Alternative News for You

by Emma Johnson on April 11, 2025 at 9:23 pm

Jennifer Cotterell would bring dozens of cats to the pound that would eventually be put down — under traditional management strategies, it was all she could do.

by Leah MacLennan on April 11, 2025 at 9:19 pm

Until the last election, the electorate of Boothby hadn't been in the hands of a Labor candidate since 1949 — but the ALP's Louise Miller-Frost broke that streak by winning the seat, and is now taking another tilt.

by Janelle Miles on April 11, 2025 at 9:14 pm

As Australians face roadblocks to find clinical trials, doctors are calling for a reform of the system to improve access to potentially life-saving studies.

by Tom Saunders on April 11, 2025 at 9:11 pm

The deluge which battered south-west Queensland is now draining downhill to a catchment area five times the size of the UK.

by Jonathon Kendall on April 11, 2025 at 9:11 pm

Former members of strict religious groups have told the ABC about their loved ones shunning them after they left, breaking their families apart.

by Simon Smale on April 11, 2025 at 8:40 pm

Just over five years since Kai Sakakibara almost lost his life in a BMX crash at the World Cup event in Bathurst, the 28-year-old is back on the bike, claiming a national title at the Australian Track Championships in Brisbane.

by Cointelegraph by Vince Quill on April 11, 2025 at 8:30 pm

The Lomond School in Scotland will accept Bitcoin (BTC) tuition payments beginning in the Autumn semester of 2025, making it the first school in the United Kingdom to do so.Accepting Bitcoin is part of the school's plan to integrate “sound money principles” from the Austrian School of Economics into the curriculum to "prepare students for the uncertain future,” the announcement reads, adding:"Bitcoin is available to anyone willing to learn — making it more democratic and inclusive, particularly for people in developing nations who lack access to traditional banking. Lomond sees Bitcoin as a perfect real-world case study in economics, computing, ethics, and innovation."The school has no plans to accept other cryptocurrencies, and will convert the BTC to fiat currency immediately, according to the announcement. It might establish a BTC treasury in the future, pending input from the Lomond community.Lomond's announcement highlights the growing tide of institutions adopting Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation amid turmoil in the global financial order.Value of the British pound (GBP) 1209-2025. Source: StatistaRelated: Swedish MP proposes Bitcoin reserve to finance ministerBitcoin slowly makes its way through the education systemBitcoin is now part of the curriculum in several schools and universities; some of these institutions have also adopted a BTC treasury strategy to protect reserves against the corrosive effects of inflation on purchasing power.In 2022, the University of Cincinnati added crypto courses to its curriculum to teach students about BTC and emerging Web3 technologies.Mi Primer Bitcoin, a Bitcoin education initiative, partnered with the Ministry of Education in El Salvador in 2023 to integrate Bitcoin education into the school system.Visual of Bitcoin’s hard supply cap expressed through successive halving events. Source: RiverThe University of Wyoming launched the Bitcoin Research Institute in July 2024 to conduct peer-reviewed academic studies about the decentralized digital asset.In February 2025, the University of Austin announced that its endowment fund allocated $5 million to BTC investments. The university's endowment fund has approximately $200 million in assets under management.Chun Lai, the endowment fund's chief investment officer, said the fund wanted BTC exposure to capitalize on the financial upside of digital assets as crypto experiences increased institutional adoption.Magazine: TradFi fans ignored Lyn Alden’s BTC tip — Now she says it’ll hit 7 figures: X Hall of Flame

by Nikki Sorbello on April 11, 2025 at 8:30 pm

A Queensland gold mine at the end of its life could one day be converted into a renewable energy project capable of powering up to two million homes a day. 

by Kamin Gock and Carrington Clarke on April 11, 2025 at 8:16 pm

On-again-off-again tariffs and an intensifying trade war with China are taking their toll on ordinary Americans in a range of ways.

by Justine Longmore on April 11, 2025 at 8:00 pm

The Victorian Farmers Federation says growers are doing their utmost to ensure fresh produce is safe after E. coli was detected in pre-packaged salad products.

by Cointelegraph by Sam Bourgi on April 11, 2025 at 8:00 pm

Ripple made headlines this week when it became the first crypto-native company to acquire a multi-asset prime broker, potentially setting the stage for wider adoption of its XRP Ledger technology. The acquisition of Hidden Road didn’t come cheap, either, as Ripple doled out $1.25 billion for the brokerage. It was a price Ripple CEO Brad Garlinhouse was happy to pay as the company set its sights on global expansion. Elsewhere, crypto exchange Binance listened to its community and moved to delist 14 tokens that no longer met its quality thresholds. Meanwhile, Binance’s former CEO, Changpeng Zhao, was appointed adviser for Pakistan’s newly formed crypto counsel. All this happened against a backdrop of negative headlines and plunging crypto prices stemming from the US-led trade war, which culminated in President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing a 104% tariff on Chinese imports. Despite the chaos, a panel of industry experts told Cointelegraph that the crypto bull market is far from over. In fact, it hasn’t even started yet. Hidden Road: Ripple’s “defining moment”Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road is the payment company’s “defining moment,” according to Ripple’s chief financial officer, David Schwartz.In a social media post, Schwartz said the acquisition gives Ripple a major boost in promoting its XRP Ledger since Hidden Road already has more than 300 institutional customers and processes more than 50 million transactions per day.Source: David Schwartz“Now, imagine even a portion of that activity on the XRP Ledger — and that’s exactly what Hidden Road plans on doing — not to mention future use of collateral and real-world assets tokenized on the XRPL,” said Schwartz. Ripple has already dabbled in real-world assets (RWAs) by launching a tokenized money market fund in partnership with crypto exchange Archax. That could be the tip of the iceberg for the company’s RWA ambitions. Binance’s purge continuesCryptocurrency exchange Binance will purge 14 tokens from its platform on April 16 following its first “vote to delist” results, where community members nominated projects with troubling metrics.The 14 tokens selected for delisting include Badger (BADGER), Balancer (BAL), Beta Finance, Status (SNT), Cream Finance (CREAM) and Nuls (NULS).These tokens were removed after Binance conducted a “comprehensive evaluation of multiple factors,” including project development activity, trading volumes and responsiveness to the exchange’s due diligence requests.Pakistan taps CZ to broaden crypto ambitionsPakistan landed one of crypto’s biggest influencers as it attempts to promote industry adoption and lure blockchain companies to its shores. On April 7, the newly created Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) appointed former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao as its crypto adviser. Pakistan’s finance ministry said Zhao will advise the PCC on crypto regulations, infrastructure development and adoption.CZ is appointed as an adviser by Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance. Source: Business RecorderAfter being lukewarm on crypto, Pakistan is fully embracing the industry in recognition of its transformative impact. The country has become a hotbed of crypto activity thanks to rising retail adoption and remittance activity. “Pakistan is done sitting on the sidelines,” said Bilal bin Saqib, the CEO of the PCC. “We want to attract international investment because Pakistan is a low-cost high-growth market with [...] a Web3 native workforce ready to build.”Crypto bull market hasn’t loaded yetWith investors wondering whether Bitcoin (BTC) and altcoins have already peaked, an industry panel told Cointelegraph’s Gareth Jenkinson that the best is yet to come. Cointelegraph Managing Editor Gareth Jenkinson, left, hosts a panel on crypto market conditions in Paris, France. Source: CointelegraphSpeaking at a LONGITUDE by Cointelegraph panel in Paris, France, MN Capital founder Michael van de Poppe said he believes the bull market “is actually getting started from this point.”Drawing parallels between the recent market crash and the COVID-19 meltdown of March 2020, van de Poppe said the US Federal Reserve will eventually step in to backstop investors.Fellow panelist and Messari CEO Eric Turner agreed, saying, “We never had a bull market,” but rather “two sides of the market” driven by Bitcoin exchange-traded funds and the memecoin frenzy.Crypto Biz is your weekly pulse on the business behind blockchain and crypto, delivered directly to your inbox every Thursday.

by Cointelegraph by Sam Bourgi on April 11, 2025 at 7:48 pm

The US Federal Reserve is prepared to use its vast arsenal of monetary policy tools to prevent financial and economic conditions from deteriorating rapidly but will do so only if liquidity dries up or markets become disorderly, a top central banker said.In an interview with the Financial Times, Boston Fed President Susan Collins said the central bank “would absolutely be prepared” to backstop markets if needed.Source: Walter BloombergWhile it is generally understood that the Fed is always prepared to act quickly to stave off market chaos, Collins’ remarks come on the heels of asset selloffs across stocks and bonds, which have raised concerns about the health of the US financial system.Overall, however, the Fed is “not seeing liquidity concerns,” said Collins. If that were to change, policymakers would have “tools to address concerns about markets functioning or liquidity,” she said.The Fed’s Collins pictured in a December interview with Bloomberg. Source: Bloomberg TelevisionFor investors, Collins’ comments may carry extra weight because she’s a voting member of this year’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) — the 12-person panel responsible for setting interest rates.While Collins and her fellow FOMC members voted to keep interest rates steady at their March meeting, the biggest takeaway was the central bank’s easing off on quantitative tightening by reducing the redemption cap on Treasurys by 80%. Related: S&P 500 briefly sees ‘Bitcoin-level’ volatility amid Trump tariff warThe Fed moves marketsFederal Reserve policy exerts a gravitational pull on global markets through US dollar monetary liquidity, or the ease with which dollars can be used for investments and transactions. Liquidity has a major impact on digital asset prices, including Bitcoin (BTC). This was further corroborated by a 2024 academic paper by Kingston University of London professors Jinsha Zhao and J Miao, which concluded that dollar monetary liquidity “has [a] significant impact on Bitcoin price.”The relationship strengthened after the COVID-19 pandemic, with liquidity conditions accounting for more than 65% of Bitcoin’s price movements. “After the pandemic, [monetary liquidity] is the most important determinant of Bitcoin price, outperforming even fundamental measures of Bitcoin network,” the researchers said. Macro analyst Lyn Alden reached a similar conclusion when she called Bitcoin “a global liquidity barometer” in a September article. Alden drew attention to the relationship between Bitcoin’s price and global M2, or the broad measure of money supply across major global economies. Bitcoin trades in the same direction as global liquidity more than 83% of the time. Source: Lyn AldenAs Cointelegraph reported in early March, an increase in global liquidity and a rebounding business cycle have historically had strong predictive powers for Bitcoin’s price. Liquidity and business cycle trends suggest that BTC’s price could be poised for a recovery in the second quarter. Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

by Cointelegraph by Yashu Gola on April 11, 2025 at 7:45 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) is entering what former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes calls “up only mode,” as a deepening crisis in the US bond market potentially drives investors away from traditional haven assets and toward alternative stores of value.Loss of confidence in US policy boosts Bitcoin’s upside prospectsOn April 11, the benchmark US 10-year Treasury yield surged above 4.59%—its highest level in two months.US 10-year Treasury note yields daily performance chart. Source: TradingViewThe $29 trillion US Treasury market has dropped more than 2% this week — its steepest decline since September 2019, when a liquidity crunch in the repo market forced the Federal Reserve to intervene.US President Donald Trump’s unpredictable tariff announcements and reversals have fueled the chaos. After threatening sweeping levies on global trading partners, Trump walked back many of the measures within days for certain countries, except China.The US dollar added to the pressure, with its strength against a basket of top foreign currencies—as tracked by the US Dollar Index (DXY)—dropping below the 100 mark for the first time since 2022.US Dollar Index daily performance chart. Source: TradingViewThat further notched its worst weekly decline in over two years.In contrast, Bitcoin rose by over 4.50% amid the US bond market rout, reaching around $83,250 on hopes that the weakening macroeconomic conditions will push US policymakers to act.“It’s on like donkey kong,” wrote Hayes in his April 11 X post, adding: “We will be getting more policy response this weekend if this keeps up. We are about to enter UP ONLY mode for $BTC.”Furthermore, bond traders are now pricing in at least three rate cuts from the Federal Reserve by the end of the year, with a fourth becoming increasingly likely. Rate cuts have historically been bullish for Bitcoin.Target rate probabilities for December Fed meeting. Source: CMEBitcoin eyes ‘parabolic bull run’ due to weaker dollarHistorically, sharp drops in the US Dollar Index have preceded delayed but powerful Bitcoin bull runs, according to crypto analyst Venturefounder.“A falling DXY has typically been a strong bullish signal for Bitcoin,” the analyst wrote on X, pointing to a clear bearish divergence on the chart. DXY vs BTC/USD monthly price chart. Source: TradingView/VenturefounderHe added that if DXY continues to slide toward the 90 level, it could replicate conditions that led to parabolic BTC rallies during the final stages of previous bull markets — each lasting up to a year.Additionally, Bollinger Bands creator John Bollinger offered a bullish outlook for Bitcoin, noting that the cryptocurrency is forming a familiar bottom at $80,000.Related: Bitcoiners’ ‘bullish impulse’ on recession may be premature: 10x ResearchMeanwhile, a maturing falling wedge pattern on the BTC price chart hints at a potential Bitcoin price rally toward $100,000, as Cointelegraph reported earlier.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 Alex O’Donnell on April 11, 2025 at 7:39 pm

