Crypto World
Paradigm develops prediction markets trading terminal for pro traders: Fortune
Paradigm is building a prediction markets trading terminal aimed at professional traders and market makers, with partner Arjun Balaji leading the effort since late 2025.
Venture capital firm Paradigm is developing a prediction markets trading terminal targeted at professional traders and market makers, according to Fortune. Paradigm partner Arjun Balaji is spearheading the project, which has been in development since late 2025. The move comes as Paradigm has emerged as one of the most active backers of prediction markets, participating in three successive funding rounds for leading platform Kalshi in 2025.
Paradigm’s push into prediction markets infrastructure reflects growing institutional interest in the sector. The venture firm’s involvement with Kalshi, combined with this new trading terminal development, signals deepening commitment to the prediction markets ecosystem as platforms like Kalshi and Coinbase’s prediction markets offering expand.
Sources: Fortune
This article was generated automatically by The Defiant’s AI news system from publicly available sources.
French blockchain-based stock exchange Lightning Stock Exchange (Lise) is preparing to host what it describes as a fully onchain initial public offering (IPO), listing aerospace and defense SME ST Group as its inaugural company.
The company called the deal the first IPO on a natively tokenized exchange, where shares are issued and traded as digital tokens rather than recorded through traditional market infrastructure, according to a Thursday announcement shared with Cointelegraph.
CEO Mark Kepeneghian said it could fundamentally change “how markets are built, how companies raise capital, and how investors connect to the real economy.”
The IPO is scheduled for April 9 and is being structured with support from Allinvest Group, acting as both financial adviser and bookrunner. The platform introduces a first-come, first-served allocation for IPO orders and removes subscription and custody fees.
The IPO will test whether tokenized issuance can solve real capital market problems for smaller companies, rather than simply showcase blockchain-based market plumbing. Tokenized securities have long struggled with liquidity, investor access and regulatory friction, and it remains unclear whether a new venue can attract meaningful trading activity or operate smoothly at scale.
Related: NYSE taps Securitize for 24/7 tokenized securities platform
Lise secures license from French regulators
Lise said it holds multiple regulatory approvals, including an investment firm license from the French Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority and a DLT Pilot Regime authorization from the European Securities and Markets Authority, allowing it to run trading and settlement on blockchain infrastructure, a company spokesperson told Cointelegraph.
Cointelegraph previously reported that the European Commission had proposed extending the DLT Pilot Regime as part of broader efforts to support tokenized financial markets in Europe.
“Lise operates both a Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) and a Central Securities Depository (CSD) within a single unified platform, built natively on Hyperledger Besu (a private, permissioned blockchain),” the spokesperson said, adding that shares issued on Lise are born as security tokens on the DLT. “The DLT is the golden source for the securities registry,” they said.
Related: Franklin Templeton, Ondo to launch tokenized ETFs with 24/7 trading via crypto wallets
Tokenized stocks near $1 billion
Investor demand for blockchain-based tokenized stocks is picking up, with total market value nearing the $1 billion mark. Tokenized equities reached about $941 million in total value, up 2.4% over the past 30 days, according to data from RWA.xyz.
Activity has grown sharply in some areas. Monthly transfer volume jumped 85% to $2.94 billion, while the number of holders climbed 17% to more than 201,000.
Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum — BIP-360 co-author
Bitcoin miner Riot Platforms sold 3,778 Bitcoin in the first quarter, adding to a recent wave of sales by crypto firms amid tough market conditions.
The Bitcoin (BTC) was sold at an average price of $76,626, netting Riot $289.5 million, according to the miner’s operational update released on Thursday. Bitcoin was trading at $66,867 as of Friday.
The miner produced 1,473 Bitcoin for the quarter and had 15,680 coins on its books at the end of Q1. Blockchain intelligence platform Arkham also flagged a 500 Bitcoin outflow from a wallet it attributed to Riot Platforms on Thursday.
It adds to a number of crypto miners and firms that have sold Bitcoin in recent months. In the last week, companies including MARA Holdings, Genius Group and Nakamoto Holdings revealed they had sold a combined 15,501 Bitcoin, with the lion’s share coming from MARA.
Kadan Stadelmann, a blockchain developer, investor and co-founder of AI company Compance, said miners are selling due to rising energy costs, which have worsened because of the war in the Middle East.
