Alternative News for You

on April 16, 2025 at 1:08 pm

Police charged the 15-year-old boy with "allegedly using an encrypted application to facilitate plans for overseas contract killings."

by Laura Tingle on April 16, 2025 at 12:45 pm

The second debate revealed an opposition leader still trying to trade off voters not feeling better off than they did three years ago and a prime minister not able to answer all the questions about how he would improve underlying problems in the economy.

by Tom Crowley on April 16, 2025 at 12:33 pm

The Coalition says it wants to "rebalance" the school system to better promote trades and apprenticeships.

by Cointelegraph by Helen Partz on April 16, 2025 at 12:19 pm

VanEck’s head of research has pitched a new type of US Treasury bond partially backed by Bitcoin to help refinance $14 trillion in US debt.Matthew Sigel pitched the concept of “BitBonds” — US Treasury bonds with exposure to Bitcoin (BTC) — at the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Summit 2025 on April 15.The new 10-year bonds would be composed of 90% traditional debt and 10% BTC exposure, Sigel said, appealing to both the Treasury and global investors.Even in a scenario where Bitcoin “goes to zero,” BitBonds would allow the US to save money to refinance an estimated $14 trillion of debt that will mature in the next three years, he said.Bitcoin to boost investor demand for T-bonds“Interest rates are relatively high versus history. The Treasury must maintain continued investor demand for bonds, so they have to entice buyers,” Sigel said during the virtual event.Meanwhile, bond investors want protection from US dollar inflation and asset inflation, which makes Bitcoin a good fit as a component of the bond, as the cryptocurrency has emerged as an inflation hedge.An excerpt from Matthew Sigel’s presentation on Bitbonds at the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Summit 2025. Source: Matthew Sigel With the proposed structure and a 10-year term, a BitBond would return a “$90 premium, along with whatever value that Bitcoin contains,” Sigel said, adding that investors would receive all the Bitcoin gains up to a maximum annualized yield to maturity of 4.5%.“If Bitcoin gains are big enough to provide that above a 4.5% annualized yield, the government and the bond buyer split the remaining gains 50 over 50,” he said.Upsides and downsidesCompared to standard bonds, the proposed 10-year BitBonds would offer the investor substantial gains in a scenario where Bitcoin gains exceed the break-even rates, Sigel said.A downside, however, is that Bitcoin must attain a “relatively high compound annual growth rate” on lower coupon rates in order for the investor to break even, he added.Source: Matthew Sigel From the government’s perspective, if they were able to sell the bond at a coupon of 1%, the government would save money “even if Bitcoin goes to zero,” Sigel estimated, adding:“The same thing if the coupon is sold at 2%, Bitcoin can go to zero, and the government still saves money versus the current market rate of 4%. And it’s in these 3% to 4% coupons where Bitcoin has to work in order for the government to save money.Previous BitBonds pitches to governmentWhile the idea of crypto-backed government bonds is not new, Sigel’s BitBond pitch follows a similar proposal by the Bitcoin Policy Institute in March.The BPI estimated the program could generate potential interest savings of $70 billion annually and $700 billion over a 10-year term.Treasury bonds are debt securities issued by the government to investors who loan money to the government in exchange for future payouts at a fixed interest rate.Related: Bitcoin could hit $1M if US buys 1M BTC — Bitcoin Policy InstituteCrypto-enabled bonds would be linked to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, allowing investors to gain exposure to potentially more enticing rewards.Source: Bitcoin Policy Institute As the US government grows bullish on crypto under President Donald Trump’s administration, the narrative for potential Bitcoin-enhanced Treasury bonds has been on the rise.Magazine: Bitcoin eyes $100K by June, Shaq to settle NFT lawsuit, and more: Hodler’s Digest, April 6 – 12

by Jake Evans on April 16, 2025 at 12:08 pm

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese traded blows on cost of living, housing, climate and dealing with US President Donald Trump.

by Maani Truu and Alison Xiao on April 16, 2025 at 11:41 am

A Lowy Institute poll has found voters are almost evenly split on whether Peter Dutton or Anthony Albanese would be better placed to manage Australia's relationship with Donald Trump, but back the Labor leader when it comes to Xi Jinping.   

by Cointelegraph by Ezra Reguerra on April 16, 2025 at 11:30 am

A Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) executive floated a $1 million Bitcoin price scenario if the United States were to buy 1 million BTC. In a Bitcoin Magazine podcast, Zach Shapiro, the head of policy for the Bitcoin-focused BPI think tank, said that a 1 million Bitcoin (BTC) purchase by the US would have a massive impact on the price of the asset. “If the United States announces that we are buying a million Bitcoin, that’s just a global seismic shock. [...] I think first, Bitcoin price goes through the roof,” Shapiro said. “I think we’d probably go very quickly to something like a million dollars per Bitcoin.”   The discussion followed US President Donald Trump’s March 7 executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a Digital Asset Stockpile.A “Bitcoin superpower” should hold more Bitcoin BPI executive director Matthew Pines said that other nations are watching how the US positions itself with Bitcoin before formulating their own strategies.The executive added that holding more Bitcoin aligns with Trump’s promise to make the US a Bitcoin superpower. “If Donald Trump wants to make good on his promise to be a Bitcoin superpower, that ultimately comes down to how much Bitcoin you have. This is a measure of how much the United States is making good on that rhetorical objective,” Pines said. Trump’s executive order also directs the Treasury and Commerce secretaries to develop “budget-neutral” strategies for acquiring more Bitcoin to expand the reserve without additional taxpayer burden.On March 12, Senator Cynthia Lummis reintroduced the Boosting Innovation, Technology, and Competitiveness through Optimized Investment Nationwide (BITCOIN) Act to push US holdings above 1 million BTC. Related: Semler Scientific reports $42M paper loss on Bitcoin, floats $500M stock saleTariff earnings a “budget-neutral” strategy for buying BitcoinPines also suggested ways to acquire Bitcoin in a budget-neutral fashion. He floated the idea of using tariff revenues to buy Bitcoin and other potential ways for the US government to purchase more BTC. “Revenues that the government can use to acquire more Bitcoin would be things like tariff revenue or other fees that the government collects that are not tax-based fees,” Pines said. This could include royalties from oil and gas leases, sales of federal land, physical gold and other digital assets.On April 2, Trump imposed a 10% baseline tariff on all imports from all countries through an executive order. The president’s order also included reciprocal tariffs for countries that charge tariffs on US imports. However, the administration’s evolving tariff policy has created ongoing market uncertainty.Magazine: Riskiest, most ‘addictive’ crypto game of 2025, PIXEL goes multi-game: Web3 Gamer

by Cointelegraph by Adrian Zmudzinski on April 16, 2025 at 11:07 am

A monthly market review by publicly traded US-based crypto exchange Coinbase shows that while the crypto market has contracted, it appears to be gearing up for a better quarter.According to Coinbase’s April 15 monthly outlook for institutional investors, the altcoin market cap shrank by 41% from its December 2024 highs of $1.6 trillion to $950 billion by mid-April. BTC Tools data shows that this metric touched a low of $906.9 billion on April 9 and stood at $976.9 billion at the time of writing. Venture capital funding to crypto projects has reportedly decreased by 50%–60% from 2021–22. In the report, Coinbase’s global head of research, David Duong, highlighted that a new crypto winter may be upon us.“Several converging signals may be pointing to the start of a new ‘crypto winter’ as some extreme negative sentiment has set in due to the onset of global tariffs and the potential for further escalations,” he said.Related: How trade wars impact stocks and cryptoMacroeconomic woes cause crypto turmoilThe report notes that lower venture capitalist interest “significantly limits the onboarding of new capital into the ecosystem,” which is felt primarily in the altcoin sector. The cause of that, according to Duong, is the current macroeconomic environment:“All of these structural pressures stem from the uncertainty of the broader macro environment, where traditional risk assets have faced sustained headwinds from fiscal tightening and tariff policies, contributing to the paralysis in investment decision making.“According to Coinbase researchers, those facts have resulted in “a difficult cyclical outlook for the digital asset space,” and warrant continued caution in the next four to six weeks. Still, the report’s author said that the market is likely to change directions explosively:“When the sentiment finally resets, it’s likely to happen rather quickly and we remain constructive for the second half of 2025.“Duong cited some metrics to indicate when the crypto market is moving between bull and bear market phases, including risk-adjusted performance and the 200-day moving average.Another metric was the Bitcoin (BTC) Z-score, which compares market value and realized value to identify overbought and oversold conditions. A Z-score shows how unusual current price performance is when compared to historic data.Bitcoin’s risk-adjusted performance. Source: CoinbaseThis metric “naturally accounts for crypto’s larger volatility,” but it is also slow to react. This metric tends to generate few signals in stable markets. Coinbase’s model, based on it, determined that the bull market ended in late February but has since deemed the market neutral.Coinbase’s Z-score Bitcoin model. Source: CoinbaseInstead, Coinbase’s analyst suggested that the 200-day moving average is a better indicator for determining market trends. It smooths out short-term noise while being relevant by considering the last 200 days’ worth of market data.Coinbase’s 200-day moving average Bitcoin model. Source: CoinbaseThe report also said that gauging the broader crypto market’s trend by the direction in which Bitcoin is moving is increasingly less reliable. This is because crypto expands into new sectors with decentralized finance (DeFi), decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), artificial intelligence agents, and more, all with particular market forces independent of Bitcoin.Related: Bitcoin’s wide price range to continue, no longer a ’long only’ bet — AnalystAre we in a bear market?Duong points out that the 200-day moving average suggests that Bitcoin’s recent decline moved it into bear market territory in late March. Still, applying the same model to the Coin50 Coinbase index based on the top 50 crypto assets shows a bear market since the end of February.Coinbase’s 200-day moving average model applied to the Coin50 index. Source: CoinbaseRecent reports indicated that Bitcoin is showing growing resilience to macroeconomic headwinds compared with traditional financial markets. “Bitcoin’s decline was comparatively modest, revisiting price levels from around the US election period, “according to Wintermute.Duong sees Bitcoin becoming less of a generalized crypto indicator as a consequence of this trend. He wrote:“As Bitcoin’s role as a ‘store of value’ continues to grow, we think a holistic evaluation of crypto’s aggregate market activity will be needed to better define bull and bear markets for the asset class.“Magazine: Bitcoin eyes $100K by June, Shaq to settle NFT lawsuit, and more: Hodler’s Digest, April 6 – 12

