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Cardano has announced an integration with LayerZero to significantly expand cross-chain interoperability and potentially grow its DeFi ecosystem over the next 12–18 months.
Through LayerZero’s messaging infrastructure and OFT (Omnichain Fungible Token) standard, Cardano could gain technical access to over 160 blockchains and a pool of 400+ omnichain tokens representing more than $80 billion in market value. The approach avoids changing Cardano’s UTXO-based architecture and instead enables interoperability via cross-chain endpoints and messaging.
The move aims to reduce long-standing friction that limited Cardano’s access to cross-chain liquidity. Developers would be able to build omnichain apps from Cardano, while users could more easily move stablecoins and other assets across networks.
However, liquidity is not automatic. Real impact will depend on whether token issuers deploy on Cardano, stablecoin balances grow, and DeFi usage rises beyond its currently modest TVL and trading volumes. Interoperability creates the pathway — adoption must follow.

Coinbase reported a net loss of $667 million in Q4 2025 as weaker crypto market conditions reduced trading activity and revenue. Quarterly revenue fell 5% to $1.8 billion, with transaction revenue down 6% and subscription and services revenue down 3%. The loss was mainly driven by investment-related write-downs in its crypto asset and strategic investment portfolio.
Retail trading revenue dropped sharply, while institutional spot volumes declined, though derivatives trading helped lift institutional transaction revenue. Stablecoin revenue remained a bright spot, rising 3% as USDC balances on the platform reached new highs.
After the earnings release, Coinbase shares briefly fell to a two-year low in after-hours trading before rebounding amid volatility. Despite market pressure and recent insider share sales by the CEO, the company continues expanding into stocks, ETFs, derivatives, payments, and stablecoin infrastructure under its “Everything Exchange” strategy, and has already generated about $420 million in transaction revenue early in the current quarter, while warning that volatility remains high.

JPMorgan says Bitcoin’s estimated production cost — often viewed as a soft price floor — has fallen to about $77,000 from $90,000 at the start of the year due to declines in network hashrate and mining difficulty. The drop was driven by unprofitable high-cost miners shutting down and severe winter storms in parts of the U.S. that disrupted mining operations.
Analysts expect this trend to reverse as hashrate is already rebounding, which could push mining difficulty and production costs higher at the next adjustment. They note that recent difficulty declines resemble past miner capitulation phases, where higher-cost miners exit and sell holdings to cover expenses, but believe this washout is now stabilizing.
Looking ahead, JPMorgan remains positive on crypto markets in 2026, forecasting stronger institutional inflows supported by clearer regulation. The bank also reiterates a long-term Bitcoin price target of $266,000 based on volatility-adjusted comparisons with gold once market sentiment improves.

Crypto-backed PACs launch major midterm primary spending push
Crypto-aligned political groups have begun deploying significant funds in competitive US midterm primary races, aiming to shape House membership around digital asset policy.
Super PAC Protect Progress, affiliated with crypto political group Fairshake, said it will spend $1.5 million to oppose Rep. Al Green in an upcoming Democratic primary in Texas. The effort will fund advertising and voter outreach, citing his repeated votes against crypto market structure and stablecoin legislation and his support for SEC accounting guidance SAB 121 on digital asset custody.
Green, a longtime member of the House Financial Services Committee, has been openly skeptical of crypto’s economic and regulatory impact. He is facing Democratic challenger Christian Menefee, who has received favorable ratings from crypto advocacy groups.
Fairshake and affiliated committees previously reported about $193 million in cash on hand, with major backing from firms including Coinbase, Ripple, and Andreessen Horowitz, signaling an aggressive industry strategy ahead of the 2026 midterms.

DraftKings to scale Predictions platform across US states
DraftKings plans to expand its event-based wagering product DraftKings Predictions over the next year after launching it last December in 38 states, including California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas, where traditional sports betting is not legal.
CEO Jason Robins said the company sees a large incremental opportunity in the Predictions segment and will deploy growth capital to improve customer experience and attract millions of users, according to the latest quarterly report.
The standalone predictions app operates under oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and allows users to wager on real-world event outcomes, mainly sports-related. The rollout was supported through a partnership with Crypto.com.
DraftKings issued 2026 revenue guidance of $6.5–$6.9 billion, partly reflecting increased investment in Predictions, which contributed to a roughly 15% after-hours drop in its share price. Prediction markets have grown quickly since the 2024 US election cycle, led by platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket.

