Crypto World
Ethereum Whale Places $90M Long Bets as ETH Targets $3,200
An Ethereum whale has taken a sizable bullish stance, opening a leveraged long position worth 90.8 million dollars in ETH, using 20x leverage. A second notable whale appears to have joined the bid, opening a roughly 61 million ETH long at 20x leverage on HyperLiquid, with an entry around $2,303. The moves come as ETH traded near $2,280, roughly 32% above the February low near $1,750, and as inflows into spot ETH products keep accumulating in a backdrop of improving market optimism.
Key takeaways:
- Ethereum-equivalent wagers: one trader opened a leveraged long position totaling $90.8 million in ETH, at 20x leverage.
- Another whale added about $61 million in ETH longs at 20x leverage, with entry around $2,303.
- Price setup near-term: ETH sits above $2,200, with an ascending triangle pattern on the daily chart pointing toward higher targets if resistance at $2,400 is cleared.
- Capital inflows reinforce bulls: seven consecutive days of spot ETH ETF inflows totaling about $426 million, and ETH investment products logging $328 million in inflows for the week ending April 17.
Market context: whales stacking bets as macro cues loom
Across market data, ETH has enjoyed a steady bid in recent sessions, with the ETH/USD pair trading around $2,280 after a strong rally off the February lows. A trader known for track record and risk appetite highlighted that macro forces could swing sentiment in either direction this week. AlphaBTC, posting on X, noted that stronger retail sales could push yields higher and delay anticipated Fed rate cuts, while weak data would likely spur risk-on positioning. The analyst added that Fed commentary and PMI data offer growth signals, but geopolitical developments remain a wildcard that could spark sudden volatility.
In this environment, one high-profile trader has unveiled a substantial long on ETH, signaling a strong nearby conviction about upside potential. The $90.8 million position is notable not only for its size, but for the use of 20x leverage, which magnifies both potential gains and risk should market conditions turn unfavorably. A second whale has also stepped in, with a roughly $61 million ETH long at 20x leverage, entering around the $2,303 area on HyperLiquid, according to trader posts tracked by market observers.
These positions arrive as investors monitor a broader backdrop of rising activity in ETH-related instruments. Spot Ethereum ETFs have seen inflows for seven straight weeks, totaling roughly $426 million over the period observed, a sign that institutional appetite for direct exposure to ether remains resilient even amid the volatility tied to macro headlines. The flow backdrop complements another trend: continuous inflows into global Ethereum investment products, with weekly inflows reported at about $328 million for the week ending April 17, underscoring a persistent preference for ETH among asset allocators.
Technical setup: how the chart shapes a potential breakout
From a purely technical lens, ether’s price action on the daily chart is forming an ascending triangle, a pattern traders watch as a potential continuation signal. The critical threshold to clear is the resistance line near $2,400. If ETH breaks above this level, the pattern’s classical measure suggests a rally equal to the height of the triangle’s base, potentially pushing ETH toward roughly $3,230 in a continuation move. In numerical terms, that would be a gain of a bit more than 41% from current levels.
Other nearby hurdles may shape whether a breakout actually unfolds. The immediate region around $2,350–$2,500 sits under the influence of the 50-day exponential moving average, which has in some periods acted as a ceiling for near-term momentum. If buying pressure pushes ETH beyond that band, the next sizable obstacle sits at the 200-day EMA near $2,640, a level that could determine whether buyers sustain the push into higher territory.
On the momentum side, the relative strength index has moved up from oversold conditions in February to the mid-50s, signaling a better probability of upward movement but not a guarantee of a decisive breakout. Micro2Macr0, analyzing broader chart patterns, has suggested that a sustained breakout from a multi-year ascending triangle could trigger a substantial rally, though the path may be choppy given the proximity to several key resistance zones.
Analyst commentary from Cointelegraph’s coverage of price projections also points to a potential recovery path if ETH clears the $2,400 level. A successful breach could pave the way toward intermediate targets in the $2,800 region, with a further push toward $3,050 over the ensuing sessions or weeks, depending on the pace of buying interest and macro catalysts.
Flows, ETFs, and the institutional backdrop
The ongoing inflow momentum into Ethereum-related products appears to be reinforcing a narrative that large holders expect a continued price recovery from the mid-$2,000s. Spot ETH inflows, which track demand for immediate exposure to ether, have persisted across multiple weeks, signaling that buyers remain engaged even as macro headlines intermittently threaten risk assets.
Beyond spot, the broader ETH investment product segment—ranging from exchange-traded products to other listed vehicles—has also drawn meaningful funds. The week ending April 17 saw ETH-focused products record inflows of about $328 million, a signal that institutions and professional traders are logistics-ready to chase a rising ETH bid in various instruments. This backdrop supports the argument that any near-term sell-off could be met with a quick reaccumulation by professional participants and strategic buyers seeking to front-run a potential breakout scenario.
For market watchers, the combination of outsized whale positions, rising momentum on the technical front, and persistent inflows into ETH-centric products forms a cohesive narrative: the market is positioning for further upside, but the path remains contingent on clearing a few important resistance levels and navigating macro volatility.
