The reported death of Jonathan, the world’s oldest tortoise, was instead a ploy by crypto scammers to trick people into buying an unaffiliated cryptocurrency.

Major news outlets such as the BBC, USA Today, and Daily Mail reported that Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, passed away yesterday at the age of 194.

The publications based the reports on the claims of “@JoeHollinsVet,” an X account that claimed to be his veterinarian. 

The account announced, “Heartbroken to share that our beloved Jonathan, the world’s oldest living land animal, has passed away today peacefully on St. Helena.”

It said, “As his vet for many years, it was an honor to care for him—hand-feeding bananas, watching him bask in the sun, and marveling at his quiet wisdom.”

Thankfully, none of it was true. Jonathan’s real-life veterinarian, still named Joe Hollins, confirmed to USA Today that they don’t have an account on X and that the posts are a hoax. 

Read more: Apple support imposter to pay back $1.2M after stealing NFTs and crypto

He said, “Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive. I believe on X the person purporting to be me is asking for crypto donations, so it’s not even an April Fool joke. It’s a con.”

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Jonathan the tortoise does not care for crypto

Jonathan has lived in a sanctuary on the island of St Helena since 1882. Here, at the plantation house owned by the island’s governor, Nigel Phillips, Jonathan spends his days as one of the oldest known living land mammals to date.

He reportedly suffers from cataracts and has lost his sense of smell. Regardless, he is still healthy and maintains an active libido with two younger tortoises on the island. 

When Phillips woke up to the false reports, he rushed to check if Jonathan was okay and discovered him sleeping under a tree in his paddock.

Phillips told The Guardian that Jonathan often likes to graze on grass and that, “One day a week he is fed fruit, veg and salad to ensure he gets essential minerals. He has a sweet tooth. Tourists occasionally come to view him, but that is carefully managed to ensure the animals are not stressed.”

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The pretender account, which is based in Brazil, is claiming that it was all just an April Fools’ joke. 

This is despite the account claiming earlier, while promoting another Jonathan-themed account with a linked memecoin, that it wasn’t an April Fools’ joke.

The X account shared the memecoin’s crypto address and also had it in its bio, but it has since removed it. 

The market cap of the Jonathan-themed token shot up 376% from $25,000 to $119,000 during yesterday’s false posts. 

It has since fallen back down to $34,000 and now sits at $74,000 at the time of writing.

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Read more: Inside the $280M Drift hack: weeks of setup, minutes to drain

Messy crypto April Fools

Other questionable April Fools jokes yesterday included a fake acquisition that moved the price of a protocol firm’s token, $LQTY, drawing accusations of market manipulation. 

Another crypto firm called Hyperbridge claimed it was breached as part of an April Fools’ joke. Unfortunately, a crypto protocol called Drift was actually hacked later that day, and I had to stress that it wasn’t an April Fools’ joke. 

The protocol lost roughly $280 million to the hackers after a week-long operation managed to exploit its multisig wallet.

Got a tip? Send us an email securely via Protos Leaks. For more informed news and investigations, follow us on X, Bluesky, and Google News, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Ethereum’s dominance in non-USD stablecoin supply has shrunk to 65% as of February 2026, down from 90% in early 2023, according to data published by Dune and Visa on Thursday. Despite the decline, Ethereum remains the default chain for stablecoin issuance, though other blockchains are catching up in market share.

While Ethereum leads in issuance, it ranks only fifth by unique senders across stablecoin networks. The absolute growth in activity has been significant, with unique senders increasing from 2,000 to 12,000 year-over-year as of February 2026, indicating expanded user adoption across the stablecoin ecosystem.

Sources: Dune

This article was generated automatically by The Defiant’s AI news system from publicly available sources.

Kraken launched an opt-in rewards program for xStocks on Thursday, offering users up to 1% rewards by holding tokenized U.S. equities and ETFs. The rewards program addresses a gap in traditional equities markets, which typically lack accessible yield mechanisms beyond dividends. xStocks, Kraken’s 24/7 permissionless onchain equities products, enable crypto-native investors to access U.S. stocks and ETFs outside traditional market hours.

The opt-in structure allows users to choose participation in the rewards program without mandatory enrollment. xStocks were designed to bring familiar equity products into decentralized ecosystems where many investors already transact, extending traditional market access into crypto environments that operate around the clock.

