Из жизни альткоинов

The uncertainty around the Bitcoin market remains at prime levels, driven mainly by geopolitical risks such as the US-Israel-Iran conflict and the associated energy shock. Meanwhile, retail investors continue to exit their holdings in line with historical capital flight behavior as seen in a typical market cycle. Interestingly, on-chain data shows a readiness for aggressive accumulation by the big market players despite the risk-off environment presently at play.

Related Reading: Bitcoin Major Catalysts To Watch Out For That Could Send Bitcoin Price To $90,000

BWCI Rises To 75% As Bitcoin Whales Prepare For Rally

In a QuickTake post on April 4, market analyst GugaOnChain reports a massive stablecoin stash being accumulated to provide liquidity to the Bitcoin market despite ongoing geopolitical and macro uncertainty. This report is based on data from the Binance Whale Concentration Indicator (BWCI), which measures quality and concentration of capital flowing into Binance, specifically, whether that liquidity is dominated by large investors (whales) or smaller retail participants.

According to GugaOnChain, the USDT inflow on the exchange is presently nine times higher than it was at the Bitcoin all-time high of $126,100 in early October. On October 6, 2025, the BCWI stood at 8.25%, indicating that only a minor percentage of these capital inflows was attributed to large, strategic players, suggesting a market peak that was largely retail-driven.  However, the indicator reached 74.58% on April 4, proving that the current capital influx is coming from large market players.

The rise in institutional market dominance is also producing a bolstering effect on the derivatives market. This is because the BCWI also indicates that the growing USDT reserve is serving as collateral for an ongoing Open Interest expansion. At the time of the report, total USDT reserves on Binance were approximately valued at $3.50 billion, which GugaOnChain describes as “dry powder” that whales are presently deploying to establish credible supports in the spot and dictate movements in the derivative market.

Bitcoin Rebound Still Contingent On Risk Exhaustion

According to GugaOnChain, while the on-chain metrics indicate accumulation of buying power that could drive rallies, there are still other factors central to Bitcoin market recovery. One of these factors includes the current geopolitical risk, which the analyst states must reach an exhaustion point for any macro expansion to commence.

Furthermore, there is a need for Bitcoin ETF inflows to support this bullish microstructure with a corresponding rise in net deposits. With the absence of these catalysts, the rising amount of ready market liquidity would do little to prevent a further retrace to the present realized price of $54,000.  At press time, Bitcoin trades at $66,658.

Ripple President Monica Long has highlighted decentralized identities as another area in which XRP could dominate. This came as she explained why these decentralized identities are a game-changer.

Ripple President Reveals Another Key Area For XRP

In an X post, crypto pundit John Squire drew attention to the Ripple President’s statement in which she noted that decentralized identities will enable users to take back control of their identities from web2 companies. With decentralized identities, individuals will be able to tokenize their identities on a network such as XRP Ledger (XRPL). 

Long noted that this tokenization will make these decentralized identities transportable and enable individuals to delegate access to whoever they want. John Squire described decentralized identities as a game-changer. He noted that individuals will be able to turn their identity, KYC, and even DNA into a private portable token on the XRP Ledger using zero-knowledge proofs. 

The pundit added that the decentralized identities will enable everyone to prove everything without revealing anything. The XRP Ledger is already making progress with zero-knowledge proofs as the network looks to provide privacy for network users. Crypto pundit Pumpius recently highlighted how the network has made history with the first-ever zero-knowledge (ZK) privacy transaction going live on the testnet. 

The pundit stated that the DNA Protocol was responsible for these ZK privacy transactions on the XRP Ledger. The protocol turned real-world data into a ZK proof, verified on-chain with zero sensitive information exposed. Pumpius added that with plans to implement ZK proof on the XRPL, banks, governments, and institutions can now confirm everything. This includes KYC, medical records, financials, and compliance, without ever seeing the actual data. 

ZK Technology Will Be A Game Changer On XRPL

Ripple’s Head of Research, Aanchal Malhotra, said that it will be great for the XRP Ledger to implement zero-knowledge technology. She noted that this will enable several use cases and that there are many innovative applications they can build with this technology. ZK technology will enable several privacy features, which would further attract institutions to the network. 

