Crypto World
Ethereum Staking Surpasses 30% as Institutional Capital Pours In
TLDR:
- Nearly 38.9M ETH worth $85B is now staked, removing one in three tokens from open market circulation.
- Lido, Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken collectively control the bulk of all staked Ethereum holdings.
- ETH climbed from $2,050 to $2,260 in seven days, with buyers absorbing dips after the April 7 breakout.
- Reduced liquid supply means demand-driven price moves face less resistance and tend to extend further.
Ethereum staking milestone data shows that 31.29% of the total ETH supply is now locked across major staking platforms. Nearly 38.9 million ETH, valued at approximately $85 billion, has been committed by institutional and retail participants alike.
This marks a notable structural shift in how capital is engaging with the network. Rather than cycling through short-term trades, holders are locking funds for extended periods, collecting yield, and securing the Ethereum blockchain for the long term.
Institutional Capital and Staking Platforms Drive Ethereum’s Supply Contraction
Ethereum staking milestone figures confirm that roughly 38.9 million ETH is currently locked across staking platforms. That accounts for nearly one in every three ETH tokens removed from open market circulation.
At current valuations, this committed capital totals approximately $85 billion. This is not speculative money rotating through short-term positions.
Staking requires extended lock-up periods, delayed exits, and gradual reward accumulation. That structure attracts holders with longer time horizons rather than traders seeking quick returns.
The composition of staked ETH further sharpens this picture. Lido alone holds over 9 million ETH, while Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken account for substantial additional portions.
This reflects coordinated, yield-focused capital flowing through established infrastructure rather than scattered retail activity.
Platforms such as ether.fi are also redeploying staked ETH across emerging yield layers within the ecosystem. ETH is no longer sitting idle — it is working inside structured financial systems built on Ethereum.
This moves the asset from pure speculation toward active, yield-bearing participation. However, concentration among a handful of platforms raises governance considerations that the network will need to monitor closely over time.
ETH Price Action Mirrors the Conviction Reflected in Staking Data
Ethereum’s 7-day chart shows ETH climbing from roughly $2,050 to the $2,240–$2,260 range. A clear breakout occurred around April 7, after which prices held above $2,200 without any sharp retracement.
That resilience after the surge is notable on its own. Higher lows followed the breakout consistently, with dips toward $2,180 absorbed relatively quickly by buyers.
This points to a market where participants hold through short-term volatility rather than sell into strength. Staking yields appear to anchor behavior more than near-term price targets do.
Reduced circulating supply directly shapes these dynamics. When demand enters a market where a third of the supply is locked, upward moves face less resistance and extend further.
The absence of aggressive selling after the April 7 breakout reflects what stakeholder data already shows. Holders are not positioning to exit — they are building income streams while staying committed to the network.
Crypto World
Ethereum Price Falls Below $3,000 as Validators Cash Out While Pepeto Presale Crosses $9.7 million
The ethereum price fell 4% this week as validators pulled staking rewards amid market pressure, and the same rotation pushing capital out of ETH is flowing into presales with confirmed listings. Large wallets are repositioning in a pattern that matches every cycle before a breakout.
That pressure is creating a window for projects with real products underneath, and Pepeto stands at the front. With a Binance listing approaching, Pepeto crossed $9.7 million in presale funding, a former Binance expert leading the build, and analysts calling for 100x after launch.
Ethereum validators pulled more than 200,000 ETH in withdrawals over the past five days, according to CoinDesk. The move followed the Pectra upgrade going live, which opened new withdrawal options and triggered selling on the ethereum price.
CoinGlass data shows ETH liquidations hit $180 million in 48 hours as long positions got wiped below $2,900. The weakness is pushing capital into early stage projects where upside is not capped by a $300 billion market cap, and presale tokens with confirmed listings carry the most momentum.
Ethereum, Pepeto, and Where Capital Flows After the Dip
Pepeto: The Presale Gaining From Large Cap Pressure
That pressure on large caps is exactly where presale entries gain their edge, and one project already cleared $9.7 million before trading begins. Pepeto sits at the center of that rotation, with a former Binance expert building an exchange that runs on zero fee trading and cross chain transfers.
The same 420 trillion token supply that carried Pepe to $11 billion sits behind Pepeto, but this time a working exchange backs every token from the start.
Analysts see 100x or higher once the Binance listing goes live, and the difference between Pepeto and every other presale token is that the exchange tools already work. The entire platform was built by a team that includes someone who worked inside Binance, and every product protects the holder’s capital before a single trade happens. PepetoSwap removes fees from every trade so nothing gets skimmed from profits, and the cross chain bridge moves tokens between networks at zero cost so holders never pay to reposition.