What comes next: watching key thresholds and potential catalysts
As ETH eyes higher ground, market participants should focus on the $2,400 barrier and the surrounding order flow. A clean breakout above this level would remove a major roadblock and open the door to the next target near $3,230, with further extension toward $3,050 on the sooner-to-mid-term horizon depending on momentum and liquidity conditions. Conversely, a struggle to push through $2,350–$2,500 could extend consolidation, providing a lower-risk setup for traders looking to re-enter on dips.
Investors should also keep an eye on macro signals that could alter the calculus in the coming weeks. If retail demand and macro data push yields higher and the Fed commments lean toward tighter near-term policy, risk assets could face headwinds. In contrast, softer data or a more accommodative tone could sustain a constructive tilt for ETH alongside other risk-on assets.
In sum, the current landscape suggests that large-scaled bets by whales, coupled with reinforcing flows into ETH vehicles and a rising chart trajectory, could keep ETH in focus as a prominent beta play within the broader crypto market. The next test will be whether ETH can clear the $2,400 resistance decisively and trigger the projected triangle-derived rally, or whether macro dynamics and technical friction at nearby EMAs will cap the move in the near term.
The market will likely respond to fresh price action around the critical levels and to any new liquidity injections or regulatory signals. Traders and investors should stay tuned for rapid shifts in sentiment as weekly inflows and notable on-chain moves continue to shape Ethereum’s short- to medium-term trajectory.
If Michael Saylor can sustain his trailing four-week pace of bitcoin (BTC) buying, Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) could own more than Satoshi Nakamoto by September 2026.
Buying at the world’s largest BTC treasury company now averages nearly 2,800 BTC per trading day after accelerating 40% over the last four weeks above its year-to-date average.
Strategy has publicly targeted 1 million BTC under its so-called 21/21 capital plan.
Monday’s SEC Form 8-K filing pushed the company’s holdings to 815,061 BTC. Saylor picked up 34,164 BTC last week alone, a single-week record for 2026, at an average purchase price of $74,395 per coin.
Strategy’s blended cost basis across all holdings is now $75,527, which sits within 1% of the prevailing market price of BTC.
Although there are a variety of estimates for the total holdings of Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, 1.1 million is a common estimate. For example, Arkham Intelligence attributes 1,096,354 BTC to Satoshi from roughly 22,000 coinbase rewards of the blockchain’s earliest blocks.
Strategy is a mere 281,293 coins short of that figure.
If Saylor continues his pace over the last 30 days through autumn, Strategy could close the gap in 101 trading days, or about 147 calendar days.
Strategy could buy more bitcoin than Satoshi
Strategy can buy and hold BTC around the clock, but it cannot fund new buys 24/7. At the market (ATM) offerings of MSTR common stock; as well as the preferreds STRC, STRK, STRF, and STRD; occur when Nasdaq is open.
Any realistic projection of when Strategy might own more BTC than Satoshi has to measure pace by trading day, i.e. roughly 21 trading days per month adjusted for federal market holidays.
Year-to-date through April 19, Strategy has bought 142,561 BTC for roughly $11.13 billion across 73 trading days. That’s approximately 1,953 BTC per trading day.
Extrapolating the 2026 average through November 13 would put Strategy past Satoshi on that date.
However, the trailing four weeks are running about 40% hotter than the first quarter. Strategy’s last four weekly announcements, covering March 23 through April 19, totaled 52,962 BTC across 19 trading days.
That acceleration tracks Strategy’s March 23 expansion of its ATM sales. On that day, the company authorized another $21 billion of new MSTR common stock, $21 billion of new STRC preferreds, and a more limited $2.1 billion of STRK preferreds.
Saylor posted, “The Second Century Begins” in early March. He meant that Strategy had just completed its 100th BTC purchase since 2020. Six weeks into his “second century,” Saylor has bought another 76,330 BTC.
STRC preferred is doing most of the work
Of the roughly $11.34 billion Strategy has raised this year through its ATMs, almost all of which went to buy BTC, MSTR common stock provided about 50.8% or $5.77 billion. STRC provided 49.1% or $5.57 billion.
STRF and STRD preferreds contributed nothing, and STRK raised just $3.4 million.
Thanks to an aggressive advertising campaign likening STRC to a high-yield bank account or money market fund — in addition to a surge in trading volume to capture the dividend snapshot for STRC’s then-once-monthly, 11.5% annualized dividend — Strategy reported $2.2 billion of STRC sales, dwarfing its $366 million of MSTR sales.
Although MSTR has historically funded the vast majority of Strategy’s BTC buying, STRC funded 85% of last week’s purchase.
Last year, in contrast, Strategy sold zero STRC through its ATM from August through October 2025.
Read more: STRC controversy goes mainstream
STRC is supposed to trade near $100 per share, but shares have traded below $91 at times. The company has raised its dividend rate seven times in order to encourage bids after its price fell.
Strategy has also been stockpiling a few dollars, not just BTC.
The company disclosed $2.25 billion USD as of January 4. This cash is earmarked to service preferred dividends and bond interest payments. The reserve started at $1.44 billion in December 2025.
Got a tip? Send us an email securely via Protos Leaks. For more informed news, follow us on X, Bluesky, and Google News, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Solana (SOL) price trades at $84.15 on the 12-hour chart, attempting a rebound from the $82.93 support. A hidden bullish divergence has formed between April 15 and April 19, signaling that selling momentum may be exhausting.