Crypto pundit Minus noted that ZK technology will enable privacy without sacrificing compliance. Furthermore, he said that this would lead to selective disclosure and “insane scalability.” That way, “Institutions can finally have their cake and eat it too,” he added. 

It is worth noting that the XRP Ledger is already moving to implement privacy features natively on the network, including Permissioned Domains, which enable institutions to restrict access to authorized users. The network has also enabled Confidential Multi-Purpose Tokens (Confidential MPTs), which hide the balances and transaction amounts. 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.31, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Tether has given potential investors a hard deadline — commit within 14 days or lose their spot entirely.

The world’s largest stablecoin issuer is pushing ahead with a funding round that would price the company at $500 billion, a figure that would put it above some of the biggest names in American banking.

A Valuation That Dwarfs Its Own Product

That number is striking when held against Tether’s actual stablecoin market cap, which currently sits at around $184 billion. The gap between those two figures reflects what Tether is asking investors to believe — that the company’s future is worth far more than its present.

Reports indicate the company has ambitions well beyond issuing USDT, and that broader strategy is baked into the valuation.

At $500 billion, Tether would be worth more than JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. That kind of comparison draws attention. It also raises questions that a two-week deadline leaves little time to answer.

The ultimatum is simple: enough investors sign on and the deal moves forward. If not, Tether may shelve the fundraising attempt again.

This Round Almost Never Happened

This is not the company’s first run at a major capital raise. An earlier attempt fell apart before it got off the ground. Early discussions reportedly floated a raise of anywhere from $15 billion to $20 billion — figures the company later walked back, calling them upper-end possibilities rather than firm targets.

By February 2026, advisers had reportedly pulled the target down to around $5 billion. Concerns about transparency and the $500 billion price tag had cooled some investor interest.

CEO Paolo Ardoino pushed back on that characterization at the time, saying demand from investors remained strong and that there was no pressure to rush.

Now, with the deadline set, the pressure is very much on.

Transparency Push Comes Amid Growing Competition

One move Tether made ahead of this round may carry more weight than the deadline itself. The company recently brought on a Big Four accounting firm to conduct its first full audit.

Based on reports, it could rank among the largest audits ever completed in the financial industry — a significant step for a company that has long faced scrutiny over how its reserves are managed.

The timing is not accidental. Signing a major auditor right before a high-stakes fundraise sends a message to potential investors about where the company is headed on transparency.

Meanwhile, competition in the stablecoin space is growing. PayPal, Circle, and a string of traditional financial firms have been expanding their own stablecoin efforts.

USDC, run by Circle, holds a market cap of around $32 billion — well behind USDT’s $184 billion, but closing ground. Tether’s dominance is real, but it is no longer uncontested.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Solana is under pressure around the $75–$78 zone, a key level where buyers and sellers are currently battling for control. Short-term momentum has weakened, but this area also serves as critical support that could trigger a strong reaction if defended. Despite the downside risk, the broader outlook still holds significant upside potential, with this level likely to decide the next major move.

Pressure Intensifies, SOL Structure Breaks 

SOL pressure is building, according to Marcus Corvinus, with recent price action reflecting a noticeable shift in momentum. Losing the key trendline signals that the bullish structure is beginning to weaken, raising concerns that sellers are gradually taking control of the market.

The $92–$95 zone previously acted as a strong area of defense, but this time, sellers stepped in with clear intent, rejecting prices from that region. That rejection has now pushed SOL down into the $75–$78 range, where the market is currently consolidating.

This level is more than just support; it represents a critical decision zone. Price is compressing here, and the market is essentially waiting for a catalyst. The reaction at this level will likely determine the next major move.

If buyers manage to defend this zone, a sharp upside reaction could follow, potentially triggering a quick bounce and even a short squeeze as trapped sellers are forced to cover. However, if this support fails to hold, downside pressure could accelerate quickly, with little structural support below. For now, sentiment appears heavy, with momentum gradually tilting away from the bulls, making this level one of the most important areas to watch.