Betting against Ether has been the best performing exchange traded fund (ETF) strategy so far in 2025, according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas.Two ETFs designed to take two-times leveraged short positions in Ether claimed (ETH) first and second place in a Bloomberg Intelligence ranking of the year’s top-performing funds, Balchunas said in a post on the X platform.  In the year-to-date, ProShares UltraShort Ether ETF (ETHD) and T Rex 2X Inverse Ether Daily Target ETF (ETQ) are up approximately 247% and 219%, respectively, Bloomberg Intelligence data showed. The implications for Ether are “brutal,” Balchunas said. Ether itself is down approximately 54% year-to-date on April 11, according to Cointelegraph’s market data. Both ETFs use financial derivatives to inversely track Ether’s performance with twice as much volatility as the underlying cryptocurrency. Leveraged ETFs do not always perfectly track their underlying assets. Source: Eric BalchunasRelated: Ethereum fees poised for rebound amid L2, blob uptickWeak revenue performanceWith approximately $46 billion in total value locked (TVL), Ethereum is still the most popular blockchain network, according to data from DefiLlama. However, its native token performance has sputtered since March 2024, when Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade — designed to cut costs for users — slashed the network’s fee revenues by roughly 95%.The upgrade kept the network’s revenues depressed, largely because of difficulties monetizing its layer-2 (L2) scaling chains, which host an increasingly large portion of transactions settled on Ethereum. “Ethereum’s future will revolve around how effectively it serves as a data availability engine for L2s,” arndxt, author of the Threading on the Edge newsletter, said in a March X post.Ethereum’s TVL. Source: DeFiLlamaIn the week ending March 30, Ethereum earned only 3.18 ETH from transactions on its layer-2 chains, such as Arbitrum and Base, according to data from Etherscan. To fully recover Ethereum’s peak fee revenues from before the Dencun upgrade, L2's transaction volumes would need to increase more than 22,000-fold, according to an X post by Michael Nadeau, founder of The DeFi Report. Meanwhile, smart contract platforms — including Ethereum and Solana — suffered across-the-board declines in usage during the first quarter of 2025, asset manager VanEck said in an April report. The diminished activity reflects cooling market sentiment as traders brace for US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs and a looming trade war.Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set

by Luke Pentony on April 11, 2025 at 7:27 pm

Two-time Olympic silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers reveals how she has avoided a dip in motivation, as she targets winning the high jump at this year's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

by Chloe Hart and Henry Hanson on April 11, 2025 at 7:17 pm

Cross-format superstar Charlotte Caslick has fired the Queensland Reds to an improbable Super W grand final appearance. They'll be hoping to become the first ever Australian team to defeat the NSW Waratahs when the side's clash in Saturday's decider.

by Doug Dingwall and Patrick Martin on April 11, 2025 at 7:16 pm

As the United States and China continue escalating the trade war, economists say Australian consumers and businesses could benefit from cheaper prices.

by Cointelegraph by Marcel Pechman on April 11, 2025 at 7:00 pm

Neel Kashkari, President of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve, addressed the issue of rising Treasury yields on April 11, suggesting that they might indicate a shift in investor sentiment away from United States government debt. Kashkari highlighted that the Federal Reserve has tools to provide more liquidity if necessary.While underscoring the importance of maintaining a strong commitment to reducing inflation, Kashkari’s remarks signal a possible turning point for Bitcoin (BTC) investors amid growing economic uncertainty. US Treasury 10-year yields. Source: TradingView / CointelegraphThe current 10-year US government bond yield of 4.5% is not unusual. Even if it approaches 5%, a level last seen in October 2023, this does not necessarily mean investors have lost confidence in the Treasury's ability to meet its debt obligations. For example, gold prices only surpassed $2,000 in late November 2023, after yields had already decreased to 4.5%.Will the Fed inject liquidity, and is this positive for Bitcoin?Rising Treasury yields often signal concerns about inflation or economic uncertainty. This is crucial for Bitcoin traders because higher yields tend to make fixed-income investments more appealing. However, if these rising yields are perceived as a sign of deeper systemic issues—such as waning confidence in government fiscal policies—investors may turn to alternative hedges like Bitcoin.Bitcoin/USD (left) vs. M2 global money supply. Source: BitcoinCounterFlowBitcoin’s trajectory will largely depend on how the Federal Reserve responds. Liquidity injection strategies typically boost Bitcoin prices while allowing higher yields could increase borrowing costs for businesses and consumers, potentially slowing economic growth and negatively impacting Bitcoin’s price in the short term.One strategy the Federal Reserve could use is purchasing long-term Treasurys to reduce yields. To offset the liquidity added through bond purchases, the Fed might simultaneously conduct reverse repos—borrowing cash from banks overnight in exchange for securities. A weak US dollar and banking risks could pump Bitcoin priceWhile this approach could temporarily stabilize yields, aggressive bond purchases might signal desperation to control rates. Such a signal could raise concerns about the Fed’s ability to manage inflation effectively. These concerns often weaken confidence in the dollar’s purchasing power and may push investors toward Bitcoin as a hedge.Another potential strategy involves providing low-interest loans through the discount window to give banks immediate liquidity, reducing their need to sell long-term bonds. To counterbalance this liquidity injection, the Fed could impose stricter collateral requirements, such as valuing pledged bonds at 90% of their market price.Systemic risk in the US financial services industry. Source: Cleveland FedThis alternative approach limits banks’ access to cash while ensuring borrowed funds remain tied to collateralized loans. However, if collateral requirements are too restrictive, banks might struggle to obtain sufficient liquidity even with access to discount window loans. Related: Bitcoiners’ ‘bullish impulse’ on recession may be premature: 10x ResearchAlthough it is too early to predict which path the Fed will take, given the recent weakness in the US dollar alongside a 4.5% Treasury yield, investors might not place full trust in the Fed’s actions. Instead, they may turn to safe-haven assets such as gold or Bitcoin for protection.Ultimately, rather than focusing solely on the US Dollar Index (DXY) or the US 10-year Treasury yield, traders should pay closer attention to systemic risks in financial markets and the spreads on corporate bonds. As these indicators rise, confidence in the traditional financial systems weakens, potentially setting the stage for Bitcoin to reclaim the psychological $100,000 price level.This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

by Laura Tingle on April 11, 2025 at 7:00 pm

The Coalition has resorted to relentless social media posts about the prime minister falling off a stage and lying about it.

by Rachel Rasker on April 11, 2025 at 6:58 pm

Ncuti Gatwa and his new companion Varada Sethu on being back in the TARDIS for a brand new season of Disney's Doctor Who rebrand.

by Bronwyn Herbert on April 11, 2025 at 6:57 pm

Businesses planning on forcing their workers back to the office full-time may be reconsidering after the backlash to the Liberals' work-from-home crackdown. 

by Kathleen Calderwood on April 11, 2025 at 6:53 pm

Maria Voulgaris has this grainy image to remind her of her mother, who is behind bars for a crime she says she didn't knowingly commit.

by Cointelegraph by Biraajmaan Tamuly on April 11, 2025 at 6:30 pm

A key Bitcoin (BTC) metric signaled a potential shift in its positioning after BTC’s long-term holder realized cap (LTH Realized Cap) surpassed $18 billion for the first time since September 2024. Data from CryptoQuant indicated that this cohort has exhibited aggressive accumulation, which previously marked the BTC bottom in Q3 2024. The LTH realized cap measures the BTC cost basis of investors, holding their allocation for 155 days or more. A sharp increase hints that these long-term holders are in an accumulation phase, parallel with bullish behavior. Bitcoin LTH net position realized cap. Source: CryptoQuantAs illustrated in the chart, a spike in this metric has preceded bullish rallies in the past. Most recently, the LTH realized cap reached $18 billion on Sept. 8, 2024, after which Bitcoin registered 100% returns over the next few months. Another key confluence that matches the current bottom setup with September 2024 is the significant drop in open interest. BTC’s OI reached an all-time high of $39 billion in July but dropped by 25% by September. Similarly, Bitcoin’s open interest dropped 28% between Dec. 18 and April 8, Bitcoin open interest. Source: CoinGlassThe concurrent rise in LTH Realized Cap and a leverage wipeout strongly support the likelihood of a Bitcoin price bottom. However, Bitcoin’s open interest has surged by nearly 10% in the past 24 hours, suggesting that the price action following this spike could offer better directional bias in the coming days. Related: Bitcoiners’ ‘bullish impulse’ on recession may be premature: 10x ResearchBitcoin builds support at $79KAfter forming a new yearly low at $74,500 on April 7- April 9, BTC prices have rallied by almost 10% over the past three days. With respect to price levels below the $80,00 level, Glassnode data revealed that BTC had established credible support at the $79,000. In an X post, the data analytics platform mentioned, “Looking at Cost Basis Distribution, Bitcoin has built notable support at $79K, with ~40K BTC accumulated there. It has also worked through the $82.08K cluster (~51K BTC).”Bitcoin heatmap based on cost basis distribution. Source: X.comAs illustrated in the April 6- April 11 heatmap, supply distribution highlights investor accumulation patterns. This follows Bitcoin’s rally past $81,000, spurred by a 2.4% US CPI rate and President Trump’s 90-day tariff pause, with market sentiment leaning toward cautious optimism for a relief rally. Likewise, anonymous technical analyst Cold Blooded Shiller noted a descending trendline for Bitcoin, with BTC price testing a potential bullish breakout. The analyst said, “Got to admit, that's looking very enticing for BTC.”Bitcoin 1-day chart analysis by Cold Blooded Shiller. Source: X.comRelated: Bollinger Bands creator says Bitcoin forming 'classic' floor near $80KThis 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 11, 2025 at 6:00 pm

