Alternative News for You

by Heloise Vyas on April 22, 2025 at 10:33 pm

A former high-flying movie producer with a string of Oscar winners, Harvey Weinstein returns to court for a retrial of his rape and sexual assault charges.

on April 22, 2025 at 10:18 pm

Toafofoa Sipley cops a four-game ban for a hip drop that broke the leg of Dragons winger Mat Feagai, with the panel saying they want to "send a clear message" about the dangers of the tackle.

by Sarah Forster and Emma Simkin on April 22, 2025 at 10:03 pm

Housing affordability weighs heavily on voters in a NSW Central Coast seat that has been won by the party that goes on to form government at every election since 1983.

by Cointelegraph by Christopher Tepedino on April 22, 2025 at 10:00 pm

Chiliz, a SportsFi company, has met with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to discuss an investment and reentry into the US crypto market under the crypto-friendly White House and increased push for regulatory clarity surrounding digital assets.According to the meeting request made public by the SEC, Chiliz plans a reentry into the US market around the time of the 2026 FIFA World Cup international football (soccer) tournament. The comeback would be accompanied by a $50 million to $100 million investment in the local market. National Basketball Association and National Football League teams are said to be interested in launching fan tokens if regulatory clarity improves.The meeting with the federal agency was held on April 22 — the same day Chiliz CEO Alexandre Dreyfus shared a photo with Bo Hines, executive director of Trump’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, suggesting a second meeting with White House officials.Source: Alexandre DreyfusAccording to the meeting document, Chiliz discussed the proposed structure of a fan token and why “it should not be classified as a security.” Broadly, a security is an investment wherein the investor expects a profit due to the efforts of someone other than the investor.Whether cryptocurrencies and related assets are securities has been a key issue in the regulation of Web3 within the United States.Related: Chiliz’ Socios.com secures in-principle license approval in MaltaChiliz ecosystem sees lower TVL in 2025Chiliz, despite its partnerships with football clubs, gaming teams, and racing companies, has seen a significant drop in activity within its ecosystem. DefiLlama data shows the protocols’ total value locked has fallen from $17.8 million on Dec. 9, 2024, to $6.5 million on April 22, 2025, marking a 63.5% drop.Chiliz TVL. Source: DefiLlamaIts governance token hasn’t fared particularly well, either. According to CoinMarketCap, the Chiliz (CHZ) token price has declined 67% over the past 12 months. The company is known for its fan tokens, which allow enthusiasts to own the official cryptocurrencies of their favorite sports clubs.The company has made headway into the soccer market, partnering with Football Club Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City, among others.Related: FIFA launches NFT collection amid 2023 Club World CupChiliz invested $80 million in partnerships within the US market in 2021, the document shows. However, regulatory uncertainty and the fallout from FTX’s collapse led to a “strategic exit” in the following year.The next World Cup is expected to take place in June 2026. The United States will be the main host of the tournament, while Canada and Mexico will act as auxiliary hosts.Magazine: ‘Normie degens’ go all in on sports fan crypto tokens for the rewardsChiliz, a SportsFi company, has met with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to discuss an investment and reentry into the US crypto market under the crypto-friendly White House and increased push for regulatory clarity surrounding digital assets.According to the proposed meeting request made public by the SEC, Chiliz plans a reentry into the US market around the time of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The comeback would be accompanied by a $50 million to $100 million investment in the local market. NBA and NFL teams are allegedly interested in launching fan tokens if regulatory clarity improves.The meeting with the federal agency was held on April 22 — the same day Chiliz CEO Alexandre Dreyfus shared a photo with Bo Hines, executive director of Trump’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, suggesting a second meeting with White House officials. Source: Alexandre DreyfusAccording to the meeting document, Chiliz discussed the proposed structure of a fan token and why “it should not be classified as a security.” Broadly, a security is an investment wherein the investor expects a profit due to the efforts of someone other than the investor.Whether cryptocurrencies and related assets are securities has been a key issue in the regulation of Web3 within the United States.Related: Chiliz’ Socios.com secures in-principle license approval in MaltaChiliz ecosystem sees lower TVL in 2025Chiliz, despite its partnerships with football clubs, gaming teams, and racing companies, has seen a significant drop in activity within its ecosystem. DefiLlama data shows the protocols’ total value locked has fallen from $17.8 million on Dec. 9, 2024, to $6.5 million on April 22, 2025, marking a 63.5% drop.Chiliz TVL. Source: DefiLlamaIts governance token hasn’t fared particularly well either. According to CoinMarketCap, the Chiliz (CHZ) token price has declined 67% over the past 12 months. The company is known for its fan tokens, which allow enthusiasts to own the official cryptocurrencies of their favorite sports clubs.The company has made headway into the soccer market, partnering with Football Club Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City, among others.Related: FIFA launches NFT collection amid 2023 Club World CupChiliz invested $80 million in partnerships within the US market in 2021, the document shows. However, regulatory uncertainty and the fallout from FTX’s collapse led to a “strategic exit” in the following year. The next World Cup is expected to take place in June 2026. The United States will be the main host of the tournament, while Canada and Mexico will act as auxiliary hosts. Magazine: ‘Normie degens’ go all in on sports fan crypto tokens for the rewards

by Cointelegraph by Cointelegraph on April 22, 2025 at 9:53 pm

Today in crypto, publicly listed companies are broadening their crypto reserve strategies to include more tokens; a recent lawsuit from Oregon’s attorney general labels XRP and other digital assets as unregistered securities; and Paul Atkins has officially been sworn in as chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).DeFi Development Corp adds $11.5M SOL, shares jump 12%DeFi Development Corporation, formerly known as Janover, is ramping up its Solana treasury strategy following a buyout led by Kraken executives.According to an April 22 announcement, the company added 88,164 Solana (SOL) to its treasury, worth $11.5 million and bringing its Solana stake to $34.4 million.On April 7, DeFi Development Corporation was acquired by a group of former Kraken executives. As part of the deal, the company announced a shift toward crypto, including a rebrand and a Solana-based reserve treasury. Before the transition, Janover operated in the real estate financing space, linking lenders with commercial property buyers.Since the takeover, the company has made multiple purchases of SOL, including a buy of $10.5 million on April 16. With the latest purchase, DeFi Development Corporation’s total holdings stand at 251,842. The company plans to stake the tokens to generate additional yield.Shares of DeFi Development Corporation (JNVR) were up 12.83% on the news, according to Google Finance.DeFi Development Corporation's intraday performance. Source: Google FinanceOregon AG lawsuit against Coinbase calls XRP unregistered securityOregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield’s lawsuit against Coinbase argues that XRP and other digital assets are unregistered securities.Rayield sued US-based, publicly traded crypto exchange Coinbase for allegedly violating Oregon’s securities law. In an April 18 announcement, the Oregon Department of Justice said the suit was part of an effort to fill what it described as a regulatory vacuum left by federal agencies under the Trump administration:“States must fill enforcement vacuum being left by federal regulators who are abandoning these cases under Trump administration,“ the department said.Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal voiced his frustration over the lawsuit in an April 21 X post. Justin Slaughter, the vice president of regulatory affairs at crypto investment firm Paradigm, pointed out that the lawsuit claims a long list of digital assets, including XRP (XRP), are unregistered securities.Source: Paul GrewalYarden Noy, partner at crypto legal firm DLT Law, told Cointelegraph that if the court ruled these assets are securities, it “would mostly create more confusion in this regard.” It would not be a binding precedent in other cases, not even within Oregon, he added.Paul Atkins, nominated by Trump, sworn in as SEC chairPaul Atkins has officially been sworn in as the 34th chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission.The April 21 announcement comes nearly two weeks after Atkins’ position was confirmed by the US Senate in a 52-44 vote on April 9.Source: US House Committee on Financial Services Republicans“I am honored by the trust and confidence President Trump and the Senate have placed in me to lead the SEC,” said Atkins, who served as an SEC commissioner between 2002 and 2008.Atkins is widely expected to lead a more crypto-friendly SEC than former chair Gary Gensler under the Biden administration.

by Hannah Ross on April 22, 2025 at 9:52 pm

Music lovers who wanted to be a part of history by attending the supposed final edition of the Bluesfest in Byron Bay are angry to hear the festival will return next year. 

by Cointelegraph by Alex O’Donnell on April 22, 2025 at 9:47 pm

The XRP Ledger Foundation has identified a “serious vulnerability” in the official JavaScript library used for interacting with the XRP Ledger blockchain network, the nonprofit said.On April 22, blockchain security specialist Aikido said in a blog post that XRP Ledger’s open-source JavaScript library was “compromised by sophisticated attackers who put in a backdoor to steal cryptocurrency private keys and gain access to cryptocurrency wallets.” The JavaScript library includes programs enabling developers to interact with the XRP Ledger and is distinct from the blockchain network itself. ‘“[T]his package is used by hundreds of thousands of applications and websites making it a potentially catastrophic supply chain attack on the cryptocurrency ecosystem,” Aikido said. The XRP Ledger Foundation has already upgraded the code repository to “remove the previously compromised version,” it said in an April 22 post on the X platform.Aikido identified unusual code in XRP’s JavaScript package. Source: AikidoRelated: Coinbase Derivatives lists XRP futuresIt added that several XRP Ledger ecosystem projects — including XRPScan, First Ledger, and Gen3 Games — confirmed that they were not impacted by the incident. The XRP (XRP) token ended the US trading day up more than 3.5% despite news of the security breach, according to CoinGecko. The token has a market capitalization of more than $125 billion and a fully diluted value of approximately $215 billion. XRP’s token price on April 22. Source: CoinGeckoInstitutional adoptionLaunched in 2012, XRP Ledger is among the oldest blockchain networks and specializes in payments and decentralized finance (DeFi) applications for institutions. It has been gaining prominence in recent months as a friendlier US regulatory environment paves the way for broader institutional adoption of the network’s token and ecosystem projects. The XRP token’s price increased by upward of 300% after crypto-friendly US President Donald Trump prevailed in the November presidential election, according to CoinGecko. Since then, several asset managers have asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to approve US-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) holding the XRP token. On April 21, Coinbase listed futures contracts for the XRP token on its US derivatives exchange. Magazine: Crypto ‘more taboo than OnlyFans,’ says Violetta Zironi, who sold song for 1 BTC

by Maddie Nixon and Zara Margolis on April 22, 2025 at 9:38 pm

Frank Watt has been able to return to his home and family after two years away thanks to a new dialysis unit on Mornington Island.

by Stephen Clarke on April 22, 2025 at 9:33 pm

Opponents of a whitewater centre planned for south-east Queensland say they've "drawn the short straw" on Olympic venues.

by Ange Lavoipierre on April 22, 2025 at 9:31 pm

The federal government has doubled down on its decision to give YouTube a carve-out from the teen social media ban, despite privately assuring rival platforms that "no final decisions" have been made, the ABC can reveal.

by Stephanie Dalzell on April 22, 2025 at 9:29 pm

Time and time again, the Coalition has been forced to deny claims about plans to privatise Australia's healthcare system.

by Stephanie Chalmers on April 22, 2025 at 9:28 pm

Tesla's profit followed sales south as Elon Musk faces backlash. US stocks and the greenback regain ground on hopes of a trade war de-escalation. Follow the day's events and insights from our business reporters on the ABC News live markets blog. 

by Matt Garrick on April 22, 2025 at 9:25 pm

The Northern Territory government has dismissed calls for an independent inquiry into allegations over the misuse of public funding at the Darwin Waterfront Corporation.