by Cointelegraph by Yashu Gola on April 16, 2025 at 10:51 am

The combined valuation of all cryptocurrencies has fallen by around 3.65%, or $97 billion, in the past 24 hours to reach $2.58 trillion on April 16. TOTAL crypto market cap four-hour performance chart. Source: TradingViewThe top catalysts that are driving the crypto market lower today include:An ongoing tech sector slump.Reports about China potentially dumping $16 billion in Bitcoin.Liquidations in the futures market.Weakening technicals.Export restrictions on Nvidia hurt stocks, crypto Today, the crypto market’s declines mirrored similar downside sentiment in the broader risk market. Wall Street sentiment turned sour after the Donald Trump administration imposed new restrictions on Nvidia’s chip exports to China, stoking fears of another intense tariff cycle. On April 16, Nasdaq 100 futures dropped over 2.30%, while European markets sank, with chipmakers ASML Holding NV falling more than 7% on weaker demand expectations. The market turbulence spilled over into cryptocurrencies, a sector that has shown a consistent correlation with US stocks since May 2020.TOTAL crypto market cap and Nasdaq 100’s 52-week correlation coefficient. Source: TradingViewMeanwhile, gold markets continued acting as a global safe haven in times of economic uncertainty led by Trump’s zigzag tariff policies. The precious metal rose to a new record high of over $3,317 an ounce on April 16. Related: Bitcoin trader sees gold 'blow-off top' as XAU nears new $3.3K recordGold has outperformed Bitcoin (BTC) in 2025 so far, rising by 26.50% year-to-date compared to BTC dropping by 11.50%.XAU/USD vs. BTC/USD year-to-date performance chart. Source: TradingViewThat further signals a dampening risk appetite among investors and traders alike, which is hurting Bitcoin and the broader crypto market.China may dump $16 billion in Bitcoin holdingsThe crypto market’s decline occurred amid reports that China may start offloading seized Bitcoin assets, a complete opposite of the US’s plans to employ such assets for national reserves. Multiple Chinese municipalities are reportedly offloading around 15,000 BTC (worth $1.4 billion) through offshore exchanges to counter domestic economic slowdowns. ​The report appears months after CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju claimed that the Chinese government likely sold nearly $20 billion worth of Bitcoin seized from the PlusToken Ponzi scheme in January.However, recent data shows that the government has been holding 190,000 BTC—worth over $16 billion—since January 2024.China’s Bitcoin holdings chart. Source: BitcoinTreasuries.netPast selloffs by Germany and the US have shown that even modest state liquidations can spark panic and drive prices lower.Crypto market suffers $245M in liquidationsThe cryptocurrency market’s sell-off today coincides with a wave of liquidations in the futures market, totaling $245.37 million in the last 24 hours. Notably, the futures market witnessed long liquidations worth $173.83 million of the total wipeout. In comparison, short traders saw comparatively lower liquidations at $71.55 million.Crypto market’s liquidation heatmap (24 hours). Source: CoinGlassBitcoin and Ether (ETH) led the losses with $51.54 million and $49.81 million in liquidations, respectively. Mantra’s OM followed with $18.33 million, while Solana (SOL) and Worldcoin (WCT) saw $12.74 million and $11.58 million liquidated, respectively.Crypto market technicals show weaknessFrom a technical standpoint, the crypto market’s ongoing decline is occurring after failing to break above a multimonth resistance at around the $2.6 trillion level.The chart below shows the market retesting the upper boundary of a descending channel, a level that aligns with the 50-day exponential moving average (50-day EMA; the red wave) near $2.72 trillion. TOTAL crypto market cap daily performance chart. Source: TradingViewHistorically, every test of this trendline and moving average since January has resulted in a rejection and further decline. The market has also remained below the 200-day EMA, currently at $2.81 trillion, reinforcing the bearish bias.The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering around 47, below the neutral 50 mark, suggesting weakening buying pressure.If the pattern holds, the market risks dropping toward the lower boundary of the descending channel near $2.2 trillion. This level also served as a strong support zone in late 2023, adding to its significance.Until the market breaks decisively above the 50-day EMA and the descending trendline, the setup favors continued downside toward $2.2 trillion.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.

on April 16, 2025 at 10:43 am

The court upheld an appeal by a campaign group on whether transgender women are legally women under equality legislation. 

by Cointelegraph by Nancy Lubale on April 16, 2025 at 10:30 am

Bitcoin’s (BTC) price has dropped by over 2.5% over the last 24 hours to $83,400 as concerns over tariff impacts continue to sour investor sentiment.BTC/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewSeveral factors are behind Bitcoin’s decline today, including:Sluggish institutional demand as spot Bitcoin ETF flows turn negative.Bullish momentum stalls.Low whale accumulation.BTC price rejection at key trendlines.Negative spot Bitcoin ETF flows returnSpot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been a significant driver of institutional interest, but recent data suggest the demand is waning.Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a total of $964 million in net outflows between March 28 and April 15, according to data from Farside Investors. The strong selling pressure began at the end of March, as global trade tensions increased and fears of an economic recession grew.Negative inflows into spot BTC ETFs signal waning demand from institutional investors. This lack of fresh capital reduces buying pressure, pushing prices down as supply outpaces demand.Spot Bitcoin ETF flows table. Source: Farside InvestorsInvestors are now closely monitoring spot Bitcoin ETFs as a persistent outflow trend could exacerbate the correction.“ETF demand is cooling,” said a market intelligence firm, CryptoQuant, in an April 14 post on X.The CEO of the onchain data provider, Ki Young Ju, said:“When the total assets under management of spot Bitcoin ETF products experience a significant decrease, it can be considered a substantial withdrawal of institutional investors.”ETF demand is cooling.A sharp drop in Bitcoin spot ETF assets signals institutional outflows.Watch this trend closely. pic.twitter.com/IVVNL1kPYy— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) April 14, 2025Bitcoin bulls are absentMarket sentiment has shifted bearish, with bulls notably absent, according to CryptoQuant.Its head of research, Julio Moreno, shared a chart showing that the Bull Score Index, a metric that gauges Bitcoin’s market health, has been Off (below 50) for 58 of the last 60 days.This marks the longest streak of days with the metric in bearish territory since September 2022, when Bitcoin was firmly in a bear market."Bull off" suggests a decline in bullish momentum or a weakening of bullish sentiment in the market, potentially signaling a continuation of the current bearish conditions. This condition is historically associated with negative price trends. “Similar patterns occurred in July 2021, January 2022, and June 2022, when the Index stayed below 50 for 60 consecutive days during periods of sharp market declines.”Bitcoin bull score index. Source: CryptoQuantAdditionally, Bitcoin accumulation by large investors remains weak.The chart below shows whale holdings have declined by approximately 30,000 BTC over the last seven days. Their monthly accumulation rate dropped from 2.7% at the end of March to just 0.5%, its slowest pace since Feb. 20.“This is happening in the context of US-China trade tensions as a result of US tariffs.”Bitcoin: Total whale holdings and % monthly change. Source: CryptoQuantThis absence of bullish conviction leaves Bitcoin vulnerable to further sell-offs as speculative traders and short-term holders capitulate. Without a catalyst to reignite bullish momentum, the market struggles to find a floor, pushing prices lower.Related: Bitcoin trader sees gold 'blow-off top' as XAU nears new $3.3K recordMoving averages cap Bitcoin’s priceBTC’s drop today is part of a prevailing downtrend that began when the price was rejected from a major resistance zone, as shown in the chart below.Bitcoin’s latest recovery attempt was curtailed by this resistance zone, namely at the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) ($84,180) and the 200-day SMA ($87,650). BTC/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe next support level to watch is the $80,000 psychological level. Further down, the main area of interest lies between the $74,400 range low (from April 7) and the $76,600 low reached on March 11.These are important levels for Bitcoin to maintain a bullish structure, according to MN Capital founder Michael van de Poppe.#Bitcoin is still stuck in the range, and as long as it stays above $80K, I think we'll be fine with further upwards momentum on this one. pic.twitter.com/oIXG9FyqKS— Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) April 16, 2025As earlier reported by Cointelegraph, Bitcoin’s death cross is still in play on the daily timeframe, which could further dampen hopes of a short-term rally.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 Courtney Withers on April 16, 2025 at 10:14 am