Trump kills DeFi broker rule in major crypto win: Finance Redefined, April 4–11In a significant win for decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, US President Donald Trump overturned the Internal Revenue Service’s DeFi broker rule, which would have expanded existing reporting requirements to include DeFi platforms.Increasing US crypto regulatory clarity will attract more tech giants to the space, requiring existing crypto projects to focus on more collaborative tokenomics to survive, according to Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson.Trump signs resolution killing IRS DeFi broker ruleTrump signed a joint congressional resolution overturning a Biden administration-era rule that would have required DeFi protocols to report transactions to the Internal Revenue Service.Set to take effect in 2027, the IRS DeFi broker rule would have expanded the tax authority’s existing reporting requirements to include DeFi platforms, requiring them to disclose gross proceeds from crypto sales, including information regarding taxpayers involved in the transactions.Trump formally killed the measure by signing off on the resolution on April 10, marking the first time a crypto bill has been signed into US law, Representative Mike Carey, who backed the bill, said in a statement.“The DeFi Broker Rule needlessly hindered American innovation, infringed on the privacy of everyday Americans, and was set to overwhelm the IRS with an overflow of new filings that it doesn’t have the infrastructure to handle during tax season,” he said.Continue readingCrypto needs collaborative tokenomics against tech giants — HoskinsonThe next generation of cryptocurrency projects must embrace a more collaborative approach to compete with major centralized tech companies entering the Web3 space, according to Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson.Speaking at Paris Blockchain Week 2025, Hoskinson said one of the main criticisms of the crypto and DeFi space is its “circular economy,” which often means that the rally of a specific cryptocurrency is bolstered by funds exiting another token, limiting the growth of the whole industry.Hoskinsin said that to have a chance against the centralized technology giants joining the Web3 industry, cryptocurrency projects need more collaborative tokenomics and market structure.Hoskinson on stage at Paris Blockchain Week. Source: Cointelegraph“The problem right now, with the way we’ve done things in the cryptocurrency space, is the tokenomics and the market structure are intrinsically adversarial. It’s sum 0,” said Hoskinson. “Instead of picking a fight, what you have to do is you have to find tokenomics and market structure that allows you to be in a cooperative equilibrium.”He argued that the current environment often sees one crypto project’s growth come at the expense of another rather than contributing to the sector’s overall health. He added that this is not sustainable in the face of trillion-dollar firms like Apple, Google and Microsoft, which may soon join the Web3 race amid clearer US regulations.Continue readingBitcoin’s 24/7 liquidity: Double-edged sword during global market turmoilBitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are often praised for offering around-the-clock trading access, but that constant availability may have contributed to a steep sell-off over the weekend following the latest US trade tariff announcement.Unlike stocks and traditional financial instruments, Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies enable payments and trading opportunities 24/7 thanks to the accessibility of blockchain technology.After a record-breaking $5 trillion was wiped from the S&P 500 over two days — the worst drop on record — Bitcoin remained above the $82,000 support level. But by Sunday, the asset had plummeted to under $75,000.Sunday’s correction may have occurred due to Bitcoin being the only large tradable asset over the weekend, according to Lucas Outumuro, head of research at crypto intelligence platform IntoTheBlock. “There was a bit of optimism last week that Bitcoin might be uncorrelating and fairing better than traditional stocks, but the [correction] did accelerate over the weekend,” Outumuro said during Cointelegraph’s Chainreaction live show on X, adding:“There’s very little people can sell on a Sunday because most markets are closed. That also enables the correlation because people are panicking and Bitcoin is the largest asset they can sell over the weekend.”Outumuro noted that Bitcoin’s weekend trading can also have upside effects, as prices often rally in calmer conditions.Continue readingBybit recovers market share to 7% after $1.4 billion hackBybit’s market share rebounded to pre-hack levels following a $1.4 billion exploit in February, as the crypto exchange implemented tighter security and improved liquidity options for retail traders.The crypto industry was rocked by the largest hack in its history on Feb. 21, when Bybit lost over $1.4 billion in liquid-staked Ether (stETH), Mantle Staked ETH (mETH) and other digital assets.Despite the scale of the exploit, Bybit has steadily regained market share, according to an April 9 report by crypto analytics firm Block Scholes.“Since this initial decline, Bybit has steadily regained market share as it works to repair sentiment and as volumes return to the exchange,” the report stated.Block Scholes said Bybit’s proportional share rose from a post-hack low of 4% to about 7%, reflecting a strong and stable recovery in spot market activity and trading volumes.Bybit’s spot volume market share as a proportion of the market share of the top 20 CEXs. Source: Block ScholesThe hack occurred amid a “broader trend of macro de-risking that began prior to the event,” which signaled that Bybit’s initial decline in trading volume was not solely due to the exploit.Continue readingNearly 400,000 FTX users risk losing $2.5 billion in repaymentsAlmost 400,000 creditors of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX risk missing out on $2.5 billion in repayments after failing to begin the mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) verification process.About 392,000 FTX creditors have failed to complete or at least take the first steps of the mandatory Know Your Customer verification, according to an April 2 court filing in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.FTX users originally had until March 3 to begin the verification process to collect their claims.“If a holder of a claim listed on Schedule 1 attached thereto did not commence the KYC submission process with respect to such claim on or prior to March 3, 2025, at 4:00 pm (ET) (the “KYC Commencing Deadline”), 2 such claim shall be disallowed and expunged in its entirety,” the filing states.FTX court filing. Source: Bloomberglaw.comThe KYC deadline has since been extended to June 1, giving users another chance to verify their identity and claim eligibility. Those who fail to meet the new deadline may have their claims permanently disqualified.According to the court documents, claims under $50,000 may account for about $655 million in disallowed repayments, while claims over $50,000 could amount to $1.9 billion, bringing the total at-risk funds to more than $2.5 billion.Continue readingDeFi market overviewAccording to data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView, most of the 100 largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization ended the week in the red.The EOS (EOS) token fell over 23%, marking the week’s biggest decline in the top 100, followed by the Near Protocol (NEAR) token, down over 19% on the weekly chart.Total value locked in DeFi. Source: DefiLlamaThanks for reading our summary of this week’s most impactful DeFi developments. Join us next Friday for more stories, insights and education regarding this dynamically advancing space.

by Cointelegraph by Nancy Lubale on April 11, 2025 at 5:30 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) price has rebounded by over 11% from the April. 7 low of $74,400, and analysts believe that onchain and technical indicators point to a sustained recovery.According to popular analyst AlphaBTC, Bitcoin will see a sustained recovery if it holds above $81,500.Bitcoin price reclaimed the $80,000 psychological level after retesting the “weekly open and filling in some of the inefficiency left by the Trump 90-day pause pump,” the analyst said in an April 10 post.“I really want to see it back above 81.5k soon, and we may see a bit more sustained upside as shorts get squeezed.”BTC/USD four-hour chart. Source: AlphaBTCSimilar sentiments were shared by fellow analyst Rekt Capital, who said that Bitcoin needs to produce a weekly close above $80,500 to increase the chances of recovery.“Bitcoin has recently lost the red Weekly level, just confirming BTC isn't out of the woods yet,” Rekt Capital said in an April Post on X. “$BTC needs to stay above red until the Weekly Close for the price to reclaim this Weekly level as support.”BTC/USD weekly chart. Source: Rekt CapitalBitcoin price recovery could be fueled by “seller exhaustion”Bitcoin investors are approaching a degree of “near-term seller exhaustion,” as evidenced by the reduced magnitude of realized losses, according to onchain data from Glassnode. Looking at the 6-hour rolling window for realized losses, the market intelligence firm found that the magnitude of losses realized during these drawdowns has started to decrease with each successive price leg lower.“Bear markets are typically initiated by periods of heightened fear and substantial losses,” Glassnode said in its latest Week On-chain report. “This suggests a form of near-term seller-exhaustion may be starting to develop within this price range.”Bitcoin: 6-hour rolling losses. Source: GlassnodeRelated: Is Bitcoin price going to crash again?Bollinger Bands and W bottom hint at new price highsAfter hitting a five-month low of $74,400 on April 9, Bitcoin retested the lower boundary of the Bollinger Bands (BB) indicator, a line that has supported the price over the last five weeks, data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView shows.BTC/USD weekly chart with Bollinger Bands. Source: John Bollinger/TradingViewThis is an encouraging sign from Bitcoin, according to the creator of the Bollinger Bands volatility indicator, John Bollinger. The Bollinger Bands indicator uses standard deviation around a simple moving average to determine both likely price ranges and volatility.Bollinger said that Bitcoin price could be forming the second low of a W-shaped pattern formation — a double-pronged bottom followed by an exit to the upside — on the weekly chart.“Classic Bollinger Band W bottom setting up in $BTCUSD,” Bollinger commented alongside a chart, adding that the pattern “still needs confirmation.”In this situation, Bitcoin’s drop to $76,600 on March 11 was the first bottom, and the recent drop to $74,400 was the second.If confirmed, BTC price could recover from the current levels first toward the neckline of the W-shaped pattern at $88,800 before rising toward the target of the prevailing chart pattern at $106,000. This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

by Cointelegraph by Vince Quill on April 11, 2025 at 5:19 pm

Regulators in Pakistan have proposed a regulatory framework for digital assets that is compliance-focused, in accordance with rules laid out by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the supranational organization that polices finance for money laundering, The Express Tribune reported.According to the report, Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) introduced the regulatory framework to address terrorism financing, money laundering provisions, and Know Your Customer (KYC) controls enforced by the supranational organization. The report cited FIA Director Sumera Azam as saying:"This is a paradigm shift in how Pakistan views digital finance. The policy proposal seeks to strike a historic balance between technological advancement and national security imperatives.”The proposed framework is subject to legislative approval and input from digital asset firms operating in the country, with an expected multi-phased rollout beginning in 2026.Regulators in Pakistan recently spearheaded a regulatory pivot embracing cryptocurrencies after being explicitly anti-crypto for years. The government's anti-crypto stance hit a crescendo in 2023 when Pakistani officials called for a country-wide ban on digital assets.Appointments to the Pakistan Crypto Council. Source: Bilal Bin-Saqib. Source: Bilal Bin-SaqibRelated: Pakistan eyes crypto legal framework to boost foreign investmentPakistan embraces the future of money in regulatory shiftIn May 2023, former minister of state for finance and revenue, Aisha Ghaus Pasha said that Pakistan would never legalize cryptocurrencies due to the potential for digital assets to circumvent FATF regulations.Less than two years later in February 2025 the Finance Ministry of Pakistan signaled a seismic regulatory shift by forming the Pakistan Crypto Council to establish clear crypto regulations in the country and attract foreign investment."Pakistan is a low-cost, high-growth market, with 60% of the population under 30. We have a web3 native workforce ready to build," CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council Bilal bin Saqib said in a March 20 X post.Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao meets with Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar. Source: Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign AffairsThe Council is exploring using excess energy to mine Bitcoin (BTC) as part of a broader effort to turn Pakistan into an international hub for crypto mining.On April 7, the Council appointed Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao as a crypto adviser to guide the organization's policy efforts.Magazine: How crypto laws are changing across the world in 2025

on April 11, 2025 at 5:13 pm

The US dollar slumps and European markets wobble after Chinese President Xi Jinping hikes tariffs on US goods to 125 per cent. 

by Cointelegraph by Sam Bourgi on April 11, 2025 at 4:53 pm

The S&P 500 Index briefly experienced Bitcoin-level volatility in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s April 2 “Liberation Day” tariff announcement, underscoring the panic and fear gripping traditional markets amid the ongoing trade war. Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas alerted his followers on X that the S&P 500’s volatility, as measured by the “SPY US Equity Hist Vol” chart, reached 74 in early April, exceeding Bitcoin’s (BTC) 71 level. Source: Eric BalchunasThe increase marks a significant deviation from the S&P 500’s long-term volatility average, which is below 20. For Bitcoin though, extreme volatility has been a feature since the asset’s inception. “Bitcoin’s volatility remains elevated at 3.9 and 4.6 times that of gold and global equities, respectively,” according to BlackRock. While Bitcoin’s average volatility has declined over time, it tends to experience much higher price swings than more established assets. Source: BlackRockStocks are experiencing crisis-level volatility due to Trump’s trade war, which threatened duties of anywhere from 10% to 50% on imports from America’s largest trading partners. While Trump has since paused some of his tariffs for 90 days, the administration has ratcheted up duties on Chinese imports to at least 145%. The volatility has also extended into other assets, most notably US Treasurys, which experienced a large sell-off this week. The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond is on track for its steepest rise since 2001.Related: As Trump tanks Bitcoin, PMI offers a roadmap of what comes nextDespite “macro relief,” Bitcoin remains under pressureUS equity markets experienced a historic relief rally on April 9 after Trump’s tariff pause. However, the “macro relief” didn’t extend to Bitcoin or its spot exchange traded funds (ETFs) in any meaningful way, which is a sign that “institutional confidence remains cautious in the near term,” Bitfinex analysts told Cointelegraph in a note. “After January’s record inflows, ETF demand has cooled, with several products seeing net outflows in recent weeks,” the analysts said. “This reflects hesitation among large allocators who may be waiting for more favorable entry points or clearer regulatory guidance.” The US spot Bitcoin ETFs have experienced six consecutive days of outflows. Source: FarsideDespite Bitcoin’s disappointing performance, Bitfinex said the second quarter through the end of 2025 is potentially bullish for the asset class as a whole as “new narratives take hold,” such as sovereign accumulation and growth in real-world asset tokenization.Unchained’s director of market research, Joe Burnett, shared a similar view, arguing that Bitcoin has more attractive characteristics for long-term investors who are worried about government policy and fiat risk impacting their portfolios. While the S&P 500’s volatility spike is likely to be short-lived, Burnett said its recent performance “challenges the long-held belief that traditional markets are safer, less risky, or more stable.” Related: Weaker yuan is 'bullish for BTC' as Chinese capital flocks to crypto — Bybit CEO