Aave Labs has proposed sending 100% of revenue from Aave-branded products to the treasury of Aave DAO under a new “Aave Will Win Framework,” aiming to resolve governance tensions and better align the protocol with token holder interests.
The plan would route all swap fees, frontend income, and future product revenues (such as Aave Card and a potential ETF) to the DAO, and create a new foundation to hold trademarks and intellectual property. It also centers on launching Aave v4, which is expected to unlock new revenue streams and expand the protocol through a modular hub-and-spoke model, while gradually winding down v3.
In exchange, Aave Labs is requesting a large funding package from the DAO — including stablecoins, AAVE tokens, and targeted grants — to cover operations, product development, and marketing. The proposal has drawn criticism from influential DAO member Marc Zeller, who argues the ask is excessive and risks undermining governance norms. CEO Stani Kulechov has opened discussions with the community as debate over control, funding, and long-term structure continues.

Connecticut man charged with 21 counts in alleged crypto fraud scheme
Elmin Redzepagic has been charged in a 21-count indictment tied to an alleged crypto fraud scheme, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prosecutors say he posed as a cryptocurrency investor delivering high returns, but instead directed investor funds to offshore gambling platform Stake.com, losing nearly $1 million between May 2021 and March 2025.
The charges include three counts of making false statements to IRS Criminal Investigation agents, seven counts of wire fraud, and 11 counts of international money laundering. Authorities allege he also fabricated additional “gas fees” to extract more money from victims.
Redzepagic pleaded not guilty and was released on a $500,000 bond.

US crypto market structure bill stalled over stablecoin yield and Trump ethics concerns
Crypto industry sources say US digital asset market structure legislation is currently stuck on two key issues: how to regulate stablecoin yield products and how to address conflict-of-interest concerns tied to President Donald Trump’s crypto activities.
Ron Hammond of Wintermute estimates the odds of sweeping crypto legislation passing in 2026 at around 25%, while other industry participants put the probability between 50% and 60%. Disagreements between banks and crypto firms over whether stablecoins should be allowed to offer rewards or yield remain the main sticking point, with banks warning of deposit outflows.
Banking and crypto representatives have recently held meetings at the White House, but negotiations remain tense. Anchorage Digital policy head Kevin Wysocki said a compromise is likely, noting banks may ultimately need a market structure bill as much as crypto firms.
Ethics questions linked to Donald Trump’s crypto ventures are adding further friction. An upcoming hearing by the Senate Banking Committee with SEC Chair Paul Atkins is expected to signal how Democrats will approach the issue.
The bill’s path forward remains uncertain after Coinbase previously withdrew support for a draft version, while the Blockchain Association said it continues working with lawmakers from both parties to advance a framework.

Hyperlane launches bridge to move WBTC between Ethereum and Solana
Hyperlane said its Nexus Bridge will enable users to transfer Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) between Ethereum and Solana, creating a canonical route for the tokenized Bitcoin asset to enter the Solana ecosystem.
WBTC is the first ERC-20 token backed 1:1 by Bitcoin and remains the largest tokenized BTC product, with a market cap around $8 billion. The asset is backed by Bitcoin reserves held in custody by BitGo and BiT Global.
WBTC drew scrutiny in 2024 after BitGo adopted a multi-jurisdictional, multi-institutional custody model with BiT Global, a firm linked to Justin Sun, prompting some projects to distance themselves from the token. Hyperlane said the new bridge is designed to provide secure, permissionless cross-chain access to Bitcoin-backed liquidity.

