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Over 13K institutions exposed to Strategy as Saylor hints at BTC buy

Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor hinted at an impending Bitcoin (BTC) purchase by Strategy and said that more than 13,000 institutions now have direct exposure to the company.

The company's most recent acquisition of 3,459 BTC, valued at over $285 million at the time of purchase, on April 14, brought Strategy's total holdings to 531,644 BTC, valued at over $44.9 billion.

Saylor followed up on the BTC chart, which he typically posts on Sundays to signal an imminent BTC acquisition, with a breakdown of investor exposure to the company. The executive wrote in an April 20 X post:

"Based on public data as of Q1 2025, over 13,000 institutions and 814,000 retail accounts hold MSTR directly. An estimated 55 million beneficiaries have indirect exposure through ETFs, mutual funds, pensions, and insurance portfolios."

Strategy's growing popularity among retail and institutional investors is significant due to the company siphoning capital from traditional financial markets and into Bitcoin. Increased capital flows translate into the company accumulating and holding more BTC, slowly increasing the price of the supply-capped digital asset.

Strategy’s chart of Bitcoin acquisitions. Source: SaylorTracker

Related: Has Michael Saylor’s Strategy built a house of cards?

Over 13K institutions exposed to Strategy as Saylor hints at BTC buy
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Bitcoin prepares for launch from $85K, BNB, HYPE, TAO and RNDR could follow

Bitcoin (BTC) has risen roughly 1% for the week, indicating a balance between supply and demand. Analysts expect a quiet easter weekend but are divided about the next directional move in Bitcoin.

Network economist Timothy Peterson said that the US High Yield Index Effective Yield has gained over 8%. There have been 38 such instances since 2010, and Bitcoin has risen 71% of the time three months later. Bitcoin recorded a median gain of 31% and the worst loss of -16%. Based on historical data, Peterson anticipates Bitcoin to trade between $75,000 and $138,000 within 90 days.

Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360

Not everyone shares a bullish view. Bloomberg’s Senior Commodity Strategist Mike McGlone said in a post on X that Bitcoin and the S&P 500 Index may drop toward their respective 200-week simple moving average, which historically acts as a floor during major corrections. Bitcoin’s 200-week SMA is close to $46,000.

What are the critical support and resistance levels in Bitcoin? What cryptocurrencies may rally if Bitcoin breaks above its overhead resistance?

Bitcoin price analysis

Bitcoin has stayed above the 20-day exponential moving average ($83,704) for the past several days, but the bulls have failed to challenge the 200-day simple moving average ($88,098).

Bitcoin prepares for launch from $85K, BNB, HYPE, TAO and RNDR could follow
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Bitget detects irregularity in VOXEL-USDT futures, rolls back accounts

Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget discovered "abnormal trading activity" on the VOXEL/USDT perpetual futures contract on April 20, between 8:00 to 8:30 UTC, and paused accounts that the exchange suspected of market manipulation.

According to an April 20 announcement from the exchange, Bitget will roll back the accounts suspected of market manipulation within 24 hours, clawing back gains made from the trades.

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen told Cointelegraph the trades were between individual market participants and not the platform itself. Chen also said that the losses are not platform-wide and that user funds remain safe.

VOXEL-USDT perpetual futures contract spikes by over 138% in a single day. Source: TradingView

The crypto exchange also plans to compensate users who suffered losses due to the alleged market manipulation and will announce a compensation plan soon, Chen confirmed to Cointelegraph. The Bitget CEO added:

"For any residual losses, Bitget is fully prepared to offer compensation. Our $300 million protection fund provides more than sufficient backing to support our users in such events, assuring that user assets remain secure."

The incident has called into question the obligations of exchanges under pressure from trading abnormalities and electronic trading bugs, with some traders comparing the Bitget incident to the Hyperliquid-Jelly exploit in March 2025.

Bitget detects irregularity in VOXEL-USDT futures, rolls back accounts
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Vitalik Buterin proposes swapping EVM language for RISC-V

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed replacing the current Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) contract language with the RISC-V instruction set architecture to improve the speed and efficiency of the Ethereum network's execution layer.

Buterin's April 20 proposal outlined several long-term bottlenecks for scaling the Ethereum network including, stable data availability sampling, ensuring block production remains competitive, and zero-knowledge EVM proving.