by Cointelegraph by Marcel Pechman on April 22, 2025 at 9:21 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) surged to a 45-day high above $91,000 on April 22, and the upward movement coincided with gold reaching a new all-time high. The price gains reflect investors' concerns over a potential economic recession amid ongoing global trade tensions.The tides are shifting, but does data support a Bitcoin price rally above $95,000?Bitcoin 2-month futures annualized premium. Source: Laevitas.chIn neutral markets, the Bitcoin futures premium typically ranges between 5% and 10% to compensate for the longer settlement period. At present, the annualized premium stands at 6%, which is not considered particularly bullish, even though BTC appreciated by $6,840 between April 20 and April 22. Some analysts interpret this as a sign that Bitcoin is beginning to decouple from the stock market.Traders’ PTSD could emerge around BTC’s $90K zonePart of this skepticism among traders stems from Bitcoin’s repeated inability to sustain levels above $90,000 in early March. For example, Bitcoin tested the $95,000 mark on March 3, only to fall to $81,464 the following day. This inconsistent performance since the $109,346 peak on Jan. 20 has contributed to a lack of conviction among bullish investors, especially as gold has continued to set new all-time highs during the same period.S&P 500 futures (left) vs. Bitcoin/USD. Source: TradingView / CointelegraphCurrently, Bitcoin is trading 16% below its all-time high, a figure that closely mirrors the S&P 500’s decline of 14.5%. This suggests that the recent era of excessive risk-taking may be behind us. Notably, even at its lowest point below $75,000, Bitcoin’s 32% drawdown was less severe than those experienced by Nvidia (NVDA), Amazon (AMZN), Facebook (META), and Tesla (TSLA).Comments from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on April 22 contributed to easing investor concerns. As reported by Bloomberg, Bessent described the ongoing tariff standoff with China as “unsustainable,” suggesting an increased likelihood of de-escalation. In contrast, US President Donald Trump took to social media to assert that US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is hindering economic growth by not reducing interest rates.Bitcoin’s gains contrast with investors’ shift to government bondsRegardless of where the blame lies for the subdued economic growth in the United States, demand for short-term US Treasurys has risen, as evidenced by the yield on the 2-year note declining to 3.81% from 4.04% a month earlier. Essentially, investors are accepting lower returns in exchange for the perceived safety of government bonds. Against this backdrop, Bitcoin’s 6.3% price increase over the past 30 days stands out as particularly notable.To determine whether these recent gains have affected professional traders’ sentiment, it is important to examine the BTC options markets. If traders expect a correction, put (sell) options tend to trade at a premium, causing the 25% delta skew metric to rise above 6%. Conversely, bullish sentiment pushes the indicator below -6%.Bitcoin 30-day options skew (put-call) at Deribit. Source: Laevitas.chCurrently, the Bitcoin options market reflects limited enthusiasm following the recent surge to $91,000, with the 25% delta skew indicator at -2%, which remains within the neutral range. According to this metric, the last period of bullish sentiment occurred on Jan. 30, when Bitcoin traded near $105,000. Therefore, there is no clear evidence that large investors or market makers are anticipating a sustained rally above $95,000.Related: Institutional demand could push BTC past $200k in 2025 — AnalystsDespite some weak macroeconomic data, market participants expect a relatively strong first-quarter earnings season. FactSet reports that the “Magnificent 7” companies are projected to achieve earnings growth of 14.8% for the first quarter compared to the prior year.While Bitcoin still has a reasonable chance of revisiting $95,000 or higher, many traders appear to be waiting for further developments in the US-China trade war before placing additional bullish bets.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 Ruby Littler on April 22, 2025 at 9:14 pm

The Australian Electoral Commission is confident there will be no repeat of the issues that plagued Western Australia's recent state election when it comes to the May 3 federal poll.

by Courtney Gould on April 22, 2025 at 9:10 pm

About 6,000 tradies would have their qualifications fast-tracked under a Labor plan to bolster the construction workforce. Follow live. 

by Cointelegraph by Turner Wright on April 22, 2025 at 9:09 pm

US Securities and Exchange Commission member Hester Peirce, currently leading the agency’s crypto task force, offered a preview of what the industry could expect now that Paul Atkins has been sworn in as the regulatory body’s chairman.Speaking to Cointelegraph before the US Senate confirmed Atkins’ nomination and he took his position as SEC chair, Peirce said she welcomed the opportunity to work again with the incoming agency leader. Peirce worked as Atkins’ counsel from 2004 to 2008 during the then-commissioner’s first term at the SEC.“He cares about economic growth and how the markets that we regulate can support economic growth,” Peirce told Cointelegraph. “I would love the chance to work with [Atkins] on trying to reorient the agency so that it does take into consideration all aspects of our mission.”Related: Atkins becomes next SEC chair: What’s next for the crypto industryAtkins, appointed by US President Donald Trump in what many saw as a nod to the crypto industry to replace former chair Gary Gensler, was sworn in on April 21. During his confirmation hearing in the Senate Banking Committee, lawmakers questioned Atkins on his ties to the crypto industry, potentially presenting conflicts of interest in his role helping regulate digital assets. “I expect that he will continue to follow the ethics rules,” said Peirce on Atkins. “I worked for [him] and I have very high regard for his integrity.” SEC’s priorities under new leadership Atkins, now chair, comes to the SEC as the fourth commissioner, with five members typically filling the agency’s leadership positions. Gensler and former Commissioner Jaime Lizárraga stepped down in January. Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw is expected to be the next to depart before 2026, leaving a panel of only three Republican commissioners unless Trump nominates a Democrat.Commissioner Mark Uyeda, whom Trump named as acting chair on Jan. 20, was still scheduled to oversee some of the SEC’s proceedings, including an April 25 roundtable event discussing crypto custody. Uyeda said on April 21 that he was planning to return to his “regular role” as a commissioner, suggesting that Atkins may soon assume all his responsibilities as chair. The shakeup in leadership comes amid many in the industry looking for clarity from the SEC, the courts, and lawmakers after Gensler’s departure. Under the former chair, many accused the SEC of enacting a “regulation by enforcement” approach to crypto, resulting in several high-profile lawsuits against firms including Coinbase, Ripple Labs, and Binance. Since January, the commission has dropped many of the cases.“I think we’re all trying to get to a good place, which is putting some clarity around crypto, some regulatory clarity,” said Peirce.Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered

on April 22, 2025 at 9:06 pm

Investigators descended on properties in Melbourne's south-east on Tuesday, seizing luxury items and stolen cars and arresting five men aged between 21 and 31.

by Tamara Clark on April 22, 2025 at 8:58 pm

The tertiary sector union says the opposition's election promise to restore the Australian home ownership dream by cutting international student enrolments is short-sighted and divisive.

by Jade Toomey on April 22, 2025 at 8:47 pm

The former leader of the Catholic Church's Truth, Justice and Healing Council says Pope Francis's leadership centred on inclusion and diversity, not judgement — and that progressive approach created some enemies among Australia's clerical elite.

by Emily Anderson on April 22, 2025 at 8:39 pm

Most people know rope skipping as a playground activity, but for 12-year-olds Ella Pratley and Heath Malligan it's a highly competitive and technical sport they're preparing to represent Australia in on the world stage.

on April 22, 2025 at 8:36 pm

Moroccan surfer Ramzi Boukhiam suffers a "major injury" as he gets his foot stuck in the Bells Beach rocks and is hit in the knees by a wave while walking back to shore after his heat.

by Bruce MacKenzie and Keely Johnson on April 22, 2025 at 8:35 pm

A magnitude-4.6 earthquake shakes parts of the Hunter region with impacts felt as far away as Tamworth and Canberra.

by Olivia Mason on April 22, 2025 at 8:14 pm

A group of Australian pet owners who say their dogs suffered adverse effects or died after receiving an osteoarthritis treatment are working to launch a class action, after a lawsuit was filed in the United States.

by Cointelegraph by Marie Poteriaieva on April 22, 2025 at 8:09 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) price surged over the Easter weekend, jumping 9% and crossing the $91,000 threshold on April 22. This strong performance diverged sharply from the stock market’s lukewarm rebound and mirrored gold’s bullish behavior, which briefly touched a new all-time high of $3,500. While the BTC rally and its growing decoupling from equities are noteworthy, it's the derivatives market that offers an even more bullish signal.According to data from CoinGlass, Bitcoin open interest (OI) soared by 17%, reaching a 2-month high at $68.3. OI measures the total capital invested in BTC derivatives, and such an uptick shows a growing bullish sentiment among traders. The market is currently in contango — a situation where futures prices (notably CME Bitcoin futures) are higher than the spot price. This typically occurs because investors anticipate rising prices and take advantage of leverage tools offered by exchanges, allowing them to gain greater exposure through futures than they could with direct spot purchases.This raises two questions: Who is buying, and why?Institutional interest reawakensA key metric for understanding investor composition is the Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index. It measures the percentage price difference between Bitcoin on Coinbase Pro (BTC/USD) and Binance (BTC/USDT). Since Coinbase Pro caters predominantly to US-based institutional investors, while Binance has a broader global retail audience, this premium can indicate where the buying pressure is coming from.While the first half of April showed strong retail dominance, April 21–22 saw institutional demand kick in, with the Coinbase premium rising to 0.16%, per CoinGlass.Coinbase Bitcoin premium index. Source: CoinGlassMichael Saylor’s Strategy could be among those buyers. On April 21, Saylor announced the acquisition of 6,556 more BTC for approximately $555.8 million at an average price of ~$84,785 per coin. This brings MicroStrategy’s total holdings to an eye-watering 538,200 BTC, worth approximately $48.4 billion at current prices. On a smaller scale, Japan-based Metaplanet also added 330 BTC to its treasury, pushing its total to 4,855 BTC, the company’s CEO announced on the same day.Meanwhile, investors who favor traditional financial instruments over direct Bitcoin holding have also begun to renew their interest. According to the CoinGlass data, on April 21, BTC ETFs recorded $381 million in inflows — a much-needed reversal after a prolonged period of heavy outflows. Since February, ETFs had suffered 33 days of net outflows versus just 21 days of inflows, with outflows strongly dominating in volume. The recent reversal suggests renewed confidence, particularly from TradFi-aligned investors.Related: Bitcoin risks 10%-15% BTC price dip after key rejection near $89KThe dollar fades as Bitcoin rises Since tariff fears took grip of the market, institutional investors have kept Bitcoin and equities at arm’s length, but something shifted over the Easter weekend.Crypto analyst Rekt Capital noted that Bitcoin has decisively broken out of its multimonth downtrend“The multimonth downtrend is over. And when a technical downtrend is broken, technical uptrends emerge.”BTC/USD 1-day chart. Source: Rekt CapitalAnother, more macroeconomic, factor may be the increasing tension between US President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Their growing rift, centered on concerns about inflationary pressure from tariffs and the Fed’s reluctance to cut rates, has cast a shadow over the US dollar.The US Dollar Index, which tracks the dollar’s value against a basket of currencies, has been in freefall since February, reaching lows last seen in 2022. Trump’s public pressure on Powell, and speculation that he might attempt to remove him or other Fed officials, is fueling anxiety over the Fed’s independence — a foundational pillar of the US financial system. The potential consequences of a falling dollar for the global economy are difficult to predict, but one thing is clear: Bitcoin stands poised to be a major beneficiary. A decentralized, censorship-resistant money governed solely by code, with a fixed supply schedule and no central authority to manipulate its issuance. As confidence in traditional monetary systems continues to erode, Bitcoin’s narrative grows ever stronger.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 Josh Brine on April 22, 2025 at 8:03 pm

A large battery project in South Australia sells for nearly $500 million as investment in renewable energy surges.

by Olivia Willis on April 22, 2025 at 8:00 pm

Less than half of Australia's aged care residents aged 75 years and older are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, despite being at highest risk of severe health outcomes.

on April 22, 2025 at 7:49 pm

The US had been pushing for an extension to the Easter ceasefire declared between the two sides, which expired on Sunday night, local time.

by Cointelegraph by Christopher Tepedino on April 22, 2025 at 7:36 pm

DeFi Development Corporation, formerly known as Janover, is ramping up its Solana treasury strategy following a buyout led by Kraken executives.According to an April 22 announcement, the company added 88,164 Solana (SOL) to its treasury, worth $11.5 million and bringing its Solana stake to $34.4 million.On April 7, DeFi Development Corporation was acquired by a group of former Kraken executives. As part of the deal, the company announced a shift toward crypto, including a rebrand and a Solana-based reserve treasury. Before the transition, Janover operated in the real estate financing space, linking lenders with commercial property buyers.Since the takeover, the company has made multiple purchases of SOL, including a buy of $10.5 million on April 16. With the latest purchase, DeFi Development Corporation’s total holdings stand at 251,842. The company plans to stake the tokens to generate additional yield.As of this writing, shares of DeFi Development Corporation (JNVR) are up 12.83% on the news, according to Google Finance.DeFi Development Corporation's intraday performance. Source: Google FinanceStaking is the process of locking up cryptocurrency to help secure a blockchain network and earn rewards in return. Solana briefly surpassed Ethereum in total staked value on April 21, with over $53.9 billion worth of SOL staked by more than 500,000 unique wallet holders, yielding an 8.31% annualized return.Crypto treasury strategies gaining tractionSince Michael Saylor’s Strategy began adding Bitcoin (BTC) to its balance sheet in August 2020, more companies have followed suit with crypto treasuries, often seeing a boost in their stock prices as a result.Japanese company Metaplanet announced its Bitcoin treasury in 2024 and recorded a 4800% rise in its share price as of Feb. 10, though it has fallen since then. Semler Scientific, a healthcare technology company, saw a 30% stock price rise after it announced its BTC reserve treasury.Other companies are expanding their digital assets approach to other cryptocurrencies, such as SOL. Upexi, a Nasdaq-listed supply chain firm, recently announced the creation of a SOL treasury to diversify its assets.Magazine: Memecoins are ded — But Solana ‘100x better’ despite revenue plunge

by Stephen A Russell on April 22, 2025 at 7:33 pm

Fresh after directing Interview with the Vampire, this Swedish-Georgian director tells a simple but stunning story of family, missed connections and making new ones in Crossing.

