Stablecoins' dominance due to limitations of US banking β Jerald David
Stablecoins rose to popularity as a result of limitations in the US financial system — particularly restricted banking hours and the lack of a non-USD trading pair, according to Jerald David, president of Arca Labs. “So we start thinking about the reason why, we start talking about the nine-to-five banking hours,” David said during a panel at TokenizeThis 2025 event on April 16.The panel discussion centered on yieldcoins or, essentially, the rising of cryptocurrencies that can generate yield through holding, staking or lending, like stablecoins. “Well, nine-to-five banking hours don’t work, right? There are implementations right now of payment systems that are going to come to market very soon, that are a good combination of both yield-bearing instruments as well as stabletokens,” David said. According to David, the need for stablecoins stems from the fact that the traditional US banking infrastructure doesn’t support round-the-clock transactions. “And this industry, as we all know, is a 24-hour industry.”KYC for stablecoins Know Your Customer procedures were a significant topic at the panel. One representative from Figure Markets said that everyone who owns a yield-bearing stablecoin would have to be KYC-ed for tax reasons.But David pointed out that stablecoins have several use cases beyond yield generation, including payments. “Using this stable token to buy a cup of coffee is not something that really should require AML or KYC for somebody.”Nick Carmi, head of exchange at Figure Markets, suggested that part of the solution could be a trust-based KYC system that allows users to carry their credentials across platforms. KYC is a process used by financial institutions to verify a user’s identity. It’s meant to prevent fraud, money laundering, and other illegal activities by ensuring users are who they claim to be.Currently, users must complete separate KYC checks for each financial institution or service they use, creating friction and frustration — especially for those navigating multiple platforms or exploring different crypto ecosystems.Magazine: Bitcoin payments are being undermined by centralized stablecoins
SEC's next roundtable to discuss crypto custody with insiders
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced industry insiders from Kraken, Exodus, Anchorage Digital, and others would be participating in its crypto task force’s roundtable discussion on custody.In an April 16 notice, the SEC said commissioners Hester Peirce and Caroline Crenshaw, acting chair Mark Uyeda and crypto task force Chief of Staff Richard Gabbert will sit down with Mark Greenberg, crypto exchange Kraken’s vice president of consumer business and product, Anchorage Digital Bank’s Chief Risk Officer Rachel Anderika and Exodus Chief Legal Officer Veronica McGregor. Other representatives will include those from WisdomTree, Fidelity Digital Asset Services, and Fireblocks.“It is important for the SEC to grapple with custody issues, which are some of the most challenging as we seek to integrate crypto assets into our regulatory structure,” said Peirce, who heads the SEC task force.Notably, Uyeda was listed as acting chair of the commission at the April 25 event, despite the US Senate confirming that Paul Atkins would head the regulatory body on April 9. It’s unclear when Atkins will be sworn in as SEC chair, but at the time of publication, the regulator had not listed him as a current commissioner.Related: US gov’t actions give clue about upcoming crypto regulationAmong the topics listed on the roundtable’s agenda are discussions on broker-dealers and custody at investment firms. Demand for digital asset custody in the US has grown in the last few years, especially following the approval of crypto exchange-traded funds in January 2024. The trend has also drawn in traditional financial institutions, including long-standing firms such as BNY Mellon.Since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January and the departure of former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, the agency has seemingly moved in a direction more favorable to the crypto industry by abandoning certain enforcement actions and dismissing efforts in court to expand or maintain its authority over digital assets.The first of the crypto task force’s roundtable events on March 21 dealt with the status of many tokens as securities. Another on April 11 included discussions on “tailoring regulation for crypto trading.”Is DOGE infiltrating the SEC?The roundtable discussions come as reports suggested the “government efficiency” team launched by Tesla CEO and presidential adviser Elon Musk had been given access to the SEC’s systems and data. Acting chair Uyeda has reportedly pushed back on requests by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE – which is not an official US government department — to access SEC data.DOGE faces criticism and some lawsuits over attempts to fire staff at US government agencies. It’s unclear whether Musk intends to “streamline” the SEC in the same way the group went after the US Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set
Solana price is up 36% from its crypto market crash lows β Is $180 SOL the next stop?
