price back up to $75K?", "leadText": "While an Iran ceasefire favors stocks, Bitcoin’s path to $75,000 remains contingent on market trust despite Trump’s volatile diplomacy.", "author": { "slug": "marcel-pechman" }, "bodyText": "Key takeaways:
Trump’s Tuesday deadline to Iran creates a pivotal moment for Bitcoin as it continues to decouple from gold.
While a ceasefire could boost equities, Bitcoin’s $75,000 path depends on its role as a hedge against fiscal instability.
There is a high probability that US President Donald Trump’s Tuesday deadline to Iran could be the catalyst needed for a Bitcoin (BTC) rally above $75,000.
Should a deal fail to materialize, Bitcoin’s risk perception could strengthen due to its unique decentralized properties. Conversely, a positive outcome in negotiations would likely propel risk assets, including Bitcoin.
Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran on Sunday, warning the nation would be “living in Hell” if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by Tuesday at 8:00 pm ET. However, CNBC reports that Trump has been “vacillating” between productive dialogue and the intensification of military action.
Senior Iranian officials reportedly stated the strait will remain blocked until Iran receives compensation for war damages.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6354-a3e6-7ff4-af49-0e31886ac992.png\")
These mixed signals failed to convince market participants on Monday, as US stock markets traded mostly flat. In contrast, Bitcoin jumped above $69,000 for the first time in over 10 days — a trend made more notable by gold prices holding near $4,650, down 17% from a $5,600 all-time high.
Traders are increasingly concerned that central banks will be forced to liquidate their gold reserves. The Turkish Central Bank reported sales of 50 tonnes of gold for the week ending March 20, the sharpest decline in over seven years.
According to Reuters, Turkey has also sold $26 billion in foreign currencies to stabilize markets since the US and Israel-Iran war broke out in late February. Similarly, Russian gold reserves measured in tons have dropped to their lowest levels in four years.
A ceasefire in Iran, even if temporary, would almost certainly bolster risk markets, though the implications for Bitcoin are less certain.
Traditional corporations remain heavily dependent on energy costs and global logistics. Therefore, any reduction in geopolitical risk is immediately reflected in equity prices.
However, a deal between the US and Iran would likely have a less direct impact on Bitcoin, as a resolution would likely strengthen the demand for US Treasuries.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6354-aa69-747c-961a-a9dc747e8df8.png\")
Yields on the US five-year Treasury note surged to 4% from 3.55% in late February, signaling that investors are demanding higher returns to hold those bonds. While part of this selling pressure stems from fears of sticky inflation driven by high oil prices, there is also the added burden on the US fiscal debt due to increased spending on military operations.
An eventual ceasefire and renewed confidence in the US Treasury reduces the necessity for alternative hedges and independent financial systems such as Bitcoin.
However, even if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, Mohit Mirpuri, an equity fund manager at SGMC Capital, warned that “the damage to confidence and supply chains is already done — things don’t just snap back to normal.”
Related: Iran war bets turn prediction markets into real-time macro radar—Sygnum
Predicting that the Bitcoin price will rally 8% by Tuesday based solely on a potential resolution to the US and Israel-Iran war seems far-fetched. Investors are gradually adjusting to Trump’s characteristic back-and-forth, especially when negotiations involve unreliable third parties.
Traders are unlikely to provide the benefit of the doubt in this instance, so sustainable bullish momentum for risk markets may take longer to materialize. Nevertheless, the case for a $75,000 Bitcoin rally remains possible in the event of a positive outcome by Tuesday.
Figure Technology Solutions, a blockchain-based lending platform that went public last year, may be undervalued at current levels as loan originations accelerate and its tokenized credit marketplace scales, according to Bernstein analysts.
In a report published Monday, Bernstein assigned Figure an “Outperform” rating and a $67 price target — nearly double the stock’s recent trading level of around $32.
The bullish call follows a surge in lending activity. Figure originated $1.2 billion in loans in March, up 33% from the previous month and marking the first time monthly volumes exceeded $1 billion.
The company primarily originates home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), which allow homeowners to borrow against their equity in the property, typically at lower interest rates than unsecured loans.
It uses the Provence blockchain to reduce friction in the loan process which it claims makes it more efficient than traditional lenders. According to Provenance, Figure is able to shave 117 basis points per loan by transacting on the blockchain.
First-quarter originations reached $2.9 billion, more than doubling from a year earlier and defying the usual seasonal slowdown in HELOC demand. The figure is now tracking roughly $12 billion in annualized loan volume.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6361-6a7b-79b7-b173-64d533edc5ef.png\")
Figure’s strong start to the year follows a largely positive fourth quarter, where earnings and revenue increased, though profits fell short of expectations.
