Key Takeaways

• Riot Platforms delivered Q1 2026 revenue of $167.2M, propelled by its newly launched data center operations
• The company’s data center segment generated $33.2M in its inaugural quarter, with AMD expanding its contracted capacity from 25MW to 50MW
• Bitcoin mining income declined to $111.9M from $142.9M year-over-year amid lower cryptocurrency valuations and a 24% surge in network difficulty
• The company maintained 15,679 BTC valued at approximately $1.1B at quarter close, having liquidated over $250M in Bitcoin throughout Q1
• RIOT shares finished Friday’s session 7.31% higher at $18.50, though dipped 0.57% to $18.40 in extended trading

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Riot Platforms shares advanced 7.31% to close at $18.50 Friday following the company’s announcement of $167.2 million in first-quarter 2026 revenue, exceeding analyst projections and representing its inaugural period as an active data center provider.

Riot Platforms, Inc., RIOT

The impressive revenue figure was significantly supported by $33.2 million from data center operations — representing an entirely new revenue category for Riot, which officially commenced operations in this segment during the reporting period.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin mining income contracted to $111.9 million compared to $142.9 million in the corresponding 2025 quarter. The decline resulted from two primary headwinds: reduced average cryptocurrency valuations and a 24% expansion in the global network hash rate, intensifying competition and operational expenses.

The company produced 1,473 BTC throughout the quarter, marginally below the 1,530 coins mined in the prior-year period. Production costs per Bitcoin increased to $44,629 from $43,808.

Chief Executive Jason Les characterized the quarter as “a definitive inflection point,” highlighting the data center debut as representing a fundamental transformation in the company’s business model.

AMD, which originally secured 25 megawatts of infrastructure capacity, activated an option to expand that allocation to 50 megawatts during the period — a development Les cited as validation of Riot’s capability to deliver enterprise-grade solutions.

Diversified Revenue Streams Through Data Centers and Engineering

Engineering revenue, encompassing infrastructure support services, climbed to $22.2 million from $13.9 million in the year-ago quarter, establishing a third distinct income channel alongside mining and data center activities.

Together, data center and engineering operations now represent a substantial share of Riot’s overall revenue profile — diminishing the firm’s dependence on Bitcoin price volatility.

As of quarter conclusion, Riot possessed 15,679 BTC with an estimated value of $1.1 billion calculated using the March 31 Bitcoin price of $68,222. Among these holdings, 5,802 coins served as collateral.

The firm reported $282.5 million in cash reserves, though $76.9 million carried restrictions. Riot additionally liquidated Bitcoin holdings exceeding $250 million in value during the three-month period.

Following regular market hours, RIOT shares retreated 0.57% in extended trading to $18.40.

Bitcoin Miners Increasingly Target AI and Data Infrastructure

Riot’s strategic evolution reflects a broader industry trend. Bitcoin mining companies throughout the sector are pivoting toward AI infrastructure as compressed profit margins encourage pursuit of more predictable revenue sources.

Core Scientific is transforming its Pecos, Texas facility into a 1.5-gigawatt data center campus targeting AI workloads. MARA Holdings has secured a controlling interest in French AI infrastructure provider Exaion.

Hive, Hut 8, TeraWulf, and Iren are similarly repurposing mining operations into data center facilities.

Riot concluded Q1 2026 holding 15,679 BTC and operating a freshly launched data center business that produced $33.2 million in revenue during its first operating quarter.

Key Highlights

• Bitcoin delivered an 11.87% return in April 2026, marking its strongest monthly showing since April 2025.
• U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF products attracted $2.44 billion in net capital during April, almost twice March’s figure.
• BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) accounted for more than 70% of April’s ETF inflows.
• Bitcoin currently trades near $78,000, approximately 38% beneath its record peak of $125,100.
• Macroeconomic challenges such as Federal Reserve policy uncertainty and international tensions continue to restrain momentum.

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Bitcoin wrapped up April with an impressive 11.87% monthly advance, representing its most robust performance over the past 12 months. The digital asset began the month trading around $66,000 before climbing to approximately $78,000 by month’s end, per CoinMarketCap tracking.

