Crypto World
Russia Blocks WhatsApp to Push Surveillance App, Company Claims
WhatsApp, the messaging app owned by Meta, is at the center of a high-stakes regulatory clash as Moscow pushes a domestic alternative and tightens control over digital communication. In recent days, the company publicly accused the Russian government of attempting to block access for millions of users to steer them toward a state-owned substitute. The dispute unfolds as Russia advances a homegrown platform, Max, developed by VK, and seeks to entrench it as the official backbone for private messaging inside the country. The government’s aim is amplified by directives to pre-install Max on all smartphones sold in Russia, a move scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1, and by a broader push to curb reliance on Western platforms amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny.
Key takeaways
- WhatsApp alleges Russia is attempting to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication, describing the move as a setback to digital safety.
- Max, announced by VK and described as a state-backed alternative to WhatsApp and Telegram, began rolling out in March 2025 and is being mandated for pre-installation on new devices starting Sept. 1.
- Backlinko estimates Russia hosts about 72 million active monthly WhatsApp users, placing the country among the top markets for the app outside the usual leaders.
- Russian authorities have signaled that unblocking WhatsApp would require compliance with local laws and a willingness to negotiate, signaling a potential but uncertain path to access restoration.
- Beyond Russia, authorities in other countries have intermittently restricted messaging services during periods of conflict or political upheaval, highlighting a broader trend in digital sovereignty and governance.
Sentiment: Neutral
Market context: The episode sits at the intersection of tech policy and geopolitical risk, illustrating how regulatory actions aimed at domestic control of communications can ripple through the broader digital ecosystem, including networks that crypto services rely on for open, cross-border activity. It underscores a growing attention to data localization, interoperability, and platform sovereignty that could influence global tech and financial ecosystems.
Why it matters
The confrontation between WhatsApp and Russia’s state-backed messaging initiative underscores a fundamental tension between user safety, privacy, and state interests. By introducing Max as a domestically controlled alternative, Moscow is signaling that access to private communication platforms is not simply a consumer choice but a matter of national policy. The move could reshape how Russians communicate, store sensitive information, and interact with businesses, while also raising questions about data localization, resilience, and security in a landscape where private messaging has become a critical utility for personal and professional life.
For international platforms, the Russian example highlights the costs and friction of compliance in a regulated environment that prizes sovereign control over digital infrastructure. The push to pre-install Max on all devices introduces a form of interoperability risk and raises concerns about interoperability with foreign networks, encryption standards, and user consent. Companies that operate across borders must navigate a patchwork of rules, sometimes in real time, which can affect everything from customer support to data flows and incident response protocols. The situation also hints at potential regulatory spillovers to adjacent technologies, including decentralized and cross-border services that crypto projects rely on to maintain open access and censorship resistance.
From a safety and governance perspective, the Russian case illustrates why policymakers abroad are investing in formal mechanisms to manage online communications. The tension between allowing free, secure messaging and enforcing content or data requests from law enforcement creates a persistent policy dilemma. In markets where crypto and blockchain technologies are gaining traction, observers will be watching to see how such regulatory dynamics influence the development of compliant, privacy-preserving communication tools and infrastructure that can withstand political pressure while preserving user trust.
The broader pattern is not limited to Russia. Reports from other countries describe a spectrum of actions—from partial restrictions to complete takedown attempts—that governments have employed during moments of political contention. The dialogue around messaging sovereignty compounds existing concerns about censorship, access to information, and digital rights. For users, this can mean unpredictability in service availability, the need for alternative channels, or the adoption of independent or decentralized messaging solutions as a hedge against outages or coercive controls.
On the technical front, the unfolding dynamic may accelerate innovation in how platforms approach data localization, compliance tooling, and cross-border interoperability. It also raises practical questions for developers, such as how to design communication apps that can operate seamlessly across multiple legal regimes without compromising user safety or security. While the immediate focus is regional, the implications reverberate through any ecosystem that depends on reliable, private messaging as a backbone for collaboration, financial transactions, or sensitive communications—an area where crypto communities have long stressed the importance of resilient, permissionless networks even as regulators seek to impose order and accountability.