Related: CoinShares stock makes US debut on Nasdaq following SPAC merger
Despite improving operating performance, Figure shares have fallen more than 20% this year, reflecting broader volatility across digital asset–linked stocks and sector-specific pressures.
The stock has also struggled to regain momentum following its high-profile Nasdaq market debut last September. That closely watched initial public offering valued the company at nearly $800 million.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6361-6e29-74d9-94e0-08320a2675af.png\")
Still, Bernstein’s analysis valued the company at roughly 25 times its projected 2027 EBITDA — meaning the stock trades at a multiple of its expected earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
This valuation sits above existing digital asset companies, reflecting what analysts describe as Figure’s “structural prospects” as both a tokenization platform and a profitable lending business.
However, risks remain. According to Bernstein, HELOC demand can be sensitive to mortgage refinancing trends, while the broader private credit market — a key pillar of Figure’s growth strategy — has shown signs of increasing pressure.
Related: Crypto Biz: Bitcoin treasuries break ranks as BTC dips below $70K
", "description": "Record loan originations and a scaling tokenized credit platform are strengthening Figure’s growth outlook, even as shares lag broader digital asset markets, according to Bernstein.", "published": "2026-04-06T17:23:33+01:00" }, "tags": [ { "slug": "investments" }, { "slug": "stocks" }, { "slug": "tokenization" } ], "slug": "figure-stock-bernstein-loan-growth-tokenization-outlook", "postBadge": { "postBadgeTranslates": [ { "title": "News" } ] }, "id": "259517" }, { "category": { "slug": "markets" }, "postTranslate": { "title": "Bitcoin profit-taking keeps BTC below $70K as Trump doubles down on Iran", "leadText": "Bitcoin found familiar resistance as it crossed the $70,000 mark to hit new April highs, with analysis blaming \"profit-taking pressure.\"", "author": { "slug": "william-suberg" }, "bodyText": "Bitcoin (BTC) coiled below $70,000 at Monday’s Wall Street open as analysis blamed profit-taking for price inertia.
Key points:
Bitcoin and stocks wobble as the US trading session begins amid nerves over the US-Iran war outcome.
Profit-taking activity is keeping BTC price action away from a $70,000 reclaim, says research.
A trader says $71,000 will act as fuel for a surge $10,000 higher.
Data from TradingView showed BTC price action consolidating after hitting new April highs of $70,275 on Bitstamp.
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d637d-bce7-7079-af67-8eae18e7511b.png\")
Market nerves over the US-Iran war resulted in uncertain trading, with US stocks treading water at the open.
Speaking to the media at a military event, US President Donald Trump reiterated earlier comments that Iran would “have no bridges” and “no power plants” unless a deal was reached.
“I won’t go further because there are other things that are worse than those two,” he told reporters.
Trump previously stated that the deadline for a deal was 8 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday.
With price pinned below the $70,000 mark, onchain analytics platform Glassnode pointed to internal market forces as the reason for the lack of continuation higher.
“As price probed the $70K region, Realized Profit/hour spiked above $20M, signalling a local exhaustion,” it noted in a post on X.
“A pattern consistent since February 2026: Every approach to the $70k–$80K band meets thin liquidity and profit-taking pressure, capping the bounce.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d637a-4bbd-7398-86b9-83d59fa0fa47.jpeg\")
Pseudonymous trader LP added that Mondays and Thursdays had seen the upper and lower end of the week’s trading range throughout 2026.
“Price pushed higher into Monday, increasing the probability of this pivot forming a weekly high. If the correlation continues to play out, this would suggest Thursday forms the low of the week,” they told X followers.
“Watch price action closely today and tomorrow, it will confirm whether this intra-week pivot resolved as a high or a low.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6379-8555-788b-a4e1-78c1b3084c72.png\")
Continuing, crypto trader Michaël Van de Poppe said the line in sand for bears lay slightly higher than Monday’s current peak.
Related: First real bull signal since 2025? Five things to know in Bitcoin this week
“Pretty strong momentum on the markets of Bitcoin,” he wrote on X about the initial move to $70,000.
“Volatility picking up, and I think it's fireworks during this week as we might be getting to the end stage of the entire situation in the Strait of Hormuz. If Bitcoin breaks $71K, then markets are in for a test at $80K.”
![](\"https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2026-04/019d6378-76cc-7c9d-a8cc-c5eeb3ed0cac.png\")
Van de Poppe further cautioned on following blanket market consensus over new lows coming next.
“Given that all the markets are so oversold at this point, all on-chain indicators are looking overextended and are at similar levels to the bottom areas in 2018, 2020 and 2022, I wouldn't be surprised that we're getting a relief run that's going to turn the sentiment quickly,” he concluded.
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