Crypto World
PayPay (PAYP) Stock Surges 16% Following Nasdaq IPO Launch and Positive Analyst Coverage
Key Takeaways
- PayPay (PAYP) set its IPO price at $16 per ADS on March 11, coming in under the anticipated $17–$20 range, generating approximately $880 million in proceeds
- The stock launched on Nasdaq March 12 with an opening price roughly 19% higher than the offering price, establishing a company valuation near $12.7 billion
- PAYP closed Friday March 13 at $21.14, representing a 16.41% gain and pushing market capitalization toward $14.1 billion
- Macquarie launched coverage with an Outperform recommendation and $22.90 target, highlighting PayPay’s commanding 65% QR code market position and 72 million user base
- ARK Invest reportedly purchased PAYP shares during the initial surge, while CEO Ichiro Nakayama mentioned potential for Tokyo Stock Exchange dual-listing
PayPay Corporation launched a successful Nasdaq debut last week, trading significantly above its initial public offering price and attracting early analyst attention within its first few trading days. The Japanese mobile payment platform, backed by SoftBank, has officially joined the public markets, capturing considerable Wall Street interest.
PayPay Corporation American Depository Shares, PAYP
The company established its IPO pricing at $16 per ADS on March 11 — a figure that fell short of the marketed $17 to $20 range. This cautious pricing strategy reflected broader market uncertainty stemming from international geopolitical developments. The offering generated approximately $880 million through the sale of roughly 55 million ADSs. Lead underwriters included Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Mizuho, and Morgan Stanley.
When trading commenced on March 12, PAYP launched approximately 19% above its offering price. The momentum continued building throughout the session.
By the closing bell on Friday March 13, PAYP settled at $21.14 — representing a $2.98 increase, or 16.41% daily gain. Trading volume exceeded 14 million ADSs during the session. The stock reached an intraday peak of $21.98 while touching a low of $19.81.
This Friday closing price elevated PayPay’s market capitalization to approximately $14.1 billion, rising from the roughly $12.7 billion valuation established at the IPO opening. Extended-hours trading showed modest retreat to around $20.80.
The public offering represents the most significant U.S. IPO from a Japanese enterprise in ten years. It additionally marks SoftBank’s first substantial U.S. public market debut of a majority-controlled portfolio investment since Arm’s 2023 listing.
Macquarie Launches Coverage with Bullish Stance
On March 16, Macquarie began coverage of PAYP with an Outperform designation and established a $22.90 price objective.
The investment firm highlighted PayPay’s commanding presence in Japan’s QR code payment ecosystem — controlling approximately 65% market share and serving roughly 72 million users, equivalent to about three-quarters of Japan’s smartphone-equipped population. QR code transactions account for one in five cashless payments across Japan.
Macquarie observed that PayPay is evolving beyond a simple payment wallet into a comprehensive digital financial services platform encompassing money transfers, savings products, lending solutions, and investment services. The platform currently serves around 16 million card holders, maintains 9.7 million bank accounts, and manages 1.54 million securities accounts.
Japan’s cashless payment adoption reached 42.8% in 2024. Government objectives target 65% penetration by 2030, while QR code payment adoption has expanded at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 75% from 2019 through 2024.
Macquarie projects PayPay’s revenue will achieve ¥456.5 billion in the fiscal year concluding March 2027, reflecting 21.6% year-over-year growth, while operating profit is expected to surge 73.6% to ¥135.1 billion.
Future Outlook for PAYP
CEO Ichiro Nakayama ceremonially opened Nasdaq trading on debut day. Subsequently, he has expressed receptiveness to potentially pursuing a dual listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
ARK Invest was documented as having acquired PAYP shares during the early post-listing momentum — demonstrating institutional appetite for the stock.
PayPay is currently executing the integration of Line Pay operations, with complete merger completion scheduled for late March 2026.
For the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2025, PayPay’s payment division gross merchandise volume surpassed ¥15 trillion.