However, rising sell volume and a massive spike in exchange inflows complicate the setup. Someone is consistently offloading SOL into each rebound attempt, and the DeFi contagion spreading from Ethereum explains why.
Price Flashes a Rebound Signal but Sell Volume Tells a Different Story
Solana price peaked at $90.79 on April 17 before pulling back sharply. The low at $82.93 on April 19 marked a higher low compared a level reached on April 15. During that same window, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) printed a lower low. RSI is a momentum indicator that measures the speed of recent price changes.
That pattern is a hidden bullish divergence. Price made a higher low while RSI made a lower low, which typically signals that selling pressure is weakening. A rebound attempt has already started from that level.
Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.
Yet volume tells the opposite story. Sell-side volume has been rising since April 18, even as RSI suggests momentum is fading. That combination carries a specific meaning. Fewer percentage moves per sell wave, paired with more participants, points to distribution rather than panic. Someone is consistently unloading SOL into each small rebound.
Meanwhile, the likely source is the spreading DeFi contagion. Following the KelpDAO rsETH exploit, Solana’s Kamino Prime Market USDC reserve hit 100% utilization on April 20.
Zero liquidity is available. Multiple USDC vaults are above 95% utilization. Funds with stuck USDC positions may be selling SOL on spot markets to raise cash. That pressure creates the supply cap the chart is showing.
Exchange Inflows Surge 1,102% as Hodlers Add Nearly 500K SOL
On-chain data confirms the forced-selling thesis. The SOL Exchange Net Position Change has exploded. This metric tracks the 30-day flow of coins into or out of exchange wallets.
Meanwhile, on April 15, the metric read 109,932 SOL. By April 19, it had surged to 1,321,484 SOL. That is a 1,102% increase in four days. More SOL is now sitting on exchanges, typically a precursor to selling.
Yet the other side of the market is doing the opposite. The SOL Hodler Net Position Change is climbing. This metric tracks the 30-day change in supply held by wallets older than 155 days.
On April 16, hodlers held a net 2,434,566 SOL added over the prior month. By April 19, that figure had climbed to 2,921,661 SOL. Long-term holders added roughly 487,000 SOL in three days, a 20% jump.
The split is the key to the entire picture. Forced sellers from the DeFi crisis are possibly depositing to exchanges. Long-term holders are absorbing the supply. That structure produces a shallow rebound rather than a collapse, with each side fighting for control at specific price levels.
Solana Price Levels That Decide Between a Shallow Bounce and a Breakdown
Solana price at $84.15 sits between two tight levels. The first upside test is $85.42. A clean move above that strengthens the rebound. However, the next resistance at $90.79 is the April 17 high, a level that already rejected once. A reclaim there would neutralize the current weakness and open a path toward $93.40.
Yet if forced sellers overwhelm the hodler bid, the rebound fails. A touch of $82.93 invalidates the hidden bullish divergence. A break of $82.11, the 0.618 Fibonacci, opens $79.95 and $76.74 as the next downside targets.
Solana price at $82.93 separates a rebound that holds long-term conviction from a breakdown driven by the DeFi crisis.
The post Solana Tries to Rebound but a DeFi Contagion Sends 1.32 Million SOL to Exchanges appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Gudtrip, the AI-powered weed vape created by “vape-to-earn” firm Puffpaw, has been branded a contender for the “grifter buzzword world record” this 4/20.
On today of all days, X users decided to comment on Gudtrip’s claims that it combines “premium cannabis, blockchain rewards, and AI-powered asset tools in one product,” asking, “Is Gudtrip going for a grifter buzzword world record?”
Gudtrip says it will reward its users with “Bitcoin [BTC], Gudtrip Points, and VAPE token” when they smoke using the device.
As for the AI integration, Gudtrip says that users wishing to invest their crypto rewards can use its “open-source AI agent tools to explore supported blockchain-based strategies.”
Another X user said, “In a just world, ‘AI-powered crypto weed vape’ is an object that when conceived opens a chasm to hell beneath your feet,” while one claimed, “I’ve never seen a group of more ridiculous buzz words surrounding a drug device please dear god fuck off with your crypto/agentic AI bullshit scam thanks.”
While puffing on your vape, you’re likely to be accruing its VAPE token — the price of which Protos has been unable to confirm — rather than the 20 BTC worth $1.5 million its promotional images suggest.
Read more: Crypto’s smoking ‘solution’ will likely create more vape addicts
Just last week, shoe firm Allbirds was able to juice its stock by 508% after pivoting its operations towards investment in AI data centers.
AI has also been a major buzzword linked to many big-name layoffs this year.
Many on social media weren’t at all impressed with theGudtrip concept, with some asking for ways to short the product. Others described it as a sign of a “bubble.”
Attempting to join in on the joke that is ripping into Gudtrip’s buzzword playbook, its own founder, Reffo Tse, also asked “how do I short this?”
Read more: AI agents want to identify your crypto wallet using social media
Puffpaw’s ‘vape-to-earn’ would only make addictions worse
When Tse first released the vaping device Puffpaw, he promised to disincentivize vaping by offering users crypto rewards for using smaller amounts of nicotine.
