Crypto World

Polymarket’s 5-cent signal was the only thing that got the Netanyahu rumors right

Published

3 weeks ago

21 March 2026

The rumor followed a familiar wartime script. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had struck Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Then came the forged screenshots — fake posts from the Israeli prime minister’s official account announcing he was dead. Then came the AI furore over a low-resolution freeze-frame from a press conference that, at the right angle, appeared to show Netanyahu’s right hand sporting six fingers, leading contrarian commentators to take victory laps.

Conservative influencer Candace Owens amplified the claims loudly on X, demanding to know where Netanyahu was and why his office was “releasing and deleting fake AI videos.” Iran’s Tasnim News Agency — run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — published an article titled “New Video of Netanyahu Proves Fake,” cataloguing alleged clear signs that a subsequent coffee shop clip, posted by Netanyahu’s own account to debunk the rumors, was itself generated by artificial intelligence. The conspiracy had become self-sealing; every refutation was recast as fresh evidence.

But while the fact-checkers scrambled and the podcasters speculated, one data source offered a clean, immediate signal. On Polymarket, the world’s largest crypto prediction market, the contract for “Netanyahu out by March 31” was trading at around 4 to 5 cents, implying a roughly 4 to 5% probability of him leaving office before the end of the month. The market didn’t move. For anyone paying attention to that number, the entire conspiracy theory collapsed in a single glance.

A record-breaking backdrop

To understand why the Netanyahu conspiracy took hold when it did, you need to understand the information environment it emerged from.

Since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Polymarket has been transformed into something closer to a real-time geopolitical intelligence terminal. In the week ending March 1, bettors placed $425 million in geopolitics wagers on the platform alone — up from $163 million the prior week — with total platform wagering hitting a record $2.4 billion. The “US strikes Iran by…?” contract accumulated $529 million in total volume, making it one of the largest single markets Polymarket has ever hosted and the fourth-largest in its entire “Politics” category.

It is a remarkable trajectory for a platform that processed $73 million in total trading volume in 2023 and was pushed offshore by a CFTC settlement a year later. By 2025, Polymarket had processed approximately $22 billion in notional trading volume across the year — a figure that underscores how quickly the platform has moved from crypto curiosity to mainstream financial infrastructure.

This is no longer a crypto curiosity. In October 2025, the Intercontinental Exchange, parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, invested $2 billion into Polymarket at a $9 billion valuation, and launched a “Polymarket Signals and Sentiment” tool that feeds real-time prediction market data directly to Wall Street trading desks. When the Iran war began, equity and oil futures markets were closed for the weekend. Polymarket was not.

The market as instant truth machine

Prediction markets don’t have death contracts in the conventional sense. What Polymarket offers instead are “politician out by X date” markets, which resolve “Yes” if a leader resigns, is removed, or steps down. They don’t directly price the probability of death. But in a context where the conspiracy theory is that Netanyahu has been killed and the government is conducting a cover-up, these contracts function as a powerful proxy.

The logic is simple. A leader who has died or been incapacitated cannot indefinitely run a country from office. Eventually, a resignation, a removal or a credible leak would surface. And if any of that happened, the payout on a “Yes” share at 5 cents would be enormous: a $1 payout on a 5-cent share is a 20-to-1 return.

One trader was willing to make that bet at scale. A single Polymarket account placed $151,000 on Netanyahu being out before March 31, accumulating nearly 3.8 million shares at 4.7 cents each. If correct, the position would pay out $3.8 million. It is currently underwater by roughly $26,000.

That number is the ceiling of rational conviction in the conspiracy. At the height of the online hysteria, the most aggressive speculator on record was willing to stake $150,000 on the theory — implying he knew the odds were long. The market as a whole put the probability at around 5%. Social media said it was certain. The money said otherwise.

“Whether a politician is in or out of office is a very economically meaningful outcome for a lot of people,” said Aaron Brogan, a managing attorney at Brogan Law who has advised on prediction market regulation. “These are exactly the kinds of markets that event contract rules were designed to accommodate.”

Why the odds are hard to fake

The 2024 US election cycle offered a masterclass in prediction market efficiency — and the limits of efforts to dismiss its signals. When Polymarket showed Donald Trump trading at a substantial premium over Kamala Harris, critics cried manipulation. A French trader, they alleged, had artificially pumped Trump’s odds using multiple accounts for political purposes.

The experts weren’t buying it. As Flip Pidot, co-founder of American Civics Exchange, told CoinDesk at the time: a true manipulator trying to move the price would simply pile in blindly and let themselves get filled at worsening prices. The French trader did the opposite — splitting orders strategically across accounts to minimize slippage. That is what profit-seeking looks like, not propaganda.

The deeper reason manipulation struggles to stick is expected value arbitrage. If a price is artificially depressed or inflated, profit-hungry traders pile in to exploit the gap until it closes. Cross-market arbitrage reinforces this: Polymarket prices in real time against Kalshi, Betfair, and others. If odds drift meaningfully out of line across platforms, traders immediately sell the higher price and buy the lower one, synchronizing markets toward a consensus.

Harry Crane, a statistics professor at Rutgers University who studies prediction markets, sees the Netanyahu episode as a near-perfect illustration of this dynamic. “These markets are an antidote to propaganda precisely because their resolution rules anchor outcomes to verifiable sources rather than narrative,” he told CoinDesk. “I understand why governments want to limit them — not because of concerns over leaking classified information, but because verifiable price signals are harder to control.”

That framing maps directly onto the Netanyahu conspiracy. The people claiming he was dead were doing structurally the same thing as those who cried Polymarket was rigged in 2024: attacking the signal rather than engaging with it.

What the market is actually pricing — and what it isn’t

Crane is careful about the limits of the signal, and his caveat is worth sitting with.

