Crypto World
Wall Street broker Bernstein sees prediction market volumes hitting $1 trillion by 2030 with HOOD, COIN as key players
Wall Street broker Bernstein expects prediction market volumes to reach roughly $1 trillion by 2030, as the sector evolves from niche wagering into broad-based “information markets” spanning sports, crypto, politics and the economy.
Volumes hit $51 billion last year and are on pace to reach about $240 billion in 2026, implying roughly 80% compound annual growth through the end of the decade, the report said. Activity has already accelerated in 2026, with Polymarket and Kalshi recording combined year-to-date volumes of $60 billion.
“Increasing regulatory clarity at the federal level is expanding the addressable market, while blockchain-based tokenization and integration with crypto markets is enabling global liquidity, long-tail event creation and participation from institutions,” wrote analysts led by Gautam Chhugani.
Prediction markets have surged from a niche corner of crypto and academic experimentation into a fast-growing segment of global trading activity in just a few years.
Volumes have spiked alongside major news cycles, most notably the 2024 U.S. election, while platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi have expanded access beyond politics into sports, crypto and macroeconomic events.
The combination of clearer U.S. regulatory footing, improved user experience and the integration of blockchain-based liquidity has accelerated adoption, pushing the sector toward mainstream relevance
The report attributed the growth to improving federal regulatory clarity, which expands access beyond fragmented state-level gaming rules, alongside blockchain-based infrastructure that enables global liquidity and rapid creation of new event contracts.
Sports currently accounts for about 62% of volumes, benefiting from lower effective take rates versus traditional online sportsbooks. But the analysts expect that share to fall to roughly 31% by 2030, as crypto-linked contracts and macro, political and economic events gain traction. Institutional participation is also expected to grow, particularly for hedging event-driven risks.
$10.8 billion in revenue
Bernstein analysts estimate industry revenues could expand from roughly $400 million in 2025 to $2.5 billion in 2026, reaching about $10.8 billion by 2030 at current take rates. Even with significant fee compression, they see potential for a multi-billion-dollar revenue pool.
Distribution is emerging as a key competitive moat. The report pointed to Robinhood (HOOD) and Coinbase (COIN) as early leaders, leveraging their combined tens of millions of users.
Robinhood has already built a $350 million annualized revenue run rate from prediction markets and is moving toward owning exchange infrastructure, while Coinbase entered via Kalshi with nationwide access to more than 1,000 contracts, the report added.
The broker has an outperform rating on both Coinbase and Robinhood.
Fraudsters posing as Iranian authorities have targeted shipping firms with crypto-based demands to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to maritime risk outfit Marisks.
Marisks said unknown groups contacted shipowners claiming to represent Iran’s security services and demanded payment in Bitcoin or USD Tether in exchange for transit clearance, after requesting verification documents first. Reuters reported on the scam messages, noting they did not originate from Iranian authorities; Tehran has not publicly commented.
The warnings come as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed amid regional hostilities. The strait, a critical conduit for global energy shipments, previously handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and LNG before the latest flareups. Earlier this month, Cointelegraph reported that Iran was considering tolls payable in BTC for ships passing through Hormuz, with empty tankers allowed free passage while others could be charged about $1 per barrel of oil.
Key takeaways
- Marisks warns that scams impersonating Iranian security services are soliciting crypto payments (BTC or USDT) for Hormuz transit, accompanied by requests for verification documents.
- The messages are not sourced from official Iranian authorities, according to Marisks and Reuters; Tehran has not publicly commented on the claims.
- The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed amid Middle East hostilities, underscoring the vulnerability of global energy flows at this chokepoint.
- Sanctions risk looms large: payments tied to Iranian waterways could be treated as material support, with potential violations of US and international sanctions.
- This episode highlights the broader debate about crypto’s role in sanctioned regimes and the regulatory risks for shipping and crypto actors alike.
Crypto tolls, scams and the geopolitics of Hormuz
The messages described by Marisks present a classic manipulation: a supposed security clearance tied to a crypto payment, followed by a claim that transit will be allowed at a pre-arranged time once verification steps are completed. In at least one cited instance, the channel suggested Iranian security services would assess eligibility before determining the crypto payment in BTC or USDt. Marisks noted that a vessel recently targeted by gunfire while attempting to exit the strait may have received such instructions, though this has not been independently verified. Cointelegraph reached out to Marisks for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.
The episode arrives against a backdrop of wider geopolitical tension around Hormuz. Al Jazeera reported the Strait’s continued closures amid the conflict, a development that raises the stakes for insurers, operators and lenders who rely on predictable access to global energy markets. The strategic chokepoint remains a focal point for policy and risk assessment as regional dynamics evolve.
