Crypto World
Can Bitcoin Break Above $80K Next?
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), a preferred Wall Street metric to measure investor sentiment and market risk, dropped by over 45% in under a month. For Bitcoin (BTC), this could be a significant bullish signal.
Key takeaways:
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Bitcoin may rise toward $82,700 if VIX keeps underperforming.
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BTC’s upside outlook gets a boost from Strategy’s BTC buying spree.
Weakening VIX hints at BTC rising to $82,700
Often called Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” the VIX tracks how much volatility traders expect in the S&P 500 index over the next 30 days.
When the index rises, it usually signals rising stress and risk aversion across markets. When it falls, it suggests investors are becoming more comfortable owning riskier assets such as stocks and crypto.
History suggests that a VIX drop of 40% or more is bullish for Bitcoin.
For instance, BTC rallied approximately 40% during April 2025–May 2025, with its gains aligning with the VIX’s 70% dip.
Similarly, a 46% VIX drop during the October–November 2025 period coincided with a 12% BTC gain.
Even the recent 42%–47% VIX decline has coincided with an 8%–9% BTC price rebound, improving the bullish backdrop for Bitcoin in the coming days.
BTC’s next upside target appears to be around the 200-day exponential moving average (200-day EMA, the blue line) at around $82,700 by early May.
What happens to Bitcoin if VIX starts rising?
A rising VIX is typically bearish for risk assets like Bitcoin. However, that correlation broke briefly in March, according to a chart highlighted by wealth management firm Swissblock.
BTC and VIX rose in tandem during the US–Iran escalation in March. In comparison, the broader risk market, including US equities, underperformed.
One potential catalyst behind Bitcoin’s resilience may have been Strategy’s aggressive BTC buying, which has absorbed the equivalent to nearly 30 weeks of new coin supply since March.
Related: Saylor teases ‘bigger’ BTC buy days after floating semi-monthly dividends
“Bitcoin has already shown inherent strength in a very complex environment”, Swissblock said, adding:
“Do not be surprised if it starts to outperform on its own again.”
Nonetheless, any slowdown in Strategy’s buying could weaken Bitcoin’s support during periods of rising VIX, increasing the risk of downside.
Multiple analyses suggest BTC may drop below $50,000 in 2026.
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research before making any decisions. Cointelegraph makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, including forward-looking statements, and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.
Crypto World
BeInCrypto 100 Institutional Awards Nomination: Visa for Best Stablecoin Infrastructure
Stablecoins are getting bigger, a $320 billion market. But real payments are still in the early innings. Last year, a massive $33 trillion was processed through stablecoins, but less than 1% of it was actually used for payments. VISA is building the bridge to fill this gap.
Visa is nominated for Best Stablecoin Infrastructure in the Tokenization & On-Chain Finance category at the BeInCrypto Institutional 100 Awards 2026.
Annualized stablecoin settlement run rate
$4.6 billion
Stablecoin-linked card programs
130+
Countries with issuance enabled
50+
Bridge card rollout
18 countries live
Monthly active stablecoin addresses tracked by Visa
47 million
The nomination reflects how the company has moved beyond pilots and built a broader stablecoin stack across settlement, card issuance, payouts, analytics, advisory work, and blockchain governance.
Visa is proving critical to the stablecoin market as it reaches a new scale. While capitalization has hit $320 billion, the activity is largely institutional.
Visa’s own analysis shows only a small share of adjusted stablecoin volume comes from transfers under $250.
That gap explains Visa’s strategy. The company is not treating stablecoins as a niche crypto product. It is treating them as new payment rails and treasury infrastructure.
“We’re still at the very early stages of stablecoin adoption. Even with $33 trillion in volume, only about 1% is tied to real payment use cases. From Visa’s perspective, stablecoins are another form of money. We’re focused on how they can improve money movement, especially through stablecoin-linked cards, where the card becomes the bridge between digital assets and everyday spending,” said Andranik Mnatsakanyan, EU Stablecoin Practice Lead at Visa.
Turning On-Chain Money Into Something You Can Spend
By early 2026, Visa’s global stablecoin settlement activity had reached an annualized run rate of about $4.6 billion. The company now supports more than 130 stablecoin-linked card programs across 50+ countries.
The core buildout started with USDC settlement and has since expanded into a wider operating model. US issuers and acquirers can settle obligations with Visa on-chain, including over Solana, with support from early participants such as Cross River Bank and Lead Bank.
That has pushed stablecoins deeper into Visa’s existing network. Instead of sitting outside traditional payments, they now connect directly to the systems that issuers and fintechs already use.
