Crypto World
XLM bounces from $0.15 lows, but bears remain in control
- Stellar price rose to near $0.17 on Thursday, February 26.
- XLM bounced higher as cryptocurrencies recorded gains across the board.
- Bulls could target $0.40 if sentiment holds, but bears remain largely in control.
Stellar (XLM) price rose to near $0.17 early Thursday as a broad market bounce lifted cryptocurrencies.
The altcoin’s price mirrored the movement of major alts and Bitcoin, jumping from lows of $0.15 as sentiment drove buy-side pressure.
Bitcoin’s surge to near $70k came ahead of Nvidia earnings.
BTC is holding above $68k, and this could mean a short-term retest of highs above the psychological level.
However, bulls are at risk of giving up all the intraday gains if bearish sentiment continues to dictate momentum, with analysts pointing to the latest uptick as a potential relief bounce that may yet fade quickly.
XLM price today
XLM price hovers at $0.1647 as of writing, up nearly 8% in the past 24 hours.
The gains put Stellar up about 3% in the past week, and extended the altcoin’s recovery from oversold levels near $0.15.
According to data from CoinMarketCap, the price jump has come amid a spike in daily trading volume.
The spot volume stood at $155 million, up 50% as XLM tested intraday highs around $0.169.
Stellar price technical analysis
Despite notable gains, XLM remains pinned below the 50-day and 100-day SMAs.
The moving averages are clustered near $0.18-$0.21, signalling continued downside pressure.
A descending resistance trendline also caps upside, and bulls need a clean break to sustain the advantage.
In terms of technical indicators, the daily RSI has inched up from oversold territory but stays neutral.
Meanwhile, the MACD shows bullish divergence, but a shrinking histogram suggests limited breakout potential without a notable volume surge.

For bulls, near-term recovery hinges on holding $0.16 support.
A push above $0.17 and a retest of highs above the key moving averages will buoy buyers.
Key targets lie in the $0.25-$0.41 area.
Helping Stellar’s bullish outlook is its traction in the payments and tokenization markets.
The blockchain network ranks among the top chains for distributed and represented real-world assets, alongside XRP Ledger and others.
Gains for XRP have often coincided with an uptick for XLM.
On the downside, bears may rely on a bearish tilt supported by negative trends in the derivatives market.
XLM’s futures open interest remains low compared to metrics seen during last year’s peak. Funding rates also reinforce this outlook.
As such, downside risks loom large, and a breakdown below $0.15 could be bad news for XLM bulls.
Crypto World
US Officials Warn Wall Street About the Risks of Anthropic AI
Mythos Model Flags Risk of Security
The focus is on the Mythos model by the company Anthropic that allegedly detects and uses vulnerabilities in operating systems and web platforms. Moreover, the company recognised that the model is able to simulate attacks when provoked under controlled conditions. As such, authorities consider such capabilities as a possible threat when abused by ill-minded individuals. This has enhanced scrutiny in the financial and regulatory areas. Anthropic enjoys limited access to Mythos and is growing defensive applications with Project Glasswing. Large companies like Amazon, Apple, and JPMorgan Chase are part of the initiative. Additionally, such organisations as Google, NVIDIA and the Linux Foundation became involved. Offering to enhance software security through AI-based vulnerability detection, these groups are pursuing this goal.
The company invested a lot of resources in promoting the initiative and deepening the defensive scope. Anthropic provided up to 100 million usage credits and 4 million in direct funding. Moreover, over 40 organisations that control critical infrastructure were able to access the system. This joint effort aims at discovering and resolving the high-severity defects in popular software. Anthropic remains interesting with changes in legal and regulatory developments. The Trump administration tried to take measures against the company in its classification but was stopped by a federal court in San Francisco. Judge Rita Lin ordered that the designation was not substantially statutory-based. Therefore, this ruling was a short-lived reprieve since AI companies remain under the microscope.
The company has recorded robust financial growth, and its annual recurring revenues have increased sharply over the past few months. This has increased interest both in technology and finance. In addition, analysts are still evaluating the overall effect on rival companies, such as Palantir Technologies. The players within the market are keeping track of the way AI implementation influences the competition in the industry. The most recent innovations at Anthropic have brought about an increased interest in AI security, regulatory requirements and market consequences. These have remained influential in the policy debates and financial preparedness.
Crypto World
Coinbase CEO backs U.S. Treasury’s bid to pass CLARITY Act
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has shifted his stance on a key crypto regulatory bill, saying it’s now the moment for Congress to act. After months of negotiations and a previous pause, Armstrong endorsed the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) and praised the current draft as a strong baseline for passable legislation. The move comes as lawmakers press ahead through committee processes, with both sides of the aisle weighing how a structured framework could shape the crypto market in the United States.
Armstrong disclosed his updated view in a Thursday post on X, aligning with remarks from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a Wall Street Journal op-ed urging Congress to act promptly. In his message, Armstrong described the legislation as a “strong bill” and argued that it’s now time for Congress to move forward. The endorsement marks a notable reversal from January, when Coinbase said it could not back the act as written, contributing to a temporary stall in the legislative process as committees prepared a markup for CLARITY.
