Alternative News for You

by Cointelegraph by Ezra Reguerra on April 21, 2025 at 12:00 pm

Crypto casinos generated more than $81 billion in revenue in 2024, even as regulators in key jurisdictions continued to block access to the platforms, according to a new report.Citing data from the anti-online-crime platform Yield Sec, the Financial Times reported that wagers paid in crypto in 2024 generated $81.4 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR). This metric refers to the difference between bets taken and winnings paid out.  Yield Sec data also showed that the annual revenue for crypto casinos has increased five times since 2022, despite gambling sites being blocked in the United States, China, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Crypto casino Stake rivals traditional betting platformsBetting platform Stake reported that its GGR in 2024 was around $4.7 billion, up 80% since 2022. This puts it on a par with some of the biggest gambling groups, such as Entain and Flutter. Entain reported $5 billion, while Flutter reported $14 billion in revenue in 2024. Stake offers traditional casino games, including blackjack, roulette and slots. The platform also allows users to bet on sports. Users on the betting platform generally transact in crypto, with account balances being deposited and withdrawn directly into crypto wallets. In 2023, the crypto betting platform was hacked, with $41 million withdrawn from its wallets. On Sept. 4, 2023, security firms flagged suspicious outflows from the platform. The company then confirmed the hack through social media, saying there were unauthorized transactions from its Ethereum and BNB Chain hot wallets. On Sept. 7, 2023, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation said the $41 million hack was executed by the notorious North Korean hacking group Lazarus. Related: XRP ETF ‘obvious’ as Polymarket bettors up approval odds to 85%Gamblers access illegal sites through VPNsEven though crypto gambling sites are officially blocked in many jurisdictions, users can access them by bypassing geo-blocking restrictions with VPNs, which allows users to place bets on sites blocked in their country. Former players and crypto users told the FT that many online guides show people how to bypass geo-blocking restrictions to access a crypto gambling platform. Cointelegraph confirmed that some influencers offer online tutorials that teach people how to access blocked gambling sites. “Ready-to-gamble” crypto casino accounts are also reportedly being sold on social media platforms, according to Sanya Burgess, journalist at The i Paper.Source: Sanya BurgessUsers sell accounts that have already passed through betting sites’ registration processes. On Jan. 31, Sky News reported that some users sell pre-verified crypto casino accounts for as little as $10. These ready-to-gamble accounts are reportedly sold on social media sites like Facebook.Magazine: Your AI ‘digital twin’ can take meetings and comfort your loved ones

on April 21, 2025 at 11:36 am

The death of Pope Francis has set in motion the centuries-old process of electing a new pope.

by Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai on April 21, 2025 at 11:22 am

Investors seeking Bitcoin exposure may be running out of time to purchase below a six-figure price, as US Treasury buybacks may signal the next leg up for the world’s first cryptocurrency.This might be the “last chance” to buy Bitcoin (BTC) below the $100,000 mark, according to Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX and chief investment officer of Maelstrom.“Seriously fam, this might be the last chance you have to buy $BTC < $100k,” Hayes said in an April 21 X post, hinting at incoming “treasury buy backs” as the “Bazooka” for Bitcoin’s price trajectory.Source: Arthur HayesTreasury buybacks refer to the US Treasury Department repurchasing its outstanding bonds from the open market to increase liquidity, manage federal debt or stabilize interest rates.These operations can inject liquidity into the financial system, often benefiting risk assets like Bitcoin.Related: Bitcoin up 33% since 2024 halving as institutions disrupt cycleOther analysts predicted that the growth of the fiat money supply will be Bitcoin’s main catalyst in 2025.BTC projection to $132,000 on M2 money supply growth. Source: Jamie CouttsThe growing money supply may push Bitcoin’s price above $132,000 before the end of the year, according to Jamie Coutts, chief crypto analyst at Real Vision.However, global trade war concerns may limit investor appetite until the US and China reach a trade agreement.Related: Metaplanet tops $400M Bitcoin holdings with new $28M purchaseUS dollar sinks to 2022 low, Bitcoin gains momentumBitcoin briefly rose above $87,700 for the first time in nearly three weeks, since US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal import tariffs on April 2.“Looks like Bitcoin is pumping on continued Dollar weakness,” wrote André Dragosch, the European head of research at Bitwise, adding that the US Dollar Index “just touched the lowest level since March 2022.”BTC, DXY, 1-year chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe weakening US dollar may reinforce Bitcoin’s appeal as a safe-haven asset, Ryan Lee, chief analyst at Bitget Research, told Cointelegraph, adding:“Strong volume and technical confirmation from a descending wedge breakout suggest a potential test of the $90,000 resistance, with macro factors like a weakening dollar and rising gold correlation reinforcing BTC’s appeal as a hedge.”Despite the recent correction, Japanese and UK-based investment firms are investing hundreds of millions into Bitcoin, signaling continued institutional adoption that may accelerate Bitcoin’s four-year cycle.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.Magazine: SCB tips $500K BTC, SEC delays Ether ETF options, and more: Hodler’s Digest, Feb. 23 – March 1

by Cointelegraph by Yashu Gola on April 21, 2025 at 10:45 am

XRP (XRP) has dropped nearly 40% since hitting its multi-year high of $3.40 three months ago. Still, its ability to hold above key technical support levels, combined with a potentially market-shifting derivatives listing, has prompted some analysts to maintain a bullish outlook for the months ahead.XRP/USD daily price chart. Source: TradingViewCoinbase XRP futures may launch on April 21From a fundamental perspective, XRP may receive a boost from the anticipated launch of XRP futures contracts on the Coinbase Derivatives platform, scheduled for April 21 under the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) oversight.Source: XThis development may inject fresh liquidity and institutional interest into the market, helping catalyze the technical breakouts projected above.XRP price chart painting Wyckoff reaccumulation XRP’s ongoing consolidation phase resembles a classic Wyckoff reaccumulation pattern, according to technical analyst Charting Guy.The Wyckoff reaccumulation pattern is a mid-cycle structure that often precedes the next leg of a broader uptrend. It suggests that smart money is absorbing supply during the cooldown, setting the stage for a potential breakout.XRP established support and began consolidating in late 2024, marking Phases A and B of the Wyckoff reaccumulation pattern. In early April 2025, the price formed a “Spring” followed by a successful “Test,” signaling seller exhaustion.XRP/USD daily price chart. Source: TradingView/Charting GuyAs of April 21, XRP is attempting to break above the descending “Creek” trendline. A breakout would confirm a “Jump Across The Creek” (JATC) and entry into Phase D. If confirmed, XRP could enter Phase E and rally 70% toward $3.55 in the coming weeks, a level aligning with the pattern’s Last Point of Support (LPS).XRP/USD weekly price chart. Source: TradingViewA Fibonacci retracement graph drawn from $3.55-swing-high to $0.14-swing-low presents $5.65 as the upside target for June if XRP price breaks above $3.55.Falling wedge aligns with XRP’s bullish outlookThe upside outlook aligns with XRP’s prevailing falling wedge pattern, as spotted by chartist “Jobcfx” on X.Notably, the bullish reversal structure has been narrowing since February 2025. A breakout above the wedge’s upper trendline, currently around the $2.20-2.40 area, would signal the start of a new rally.XRP/USD daily price chart. Source: TradingViewFalling wedge breakouts typically target a move equal to the pattern’s maximum height. In XRP’s case, if it breaks above $2.20, the projected upside target for May lands near $4.00, aligning with the Wyckoff reaccumulation’s Phase E breakout zone.Related: XRP price analysts project $10 next, ‘optimistic’ target of $20Interestingly, Bitcoin (BTC) is also forming a falling wedge pattern on its chart. If confirmed, a bullish breakout in Bitcoin could act as a catalyst for the altcoin market, potentially accelerating XRP’s upward momentum as well.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 Ezra Reguerra on April 21, 2025 at 10:01 am

The Ethereum Foundation, the nonprofit organization developing the Ethereum ecosystem, is shifting its focus to user experience and layer-1 scaling challenges following its March leadership reshuffle. On April 21, the Ethereum Foundation co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak shared an X post detailing how the organization has changed since its change in leadership structure. Stańczak said the change aims to give Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin more time for research and exploration rather than dealing with day-to-day tasks and crisis management. “Each time Vitalik shares insights or communicates a direction, he accelerates major long‑term breakthroughs,” he wrote. Stańczak added that Buterin’s recent posts had advanced promising avenues and helped realign the community around the organization’s core values. Vitalik Buterin tackles Ethereum privacy and speedOn March 1, the Ethereum Foundation announced that its core researcher Hsiao-Wei Wang and Stańczak, the CEO of Nethermind, would become the co-directors of the organization from March 17. Since the changes in the organization’s leadership structure, Buterin has stepped back from daily operations. He has since published proposals addressing the Ethereum network’s privacy and performance limitations.On April 11, the Ethereum co-founder unveiled a privacy roadmap for the network. In the post, Buterin proposed having features that anonymize user transactions. Buterin said the features should be “ideally turned on by default.” Besides the privacy of transactions, Buterin also shared a post addressing Ethereum’s speed and efficiency. On April 20, Buterin proposed a change in the Ethereum Virtual Machine’s (EVM) contract language to improve the efficiency and speed of the blockchain’s execution layer. Stańczak said that while Buterin’s proposals will “always carry weight,” they are supposed to start conversations and encourage progress in different research areas. The executive said the community can either refine or reject the ideas. Related: Debate as Solana briefly flips Ethereum in staking market capFoundation targets near-term protocol upgradesThe Ethereum Foundation will shift much of its research to “near-term” goals, including addressing user experience and scaling challenges in upcoming protocol upgrades, Stańczak said. Stańczak added that the foundation will concentrate on layer-1 scaling, support for layer-2 scaling, and user experience improvements such as interoperability in the Pectra, Fusaka and Glamsterdam upgrades. While the focus shifted to near-term results, the executive said the team is also looking into ways to bring in more long-term projects. “Posts from our top researchers help some of them to ship within one or two years through initiatives such as next‑generation execution and consensus layers,” Stańczak said. Cointelegraph contacted the Ethereum Foundation for comment but did not receive a response by publication.Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research

by Jessica Riga on April 21, 2025 at 9:40 am

Before he became Pope Francis, he was Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Born in Argentina to the son of Italian immigrants, he would become the first pope to be born or raised outside Europe in centuries.