In earlier reporting, Iran was described as weighing crypto-based tolls to monetize navigation through Hormuz—an approach that would tilt the balance between open sea lanes and sanctioned finance. Cointelegraph’s coverage noted debates over BTC and USDt as potential toll instruments, reflecting a broader conversation about crypto’s utility in sanctioned economies and the practical risks for those who accept crypto payments under duress or misrepresentation. See the prior analysis on Iran’s crypto toll discussions for additional context.
Sanctions risk and what it means for operators
Beyond operational risk, industry analysts warn of serious compliance implications. Chainalysis senior intelligence analyst Kaitlin Martin told Cointelegraph that any payments tied to Iranian-controlled waterways could constitute “material support,” potentially violating US and international sanctions targeting entities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The warning underscores that crypto payments conditioned on access to strategic corridors can create exposure well beyond the immediate toll itself.
These developments sit at the intersection of geopolitical maneuvering and evolving crypto policy. Iran’s interest in leveraging digital currencies for energy transit has been debated in crypto policy circles, with discussions weighing potential benefits against the entrenched sanctions regime. For readers seeking deeper background, coverage exploring Iran’s BTC and USDt toll dynamics remains a pertinent companion piece.
As authorities surveil illicit use of crypto in restricted corridors, shipowners, operators and their counterparties will be watching for official guidance on sanctions enforcement and any regulatory clarifications related to crypto-enabled tolls. The risk environment around Hormuz—already shaped by conflict, insurance considerations and the reliability of communications—adds another layer of complexity for the global maritime and crypto communities.
Watch for formal statements from regulatory bodies and industry associations as this situation unfolds. The next steps will likely hinge on how sanctions enforcement perspectives evolve and whether crypto-based toll proposals advance or recede amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Ripple has introduced a four-phase roadmap to make the XRP Ledger quantum-resistant by 2028.
Summary
- Ripple plans a four-phase XRP Ledger upgrade to reach quantum-resistant security standards by 2028.
- The roadmap includes 2026 testing, validator benchmarks, custody prototypes, and a final native amendment.
- Ripple linked the plan to rising concern over future quantum attacks on blockchain cryptography.
The plan responds to growing concern that advances in quantum computing could weaken the cryptography used across blockchain networks.
Ayo Akinyele, senior engineering director at RippleX, detailed the roadmap in a company blog post. The plan starts with a “Quantum-Day” contingency that would block classical signatures and direct users to quantum-safe accounts if current cryptography fails unexpectedly.
Ripple said the next two phases will take place during 2026. Those stages will focus on testing quantum-resistant algorithms recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The final phase would add a native amendment to the XRP Ledger by 2028. That step is intended to bring quantum-resistant protections directly into the network’s core design.
Ripple said phases two and three will include technical testing and infrastructure work. The company is working with research firm Project Eleven on validator benchmarks and an early custody wallet prototype.
The testing phase aims to measure how quantum-safe algorithms perform under real network conditions. It also gives Ripple time to review how those tools can fit into validator operations and custody systems before a broader rollout.
Ripple’s timeline places much of the development work ahead of the final implementation target. The company said its approach is designed to prepare the ledger before quantum computing becomes a direct threat to blockchain security.
The roadmap also arrives one year before Google’s 2029 post-quantum cryptography target mentioned in the report. That comparison puts Ripple’s deadline earlier than one benchmark often cited in the wider technology sector.
Focus turns to long-term cryptography risk
Ripple linked the plan to the “harvest now, decrypt later” threat. That risk refers to attackers collecting public-key data today and waiting until quantum machines become strong enough to break it later.
The company said this issue matters for long-term holders whose public-key information may remain exposed over time. Recent Google Quantum AI research, cited in the report, found that about 500,000 physical qubits could derive a private key from an exposed public key in nine minutes.
That estimate marked a sharp reduction from earlier assumptions about the resources needed for such an attack. As a result, blockchain developers are giving more attention to how current networks can prepare for future cryptography risks.
XRP Ledger feature may support the transition
Ripple said the XRP Ledger has one built-in feature that could help during the transition. Unlike Ethereum, XRPL supports native key rotation, which allows users to replace vulnerable keys without moving their funds.
That design may make it easier for holders to respond if existing signature methods become unsafe. It also gives the network a direct way to manage account security without forcing full asset transfers during a migration.
The report added that more than 6.9 million Bitcoin sit in wallets with exposed public keys. XRP traded near $1.43 on Monday, up about 7% over the week as the broader crypto market moved higher.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
BYDFi marks rapid global growth with 1M users and multiple industry recognitions.
