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by Cointelegraph by Amin Haqshanas on April 29, 2025 at 9:05 am

DeFi protocol Loopscale has recovered nearly half of the funds stolen during a major exploit over the weekend, as white hat negotiations with the attacker show signs of progress.In an April 29 update posted to X, Loopscale confirmed that approximately 19,463 Wrapped SOL (WSOL) (worth roughly $2.88 million) have been returned to its wallets since April 28.The first two returns included 10,000 WSOL (~$1.48 million) and 4,463 WSOL (~$660,000), following an earlier recovery of 5,000 WSOL (~$740,000).“Our pursuit of an amicable resolution regarding Saturday’s incident continues to make progress,” the team wrote.Loopscale updating community on negotiations progress. Source: LoopscaleRelated: DeFi platform KiloEx to compensate users impacted by $7.5M hackLoopscale offers 10% bounty for return of fundsOn April 27, Loopscale’s team said it had sent an onchain message to the exploiter, offering them a 10% bounty and a full release of liability in exchange for the return of 90% of the stolen funds.The team warned that if no agreement were reached within 24 hours, it would contact law enforcement.At 3:52 pm Eastern Time on April 28, Loopscale announced it had received a response from the exploiter, who indicated willingness to negotiate a return in exchange for a bounty.The exploit occurred on April 26, when manipulation of Loopscale’s RateX PT token pricing functions led to the theft of approximately $5.7 million in USDC (USDC) and 1,200 Solana (SOL) from its USDC and SOL vaults.The stolen amount represented about 12% of the platform’s total funds and impacted only vault depositors, not borrowers or loopers.While recoveries are not very common in decentralized finance, there have been more instances of successful fund returns as of late.Related: WazirX confirms restart on track as it awaits sanction hearing in MayOn April 27, Ethereum-based lending protocol Term Finance said it had recovered $1 million of the $1.6 million lost in an incident involving a misconfigured oracle on its Treehouse (tETH) market.The team said 223 Ether (ETH) was recaptured internally, and another 333 ETH was recovered through negotiations.Term Finance explaining their recovery progress. Source: Term FinanceIn the first quarter of 2025, hackers stole more than $1.6 billion worth of crypto from exchanges and onchain smart contracts, blockchain security firm PeckShield said in an April report. More than 90% of those losses are attributable to a $1.5 billion attack on Bybit, a centralized cryptocurrency exchange, by North Korean hacking outfit Lazarus Group.Magazine: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest, April 20 – 26

by Julia Bergin on April 29, 2025 at 9:04 am

An inner-city Melbourne mayor has been granted an interim personal safety intervention order against the head of Council Watch, Dean Hurlston, over alleged harassment. 

by Cointelegraph by Helen Partz on April 29, 2025 at 8:50 am

Alex Mashinsky, the founder and former CEO of the now-defunct cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius, faces a 20-year prison sentence as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) seeks a severe penalty for his role in a multibillion-dollar fraud.The DOJ on April 28 filed the government’s sentencing memorandum against Mashinsky, recommending a 20-year prison sentence for his fraudulent actions, which led to billions of dollars in losses for Celsius customers.The 97-page memo mentioned that Celsius users were unable to access approximately $4.7 billion in crypto assets after the platform halted withdrawals on June 12, 2022.“The Court should sentence Alexander Mashinsky to twenty years’ imprisonment as just punishment for his years-long campaign of lies and self-dealing that left in its wake billions in losses and thousands of victimized customers,” the DOJ stated.Mashinsky’s personal benefit was $48 millionIn addition to the investor losses, the DOJ noted that Mashinsky has personally profited from the fraudulent schemes in his role.As part of his guilty plea in December 2024, Mashinsky admitted that he was the leader of the criminal activity at Celsius, that his crimes resulted in losses in excess of $550 million, and that he personally benefited more than $48 million, the DOJ said.An excerpt from the government’s sentencing memorandum against Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky. Source: CourtListenerThe DOJ highlighted that Mashinsky’s guilty plea showed that his crimes were “not the product of negligence, naivete, or bad luck,” but rather the result of “deliberate, calculated decisions to lie, deceive, and steal in pursuit of personal fortune.”This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.Magazine: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest, April 20 – 26

by Stephen Clarke on April 29, 2025 at 8:43 am

A court has heard how the mother of a woman, whose dead body was left on a Brisbane apartment verandah for months, was allegedly tricked into sending hundreds of thousands of dollars to her alleged killer.

by Cointelegraph by William Suberg on April 29, 2025 at 8:34 am

Key points:Bitcoin has beaten out three key resistance levels in a single weekly candle.The weekly close defended the 2025 yearly open, but a subsequent dip below it is making analysis question the strength of the BTC price breakout.BTC/USD remains in a “critical zone” pending fresh support confirmations.Bitcoin (BTC) has broken through three key resistance levels in a week, but its biggest reclaim battle continues.Analysis from sources including popular trader and analyst Rekt Capital underscores BTC price acting in a critical area for bulls.Bitcoin breaks through “triple resistance”Bitcoin’s latest weekly candle saw a reclaim of a full three resistance lines, Rekt Capital reveals.In addition to horizontal weekly resistance, BTC/USD broke beyond a multimonth downtrend previously discussed by Cointelegraph, as well as the 21-week exponential moving average (EMA).“Bitcoin broke them all last week,” Rekt Capital commented in a post on X while uploading an illustrative chart.“Bitcoin broke the Triple Resistance.”BTC/USD 1-week chart with 21, 50 EMA. Source: Rekt Capital/XAnother post highlights Bitcoin leaving both the 21-week and 50-week EMAs behind, with these traditionally offering bull market support.“Bitcoin has repeated mid-2021 price history with a breakout from its range formed by the two Bull Market EMAs,” Rekt Capital summarized.BTC/USD 1-week chart with 21, 50 EMA comparison. Source: Rekt Capital/XBTC price weakness worries lingerFor some, however, the real test for the current BTC price rebound lies elsewhere.Related: A 'local top' and $88K retest? 5 things to know in Bitcoin this weekIn his latest YouTube video analysis on April 28, Keith Alan, co-founder of trading resource Material Indicators, drew attention to Bitcoin’s ongoing battle to reclaim the 2025 yearly open.At around $93,500, this level forms the key focus moving forward, with a brief dip below it after the weekly close leaving Alan concerned.“It’s one of the reasons why I think we could see more downside volatility,” he said while acknowledging the potential benefits of a fresh support retest.Alan added that he hoped the 21-week simple moving average (SMA) would hold, but that price was in a “critical zone.”Short-term BTC price magnets also include $94,000 thanks to a wall of bids in place on the Binance futures order book.The buy liquidity was flagged and uploaded to X by monitoring resource CoinGlass on April 29.Binance Bitcoin futures liquidity data. Source: CoinGlass/X This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

on April 29, 2025 at 8:23 am

North Melbourne's Paul Curtis remains suspended for three matches after losing his challenge to a rough conduct charge at the AFL tribunal. 