The Ethereum co-founder argued that implementing the RISC-V architecture in smart contracts would keep block production markets competitive and improve the efficiency of zero knowledge functions for the execution layer. Buterin wrote:

"The beam chain effort holds great promise for greatly simplifying the consensus layer of Ethereum, but for the execution layer to see similar gains, this kind of radical change may be the only viable path."

The proposal highlights the Ethereum network's struggle to improve throughput and remain competitive with next-generation monolithic blockchains such as Solana and the Sui networks at a time when investors are losing confidence in the original smart contract blockchain.

Buterin provides numbers suggesting that implementing the proposal could lead to efficiency gains of 100x. Source: Vitalik Buterin

Related: Vitalik Buterin unveils roadmap for Ethereum privacy

Vitalik Buterin proposes swapping EVM language for RISC-V
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Farmers are switching to stablecoins

Opinion by: Henry Duckworth, founder and CEO of AgriDex

We all need and buy it. Food is a common, universal ground across the planet. It should come as no surprise then that the agricultural industry is enormous. In 2023, the European Union alone imported 154 million tonnes of agricultural products and exported 134 million tonnes more. The market is growing too, projected to expand by 3.45% annually from this year to reach $5.52 trillion by 2029. 

Yet, farmers and agricultural traders are confronted with a serious problem. They need to export food abroad and interact with foreign currencies. The financial system — particularly in Africa — is, however, underdeveloped. Inefficiencies in their trade result in high transaction costs, delayed cross-border payments, and high interest rates for loans. Large corporations can better navigate financial hurdles, but this isn’t always the case for small farmers, who suffer the most from outdated banking systems.

Blockchain technology and stablecoins promise to smooth unstable waters for agricultural traders. Eliminating intermediaries and providing financial inclusion, the technology gives farmers direct access to global markets. With Africa’s food and agriculture market predicted to be valued at $1 trillion by 2030, stablecoins stand to be much more than simply another financial trend for the industry.

Cross-border payments are hiding significant costs

Cross-border payments are the beating heart of agricultural trade, central to accessing resources, such as equipment and seeds, or engaging in trade between countries. International transactions are vital to African agriculture, as exports within Africa represent only 17% of total African exports. 

Farmers are switching to stablecoins
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Bitcoin up 33% since 2024 halving as institutions disrupt cycle

Bitcoin holders are celebrating one year since the 2024 Bitcoin halving by praising BTC’s resilience amid a global trade war and suggesting an accelerated market cycle due to a growing institutional presence.

The 2024 Bitcoin halving reduced block rewards from 6.25 Bitcoin (BTC) to 3.125 BTC, slashing new BTC issuance in half.

Despite rising concerns over a global trade war and escalating tariff tensions between the United States and China, BTC has climbed more than 33% since April 2024, Cointelegraph Markets Pro data shows.

BTC/USD, 1-year chart. Source: Cointelegraph Markets Pro

“So, even though Bitcoin’s showing resilience, I think the mix of past experiences, economic uncertainty, and this selling pressure is keeping investors on the sidelines, waiting for a stronger green light before they jump in,” said Enmanuel Cardozo, a market analyst at asset tokenization platform Brickken.

Cardozo added that institutional investment from firms such as Strategy and Tether could speed up Bitcoin’s traditional four-year halving cycle. He added:

Bitcoin up 33% since 2024 halving as institutions disrupt cycle
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Bitcoin gets $90K short-term target amid warning support 'isn't safe'

Bitcoin (BTC) tapped 3-day lows into the April 20 weekly close as analysis warned of a fresh liquidity grab next.BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Analysis sees Bitcoin crossing $83,000

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD dropping 1.5% to $83,974 on the day before rebounding.

Still broadly less volatile over the weekend, Bitcoin sought to stem the week’s downside as doubts appeared over the strength of nearby support.

Investigating the current liquidity setup across exchange order books, popular analyst Mark Cullen was particularly skeptical of $83,000.

“Bitcoin 90k liquidity still calling. BUT, i think the 83k level isn't safe, those lows from last Sunday and Wednesday are likely to get run first,” he summarized on X. 

Bitcoin gets $90K short-term target amid warning support 'isn't safe'
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Dogecoin holders celebrate ‘Dogeday’ 4/20 as ETF decision draws near

Dogecoin holders worldwide celebrate “Dogeday” on April 20, as the memecoin’s community awaits upcoming deadlines for Dogecoin-related exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications.