“The market is only pricing the probability that Netanyahu is verifiably out of office under these rules,” he said. The resolution criteria state that the contract resolves “Yes” if Netanyahu announces his resignation or is otherwise removed from office, confirmed by official sources or a consensus of credible reporting. If a government concealed a leader’s death so completely that no credible source ever confirmed it, the market could resolve “No” — faithfully, correctly under its own rules, and yet without capturing the underlying reality.

That dynamic was playing out in real time. Domer — a well-known prediction market trader who goes by ImJustKen online — was publicly holding a No position on Netanyahu leaving office before March 31. Not because he was certain Netanyahu was alive, but because he didn’t believe a departure would ever be confirmed under the market’s resolution criteria, even if it occurred. He was pricing the verification gap, not the conspiracy itself.

But that caveat reveals something important about the conspiracy itself. The Netanyahu death rumor only holds together if you believe in a cover-up so total — encompassing Israeli officials, international media, independent fact-checkers, and Netanyahu’s own social media accounts simultaneously — that no verifiable evidence would ever surface. At that point, the conspiracy has become unfalsifiable by design. An unfalsifiable claim is one no rational actor should stake capital on.

This is the key distinction from traditional fact-checking. A fact-checker requires institutional credibility, research time, and editorial process — all of which conspiracy theories are engineered to preemptively undermine. A Polymarket price requires none of that. It requires only that someone, somewhere, believes the opposite enough to put real money on it. When no one does, that is its own kind of proof.

The contrast case: Khamenei

The clearest evidence that these markets work as a truth signal — and not merely as a null result — is what happened with the Khamenei contract.

When Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the February 28 strikes, the “Khamenei out as Supreme Leader by March 31” contract on Polymarket behaved exactly as you would expect from an efficient market. It had hovered between 25% and 50% through January and February as tensions built, pricing genuine uncertainty about an escalating conflict. Then, when Iranian state TV confirmed his death, it spiked vertically to 100%. The contract drew $45 million in volume. The top trader made $757,000 on a yes bet. Four others cleared six figures.

The Netanyahu market did not do this. It stubbornly remained below 5 cents throughout the conspiracy cycle. The crowd that correctly priced Khamenei’s death — and got paid for it — looked at the Netanyahu claims and declined to move.

Price movements on Polymarket (Polymarket)

The regulatory storm gathering overhead

The informational value of these markets is being stress-tested at exactly the moment when political pressure against them is reaching its peak.

When Khamenei was killed, Kalshi — Polymarket’s CFTC-regulated rival — invoked a “death carveout” buried in its contract terms, settling its Khamenei positions at the last traded price before his death: roughly 39.5 cents rather than the full dollar. Polymarket, which carries no such carveout, paid out in full. A $54 million class action lawsuit against Kalshi followed.

The inconsistency in Kalshi’s approach has been pointed out sharply. In late 2024, Kalshi had run a market on whether a 100-year-old Jimmy Carter would attend Trump’s inauguration. When Carter died before it took place, Kalshi settled that contract to “No” — resolving a market directly via death, without invoking any carveout. As Crane has noted, the application of its death carveout appears to have been selective: they settle on death, just not when it’s expensive.

Kalshi disputes the characterization. “Our rules were clear from the beginning, we never changed them, and we settled based on the rules,” a spokesperson said. The company added that it reimbursed all fees and net losses out of pocket following the Khamenei settlement — “to the tune of millions of dollars” — ensuring no user lost money on the market. “Kalshi is a peer-to-peer exchange and does not profit from user losses. We have no incentive not to pay out our users, but we need to follow the rules of the exchange and the rule of law.”

On the legislative push, the company struck a conciliatory tone. “Kalshi already bans insider trading and markets directly tied to death and war,” a spokesperson said. “As a US-based exchange, we support regulators and policymakers from both sides of the aisle in their efforts to keep these markets safe and responsible in America.”

Kalshi declined to comment on record about the consistency of the death carveout as applied to the Khamenei contract versus the Carter market, or on the current status of the class action lawsuit.

Six Democratic senators, led by Adam Schiff, have written to the CFTC demanding a categorical ban on contracts that “resolve upon or closely correlate to an individual’s death.” Separately, senators Merkley and Klobuchar have introduced the End Prediction Market Corruption Act, which would bar the president, vice president, members of Congress, and their immediate families from trading event contracts, and impose fines and profit clawbacks for violations — citing the well-timed wagers on US strikes and Iranian leadership changes that netted some traders hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps identified six newly created wallets that collectively netted $1.2 million betting on the timing of US strikes on Iran, with accounts funded within 24 hours of the attack. One trader turned roughly $60,000 into nearly $500,000.

Brogan is skeptical that the legislative push has the momentum to land. “This is largely Democratic senators using the legislative process to generate political capital,” he said. “The conditions under which that legislation actually passes are where something really calamitous happens — some kind of market collapse or scandal that forces politicians to make an example of the industry. Without that, I don’t think there’s sufficient political capital to move it.”

He also draws a clear distinction between Polymarket’s legal exposure and Kalshi’s. “The restrictions Kalshi faces are not directly applicable to Polymarket,” Brogan said. Polymarket is not a CFTC-regulated US exchange — a status that stems from a 2021 settlement that pushed it offshore and barred US users from accessing it directly. That remains its largest single legal exposure, Brogan noted, though he pointed out that the Trump administration has shown little appetite for pursuing the kind of action the Biden administration explored against Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan in early 2025.

Crane, for his part, is unambiguous about what would be lost if the legislative push succeeded. “These markets have genuine informational value and can counter propaganda,” he said. “That’s the case study here — a market involving war and the fate of a political leader doing exactly what its critics say it shouldn’t exist to do.”

