The European arm of global cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin has hired anti-money laundering (AML) and compliance expertise in a bid to appease its regulator, which recently demanded the exchange halt business in Europe due to a staffing shortfall.

KuCoin EU, which holds a Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) license from Austria’s FMA, appointed Carmen Kleinhans as anti-money laundering officer (AMLO), alongside the expansion of its broader AML function, the company said in a press release on Wednesday.

The exchange also hired Austrian compliance veterans Stephan Klinger and Bernd Träxler as deputy anti-money laundering officers.

KuCoin EU Managing Director Sabina Liu said the exchange had “communicated fully” with the FMA when the action happened in February.

“We always maintain a very transparent, open dialog with them, and the other way around as well. They have been very honest, transparent and very supportive of us,” Liu said in an interview. “Since February, we have been looking to strengthen the whole compliance team, making many appointments. So it is quite a large team now.”

KuCoin has had a rough rise of late, having been barred from the U.S. after a Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) order and being slapped by Dubai’s VARA regulator for operating without the appropriate license.

Liu was unable to provide a timeline for when the Austrian regulator would allow KUCoin EU to resume operations in Europe. “I think everything needs to be in discussion with the FMA,” she said.

US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds posted their first net outflows in nine sessions as BTC slipped below $77,000 on Monday.

Bitcoin ETFs saw $263 million in net outflows on Monday, marking the first outflows since mid-April, according to SoSoValue data.

The losses came after spot ETFs drew $2.1 billion in inflows since April 13 as BTC rose about 10% over the period, according to CoinGecko.

Daily spot Bitcoin ETF inflows from April 13, 2026. Source: SoSoValue

Alongside Bitcoin’s run, the Crypto Fear & Greed Sentiment Index on Monday moved into “Neutral” territory for the first time in three months, clocking a score of 47. However, the index flipped back to “Fear” on Tuesday as BTC failed to extend its rally above $80,000.

Fidelity’s Bitcoin ETF leads outflows at $150 million

The majority of Monday’s losses came from the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC), which saw $150 million in outflows, according to Farside.

The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF (GBTC) and the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) followed with about $47 million and $43 million, respectively.

Daily spot Bitcoin ETF inflows by issuer from April 20, 2026. Source: Farside

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) and the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust ETF (MSBT) recorded flat flows after multi-day inflow streaks.

Related: Bitcoin leads $1.2B weekly inflows into crypto investment products

Negative sentiment also extended to spot Ether ETFs, which posted $50.5 million in outflows on Monday. XRP and Solana ETFs recorded zero inflows.

Bitcoin institutional demand outpaces mining supply

Bitcoin’s rally in April came as institutional demand far outpaced mining supply.

Michael Saylor’s Strategy has purchased 56,235 BTC in April so far, while global ETFs added another 34,552 BTC on behalf of their clients over the same period.

This compares with 11,829 BTC estimated to have been mined so far this month, according to HODL15Capital data.

Source: HODL15Capital

CryptoQuant analyst XWIN Japan said Bitcoin’s sharp decline over the past few days was likely not driven by spot supply-demand imbalance, but by a “classic liquidity event” triggered by forced liquidations of leveraged long positions.

In earlier analysis, CryptoQuant said a rejection of the $80,000 level would signal overhead supply at that level, potentially extending the drawdown for both ETF investors and short-term whales.

Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter

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DeFi United has released a recovery plan to restore full backing for Kelp DAO’s rsETH after a $292 million exploit earlier this month. 

The coalition includes several DeFi protocols that joined efforts after the attack. The April 18 exploit targeted Kelp DAO’s rsETH bridge through a forged message. The attacker minted 116,500 unbacked rsETH tokens. Around 107,000 rsETH later moved into lending positions on Aave.

The recovery plan will convert committed ETH into rsETH in several tranches. The converted rsETH will then move to the affected lockbox contract to restore backing and support bridge operations.