Dogeday marks the unofficial holiday of the Dogecoin (DOGE) community. It gained traction in the memecoin community four years ago, in 2021, during International Weed Day on April 20.

Source: Bitget

Despite its reputation as a joke token, Dogecoin remains the eighth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, currently valued at $23.3 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.

Dogecoin’s tokenomics have often been criticized for issuing 14.4 million worth of new DOGE into circulation per day, giving it a daily inflation rate of over $2.16 million.

Related: Altseason 2025: ‘Most altcoins won’t make it,’ CryptoQuant CEO says

Dogecoin holders celebrate ‘Dogeday’ 4/20 as ETF decision draws near
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Now is not the time for a restaking revival

Opinion by: Alon Muroch, founder of SSV Labs

Even though Ethereum remains a leader in terms of total value locked (TVL), things aren’t looking great. Network activity is hemorrhaging, and momentum is slipping. Ethereum has become locked in a fight for its future. Without meaningful change, Ethereum risks becoming inaccessible to the builders and users it needs to thrive. Ethereum needs fresh ideas to bolster the ecosystem out of its slump, unify it, and genuinely support innovation.

Enter based applications (bApps), which are any application or service that uses the Ethereum validator set for security. Inspired by the based movement, bApps enable any project to bootstrap directly from the Ethereum layer 1 (L1), enabling interoperable, scalable and cost-effective development.

High stakes and high costs

The recent decline in network activity highlights a deep issue across Ethereum, and it boils down to UX. The race to scale a blockchain isn’t just about TVL and transactions per second (TPS). It’s about the experience of users and developers who co-create the ecosystem. Ease of development and interoperable developer ecosystems and applications are paramount. Improving the developer experience is crucial for improving user experience, which drives adoption.

Today, builders are presented with two options. The first and more popular one is restaking, which has become the default mechanism for bootstrapping new services by locking up validators’ withdrawal keys or large amounts of capital for security. That leaves teams with only one other inconvenient alternative: self-bootstrapping. Building a validator set from scratch is resource-heavy, technically complex and often starts off centralized. Both choices are limiting for builders and don’t solve the fragmentation problems we see today in Ethereum.

Now is not the time for a restaking revival
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Altcoin unit bias 'absolutely destroying' crypto newbies — Samson Mow

Jan3 CEO Samson Mow says that Bitcoin dominance hasn’t yet exhausted its upside trajectory after analyzing how altcoin prices would stack up against Bitcoin if all were on equal terms of total supply.

His forecast for Bitcoin (BTC) Dominance to rise further comes as the ratio has already exceeded the levels many crypto analysts expected it would reach by late 2024.

“Unit bias is absolutely destroying the uninitiated,” Mow said in an April 19 X post. Mow suggested that unit bias — a psychological method in behavioral economics that suggests that individuals usually like to own a complete unit or stock regardless of its price and size — often causes less experienced investors to assume cheaper whole altcoins are better value than owning part of a Bitcoin.

Mow questions altcoin valuations on level playing field

“You can buy one twenty-one millionth of the BTC supply for ~$85,000,” Mow said. He asked, “What happens if you remove unit bias from alts to calculate the equivalent of 1/21 million?”

He pointed out that Ether (ETH) would be priced at $9,200, XRP (XRP) would be priced at $5,800, and Solana (SOL) would be priced at $3,400 — representing increases of approximately 278,746%, 470%, and 2,328%, respectively, from their prices at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap data.

Altcoin unit bias 'absolutely destroying' crypto newbies — Samson Mow
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‘Crypto is not communism’ — Exec slams BIS’ take on crypto

The Bank for International Settlements’ (BIS) push to isolate crypto markets and its controversial recommendations on DeFi and stablecoins is “dangerous” for the entire financial system, warns the head of a blockchain investment firm.

“Many of their recommendations and conclusions — perhaps due to a mix of fear, arrogance, or ignorance — are completely uninformed and, frankly, dangerous,” CoinFund president Christopher Perkins said in an April 19 X post, referring to the BIS’ April 15 report titled “Cryptocurrencies and Decentralized Finance: Functions and Financial Stability Implications.” 

BIS recommendations exposes TradFi to risks of “unimaginable scale”

“Crypto is not communism,” Perkins said, pushing back against the BIS’ call for a “containment” approach to isolate crypto from traditional finance and the broader economy.