by Cointelegraph by Rakesh Upadhyay on April 11, 2025 at 4:37 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) is showing strength as buyers have pushed the price above $82,500, but higher levels are likely to attract solid selling from the bears. CryptoQuant analysts said in a recent market report that Bitcoin could face resistance around $84,000, but if the level is surpassed, the next stop may be $96,000.Although trade tensions between the United States and China have flared up, institutional crypto investment firm Bitwise remains bullish on Bitcoin. Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan said in a post on X that the firm’s previously predicted year-end target of $200,000 for Bitcoin remains in play.Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360However, market participants remain cautious in the near term. The US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds continued to witness outflows on April 9 and April 10, according to Farside Investors data. Could Bitcoin break and sustain above the overhead resistance? Will altcoins follow Bitcoin higher? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.Bitcoin price analysisBitcoin’s recovery from the $73,777 support has reached near the resistance line, which is a critical level to watch out for in the near term.BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe 20-day exponential moving average ($82,435) is turning down, but the relative strength index (RSI) has risen close to the midpoint, indicating that the bearish momentum is weakening. The BTC/USDT pair is expected to face intense selling at the resistance line, but if the bulls prevail, the rally could reach $89,000 and then $95,000.Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will try to defend the resistance line and pull the price below the immediate support at $78,500. If they manage to do that, the pair could retest the vital support at $73,777.Ether price analysisEther (ETH) rebounded off the $1,368 support on April 9, but the bulls are struggling to sustain the higher levels.ETH/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe downsloping moving averages and the RSI in the negative territory suggest that the bears hold the edge. Sellers will try to sink the ETH/USDT pair below $1,368. If they can pull it off, the selling could accelerate, and the pair may tumble to $1,150.If buyers want to prevent the breakdown, they will have to quickly push the price above $1,754. That clears the path for a rally to the breakdown level of $2,111. This is an essential level for the bears to defend because a break above $2,111 suggests a short-term trend change.XRP price analysisXRP (XRP) rose back above the breakdown level of $2 on April 9, but the recovery is facing selling at the 20-day EMA ($2.09).XRP/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewIf the price turns down from the 20-day EMA, the bears will try to sink the XRP/USDT pair to the critical support at $1.61. Buyers are expected to fiercely defend the $1.61 level because a break below it may clear the path for a decline to $1.27.Alternatively, if the price rises above the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the markets have rejected the breakdown below $2. The pair could rally to the resistance line, where the bears are expected to mount a strong defense.BNB price analysisBNB (BNB) has reached the 20-day EMA ($590), which is an important near-term resistance to watch out for.BNB/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewSellers will try to defend the zone between the 20-day EMA and the downtrend line, but if the bulls do not give up much ground, it improves the prospects of a break above the overhead resistance zone. The BNB/USDT pair could then ascend to $644.Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down sharply from the overhead resistance, it suggests that the bears have not given up. That could keep the pair stuck inside the triangle for a while longer.Solana price analysisSolana (SOL) rose above the breakdown level of $110 on April 9, but the bulls are facing resistance at the 20-day EMA ($121).SOL/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewA minor advantage in favor of the bulls is that the bears did not allow the price to slip back below $110 on April 10. That shows buying on dips. If the bulls kick the price above the 20-day EMA, the SOL/USDT pair may rally to the 50-day SMA ($133) and then to $153.This positive view will be invalidated in the short term if the price turns down sharply from the 20-day EMA and breaks below $110. The pair could then retest the April 7 intraday low of $95. Dogecoin price analysisBuyers have successfully defended the $0.14 in Dogecoin (DOGE) but are yet to clear the moving averages.DOGE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewIf the price turns down sharply from the moving averages, it suggests that the sentiment remains negative and traders are selling on rallies. That increases the likelihood of a break below $0.14. The DOGE/USDT pair could then plummet toward the next significant support at $0.10.Conversely, a break and close above the moving averages will be the first sign of strength. There is resistance at $0.20, but if the bulls overcome it, the pair will complete a double-bottom pattern. The pair could march to $0.24 and subsequently to $0.26.Cardano price analysisCardano (ADA) has reached the 20-day EMA ($0.65), which is a strong near-term resistance to watch out for.ADA/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewIf the price breaks above the 20-day EMA, the ADA/USDT pair could reach the 50-day SMA ($0.71). This level may again pose a strong challenge, but if the buyers prevail, the pair could rally to $0.83.On the contrary, if the price turns down sharply from the 20-day EMA, it signals that the bears are selling on every minor rally. That heightens the risk of a break below the $0.50 support. If that happens, the pair could slide to $0.40.Related: Bollinger Bands creator says Bitcoin forming 'classic' floor near $80KUNUS SED LEO price analysisUNUS SED LEO (LEO) rose back above the uptrend line on April 9, signaling solid demand at lower levels.LEO/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe 20-day EMA ($9.38) is flattening out, and the RSI is near the midpoint, suggesting a balance between supply and demand. If the price breaks above the 20-day EMA, the LEO/USD pair could reach the overhead resistance at $9.90. If the price turns down from the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bears continue to sell on rallies. The bears will then make one more attempt to sink the pair below $8.79. If they succeed, the decline could extend to $8.30.Chainlink price analysisChainlink (LINK) has been trading inside a descending channel pattern for several days. The rebound on April 9 shows that the bulls are trying to defend the support line.LINK/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe moving averages are expected to act as a stiff resistance on the way up. If buyers propel the price above the moving averages, the LINK/USDT pair could pick up momentum and rally to $16 and later to $17.50.Contrarily, if the price turns down from the moving averages, it suggests that the bears are active at higher levels. The bears will then make one more attempt to sink the pair below the support line.Avalanche price analysisAvalanche (AVAX) rebounded sharply off the $15.27 support on April 9, indicating solid buying at lower levels.AVAX/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThere is resistance in the zone between the 50-day SMA ($20) and the downtrend line, but if the buyers overcome it, the AVAX/USDT pair could surge to $23.50.Sellers are expected to aggressively defend the $23.50 level because a break and close above it will complete a double bottom pattern. This reversal setup has a target objective of $31.73.Instead, if the price turns down from the overhead resistance, it suggests that the pair could remain range-bound between $15.27 and $23.50 for some time.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

by Cointelegraph by William Suberg on April 11, 2025 at 4:08 pm

Bitcoin (BTC) sought higher levels around the April 11 Wall Street open as the week’s final US inflation data gave bulls hope.BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewAnalyst: PPI undershoot “great” for US trade warData from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD reaching highs of $83,245 as US Producer Price Index (PPI) data came in below expectations.The Index came in at 2.7% versus the anticipated 3.3%, while the core PPI print also surprised to the downside.An official news release from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) added:“In March, over 70 percent of the decrease in the index for final demand can be traced to prices for final demand goods, which fell 0.9 percent. The index for final demand services declined 0.2 percent.”US PPI for final demand. Source: BLSReacting, trading resource The Kobeissi Letter was among those noting the rapid pace at which US inflation appeared to be slowing.“We just saw the first month-over-month decline in PPI inflation, down -0.4%, since March 2024,” it told followers in part of a post on X. “Both CPI and PPI inflation are down SHARPLY.”S&P 500 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewRisk-asset performance, however, failed to reflect the notionally positive inflation developments. The S&P 500 was 0.2% lower on the day, while the Nasdaq Composite index was flat.As Cointelegraph reported, after stocks fell precipitously the day prior despite bullish inflation numbers, commentators explained that macro data was helping to fuel the ongoing US trade war.Continuing, crypto trader, analyst and entrepreneur Michaël van de Poppe saw a repeat playing out post-PPI. “PPI comes in significantly lower. That's great for Trump and his strategy,” he argued, referring to trade tariffs implemented by US President Donald Trump. “The only thing that needs to be resolved is the on-going Trade War, but the ingredients are building up.”Bitcoin gets key bullish dollar triggerAnother macro development failing to provide its standard risk-asset tailwind came in the form of multiyear lows in US dollar strength.Related: Bollinger Bands creator says Bitcoin forming 'classic' floor near $80KThe US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the dollar against a basket of US trading partner currencies, fell below the psychological 100 mark for the first time since 2022.US dollar index (DXY) 1-week chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewAs Cointelegraph reported, long-term lows on DXY have historically sparked a delayed BTC price bull run.“Traditionally, DXY going down is very bullish for $BTC, we now have a massive bearish divergence for DXY, which may suggest it goes to 90,” popular crypto analyst Venturefounder observed in part of an X post on the topic this week.“Last 2 times this happened triggered a Bitcoin parabolic bullrun in final phase of the bullmarket (lasting 12 months).”US Dollar Index (DXY) vs. BTC/USD chart with RSI data. Source: Venturefounder/XAn accompanying chart examined relative strength index (RSI) data for the DXY monthly chart, showing it retesting a downward-sloping trend line as support from above.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 Billy Campana on April 11, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Opinion by: Billy Campana, contract developer, Api3 Speculation is a cornerstone of price discovery for traditional finance institutions like hedge funds and major banks and plays an essential role in their day-to-day operations. It is the mechanism by which they can establish reliable valuations for everything, ranging from simple stocks and bonds to complex derivatives and structured products. While decentralized finance (DeFi) is often criticized for its speculative “casino” nature, this is, in reality, one of its strengths: making practices like arbitrage more accessible to everyone and empowering individuals to participate in opportunities once out of reachDeFi’s volatilityCritics have highlighted DeFi’s extreme volatility, a concern exemplified by Ether’s (ETH) recent 15% price drop that triggered over $100 million in long position liquidations. These dramatic market movements continually test market resilience and investor confidence in the ecosystem. The accusations that DeFi platforms function essentially as gambling venues persist throughout the industry. Such criticisms have gained further traction following several high-profile memecoin crashes that collectively erased over $46 billion in market value, revealing the systemic vulnerabilities that speculative activities can introduce to the broader ecosystem.Additionally, the recent Bybit hack spotlighted the major security concerns, exposing critical vulnerabilities within DeFi infrastructure and triggering intense scrutiny of the sector’s security protocols. These systemic risks have only escalated institutional skepticism, resulting in increasingly vocal calls for greater transparency and comprehensive regulatory oversight. Simultaneously, the media narrative surrounding DeFi remains overwhelmingly focused on its spectacular failures, growing institutional skepticism and persistent market instability. This one-sided portrayal continues challenging DeFi’s credibility as a serious financial ecosystem capable of responsible innovation.Evening the playing fieldCritics consistently miss that DeFi democratizes the same speculative mechanisms that traditional finance has always employed for price discovery. The fundamental difference is that Wall Street gatekeepers no longer control who benefits from these opportunities. While traditional finance has historically restricted arbitrage opportunities to institutional players with privileged access, DeFi effectively removes these gatekeepers, allowing anyone with an internet connection to participate in the price discovery process that hedge funds and banks have monopolized for decades.Smart contracts have revolutionized financial operations that once required privileged access and teams of highly paid professionals. Smart contracts effectively break down the artificial barriers that have systematically kept ordinary people out of sophisticated markets. Recent: Bitwise makes first institutional DeFi allocationLeading financial institutions increasingly recognize this paradigm shift, with established businesses progressively adopting DeFi mechanisms to automate transactions and enhance operational efficiency. Institutional adoption validates speculation as a legitimate financial practice rather than dismissing it as mere gambling.An arbitrage utopiaThis unprecedented democratization manifests concretely in decentralized lending platforms that enable automated market makers (AMMs), enabling anyone to provide liquidity and earn fees previously reserved exclusively for institutional market makers with significant capital reserves. With unprecedented data transparency across blockchain networks, even uncollateralized crypto loans can enable capital-efficient arbitrage opportunities spanning multiple blockchain ecosystems without requiring the millions in upfront collateral that traditional finance demands from participants. As institutional involvement continues to grow and regulatory frameworks gradually mature, these speculative mechanisms steadily evolve toward the same legitimacy traditional finance instruments enjoy. This evolution reveals that speculation itself was never the problem — the exclusionary access to its benefits was. The practical execution of this democratized speculation includes cross-exchange arbitrage through DeFi aggregators, crosschain bridges that naturally equalize asset prices across different blockchains and automated liquidation mechanisms that maintain system solvency. All these components serve the same fundamental purpose as traditional financial instruments but with radically expanded access for participants worldwide.As institutional investors and traditional financial markets return their gaze to the industry, with increased involvement from regulatory bodies and political figures in the US, DeFi must remember its core value proposition. The actual value of DeFi is not in recreating the current structures that allow the powerful to benefit from methods that regular people don’t have access to but in making these opaque systems transparent and open to everyone.Rather than apologizing for speculation, the industry should embrace and refine it as its revolutionary tool — one that brings financial opportunities to billions systematically excluded from traditional markets. Innovation in DeFi isn’t just technological; it is also social, creating a financial system where opportunity isn’t determined by privilege but by insight, creativity and willingness to participate. The future belongs not to those who can eliminate speculation but to those who can make it fair, transparent and accessible to all.Opinion by: Billy Campana, contract developer, Api3This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

