Today's Crypto Pulse
Bitcoin slides below $70k as energy‑price worries spark $1.8B in liquidations
Bitcoin fell under $70,000 amid heightened energy‑price uncertainty linked to U.S.–Iran tensions. The dip triggered roughly $1.8 billion in crypto liquidations, while institutional investors pulled more than $4.2 billion from digital‑asset positions.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Strive acquires 2,500 Bitcoin for $185.2M
Ex-Blackstone Team Raises $25 Million for Valinor, Blockchain Private‑credit Platform
Valinor, founded by former Blackstone private‑credit investors Connor Dougherty and Lily Yarborough, closed a $25 million seed round led by Castle Island Ventures. The funding will accelerate the startup’s plan to use blockchain smart contracts for private‑credit loans, a move that could reshape how Wall Street structures credit in the crypto era.
Bitcoin Slides 45% in Six Months, Analysts Split on Buy Verdict
Bitcoin has lost roughly 45% of its value over the past 180 days, reigniting a debate among analysts about its role as a store of wealth. While some point to its digital scarcity, others highlight its volatility and lack of...
Coinbase’s Base to Focus on Tokenized Markets, Stablecoins, Developers This Year
Coinbase’s Base layer‑2 is pivoting to an in‑house tech stack, moving away from Optimism’s OP Stack to gain greater independence and scalability. The 2026 roadmap emphasizes three pillars: expanding tokenized asset markets such as equities and commodities, scaling stablecoin‑based payment...
Solana 101: What It Is and Why some Banks Use It
Solana is positioning itself as a high‑throughput blockchain alternative to Ethereum, boasting over 25,000 transactions per second and fees that are a fraction of a cent. The network’s cryptographic clock eliminates ordering disputes, enabling a multi‑lane processing model. Major financial...
Chainalysis Adds 'Natural Language' AI Agents to Its Blockchain Investigation Platform
Chainalysis is adding customizable natural‑language AI agents to its Reactor platform, letting users build investigative workflows through plain‑English prompts. The agents draw on roughly ten million prior investigations, providing audit trails and evidentiary standards without requiring coding expertise. The feature...
Hybrid Finance: Why It Matters for Investors
Hybrid finance merges traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain systems, creating a new investable asset class. Major institutions like BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and Visa are deploying tokenised Treasuries, on‑chain money funds, and stablecoin settlements, with daily stablecoin transaction volumes surpassing $200 billion....
Downside Risk Remains as Bitcoin Nears Record-Tying Six-Month Losing Streak
Bitcoin is hovering around $66,600, down roughly 1% for March and on track to match a six‑month losing streak last seen in 2018‑19. The cryptocurrency would need a modest 1% rally before month‑end to close above the $67,300 threshold that...
APT: Is This the Bottom - Or Just the Pause Before Another Leg Lower?
APT (Aptos) has entered a prolonged, structured decline that analysts interpret as a multi‑wave corrective pattern. The price moved from the initial peak (labeled A) through a complex structure to the current zone (labeled B), and the latest low may...
Crypto Dispute over Resupply Exploit Lands in Singapore Harassment Court
Singapore’s Protection from Harassment Court ordered OneKey founder Wang Lei and X user “web3feng” to cease threatening or defamatory statements about Curve contributor Wang Haoming, identified as “Haowi Wong.” The injunction follows a dispute triggered by the June 2025 Resupply stablecoin...
Crypto Can Survive Quantum Threat with Algorithm Upgrades
Saw some people panicking or asking about quantum computing's impact on crypto. At a high level, all crypto has to do is to upgrade to Quantum-Resistant (Post-Quantum) Algorithms. So, no need to panic. 😂 In practice, there are some execution considerations. It's...
Hybrid Finance: Why It Matters for Investors
Hybrid finance blends traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain‑based settlement, tokenisation and stablecoin layers, creating a unified ecosystem rather than a replacement. Major institutions such as BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and Visa are already deploying tokenised assets and stablecoin pilots, while stablecoin...
