Crypto World
SOL Perp Traders Increase Leverage As HFDX Execution Improves
SOL perp traders are increasing leverage as execution quality improves across decentralized perpetual markets, with HFDX emerging as a key venue for on-chain activity. The current price of Solana is $92.25, having declined by 4.82% over the last 24 hours, but its derivatives volume is still increasing.
With a $52.32 billion market capitalization and a daily volume of $8.13 billion, which has grown by over 32%, it is clear that capital is not leaving but rather rotating. For SOL perp traders, this environment favors speed, liquidity depth, and reliable execution.
As centralized exchanges remain a point of concern for many market participants, on-chain perpetual futures are becoming the preferred tool for managing volatility. This shift is helping platforms like HFDX gain traction as execution infrastructure improves and liquidity scales.
Market Volatility Puts SOL Perp Traders Back in Control
For SOL perp traders, short-term drawdowns often unlock opportunity. Rather than selling spot positions, traders are increasingly using perpetual futures to hedge exposure, deploy short strategies, or trade momentum using leverage. This approach allows capital efficiency while keeping assets on-chain and fully self-custodied.
Solana’s high-throughput ecosystem continues to attract active traders, arbitrageurs, and DeFi-native funds. As volatility expands, perpetual markets typically see higher open interest and funding activity. That pattern is already playing out as SOL perp traders seek platforms that can handle rapid execution without slippage or opaque pricing.
The broader shift toward decentralized derivatives also reflects changing risk preferences. Traders want transparency, predictable liquidation logic, and verifiable smart contract execution, especially during fast market moves.
Liquidity Rotation Across DeFi Strengthens On-Chain Perps
Outside of Solana, DeFi liquidity is shifting towards protocols that can generate actual revenue from trading fees and borrowing demand. This is changing the nature of leverage markets across a variety of assets, including SOL perpetual futures.
For SOL perp traders, more liquidity will mean tighter spreads, more stable funding, and fewer liquidations during volatility events. When passive capital can generate revenue from actual use cases, leverage markets are more stable.
Structured DeFi strategies are also playing a growing role. Rather than chasing emissions, liquidity providers are increasingly allocating capital to systems where returns are tied to actual trading activity. This alignment between traders and liquidity is becoming a defining feature of next-generation perpetual DEXs.
HFDX Execution Gains Draw Attention From SOL Perp Traders
HFDX is benefiting directly from these shifts. Built as a non-custodial, on-chain perpetual futures protocol, HFDX is designed to support active trading without relying on centralized order books or market makers. Trades are executed against shared liquidity pools using decentralized price oracles, improving transparency and fairness.
Execution has become a key differentiator. HFDX has already processed more than 500,000 trades, delivering execution speeds under 2 milliseconds. For SOL perp traders operating in fast-moving markets, this performance reduces latency risk and improves entry and exit precision.
HFDX also integrates advanced charting and analytics powered by TradingView. This gives traders access to real-time price data, technical indicators, economic calendars, and broader market context—all within a decentralized trading environment.
In addition to perpetual futures, HFDX offers Liquidity Loan Note (LLN) strategies. These allow participants to allocate capital to protocol liquidity for fixed terms, with returns sourced from real trading and borrowing fees. This model supports execution quality while maintaining a risk-aware framework.
Why HFDX Is Resonating With SOL Perp Traders
- Ultra-fast on-chain execution built for volatile markets
- Non-custodial leverage with transparent smart contract settlement
- Shared liquidity pools that deepen SOL perpetual markets
- Oracle-based pricing without centralized intermediaries
- Structured liquidity strategies backed by real protocol activity
- Professional-grade charting and market analysis tools
These factors collectively make HFDX a compelling option for SOL perp traders seeking reliable decentralized infrastructure.
Where SOL Perp Traders and HFDX Align
As Solana derivatives markets grow further, SOL perp traders are increasingly discerning about their leverage allocations. Speed, liquidity, and transparency are no longer nice-to-haves – they are essential.
HFDX is capitalizing on this trend with its focus on infrastructure over speculation. With improving execution, sustainable liquidity, and full on-chain nature, HFDX is an embodiment of what decentralized perpetuals are becoming. All forms of levered derivatives carry risks, but HFDX provides an environment designed for serious players.
For traders and liquidity participants looking to engage early with next-generation DeFi derivatives infrastructure, HFDX represents a platform worth exploring as on-chain perpetual markets continue to mature.
Make Your Money Work Smarter And Unlock A Wealth Of Opportunities With HFDX Today!
Website: https://hfdx.xyz/
Telegram: https://t.me/HFDXTrading
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
Bill Ackman says it’s one of the best times in a long time to buy quality stocks
Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, attends the Milken Conference 2025 in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 6, 2025.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman said the current market dislocation has created one of the most attractive entry points for high-quality companies in years, urging investors to look past macro fears and lean into what he sees as deeply discounted opportunities.
“Some of the highest quality businesses in the world are trading at extremely cheap prices,” Ackman wrote in a post on X late Sunday. “One of the best times in a long time to buy quality. Ignore the bears.”