by Cointelegraph by Shailey Singh on April 29, 2025 at 8:10 am

What is the Paws Telegram Mini App? Paws is a Telegram-based Mini App created by the same team behind other projects, such as Notcoin and Dogs. If you’ve been cruising around Telegram lately, chances are you’ve stumbled upon Paws, the viral crypto Mini App that’s got everyone tapping, clicking and inviting their friends like it’s 2010 FarmVille all over again. Originally launched in October 2024 on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, Paws exploded in popularity with its ultra-simple tap-to-earn concept. Think of it as a gamified rewards engine embedded directly in Telegram, where users rack up points by completing tasks, referring others and interacting with mini-game elements. Within just eight days of going live, Paws pulled in over 20 million users, and within a few months, that figure soared past 80 million.But the real twist? Paws, in March 2025, migrated from TON to Solana, a move that brought more scalability, lower fees and deeper integration with a broader decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. Alongside this shift came the launch of the PAWS token — used for governance, staking, in-game purchases and more — positioning Paws as more than just a viral hit. The app’s core philosophy is simple: You create value every time you engage online, so why not earn for it? With no extra downloads needed, Paws is frictionless. You just activate the bot on Telegram (@PAWSOG_bot), and you’re in. From there, it’s all about interacting: tap items, read posts, join groups, complete quizzes, and get rewarded with points that convert into real tokens.So, is it legit? Before answering that, we’ll unpack how it actually works. How does the Paws Telegram Mini App actually work? Paws has a simplified interactive interface that allows users to earn points and stay involved in its gamified engagement economy.Once you launch the Mini App via its official Telegram bot, you’re welcomed into a digital world that rewards you for social activity. You’re not mining crypto, solving puzzles or trading tokens — you’re completing micro-tasks like tapping virtual objects, joining Telegram channels, referring friends or answering simple quizzes.Every action earns you points, which are later converted into PAWS tokens. These tokens can then be staked, used in Paws’ upcoming in-app economy, or possibly traded depending on future listings. The simplicity is what makes it addictive, and the referral model makes it viral.And here’s the kicker: You don’t even need a separate wallet app. The Paws Mini App syncs with existing wallets like Phantom on Solana or Telegram-native wallets (TON-based). It’s designed for ease, especially for people new to crypto. Why Paws migrated to Solana and why it matters At first, Paws ran on TON, but in a move that surprised some and excited others, Paws announced a major shift to Solana in early 2025.In early 2025, Telegram introduced a policy mandating that all Mini Apps and third-party crypto wallets on its platform exclusively operate on TON. This move forced projects like Paws to choose between remaining confined to TON or migrating to a different blockchain.Paws opted to migrate to Solana, a decision that has had significant implications:​User base migration: Over 80 million Paws users transitioned to Solana, leading to more than 9 million downloads of the Phantom crypto wallet and the creation of over 1 million new Solana addresses. NFT integration: PAWS introduced non-fungible token (NFT) vouchers on the Solana-based marketplace Magic Eden, resulting in over 100,000 transactions within two weeks.Ecosystem expansion: The migration has allowed Paws to evolve from a viral Telegram application into a full-fledged Web3 brand, with plans to integrate DeFi features, gaming partnerships and social engagement tools.This strategic move not only circumvented Telegram’s restrictive policies but also positioned Paws to leverage Solana’s scalability and active DeFi ecosystem, paving the way for broader adoption and innovation.Did you know? The migration to Solana led to over 9 million new downloads of Phantom Wallet, with more than 1 million fresh Solana addresses created by Paws users. That’s one of the biggest onboarding waves in Solana’s history. The PAWS airdrop: What you need to know No viral Web3 game is complete without an airdrop, and Paws is no exception.Users who engage with the app, tapping, referring and completing tasks earn points, which are later converted into PAWS tokens. These tokens are distributed via an airdrop, and the team has already completed early reward rounds with plans for future drops as the ecosystem expands.The PAWS token officially launched on March 18, 2025. Here’s a breakdown of the key events that took place:​March 11-15: Withdrawals opened to exchanges.March 17: Token deposits became available on exchanges.March 18: Withdrawals to Phantom Wallet and the official PAWS listing commenced.​The airdrop distribution was as follows:​62.5% allocated to Paws app users.7.5% reserved for established Solana communities.The remaining percentage is designated for ecosystem growth, partnerships and liquidity.Despite the successful migration and platform enhancements, the PAWS token launch faced some challenges:​Price volatility: The token experienced a significant drop in value shortly after launch.Airdrop confusion: Many users were unsure about eligibility criteria, leading to dissatisfaction.Communication gaps: Delays and a lack of clear communication regarding the token generation event (TGE) affected community trust on X.As of April 2025, the PAWS token is listed on a few exchanges, including Bybit, MEXC and KuCoin. There’s growing speculation that listings on more centralized exchanges (CEXs) may follow, especially given the size of the community and early engagement.Did you know? After migrating to Solana, Paws launched NFT vouchers on Magic Eden. In just two weeks, these NFTs generated over 100,000 transactions. Is Paws legit or just another hype train? Paws has demonstrated substantial growth and user engagement; however, users must do their own research before joining in. Let’s get to the big question: Is Paws legit?Paws has demonstrated substantial growth and user engagement. The following help to make a better assessment on how to approach Paws:​Pros:Developed by a team with a track record (Notcoin and Dogs).Successful migration to Solana indicates long-term planning and future orientation.Rapid user adoption and community growth.​Cons:Limited transparency with no public team page or comprehensive white paper.Potential for bot-driven airdrop farming, as has been seen on Telegram Mini Apps.The project is navigating regulatory uncertainty, particularly as airdrops via Telegram Mini Apps remain in a legal gray area, often lacking clear Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.So, what’s the verdict? While Paws appears to be a well-used platform for casual engagement, users should conduct thorough research and exercise caution, especially when considering financial investments. What’s next for Paws? As the platform matures and cements its place, the team behind it has hinted at a much bigger vision: one that turns Paws from a simple viral game into a dynamic Web3 super app. Here’s what’s reportedly on the roadmap:In-app marketplace: Users will soon be able to spend their PAWS tokens within an integrated marketplace. This could include digital goods, services and utility items tied to the app’s gaming ecosystem, such as power-ups, skins or access to exclusive features.NFT rewards and avatar customization: Paws plans to introduce customizable avatars powered by NFTs. These will not only let users personalize their experience but also function as tradable digital assets. The team has already launched early NFT vouchers on Solana’s Magic Eden, showing a clear direction toward gamified asset ownership.Social leaderboards and guild mechanics: Paws is building out more community-first features. Competitive social leaderboards will reward the most active players, while upcoming guild mechanics will allow users to team up, compete and share rewards, blending social gaming with decentralized coordination.DeFi integrations: With its migration to Solana, PAWS has opened the door to deeper DeFi utility. Upcoming features could include staking, lending pools, yield-based games or partnerships with native Solana DeFi protocols, adding more financial layers to the Paws economy.With a user base now exceeding 80 million and growing, Paws is laying the groundwork to evolve into a full-blown Web3 social and gaming hub — though its rapid rise also warrants caution, as regulatory clarity and long-term sustainability remain key concerns.

by Tom Lowrey on April 29, 2025 at 7:34 am

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church denies organising volunteers for Coalition campaigns, but says members are free to volunteer on their own.