“It’s the new internet that provides anyone with a connection access to financial services,” Perkins said. “You cannot control it anymore than you control the internet,” he added.

Perkins warned that a containment approach to crypto would expose the traditional financial system to massive liquidity risks “of unimaginable scale,” especially when the crypto market operates in real-time, 24/7, while traditional financial markets shuts down after trading hours.

‘Crypto is not communism’ — Exec slams BIS’ take on crypto
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'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' author calls for $1 million BTC by 2035

Financial educator, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and investor Robert Kiyosaki recently forecasted a $1 million Bitcoin (BTC) price by 2035 as the US dollar continues to lose value to inflationary monetary policies.

"I strongly believe, by 2035, that one Bitcoin will be over $ 1 million, Gold will be $30,000, and silver $3,000 a coin," Kiyosaki wrote in an April 18 X post.

Kiyosaki, a self-described gold bug, has long argued that bearer assets like gold, silver, and more recently Bitcoin, are critical hedges against inflation and key to long-term generational wealth accumulation through economic cycles.

United States M2 money supply 1959-2025. Source: TradingView

"In 2025, credit card debt is at all-time highs, US debt is at all-time highs, unemployment is rising, 401k’s are losing, and pensions are being stolen. The USA may be heading for a greater depression," Kiyosaki warned.

Kiyosaki, like many other sound money advocates, has continually warned of an impending financial crash brought on by expansionist monetary policies and fiscal irresponsibility. Bitcoin maximalists argue that loose monetary policy will drive the price of Bitcoin to seven-figures.

'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' author calls for $1 million BTC by 2035
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Charles Schwab CEO eyes spot Bitcoin trading by April 2026

Charles Schwab Corp CEO Rick Wurster is reportedly eyeing an April 2026 launch window to provide spot Bitcoin (BTC) trading services to Schwab clients.

According to RIABiz, Wurster cited a 400% increase in traffic to Schwab's crypto website as evidence of investor interest in digital assets. The CEO predicted:

“Our expectation is that with the changing regulatory environment, we are hopeful and likely to be able to launch direct spot crypto. Our goal is to do that in the next 12 months, and we are on a great path to be able to do that.”

The Schwab CEO's comments reflect the growing trend of traditional financial (TradFi) institutions adopting crypto products and offering services that blur the line between the digital asset world and TradFi.

Related: Lyn Alden lowers Bitcoin forecast after ‘tariff kerfuffle,’ eyes liquidity

Schwab makes crypto moves under new CEO

Rick Wurster assumed the helm at Schwab in 2025, and in a November 2024 Yahoo Finance interview, said the company was happy to provide services to clients who want to trade digital assets.

Charles Schwab CEO eyes spot Bitcoin trading by April 2026
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Crypto industry is not experiencing regulatory capture — Attorney

Brandon Ferrick, general counsel at Douro Labs, said that the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) openness to public input on crypto policy and their roundtable discussions are positive signs that the crypto industry is not currently experiencing regulatory capture.

In an interview with Cointelegraph, Ferrick identified signs of regulatory capture including, a public-to-private sector revolving door of employees, the same roster of attendees at regulatory events, and special treatment given to certain crypto projects. However, Ferrick added:

"The reason why I am not worried today is that a lot of what you're seeing from the regulatory side, like the SEC, for example, is totally open, public, and there are available opportunities to have conversations with the regulators about changing or thinking about the regulatory structures."

"[The SEC] has a public portal where you can just submit written commentary on your thoughts for the crypto regulatory environment, and you can schedule meetings with them," the attorney continued.

Crypto Industry executives and panelists discuss cohesive crypto regulation at the SEC’s first crypto roundtable in March 2025. Source: SEC

As the crypto industry becomes more integrated with the traditional financial system and engages state regulators more, some analysts and executives are worried that the industry is experiencing regulatory capture that will skew incentives and politicize the burgeoning crypto sector.

Related: SEC staff gives guidance on how securities laws could apply to crypto

Crypto industry is not experiencing regulatory capture — Attorney
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Every chain is an island: crypto’s liquidity crisis

Opinion by: Jin Kwon, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Saga

Crypto has come a long way in boosting transaction throughput. New layer 1s (L1s) and side networks offer faster, cheaper transactions than ever before. Yet, a core challenge has come into focus: liquidity fragmentation — the scattering of capital and users across an ever-growing maze of blockchains.