Visa’s stablecoin card strategy is especially important because it solves a practical problem. Stablecoins may move quickly on-chain, but users still need a way to spend them in everyday commerce.
“Card is becoming the bridge. This is where your crypto, when you add in the wallet, now becomes a real fund that you can spend anywhere,” said Visa’s EU Stablecoin Practice Lead.
That logic now sits behind Visa’s partnership with Bridge, the Stripe-owned stablecoin infrastructure platform.
By March 2026, Bridge-powered Visa cards were live in 18 countries, with a plan to expand to more than 100 by year-end.
Building the Stack Behind the Spend
Visa’s stablecoin work now goes well beyond cards.
In late 2025, the company launched a pilot that lets businesses using Visa Direct send payouts that recipients can choose to receive in USDC.
The product has use cases like creator payouts, freelancer earnings, and cross-border disbursements where speed and dollar stability matter.
At the same time, Visa Consulting & Analytics launched a Stablecoins Advisory Practice to help banks, fintechs, and merchants plan issuance, custody, and treasury strategies. That shows the company sees stablecoins as an infrastructure shift, not just a product feature.
Visa has also moved into the governance layer. In March 2026, it was selected as a Super Validator on the Canton Network, a privacy-enabled institutional blockchain used by major financial institutions. Visa received the highest governance weight of 10, giving it real influence over upgrades and network direction.
A Bet on Where Money Moves Next
Visa has also built infrastructure for bank-issued tokens through the Visa Tokenized Asset Platform, or VTAP. The platform allows banks to mint, burn, and manage their own stablecoins and tokenized money products.
That is why Visa stands out in this category. It has built across the full chain: settlement, cards, payouts, advisory services, validator roles, analytics, and token issuance tools.
The BeInCrypto Institutional 100 Awards recognize firms building the systems that could define the next phase of finance. Visa’s nomination reflects its role in turning stablecoins from a crypto asset into usable financial infrastructure.
The post BeInCrypto 100 Institutional Awards Nomination: Visa for Best Stablecoin Infrastructure appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Since the freeze, ZachXBT reported that the attackers had begun moving funds from Ethereum mainnet to Bitcoin.
Ethereum Layer 2 Arbitrum said that its Security Coucil has taken emergency action to freeze approximately 30,766 ETH, worth over $71 million, tied to this weekend’s KelpDAO exploit.
Arbitrum announced on X late Monday night that it acted with input from law enforcement, which had provided information about the exploiter’s identity. After what it described as significant technical diligence, the L2 said it executed an approach that moved funds without affecting any other chain state or Arbitrum users.
As of April 20 at 11:26pm ET, the funds were successfully transferred to an intermediary frozen wallet, where they can only be moved by further action from Arbitrum governance, per Arbitrum’s X post.
On-chain investigator ZachXBT reported this morning that since the Arbitrum freeze, the attackers had moved $1.5 million from Ethereum mainnet to Bitcoin via decentralized swap protocol Thorchain, as well as another $78,000 routed through Umbra.
The intervention follows what appears to be DeFi’s worst exploit this year so far. The original exploit, which struck KelpDAO’s LayerZero-powered bridge on April 18, saw an attacker mint approximately $293 million worth of unbacked rsETH and drain over $200 million in real WETH from Aave before markets could freeze — leaving the lending protocol with hundreds of millions in bad debt.
LayerZero said in a postmortem published yesterday, April 20, that the attack is likely attributable to North Korean state-sponsored hacker group Lazurus Group.
DeFi Community Response
The Arbitrum Security Council’s move marks a rare use of emergency governance powers to directly intervene in fund recovery from a public chain, with coordination from law enforcement signaling this incident has drawn regulatory attention.
YCC founder Duo Nine called the move “Good move for the users affected, bad new for decentralization,” adding:
“This sets a precedent where with good justification any assets on Arbitrum can be taken from your wallet.”
On-chain security expert Taylor Monahan had a different take, characterizing Arbitrum freezing funds as DeFi collectively “rugg[ing] DPRK of $70M.” Monahan continued:
“I want to say thank you to EVERYONE who played a role. Including those who pushed back […] DeFi fucking wins.”
White hat hacker and founder of blockchain security organization Security Alliance samczsun also had a positive take on the move, posting this morning “huge day for victims of the kelp dao hack,” and continuing:
“i hope that we can look back on today as the day our industry realized that we can simultaneously build useful products while also protecting users rather than be a consequence-free infinite money glitch for hackers.”
This article was written with the assistance of AI workflows. All our stories are curated, edited and fact-checked by a human.
