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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) could face further downside toward the $60,000–$40,000 range as the market remains in a mid-cycle drawdown, according to analyst Benjamin Cowen.

No Bottoming Signals Yet

In a Friday podcast, Cowen says Bitcoin’s bottom is likely not formed, arguing that typical capitulation signals haven’t appeared yet.

He points to key valuation metrics, like realized price and balance price, that BTC has not yet broken below, a move that historically aligns with final market bottoms.

Cowen estimates this cycle could ultimately see a ~70% peak-to-trough decline, …

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Ripple is rolling out an AI-driven security upgrade across the XRP Ledger (CRYPTO: XRP) as it prepares the network for the next phase of global payments and tokenization.

AI-Driven Approach

With more than a decade of continuous operation and billions of transactions processed, the network is now focusing on maintaining resilience as it scales for global financial use cases.

A major shift involves adopting an AI-driven approach to security. By integrating artificial intelligence into the development lifecycle, XRPL aims to identify vulnerabilities earlier through …

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Raoul Pal, the CEO of Real Vision and one of crypto’s most prominent macro voices, said that he believes recessions are no longer structurally possible.

“I don’t think recessions are possible anymore,” Pal said on Forward Guidance. “We’d have a huge slowdown, but they don’t allow that to happen.”

Prediction market bettors disagree. Polymarket’s U.S. recession contract is trading at 36% for a downturn by year-end, up from a low of 21% in January. Mounting concerns over private credit and the ongoing war in Iran have driven this steady climb.

Why Pal Says It Can’t Happen

His argument centers on what he calls the post-2008 playbook. Central banks discovered that injecting liquidity raises collateral values, and they will never allow that process to reverse. If the S&P 500 falls by more than 25%, liquidity returns. The cost, …

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Economist Peter Schiff is sounding the alarm over a new housing finance initiative. The plan allows borrowers to use digital assets for home purchases. Schiff argues the move creates a “free ride” for crypto holders at the expense of the public.

The Crypto-Collateral Structure

Fannie Mae (OTC:FNMA) is entering the crypto-backed mortgage space through a strategic partnership. Better Home & Finance Holding Co. (NASDAQ:BETR) and Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) lead the rollout.

Under the program, borrowers obtain a conventional mortgage for the property. A separate second loan is secured by Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) or USDC custodied with …

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Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) denied a $100,000 Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) theft claim from a Coinbase One subscriber, despite the $29.99-a-month service promising up to $1 million in account protection.

The Intuit CRO Who Lost $100,000

Matthew Allan, Chief Risk Officer at Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU), had nearly $100,000 in Bitcoin stolen from his Coinbase account. 

Despite paying for Coinbase One’s account protection, Coinbase told him he was out of luck because he hadn’t turned on certain security settings required by the terms and conditions.

Coinbase maintained that customers own responsibility for all account activity, even when attackers compromise their devices or credentials.

During five months of back-and-forth, Coinbase maintained that customers own responsibility for all account activity, even when attackers compromise their devices or credentials,” according to court records. 

Allan sued, a court compelled the complaint into private arbitration, and he may never …

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is more likely to hit $80,000 before $60,000, according to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan and analyst Ryan Rasmussen. Hougan expects crypto to trade sideways until the April 15 tax day, then rally toward new all‑time highs.

The April 15 Tax Day Catalyst

Hougan expects crypto weakness heading into April 15—the deadline for Americans to file taxes and pay capital gains from 2025. 

Investors who harvested gains last year must now pay taxes, potentially forcing them to sell crypto to cover the bill.

“My experience historically is that crypto is often weak heading into tax day and then starts to rally right around then,” Hougan told Milk Road this week.

The theory carries extra weight this year after the outsized gains many traders booked in late 2024 and early 2025 — especially from the Trump memecoin’s surge in January 2025.

Why $80,000 Beats $60,000

Both Bitwise analysts still expect Bitcoin …

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) dropped 3% as Ukraine drone strikes resulted in a 40% reduction of Russia’s oil export capacity, coinciding with $171 million in ETF outflows—the largest single-day withdrawal in three weeks.

Ukraine Blows Up Trump’s Oil Plan

President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Russian crude to compensate for oil supply disruptions caused by the Iran war and cool energy markets.

Ukraine destroyed that strategy this week with drone strikes on ports and refiners in Russia’s Leningrad region.

The damage represents “the most serious threat” to Russia’s oil exports since Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to observers. 

About 40% of Russia’s oil export capacity is now offline, creating what Oilprice.com editor Michael Kern described as “a logistics problem first—and a supply problem second,” CoinDesk reported.

“In conjunction with the war in the Middle East and de facto closure of the …

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Bitcoin at $66,000 is driven by a macro sell-off after Iran rejected a U.S. peace proposal, pressuring risk assets and pushing sentiment deeper into the fear zone (26); liquidations stand at $447.7 million over the past 24 hours.  

Bitcoin ETFs saw $171.2 million in net outflows on Thursday, while Ethereum ETFs reported $92.5 million in net outflows.  