by Samantha Dick on April 21, 2025 at 9:29 am

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says all Australian government flags will fly at half mast on Tuesday after the Vatican confirmed Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. 

by Cointelegraph by William Suberg on April 21, 2025 at 9:16 am

Bitcoin (BTC) is eyeing new April highs as macro instability suddenly delivers a tailwind for BTC price performance.Bitcoin is on the way up, nearing $88,000, but few market participants are willing to trust the strength of snap price moves.A new macro week dawns in the shadow of the US trade war, with Federal Reserve speakers lining up to take to the stage.Gold is shattering all-time highs again, but this time Bitcoin is starting to react.US dollar weakness exhibits historic traits as three-year lows spark bullish predictions for Bitcoin and commodities.The newest BTC hodlers are already profiting from the latest move, but speculators are waiting for a reclaimation of $91,000.BTC price spike met with skepticismBitcoin is starting the week off right with a 3% rise on the back of fresh macroeconomic turmoil amid the US-China trade war.BTC/USD reached $87,705 after the April 20 weekly close, data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView shows, its highest in nearly three weeks.BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewReacting, however, traders have been cautious, highlighting the unreliable nature of volatile moves that begin during non-TradFi trading hours on weekends.“Nice breakout, but it’s on low volume,” trading resource Stockmoney Lizards wrote in part of a response on X. “WIll definitely need confirmation. In any case, you shouldn't be too euphoric yet.”Never like to trust a Sunday pump - lots of false breakouts here by the looks of it. Lets see what next week brings pic.twitter.com/cVE1j1Gh63— Honeybadger (@HoneybadgerC) April 21, 2025Fellow trading account IncomeSharks shared similar views, saying that BTC price strength must continue in the face of weak equities.“Nice to see the downtrend breakout but the timing is important,” it said.“Sunday is not a day to celebrate a low volume pump while stock markets are closed. If you want to see a bullish moves lets see stocks open red tomorrow and keep this candle green. Then we can have fun.”BTC/USD 1-day chart. Source: IncomeSharks/XCrypto trader, analyst and entrepreneur Michaël van de Poppe continued the lukewarm reaction to the upside on both Bitcoin and gold, predicting that they “probably will give it back.”“Needs to get above $88,804 to break the series of lower highs and lower lows,” trader, analyst and podcast host Scott Melker, known as the “Wolf of All Streets,” added. “Is it time?”Fed policy in spotlight as officials speakThe coming days will see the Federal Reserve take the spotlight as senior officials comment on the current macroeconomic landscape.A total of eight Federal Reserve presidents will shed fresh light on what is an increasingly contentious status quo for the US, with the Fed at odds with demands from President Donald Trump.Last week, Trump even called for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to be fired, a move that sparked concerns over US economic stability.Powell has repeatedly come out hawkish on financial policy, hinting at being in no rush to lower interest rates as Trump’s trade war fuels inflation concerns.The latest data from CME Group’s FedWatch Tool reflects this, with traders seeing a rate cut likely only at the Fed’s June meeting.Fed target rate probabilities for June FOMC meeting. Source: CME GroupWith little by way of new macro data due for release, however, markets will continue to focus on the trade war itself, along with the volatility it often creates.The start of the week has been no exception so far; China issuing warnings over collaboration with the US to isolate it immediately sent stock futures tumbling while gold soared to new all-time highs.Bitcoin, in a break with recent tradition, managed to copy gold’s optimism instead of following equities lower.“Gold has hit its 55th all-time high in 12 months and Bitcoin is officially joining the run, now above $87,000,” trading resource The Kobeissi Letter responded in part of an X post on the topic. “The narrative in both Gold and Bitcoin is aligning for the first time in years: Gold and Bitcoin are telling us that a weaker US Dollar and more uncertainty are on the way.”Gold nears record $3,400 on trade war fearsGold remains the standout bullish story for 2025.Amid the uncertainty wrought by the trade war and its potential long-term impact on inflation and global assets, XAU/USD has exploded nearly 30% year-to-date.The pair is currently circling a record $3,400 per ounce, and while some have warned that a “blow-off top” is due, momentum refuses to slow down.XAU/USD 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewKobeissi suggested that Trump’s latest trade-war post on social media, in the form of a “non-tariff cheating” sheet, helped reignite gold’s relentless march higher.“President Trump’s ‘non-tariff cheating’ list is arguably one of the best things to happen to gold all year,” it argued.“Gold knows what's coming next.”Kobeissi revealed that gold had, in fact, outperformed the S&P 500 since the COVID-19 cross-market crash in March 2020.For Bitcoin, however, change appears to be afoot. As Cointelegraph reported, BTC/USD has finally begun to mimic gold’s reaction to macro uncertainty after spending months in a downtrend.As that downtrend is slowly left behind, talk is turning to historical precedent. In the past, Bitcoin breakouts have lagged gold by around three months.“After futures opened it didn’t take long for $BTC and $GOLD to move up quickly as equities moved down,” trader Daan Crypto Trades told X followers. “Pretty interesting move which is now compounding on the relative strength BTC has already been showing for weeks.”BTC/USD vs. XAU/USD 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewDollar strength plumbs new 3-year lowsAdding to the mix is fresh US dollar weakness, something that hedge fund creator Andreas Steno Larsen described as a “good early sign for Bitcoin.”“We ain’t seen nothing yet, if this continues (and if Powell is laid off),” he argued on X alongside a chart of BTC versus USD returns. Bitcoin vs. USD returns. Source: Andreas Steno/XThe US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks greenback strength against a basket of major US trading partner currencies, was down another 1.3% on April 21 at the time of writing. This, in turn, brought the year-to-date downside to nearly 10%.Now at its lowest levels since March 2022, DXY is being heralded as the powder keg to spark a giant bull run in both Bitcoin and commodities.“The US Dollar has gone ‘no bid,’ teetering on a historic 14-yr uptrend breakdown from 2011,” trading resource Rock Bottom Entries told X followers. “Forget 2016 & 2020—this will ignite a 2000s-style commodity supercycle.”US Dollar Index (DXY) 1-month chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewBitcoin traditionally outperforms to the upside during periods of rapid DXY suppression, an inverse correlation that has been lacking in recent times.“Contrary to what you hear on social media, Bitcoin has been in lockstep with DXY for a couple of years,” analyst Joe Dean thus commented on the phenomenon. “DXY overshot to the upside, then the downside, and will likely find its way back to the mean. $BTC will likely follow.”US dollar index (DXY) vs. BTC/USD chart. Source: Joe Dean/XBitcoin newbies back in the blackShort-term BTC price moves are already making a tangible difference to certain Bitcoin investor cohorts.Related: Bitcoin prepares for launch from $85K, BNB, HYPE, TAO and RNDR could followNew research from onchain analytics platform CryptoQuant reveals that even a tap of $87,000 has placed the most recent set of buyers in the black, with an average 3.7% profit.“This is a short-term bullish signal, showing renewed confidence and reduced panic risk among the newest market entrants,” CryptoQuant contributor Crazzyblockk wrote in one of its “Quicktake” blog posts.The move comes in contrast to the large short-term holder (STH) cohort, comprised of buyers up to six months old, which has an aggregate cost basis of $91,000.As Cointelegraph reported, STH cost bases can act as both support and resistance for extended periods as speculative hodlers react to sudden price swings.“Until BTC closes above the $91K threshold, Short-Term Holders remain in loss. This may sustain latent sell pressure, especially if price momentum weakens — reinforcing the importance of a decisive breakout above STH realized price to neutralize this overhang,” CryptoQuant added.Bitcoin STH profitability (screenshot). Source: CryptoQuantThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

by Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai on April 21, 2025 at 9:08 am