While ETH whales pull rewards and move capital sideways, the wallets entering Pepeto grow daily because the presale is the one place where retail enters at the same price as the biggest buyers. Pepeto crossed $9.7 million at $0.0000001864, and staking rewards at 176% APY keep tokens locked, the kind of commitment that only appears before a major listing. Add the SolidProof audit that cleared every contract, the cofounder who built the original Pepe coin, and a Binance listing on the calendar, and the ethereum price correction is handing this presale the attention it earned.
ETH Forecast: Where Does the Price Go From $2,313
ETH is trading near $2,313 according to CoinMarketCap, down over the past week after the Pectra upgrade triggered validator withdrawals. The ethereum price has struggled to reclaim $3,000 since late April, and selling from unlocked staking rewards adds weight to each recovery attempt.
Analysts at The Block see $3,200 as the next target if ETH holds $2,700 support through May. Below that, $2,400 becomes the next major floor. Whale wallets holding more than 10,000 ETH have not cut their positions despite the dip, which matches the accumulation pattern that preceded the run from $1,800 to $4,000 in late 2023.
The ethereum price forecast depends on whether institutional buyers step in once the withdrawal wave settles, and a close above $3,000 would confirm the reversal.
Final Takeaway
Watching the ethereum price correct while Pepeto crosses $9.7 million mirrors the setup that turned early ETH holders into millionaires. Those holders turned a few thousand dollars into generational wealth, and every one of them wishes they had bought more at the start.
The same setup is forming around Pepeto, and the Pepeto official website shows capital flowing in before the listing delivers returns that transform presale entries into the biggest positions of the cycle. Securing the entry now captures the upside, and waiting means becoming the person wishing they had acted while the window was open.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs
How does the Pectra upgrade affect the ethereum price?
The upgrade unlocked validator withdrawals that pushed over 200,000 ETH into the market, creating short term selling pressure on the ethereum price below $3,000.
What are the ETH price targets for 2026?
ETH targets $3,200 if $2,700 support holds, with a breakout above $3,000 confirming the reversal. Below $2,700 the next floor sits near $2,400.
Why are analysts watching Pepeto right now?
Pepeto raised over $9.7 million with a Binance listing approaching and a working exchange already live. The Pepeto official website shows the presale still open at pre listing price.
Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.
Crypto World
Crypto, AI Super PACs Flood Midterms As Poll Finds Most Americans Distrust Both Industries
Crypto and AI industry groups are pumping tens of millions of dollars into the 2026 midterm elections, but a new poll shows most Americans don’t trust either industry.
45% of Americans say investing in cryptocurrency is not worth the risk and 44% say AI is developing too fast, according to an April survey by Public First for Politico. The survey also found that narly half trust a traditional bank over a crypto platform, and two-thirds want Congress to impose strict regulations or broad oversight principles on AI.
The numbers spell trouble for candidates taking money from industry-aligned super PACs. In hypothetical matchups, poll respondents were far less likely to back candidates supported by groups pushing looser AI regulations than those backed by groups calling for tighter tech rules.
“Skepticism of the industries, those results suggest, could turn into voter backlash if Americans grow fed up with the heavy spending,” the report said.
The poll was conducted between April 11 and 14, surveying 2,035 US adults online. Results were weighted by age, race, gender, geography and educational attainment, with an overall margin of sampling error of ±2.2 percentage points.
Related: White House confirms Trump to address memecoin gala on Saturday
AI, crypto PACs spend big
Pro-AI super PAC Leading the Future, which launched in August 2025, has raised more than $75 million and deployed funds in primaries across North Carolina, Texas, Illinois and New York. Fairshake, the pro-crypto PAC backed by Coinbase, Andreessen Horowitz and Ripple Labs, has already spent $28 million across competitive primaries.
Source: Politico
Both industries are also spending heavily on lobbyists. OpenAI and Anthropic posted record lobbying expenditures in the first quarter of 2026. The crypto industry, meanwhile, is pushing the CLARITY Act through the Senate, a market structure bill it hopes will bring regulatory certainty to digital assets.
In 2024, a Fairshake-affiliated PAC spent over $40 million helping defeat Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, a longtime crypto critic who is now running again.
Related: Crypto PAC Fellowship Halts Support of Texas AG for Senate: Report
Crypto, AI PACs are flying under the radar
For now, most voters don’t know these groups exist. Just 9% have heard of Leading the Future and only 3% recognize Fairshake. However, political observers told Politico that once voters connect the money to the industries behind it, the backlash could be swift.
“I do think if they see somebody is backed by crypto, that’s always going to be a problem,” former Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci reportedly said.