Solana’s Classification As A Commodity Changes The Narrative

In an update, Crypto Patel highlighted that Solana has now been classified as a commodity, even while it remains about 77% below its all-time high. This places the asset in a unique position, still significantly discounted, yet gaining stronger recognition and positioning in the broader market.

The current situation draws comparisons to earlier cycles, where SOL experienced sharp drawdowns before staging massive recoveries. Reflecting on 2022, when prices dipped as low as around $8, the sentiment then was equally bearish. However, that move ultimately led to an explosive rally, with SOL proving its ability to rebound with over 2,000% gains from the bottom.

From a technical standpoint, the long-term chart shows that Solana is holding firmly within the Fibonacci golden zone on the 2-week timeframe. This area has historically acted as a strong accumulation region in past cycles. With this structure in place, the outlook remains a move toward $1,000 and beyond is not just speculation, but a matter of time if the broader trend continues to play out.

A crypto analyst has shared a new Bitcoin price roadmap, outlining where the market currently is and projecting the cryptocurrency’s next moves amid the ongoing bear market. While some experts still see more downside ahead for BTC, this analyst predicts a massive surge back above $90,000. The analyst cites several catalysts, including Bitcoin price action and the Elliot Wave structure, to support his bullish outlook. 

Bitcoin Price Roadmap To $90,000

Rawl, a crypto market expert on X, has presented a new price analysis of Bitcoin, outlining in detail how the cryptocurrency can return to $90,000 and what traders should expect in the coming weeks and months. The analyst noted that, so far, Bitcoin has been following an expected plan, suggesting that the recent pullbacks, rebounds, and other price changes were normal reactions. 

He said that although the market’s timeline has been the only surprise, the cryptocurrency’s structure is what truly matters. Rawl stated that, following Bitcoin’s price crash to $60,000 in February, which marked its lowest level since its 2025 all-time high, the cryptocurrency needed two more waves to complete its corrective structure.

As expected, Bitcoin went on to form Wave 4 and Wave 5 in its Elliott Wave setup, completing the full corrective Wave C chart structure. He added that BTC’s previous pullback to $63,000 counted as one wave and officially confirmed the final downward move.  

Since then, Rawl noted that the market has rebounded, starting a new bullish Elliott Wave phase. In this fresh setup, the analyst stated that Bitcoin has already printed Wave 1 and Wave 2, with the market presently in a choppy range around $65,000 ahead of its next two waves to the upside. 

He explained that once these waves complete, Bitcoin could rise quickly toward $90,000 to $96,000. After hitting that level, he expects it to move sideways for a few weeks before declining again as it enters a new corrective ABC wave, likely around the time a new Federal Reserve chair replaces Jerome Powell. He described this correction as a bullish move, noting that it could persist until the upcoming FOMC meeting in June. 

The analyst noted that the price action following the FOMC could complete the first corrective Wave C, allowing the market to resume its uptrend. Alternatively, Bitcoin could drop one more time toward the $71,000 to $74,000 range, forming the next Wave 2 before a larger rally begins. 

Rawl confidently stated that Bitcoin has an 80% chance of reaching a new all-time high this year. He noted that the remaining 20% possibility suggests that price could rise to the $116,000 to $125,000 range below its current cycle top.   

Analyst Outlines Other Likely Path For Bitcoin Price

Although Rawl strongly believes in the roadmap he outlined above, he acknowledged that a less likely scenario is that Bitcoin could experience a deeper pullback between May and June, falling below $74,000 and possibly crashing to $55,000. 

Because of this risk, the analyst recommends taking profits of 20-30% around the $90,000 range, then gradually buying back 10-15% of that position if Bitcoin dips to $74,000, and the rest if the price falls to $55,000 in June or by Q1 2027. Regardless of what happens to Bitcoin, the analyst still believes the cryptocurrency could hit an all-time high afterward. 

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin continues to trade within a narrow range, hovering around $66,500 going into the week. While price action still appears subdued, recent on-chain data suggests this period of consolidation could be signaling the formation of a market bottom.

Supply In Profit Drops To 11.3 Million BTC

In a Quicktake post on the CryptoQuant platform, on-chain analyst EgyHash put forward a somewhat optimistic outlook on the Bitcoin price, saying the flagship cryptocurrency might be forming a major cycle bottom. The relevant on-chain indicator here is the Supply in Profit Market Bands metric. 