Summary
- BYDFi serves 1M+ users in 190+ countries, offering spot, futures, bots, and web3 trading.
- The platform added tokenized stocks, forex, and gold trading in USDT, expanding beyond crypto markets.
- BYDFi strengthens trust with proof-of-reserves, an 800 BTC protection fund, and a Ledger wallet partnership.
Overview
Website
https://www.bydfi.com
Founded
2020
Sector
Hybrid crypto exchange (CEX + DEX)
Registered Users
1,000,000+
Countries
190+
Spot Trading Pairs
1,000+
Derivatives Pairs
500+
Maximum Leverage
200x
KYC Requirement
No mandatory KYC
Key Recognition
Official Crypto Exchange Partner of Newcastle United (2025–Present)
What is BYDFi?
Launched in April 2020, BYDFi is a global cryptocurrency trading platform operating under the vision “BUIDL Your Dream Finance.” In just over five years, it has grown to serve more than 1,000,000 registered users across 190+ countries and regions, offering a broad suite of trading tools that spans spot markets, perpetual futures, copy trading, automated bots, and on-chain trading through its proprietary web3 engine, MoonX.
BYDFi has received multiple industry recognitions, including being ranked among the top global crypto exchanges by Forbes in 2023, as well as earning the Trusted Exchange Award 2025 from TrustFinance and being named Best Centralized Exchange (CEX) by BeInCrypto in 2025. The platform is also featured among the top 100 crypto exchanges by Coingecko.
One of BYDFi’s more distinctive moves came in 2025, when it announced a multi-year partnership with Newcastle United, becoming the Premier League club’s Official Crypto Exchange Partner. The partnership is a signal of its ambitions to grow its mainstream brand presence internationally.
Features
BYDFi’s feature set is one of the most comprehensive in the industry. Traders looking for derivatives exposure will find 500+ perpetual contract pairs with leverage up to 200x, which is notably higher than rivals like Binance (125x) and Bybit (100x). The platform supports USDT-margined, USDC-margined, and coin-margined futures, giving traders more flexibility in how they manage collateral.
A standout addition in 2026 is TradFi trading — the ability to trade tokenized stocks (AAPL, TSLA, AMZN, MSFT, and others), forex pairs, and commodities like Gold (XAUUSD), all settled in USDT with zero trading fees. This blurring of the line between crypto and traditional finance is a differentiator that few exchanges can claim.
For newcomers, BYDFi offers a demo account loaded with 50,000 USDT, allowing risk-free practice under real market conditions with full access to derivatives tools and leverage settings. Copy trading and a bot marketplace round out the toolkit, letting beginners mirror professional strategies without needing deep market expertise.
MoonX, BYDFi’s on-chain trading engine, supports Solana, BNB Chain, and Base, and comes with features including token safety indicators, copy trading, portfolio tracking, and a token launch platform called Pump. This gives the platform a genuine CEX+DEX dual-engine architecture, a model that few centralized exchanges have pursued as directly.
Security is addressed through a combination of over 1:1 proof-of-reserves (with periodic public reports), an 800 BTC protection fund added in September 2025, cold storage for the majority of user assets, multi-party transaction approvals, and segregated client accounts. In February 2025, BYDFi also launched a co-branded hardware wallet through a partnership with Ledger.
Pros and Cons
Among BYDFi’s clearest strengths is its no-KYC policy. Users can register with just an email address and immediately access the full range of spot, derivatives, copy trading, bot, and on-chain features. This is a significant advantage for privacy-conscious traders or those in regions where verification processes are slow or complex. Optional KYC unlocks higher withdrawal limits and P2P trading access.
The platform supports multiple languages to assist its global user base. It supports 22 languages and offers 24/7 live customer support, both in-app and on its website.
On the downside, the breadth of BYDFi’s product lineup can feel overwhelming at first glance. New users may need time to navigate between spot, derivatives, TradFi, MoonX, and the various bot strategies before finding their footing. The no-KYC approach, while appealing to some, also raises questions about long-term regulatory positioning as compliance requirements tighten globally.
Conclusion
BYDFi has quietly built one of the more feature-rich trading environments in the crypto space. From 200x leverage and TradFi integration to on-chain meme trading and an 800 BTC protection fund, it has made deliberate product choices that set it apart from generic exchange alternatives. Recognized by both Forbes and Crypto Expo Europe 2026’s Best All-in-One Crypto Trading Platform, it has earned external validation to match its internal ambitions. For traders who want more tools under one roof, without the friction of mandatory identity verification, BYDFi is a platform worth serious consideration.
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.