There is also a state-level front opening up. Arizona recently charged Kalshi with operating an illegal gambling operation — part of a broader conflict between states that regulate and tax traditional gambling markets and federally-overseen prediction markets that sit outside their control. “The question that ultimately matters is whether federal law will preempt state law on this,” Brogan said. “There are courts hearing that question right now.”

What the crowd gets right — and what it can’t fix

None of this is to say prediction markets are infallible. Crane notes that nearly 25% of Polymarket’s historical volume has been attributed to wash trading — artificial activity generated by users trying to position themselves for a potential token airdrop — a figure that Columbia University researchers found peaked at around 60% in December 2024 before falling sharply. Wash trading inflates headline volume without necessarily biasing prices, but it is a legitimate caveat to the “wisdom of crowds” narrative.

The more fundamental limitation is what Crane identified in his answer to the manipulation question: a sufficiently coordinated disinformation campaign could, in theory, move a market — especially a smaller one. The Netanyahu “out by March 31” contract had enough liquidity to make that expensive, but not impossible.

What prediction markets cannot do is replace the underlying information infrastructure they depend on. They resolve against credible sources. If those sources are corrupted or silent — as Iranian state media clearly was throughout this episode — the market’s signal is only as good as the resolution criteria it is anchored to.

But in the Netanyahu case, that is precisely where the conspiracy fell apart. The rumor required a cover-up so comprehensive that no Israeli official, no international journalist, no independent fact-checker, and no market trader with real money on the line would ever find confirmation. The market priced that scenario at 5 cents. It was right.

When Candace Owens was demanding to know where Bibi was, Polymarket already had an answer. It just costs a few pennies to read it.

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Crypto World

Why Changpeng Zhao believes we will stop talking about “crypto” within five years

Published

32 seconds ago

11 April 2026

NewsAdmin

CZ lists a number of non-dollar stablecoins as Binance backs national currencies

Binance co-founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao believes blockchain and cryptocurrency are on a path to becoming as common and unnoticed as the internet within the next five years.

Summary

Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao expects blockchain to become an invisible part of daily life by 2031 and compares its future integration to how the world uses the internet today.
Zhao warns that nations failing to adopt blockchain and AI will face significant economic disadvantages.

Speaking on Scott Melker’s Wolf of All Streets podcast on Thursday, Zhao explained that the goal for the industry is to reach a stage where the underlying technology is no longer the main topic of conversation.

He compared the current phase of crypto to the early days of the web, suggesting that the technical jargon will eventually fade into the background.

“I’m hoping that we don’t talk about crypto as crypto in five years, just like we don’t talk about the internet anymore, we don’t talk about TCP/IP, we don’t talk about HTML, JavaScript, etc. We don’t talk about that stuff anymore. We just use it,” Zhao said.

The drive toward mainstream use is backed by recent data and industry forecasts. Figures from DemandSage show that global crypto users have reached an estimated 559 million in 2026.

Financial institutions are also preparing for this transition; a Citi survey from last September revealed that most banks and asset managers expect tokenized securities and stablecoins to handle 10% of global post-trade market turnover in less than five years.

Looking further ahead, ARK Invest recently projected that the digital asset market could reach $28 trillion by 2030. Other industry leaders, such as Tether co-founder Reeve Collins, expect nearly all traditional currencies to eventually transition into stablecoins.

Chainalysis has shared an even more aggressive outlook, estimating that stablecoin volumes could reach $1.5 quadrillion by 2035.

The role of AI and global competition

Zhao noted that the rise of artificial intelligence is likely to pull blockchain adoption along with it, particularly as AI agents begin to handle financial transactions. He suggested that the combination of these technologies is now essential for national competitiveness.

“I think there’s really three big industries in my adult lifetime: the internet, blockchain and AI. Any country that misses one of them is going to be severely disadvantaged,” he said.

While Microsoft recently identified the United States as the leader in AI infrastructure, other nations are moving faster in specific areas of adoption.

Signzy and Arkham have both highlighted Switzerland as a top hub for crypto innovation, while the United Arab Emirates has outpaced the U.S. in the actual day-to-day usage of new digital tools.

To keep pace, Zhao previously advised AI developers to focus on the practical utility of their tools rather than simply launching new tokens to raise money.

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Crypto World

Could Pepeto Deliver the Best Crypto Presale to Buy as ETH and ARB Recover on Ceasefire News

Published

8 minutes ago

11 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Could Pepeto Deliver the Best Crypto Presale to Buy as ETH and ARB Recover on Ceasefire News

A two week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran just triggered $427 million in short liquidations, sending BTC back above $72,000 and ETH past $2,200 in a single session. Wallets positioned before the news printed gains overnight that took months of patience to build.

While the rally lifts large caps, Pepeto has crossed $8.87 million in presale capital while a Binance listing draws closer, making it what analysts call the best crypto presale to buy before the next wave of capital arrives.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a two week ceasefire that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and suspending strikes, according to Yahoo Finance.

BTC jumped 4.5% to $71,926 and ETH climbed 6.3% to $2,239 within hours. The rally erased weeks of fear driven selling and pushed total crypto market cap above $2.4 trillion according to CoinMarketCap. Short sellers lost $427 million in forced closures overnight.

How ETH, ARB, and Pepeto Stack Up After the Ceasefire Rally

Pepeto: Swap Tools and Pepe Legacy Creating the Entry Analysts Keep Flagging

Every cycle has a moment where one presale pulls capital while the rest of the market bleeds, and this time the signal is hard to miss. One name drawing serious money through the noise is Pepeto, a presale built for real returns rather than temporary hype, which is why analysts keep naming it the best crypto presale to buy this cycle.

