Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Solana (SOL) is consolidating near $88, with daily volume above $4.2B and a market cap over $51B. Price is up more than 3% in 24 hours and also shows gains on the week. Traders are split on what this means for Solana. On the long-term chart, some analysts describe an accumulation phase after a pullback from the $240–$260 peak. Support is referenced around $20–$40, with resilience near Fibonacci levels at $45 and $29. A long-term breakout above $240 could confirm a broader expansion, with potential upside into four-digit territory. On the short-term setup, MCO Global DE flags a corrective (B) wave. The key decision zone is $85.90–$88.90. If SOL holds above $84.36, traders look for a push toward $90–$96. A sustained break below $84.36 shifts focus to $81.75, then $80.50, and possibly $78. On the weekly chart, RAFAELA_RIGO points to renewed buyer interest after SOL defended the $80–$85 base. Resistance is being tested at $120–$125. Reclaiming $120 could support continuation toward $160–$200. Failure to retake $120 raises the risk of selling and a retest of the $80 area, potentially down to $50. For SOL traders, the near-term playbook centers on whether $84–$85 holds and whether $120 can eventually be reclaimed.

Bybit led an $8 million Series A round in Hata, a Kuala Lumpur–based digital asset exchange. The funding includes support from global family offices and follows Bybit’s earlier $4.2 million seed investment, making this a follow-on bet on the same platform. The capital will be used to expand Hata’s liquidity, user base and compliant digital asset products. Since launching in 2023, Hata says it has 209,000+ registered users and processed about 1 billion Malaysian ringgits (around $225 million) in transaction volume in 2025. Hata’s core edge is its regulatory status: it holds licences from Malaysia’s Securities Commission (SC) and Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA), enabling regulated trading and custody locally. Bybit CEO Ben Zhou pointed to Malaysia’s digitally engaged population and long-term crypto adoption potential. The round comes as Malaysia tightens and clarifies its digital-asset framework. Bank Negara Malaysia is running a Digital Asset Innovation Hub sandbox and a three-year tokenization roadmap with major banks (e.g., Standard Chartered, CIMB, Maybank). In the same ecosystem, the ringgit-backed stablecoin RMJDT was launched on the Zetrix blockchain under the sandbox framework. For traders, this is mainly a regulatory and market-structure catalyst. Bybit’s funding strengthens expectations of more regulated onshore liquidity in Malaysia, while RMJDT’s sandbox momentum could support incremental activity—though it is not a direct, immediate signal for broader token prices. Keywords: Bybit, Hata, Malaysia crypto regulation, Series A, stablecoin, tokenization sandbox.

DoorDash (NASDAQ: DASH) plans to enable stablecoin payments across its global marketplace via a partnership with blockchain infrastructure firm Tempo. The setup would let users, merchants, and delivery drivers settle orders with stablecoins in more than 40 countries, targeting faster payouts, lower cross-border transfer costs, and greater payment flexibility. The announcement comes amid volatile DASH trading. Shares closed at $182.45 (down 3.87%) after trading near $192.50 earlier, then edged up to $183.91 in after-hours—suggesting traders are beginning to price in the longer-term impact of stablecoin payments, not just day-to-day noise. DoorDash already operates at scale, reporting 903 million orders in Q4 2025 and $29.7B gross order value. If stablecoin payments reduce settlement friction and fees in international flows, the market could view it as supportive of margin improvement and stronger overseas expansion. However, the near-term move appears sentiment-driven rather than linked to direct on-chain token flows. Broader context: the deal fits a wider payments trend, with major players pushing stablecoin rails to reduce costs and speed settlement.