Solana’s native token SOL (SOL) failed to maintain its bullish momentum after reaching the $134 level on April 14, but an assortment of data points suggest that the altcoin’s rally is not over. SOL price is currently 57% down from its all-time high, partially due to a sharp decline in its DApps activity, but some analysts cite the growth in deposits on the Solana network as a catalyst for sustained price upside in the short term.Blockchains ranked by total value locked, USD. Source: DefiLlamaSolana has established itself as the second-largest blockchain by total value locked (TVL), with $6.9 billion. After gaining 12% over the seven days ending April 16, Solana has pulled ahead of competitors such as Tron, Base, and Berachain. Positive signs include a 30% increase in deposits on Sanctum, a liquid staking application, and 20% growth on Jito and Jupiter.Solana’s DEX volume surpasses Ethereum layer-2sOne could argue that Solana’s TVL roughly matches the Ethereum layer-2 ecosystem in deposits. However, this comparison overlooks Solana’s strong position in decentralized exchange (DEX) volumes. For example, in the seven days ending April 16, trading activity on Solana DApps totaled $15.8 billion, exceeding the combined volume of Ethereum scaling solutions by more than 50% during the same period.Blockchains ranked by 7-day DEX volumes, USD. Source: DefiLlamaSolana reclaimed the top spot in DEX activity, surpassing Ethereum after a 16% gain over seven days. This was supported by a 44% increase in volume on Pump-fun and a 28% rise on Raydium. In contrast, volumes declined on the three largest Ethereum DApps—Uniswap, Fluid, and Curve Finance. A similar trend occurred on BNB Chain, where PancakeSwap, Four-Meme, and DODO saw reduced volumes compared to the previous week.It would be unfair to measure Solana’s growth only by DEX performance, as other DApps handle much smaller volumes. For example, Ondo Finance tokenized a total of $250 million worth of assets on the Solana network. Meanwhile, Exponent, a yield farm protocol, doubled its TVL over the past 30 days. Similarly, the yield aggregator platform Synatra experienced a 43% jump in TVL during the past week.Synatra DApp screenshot. Source: CointelegraphAnalysts are confident that a Solana spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) will be approved in the United States in 2025. However, expectations for significant inflows are limited due to a general lack of interest from institutional investors and the recent poor performance of similar Ethereum ETF instruments. If the spot ETF is approved, it could strengthen Solana’s presence—especially if the US government’s Digital Asset Stockpile plans come to fruition.Related: Real estate fintech Janover doubles Solana holdings with $10.5M buyInvestors are eagerly awaiting the full audit of US federal agencies’ crypto holdings, initially expected by April 7. However, after missing this deadline, some journalists suggest that the executive order signed on March 7 did not require the findings to be made public. Regardless of whether SOL appears on that list, there are currently no plans from the government to acquire cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin (BTC).Currently, there are few catalysts to justify a rally to $180, a level last seen 45 days ago on March 2. Without external factors causing a large influx of new participants into the crypto ecosystem, the increase in TVL and DEX market share alone is unlikely to push SOL’s price to outperform the broader market.This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
Public mining firms sold over 40% of their BTC in March β Report
Publicly listed Bitcoin miners sold over 40% of the collective coins mined in March, representing the largest monthly BTC liquidation for mining firms since October 2024 and reversing the post-halving trend of accumulating Bitcoin (BTC) for a corporate treasury strategy, according to TheMinerMag, which screened data from 15 publicly traded mining companies.The increased liquidations come amid widespread macroeconomic uncertainty in financial markets and the business sector, likely signaling that companies are selling their BTC to reduce shortfalls caused by the current economic climate.Mining firms offloading BTC to cover operational expenses contributes to selling pressure on the cryptocurrency, which can result in a price volatility. According to CoinGlass, Bitcoin posted a 2.3% loss in March, following a 17.39% correction the previous month. Related: CleanSpark to start selling Bitcoin in ‘self-funding’ pivotMiners struggle amid macroeconomic turmoil High costs, operational hurdles, and fierce competitiveness within the Bitcoin mining industry are amplified by the effects of a trade war on businesses, financial markets, and global supply chains.Kristian Csepcsar, chief marketing officer at BTC mining service provider Braiins, recently told Cointelegraph that producing all of the hardware components used for mining BTC in the United States is not possible.US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies will impact all aspects of the supply chain, making components and business-to-business services more expensive, eroding miner profitability, Csepcsar said.Trump’s threats of taxing energy imports also added to the uncertainty facing some US-based mining firms, as energy costs are a critical input in determining profit margins for miners.Hashlabs CEO Jaran Mellerud predicted that higher costs from trade tensions may benefit mining firms outside the US as hardware manufacturers and resellers offload equipment originally meant for US customers to other jurisdictions at lower prices.”Importing machines to the US will now cost at least 24% more compared to tariff-free countries like Finland,” Mellerud wrote in an April 8 X post.The executive concluded that mining Bitcoin in the US will become economically unfeasible if 24% tariffs are levied on mining components. Mellerud also predicted US firms would gradually lose market share as a result of the tariffs.Magazine: AI may already use more power than Bitcoin — and it threatens Bitcoin mining