This performance came close to matching Bitcoin’s historical April average return of 12.98%, according to CoinGlass statistics. The positive close represents just the second green monthly candle following a streak of five consecutive negative months.

“April is done. May is here. After 5 consecutive red monthly candles, Bitcoin has now closed 2 in the green, causing some relief in the market,” crypto trader Daan Crypto Trades noted in a social media update.

Crypto market analyst Jelle commented: “We hit the ground running again next week.”

At present valuation levels, Bitcoin remains roughly 38% off its October all-time high of $125,100. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index registered at 39, indicating a “Fear” sentiment and suggesting ongoing investor hesitation.

Institutional Capital Fuels Price Strength

The primary catalyst behind April’s upward movement was a substantial influx of institutional capital. U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds registered approximately $2.44 billion in net positive flows throughout the month, representing nearly double the $1.32 billion recorded during March.

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) dominated the landscape, securing over 70% of total monthly inflows. Total assets under management across all U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs approached $102 billion as April concluded.

The month’s final trading week experienced some pullback, witnessing roughly $490 million in redemptions between April 27 and April 29. Nevertheless, the overarching trend toward institutional accumulation persists.

Market analyst Don (@DonWedge) identified a critical technical threshold on social media, noting that a breakthrough above the channel near $80,500 would “invalidate the bearish pattern of the ascending channel.” This price level has become a focal point for market participants.

Economic Headwinds Persist

The trajectory toward $80,000 and higher price targets confronts multiple challenges. Heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, coupled with naval blockades, have maintained a “war premium” on crude oil markets, complicating inflation dynamics.

Research from Nexo Dispatch indicates that Bitcoin’s journey to fresh record levels hinges significantly on Brent crude declining below $100 per barrel and reduced geopolitical risk premiums.

The Federal Reserve maintained its benchmark rate at 3.50%–3.75% during its latest policy meeting, though the decision revealed internal division — registering the highest dissent count since 1992. Outgoing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, scheduled to depart later this month, cautioned that inflationary pressures have not fully subsided.

Michael van de Poppe, founder of MN Trading Capital, expressed his view that Bitcoin may not require additional catalysts to recapture the $100,000 threshold. “There doesn’t need to be a narrative that pushes the price upwards,” he stated in a social media post.

Blockchain analytics platform CryptoQuant presented a more cautious perspective, suggesting that April’s advance was primarily driven by futures market activity and could potentially trigger an extended correction spanning multiple months.

Current Bitcoin options markets assign only a 25% probability to BTC reaching $84,000 by the end of May.

The crypto market posted a strong bullish tilt today as 275 out of 390 tracked tokens ended in the green, pushing the total market cap to $2.68 trillion. Every new crypto project benefits from that kind of broad momentum because rising tides lift the coins that already have capital behind them.

Bitcoin held above $78,000 for the first time since February, and the market is showing signs that the worst of the fear cycle may be over. Pepeto is leading the new crypto conversation after pulling more than $9.7 million into its presale before a Binance listing.

Motley Fool reported the crypto market cap increased 2.2% to $2.68 trillion on May 1 as Bitcoin pushed past $78,000 and tech stocks set new highs.

The CoinGecko daily summary confirmed 275 tokens rising against 115 falling, showing the broadest green day in weeks. This kind of market breadth matters for every smaller entry because it means capital is rotating into younger projects, not just sitting in Bitcoin.

New Crypto Leaders for 2026: Pepeto, BTC, and ETH Reviewed

Pepeto

Every new crypto cycle produces one project that captures the capital and attention at exactly the right moment. Pepeto is filling that role right now with a working marketplace that already clears trades and reviews contracts before listing day opens the doors.

Pepeto brings together token flow from separate chains into one zero fee trading center where no commission touches any order. The bridge transfers assets across networks for free, keeping capital mobile at all times. Every product is live, every contract has been verified by SolidProof, and the people inside the presale already rely on these tools daily.