Japanese investment firm Metaplanet increased its Bitcoin holdings to more than $400 million after its latest purchase.Metaplanet acquired 330 Bitcoin (BTC) for $28.2 million at an average price of $85,605 per BTC, bringing its total holdings to 4,855 Bitcoin worth $414 million, according to an April 21 post from Simon Gerovich, the CEO of Metaplanet.The firm’s Bitcoin yield surpassed 119% year-to-date after its latest investment.Source: Simon GerovichMetaplanet issued 2 billion Japanese yen ($13.3 million) of bonds to buy more Bitcoin on March 31, Cointelegraph reported.Related: UK firm buys $250M Bitcoin as analysts eye quiet Easter weekendThe $414 million in Bitcoin holdings make Metaplanet Asia’s largest and the world’s 10th-largest corporate Bitcoin holder, Bitbo data shows.Source: Bitbo According to Enmanuel Cardozo, a market analyst at the asset tokenization platform Brickken, the growing institutional presence of firms, such as Strategy and Tether, is accelerating the four-year Bitcoin cycle.“That puts the bottom around Q3 this year and a peak mid-2026, but I think we might see things move it a bit sooner because the market’s more mature now with more liquidity,” the analyst told Cointelegraph.Related: $1T stablecoin supply could drive next crypto rally — CoinFund’s PakmanMetaplanet plans to reach 21,000 BTCThe latest acquisitions are part of Metaplanet’s plans to accumulate 21,000 BTC by 2026, aligning with its mission to drive Bitcoin adoption across Japan.Often dubbed “Asia’s MicroStrategy,” Metaplanet has drawn comparisons to Michael Saylor’s company Strategy, which continues to top the list of public Bitcoin holders.Metaplanet’s investment was announced a week after the latest purchase by Strategy, the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder.Source: Michael SaylorStrategy bought 3,459 BTC for $285.5 million at an average price of $82,618 per BTC, bringing its total holding to 531,644 BTC acquired for a cumulative $35.92 billion, Cointelegraph reported on April 14.Despite tariff uncertainty limiting risk appetite among traditional and crypto investors in the short term, analysts are optimistic about Bitcoin’s price trajectory for the next decade.Bitcoin may surpass $1.8 million by 2035, driven by its growing recognition as a superior savings technology, set to rival or surpass gold’s $21 trillion market capitalization, Joe Burnett, director of market research at Unchained, told Cointelegraph during the  Chainreaction live show on X.Magazine: SCB tips $500K BTC, SEC delays Ether ETF options, and more: Hodler’s Digest, Feb. 23 – March 1

by Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Kyle Taylor, Maddy King, and Michael Workman on April 21, 2025 at 9:00 am

Australia's domestic spy agency, ASIO, was repeatedly warned about a potential attack on a Sydney bishop almost two years before it happened, according to explosive claims by a former undercover agent.

by Cointelegraph by Dominic Schwenter on April 21, 2025 at 9:00 am

Opinion by: Dominic Schwenter, chief operating officer of LiskThe US is in the middle of a crypto boom. Exchange-traded fund approvals have opened the door to institutional adoption, liquidity is increasing, and regulatory clarity is beginning to take shape under a more crypto-aligned administration. Filings from the Securities and Exchange Commission referencing blockchain hit an all-time high in February 2025, signaling a broader shift in how seriously the technology is being taken at the highest levels.This momentum is good for the industry. US-based crypto companies have spent nearly a decade building through regulatory uncertainty, and they deserve the attention and rewards that are finally arriving. Is institutional support finally showing up? It’s overdue — and well-earned.Zooming in on the US too much, however, puts the industry at risk of missing what’s happening elsewhere. Some of the most important crypto adoption today takes root in places far outside the spotlight.The most exciting crypto adoption isn’t happening on Wall Street. It is unfolding in high-growth markets where people use crypto not to speculate but out of necessity. These communities didn’t wait for headlines. They built through every cycle and are now setting the pace for where Web3 is going next.High-growth markets are leading in adoptionFifteen of the top 20 countries on Chainalysis’s 2024 Global Crypto Adoption Index are in high-growth regions such as Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Nigeria. These aren’t just speculative hotspots. In many of these countries, crypto is part of daily life. Unlike boom-and-bust markets, adoption here hasn’t wavered. It is grounded in utility.In many of these economies, crypto helps families facilitate remittance, offers a safer way to store value when local currencies aren’t stable, and lets small businesses move money without friction. In the West, crypto still carries the sheen of a high-risk investment. In high-growth markets, it’s already embedded into daily life. That’s what real adoption looks like.Builders are shifting to high-growth marketsAs steady, practical usage rises, builder activity follows. Currently, the global developer map is changing fast. According to the 2024 Electric Capital Developer Report, Asia now accounts for 32% of active crypto developers — a massive jump from just 12% in 2015. Over the same period, the US share dropped sharply, from 38% to 19%. The blockchain talent pool isn’t shrinking. It’s moving to where the momentum is.Additionally, 41% of all new crypto developers now come from Asia, illustrating a growing pipeline of builders emerging outside of traditional tech hubs. These aren’t just hobbyists but the next wave of founders, architects and engineers choosing to build closer to the problems crypto can solve.Recent: Bitcoin’s role as an inflation hedge depends on where one lives — AnalystThis shift isn’t limited to Central Asia. Africa, South America and Southeast Asia are all seeing steady increases in developer activity, while North America and Europe continue to decline in relative share. The message is clear: Web3 innovation is no longer anchored to a single geography. It’s being driven by builders who are closer to real-world needs — and who are designing for them.Blockchain solves real problemsThe surge in developer activity and adoption across high-growth markets isn’t happening in a vacuum. Instead, it’s tied to real-world effects. A clear example is PepsiCo South Africa’s use of blockchain for supply chain tracking in the informal trade sector. In a region where traditional infrastructure is often fragmented or absent, this implementation does what blockchain was meant to do: solve problems.Using a blockchain-powered end-to-end digital payments solution like Lov.cash, PepsiCo enables cashless payments between small, often unbanked retailers and wholesalers. The system also gave wholesalers a clear view into what was selling and where — helping them plan smarter and cut down on waste. There’s no token speculation here, no shiny non-fungible tokens — just a real solution to a real supply chain problem.Stories like this rarely get top billing, but they’re where the technology actually delivers. In places where basic infrastructure is lacking, blockchain isn’t an experiment. It’s a workaround. If the industry keeps chasing hype while ignoring this influence, it’ll miss the most significant chance to make a difference.A call to action for Web3 buildersWhat’s happening in the US is worthy of celebration — but it’s not the whole story. Real-world adoption, momentum from builders, and real use cases are accelerating in high-growth markets, where crypto is already making a difference.This is where Web3’s long-term effect will be shaped. Builders and investors should stop waiting for validation from Washington or Wall Street and start paying attention to the places where the tech is solving real problems right now.Crypto didn’t wait for the US to matter. If the goal is to build something truly global, it’s time to follow the people already using it to make things work.Opinion by: Dominic Schwenter, chief operating officer of Lisk. 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.

on April 21, 2025 at 8:31 am

The Vatican confirms the death of Pope Francis, who sat at the head of a church encompassing more than 1 billion worshippers worldwide. Follow live.

by Siobhan Marin and Rebecca Armitage on April 21, 2025 at 8:16 am

From the clerical sexual abuse crisis to financial scandals in the Vatican, Pope Francis oversaw one of the most tumultuous periods in the Church's modern history.

on April 21, 2025 at 8:13 am

Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City, has died aged 88. 