The ecosystem rewards holders on multiple levels. Staking at 186% APY gives early wallets growing returns that compound ahead of the listing. The 420 trillion token supply keeps active traders and committed holders in balance.

The exchange system already runs and processes live trades. PepetoSwap handles token swaps across chains at zero cost, so holders protect the full size of every position. The risk scorer reviews each contract before a trade completes, catching red flags that cost unprepared wallets their capital every day.

Capital kept coming even when the Fear and Greed Index touched single digits, pushing total presale past $8.87 million. Pepeto at $0.0000001863 trades at a fraction of what listing projections show, and the distance between that entry and where trading opens is where wealth gets created for wallets that commit while the number exists.

The presale locks out permanently when the Binance listing opens, and the current entry goes away forever. Market watchers target 100x or more, pointing to the cofounder’s history of building the original Pepe coin to billions without a single working product. Stages keep selling out ahead of schedule, and the wallets still searching are watching the entry they wanted get smaller with every hour that passes.

Ethereum: ETH Climbs on Ceasefire but Faces Familiar Ceiling

ETH trades near $2,217 according to CoinMarketCap after jumping 6.3% on the ceasefire. BlackRock’s staked ETH fund saw $15.5 million in first day volume.

Support holds at $2,000 with resistance near $2,400. Even reaching $5,000, the August 2025 all time high, delivers roughly 120% from here, strong for a large cap but far from what the best crypto presale to buy can produce in the same window.

Arbitrum: ARB Sits 96% Below Its Peak With Unlock Pressure Ahead

ARB trades near $0.10 according to CoinMarketCap, sitting 96% below its all time high of $2.40. An $8.72 million token unlock arrives April 16, releasing 92.65 million tokens that add selling pressure.

Monthly unlocks keep dragging the price lower even as the Layer 2 network processes real DeFi volume. A recovery to $0.20 only doubles capital while dilution risk remains for holders waiting for the unlock schedule to end.

Conclusion:

The best crypto presale to buy becomes clearest when a rally reminds everyone that crypto rewards wallets already inside. ETH and ARB recovered on the ceasefire, but their ceilings pale against what presale entries produce when a listing arrives. Pepeto combines swap tools and contract protection with pricing that reshapes a portfolio after one event.

Pepe exploded from presale price and those early wallets collected life changing returns, and the same pattern is forming around Pepeto before the crowd confirms it. Capital flowing through Pepeto proves the signal is loud, and the presale price disappears permanently when the Binance listing opens. Every hour the presale stays open is an hour closer to the listing that turns this into the best crypto presale to buy someone else got instead of you.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs

What makes Pepeto the best crypto presale to buy right now?

Pepeto runs live swap tools with zero fees, a Pepe cofounder leads the project, and a confirmed Binance listing sits days away at $0.0000001863 entry. The presale pulled $8.87 million during extreme market fear.

Did the ceasefire rally change the crypto outlook?

The ceasefire triggered $427 million in short liquidations and sent BTC above $72,000 in hours. Fresh capital entering the market benefits presale entries like Pepeto that are priced before exchange listing.

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.

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Crypto World

Solana price risks drop to $52 as it enters consolidation trap below key SMA

Published

14 minutes ago

11 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Solana price has dropped below the 50-day SMA on the daily chart.

Solana price has rebounded back above $85 on Friday morning, retracing back some of its losses following Wednesday’s rally. However, it still remains below a key SMA level that puts it at risk of moving to its next leg lower over the coming sessions.

Summary

Solana price rebounds above $85 but remains below the key 50-day SMA, keeping downside risk intact.
Repeating a three-step pattern signals consolidation phase may precede another sell-off.
Failure to reclaim the $86 level could trigger a sharp decline toward $52.

According to data from crypto.news, Solana (SOL) price rose 4.5% to an intraday high of $85.2 before stabilizing around $83 at the time of writing. The rebound following a market-wide recovery as Bitcoin moved above $73,000 helped the altcoin to backpedal on some of its losses experienced since dropping from its Wednesday high.

Despite the token’s recent rebound, it remains at risk of a more downside in the coming weeks, as it has failed to reclaim a key SMA level, failure of which has historically led to strong downsides.

The daily chart shows that Solana price has been trading within the $76 to $92 range since February this year. The token recently moved into the lower end of this range in the past two weeks.

In doing so, Solana price has fallen below the 50-day SMA, which has historically been followed by significant bearish pressure since October 2023.

Notably, Solana price movement has been repeating a three-step cycle every time it prepares to transition to its next leg lower in the past six months.

The said pattern begins when Solana price reclaims the 50-day SMA, which is then followed by a rapid fall back below the indicator while losing the support of previous highs. Following this, the token enters into a consolidation trap, a period when the token moves sideways within a tight range before its final breakdown towards its next leg down begins.

As derived from the daily chart above, Solana price previously formed this pattern in November last year and again at the beginning of January this year, each time it fell below the 50-day SMA and subsequently entered a consolidation phase for weeks. Following this, it faced a strong sell-off, finally settling lower and forming a new local bottom.

In the most recent instance, Solana price moved above the key resistance in mid-March when it surged all the way to $97. The token has since been on a downtrend, making lower lows and lower highs in the process. Moving on to the last couple of days, the token has been stuck in its consolidation phase in the second step of the current cycle as it hovers between $79 and $81, and rests below the 50-day SMA around the $86 mark.

Assuming that the pattern holds, the ongoing sideways movement should not be interpreted as a sign of stabilization but as the token coiling before initiating its next leg down.

