US court pauses state AGs' suit against SEC after agency’s leadership change
A US federal judge agreed to pause a lawsuit filed by 18 state attorney generals and the crypto lobby group DeFi Education Fund against the Securities and Exchange Commission after all parties said new SEC leadership could make the action moot.Kentucky District Court Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove ordered a 60-day stay on the case on April 16, noting a mid-March filing from the SEC that “this case could potentially be resolved” due to a leadership transition at the regulator.He added that the parties must file a joint status report within 30 days.Paul Atkins, a Wall Street adviser who has held board positions with crypto advocacy groups, was sworn in as the new SEC chair earlier this month, replacing acting chair Mark Uyeda and taking over from Gary Gensler.The 18 attorney generals, all hailing from Republican states, filed the lawsuit with the DeFi Education Fund against the securities regulator in November, alleging that the SEC exceeded its authority when targeting crypto exchanges with lawsuits, accusing the regulator and then-chair Gensler of “gross government overreach.” The plaintiffs included attorney generals from Nebraska, Tennessee, Wyoming, Kentucky, West Virginia, Iowa, Texas, Mississippi, Ohio, Montana, Indiana, Oklahoma and Florida, among others.“Without Congressional authorization, the SEC has sought to unilaterally wrest regulatory authority away from the States through an ongoing series of enforcement actions,” the lawsuit stated. Screenshot from filing ordering pause of proceedings. Source: CourtListenerDeFi groups drop case against IRS over killed broker ruleMeanwhile, the DeFi Education Fund, Blockchain Association, and Texas Blockchain Council dropped their lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service on April 16. “The parties hereby stipulate to voluntary dismissal of this action without prejudice because the case has become moot,” stated the filing. The lawsuit, filed in December, argued that the so-called IRS DeFi broker rule went beyond the agency’s authority and was unconstitutional.Related: NY attorney general urges Congress to keep pensions crypto-free — ‘No intrinsic value’On April 11, President Donald Trump signed a bill to revoke the rule that would have required DeFi protocols to report transactions to the IRS.It comes as the SEC has paused or dropped several high-profile lawsuits against crypto companies this year under its new leadership.Magazine: Illegal arcade disguised as … a fake Bitcoin mine? Soldier scams in China: Asia Express
Bitcoin US vs. offshore exchange ratio flashes bullish signal, hinting at BTC price highs in 2025
US-based crypto trading platforms regaining influence over Bitcoin’s (BTC) token transfer volumes could possibly kick-start a rally in the second half of 2025. Bitcoin researcher Axel Adler Jr pointed out that the “US vs. off-shore ratio,” which measures token transfer volumes between US-regulated and offshore exchanges, indicated a drop in dominance from US exchanges after BTC reached an all-time high in January. Bitcoin total transferred ratio chart (US vs off-shore). Source: X.comAs illustrated in the chart, a trend reversal is underway, which implies BTC transfer volumes on US exchanges are beginning to rise again, aligning with previous bull market rallies. A key technical indicator in the chart is the 90-day simple moving average (SMA) crossing above the 365-day SMA. Historically, this crossover has preceded major price rallies. For example, when this signal occurred at $60,000, Bitcoin began a rally within one week. This suggests a potential price surge may occur in the coming weeks.Likewise, verified onchain analyst Boris Vest said Bitcoin is still undervalued. In a quick take post on CryptoQuant, the analyst explained that Bitcoin exchange reserves have fallen to 2018 levels, with only 2.43 million BTC held on exchanges compared to 3.4 million in 2021, indicating long-term holding and reduced supply.The Bitcoin stablecoin supply ratio (SSR) at 14.3 highlighted that significant purchasing power remains, as the ratio is below 2021 levels. Boris said, “Since it hasn’t yet reached 2021 levels, we can say that Bitcoin still appears to be undervalued. This suggests the bull market and buying pressure are likely to continue.”Related: Why is Bitcoin price down today?Bitcoin flips key monthly indicator, opening a path to $90KMarkets analyst Dom highlighted that Bitcoin’s recent multimonth downtrend breakout coincides with BTC flipping the monthly VWAP into support for the first time since January. Bitcoin analysis by Dom. Source: X.comThe Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP) is a technical indicator that calculates the average price