Carmine G. Agnello Jr., the grandson of late Gambino boss John J. Gotti, was sentenced to 15 months for crypto loan fraud tied to U.S. COVID-19 relief. On April 20, 2026, federal Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury imposed the prison term for wire fraud involving about $1.1 million in SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (SBA EIDL) under the CARES Act. Prosecutors said Agnello filed at least three fraudulent applications between April 2020 and November 2021, misrepresenting employee counts, how funds would be used, and claiming he had no criminal record. He allegedly diverted about $420,000 into a cryptocurrency business after submitting the EIDL paperwork. The court ordered $1,268,302 in restitution to the SBA, two years of supervised release, and 100 hours of community service, despite federal guidelines suggesting a longer range (about 31–44 months). The U.S. Attorney said authorities will keep pursuing similar COVID-19 relief fraud cases, including investigations involving the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations. For crypto traders, this crypto loan fraud case is mainly an enforcement/compliance signal. While it is unlikely to directly move major token prices, repeated examples of COVID-19 relief fraud using digital-asset flows can tighten exchange oversight and raise perceived regulatory risk in the short term.

Japan Securities Clearing Corporation (JSCC), Mizuho Financial Group, and Nomura Holdings launched a proof-of-concept to move and manage Japanese government bond (JGB) collateral on the Canton Network blockchain. Announced April 20, 2026, Digital Asset Holdings joined as a fourth participant, with the trial running through roughly late September 2026 under Japan’s Financial Services Agency (JFSA) Payment Innovation Project. The key test is whether onchain JGB collateral can be transferred and recorded while preserving legal validity under Japan’s book-entry transfer framework. The project also evaluates real-time collateral posting and substitution using a multi-institution account structure, aiming to shift settlement from business hours toward near 24/7 capability. Participants expect lower administrative costs and less manual processing for JGB collateral workflows, while improving coordination between traditional sovereign debt and digital-native asset holdings. JSCC CEO Isao Hasegawa leads the clearing-side effort, with Mizuho and Nomura leading participation and Digital Asset overseeing the technology. While regulators are watching closely—especially after US work like DTCC’s tokenized Treasury efforts on Canton—the initiative remains a PoC with no guaranteed commercialization timeline. For crypto traders, the near-term impact on token prices is likely limited, but it signals incremental momentum for regulated, tokenized-collateral rails.

Apple CEO transition news is in focus as John Ternus is named Tim Cook’s successor and will begin the handover on September 1, 2026, when Cook steps down and moves to executive chairman. Ternus has led Apple’s hardware engineering organization for decades, with experience spanning iPad, Mac, and iPhone, and overseeing the shift to Apple silicon. He is also a prominent face at product launches, reinforcing an engineering-led leadership style. Market expectations center on whether this Apple CEO transition accelerates product innovation and tighter hardware–AI integration. The article highlights Apple’s slower AI pace versus rivals such as Microsoft and Google, where more AI infrastructure and services have been deployed. For traders, the direct crypto fundamentals link is limited. However, a major Big Tech leadership change can still influence broader tech risk sentiment and liquidity expectations. Near-term watchpoints are any CEO-designate comments and whether Apple’s guidance and AI priorities change ahead of upcoming earnings.

Coinbase has expanded its crypto-backed USDC loans to UK residents, letting users borrow USDC without selling BTC or ETH. The service supports BTC, ETH, and cbETH as collateral and is powered by Morpho on the Base network. Borrowing capacity can reach up to $5 million in USDC for BTC-backed loans, with collateral locked in a Morpho smart contract until repayment. Coinbase says loans can be opened almost instantly, but repayment is not scheduled; liquidation can be triggered if the loan-to-value ratio breaches a threshold, with a liquidation penalty fee. Coinbase also shared traction data: total loan originations through Coinbase on Morpho exceed $2.17B USDC as of April 14, 2026, and it plans further country rollouts. Traders should watch for increased USDC on-chain use from collateralized borrowing flows and for liquidation-driven volatility tied to BTC/ETH collateral. This move builds on Coinbase’s UK regulatory progress, including its FCA crypto service provider registration in February 2025.

