Iran is reportedly prepared to accept Bitcoin as payment for oil tankers navigating the Strait of Hormuz. Morgan Stanley’s recent involvement sparked a notable surge in trading volume for Bitcoin exchange‑traded funds.
Global market volatility continues, but the recent US‑Iran ceasefire has lifted sentiment and boosted crypto prices. Alibaba’s AI models, given a tailored prompt, now issue highly optimistic forecasts for major digital assets. If a clear regulatory framework emerges, these bullish projections could become more realistic. XRP trades near $1.38 and is forming a bullish flag pattern, with RSI indicating strong momentum. Alibaba AI predicts the price could surge to $7‑$8 by year‑end, a 5‑6× gain. Expected catalysts include new U.S. XRP ETFs, Ripple’s expanding partnerships, and the potential passage of the CLARITY Act. Bitcoin fell to $71,500 after a sharp correction but is now recovering, and AI projects a rise to $250,000 by 2027. The digital‑gold narrative and reduced geopolitical risk are driving renewed inflows. Ethereum sits just below $2,200; resistance levels sit at $3k, $4k, and $5k. Alibaba AI expects a breakout that could push ETH to around $5,000 if regulatory clarity improves. Maxi Doge (MAXI) is a new meme coin that raised $4.7 million in its presale and aims to compete with leaders like BONK. Built as an ERC‑20 token on Ethereum’s proof‑of‑stake chain, it offers greener mining than Bitcoin. Stakers can earn up to 67% APY, with the token priced at $0.0002808 during the current round. Purchases are possible via supported wallets or card payments.
X is carrying out a large‑scale purge of bots, and the cryptocurrency sector may become one of its primary targets.
Altcoin volatility surged, with Fartcoin falling 32%, while Hyperliquid experienced $86 million in liquidations amid thin liquidity conditions.
SHIB will be listed for spot trading on Rakuten Wallet from April 15, allowing yen transactions. The launch adds SHIB alongside XRP, Dogecoin and other major assets. This move inserts SHIB into Japan’s tightly regulated crypto market. Rakuten Wallet operates under the broader Rakuten Group, which spans e‑commerce, banking and payments, reaching millions of users. Listing on this platform links SHIB to a wide range of financial services rather than isolated exchanges. Simultaneous inclusion of multiple tokens highlights Rakuten’s push to broaden its crypto offerings. Japan requires detailed screening before assets can be listed; SHIB is on the Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association’s Green List, the same tier as Bitcoin and Ethereum. This status eases future listings and may benefit from proposed tax reductions for Green List tokens. Continued presence on licensed platforms confirms SHIB’s compliance with local rules. The listing aligns with Japan’s shift toward institutional access to digital assets, embedding SHIB into everyday financial channels. Greater regulatory clarity could boost participation and solidify SHIB’s market standing. As exposure widens, the token moves beyond niche exchanges toward mainstream finance.
Binance announced it will remove six low‑profile tokens—Beefy.Finance, FunToken, FIO Protocol, Orchid, Measurable Data Token, and Wanchain—effective April 23. Prices of these assets fell 20‑25% within 24 hours, with Beefy.Finance plunging 32% after the disclosure. The drop reflects Binance’s market weight, as loss of support reduces liquidity and triggers investor panic. The exchange routinely evaluates listed assets against standards such as team commitment, development activity, trading volume, and liquidity. When a token no longer meets these benchmarks or market conditions shift, Binance conducts deeper reviews and may delist. This policy aims to protect users and adapt to evolving market dynamics. A similar wave of delistings occurred last month, affecting tokens like Arena‑Z, Ampleforth Governance, Hooked Protocol, Loopring, IDEX, Neutron, Solar, and Radiant Capital. IDEX suffered the steepest loss, sliding roughly 33% in a single day. Such patterns illustrate the consistent market reaction to Binance’s asset removals. Beyond listings, Binance plans to launch a prediction‑market product using third‑party data, covering sports, politics, economics, crypto, and more. The exchange also performed brief Ethereum wallet maintenance on April 7 and a temporary TON network upgrade, briefly halting deposits and withdrawals. These moves show Binance’s effort to broaden services while maintaining infrastructure stability.