by Cointelegraph by Amin Haqshanas on April 29, 2025 at 7:30 am

Decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregator 1inch has launched on Solana, marking a significant step toward its vision of a “unified multichain” decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.According to a press release shared with Cointelegraph, the integration enables users to trade over 1 million Solana-based tokens directly through the 1inch decentralized application (DApp), benefiting from maximal extractable value-protected swaps, optimized rates and open-source smart contract infrastructure.The move brings 1inch’s Fusion protocol to Solana for the first time. Fusion enables users to define their ideal swap parameters, which are then executed by competing professional market makers, or “resolvers,” using Dutch auction mechanics.Combined with Solana’s ultra-fast block times, the setup promises more efficient and seamless trading execution than other networks.A 1inch representative told Cointelegraph that users could expect “minimal fees” when executing swaps on Solana. “Users may expect costs of less than one cent,” they said.Related: Solana’s Loopscale pauses lending after $5.8M hack1inch to launch crosschain swaps for SolanaIn addition to enabling Solana-based swaps, 1inch revealed plans to roll out crosschain functionality in the coming months, aiming to allow swaps between Solana and more than 10 other blockchains already supported by 1inch.“At this stage, there is no fixed launch date,” the 1inch representative said. “However, development is progressing well, and we expect the feature to go live in the coming months.”1inch’s crosschain swaps functionality. Source: 1inchThe representative said that crosschain swaps will initially support the 10 blockchains already integrated into 1inch’s crosschain swap ecosystem. The final list will be confirmed closer to launch.1inch’s expansion into Solana comes as the blockchain has outperformed Ethereum and layer-2 networks in several key DeFi metrics.Over the past three months, it posted a 33% higher DEX trading volume ($539 billion), handled 400% more transactions, and hosted 180% more active addresses than its rivals, according to data from Dune Analytics.Related: Solana whale sits on $153M profit after 4-year staking play“Both Solana and Ethereum play critical roles in the evolving DeFi landscape,” the 1inch representative said.They said that while Ethereum’s network effects and liquidity depth continue to dominate today, Solana’s performance improvements and growing adoption make it a serious contender.The integration also includes access to six APIs through the 1inch Developer Portal, giving builders tools to create new DApps and services on top of the 1inch-Solana infrastructure.On Sept. 12, 2024, 1inch first revealed the details of its solution to crosschain interoperability issues when it published a white paper about the intent-based, crosschain interoperability protocol it was developing. On Sept. 18, 2024, the DEX aggregator revealed “Fusion+” to allow users to swap their digital assets crosschain while retaining self-custody of the assets. Magazine: Ethereum is destroying the competition in the $16.1T TradFi tokenization race

by Andrew Williams and Stan Shaw on April 29, 2025 at 7:26 am

Dardanup locals say they are angry and disheartened over the state government's decision to approve the disposal of toxic "forever chemicals" at a nearby waste facility.

by Tom Lowrey on April 29, 2025 at 7:24 am

The Liberals and the Nationals are both eyeing off working class seats that were once unquestionably Labor territory, but has the Coalition's nuclear policy blown wind farms out of the water as an issue for voters?

by Baz Ruddick on April 29, 2025 at 7:21 am

Katter's Australia Party MP Nick Dametto says police have issued him with a caution for breaking alcohol restriction laws in a Palm Island Aboriginal community.

by Stephanie Dalzell on April 29, 2025 at 7:09 am

The Coalition has turned from cost of living to culture wars, the prime minister doesn't want to talk about any threats to Australia's AAA credit rating and millions of people are voting early.

by Cointelegraph by Helen Partz on April 29, 2025 at 6:53 am

The concept of a Russian ruble stablecoin received special attention at a major local crypto event, the Blockchain Forum in Moscow, with key industry executives reflecting on some of the core features a ruble-backed stablecoin might require.Sergey Mendeleev, founder of the digital settlement exchange Exved and inactive founder of the sanctioned Garantex exchange, put forward seven key criteria for a potential “replica of Tether” in a keynote at the Blockchain Forum on April 23.Mendeleev said a potential ruble stablecoin must have untraceable transactions and allow transfers without Know Your Customer (KYC) checks.However, because one of the criteria also requires the stablecoin to comply with Russian regulations, he expressed skepticism that such a product could emerge soon.The DAI model praised Mendeleev proposed that a potential Russian “Tether replica” must be overcollateralized similarly to the Dai (DAI) stablecoin model, a decentralized algorithmic stablecoin that maintains its one-to-one peg with the US dollar using smart contracts.“So, any person who buys it will understand that the contract is based on the assets that super-securitize it, not somewhere on some unknown accounts, but free to be checked by simple crypto methods,” he said.Source: CointelegraphAnother must-have feature should be excess liquidity on both centralized and decentralized exchanges, Mendeleev said, adding that users must be able to exchange the stablecoin at any time they need.According to Mendeleev, a viable ruble-pegged stablecoin also needs to offer non-KYC transactions, so users are not required to pass their data to start using it.“The Russian ruble stablecoin should have the opportunity where people use it without disclosing their data,” he stated.Related: Russia’s central bank, finance ministry to launch crypto exchangeIn the meantime, users should be able to earn interest on holding the stablecoin, Mendelev continued, adding that offering this feature is available via smart contracts.Russia opts for centralizationMendeleev also suggested that a potential Russian version of Tether’s USDt (USDT) would need to feature untraceable and cheap transactions, while its smart contracts should not enable blocks or freezes.The final criterion is that a potential ruble stablecoin would have to be regulated in accordance with the Russian legislation, which currently doesn’t look promising, according to Mendeleev.Sergey Mendeleev at the Blockchain Forum in Moscow. Source: Bits.Media“Once we put these seven points together [...] then it would be a real alternative, which would help us at least compete with the solutions that are currently on the market,” he stated at the conference, adding:“Unfortunately, from the point of view of regulation, we are currently going in the absolutely opposite direction [...] We are going in the direction of absolute centralization, not in the direction of liberalization of laws, but consolidation of prohibitions.”Possible solutionsWhile the regulatory side is not looking good, a potential Russian version of USDT is technically feasible, Mendeleev told Cointelegraph.“Except for anonymous transactions, everything is easy to implement and has already been deployed by several projects, but it’s just not unified in one project yet,” he said.The crypto advocate specifically referred to interesting opportunities by projects like the ruble-pegged A7A5 stablecoin, unblockable contracts at DAI, and others.Related: Russian crypto exchange Mosca raided amid cash-to-crypto ban talksRegulation is necessary but not enough, Mendeleev said, adding that the most difficult part is the trust of users who must see the ruble stablecoin as a viable alternative to major alternatives like USDT.Recent reports suggest that the deputy head of Russia’s Finance Ministry’s financial policy department urged the government to develop ruble stablecoins.Elsewhere, the Bank of Russia has continued to progress its central bank digital currency project, the digital ruble. According to Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, the digital ruble is scheduled to be rolled out for commercial banks in the second half of 2025.Magazine: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest, April 20 – 26

on April 29, 2025 at 6:42 am

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan takes a leave of absence from the Western Bulldogs as he deals with personal issues. 

by Brooke Fryer on April 29, 2025 at 6:37 am

Twenty-year-old Barkandji woman Laylah Al-Saimary is running for the Senate this federal election. She’s a member of the first all-Indigenous party in Australia's history. 

on April 29, 2025 at 6:23 am

Two-time grand slam doubles champion Max Purcell accepts an 18-month doping ban from the International Tennis Integrity Agency.

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 29, 2025 at 6:13 am

A trio of major Abu Dhabi institutions, including the Emirate’s sovereign wealth fund, have teamed up to launch a new dirham-pegged stablecoin.Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund ADQ, the United Arab Emirates’ largest bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), and the massive conglomerate the International Holding Company, have partnered to launch the stablecoin, pending regulatory approval, the three companies said on April 28.The trio said the stablecoin would be regulated by the UAE’s central bank and backed by the country’s currency, the dirham. It will also support use cases such as machine-to-machine and artificial intelligence.Source: IHCThe goal is to place the UAE at the “forefront of global blockchain innovation,” while also strengthening the digital infrastructure, according to ADQ.If it gets the nod from regulators, the new stablecoin will operate on the ADI blockchain, created by the ADI Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping established financial systems and governments advance and adopt blockchain technology.Established in 2018, ADQ is a sovereign wealth fund focused on critical infrastructure and global supply chains. Meanwhile, IHC is one of the UAE’s largest investment firms and conglomerates with a market value of over $243 billion that has ties to the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, the country’s capital.FAB is the largest bank in the UAE, formed in 2017 through a merger between First Gulf Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi.Countries line up to challenge US dollar stablecoinsOther countries have also announced plans to launch stablecoins backed by currencies other than the US dollar.The market cap of US dollar-denominated stablecoins crossed $230 billion in April, an increase of 54% since last year, with Tether (USDT) and USDC (USDC) dominating 90% of the market.Related: UAE stablecoin issuer gets nod from central bankA Russian finance ministry official has floated a plan for the country to develop its own stablecoin after a freeze on wallets linked to the sanctioned Russian exchange Garantex by US authorities and stablecoin issuer Tether. However, an April 23 report from investment banking giant Citigroup predicts the stablecoin supply will remain US dollar-denominated, with non-US countries promoting national or central bank digital currency.Magazine: DeFi will rise again after memecoins die down: Sasha Ivanov, X Hall of Flame

by James Tugwell on April 29, 2025 at 6:10 am

Construction of the Molonglo River bridge is causing temporary road closures and traffic delays as residents express concern the area lacks the infrastructure to support predicted population growth.