The founder of Pershing Square Capital Management pointed to what he described as a highly asymmetric setup in select names, singling out U.S. mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as “stupidly cheap,” with the potential to deliver outsized returns in a relatively short period.
Ackman’s bullish stance comes at a time when markets have been rattled by rising energy prices, sticky inflation concerns and shifting expectations around Federal Reserve policy. The recent bout of volatility has pushed valuations lower across a range of sectors, even as economic uncertainty continues to cloud the outlook.
“One of the most one-sided wars in history that will end well for the U.S. and the world. And we have the potential for a large peace dividend,” Ackman wrote.
President Donald Trump offered investors hope that an end to the war against Iran is drawing near. While the president added that “great progress has been made,” he also said that if a peace deal is not reached “shortly” and the Strait of Hormuz is not “immediately” reopened, the U.S. would attack key Iranian energy infrastructure.
Pershing Square Holdings, the firm’s London-listed closed-end fund, is down 19% year to date as of last Tuesday, its website showed.
Earlier this month, Pershing Square filed to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “PS,” a move that would give public investors direct exposure to the firm’s concentrated portfolio of large-cap investments.
The listing would effectively turn Ackman’s investment vehicle into a permanent capital structure, echoing the model used by Warren Buffett‘s Berkshire Hathaway.
Crypto World
Tether gold token XAUt goes live on BNB Chain as RWA race accelerates
Tether has launched its gold‑backed XAUt token on BNB Chain, pairing tokenized bullion with USDT on a network that already hosts roughly $3.2 billion in real‑world assets.
Summary
- Tether has launched its tokenized gold product XAUt on BNB Chain, expanding its multi-chain footprint.
- Each XAUt is backed 1:1 by one troy ounce of physical gold stored in Swiss vaults, with around 1,800 bars (over 22,100 kg) in reserve.
- BNB Chain now hosts about $3.2 billion in real‑world assets with more than 41,000 holders, reinforcing its role in the RWA market.
Tether has deployed its tokenized gold asset Tether Gold (XAUt) on BNB Chain, bringing physical bullion deeper into the on-chain financial system with faster settlement and broader user access. XAUt tracks the price of gold by representing ownership of specific bars stored in secure Swiss vaults, with each token pegged 1:1 to one troy ounce, giving holders exposure to gold without traditional custody or logistics. Tether says the vaults currently hold roughly 1,800 bars backing the product, amounting to more than 22,100 kilograms of gold, while its existing dollar stablecoin tether links users to on‑chain cash via USDT’s large market.
In announcing the launch, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino framed XAUt’s expansion as part of a broader effort to merge hard assets with digital rails and near‑instant transfer. He described the initiative as “integrating gold into the digital financial system with instant settlement,” arguing that tokenized metals can act both as a store of value and as collateral in decentralized finance or institutional workflows. The BNB Chain deployment builds on XAUt’s presence across multiple networks and extends its reach to more than a dozen chains via Tether’s USDt0 transport layer, while bitcoin continues to anchor crypto’s risk spectrum, with its price tracked on the bitcoin page.
For BNB Chain, hosting XAUt is another step in its strategy to become a core venue for real‑world assets. The network now ranks as the second‑largest RWA blockchain globally, with around $3.2 billion in tokenized assets issued and more than 41,000 on‑chain holders, putting it behind only ethereum in raw RWA scale while offering lower transaction costs. Those metrics strengthen BNB Chain’s pitch as a home for tokenized commodities, treasuries and credit products that can settle more quickly and cheaply than in legacy systems. In a previous crypto.news story on tokenization, issuers highlighted how RWAs can compress settlement cycles and reduce intermediaries for global investors.
The Tether XAUt integration arrives as tokenization has become a central narrative for both crypto‑native projects and traditional finance giants experimenting with on‑chain funds and bonds. Large asset managers are piloting tokenized securities, while stablecoin issuers are branching into non‑fiat instruments to diversify revenues and deepen their role in the market. Another crypto.news story on RWAs noted that on‑chain credit and treasury products increasingly sit alongside ethereum‑based DeFi, blurring the line between TradFi and crypto liquidity.
XAUt now sits next to USDT on BNB Chain, creating a two‑asset stack of digital cash and digital gold that can be deployed in trading pairs, DeFi collateral pools or hedging strategies that mirror the traditional “dollar plus bullion” allocation. For traders and treasurers, a token mapping directly to a troy ounce of gold backed by specific bars offers a familiar risk profile, but with the added flexibility of on‑chain transfers, programmable settlement and composability with lending and derivatives protocols.
From a competitive standpoint, the launch underlines how aggressively large stablecoin issuers are moving into the RWA segment, not only to capture fee income but to lock in network effects across chains. As more institutional and retail users gain access to tokenized metals and treasuries via BNB Chain and similar networks, the divide between traditional commodities markets and crypto‑native liquidity pools is likely to narrow further. In a recent crypto.news story on stablecoins, analysts stressed that products like USDT and tokenized gold could become core building blocks for “Finance 2.0,” with price discovery for assets such as tether, bitcoin and ethereum increasingly happening on‑chain rather than in legacy venues.