South Africa’s regulatory sandbox recorded XRP used for cross‑border remittances to the United Kingdom. Firms such as Mercury FX and Xago Technologies ran the trial under official supervision. The test complied with exchange‑control and reporting rules. Ripple cites over $205 billion in on‑chain value and 52% YoY growth in Africa. Key markets include South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Mauritius. Regional regulatory reforms are spurring blockchain‑based payment adoption. The sandbox confirmed XRP could process low‑value payments while meeting existing financial regulations. Authorities oversaw the transactions, ensuring compliance. This demonstrates XRP’s ability to operate within regulated environments. Verified testing shows XRP offers speed and liquidity for international transfers. Rising volumes and clearer rules support wider adoption. The evidence strengthens XRP’s role as a practical cross‑border payment solution.
Phemex reported a >300% week‑over‑week jump in crude oil perpetual futures volume after the US‑Iran ceasefire sparked the biggest single‑day oil swing since 1991. The TradFi platform offers 24/7, expiry‑free WTI (XTI) and Brent (XBR) contracts settled in USDT. Weekly oil trading topped $300 million, lifting its share of total TradFi volume from ~3% to 12%. On April 7 daily oil volume hit a record $85 million, a 4.6‑times rise as WTI fell >15% within hours of the ceasefire news. Over 8,000 unique traders used oil contracts in the week, with single‑day active users exceeding 2,000 for the first time. CEO Federico Variola said crude oil shifted from a niche offering to a fastest‑growing asset class overnight. The spike shows real‑time geopolitical events are fueling cross‑asset volatility and demand for always‑on market access. Phemex views the surge as part of a broader move to crypto‑native infrastructure for traditional assets. The exchange will expand its TradFi suite to give traders faster, more flexible responses to global events. Founded in 2019, Phemex serves over 10 million traders with spot, derivatives, copy‑trading and wealth‑management tools focused on user experience and transparency. The platform aims to provide reliable, innovative solutions for traders at all levels. This sponsored release is for informational purposes only and is not legal, tax, investment, or financial advice.
Chainalysis estimates that the volume of stablecoin transactions may climb to about $1.5 quadrillion by 2035, compared with roughly $28 trillion in 2025. This ambitious projection hinges on two broad macro‑level drivers: a large‑scale generational wealth transfer and the widespread adoption of stablecoins at merchant point‑of‑sale locations.
Pavel Durov claims the EU fabricates a narrative to justify expanding surveillance through the Chat Control and Digital Services Act. He accuses Brussels of using Soros‑funded NGOs and mainstream media to portray Telegram as a problem. Durov says this narrative threatens remaining freedoms and questions the credibility of the organizations involved. AI Forensics monitored 80,000 files in 16 Telegram channels from December 2025 to February 2026 and identified about 25,000 users sharing nude photos and deepfake videos, some involving minors. The study describes Telegram as a hub for organizing and amplifying non‑consensual intimate content. Researchers urge the EU to designate Telegram as a Very Large Online Platform so the DSA can impose stricter oversight. Telegram states that sharing non‑consensual intimate images is prohibited and its moderation tools surpass those required of designated VLOPs. Durov was detained in France in 2024 on allegations of facilitating illegal content but was later released and returned to Dubai. The app faces blocking attempts in Russia and continued scrutiny across Europe while remaining popular with crypto communities.
Large cryptocurrency holders and options market participants are positioning for a significant Bitcoin reversal, aiming for a price near $80,000. The fragile ceasefire in Iran is generating optimism about a potential supply squeeze, which could trigger a breakout in Bitcoin’s price.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple are down as the crypto rally stalls, and ONDO is among the worst of the top‑100 tokens. The coin dropped 6 % in 24 hours and now heads toward the $0.2400 support. Market sentiment is strained by uncertainty over the US‑Iran cease‑fire deal. Derivatives show heavy long liquidations, with CoinGlass reporting $99,730 liquidated in the past day, $93,410 of which were longs. Open interest fell about 5 % to $86 million, indicating reduced retail activity. The funding rate turned negative (-0.0007 %) and the long‑short ratio slid to 0.9342, confirming a bearish tilt. ONDO trades below its 50‑day EMA at $0.2700, while the 100‑day ($0.3186) and 200‑day ($0.4420) EMAs sit well above price, forming a downtrend. RSI is 48 and MACD remains negative, pointing to continued weakness. A sustained sell‑off could retest the Feb 9 low of $0.2405 or the Feb 6 low of $0.2018, with a break under $0.2000 heightening risk.
