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Bitcoin held above 68,000 dollars while US stock markets surged after signals that efforts may be underway to end the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. Comments attributed to US President Donald Trump and unconfirmed reports regarding Iran’s president suggested both sides could be exploring ways to de-escalate, which boosted investor sentiment. Markets reacted strongly, with the Dow rising by over 1,100 points and both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posting notable gains, despite the absence of any formal announcement.
However, confidence in Bitcoin’s upward momentum remains fragile. Analysts point to the need for a sustained move above key technical levels to confirm a trend reversal, while underlying market data shows weak spot demand and limited futures activity. Since a sharp drop earlier in the year, trading behaviour has remained cautious, with price movements largely driven by news rather than strong investor conviction. Additional indicators, including low stablecoin inflows and traders holding positions at a loss, reinforce the view that market participants are hesitant to commit to decisive positions. Source
Tether’s USAT stablecoin is expanding beyond the Ethereum mainnet for the first time by launching on the Celo layer-2 network, with infrastructure support from Google Cloud. The stablecoin, issued by Anchorage Digital and designed for the US market, is expected to benefit from Celo’s strong mobile reach, including access to millions of users through Opera MiniPay wallets. The move is seen as a significant step in scaling regulated digital dollar usage, with plans for USAT to function as a gas currency on the network following governance approval.
The rollout includes a system allowing verified users to access USAT through a privacy-focused proof-of-humanity process, developed in collaboration with Self and Google Cloud. Market context shows continued growth in the stablecoin sector, with increasing transaction velocity and long-term projections suggesting substantial expansion. Meanwhile, Deloitte has completed the first attestation report for USAT, and further auditing arrangements are expected, signalling an emphasis on transparency and compliance as the stablecoin broadens its reach. Source
The traditional approach to launching crypto tokens has largely failed in 2025, driven by a growing disconnect between strong underlying fundamentals and deeply negative market sentiment. Despite improvements in regulation, institutional involvement and infrastructure, investor confidence remains low due to factors such as an oversupply of tokens, repeated unsuccessful launches and lingering distrust from past project behaviour. This gap has made it difficult for even well-built projects to attract liquidity, with many launches relying on outdated strategies like high valuations and low circulating supply that no longer appeal to the market.
A new framework suggests shifting towards models that reward long-term holding and align incentives between users, investors and project teams, focusing on real value such as revenue generation rather than hype. Data shows that around 85% of tokens launched in 2025 are trading below their initial valuation, reflecting widespread underperformance. Key issues include overpricing, poor timing in weak market conditions, immediate sell pressure from early participants and launching projects before achieving meaningful traction, all of which contribute to declining investor interest and weak post-launch performance. Source
S&P Dow Jones Indices has brought its iBoxx US Treasuries Index onto the Canton Network, turning a major government bond benchmark into a tokenised digital asset and signalling a broader shift towards blockchain-based infrastructure in traditional finance. Developed in partnership with Kaiko, the move allows institutions to access and integrate index data such as pricing and performance directly onchain rather than relying on conventional data feeds. While the tokenised index itself is not investable, it is designed to support financial firms building digital products, with controlled access managed through permissions embedded in the token.
The initiative reflects the growing importance of US Treasurys in digital markets, where they are increasingly used as collateral and seen as a foundational asset for onchain finance. By placing this benchmark on blockchain rails, institutions can streamline access to critical data and potentially expand the model to other indices in the future. The Canton Network, backed by major financial players, is positioning itself as a hub for institutional blockchain activity, and the dominance of tokenised Treasurys in the market highlights their central role in the ongoing convergence of traditional and digital finance. Source
Magic Eden is ending support for its multi-chain crypto wallet, which will be removed from app stores tomorrow. Users must export their private keys or transfer their funds before May 1, when the wallet may cease functioning entirely, or risk losing access. This comes as the NFT marketplace shifts focus from digital collectibles to its new crypto casino, Dicey, launched in January, and phases out support for Ethereum, Ethereum-based chains, and Bitcoin. Magic Eden originally built its reputation on Solana NFTs, and users holding Solana in the wallet are particularly affected. Source
The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a rule that could allow 401(k) retirement plans to include cryptocurrency and other alternative assets, aiming to modernise retirement investing. The proposal seeks to reduce regulatory barriers and provide clarity for plan fiduciaries on evaluating and including alternative investments, using a framework based on performance, fees, liquidity, valuation, and complexity. It also introduces safe harbour guidelines to limit litigation risks for plan managers who follow prudent procedures.
The rule represents a shift from previous guidance that discouraged digital assets, promoting a more neutral stance on asset selection. If implemented, it could expand diversification options for retirement plans, giving millions of Americans potential exposure to cryptocurrencies and alternative investments while maintaining safeguards for long-term investment strategies. Source
BitGo has introduced a new financing platform that enables institutional clients to borrow and lend against liquid, staked, and locked assets within a single custody account, consolidating collateral management into one workflow. The platform allows portfolio-based lending, meaning clients can borrow against a mix of assets rather than posting collateral per loan, and it supports staked or vesting tokens as collateral without requiring them to be unwound. The system also allows institutions to lend eligible assets from the same account, providing options for yield generation or liquidity for trading and treasury purposes.