Sources: Kraken Blog | Kraken Support | Kraken xStocks

This article was generated automatically by The Defiant’s AI news system from publicly available sources.

The March jobs report drops today on Good Friday, and because stock markets are closed, crypto is the only major market open to react. While some investors wait for the macro picture to clear, institutions have been adding positions for weeks.

For traders watching the solana price prediction, that backdrop matters, but it is presale tokens like Pepeto that stand to gain the most when confidence spreads into broader sentiment.

The March employment report lands today with equity exchanges shut for the holiday, meaning Bitcoin and altcoins will be the only liquid markets reacting in real time according to Reuters. After February’s loss of 92,000 jobs, analysts expect a rebound near 57,000.

CoinDesk noted that crypto could overshoot without the usual equity anchor to steady prices. For anyone tracking the solana price prediction, a weak number could open the door for a broader risk rally.

Solana Price Prediction and the Best Presale Picks as Institutions Return

Is Pepeto the best presale before the Binance listing?

While institutional money keeps flowing into large caps, Pepeto is positioned to ride that wave straight into a Binance listing that approaches fast. The cross chain bridge connects every major network so your capital can follow the best trade no matter which chain it lives on. The PepetoAI risk scorer evaluates the threat level of every trade before your money moves, giving you a clear read on what could go wrong before it does.

Both tools are already built and working, which puts Pepeto ahead of most presales that ask buyers to trust a promise. The developer who launched the original Pepe project is part of the team, and a former Binance expert handles the architecture.

At $0.000000186 the presale entry is a fraction of what listing day will cost. The presale has cleared above $8.1M, and a $50,000 position earns 189% APY through staking, which means $98,000 in yearly returns just for holding while the listing approaches. Every exchange listing after Binance adds a fresh wave of buyers competing for a fixed supply, and that pressure only moves in one direction.

Each day that passes without entering is money left on the table, another round filling without you, and the listing one step closer while your position is still zero.

Solana price prediction: SOL recovers from $78 low but return math stays capped

Solana currently trades at $78.95 after today’s sharp drop, a drop that hit all of the crypto market due to the current geopolitical situation according to CoinMarketCap.

Institutional interest remains, with recent inflows confirming larger wallets still believe in the long term case. If SOL reclaims $100, the solana price prediction opens toward $110. But even a move to $200 from here delivers a little over 2x, solid but not the kind of return that changes a portfolio overnight.

BNB holds $580 but large cap returns stay limited

BNB is trading near $580 and benefits from Binance’s dominance in global exchange volume according to CoinMarketCap.

The token held up better than most altcoins in the recent selloff. A move from $580 to $900 represents roughly 45% growth, meaningful but far from the multiples presale entries deliver when a project lists on a major exchange.

The Bottom Line: Presale Windows Beat the Crowd

The jobs report landing today shows that macro data still drives crypto, and the solana price prediction benefits from that backdrop along with BNB. But presale projects with live products deliver the biggest returns when institutional confidence spreads into wider sentiment.

Solana and BNB can be bought any day at market price, but the Pepeto presale has a closing date and the Binance listing is locked in, which you can verify at the Pepeto official website. Every day you wait is a day of returns gone, another round filling without you, and the listing getting closer while your wallet sits empty.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs

What is the solana price prediction for 2026?

SOL is trading near $78.95 after the Drift hack, with $100 as key resistance. A break above opens the path toward $110, with a strong scenario pushing SOL toward $200 in 2026.

What does the April jobs report mean for the crypto market?

The jobs data dropping on Good Friday means crypto is the only market reacting live, and a weak number could push rate cut expectations forward and spark a rally.

Why does Pepeto compare favorably to the solana price prediction right now?

The solana price prediction is constructive but caps gains at around 2x. Pepeto offers a fixed presale entry with a confirmed Binance listing and a live product, and details are at the Pepeto official website.

Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.

The U.S. Department of Justice will be helmed by Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, after removing Attorney General Pam Bondi from the position.

Blanche represented Trump in his criminal case in New York prior to Trump’s reelection as U.S. President in 2024. Trump named him deputy attorney general after retaking office.

As deputy attorney general, Blanche ordered the disbanding of the DOJ’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, which was formed in 2022 under former President Joe Biden, and signed a four-page memo ordering prosecutors not to pursue regulatory violation cases in the crypto industry.

