Crypto World
Iran Sees Bitcoin as Strategic Asset; USDt Dominates Oil Tolls, BPI
Iran’s government has named Bitcoin (BTC) as one of the payment options for tolls on oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a move highlighted by observers as a clear signal of Bitcoin’s role as a neutral and strategic asset in a sanctions-driven economy. Sam Lyman, head of research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI), described the development as a notable instance where Bitcoin’s censorship-resistant properties are front and center in state-level financial decisions.
According to Lyman, the Iranian authorities chose BTC for its resilience to external interference—“No one can freeze Bitcoin. No one can shut down the Bitcoin network.” Yet he cautions that, at present, there is no on-chain evidence of BTC toll payments being executed, and Iran’s payments ecosystem remains diversified across multiple instruments, including Chinese yuan and US dollar-pegged stablecoins.
Iran’s payment mix for tolls now includes yuan, USD-pegged stablecoins, and BTC, a combination that reflects a broader push to sidestep traditional financial channels amid international sanctions. However, Lyman notes that the bulk of Iran’s crypto activity to date has been denominated in USD-backed stablecoins, underscoring how dollar-mapped liquidity remains a core part of the regime’s on-chain strategy.
In framing this development, Lyman emphasizes a broader point about how policymakers should view Bitcoin. The move illustrates why some lawmakers advocate considering Bitcoin as a strategic asset, rather than pursuing a blanket hostility toward digital assets or a dismissive stance on their utility in national finance. As the discussion around crypto and national security evolves, this incident provides a real-world data point on how a state actor contemplates the potential of censorship-resistant settlement rails.
Key takeaways
- Iran publicly designates Bitcoin as a payment option for oil tolls crossing the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a strategic use of BTC beyond speculative trading.
- Bitcoin’s censorship-resistant properties are cited as the primary rationale for its use in sovereign-level payments, according to Sam Lyman of the Bitcoin Policy Institute.
- As of now, there is no on-chain evidence confirming BTC toll payments; Iran’s crypto activity remains dominated by USD-backed stablecoins, notably USDt.
- Iran has shifted roughly $3 billion in cryptocurrencies since 2022, with the majority in stablecoins; U.S. authorities report a smaller portion of frozen assets relative to total movement, suggesting ongoing liquidity despite sanctions.
- The episode feeds into a broader policy debate about whether Bitcoin should be treated as a strategic asset by Western lawmakers and regulators, rather than being treated solely as a fringe or risk-prone technology.
Bitcoin as a strategic asset in Iran’s trade payments
Iran’s government has long pursued a formal digital asset strategy, a stance that has evolved since at least 2018. In the Hormuz toll context, Bitcoin has been positioned as a possible backbone for cross-border settlement where conventional financial channels are constrained by sanctions and geopolitical pressures. Lyman pointed out that the government’s willingness to accept BTC alongside yuan and USD-pegged stablecoins reflects a deliberate hedging of liquidity channels in a restrictive environment.
In the eye of observers, the assertion that BTC serves as a strategic asset hinges on two factors: censorship resistance and reliability under pressure. Bitcoin’s network-persistence means it cannot be unilaterally shut down by a single authority, a feature that can be appealing when traditional rails are subject to sanctions or asset freezes. Lyman underscored this logic in his discussion with Cointelegraph, framing BTC as part of a broader toolkit rather than a quick fix for all payment frictions.
Still, the practical reality remains nuanced. The Iranian government has not publicly disclosed confirmed on-chain BTC toll payments for Hormuz tolls to date. Lyman notes that while BTC is listed among accepted instruments, on-chain activity in this specific payment channel has not been evidenced publicly. This gap between the stated policy and observable transaction data highlights a common challenge in assessing the real-world use of crypto in state finance: official statements can outpace, or partially obscure, on-chain signals.
As part of the same ecosystem, the government’s stance toward stablecoins continues to be influential. USDt, a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Tether, has long been a dominant instrument in Iran’s on-chain activity. Lyman pointed out that the majority of crypto interactions in Iran are denominated in USDT, underscoring how dollar-denominated liquidity remains a central pillar of the regime’s digital asset operations.
“This is one of the most significant situations where Bitcoin is very clearly a strategic asset. The reason why Iran wants to use Bitcoin for these transactions is that no one can freeze Bitcoin. No one can shut down the Bitcoin network.”
The comment, attributed to Lyman, captures the core tension: Bitcoin’s perceived resilience against external controls sits alongside the practical reality that stablecoins and other instruments still dominate domestic crypto flows. BPI’s analysis, including its coverage of the Hormuz episode, also notes that a substantial portion of Iran’s on-chain activity has historically moved through USDt rather than BTC, reflecting both liquidity preferences and the regulatory environments surrounding stablecoins.
In a broader sense, the Hormuz toll framework can be read as part of a longer arc in which Iran has experimented with digital assets to bypass restrictions and diversify its financial channels. The government’s approach aligns with a multi-asset strategy rather than a single-asset solution, suggesting that BTC’s strategic prominence may emerge more from its stability of long-term censorship resistance than from its immediate transactional footprint.