Pi Crypto Network is trading at approximately $0.17, down over 85% from its all-time high, and traders are asking whether any technical catalyst exists to reverse the bleeding.
The 24-hour price change sits at roughly -1.16% to +1.42%, a range that signals indecision rather than conviction.
No confirmed smart contract integrations, mainnet upgrades, or major exchange listings have been reported for Pi Network in the last 48 hours, according to data aggregators including CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap.
The volume surge is real; the price response, so far, is not. PI underperforms both the global market (+0.50% weekly) and Layer-1 peers (+1.90% weekly), with its 7-day decline ranging from -1.40% to -9.49% across trackers.
Broader crypto sentiment remains mixed, giving PI little tailwind heading into the weekend.
Can PI Crypto Price Recover From Its 85% Drawdown?
PI is currently priced between $0.1687 and $0.1799 across major exchanges, with OKX showing $0.1733 and Coinbase at $0.1706. The all-time high of $2.98–$3.00, hit in late February 2025, now sits 85–94% above current levels.
The cycle low of $0.1312, printed on February 11, 2026, remains the line in the sand. PI is currently sitting just 32% above that floor, which is a thinner margin than it looks.
The volume spike to $23 million is the most interesting development here (and arguably the only one).
Historically, volume surges without price follow-through can precede either accumulation or distribution; the direction depends on whether buyers are absorbing sell pressure or sellers are offloading into thin bids.
PI is in that classic post-hype phase where the next move depends on whether real demand shows up, not just announcements, because reclaiming $0.20 is the level that flips momentum and opens the door toward $0.25 to $0.28, especially if volume stays strong and the roadmap actually brings attention back.
Right now, though, it looks more like a fade, with price likely settling between $0.16 and $0.18 as the volume spike cools and no new catalyst steps in, so instead of continuation, you get sideways drift.
The risk is underneath, because if $0.1312 breaks, the structure weakens fast, and $0.10 becomes the next obvious level.
And the bigger point here is simple: smart contracts alone do not move price; adoption does, and without real usage or integrations, that gap to previous highs does not close just because the feature exists.
Maxi Doge Eyes Early-Stage Upside While PI Searches for a Floor
Traders watching PI bleed against its ATH are increasingly eyeing earlier-stage plays — assets where price discovery hasn’t happened yet, rather than chasing recovery in a token already down 85%.
That psychological pivot is exactly where Maxi Doge enters the conversation.
MAXI is an ERC-20 meme token built around a single, genuinely unhinged concept: a 240-lb canine juggernaut embodying a 1000x leverage trading mentality. The tagline, Never skip leg-day, never skip a pump, is absurd on purpose, and it’s working.
The presale has raised $4,746,601.68 at a current price of $0.0002814, with dynamic staking APY available for holders looking to compound while the presale runs.
Features include holder-only trading competitions with leaderboard rewards, a Maxi Fund treasury backing liquidity and partnerships, and meme-first marketing engineered for viral reach.
The gym-bro energy is the product, but the mechanics underneath it are structured. Ethereum’s smart contract infrastructure, covered in depth in Ethereum’s memecoin ecosystem analysis, provides the rails. Presale assets carry significant risk; price discovery post-listing can go either direction.
For those allocating: research Maxi Doge here before the current presale stage closes.
The post Can Smart Contracts Save Pi Crypto Plummeting Price? appeared first on Cryptonews.
Crypto World
Ripple Just Moved $100 Million in XRP Crypto On-Chain While Exchange Reserves Hit a Bearish Signal: Which Side Wins?
Ripple has shifted $100 million worth of XRP crypto on-chain, and the timing is loaded. The $100M transfer landed as exchange dynamics turned contradictory.
Data shows XRP exchange reserves climbed to 2.76 billion tokens, a classic bearish signal pointing to potential sell pressure building on the order books.
Ripple just moved 75,000,000 XRP worth $107,000,000 on-chain — Xaif Crypto (@Xaif_Crypto) April 20, 2026
something's always cooking when Ripple moves this quietly… $XRP pic.twitter.com/W0WYXZQuRW
Yet simultaneously, US-listed XRP ETFs posted $3.32 million in fresh inflows, and institutional accumulation surpassed $200 million over the same window, actively pulling tokens off exchanges and tightening available supply. XRP has a history of bottlenecks in price before violent moves in either direction.
Trading volume surged 20% to $2.9 billion in 24 hours, and that kind of spike rarely resolves quietly.
The broader market faces headwinds from geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices, adding another variable to an already contested technical setup.