Bitcoin chases $75,000 as the return of aggressive spot BTC ETF inflows, billion dollar buys from Strategy and an improvement in investors’ risk appetite propel the crypto market.
Bitcoin’s (BTC) price recovery extended into a third week as the price rallied to $74,509, a level not seen since Feb. 4. While markets remain reluctant to confirm whether or not Bitcoin bottomed, the cryptocurrency is up 22.5% from its Feb. 6 low at $60,000 and data point to a renewed institutional investor appetite as a potential key player in the current bullish breakout.
Over the last week, Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the largest public holder of Bitcoin, purchased 22,237 BTC for $1.57 billion.
According to reporting from Bloomberg,
“Inflows to exchange-traded funds suggest a return of institutional confidence. Net flows for the 12 US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs topped $763 million last week, a third consecutive week of inflows”
On Monday, Metaplanet, a Tokyo-based public company that established Japan’s first corporate Bitcoin treasury, announced that it has raised $255 million in a “private placement” for a new instrument that aims to purchase more Bitcoin. Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich said the raise would provide the “additional firepower on our march towards 210,000 BTC.”
Related: Metaplanet raises $255M and adds warrant structure for Bitcoin buys
Adding to the institutional Bitcoin demand narrative, Bitfinex analysts said that “Bitcoin is approaching this week’s FOMC meeting on March 18 with renewed momentum, and has decisively reclaimed the $70,000 level.” The report noted Bitcoin’s market structure had “improved meaningfully” even though BTC has “yet to secure a breakout above local range highs.”
According to Bitfinex analysts, the absorption-to-emissions ratio (AER) highlighted institutional investors “absorbing nearly five times the daily miner supply,” and this, combined with rising BTC futures open interest, indicated that the market was beginning to mirror “healthier” structures seen earlier in the year.
When asked whether Bitcoin had bottomed and if institutional capital flows were responsible for the price upswing, Hyblock analysts explained that “following the sharp drop, the market entered a consolidation phase where open interest declined, shorts used more margin, and both spot and perpetual CVDs pointed to selling pressure.”
The analysts added that:
“Over the past month, that regime (sellers) has shifted. Traders have started increasing leverage on the long side, open interest is rising, and the perps CVD has turned positive while spot flows remain weak. This suggests the push toward the top of the range is largely being driven by derivatives positioning rather than spot demand.”
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. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Crypto World
T. Rowe Price, a $1.8 Trillion asset manager, is ready to put dogecoin (DOGE) and shiba inu (SHIB) in its new crypto ETF
T. Rowe Price has filed to hold a broad set of digital assets in its new exchange-traded fund (ETF), including bitcoin, ether, dogecoin, and shiba inu.
The asset manager, which has $1.8 trillion in assets under management, filed an amended S-1 registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), offering new details about its planned Price Active Crypto ETF, a fund designed to give investors actively managed exposure to digital assets.
The updated filing, submitted Monday, expands on the company’s original October application and outlines the cryptocurrencies the fund may invest in, along with details on custody, trading structure, and potential staking activity.
According to the document, the ETF could hold several digital assets, including bitcoin , ether (ETH), solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), , avalanche (AVAX), , , , hedera (HBAR), , chainlink , stellar lumen (XLM), shiba inu (SHIB), and .
Despite that wide universe, the fund will not hold all of those assets at once. Under normal circumstances, the ETF plans to maintain between five and fifteen crypto assets at a time, using an active management strategy rather than tracking a single token or passively following a benchmark. The portfolio will be rebalanced using quantitative models that incorporate fundamentals, valuation, and market momentum, with the goal of outperforming the FTSE US Listed Crypto Index, the filing said.
The amended filing also confirmed that Anchorage Digital Bank N.A. will serve as the fund’s crypto asset custodian, responsible for safeguarding the digital tokens held by the ETF.