by Cointelegraph by Adrian Zmudzinski on April 11, 2025 at 2:40 pm

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin outlined an extensive plan to enhance the privacy of the network he helped create.In an April 11 roadmap, Buterin argued for incorporating privacy tools into Ether (ETH) wallets and implementing privacy-enhancing norms and features in the Ethereum ecosystem and protocol. He explained that the roadmap in question is a short-term solution that requires limited changes to the base protocol along with supplemental long-term updates.Buterin recommends adopting privacy-enhancing systems such as Railgun or Privacy Pools by existing wallets, according to the plan. When funds are sent with those wallets, he argues that users should be greeted by an option to “send from shielded balance,” which anonymizes the transaction, and should be “ideally turned on by default.” He wrote:“Users should NOT have to download a separate ‘privacy wallet.’“Related: Privacy Pools launch on Ethereum, with Vitalik demoing the featureMajor changes recommended for DeFiButerin further recommended profound changes in how decentralized finance (DeFi) and broader decentralized applications (DApp) are implemented. He argued that those systems should be limited to “one address per application.”The Ethereum co-founder acknowledged that this would require “significant convenience sacrifices, ” but it “is the most practical way to remove public links between all of your activity across different applications.” He also highlights that the user experience would be “very similar” to depositing funds to one chain from another in crosschain interoperability systems.Buterin also highlighted that to enjoy the benefits of this change, developers would need to ensure that user withdrawal functions are privacy-preserving by default.Ethereum protocol changes neededOther changes included are the implementation of fork-choice enforced inclusion lists (FOCIL) and the Ethereum improvement proposal (EIP) 7701. The latter is an improvement to Ethereum account abstraction, and the former is a censorship-resistance improvement.FOCIL functionality diagram. Source: Ethereum ResearchEIP-7701 ensures that privacy protocols can operate without needing relays or public broadcasters. This, in turn, simplifies the development and maintenance of this kind of protocol. Relays, in this context, are intermediaries or nodes responsible for accepting and forwarding transactions. On the other hand, broadcasters are responsible for publishing transactions to the public blockchain.EIP-7701 divides Ethereum transactions into phases, natively allowing third parties to step in and pay the fees in the right phase. This means there is no need for a relay to accept users’ private transactions to be anonymously broadcast by a separate entity.FOCIL, on the other hand, prevents the censorship of transactions, including privacy-preserving ones. The relevance is presumably that anonymized transactions are at a significantly higher risk of falling victim to censorship attempts.Related: Financial privacy and regulation can co-exist with ZK proofs — Vitalik ButerinInfrastructure changes are requiredA short-term solution to address the privacy limitations of current remote procedure call (RPC) systems used to interact with the blockchain, as proposed by Buterin, is the implementation of a trusted execution environment (TEE).TEE is a secure area within a processor that ensures code and data loaded inside it are protected. Buterin explained that “this allows users to interact with RPC nodes while getting stronger assurances that their private data is not being collected.”As a long-term solution, TEEs should be replaced with a private information retrieval (PIR) system. PIR is a cryptographic protocol that allows users to retrieve a specific item from a database without revealing which item was retrieved.This would allow users to retrieve data concerning blockchain contents without the provider knowing which data is being shared. Buterin highlighted that it is superior because it provides “cryptographic guarantees.” The Ethereum co-founder also argued that wallets should be connected to multiple RPC servers. They should also use a separate RPC per DApp and potentially a mixnet — a privacy-enhancing technology designed to obscure metadata.Other recommendations include the development of proof-aggregation protocols for privacy-preserving protocols. This would result in significantly lower fees for using such systems.Magazine: Big Questions: What did Satoshi Nakamoto think about ZK-proofs?

on April 11, 2025 at 2:00 pm

Steve Witkoff is expected to sit down with the Russian President amid tensions between the US and Moscow's allies China and Iran. 

on April 11, 2025 at 1:59 pm

The head of the US military base in Greenland fired for criticising Washington's agenda for the Arctic island.

by Cointelegraph by Savannah Fortis on April 11, 2025 at 1:30 pm

The year 2025 kicked off with a bang and a meme. Just weeks into the New Year, a frenzy of politically fueled memecoins sent Crypto Twitter into overdrive, while lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic turned up the heat on stablecoins, securities laws and tokenized assets, usually with different approaches.It was a whirlwind first quarter, shaped by Bitcoin’s dominance in the crypto market and a US political climate that put digital assets back in the spotlight. Q1 delivered no shortage of storylines.Who better to break it all down than the journalists tracking it in real time? In the latest episode of Decentralize with Cointelegraph, editorial team members sit down for an unfiltered newsroom roundtable.Savannah Fortis, head of podcasts and EU reporter, is joined by Gareth Jenkinson, chief of multimedia; Zoltan Vardai, breaking news reporter on the EU news team; and Vince Quill, US news reporter, to reflect on Q1’s biggest stories and what they signal for the months ahead.Memecoins, power and perceptionAs memecoins surged in early 2025, questions regarding their legitimacy and political entanglement intensified. For Cointelegraph’s editorial team, the frenzy wasn’t just a market quirk, it revealed deep tensions among innovation, opportunism and influence.Jenkinson was first to comment on what the impact of US President Donald Trump and greater political memecoin frenzies may mean for the industry in the long term, saying, “I struggle to still trust what the Trump administration and his group of advisers are doing, when they are launching things like memecoins...”“Yes, we’ve seen a much more favorable approach to the wider crypto industry, and that’s been really great. But a lot of the lobbying, from Ripple, Circle and others, was about making sure their cryptocurrencies were included in this bundle of assets the US wants to hold.”Related: Bitcoin may hit a wall at $84K if bullish conditions don’t pick up: CryptoQuantThe team acknowledged that while regulatory clarity and institutional support have created a more stable environment for crypto companies in general since the new administration took office, that progress risks being overshadowed by spectacle.More memes…Trump’s big moves seem to domino into other political figures, namely Argentina’s President Javier Milei, to become entangled in a high-profile memecoin controversy that rippled far beyond national politics.For an industry seeking legitimacy, this kind of involvement by world leaders sends a mixed message. “It’s terrible for the industry,” Jenkinson added. “Milei was supposed to be a savior for Argentina after years of hyperinflation. And now he’s launching a memecoin with a known rug puller.”Still, the roundtable remained hopeful. “I’m an eternal optimist,” he continued. “At least we got the affirmation for Bitcoin. People now understand what it is, governments are starting to hold it. That’s how good the fundamentals are.”Stablecoins and the altcoin falloutWhile much attention has centered on Bitcoin’s institutional glow-up and the memecoin spectacle, several members of the Cointelegraph team voiced deeper concerns around emerging stablecoin legislation and the quiet moves behind it.“One thing that I think kind of flew under the radar is that the Trump-linked World Liberty Forum actually launched a US dollar-backed stablecoin in March,” Vardai pointed out. “These stablecoins would fall completely in line with both requirements in the Genius Act and Stable Act... but it could really be interpreted as Trump trying to pass stablecoin legislation while having a vested interest. His World Liberty Financial is launching a lot of crypto-related products.”The fallout from politically aligned memecoins has also weighed heavily on the broader crypto markets, particularly altcoins. “Altcoins aren’t really winning at all this quarter,” Vardai also noted.“Memecoins have had this premature rally, and they’ve been rallying independently from other cryptocurrencies. A lot of people are concerned whether Bitcoin’s rise is going to come before Ether’s, and before any altcoin rise.”So what defined Q1 of 2025? Tune in to the full episode to hear all of the insights! Listen to the full episode of Decentralize with Cointelegraph on Cointelegraph’s podcast page, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your podcast platform of choice. And don’t forget to check out Cointelegraph’s full lineup of other shows!Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research

by Cointelegraph by Ezra Reguerra on April 11, 2025 at 1:23 pm

United States President Donald Trump’s official memecoin is set to unlock $321 million worth of vested tokens on April 18.Token vesting tracker Tokenomist data shows that 40 million Trump tokens will be released in a cliff unlock, meaning the tokens will be available all at once. With the tokens currently trading at about $8, the unlock represents about $321 million in supply entering the market at once.Token vesting is a common practice in the crypto space to incentivize long-term holding and prevent early investors or team members from dumping tokens during the start of the project. Instead, projects impose a vesting period that allows individuals or entities to gradually get access to the tokens. Trump memecoin down 89% since its peakWhile the token’s creators reportedly profited by more than $350 million, retail investors have not fared as well. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis estimates that at least 813,000 wallets suffered losses totaling roughly $2 billion following the memecoin’s rapid rise and fall.Trump’s official token has seen a sharp decrease in value since its peak. On Jan. 19, the token reached an all-time high (ATH) of $73.43. This happened a day before the then-incoming US president was inaugurated. The hype surrounding the token has died down since. Its current value of $8 represents an 89% drop since its ATH. The forthcoming token unlock might also cause a further price drop for the Trump memecoin. Massive token unlocks are often followed by sharp declines in crypto prices as holders who previously couldn’t sell will be allowed to offload their crypto. In March 2024, Arbitrum unlocked $2.32 billion in vested crypto tokens. At the time, its ARB token was worth $1.89. However, the event was followed by a decline in the crypto asset’s value, with the token trading at $0.29 at the time of writing, an 84% drop since the unlock. The Trump token is the largest single crypto unlock scheduled for the week of April 14–20. It accounts for roughly 61% of the total $519 million in tokens set to be released across several projects, according to Tokenomist.$519 million in locked crypto tokens will be released next week. Source: TokenomistRelated: Trump administration reportedly shutters DOJ’s crypto enforcement teamTokens worth $519 million due to be unlocked next weekIn addition to Trump’s memecoin, projects including Arbitrum, Fasttoken and Starknet will release vested tokens next week. FTN’s unlock is the second-biggest release after Trump’s memecoin. Tokenomist data shows the project will release 20 million FTN worth $80 million. The crypto assets are allocated to the team and its founders. Arbitrum will release ARB (ARB) tokens worth over $27 million next week, which will be unlocked for its founders, team members and private investors. Meanwhile, Starknet will release 127 million STRK (STRK) tokens worth $16 million. Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research

by Cointelegraph by Cointelegraph on April 11, 2025 at 1:21 pm

Today in crypto, a New York lawmaker has introduced legislation that would allow state agencies to accept cryptocurrency payments, US President Donald Trump signed a repeal of the Internal Revenue Service’s DeFi broker rule, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission dropped its suit against the Helium network.New York bill proposes legalizing Bitcoin, crypto for state paymentsAssembly Bill A7788, introduced by Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, seeks to amend state financial law to allow New York state agencies to accept cryptocurrencies as a form of payment.It would permit state agencies to accept payments in Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH), according to the bill’s text.Source: Nysenate.govAccording to the bill, state offices could authorize crypto payments for “fines, civil penalties, rent, rates, taxes, fees, charges, revenue, financial obligations or other amounts,” as well as penalties, special assessments and interest.Cryptocurrency legislation is becoming a focal point in New York, with Bill A7788 marking the state’s second crypto-focused legislation in a little over a month.In March, New York introduced Bill A06515, aiming to establish criminal penalties to prevent cryptocurrency fraud and protect investors from rug pulls.Crypto-focused legislation has gathered momentum since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, with Trump signaling during his campaign that his administration intends to make crypto policy a national priority, as well as making the US a global hub for blockchain innovation.Trump signs resolution killing IRS DeFi broker ruleUS President Donald Trump signed a joint congressional resolution on April 10 that overturned a Biden-era rule requiring decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols to report transactions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)The so-called IRS DeFi broker rule was set to take effect in 2027 and twould have expanded the tax authority’s existing reporting requirements to include DeFi platforms, requiring them to disclose gross proceeds from crypto sales, including information regarding taxpayers involved in the transactions.Representative Mike Carey, who backed the resolution, said it was the the first time a president has signed a crypto bill into law.Source: Mike CareyCritics of the rule claimed it would lump decentralized platforms with too onerous rules, hampering crypto innovation, while supporters said killing the rule would create a loophole for wealthy tax cheats.Trump was widely expected to sign the bill, as White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks said in March that the president supported killing the measure.SEC drops suit against Helium for alleged securities violationsThe US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dismissed a lawsuit against Nova Labs, developer of decentralized wireless network Helium, for allegedly issuing unregistered securities, Helium stated in an April 10 blog post. Filed in January 2025, the lawsuit was among the SEC’s final enforcement actions against a cryptocurrency developer under former Chair Gary Gensler, who stepped down from his post on Jan. 20 after US President Donald Trump took office. The dismissal with prejudice means the blockchain developer cannot be charged with similar violations again for issuing in 2019 its native token Helium (HNT), the company said. “[W]e can now definitively say that all compatible Helium Hotspots and the distribution of HNT, IOT, and MOBILE tokens through the Helium Network are not securities,” Helium said. “[T]he outcome establishes that selling hardware and distributing tokens for network growth does not automatically make them securities in the eyes of the SEC [and] that the SEC cannot bring these charges against Helium again,” it added.Source: Helium