Kevin Warsh, former member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
Courtesy: Hoover Institution
Federal Reserve chair nominee Kevin Warsh travels to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to convince lawmakers he can carry out a presidential push for lower interest rates while remaining free of political constraints in setting policy.
In a much-anticipated hearing before the Senate Banking Committee, the former Fed governor will face questioning over a variety of subjects, from monetary policy to banking regulation to his own complicated personal finances
None likely will be more important than establishing the boundaries between the Fed’s decision-making and politics.
“He has a tricky communication question,” said Bill English, a professor at the Yale School of Management and the Fed’s director of monetary affairs from 2010-15, a period that overlapped with Warsh’s time there.
“I suspect that the way he’ll handle that is by being clear that his views are that rates can likely go lower, maybe a fair amount lower,” English said. “But at the same time, when asked directly about independence, be clear that he values independence. He thinks that independence is important and that a less independent Fed in the medium and long term would be a bad thing for the country.”
Political independence has been a key question surrounding the search for a successor to current Chair Jerome Powell.
Warsh views on independence
In remarks he’s scheduled to deliver to the committee at the hearing’s start, Warsh issued a qualified endorsement of Fed independence.
“So let me be clear: monetary policy independence is essential. Monetary policymakers must act in the nation’s interest, their decisions the product of analytic rigor, meaningful deliberation, and unclouded decision-making,” he said in prepared text.
However, he noted that doesn’t believe independence is endangered when the central bank’s actions are questioned by elected leaders, and said “the Fed must stay in its lane” and not veer into “fiscal and social policies where it has neither authority nor expertise.”
Warsh likely will face a bevy of questions about his political allegiance to President Donald Trump, who made no secret that a willingness to lower interest rates was a litmus test for his nominee. Trump nominated Warsh in late January, following a lengthy search process that included nearly a dozen candidates.
Congressional Democrats, including ranking member Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are expected to push the nominee on the independence question, as well as raise questions over his finances.
If confirmed, Warsh would easily be the wealthiest Fed chair in the central bank’s 113-year history. Disclosures filed ahead of the hearing indicate he would have to divest himself of a significant level of holdings to be in compliance with what have become strict Fed rules on where senior officials are allowed to invest.
Warren met with Warsh on Thursday and left with “deep concerns that if he is confirmed, he will be Donald Trump’s sock puppet.” She also alleged that Warsh had not disclosed “more than $100 million in assets.”
The nomination itself may take a while to get out of committee independent of any concerns about Warsh’s views.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has vowed to hold up the nomination until an investigation is completed from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. into renovations at Fed headquarters. A court overturned U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s subpoena of Powell, but she has vowed to appeal.
White House officials are confident Warsh ultimately will meet the approval of the committee, where Republicans hold a 12-10 advantage.
“My expectation is that after everybody sees him in his hearing and sees how deft on his feet he is, how knowledgeable about the Fed he is, and how good his ideas are about returning the Fed towards a place where it’s nonpartisan, that it’s going to be hard to resist voting ‘yes,’” National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Monday on CNBC.
Forging consensus
Once in office, Warsh will head a Federal Open Market Committee populated with officials who have expressed misgivings about the next steps in monetary policy. While markets expect the committee to be on hold the rest of the year, officials themselves still have penciled in a cut and Warsh has expressed support for lower rates as well.
Warsh will “come in with an idea of what he would like to think about and do, and then the economy will deliver what we actually work on,” San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said last week. “You work with the economy you have, and you plan for the economy that you’re supposed to achieve.”
As for his approach beyond rate-setting, Warsh last year called for regime change at the Fed and charged that current officials have a “credibility deficit” that he wants to fix.
English, the former Fed official, said his experience with Warsh was one who could work with others, a quality needed at the consensus-driven central bank.
“He was not somebody who was really difficult for the other policymakers or for the staff or for anybody to work with,” English said. “So I’m not sure he’s going to go in and really try to shake things up right away without moving the other policy makers along. To move them along, he’s going to have to be making arguments and making his case in a reasonable way.”
Fraudulent actors posing as Iranian authorities have reportedly sent messages to shipping companies whose vessels remain stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, demanding payment in cryptocurrency for safe passage.
On Monday, maritime risk company Marisks issued a warning saying unknown groups had contacted shipowners claiming to represent Iranian security services and requesting transit “fees” in Bitcoin (BTC) or USDt (USDT) in exchange for clearance through the strait, according to Reuters.
“These specific messages are a scam,” Marisks reportedly said, adding that they do not originate from Iranian authorities. Tehran has not publicly commented on the claims.
The alerts come as the strategic waterway remains largely closed following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy flows, previously handled around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports before hostilities escalated in the region.