For now, the fund will use a cash subscription and redemption model, meaning investors would create or redeem ETF shares using cash rather than transferring cryptocurrency directly. The filing notes that the structure could evolve to allow in-kind transactions in the future, a model some crypto ETFs use to exchange shares for the underlying digital assets.
Another notable addition in the filing is the possibility that the fund could participate in staking, a process used by some blockchains where token holders lock up assets to help secure the network in exchange for rewards.
T. Rowe Price said staking could be pursued in the future depending on risk considerations, tax treatment and regulatory guidance.
The filing marks another step by the 87-year-old investment firm, which is one of the top 25 asset management firms, toward entering the digital asset market.
If approved, the product would join a growing list of crypto investment vehicles designed to give investors exposure to the sector through traditional brokerage accounts.
The fund’s active approach could set it apart from the wave of spot bitcoin ETFs launched in the U.S. in 2024, allowing managers more flexibility to shift holdings as crypto markets evolve.
Key Takeaways
- The Foundation positions itself as a neutral coordinator rather than a directional leader.
- Community members question whether the framework provides sufficient institutional strategy.
- Advocates commend the emphasis on privacy, decentralization, and open-source principles.
- The framework draws clear boundaries between protocol maintenance and commercial development.
- Discussion reveals friction between philosophical ideals and market expansion tactics.
The Ethereum Foundation published a comprehensive constitutional framework detailing its operational philosophy and organizational principles, igniting extensive commentary throughout the crypto sector. The detailed 38-page publication reinforces the foundation’s commitment to serving as an impartial facilitator instead of a centralized governing body. Industry watchers quickly noted the significance of this release as institutional participation in Ethereum continues accelerating.
The constitutional framework articulates the Foundation’s obligation to preserve decentralized infrastructure while advancing protocol-level innovation and ecosystem commons. It characterizes the entity as an enabler of research initiatives, grant distribution, and community coordination without prescribing particular commercial solutions. This publication reinforces the foundation’s historical commitment to fostering development on a robust and dependable blockchain infrastructure.
Ethereum Foundation unveiled this framework during a period of organizational transitions and ongoing conversations regarding governance structures and institutional partnerships. The initiative seeks to crystallize the foundation’s core purpose and establish constitutional guidelines for future activities. Market analysts observe this document emerges while Ethereum encounters mounting expectations to accommodate enterprise-grade applications.
Skeptics Point to Absence of Concrete Business Strategy
Certain blockchain professionals expressed concern that Ethereum Foundation prioritizes theoretical principles above tangible market adoption measures. They contend the publication fails to outline strategies for enterprise integration or commercial partnership frameworks. These voices suggest the Foundation maintains significant influence while avoiding concrete operational accountability.
The Foundation’s framework reads as predominantly theoretical, elevating decentralization ideals, privacy protections, and open-source commitments above commercial considerations. Skeptics emphasize the necessity for proactive guidance to cement Ethereum’s standing in international financial systems. Industry participants observe that alternative blockchain platforms aggressively court institutional deployments while the Foundation maintains its non-interventionist stance.
Blockchain developers additionally cautioned that excessive emphasis on philosophical positioning could constrain tangible expansion possibilities. They propose the organization should deliberately champion Ethereum as the premier infrastructure for financial technology applications. Detractors argue the framework omits concrete roadmaps for commercial product advancement or enterprise collaboration initiatives.
Advocates Celebrate Constitutional Clarification of Mission
Proponents applauded the Foundation for formalizing its organizational charter and strengthening its impartial stewardship model. They maintain this publication preserves Ethereum’s operational durability, security infrastructure, and platform independence. Advocates emphasize the Foundation’s design enables third-party innovation rather than directing proprietary development.
The Foundation’s constitutional principles correspond with infrastructure requirements valued by institutional participants. The publication highlights censorship immunity, transparent accessibility, and privacy safeguards as fundamental characteristics for mainstream acceptance. Advocates assert these attributes guarantee Ethereum continues serving as a trustworthy foundation layer for technological advancement.