by Cointelegraph by Adrian Zmudzinski on April 11, 2025 at 1:13 pm

Sidechain developer StarkWare and Weizmann Institute of Science researchers claim to have created a workaround for multiple Bitcoin script limitations.According to a recent research paper, the new design claims to allow the deployment of complex smart contracts on Bitcoin in a more capital-efficient manner. The new system may also be vastly more efficient from a computing standpoint.ColliderVM is a protocol designed to enable stateful computation on Bitcoin, allowing multi-step processes to be securely executed over multiple transactions. Traditionally, Bitcoin script output is not accessible to other scripts, making complex calculations nearly impossible.The researchers argue that ColliderVM could allow the use of Scalable Transparent Arguments of Knowledge (STARKs) — a type of zero-knowledge proof — on Bitcoin without requiring consensus-level changes to the network. The architecture would let Bitcoin verify complex offchain computations with minimal onchain data.ColliderVM targets Bitcoin limitationsEach Bitcoin block can contain up to 4 million OPCodes (commands) across all transactions, and a single Bitcoin script can contain up to 1,000 stack elements (data entries). Furthermore, stateless execution means that each script executes without memory of previous state or intermediate computations from earlier transactions, making complex computations impractical.The BitVM implementation from a 2023 paper by Robin Linus from Bitcoin research firm ZeroSync allowed for complex smart contracts on Bitcoin but required fraud proofs. Fraud proofs are cryptographic proofs that prove a particular transaction or computation was performed incorrectly, possibly triggering corrective actions.Fraud-proof implementation typically requires operators to front capital for potential corrective actions. In BitVM, operators pay an advance to cover potentially fraudulent transactions, recovering the capital after the fraud-proof window closes.The new system is also more efficient from a computing point of view, compared with previous implementations, but still expensive. Previous implementations used cryptographic one-time signatures (Lamport and Winternitz) that were notably computationally heavy.ColliderVM draws from the November 2024 ColliderScript paper by researchers from StarkWare, web services firm Cloudflare and Bitcoin sidechain developer Blockstream. This system relies on a hash collision-based commitment setting a challenge to produce an input that, when run through a hash function, produces an output with pre-determined features.Related: A beginner’s guide to the Bitcoin Taproot upgradeThis setup requires significantly fewer computing resources from honest operators than from malicious actors.Computational resources needed by honest and malicious actors depending on collision difficulty. Source: ColliderVM paperHash, but no food or weedA hash is a non-reversible mathematical function that can be run on arbitrary data, producing a fixed-length alphanumeric string. Non-reversible means that it is impossible to run the computation in reverse to obtain the original data from a hash.This results in a sort of data ID identifying data to the bit, without containing any underlying data.Hash function examples. Source: WikimediaThis system — somewhat resembling Bitcoin (BTC) mining — requires significantly fewer hash operations compared to BitVM, reducing both script size and processing time. ColliderVM researchers claim to have reduced the number of those operations even further, by at least a factor of 10,000.The researchers seemingly suggest that this implementation is nearly making a STARKs-based Bitcoin sidechain practical. The paper reads:“We estimate that the Bitcoin script length for STARK proof verification becomes nearly practical, allowing it to be used alongside other, pairing-based proof systems common today in applications.”STARKs are a ZK-proof system recognized for their scalability and trustless nature (no trusted setup is needed). ZK-proofs are a cryptographic system that allows users to prove a particular feature of a piece of data without revealing the underlying data.Many early ZK-proof systems necessitated a one-time secure setup that relied on “toxic waste” data. If a party were to keep hold of the toxic waste, it would allow them to forge signatures and generate fraudulent proofs. STARKs do not rely on such a setup, making them trustless.Traditional implementation of STARK verifiers would require scripts that exceed Bitcoin’s limits. Now, researchers behind ColliderVM argue that their more efficient system approaches make an onchain verification script for STARK-proofs “nearly practical.”Related: Bitcoin sidechains will drive BTCfi growthBitcoin-based trustless sidechains?Bitcoin is widely considered the most secure and reliable blockchain, but its critics raise issues with its feature set being significantly more limited when compared to many altcoins. Sidechains such as Blockstream’s Liquid exist, but are not trustless.Director of research at blockchain firm Blockstream and mathematician Andrew Poelstra told Cointelegraph as far back as 2020 that ZK-proof-based systems are “one of the most exciting areas of development” in the cryptography space. Cypherpunk, a developer cited in the Bitcoin white paper and Blockstream founder, explained in a 2014 paper that more work was needed to implement trustless ZK-proof-based sidechains on Bitcoin.Still, even 10 years later, a system based on ColliderVM would be trust-minimized rather than trustless. This is because users would still need to trust that at least a minimal subset of network participants will act honestly to ensure the correct functioning of the system.The study’s lead authors include Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder of StarkWare, along with researchers Lior Goldberg and Ben Fisch. Ben-Sasson is one of the original developers of STARKs and has long advocated for the use of zero-knowledge proofs to improve blockchain scalability.In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, StarkWare co-founder Ben-Sasson noted that a real Bitcoin layer-2 solution would need to have “the security of Bitcoin itself.” Instead, current solutions rely on trust in signers or fraud-proof-based economic incentives. Still, he recognized the Lightning Network:“We should also acknowledge there’s, of course, today, lightning networks, which have the security of Bitcoin.“Magazine: ‘Bitcoin layer 2s’ aren’t really L2s at all: Here’s why that matters

by Dean Bilton on April 11, 2025 at 12:51 pm

It is a compliment to say Steele Sidebottom plays like a 34-year-old, and his battle-hardened know-how proved influential in Collingwood's ominous victory over Sydney.

by Alison Xiao and Jordyn Butler on April 11, 2025 at 12:36 pm

Independent MP Allegra Spender has admitted to paying an agency to commission social media content with a number of influencers and content creators.

by Luke Pentony on April 11, 2025 at 12:20 pm

Competing 24 hours after Gout Gout lit up the track in Perth, Lachlan Kennedy moves to second on the Australian all-time list for the 100m with a blistering run.

by Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai on April 11, 2025 at 11:55 am

A New York lawmaker has introduced legislation that would allow state agencies to accept cryptocurrency payments, signaling growing political momentum for digital asset integration in public services.Assembly Bill A7788, introduced by Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, seeks to amend state financial law to allow New York state agencies to accept cryptocurrencies as a form of payment.It would permit state agencies to accept payments in Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH), according to the bill’s text.Source: Nysenate.govAccording to the bill, state offices could authorize crypto payments for “fines, civil penalties, rent, rates, taxes, fees, charges, revenue, financial obligations or other amounts,” as well as penalties, special assessments and interest.Related: Trump’s tariff escalation exposes ‘deeper fractures’ in global financial systemCryptocurrency legislation is becoming a focal point in New York, with Bill A7788 marking the state’s second crypto-focused legislation in a little over a month.In March, New York introduced Bill A06515, aiming to establish criminal penalties to prevent cryptocurrency fraud and protect investors from rug pulls.Crypto-focused legislation has gathered momentum since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, with Trump signaling during his campaign that his administration intends to make crypto policy a national priority, as well as making the US a global hub for blockchain innovation.Related: Illinois Senate passes crypto bill to fight fraud and rug pullsNew York may mandate state “service fee” on crypto paymentsIf passed, the bill would mark a significant shift in how New York handles digital assets. It would allow state entities to integrate cryptocurrency into the payment infrastructure used for collecting public funds.The proposal also includes a clause allowing the state to impose a service fee on those choosing to pay with crypto. According to the text, the state may require “a service fee not exceeding costs incurred by the state in connection with the cryptocurrency payment transaction.” This could include transaction costs or fees owed to crypto issuers.Assembly Bill A7788 has been referred to the Assembly Committee for review and may advance to the state Senate as the next step.New York’s legislation comes shortly after the state of Illinois passed a crypto bill to fight fraud and rug pulls after the recent wave of insider schemes related to memecoins, Cointelegraph reported on April 11.Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set

on April 11, 2025 at 11:26 am

A four-year-old child has died, and a 71-year-old woman has been arrested after a collision on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula.

by Cointelegraph by Helen Partz on April 11, 2025 at 11:15 am

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with $11.6 trillion in assets under management, reported $84 billion in total net inflows in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 3% annualized growth in assets under management.The firm’s strong performance was led by a record first quarter for iShares exchange-traded funds (ETFs) alongside continued strength in private markets and net inflows, according to BlackRock’s Q1 earnings released on April 11.Of the $107 billion in net inflows to iShares ETFs, $3 billion, or 2.8% of the total ETF inflows, was directed to digital asset products in Q1, BlackRock said.BlackRock’s net flow data in Q1 2025 (in billions of US dollars). Source: BlackRockAlternative investments also played a significant role in Q1, with private market inflows totaling $9.3 billion.Digital assets remain small segmentAs of March 31, digital assets accounted for $34 million in base fees or less than 1% of BlackRock’s long-term revenue.By the end of the first quarter, BlackRock’s total digital assets under management amounted to $50.3 billion, which represents about 0.5% of the firm’s $11.6 trillion in total assets under management.BlackRock’s business results in Q1 2025 (in millions of US dollars). Source: BlackRockBlackRock’s financial results suggest that digital assets still make up a modest share of the company’s business.Despite that, BlackRock’s $3 billion in digital asset inflows is notable given widespread liquidations in the Bitcoin ETF market earlier this year. The company’s figures suggest that investor interest in crypto-backed ETFs remains steady.Base fee growth shows “best start to a year since 2021,” CEO saysDespite BlackRock recording a 70% drop in net inflows in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous quarter, with inflows falling from $281 billion in Q4 2024 to $84 billion, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink pointed to the company’s solid fee growth as a major indicator of success.“We delivered 6% organic base fee growth in the first quarter, representing our best start to a year since 2021 and secular strength against a complex market backdrop,” Fink said in the report.Related: Bitcoin could reduce dominance of US dollar — BlackRockFink also mentioned that the company is focused on helping clients navigate market and policy changes while also providing insights on “long-term structural growth opportunities,” adding:“The goal for us is to keep our clients focused on the long-term, and help them achieve any near-term allocation or liquidity changes they need within the BlackRock platform.”While BlackRock saw $3 billion in crypto asset inflows in Q1 2025, some other Bitcoin ETF issuers have suffered massive outflows.Flows by issuer (in millions of US dollars). Source: CoinSharesAccording to CoinShares data, Grayscale saw roughly $1.4 billion in outflows from its crypto ETFs year-to-date as of April 4.Magazine: Bitcoin heading to $70K soon? Crypto baller funds SpaceX flight: Hodler’s Digest, March 30 – April 5