by Sonya Gee on April 29, 2025 at 6:05 am

Baking for an election day cake stall? Check out our one-bowl cakes, plus easy biscuits and slice recipes.

by Malcolm Sutton on April 29, 2025 at 5:54 am

With many rainwater tanks across the Adelaide Hills running low or on empty due to an ongoing dry spell, two residents say thieves have used water trucks to steal nearly 200,000 litres overnight.

by Georgie Burgess on April 29, 2025 at 5:50 am

The big moment of releasing a group of juvenile spotted handfish into the wild has arrived — and to help them adjust, researchers have built little underwater "hotels" for the young fish.

by Emma Wynne on April 29, 2025 at 5:41 am

The independent school has been designed to help teenagers with autism reach their full potential while exploring their interests.

by Kristian Silva on April 29, 2025 at 5:37 am

Victorian prosecutors drop some of the charges against Ms Patterson, as the 50-year-old's Supreme Court murder trial gets under way in the regional town of Morwell.

by Lottie Twyford on April 29, 2025 at 5:35 am

Kate Cooper died at Mapleton Falls in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland last Friday. Her devastated partner says she was a brave and beautiful person who loved nature and was "everyone's best friend".

by Jack McKay, Lexy Hamilton-Smith, Peter Sanders, and Jessica Haynes on April 29, 2025 at 5:33 am

With polls indicating the Coalition may need preferences from right-leaning candidates to secure key seats, Trumpet of Patriots and One Nation could play a decisive role in how the election plays out.

by Claudia Long on April 29, 2025 at 5:29 am

Across the country candidates are making their case for how they can put a lid on the rising cost of everything, but if the cost-of-living debate shows anything this election, it’s just how many people still feel forgotten.

by Nicolas Perpitch on April 29, 2025 at 5:24 am

A judge says the results of a psychologist's report into a woman who hit a 12-year-old girl with her car was "just not adding up", causing a sentencing delay.

by Cointelegraph by Brayden Lindrea on April 29, 2025 at 5:24 am

The founders of the crypto fintech firm Bankera used funds from the project’s 2018 initial coin offering to purchase luxury properties worldwide, according to a report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.The OCCRP reported on April 28, citing leaked company records and bank statements, that nearly half of the funds from Bankera’s 100 million euro ($114 million) ICO were transferred to a bank in the Pacific Island country of Vanuatu that was purchased by the project’s founders, Vytautas Karalevičius, Justas Dobiliauskas and Mantas Mockevičius.Soon after, the Vanuatu bank reportedly began issuing millions of euros in loans to companies owned by the trio to build a luxury real estate portfolio — including a villa in the French Riviera and high-end property in Lithuania, where the project was founded.Bankera’s three founders. Source: BankeraThe leaked records and statements reportedly show that the funds were used to underwrite loans to other companies, which were then used to purchase high-end real estate. The Vanuatu bank also loaned millions more directly to the three founders for “personal use,” according to the OCCRP report.Lawyers representing the founders reportedly denied that the ICO was fraudulent but declined to comment on specific transactions. Cointelegraph contacted Bankera for comment but did not receive an immediate response.Bankera over-promised, under-deliveredBankera pledged to become the “bank for the blockchain era,” offering a suite of retail and institutional investment services while holding and exchanging most of the largest cryptocurrencies.Many investors were attracted to the Bankera (BNK) token ICO by the promise of discounted rates on Bankera’s services and products, along with the opportunity to earn weekly BNK payouts.However, an investor in Bankera’s ICO told the OCCRP that those weekly payouts began to “drop significantly below the promised amount.”The revenue-sharing scheme was reportedly halted in 2022.Related: Tether scales crypto payments in Eastern Europe with new investmentBankera also reportedly promised to obtain a European Union banking license, which is yet to materialize.Despite the 100 million euro ICO raise, the fully diluted value of the BNK token is currently at $975,710, CoinGecko data shows.Bankera continues to provide crypto-related banking services and maintains an active social media presence on LinkedIn and, to a lesser extent, X.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 29, 2025 at 5:13 am

Researchers at the University of Zurich have been accused of undertaking an unauthorized four-month-long experiment on a Reddit board using artificial intelligence-generated comments to test whether AI could alter people’s opinions. As part of the experiment, AI-powered accounts faked a variety of personas, including a rape victim, a person opposed to specific social movements and a trauma counselor specializing in abuse, moderators of the r/changemyview subreddit said in an April 26 post.“Our sub is a decidedly human space that rejects undisclosed AI as a core value,” the moderators said. “People do not come here to discuss their views with AI or to be experimented upon.” The researchers used AI to generate responses but attempted to personalize the replies based on information from the original posters’ prior Reddit history, such as political orientation, gender, age, and ethnicity, according to a draft of the paper.Moderators of the r/changemyview subreddit say researchers at the University of Zurich conducted an unauthorized experiment within their community. Source: RedditOver the four-month experiment, Zurich University’s fake AI accounts posted 1,783 comments and received 137 deltas — a mark showing when another Reddit user acknowledged the account had persuaded them to change their opinion on an issue. The researchers said in a post to the subreddit that all comments were manually reviewed before posting to ensure they met the community guidelines and to “minimize potential harm.”The university team argued that the potential benefits of this research substantially outweigh its risks. Source: RedditThe university team argued that the “potential benefits of this research substantially outweigh its risks” because they have found that the large language models used in the experiment can be highly persuasive, surpassing all “previously known benchmarks of human persuasiveness.”“Our controlled, low-risk study provided valuable insight into the real-world persuasive capabilities of LLMs — capabilities that are already easily accessible to anyone and that malicious actors could already exploit at scale for far more dangerous reasons,” the researchers said. At the same time, the researchers said the experiment shows that distinguishing humans from AI still faces significant challenges because nobody in the subreddit discovered the AI bots during the entire experiment. The r/changemyview board has 3.8 million members and ranks among the top 1% of subreddits by size.Reddit considers legal options The Reddit board’s moderators said they were unaware of the experiment and have asked the university for an apology and to block the publication of the research. Reddit might also be considering legal action, as the platform’s chief legal officer, Ben Lee, said in a follow-up April 28 post that the experiment broke the site’s user agreement and rules, and all known accounts associated with the University of Zurich research effort were now banned. “We are in the process of reaching out to the University of Zurich and this particular research team with formal legal demands,” Lee said. “We want to do everything we can to support the community and ensure that the researchers are held accountable for their misdeeds here,” he added. Related: White House receives over 10,000 comments on AI development planIn its response to the subreddit, the University of Zurich’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences Ethics Commission said it had investigated the incident and promised to coordinate better with test subjects in the future. The lead investigator for the project was also issued a formal warning.“This project yields important insights, and the risks are minimal. This means that suppressing publication is not proportionate to the importance of the insights the study yields,” the ethics commission said. The University of Zurich did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cointelegraph did not immediately receive a response to questions sent to an email address associated with the experiment.Magazine: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest

by Victoria Pengilley on April 29, 2025 at 5:05 am

Former NSW CFMEU leaders Darren Greenfield and son Michael reach a plea deal with prosecutors.