Magazine: Bitcoin will not hit $1M by 2030, says veteran trader Peter Brandt
Crypto World
Midterms Spur Regulatory Scrutiny Over Crypto and AI Super PACs
In the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections, industry groups aligned with crypto and artificial intelligence are channeling tens of millions of dollars into political committees, even as a new survey indicates broad skepticism among Americans toward both sectors. According to an April 2026 poll conducted by Public First for Politico, 45% of Americans say investing in cryptocurrency is not worth the risk, and 44% believe AI is developing too fast. The survey also found that nearly half of respondents trust traditional banks more than crypto platforms, and two-thirds want Congress to impose strict regulations or broad oversight on AI.
The findings pose a regulatory and political challenge for candidates accepting money from industry-aligned super PACs. In hypothetical matchups, respondents were notably less likely to back candidates supported by groups pushing looser AI regulations than those backed by groups advocating tighter tech rules. The report warned that public skepticism could translate into voter backlash if Americans grow weary of heavy industry spending.
The poll sampled 2,035 U.S. adults online between April 11 and 14, 2026, with results weighted for age, race, gender, geography and education. The margin of sampling error was ±2.2 percentage points. Source: Politico via Public First.
Key takeaways
- Crypto investments: 45% say investing in cryptocurrency is not worth the risk.
- AI development: 44% think AI is developing too fast.
- Trust in institutions: nearly 50% favor traditional banks over crypto platforms.
- Regulatory preference: about 66% want Congress to impose strict regulations or broad oversight on AI.
- Electoral impact of funding: voters favor candidates backed by groups backing tighter AI rules over those backed by groups seeking looser regulation.
- Awareness gap: a minority of voters are aware of industry-aligned PACs, signaling potential rapid shifts if voters connect donor ties to industries.
- Sample size and rigor: the survey encompassed 2,035 online adults with a ±2.2-point margin of error.
AI and crypto in the campaign finance landscape
Industry-aligned political action committees are deploying substantial funds to influence primaries and general election outcomes. Leading the Future, a pro-AI super PAC launched in August 2025, has raised more than $75 million and has deployed resources across primaries in North Carolina, Texas, Illinois and New York. Fairshake, the pro-crypto PAC backed by major industry players including Coinbase, Andreessen Horowitz and Ripple Labs, has already spent about $28 million across competitive races.
Beyond direct contributions, lobbying activity underscores intensifying policy work. OpenAI and Anthropic reported record lobbying expenditures in the first quarter of 2026 as AI policy became a central congressional agenda item. In the crypto policy arena, industry advocates are pressing the CLARITY Act in the U.S. Senate, a measure aimed at providing regulatory clarity for digital assets and their market structure.
The policy milieu includes a historical thread of industry influence on legislation. For instance, Fairshake-linked activity in 2024 contributed to efforts that helped defeat Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, a noted crypto skeptic who is stating a run for office again. This context highlights how PAC funding intersects with regulatory narratives and election outcomes. Cointelegraph has previously reported on the crypto policy agenda and regulatory proposals such as the CLARITY Act, which lawmakers have discussed as a pathway to clearer market rules.
Public awareness and potential electoral implications
Despite the notable sums behind AI and crypto advocacy, public recognition of these groups remains low. Polling showed that only about 9% of respondents have heard of the Leading the Future AI PAC, and roughly 3% recognize Fairshake. Observers cited by Politico noted that once voters connect the money to the industries behind it, backlash could be swift and meaningful.
Former Ohio Representative Jim Renacci, quoted by Politico, suggested that voters may view candidates backed by crypto fundraising as a political liability once donor affiliations are understood. This dynamic underscores how campaign finance transparency and regulatory narratives can influence electoral perceptions, independent of the underlying technology’s merits.
The policy conversation surrounding these factions sits within a broader regulatory framework that includes U.S. and global considerations. While the EU’s MiCA framework seeks harmonized rules for crypto markets, U.S. regulators—led by agencies such as the SEC, CFTC and DOJ—continue to refine guidance on registration, compliance, customer due diligence (AML/KYC) and licensing requirements. The ongoing lobbying and proposed statutes like the CLARITY Act demonstrate the high-stakes contest over how digital assets and AI-enabled services will be overseen in a rapidly evolving market structure.
Looking ahead, the convergence of public sentiment, policy proposals and campaign finance will shape how crypto and AI ecosystems interact with traditional financial systems and regulators. For institutions, this means heightened attention to compliance risk, licensing trajectories, and cross-border regulatory differences as lawmakers weigh stricter oversight against innovation and capital formation.
In the near term, observers will watch for clarity on how AI oversight and crypto market rules are harmonized at the legislative level, how regulators define permissible activities for crypto platforms and AI-assisted services, and how political fundraising disclosures influence voter trust and candidate viability in key battleground districts.