Stablecoins and on-chain realities
The USDt dynamic is central to Iran’s crypto activity narrative. Lyman notes that the regime has used stablecoins extensively in its digital asset operations since the early days of the country’s crypto exploration. This preference persists despite publicized episodes in which stablecoin issuers and custodians faced enforcement actions or wallet freezes elsewhere in the ecosystem. Lyman frames this as a calculated risk, describing it as “rolling the dice” in the sense that stablecoins provide a familiar dollar proxy while carrying counterparty risk from issuers and custodians.
On the macro scale, Lyman estimates that Iran has managed to move roughly $3 billion in cryptocurrencies since 2022, with the majority denominated in stablecoins. Meanwhile, U.S. authorities have reported that only a fraction of those assets has been frozen—about $600 million—leaving a substantial portion still accessible for movement. The discrepancy between total crypto activity and frozen assets underscores how the regime has relied on the speed and flexibility of on-chain funds, particularly stablecoins, to navigate sanctions and maintain some degree of financial continuity.
These dynamics matter for policymakers and market participants alike. The use of stablecoins in sanctioned environments raises questions about enforcement reach, liquidity, and the substitution effects between different digital assets. It also highlights the ongoing importance of stablecoins in offshore and state-affiliated crypto activity, even as Bitcoin is increasingly framed as a strategic tool in high-stakes financial calculations.
For readers tracking market implications, the Hormuz development adds another layer to the evolving relationship between geopolitics and crypto liquidity. While Bitcoin’s censorship-resistant property is appealing in theory, the actual balance of assets and the on-chain evidence of toll payments remain under close watch. The Iranian case also illustrates how state actors may leverage a portfolio of instruments—BTC, yuan, and stablecoins—to preserve monetary sovereignty in a constrained environment.
More broadly, the Hormuz case invites a closer look at how Western policymakers might treat Bitcoin in national-security terms. If Bitcoin is recognized as a strategic asset, it could influence future regulatory debates and sanctions policy, potentially encouraging or discouraging certain kinds of on-chain transactions depending on their perceived strategic value and accessibility to sanctioned networks.
What to watch next
The next phase will likely hinge on whether any verifiable on-chain BTC toll transactions materialize and how policymakers and regulators adjust their framing of Bitcoin within national-security and sanctions regimes. Observers will also monitor whether Iran expands or shifts its mix of currencies for tolls and cross-border trade, and how stablecoin governance and custodial practices evolve in constrained markets. The Hormuz episode remains a critical, real-world flashpoint for understanding Bitcoin’s evolving role in geopolitical finance.
For researchers and investors, the key takeaway is that Bitcoin’s strategic value is being evaluated in state contexts, even as practical adoption and verification lag behind rhetoric. The balance between censorship resistance and regulatory risk will continue to shape how institutions, custodians, and markets perceive Bitcoin’s place in sanctioned economies.
Source note: These observations and figures are based on recent remarks from Sam Lyman, head of research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute. The Institute’s related analysis on the state of play around Bitcoin, the Strait of Hormuz, and the situation in Iran is available here: Bitcoin Policy Institute — State of Play.
DeFi markets faced another high-profile setback this weekend as Kelp, a liquid restaking protocol, disclosed a cyber attack targeting its rsETH restaking token. The incident prompted an immediate pause of rsETH smart contracts across Kelp’s mainnet and multiple Layer-2 networks as the project investigates potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Blockchain security firm Cyvers later pegged the damage at about $293 million, signaling a significant hit to users and counterparties tied to the restaking ecosystem.
Kelp stated on X that it detected suspicious cross-chain activity involving rsETH and subsequently halted rsETH contracts on mainnet and several Layer-2s to prevent further damage while the investigation unfolds. Cyvers added that the attacker exploited the rsETH adapter bridge—the software component that manages the rsETH token—allowing the drain of funds from the platform. The firm also noted that the attacker has been actively moving funds, with a substantial portion converted into Ethereum (ETH).
In the wake of the breach, the attacker’s on-chain activity has increasingly relied on a Tornado Cash mixer-funded address. Cyvers reported that roughly $250 million of the stolen funds had already been swapped into ETH, underscoring the challenge of tracing and recovering assets in the DeFi space once they leave the original contract domains.
Key takeaways
- The Kelp rsETH attack reportedly drained about $293 million, triggering contract pauses across Kelp’s mainnet and several Layer-2 networks as investigators assess the damage.
- The attacker targeted the rsETH adapter bridge, leveraging cross-chain dynamics that underscore risks inherent to DeFi composability and restaking ecosystems.
- At least nine protocols with exposure to rsETH reportedly froze activity in response, while Aave moved to suspend rsETH markets on V3 and V4 to contain risk.
- Approximately $250 million of the stolen funds have been converted to ETH, with the attacker utilizing a Tornado Cash mixer-funded address, complicating on-chain tracing efforts.
Attack details and ecosystem response
According to Kelp, the breach traces to irregular cross-chain activity linked to rsETH, prompting an immediate safety pause to contain potential further loss. The company’s moderation was swift, spanning mainnet and several Layer-2 deployments, as the team works through the incident. While Kelp is conducting its investigation, the broader DeFi community has begun to map the ripple effects beyond a single protocol.
Blockchain security firm Cyvers provided a stark figure for the loss, estimating the total at about $293 million. The firm’s analysis highlights the risk that bridges and adapters—components that enable tokens like rsETH to move across chains—present when vulnerabilities exist in the bridging layer. The incident aligns with a pattern of high-severity exploits aimed at cross-chain and interoperable DeFi primitives, where a single compromised bridge can force widespread disruption across multiple protocols.
