TLDR SEC filed to dismiss unregistered securities case against crypto YouTuber Ian Balina Balina was accused of improperly promoting Sparkster (SPRK) tokens during the 2017-2018 ICO boom The court had previously ruled SPRK tokens were securities under the Howey Test This is part of a broader trend of the SEC dropping crypto-related cases under the [...] The post SEC Files to Dismiss Securities Case Against Crypto Influencer Ian Balina appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR North Korean actor attempted to infiltrate Kraken by applying for an engineering position Kraken received industry tip-off about suspicious emails linked to the hacker The applicant used fake identities, altered documents, and appeared to be coached during interviews Kraken deliberately continued the hiring process to gather intelligence on hacking tactics This incident highlights North [...] The post North Korean Operative Exposed During Kraken Exchange Job Interview appeared first on Blockonomi.

While most crypto conferences are content to pack a schedule with panels and protocol pitches, Token2049 Dubai cranked it up a notch—blending adrenaline and gamified side quests into what felt like a cross between a Web3 summit and a desert…

TLDR SHIB reached a monthly high of $0.00001511 on April 26, 2025 Over 280 million tokens were burned in one day, representing a 38,299% increase in burn rate Large transaction volume has dropped to its lowest point in seven days at just 1.79 trillion SHIB Analysts suggest SHIB could double in price if it breaks [...] The post Shiba Inu (SHIB) Price: Token Burns Surge 38,299% as Resistance Levels Hold Firm appeared first on Blockonomi.

As the crypto space developed, blockchain use cases expanded from simple digital currencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to more complex areas such as digital identity verification and telecommunications. Ahead of the Token2049 event in Dubai, Cointelegraph spoke with Spacecoin CEO Stuart Gardner, Spacecoin founder Tae Oh, and Humanity Protocol founder Terrence Kwok to explore how they use blockchain to improve certain industries. From addressing challenges like verification in the artificial intelligence era to bringing internet connectivity to developing countries, projects are integrating blockchain to solve problems in different industries.  Digital identity verification to combat the AI threat As artificial intelligence developed, the technology brought improvements that people could benefit from. However, the technology was also adopted by malicious actors who used the tech to perform AI-assisted hack research and deepfake scams.  Kwok told Cointelegraph that proving that you’re a human seemed like a “crazy” idea about two years ago. However, today’s AI technology has made it very easy to fake being a real human. “As for content, you can't tell if it's AI-generated or not. Video deepfakes, you cannot tell, right? Even documents. It's super easy now to use AI to create a fake proof of address, a fake proof of balance for your bank statement. I think in the future it's only going to get worse,” he said. The executive also said that in the future, AI may also exist in the physical world through humanoids that might mimic human beings. In 2024, Tesla's humanoid robot project was showcased on social media, highlighting developments in humanoid robotics. Kwok said that the development of robots underscores the need for human identity verification even more. The executive said that this was why they launched the Humanity Protocol, which uses blockchain tech for digital identity verification. “The internet is filled with bots, you know, it's filled with AI agents. They're great, but there's also a need to be able to verify and check whether something or somebody is a person or not,” Kwok told Cointelegraph. Terrence Kwok (left) and Ezra Reguerra (right) at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club. Source: CointelegraphRelated: Global demand grows for non-dollar stablecoins, says Fireblocks execDecentralized satellite network to combat the connectivity oligopolyApart from digital identity, blockchain technology is also being used to create a decentralized satellite network. Gardner told Cointelegraph that at the moment, the satellite connectivity landscape is an oligopoly, a market structure where the industry is dominated by only a few large players. The executive pointed out that Starlink and Amazon lead the race, while the EU and China are catching up. However, the big problem is that over 150 countries are lagging behind. “They're going to become reliant upon working with one of these oligopolies for their connectivity. And that poses a big issue for these people,” Gardner added. On Nov. 1, Spacecoin unveiled a plan to launch a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) through a fleet of nanosatellites in space. Oh told Cointelegraph that the Spacecoin idea came from the observation that the space industry is getting heavily commoditized. However, the executive said that it was possible for smaller companies or even individuals to launch their own satellites and start building constellations for connectivity. The Spacecoin founder added that since different people or entities own each satellite, it's essentially a "decentralized network." The executive said that they integrated crypto into the project to have a "trustless means of payment and data exchange." Oh said that this was where the blockchain comes in. Gardner (left) and Oh (middle) at the Crypto Polo event in Dubai. Source: CointelegraphMagazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

The minting of Ripple USD stablecoins has been put on pause so far with no new tokens issued in the last week

As positive shifts in cryptocurrency regulation unfold under President Donald Trump’s second administration, speculation is mounting regarding the potential approval of spot XRP ETF applications.  This anticipation is fueled by significant changes at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), particularly the appointment of Paul Atkins as the new chair. Known for his pro-crypto stance, […]

Opinion by: Merav Ozair, PhDLately, stablecoins are everywhere — this time around, headed by “traditional” financial institutions. Bank of America and Standard Chartered are considering launching their own stablecoin, joining JPMorgan, which launched its stablecoin, JPM Coin — rebranded as Kinexys Digital Payments — to facilitate transactions with their institutional clients on their blockchain platform, Kinexys (formerly Onyx). Mastercard plans to bring stablecoins to the mainstream, joining Bleap Finance, a crypto startup. The aim is to enable stablecoins to be spent directly onchain — without conversions or intermediaries — seamlessly integrating blockchain assets with Mastercard’s global payment rails. In early April 2025, Visa joined the Global Dollar Network (USDG) stablecoin consortium. The company will become the first traditional finance player to join the consortium. In late March 2025, NYSE parent Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) announced that it is investigating applications for using USDC (USDC) stablecoin and US Yield Coin within its derivatives exchanges, clearinghouses, data services and other markets.Why the renewed interest in stablecoins?Regulatory clarity and acceptanceRecent moves by regulatory bodies in the United States and Europe have created more straightforward guidelines for cryptocurrency use. In the US, Congress is considering legislation to establish formal standards for stablecoins, bolstering confidence among banks and fintech companies.The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation requires that stablecoin issuers operating within the EU adhere to specific financial standards, including special reserve requirements and risk mitigation. In the UK, financial authorities plan to conduct consultations to draft rules governing stablecoin use, further facilitating their acceptance and adoption.The Trump administration executive order 14067, “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology,” supports and “promotes the development and growth of lawful and legitimate dollar-backed stablecoins worldwide” while “prohibiting the establishment, issuance, circulation, and use of a CBDC within the jurisdiction of the United States.”This executive order, followed by Trump’s World Liberty Financial company launching a stablecoin called USD1, signals that this is the era of stablecoins, particularly those pegged to the USD.Do we need more stablecoins?The stablecoin landscapeThere are over 200 stablecoins, most pegged to the US dollar. Two established stablecoins dominate the stablecoin landscape. Tether’s USDt (USDT), the oldest stablecoin, launched in 2014 and USDC, launched in 2018, capturing 65% and 28% of stablecoins market cap, respectively — both are centralized fiat collateralized. Recent: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fightIn third place, a relatively new one, USDe, launched in February 2024, holds about 2% of the stablecoin market cap and has an unconventional mechanism based on derivatives in the crypto market. Although it runs on a DeFi protocol on Ethereum, it incorporates centralized features since centralized exchanges hold the derivatives positions.There are three primary mechanisms of stablecoins:Centralized, fiat-collateralized: A centralized company maintains reserves of the assets in a bank or trust (e.g., for currency) or a vault (e.g., for gold) and issues tokens (i.e., stablecoins) that represent a claim on the underlying asset.Decentralized, cryptocurrency-collateralized: A stablecoin is backed by other decentralized crypto assets. One example can be found in the MakerDAO stablecoin Dai (DAI), which is pegged to the US dollar and encapsulates the features of decentralization. While a central organization controls centralized stablecoins, no one entity controls the issuance of DAI.Decentralized, uncollateralized: This mechanism ensures the stability of the coin’s value by controlling its supply through an algorithm executed by a smart contract. In some ways, this is no different from central banks, which also don’t rely on reserve assets to keep the value of their currency stable. The difference is that central banks, like the Federal Reserve, set a monetary policy publicly based on well-understood parameters, and its status as the issuer of legal tender provides the credibility of that policy.Depegging, risk and fraudstersStablecoins are supposed to be stable. They were created to overcome the inherent volatility of cryptocurrencies. To maintain their stability, stablecoins should (1) be pegged to a stable asset and (2) follow a mechanism that sustains the peg.If stablecoins are pegged to gold or electricity, they will reflect the volatility of these assets and thus may not be the best choice if you are seeking a no-risk (or close to no-risk) asset.USDe maintains a peg to the USD through delta hedging. It uses short and long positions in futures, which generates a 27% yield annually — significantly higher than the 12% annual yield of other stablecoins pegged to the USD. Derivative positions are considered risky — the higher the risk, the higher the return. Therefore, it encapsulates an inherited risk due to its reliance on derivatives, which runs counter to the purpose of stablecoins. Stablecoins have been around for more than a decade. During this time, there were no major depegging fiascos other than the case of Terra. The collapse of Terra was not the result of a reserve problem or mechanism but rather the act of fraudsters and manipulators.TerraUSD (UST) had a built-in arbitrage mechanism between UST and the Terra blockchain native coin, LUNA. To create UST, you needed to burn LUNA.To entice traders to burn LUNA and create UST, the creators of the Terra blockchain offered a 19.5% yield on staking, which is crypto terminology for earning 19.5% interest on a deposit, through what they called the Anchor protocol.Such a high interest rate is simply not sustainable. Someone has to borrow at such a rate or above for the lender to receive 19.5% interest. This is how banks make their profit — they charge high interest on borrowing (such as mortgages or loans) and provide low interest on savings (such as a traditional savings account or a certificate of deposit account). Analysis of the Anchor protocol in January 2022 showed it was at a loss.One of the allegations in the lawsuits against Terraform Labs’ founders is that the Anchor protocol was a Ponzi scheme.In March 2025, Galaxy Digital reached a $200-million settlement with the New York Attorney General over claims the crypto investing company promoted the LUNA digital asset without disclosing its interest in the token.In January 2025, Do Kwon, founder of Terra, was found liable for securities fraud and is facing multiple charges in the US, including fraud, wire fraud and commodities fraud. If regulators are interested in preventing future cases like Terra, they should focus on how to deter fraudsters and manipulators from issuing or engaging with stablecoins.Decentralization: Rekindling the premise of BitcoinMost stablecoins are centralized assets collateralized. They are controlled by a company that could conduct unauthorized use of customers’ funds or falsely claim that reserves fully back a stablecoin.To prevent companies’ misconduct, regulators should closely monitor these companies and set rules similar to securities laws. Centralized stablecoins run counter to the notion of blockchain and the premise of Bitcoin. When Bitcoin was launched, it was supposed to be a payment platform free of intermediaries, not controlled by any company, bank or government — a decentralized mechanism — run by the people for the people.If a stablecoin is centralized, it should follow the regulations of any other centralized asset.Maybe it’s time to rekindle the premise of Bitcoin but in a more “stable” fashion. Developing an algorithmic, decentralized stablecoin that is free of any control of a company, bank or government and reviving the core notion of blockchain.Opinion by: Merav Ozair, PhD.This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Bitcoin ETFs sees massive inflow comeback, suggesting high chance for retrace on market

• #bitcoin

TLDR Metaplanet has established a new US subsidiary in Miami, Florida called Metaplanet Treasury Corp. The company raised 3.6 billion JPY ($23 million) through bond issuance to purchase more Bitcoin Metaplanet recently reached 5,000 Bitcoin and aims to accumulate 10,000 BTC by the end of 2025 The new US entity will operate with $250 million [...] The post Metaplanet’s Bitcoin Buying Spree Heats Up with New US Subsidiary and $23M Raise appeared first on Blockonomi.

• #bitcoin

TLDR US Treasury proposes cutting off Cambodia-based Huione Group from US banking system Huione allegedly laundered $4 billion between 2021-2025, including $37 million from North Korean cyber heists The conglomerate operates payment platform Huione Pay, crypto exchange Huione Crypto, and illicit marketplace Haowang Guarantee Cambodia’s National Bank revoked Huione’s banking license in March FinCEN’s proposed [...] The post US Treasury Claims Huione Laundered $37 Million from North Korean Cyber Heists appeared first on Blockonomi.

A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled that Apple can no longer block developers from linking to external payment systems. This decision applies to all apps on Apple’s platform. That means no more 30% “Apple Tax” on in-app purchases. For the crypto industry, this opens the door to a new era of freedom, profits, and […] The post Apple’s 30% Cut Is Dead — Big Win for Crypto Apps appeared first on Altcoin Buzz.