What to watch next
- Sept. 1, 2025 — Russia’s mandatory pre-installation of Max on all smartphones takes effect, elevating the platform’s installed base and potentially altering user behavior during the ongoing policy debate.
- End of 2026 — Official signals from Moscow suggest a possible complete blocking of WhatsApp if compliance with national laws does not align with the state’s terms.
- February 2026 — Public commentary and further reporting on whether WhatsApp remains accessible or experiences domain-level restrictions within Russia, including official statements from the presidential administration or regulatory bodies.
- Regulatory actions and negotiations — Any new statements from Russia’s negotiation channels or law-enforcement agencies that clarify the conditions under which foreign messaging services could regain access or be forced to alter operational practices.
- Comparative developments — Monitoring similar moves in other jurisdictions to assess how messaging sovereignty affects global platforms, user experience, and cross-border data flows.
Sources & verification
- Gazeta.ru: Russia reports that WhatsApp’s domain had been blocked and would require VPN or similar workaround to access. https://www.gazeta.ru/tech/news/2026/02/11/27830761.shtml
- TASS: Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov commented that unblocking WhatsApp would require the app to follow Russian laws and engage in negotiations. https://www.gazeta.ru/tech/news/2026/02/12/27832279.shtml?utm_source=chatgpt.com&utm_auth=false
- Backlinko: Estimates of Russia’s active WhatsApp user base, highlighting a sizable market. https://backlinko.com/whatsapp-users
- WhatsApp on X: Official status update from the messaging platform regarding Russia’s access measures. https://x.com/WhatsApp/status/2021749165835829485?s=20
- Related coverage and context: Afghanistan internet outage and blockchain decentralization discussion. https://cointelegraph.com/news/afghanistan-internet-outage-blockchain-centralized-web
Digital friction in Russia’s messaging ecosystem: implications for users and global platforms
The dispute over WhatsApp and the push for a state-backed alternative in Russia crystallizes how policy choices can redefine the digital landscape that users rely on every day. The government’s insistence on pre-installation and on maintaining control over messaging channels is rooted in a broader imperative to keep communications within national boundaries, a stance that has long resonated with policymakers across different regions and sectors, including finance and crypto. While the immediate stakes involve access to a popular app and the safety of private conversations, the longer arc concerns how digital infrastructure is governed, who bears responsibility for safeguarding data, and how open networks can survive attempts at centralization.
For users in Russia, the outcome may hinge on a balance between safety assurances and the practicality of maintaining private, secure conversations in a domestic environment. The presence of a government-backed platform could improve certain regulatory alignments but might also introduce new layers of surveillance or compliance expectations. In contrast, WhatsApp’s contention that the move would “isolate over 100 million users” emphasizes concerns about user autonomy and the resilience of cross-border communication in the face of coercive policy changes. The debate has implications that extend beyond messaging to how crypto ecosystems—built on permissionless networks that assume open access—are perceived when governments seek to exert tighter control over digital channels and data flows.
From a business and innovation standpoint, the Max initiative raises questions about interoperability and the economics of protocol choices in a regulatory environment. Domestic platforms can attract usage through convenience and policy compliance, but they may also risk fragmentation, reduced interoperability with global services, and increased costs for developers who must adapt to multiple rule sets. For the broader tech community, the gambit signals a need to design systems and user experiences that maintain robust privacy protections while meeting diverse regulatory requirements. The lessons learned from Russia’s approach could influence the development of new messaging tools, privacy-preserving features, and strategies to ensure user safety without sacrificing openness—an objective that remains central to many crypto advocates who champion secure, censorship-resistant networks.
Ultimately, the case highlights how control over digital communications remains a strategic frontier for governments and tech firms alike. It also serves as a reminder for users and investors to monitor regulatory trajectories and policy signals, as these can have spillover effects on adjacent sectors that depend on stable, accessible online infrastructure. Whether by design or accident, policy choices in one major market can catalyze shifts in how people communicate, how services are delivered, and how new technologies—such as decentralized tools or crypto-enabled platforms—are perceived and adopted in the years ahead.