The contract scanner flags dangerous tokens before a buyer sends capital into a bad position, protecting the money that matters most during early stage entries. The creator of the first Pepe token matched the same 420 trillion token count that produced the structure that produced billions in value with zero built products, and a developer who came from Binance keeps the technical operations at professional exchange standards.

Capital exceeding $9.7 million landed inside the presale while most early stage projects struggled to raise a fraction of that during the fear period, and that level of capital flow during uncertainty is the signal that separates conviction from noise. The entry sits at $0.0000001864 right now, and the Binance listing will remove that number permanently.

The 176% APY staking layer removes tokens from circulation before listing. BTC at $78,300 with a $1.55 trillion cap cannot deliver 100x. But a new crypto presale where SolidProof cleared every contract and a Binance listing sits on the horizon is where analysts see triple digit return potential.

Bitcoin (BTC)

BTC trades near $78,300 as of May 2 after gaining 12.7% in April, its best month since 2025 according to CoinMarketCap. Exchange held BTC dropped to 2.69 million coins while April ETF inflows hit $2.44 billion.

Standard Chartered targets $150,000 by year end. BTC is the anchor of every portfolio, but from $78,300 it delivers steady growth, not the kind of multiplier a new crypto entry at presale stage can offer.

Ethereum (ETH)

ETH trades near $2,296 as of May 2, gaining 8% in April according to CoinMarketCap. Real world asset tokenization on Ethereum tripled to $19.3 billion in Q1 2026. The Pectra upgrade targets staking and layer 2 improvements.

But ETH at $2,296 needs a 2x just to approach its old high of $4,953, and from a $272 billion market cap, 100x is not on the table.

The Verdict

The 275 tokens rising today prove the market is turning, and the broad green day shows capital rotating back into risk assets. But last cycle made millionaires out of the wallets that moved first, and regretting a missed entry only gets heavier with time.

Pepeto is that same moment with a Binance listing approaching and $9.7 million in presale conviction already behind it, and the Pepeto official website shows the clearest second chance to be early that this cycle will offer.

Missing the presale means watching the listing returns from the outside, and no recovery trade in BTC or ETH will match what entering at seven zeros can deliver.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQ

What new crypto projects are worth watching in 2026?

Pepeto leads the new crypto presale space with more than $9.7 million raised, live products, and a Binance listing that analysts say could deliver 100x.

Is now a good time to enter the crypto market?

With 275 tokens rising and market cap at $2.68 trillion, the Pepeto official website shows a presale entry where early holders stand to gain the most.

How does a new crypto presale compare to buying BTC?

BTC at $78,300 delivers steady growth, while a presale at seven zeros with verified products and a confirmed listing gives analysts reason to project 100x.

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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.

The Ethereum Foundation has completed another over-the-counter ETH sale to BitMine Immersion Technologies. 

The move came as the foundation continued to face questions over its treasury activity, grant funding, and recent unstaking of ETH.

The Ethereum Foundation sold 10,000 ETH to BitMine at an average price of $2,292 per coin. The deal was worth about $22.9 million and marked its third OTC sale to the company in two months.

The foundation said the sale would support its operating needs. It wrote, “This sale funds the Ethereum Foundation’s core operations and activities.” It also listed protocol research, ecosystem work, and community grants as funding areas.

The latest transaction followed another 10,000 ETH sale to BitMine one week earlier. That earlier deal happened at an average price of $2,387 per ETH. In March, the foundation also sold 5,000 ETH to BitMine at about $2,043 per coin.

Together, the recent sales have renewed debate around how the foundation manages its ETH holdings. Some community members questioned the pace of the sales, especially as ETH traded near $2,300.

Community questions grow after repeated sales

The foundation’s latest sale drew criticism from some Ethereum users. One user asked, “Why do you need $46 million in 2 weeks?!” The comment reflected concern over spending, treasury planning, and payment choices for developers.

The debate also followed a separate move by the foundation to unstake 17,035 ETH, worth about $40 million. Arkham data showed that the foundation deposited wrapped staked ETH into Lido’s unstETH contract as part of the withdrawal process.

