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Australia’s Hostplus weighs crypto access for members

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Australia’s Hostplus weighs crypto access for members

Hostplus is reviewing whether to add crypto exposure to its investment menu after member interest in digital assets continued to grow. 

Summary

  • Hostplus is studying crypto access after members asked for digital assets in retirement portfolios.
  • Any crypto option would likely launch through Choiceplus, pending approval and consumer protection checks.
  • Growing SMSF crypto activity shows rising interest in digital assets among Australian retirement savers.

A Bloomberg report said the fund is considering a model that would give access through its Choiceplus option, though the plan still needs regulatory approval and further design work.

Hostplus is one of Australia’s largest super funds by member count. It has about 2.2 million members, and it ranks among the country’s biggest retirement funds by assets under management, according to Canstar.

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Its chief investment officer, Sam Sicilia, said member requests helped keep the issue on the table. He said, 

”There’s certainly a demand from some of our members who write in and say, ‘Why can’t I have access to cryptocurrency?’” according to Bloomberg.

Choiceplus could be the path for a launch

The report said any crypto access would likely sit inside Hostplus’ Choiceplus option. That part of the fund allows members to manage parts of their retirement savings more directly than standard investment options.

Sicilia said the offer could arrive as soon as the next financial year if the structure is approved. He also said, ”We’d love to get regulatory tick-off, even if it means waiting another six months,” showing the fund is willing to wait for formal clearance.

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In addition, the proposal is still at an early stage. It would need regulatory approval before any launch, and the fund also needs to address consumer protection issues tied to crypto access in retirement products.

Australia’s superannuation market remains large and tightly watched by regulators. APRA said it supervises financial institutions with about A$10.1 trillion in assets, while industry reporting has placed total superannuation assets near A$4.5 trillion by late 2025.

Broader crypto interest is growing in retirement markets

Large super funds have moved slowly on direct crypto access, but some parts of the market have already taken steps. AMP introduced Bitcoin futures exposure in May 2024 as part of its investment approach, according to the report.

Self-managed super funds remain a major route for Australians who want crypto in retirement portfolios. BTC Markets said SMSF registrations on its platform rose 69% year over year in the 2024–2025 financial year, pointing to continued interest from retirement-focused investors.

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BTC pulls back after breakout attempt, but larger move could be in store

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BTC pulls back after breakout attempt, but larger move could be in store

Bitcoin started the day with a promising chance for a breakout, but the rally fizzled out at a familiar brick wall that has kept a lid on prices for more than two months.

After briefly topping $76,000 — a key resistance level — the largest crypto reversed course, slipping below $74,000 later in the session. It still held onto a 1.3% gain over the past 24 hours, recently changing hands near $74,300.

Ether (ETH) followed a similar path, pulling back from above $2,400, but still outperformed, advancing 2.5% daily.

Traditional markets saw no such reversal, with the Nasdaq closing at its session high, up 2%. The S&P 500 rose 1.2% and now stands within a handful of points of hitting a new record high — a sharp contrast to bitcoin, which remains about 40% below its record of $126,000.

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Still, the conditions are ripe for a squeeze higher in crypto even as Tuesday’s breakout didn’t hold.

According to Vetle Lunde, head of research at K33 Research, funding rates on Binance’s bitcoin perpetuals have remained negative for 11 consecutive periods despite the recent rally, signaling traders are still leaning bearish even as prices push higher. At the same time, open interest has been rising, suggesting new short positions are being added rather than closed, he said.

That combination has historically set the stage for sharp upside moves, he said.

The 30-day average funding rate has now been negative for 46 straight days, Lunde added, matching the extended bearish positioning seen during past market stress periods, such as after the FTX crash in late 2022 and the mid-2021 bear market when China banned bitcoin mining.

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“Comparable risk-off regimes have historically been attractive entry points for BTC,” Lunde said, as crowded short trades were forced to unwind.