Crypto World
Crypto like COIN, HOOD have bottomed heading into earnings and trades at a ‘big’ discount, Bernstein says
Crypto-linked equities are nearing a bottom heading into first-quarter earnings, according to Wall Street broker Bernstein, which said the sector’s roughly 60% drawdown from 2025 highs has created “big businesses at big discounts.”
“The combination of geopolitics and temporary crypto weak sentiment is offering big discounts on crypto stocks,” analysts led by Gautam Chhugani said in the Monday report.
The broker expects near-term weakness to persist through Q1 results but views current levels as an entry point into companies with exposure to large and growing markets, including stablecoins, tokenization, prediction markets and derivatives.
Since peaking in October 2025, crypto markets have undergone a sharp and sustained correction, with bitcoin falling roughly 40%–50% from record highs near $126,000 and the broader digital asset market value declining by about $2 trillion.
The selloff, driven by a mix of macro pressures, regulatory uncertainty and unwinding leverage, has erased much of the prior bull run’s gains and weighed heavily on crypto-linked equities, pushing sentiment into a more cautious phase heading into 2026.
Against that backdrop, the analysts revised their price targets while maintaining an upbeat longer-term outlook. The broker maintained outperform ratings on Coinbase (COIN), Robinhood (HOOD) and Figure (FIGR).
It lowered its Coinbase price target to $330 from $440, Robinhood’s target to $130 from $160, and Figure’s target to $67 from $72. Coinbase was trading around $165.50 at publication time, Robinhood at $67.10, and Figure at $31.14.
The analysts said a combination of macro uncertainty and weak crypto sentiment has weighed on valuations, but expects a turn as earnings clarify fundamentals and sentiment stabilizes into the rest of the year.
The call comes as the broker said last week that bitcoin has likely found its bottom and is primed for further gains, and reiterated its $150,000 year-end price target.
Read more: Wall Street broker Bernstein calls bitcoin bottom, keeps $150,000 year-end target
Crypto World
Major token unlocks for ZORA, KMNO, OP and SUI test thin crypto market liquidity
Roughly $46.9M in ZORA, KMNO, OP and SUI unlocks are hitting thin markets this week, with SUI’s $37.2M tranche posing the biggest short‑term risk.
Summary
- Around $46.9M worth of Zora, Kamino, Optimism and Sui tokens are unlocking into already fragile market conditions.
- Sui’s $37.2M unlock is the largest, while Zora, Kamino and Optimism releases range from 1.55% to 3.70% of supply.
- The batch underscores how token unlock schedules can drive short‑term volatility across DeFi and L1 ecosystems.
A fresh wave of token unlocks hitting Zora, Kamino, Optimism and Sui this week is adding tens of millions of dollars in potential sell pressure to a market that has already seen liquidity thin out across majors and mid‑caps. According to figures compiled by PANews and MEXC, roughly 167 million ZORA tokens, or 3.70% of circulating supply, are set to unlock, with the tranche valued at about $2.5 million at current prices.
Kamino’s KMNO will see about 229 million tokens, representing 3.37% of supply, come onto the market in a roughly $4 million event, while Optimism’s OP will release around 31.34 million tokens on March 31, equal to 1.55% of supply and valued at about $3.2 million. Sui’s SUI, an L1 smart‑contract platform token, faces the largest single unlock: 42.94 million tokens worth an estimated $37.2 million on April 1.
These four assets span a mix of infrastructure and DeFi exposure. SUI is a base‑layer (L1) network token competing with chains such as ethereum and solana for developer and user activity. OP powers the Optimism Layer‑2 scaling stack for ethereum, putting it in direct comparison with arbitrum and other rollup tokens. ZORA is tied to a protocol focused on creator and NFT‑adjacent tooling, while KMNO is a DeFi‑centric governance asset linked to Kamino’s liquidity and lending products. In each case, the unlocks represent between 1.55% and 3.70% of total token supply, a range that historically can be meaningful for order books if spot volume is muted, even when headline dollar figures—$2.5 million for ZORA or $4 million for KMNO—appear modest.
Unlock events typically release previously locked tokens held by teams, early backers or ecosystem treasuries, shifting the supply‑demand balance in ways that can amplify volatility over short windows. When liquidity is thin or sentiment is fragile, even single‑digit percentage unlocks of supply can translate into steeper intraday swings if large holders decide to sell into bids rather than rotate into staking, liquidity provision or long‑term custody. Conversely, when demand is healthy, unlocks can be absorbed with limited price impact as new participants take the other side of distribution.