“Miners are selling off Bitcoin due to increasing energy costs, highlighted by the ongoing oil price shock, which represents one of the main costs of mining Bitcoin. As energy costs rise, the miners are forced to sell off their Bitcoin in an attempt to cover their operational costs.”
The Middle East conflict, which escalated in February, has driven oil prices higher while pushing cryptocurrencies and broader markets lower.
Less efficient miners are turning off rigs
Stadelmann said that less efficient miners are going offline because of mounting costs and predicted further capitulation, leaving larger operators to pick up the slack.
“This leads to a fall in hashrate and difficulty in Bitcoin mining. This makes it easier and more profitable to mine Bitcoins for those miners who remain online,” he told Cointelegraph.
The Bitcoin mining difficulty dropped on March 20 from around 145 trillion to 133 trillion, while the hash rate has also dropped since the start of the month from 1.16 zettahash to around 990 exahash as of Friday, according to CoinWarz.
Related: Bitfarms loss widened to $285M as Bitcoin fell, but shares jump anyway
However, Stadelmann also said a potential drop in energy prices and an increase in Bitcoin’s price could see less efficient miners return.
“Hashrate and difficulty could increase if efficient miners expand their operations as a result of the friendlier mining environment, possibly through investments in hardware or acquisitions of other miners. Alternatively, energy prices could decline, leading to the return of less efficient miners,” he added.
Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum — BIP-360 co-author
Bitcoin slipped sharply Wednesday as President Trump addressed the nation on the US-Iran conflict, dragging BTC price down by 3% to $66,600 during the speech amid bearish prediction. The asset now seems to stabilize, but BTC is still down 4.9% over seven days.
Trump told the nation last night that Operation Epic Fury has effectively dismantled Iran’s nuclear and naval capabilities while crippling its drone and missile infrastructure, and claimed the US military is “very close” to finishing the job, but still need more weeks, with more fire power.
Markets moved instantly. Crude oil spiked back above $100 per barrel to $108 as traders repriced geopolitical risk upward. Trump simultaneously signaled openness to a deal, describing Iran’s new leadership as “less radical and much more reasonable,” a note of optimism buried inside an otherwise hawkish speech. This ambiguity is precisely the macro fog that keeps risk assets pinned.
Equities, crypto, and commodities have all traded in lockstep with Middle East headlines for months. Until the Iran situation resolves cleanly in either direction, Bitcoin is unlikely to decouple.
Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with
Bitcoin Price Prediction: Reclaim $71,500 or Another Pain Coming?
Bitcoin closed Q1 2026 near $68,000, a weak finish that confirmed sustained selling pressure. The current structure shows no major structural levels reclaimed, with downward-sloping moving averages pressuring price from above.
Support still sits at $66,000 and $63,000, below that zone would mark a deep retest of prior cycle structure. Resistance clusters at $69,000 and $72,000, where moving average resistance and prior breakdown levels converge.
Can Bitcoin force a leg up? Only if Iran deal confirmed, oil retreats below $90, and risk-on flows return, which then BTC reclaims $68,000 with volume. In that scenario it can target $72.000.
However, with dragging conflict, BTC will likely oscillate between $66,000 and $68,000, frustrating both sides. Or, peace talks collapse, oil accelerates, inflation expectations spike. BTC loses $66,000 support and tests $63,000, a level that has not been tested since the Q4 2025 breakdown.
Long-term holders are reportedly increasing demand despite the volatility, but analyst consensus is clear: without a $72,000 reclaim, the path of least resistance remains down.
Discover: The best pre-launch token sales
Early Mover Potential as Bitcoin Tests Key Levels
For now, spot BTC at this market cap needs enormous capital inflows to move meaningfully. Early-stage infrastructure plays within the Bitcoin ecosystem carry a different risk profile entirely, and a different upside math.
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is positioning itself as exactly that: the first-ever Bitcoin Layer 2 with Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) integration, claiming faster transaction performance than Solana itself via extremely low-latency processing. The project targets Bitcoin’s three core structural weaknesses, slow transactions, high fees, and zero programmability, while preserving Bitcoin’s underlying security.
The presale has now raised $32 million mark at a current token price of low $0.0136, with a 36% bonus in staking rewards active for early participants. A Decentralized Canonical Bridge handles BTC transfers natively.