“The restoration process involves converting the committed ETH into rsETH in tranches, which will then be transferred to the affected lockbox contract,” the coalition said.

Aave said DeFi United has gathered enough ETH commitments to begin the process. The initiative raised more than $300 million in ETH from DeFi participants.

Aave and Compound positions face cleanup

The plan also targets eight affected positions across Aave Ethereum Core and Arbitrum markets. Clearing those positions may help recover about 13,000 ETH from Aave.

The process will use a controlled liquidation sequence. The rsETH oracle price will be adjusted for a short period to allow the affected positions to be liquidated. The rsETH collateral will then move to a DeFi United-controlled multisig.

Compound may follow a similar path to clear the attacker’s position. That step could recover about 16,776 ETH worth of funds, according to the recovery outline.

The final phase will unpause and unfreeze rsETH and ETH across affected markets. It will also restore loan-to-value ratios that were changed during the response.

Governance approvals and security checks remain

The recovery plan still depends on governance approvals, legal agreements, and execution timelines. DeFi United said these steps must happen before the full restoration can move forward.

The coalition also noted that the attacker could try to interfere during the process. It said such action could require more liquidation steps to resolve the affected positions.

“Deliberate interference by the attacker could result in incomplete deficit accrual, requiring additional liquidation steps to fully resolve the positions,” the statement said.

DeFi United also said new security measures on LayerZero and Kelp DAO remain in production. For that reason, the ETH-to-rsETH conversion and lockbox deposits will happen in stages rather than all at once.

April 27, 2026 — Changelly and Tonkeeper have teamed up to make cross-chain deposits into TON a seamless, in-wallet experience. Users can now fund their Tonkeeper wallet with USDT, USDC, or DAI from 13 decentralized networks, without leaving the app.

For Changelly users already familiar with cross-chain swaps, this extends existing functionality into direct wallet deposits. For Tonkeeper’s user base, it introduces a new way to move assets into the TON ecosystem within a single interface.

Cross-chain deposits without leaving the app

With Changelly’s infrastructure integrated into Tonkeeper, cross-chain deposits can be completed within the wallet, while routing is handled in the background.

Support spans 13 networks: Ethereum, Solana, TRON, BSC, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Liquid, Avalanche, NEAR, Optimism, Matic, and Tezos.

The integration removes the need to use external bridges or manage multiple interfaces when moving assets across chains, keeping the entire process within the wallet environment.

Launch campaign

To mark the integration, the companies have introduced a campaign running from April 27 to May 10, 2026. Users who deposit USDT, USDC, or DAI from any of the supported networks into Tonkeeper via the integration during this period will be eligible to enter a draw for 20 one-year subscriptions to Telegram Premium.

About Tonkeeper

Tonkeeper gives users access to TON assets and dApps, USDT on TRC20, NFTs in one wallet. Tonkeeper supports powerful features like the Battery and Gasless transactions, while Tonkeeper Pro unlocks advanced tools like multisig support.

This publication is provided by the client. The text below is a paid press release that is not part of Cointelegraph.com independent editorial content. The text has undergone editorial review to ensure quality and relevance, it may not reflect the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.com. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the company. Disclosure.

T. Rowe Price has advanced its entry into the crypto ETF market with a further amendment to its actively managed digital asset fund filing, bringing a potential launch closer.

According to a preliminary prospectus dated April 27, 2026, the Baltimore-based asset manager plans to list the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF under the ticker TKNZ, with the document noting the filing remains subject to completion and regulatory approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Commenting on the matter, Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said the filing has reached a “3rd amendment,” with ticker $TOKN and a 75bps fee, adding that a launch is “likely very soon” and calling it “by far biggest active manager” entering the space.

TKNZ fund prospectus. Source: Eric Balchunas.

Holding approximately $1.78 trillion in assets under management, T. Rowe Price has structured the proposed fund as an actively managed product that would invest directly in spot crypto assets, while avoiding leverage or complex derivatives, according to its SEC filings.