In the broader market, similar dynamics have played out repeatedly across DeFi and L1 tokens. Past unlocks for projects in the optimism and arbitrum ecosystem, as well as earlier Sui releases, have often lined up with spikes in derivatives funding, whale transfers to exchanges and short‑term price drawdowns before stabilizing as supply is re‑absorbed. Against that backdrop, this week’s roughly $46.9 million in combined unlock value for ZORA, KMNO, OP and SUI acts as a stress test for current liquidity conditions and risk appetite across NFT infrastructure, DeFi governance and L1 smart‑contract platforms.
Within this landscape, traders will be watching on‑chain flows and exchange inflows closely—particularly around SUI’s $37.2 million event—looking for signs of whether large holders treat the unlock as a cash‑out opportunity or a chance to reposition within their respective ecosystems.
Crypto World
What It Is and Agent-First Coding
Google Antigravity is a new development environment designed specifically for the era of software built alongside autonomous AI agents. Unlike traditional IDEs, which integrate artificial intelligence as an auxiliary assistant, Antigravity introduces a fundamentally different paradigm: agent‑first development.
In this model, developers no longer interact solely with files and syntax. Instead, they collaborate with intelligent agents capable of planning, generating, refactoring, testing and maintaining entire software systems.
For frontend engineers, backend developers, full‑stack specialists, software architects and technical teams working with AI‑assisted workflows, understanding Google Antigravity is not optional. It represents an early signal of how modern engineering productivity is about to change.
This article explains what Google Antigravity is, how it works conceptually, how it differs from current AI‑enhanced IDEs, and why it could reshape software development over the coming years.
What is Google Antigravity
Google Antigravity is an agent‑native integrated development environment built for collaboration with autonomous coding agents rather than traditional editor‑centric workflows.
Where environments such as VS Code or JetBrains products embed AI as contextual support layers, Antigravity positions agents as active participants across the entire development lifecycle.
This includes:
- technical task planning
- structured code generation
- automated refactoring
- assisted debugging
- orchestration of complex workflows
- continuous project maintenance
The result is a shift in abstraction level. Developers move from writing every component manually to supervising systems that co‑develop software alongside them.
What agent‑first development actually means
Agent‑first development describes a model in which AI agents operate as collaborators rather than passive assistants.
In a traditional IDE workflow:
the developer writes → the AI suggests
In an agent‑first workflow:
the developer defines intent → the agent executes strategy
This transition allows engineers to operate at a higher architectural level.
Instead of issuing narrow implementation commands such as:
“create a REST endpoint with validation”
Developers can express broader objectives like:
“implement a complete authentication system compatible with the existing architecture”
The agent interprets repository structure, dependencies, conventions and constraints before generating coherent solutions.
This fundamentally changes how programmers interact with codebases.
Conceptual architecture behind Google Antigravity
Although Google has not yet published full technical documentation for Antigravity, its behaviour aligns with emerging agent‑native development environment architectures.
These systems typically operate across several coordinated layers.
Intent interpretation layer
At this stage, the agent analyses:
- natural‑language instructions
- repository structure
- active dependencies
- project history
- architectural conventions
This enables context‑aware execution rather than isolated code generation.
Planning layer
Before producing code, the agent structures an execution strategy.
Typical responsibilities include:
- decomposing complex tasks
- identifying dependency conflicts
- proposing structural improvements
- estimating architectural impact
This reduces the risk of incremental inconsistencies common in manual workflows.
Execution layer
The agent then generates concrete artefacts such as:
- new source files
- refactored modules
- automated test suites
- migrations
- technical documentation
All changes remain synchronised with the active repository context.
Validation layer
Finally, the system evaluates:
- code coherence
- module compatibility
- architectural alignment
- runtime stability assumptions
This moves development closer to a semi‑autonomous engineering model.
How Antigravity differs from traditional IDEs
Google Antigravity is not simply another editor enhanced with AI capabilities.
It represents a structural change in how developers interact with software systems.
Key differences include the following.
From autocomplete to autonomous execution
Conventional IDEs suggest lines of code.
Antigravity executes complete implementation strategies.
From files to intent
Traditional editors operate at file level.
Antigravity operates at goal level.
From reactive assistance to active collaboration
Most AI tools respond only when prompted.
Agent‑native environments participate continuously in solution design.
From incremental productivity gains to exponential workflow acceleration
Automating entire development segments transforms how quickly complex systems can evolve.
This becomes especially relevant in large‑scale or fast‑moving projects.
Practical use cases for developers
Google Antigravity is designed to integrate naturally into modern engineering workflows where iteration speed is critical.
Several scenarios illustrate its immediate value.
Rapid prototyping
Developers can generate functional architectures in minutes rather than hours.
This accelerates:
- idea validation
- technical experimentation
- early product iteration
Legacy codebase refactoring
Agents can analyse internal dependencies and propose structural improvements across large repositories.
This is particularly useful in long‑lived enterprise projects.
Automated test generation
Testing remains one of the most persistent bottlenecks in professional development.
Agent‑native environments help maintain:
- continuous coverage
- regression protection
- incremental validation cycles
Living technical documentation
Agents can maintain documentation aligned with evolving codebases.
This significantly improves onboarding efficiency across engineering teams.