Traders looking to rotate while Bitcoin consolidates can research Bitcoin Hyper here.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments are highly volatile. Always conduct your own research before investing.
The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: Bitcoin Drops, Oil Rises, Trump Positive on Iran appeared first on Cryptonews.
SOL USD is bleeding. Solana price is at $78, down almost 6% in the day, extending a brutal 11% weekly decline that marks the steepest drop among major crypto coins, after an ugly prediction popped post Trump’s comment on Iran war.
Drift Protocol, one of Solana’s premier perpetual trading platforms, confirmed a devastating exploit today. A malicious actor gained unauthorized access through a novel attack involving durable nonces, executing a rapid takeover of Drift’s Security Council administrative powers.
— MSB Intel (@MSBIntel) April 1, 2026
JUST IN: Drift Protocol on Solana suffers suspected $200M+ exploit, with nearly 980,000 SOL drained from the protocol according to on-chain monitoring.
Estimated losses sit at above $200 million, making this one of the largest hacks in Solana’s ecosystem since 2022. The platform confirmed the breach directly, and on-chain data has since shown accelerating outflows across the network.
Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with
Can Solana Price Recover Above $85 Despite the Bearish Prediction?
SOL is in breakdown mode. The $78 support zone is a level that has historically attracted accumulation but now risks becoming a ceiling if bulls fail to reclaim it quickly. Resistance clusters at $85, the prior week’s high, with the all-time high of $293 now a distant 73% above current levels.
Volume is elevated, with 24-hour trading volume hitting $5.2 billion, signaling panic selling. High-volume drops of this magnitude often produce violent bounces, but only after capitulation completes. Total value locked on Solana fell to $6.544 billion, with major protocols Jito (-4.3%), Raydium (-4.33%), and Sanctum (-3.83%) all posting outflows. DEX volumes have declined 40% since January. It’s just not good for Solana at the moment.
For Solana holders, the best scenario is for Bitcoin to stabilize above $65,000, Drift Protocol publishes a credible recovery plan, and SOL reclaims $85, opening a path toward $95–$100 within two weeks. But if $78 support fails on sustained volume. Next meaningful floor sits near $65, a level that would push SOL’s year-to-date loss beyond 50%.
Discover: The best pre-launch token sales
Maxi Doge Targets Early Mover Upside as Solana Tests Key Levels
When a top-10 asset drops 13% in a week, and a major DeFi platform loses $200 million overnight, the question isn’t whether confidence is shaken; it’s where rotational capital goes next. Some traders have been answering that question with early-stage presales, where entry prices sit far below any meaningful market cap pressure.
Maxi Doge ($MAXI) is one presale absorbing that interest. Built on Ethereum as an ERC-20 meme token, the project leans hard into a 240-lb canine juggernaut persona, think gym-bro culture applied to leverage trading, with the tagline “Never skip leg-day, never skip a pump.”
The mechanics underneath the meme are structured: holder-only trading competitions with leaderboard rewards, a Maxi Fund treasury allocated to liquidity and partnerships, and a dynamic staking with 66% APY bonus for committed holders.
Current presale price stands at $0.0002811, with more thasn $4,7 million raised to date.
For those prepared to research the position, the details are available at the official Maxi Doge presale page.
This article is not financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk. Always conduct your own research before making any investment decision.
The post Solana Price Prediction: $200M Exploit and 5.5% Drop appeared first on Cryptonews.
Crypto markets got gutted today. Bitcoin slid as much as 3% on the session after President Trump signaled escalating military action against Iran, crushing the fragile optimism that had briefly lifted crypto earlier this week.
Trump’s remarks reversed a short-lived rally built on hopes he might end the Iran conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, investors got harder-line rhetoric. Ether cratered 4%, Solana shed almost 6%, and Brent crude surged more than 5% to above $106 a barrel. It’s a stark reminder that oil shocks move crypto these days.
“Stock and commodity markets continue to whipsaw according to Trump’s latest comments on geopolitical developments,” said Caroline Mauron, co-founder of Orbit Markets. “Bitcoin is largely following stocks’ direction, though in the past few weeks it has shown reduced sensitivity to both good and bad news.”
Bitcoin had actually been holding up relatively well, ending March up 2%, snapping a five-month losing streak, while gold dropped more than 11% over the same period amid energy-supply inflation fears.