US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan are facing growing doubts after Iranian state media said no Iranian delegation has departed for the meetings. The report undermines de-escalation expectations ahead of the April 21 ceasefire deadline Trump had tied to the timeline. Crypto traders are reflecting the uncertainty in US-Iran prediction markets. The April 30 “Israel–Iran permanent peace deal” YES probability is 6.8% (up from 4% previously), but the market remains low. Liquidity is thin: about $49,406 in face-value volume versus roughly $2,604 in actual USDC traded. Because relatively small orders can move probabilities (about $422 for a ~5-point shift), sentiment can reprice abruptly. Price action shows deterioration in the near-term ceasefire narrative. Ceasefire-related YES odds dropped about 3 points around 7:06 PM Beijing time, falling from 8% to 5%. Separately, earlier coverage also pointed to low near-term deal odds by April 22 and a very low April 21 ceasefire “end” market, reinforcing trader skepticism. The permanent peace-deal outcome still requires major diplomatic progress within roughly 10 days. For trading, monitor official signals from the US/Iran side and mediation updates via Pakistan. Any confirmation of Iranian participation—or softer US rhetoric—could trigger fast repricing across US-Iran ceasefire and permanent peace-deal contracts, likely with high volatility.

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index on CoinMarketCap rose to 55 (+5), keeping sentiment in the Neutral zone. This move suggests emotion is cooling and price action is more likely to be driven by fundamentals rather than fear-driven or greed-driven trading. The index is built from six weighted inputs: market momentum and volume (top 10 by market cap), volatility versus historical averages, social media sentiment, Bitcoin dominance plus periodic surveys, and Google Trends search activity. The latest uptick is linked to improved BTC and ETH stability and a reported reduction in derivatives skew, often interpreted as less panic hedging. Traders should treat Neutral readings (~40–60) as a psychological reset. Historically, the index stays above ~75 during bull peaks and can fall to single digits after major drawdowns (e.g., the May 2022 Terra/Luna collapse). In a neutral tape, momentum-chasing setups may be fewer, but sector rotation can increase toward projects with stronger real utility. For positioning, steadier sentiment can also be supportive for longer-horizon derivative and ETF-style products that prefer calmer underlying volatility. In the broader context, the index’s shift from “neutral” toward the upper end of the range can act as an early signal ahead of the next major catalyst, whether regulatory, macro, or on-chain. Key watch items for traders include whether sentiment holds near 55 and whether derivatives behavior continues to normalize.

Bitcoin fell 1.6% to about $74,335 as Strait of Hormuz tensions escalated after the US Navy seized an Iranian vessel. Iran tightened control of the waterway, pushing “war-risk premiums” back into focus and lifting Brent oil to $95.50. Crypto losses looked relatively contained. Ether was down 2.6% to around $2,272, Solana slipped 1.5%, and BNB was roughly flat near $618. In the top 10, no coin dropped more than 3%, suggesting BTC is absorbing geopolitical shocks with less volatility than stocks or oil. Traders will watch whether BTC holds above $74,000 during European hours. A break below $73,000 on renewed Iran headlines could revive downside pressure. Macro cross-currents also matter: the US 10-year yield is around 4.27% and a firmer dollar may weigh on BTC via risk-parity channels. Meanwhile, analysts say crypto’s response appears milder than prior Iran-linked waves, with spot ETF support potentially stabilizing flows.

Iran fired on two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, as the US said it plans to board Iran-linked vessels. The situation keeps maritime risk elevated and undermines hopes for a near-term normalization of Strait of Hormuz ship traffic. A crypto-adjacent prediction market tracking “ships transit the Strait of Hormuz” for Apr 13–19 shows extremely low confidence and thin liquidity. Odds around 0.4% were reported after a brief spike earlier, with actual USDC trading only around $14—meaning small orders can swing prices. For a later window ending Apr 30 (an 80-ships-per-day benchmark), odds fell to 26.5% from 51% the prior day. For crypto traders, the linkage is indirect but tradeable: continued disruption risk around the Strait of Hormuz can raise macro/geopolitical volatility, typically pressuring risk assets and potentially increasing market choppiness that can spill into crypto. What to watch next: CENTCOM’s next operational step and any US/Iran statements indicating de-escalation or renewed enforcement. Also monitor shipping announcements or actions by Oman or Saudi Arabia that could shift transit volumes.