As observed in the chart below, the blue area on the graph represents the Supply in Profit, while the green line marks the Bottom Discovery. 

According to EgyHash, the Supply in Profit has recently fallen to about 11.3 million BTC. This is after tearing through the Psychological Inflection (orange) and Liquidity Accumulation (purple) lines. 

More importantly, EgyHash noted that the Bitcoin Supply in Profit landed directly on the “Bottom Discovery” area. This particular band, according to the analyst, is where most Bitcoin short-term holders have been forced to turn over their holdings.

Historically, the Supply in Profit reading has only reached the green band during major bottoms of the Bitcoin cycle. The market quant cites the depths of the crypto winter in the 2018/2019 period as an example; the March 2020 liquidity crisis also features in this data, with the other instance being the late 2022 post-FTX capitulation. 

Notably, the expert also points out that the speed of the current transition is astounding. This is because the Bitcoin market moved quickly from the Overheated Zone to the Bottom Discovery within a single flush. 

EgyHash explained that this is a tell-tale sign that “Seller Exhaustion” has become the current state of affairs, with the “Mania” phase already long superseded.

Long-Term Holders Display Dominance As Sell Pressure Wanes

Typically, when the Supply in Profit reaches this significant base, it signals that long-term holders have taken the reins. This is the classic scenario where diamond hands absorb the supply of weaker hands. 

Nonetheless, the crypto pundit highlighted an important caveat, saying falling to the Bottom Discovery band “does not guarantee an immediate V-shaped recovery,” but that it instead signals a relatively high exhaustion of bearish risk. As such, market participants are advised to wait for further confirmation before making their move.

As of this writing, the Bitcoin price sits at approximately $66,901, reflecting no significant change in the past 24 hours. 

Cybercriminals who target crypto are not operating on a fixed schedule. They move when the money moves.

That was the key message from Kraken’s chief security officer, Nick Percoco, who told reporters that hacking activity in the crypto space tends to spike during bull markets, major product launches, and periods of rapid growth — not because of the calendar, but because those are the moments when the most value is concentrated in one place.

“Vulnerabilities can be exploited in any market environment,” Percoco said, warning that security in crypto has to be treated as an ongoing effort, not a seasonal one.

His comments came as new data showed a notable drop in crypto theft during the first three months of 2026. According to DefiLlama, hackers pulled $168 million from 34 decentralized finance protocols between January and March — a steep fall from the $1.58 billion stolen during the same period last year.

Private Keys And Smart Contracts Remain Weak Spots

That prior-year figure, however, was heavily skewed by a single incident: the $1.4 billion Bybit breach, which accounted for nearly the entire Q1 2025 total. Strip that out and the comparison looks less dramatic.

Still, the losses in early 2026 were far from small. The biggest hit came in January, when portfolio management platform Step Finance lost $40 million after attackers compromised its private keys.

Days later, on Jan. 8, decentralized protocol Truebit was drained of $26.4 million worth of ether through a smart contract manipulation. A third major incident struck stablecoin issuer Resolv Labs in late March, also through a private key compromise — the same method used in the Step Finance attack.

Private key failures and code exploits are two very different problems, but both keep appearing in the data. One is a human and operational issue. The other is a code issue. Neither has been solved.

North Korea-Linked Groups Remain A Persistent Concern

Data shows that 34 separate DeFi protocols were hit across the quarter. The attacks were spread across the period, with January bearing the heaviest losses.

Percoco described the threat pool as a mix of highly coordinated groups, organized criminal networks, and opportunistic individuals scanning for weak points in smart contracts and user-facing systems.

North Korea-linked actors have been flagged repeatedly in connection with major crypto thefts. Suspected affiliates of that network were linked to an attack on decentralized exchange Drift Protocol, which lost an estimated $285 million to a private key leak.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin remains in the depths of the bear market, with prices hovering around $67,000, despite a brief uptick during the week. According to market analyst GugaOnChain, underlying market activities suggest the digital asset is experiencing a complex phase and divergence marked by a growing divide between tightening on-chain supply and rising macroeconomic uncertainty.