Can XRP Crypto Price Hold $2.15 Support or Is a Deeper Pullback Coming?
XRP crypto is sitting right on a pressure point, and $1.55 is the level holding everything together, because price is hovering just above it, and one weak close can flip sentiment fast.
The recent drop from $1.40 shows momentum has cooled, but volume is still strong, which means this is not a dead market, just one that is deciding its direction.
If $1.45 holds and buyers step back in, that is where the structure stays intact, and a move toward $1.50 to $1.55 comes into play, with higher targets only opening if momentum really builds again.
The risk is clear: if $1.35 breaks with volume, the uptrend is gone in the short term, and that is where price can drop toward the $1.20 to $1.10 area quickly.
So this is one of those tight setups where everything comes down to one level, hold it and structure survives, lose it and the whole tone shifts.
Bitcoin Hyper Draws Early Attention as XRP Tests Critical Support
XRP’s post-550% 2024 rally leaves it operating at an $87.96 billion market cap, the math on another 10x from here is genuinely difficult.
Traders chasing asymmetric returns are scanning earlier-stage infrastructure plays, and one is pulling serious capital right now.
Bitcoin Hyper has raised $32,466,226.06 at a current presale price of $0.0136789, and the positioning is hard to ignore.
The project is building the first-ever Bitcoin Layer 2 with Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) integration, targeting sub-second finality that the team claims outperforms Solana itself.
The pitch cuts at Bitcoin’s three core limitations: slow transactions, high fees, and zero programmability. A Decentralized Canonical Bridge handles BTC transfers, while the SVM layer enables fast, low-cost smart contract execution, all without abandoning Bitcoin’s underlying security.
Staking is live, with a high APY already attracting early participants. Presale assets carry substantial risk and no guarantee of exchange liquidity post-launch; standard caveats apply.
For traders watching XRP consolidate near resistance, researching Bitcoin Hyper’s presale terms takes about three minutes and costs nothing.
The post Ripple Just Moved $100 Million in XRP Crypto On-Chain While Exchange Reserves Hit a Bearish Signal: Which Side Wins? appeared first on Cryptonews.
A fake courier tried to steal a French crypto worker’s private keys at gunpoint, but was disarmed in a struggle, underscoring France’s surge in “wrench” attacks.
Summary
- A French crypto industry worker fought off an armed intruder posing as a delivery driver who tried to extort his private keys at gunpoint.
- Police arrested a 25-year-old suspect three days later and charged him with attempted armed robbery, as “wrench attacks” surge across France.
- With Paris positioning itself as a European crypto hub, France now leads the world in crypto kidnappings, with roughly one case every 2–5 days in 2026.
In the early morning hours of April 11, a French crypto worker and his family narrowly escaped an armed home invasion after a man posing as a delivery driver tried to force him to hand over private keys at gunpoint, in the latest example of so‑called “$5 wrench attacks” targeting digital asset holders. The incident, detailed in local reports from the Montpellier region and since echoed in national coverage of crypto crime, saw the attacker enter the family home, corral the victim, his wife, and their children into the living room, and demand wallet access while brandishing a handgun.
Fake delivery, real gun
When the victim’s answers apparently confused the intruder, the assailant stopped to call an accomplice, creating a brief opening that allowed the 40‑year‑old crypto worker to wrestle for control of the weapon. Neighbours called police as the struggle spilled out of the house, and after a three‑day manhunt, officers arrested a 25‑year‑old suspect from Hérault, who has since been charged by a Montpellier court with attempted armed robbery and remanded in custody.
The attack fits a broader pattern. France’s interior ministry and local media have tracked a sharp rise in physical robberies and kidnappings linked to cryptocurrency, with authorities estimating at least 41 crypto‑related kidnappings so far in 2026 alone — roughly one every 2.5 days, up from about 20 such cases between 2023 and 2025. A recent intelligence brief noted that 10 out of 20 global kidnapping‑for‑crypto cases recorded by mid‑2025 had occurred in France, attributing the concentration partly to Paris’ push to become a global crypto hub and host frequent high‑profile industry events.
High‑visibility figures have also been hit. In February, masked gunmen attempted a home invasion targeting Binance France president David Prinçay in Val‑de‑Marne, fleeing only after realising he was not home, while other gangs have kidnapped relatives of crypto executives on Paris streets and in satellite towns around the capital. In March, a couple near Versailles were forced at knifepoint to transfer roughly $1 million worth of Bitcoin to attackers impersonating police, underscoring how criminals now routinely exploit both social engineering and brute force to reach seed phrases and hardware devices.