The make-up of WA's new look upper house is confirmed by the WA Electoral Commission, with a bigger crossbench including two One Nation members. 

by Lillian Rangiah on April 16, 2025 at 10:03 am

Federal police are ramping up their presence at Darwin Airport after a rise in "obnoxious" and "abusive" drunken passengers in the past 12 months.

by Cointelegraph by Ezra Reguerra on April 16, 2025 at 9:28 am

Italy’s minister of economy and finance warned that US stablecoin policies are more concerning than President Donald Trump’s tariffs, citing the potential for these crypto assets to undermine the euro’s dominance in cross-border payments.Speaking at an event in Milan, Giancarlo Giorgetti said that while trade tariffs dominate headlines, new US policies on dollar-backed stablecoins present an “even more dangerous” threat to European financial stability, according to a Reuters report.US stablecoins allow users to invest in a widely accepted method for cross-border payments without opening a US bank account, Giorgetti said. He warned that the growing appeal of US stablecoins to Europeans should not be underestimated. Giorgetti urged European Union lawmakers to take more steps to boost the euro’s position as an international currency. He added that the digital euro under development by the European Central Bank (ECB) will be essential to minimize the need for Europeans to resort to foreign solutions. US lawmakers advance stablecoin billsPresently, stablecoin regulation in the US remains fragmented. Instead of a unified framework, multiple agencies apply existing laws to regulate stablecoins. However, lawmakers are working to implement changes, with several pieces of stablecoin legislation progressing. On April 2, the US House Financial Services Committee passed the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy (STABLE) Act. The bill is now headed to the House floor for a full vote. The bill was introduced on Feb. 6 by Committee Chair French Hill and the Digital Assets Subcommittee Chair Bryan Steil. It would ensure that stablecoin issuers provide information on their businesses, including how their tokens are backed. In addition, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act establishes rules that require issuers to maintain reserves backed one-to-one, comply with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws, protect consumers and boost dollar dominance in the global economy. The GENIUS Act still requires approval by both chambers of Congress and a presidential signature before becoming law.Related: Stablecoins are the best way to ensure US dollar dominance — Web3 CEOECB exec renews digital euro pushApart from Giorgetti, ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone also urged European lawmakers to intensify their efforts to combat dollar-backed stablecoin dominance in Europe. On April 8, Cipollone wrote an article expressing concerns about the growing popularity of US stablecoins. The official suggested launching a central bank digital currency to combat this threat to the euro. He said this would aid in preserving the monetary sovereignty of the eurozone. Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research

by Jarrod Lucas on April 16, 2025 at 9:15 am

Australia's biggest gold miner Northern Star Resources has added a rich new discovery in WA's Pilbara to its portfolio after shareholders in De Grey Mining overwhelmingly voted in favour of a takeover.

by Cointelegraph by Adrian Zmudzinski on April 16, 2025 at 9:12 am

Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange OKX announced that it is reentering the US market.According to an April 16 blog post, OKX will return to the United States market along with the appointment of former Barclays director Roshan Robert as its US CEO. Robert said in the post:“Today, I’m thrilled to announce the launch of OKX’s centralized crypto exchange and OKX Wallet in the United States, alongside the establishment of our regional headquarters in San Jose, California.“All existing Okcoin users will be migrated to the new platform, which Robert said will lead to a better overall experience. The promised improvements include deeper liquidity, lower fees and advanced trading tools.Source: OKXRelated: Standard Chartered and OKX pilot crypto, tokenized fund collateralsStep by stepOKX will not roll out the upgrade in one shot. Instead, the new platform will take a phased approach to onboard new customers. The exchange plans to follow the cautious approach with a nationwide launch later in 2025.“We’re beginning with a phased rollout for new customers to ensure a smooth and secure onboarding process, with a broader nationwide launch planned later this year,“ Robert said.OKX also promised integrations with local banks and support for major assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), USDt (USDT) and USDC (USDC). Robert noted that the company maintains a global proof of reserves for all its assets, which is published monthly by cybersecurity firm Hacken.Dmytro Yasmanovych, compliance services lead at Hacken, told Cointelegraph that its team expands upon simple proof of reserves by validating OKX’s liabilities by reconstructing and verifying their zk-STARK circuit using official tools and reviewing 21,000 user proof files individually. The firm also verifies wallet control by the company by checking signatures.In addition to its trading platform, the firm is also rolling out OKX Wallet to its US-based customers. The wallet supports 130 blockchains and features a decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregator, allowing access to over 10 million tokens on platforms including Ethereum, Solana and Base.Related: Malta regulator fines OKX crypto exchange $1.2M for past AML breachesOKX gets out of US troublesThe report follows OKX hiring former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to advise it over a federal probe that resulted in the firm pleading guilty to several violations and agreeing to pay $505 million in fines and penalties.The exchange admitted on Feb. 24 to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business in violation of US Anti-Money Laundering laws. As a consequence, OKX agreed to pay $84 million worth of penalties while forfeiting $421 million worth of fees earned from primarily institutional clients.After the investigation concluded, OKX said it would seek out a compliance consultant to remedy the problems revealed by the federal probe and improve its compliance efforts. OKX’s CEO Star Xu wrote in a Feb. 24 X post:“Our vision is to make OKX the gold standard of global compliance at scale across different markets and their respective regulatory bodies.”OKX had not responded to Cointelegraph’s request for comment by publication timeMagazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set

by Chris De Silva on April 16, 2025 at 9:04 am

Max King goes under the knife for the second time in the space of two months as St Kilda calls for privacy amid a nightmare injury run for the superstar forward.

by Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai on April 16, 2025 at 9:00 am

Update April 16, 10:50 am UTC: This article has been updated to clarify the relationship between Astar and Soneium.Astar, a Japanese Web3 adoption collective bridging Astar Network and Soneium, said it has slashed Soneium’s blockchain finality time by over 98%, as it aims to solve one of the biggest challenges in blockchain scalability.Astar announced a strategic partnership with AltLayer and EigenLayer, to launch a “Fast Finality Layer” for Soneium, a Layer-2 (L2) blockchain network developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs.In blockchain settlement, finality is the assurance that a transaction is irreversible, which happens after it is added to a block on the blockchain ledger.The new finality layer provides a crypto-economic security guarantee through a decentralized network of validators to reduce the reliance on centralized sequencers and enable more secure crosschain interactions.Soneium, ALtLayer, EigenLayer partnership. Source: Astar NetworkThis could result in a sub-10-second transaction finality for Soneium, a 98% reduction from its initial 15-minute finality, which was achieved through Optimism’s OP Stack, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph.The new validator network will be secured by both restaked Ether (ETH) and Astar (ASTR) tokens.Reducing blockchain finality is key for enabling more advanced decentralized finance (DeFi) use cases and improving developer and user experience, since most solutions experience finality delays from 15 minutes to several days, according to Maarten Henskens, head of Astar Foundation.The new partnership is a “crucial step toward secure, high-speed, crosschain interoperability,” he told Cointelegraph, adding:“It’s a foundational improvement in UX and trust: users no longer need to wait or “double-check” if a transaction will be reversed, and developers can confidently build real-time, interactive applications without worrying about delayed finality.”“This milestone is just the beginning — and there’s a much larger story unfolding around how fast finality will reshape developer UX, DeFi, and crosschain experiences,” he added.L2s by blockchain finality time. Source: L2beat Arbitrum One is currently the fastest blockchain, with an average finality time of one minute, the same as Coinbase’s Base L2 network, both relying on optimistic rollups, L2beat data shows.Related: Crypto lending down 43% from 2021 highs, DeFi borrowing surges 959%Blockchain L2 finality a key bottleneck for adoptionSolving blockchain finality remains the biggest barrier to mainstream Web3 adoption, according to YQ Jia, CEO of AltLayer.“By combining EigenLayer’s restaking with MACH validation and support from Astar Network, we’re creating an infrastructure that offers the best of both worlds — Ethereum’s security guarantees with near-instant finality,” Jia said. “This is exactly the kind of solution needed to bring blockchain technology to mainstream adoption.”Related: Kraken rolls out ETF and stock access for US crypto tradersEigenLayer has sought to advance mainstream blockchain adoption since it launched.In February 2025, EigenLayer and blockchain protocol Cartesi launched a new initiative to find the next key prototype consumer application with new use cases that may bolster mainstream crypto adoption.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

by Iris Zhao and Bang Xiao on April 16, 2025 at 8:41 am

Chinese factories are trying to sell directly to American consumers on social media platforms in a bid to bypass the 145 per cent tariff hike imposed by Donald Trump.