Discover: The best pre-launch token sales
Trump Moves Crypto with War?
Today’s selloff tests whether that resilience has a floor, or whether geopolitical pressure finally cracks it. The Iran-oil nexus has rattled Bitcoin before, and the pattern is reasserting itself fast.
Bitcoin is trading near $66,500 at the time of writing, with intraday lows testing that level as selling pressure accelerated through the London morning session. The broader trend remains damaged: BTC sits roughly 45% below its October peak of $126,000, and demand metrics haven’t recovered.
According to CryptoQuant data cited in recent market analysis, apparent Bitcoin demand, the gap between demand and newly mined supply, was negative by approximately 63,000 BTC as of late March. That’s not a small number.
The CLARITY Act Senate Banking Committee markup, expected mid-April, remains the highest-impact regulatory catalyst on the horizon. If that progresses well, it could provide a sentiment floor. For now, the macro tape controls price, and crypto moves on Trump’s comments.
Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with
Bitcoin Hyper Unbothered By Geopolitics
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is positioning as the first Bitcoin Layer 2 with full Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) integration, with faster execution than Solana itself, with sub-second finality, low-cost smart contracts, and a Decentralized Canonical Bridge for seamless BTC transfers. And the best part, it doesn’t need a good geopolitical condition to be profitable.
The pitch is direct: fix Bitcoin’s three core failure modes—slow transactions, high fees, and no programmability, without sacrificing Bitcoin’s underlying security. The presale has raised $32 million at a current price of $0.0136, with staking rewards already live. The $32M milestone came alongside ETF inflows, and the presale has shown momentum through volatile conditions.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Crypto assets are highly volatile. Always conduct your own research before investing.
The post Crypto News Today: Trump to Hit Iran Harder, Crypto Butchered appeared first on Cryptonews.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Crypto mining shifts toward infrastructure and efficiency as Bitcoin stabilizes and institutional demand holds.
Summary
- Rising mining costs and difficulty are pushing users toward cloud mining as a simpler crypto income alternative.
- Demand grows for free mining platforms as users seek passive income without hardware or technical barriers.
- AngelBTC gains traction with transparent contracts and free hashpower rewards, offering accessible entry for beginners.
In 2026, the crypto mining landscape is no longer driven by retail speculation — it’s shaped by infrastructure, efficiency, and accessibility.
Over the past quarter, Bitcoin has remained relatively stable within a consolidation range, while global mining difficulty continues to rise. At the same time, institutional inflows into Bitcoin-related products have stayed consistent, signaling long-term confidence in the asset class.
But behind the scenes, something more important is happening:
Traditional mining is becoming less accessible.
High hardware costs, rising electricity prices, and increasing technical barriers are pushing users toward a simpler alternative — cloud mining platforms.
This is why search demand for terms like “free crypto mining platforms 2026”, “cloud mining without investment”, and “daily passive income crypto” is growing rapidly.
Below are seven platforms worth attention this year.
1. AngelBTC
AngelBTC has quickly gained traction in 2026 by focusing on one core principle: transparent mining contracts with real earning logic.
Unlike older platforms that rely on vague profit claims, AngelBTC structures its mining system around clearly defined contracts, including hashrate, duration, and expected returns.
New users can access daily sign-in rewards that provide free hashpower, making it one of the more accessible entry points for beginners.
Advantages
- Transparent contract structure (clear returns and duration)
- Daily payouts every 24 hours
- Renewable energy-backed mining (hydro, wind, geothermal)
- Low entry barrier with free hashpower system
Drawbacks
- Higher-tier contracts require capital commitment
- Not designed for users seeking ultra-short speculative gains
2. ECOS
ECOS is one of the few platforms operating within a regulated mining environment, which makes it appealing for users prioritizing compliance and stability.
It offers a free trial model, allowing users to explore mining before committing funds.
Advantages
- Regulated mining infrastructure
- Beginner-friendly interface
- Predictable long-term contracts
Drawbacks
- Limited earning potential from free tier
- Less flexible than newer platforms
3. NiceHash
NiceHash takes a different approach by acting as a hashpower marketplace instead of a traditional cloud mining provider.
Users can buy or sell computing power based on market conditions.