TLDR Senate Majority Leader John Thune is accelerating the vote on the GENIUS Act, the first U.S. stablecoin regulatory framework The bill passed the Senate Banking Committee with bipartisan support (18-6 vote) Traditional banking advocates oppose the bill, claiming it creates “shadow deposits” that could undermine banks The Senate’s GENIUS Act differs from the House’s [...] The post Senate Advances GENIUS Act to Create First U.S. Stablecoin Regulations appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR World (formerly Worldcoin) launches in six major US cities with payment and identity verification features The project plans to introduce a Visa card for spending WLD tokens and other cryptocurrencies World is partnering with Match Group for identity verification on dating platforms, starting with Tinder in Japan Circle’s USDC integration is coming to World [...] The post World (WLD) Price: Token Gains 12% as Project Launches in US Markets appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR Riot Platforms reported record quarterly revenue of $161.4 million in Q1 2025, up 103.5% year-on-year The company posted a net loss of $296.4 million compared to $211.8 million net income in Q1 2024 Bitcoin mining costs nearly doubled to $43,808 per BTC from $23,034 in the same period last year Riot produced 1,530 BTC [...] The post Riot Platforms Reports Record Q1 2025 Revenue of $161.4M Despite Net Loss appeared first on Blockonomi.

Kraken has completed its acquisition of U.S futures trading platform NinjaTrader. The crypto exchange reportedly saw a rise in revenue and trading volume on a year-on-year basis. According to the crypto firm’s latest quarterly financial report, its NinjaTrader acquisition marks…

Coinspeaker BlackRock’s ETF Inflows Surpass $43B, Bitcoin (BTC) Price Breaks $97K BlackRock’s IBIT fund is worth more than $43 billion, thanks to the massive inflows over the past two weeks. BlackRock’s ETF Inflows Surpass $43B, Bitcoin (BTC) Price Breaks $97K

• #bitcoin

Economist Nouriel Roubini presents an optimistic outlook for U.S. economic growth, forecasting a 4% annual rise by 2030. He believes that while trade restrictions could slow growth by 50 basis points, technological advancements could boost potential growth by 200 basis points. Roubini Says Trump Humbled by Financial Markets Economist Nouriel Roubini, long known for his […]

Ripple is yet to unlock a billion XRP tokens from escrow this month

TLDR Solana has experienced an 8% increase, now trading around $150 Network’s Total Value Locked (TVL) has grown 25% in the past month to over $8 billion Technical analysis shows a V-shaped recovery pattern targeting $250 Daily DEX volumes have risen by more than 90% since April 11th to $3.14 billion Potential US spot Solana [...] The post Solana (SOL) Price: TVL Grows 25% to $8 Billion as Token Trades Above $150 appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR XRP currently trading at $2.21 with 71% of Binance traders holding long positions Eric Trump suggested crypto could replace SWIFT, fueling Ripple-SWIFT replacement rumors XRP forming a symmetrical triangle pattern with potential breakout target of $2.50 Technical indicators show resistance at $2.24-$2.30 with support at $2.15-$2.12 Price reclaimed momentum above $2.20 but remains below [...] The post XRP (XRP) Price: Technical Indicators Show Potential Breakout to $2.50 Level appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin revealed his 2025 priorities, with L1 scaling topping the list ETH is currently trading in a bullish trend, up 20% from $1.5k to $1.8k The upcoming Pectra upgrade is scheduled for May 7, aiming to improve staking and wallet features ETH is facing resistance at $1,880 but could target $2,000 [...] The post Ethereum (ETH) Price: Pectra Upgrade Set for May 7 as Token Tests $1,880 Resistance appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR Bitcoin trading above $97,000 amid optimism over potential U.S.-China trade talks Analysts project Bitcoin could reach $100K-$107K based on technical indicators Strong institutional demand continues with $1.5B in Bitcoin ETF inflows Short-term holder activity signals accumulation phase similar to previous rallies AI tokens gaining traction with Kava Labs reaching 100,000 users Bitcoin’s price has [...] The post Bitcoin (BTC) Price: Technical Indicators Project Potential Move to $107K appeared first on Blockonomi.

• #bitcoin

The company announced the launch of the industry’s first institutional-grade bridge. This bridge connects Solana directly to major EVM chains, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, and Mantle. This bridge from Ondo Finance is backed by LayerZero’s infrastructure and powered by Ondo’s Decentralized Verifier Network (DVN). The bridge offers unmatched security and flexibility for USDY holders looking to […] The post Ondo Finance & LayerZero Launch Ethereum-Solana Bridge appeared first on Altcoin Buzz.

What is AGI? When the lines blur between man and machine, you’re looking at artificial general intelligence (AGI). Unlike its counterpart, artificial narrow intelligence (ANI), which is the use of AI for solving individual problem statements, AGI represents artificial intelligence that can understand, learn and apply knowledge in a way that is indistinguishable from human cognition.AGI is still theoretical, but the prospect of artificial intelligence being able to holistically replace human input and judgment has naturally attracted plenty of interest, with researchers, technologists and academics alike seeking to bring the concept of AGI to reality. Yet another strand of prevailing research seeks to explore the feasibility and implications of AGI vs. ANI in a world increasingly shaped by AI capabilities. Indeed, while ANI has already transformed various industries, AGI’s potential goes far beyond. Imagine a world where machines can not only assist humans in their tasks but also proactively understand the drivers behind specific tasks, predict outcomes, and autonomously create innovative solutions to achieve optimal results. This paradigm shift could revolutionize healthcare, education, transportation and countless other fields. Why is AGI so powerful? Unlike ANI, AGI is not confined to pre-programmed tasks or predefined responses within a limited domain. Instead, it has the potential to generate and apply knowledge across various contexts.Imagine a self-driving car powered by AGI. It can collect a passenger from a train station but also personalize the journey with custom recommendations for pit stops, sightseeing avenues or navigating unfamiliar roads to arrive at the desired destination. And because it’s a machine, AGI would not experience fatigue and would continue learning and improving at exponential speeds. Here’s a definition of AGI by Vitalik Buterin, who highlights the sheer potential of AGI:The example highlights some interesting features of AGI, which include:Learning capability: AGI can learn from experiences and improve its performance over time without a concerted effort by human programmers to perform additional data set training. This learning is not limited to specific tasks and instead encompasses a broad spectrum of activities.Problem-solving skills: AGI can solve complex problems by applying logical reasoning just as a human would. This includes consideration of non-traditional variables, such as emotional impact, which can highlight an even wider range of potential outcomes.Adaptability: AGI can adjust to new situations and environments without explicit programming, which means it can thrive in dynamic and unpredictable settings.Understanding and interpretation: AGI is equipped to comprehend natural language, abstract concepts and emotional nuance, allowing for sophisticated human-machine interactions.Did you know? Blockchain timestamps could serve as a legal memory for AGI systems, allowing future audits to determine exactly what an AGI knew — and when. The pursuit of AGI: Where does it stand as of April 2025? AGI is currently the science-fiction version of AI. However, while still theoretical, the sheer potential of the concept makes AGI the science fiction equivalent of artificial intelligence. While existing models, such as ChatGPT, are constantly evolving and improving with each day, the journey to bringing AGI to life involves overcoming significant technical challenges, such as:Defining the tech stack: The purely hypothetical nature of AGI makes it exceedingly difficult, if not altogether impossible, to determine the precise nature of the technological stack required for practical implementation.Neural networks: Advances in deep learning have propelled this field forward, but AGI would also require specialist neural networks that mimic the human brain’s structure to process information and introduce a layer of emotion and nuance.Natural language processing (NLP): Significant advances are required in the field of NLP to enable machines to better understand and generate human language, incorporating nuance, emotion and complexities. This includes a more complex analysis of language syntax, semantics and context, which is still evolving in traditional machine learning models that leverage NLP. Reinforcement learning: Using reward-based mechanisms to teach machines to make decisions would allow AGI to learn optimal behaviors through trial and error.Despite advancements, creating AGI that can truly think like a human remains an elusive goal.Did you know? DeepMind warns that not all AI risks come from the machines themselves — some start with humans misusing them. In its paper titled ‘An Approach to Technical AGI Safety and Security’, DeepMind identifies four key threats: misuse (bad actors using AI for harm), misalignment (AI knowingly going against its developer’s intent), mistakes (AI causes harm without realizing it), and structural risks (failures that emerge from complex interactions between people, organizations, or systems). Can AGI think like a human? The question of whether AGI can think like a human delves into the very core of human cognition. Human thinking is characterized by consciousness, emotional depth, creativity and subjectivity. While AGI can simulate certain aspects of human thought, replicating the full spectrum of human cognition is a formidable challenge.Several dimensions of human cognition are particularly difficult to emulate:Consciousness and self-awareness: One of the defining traits of human thinking is consciousness, the awareness of oneself and one’s surroundings. AGI, as sophisticated as it may become, lacks the intrinsic human ability to introspect. AGI operates on an underlying set of algorithms and complex, learned patterns, without any subjectivity or genuine emotion.Emotional intelligence: Humans experience a wide range of emotions that influence their decisions, behaviors and interactions. While AGI can be trained to recognize and respond to such emotions, the lack of genuine emotional experience means that it cannot wholly replicate these emotions. Emotional intelligence in humans involves empathy, compassion and moral considerations, elements that are challenging to encode into machines.Creativity and innovation: Creativity involves generating novel ideas and solutions, often through intuitive leaps and imaginative thinking. AGI can mimic creativity by combining existing knowledge in new ways, but it lacks the intrinsic motivation and subjective insight that drive human innovation. True creativity stems from emotional experiences, personal reflections and cultural contexts, which AGI cannot authentically replicate. Key benefits of AGI The litmus test for AGI lies in its ability to holistically replicate a human experience. When realized, the potential benefits are enormous and stretch across various industries, spawning various aspects of daily life.Despite its limitations, AGI is increasingly viewed as a force for good across a range of industries, including:Healthcare: AGI can assist in diagnosing diseases, developing personalized treatment plans and predicting customized health outcomes, leveraging a vast body of underlying training data.Education: It can provide customized learning experiences, tutoring and academic research support. AGI can adapt to individual learning styles and pace, enhancing educational outcomes.Economics: It can optimize financial models, predict market trends, and enhance productivity. It can analyze economic data to forecast market trends and guide investment decisions.Environmental Science: AGI can analyze climate data, model ecological impacts, and propose sustainable solutions.Additionally, AGI’s potential extends to areas such as transportation, communication and entertainment, offering new frontiers for innovation.Did you know? Some futurists believe AGI systems could eventually negotiate with each other autonomously using blockchain-based smart contracts — forming agreements, trading data or even co-developing solutions without human intervention. Ethical and societal considerations The rise of AGI raises significant ethical and societal questions. While powerful, AGI requires careful consideration for safe usage, which has prompted the creation of nonprofit societies, such as the AGI Society, as shown in the image below.Fundamentally, it is crucial to address concerns such as:Safety: Ensuring AGI operates within safe and controlled parameters to prevent unintended consequences. This includes robust testing and the introduction of regulatory frameworks to oversee AGI deployment.Privacy: Protecting personal data from misuse by AGI systems. As AGI can process vast amounts of data, safeguarding privacy is paramount.Bias and fairness: Preventing discriminatory practices and ensuring equitable access to AGI benefits. Developers must ensure that AGI systems are free from biases that could lead to unfair treatment.Employment: Addressing the impact of AGI on job displacement and workforce dynamics. As AGI automates tasks, there is a need to consider its impact on employment and provide support for affected workers.The integration of AGI into society requires a thoughtful approach to its governance, ensuring that it serves the common good and respects social values. Can blockchain power AGI? AGI could create computers as smart as humans, revolutionizing fields like cryptocurrency trading or market analysis. But AGI needs trust and fairness to work for everyone. Blockchain, the tech behind Bitcoin and Ethereum, offers a secure, transparent way to make this happen. Here’s how blockchain can supercharge AGI with crypto-inspired solutions:Clear training records: Blockchain works like Bitcoin’s open transaction log, recording every piece of data (e.g., crypto trading patterns) used to train AGI. This helps ensure the system is fair and free from hidden biases.Shared decision-making: Similar to Ethereum’s smart contracts, blockchain will allow developers, traders and users to vote on AGI’s rules, ensuring no single company controls it.Safe data sharing: Like crypto wallets safeguarding funds, blockchain could protect sensitive data from crypto exchanges, allowing secure sharing for AGI training without leaks.Rewards for fairness: Developers who build unbiased AGI, such as accurate trading predictors, could earn digital tokens, just like crypto mining rewards, encouraging ethical work.However, ongoing challenges such as blockchain’s slow speed, delays in crypto transactions and limited storage capacity could make it hard for AGI to process data quickly or handle large datasets.To make blockchain AGI-ready, researchers are already exploring:Offchain storage: Decentralized systems like InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) are used to store large files offchain, while the blockchain keeps only verifiable hashes, reducing congestion.Sharding and danksharding: Like Ethereum’s scalability upgrades, sharding splits data across multiple nodes, allowing AGI to process more information without slowing down the network. Also, danksharding, an advanced form of sharding being developed for Ethereum, combines rollups and data availability sampling to scale data access efficiently — ideal for real-time AGI applications.Data pruning: Advanced blockchain models like Decentralized Artificial Intelligent Blockchain-based Computing Network (DAIBCN) prune old or irrelevant data, keeping the system lean and optimized for high-demand tasks like AGI. DAIBCN also enables secure, distributed AI computing — blending blockchain trust with AI performance. The future of AGI Artificial general intelligence represents the pinnacle of AI development, promising capabilities that rival human intellect. While AGI can simulate aspects of human thinking, achieving true human-like cognition remains a distant goal. Consciousness, emotional depth and creativity are intrinsic to human experience and pose significant challenges for AGI. Nevertheless, the pursuit of AGI continues to drive innovation and reshape our understanding of intelligence. As we advance toward this frontier, it is imperative to navigate ethical considerations and societal impacts to responsibly harness AGI’s potential.Ongoing research, identifying practical opportunities and technical requirements, and initiating dialogue across society are all essential steps to address the challenges and opportunities posed by AGI. The future of AGI holds promise, but it requires a balanced approach to ensure that its eventual integration into society enhances human well-being and respects ethical standards.