Standard Chartered Says Faster Stablecoin Turnover Could Curb Demand
Standard Chartered reports that stablecoin velocity has doubled over the past two years, driven mainly by USDC activity on chains like Solana and Base. Faster turnover means transaction volume can grow without proportionally increasing stablecoin supply, challenging earlier assumptions that...
Brickken Secures €3M to Expand Tokenisation Infrastructure
Barcelona‑based Brickken, a tokenisation infrastructure provider for financial institutions, closed a €3 million (≈$3.3 million) pre‑Series A round. The round attracted strategic European investors, including Dedagroup founder Marco Podini and venture firm GRX. Brickken’s platform enables banks, asset managers and issuers to tokenise equity,...
XRP Price Movement Raises Questions About Potential Daily Returns
XRP briefly topped $3 in 2025 after a U.S. court ruled it isn’t a security, reviving investor interest. The rally highlights XRP’s renewed market momentum but the token still lacks native staking, limiting passive income. To address this, platforms like...
Calculated Ambition: ChangeNOW Defies Market Uncertainty with New Dubai Headquarters.
ChangeNOW, a nine‑year‑old non‑custodial crypto exchange, has launched its regional headquarters in Dubai’s Convention Tower at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The move signals a shift from a purely digital service model to a physical presence aimed at deepening ties...
From Foe to Ally: The S.E.C. Is Now Writing Crypto-Friendly Policies – The New York Times
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has pivoted from a skeptical stance to actively drafting crypto‑friendly policies, with senior officials like Gary Gensler’s deputy, Mr. Atkins, and CFTC’s Mike Selig touring industry events nationwide. Their appearances in venues from...
Swift Advances Blockchain Shared Ledger to Pilot Phase for 24/7 Global Payments
Swift has moved its blockchain‑based shared ledger from planning to full‑scale development, creating a minimum viable product that will pilot live tokenized deposits in 2026. The platform extends Swift’s existing payment standards with an open‑source, EVM‑compatible layer built on Hyperledger...
The New IRS Crypto Tax Form Can Flag Your Sale Before You Prove What You Actually Owe
The IRS is rolling out Form 1099‑DA for 2025 crypto sales, reporting gross proceeds but often omitting cost‑basis information. A Coinbase‑CoinTracker survey of 3,000 U.S. investors revealed that 61% were unaware of the new reporting rules, and many still misunderstand...
Rising Bond Yields Squeeze Bitcoin Demand and Liquidity
The bond market is doing more damage to Bitcoin than the war. 10-year TIPS yield hit 2.02% — up 30bps since Iran. Highest real return on govt bonds since June 2025. When you earn 2%+ risk-free, holding a zero-yield asset...
Belgium Crypto Startup Keyrock Hits Unicorn Status, Says Valuation Quadrupled
Belgium‑based crypto infrastructure firm Keyrock announced it has reached unicorn status after a Series C round that lifted its valuation to roughly $1.1 billion. The round, led by SC Ventures – the venture arm of Standard Chartered – includes participation from Ripple...
Dynamic Adds Embedded Wallet Infrastructure to TON for Telegram Apps
Dynamic, now part of Fireblocks, has launched embedded wallet infrastructure for The Open Network (TON) within Telegram Mini Apps. The solution lets developers automatically generate and manage TON wallets, eliminating the need to build custom wallet, contract, and transaction layers....
Russia Moves to Narrow Crypto Trading to Regulated Intermediaries
Russia’s government approved draft bills that force all domestic crypto trades through licensed exchanges, custodians or approved banks, capping retail purchases at 300,000 rubles (about $3,700) per year and requiring a competency test. Qualified investors receive broader access, while residents...
Russia’s Sanctions-Busting Cryptocurrency Empire
Russia’s state‑backed fintech A7 has built a crypto‑based sanctions‑evasion network centered on the ruble‑linked token A7A5. Backed by Promsvyazbank and the Kyrgyz firm Old Vector, the platform lets Russian firms swap rubles for A7A5 and instantly convert to dollar‑pegged stablecoins...
