Alternative News for You

by Anna McGuinness on April 14, 2025 at 7:36 am

Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters has slammed "disrespectful" comments by Nationals leader David Littleproud and asked the party to rethink its language towards women.

by Cointelegraph by Arunkumar Krishnakumar on April 14, 2025 at 7:15 am

Why some blockchains die Blockchains can die from flawed tokenomics, scams, security issues or lack of community and development momentum. Without active participation, even cutting-edge technology gathers dust.Ever heard of a blockchain that no one uses? It happens more often than you think. While the cryptocurrency space is full of innovation, but not every blockchain finds its tribe. Some are ghost towns with zero transactions, no developers and just a handful of holders stuck with worthless tokens. So, what makes a blockchain go quiet? And can they ever come back to life?Not all blockchains are built to last. Some blockchains, like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana, have survived harsh market conditions, proving their resilience. Terra, however, plummeted from top-tier status to near oblivion in 2022 after its algorithmic stablecoin imploded. Even well-intentioned projects can fail. Without ongoing development, user incentives or a strong community, blockchains can become unusable. Once the validators stop running nodes, the network effectively turns into a broken time capsule. Blockchain adoption challenges in 2025 Blockchain adoption in 2025 still faces hurdles like unclear regulation, fragmented developer tooling, infrastructure gaps and the struggle to attract real users over bots despite some chains like Ethereum and Solana paving the way forward.Regulatory uncertainty is one of the biggest roadblocks. Governments are still figuring out how to regulate crypto, and inconsistent or overly restrictive rules can strangle innovation before it takes root. Beyond policy, a thriving developer ecosystem is non-negotiable. Jumping between languages such as Solidity, Rust and Move-based systems demands versatility, and not every blockchain can lure the talent it needs to grow.Then there’s the user problem — chains are overrun with bots chasing airdrops instead of real people engaging with the tech. Without authentic activity, a network’s bustling metrics are just smoke and mirrors.Infrastructure is another major hurdle. Strong blockchains need robust tooling, high-quality remote procedure call (RPC) services and a decentralized validator set that ensures uptime and security. In the context of blockchains, RPC services refer to a mechanism that allows applications (like wallets, DApps or developer tools) to communicate with a blockchain network remotely. On top of that, a thriving blockchain must rally a strong community of users, builders and commentators who genuinely believe in its long-term success. Handling fear, uncertainty and doubt, or FUD, credibly is another test, especially when negative narratives arise; how a blockchain ecosystem responds can make or break trust. Keeping user loyalty while maintaining a sense of novelty is a delicate balance. Ethereum has mastered this across multiple market cycles, evolving while retaining its core developer and user base. Since the FTX collapse in 2022, Solana has demonstrated resilience, overcoming reputational damage to rebuild its ecosystem, attract developers, and drive real usage through improvements in speed, efficiency and community support.Did you know? Blockchain nodes expose RPC endpoints (often via HTTP or WebSocket protocols) that handle these requests. For example, when you use a decentralized app (DApp) on Ethereum, it might connect to an RPC service like Infura or Alchemy to fetch data or broadcast transactions. What blockchains are still active in 2025? As of April 2025, Ethereum, Solana, Bitcoin, BNB Chain, Polkadot, Near, Sui and Tron stand out as active blockchains, each excelling in distinct niches — DApps, speed, value storage, affordability, interoperability or scalability. Active chains show daily user engagement, developer momentum and sustained transaction volume, while inactive ones become digital graveyards.Not all blockchains are dead, but not all are thriving, either. Below are the insights into the standout survivors shaping the crypto landscape as of April 2025:Bitcoin: Bitcoin focuses on value storage, with a $1.636-trillion market capitalization on April 6, 2025, and regular transactions. The 2024 Bitcoin halving and approvals of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) keep it relevant. About 960 developers work on scalability, like Lightning Network, despite limited smart contract features.Ethereum: It powers decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and DApps, processing millions of daily transactions via layer 2s like Arbitrum as of April 2025. It had over 5,900 monthly active developers in June 2023. High total value locked (TVL) persists, though gas fees are a challenge without layer 2s.Solana: According to DefiLlama, Solana’s daily active addresses reached 3.68 million as of April 8, 2025. The surge is likely supported by its fast transactions and low fees. After the 2022 FTX dip, it recovered, supporting gaming and DeFi. It had over 1,400 developers in June 2023, with past outages noted as a concern. Also, the TRUMP token’s crash in March 2025, dropping over 85% from its January peak, strained Solana’s momentum.BNB Chain: Binance’s BNB Chain has 1.93 million daily users as of April 1, 2025, with affordable transactions. It shows notable TVL and volume, mainly in DeFi and gaming, though its centralized nature is debated.Polkadot: Polkadot connects blockchains, with over 1,900 developers in June 2023 working on interoperability. It supports multiple parachains, with moderate but growing activity as of April 2025, though it’s less accessible to casual users.Near Protocol: Near logs 3.18 million daily addresses as of April 1, 2025, using sharding for scalability. It supports DeFi and gaming, with developer tools aiding growth, but it’s still proving itself against larger chains.Sui: Sui, with 2.46 million daily users as of April 1, 2025, uses an object-oriented model for speed. Active in DeFi and gaming, it’s newer and lacks the ecosystem depth of older networks.Tron: Tron has 2.45 million daily addresses as of April 1, 2025, focusing on stablecoin transfers like Tether USDt (USDT). It handles high throughput but has limited DApp variety compared to others.Inactive chains like EOS and Terra, impacted by governance or collapse, contrast with the above blockchains. So, a blockchain’s success hinges on its daily activity. How many people are actually transacting on a blockchain every day? Are developers still building new DApps? Is there any meaningful transaction volume? If the answer to these questions is “not much,” the chain might be on its way to becoming a digital graveyard.Did you know? According to Santiment, the top five Ethereum-based cryptocurrencies by development activity in March 2025 were Chainlink (LINK), Starknet (STRK), Ether (ETH), EigenLayer (EIGEN) and Fuel Network (FUEL). This ranking reflects the volume of development work, a key indicator of potential growth and innovation in the crypto market. Blockchains that faded: What went wrong? Blockchains like EOS and Terra teach us that hype isn’t enough. A blockchain needs real utility, trust and continuous innovation to survive.Cases like EOS and Terra show that initial excitement isn’t enough to sustain a blockchain. Long-term survival seems tied to practical utility, trust and ongoing development rather than just hype.Some blockchains started with potential but struggled to maintain traction. EOS, once called an “Ethereum killer,” raised $4 billion in its 2017 initial coin offering (ICO). By 2025, it saw minimal use, affected by governance challenges and low adoption. Terra and its LUNA token faced a steeper drop in 2022 when its algorithmic stablecoin unraveled, erasing billions in value.These examples suggest hype alone doesn’t ensure staying power — blockchains appear to need real use cases, solid security and active evolution.Community often marks the divide between a blockchain that endures and one that fades. Ethereum has weathered multiple downturns, supported by a large developer base and active users. Developers building DApps draw in users, creating a cycle of growth. Validators and stakers enhance trust, boosting liquidity. Without this participation, even technically advanced chains struggle to remain relevant. How to spot a living blockchain Metrics like transaction volume, TVL, developer activity and validator count are essential signs of whether a blockchain is alive and trusted.How can you tell if a blockchain is healthy? Transaction velocity and volume are major signs. A strong, active blockchain sees consistent transactions, while low activity is a red flag. Total value locked (TVL) is another critical metric because if DeFi users trust a chain, they’ll lock funds into its protocols. A declining TVL suggests that users are leaving. Developer activity is also crucial. Are new projects launching? Is there ongoing development? A stagnant developer ecosystem often signals trouble. Validator and node count matter, too. A high number of validators shows decentralization and network security. And finally, liquidity and the onchain economy play a big role. If liquidity is drying up, so is the chain’s future.Developers and founding teams move across blockchains if they can’t scale from where they are originally based. It comes with a cost, often to rebuild skills and user base. But multiple projects moving out of a chain can indicate a bearish trend for the chain, and vice versa could also be true.For example, on April 3, 2025, the gaming project Infecteddotfun announced that it was shifting from Base to Solana due to scaling struggles. The project’s viral speculative simulation game drew 130,000 signups in 48 hours, overwhelming Base with transaction demand, spiking gas prices and halting gameplay. The team pointed to Ethereum Virtual Machine chain limitations, favoring Solana’s user-centric culture and robust user base. What brings a blockchain back to life? Inactive chains can return if they find compelling use cases, have a strong community, offer strong incentives, or evolve into new forms like layer-2 solutions.So, can a dead blockchain come back to life? Sometimes. The key is finding a reason for people to return. A new use case can revive interest, especially if it solves a real problem. Protocol upgrades that improve scalability, fees or interoperability can also rekindle activity. Strong incentives, such as grants, airdrops or liquidity rewards, can attract developers and users back to a network. In some cases, struggling projects pivot into layer-2 solutions or merge with more active ecosystems to stay relevant.But most of all, a thriving community that has a high conviction on the future of a chain can lead to its resurgence from the worst. Solana’s rise from the FTX debacle due to a committed community is a case study in that respect.The blockchain world moves fast. Some networks thrive, and some fade into obscurity. The ones that last are those with strong community support, real-world utility and continuous innovation. If a blockchain is silent today, it doesn’t mean it’s gone forever, but reviving it takes more than just wishful thinking.