by Simon Smale on April 22, 2025 at 7:32 pm

Meg Harris claimed her first individual Olympic medal with a silver in the 50 metres freestyle in Paris, and it's that experience that is pushing her to a leadership role within the Dolphins squad.

by Natasha Schapova on April 22, 2025 at 7:29 pm

Locals are angry after a Victorian council deferred a vote on a motion to investigate ways to improve pedestrian safety on the road where six-year-old Caleb Wesley died last month.

by Cointelegraph by Turner Wright on April 22, 2025 at 7:06 pm

A lawyer representing one of the co-founders of crypto mining service Hashflare has addressed how their criminal case may move forward after the pair received “self-deport” letters from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).In an April 11 filing in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington, Hashflare co-founders Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turogin reported they had received a DHS letter directing them to “leave the United States” as part of a push by the Trump administration to effect mass deportations. The government letter contradicted orders from Judge Robert Lasnik, who restricted travel for Potapenko and Turogin as part of their bail conditions.In February, the Estonian nationals pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a deal with authorities. Between 2015 and 2019, the two were responsible for defrauding Hashflare users out of more than $550 million. They also raised $25 million from investors in 2017, claiming they would establish a digital bank called Polybius. The firm was never created.Indicted in October 2022, Potapenko and Turogin were arrested and held in Estonia before their extradition to the US in May 2024. Both have been free on bail since July 2024 but could face up to 20 years in prison each at sentencing.Ordered to leave, forced to stay“[Potapenko and Turogin each] got letters from DHS to their personal email saying ‘deport immediately,’” Reed Smith partner and defense counsel Mark Bini told Cointelegraph. “It caused some angst because [our client and his co-defendant], their conditions of release include that they comply with the law. And here you have this letter saying if you stay in the country, you’re breaking the law. And of course, their bail conditions say they can’t leave the Seattle area.” Related: Russian Gotbit founder strikes $23M plea deal with US prosecutorsThe DHS letters ordering certain people to “depart the United States immediately” were reportedly sent to thousands of immigrants who had used the government’s CBP One app to enter the country legally. However, some citizens reported receiving the same letter in US President Donald Trump’s attempts to effect deportations through his office.  Bini initially thought it was a possibility that the US government was suggesting that Potapenko or Turogin “self-deport” to Estonia after the Justice Department issued a memo hinting it would change its enforcement policy in criminal cases involving crypto. The Hashflare co-founders had been expected to remain in the jurisdiction until at least Aug. 14 for their sentencing hearings.“I have not encountered this situation before, where you have essentially two folks in the federal government telling you conflicting things,” said Bini. The attorney added that Potapenko or Turogin now carried letters with them at all times that stated DHS had deferred action on their “self-deportation” for one year in the event that authorities mistakenly tried to detain them and remove them from the country. Though the pair could still receive prison time, Potapenko, Turogin and Hashflare reported returning $400 million in crypto payments to users and “agreed to forfeit their interests in assets that the government froze in 2022.”“We’re going to try and convince the judge to frankly side with DHS and let them self-deport to Estonia to their families because we believe that there was no actual financial harm to the customers of Hashflare,” said Bini. “It’s a weird [case] because for our clients, we want to be deported. Our clients are Estonian. Their families are Estonian.” Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set

by Cointelegraph by Biraajmaan Tamuly on April 22, 2025 at 6:57 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) price has been in a persistent downtrend since January, but the April 22 surge past $91,000 marks its first higher high breakout of the year and the potential start of a new longer-term uptrend.Bitcoin 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe higher high pattern occurred after BTC moved above its previous lower high and resistance at $88,500, but the real factor that will keep price afloat is buying volumes in various cohorts of the Bitcoin market.The US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded total net inflows of $381 million on April 21, levels not seen since Jan. 30.Spot Bitcoin ETF flows. Source: SoSoValueRising spot BTC inflows, along with Bitcoin’s increase in price, point to a possible resurgence in institutional demand for Bitcoin, and the change in trend from the ETFs could offset the selling pressure that has put a cap on BTC price for months.However, retail investor demand (buy volumes between $0 and 10,000) remained below 0%, which suggested that low volume buyers are not back yet. Over the past year, these investors have lagged behind BTC price breakouts, but they strengthen price momentum once the investor volume turns positive.Bitcoin retail investor demand by 30-day change. Source: CryptoQuantCryptoQuant community manager Maartunn highlighted that the present rally is leverage-driven rather than spot volume-driven. Glassnode data also pointed out that Bitcoin futures open interest (OI) increased by $2.4 billion in less than 36 hours.For Bitcoin price to sustain a strong position above $90,000, the current discrepancy between futures traders and retail traders needs to decrease.Related: Bitcoin-to-gold ratio risks 35% decline following Wall Street's $13T wipeoutBitcoin could gain “70% to 80% from here”From a longer-term perspective, DYOR crypto founder Hitesh Malviya said BTC could gain 70% to 80% if it maintains a MVRV ratio of 2 for the next six weeks.The Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) ratio, a key onchain metric, compares Bitcoin’s market cap to its realized cap—the value of coins at their last transaction price. Historically, an MVRV above 3.7 often signals overvaluation and market tops, while values near 2 have preceded strong price rallies.Bitcoin MVRV ratio. Source: CryptoQuantBitcoin's MVRV score remained above 2 from October 2024 to February 2025, coinciding with its all-time high. Recently, the metric fell below 2 during the market correction, but it is now attempting to reclaim this key level.Related: Bitcoin traders turn to $93K yearly open as BTC price hits 6-week highThis 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 Alex O’Donnell on April 22, 2025 at 6:27 pm

Demand from financial institutions could push the price of Bitcoin (BTC) as high as $200,000 per coin in 2025, according to two research reports reviewed by Cointelegraph. Analysts from Standard Chartered and Intellectia AI said institutional Bitcoin demand from exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and traders seeking to hedge against macroeconomic risk could cause Bitcoin’s price to more than double this year.“While the forecast is optimistic, it's also conditional. Any black swan — from a major regulatory clampdown to a geopolitical event — can disrupt trajectories,” Fei Chen, Intellectia AI’s chief investment strategist, told Cointelegraph. Bitcoin ETF inflows since January 2024. Source: CoinGlassRelated: US Bitcoin ETFs clock biggest inflows since January as crypto markets gainBullish sentimentThe reports come as Bitcoin broke past $90,000 on April 22 for the first time in six weeks, reflecting traders embracing Bitcoin and gold as potential hedges against looming trade wars and geopolitical volatility. The price action followed the biggest daily net inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs since January. The US’s 11 spot BTC funds collectively pulled more than $380 million in net inflows on April 21, according to CoinGlass data.Intellectia AI said institutional demand drivers — including corporate Bitcoin buyers and exchanges such as Coinbase and Kraken — could continue to propel positive price action. Corporate Bitcoin treasuries already hold nearly $65 billion worth of BTC, according to data from Bitcointreasuries.net.Hedgers still prefer gold over Bitcoin. Source: Binance ResearchHedging or speculation?Gold and BTC “appear to have become more important components of investors’ portfolios structurally” as they increasingly seek to hedge against geopolitical risk and inflation, investment bank JP Morgan said in a January research note. However, Bitcoin’s correlation with gold — historically a preferred hedge against macroeconomic uncertainty — has been low since US President Donald Trump announced sweeping import tariffs on April 2, Binance Research said on April 7. In fact, Bitcoin has been more closely correlated with equities, Binance said. Paradoxically, sustained ETF inflows could further diminish Bitcoin’s status as a macroeconomic hedge, eroding one of its most attractive traits for institutions, Spencer Yang, a core contributor for crypto infrastructure project Fractal Bitcoin, told Cointelegraph. "Despite growing institutional interest, Bitcoin’s long-term resilience won’t be secured by balance sheet optics alone — it depends on real usage,” Yang said. “That means people actually transacting, building, and experimenting on the network — not just holding BTC as a speculative asset."Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