Vitalik Buterin, in a recent blog post, highlighted how scaling successes have led to unforeseen coordination challenges. With so many chains and so much value splintered among them, participants face a daily tangle of bridging, swapping and wallet-switching. 

While these issues affect Ethereum, they also affect nearly every ecosystem. No matter how advanced, new blockchains risk becoming liquidity “islands” that struggle to connect with one another.

The real costs of fragmentation

Liquidity fragmentation means there is no single “pool” of assets for traders, investors or decentralized finance (DeFi) applications to tap into. Instead, each blockchain or side network hosts its own siloed liquidity. For a user who wants to buy a token or access a specific lending platform, this siloing introduces multiple headaches. 

Every chain is an island: crypto’s liquidity crisis
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UK firm buys $250M Bitcoin as analysts eye quiet Easter weekend

Whales and institutions are increasing their Bitcoin holdings ahead of Easter, as market analysts predict a weekend with less volatility after two weeks of heightened volatility driven by escalating global trade tensions.

A wallet linked to London-based investment firm Abraxas Capital acquired 2,949 Bitcoin (BTC) worth more than $250 million during the four days leading up to April 19.

In the latest transaction, the firm bought over $45 million worth of Bitcoin from Binance on April 18, according to crypto intelligence firm Lookonchain, citing Arkham Intelligence data.

Source: Arkham Intelligence, Lookonchain

The investment came days after Michael Saylor’s Strategy bought $285 million worth of Bitcoin at an average price of $82,618 per BTC, as the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holders signal continued confidence in Bitcoin, amid global tariff uncertainty.

Large Bitcoin investors, or whales, continue accumulating, absorbing over 300% of Bitcoin’s yearly issuance as exchanges continue losing coins at a historic pace, Cointelegraph reported on April 18.

UK firm buys $250M Bitcoin as analysts eye quiet Easter weekend
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XRP to revisit its $1 'realized price'? These charts paint a bearish picture

XRP (XRP) has bounced nearly 30% after a four-month low of $1.61 amid rising tariff tensions. However, the rebound may be short-lived as technical patterns and on-chain signals now point to a deeper correction ahead.

XRP cup-and-handle pattern hints at 40% drop

XRP is forming a classic bearish reversal pattern that could see its price falling by at least 40% in the coming weeks.

Dubbed inverse-cup-and-handle (IC&H), the pattern forms when the price rounds off in a curved descent (cup) followed by a brief consolidation phase (handle) — all atop a common neckline support level.

Inverted cup-and-handle pattern illustrated. Source: Medium

The pattern is confirmed by a breakdown stage, where the price breaks decisively below support and falls by as much as the pattern’s maximum height.

As of April 19, XRP had entered the pattern’s handle-formation phase, eyeing a decisive close below the neckline support at around $2. In this case, the primary downside target will likely be around $1.24, almost 40% below current prices.

XRP to revisit its $1 'realized price'? These charts paint a bearish picture
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Bitcoin can reach $138K in 3 months as macro odds see BTC price upside

Bitcoin (BTC) faces “unprecedented” US dollar correlation as new BTC price research gives a $75,000 floor.

In one of his latest analyses on April 18, network economist Timothy Peterson calculated that BTC/USD may rise as high as $138,000 within the next three months.

BTC price probabilities give bulls the upper hand

Bitcoin is navigating highly unusual macroeconomic conditions as a result of the ongoing US trade war, but history still offers clues as to where BTC price action may head next.

For Peterson, the US High Yield Index Effective Yield, currently at over 8%, holds the key.

“This has happened 38 times since 2010 (monthly data),” he summarized. 

Bitcoin can reach $138K in 3 months as macro odds see BTC price upside
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Crypto, DeFi may widen wealth gap, destabilize finance: BIS report

The growing adoption of cryptocurrencies may pose risks to the traditional financial system and exacerbate wealth inequality, according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

In an April 15 report, the BIS warned that the number of investors and amount of capital in crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi) have “reached a critical mass,” with investor protection becoming a “significant concern for regulators.”

The size of the crypto market signals that authorities should be worried about the “stability of crypto over and above the role it may have for TradFi and the real economy,” the report states, highlighting the role of stablecoins, which the BIS said have “become the means through which participants transfer value within crypto.”

BIS report on crypto and DeFi’s functions and financial stability implications. Source: BIS

The report calls for targeted stablecoin regulation on stability and reserve asset requirements that will guarantee the redemption of stablecoins for US dollars during “stressed market conditions.”