What to watch next
- Sept. 1, 2025 — Max becomes the default pre-installed option on new smartphones in Russia, solidifying its installed base.
- End-2026 — Official statements or regulatory actions that could signal a complete blocking of WhatsApp if compliance terms are not met.
- February 2026 — Ongoing reporting on access to WhatsApp in Russia, including potential official clarifications or statements from Moscow.
- Regulatory updates — Any new measures that define how foreign messaging platforms must operate within Russia’s legal framework.
Crypto World
Dogecoin Price Prediction as MemeCore Flips Shiba Inu in Market Cap, But Pepeto Draws the Same Energy, Is This The Next Dogecoin?
MemeCore just flipped Shiba Inu to become the second largest memecoin by market cap, surging 32% in a single week and proving that meme sector capital rotates fast when a new narrative catches fire according to BSC News. The dogecoin price prediction crowd watched the flip happen in real time while DOGE sat at $0.093 unable to break above $0.10 resistance.
The meme energy that created billions in value during past cycles is now visible around Pepeto, which raised more than $8.69 million with the Pepe cofounder and a Binance listing approaching. The dogecoin price prediction caps at $0.21 for 2026, but analysts project 100x from the presale.
Dogecoin Price Prediction Gets Context as MemeCore Overtakes SHIB and X Money Launches April
MemeCore flipped Shiba Inu’s market cap with an 8% single-day surge and 32% weekly gain, capturing the meme sector rotation that DOGE has failed to attract according to BSC News. Meanwhile, Elon Musk confirmed X Money launches in April with Visa integration across 40 US states and Smart Cashtags for crypto trading on the roadmap, but there is no official confirmation that DOGE will be included as a payment rail according to CryptoNews.
DOGE active addresses jumped 28% in one week from 57,000 to 73,000 according to NewsBTC, but the price has not responded. Meanwhile Qubic’s Dogecoin mining mainnet launched on April 1, promising to make DOGE mining three times faster according to BeInCrypto.
The DOGE forecast waits for X Money to confirm crypto integration, and the exchange that carries the same meme energy with verified tools already built is where the compressed return lives before the listing.
Where the Meme Rotation Meets an Exchange That Delivers What DOGE Never Built
Pepeto: The Next Dogecoin
Despite the correction, the industry pushes forward, and smart traders keep asking which entry gives them what DOGE gave its earliest holders in 2021. Pepeto, with its Binance listing approaching, is not just positioned for near term returns from one event, the exchange is built for daily use that DOGE never offered.
What drives the conviction. The utility works, it is designed for daily trading, and it already runs. The exchange gives verified answers on every contract, with the risk scorer catching traps before your capital moves and PepetoSwap handling every trade at zero fees while the cross chain bridge sends tokens at zero cost. The same meme energy that MemeCore used to flip Shiba Inu overnight is forming around Pepeto, but this time there is a verified exchange behind it that the dogecoin price prediction never had supporting it.
Conviction is peaking. More than $8.69 million entered at $0.000000186 during extended extreme fear, with 190% APY staking compounding early positions. The person who built the original Pepe coin to $11 billion on 420 trillion tokens created the exchange with a former Binance expert, and every contract passed SolidProof’s review. When meme energy alone flipped SHIB’s entire market cap in a single week, imagine what the same force does with a working exchange behind it.
The next Dogecoin Pepeto is the entry where meme energy and verified tools meet in a single project, and the Binance listing turns this presale into the story everyone talks about.
Dogecoin Price Prediction: Can DOGE Hold $0.093 as X Money and Meme Rotation Stay Active?
DOGE trades at $0.093 as of April 1 with the SEC commodity classification confirmed, the 21Shares DOGE ETF live on Nasdaq, and X Money launching in April, according to CoinMarketCap.
The dogecoin price prediction targets $0.10 as resistance with $0.21 as the 2026 ceiling according to CoinCodex. Support sits at $0.088 with $0.085 below. Active addresses jumped 28% in one week, but Fear and Greed at 8 keeps sellers in control.