A single entity opened roughly $15 million in long positions on FART across four wallets, amassing over 145 million tokens. The funds originated from Binance and Bybit and were linked to a previous XPL squeeze. By targeting Hyperliquid’s low‑liquidity market, the attacker pushed the price up about 20 % from $0.20 to $0.2476 on April 8. At the height of the scheme the combined unrealized gain was around $1.3 million. Instead of closing the longs, the manipulator let them be liquidated, triggering Hyperliquid’s Auto‑Deleveraging (ADL) safety net. ADL forced short traders to exit and left the platform’s liquidity pool (HLP) holding a $13 million long position in a collapsing market. One wallet exited beforehand with a $512 k profit, while the primary attacker showed a $3 million paper loss. Analysts suspect the attacker hedged elsewhere and walked away with a net profit despite the loss on‑chain. HLP is estimated to have lost about $1.5 million in the following 24 hours, and FART’s price fell 10 % from its manipulated peak. Hyperliquid’s HYPE token proved more resilient, dropping only 0.4 % in 24 hours and gaining over 10 % in the past week. The episode underscores the risk of extreme price‑impact strategies in thin markets and the role of ADL in protecting platform solvency.
XRP trades around $1.33, staying in a tight consolidation after months of uncertainty. The optimism for an April rally relies on a 2021 outlier, not on consistent patterns. Historically, April has been weak for XRP, and a repeat of the 170% surge is unlikely. Nevertheless, XRP has marginally outperformed Bitcoin in recent steady gains. Ripple’s $2.4 billion infrastructure, anchored by fiat systems and the RLUSD stablecoin, underpins its potential. Real expansion depends on clearer regulations and direct bank adoption of XRP. Such adoption could generate substantial demand and reshape market dynamics. Investors are watching for regulatory signals that could unlock this growth. XRP holds a bullish Monthly Supertrend, keeping a possible rally to $1.80–$2 within sight. Upcoming Federal Reserve updates and SEC developments may trigger a breakout. The price is stable, but the decisive catalyst has yet to arrive. Patience is essential as the asset positions for meaningful upside.
South Korean regulators FSC, FSS and DAXA will enforce a single crypto‑withdrawal delay system for all licensed exchanges. The rule aims to curb fast‑track voice‑phishing scams that exploit immediate transfers. Standardized criteria replace the previous exchange‑by‑exchange loopholes. Withdrawals must be held 24–72 hours after a deposit, creating a buffer for banks and supervisors to flag suspicious activity. Exemptions—based on account age, trading volume, or misconduct history—were previously applied inconsistently. The new framework caps exempt accounts to under 1 % of users and tightens KYC and source‑of‑fund checks. Regulators will conduct continuous account reviews, including annual verification of fund origins for exempt users. A systematic tracking system for withdrawal patterns will be required across all exchanges. Immediate withdrawals remain possible only for genuine settlement needs. The cooling‑off period dampens rapid arbitrage and pushes scammers to abandon multi‑exchange setups. Traders may shift toward long‑term positions, derivatives on regulated platforms, or offshore liquidity pools. If fraud rates drop, other high‑risk jurisdictions could adopt Korea’s model as a best practice.
Blockchain is a decentralized ledger that records transactions transparently and immutably. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum rely on this technology to function without a central authority. Knowing terms such as market cap, private key, and gas fee helps beginners navigate the space safely. A crypto wallet stores private keys, not coins, and comes in hot (software) and cold (hardware) forms. Choose a wallet that matches your transaction frequency, download it from official sources, and write down the recovery phrase offline. Enable 2FA and test with a small transfer before moving larger amounts. Start with established assets—Bitcoin and Ethereum—because they offer liquidity, credibility, and extensive support. Evaluate market cap, volatility, project credibility, and trading volume before adding other coins. Use a reputable exchange, complete KYC, fund the account, buy the selected coins, and promptly withdraw to your personal wallet. Monitor your portfolio regularly, keep wallet software updated, and track tax obligations with tools like Koinly. Avoid chasing hype; long‑term holding of solid assets outperforms complex strategies for most newcomers. Continuous learning and disciplined security habits are key to sustainable crypto success.