Related: Spar supermarket in Switzerland starts accepting Bitcoin payments

Crypto, DeFi may widen wealth gap, destabilize finance: BIS report
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$400M Web3 investment fund ABCDE halts new investments, fundraising

Web3 and blockchain-focused investment fund ABCDE is halting new investments, but the $400 million fund remains committed to supporting its existing projects.

In an April 19 X post, ABCDE co-founder and Huobi exchange founder Du Jun said the $400 million fund will no longer invest in new projects or raise capital for the second phase of the fund.

However, Jun said the fund will continue to “post-investment support and exit arrangements of existing projects” to ensure the firm’s commitment to entrepreneurs and liquidity providers (LPs).

“My personal work focus will also gradually shift from financial investment in the primary market to strategic investment-led and deep incubation-based, focusing more on industrial synergy and long-term value creation,” Jun added.

Source: Du Jun

The announcement comes nearly three months after ABCDE’s last investment into an Ethereum layer-2 (L2) solution, Soon (Solana Optimistic Network), which raised $22 million through a non-fungible token sale to mark the launch of its mainnet, Cointelegraph reported on Jan. 22.

$400M Web3 investment fund ABCDE halts new investments, fundraising
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Base creator Jesse Pollak admits ‘Base is for pimping’ art was a mistake

The creator of Ethereum layer 2 blockchain Base, Jesse Pollak, has apologized following backlash over posting digital artwork that controversially played on Base’s tagline, “Base is for everyone.”

Several social media users found the artwork offensive and inappropriate.

“It was a single phrase among many, but I’ll own this was a mistake and apologize,” Pollak said in an April 18 X post referring to his decision to reshare a GIF image that featured the phrase “Base is for...” followed by a rotating sequence of words, including both controversial terms like “pimping” and “squirting,” as well as more neutral ones like “art,” “minting,” and “ideas.”

Pollak says he appreciates “provocative art”

Pollak emphasized that the artwork was made by a creator, not him, and specifically apologized for the image featuring the phrase “Base is for pimping.”

Pollak said that while he wants to support artists building on Base and admits he appreciates “provocative art,” he recognizes the need to be mindful of his shared messages, especially when they appear to come directly from him.

Base creator Jesse Pollak admits ‘Base is for pimping’ art was a mistake
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Tariffs, explained: How they work and why they matter

What are tariffs?

Tariffs are taxes placed on imported goods by a government or a supranational union. Occasionally, tariffs can be applied to exports as well. They generate government revenue and serve as a trade regulation tool, often to shield domestic industries.

Four main categories of tariffs are:

Ad valorem tariffs: These are calculated as a percentage of the good’s value. For instance, a 20% tax might be placed on $100 of goods.Specific tariffs: These are fixed fees based on the quantity of goods. For example, there might be a tariff of $5 per imported kilogram of sugar.Compound tariffs: These combine a specific duty and an ad valorem duty applied to the same imported goods. Both tariffs are calculated together to determine the total tax. For example, a country might place a tariff on imported wine at $5 per liter plus 10% of the wine’s value.Mixed tariffs: Mixed tariffs apply either a specific duty or an ad valorem duty, based on predefined conditions. For instance, for imported trucks, a country might charge either $5,000 per vehicle or 15% of the car’s value, whichever is greater.

The objective of such policy is to influence international trade flows, protect domestic industries, and respond to unfair practices by foreign countries. When a tariff is applied to an imported good, it raises its cost, making domestically produced alternatives more lucrative for customers regarding price.

In the US, the Trump administration uses reciprocal tariffs as a key instrument in influencing the trade policies of other countries. Reciprocal tariffs are trade duties a country imposes in retaliation to tariffs or barriers set by another country. This policy seeks to correct trade imbalances and safeguard domestic industries.

Tariffs, explained: How they work and why they matter
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Trump firing Powell would be a ‘very bad precedent to set’ — Pompliano

Crypto entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano says that US President Donald Trump shouldn’t follow through on his recent threat to fire the head of the US Federal Reserve, saying it would set a dangerous precedent — especially considering the true motive behind it.

“I do not believe that the President of the United States should come in and unilaterally fire the Fed President,” Pompliano said in a video posted on X on April 18.

Firing over disagreement is a slippery slope, says Pompliano

Pompliano said, “Where you have a disagreement and then the firing, I think that’s not really the area that we want to go into.”