Bitcoin ETFs bleed, and even BlackRock's $270 million couldn't stop it

• #bitcoin

Ripple moved 500 million XRP, valued at around $1.1 billion, sparking fresh speculation across the crypto space.  The transfer, flagged by blockchain monitoring service Whale Alert on May 2, initially sparked speculation of a large-scale dump. On-chain data, however, indicates…

Roswell, New Mexico has made history in municipal finance by becoming the first city in the United States to have an official Bitcoin reserve. Related Reading: Crypto Clean-Up Down Under: Australia To Crack Down On Inactive Exchanges Small Donation Puts Big Plans In Motion For Emergency Fund As per the city officials, the initially small […]

• #bitcoin

At press time, PENGU's market was bullish after recent gains, but it may be likely to fall by 24%-40% Swing traders can wait for key liquidation levels to be swept, before looking to enter tradThe post How and why PENGU could soon face a 40% price drop appeared first on AMBCrypto.

Bubblemaps has visualized the token distribution for Boop crypto, a fairly new token that stems from the new Solana-based meme coin launchpad Boop.fun. BOOP has gone up more than 200%. On May 2, the on-chain analysis platform Bubblemaps showed traders…

HAEDAL surged by as much as 50% today ahead of its listing on South Korea’s Bithumb exchange. According to CoinGecko data, the liquid staking protocol Haedal (HAEDAL) rallied to an intraday high of $0.174 during Asia morning hours on May…

Tron has remained one of most profitable altcoins in anticipation of Q2 breakout

Starting today, anyone with internet access can trade Meta ($META) anytime, anywhere. There’s no need to rely on traditional stock markets. It’s all powered by Injective’s tokenization framework known as iAssets. This development marks a major step forward for real-world asset (RWA) integration in crypto. And it’s not just Meta. Injective has already launched $NVDA, […] The post Injective Brings Meta Stock Onchain appeared first on Altcoin Buzz.

The Ninjatrader purchase, originally announced in March, has now been finalized and Kraken has also disclosed a 19% increase in year-over-year revenue during the first quarter. Kraken Finalizes Ninjatrader Purchase, Discloses 19% Jump in Earnings Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, has wrapped up its $1.5 billion acquisition of retail futures platform Ninjatrader, according to a press release […]

Ethereum’s Buterin outlined personal priorities, which include L1 scaling and full-stack privacy Speculators appear to be bullish and ‘greedy’ on ETH right now, but $1.9k may be reachableThe post Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin unveils 2025 goals - Impact on $1.9K price target?  appeared first on AMBCrypto.

Huione Group, a Cambodian conglomerate linked to the largest illicit online marketplace, could be cut off from the U.S. financial system under a new Treasury proposal. According to a May 1 announcement from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial…

Movement Labs has suspended co-founder Rushi Manche as it continues to investigate a scandal involving one of its former market makers. In a post on X dated May 2, Movement Labs confirmed Manche’s suspension as a third-party investigation by Groom…

Sam Altman’s crypto-linked human identity project, known as World, is beginning its US expansion with new features that integrate both payment and digital identity capabilities. Initially launched internationally, the initiative is now debuting in six major US cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. Related Reading: New Crypto Alliance: Trump-Backed World Liberty […]

A recent report revealed that the Movement Foundation team executed an insider trading deal with a third party selling MOVE Investors have kept accumulating MOVE, betting on a rally despite theThe post MOVE traders keep buying, DESPITE concerns over Foundation's insider trading - Why? appeared first on AMBCrypto.

A new study finds that 68% of Americans have purchased bitcoin since President Trump announced reciprocal tariffs, surpassing gold buyers by nearly 24%. Americans Allocate More Funds to Bitcoin According to a new NFT Evening study, 68% of Americans have bought bitcoin ( BTC) since the U.S. President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs. This figure […]

• #bitcoin

Cryptocurrency influencer and Token Metrics CEO Ian Balina is the latest figure to have an SEC unregistered securities sales case dropped. According to a May 1 joint stipulation filed in a Texas federal court, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission…

The prominent chartist has issued a major crypto warning

Sebastian Bea is proposing a U.S. gold revaluation to fund a $100 billion Bitcoin acquisition Bitcoin’s future depends on breaking the $95,000-$96,000 resistance for further growth A bold The post Coinbase exec - U.S. could secretly unlock $100B for Bitcoin using gold revaluation loophole appeared first on AMBCrypto.

• #bitcoin

Online discussions about memecoins have hit a year-to-date high, gaining considerable attention after sentiment cooled earlier in the year, according to onchain analytics platform Santiment. Two weeks ago, discussions around Bitcoin (BTC) and layer-1 protocols peaked during the market volatility brought on by the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs. However, that’s since shifted to high market cap memecoins, Santiment marketing director Brian Quinlivan said in a May 1 blog post.“Online discussions about these high-risk tokens have proliferated as traders embrace a gamble mindset, rather than a calculated investment approach,” he said.“This is a telltale sign that traders are increasingly investing based solely on speculation and short-term gains,” Quinlivan added.Online discussions about memecoins have hit a 2025 high, surpassing discussions about Bitcoin. Source: SantimentQuinlivan said the overall crypto market rose 10% in the past eight days, but Bitcoin only gained 7%, which indicates traders are flocking to more speculative assets.“Any time Bitcoin leads an initial rally and then begins to move sideways, investors generally start taking bigger risks in hopes of scoring even higher returns through more speculative and riskier purchases,” he said.Dogecoin discussions spike on ETF newsIn particular, Dogecoin (DOGE) has seen a notable spike in positive crowd sentiment after a major decline in crowd interest during April, as various applications for DOGE exchange-traded funds were filed in the US.Despite the Securities and Exchange Commission delaying its decision on these filings until mid-June, Quinlivan says traders are in a state of cautious anticipation.“Until late April, DOGE had been on a major decline in terms of crowd interest. But its social dominance has spiked to its highest level in nearly three months, as the conversations and filings surrounding Nasdaq’s ETF listings have risen,” he said.Dogecoin has seen a notable spike in positive crowd sentiment. Source: SantimentDefiLlama data shows PumpSwap, the decentralized exchange of the memecoin launch platform Pump.Fun saw a spike to $11 billion in monthly trading volume during April after recording only $1.7 billion in March.Related: Crypto token failures soar, with 1 in 4 launched since 2021 dying in Q1: CoinGeckoMeanwhile, Pump.Fun’s monthly trading volume rose to $3.3 billion in April, up from $2.5 billion in March.Memecoin activity exploded after the launch of US President Donald Trump’s memecoin on Jan. 18, with Pump.fun usage recording a high of $3.3 billion in weekly trading volume.However, traders soon cooled on memecoins. CoinGecko founder Bobby Ong said in a March 6 report that memecoin investor interest dropped after a series of bad launches, noting the fallout from the Libra (LIBRA) token launch in February as a significant catalyst. Magazine: Mystery celeb memecoin scam factory, HK firm dumps Bitcoin: Asia Express

Since its launch in June 2018, TRON has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 10 billion total transactions. As per a May 1 analysis by CryptoQuant contributor Maartun,  the network currently handles approximately 8.4 million transactions every day. Although activity…

Sonic surged 15% and total value locked reached a new all-time high after Binance Wallet announced its integration with the Sonic blockchain. The update, which was announced on May 1, allows users to interact with Sonic’s (S) decentralized applications and…

Sui is set to integrate sBTC and support the Stacks network, positioning Sui as a leading hub for institutional-grade Bitcoin decentralized finance. In a May 1 blog post, the Sui Foundation announced that it will integrate sBTC and support the…

• #bitcoin

Bitcoin is trading above the $95,000 level as bulls try to reclaim control and push toward six figures. After a strong rebound from its April lows, BTC has entered a tight consolidation range between $92K and $96K, with market participants watching closely for a decisive breakout. A move above the $96K mark could trigger the […]

• #bitcoin

The $300 million ecosystem development fund by MEXC will drive blockchain innovation, support early-stage Web3 projects, and expand its role from crypto exchange to full-scale ecosystem builder. MEXC Advances Push Into Web3 Development With $300 Million Fund MEXC, a global crypto exchange, has announced a bold leap forward in its evolution by launching a $300 […]

Bitcoin miner Riot Platforms has reported its highest-ever quarterly revenue, but still posted a loss as mining costs have nearly doubled compared to the same time last year and it moves to bolster its facilities.“We achieved a new record for quarterly revenue this quarter, at $161.4 million,” Riot CEO Jason Les said in a May 1 report for its first quarter 2025 earnings. The company just surpassed Wall Street estimates of $159.79 million by 1%.Riot’s Q1 revenue was a 50% jump compared to the same quarter a year ago.Riot blames “halving event” for expensesThe firm reported a net loss of $296,367 over Q1, a 240% decrease from the $211,777 net income it posted in the year-ago quarter.Riot said that the average cost to mine Bitcoin (BTC) over the quarter was $43,808, almost 90% more than the $23,034 it cost to mine Bitcoin in the same period last year.“The increase was primarily driven by the block subsidy ‘halving’ event, which occurred in April 2024, and a 41% increase in the average global network hashrate as compared to the same period in 2024,” Riot said.Shares in Riot Platforms (RIOT) closed May 1 trading up 7.32%, trading at $7.77, according to Google Finance.Riot Platforms is down 13.47% over the past six months. Source: Google FinanceMeanwhile, Riot produced 166 more Bitcoin during the quarter than it did over the same period in 2024. At the time of publication, with Bitcoin trading at $97,072, that equates to approximately $16.13 million.Related: Bitcoin miner Phoenix Group adds 52 MW of mining capacity in EthiopiaRiot currently holds 19,223 unencumbered Bitcoin, worth approximately $1.86 billion at the time of publication.On April 23, Riot announced that it had used its massive Bitcoin stockpile as collateral to secure a $100 million credit facility from Coinbase as the cryptocurrency miner eyes continued expansion. Les said the $100 million loan from Coinbase’s credit arm marked Riot’s “first Bitcoin-backed facility.”Magazine: Japanese porn star’s coin red flags, Alibaba-linked L2 runs at 100K TPS: Asia ExpressThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

The drawdown investors faced in April has been steadily reversing itself Short-term bias was strongly bullish, and $107.5k and $110k may be feasible price targets Bitcoin [BTC], at the time The post THREE reasons why Bitcoin is set to hit $107K next! appeared first on AMBCrypto.