In response to the breach, several DeFi platforms publicly paused or limited exposure to rsETH. Notably, Aave—one of the largest DeFi lenders—announced that rsETH markets had been frozen on its V3 and V4 deployments. Cyvers notes that at least nine protocols reportedly had exposure to rsETH and executed precautionary freezes or withdrawal restrictions as a precautionary measure to prevent cascading losses.
Analysts and observers have highlighted a core risk exposed by the incident: the compounding nature of DeFi’s composability. When multiple protocols rely on a shared token or bridge, a vulnerability in one hinge can reverberate across the entire network, forcing sudden risk management actions across an otherwise diversified ecosystem. Cyvers senior leadership emphasized to Cointelegraph that this is precisely the kind of incident that underscores the fragility and complexity of modern DeFi infrastructure when bridges and adapters are compromised.
Contextual backdrop: a string of cybersecurity incidents
The Kelp attack sits within a broader panorama of DeFi hacks observed over the past several months. In late April, Drift Protocol—a decentralized derivatives exchange—suffered a major exploit that drained roughly $280 million from the platform. Drift’s post-mortem described a months-long intrusion, noting the attackers’ alleged infiltration of developer machines and the eventual deployment of malware. The incident traced to a sophisticated operation that reportedly included access gained at a large crypto conference, followed by collaboration with the attackers before the breach unfolded.
Taken together, these events illuminate a persistent security challenge for the nascent DeFi stack: attackers are increasingly targeting the risk-prone layers of cross-chain interoperability and restaking mechanisms, where a single vulnerability can cascade into sizable losses across multiple protocols. Industry participants continue to debate the best path forward—ranging from more stringent bridge audit standards to enhanced multi-party computation (MPC) and formal verification for cross-chain components.
What this means for investors, users, and builders
For users and liquidity providers, the Kelp incident underscores the importance of understanding the specific risk profiles of restaking and cross-chain primitives. Restaking naturally introduces an expanded attack surface: while it offers potential yield enhancements, it also increases reliance on the security of adapter contracts and bridges that connect across layers of the ecosystem. Investors should monitor how protocols respond to such incidents, particularly regarding fund recovery efforts, contingency plans, and the timelines for resuming normal operations.
From a builder’s perspective, the episode highlights several priorities: rigorous security testing of bridge and adapter code, heightened monitoring for cross-chain anomalies, and clearer disclosure frameworks around incident response. The drift toward rapid, publicized pauses—while essential for risk containment—also presses for standardized playbooks so that platforms can coordinate responses without sacrificing user trust.
Regulators and policymakers may also take note of the evolving security landscape, especially as DeFi protocols broaden their engagement with restaking mechanisms and more intricate cross-chain flows. The balance between innovation and resilience will likely shape ongoing discussions around security best practices and capital-adequacy considerations for DeFi incumbents as they scale.
Closing perspective
As the Kelp investigation unfolds, observers will be watching for a clearer accounting of the breach’s root causes, the effectiveness of the emergency pauses, and any progress toward asset recovery. The incident, along with Drift’s earlier breach, reinforces a central theme for the crypto markets: cross-chain and restaking infrastructures demand heightened scrutiny, robust security postures, and coordinated risk management across the ecosystem. Readers should stay tuned for updates on Kelp’s findings, the status of rsETH across major platforms, and any new measures aimed at hardening DeFi’s interconnected layers.
Kelp, a liquid restaking protocol, was the victim of a cyber attack on Saturday, causing the platform to pause smart contracts for its restaking token (rsETH), as it “investigates” the attack amid reports of hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
“Earlier today, we identified suspicious cross-chain activity involving rsETH. We have paused rsETH contracts across mainnet and several Layer-2s,” the Kelp platform said in an X post.
The attacker exploited the rsETH adapter bridge contract, the software code that manages Kelp’s rsETH token, and drained the platform of about $293 million in funds, according to blockchain security firm Cyvers.
The attacker used a Tornado Cash crypto mixer-funded address and has already converted about $250 million of the stolen funds to Ether (ETH), the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum layer-1 blockchain network, Cyvers told Cointelegraph.
In response to the attack, decentralized finance (DeFi) platform Aave announced it had frozen rsETH markets on Aave V3 and V4. At least nine crypto protocols had exposure to the token and have frozen activity on their platforms in response, Cyvers said.
“This is exactly the kind of incident that highlights the risks of composability in DeFi,” Deddy Lavid, CEO of Cyvers, told Cointelegraph. Cointelegraph reached out to Kelp but did not obtain a response by the time of publication.
The incident is the latest in a string of cybersecurity hacks and exploits of crypto platforms over the last several months, as crypto losses from hacks and scams totaled about $482 million in Q1 2026.
Related: Fake Ledger Live app on Apple App Store drained $9.5M from victims: ZachXBT
Drift Protocol hacked for $280 million
Decentralized cryptocurrency exchange Drift Protocol also suffered an exploit in April, which drained the platform of about $280 million.
The Drift Protocol team said the attack took “months of deliberate preparation,” in which the team was infiltrated by suspected North Korean state-affiliated hackers.
In a post-mortem update, the Drift team said they met the attackers at a “major” crypto conference and collaborated with them for several months before the attackers deployed malware on developer machines and compromised the platform.