As such, if Solana fails to reclaim the $86 50 day SMA level in the coming sessions, it risks a rapid decline towards $52, a level calculated by subtracting the average percentage drop observed during previous cycles from the current consolidation peak.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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Crypto World

Bhutan has sold 70% of its bitcoin in 18 months. It may have stopped BTC mining too.

Published

21 minutes ago

11 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Bhutan is quietly unwinding one of the most unusual bitcoin experiments any government has ever run.

The Royal Government of Bhutan transferred roughly 319.7 BTC worth $22.68 million to two addresses on Thursday, according to Arkham Intelligence data. Roughly 250 BTC went to a wallet previously used to route funds for sale via Galaxy Digital and OKX. Another 69.7 BTC was sent to a new, unmarked address.

The transaction is part of a series of ongoing sales that have been going on for a while.

Bhutan held approximately 13,000 BTC in October 2024, accumulated through a hydropower-backed mining operation run by Druk Holding and Investments, the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund.

That was the proof-of-concept for sovereign bitcoin mining. A tiny, landlocked country with cheap renewable energy, no legacy financial infrastructure to protect, and a sovereign wealth fund willing to experiment.

Since then, it has sold steadily. Holdings now stand at 3,954 BTC worth roughly $280.6 million, a 70% reduction in 18 months. Arkham data shows $215.7 million in bitcoin has moved out of Bhutan’s holding addresses this year alone, with $162.6 million of that going to unlabeled wallets.

The selling has accelerated into a market where virtually every other major holder is doing the opposite.

Strategy bought 4,871 BTC for $330 million last weekend, bringing its total to 766,970. U.S. spot ETFs absorbed approximately 50,000 BTC in March. The Ethereum Foundation staked $93 million of ether in a single day rather than sell. Even gold-backed sovereign funds have been adding to positions during the Iran conflict.

Bhutan is the only sovereign-level holder visibly liquidating. But there is also a question about whether the mining operation itself is still running.

Arkham data shows Bhutan’s last bitcoin inflow exceeding $100,000 was recorded over a year ago. A government that once generated bitcoin from power harnessed from its own rivers may now simply be spending down what it accumulated, with no new supply coming in to replace what it sells.

Druk Holdings has not responded to several emails and calls from CoinDesk over the past week, the latest of which was sent in the Asian morning hours on Friday. It has not publicly commented on the transfers or the status of its mining operation.

The economics may explain the shift, however.

Bhutan’s mining operation was viable when difficulty was lower, and bitcoin traded above $90,000. At current levels near $71,000, with network difficulty at all-time highs and the post-halving block reward reduced to 3.125 BTC, the margins on small-scale sovereign mining have compressed significantly.

The same hydropower that made Bhutan’s operation novel may now generate more revenue from electricity sold to neighboring India than from bitcoin mining, as mining hardware depreciates with every difficulty adjustment.

Choosing to sell rather than hold or mine is a data point about the gap between bitcoin’s narrative appeal to nation-states and the operational reality of maintaining a position through a prolonged drawdown.

Bhutan’s remaining 3,954 BTC is now smaller than what Strategy purchases in a typical week. The kingdom that once held 13,000 bitcoin mined from its own mountains is watching a single company in Virginia accumulate more in five days than Bhutan has left.

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Crypto World

HSBC and Standard Chartered Venture secure Hong Kong’s first stablecoin licenses

Published

29 minutes ago

11 April 2026

NewsAdmin

HSBC and Standard Chartered Venture secure Hong Kong’s first stablecoin licenses

HSBC and the Standard Chartered-backed Anchorpoint Financial have been granted Hong Kong’s first stablecoin issuer licenses.

Summary

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has granted the first stablecoin issuer licenses to HSBC and the Standard Chartered-backed venture Anchorpoint Financial.
These initial approvals follow several months of delays after the regulator missed its original target to begin the licensing process in March.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released the names of the successful applicants on Friday, signaling the start of a new era for regulated digital assets in the region.

Among the approved firms is HSBC, a dominant local note-issuing bank, alongside Anchorpoint Financial, which operates as a joint venture between Standard Chartered, Animoca Brands, and Hong Kong Telecommunications.

Oversight and enforcement standards

These approvals establish the first group of participants under a licensing regime that officially launched on Aug. 1, 2025.

Under this regime, stablecoin issuers are required to obtain an HKMA license by meeting specific rules, including those for reserve backing and guaranteed redemption paths for users. Other obligations include following strict governance protocols and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures to remain in good standing.

The Legislation also grants the regulator the authority to investigate potential violations and police the sector, including the authority to levy fines, suspend operations, or revoke licenses entirely if an issuer fails to meet its legal obligations.

The rollout follows a period of administrative delays that saw the regulator miss its original goals for the year. Back in February, HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Yue stated that a “very small number of issuers” would be licensed by March.

While that deadline passed without an announcement, the regulator stated on April 1 that it was actively moving the process forward to finalize the first batch of applicants.

Analysts had largely foreseen this outcome following mid-March reports that highlighted HSBC and the Standard Chartered-backed venture as the most likely recipients of the licenses.

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Crypto World

Top 10 free AI stock trading bots for beginners in 2026 guide

Published

35 minutes ago

11 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Top 10 free AI stock trading bots for beginners in 2026 guide

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

AI stock trading bots gain traction in 2026 as beginners seek simple, automated ways to enter financial markets.

Summary

AI stock trading bots gain traction in 2026, offering beginners automated, hands-free market entry
MoneyFlare leads with one-click AI trading, combining stock and crypto automation for passive income
Demand is rising for free AI trading tools as users seek simple, risk-managed investing solutions

As the financial markets continue to evolve, more beginners are turning to AI-powered tools to automate their stock trading. In 2026, AI stock trading bots are increasingly accessible, providing users with an easy, hands-off way to enter the market. For those who are beginners, looking to get started with AI stock trading, this guide will help them navigate the best free options available in 2026.

