Crypto World
Binance Completes $1B SAFU Fund Shift to Bitcoin
Binance converts $1 billion SAFU fund fully into Bitcoin, buying 4,545 BTC to finish its reserve overhaul.
Binance announced on Thursday that it has finished converting its $1 billion Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) from stablecoins into Bitcoin, purchasing a final tranche of 4,545 BTC and bringing total holdings to 15,000 BTC.
The exchange’s decision to shift its emergency insurance reserve into BTC rather than a dollar-pegged asset reversed its position from April 2024 and placed roughly $1 billion of user protection funds directly into the cryptocurrency with the largest market cap.
Conversion Completed Within 30-Day Window
Binance executed the rebalancing in several separate purchases between February 2 and February 12, according to on-chain data monitored by Lookonchain. The final transaction of 4,545 BTC, valued at $304.5 million, brought the total worth of the holding to just over $1 billion based on Bitcoin’s current price around $67,000.
The exchange first announced the conversion plan on January 30, saying the process would conclude within 30 days. However, the completion fell nearly halfway through that window, with the SAFU wallet address, which Binance made public, now holding 15,000 BTC.
The Secure Asset Fund for Users was created in 2018 as an insurance pool to cover user losses in extreme events such as exchange hacks. In April 2024, Binance converted the fund entirely into USDC, describing the move at the time as a stability measure. The completion now marks a full reversal of that approach.
Binance said it views Bitcoin as “the premier long-term reserve asset” and framed the decision as aligning SAFU with that position. The firm also stated it will rebalance the fund if its value falls below $800 million due to price declines.
Market Context
Back when the move was announced, it drew immediate comment from market observers, with crypto commentator Garrett describing the conversion on X as “a direct capital injection into the market” and “what responsible builders do.”
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The announcement arrived as CryptoQuant data showed Binance accounted for roughly 41% of spot trading volume among the top 10 exchanges in 2025. The exchange also maintains similarly high shares in Bitcoin perpetual futures and stablecoin reserves.
Meanwhile, at the market, the OG cryptocurrency was trading around the $67,300 level at the time of this writing, up slightly by about 0.5% in the last 24 hours, but in the red over seven days after suffering a nearly 5% dip per CoinGecko data.
The situation is the same across longer timeframes, with BTC shedding just under 24% of its value over the past fortnight and nearly 30% in the last month to keep its price more than 46% below its all-time high above $126,000 reached in October 2025.
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Sam Altman’s World Foundation has raised $65 million through an over-the-counter (OTC) sale of its WLD token, which has hit new record lows.
In a Saturday post on X, the foundation said its token issuance arm, World Assets, completed the sale to four counterparties over the past week, with the first tranche settling on March 20. The transactions were priced at an average of roughly $0.27 per token, suggesting that around 239 million Worldcoin (WLD) changed hands.
“This sale funds the project’s core operations and activities, R&D, orb manufacturing, ecosystem development, and more,” World Foundation wrote on X.
Of the total, $25 million worth of tokens are subject to a six-month lockup, while the remainder were immediately liquid.
Related: World launches AgentKit with Coinbase integration to enable human-verified AI agents
WLD hits new low
Following the announcement, WLD briefly fell to an all-time low of around $0.24 before recovering to $0.27, leaving it down about 97% from its March 2024 peak near $11.82. The token is currently trading at $0.2725, up by 0.28% over the past day, according to data by CoinMarketCap.
Additional supply pressure may be on the horizon. A major community token unlock is scheduled for July 23, covering roughly 52.5% of the token’s 10 billion total supply, according to DefiLlama.
Meanwhile, the new sale also comes at a steep discount to prior rounds. In May last year, World raised $135 million at approximately $1.13 per token from backers including Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital Crypto.
Related: Tools for Humanity expands World app toward super-app model
Thailand raids World-linked iris scanning site
In October last year, authorities in Thailand raided an iris-scanning site linked to World. The country’s Securities and Exchange Commission, working with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, said the service may have violated digital asset laws by operating without a license, leading to arrests and an ongoing investigation.
The move added to a growing list of regulatory challenges for World. Since launching in 2023, the project has faced probes and pushback in several countries, including Indonesia, Germany, Kenya and Brazil, with concerns ranging from licensing issues to the handling of sensitive biometric data.
Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum — BIP-360 co-author
Crypto World
Solana Price Prediction: Grok AI Targets $290 as Pepeto Targets 100x While BNB and LINK Hold
When Goldman Sachs speaks, markets pay attention. The $3.6 trillion asset manager published research indicating the downturn may be running out of steam, and the solana price prediction from Grok AI at $210 to $290 confirms the recovery.
Pepeto is in that window right now with more than $8 million raised, a live exchange already running, and analysts projecting 100x as the Binance listing approaches. Pepeto at presale is positioned to capture the kind of return SOL at $39 billion will not deliver.