Magazine: DeFi’s billion-dollar secret: The insiders responsible for hacks
Crypto World
Pepe Coin Price Prediction 2026: PEPE Rips 10% on ETF News, DOGE Whales Pile In, but Is Pepeto the Next 100x Meme Before the Binance Listing?
The Pepe Coin price prediction fires back to life after PEPE rallied 10% on April 17 as $39.78M in fresh derivatives capital and ETF speculation pulled the token off the lows, per CoinMarketCap.
The move tracked Canary Capital’s S-1 filing for the first U.S. listed spot PEPE ETF earlier this month. Dogecoin (DOGE) rode the same tape higher as large holders bought 330 million DOGE and pushed price toward $0.10.
Every Pepe Coin price prediction is now getting repriced around the ETF news, and projects with real tools and confirmed listings are the ones big money keeps chasing. Pepeto crossed $9.16M because the wallets inside know $1,000 at this price becomes $100,000 after the Binance listing.
Santiment data shows $39.78M in fresh capital entered PEPE derivatives on April 17, pushing the token up 10% with a positive funding rate of 0.0043% and controlled bullish leverage, per CoinMarketCap. Canary Capital filed an S-1 for the first spot PEPE ETF on April 8. Dogecoin whales bought 330 million DOGE the same week, driving DOGE back above $0.10 with $3.99M in short liquidations.
The daily chart now flashes a confirmed breakout within a rising channel, targeting $0.0000055 on a clean close. The ETF news favors projects with real demand over tokens running on sentiment alone.
Pepe Coin Price Prediction Compared: PEPE, Dogecoin, and the Presale Opportunity Pepeto
Pepeto Builds the Tools Pepe Never Did So the ETF Rotation Flows Here
Pepe proved meme energy alone can mint $11 billion in value and turn $500 entries into millions. It also proved that without tools, every dollar eventually comes back down. Pepeto is building what Pepe never had, which is why $9.16M is already in and the Binance listing moves closer every day.
The contract scanner scores every position for risk before capital moves, catching traps and abnormal large holder activity so traders sidestep the damage that hits everyone else. The zero fee swap engine lets holders move tokens across networks at no cost, breaking the wall that shuts smaller traders out. Both tools carry a completed SolidProof audit and run live today.
The same creator who proved one token and one community can produce $11 billion cofounded Pepeto, with a Binance exchange veteran leading development. The last stage closed early, this stage fills while the market watches, the same pattern that preceded every presale to listing move that made early buyers rich.
Pepe (PEPE) Price at $0.0000039 After 10% Rally on ETF Speculation
Pepe (PEPE) trades at $0.0000039 on April 17 per CoinMarketCap, sitting 87% below the $0.000028 all time high with a $1.5 billion cap.
The 10% rally arrived on $39.78M in derivatives inflows and Canary Capital’s S-1 for the first spot PEPE ETF. Support holds at $0.0000036 with resistance at $0.00000408 and $0.0000055 above.
DigitalCoinPrice projects PEPE between $0.0000057 and $0.0000072 for 2026, roughly 55% to 95% from here. That math still takes months, while presale to listing entries need one event to deliver multiples no meme coin recovery can match.
Dogecoin (DOGE) Price at $0.98 as Large Holders Buy 330M DOGE in a Week
Dogecoin (DOGE) trades at $0.98 on April 17 per CoinMarketCap, sitting 86% below its $0.7376 record. Large holders bought 330 million DOGE this week, pushing price above the key $0.10 resistance. Spot and derivatives volumes surged 62% and 56%.
Without a supply cap, every rally faces inflation pressure, and DOGE needs a supercycle to deliver the multiples presale entries with confirmed listings ahead produce from a single event.
Conclusion
Pepe already proved meme coins mint millionaires, and the ETF rally ripping 10% out of the chart today just confirmed smart money still bets on this lane, but the biggest returns in crypto history never came from chasing a recovery already in motion. They came from catching presale pricing the candle before a confirmed listing printed, every single time.
PEPE has the ETF news and DOGE has the brand, but neither holds what Pepeto holds right now, and fresh capital keeps landing on the Pepeto site every hour as this round fills toward the listing window.
Buying Pepeto now at $0.0000001865 is how the wallets reading this setup correctly step into the 100x position every trader who waits one more day ends up paying listing price for.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs
What is the Pepe Coin price prediction for 2026 after the ETF speculation rally?
Pepe (PEPE) trades at $0.0000039 with analysts projecting $0.0000057 to $0.0000072 for 2026, roughly 55% to 95% upside. PEPE rallied 10% on April 17 as $39.78M in derivatives inflows and Canary Capital’s spot PEPE ETF S-1 filing fueled the move.
How does Pepeto compare to holding Dogecoin (DOGE) for a recovery?
Pepeto at $0.0000001865 targets 100x from a confirmed Binance listing, SolidProof audit, and live exchange. The presale raised $9.16M with 182% APY, while DOGE at $0.98 needs a full supercycle to retake its $0.7376 record.
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.
