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The Trump family’s crypto ventures are drawing fresh scrutiny as lawmakers push to add ethics language to the Clarity Act, a bill that would place limits on how executive-branch officials use digital assets. Several Democrats — and Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina — want a provision inserted that would restrict executive use of cryptocurrencies, citing potential conflicts of interest. “There is no final bill — there is no final movement — unless there is a bipartisan agreement when it comes to the ethics provision,” Sen. Ruben Gallego said, underlining the leverage ethics language has in negotiations. Tillis put it bluntly: “There has to be ethics language in the bill before it leaves the Senate, or I’ll go from one of the people working on negotiating it to voting against it.” The push comes as the Trump family’s crypto activity has reportedly generated more than $1 billion in personal wealth, raising questions about whether those holdings could collide with any future administration’s policy decisions. Beyond the legislative standoff, legal drama is unfolding: TRON (TRX) founder Justin Sun has sued the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial, alleging the company froze his WLFI tokens, stripped his governance voting rights, and that those tokens were worth nearly $1 billion. President Trump has campaigned on pro-crypto policies and has supported a friendly regulatory environment for digital assets. But as lawmakers weigh the Clarity Act’s final language, the First Family’s high-profile crypto holdings — and the legal dispute with Sun — are complicating efforts to secure bipartisan agreement. For crypto markets and policy watchers, the episode highlights a central tension: regulators and lawmakers want clear rules to avoid conflicts of interest, while prominent private holdings by political figures could force stricter boundaries on how public officials interact with digital assets. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Leading crypto analyst Michael van de Poppe is eyeing further gains for Bitcoin next month, projecting targets in the low- to mid‑$80,000s after a bounce in April. What he’s saying - Van de Poppe shared technical analysis on his TradingView channel indicating Bitcoin is “gaining upside momentum” and “still holding crucial levels.” On that basis he has outlined short‑term upside targets ranging from roughly $80,600 up to $85,000–$88,000 for May 2026. - The $85–88K band implies about an 11%–15% move from current levels; a $1,000 stake would be worth roughly $1,100–$1,150 if those levels are reached. Market action and recent volatility - Bitcoin is trading around $76,900 on Tuesday after a brief flash crash on Monday that saw prices tumble from about $79,000 to $76,000 in an hour. The cryptocurrency’s total market capitalization stands near $1.5 trillion. - Poppe’s chart suggests that despite the volatility, upside momentum remains intact — but he also expects consolidation after the projected run-up. Macro and geopolitical backdrop - Bitcoin’s 2026 performance has been dented by turmoil in the Middle East. The asset hasn’t climbed above $80,000 for four months after sliding from a mid‑January peak near $97,000. Over the past year BTC is down roughly 18%. - Geopolitical risk is front‑and‑center: market participants worry the Iran‑Israel conflict could flare again. The Strait of Hormuz reportedly remains closed despite a declared ceasefire; Iran has said it would reopen the waterway only under certain conditions. U.S. political dynamics complicate negotiations—President Donald Trump is seen as unlikely to accept those conditions, and Senator Marco Rubio told Fox News, “We can’t let them get away with it.” If talks fail, analysts warn, Bitcoin and broader markets could face renewed downside pressure. What this means for traders - Van de Poppe’s targets give bulls a clear near‑term roadmap, but the path is volatile: flash crashes, geopolitics, and macro sentiment can derail rallies quickly. Traders should weigh upside scenarios against the risk of a deeper pullback if geopolitical tensions intensify. Bottom line Michael van de Poppe’s technical work points to further upside for BTC into May, with targets clustered between roughly $80.6K and $88K. That outlook is conditional, however, and heavily influenced by ongoing geopolitical risks that could prompt fresh selling pressure if they worsen. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Ripple’s token mechanics are public — but a new breakdown from crypto commentator Crypto Tony on X has renewed scrutiny of how those mechanics affect XRP holders. What Crypto Tony is arguing - Crypto Tony lays out a theory that Ripple’s monthly “escrow unlocks” effectively dilute every XRP holder over time. He points to the company’s regular releases and the way some of that supply has entered the market via partners as the core of the argument. How the supply system works (brief refresher) - When XRP launched in 2012, the entire supply — 100 billion tokens — was minted at once. Founders took 20 billion; 80 billion went to Ripple. - In late 2017 Ripple placed 55 billion XRP into escrow on the XRP Ledger. Those escrows are programmed to release up to 1 billion XRP per month on a fixed schedule, a mechanism intended to prevent a sudden market flood. - Each month Ripple typically re-locks 60–80% of the released tokens and keeps the remainder — roughly 200–300 million XRP — which the company has used to fund operations. Why critics call it dilution - Crypto Tony argues that the monthly net release that Ripple retains constitutes a recurring dilution of all other holders. He highlights two channels through which large amounts of XRP have made it into the market: - Commercial partnerships: Crypto Tony cites the MoneyGram example. Ripple paid MoneyGram over $61 million in market development fees related to XRP. MoneyGram has said it sold XRP immediately upon receipt. The SEC’s complaint against Ripple described MoneyGram as a conduit for what it called unregistered XRP sales. - Former insiders: Co-founder Jed McCaleb left Ripple with 9 billion XRP and sold significant portions over years — reportedly netting about $3.2 billion — which also increased circulating supply historically. What Ripple has said - Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has publicly acknowledged that XRP sales have played a role in financing the company, which aligns with the mechanism described above. Market impact and current status - Crypto Tony links this recurring supply pressure to XRP’s recent performance, saying it’s a major reason for XRP’s six-month decline (as of his post). - On-chain data shows Ripple still has a substantial stash in escrow. XRPScan lists roughly 33.355 billion XRP remaining in escrow wallets. Bottom line - The mechanics behind XRP’s issuance and Ripple’s use of unlocked tokens are transparent on-chain, but how those mechanics interact with commercial arrangements and market flows remains a flashpoint. Crypto Tony frames the monthly escrow process and downstream sales as an intentional dilution strategy; Ripple points to escrow and controlled relocking as part of a predictable distribution model used to fund the business. The debate now centers on whether those practices unfairly pressure prices or are simply a visible, preannounced monetization mechanism. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Senators open probe into Trump-linked memecoin dinner after analysis alleges billions funneled from retail investors Three U.S. senators have opened a formal inquiry into a dinner tied to a Trump-branded memecoin, escalating concerns that the event may have masked a “pay-to-play” arrangement that steered retail money to a small circle of insiders. The investigation follows a viral analysis on X by blockchain analyst Simon Dedic, who argued that the token was used to siphon vast sums from ordinary buyers. Dedic’s breakdown, which has been widely circulated in crypto communities, estimates roughly $4.3 billion flowed out of retail investors’ pockets. Of that amount, about $1.2 billion allegedly moved into wallets controlled by insiders, and roughly $320 million went to entities linked to the Trump family. The token has collapsed roughly 95% from its peak, leaving an estimated 2 million holders underwater. Most of those holders appear to be late entrants who bought in on hype and name recognition rather than any substantive product or roadmap. Why this case stands out Observers say this episode is different from prior crypto calamities such as FTX or Terra Luna. Those projects at least presented a narrative of building technology or a utility before unraveling. Critics of the Trump memecoin argue this looks less like a failed experiment and more like a structure designed to reward insiders from the outset — a distinction that has intensified backlash across and beyond crypto circles. The “dinner” itself became a lightning rod because it fused political branding and celebrity influence with speculative trading — thrusting the story into mainstream headlines and amplifying reputational damage to the industry just as it has been courting broader legitimacy. Political and regulatory stakes The senators’ inquiry — while not yet producing formal findings — signals that the matter is moving from online forums into congressional and regulatory territory. Two million affected holders and billions in alleged outflows are the sort of figures that attract lawmakers already discussing tighter oversight for digital assets. If the probe uncovers problematic practices, it could spur hearings, subpoenas, or fresh regulatory pressure on token launches tied to public figures. What to watch next Expect further scrutiny from congressional offices and possibly regulators as they assess the flow of funds, the event’s organization, and any links between insiders and the token’s promoters. For the broader industry, the episode is likely to intensify debates over celebrity-backed tokens, transparency standards, and investor protections. The investigation is ongoing; more details may emerge as lawmakers press for records and testimony. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Crypto analyst Will Taylor of Cryptoinsightuk says Monero (XMR) could be setting up for a major swing higher, driven by an improving multi-year market structure and persistent demand for privacy-focused crypto. On X (formerly Twitter) Taylor posted a weekly XMR chart that shows a sequence of higher lows and higher highs—an encouraging technical pattern he says has been developing despite mounting regulatory pressure and exchange delistings for privacy coins. “Structural higher lows and higher highs, with volatility of the upside moves increasing,” he wrote, adding that his first take-profit sits “below / around the psychological level of $1,000.” A more aggressive target, he notes, would put XMR near $1,160, a level that corresponds to the 2.618 Fibonacci extension on his chart. Price context and upside potential Taylor’s chart shows Monero trading around $388 against USDT on KuCoin. That implies a roughly 200% gain to reach the $1,160 zone and a roughly 150–160% move to hit the $1,000 psychological mark. His market-cap view also points to sizable upside: one chart places XMR’s market cap near $7.15 billion, while a broader write-up in The Weekly Insight references a current cap near $6 billion and calculates that Fibonacci extensions could push that figure toward $35 billion if the setup plays out. The thesis: privacy demand versus regulatory headwinds Taylor’s bullish case isn’t built solely on price patterns. In The Weekly Insight he frames Monero as a bet on the ongoing demand for transaction privacy—even as regulators and some exchanges move to delist privacy-focused tokens like XMR and Dash. He argues delistings don’t eliminate a market for privacy; instead, they may deepen the split between assets designed for regulatory visibility and those built around confidentiality. “Although privacy tokens are being delisted from exchanges, there is still a valid market for them,” Taylor wrote. He also points to Monero’s historical price action—an early expansion followed by years of consolidation—as a potential base for a future breakout, particularly if mainstream adoption and tighter surveillance continue to reinforce privacy narratives. Caveats Taylor cautions the setup needs weekly confirmation, and regulatory risk remains the most significant wildcard for XMR’s path higher. At press time Monero traded at $387.97. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

dLocal has launched a new stablecoin payments product aimed at simplifying cross-border commerce in fast-growing economies. On April 21 the payments processor rolled out Stablecoin Full — a single-API solution that lets merchants accept, convert and payout stablecoins across more than 44 emerging markets in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Why it matters Merchants selling into these regions face tangled webs of local currencies, fragmented liquidity, FX volatility and diverse regulatory regimes. Stablecoin Full bundles stablecoin pay-ins, payouts, treasury management and on/off-ramps into one compliant infrastructure so merchants can: - Accept stablecoins at checkout - Settle in USD or stablecoins - Convert between local fiat and stablecoins - Send global stablecoin payouts - Consolidate reporting and reconciliation across all flows The product is built on dLocal’s “One dLocal” model: a single API, platform and contract that gives global merchants local payment capabilities without forcing them to operate local entities. Product positioning and metrics dLocal positions Stablecoin Full as treating stablecoins “as just another local payment method” inside its platform, removing the need for merchants to run crypto infrastructure or navigate market-by-market regulations. Marcelo Dutilh, Product Lead for Stablecoins at dLocal, said: “With Stablecoin Full, we treat stablecoins as just another local payment method inside