• #bitcoin

Crypto analyst The Alchemist has predicted that the Dogecoin rival Baby Doge is set for a price surge of over 100%. The analyst highlighted a bullish pattern for the meme coin, which could spark this price surge while other meme coins like Shiba Inu remain in the red.  Dogecoin Rival Baby Doge Set For Over […]

Shiba Inu’s price action in the past seven days has been marked by a decline from $0.00001514, struggling to keep up an upward momentum. After briefly touching $0.00001514 on April 26 following Bitcoin’s rally, SHIB has since pulled back and is currently hovering near $0.0000132. This decline reflects a broader hesitation among Shiba Inu traders […]

The US Treasury Department wants to block the Cambodia-based Huione Group from accessing the US banking system, accusing it of helping North Korea’s state-backed Lazarus Group to launder its crypto.The Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed on May 1 to prohibit US financial institutions from opening or maintaining correspondent or payable-through accounts for or on behalf of the Huione Group.Huione Group has established itself as the “marketplace of choice for malicious cyber actors” like the Lazarus Group, who have “stolen billions of dollars from everyday Americans,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a May 1 statement.“Today’s proposed action will sever Huione Group’s access to correspondent banking, degrading these groups’ ability to launder their ill-gotten gains.”Huione Group has set up a network of businesses, which includes payment service platform Huione Pay PLC, the crypto exchange Huione Crypto, and Haowang Guarantee, an online marketplace offering illicit goods and services.Although the conglomerate doesn’t have correspondent accounts with US financial institutions, it has accounts with foreign firms with US correspondent accounts, the Treasury’s FinCEN noted in its rulemaking submission.The proposed rule is subject to a 30-day public comment period before it can take effect.Source: ChainalysisHuione expanded into sophisticated cybercrime networkFinCEN claimed that Huione Group has laundered at least $4 billion worth of illicit proceeds between August 2021 and January 2025, including more than $36 million from crypto pig butchering scams.At least $37 million worth of the crypto laundered has been linked to North Korea’s “cyber heists,” the Treasury said.Haowang Guarantee has made Huione Group a “one stop shop” for criminals to launder crypto obtained through illicit activities, and ultimately convert it to fiat currency, the Treasury said.Related: North Korean crypto attacks rising in sophistication, actors — ParadigmThe conglomerate has also created a US dollar-pegged stablecoin, the US Dollar Huione (USDH), which FinCEN said cannot be frozen and helps to carry out money laundering activities.The National Bank of Cambodia has stated that payment firms aren’t allowed to deal or trade digital assets in the country and had revoked the company’s local banking license in March.Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

  Real momentum within the crypto market resumes its ascent because investors now seek projects with practical applications in addition to scalable systems and speed of growth potential. Modern investors focus on practical implementations within their projects alongside expanding platforms and substantial increased capabilities because these elements lead to their success. Blockchain gaming alongside DeFi undergoes disruption through two disruptive leaders known as DexBoss and AurealOne. A portfolio built with Bitcoin together with Quantler (QTLR) and AstroLink (ASTL) offers reliability and dual emerging investments that provide both stability and major growth potential. Here are the top 5 cryptos turning heads The post Best Crypto to Buy Now: AurealOne Raises the Bar – The Gaming Presale Everyone’s Watching! appeared first on The Merkle News.

Do you remember the old adage, “Sell in May and go away.” Well, it’s quite possible that this May might be different. If we look at Bitcoin’s history over the last 15 years, May actually did pretty well. Nine times May was green and only six times it saw red. That’s 67% in the green. Not […] The post 4 Altcoins Ready To Pump in May 2025 appeared first on Altcoin Buzz.

• #litecoin

Visa goes global with stablecoin card rollout, enabling crypto spending at over 150 million merchants. Visa Makes Stablecoin Payments Seamless at 150M Stores Visa and Bridge launched a stablecoin-linked card that enables consumers to use digital assets for everyday purchases on Tuesday. The card allows payments in stablecoins at more than 150 million global merchant […]

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has filed to drop another of its crypto lawsuits, this time its unregistered securities sales case against crypto influencer and YouTuber Ian Balina. The SEC said in a May 1 joint stipulation with Balina to an Austin federal court that it “believes the dismissal of this case is appropriate,” citing the work of the agency’s Crypto Task Force.The agency didn’t give a reason for wanting to dismiss its case, but said its decision “does not necessarily reflect the Commission’s position on any other case.”Balina told Cointelegraph in March that the SEC had informed him it would recommend the court dismiss the case and claimed the agency’s actions were based on a shift in the agency’s priorities.“Obviously, the new administration is pro-crypto,” Balina said. The SEC has seen a change in leadership under US President Donald Trump, who appointed former crypto lobbyist Paul Atkins to chair the agency.The joint stipulation argued a dismissal would also conserve the court’s resources “without costs or fees to either party.”Balina is the CEO of Token Metrics, a crypto influencer with 140,000 followers on X, and a YouTuber who the SEC accused of improperly promoting crypto projects, particularly during the initial coin offering (ICO) boom circa 2017.The SEC sued Balina in 2022, alleging that he conducted an unregistered securities offering of Sparkster (SPRK) tokens when he formed an investing pool on Telegram in 2018.The SEC claimed that US-based investors participated in Balina’s investing pool, using Ether (ETH), which was validated by a network of nodes “which are clustered more densely in the United States than in any other country.”Related: SEC drops investigation into PayPal’s stablecoinThe court sided with the SEC and, in May 2024, ruled that SPRK was an investment contract under US securities laws, where investors pooled money into a common enterprise expecting profits due to the efforts of others.Edit the caption here or remove the textShift in crypto policyThe move is the latest in a long list of crypto-related court actions that the SEC has quashed under the Trump administration’s favorable stance toward the industry. Over the past month, it has dropped several cases and abandoned multiple investigations against crypto firms, including against Coinbase, Ripple, Kraken, Opensea, and PayPal’s stablecoin. Magazine: Japanese porn star’s coin red flags, Alibaba-linked L2 runs at 100K TPS: Asia Express

Cryptocurrency investment firm Galaxy Digital intends to shift the listing of its shares from Canada to the US early next month. The company, established by Mike Novogratz, who is a known Bitcoin advocate, will migrate to the Nasdaq from the Toronto Stock Exchange on May 16, subject to approval by the shareholders at a meeting […]

A jaw-dropping $800 million bitcoin treasure buried in a landfill is being transformed into a global media project, blending real-time drama, tech innovation, and environmental warfare. The Buried Bitcoin Docuseries Unleashes the Craziest Landfill Treasure Hunt Ever Los Angeles-based entertainment media company Lebul announced on April 29 that it has acquired the exclusive rights to […]

• #bitcoin

Decentralized finance (DeFi) lending platform Sky has pitched a proposal to finalize its upgrade from Maker by replacing its governance token and enabling staking.The proposal, posted on May 1 to Sky’s decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) forum, would see the Sky (SKY) token take over the Maker (MKR) token as the protocol’s governance token.If the DAO accepts, the change would be slated to take place around May 15 to May 19 and downgrading from SKY to MKR would also be disabled.Sky co-founder Rune Christensen said in response to the proposal that it was a “huge milestone,” which he “fully supports,” and laments that allowing users to downgrade from SKY back to MKR has been a “key limiting factor preventing exchanges from adopting SKY.”“With this change, exchanges are likely to move faster in quickly adopting SKY without concerns about fracturing liquidity,” he said.Source: SkyPenalties on MKR holders who are slow in switching to SKY have also been proposed. According to the proposal, a 1% delayed upgrade penalty would apply to all MKR to SKY upgrades starting Sept. 18, increasing every three months. Users hit with a delayed upgrade penalty will also obtain fewer SKY tokens.Sky staking, temporary pause on liquidationsChristensen said the most important change would be to see SKY staking enabled as part of the changes to the protocol.Rewards for its decentralized stablecoin, USDS, which are based on the income the Sky Protocol generates, will be enabled two or three weeks after the upgrade of the governance contract, with a splitter rate of 50%, according to Christensen.Source: Rune Christensen“Getting past the full upgrade of MKR to SKY is one of the last pieces missing before Sky can transition to 0 fixed costs at the end of 2025, which will ensure an even greater portion of the income the protocol generates goes to the benefit of SKY buybacks, or SKY Staking Rewards,” he said.SKY liquidations will also be temporarily disabled while the one-way MKR to SKY transition is still in its early stages.Related: Sky doubles down on token overhaul: Making MKR unusable, launching subDAOs“This is necessary to prevent risk from price manipulation to the SKY and MKR price while the transition is happening,” Christensen said.“When SKY market liquidity is restored, Sky Governance will lift the liquidation freeze and move risk parameters to long-term targets,” he added.Maker rebranded to Sky in August last year but after confusion and negative feedback, Christensen considered going back to the original Maker name just months later.However, a November poll saw 79% of tokenholders vote to keep the Sky brand as the back end protocol brand with no further changes.Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered

Anthony Scaramucci, the founder of SkyBridge Capital and a long-time crypto advocate, believes Elon Musk is poised to weave digital assets into the fabric of X’s planned “super app,” even if the precise mechanism remains under wraps. In a recent interview with Saxo Group, Scaramucci disclosed that although he has “not spoken to Elon directly,” […]

XRP plunged to $2.15 after $13.9M in long liquidations, revealing extreme leverage imbalance. Despite volatility, Ripple’s bullish fundamentals and institutional moves suggest long-term growtThe post XRP faces 1000% liquidation surge as price dips to $2.15 - Is a bullish reversal next? appeared first on AMBCrypto.

US crypto exchange Kraken has detailed a North Korean hacker’s attempt to infiltrate the organization by applying for a job interview.“What started as a routine hiring process for an engineering role quickly turned into an intelligence-gathering operation,” the company wrote in a May 1 blog post.Kraken said the applicant’s red flags appeared early on in the process when they joined an interview under a name different from what they applied with and “occasionally switched between voices,” apparently being guided through the interview.Rather than immediately rejecting the applicant, Kraken decided to advance them through its hiring process to gather information about the tactics used.International sanctions have effectively cut North Korea off from the rest of the world, and the country’s ruling Kim family dictatorship has long targeted crypto companies and users to top up the country’s coffers. It’s stolen billions worth of crypto so far this year.Kraken reported that industry partners had tipped them off that North Korean actors were actively applying for jobs at crypto companies. “We received a list of email addresses linked to the hacker group, and one of them matched the email the candidate used to apply to Kraken,” it said. With this information, the firm’s security team uncovered a network of fake identities used by the hacker to apply to multiple companies. Kraken also noted technical inconsistencies, which included the use of remote Mac desktops through VPNs and altered identification documents.Kraken CSO @c7five recently spoke to @CBSNews about how a North Korean operative unsuccessfully attempted to get a job at Kraken. Don’t trust. Verify 👇 pic.twitter.com/1vVo3perH2— Kraken Exchange (@krakenfx) May 1, 2025The applicant’s resume was linked to a GitHub profile containing an email address exposed in a past data breach, and the exchange said the candidate’s primary form of ID “appeared to be altered, likely using details stolen in an identity theft case two years prior.”During final interviews, Kraken chief security officer Nick Percoco conducted trap identity verification tests that the candidate failed, confirming the deception. Related: Lazarus Group’s 2024 pause was repositioning for $1.4B Bybit hack“Don’t trust, verify. This core crypto principle is more relevant than ever in the digital age,” Peroco said. “State-sponsored attacks aren’t just a crypto or US corporate issue — they’re a global threat.”North Korea pulls off biggest-ever crypto hackNorth Korea-affiliated hacking collective Lazarus Group was responsible for February’s $1.4 billion Bybit exchange hack, the largest ever for the crypto industry.North Korean-linked hackers also stole more than $650 million through multiple crypto heists during 2024, while deploying IT workers to infiltrate blockchain and crypto companies as insider threats, according to a statement released by the US, Japan and South Korea in January. In April, a subgroup of Lazarus was found to have set up three shell companies, with two in the US, to deliver malware to unsuspecting users and scam crypto developers. Magazine: Japanese porn star’s coin red flags, Alibaba-linked L2 runs at 100K TPS: Asia Express

Michael Saylor’s $10 million bitcoin prophecy gains traction as trillions remain locked behind advisor restrictions, signaling a massive institutional breakout is only just beginning. $10M Bitcoin? Saylor Says That’s When Financial Advisors Finally Get It Wealth management firms controlling more than $50 trillion in assets continue to limit access to bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), according […]

• #bitcoin

Dogecoin (DOGE), once dismissed as an internet joke due to its meme coin origins, is now making a strong comeback, as 21Shares, a leading asset management firm, goes ultra-bullish on it. Following news of its ETF filing, 21Shares released a report positioning Dogecoin as a serious portfolio inclusion, emphasizing that it has evolved beyond its […]