Crypto World
Analysts Forecast $10 XRP Price Prediction Amid Trump-Iran Geopolitical Breakthrough as AlphaPepe AlphaSwap Tech Outpaces Legacy Asset Returns
Trump confirmed the US is “very close” to a nuclear deal with Iran on April 16 as a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect and Pakistan mediated direct talks in Islamabad. Oil prices dropped on the de-escalation and risk assets surged across equities and crypto simultaneously. The XRP price prediction expanded immediately as analysts recalculated what a resolved Middle East conflict means for institutional flows. European Business Magazine projects $5 to $10 for XRP if the CLARITY Act passes into law, while 24/7 Wall Street notes $10 would place XRP’s market cap at $610 billion, roughly where Ethereum peaked in 2025. The geopolitical breakthrough reshapes the macro backdrop for every digital asset. But AlphaPepe does not need a peace deal to deliver. AlphaSwap is already live and outpacing legacy return profiles from Stage 13 at $0.01494 with over $890,000 raised across 7,700 wallets.
The $10 XRP Price Prediction and What the Iran Breakthrough Unlocks
The conflict has been the single largest macro headwind suppressing crypto since February 2026. Oil above $100 kept the Fed locked at 3.5%. XRP fell from $2.40 to $1.35 during the war months. A resolution changes the calculus at every level. Lower oil frees the Fed to signal cuts. Rate signals drive institutional capital back into risk assets. ETF inflows resume at scale.
Standard Chartered’s Kendrick projects $8 if the CLARITY Act passes and ETF inflows reach $10 billion. Zipmex places the 2030 range at $5 to $15 with $10 achievable if Ripple captures meaningful SWIFT settlement volume. A Coinbase and EY-Parthenon survey found 18% of institutional investors already hold XRP and 25% plan to add exposure in 2026. From $1.35 to $10 is a 640% return that requires peace, legislation, and institutional adoption scaling over 12 to 18 months. Legacy asset returns across BTC, ETH, and XRP all measure in single-digit multiples from current prices. That is meaningful wealth preservation. It is not the compressed asymmetry presale positioning offers.
AlphaSwap Tech Outpaces Legacy Returns Before Any of Those Catalysts Arrive
AlphaSwap does not need an Iran deal, a CLARITY Act vote, or ETF inflows to function. It is already live. A cross-chain AI DEX screening every contract for exploit patterns before execution, tracking whale flows across chains in real time, and generating trading fee revenue today. The technology operates in a category where AI now catches 92% of exploited vulnerabilities before human auditors flag them. AlphaPepe puts that capability directly at the retail level through an interface that works now, not after a diplomatic milestone.
The developer behind AlphaSwap delivered 500 million transactions across Shibarium mainnet. A 10/10 BlockSAFU audit verified the contract with zero flags. Supply capped at 1 billion tokens. Instant delivery. Zero vesting. Stakers earning 85% APR while Q2 approaches. Tier 1 CEX debut follows.
Over $890,000 raised from 7,700 wallets. Stage 13 at $0.01494 with 100 new addresses arriving daily. A $2,500 entry secures 167,336 tokens. Analysts targeting $1.50 value that at $250,904. At $3.50 it crosses $585,676. Buyers at $2,000 or above can apply code ALPHA50 for a 50% bonus. XRP needs peace, legislation, and institutional scaling for 640%. AlphaPepe needs Q2 for a return that outpaces every legacy asset on the board.
Geopolitics Reshape Timelines. AlphaSwap Already Shipped.
The Trump-Iran breakthrough may accelerate the $10 XRP thesis or it may stall at the negotiation table. The presale at $0.01494 with $890,000 raised and a live AI DEX does not fluctuate with diplomatic headlines. Stage 13 is filling and the $1 million milestone approaches.
Click To Visit AlphaPepe Official Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs
Can XRP reach $10 after a Trump-Iran deal?
Analysts project $5 to $10 if CLARITY passes and macro conditions improve. A peace deal would lower oil, free the Fed, and accelerate institutional ETF inflows toward the $10 billion threshold XRP needs.
How does AlphaSwap outpace legacy asset returns?
A live AI DEX at Stage 13 pricing of $0.01494 with analyst targets of $1.50 to $3.50 offers 100x to 234x versus single-digit multiples from BTC, ETH, and XRP at current levels.
How close is AlphaPepe to raising $1M?
Over $890,000 across 7,700 wallets at $0.01494. The $1 million mark is approaching with 100 new addresses entering daily.
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.
Solana’s SOL token has rallied about 10% over the past five days, trading at a three‑week high as broader risk appetite improves following news of a ceasefire extension between the United States and Iran. Despite the price strength, SOL remains a relative laggard in 2026, with the token underperforming the wider crypto market year-to-date.
Derivative markets point to renewed interest in SOL. Aggregate SOL futures open interest rose to about $4.2 billion on Friday, up from roughly $3.5 billion at the start of the week. While higher open interest signals growing participation, the perpetual funding rate has hovered around 3% annually, suggesting that buyers are not yet fully convinced and that leverage demand remains moderate. In a neutral setting, funding rates typically sit higher—roughly 5% to 10% annually—so the current reading implies cautious optimism rather than robust bullish conviction.
As Solana’s price action unfolds, on-chain activity presents a mixed picture. Solana continues to lead in decentralized exchange (DEX) volume and total value locked (TVL), underscoring its ongoing utility and network robustness. Yet Solana’s DApp revenue has softened in recent months, currently averaging around $16 million per week. By comparison, Ethereum’s DApp revenue has hovered around $10 million weekly, with BNB Chain at roughly $4 million, suggesting broader cooling in on-chain monetization across major ecosystems even as the Solana ecosystem remains an outsize DEX and TVL actor.