Crypto.news reported that the foundation had not publicly explained the unstaking move at the time. Some market users questioned whether the ETH could later move to exchanges or be sold. 

However, no official statement linked the unstaking to a market sale. In Ethereum, unstaking starts a withdrawal request and returns ETH after the queue process ends.

Grants point to long-term Ethereum work

The sales come as the foundation continues to fund Ethereum research and development. Its Q1 2026 grant report focused on zero-knowledge research, cryptography, core clients, validator security, and public infrastructure.

The grants included support for Geth, Erigon, Lighthouse, validator security tools, and node discovery work. The foundation also backed projects tied to Poseidon hash analysis, quantum-resistant systems, and formal verification for RISC-V-based zkVM infrastructure.

Funding also went to developer education, WalletConnect clear-signing tools, L2BEAT analytics, privacy tools, identity standards, and DAO governance research. These areas show that the foundation is still directing capital toward network infrastructure rather than short-term market activity.

Andreessen Horowitz has entered the growing fight over U.S. prediction markets. 

The venture capital firm is backing the Commodity Futures Trading Commission against state efforts to restrict platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket.

The dispute centers on who should regulate event contracts. States argue that some contracts look like gambling. The CFTC and a16z argue that federally regulated markets should not face separate bans in each state.

a16z submitted a letter to the CFTC in response to the agency’s rulemaking process on prediction markets. The firm said state crackdowns, including cease-and-desist letters and legal threats, could block users from markets overseen by the federal regulator.

The firm argued that exchanges may lose liquidity if they must block users by state. It wrote, “Being forced to deny impartial access” would likely reduce available liquidity in affected markets.

CFTC clashes with several states

The CFTC has filed lawsuits against several states, including Illinois, Arizona, Connecticut, New York, and Wisconsin. The agency claims those states are trying to regulate markets that fall under federal oversight.

State officials have pushed back. They say platforms that offer contracts tied to sports, elections, and other events may operate like gambling businesses. a16z rejected that view and said the CFTC should decide how “gaming” applies under commodities law.

Meanwhile, the fight comes as Congress is also taking action on political event trading. The U.S. Senate voted unanimously to bar senators and staff from trading on prediction markets, including platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket.

Kalshi said it already blocks members of Congress from using its platform. The company called the Senate vote “a great step to increase trust in markets.” The ban reflects concern that lawmakers and staff could have access to information that other traders do not.

Prediction markets become a wider media story

a16z has also moved deeper into prediction-market culture through media. The firm has backed “Monitoring the Situation,” a 24/7 livestream on X linked to Polymarket culture and real-time online news.

That media push shows how prediction markets now sit at the center of a wider debate. The platforms do not only host trades on future events. They also shape how users watch politics, sports, crypto, and breaking news.

Ethereum whale activity has increased as large holders added more ETH over the past four days. 

According to Ali Charts, whales accumulated over 140,000 Ethereum in 96 hours, worth about $322 million.

The buying comes as ETH trades near $2,305.11. The asset recorded a 0.1% gain in 24 hours, while it remained down 1.04% over the past seven days. Daily trading volume stood at $6.8 billion.

Whale holdings rise as ETH price stays flat

The chart shared by Ali Charts shows a steady increase in Ethereum held by whale wallets. Holdings rose from about 13.78 million ETH to nearly 13.98 million ETH between May 1 and May 3.

This points to steady buying by large holders, not a single large transfer. The move also suggests that major wallets are adding exposure while price action remains quiet.

However, traders are still waiting for stronger confirmation. ETH has remained close to $2,300, and market momentum has not yet followed the whale buying trend.

$2,200 remains key support for Ethereum

Ethereum is still trading above the $2,200 support area. Analysts view this level as important for the current market structure.

If ETH holds above $2,200, the price could continue its slow recovery toward the $2,800 resistance zone. A move above $2,400 may also give traders a stronger long setup.

However, the downside risk remains clear. A breakdown below $2,200 could weaken the structure and open the way toward $1,900.

The intraday outlook also remains mixed. The chart was described as “choppy and slow,” with traders waiting for a better structure before entering new positions.