by Erin Somerville on April 14, 2025 at 7:10 am

A Victorian inquest finds that Jodus Murphy, 18, was likely freezing before he died in the Goulburn River near Seymour in 2023.

by Eva Blandis on April 14, 2025 at 7:09 am

Former SA Liberal leader David Speirs crushed a "rock" of cocaine on his kitchen bench and supplied it to two men, including a man he knew was attending Narcotics Anonymous, a court document reveals.

by Kate Ainsworth on April 14, 2025 at 6:57 am

Greens leader Adam Bandt has joined economists in criticising the housing policy pitches of both Labor and the Coalition, labelling them a "bandaid" solution.

on April 14, 2025 at 6:56 am

Michael Norman Jessop, who will stand in the Brisbane electorate of Dickson, says he will fight what he describes as "trumped-up" charges, including stalking and weapons possession. 

by Sarah Maunder on April 14, 2025 at 6:55 am

Anthony Albanese has confirmed that if he is re-elected, his party will formally bid for South Australia to host a future International Climate Change Conference.

by Giselle Wakatama on April 14, 2025 at 6:44 am

The two men were pulled from the surf at Port Stephens. One could not be revived.

by Maani Truu on April 14, 2025 at 6:39 am

The housing debate ramps up, a Coalition senator makes a Trumpian sartorial choice and (most) former prime ministers turn out to help their parties. 

by Heloise Vyas on April 14, 2025 at 6:23 am

Donald Trump says new levies on semiconductor imports into the US will be announced in the coming week, with their "national security" impacts to be investigated.

by Cointelegraph by Jesse Coghlan on April 14, 2025 at 6:15 am

Andrew Kang, founder of the crypto venture firm Mechanism Capital, has seemingly doubled down on his bet that Bitcoin will gain in price with a $200 million long position, onchain data shows. “Andrew Kang just doubled his Bitcoin position,” crypto analytics firm Arkham said in an April 12 X post. It explained a crypto address tied to Kang made another $100 million long bet on Bitcoin (BTC) with an expected profit, or loss, of $6.8 million.On April 9, Arkham noted that the Kang-tied wallet had put on a $100 million leverage-long bet on Bitcoin after US President Donald Trump posted to his Truth Social platform earlier the same day that “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT.”Source: ArkhamJust hours later, the Trump administration announced a 90-day pause on its global hiked tariff regime, which sent crypto and stocks rallying. The tariffs, first unveiled on April 2, had gone live just hours earlier and had tanked most financial markets.Kang said in an April 12 X post that trade war capitulation and a “Trump put”  — the belief that the president will work to bump the stock market — “are the perfect combination for BTC to reverse a multi month downtrend.”Kang noted Trump’s April 9 Truth Social post could be a sign of the so-called “Trump put.” Source: Andrew KangMeanwhile, Senate Democrats called on the Securities and Exchange Commission in an April 11 letter to launch an insider trading and market manipulation probe into Trump and his affiliates over the post, which they said “appears to have previewed his plans” to pause the tariffs.Bitcoin choppy on tariff confusionBitcoin has seen an over 2% swing over the past 24 hours as the Trump administration went back and forth on tariff exemptions for Chinese electronic goods.Related: NFT trader faces prison for $13M tax fraud on CryptoPunk profitsBitcoin hit a 24-hour low of $83,197, wiping most of the gains it made before the weekend, but it has since recovered to trade flat over the past day at around $85,000 after briefly hitting a top of $85,315, CoinGecko data shows.Trump posted to Truth Social on April 13 that “there was no tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday,” April 11, but that levies on Chinese electronics are “moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket’” of 20%.Asia Express: Bitcoiner sex trap extortion? BTS firm’s blockchain disaster 

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 14, 2025 at 6:10 am

The team behind real-world tokenized asset blockchain Mantra says its native token’s sudden 90% plunge was caused by exchanges forcibly closing positions without notice, with one currently unnamed exchange potentially to blame. On April 13, Mantra (OM) price dropped from $6.30 to below $0.50, rapidly shedding over 90% of its $6 billion market cap.“We have determined that the OM market movements were triggered by reckless forced closures initiated by centralized exchanges on OM account holders,” Mantra co-founder John Mullin wrote in an April 13 statement on X.“The timing and depth of the crash suggest that a very sudden closure of account positions was initiated without sufficient warning or notice,” he added. Source: John Mullin“That this happened during low-liquidity hours on a Sunday evening UTC, early morning Asia time, points to a degree of negligence at best, or possibly intentional market positioning taken by centralized exchanges.”Mullin told an X user they believe one exchange “in particular” was to blame but said they were still “figuring out the details.” He told others that the centralized exchange in question wasn’t Binance. Mantra has an upcoming community connect on X, where Mullin says the team would share more information.Source: John MullinSome traders allege the token collapse was a rug pull, while others are speculating the Mantra team had used their tokens as collateral to take out a massive loan from a centralized exchange and the team fell prey to a loan risk parameter change, then a margin call.Mullin denied these theories in follow-up X posts, saying, “The team did not have a loan outstanding” and haven't orchestrated a rug pull.  “Tokens remain locked and subject to the published vesting periods. OM’s tokenomics remain intact, as shared last week in our latest token report. Our token wallet addresses are online and visible,” Mullin said.Source: John MullinThe price of OM staged a minor recovery in the aftermath of the price collapse, briefly returning above $1, but it is back down and currently trading around $0.7894, according to CoinGecko.The token hit an all-time high of just under $9 on Feb. 23 and is now down over 91% from that figure. Source: Star XuMillions of Mantra tokens moved in the week prior to collapse Blockchain analytics platform Spot On Chain said in an April 14 post to X that some OM whales moved 14.27 million tokens to the crypto exchange OKX three days before the crash. In March, the same whales picked up 84.15 million OM for $564.7 million.“Now, after a brutal 90% drop, their remaining 69.08 million OM is worth just $62.2 million, putting their total estimated loss at a staggering $406.3 million,” Spot On Chain said.“However, they may have hedged the position elsewhere, and it’s possible they contributed to the sharp drop.”Source: Spot On ChainAt the same time, blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain said that since April 7, at least 17 wallets deposited 43.6 million OM into crypto exchanges, representing 4.5% of the circulating supply. Related: Mantra unveils $108M fund to back real-world asset tokenization, DeFiIn January 2025, Mantra and investment conglomerate DAMAC signed a $1 billion deal to tokenize the investment conglomerate’s various assets. Meanwhile, Mantra announced on Feb. 19 that it had received a virtual asset service provider license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.Magazine: Illegal arcade disguised as … a fake Bitcoin mine? Soldier scams in China: Asia Express

by David Weber on April 14, 2025 at 5:47 am

A man accused of murdering Perth schoolboy Cassius Turvey tells a Perth court that he saved the teenager as he was being assaulted by a co-accused, and then checked on his welfare. 

by Daniel Litjens on April 14, 2025 at 5:44 am

Port Adelaide player Willie Rioli posted to social media to explain his "hatred" of the Hawks stems from his family's historical relationship with the club.

by Alys Marshall on April 14, 2025 at 5:29 am

Northern Australia's cattle industry is once again battling the government at the Federal Court, seeking compensation that reflects its losses from the export ban.