Advantages
- Flexible pricing model
- No fixed contracts required
- Suitable for experienced users
Drawbacks
- Complex for beginners
- Earnings depend heavily on market fluctuations
4. BitFuFu
BitFuFu is positioned closer to institutional mining services, offering structured mining products backed by large-scale infrastructure.
Advantages
- Strong infrastructure support
- Focus on Bitcoin mining efficiency
- Stable contract offerings
Drawbacks
- Limited free access options
- Higher entry barrier
5. StormGain
StormGain integrates mining with trading, making it attractive for users who want an all-in-one crypto platform.
Advantages
- Mobile-friendly experience
- Built-in mining feature
- No upfront hardware required
Drawbacks
- Mining rewards are relatively low
- Requires platform engagement to maximize earnings
6. BeMine
BeMine introduces a hybrid model where users can own fractional shares of mining equipment.
Advantages
- Hardware-backed mining exposure
- Long-term earning potential
- Transparent ownership model
Drawbacks
- Less liquidity
- Not ideal for short-term users
7. Kryptex
Kryptex remains popular among beginners who prefer mining using their own computers.
Advantages
- Easy setup
- No contract commitment
- Works with existing hardware
Drawbacks
- High electricity consumption
- Lower profitability compared to cloud mining
2026 industry shift: From hardware mining to cloud access
The biggest shift in 2026 is not about price — it’s about structure.
Mining has transitioned from GPU-based home setups to large-scale industrial operations
As a result, cloud mining platforms are becoming the dominant model.
Users are no longer asking how to build rigs—they are searching for:
- best cloud mining platforms 2026
- free bitcoin mining without investment
- passive income crypto daily payouts
This shift is also driven by:
- Rising mining difficulty
- Increased competition among miners
- Demand for predictable earnings
What users are actually searching
Understanding search intent is critical for choosing the right platform.
High-volume keywords in 2026 include:
- free crypto mining platforms
- cloud mining without investment
- legit bitcoin mining sites
- daily passive income crypto
- best cloud mining platform for beginners
Platforms that align with these queries—especially those offering free entry + transparent contracts—are capturing the majority of organic traffic.
Risks not to ignore
While cloud mining simplifies access, it does not eliminate risk.
Users should always consider:
- Market volatility affecting mining rewards
- Platform credibility and transparency
- Contract lock-in periods
- Unrealistic return promises
A good rule is that if a platform cannot clearly explain how earnings are generated, it’s not worth the risk.
FAQ: Free crypto mining platforms in 2026
Is free crypto mining really possible in 2026?
Yes—but not in the traditional sense. Most platforms now offer free access through bonuses, trials, or limited hashpower rather than unlimited mining.
Which platform is best for beginners?
Platforms with simple onboarding and free entry mechanisms, such as those offering daily rewards, are typically the easiest starting point.
How often are mining rewards paid?
Most modern platforms distribute earnings every 24 hours, depending on the contract structure.
Is cloud mining more profitable than traditional mining?
For most users, yes. It eliminates hardware costs, maintenance, and electricity expenses, making returns more predictable.
Final thoughts
Crypto mining in 2026 is no longer about technical skill—it’s about choosing the right platform.
As the industry becomes more competitive and capital-intensive, accessibility and transparency are becoming the real differentiators.
For users entering the space today, platforms that combine free entry mechanisms, structured mining contracts, and daily payouts are not just more convenient—they represent the future of mining itself.
Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.
Social media platform X is considering implementing new rules for first-time user posts about crypto in an effort to crack down on scammers using phishing attacks to gain access to accounts.
Nikita Bier, the head of product at the platform formerly known as Twitter, made the announcement on Wednesday amid reports that a scammer pretending to be a veterinarian previously responsible for the health of a 193-year-old tortoise named “Jonathan” conned social media users into buying crypto before the truth was revealed.
Bier said that X could auto-lock accounts mentioning crypto for the first time and require them to go through verification. “This should kill 99% of the incentive, especially since Google isn’t doing shit to stop the phishing emails,” read his post.
A scammer pretending to be the veterinarian responsible for Jonathan reportedly posted a link to a Solana-based memecoin before the BBC and other news outlets revealed the truth on Thursday.
Data from CoinMarketCap showed the price of the Solana-based memecoin, called JONATHAN, surged by more than 6,000% amid the social media posts before sharply dropping. At the time of publication, the token was priced at $0.00007043.