The DOGE forecast depends on whether X Money confirms crypto, but even the bullish case takes quarters while the presale delivers 100x from one listing.
Dogecoin Price Prediction Confirms the Smart Money Already Calculated the Outcome and Following Them Is How You Collect
With X Money launching in April and MemeCore proving that meme sector capital rotates violently when a new project catches fire, the environment is the healthiest for meme energy to translate into real returns. Analysts project 100x from the Binance listing, and this may be the last window to enter something that delivers what DOGE delivered in 2021 but with a working exchange this time. More than $8.69 million raised during single digit fear proves the smart money already calculated the outcome.
The wallets that entered SHIB at $0.000007 all say they saw the signal before the crowd, and the same signal flashes now. The Pepeto official website is where following those wallets is how you collect when the listing opens, and entering now is how you capture returns from this cycle.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs:
What does the dogecoin price prediction show after MemeCore flipped SHIB?
DOGE holds $0.093 while MemeCore overtook SHIB in market cap, with the 2026 ceiling at $0.21 and the next resistance at $0.10 while active addresses jumped 28%.
Will X Money launching in April affect the dogecoin price prediction?
X Money confirmed for April with Visa across 40 states, but crypto trading is only on the roadmap with no DOGE confirmation. The Pepeto official website is where the exchange with verified tools is still at presale pricing.
Is Pepeto the next DOGE based on the dogecoin price prediction pattern?
The same meme energy is building with a working exchange DOGE never had, the Pepe cofounder behind it, and a Binance listing confirmed with 100x projected by analysts.
Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.
Crypto World
Ripple-linked token holds $1.34 as supply tightens

XRP is seeing large amounts of tokens leave exchanges, reducing available supply — but price isn’t responding yet. The token is hovering near $1.34 after a modest gain, creating a disconnect between tightening supply and muted price action that typically doesn’t last.
News Background
- XRP edged higher to $1.34 with volume rising 29% above its weekly average
- Around 7.03 billion XRP left exchanges in February, signaling supply compression
- Binance scarcity indicator climbed to 0.59, its highest level since 2024
Price Action Summary
- Price traded in a tight range, repeatedly testing the $1.33-$1.34 zone
- Early breakout attempts failed, with resistance forming just above current levels
- Buyers defended dips near $1.31, establishing a sequence of higher lows
- Late-session action showed steady buying, but no decisive follow-through
Technical Analysis
- The key setup is a mismatch: supply is tightening, but price isn’t expanding
- Large outflows usually reduce sell pressure, yet sellers are still capping rallies
- Elevated volume without price expansion points to positioning rather than conviction
- This kind of compression typically resolves with a sharper directional move
What traders should watch
- $1.34-$1.35 is the immediate trigger — a break opens room toward $1.42
- $1.31-$1.32 remains the key support zone holding structure intact
- If price continues to stall despite shrinking supply, it suggests sellers are still active overhead
Crypto World
SpaceX said to file confidential IPO plans with SEC at up to $1.75T valuation
SpaceX has reportedly filed confidential IPO papers with the SEC, eyeing a June 2026 listing at over $1.75T and up to $75B raised after its $1.25T xAI merger valuation.
Summary
- Elon Musk’s SpaceX has reportedly submitted a confidential IPO registration to the SEC, targeting a valuation above $1.75 trillion and a June 2026 listing.
- The listing could raise as much as $75 billion, eclipsing Saudi Aramco’s $29.4 billion offering, the current record for funds raised in an IPO.
- SpaceX’s recent $1.25 trillion valuation following its acquisition of Musk’s AI venture xAI positions it as the world’s most valuable private company ahead of its prospective debut.
SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company based in the United States, has quietly filed a draft registration for an initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in a move that could value the group at more than $1.75 trillion and bring the world’s biggest-ever listing to market as soon as June 2026.
People familiar with the process told Bloomberg that SpaceX is “targeting a confidential filing for an initial public offering as soon as next month,” a timetable that would keep the long-awaited flotation on track for a mid-year debut. Under U.S. rules, a confidential submission allows large issuers to work through several rounds of SEC comments before publishing an S-1 prospectus, limiting early scrutiny of detailed financials.