by Cointelegraph by Yashu Gola on April 22, 2025 at 3:56 pm

Bitcoin’s (BTC) value relative to gold (XAU) may be poised for a steep 35% drop as it mirrors historical bear market signals and reacts to massive turbulence that has wiped out $13 trillion from the US stock market.Bitcoin’s breaks below key gold supportAs of April 22, the BTC/XAU ratio had closed below its 50-period exponential moving average (50-period EMA; the red wave) on the two-week chart for the first time since April 2022.BTC/XAU two-week performance chart. Source: TradingViewHistorically, a decisive close below the 50-period EMA has led to an extended downtrend toward the 200-period EMA (the blue wave).For instance, in both 2021 and 2022, BTC/XAU experienced an initial bounce after testing the 50-EMA, only to eventually break below it and decline toward the 200-EMA, as shown above.Related: Bitcoin longs cut $106M — Are Bitfinex BTC whales turning bearish above $86K?This pattern is now repeating in 2025 after two recent tests of the 50-EMA support level in 2024 and 2025. BTC/XAU is breaking lower, suggesting that a move toward the 200-EMA may be underway, representing an approximately 35% drop.Mike McGlone, the senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, offers a similar downside outlook for the Bitcoin-to-Gold ratio, citing its extremely positive correlation with the US stock market.Bitcoin/Gold vs. US stock market cap-to-GDP ratio. Source: Mike McGlone“What's $13 trillion? The 2025 peak-to-trough drop in US stock market capitalization -- almost 50% of GDP,” he wrote, adding:“The Bitcoin/gold cross has same-chart symptoms with market cap-to-GDP.“Bounces should be expected in bear markets,” he added, implying that while short-term relief rallies are possible, the prevailing trend for both Bitcoin and equities may remain downward for now.That is in contrast to the ongoing decoupling narrative between Bitcoin and the US stocks.BTC vs gold breakdowns are historically bearishWeakness in the BTC/XAU pair is not just a relative signal; it often foreshadows absolute declines in Bitcoin’s price.This trend was clearly visible during the 2021–2022 cycle. After BTC/XAU broke below its 50-EMA in late 2021, Bitcoin’s price in USD followed suit, entering a prolonged bear market that saw prices fall from over $42,000 to below $17,000.BTC/XAU vs. BTC/USD two-week price performance chart. Source: TradingViewThe pattern also repeated in earlier cycles, namely the 2019-2020 and 2018-2019 periods. Each time, Bitcoin either bottomed out near its 200-week EMA or declined further below it to establish a cycle low, as shown below.BTC/USD weekly price chart. Source: TradingViewIf the historical correlation between BTC/XAU and BTC/USD holds true in the current cycle, Bitcoin faces an elevated risk of declining toward its 200-week EMA by year’s end, which currently sits near $50,950.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.Bitcoin’s (BTC) value relative to Gold (XAU) may be poised for a steep 35% drop, as it mirrors historical bear market signals and reacts to massive turbulence that has wiped out $13 trillion from the US stock market.Bitcoin’s break below key gold support signals further selloffsAs of April 22, the BTC/XAU ratio had closed below its 50-period exponential moving average (50-period EMA; the red wave) on the two-week chart for the first time since April 2022.BTC/XAU two-week performance chart. Source: TradingViewHistorically, a decisive close below the 50-period EMA has led to an extended downtrend toward the 200-period EMA (the blue wave).In both 2021 and 2022, for instance, BTC/XAU experienced an initial bounce after testing the 50-EMA, only to eventually break below it and decline toward the 200-EMA, as shown above.This pattern is now repeating in 2025 after two recent tests of the 50-EMA support level in 2024 and 2025. BTC/XAU is breaking lower, suggesting that a move toward the 200-EMA may be underway, representing an approximately 35% drop.Mike McGlone, the senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, offers a similar downside outlook for the Bitcoin-to-Gold ratio, citing its extremely positive correlation with the US stock market.Bitcoin/Gold vs. US stock market cap-to-GDP ratio. Source: Mike McGlone“What's $13 trillion? The 2025 peak-to-trough drop in US stock market capitalization -- almost 50% of GDP,” he wrote, adding:“The Bitcoin/gold cross has same-chart symptoms with market cap-to-GDP.“Bounces should be expected in bear markets,” he added, implying that while short-term relief rallies are possible, the prevailing trend for both Bitcoin and equities may remain downward for now.Related: Bitcoin longs cut $106M — Are Bitfinex BTC whales turning bearish above $86K?That is in contrast to the ongoing ‘decoupling’ narrative between Bitcoin and the US stocks.BTC/XAU breakdowns are historically bearish for BTC/USDWeakness in the BTC/XAU pair is not just a relative signal; it often foreshadows absolute declines in Bitcoin’s price.This trend was clearly visible during the 2021–2022 cycle. After BTC/XAU broke below its 50-EMA in late 2021, Bitcoin’s price in USD followed suit, entering a prolonged bear market that saw prices fall from over $42,000 to below $17,000.BTC/XAU vs. BTC/USD two-week price performance chart. Source: TradingViewThe pattern repeated in earlier cycles as well, namely the 2019-2020 and 2019-2019 periods. Each time, Bitcoin either bottomed out near its 200-week EMA or declined further below it to establish a cycle low, as shown below.BTC/USD weekly price chart. Source: TradingViewIf the historical correlation between BTC/XAU and BTC/USD holds true in the current cycle, Bitcoin faces an elevated risk of declining toward its 200-week EMA by year’s end, which currently sits near $50,950.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.Bitcoin’s (BTC) value relative to Gold (XAU) may be poised for a steep 35% drop, as it mirrors historical bear market signals and reacts to massive turbulence that has wiped out $13 trillion from the US stock market.Bitcoin’s break below key gold support signals further selloffsAs of April 22, the BTC/XAU ratio had closed below its 50-period exponential moving average (50-period EMA; the red wave) on the two-week chart for the first time since April 2022.BTC/XAU two-week performance chart. Source: TradingViewHistorically, a decisive close below the 50-period EMA has led to an extended downtrend toward the 200-period EMA (the blue wave).In both 2021 and 2022, for instance, BTC/XAU experienced an initial bounce after testing the 50-EMA, only to eventually break below it and decline toward the 200-EMA, as shown above.This pattern is now repeating in 2025 after two recent tests of the 50-EMA support level in 2024 and 2025. BTC/XAU is breaking lower, suggesting that a move toward the 200-EMA may be underway, representing an approximately 35% drop.Mike McGlone, the senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, offers a similar downside outlook for the Bitcoin-to-Gold ratio, citing its extremely positive correlation with the US stock market.Bitcoin/Gold vs. US stock market cap-to-GDP ratio. Source: Mike McGlone“What's $13 trillion? The 2025 peak-to-trough drop in US stock market capitalization -- almost 50% of GDP,” he wrote, adding:“The Bitcoin/gold cross has same-chart symptoms with market cap-to-GDP.“Bounces should be expected in bear markets,” he added, implying that while short-term relief rallies are possible, the prevailing trend for both Bitcoin and equities may remain downward for now.Related: Bitcoin longs cut $106M — Are Bitfinex BTC whales turning bearish above $86K?That is in contrast to the ongoing ‘decoupling’ narrative between Bitcoin and the US stocks.BTC/XAU breakdowns are historically bearish for BTC/USDWeakness in the BTC/XAU pair is not just a relative signal; it often foreshadows absolute declines in Bitcoin’s price.This trend was clearly visible during the 2021–2022 cycle. After BTC/XAU broke below its 50-EMA in late 2021, Bitcoin’s price in USD followed suit, entering a prolonged bear market that saw prices fall from over $42,000 to below $17,000.BTC/XAU vs. BTC/USD two-week price performance chart. Source: TradingViewThe pattern repeated in earlier cycles as well, namely the 2019-2020 and 2019-2019 periods. Each time, Bitcoin either bottomed out near its 200-week EMA or declined further below it to establish a cycle low, as shown below.BTC/USD weekly price chart. Source: TradingViewIf the historical correlation between BTC/XAU and BTC/USD holds true in the current cycle, Bitcoin faces an elevated risk of declining toward its 200-week EMA by year’s end, which currently sits near $50,950.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.Bitcoin’s (BTC) value relative to Gold (XAU) may be poised for a steep 35% drop, as it mirrors historical bear market signals and reacts to massive turbulence that has wiped out $13 trillion from the US stock market.Bitcoin’s break below key gold support signals further selloffsAs of April 22, the BTC/XAU ratio had closed below its 50-period exponential moving average (50-period EMA; the red wave) on the two-week chart for the first time since April 2022.BTC/XAU two-week performance chart. Source: TradingViewHistorically, a decisive close below the 50-period EMA has led to an extended downtrend toward the 200-period EMA (the blue wave).In both 2021 and 2022, for instance, BTC/XAU experienced an initial bounce after testing the 50-EMA, only to eventually break below it and decline toward the 200-EMA, as shown above.This pattern is now repeating in 2025 after two recent tests of the 50-EMA support level in 2024 and 2025. BTC/XAU is breaking lower, suggesting that a move toward the 200-EMA may be underway, representing an approximately 35% drop.Mike McGlone, the senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, offers a similar downside outlook for the Bitcoin-to-Gold ratio, citing its extremely positive correlation with the US stock market.Bitcoin/Gold vs. US stock market cap-to-GDP ratio. Source: Mike McGlone“What's $13 trillion? The 2025 peak-to-trough drop in US stock market capitalization -- almost 50% of GDP,” he wrote, adding:“The Bitcoin/gold cross has same-chart symptoms with market cap-to-GDP.“Bounces should be expected in bear markets,” he added, implying that while short-term relief rallies are possible, the prevailing trend for both Bitcoin and equities may remain downward for now.Related: Bitcoin longs cut $106M — Are Bitfinex BTC whales turning bearish above $86K?That is in contrast to the ongoing ‘decoupling’ narrative between Bitcoin and the US stocks.BTC/XAU breakdowns are historically bearish for BTC/USDWeakness in the BTC/XAU pair is not just a relative signal; it often foreshadows absolute declines in Bitcoin’s price.This trend was clearly visible during the 2021–2022 cycle. After BTC/XAU broke below its 50-EMA in late 2021, Bitcoin’s price in USD followed suit, entering a prolonged bear market that saw prices fall from over $42,000 to below $17,000.BTC/XAU vs. BTC/USD two-week price performance chart. Source: TradingViewThe pattern repeated in earlier cycles as well, namely the 2019-2020 and 2019-2019 periods. Each time, Bitcoin either bottomed out near its 200-week EMA or declined further below it to establish a cycle low, as shown below.BTC/USD weekly price chart. Source: TradingViewIf the historical correlation between BTC/XAU and BTC/USD holds true in the current cycle, Bitcoin faces an elevated risk of declining toward its 200-week EMA by year’s end, which currently sits near $50,950.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.Bitcoin’s (BTC) value relative to Gold (XAU) may be poised for a steep 35% drop, as it mirrors historical bear market signals and reacts to massive turbulence that has wiped out $13 trillion from the US stock market.Bitcoin’s break below key gold support signals further selloffsAs of April 22, the BTC/XAU ratio had closed below its 50-period exponential moving average (50-period EMA; the red wave) on the two-week chart for the first time since April 2022.BTC/XAU two-week performance chart. Source: TradingViewHistorically, a decisive close below the 50-period EMA has led to an extended downtrend toward the 200-period EMA (the blue wave).In both 2021 and 2022, for instance, BTC/XAU experienced an initial bounce after testing the 50-EMA, only to eventually break below it and decline toward the 200-EMA, as shown above.This pattern is now repeating in 2025 after two recent tests of the 50-EMA support level in 2024 and 2025. BTC/XAU is breaking lower, suggesting that a move toward the 200-EMA may be underway, representing an approximately 35% drop.Mike McGlone, the senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, offers a similar downside outlook for the Bitcoin-to-Gold ratio, citing its extremely positive correlation with the US stock market.Bitcoin/Gold vs. US stock market cap-to-GDP ratio. Source: Mike McGlone“What's $13 trillion? The 2025 peak-to-trough drop in US stock market capitalization -- almost 50% of GDP,” he wrote, adding:“The Bitcoin/gold cross has same-chart symptoms with market cap-to-GDP.“Bounces should be expected in bear markets,” he added, implying that while short-term relief rallies are possible, the prevailing trend for both Bitcoin and equities may remain downward for now.Related: Bitcoin longs cut $106M — Are Bitfinex BTC whales turning bearish above $86K?That is in contrast to the ongoing ‘decoupling’ narrative between Bitcoin and the US stocks.BTC/XAU breakdowns are historically bearish for BTC/USDWeakness in the BTC/XAU pair is not just a relative signal; it often foreshadows absolute declines in Bitcoin’s price.This trend was clearly visible during the 2021–2022 cycle. After BTC/XAU broke below its 50-EMA in late 2021, Bitcoin’s price in USD followed suit, entering a prolonged bear market that saw prices fall from over $42,000 to below $17,000.BTC/XAU vs. BTC/USD two-week price performance chart. Source: TradingViewThe pattern repeated in earlier cycles as well, namely the 2019-2020 and 2019-2019 periods. Each time, Bitcoin either bottomed out near its 200-week EMA or declined further below it to establish a cycle low, as shown below.BTC/USD weekly price chart. Source: TradingViewIf the historical correlation between BTC/XAU and BTC/USD holds true in the current cycle, Bitcoin faces an elevated risk of declining toward its 200-week EMA by year’s end, which currently sits near $50,950.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.Bitcoin’s (BTC) value relative to Gold (XAU) may be poised for a steep 35% drop, as it mirrors historical bear market signals and reacts to massive turbulence that has wiped out $13 trillion from the US stock market.Bitcoin’s break below key gold support signals further selloffsAs of April 22, the BTC/XAU ratio had closed below its 50-period exponential moving average (50-period EMA; the red wave) on the two-week chart for the first time since April 2022.BTC/XAU two-week performance chart. Source: TradingViewHistorically, a decisive close below the 50-period EMA has led to an extended downtrend toward the 200-period EMA (the blue wave).In both 2021 and 2022, for instance, BTC/XAU experienced an initial bounce after testing the 50-EMA, only to eventually break below it and decline toward the 200-EMA, as shown above.This pattern is now repeating in 2025 after two recent tests of the 50-EMA support level in 2024 and 2025. BTC/XAU is breaking lower, suggesting that a move toward the 200-EMA may be underway, representing an approximately 35% drop.Mike McGlone, the senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, offers a similar downside outlook for the Bitcoin-to-Gold ratio, citing its extremely positive correlation with the US stock market.Bitcoin/Gold vs. US stock market cap-to-GDP ratio. Source: Mike McGlone“What's $13 trillion? The 2025 peak-to-trough drop in US stock market capitalization -- almost 50% of GDP,” he wrote, adding:“The Bitcoin/gold cross has same-chart symptoms with market cap-to-GDP.“Bounces should be expected in bear markets,” he added, implying that while short-term relief rallies are possible, the prevailing trend for both Bitcoin and equities may remain downward for now.Related: Bitcoin longs cut $106M — Are Bitfinex BTC whales turning bearish above $86K?That is in contrast to the ongoing ‘decoupling’ narrative between Bitcoin and the US stocks.BTC/XAU breakdowns are historically bearish for BTC/USDWeakness in the BTC/XAU pair is not just a relative signal; it often foreshadows absolute declines in Bitcoin’s price.This trend was clearly visible during the 2021–2022 cycle. After BTC/XAU broke below its 50-EMA in late 2021, Bitcoin’s price in USD followed suit, entering a prolonged bear market that saw prices fall from over $42,000 to below $17,000.BTC/XAU vs. BTC/USD two-week price performance chart. Source: TradingViewThe pattern repeated in earlier cycles as well, namely the 2019-2020 and 2019-2019 periods. Each time, Bitcoin either bottomed out near its 200-week EMA or declined further below it to establish a cycle low, as shown below.BTC/USD weekly price chart. Source: TradingViewIf the historical correlation between BTC/XAU and BTC/USD holds true in the current cycle, Bitcoin faces an elevated risk of declining toward its 200-week EMA by year’s end, which currently sits near $50,950.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 William Suberg on April 22, 2025 at 3:19 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) hit six-week highs on April 22 as US trade war tensions emboldened crypto bulls.BTC/USD 1-hour chart with 200SMA. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewBitcoin lines up resistance flips around $90,000Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD above $91,000 after the Wall Street open — its highest since March 7.Bitcoin and gold benefited from increasing market nerves over how China, Japan and others would respond to US trade tariffs.XAU/USD set fresh all-time highs on the day, while BTC/USD faced a key bull market support trend line that has been acting as resistance since early March.BTC/USD 1-day chart with 200SMA. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewFor traders, the 200-day simple moving average (SMA) at $88,370 thus became the level to flip back to support on daily timeframes.“Closing in on the big $90K-$91K horizontal area which acted as the previous range low,” popular trader Daan Crypto Trades wrote in part of ongoing analysis on X. An accompanying chart showed the need to crack the area around $93,000 — Bitcoin’s yearly open — to confirm the moving average reclaim. BTC/USDT perpetual contract 1-day chart. Source: Daan Crypto Trades/XContinuing, Keith Alan, co-founder of trading resource Material Indicators, had similar views.“If history has taught us anything, it's important to watch for fake outs and confirmations,” he noted. “IMO, confirmation of the trend reversal will come when BTC reclaims the Yearly Open. That move will put price on a trajectory to unwind the key moving averages and deliver a series of Golden Crosses in the days and weeks ahead.”BTC/USD 1-day chart. Source: Keith Alan/XBTC price rebound skepticism remainsFellow trader Roman, meanwhile, was among those staying cautious on the validity of a short-term BTC price swing.Related: US dollar goes 'no-bid' — 5 things to know in Bitcoin this week“Price now retesting prior support as resistance for now. A breakout above 93k would be great for bulls, however, I’m unsure if we get it,” he told X followers about the weekly chart. “Wait for weekly close before you make assumptions or get excited. We’ve seen so many fakeouts before. 5 days left!”BTC/USD 1-week chart with 200SMA. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewAlso unsure that the move would last was popular analytics resource Ecoinometrics, which acknowledged that Bitcoin ultimately lost out when the Nasdaq 100 index was below its own 200-day SMA.“Bitcoin is climbing. The NASDAQ is sliding. That kind of divergence doesn’t usually last,” it summarized on the day. “Historically, when the NASDAQ’s 200-day moving average trend is down, Bitcoin runs into macro headwinds.”BTC/USD vs. Nasdaq 100 chart. Source: Ecoinometrics/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 Max Moeller on April 22, 2025 at 3:10 pm