weighted by trading volume. Traders use VWAP to assess trend shifts, identify support or resistance, and gauge whether an asset is overbought or oversold. Dom said, “Bulls have successfully held both of these levels for 4 days now, something we haven’t seen in months. A move above yesterday’s high and I think BTC runs near 90k.”However, Alphractal founder João Wedson remained cautious with Bitcoin near $86,000. He explained that waiting for a pullback if Bitcoin breaks above this level is the right approach, or bearish control might prevail. This echoes Alphractal’s analysis of $86,300 as a key resistance zone with the potential of becoming a bull trap.Related: Bitcoin bulls ‘coming back’ as key metric on Binance flips to neutralThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Sony’s Soneium taps EigenLayer to cut finality to under 10 seconds
Soneium, a layer-2 (L2) blockchain network developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs, said it has slashed its blockchain finality time by over 98%, as it aims to solve one of the biggest challenges in blockchain scalability.Astar, a Japanese Web3 adoption collective bridging Astar Network and Soneium, announced a strategic partnership with AltLayer and EigenLayer to launch a “Fast Finality Layer” for Sony’s L2 blockchain.In blockchain settlement, finality is the assurance that a transaction is irreversible, which happens after it is added to a block on the blockchain ledger.The new finality layer provides a crypto-economic security guarantee through a decentralized network of validators to reduce the reliance on centralized sequencers and enable more secure crosschain interactions.Soneium, ALtLayer, EigenLayer partnership. Source: Astar NetworkThis could result in a sub-10-second transaction finality for Soneium, a 98% reduction from its initial 15-minute finality, which was achieved through Optimism’s OP Stack, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph.The new validator network will be secured by both restaked Ether (ETH) and Astar (ASTR) tokens.Reducing blockchain finality is key for enabling more advanced decentralized finance (DeFi) use cases and improving developer and user experience, since most solutions experience finality delays from 15 minutes to several days, according to Maarten Henskens, head of Astar Foundation.The new partnership is a “crucial step toward secure, high-speed, crosschain interoperability,” he told Cointelegraph, adding:“It’s a foundational improvement in UX and trust: users no longer need to wait or “double-check” if a transaction will be reversed, and developers can confidently build real-time, interactive applications without worrying about delayed finality.”“This milestone is just the beginning — and there’s a much larger story unfolding around how fast finality will reshape developer UX, DeFi, and crosschain experiences,” he added.L2s by blockchain finality time. Source: L2beat Arbitrum One is currently the fastest blockchain, with an average finality time of one minute, the same as Coinbase’s Base L2 network, both relying on optimistic rollups, L2beat data shows.Related: Crypto lending down 43% from 2021 highs, DeFi borrowing surges 959%Blockchain L2 finality a key bottleneck for adoptionSolving blockchain finality remains the biggest barrier to mainstream Web3 adoption, according to YQ Jia, CEO of AltLayer.“By combining EigenLayer’s restaking with MACH validation and support from Astar Network, we’re creating an infrastructure that offers the best of both worlds — Ethereum’s security guarantees with near-instant finality,” Jia said. “This is exactly the kind of solution needed to bring blockchain technology to mainstream adoption.”Related: Kraken rolls out ETF and stock access for US crypto tradersEigenLayer has sought to advance mainstream blockchain adoption since it launched.In February 2025, EigenLayer and blockchain protocol Cartesi launched a new initiative to find the next key prototype consumer application with new use cases that may bolster mainstream crypto adoption.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again
Bitcoin trader sees gold 'blow-off top' as XAU nears new $3.3K record
