Connect with us
DAPA Banner

Crypto World

What next as bitcoin drops to $78,000 and Saylor’s bet faces pressure

Published

on

What next as bitcoin drops to $78,000 and Saylor’s bet faces pressure

Bitcoin slid sharply on Saturday, dropping below $80,000 for the first time since April 2025 as persistent selling pressure and a lack of new capital weighed on crypto markets.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency fell as much as 10% to $75,709.88 during New York afternoon trading hours on Saturday, extending a drawdown that has now wiped more than 30% off its peak value. Ether declined as much as 17%, while Solana briefly plunged over 17%, showing broad weakness across major tokens.

The selloff erased roughly $111 billion from the total crypto market capitalization in the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko data. About $1.6 billion in leveraged long and short positions were liquidated over the same period, largely concentrated in bitcoin and ether, per data from market tracker Coinglass.

The latest leg down comes amid thinning liquidity and muted buying interest — a combination analysts say reflects a market struggling to attract fresh capital. Ki Young Ju, CEO of on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant, said bitcoin’s realized capitalization has largely flatlined, indicating that new money has stopped flowing into the asset.

Advertisement

“When market cap falls without realized cap growing, that’s not a bull market,” Ju said in a post on X.

According to Ju, early bitcoin holders have been sitting on substantial unrealized gains following months of aggressive buying by spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds and Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy.

While those inflows helped anchor prices near $100,000 for much of last year, profit-taking by long-term holders has continued since early 2024 — and is now colliding with a sharp slowdown in demand.

MicroStrategy had been a major driver of the rally, Ju said, adding that a deep, cycle-style crash of 70% is unlikely unless the firm begins selling its bitcoin holdings. Still, selling pressure remains elevated, leaving the market without a clear near-term bottom.

Saturday’s drop below $76,037 per coin put Strategy’s bitcoin position slightly underwater, but has not created any immediate financial stress for the firm, as CoinDesk reported.

Advertisement

The retreat echoes price levels seen in the aftermath of the so-called “Liberation Day” fallout and adds to weeks of macro frustration for bitcoin. The asset has failed to rally despite developments that previously would have supported prices, including a weaker U.S. dollar through much of January and gold’s surge to record highs.

Bitcoin also saw little response as gold and silver reversed sharply on Friday, dampening expectations that crypto might benefit as a spillover hedge. At the same time, delays around new U.S. market-structure rules for the crypto sector have further eroded investor confidence.

Ju expects the current downturn to resolve not through a swift rebound, but via a prolonged period of sideways trading.

“This bear market is more likely to form a wide-ranging consolidation,” he said.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Crypto World

Kenya Moves Closer to Regulating Crypto Firms With VASP Framework

Published

on

Kenya Moves Closer to Regulating Crypto Firms With VASP Framework

Kenya is moving closer to formalizing oversight of its digital asset sector after completing public consultations on proposed rules for crypto firms.

On April 11, the National Treasury announced that it had concluded stakeholder submissions on the draft Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) regulations. This step advances the framework needed to implement the country’s 2025 law governing crypto-related businesses.

Kenya Drafts Stricter Rules for Crypto Firms

The rules will establish licensing requirements and supervisory standards for companies dealing in cryptocurrencies, tokenized assets, and stablecoins.

The proposed regime outlines entry thresholds for operators, including ownership suitability tests, capital requirements, and governance standards. It also establishes obligations related to risk management and anti-money laundering compliance.

The Kenyan authorities are also seeking to impose stricter consumer safeguards. This would include mandatory disclosures, transparent pricing, and protections for crypto client funds.

The framework introduces market conduct provisions aimed at curbing manipulation and insider activity, while requiring due diligence for asset listings and ongoing monitoring of trading activity. Firms would also be subject to periodic reporting, audits, and cybersecurity standards under a system combining on-site and off-site supervision.

The central bank and capital markets authorities are expected to share oversight of the crypto sector.

Advertisement

Kenya’s push to formalize oversight aligns with a broader global shift among regulators to define sectoral rules while preserving space for innovation.

The Treasury said the next phase will involve reviewing feedback and refining the draft before finalizing the regulations. The outcome is expected to shape how firms enter and operate in one of Africa’s more mature fintech markets.

“Kenya is building a trusted framework that balances innovation with financial stability,” the financial agency stated.

The consultation process comes as digital asset use expands rapidly across Africa. According to Ripple, the continent faces high transaction costs, delays in cross-border transfers, and limited access to stable foreign currencies.

As a result, people on the continent have shown increased reliance on crypto-based tools for settlement and savings.

Advertisement

Due to this, Sub-Saharan Africa has emerged as one of the fastest-growing crypto markets, with transaction volumes rising sharply over the past year.