Charles Schwab CEO Rick Wurster said the firm is reviewing whether to launch prediction markets, but with strict guardrails. Schwab would avoid “sports, politics, and pop culture” style products and instead focus on services linked to financial planning. He also suggested client demand has been modest, adding that the company would “take a hard look” before moving forward. Citadel Securities president Jim Esposito said the firm is monitoring prediction markets, but participation is limited because liquidity is still insufficient. He described event contracts—especially election-related contracts—as a “clean and distinct way” for investors to hedge risk tied to financial exposures rather than entertainment outcomes. For crypto traders, this is a signals-style development for institutional derivatives. It may support longer-term acceptance of event-driven contracts, but the articles do not mention any concrete platform launches, token issuance, trading volumes, or on-chain integration. So the near-term impact on crypto liquidity and major token flows is likely limited.

RAVE token crash reached extreme volatility, with RAVE falling from about $28.27 to around $1.10 in roughly 24 hours (over -95%), wiping an estimated ~$6.3B in market value. A later report adds that on-chain investigator ZachXBT flagged potential insider behavior after wallet activity tied to the RaveDAO deployer reportedly moved large amounts of RAVE to exchanges (including Bitget and Binance) just before the peak. Interpretations remain divided. Some traders frame the RAVE token crash as a liquidity trap driven by exchange momentum, thin liquidity, and concentrated supply. Others treat it as a possible “dead cat bounce,” expecting a mechanical relief rally of roughly +80% to +100% from the lows within 24–48 hours, without implying fundamental recovery. For traders, the key takeaway from the RAVE token crash is that CEX listings do not ensure safety when supply concentration and vesting/lock-up conditions look weak or unclear. Focus on supply distribution, unlock/lock schedules, and exit flow, and use strict risk controls if trading a bounce (stops/take-profit). Overall, the event likely raises near-term uncertainty and volatility in RAVE.

Ethereum Foundation veteran Josh Stark will step down in late April 2026, after deciding to leave in early March. Stark said he has “no plans for the future,” framing the move as a hard stop and a reset with family. He joined the Ethereum Foundation in 2019 and helped drive major Ethereum upgrades including The Merge (2022), Dencun, Pectra and Fusaka, as well as the “Trillion-Dollar Security” initiative. Weeks before departure, he co-authored a strategy blog on Ethereum’s scaling roadmap and Layer 2 integration. The exit adds to leadership churn tied to Ethereum governance reforms in 2025, with earlier resignations and a shift toward tighter, more technical governance focused on mainnet scaling and Layer 2 work. No immediate replacement for Josh Stark has been announced, creating governance continuity risk for decision-making and execution timelines. For traders, the key watch item is Ethereum Foundation governance continuity, but ETH market signals remain steady in the near term—ETH price action and recent on-chain flow trends have not shown disruption.

The US has prohibited Israel from bombing Lebanon during a brokered 10-day ceasefire. Traders are now focused on whether Israel announces a suspension of its Lebanon offensive by April 30, as priced in a related prediction-market contract. In the suspension market, odds for an April 30 suspension rose to about 96.2% (from 87% 24 hours earlier). The biggest repricing came right after a sharp 9-point jump around 1:17 PM, lifting the April 30 contract from 65% to 74% within minutes. Later contracts also stayed high, with May 31 around 97.8% and June 30 around 98.4%. Trading volume in the market was about $339,785 (USDC), and liquidity metrics suggested roughly $25,577 of USDC needed for a 5-point price move. Why it matters: the US enforcement signal may temporarily reduce escalation risk. But the ceasefire agreement excludes Hezbollah, which can limit durability. Attention will shift to Netanyahu’s statements and any official Israeli/IDF operational updates, plus signs of Hezbollah activity. Any confirmation of a ceasefire extension or offensive suspension could further reprice odds quickly, while uncertainty around the excluded parties keeps longer-term outcomes fragile.