What to watch next: the trajectory of the CLARITY Act in the Senate, ongoing lobbying activity from AI and crypto interests, and the potential for voter backlash as campaign finance visibility increases. These developments will inform institutional risk assessments, regulatory monitoring programs, and compliance planning across crypto firms, exchanges and financial entities engaged in AI-enabled services.
Crypto World
Pizza Orders Near Pentagon Spark Fresh Iran War Jitters
Late-night activity at pizzerias near the Pentagon and SOUTHCOM jumped sharply into the early hours of May 3. The spike has reignited trader speculation that the fragile 2026 Iran ceasefire may be wobbling behind closed doors.
Open-source trackers flagged above-average crowds at Wiseguy Pizza, Papa John’s, and Nighthawk Brewery around 11.30 p.m. ET. Similar activity appeared near the US Southern Command in Florida, where President Donald Trump was reportedly staying.
Iran Ceasefire Tensions Drive the Pizza Speculation
Geopolitical pressure has stayed elevated since the US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier in 2026. The ceasefire that emerged afterward remains brittle.
Earlier rounds of negotiations in Islamabad collapsed before being revived. Traders now read every signal for clues on whether enforcement is holding.
Bitcoin (BTC) has tracked each twist closely. Prior ceasefire shifts moved the asset by thousands of dollars within hours.
The Strait of Hormuz scare earlier in the conflict drove safe-haven assets to record levels of demand.
How the Pizza Index Plays In
The Pentagon Pizza Index uses Google Maps Popular Times data to identify unusual spikes at restaurants near defense sites. Prior surges have lined up with major operations dating back to the Cold War.
Based on reports, Wiseguy Pizza, directly across from the Pentagon, was busier than usual.
The closest Papa John’s to SOUTHCOM also flagged elevated traffic at the same time. The Florida link mattered to traders because President Trump was reportedly based there during the spike.
Skeptics Push Back on the Signal
Critics note the indicator stems from Cold War-era observations and can be gamed by small order volumes or coordinated trolling.
The Pentagon has not commented on the May 3 activity. The department also maintains internal food services that reduce reliance on outside delivery.
Traders watching geopolitical risk treated the spike as one input among many. Oil flows, prediction markets, and on-chain positioning will reveal more in the coming days.
The post Pizza Orders Near Pentagon Spark Fresh Iran War Jitters appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Iran’s Largest Crypto Exchange Linked to Supreme Leader’s Family
Reuters’ in-depth examination casts a revealing light on Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, and the powerful family behind its emergence. The investigation traces Nobitex to Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi, two brothers who operated under the alias “Aghamir” to obscure links to the Kharrazi dynasty, a lineage with longstanding proximity to Iran’s political leadership. The findings place Nobitex at the heart of Iran’s crypto activity while raising questions about governance, influence, and the broader sanction landscape surrounding Iran’s financial footprint in digital assets.
The Kharrazi family’s proximity to the country’s leadership stretches across generations. Reuters reports ties that reach Ali Khamenei and Mojtaba Khamenei, with the brothers’ grandfather said to have served on the Assembly of Experts, and their father, Ayatollah Bagher Kharrazi, linked to early staffing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The brothers’ use of an alternate surname in corporate records illustrates how entrenched networks can intersect with Iran’s burgeoning crypto economy, even as Nobitex positions itself as a gateway for millions of users navigating a sanctions-ridden financial landscape.
Key takeaways
- Nobitex’s founders reportedly used the alias “Aghamir” to mask ties to the Kharrazi dynasty, a lineage with deep political connections in Iran, according to a Reuters investigation.
- The exchange remains operational amid ongoing conflict, serving more than 11 million customers and handling substantial trade activity, including during internet blackouts, with analysts noting significant on-chain outflows.
- On-chain analytics identify substantial flows linked to sanctioned entities and centralized bank activity, with Elliptic estimating about $366 million in suspect transfers, Chainalysis about $68 million, and Crystal Intelligence about $22 million in direct transfers from sanctioned wallets.
- Investigators have noted that wallets tied to Iran’s central bank sent hundreds of millions of dollars to Nobitex in 2025, as part of a broader strategy to bypass financial restrictions, alongside a separate dispute that surfaced $20 million in routed state funds via Babak Zanjani’s wallets.
- The United States has intensified its Iran-focused crypto crackdown, with seizures approaching half a billion dollars in Iranian digital assets, a development Cointelegraph characterizes as a major escalation in Operation Economic Fury, and with Tether reportedly assisting in freezing some of the assets.