Active structure targets multi-asset exposure

Details outlined in the filing show the ETF is expected to hold between 5 and 15 cryptocurrencies selected under the SEC’s generic listing standards, moving away from the single asset structure seen in existing Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs.

Eligible assets listed in the filing include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, Cardano, Avalanche, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Hedera, Bitcoin Cash, Chainlink, Stellar, and Shiba Inu, with portfolio allocations guided by fundamentals, valuation, and momentum rather than market size alone.

An index snapshot included in the filing indicates Bitcoin carries a 42.83% weight, followed by Ethereum at 19.09%, while XRP stands at 10.56% and Solana at 7.93%, with smaller allocations assigned to assets such as Dogecoin, Cardano, and Avalanche.

Fund managers are expected to adjust holdings over time based on market conditions and internal research, with the stated objective of outperforming the FTSE Crypto US Listed Index, according to the prospectus.

Filing builds on earlier push into crypto ETFs

An earlier S-1 registration submitted on Oct. 22, 2025 confirmed the firm’s initial plans to launch an Active Crypto ETF, marking a departure from its long-standing focus on mutual funds.

“Point is that legacy asset managers are quickly trying to figure out how to implement some semblance of a crypto strategy. A number of these firms actually missed out on ETF boom. They want to avoid same mistake w/ crypto,” NovaDius Wealth Management President Nate Geraci said at the time.

Regulatory developments have also played a role in shaping the timing of the launch, as the SEC has recently moved to accelerate the approval process for crypto ETFs, even as applications tied to individual altcoins remain under review.

Key Takeaways

• Alphabet delivers Q1 2026 financial results Wednesday following market hours
• Analysts anticipate approximately $107 billion in revenue, representing 19% annual growth
• Google Cloud revenue projected to climb 47%, while operating profit could surge 120%
• Earnings per share forecasted at $2.63, declining due to challenging prior-year comparison
• Market volatility expectations point to a 5.67% price swing following the announcement

---

Alphabet unveils its Q1 2026 financial performance on April 29 following the closing bell. Investors are laser-focused on whether the tech giant’s enormous artificial intelligence investments are delivering tangible returns.

Alphabet Inc., GOOGL

The company has pledged as much as $185 billion toward AI-related capital investments throughout 2026. These funds are being allocated to both proprietary infrastructure development and expanding its Google Cloud platform for enterprise clients. Each earnings cycle now serves as a critical checkpoint for validating this strategic direction.

The previous quarter demonstrated encouraging momentum. Google Cloud revenue soared 48% compared to the year-ago period in Q4 2025, accompanied by an impressive 154% surge in segment operating profitability.

Financial analysts are anticipating similar performance trends. FactSet consensus estimates point to 47% cloud division revenue expansion in Q1, coupled with 120% growth in operating earnings.

Overall company revenue is projected to reach approximately $107 billion, marking a 19% increase versus the comparable quarter.

Earnings per share are expected to decline modestly to $2.63 from the prior year. However, this decrease stems primarily from an accounting quirk — the first quarter of 2025 benefited from a temporary 62-cent-per-share gain tied to unrealized appreciation in Alphabet’s venture capital holdings. Adjusting for this anomaly reveals more consistent operational performance.

Core Business Performance Drivers

Advertising continues serving as the primary revenue generator. Ad-related income is forecasted to represent roughly 71% of Q1 total sales, reaching $76 billion — reflecting 14% year-over-year expansion. Google Search and YouTube constitute the primary growth channels, while the third-party advertising network segment continues its gradual contraction.

The cloud platform represents the principal growth narrative. During the Q4 earnings call, CEO Sundar Pichai noted that the organization has experienced “supply constraints despite our aggressive capacity expansion efforts.” This type of demand-driven limitation typically signals positive market dynamics for shareholders.