Bitcoin (BTC) faces an uphill struggle as a safe haven in 2025 as gold fund inflows circle $80 billion.Data from Bank of America (BoA) uploaded to X by trading resource The Kobeissi Letter on April 15 confirms gold’s “best streak” since 2013.Gold beats records as Bitcoin ETFs slumpAs the US trade war sees investors flee to gold, Bitcoin has lost the limelight as a hedge against macroeconomic volatility.BoA figures show inflows to gold funds beating records, with data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView capturing new all-time highs for XAU/USD near $3,300 per ounce on April 16.“Gold fund net inflows have hit a record $80 BILLION year-to-date. This is 2 TIMES more than the previous high set in the full year 2020,” Kobeissi noted. “Investors are pouring money into gold at a record pace as the market uncertainty has skyrocketed. As a result, gold prices have rallied 22% year-to-date and have outperformed every other major asset class.”Gold fund flows chart. Source: The Kobeissi Letter/XBTC price action, by contrast, paints a very different picture. Despite the appearance of the US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and growing global integration, BTC/USD reached five-month lows earlier in April.Data from onchain analytics platform Glassnode calculates that the ETFs’ combined assets under management fell from $106 billion at the start of the year to $92 billion this week.“Gold prices have also hit 52 all-time highs over the last year, posting the best streak in 12 years,” Kobeissi concluded. “Gold is the global safe haven.”US spot Bitcoin ETF balances. Source: GlassnodeGold “terminal top” meets Bitcoin bullsDespite its repeated new records, however, market commentators already see gold’s unprecedented upside coming to an end.Related: Can 3-month Bitcoin RSI highs counter bearish BTC price ‘seasonality?’Addressing the topic on X this week, veteran trader Peter Brandt called a “blow-off top” on XAU/USD.“Gold has now entered its blow-off stage,” he summarized. “Such rapid advancement will come to a terminal top, but attempting to pick a high can be very expensive. Blow off tops can extend well beyond a bear’s ability to meet margin calls.”XAU/USD 1-day chart. Source: Peter Brandt/XA gold comedown may well leave room for Bitcoin to catch up, per a popular theory that says that BTC/USD copies gold trends with a delay of several months.Great chart from my Partner, David Foley.Shows how Gold moves first, Bitcoin follows harder. Scale different for each.@DAAF17 pic.twitter.com/jHMe6apewj— Lawrence Lepard (@LawrenceLepard) April 13, 2025“Nobody really knows why that happens,” Professional Capital Management founder and CEO Anthony Pompliano told CNBC on April 15.Pompliano suggested that traditional financial entities were either unauthorized or simply “not used” to the idea of Bitcoin as protection against macro uncertainty.“What we do see though is that when gold runs, about 100 days later or so, Bitcoin not only catches up; it usually runs much harder, and so you get that higher volatility,” he said.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
UK lawmaker’s X account hacked to boost scam ‘House of Commons Coin’
The X account of UK member of Parliament and Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, was hacked to promote a scam crypto token.In a series of now-deleted posts on April 15, Powell’s X account shared links to a token called the House of Commons Coin (HOC), describing it as “a community driven digital currency.”Source: Daniel GreenA member of Powell’s staff confirmed to the BBC that the account had been hacked and that “steps were taken quickly to secure the account and remove misleading posts.”DEX Screener shows the HOC token saw limited interest from would-be investors, achieving a peak market cap of just over $24,000 shortly after the posts from Powell’s account.The token has seen a total of 736 transactions and a trading volume of just $71,000.While Powell hasn’t promoted a cryptocurrency before, it isn’t unheard of for political figures to back real crypto tokens.US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump both launched and promoted memecoins days before they entered the White House, sparking criticism from the president’s political rivals and even some supporters.Argentine President Javier Melei also promoted a token called LIBRA, which quickly crashed in value and has caused a political scandal in Argentina and calls for a probe into Melei’s involvement with the token.Powell’s account hack follows similar attack on Ghana’s presidentIn March, the X account of Ghana’s President John Mahama saw a similar breach, with attackers taking over his account for 48 hours to promote a scam cryptocurrency called Solanafrica.The Ghanaian president’s X account was hacked in March 2025. Source: CrediRates Related: UK trade bodies ask government to make crypto a ‘strategic priority’The scammers made similar crypto-promoting posts to Mahama’s 2.4 million followers, claiming that the scam project was “making payments fast and free across the continent with support from Solana and the Bank of Ghana.”The president’s team regained control of Mahama’s X account two days later. His spokesman, Kwakye Ofosu, told the AFP that the account “has now been fully restored, and we urge the public to disregard any suspicious cryptocurrency-related posts from the handle.”Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research