The document was referenced in the Southern District of New York office’s case against Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, eventually leading that office to drop a charge against Storm (Storm was later convicted on another charge, and faces a retrial on two more later this year).

According to Blanche’s most recent government ethics disclosure, dated July 10, 2025, Blanche transferred his crypto asset holdings to his children and a grandchild, including Bitcoin BTC$66,822.54, Solana (SOL), ADA$0.2393 and Ethereum (ETH). His disclosure form also noted that he’d held Polygon (MATIC), DOT$1.2373 and Quant (QNT), as well as Coinbase (COIN) stock.

According to ProPublica, he still held these cryptos — somewhere between $159,000 and $485,000 in total — when he signed the enforcement memo, which violated ethics rules and his pledge to divest prior to working on crypto-related matters.

Bitcoin has stubbornly maintained a 60,000 to 73,000 USD trading band as macro headwinds intensify. Oil prices hover at levels not seen since 2008, geopolitical tensions flare across the US, Israel and Iran, and stock markets remain volatile after a choppy start to the year. In this environment, BTC has drawn steady bids on pullbacks toward the 60k mark, but the path forward remains uncertain as traders weigh whether a breakout or deeper correction lies ahead.

Analysts point to a technical setup that could tilt the risk balance either way. A rising wedge and a bear-flag pattern have been in focus, with a key stake on whether Bitcoin can sustain a rally above a critical resistance area. Market technicians stress that a daily close above roughly 76,000 USD would be necessary to invalidate the current bearish configuration and shift the narrative toward a potential fresh leg higher. Until such a breakout occurs, the market may remain in a waiting game as traders seek a catalyst to unlock capital and directional bets.

Key takeaways

• Bitcoin remains range-bound between 60,000 and 73,000 USD despite challenging macro conditions, with support at 60k and resistance nearer 70k–73k.
• A bear-flag/bearish continuation pattern dominates near-term view, requiring a close above 76,000 USD to negate the setup; a breakdown could push toward the mid-50k to 52,500 USD area per some scenarios.
• Trading activity shows subdued demand and a cautious stance, as aggregated open interest stays below 20 billion USD and negative funding rates are treated as opportunistic signals rather than reliable catalysts for rallies.
• Liquidity dynamics hint at risk for leveraged longs if BTC weakens toward 63–65k USD, with a liquidity gap below and another cluster of longs starting around 57,500–56,000 USD.
• Market participants await a clear catalyst—whether a macro shift or a technical breakout above 76k—before the next sustained move, keeping the focus on the 60k–70k range until then.

Bearish patterns and the price action

Bitcoin’s recent price action has framed a cautious setup. A correction to 60,014 USD occurred on Jan. 20 as BTC traded within the broader range, reinforcing a bearish continuation narrative. Since February 8, attempts to break past the bear-flag’s overhead trendline have failed, reinforcing the view that the pattern remains intact unless a decisive breakout occurs.

Technical observers underscore that clearing 76,000 USD on a multi-day basis is the prerequisite for negating the current bearish configuration. In practical terms, a rally to that level would need to sustain for two or three consecutive daily candles and then retest the trendline at around 75,000 USD to confirm a change in role from resistance to support.

“Breakdown of the lower boundary will be the signal for a possible move toward 52,500 USD.”

That outlook aligns with a broader sentiment among some technicians who monitor price channels and chart patterns for guidance on possible trajectories. While not a guaranteed forecast, the emphasized level of 52,500 USD sits as a potential magnet in a scenario where downside momentum intensifies.

Liquidity, funding and risk in the wings

Across spot and futures markets, demand appears relatively flat by several market-tracking measures. Data suggests that traders still view episodes where the funding rate turns negative as potential buying opportunities, but such signals have not reliably translated into sustained upside as Bitcoin tests the bear-flag resistance.

Aggregated open interest provides a corroborating view: it has remained below 20 billion USD, a threshold last associated with BTC trading near 79,000 USD earlier in February. The muted open interest implies that traders are selectively taking on risk, rather than piling into directional bets with high leverage.