Market participants will also scrutinize capital allocation strategies. Shareholder returns through dividend payments and stock repurchases remain areas of interest, especially considering the substantial capital expenditure commitments.

Street Perspective Ahead of Results

Bernstein’s Mark Shmulik maintained his Outperform recommendation this Monday, establishing a $900 price objective. His analysis anticipates strong quarterly results, with both Search and Cloud benefiting from AI-enhanced customer engagement. YouTube performance may show inconsistency but shouldn’t materially impact overall results, according to his assessment.

Shmulik doesn’t anticipate modifications to capital spending projections during this report. He’s seeking additional clarity regarding AI product development milestones and potential operational efficiency improvements.

One note of caution: he suggests the shares may reflect full valuation at present price levels.

GOOGL has appreciated 118% during the trailing twelve months and has advanced 12% since January.

The Street consensus reflects a Strong Buy rating, comprising 26 Buy recommendations alongside 5 Hold ratings. The mean analyst price target stands at $387.68, suggesting roughly 12.6% appreciation potential from current trading levels.

Derivatives market activity indicates expectations for a 5.67% price movement in either direction after earnings publication. This substantially exceeds Alphabet’s typical 1.44% post-earnings volatility across the previous four quarters — suggesting heightened uncertainty around this particular release.

Financial results will be published following market close on April 29.

European currencies are showing subdued dynamics, entering a consolidation phase following their previous advance. Earlier, EUR/USD and GBP/USD broke out of their ranges and strengthened; however, the subsequent correction has led both pairs to retest the previously breached upper boundaries of their sideways channels. The current stabilisation near these levels reflects a balance of forces in the market and a wait-and-see stance among participants ahead of the key decision by the Federal Reserve.

The main focus is on the Federal Reserve meeting, including the interest rate decision, the accompanying statement, and the press conference. The market is assessing potential signals regarding the future trajectory of monetary policy, which is limiting activity and restraining the formation of a directional move. Additional influence may come from macroeconomic data from the US, the euro area, and the United Kingdom.

EUR/USD

The EUR/USD pair is consolidating near the previously broken range, holding above key levels. This dynamic preserves a structure favourable for further gains; however, the lack of new drivers is restraining the development of upward momentum. The reaction to the Fed decision may provide the impulse for a breakout from the current range.

Technical analysis of EUR/USD suggests the possibility of a retest of 1.1750, as a bullish engulfing pattern has formed on the daily timeframe. A firm move below 1.1650 could lead to the pair returning to the previously broken range.

Key events for EUR/USD:

• today at 09:00 (GMT+3): speech by Bundesbank’s B. Balz;
• today at 18:30 (GMT+3): speech by Bundesbank Vice President Buch;
• tomorrow at 11:00 (GMT+3): Germany’s gross domestic product.

GBP/USD

The GBP/USD pair is showing a similar structure, holding near its levels after a corrective pullback. The current consolidation reflects market uncertainty and expectations of signals from the Federal Reserve and the outlook for Bank of England policy. Depending on the regulators’ rhetoric, the pair may either resume its advance and firmly establish itself above 1.3600, or deepen the correction and fall below 1.3460.

Key events for GBP/USD:

• today at 17:00 (GMT+3): Atlanta Fed GDPNow indicator;
• today at 21:00 (GMT+3): US Federal Reserve interest rate decision;
• today at 21:30 (GMT+3): FOMC press conference.

Overall, the market is at a point of equilibrium, where previously broken levels act as a key decision zone. The outcome of the Federal Reserve meeting may serve as the main driver: a more dovish tone could support a continuation of the upward momentum in European currencies, while more hawkish signals may increase pressure and lead to a deeper correction.

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U.S. crypto lobbying group Blockchain Association has urged the Federal Reserve to formalise the removal of “reputation risk” from bank supervision rules, warning that the concept has been used to restrict access to financial services.