Key takeaways:Despite weak US manufacturing data, Federal Reserve liquidity plans and strong corporate earnings keep equities and crypto afloat.The total crypto market capitalization rose 8.5% since March.Cryptocurrency traders have frequently zoomed in on the need for crypto to show a clear “decoupling” from the stock market, and over the past 10 days, the intraday movements of Bitcoin (BTC) and major altcoins have closely tracked those of the S&P 500, even as trade war developments have dominated market sentiment.S&P 500 futures (left) vs. Total crypto cap, USD (right). Source: TradingView/CointelegraphA decoupling would validate digital assets as an independent class and address growing concerns about a potential global economic recession. This ongoing correlation has led market participants to question whether the cryptocurrency market is destined to follow the stock market’s lead indefinitely, and what conditions would be necessary for a genuine decoupling to occur.Stock market shows strength despite trade tensionsThe S&P 500 reached its peak on Feb. 19 and has since struggled to reclaim the 5,800 level, a support that had held for four months. Despite persistent pressure from US trade disputes with Canada and Mexico, as well as the imposition of new tariffs affecting nearly every major economic region, equities have demonstrated notable resilience.Chinese state media recently reported that the United States has quietly initiated trade negotiations. Although China officially maintains a 125% retaliatory tariff on US imports, it has granted waivers for sectors such as ethane, semiconductors, and certain pharmaceuticals. The United States, in turn, has partially exempted automakers from new tariffs. These actions suggest that both sides are gradually making concessions.There is a reasonable possibility that the S&P 500 established a bottom at 4,835 on April 7, with further gains from the current 5,635 level remaining plausible. The stock market has responded positively to robust first-quarter earnings, as companies adapt to tariffs by relocating production outside China or expanding operations within the United States.For instance, Microsoft reported a 13.2% year-over-year increase in revenue, with higher margins and strong demand for artificial intelligence. Meta also delivered earnings and revenue that exceeded market expectations on April 30. These results have alleviated concerns about a potential AI bubble or the risk that the trade war could force companies to reduce investment.The market’s focus shifts to the Federal ReserveRather than concentrating on the recent decline in US PMI manufacturing data-which reached a five-month low in April, market participants are closely monitoring the Federal Reserve’s next policy moves. Following a year of balance sheet reduction, the Fed is now considering asset purchases to help ease selling pressure.An increase in liquidity is typically favorable for risk-oriented assets. Therefore, even if a full decoupling does not occur, cryptocurrencies could still benefit from a more supportive macroeconomic environment.S&P 500 futures (left) vs. Total crypto cap, USD (right). Source: TradingView/CointelegraphDespite the short-term correlation, the cryptocurrency market has outperformed equities in recent months. Since March, the total crypto market capitalization has risen by 8.5%, while the S&P 500 has declined by 5.3%. Over a six-month period, this divergence becomes even more pronounced: the total crypto market cap is up 29%, while the S&P 500 is down 2%. It is therefore inaccurate to suggest that these markets move in perfect synchrony, particularly when viewed over longer timeframes.Related: Bitcoin to $1M by 2029 fueled by ETF and gov’t demand — Bitwise execIt is still premature to declare a definitive bottom for the S&P 500 or to conclude that the trade war has been resolved. An economic recession would likely have negative implications for both markets. However, the current strength in equities indicates reduced risk aversion among investors. For the time being, the elevated correlation between cryptocurrencies and stocks may represent the most favorable scenario.This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

• #bitcoin

Tether, the company behind the world’s largest stablecoin by market capitalization, has released its financials for the first quarter of 2025, disclosing nearly $120 billion in exposure to US Treasurys and over $1 billion in operating profit.According to Tether’s Q1 2025 financial report, the company’s assets include $98.5 billion in direct US Treasury bills, along with over $23 billion in additional exposure through repurchase agreements and other cash-equivalent assets. Excerpt from Tether’s Q1 2025 financial report. Source: TetherAccording to the announcement, Tether holds $5.6 billion in excess of reserves for its USDt (USDT) stablecoin, down from $7.1 billion in excess from the last quarter of 2024. The stablecoin has a market capitalization of $149 billion as of May 1.“Circulating supply of USDT grew by approximately $7 billion in Q1, with a 46 million increase in user wallets,” it said. The company's excess capital continues to fund strategic investments, with more than $2 billion allocated in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, peer-to-peer communications, and data infrastructure. The stablecoin market is broadly dominated by tokens pegged to the US dollar, with USDT and Circle’s USDC holding a combined 87% share. According to the US Treasury’s Q1 2025 report, the market cap for dollar-backed stablecoins is poised to reach $2 trillion by 2028. European Union officials have recently raised concerns about the risks of overreliance on dollar-pegged stablecoins. According to the Bank of Italy, disruptions in the stablecoins market or the underlying bonds could have “repercussions for other parts of the global financial system.”Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Crypto exchange Kraken has completed its acquisition of the futures trading platform NinjaTrader and reported its first quarter revenues jumped 19% year-on-year to $471.7 million.Kraken said in a May 1 report that its NinjaTrader acquisition would give its US customers access to the traditional derivatives market, aligning with its plans to expand its offerings and be the go-to platform for all types of trading.NinjaTrader is a registered Futures Commission Merchant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Last month, it rolled out trading for over 11,000 stocks and exchange-traded funds to certain US clients.The deal, which Kraken dubbed the largest ever between a crypto and traditional finance firm, allows NinjaTrader to expand to the UK, continental Europe and Australian markets and comes as Kraken is preparing for an initial public offering in early 2026. The company is exploring a debt package worth between $200 million and $1 billion to facilitate that transaction.Kraken revenue, trading volume falls on Trump’s returnKraken’s $471.7 million revenue in Q1 marked a 19% increase from the year-ago quarter but a 6.8% fall from Q4 2024.The exchange reported that trading volume fell 9.6% quarter-over-quarter to $208.7 billion while the value of its custodied assets fell 18% to $34.9 billion over the same time.Kraken attributed the drop to a “slowdown in overall market trading activity” as US President Donald Trump’s threats of implementing sweeping tariffs triggered an 18% fall in the crypto market cap over the quarter.Key metrics from Kraken’s Q1 report. Source: KrakenKraken is one of several crypto platforms that saw record or near-record highs in trading activity in Q4 as Trump's November election win sparked larger-than-usual market volatility.Related: Kraken rolls out ETF and stock access for US crypto tradersKraken said that despite a “softening market,” its adjusted EBITDA  — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — jumped 1% from the previous quarter to $187.4 million.The firm also saw the number of funded accounts on its platform increase 10% quarter-on-quarter to 3.9 million, signaling “deeper client engagement.”Reuters reported on April 18 that Kraken restructured its workforce after Arjun Sethi was appointed as co-CEO last October. Sethi has laid off around 400 employees since.Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Stablecoins are rapidly transforming U.S. Treasury demand, reshaping financial markets, and redefining the global role of the U.S. dollar. US Treasury Signals Stablecoin Boom Could Reshape Fiscal Strategy The U.S. Department of the Treasury published on April 30 the official minutes from the April 29, 2025, meeting of the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee, emphasizing the […]

Bitcoin has finally broken above the $96,000 mark, signaling a potential shift in market structure after weeks of consolidation and selling pressure. This breakout gives bulls the upper hand as momentum builds across the board, with renewed optimism that BTC could reclaim the $100K milestone in the near term. The market’s tone has shifted, and […]

• #bitcoin

Over 3.7 million crypto projects have failed since 2021, mostly in 2024–2025. Bitcoin’s dominance surged in 2025, shrinking the altcoin market by $300 billion. The year 2025 has ushered The post Crypto crisis unfolds: 1.8M tokens fail in Q1 2025 - What sparked it? appeared first on AMBCrypto.

Crypto exchange Kraken has completed its acquisition of the futures trading platform NinjaTrader and reported its first quarter revenues jumped 19% year-on-year to $471.7 million.Kraken said in a May 1 report that its NinjaTrader acquisition would give its US customers access to the traditional derivatives market, aligning with its plans to expand its offerings and be the go-to platform for all types of trading.NinjaTrader is a registered Futures Commission Merchant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Last month, it rolled out trading for over 11,000 stocks and exchange-traded funds to certain US clients.The deal, which Kraken dubbed the largest ever between a crypto and traditional finance firm, allows NinjaTrader to expand to the UK, continental Europe and Australian markets and comes as Kraken is preparing for an initial public offering in early 2026. The company is exploring a debt package worth between $200 million and $1 billion to facilitate that transaction.Kraken revenue, trading volume falls on Trump’s returnKraken’s $471.7 million revenue in Q1 marked a 19% increase from the year-ago quarter but a 6.8% fall from Q4 2024.The exchange reported that trading volume fell 9.6% quarter-over-quarter to $208.7 billion while the value of its custodied assets fell 18% to $34.9 billion over the same time.Kraken attributed the drop to a “slowdown in overall market trading activity” as US President Donald Trump’s threats of implementing sweeping tariffs triggered an 18% fall in the crypto market cap over the quarter.Key metrics from Kraken’s Q1 report. Source: KrakenKraken is one of several crypto platforms that saw record or near-record highs in trading activity in Q4 as Trump's November election win sparked larger-than-usual market volatility.Related: Kraken rolls out ETF and stock access for US crypto tradersKraken said that despite a “softening market,” its adjusted EBITDA  — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — jumped 1% from the previous quarter to $187.4 million.The firm also saw the number of funded accounts on its platform increase 10% quarter-on-quarter to 3.9 million, signaling “deeper client engagement.”Reuters reported on April 18 that Kraken restructured its workforce after Arjun Sethi was appointed as co-CEO last October. Sethi has laid off around 400 employees since.Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Strategy’s bitcoin-first model catapults its stock 3,142%, outpacing tech giants and signaling a seismic market shift toward sound money assets. MSTR’s Bitcoin Standard Bet Crushed Legacy Finance Microstrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR), which recently rebranded as Strategy, has achieved a staggering return of 3,142% since transitioning to a bitcoin-focused business model. The dramatic surge in the company’s […]

• #bitcoin

Bullish sentiment has slightly dropped in the general crypto market, affecting major digital assets like Dogecoin, which fell to the $0.168 level as Wednesday drew to a close. DOGE may be struggling to sustain its recent upward trend, but indicators suggest that an upside movement is more likely than a downside movement. An End In […]

Morgan Stanley is gearing up to offer direct crypto trading on E*Trade, signaling a seismic shift as Wall Street embraces bitcoin amid a more favorable regulatory environment in the United States. Morgan Stanley Plans E*Trade Crypto Launch Global investment bank Morgan Stanley is preparing to introduce cryptocurrency trading to its E*Trade platform, Bloomberg reported on […]

Market actually seeing respective potential for recovery, but volume is not there

• #bitcoin

Bitcoin’s Coin Days Destroyed dropped, indicating long-term holders slowed down redistribution activity. BTC appeared poised for a breakout, but confirmation depended on holding above key resThe post Bitcoin: Is there a shift in whale behavior? - THESE metrics say so appeared first on AMBCrypto.

• #bitcoin

The new entity will raise up to $250 million in capital with the sole purpose of accumulating bitcoin. Metaplanet Launches U.S. Operations With New Subsidiary Metaplanet, the Japanese bitcoin treasury firm that pivoted away from hotel development last year, has entered the U.S. market and set up a new wholly-owned subsidiary in Miami, Florida, according […]

Whale moved $170 million in BTC during market dip, raising questions of accumulation or exit strategy. Sell-side pressure grew, with spot volume delta turning sharply negative across major exchThe post Crypto market in shock! - Whale moves $170M Bitcoin: Why & what next? appeared first on AMBCrypto.

• #bitcoin

Key takeaways:Despite weak US manufacturing data, Federal Reserve liquidity plans and strong corporate earnings keep equities and crypto afloat.The total crypto market capitalization rose 8.5% since March.Cryptocurrency traders have frequently zoomed in on the need for crypto to show a clear “decoupling” from the stock market, and over the past 10 days, the intraday movements of Bitcoin (BTC) and major altcoins have closely tracked those of the S&P 500, even as trade war developments have dominated market sentiment.S&P 500 futures (left) vs. Total crypto cap, USD (right). Source: TradingView/CointelegraphA decoupling would validate digital assets as an independent class and address growing concerns about a potential global economic recession. This ongoing correlation has led market participants to question whether the cryptocurrency market is destined to follow the stock market’s lead indefinitely, and what conditions would be necessary for a genuine decoupling to occur.Stock market shows strength despite trade tensionsThe S&P 500 reached its peak on Feb. 19 and has since struggled to reclaim the 5,800 level, a support that had held for four months. Despite persistent pressure from US trade disputes with Canada and Mexico, as well as the imposition of new tariffs affecting nearly every major economic region, equities have demonstrated notable resilience.Chinese state media recently reported that the United States has quietly initiated trade negotiations. Although China officially maintains a 125% retaliatory tariff on US imports, it has granted waivers for sectors such as ethane, semiconductors, and certain pharmaceuticals. The United States, in turn, has partially exempted automakers from new tariffs. These actions suggest that both sides are gradually making concessions.There is a reasonable possibility that the S&P 500 established a bottom at 4,835 on April 7, with further gains from the current 5,635 level remaining plausible. The stock market has responded positively to robust first-quarter earnings, as companies adapt to tariffs by relocating production outside China or expanding operations within the United States.For instance, Microsoft reported a 13.2% year-over-year increase in revenue, with higher margins and strong demand for artificial intelligence. Meta also delivered earnings and revenue that exceeded market expectations on April 30. These results have alleviated concerns about a potential AI bubble or the risk that the trade war could force companies to reduce investment.The market’s focus shifts to the Federal ReserveRather than concentrating on the recent decline in US PMI manufacturing data-which reached a five-month low in April, market participants are closely monitoring the Federal Reserve’s next policy moves. Following a year of balance sheet reduction, the Fed is now considering asset purchases to help ease selling pressure.An increase in liquidity is typically favorable for risk-oriented assets. Therefore, even if a full decoupling does not occur, cryptocurrencies could still benefit from a more supportive macroeconomic environment.S&P 500 futures (left) vs. Total crypto cap, USD (right). Source: TradingView/CointelegraphDespite the short-term correlation, the cryptocurrency market has outperformed equities in recent months. Since March, the total crypto market capitalization has risen by 8.5%, while the S&P 500 has declined by 5.3%. Over a six-month period, this divergence becomes even more pronounced: the total crypto market cap is up 29%, while the S&P 500 is down 2%. It is therefore inaccurate to suggest that these markets move in perfect synchrony, particularly when viewed over longer timeframes.Related: Bitcoin to $1M by 2029 fueled by ETF and gov’t demand — Bitwise execIt is still premature to declare a definitive bottom for the S&P 500 or to conclude that the trade war has been resolved. An economic recession would likely have negative implications for both markets. However, the current strength in equities indicates reduced risk aversion among investors. For the time being, the elevated correlation between cryptocurrencies and stocks may represent the most favorable scenario.This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