by Nick Sas, Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong, and Stephen Dziedzic on April 29, 2025 at 4:43 am

A new coalition of Solomon Islands MPs that includes former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare says it has the numbers to oust the country's sitting prime minister, with a vote of no confidence set for next week. 

by Cointelegraph by Martin Young on April 29, 2025 at 4:39 am

US federal prosecutors and the co-founders of the crypto mixer Samourai Wallet have asked a court for more time to consider potentially dismissing the case after the Justice Department rolled back its crypto enforcement.Lawyers for Samourai Wallet CEO Keonne Rodriguez and chief technology officer William Hill said in an April 28 letter to Manhattan federal judge Richard Berman that they jointly requested with the government “for a continuance of the pretrial motions schedule by 16 days.”The Samourai executives' lawyers said on April 10 that they wrote to Acting Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton to request the dismissal of the case after an April 7 memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche shuttered the Justice Department’s crypto team.“On April 24, 2025, defense counsel met with the prosecutors and their supervisors in person at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to discuss this request,” the lawyers said.“The Defendants believe that a continuance of the pretrial motions schedule is warranted to permit Defendants to avoid the significant expense of preparing their motions while the Government determines its position,” the letter stated.It added that prosecutors agreed to adjourn “without expressing any views on the merits.”Samourai Wallet’s Rodriguez and Hill were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business in April 2024, to which they both pleaded not guilty.Blanche’s memo said, “The Department of Justice is not a digital assets regulator,” and it would abandon enforcement and investigations besides those which “focus on prosecuting individuals who victimize digital asset investors, or those who use digital assets in furtherance of criminal offenses.”An excerpt of the letter to Judge Berman. Source: PACERCurrently, motions in the Samourai executives' case are due May 13, responses are due on June 10, and replies on June 24. The letter proposes to put this back to May 29 for motions, June 26 for responses, and July 10 for replies.The continuance would not affect the trial date, which is slated for early November. Quashing crypto litigation list lengthens The move is the latest in a long list of court actions to have prosecutors' crypto cases quashed under the Trump administration's favorable stance toward the industry. Related: SEC says it won’t re-file fraud case against Hex’s Richard Heart On April 9, SafeMoon CEO Braden John Karony, who is charged with wire fraud and money laundering, cited Blanche’s directive in a bid to get his case dismissed. Meanwhile, on April 28, the DeFi Education Fund petitioned the White House to drop charges against Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm and requested immediate action to “discontinue the Biden-era Department of Justice’s lawless campaign to criminalize open-source software development.” Magazine: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest

by Danielle Mahe on April 29, 2025 at 4:37 am

The state government's new tourism campaign shows a man riding an e-bike on a popular Gold Coast beach. But a cycling body says it sends the wrong message, as bikes on the sand pose a risk to beachgoers.

by Michael Janda on April 29, 2025 at 4:33 am

The major parties are working hard to keep Australian house prices at record highs, but a moderate fall in values may be just what Australia's economy needs in the long-term.

by Sundance on April 29, 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 29th – 2025 Presidential Politics – Trump Administration Day 100 appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Sundance on April 29, 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 Tuesday April 29th – Open Thread appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Ezra Reguerra on April 29, 2025 at 3:58 am

While United States dollar-denominated stablecoins dominate the stablecoin and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization game, other competitors are coming into play, according to Tether co-founder Reeve Collins. Speaking to Cointelegraph in Dubai, Collins said that while dollar-backed stablecoins may be dominant, other currencies and assets may compete to back stablecoins.“The stablecoin definitely helps preserve the dollar dominance, especially in the crypto space,” Collins said. “The dollar is kind of the reserve currency of crypto. But now there are other currencies coming into play. But more importantly, it’s not currencies. It’s other types of backing,” he added.Collins said that other assets used to back stablecoins may compete with US dollars by bringing a higher yield to users. Interview with Tether co-founder Reeve Collins in Dubai, UAE. Source: Cointelegraph Tether co-founder says tokenized assets can back stablecoinsCollins, who works bringing stablecoin yield for users through Pi Protocol, told Cointelegraph that apart from currencies, money-market funds, other commodities and gold could back stablecoins in the future. “When you can back it with money market funds, for instance, that generate a higher yield than T-bills and other things like that that are coming onchain, where there’s a lot of yield that will be generated. Those will take precedence,” Collins said. Collins said these will “start winning” because they bring higher user returns. Furthermore, the executive also said RWA tokenization could play a role in stablecoin backing. The executive told Cointelegraph that since all types of assets can be tokenized, these can be used to back stablecoins in the future. “You’re going to have a lot of choices other than just dollars,” he added. Related: Tether boosts Juventus stake to 10% in latest strategic buyTrump-linked stablecoin lays foundation for the rest of the worldIn March, the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) project, backed by US President Donald Trump, launched its stablecoin on BNB Chain and Ethereum. However, the project said that the tokens were not tradable yet. According to Collins, the stablecoin entry of a Trump-backed project means that stablecoins are now “fully accepted.” The executive believes everyone will get involved in stablecoins because of the move. This includes institutions, governments and financial technology companies. “The President of the United States launched a stablecoin. It’s impressive. It lays the foundation for the rest of the world to do it as well,” he said. Magazine: Ethereum is destroying the competition in the $16.1T TradFi tokenization race

by Cointelegraph by Brayden Lindrea on April 29, 2025 at 3:15 am

Legendary investor Ray Dalio has said the world is “on the brink” of the global monetary order breaking down, which is being accelerated by the Trump administration’s tariff disruptions.The trade tensions are fracturing the monetary, political and international world orders by fueling deglobalization and unsustainable trade imbalances, Dalio, the former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, said in an April 28 X post.Dalio added that this is leading to irreversible damage, and an increasing number of importers and exporters, particularly between the US and China, are drastically reducing interdependencies and “making alternative plans.”“[They’re] recognizing that whatever happens with tariffs, these problems won't go away, and that radically reduced interdependencies with the US is a reality that has to be planned for.”Source: Ray DalioDalio said America’s role as the world’s largest consumer of manufactured goods and the largest debt issuer is looking increasingly unsustainable, and the idea that trade partners would continue selling to the US and receive dollars was “naive thinking.”As a result, more countries may increasingly bypass the US by forming new trade networks that rely on alternative currencies.While Dalio didn’t suggest which monetary alternative would eat into the dollar’s dominance, he has championed “hard money” assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and gold during times of global uncertainty.Less fighting, more coordinationThe billionaire called for more calm and coordinated action from the US to address the trade imbalances and become more self-sufficient.Dealing with the US government debt problem head-on would lead to much better results than the “path that we appear to be on,” Dalio said.“Unfortunately, thus far we haven’t seen the better ways and have instead seen disturbing fighting and volatility that are teaching lessons that are leading to irreversible bad consequences.”Dalio advised investors and policymakers to redirect their attention away from day-to-day market moves and policy announcements to deal with these “big fundamental changes” in world order.Related: Bitcoin’s safe-haven appeal grows during trade war uncertaintyChina has been hit hardest by the Trump administration’s tariffs, with a 145% duty on all imports, while the US’ neighbors, Canada and Mexico, were slapped with a 25% tariff on most goods. Several key Bitcoin mining manufacturing countries, such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, have also been hit with respective rates of 36%, 32% and 24%, which has already impacted machine imports into the US.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

by Sundance on April 29, 2025 at 3:10 am

Only President Trump could get the Canadians to vote for an exit to the USMCA, and he did it brilliantly. To understand President Trump’s position on Canada, you have to go back to the 2016 election and President Trump’s position on the NAFTA renegotiation.  If you did not follow the subsequent USMCA process, this might The post How the NAFTA/USMCA 2025 Review Underpins President Trump Remarks on Canada appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Martin Young on April 29, 2025 at 2:29 am