by Cointelegraph by Tobias Vilkenson on April 21, 2025 at 7:55 am

Crypto, stocks and bonds: Are they the same? When you dive into investing, you’ll find three frequently utilized investment options: Crypto is the risky thrill-seeker’s choice, stocks offer a middle ground with growth potential, and bonds are for those who prefer a steadier, more predictable path. While both stocks and crypto offer growth potential, regulation makes stock market investments more structured and predictable, and crypto aims for decentralization and remains less regulated.CryptoCryptocurrency is a digital currency built on blockchain technology, a decentralized, transparent and secure system that records all transactions. No entity, such as a bank, directly controls it. Crypto is known for massive swings — big gains (and losses) can happen fast, making it exciting for those who want to play the high-risk game. Although cryptocurrency has been available for a while, its adoption has surged in recent years, gaining traction among retail investors, institutions and even some governments. Cryptocurrency is not universally regulated and can be accessed through various channels, including crypto exchanges, brokers, ATMs and fintech apps.StocksStocks represent ownership in a company — when you buy a stock, you’re purchasing a share of that business. If the company performs well and earns profits, shareholders may benefit through dividends and capital gains. On the flip side, poor performance or negative market sentiment can lead to losses.Stocks are typically regulated by government agencies, such as the US Securities and Exchange Commission, making them generally less risky than cryptocurrencies. However, they are still influenced by factors such as company performance, market conditions, economic trends and global events — making them potentially volatile.You can purchase stocks through traditional stock exchanges (like the NYSE or Nasdaq) or online brokerage platforms.BondsBonds are essentially loans that investors give to governments or companies. In exchange, the issuer pays regular interest over a set period and returns the full loan amount — known as the principal — when the bond reaches its maturity date, which can range from a few months to 30 years.Bonds are often considered less volatile than stocks, making them a popular choice for conservative investors. However, they are not without risks. Rising interest rates can lower a bond’s market value, inflation can erode purchasing power, and corporate bonds carry the risk of default if the issuer experiences financial trouble.The trade-off for this relative stability is usually lower returns, which may not appeal to those seeking high-growth investments. Bonds are regulated financial instruments and can typically be purchased through brokers or directly from government agencies. Is crypto more profitable compared to stocks and bonds? While crypto can offer diversification benefits, its relationship with traditional assets is complex and evolving.For instance, ​in 2024, Bitcoin (BTC), the most popular cryptocurrency, demonstrated remarkable profitability, achieving a 121% return and outperforming traditional assets like the Nasdaq 100, which gained 25.6%, and the S&P 500, which rose by 25%. Gold also saw a significant increase of 26.7%, while US large-cap stocks experienced a 24.9% gain.Bonds, on the other hand, offered a more modest return: The 10-year US Treasury bond, known for its fixed interest payments, ended the year with a yield of approximately 4.57%.Historically, Bitcoin has exhibited a low correlation with the S&P 500, averaging 0.17 over the past decade. However, this correlation has fluctuated, reaching as high as 0.75 before declining toward zero in early 2025, indicating periods of both alignment and independence from traditional markets. Tariff fallout: Which is more profitable now — Crypto, stocks or bonds? The tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump on April 2, 2025, have had an unprecedented impact on both traditional and crypto markets. But the effects have followed the above pattern consistently — stocks experienced a sharp price reduction.According to the Guardian, the Nasdaq Composite entered a bear market by the close of trading on April 3, falling more than 20% below its most recent peak on Dec. 16, 2024. In the meantime, European indexes such as the FTSE 100 fell over 11%, and the S&P 500 dropped at least 12% since the introduction of tariffs.Crypto had an even stronger downturn, which was once seen as a hedge against market volatility but has not been immune. Bitcoin’s price dropped by over 6% and Ether’s (ETH) by more than 12% within 24 hours of the tariff announcement, as global markets reacted with fear. The unpredictability of tariff policies contributes to market jitters, affecting all asset classes, from stocks to bonds and crypto, in unique ways.Bonds have experienced only a small return rate increase, given that a higher return means a lower price for a bond. According to CNBC, in response to President Trump’s tariff announcements, global bond yields sharply dropped as investors sought safe havens amid stock market turmoil. For example, Germany’s 10-year bond yield fell from 2.72% to below 2.6%, and US Treasury yields also hit their lowest levels in months, signaling heightened demand for government debt, though economists warn this rally may not be sustainable if inflation concerns persist. Trading and investing in crypto, stocks and bonds: What sets them apart? All asset classes — crypto vs. traditional investments — involve identifying patterns, but the timeframes, dynamics and tactics differ significantly.Crypto and stock trading share similar patterns, like sensitivity to macroeconomic trends andtechnical patterns, but their market structures contrast sharply. Stock markets operate within set hours, such as the NYSE’s hours of 9:30 am–4:30 pm ET, while crypto markets run 24/7. Bonds are typically traded during regular market hours, similar to stocks, but the exact trading hours can depend on the type of bond, such as Treasurys or corporate issues.Crypto trading involves pairs using common tokens like Bitcoin or Ether as base currencies, while stocks are typically bought with fiat, and bonds are traded in fixed denominations, often with a minimum investment threshold. Liquidity issues can affect all three: Crypto can face challenges with small-cap tokens, stocks with micro-cap companies and bonds with less-traded long-term or corporate issues.Timeframes for market patterns highlight further distinctions. Crypto market patterns thrive on short-term volatility, demanding rapid decisions and frequent trades, while stock patterns often track longer-term trends tied to company performance and broader economic cycles. Bonds move the slowest, with price shifts driven primarily by interest rates, and offer stable, predictable patterns.Price drivers also set them apart. Crypto values hinge on market trends, adoption and utility; stocks rely on company fundamentals, research and earnings; and bonds depend on interest rate movements and issuer creditworthiness, prioritizing stability over growth. Entry barrier to crypto, stocks and bonds Stock issuance is governed by company laws, blockchain protocols with hard caps control crypto supply, and bonds are issued based on creditworthiness.To invest in stocks and bonds, you generally need to be at least 18 years old and have a brokerage account to invest in the stock and bond markets. Some stocks may require a higher income or level of experience, while most stocks only allow accredited or wealthy investors to participate.Buying stocks and bonds means going through regulated brokers and exchanges. Crypto, on the other hand, lets you jump in with just a wallet — no intermediary, no paperwork. Centralized crypto exchanges require Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, but decentralized platforms let you trade freely with only your private keys.Did you know? Stocks represent company equity with dividends; crypto represents digital assets with varying uses; and bonds are loans offering fixed-interest payments. Regulatory differences between crypto, stocks and bonds While stocks and bonds follow strict rules, crypto is still figuring things out, making buying, selling, holding and taxes a whole different experience.In most countries, investing in stocks and bonds is legal and regulated. Still, some governments, like North Korea and Cuba, impose strict restrictions or outright bans on private investment in these assets. Crypto faces a patchwork of regulations worldwide, ranging from full bans in countries like China and Egypt to partial restrictions in places like India, where regulations limit banking support but don’t outlaw trading. Meanwhile, crypto-friendly nations like El Salvador embrace digital assets with clear legal frameworks and government support.Holding stocks and bonds is straightforward. The shares sit safely with a brokerage, and bonds pay you interest at fixed intervals. Holding crypto, however, comes with risks. You can self-custody in a wallet, but if you lose your private keys, your funds are gone forever. If you keep crypto on an exchange, there’s always a risk of hacks or platform failures.Taxes add another layer of complexity. Stocks and bonds typically fall under capital gains and dividend tax rules, with clear guidelines based on how long you’ve held them. Crypto tax laws vary widely by country. Some countries treat it like property, others like a commodity, and a few don’t tax it at all. Keeping track of every transaction is crucial, as even swapping one crypto for another can be taxable. Crypto vs. stocks vs. bonds: Which one should you buy in 2025? Choosing between crypto, stocks and bonds in 2025 depends on your personality, risk appetite and financial goals.If you love the adrenaline and believe in the future of decentralized finance (DeFi), then a crypto-focused portfolio might be for you. For example, a high-risk, high-reward portfolio could be 70% crypto, 20% stocks and 10% bonds.If you prefer a more structured approach but still want growth, stocks balance risk and return. A portfolio, for instance, with 60% stocks, 30% crypto and 10% bonds could give exposure to innovation while keeping things grounded.For those who sleep better knowing their money is safe, bonds provide stability. For example, a conservative mix could contain 70% bonds, 20% stocks and just 10% crypto, ensuring steady returns with a taste of market excitement.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 Aisling Brennan and Peter Sanders on April 21, 2025 at 6:46 am

A Queensland high school student killed in a e-scooter crash on Easter Saturday is being remembered as a caring young girl whose smile would light up a room.

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 21, 2025 at 6:18 am

Synthetix founder Kain Warwick has threatened SNX stakers with “the stick” if they don’t take up a newly launched staking mechanism to help fix the protocol’s ongoing sUSD (SUSD) depeg.Warwick said in an April 21 post to X that it has now implemented a sUSD staking mechanism to address the depeg, but admitted it is currently “very manual” without a proper user interface. However, once the UI goes live, Warwick said, if there isn’t enough momentum, then they may have to “ratchet up the pressure” on the stakers in the sUSD 420 pool.The sUSD 420 Pool was a new staking mechanism introduced on April 18 by Synthetix that would reward participants with a share of 5 million SNX tokens over 12 months if they locked their sUSD for a year in the pool. “This is very solvable and it is SNX stakers responsibility. We tried nothing which didn’t work, now we have tried the carrot and it kind of worked but I’m reserving judgement,” he said.“I think we all know how much I like the stick so if you think you will get away with not eating the carrot I’ve got some bad news for you.”Source: Kain WarwickSynthetix sUSD is a crypto-collateralized stablecoin. Users lock up SNX tokens to mint sUSD, making its stability highly dependent on the market value of Synthetix (SNX).Synthetix’s stablecoin has faced several bouts of instability since the start of 2025. On April 18, it tapped $0.68, down almost 31% from its intended 1:1 peg with the US dollar. As of April 21, it’s trading at around $0.77, according to data from CoinGecko.SNX stakers are the key to fixing depeg“The collective net worth of SNX stakers is like multiple billions the money to solve this is there we just need to dial in the incentives,” Warwick said.“We will start slow and iterate but I’m confident we will resolve this and get back to building perps on L1.”A Synthetix spokesperson told Cointelegraph on April 18 that sUSD’s short-term volatility was driven by “structural shifts” after the SIP-420 launch, a proposal that shifts debt risk from stakers to the protocol itself. Other stablecoins have depegged in the past and recovered. Circles USDC (USDC) depegged in March 2023 due to the stablecoin issuer announcing $3.3 billion of its reserves were tied up with the collapsed Silicon Valley Bank.Related: How and why do stablecoins depeg?In recent times, Justin Sun-linked stablecoin TrueUSD (TUSD) fell below its $1 peg in January after reports that holders were cashing out hundreds of millions worth of TUSD in exchange for competitor stablecoin Tether (USDT).Stablecoin market capitalization has grown since mid-2023, surpassing $200 billion in early 2025, with total stablecoin volumes reaching $27.6 trillion, surpassing the combined volumes of Visa and Mastercard by 7.7%. Magazine: Uni students crypto ‘grooming’ scandal, 67K scammed by fake women: Asia Express

by Brett Worthington on April 21, 2025 at 6:17 am

With first votes to be cast tomorrow the parties have released how-to-vote cards. Albanese says Labor isn't getting complacent while Clive Palmer is hoping to inflict pain on both major parties. 