on April 16, 2025 at 8:19 am

Visitors had climbed the 61-metre Gloucester Tree without a harness or supervision for decades until it closed in 2023. Now it will be reopened at a lower height.

on April 16, 2025 at 8:14 am

The Broncos turn to wrestling in a bid to be a more physical side after being shown up by the Roosters at the weekend.

by Cointelegraph by William Suberg on April 16, 2025 at 8:05 am

Bitcoin (BTC) faces an uphill struggle as a safe haven in 2025 as gold fund inflows circle $80 billion.Data from Bank of America (BoA) uploaded to X by trading resource The Kobeissi Letter on April 15 confirms gold’s “best streak” since 2013.Gold beats records as Bitcoin ETFs slumpAs the US trade war sees investors flee to gold, Bitcoin has lost the limelight as a hedge against macroeconomic volatility.BoA figures show inflows to gold funds beating records, with data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView capturing new all-time highs for XAU/USD near $3,300 per ounce on April 16.“Gold fund net inflows have hit a record $80 BILLION year-to-date. This is 2 TIMES more than the previous high set in the full year 2020,” Kobeissi noted. “Investors are pouring money into gold at a record pace as the market uncertainty has skyrocketed. As a result, gold prices have rallied 22% year-to-date and have outperformed every other major asset class.”Gold fund flows chart. Source: The Kobeissi Letter/XBTC price action, by contrast, paints a very different picture. Despite the appearance of the US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and growing global integration, BTC/USD reached five-month lows earlier in April.Data from onchain analytics platform Glassnode calculates that the ETFs’ combined assets under management fell from $106 billion at the start of the year to $92 billion this week.“Gold prices have also hit 52 all-time highs over the last year, posting the best streak in 12 years,” Kobeissi concluded. “Gold is the global safe haven.”US spot Bitcoin ETF balances. Source: GlassnodeGold “terminal top” meets Bitcoin bullsDespite its repeated new records, market commentators already see gold’s unprecedented upside coming to an end.Related: Can 3-month Bitcoin RSI highs counter bearish BTC price ‘seasonality?’Addressing the topic on X this week, veteran trader Peter Brandt called a “blow-off top” on XAU/USD.“Gold has now entered its blow-off stage,” he summarized. “Such rapid advancement will come to a terminal top, but attempting to pick a high can be very expensive. Blow off tops can extend well beyond a bear's ability to meet margin calls.”XAU/USD 1-day chart. Source: Peter Brandt/XA gold comedown may well leave room for Bitcoin to catch up, per a popular theory that says that BTC/USD copies gold trends with a delay of several months.Great chart from my Partner, David Foley.Shows how Gold moves first, Bitcoin follows harder. Scale different for each.@DAAF17 pic.twitter.com/jHMe6apewj— Lawrence Lepard (@LawrenceLepard) April 13, 2025“Nobody really knows why that happens,” Professional Capital Management founder and CEO Anthony Pompliano told CNBC on April 15.Pompliano suggested that traditional financial entities were either unauthorized or simply “not used” to the idea of Bitcoin as protection against macro uncertainty.“What we do see though is that when gold runs, about 100 days later or so, Bitcoin not only catches up; it usually runs much harder, and so you get that higher volatility,” he said.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 Stephen Dziedzic and Bill Birtles on April 16, 2025 at 7:53 am

Russia defends its military cooperation with Jakarta in its first direct response to claims that it sought access to an Indonesian air base.

by Emilia Terzon on April 16, 2025 at 7:48 am

Australian footwear chain Wittner is the latest local retailer to face closure, with administrators appointed to manage the 113-year-old company.

on April 16, 2025 at 7:41 am

The Interchange Health Co-operative at Tuggeranong shocked patients by closing its doors earlier this month. It will reopen shortly, but patients say more certainty is needed.

on April 16, 2025 at 7:41 am

One woman was killed and 10 people were taken to hospital following the crash at Bald Hills on Sunday night.

by Cointelegraph by Bradley Peak on April 16, 2025 at 7:40 am

The 2025 US-China trade war On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump declared a national economic emergency and announced sweeping new import tariffs.Dubbed “Liberation Day,” the policy set a baseline 10% tariff on all foreign goods, with a massive 145% rate on products from China. The move was framed as a way to fix long-standing trade imbalances and protect national industries.China responded almost immediately. Tariffs on US imports jumped to 125%, and restrictions were introduced on the export of rare earth elements, materials essential to global manufacturing. Within days, trade between the world’s two largest economies had slowed dramatically.The markets didn’t take it well. The S&P 500 dropped 15% in under a week. The Nasdaq was down nearly 20% for the year by April 7. Investors were rattled by the scale of the escalation and the potential knock-on effects on global growth.Crypto didn’t stay quiet either. As stocks fell and uncertainty spread, Bitcoin (BTC) saw a surge in trading volumes, with many turning to digital assets as a hedge.What follows is a closer look at how these trade tensions hit financial markets, starting with traditional stocks and then crypto. Trade wars' impact on stocks Markets don’t like surprises – and they really don’t like trade wars. When the US announced its 145% tariff on Chinese imports in April 2025, the response from Wall Street was swift and brutal. The S&P 500 tanked more than 10% in just two days. Tech stocks took it even harder, with the Nasdaq shedding nearly 20% since the start of the year.Still, if you’ve watched the markets through past trade fights, this was all pretty familiar. In 2018–19, during the first round of US-China tariff battles, every tweet about negotiations or new duties sent stocks whipsawing. And if you zoom way out, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 is one of the earliest and most notorious examples as tariffs piled up, global trade shrank and the Great Depression got worse.So why do stocks get hit so hard? A few reasons. Tariffs raise the cost of imported goods, which squeezes profit margins for companies that rely on international supply chains. When a carmaker or electronics brand has to pay more for components, that cost either eats into profits or gets passed on to customers. Either way, it’s bad news for earnings, and earnings are what drive stock valuations.There’s also the fear factor. Trade wars inject a lot of uncertainty into the economy. Will more tariffs follow? Will other countries retaliate? That kind of unpredictability causes companies to delay investments and hiring, while consumers may start pulling back on spending. This shows up as increased market volatility, often tracked by the VIX, Wall Street’s so-called “fear index,” which tends to spike in times like this.Central banks sometimes try to cushion the blow by tweaking interest rates or injecting liquidity. But there’s only so much they can do when the root of the problem is political. Did you know? On April 9, 2025, Trump announced a 90-day pause on new tariffs for most countries. He explained the pause by saying people were getting "a little bit yippy," his way of describing nervousness in the markets. When tariffs hit, crypto takes a punch, then bounces back The tariffs hit crypto, too, but the market recovered just days later, reflecting crypto’s volatile yet responsive nature during global uncertainty.After Trump’s new tariffs were announced, Bitcoin slid to around $76,000. Ethereum and other major tokens followed suit, and around $200 billion was wiped off the total crypto market cap in a few days.Again, this kind of sell-off isn’t unusual. When uncertainty spikes – like during a sudden escalation in global trade tensions – investors tend to play it safe. That means pulling out of more volatile assets, including crypto, and moving into what’s seen as safer ground, like cash or bonds. It’s a classic “risk-off” move.But as you've seen before, crypto doesn’t stay down for long. By mid-April, Bitcoin had bounced back and was trading at just under $85,000. Ether (ETH), XRP (XRP) and other major altcoins also recovered some ground. For many investors, this rebound was a reminder that while crypto is volatile, it’s also increasingly viewed as a valuable hedge, something outside the reach of any government or policy decision.In 2018–19, during an earlier round of US-China tensions, Bitcoin showed similar patterns: short-term drops followed by fast recoveries. And earlier in 2025, new tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports triggered a dip that quickly reversed.Stocks, meanwhile, tend to have a tougher time recovering. As of April, the S&P 500 is down nearly 9% for 2025, and the Nasdaq is off more than 13%. There was a brief lift after the US paused some tariffs for 90 days, but overall, the mood in equity markets remains shaky.  What trade wars mean for supply chains and consumers The ripple effects of the 2025 trade war are grinding through global supply chains, one industry at a time. From electronics to autos to medicine, the cost of moving goods worldwide is rising. Let’s talk about a few industries in particular. Trade wars' impact on electronics and semiconductorsElectronics are at the heart of it. In 2024, the US imported $146 billion of electronics from China. With tariffs on those goods jumping, companies could be looking at an added $182 billion in annual costs if these rates stick around.This is also a problem for consumers. Take Apple, for example. With no lasting exemption for phones, an iPhone 16 Pro Max could climb from $1,199 to over $1,800. Add in uncertainty about future duties on laptops, chips and smart devices, and the entire sector is on edge. Trade wars’ impact on the automotive industryCarmakers are in a similar bind. The US has raised tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles from 25% to more than 100%. And it’s not just the finished cars — batteries, chips, and other parts sourced from China are also caught in the crossfire.For electric vehicle manufacturers, in particular, this is a serious hit. Chinese battery components are essential for many US and European EV brands. With supply chains suddenly tangled in red tape and higher costs, some automakers are pausing production or switching suppliers.Trade wars’ impact on pharmaceuticalsEven the healthcare system is feeling it. The US depends heavily on China for key medical supplies and pharmaceutical ingredients. With new tariffs, prices are climbing, and existing shortages are worsening.Industry experts are warning of major disruptions. Everything from common medications to hospital-grade equipment is likely to get more expensive. And in a healthcare system already under pressure, even a small bottleneck can cause big problems down the line.Did you know? European markets are already seeing signs of a spillover. Chinese exporters, locked out of the US by tariffs, are redirecting goods to Europe, especially in tech and consumer goods. Rising tariffs, shaky markets, what’s next? The big picture regarding the 2025 US-China trade war still looks hazy amid real implications for investors, business leaders and policymakers worldwide.Let’s examine the short-, medium- and long-term outlooks. Short-termThere’s been a bit of short-term relief. When the US announced exemptions on some tech products – like smartphones and laptops – from the harshest tariffs, markets breathed a sigh of relief. The S&P 500 saw an uptick, and global markets followed suit. Tech-heavy Asian indexes rallied, and European markets, including Germany’s DAX and the UK’s FTSE 100, climbed. Even US bank earnings helped push optimism a bit further.Still, it’s probably temporary. These exemptions are under review, and the bigger trade policy feels like shifting sand. Medium-termLooking ahead a bit further, the risks start to grow. If the trade conflict drags on, it could seriously slow down global growth. JPMorgan recently raised its global recession risk to 60%, and that’s no small thing. Central banks are already weighing their next moves; interest rate adjustments, coordinated actions, and contingency planning are all back on the table.Some voices, like former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, call for a global response similar to what we saw during the 2008 financial crisis. Meanwhile, businesses are rethinking their supply chains and scrambling to find alternatives, something that’s easier said than done.Long-term You’re seeing a pivot with nations exploring new trade deals and trying to reduce reliance on traditional powerhouses. China, for example, is pushing harder to internationalize the yuan and accelerate its Belt and Road Initiative. Conversely, the US is leaning into domestic manufacturing and trying to reduce its dependence on imports.And the consequences could be massive. The WTO has warned that trade between the US and China could shrink by as much as 80%. That’s a huge shift, considering these two countries account for about 3% of global trade. If that drop materializes, it could rattle the global economy.