Infrastructure operators validated that the Foundation’s philosophical framework informs strategic choices throughout the broader ecosystem. They recognize the foundation oversees protocol evolution while independent organizations construct user-facing applications and services. Analysts believe this functional separation enables Ethereum Foundation to concentrate on enduring viability and ecosystem expansion.
The conversation surrounding the Foundation’s constitutional framework illuminates fundamental questions regarding organizational authority and commercial positioning. As Ethereum matures, transparent governance structures and defined responsibilities become increasingly vital for widespread implementation and network stability. The framework reinforces the Foundation’s dedication to stewardship while delegating execution and commercial innovation to the distributed ecosystem.
Fresh accumulation is emerging in Ethereum markets as whales, builders, and ETF investors add millions despite earlier sales by Vitalik Buterin.
Ethereum extended its recovery wave and surged over 8% in the last 24 hours to climb to almost $2,300 on Monday.
At the same time, blockchain data indicates fresh Ether purchases by a well-known early Bitcoin supporter.
Whales, Builders, and ETFs Pile Into ETH
According to blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain, early Bitcoin supporter and founder of ShapeShift, Erik Voorhees, has resumed buying Ether after a one-year break. Data revealed that Voorhees spent 49.08 million USDT to purchase 23,393 ETH at an average price of $2,098 through two wallets. He still holds 35.25 million USDT.
The firm also added that he had offloaded 12,886 ETH last year when Ether was trading at approximately $3,320.
Lookonchain noted that other investors have also been accumulating Ether alongside Voorhees. A wallet linked to an early Ethereum builder, “billΞ.eth,” spent $17.46 million to purchase 7,769 ETH at an average price of $2,248 on Monday. On the same day, another whale identified as wallet 0x743d bought 1,827 ETH for $3.79 million. Over the past four days, the same whale has spent $24.79 million to acquire 11,985 ETH at an average price of $2,068.
The renewed accumulation trend comes as institutional demand for the asset has also strengthened. Data from spot Ethereum ETFs shows rising investor interest. These funds have recorded over $160 million in net inflows over the past week. During that period, four trading days registered positive inflows, while only one day posted net outflows.
Buterin’s ETH Sales
On the other hand, Vitalik Buterin reduced some of his ETH holdings earlier this year. The Ethereum co-founder sold more Ether than he had originally planned. Buterin had previously announced a plan to sell 16,384 ETH, but on-chain data found total disposals reached about 18,684 ETH.
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The entire stash is worth over $38 million. The sales began in early February and occurred in several stages as ETH was gradually sold from his wallets. Buterin said the funds would be used to support open-source software and hardware development, privacy tools, and security-focused infrastructure projects. He also described the move as part of a period of “mild austerity” for the Ethereum Foundation.
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Under hostile Swedish tax rules, HIVE Digital is winding down Bitcoin mining and quadrupling Canadian AI data‑center capacity, swapping halving risk for contracted GPU revenue.
Summary
- HIVE says “misuse” of tax rules in Boden has turned Swedish ASIC mining into an opaque, uneconomic business and is weighing a full exit.
- Through BUZZ HPC, HIVE is expanding liquid‑cooled AI facilities in Canada from 4 MW to 16.6 MW, backing roughly 4,000 high‑end GPUs.
- The firm is rotating from pure Bitcoin beta to selling compute as a service to AI and HPC clients on contracts, trading hashprice whiplash for steadier ARR.
HIVE Digital is quietly admitting the old Bitcoin‑only mining model is broken. Under tax and regulatory pressure in Sweden, the miner is pivoting hard into AI and high‑performance computing (HPC) capacity in Canada, effectively swapping volatile block rewards for steadier data‑center cash flow.