The post Kenya Moves Closer to Regulating Crypto Firms With VASP Framework appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Crypto World

Trump token sees whale accumulation ahead of Mar-a-Lago gala; senators raise questions over event

Published

on

Trump token sees whale accumulation ahead of Mar-a-Lago gala; senators raise questions over event

Large investors are accumulating the TRUMP memecoin ahead of an upcoming gala hosted by President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on April 28, even as the token trades near record lows and the impending event faces political scrutiny.

Data tracked by blockchain sleuth Lookonchain shows notable whale buying through centralized exchanges. One whale, “8DHkza,” withdrew 850,488 $TRUMP tokens (worth approximately $2.4 million) from Bybit over the past two days. Another address, “7EtuAt,” withdrew 105,754 tokens (around $298,000) from Binance 17 hours ago and currently holds 1.13 million tokens, valued at roughly $3.2 million.

Outflows from exchanges are said to represent investor intention to take direct custody of coins and hold the same for long-term. Hence, outflows are taken to indicate accumulation and potentially reduce immediate sell-side liquidity in the market.

The accumulation comes ahead of an invitation-only luncheon reportedly limited to the top 297 TRUMP token holders, with the top 29 receiving exclusive VIP access to Donald Trump.

Advertisement

However, TRUMP continues to trade at record lows near $2.80, down 0.2% on a 24-hour basis and over 1% in seven days. The token came under pressure this week after CoinDesk reported the Trump-linked crypto venture World Liberty Financial’s controversial lending strategy on the Dolomite DeFi platform.

Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers have stepped up scrutiny of the Mar-a-Lago event. Senators Elizabeth Warren, Adam Schiff, and Richard Blumenthal have sent a letter to Fight Fight Fight LLC, a Delaware-based entity run by Trump associate Bill Zanker, requesting documents and information on whether Trump played a role in planning, promoting, or financially benefiting from the gathering. Fight Fight Fight LLC TRUMP memecoin in partnership with entities affiliated with Donald Trump.

“It is essential that Congress fully understand the extent to which President Trump and his family are profiting off of his cryptocurrency ventures,” the senators said, adding that “Congress must also take steps to prohibit and prevent these egregious conflicts of interest.”

The probe introduces an additional layer of uncertainty for the token, as regulatory and political risks intersect with already weak price action.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Crypto World

US Down To ‘Last Chance’ To Pass Clarity Act Before 2030: Lummis

Published

on

US Down To 'Last Chance' To Pass Clarity Act Before 2030: Lummis

The United States government must pass the CLARITY Act, which aims to provide the crypto industry with clearer regulatory oversight, soon, or risk waiting almost another four years to move the industry forward, according to US Senator Cynthia Lummis.

“This is our last chance to pass the Clarity Act until at least 2030,” Lummis, a well-known crypto advocate, said in an X post on Friday.

“We can’t afford to surrender America’s financial future,” she added. The comments come as crypto industry participants begin to worry that the bill’s chances of passing this year are narrowing, with US midterm elections in November potentially changing congressional priorities and slowing momentum on the highly anticipated crypto legislation.

The former White House AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, also chimed in on Thursday with a similar view to Lummis.

Advertisement

“The time to act is now. Senate Banking, and then the full Senate, should pass market structure. I’m confident that they will. And then President Trump will sign this landmark bill into law,” Sacks said. 

Consumers and entrepreneurs both “win” from the CLARITY Act

Many industry participants have argued that the passage of legislation aimed at clarifying which regulators oversee parts of the crypto industry could lead to greater innovation in the US and potentially increase demand for crypto assets among retail investors.

Source: Chad Steingraber

A16z Crypto managing partner Chris Dixon reiterated that view in a post, saying that “when rules are defined, both consumers and entrepreneurs win.”

A wide range of sectors in the crypto industry expect the move to be positive. 

Web3 gaming giant Immutable founder Robbie Ferguson said just days before, on April 3, that “the CLARITY Act will make the last decade of growth in gaming look like a joke.”

Advertisement

On Friday, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, who withdrew the crypto exchange’s support for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in January, said “it’s time” for the legislation to pass after months of delays.

Meanwhile, Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal said on April 2 that the CLARITY Act could be nearing a markup hearing in the US Senate Banking Committee. However, he noted that progress hinges on resolving disagreements over stablecoin yield.

Related: CFTC unveils innovation task force members in crypto clarity push

Regulators are also voicing their support for the legislation.

Advertisement

US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins said in a post on the same day that, “It’s time for Congress to future-proof against rogue regulators & advance comprehensive market structure legislation to President Trump’s desk.”

Magazine: Bitcoin quantum-safe without upgrade? CZ’s 2031 crypto vision: Hodler’s Digest, April 5 – 11