Cryptocurrency		 Ticker Price
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $66,628.75
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $1,994.10
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $83.27
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $1.33
Dogecoin

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Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) sought further information on Thursday on the decision to grant cryptocurrency exchange Kraken access to Federal Reserve services.

Waters Says Approval Lacks Transparency

Waters, the leading Democrat on the House Committee on Financial Services, penned a letter to Jeff Schmid, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, requesting details about the bank’s recent approval of a “limited purpose account” for Kraken.

This approval—the first in U.S. history for a cryptocurrency company—gives Kraken direct access to Fedwire, the core payment infrastructure used by thousands of U.S. banks and credit unions.

Waters expressed her apprehensions about this development. She argued that access to the nation’s “critical” financial infrastructure should not be granted without complete transparency, a clear legal basis and assurance that risks are being adequately managed.

Waters also pointed out that the Kansas City Fed’s announcement “did not disclose specific information” about Kraken’s access to the Federal Reserve’s range of …

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Veteran trader and chartist Peter Brandt flagged a pattern on Thursday signaling weakening bullish momentum for Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).

Another Wave Of Selling?

Brandt, a technical analyst with nearly 50 years of experience, highlighted a rising wedge formation—a bearish technical analysis pattern that signals a potential reversal of an uptrend.

The pattern is characterized by price converging between two upward-sloping trendlines. As the price forms higher highs and higher lows, the narrowing pattern signals fading bullish momentum.

Key Support At Risk

Widely followed cryptocurrency commentator Michaël van de Poppe flagged something similar, pointing to …

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David Sacks said on Thursday that his time as White House AI and cryptocurrency czar has ended, paving the way for his new position on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Sacks Moves To New Role

During an interview with Bloomberg, Sacks said that he has “used up” his tenure as a special government employee, which lasts for 130 days.

“I think moving forward as co-chair of PCAST, I can now make recommendations on not just AI but an expanded range of technology topics,” Sacks expressed enthusiasm about his new role. “So yes, this is how I’ll be involved moving forward.”

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Cryptocurrency bettors don’t see Iran losing control of Kharg Island anytime soon, amid reports that President Donald Trump is considering a military deployment to the key oil export hub.

Heavily Wagered Bet

Polymarket, based on Polygon (CRYPTO: POL), currently assigns a 35% probability that Iran will lose control of the Kharg Island by April 30, rising to 41% by May 30.

The island, a strategically important terminal situated 15 miles from Iran’s coast, handles nearly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports. Due to its importance, it is heavily defended by the Iranian Armed Forces.

Over $7 …

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White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks was appointed as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), expanding his role within the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump established PCAST through an executive order on Wednesday, aimed at bringing together leading figures in science and technology to advise the president and strengthen U.S. leadership in those fields.

The new role positions Sacks to oversee a broader range of technology issues and deepen the White House’s engagement with major tech companies.

“We’ve accomplished a lot in the first year, but the President wants to keep the pedal to the metal on everything tech. That’s exactly what we will do,” Sacks told FOX Business.

BLACKROCK CEO SAYS TRUMP ACCOUNTS COULD BE A ‘VERY SIGNIFICANT STEP’ FOR YOUNG AMERICANS

The council will include up to 24 members, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

A senior adviser to the president told FOX Business that Sacks will continue serving as AI and crypto czar while taking on a broader portfolio.

“David will always be his crypto and AI czar, but to the admin more broadly, this new role will allow him to advise on a broader range of critical tech issues,” the adviser said.

As AI and crypto czar, Sacks has helped drive a series of policy shifts aimed at reshaping U.S. artificial intelligence strategy, including rolling back prior restrictions and expanding federal oversight.

CLASSIC BRAND BECOMING A STATUS SYMBOL IN TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE

In his first week in office, Trump signed an executive order revoking a Biden-era policy that took a more cautious approach to emerging technologies like AI and blockchain.

Trump later signed another executive order in December 2025 establishing a national framework for AI regulation, preempting state-level rules. The order argued that U.S. companies must be able to innovate “without cumbersome regulation.”

In July 2025, the White House released its “Winning the AI Race” action plan, outlining more than 90 federal policy initiatives focused on accelerating innovation, building infrastructure and strengthening the nation’s position in global AI development and security.

More recently, the White House unveiled a national AI policy framework aimed at creating a “consistent” standard for development nationwide while addressing concerns around censorship, free speech and child protection.

APPLE CEO TIM COOK DOUBLES DOWN ON POLICY OVER POLITICS WHILE ALIGNING WITH TRUMP’S MANUFACTURING PUSH

Sacks has also played a key role in shaping the administration’s cryptocurrency agenda.

Within days of taking office, Trump signed an executive order promoting U.S. leadership in digital assets, banning the development of a central bank digital currency and creating a presidential working group on the issue.

In March 2025, Trump signed an order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile, positioning the country as a leader in government-backed digital asset strategy.

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Congress followed with the passage of the GENIUS Act in July 2025, the first major federal legislation on digital assets, creating a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. The bill passed with bipartisan support in both chambers.

The administration has also moved to ease regulatory pressure on the crypto industry, including ending several SEC investigations and installing crypto-friendly leadership at key agencies.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was defunded — a move Sacks called his “personal favorite” — eliminating what he described as the crypto industry’s most aggressive enforcement arm.