Bitcoin Bullish Signals: On-Chain Scarcity And Quiet Accumulation

In a QuickTake post on April 3, GugaOnChain highlights a series of structural shifts beneath the recent Bitcoin price action. The analyst shares on-chain data showing that approximately 66,300 BTC, worth about $4.44 billion, has been withdrawn from exchanges over the past month. This kind of trend is indicative of a move toward long-term storage, thereby reducing the amount of Bitcoin readily available for sale and contributing to a supply-side squeeze.

Furthermore, Over The Counter (OTC) transactions have accounted for 92.1% of Bitcoin’s recent trading volume, i.e., $16.49 billion, compared to just 7.9% on public order books. This is another bullish development pointing to quiet institutional accumulation and growing BTC scarcity. In contrast, retail investors continue to exit the market as data shows realized losses totaling approximately $690 million within 24 hours, a sign of capitulation that often accompanies late-stage corrections. However, such behavior, combined with smart money accumulation, has historically preceded local price bottoms because weaker hands exit the market, effectively reducing selling pressure.

The Uncertain Macroeconomic Clouds

Despite the supply shock being created, Bitcoin remains heavily subject to external macroeconomic factors. These include global liquidity conditions, interest rate decisions, and geopolitical tensions, which are all capable of triggering abrupt market reactions that may override bullish supply dynamics. In this environment, the use of the Top 5 Exchange Whale Inflow is a critical monitoring tool that shows the real-time response of these big-time players to macro shocks.

Amid heightened geopolitical risks, as recently seen in the US-Iran-Israel war, monitoring inflows to major exchanges such as Binance (to assess global demand) and Coinbase (to ascertain US investors’ interest) is an efficient way of identifying potential sell-offs or flash crashes. For context, the seven-day average of the Top 5 exchange whale inflows currently stands at 16,551 BTC. Any sharp increase in this metric will reflect a shift from accumulation to liquidity-seeking behavior and precede any price fall.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin trades at $66,889 following a 1.36% gain in the past week. Meanwhile, daily trading volume is down by 41.68% and valued at $22.91 billion. Notably, Bitcoin’s risk-reward profile remains favorable as retail selling pressure has largely been exhausted, suggesting a potential local bottom could form soon. However, an increase in the probability of a left-fail suggests that any sharp drop could have severe effects, thus putting the market in a delicate position.

It has been another week of uncertain movements for the Bitcoin price, with the global financial markets moving to the whims of the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The premier cryptocurrency has struggled to stay afloat after hitting a roadblock at the $69,000 resistance level earlier in the week. The latest on-chain data has shown that the price of Bitcoin might be reaching a bottom already.

Is BTC Accumulation Period About To Resume?

In an April 3rd post on the social media platform X, Alphractal co-founder and CEO Joao Wedson revealed that Bitcoin is starting to become less overvalued. This on-chain observation is based on the RVTS (Realized Value/Transaction Volume) Ratio, which tracks the relationship between market capitalization and the network’s adjusted economic value.

According to Wedson, a rise in this metric’s value could imply a rise in the flagship cryptocurrency’s realized value. At the same time, an increasing RVTS Ratio can also be a signal of a decline in activity or transaction volume on the Bitcoin network.

Highlighting data from Alphractal, the crypto founder shared that the RVTS Ratio just reached its highest level ever, potentially pointing to the lowest network utilization in the history of the premier cryptocurrency. 

Wedson wrote on X:

In previous cycles, these extremes appeared near cycle bottoms or low-participation zones, when volume collapses, and the network becomes “silent.” When the indicator rises, adjusted economic volume declines, network usage weakens, and the denominator collapses, a pattern consistently seen around major cycle bottoms (2012, 2015, 2019, 2022) and local bottoms within broader structures.

According to the Alphractal CEO, this record level of the RVTS Ratio indicates less overvaluation and more structural apathy in a Bitcoin market increasingly being steered by liquidity and derivatives. From a historical perspective, this signal often precedes periods of accumulation and revaluation. 