• #bitcoin

Tether, the company behind the world’s largest stablecoin by market capitalization, has released its financials for the first quarter of 2025, disclosing nearly $120 billion in exposure to US Treasurys and over $1 billion in operating profit.According to Tether’s Q1 2025 financial report, the company’s assets include $98.5 billion in direct US Treasury bills, along with over $23 billion in additional exposure through repurchase agreements and other cash-equivalent assets. Excerpt from Tether’s Q1 2025 financial report. Source: TetherAccording to the announcement, Tether holds $5.6 billion in excess of reserves for its USDt (USDT) stablecoin, down from $7.1 billion in excess from the last quarter of 2024. The stablecoin has a market capitalization of $149 billion as of May 1.“Circulating supply of USDT grew by approximately $7 billion in Q1, with a 46 million increase in user wallets,” it said. The company's excess capital continues to fund strategic investments, with more than $2 billion allocated in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, peer-to-peer communications, and data infrastructure. The stablecoin market is broadly dominated by tokens pegged to the US dollar, with USDT and Circle’s USDC holding a combined 87% share. According to the US Treasury’s Q1 2025 report, the market cap for dollar-backed stablecoins is poised to reach $2 trillion by 2028. European Union officials have recently raised concerns about the risks of overreliance on dollar-pegged stablecoins. According to the Bank of Italy, disruptions in the stablecoins market or the underlying bonds could have “repercussions for other parts of the global financial system.”Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Sachs explained that the Trump administration’s emphasis on applying tariffs on rival governments would not impact the growth of China and Russia if international trade continues to follow WTO rules. Jeffrey Sachs Labels Tariffs as a Mistake, Disregards Effects in Global Trade The Trump administration’s tariff move and its subsequent effects on global trade continue […]

Crypto exchange Coinbase has announced it will suspend trading of the Movement Network token (MOVE), the native cryptocurrency of the Movement layer-2 blockchain protocol, developed by Movement Labs, effective May 15.The decision was shared in a May 1 X post, with Coinbase citing the token’s failure to meet its listing standards. The price of the MOVE token also declined by approximately 14.5% in the last 24 hours. Coinbase specified the details of the suspension in an announcement:"Trading for MOVE will be suspended on Coinbase, Simple and Advanced Trade, Coinbase Exchange, and Coinbase Prime. We have moved our MOVE order books to limit-only mode. Limit orders can be placed and canceled, and matches may occur."The suspension of the token follows a recently announced third-party review orchestrated by the Movement Network Foundation into an agreement allegedly signed by Movement Labs and a market-making firm, which is said to be behind the downfall of the MOVE token price in December 2024.Source: Coinbase AssetsA Movement Network Foundation spokesperson recently confirmed to Cointelegraph that the third-party investigation, which commenced on April 21, is ongoing. The investigation is being conducted by Groom Lake, an independent cybersecurity and intelligence firm, and has cast a cloud over the MOVE token's price.Related: Binance to purge 14 tokens following ‘vote to delist’ processInvestigation launched into Movement Labs dealThe details of the ongoing investigation, reported by CoinDesk on April 30, revealed an agreement between Movement Labs and Web3Port, a market maker to help distribute the Move token at launch.According to the report, a company called “Rentech” helped to broker the agreement between the two firms, appearing on both sides of the deal — as a Web3Port subsidiary and as an agent of the Movement Foundation.The deal reportedly gave Rentech control of over 66 million MOVE tokens that it sold-off after the token launch in early December 2024, triggering $38 million in downward price pressure.The price action for the MOVE token. Source: TradingViewThe MOVE token has been in a downtrend ever since early January 2025 and is trading at around $0.20 at the time of this writing.Magazine: Arbitrum co-founder skeptical of move to based and native rollups: Steven Goldfeder

Paolo Ardoino, CEO of stablecoin issuer Tether, addressed criticism over the company's decision not to seek registration under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, arguing that the regulations were risky for stablecoins.Speaking to Cointelegraph at the Token2049 conference in Dubai, Ardoino reiterated that Tether had no plans to apply for its US dollar-pegged stablecoin USDt — the largest by market capitalization — to be compliant under MiCA in European countries, potentially forcing exchanges to delist the stablecoin. He added that though crypto firms had to follow regulations, there was a “fear of compliance” among companies in the EU.“[...] MiCA license is very dangerous when it comes to stablecoins, and I believe that is even more dangerous for the small, medium banking system in Europe,” said the Tether CEO, adding that banks in the region could “go belly up” in the next few years thanks to MiCA's requirements, such as keeping 60% of stablecoins reserves in insured cash deposits in European banks. Ardoino added:“I decided to not apply to the MiCA license because I need to protect the 400 million+ users that we have around the world. They are not as lucky as Europeans. I love Europe, but I think that unfortunately European Central Bank is more interested [in pushing] the digital euro as a way to control people and control how they spend their money.”Related: Paolo Ardoino: Competitors and politicians intend to ‘kill Tether’After years of planning and research, EU officials began to implement requirements under MiCA in December 2024. Tether, which is regulated and headquartered in El Salvador, is required to comply with MiCA regulatory requirements if offering products or services in EU member states.Since the regulations went into effect, many crypto exchanges acted to ensure their platforms listed MiCA-compliant tokens. Kraken delisted 5 stablecoins, including USDt, and Crypto.com announced plans to delist 10 stablecoins as of January. On nations establishing crypto reservesSpeaking on its intentions for operating in the United States, Ardoino said the country “would require a different type of product,” given the competition with local stablecoin issuers. He added that the US’s and other countries’ efforts to establish a Bitcoin (BTC) stockpile were “just inevitable.”“In the medium to long term, the more Bitcoin education, the more companies will set the example […] then everyone else will follow,” said the Tether CEO. “It’s never too late to buy Bitcoin.”Ardoino’s statements came the same day that Tether announced roughly $120 billion in exposure to US Treasurys as of the first quarter of 2025. As of May 1, USDt had a market capitalization of roughly $149 billion.Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Cryptocurrency can accelerate artificial intelligence adoption by helping AI startups onboard users, according to Polygon's co-founder Sandeep Nailwal. “You can use crypto incentives and disincentives to onboard users to onboard the ecosystem players,” Nailwal said during a panel discussion at the LONGITUDE by Cointelegraph event. He added that projects with effective onchain incentive structures might even “build a better AI because you have this incentive engine that brings in developers,” Nailwal said on May 1. Cointelegraph’s LONGITUDE is an event series that brings together leaders and innovators from the blockchain and Web3 space for exclusive discussions. Joining the panel, Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of the Near Protocol, expanded on crypto's long-term synergy with AI, forecasting that crypto-native AI agents could replace traditional web application front-ends as the primary user interfaces for Web3."We don’t need applications or websites anymore. Your AI becomes the interface to computing and the internet,” Polosukhin said.Sandeep Nailwal and Illia Polosukhin speaking at Cointelegraph's LONGITUDE in Dubai. Source: CointelegraphRelated: AI memecoins will become utility tokensHowever, Nailwal cautioned that the rise of AI-related tokens onchain has also attracted a wave of opportunistic scams. “We know that 99% of those projects are literally token scams, but very few projects are actually trying to have some meaningful AI project,” he said. The era of Web3 AI agentsAI agents are expected to take on a more prominent role within decentralized communities, J.D. Seraphine, co-founder of Web3 developer Raiinmaker, recently told Cointelegraph. According to a report by VanEck, over 1 million AI agents could enter the market in 2025, with many of them tied to decentralized finance applications. Such agents are already reshaping the digital economy, building decentralized applications, launching tokens, and interacting with humans autonomously. AI token cumulative market cap. Source: CoinGecko“AI is an extremely centralizing force. A few companies could become the warlords of the world,” Nailwal said. “That’s why crypto-native, peer-to-peer AI solutions are so important—they enable privacy-preserving innovation,” Polosukhin said.Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest, April 13 – 19

Key takeaways:Bitcoin could reach $150,000 by August or September of this year if BTC breaks above the parabolic slope pattern. Bitcoin (BTC) price jumped to new quarterly highs at $96,700 on May 1, a day after the US GDP contracted -0.3% for the first time since Q2 2022. Amid heightened economic concerns, the probability of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut rose to 62.8% for the June 18 Federal Reserve meeting. Over the past 24 hours, short position liquidations exceeded $137 million, with Alphractal founder Joao Wedson observing that BTC's price momentum continues to favor bullish trends.Bitcoin aggregated liquidation heatmap. Source: X.comPeter Brandt predicts a $150K Bitcoin top by Q3In a recent post on X, veteran trader Peter Brandt forecasted a Bitcoin price rally, potentially reaching $125,000 to $150,000 by August or September 2025. The trader predicted a parabolic arc pattern in Bitcoin’s price chart—a technical formation often signaling rapid rises followed by sharp corrections, as seen in the 2017 Bitcoin surge. Bitcoin 1-week analysis by Peter Brandt. Source: X.comBrandt noted that Bitcoin must reclaim its broken parabolic slope to achieve the above target. However, he cautioned that a 50%+ correction could follow the peak, reflecting the pattern’s characteristic volatility. From an onchain perspective, Bitcoin researcher Axel Adler Jr. pointed out that Bitcoin is on the cusp of a “start” rally zone. The analyst underlined three scenarios, with the optimistic (bull) case outlining a price target above $150,000. Adler Jr. added, “If the Ratio breaks through 1.0 and holds above it, the NUPL/MVRV metrics will show a new impulse, and the price could reach $150-175K, repeating the cycle logic of 2017 and 2021.”Bitcoin Composite Index. Source: CryptoQuantIn a baseline scenario, BTC's price may consolidate within a $90,000 to $110,000 range if new capital inflows remain limited and existing investors do not increase their positions.Lastly, a bearish case could unfold if further profit-taking from short-term holders takes place, leading to a correction down to $85,000-$70,000. Over the past two weeks, Bitcoin has displayed a consistent breakout pattern, surging 13% before entering sideways consolidation, then breaking out again to reach $93,000–$96,000. BTC is currently breaking out of its existing resistance range. Still, as shown in the chart below, a significant volume cluster between $96,000 and $99,000 suggests a phase of consolidation before Bitcoin can test the $100,000 mark. Bitcoin 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewRelated: Bitcoin price about to ‘blast’ higher as Fed rate cut odds jump to 60%This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

• #bitcoin

Retail investors are running out of time to accumulate Bitcoin as institutional adoption accelerates, according to Sergej Kunz, co-founder of exchange aggregator 1inch. Bitcoin (BTC) is evolving into an alternative reserve currency, propelling institutional demand and potentially pricing out retail investors, Kunz said during Cointelegraph's LONGITUDE event in Dubai. "Every retail user should be thinking about getting at least one Bitcoin — very soon they won’t be able to afford it,” Kunz said. If the United States starts buying Bitcoin for a strategic reserve, even smaller countries may soon struggle to acquire the cryptocurrency, he added. "I’m pretty sure we’ll soon see countries battling over who owns more Bitcoin. The US will start.”Bitcoin demand has accelerated since US President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on US imports in April, setting off a global trade war. “The only thing that still acts as a true hedge — across borders, against inflation — is Bitcoin,” Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu said during the panel. Yat Siu and Sergej Kunz at Cointelegraph's LONGITUDE. Source: CointelegraphRelated: US President Donald Trump issues 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffsGlobal reserve asset?During the week of April 21-25, Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) attracted more than $3 billion in inflows as institutions sought safety in “digital gold” amid mounting macroeconomic uncertainty. Analysts say demand from financial institutions could push Bitcoin’s price as high as $200,000 per coin this year. By 2029, institutional Bitcoin adoption could propel the cryptocurrency’s price past $1 million, Bitwise’s head of European research, André Dragosch, said.Asset managers still prefer gold for hedging against macro risk. Source: Binance ResearchFor Bitcoin, “[t]he silver lining is that economic uncertainty has historically accelerated institutional interest in digital assets as a diversification strategy,” David Siemer, co-founder and CEO of Wave Digital Assets, told Cointelegraph.As of May 1, Bitcoin ETFs and other institutional funds hold upward of $128 billion worth of BTC, according to data from BitcoinTreasuries.NET. Corporate treasuries hold another roughly $73 billion, the data shows. Sovereign states — including the US, China, and the United Kingdom — collectively hold more than $130 billion worth of BTC. However, much of those holdings are from crypto assets seized by law enforcement, not outright Bitcoin buys. Magazine: TV hit Peaky Blinders to launch crypto game, FIFA Rivals on Polkadot: Web3 Gamer