The crypto lobby group, the DeFi Education Fund, has petitioned the Trump administration to end what it claimed was the “lawless prosecution” of open-source software developers, including Roman Storm, a creator of the crypto mixing service Tornado Cash.In an April 28 letter to White House crypto czar David Sacks, the group urged President Donald Trump “to take immediate action to discontinue the Biden-era Department of Justice's lawless campaign to criminalize open-source software development.” The letter specifically mentioned the prosecution of Storm, who was charged in August 2023 with helping launder over $1 billion in crypto through Tornado Cash. His trial is still set for July, and his fellow charged co-founder, Roman Semenov, is at large and believed to be in Russia.The DeFi Education Fund said that in Storm’s case, the Department of Justice is attempting to hold software developers criminally liable for how others use their code, which is “not only absurd in principle, but it sets a precedent that potentially chills all crypto development in the United States.”The group also called for the recognition that the prosecution contradicts the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) guidance from Trump’s first term, which established that developers of self-custodial, peer-to-peer protocols are not money transmitters. Source: DeFi Education Fund“This kind of legal environment does not just chill innovation — it freezes it,” they argued. The letter added that it also “empowers politically-motivated enforcement and puts every open-source developer at risk, regardless of industry.”In January, a federal court in Texas ruled that the Treasury overstepped its authority by sanctioning Tornado Cash. Stakes could not be higherThe group thanked Trump for his support of the industry and his stated goal to make America the “crypto capital of the planet.” They added, however, that his goal can’t be realized if developers are prosecuted for building tools that enable the technology.“We ask President Trump to protect American software developers, restore legal clarity, and end this unlawful DOJ overreach. The job’s not finished, and the stakes could not be higher.”Related: Tornado Cash dev wants charges dropped after court said OFAC ‘overstepped’Variant Fund chief legal officer Jake Chervinsky said the Justice Department’s case against Storm is “an outdated remnant of the Biden administration's war on crypto.” “There is no justification in law or policy for prosecuting software developers for launching non-custodial smart contract protocols,” he added. At the time of writing, the petition had attracted 232 signatures from industry executives and developers, including Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam, Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang, and Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko, among others.Magazine: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest

by Cointelegraph by Stephen Katte on April 29, 2025 at 2:04 am

Mastercard says it will allow merchants across its network to be paid with stablecoins in a partnership with payment processor Nuvei and stablecoin issuers Circle and Paxos. Through the venture, 150 million merchants across the Mastercard network will now have the option to receive payments in stablecoins, regardless of how a customer pays, Mastercard said on April 28.The payments giant also partnered with crypto exchange OKX for a crypto-enabled bank card, which Mastercard product chief Jorn Lambert said creates a “360-degree approach” where consumers can spend stablecoins and merchants can receive them.He added that the “mainstream use cases are clear” for blockchain tech, and the company wanted “to make it as easy for merchants to receive stablecoin payments and for consumers to use them.”Source: Mastercard NewsThe stablecoin market has continued to make gains, crossing a market value of $230 billion, an increase of 54% since last year, with Tether (USDT) and USDC (USDC) dominating 90% of the market.Active stablecoin wallets have also increased over 50% in one year, according to a report last month from onchain analysis platforms Artemis and Dune.Investment banking giant Citigroup predicted in an April 23 report that a combination of growing regulatory support and adoption by financial institutions has set the stage for the stablecoin market to reach as high as $3.7 trillion by 2030.Mastercard launches another crypto cardMastercard said its partnership with OKX for the so-called OKX Card aims to give crypto users “easy access to their funds” and integrate stablecoins into daily transactions.OKX marketing chief Haider Rafique said the exchange’s venture with Mastercard is “a significant step toward integrating stablecoins into daily transactions and creating richer experiences.”Related: Mastercard tokenized 30% of its transactions in 2024Crypto wallet maker MetaMask also partnered with Mastercard on April 28 to launch a crypto payments card allowing users to spend self-custodied funds, using smart contracts to execute the IRL (In Real Life) transactions, with a processing speed under five seconds. Mastercard has also worked with crypto exchanges like Kraken, Binance, and Crypto.com to allow crypto-enabled debit cards.Magazine: Bitcoin payments are being undermined by centralized stablecoins

by Sundance on April 29, 2025 at 1:21 am

Hat Tip very dear friend of the Treehouse, Zurich Mike. Switzerland is in a conundrum. More specifically, the Swiss National Bank is stuck betwixt two points that are also playing out in other stable western countries.  Exports to the USA account for over ten percent of the Swiss manufacturing base. The Trump tariffs are putting The post Trump Tariffs Causing Serious Problems for Swiss National Bank (and Globalists) appeared first on The Last Refuge.

by Cointelegraph by Brayden Lindrea on April 29, 2025 at 1:20 am

The Ethereum Foundation, which backs the development of the Ethereum blockchain, has overhauled its leadership structure to separate the responsibilities of its management team and board of directors.The board will act as the “security council to protect the heart and soul” of the foundation and set visions for Ethereum, while the new management will be focused on the strategic and operational execution of those visions, the Foundation said in an April 28 blog post.It added in an April 28 X post that Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz K. Stańczak were appointed as co-executive directors on March 2 to deliver on those visions — which are centered around championing censorship resistance, open-source innovation, privacy and securityWang and Stańczak’s roles took effect on April 28 with the foundation setting a two-year term for Stańczak to address some of Ethereum’s biggest challenges. Stańczak’s new role will be balanced with his work as founder of Ethereum infrastructure firm Nethermind and a soon-to-be-announced Ethereum-focused venture capital firm.Source: Ethereum FoundationBastian Aue and Josh Stark are also a part of the management team, with Aue to focus on organizational strategy, hiring and training, and Stark to primarily be tasked with project execution, communications and marketing.The board consists of Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, the Ethereum Foundation’s President Aya Miyaguchi, Swiss counsel Patrick Storchenegger, and Wang, who will bridge between the board and management team.Related: ‘Vitalik: An Ethereum Story’ is less about crypto and more about being humanButerin will continue providing technical and intellectual guidance on the Ethereum ecosystem, Miyaguchi will oversee the foundation’s vision while managing external relationships, and Storchenegger will keep handling legal and compliance matters.The board was responsible for selecting Wang and Stańczak as executive directors — a decision they acknowledged was unconventional — and they also have the power to terminate those positions.The Ethereum Foundation has adopted a more active role in the Ethereum ecosystem in recent months, following criticism from Synthetix founder Kain Warwick that the foundation “doesn’t care” about decentralized finance innovation.Others in the Ethereum community previously attributed the foundation’s lack of engagement and leadership to Ether’s (ETH) poor price performance relative to Bitcoin (BTC) and Solana (SOL).Ethereum Foundation’s main focus is scalingThe Foundation said its three main focus areas over the next 12 months would be to scale the Ethereum layer 1, scale blobs at the layer 2 level, and improve user experience.Ethereum Foundation researcher Dankrad Feist and protocol support Sophia Gold have already pitched proposals to to address Ethereum’s scaling woes at the base layer under Ethereum Improvement Proposals-9678 and 9698. Both EIPs look to raise the gas limit, which should theoretically raise Ethereum’s transaction throughput by the same magnitude.Magazine: Ethereum is destroying the competition in the $16.1T TradFi tokenization race