French officials have begun promising “preventative measures” for crypto professionals and wealthier retail holders, including specialised police units, awareness campaigns, and enhanced security at conferences such as Paris Blockchain Week, where VIPs have recently been escorted by police motorcades. For rank‑and‑file crypto workers, though, the latest handgun incident in Montpellier is a blunt reminder that operational security now extends well beyond cold storage opsec and into basic personal safety — from home access controls and delivery protocols to how loudly they talk about their holdings in public.
Grayscale amended its Hyperliquid ETF filing on April 20, replacing Coinbase with Anchorage Digital Bank as custodian for the proposed fund, a switch that goes beyond operational logistics.
Coinbase Custody Trust Company is the primary custodian for nearly all U.S.-traded spot bitcoin ETFs, making its removal from this filing a deliberate signal rather than a routine substitution.
The core question: does swapping in a federally chartered bank custodian improve Grayscale’s regulatory positioning with the SEC on a fund tied to an asset whose underlying perps platform is currently ring-fenced from U.S. users?
- Custodian change: Anchorage Digital Bank replaces Coinbase as custodian in Grayscale’s amended HYPE ETF S-1, filed April 20, 2026.
- Anchorage’s regulatory status: First federally chartered crypto bank in the U.S., carrying OCC-granted qualified custodian designation – a distinction Coinbase does not hold.
- Coinbase’s dominance context: Coinbase Custody Trust Company serves as primary custodian for nearly every U.S. spot bitcoin ETF; its absence here is structurally notable.
- Anchorage’s recent valuation: Tether’s $100 million strategic equity investment in February 2026 valued the firm at $4.2 billion, up from $3 billion in its 2021 Series D.
- Open approval question: Staking optionality in the HYPE ETF remains subject to separate regulatory approval; the fund would trade on Nasdaq under ticker GHYP if cleared.
Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with
What the Anchorage Appointment Actually Signals About Grayscale’s SEC Strategy
Anchorage Digital Bank holds a national trust charter issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, making it the only federally chartered crypto-native bank in the United States.
That designation carries qualified custodian status under federal banking law, a credential the SEC has increasingly scrutinized in digital asset custody arrangements.
Choosing Anchorage over Coinbase signals that Grayscale is prioritizing regulatory architecture over the operational convenience of using its existing ETF custody infrastructure.
Coinbase’s exchange-affiliated model, while dominant across the bitcoin ETF landscape, raises questions about conflicts of interest in its custody arrangements, a concern regulators have raised in broader crypto market structure discussions.
Anchorage operates purely as a custodian and bank, with no retail trading platform, eliminating that conflict vector entirely. Grayscale had already added Anchorage as a secondary custodian for portions of its Bitcoin and Ethereum trusts in August 2025, so this is an escalation of a relationship already in place, not a cold introduction.
Competitor filings provide a useful benchmark: 21Shares named Anchorage Digital Bank N.A. and BitGo Bank & Trust N.A. as joint custodians in its Amendment No. 2 filed April 14, 2026, for its Nasdaq-listed THYP fund. The convergence on Anchorage across multiple HYPE ETF filings suggests a shared read among issuers that the OCC charter carries weight in SEC review.
Approval Outlook: What the SEC Weighs Next Around Hyperliquid ETF
Grayscale’s initial HYPE ETF proposal was filed March 20, 2026, following earlier filings from Bitwise, which confirmed a 0.67% sponsor fee in its amended S-1, and 21Shares.
Whether Monday’s amendment resets the SEC’s review clock as a material update is a consequential procedural question; if it does, the approval timeline extends accordingly.
The fund’s staking feature remains the largest outstanding regulatory variable; the filing explicitly conditions it on separate SEC approval, meaning the core listing decision and staking authorization are effectively two distinct regulatory events.
Discover: The best pre-launch token sales
The post Grayscale Amends Hyperliquid ETF Filing, Replaces Coinbase With Anchorage as Custodian appeared first on Cryptonews.
DoorDash is working with Stripe- and Paradigm-backed Tempo to explore paying delivery workers in stablecoins, as Visa, banks and fintechs plug into Tempo’s rails.
Summary
- DoorDash is working with Stripe- and Paradigm-backed Tempo to explore paying delivery workers in stablecoins.
- Tempo has launched a “stablecoin consulting” arm to help corporates design use cases and wire stablecoins into existing payment and banking stacks.
- Visa, Stripe, Coastal Community Bank, ARQ, OnePay, Felix, Fifth Third Bank, and Howard Hughes Holdings are all integrating payments or infrastructure with Tempo.