In essence, this record-high level of the RVTS Ratio could be the bright spark of optimism the Bitcoin price needs to start its turnaround. Conversations have heightened around the market leader’s potential bottom, as it continues to oscillate within the $65,000 – $70,000 consolidation range.

Bitcoin Price At A Glance

As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at around $66,880, reflecting no significant change in the past 24 hours. While the market leader is down from its weekly high of over $69,000, it is still in a better place (nearly 2% up) than it was seven days ago.

The US Bitcoin Spot ETFs are credited as a major bullish driver in the concluding market cycle, for heralding a heavy wave of institutional investment in the premier cryptocurrency. Interestingly, on-chain data shows these funds are transforming into key structural components of the Bitcoin market, moving beyond just investment vehicles.

Bitcoin ETF Adoption Redefines Market Dynamics

The US Bitcoin Spot ETFs were launched in January 2024, marking a historic moment for institutional participation in the digital asset market. These funds have turned out to be a monumental success, attracting a present cumulative total net inflow of $55.96 billion and net assets of $86.22 billion, accounting for 6.44% of the current BTC market cap.  In a QuickTake post on April 3, market analysis page XWIN Research Japan explains that the growth of the Bitcoin ETFs market is allowing these investment products to influence key market aspects such as liquidity and price discovery.

For context, the average daily trading volume of the Bitcoin Spot ETFs is estimated to be in the multi-billion dollar range, with BlackRock’s IBIT intermittently experiencing levels similar to the Coinbase exchange. This observation suggests that these investment funds now play a major role in price discovery, which has been historically tied to trading volume observed on the centralized exchanges. Meanwhile, the net assets of 1.3 million BTC represent more than just inflows. XWIN Research Japan describes this development as a structural supply lock, reducing BTC liquidity in active circulation.

In particular, these changing dynamics have been attributed to the constant efforts by authorized sponsors to arbitrage price gaps as well as the approval of in-kind creation/redemption, thus ensuring that ETFs reflect spot market price and showcase a capital efficiency that encourages continued institutional adoption.

Bitcoin ETFs In Japan?

Meanwhile, XWIN Research Japan also highlighted the potential role of Japanese investors in expanding the Bitcoin ETFs market influence. With over ¥2,000 trillion ($12.53 billion) in household assets, even small allocations to a potential  Bitcoin spot ETF market would result in significant inflows capable of altering the demand-supply market.

At press time, Bitcoin trades at $66,889 following a minor 1.14% gain over the last week. Meanwhile, daily trading volume is down by 41.68%, suggesting that market participants remain largely apprehensive despite recent gains. Over the last week, the premier cryptocurrency maintained a price range of $66,000-$69,000, amid multiple retest attempts of the lower boundary zone. The bear market remains active with present spot prices still about 47% away from the cycle’s all-time high at $126,100.

Анонимный блокчейн-сыщик ZachXBT  обвинил выпускающую стейблкоины USDС компанию Circle в медлительности и бездействии при блокировке средств, похищенных хакерами у различных платформ. ZachXBT выявил 15 таких случаев с 2022 года с суммарным ущербом около $420 млн.

Аналитики банковского холдинга JPMorgan оценили приток средств в криптоактивы в первом квартале примерно в $11 млрд — это почти втрое меньше по сравнению с аналогичным периодом прошлого года.

The crypto market is yet to have an altcoin season the likes of what was seen back in 2021, despite the Bitcoin price hitting new all-time highs over the last two years. This has alluded to the fact that the Bitcoin dominance over the market remains very high, thus not leaving any room for altcoins to run. Nevertheless, this has not deterred the expectations of an altcoin season among investors, and many believe that when it finally comes, it will be more explosive than 2021.

Altcoin Market Is Winning Against Bitcoin

Bitcoin has often led the cryptocurrency and by extension, its performance has influenced the advent of altcoin seasons. This is due to the way altcoins measure up to the leading cryptocurrency with each cycle, and this one looks to be prepping for a major rally.

According to analyst Mark Chadwick on X, altcoins are already bringing a major bullish pattern against Bitcoin. This comes as the ALT/BTC chart has marked its fourth consecutive green monthly candle, and this has led to the confirmation of a bullish crossover.