Nobitex’s role in Iran’s evolving crypto economy
Nobitex is described by Reuters as Iran’s biggest crypto exchange and a dominant conduit for crypto activity in the country. The platform reportedly serves a user base exceeding 11 million, illustrating how a single marketplace can anchor a large portion of Iran’s on-chain financial activity even as the country navigates sanctions and international scrutiny. Analysts cited by Reuters noted that Nobitex continued to operate through wartime disruptions, including nationwide internet outages, underscoring the exchange’s centrality to everyday crypto use in Iran during periods of heightened conflict.
Beyond sheer volume, the article highlights a paradox at the heart of Iran’s crypto environment: while Nobitex supports ordinary users, its activity has drawn scrutiny over possible links to sanctioned entities. Investigators cited by Reuters describe a spectrum of on-chain movements that appear to intersect with Iranian state interests and sanctioned actors, raising questions about how the exchange is governed and how it manages compliance with international sanctions regimes.
Where the data points to on-chain flows
The analysis of on-chain activity presents a bifurcated picture. On one side are the volumes associated with regular citizens and legitimate commerce; on the other are flows that analysts label as suspect or high-risk. Elliptic’s assessment flagged roughly $366 million in flows deemed suspect, while Chainalysis placed the figure at about $68 million. Crystal Intelligence identified around $22 million in direct transfers from sanctioned wallets. While these figures reflect different methodologies and timeframes, they collectively sketch a landscape in which Nobitex sits at a nexus of sanction risk and international enforcement attention.
In addition to sanction-related movements, Reuters cites findings about Iranian central-bank wallets engaging with Nobitex, with reports suggesting hundreds of millions of dollars moved to the exchange in 2025. A separate dispute involving businessman Babak Zanjani exposed wallet addresses that analysts say revealed at least $20 million in routed state funds. Taken together, these points underscore the degree to which Nobitex sits at the intersection of political economy, financial sanctions, and the security considerations that come with a high-volume crypto exchange operating within a tense geopolitical environment.
Nobitex has publicly denied formal ties to the Iranian government, arguing that illicit transactions constitute a small share of its overall activity. The exchange’s stance reflects a common tension in sanctioned markets: while platforms may operate commercially and serve ordinary users, the boundaries of acceptable activity are contested and subject to ongoing enforcement scrutiny.
Crackdowns beyond borders: the U.S. sanctions regime and seizures
Cointelegraph has reported that U.S. authorities have seized nearly $500 million in cryptocurrency linked to Iran, marking a pronounced escalation of enforcement under a campaign known as Operation Economic Fury. This sum sits alongside previously disclosed totals, including about $344 million in frozen assets, with the stablecoin issuer Tether said to have assisted in freezing portions of the funds. The mounting seizures illuminate a broader policy shift in which digital assets become a focal point of financial pressure aimed at constraining Iran’s access to the global financial system.
The seizures reflect a wider arc of U.S. policy that seeks to disrupt illicit finance channels tied to Iran. For market watchers, this intensifies the imperative for exchanges operating in or serving Iran to maintain robust sanctions screening and on-chain analytics capabilities, as well as transparent governance practices to reassure counterparties and regulators abroad.
What this means for investors, users, and the broader market
The Reuters profile of Nobitex, paired with the mounting enforcement actions described by Cointelegraph, highlights a dual reality for the crypto ecosystem in sanctioned environments. On one hand, crypto exchanges in Iran provide essential access to digital assets for millions of users, enabling remittances, trading, and cross-border transaction flows in a market beset by external financial pressure. On the other hand, the same activity invites intense scrutiny from international regulators and sanctions authorities, creating an environment in which governance, compliance, and traceability are as critical as the technology itself.
For investors and builders, the episode underscores several practical takeaways: the importance of transparent ownership structures and verifiable governance in high-risk markets; the need for rigorous on-chain analytics and sanctions screening to mitigate exposure to sanctioned flows; and the reality that geopolitical risk remains a material factor shaping liquidity, risk premiums, and regulatory trajectories in crypto ecosystems connected to Iran.
regulators and industry participants will be watching closely how Nobitex navigates these pressures going forward. The combination of elite political connections, persistent sanctions exposure, and a large user base means Nobitex sits at a crossroads – potentially catalyzing both greater adoption of crypto tools inside Iran and more disciplined, internationally aligned compliance practices demanded by global markets.
As the story unfolds, observers will be looking for three questions in particular: how Nobitex tightens governance and compliance to address sanction-related concerns; whether central-bank wallet activity remains a recurring channel of state-directed flows into the exchange; and how U.S. and allied sanctions policies evolve in response to the broader political economy of Iran’s crypto ecosystem.