Bitcoin price recovery could be capped at $90K — Here’s why
After consecutive drawdowns of 17.39% and 2.3% in February and March, Bitcoin’s (BTC) Q2 is shaping up nicely, with a return of 3.77% in April. While fresh yearly lows were formed at $74,500, BTC is currently closer to $90,000 than its new range bottom. Bitcoin 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewBitcoin’s higher time frame (HTF) market structure has achieved its first breakout of 2025, fueling optimism among bulls for significant upward momentum. However, the following factors could limit BTC’s gains over the next two weeks, likely capping its price at around $90,000.Related: Can 3-month Bitcoin RSI highs counter bearish BTC price ‘seasonality?’Bitcoin needs spot volume, not just leverage-drivenCointelegraph identified a cooldown period in the futures market as the BTC-USDT futures leverage ratio dropped by 50%. De-leveraging in the futures market is a positive development over the long term, but derivatives traders have taken control of the market at the time as well. Bitcoin cumulative net take volume. Source: X.comBitcoin researcher Axel Adler Jr. pointed out that Bitcoin’s cumulative net taker volume spiked to $800 million on April 11, hinting at a surge in aggressive buying. BTC price also jumped from $78,000 to $85,000 within three days, confirming previous historical patterns where high net take volume triggers price rallies. Likewise, Maartunn, a community analyst at CryptoQuant, confirmed that the current rally is a “leverage-driven pump.” The discrepancy arises because retail or spot traders are still not as relevant.Bitcoin 30-day apparent demand. Source: CryptoQuantAs illustrated in the chart, Bitcoin apparent demand is on a recovery path, but it is not net positive yet. Historically, 30-day apparent demand can move sideways for a prolonged period after BTC reaches a local bottom, leading to a sideways chop for the crypto. Thus, it is less likely that Bitcoin could breach $90,000 in the first attempt after dropping close to 20% until there is collective buying pressure from both spot and futures markets.Large liquidation clusters between $80-$90K may bait tradersWith futures traders positioning in either direction, data from CoinGlass highlighted significant cumulative long and short liquidation leverage between $80,000 and $90,000. Taking $85,100 at the base price, total cumulative short positions at risk of liquidation are at $6.5 billion if BTC price hits $90,035. Bitcoin exchange liquidation map. Source: CoinGlassOn the other hand, $4.86 billion in long orders will be wiped out if BTC drops to $80,071. While liquidation clusters do not determine directional bias, they can create long or short squeezes, baiting traders on either side of respective trades. With such high capital at risk under $90,000, it is possible that Bitcoin may target each cluster before moving toward the dominant side. Related: Bitcoin traders target $90K as apparent tariff exemptions ease US Treasury yieldsThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Crypto exec warns of ‘ELUSIVE COMET’ threat after losing 75% of assets
The chief executive of non-fungible token platform Emblem Vault is warning X users to be wary of the video meeting app Zoom after a nefarious threat actor known as “ELUSIVE COMET” recently stole over $100,000 of his personal assets. On April 11, Emblem Vault CEO, podcaster and NFT collector Jake Gallen said on X that he had been battling a “complete computer compromise” that ended up with a loss of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) assets from different wallets. “Unfortunately, this led to $100k+ in purchased digital assets being lost,” he said. Days later, Gallen said he had been working with cybersecurity firm The Security Alliance (SEAL) to track an ongoing campaign against crypto users by a threat actor identified as “ELUSIVE COMET.”Gallen said the scam was facilitated over the video conference platform Zoom, which resulted in his crypto wallet being drained. “We were able to retrieve a malware file that was installed on my computer during a Zoom call with a YouTube personality of over 90k subs,” said Gallen on April 14. The malicious actor “employs sophisticated social engineering tactics with the goal of inducing victims into installing malware and ultimately stealing their crypto,” SEAL reported in late March.Source: Jake GallenGallen said he’d arranged an interview after being contacted by a verified X account with 26,000 followers that claims to be the founder and CEO of a crypto mining platform. However, during the interview, the X user left their screen switched off while Gallen’s was on. During the call, Gallen was tricked into enabling the installation of malware