Insiders cited say the company has already submitted its IPO registration draft and is expected to go public in June, potentially the first of three so‑called “super IPOs” ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic, with banks including Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley lined up as lead underwriters. The same report suggests SpaceX could raise up to $75 billion in fresh capital, more than double the $29.4 billion Saudi Aramco raised in its 2019 IPO, which White & Case described as “the largest-ever initial public offering” at the time. In crypto markets, SpaceX’s looming deal follows similar large-cap listings that have intersected with digital assets, including Coinbase’s direct listing, and echoes recent coverage highlighting how major corporate treasuries are increasingly willing to hold assets like bitcoin alongside cash and bonds.
The IPO preparation comes just weeks after SpaceX acquired Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI in a record-setting all‑stock transaction that Reuters says values SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion, creating a combined entity worth about $1.25 trillion. In a memo quoted by Reuters, Musk framed the tie‑up in typically expansive terms, writing that the merger “signifies not just a new chapter, but an entirely new book in the journey of SpaceX and xAI: expanding to create a conscious sun that comprehends the Universe and spreads the essence of awareness to the stars!” Coverage in the Financial Times and other outlets has stressed that the deal concentrates even more of Musk’s wealth and operational leverage into SpaceX just as bankers pitch investors on its satellite internet arm Starlink as the engine of long‑term cash flow.
The SpaceX listing adds to a pipeline of equity deals that could influence liquidity conditions across both traditional and digital asset markets, particularly if the company confirms reported bitcoin holdings or clarifies whether any related tokenized equity products will trade alongside the stock. In a previous crypto.news story, markets tracked how large technology listings and bitcoin‑linked balance sheets can amplify risk‑on sentiment across digital assets, while another story examined how Musk‑adjacent ventures have repeatedly acted as catalysts for renewed retail inflows into crypto during major funding milestones. With benchmark tokens like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL), traders will be watching whether a SpaceX roadshow in early summer sharpens the bid for risk or drains liquidity into what could be the IPO of the decade.
Crypto World
These catalysts could bump bitcoin as Trump hands three-week target to end Iran war
Asian stocks posted their best day in months and S&P 500 futures jumped after the president said he would address the nation Wednesday night with an “important update” on Iran. Oil pared losses as the UAE reportedly prepares to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force.
Bitcoin traded at $67,950 on Tuesday, up 0.2% over 24 hours, as a wave of optimism over a potential end to the Iran conflict lifted risk assets across the board. Ether rose 1.6% to $2,100, its strongest daily move in weeks.
XRP gained 0.5% to $1.34, dogecoin added 0.5% to $0.09, and BNB edged up 0.4% to $616. Solana’s SOL was the notable laggard, dropping 0.7% to $83.14 and extending weekly losses to 8.7%.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index surged 4%, its best session since the war began, with nearly 10 stocks rising for every one that fell. Asian tech jumped 6.5%, led by Samsung and SK Hynix surging more than 9% each. S&P 500 futures climbed, and the index notched its biggest single-day gain since May.
The catalyst was Trump telling reporters he expected the war to end within two to three weeks and that a deal with Iran was not a prerequisite for concluding the conflict. He announced a national address Wednesday at 9 p.m.
Eastern to provide what he called an “important update.” Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian told the EU Council president that Tehran has “the necessary will to end this war” but expects guarantees against future aggression.
Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE is preparing to help the U.S. and allies reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force, which would make it the first Gulf state to enter the conflict as a combatant. Brent crude edged back above $105 after Tuesday’s decline.
The crypto market’s reaction was muted relative to equities, a pattern that has held for weeks. Bitcoin has spent the entire war grinding between $65,000 and $73,000 while equities swing violently on each headline. The gap between crypto’s sideways range and the stock market’s correction-level drawdown remains the most notable divergence in the cross-asset picture.