by Brooke Neindorf on April 14, 2025 at 5:24 am

Australian tuna producers are cheering after the industry received a sustainability certification following years of hard work.

by Katherine Smyrk on April 14, 2025 at 5:22 am

Ruby Gill was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, but now the musician calls Australia home. She talks about her new album, touring the country in a tent and the lessons we can learn from animals.

by Eva Blandis on April 14, 2025 at 5:00 am

An elderly man who fatally stabbed his wife to death at their suburban Adelaide home in December 2023 has died after being found mentally unfit to stand trial — but mentally competent at the time of the crime.

by Dean Bilton on April 14, 2025 at 4:28 am

The magic of Gather Round can be hard to place, but on the ground in Adelaide the excitement of footy-loving youngsters is contagious and reminds us all why we fell in love with the game in the first place.

by Sundance on April 14, 2025 at 4:20 am

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency. This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread. Posted in The post April 14th – 2025 Presidential Politics – Trump Administration Day 85 appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Sundance on April 14, 2025 at 4:15 am

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL. The post Monday April 14th – Open Thread appeared first on The Last Refuge.

on April 14, 2025 at 4:13 am

The Royal Children's Hospital says it is working with the RCH Foundation to continue funding 13 positions that it  had planned to cut.

by Sundance on April 14, 2025 at 4:10 am

In addition to Howard Lutnick, Peter Navarro and Kevin Hassett explaining the nuances of Section 232 tariff exemptions, White House Senior Policy Advisor, Stephen Miller, appears on Fox News to deliver the same message. Steel, Aluminum, Automobiles, Pharmaceuticals and components for semiconductor manufacturing all fall under the Section 232 “National Security” tariff umbrella. Meaning, the The post Stephen Miller Reiterates Tariff Strategy Around Section 232 National Security Products appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Sundance on April 14, 2025 at 4:05 am

Last week President Donald Trump underwent a physical and mental examination at Walter Reed medical hospital.  The White House has released the results of the exam. [SOURCE HERE] . Posted in President Trump The post White House Releases Results of President Trump Physical Examination appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Samantha Dick on April 14, 2025 at 3:49 am

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he wants to see house prices "steadily increase", as both leaders face questions over major policies targeting Australia's housing crisis. 

by Johanna Marie and Jasmine Hines on April 14, 2025 at 3:48 am

A small beachside community has been devastated by the drowning deaths of two tourists in what Surf Life Saving Queensland describes as "an absolute tragedy”.

by Amy Sheehan on April 14, 2025 at 3:40 am

Experts say it is common for women to walk away with less than they are entitled to when it comes to superannuation in divorce or during a separation. 

by Cointelegraph by Jesse Coghlan on April 14, 2025 at 3:38 am

Crypto markets have been fairly stable amid wider market panic caused by US President Donald Trump’s “on-again, off-again” sweeping global tariffs, according to a New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG) analyst.“Despite the carnage in traditional financial markets, the crypto markets have been relatively orderly,” NYDIG global head of research Greg Cipolaro said in an April 11 note. “Historically, in broad risk-off moves, we tend to see stresses show up in crypto markets. We have yet to see that.”Cipolaro said crypto perpetual futures rates have “been persistently positive,” with liquidations spiking on April 6 and 7 in the days after Trump first announced the tariffs on April 2 but only to a total of $480 million, which he added “was well below other notable liquidation events.”He noted that the price of Tether (USDT), a US dollar-tracking stablecoin widely used token in crypto trading, was below $1 but had “not experienced a sharp decline.” Trump unveiled a sweeping tariff regime on April 2 that lumped various levies on every country before pausing them for 90 days just hours after they came into effect on April 9 and instead charging a base tariff of 10%, besides China, which currently has tariffs of up to 145%.Traditional and crypto markets tanked after Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, and many assets haven’t recovered to the same level as before their unveiling.Stocks, bonds and foreign exchange volatility rates all rose after Trump’s tariffs announcement. Source: NYDIGOver the weekend, the Trump administration caused more confusion with its tariffs, saying on April 13 that an April 11 decision to exempt many electronics from tariffs was temporary and they would still be hit with levies.Bitcoin fares well, declining volatility to make it widely attractiveCipolaro said that Bitcoin (BTC) didn’t escape the market volatility, “but at current prices has fared far better than many other asset classes.”He added that Bitcoin’s volatility hasn’t risen to historic levels, unlike the traditional markets, and “has been relatively stable” despite instability instigated by the Trump administration.“Perhaps investors are increasingly searching for stores of value not tied to sovereign countries and thus not affected by the trade turmoil.”Bitcoin is down 22.5% from its mid-January peak of over $108,000 and has traded flat over the past 24 hours at $84,730, according to CoinGecko.Cipolaro said the narrowing gap between Bitcoin’s volatility and other assets makes it “increasingly more appealing” to funds with risk parity portfolios — those that use risk to choose asset allocations.He added that investors are likely reducing their risk exposure but “perhaps some reallocation of asset mix to Bitcoin is one of the reasons it has been more buoyant.”Related: S&P 500 briefly sees ‘Bitcoin-level’ volatility amid Trump tariff war“Risk parity funds allocating to Bitcoin can help dampen its volatility — making the asset more attractive and potentially reinforcing a virtuous cycle of increased adoption and stability,” Cipolaro said.However, YouHodler chief of markets Ruslan Lienkha told Cointelegraph in an April 12 note that despite a wider market rebound, “technical indicators are painting a concerning picture.”He said a “death cross,” when the 50-day moving average crosses below the 200-day moving average, is potentially forming on Bitcoin and the S&P 500.Lienkha said the pattern is “generally considered a bearish signal for the medium term, suggesting that markets may struggle to sustain upward momentum without a clear catalyst or a stream of positive macroeconomic developments.” Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

on April 14, 2025 at 3:22 am

Two security guards are charged after a violent incident inside a bar in Scarborough on Sunday night.

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 14, 2025 at 3:06 am

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin argues it’s Ethereum’s application layer, not its infrastructure layer, where Ethereum needs “good social philosophy” the most. The app layer is where developers build decentralized applications on top of Ethereum’s base infrastructure and where they make decisions about how these programs operate. In an April 12 post on the social media platform Warpcast, Buterin responded to a user’s argument that Ethereum needs a new generation of developers rooted in Ethereum’s core values to renew itself. He argued that it’s the app layer that needs this more. “Apps are 80% special purpose. What apps you build depends heavily on what ideas you have of what Ethereum apps, and Ethereum as a whole, are there to do for the world. And so having good ideas on this topic out there becomes crucially important,” Buterin said. Source: Vitalik ButerinIn comparison, Buterin says a programming language like C++ may not be as influenced by the creator’s ideology, as it is a general-purpose tool that doesn’t have much surface to be made worse or improved by social philosophy. “Imagine that C++ had been made by a totalitarian racist fascist. Would it be a worse language? Probably not,” he said.Ethereum’s layer 1 is similar to an extent, argued Buterin, though it is more exposed to philosophical influence, citing its move to proof-of-stake (PoS) and supporting light clients as examples.  “Someone who doesn’t believe in decentralization would not add light clients, or good forms of account abstraction,” he said. “Someone who doesn’t mind energy waste would not spend half a decade moving to PoS, but the Ethereum Virtual Machine opcodes might have been roughly the same either way. So Ethereum is perhaps 50% general-purpose,” Buterin added. Apps with good social philosophy vs bad  In a follow-up post, Buterin told a user that, in his opinion, crypto privacy protocol Railgun, Web3 social protocol Farcaster, decentralized prediction market Polymarket and messenger app Signal are examples of apps with a good social philosophy. Source: Vitalik Buterin“You build apps that do the right thing behind the scenes by default. Signal is a reasonably good example of this, though it has significant flaws of its own. Farcaster is also a good example of this,” Buterin said.Related: Vitalik Buterin criticizes crypto’s moral shift toward gamblingOn the other hand, Buterin said the memecoin platform Pump.fun, the collapsed crypto ecosystem Terra, its native token Terra (LUNA), and the collapsed crypto exchange FTX are examples of bad social philosophy.“The differences in what the app does stem from differences in beliefs in developers’ heads about what they are here to accomplish,” he said. Magazine: Bitcoin eyes $100K by June, Shaq to settle NFT lawsuit, and more: Hodler’s Digest, April 6 – 12

by Samantha Goerling on April 14, 2025 at 3:05 am

Caravan park residents fear they will be left out of pocket and with nowhere to go despite ex gratia offers ahead of their eviction after the sale of Rose Gardens caravan park.