Grok AI forecasts Solana trading between $210 and $290 by December 2026, supported by Goldman Sachs’ $108 million SOL ETF stake and Mastercard and Western Union partnerships according to MEXC.
Combined with the Alpenglow upgrade bringing 150ms finality, the forecast carries the highest raw percentage growth potential among large caps. According to Yahoo Finance, AI models project SOL up to $800 in a bull scenario, a 500% ceiling, but that level still requires $39 billion in market cap growth.
The presale entries with verified utility capture the returns that large cap forecasts structurally will not produce.
Where Goldman Research Points and Where the Real Entry Lives
Pepeto: The Exchange That Could Multiply Wealth as the Solana Price Prediction Confirms the Cycle
Most presale projects ask investors to bet on a promise. Pepeto is asking investors to back an exchange that is already running. The trading tools are live right now, accessible to any trader in the world, with no setup process or learning curve required. That simplicity is the product’s most powerful quality, and this is why Pepeto leads the presale market.
Zero cost execution on PepetoSwap means your full investment stays working, the multi chain delivery system moves tokens without deducting a cent, and the project auditor rejects anything that fails its safety scan, all verified by SolidProof. The mind behind the original Pepe coin, which climbed to $11 billion on meme power with zero products backing it, engineered this exchange alongside a Binance infrastructure veteran.
A tool that solves a real, recurring problem creates durable demand long after the initial excitement fades, At the current entry of $0.000000186, analysts project 100x as the Binance listing opens, and 191% APY staking compounds your position while the listing approaches.
The solana price prediction at $290 is a 3.5x over 9 months, and each new exchange listing introduces a fresh pool of buyers who pay market price instead of presale price, and this is the kind of entry that will not come back.
Binance Coin (BNB)
BNB trades at $612 per CoinMarketCap, holding steady as the broader market corrects.
At $83 billion market cap, a recovery to $700 delivers 14% over months, a strong ecosystem anchor, while Pepeto at presale targets the 100x that BNB at this cap is past delivering.
Chainlink (LINK)
LINK trades at $8.49 per CoinDesk, pressured below major moving averages as the oracle sector corrects as the broader market corrects.
The CCIP protocol positions LINK for tokenized asset growth as NYSE explores blockchain integration.
A recovery to $12 delivers 38% over months, while presale entries are where the life changing returns are built and Pepeto offers the math that LINK at $5 billion will not replicate.
The Solana Price Prediction Confirms the Cycle and the Presale Window Is the Entire Opportunity
The picture is clear, because when Goldman Sachs signals a bottom and large wallets move into a presale at this pace it is a signal that the smartest capital already knows where the next repricing is coming from.
Six months from now you are living one of two versions of this moment. In one version you entered while $8 million in presale proved conviction was real and 191% APY compounded daily until the listing changed everything. In the other you saw this and let it pass.
SOL targets $290 while Pepeto targets 100x. Visit the Pepeto official website and enter the presale now, because six months from now this entry is either your proudest decision or someone else’s best investment of the year.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs
What did Goldman Sachs say about the solana price prediction and crypto in March 2026?
Goldman Sachs signaled the crypto bottom is forming, and the solana price prediction from Grok at $210 to $290 confirms the bull case that Pepeto’s Binance listing is positioned to capture with 100x projected.
What is the solana price prediction for 2026?
Grok AI forecasts SOL between $210 and $290 by December, a 3.5x from current levels, but Pepeto at presale targets 100x that the solana price prediction at $39 billion cap will not deliver, and the Pepeto official website is where the entry is still open.
Why is Pepeto the strongest entry alongside the solana price prediction?
Pepeto has a live exchange with SolidProof audit and Binance listing approaching that targets 100x, while SOL at $290 represents patience returns and Pepeto represents the life changing math.
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
Cardano Price Prediction: ChatGPT Projects ADA to $1 as Pepeto Targets 100x While ETH and SOL Correct
Governor Newsom just signed an executive order banning state officials from profiting on prediction markets, drawing a hard line against insider trading.
The cardano price prediction just received a boost from ChatGPT projecting ADA to $1 as an “undervalued comeback” play. But the real story is that Pepeto’s verified exchange is pulling in capital faster than any presale this cycle.
As the Binance listing approaches, securing a position in the Pepeto presale is the smartest move a trader can make. More than $8 million raised and analysts projecting 100x confirm this is the strongest entry of the cycle.
ChatGPT predicted that ADA could reach $1 by year end, calling Cardano an “undervalued comeback” with brand recognition, exchange liquidity, and a large holder base ready to re-engage according to ICOBench.