Standard Chartered cuts crypto price targets, warns of more downside ahead
Standard Chartered expects crypto prices to decline further in the coming months before recovering later this year, and has lowered its price targets for multiple major digital assets.
According to digital assets research head Geoffrey Kendrick, the market may see a final capitulation phase, with Bitcoin potentially falling toward $50,000 and Ether toward $1,400 before rebounding. The bank reduced its year-end targets to $100,000 for Bitcoin and $4,000 for Ether, down from prior forecasts.
The bank also cut end-2026 targets for Solana, XRP, BNB, and Avalanche, citing the need to realign altcoin projections with expected moves in Bitcoin and Ether.
Standard Chartered pointed to weakening ETF demand and macro uncertainty as key pressures, noting investors are less likely to buy dips while many ETF holders sit on unrealized losses. Kendrick added that limited policy support is expected until a potential leadership transition at the Federal Reserve involving Kevin Warsh.
Despite the bearish near-term outlook, the bank said the longer-term recovery trend for digital assets remains intact.

Coincheck returns to profit in Q3, CEO to step down March 31
Coincheck reported Q3 revenue of $915 million, up 17% year over year, and posted net income of $2.6 million, reversing a $98.5 million net loss in the same period last year.
Adjusted EBITDA fell 38% to $9.1 million as marketplace trading volume dropped 25% to $559 million. Customer assets stood at $6 billion, down 17% from a year earlier and 20% from the prior quarter, mainly due to price declines in Bitcoin, Ether, and XRP. Revenue was partly boosted by Aplo, a Paris-based institutional prime brokerage acquired last October, which contributed $83 million.
CEO Gary Simanson will resign effective March 31. He will be succeeded by Pascal St-Jean, CEO of 3iQ Corp., starting April 1.
The company also moved to increase its ownership in 3iQ through a stock purchase agreement with majority shareholder Monex Group, valuing 3iQ at about $111.8 million, with deal completion expected in Q2 2026 pending approvals.

Lighter partners with Circle to share revenue from $920M in USDC deposits
Lighter (LIT) has partnered with Circle to share revenue generated from roughly $920 million in USDC deposited on its platform, according to Velo.
Lighter is a zero-fee perpetual trading protocol, reporting about $112 billion in monthly perpetual trading volume and $922 million in total value locked. The project previously raised $68 million in funding backed by Ribbit Capital, Founders Fund, Robinhood, and Haun Ventures.
$LIT is currently trading at $1.47, with a fully diluted valuation of about $1.47 billion.

A Bitcoin wallet referenced in ransom notes tied to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has recorded new on-chain activity, adding another twist to the high-profile case. According to TMZ, a small transaction worth less than a few hundred dollars was sent this week to the address mentioned in earlier extortion letters.
Guthrie, 84, is the mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie and has been missing from her Tucson, Arizona home since January 31. Since her disappearance, multiple ransom notes have been sent to media outlets demanding payment in Bitcoin in exchange for information about her whereabouts.
On Wednesday, a third letter reportedly surfaced, escalating the demand to 1 BTC—currently valued at around $67,500—promising to reveal the identities of those responsible. Authorities have not confirmed who initiated the recent wallet transaction or whether it is directly connected to the alleged kidnappers. It remains unclear if the transfer was a test payment or unrelated activity.
Meanwhile, law enforcement released surveillance footage showing a masked individual tampering with a Google Nest camera at Guthrie’s front door on the morning she vanished. FBI Director Kash Patel said newly recovered images show an armed person appearing to interfere with the device.
Investigators say the Bitcoin address could provide a valuable lead, as blockchain transactions can be traced in real time. However, experts caution that crypto tracing alone is not enough and must be combined with traditional investigative methods, particularly if the suspect attempts to cash out funds through a regulated exchange.
While no arrests have been directly tied to Guthrie’s disappearance, one man was briefly detained and released for questioning, and another individual has been charged separately for sending Bitcoin extortion texts to the family. The investigation remains ongoing, and Savannah Guthrie has publicly stated that she and her siblings are willing to pay a ransom for their mother’s safe return.