Comparison with other AI‑powered IDE environments
Google Antigravity enters an ecosystem that already includes tools such as Cursor, Copilot Workspace and emerging agent‑centric development platforms.
However, its positioning introduces important distinctions.
Compared with VS Code plus Copilot
Copilot enhances editing.
Antigravity transforms execution workflows.
Compared with Cursor
Cursor improves contextual editing interactions.
Antigravity restructures the development model itself.
Compared with experimental autonomous coding systems
Many current agent tools operate as external orchestration layers.
Antigravity integrates agents directly into the core environment.
This allows deeper architectural alignment and stronger repository awareness.
How Antigravity may reshape developer workflows
The most important impact of Antigravity is methodological rather than purely technical.
Developers shift from implementation‑centric roles towards supervision‑centric engineering.
In practice, engineers increasingly act as:
- system designers
- agent supervisors
- architectural strategists
This evolution enables smaller teams to deliver larger systems with fewer coordination bottlenecks.
It also encourages higher‑level thinking about structure, scalability and maintainability.
Strategic advantages for development teams
Adopting agent‑first environments can produce measurable improvements across engineering organisations.
Key advantages include:
Reduced development time
Automating repetitive implementation tasks frees cognitive capacity for higher‑value problem solving.
Improved architectural consistency
Agents help maintain structural patterns across repositories.
Easier technical scalability
Complex structural changes can be planned and executed more reliably.
Faster experimentation cycles
Teams can validate architectural decisions without significant upfront implementation investment.
These benefits are especially valuable in startup environments and innovation‑driven product teams.
Current limitations of agent‑native development environments
As with any emerging technology category, Antigravity introduces new challenges alongside its advantages.
Important considerations include:
Dependence on repository structure quality
Agents perform best when working within clearly organised projects.
Continued need for human oversight
Autonomy does not replace engineering judgement.
Expert review remains essential.
Organisational adaptation requirements
Transitioning to agent‑first workflows requires a shift in team mental models.
This adjustment can take time in traditionally structured engineering organisations.
Why Google Antigravity matters for the future of software development
Google rarely introduces developer tooling without a broader strategic trajectory.
Antigravity signals a shift from intelligent text editors towards collaborative engineering environments built around autonomous agents.
This transition implies:
- shorter development cycles
- reduced technical friction
- increased experimentation capacity
- new professional engineering skill profiles
Developers who understand this shift early gain a meaningful competitive advantage.
This is particularly true in environments where continuous innovation defines technical success.
Conclusion
Google Antigravity represents one of the first serious attempts to design an IDE from the ground up for agent‑assisted software engineering.
Rather than adding artificial intelligence to existing workflows, it redefines the relationship between developers and code.
Working within agent‑first environments enables teams to operate at higher abstraction levels, accelerate iteration cycles and reduce repetitive implementation effort.
As software engineering moves towards collaborative human‑agent systems, Antigravity is not simply another tool.
It is an early indicator of how professional development environments are likely to evolve over the coming years.
Crypto World
The SEC’s latest crypto guidance still leaves too much unsaid
On Tuesday, March 19, the SEC issued joint guidance with the CFTC to “finally” provide clarity about how the securities laws apply to digital assets. On many issues, including staking and meme coins, the SEC’s new guidance is a welcome development and a marked improvement from the Gensler days. It also rightly acknowledges that the agency’s “regulation by enforcement” campaign under Chair Gensler had muddied compliance obligations and stifled the industry. But in important ways, the guidance stops short of the full course correction the crypto industry needs.
The biggest shortcoming is the SEC’s articulation of the Howey test for “investment contract” securities. All agree that most digital assets are not, on their own, investment contracts. Even the Gensler SEC (eventually) admitted as much, and the SEC’s new guidance reiterates that position. The key question, though, is when a digital asset is sold as part of an investment contract such that the sale becomes subject to the securities laws.
The statute provides the answer. As a matter of text, history and common sense, an “investment contract” means a contract – an express or implied agreement between the issuer and investor under which the issuer will deliver ongoing profits in return for the purchaser’s investment. Most digital assets are not investment contracts because they are not contracts. A digital asset can be the subject of an investment contract (like any other asset), but it can still be sold separately from the investment contract without implicating the securities laws. In the suits brought by Gensler, crypto companies vigorously defended that proper interpretation of the law.
Yet the SEC’s new guidance is silent about whether an investment contract requires contractual obligations. Instead, it says an investment contract travels with a digital asset (at least temporarily) when the “facts and circumstances” show the digital-asset developer “induc[ed] an investment of money in a common enterprise with representations or promises to undertake essential managerial efforts,” leading purchasers to “reasonably expect to derive profits.” That does not clearly confirm a clean break from the SEC’s former view that Howey eschews “contract law” and demands “a flexible application of the economic reality surrounding the offer, sale and entire scheme at issue, which may include a variety of promises, undertakings and corresponding expectations.”