Related: Alleged Huione money-laundering boss extradited to China
Crypto scammer faked death report of world’s oldest tortoise
According to the BBC report, a scammer on the social media platform X, pretended to be veterinarian Joe Hollins, posting that the tortoise had died on the British territory of Saint Helena, an island in the Atlantic. The account reportedly linked to a Solana blockchain memecoin based on Jonathan’s death.
“Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive,” said the real Hollins in a statement to The Guardian. “I believe on X the person purporting to be me is asking for crypto donations, so it’s not even an April fool joke. It’s a con.”
Many scammers have used anonymous or pseudonymous accounts on social media platforms to convince users to send crypto based on false pretenses. Although impersonating an animal like Jonathan is unusual, people have created unauthorized memecoins based on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, US President Donald Trump, and many other public figures.
Many hackers have used X accounts or gained access to legitimate accounts to post scams like fake memecoins or claims to “double your money.”
The Trump administration is suing Illinois, Connecticut, Arizona, and their gaming regulators over the federal government’s right to regulate prediction markets.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the US Department of Justice filed separate lawsuits on Thursday against the three states.
In 2025, those states and their gaming regulators sent cease and desist letters to prediction platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, claiming that the event contracts offered by the platforms violated state gambling laws and licensing requirements.
The federal financial regulator’s lawsuit against Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Gaming Board argues that the Illinois Gaming Board overstepped its authority by categorizing event contracts as “wagers” or “sports betting” instead of asset swaps.
In each of the three lawsuits, the CFTC maintains that it has “exclusive jurisdiction” to regulate “Designated Contract Markets (DCMs),” which include prediction platforms, under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA). The Illinois lawsuit said:
“Illinois’s attempt to shut down federally regulated DCMs intrudes on the exclusive federal scheme Congress designed to oversee national swaps markets. Prompted by the evolution of national financial markets and repeated conflicts with state law.”
“Unless restrained and enjoined by the court, defendants are likely to continue their attempts to subvert federal law and the exclusive jurisdiction to regulate event contract swaps conferred on the CFTC by Congress,” the lawsuit filing said.
The CFTC lawsuit comes amid increased legal scrutiny of prediction markets by US lawmakers and regulators, as 11 states pursue legal action against prediction market platforms.
Related: CFTC’s top enforcer puts prediction market insider traders on notice
CFTC chief pushes back as legal pressure on prediction markets intensifies
“These states’ aggressive and overzealous attempts to overstep the CFTC have led to market uncertainty and risks destabilizing effects for market participants and our registrants,” CFTC Chairman Mike Selig said after the lawsuits were filed.
State regulators in Arizona, Nevada, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Montana, Ohio, Connecticut, Tennessee, New York and Massachusetts have taken legal action against prediction markets.
At the same time, Congressional lawmakers are attempting to push through legislative proposals that would ban sports-related event contracts and prevent political insiders from participating in prediction markets tied to war.
Magazine: IronClaw rivals OpenClaw, Olas launches bots for Polymarket — AI Eye
TLDR:
- SpaceX targets $75B in its IPO, more than double the global record set by Saudi Aramco in 2019.
- Starlink drove $8B in profit last year, making SpaceX already profitable ahead of its public listing.
- xAI, merged into SpaceX in February, burns $1B monthly, adding risk beneath the Starlink profit story.
- Nasdaq rule changes allow SpaceX to join the Nasdaq 100 within 15 days, triggering billions in auto-buys.
SpaceX IPO preparations are attracting attention from financial markets worldwide. The company has confidentially filed with the SEC and targets a listing as early as June 2026.
SpaceX is looking to raise to $75 billion. That figure would surpass Alibaba’s US record of $22 billion set in 2014. Saudi Aramco holds the global benchmark at $29 billion, raised in 2019. SpaceX is targeting more than double both figures combined.
SpaceX IPO Exposes Deep Valuation Gaps Across the Space Sector
SpaceX reported $8 billion in profit last year on revenue between $15 and $16 billion. Nearly all of it came from Starlink, its satellite internet service.
The company is already profitable at scale, unlike most pre-IPO tech listings. This is not a company pitching an unproven future business model.
At a $1.75 trillion valuation, SpaceX trades at 110 times annual revenue. AST SpaceMobile, by comparison, trades at 452 times revenue and has not yet turned a profit.