The listed firm said its ASIC Bitcoin mining operations in Boden, Sweden, have become economically unstable due to what it calls “misuse of existing tax rules” by local authorities. Those include mandatory margin requirements and other measures that introduce opaque, unhedgeable costs into a business that already runs on thin, highly cyclical margins. Instead of fighting a drawn‑out regulatory battle in a secondary jurisdiction, HIVE is gradually scaling down Swedish production and openly signaling that a full exit from Bitcoin mining in the country is on the table.
The capital is being redeployed into infrastructure for a very different demand curve. Through its BUZZ High Performance Computing subsidiary, HIVE plans to quadruple the capacity of its liquid‑cooled AI data center footprint in Canada, from 4 megawatts in Manitoba to 16.6 MW spread across two provinces. The build‑out includes a 5 MW hosting site in British Columbia engineered to expand to 12.6 MW as utilization grows, giving the company a modular way to scale with AI workloads instead of with hashprice.
Strategically, this is the trade many miners have talked about but few have executed with conviction: rotate from pure Bitcoin beta toward selling compute as a service to AI and HPC clients willing to sign contracts. In market terms, HIVE is swapping exposure to halvings, difficulty jumps and ETF flows for exposure to AI model training budgets and enterprise cloud‑spending cycles. If it works, the firm keeps the upside of owning power‑dense infrastructure while compressing the volatility that has wrecked multiple listed miners in past bear markets.
The risk is straightforward. HIVE now has to compete not just with other miners, but with hyperscalers and specialist AI data‑center operators in a capex arms race where efficiency, client mix and power contracts decide who survives the next downturn. But as Sweden’s tax environment turns hostile and Bitcoin mining economics whipsaw around the halving, standing still is worse. HIVE’s bet is that the next real bull market for infrastructure is denominated in tokens of GPU hours, not just satoshis.
After Chainlink community liaison Zach Rynes recently called the XRP Ledger (XRPL) an “obsolete ghost chain,” the XRP Army retaliated, sparking social media war.
Rynes argued that XRP’s “bridge currency” thesis has a foundational flaw, and laughed at XRP holders who still believe XRPL will become the primary settlement layer for tokenized assets.
He also highlighted XRPL’s real world asset market share of less than 1%, including under 0.01% of stablecoins minted on-chain.
The retaliation was immediate. XRP advocate and attorney Bill Morgan accused Rynes of having “an unhealthy obsession with XRP,” while Ripple Chief Technology Officer Emeritus David Schwartz called the criticism logically flawed.
Whereas Schwartz framed sales of XRP by the company Ripple as a prominently pre-disclosed and long-term distribution method to distribute XRP around the world for decades, Rynes dismissed that explanation as “elite tier gaslighting.”
Buys shares of Ripple versus buying LINK
Another flare up in the war between LINK Marines and XRP Army came from another crypto commentator calling out Ripple for buying back its own equity rather than XRP.
Chainlink, in contrast to Ripple, buys LINK tokens for its reserve.
Indeed, Ripple announced a $750 million share buyback at a $50 billion valuation on March 12. Chainlink, meanwhile, executed its largest single reserve expansion in January, adding 99,103 LINK purchased with the proceeds of protocol revenue.
Of course, what ultimately matters is not whether either founding entity buys or sells on an absolute basis, but rather how much that buying and selling matters relative to other sources of demand.
That contrast is the core of the disagreement between the two camps. While Chainlink converts institutional fees into token buybacks, Ripple converts XRP sales into corporate equity.
Rynes framed it bluntly: “By owning XRP, you are funding a company that has openly stated it will prioritize its equity shareholders over you.”
Read more: Is XRP overvalued? Critics flag $149 in daily network revenue
The XRP vs. LINK feud is years in the making
According to Rynes himself, the rivalry dates to at least 2019. He recounted the origins of the disagreement on a podcast last August.
Both communities compete over which crypto project could benefit most from institutional blockchain adoption. The XRP Army not only highlights its public partnerships but also behind-the-scenes work of financial giants, its operating behind non-disclosure agreements, and its adoption of XRPL technologies.