What is Crocodilus malware? Crocodilus is the latest in a string of Android crypto malware built to steal your cryptoassets.Crocodilus is a sophisticated piece of malware that steals digital assets from Android devices. Named after crocodile references scattered throughout its code, Crocodilus targets Android 13 devices or later. The Android wallet malware utilizes overlays, remote access and social engineering to take over your device and drain your crypto wallet. Fraud prevention firm Threat Fabric discovered Crocodilus malware in March 2025 and published detailed research on the new virus. As of April 2025, users in Spain and Turkey are the primary targets. Threat Fabric predicts Crocodilus will expand globally in the coming months. How Crocodilus infects Android devices Crocodilus’ primary method of infection is still unknown, but it likely follows a path similar to other malware.What sets Crocodilus apart from typical crypto wallet malware is how deeply it integrates with your device. It does more than just trick you via social engineering. It takes complete control of your Android.While the leading cause of infection is unknown, malware like this often appears in a few ways:Fake apps: Crocodilus may disguise itself as a legitimate cryptocurrency-related app on the Google Play Store or on third-party app-hosting sites. Threat Fabric says the malware can bypass the Google Play Store’s safety scanners.SMS promotions: SMS scams are increasingly common. If you receive a random text with a suspicious link, don’t click on it. It may redirect you to a page that downloads malware.Malicious advertising: Infected ads run rampant on adult or software piracy websites. Each ad is strategically placed to make you accidentally tap, and it only takes one tap to download malware.  Phishing attempts: Some malware campaigns send malicious phishing emails that impersonate cryptocurrency exchanges. Double-check the sender’s e-mail address to verify its legitimacy.Once Crocodilus infects your device, the malware will request accessibility service permissions. Accepting these permissions connects Crocodilus to its command-and-control (C2) server, where attackers can display screen overlays, track keystrokes or activate remote access to control your device.However, the malware’s main identifying trait is its wallet backup trick. If you log into your cryptocurrency wallet app using a password or PIN, Crocodilus displays a fake overlay. It reads: “Back up your wallet key in the settings within 12 hours. Otherwise, the app will be reset, and you may lose access to your wallet.” If you click “continue,” Crocodilus prompts you to type in your seed phrase. The malware tracks your inputs via its keylogger. Then, the attackers have everything they need to steal your assets.Crocodilus’ fake overlay imitates legitimate wallet software. Its “continue” button is easy to press without thinking, but know that a recognizable wallet app would never urge you to back up your wallet in this way. If you see this overlay, uninstall the app and consider a clean install of your device.Unfortunately, keylogging is just the start. Crocodilus circumvents two-factor authentication (2FA) processes via its screen recorder, capturing verification codes from apps like Google Authenticator and sending them to C2.  Worst of all, Crocodilus displays a black overlay and mutes your device’s audio to cover up its activities. It pretends your phone is locked while silently stealing your assets in the background. The malware can conduct 45 commands in total, including:SMS takeover: Crocodilus can retrieve your text messages, text your contacts list, and even make itself your default SMS app.Remote access: The malware takes complete control of your device, allowing it to open apps, activate your camera or start your screen recorder.Modify text: While Crocodilus tricks you into inputting your wallet information, it can alter or generate text to help C2 access your private apps using data it finds on your device.Did you know? Stealthy malware threats to crypto wallets are common. Zero-click attacks — malware that infects your device without any input from you — are another form of crypto malware in 2025. What if you’ve fallen victim to a Crocodilus attack? Falling victim to Crocodilus requires immediate action.If you’ve fallen victim to the Android Trojan Crocodilus, immediately follow these crypto wallet protection tips:Isolate your device: Disconnect your device from Wi-Fi or data and turn it off. Remove the battery if possible.Recover your assets: You should have your wallet’s seed phrase stored in a safe, physical location. Use it to recover your wallet to an uncompromised device.Get rid of your infected device: Unfortunately, using your infected device is a massive risk. Factory resetting it might not get rid of the malware. Moving to another device is your safest option.Report the threat: If you downloaded a malicious app, such as one from the Google Play Store, report it to the relevant parties.Did you know? If you lose your cryptoassets, there’s no getting them back. Some may consider this one of the downsides to decentralization — a lack of a central authority to monitor and insure theft. How to check for a Crocodilus attack Regular checks go a long way toward protecting your cryptocurrencies. Learn how to detect crypto malware.While Crocodilus manipulates your device in secret, there are some telltale signs of infection to watch out for. Here’s how to protect crypto on Android if you’re suspicious of a Crocodilus attack:Suspicious app activity: Check your device activity tracker. An unaccounted-for uptick in cryptocurrency or banking apps may be cause for concern.Check app permissions: Regularly review the app permissions you've allowed, especially those that request accessibility permissions. Increased battery drain: A small but significant sign of infection is increased battery drain. If your battery drains faster than usual, your phone may be running malware in the background. Data usage spikes: Crocodilus continually transmits data to its C2 server. Monitor your data usage and be aware of any sudden increases. This is one of the most apparent signs your wallet app is compromised. How to prevent a Crocodilus hack Prevention is the best form of protection.According to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, an estimated $51 billion in cryptocurrencies was stolen via crypto hacks in 2024. The group expects this number to increase in 2025 and beyond. Cybersecurity is more important than ever as we continue to move toward decentralized digital finance.While it’s impossible to remain 100% safe from cyberthreats, consider adopting the following behaviors to protect yourself. Crypto wallet security in 2025 is more important than ever:Browse safely: Avoid suspicious websites that exist to trap users into downloading Crocodilus and other malware stealing crypto keys.Use a hardware wallet: As of April 2025, Crocodilus targets Android devices, specifically. Keeping your cryptocurrencies in a hardware wallet limits the malware’s reach.  Triple-check app downloads: Don’t side-load applications from unsafe websites. Make sure to triple-check apps on the Google Play Store and only download those you’re sure are official.Check official sources: Follow reputable cybersecurity websites, subreddits and other spaces to stay current on Crocodilus protection methods.Finally, be wary of unexpected backup prompts and monitor app behavior for suspicious activity.

by Cointelegraph by Ahmad Shadid on April 22, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Opinion by: Ahmad Shadid, CEO of O.xyzThe DeepSeek saga made it abundantly clear that cheaper AI models can offer breakthrough advantages. DeepSeek challenges traditional investments with low-cost, high-performance technology. Yet its rise brings serious risks. The most concerning aspects of such models are data privacy and security issues. The fact that such advanced models can be developed at a fraction of the standard expense does boost innovation and investment prospects, but at what cost?Cost-cutting AI models can create dangerous vulnerabilities, even if they democratize AI development. A recent Cisco study found that DeepSeek’s R1 model had a 100% attack success rate. In simple terms, the model failed to block a single harmful prompt. Why does security take a backseat during such innovation?DeepSeek sparks AI frenzy in China DeepSeek developers claim that its R1 chatbot costs a fraction of what rivals like OpenAI spend. Industry voices labeled this as the biggest AI chatbot story since November 2022. Microsoft and Amazon Web Services moved quickly to support DeepSeek. This progress comes with risks. DeepSeek’s AI model stores user data on servers in China. Chinese law forces companies to share data with state agencies. This policy may allow the Chinese government to harvest US consumer data.OpenAI raised concerns over DeepSeek in a letter to the US government. The 15-page letter highlighted that DeepSeek’s advancements, particularly with its R1 model, are narrowing the US lead in AI. From a financial viewpoint, DeepSeek’s announcement triggered a global panic. Tech stocks dropped sharply. Nvidia, a leader in chip manufacturing, lost nearly 17% in a single day. Investors reevaluated the cost and competitiveness of the AI industry. The loss in market value reached hundreds of billions of dollars. As risk sentiment spread, the shockwaves moved quickly into other sectors like crypto. The fast and hasty reaction itself is a critical concern. If AI developers want to cash in on this low-cost development trend, we might see more models like DeepSeek emerge that sacrifice user privacy for the sake of rapid deployment. The spillover effects on cryptoThe DeepSeek saga revealed a more concerning trend for the crypto industry. Cryptocurrencies have grown closely linked with tech stocks. When DeepSeek hit the headlines, the crypto market was not spared. Bitcoin (BTC), the most prominent digital asset, fell below $100,000. Analysts also noted that Bitcoin’s six‐month rolling correlation with the Nasdaq Composite rose to about 0.5. This indicates that risk assets like Bitcoin follow suit when tech stocks falter. So, future developments that damage the mainstream tech market can also take a toll on the crypto market. Critics, including Jean Rausis of Smardex, maintain that DeepSeek’s technology “has nothing to do with Bitcoin” on a fundamental level. The prevailing market fear, however, meant that any shock in the tech sector transmitted quickly to the crypto market. Many Bitcoin miners had moved into AI data center operations and saw shares decline by 13%–18%. This drop added to the overall uncertainty in the market.Another concern is the increasing avenue of scams. Several DeepSeek-themed or even fake AI-themed tokens emerged and captured investors’ attention. New investors would know very little about trading on decentralized exchanges and identifying pump-and-dump or rug-pull schemes. Security risks that can’t be ignored Security researchers pointed out that the DeepSeek R1 iOS app uses outdated encryption. Such flaws expose users to the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches. This cost-cutting can leave the system vulnerable to manipulation and misuse. The possibility that a low-cost AI model might serve foreign state interests casts a long shadow over its adoption.Recent: OpenAI expects to 3X revenue in 2025 but Chinese AI firms are heating upSecurity risks of this nature require urgent attention from companies and regulators alike. US officials worry about the storage of sensitive consumer data on Chinese servers. Regulators may impose stricter data protection standards to safeguard market confidence. Industry experts also debate the long-term influence of DeepSeek. Some argue that its cost-efficiency could push the entire AI sector forward. They see lower training costs as an opportunity to drive innovation and increase competition. This could lead to broader adoption of AI tools and lower costs. Yet the security shortcomings remain unresolved. The risk that cheaper models expose users to data breaches and cyberattacks overshadows potential benefits.What’s ahead? As regulators and industry leaders step in to examine these issues, the future of AI depends on how well we manage these security risks. We must demand higher standards for data protection, even as we push for innovation. DeepSeek’s case reminds us that breakthroughs in efficiency must come with strong safeguards. The choices made now will shape the future of AI and consumer data protection. The debate over cheaper, faster but riskier technology is far from over and will continue to influence the tech and crypto space for years to come.Opinion by: Ahmad Shadid, CEO of O.xyz. 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 Amin Haqshanas on April 22, 2025 at 1:56 pm