called “GOOPDATE,” which stole credentials and accessed his crypto wallets. Cointelegraph reached out to the X account for comment. Zoom remote access threat“For this scam to take place, it’s said that the guest of the Zoom video call allows remote access to the host of the call, which is a requestable feature that is DEFAULT ON for every Zoom account,” said Gallen.NFT collector Leonidas confirmed the default settings and advised those in the crypto industry to prevent remote access. “If you don’t do this, anybody who is on a Zoom call with your employees can take over their entire computer by default,” he said. Source: LeonidasSEAL security researcher Samczsun told Cointelegraph that Zoom, by default, allows meeting participants to request remote control access. “At this point in time we believe the victim still needs to be social engineered into granting access,” they said. Cointelegraph reached out to Zoom for comments but did not receive an immediate response. Related: Crypto founders report deluge of North Korean fake Zoom hacking attemptsGallen also stated that the hackers accessed his Ledger wallet even though he had only logged in a few times over the three years and had never written the password down anywhere digitally. They also hacked his X account in an attempt to lure in other victims through private messages. SEAL reported that ELUSIVE COMET is known to operate Aureon Capital, which claims to be a legitimate venture capital firm. The threat actor is responsible for “millions of dollars in stolen funds” and poses a significant risk to users due to their “carefully engineered backstory,” the firm noted. Samczsun advised users who have interacted with Aureon Capital to contact SEAL’s emergency hotline on Telegram. Magazine: Bitcoin eyes $100K by June, Shaq to settle NFT lawsuit, and more: Hodler’s Digest
Crypto lending down 43% from 2021 highs, DeFi borrowing surges 959%
The crypto lending market’s size remains significantly down from its $64 billion high, but decentralized finance (DeFi) borrowing has made a more than 900% recovery from bear market lows.Crypto lending enables borrowers to use their crypto holdings as collateral to obtain a crypto or fiat loan, while lenders can loan their holdings to generate interest.The crypto lending market is down over 43%, from its all-time high of $64.4 billion in 2021 to $36.5 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a Galaxy Digital research report published on April 14.“The decline can be attributed to the decimation of lenders on the supply side and funds, individuals, and corporate entities on the demand side,” according to Zack Pokorny, research associate at Galaxy Digital.Crypto lending key events. Source: Galaxy ResearchThe decline in the crypto lending market started in 2022 when centralized finance (CeFi) lenders Genesis, Celsius Network, BlockFi and Voyager filed for bankruptcy within two years as crypto valuations fell.Their collective downfall led to an estimated 78% collapse in the size of the lending market, with CeFi lending losing 82% of its open borrows, according to the report.While the overall value of the crypto lending market has yet to reach its previous highs, DeFi lending has made a significant recovery according to some metrics.Related: Trump kills DeFi broker rule in major crypto win: Finance RedefinedDeFi borrows grow nearly 10-foldThe crypto lending market found its bottom at $1.8 billion in open borrows during the bear market in the fourth quarter of 2022.However, DeFi open borrows rose to $19.1 billion across 20 lending applications and 12 blockchains by the end of 2024, representing a 959% increase over the eight quarters from the 2022 market bottom.“DeFi borrowing has experienced a stronger recovery than that of CeFi lending,” wrote Galaxy Digital’s research associate, Pokorny, adding:“This can be attributed to the permissionless nature of blockchain-based applications and the survival of lending applications through the bear market chaos that felled major CeFi lenders.”“Unlike the largest CeFi lenders that went bankrupt and no longer operate, the largest lending applications and markets were not all forced to close and continued to function,” he added.Related: Google to enforce MiCA rules for crypto ads in Europe starting April 23Outstanding CeFi borrows are worth a collective $11.2 billion, which is 68% lower compared to the peak $34.8 billion combined book size of the CeFi lenders achieved in 2022.CeFi Lending Market Size by Quarter End. Source: Galaxy ResearchThe three largest CeFi lenders, Tether, Galaxy and Ledn, account for a combined 88.6% of the total CeFi lending market and 27% of the total crypto lending market.Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research
What happens to a blockchain when nobody uses it?