The crypto analyst pointed out that the last time altcoins made such a bullish crossover against Bitcoin was back in 2021. The result of this was the most explosive altcoin season that the crypto market has seen to date, leading altcoins on runs that saw their values rise by many multiples.

Why This Altcoin Season Will Be Better Than The Last

Despite the last altcoin season being one of legendary status, Mark believes that it will pale in comparison to what’s coming. A number of reasons were given for this as to why it will be a better altcoin bull market, and this has to do with the broader market optics.

Firstly, the analyst points out that the Fed is putting billions of dollars into the financial market. This is bullish as liquidity tends to drive growth. Next is that the Clarity ACT that will provide formal regulation for cryptocurrencies by putting them into categories of either securities or commodities.

Another bullish factor that the analyst points out is that the SEC is now pro-crypto with the Trump administration. Then, there is the fact that there has been rising activity from the NYSE and NASDAQ when it comes to crypto trading.

The last two of the catalysts given have to do with adoption. The first is the fact that Fannie Mae, the US Federal National Mortgage Association, announced last week that it will begin allowing Bitcoin as collateral for loans. Also, there is the fact that Mastercard is now building crypto rails to allow for payments using blockchain technology.

Taking all of these into account, Mark believes that it is a “setup of epic proportions.” If this plays out as expected, then the next altcoin season could surpass the previous one, and altcoins would end up winning against Bitcoin.

В марте криптоиндустрия столкнулась с ростом числа взломов. За месяц было зафиксировано 46 инцидентов с совокупным ущербом $39,8 млн — это максимальный показатель с ноября 2024 года, сообщили аналитики компании CertiK, работающей в сфере кибербезопасности.

Члены Палаты представителей штата Джорджия Брюс Уильямсон (Bruce Williamson), Ноэль Уильямс-младший (Noel Williams, Jr.) и Джонни Частейн (Johnny Chastain) от Республиканской партии предложили законопроект об ограничении использования криптоматов для борьбы с мошенничеством.

Основатель MN Trading и аналитик Михаэль ван де Поппе (Michael van de Poppe) заявил, что текущая стабильность биткоина может указывать на формирование базы для дальнейшего роста.

Taiwanese authorities have approved a new draft of their crucial crypto legislation, introducing severe penalties for unlicensed or fraudulent activities related to stablecoins and other digital assets.

Taiwan Approves $6M Fines To Combat Crypto Fraud

On Friday, local news outlets reported that the Executive Yuan passed the draft of the Virtual Asset Service Act (VASA) on April 2, marking a major step to regulate crypto assets in Taiwan.

The VASA, introduced by the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) last year, supports the efforts by Taiwanese authorities to establish a comprehensive crypto framework for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) and stablecoin issuers.

In 2024, the FSC overhauled its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) framework to include crypto businesses, adding stricter AML guidelines for VASPs and requiring all digital asset firms to complete the AML registration by September 2025.

Premier Cho Jung-tai explained that the new framework, which will be implemented in four gradual phases, includes industry self-regulation and an AML compliance registration system. The measures aim to enhance the security of virtual asset transactions, pilot custody services, and support the growth of domestic financial innovation, he added.

According to the reports, the draft requires VASPs to operate exclusively in this field and meet specific standards for their company name, organizational structure, and capital. Financial institutions can also operate VASP services in addition to their other businesses, if approved.

In addition, special regulations would be customized to suit the nature of each service provider. For instance, trading platforms would be required to establish clear guidelines for listing and delisting virtual assets.

The draft also includes heavy penalties for unlicensed and fraudulent activities, with offences involving crypto falsification, concealment, or price manipulation risking 3-10 years in prison and fines of up to NTD 200 million, worth $6.25 million.

Meanwhile, firms that issue stablecoins without a license could face up to seven years in prison and fines of up to NTD 100 million, or about $3.13 million, according to the draft.

New Stablecoin Regulations To Prohibit Interest Payments

Officials outlined the main differences between the recently passed VASA draft and the FSC’s original text regarding stablecoin guidelines, which include issuance and redemption regulations, restrictions on interest or returns, and internal control and cybersecurity management.