However, it was mocked by users who noted that a vaping habit tied to a financial incentive will only incentivize continuous vaping.
UK Addiction Treatment Centres told Protos that Puffpaw wasn’t going to lower the usage of vapes. It said, “If anything, it could have the complete opposite effect because of the enticing gamification and crypto reward that comes with vaping.”
Read more: Snoop Dogg quits ‘smoke’ amid NFT, edibles launch rumors
The addiction center said Puffpaw might “worsen a person’s addiction,” and that it feels like “a corporate way of making money off people trying to quit smoking and lead healthier lives.”
The vaping product seems not to have been enough for Puffpaw’s CEO, however, and Gudtrip entered the scene in October 2025.
Got a tip? Send us an email securely via Protos Leaks. For more informed news and investigations, follow us on X, Bluesky, and Google News, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Crypto audiences don’t read the way they used to. They scan, they watch, and they move fast. Our latest updates to the homepage and article pages are a direct response to that reality; introducing a dedicated video block, new social media CTAs, and UI improvements across both surfaces. This builds on last year’s full site redesign across all 26 global domains, and takes it further.
What’s new at a glance
- Video block: A dedicated section for video content, now placed prominently on article pages
- Social media CTAs: New call-to-action elements connecting editorial content to BeInCrypto’s social channels
- UI improvements: Visual hierarchy and layout updates across both the homepage and article pages, reinforcing the mobile-first approach from the September redesign
Built For How People Read Today
According to Vlada Morhunova, Product Manager at BeInCrypto, internal analytics revealed a clear split between how desktop and mobile users navigate the site.
“Desktop users tend to navigate more deliberately. They browse categories, use search, and explore related content. Mobile users behave more like scanners, relying heavily on what’s immediately visible on the page. With mobile accounting for the majority of our global traffic, we needed the homepage and article page layouts to serve that scanning behavior more effectively.”
The homepage and article pages were the clear priority. They are the two highest-traffic touchpoints across the entire product, where returning readers land and where most new visitors arrive from search and social. “If we improve the experience here,” Morhunova notes, “it lifts virtually every engagement metric across the board.”
Video is Now a First-class Format
The most visible change is the dedicated video block on article pages. It responds to a well-documented shift in how audiences consume information online.
According to Statista and DataReportal data from Q2 2025, 94.6% of internet users worldwide now watch online videos on a monthly basis.
The shift from traditional to digital viewing has reached a milestone: in May 2025, streaming overtook the combined share of broadcast and cable television for the first time ever in the US, accounting for 44.8% of total TV viewing. By December 2025 that share had climbed to a record 47.5% (Nielsen The Gauge, January 2026).
The shift is just as visible in the news sector. According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 the proportion of people consuming video news globally jumped from 67% to 75% in just two years, with social video rising from 52% in 2020 to 65% in 2025.
At BeInCrypto’s Executive Council earlier this year, senior leaders from Bitpanda, Dune, and Libertex worked through the same signals: SimilarWeb data presented at the session showed that average monthly web traffic to the top 1,000 sites has declined more than 11% over five years. These homepage and article page updates are a product of that direction, not a reaction to it.
“Video is no longer a secondary format for us,” says Morhunova. “We’re investing significantly in video production, and the new designs reflect that by surfacing video content much earlier in the user journey. The goal is for video to be a natural part of how users consume crypto news on BeInCrypto.”
Social CTAs: Extending the Reader’s Journey
New call-to-action blocks across article pages connect editorial content to BeInCrypto’s social channels, creating more touchpoints beyond the article itself.
According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025, social media and video have now displaced television as the primary news source in the US for the first time. Pew Research Center data from September 2025 adds further detail: one in five US adults now regularly get news on TikTok, up from just 3% in 2020; the fastest growth of any platform Pew has studied for news consumption.
- YouTube and Facebook are the top two platforms for news overall, with 35% and 38% of US adults getting news there regularly (Pew Research Center, August 2025).
This is not a trend unique to BeInCrypto. According to Meltwater and We Are Social’s Digital 2026 report (October 2025), social media ads are now the top driver of brand awareness for internet users aged 16 to 34, ahead of both search engines and TV advertising. The platforms where people discover content are the same platforms where they discover brands. Building stronger connections between editorial and social is how media outlets stay relevant in that environment.
Part of a Broader Roadmap
The September 2025 redesign established the platform architecture. This update addresses the content surfaces that matter most. What comes next goes further: expanded markets and TradFi data widgets, the next phase of the Experts Network pages, and continued improvements across all 26 language editions.
“We’re systematically modernizing BeInCrypto’s frontend architecture to be faster, more modular, and better suited to the diverse global audience we serve,” says Morhunova.
BeInCrypto reaches millions of monthly readers across 26 languages. These updates are part of a continuous investment in the product experience that underpins that reach, and a signal to partners that the platform is evolving to match where audiences are going.
The post BeInCrypto Expands Content Experience with New Homepage and Article Features appeared first on BeInCrypto.
IRGC news on Monday confirmed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared they will take “necessary action against the terrorist US military” once the safety of the Touska’s crew is confirmed, CNN reported, after the USS Spruance fired on the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman and US Marines rappelled from helicopters to board and seize the ship.