Bank of America expects the Bank of Japan to raise its policy rate from 0.75% to 1.0% at the April 27–28 meeting, with markets already pricing in roughly 80% odds. While a 25-basis-point hike seems modest, investors are focused on whether it could trigger a global yen carry trade unwind and forced deleveraging across risk assets, including Bitcoin.
History shows this risk is real. In August 2024, a sharp yen rally tied to carry trade unwinding sent Bitcoin and Ethereum down as much as 20% within hours, as margin calls and volatility-driven selling cascaded across markets. The BIS later described the episode as a case of forced deleveraging amplified by leverage in crypto derivatives.
However, today’s backdrop differs from 1995. The Federal Reserve still maintains rates far above Japan’s, preserving the structural appeal of borrowing yen to invest in higher-yielding assets. A move to 1% would not eliminate that gap, but it could shift expectations about the future rate path — and expectations drive currency volatility.
The key risk is not the hike itself, but a hawkish surprise combined with crowded positioning and thin liquidity. A sharp yen rally could trigger volatility-control selling, widen cross-currency basis spreads, and pressure leveraged positions, with Bitcoin likely behaving as a high-beta risk asset.
Another channel to watch is Japanese repatriation of U.S. Treasuries. As yield differentials narrow, Japanese institutions may gradually shift funds back home, potentially pushing U.S. yields higher and tightening global financial conditions — indirectly weighing on Bitcoin.
Three scenarios stand out:
A well-telegraphed, gradual hike: limited market impact, muted Bitcoin reaction.
A hawkish surprise: sharp yen rally, deleveraging, and a possible 10–20% Bitcoin drop.
No hike: weaker yen, carry trades rebuild, and Bitcoin benefits alongside other risk assets.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says he is confident that a crypto company will eventually reach a $1 trillion valuation—and believes Ripple has a real opportunity to become that company. Speaking during XRP Community Day on X, he argued that while only a small group of global giants like Apple, Nvidia, and Alphabet have crossed the trillion-dollar threshold, the scale of the crypto market makes such a milestone inevitable.
Ripple is currently valued at around $40 billion following a $500 million fundraising round backed by major financial institutions. To reach $1 trillion, the company would need to grow roughly 25 times from its current valuation. Garlinghouse acknowledged that the road ahead is long, especially amid recent market volatility that has seen XRP and Bitcoin post sharp monthly declines, but he urged the community to focus on long-term structural growth rather than short-term price swings.
Over the past year, Ripple expanded aggressively through major acquisitions, including $1.25 billion for prime brokerage Hidden Road and $1 billion for treasury management firm GTreasury, alongside additional investments in stablecoin and wallet infrastructure firms. However, Garlinghouse said the company’s priority this year is integration rather than pursuing more large-scale deals, with potential renewed acquisition interest later on.
Central to Ripple’s long-term strategy is XRP, which Garlinghouse described as the company’s “north star.” He emphasized that Ripple’s core mission is to drive adoption and success across the XRP ecosystem, building products and services that generate revenue while strengthening the broader network.

Barry Silbert, CEO of Digital Currency Group, said financial privacy is becoming his firm’s next major asymmetric bet in crypto. While he remains strongly bullish on Bitcoin as a core portfolio asset, he argued that Bitcoin is unlikely to deliver 500x returns unless the U.S. dollar collapses.
Instead, Silbert sees significantly higher upside potential in privacy-focused and emerging networks such as Zcash (ZEC) and Bittensor (TAO), which he believes could achieve 500x growth. He suggested that 5%–10% of Bitcoin’s capital could rotate into privacy-centric cryptocurrencies over the next few years.
Silbert acknowledged that Bitcoin’s early narrative as “anonymous cash” no longer holds in the era of blockchain analytics firms. He is skeptical Bitcoin will meaningfully improve its privacy features, despite clear demand for private digital money.
Grayscale, DCG’s subsidiary, already offers a Zcash investment trust and is seeking to convert it into an ETF. Silbert also described Zcash as a potential hedge against long-term risks such as quantum computing.
“Privacy is my jam right now,” he said, signaling a strategic shift toward financial privacy as a major investment theme.