In a comment letter submitted Monday, Blockchain Association executive vice president of legal and government relations Ashok Pinto said the Federal Reserve should turn its June 2025 policy change into a binding rule to prevent future misuse. 

Pinto wrote that regulated institutions require “objective, consistent standards,” adding that reputation risk fails to meet that threshold.

Pinto argued that regulatory frameworks must protect the integrity of the financial system without allowing subjective assessments to influence access to banking services. 

He wrote that “regulation is meant to uphold the integrity of our financial system, not to pick winners and losers based on the political winds of the day,” while warning that reliance on reputation risk introduces inconsistency into supervisory practices.

Concerns over future policy reversals

Citing past enforcement patterns, Pinto said the use of reputation risk has contributed to debanking actions targeting crypto firms, often described by industry participants as “Operation Chokepoint 2.0.” 

He noted that while the Donald Trump administration has rolled back several policies linked to crypto debanking, long-term safeguards remain necessary.

Pinto wrote that future administrations could reintroduce similar measures without clear regulatory limits, stating that “reputation risk is only as neutral as the administration wielding it.” 

He added that removing it through formal rulemaking would create a stable standard applicable across political cycles.

Supporting this concern, the Cato Institute reported in January that most debanking cases in the U.S. stemmed from government pressure rather than independent decisions by financial institutions, reinforcing calls for clearer supervisory boundaries.

Push for regulatory alignment

Addressing implementation, Pinto said the Federal Reserve should coordinate its final rule with steps already taken by other banking regulators. He pointed to recent actions by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which issued a joint rule on April 7 removing reputation risk from their supervisory frameworks.

Pinto wrote that aligning standards across agencies would improve predictability for regulated entities, adding that consistent rules grounded in measurable criteria are necessary to maintain trust in the regulatory process and ensure the safety of the financial system.

The White House has signaled that a new step toward operationalizing the U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve has been prepared, with an announcement expected within weeks.

Speaking at the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas, Patrick Witt said officials have been working through the legal structure needed to secure and manage Bitcoin already held by the government. 

He said the administration is close to finalizing key interpretations required to “solidify that and protect the digital assets, specifically bitcoin that we have on the government balance sheet.”

During the panel, Witt confirmed that internal work has focused on translating last year’s executive order into a functioning framework, with further action from the executive branch expected shortly. 

He said a “big announcement” would outline the next phase, while adding that legislative backing would still be required to give the reserve long-term footing.

Lawmakers move to anchor reserve into statute

Alongside executive action, lawmakers have continued efforts to formalize the reserve through legislation. Nick Begich said the bill previously introduced as the BITCOIN Act is being renamed the American Reserves Modernization Act, or ARMA, as part of that process.

The proposal builds on the executive order signed by Donald Trump, which created a strategic Bitcoin reserve primarily funded through assets seized in criminal and civil cases, along with a separate digital asset stockpile. Lawmakers have argued that codifying the reserve into law would prevent policy reversals that could occur under future administrations.

Earlier legislative drafts led by Cynthia Lummis outlined plans to acquire up to 1 million Bitcoin over five years using budget-neutral methods.

 According to Lummis, writing in October 2025, the government could begin funding the reserve “anytime,” even as Congress continues to debate the bill’s passage.

Her comments followed discussions around alternative funding strategies, including proposals highlighted by ProCap BTC chief investment officer Jeff Park, who pointed to roughly $1 trillion in unrealized gains from U.S. gold reserves as a potential source for long-term Bitcoin allocation.

Structure still taking shape as timeline tightens

While the executive order has already established the reserve framework, details on how additional Bitcoin would be acquired have not been publicly disclosed. Government-held Bitcoin currently comes from forfeitures, with policymakers weighing options to expand holdings without drawing on taxpayer funds.

Witt said the upcoming announcement would represent a “breakthrough” in advancing the reserve from a policy concept to an operational system, though he noted that follow-up legislation remains necessary to secure its permanence.

The White House has not issued further details on the planned announcement or its scope.