Whether someone is looking for a simple tool to automate their trades or seeking advanced features to fine-tune their strategies, the right AI trading bot can make all the difference. Let’s explore the top 10 free AI stock trading bots that are perfect for beginners in 2026.

What are AI stock trading bots?

AI stock trading bots are automated programs that use artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze market data, execute trades, and manage investments. These bots are designed to optimize trading strategies with minimal effort, making them perfect for beginners who want to avoid the complexity of manual trading.

In 2026, these bots offer advanced features like machine learning, sentiment analysis, and real-time market monitoring, all without requiring any coding skills. Many of these bots operate on a subscription-free basis, offering a risk-free introduction to the world of automated stock trading.

Top 10 free AI stock trading bots for beginners in 2026

1. MoneyFlare

Overview:
MoneyFlare is a sophisticated yet beginner-friendly AI trading platform that offers fully automated stock and crypto trading. Designed for individuals with no coding or technical experience, MoneyFlare leverages advanced AI algorithms to execute trades and manage investments 24/7.

Key Features:

One-Click Activation: Start trading instantly with minimal setup.
Pre-Built Quant Strategies: Choose from a variety of expert-crafted strategies tailored to maximize returns.
24/7 Automated Trading: Let the AI handle trades at any time, ensuring an opportunity is never missed.
Risk Management Tools: Built-in stop-loss, take-profit, and exposure limits to minimize potential losses.

Best for:
Complete beginners who want a hands-off trading experience, as well as those looking for a safe, AI-driven approach to generating passive income with minimal effort.

Click to register and receive a free $10 real reward and $50 trial credit!

2. 3Commas

Overview:
3Commas offers an intuitive and flexible trading environment suitable for both beginners and advanced traders. It allows users to automate their trades using a variety of strategies, such as Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) and grid trading.

Key Features:

Smart Trade Terminal: Execute trades with real-time analysis and risk management tools.
Automated Portfolio Management: Rebalance and optimize a portfolio automatically.
Multi-Exchange Support: Trade across multiple platforms like Binance, Kraken, and others, from one interface.
Backtesting: Test strategies before going live.

Best for:
Beginners who want to start simple but also value the potential to scale their trading strategies as they gain experience.

3. Cryptohopper

Overview:
Cryptohopper is a cloud-based AI bot that combines automation with customization, making it ideal for both beginners and more experienced traders. Trades can ebe automated based on predefined strategies or real-time market signals.

Key Features:

Strategy Marketplace: Choose from a wide range of pre-built strategies created by top traders.
Social Trading: Follow expert traders and mirror their strategies in real time.
Backtesting & Paper Trading: Test strategies risk-free before using real funds.

Best For:
Beginners looking for flexibility, with the option to gradually explore advanced features as they learn.

4. Pionex

Overview:
Pionex is an easy-to-use AI trading bot that offers over 16 different bots, including grid trading and arbitrage bots. It’s perfect for beginners who want to start automated trading without having to navigate complex features.

Key Features:

Low Fees: One of the most cost-effective platforms, with trading fees as low as 0.05%.
Pre-Built Strategies: Get started quickly with simple, effective strategies like grid trading and arbitrage.
Automated Trading: Operate trades on autopilot 24/7.

Best For:
Beginners who want an all-in-one solution that simplifies automated trading with minimal setup and fees.

5. Zignaly

Overview:
Zignaly is a fully automated trading platform designed for those who want to follow expert traders or signal providers. It offers social trading and copy trading features, allowing beginners to learn from others while automating their own trades.

Key Features:

Copy Trading: Automatically copy the strategies of top traders in real-time.
Cloud-Based Automation: Run the bot seamlessly from the cloud without any setup hassles.
Risk Management Tools: Protect investments with built-in risk controls.

Best For:
Beginners who prefer to follow professional traders’ strategies while automating their own trades with minimal input.

6. Autonio

Overview:
Autonio is a decentralized trading bot platform that allows users to trade across multiple assets using machine learning and AI. It’s ideal for beginners who want a hands-on approach to customizing their strategies with the power of AI.

Key Features:

Machine Learning Algorithms: AI-powered trading that adapts to market conditions.
Backtesting & Optimization: Test and refine strategies using historical data.
Multi-Asset Support: Trade a variety of assets beyond just stocks and crypto.

Best For:
Beginners who want to dive deeper into customizable trading strategies while leveraging AI for decision-making.

7. HaasOnline

Overview:
HaasOnline offers a set of powerful, free trading bots that are ideal for beginners looking to explore automated trading. The platform allows full customization of trading strategies, providing more control over how trades are executed.

Key Features:

Advanced Risk Management: Use features like stop-loss, trailing stop, and take-profit for safer trading.
Multi-Exchange Support: Connect with several exchanges for a broader trading experience.
Backtesting: Evaluate strategies and refine them before going live.

Best For:
Beginners who may want to start simple but gradually explore more complex features as they gain confidence.

8. Shrimpy

Overview:

Shrimpy offers a portfolio management tool with automated rebalancing and social trading. This bot is perfect for beginners who want to follow the strategies of top traders while managing their portfolios effortlessly.

Key Features:

Portfolio Rebalancing: Keep investments aligned with goals by automating portfolio rebalancing.
Social Trading: Copy the strategies of top traders and implement them automatically.
Real-Time Performance Tracking: Track investments’ performance in real time.

Best For:
Beginners who want a simple and effective way to manage their portfolios with minimal effort.

9. Quadency

Overview:
Quadency is a versatile platform that offers AI-powered trading bots and an easy-to-use interface. It allows users to automate their trades and backtest strategies without needing any technical knowledge.