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Leading cryptocurrencies edged lower alongside stocks on Thursday as President Donald Trump’s warning cast a shadow on Iran negotiations.

Cryptocurrency 24-Hour Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 9:05 p.m. EDT)
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) -3.54% $68,748.12
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)
               		 -4.66% $2,065.55
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)                          -3.63% $1.36
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)                          -5.72% $86.55
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)              -3.96% $0.09205

Crypto Slide As Leveraged Longs Get Liquidated

Bitcoin dipped to $68,100, with trading volume increasing 10% from the previous day. Ethereum also sank below $2,100, while XRP and Dogecoin recorded steeper declines.

Shares of Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) and Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (NYSE:BMNR) closed down 4.46% and 8.33%, respectively.

Over $330 million in cryptocurrency positions were liquidated in the past 24 hours, with $293 million in bullish long positions alone erased,  according to Coinglass data.

Notably, nearly $500 million in Bitcoin shorts on Binance risked liquidation if the apex cryptocurrency rebounds to $71,000

Open interest in Bitcoin futures fell 0.37% in the last 24 hours, while retail and whale traders on Binance increased their long exposure.

Top Gainers (24 Hours) 

Cryptocurrency (Market Cap>$100 M) Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 9:05 p.m. EDT)
Stargate Finance …

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Crypto owners can now use their digital assets as collateral for their down payments to buy a home. That’s because Fannie Mae is accepting crypto-backed mortgages for the first time through a partnership between mortgage company Better Home & Finance and crypto exchange Coinbase, according to a Tuesday statement.

The move aims to make home ownership more accessible to a younger demographic, who are more likely to own crypto. “Token-backed mortgages are a major first step to unlocking homeownership for the younger generations that have struggled with barriers to saving for a traditional down payment,” said Max Branzburg, head of consumer and business products at Coinbase, in the statement. 

The goal of the product is also to help those who might be crypto-rich but cash-poor. The homebuyer would take out a traditional 15 or 30-year mortgage but instead of making down payment in cash, they would take out a separate loan backed by their Bitcoin or stablecoin holdings. This new offering would allow them to hold on to their crypto and not have to sell it and pay capital gains taxes. The downside is that the second loan would increase the overall cost of homeownership since the buyer would also have to service that second loan.

The homebuyer can’t trade the crypto assets once they have been pledged. In the event the digital assets go down in value, the mortgage loans don’t get affected if the owner keeps making the monthly payments. 

The product arrives at a time when young people are growing disillusioned with the traditional financial system and sometimes turning to crypto. Gen Z and Millennials say that 25% of their portfolio is in non-traditional assets like crypto, and 73% of people in these generations say it is harder for them to build wealth by traditional means, according to a recent crypto report by Coinbase. 

Bitcoin owners have been feeling a squeeze in the past few months, as the original cryptocurrency is down 46% since its all-time high in October to its current price of $68,000, according to Binance. 

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Fannie Mae (OTC:FNMA) is stepping into crypto-backed housing finance through a new partnership that lets borrowers use digital assets to help fund their next home purchase. 

Better Home & Finance Holding Co. (NASDAQ:BETR) and Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) are at the center of the rollout.

How The Structure Works

Under the program, qualified borrowers take out a conventional Fannie‑eligible mortgage from Better Home & Finance for the property itself, while a separate second loan is secured by Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) or USDC custodied with Coinbase. 

The crypto is moved into a dedicated custody wallet, allowing borrowers to avoid selling their tokens and potentially triggering capital gains taxes while still unlocking value for the down payment.

The crypto-backed second lien is sized at roughly a 40% loan‑to‑value (LTV) ratio, …

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Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) on Tuesday set a 2029 deadline for migrating its entire infrastructure to post-quantum cryptography, warning that quantum frontiers “may be closer than they appear.”

The target is more aggressive than the U.S. federal government’s 2035 mandate and the NSA’s 2031 deadline, and it may carry serious implications for Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).

Google’s VP of Security Engineering Heather Adkins and Senior Staff Cryptography Engineer Sophie Schmieg cited faster-than-expected progress in quantum hardware, error correction, and factoring resource estimates.

Two Threats, One Deadline

Google flagged two distinct risks.

The first is already happening: “store-now-decrypt-later” attacks, where adversaries harvest encrypted data today to crack it once quantum capability arrives.

The second targets digital signatures, the cryptographic proof underpinning online authentication and every blockchain transaction.

Google said it has adjusted its internal threat model to …

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CFTC Chairman Mike Selig expects to approve perpetual futures contracts for crypto trading in the U.S. within the next few weeks, ending years of offshore dominance by exchanges like Binance and bringing a popular trading product back to American markets.

The Perpetual Problem

Crypto perpetual futures exploded offshore around 2017-2018 as U.S. regulators remained averse to the product despite its popularity. 

The main regulatory hurdle centers on how to characterize perpetuals under the Commodity Exchange Act, which originally only covered futures contracts and options before Dodd-Frank added swaps.

The debate focuses on whether perpetuals qualify as “contracts for future delivery” given their perpetual existence with no settlement date. 

