Bitcoin climbed back above $77,000 on Friday after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz fully reopened to commercial shipping, the clearest geopolitical de-escalation since the US-Israel war on Iran broke out in late February.

BTC was changing hands near $77,274, up 3.7% over 24 hours and 5.8% on the week after briefly topping $78,000 earlier in the session, per CoinGecko. The asset remains roughly 39% below its October 2025 all-time high of $126,198. Ether is trading around $2,425, up 4.1% on the day and 8% on the week.

Among other large-caps, XRP added 3.1% to $1.48, Solana rose 2% to $89, and BNB climbed 1.5% to $640. Total crypto market capitalization climbed to $2.7 trillion, with Bitcoin dominance at 57.2%.

Hormuz Reopening Fuels Rally

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the reopening in a social media post on Friday, saying the passage for all commercial vessels through the strait is “completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire.” The announcement followed confirmation late Thursday of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, a precondition Tehran had set in peace talks.

Oil prices dropped roughly 12% on the news. President Donald Trump said the strait is “ready for full passage,” but added that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports “will remain in full force” until a formal peace deal is signed.

The strait normally carries roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supply, and the weeks-long disruption had been the single largest macro overhang on risk assets since the war began on February 28.

Short Squeeze

The rally triggered a meaningful reset in leveraged positioning.CoinGlass data showed roughly $805 million in futures liquidations over the past 24 hours, with short positions accounting for the lion’s share at $643 million.

Nearly $390 million of Bitcoin derivatives positions were liquidated, along with $181 million of ETH positions.

Big Movers

Among the Top 100 cryptocurrencies, Ethena’s ENA led the charge with a 14% rally, while Morpho gained 10%.

Decliners were shallow. Zcash slipped 1.3% to $332, Toncoin edged 1% lower, and LEO Token gave back 0.6%, per CoinGecko.

ETF Flows Stay Positive

Spot Bitcoin ETFs logged $26 million in net inflows on April 16, according to SoSoValue. Weekly net flows into Bitcoin ETFs have totaled $332 million so far this week, following a $786 million haul the prior week.

Spot Ether ETFs extended their winning streak to a sixth consecutive session with $18 million in net inflows on April 16, lifting cumulative inflows for the category to $11.82 billion.

The US government has transferred about 8.2 Bitcoin, valued at over $606,000, to Coinbase Prime. The funds are linked to assets seized from the 2016 Bitfinex hack. Blockchain data tracked the movement and confirmed the destination.

The transfer is part of a broader restitution process approved by a federal court. Authorities are returning seized Bitcoin to Bitfinex instead of selling it. This move follows earlier transfers made in March and April 2026.

Bitcoin Transfer Linked to Restitution Process

The transaction was split into two parts, with 7.999 BTC and 0.197 BTC sent in sequence. Both amounts were directed to the same Coinbase Prime address. On-chain data confirmed the movements and timing.

This transfer follows a legal order issued in early 2025. The ruling required that recovered Bitcoin be returned directly to Bitfinex. The court recognized the exchange as the sole victim in the case.

Exchange transfers often raise concerns about possible selling. However, this case differs due to legal restrictions. The transferred Bitcoin is not intended for open market liquidation.

Federal authorities continue to manage a large Bitcoin reserve. As of April 2026, government wallets hold about 328,361 BTC. The latest transfer represents only a small portion of that total.

Background of the 2016 Bitfinex Hack

The Bitfinex hack occurred in August 2016 and significantly impacted the cryptocurrency market at the time. Hacker Ilya Lichtenstein exploited a system weakness and stole over 119,000 BTC. The stolen assets were worth $72 million then.

Over several years, Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan attempted to move the funds through layered transactions. Their actions aimed to hide the origin of the Bitcoin. Authorities tracked the activity over time.

In February 2022, the US government seized about 94,636 BTC. Investigators accessed private keys stored in cloud files. These keys allowed direct control of the stolen assets.

Lichtenstein later received a five-year prison sentence in November 2024. Morgan was sentenced to 18 months. Both had pleaded guilty to money laundering charges earlier.

Bitfinex Plans for Returned Bitcoin

Bitfinex has outlined how it will use the returned Bitcoin. The exchange plans to redeem its Recovery Right Tokens fully. These tokens were issued after the 2016 hack.

In addition, Bitfinex will allocate at least 80 percent of remaining proceeds. The funds will go toward buying back and burning UNUS SED LEO tokens. This plan follows commitments made in its recovery framework.

A statement tied to the plan noted that the process would follow existing agreements. It said, “the funds will be used according to the recovery commitments already defined.” This reflects a structured use of the returned assets.

The recent transfer marks another step in the restitution timeline. While the amount moved is small, it aligns with court directives. Further transfers may follow as the process continues.