“The idea of firing the Fed chairman is a very bad precedent to set this way.”

It comes after Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to accuse Fed chair Jerome Powell of being too slow to cut interest rates. “Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!” Trump said on April 17.

Anthony Pompliano made the remarks on his online show “From The Desk of Anthony Pompliano.” Source: Anthony Pompliano

Pompliano explained that while the Fed is meant to operate independently, he agrees with critics who argue it’s not truly independent. “The Fed, I think, is highly politicized, even though they pretend not to be,” he said.

Trump firing Powell would be a ‘very bad precedent to set’ — Pompliano
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Lyn Alden lowers Bitcoin forecast after ‘tariff kerfuffle,’ eyes liquidity

Macroeconomist Lyn Alden expects Bitcoin to finish 2025 higher than its current price of around $85,000, though she says it would have been much higher if not for US President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement in February.

“Before all this tariff kerfuffle, I would have had a higher price target,” Alden told Natalie Brunell on the April 17 episode of Coin Stories. “My guess is that we end up higher at the end of the year than we are now, at least,” she added.

Bitcoin’s 24/7 trading bolsters volatility when TradFi “freaking out”

However, she said that a “massive liquidity unlock” could be the catalyst needed for Bitcoin (BTC) to reach more optimistic targets, similar to those before the tariffs were introduced.

For example, if the US bond market “broke” and the US Federal Reserve had to step in with measures like yield curve control or heavy quantitative easing (QE), Alden explained.

Lyn Alden spoke to Coin Stories’ host Natalie Brunell on April 17. Source: Natalie Brunell

While Alden said that there is a “good chance” Bitcoin reclaims the $100,000 price level before the end of the year, she emphasized that broader financial market “down days” will remain a challenge for the asset, especially since Bitcoin trades 24/7, unlike traditional stock markets with trading hours.

Lyn Alden lowers Bitcoin forecast after ‘tariff kerfuffle,’ eyes liquidity
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Firing Jerome Powell will crash financial markets — Sen. Elizabeth Warren

US Senator Elizabeth Warren warned that if President Donald Trump eventually moves to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, it could undermine investor confidence in the integrity of US capital markets and trigger a financial crash.

During an appearance on CNBC, the Massachusetts Senator said the President does not have the legal authority to remove Powell from his position. Moreover, removing Powell would weaken the financial infrastructure of the US, Warren added:

"If Chairman Powell can be fired by the President of the United States, it will crash the markets. The infrastructure that keeps this stock market strong and, therefore, a big part of our economy strong, and a big part of the world economy strong, is the idea that the big pieces move independently of politics."

"If interest rates in the United States are subject to a president who just wants to wave his magic wand, this doesn't distinguish us from any other two-bit dictatorship," Warren continued.

Trump discusses US economic policies with reporters. Source: The White House

President Trump has repeatedly called for Powell's termination, citing the chairman's hesitancy to lower interest rates. Lower interest rates are usually considered a positive catalyst for risk-on asset prices, including cryptocurrencies, and could reverse the market downturn brought on by the trade war and current macroeconomic pressures.

Related: Fed's Powell reasserts support for stablecoin legislation

Firing Jerome Powell will crash financial markets — Sen. Elizabeth Warren
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Canary Capital files for staked TRX ETF

United States asset manager Canary Capital has filed to list an exchange-traded fund (ETF) holding the Tron blockchain network’s native token, TRX (TRX), regulatory filings show. 

The fund intends to hold spot TRX and stake a portion of the tokens for added yield, the filing said

According to CoinMarketCap, the TRX token has a total market capitalization of more than $22 billion. Staking TRX generates an annualized yield of approximately 4.5%, data from Stakingrewards.com shows.

The filing is the latest in an outpouring of submissions aimed at listing ETFs holding alternative cryptocurrencies, or “altcoins.” 

However, Canary’s proposed fund is relatively unique in requesting permission to stake its crypto holdings in its initial application. Other US ETFs, such as those holding the Ethereum network’s native token, Ether (ETH), have sought approval for staking only after successfully listing a fund holding the spot token. They are still waiting for a regulatory decision.

Canary Capital files for staked TRX ETF
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Aptos community proposal seeks to slash staking rewards by nearly 50%

An Aptos community member submitted a proposal on April 18 to slash staking rewards for the network’s native token, Aptos (APT), by nearly 50%

The proposal, submitted by a community member called MoonSheisty, aims at reducing reward yields from 7% to 3.79% in a three-month period, aligning Aptos staking rewards with other layer-1 blockchains and encouraging capital efficiency.