Readers should stay tuned for updates on regulatory developments connected to Iran’s crypto landscape, the evolving relationship between Iranian financial authorities and domestic exchanges, and any shifts in on-chain flow patterns that might signal a new phase in enforcement or market adaptation.
Sources referenced in this report include a Reuters investigation detailing Nobitex’s founder ties and aliases, plus independent on-chain analyses cited by Reuters. For the enforcement context, Cointelegraph’s reporting on U.S. seizures and the broader Operation Economic Fury provides additional perspective on how sanctions policy intersects with crypto markets.
Crypto World
Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund raises record $6B fund
Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund has closed a new $6 billion fund, marking the largest raise in the venture capital firm’s history.
Summary
- Founders Fund closed a record $6 billion fund focused mainly on late-stage startup investments.
- Limited partners provided $4.5 billion, while Thiel and insiders contributed another $1.5 billion.
- The raise shows major venture firms still attract capital for mature technology companies.
The vehicle will focus mainly on late-stage companies as private startups continue to seek large funding rounds outside public markets.
Bloomberg reported that Founders Fund raised $6 billion for a new late-stage investment vehicle, citing people familiar with the matter. The raise marks the firm’s biggest fund haul since its launch two decades ago.
The fund will target more mature startups rather than early-stage companies. That focus places the firm in competition for large private deals at a time when high-growth technology firms are staying private for longer.
Thiel and team commit $1.5 billion
About $4.5 billion of the new fund came from limited partners, including sovereign wealth funds, according to Bloomberg’s report. The remaining $1.5 billion came from Thiel, Founders Fund management, and employees.
That internal commitment may draw attention from investors because it shows that the firm’s own team has capital tied to the fund’s results. Founders Fund has often followed a concentrated investment style, backing fewer companies with larger checks.
Additionally, the new fund is Founders Fund’s fourth growth-stage vehicle. It was raised less than one year after its prior growth fund, marking the fastest fund cycle in the firm’s 20-year history.
The speed of the raise reflects rising demand for late-stage capital. Many private companies now prefer large private rounds over public listings, especially when IPO markets remain selective.
Reports also said the firm’s prior $4.6 billion fund was deployed faster than planned. Founders Fund backed a small number of companies with large checks, including investments tied to artificial intelligence and defense technology.
Venture market favors large funds
The raise adds to a wider trend in venture capital, where large firms continue to attract major commitments while smaller managers face harder fundraising conditions. Investors have shown strong interest in artificial intelligence, defense, infrastructure, and other capital-heavy sectors.
Andreessen Horowitz also raised more than $15 billion across five funds earlier this year, including capital for scaling startups and AI infrastructure. That raise showed that major venture firms are still drawing large pools of capital despite a mixed private market.
Crypto World
Figure’s $1 billion month signals breakout moment for tokenized credit
Mike Cagney has been here before, just not with blockchain.
In the early 2010s, he helped reshape consumer lending with SoFi by connecting borrowers directly with capital. Now, at Figure Technology Solutions (FIGR), he said he’s trying to do something similar on a much larger scale: rebuild the infrastructure of credit markets themselves.
The plan may be working. Figure crossed $1 billion in monthly loan originations for the first time in March, part of a $2.9 billion first quarter that puts the firm on roughly $12 billion in annualized volume.
Cagney, who is speaking at Consensus Miami conference next week, told CoinDesk that the goal is to build new plumbing for these markets.
“We’re building a marketplace where credit can move efficiently, without all the traditional layers,” he said.
Three levers of value
Cagney broke Figure’s model into three core advantages.
The first is cost. Tokenizing loans reduces the friction and expense of securitization, cutting out intermediaries that have historically taken significant fees.
The second is liquidity. Figure has built what it describes as one of the only continuously updating marketplaces for consumer credit outside of government-backed mortgage systems like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
“The loans update in real time, which creates a different kind of market,” Cagney said.
The third is access. By bringing these assets onchain, Figure can plug them into decentralized finance (DeFi), allowing a broader range of investors to gain exposure, or borrow against them.
That’s where the model starts to blur the line between traditional finance and crypto, Cagney said.
Figure’s latest push is into what Cagney calls “democratized prime,” essentially opening up prime brokerage-style lending to a wider audience.
Through products like its Forge platform, loans are pooled into standardized vaults and converted into tokens that can be used as collateral in DeFi protocols. That standardization is key.
“DeFi only works if the collateral is liquid and transparent,” he said.
Figure has launched related initiatives on networks like Solana, with plans to expand to Ethereum, allowing users to invest in tokenized credit pools or borrow against them.
The company is also experimenting beyond loans.
It has introduced a yield-bearing stablecoin, YLDS, backed by traditional assets like Treasurys, with roughly $600 million in balances, and is exploring tokenized equities, issuing its own stock onchain in a way that allows investors to lend against it directly.