Bitcoin mining firm Bitdeer secured $60 million in loans to ramp up its Bitcoin ASIC manufacturing efforts as global mining competition intensifies amid record-breaking network hashrates.According to its annual report, Bitdeer entered a loan agreement in April with affiliate firm Matrixport, a crypto financial services company founded by Bitdeer’s chairman, Jihan Wu.The facility offers up to $200 million, backed by Bitdeer’s Sealminer hardware, with a floating interest rate of 9% plus market benchmarks. As of April 21, Bitdeer had drawn $43 million from the credit line.Source: Bitdeer’s Annual ReportThe latest funding adds to a $17 million unsecured loan obtained in January, alongside previous capital raises totaling $572.5 million via convertible notes in 2024. Bitdeer also issued over six million shares, raising nearly $119 million in equity markets this year.Related: Top Bitcoin miners produced nearly $800M of BTC in Q1 2025Bitdeer acquires 101 MW Alberta power projectIn February 2025, Bitdeer acquired a fully licensed 101 megawatt (MW) gas-fired power project near Fox Creek, Alberta, for $21.7 million in cash, per the annual filing.The site, with potential to scale up to 1 gigawatt, includes all necessary permits for construction and a 99 MW grid connection. The power plant is set to be developed with an EPC partner and is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2026.In March, the company also purchased 40 MW worth of liquid-cooled mining containers from Saiheat.More recently, it was reported that Bitdeer is expanding its self-mining operations and investing in United States-based production. The shift came in response to cooling demand for its mining hardware from other miners.“Our plan going forward is to prioritize our own self-mining,” Jeff LaBerge, Bitdeer’s head of capital markets and strategic initiatives, reportedly said. Additionally, on Feb. 28, 2025, Bitdeer launched a $20 million share repurchase program, effective through February 2026. To date, it has repurchased 1,056,500 Class A shares valued at about $12 million under this program.Related: American Bitcoin’s ambition is to dominate mining — Hut 8 CEOBitcoin hashrate surges while miner revenues shrinkBitdeer’s expansion comes as Bitcoin’s network computing power hit a record 1 sextillion hashes per second in early April, according to BitInfoCharts.Bitcoin hashrate. Source: BitInfoChartsA higher hashrate indicates that more miners (or more powerful machines) are competing to solve Bitcoin blocks. As competition rises, each individual miner’s chance of earning block rewards decreases, implying declining profitability.Further hurting miner revenue are low transaction fees. As of now, the average Bitcoin transaction fee hovers around $1, down from over $16 per transfer in April last year, according to YCharts.The low transaction fees and rising hashrate forced public miners to sell over 40% of their BTC production in March — the highest since late 2024.Firms like Hive, Bitfarms and Ionic Digital reportedly sold more than 100% of their monthly output.Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest, April 13 – 19

by Cointelegraph by Helen Partz on April 22, 2025 at 1:46 pm

Mantra founder and CEO John Mullin has begun an $80 million burn of OM tokens to regain users’ trust following the token’s crash earlier in April. However, the question of the underlying reasons for the crash remains unanswered, blockchain investigators told Cointelegraph.Unpacking Mantra’s OM crash would require a detailed forensic study rather than just basic blockchain analysis, said Natalie Newson, senior blockchain investigator at the blockchain security firm CertiK.“A full forensic investigation, akin to what we saw post-FTX, would be needed to substantiate claims of calculated exploitation,” Newson told Cointelegraph, highlighting challenges of tracing over-the-counter (OTC) transactions.Newson’s perspective on the OM crash came days after Mantra released its post-crash statement, asking centralized exchange partners to collaborate on further unpacking the incident.Onchain activity versus opaque OTC dealsAddressing the OM token crash, Newson stressed the importance of distinguishing between public onchain activity and the “more opaque nature of OTC deals.”Mantra CEO Mullin disclosed in an interview with Coffeezilla on April 15 that the Mantra team had “done a small amount of OTCs,” up to $30 million of OM tokens.Mantra’s founder and CEO, John Mullin, in an interview with Coffeezilla. Source: YouTubeUnlike traceable transactions on centralized exchanges, OTC crypto transfers involve a method of buying and selling cryptocurrencies outside of exchanges, designed to enable deep liquidity and big trades while mitigating the volatility of prices.“In this case, the accumulation of approximately 100 million OM by a whale appears to have been the result of secondary market transactions — not necessarily direct activity from Mantra insiders,” Newson said.Analysis by Arkham or Nansen is not enoughAs previously mentioned, Mullin denied allegations that the OM crash resulted from an insider token dump, claiming that blockchain analytics platform Arkham had “mislabelled” some wallets.Newson said that data from Arkham and similar platforms like Nansen would be insufficient to confirm or deny insider involvement.“To confirm coordinated insider behavior, it would likely require more than just basic wallet tracing on platforms like Arkham or Nansen,” Newson said, adding:“Blockchain analytics tools can provide directional clues, but without access to offchain agreements and centralized exchange records, drawing definitive conclusions would be difficult.”Newson is not alone in highlighting the complicated nature of tracing transactions in the OM token crash.Related: Mantra OM token crash exposes ‘critical’ liquidity issues in crypto“There are ways to get data from the node, but it does not seem to be easy to get a full history,” Whale Alert’s co-founder Frank Weert told Cointelegraph.Mullin previously said that the team had been considering hiring a forensic auditor following the OM crash but had made no decision as of April 16.Arkham did not respond to multiple Cointelegraph inquiries to comment on the Mantra incident.Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest, April 13 – 19

by Cointelegraph by Nancy Lubale on April 22, 2025 at 1:45 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) rallied above $89,000 on April 22, its highest level since early March, buoyed by strong spot demand during US trading hours on April 21. The recovery, however, faced a serious challenge in breaking above $90,000 as sell-side liquidity blocked the way.BTC/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewBitcoin price faces stiff resistance on the upsideData from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView shows that the price has been steadily moving toward the $89,000 level over the last six hours, leading to questions about whether the barrier at $90,00 will finally give in.BTC/USD hourly chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView“BTC is closing in on the big $ 90 K-$91 K horizontal area which acted as the previous range low,” said popular trader Daan Crypto Trades in an April 22 post on X. The trader explained that the price had swept the $89,000 level as it was consolidating below it. Note that the 200-day simple moving average (SMA) is currently located just above this level, reinforcing its significance.Daan Crypto Trades said that the price needs to overcome these barriers in order to confirm a breakout. “Quite a few resistances close by, but a few percentage moves and you'll break through all of them, and the chart looks pretty great. Bulls know what to do.”BTC/USD daily chart. Source: Daan Crypto TradesBitcoin price breaking $91-$92K is key — AnalystMeanwhile, CryptoQuant’s head of Research, Julio Moreno, said that the traders’ onchain realized price between $91,000 and $92,000 is the real test for Bitcoin bulls. Related: Bitcoin risks 10%-15% BTC price dip after key rejection near $89KAccording to Moreno, the traders’ realized price usually acts as resistance when the crypto market is bearish, which is the current situation of Bitcoin.Source: Julio MorenoThis 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 Amin Haqshanas on April 22, 2025 at 1:21 pm

Organized crime groups across Southeast Asia have scaled their operations by exploiting cryptocurrency and launching their own coins, exchanges and blockchain networks to launder billions of dollars, according to a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).The report said criminal syndicates are no longer just using existing crypto infrastructure. Instead, they are actively building tailored financial ecosystems to evade detection.One example cited in the report is the Chinese-language ecosystem and marketplace known as Huione Guarantee, now rebranded as Haowang, which has processed more than $24 billion in crypto linked to fraud over the past four years.Value of crypto funds received by Huione Guarantee continues to rise. Source: UNODCHeadquartered in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the platform has grown to more than 970,000 users and thousands of interconnected vendors.“Concerningly, Huione has recently launched a range of its own cryptocurrency-related products, including a cryptocurrency exchange and trading application, online gambling platform, blockchain network, and US dollar-backed stablecoin designed to circumvent government controls,” the report stated.Related: CFTC partners up to warn on crypto pig butchering scamsSoutheast Asia emerges as crypto crime hubThe UNODC warned that scam centers in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos have industrialized cybercrime, combining blockchain, artificial intelligence and stablecoins to fuel operations.These centers run complex fraud schemes, including phishing, investment scams and “pig butchering,” generating billions annually, per the report. Some of the largest pig butchering syndicates are reportedly clustered around the region, according to Cointelegraph Magazine.Over the past year, several raids have led to the arrests of hundreds of people, including Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai and Vietnamese nationals found at suspected cyber-enabled fraud operations.In October 2024, Hong Kong police busted a scam center and arrested 27 people they accused of using AI deepfakes to carry out a crypto romance investment scam that defrauded victims of more than $46 million.Likewise, in December 2024, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency arrested 792 people in a raid on a building in the country’s largest city that it claimed was a hub for a massive crypto romance scam operation.Locations of reported scam centers in Mekong. Source: UNODCRelated: Coinbase users hit by $46M in suspected phishing scamsCustom stablecoins and exchanges evade oversightThe UN report highlights that syndicates are issuing their own stablecoins and creating private exchanges to bypass global financial regulations, which allows criminals to move funds seamlessly across borders without relying on mainstream platforms subject to Anti-Money Laundering controls.Huione Guarantee has launched a suite of crypto-related products, which also includes a cryptocurrency exchange, a blockchain network (Xone Chain) and an online gambling platform. The group also announced the launch of a Huione Visa card in February 2025.While Southeast Asia remains the epicenter, UNODC noted that these crypto-fueled operations are expanding into Africa, South America and the Pacific.“The growing global impact of expanding Asian money laundering and underground banking networks cannot be understated,” the report stated, urging governments to close loopholes.Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered

by Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai on April 22, 2025 at 12:57 pm

Cryptocurrency firms and exchanges are increasingly moving into Wall Street territory, launching more traditional investment offerings and showcasing the increasing connection between crypto and traditional finance (TradFi).“There’s a growing synergy between traditional financial investments and the emerging crypto space,” according to Gracy Chen, the CEO of Bitget, the world’s sixth-largest crypto exchange.“Crypto players are now checking out traditional finance as they see the opportunity to bridge it,” Chen told Cointelegraph.“The lines are blurring — investors want flexibility, and products that can straddle both worlds are naturally attractive,” Chen said. “Some players see TradFi as a safety net; others, like Bitget, see it as a launchpad for broader adoption.” She added:“In a volatile market, integration is smarter than isolation.”Related: Trump’s tariff escalation exposes ‘deeper fractures’ in global financial systemChen’s comments come a week after crypto exchange Kraken launched access to 11,000 US-listed stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as the first part of a global expansion into TradFi offerings, Cointelegraph reported on April 14.Kraken’s expansion into traditional stock offerings was announced a week after the S&P 500’s record-breaking two-day loss of over $5 trillion, triggered by US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal import tariffs announcement on April 2.Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong echoed a similar vision. During the company’s latest earnings call, Armstrong said Coinbase aims to help modernize the global financial system and bring more of the world’s GDP onto crypto rails.“We think that’s a more efficient, fair, free world that will accelerate progress, and it creates economic freedom,” he said during Coinbase’s latest earnings call.Related: 70% chance of crypto bottoming before June amid trade fears: NansenCrypto and TradFi relationship is “inherently symbiotic” The relationship between “digital assets and more traditional assets is inherently symbiotic,” a spokesperson for Coinbase, the world’s third-largest crypto exchange, told Cointelegraph, adding:“Core to our mission to enable economic freedom by onboarding one billion users to crypto, is supporting more of ‘traditional finance’ to be integrated with crypto.”“As regulatory clarity and institutional adoption increase globally, we expect more of the global GDP to be running on crypto rails,” the spokesperson added.Related: Bitcoin rally above $100K may follow US Treasury buybacks — Arthur HayesBlockchain technology brings “speed and transparency” while TradFi introduces “trust, scale and compliance,” in an “inevitable convergence,” Omri Hanover, general manager at Gems Trade cryptocurrency platform, told Cointelegraph.“Together, TradFi and crypto unlock new pathways for both retail and institutional investors, especially those seeking exposure to digital assets without navigating the full complexity of native crypto products,” he explained.Traditional investment platforms such as eToro and Robinhood have also launched cryptocurrency offerings.Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest, April 13 – 19