This uncertainty forced U.S. exchanges to launch workarounds like Coinbase’s (NASDAQ:COIN) 50-year futures contracts that mimic perpetuals without technically being perpetual.

“We’re going to fix that,” Selig said. …

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Most lotteries are contained within a country or a state, and much of the time, people have to go to a physical location to buy a ticket. Patrick Lung founded Megapot in order to create a global lottery where people around the world can buy tickets from their phone. 

On Thursday, the startup announced that it raised $5 million in a funding round led by Dragonfly, with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Bankless Ventures, and the founders behind FanDuel, Betfair, and MyPrize. Lung declined to share the startup’s valuation, in an interview with Fortune. 

Lung said he founded Megapot also because he viewed it as a way to bring the masses to blockchain. “I wanted to go build something that can actually bring a billion people on chain, so they can get all the benefits of crypto,” he said. 

People can buy Megapot tickets from more than 150 countries, and it costs one dollar to buy a ticket for the daily lottery. Megapot has had 19 jackpot winners, with one person taking home about $200,000, according to Lung. The platform is not available in about 30 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. 

Crypto is the engine behind his startup, Lung said. Its permissionless protocols run on Base, a network built on Ethereum, meaning that anyone can access it, interact with it, and developers can build on top of it. Megapot also uses stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency often pegged to the U.S. dollar, to pay out users around the world. 

Lung founded Megapot in January 2024 after working for about eight years at tech and crypto companies like Microsoft, Lyft, and Uniswap. His company currently has seven employees. 

Megapot launched the latest version of its lottery on Tuesday, and it earns revenue by charging fees on tickets sold through its site. With the new capital from the raise, the startup plans to expand to more countries. Lung said that traditional lotteries are his company’s main competition, and that Megapot can offer larger jackpots and better odds than this incumbent system. 

Lung cited his mom as the inspiration behind Megapot, “I want to build a product that’s actually built for my mom. [She] has actually bought a lottery ticket for two decades now every weekend,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to build …something that I can share with any person and they instantly understand why it should exist.” 

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) will likely break below $60,000 in the coming weeks despite a false sense of security that prices will simply range between $60,000-$70,000 for the rest of the year, according to crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen’s historical pattern analysis.

The Midterm Year Pattern

Cowen points to a consistent pattern across midterm years: Bitcoin finds a low in February, rallies to a lower high in March, then drops into April. 

This played out in 2014, 2018, and 2022—and appears to be repeating in 2026.

Bitcoin’s year-to-date returns historically start heading down around day 82-90 of the year.

The market currently sits on day 86, placing the potential breakdown within the next week or two based on historical precedent.

In 2014, 2018, and 2022, Bitcoin found resistance at the 21-week EMA or 20-week SMA during March rallies before rolling over. In 2026, Bitcoin hasn’t even reached that resistance level yet, suggesting weakness compared to prior cycles.

Why The Outperformance Narrative Is Wrong

Cowen challenges the narrative that Bitcoin …

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Better Home & Finance Holding Company (NASDAQ:BETR) shares are up on Thursday. The company launched a groundbreaking partnership with Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) to offer token-backed mortgages.

This innovative approach allows millions of Americans to secure home loans by pledging Bitcoin or USDC without needing to liquidate their assets.

Details

The partnership aims to democratize homeownership for the 52 million Americans who own digital assets. It will enable them to use their crypto holdings as collateral for conforming mortgages.

The tokenized asset pledge acts as a substitute for the cash down payment. This means customers can …

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XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is down 4% on the day, despite Binance leverage ratios plunging 78% from 0.59 in mid-July 2025 to just 0.13 now as speculative positions flush out and the derivatives market resets.

The Leverage Unwind

Binance’s Estimated Leverage Ratio for XRP has collapsed from around 0.59 in mid-July to 0.13, indicating that most highly leveraged positions have been flushed out. 

Analysts calculate this ratio by dividing an exchange’s open interest by its coin reserves to measure average leverage used.

At the same time, XRP’s open interest on Binance stands at only $375 million, significantly lower than peaks recorded over the past year. 

“The main takeaway is that speculative pressure has eased significantly,” explained Amr Taha, an analyst at CryptoQuant. 

“Binance’s XRP derivatives market now looks much less overheated, potentially creating a cleaner setup for its next major move,” he added.

The Liquidation Risk Has Dropped

In theory, this deleveraging is a positive …

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Mortgage rates spiked this week as the conflict in Iran continues to weigh on markets, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released Thursday, showed the average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 6.38% from last week’s reading of 6.22%. 

The average rate on a 30-year loan was 6.65% a year ago.

“The housing market continues to show gradual improvements compared to a year ago amid recent rate volatility,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Purchase and refinance applications are up year-over-year.”

MIAMI OVERTAKES LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK AS WORLD’S RISKIEST HOUSING MARKET FOR BUBBLE RISK

The average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage climbed to 5.75% from last week’s reading of 5.54%.

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Mortgage rates are affected by several factors, including the Federal Reserve and geopolitics. Though mortgage rates are not directly affected by the Fed’s interest rate decisions, they closely track the 10-year Treasury yield. The 10-year yield hovered around 4.38% as of Thursday afternoon.

