Bitcoin BTC$76,054.61, while it’s slightly in the green may be in for a shock. The largest cryptocurrency has gained less than 0.5% since midnight UTC, and strong moves toward $80,000 are likely to run into opposition.

That’s because short-term holders have a cost basis around that price, Luke Deans, a senior research associate at Bitwise, told CoinDesk. A move above may convince them to take profits and sell, capping any advance.

Another headwind may present itself in the form of U.S. March PCE inflation, which lands as oil prices keep pressure on risk assets. West Texas Intermediate crude has surged to as high as $110, and reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has kept energy markets fragile.

Wednesday’s Federal Reserve decision to hold the federal funds rate steady is also weighing on the market. Specifically, a whopping four dissenting voices, the most since 1992, with one governor pushing for a cut and three regional presidents opposing the statement’s suggestion that the Fed would resume easing.

Deans also said altcoins remain tied to bitcoin, with the 180-day correlation and beta percentiles near 97% and 99%. That means tokens may move like levered bitcoin trades today.

“Beneath the surface, conditions typically associated with rising volatility appear to be forming,” Deans said. “Liquidity remains subdued, with profit- and loss-taking largely offsetting each other, reflecting a lack of directional conviction.”

In these environments, he said, price moves are often needed to unlock new liquidity.

Derivatives positioning

• Market-wide, futures open interest (OI) has dropped over 2% to $119 billion in 24 hours. Trading volumes, however, have increased 26% to $208 billion. The combination indicates that positions are being closed and capital is fleeing the market, a sign of risk aversion.
• Over $500 million in leveraged bets have been liquidated by exchanges, of which most are longs, or bullish positions. The market weakness amid rising bond yields has clearly caught bulls off guard.
• OI has dropped 2% in bitcoin futures and and 1.7% in ether. Similar declines are seen across most majors, except DOGE, whose OI still hovers at six-month highs.
• With the exception of XMR, XLM, TRX and CC, most coins, including the two largest, have seen sellers hit bids more than buyers lifting offers, leaving the 24-hour cumulative volume delta in the negative. In short, sellers are being more aggressive, which suggests potential for deeper price declines.
• Bitcoin’s 30-day implied volatility index, BVIV, has dropped to 41%, extending the slide from the February high of 97%. Right now, the index is at its lowest since Jan. 29. Once again, this is telling a tale of a market that’s become desensitized to adverse macro developments such as rising bond yields and elevated oil prices. Ether’s volatility index shows a similar pattern.
• On Deribit, BTC and ETH protective puts remain pricier relative to calls. The large concentration of open interest in bitcoin’s $80,000 call has created long (positive) gamma dynamics, suggesting that market makers may sell rallies into and above that level to hedge their books. This could slow potential upswings.
• Bitcoin’s options term structure shows less near-term stress, with traders pricing more uncertainty further out rather than in the immediate future.
• Block flows featured a large BTC put spread involving strikes $72,000 and $65,000, according to Amberdata. The strategy shows expectations for a renewed price drop to $65,000 or lower.

Token talk

• Memecoin launchpad Pump.fun is adding a way for creators to send fees to charities, as its PUMP token trades lower following a major change to its revenue policy.
• The feature, called Charity Coins, lets coin administrators pick a verified charity inside Pump.fun’s creator fee settings. The platform leveraging it, Donate.gg, supports more than 10,000 charities.
• The goal is to reduce disputes between traders and coin admins when a token forms around a charitable cause. The platform’s current main fundraiser is currently at $12,800 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
• Pump.fun also said it will stop using all revenue to buy and burn PUMP. Instead, it will now send 50% of future net revenue to automatic buybacks and burns for one year, while keeping the rest for hiring, product work, marketing and possible deals.
• The changes come during a rough stretch for PUMP. The token is down more than 7% over the past 24 hours, compared with a 2.2% drop in the broader CoinDesk 20 (CD20) index.

Bitcoin BTC$76,070.83 is on the defensive as April draws to a close, though seasonal trends suggest any pullbacks may prove short-lived, potentially paving the way for a renewed move higher in the weeks ahead.