In the options and futures space, risk dynamics show a clustering of leveraged long positions vulnerable to liquidation if price declines into the 63,000–65,000 USD range. A liquidity gap exists below, with the next sizable block of long positions projected around 57,500–56,000 USD. These pockets of risk hint at how quickly sentiment could shift if Bitcoin breaks lower and triggers cascading liquidations in highly leveraged positions.

Market path to watch

The prevailing mood appears to be one of consolidation, with market participants waiting for a meaningful trigger to re-accelerate volatility in either direction. Traders are watching for catalysts—whether from macro data, geopolitical news, or a fresh technical breakout—that could reallocate capital and tip BTC out of its current range.

Absent such catalysts, the price action is likely to continue trading within the 60,000–70,000 region, with 60,000 acting as a stubborn floor and 70,000 representing a more challenging hurdle for those hoping to reestablish momentum above the long-standing resistance area. The broader picture suggests that the market is seeking a narrative or data point that justifies larger bets, rather than reacting to mid-cycle noise alone.

What readers should watch next

As the market evolves, key milestones to monitor include a sustained break above 76,000 USD on a multi-day basis, followed by a confirmatory retest of the 75,000 USD level. If the price fails to clear this zone, attention will likely shift back to the lower boundary near 60,000 USD and the risk of a renewed test of the bears’ target around 52,500 USD. On the funding and liquidity front, any meaningful shifts in open interest and leverage dynamics—especially a surge in long liquidations around the 63–65k window—could catalyze sharper moves. The coming weeks will be telling as macro headlines and on-chain signals converge to redefine BTC’s trajectory.

According to analysts like Aksel Kibar, who shared charts and commentary on X, the path of least resistance will hinge on whether the support and resistance lines hold or give way. For now, Bitcoin’s fate rests on whether buyers can step forward with conviction above the critical 76k level or whether a fresh wave of selling drives the market toward mid- to low-50k territory. Readers should stay tuned to both price action and the evolving liquidity landscape, as these are the levers most likely to determine the next leg in BTC’s ongoing range-bound saga.

YZi Labs has announced a strategic additional investment in prediction market platform Predict.fun following the second season of its EASY Residency program, according to an official update from the firm. The follow‑on round brings in Susquehanna Crypto, the digital asset trading arm of global quantitative trading firm Susquehanna International Group, signaling growing institutional interest in on‑chain prediction markets.

The Predict.fun team graduated from YZi Labs’ EASY Residency Season 2 cohort, unveiled during Binance Blockchain Week, where the incubator highlighted the protocol’s blend of DeFi yield, self‑custody and gasless UX as the basis for “mainstream prediction markets.” YZi Labs described Predict.fun as enabling a new class of event trading by routing user collateral into DeFi strategies while positions are open, turning predictions into a yield‑generating primitive rather than idle bets.

Polymarket has expanded beyond crypto and event-based contracts into traditional financial assets, integrating oracle provider Pyth Network as the resolution source for a new suite of equity, index, and commodity markets.

The collaboration, announced on Wednesday, launches with daily up/down and daily close markets for major equity indices, commodities including gold, silver, WTI crude, and natural gas, and more than a dozen U.S. equities such as TSLA, COIN, PLTR, NVDA, and AAPL.

Alongside the integration, Pyth unveiled Pyth Terminal, a live data interface that allows traders to explore and verify price feeds in real time. The tool includes benchmark comparisons for U.S. equities and foreign exchange, publisher-level transparency for each feed, and free API key access for new sign-ups.

Polymarket traders can follow a live “price to beat” chart that updates every second as markets move, with the Terminal serving as the public source of truth for how each market resolves.

Over 125 leading trading firms, exchanges, and market makers publish first-party price data directly to Pyth, creating what the network describes as a price discovery system rooted in real trading activity rather than a single exchange or market window.

“Millions of dollars can hinge on a single price point, and that demands absolute confidence in the source of truth. Pyth delivers that assurance, enabling Polymarket to expand into high-stakes financial markets,” said Mustafa Aljadery, Product Lead at Polymarket.

The launch significantly deepens Polymarket’s push into finance-related markets. The prediction market already hosts 138 active commodities markets and a finance category covering earnings, Fed rate decisions, IPOs, and forex.

Polymarket’s monthly volumes have surged from roughly $1 billion in mid-2025 to over $8 billion by March 2026, with weekly notional volume consistently exceeding $1 billion through the first quarter.