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Fannie Mae will accept crypto-backed mortgages for the first time through a new product from Better Home & Finance and Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) that lets home buyers pledge Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) or USDC (CRYPTO: USDC) as collateral.

How The Product Works

Home buyers get a traditional 15- or 30-year Fannie-backed mortgage from Better, then take out a separate loan backed by either Bitcoin or USDC to cover the down payment, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

This structure lets buyers avoid triggering capital gains taxes from selling crypto while maintaining exposure to the market.

The trade-off comes at a cost. Paying interest on two loans instead of making a cash down payment increases the overall cost of homeownership significantly. 

Interest rates on both loans would range from comparable to typical Fannie Mae mortgages to 1.5 percentage points higher.

Once the homeowner pledges the crypto as collateral, they cannot …

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Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) again rejected support for the Clarity Act this week over stablecoin yield provisions, drawing backlash from Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who warned that blocking the bill now means waiting until 2030 for another chance at crypto legislation.

Coinbase Holds The Line

Representatives of Coinbase told Senate offices this week that the exchange couldn’t support the latest version of the legislation due to significant concerns about “stable yield language,” according to Punchbowl News. 

This marks the second time CEO Brian Armstrong has withdrawn support, famously stating in January that “we’d rather have no bill than a bad bill.”

The bill bans crypto platforms from paying users to hold stablecoins, similar to how banks pay interest on savings accounts. 

Coinbase earns substantial revenue by …

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Bitcoin fell below $70,000 on Thursday morning as traders turned cautious ahead of a $14.1 billion options expiry. 

Deribit data indicates a massive $18.6 billion in crypto options expiring today, with Bitcoin alone accounting for over $14.1 billion.

Bitcoin ETFs saw $7.81 million in net inflows on Wednesday, while Ethereum ETFs reported $8.51 million in net outflows.  


Cryptocurrency		 Ticker Price
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $69,215
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $2,067
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $87.66
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $1.37
Dogecoin

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Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian spotlighted Monumental Labs’ massive Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) marble sculpture in an X post on Wednesday.

‘Decentralied Digital Currency’

Monumental Labs uses AI-driven robotics to create large-scale, Renaissance-style stone and marble sculptures. It aims to progressively automate stone fabrication and reduce costs up to 90%.

In the latest X post, it showcased a 4-foot-wide, 1,000-pound marble Bitcoin sculpture, carved with intricate circuit engravings and inscribed with “Decentralized Digital Currency.”

The coin was also commissioned for Ti Morse’s interview set with Coinbase CEO Brian …

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Renowned cryptocurrency analyst Willy Woo likened all cryptocurrency trading other than Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) to gambling—unless you’re an insider who knows the game is rigged in your favor.

Crypto Trading Like Gambling, Says Woo

In an X post, Woo said that without an informational or structural edge, one shouldn’t invest in “crypto.”

“Not that I recommend buying crypto, you need to be an insider to get an edge, it works like a casino, the house will take your money,” they argued.

It’s worth mentioning here that Woo sees BTC and altcoins as very different and rejects lumping them together as “crypto.”

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Ondo Finance (CRYPTO: ONDO) said on Wednesday it has partnered with Franklin Templeton to tokenize the asset manager’s exchange-traded funds.

Trade FT ETFs On-Chain

The Franklin Templeton-managed ETFs selected for tokenization include Franklin Focused Growth ETF (BATS:FFOG), Franklin U.S. Large Cap Multifactor Index ETF (BATS:FLQL), Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (NYSE:FGDL), Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF (BATS:FLHY) and Franklin Income Equity Focus ETF (NYSE:INCE).

“This marks the first time that tokenized FT-managed ETFs are available on-chain,” Ondo Finance said.

Ondo Finance added that these ETFs will be available through Ondo Global Markets, the …

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Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) stated on Wednesday that its users can borrow USDC (CRYPTO: USDC) against their cryptocurrency holdings to cover tax bills, avoiding the need to sell them.

Coinbase Presents ‘Choice’ For Users

In an X post, Coinbase said that selling cryptocurrencies would trigger capital gains taxes and could create a cycle of selling more to cover the new taxes.

Remember that tax applies only when you realize the gains. Capital losses aren’t taxable.

The other option they suggested was to get loans in USDC while holding the cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), as collateral, with the loan itself not treated as a taxable event. Later, they can convert the USDC into dollars, pay taxes with that …

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NYSE Arca greenlit Morgan Stanley’s (NYSE:MS) application on Wednesday to list shares of a spot Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) exchange-traded fund.

Another Bitcoin ETF On Wall Street

The exchange certified its approval for the “listing and registration” of Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust under the ticker MSBT, according to the latest SEC filing.

Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas predicted an “imminent” launch following the listing announcement.

Details About The New Product

Morgan Stanley filed an amended S-1 filing …

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Leading cryptocurrencies were range-bound on Wednesday, while stocks closed higher as investors weighed de-escalation prospects in the Middle East war.

