Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Ether has begun outperforming Bitcoin as capital rotates away from US spot bitcoin exchange traded funds and into ether focused products. Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows of about $325.8 million on April 13, led by $229 million from Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund and $63 million from ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, signaling a cooling of one of bitcoin’s major demand sources. In contrast, ether funds recorded modest daily inflows of roughly $7.7 million, while weekly inflows climbed to $187 million for the period ending April 10 — the strongest performance so far in 2026 after three weeks of combined outflows…

A Chinese owned tanker under US sanctions has successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, despite a US naval blockade of Iranian ports that began earlier this week. The vessel, Rich Starry, is owned by Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd. and had previously been sanctioned for transporting Iranian crude oil. According to data from Kpler and MarineTraffic, the tanker transited the key maritime chokepoint without disruption. Reports indicate it was carrying around 250,000 barrels of methanol loaded at the Emirati port of Hamriyah, a factor that may have allowed it to pass without enforcement action. US Central Command clarified that…

X head of product Nikita Bier suggested the platform may be preparing a new initiative for the crypto sector, writing that “crypto has had a rough year” and hinting that X could “launch something to fix it.” His post quickly went viral, drawing more than 677,000 views within hours and fueling speculation about the company’s direction ahead of its upcoming payments product. The comments come just weeks before X launches X Money, a fiat-based payments system expected to include peer-to-peer transfers, bank deposits, a debit card, and cashback rewards. The service is being developed in partnership with Visa and a…

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released a staff statement outlining how broker dealer rules may apply to crypto transaction interfaces. According to the SEC Division of Trading and Markets, certain software interfaces that assist users in conducting crypto asset securities transactions through self-custodial wallets may not need to register as broker-dealers if they meet specific conditions. The guidance states that these interfaces must not solicit investors to carry out specific transactions or provide recommendations on execution routes. The clarification aims to help define how federal securities laws apply to crypto related tools, although the staff statement does not carry…

Bitcoin surged close to $75,000, reaching its highest level in nearly four weeks as optimism grew around possible negotiations between the United States and Iran. Reports indicate Iran has offered to pause nuclear activity for up to five years, while Donald Trump is seeking a longer suspension period of up to 20 years. Markets interpreted the developments as a step toward easing weeks of geopolitical tensions, increasing investor confidence in risk assets. The broader crypto market climbed to a total value of approximately $2.6 trillion, triggering liquidations affecting about 177,000 traders and totaling roughly $530 million within 24 hours, according…

Chris Giancarlo, the former head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, has announced he is stepping away from legal practice to focus fully on advising cryptocurrency and fintech companies. Giancarlo revealed that he is leaving the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher and retiring from law to support founders, executives and boards working in digital finance and emerging technologies. Giancarlo, widely known as “Crypto Dad” for his supportive stance on blockchain innovation, served as a commissioner beginning in 2014 before being nominated as chairman by Donald Trump, holding the role between August 2017 and July 2018. During his tenure, he…

Tom Duff Gordon, former vice president of international policy at Coinbase, has left the company to join OpenAI as head of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) policy. According to a company spokesperson, Duff Gordon concluded nearly four years at Coinbase before transitioning to his new role focused on regional policy development across EMEA markets. Before entering the cryptocurrency sector, Duff Gordon spent approximately 8.5 years working as a banker at Credit Suisse, gaining experience in financial services and regulatory environments. His tenure at Coinbase included active involvement in international crypto policy discussions and regulatory engagement across multiple jurisdictions. Regulatory…

US Representatives Steven Horsford and Max Miller have reintroduced the Digital Asset Protection Accountability Regulation Innovation Taxation and Yields Act, aiming to modernize how the Internal Revenue Service handles digital asset taxation. The proposal, initially released in December 2025 and updated on March 26, focuses on simplifying reporting rules for cryptocurrency users. One of the most notable revisions involves treatment of small transactions, commonly referred to as de minimis gains. The earlier draft proposed a $200 exemption threshold for payments made using regulated payment stablecoins, allowing minor purchases such as everyday retail transactions without tax reporting. The March 2026 version…

Bitcoin rebounded sharply to around $74,400, erasing a weekend decline triggered by geopolitical tensions after failed US-Iran negotiations and the announcement of a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Prices had dropped roughly 4% from late Saturday into early Monday following news that US Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan without securing a deal and Donald Trump ordered the blockade. Market sentiment reversed during Monday’s US session, with bitcoin rising more than 3% over 24 hours to trade near $73,400 at the close. Other major tokens including Ethereum, Solana, and XRP also moved higher, though with smaller gains. Crypto-linked equities…

The European Central Bank has backed the development of tokenized capital markets across the European Union, stating that distributed ledger technology could improve efficiency if supported by strong regulation and central bank infrastructure. In its latest Macroprudential Bulletin, the ECB said tokenization is moving from early experimentation toward limited real-world deployment, but warned that benefits will depend on interoperable systems and careful policy oversight. The central bank emphasized that settlement in tokenized markets should remain anchored to central bank money rather than relying solely on commercial bank deposits or privately issued digital tokens. Officials cautioned that fragmented or incompatible platforms…