• #bitcoin

A Texas member of the US House of Representatives has proposed that government officials consider installing cryptocurrency ATMs in federal buildings across the country.In a May 1 letter to Stephen Ehikian, the acting administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) — the entity responsible for managing the US government’s properties — Rep. Lance Gooden claimed that introducing crypto ATMs to federal buildings would serve as an “educational resource” and reflect advances in financial technology. He requested that the GSA begin exploring the necessary guidelines and regulations needed to install such ATMs in government-controlled properties across the US, citing alignment with President Donald Trump’s goals.May 1 letter pitching crypto ATMs to GSA. Source: Rep. Lance GoodenAccording to financial disclosure reports filed with the US House of Representatives, Gooden had held no investments in cryptocurrency or ATM companies since taking office in 2019. He had not yet filed any financial disclosures with the government for 2025 investments.The GSA website stated it may provide space to ATMs from federal credit unions, but it was unclear whether the acting administrator had the authority to expand the regulations to include digital asset ATMs tied to private companies like Bitcoin Depot or CoinFlip. Cointelegraph reached out to Gooden’s office for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.Related: Eric Trump: USD1 will be used for $2B MGX investment in BinanceGooden, a Republican and Trump supporter, made the proposal as lawmakers in the US Senate consider legislation to crack down on fraud through crypto ATMs. In February, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin introduced the Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act, aimed at placing “common sense guardrails” against fraud affecting many senior citizens.Who would ultimately make the decision?It’s unclear whether Ehikian, a Trump appointee, would have the authority to unilaterally — or even with the president’s approval — install the crypto ATMs without an act of Congress to authorize funding. Cointelegraph reached out to the GSA for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.Trump has significant exposure to cryptocurrencies and digital asset firms through his personal holdings, presidential campaign funds, family-backed businesses, and the TRUMP memecoin. In April, the president announced a dinner in DC for top holders of his memecoin. Magazine: Trump’s crypto ventures raise conflict of interest, insider trading questions

Michael Saylot's tech firm Strategy has earned shareholders a Bitcoin yield of 13.7% in the year-to-date, the company said in its May 1 earnings report.That equates to a Bitcoin gain of more than 61,000 Bitcoin (BTC), worth approximately $5.8 billion, according to the company. Bitcoin yield and Bitcoin gain are unofficial accounting metrics that Strategy uses to benchmark the success of its BTC buying strategy. Bitcoin yield measures the ratio of Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings to the number of outstanding shares of its stock, MSTR. Bitcoin gain quantifies that figure in terms of accrued Bitcoin, Strategy said in February. “We are increasing our 2025 ‘BTC Yield’ target to 25% and our 2025 ‘BTC $ Gain’ target to $15 billion,” Andrew Kang, Strategy’s chief financial officer, said in a statement.Strategy generated a Bitcoin yield of 11% and a Bitcoin gain of nearly 50,000 BTC in the first quarter of 2025, it added. The company also announced plans to offer an additional $21 billion worth of stock to finance future Bitcoin buys.Strategy’s earnings call highlights. Source: StrategyRelated: Bitcoin, showing 'signs of resilience', beats stocks, gold as equities fold — BinanceBitcoin buying spreeShares of MSTR are up more than 27% in the year-to-date to around $381 on May 1, according to data from Google Finance. The stock is still trading below November highs of more than $470 per share. Since starting its Bitcoin buying spree in 2020, Strategy has accumulated a total of more than 550,000 BTC, costing the company nearly $38 billion, according to its earnings report. The purchases equate to an average price of approximately $68,500 per Bitcoin. As of May 1, Strategy’s treasury is worth more than $53 billion. Industry executives say institutional Bitcoin buying — including from corporate buyers such as Strategy — could eventually price retail investors out of the market. As of May 1, public companies hold upward of $73 billion worth of Bitcoin in aggregate, according to data from BitcoinTreasuries.NET. Bitcoin ETFs and other institutional funds hold another roughly $128 billion, the data shows.Magazine: Pokémon on Sui rumors, Polymarket bets on Filipino Pope: Asia Express

• #bitcoin

Avraham Eisenberg was sentenced to more than four years in prison on child sexual abuse material charges, unrelated to his role in the 2022 exploit that drained the decentralized exchange Mango Markets of roughly $100 million.According to reporting from Inner City Press, a judge sentenced Eisenberg to 52 months in prison at a May 1 hearing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case was filed in April 2024 after Eisenberg’s 2023 indictment on fraud for the Mango Markets exploit.Eisenberg was initially scheduled to be sentenced in July 2024 following his guilty plea on the child porn charge. In May 2024, the judge suggested the sentencing for both cases would occur simultaneously in a consolidated proceeding. However, as of May 1, the fraud sentencing remains pending. The prosecution in the Mango Markets case reflects the growing probability of apprehension for hackers and cybersecurity exploiters plaguing the crypto industry with malicious attacks on platforms and users.Related: SafeMoon boss cites DOJ’s nixed crypto unit in latest bid to toss suitThe case of Avraham EisenbergMango Markets, a former decentralized crypto exchange, was exploited in October 2022 through a price oracle manipulation, losing $100 million in user funds as a result.The exchange’s native token, Mango (MNGO), also plummeted immediately following the hack, shedding 52% of its value within 24 hours and leading the Mango Markets team to suspend deposits.Eisenberg defended the exploit, arguing that the $100 million heist was done through “legal open-market actions” and claimed that he negotiated a settlement for the return of user funds after the exchange’s insurance fund failed to cover the shortfall.In December 2022, US federal law enforcement authorities arrested Eisenberg in Puerto Rico. FBI officials charged the hacker with one count of commodities fraud and one count of commodities manipulation.A jury found Eisenberg guilty of wire fraud, commodities fraud, and commodities manipulation in April 2024. The defense argued that the exploit was not a cybercrime and represented a “successful and legal trading strategy.”Following the conviction, the Mango Markets exploiter’s attorneys filed a motion for acquittal in September 2024, which was heavily opposed by US prosecutors, who argued that Eisenberg was correctly convicted through careful evaluation of a “mountain of evidence.”Magazine: Influencers shilling memecoin scams face severe legal consequences

Despite reports in February suggesting that 2 million pro-crypto voters could decide the outcome of this week’s Australian Federal Election, crypto has barely rated a mention during the campaign.“I think it’s a missed opportunity,” Independent Reserve founder Adrian Przelozny told Cointelegraph. “Neither side has made crypto a headline issue because they’re wary of polarizing voters or sounding too niche.”But the good news is that after more than a decade of inaction, both the ruling Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the opposition Liberal Party are promising to enact crypto regulations developed in consultation with the industry. In April, Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor promised to release draft crypto regulations within the first 100 days after taking office, while the Treasury itself has draft bills on “regulating digital asset platforms” and “payments system modernization” scheduled for release this quarter.Amy-Rose Goodey, CEO of the Digital Economy Council of Australia, said that both parties “are equally invested in getting this draft legislation across the line.” “Irrespective of who gets in, we’re in a better position than we were about a year ago.”Pro-crypto voters have choices in the Senate, too, with the Libertarian Party issuing a 23-page Bitcoin policy in March — calling for the creation of a national Bitcoin (BTC) Reserve and the acceptance of Bitcoin as legal tender. The minor party is fielding five Senate candidates in different states, including former Liberal MP Craig Kelly, but doesn’t currently have anyone in the Senate. The progressive left-wing Greens party has not outlined a position on crypto, while the conservative right-wing One Nation party has campaigned against debanking and CBDCs.The Libertarian Party’s Bitcoin Policy Whitepaper. Source: The LibertariansMore than a decade of inaction on cryptoAustralia’s first parliamentary inquiry into digital assets was held back in 2014, but there’s been more than a decade of regulatory inaction since. The industry says this has led to stagnation and a brain drain of talent to jurisdictions like Singapore and the UAE.The former Liberal Government was considering the landmark Digital Services Act, based on the 2021 Senate Committee’s crypto recommendations, when it lost office in 2022. Despite ongoing consultations since, the ALP government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, hasn’t put forward any legislation to parliament.But there has definitely been a vibe shift from the ALP recently, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers telling Cointelegraph that digital assets “represent big opportunities for our economy.””We want to seize these opportunities and encourage innovation at the same time as making sure Australians can use and invest in digital assets safely and securely with appropriate regulation.”His office said exposure draft legislation would be released “in 2025” for consultation, introduced into Parliament “once that feedback has been considered” with the subsequent reforms “phased in over time to minimize disruptions to existing businesses.”The shadow assistant treasurer, Luke Howarth, said the ALP has been slow to act because it didn’t have a blockchain policy when it was elected.“It wasn’t until the FTX collapse that they acknowledged the need for regulation,” he told Cointelegraph. “The Albanese government initially promised it would put in place regulation by 2023 but have failed to draft legislation or give a clear time-frame for action. After three years, all that was offered to industry was a six-page placeholder document.”He’s referring to Treasury’s March statement “on developing an innovative Australian digital asset industry.” It provides for the licensing of Digital Asset Platforms (DAPS), a framework for payment stablecoins and a review of Australia’s Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox.Related: A guide to crypto trading bots: Analyzing strategies and performanceWhile short on detail, those aims are broadly similar to the crypto regulation priorities that Howarth outlines to Cointelegraph — the big difference being that the opposition has committed to a faster time frame. Przelozny praised the 100-day promise as “exactly the kind of urgency we need.”If elected, the Liberal Party’s legislation is expected to take some of its cues from Senator Andrew Bragg’s private members bill in 2023 and some from the more recent work done by the Treasury.Shadow Assistant Treasurer Luke Howarth. Source: Luke HowarthThe government steps up effortsThe Treasury has been quietly drafting legislation this year, which Goodey understands is “almost complete.”“There’s been prioritization within Treasury, and I know that their team has almost doubled — the digital asset team — for writing that draft legislation. So, there has been an investment in that over the past six months.”Przelozny characterizes the ALP’s approach as “cautious and methodical, but it’s been slow,” prioritizing consumer protection and risk management. BTC Markets CEO Caroline Bowler said the election of a pro-crypto Trump administration and the UK’s draft regulations (released this week) likely forced both sides of politics to finally get serious. ”Australia has ground to make up, and I would anticipate this also being a factor in the savvy move by both parties,” she said. Sydney is the 10th most crypto-friendly city according to a recent poll.Stand With Crypto campaign and ASICThe Stand With Crypto campaign is active in Australia but has been fairly low-key during the campaign, with a focus on debanking.Coinbase managing director for APAC John O’Loghlen called on whoever wins the election to launch a “Crypto-Asset Taskforce (CATF) within the first 100 days.” This would include industry and consumer representatives to finally get crypto regulations over the line.“If Australia doesn’t move now, we risk falling even further behind,” he told Cointelegraph. “The next government must move beyond consultation and into legislation.”The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is the local equivalent of the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). It released its own crypto regulatory proposals in December. Related: Trump’s first 100 days ‘worst in history’ despite crypto promisesJoy Lam, Binance’s head of global regulatory and APAC legal, told Cointelegraph she doesn’t expect ASIC to suddenly change direction if a new government comes in, as the SEC did.“ASIC doesn’t make the law,” she said. “I don’t expect a complete kind of 180 because ASIC, it is independent, and it does have its own mandate, but it obviously operates within the legislative framework that the government is going to be setting.”April 20 poll. Source: YouGovWho should single-issue crypto voters back?In February, a poll by YouGov and Swyftx found that 59% of crypto users would vote for a pro-crypto candidate in the federal election above all other issues. That equates to around 2 million Australians and would be enough to determine the outcome of the election one way.But the similarities between the major parties on crypto regulation are much greater than the differences. Goodey said both sides of politics have genuinely engaged with the industry about its concerns and priorities.“You can see in some of the language with their media releases that they both released in March, April this year, that they are in agreement on what the industry issues are,” she said. Owing to Senator Bragg’s campaigning on crypto, the industry sees the Liberal Party as more enthusiastic about digital assets, but after three years in government, the ALP looks to have arrived at roughly the same place. Recent YouGov and Resolve polls suggest the government is likely to be reelected.While internal Liberal polling suggests an ALP minority government is a genuine possibility, the major parties would have enough votes between them to pass bipartisan crypto legislation. Whatever happens, 2025 looks like the year Australia will finally provide the crypto industry with the certainty it needs.“For industry, the timing is really quite critical now because obviously it’s something that has been discussed and kicked around for quite a few years,” Lam said. “I would say that we are cautiously optimistic.”Magazine: ZK-proofs are bringing smart contracts to Bitcoin — BitcoinOS and Starknet