Why some blockchains die Blockchains can die from flawed tokenomics, scams, security issues or lack of community and development momentum. Without active participation, even cutting-edge technology gathers dust.Ever heard of a blockchain that no one uses? It happens more often than you think. While the cryptocurrency space is full of innovation, but not every blockchain finds its tribe. Some are ghost towns with zero transactions, no developers and just a handful of holders stuck with worthless tokens. So, what makes a blockchain go quiet? And can they ever come back to life?Not all blockchains are built to last. Some blockchains, like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana, have survived harsh market conditions, proving their resilience. Terra, however, plummeted from top-tier status to near oblivion in 2022 after its algorithmic stablecoin imploded. Even well-intentioned projects can fail. Without ongoing development, user incentives or a strong community, blockchains can become unusable. Once the validators stop running nodes, the network effectively turns into a broken time capsule. Blockchain adoption challenges in 2025 Blockchain adoption in 2025 still faces hurdles like unclear regulation, fragmented developer tooling, infrastructure gaps and the struggle to attract real users over bots despite some chains like Ethereum and Solana paving the way forward.Regulatory uncertainty is one of the biggest roadblocks. Governments are still figuring out how to regulate crypto, and inconsistent or overly restrictive rules can strangle innovation before it takes root. Beyond policy, a thriving developer ecosystem is non-negotiable. Jumping between languages such as Solidity, Rust and Move-based systems demands versatility, and not every blockchain can lure the talent it needs to grow.Then there’s the user problem — chains are overrun with bots chasing airdrops instead of real people engaging with the tech. Without authentic activity, a network’s bustling metrics are just smoke and mirrors.Infrastructure is another major hurdle. Strong blockchains need robust tooling, high-quality remote procedure call (RPC) services and a decentralized validator set that ensures uptime and security. In the context of blockchains, RPC services refer to a mechanism that allows applications (like wallets, DApps or developer tools) to communicate with a blockchain network remotely. On top of that, a thriving blockchain must rally a strong community of users, builders and commentators who genuinely believe in its long-term success. Handling fear, uncertainty and doubt, or FUD, credibly is another test, especially when negative narratives arise; how a blockchain ecosystem responds can make or break trust. Keeping user loyalty while maintaining a sense of novelty is a delicate balance. Ethereum has mastered this across multiple market cycles, evolving while retaining its core developer and user base. Since the FTX collapse in 2022, Solana has demonstrated resilience, overcoming reputational damage to rebuild its ecosystem, attract developers, and drive real usage through improvements in speed, efficiency and community support.Did you know? Blockchain nodes expose RPC endpoints (often via HTTP or WebSocket protocols) that handle these requests. For example, when you use a decentralized app (DApp) on Ethereum, it might connect to an RPC service like Infura or Alchemy to fetch data or broadcast transactions. What blockchains are still active in 2025? As of April 2025, Ethereum, Solana, Bitcoin, BNB Chain, Polkadot, Near, Sui and Tron stand out as active blockchains, each excelling in distinct niches — DApps, speed, value storage, affordability, interoperability or scalability. Active chains show daily user engagement, developer momentum and sustained transaction volume, while inactive ones become digital graveyards.Not all blockchains are dead, but not all are thriving, either. Below are the insights into the standout survivors shaping the crypto landscape as of April 2025:Bitcoin: Bitcoin focuses on value storage, with a $1.636-trillion market capitalization on April 6, 2025, and regular transactions. The 2024 Bitcoin halving and approvals of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) keep it relevant. About 960 developers work on scalability, like Lightning Network, despite limited smart contract features.Ethereum: It powers decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and DApps, processing millions of daily transactions via layer 2s like Arbitrum as of April 2025. It had over 5,900 monthly active developers in June 