A Brazil-based security researcher uncovered a counterfeit Ledger Nano S+ scheme that can steal seed phrases and drain funds across ~20 blockchains. The fake device was bought on a Chinese marketplace and shipped with custom malicious firmware plus a cloned or modified Ledger Live app. Once users enter their seed phrase during setup, the system exfiltrates the data immediately. The report also found plaintext capture of sensitive material (seeds and PINs) after a memory dump. Hardware indicators were critical: the counterfeit Ledger Nano S+ uses an ESP32-S3 chip instead of the genuine ST33 Secure Element, and chip markings were sanded to hide identification. The attackers also used deceptive app packaging across Android, Windows (.EXE), macOS (.DMG), and an iOS TestFlight build, with network-based data exfiltration. The “Genuine Check” can fail or be mimicked because supply-chain compromise may let counterfeit firmware replicate expected behavior—Ledger says only devices with its secret manufacturing key should verify. Where it’s sold matters for risk: the devices appear on third-party marketplaces (e.g., Amazon third-party sellers, eBay, Mercado Livre, JD, AliExpress), often at suspicious discounts. Red flags include pre-generated seed phrases and instructions to type a seed phrase into an app. The researcher is coordinating with Ledger’s Donjon for a full technical report after Ledger’s internal analysis. For traders, this is mainly an operational custody risk rather than a direct crypto price catalyst. Still, any mainstream coverage could temporarily pressure sentiment around hardware wallet security and user self-custody—impacting broad demand, not a single token’s fundamentals.

Ethereum NFT marketplace Foundation will shut down permanently after its planned acquisition by display-tech firm Blackdove collapsed. Foundation confirmed the outcome on April 15, 2026, saying Blackdove reversed the deal after concluding that building a proprietary marketplace better fit its strategy. Foundation processed about $230M in primary digital art sales since launching in 2020, but post-2021 demand faded, worsening liquidity for a niche, curated NFT marketplace. The shutdown adds to a broader contraction wave hitting NFT venues. For traders, the key operational details matter. Foundation’s CEO Kayvon Tehranian transferred ownership as part of the agreement and returned to oversee an orderly wind-down when the sale failed. Tehranian stressed that NFTs minted on the Foundation contract remain on-chain under collectors’ control, even though the frontend is gone. The team will continue IPFS pinning of media and metadata for one year and is building an unlisting/retrieval tool for items still listed in the Foundation marketplace smart contract. Notable early sales included Chris Torres’ Nyan Cat (~$600K) and Edward Snowden’s “Stay Free” (2,224 ETH). The Foundation NFT marketplace shut-down may further signal weaker Ethereum NFT liquidity and reduce venue-level activity, which can weigh on short-term sentiment around ETH NFT exposure while not changing core ETH on-chain fundamentals.

Exodus announced its wallet update with Ripple: native XRP Ledger (XRPL) support is now live. The integration lets users send and manage XRP directly from the wallet, upgrading Exodus from basic storage/trading to deeper XRPL network functionality. A major next step is Ripple USD (RLUSD). Exodus said it plans to add RLUSD support via the partnership, positioning RLUSD as the next regulated, dollar-pegged option for self-custody on XRPL. The article cites growth since RLUSD went live in late 2024, with market cap reaching about $1.48B. Broader signals also point to RLUSD utility: Bitrue has started accepting RLUSD as futures collateral, and Ripple is pursuing faster cross-border payments in Asia with SBI Ripple Asia and DSRV, where the XRP Ledger is explored as a settlement layer. For traders, the key catalyst is distribution and UX. More wallet-level XRPL access and upcoming RLUSD availability could lift everyday XRPL usage and support XRP demand, especially if rollout and liquidity improve.