There were reasons for cautious optimism beyond geopolitics. Morgan Stanley received approval for a bitcoin ETF charging just 14 basis points, 11 below the category average. The product opens access to Morgan Stanley’s 16,000 financial advisors managing $6.2 trillion, a channel that has not previously had direct bitcoin ETF exposure.
Alex Blume, CEO of Two Prime, pointed to three catalysts that could drive bitcoin higher in Q2 — the Morgan Stanley ETF, continued success of Strategy’s STRC preferred equity product in funding bitcoin purchases, and a swift resolution to the Iran war.
“A lot of market uncertainty could be resolved soon,” Blume said in an email to CoinDesk. “Coupled with new buying power, a strong Q2 may be ahead.”
Gold advanced for a fourth straight day to near $4,700, though its nearly 12% decline in March was its worst monthly performance since October 2008. The precious metal’s ongoing weakness during an active war continues to break historical precedent.
Whether Trump’s Wednesday address produces an actual off-ramp or just another headline in a month that’s been full of them will determine if this rally holds. As one analyst put it, “I’m not convinced over the longer term. Investors will soon want concrete evidence that the end of the war is in sight.”
Crypto World
US Treasury Seeks Comment on State-Level Stablecoin Regulatory Criteria
The US Department of the Treasury issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on Wednesday and is seeking public comment on proposed regulations for state-level stablecoin governance frameworks under the GENIUS Act.
The GENIUS stablecoin regulatory framework, also known as the “Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act,” gives states the authority to regulate stablecoins with a market cap of less than $10 billion, as long as the regulations do not deviate significantly from federal policies.
The Treasury outlined several non-negotiable stablecoin regulations that must be in line with Federal regulations, including a 1:1 reserve backing with cash or high-quality cash equivalents and monthly reporting requirements.

States must also comply fully with federal anti-money laundering and sanctions policies for stablecoins, while upholding bans on token rehypothication, or using the same asset to support multiple claims.
Under the proposal, states are allowed to impose their own liquidity, reserve, risk management, regulatory procedures, enforcement and administrative rules, as long as the rules impose higher financial thresholds or are more restrictive than the federal regulations.
“State-level regulatory regimes must lead to regulatory outcomes that are at least as stringent and protective as the Federal regulatory framework,” the proposal said.
The public must submit comments within 60 days of the NPRM announcement. Once a stablecoin issuer passes the $10 billion threshold, it will automatically be under the regulatory jurisdiction of the federal government, meaning the largest stablecoin issuers will be regulated exclusively at the federal level.
Related: FSB flags dollar stablecoins as bigger risk for emerging markets in annual report
GENIUS Act becomes law, but uncertainty remains over yield-bearing stablecoins
US President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law in July, which was considered a landmark moment for crypto regulations.
Despite the landmark regulations, uncertainty about yield-bearing stablecoins and whether stablecoin issuers can share interest with token holders has stalled the CLARITY crypto market structure bill in Congress.
Some crypto companies, led by Coinbase, argue that yield-bearing stablecoins provide savers with a competitive alternative to traditional savings accounts, which typically have interest rates far below 1%.
The banking lobby continues to oppose yield-bearing stablecoins over fears that the tokens will cause deposit flight and erode the sector’s market share.
Magazine: GENIUS Act reopens the door for a Meta stablecoin, but will it work?
Crypto World
Caltech researchers project functional quantum computer feasible by 2030 with 10,000-20,000 qubits: Caltech

Caltech researchers estimate a working quantum computer could be operational before 2030 using far fewer qubits than previously thought, as crypto industry assesses vulnerability exposure.
Crypto World
Women’s presence drops at EthCC as crypto layoffs hit ‘female’ roles first
Summary
- EthCC 2026 attendees reported noticeably fewer women at this year’s conference in Cannes, with industry participants linking the decline to market‑driven job cuts in marketing, PR and events roles
- Crypto recruiter PlexusRS says women still account for under 8% of crypto hires despite a 137% jump in female placements last year, underscoring how fragile recent diversity gains remain when markets turn.
- Broader corporate layoffs tied to artificial intelligence and cost‑cutting have hit non‑technical roles hardest across finance and technology, a pattern echoed in recent coverage by the Financial Times and Fortune.