At current levels around $0.249, a move to $1 represents a 4x that ChatGPT described as “a relatively modest market cap expansion compared to previous cycles.” According to Yahoo Finance, AI models project ETH between $3,000 and $18,000 and SOL up to $800 in bull scenarios.
The cardano price prediction confirms the cycle is building, and the presale entries at verified exchanges are where the returns that reshape lives actually live.
Where the AI Forecasts Point and Where the Real Returns Build
Pepeto: The Exchange Where 100x Is Projected as the Cardano Price Prediction Confirms the Bull Setup
The $1 target confirms the comeback is building, but the information gap where insiders know what outside investors do not is still one of the most persistent problems in crypto, and it shows up in prediction market betting, token unlocks, and liquidity structures designed to benefit early insiders. Pepeto was built specifically to close that gap at the trading level.
When you evaluate a new token, the contract contains information most investors never see. Pepeto’s exchange reads all of that and confirms safety in plain terms before you commit a single dollar.
The zero fee execution on PepetoSwap means committed capital stays fully working, the multi chain delivery moves tokens without deducting a cent, and the project auditor rejects anything that fails its safety scan, all verified by SolidProof. The same founder whose first meme coin reached $11 billion on zero infrastructure engineered this exchange with a senior operator from Binance’s listing division.
At $0.000000186, analysts project 100x as the Binance listing opens, and 191% APY staking compounds your position while the window narrows. That $1 target is a 4x over 9 months, respectable for a $9 billion cap, but the presale entry at Pepeto is where the 100x math lives and the listing is approaching fast.
Ethereum (ETH)
ETH trades at $2,001 per CoinMarketCap, holding the psychological $2,000 level as the Glamsterdam hard fork approaches.
Standard Chartered targets $7,500 by year end, a 3.7x that rewards patience, while Pepeto at presale targets the returns that ETH at $240 billion will not replicate from here.
Solana (SOL)
SOL trades at $82.45 per CoinDesk, consolidating within the $80 to $85 range as Goldman Sachs holds a $108 million SOL ETF stake.
Grok AI targets $210 to $290 by December, a 3x from current levels, strong infrastructure value, while presale entries are where the cycle defining 100x returns are built and Pepeto offers that exact math before the Binance listing opens.
The Cardano Price Prediction Confirms the Comeback and the Wallets Inside Pepeto Are Already Positioned
The whale wallets building Pepeto positions right now at six zeros are the same wallets that will be selling to latecomers at 50x the price after listing day, and the only decision left is whether you buy from the presale today or buy from those whales six months from now at a price that makes this moment feel like a dream.
ADA at $0.01 turned $1,000 into $310,000 for the wallets that acted early. Visit the Pepeto official website and enter before this stage closes.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs
Why is the cardano price prediction relevant to presale entries?
The cardano price prediction at $1 confirms the bull cycle building, and Pepeto’s verified exchange with 100x projected from the Binance listing is where the returns that ADA’s $9 billion cap is past delivering actually live.
How does the cardano price prediction compare to Pepeto’s potential?
ADA targets $1 for a 4x over 9 months per ChatGPT, while Pepeto targets 100x from presale as the Binance listing opens, and the Pepeto official website is where the entry is still available.
Is the cardano price prediction only for patient holders?
The cardano price prediction rewards patience with 4x over 12 months, but Pepeto at presale with the Pepe builder and a Binance listing offers the returns that reshape a financial life from one position.
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.
BNP Paribas is expanding its digital asset footprint, rolling out six new crypto-linked exchange-traded notes (ETNs). The products offer indirect exposure to the price movements of digital assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
For Europe’s largest bank by assets, the launch represents a significant escalation in its strategy to bridge traditional finance with the crypto ecosystem.
What Investors Need to Know About BNP’s New ETNs
However, European compliance realities heavily gate the rollout. The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) mandates the bank to enforce strict investor protection protocols.
The ETNs will be made available across its broader customer base, including private banking, entrepreneurial, and digital-first “Hello bank” clients.
“These ETNs are regulated products that offer exposure to the performance of crypto-assets through an indirect investment, without the need for direct purchase or holding of Bitcoin or Ether. These securities are issued by recognized asset managers, selected by BNP Paribas for their solidity and risk management systems,” the bank stated.
However, access is decidedly not an unstructured free-for-all. Retail clients will face rigorous appropriateness tests to verify their understanding of high-risk, highly volatile markets before gaining access to execution.
Crucially for investors, the product’s structure demands careful risk assessment.
Physically backed crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) hold the underlying Bitcoin or Ethereum in specialized cold storage custody. In contrast, these ETNs are structured as unsecured debt securities issued by the bank.
While they offer seamless synthetic exposure to the price movements of single cryptocurrencies or broader digital asset baskets, buyers are fundamentally taking on BNP Paribas’ credit risk.