by Phoebe Pin on April 21, 2025 at 6:09 am

A proposal to transform a "neglected" Swanbourne "dust bowl" into an oasis for terminally ill children draws the ire of some who want the site to remain in hands of the local council. 

by Cointelegraph by Martin Young on April 21, 2025 at 5:54 am

Crypto exchange Bybit co-founder and CEO Ben Zhou says more than two-thirds of the digital assets stolen from the platform in February by North Korea’s Lazarus Group still remain traceable. In an executive summary on hacked Bybit funds posted on X on April 21, Ben Zhou said that of the total $1.4 billion hacked, 68.6% “remains traceable,” 27.6% has “gone dark,” and 3.8% has been frozen.The untraceable funds primarily flowed into mixers, then through bridges to peer-to-peer and over-the-counter platforms, he added. In February, hackers associated with the Lazarus Group exploited vulnerabilities in Bybit’s cold wallet infrastructure, stealing $1.4 billion in the largest crypto exchange hack to date.“Recently, we have observed that the mixer mainly used by the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] is Wasabi,” Zhou said before stating that following the Wasabi washing of BTC, “a small portion of it entered CryptoMixer, Tornado Cash, and Railgun.”Zhou confirmed that 944 Bitcoin (BTC) worth around $90 million went through the Wasabi mixer. Multiple crosschain and swap services were carried out through platforms such as THORChain, eXch, Lombard, LI.FI, Stargate and SunSwap before the loot eventually entered P2P and OTC services, he added. Another 432,748 Ether (ETH), around 84% of the total worth roughly $1.21 billion, has been transferred from Ethereum to Bitcoin via THORChain. Around two-thirds of that — around $960 million worth of Ether — has been converted into 10,003 BTC across 35,772 wallets, he added. Around $17 million worth of Ether remains on the Ethereum blockchain across 12,490 wallets, Zhou reported. Around $1.2 billion worth of stolen crypto is still being tracked. Source: Lazarus BountyBybit pays around $2.3 million in bountiesZhou also revealed that only 70 of 5,443 bounty reports received over the past 60 days were valid. Bybit launched the Lazarus Bounty program in February, offering a total of $140 million in rewards for information leading to funds being frozen.To date, it has paid out $2.3 million to 12 bounty hunters. Most of this went to one entity, the Mantle layer-2 platform, whose efforts resulted in $42 million worth of frozen funds. Related: Lazarus Group’s 2024 pause was repositioning for $1.4B Bybit hack“We welcome more reports, we need more bounty hunters that can decode mixers, as we need a lot of help there down the road,” Zhou said. On April 17, the eXch crypto exchange announced it would cease operations on May 1 after reports alleged the firm was used to launder funds from the Bybit hack.Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest

by Emily Anderson and James Tugwell on April 21, 2025 at 5:51 am

Every week, Sunday night six o'clock, Australians settled down to watch a show so famous even King Charles III made an appearance.

by Cointelegraph by Brayden Lindrea on April 21, 2025 at 5:40 am

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says users sending “please” and “thank you” messages to ChatGPT is costing the company tens of millions of dollars.“Tens of millions of dollars well spent -- you never know,” Altman said on April 16 after being asked to estimate the cost on X.Source: Sam AltmanAltman’s response sparked discussion about what drives users to interact with AI models in a polite manner.Some AI users say they interact politely with the bots in case AI becomes sentient and starts treating people based on how they interacted with it in the past.Source: ZvbearOthers, such as engineer Carl Youngblood, claim they’re motivated to treat the AI well for personal development:“Treating AIs with courtesy is a moral imperative for me. I do it out of self-interest. Callousness in our daily interactions causes our interpersonal skills to atrophy.”A December 2024 survey by Future found that 67% of American users are polite to AI assistants, with 55% doing so because it's the right thing to do, and the other 12% doing so out of fear that mistreating the bots could come back to haunt them.Debate over ChatGPT’s electricity consumptionA September 2023 research paper from Digiconomist founder and Bitcoin mining critic Alex de Vries states that a single ChatGPT query requires around three watt-hours of electricity.However, data analyst Josh You from AI research institute Epoch AI argues the figure is an overestimate, and is closer to 0.3 watt-hours due to more efficient models and hardware compared to 2023. One responder to Altman’s post wondered why ChatGPT doesn’t have a solution to save electricity costs on courtesy words like please and thank you.Altman recently stated that the cost of AI output has been falling tenfold every year as AI models become more efficient.Related: AI tokens, memecoins dominate crypto narratives in Q1 2025: CoinGeckoMeanwhile, OpenAI expects to more than triple its revenue this year to $12.7 billion, despite an uptick in competition from the likes of China’s DeepSeek and others making rapid progress.OpenAI does not expect to be cash-flow positive until 2029, when it expects its revenue to top $125 billion.Magazine: Your AI ‘digital twin’ can take meetings and comfort your loved ones

by Madeleine Stuchbery on April 21, 2025 at 5:24 am

Authorities have ended a search for a Chinese national who was swept into the ocean near a popular Victorian tourist town on Good Friday.

on April 21, 2025 at 5:12 am

China has warned countries against striking a broader economic deal with the United States at its expense, ratcheting up its rhetoric in a spiralling trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

by Jessica Black on April 21, 2025 at 4:54 am

A woman has been killed and a man shot after a string of alleged carjackings on the Sunshine Coast. 

by Cointelegraph by Martin Young on April 21, 2025 at 4:50 am

The number of addresses holding more than a thousand Bitcoin has surged in April as whales continue to accumulate. More than 60 new wallets holding over 1,000 Bitcoin (BTC) have appeared since early March, a signal of increasing whale activity. The number of these whale wallets has increased from 2,037 in late February to hit a four-month high of 2,107 on April 15, according to Glassnode. This has returned the metric to levels seen in two spikes in whale addresses in November and December, when crypto markets were surging following the election of US President Donald Trump. The all-time high for Bitcoin whale addresses was in February 2021, when it came just short of 2,500.Number of addresses with a Bitcoin balance of over 1,000 BTC. Source: Glassnode The number of addresses holding over 100 BTC has also climbed marginally this year, reaching 18,026 on April 20, according to Glassnode. However, smaller holders with less than 10 coins have been in decline over the past few months. Whales continue stackingOn April 18, Cointelegraph reported that Bitcoin whales were absorbing the asset at record rates of over 300% of the yearly issuance while exchange balances were falling. Bitcoin whales holding over 10,000 coins remain in strong accumulation territory as the dip buying continues, according to Glassnode. “Whales are accumulating massive amounts of Bitcoin, they know what comes next,” said Bitcoin trader ‘Mister Crypto’ on April 20.Bitcoin whale position change. Source: Mister Crypto Related: Bitcoin price falls toward range lows, but data shows ‘whales going wild right now’Meanwhile, Bitcoin prices appear to be breaking out of a sideways channel that began in early March. The asset climbed more than $3,000 on the day to reclaim $87,400 on April 21 for the first time since March 28. Bitcoin’s breakout from a multimonth falling wedge chart pattern signals a potential bullish reversal that could drive its price back toward six figures by May, according to analysts. Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest

by Dean Bilton and Marnie Vinall on April 21, 2025 at 4:35 am

Geelong hangs on for a thrilling seven-point win against Hawthorn in front of an Easter Monday record crowd of at the MCG.

by Sundance on April 21, 2025 at 4:20 am

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency. This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread. Posted in The post April 21st – 2025 Presidential Politics – Trump Administration Day 92 appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Sundance on April 21, 2025 at 4:15 am

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL. The post Monday April 21st – Open Thread appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Susan Oong on April 21, 2025 at 3:43 am

Hot cross buns have long heralded the start of Easter in the western world, with the marked cross on top a symbol of Christian faith — but they actually started as part of pagan rituals.