by Cointelegraph by Elaine Hu on April 22, 2025 at 12:17 pm

The cryptocurrency market has witnessed a surge in the adoption of automated trading solutions, with trading bots gaining prominence for their ability to analyze vast data sets and execute trades with precision.Cointelegraph has dissected historical bot revenues and token price rollercoasters and backtested strategy returns against the buy-and-hold yardstick to decode what bots shine brightest — and when — so you can pick the perfect bot to match your style and stomach for risk.We have examined three types of trading bots: Telegram bots trading on decentralized exchanges (DEX), non-Telegram bots trading on DEXs and on centralized exchanges (CEXs), and the recently evolving AI agent bots.Choosing the right trading bot depends on the user’s goals, risk tolerance and experience. At a glance:Telegram bots are ideal for fast, opportunistic trading like token launches and memecoins.AI agent bots, such as ai16z or Virtuals, suit users who want hands-off automation and are comfortable with experimental strategies.CEX bots offer the most control and are best for structured strategies like dollar-cost averaging (DCA), grid or signal-based trading.Bot trading strategies and performanceTrading bots are sophisticated automated systems that use algorithms to analyze cryptocurrency market data and autonomously execute trades on centralized exchanges or decentralized platforms. These bots typically operate continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, requiring minimal human oversight. Their core function involves the analysis of extensive amounts of real-time and historical market data, including price fluctuations, trading volumes and order book information. There are numerous potential advantages to employing AI agent trading bots. Their continuous operation ensures that no trading opportunities are missed, as they can monitor markets around the clock, accommodating global market movements. Some platforms offering these bots also provide backtesting capabilities, enabling users to evaluate the potential effectiveness of different trading strategies using historical data before deploying them with real capital.Telegram DEX bots Telegram bots operate via Telegram, leveraging its accessibility and real-time communication to execute trades directly on DEXs. They often focus on speed and sniping new tokens, appealing to users in fast-moving ecosystems like Solana. The recently launched protocols also included additional features that are often available in CEX trading bots, such as grid trading, DCA and limit orders.Telegram bots such as Maestro and Unibot first appeared around 2020–2021. In 2022, many of these bots were already offering advanced features like copy trading and arbitrage.By the end of 2023, Solana-based bots like BONKBot and Trojan Bot gained prominence for their speed in trading memecoins on DEXs. The biggest advantage of Telegram bots is their ability to trade on mobile devices without the need for a web browser extension to connect to a wallet. It hugely improves the usability of mobile trading, monitoring and integration with social networks.The top five Telegram bots by historical trading volume across all blockchains are Trojan, BonkBot, Maestro, Banana Gun and Sol Trading Bot. The majority of the trading volumes in the past 90 days happened on Solana, where all of the top five Telegram bots operate.DEX trading bot wars. Source: Dune AnalyticsThe functionalities offered by the Telegram bots are very similar, with the exception that some of them (i.e., Maestro and Banana Gun) focus on multichain operations, whereas the rest focus on Solana.The main use case for Telegram bots is to automatically identify profitable entry and exit points and execute trades quickly; it’s very difficult to track the profits or losses made by individual users from each trade. Since some of the Telegram bots, such as Banana Gun and BonkBot, offer a revenue-sharing model tied to their own tokens in the form of purchasing back their tokens with the 1% fee they charge, the token price and revenue (fees received) are used as an approximation of the performance of Telegram bots.Daily revenue in USD among Telegram bots. Source: Dune DashboardDaily revenue out of total revenue. Source: Dune DashboardLooking at the total revenue in the past six months, Trojan has received the most nominal amount in fees (around $109 million), whereas Sol Trading Bot has the highest median daily revenue when normalizing the daily revenue in terms of the total revenue.They all saw a peak around January 2025 during the memecoin season but are now facing a low-revenue period due to the broader bearish market conditions.Daily token price percentage change. Source: Dune AnalyticsThe two Telegram bots that share revenue through their tokens are Banana Gun and BonkBot. Looking at the price evolution in the past six months, the performance of the remaining parts is very similar, except for the significant rise in BONK’s price in November 2024. They both experienced significant price drops during the recent bearish market conditions.Related: The whale, the hack and the psychological earthquake that hit HEXAI agent bots AI agent trading bots are sophisticated automated systems that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyze cryptocurrency market data and autonomously execute trades.The term “agent” suggests these bots possess a degree of independence and decision-making capability that extends beyond the fixed rules of traditional automated trading systems. The most well-known AI agent frameworks that exist today are Virtuals and ai16z.Virtuals Protocol, launched in October 2024 on the Ethereum layer-2 network Base, is an AI agent generator platform designed to simplify the creation and deployment of AI agents on the blockchain. While Virtuals is not solely focused on trading, the platform enables the development of AI agents that could potentially be designed for trading purposes. For instance, Aixbt, an experimental AI agent on the platform, tracks discussions on X to identify potential market insights, suggesting a strategy that could inform trading decisions.Since Virtuals Protocol focuses on a launchpad model where agents are tokenized individually (e.g., LUNA and AIXBT) and operate across different areas such as gaming, trading and entertainment, we’ll only look into the performance of AIXBT, the token of the trading agent with the largest market capitalization on Virtuals.AIXBT price history. Source: CoinMarketCapAi16z is an AI-powered trading fund operating on the Solana blockchain. Launched in October 2024, ai16z utilizes sophisticated AI agents, powered by the Eliza framework, to autonomously analyze market data, including price movements, social media sentiment and onchain analytics, and execute trades.The fund functions as an AI investment decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), allowing holders of its native token to participate in governance by voting on key decisions and influencing trading strategies through a “virtual marketplace of trust.” AI Marc, a virtual fund manager built using the Eliza framework, oversees the fund’s trading activities. AI16Z tokens represent ownership in the fund and grant governance rights, with the agent’s actions driving token value. AI16Z price history. Source: CoinMarketCapComparing the trading volumes from these two agents, they both reached a peak in January 2025, with AI16Z reaching $501 million and AIXBT reaching $682 million. AI16Z’s price hit its peak slightly earlier than its volume high, whereas for AIXBT, the price and volume peaks coincided around the same time.AI16Z and AIXBT price and volume comparison. Source: CoinMarketCapAIXBT’s price performance is more impressive than AI16Z. At the peak, the token price was almost 4,000x the initial price in November 2024, whereas for AI16Z, this was around 111x. Even after the recent downturn and the broader market trending down, the latest price record at the end of March 2025 is still 478x the initial price for AIXBT and 6.8x for AI16Z.DEX/CEX bots These platforms are web-based and operate outside Telegram. You can trade directly on DEXs through wallet connection or connect to a CEX via APIs or a simple login option as part of their integrated exchange solutions.These web-based platforms offer a wide range of strategies and broader market access; they cater to users preferring both CEX liquidity and reliability as well as DEX’s decentralized, non-custodial nature. Some of these platforms also offer a quick switch between DEX and CEX with one click, making the discovery of price discrepancies between CEX and DEX (or CEX-DEX arbitrage) much easier.The most common strategies available on these platforms are grid, DCA and signal bot. A DCA bot invests a fixed amount of money into a cryptocurrency at regular intervals — regardless of the asset’s price. The idea is to spread out your entry points over time, which helps reduce the impact of market volatility. This type of strategy tends to perform well during price-trending periods.A grid bot is built for active trading — buying low and selling high in a structured way to profit from price fluctuations. A grid bot places a series of buy and sell limit orders at preset intervals above and below a set price range. This creates a “grid” of orders, and the bot profits from each completed buy-low/sell-high cycle. Grid bot works best in sideways markets with high volatility.A signal bot executes trades based on external signals — these usually come from technical indicators, market analysis or third-party services. These signals can be relative strength index (RSI), exponential moving averages (EMA), Bollinger Bands, etc.The following table shows the historical performance for the token pairs BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT and SOL/USDT for the three trading strategies. The parameter selection for the grid bot utilizes the 3Commas AI optimization built-in functionality to select the best parameters, whereas for DCA, the most popular classic trading strategy from their users is selected. For the signal bot, Dash2Trade provides strategy presets where the top strategy for each token is selected. These strategies are backtested on a proprietary system used to trade on live markets but are only available for the 120 days before Jan. 26, 2025.Due to a lack of consistent availability of data on the platforms, three backtesting periods were used for each of the three strategies. The table below shows the simple price change during the corresponding period, which is also the return for the simple benchmark buy-and-hold strategy.The available data suggests that performance can vary widely based on the specific bot, the trading strategy employed and the prevailing market conditions at the time the backtests were run. BTC and ETH price. Source: CoinMarketCapDuring the 120-day period from Sept. 26, 2024, to Jan. 26, 2025, when the signal bots were backtested, the market prices for Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Solana (SOL) were all upward trending with a buy-and-hold return of 58%, 23% and 55%, respectively. The signal bots’ strategies were performing in line with the buy-and-hold strategy (in some cases slightly worse) for BTC (58.15%), ETH (16.79%) and SOL (48.68%). Comparing the same 120-day period but from Dec. 4, 2024, to April 4, 2025, when grid bots were backtested, the market prices for BTC, ETH and SOL were all experiencing a downward trend, with a buy-and-hold return of -16%, -53% and -49%, respectively, which is completely different from the previous 120-day backtesting period. The grid bots’ strategies were performing much better than the buy-and-hold strategy during the downward-trending, high-volatility market conditions, giving positive returns for BTC (9.6%), ETH (10.4%) and SOL (21.88%).BTC and SOL price. Source: CoinMarketCapFor the longest 180-day backtesting period from Oct. 4, 2024, to April 4, 2025, when the DCA bots were backtested, the buy-and-hold returns for BTC, ETH and SOL were 34%, -25% and -18%, respectively. The signal bots’ strategies were performing very differently for the three tokens compared to the buy-and-hold strategy. For BTC, a 17.75% return is generated from the DCA bots, which is worse than the buy-and-hold strategy. However, for ETH (58.12%) and SOL (80.92%), the DCA returns are much better than the buy-and-hold returns. This might be due to the fact that ETH and SOL experienced much higher volatility during the period compared to BTC, and the DCA strategy was able to spread out entry prices to reduce exposure to bad timing.Related: Market maker deals are quietly killing crypto projectsTrading bot performance comparisonTelegram DEX bots like Trojan and Sol Trading Bot dominated in revenue over the past six months, with Trojan earning about $109 million in fees. Sol Trading Bot stood out for consistent daily earnings relative to its size.However, all bots saw revenue peak during the January 2025 memecoin hype and have since slowed due to bearish market sentiment. Token-linked bots (BANANA, BONK) followed a similar pattern — brief surges (notably BONK in November 2024) followed by steep drops tied to broader market trends.AI agent bots showed explosive growth during the same period. AIXBT reached a peak price 4,000x its initial value, far outperforming AI16Z (111x). Even post-correction, AIXBT held strong at 478x vs. AI16Z’s 6.8x. Volume-wise, both peaked in January 2025, but AIXBT’s token price closely tracked its volume rise, suggesting strong speculative momentum.CEX/DEX signals, grid and DCA bots showed the importance of market conditions, and the performance results vary quite a lot compared to the buy-and-hold strategy.Signal bots performed close to the buy-and-hold strategy during the uptrend market condition (backtesting period September 2024–January 2025), with marginally lower or similar returns.Grid bots excelled during a downtrend and high volatility environment (backtesting period December 2024–April 2025), beating the buy-and-hold strategy by wide margins, flipping negative market returns into double-digit gains.DCA bots over a 180-day backtesting period (October 2024–April 2025) had mixed results; they underperformed the buy-and-hold strategy for BTC but dramatically outperformed ETH and SOL, most likely due to their ability to absorb and capitalize on volatility.Key takeawaysWe have dived into the wild world of AI-powered crypto trading bots, pitting Telegram DEX bots, AI agent bots and CEX/DEX bots against each other — each a unique tool tailored to different traders and market conditions.Telegram DEX bots are designed for ease of use, with a simple interface embedded in the Telegram app. These bots focus on trading memecoins or participating in token launches onchain. They appeal to mobile-savvy traders and memecoin enthusiasts who prioritize quick trades and social integration, with features such as copy trade and revenue-sharing through tokens.Telegram DEX bots generated significant revenue in the past six months, peaking in January 2025’s memecoin season. But not all of them share revenue with the users. The only two who did (BANANA, BONK) faltered in the recent bearish market, with token prices dropping sharply. AI agent bots use natural language interfaces and AI decision-making to lower the barrier to entry for users interested in governance (e.g., AI16Z’s DAO model) or sentiment-driven strategies (e.g., AIXBT’s X analysis). Their primary strength lies in abstracting complex trading strategies through conversational interfaces.Although AI agent bots’ token price exhibited explosive growth, the recent market downtrend has led to less trading activity and lower token prices. AI agent bots stand out as a more experimental category. They remain under development and are best suited for users who are tech-curious or seeking a hybrid between simplicity and automation.Bots operating on DEXs or CEXs directly offer web-based platforms with diverse strategies, suiting more experienced traders who need high-speed execution, multi-exchange access, deep liquidity and complex configurability. The backtesting results show signal bots give similar returns to the bullish buy-and-hold strategy, whereas grid bots thrive in volatile downturn markets, and DCA bots outperform the buy-and-hold strategy for more volatile assets.Magazine: Your AI ‘digital twin’ can take meetings and comfort your loved ones