The new retail push comes just a month after BNP successfully launched a tokenized share class of a French-domiciled money market fund on the public Ethereum blockchain. This launch signals that the bank’s digital asset ambitions now extend well beyond institutional plumbing.
BNP’s calculated launch coincides with a distinct regulatory thaw around the globe for crypto-related products.
The UK Financial Conduct Authority’s pivotal October 2025 reversal highlights this shift. Last year, the regulator allowed crypto ETNs to return to British retail trading screens after a multi-year ban.
Ultimately, this shows that traditional financial institutions are distinct investment vehicles for safely capturing retail demand for Web3 volatility.
The post BNP Paribas Rolls Out 6 Crypto ETNs Under Strict Retail Access Rules appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Bittensor’s TAO has rallied 90% so far this month, and the tokens in its ecosystem are running up even harder.
The network’s subnet token category reached a combined market cap of $1.47 billion on Monday, with $118 million in 24-hour trading volume, according to CoinGecko data.
The surge follows TAO’s own run from $180 to above $332 in March, but the subnet tokens are where the real action is. Templar, the token for Subnet 3, gained 444% in 30 days. OMEGA Labs rose 440%. Level 114 added 280%. BitQuant gained 230%. Even the larger subnet tokens posted significant returns, with Chutes up 54% and Targon gaining 166%.
Bittensor is a decentralized network that creates marketplaces for artificial intelligence. Instead of one company building and controlling AI models, Bittensor incentivizes a global network of participants to contribute computing power, data, and machine learning models in exchange for TAO, the network’s native token.
The network is divided into specialized sub-networks called subnets, each focused on a different AI task, from training language models to running compute infrastructure to cybersecurity analysis. There are currently 128 active subnets, each with its own token whose value is tied directly to the amount of TAO staked into it.
Several catalysts contributed to these moves of the Bittensor’s ecosystem tokens.
Subnet 3 produced Covenant-72B, a large language model trained permissionlessly across Bittensor’s decentralized network by over 70 contributors using commodity internet hardware.
The model was trained on 1.1 trillion tokens and achieved a 67.1 MMLU score, confirmed in a March 2026 arXiv paper. That puts it in competitive range with Meta’s Llama 2 70B, a model built by one of the most well-resourced AI labs in the world. (MMLU, or Massive Multitask Language Understanding, is a standardized test for AI models that scores them across 57 academic subjects.)
Subnet 3, called Templar, is Bittensor’s decentralized AI training network. Miners contribute GPU compute power and compete to produce useful training gradients for large language models, while validators evaluate the quality of their contributions and distribute TAO rewards accordingly.
Think of it as a way to train AI models the same way bitcoin mines blocks, with distributed participants around the world contributing hardware and getting paid for useful work.
Elsewhere, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and investor Chamath Palihapitiya endorsed Bittensor’s approach on the All-In Podcast on March 20, framing decentralized AI training as complementary to proprietary models. Coming from the CEO whose blog post earlier this month briefly helped reverse a tech stock selloff, the endorsement carried weight beyond the usual crypto echo chamber.
How subnet tokens work
The subnet token mechanics explain why the gains are so outsized relative to TAO itself.
Since Bittensor launched dynamic TAO in February 2025, each subnet operates its own automated market maker with a native token whose valuation is determined by the TAO staked into that subnet’s reserves. When TAO appreciates, every subnet’s reserve becomes more valuable, inflating token prices and attracting more stakers. The relationship is reflexive and amplifies moves in both directions.
With TAO at roughly $3 billion in market cap and individual subnet tokens ranging from $1 million to $137 million, the subnet tokens function as leveraged bets on the parent protocol.
The network plans to expand from 128 to 256 active subnets later this year, which would bring a new wave of token launches.
A potential regulatory decision on converting the Grayscale TAO Trust into a spot ETF could provide institutional access by late 2026. And Digital Currency Group subsidiary Yuma is already contributing to 14 different subnets, suggesting the smart money is treating this as infrastructure rather than speculation.
Whether the subnet rally sustains depends on whether Bittensor keeps producing competitive AI models or whether Covenant-72B was a one-off that got lucky timing with a Huang endorsement.
Bitcoin-focused digital asset treasuries (DATs) have slowed down their BTC purchases, with Strategy as the sole buyer making large purchases. Strategy has been commanding most of the purchases over the last 30 days, while other firms hold off. This shows a collapse in broad corporate demand for Bitcoin as volatility continues to spike.
Retail focus, on the other hand, is shifting towards DeepSnitch AI (DSNT). This AI market intelligence platform has truly earned its spot as the best crypto to buy now due to its utility, fueled by five smart AI agents.
At the moment, DeepSnitch AI has raised more than $2.609 million, with the token only going for $0.04699. The amount raised in just a short span shows many buyers are now rushing to buy DSNT before the token launches.