Data going back to 2013 shows that May tends to be a bullish month for the largest cryptocurrency, with gains in seven of the past 13 years. While the average return of around 8% is less impressive than stronger months like October and November, it still points to a positive bias.

Coming on the heels of April’s roughly 10% gain, the seasonal pattern suggests the broader uptrend could remain intact. The outlook is supported by similar bullish seasonality in the S&P 500, which is already hovering near record highs.

Back-to-back net monthly inflows into the U.S.-listed spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) indicate strong institutional demand and support the bullish case. These ETFs have pulled in over $1.8 billion this month following March’s $1.32 billion.

This is an excerpt from CoinDesk newsletter ‘Daybook.’ Sign up here, if you haven’t already.

Still, traders need to keep an eye on bond markets, where rising yields are posing a headwind to risk assets.

“Bitcoin’s failure to sustain above $78K and the subsequent drift back toward $75K suggests the market is digesting the “higher-for-longer” signal,” Jake Kennis, a research analyst at Nansen, said in an email. “Absent a liquidity catalyst, it appears range-bound rather than setting up for a breakout, with macro headwinds capping near-term upside despite broadly flat performance over 14 days (+0.7%).”

The other risk is a global economic flare-up. Several observers, including energy analyst Anas Alhajji, warned that the negative impact of the Iran war and the energy market disruption could tank the global economy in May.

Markus Thielen, the founder of 10X Research, suggested the same in a report to clients on Thursday.

“May is when the lag ends, and the real economy starts paying the bill,” he said. Stay alert!

Read more: For analysis of today’s activity in altcoins and derivatives, see Crypto Markets Today . For a comprehensive list of events this week, see CoinDesk’s “Crypto Week Ahead.”

What’s trending

Today’s signal

The chart shows bitcoin’s price swings in candlestick format over 2026 and 2021-22. The graphs show two lines: the red one represents the average price over 50 days and the white shows the average over 100 days.

As of today, the 50-day average appears poised to move above the 100-day average. Chart analysts refer to this as a bullish crossover, a signal that short-term momentum is strengthening relative to the medium-term trend and may point to further upside if sustained.

So, the impending crossover suggests more BTC price gains ahead. That said, the indicator has a mixed record, particularly during bear markets. For instance, a similar bull cross occurred in March 2022, as the chart on the right shows. But, it ended up trapping bulls on the wrong side of the market, as prices took a deeper dive in the following weeks.

Key Takeaways

• STLA shares decline 5.59% despite posting revenue and earnings improvements in Q1
• First-quarter revenue climbs 6% to €38.1B, though cash flow remains in negative territory
• Company returns to profitability with €0.4B net income as vehicle deliveries increase
• U.S. operations drive gains while European and Asian markets deliver mixed outcomes
• Management reaffirms 2026 guidance despite investor concerns over liquidity metrics

Shares of Stellantis N.V. (STLA) experienced a significant downturn during pre-market hours, even as the automaker unveiled better-than-expected quarterly earnings. Trading at $7.26, the stock suffered a 5.59% decline, continuing its downward trajectory from the previous session. The company delivered stronger revenue figures, improved profitability, and increased vehicle shipments, suggesting early signs of operational turnaround.

Stellantis N.V., STLA

STLA Shares Sink Despite Positive Quarterly Earnings Momentum

Stellantis announced first-quarter net revenues totaling €38.1 billion for 2026, marking a 6% uplift compared to the same period last year. The expansion was driven by increased unit volumes throughout multiple geographic markets, with particularly robust performance in North American operations. Vehicle shipments surged 12%, demonstrating enhanced consumer appetite and more effective sales strategies.

The automaker swung to a net profit of €0.4 billion, marking a dramatic reversal from the year-ago loss. This turnaround stemmed from enhanced operational efficiency and elevated shipment numbers. Adjusted operating income climbed to €1.0 billion, while operating margins widened to 2.5%.

Despite these encouraging financial metrics, market participants responded negatively, pushing shares lower throughout pre-market activity. The stock retreated to $7.26, indicating continued bearish sentiment among traders. Market observers appeared more concerned with liquidity challenges and profitability sustainability than top-line expansion.