2023. High total value locked (TVL) persists, though gas fees are a challenge without layer 2s.Solana: According to DefiLlama, Solana’s daily active addresses reached 3.68 million as of April 8, 2025. The surge is likely supported by its fast transactions and low fees. After the 2022 FTX dip, it recovered, supporting gaming and DeFi. It had over 1,400 developers in June 2023, with past outages noted as a concern. Also, the TRUMP token’s crash in March 2025, dropping over 85% from its January peak, strained Solana’s momentum.BNB Chain: Binance’s BNB Chain has 1.93 million daily users as of April 1, 2025, with affordable transactions. It shows notable TVL and volume, mainly in DeFi and gaming, though its centralized nature is debated.Polkadot: Polkadot connects blockchains, with over 1,900 developers in June 2023 working on interoperability. It supports multiple parachains, with moderate but growing activity as of April 2025, though it’s less accessible to casual users.Near Protocol: Near logs 3.18 million daily addresses as of April 1, 2025, using sharding for scalability. It supports DeFi and gaming, with developer tools aiding growth, but it’s still proving itself against larger chains.Sui: Sui, with 2.46 million daily users as of April 1, 2025, uses an object-oriented model for speed. Active in DeFi and gaming, it’s newer and lacks the ecosystem depth of older networks.Tron: Tron has 2.45 million daily addresses as of April 1, 2025, focusing on stablecoin transfers like Tether USDt (USDT). It handles high throughput but has limited DApp variety compared to others.Inactive chains like EOS and Terra, impacted by governance or collapse, contrast with the above blockchains. So, a blockchain’s success hinges on its daily activity. How many people are actually transacting on a blockchain every day? Are developers still building new DApps? Is there any meaningful transaction volume? If the answer to these questions is “not much,” the chain might be on its way to becoming a digital graveyard.Did you know? According to Santiment, the top five Ethereum-based cryptocurrencies by development activity in March 2025 were Chainlink (LINK), Starknet (STRK), Ether (ETH), EigenLayer (EIGEN) and Fuel Network (FUEL). This ranking reflects the volume of development work, a key indicator of potential growth and innovation in the crypto market. Blockchains that faded: What went wrong? Blockchains like EOS and Terra teach us that hype isn’t enough. A blockchain needs real utility, trust and continuous innovation to survive.Cases like EOS and Terra show that initial excitement isn’t enough to sustain a blockchain. Long-term survival seems tied to practical utility, trust and ongoing development rather than just hype.Some blockchains started with potential but struggled to maintain traction. EOS, once called an “Ethereum killer,” raised $4 billion in its 2017 initial coin offering (ICO). By 2025, it saw minimal use, affected by governance challenges and low adoption. Terra and its LUNA token faced a steeper drop in 2022 when its algorithmic stablecoin unraveled, erasing billions in value.These examples suggest hype alone doesn’t ensure staying power — blockchains appear to need real use cases, solid security and active evolution.Community often marks the divide between a blockchain that endures and one that fades. Ethereum has weathered multiple downturns, supported by a large developer base and active users. Developers building DApps draw in users, creating a cycle of growth. Validators and stakers enhance trust, boosting liquidity. Without this participation, even technically advanced chains struggle to remain relevant. How to spot a living blockchain Metrics like transaction volume, TVL, developer activity and validator count are essential signs of whether a blockchain is alive and trusted.How can you tell if a blockchain is healthy? Transaction velocity and volume are major signs. A strong, active blockchain sees consistent transactions, while low activity is a red flag. Total value locked (TVL) is another critical metric because if DeFi users trust a chain, they’ll lock funds into its protocols. A declining TVL suggests that users are leaving. Developer activity is also crucial. Are new projects launching? Is there ongoing development? A stagnant developer ecosystem often signals trouble. Validator and node count matter, too. A high number of validators shows decentralization and network security. And finally, liquidity and the onchain economy play a big role. If liquidity is drying up, so is the chain’s future.Developers and founding teams move