$2,400 breakout may decide the next move

ETH has formed a base around the $1,800 to $2,000 area after a sharp decline earlier in the year. Since then, the price has printed higher lows, showing a gradual recovery.

Still, Ethereum remains below a major descending trendline. The $2,400 area is the nearest resistance. A clean breakout above it could support a move toward $2,600 and then $2,800.

The broader resistance near $3,700 remains far above current levels. That area still marks a major test for any wider recovery.

The U.S. crypto industry remains buoyant about its longer-term prospects, even as the fate of the CLARITY Act—an effort to codify regulatory clarity for tokens, stablecoins and crypto businesses—hangs in the balance in Congress. In a recent Chain Reaction episode, Chris Perkins, CEO of 250 Digital Asset Management, argued that the sector’s momentum would endure even if lawmakers don’t pass the bill this session.

Perkins pointed to ongoing policy work by the two main financial regulators as evidence the path to usable guidance is already being carved out. He cited the ongoing efforts of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) under their chairs, following the agencies’ joint interpretation released in March on how federal securities laws apply to crypto assets.

“If not, we’re going to be just fine,” said Chris Perkins, CEO of 250 Digital Asset Management, on Cointelegraph’s Chain Reaction podcast, noting that the SEC and CFTC are already laying the groundwork for workable regulatory frameworks.

Key takeaways

• The crypto industry’s near-term momentum is not solely contingent on the CLARITY Act; regulators are actively shaping frameworks that could outlive any single piece of legislation.
• Regulatory policy work by the SEC and CFTC is creating a pathway that could bring much-needed certainty and a formal taxonomy for crypto assets, even absent a new law.
• Labeling tokens as securities is no longer an automatic death sentence; a clear, enduring framework could make the classification process more navigable for issuers, platforms, and investors.
• Passage of the CLARITY Act would entrench policy, making it harder for future administrations to roll back regulatory clarity and potentially reshaping the US crypto operating environment for years.
• A sense of urgency is growing around stablecoins and related yields, with lawmakers nudging toward a final text; several senators have offered optimistic timelines, signaling that energy around CLARITY is building.

Policy momentum in the making

The core premise of Perkins’s assessment is that policy isn’t waiting for a single bill to move forward. He highlighted that the SEC and CFTC have been actively developing frameworks and precedents that could guide token classifications, compliance pathways, and enforcement expectations regardless of CLARITY’s fate in Congress. The March joint interpretation, while not a CLARITY Act result, is cited by many industry observers as a signal that federal authorities are willing to articulate how securities laws apply to crypto assets in a concrete way.

Perkins emphasized that policy creation is a long-memory game: once a rule or taxonomy is established, it becomes a reference point that shapes future administration choices and regulatory posture. “There is a reason why we say it takes an act of Congress to do something,” he noted, but he also underscored that the current regulatory push is more than a momentary push for clarity—it’s the start of a framework that could endure beyond a single legislative cycle.

For investors and builders, the takeaway is that regulatory clarity may not depend entirely on a single bill. The ongoing work by the agencies could translate into a more predictable operating environment, with defined categories and compliance expectations that help reduce the mystery that has often surrounded crypto tokens and their regulatory status.

From “death sentence” to a regulated pathway

One recurring theme in Perkins’s discussion is the shift from the era when crypto assets labeled as securities faced existential risk to a landscape where a stable, enforceable framework could be leveraged by market participants. In the past, labeling a token as a security could trigger immediate enforcement action, delistings, and a lack of clear compliance pathways in the U.S. market. Perkins framed the current moment as a transition toward “certitude, stability, and ultimately, a taxonomy” that could harmonize regulatory expectations with practical business models.

That pivot matters because investors, exchanges, and developers often operate best when policy is predictable. If a robust taxonomy and enforcement approach emerge, projects may be better positioned to design compliant token structures, governance models, and disclosure norms that align with established regulatory expectations—reducing the risk of sudden policy shifts or unilateral enforcement actions that have in the past unsettled markets.