by Cointelegraph by Yohan Yun on April 11, 2025 at 11:00 am

An elderly crypto whale known as “HEX 19” lost nearly $4.5 million in a slow-moving hack that drained his staked HEX (HEX) over multiple years. At first, it looked like a HEX whale was cashing out. But it wasn’t long before the community realized he didn’t voluntarily unstake his tokens — he had become a victim of a major exploit.The cyberattack started in November 2021, touched multiple phishing wallets, and was traced back to an online entity known as “Konpyl,” a threat actor familiar to crypto investigators.The breach not only shook the token’s price but also exposed a web of fraudulent operations tied to Inferno Drainer and the $1.6-million fake Rabby wallet scam of February 2024.HEX token price sinks following the HEX19 hack. Source: CoinGeckoHEX hackers and the web of connectionsA blockchain investigator who spoke to Cointelegraph on condition of anonymity said, “There’s direct counterparty exposure with wallets used in the fake Rabby app scam as well as the HEX19 victim’s funds flowing directly into wallets used to launder illicit Inferno Drainer phishing scam proceeds.”The first major batch of outflows from the victim’s wallet occurred in November 2021 and has continued over the years as assets locked away in decade-long stakes continued to unlock, some prematurely closed by the hacker with penalties. HEX19 wallet loses almost $4 million on Nov. 21. Source: Arkham IntelligenceRelated: THORChain at crossroads: Decentralization clashes with illicit activityThe deeper investigators dug into the wallets tied to the HEX19 hack, the more it became clear that this wasn’t a one-off for the hacker. The same addresses appeared again and again across phishing campaigns, wallet drainers and laundering trails.Wallets used by the HEX19 hacker, the fake Rabby wallet scam and several schemes related to Inferno Drainer share a common address: Konpyl.In an October 2024 investigation, Cointelegraph’s Magazine analyzed on- and offchain evidence gathered by an investigator and a US government agency that links Konpyl to Konstantin Pylinskiy, an executive of a Dubai-based investment firm who uses the nickname in his online activities. Pylinskiy has denied any involvement with scams.The investigator said the attack on HEX19 was possible because the victim had stored his seed phrases in the cloud. Transaction records show that the hackers use victim funds for initial transfers to their illicit accounts, a common trait of Konpyl-linked schemes. “The HEX19 hacker follows similar patterns from other scams by ‘Konpyl,’” they said.In a November 2024 report, Cointelegraph learned that Konpyl-linked wallets had a high number of interactions with scams connected to Inferno Drainer, a scam-as-a-service threat actor. Fantasy, a forensics specialist and investigations lead at crypto insurance firm Fairside Network, told Cointelegraph that Konpyl may possibly function less as a direct attacker and more as a laundering proxy.Inside the HEX hackThe first batch of funds started moving out from the wallet on Nov. 21, 2021, but blockchain records show that the wallet may have been compromised as early as Nov. 3, as the victim wallet (0x97E…7a7df) had an outflow to one of the hacker’s wallets.On Nov. 21, HEX19 was drained of nearly $4 million across nine separate transactions. The majority of the losses were in HEX tokens. The primary destination was address 0xcfe…8A11D, which we will call HEX Hacker 1 (HH1).That same day, HH1 began splitting the stolen funds. They sent $2.64 million (12.33 million HEX) to a second wallet, 0xA30…2EA17, or HEX Hacker 2 (HH2).A follow-up transaction on Dec. 10, 2021, sent another 616,700 HEX (worth around $86,700 at the time) from HH1 to HH2.On Feb. 18, 2022, HH1 transferred 5.2 million HEX (worth about $1 million at the time) and some Ether (ETH) to yet another address, 0x719a...4Bd0c, where the funds remain parked to this day.The HH2 wallet appears central to laundering efforts.From December 2021 to March 2022, HH2 sent over $1 million to Tornado Cash, Ethereum’s best-known anonymizing protocol.HH2 also transferred $106,758 in Dai (DAI) to an intermediary wallet, 0x837…2Ba9B, which was used to interact with decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms like 1inch to further obscure or swap funds.The intermediary interacted with 0x7BF…C4eAa, a wallet that received direct inflows from Konpyl (an online persona that has appeared in numerous phishing and draining operations).HH2’s laundering chain also intersects with a high-risk wallet — 0x909…e4371 — flagged for over 70 suspicious transactions.On May 16, 2024, a third wallet, Hex Hacker (HH3) — 0xdCe…4f0d8 — began withdrawing funds from the compromised HEX19 address.HH3 has received around $108,000 in HEX from the victim’s account. HH3 connected to 0x87B…53d92, an address Cointelegraph previously identified in a November investigation as part of an Inferno Drainer-linked scam. That same wallet shares a commingling address (0xF2F...6a608) with Konpyl, which connects a March 2024 Inferno-linked scam and the Rabby wallet phishing incident.Finally, a fourth wallet, 0x7cc…59ee2 — HEX Hacker 4 (HH4) — entered the picture. Beginning on Jan. 12, 2024, HH4 began siphoning funds from the HEX19 wallet through March.Related: From Sony to Bybit: How Lazarus Group became crypto’s supervillainThis wallet interacted with 0x4E9…c71C2, which is a known address used by the fake Rabby wallet scammer.Lessons from the HEX19 HackHEX19, the retired tech veteran, has been through booms and busts before — just not ones that emptied millions of dollars from his digital wallet in a single day.He filed police reports, and exchanges couldn’t do much to help, he said. The remaining staked funds, including 10-year HEX locks, became ticking time bombs. He knew the hackers had access and were just waiting to extract more.Cointelegraph has found at least 180 suspicious transactions from November 2021 to October 2024, totaling over $4.5 million. The victim’s wallet still has nine active stakes remaining, though their values aren’t as significant as those prematurely closed and withdrawn by the thieves.The active stakes are not as valuable as those closed by hackers. Source: HEXscout“You have this feeling in the pit of your stomach and you say, ‘Oh my God.’ And then you say, ‘Oh, geez, I gotta tell my family that I’ve screwed up again,’” HEX19, purportedly a retiree in his 80s, said in an interview with HEX community member Mati Allin soon after the exploit. Cointelegraph attempted to get in touch with HEX19 but did not receive a response.Despite the loss, HEX19 maintains a surprising sense of calm: “We’re retired. We live without debt. We live very simply. We have a great family, awesome daughters, granddaughters,” he said in the 2021 community interview. “There’s more to life than money.”While he doesn’t expect to recover the funds, he does hope his experience helps others think twice before storing their seed phrases online.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

by Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai on April 11, 2025 at 10:50 am

A member of Sweden’s parliament proposed adding Bitcoin to the country’s foreign exchange reserves, suggesting increased openness to cryptocurrency adoption in Europe following recent moves by the United States.Swedish MP Rickard Nordin issued an open letter urging Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson to consider adopting Bitcoin (BTC) as a national reserve asset.“Sweden has a tradition of a conservative and carefully managed foreign exchange reserve, mainly consisting of foreign currencies and gold,” Nordin wrote in a letter registered on April 8, adding:“At the same time, there is a rapid development in digital assets, and several international players regard bitcoin as a custodian and a hedge against inflation. In many parts of the world, bitcoin is used as a means of payment and as security against rising inflation.”“It is also an important way for freedom fighters to handle payments when under the oppression of authoritarian regimes,” he added.Open letter from MP Rickard Nordin. Source: Riksdagen.seRelated: US Bitcoin reserve marks’ real step’ toward global financial integrationThe Swedish proposal echoes a recent move by the United States. In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a national Bitcoin reserve funded by cryptocurrency seized in criminal investigations rather than purchased through market channels.The order authorized the Treasury and Commerce secretaries to develop “budget-neutral strategies” to buy more Bitcoin for the reserve, provided there were no additional costs to taxpayers.The governor of the Czech National Bank has also considered Bitcoin as part of a potential diversification strategy for the country’s foreign reserves, Cointelegraph reported on Jan. 7.Related: Bitcoin reserve backlash signals unrealistic industry expectationsEuropean lawmakers silent on Bitcoin legislation amid CBDC pushEuropean lawmakers have remained mostly silent on Bitcoin legislation despite Trump’s historic executive order and Bitcoin’s economic model favoring the early adopters.The lack of Bitcoin-related statements may stem from Europe’s focus on the launch of the digital euro, a central bank digital currency (CBDC), James Wo, the founder and CEO of venture capital firm DFG, told Cointelegraph, adding:“This highlights the EU’s greater emphasis on the digital euro, though the recent outage in the ECB’s Target 2 (T2) payment system, which caused significant transaction delays, raised concerns about its ability to oversee a digital currency when it struggles with daily operations.”ECB President Christine Lagarde is pushing ahead with the digital euro’s rollout, expected in October. Lagarde has emphasized that the CBDC will coexist with cash and offer privacy protections to address concerns about government overreach.“The European Union is looking to launch the digital euro, our central bank digital currency, by October this year,” Lagarde said during a news conference, adding:“We are working to ensure that the digital euro coexists with cash, addressing privacy concerns by making it pseudonymous and cash-like in nature.”Source: CointelegraphThis is in stark contrast to the approach of the US, where Trump has taken a firm stance against CBDCs, prohibiting “the establishment, issuance, circulation, and use” of a US dollar-based CBDC.Magazine: SCB tips $500K BTC, SEC delays Ether ETF options, and more: Hodler’s Digest, Feb. 23 –March. 1