Animoca Brands is looking at trends in real-world tokenized assets, AI projects, and the gaming sector to invest in and develop, according to Omar Elissar, the company's managing director for the Middle East and the head of Global Strategic Partnerships.In an interview with Cointelegraph's Sam Bourgi at Token2049, Elissar said that stablecoins, real-world asset tokenization, the intersection between AI and crypto, alternative use cases such as decentralized science, and Web3 gaming were all niches the company is exploring.Gaming is "part of our DNA," the executive said before reflecting on the current state of the Web3 gaming industry:"It's gone quiet for some time in terms of less PR, but there's been building in the background. Recently, there have been a few games that have come out that have been truly fun to play, which I think has been one of the main negative sentiments about Web3 gaming."Animoca Brands is one of the foremost crypto-native venture capital firms in the space and can serve as a barometer of hot or emerging market trends for crypto investors.Related: VC Roundup: Funding surge targets confidentiality, tokenization and Web3 infrastructureAnimoca Brands inks stablecoin, blockchain dealsIn February 2025, Animoca Brands, Standard Chartered Bank, and Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) signed a deal to develop a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin that will be overcollateralized and pegged to the Hong Kong dollar at a 1:1 ratio.The stablecoin must first be approved by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) before it begins trading. Hong Kong's financial authorities are currently working on establishing comprehensive stablecoin regulations.On March 27, Animoca Brands inked a deal with Soneium, a layer-1 blockchain network developed by Japanese tech company Sony, to develop a digital identification system that features pictures of anime characters that can be assigned to an onchain user to signify identity.Animoca releases financial assets and token reserves for 2024 as part of its overall financial report for the company’s 2024 fiscal year. Source: Animoca BrandsAnimoca reported that it recorded 12% year-over-year growth during the 2024 fiscal year in "bookings" — a figure that accounts for the sum of all revenue plus revenue that has been booked but not yet received by the company.Magazine: Crypto ‘more taboo than OnlyFans,’ says Violetta Zironi, who sold song for 1 BTC

Bitcoin Magazine Strategy Reports $5.8 Billion Year-to-Date Bitcoin Gain, Doubles Capital Plan to $84 Billion Today, Strategy delivered its Q1 2025 earnings report, announcing a 13.7% year-to-date “BTC Yield” and a $5.8 billion “BTC $ Gain.” The company now holds 553,555 bitcoins at a total cost of $37.9 billion—an average of $68,459 per coin—making it the undisputed leader in corporate Bitcoin reserves.  The company also announced it is doubling its […] This post Strategy Reports $5.8 Billion Year-to-Date Bitcoin Gain, Doubles Capital Plan to $84 Billion first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

• #bitcoin

Despite reports in February suggesting that 2 million pro-crypto voters could decide the outcome of this week’s Australian Federal Election, crypto has barely rated a mention during the campaign.“I think it’s a missed opportunity,” Independent Reserve founder Adrian Przelozny told Cointelegraph. “Neither side has made crypto a headline issue because they’re wary of polarizing voters or sounding too niche.”But the good news is that after more than a decade of inaction, both the ruling Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the opposition Liberal Party are promising to enact crypto regulations developed in consultation with the industry. In April, Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor promised to release draft crypto regulations within the first 100 days after taking office, while the Treasury itself has draft bills on “regulating digital asset platforms” and “payments system modernization” scheduled for release this quarter.Amy-Rose Goodey, CEO of the Digital Economy Council of Australia, said that both parties “are equally invested in getting this draft legislation across the line.” “Irrespective of who gets in, we’re in a better position than we were about a year ago.”Pro-crypto voters have choices in the Senate, too, with the Libertarian Party issuing a 23-page Bitcoin policy in March — calling for the creation of a national Bitcoin (BTC) Reserve and the acceptance of Bitcoin as legal tender. The minor party is fielding five Senate candidates in different states, including former Liberal MP Craig Kelly, but doesn’t currently have anyone in the Senate. The progressive left-wing Greens party has not outlined a position on crypto, while the conservative right-wing One Nation party has campaigned against debanking and CBDCs.The Libertarian Party’s Bitcoin Policy Whitepaper. Source: The LibertariansMore than a decade of inaction on cryptoAustralia’s first parliamentary inquiry into digital assets was held back in 2014, but there’s been more than a decade of regulatory inaction since. The industry says this has led to stagnation and a brain drain of talent to jurisdictions like Singapore and the UAE.The former Liberal Government was considering the landmark Digital Services Act, based on the 2021 Senate Committee’s crypto recommendations, when it lost office in 2022. Despite ongoing consultations since, the ALP government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, hasn’t put forward any legislation to parliament.But there has definitely been a vibe shift from the ALP recently, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers telling Cointelegraph that digital assets “represent big opportunities for our economy.””We want to seize these opportunities and encourage innovation at the same time as making sure Australians can use and invest in digital assets safely and securely with appropriate regulation.”His office said exposure draft legislation would be released “in 2025” for consultation, introduced into Parliament “once that feedback has been considered” with the subsequent reforms “phased in over time to minimize disruptions to existing businesses.”The shadow assistant treasurer, Luke Howarth, said the ALP has been slow to act because it didn’t have a blockchain policy when it was elected.“It wasn’t until the FTX collapse that they acknowledged the need for regulation,” he told Cointelegraph. “The Albanese government initially promised it would put in place regulation by 2023 but have failed to draft legislation or give a clear time-frame for action. After three years, all that was offered to industry was a six-page placeholder document.”He’s referring to Treasury’s March statement “on developing an innovative Australian digital asset industry.” It provides for the licensing of Digital Asset Platforms (DAPS), a framework for payment stablecoins and a review of Australia’s Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox.Related: A guide to crypto trading bots: Analyzing strategies and performanceWhile short on detail, those aims are broadly similar to the crypto regulation priorities that Howarth outlines to Cointelegraph — the big difference being that the opposition has committed to a faster time frame. Przelozny praised the 100-day promise as “exactly the kind of urgency we need.”If elected, the Liberal Party’s legislation is expected to take some of its cues from Senator Andrew Bragg’s private members bill in 2023 and some from the more recent work done by the Treasury.Shadow Assistant Treasurer Luke Howarth. Source: Luke HowarthThe government steps up effortsThe Treasury has been quietly drafting legislation this year, which Goodey understands is “almost complete.”“There’s been prioritization within Treasury, and I know that their team has almost doubled — the digital asset team — for writing that draft legislation. So, there has been an investment in that over the past six months.”Przelozny characterizes the ALP’s approach as “cautious and methodical, but it’s been slow,” prioritizing consumer protection and risk management. BTC Markets CEO Caroline Bowler said the election of a pro-crypto Trump administration and the UK’s draft regulations (released this week) likely forced both sides of politics to finally get serious. ”Australia has ground to make up, and I would anticipate this also being a factor in the savvy move by both parties,” she said. Sydney is the 10th most crypto-friendly city according to a recent poll.Stand With Crypto campaign and ASICThe Stand With Crypto campaign is active in Australia but has been fairly low-key during the campaign, with a focus on debanking.Coinbase managing director for APAC John O’Loghlen called on whoever wins the election to launch a “Crypto-Asset Taskforce (CATF) within the first 100 days.” This would include industry and consumer representatives to finally get crypto regulations over the line.“If Australia doesn’t move now, we risk falling even further behind,” he told Cointelegraph. “The next government must move beyond consultation and into legislation.”The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is the local equivalent of the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). It released its own crypto regulatory proposals in December. Related: Trump’s first 100 days ‘worst in history’ despite crypto promisesJoy Lam, Binance’s head of global regulatory and APAC legal, told Cointelegraph she doesn’t expect ASIC to suddenly change direction if a new government comes in, as the SEC did.“ASIC doesn’t make the law,” she said. “I don’t expect a complete kind of 180 because ASIC, it is independent, and it does have its own mandate, but it obviously operates within the legislative framework that the government is going to be setting.”April 20 poll. Source: YouGovWho should single-issue crypto voters back?In February, a poll by YouGov and Swyftx found that 59% of crypto users would vote for a pro-crypto candidate in the federal election above all other issues. That equates to around 2 million Australians and would be enough to determine the outcome of the election one way.But the similarities between the major parties on crypto regulation are much greater than the differences. Goodey said both sides of politics have genuinely engaged with the industry about its concerns and priorities.“You can see in some of the language with their media releases that they both released in March, April this year, that they are in agreement on what the industry issues are,” she said. Owing to Senator Bragg’s campaigning on crypto, the industry sees the Liberal Party as more enthusiastic about digital assets, but after three years in government, the ALP looks to have arrived at roughly the same place. Recent YouGov and Resolve polls suggest the government is likely to be reelected.While internal Liberal polling suggests an ALP minority government is a genuine possibility, the major parties would have enough votes between them to pass bipartisan crypto legislation. Whatever happens, 2025 looks like the year Australia will finally provide the crypto industry with the certainty it needs.“For industry, the timing is really quite critical now because obviously it’s something that has been discussed and kicked around for quite a few years,” Lam said. “I would say that we are cautiously optimistic.”Magazine: ZK-proofs are bringing smart contracts to Bitcoin — BitcoinOS and Starknet

Animoca Brands is looking at trends in real-world tokenized assets, AI projects, and the gaming sector to invest in and develop, according to Omar Elissar, the company's managing director for the Middle East and the head of Global Strategic Partnerships.In an interview with Cointelegraph's Sam Bourgi at Token2049, Elissar said that stablecoins, real-world asset tokenization, the intersection between AI and crypto, alternative use cases such as decentralized science, and Web3 gaming were all niches the company is exploring.Gaming is "part of our DNA," the executive said before reflecting on the current state of the Web3 gaming industry:"It's gone quiet for some time in terms of less PR, but there's been building in the background. Recently, there have been a few games that have come out that have been truly fun to play, which I think has been one of the main negative sentiments about Web3 gaming."Animoca Brands is one of the foremost crypto-native venture capital firms in the space and can serve as a barometer of hot or emerging market trends for crypto investors.Related: VC Roundup: Funding surge targets confidentiality, tokenization and Web3 infrastructureAnimoca Brands inks stablecoin, blockchain dealsIn February 2025, Animoca Brands, Standard Chartered Bank, and Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) signed a deal to develop a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin that will be overcollateralized and pegged to the Hong Kong dollar at a 1:1 ratio.The stablecoin must first be approved by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) before it begins trading. Hong Kong's financial authorities are currently working on establishing comprehensive stablecoin regulations.On March 27, Animoca Brands inked a deal with Soneium, a layer-1 blockchain network developed by Japanese tech company Sony, to develop a digital identification system that features pictures of anime characters that can be assigned to an onchain user to signify identity.Animoca releases financial assets and token reserves for 2024 as part of its overall financial report for the company’s 2024 fiscal year. Source: Animoca BrandsAnimoca reported that it recorded 12% year-over-year growth during the 2024 fiscal year in "bookings" — a figure that accounts for the sum of all revenue plus revenue that has been booked but not yet received by the company.Magazine: Crypto ‘more taboo than OnlyFans,’ says Violetta Zironi, who sold song for 1 BTC

XRP bulls return as funding rate turns positive

Bitcoin Magazine Blockstream Announces Major Growth & Expansion Plans for 2025 Following $210M Raise Blockstream, a leader in Bitcoin-powered financial infrastructure, has shared a new update detailing its growth plans for 2025. Following a successful $210 million raise in October 2024 led by Fulgur Ventures, the company is accelerating its development across infrastructure, software, mining, and institutional investment offerings. “We are at a pivotal moment for Bitcoin’s growth,” stated […] This post Blockstream Announces Major Growth & Expansion Plans for 2025 Following $210M Raise first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

A Londoner’s years-long quest for an $800 million Bitcoin-containing hard drive hidden somewhere in a Welsh landfill has now been licensed into a cross-platform documentary series. Entertainment company LEBUL announced this week that it has secured exclusive rights to tell the story of James Howells, the British engineer known for losing access to 8,000 Bitcoin […]

• #bitcoin

Bitcoin demand momentum fell to -480k BTC, showing heavier selling from STHs than LTHs. Short-term selling activity weighed on Bitcoin, slowing the ongoing price rally. Over the past week, BThe post 26K Bitcoin floods exchanges in 24 hours – But one concern arises appeared first on AMBCrypto.

• #bitcoin