by Cointelegraph by Helen Partz on April 22, 2025 at 12:00 pm

Cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) showed signs of recovery last week with minor inflows, after shedding more than $1 billion in outflows in the previous two weeks.Crypto investment products saw inflows of $6 million during the week of April 14–18, reflecting mixed investor sentiment, CoinShares reported on April 22.“While the week began with minor inflows, stronger-than-expected US retail sales figures mid-week likely triggered outflows of $146 million,” CoinShares’ head of research James Butterfill wrote.Weekly crypto ETP flows since late 2024. Source: CoinSharesTotal assets under management (AUM) in crypto ETPs edged up 1.4% from $129 billion as of April 11 to $131 billion on April 18.All US Bitcoin ETFs are red in April so farAccording to the report, BlackRock’s iShares exchange-traded funds saw the biggest inflows last week at $182 million, while major issuers like Fidelity saw $123 million of outflows from the issuer’s crypto ETPs.Bitwise was among a few of the US issuers that saw inflows in its crypto ETPs, totaling $24 million, while the European issuer 21Shares saw bigger inflows at $37 million.Flows by issuer (in millions of US dollars). Source: CoinSharesEven with minor inflows, all US crypto ETP issuers are currently in the red month-to-date. European-based 21Shares was the only issuer that had maintained $28 million of inflows in April.Related: BlackRock reports $3B in digital asset inflows during Q1Year-to-date, BlackRock’s iShares ETFs are solid with more than $3 billion of inflows, with the majority of issuers being in red, except for Proshares with $340 million of inflows and Cathie Wood’s ARK with $19 million YTD.XRP stood out with $37.7 million inflowsAsset-wise, Ether (ETH) saw the largest ETP outflows among other cryptocurrencies last week, totaling $26.7 million.XRP (XRP) saw significant inflows of $37.7 million, standing out as the biggest gainer among other crypto ETPs.Flows by asset (in millions of US dollars). Source: CoinSharesBitcoin saw minor outflows of $6 million, extending April outflows to $894 million. The asset still has $541 million of ETP inflows YTD, the biggest inflows before Ether and XRP, totaling $215 million and $214 million YTD, respectively.Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest, April 13 – 19

by Cointelegraph by Ezra Reguerra on April 22, 2025 at 11:33 am

A Solana address with over 1 million tokens is sitting on more than $153 million in profit after a four-year staking play on the crypto asset. Blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain flagged the wallet address of a whale that staked nearly 1 million Solana (SOL) tokens in 2021. At the time of the staking, Solana tokens were worth around $27, which means the trader spent about $27 million to execute the play. Four years later, the whale’s total staked Solana holdings have reached 1.29 million. With Solana appreciating to about $140, the whale’s holdings have increased in value to about $180 million. On April 22, the whale started offloading a portion of the token stash to cash out on the gains. Lookonchain reported that the whale had unstaked 100,000 SOL tokens (about $14 million) and sent them to Binance. Sending tokens to crypto exchanges often indicates an intent to sell. Lookonchain said the whale still has 1.19 million Solana, worth around $166 million. Since the trader spent $27 million on the play, the total unrealized profit for the address is about $153 million. Source: LookonchainSolana whales turn $37 million to $200 million in four-year playThe Solana whale’s unstaking and token offloading follow another Solana staking play that involved hundreds of millions earlier in April. On April 4, Arkham Intelligence data showed four wallets that staked $37 million in tokens in 2021 had their tokens unlocked, meaning they can unstake and sell them. The blockchain intelligence platform called the event “the largest single-day unlock of staked SOL.”During the unlock, the tokens were worth over $206 million. After the tokens were unlocked, about $50 million in tokens were sold. Related: Babylon total value locked drops 32% as wallets unstake $1.2B in BitcoinSolana briefly flips Ethereum in staking market capAs many whales have turned to Solana for staking plays, the network briefly flipped Ethereum in the staking market cap. On April 20, the blockchain overtook Ethereum in staked token value after reaching over $53 billion. Still, the event was short-lived as Ethereum recovered the top spot. While the event may seem bullish, community members were split on whether Solana overtaking Ethereum was bullish or bearish for the network. Magazine: Uni students crypto ‘grooming’ scandal, 67K scammed by fake women: Asia Express

by Cointelegraph by Nancy Lubale on April 22, 2025 at 11:05 am

XRP (XRP) has been trapped within a tight range over the last eight days. The altcoin was trading just above its $2.00 support after a marketwide recovery over the weekend.Onchain and technical data now show that the XRP/USD pair is well-positioned for a breakout toward $3.00.XRP/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewXRP whale accumulation is backXRP’s price has been consolidating between $2.03 and $2.13 since April 14. The daily relative strength index (RSI) remained flat at around 49 over the same period, signaling market indecision.Despite this sideways price action, whale activity paints a promising picture, with onchain data showing large investors took advantage of the drop to $1.61.Related: Coinbase Derivatives lists XRP futuresXRP whale addresses holding between 10 million and 100 million XRP (black line) have increased sharply since April 1, according to data from Santiment. Similarly, addresses holding more than 1 billion XRP (red line) have steadily increased as well. This whale cohort currently accounts for 39.4% of the total XRP supply, compared to 37.7% toward the end of March. This possibly underscores the confidence of these large investors in XRP price rising despite growing macroeconomic risks and uncertainties. XRP supply distribution. Source: SantimentAdditionally, XRP experienced a significant drop in exchange reserves. XRP balance on exchanges peaked at 3.27 billion XRP in November 2024. Today, around 2.7 million XRP are held on exchanges. The metric has also dropped by 10% over the last 30 days despite the market turbulence experienced since the beginning of April.XRP balance on exchanges. Source: CryptoQuantCan XRP price rise to $3?XRP’s price action between April 7 and April 22 has led to the formation of a bull flag pattern on the daily chart. The price is retesting the upper trendline of the flag at $2.10, suggesting that a possible breakout is in play.Note that the price has unsuccessfully tried to rise above this trendline two or three times in the last 10 days, with each retest leading to new buyers accumulating around this region.A decisive close above this trendline could see XRP recover from the current level. It may break out toward the flag’s technical target at $2.93 or the $3.00 psychological level if backed by strong volume.XRP/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewSeveral analysts echoed this bullish outlook, citing XRP’s consolidation as a precursor to a significant move upward.Citing a chart showing XRP price consolidating above $2.00 in the weekly timeframe, trader Dark Defender said the altcoin was retesting a key multimonth resistance line.If this resistance is broken, the price will break out, with Wave 5 playing out toward $4.00.“The XRP is bullish, and the crypto is more bullish than ever before.”XRP/USD daily chart. Source: Dark DefenderThe key levels to watch are the $2.22 and $2.75 on the upside and the $1.80 and $1.61 on the downside, according to the analyst. Meanwhile, fellow trader CasiTrades said that the rejection at $2.24 implied that the price is likely to sweep major support levels around $1.90 or $1.55 before “XRP is ready to break out.”As earlier reported by Cointelegraph, Wyckoff reaccumulation and falling wedge patterns are painting a bullish target for XRP above $3.50.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 Adrian Zmudzinski on April 22, 2025 at 11:03 am

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield’s lawsuit against Coinbase argues that XRP and other digital assets are unregistered securities.Rayield sued US-based, publicly traded crypto exchange Coinbase for allegedly violating Oregon’s securities law. In an April 18 announcement, the Oregon Department of Justice said the suit was part of an effort to fill what it described as a regulatory vacuum left by federal agencies under the Trump administration:“States must fill enforcement vacuum being left by federal regulators who are abandoning these cases under Trump administration,“ the department said.Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal voiced his frustration over the lawsuit in an April 21 X post. Justin Slaughter, the vice president of regulatory affairs at crypto investment firm Paradigm, pointed out that the lawsuit claims a long list of digital assets, including XRP (XRP), are unregistered securities.Source: Paul GrewalYarden Noy, partner at crypto legal firm DLT Law, told Cointelegraph that if the court ruled these assets are securities, it “would mostly create more confusion in this regard.” It would not be a binding precedent in other cases, not even within Oregon, he added.Still, Noy explained that the court decision could be used by regulators and potential plaintiffs to build and make their cases. He said:“Just like the decision in the Ripple case which the complaint seems to be ignoring entirely, did not make all tokens immediately listable on US platforms, I don’t expect the opposite to happen here.”Related: Court grants 60-day pause of SEC, Ripple appeals caseA long list of crypto assetsParadigm’s vice president of regulatory affairs Justin Slaughter called the action a “kitchen sink lawsuit.” The list of tokens cited includes high-profile altcoins such as Aave (AAVE), Avalanche (AVAX), Uniswap (UNI) and Near Protocol (NEAR), as well as the wrapped version of Terra’s collapsed token, wLUNA — but not LUNA itself.The complaint does not explain why certain wrapped assets were included while others were excluded. It states:“Coinbase—through the Coinbase Platform and Prime—has made available for trading in Oregon crypto assets that are offered and sold as investment contracts, and thus as securities. This includes, but is not limited to, the units of each of the crypto securities further described below.“Related: Circle, BitGo about to apply for bank charters, others may follow: WSJXRP in the legal crosshairs once againRipple Labs, the firm behind XRP, has already faced a years-long legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Ripple was hit with a lawsuit by the SEC in late 2020, calling XRP a “$1.3 billion unregistered securities offering.”The same lawsuit was dropped by the SEC in late March, but it provided little legal certainty for the crypto industry. Oregon’s complaint comes amid growing concern among state officials that federal regulators are pulling back from crypto enforcement. The suit appears to be part of a broader trend of state-level authorities stepping in.Before Oregon’s action, XRP’s legal standing was being viewed as increasingly clear. Coinbase — a crypto exchange known for its relatively cautious stance on regulatory matters — added XRP futures to its derivatives trading platform on April 21.Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set

by Cointelegraph by Adrian Zmudzinski on April 22, 2025 at 11:02 am

US-based publicly traded crypto exchange Coinbase confirmed that it is considering applying for a US federal bank charter.In a statement sent to Cointelegraph, Coinbase said it is considering pursuing a US federal bank charter, according to a company spokesperson.“This is something Coinbase is actively considering but has not made any formal decisions yet,” the spokesperson told Cointelegraph. Coinbase in-office photo. Source: CoinbaseThe comments follow recent reports suggesting that Coinbase and multiple other major crypto firms were planning to apply for US banking licenses. Coinbase, stablecoin issuers Circle and Paxos, and crypto custodian BitGo were the other firms mentioned.Coinbase did not clarify to Cointelegraph why it is considering pursuing a bank charter. Still, a license could potentially allow crypto firms to operate like traditional lenders, taking deposits and making loans. Cointelegraph also reached out to the other firms reportedly considering applying for a charter.Still, firms that obtain banking charters are subject to stricter reporting and regulatory oversight. One example is Anchorage Digital, a crypto firm holding a federal bank charter.Despite the firm obtaining the license, recent reports indicate that the US Department of Homeland Security’s El Dorado Task Force has launched an investigation into Anchorage Digital Bank.Related: Crypto companies seeking bank charters under Trump admin — ReportMany crypto firms are likely to applyThe reports also follow the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granting a preliminary conditional approval for a US bank charter to Paxos back in 2021. Firms may now be considering applying as US regulators take a softer stance on crypto regulation and integrating stablecoins in the broader financial system.The change in stance is visible at multiple levels of the US federal government. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently said that as digital assets gain mainstream adoption, establishing a legal framework for stablecoins is a “good idea.” He also recognized that the crypto space delivered a consumer use case that “could have wide appeal.”Related: ECB flags risk of financial contagion from US crypto pushEvolving US stablecoin regulationThe US House Financial Services Committee passed a Republican-backed stablecoin framework bill earlier in April — the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy (STABLE) Act.Another bill that is moving through the US legislative process is the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. The STABLE and GENIUS bills differ in how they regulate the stablecoin industry in their current form.The GENIUS Act was introduced first and passed the US Senate Banking Committee in mid-March. The STABLE Act, on the other hand, emphasizes federal oversight, while the GENIUS Act seeks a more flexible path that considers both state and federal regulations.The STABLE Act would enforce a two-year moratorium on issuing collateralized stablecoins that are backed by self-issued digital assets. The bill would also require that stablecoin reserves be held separate from business funds.The GENIUS Act would establish a legal framework for stablecoin payments and leverage US-based stablecoin issuers in an attempt to reinforce the dollar’s global dominance. The bill would also enhance Anti-Money Laundering (AML) safeguards, reserve and liquidity standards and sanctions checks. It classifies stablecoin issuers as financial institutions.Magazine: Coinbase and Base: Is crypto just becoming traditional finance 2.0?