Rocket Lab trades at 62 times revenue and is also pre-profit. Both companies also rely partly on SpaceX for their own launch needs.
Market commentator Bull Theory flagged this valuation gap in a recent social media post. The account argued that such pricing between the sector leader and pre-profit rivals creates a conflict.
Historical precedent tends to favor a downward repricing of the smaller names. Investors are watching this dynamic closely.
The retail share allocation is set at 30%, which is three times the standard Wall Street norm. Musk appears to be deliberately converting his broad audience into direct shareholders through this structure.
Retail participation in the SpaceX IPO could therefore reach unusually high levels. The move sets this listing apart from most large-cap offerings in recent memory.
xAI Merger and Nasdaq Rule Changes Shape the Broader Investment Case
One underreported risk in the SpaceX IPO involves the February merger with xAI. The AI company is burning approximately $1 billion per month.
The IPO pitch rests on Starlink’s margins sustaining those losses long enough. The goal is for orbital AI data centers to eventually generate independent revenue.
That makes this more than a standard space company listing. Investors are also funding an AI infrastructure play with no proven revenue to date.
The two businesses are now legally and financially inseparable following the merger. This adds a layer of risk not immediately visible in the headline numbers.
Nasdaq changed its index eligibility rules to accommodate SpaceX specifically. Under the new criteria, the company can join the Nasdaq 100 within 15 days of listing.
That would trigger automatic purchases from index funds tracking the benchmark. Billions in forced buying could arrive shortly after trading begins.
The offering includes $24 billion in US government defense contracts and ownership of X, the social media platform. These assets broaden SpaceX well beyond its launch and satellite operations.
The SpaceX IPO is drawing comparisons to Facebook’s 2012 listing in scale and market impact. Unlike Facebook at that time, SpaceX is already generating substantial profits.
Stablecoins stood out as a rare bright spot in an otherwise muted first quarter for the crypto market. Fresh data from CEX.IO shows the sector expanded despite a broad downturn, underscoring their evolving role as the market’s liquidity backbone and a defensive option for investors navigating volatility.
Overall stablecoin supply climbed to a record $315 billion in Q1, rising by about $8 billion. While that is the slowest pace of growth since the final quarter of 2023, it still marks a net expansion during a period of weaker price action across digital assets. Equally notable is the share of activity they generated: stablecoins accounted for roughly 75% of total crypto trading volume in the quarter—the highest level on record and a signal of ongoing demand for a familiar, fast settlement layer in crypto markets.
Key takeaways
- Record liquidity backbone: Stablecoin supply reached $315 billion in Q1, up about $8 billion year over year, with 75% of crypto trading volume conducted in stablecoins.
- Volume vs. retail: Total stablecoin transaction volume surpassed $28 trillion, reinforcing stablecoins’ central role as the main on-chain liquidity layer, even as retail activity cooled.
- Shift in usage: Retail transfers declined 16% in Q1—the steepest drop on record—while automated activity surged, with bots driving about 76% of stablecoin transaction volume.
- Issuer divergence: USDC supply grew by roughly $2 billion, while USDT declined by about $3 billion—the first meaningful split between the two major issuers since 2022.
- Yield-driven growth amid scrutiny: The market for yield-bearing stablecoins sits around $3.7 billion, with daily trading volumes above $100 million, a dynamic drawing regulatory attention in the U.S.
Bot-driven liquidity reshapes on-chain dynamics
The data depict a notable shift in how stablecoins are used on-chain. While retail demand showed a clear pullback, the rise of algorithmic activity points to a growing involvement from institutions and sophisticated trading strategies. Bots’ dominance—accounting for roughly three-quarters of on-chain stablecoin volume—suggests that liquidity provisioning, arbitrage, and market-making have moved to the forefront of stablecoin use cases.
In a market environment characterized by tighter risk appetites, such automation can enhance price discovery and capital efficiency for major exchanges and liquidity venues. Yet it also raises questions about the resilience of demand when non-retail participants dominate flows, and about the potential for sudden shifts if algorithmic strategies recalibrate in response to evolving market conditions.
Diverging paths for the two largest issuers
Among stablecoin issuers, a clear divergence emerged in Q1. Circle’s USDC saw supply expand by approximately $2 billion, while Tether’s USDt contracted by around $3 billion. This marks the first substantive split between the two since mid-2022 and suggests a relative shift in on-chain usage toward USDC—an outcome consistent with rising USDC transfer activity observed earlier in the year.