Fresh Coinglass heatmap data suggest Ethereum is again sitting between two sizeable liquidation walls, with leverage stacked just below and above spot. According to the latest read‑out, if ETH slides below $2,323, cumulative long liquidation intensity on mainstream centralized exchanges would reach around $1.044 billion, while a break above $2,563 would trigger up to $531 million in short liquidations.

Coinglass maps new ETH liquidation corridor

Coinglass describes its liquidation heatmaps as tools to “estimate price ranges where large‑scale liquidation events may occur,” aggregating futures and perpetual swap data from venues such as Binance, OKX and Bybit. The platform notes that liquidations can “cause sharp price movements and significantly impact traders’ positions,” as forced selling or buying cascades once price crosses dense clusters of leverage.

This latest corridor sits on top of an already crowded derivatives tape. Earlier this month, Coinglass data relayed in a crypto.news story showed $1.414 billion of ETH longs at risk below $2,040 and $889 million of shorts exposed above $2,253, with nearly $1.8 billion of combined leverage packed between roughly $1,952 and $2,154. In that earlier setup, even a 5–7% move was enough to threaten a “trapdoor” cascade as price collided with stacked liquidations in both directions.

The updated $2,323–$2,563 band suggests the same basic dynamic is creeping higher as ETH grinds up the chart. Coinglass’ Ethereum dashboard shows current open interest around $32.8 billion and notes that roughly $111.6 million of ETH futures positions have been liquidated over the past 24 hours, a reminder that even smaller intraday moves continue to flush over‑levered traders.

A separate Coinglass analysis highlighted another danger zone at $2,451, estimating that a decisive break above that level would put about $1.473 billion of short positions at risk, while a drop below $2,220 could trigger $1.10 billion in long liquidations. In that note, the firm warned that dense bands of leverage “create mechanical selling or buying” once price crosses key thresholds, amplifying what might otherwise be modest spot moves.

For ETH traders, the message is clear: the next few hundred dollars in either direction sit atop hundreds of millions of dollars in forced‑flow risk. Those running high leverage into the $2,323 downside level or the $2,563 upside pocket are effectively betting they can front‑run a billion‑dollar liquidation wave rather than be crushed by it.

Additionally, recent Ethereum liquidation setups include pieces on the near‑$2,000 “trapdoor” heatmap, the $2,057–$1,863 liquidation walls flagged in February, and this week’s deep‑dive on the looming $2,451 liquidation band.

Bitcoin price prediction turns cautious as BTC failed to sustain its third breakout attempt above $76,000, repeatedly touching the level only to reverse, while 46 consecutive days of negative funding rates on Binance have created the most compressed short positioning since the FTX crash bottom of late 2022.

Bitcoin (BTC) price prediction now hinges on whether the third rejection at $76,000 is the final compression before a short squeeze or evidence that a sustained break higher requires a macro catalyst that has not yet arrived. BTC slid back below $74,000 after briefly clearing the resistance level, extending a ten-week consolidation in the $60K-$75K corridor.

The rejection printed a textbook bearish pin bar on the daily chart, with price spiking above $76,000 before closing well inside the range — the same pattern that produced the prior three failed breakouts in 2026.

The most technically significant signal in the current setup is the 46-day streak of negative perpetual funding rates on Binance, even as open interest in BTC futures has been rising throughout the same period. Negative funding means that short sellers are paying long holders to maintain their positions, a reliable indicator that the market’s speculative lean is heavily skewed toward expecting a price decline.

K33 Research head of research Vetle Lunde flagged the dynamic in a recent report, noting the 30-day average funding rate has now run negative longer than at almost any point in BTC’s history outside of the FTX crash bottom in November 2022. That regime also featured rising open interest alongside negative funding, and it resolved with a sharp upside move once sellers exhausted themselves.

The pattern does not guarantee a rally. But the math is simple: the longer shorts remain crowded below $76,000 with no follow-through to the downside, the more compressed the eventual move becomes in either direction.

Three Catalysts That Could Break the Range

BTC is 42% below its October 2025 all-time high of $126,198. The $60K-$75K consolidation has now held for the third consecutive month. Breaking out in either direction requires one of three near-term events.

The Iran ceasefire expires April 22. A credible extension or diplomatic breakthrough toward a permanent deal would likely replicate the 5% BTC surge that followed the original ceasefire announcement, as the asset has been trading as a high-beta geopolitical barometer throughout the conflict. A full resumption of fighting would likely push BTC back toward the $68,000 structural support floor.

The FOMC meets April 28-29. Bitcoin performs best in easing liquidity environments, and a dovish signal from Chair Powell’s final meeting would lower the opportunity cost of holding risk assets.

A confirmed CLARITY Act markup date from Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott would add a third potential catalyst, with JPMorgan estimating such a development as a standalone positive trigger for digital assets.