by Cointelegraph by Brayden Lindrea on April 21, 2025 at 3:40 am

The Solana network briefly surpassed Ethereum in total staked value of their respective native tokens, SOL and ETH, sparking debate over whether it is actually bullish or bearish for Solana. More than $53.9 billion worth of SOL is now staked on the Solana network from 505,938 unique wallet holders, who are making an 8.31% annualized return, blockchain data shows.The figure briefly overtook the staked ETH market cap on April 20, which now has $53.93 billion worth of value secured from 34.7 million staked tokens, Beaconcha.in data shows.Source: Alex SvanevikA contributing factor behind the flippening has been SOL’s strong price performance relative to ETH over the last two years, which has seen the SOL/ETH price ratio rise nearly tenfold from 0.0088 to 0.0866 since June 12, 2023, CoinGecko data shows.High SOL staking return is stifling Solana DeFi, pundits sayHowever, the “risk-free” 8.31% return for SOL stakers at the network level — significantly higher than ETH’s 2.98% — may be attracting Solana users away from DeFi activities, such as providing liquidity to automated market makers and lending protocols in exchange for token rewards.“Solana having 65% of its marketcap staked means there's no other use of it's token, it’s actually bearish,” Builda Protocol developer and X user “JC” said.DefiLlama data shows that there are $21.5 billion worth of liquid staked ETH tokens on Ethereum compared to just $7.22 billion of liquid staked SOL on Solana.Multicoin Capital managing partner Tushar Jain previously said that Solana DeFi has been stifled because it’s not rational to make an investment in something that produces a lower return than the “risk-free” investment.“It doesn’t make sense for you to provide liquidity on a SOL/USDC AMM when that might earn you 5% but staking earns you 7%.”Ethereum also dominates in terms of DeFi total value locked at $50.4 million compared to Solana’s $8.85 billion.Industry pundits also pointed out that there are still far more validators securing the Ethereum network at 1.06 million compared to Solana’s 1,243.Solana staking isn’t really staking, Ethereum researcher arguesOne Ethereum researcher said Solana staking isn’t really securing the Solana network because there isn’t a mechanism to penalize bad actors for malicious behavior.“It's very ironic to call it ‘staking’ when there is no slashing. What's at stake?” Dankrad Feist said in an April 20 X post. “Solana has close to zero economic security at the moment.”Solana Labs said slashing is already possible, but it’s not automatic, and the attacker’s assets can only be slashed by restarting the entire network.Related: Ethereum price in ‘cursed’ downtrend which could continue well into 2025 — AnalystSolana is looking to roll out a more comprehensive slashing solution later this year, according to Multicoin Capital Managing Partner Kyle Samani.Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko said he’s pushing for a “correlated slashing” mechanism, where the penalty would be equal to the square of the difference between a validator’s faulty stake in an epoch and the median network staked validator.Source: Anatoly YakovenkoMeanwhile, Ethereum developers and researchers have been exploring ways to decentralize Ethereum staking. Many Ethereum stakers have resorted to liquid staking protocols over the last few years due to the high 32 ETH ($50,750) minimum needed to run an independent validator. However, this shift has led to the Lido protocol capturing an 88% share in Ethereum’s liquid staking market, adding another layer to Ethereum’s staking centralization concerns.Magazine: Comeback 2025: Is Ethereum poised to catch up with Bitcoin and Solana?

by Kenith Png on April 21, 2025 at 3:11 am

Wrestling star and actor John Cena will headline a three-day WWE event in Perth in October that is being touted as a major tourism draw for Western Australia.

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 21, 2025 at 3:01 am

A doomsday-themed Solana NFT project is looking to sell 100,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to buy a Cold War-era nuclear bunker in Rutland, England.Dead Bruv, the creators of the narrative-driven NFT project Meatbags, plan to mint 100,000 NFTs, with Meatbags holders being airdropped 10,000. The the rest will be sold off starting April 21, starting at $14 a pop, according to a post on the Meatbags X account. Holders will gain entry into a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), called the Billionaire Bunker Club, a “fully decentralized, community-governed real-world asset onchain,” which will vote on what happens with the bunker if the effort to buy it is successful. Source: MeatbagsA few ideas floated by the NFT project include a “members-only survival resort with Doomsday DJ,” a location to hold end-of-the-world festivals, or “an Airbnb with caviar tastings and canned bean room service.” UK online auctioneer SDL Property Auctions has the bunker Dead Bruv is hoping to buy listed for a guide price of 650,000 British pounds ($862,257), and an auction date scheduled for April 24. The real estate listing says the bunker is located on 1.4 acres near a former reservoir and already has the relevant permissions for the winning bidder to convert it into a house. The bunker was built in 1960 to act as a monitoring post during the Cold War and was decommissioned in 1968. It was one of 1,500 tasked with reporting any nuclear bursts and monitoring any radioactive fallout, according to SDL Property Auctions.Cointelegraph contacted SDL Property Auctions for comment. Nuclear bunker buy began as a jokeRobert, the pseudonymous co-founder of Dead Bruv, said in an April 18 statement to X that the initiative was about trying to “make NFTs fun again” and was sparked by a joke that turned into a “lightbulb moment.” “There’s not much to compare this to, but these are the kinds of things that made me fall in love with NFTs in the first place. Taking risks. Getting creative. Pushing the boundaries of what this tech can do to create something completely new, absurd, and incredible,” he said. “When something comes from a place of, this is completely insane, we gotta do it, that’s when I know we’re onto something,” Robert added. Source: RobertThis isn’t the first time a DOA has turned to crowdfunding to buy an expensive item. ConstitutionDAO managed to raise about $47 million in Ether (ETH) in 2021 to purchase an original copy of the United States Constitution, which was going under the hammer at auctioneer Sotheby’s. Related: NFT sales plunge 63% in Q1, but Pudgy Penguins, Doodles buck trendUltimately, they were unsuccessful. The winning bid was $43.2 million, and the DAO was limited to a bid of $43 million by Sotheby’s to factor in taxes and the costs required to protect, insure and move the Constitution. Meanwhile, LinksDAO secured the winning bid to purchase Scotland-based Spey Bay Golf Club in May 2023. The DAO claims it added the US-based Hillcrest Country Club to its holdings in February. Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest, April 13 – 19

on April 21, 2025 at 3:01 am

Scans reveal Sam Darcy's ACL is intact but he has suffered an impaction fracture in his knee, which will require surgery for the young Bulldogs star.

by Cointelegraph by Jody McDonald on April 21, 2025 at 2:59 am

Ethereum-based real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform Blocksquare has partnered with a Florida-based real estate company to offer fractional ownership in a pipeline of US commercial properties valued at over $1 billion. Announcing the deal on April 18, Blocksquare and Vera Capital said a marketplace would launch in the coming weeks to enable global investors to buy tokenized shares in “dozens of properties” located across seven US states. The first tokenized properties that will be up for grabs are part of Vera Group’s existing holdings, which include a three-storey office building in Fort Lauderdale and a retail plaza in Dania Beach, according to two properties listed on Vera Capital’s website.Source: Vera Capital“All our assets are already part of the group, so with the Vera Fund they’ve already been purchased, and they are owned by us, managed by us and we are only improving them,” Vera Group CEO Nick Polyushkin said.Vera Capital is a subsidiary of Vera Group, which also runs a South Florida real estate agency, real estate management company, and a real estate investment fund with over $100 million invested through commercial property acquisitions, land development and residential developments.Polyushkin said the $1 billion figure comes from the company’s roadmap, which includes tokenizing existing assets and raising funds for development projects. He said future properties the company plans to tokenize include two unit complexes valued at between $70 and $100 million.“This is ambitious numbers if you’re looking at this from the perspective of residential use in investments, but from a commercial standpoint, this is a very realistic number and not just achievable, it’s over-achievable,” he said.Related: RWAs rise to $17B all-time high, as Bitcoin falls below $100KTokenized real estate still needs legal clarity in US To date, Blocksquare has been used to tokenize around 150 properties in 28 countries, at a value of over $145 million. The platform launched an EU-compliant framework in February 2025 to enable property owners to tokenize economic rights tied to real estate through notarized agreements. Blocksquare CEO Denis Petrovic said once the Vera Group partnership was in progress, Blocksquare started to research to “see if the framework we have from Luxembourg will also be applicable for the US.”“There’s always the option obviously of launching tokens directly without the Luxembourg entity getting involved, but just having it there it’s an additional convenience for a marketplace based out of the US like Vera Group,” he said.Magazine: Have your stake and earn fees too: Tushar Aggarwal on double dipping in DeFi

by Jason Walls on April 21, 2025 at 2:32 am

A litigation funder will pocket one-sixth of a $180 million settlement in a historic Northern Territory stolen wages class action while the Aboriginal workers themselves will get "at least $10,000" each.

by Emma Wynne on April 21, 2025 at 2:32 am

Six generations of Noongar and Yamatji women are celebrated on the walls of the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art as the institution showcases Indigenous art from all over WA. 

by Cointelegraph by Martin Young on April 21, 2025 at 2:15 am

Bitcoin prices appear to be breaking out of an extended period of consolidation as the asset climbs to its highest level since late March. Bitcoin (BTC) surged above $87,400 on April 21, its highest price since March 28, according to TradingView. It has climbed by more than $3,000 from an intraday low of just over $84,000 on April 20. The asset has now gained 16% since its 2025 low of just below $75,000 on April 9, and the distance from its peak price has been reduced to 20%. While a 2.4% daily gain is not out of the ordinary for Bitcoin, it has moved the asset to the upper bounds of a range-bound channel that began in early March. “Bitcoin is breaking out,” while Nasdaq futures are down 1%, observed Scott Melker, aka “The Wolf Of All Streets.” BTC/USD 4-hour chart. Source: TradingviewBitcoin and gold correlation strengthens“The narrative in both gold and Bitcoin is aligning for the first time in years,” commented the Kobeissi Letter on X, observing gold’s recent all-time high and Bitcoin’s breakout. “Gold has hit its 55th all-time high in 12 months and Bitcoin is officially joining the run,” it stated before adding: “Gold and Bitcoin are telling us that a weaker US Dollar is more uncertainty is on the way.”The US dollar Index (DXY), which is a measure of the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, has declined 10% since the beginning of this year as global trade tensions escalate. Related: Bitcoin gets $90K short-term target amid warning support 'isn't safe'The move was also observed by “Geiger Capital,” which also observed the decline in tech futures and the USD, adding that Bitcoin was “decoupling.”- Tech futures down- Dollar down- Gold new ATH- Bitcoin breaking out/decouplingRealize where we are. pic.twitter.com/XqZRlEHj39— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) April 21, 2025Some analysts had predicted a fall to $83,000 over the Easter weekend, citing exchange order books, but BTC appears to have defied them. On April 19, analyst ‘Rekt Capital’ observed that Bitcoin hasn’t just broken the downtrend, it “successfully retested it as support for the first time since downtrend formation.”Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest

by Declan Durrant on April 21, 2025 at 1:40 am

A luxury cruise ship will stop in Wallaroo in 2027, carrying almost 500 passengers, renewing the town's hope of benefiting from the cruise industry.