Bearish Sentiment Builds in Crypto as Volatility and Hedging Rise
Bitcoin’s brief rally to $68,300 evaporated as volatility surged, with the BVIV index climbing to 58% and futures open interest slipping 18% year‑to‑date to $103.79 billion. The market’s risk‑off tone was amplified by a war‑driven oil price spike, pushing Brent to...
Franklin Templeton Launches Tokenised Bond ETFs as Investors Chase Fixed‑income Amid Volatile Yields
Franklin Templeton announced a partnership with Ondo Finance to issue five tokenised exchange‑traded funds, among them a high‑yield corporate bond ETF. The move comes as bond yields climb and investors seek fixed‑income exposure through blockchain‑based products.
SEC Issues 68‑Page Crypto‑Friendly Blueprint to Shield Digital Assets
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released a 68‑page policy package that insulates cryptocurrencies from a range of existing regulations. The move follows a wave of enforcement dismissals and signals a coordinated shift with the CFTC, prompting both industry optimism...
How Data Intelligence Is Reshaping the Crypto Exchange Landscape in 2025
Data intelligence is becoming the backbone of modern crypto exchanges, as massive real‑time data streams from order books, wallets and liquidity metrics demand new infrastructure. Exchanges now embed on‑chain analytics, AI‑driven surveillance and machine‑learning risk models to meet both institutional...
The Last Chapter in the Book of Howey: The Movie
The SEC issued an Interpretive Release that clarifies when a digital asset stops being treated as a security under the Howey test. Corp Fin Director Jim Moloney labeled the guidance “The Last Chapter in the Book of Howey,” noting that...
Hacker Charged with Stealing $53 Million From Uranium Crypto Exchange
U.S. prosecutors have charged Maryland resident Jonathan Spalletta with stealing more than $53 million from the decentralized Uranium Finance exchange through two separate smart‑contract exploits in April 2021. The attacks drained liquidity pools, forced the platform to shut down, and the...
Bitcoin Likely to Dip Before April Rebound
It's probably better to ask 'when' instead of 'if' we're going to see the price of #Bitcoin fall. It looks quite clear that every bounce upwards is slammed back down. Trend is also still downwards, so I would suggest that early April...
Strategy: A Monetary Construct, Not a Pyramid Scheme.
In August 2020 Michael Saylor announced MicroStrategy’s bold "Bitcoin Strategy," buying 21,454 bitcoins for roughly $250 million. The crypto‑backed treasury turned the company’s stock from $13.50 to $139 by March 2026, a 924% gain, prompting a rebrand to simply "Strategy." Despite transparent...
5 Crypto Wallet Models Fintech Leaders Should Know
Fintech executives are being urged to move beyond a one‑size‑fits‑all approach to digital‑asset storage as transaction volumes surge to half a million Bitcoin moves daily. The article outlines five distinct crypto‑wallet models—custodial, non‑custodial, hot, cold, and multi‑signature—that differ in control,...
What Happens to My Crypto when I Die?
A recent panel of regulators, crypto technologists, legal experts and bank executives debated the looming inheritance crisis in digital assets. Participants highlighted that lost private keys can render cryptocurrency permanently inaccessible, leaving heirs unable to claim rightful wealth. While self‑sovereignty...
Bitcoin Must Start Quantum-Resilience Work Today
Bitcoin needs to get ready for the quantum era. We need to strengthen initiatives like BIP 360. We need to invest more efforts in finding creative, smart solutions to ensure Bitcoin is post-quantum secure. Saying that quantum computers are coming is not FUD....
Sub‑15 Fear & Greed Index Predicts Bitcoin Gains
Fear & Greed has been below 15 for twelve straight days. Today it reads 11. Only COVID, Terra-Luna, and FTX produced readings this extreme. Glassnode: buying BTC when F&G drops below 15 has yielded a median 90-day return of +38.4%....