House Democrats accuse SEC Chair Paul Atkins of undermining trust in crypto oversight
House Democrats sharply criticized SEC Chair Paul Atkins during a Wednesday hearing, accusing him of ignoring crypto misconduct tied to President Donald Trump and damaging confidence in both the regulator and the digital asset industry.
Speaking before the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) said the SEC’s recent actions have eroded public trust. He pointed to the agency’s dismissal of several high-profile crypto lawsuits, including its case against Binance, which has reportedly played a key role in supporting the growth of the Trump family’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial.
The SEC previously dropped its lawsuit against Binance, and President Donald Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao in October. Zhao had pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws and served four months in prison.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) also criticized the SEC’s decision to indefinitely pause its lawsuit against Tron founder Justin Sun. The case had accused Sun of offering unregistered securities and manipulating the price of TRX through extensive wash trading. The pause came months after Sun purchased $75 million worth of the Trump family’s WLFI token.
Sun was also among the largest holders of Trump’s meme coin, which granted him access to a private dinner with the president last spring. More recently, a woman identifying herself as Sun’s former girlfriend claimed she possesses evidence of insider trading and market manipulation involving Sun, allegations she said were reported to the SEC. Sun has denied the claims.
When pressed during the hearing on whether the SEC would reopen the case or investigate the new allegations, Atkins declined to comment on specific enforcement matters.

Susquehanna-backed BlockFills suspends withdrawals amid crypto sell-off
Crypto trading and lending firm BlockFills has temporarily halted client deposits and withdrawals as market volatility intensifies.
A company spokesperson confirmed the suspension took place last week, describing the move as a precautionary step taken “in light of recent market and financial conditions” to protect both clients and the firm. Management is working with investors and customers to restore liquidity to the platform, and has held information sessions to address client questions.
Despite the freeze on deposits and withdrawals, users are still able to open and close spot and derivatives positions. The firm said it continues to accommodate certain special circumstances while it works toward a resolution.
Withdrawal suspensions have historically raised alarm in the crypto industry. Following the collapse of FTX in 2022, lenders such as Genesis and BlockFi paused withdrawals amid severe liquidity crunches.
BlockFills’ move comes during a sharp market downturn. Bitcoin has fallen nearly 28% over the past 30 days to $66,288—down more than 47% from its October all-time high of $126,080. Ethereum and XRP have dropped roughly 39% and 35%, respectively, over the same period.
BlockFills says it serves more than 2,000 institutional clients worldwide and facilitated over $61 billion in trading volume in 2025. The firm raised a multi-million dollar equity round in 2022 backed by Susquehanna Private Equity Investments and other investors.

Paxful sentenced to $4 million over money laundering and sex trafficking-linked transactions
Peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange Paxful has been ordered by a U.S. federal court to pay $4 million in criminal fines after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including facilitating money laundering, fraud, prostitution, and sex trafficking-related transactions.
In a plea agreement reached in December with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Treasury Department, Paxful admitted it knowingly transferred funds tied to money laundering schemes, fraud, prostitution, and commercial sex trafficking.
According to the DOJ, Paxful facilitated approximately $3 billion in trades between 2017 and 2019, generating nearly $30 million in revenue during that period.
Authorities said Paxful processed Bitcoin transactions on behalf of clients including Backpage, a website known for prostitution advertisements that profited from illegal sex work involving minors. The DOJ stated that Paxful’s founders at one point touted the “Backpage Effect” and its positive impact on the company’s business.
“By putting profit over compliance, the company enabled money laundering and other crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “This sentence sends a clear message: Companies that turn a blind eye to criminal activity on their platforms will face serious consequences under U.S. law.”
As part of the plea deal, Paxful acknowledged that an appropriate criminal penalty would exceed $112 million. However, the DOJ determined the company was unable to pay more than $4 million, and a federal judge approved the reduced fine during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing.
In addition to the criminal penalty, Paxful agreed to pay a $3.5 million civil fine to the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
Paxful shut down operations in 2023. In 2024, its co-founder Artur Schaback of Estonia pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws.

FCA launches legal action against HTX over illegal crypto promotions in the UK
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has begun legal proceedings against HTX, accusing the exchange of illegally promoting crypto asset services to UK consumers in breach of marketing rules introduced in October 2023.
The regulator said it had previously warned HTX about its advertising practices. While the exchange has blocked new UK users from registering, existing customers can still access content deemed unlawful, raising concerns about ongoing violations.
HTX’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts are now inaccessible in the UK, though its X and YouTube channels remain available. The company has not commented.
The move comes as the FCA ramps up crypto oversight, with a full regulatory regime expected in 2027 as the UK seeks to align crypto rules more closely with traditional finance.