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Nasdaq extends winning streak to 10 sessions as tech leads Wall Street higher

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Polymarket sues Massachusetts over prediction market rules

U.S. equities closed sharply higher on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite climbing 1.96% and locking in gains for 10 consecutive trading days, underscoring renewed risk appetite in big‑cap technology.

Summary

  • Nasdaq jumps nearly 2% to log 10 straight days of gains.
  • Dow and S&P 500 also close higher, powered by mega‑cap tech.
  • Chinese tech stocks rally, with iQIYI and JD.com surging in U.S. trading.

The S&P 500 added 1.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.66%, according to market data from Gate.

Chipmaker Nvidia and e‑commerce giant Amazon each advanced 3.8%, extending a powerful rebound in U.S. growth stocks that have led major indices back toward record territory. Electric‑vehicle maker Tesla also gained more than 3%, adding further momentum to the tech‑heavy Nasdaq’s winning streak.

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The performance of these mega‑cap names continues to exert an outsized influence on U.S. benchmarks, with investors rotating back into longer‑duration growth assets as earnings optimism builds. Their simultaneous surge helped push the Nasdaq to its 10‑day run, a relatively rare stretch that points to strong short‑term bullish sentiment in the sector.

The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index, which tracks Chinese companies listed on U.S. exchanges, closed up 2.3% on the day. Within the basket, streaming platform iQIYI jumped 11%, while e‑commerce heavyweight JD.com soared nearly 8%, signaling renewed investor interest in U.S.‑traded Chinese tech.

The sharp move in Chinese ADRs highlights how global growth and tech narratives are increasingly intertwined across U.S. and Asian markets. As Wall Street’s rally broadens beyond U.S. mega‑caps, moves in indices such as the Golden Dragon China suggest investors are again willing to add exposure to higher‑beta internet and platform plays listed in New York.

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High Roller Stock Soars After Crypto.com Prediction Market Deal

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Brian Armstrong's Bold Prediction: AI Agents Will Soon Dominate Global Financial

TLDR

  • High Roller Technologies announced plans to launch a U.S. prediction market in partnership with Crypto.com.
  • The company will offer event-based contracts across finance, sports, and entertainment sectors.
  • Crypto.com Derivatives North America will provide the infrastructure as a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse.
  • High Roller’s stock surged by as much as 130% following the announcement.
  • The shares later traded about 65% higher at $8.32 during the same trading session.

High Roller Technologies Inc. announced plans to launch a U.S. event-based prediction market with Crypto.com. The announcement triggered a sharp rise in the company’s stock price. Investors responded immediately as shares surged during early trading.

ROLR Shares Surge After Prediction Market Plan

High Roller Technologies revealed its intention to introduce event contracts for U.S. customers. The Las Vegas-based online casino operator plans to offer contracts across finance, sports, and entertainment sectors.

The company confirmed that Crypto.com Derivatives North America will provide the event contracts. CDNA operates as a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse in the United States.

Following the announcement, High Roller’s stock climbed as much as 130% during trading. Shares later stabilized, trading 65% higher at $8.32.

Company representatives emphasized regulatory compliance and operational readiness. A spokesperson stated, “This collaboration expands our product offering while adhering to U.S. regulatory standards.”

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High Roller did not disclose a specific launch date for the prediction market. However, the company indicated that preparations for the rollout are already underway.

Market participants viewed the development as an expansion of High Roller’s digital gaming services. The company aims to integrate prediction markets into its existing customer platform.

Crypto.com Collaboration and Market Outlook

The partnership with Crypto.com strengthens High Roller’s entry into regulated prediction markets. Crypto.com’s affiliate, CDNA, will supply the infrastructure and clearing services.

Crypto.com’s CRO token reacted positively to the announcement. The token gained approximately 3% and traded near $0.07 following the news.

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Prediction markets have evolved into platforms that aggregate probabilities of real-world events. Leading participants include Kalshi, a regulated U.S. exchange, and Polymarket, a decentralized marketplace.

High Roller stated that the prediction market sector could exceed $1 trillion in trading volume by 2030. The company highlighted increasing institutional and retail interest in event-based contracts.