by Cointelegraph by Nancy Lubale on April 29, 2025 at 12:15 am

Key takeaways:BONK price is up 73% since April 22, hitting a five-month high of $0.00002167.BONK’s open interest surged 290% to $43.2 million. Bonk (BONK), the second-largest Solana-based memecoin by market capitalization, is on track to continue the recovery it began on April 22. BONK has climbed approximately 73% from its April 22 low of around $0.00001247, bringing its price up to an intraday high of $0.00002167 on April 28.Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView shows BONK trading at $0.00001923, up 3% over the 24 hours and 60% over the last seven days.BONK/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewBONK’s trading volume has jumped 98% over the last 24 hours to $478 million, and its market capitalization also jumped, briefly touching $1.7 billion on April 28, before retracing to the current level of $1.5 billion.Let’s examine the factors that have fueled BONK's price momentum over the last week.Memecoins recover across the boardBONK’s rally over the last seven days mirrors the bullish price movements across the broader crypto market, including the memecoin sector. Most memecoins have posted double-digit gains over the last week. DOGE and Shiba Inu (SHIB), the leading memecoins, have jumped 3% and 5% over the last seven days. Official Trump (TRUMP), the memecoin associated with US President Donald Trump, has recorded 73% weekly gains, while Base’s Brett (BRETT) has rallied 83% over the same period. Performance of top-cap memecoins. Source: CoinMarketCapThis widespread rally has pushed the total memecoin market value to $55.51 billion, a 17.5% leap in the past week, as per CoinMarketCap data.Memecoin market cap and volume. Source: CoinMarketCapOver $7.96 billion in memecoin trading volume was recorded in the past seven days alone, representing an 85% weekly change. The resurgence is driven by investors once again embracing risk-on assets like memecoins.Increasing open interest backs BONK’s rallyThe surge in the price of Bonk over the last seven days comes after a significant jump in its open interest (OI). BONK’s total OI on all exchanges rose 290% from $11 million on April 22 to $43.2 million on April 26. Although this metric has since dropped to $28 million at the time of writing, it remains significantly higher than the OI seen since December 2024.Rising open interest reflects growing trader participation in BONK futures, indicating heightened speculative activity.BONK open interest across all exchanges. Source: CoinGlassData from CoinGlass shows increasing demand for leveraged long positions in BONK over the last few days, as indicated by the OI-weighted futures funding rate.BONK average perpetual contracts 8-hour funding rate. Source: CoinGlassIncreasing funding rates usually suggest that futures traders are bullish, expecting future price increases, which may indicate a continuation of the uptrend.BONK's social dominance remains high, suggesting high social activity. Santiment data shows BONK’s social dominance spiking from 0.091% to 0.572% between April 20 and April 26, driven by BONK’s ecosystem buzz. BONK social dominance and volume. Source: SantimentThis surge in chatter on social media platforms reflects rising retail and institutional interest, amplifying FOMO and driving demand.BONK breaks out of a multimonth downtrendOn April 13, BONK price broke out of a descending parallel channel, igniting strength that saw it flip the 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages (EMAs) to support. The bulls will likely continue the rebound toward the significant resistance level at $0.00002410 (200-day SMA) in the short term. A daily candlestick close above this level, accompanied by high volume, could see BONK rise toward the Jan. 19 range high near $0.000040. This would represent a 104% increase from the current price.BONK/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe sharp rise in the relative strength index and its position at 71 in the overbought region reinforces the buyers’ dominance in the market. However, the overbought conditions could facilitate profit-taking, occasioning a slight correction before BONK continues its uptrend. “$BONK’s descending trendline got cleared,” declared popular analyst World of Charts in an April 28 post on X, “expecting 2x in the coming days.”Meanwhile, Crypto Joe spotted BONK breaking out of a bullish pennant in the 30-minute time frame, targeting $0.00002690.Source: Crypto JoeThis 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 Nancy Lubale on April 28, 2025 at 11:24 pm

Key takeaways:Bitcoin gained 10% over the past week, but overhead resistance continues to obstruct a rally to $100,000.Bitcoin (BTC) displayed strength as the week opened on April 28, up 10% over the last seven days to trade at $95,500.Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and Bitstamp shows that BTC price has been suppressed under $100,000 since early February, as shown in the chart below.BTC/USD weekly chart. Cointelegraph/TradingViewBitcoin lacks a $100K catalystThe BTC/USD pair rallied 30% from its $74,400 low reached on April 7 to trade above $95,000, a recovery fueled largely by easing US-China tariff tensions.Although the rally has been accompanied by $3.06 billion in spot ETF inflows, there are doubts whether that is enough to break Bitcoin out of consolidation. In its latest bulletin to Telegram channel subscribers, trading firm QCP Capital argued that Bitcoin’s decoupling from equities last week strengthened its narrative as a “hedge against political instability and uncertain monetary policy.” This helped BTC to comfortably breach the $90,000, QCP Capital explained, adding that it would have also helped propel it higher.However, BTC pivoted midweek, decoupling from gold and rallying alongside US equities, mainly responding to macroeconomic factors.“This flip-flopping between safe-haven and risk-asset behaviour suggests that traditional correlation frameworks are becoming less instructive. Instead, market participants are now focused on the durability of BTC’s “up only” trend.”On April 25, the trading firm said that BTC price could continue its choppy price for a few more days, arguing that it lacked a “catalyst” to propel it toward $100,000.The investment firm said:“With macro risks temporarily subdued and trade tensions cooling, BTC is likely to consolidate in a narrow $90K–$94.5K range while awaiting a catalyst for a decisive push toward the elusive $100K mark.”Meanwhile, crypto analyst Tazman noted that a lack of “sustained demand and fresh capital” stands in the way of Bitcoin’s path to $100,000. Related: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest, April 20 – 26BTC buyers and sellers in a tug of warBitcoin holds above its yearly open at $93,340, which now serves as daily support. BTC/USD weekly chart. Cointelegraph/TradingViewIn an April 24 post on X, popular trader Mags underscored the importance of the current price range, saying that if it holds, it could target $106,000 next.Source: MagsThis 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 Christopher Tepedino on April 28, 2025 at 10:41 pm

Wallet provider MetaMask is launching a crypto payments card that will allow users to spend self-custodied funds, offering crypto holders additional ways to use their tokens.The new card is backed by Mastercard and is being developed in partnership with CompoSecure and Baanx, according to the company. The product uses smart contracts to execute the IRL (In Real Life) transactions, with a processing speed under five seconds. It operates on the Linea network, a layer-2 scaling solution on Ethereum.The companies marketed the self-custodied crypto card as an alternative to the potential risks associated with centralized exchanges. In February, the second-largest crypto exchange by volume, Bybit, was hacked for $1.4 billion, an event that sparked widespread consternation in the crypto space.With the launch of its card, MetaMask is entering a competitive segment of the cryptocurrency market. Major exchanges like Binance, Bybit, Coinbase, and Crypto.com already offer crypto debit cards, some of which feature "crypto-back" rewards that allow users to earn digital assets on their purchases.MetaMask has struggled lately as interest in and participation in the Ethereum ecosystem have dried up. According to Dune Analytics, the wallet collected just $289,312 in fees for the week of April 14, much less than the $1.3 million in fees collected for the same period a year ago. Related: Spar supermarket in Switzerland starts accepting Bitcoin paymentsStablecoin, BTC payments growing use cases for cryptoPayments have emerged as one of the fastest-growing use cases for cryptocurrencies in 2025, offering a way to bring real-world utility to digital assets.Luxury brands like Dorsia have begun accepting various cryptocurrencies as payment, while messaging app Signal is reportedly exploring adopting Bitcoin for peer-to-peer transactions, and a bill in New York has been introduced to legalize the use of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for state payments.Magazine: Bitcoin payments are being undermined by centralized stablecoins