Earlier this month, reports said Iran was considering charging ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz a tariff payable in Bitcoin, with empty tankers allowed free passage while others could be charged around $1 per barrel of oil.
Related: Iran views BTC as strategic asset, but USDt still dominates oil tolls: BPI
Crypto “transit fee” scam demands verification docs
The reported scam messages instruct recipients to submit documentation for verification before being assigned a “fee” payable in cryptocurrency, after which safe transit would allegedly be granted at a pre-agreed time.
In one example cited by Marisks, the message stated that Iranian security services would assess eligibility before determining payment in BTC or USDt, framing crypto transfers as a condition for unimpeded passage.
The company also suggested that at least one vessel recently targeted by gunfire while attempting to exit the strait may have received such fraudulent instructions, though the information has not been independently verified.
Cointelegraph reached out to Marisks for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Related: Bitcoin community weighs in on reports of Iran’s crypto toll for oil ships
Crypto payments to Iran could trigger sanctions risks: Chainalysis
Shipping companies considering paying transit fees in cryptocurrency to Iran could face serious sanctions exposure, according to Chainalysis senior intelligence analyst Kaitlin Martin.
She told Cointelegraph that any payments linked to Iranian-controlled waterways could be treated as “material support,” potentially violating US and international sanctions targeting entities such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Magazine: Bitcoin will not hit $1M by 2030, says veteran trader Peter Brandt
Crypto World
Pavel Durov, Elon Musk Accuse EU/UK of Using “Child Safety” to Pressure Social Media CEOs
Telegram founder Pavel Durov accused EU and UK authorities of offering social media CEOs secret deals to suppress dissent, claiming “child protection” serves as cover for censorship. X (Twitter) owner Elon Musk publicly backed him.
Durov’s statements came the same day French prosecutors summoned Musk for a voluntary interview over allegations that X facilitated child abuse material and deepfakes.
Durov Claims Regulators Use Children as PR Shield
In a series of posts, Durov laid out what he described as a pattern across European governments. He alleged that authorities first approach platform CEOs with informal agreements to restrict content.
Those who refuse face criminal proceedings justified under child protection laws.
“When people push back, say it’s “all for the children”. “Protecting children” has become the standard legal/PR cover,” Durov expressed.
Further, Durov argues that child safety rhetoric exploits parental instincts to bypass critical thinking about surveillance and digital rights.
Durov himself was arrested at a Paris airport in August 2024 and indicted on 12 charges, including alleged complicity in distributing child exploitation material.
His travel ban was lifted in November 2025, though the investigation continues. He recently revealed he faces more than a dozen charges, each carrying up to 10 years in prison.
Musk responded by agreeing with Durov’s criticism. He separately dismissed the French probe into X as a “political attack.”
The US Department of Justice rejected France’s request for assistance, calling it an effort to “entangle the United States in a politically charged criminal proceeding.”
The exchange followed UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s April 16 meeting at Downing Street, where he warned executives from X, Meta, Snap, YouTube, and TikTok that banning children from their platforms would be “preferable to a world where harm is the price” for social media use.
“I know parents are worried about social media and its impact on their children’s safety. They rightly expect fast action. Today, I’m calling on senior leaders from X, Meta, Snap, YouTube and TikTok to step up. I will do whatever it takes to keep children safe online,” Starmer articulated.
Whether European regulators are protecting children or consolidating control over digital platforms will likely remain contested as France’s investigation into X and Durov’s ongoing case both advance in the months ahead.
The post Pavel Durov, Elon Musk Accuse EU/UK of Using “Child Safety” to Pressure Social Media CEOs appeared first on BeInCrypto.
The Bank of Korea’s new governor is signaling a clear push into digital money experiments, framing central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and tokenized deposits as a core part of Korea’s monetary toolkit. Shin Hyun-song, who began a four-year tenure after a Seoul inauguration ceremony, outlined a pragmatic path for the central bank to advance the second phase of its wholesale CBDC pilot and deepen international cooperation around digital payments.
In his first public address since taking office, Shin affirmed the Bank of Korea’s plan to push ahead with Project Hangang—the wholesale CBDC initiative designed to test blockchain-based settlement for large-value transactions—marking a step toward broader digital-finance capabilities. He also highlighted international collaboration efforts, including the Agora Project—a BIS-led consortium launched in April 2024 with seven central banks to explore cross-border tokenization and more efficient settlement. Shin argued these efforts will elevate the won’s standing in a digital-payments environment.
While Shin did not explicitly mention stablecoins in his inaugural remarks, previous reporting suggested openness to won-denominated stablecoins as part of Korea’s broader digital-monetary strategy. Reuters noted that Shin appeared receptive to such instruments when he was nominated as governor, though the formal speech did not reiterate that stance. The regulatory framework for stablecoins in Korea remains a point of contention, with lawmaker and regulator debates about whether won-pegged tokens should be limited to banks or opened to non-bank players.