The Gensler SEC’s know-it-when-I-see-it approach to Howey was deeply problematic. It allowed the agency to piece together an “investment contract” from various public statements by digital-asset developers — tweets, white papers, and other marketing materials — even absent concrete promises by the issuers. And it failed to distinguish securities from collectibles like Beanie Babies and trading cards, the value of which depends heavily on their maker’s marketing and attempts to create scarcity. The SEC missed an important opportunity to clearly reject that approach and restore a key statutory dividing line between assets and securities — a contract.
The SEC can still fix this problem, but to do so, it will need to further clarify how the agency intends to apply Howey going forward — and to finally make a clean break with Gensler’s overbroad interpretation of the securities laws. For example, the Gensler SEC repeatedly cited various “widely distributed promotional statements” as a basis for pushing a digital asset into the realm of investment contracts. The SEC’s new guidance puts some guardrails on that approach by requiring a developer’s representations or promises to be “explicit and unambiguous,” to “contain sufficient details,” and to occur before the purchase of the digital asset. But even that improved approach leaves too much room for interpretation. It could be expansively applied by private plaintiffs, the courts or a future SEC. Rather than continue down the path Gensler trod, the SEC should make clear that mere public statements affecting value are insufficient and that promises and representations must be made in the context of the specific sale at issue — not strung together from whitepapers or social-media posts that many purchasers likely never considered.
The SEC also should clarify its approach to secondary-market trading. Helpfully, the agency now recognizes that digital assets are not investment contracts “in perpetuity” just because they once were “subject to” investment contracts. But the agency also says that digital assets remain “subject to” investment contracts traded on secondary markets (like exchanges) so long as purchasers “reasonably expect” issuers’ “representations and promises to remain connected” to the asset. The SEC says little about how to assess those reasonable expectations, providing only two “non-exclusive” examples of when an investment contract “separates” from a digital asset. And it says nothing about whether a secondary-market purchaser must have a contractual relationship with the token issuer. That leaves it unclear whether the SEC has really moved on from the Gensler-era view that investment contracts “travel with” or are “embodied” by crypto tokens.
Instead of those mixed messages, the SEC should impose meaningful restraints on the application of the securities laws to secondary-market transactions by adopting Judge Analisa Torres’s approach in Ripple. Judge Torres recognized that it is unreasonable to infer an investment contract in the context of “blind bid-ask” transactions — that is, transactions where the counterparties do not know each other’s identities (as is common in secondary-market trading). Because buyers have no idea whether their money goes to a token’s issuer or to some unknown third party, they can’t reasonably expect that the seller will use the buyers’ money to generate and deliver profits. The SEC should endorse Judge Torres’s analysis expressly.
These are not academic quibbles. The current SEC might not read or enforce its new guidance in a manner that threatens the viability of the crypto industry in the United States. But by failing to clearly reject the excesses of the Gensler era, the SEC’s new guidance leaves the industry exposed to a future SEC that could leverage ambiguities in the SEC’s current guidance to resume regulation by enforcement. Private plaintiffs could try to do the same in lawsuits against key industry players (such as the leading exchanges). And in the meantime, the SEC’s interpretations could distort the securities-law baseline during negotiations over market-structure litigation.
The SEC invited comments on its guidance, and the industry should oblige. The SEC should get credit where credit is due. But the industry should not hesitate to highlight the lingering flaws and ambiguities in the agency’s approach and advocate for clear, meaningful, and permanent restraints to ensure regulatory clarity and stability. Simply giving the legal architecture of the last enforcement campaign a facelift is not enough.
Crypto World
Bitcoin (BTC) hashrate falls as miners shift capital to AI infrastructure
For the first time in six years, the bitcoin hashrate, the total computational power securing the network, fell during the first quarter. It is currently down around 4% year to date, hovering around 1 zettahash per second (ZH/s).
Over the past five years, the rate has surged from roughly 100 exahashes per second (EH/s), a 10-fold increase, according to Glassnode data. Each year, the metric rose during the first quarter and ended with strong full-year growth in excess of 10%. In 2022, the figure almost doubled.

The AI Pivot
The shift in 2026 reflects changing economics across the bitcoin mining sector. With production costs near $90,000 per bitcoin and the spot price closer to $67,000, margins are negative. In response, many publicly listed miners are switching to artificial intelligence and high-performance computing infrastructure, where returns are higher and more predictable.
This transition is being funded through debt issuance and bitcoin sales, reducing reinvestment into bitcoin mining. As a result, hashrate growth is becoming more sensitive to the cryptocurrency’s price, with weaker prices likely to trigger further declines as smaller operators exit.
While a falling hashrate may raise concerns about network security, decentralization may matter more than absolute size. Publicly listed U.S. miners have accounted for over 40% of the global hash rate, and a reduction in their influence could lead to a more geographically distributed network. In that sense, the current shift may ultimately support decentralization.
Despite the slowdown, CoinShares still forecasts hashrate growth to around 1.8 ZH/s by the end of 2026, conditional on bitcoin recovering toward $100,000.