The LINK Marines counter with their project’s own list of partnership announcements.
Valuations, on their face, make the tribalism look absurd, with the XRP Army clearly punching down and the LINK Marines punching up for clout.
XRP trades at a $91 billion market cap while LINK has a $7 billion market cap. That is a 13x gap.
LINK is also far below its all-time high: 81% versus XRP’s 59%.
On Saturday, Rynes flagged a brazen act of plagiarism. An XRP influencer with over 400,000 followers took a LINK Marines infographic and swapped the Chainlink logo for XRP’s.
The original showed Chainlink’s connections to Visa, Mastercard, SWIFT, and DTCC.
“Classic example of the social media misinfo slop that fuels XRP retail speculation,” Rynes wrote, even though social media posts by members of either fan group are beyond the control of either Chainlink or Ripple.
XRP supporter “Vet” summarized the mood from the other side: “The Chainlink folks are upset with XRP.”
In a follow-up, they defended XRPL as the only protocol offering built-in order book and automated market maker features without middleman fees.
Fans of Chainlink’s oracle services versus XRPL’s payment rails have turned many debates into a divisive identity war.
The irony, as more than one observer has noted, is that Chainlink and Ripple aren’t actually direct competitors.
Chainlink provides data information and cross-chain infrastructure while XRPL is a payment network and currency exchange.
Indeed, Ripple’s own stablecoin RLUSD already uses Chainlink’s price feeds.
Brad Garlinghouse and Sergey Nazarov have been photographed together smiling, however, their respective fanbases seem to have little interest in a ceasefire.
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Crypto World
The Ultimate Bull Signal? Why ETH’s Chart Just Flipped to ‘Buy’ for the First Time Since September
Ethereum may be exiting its months-long downtrend after the SuperTrend indicator turned bullish.
ETH bulls pushed the price to $2,300 on Monday. The altcoin posted over 14% in gains this week. The latest price action has been a welcome relief for investors amid macro tensions due to the blockade of the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping route.
For Ethereum, a crucial indicator has flipped to “buy” for the first time in months.
Breakout Alert
According to popular crypto analyst Ali Martinez, Ethereum could be entering a new phase after months of downward pressure, as the SuperTrend indicator flipped from “Sell” to “Buy” for the first time since September.
The last two times this happened, ETH went on to rally 52% and 174%. Martinez also noted that ETH recently reclaimed the $2,200 level as support after trading below it for weeks. The analyst identified $2,400 and $2,600 as the next levels to watch.
Meanwhile, spot Ether ETFs accumulated roughly $265 million over the past three weeks, as per data updated by SoSoValue.
The BlackRock’s newly debuted iShares Staked Ethereum Trust (ETHB) recorded $43.48 million in inflows on its first day of trading. Market experts point out that the investment vehicle could significantly reduce the amount of ETH available on the market. According to Axel Bitblaze, the fund would stake most of the Ether it holds, effectively locking it on-chain and removing it from circulation. With around 30% of ETH already staked, the trader believes additional institutional staking demand could further shrink the liquid supply if other asset managers launch similar products.
Accumulation Trend
Separate blockchain data indicates that several major investors have been actively building new Ether positions. Bitcoin advocate and ShapeShift founder Erik Voorhees, for instance, has resumed accumulating the asset after roughly a year without purchases. On-chain data shows he used two wallets to spend 49.08 million USDT to acquire 23,393 ETH at an average price near $2,098 and still retains 35.25 million USDT.
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Other large buyers have also appeared, including early Ethereum contributor “billΞ.eth,” who purchased 7,769 ETH for $17.46 million, and another whale wallet that accumulated nearly 12,000 ETH over four days.
Additionally, market commentator Ted Pillows stated that Ethereum’s recovery could allow the asset to climb toward the $2,400 region, where resistance remains limited. Still, Pillows expects the rally could be temporary before the crypto asset potentially turns lower again.