Bitcoin rally to $86K shows investor confidence, but itβs too early to confirm a trend reversal
Bitcoin (BTC) remains under pressure as macroeconomic uncertainty continues to weigh on its price action. After making a strong bounce from the local bottom near $75,000 on April 7 and 9, analysts are beginning to question whether BTC could be gearing up for a reversal of the downward trend that’s persisted since the start of the year.BTC/USD 1-day, RSI 1-week. Source: Marie Poteriaieva, TradingViewFor some, like the veteran trader Peter Brandt, this trendline is nothing but hopium. As he noted in his X post,“Of all chart construction, trendlines are the LEAST significant. A trendline violation does NOT signify a transition of the BTC trend. Sorry.”Others, however, see more reason for cautious optimism. Analyst Kevin Svenson highlighted a possible weekly RSI breakout, pointing out that “Once confirmed, weekly RSI breakout signals have proven to be among the most reliable macro breakout indicators.” Ultimately, price is driven by supply and demand—and while both sides of the equation are beginning to show subtle signs of recovery, they are yet to reach the levels needed for a proper breakout. Furthermore, the bulls must cut through a dense sell wall near $86,000 to confirm the reversal. Bitcoin demand — Are there early signs of recovery?According to CryptoQuant, Bitcoin’s apparent demand — measured by the 30-day net difference between exchange inflows and outflows — is showing early signs of recovery after a sustained dip into negative territory.However, the analysts caution against prematurely declaring a trend reversal. Looking back to the 2021 cycle peak, similar conditions occurred: demand remained low or negative for months, prices temporarily stabilized or rebounded, and true structural recovery only followed extended consolidation. This current uptick in demand may simply mark a pause in selling pressure—not a definitive bottom sign. Time and confirmation are still needed to confirm a shifting momentum.Bitcoin: apparent demand. Source: CryptoQuantFrom a trader’s perspective, the apparent demand metric does not look optimistic just yet. Bitcoin daily trade volumes currently hover around 30,000 BTC (spot) and 400,000 BTC (derivatives), according to CryptoQuant. This is, respectively, 6x and 3x less compared to the June-July 2021 period that preceded the last bull run of the 2019-2022 cycle. Despite hopeful comparisons of the current price dip to that period, current volume dynamics suggest a more subdued trader appetite.Bitcoin trading volume. Source: CryptoQuantInstitutional investors confirm the low demand trend. Since April 3, the spot BTC ETFs have recorded continuous outflows totaling over $870 million, with the first modest inflow not occurring until April 15. Despite this, trading volumes remain relatively high — only 18% below the 30-day average — indicating that some investor appetite for Bitcoin persists.Related: Crypto in a bear market, rebound likely in Q3 — CoinbaseBitcoin supply — Will liquidity return?On the supply side, liquidity remains weak. According to Glassnode’s recent report, the realized cap growth has slowed to 0.80% per month (from 0.83% previously). This points to a continued lack of meaningful new capital entering the Bitcoin network and, as Glassnode notes, “remains well below typical bull market thresholds.”Furthermore, the BTC balance on exchanges — often used to gauge available sell-side liquidity — has dropped to just 2.6 million BTC, the lowest level since November 2018.Yet, on a broader macroeconomic level, some analysts see reasons for cautious hope. Independent market analyst Michael van de Poppe pointed out the quickly rising M2 Supply, which, with a certain lag (here 12 weeks), has often influenced Bitcoin price in the past.“If the correlation remains, he wrote, then I assume that we’ll see Bitcoin rally to an ATH in this quarter. This would also imply a rise in CNH/USD, a fall in Yields, a fall in Gold, a fall in DXY, and a rise in Altcoins.”Global M2 – 12-week lead. Source: Global Macro InvestorEven if bullish momentum and demand returns, Bitcoin will need to clear a critical resistance zone between $86,300 and $86,500, as shown on CoinGlass’ liquidity heatmap, which maps dense clusters of buy and sell orders at different levels.Alphractal adds another layer of insight through its Alpha Price Chart, which incorporates realized cap, average cap, and onchain sentiment — and comes to the same conclusion. According to the chart, BTC must decisively break above $86,300 to restore short-term bullish sentiment. If the price weakens again, support levels lie at $73,900 and $64,700.Bitcoin: Alpha price. Source: AlphractalOverall, calling a trend reversal at this stage may be premature. Liquidity remains thin, macroeconomic headwinds persist, and investors remain cautious. Still, Bitcoin’s resilience above $80,000 signals strong support from long-term holders. A decisive breakout above $86,300 could shift market sentiment—and, in a best-case scenario, ignite a new rally. For such a move to be meaningful, however, it must be backed by spot market volume, not just leverage-driven activity.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.