Trump-brokered Israel–Lebanon ceasefire will start on Apr 17, 2026 after talks involving Trump, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. In crypto prediction markets, expectations that Israel suspends its Lebanon offensive by Apr 30 jumped to 96% (from 87% the prior day). Related contracts for May 31 and Jun 30 were also priced higher, at 98% and 98.4%. Trading shows a headline-driven spike: the “suspension of Lebanon offensive” market saw about $339,785 in USDC volume over 24 hours, with the largest one-off move (about +28 points) around 1:15 PM. Liquidity appears relatively thicker than earlier, implying broader participation. Key risk: this Trump-brokered ceasefire does not address Iran. The Strait of Hormuz remains a focus, and traders will watch for Hezbollah/IDF statements and further U.S. diplomatic updates. Any negotiation breakdown or renewed Hezbollah activity could quickly pull probabilities down.

Tether is injecting $127.5M into Drift Protocol, a Solana DEX hit by a reported $286M exploit on April 1. Drift will restart under a “USDT-first” settlement mandate, migrating its settlement layer from USDC to Tether’s USDT. To speed up recovery, Drift will issue transferable recovery tokens linked to a $295M reimbursement pool, aiming to let users exit faster than waiting for law-enforcement recoveries. Drift has also said its relaunch components will undergo full independent audits. The move has a clear competitive angle: making a flagship Solana venue USDT-led could help Tether win payment-rail and liquidity support, while increasing pressure on Circle’s USDC. Circle has argued it freezes USDC only under legal compulsion, and a class action alleges Circle failed to freeze stolen funds. Traders should also watch the broader stablecoin shift on Solana, where USDC dominance is reported to have fallen while USDT’s share has risen. If Drift’s pivot is followed by more apps and liquidity venues, it could alter stablecoin demand and on-chain fee flows across SOL.

On-chain data suggests Bitcoin whales are accelerating accumulation, with the biggest buys concentrated in the last four days. Santiment shows whales adding about 10,000 BTC (around $750m) in roughly four days, lifting whale holdings to 5.17m BTC (~$383.36b). This whale activity is aligning with renewed U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF demand, led by BlackRock’s IBIT. Over 30 days, whales are reported to have bought roughly 270,000 BTC—described as the largest 30-day buy since 2013. At the same time, Bitcoin exchange reserves have fallen to the lowest level since Dec 2017. CryptoQuant adds that exchange supply has dropped to a year-to-date low of about 2.68m BTC as withdrawals increase. Traders may see this as a supply squeeze that can tighten available sell-side liquidity. The key test is whether sustained Bitcoin whale buying can help BTC break and hold above the ~$75,000 resistance after this week’s rebound from around $65,000. Still, the articles flag fragility: macro/Fed expectations and inconsistent ETF/flow follow-through could keep Bitcoin range-bound even if the supply signal remains supportive.

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) has published a governance proposal covering 62.28B locked WLFI tokens. The plan reshapes vesting for insiders and early supporters, and introduces a potential 10% token burn for holders who opt in. Under the WLFI proposal, 45.24B tokens would move to a 2-year cliff followed by a 3-year linear vest. Opt-in holders must permanently burn 10% (up to about 4.52B WLFI) before the vesting schedule starts. Holders who do not accept would remain locked under existing rules indefinitely. A separate pool of 17.04B early supporter tokens would adopt a 2-year cliff plus a 2-year linear vest, with no burn requirement. WLFI says the covered tokens would stay tied to governance participation for at least two years after approval and acceptance. The announcement arrives amid renewed community scrutiny of WLFI token controls, after Tron founder Justin Sun alleged a blacklist-style risk that could restrict holders without notice. Despite the WLFI governance action, price remains weak, trading around $0.08126 near resistance (about $0.08510–$0.09226). Traders are watching support around $0.076–$0.078; a break could push toward $0.070. Key takeaway for traders: the market is likely to react to vote participation and sentiment around insider token burns, but near-term momentum still looks fragile, making WLFI event-risk elevated.