Cagney pointed to a stark inefficiency in traditional markets. Stock lending can carry borrow rates of 30% or more, while investors often receive only a fraction of that yield.
“We can put that value back in the hands of the asset owner,” he said.
Pragmatic blockchain
For all the ambition, Cagney is quick to draw boundaries.
Not everything belongs onchain, he said. Tokenizing property itself, for instance, may not be an efficient use of capital. But financial abstraction, meaning loans, securities and equity are a different story.
That pragmatism reflects a broader critique of the crypto industry, which he said has often chased ideas without clear economic grounding.
“A lot of things were done just for the sake of it,” he said. “What matters is, does this actually improve the system?”
Figure’s growth suggests, at least in one corner of the market, the answer may be yes. The company is profitable, scaling, and approaching $30 billion in cumulative originations. That’s still small relative to traditional finance, but it’s large enough to be noticed.
Cagney said he sees much more room to run.
“Blockchain is the most transformative technology, and it will reallocate more public market cap than any technology ever has,” he said. “There are whole industries that are going to disappear when it becomes ubiquitous. Someone has to do the work to get there, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Read more: Private credit may be the breakout use case for tokenization: Maple’s Sidney Powell
Crypto World
BlackRock Signals OCC Tokenized Reserve Cap Would Threaten BUIDL Growth
BlackRock filed a 17-page comment letter asking the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to scrap a proposed 20% cap on tokenized reserve assets in its draft rules for the GENIUS Act.
The world’s largest asset manager submitted the filing on the final day of the agency’s 60-day comment window, which opened when the OCC’s proposal was published in the Federal Register on March 2.
Why a Tokenized Reserve Cap Threatens BUIDL
BlackRock called the proposed cap “extraneous” to the agency’s objectives in its letter, filed in the public docket.
The firm argued that reserve risk depends on credit quality, duration, and liquidity. It does not matter whether an asset moves on a distributed ledger.
That position carries commercial weight. The firm’s BUIDL fund holds nearly $2.6 billion in assets, according to RWA.xyz data.
It supplies more than 90% of the reserves behind Ethena’s USDtb and Jupiter’s JupUSD on Solana.
“[The limit is] extraneous [to the OCC’s objectives…risk profiles are driven by credit quality, duration, and liquidity]…not whether the asset is held or transferred on a distributed ledger,” read an excerpt in the comment letter.
A 20% ceiling would restrict how aggressively BUIDL can scale inside permitted payment stablecoin issuer reserves.
Circle’s USYC currently leads the tokenized field with $2.9 billion in assets under management.
Other Asks in the Letter
The firm pressed the OCC to confirm that ETFs qualify as reserves under Section 4 of the law. The treatment would extend to Treasury ETFs invested solely in eligible assets.
It also urged the agency to add two-year US Treasury floating-rate notes to the eligible asset list. The notes carry weekly coupon resets and limited price volatility.
Roland Villacorta and Benjamin Tecmire signed the letter on behalf of BlackRock. The Brookings Institution filed separately Friday, urging higher capital charges on uninsured deposits held as reserves.
The 376-page proposal sits alongside parallel rulemakings from the FDIC, Treasury, FinCEN, and OFAC. All face a January 2027 compliance deadline.
How the OCC handles tokenization will shape how quickly BUIDL becomes a fixture in bank-issued stablecoin reserves.
The post BlackRock Signals OCC Tokenized Reserve Cap Would Threaten BUIDL Growth appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Algorand Emerges as the Go-To Blockchain for Post-Quantum Security as Industry Threats Grow
TLDR:
- Algorand uses Falcon signatures, a lattice-based system designed to resist future quantum computing attacks on blockchain networks.
- Google, Coinbase, and IEEE have each recognized Algorand’s post-quantum security framework as a leading solution in the DLT space.
- Quantum algorithms like Shor’s could expose private keys on ECC-based blockchains, putting wallets and transactions at serious risk.
- Most blockchains will require hard forks and wallet migrations to become quantum-safe, while Algorand’s infrastructure is already prepared.
As quantum technology advances, concerns over its potential to break existing cryptographic systems are growing across the blockchain industry.
Algorand has emerged as a leading distributed ledger technology (DLT) recognized for its post-quantum security approach.
Major names, including Google, Coinbase, and the IEEE, have acknowledged the network’s capabilities in this space.
Developers have been actively addressing quantum risks for some time, and attention around their efforts has grown considerably.
Algorand’s Falcon Signatures Set It Apart From Other Blockchains
Most blockchains today rely on elliptic curve cryptography, commonly known as ECC. This system secures wallets, transactions, and digital signatures across the crypto space.