Beyond central-bank digital money, Shin’s remarks come amid continuing regulatory discussions around the country’s stablecoin framework—and a broader push to integrate tokenized assets into public and cross-border payments. Cointelegraph has reported on the stalled bill and ongoing debates over whether issuance should be concentrated in traditional banking institutions or allowed to fintech and tech firms as well.
Key takeaways
- The Bank of Korea, under new Governor Shin Hyun-song, formalizes a push to advance Phase II of the wholesale CBDC pilot (Project Hangang) and to strengthen digital-monetary policy.]
- Shin ties Korea’s CBDC program to broader international cooperation on tokenization, citing the Agora Project as a strategic vehicle for cross-border payment efficiency and the won’s digital prominence.
- Domestic debates over won-denominated stablecoins remain unresolved; previous reporting indicates openness to such instruments, but the inaugural speech did not explicitly endorse them.
- A separate government-led initiative will test tokenized deposits for public spending, with a Sejong City pilot slated to begin and a full rollout planned for Q4 2026 as part of a regulatory sandbox.
Phase II of Hangang: Korea’s CBDC experiment intensifies
Shin’s inaugural remarks reinforced the Bank of Korea’s commitment to advancing the second phase of Project Hangang, a blockchain-backed wholesale CBDC effort designed to explore settlement workflows, liquidity management, and resilience in large-value transactions between financial institutions. The move sits within a broader strategy to modernize the financial system and reduce settlement risk through programmable money. The Hangang project is positioned as a practical test bed for credibility, interoperability, and security in a digital-money regime that could influence both domestic markets and regional payments corridors.
The emphasis on a phased, deliberate rollout reflects a central-bank approach that prioritizes stability and policy credibility as digital money concepts move from pilot labs toward potential real-world use cases. Shin’s framing suggests that the central bank sees CBDCs not as a speculative venture but as a core instrument for maintaining price and financial stability in an increasingly digitized economy.
Global coordination on asset tokenization
Shin highlighted ongoing international collaboration as a crucial element of Korea’s digital-monetary strategy. The Agora Project, an initiative launched by the Bank for International Settlements and seven central banks, seeks to explore how tokenization can improve cross-border payments and settlement efficiency. By aligning with global peers on standards, interoperability, and risk management, Korea aims to ensure that any domestic pilot is compatible with international liquidity and settlement rails. In Shin’s view, such cooperation could help elevate the status of the won in the evolving digital-payment landscape.
The BIS-backed effort sits alongside Korea’s own experiments, signaling a broader push to understand how tokenized digital assets can be integrated into current financial infrastructures without sacrificing security or monetary sovereignty. Market participants are watching how these international collaborations translate into concrete policy and technical frameworks that could shape regional and global payment flows in the years ahead.
Domestic stablecoins debate and regulatory context
The Korean policy environment around stablecoins remains unsettled. Earlier reporting indicated that Shin was open to won-denominated stablecoins, a stance that could influence how lawmakers frame future legislation. However, the current public address did not reiterate a stance on stablecoins, leaving the regulatory pathway ambiguous. A key point of contention is whether the issuance of won-pegged tokens should be restricted to commercial banks or opened to non-bank fintech and tech firms, a debate that continues to divide regulators and legislators.
Cointelegraph’s coverage of South Korea’s stablecoin framework highlights the tension between fostering innovation and maintaining financial stability and consumer protections. As the policy conversation evolves, market participants should monitor whether the government clarifies licensing paths, custody requirements, and reserve standards for any future stablecoin framework.
Tokenized deposits for government spending: testing digital public finance
On the public-finance front, Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance is moving to test blockchain-based payments for selected government expenditures as part of a regulatory sandbox for distributed ledger technology. The plan envisions tokenized deposits used to execute government spending, with a full rollout targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026. The initial phase will launch in Sejong City, under a framework that imposes limits on timing and eligible spending categories to manage risk while evaluating real-world applicability in public finance.
The pilot underscores a pragmatic approach: use a controlled environment to assess the feasibility, governance, and fiscal implications of tokenized deposits in government operations. If successful, this experiment could inform wider adoption of tokenized public-finance tools and potentially influence how sovereign payments are settled in a digitized economy.
What to watch next
Shin’s tenure signals that Korea intends to keep CBDCs and tokenized finance at the center of its monetary strategy, balancing innovation with stability. Key questions for the coming months include how Phase II Hangang will test interoperability with existing payment rails, what concrete standards emerge from Agora-like cooperation, and how lawmakers resolve the won-stablecoin debate. The Sejong-based tokenized-deposit pilot will also be a focal point, offering early indications of how tokenized public-finance tools could scale in a regulated environment.