Drift Protocol says it will relaunch on Solana after its April 1 exploit that reportedly stole about $270M–$285M from vaults. Tether (USDT) and partners will provide nearly $150M to support a user recovery and restart plan, with USDT set as the settlement asset for the relaunch. The package includes a ~$100M revenue-linked credit facility, an ecosystem grant, and loans to designated market makers. A dedicated compensation pool is expected to be funded with about $127.5M from Tether, with additional recovery proceeds reportedly coming from law-enforcement and blockchain forensics. Before reopening, Drift will undergo independent audits by OtterSec and Asymmetric Research. It also plans a community-governed multisig with added signer-device and external verification steps. Drift will issue a new transferable token to distribute recovered assets, and more token mechanics will be shared later. For traders, the USDT-led relaunch framework could reduce uncertainty around DRIFT recovery, but post-hack security changes and the new distribution mechanism may keep short-term volatility elevated.

eToro buys Zengo: Bloomberg reports the retail broker will acquire self-custody wallet provider Zengo for $70M, mainly paid in cash. The deal gives eToro ownership of Zengo’s “keyless” multi-party computation (MPC) wallet infrastructure, splitting private-key control across multiple parties and reducing the single point of failure risk of traditional seed phrases. For traders, eToro buys Zengo because it shifts “access” to crypto toward “control” of custody tech. Zengo serves 2M+ users across 180+ countries and previously expanded via the acquisition of stablecoin wallet Minke. After closing, Zengo is expected to run as a standalone product initially, while eToro integrates the stack and development team. Near-term integration targets connecting eToro’s user base to DeFi-adjacent products such as prediction markets, perpetuals, and yield instruments. The move also highlights how regulated firms are competing for crypto growth by building or buying wallet and custody layers—similar to Charles Schwab’s recent launch of direct BTC/ETH trading for its brokerage accounts. Keywords: eToro buys Zengo, self-custody wallet, MPC wallet infrastructure, keyless custody, prediction markets, perpetuals, yield.

The Sentinel Action Fund and its affiliate Right Vote pledged $8M to support Republican Ohio Senate candidate Jon Husted ahead of the November 2026 midterms. The campaign frames Husted as a pro-crypto lawmaker and says the money will be used to help him keep the seat. The announcement ties Husted’s agenda to the GENIUS Act and to a pro-innovation federal approach for crypto regulation, arguing digital-asset technology can drive domestic growth rather than restrictive oversight. The earlier reporting adds that the Solana-backed effort is part of a wider pro-crypto fundraising wave: Sentinel already received $750k from the Solana Institute and $250k from Multicoin Capital, with additional signals that large Wall Street figures are also backing the broader strategy. New details in the later article broaden the coalition. It cites major donors and names “industry-to-Washington” alignment, including Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman and Fisher Investments chairman Kenneth Fisher. It also contrasts Husted with his Democratic predecessor Sherrod Brown, who has been skeptical on crypto and has pushed for tighter controls tied to sanctions evasion and illicit finance risks. Trader relevance: this is mainly a regulatory and sentiment catalyst (pro-crypto policy signaling) rather than an immediate, token-specific driver for SOL or USDT. Watch for follow-through in legislative tone and potential committee-level priorities as the 2026 race tightens.