Read More: End of bitcoin ‘HODL’: public miners going all-in on AI, signaling more BTC selling
Crypto World
Steakhouse Financial front-end breach exposes users to phishing scam
DeFi risk curator Steakhouse Financial has been hacked and its website and app are now being used to host a phishing scam.
Steakhouse disclosed the breach Monday morning and warned that any new users interacting with the website or app are likely interacting with a malicious version implemented by the hackers.
The attack appears to have affected just the front-end of operations, as Steakhouse assured users, “No deposits are at risk. No contracts are affected. All Steakhouse depositors are safe.”
Read more: Fake Uniswap phishing ad on Google steals trader’s life savings
“We are working to restore the frontend as soon as possible,” the firm said.
Steakhouse co-founder, Sébastien Derivaux, warned crypto users to avoid the website until further notice.
Various crypto firms offered alternative services and safety assurances for customers with funds at Steakhouse.
Others found humor in the incident, with one user asking, “Does phishing on Steakhouse make this a surf and turf attack?”
At the time of writing, neither Steakhouse Financial or its CEO have shared any further updates on the incident.
Steakhouse Financial housing a crypto drainer
Crypto security firm Blockaid claims that the Steakhouse attackers are utilizing code from one of the “largest active wallet drainer operations onchain” known as Angelferno, or Angel Drainer.
Read more: Fears of $27M Venus Protocol hack turn out to be phishing attack on power user
Earlier this month, AI crypto firm GAIB fell victim to a social engineering scheme that gave hackers access to its domain, where they implemented a copycat website kitted with Angelferno.
Drainers work by stealing a user’s crypto after they sign a malicious transaction that gives hackers full access to withdraw their funds.
Blockaid was able to help GAIB detect the malware, and the malicious site was gone in roughly seven hours, with no apparent user losses.
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Crypto World
Bitcoin Hashrate falls 6%, US bond yields up 4%: Month in charts
This month, Bitcoin’s hashrate fell 6% after the US and Israel attacked Iran, highlighting Iran’s significant crypto mining activity.
Bitcoin price, meanwhile, remains lackluster. Higher 4% yields on US Treasury bonds have added pressure, and investors are seeking less risky prospects amid geopolitical tension.
Less appetite for crypto trading has proven problematic for Robinhood. The trading platform’s stock is down 16% on the month, and leadership has announced a stock buyback program.
Prediction markets marked a record number of transactions, representing a more than 2,800% increase since this time last year.
Here’s March by the numbers:
Bitcoin lacks momentum as 4% US Treasury bond yields put pressure on price
Yields on five-year US Treasury bonds are up 4% in March, putting pressure on Bitcoin price. While showing some gains in mid March, the asset ended the month much where it started, around $67,000.

As per an analysis from Cointelegraph, fears of a drawn-out conflict between the US and Israel against Iran have led investors to cut out risk. A sell-off in bonds, along with a nine-month high of 4% in yields, suggests that traders are building cash positions.
Bitcoin hashrate falls nearly 6% after US and Israel attack Iran
On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched a joint special military operation in Iran called “Operation Epic Fury.” One month later, the Bitcoin (BTC) hashrate is down almost 6%.

Bloomberg crypto and digital assets strategist Dushyant Shahrawat said in a recent interview that Iran is one of the world’s largest Bitcoin miners, accounting for some 6-8% of global hashrate, and 70% of mining activities are conducted by the military.
Disruptions to the country’s energy infrastructure and diversion of military priorities to defense have thus hit Iran’s ability to mine Bitcoin.
Prediction market transaction top 192 million
Transactions on prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi topped 192 million in March. That represents a 24% increase from last month and a 2,880% increase compared to the same time last year, according to Dune analytics.

Related: Lawmakers push another bill to curb prediction market insider trading
Prediction markets are growing in popularity, but in the United States, they face state regulators who say they facilitate a form of gambling. At least 11 states have taken legal action against them.
On March 20, Carson City District Court Judge Jason Woodbury upheld a regulator’s move to temporarily ban prediction market Kalshi in Nevada.

Arizona has brought criminal charges against Kalshi for allegedly “running an illegal gambling operation and taking bets on Arizona elections, both of which violate Arizona law.”
Other states like Utah and Pennsylvania are currently considering legislation that would bring prediction markets under state gambling or gaming laws. Kalshi says that it answers only to federal regulation under the Commodity Futures Exchange Commission (CFTC).
Euro-denominated stablecoins account for 85% of non-dollar volume
Stablecoins backed by the euro have emerged as a favorite alternative to assets backed by US dollars. Some 85% of non-dollar stablecoin volumes occur in euros, according to a March report from Dune.

While euro-denominated coins initially only represented some 50-70% of the non-dollar market, they began expanding significantly in 2024. Now they represent 85% of total transferred volume. Euro stablecoins are also dominant in regard to participation, with user share rising to over 78%.
Dune attributes this increase to more confidence in stablecoins among institutions, thanks in large part to the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulatory package (MiCA).
Robinhood stock down 16% on month
Robinhood stock has decreased over 16% in March, from nearly $80 to $66 as of publishing time.