Key takeaways
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Solana remains dominant in DEX volume and TVL, even as SOL underperforms the broader crypto market in 2026.
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SOL futures open interest rose to about $4.2 billion, indicating expanding participation, while the 3% annualized funding rate signals cautious conviction from bulls.
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On-chain revenue trends show Solana’s DApp ecosystem still active but trending lower, with weekly DApp revenue near $16 million, versus higher activity on other chains.
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A wave of memecoin activity contributed to demand for SOL futures, echoing a pattern seen in prior bullish cycles and potentially foreshadowing a renewed price push.
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Analysts note that if memecoin enthusiasm persists and hedging pressure eases, SOL could revisit upside targets toward the $100 level, though macro catalysts and funding dynamics will shape the path there.
Solana’s market position amid price discord
Despite SOL’s 2026 price gap relative to some peers, Solana’s core strengths remain intact. The network continues to attract substantial DEX activity and holds a commanding share of TVL, reinforcing its role as a leading layer-1 for on-chain trading and liquidity provisioning. This structural advantage matters for traders and builders who rely on Solana’s low-latency design and ambitious wallet integration to power a broad spectrum of DeFi and Web3 apps.
Nevertheless, the broader price action tells a different story. SOL has lagged the wider market this year, suggesting that speculative drivers have cooled and that upside risk hinges on fresh catalysts beyond the continuation of positive on-chain fundamentals. For investors, the divergence between network dominance and price performance underscores a nuanced risk-reward dynamic: the chain’s intrinsic activity remains robust, but market enthusiasm requires new leverage‑driving momentum.
Derivatives backdrop: liquidity, leverage, and what to watch
The jump in open interest to $4.2 billion indicates growing participation from both institutional and retail traders interested in SOL’s volatility and spread efficiency. However, the persistent 3% annualized funding rate points to a market that is not fully pricing in a strong directional move. In calmer funding environments, sustained positive funding rates reflect ongoing demand for long positions; a reversion toward higher rates could accompany a renewed push higher in SOL, while a drop or negative rate would signal mounting short interest and potential downside pressure.
Traders will want to monitor whether the funding dynamic shifts as macro headlines evolve. A shift toward higher funding rates could accompany a more confident bull case, whereas persistent lower rates might imply a tighter range or consolidation phase. In this sense, perpetual futures markets offer a live read on market sentiment, even as they do not guarantee a specific price path.
Memecoin momentum and the DApp revenue narrative
Beyond the technical and macro layers, meme-driven demand has a notable footprint on SOL sentiment. A cluster of memecoins surged 40% or more over a short window, contributing to higher futures activity and capturing speculative interest around Solana. This pattern echoes earlier cycles where Solana benefited from surging user activity and social hype linked to memecoins, including iterations tied to high-profile tokens. While memecoins can catalyze short-term gains, they also introduce volatility that traders must manage carefully.
At the same time, Solana’s ongoing commitments—robust validator security, a smooth user experience through Web3 wallets, and continued DEX leadership—provide a foundational tailwind for sustained activity. The ecosystem’s ability to translate on-chain traffic into real-use cases will be critical if momentum from memecoins wanes and investors seek more durable value drivers.
Where next for SOL? Risks, rewards, and the watchpoints
The potential for a renewed move toward the $100 level exists in a confluence of favorable conditions: easing geopolitical risk reducing macro risk aversion, a continued uptick in memecoin-driven demand, and a pickup in leveraged exposure if funding signals shift higher. Yet several caveats remain. The broader crypto market’s appetite for DApps and on-chain revenue remains a key variable; if user activity cools further or if competing ecosystems regain traction, SOL’s upside could be constrained despite favorable derivatives signals.
What to watch next includes the trajectory of SOL’s funding rate and open interest, any shifts in DApp monetization trends, and how memecoin liquidity evolves in the near term. Macro headlines—ranging from commodity price shifts to regulatory developments—could also tilt momentum in surprising ways, given Solana’s sensitivity to risk sentiment and liquidity conditions.
As investors weigh the signals, the path to a meaningful upside will likely hinge on a combination of renewed DEX and TVL strength, a sustained pickup in on-chain activity, and a favorable macro backdrop that encourages broader leverage in SOL futures. Until then, volatility remains a defining feature of SOL’s trading narrative.
Readers should monitor how open interest evolves and whether the funding rate firms up or ebbs with changing sentiment, as these reads often precede more tangible price moves. The next few weeks will be telling for whether Solana can reconcile its network momentum with a fresh cycle of price appreciation.
A cross-chain bridge holding nearly a fifth of a restaked ether token’s circulating supply just got drained, and the fallout is moving through DeFi faster than Kelp DAO can pause contracts.
An attacker drained 116,500 rsETH (restaked ether) from Kelp DAO’s LayerZero-powered bridge at 17:35 UTC on Saturday, worth roughly $292 million at current prices and representing about 18% of rsETH’s 630,000 token circulating supply tracked by CoinGecko.
LayerZero is a cross-chain messaging layer, or the infrastructure that lets different blockchains send verified instructions to each other. Kelp DAO is a liquid restaking protocol, which takes user-deposited ETH, routes it through EigenLayer to earn additional yield on top of standard Ethereum staking rewards, and issues rsETH as a tradeable receipt.