DoorDash is teaming up with blockchain project Tempo to explore paying its delivery couriers in stablecoins, in one of the clearest signs yet that on-chain dollars are creeping into mainstream U.S. gig work. Fortune reports that the collaboration is part of Tempo’s new “stablecoin consulting” service, which promises to help enterprises identify concrete use cases and then dispatch engineers to embed stablecoin rails into their existing products.
DoorDash pilots stablecoin paychecks
Tempo, incubated by payments giant Stripe and crypto venture firm Paradigm, is building a dedicated layer‑1 blockchain optimized for high-speed, low-cost stablecoin payments rather than trading, and raised around $500 million at a $5 billion valuation in 2025. The company pitches itself as “a payments-first blockchain” that can handle real-world payroll, remittances, and machine-to-machine payments at scale, with fees paid directly in dollar-pegged stablecoins instead of a volatile native token.
According to a note shared with Fortune, Tempo’s new advisory unit will consist of a small dedicated team that leans on the broader organization’s engineering bench to help clients scope stablecoin scenarios, design treasury flows, and integrate with core banking and payment systems. Coastal Community Bank and financial services platform ARQ are already building stablecoin infrastructure on top of Tempo, while Visa, OnePay, Felix, Fifth Third Bank, and Howard Hughes Holdings are wiring parts of their payment operations into the network.
Stripe, which has published its own guidance on how businesses can use stablecoins for global payouts, sees Tempo as the natural extension of its card and bank rails into 24/7 on‑chain settlement, particularly for cross‑border platforms, AI agents, and high-frequency micropayments. Paradigm, meanwhile, has framed Tempo as the missing piece in a crypto “stack” that has historically been tuned for speculative trading rather than predictable, regulated consumer payments.
If the DoorDash pilot and early bank integrations succeed, the Tempo model could give large platforms a template for shifting at least part of their payroll, supplier settlements, and embedded finance products onto stablecoin rails—without forcing users to grapple with typical crypto UX or custody headaches. For gig workers and merchants, that could eventually translate into faster, programmable payouts; for regulators, it will intensify debates over how to oversee stablecoin-based wages and deposits as they move from crypto niches into mainstream labour markets.
Key Takeaways
- PayPal (PYPL) guided for stagnant adjusted earnings in 2026, triggering a selloff, though turnaround opportunities persist
- CVS Health (CVS) delivered $402.1 billion in 2025 revenue and projects at minimum $400 billion for 2026
- Nike (NKE) generated $11.3 billion in third-quarter 2026 sales, with wholesale advancing 5% and North American operations improving
- HP (HPQ) announced first-quarter 2026 revenue of $14.4 billion, representing 6.9% annual growth, with projected free cash flow between $2.8 billion and $3.0 billion
- Estée Lauder (EL) saw shares decline following underwhelming fiscal 2026 outlook despite surpassing earnings projections
Investors searching for value opportunities in 2026 are closely monitoring five companies: PayPal, CVS Health, Nike, HP, and Estée Lauder.
These aren’t merely discounted equities. Each demonstrates a distinctive pattern: reserved market sentiment combined with tangible business drivers that could reshape their valuation narratives.
Companies Navigating Turnarounds
PayPal (PYPL)
PayPal represents perhaps the most transparent case of subdued expectations colliding with potential rebound momentum. According to Reuters reporting from February, the payment processor projected essentially flat or marginally declining adjusted earnings for 2026, falling short of analyst projections.
Shares tumbled significantly following executive transitions that sparked concerns about strategic implementation. However, should leadership successfully accelerate branded checkout adoption and enhance Venmo revenue generation, the equity might begin commanding valuations more aligned with a revitalizing fintech enterprise.
CVS Health (CVS)
CVS Health continues appearing underpriced when measured against its operational scale. The healthcare giant posted 2025 full-year sales totaling $402.1 billion. Leadership projected 2026 adjusted earnings per share ranging from $7.00 to $7.20, supported by revenues exceeding $400 billion.
The shares don’t require comprehensive recovery to appreciate. Sufficient margin expansion within its insurance and pharmacy segments could prompt investors to reassess it as a resilient cash-generating operation.
Nike (NKE)
Nike remains perceived by markets as a complicated turnaround situation with multiple challenges. The athletic apparel leader’s fiscal third-quarter 2026 results, disclosed March 31, showed $11.3 billion in revenue with wholesale channels climbing 5%. North American operations also posted gains.
Gross profitability contracted, and certain business segments face ongoing headwinds. Nevertheless, selective areas are trending positively, which frequently signals the beginning of value-oriented opportunities.