Still, Perkins cautioned that the absence of a final CLARITY Act passage would not automatically derail the industry’s long-run prospects. The momentum generated by regulator-led policy development could keep the ecosystem on a constructive trajectory, even as lawmakers deliberate on a more formal framework.

CLARITY Act: timing, prospects, and what to watch

The debate around CLARITY has intensified as lawmakers emerged from ongoing negotiations on stablecoin provisions and related regulatory questions. The timing remains a focal point, with several public signals feeding into the market’s expectations. After the publication of a final text aimed at resolving stablecoin yield disagreements between the banking and crypto industries, industry participants voiced renewed optimism that a broader CLARITY package could advance in short order.

“It’s time to get CLARITY done,” said Coinbase chief legal officer Faryar Shirzad in a post on X after US Senator Thom Tillis and US Senator Angela Alsobrooks released the final text addressing the stablecoin yield dispute between banking and crypto sectors.

Political voices from both sides of the aisle have weighed in with their own stipulations about when a vote might occur. Senator Bernie Moreno suggested a May deadline for completion of the act, signaling that momentum could converge around a concrete resolution in the near term. Separately, Senator Cynthia Lummis remarked on April 11 that the moment might be now or never, underscoring the sense of urgency among proponents who view CLARITY as a critical step toward market legitimacy.

Should the CLARITY Act pass, supporters argue it would create a durable framework that would be harder to unwind in future administrations, offering a stable baseline for crypto regulation. Critics, meanwhile, warn of potential overreach or rigidity that could hamper innovation. The interplay between these perspectives will help determine not only the act’s fate but also how the broader market calibrates risk and investment decisions in the months ahead.

In the broader context, the ongoing regulatory dialogue touches on several practical implications for the market. Stablecoins, which have been a particular flashpoint in policy discussions, could see clearer rules around reserve accounting, yield generation, and permissible cash-management practices. As reforms take shape, exchanges and custodians may gain clearer disclosure norms, while token issuers could adopt standardized compliance programs that align with a codified taxonomy—reducing ambiguity and softening the shock of enforcement actions that have characterized recent years.

Industry participants are watching closely for two things: a finalized CLARITY Act with a coherent taxonomy and a trusted enforcement pathway that reduces the risk of sudden regulatory reversals. The interplay between rulemaking activity by the SEC and CFTC and the legislative process around CLARITY will likely define the competitiveness of the U.S. crypto landscape for the foreseeable future.

Cointelegraph’s reporting and interviews remain focused on translating these regulatory developments into practical implications for investors, traders, and builders—highlighting where clarity exists, where it is still evolving, and what signals might guide decision-making as the regulatory regime continues to mature.

As the legal and regulatory narrative evolves, market participants should stay attuned to the next moves from Congress and from the agencies. Even in the absence of a final CLARITY Act, the trajectory of regulatory policy in this period could set the tone for how crypto projects raise funds, launch products, and engage with users in a compliant and sustainable manner.

Readers should monitor tightening timelines on stablecoin provisions, any further joint statements from the SEC and CFTC, and potential floor votes or committee actions related to CLARITY. The balance between legislative efforts and regulator-driven policy will shape the quality and predictability of the U.S. crypto market going into the second half of the year and beyond.

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This coverage reflects the ongoing synthesis of policy discussions, industry perspectives, and regulatory developments shaping the crypto landscape.

The US crypto industry’s momentum won’t be derailed in the long term even if the much-anticipated CLARITY Act, aimed at bringing more regulatory clarity to the crypto industry, doesn’t make it through Congress, according to 250 Digital Asset Management CEO Chris Perkins.

“If not, we’re going to be just fine,” Perkins said on Cointelegraph’s Chain Reaction podcast on Friday, emphasizing that the two major financial regulators are already building workable frameworks.

Perkins pointed to ongoing efforts by US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins and Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Michael Selig, following the agencies’ joint interpretation released in March on how federal securities laws apply to crypto assets.

Being labeled a security was once a “death sentence” for crypto

“These guys are creating policy and precedent every single day, and they are giving us the one thing we’ve needed for a very long time, that certainty, that stability, and ultimately, a taxonomy,” Perkins said.