Women’s visibility at Europe’s flagship Ethereum (ETH) conference appears to have taken a step backwards this year, as EthCC 2026 attendees in Cannes reported a marked drop in female participation just as crypto companies accelerate layoffs in marketing, PR and events. “There are less women this year because when the market turns the first jobs to get tinned are those where the female concentration is highest (events, marketing, PR),” wrote Sarah Akwisombe, a growth and community specialist, in a widely shared post from the conference, pointing readers to the Plexus “state of crypto hiring” report for further context. Other women in attendance echoed the sentiment on X, with user @ZoeCatherineF responding that they were “always the first to be binned – only the ‘essentials’ do the BD trips,” while another attendee, @Angel__Lou, said she had “definitely noticed it too.”
The Plexus State of Crypto Hiring report paints a stark statistical backdrop to those anecdotes, showing that women still account for less than 8% of all crypto hires despite a 137% year‑on‑year increase in female placements into Web3 roles. That concentration is especially pronounced in non‑engineering positions like marketing, community, communications and events, precisely the categories many crypto firms have targeted for cuts during the latest downturn and in response to structural shifts such as AI adoption. Research compiled by Plexus, based on more than 900 vacancies and over 300 hiring processes, concludes that while headline diversity metrics in crypto have improved, “the jobs market for women in Web3 remains disproportionately exposed to cyclical hiring freezes and non‑technical layoffs.”
The pattern emerging in crypto mirrors broader labour‑market pressures in technology and finance, where softer growth, rising rates and aggressive AI investments have combined to squeeze non‑technical roles. In March, Crypto.com announced plans to cut around 12% of its workforce, telling Bloomberg that it was integrating AI “across its business” and could therefore reduce headcount, in one of the latest examples of digital‑asset firms trimming staff outside core engineering and trading functions. A recent survey cited by Fortune found that 66% of large‑company CEOs plan to freeze or cut hiring through 2026 after more than 1.17 million jobs were eliminated in 2025, with labour‑market data showing a 30% drop in entry‑level listings and a 42% drop in middle‑management postings since 2022.
FT columnist Sarah O’Connor, who covers the world of work, has argued that such cuts often land first in “softer” functions like HR, marketing and communications, roles that tend to have higher female representation across industries. That dynamic appears to be playing out in crypto as well, compounding longstanding diversity gaps just as the market’s attention turns back to institutional adoption, regulation and infrastructure at events such as EthCC.
For women on the ground in Cannes, the impact is immediately visible. Akwisombe’s thread, posted from her @SarahAkwisombe account and tagged with @PlexusRS, noted that the roles most exposed to cuts are also those that had historically offered a pathway into crypto for people without a technical background. “The best events are always run by @lo_tech and I won’t hear otherwise,” she added in a follow‑up post, highlighting the outsized role women have played in shaping the social and cultural fabric of Ethereum conferences even as their headcount shrinks.
Industry data suggests the stakes extend beyond this year’s conference optics. CoinLaw’s 2026 employment statistics report that 28% of women in blockchain say they have experienced harassment or discrimination, while 60% of women in fintech have left jobs due to a lack of diversity. Combined with the cyclical vulnerability of non‑technical roles, those pressures risk entrenching a two‑tier crypto labour market in which engineering teams slowly diversify on paper even as women’s presence in public‑facing roles diminishes when markets tighten.
Crypto World
Bonk.fun’s April Fools Joke Targets Israel, Sparks Debate
Solana’s meme coin launchpad, Bonk.fun, used April Fools’ Day to post a mock “feature launch” that quickly turned into a political jab, suggesting the platform would restrict access to users in Israel.
The post, framed as a new “Trench Guard” system, showed a geo-block screen with an Israel flag, implying users from the region would be blocked from trading.
Political Satire at Best
At face value, it looked like a typical compliance update. However, the tone and timing made it clear this was satire. The message wasn’t about a real feature. It was a pointed joke tied to current geopolitical tensions and how they spill into crypto.