Strategy could be the only major corporate BTC buyer left standing
Strategy is the only DAT buying Bitcoin aggressively right now, highlighting concerns swirling around Bitcoin’s corporate demand. According to a recent report, Strategy purchased 45,000 BTC, while all other corporate firms bought around 1,000.
This highlights radical market structure change with the increasing corporate trend now virtually relying on the services of one company. The change stems from the recent crash across Bitcoin, which traded at $65,848 after losing over 50% of its value in six months, falling from an all-time high of $126,200.
2 days before launch: DeepSnitch AI buyers are running out of time to accumulate DSNT
1. DeepSnitch AI: Here’s why no one wants to miss out on this AI crypto as March 31 TGE knocks at the door
Crypto trading requires access to accurate market intelligence. But access to such information is often limited to elite investors, such as institutional investors, and costs a fortune.
However, DeepSnitch AI gives you access to such information without breaking the bank. At just $0.04699, you can purchase DSNT to gain access to profit-ready trading signals.
The DeepSnitch AI platform scans social and on-chain data, combining it to turn it into actionable intelligence. This explains why the platform is gaining widespread attention despite being just in presale.
The well-designed interface is also a marvel for investors who see DeepSnitch AI as the next big thing in crypto market analytics.
With more than $2.609 million now raised, DeepSnitch AI is accelerating fast towards launch. The token is set to start trading on Uniswap after the March 31 TGE, which is already confirmed. This leaves a short window for investors to buy DSNT before it launches.
2. Shiba Inu burn rate plunges as price drops
According to data from Coingecko, Shiba Inu (SHIB) traded at $0.000005758 on March 27, after a 1.8% dip on the day. The recent drop adds to Shiba Inu’s bearish momentum following increased volatility across the crypto market.
Additionally, the Shiba Inu’s burn rate has dipped by 95.93% according to data from Shibburn. This indicates that activity around this meme coin is dropping. SHIB token burns reduce circulating supply to boost prices, but now investors seem to have abandoned the model as the price plunges.
3. MemeCore defies crypto market crash as price remains steady
MemeCore (M) defied the latest crypto market slump as the crypto posted gains on a generally red day for crypto. As of the time of writing, MemeCore traded at $2.20 after a 4.4% surge.
The recent rally adds to MemeCore’s bullish run as the crypto recorded nearly 30% gains over the past week. However, momentum could slow down as the RSI on the daily chart shows that this crypto is overbought.
The bottom line
DeepSnitch AI has now entered the last days before launch. With only 2 days to go, early buyers are running out of time to buy DSNT before the presale window ends.
DSNT is now priced at $0.04669, giving buyers a cheap entry point into a crypto seen to be the next 100x moonshot. The more than 51 million DSNT staked so far also indicate strong investor participation in DeepSnitch AI staking.
Visit the official website for more information, and join X and Telegram for community updates.
FAQs
1. What is the AI crypto that will explode?
Considering its utility, solid performance, and expected after-launch adoption, DeepSnitch AI seems to be the AI crypto set to explode in 2026. Many buyers are now targeting a 100x rally for this crypto.
2. When will DSNT launch?
DeepSnitch AI (DSNT) is set to hold a TGE on March 31, after which trading will begin on Uniswap before CEX and DEX listings follow through.
3. Which AI is the most accurate for trading?
DeepSnitch AI uses five AI agents to convert raw on-chain data into actionable market intelligence. As a result, the platform provides accurate and real-time crypto market insights vital for making trading moves similar to whales and insiders.
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.
For months, Aave, one of decentralized finance’s (DeFi) largest lending protocols, has been at the center of a very public debate about what it is supposed to be.
At the core, much of the community wants the network to be a decentralized financial layer governed by token holders, while a fraction of it warns that it is evolving toward a more coordinated model shaped by major contributors.
In simple terms, the debate is about whether Aave should remain a neutral, open platform anyone can build on, or move toward a more structured model where key contributors play a bigger role in shaping products and capturing revenue — a shift that could impact how decentralized the protocol is and who benefits from its growth.
After a turbulent stretch marked by governance disputes, contributor exits and a sweeping strategic overhaul, the founder of the main developer firm supporting the network, Stani Kulechov, is framing the moment not as a breakdown, but as a necessary evolution.
“We’ve been doing this for almost a decade,” the Aave Labs founder told CoinDesk. “Finance is a big set of infrastructure… it takes time to replace.”
A debate that started with fees
The latest chapter began late last year with what seemed like a technical issue: interface fees.
In December 2025, discussions over whether revenue generated by Aave’s front-end interfaces should flow back to the DAO — the decentralized autonomous organization that the decentralized autonomous organization that oversees Aave’s governance and treasury — exposed deeper disagreements about value capture. The DAO pushed back against proposals that would divert fees away from its treasury, surfacing tensions over incentives and control that had been building for years.