dLocal’s platform. Merchants get the benefits of faster, more flexible rails, without having to manage crypto infrastructure or regulatory complexity.” He added that merchants want “a single partner that handles that complexity for them.” The launch arrives as stablecoin infrastructure across emerging market corridors matures: crypto.news reported stablecoin transaction volume reached $1.78 trillion in February 2026. More broadly, stablecoins were tracked at processing $27.6 trillion annually, outpacing Visa and Mastercard combined, with cross-border remittances running roughly 60% cheaper than traditional methods and many B2B settlements executing instantly rather than over multi-day windows. Practical implications By routing flows through stablecoin rails, merchants can reduce reliance on correspondent banking chains that often lock capital into prefunded accounts across multiple countries. dLocal says its infrastructure coordinates stablecoin and fiat flows across pay-ins, payouts, treasury and ramps within a unified reporting and reconciliation environment, and that Stablecoin Full is designed to comply with local regulations, data rules and compliance standards in the markets where it operates. dLocal emphasizes the solution complements, rather than replaces, existing local payment methods — extending its current payments stack to include digital-asset rails while keeping integration and contracts unchanged for merchants. Bottom line Stablecoin Full is dLocal’s bet on stablecoins becoming mainstream payment infrastructure in emerging markets. For merchants targeting high-growth regions, it promises faster rails, lower cross-border friction and a single integration to manage what has traditionally been a very fragmented payments landscape. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Bitbank has rolled out what it calls Japan’s first credit card that lets customers settle their card bills directly from crypto held on an exchange. The new EPOS Crypto Card for Bitbank, launched in partnership with EPOS Card (the fintech arm of Marui Group), allows users to pay monthly credit-card bills using bitcoin stored in their Bitbank accounts, according to a Monday release. That settlement-from-exchange feature is being touted as a first for Japan’s regulated market. Key features: - Bill settlement directly from Bitbank exchange balances — currently limited to bitcoin, with more tokens possibly added later. - 0.5% cashback on monthly spending paid in crypto. Cardholders can receive rewards in bitcoin, ether, or Aster, which are deposited straight into their Bitbank accounts. Why it matters By enabling bill payments without moving funds off the exchange, Bitbank aims to simplify crypto spending and reduce the friction of converting assets back into fiat. The in-exchange cashback model also gives users immediate, on-platform access to rewards. Market context Bitbank’s launch follows increasing activity in Japan’s crypto-card space. Binance Japan introduced its own card in January, offering BNB rewards on spending. Where Binance’s card emphasizes earning a native token from purchases, Bitbank’s product is notable for letting users directly settle credit-card bills from exchange-held crypto — a step that highlights how Japanese crypto firms are expanding payment options while operating within local regulatory frameworks. Expectations Bitbank and EPOS Card signaled they may expand supported cryptocurrencies and features over time, suggesting this launch could be the first of several moves to integrate exchange balances more tightly with everyday payments. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Saipan resident sentenced to 71 months for bitcoin “affinity fraud” that targeted seniors A U.S. federal court has sentenced Sze Man Yu Inos—known as “Yuki”—to 71 months in prison after her conviction for a bitcoin-related wire fraud scheme that preyed on older women. The Department of Justice said the 30-year-old built trust with victims in Saipan and Guam between November 2020 and January 2022, then persuaded them to hand over money for purported bitcoin investments that never existed. Prosecutors say Inos cultivated personal relationships with several victims, claiming to come from a wealthy Chinese family and boasting of successful cryptocurrency trades. She allegedly used emotional flattery—reportedly telling one victim, “You are like my mom”—to lower defenses and induce investments. Authorities also allege she later expanded the scheme to target additional victims in Washington and California and continued fraudulent activity while the case was pending. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Inos to pay $769,355 in restitution, imposed a criminal forfeiture money judgment of $684,848, and assessed a mandatory $200 fee. U.S. Attorney Anderson characterized the case as affinity fraud, where scammers exploit trust and personal ties to victimize people: “Criminals engaged in affinity fraud prey on our willingness to trust others,” he said. The conviction underscores the ongoing risks in the crypto space: an FBI report cited by prosecutors found crypto-related fraud losses hit a record $11.3 billion last year—more than half of the $20.9 billion in total internet crime losses tracked by the agency. The case highlights how attackers can weaponize personal relationships and emotional manipulation to convert trust into illicit gains. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

ZetaChain halts cross-chain activity after GatewayEVM attack; DefiLlama pegs losses at ~$300K ZetaChain has temporarily suspended cross-chain transactions on its mainnet after detecting an exploit targeting its GatewayEVM contract — the primary entry point for routing interactions between EVM-compatible networks and apps on ZetaChain. The team said the pause is a precautionary measure while it investigates the incident. According to ZetaChain, the attack only affected internal team wallets and the team has already closed the vulnerability to prevent further compromise. “Investigation is still ongoing, and at this time no user funds were impacted by this attack,” the project said, adding it plans to publish a full post-mortem. External tracking data from DefiLlama estimates the exploit caused roughly $300,000 in losses; ZetaChain has not confirmed an exact figure. ZetaChain’s status page showed cross-chain transactions remained paused as of 9:00 p.m. ET on Monday — about nine hours after the team first identified the issue. Launched in early 2024, ZetaChain positions itself as a universal Layer 1 focused on interoperability, linking networks such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Polygon. The GatewayEVM contract is a key component for enabling cross-chain activity between EVM-compatible chains and ZetaChain applications, which is why the team moved quickly to halt transfers. The incident arrives amid a string of DeFi security breaches. Most notably, the LayerZero-powered Kelp DAO bridge exploit drained roughly $292 million and generated bad debt on Aave; DefiLlama data indicate at least 10 additional attacks on DeFi projects since then. What to watch: ZetaChain’s promised post-mortem for details on the attack vector, the final loss tally, and when cross-chain operations will safely resume. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Israel has given the green light to BILS, a new shekel-pegged stablecoin issued by local crypto exchange Bits of Gold, marking a major step for the country’s digital-asset ecosystem. The Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority approved the launch in a Monday notice after a two-year pilot of BILS on the Solana blockchain, making it one of the first stablecoins tied directly to the Israeli shekel. Under the approval, BILS reserve assets will be held in Israel in designated, segregated accounts — a custody structure designed to make oversight easier as regulators continue to build out local rules for digital assets. The decision is part of a broader regulatory push by the Israel Tax Authority and the Finance Ministry to bring selected stablecoin operations under domestic supervision. Youval Rouach, founder and CEO of Bits of Gold, framed the stablecoin as a bridge between Israel’s fiat currency and blockchain finance. “BILS creates a direct bridge between the Israeli shekel and the global digital assets economy, enabling real-time payments, on-chain trading and programmable financial applications based on a regulated local currency,” he said. The move comes as stablecoins gain increasing traction globally. The stablecoin market is currently worth more than $320 billion, dominated by U.S. dollar-pegged tokens such as Tether’s USDT. Israel’s approval underscores growing interest from national authorities in offering domestically regulated alternatives to dollar-centric stablecoins. Internationally, stablecoin regulation remains a live political issue. In the United States, lawmakers have been negotiating a digital-asset market structure bill that would address stablecoin yields, tokenized equities and ethics concerns tied to prominent crypto figures. That bill has been stalled in the U.S. Senate since July 2025 and still requires a markup from the Senate Banking Committee before it can advance. With BILS now approved and reserves to be kept onshore, Israel is positioning itself to offer a regulated, shekel-based on-ramp to blockchain finance — potentially opening new rails for real-time payments and on-chain services tied to a national currency. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Senate crypto overhaul stalls as Tillis demands ethics guardrails for White House A key Senate effort to rewrite crypto market rules is at risk after Senator Thom Tillis said he will withdraw his support unless the bill includes strict ethics limits on how federal officials — including those in the executive branch — can engage with digital assets. Tillis, a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee whose backing is crucial as the chamber seeks to reconcile its version of the legislation with the House-passed Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, told Politico: “There has to be ethics language in the bill before it leaves the Senate, or I’ll go from one of the people working on negotiating it to voting against it.” The House bill, approved in July, aims to split oversight between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat involved in negotiations, echoed that progress hinges on bipartisan agreement over ethics language. “There is no final bill — there is no final movement — unless there is a bipartisan agreement when it comes to the ethics provision,” he told Politico. Why ethics language matters Debate over conflicts of interest has intensified amid Democratic scrutiny of crypto projects tied to former President Donald Trump and members of his family. Critics argue the legislation should bar federal officials from sponsoring, endorsing or issuing digital assets — protections proponents say would prevent memecoin or NFT promotions tied to public office. Senator Adam Schiff, who earlier proposed a blanket ban on federal employees sponsoring or endorsing digital assets, said talks are making headway after months of slow progress. “We’re making progress,” he told Politico, noting negotiations are now narrowing differences as other sections of the bill take shape. Stablecoin yield is another sticking point Separate from ethics concerns, the bill’s path is also slowed by disagreement over whether firms should be allowed to offer yield on idle stablecoin balances. Tillis and Senator Angela Alsobrooks are working on compromise language. Banking groups have warned that yield-bearing stablecoins could siphon deposits away from traditional banks, while crypto firms — including Coinbase — have argued that tight restrictions would stifle market growth and innovation. Those competing priorities have kept stablecoin rules unresolved as the Senate works toward a bipartisan product. What’s next Even with talks underway, the proposal still faces committee hurdles before it can reach the floor. Ethics provisions and stablecoin yield rules remain open, and Tillis’ stance means bipartisan alignment will be essential if the bill is to advance. As lawmakers negotiate, the outcome will shape who regulates crypto, what activities are off-limits for federal officials, and how stablecoins evolve in the U.S. market. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Bitcoin tests the top of a two‑month ascending channel near $77.5K as $2.1B+ of ETF inflows meet fading momentum ahead of the FOMC Bitcoin is once again pressing the upper rail of a clean, two‑month ascending channel—this time around $77,500—after rallying roughly 30% from the February lows near $59,000. Trading around $76,863 on April 27 (it briefly hit $77,067 during Asian hours), BTC faces a classic tug‑of‑war: strong institutional demand on one hand, and signs of decelerating upside momentum on the other. The Federal Reserve’s April 28–29 FOMC meeting is the next major catalyst that could tip the scales. Technical picture - Structure: Since the February low near $59,000 BTC has carved a textbook ascending channel with a string of higher highs and higher lows. Prior tests of the upper trendline have stalled near $77.5K–$78K. - Momentum: On the 4‑hour chart the MACD histogram has turned noticeably negative (roughly -183), suggesting upside momentum is losing steam rather than accelerating—historically, that has preceded consolidation or a short pullback at this channel boundary more often than instant breakouts. - Moving averages: The short‑ and mid‑term moving average ribbon remains constructively stacked below price: SMA 20 ~ $77,691; SMA 50 ~ $77,204; SMA 100 ~ $75,721; SMA 200 ~ $72,145. That alignment has supported the recovery to date. Key levels to watch - Immediate resistance: Upper channel trendline between $77,500 and $78,000 (also the area that capped the April 22 test). - Bull case: A decisive 4‑hour close above $80,000 on expanding volume would signal a breakout and open the