The bridge that was drained held the rsETH reserve backing wrapped versions of the token deployed on more than 20 other blockchains.
The attacker tricked LayerZero’s cross-chain messaging layer into believing a valid instruction had arrived from another network, which triggered Kelp’s bridge to release 116,500 rsETH to an attacker-controlled address.
Kelp’s emergency pauser multisig froze the protocol’s core contracts 46 minutes after the successful drain, at 18:21 UTC. Two follow-up attempts at 18:26 UTC and 18:28 UTC both reverted, each carrying the same LayerZero packet attempting another 40,000 rsETH drain worth roughly $100 million.
rsETH is deployed across more than 20 networks including Base, Arbitrum, Linea, Blast, Mantle and Scroll, with LayerZero’s OFT standard handling the cross-chain movement.
The rsETH held in the bridge was the reserve backing wrapped versions on every layer 2 blockchain, or networks that run atop Ethereum.
With that reserve drained, holders on non-Ethereum deployments now face the question of whether their tokens have anything underneath them, which creates a feedback loop where panic redemptions on L2s pressure the unaffected Ethereum supply, potentially forcing Kelp to unwind restaking positions to honor withdrawals.
The contagion list is long and still growing.
Aave froze rsETH markets on V3 and V4 within hours, with founder Stani Kulechov affirming the exploit was external and Aave’s contracts were not compromised. SparkLend and Fluid froze their rsETH markets.
AAVE fell about 10% as the market priced potential bad debt.
Kelp, a product under the KernelDAO umbrella, acknowledged the incident in its first public X post at 20:10 UTC, nearly three hours after the drain. The protocol said it was investigating with LayerZero, Unichain, its auditors and outside security specialists. It has not disclosed how the exploit bypassed the bridge’s validation logic.
Whether rsETH holds peg through the weekend depends on how much of the cross-chain float tries to redeem into ETH on Ethereum and whether Kelp can recover any portion of the stolen funds before the Tornado Cash trail goes cold.
The hack lands in an unusually hostile stretch for DeFi. Solana-based perpetuals protocol Drift was drained of about $285 million on April 1 in an attack later linked to North Korea-affiliated actors, and at least a dozen smaller protocols have been exploited in the weeks since, including CoW Swap, Zerion, Rhea Finance and Silo Finance.
Kelp’s $292 million loss is now the largest DeFi exploit of 2026, overtaking Drift by a few million dollars.
The Bitcoin (BTC) mining difficulty, the relative challenge of adding new blocks to the BTC blockchain, fell on Saturday, amid public mining companies selling record amounts of BTC to cover operating expenses.
The Bitcoin mining difficulty fell to about 135.5 T, a modest decrease of about 1.1% over the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinWarz. Mining difficulty is also projected to increase in the next adjustment period. CoinWarz said:
“The next Bitcoin difficulty adjustment is estimated to take place on May 01, 2026, 01:24:54 PM UTC, increasing the Bitcoin mining difficulty from 135.59 T to 137.43 T, which will take place in 1,865 blocks, about 12 days, 18 hours, and 41 minutes from now.”
Bitcoin miners have faced mounting challenges over the past year, as reduced block rewards, rising energy prices, a crypto bear market and geopolitical shocks create economic headwinds for miners.
Related: Solo Bitcoin miner bags $210K Bitcoin block reward
Public mining companies sell record amounts of BTC
Publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies sold more BTC in Q1 2026 than all four quarters of 2025 combined, according to TheEnergyMag.
Mining companies MARA, CleanSpark, Riot, Cango, Core Scientific and Bitdeer, sold more than 32,000 BTC in total during Q1 2026, TheEnergyMag said.
The combined sales surpassed the 20,000 BTC sold in Q2 2022, the same quarter as the collapse of the Terra-Luna ecosystem, which plunged crypto into an extended bear market.
Miners periodically sell their BTC to cover operating expenses, which are denominated in fiat currency.
However, as the cost of mining a single BTC increases past spot market prices, many BTC mining companies are now treading water.
Up to 20% of Bitcoin miners are unprofitable under current economic conditions, according to asset manager CoinShares’ Q1 2026 mining report.
“Q4 2025 marked the most challenging quarter for Bitcoin miners since the April 2024 halving,” the CoinShares report said.
The authors cited the “sharp” BTC correction in October 2025, which slashed BTC’s price from a high of about $125,000 to about $86,000 by December 2025, and the rising computational difficulty of adding blocks as headwinds for the mining industry.
Magazine: 7 reasons why Bitcoin mining is a terrible business idea
Key takeaways:
-
Solana maintains its market dominance in DEX volume and TVL despite SOL’s underperformance versus its peers.
-
Easing sell pressure from volatile geopolitics and a resurgence in memecoin activity could catalyze a SOL price rally to $100.
Solana’s native token SOL (SOL) gained 10% within five days, reaching a three-week high on Friday. This price movement followed a generalized excitement after the US and Iran announced a ceasefire extension, which led to an 8% decline in crude Brent oil prices. Demand for SOL futures surged as open interest jumped by 20% since Sunday, causing traders to question if the SOL price is bound for $100.