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- XRP price hovers above $1.50, a four-week high.
- The Ripple cryptocurrency is up amid gains for Bitcoin.
- Traders are bullish despite $76 million in fund outflows last week.
XRP price rose to highs of $1.50 on Monday as corporate developments at Ripple and the broader market dynamics fueled bullish bets on the token.
Bulls’ resilience around $1.30 looks to be paying off as gains over the past week rise to double digits, with XRP hitting a market cap of over $90 billion despite recent outflows from Ripple-tied investment products.
While current market conditions could curtail momentum, the gains seen over the past week suggest buyers may have room to test sellers’ resolve above $2.00.
XRP price hits $1.50 – why is it surging?
XRP is currently holding onto gains of around $1.50 after top altcoins mirrored Bitcoin’s surge earlier in the day.
As BTC climbed to above $74,000 and Ethereum pumped toward $2,300, XRP edged higher to reach prices last seen in mid-February 2026.
Gains align with a pivotal boost that came from reports of Ripple launching a $750 million share buyback program.
The move offers early investors and employees a liquidity exit at a staggering $50 billion valuation as Ripple bids to stay private.
Fund flows not so encouraging
The past month has not been good for Ripple’s cryptocurrency in terms of attracting institutional interest in XRP investment products.
CoinShares notes that XRP saw over $76 million in capital exits from related digital asset investment products last week.
More than $133 million has exited XRP funds in the past month, leaving year-to-date flows at just over $19 million.
The cryptocurrency’s total assets under management currently stand at $2.4 billion.
XRP price technical outlook
Despite the recent outflow streak, speculative confidence has pushed open interest up.
Macroeconomic and geopolitical tensions from the ongoing Iran war aside, the Ripple coin could eye a retest of the $2.00 level.
On the bullish side, momentum could accelerate if Bitcoin rides energy sector uncertainty to above $80,000.
Technical indicators point to XRP’s readiness for an explosive uptick, with Bollinger Bands showing unprecedented compression reminiscent of record levels from 2024.
Often, such an outlook aligns with major volatility spikes across the ecosystem.
Trading in the $1.41-$1.50 region means bulls need a decisive break above $1.60 to unlock a short-term rally.
Bulls’ target amid this uptick will be $3.00.
The probability that XRP bulls flip resistance near current prices into support nonetheless hinges on broader market conditions.
In case buyers fail to hold $1.40, key support levels on the downside might include $1.31 and $1.20.
Australia pushes digital asset platforms toward financial services licensing
Australia is preparing to regulate crypto exchanges and tokenization platforms under the national financial services framework. The Senate Economics Legislation Committee recommended passing the Corporations Amendment Digital Assets Framework Bill 2025. Consequently, the decision moves the country closer to a formal licensing regime for digital asset operators.
Industry groups warn about definitions affecting blockchain infrastructure providers
Legal and technology groups raised concerns about several definitions used in the draft legislation. These concerns focus mainly on the terms digital token and factual control. Industry experts warned that broad interpretations could capture services that only provide infrastructure.
Piper Alderman highlighted potential issues involving wallet software and multi-party control systems. The firm explained that some security architectures rely on distributed key management. Under the bill’s wording, such systems could face unintended regulatory treatment.
Ripple Labs also commented on the framework and supported the concept of regulation based on asset control. However, the company argued that modern wallet security structures require more precise legal language. Multi-party computation wallets, for example, distribute key fragments across multiple entities.
The company warned that technology providers holding one key fragment might appear as custodians under a strict interpretation. That outcome could classify infrastructure providers as financial service operators. Therefore, industry representatives urged lawmakers to clarify that unilateral asset transfer determines factual control.
Committee backs Treasury approach while bill moves toward Senate vote
Despite industry concerns, the committee supported the Treasury’s overall regulatory approach. Lawmakers acknowledged the technical feedback but chose to address details through later regulations. This method allows adjustments without changing the bill’s main structure.