by Cointelegraph by Dilip Kumar Patairya on April 11, 2025 at 10:45 am

Key takeawaysBear raids involve deliberate efforts by whales to drive down crypto prices using short-selling, FUD and large-scale sell-offs to trigger panic and profit from the dip.These raids create volatility, trigger liquidations and damage retail confidence. However, they can also expose weak or fraudulent projects.Signs include sudden price drops, high trading volume, absence of news and quick recoveries, indicating price manipulation rather than natural market trends.Traders can guard against bear raids by using stop-loss orders, diversifying portfolios, monitoring whale activity and trading on reputable, regulated platforms.Not all market moves are organic in the dynamic world of crypto trading; some are engineered to make quick profits. One such tactic is the bear raid, often driven by powerful market players known as whales. These traders strategically use short-selling, where they borrow and sell assets at current prices, aiming to repurchase them cheaper once the price drops. So, how exactly does this tactic play out? This article dives into what a bear raid is and how it functions. It also covers how bear raids impact the crypto market, what the signs are and how retail investors can protect their interests. What is a bear raid?A bear raid is a deliberate strategy to drive down the price of an asset, typically through aggressive selling and the spread of fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD). The tactic dates back to the early days of traditional stock markets, where influential traders would collaborate to manipulate prices for profit.Execution of a bear raid involves selling large volumes of a targeted asset to flood the market. The sharp increase in supply creates downward pressure on the price. At the same time, the perpetrators circulate negative rumors or sentiments, often through media, to amplify fear and uncertainty. As panic sets in, smaller or retail investors often sell off their holdings, further accelerating the price drop.Bear raids differ from natural market downturns. While both lead to falling prices, a bear raid is orchestrated and intentional, meant to benefit those holding short positions. Natural downturns are driven by broader economic trends, market corrections or legitimate changes in investor sentiment.Bear raids are generally considered a form of market manipulation. Regulatory agencies monitor trading activities, investigate suspicious patterns and penalize fraudulent practices such as pump-and-dump schemes or wash trading. To enhance transparency, they require exchanges to implement compliance measures, including KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) protocols. By imposing fines, bans, or legal action, regulators work to maintain fair markets and protect investors. Regulators attempt to deter cryptocurrency market manipulation by enforcing strict rules and oversight. In the US, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) focuses on crypto assets that qualify as securities, while the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulates commodities and their derivatives. Under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) law, enforcement in the EU is the responsibility of financial regulators in the member states. Did you know? In 2022, over 50% of Bitcoin’s daily trading volume was influenced by just 1,000 addresses — commonly called whales — highlighting their market-shaking power.Who executes bear raids?In the crypto world, “whales” are big investors capable of executing bear raids. Because of their substantial holdings of cryptocurrencies, whales can influence market trends and price movements in ways smaller retail traders cannot.Compared to other traders, whales operate on a different scale, thanks to their access to more capital and advanced tools. While you might be looking for short-term gains or simply following trends, whales often use strategic buying or selling to create price shifts that benefit their long-term positions. Their moves are carefully planned and can affect the market without you even realizing it.If you are a regular crypto trader, you might be aware of the massive crypto movement between wallets. Such large-scale transfer of crypto causes panic or excitement in the cryptocurrency community. For example, when a whale transfers a large amount of Bitcoin (BTC) to an exchange, it may signal a potential sell-off, causing prices to dip. Conversely, removing coins from exchanges to self-custodial wallets might suggest long-term holding, which can lead to a price upswing.The relatively low liquidity of crypto markets gives whales such influence over crypto trading. With fewer buyers and sellers compared to traditional financial markets, a single large trade can dramatically swing prices. This means whales can manipulate market conditions, intentionally or not, often leaving retail traders struggling to keep up.Did you know? Bear raids often trigger automated liquidations in leveraged positions, sometimes causing crypto prices to nosedive by over 20% in minutes.Real-world examples of whales profiting from falling pricesIn crypto, cases of bear raids are generally hard to confirm due to anonymity. Nevertheless, these examples of incidents when whales made profits from falling cryptocurrency prices will help you understand how such scenarios work:Terra Luna collapse (May 2022)A Bank for International Settlements (BIS) report disclosed that during the 2022 crypto market crash, triggered by the collapse of Terra (LUNA), whales made a profit at the expense of retail investors. Smaller retail investors predominantly purchased cryptocurrencies at lower prices, whereas whales primarily sold off their holdings, profiting from the downturn.In May 2022, the Terra blockchain was briefly suspended following the failure of its algorithmic stablecoin TerraUSD (UST) and the associated cryptocurrency LUNA, resulting in a loss of nearly $45 billion in market value in one week. The company behind Terra filed for bankruptcy on Jan. 21, 2024. FTX collapse (November 2022)In November 2022, close financial ties between FTX and Alameda Research set off a chain reaction: a bank run, failed acquisition deals, FTX's bankruptcy and criminal charges for founder Sam Bankman-Fried.Yet again, as FTX collapsed, retail investors rushed to buy the dip. Whales, however, sold crypto in bulk right before the steep price decline, according to the same BIS report that discussed the fall of Terra Luna.Graph 1.B illustrates a transfer of wealth, where larger investors liquidated their holdings, disadvantaging smaller investors. Furthermore, Graph 1.C reveals that following market shocks, large Bitcoin holders (whales) reduced their positions, while smaller holders (referred to as krill in the report) increased theirs. The price trends indicate that whales sold their Bitcoin to krill before significant price drops, securing profits at the krill's expense.Bitconnect (BCC) shutdown (January 2018)Bitconnect, a cryptocurrency promising unusually high returns via an alleged trading bot, experienced a dramatic collapse in early 2018. Despite reaching a peak valuation of over $2.6 billion, the platform was widely suspected of operating as a Ponzi scheme. The token suffered a steep fall of over 90% in value within hours. While this was not a classic bear raid, the sudden exit of insiders and whale sell-offs, combined with negative publicity, created a cascading effect that devastated retail investors.Did you know? Whale wallets are tracked so closely that some platforms offer real-time alerts for their trades, helping retail traders anticipate possible bear raids.How whales execute bear raids in crypto, key stepsIn the crypto space, whales can execute bear raids by leveraging their massive holdings to trigger sharp price drops and profit from the following panic. These tactics typically unfold in a few steps:Step 1: Accumulating a position: Whales begin by taking positions that will benefit from falling prices, such as shorting a cryptocurrency or preparing to buy large quantities once the price drops. Step 2: Initiating the raid: Next, the whale triggers the sell-off by dumping large volumes of the targeted crypto asset. This sudden surge in supply causes the price to drop sharply, shaking market confidence.Step 3: Spreading FUD: To maximize the impact, whales may spread FUD using coordinated social media campaigns or fake news. Rumors like adverse regulatory action or insolvency can spread quickly, prompting retail traders to sell in panic.Step 4: Triggering sell-offs: The combination of visible large sell orders and negative sentiment induces other investors to sell their holdings, amplifying the downward pressure on the asset's price.Step 5: Profiting from the dip: Once the price plunges, the whale steps in to either buy back the asset at a lower price or close their short positions for a profit.The whales’ playbook: How do they manipulate the market? Crypto whales use sophisticated tactics to carry out bear raids and manipulate the market to their advantage. These tactics give whales an edge over retail traders, enabling them to manipulate prices and profit while the latter are left to deal with the chaos:Trading bots and algorithms: Advanced bots allow whales to execute large sell orders in milliseconds, triggering sharp price drops. Before the market can react, the whales turn the situation in their favor.Leverage and margin trading: Whales rely (to a large extent) on leverage and margin trading to make profits. Borrowing funds enables them to increase their position size and amplify the sales pressure. It triggers stronger market reactions than would be possible with their holdings.Low liquidity on certain exchanges: Whales can place large sell orders in illiquid markets with fewer participants and a low volume of trades, causing disproportionate price drops. They may even manipulate order books by placing and canceling large fake orders, known as spoofing, to trick other traders.Collaborate with other whales: Whales may collaborate with other large holders or trading groups to coordinate attacks, making the bear raid more effective and harder to trace.Impact of bear raids on the crypto market Bear raids can significantly disrupt the crypto market. Here is how they impact different players and the broader ecosystem: Effects on retail traders: Retail investors tend to react overwhelmingly during a bear raid. The sudden price drop and spread of fear often lead to panic selling, resulting in heavy losses for the investors who exit at the bottom. Most retail traders sell emotionally, not realizing they are playing into the whale’s strategy. Broader market consequences: Bear raids increase market volatility, making it riskier for new and existing investors. These events can shake overall confidence in the crypto space, leading to reduced trading activity and investor hesitation. In extreme cases, they can even trigger liquidations across multiple platforms. Potential positive outcomes: Bear raids can sometimes have cleansing effects on the crypto market. Market corrections induced by such raids remove overvalued assets from unsustainable highs. In some cases, these raids may expose weak or fraudulent projects, forcing investors to reassess their choices.Signs of crypto bear raidsBear raids are misleading market moves that resemble genuine downturns, often tricking traders into selling too soon. A quick drop in price may look like the start of a bearish trend, leading to impulsive decisions by retail traders. Often, these dips are short-lived and followed by a swift recovery once the whales take their profits. Recognizing the signs of crypto bear raids is key to avoiding losses.Here are a few signs of crypto bear raids:A sudden price drop that seems to break support levels Spike in trading volume during a market declineQuick rebound after the dipNegative sentiment causing trader panic No major news to explain the dropHow to protect yourself from crypto bear raids​To safeguard your investments from crypto bear raids, you can use the following strategies:​Conduct thorough technical analysis: Regularly analyze price charts and indicators to discern genuine market trends from manipulative movements. ​Implement stop-loss orders: Set predetermined sell points to automatically exit positions if prices fall to a certain level, limiting potential losses during sudden downturns. ​Diversify your portfolio: Spread investments across various assets to mitigate risk. A well-diversified portfolio is less vulnerable to the impact of a bear raid on any single asset. ​Stay informed: Monitor market news and developments to better anticipate and respond to potential manipulative activities. Use reputable exchanges: Engage with trading platforms that have robust measures against market manipulation, ensuring a fairer trading environment.The ethical debate: Crypto market manipulation vs free market dynamicsThe principles of free market dynamics starkly contrast to market manipulation tactics, such as bear raids. Proponents of free markets favor minimal regulatory intervention, arguing that it fosters innovation and self-regulation. A free market is an economic system in which supply and demand determine the prices of goods and services. Still, the decentralized and often unregulated nature of crypto markets has made them susceptible to manipulative practices. Bear raids require coordinated efforts by perpetrators to drive down asset prices, misleading investors and undermining market integrity. Such tactics bring losses to retail investors and erode trust in the financial system. Critics point out that without adequate oversight, these manipulative strategies can proliferate, leading to unfair advantages and potential economic harm. While free market dynamics are valued for promoting efficiency and innovation, the implications of unchecked market manipulation in the cryptocurrency space can be disastrous. Incidents like bear raids highlight the need for balanced regulation to ensure fairness and protect investors.Crypto regulations worldwide for market manipulation tacticsCryptocurrency market manipulation, including tactics like bear raids, has prompted varied regulatory responses worldwide. In the US, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) classifies digital currency as commodities and actively pursues fraudulent schemes, including market manipulation practices such as spoofing and wash trading. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has also taken action against individuals who have manipulated digital asset markets. The European Union has implemented the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation to establish a comprehensive framework addressing market manipulation and ensure consumer protection regarding stablecoins.These efforts notwithstanding, the decentralized and borderless nature of cryptocurrencies presents challenges for regulators. Global cooperation and adaptive regulatory frameworks are essential to effectively combat market manipulation and safeguard investors in the evolving landscape of digital finance.Progression articlesLong and short positions in crypto, explainedA beginner’s guide on how to short Bitcoin and other cryptocurrenciesWhat is a bear trap in trading and how to avoid it?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 11, 2025 at 10:21 am

A known maximal extractable value (MEV) white hat actor intercepted about $2.6 million in crypto assets stolen from Morpho Labs’ decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol. On April 10, Morpho Labs implemented a front-end update on its Morpho Blue application. A day later, a hacker breached an address through a vulnerability caused by the update. Blockchain security firm PeckShield reported that an address lost $2.6 million due to the vulnerability. However, the security firm noted that “c0ffeebabe.eth,” a known white hat MEV operator, had front-run the transaction, effectively intercepting the stolen funds.At the time of writing, the funds had been transferred to a different wallet address. It’s unclear whether the funds have yet been returned to their original owner.Morpho Labs reverts front-end updateResponding to the incident, Morpho Labs reversed its front-end update. In a post on X on April 11, the team confirmed it had been alerted to the issue and rolled back the changes. The team also said that normal operations had resumed:“All funds in the Morpho Protocol are safe and unaffected. The Morpho team will provide a detailed update later today in this thread.”After further investigation, the team confirmed that its front-end was safe and that users don’t need to perform additional actions to secure their assets. The team said the update was pushed to enhance the transaction flow. However, specific transactions on the front-end were incorrectly crafted. The Morpho Labs team said they’ve identified the issue and applied a fix. They added that they would publish a more detailed explanation of the incident next week. Cointelegraph reached out to the Morpho Labs team on X but did not receive a response by publication. Related: MEV bot loses $180K in ETH from access control exploitWhite hat MEV operator c0ffeebabe.ethC0ffeebabe.eth is known to have contributed to the recovery of funds during DeFi hacks. In 2023, the white hat MEV operator retrieved around $5.4 million in Ether (ETH) from the Curve Finance exploit in July 2023.  During the incident, c0ffeebabe.eth used a bot to front-run a malicious hacker to secure 3,000 ETH. The funds were then returned to the Curve deployer address. In 2024, the mysterious white hat actor also recovered funds stolen during the Blueberry exploit. In an update, the DeFi protocol said all drained funds had been front-run by c0ffeebabe.eth and returned. Magazine: Illegal arcade disguised as … a fake Bitcoin mine? Soldier scams in China: Asia Express

by Cointelegraph by William Suberg on April 11, 2025 at 9:55 am

Bitcoin (BTC) is exhibiting familiar “bottom” behavior at current prices, according to one of its best-known leading indicators. In an X post on April 10, John Bollinger, creator of the Bollinger Bands volatility metric, offered potentially good news to Bitcoin bulls.Bollinger bands %b metric teases BTC price comebackBitcoin may already be establishing a long-term bottom, the latest Bollinger Bands data suggests.Analyzing weekly timeframes, Bollinger drew attention to one of his proprietary indicators, known as “%b,” which offers further clues about market trend reversals.The indicator %b measures an asset’s closing price relative to Bollinger Band position, employing standard deviation around a 20-period simple moving average (SMA). Among its insights is the “W” bottom formation, where a first low beneath zero is followed by a higher low retest later, something that could now be in play for BTC/USD.Bollinger confirmed to X followers:“Classic Bollinger Band W bottom setting up in $BTCUSD. Sill needs confirmation.”BTC/USD 1-week chart with Bollinger Bands data. Source: John Bollinger/XOn both weekly and daily timeframes, Bollinger Bands show no trend shift has yet taken place. Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView shows that the daily chart continues to walk down the lower band, with the middle SMA acting as resistance.BTC/USD 1-day chart with Bollinger Bands data. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewTurning to stocks, with which BTC/USD has become increasingly correlated, Jurrien Timmer, director of global macro at Fidelity Investments, drew similar conclusions.“Revisiting the Bollinger Bands, we have gone from 2 standard deviations above-trend to on-trend to now almost 2 standard deviations below-trend,” he said in reference to the S&P 500 on April 9. “Again, oversold but not at an historic extreme.”Bitcoin bounce may follow 10% Nasdaq plungeAs Cointelegraph continues to report, BTC price bottom targets increasingly center around the $70,000 mark.Related: Bitcoin, stocks shun CPI print win and give up tariff relief gains — Will BTC whales save the day?That level is significant for several reasons, including as a psychological barrier and its status as a liquidity magnet.Network economist Timothy Peterson, whose Lowest Price Forward metric previously offered 95% odds that $69,000 would stay intact as support, now sees Bitcoin reversing only after stocks find their own floor.“Bitcoin led NASDAQ on this decline As the asset perceived to be at the top of the risk pyramid, I would expect NASDAQ to rally first, and then Bitcoin Just something to look for,” he revealed this week. “But I think NASDAQ has another -10% to fall.”Bitcoin vs Nasdaq comparison. Source: Timothy Peterson/XThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

by Cointelegraph by Helen Partz on April 11, 2025 at 9:41 am

The US Securities and Exchange Commission and blockchain payments firm Ripple agreed to pause their appeals in the ongoing XRP legal battle, signaling a potential move toward a final settlement.The SEC and Ripple agreed to put their appeals in “abeyance,” meaning the proceedings are now paused pending an anticipated settlement of the XRP (XRP) case.“An abeyance would conserve judicial and party resources while the parties continue to pursue a negotiated resolution of this matter,” the parties jointly stated in an April 10 court filing.Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse previously announced the end of the XRP case on March 19, and the new filing hints that the SEC is ready to settle once nominated and approved Chair Paul Atkins takes office, according to some community speculation.The filing cancels Ripple’s April 16 brief deadlineAccording to Ripple’s defense attorney, James Filan, the new filing supersedes the April 16 deadline for Ripple to respond to the SEC’s brief filed in January. “The settlement is awaiting commission approval. No brief will be filed on April 16,” Filan wrote in an April 10 X post.Some legal observers suggested the SEC’s willingness to pause the proceedings indicates that the agency may be prepared to drop the case after Atkins assumes office.Source: James Filan“SEC is ready to settle but is waiting for Atkins to take the helm as the new SEC chief so he can start off with dropping the biggest case of their career and start with a huge win,” one user suggested in a reply to Filan’s thread on X.When is Atkins expected to officially assume office?While the Senate confirmed Atkins as the new SEC chair on Wednesday, April 9, it’s unclear when he will take office.Related: Ripple acquisition of Hidden Road a ‘defining moment’ for XRPL — Ripple CTOIt could be several days before Atkins is sworn into office as the new SEC chair.Former SEC Chair Gary Gensler was sworn in three days after his confirmation in 2021, suggesting Atkins could take office as soon as April 12.A spokesperson for the SEC declined to comment to Cointelegraph on when Atkins is expected to be sworn in as the new SEC chair.Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set