by Eva Blandis on April 16, 2025 at 7:36 am

Matthew Draganoff is standing trial accused of the shooting murder of his tenant, Simon Middleton. Prosecutors allege there had been an "accumulation of grievances" that led to the crime. 

by Julia Baird on April 16, 2025 at 7:26 am

I've often wished we could all have a brief moment of hurtling around the Earth, not to posture or preen, but to show the opposite — we are small, we are humble, and we need to fiercely care for the Earth.

by Bec Symons on April 16, 2025 at 7:17 am

Disgraced school teacher Peter Farmer had been living a quiet life in Queensland until Victorian Police uncovered his history of sexual assault 37 years after his offending.

by Shalailah Medhora and Angel Parsons on April 16, 2025 at 7:06 am

Dozens of young Australians reached out to Gabby Petito's family after a documentary series on her death launched in Australia

by Brett Worthington on April 16, 2025 at 7:05 am

Today on the campaign trail the opposition leader doubles down on his response to a report about Russia seeking access to a military base in Papua, the Speaker of the House might soon be out of a job and an MP campaigns on OnlyFans. 

by Alex Brewster on April 16, 2025 at 6:59 am

CS Energy has conceded there has not been adequate reporting of serious issues following an explosion at the facility on April 4.

by Jess Scully on April 16, 2025 at 6:55 am

Police allege a 19-year-old P-plater they caught at "ridiculous speeds" three times in four hours "just wanted to get to Melbourne", even after having her licence suspended.

on April 16, 2025 at 6:50 am

The parents of a three-year-old child who was killed when a car lost control in Victoria last week have paid tribute to their daughter and spoken of the "outpouring of love" they have received from the community.

by Cointelegraph by Ciaran Lyons on April 16, 2025 at 6:10 am

Bitcoin could be heading into another extended consolidation phase, with short-term indicators suggesting a more bearish outlook, contrary to the broader crypto community’s view, according to the head of research at 10x Research.While many crypto analysts predict new Bitcoin (BTC) all-time highs by June, Markus Thielen said in an April 14 markets report that he is skeptical, pointing out that onchain data signals “more of a bear market environment than a bullish one.”Short-term indicators signal potential market topThielen said the Bitcoin stochastic oscillator — which compares a particular closing price to a range of prices over a specific period to determine momentum — shows patterns “more typical of a market top or late-cycle phase rather than the early stages of a new bull run.”Bitcoin is trading at $83,810 at the time of publication. Source: CoinMarketCap“As a result, short-term signals are not aligning with longer-term indicators, highlighting the disconnect in the market outlook,” Thielen said.“Bitcoin is no longer a parabolic ‘Long-Only’ retail-driven market,” he added, explaining it now “demands a more sophisticated, finance-oriented approach.”“Bitcoin’s rally over the past year hasn’t been driven by typical ‘crypto-bro’ speculation but by long-term holders seeking diversification and adopting a buy-and-hold strategy,” Thielen said. Over the past 12 months, Bitcoin is up 32.80% and is trading at around $83,810 at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap.Bitcoin price action may repeat 2024 patternThielen reiterated his stance that Bitcoin may consolidate for an extended period, much like it did in 2024. “Despite our cautious optimism, we view Bitcoin as trading within a broad range of $73,000 to $94,000, with a slight upward bias,” he said.In March 2024, Bitcoin reached its then-all-time high of $73,679 before entering a consolidation phase, swinging within a range of around $20,000 until Donald Trump won the US elections in November.Related: Bitcoin price recovery could be capped at $90K — Here’s whyMany crypto analysts are eyeing June as the month when Bitcoin could surpass its current all-time high of $109,000, which it reached in January just before Trump’s inauguration.Swan Bitcoin CEO Cory Klippsten told Cointelegraph in early March that “there’s more than 50% chance we will see all-time highs before the end of June this year.”Sharing a similar view, Bitcoin network economist Timothy Peterson and Real Vision chief crypto analyst Jamie Coutts have also marked June as when Bitcoin could reach a new high.“It is entirely possible Bitcoin could reach a new all-time high before June,” Peterson said.Meanwhile, Coutts said, “The market may be underestimating how quickly Bitcoin could surge – potentially hitting new all-time highs before Q2 is out.”Magazine: Riskiest, most ‘addictive’ crypto game of 2025, PIXEL goes multi-game: Web3 GamerThis 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 Martin Young on April 16, 2025 at 6:03 am

Chipmaking giants Nvidia and AMD have seen their share prices slide in after-hours trading after Nvidia said US restrictions on artificial intelligence chips to China would cause it to face major costs.Nvidia stated in an April 15 regulatory filing that it is expecting around $5.5 billion in charges associated with its AI chip inventory due to significant export restrictions imposed by the US government affecting the company’s business with China. Nvidia said that the US government informed it on April 9 that export licenses are now required for its popular H20 integrated circuits and any chips with similar bandwidth capacity.“First quarter results are expected to include up to approximately $5.5 billion of charges associated with H20 products for inventory, purchase commitments, and related reserves.”The restrictions specifically mention China, Hong Kong and Macau, and the government indicated that the license requirement “addresses the risk that the covered products may be used in, or diverted to, a supercomputer in China.” The H20 is the most advanced AI chip Nvidia can export to China under previous export rules. Government officials have been calling for stronger export controls on the chip, which was reportedly used to train models from China-based AI startup DeepSeek. The Trump administration initially put the restrictions on hold following President Donald Trump’s meeting with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang earlier this month, NPR reported. Related: Nvidia's stock price forms ’death cross’ — Will AI crypto tokens follow?On April 14, Nvidia announced that it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars over the next four years manufacturing some AI chips in the US. However, that has not prevented the stock slump in light of the latest filing and predicted impact on its upcoming revenue report. “Truly no company is safe from tariffs,” commented the Kobeissi Letter. Nvidia’s first quarter of fiscal year 2026 ends on April 27.Nvidia, AMD stocks slump after hours Shares in Nvidia (NVDA) fell 6% in after-hours trading on April 15 to $105, according to Google Finance.Nvidia’s share price is down 22% so far this year, slumping in a wide market rout caused by Trump’s escalating trade war and tariff threats. NVDA price tanks in after-hours trading. Source: Google FinanceRival chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw a similar share price drop, falling more than 7% to $88.55 in after-hours trading. AMD shares have declined by more than 25% since Jan. 1. Magazine: Illegal arcade disguised as … a fake Bitcoin mine? Soldier scams in China: Asia Express