Cash Generation and Rehabilitation Opportunities
HP (HPQ)
HP disclosed fiscal first-quarter 2026 sales of $14.4 billion, marking 6.9% year-over-year expansion. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share increased 9.5%, while free cash flow registered $175 million. The technology company reaffirmed its annual free cash flow projection of $2.8 billion to $3.0 billion.
The optimistic scenario depends on stabilizing PC market conditions and accelerating traction in AI-enabled computers. HP doesn’t require explosive revenue acceleration to advance—merely sustained earnings stability.
Estée Lauder (EL)
Estée Lauder presents the greatest risk among these selections. Reuters indicated in February that shares retreated after fiscal 2026 guidance underwhelmed investors, despite earnings surpassing forecasts.
Executives outlined turnaround initiatives centered on product introductions, marketing investments, and premium brand positioning. Markets remain concerned about softening U.S. consumer demand, tariff pressures, and execution uncertainties.
Based on recent guidance, Estée Louder has yet to demonstrate sustained revenue momentum or profitability improvement.
Concluding Analysis
These five equities share a unifying characteristic. Market sentiment remains guarded, yet each possesses legitimate catalysts capable of transforming their 2026 valuations.
South Korea’s National Tax Service (NTS) has opened a tender for software licenses to track virtual asset transactions as part of tax evasion enforcement, according to a government procurement notice.
The notice said the contract is for “virtual asset tax evasion response transaction-tracking software licenses,” with a budget of 146.5 million won (around $99,500), including value-added tax and delivery due within 30 days of contract signing. Bid submissions are scheduled for April 28 to April 30, with proposal evaluation set for May 7.
The procurement notice itself gives limited detail on the software’s technical scope. However, citing an official from the NTS scientific investigation unit, local outlet ZDNet Korea reported that the software would allow officials to monitor crypto transactions in real time, visualize transfers between specific wallet addresses and exchanges, and support probes into hidden assets, offshore tax evasion and unreported inheritance or gift transfers.
The tender follows earlier local reporting that South Korea was preparing a broader AI-based crypto monitoring system ahead of the country’s planned 2027 tax rollout.
South Korea expands enforcement capabilities ahead of crypto tax rollout
The tax agency’s push for a crypto monitoring tool appears to be part of a broader effort to expand enforcement capabilities as the country prepares for an upcoming rollout of a crypto tax.
On March 12, local media The Korea Times reported that the NTS opened a bid for an AI-backed system to analyze crypto transaction data. The agency reportedly aims to establish a platform that can process large volumes of crypto trading data to monitor potential tax evasion.
Related: Bank of Korea governor backs CBDCs, deposit tokens in first address
South Korea’s crypto tax rollout is currently expected to take effect in January 2027 after several delays. Under the policy, gains above 2.5 million won (about $1,700) would be subject to a combined 22% levy, made up of a 20% income tax and an additional 2% local tax.
The tax rollout remains politically contested. On March 19, South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party proposed scrapping the planned tax on crypto gains, arguing the policy raises fairness, double-taxation and enforcement concerns.
Magazine: 53 DeFi projects infiltrated, 50M NEO tokens could be ‘given back’: Asia Express
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), frequently used as a gauge of market fear, has collapsed by more than 45% in under a month, sharpening the outlook for Bitcoin as traders weigh the implications of a calmer risk environment. With volatility cooling, Bitcoin bulls are watching for a renewed push higher, especially as sustained demand from large buyers and a favorable price backdrop converge.
Key takeaways
- Bitcoin’s upside path tightens if the VIX remains subdued, with a potential move toward roughly $82,700 on the cards if the trend persists.
- Support for BTC has been buoyed by Strategy’s aggressive BTC purchases, which have absorbed a sizable portion of new supply since March.
- Historical patterns link pronounced VIX declines with Bitcoin gains, though the magnitude and timing can vary by episode.
- A rise in VIX or a slowdown in buying pressure could erode near-term support and reintroduce downside risk.
- Price trajectory remains sensitive to macro volatility, regulatory signals, and the persistence of large-cap buying flows.
VIX’s slide and Bitcoin’s potential breakout
The VIX, colloquially known as Wall Street’s fear gauge, tracks expected volatility in the S&P 500 over the next 30 days. When it falls, investors often demonstrate a greater willingness to embrace risk, a dynamic historically correlated with strength in risk assets, including Bitcoin. In the current context, a drop of more than 40% in the VIX over a short span has coincided with renewed Bitcoin strength in the eyes of many traders.