Industrial free cash flow posted a negative €1.9 billion, though this represented a 37% improvement versus the prior-year quarter. The deficit stemmed from typical seasonal working capital requirements during the first quarter along with legacy restructuring expenses. Nevertheless, the company bolstered its financial cushion, closing the period with €44.1 billion in available liquidity.

Geographic Performance Drives Top-Line Expansion

The North American market powered significant growth, with unit sales advancing 6% from Q1 2025 levels. U.S. operations registered a 4% uptick, while Canadian and Mexican markets demonstrated even stronger momentum. Regional market penetration improved to 7.9%, fueled by robust consumer interest in Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs.

Enlarged European operations also contributed positively, with sales volume expanding 5% on a year-over-year basis. The company exceeded overall market growth rates, benefiting from diversified demand spanning electric, hybrid, and traditional powertrains. EU30 market share climbed to 17.5%, reflecting modest competitive gains.

South American operations preserved market leadership despite uneven results across the region. Unit sales edged higher, while market penetration held above 21%. However, net revenues contracted due to adverse foreign exchange movements and softer transaction prices.

Across the Middle East and Africa, sales volumes remained relatively flat amid broader industry headwinds. Market share increased to 11.5%, powered by exceptional performance in Algerian and Turkish markets. Currency volatility dampened profitability metrics throughout the territory.

Asia Pacific operations delivered weaker results, with revenues falling 10% year-over-year. While shipment volumes actually increased, unfavorable pricing dynamics and product mix challenges offset volume gains. As a result, the segment recorded a deeper operating loss during the three-month period.

Management Maintains Guidance While Addressing Liquidity Challenges

Stellantis reaffirmed its full-year 2026 financial targets, anticipating revenue expansion in the mid-single-digit percentage range. Leadership also forecasts low-single-digit operating margins alongside enhanced free cash flow generation. The team is targeting a return to positive industrial free cash flow by fiscal 2027.

The company secured additional capital through a €5 billion hybrid perpetual note offering completed in March 2026. This transaction reinforced the balance sheet and created additional headroom for future capital allocation and transformation initiatives. Management has committed to introducing ten new vehicle models throughout 2026.

Operational excellence initiatives remained central to strategic priorities, as leadership works to resolve manufacturing efficiency and quality control issues. Robust consumer reception to 2025 model year launches provided encouraging early recovery indicators across core territories. Nevertheless, persistent cost inflation and negative cash generation continue to dampen investor enthusiasm.

 

Key Highlights

• Ripple establishes Dubai base to drive blockchain payment adoption in MEA
• Regional headquarters targets growing enterprise crypto demand in UAE
• Dubai financial district office positions Ripple for MEA market expansion
• DIFC headquarters marks strategic UAE commitment for regional scaling
• Dubai hub strengthens Ripple’s Middle East and Africa service delivery

The blockchain payments provider has launched a regional headquarters in the UAE’s financial capital. This strategic move enhances Ripple‘s ability to deliver compliant blockchain-based payment infrastructure. The company targets accelerating enterprise adoption throughout Middle Eastern and African territories.

DIFC Office Anchors Regional Growth Strategy

Ripple positioned its new headquarters within Dubai International Financial Centre to serve as its MEA operational nerve center. This facility enables increased service capacity and supports workforce growth across strategic markets. The company intends to expand its regional team by 100 percent to address mounting client requirements.

This development follows Ripple’s initial Dubai market entry established in 2020. Throughout the intervening period, the company’s regional footprint has expanded alongside accelerating blockchain infrastructure adoption. Middle Eastern markets now constitute a substantial portion of Ripple’s worldwide client portfolio.

The firm maintains deepening partnerships with financial institutions throughout the territory. Its partner network encompasses Zand Bank, Ctrl Alt, Garanti BBVA, Absa Bank, and Chipper Cash. These collaborations demonstrate continuing institutional integration of Ripple’s payment technologies.

Licensing Achievements Bolster Market Position

Dubai Financial Services Authority granted Ripple comprehensive operational authorization in March 2025. This regulatory approval enables the company to provide licensed international digital payment services operating from DIFC. The milestone established Ripple as Dubai’s inaugural blockchain payments entity holding this regulatory designation.