Key takeaways
- Armstrong publicly backs CLARITY Act again, calling for a timely passage after months of negotiations shaped by safety, ethics, and market-structure concerns.
- The bill’s path remains tied to committee activity: a Senate Banking Committee markup is anticipated after the Senate Agriculture Committee’s January approval, with both committees needing to align securities and commodities provisions before a full chamber vote.
- Regulatory momentum is visible in parallel moves, including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s approval of Coinbase’s national bank trust charter, which signals growing regulatory engagement with crypto players.
- The industry’s influence in Washington continues to be debated, though executives from Coinbase and Ripple Labs have participated in talks with administration officials about CLARITY and broader market structure questions.
Armstrong’s recalibration: from pause to endorsement
The timing of Armstrong’s endorsement reflects a broader recalibration within the crypto industry’s Washington engagement. In January, Coinbase publicly stated it could not support CLARITY as written, a stance that contributed to a pause in a Senate Banking Committee markup that would have advanced the bill toward floor consideration. Since then, talks among lawmakers and industry participants have continued, with Armstrong asserting that the latest iteration of CLARITY addresses core concerns raised during negotiations.
Armstrong captured the shift in a succinct update, stating on X that the current form of the CLARITY Act is a “strong bill” and that it’s “time to pass the Clarity Act.” The post echoed comments attributed to the same topic by Scott Bessent in the WSJ op-ed, who urged swift congressional action as a matter of clarity and regulatory coherence for the crypto markets. For readers tracking the arc of the bill, the developer-friendly alterations and the way ethics, tokenized equities, and stablecoin yield provisions were addressed are central to understanding why Coinbase and other industry players have shifting views on the legislation’s current contours. For reference, Coinbase previously noted that progress depended on a broader agreement in Congress and among supervisory agencies, with the initial markup delayed as those conversations continued.
Coinbase’s legal head, Paul Grewal, suggested last week that lawmakers were “very close to a deal,” underscoring a sense that convergence across committees—and with the crypto sector—was near. Still, the exact timing of a mark-up remains uncertain, as the banking committee would schedule consideration only after the Agriculture Committee’s earlier action, and after aligning on a regulatory framework that reconciles token classifications with securities and commodities oversight.
Legislative hurdles: where the bill stands and what comes next
The legislative path for CLARITY Act is intricate, reflecting the overlap between securities and commodities frameworks in U.S. regulation. The latest cadence places the banking committee mark-up after a January approval from the Senate Agriculture Committee, with both panels expected to harmonize the finer points of the bill before lawmakers return to the Senate floor. The process underscores a centralized aim: to provide a clear, predictable regulatory framework that can accommodate a spectrum of crypto activities—ranging from exchanges and token issuances to custody and compliance obligations for crypto-native institutions.
From Coinbase’s perspective, the process has required careful alignment with both the executive branch and Congress. Armstrong’s renewed stance appears to be grounded in the belief that the current version adequately balances innovation with investor protection and market integrity. The operational implications are notable: a clearer framework can reduce regulatory uncertainty for exchanges and developers, potentially accelerating product launches, partnerships, and new use cases for digital assets. Investors and builders alike will be watching whether the final iteration resolves long-standing concerns about ethics, tokenized equities, and the governance and disclosure expectations that typically accompany traded assets.
In parallel, industry voices have continued to press for clarity and predictability. Coinbase’s legal leadership has framed the ongoing talks as a sign that policymakers are close to a workable compromise, while industry participants have highlighted the importance of a comprehensive school of thought that integrates the realities of digital asset markets with established financial-market norms. The evolving dialogue in Washington illustrates a broader theme: as technology accelerates, lawmakers are increasingly pressed to deliver rules that foster both innovation and consumer protection without stifling competition.
Regulatory momentum and industry influence: a broader context
Beyond CLARITY Act’s fate, a broader regulatory arc has emerged that shapes industry strategy in the near term. Earlier this year, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted Coinbase a national bank trust charter, following a series of similar approvals for other crypto and financial-services entities. The approvals signal that regulators are willing to grant more robust, federally recognized structures to crypto firms, potentially enabling more sophisticated product offerings under federal oversight. The approvals build a backdrop against which CLARITY Act could accelerate or adjust, depending on how a unified regulatory framework emerges across agencies.
The Washington conversation around crypto is not happening in a vacuum. Executives from Coinbase and Ripple Labs have participated in discussions with administration officials about the proposed framework, reflecting a broader trend of strategic engagement from the industry. The dynamics of these discussions are nuanced: while some policymakers emphasize the need for robust safeguards, others push for a framework that doesn’t hamper innovation or push firms toward burdensome, one-size-fits-all rules. The resulting tension—between comprehensive regulation and market growth—will shape the clarity and predictability investors rely on as crypto markets mature.