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 16, 2025 at 5:23 am

Brazilian fintech firm Meliuz has floated a plan to expand its Bitcoin holdings and make the cryptocurrency a strategic asset on the company’s books.Meliuz, which provides cashback and financial technology services, is taking the plan to make Bitcoin (BTC) the primary strategic asset in the firm’s treasury to shareholders in a meeting slated for May 6, according to a translated April 14 statement.The company said its core business will remain unchanged, but “the generation of cash from operations is fundamental to the strategy of acquiring more Bitcoin over time.” If shareholders approve the measure, Bitcoin will be adopted as the firm’s main strategic treasury asset, but it will also look to foster “the incremental generation of Bitcoin for its shareholders, whether through the generation of operating cash or through possible financial transactions and strategic initiatives.” Shareholders who disagree with the new direction and held their shares before April 14 can request reimbursement. Meliuz shares jump on Bitcoin planIn the trading session after its new Bitcoin plan was announced, Meliuz (CASH3) jumped over 14% from 3.28 Brazilian reals ($0.56) to 3.76 Brazilian reals ($0.64) on the Brazilian Stock Exchange, according to Google Finance.In total, Meliuz’s share price has spiked up over 27% in the last five days to 3.85 Brazilian reals ($0.65).Meliuz’s share price has risen over 27% in the last five days, including a 14% spike after its new Bitcoin plan was revealed. Source: Google Finance Meliuz purchased Bitcoin for the first time in March after its board of directors approved using up to 10% of the company’s cash for Bitcoin, purchasing 45 BTC for about $4.1 million.Related: Corporate Bitcoin treasuries drop more than $4B on US tariff hike impactThe amount of Bitcoin held on the books of publicly traded companies rose by 16.1% in the first quarter of 2025, according to Bitwise. Public companies bought around 95,431 Bitcoin over the quarter, increasing the total holdings across all company’s balance sheets to around 688,000. Meliuz was among 12 firms that added Bitcoin to their balance sheets for the first time in Q1 20025, joining the likes of video-sharing platform Rumble.Michael Saylor’s digital asset firm, Strategy, has also continued its long-term strategy of acquiring more Bitcoin with its most recent April 14 purchase consisting of 3,459 Bitcoin bought for $285.5 million. Asia Express: Bitcoiner sex trap extortion? BTS firm’s blockchain disaster 

by Cointelegraph by Martin Young on April 16, 2025 at 4:58 am

Local governments in China are reportedly seeking ways to offload seized crypto while facing challenges due to the country’s ban on crypto trading and exchanges.The absence of clear rules on how authorities should manage seized cryptocurrency has led to “inconsistent and opaque approaches,” which some lawyers fear could open the door to corruption, according to an April 16 report by Reuters.Chinese local governments are using private companies to sell seized cryptocurrencies in offshore markets in exchange for cash to replenish public coffers, Reuters reported, citing transaction and court documents. The local governments reportedly held approximately 15,000 Bitcoin (BTC) worth $1.4 billion at the end of 2023, and the sales have been a significant source of income.China holds an estimated 194,000 BTC worth approximately $16 billion and is the second largest nation Bitcoin holder behind the US, according to Bitbo. Zhongnan University of Economics and Law professor Chen Shi told Reuters that these sales are a “makeshift solution that, strictly speaking, is not fully in line with China’s current ban on crypto trading.”Countries and governments that hold BTC. Source: BitboThe issue has been exacerbated by a rise in crypto-related crime in China, ranging from online fraud to money laundering to illegal gambling. Additionally, the state sued more than 3,000 people involved in crypto-related money laundering in 2024. China crypto reserve floated as solutionShenzhen-based lawyer Guo Zhihao opined that the central bank is better positioned to deal with seized digital assets and should either sell them overseas or build a crypto reserve.Ru Haiyang, co-CEO at Hong Kong crypto exchange HashKey, echoed the suggestion saying that China may want to keep forfeited Bitcoin as a strategic reserve as US President Donald Trump is doing. Related: Bitcoin rebounds as traders spot China ‘weaker yuan’ chart, but US trade war caps $80K BTC rallyCreating a crypto sovereign fund in Hong Kong, where crypto trading is legal, has also been proposed.This issue has gained attention amid rising US-China trade tensions and Trump’s plans to regulate stablecoins and foster growth and innovation in the crypto industry.Several industry observers have suggested that China’s tariff response could result in a devaluation of the local currency, which may result in a flight to crypto. Magazine: Illegal arcade disguised as … a fake Bitcoin mine? Soldier scams in China: Asia Express

by Cointelegraph by Adrian Zmudzinski on April 16, 2025 at 4:41 am

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin believes that privacy should be a top priority for developers, warning that assumptions about transparency and good intentions in global politics are overly optimistic.In an April 14 blog post, Buterin argued that privacy is essential to maintain individual freedom and protect against the growing power of governments and corporations. He criticized the idea that increased transparency is inherently beneficial, saying it relies on assumptions about human nature that are no longer valid.These assumptions include believing that global political leadership is “generally well-intentioned and sane,” and that social culture continues to progress in a positive direction.” Both are proving to be increasingly untrue, Buterin argued.Buterin claimed there was “no single major country for which the first assumption is broadly agreed to be true.” Furthermore, he wrote that cultural tolerance is “rapidly regressing,” which is reportedly demonstrable by an X post search for “bullying is good.” Buterin’s personal privacy issuesButerin said that he found his lack of privacy unsettling at times. He added:“Every single action I take outside has some nonzero chance of unexpectedly becoming a public media story.”Covertly taken photos of Vitalik Buterin. Source: Vitalik.ethWhile this may appear as a suggestion that privacy is an advantage only for those who venture outside the social norms, he highlighted that “you never know when you will become one of them.”Buterin only expects the need for privacy to increase as technology develops further, with brain-computer interfaces potentially allowing automated systems to peer directly into our brains. Another issue is automated price gouging, with companies charging individuals as much as they expect them to be able to pay.Related: Messaging apps are spying on you — Here’s how to stay safe in 2025There is no privacy with government backdoorsButerin also argued strongly against the idea of adding government backdoors to systems designed to protect privacy. He said such positions are common but inherently unstable.He highlighted how, in the case of Know Your Customer data, “it’s not just the government, it’s also all kinds of corporate entities, of varying levels of quality” that can access private data. Instead, the information is handled and held by payment processors, banks, and other intermediaries.Similarly, telecommunication companies can locate their users and have been found to illegally sell this data. Buterin also raised concerns that individuals with access will always be incentivized to abuse it, and data banks can always be hacked. Lastly, a trustworthy government can change and become untrustworthy in the future, inheriting all the sensitive data. He concluded:“From the perspective of an individual, if data is taken from them, they have no way to tell if and how it will be abused in the future. By far the safest approach to handling large-scale data is to centrally collect as little of it as possible in the first place.“Related: Privacy will unlock blockchain’s business potentialAuthorities have more data than everButerin raised the issue of governments being able to access anything with a warrant “because that‘s the way that things have always worked.” He noted that this point of view fails to consider that historically, the amount of data available for obtaining through a warrant was far lower.He said the traditionally available data would still be available even “if the strongest proposed forms of internet privacy were universally adopted.” He wrote that “in the 19ᵗʰ century, the average conversation happened once, via voice, and was never recorded by anyone.”Buterin’s proposed solutionsButerin suggested solutions based mainly on zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs) because they allow for “fine-grained control of who can see what information.” ZK-proofs are cryptographic protocols that allow one party to prove a statement is true without revealing any additional information.One such system is a ZK-proof-based proof of personhood that proves you are unique without revealing who you are. These systems rely on documents like passports or biometric data paired with decentralized systems.Another solution suggested is the recently launched privacy pools, which allow for regulatory-compliant Ether (ETH) anonymization. Buterin also cited on-device anti-fraud scanning, checking incoming messages and identifying potential misinformation and scams.These systems are proof of provenance services for physical items using a combination of blockchain and ZK-proof technology. They track various properties of an item throughout its manufacturing cycle, ensuring the user of its authenticity.The post follows Buterin’s recent privacy roadmap for Ethereum. In it, he highlighted the short-term changes to the base protocol and ecosystem needed to ensure better user privacy.Magazine: Cypherpunk AI: Guide to uncensored, unbiased, anonymous AI in 2025