SOL futures aggregate open interest rose to $4.2 billion on Friday, up from $3.5 billion on Sunday. While an increased appetite for leveraged positions indicates institutional investor participation, longs (buyers) and shorts (sellers) remain matched at all times. However, any eventual imbalance in the demand for leveraged positions should be visible within the perpetual futures markets.
Under neutral conditions, the annualized funding rate should range between 5% and 10% to compensate for the cost of capital.
Data showing a 3% rate signals low confidence from bulls, although this remains distant from the extreme fear levels seen on April 7 when SOL prices plunged below $80. A negative funding rate indicates that shorts are paying to keep positions open, which is fairly unusual in cryptocurrency markets.
Despite the recent gains, SOL has underperformed the broader cryptocurrency market by 13% in 2026. A reduced appetite for decentralized applications (DApps) likely played a part, but the Solana network remains a strong contender due to its vice-leadership position in Total Value Locked and dominance in decentralized exchange (DEX) volumes.
Solana network DApp revenues have trended down over the past few months, currently totaling nearly $16 million per week. However, this trajectory is not exclusive to Solana; DApps on the Ethereum network accrued $10 million in revenue over the past week, while BNB Chain stood at $4 million. Fading interest in DEX activity remains the primary driver behind this declining revenue across the industry.
Memecoin rally, shorts covering could send SOL to $100
Multiple memecoins jumped 40% or higher between Wednesday and Friday, which likely contributed to the heightened demand for SOL futures.
During the previous memecoin rally in early 2025, Solana emerged as a leader in terms of users and activity, especially following the launch of the Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin. Consequently, any sign of increased demand for memecoins is typically viewed as a positive indicator for SOL price.
Related: Bitcoin rises, oil falls after Iran says Strait of Hormuz is open
Solana has proved itself a serious contender for the next wave of DApp users, whether centered on AI agents or speculative trading. The robustness of its validators and the integrated user experience provided by Web3 wallets make a compelling case for a sustained SOL price rally.
Ultimately, weak demand for bullish leverage on futures places little constraint on SOL regaining momentum. Reduced pressure from the war in Iran may serve as the catalyst for SOL shorts to cover their positions, providing the necessary spark for a potential upside toward $100.
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research before making any decisions. Cointelegraph makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, including forward-looking statements, and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.
The largest aluminum producer in the U.S., Alcoa, is close to selling its idle Massena East smelter in upstate New York to bitcoin firm New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG), as it offloads dormant assets and taps demand for energy-ready industrial sites.
The company’s chief executive officer, Bill Oplinger, said the company is in advanced talks and expects the deal to close “in the middle part of this year,” Bloomberg reports.
The site, located along the St. Lawrence River, has sat idle since 2014 when Alcoa shut it down due to high operating costs and global competition.
The appeal lies in the site’s power, not the metal itself. Aluminum smelters are built to run around the clock, drawing large amounts of electricity through dedicated substations and transmission lines. When they close, that infrastructure remains.
For bitcoin miners and data center developers, this can cut years off the time required to secure grid access.
Massena East also has access to hydropower from the New York Power Authority, a draw for firms seeking low-cost and carbon-free energy.
The deal reflects a broader shift. Earlier this year, Century Aluminum sold a Kentucky smelter to TeraWulf (WULF), which plans to build a digital infrastructure campus supporting high-performance computing and AI.
Leading bitcoin treasury company Strategy (MSTR) has proposed shifting the dividend payment schedule on its perpetual preferred equity, Stretch (STRC), from monthly to semi-monthly.
The amendment, outlined in Strategy’s investor presentation, would keep the 11.5% annualized dividend rate and total annual obligations unchanged (currently $1.2 billion). Holders would receive payouts roughly every two weeks instead of once a month, with the first semi-monthly payment expected on July 15, following the June 8 shareholder vote.
According to Strategy’s presentation, STRC currently sees an average $0.45 price drawdown after the ex-dividend date (the deadline to own a stock to receive a dividend), with recovery to its $100 par value taking around two weeks. Typically, on the ex-dividend date, the stock price drops by approximately the amount of the dividend payment.
When STRC trades below its $100 par value, Strategy cannot issue shares through its at-the-market (ATM) program to raise funds for bitcoin purchases. By smoothing the price action, the company aims to keep STRC closer to par, enabling more consistent capital raising.
Semi-monthly payments are expected to reduce this volatility and time lag.
Steadier bitcoin buying
More frequent payouts would also reduce reinvestment lag and spread out the buying pressure more evenly across the month, allowing Strategy to purchase bitcoin at a steadier pace and keep purchases consistent.
According to the presentation, the shift aligns with the typical twice-monthly U.S. payroll cycle and creates more entry and exit opportunities for shareholders, all aimed at lowering volatility.
STRC’s historical volatility averaged 13% from August 2025 to March 2026, but dropped to just 2% between March and April 2026, according to Strategy’s data.
If approved, STRC would become the only semi-monthly dividend-paying preferred in the market, compared with 921 that pay quarterly and 32 that pay monthly, the company said. Nasdaq rules require at least 10 calendar days between dividend declaration and the record date.
STRC recently fell below $99 following the April 15 ex-dividend date, a drop of more than $1, which is the volatility the company is aiming to reduce.
Disclosure: The author of this story owns shares in Strategy (MSTR).
Read more: The one metric investors are overlooking in Michael Saylor’s Strategy
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