“In the past, being a security was a death sentence; there was nowhere to go with it, and it just didn’t reconcile…now it is awesome to be a security,” he said.

During the Joe Biden administration, under former SEC chair Gary Gensler, crypto tokens classified as securities typically faced enforcement action, delistings from major platforms, and had no clear pathway for compliance in the US market.

Chris Perkins spoke to Cointelegraph journalist Ciaran Lyons on Chain Reaction on Friday. Source: Cointelegraph

While Perkins said he’s not worried about the industry’s long-term outlook if the CLARITY Act doesn’t pass, he added that if it does become law, it would make it much harder for future administrations to roll back the regulatory clarity.

“What you’ve done is you’ve essentially enshrined policy for a very long time, as hard as it is to pass a law, it is even harder to unwind a law,” Perkins said. “There is a reason why we say it takes an act of Congress to do something,” he added.

CLARITY Act hopes rise

Many industry participants have raised expectations that the CLARITY Act could pass soon after the publication of new stablecoin yield provisions on Friday.

Related: Riot posts $167M in Q1 revenue as data center arm pulls in $33M in first quarter

“It’s time to get CLARITY done,” Coinbase chief legal officer Faryar Shirzad said in an X post on Friday, after US Senator Thom Tillis and US Senator Angela Alsobrooks published the final text aimed at settling the stablecoin yield dispute between the banking and crypto industries.

US Senator Bernie Moreno recently said that he anticipates the CLARITY Act to “get done” by the end of May. On April 11, US Senator Cynthia Lummis said, “It’s now or never.”

Magazine: AI-driven hacks could kill DeFi — unless projects act now

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

Bitcoin finished April with an 11.87% month, its strongest showing in a year and a potential signal that the market is rethinking the path higher. The gain follows a stretch of volatility and underpins a cautious but constructive mood among traders heading into May. While April’s bounce is notable, it still sits below the long-run average for the month, according to CoinGlass data.

As of writing, BTC hovered near $78,190, roughly 38% below its October all-time high near $125,100. The price backdrop keeps investors focused on whether the current momentum can translate into a sustained move toward former highs. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index lingered in the “Fear” territory at 39, indicating a still-cautious crowd weighing the near-term risk/reward.

Key takeaways

• Bitcoin logged an 11.87% rise in April, its best month since April 2025, when it gained 14.08%.
• April’s performance still underperformed the historical April average of about 12.98%, per CoinGlass.
• Bitcoin trades around $78,190, about 38% below the October all-time high of $125,100.
• Market sentiment remains cautious, with the Fear & Greed Index at 39, signaling persistent risk aversion among traders.
• Analysts are divided on May’s direction: CryptoQuant cautions that the April rally may foreshadow a multi-month decline, while bulls like Michael van de Poppe argue that fresh narrative catalysts aren’t strictly necessary to push BTC above $100,000.

April’s strength and what it implies for May

April delivered a robust monthly performance that traders saw as a potential turning point after a sequence of softer months. Nic Puckrin, founder of Coin Bureau, highlighted on X that while there is a long way to go to reclaim all-time highs, the green for April is welcome relief in an otherwise volatile cycle. The month’s strength did not occur in a vacuum; it followed a period where Bitcoin had struggled to maintain upward momentum despite headlines and macro shifts.

Still, the price action left many questions open. CoinMarketCap data place BTC around the $78k zone, underscoring that the rally still needs to clear a substantial psychological and technical hurdle to re-enter the $100k vicinity. The last time Bitcoin traded at or above $100,000 was in mid-November, a milestone that has since become a talking point for bulls and bears alike.

Contrasting views: risk signals vs. bullish catalysts

Not everyone is confident the rally will sustain into May. CryptoQuant analysts warned that the April move appeared to be driven largely by futures positioning, and there is concern the rally could give way to a multi-month downside if spot demand fails to follow futures-driven upside. The warning sits alongside a broader risk backdrop, with on-chain indicators and sentiment gauges painting a mixed picture for the near term.