Key Features:

Strategy Automation: Implement and execute various strategies with ease.
Real-Time Data and Analytics: Make informed trading decisions based on real-time market data.
Backtesting: Test strategies with historical data to ensure their effectiveness.

Best For:
Beginners who want a hassle-free, automated trading experience with powerful tools to track performance.

10. Bitsgap

Overview:
Bitsgap is an integrated trading platform that supports multiple exchanges and offers automated trading bots, including arbitrage and grid bots. It’s ideal for beginners looking to automate their trades across different platforms.

Key Features:

Arbitrage Trading: Take advantage of price discrepancies across exchanges to maximize profits.
Backtesting: Test strategies risk-free before live trading.
Multi-Exchange Support: Trade across multiple exchanges from one platform.

Best For:
Beginners who want to explore more advanced features, such as arbitrage, without the complexity of setting up manual trades.

Why should beginners use AI stock trading bots?

For beginners, AI stock trading bots offer several advantages:

Ease of Use: Most bots are designed to be user-friendly, with intuitive interfaces that don’t require prior trading experience.
Automation: They run 24/7, meaning users can take advantage of market opportunities even while they sleep.
Data-Driven Decisions: AI bots analyze vast amounts of market data, ensuring that trades are based on solid information rather than emotions.
Risk Management: Many bots come with built-in risk management tools to protect investments.

How to get started with AI stock trading bots

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to getting started for those who are new to AI stock trading bots:

Choose the Right Bot: Select one of the bots listed above that suits a particular trading style and preferences.
Set Up an Account: Most bots require users to create an account on their platform and link it to their brokerage or exchange account.
Customize Settings: While some bots come with preset strategies, users can often adjust risk levels, trading pairs, and other parameters to suit their preferences.
Monitor and Optimize: Once the bot is running, its performance can be monitored, and adjustments can be made if necessary. Some bots offer analytics to help track profitability.

Things to consider before using AI stock trading bots

While AI stock trading bots offer great advantages, they are not foolproof. Here are a few things to consider:

Market Risk: The stock market can be volatile, and even AI systems can make losses in unpredictable market conditions.
Initial Setup: Some bots may require initial configuration or a learning curve, even if they’re beginner-friendly.
Fees: Some bots are free, but others may charge a fee for premium features. Be sure to check the cost structure before getting started.

Tips to avoid being scammed in AI stock trading

As AI stock trading becomes more popular, many investors are turning to automated trading systems to manage their investments. However, there are also fraudulent platforms and scams in the market, so it is crucial to ensure that protection comes first. Below are some effective tips to help traders avoid being scammed while using AI stock trading platforms:

1. Choose a reputable platform

Ensure a well-known platform with positive reviews is selected. Users can verify the platform’s credibility by researching user feedback, independent reviews, and whether the platform is regulated by financial authorities (such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] or the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority [FCA]). Legitimate platforms will disclose their registration information and be under the supervision of regulatory bodies, so avoid platforms with low transparency.

2. Avoid unrealistic high-return promises

Any platform that promises “guaranteed profits” or fixed high returns should raise suspicion. No investment can guarantee consistent returns, especially in the volatile stock market. Legitimate platforms typically include risk warnings in their terms of service and disclaimers, advising users of the potential for losses. Be wary of platforms that make unrealistic promises of high returns or quick profits.

3. Ensure platform security

When selecting a platform, make sure it offers strong data encryption to protect the account and funds. Legitimate platforms typically use SSL encryption protocols to secure data transmission, and they provide two-factor authentication (2FA) to enhance account security. This ensures that even if someone steals a password, they won’t be able to access the account easily. Verify that the platform follows industry-standard security measures to prevent hacking or data breaches.

4. Avoid following trading signals from unverified sources

Avoid blindly following trading signals or advice from unverified sources. Choose platforms where the signal sources are clearly identified and ensure these signals come from reputable professionals or verified traders. Social trading platforms (such as Zignaly) allow users to follow other successful traders’ strategies, but make sure these strategies are transparent and publicly available. Do not make decisions based solely on short-term profit claims.

5. Start with small investments, don’t invest all funds at once

Before fully trusting a platform, it’s best to start with small, test investments. This allows the user to assess the platform’s performance and the effectiveness of its AI strategies with minimal risk. Diversify investments to reduce risk and avoid putting all the funds into one platform or strategy.

6. Verify AI strategy transparency

Make sure the platform can explain how its AI algorithms work and the strategies used for trading. If a platform keeps its algorithms and operations highly secret or fails to provide enough transparent information, it’s best to avoid using that platform. Reputable platforms usually explain how their AI analyzes the market, makes trading decisions, and provides clear risk management tools.

7. Regularly check account and trading activities

Regularly monitor a trading account to ensure there are no unusual transactions or unauthorized fund transfers. Most platforms offer real-time trade alerts to help track trading activities. Set up alerts for important transactions to receive immediate notification and can take action if needed.

8. Be cautious about free platforms

Although many platforms offer free trials, completely free platforms often come with hidden fees or security risks. Be sure to understand the platform’s fee structure and whether there are any extra charges before getting started. Some scam platforms lure users with “free” services, but later obtain their funds or personal information through other means.

Conclusion

In 2026, AI stock trading bots are the perfect solution for beginners looking to automate their trading strategies and earn passive income. With the bots listed in this guide, anyone can start trading without needing to be a seasoned investor or a coding expert. Whether they want simplicity, advanced features, or a combination of both, these bots can help them navigate the stock market with ease.

Always keep in mind that while AI trading bots are powerful tools, they come with risks. It’s important to monitor trades, set appropriate risk management tools, and only invest what someone can afford to lose.

By choosing the right AI bot and following best practices, traders can set themselves up for success in the world of stock trading.