Below $68,000, ETF inflows would likely need to accelerate substantially to prevent a test of $65,000, the lower bound analysts have identified as the next structural support. A confirmed close above $76,000 targets $80,000 as the next resistance.

The bitcoin price prediction picked up momentum after Morgan Stanley’s MSBT spot Bitcoin ETF pulled in more than $100 million in its first six trading days according to CoinGecko. But many people searching for the bitcoin price prediction are looking for more than a 12% recovery on a $1.48 trillion asset.

Pepeto is the presale drawing capital right now. The exchange has raised more than $9.13 million in presale, SolidProof audited every contract before the first round opened, and the Binance listing is getting closer with projections at 100x from the current price.

Morgan Stanley ETF Hits $100M in Week One as Bitcoin Price Prediction Models Move Higher

Morgan Stanley’s MSBT spot Bitcoin ETF drew over $100 million during its first week, the fastest ETF launch in the firm’s history, with the lowest fee structure among all competing products according to CoinGecko. Total spot Bitcoin ETF assets sit at $95 billion, covering 6.4% of Bitcoin’s $1.48 trillion market cap.

The growth arrived as Bitcoin climbed above $74,400 following a ceasefire between the US and Iran, and funding rates on Binance perpetuals stayed negative for 46 straight days, a setup that K33 Research says has historically come before sharp upside moves.

The outlook gains strength from record institutional flows, but presale entries with verified exchange tools are where the returns that change portfolios are being built.

Where the Bitcoin Price Prediction Lands and Where the Real Opportunity Lives

Pepeto: The Exchange Where $9.13 Million in Committed Capital Proves Informed Money Already Moved

The real signal is not that Morgan Stanley broke records with a Bitcoin ETF. It is that more than $9.13 million flowed into Pepeto while fear gripped the market while the market sat frozen. That pattern shows who is building positions and what they expect once trading opens.

Pepeto is the exchange built to protect your full balance before you risk it anywhere. PepetoSwap processes every swap without charging a fee. When you move tokens between networks, the bridge sends the full amount with nothing deducted. And the screener scans every contract and tells you clearly if it is clean or risky, all verified by SolidProof.

The creator who took the original Pepe to an $11 billion valuation designed the full product lineup and added a former Binance listing lead for the debut.

At $0.0000001865, BTC targets $80,000 for a 7% move over months while analysts project 100x from the Pepeto listing alone. Staking at 183% APY compounds your position every day, and the wallets moving in now already ran the numbers.

Bitcoin (BTC) Price at $74,887 as Morgan Stanley ETF Breaks Records and Funding Rates Signal a Bottom

Bitcoin (BTC) trades at $74,887 according to CoinMarketCap, up 0.89% on the day as Morgan Stanley’s MSBT drew over $100 million in its first week and total spot ETF assets held at $95 billion.

Funding rates on Binance perpetuals have stayed negative for 46 days according to CoinDesk, a setup K33 Research says has come before every major rally since 2023.

Analysts target $80,000 near term for a 7% return over months. Record institutional demand is bullish for the bitcoin price prediction. But Pepeto at presale holds the kind of multiplier that a $1.48 trillion asset cannot generate.

Binance Coin (BNB) Price at $619 as BNB Chain Zero Fee Program Holds Through April

Binance Coin (BNB) trades at $619 according to CoinMarketCap, down 0.76% as BNB Chain continued its fee-free stablecoin initiative through April 30. BNB dropped 21% from its January high near $780 but outperformed Bitcoin’s drawdown from its October all-time high.

Support holds at $583 with resistance at $650. A breakout to $700 gives 13% over months, while Pepeto at presale pricing carries the same setup BNB had when it traded at $0.15.

Conclusion

While the bitcoin price prediction points to steady recovery and BNB grinds against resistance over months, Pepeto continued attracting capital because $9.13 million raised while fear peaked is not accidental. It is informed money that already ran the numbers.

The same cofounder who built Pepe to $11 billion with nothing behind it created a full exchange this time, the SolidProof audit cleared every contract, and the Binance listing unlocks the return. Days after launch, presale buyers will face just one choice: sell on the 50x or hold for more. Everyone who missed it will carry the same feeling as those who passed on DOGE and Shiba Inu early.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs

What is the bitcoin price prediction after Morgan Stanley’s ETF broke records in week one?

Bitcoin targets $80,000 near term after Morgan Stanley’s MSBT pulled in $100 million in six days and total spot ETF assets held at $95 billion. Pepeto at presale carries the 100x projected from the Binance listing.

How does Binance Coin compare to Pepeto for returns at BNB’s current price?

Binance Coin (BNB) trades at $619 with a $700 target for 13% over months from an $83 billion cap. Pepeto through the Pepeto official website offers presale entry and 100x listing returns that BNB at this size cannot match.

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.