The expansion comes as Polymarket continues to deepen its institutional and mainstream partnerships, having recently been named MLB’s exclusive prediction market partner.

For Pyth, the Polymarket deal adds to a string of recent product launches, including a 24/7 oil index designed to fill pricing gaps left by traditional commodity markets that shut down overnight and on weekends.

This article was written with the assistance of AI workflows. All our stories are curated, edited and fact-checked by a human.

SpaceX appears poised to launch what could become the largest initial public offering in history, with a potential valuation above USD 1.75 trillion and up to USD 75 billion in proceeds. If confirmed, the listing would give public investors exposure to SpaceX’s broader space ecosystem, including Starlink’s connectivity and launch capabilities, while funding the continued development of Starship and expansion into new verticals such as AI infrastructure, including space-based data centres. The move follows SpaceX’s merger with xAI, creating a vertically integrated platform that blends space and artificial intelligence and invites scrutiny of how such a multi‑line business should be valued. The prospect of retail ownership, potentially up to 30%, adds another near‑term dynamic.

Key points

• Possible largest IPO ever with valuation above $1.75 trillion and up to $75 billion in proceeds.
• Public exposure to SpaceX’s ecosystem, including Starlink connectivity and launch capabilities.
• Proceeds earmarked for Starship development, Starlink expansion, defence initiatives, and AI infrastructure, including space-based data centres.
• SpaceX-xAI merger introduces vertical integration spanning space and AI, raising valuation questions for investors.
• Retail share allocation expected to be up to 30% of the offering.

Why it matters

If SpaceX moves forward with a valuation in this range, it would set a new benchmark for mega-tech listings tied to space, infrastructure, and AI. The IPO would broaden public exposure to a space-based ecosystem beyond traditional hardware, while the xAI tie-in signals a broader ambition that spans multiple high-capital segments. For investors, the arrangement raises questions about how to price a company with profitable space operations alongside capital-intensive AI ventures, and how share distribution to retail participants could influence demand and pricing.

What to watch

• Final confirmation of IPO details: valuation, proceeds, and timing.
• Retail investor share allocation up to 30%.
• Impact of SpaceX-xAI merger on valuation and strategy.
• Near-term signals on Starship and Starlink funding implications.

Disclosure: The content below is a press release provided by the company or its PR representative. It is published for informational purposes.

SpaceX IPO Set to Become Largest in History, Marking a Defining Moment for Global Markets

Abu Dhabi, UAE – April 01, 2026

SpaceX is reportedly preparing to go public in what could become the largest IPO in history, with a potential valuation exceeding USD $1.75 trillion and plans to raise up to USD $75 billion. If confirmed, this would surpass Saudi Aramco’s 2019 listing, which raised USD $29.4 billion.

The listing would mark the first opportunity for public market investors to gain exposure to Elon Musk’s space ecosystem. SpaceX has established itself as a global leader, with its Starlink broadband network generating significant revenue and its launch capabilities dominating the commercial space sector.

Proceeds from the IPO are expected to fund the continued development of Starship, expand Starlink into new verticals, support defence-related initiatives, and accelerate investments in AI infrastructure, including the concept of space-based data centres.

The company’s recent merger with xAI introduces an additional dimension for investors. While the move creates a vertically integrated innovation platform spanning space and artificial intelligence, it also raises questions around valuation, given xAI’s capital-intensive nature.

Josh Gilbert, Market Analyst at eToro, commented: “SpaceX’s IPO represents a watershed moment for global markets. It’s not just about gaining exposure to a leading space company, but about investing in a broader ecosystem that spans connectivity, defence, and artificial intelligence. However, the complexity of the business model — combining a highly profitable space and broadband operation with a capital-intensive AI venture — means investors will need to carefully assess whether the proposed valuation is justified.”

The IPO also has implications for Tesla investors, as Tesla holds a stake in SpaceX following its USD $2 billion xAI investment. Increasing operational ties between the companies have fuelled speculation about a potential future merger, which could create a new type of multi-sector technology conglomerate.

Notably, SpaceX is expected to allocate a significant portion of shares to retail investors, potentially up to 30%, signalling a shift in how major IPOs engage with individual market participants.

As anticipation builds, the key question for investors remains whether the scale, ambition, and integration of SpaceX’s business lines can support what would be one of the most ambitious valuations ever seen in public markets.