across blockchains if they can’t scale from where they are originally based. It comes with a cost, often to rebuild skills and user base. But multiple projects moving out of a chain can indicate a bearish trend for the chain, and vice versa could also be true.For example, on April 3, 2025, the gaming project Infecteddotfun announced that it was shifting from Base to Solana due to scaling struggles. The project’s viral speculative simulation game drew 130,000 signups in 48 hours, overwhelming Base with transaction demand, spiking gas prices and halting gameplay. The team pointed to Ethereum Virtual Machine chain limitations, favoring Solana’s user-centric culture and robust user base. What brings a blockchain back to life? Inactive chains can return if they find compelling use cases, have a strong community, offer strong incentives, or evolve into new forms like layer-2 solutions.So, can a dead blockchain come back to life? Sometimes. The key is finding a reason for people to return. A new use case can revive interest, especially if it solves a real problem. Protocol upgrades that improve scalability, fees or interoperability can also rekindle activity. Strong incentives, such as grants, airdrops or liquidity rewards, can attract developers and users back to a network. In some cases, struggling projects pivot into layer-2 solutions or merge with more active ecosystems to stay relevant.But most of all, a thriving community that has a high conviction on the future of a chain can lead to its resurgence from the worst. Solana’s rise from the FTX debacle due to a committed community is a case study in that respect.The blockchain world moves fast. Some networks thrive, and some fade into obscurity. The ones that last are those with strong community support, real-world utility and continuous innovation. If a blockchain is silent today, it doesn’t mean it’s gone forever, but reviving it takes more than just wishful thinking.
US Social Security moves public comms to X amid DOGE-led job cuts — Report
The US Social Security Administration (SSA) will move all public communications to the X social media platform amid sweeping workforce cuts recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by X owner Elon Musk. According to anonymous sources who spoke with WIRED, the government agency will no longer issue its customary letters and press releases to communicate changes to the public, instead relying on X as its primary form of public-facing communication. The shift comes as the SSA downsizes its workforce from 57,000 employees to roughly 50,000 to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. The agency issued this statement in February 2025:“SSA has operated with a regional structure consisting of 10 offices, which is no longer sustainable. The agency will reduce the regional structure in all agency components down to four regions. The organizational structure at Headquarters also is outdated and inefficient.”Elon Musk, the head of DOGE, has accused the Social Security system of distributing billions of dollars in wrongful payments, a claim echoed by the White House. Musk’s comments sparked intense debate about the future of the retirement program and sustainable government spending.Source: Elon MuskRelated: Musk says he found ‘magic money computers’ printing money ‘out of thin air’DOGE targets US government agencies in efficiency pushThe Department of Government Efficiency is an unofficial government agency tasked with identifying and curbing allegedly wasteful public spending through budget and personnel cuts.In March, DOGE began probing the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and gained access to its internal systems, including data repositories.SEC officials signaled their cooperation with DOGE and said the regulatory agency would work closely with it to provide any relevant information requested.Musk and Trump discuss curbing public spending and eliminating government waste. Source: The White houseDOGE also proposed slashing the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) workforce by 20%. The workforce reduction could impact up to 6,800 IRS employees and be implemented by May 15 — exactly one month after 2024 federal taxes are due.Musk’s and the DOGE’s proposals for sweeping spending cuts are not limited to slashing budgets and reducing the size of the federal workforce.DOGE is reportedly exploring blockchain to curb public spending by placing the entire government budget onchain to promote accountability and transparency.Magazine: Elon Musk’s plan to run government on blockchain faces uphill battle