by Cointelegraph by Brayden Lindrea on April 16, 2025 at 4:30 am

Developers behind the Ethereum layer 2 Aztec Network have launched a whistleblowing platform called StealthNote that allows workers to vent about their employer without revealing themselves.StealthNote uses zero-knowledge proofs to prove that posts on its platform are written by someone with access to an email address of the company that they’re reviewing.Aztec Labs developer Saleel Pichen wrote in an April 14 X post that StealthNote creates a zero-knowledge proof of a Google JSON Web Token, which is used to authenticate users and allows the platform to prove a poster owns “an email from a company domain without revealing any personal info.”Two of the latest posts on StealthNote from personnel at Aztec Labs and Cornell University. Source: StealthNote.xyzAccording to Aztec’s documentation, the privacy solution had been in development since at least Oct. 22, while the first test post from Aztec occurred about three months ago.Workers from Ethereum Foundation, StarkWare and Scroll, as well as Columbia and Cornell universities, have made posts on StealthNote, primarily sharing greetings and voicing their support for privacy solutions.“Let’s make privacy cool again,” a worker from Nim Network wrote.ZK-proofs needed more than ever, says ButerinZK-proofs have become an increasingly used privacy solution in the internet age as concerns over data security and government surveillance continue to grow.The concerns were raised in an April 14 blog post by Ethereum co-creator Vitalik Buterin, who criticized the assumption that governments are generally well-intentioned when it comes to sacrificing privacy for a more “transparent society.” Related: Vitalik Buterin unveils roadmap for Ethereum privacyHe championed ZK-proofs as a solution to mitigate this trade-off, highlighting the technology’s ability to provide “fine-grained control of who can see what information.”Related: Vitalik Buterin unveils roadmap for Ethereum privacyThe privacy-focused Aztec Network launched on Ethereum in February 2020. The firm raised $100 million in Series B funding led by the tech-focused venture capital firm Andreessen “a16z” Horowitz in December 2022, with A Capital and King River also contributing.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

by Sundance on April 16, 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 16th – 2025 Presidential Politics – Trump Administration Day 87 appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Sundance on April 16, 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 Wednesday April 16th – Open Thread appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Martin Young on April 16, 2025 at 3:50 am

Healthcare technology firm Semler Scientific has reported paper losses on its Bitcoin holdings over the first quarter of this year as the cryptocurrency saw a heavy correction. The firm reported a preliminary unrealized loss from the change in fair value of Bitcoin holdings of approximately $41.8 million since Dec. 31, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 15.Semler declared holdings of 3,182 Bitcoin (BTC) valued at around $263.5 million as of March 31. During the three-month period, BTC prices fell 12% from $93,500 at the beginning of January to $82,350 by the end of March. The full correction from its all-time high to the low below $75,000 on April 7 stands at 32%. Semler reported expected revenues of $8.8 to $8.9 million and operational losses of $1.3 to $1.5 million for the period. It held cash and cash equivalents of approximately $10 million as of March 31.In November, Semler Scientific CEO Doug Murphy-Chutorian said, “We remain laser-focused on acquiring and holding Bitcoin while supporting innovation and growth in our healthcare business.” Semler is the twelfth largest corporate holder of BTC, ahead of Hong Kong gaming firm Boyaa Interactive International Limited, according to Bitbo data. Semler also reported that it had reached an agreement in principle to pay almost $30 million to settle claims related to a civil investigation by the Department of Justice.Semler floats $500 million securities sale In a separate April 15 SEC filing, the firm outlined its plan to offer and sell securities worth up to $500 million, in part to continue its Bitcoin acquisition strategy.Related: Healthcare tech firm Semler buys 871 Bitcoin, yield tops 150%“We may offer and sell securities from time to time in one or more offerings, up to an aggregate value of $500,000,000,” it stated. Semler’s common stock is listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol SMLR.“Our stock price has been volatile and may continue to be volatile,” the firm cautioned. Shares in the medical firm have fallen 36% since the beginning of 2025. SMLR price year-to-date. Source: Google FinanceSemler intends to use the net proceeds from the securities sale “primarily for general corporate purposes, including the acquisition of Bitcoin,” it revealed. Magazine: Bitcoin eyes $100K by June, Shaq to settle NFT lawsuit, and more: Hodler’s Digest

by Cointelegraph by Ciaran Lyons on April 16, 2025 at 3:38 am

Bullish sentiment could be returning to Bitcoin as a key metric from Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volume, shows that buyers are starting to dominate the platform’s volumes.The Binance Taker Buy Sell Ratio, which calculates the ratio of buyers to sellers of Bitcoin (BTC) in Binance, “has returned to neutral territory,” CryptoQuant contributor DarkFost said in an April 15 note.Bitcoin’s bullish momentum is “picking up again”The ratio currently stands at 1.008. When the ratio is higher than 1, buyers — usually a bullish sentiment indicator — dominate volumes, conversely, a ratio below 1 indicates that sellers, or bearish sentiment, are dominating.Bitcoin is trading at $83,810 at the time of publication. Source: CoinMarketCapBitcoin is trading at $83,810 at the time of publication, down 1.47% over the past seven days, according to CoinMarketCap data.“Over the past few days, the ratio has been mostly positive, suggesting that bullish sentiment is picking up again on Binance’s derivatives market,” Darkfost said. On April 14, when Bitcoin was above $86,000, the ratio was above 1.1. CoinGlass data shows that if Bitcoin reclaims $85,000, almost $637 million in short positions will be at risk of liquidation. Several key market indicators suggest that investors continue to favor Bitcoin over altcoins.CoinMarketCap’s Altcoin Season Index is currently at 15 out of 100, signalling it is still very much “Bitcoin Season.” TradingView’s Bitcoin Dominance Chart shows the asset’s market share is sitting at 63.81%, up 9.82% so far this year.Bitcoin Dominance is up 9.88% since the beginning of 2025. Source: TradingViewOverall, crypto market participants are still appearing to feel hesitant. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index shows the overall market sentiment on April 16 is in “Fear” with a score of 29 out of 100.Some analysts, including DeFiDaniel, commented that Bitcoin’s recent price action is “so boring.” However, Cointelegraph earlier reported that Bitcoin apparent demand is on a recovery path, but it is not net positive yet. Historically, 30-day apparent demand can move sideways for a prolonged period after Bitcoin reaches a local bottom, leading to its price chopping sideways.Related: Bitcoin price recovery could be capped at $90K — Here’s whyAnalysts have differing views over where Bitcoin is going to go next.Real Vision chief crypto analyst Jamie Coutts told Cointelegraph in late March that “the market may be underestimating how quickly Bitcoin could surge — potentially hitting new all-time highs before Q2 is out.” AnchorWatch CEO Rob Hamilton said in an April 15 X post that Bitcoin’s price “is flat for the day because we are in an epic tug of war between people who are selling Bitcoin to pay their taxes and people using their refunds to buy Bitcoin.” The tax deadline in the US was April 15.Magazine: Is Cambria S2 the riskiest, most ‘addictive’ crypto game of 2025? Web3 GamerThis 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 Jody McDonald on April 16, 2025 at 3:30 am

The X account of UK member of Parliament and Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, was hacked to promote a scam crypto token.In a series of now-deleted posts on April 15, Powell’s X account shared links to a token called the House of Commons Coin (HOC), describing it as “a community driven digital currency.”Source: Daniel GreenA member of Powell’s staff confirmed to the BBC that the account had been hacked and that “steps were taken quickly to secure the account and remove misleading posts.”DEX Screener shows the HOC token saw limited interest from would-be investors, achieving a peak market cap of just over $24,000 shortly after the posts from Powell’s account.The token has seen a total of 736 transactions and a trading volume of just $71,000.While Powell hasn’t promoted a cryptocurrency before, it isn’t unheard of for political figures to back real crypto tokens.US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump both launched and promoted memecoins days before they entered the White House, sparking criticism from the president’s political rivals and even some supporters.Argentine President Javier Melei also promoted a token called LIBRA, which quickly crashed in value and has caused a political scandal in Argentina and calls for a probe into Melei’s involvement with the token.Powell’s account hack follows similar attack on Ghana’s presidentIn March, the X account of Ghana’s President John Mahama saw a similar breach, with attackers taking over his account for 48 hours to promote a scam cryptocurrency called Solanafrica.The Ghanaian president’s X account was hacked in March 2025. Source: CrediRates Related: UK trade bodies ask government to make crypto a ‘strategic priority’The scammers made similar crypto-promoting posts to Mahama’s 2.4 million followers, claiming that the scam project was “making payments fast and free across the continent with support from Solana and the Bank of Ghana.”The president’s team regained control of Mahama’s X account two days later. His spokesman, Kwakye Ofosu, told the AFP that the account “has now been fully restored, and we urge the public to disregard any suspicious cryptocurrency-related posts from the handle.”Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 16, 2025 at 2:25 am