Under the new draft, the issuance and redemption of stablecoins must be conducted at face value, and issuers may not refuse redemption requests from holders. Issuers are also prohibited from paying interest or returns to holders on the stablecoins they issue, aligning with international trends.

Lastly, issuers must establish and maintain robust internal control and audit systems, along with information security management mechanisms, to ensure the proper issuance and redemption of stablecoins.

FSC Deputy Chairman Chen Yen-liang asserted that stablecoin issuance is not currently limited to banks, but noted that the financial institutions are “generally better positioned to meet the relevant requirements” due to their capital strength and risk management capabilities.

For other operators, different capital thresholds and operating guarantee requirements would be set based on the nature of their business, with further details to be announced after the legislation officially passes.

In December, FSC Chairman Peng Jin-long revealed that the island’s first regulated stablecoin could debut this year. As reported by Bitcoinist, stablecoin-centered regulations would be developed within six months after the VASA’s approval, setting the launch of locally issued tokens pegged to the NTD or the USD to the second half of 2026.

Deputy Chairman Chen added that the regulator would adopt a “gradual opening” model, and relevant regulations would be developed by authorities alongside the Central Bank.

Участник пула CKPool — майнер-одиночка с хешрейтом 230 TH/s — добыл блок Биткоина и получил вознаграждение в размере 3,139 BTC (около $210 000). Об этом сообщил администратор пула Кол Коливас (Con Colivas).

On-chain investigator ZachXBT has published a new report, titled “The Circle USDC Files,” alleging more than $420 million in compliance failures tied to the company’s USDC stablecoin since 2022. 

The analysis, released on social media platform X on Friday, chronicles multiple high‑profile decentralized finance (DeFi) exploits in which Circle allegedly failed to use its on‑chain freezing and blacklist capabilities to halt the flow of stolen funds.

Alleged Inaction By Circle

Circle’s token contract includes an explicit freeze/blacklist function, and the company’s terms of service reserve the right to restrict access for suspected illicit actors “in its sole discretion.” 

Yet, ZachXBT’s report claims that in many widely reported thefts and hacks, the issuer either delayed action or did not freeze funds at all, allowing attackers to move large sums across blockchains and convert them into other assets.

The report opens with the April 1, 2026, Drift Protocol exploit, in which the attacker drained roughly $280 million. According to ZachXBT, the thief used Circle’s Cross‑Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) to bridge more than 232 million USDC from Solana (SOL) to Ethereum (ETH) in over 100 transactions.

The incident had ripple effects across the Solana ecosystem, indirectly impacting more than 10 DeFi projects. Despite the funds moving through Circle’s native bridge for hours, the report says no USDC was frozen during the laundering.

ZachXBT also details a January 25, 2026, attack on SwapNet that resulted in $16 million being stolen. Roughly $3 million in USDC remained in the exploiter’s address for two days. Both law enforcement and private‑sector analysts reportedly submitted temporary freeze requests to Circle for that address, but Circle did not act. 

Nine‑Figure Losses In Crypto Hacks

Among several other cases cited in the report, ZachXBT also points to broader, long‑running patterns. In April 2024, he published a separate investigation into the Lazarus Group laundering that traced funds from more than two dozen hacks being converted to fiat. 

Law enforcement requested freezes from four stablecoin issuers — Circle, Tether, Paxos, and Techteryx — for two addresses tied to that investigation. The report claims the other three issuers acted quickly, while Circle took approximately 4.5 months longer to freeze the same addresses.

Taken together, ZachXBT says these cases — many of them public and high‑value — add up to nine‑figure losses to the crypto ecosystem caused by repeated inaction over a multi‑year period. 

He stresses that the $420 million-plus figure covers only major public incidents and that the true total could be substantially higher. The overarching claim is that Circle possesses the contractual and technical tools to intervene, yet has not used them consistently or promptly, with concrete harm to victims and the broader community.

“They have every tool and resource available to do better. They just haven’t,” he writes, closing his report with a pointed question: who, exactly, is Circle serving?

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Минфин России подготовил поправки в Налоговый кодекс, предусматривающие освобождение от НДС услуг криптообменников и сервисов хранения цифровых активов. Об этом сообщил «Интерфакс» со ссылкой на источники.