Cryptocurrency 24-Hour Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 9:30 p.m. EDT)
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) +0.79% $71,287.45
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)
               		 +0.25% $2,165.50
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)                          -0.35% $1.41
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)                          +0.87% $91.85
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)              +0.91% $0.09577

Crypto Market Consolidates

Bitcoin traded sideways between $70,380 and the mid-$71,000s, with trading volume down 13% over the past day.

Ethereum also meandered in the $2,100 region as bullish momentum stalled against strong resistance at $2,200. XRP and Dogecoin also consolidated.

Shares of Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) and Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (NYSE:BMNR) closed up 2.11% and 2.12%, respectively.

Over $150 million in crypto positions were liquidated in the past 24 hours, with $100 million in short positions alone wiped out,  according to Coinglass data.

Open interest in Bitcoin futures rose a further 2.66% in the last 24 hours, while the majority of retail and whale traders on Binance staying long on the leading cryptocurrency.

“Extreme Fear” prevailed in the market, according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index.

Top Gainers (24 Hours) 

Cryptocurrency (Market Cap>$100 M) Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 9:30 p.m. EDT)
MemeCore (M)       +39.21%     $2.40
siren (SIREN)                   +38.38%     $2.19
Yooldo (ESPORTS)   …

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The U.S. Postal Service is reportedly planning to impose a fuel surcharge on package deliveries for the first time in the agency’s history amid surging fuel costs.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Post Service is planning an 8% surcharge beginning in April and that the agency currently plans to phase it out in January 2027, according to two people familiar with the matter.

According to the report, the fuel surcharge will only apply to packages and won’t impact letter mail.

The move comes as both FedEx and UPS have longstanding fuel surcharges that have been increased in recent weeks as oil prices surged due to the Iran war disrupting oil flows from the Middle East.

POSTAL SERVICE SAYS CASH COULD RUN OUT IN UNDER A YEAR WITHOUT CHANGES

Diesel prices have surged to $5.366 a gallon as of Wednesday, up from $3.749 a month ago – an increase of more than 43% in that period.

The Postal Service has faced long-term financial challenges and Postmaster General David Steiner told Congress earlier this month that the agency is on pace to run out of cash in less than a year without significant reforms.

Steiner testified before a House Oversight subcommittee and told lawmakers that the USPS needs higher stamp prices and the ability to borrow more money.

He also called for other reforms, including changes to pension funding and liabilities calculations, workers’ compensation and retirement fund investment strategies.

POSTAL SERVICE CAN’T BE SUED FOR INTENTIONALLY NOT DELIVERING MAIL, SUPREME COURT RULES IN 5-4 SPLIT

Steiner also put forward options for cutting costs, including ending six-day-a-week deliveries, closing post offices or raising first-class mail stamp prices from the current 78 cents to $1 or more.

He said that if USPS reduced deliveries to five days a week, it would save the agency about $3 billion per year, while closing small post offices in remote areas would save about $840 million.

However, he cautioned that those options “may not be palatable to Congress or the American public.”

US POSTAL SERVICE RECORDS WHOPPING $6.5 BILLION NET LOSS FOR 2023

Stamp prices have risen 46% since early 2019, when they were last 50 cents. Steiner argues those prices are still far lower than postage costs in other countries.

USPS has also reached its current borrowing cap of $15 billion, precluding the agency from taking out additional loans.

“In order to survive beyond the next year, we need to increase our borrowing capacity so that we don’t run out of cash,” Steiner said in prepared testimony. “The failure to do this could lead to the end of the Postal Service as we know it now.”

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Since 2007, USPS has reported net losses of $118 billion as volumes of its most profitable product, first-class mail, fell to the lowest level since the late 1960s.

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Bitcoin hovered around $70,000 as improving macro sentiment, driven by easing geopolitical tensions, lifted the broader crypto market on Wednesday.

Cryptocurrency Ticker Price
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $70,733.73
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $2,159.47
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $91.71
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $1.41
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) $0.09622
Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) $0.056110

Notable Statistics:

  • Coinglass data shows 79,540 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $219.11 million.       
  • SoSoValue data shows net outflows of $74.5 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Tuesday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net outflows of $40.8 million.
  • In the past 24 hours, top gainers include siren, …

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XRP’s (CRYPTO: XRP) recent range-bound price action has traders questioning whether a pullback may come before an eventual breakout.

Short Term Uncertainty

In a podcast on Tuesday, analyst Cryptoinsightuk outlined that XRP may see further downside toward $1 before a larger breakout, as traders weigh short-term uncertainty against a bullish long-term setup.

He added that XRP remains in a consolidation phase, with price compressing within a wedge-like structure. This setup leaves room for either an upside breakout or continued drift lower in the near term.

A move toward $1 by June remains …

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Venture capitalist Mark Yusko says Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) abandoned the crypto industry after years of support, with the Clarity Act settlement on stablecoin yield representing regulatory capture rather than the clarity the industry needs.

The Lummis Betrayal

“Senator Lummis, I thought was on our team and she actually acted like she was on our team for a very long time and now suddenly she’s this great supporter of this horrible bill, which means somebody got to her,” Yusko said on The Wolf Of All Streets podcast on Wednesday.