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) investors are revolting against a governance plan that tightens a WLFI token lock-up into a mandatory four-year schedule. The proposal adds two years of extra locking for early participants, followed by another two years of staggered releases. The key flashpoint is enforcement: tokenholders who vote against or refuse the new WLFI token lock-up terms would face indefinite locking. Justin Sun, holding about a 4% stake, called the process “one of the most absurd governance scams,” arguing it is coercive because dissenters are penalised; he also claimed his own WLFI holdings were blocked, preventing him from voting. Simon Dedic of Moonrock Capital echoed “rugged” concerns, saying the timing effectively preserves insider control, potentially aligning liquidity release with a political term. WLFI price action also remains weak, around $0.08, flat on the day, and down sharply from its $0.33 September all-time high. Separately, traders are watching World Liberty Financial’s Dolomite collateral and lending exposure: it reportedly deposited $5B of WLFI to secure a $75M stablecoin loan. With Dolomite’s USD1 pool near full utilisation, other depositors reportedly faced withdrawal limits due to trapped liquidity. For traders, the WLFI token lock-up dispute raises near-term uncertainty around liquidity, governance legitimacy, and potential selling pressure if holders face indefinite freezes.

Tether added 951 BTC to its reserves on 14 April 2026, transferring the coins from Bitfinex to its dedicated reserve wallet. Arkham Intelligence recorded the on-chain transfer, valued at about $70M at execution. After the purchase, Tether’s total bitcoin reserves reached 97,141 BTC. Using a BTC spot price near $74,286–$74,721 (15 April 2026), the stash is worth roughly $7.2B, leaving Tether about 2,859 BTC short of a 100,000 BTC milestone. For traders, this is an on-chain, verifiable BTC accumulation by the USDT issuer. It can support bullish sentiment around Bitcoin supply dynamics and underlying capital flows for spot and derivatives positioning. However, it is not a direct change to USDT issuance/redemption policy, so the market impact is likely incremental rather than a regime shift. Keywords: Tether, BTC reserves, USDT, on-chain accumulation, Bitfinex.

BitMEX Research proposed a “canary fund” as an alternative to BIP-361 for quantum security. Under the BitMEX proposal, community BTC would be sent to a special bounty address where the private key is mathematically unknown, but the address remains valid. If someone spends the bounty, it would serve as public evidence that quantum decryption capable of stealing funds is now feasible. That trigger would activate protections via a soft fork and temporarily restrict activity from vulnerable legacy Bitcoin addresses. Compared with BIP-361’s timeline, which targets legacy wallets by blocking new deposits after three years and freezing unmigrated funds after five years, BitMEX frames its canary fund as a more measured, evidence-based approach. BitMEX also cites that about 34% of BTC supply is in addresses that have already exposed public keys on-chain, raising urgency around a potential “Q-Day.” The later coverage adds that Google research is referenced, suggesting required resources may drop sharply and pointing to a migration timeline around 2029. For traders, the canary fund may reduce near-term “freeze deadline” certainty versus BIP-361, but it can still create sharp repricing risk if the bounty is spent and markets infer legacy freezes could arrive quickly.

New Google and Caltech research suggests Bitcoin quantum security risk could arrive earlier than previously estimated, even though today’s quantum computers are still in labs. Blockstream CEO Adam Back said the threat should not trigger rushed emergency changes. Instead, he backs optional Bitcoin upgrades that let users gradually migrate to quantum-resistant cryptography, citing Liquid Network experiments with hash-based signatures and the flexibility of Taproot to support new signature methods. The urgency is the timeline. If quantum computers eventually break Bitcoin’s cryptography, an attacker could potentially access vulnerable wallets in minutes. Earlier estimates of 20–40 years are now questioned by the new findings. Community debate remains unresolved. BitMEX Research proposes a “canary fund” model: funds sent to a provably unspendable address (no private key held) would act as evidence that the crypto is cracked only if attackers can later move them. Separately, BIP-361 (proposed by Jameson Lopp) aims to freeze dormant balances on a fixed schedule to eliminate risk, but critics warn it could block access to legitimate assets. For traders, this is a long-horizon security narrative, yet it can still shift sentiment around Bitcoin infrastructure and upgrade expectations—especially if markets start pricing faster timelines for “quantum readiness.”