Those tensions escalated in February when Aave Labs introduced a proposal called “Aave Will Win.”
At its core was a simple idea: all revenue generated by Aave-branded products should ultimately flow back to the DAO. The proposal leaned toward a more coordinated approach between the protocol and the products built around it. “We’re becoming token-centric… but we recognize the value comes from both the protocol layer and the product layer,” Kulechov said.
Aave Labs is a key development contributor but does not control the DAO, which is governed by token holders; however, its proposals and products can influence how value flows through the ecosystem, including revenue directed to the DAO treasury.
Rather than resolving tensions, the proposal intensified them.
In early March, the Aave Chain Initiative (ACI), one of the DAO’s most active governance groups, announced it would shut down after clashing with Aave Labs over the plan. The group had driven a majority of governance activity over the past several years, making its departure particularly notable.
The dispute centered on concerns that the proposal blurred the line between independent DAO governance and the influence of major contributors. Some critics argued that the voting process raised questions about how decentralized decision-making truly is in practice.
ACI’s exit followed the earlier departure of BGD Labs, a key engineering contributor behind Aave v3, which cited strategic disagreements. Together, the moves highlighted a recurring tension in decentralized systems: while protocols are governed onchain, much of the development and coordination still depends on a relatively small group of contributors.
Kulechov, however, sees the churn as part of a normal cycle.
“I don’t think it changes much… this is very normal,” he said, pointing to similar transitions throughout Aave’s history.
A technical upgrade in the background
Running parallel to the governance overhaul is Aave’s next major protocol upgrade, known as v4. The upgrade has been in development for roughly two years and is now nearing launch after an extended period of security testing and governance review. While separate from the recent governance disputes, it represents one of the most significant technical changes to the protocol to date.
At a high level, v4 is expected to introduce a more modular architecture that allows new use cases and integrations to be built more easily on top of Aave’s core infrastructure. The design also aims to improve capital efficiency and expand the types of assets that can be used within the protocol.
While v4 itself has not been the central point of dispute, its rollout comes as the DAO continues to debate how value generated from new products and infrastructure should be distributed across the ecosystem.
Its rollout comes at a moment when Aave is not just refining its governance and economic model, but also upgrading the underlying system itself — setting the stage for its next phase of growth.
DeFi’s next phase
The debate around Aave comes as the broader DeFi sector faces renewed scrutiny.
After the explosive growth of previous cycles, activity has cooled, and questions about the sector’s long-term relevance have resurfaced. Critics point to governance disputes and declining yields as signs that the model may be faltering.
Kulechov disagrees. “DeFi is stronger than ever,” he said, pointing to tens of billions in deposits still locked across the ecosystem.
What is changing, he argues, is where growth will come from. Rather than purely crypto-native use cases, the next phase of DeFi is likely to be driven by real-world financial activity — from institutional lending to tokenized assets.
“Every bank has a digital asset team,” he said. “Once you tokenize assets, you need utilities.”
In that vision, DeFi doesn’t replace traditional finance overnight. Instead, it becomes part of its infrastructure — embedded in the backend of fintech platforms and financial institutions.’
Aave’s recent governance disputes and contributor changes highlight an ecosystem in transition.
Efforts to evolve the ecosystem have introduced new coordination challenges, even as they reflect a broader shift across DeFi where protocols try to align with the applications built on top of them.
“This is just part of building better financial systems,” Kulechov said.
Read more: Aave labs proposes ‘Aave Will Win’ plan to send 100% of product revenue to DAO
World Foundation disclosed that its token issuance unit, World Assets, completed $65 million in over-the-counter sales of WLD tokens.
Summary
- World Assets sold 239 million WLD tokens for $65 million at about $0.2719 per token.
- WLD traded near $0.27 after hitting a record low of $0.2444 earlier during Saturday session.
- A July 2026 unlock will cover 52.5% of supply, equal to 169% of float currently.
The update came as WLD traded near its recent low and as the market watched future token supply.
World Assets said it sold WLD tokens to four counterparties over the past week. The first settlement took place on March 20, and the average sale price came to about $0.2719 per token.
That pricing means the sales covered roughly 239 million WLD tokens in total. World Foundation also said $25 million worth of the sold tokens carry a six-month lockup period, while the remaining settlements will move through a designated World Assets multisig wallet.
According to the disclosure, World Assets will use the proceeds for core operations, research and development, orb manufacturing, and ecosystem development. The statement gave the market a clearer view of how the foundation plans to use the newly raised funds.
The disclosure followed on-chain data flagged by Lookonchain on March 21. The analytics firm tracked a transfer of 117 million WLD tokens, valued at about $39 million, to Binance and FalconX, with about $35 million in USDC received in return. That transaction appears to match part of the broader OTC activity later disclosed by the foundation.