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.

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Crypto World

US Treasury calls bank CEOs over cyber risks tied to Anthropic’s Claude Mythos model

Published

42 minutes ago

11 April 2026

NewsAdmin

OpenAI buys tech talk show TBPN as it builds out communication strategy

The US Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has reportedly met with major American bank leaders this week as officials assessed potential cyber threats that Anthropic’s latest artificial intelligence system poses.

Summary

Scott Bessent convened major U.S. bank CEOs to assess cybersecurity risks linked to Anthropic’s Claude Mythos AI model following a code leak.
The model reportedly uncovered thousands of long-standing software vulnerabilities, raising concerns over misuse by hackers and threats to financial stability.
Anthropic’s revenue surpassed $30 billion annualized, driven by enterprise demand, major compute deals with Google and Broadcom, and the growth of its Claude Code platform.

According to reports, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent brought together senior executives at the department’s Washington headquarters, with Jerome Powell also said to be present. The meeting followed the unveiling of Anthropic’s Claude Mythos model, which the company has described as posing “unprecedented” cybersecurity risks.

Concerns surrounding the model intensified after its code was leaked earlier this month. In a subsequent blog post, Anthropic said advanced AI systems had surpassed “all but the most skilled humans at finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities,” warning that the consequences for economies, public safety, and national security “could be severe.”

The gathering took place while bank executives were already in Washington for an industry event, with invitations largely extended to leaders of systemically important institutions. Regulators consider these banks critical to financial stability, meaning disruptions to their operations could have far-reaching consequences.

Attendees reportedly included David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, Brian Moynihan of Bank of America, Jane Fraser of Citigroup, Ted Pick of Morgan Stanley, and Charlie Scharf of Wells Fargo. Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase was invited but did not attend.

In his annual shareholder letter released this week, Dimon cautioned that cybersecurity “remains one of our biggest risks,” adding that artificial intelligence “will almost surely make this risk worse.”

Anthropic said its yet-to-be-released Mythos model has already identified thousands of vulnerabilities across software and widely used applications. As a result, access to the system has been limited to a small group of companies, including Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft.

The move marks the first time the company has restricted a product rollout. Select infrastructure and technology groups, such as Cisco and Broadcom, have also been granted access, along with the Linux Foundation.

The developments come as fears grow that malicious actors could use advanced AI tools to uncover passwords or break encryption systems designed to protect sensitive data.

Anthropic said some of the flaws identified by Mythos date back as far as 27 years and had not been detected by developers or security monitors before the AI system surfaced them.

The Treasury meeting also follows a recent decision by the US government to classify Anthropic as a potential supply chain risk, a designation the company is currently challenging in court.

Despite the ongoing regulatory scrutiny and a supply chain risk designation from the U.S. Department of Defense, Anthropic has reported unprecedented financial momentum.

In a recent blog post released on April 6, the company said its annualized revenue run rate exceeded $30 billion as of early April 2026, more than tripling from roughly $9 billion at the end of 2025.

Part of that growth has been driven by new compute partnerships with Google and Broadcom, highlighting rising demand for large-scale AI infrastructure. This agreement secures multiple gigawatts of next-generation TPU capacity to power frontier Claude models through 2027 and beyond.

Its agentic coding platform, Claude Code, has emerged as a key contributor, generating more than $2.5 billion in run-rate revenue as of February.

Weekly active users on the platform have also doubled since the start of the year, pointing to rapid adoption of AI-driven development tools as the company shifts its focus toward high-value enterprise agents.

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Crypto World

CFTC Announces Initial Crypto Task Force Members

Published

48 minutes ago

11 April 2026

NewsAdmin

CFTC Announces Initial Crypto Task Force Members

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has unveiled the first members of its new innovation task force as the agency continues its push to provide greater clarity for the crypto market.

The Innovation Task Force was initially launched by CFTC Chairman Mike Selig on March 24, who appointed Michael Passalacqua as the leader of the group. Passalacqua is currently the senior advisor to Selig at the CFTC.

In an announcement Friday, the CFTC said that Passalacqua will be joined by a list of five initial members including Hank Balaban, a former Latham & Watkins crypto lawyer; Sam Canavos, an ex-Patomak crypto and prediction markets advisor; Mark Fajfar, a CFTC legal veteran; Eugene Gonzalez IV, an ex-Sidley blockchain lawyer; and Dina Moussa, a CFTC Market Participants Division special counsel.

“The Innovation Task Force brings together a leading team that exhibits deep expertise and an enthusiastic commitment to deliver clear rules of the road for American innovators,” Selig said.

The move is part of a broader push from both the CFTC and Securities and Exchange Commission to provide regulatory clarity for the digital asset sector under the direction of the Donald Trump administration.

*Edit the caption here or remove the text*

Source: Michael Passalacqua

CFTC pushing for clarity as major bill stalls

On Friday, Selig also announced the CFTC’s “innovation tracker,” which highlights all the work done under Selig to help “advance regulatory clarity, market integrity, and responsible technological progress.”

The website lists three key innovation areas the agency is focused on, including crypto and blockchain, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and contracts and prediction markets.

The CFTC in particular could be set to be the main overseer of the industry, with the SEC proposing in mid-March that the agency doesn’t see most crypto assets falling under its jurisdiction as securities.

However, the certainty of both agencies’ roles is still largely dependent on whether the Clarity Act passes through the upper levels of government and becomes enshrined as law — something SEC Chair Paul Atkins called for via X on Thursday.

The SEC and CFTC are “ready to implement the CLARITY Act,” he said, adding: “It’s time for Congress to future-proof against rogue regulators and advance comprehensive market structure legislation to President Trump’s desk.”

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