The Clarity Act settlement means banks win while crypto gets nothing. Lummis recently tweeted a yield sign that investors interpreted as bullish for stablecoin yields, only for news to break that the legislation would ban exchanges from offering any yield on stablecoins.

Yusko compared the gaslighting to the Inflation Reduction Act, arguing that lawmakers often give bills names that reflect the opposite of what they actually do.

The Clarity Act has nothing to do with …

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Proposed updates to the Clarity Act could limit how stablecoin rewards are offered, posing the biggest risk to centralized crypto platforms such as Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN), according to Needham Research.

Stablecoin Rewards In Focus

Needham said a key concern is a potential ban on passive yield for stablecoin holders on exchanges.

Such a move would affect platforms like Coinbase, where earning yield has been a major driver of user adoption. In contrast, decentralized finance platforms are expected to remain largely unaffected, as their rewards are typically classified as “active” rather than passive.

The final …

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Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) is up 3% over the past day, as prediction markets price a 70% chance SpaceX completes its IPO by June — potentially providing a catalyst for the meme coin that has crashed 65% from its September peak.

The SpaceX IPO Timeline

Polymarket bettors give SpaceX a 90% chance of going public by September 30 and a 70% chance by June 30. 

The company targets a June listing with Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America in senior roles.

On valuation, 49% of traders expect the closing market cap to exceed $2 trillion, which would place SpaceX as the 6th largest company by market cap below Amazon and above TSMC. 

SpaceX quietly raised its Falcon 9 launch price from $69.75 million to $74 million …

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Gold’s slide into a bear market is colliding with an unexpected trend: investors are pouring money into Bitcoin ETFs instead.

This dichotomy is particularly interesting, as the price of gold has declined by over 20% from its January highs, which is enough to qualify as a bear market, whereas U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have received over $2 billion in inflows over the last few weeks.

Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas tweeted that iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:IBIT) is already in the top 2% among all ETFs in YTD flows.

ETF Flows Tell The Real Story

Perhaps the most visible aspect of this is the flow data.

The largest gold ETF, SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE:GLD), recorded a record monthly outflow of over $7 billion, a very quick unwinding of a position built on inflation and geopolitical hedging.

Other gold-based ETFs, such as iShares Gold …

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Bitmine (NYSE:BMNR) lhas aunched MAVAN, an institutional Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) staking platform, with Chairman Tom Lee betting $6.8 billion in staked ETH on his thesis that “wars are going to be good for the U.S. economy and the U.S. stock market.”

The War Opportunity Thesis

Lee argues that markets bottom early into conflicts despite short-term uncertainty. 

His research shows that across the last eight major war events, markets consistently bottomed very early into the conflict, creating buying opportunities for investors who can see past the immediate crisis.

“As much as the war is creating obviously a huge short-term setback and a lot of uncertainty, including effects on monetary policy, ultimately wars are going to be good for the U.S. economy and the U.S. stock market,” Lee said.

Lee’s timing reflects his conviction that investors fixate on crisis elements while missing emerging opportunities. 

When things look their worst, markets often do the opposite of what everyone expects. 

He predicts …

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Cipher Digital Inc (NASDAQ:CIFR) shares are rising on Wednesday after announcing a 15-year data center campus lease.

The company also secured a revolving credit facility of up to $200 million with an investment-grade hyperscale tenant.

Expansion Into Data Center Infrastructure

Under its third campus lease, Cipher will develop and deliver a new HPC data center at an existing site.

The credit facility includes $200 million in committed capacity, with an additional $50 million accordion option, and is intended to support liquidity, working capital and growth initiatives.

The facility matures in March 2030, carries interest based on SOFR plus 1.25% to 1.75%, and was undrawn at closing.

Financing and Institutional Support

Morgan Stanley served as administrative agent, lead arranger, and bookrunner for the facility. The syndicate included Banco Santander, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Wells Fargo.

Cipher, a developer and operator of industrial-scale data centers, said the agreement marks its third large AI campus.

Leadership Commentary and Strategy

“This agreement for our third large AI campus reinforces Cipher’s position as a trusted partner to develop high-quality HPC data center infrastructure for the world’s leading companies,” said CEO …

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has remained range-bound since February, prompting questions about what could drive a shift in the months ahead.

Tax Day As Turning Point

Bitcoin may continue trading sideways until mid-April, with U.S. Tax Day acting as a key catalyst for the next move, according to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan.

Hougan and Bitwise Head of Research Ryan Rasmussen said in an appearance on the Milk Road podcast that Bitcoin’s near-term outlook is split into two phases, with Apr. 15, U.S. Tax Day, marking a potential inflection …

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CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Wednesday said neither Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) nor gold functioned as crisis hedges during the U.S.-Iran war, arguing he only witnessed margin calls and forced selling instead of safe-haven buying.

The Crisis Hedge Failure

“No matter what happens, we have to question whether either gold or crypto ‘worked’ in a true crisis,” Cramer stated. “All I saw were margin calls and people who should just play the prediction markets.”

The data backs Cramer’s skepticism.

Gold dropped as much as 27% from its January peak and is down roughly 12% since the Middle East conflict escalated in late February. 