CFTC Secures Consent Order Against Operator of KuCoin Exchange
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission secured a consent order against Peken Global Limited, the operator of the KuCoin exchange, for allowing U.S. users to trade on its platform without CFTC registration. The order imposes a permanent injunction against future violations...
LATAM Pays Under 1% for Stablecoin Transfers
$13 on a $200 transfer and ppl just live with it. Wild honestly. Nine companies in LATAM doing it on stablecoin rails for under 1%. LATAM gets stablecoin payments more than anyone right now.
TAO Nears Dip‑Buying Zone After Normal Corrections
$TAO is getting there. Every big push is getting some form of corrections. Quite normal, not radical, just normal price behavior. I think we're approaching one of those regions for dip buying in the coming weeks. https://t.co/1HgCnttH6X
Senator Blumenthal Probes SEC Crypto Case “Pullback”: Regulatory Uncertainty Returns:
Senator Richard Blumenthal has opened a formal Senate inquiry into the SEC after the agency abruptly pulled back from a high‑profile cryptocurrency enforcement case. The move follows the sudden departure of the SEC’s enforcement chief, sparking speculation about internal disagreements...
Predictions Missed: Markets Dive, Lower Lows Ahead
Q1 2026 report card: - Promised super cycle. Closed red. - Promised 3 Fed cuts. Now looking at a rate hike. - Promised BTC to 150k. Down 47% from its ATH. I said lower lows are coming all year. Q2 will tell us how...
Chasing the Top Traps Investors; Hold Too Long
Nobody sells the top so everyone thinks they sold too soon and people trying to time the top usually don't sell because they wait for a bounce that never comes and just keep holding all the way back down
Analyst Argues LMND Is Massively Undervalued Like Early PGR
Not sure who this guy is, but he makes a compelling case as to why $LMND is way undervalued today much like $PGR was on IPO and after. https://t.co/dpGXCbM0Hj
Ripple Prime Enables 24/7 Institutional Tokenized Commodity Trading
NEW: Ripple Prime expands Hyperliquid integration to HIP-3, unlocking 24/7 institutional trading of tokenized commodities like oil, gold, and silver Source: @Cointelegraph https://t.co/ua7AANdKfA
Google Prioritizes Crypto Research Over Critical Security Issues?
I have the same q. Not discounting threat (that's a whole sep debate) but why would Google apply this research time/money on crypto vs something of way more societal consequence, like military defense systems, the global banking system or even...
Quantum Threat Exposes Weaknesses in Digital Money Security
Musk mocking maxis 🤣 Crypto / Bitcoin hackable⏳ Google quantum warning😉 Also means:👿 Digital money security a joke And tradfi encryption at banks, online, even military…are at bigly risk.🔥 What else can ya’ll stack? 🤔🤨 https://t.co/InXsoR1LG3
BTC Near Bottom, yet SOPR Warns Possible Dip
The bottom for BTC is already near, but there’s still room to fall, according to the SOPR indicator from CryptoQuant. https://t.co/zP31xr97cb
Aave V4 Launches Safely, Early Adopters Jump In
While the launch of Aave V4 follows a controlled, safety-first approach consistent with previous versions, it’s exciting to see early adopters already stepping in.
Bitcoin Stays Bearish, No Upside Momentum Today
Poor Bitcoin gets no part of the action to the upside this morning and remains Bearish TREND @Hedgeye https://t.co/6bKJ5DC2Ze
EEZ & Gnosis Present Joint Demo at EthCC
We’re joining forces with Gnosis for a single shared presentation. 📍 Redford Stage (Level 3) 🕒 12:50 We’ll walk through how EEZ works. See you there. @etheconomiczone @EthCC
Due Diligence Essential: Scrutinize Prop Firms' Crypto Compliance
AJ (Lucid Trading) raising serious questions about crypto transactions and legal compliance. This highlights why due diligence on prop firms is crucial - traders need to know who they're working with. Check full firm backgrounds at https://t.co/pKoy2KH6Y5 ⚖️