Industry data indicates steady revenue growth within prediction markets. A recent Citizens report estimated annualized revenue above $3 billion.

The same report projected that revenues could reach $10 billion by 2030. These figures reflect expanding adoption across finance, sports, and entertainment categories.

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High Roller reiterated its commitment to regulatory compliance and customer engagement. The company plans to provide accessible event contracts through its digital gaming ecosystem.

Crypto.com confirmed its role as infrastructure provider for the initiative. CDNA will manage trading and clearing operations once the platform becomes operational.

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Goldman Sachs Targets Income with New Bitcoin ETF Filing

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Goldman Sachs, Banks, Ethereum, Gold, Solana, MicroStrategy

Goldman Sachs has filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch a Bitcoin-linked exchange-traded fund designed to generate income while limiting exposure to the cryptocurrency’s volatility, according to a preliminary prospectus dated April 14.

The proposed Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF would aim to deliver current income alongside capital appreciation by investing primarily in spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products (ETPs) and related options, rather than holding Bitcoin (BTC) directly.

The fund would generate yield by selling call options on Bitcoin-linked ETPs, a strategy that can produce premium income but may cap upside in rising markets.

According to the filing, the actively managed fund would maintain at least 80% exposure to Bitcoin-linked assets and could allocate as much as 25% of its holdings through a Cayman Islands subsidiary, a structure commonly used to gain commodities exposure under the US Investment Company Act.

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The fund expects to vary its options “overwrite” strategy — that is, selling call options against its holdings — between roughly 40% and 100% of its Bitcoin exposure depending on market conditions, and may distribute a significant portion of returns as income or return of capital.

It would gain exposure through a mix of spot Bitcoin ETPs and derivatives, combining direct holdings with options-based positions. The strategy may perform better in flat or moderately rising markets but could underperform during strong rallies as upside is capped.

Eric Balchunas, ETF analyst at Bloomberg, described the product as “Boomer Candy” in a post on X, suggesting the structure may appeal to investors seeking income and lower volatility over full upside exposure.

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Goldman Sachs, Banks, Ethereum, Gold, Solana, MicroStrategy
Source: Eric Balchunas

Separately, Goldman Chair and CEO David Solomon told analysts on Monday that the company last week closed on its acquisition of Innovator Capital Management, an issuer of defined outcome exchange-traded funds. The addition of Innovator’s 170 ETFs puts Goldman in the top 10 of global active ETF providers, Solomon said on the first-quarter earnings call.

Related: Bitcoin ETFs clock $291M outflows as BTC blasts past $74K

Active crypto ETFs gain traction as strategies evolve beyond price tracking

The filing from Goldman Sachs comes as asset managers move beyond basic price-tracking crypto funds, with more complex and actively managed strategies gaining traction across the ETF market.

In January, Bitwise Asset Management launched an actively managed ETF designed to hedge against currency debasement. The fund allocates across assets including Bitcoin, precious metals and mining equities, reflecting a broader push to integrate digital assets into diversified, macro-focused portfolios.

In March, T. Rowe Price amended its filing with the SEC for a proposed actively managed crypto ETF that would invest directly in digital assets. The updated prospectus outlines a portfolio that may include assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL).

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Fund issuer 21Shares is also expanding into more sophisticated strategies. In February, the company launched a Europe-listed ETP tied to Strategy’s preferred stock (STRC), offering exposure to a yield-generating instrument linked to the company’s Bitcoin-focused capital strategy.

Speaking to Cointelegraph, 21Shares President Duncan Moir said the shift reflects broader demand for more advanced products, noting that crypto is “particularly well-suited to active management.”

According to a March report compiled by Morningstar and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, active ETFs held nearly $1.8 trillion in assets globally at the end of 2025, with flows significantly outpacing passive products.

“Why Active ETFs Are Gaining Momentum as Investors Seek New Solutions.” Source: Goldmansachs.com

Magazine: Should users be allowed to bet on war and death in prediction markets?