on April 14, 2025 at 3:05 am

South Australian independent MP Nick McBride is facing multiple counts of assaulting a person known to him, after he was arrested and charged last week.

by Charles Rushforth on April 14, 2025 at 3:00 am

Residents who donated $100,000 for a sleeper bus for rough sleepers are outraged after being told it would be delivered to another community.

by Cointelegraph by Jody McDonald on April 14, 2025 at 2:46 am

The Trump family-backed crypto project World Liberty Financial (WLFI) has added 4.89 million SEI tokens valued at $775,000 to its portfolio, according to onchain data. Data from blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence shows the purchase was made on April 12 by one of WLFI’s trading wallets using USDC transferred from the project’s main wallet. It’s the same trading wallet previously used by WLFI to accumulate other altcoins.WLFI holds a diversified portfolio, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and a larger number of altcoins, such as Tron (TRX), Ondo Finance (ONDO), Avalanche (AVAX) and now Sei (SEI).According to blockchain researcher Lookonchain, WLFI has spent a total of $346.8 million accumulating 11 different tokens, but as of April 12, it has yet to see a profit on any of them. The project’s Ethereum investments alone are currently down over $114 million. Overall, Lookonchain says WLFI’s portfolio is down $145.8 million.World Liberty Financial’s current on-paper profit/loss on its altcoins. Source: Lookonchain Only two months ago, in a Feb. 3 X post, Donald Trump’s son, Eric Trump, urged his followers to buy Ether, writing: “In my opinion, it’s a great time to add $ETH.” Originally, the tweet also included “you can thank me later,” but it was edited to remove those five words.At the time of writing, data from CoinGecko showed ETH’s price had fallen 55% since Eric Trump’s tweet, currently trading at $1,611, down from the Feb. 3 close of $2,879.Related: Democrats slam DOJ’s ‘grave mistake’ in disbanding crypto crime unitWLFI’s USD1 logo appears on major exchangesMeanwhile, an icon for WLFI’s stablecoin, USD1, has appeared on Coinbase, Binance and the crypto aggregator website CoinMarketCap in what appears to be the coin’s unofficial logo unveiling. WLFI has made no official announcement about USD1’s logo.Observers speculate this is USD1’s new logo. Source: Binance Trump’s involvement with USD1 has attracted criticism from lawmakers on both sides of US politics. At an April 2 US House Financial Services Committee hearing on stablecoin legislation, Democratic Representative Maxine Waters suggested President Trump may be ultimately planning to use USD1 to replace the US dollar.“Trump likely wants the entire government to use stablecoins, from payments made by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to Social Security payments to paying taxes. And which coin do you think Trump would replace the dollar with? His own, of course.”The committee’s Republican chair, French Hill, aired similar concerns.“If there is no effort to block the president of the United States of America from owning his stablecoin business [...] I will never be able to agree on supporting this bill, and I would ask other members not to be enablers.”Magazines: 3 reasons Ethereum could turn a corner: Kain Warwick, X Hall of Flame

on April 14, 2025 at 2:25 am

The Wests Tigers have announced Lachlan Galvin will leave the club at the end of next season after turning down a multi-million-dollar contract extension with the joint venture.

by Cointelegraph by Cointelegraph on April 13, 2025 at 10:31 pm

Today in crypto, the price of the Mantra token collapsed. Its co-founder says they believe it may have been caused by one exchange in particular. Meanwhile, a non-fungible token (NFT) trader could face up to six years in prison after pleading guilty to underreporting nearly $13 million in profits from trading CryptoPunks.Mantra says one exchange 'in particular' may have caused OM collapseThe team behind real-world tokenized asset blockchain Mantra says its native token’s sudden 90% plunge was caused by exchanges forcibly closing positions without notice, with one currently unnamed exchange potentially to blame. On April 13, Mantra (OM) price dropped from $6.30 to below $0.50, rapidly shedding over 90% of its $6 billion market cap.Source: John Mullin“We have determined that the OM market movements were triggered by reckless forced closures initiated by centralized exchanges on OM account holders,” Mantra co-founder John Mullin wrote in an April 13 statement on X.“The timing and depth of the crash suggest that a very sudden closure of account positions was initiated without sufficient warning or notice,” he added. Mullin told an X user they believe one exchange “in particular” was to blame but said they were still “figuring out the details.” He told others that the centralized exchange in question wasn’t Binance. Mantra token collapses by 90% but retraces some valueThe price of the Mantra token collapsed by over 90% on April 13 but regained some lost value following statements from the Mantra team and co-founder JP Mullin.Mantra's (OM) price collapsed to a low of approximately $0.38 before crossing back over $1, and is currently at that level.Mantra token price and overview. Source: CoinGeckoAccording to the Mantra team, OM's price decline was due to "reckless liquidations" that the Mantra team is investigating."One thing we want to be clear on: this was not our team. We are looking into it and will share more details about what happened as soon as we can," the team wrote in an April 13 X post. NFT trader faces prison for $13 million tax fraud on CryptoPunk profitsA non-fungible token (NFT) trader could face up to six years in prison after pleading guilty to underreporting nearly $13 million in profits from trading CryptoPunks, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.Waylon Wilcox, 45, admitted to filing false income tax returns for the 2021 and 2022 tax years. The former CryptoPunk investor pleaded guilty on April 9 to two counts of filing false individual income tax returns, federal prosecutors said in an April 11 press release.Back in April 2022, Wilcox filed a false individual income tax return for the tax year 2021, which underreported his income tax by roughly $8.5 million and reduced his tax due by approximately $2.1 million.In October 2023, Wilcox filed another false individual tax income return for the fiscal year of 2022, underreporting his income tax by an estimated $4.6 million and reducing his tax due by nearly $1.1 million.Wilcox pleads guilty to false tax filing, press release. Source: Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania“The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to six years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine,” according to the statement. However, the exact details and timing of his sentence remain unclear.

by Cointelegraph by Vince Quill on April 13, 2025 at 9:44 pm

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick walked back the recent reciprocal tariff exemption on select electronics announced in an April 12 bulletin from the United States Customs and Border Protection.On April 13, Lutnick told ABC News that the reciprocal tariff exemption was temporary until the administration established a sector tariff regime for semiconductor products, which includes phones, graphics processors, and computing chips in a "month or two." Lutnick added:"President Trump has called out pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and autos. He called them sector tariffs, and those are not available for negotiation. They are just going to be part of making sure we ensure core national security items are made in this country.""We can't be relying on China for fundamental things we need. Our medicines and our semiconductors need to be built in America," Lutnick continued. The official also said he was confident that the US and China would arrive at a trade deal through negotiations.The emphasis on national security and onshoring critical industries could signal that the trade tariffs will be a long-term geostrategic policy and not simply a short-term negotiation tactic to make US exports more attractive, as some analysts have suggested.The Volatility S&P Index (VIX), a measure of the S&P stock index’s volatility, remains elevated amid macroeconomic uncertainty. Source: TradingView Related: Bitcoin ‘decouples,’ stocks lose $3.5T amid Trump tariff war and Fed warning of ‘higher inflation’Trade war heightens volatility and sends markets tumblingTrump's trade tariffs crashed the stock and crypto markets, wiping away trillions in shareholder value as investors dumped riskier assets on fears of a lengthy trade war between the United States and its trading partners.In an April 10 X Post, Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas cited the SPY US Equity History Volume chart as evidence that the S&P 500 stock market index is now more volatile than Bitcoin (BTC).According to the analyst, the S&P 500 Index hit a volatility level of 74 in April, compared to Bitcoin's 71.Stocks and crypto pumped following rumors of the Trump administration initiating a 90-day reciprocal tariff pause. Approximately $2 trillion was pumped into stocks on rumors of softer trade policies.Much of this value was then wiped away when Trump claimed that rumors of a 90-day pause were false and returned once the Trump administration did, in fact, issue a reciprocal tariff pause in the following days.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