A pseudonymous analyst alleged that Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse knows the “real” price of XRP, sparking a fresh wave of speculation. The claim circulated widely on X, reviving doubts about leadership transparency. It suggests insiders may anticipate market movements long before prices adjust. XRP supporters reacted with skepticism, criticism, and curiosity. Some dismissed the idea, insisting current prices reflect true market value, while others voiced frustration over XRP trading near $1.30 despite ecosystem growth. Critics also linked Garlinghouse’s incentives to Ripple’s corporate valuation rather than the token’s price. XRP’s core appeal lies in its role as a bridge asset for fast, low‑cost cross‑border payments targeting banks and financial institutions. Nevertheless, its market price has not kept pace with perceived utility, prompting debates on whether the token is undervalued or adequately priced. Analysts point to liquidity, demand, and macro conditions as primary price drivers. The notion that Garlinghouse possesses secret pricing insight reflects investor sentiment more than factual evidence. Executive optimism can shape market perception, yet no proof confirms insider knowledge of future price trajectories. This episode illustrates how crypto investors often chase hidden signals when performance lags expectations.
Despite a geopolitical "risk‑on" boost, crypto markets stay range‑bound. Bitcoin hovers around $71,200. Altcoins such as MANA and AERO are showing strength.
SOL has slid about 3% in the last 24 hours, trading near $82 after failing to break a key resistance. The broader crypto market turned bearish following a strong weekly start. This price drift reinforces a short‑term downtrend for Solana. Spot SOL ETFs recorded a $1.92 million outflow on Wednesday, the largest single‑day withdrawal since launch. The previous day saw a $15.4 million pull‑out, indicating weakening institutional appetite. Continued outflows could push SOL toward the $78 support zone. CoinGlass shows a long‑to‑short ratio of 0.96, below one, reflecting bearish positioning. Funding rates turned negative at –0.0003 %, meaning shorts are paying longs. These metrics suggest further downside pressure. The 4‑hour chart has broken below the 50‑day EMA, with RSI hovering around 53 and MACD only mildly positive. Immediate resistance lies near $86.7 and $88.1, while the first major support is $77.1; a break could target $67.5. A sustained decline may see SOL dip below $80 if bearish momentum holds.
The Ethereum Foundation has started turning 5,000 ETH, valued at roughly $11 million, into stablecoins through Cowswap’s TWAP mechanism. This step aims to fund its operations and grant programs while minimizing price disruption. It also signals a broader move away from regular ETH sales toward more varied financing approaches.
Cardano is showing a structural shift after a prolonged downtrend. The 24‑hour price gain exceeds 7%, taking ADA to $0.262, about 19% above recent support. This rise mirrors Bitcoin’s recovery and suggests a more sustained trend change on higher timeframes. A weekly double‑bottom has formed around $0.2205, confirming strong demand at that level. The first bottom appeared in June 2023 and the zone held again earlier this year. Repeated defense of this price points to the emergence of a long‑term base. Since mid‑2025 ADA has been trading inside a falling wedge, with converging lower highs and lower lows. The price is now approaching the wedge’s upper trendline. A decisive breakout above this line would indicate a shift to a new expansion phase. Fibonacci extensions project near‑term resistance at $2.03 (61.8%) and $3.16 (100%). A longer‑term target of $5 (161.8%) implies an 1,800% upside if the breakout confirms. These levels combine the implications of both the double bottom and the wedge.
Bhutan has transferred an additional 319 BTC. This transaction brings its total BTC holdings to over 9,000 BTC since late 2024. This action represents a reduction of roughly 70% in the country's sovereign BTC reserve.
On Wednesday, STRC recorded a trading volume of $333 million while its price held steady at $100. Strategy allocates the funds generated by STRC to acquire additional bitcoin for its reserve holdings. The full story, titled “STRC trading volume rises amid consistent price stability,” was originally published on COINTURK NEWS.
Coinbase chief executive Brian Armstrong maintains that fluctuations in Bitcoin’s price are not the primary consideration behind Morgan Stanley’s decision to use Coinbase for its Bitcoin Trust.