In addition, the latest sales came at a much lower price than earlier WLD funding rounds. In May 2025, the project raised $135 million through a WLD sale to backers including Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital Crypto, at a time when WLD traded near $1.13.
Earlier, in April 2024, the then-named Worldcoin Foundation said it planned to sell between 0.5 million and 1.5 million WLD per week through private placements to institutional trading firms. At that time, WLD traded near $5.43, which places the new average sale price far below earlier levels.
Market watches price pressure and future token supply
WLD traded near $0.27 at publication time after falling to an all-time low of $0.2444 earlier Saturday. The token is down about 97% from its March 2024 peak near $11.82. Its market cap stood near $850 million, while its fully diluted valuation was about $2.7 billion.
The market is also watching a large token unlock scheduled to begin on July 23, 2026, according to DefiLlama data. The event covers about 52.5% of the total 10 billion WLD supply and equals roughly 169% of the current float.
Eightco Holdings, which launched a WLD treasury in September 2025, held 277 million WLD as of March 20.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Ether’s (ETH) grip on the cryptocurrency market’s number-two spot is weakening, not because it is getting any closer to overtaking Bitcoin (BTC), but because the stablecoin economy is booming.
Key takeaways:
Ethereum’s No. 2 ranking at risk in 2026
In the past five years, Ether has vastly underperformed its top competitors for the no. 2 spot, primarily Tether’s stablecoin USDT (USDT).
On a five-year rolling basis, ETH’s market capitalization grew by roughly 11.75% to around $240 billion.
In comparison, USDT, the third-largest cryptocurrency, grew 622.50% in the same period, with its market cap reaching over $184 billion. Even XRP (XRP) and USD Coin (USDC) have outperformed Ether’s growth.
As a result, more traders are betting on Ethereum’s flippening in 2026.
On Polymarket’s betting platform, for instance, over 59% of punters placed bets in favor of Ether losing the number-two spot in 2026. These odds were just 17% at the year’s beginning.
Why has Ethereum lagged behind Tether?
Ethereum and Tether grow differently because one is crypto, the other is fiat.
Ethereum’s market value depends largely on ETH’s price rising, and that has been difficult to sustain in 2026 as crypto markets come under pressure from macro headwinds such as US tariffs, the US and Israel vs. Iran war, and fading expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts.
That weakness has also been reflected in institutional demand. US spot Ethereum ETFs saw assets under management fall by about 65%, dropping to $11.76 billion in March from $31.86 billion in October last year, underscoring how the appetite for ETH has decreased over the past few months.
Tether, by contrast, grows when capital flows into stablecoins and investors buy “crypto dollars.” That tends to happen when traders want safety, liquidity, or flexibility instead of exposure to volatile assets like ETH.
Related: AI and stablecoins are winning despite 2026 crypto market slump
The total stablecoin market is now worth $310 billion, compared to around $5 billion in 2020, with Tether’s share at 58%.
Demand for this kind of “dry powder,” capital parked in a dollar-pegged asset while investors wait for better crypto entry points, usually stays firm during risk-off periods.
Ethereum needs a stronger risk appetite to lift ETH’s price, while Tether benefits when investors turn defensive. That helps explain why ETH market cap growth has lagged behind USDT despite remaining one of crypto’s core infrastructure assets.
Can the ETH price fall further in 2026?
From a technical perspective, Ether faces risks of further price declines in 2026.
As of Sunday, it was trading inside what appears to be a “bear flag” pattern, which increases the odds of resolving to the downside, given the price breaks decisively below the structure’s lower trendline.
ETH price risks falling toward the flag’s measured downside target at around $1,250 by June if the breakdown below the lower trend line persists.
Opinion by: Kevin Loaec, CEO of Wizardsardine
For decades, institutions have followed a familiar pattern when managing assets. They choose a large, regulated custodian. Then, institutions transfer responsibility. Institutions rely on the assumption that scale, compliance and insurance equate to safety.
In traditional finance, this approach holds. Transactions are reversible, central banks provide backstops and regulators can intervene. When something breaks, there are mechanisms to absorb, unwind or redistribute the damage.
Bitcoin changes those assumptions completely because it is a bearer asset. Control is defined by cryptographic keys, and not account credentials. Every single transaction is final. There is no authority that can freeze, reverse, or recover funds once they move onchain. Yet, many institutions still approach Bitcoin using the same mental model they apply to more traditional assets.
The result is a quiet contradiction. Institutions pay custodians large fees for the appearance of safety. They also accept the risks that Bitcoin was designed to mitigate.
When control is outsourced, risk concentrates
Custodial models are built on delegation. Assets are pooled. Keys are shared, abstracted or held behind layers of internal controls. Governance lives offchain. It’s enforced through policies, approvals and service agreements rather than the asset itself.