path toward the 200‑day SMA near $85,000—a level analysts view as the border between a corrective regime and a structural reversal. - Immediate support: SMA 100 around $75,721 on a closing basis. A 4‑hour close below that would remove mid‑channel support and expose the channel’s lower boundary near $72K–$73K, where the SMA 200 converges. A daily close below that zone would invalidate the ascending channel and flip near‑term bias bearish. Institutional flows and on‑chain behavior - ETF demand: Spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen a historic inflow streak. Data tracked through April 23 shows eight consecutive days of inflows totaling about $2.43 billion. BlackRock’s IBIT absorbed roughly $907.97 million during the week of April 13–17. April’s inflows already nearly double March’s $1.32 billion. - Distribution at resistance: Despite heavy ETF buying, on‑chain data from Glassnode suggests short‑term holders are using ETF liquidity as an exit window in the $78K–$80.1K range—levels that have repeatedly capped rallies this year. - Leverage unwind: CoinGlass data shows futures open interest dropped over 6% in the 24 hours around the most recent $78K test, pointing to leverage reduction rather than fresh, conviction long entries at resistance. Macro catalyst: the FOMC The April 28–29 FOMC meeting is the key macro event. CME FedWatch assigns a 98% probability of a rate hold, which makes the tone of Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference the market mover. A dovish tilt—hinting at rate cuts later in 2026—would lower the opportunity cost of holding risk assets like BTC and could help push price through $80K. A neutral or hawkish message would likely extend consolidation inside the channel or increase the odds of a pullback toward mid‑channel support. Scenarios to watch - Bullish: Hold the channel, break and close above $80K with rising volume → next target ~ $85K (200‑day SMA). - Neutral/consolidation: Fail to break the upper rail, hold above SMA 100 (~$75.7K) → continued range trading between $72K–$78K. - Bearish: 4H and daily closes below SMA 100 and the lower channel band (near $72K–$73K) → channel invalidated, bias turns bearish. As crypto analyst Ali Martinez noted on X, “technical patterns are not fixed; they morph as price develops,” and buyer/seller behavior at key resistance will decide whether the upper trendline is a liquidity wall or a launchpad. With strong ETF demand colliding with fading intraday momentum, the coming FOMC and immediate price behavior around $77.5K–$80K will likely define BTC’s next directional leg. (For informational purposes only; not investment advice.) Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

U.S. President Donald Trump has softened his rhetoric on prediction markets just days after criticizing their rapid rise — a shift that could reverberate across a sector already grappling with explosive growth and growing legal scrutiny. What he said - Speaking to reporters in Florida on Saturday, Trump acknowledged that experienced participants back these platforms even as he remained cautious: “I don’t know. I know some people who are very smart. They like it,” he said, adding, “They disagree, but they like it.” - He also cited international adoption as a factor, warning that “a lot of other countries are doing it, and when the other countries do it, we get left out in the cold if we don’t do it.” - Earlier in the week at the White House, Trump had been more critical, lamenting that “the whole world, unfortunately, has become somewhat of a casino,” and saying, “I don’t like it conceptually, but it is what it is.” Why it matters - Prediction markets — platforms where users bet on outcomes ranging from elections to sports and geopolitical events — have seen surging activity. According to Token Terminal, Polymarket and Kalshi posted a combined $23.6 billion in trading volume in March, a monthly high. - That growth has put the sector at the center of a high-stakes legal and regulatory battle over whether these contracts are commodities (regulated federally) or wagers (subject to state gambling law). The legal landscape - The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has escalated the fight: it filed suit against New York in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, arguing federal law gives the agency exclusive authority over event-based contracts listed on registered exchanges. CFTC Chair Michael Selig said CFTC-registered exchanges “have faced an onslaught of state lawsuits seeking to limit Americans’ access to event contracts and undermine the CFTC’s sole regulatory jurisdiction over prediction markets.” - New York state authorities have taken a different tack, bringing actions against Coinbase and Gemini for alleged violations of state gambling rules and challenging Kalshi’s sports-related products. - A coalition of 37 states and Washington, D.C. has filed court briefs arguing federal financial law was not intended to allow nationwide sports betting without state oversight. - Wisconsin prosecutors expanded enforcement in Dane County by filing complaints against several firms — including Crypto.com, Polymarket, Kalshi and distribution partners Coinbase and Robinhood — asserting that fixed-payout positions on real-world outcomes meet the state’s legal definition of wagering. “Thinly disguising unlawful conduct doesn’t make it lawful,” Attorney General Josh Kaul said. - Parallel enforcement actions — bans, suits and cease-and-desist orders — have also emerged in Nevada, Massachusetts and Illinois. Court filings in many cases describe contracts tied to sports and elections as indistinguishable from traditional betting, while platform operators counter that their products fall under federal commodities law. Corporate and political ties - As the market expands, notable political and corporate links have emerged: Donald Trump Jr. joined Polymarket’s advisory board after investing in the platform in August, and he later accepted a similar advisory role at Kalshi in January 2025. - Trump Media announced plans in October to offer prediction-market products on its Truth Social platform in partnership with Crypto.com. Trump transferred his stake in Trump Media to a trust upon entering office, with Trump Jr. named as sole trustee. Bottom line Trump’s slightly softer public posture shifts little of the immediate legal reality: prediction markets are booming, but regulators and state attorneys general are intensifying challenges that could shape whether these products are regulated as commodities or treated as gambling. For crypto and prediction-market participants, the coming court battles and regulatory rulings will be pivotal in deciding how — and where — these platforms can operate. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Anthropic’s pre-IPO valuation tops $1 trillion on Jupiter — a milestone for on‑chain price discovery Anthropic’s implied pre-IPO valuation has climbed above $1 trillion on Jupiter’s Prestocks market, marking a striking moment for on‑chain price discovery of private companies. The Solana‑based DEX’s on‑chain pricing puts Anthropic in the same ultra‑rare club as OpenAI and SpaceX for private firms valued near or above $1 trillion. The surge has been dramatic: according to The Kobeissi Letter, Anthropic’s implied valuation is up 733% since October 2025. Jupiter’s on‑chain price is broadly aligned with traditional private markets — Forge Global CEO Kelly Rodriques told Business Insider that Forge’s data also pegs Anthropic at roughly $1 trillion. Other secondary platforms show similar, if slightly lower, marks. Hiive priced Anthropic shares at $849 each, implying a market value near $851 billion — within about 18% of Jupiter’s reading. As podcast host Aakash Gupta observed, the gap highlights a shift in how private company prices form: “A Solana DEX and a regulated US secondary market for accredited investors are pricing the same private company within 18% of each other.” Quick refresher on Anthropic’s financing and growth: the AI startup closed a Series G in February at a $380 billion post‑money valuation, raising $30 billion in a round led by GIC and Coatue. The company says its revenue ramp has been rapid — from first dollars under three years ago to a current run‑rate of $14 billion. Google has also agreed to invest up to $40 billion in Anthropic, starting with $10 billion at the same valuation and another $30 billion tied to performance milestones. Business Insider recently reported that venture capital offers valuing Anthropic as high as $800 billion have circulated, a level well above its formal valuation at the time. The broader private AI and tech markets remain active: SpaceX has filed a confidential draft IPO registration with the SEC and could list as soon as June, and any public listings from Anthropic, OpenAI or SpaceX would likely reset how investors benchmark the biggest private AI and technology names. Why crypto markets should care: Jupiter’s Prestocks reading underscores how decentralized, on‑chain venues and regulated secondary platforms are converging on private valuations. For crypto traders and investors, these on‑chain price signals can influence derivatives, tokenized exposure and sentiment around the biggest AI companies before they ever hit public markets. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

A fresh round of allegations from on-chain investigator ZachXBT has put renewed scrutiny on Worldcoin — now rebranded as World — and its flagship WLD token, accusing the project of combining controversial biometric data collection with a “predatory low float” token model. What ZachXBT is saying - ZachXBT claims World used a token structure that concentrated supply and made the token vulnerable to manipulation, describing it as a “predatory low float crypto token.” - He alleges the project exploited users in lower-income regions by paying small amounts of WLD in exchange for iris scans taken by World’s Orbs, and that these verified accounts have been resold on secondary markets — in some cases reportedly for as little as $0.50. - Screenshots shared by the investigator also purportedly show the World Foundation selling 85.45 million WLD for $25 million via FalconX at an average price of $0.293, which ZachXBT points to as evidence of problematic token sales and possible insider dilution. Context and past concerns Worldcoin began as a human-verification experiment that uses iris-scanning hardware (“Orbs”) to confirm users are unique humans and rewards them with WLD tokens. The project has long drawn criticism over privacy, informed consent, and how it recruits users — especially in low-income countries. ZachXBT cited earlier reporting, including MIT Technology Review coverage, that questioned Worldcoin’s early use of cash incentives and aggressive onboarding tactics. Market impact The accusations coincided with a small selloff in WLD: the token slipped more than 2% and traded around $0.25, with a 24-hour range of $0.25–$0.26. On-chain derivatives data painted a mixed picture: CoinGlass showed WLD futures open interest rising more than 7% over 24 hours to about $177.5 million, while short-term open interest on major exchanges such as Binance, OKX, and Bybit declined. Why this matters now The allegations surfaced as Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman — whom Musk has been publicly deriding as “Scam Altman” on X — moved toward trial. Musk alleges OpenAI’s leaders abandoned the company’s original nonprofit mission; jury selection in the California federal case was reported completed Monday. Prediction markets (Kalshi and Polymarket) have placed Musk’s chances of winning around 60%. While not directly related, the timing has amplified press attention on Altman-linked ventures like World. What’s next World continues to expand its identity network, but these latest claims raise fresh regulatory, ethical, and tokenomics questions. ZachXBT’s allegations will likely spur further scrutiny from journalists, researchers, and potentially regulators — and keep market participants watching WLD’s price and derivatives flows for signs of further volatility. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: White House signals imminent “breakthrough” on operationalizing U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve The White House is preparing a major step to turn the U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve from policy into practice, with an announcement expected within weeks, officials said. Speaking at the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas, Patrick Witt — a senior administration official — said teams have been finalizing the legal and policy interpretations needed to secure and manage Bitcoin already on the government’s balance sheet. That work is intended to translate last year’s executive order into a functioning operational framework. Witt described the forthcoming statement as a “big announcement” and a potential “breakthrough” that will lay out the next phase of implementation, while stressing that congressional action will still be needed to lock in the reserve’s long-term legal footing. Legislative push continues: BITCOIN Act becomes ARMA On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are advancing parallel efforts to codify the reserve. Rep. Nick Begich said the bill previously known as the BITCOIN Act has been renamed the American Reserves Modernization Act (ARMA) as part of that effort. The legislative proposal builds on the executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, which established a strategic Bitcoin reserve largely funded through assets seized in criminal and civil cases and a separate digital-asset stockpile. Supporters argue that putting the reserve into law would prevent future administrations from reversing policy. Funding and scale: proposals on the table Earlier drafts from Sen. Cynthia Lummis envisioned a more ambitious approach, proposing acquisition of up to 1 million BTC over five years using budget-neutral mechanisms; Lummis wrote in October 2025 that the government could begin funding the reserve “anytime,” even as Congress debates the bill. Other ideas for long-term funding have been floated — notably by Jeff Park, CIO of ProCap BTC — who highlighted roughly $1 trillion in unrealized gains in U.S. gold reserves as a potential source for allocating value to Bitcoin. What’s settled — and what’s still open So far, government-held Bitcoin has come from forfeitures; the executive order set the framework, but officials have not publicly disclosed how additional coins would be acquired without tapping taxpayer funds. Witt’s remarks indicate the administration is close to defining the legal architecture to protect and manage existing holdings and to enable future operations, but he reiterated that legislation will be necessary to make the reserve permanent. The White House has not released further details on timing or the precise scope of the planned announcement. Watch for upcoming executive-branch guidance and progress on ARMA as the next signals of how the U.S. intends to formalize its strategic Bitcoin position. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

In one of the most coordinated industry responses DeFi has seen, major players are lining up hundreds of millions of dollars to help Aave users recover from losses tied to the Kelp DAO exploit. The initiative — informally called “DeFi United” — has gathered roughly $303 million in pledged commitments as of Monday, according to its website, though much of the capital still awaits governance approvals. The call to action followed an April 18 bridge attack that hit rsETH markets and propagated risk across lending positions on Aave, prompting wide concern about market stability and user losses. Aave is at the center of the recovery plan. A governance proposal from the protocol asks the Aave DAO to allocate up to 250,000 ETH to remediation efforts, and founder Stani Kulechov has pledged 5,000 ETH personally. Several people and teams closely tied to Aave have also stepped up: Emilio Frangella (500 ETH), BGD Labs’ Ernesto Boado (100 ETH), BGD Labs (250 ETH), and Marcelo Ruiz de Orlano of KPK (100 ETH). The effort quickly broadened beyond Aave’s immediate circle. Kulechov reached out to key ecosystem participants after the exploit, prompting Consensys and founder Joseph Lubin to commit up to 30,000 ETH to support recovery and protect users, with Sharplink advising in those discussions. “The Ethereum ecosystem has always been at its best when it moves together,” Lubin said, calling DeFi United a broad, coordinated response to defend users and infrastructure. Other notable proposals and commitments include: - Lido: proposal to allocate up to 2,500 stETH. - EtherFi: discussions around a 5,000 ETH support plan. - Mantle: proposed a 30,000 ETH credit facility. - Compound: proposal to contribute up to 3,000 ETH. - Babylon Foundation: plans to deposit $3 million in USDT into Aave. - Renzo: supplied more than $10 million from its treasury. - Circle Ventures: buying AAVE tokens to support the effort. - Deposits also reported from Avalanche Foundation, Solana Foundation, and Justin Sun. Some participants have not disclosed specific amounts but are involved in the initiative, including Ethena, LayerZero, Frax Finance, Ink Foundation, and Tyro. Contributions are arriving in different forms — grants, direct deposits, and credit lines — reflecting varied approaches to balancing user protection with risk management. Separately, Aave Labs has asked Arbitrum governance to release about 30,765.67 ETH currently immobilized by Arbitrum’s Security Council so those funds can be used in the remediation process and help “make affected rsETH holders whole.” While a significant portion of the pledged capital still depends on approvals and active proposals, the breadth of participation highlights how far-reaching the exploit’s effects were — and how much of the DeFi ecosystem is willing to coordinate to restore market function and confidence. Ian Allison contributed reporting. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Bitcoin eased back from its recent $79,000 ceiling on Tuesday, signaling that the level is shaping up as the market’s top boundary for now. After three failed attempts to stick above $79k in eight sessions, BTC slipped to roughly $76,923 — down about 2.4% over 24 hours after Monday’s intraday high of $79,399. Where the market stands right now - Bitcoin (BTC): ~$76,923, off 2.4% in 24 hours after reversing from $79,399. - Ether (ETH): $2,290, down 3.7%. - Solana (SOL): $84.10, down 3.9%. - XRP: $1.39, down 3.2%. - BNB: ~$625, down 1.8%. - Top-10 tokens were mostly in the red over the past day, with TRON (TRX) and DOGE ($0.09981) as exceptions. Macro backdrop: oil spikes, markets steady Geopolitical tensions helped push Brent crude above $109 a barrel — a seventh straight day of gains — after Iran’s interim proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz failed to advance. The White House said U.S. officials are discussing Iran’s latest pitch but reiterated “red lines” for any deal to end the eight-week conflict. Equities in Asia were broadly flat. Japanese stocks found some support after the Bank of Japan’s 6-3 split decision to keep policy unchanged, while the yen strengthened about 0.3% to roughly 159 per dollar. Two competing reads on the latest rally Analysts are split on what powered bitcoin’s move toward $79k and what comes next: - Bullish case: Mike Novogratz of Galaxy Digital says renewed U.S. retail participation combined with institutional capital and tight supply provides a foundation for more upside. On-chain tracker Santiment added weight to the optimism, reporting whales accumulated over 40,000 BTC in the last two weeks and flagging a sharp shift from fear to FOMO. - Cautionary case: CryptoQuant founder Ki Young-Ju argues the push above $79k was largely a derivatives-driven short squeeze rather than durable spot demand. Large-scale short covering can leave the market exposed once the squeeze runs out. Funding-rate data show a nuanced picture: seven-day funding rates across major exchanges are negative at about -0.13% (Coinglass), meaning shorts are currently paying longs — a pattern that has historically preceded both squeezes and subsequent unwindings. Spot demand and short covering can coexist, so the key test is whether the next run at $79k attracts fresh spot bids or simply exhausts remaining shorts. Corporate buying keeps flowing Institutional and corporate accumulation continues. Bloomberg reported a firm purchased $3.9 billion of bitcoin in April — its largest monthly haul in a year. In Japan, Metaplanet said it will issue ¥denominated bonds worth $50 million to fund additional bitcoin purchases, part of a string of debt-financed strategies building one of the largest corporate BTC treasuries outside the U.S. Catalysts this week Traders will watch two major event clusters that could decide whether BTC breaks higher or the $79k area becomes a hard ceiling: - Federal Reserve rate decision (Wednesday): Markets have priced in a greater chance of a rate cut after the Justice Department closed its probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. - Mega-cap tech earnings (Wednesday–Thursday): Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta report Wednesday; Apple reports Thursday. These companies represent roughly a quarter of S&P 500 market capitalization — big beats or misses could ripple across risk assets, including crypto. Bottom line A decisive catalyst — either dovish Fed signaling or blowout tech earnings — could propel bitcoin past $80,000. Absent that, repeated rejections at the $79k level may instead define the near-term upper bound for the rally. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Ondo Finance has added proxy-voting capabilities to its tokenized equities line-up, letting crypto investors more directly participate in corporate governance — a move that narrows the gap between tokenized stocks and their traditional counterparts. The new feature, built in partnership with Broadridge Financial Solutions, integrates Broadridge’s ProxyVote system into Ondo’s platform. It lets holders of more than 250 tokenized securities available on Ondo review company filings and submit voting preferences via Broadridge’s infrastructure. Investors log in with crypto wallets to access the same sorts of documents and voting tools typically available only through brokerage accounts. Why it matters Tokenized equities — stocks and ETFs issued on blockchain rails — have been one of crypto’s fastest-growing segments. According to RWA.xyz, the category now holds over $1.1 billion in value locked, having roughly tripled over the past year. Ondo is the largest issuer in the space, listing more than $700 million in stock and ETF tokens on its Global Markets platform for non-U.S. investors. A longstanding critique of equity tokens is their limited governance rights: tokens are generally separate from the underlying shares and don’t automatically confer direct shareholder privileges. Ondo’s implementation doesn’t change that legal separation, but it does create a practical channel for token holders to express voting preferences that Ondo can apply when it votes the underlying shares it holds on behalf of token holders. “It really hits at the heart of Ondo's vision to make traditional financial assets more accessible,” Matthieu de Vergnes, Ondo’s global head of institutional, told CoinDesk. “You get all the benefits of being onchain — freely transferable, compatible with DeFi — and on top of that, you get the governance that you have from the underlying.” Broadridge’s role Broadridge, a major processor of proxy votes in traditional markets, is extending its workflows to support digital assets. The firm says the integration aims to unify the handling of both conventional and tokenized assets within the same systems, bringing familiar audit trails, transparency and compliance to on-chain securities. “Giving investors the same level of auditability, transparency and compliance will really go a long way in making the tokenized world more scalable, giving that level of trust to end investors,” Danielle Gurrieri, senior vice president and head of product management at Broadridge, said. What to watch The integration is a practical step toward closing the governance gap for tokenized equities and could help build investor trust and regulatory comfort in the space. Still, investors should be aware that Ondo’s tokens remain legally distinct from the underlying shares and that voting power depends on Ondo’s processes for applying token-holder preferences to those shares. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Ethereum has climbed back above $2,300, with bulls now eyeing the $2,400 mark that has repeatedly capped the recent recovery. The price picture looks healthier, but a CryptoQuant on-chain deep dive suggests the market’s narrative may be missing a crucial piece. What the on-chain data shows - CryptoQuant highlights Ethereum’s active addresses (unique wallets transacting on the network daily). The 100-day moving average of this metric has just hit an all-time high of roughly 587,000 active addresses — not a multi-year or cycle peak, but the highest sustained daily engagement in Ethereum’s history. - That milestone arrives amid an unusual divergence: ETH’s price sits more than 50% below its October peak, yet network usage — as measured by the smoothed 100-day active-address average — is at a record. According to CryptoQuant, this is the largest deviation they’ve ever recorded between price and active-address growth. Why this matters - Historically there’s been a strong positive correlation between active-address growth and Ethereum’s price. When network utility rises, prices tend to follow over the long term. The current disconnect — rising fundamental usage while price languishes — has been rare and, in past episodes, the gap has closed in favor of the utility signal. - CryptoQuant frames this as a “hidden bullish” signal: the market is pricing ETH on weak sentiment, while the network is showing increasing, real-world engagement. It’s the on-chain equivalent of a company gaining customers during a recession — a sign of durable demand that price alone isn’t reflecting. Technical landscape and market structure - ETH is stabilizing near $2,320 after the sharp February drawdown. The rebound from sub-$1,800 formed a clear higher low, but upside is running into resistance around $2,400, where the 50-week and 100-week moving averages sit. Both averages are flattening and acting as short-to-medium-term ceilings. - The 200-week moving average remains below price and trending upward, providing long-term structural support. Holding above that level through the correction keeps the broader macro trend intact, even as medium-term weakness persists. - Since March, price action has shifted from impulsive selling to range-bound consolidation: orderly recovery with higher lows and measured gains rather than aggressive rallies. However, ETH has yet to reclaim the $2,600–$2,800 zone — the region that previously accelerated the breakdown — suggesting sellers remain active on rallies. - Volume patterns back this up. After a capitulation spike tied to forced liquidations, trading participation has tapered off during the recovery, implying cautious accumulation rather than broad, conviction-driven buying. The key levels to watch - For a clear turn to decisive bullishness, ETH needs to reclaim and hold above the 100-week moving average. Until that happens, the market is still in a transitional phase between recovery and the risk of further continuation downtrend. Bottom line On-chain metrics show Ethereum’s network activity is stronger than prices imply. That divergence — unprecedented by CryptoQuant’s account — points to growing fundamental demand and a potential undervaluation if historical relationships reassert themselves. The question now is how long the market can ignore the network signal before price catches up. Featured image: ChatGPT; chart: TradingView.com Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news