by Cointelegraph by Cointelegraph on April 28, 2025 at 10:24 pm

Today in crypto, a crypto group petitioned the White House to drop charges against crypto devs, including Tornado Cash’s Roman Storm, Arizona’s House passed two crypto reserve bills, and Coinbase launched a Bitcoin Yield Fund for institutional investors.Crypto group asks Trump to end prosecution of crypto devsThe DeFi Education Fund has led an April 28 petition to White House crypto czar David Sacks asking to end what it claimed was the “lawless prosecution” of open-source software developers, including Roman Storm, a creator of the crypto mixing service Tornado Cash.The group urged President Donald Trump “to take immediate action to discontinue the Biden-era Department of Justice's lawless campaign to criminalize open-source software development.” They said that in Storm’s case, who was charged in August 2023 with helping launder over $1 billion in crypto through Tornado Cash, the Department of Justice is attempting to hold software developers criminally liable for how others use their code, which is “not only absurd in principle, but it sets a precedent that potentially chills all crypto development in the United States.”Source: DeFi Education FundThe petition has so far attracted over 250 signatures from industry executives and developers.Meanwhile, lawyers for executives of the crypto mixer Samourai Wallet, charged with money laundering and unlicensed money transmitting, said prosecutors are mulling whether to dismiss the case after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche shuttered the DOJ’s crypto team earlier this month.Arizona legislature moves forward with Bitcoin reserve billsLawmakers in the Arizona House of Representatives have voted to pass two bills that could allow the state to adopt a reserve using Bitcoin (BTC) or other cryptocurrencies.In a third reading on April 28 of the Senate Bill 1025 (SB1025), a proposal to amend Arizona’s statutes to allow for a strategic BTC reserve, 31 members of the Arizona House voted in favor of the bill, with 25 opposed. A similar bill, SB1373, to establish a state-level digital assets reserve, passed with 37 lawmakers in favor and 19 voting nay.“This bill basically takes the approach that probably 15 other states are considering the same legislation nationwide that allows the treasurer to invest up to 10% into, probably mainly Bitcoin but other things as well,” said State Representative Jeff Weninger on SB1025. “I think this probably would start as a ‘may’ for the foreseeable future, but as things continue to pivot towards Bitcoin and these things, would have that already in place in the future.”Voting for SB1025 in the Arizona House of Representatives on April 28. Source: Arizona State LegislatureCoinbase to launch yield-bearing Bitcoin fund for institutionsCoinbase, the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume, is launching the Coinbase Bitcoin Yield Fund on May 1, aiming to offer Bitcoin (BTC) exposure for institutional investors outside the US.The fund targets an annual net return of 4% to 8% on Bitcoin holdings, according to an April 28 blog post by Coinbase.“To address the growing institutional demand for bitcoin yield, Coinbase Asset Management is excited to introduce the Coinbase Bitcoin Yield Fund (CBYF),” the company wrote.The fund is backed by multiple investors, including Aspen Digital, a digital asset manager based in Abu Dhabi and regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority.Coinbase introduces a Bitcoin yield-bearing fund. Source: CoinbaseThe yield will be generated through a cash-and-carry strategy, through the difference between spot Bitcoin prices and derivatives.Unlike Ether (ETH) and Solana (SOL), Bitcoin holders can’t generate passive income through staking — a gap the fund is aiming to fill, according to the announcement:“Bitcoin yield funds have emerged to address this limitation, but these funds generally require institutional allocators to take on significant investment and operational risk.”The new fund seeks to lower the investment and operational risks typically associated with Bitcoin yield products, which Coinbase says will better align with the risk appetite of institutional investors.

by Cointelegraph by Alex O’Donnell on April 28, 2025 at 9:45 pm

Despite growing competition from emerging issuers, the stablecoin market remains largely dominated by a few key players. According to data from Web3 research firm Nansen, Tether’s USDt (USDT) continues to lead among US dollar-pegged stablecoins, even as competition intensifies.As of April 25, Tether has a roughly 66% market share among stablecoins, compared to around 28% for USDC (USDC), Nansen said in the April 25 report. Ethena’s USDe stablecoin ranks a distant third, touting a market share of just over 2%. Nansen expects Tether’s lead to endure even as rivals such as USDC clock faster growth rates. “With nearly 3x as many users as Uniswap and 50+% more transactions than the next app, Tether is by and far the largest use case of onchain activity,” Nansen said.“Despite the potential dispersion in stables, we inevitably believe this is a ‘winner-takes-most’ market dynamic,” the Web3 researcher added. Tether has 66% of stablecoin market share. Source: NansenTether is also the most profitable stablecoin issuer, clocking nearly $14 billion in 2024 profits. The company earns revenue by accepting US dollars to mint USDT and subsequently investing those dollars into highly liquid, yield-bearing instruments such as US Treasury bills. “Given the growth of USDT and USDC, the users are clearly expressing that they do not necessarily care about the yield as they are forgoing it to Tether and Circle — they simply want access to the most liquid and ‘stable’/ least-likely-to-depeg stablecoin out there,” Nansen said.USDC has seen faster growth than USDT since November. Source: NansenCompetitive landscapeAdoption of USDC has accelerated since November, when US President Donald Trump’s election victory ushered in a more favorable US regulatory environment for crypto, Nansen said. Circle’s US-regulated stablecoin has been “particularly attractive to institutions requiring regulatory clarity,” the report said. But USDC now faces “intensifying competition as major traditional financial institutions (i.e., Fidelity, PayPal, and banks) enter the market,” Nansen said, adding that stablecoins, including PayPal’s PYUSD and Ripple USD, are “rapidly gaining traction.” On April 25, payment processor Stripe tipped plans to create a new stablecoin product of its own after buying stablecoin platform Bridge last year. Despite its smaller market share, Ethena's yield-bearing USDe stablecoin remains “competitive on most fronts moving forward,” partly because of integrations across centralized exchanges (CEXs) and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, the report said.Since launching in 2024, Ethena’s stablecoin has generated an average annualized yield of approximately 19%, according to Ethena’s website. Magazine: Bitcoin payments are being undermined by centralized stablecoins

by Cointelegraph by Turner Wright on April 28, 2025 at 9:14 pm

Lawmakers in the Arizona House of Representatives passed two bills that could allow the state to adopt a reserve using Bitcoin (BTC) or other cryptocurrencies.In a third reading on April 28 of Senate Bill 1025 (SB1025), a proposal to amend Arizona’s statutes to allow for a strategic BTC reserve, 31 members of the Arizona House voted in favor of the bill, with 25 opposed. A similar bill, SB1373, to establish a state-level digital assets reserve, passed with 37 lawmakers in favor and 19 voting nay.“This bill basically takes the approach that probably 15 other states are considering the same legislation nationwide that allows the treasurer to invest up to 10% into, probably mainly Bitcoin but other things as well,” said State Representative Jeff Weninger on SB1025. “I think this probably would start as a ‘may’ for the foreseeable future, but as things continue to pivot towards Bitcoin and these things, would have that already in place in the future.”Voting for SB1025 in the Arizona House of Representatives on April 28. Source: Arizona State LegislatureThe approvals bring the bills closer than any other state-level initiative in the US to getting a cryptocurrency or Bitcoin strategic reserve signed into law. Similar legislation proposed in New Hampshire passed the state’s House in April and is expected to head to the Senate for a full floor vote soon.Related: Bitcoin reserve backlash signals unrealistic industry expectationsArizona Governor Katie Hobbs announced on April 17 that she intended to veto any bill until lawmakers had a “serious, bipartisan funding solution that protects healthcare for Arizonans with disabilities.” However, with the passage of such legislation on April 24, the governor could be more open to signing SB1025 or SB1373 into law.Federal plans to establish a national crypto reserveThe state-level efforts to create Bitcoin reserves come amid a push from US President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers to do the same in the federal government. Trump signed an executive order in March with a proposal for a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” and a “Digital Asset Stockpile.”Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, a crypto advocate, proposed that Congress pass legislation that could allow the US government to hold more than 1 million BTC, in part through crypto seized through civil or criminal forfeiture. Some lawmakers have suggested Lummis’s bill was an attempt by Congress to codify Trump’s executive order into law.Magazine: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest, April 20 – 26