Summary
- The IRGC said it faced “certain limitations” responding immediately because family members of the crew were on board, making the retaliation conditional rather than cancelled.
- The USS Spruance fired several rounds from its 5-inch gun after the Touska ignored six hours of warnings, then US Marines boarded via helicopter and took full custody of the vessel.
- Iran’s joint military command separately warned that any attack on civilian targets will produce retaliation that is “much more devastating and widespread” than anything seen in the conflict to date.
IRGC news from Monday’s CNN report confirmed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were prepared to retaliate for the Touska seizure but were constrained by crew family members aboard. The IRGC, via the Tasnim News Agency, stated it was “prepared to respond decisively” and described the US action as “blatant aggression.” The retaliation was conditional, not cancelled.
“Once the safety of the families and crew of the vessel targeted by the United States is ensured, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take the necessary action against the terrorist US military,” the statement said.
The Touska is an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel nearly 900 feet long that attempted to cross the US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday. US Central Command reported it ignored warnings over a six-hour period. The USS Spruance fired several rounds from its 5-inch gun before US Marines rappelled from helicopters and took custody of the ship. Trump announced the seizure on Truth Social, calling the attempt something that “did not go well for them.”
The seizure crosses a qualitatively different threshold from all prior confrontations in the conflict. Iranian IRGC gunboats firing on commercial tankers, attacking Gulf state infrastructure, and even firing on US warships are all actions that have occurred in the current conflict without triggering a direct US-Iran military exchange. The US boarding and seizing an Iranian-flagged vessel is a new category.
Iran is legally and politically compelled to respond with force or concede that the US can freely seize its ships under blockade enforcement. The presence of crew family members aboard introduced a practical constraint on any immediate counter-strike. The IRGC’s specific language makes the conditional nature explicit: retaliation is deferred, not abandoned. Markets and policymakers should expect an Iranian military response within days of the crew situation being resolved.
Iran’s joint military command issued a parallel statement warning that “if attacks on civilian targets are repeated, the next stages of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be much more devastating and widespread,” adding a second threat track alongside the IRGC’s vessel-specific vow.
What Makes This Seizure Different From Prior Escalations
When Iran fires on commercial tankers, the immediate victims are private shipping companies. When the US boards and seizes an Iranian-flagged vessel, Iran faces a sovereign humiliation requiring a proportional state-level response. Trump’s public description of the event, framed as Iran failing in an attempt that “did not go well for them,” removes any diplomatic ambiguity and makes a face-saving off-ramp significantly harder to construct.
What happens to the Touska, its cargo, and its crew now determines the escalation path. If the US uses the ship as a negotiating chip, offering to return the crew and cargo in exchange for ceasefire concessions, a narrow exit exists. If the US treats the vessel as a war prize to be permanently retained, the IRGC’s stated intention to retaliate becomes near-certain once crew safety is confirmed.
The Crypto Market Implication
For Bitcoin markets, a confirmed Iranian military strike on US naval assets would constitute a new category of escalation beyond anything the ceasefire period has produced. The institutional demand floor that has kept BTC above $70,000 through the conflict has absorbed successive escalations with each drawdown smaller than the last. A direct US-Iran naval exchange would test whether that floor holds under the most severe risk-off scenario the conflict has presented, with Brent crude likely breaking through $100 and all macro tailwinds for risk assets reversing simultaneously.
Key Takeaways
- Mizuho slashed PayPal’s rating from “Outperform” to “Neutral” while reducing the price target to $50 from $60
- X Money, Elon Musk’s upcoming payment solution, poses significant competitive risks to PayPal’s peer-to-peer payment operations
- Fourth-quarter results disappointed — earnings per share of $1.23 versus $1.29 analyst expectations; sales totaled $8.68B against $8.82B forecasts
- Company insiders offloaded 87,608 shares totaling approximately $3.83M during the last three months
- Wall Street’s consensus stands at “Hold” with a mean price objective of $56.61
PayPal is navigating challenging waters as Wall Street analysts adopt a more conservative stance. Mizuho Financial Group recently lowered its assessment of PYPL from “Outperform” to “Neutral,” simultaneously slashing the price objective by $10 — dropping from $60 to $50.
With shares trading near $50, this revised target implies minimal room for appreciation. The rating change signals Mizuho’s reassessment of PayPal’s market standing beyond immediate financial metrics.
The catalyst? Elon Musk’s X Money initiative. Set for an April debut, this payment solution is designed as the financial infrastructure of Musk’s “super app” vision. It merges payment processing, digital wallet functionality, and e-commerce capabilities — all integrated within X’s platform.
This description closely mirrors PayPal and Venmo’s core offerings. Mizuho identified X Money as a significant competitive challenge to PayPal’s peer-to-peer transaction services and branded payment solutions.
X boasts more than 400 million active monthly users. This represents a substantial ready-made customer base for any financial service launch. The platform is reportedly preparing to roll out cashtags for monitoring equities and cryptocurrencies, alongside potential collaboration with Visa.
Additional speculation suggests that X Money might provide yields approaching 6% on account balances — a capability that would position it as a serious alternative to established fintech offerings.
Quarterly Results Fell Short of Expectations
PayPal’s latest financial performance did little to alleviate investor concerns. The company posted fourth-quarter earnings of $1.23 per share, missing the $1.29 Wall Street consensus. Revenue registered at $8.68 billion versus projections of $8.82 billion.