The choice of Israel is doing most of the work here. Right now, Israel sits at the center of ongoing conflicts involving Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. That has driven strong and often negative sentiment online. Bonk.fun taps into that mood and flips the usual script.
Typically, platforms block heavily sanctioned regions like Iran and Russia. Bonk.fun’s joke suggests: what if the “bad actor” label was applied differently? That’s the punchline.
The post is riffing on the idea that they’re blocking Israel because of how negatively Israel is being viewed by a lot of people online right now.
At the same time, the post takes a swipe at crypto’s “permissionless” narrative. In reality, many platforms already restrict users based on geography or regulation.
By exaggerating this with a controversial example, Bonk.fun highlights how political these decisions can feel.
In short, the post isn’t really about Israel alone. It’s using Israel as a symbol to mock how quickly crypto platforms can go from open access to selective control—especially when global politics gets involved.
The post Bonk.fun’s April Fools Joke Targets Israel, Sparks Debate appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Crypto Market Maker CEOs Extradited From Singapore in FBI Wash Trading Sting

Ten foreign nationals across four firms have been charged with orchestrating pump-and-dump schemes.
Crypto World
Quantum-resistant tokens jump 50% as Google flags risks to Bitcoin security
The market appears to be reassessing long‑term technological risks in crypto following Google’s major quantum computing research update on Monday.
While leading coins like bitcoin and ether (ETH) have seen only modest moves in the past 24 hours, several cryptocurrencies tied to the quantum‑resistant narrative have surged sharply, with some gaining more than 50%.
This outperformance of the so-called quantum-resistant tokens shows how quickly the market is pricing in potential technological risks, even if those are still theoretical. While quantum computers capable of attacking Bitcoin are still years away, traders are already signaling an appetite for “future-proof” assets.
Late Monday, Google’s Quantum AI team suggested that quantum computers could break the elliptic‑curve cryptography used by Bitcoin, with fewer than 500,000 quantum qubits, which is significantly less than previously estimated. This prompted some analysts to cite 2029 as a potential deadline for Bitcoin and the broader blockchain ecosystem to strengthen their defenses.
The study said that a sufficiently advanced quantum computer could attack Bitcoin within nine minutes. A separate report highlighted Ethereum’s vulnerabilities, identifying five potential attack vectors that could put an estimated $100 billion of assets at risk, including DeFi and tokenized holdings.
However, such machines do not exist and remain a threat that’s still a few years away.
Still, over the past 24 hours, the market has shown increased interest in cryptocurrencies and projects that emphasize post‑quantum cryptographic designs, research into future‑proofing security, or that appear relatively more resilient than legacy chains.
Notably, Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) and Cellframe (CEL) have surged 50%, reflecting growing market attention to truly post‑quantum protocols, according to data source Coingecko. Other tokens in the category, such as Abelian (ABEL), have risen 25%, while Qubic (QUBIC) and QANplatform (QANX) have each gained 10%, and even the privacy‑focused Zcash (ZEC) has added nearly 7% in the same period.
The market cap of this group, comprising 20 coins, has increased by 8% to $4.66 billion over the past 24 hours. It’s worth noting that ZEC is not yet truly quantum-resistant but is still included in the category by data sources because of its advanced cryptographic foundations, such as zero-knowledge proofs, and ongoing research into post-quantum secure ZK-SNARKs. These factors make it part of the “quantum-aware” narrative, even if it does not currently fully implement post-quantum cryptography.
While the risks remain largely theoretical, they have been influencing market behavior since last year. According to Charles Edwards, founder of Capriole Investments, concerns over quantum attacks contributed to Bitcoin’s decoupling from the rising stock market in the second half of 2025, with the cryptocurrency sliding from $126,000 to $80,000 in the final months of the year.
“We have already started to see quantum risk be priced into Bitcoin. It’s the primary reason Bitcoin is trading -50% against the S&P 500 and -90% against gold since the inaugural Bitcoin Quantum Summit seven months ago,” Edwards said in a report in February.
Coincidentally, this was exactly the period when ZEC staged a sharp rally. ZEC surged by over 1,200% in the second half of 2025, hitting a high of $744.
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