Fresh from successfully convincing game retailer GameStop to add Bitcoin to its balance sheet, Strive Asset Management CEO Matt Cole has now set his sights on fintech firm Intuit to do the same.Cole said in an April 14 open letter to Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi that Intuit’s growth is admirable, but Bitcoin (BTC) is the best way to ensure the company’s long-term success and hedge against any potential disruption caused by artificial intelligence.Intuit’s flagship products are its tax preparation app TurboTax and the small business accounting software Quickbooks. The company laid off 10% of its staff in July to pursue its AI endeavors, but Cole said the firm needs an additional hedge because TurboTax is at risk of being automated away by AI. “While we appreciate Intuit’s own investments and internal implementation of AI, we believe an additional hedge is warranted, and that a Bitcoin war chest is the best option available,” Cole said. An excerpt from Matt Cole’s letter urging Intuit to consider adding Bitcoin to its balance sheets, among other suggestions. Source: Strive Asset Management That Bitcoin war chest, he added, will ensure Intuit has “enough strategic capital to weather the AI storm and act from a position of strength through the turbulence of the AI revolution.” Cole sent a similar letter to GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen in February to advise the gaming retailer to use its $4.6 billion in cash to buy Bitcoin. GameStop’s Cohen acknowledged the letter in an April 1 regulatory filing and revealed his company had finished a convertible debt offering that raised $1.5 billion, with some proceeds earmarked for buying Bitcoin.Strive urges Intuit change crypto policyIn his letter to Intuit, Cole said the firm should reconsider the acceptable use policy for its marketing platform Mailchimp, which he claims has continued to suspend crypto-related accounts over policy violations.Source: Strive Asset ManagementCole said he “remains concerned that Intuit’s censorship and de-platforming policies discriminate against Bitcoin enthusiasts, which may harm long-term shareholder value.”Mailchimp has said that crypto-related content isn’t necessarily banned under its policy, and crypto content can be sent provided the sender isn’t involved in the sale, exchange, or marketing of crypto. Related: Saylor signals Strategy is buying the dip amid macroeconomic turmoilIts current acceptable use policy states that the platform might not allow accounts that offer “cryptocurrencies, virtual currencies, and any digital assets related to an initial coin offering.” According to Cole, Mailchimp likely adopted its policies when the legal status of crypto and related businesses was uncertain, but said with the crypto-friendly Trump administration, it’s time to “amend the acceptable use policy to end the blanket ban on crypto-related businesses.”Intuit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Magazine: Bitcoin eyes $100K by June, Shaq to settle NFT lawsuit, and more: Hodler’s Digest, April 6–12

by Cointelegraph by Brayden Lindrea on April 16, 2025 at 12:49 am

Mantra CEO John Mullin said he is planning to burn all of his team’s tokens in order to win back the trust of the network’s community following the sudden collapse of the Mantra (OM) token on April 13.“I’m planning to burn all of my team tokens and when we turn it around the community and investors can decide if I have earned it back,” Mullin posted to X on April 16.Mantra set aside 300 million OM, 16.88% of the token’s nearly 1.78 billion total supply, for its team and core contributors. They are currently locked and were scheduled to be released in stages between April 2027 and October 2029, according to an April 8 blog post.The team’s tokens are worth around $236 million, with OM currently trading around 78 cents but were worth around $1.89 billion before the token sank on April 13, going from around $6.30 to a low of 52 cents and wiping over $5.5 billion in value, according to CoinGecko.Source: JP MullinMany community members welcomed Mullin’s pledge, but others saw the token burn as a potential blow to the team’s long-term commitment to building the real-world asset tokenization platform.“This would be a mistake. We want teams that are highly incentivized. Burning the incentive may seem like a good gesture but it will hurt the team motivation long term,” said Crypto Banter founder Ran Neuner.Mullin suggested a decentralized vote could determine whether to burn the 300 million team tokens.Mantra recovery process already underwayMullin promised a post-mortem statement explaining what went wrong to be transparent with the community. Speaking to Cointelegraph on April 14, Mullin outlined plans to leverage the $109 million Mantra Ecosystem Fund for potential token buybacks and burns to stabilize OM’s price, which had fallen from $6.30 to as low as $0.52.Related: Red flag? Mantra's TVL jumped 500% as OM price collapsedMullin’s firm has strongly refuted rumors that it controls 90% of OM’s token supply and engaged in insider trading and market manipulation.Mantra claims the OM price implosion was triggered by “reckless liquidations," adding that it wasn’t related to any actions undertaken by the team.OKX and Binance were among the crypto exchanges that saw significant OM activity right before the token collapse.Both exchanges denied any wrongdoing, attributing the collapse to changes made to OM’s tokenomics in October and unusual volatility that ultimately triggered high-volume cross-exchange liquidations on April 13.Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research

by Cointelegraph by Cointelegraph on April 15, 2025 at 9:53 pm

Today in crypto, Strive is urging Inuit to buy Bitcoin after it successfully convinced GameStop to do so, Ethena Labs exited Germany after regulators flagged “deficiencies” in its USDe stablecoin, and El Salvador central bank data shows just 11% of registered Bitcoin service providers are active. Strive urges Intuit to buy Bitcoin after converting GameStopStrive Asset Management CEO Matt Cole has urged fintech firm Intuit to add Bitcoin (BTC) to its balance sheet in an April 14 open letter after successfully convincing game retailer GameStop to buy the cryptocurrency for its books.Cole told Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarz in the letter that Bitcoin is the best way to ensure the company’s long-term success and hedge against any potential disruption caused by artificial intelligence.He said the firm needs an additional hedge as its flagship tax preparation app, TurboTax, is at risk of being automated away by AI. Intuit is also known for its small business accounting software, Quickbooks.An excerpt from Matt Cole’s letter urging Intuit to consider adding Bitcoin to its balance sheet, among other suggestions. Source: Strive Asset Management “We believe an additional hedge is warranted,” Cole wrote, pitching a Bitcoin “war chest” as “the best option available” as it would ensure Intuit has “enough strategic capital to weather the AI storm and act from a position of strength through the turbulence of the AI revolution.”Cole sent a similar letter to GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen in February to advise it to use its $4.6 billion in cash to buy Bitcoin. GameStop said in early April that it raised $1.5 billion, some of which would be used for Bitcoin.Ethena Labs exits German market following agreement with BaFinSynthetic stablecoin developer Ethena Labs is winding down its German operations less than a month after regulators identified “deficiencies” in its dollar-pegged USDe (USDE) stablecoin, signaling heightened scrutiny around crypto assets in Europe’s largest economy.Ethena Labs reached an agreement with Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, also known as BaFin, to cease all operations of its local subsidiary, Ethena GmbH, according to an April 15 announcement.As such, Ethena Labs “will no longer be pursuing MiCAR authorization in Germany,” the company said, referring to the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation.The company reiterated that Ethena’s German subsidiary has not conducted any mint or redeem activity for USDe since March 21, the day BaFin halted the stablecoin’s activities.As Cointelegraph reported at the time, the German regulator identified compliance failures and potential securities law violations tied to USDe.Source: Ethena LabsOnly 11% of El Salvador’s registered Bitcoin firms operational Only 20 of the 181 Bitcoin service providers registered with El Salvador’s central bank are operational, with the rest failing to meet the country’s requirements under its Bitcoin Law. Local media outlet El Mundo cited data from the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador, showing that 11% of the service providers are operational. According to the central bank’s database, the rest of the providers are classified as non-operational. The data showed that at least 22 non-operational providers have failed to meet most of the country’s Bitcoin Law requirements, which mandate that providers implement stringent supervision of their financial systems. El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law requires providers to maintain an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) program, keep records that accurately reflect the company’s assets, liabilities and equity and have a tailored cybersecurity program depending on the nature of its services. The data showed that 89% of the registered providers have failed to meet some of these obligations to be classified as operational. Still, a few firms have satisfied the legal criteria, including the state-backed Chivo Wallet and companies including Crypto Trading & Investment and Fintech Américas.

by Cointelegraph by Christopher Tepedino on April 15, 2025 at 9:39 pm

A hacker compromised a ZKsync admin account on April 15, minting $5 million worth of unclaimed airdrop tokens, according to a statement from the official ZKsync X account. The attack was described as isolated, with no user funds affected.Following an investigation, ZKsync detailed the incident on April 15, disclosing that the compromised account had administrative control over three airdrop distribution contracts. The attacker exploited a function called sweepUnclaimed() to mint 111 million unclaimed ZK tokens, increasing the total token supply by 0.45%. As of the latest update, the attacker still held control of most of the stolen funds.Source: ZKsyncZKsync is coordinating recovery efforts with the Security Alliance (SEAL). According to the protocol, its governance and token contracts are unaffected. The company stated that no further exploits are possible via the “sweepUnclaimed()” vector.ZKsync is an Ethereum layer-2 protocol that processes main-layer transactions in batches using a technology called zero-knowledge rollups. The ZKsync Era platform has $57.3 million in total value locked as of April 15, according to DefiLlama. ZKsync had been in the process of airdropping 17.5% of its token supply to ecosystem participants.Related: DeFi platform KiloEx offers $750K bounty to hackerZK token drops 7% in 24-hour trading ZKsync’s token, ZK (ZK), saw volatile price action in the wake of the hack and the project’s public disclosure on X. Around 1:00 pm UTC, the token had dropped 16%, falling to $0.040 before rebounding to $0.047 at the time of writing. Despite the bounce, ZK remains down 7% over the past 24 hours.Overall, $2 billion has been lost to crypto hacks in the first quarter of 2025 alone, just $300 million less than the total lost in 2024.Magazine: Lazarus Group’s favorite exploit revealed — Crypto hacks analysis