by Luke Pentony on April 21, 2025 at 1:34 am

The hotly anticipated showdown between Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy at the Stawell Gift did not eventuate, while John Evans and Bree Rizzo won the respective men's and women's finals.

by Nick Campton on April 21, 2025 at 1:32 am

Mitchell Moses has showcased his brilliance on return from injury with a dazzling performance in Parramatta's win over the Tigers on Easter Monday. 

by Alison Xiao on April 21, 2025 at 1:28 am

The prime minister has accused Russia of wanting propaganda to be promoted by Australians, after Moscow's ambassador to Indonesia said Australia had "no cards" to play in the situation.

by Malcolm Sutton on April 21, 2025 at 1:12 am

As streaming sees more and more people forgoing traditional cinemas to watch content at home, micro-cinemas showing alternative and niche films are rising in popularity across the country.    

by Cointelegraph by Cointelegraph on April 20, 2025 at 9:35 pm

Today in crypto, Bybit CEO Ben Zhou has confirmed that around two-thirds of its funds stolen by Lazarus in February are currently still traceable. Meanwhile, the Bitget crypto exchange rolled back accounts following “abnormal trading activity” in VOXEL-USDT perpetual futures contracts, and the Dogecoin community has celebrated “Dogeday.”Bybit CEO: Two-thirds of Lazarus-hacked funds remain traceableCrypto exchange Bybit co-founder and CEO Ben Zhou says more than two-thirds of the digital assets stolen from the platform in February by North Korea’s Lazarus Group still remain traceable. In an executive summary on hacked Bybit funds posted on X on April 21, Ben Zhou said that of the total $1.4 billion hacked, 68.6% “remains traceable,” 27.6% has “gone dark,” and 3.8% has been frozen.Around $1.2 billion worth of stolen crypto is still being tracked. Source: Lazarus BountyThe untraceable funds primarily flowed into mixers, then through bridges to peer-to-peer and over-the-counter platforms, he added. Zhou confirmed that 944 Bitcoin (BTC) worth around $90 million went through the Wasabi mixerAnother 432,748 Ether (ETH), around 84% of the total worth roughly $1.21 billion, has been transferred from Ethereum to Bitcoin via THORChain. Around two-thirds of that — around $960 million worth of Ether — has been converted into 10,003 BTC across 35,772 wallets, he added. Around $17 million worth of Ether remains on the Ethereum blockchain across 12,490 wallets, Zhou reported. Bitget rolls back accounts after market irregularity in VOXEL-USDT perpetual futures contractsCryptocurrency exchange Bitget detected "abnormal trading activity" in VOXEL-USDT perpetual futures contracts between 8:00 to 8:30 UTC on April 20 and is rolling back accounts impacted by the trading irregularity during the next 24 hours.Bitget CEO Gracy Chen told Cointelegraph that the issue was not platform-wide and involved funds traded between market participants and not the exchange itself. Chen added that all user funds are safe.The exchange is also issuing a compensation plan for traders affected by the market irregularity. Chen told Cointelegraph:"For any residual losses, Bitget is fully prepared to offer compensation. Our $300 million protection fund provides more than sufficient backing to support our users in such events, assuring that user assets remain secure."The incident is the latest in a string of market irregularities impacting cryptocurrency exchanges and causing losses to users, including the Hyperliquid-Jelly memecoin market exploit in March 2025.VOXEL-USDT perpetual futures contract spikes by over 138% in a single day. Source: TradingViewDogecoin holders celebrate “Dogeday” 4/20 as ETF decision draws nearDogecoin holders worldwide celebrate “Dogeday” on April 20, as the memecoin’s community awaits upcoming deadlines for Dogecoin-related exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications.Dogeday marks the unofficial holiday of the Dogecoin (DOGE) community. It gained traction in the memecoin community four years ago, in 2021, during International Weed Day on April 20.Source: BitgetDespite its reputation as a joke token, Dogecoin remains the eighth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, currently valued at $23.3 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.Dogecoin’s tokenomics have often been criticized for issuing 14.4 million worth of new DOGE into circulation per day, giving it a daily inflation rate of over $2.16 million.Dogecoin’s staying power “stems from a blend of community-driven enthusiasm, low entry barriers, and speculative appeal,” according to Anndy Lian, author and intergovernmental blockchain expert.

by Cointelegraph by Vince Quill on April 20, 2025 at 8:49 pm

Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor hinted at an impending Bitcoin (BTC) purchase by Strategy and said that more than 13,000 institutions now have direct exposure to the company.The company's most recent acquisition of 3,459 BTC, valued at over $285 million at the time of purchase, on April 14, brought Strategy's total holdings to 531,644 BTC, valued at over $44.9 billion.Saylor followed up on the BTC chart, which he typically posts on Sundays to signal an imminent BTC acquisition, with a breakdown of investor exposure to the company. The executive wrote in an April 20 X post:"Based on public data as of Q1 2025, over 13,000 institutions and 814,000 retail accounts hold MSTR directly. An estimated 55 million beneficiaries have indirect exposure through ETFs, mutual funds, pensions, and insurance portfolios."Strategy's growing popularity among retail and institutional investors is significant due to the company siphoning capital from traditional financial markets and into Bitcoin. Increased capital flows translate into the company accumulating and holding more BTC, slowly increasing the price of the supply-capped digital asset.Strategy’s chart of Bitcoin acquisitions. Source: SaylorTrackerRelated: Has Michael Saylor’s Strategy built a house of cards?Michael Saylor's stock market-to-BTC pipelineStrategy issues corporate debt and equity to finance its Bitcoin acquisitions, giving holders indirect exposure to BTC and feeding capital from traditional financial markets into the Bitcoin market.In December 2024, Strategy was added to the Nasdaq 100, a weighted stock market index that tracks the 100 largest companies by market capitalization on the Nasdaq exchange.The inclusion of Strategy in the Nasdaq 100 will draw in even more capital to BTC from passive investors holding the tech-focused index in their portfolios.Strategy’s stock is currently trading at around $317. Source: TradingViewIn February 2025, Bitcoin analyst Julian Fahrer reported that 12 US states had exposure to Strategy, including California, Florida, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, and Utah.Bloomberg exchange-traded fund (ETF) analyst Eric Balchunas recently said that inflows from Bitcoin ETFs and institutional inflows from companies like Strategy have shored up the Bitcoin market against dumping by short-term speculators.The analyst added that Bitcoin ETFs recorded approximately $2.4 billion in capital flows year-to-date, helping to cushion the price of the digital asset.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.Magazine: ‘Bitcoin layer 2s’ aren’t really L2s at all: Here’s why that matters