Cardano crypto is clinging to the $0.24 level after its uptrend snapped at $0.26, and the market is watching closely. ADA trades at $0.24, up +1.17% in the last 24 hours, a modest bounce that masks a deeper tug-of-war between bulls and bears.
The real story is in the volume. Trading activity surged +48% to $600 million in a single day, the kind of spike that rarely means anything.
On Binance specifically, buy volume hit 133.7 million, up from 121 million in sell volume, leaving ADA with a positive market delta of 28 million. Buyers are not fleeing.
Spot Netflow data adds another layer: ADA recorded three consecutive days of negative netflow, with April 20th showing $60.27M in outflows versus $58.9M in inflows, a 244.6% drop to -$1.29M. That is textbook accumulation behavior, not distribution.
The Bulls vs. Bears indicator sits at a 58, and Cardano crypto Modified DMI has climbed to 5.1, holding bullish territory. Whether that’s enough to reclaim $0.26 depends heavily on macro conditions still pressuring the broader crypto market.
Can Cardano Crypto Price Reclaim $0.26 This Week?
ADA’s technical structure tells two stories depending on which timeframe you’re reading. Short-term, the setup is constructive.
The Modified DMI at 5.1 signals momentum hasn’t fully rolled over, and the sustained positive delta on Binance confirms demand is absorbing sell pressure at current levels.
Technical charts show $0.24 functioning as a near-term floor, a level that has held despite three days of net outflows from exchanges (which, counterintuitively, reinforces accumulation rather than abandonment).
ADA is basically stuck waiting on macro direction, and right now it is sitting right under the $0.25 to $0.26 zone, which flips momentum if it’s reclaimed with strong volume.
If that happens and liquidity conditions improve, that is where the price can actually start trending higher instead of just reacting.
For now, though, it looks like a grind, with ADA likely moving between $0.23 and $0.25 while the market waits on bigger players to decide direction, so no real breakout yet.
The level underneath to watch is $0.24, because if that cracks, it signals weakness returning, and that is where price can slide back toward the $0.21 to $0.22 area where stronger support sits.
So this is another range setup, and until one side breaks, it is just chop driven by macro, not conviction.
LiquidChain Targets Early Mover Upside as Cardano Tests Key Levels
ADA’s recovery, even in the bull case, is capped at single-digit percentage moves from a multi-billion dollar market cap. That’s the reality of trading established large-caps in a sideways market; the risk-reward compresses fast.
Traders hunting for asymmetric exposure are increasingly scanning for earlier-stage infrastructure plays where price discovery hasn’t yet occurred.
LiquidChain is one project generating attention in that category. It’s a Layer 3 infrastructure protocol positioning itself as a cross-chain liquidity layer. Specifically, it fuses Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana liquidity into a single execution environment.
The architecture includes a Unified Liquidity Layer, Single-Step Execution, Verifiable Settlement, and a Deploy-Once structure that lets developers access all three ecosystems without rebuilding for each chain. The presale has raised $690,005.61 at a current price of $0.01451.
With Ethereum and altcoin infrastructure narratives gaining traction, the cross-chain liquidity angle has clear tailwinds, though presales carry execution risk and remain highly speculative.
Research LiquidChain if early-stage L3 infrastructure fits your risk profile.
The post Cardano Crypto Holds $0.24 as ADA’s Volume Jumps 48%: Recovery Ahead? appeared first on Cryptonews.
Key Insights
- ARB price witnessed a rise of more than 10% with an almost 80% jump in trading volumes.
- The staking yield has risen above 221% to attract yield-driven investors.
- Resistance around $0.14 is crucial, and liquidity zones below the price make it volatile.
Recovery Strengthens as Volume Surges
After experiencing some impressive gains,
⚡️ UPDATE: Starknet, Aztec, and Arbitrum rank among the top Layer 2 projects by development activity, according to Santiment. pic.twitter.com/ceks121KIw
Arbitrum (ARB) tokens have demonstrated new signs of strength as bulls have become increasingly confident.
In fact, the tokens have seen a recovery of about 10% from their latest lows thanks to an uptick in trading activity. Specifically, there was a jump in volume of around 80% as new funds were flowing into the token.
When there is an uptick in volume and price at the same time, this is generally a positive signal. It seems that ARB tokens are now moving on to the next phase. Indeed, this comes after a long consolidation phase.