From an organizational perspective, this can feel sensible because responsibility is externalized. Liability appears contained and insurance is cited as a backstop.
Bitcoin does not recognize delegation. If keys are compromised, lost or misused, there is no external authority that can intervene. Insurance coverage is often partial, capped or conditional.
As a result, in a systemic failure, clients face the same bottleneck. There is a single custodian holding assets for many parties, with limited ability to make everyone whole.
This is not a theoretical concern. Concentrated custody creates honeypots. Honeypots attract failure. Failures can occur through technical compromise, internal error, regulatory action or operational breakdown. In Bitcoin, concentrating control does not reduce risk. It does the opposite: Risk is amplified.
The industry has already seen how this plays out. Large, centralized custody models have failed before. They’ve left consumers, businesses and counterparties tied up in lengthy recovery processes. Limited visibility, with uneven outcomes.
Governance cannot live outside the asset
The core misunderstanding is not technical. It is organizational. Institutions are accustomed to enforcing governance through accounts, permissions, emails and internal workflows. That approach works when assets themselves are controlled by intermediaries. In Bitcoin, governance that lives outside the asset is, at best, advisory.
If an institution does not control the keys, it does not control the asset. Boards and auditors are right to be wary of fragile set-ups. A model where one individual can move funds is indefensible. Regulators are also right to push back against unclear control structures.
The choice is not between a single-key wallet and full custodial outsourcing. Bitcoin allows governance to be enforced directly at the protocol level. Spending conditions, approval thresholds, delays and recovery paths can be encoded into the wallet. Control becomes structural rather than procedural. The network enforces the rules, not a vendor’s backend or a support desk.
Policy-driven custody changes the risk model
Modern Bitcoin scripting makes it possible to design custody around real organizational needs.
An institution can require multiple stakeholders to approve transactions. It can enforce time delays. It can define recovery paths if keys are lost or personnel change. It can separate day-to-day operations from emergency controls. These rules are enforced onchain, deterministically, every time. All of this fundamentally alters the risk profile.
Related: The crypto events that reshaped the industry in 2025
Instead of trusting a custodian to behave correctly under stress, institutions rely on systems that behave predictably by design. Instead of outsourcing risk to insurance policies, they reduce the likelihood of catastrophic failure in the first place. It is a matter of engineering.
The insurance narrative deserves scrutiny
Custodial insurance is often presented as the ultimate safeguard when in practice, it is frequently misunderstood. Several high-profile custody failures have shown that insurance coverage often falls short of client expectations, either due to coverage caps, exclusions or prolonged claims processes.
Large custodians insure pooled assets, and coverage limits rarely scale linearly with assets under custody. Exclusions are also common and payouts depend largely on the nature of the incident, and the custodian’s internal controls. In a systemic event, insurance does not eliminate risk, it distributes a fraction of it.
By contrast, individually controlled, policy-driven Bitcoin wallets are far easier to underwrite. Risk is isolated, controls are transparent and failure scenarios are bounded. For insurers, this is a simpler and more predictable model. The process of insurance works best when it complements strong controls, not when it compensates for their absence.
Sovereignty is operational, not philosophical
Vendor dependence introduces another layer of institutional risk that is not often known. Custodial outages, policy changes, or regulatory interventions can leave funds temporarily inaccessible. Exiting a custodian relationship can be slow, expensive and operationally complex, particularly for organizations operating across jurisdictions.
In practice, this has already happened through withdrawal freezes, compliance-driven access restrictions and service outages that left clients unable to move assets precisely when timing mattered most.
With onchain, open-source custody systems, the software provider is not the gatekeeper. If a service disappears, the institution retains control. Interfaces can change and providers can be replaced. The asset remains accessible because control lives on the blockchain, not inside a company’s infrastructure. This is not an argument against service providers but an argument for removing them from the critical path of asset control.
Trust the protocol, not the promise
Bitcoin offers institutions something rare: the ability to hold a high-value asset with rules that are transparent, enforceable and independent of any single counterparty.
Yet many institutions still prefer familiar narratives over structural safety. Log-in screens feel safer than scripts. Brands feel safer than math, and insurance sounds safer than prevention.
This level of comfort can come at a huge cost.
Institutions should not pay for the illusion of safety while absorbing unnecessary counterparty risk. Bitcoin allows governance, recoverability and control to be built directly into how assets are held. The technology is mature. The tools exist.
What remains is the willingness to abandon custody models that belong to a different financial system.
Opinion by: Kevin Loaec, CEO of Wizardsardine.
This opinion article presents the author’s expert view, and it may not reflect the views of Cointelegraph.com. This content has undergone editorial review to ensure clarity and relevance. Cointelegraph remains committed to transparent reporting and upholding the highest standards of journalism. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the company.
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