by Cointelegraph by Rakesh Upadhyay on April 13, 2025 at 8:21 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) made a brilliant comeback this week, rising more than 7%, indicating solid buying at lower levels. BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes said in a post on X that the US bond market crisis could be setting the stage for more policy response, and that could result in an “up only mode” for Bitcoin.Blockchain and intelligence platform Glassnode said in a post on X that Bitcoin had built solid support at $79,000, with roughly 40,000 Bitcoin accumulated there. Bollinger Bands creator John Bollinger also echoed similar views. In a post on X, Bollinger said that Bitcoin was forming a “classic Bollinger Band W bottom,” but it needed confirmation.Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360Market participants will be closely watching the performance of the US dollar index (DXY), which is trading below the 100 level. Any further weakness in the US dollar could be bullish for Bitcoin. If Bitcoin manages to hold on to the higher levels, it is likely to boost the sentiment in the cryptocurrency sector. That could trigger a recovery in select altcoins. What are the cryptocurrencies that may benefit from Bitcoin’s strength?   Bitcoin price analysisBitcoin broke and closed above the resistance line on April 12, which is the first indication that the corrective phase may be ending.BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe bears are unlikely to give up easily and will try to pull the price back below the 20-day exponential moving average ($82,885). If they manage to do that, it suggests that the bears remain active at higher levels. The BTC/USDT pair could then drop to $78,500.Buyers are likely to have other plans. They will try to defend the 20-day EMA on the way down. If the price rebounds off the 20-day EMA, it will signal a change in sentiment from selling on rallies to buying on dips. That enhances the prospects of a rally to $89,000 and, after that, to $95,000.BTC/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe 20-EMA is sloping up, and the relative strength index (RSI) is in the positive territory, indicating an advantage to the bulls. A rebound off the 20-EMA suggests that the bulls are trying to flip the resistance line into support. The pair may face selling at $89,000, but it is likely to be crossed. That could propel the pair to the $92,000 to $95,000 zone.On the downside, the moving averages are the crucial support for the bulls to defend. If they fail in their endeavor, the pair could plummet to $78,500.Hyperliquid price analysisHyperliquid (HYPE) closed above the 50-day SMA ($15.14) on April 11 and reached the overhead resistance of $17.35 on April 12.HYPE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe 20-day EMA ($13.84) has started to turn up, and the RSI has risen near 56, suggesting buyers have the edge. Sellers are trying to defend the $17.35 resistance, but if the bulls prevail, the HYPE/USDT pair could start a rally to $21 and subsequently to $25.This optimistic view will be negated in the near term if the price turns down from $17.35 and breaks below the 20-day EMA. The pair could then fall to $12, which is expected to attract buyers.HYPE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe pair has pulled back to the 20-EMA, which is a critical near-term support to watch out for. If the price bounces off the 20-EMA with strength, it signals buying on dips. The bulls will then make one more attempt to overcome the barrier at $17.35. If they succeed, the pair may rise to $21. There is minor resistance at $18, but it is likely to be crossed. Sellers will have to pull and sustain the price back below the 20-EMA to weaken the bullish momentum. The pair could then descend to the 50-SMA.Ondo price analysisOndo (ONDO) has broken out of the downtrend line, suggesting that the bears may be losing their grip.ONDO/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe recovery is facing selling near $0.96 but may find support at the 20-day EMA ($0.83) on the way down. If the price rebounds off the 20-day EMA, the bulls will again try to drive the ONDO/USDT pair above $0.96. If they manage to do that, the pair could pick up momentum and rally toward $1.20.Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will try to pull the price back below the 20-day EMA. If they can pull it off, the pair could drop to $0.79 and later to $0.68.ONDO/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe 4-hour chart shows that the pair is facing selling in the $0.93 to $0.96 resistance zone. Buyers will have to keep the price above the 20-EMA to maintain the upper hand. If the price rebounds off the 20-EMA with strength, the possibility of a break above $0.96 increases. The pair may then climb to $1.05 and later to $1.20.Instead, if the price skids below the 20-EMA, it suggests that demand dries up at higher levels. The pair may then descend to the 50-SMA.Related: Bitcoin price tags $86K as Trump tariff relief boosts breakout oddsRender price analysisRender (RNDR) has reached the overhead resistance of $4.22, where the bears are expected to mount a strong defense.RNDR/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe moving averages are on the verge of a bullish crossover, and the RSI has risen into the positive zone, signaling an advantage to buyers. If the price rises above $4.22, the RNDR/USDT pair will complete a double-bottom pattern. There is minor resistance at $5, but it is likely to be crossed. The pair could then climb to the pattern target of $5.94.Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down sharply from $4.22 and breaks below the moving averages, it signals a range-bound action in the short term.RNDR/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe pair is facing selling at $4.06, but the pullback is likely to find support at the 20-EMA. If the price rebounds off the 20-EMA with strength, it will suggest that the sentiment remains positive. That improves the prospects of a break above $4.22. The pair may face resistance between $4.60 and $5, but if the price does not dip back below $4.22, it signals the start of a new up move.Alternatively, a break and close below the 20-EMA suggests the bulls are losing their grip. The pair may then slump to the 50-SMA, signaling a consolidation in the near term.Kaspa price analysisKaspa (KAS) rose and closed above the 50-day SMA ($0.07) on April 12, indicating that the selling pressure is reducing.KAS/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe 20-day EMA ($0.07) has started to turn up, and the RSI has risen into the positive territory, suggesting that the path of least resistance is to the upside. If buyers drive the price above $0.08, the KAS/USDT pair will complete a double-bottom pattern. This bullish setup has a target objective of $0.12.Contrarily, if the price turns down from $0.08 and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it will signal a range formation. The pair may swing between $0.08 and $0.05 for some time.KAS/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe pair has turned down from $0.08 but is likely to find support at the 20-EMA. If the price rebounds off the 20-EMA, the pair could rally to the top of the range, which is a crucial resistance to watch out for. If buyers overcome the overhead barrier, the pair could start a new upmove toward $0.09.This positive view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns down and breaks below the $0.07 support. That could keep the pair stuck inside the range for a while longer.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.

by Cointelegraph by Vince Quill on April 13, 2025 at 7:47 pm

Update (April 13, 10:02pm UTC): This article has been updated to provide updates from the Mantra teamThe price of the Mantra (OM) token, the native cryptocurrency of the Mantra real-world tokenized asset blockchain, has collapsed by over 90% in the last 24 hours.On April 13, Mantra fell from a price of approximately $6.3 to below $0.50 and shed over 90% of its $6 billion market cap.Some traders characterized the token collapse as an apparent rug pull. Market investor Gordon wrote: "[The] team needs to address this or OM looks like it could head to zero, biggest rug pull since LUNA/FTX?"However, the exact reason for the collapse of the OM token's price is not clear at the time of this writing. Cointelegraph reached out to the Mantra team for comment on the OM token collapse but did not receive an answer by the time of publication.The incident follows several high-profile token collapses and cybersecurity incidents, including the Libra memecoin implosion and the $1.4 billion Bybit hack, responsible for billions of dollars in investor losses during the first few months of 2025.Mantra token market cap and metrics. Source: CoinGeckoRelated: Mantra unveils $108M fund to back real-world asset tokenization, DeFiMantra team and co-founder respondMantra co-founder JP Mullin responded to the OM token collapse and said that the project's Telegram group is still online. Mullin added that the Mantra team's tokens are still in the team's custody."We are here and not going anywhere," Mullin wrote in an X post, while providing a verification address for the Mantra team's OM tokens.Source: MantraThe Mantra Team also claimed that the OM price implosion was "triggered by reckless liquidations" and not related to actions undertaken by the team.Mantra's recent tokenization initiatives in the Middle EastIn January 2025, Mantra and investment conglomerate DAMAC signed a $1 billion deal to tokenize the investment conglomerate's various assets, which include real estate, data centers, and other physical properties on the Mantra blockchain.Mantra obtained a virtual asset service provider license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), in February 2025.The license allows Mantra to operate as a digital asset service provider in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), running crypto exchanges, broker-dealer services, management, and investment consulting inside the Middle Eastern country.The expansion of Mantra's footprint in the United Arab Emirates was fueled by high demand for tokenized products from real estate investors and developers looking for new ways of funding projects and securing capital.Near-instant finality times for tokenized real-world assets, reduced costs, and cross-border functionality are just some of the reasons investors cite for using blockchain to secure investments and aid in capital formation.Magazine: DeFi’s billion-dollar secret: The insiders responsible for hacks

by Sundance on April 13, 2025 at 7:07 pm

You can watch Jake Tapper’s brow grow increasingly furrowed in real time as White House Economic Council Director, Kevin Hassett, smiles through the narratives and talks clearly about what is happening with President Trump’s tariff agenda. This is a REALLY good interview.  Kevin “quokka” Hassett just keeps outlining clear examples of what regional tariffs are The post Sunday Talks: Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett Explains China and Global Tariff Distinctions appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Sundance on April 13, 2025 at 6:23 pm

