Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Bitcoin surged past the $72,000 level after confirmation of a two week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, triggering a broader rally across cryptocurrency and stock futures markets. The leading cryptocurrency climbed to about $72,699, marking a 5% gain within 24 hours. The rally followed an announcement by Donald Trump, who stated that planned military strikes against Iran would be suspended for two weeks. He described the move as a “double sided ceasefire,” noting that military objectives had been achieved and discussions toward long-term peace were progressing. Iranian officials also confirmed the ceasefire, adding that defensive operations would pause…

House Democrats are urging stronger oversight of offshore prediction market platforms that allow users to place bets tied to sensitive events, including U.S. military operations. In a letter posted Tuesday, lawmakers led by Seth Moulton and Jim McGovern asked CFTC Chair Michael Selig what actions the agency can take to prevent platforms outside the United States from listing such contracts. The concerns intensified after contracts circulated over the weekend linked to the rescue of American airmen in Iran. McGovern stated that turning war into gambling opportunities was deeply troubling, arguing that wagers tied to bombings, bloodshed, and military actions treat…

US prosecutors have rejected Roman Storm’s motion to dismiss charges in the Tornado Cash case, stating that his defense relies on arguments irrelevant to the criminal allegations. US Attorney Jay Clayton described Storm’s approach as “window dressing at best and outright misdirection at worst.” Storm’s lawyers cited the 2026 Supreme Court case Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment, claiming it could demonstrate he lacked criminal intent for charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate sanctions. Prosecutors argued that the Cox case involved civil copyright issues and bore no resemblance to Storm’s conduct, highlighting the absence…

Americans lost $11.4 billion to cryptocurrency scams in 2025, marking a 22% increase from 2024, according to a new report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The agency recorded 181,565 crypto related complaints, a 21% rise, with an average loss of $62,604 per case. The report described cryptocurrency investment scams as long-term schemes using psychological manipulation and false legitimacy to convince victims to invest significant amounts of money. Losses were heavily concentrated, with nearly 18,600 victims each losing more than $100,000, often affecting savings and retirement funds. Organized Crime and Global Fraud Networks Drive Scams According to the FBI, many…

45-Day Ceasefire and Strait of Hormuz Reopening Under Discussion Negotiations between the United States and Iran showed signs of progress over the past 24 hours, though reaching a deal before the 8 p.m. ET deadline set by Donald Trump still appears unlikely. U.S. officials said the focus has shifted from whether a deal is possible to whether it can be finalized before the deadline expires. Senior officials involved in the discussions include Vice President JD Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff, and adviser Jared Kushner, who have maintained communication channels with Iranian representatives, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Sources indicated that negotiations…

Iran-US Conflict Escalates With Strait of Hormuz Deadline Near Iran has cut diplomatic channels with the United States and warned of possible disruption around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, placing a second major global trade chokepoint at risk as tensions escalate. The White House said only Donald Trump knows the next course of action as his 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approaches. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran must “meet the moment and make a deal,” adding that the president alone would decide the response. Trump warned on Truth Social that “a whole civilization…

Ether treasury companies may need liquid staking and other active yield strategies to outperform staked Ether ETFs, according to Kean Gilbert, head of institutional relations at Lido Finance, speaking at ETHCC 2026. Liquid staking allows ETH holders to stake tokens while receiving a transferable token that can be deployed in DeFi. Gilbert suggested strategies such as posting ETH as collateral and borrowing against it to generate higher returns than passive staking products. U.S.-Listed Staked ETH Products Current ETFs include the REX-Osprey ETH + Staking ETF (launched September 2025), Grayscale Ethereum Staking ETF and Ethereum Staking Mini ETF, and BlackRock iShares…

Crypto exchange Binance announced a new Spot Price Range Execution Rule (PRER), set to roll out on April 14, designed to restrict spot trading orders from executing outside a defined price range during periods of high volatility or thin liquidity. The move aims to maintain fair and orderly markets and reduce abnormal trade executions. PRER ties order execution to a dynamic reference price derived from recent trades, with percentage-based bands set above and below that level. Orders attempting to fill outside the range are partially or fully canceled. Binance emphasized that this mechanism differs from user-set stop-loss or limit orders,…

The CME Group will offer 24/7 trading for crypto futures and options starting May 29, providing continuous access to regulated U.S. crypto markets. The move follows demand for around-the-clock crypto trading, already offered by exchanges such as Binance Futures, Coinbase Derivatives, and other crypto-native venues. CME first announced the expansion last year, with Tim McCourt, CME’s global head of equities, noting that “not all markets lend themselves to operating 24/7.” Avalanche and Sui Futures Added CME will launch Avalanche (AVAX) and Sui (SUI) futures, including standard and micro contracts. Traders can access 5,000 AVAX or 500 AVAX and 50,000 SUI…

Bitcoin has started to move independently from software stocks following the outbreak of conflict involving Iran on Feb. 28, marking a sharp shift after months of close alignment. Since that date, Bitcoin has gained more than 5%, climbing back above $69k, including an increase of over 0.5% in the past 24 hours. In contrast, the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF has fallen more than 2% during the same period. The performance gap signals that investors are beginning to treat cryptocurrency and software equities as separate assets in the short term. Correlation Breakdown Signals Market Decoupling Trend Correlation between Bitcoin and…