by Cointelegraph by Rakesh Upadhyay on April 20, 2025 at 7:41 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) has risen roughly 1% for the week, indicating a balance between supply and demand. Analysts expect a quiet easter weekend but are divided about the next directional move in Bitcoin.Network economist Timothy Peterson said that the US High Yield Index Effective Yield has gained over 8%. There have been 38 such instances since 2010, and Bitcoin has risen 71% of the time three months later. Bitcoin recorded a median gain of 31% and the worst loss of -16%. Based on historical data, Peterson anticipates Bitcoin to trade between $75,000 and $138,000 within 90 days.Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360Not everyone shares a bullish view. Bloomberg’s Senior Commodity Strategist Mike McGlone said in a post on X that Bitcoin and the S&P 500 Index may drop toward their respective 200-week simple moving average, which historically acts as a floor during major corrections. Bitcoin’s 200-week SMA is close to $46,000.What are the critical support and resistance levels in Bitcoin? What cryptocurrencies may rally if Bitcoin breaks above its overhead resistance?Bitcoin price analysisBitcoin has stayed above the 20-day exponential moving average ($83,704) for the past several days, but the bulls have failed to challenge the 200-day simple moving average ($88,098).BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe failure to start a rally could put pressure on the BTC/USDT pair in the near term. If the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bulls have given up. That opens the gates for a drop to $78,500 and subsequently to the vital support at $73,777.If buyers want to prevent the downside, they will have to swiftly push the price above the 200-day SMA. That indicates the corrective phase may be over. The pair may surge to $95,000 and eventually to the psychological level of $100,000.BTC/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe pair has been trading inside a tight range between $83,000 and $86,000. Failing to break above the overhead resistance may have tempted the short-term bulls to book profits, pulling the price below the moving averages. Trading inside the range is likely to remain random and volatile.A break and close below the range could start a downward move to $80,000 and then to $78,500. On the other hand, a break and close above $86,000 could propel the pair to $89,000.BNB price analysisBNB (BNB) is facing resistance at the downtrend line, but a positive sign is that the bulls have not ceded ground to the bears.BNB/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe moving averages have flattened out, and the RSI is near the midpoint, indicating a balance between supply and demand. If buyers drive the price above the downtrend line, the BNB/USDT pair could rally to $644.Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down sharply from the downtrend line, it signals that the bears are active at higher levels. A break below $576 could keep the pair inside the triangle for some more time.BNB/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe pair has reached the downtrend line, where the bears are expected to pose a strong challenge. The crucial support on the downside is the 50-SMA and then $576. If the price rebounds off the support, it indicates buying on dips. That increases the likelihood of a break above the downtrend line. The pair may then climb to $620.On the contrary, a break and close below $576 signals that the buyers have given up. That could pull the price down to $566, extending the stay inside the triangle for a while longer.Hyperliquid price analysisHyperliquid (HYPE) rose and closed above the $17.35 overhead resistance on April 19, but the bulls are facing selling at higher levels.HYPE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewIf the price turns up from $17.35, it suggests that every minor dip is being bought. That clears the path for a rally to $21 and thereafter to $25.Alternatively, a break and close below $17.35 signals that the bears are trying to trap the aggressive bulls. The next support on the downside is the 20-day EMA ($15.32). If the price rebounds off the 20-day EMA, the bulls will again try to overcome the obstacle at $17.35.The optimistic view will be negated in the near term if the HYPE/USDT pair turns down and breaks below the moving averages.HYPE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe pair has dropped to the breakout level of $17.35. If the price rebounds off $17.35 and rises above $18.54, it signals that the bulls have flipped the level into support. That enhances the prospects of a rally to $21.Conversely, if the price skids below $17.35, it suggests that the bears are trying to regain control. The 50-SMA is the critical support to watch for on the downside because a break below it indicates that the bulls are losing their grip. The pair may then descend to $14.65.Related: Bitcoin gets $90K short-term target amid warning support 'isn't safe'Bittensor price analysisBittensor (TAO) broke above the moving averages and has reached the downtrend line, where the bears are expected to mount a strong defense.TAO/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewIf the price turns down from the downtrend line, the TAO/USDT pair is likely to find support at the 20-day EMA ($249). A solid bounce off the 20-day EMA improves the prospects of a rally above the downtrend line. The pair could then surge to $360.Contrarily, if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bears remain in control. The pair may then slump to the $222 support, where the buyers are expected to step in.TAO/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe RSI has risen into the overbought zone, suggesting a short-term pullback is possible. If the price rebounds off the 20-EMA, it signals a positive sentiment. That increases the possibility of a break above the downtrend line. There is minor resistance at $313, but it is likely to be crossed.Contrarily, a break and close below the 20-EMA indicates that the short-term buyers are booking profits. That may pull the pair to the 50-SMA.Render price analysisRender (RNDR) has broken out of the overhead resistance at $4.22, signaling that the bulls are attempting a comeback.RNDR/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewA close above the $4.22 level will complete a bullish double-bottom pattern. There is resistance at $4.83, but it is likely to be crossed. The RNDR/USDT pair could then travel toward the pattern target of $5.94.The 20-day EMA ($3.72) is the crucial support to watch out for on the downside. A break and close below the moving averages indicates that the markets have rejected the breakout above $4.22. That could open the doors for a drop to the support at $2.50.RNDR/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe pair has cleared the overhead hurdle at $4.22, indicating an advantage to buyers. However, the bears are unlikely to give up easily and will try to pull the price back below the breakout level. If the price rebounds off $4.22 with strength and rises above $4.48, it signals that the bulls have flipped the level into support. The pair may then start an up move toward $5.Instead, if the price turns down and breaks below the moving averages, it suggests that the breakout may have been a bull trap. The pair may then drop toward the critical support at $3.60.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

by Sundance on April 20, 2025 at 6:12 pm

When did citizens of other nations gain USA constitutional rights? According to Senator Van Hollen discussing illegal alien Abrego Garcia has U.S. “Constitutional Rights.”  Van Hollen claimed on CBS, “I want to be really clear, this is not a case about just one man whose constitutional rights are being ignored and disrespected. Because when you The post Senator Van Hollen Claims Illegal Aliens Have U.S. “Constitutional Rights” appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Vince Quill on April 20, 2025 at 6:09 pm

Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget discovered "abnormal trading activity" on the VOXEL/USDT perpetual futures contract on April 20, between 8:00 to 8:30 UTC, and paused accounts that the exchange suspected of market manipulation.According to an April 20 announcement from the exchange, Bitget will roll back the accounts suspected of market manipulation within 24 hours, clawing back gains made from the trades.Bitget CEO Gracy Chen told Cointelegraph the trades were between individual market participants and not the platform itself. Chen also said that the losses are not platform-wide and that user funds remain safe.VOXEL-USDT perpetual futures contract spikes by over 138% in a single day. Source: TradingViewThe crypto exchange also plans to compensate users who suffered losses due to the alleged market manipulation and will announce a compensation plan soon, Chen confirmed to Cointelegraph. The Bitget CEO added:"For any residual losses, Bitget is fully prepared to offer compensation. Our $300 million protection fund provides more than sufficient backing to support our users in such events, assuring that user assets remain secure."The incident has called into question the obligations of exchanges under pressure from trading abnormalities and electronic trading bugs, with some traders comparing the Bitget incident to the Hyperliquid-Jelly exploit in March 2025.Related: Hyperliquid JELLY ‘exploiter’ could be down $1M, says ArkhamHyperliquid debacle all over again?On March 26, a trader "exploited" the price of the Jelly-my-Jelly (JELLY) memecoin on the Hyperliquid exchange by hedging a long position against an equivalent short position.The price of JELLY pumped by over 400%, triggering a liquidation of the short positions. However, because the position was too large, it was sent through the Hyperliquidity Provider Vault (HLP).JELLY memecoin surges by over 400% during Hyperliquid incident. Source: TradingViewIn response to the trading activity, Hyperliquid delisted JELLY perpetual contracts, drawing widespread condemnation from the crypto community.Bitget CEO Gracy Chen was among the most vocal critics of Hyperliquid, slamming the exchange for delisting Jelly and causing financial losses for users."The decision to close the JELLY market and force settlement of positions at a favorable price sets a dangerous precedent. Trust — not capital — is the foundation of any exchange," Chen wrote in a March 26 X post.Magazine: DeFi will rise again after memecoins die down: Sasha Ivanov, X Hall of Flame 

by Sundance on April 20, 2025 at 5:39 pm

At 1:00am on Saturday, the Supreme Court of the USA issued an injunction [SEE HERE] blocking President Trump from deporting illegal aliens identified under the Alien Enemies Act.  It was/is a bizarre order considering the lower court had not even ruled on the matter; worse yet, the Supreme Court created an imaginary “class” of aliens. The post Lawfare on Steroids – SCOTUS Orders Trump to Stop Deporting Illegal Alien Gang Members, Judge Alito Eviscerates High Court for Judicial Despotism appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Vince Quill on April 20, 2025 at 4:17 pm

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed replacing the current Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) contract language with the RISC-V instruction set architecture to improve the speed and efficiency of the Ethereum network's execution layer.Buterin's April 20 proposal outlined several long-term bottlenecks for scaling the Ethereum network including, stable data availability sampling, ensuring block production remains competitive, and zero-knowledge EVM proving.The Ethereum co-founder argued that implementing the RISC-V architecture in smart contracts would keep block production markets competitive and improve the efficiency of zero knowledge functions for the execution layer. Buterin wrote:"The beam chain effort holds great promise for greatly simplifying the consensus layer of Ethereum, but for the execution layer to see similar gains, this kind of radical change may be the only viable path."The proposal highlights the Ethereum network's struggle to improve throughput and remain competitive with next-generation monolithic blockchains such as Solana and the Sui networks at a time when investors are losing confidence in the original smart contract blockchain.Buterin provides numbers suggesting that implementing the proposal could lead to efficiency gains of 100x. Source: Vitalik ButerinRelated: Vitalik Buterin unveils roadmap for Ethereum privacyEthereum's scaling woes and a collapse of Ether's priceEthereum's blob fees, transaction fees taken from Ethereum layer-2 scaling networks, dropped to a weekly low of 3.18 Ether (ETH) during the week of March 30, according to data from Etherscan.Using current Ether prices, the 3.18 ETH collected for blob fees during the period equaled approximately $5,000.In April 2025, Ethereum network fees dropped to their lowest levels since 2020, averaging around $0.16 per transaction.According to Santiment marketing director Brian Quinlivan, the dramatic reduction in fees is due to fewer users sending transactions on the Ethereum base layer, opting instead to use smart contracts or one of Ethereum's many layer-2 scaling solutions.Ethereum network weekly transaction fees declined significantly in Q1 2025. Source: Token TerminalEthereum's layer-2 networks have been described as a double-edged sword that dramatically lowered transaction costs on the base layer but also cannibalized the Ethereum base layer's revenue.Concerns surrounding revenue generation on the base layer and the corrosive effects of layer-2 scaling solutions on Ethereum's market share have driven the price of Ether to historic lows and could plunge Ether prices further to around $1,100 if investor confidence continues to wane.Magazine: Proposed change could save Ethereum from L2 ‘roadmap to hell’