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appears on ABC This Week, to explain and clarify the purpose of the recently announced tariff exceptions. According to the explanation, there are two “sector specific” tariffs in Semiconductors and Pharmaceuticals that will be announced in the next few months.  The recently announced “exemptions” are products that will be included in The post Sunday Talks: Secretary of Commerce Outlines Purpose of Tariff “Exemptions” – Sector Specific Tariffs Coming Soon appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Sundance on April 13, 2025 at 5:35 pm

HAT TIP to Elon Musk sycophant, Mario Nawfal, who gleefully writes: “Elon’s DOGE just teamed up with Palantir — the AI data company co-founded by Peter Thiel — to help the IRS build a massive “mega API.” What’s a mega API? Think of it like a giant, turbo-charged plug that lets computers talk to each The post Elon Musk is Doing What Eric Holder Dreamed of Doing appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Vince Quill on April 13, 2025 at 5:10 pm

Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor has signaled that the company plans to acquire more Bitcoin (BTC) following a nearly two-week pause in purchases.The company's most recent acquisition of 22,048 Bitcoin on March 31 brought its total holdings to 528,185 BTC.According to SaylorTracker, Strategy's BTC investment is up by approximately 24%, representing over $8.6 billion in unrealized gains.Strategy continues to accumulate BTC amid the recent market downturn that took Bitcoin's price below the $80,000 level, and the company continues to be closely monitored by BTC investors as a barometer for institutional interest in BTC.Strategy’s Bitcoin purchase history. Source: SaylorTrackerRelated: Has Michael Saylor’s Strategy built a house of cards?Bitcoin's store-of-value narrative grows despite the recent price declineThe current macroeconomic uncertainty from the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China has negatively impacted risk-on assets across the board.Stock markets wiped away trillions in shareholder value in response to Trump's sweeping tariff order, and crypto markets also experienced a deep sell-off.Data from the Total3, an indicator that tracks the market capitalization of the entire crypto sector excluding BTC and Ether (ETH), shows that altcoins have collectively shed over 33% of their value since the market peak in December 2024.By comparison, BTC is only down roughly 22% from its peak of over $109,000 in January 2025 and is currently rangebound, trading around the $84,000 level.The Total3 crypto market cap, pictured in blue, compared to the price of Bitcoin. Source: TradingViewThe price of Bitcoin remained relatively stable amid a $5 trillion sell-off in the stock market, lending credence to Bitcoin's use case as a store-of-value asset as opposed to a risk-on investment.Speaking with Cointelegraph at Paris Blockchain Week 2025, cypherpunk and CEO of digital asset infrastructure company Blockstream, Adam Back said the macroeconomic pressures from a prolonged trade war would make Bitcoin an increasingly attractive store of value.Back forecasted inflation to surge to 10-15% in the next decade, making real investment returns on traditional asset classes such as stocks and real estate incredibly difficult for market participants."There is a real prospect of Bitcoin competing with gold and then starting to take some of the gold use cases,” Back told Cointelegraph managing editor Gareth Jenkinson.Magazine: Bitcoiner sex trap extortion? BTS firm’s blockchain disaster: Asia Express

by Sundance on April 13, 2025 at 4:03 pm

The baseline tariffs remain, specifically as they pertain to China.  However, in a move to diminish public backlash President Trump has now exempted the majority of consumer electronics from the 125% reciprocal tariff levy. The types of electronic and computer systems exempted, as announced by U.S Customs & Border Protection, Cargo Systems Messaging Service [DATA The post President Trump Exempts Most Chinese Consumer Electronics, Tech Products and Components from Reciprocal Tariffs appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Max Giammario on April 13, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Opinion by: Max Giammario, founder and CEO of KindredThe interfaces and user experience in Web3 tools are terrible, even more so when compared to their Web2 counterparts. This lackluster experience for Web3 is losing the attention of as many users as desired, and with how fast the ecosystem moves, these shortcomings are rarely paid attention to.AI agents can be an excellent tool to overcome these weaknesses. Their potential to improve development and user experience is remarkable, although it has yet to reach its real potential. Once combined with emotional AI, which will enable us to understand contexts beyond their programming, we will see a quantum leap from Web3 tools to ordinary users.Web3’s learning curve is very steepConsider your first interactions with a Web3 wallet — a scary, difficult experience. Many people fear that, at any moment, they could make a mistake, which could mean losing money. This situation can be less uncomfortable if we add agents with emotional AI that can guide new users and provide personalized support, keeping people at ease during their learning process.If the first interaction with Web3 is seamless in this way, adoption could grow. A better user experience would be a win-win for the entire industry, which suffers from having few users. Reaching a level of adoption of a Web2 tool would be a win for the ecosystem.Emotional AI companions would make everything easierWith the potential that emotional AI agents have, they would facilitate the experience of new users, and they could serve as personal assistants to interact with the rest of the Web3 tools in a more autonomous, personalized way.Emotional AI agents could act as motivational coaches, providing continuous, personalized and empathetic accompaniment that enables them to connect deeply with their users and guide them in the best practices to avoid significant losses in Web3.Recent: Inside an AI-powered Web3 game’s race to 100 million usersThese are just some of the most evaluated uses of Web3 today. The more applications it has in the future, the more potential is unlocked. Combining so much state-of-the-art technology, however, entails significant risks that must be considered in its development.Implementing emotional AI in Web3 carries risksIntegrating emotional AI within the Web3 ecosystem could be very beneficial. Still, it must be considered that it entails risks that any AI has, plus what the use of Web3 implies. One of the most significant risks would be using personal information because, as an emotional AI, it will require more information from its users, which increases the danger of data leakage.This same personalization could generate an unhealthy dependence on its emotional AI partner, so safeguards against this would have to be implemented. Even being so personalized, it will generate biased information, which will close the scope of the AI agent.Considering the risks mentioned above, while the technology is under development, by the time emotional AI agents launch, developers can forge the path to reduce these risks and implement all the benefits of this technology.Emotional AI is the key to greater adoption of Web3AI tools have become more widespread at a rate we have not seen since the launch of the internet. The speed of adoption is because AI tools have become straightforward tools to facilitate any task. The next step is emotional AI agents, which allow for closer AI companions who can provide better support.As complicated as the Web3 industry is, if these emotional AI companions became the standard in the ecosystem, all these tools would be available to any user. The Web3 adoption it would facilitate would be enormous, and all this value would be worth the risks.Opinion by: Max Giammario, founder and CEO of Kindred. 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.

by Cointelegraph by William Suberg on April 13, 2025 at 2:14 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) hit an eleven-day high on April 13 as the crypto market relief rally closely tracked US financial policy changes.BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewBitcoin traders say brace for more volatilityData from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD reaching $86,000 for the first time since April 2.The pair had reacted well to news that US President Donald Trump had decided to exclude certain key products from his ongoing trade tariffs against China.Traditional markets are closed on weekends —creating lower-liquidity trading in crypto markets and raising the chance for price volatility— with Bitcoin subsequently dropping under $84,000.With hours to go until the weekly close, BTC/USD was thus up 7% for the week, having started with a trip to new five-month lows.Commenting, traders were cautious over BTC price strength.Call me crazy but I don’t think I trust this breakout on $BTC.Low volume, overbought stoch, and on a weekend.If we can remain over 84k through Monday I’ll look for higher but for now this seems sketchy. pic.twitter.com/qKVdYAOYPJ— Roman (@Roman_Trading) April 12, 2025Daan Crypto Trades noted the ongoing interplay with the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA) at $85,000.“This is however still a weekend move so far and we know next week will be volatile again with news regarding tariffs and the first big tech earnings coming up,” part of a post on X read.BTC/USD 1-day chart with 200 EMA. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewWell-known trader Peter described the rebound from the lows as looking “more corrective than it does impulsive.”BTC/USD 2-hour chart. Source: Peter Brandt/XPopular trader and analyst Rekt Capital meanwhile saw the true hurdle to a Bitcoin bull market rebound coming in the form of a stubborn long-term daily downtrend.“Bitcoin has Daily Closed above the Downtrend. Thus, breakout confirmation is underway,” one of his latest X updates explained alongside an illustrative chart.“However BTC has previously Daily Closed above the Downtrend but failed its retest (a few of the red circles). Retest needs to be successful and it is in progress.”BTC/USD 1-day chart. Source: Rekt Capital/XAs Cointelegraph reported, the daily downtrend, in place since late 2024, is earmarked as a key hurdle for bulls to overcome.Related: Bollinger Bands creator says Bitcoin forming 'classic' floor near $80KRSI bullish divergence still in playAnother post flagged promising signals on Bitcoin’s relative strength index (RSI) indicator.A classic leading indicator, RSI continued to print another bullish divergence with price on daily timeframes.“Bitcoin is developing yet another Higher Low on the RSI while forming Lower Lows on the price,” Rekt Capital summarized.“Overall, throughout the cycle Bitcoin has formed Bullish Divergences like this on a few occasions already. Each Bull Div preceded reversals to the upside.”BTC/USD 1-day chart with RSI data. Source: Rekt Capital/XThis 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.

by Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai on April 13, 2025 at 1:14 pm

Lomond School, a private institution in Scotland, will begin accepting Bitcoin for tuition payments and is collaborating with Bitcoin author Saifedean Ammous to introduce a new curriculum focused on Bitcoin and Austrian economics. Ammous, author of The Bitcoin Standard, is developing an educational curriculum combining the principles of Bitcoin (BTC) and Austrian economics.“I'm going to be working with Lomond School to develop a curriculum for bitcoin and Austrian economics,” Ammous wrote in an April 12 X post, sharing his excitement for “making the material widely available worldwide.”Source: Saifedean AmmousLomond School Principal Claire Chisholm confirmed the collaboration on April 12, writing that she was “thrilled to be working with Dr. Ammous” and appreciative of the “positivity of the Bitcoin community.”The news comes a day after Lomond School announced it would accept BTC for tuition payments starting from the autumn semester of 2025, becoming the first school in the United Kingdom to adopt BTC payments.Source: Saifedean AmmousAmmous is best known for The Bitcoin Standard, which was first published in 2018. The book outlines the economic philosophy behind Bitcoin and contrasts it with fiat currency systems. It has sold more than one million copies and has been translated into 38 languages, according to Ammous.Cointelegraph has contacted both Ammous and Lomond School for additional details regarding the upcoming curriculum.Related: New York bill proposes legalizing Bitcoin, crypto for state paymentsBitcoin education is gaining momentum worldwideEducational institutions around the world have increasingly embraced Bitcoin as both a subject of academic study and a financial tool.Schools and universities have been launching Bitcoin-based courses since as early as 2013 when the University of Nicosia in Cyprus launched its Master’s in Digital Currency program, which is accessible both in-person and online.New York University’s Stern School of Business launched “The Law and Business of Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies” course in 2014 — one of the first Bitcoin-specific courses in the US.Stanford University also launched its “Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies” course in 2015, focused on the technological and economic aspects of the world’s first cryptocurrency.Related: Swedish MP proposes Bitcoin reserve to finance ministerIn February 2025, the University of Austin announced launching the first first-of-its-kind Bitcoin investment fund of over $5 million as part of the institution’s larger $200 million endowment fund.Source: Eric BalchunasThree months before the University of Austin’s announcement, a regulatory filing revealed that Emory University accumulated over $15 million worth of Bitcoin via Grayscale’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, Cointelegraph reported on Oct. 28.Magazine: SCB tips $500K BTC, SEC delays Ether ETF options, and more: Hodler’s Digest, Feb. 23 –March. 1

by Sundance on April 13, 2025 at 12:26 pm

President Donald Trump was in attendance at UFC 314 on Saturday night in Miami at the Kaseya Center. As President Trump entered the arena, the crowd gave him a thunderous reception. UFC loves President Donald Trump. WATCH: . Dominick Reyes runs over and shake Trump's hand after his win at UFC 314.pic.twitter.com/uE4OQLrUEf — Thomas Sowell The post Crowd Erupts as President Trump Arrives for UFC Fight in Miami, Florida appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai on April 13, 2025 at 11:42 am

A non-fungible token (NFT) trader could face up to six years in prison after pleading guilty to underreporting nearly $13 million in profits from trading CryptoPunks, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.Waylon Wilcox, 45, admitted to filing false income tax returns for the 2021 and 2022 tax years. The former CryptoPunk investor pleaded guilty on April 9 to two counts of filing false individual income tax returns, federal prosecutors said in an April 11 press release.Back in April 2022, Wilcox filed a false individual income tax return for the tax year 2021, which underreported his income tax by roughly $8.5 million and reduced his tax due by approximately $2.1 million.In October 2023, Wilcox filed another false individual tax income return for the fiscal year of 2022, underreporting his income tax by an estimated $4.6 million and reducing his tax due by nearly $1.1 million.Wilcox pleads guilty to false tax filing, press release. Source: Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania“The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to six years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine,” according to the statement. However, the exact details and timing of his sentence remain unclear.Related: NFT trader sells CryptoPunk after a year for nearly $10M lossThe trader bought and sold 97 pieces of the CryptoPunk NFT collection, the industry’s largest NFT collection, with a $687 million market capitalization.Source: CryptoPunksIn 2021, Wilcox sold 62 CryptoPunk NFTs for a gain of about $7.4 million but reported significantly less on his taxes. In 2022, he sold 35 more CryptoPunks for $4.9 million. The Department of Justice said Wilcox intentionally selected “no” when asked if he had engaged in digital asset transactions on both filings.“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unraveling complex financial schemes involving virtual currencies and NFT transactions designed to conceal taxable income,” Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in charge Yury Kruty said, adding: “In today’s economic environment, it’s more important than ever that the American people feel confident that everyone is playing by the rules and paying the taxes they owe.” The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Criminal Investigation Department.Related: CZ claps back against ‘baseless’ US plea deal allegationsCrypto tax rules gain tractionCrypto tax laws attracted interest worldwide in June 2024 after the IRS issued a new crypto regulation making US crypto transactions subject to third-party tax reporting requirements for the first time.Since January, centralized crypto exchanges (CEXs) and other brokers have been required to report the sales and exchanges of digital assets, including cryptocurrencies.On April 10, US President Donald Trump signed a joint congressional resolution to overturn a Biden administration-era legislation that would have required decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols to also report transactions to the IRS.Set to take effect in 2027, the so-called IRS DeFi broker rule would have expanded the tax authority’s existing reporting requirements to include DeFi platforms, requiring them to disclose gross proceeds from crypto sales, including information regarding taxpayers involved in the transactions.However, some crypto regulatory advisers believe that stablecoin and crypto banking legislation should be a priority above new tax legislation in the US.A “tailored regulatory approach” for areas including securities laws and removing “obstacles in banking” is a priority for US lawmakers with “more upside” for the industry, Mattan Erder, general counsel at layer-3 decentralized blockchain network Orbs, told Cointelegraph.Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered

by Cointelegraph by Onkar Singh on April 13, 2025 at 11:41 am

AI is transforming how people interact with financial markets, and cryptocurrency trading is no exception. With tools like OpenAI’s Custom GPTs, it is now possible for beginners and enthusiasts to create intelligent trading bots capable of analyzing data, generating signals and even executing trades.This guide analyzes the fundamentals of building a beginner-friendly AI crypto trading bot using Custom GPTs. It covers setup, strategy design, coding, testing and important considerations for safety and success.What is a custom GPT?A custom GPT (generative pretrained transformer) is a personalized version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. It can be trained to follow specific instructions, work with uploaded documents and assist with niche tasks, including crypto trading bot development.These models can help automate tedious processes, generate and troubleshoot code, analyze technical indicators and even interpret crypto news or market sentiment, making them ideal companions for building algorithmic trading bots.What you’ll need to get startedBefore creating a trading bot, the following components are necessary:OpenAI ChatGPT Plus subscription (for access to GPT-4 and Custom GPTs).A crypto exchange account that offers API access (e.g., Coinbase, Binance, Kraken).Basic knowledge of Python (or willingness to learn).A paper trading environment to safely test strategies.Optional: A VPS or cloud server to run the bot continuously.Did you know? Python’s creator, Guido van Rossum, named the language after Monty Python’s Flying Circus, aiming for something fun and approachable.Step-by-step guide to building an AI trading bot with custom GPTsWhether you’re looking to generate trade signals, interpret news sentiment or automate strategy logic, the below step-by-step approach helps you learn the basics of combining AI with crypto trading. With sample Python scripts and output examples, you'll see how to connect a custom GPT to a trading system, generate trade signals and automate decisions using real-time market data.Step 1: Define a simple trading strategyStart by identifying a basic rule-based strategy that is easy to automate. Examples include:Buy when Bitcoin’s (BTC) daily price drops by more than 3%.Sell when RSI (relative strength index) exceeds 70.Enter a long position after a bullish moving average convergence divergence (MACD) crossover.Trade based on sentiment from recent crypto headlines.Clear, rule-based logic is essential for creating effective code and minimizing confusion for your Custom GPT.Step 2: Create a custom GPTTo build a personalized GPT model:Visit chat.openai.comNavigate to Explore GPTs > CreateName the model (e.g., “Crypto Trading Assistant”)In the instructions section, define its role clearly. For example:“You are a Python developer specialized in crypto trading bots.”“You understand technical analysis and crypto APIs.”“You help generate and debug trading bot code.”Optional: Upload exchange API documentation or trading strategy PDFs for additional context.Step 3: Generate the trading bot code (with GPT’s help)Use the custom GPT to help generate a Python script. For example, type:“Write a basic Python script that connects to Binance using ccxt and buys BTC when RSI drops below 30. I am a beginner and don’t understand code much so I need a simple and short script please.”The GPT can provide:Code for connecting to the exchange via API.Technical indicator calculations using libraries like ta or TA-lib.Trading signal logic.Sample buy/sell execution commands.Python libraries commonly used for such tasks are:ccxt for multi-exchange API support.pandas for market data manipulation.ta or TA-Lib for technical analysis.schedule or apscheduler for running timed tasks.To begin, the user must install two Python libraries: ccxt for accessing the Binance API, and ta (technical analysis) for calculating the RSI. This can be done by running the following command in a terminal:pip install ccxt taNext, the user should replace the placeholder API key and secret with their actual Binance API credentials. These can be generated from a Binance account dashboard. The script uses a five-minute candlestick chart to determine short-term RSI conditions.Below is the full script:====================================================================import ccxtimport pandas as pdimport ta# Your Binance API keys (use your own)api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'api_secret = 'YOUR_API_SECRET'# Connect to Binanceexchange = ccxt.binance({    'apiKey': api_key,    'secret': api_secret,    'enableRateLimit': True,})# Get BTC/USDT 1h candlesbars = exchange.fetch_ohlcv('BTC/USDT', timeframe='1h', limit=100)df = pd.DataFrame(bars, columns=['timestamp', 'open', 'high', 'low', 'close', 'volume'])# Calculate RSIdf['rsi'] = ta.momentum.RSIIndicator(df['close'], window=14).rsi()# Check latest RSI valuelatest_rsi = df['rsi'].iloc[-1]print(f"Latest RSI: {latest_rsi}")# If RSI < 30, buy 0.001 BTCif latest_rsi < 30:    order = exchange.create_market_buy_order('BTC/USDT', 0.001)    print("Buy order placed:", order)else:    print("RSI not low enough to buy.")====================================================================Please note that the above script is intended for illustration purposes. It does not include risk management features, error handling or safeguards against rapid trading. Beginners should test this code in a simulated environment or on Binance’s testnet before considering any use with real funds.Also, the above code uses market orders, which execute immediately at the current price and only run once. For continuous trading, you’d put it in a loop or scheduler.Images below show what the sample output would look like:The sample output shows how the trading bot reacts to market conditions using the RSI indicator. When the RSI drops below 30, as seen with “Latest RSI: 27.46,” it indicates the market may be oversold, prompting the bot to place a market buy order. The order details confirm a successful trade with 0.001 BTC purchased. If the RSI is higher, such as “41.87,” the bot prints “RSI not low enough to buy,” meaning no trade is made. This logic helps automate entry decisions, but the script has limitations like no sell condition, no continuous monitoring and no real-time risk management features, as explained previously.Step 4: Implement risk managementRisk control is a critical component of any automated trading strategy. Ensure your bot includes:Stop-loss and take-profit mechanisms.Position size limits to avoid overexposure.Rate-limiting or cooldown periods between trades.Capital allocation controls, such as only risking 1–2% of total capital per trade.Prompt your GPT with instructions like:“Add a stop-loss to the RSI trading bot at 5% below the entry price.”Step 5: Test in a paper trading environmentNever deploy untested bots with real capital. Most exchanges offer testnets or sandbox environments where trades can be simulated safely.Alternatives include:Running simulations on historical data (backtesting).Logging “paper trades” to a file instead of executing real trades.Testing ensures that logic is sound, risk is controlled and the bot performs as expected under various conditions.Step 6: Deploy the bot for live trading (Optional)Once the bot has passed paper trading tests:Replace test API keys: First, replace your test API keys with live API keys from your chosen exchange’s account. These keys allow the bot to access your real trading account. To do this, log in to exchange, go to the API management section and create a new set of API keys. Copy the API key and secret into your script. It is crucial to handle these keys securely and avoid sharing them or including them in public code.Set up secure API permissions (disable withdrawals): Adjust the security settings for your API keys. Make sure that only the permissions you need are enabled. For example, enable only “spot and margin trading” and disable permissions like “withdrawals” to reduce the risk of unauthorized fund transfers. Exchanges like Binance also allow you to limit API access to specific IP addresses, which adds another layer of protection.Host the bot on a cloud server: If you want the bot to trade continuously without relying on your personal computer, you’ll need to host it on a cloud server. This means running the script on a virtual machine that stays online 24/7. Services like Amazon Web Services (AWS), DigitalOcean or PythonAnywhere provide this functionality. Among these, PythonAnywhere is often the easiest to set up for beginners, as it supports running Python scripts directly in a web interface.Still, always start small and monitor the bot regularly. Mistakes or market changes can result in losses, so careful setup and ongoing supervision are essential.Did you know? Exposed API keys are a top cause of crypto theft. Always store them in environment variables — not inside your code.Ready-made bot templates (starter logic)The templates below are basic strategy ideas that beginners can easily understand. They show the core logic behind when a bot should buy, like “buy when RSI is below 30.” Even if you’re new to coding, you can take these simple ideas and ask your Custom GPT to turn them into full, working Python scripts. GPT can help you write, explain and improve the code, so you don’t need to be a developer to get started. In addition, here is a simple checklist for building and testing a crypto trading bot using the RSI strategy:Just choose your trading strategy, describe what you want, and let GPT do the heavy lifting, including backtesting, live trading or multi-coin support.RSI strategy bot (buy Low RSI)Logic: Buy BTC when RSI drops below 30 (oversold).if rsi < 30:    place_buy_order()Used for: Momentum reversal strategies.Tools: ta library for RSI.2. MACD crossover botLogic: Buy when MACD line crosses above signal line.if macd > signal and previous_macd < previous_signal:    place_buy_order()Used for: Trend-following and swing trading.Tools: ta.trend.MACD or TA-Lib.3. News sentiment botLogic: Use AI (Custom GPT) to scan headlines for bullish/bearish sentiment.if “bullish” in sentiment_analysis(latest_headlines):    place_buy_order()Used for: Reacting to market-moving news or tweets.Tools: News APIs + GPT sentiment classifier.Risks concerning AI-powered trading botsWhile trading bots can be powerful tools, they also come with serious risks:Market volatility: Sudden price swings can lead to unexpected losses.API errors or rate limits: Improper handling can cause the bot to miss trades or place incorrect orders.Bugs in code: A single logic error can result in repeated losses or account liquidation.Security vulnerabilities: Storing API keys insecurely can expose your funds.Overfitting: Bots tuned to perform well in backtests may fail in live conditions.Always start with small amounts, use strong risk management and continuously monitor bot behavior. While AI can offer powerful support, it’s crucial to respect the risks involved. A successful trading bot combines intelligent strategy, responsible execution and ongoing learning.Build slowly, test carefully and use your Custom GPT not just as a tool — but also as a mentor.