The stock and crypto trading company’s share price has been struggling in recent months. Over the last six months, it dropped over 50%. Uncertainty over the regulation of new verticals like prediction markets and social trading, along with a collapse in crypto trading revenues are creating structural obstacles for the company.
Revenue from crypto transactions reportedly dropped 38% year-over-year as of Q4 2025. Crypto app volumes dropped 58%.
To address the problem, Robinhood has approved a $1.5 billion share buyback program in March, which will execute over the next three years.
Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings are 11% in the red
Amid a lackluster price action on the month, Strategy’s Bitcoin portfolio is at an 11% loss. The average cost of Bitcoin in its portfolio is $75,669. Bitcoin is trading around $67,800 at publishing time.

Still, the company has continued its regular Bitcoin purchases. It made two this month: one for 17,994 Bitcoin on March 9 and another for 22,337 Bitcoin on March 16, amounting to roughly $2.7 billion at publishing time.
The software company has financed most of its Bitcoin purchases through high-yield stock offerings, like Stretch (STRC). This allows the company to buy Bitcoin without diluting its MSTR common shares.
The company’s chair, Bitcoin bull Michael Saylor, said recently that 80% of STRC buyers are retail investors. “Retail investors prefer low-volatility, high-yield digital credit,” he said.
Magazine: XRP yet to ‘price in’ 3 bullish catalysts, Bitcoin to $80K? Trade Secrets
Crypto World
Oil at $116: Why This Macro Shock Could Trigger a Bitcoin Risk-Off Deleveraging
Brent crude punched through $116 a barrel on March 30, 2026 – a 60% monthly surge driven by escalating US-Iran tensions after Tehran accused Washington of preparing an invasion, compounding Houthi strike disruptions, and Bitcoin is now sitting in the crosshairs of the resulting institutional risk-off rotation.
The oil price spike is not hitting crypto directly; it’s hitting it through three compounding channels: inflation re-acceleration, delayed Fed rate cuts, and a geopolitical risk premium that is draining leveraged long exposure across every risk asset class.
Bitcoin dropped to weekly lows between $63,000 and $65,700, over $500 million in derivatives liquidations hit the tape, and 84% of that came from long positions.

The Fear & Greed Index collapsed to 28 – Extreme Fear – while a record $14 billion options expiry amplified the volatility.
Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with
Bitcoin Faces Structural Deleveraging as Oil-Driven Inflation Rewrites the Fed Playbook
$63,000 is the line Bitcoin cannot afford to lose.
That level has capped the downside through the prior 2 macro shock episodes. The 200-day moving average sits just below at $62,400.
A close beneath it would be the first since the October 2025 rally began and would likely trigger a second wave of systematic deleveraging from quant funds running momentum strategies. Resistance above is layered at $67,500 and $71,000, both former support zones that flipped during the February selloff.
The oil correlation matters more than usual right now. Binance Research puts the Bitcoin-WTI correlation near zero across most market regimes.
The 30-day rolling correlation currently sits at just 0.15. But that changes during extreme disruption events. The Strait of Hormuz is flowing at roughly 4 million barrels per day against a normal 20 million. That is not a tail risk. That is an active structural supply shock, exactly the kind that produces temporary correlation spikes.
If US-Iran tensions de-escalate and Hormuz flows normalize, Brent retreats below $100 and the Fed signals patience at its April 1 to 2 meeting. Bitcoin reclaims $67,500, BlackRock’s IBIT builds on its $225.2 million inflow during the dip, and institutional rotation flips back into accumulation mode.
If tensions persist without full escalation, Brent holds $110 to $116 and the Fed stays hawkish through Q2. Bitcoin grinds between $63,000 and $68,000 with elevated volatility, ETF flows stay choppy, and mining costs for operators like Marathon Digital rise 15 to 25%.
A full Hormuz blockade is the scenario nobody wants to price. Oil above $130, 10-year Treasury yields breaking above 5%, and the Fed forced to choose between fighting inflation and supporting growth.
That combination could send Bitcoin to $55,000 to $57,000 in a full risk-off liquidation wave, mirroring February 2022 when WTI hit $115 and BTC fell from $45,000 to $39,000 in days.
The inflation channel is what most traders are underweighting. Sustained oil above $100 does not just pressure sentiment. It mechanically delays rate cuts.
Bitcoin’s slide below $67,000 alongside rising Treasury yields already showed how directly that linkage bites. BTC’s 0.9 correlation to the IGV tech index means it trades like a rate-sensitive growth asset in the short run, not an inflation hedge.
Watch the Fed’s April 1 to 2 meeting. Any language signaling a longer hold is the catalyst for the next leg down. Congressional votes on Iran sanctions expected mid-April carry equal weight. Further Hormuz disruption sends another shock through energy markets and straight into institutional risk appetite.
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The post Oil at $116: Why This Macro Shock Could Trigger a Bitcoin Risk-Off Deleveraging appeared first on Cryptonews.
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