Coinbase welcomed the committee’s recommendation and described the development as progress for the digital asset sector. The company noted that Australia holds strong capital resources and technical talent in blockchain development. Clear regulatory structures could therefore support industry growth and market confidence.
However, the company also pointed to ongoing banking access challenges affecting crypto businesses. Some firms still face account closures or service restrictions from financial institutions. The company urged policymakers to implement earlier recommendations from national financial regulators.
With committee approval secured, the legislation now proceeds to debate within the Senate. Lawmakers will review the proposal before holding a final vote on the framework. If passed, the rules could reshape how digital asset platforms operate within Australia’s financial system.
- Pi Network marks its seventh year with ecosystem upgrades.
- Pi Coin holds support near $0.19 while testing the $0.20 resistance level.
- A break above $0.2588 may open the path toward $0.34 and $0.40.
The seventh anniversary of Pi Network has drawn fresh attention to the project.
The anniversary celebration, often referred to as Pi Day, has become a yearly checkpoint for the network’s progress, and this year’s event came with new upgrades and growing developer interest that could gradually strengthen the platform.
For many observers, the key question now is whether these developments can translate into sustained momentum for the token.
Ecosystem growth takes centre stage
Pi Network began with a simple idea of allowing people to participate in cryptocurrency mining through a mobile application.
That approach lowered the barrier to entry and helped the network attract a large global community over the years.
The project has continued to emphasise participation and utility rather than speculation.
This year’s anniversary announcement highlighted the expansion of developer tools and infrastructure.
These improvements allow developers to build decentralised applications directly within the Pi ecosystem.
The introduction of smart contract capabilities has been particularly important.
Smart contracts enable developers to create decentralised services such as financial tools, digital marketplaces, and blockchain-based games.
Such features are considered essential for any blockchain that aims to build a real digital economy.
The network has also been working on migrating more users to the mainnet.
This process is intended to move previously mined tokens into the live blockchain environment.
A broader migration increases real network activity and prepares the platform for wider adoption.
Furthermore, community engagement remains one of Pi Network’s defining characteristics.
The project has regularly introduced initiatives that recognise long-time participants and encourage new users to complete identity verification.
These efforts strengthen the ecosystem by ensuring that users are real individuals rather than automated accounts.
In the long run, a verified user base could make the platform more attractive to developers and businesses.
Pi Coin price analysis
Pi Coin has experienced noticeable price fluctuations in recent weeks.
The token previously rallied toward the $0.29 region before cooling down and settling near the $0.20 area.
Such pullbacks are common in the cryptocurrency market after periods of rapid gains.
Short-term movements have also been influenced by broader market sentiment.
In particular, the performance of Bitcoin (BTC) continues to play a major role in shaping momentum across the digital asset sector.
When Bitcoin strengthens, smaller cryptocurrencies often benefit from the same wave of investor interest, and when it weakens, those assets may face additional pressure.
Despite the recent pullback, analysts describe the current sentiment around Pi Coin as cautiously optimistic.
The price has managed to hold above several support levels even after a week of decline, suggesting that buyers are still willing to step in at lower prices.
However, the market has not yet produced a strong catalyst that could trigger a sustained rally.
Pi Network price forecast
For now, the short-term outlook can be described as neutral to slightly bullish.
Technical analysis highlights several price levels that traders are watching closely.
In the short term, the area near $0.19 has acted as an important support zone.
If the price holds above this level, the market could maintain its current stability.
A stronger support level sits around $0.1588, which previously served as a floor during recent price swings.
On the upside, resistance remains close to the $0.20 region.
A decisive move above this level could allow Pi Coin to test the next target around $0.21.
Beyond that point, a larger resistance area is located near $0.2588.
Historical price behaviour shows that a break above this zone has often been followed by stronger upward momentum.
If such a breakout occurs, the next resistance could appear near $0.3426.
Another major barrier stands around $0.4077, where profit-taking could emerge if the rally continues.
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