The yellow metal just posted its longest losing streak in over a century, lasting 10 consecutive days—its worst run since February 1920.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin is holding above $70,000, but that represents a 20% decline year-to-date despite $2.5 billion in Bitcoin ETF inflows this month. 

The performance suggests neither asset provided …

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Circle Internet Group Inc (NYSE:CRCL) stock tumbled on Tuesday after a restrictive Senate draft of a stablecoin bill rattled investors.

However, shares are bouncing back on Wednesday, right after rising in premarket trading.

Meanwhile, Ark Invest doubled down and Circle pushed forward with European and African expansion plans.

Regulatory Pressure Batters CRCL Stock

Circle Internet’s shares plunged after a Senate draft of the CLARITY Act proposed barring companies from paying yield on stablecoin balances held in trading accounts, directly threatening USDC’s appeal as a yield-bearing product.

The rule could slow USDC adoption, reduce wallet growth, and weaken the bull case that regulatory clarity would unlock a larger stablecoin market.

Ark Invest Steps In With $16.3 Million Purchase

Despite the selloff, Ark Invest bought 161,513 Circle shares across three ETFs — ARKF, ARKK, and ARKW — totaling approximately $16.3 million at a closing price of $101.17.

Circle Pushes Ahead on Europe and Africa

On the regulatory front, Circle urged European policymakers to …

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Ripple (CRYPTO: XRP) is piloting its RLUSD (CRYPTO: RLUSD) stablecoin in a trade finance sandbox backed by Singapore’s central bank, targeting faster and more efficient cross-border payments.

RLUSD Put To Test

The pilot, part of the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s BLOOM initiative, involves Ripple partnering with Unloq to automate trade payments, CoinDesk reported on Wednesday.

Using Unloq’s SC+ platform and the XRP Ledger, RLUSD transactions are executed automatically once predefined conditions, such as shipment verification, are met.

The model replaces traditional trade finance systems that rely …

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Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) announced a $1.5 billion share buyback program Tuesday, sending the stock up 4% to $71.66 in premarket trading after closing down 4.70% at $69.08—a fresh multi-month low.

The Buyback Details

The buyback authorization has no expiration date and will execute over approximately three years. 

The program comes after Robinhood shares dropped 39% since the start of 2026 following a year when the stock more than tripled.

“This authorization reflects the confidence of our management team and board in our ability to continue delivering innovative products for customers and creating value for shareholders while returning capital over time,” said CFO Shiv Verma.

Verma became CFO in February as Robinhood shares dropped amid a rout in cryptocurrency markets. The timing gives the Menlo Park, …

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Circle Internet Group (NYSE:CRCL) plummeted 22% Tuesday after draft language from the Clarity Act reportedly bans exchanges from offering stablecoin yield, but Bernstein analysts say the market is conflating who earns yield with who distributes it.

The Bernstein Counter-Thesis

Analyst Gautam Chhugani and his Bernstein colleagues argue the market misread the risk. “Circle earns. Coinbase distributes. The Clarity Act targets distribution,” they wrote in an investor note.

The proposal would ban companies from paying users simply for holding stablecoins in a way that resembles interest on bank deposits. 

However, carve-outs for activity-based rewards could still allow platforms to offer incentives linked to payments, trading, or loyalty programs.

Bernstein said the selloff “may not be calibrated enough” because rewards tied to bona fide activity may still be permitted under the draft language.

The Clarity Act Stablecoin Battle

Patrick Witt, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, confirmed the move Friday, crediting Senators Thom Tillis …

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Bitcoin is holding near $71,000 as improving sentiment lifted crypto markets. Bitcoin ETFs saw $66.7 million in net outflows on Tuesday, while Ethereum ETFs reported $40.8 million in net outflows.  


Cryptocurrency		 Ticker Price
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $71,846
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $2,195.01
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $92.56
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $1.42
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) $0.09687
Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) $0.056186

Meme coin market capitalization rose 1.3% over the past 24 hours …

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A Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) stash linked to Irish drug dealer Clifton Collins, which was inactive for 10 years and deemed unrecoverable, suddenly moved on Thursday.

Dormant BTC Moved To Coinbase

On-chain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence flagged the transfer on X, showing 500 BTC, worth $35.43 million, moving to an unidentified address. From there, the funds were sent to a Coinbase Prime wallet.

The last recorded transfer to the wallet, labeled “Clifton Collins: Lost Keys,” happened ten years ago.

As of this writing, the wallet still holds 5,500 BTC, valued at approximately $391 million.

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Popular NFT brand Pudgy Penguins announced the global launch of its cryptocurrency debit card on Tuesday, powered by payments giant Visa Inc. (NYSE:V).

New Virtual Card For Everyday Spending

Pudgy Penguins said the Pengu card will let users spend stablecoins, such as USDC (CRYPTO: USDC) and Tether (CRYPTO: USDT), or cryptocurrencies, including PENGU, directly at over 150 million merchants, with up to 12% rewards and 7% yield on balances.

The card works with Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, allowing online payments and global ATM withdrawals.

The Pengu Card have three tiers: Standard, Black, and Gold, with Gold delivering the maximum reward at …

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