Fed's Powell reasserts support for stablecoin legislation
As digital assets gain mainstream adoption, establishing a legal framework for stablecoins is a “good idea,” said US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.In an April 16 panel at the Economic Club of Chicago, Powell commented on the evolution of the cryptocurrency industry, which has delivered a consumer use case that “could have wide appeal” following a difficult “wave of failures and frauds,” he said.Powell delivers remarks at the Economic Club of Chicago. Source: Bloomberg TelevisionDuring crypto’s difficult years, which culminated in 2022 and 2023 with several high-profile business failures, the Fed “worked with Congress to try to get a […] legal framework for stablecoins, which would have been a nice place to start,” said Powell. “We were not successful.”“I think that the climate is changing and you’re moving into more mainstreaming of that whole sector, so Congress is again looking […] at a legal framework for stablecoins,” he said. “Depending on what’s in it, that’s a good idea. We need that. There isn’t one now,” said Powell.This isn’t the first time Powell acknowledged the need for stablecoin legislation. In June 2023, the Fed boss told the House Financial Services Committee that stablecoins were “a form of money” that requires “robust” federal oversight.Related: Stablecoins are the best way to ensure US dollar dominance — Web3 CEOSupport for stablecoin legislation is growingThe election of US President Donald Trump has ushered in a new era of pro-crypto appointments and policy shifts that could make America a digital asset superpower. Washington’s formal embrace of cryptocurrency began earlier this year when Trump established the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, with Bo Hines as the executive director. Hines told a digital asset summit in New York last month that a comprehensive stablecoin bill was a top priority for the current administration. After the Senate Banking Committee passed the GENIUS Act, a final stablecoin bill could arrive at the president’s desk “in the next two months,” said Hines.Bo Hines (right) speaks of “imminent” stablecoin legislation at the Digital Asset Summit on March 18. Source: CointelegraphStablecoins pegged to the US dollar are by far the most popular tokens used for remittances and cryptocurrency trading. The combined value of all stablecoins is currently $227 billion, according to RWA.xyz. The dollar-pegged USDC (USDC) and USDt (USDT) account for more than 88% of the total market. Magazine: Unstablecoins: Depegging, bank runs and other risks loom
Auradine raises $153M, debuts business group for AI data centers
Auradine, a Silicon Valley-based startup that specializes in equipment for AI data centers and Bitcoin mining, has announced a raise of $153 million in a Series C funding round. The new capital will go to increasing the company’s product suite of infrastructure for AI and blockchain technology.The Series C round was led by StepStone Group and included participation from Maverick Silicon, Premji Invest, Samsung Catalyst Fund, Qualcomm Ventures, and others. Auradine said the round was oversubscribed but did not disclose by how much or at what valuation the funds were raised.Along with the funding round, Auradine announced the launch of AuraLinks AI — its new business group dedicated to networking solutions targeting data centers’ energy and cooling costs.According to Goldman Sachs, energy demand due to AI data centers is expected to rise 165% by 2030. Building a small-scale AI data center can cost $10 million to $50 million, while large-scale AI data centers can cost hundreds of millions.Auradine designs and manufactures application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and related systems for Bitcoin mining. The company sees a strategic opportunity in the current US-China trade tensions and US President Trump’s push to boost domestic manufacturing. Among its main competitors is the Chinese-based firm Bitmain, which reportedly holds a 90% market share in the Bitcoin manufacturing sector. Related: How to mine Bitcoin: A beginner’s guide to mining BTCCrypto mining market to grow at CAGR 13% until 2034According to Precedence Research, the cryptocurrency mining market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 13% until 2034. If that prediction is accurate, the mining market will reach a size of $8.2 billion by 2034.The rising Bitcoin hashrate, coupled with the increasing energy demands following each halving, is intensifying competition in the mining sector. As a result, the push for greater efficiency and advanced technology may create openings for new players to gain market share.Trump’s dual desires to make the US “the crypto capital of the planet” and bring manufacturing on-shore may also play a role. The US accounts for over 40% of the Bitcoin (BTC) hashrate, but US-based miners still rely heavily on China-manufactured rigs.Auradine’s $80 million Series B round, like its Series C, was oversubscribed. In total, the company has raised over $300 million across all funding rounds.Magazine: Asia Express: Bitcoin miners steamrolled after electricity thefts, exchange ‘closure’ scam
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.