Analysts have linked the USDC uptick to broader on-chain utility, including trading, settlement, and financial ops, aligning with data that show USDC’s growing centrality in routine liquidity operations. By contrast, the USDT contraction could reflect a combination of redemption dynamics, reserve management choices, and shifting preferences in certain liquidity pools or markets.
For market participants, the divergence underscores how issuer strategies and trusted rails can influence liquidity distribution across protocols and venues. Investors and builders should monitor whether the USDC-USDT dynamic persists, and what it signals about demand regimes for stablecoins across centralized and decentralized ecosystems.
Further context from industry coverage indicates ongoing upticks in USDC transfer activity, reinforcing the view that USDC is becoming a more prominent vehicle for on-chain finance beyond mere trading pairs.
USDC transfer activity has been cited as a notable trend in on-chain volume, a development that dovetails with the supply data described above.
Yield-bearing stablecoins: growth facing regulatory glare
Another notable dynamic in the quarter was the continued growth of yield-bearing stablecoins, a niche that has drawn heightened scrutiny in the United States. The market for these interest-bearing products sits around $3.7 billion, with daily trading volumes topping $100 million, according to CoinGecko data. The appeal is clear: yield segments can attract capital by offering enhanced returns compared with traditional stablecoins, particularly in an environment of rising interest expectations and evolving DeFi strategies.
However, the same yield-focused segment has become a focal point for policymakers and incumbents concerned about the potential risks and the regulatory framework surrounding crypto markets. Lawmakers and industry participants alike are weighing how yield offerings intersect with investor protection, banking relationships, and the broader stability of the payments and settlement stack. In parallel, traditional banks have pushed back against stablecoins that promise yields, highlighting ongoing regulatory ambiguity as a constraint on product design and market adoption.
In this context, the market data on yield-bearing stablecoins provide a meaningful barometer of how far stablecoin innovation can advance within a regulated framework while balancing the needs of retail users, institutions, and on-chain operators. The relatively modest overall size of the yield-bearing segment — about $3.7 billion — doesn’t yet imply a wholesale shift, but it does suggest that product diversification will continue to shape issuer strategies and market structure decisions in the months ahead.
For readers tracking industry momentum, these dynamics are not isolated. They intersect with broader narratives about stablecoins’ role as a settlement layer, the push toward on-chain financial operations, and the risk-reward calculus for yield-based products in a climate of regulatory review. A recent report highlighted that stablecoins had surpassed traditional payment rails in certain on-chain metrics, underscoring how deeply embedded they have become in crypto liquidity and infrastructure. Earlier analysis noted stablecoins’ growing transfer volumes relative to traditional networks, reinforcing the shift toward crypto-native settlement paradigms.
What this means for traders, users and builders
From an investment and trading standpoint, the quarter’s data suggest that stablecoins remain a critical tool for risk management, liquidity access, and calendar-driven strategies. The sheer scale of on-chain activity—$28 trillion in stablecoin transaction volume—reaffirms stablecoins as the de facto liquidity layer for a broad cross-section of on-chain activity, including arbitrage, price discovery across venues, and cross-border settlement flows.
For developers and protocol teams, the issuer divergence and the dominance of bot-driven flows offer both opportunities and cautions. Platform builders may benefit from deeper liquidity and cheaper execution, but they must consider how to design for resilience in the face of heavy algorithmic participation. Regulators, meanwhile, will likely continue scrutinizing yield-based designs and the broader stability implications of stablecoin markets within the evolving market structure debate. In the U.S., the ongoing policy discussions surrounding a crypto market structure bill and yield rules will shape product features, storage and redemption mechanics, and the viability of certain yield strategies.
What to watch next
Observers should track whether the USDC-USDT divergence persists and how it correlates with on-chain activity patterns and exchange flows. The pace of stablecoin supply growth will be telling as market conditions evolve, particularly if macro cues shift risk appetites or driving factors for demand change. Regulators’ approach to stablecoins with embedded yields will likely influence product development and institutional participation going forward. Finally, the extent to which bot-driven liquidity remains the dominant force behind stablecoin activity will be a key question for traders and market planners in the quarters ahead.
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