In contrast, bullish voices argue that Bitcoin can reclaim higher levels without a fresh macro narrative. Michael van de Poppe, founder of MN Trading Capital, has suggested that BTC may not require a new catalyst to push back above the $100,000 level, urging readers to consider the potential for upside even without a dramatic fundamental trigger. His view contrasts with the question many traders are asking: what narrative would be needed to support a sustained move beyond the psychological barrier?

Meanwhile, market participants remain mindful of the broader risk environment. The fear gauge remains subdued but not out of reach of caution, a reminder that even with a supportive month, the market remains sensitive to macro shifts, liquidity conditions, and asset correlations that have defined crypto trading cycles in recent years.

What to watch next as May unfolds

Historical data shows that May has historically delivered modest but positive returns for Bitcoin, with an average around 7.78%. That baseline keeps analysts focused on a potential continuation of the April bounce, even as some warn that the path higher could be uneven. Traders will be watching for volume patterns, on-chain activity, and options market signals that could suggest whether the current momentum has legs beyond a single monthly rally.

Key indicators to monitor include the price action around the 100,000 level and the way market participants respond to potential catalysts, such as macro data releases, liquidity shifts, or notable developments in futures markets. The October 2023 to October 2024 cycle, which included notable market stress events, remains a reminder that big price moves can be followed by pullbacks even after periods of green performance.

What remains uncertain is how much of April’s strength will endure into May and whether a fresh narrative will emerge to sustain momentum. Investors should watch whether spot demand strengthens and whether risk appetite broadens from the current cautious footing. As always, a combination of price action, liquidity, and participant positioning will shape the near-term trajectory for Bitcoin.

Cointelegraph remains focused on transparent reporting and will monitor ongoing developments as markets digest April’s outcome and prepare for May’s unfolding narrative.

TLDR:

• Ethereum’s gas limit will increase from 60 million to 200 million following the Glamsterdam upgrade.
  
• L1 execution capacity will grow by more than 3x, with a further doubling expected shortly after.
  
• ETH mainnet gas fees could remain near zero for years if network demand does not rise equally.
  
• ePBS, BALs, and gas repricings work together to make the higher gas limit both safe and efficient.

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Ethereum’s gas limit is heading for a dramatic increase following the upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade. The current limit of 60 million will rise to approximately 200 million, marking a major shift in the network’s execution capacity.

This change is expected to ease pressure on Ethereum’s mainnet significantly. As a result, gas fees could remain near zero for the foreseeable future, according to crypto researcher Hasu.

Glamsterdam Upgrade to Triple Ethereum’s Execution Capacity

The Glamsterdam upgrade will push Ethereum’s gas limit from 60 million to around 200 million. That represents a more than threefold increase in L1 execution capacity on the network. Beyond that, a further doubling is already being anticipated shortly after the initial raise.

Crypto researcher Hasu shared this development on X, noting it remains widely unknown. In his post, @hasufl wrote that “Ethereum’s gas limit will be increased to ~200M after Glamsterdam, a huge increase from the 60M we have today.” He further noted the expectation of a further doubling soon after that.

The upgrade brings together several technical innovations working in combination. Enhanced Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS) gives payload processing more time during block production.

Meanwhile, Block-level Access Lists (BALs) allow clients to prefetch and parallelize execution work more efficiently.

Gas Fee Relief Expected as Network Supply Outpaces Demand

With execution capacity expanding this sharply, the supply side of Ethereum’s blockspace is set to grow considerably.

Assuming network demand does not rise at a similar pace, fees on Ethereum mainnet could stay near zero for years ahead.

Hasu pointed out that gas repricings also play a role in making higher limits technically safe. These repricings adjust the cost of certain operations, reducing the risk that a larger gas limit could be exploited or cause instability. Together, these changes form a coordinated technical foundation for scaling.

This combination of ePBS, BALs, and gas repricings arriving simultaneously is what makes the Glamsterdam upgrade particularly notable.

Each piece supports the others, allowing the gas limit increase to proceed without compromising network security.

The timing of these innovations coming together appears deliberate and well-coordinated within Ethereum’s development roadmap.