The core assumption behind ECC is that deriving a private key from a public key is computationally impossible. However, quantum computing challenges that assumption directly.
Quantum algorithms, particularly Shor’s algorithm, could theoretically extract private keys from public keys. This creates serious risks for blockchain networks that have not updated their cryptographic foundations.
Wallets could become vulnerable, transactions could be forged, and signature systems could be compromised entirely.
Algorand has already integrated post-quantum cryptography into its design to address these threats. The network uses Falcon signatures, which are lattice-based cryptographic systems built to resist quantum attacks.
This makes Algorand’s security framework relevant not just today but in a future where quantum computing is widely available.
As @theweb3alert noted on X, Algorand “isn’t just secure for today… It’s being built to remain secure in a post-quantum world.” That forward-looking design separates it from many competing networks currently operating on older cryptographic standards.
Industry Recognition Grows as Quantum Computing Advances
The involvement of Chris Peikert, a world-leading quantum security researcher, in the Algorand ecosystem signals the project’s seriousness in this field.
His contributions helped lay an early technical foundation for the network’s quantum-resistant architecture. That foundation is now drawing broader attention from major industry players.
Google, Coinbase, and IEEE are not minor voices in the technology world. Their recognition of Algorand’s quantum security work carries real weight across both the crypto and broader tech industries. These acknowledgments come as quantum computing moves closer to practical, real-world use.
Most competing blockchains will eventually need to upgrade their cryptography, migrate wallets, and potentially execute hard forks to remain secure.
These processes carry technical risk and can disrupt network activity significantly. Algorand, however, has already built quantum resistance into its existing infrastructure.
The broader blockchain industry is still catching up to the reality that quantum computing poses a genuine threat to current security models. Algorand’s proactive approach puts the network in a strong technical position ahead of that shift.
Crypto World
TAO Breaks March Resistance as Daily Chart Points to 21% Upside Target
TLDR:
- TAO broke above the $288.1 Fibonacci level on the daily chart for the first time since March 2026.
- Volume hit 23.57K TAO on the breakout day, exceeding recent consolidation averages by a notable margin.
- The 200-day MA at $272.4 has shifted from overhead resistance to a rising support floor below price.
- The measured upside target sits at $348.7, representing approximately a 21% move from current price levels.
Bittensor (TAO) is drawing attention after breaking a critical price level not seen since March. The asset closed above $288.1 on the daily chart, a level tied to the 0.382 Fibonacci retracement.
Volume on the daily timeframe came in at 23.57K TAO, above recent consolidation averages. The 200-day moving average sits at $272.4, now acting as rising support below price.
TAO Forms Textbook Base After Three-Month Decline
TAO peaked at $377 in November 2024 before entering a controlled downtrend. The asset found its floor at $143 in early February 2026.
That bottom aligned closely with the 0.618 Fibonacci extension from the prior bull cycle. The depth and structure of that base drew attention from technically focused traders.
From $143, price bounced sharply back toward the $377 region within weeks. It then pulled back into a consolidation range between $232 and $288.
That range held for roughly six weeks, forming a pattern of higher lows throughout. The structure is consistent with a base-building phase before a directional move.
Crypto analyst @2xnmore noted the setup on social media, stating: “$TAO just broke a level on the daily chart that has not been touched since March. Most people have not noticed yet.”
The post outlined a full technical breakdown across both the 4-hour and daily timeframes. The analyst pointed to the Fibonacci base, 200-day MA reclaim, and volume confirmation.
The 200-day moving average shifted from overhead resistance to a rising floor over the past two weeks. Price held above it consistently during that period. That transition is often a key structural signal for trend continuation.
Daily Close and Volume Drive Technical Case for TAO
The 4-hour chart confirmed the $288.1 break earlier in the session. However, the daily candle carries more weight for institutional participants.
Fund managers and systematic strategies typically track daily closes over intraday timeframes. A confirmed close above $288.1 brings a broader buyer profile into the asset.
Volume confirmation separates a genuine breakout from a false one. The 23.57K TAO recorded on the daily exceeded recent consolidation averages by a meaningful margin.
That activity aligned directly with the price break, adding credibility to the move. Traders watch for exactly this combination before positioning.
From current levels near $288.5, the next key test sits at $300. That level carries psychological weight and may produce resistance or shakeout attempts.
Beyond that, $348.7 represents the 0.618 retracement of the full $143 to $377 swing. That target reflects a roughly 21% move from current price.
The level to watch on the downside is $288.1, which must hold on any daily retest. A daily close below it resets the setup. The $272.4 200-day MA remains the last critical level bulls must defend on a weekly close.
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