Ripple’s stablecoin initiatives also progressed through regulatory recognition. DFSA designated RLUSD as an approved crypto asset within DIFC jurisdiction. Licensed financial entities can now incorporate RLUSD into compliant operational workflows across the region.

These regulatory achievements underpin Ripple’s comprehensive infrastructure buildout approach. They simultaneously validate Dubai’s emergence as a structured jurisdiction for digital asset enterprises. Ripple maintains strategic alignment between its service offerings and evolving regional compliance frameworks.

Market Momentum Shapes Expansion Blueprint

The Dubai headquarters launch addresses rising enterprise requirements for regulated blockchain payment systems across developing economies. Organizations throughout Middle Eastern and African markets increasingly implement digital financial infrastructure. Ripple is expanding operational capacity to align with this upward market trajectory.

Dubai’s regulatory authorities interpret Ripple’s expansion as validation of the emirate’s institutional framework effectiveness. The city consistently attracts international blockchain enterprises seeking regulatory transparency and operational infrastructure. Ripple’s enhanced presence strengthens Dubai’s standing as a worldwide blockchain innovation center.

Through its enlarged regional team, Ripple intends to intensify client relationships and service delivery. The organization will broaden support spanning payment processing and digital asset custody capabilities. With accelerating market adoption, Ripple positions itself as a cornerstone participant within the region’s maturing digital finance landscape.

On 30 April, after the market close, Apple Inc. will release its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The consensus forecast, based on estimates from 31 analysts, points to revenue of around $109.7 billion, with expected EPS of approximately $1.95. The first quarter set a high benchmark: revenue reached a record $143.8 billion, up 16% year-on-year, while EPS came in at $2.84. However, investors are focusing less on the headline figures and more on management’s outlook. The market is looking for confirmation of a strong iPhone cycle, continued growth in services, as well as signals regarding China and the company’s AI strategy. Additional uncertainty stems from trade policy: new Section 301 investigations into Chinese manufacturing continue to weigh on the company’s supply chain, while rising memory costs are increasingly acting as a headwind to growth.

Technical picture

On the 4-hour chart, a broad sideways range has been in place since October last year. Strong resistance within this range is located around $280, which coincides with the February high and has repeatedly capped price advances. The lower boundary is established near $245, a level that has also seen multiple reversals. The horizontal volume balance zone spans $248–$264, with the point of control around $254–$255. The current price, near $270, is trading above this zone — in an area of lower trading activity where price movements tend to be less stable.

The vertical volume on 7 April stands out across the entire profile — this is when the price rebounded from the lower boundary of the range and, following a gap, began its recovery. The RSI + MAs indicator shows readings of 56, 58 and 57: the oscillator is positioned below both moving averages, indicating continued moderate upward pressure without signs of overheating.

Key Takeaways

The stock approaches its earnings release in a technically mixed position: the price has moved beyond the high-volume zone, while a significant gap remains before the $280 resistance level. The tone of management guidance — particularly regarding margins and China — is likely to determine whether the current momentum can be sustained or whether the price returns to the area of higher trading density.

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Fundstrat co-founder Tom Lee shared a “generational play” thesis for Ethereum that predicts 3,000% upside in Ether (ETH) price to $60,000.

Key takeaways:

• ETH is testing a key long-term support trend line that preceded 5,000% gains in the past.
• Tom Lee amplified the fractal setup, which projects ETH toward $60,000 by 2030.

ETH price chart: Giant ascending channel targets $60,000

On Wednesday, Lee reposted a bullish outlook shared by analyst Crypto Patel that predicted ETH’s price reaching $60,000 in the coming years.

The setup showed a long-term ascending channel that has framed ETH’s price action since 2017, with its upper and lower trend lines repeatedly acting as resistance and support across multiple market cycles.

ETH/USD two-week chart. TradingView/CryptoPatel

In 2020, for example, ETH rebounded from the channel’s lower trend line before rallying roughly 5,200% toward the upper boundary, where the cycle eventually topped.

Again, as of late April, ETH’s price stabilized around the lower trend line, an “accumulation zone” spanning $1,300–$2,000.