While revenue increased 4% compared to the prior year, such modest expansion fails to inspire confidence as competitive pressures mount across multiple segments.
Market observers project annual EPS of $5.03 for PayPal. Shares currently trade at a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.39, appearing inexpensive — though the valuation discount reflects underlying concerns.
Citi and Wells Fargo both maintain Hold positions on the security, pointing to decelerating growth prospects and eroding market position. Goldman Sachs adopted a more bearish stance, reducing its target to $41 with a “Sell” recommendation issued in February.
Bank of America initiated coverage during March with a “Neutral” outlook and $48 price objective. Across the 45 analysts monitored by MarketBeat, 7 recommend Buy, 32 suggest Hold, and 6 advise Sell.
Institutional Investors and Company Insiders Reduce Holdings
Waterfront Wealth Inc. reduced its PYPL holdings by 45.8% during the fourth quarter, divesting 22,251 shares. The fund’s remaining position of 26,372 shares carried a value near $1.495 million at period close.
Company insiders have also been net sellers. During the previous 90 days, executives and directors disposed of 87,608 shares valued at roughly $3.83 million. Notable transactions include insider Suzan Kereere reducing ownership by 54.83% in February, while CAO Chris Natali cut his stake by 65.95% in March.
Institutional ownership remains substantial at 68.32% of outstanding shares. While certain smaller funds marginally increased positions in the third quarter, larger portfolio adjustments have predominantly involved position reductions.
PayPal’s 52-week trading range extends from $38.46 to $79.50. Shares opened Monday’s session at $50.81, trading above the 50-day moving average of $44.88 yet considerably beneath the 200-day average of $55.76.
The company maintains a quarterly dividend of $0.14, equating to an annual payout of $0.56 and yielding approximately 1.1%.
Key Highlights
- BlackBerry shares climbed approximately 15% following news of enhanced NVIDIA collaboration
- Partnership brings together QNX OS for Safety 8.0 and NVIDIA’s IGX Thor technology
- Target applications include safety-critical edge AI for industrial automation and robotics
- Announcement came weeks after the company exceeded quarterly earnings expectations
- Recent insider activity shows $260K in sales with zero purchases over three months
Shares of BlackBerry (BB) experienced a dramatic rally exceeding 15% on April 20, 2026, driven by news of an enhanced technology alliance with NVIDIA (NVDA).
The collaboration focuses on merging BlackBerry’s QNX OS for Safety 8.0 operating system with NVIDIA’s IGX Thor computing platform alongside the Halos Safety Stack. This integration aims to enable engineers to create and launch mission-critical edge AI applications.
The strategic initiative zeros in on industries demanding absolute dependability — specifically industrial automation and advanced robotics. In these environments, software malfunctions transcend mere technical glitches and become serious liability concerns.
Blackberry’s QNX platform has maintained a steady presence in the safety-certified operating system landscape. This alliance provides the technology with prominent exposure through NVIDIA’s cutting-edge hardware.
Market sentiment was amplified by recent context. BlackBerry had delivered better-than-expected quarterly results in early April, generating renewed investor interest even before this partnership was unveiled.
The dual catalyst — strong financial results combined with a prominent AI-focused announcement — propelled shares significantly higher during Monday trading.
Breaking Down the NVIDIA Integration
The NVIDIA IGX Thor architecture serves edge AI deployments in harsh operational conditions. Combining it with QNX OS for Safety 8.0 delivers engineers a certified, real-time operating foundation for systems requiring stringent safety compliance.
The Halos Safety Stack enhances the package by providing additional functional safety capabilities. This comprehensive toolkit targets developers creating advanced robotics and industrial AI solutions.
BlackBerry has consistently expanded its software and IoT presence. Earlier in 2026, the company secured an agreement with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Leap Motor, demonstrating ongoing traction in automotive markets.
Current Stock Positioning
BB traded near $4.86 when the partnership was disclosed. According to GuruFocus analysis, the GF Value stands at $3.58, suggesting the stock trades roughly 35.8% above the platform’s calculated fair value estimate.
The price-to-earnings ratio currently registers at 59.73x, significantly lower than the five-year median of 113.81x — indicating valuation compression from historical peaks, though still elevated in absolute terms.
The company’s GF Score of 71 out of 100 demonstrates respectable financial strength and growth metrics, though a profitability ranking of merely 3 out of 10 highlights persistent challenges converting revenue into sustainable earnings.
Regarding insider transactions, no purchases occurred during the previous three months. Sales by company insiders totaled $260,489 during this timeframe.
Daily trading volume averages approximately 8 million shares. Prior to today’s surge, BB had gained roughly 8.4% year-to-date.
Technical indicators already signaled a buy rating before the session’s rally commenced.
Bitmine Immersion Technologies, the world’s largest public holder of Ether, increased its ETH treasury last week with another large purchase.
The company acquired 101,627 ETH during the week of April 13 to April 19, according to a press release and an accompanying Form 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.
The purchase marks Bitmine’s largest Ether buy since Dec. 15, 2025, according to chairman Tom Lee. “Bitmine has maintained the increased pace of ETH buys in each of the past four weeks, as our base case ETH is in the final stages of the ‘mini-crypto winter,’” Lee said.