ARB’s Strength in the Face of Staking Yields Above 221%
An important factor that has contributed significantly to ARB’s current momentum is the increased yields from staking, which now exceed 221%. This factor adds another layer to the appeal of the asset in addition to its price performance, presenting itself as an attractive option to yield-seeking traders.
It should be noted that high staking yields typically play an important role in luring investors into buying an asset, especially in the current environment when traders are continuously seeking ways to boost their returns. Currently, increasing yields are one of the important factors that help sustain the demand for ARB despite volatility.
However, at the same time, the state of the ecosystem remains positive, as evidenced by the continuous development of the Arbitrum network.
Bullish Momentum Forms As Buyers Gain the Upper Hand
Analyzing the situation technically, there is now a stronger market structure formed in ARB. This is evident by the recovery of the price from the $0.088 support region as it rose towards the resistance level at $0.128, all while forming higher lows on the way up.
There are also indications in terms of the directional movement indicator. For one thing, the +DI is currently above -DI, reflecting the fact that there is more buying than selling activity in the market. The ADX, for its part, is hovering around 27.
Overall, these factors suggest a bullish scenario despite there being resistance levels left unbroken thus far.
Crucial Resistance Zone at $0.14 Important
Even amid the encouraging developments, ARB must navigate a vital hurdle in the form of the $0.14 resistance zone. This resistance area has previously posed significant challenges, leading to selling actions and breakdowns. The market participants are keeping a close eye on this level, as a clear breakout would potentially open the doors for the following target at $0.18.
Nevertheless, the approach towards the resistance level brings a series of mixed indicators. According to the latest reports, there has been a positive inflow into exchanges, amounting to around $207.81K worth of ARB being transferred to the exchanges. The emergence of such activity implies that there might be plans for profit-taking after the recent recovery.
It is worth noting that such an indicator usually creates some selling momentum, particularly when approaching important levels of resistance.
Liquidity Zones Indicate Possible Volatility
The liquidity indicator shows that there are more threats hidden behind the price. Large clusters of liquidity are found near $0.12 and even lower. They usually serve as magnets in case of volatility, particularly for leveraged trades.
If the coin gets rejected from the resistance line, there is an increased probability of fast movement towards the clusters of liquidity. The process of liquidation becomes fast and efficient, resulting in a fast fall in the price.
Currently trading at $0.128, ARB is caught in-between the important resistance on the top and the high liquidity clusters on the bottom side. Such conditions create a high possibility of volatility in either direction.
Outlook: A Balanced Mix of Opportunity and Risk
The resurgence of ARB is attributable to factors such as improvements in technical structure, increases in yields, and investor interest. The cryptocurrency is proving to be an asset for investors interested in profit-making and earning some income from yield-generation.
That said, future projections are still unclear in the near future. Whether or not ARB succeeds in its rally will depend on whether the coin can break through the resistance point at $0.14. Meanwhile, the liquidity factors prevailing below the current levels imply that volatility is set to define the trend. Currently, ARB sits at a very interesting junction.
The attacker behind the $292 million KelpDAO exploit has begun laundering roughly 75,700 ETH, worth about $175 million, on Ethereum after the Arbitrum Security Council froze 30,766 ETH on Arbitrum One.
The freeze appears to have rattled the hacker into accelerating fund movements on the Ethereum mainnet.
Hacker Accelerates ETH Transfers Through UmbraCash
On-chain analyst EmberCN reported that several small ether (ETH) transfers have already gone through UmbraCash, a stealth address privacy protocol.
The fund-splitting strategy suggests the attacker is trying to obscure the trail before more assets can be frozen.
Arkham Intelligence data shows the hacker’s primary wallet still holds a significant ETH balance, with outflows routing through a secondary address tied to UmbraCash transfers.
Security Council Decision Draws Mixed Reactions
Offchain Labs co-founder Steven Goldfeder defended the council’s action, noting that the elected 12-member body required nine votes to act.
He stressed that the sequencer itself has no power to move funds and that the council operated independently from Offchain Labs and the Arbitrum Foundation.
However, some community members raised concerns. One user questioned whether a compromised council could seize any on-chain funds, highlighting the tension between emergency powers and decentralization.
“If i understand correctly, if the arbitrum security council gets compromised they can just do whatever they want to all of the funds on chain?” they posed.
In the same tone, crypto executive Justin Sun trolled the Arbitrum governance debate, highlighting the Tron DAO as the most decentralized blockchain.
Notwithstanding, KelpDAO thanked the council and credited SEAL 911 for coordinating the response. The protocol said its focus remains on supporting rsETH holders affected by the April 18 exploit.
The post Arbitrum Freeze Sparks $175 Million Laundering Frenzy on Ethereum appeared first on BeInCrypto.
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