Patel highlighted a potential multi-year price rebound in the making, calling it a “generational play” for “patient holders.” His chart projected a 1,000% rise in ETH to around $15,800 by 2028 and 3,150% to $60,000 by 2030.

Related: These 3 Ethereum metrics favor an ETH price rally to $6K

Lee reposted Patel’s bullish outlook after BitMine, the Ethereum treasury firm he chairs, purchased $235 million worth of Ether, lifting its net Ether reserves above 5 million ETH, or roughly 4% of the current Ethereum supply.

BitMine’s Ethereum holdings chart. Source: CoinGecko

The buying spree underscores BitMine’s aggressive ETH accumulation strategy, even as the company remains exposed to sharp market swings. As of late April, its unrealized losses on the investments stood at around $6.5 billion.

Ethereum bears will have other plans

Since 2021, Ether has traded inside a giant symmetrical triangle, a neutral pattern that can break in either direction. It briefly moved above the structure in July 2025, but the breakout failed, sending the price back inside the range.

ETH/USD weekly chart. Source: TradingView

A decisive breakdown below the lower trend line, now near the 0.786 Fibonacci retracement around $1,834, would weaken the bullish case.

Losing this support could open the door to a deeper decline toward the 1.0 Fib line at around $1,000, aligning with downside targets flagged by several bearish analysts earlier this year.

In this case, BitMine could see its unrealized loss swell to roughly $13.2 billion, based on an estimated average ETH acquisition cost of around $3,600 across its holdings until April.

Still, longer-term Ethereum forecasts remain optimistic, with VanEck and Standard Chartered projecting upside targets of up to $22,000 and $40,000, respectively, in their more bullish scenarios.

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.

Crypto has topped the list of most-muted topics on X since the platform rolled out its snooze feature, with spam and artificial intelligence content, or “AI slop,” likely playing a major role.

On Thursday, Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, revealed that crypto has become the most-muted topic ahead of politics, the Iran conflict, sports and business and finance, a notable shift in a platform that was once the heartbeat of Crypto Twitter.

The snooze feature, which lets Premium subscribers hide topics from their For You feed for 24 hours, was launched on April 22. At the time, Bier described the tool as a way for users to “crank up or turn down the slop,” apparently a nod to the flood of low-quality content that has increasingly plagued the platform.

Source: Nikita Beir

Crypto content on X has come under growing scrutiny, with the platform changing its API policies in January to cut off apps that paid users to post. The move was aimed at curbing the wave of AI-generated spam and low-quality content flooding crypto feeds through so-called “InfoFi” apps that rewarded engagement.

Related: Senator Elizabeth Warren questions Elon Musk about X Money

Beir’s run-in with Crypto Twitter

Earlier this year, Bier said in a now-deleted post that Crypto Twitter’s visibility problems were largely self-inflicted, arguing that many accounts burn through their daily reach by overposting or flooding replies with low-value messages like repeated “gm” greetings, leaving little room for substantive content to land.

The remark drew a sharp response from the crypto community. CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju pushed back, arguing that the real problem is a flood of AI-generated spam that X’s algorithm cannot distinguish from legitimate accounts. “It is absurd that X would rather ban crypto than improve its bot detection,” Ju wrote.

Bier joined X as head of product in June 2025, shortly after taking an advisory role at the Solana Foundation in March, where he focused on helping consumer-facing apps built on the network scale and reach mainstream mobile audiences.

X also launched Smart Cashtags on April 15, allowing iPhone users in the US and Canada to view real-time price charts for stocks and crypto, including Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, and stocks like Coinbase and MicroStrategy, without leaving the app. The rollout came days after Bier teased that X would “launch something to fix” crypto’s rough year.

Related: X mulls new rules for first-time crypto posts amid tortoise scam

Crypto sentiment and search interest remain low

Crypto market sentiment remains subdued, with the Fear & Greed Index sitting at 29, or in “Fear” territory. While it is a notable recovery from last month’s Extreme Fear reading of 11, it still signals a state of investor anxiety.

Google Trends data tells a similar story. Worldwide search interest in crypto has trended sharply lower since peaking in early 2026, with interest in terms like “crypto,” “cryptocurrency” and “Bitcoin” declining heading into April.

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

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