The platform operates entirely within BitGo’s custody environment, with collateral held in segregated wallets and credit extended against assets including Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, and stablecoins. This launch reflects growing institutional demand for crypto-backed financing and aligns with broader trends in exchanges, DeFi, and institutional markets, where custody-integrated lending solutions are increasingly enabling borrowing, yield generation, and capital efficiency while maintaining control and visibility over digital assets. Source
A critical vulnerability in Zcash nodes was discovered that could have allowed attackers to drain over 25,000 ZEC, worth around $6.5 million, from the deprecated Sprout shielded pool. The flaw bypassed proof verification for transactions involving the legacy pool, but was not exploited, and users’ funds remained secure. Zcash developers released version 6.12.0 to patch the issue, and major mining pools rapidly implemented the fix within days. The network’s turnstile mechanism would have prevented broader inflation even if the pool had been compromised.
The vulnerability, spanning releases from July 2020 onwards, was reported by security researcher Alex “Scalar” Sol, who will receive a 200 ZEC bounty for the disclosure. The Sprout pool, closed to new deposits in November 2020, still held around 25,424 ZEC that had not migrated to newer shielded pools. This incident follows previous network vulnerabilities, including a 2019 bug that could have generated counterfeit cryptocurrency, highlighting ongoing security efforts within the Zcash ecosystem. Source
Markethive has introduced Sitemaker, a sophisticated platform designed to simplify and enhance web and landing page creation for marketers, entrepreneurs, and businesses of all sizes. The platform allows users to quickly build conversion-focused pages and full websites with intuitive visual tools, reducing technical complexity while enabling advanced marketing strategies. Sitemaker supports professional site management, high-converting landing pages, seamless WordPress integration, and flexible domain options, including custom domains and rapid-deployment subdomains.
Beyond basic web design, Sitemaker offers innovative features such as community-driven A/B testing powered by social feedback and Hivecoin incentives, reusable dynamic content widgets, team collaboration tools, and integrated e-commerce capabilities with both direct and third-party platform support. The platform also provides streamlined analytics, efficient editing workflows, and a tiered subscription model, including a free plan and AI-powered upgrades for content creation and conversion optimisation. By combining website building with Markethive’s social and DeFi ecosystem, Sitemaker delivers a comprehensive environment for digital asset management, marketing optimisation, and business growth. Source
CoinDCX is launching a 100 crore rupee (around $11 million) Digital Suraksha Network to combat brand impersonation and cyber fraud, following a court ruling that found no case against its founders. The initiative comes after co-founders Sumit Gupta and Neeraj Khandelwal were briefly detained over a complaint linked to a fake “CoinDCX Pro” website that defrauded an investor of approximately $75,000. The court concluded that the fraud was carried out by third parties impersonating the founders, and granted them bail. CoinDCX has previously identified over 1,200 websites copying its brand, underlining the wider issue of phishing and impersonation in the Indian crypto sector.
The Digital Suraksha Network will include a 24/7 WhatsApp helpline for verifying links, an open fraud intelligence API from CoinDCX’s database of fake sites, training for state cybercrime units on blockchain forensics, and a “Caution Before Transaction” campaign for digital finance users. While no detailed timeline or budget breakdown has been shared, the initiative is presented as a sector-wide cyber safety effort rather than a company-specific response. CoinDCX, backed by Coinbase, was valued at $2.45 billion in October 2025. Source
Uniblock has secured $5.2 million in funding, bringing its total capital to $7.5 million, to expand its managed infrastructure layer across more than 300 blockchains. The platform provides a single API connection for over 3,000 projects and 4,000 developers, using patented auto-routing technology to handle provider selection, failover, and data normalisation across 55 data partners. Key customers include Plume Network, Stellar Blockchain, and Apechain, with some operating Uniblock as their managed RPC infrastructure through ecosystem partnerships. The platform also offers AI-native developer tools, such as an MCP server and LLM-optimized documentation, for integration with AI coding environments like GitHub Copilot.
CEO Kevin Callahan emphasised that Uniblock addresses a multi-chain routing and failover problem once, rather than requiring each team to rebuild solutions individually. The fundraise reflects wider industry efforts to tackle blockchain infrastructure fragmentation as Fortune 500 companies adopt production workloads and AI agents begin autonomously interacting with chain data. The move aligns with initiatives such as the Ethereum Foundation’s Economic Zone, which seeks to resolve fragmentation across growing Layer-2 networks. Source
Two malicious releases of the Axios JavaScript HTTP client, versions 1.14.1 and 0.30.4, have been flagged for containing a harmful dependency, plain-crypto-js@4.2.1, which executed automatically during installation. The compromise allows attackers to gain remote access to affected systems, potentially stealing login credentials, API keys, and cryptocurrency wallet information. Developers are advised to treat any systems using the compromised versions as fully compromised, rotate all credentials, and roll back or remove the affected packages immediately.