Analysts have observed a pattern where large VIX declines correlate with notable BTC upside. For example, Bitcoin rallied roughly 40% during the April 2025 to May 2025 window, a period that saw the VIX retreat by about 70%. A separate episode from October to November 2025 saw a 46% VIX drop accompany a BTC gain of around 12%. In the most recent stretch, a 42%–47% decline in VIX has coincided with an 8%–9% rebound in Bitcoin’s price, reinforcing the notion that a calmer risk climate can lend tactical support to the asset class.
Looking ahead, the immediate upside target for Bitcoin sits near the 200-day exponential moving average, around $82,700, a level traders often view as a significant milestone in an emergent bullish phase. If the VIX remains weak and momentum persists, that price zone could become a focal point in the weeks ahead, potentially aligning with broader macro positioning and liquidity conditions.
Market dynamics: the role of Strategy’s BTC purchases
A cornerstone of the current narrative is Strategy’s ongoing BTC accumulation, which has reportedly absorbed a substantial portion of new supply since March. By design, large, disciplined buyers can create a steadier bid under price action, helping to cushion downside during pullbacks and sustain a measured ascent when market conditions permit.
Swissblock, a wealth-management-focused analysis outlet, has highlighted that Bitcoin has demonstrated resilience even amid a complex and evolving macro environment. In its view, the asset may begin to outperform on its own again if the immediate catalysts align with continued demand. A representative takeaway from this view is that persistent buying pressure can help sustain upside even when broader market conditions become less certain.
Bitcoin has already shown inherent strength in a very complex environment. Do not be surprised if it starts to outperform on its own again.
That said, the path is not guaranteed. If Strategy’s buying were to slow meaningfully, or if volatility spikes again, the support that current buyers provide could erode, potentially drawing BTC back toward key psychological and technical levels. The risk of a pullback grows if macro headlines turn decisively negative or if regulatory signals introduce new frictions for large holders or market entrants.
What past patterns tell us—and what remains uncertain
Historical episodes offer a lens through which to gauge potential BTC reactions to a fading VIX. While past performance is not a guarantee of future results, the correlation between sharp VIX declines and Bitcoin strength has been a recurring theme in the recent cycle. The correlation appears strongest during episodes where risk appetite returns and liquidity conditions improve, allowing BTC to capture upside in a risk-on backdrop.
At the same time, observers caution against over-reliance on any single indicator. The intensity and duration of VIX moves can be influenced by a range of factors—from macro data surprises to geopolitical developments and central-bank policy shifts. In this environment, the persistence of large buyers or the emergence of new demand drivers will help determine whether BTC can sustain momentum through potential volatility shocks.
While some market participants still entertain the possibility of a later-stage pullback—with analyses suggesting scenarios where BTC could dip below $50,000 in 2026—the near-term setup remains tilted toward upside if the VIX remains subdued and buying demand holds. The interplay between macro volatility, liquidity, and the concentration of demand from major investors will continue to shape the trajectory in the weeks ahead.
What to watch next
Investors should monitor several moving parts that could shape Bitcoin’s trajectory over the near term. First, the VIX’s ability to stay subdued or rebound will be a primary driver of sentiment and price action. Second, the durability of Strategy’s BTC buying cadence will influence whether the market can maintain a constructive bias or face renewed downside pressure if demand weakens. Third, macro developments—especially any shifts in monetary policy expectations or geopolitical risks—could reintroduce volatility and challenge the current risk-on stance.
Additionally, traders will be looking at price behavior around the 200-day EMA and whether BTC can sustainably trade above nearby resistance levels as liquidity conditions evolve. The market will also likely respond to broader changes in sentiment around institutional participation in crypto, including potential inflows into regulated custodial solutions and the continued expansion of OTC and on-exchange liquidity.
In the meantime, the convergence of a softer VIX, heavy buying from large holders, and a technical setup around the 200-day moving average provides a plausible pathway for Bitcoin to press higher in the near term. Yet investors should remain mindful of the risk that a shift in volatility or a slowdown in buy-side demand could reintroduce caution and halt momentum.
Readers should keep an eye on the evolving balance between fear and appetite for risk, the staying power of major buyers, and the broader macro backdrop as new data points and policy signals emerge. The next few weeks will reveal whether this is a temporary lull in volatility or the beginning of a longer upside phase for Bitcoin.
As the market digests these dynamics, the question remains: will BTC’s run be sustained by continued liquidity and appetite for risk, or will shifting headlines reintroduce the volatility that has alternately capped and propelled its moves in recent cycles?
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