Following the purchase, Bitmine said it held 4,976,485 ETH valued at roughly $11.5 billion at a reference price of $2,301 per token. The company also holds 199 Bitcoin (BTC), a $200 million stake in Beast Industries, a $107 million stake in Eightco Holdings and $1.12 billion in cash. The company’s total crypto and cash holdings are $12.9 billion.
The latest update extends Bitmine’s lead among public company Ether treasuries as crypto balance sheet strategies continue to spread across public markets.
Bitmine is 82% of the way to the “alchemy of 5%”
In holding 4.98 million ETH, Bitmine now owns more than 4% of total Ether circulating supply. The company said its broader goal remains to reach the “alchemy of 5%,” a long-term target it has been working toward through repeated large-scale purchases.
The purchase came after Bitmine recently started trading on the New York Stock Exchange after uplisting from the NYSE American as the company expanded its share buyback program.
Bitmine has also expanded its staking operations through its MAVAN (Made in America Validator Network) platform. The system is designed to support institutional-grade Ethereum staking with an emphasis on performance and security.
The company reported that 3.33 million ETH is currently staked, generating annualized staking revenues of over $200 million.
Related: Ether treasuries need liquid staking edge to beat ETFs, says Lido exec
At Paris Blockchain Week 2026, Lee said the recent crypto slump was a “mini crypto winter,” and predicted that Ether could climb above $60,000 over the next few years.
Crypto World
Bank of Hawai’i (BOH) Q1 2026: Net Income Drops to $57.4M as Net Interest Margin Expands
Executive Summary
- BOH net income decreases to $57.4M while net interest margin gains strength
- BOH shares advance as spread improvement offsets quarterly profit reduction
- BOH demonstrates consistent loan and deposit trends alongside enhanced margin performance
- BOH quarterly profit declines but fundamental balance sheet indicators remain robust
- BOH registers reduced earnings while preserving superior credit metrics and capital adequacy
Bank of Hawai’i Corporation unveiled a contrasting picture in its first quarter 2026 financial performance, with net income retreating while fundamental banking indicators displayed resilience. Shares climbed to $81.52, gaining 1.79%, as investors responded positively to intraday price action and consistent upward trajectory. The quarterly report emphasized net interest margin expansion, deposit stability, and disciplined credit management even as bottom-line figures softened.
Profitability Softens as Spread Performance Strengthens
Bank of Hawai’i Corporation disclosed diluted earnings per share of $1.30 during the opening quarter of 2026. The institution generated net income totaling $57.4 million, representing a sequential quarterly reduction of 5.7%. Return on average common equity contracted to 13.90% from the preceding quarter’s 15.03%.
Net interest income expanded to $151.0 million, posting a 3.9% sequential increase. This advancement stemmed from reduced funding costs following monetary policy adjustments. The net interest margin strengthened to 2.74%, climbing 13 basis points and demonstrating enhanced profitability on the core balance sheet.
Average yields on earning assets experienced modest compression to 4.03%, while loan portfolio yields retreated to 4.75%. These declines originated from repricing dynamics on variable-rate instruments responding to the evolving rate environment. Nonetheless, reinvestment activities in fixed-rate instruments provided offsetting yield support.
Asset Portfolio Consistency and Operating Cost Dynamics
Total assets registered $23.9 billion as of quarter-end March 2026, reflecting a modest 1.1% sequential contraction. The reduction primarily originated from diminished cash position holdings. Securities classified as available-for-sale alongside total loan exposures posted incremental growth throughout the reporting period.
Aggregate loans and leases climbed to $14.2 billion, bolstered by expansion in commercial real estate portfolios. Business lending advanced 2.0%, while retail loan segments experienced slight attrition attributable to scheduled principal payments. Total deposit liabilities contracted 1.1% to $21.0 billion, although non-interest-bearing deposits held steady near the 27% threshold.
Noninterest income retreated to $41.3 million reflecting subdued origination volumes and fee generation. Concurrently, noninterest expenses elevated to $116.1 million, propelled by compensation-related outlays and infrastructure investments. Adjusted calculations revealed moderate expense trajectory growth, underscoring disciplined cost oversight despite typical quarterly patterns.
Superior Asset Quality Metrics and Capitalization Framework
Credit quality indicators maintained exceptional performance as non-performing assets contracted to $12.1 million. This figure constituted merely 0.09% of aggregate loans and leases outstanding. Credit loss provisioning similarly declined to $1.8 million, signaling contained portfolio stress.
Net charge-off activity totaled $1.1 million, demonstrating enhanced collection outcomes relative to the prior reporting period. The allowance for credit losses measured $147.0 million, sustaining a steady coverage ratio of 1.04%. These measurements validated ongoing prudent underwriting and portfolio monitoring practices.
Capital adequacy ratios persisted at elevated levels surpassing regulatory thresholds. The Tier 1 capital ratio stood at 14.40%, while the leverage ratio strengthened to 8.62%. The company executed $15.1 million in share repurchases and announced a $0.70 per share quarterly dividend, underscoring its commitment to shareholder capital distribution.
Bitcoin (BTC) erased losses after Monday’s Wall Street open as markets largely shrugged off the return of the US-Iran war.