Bitcoin technical analysis turned decisively bullish Thursday as BTC cleared $77,000 and climbed above its 100-day moving average for the first time since the early February selloff, triggering a 12%+ surge in Strategy shares as the company’s 780,897-BTC treasury gained roughly $1.6 billion in value in a single session.

Bitcoin (BTC) technical analysis produced a breakout signal Thursday as BTC cleared $77,000 and reclaimed its 100-day moving average, a threshold that has acted as resistance since the early February decline from above $90,000. The move marks BTC’s first decisive close above $77,000 since that selloff and represents the resolution, at least temporarily, of the ten-week $60K-$75K consolidation range that had defined the chart.

Strategy, the largest publicly traded corporate Bitcoin holder, surged over 12% in Thursday trading. The company holds 780,897 BTC acquired for approximately $59.02 billion at an average cost of $75,577 per coin.

The $76,000 level had capped four separate BTC rally attempts in 2026 before today. CoinGlass data showed $450 million in sell orders stacked between $75,900 and $76,300 as of Thursday morning, placed by traders either shorting the range high or defending against a short squeeze with liquidation risk overhead. Price chipped through the wall across the morning session, triggering a cascade as liquidation levels were breached.

Derivatives data confirmed the mechanical nature of the move: liquidations jumped 140% compared to recent sessions, and open interest continued to rise throughout the advance. Rising open interest alongside rising liquidations indicates forced short covering rather than new speculative buying, the exact setup K33 Research’s Vetle Lunde described last week when he flagged 46 consecutive days of negative funding as an “attractive entry” for contrarians.

Why Strategy Moved So Sharply

Strategy’s 12%+ gain amplified BTC’s move through its leveraged capital structure. The company holds 780,897 BTC worth roughly $1.6 billion more at $77,000 than at $74,000, with every dollar of BTC appreciation flowing directly through to the balance sheet under FASB’s fair-value accounting rules now governing digital assets.

On April 13, Strategy disclosed its latest purchase: 13,927 BTC for approximately $1 billion, funded entirely through sales of its STRC preferred shares. The company’s STRC volume has surged to roughly 20% of total MSTR trading volume from essentially zero earlier in 2026, reflecting a shift in how institutional capital is accessing the company’s Bitcoin exposure.

The company’s average cost basis of $75,577 per BTC means Thursday’s move above $77,000 pushed its entire treasury back into a small unrealized gain for the first time since early April, a shift that reduces near-term balance sheet pressure and may support continued STRC issuance.

Bitcoin reclaiming the 100-day moving average is a structural signal that technical traders track carefully. A sustained daily close above it would target $80,000 as the next resistance, with the 200-day SMA at $87,519 as the larger trend line that needs to be reclaimed for a full trend reversal. The BTC ETF inflow picture from the past week, which showed $597.5 million in two-day institutional buying, suggests demand is present to absorb further supply if the macro backdrop cooperates.

Payward, the parent company of the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange, announced on Friday that it has entered into a “definitive agreement” to acquire Bitnomial, a US-licensed cryptocurrency and derivatives exchange; the deal values Bitnomial’s equity at $20 billion.

Bitnomial is the “first” crypto-native exchange in the United States to hold all three regulatory licenses from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), including exchange, clearinghouse, and brokerage permits, according to Payward’s announcement.

“Settlement mechanics, margin models, and contract structures define what products can exist and who can access them. The US has had no clearing infrastructure built for digital assets,” Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Payward and Kraken, said. He added:

“Bitnomial spent a decade building it: crypto settlement, crypto collateral, continuous 24/7 markets. These are capabilities that cannot be retrofitted onto legacy systems. They have to be built natively.” 

Payward will use Bitnomial’s infrastructure to offer spot margin trading, perpetual futures contracts and options trading for US clients, the company said. 

Payward’s business clients can also integrate crypto services for their users, including spot crypto trading, tokenized stocks, crypto derivatives and fiat onramps through Payward Services, an application programming interface (API). 

The announcement follows Kraken’s expansion into tokenized stocks, tokenized perpetual futures trading and the company securing a limited-purpose account with the United States Federal Reserve, a first for the crypto industry.

Related: Deutsche Börse invests $200 million in Kraken parent Payward

Kraken secures Federal Reserve limited-purpose master account

In March 2026, Kraken became the first crypto company to gain approval for a limited-purpose master account, which was issued by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, one of the US central bank’s 12 regional districts.

The account gives Kraken access to the Federal Reserve’s central payment system used by banks, credit unions and other traditional financial institutions, so it can settle transactions directly through the Fed’s Fedwire platform.

However, the limited-purpose master account has a term of one year and features some restrictions. 

Kraken’s limited-purpose account is similar to the ‘skinny’ Federal Reserve master accounts proposed by Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller and promoted by Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis in 2025.

Magazine: Robinhood’s tokenized stocks have stirred up a legal hornet’s nest