The incident highlights the risks of supply chain attacks, where a single compromised open-source component can affect thousands of applications and users. Experts emphasise the serious implications for crypto-related applications that rely on Axios for API operations, including exchanges, wallets, and dapps. Past incidents, such as breaches affecting Trust Wallet, underline how such vulnerabilities can escalate to significant financial losses. Source
Peken Global, the operator of cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin, has been permanently barred from serving U.S. users without registering as a foreign board of trade, following a settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The agreement includes a $500,000 civil penalty and requires KuCoin to exit the U.S. market for at least two years, under a prior Department of Justice arrangement. The action follows Peken Global’s guilty plea in January 2025 for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carried a $112.9 million criminal fine and $184.5 million in forfeiture.
The CFTC had previously sued Peken Global and three related entities for operating an unlicensed digital asset derivatives exchange and failing to implement an adequate customer identification programme. The settlement dismissed claims against the other entities and did not seek disgorgement, recognising Peken Global’s cooperation. The move aligns with broader efforts by U.S. regulators, including a new CFTC innovation task force, to enhance oversight of crypto, AI, and prediction markets. Source
Ethereum builders have introduced the Ethereum Economic Zone (EEZ), a framework designed to reconnect layer-2 rollups with the base Ethereum network. The initiative aims to make Ethereum the central hub for settlement and gas, allowing smart contracts to interact across mainnet and EEZ rollups with atomic execution. It seeks to address the fragmentation that has emerged as activity and liquidity shifted to various rollups, creating parallel economies and reducing cohesion within the ecosystem. By improving liquidity circulation, lowering bridging costs for users, and simplifying operations for protocols, the EEZ hopes to create a more unified market without requiring a hard fork.
While similar economic zone models, such as Cosmos’ Atom Economic Zone, struggled to gain traction, Ethereum’s structure as a layer-1 blockchain provides a clearer hierarchy and alignment of incentives between rollups and the base layer. Early support from Gnosis and the Ethereum Foundation has boosted interest, though key technical details and performance benchmarks are still forthcoming. Source
OpenFX has raised $94 million in a Series A funding round to expand its stablecoin-based foreign exchange and payments network, with backing from investors including Accel, Atomico, Lightspeed Faction, M13, Northzone, and Pantera. The fintech startup, founded in 2024, aims to increase liquidity, enter new markets, and grow operations in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Its platform routes payments through a single liquidity network, with most transactions settling within an hour and a significant portion completing in under ten minutes, while offering 24/7 availability and competitive pricing.
The funding highlights the broader trend of stablecoins moving from crypto trading tools to mainstream corporate payment infrastructure. Stablecoins processed over $33 trillion last year, and industry forecasts suggest flows could grow at an 80% annual rate to exceed $56 trillion by 2030. Despite the promise of faster settlement, adoption faces regulatory and compliance challenges, as rules for stablecoins differ across markets and licensing requirements could slow uptake. Source
Caltech researchers, in collaboration with the quantum computing startup Oratomic, suggest that fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of breaking modern cryptography may require far fewer qubits than previously estimated. Their neutral-atom system, controlling individual atoms with lasers, could potentially run Shor’s algorithm and derive private keys from public keys used in Bitcoin and Ethereum with as few as 10,000 reconfigurable qubits. This marks a significant acceleration from earlier estimates, which assumed millions of qubits would be necessary, and highlights the growing urgency to adopt quantum-resistant cryptography.
The development follows Caltech’s milestone of operating a 6,100-qubit neutral-atom system with high accuracy, demonstrating rapid progress in error-corrected quantum machines. Industry leaders, including Google, have set timelines for transitioning to post-quantum cryptography by 2029, citing the threat to both cryptocurrencies and broader digital infrastructure. Experts warn that while building practical quantum computers remains complex, a capable system could emerge before the end of the decade, posing challenges across global digital systems beyond blockchain. Source
Mercado Libre has discontinued its ERC-20 loyalty token, Mercado Coin, after a four-year experiment that failed to gain traction. The token, launched in Brazil in 2022 and later expanded to other markets, allowed users to earn rewards on purchases and spend or cash out the tokens, but its volatility and limited adoption led to its shutdown on April 17. Users can sell their holdings through the app, spend them on the platform, or wait for automatic conversion to local currency.
The company is pivoting to its stablecoin, MeliDolar (MUSD), launched in 2024 and pegged to the U.S. dollar. MeliDolar underpins Mercado Libre’s Meli Plus loyalty programme, providing cashback that can be spent, sold without fees, or held as a dollar hedge, offering practical utility for consumers in Brazil and Mexico. The move mirrors broader lessons in the region, following Nubank’s collapse of its Nucoin rewards token, demonstrating the challenges of volatile crypto loyalty programmes while allowing Mercado Libre to maintain its crypto trading and stablecoin services. Source
Disclaimer: These articles are provided for informational purposes only. They are not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other advice.
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