Key points:
-
Bitcoin joins stocks in a muted reaction to the latest US-Iran deterioration and closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
-
BTC price manages to top 2.5% daily upside despite the lack of resolution.
-
Analysis warns that Bitcoin market strength is begin driven by Strategy and speculators.
Markets avoid volatility as BTC price stays green
Data from TradingView showed 2.5% daily gains for BTC/USD, which had closed the week below $74,000.
US stocks saw modest downside as the week began, but the losses remained modest, while oil began retracing an initial move toward $90.
The repositioning came a day after US President Donald Trump announced a fresh round of negotiations over Iran in Pakistan.
“My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social on Sunday.
Trump appeared to dismiss the significance of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, calling its announcement “strange.”
Responding, crypto trading company QCP Capital suggested that markets had already readjusted expectations of the war’s outcome and timeline for it.
“Despite the pullback in spot alongside renewed tensions, volatility has stayed notably subdued, hovering near year-to-date lows,” it wrote in its latest “Market Color” update.
“This disconnect between realised risk and implied pricing suggests investors are recalibrating expectations toward a more episodic pattern of escalation: on-and-off disruptions around the Strait, paired with cycles of rhetoric and de-escalation. In effect, markets are beginning to price duration rather than intensity, pointing to a conflict that may be more protracted than initially assumed, but still contained within current bounds.”
QCP added that even with the US-Iran ceasefire due to officially expire within days, that event was unlikely to be definitive.
“The base case, for now, remains one of range-bound volatility, rather than a decisive breakout across major asset classes,” it concluded.
Strategy, speculators under the microscope
Analyzing short-term BTC price moves, J. A. Maartunn, a contributor to onchain analytics platform CryptoQuant, had some bad news for bulls.
Related: BTC price due new highs: Five things to know in Bitcoin this week
Bitcoin’s recent local highs, he suggested, were simply a result of buying pressure from Strategy and speculative traders, with sellers stepping in to take profit, halting the rally.
“Where does that leave price? Not far,” he summarized in an X thread.
Maartunn said that BTC/USD remained stuck below “key resistance,” including the cost basis of short-term holders (STHs) near $83,000.
“Long-Term Holders keep accumulating, and Strategy isn’t done yet,” he acknowledged.
“The key question: is it enough to push Bitcoin higher? For now, this still looks like a bear market rally… But a strong breakout could quickly shift the trend.”
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research before making any decisions. Cointelegraph makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, including forward-looking statements, and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.
Singer D4vd charged with murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez
Form 144 FIFTH THIRD BANCORP For: 20 April
Strategy could own more bitcoin than Satoshi by September
Manchester United reach agreement with Casemiro over contract clause amid transfer speculation
Steven Gerrard disagrees with Gary Neville over ‘shock’ Chelsea and Arsenal claim | Football
US brings back mandatory military draft registration
Live Crypto And Gold Scalping Trading | 19 April 2026 #cryptoscalping #xauusdlive
They’re Lying to You About Crypto. Here’s What Comes Next.
Nischa Shah: They’re Lying To You About Buying a House! My 652510 Rule Built $200K Passive Income!
-
NewsBeat6 days agoTrump and Pope Leo: Behind their disagreement over Iran war
-
Fashion3 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Theodora Dress
-
Crypto World7 days agoSEC Signals Exemption for Crypto Interfaces From Broker Registration
-
News Videos5 days agoSecure crypto trading starts with an FIU-registered
-
Sports3 days agoNWFL Suspends Two Players Over Post-Match Clash in Ado-Ekiti
-
Crypto World7 days agoSEC Proposes Certain Crypto Interfaces Don’t Need to Register as Brokers
-
Business1 day agoPowerball Result April 18, 2026: No Jackpot Winner in Powerball Draw: $75 Million Rolls Over
-
Crypto World3 days agoRussia Pushes Bill to Criminalize Unregistered Crypto Services
-
Politics3 days agoPalestine barred from entering Canada for FIFA Congress
-
Business4 days agoCreo Medical agree sale of its manufacturing operation
-
Politics1 day agoZack Polanski demands ‘council homes not luxury flats for foreign investors’
-
Entertainment7 days agoBrand New Day’ Footage Reveals the Devastating Impact of ‘Now Way Home’
-
Crypto World3 days agoRussia Introduces Bill To Criminalize Unregistered Crypto Services
-
Tech6 days agoMicrosoft adds Windows protections for malicious Remote Desktop files
-
Entertainment7 days agoKarol G’s ‘Ultra Raunchy’ Coachella Set Gave ‘Satanic Vibes’
-
Entertainment7 days agoHow Babylon 5 Turned Brief Side Story Into Emotional Masterpiece
-
Tech5 days ago‘Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender’ Leaked Online. Some Fans Say Paramount Deserves the Fallout
-
Crypto World7 days ago
Senate Bill Faces Delay Over Stablecoin Yield Debate
-
Tech7 days agoWhat was the first ransomware attack to demand payment in Bitcoin?
-
Tech2 days agoAuto Enthusiast Scores Running Tesla Model 3 for Two Grand and Turns It Into Bare-Bones Go-Kart
You must be logged in to post a comment Login