The proposal has sparked curiosity on X, but early comments on GitHub show some initial resistance.

A community member going by ElagabalxNode noted that reducing the staking reward without “compensatory mechanisms like a robust delegation program” could push smaller validators out of the network, thus weakening the Aptos blockchain’s decentralization and long-term resistance.

Related: Aptos to accelerate innovation with new tech, investment in India

Aptos community proposal seeks to slash staking rewards by nearly 50%
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MoonPay CEO calls on Congress to keep state authority over stablecoins

Ivan Soto-Wright, CEO of cryptocurrency payment firm MoonPay, is calling on US lawmakers to leave a path open to state-level regulators when passing legislation on stablecoins.

In an April 18 X post, Soto-Wright said he wanted Congress to “keep state-regulated issuers in the game” when it comes to stablecoin regulation, referencing efforts in the House of Representatives and Senate to create a federal regulatory framework. Lawmakers are considering whether to pass the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins, or GENIUS Act, in the Senate and the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy, or STABLE Act, in the House.

“While the cryptocurrency industry has called for federal legislation for years, it has been these state regulators who have provided and continue to provide regulatory clarity and supervision to ensure consumer protection and enable growth in the sector,” said Soto-Wright. “As federal legislation now approaches the finish line, it is essential to preserve viable state pathways for PSIs [permitted stablecoin issuers] that place the state regulators who meet the standards set out in GENIUS and STABLE on equal footing with federal regulators.”

April 17 letter from MoonPay CEO to congressional leadership. Source: Ivan Soto-Wright

The MoonPay CEO’s comment echoed those of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS), which wrote to leadership on the House Financial Services Committee in an April 1 letter and recommended a similar state-level approach. Both the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee voted to advance the bills in March and April, respectively, paving the way for a full floor vote.

Related: Lawmaker alleges Trump wants to replace US dollar with his stablecoin

MoonPay CEO calls on Congress to keep state authority over stablecoins
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Tokenized stocks could top $1T in market cap — Execs

Tokenized stocks are on track to exceed $1 trillion in market capitalization in the coming years as adoption accelerates, two industry executives said at the TokenizeThis conference in New York. 

The total addressable market for tokenized stocks — a type of tokenized real-world asset (RWA) —  is difficult to project but is “definitely a bigger trillion-dollar market,” Arnab Naskar, STOKR’s CEO, said during an April 16 panel at the event.

In 2025, demand for the instruments has “exploded” from institutions ranging from Web3 wallets to neobanks to traditional financial services firms, according to Anna Wroblewska, Dinari’s Chief Business Officer. 

“We've had an enormous influx of demand from a much broader scope of potential partners than you might even imagine [...] it's actually been really interesting,” Wroblewska said.

Tokenized stocks are still a small portion of the total RWA market. Source: RWA.xyz

Related: Tokenization can transform US markets if Trump clears the way

Tokenized stocks could top $1T in market cap — Execs
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Crypto Biz: Is the US Fed prepping the money printer?

The US Federal Reserve under Jerome Powell has developed a reputation for dragging its feet on implementing important policy changes. However, a top central banker has assured that the Fed is “absolutely” ready to do whatever it takes to avoid a financial crisis, whether triggered by the US-led trade war or other adverse developments.

Although the long-awaited “Fed pivot” could still be months away, policymakers appear poised to gradually ease financial conditions, beginning last month when they reduced the redemption cap on Treasurys by 80%. 

Fed policy exerts a gravitational pull on global markets through US dollar liquidity, which has a direct impact on Bitcoin (BTC) and the broader cryptocurrency markets. In fact, the Fed’s impact on crypto has only grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Bitcoin has been highly correlated with liquidity — a fact that was reinforced by a 2024 academic paper by Kingston University of London. 

This week’s Crypto Biz newsletter highlights remarks from a senior central bank official and covers major developments in the Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) market and the Bitcoin mining sector.

Fed’s Collins: Central bank will respond to liquidity constraints 

Boston Fed President Susan Collins said the central bank “would absolutely be prepared” to backstop markets if economic and financial conditions deteriorated rapidly. 

Crypto Biz: Is the US Fed prepping the money printer?
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