As the debate continues, observers are watching whether CLARITY’s final form will offer definitive classifications for tokens, more precise rules for exchanges, and a clear path for stablecoins and custody services. The current trajectory suggests a scenario in which Congress could deliver a coherent set of rules that reduces ambiguity for U.S. participants, while also inviting international competition to respond to a more predictable U.S. framework. For practitioners, that could translate into a more navigable landscape for product development, fundraising, and regulatory compliance—crucial considerations as institutions, startups, and developers build the next phase of the crypto economy.
What remains uncertain is the exact timetable and the precise language that will reach a floor vote. While Armstrong’s renewed endorsement adds momentum, the bill still faces a complex negotiation across committees, potential amendments, and the broader political calendar. Investors should monitor the timing of the banking committee markup and any additional clarifications on how CLARITY addresses the balance between market structure, consumer protections, and innovation incentives. The path forward will likely shape how quickly institutions can deploy regulated crypto products in the United States and how competitors abroad respond to a more defined U.S. framework.
Readers should stay attentive to updates on committee schedules and any new endorsements from other major industry players, as these signals often influence the market’s expectations about regulatory clarity and product timelines. The coming weeks will be telling for whether CLARITY Act can translate into a formal legislative milestone or whether unresolved questions will extend the negotiation phase into a longer horizon.
As the process unfolds, the industry’s practical takeaway is straightforward: clarity tends to reduce risk, but only when the rules are stable and comprehensive. The next few weeks will reveal how close CLARITY is to becoming law and how the balance between oversight and innovation will be achieved in the final text.
Crypto World
Etherealize Say AI Will Fuel Ethereum Supply Shock: Here’s Why and Next Coin to Pump
Autonomous AI agents have registered roughly 90,000 on-chain identities since January 2025, and the ETH they burn through every micro-transaction is not coming back.
Exchange reserves have collapsed to 16.2 million ETH – the lowest level since 2016 – while over 37 million ETH sits locked in staking contracts.
The EIP-1559 burn mechanism was designed for humans transacting at human speed. AI agents don’t sleep, don’t hesitate, and don’t wait for gas to drop on a Sunday morning.

The question is no longer whether AI activity is compressing ETH supply. The question is whether the compression is structural enough to constitute a genuine ETH supply shock – one that reprices the asset rather than just tightens a few metrics.
Discover: AI price predictions for Ethereum, Bitcoin, and XRP through end of 2026
How AI Agents Are Burning ETH Faster Than the Market Expects
Under EIP-1559, base fees are destroyed rather than paid to validators. That mechanic was calibrated around human-driven transaction demand – periodic spikes during NFT mints, DeFi yield chases, and token launches.
AI agents introduce a fundamentally different demand profile: continuous, high-frequency, and immune to price fatigue.
Projects built on frameworks like Etherealize, alongside autonomous trading systems powered by ASI ($FET) and RENDER, now dominate DEX activity during low-liquidity windows – particularly weekends – where their algorithmic execution faces minimal human competition.
Each interaction triggers a base fee burn. At scale, the aggregate effect on net ETH issuance is material.
Glassnode on-chain data confirms ETH’s annualized net issuance is currently running at approximately -0.5%, meaning burns are outpacing new validator rewards.

That deflationary state has now persisted across a 12-month high in burn rates, according to CryptoQuant metrics tracking exchange-level reserve depletion alongside network-wide fee destruction. The Etherealize-driven agent economy is not a speculative catalyst – it is already showing up in the supply figures.
What makes AI agent burn different from prior DeFi demand spikes is durability. A yield farming craze burns ETH for weeks; a machine economy running autonomous wallets on deflationary crypto rails burns ETH indefinitely.
The frequency is predictable, the volume scales with agent registrations, and there is no behavioral off-switch triggered by a price correction. That changes the supply calculus in ways that cycle-based models don’t fully capture.
Bitcoin Hyper Targets Early Mover Upside as Ethereum Tests Key Supply Levels
ETH at a $271 billion market cap limits the upside math even if the supply-shock thesis fully validates. A move from $2,400 to $3,000 represents roughly 25% – meaningful, but not the asymmetry that earlier-cycle positioning delivers. For traders who accept the AI-driven deflationary crypto thesis but want higher-beta exposure to the same infrastructure trend, the presale layer is worth examining.
Bitcoin Hyper is currently in presale at $0.0521787, with over $1.1 million raised and a staking APY currently sitting above 90%. The project is built around Bitcoin-native speed infrastructure – a direct architectural play on the machine-economy demand that is driving AI agent adoption across L1 networks. Its positioning assumes that the high-frequency, low-latency transaction environment that makes AI agents viable on Ethereum will expand to Bitcoin-adjacent rails as agent registrations scale.
The entry window at current presale pricing closes as each stage fills. For traders watching Ethereum consolidate below resistance while the supply metrics tighten, the asymmetry argument is straightforward. Research Bitcoin Hyper here before the presale window closes.
The post Etherealize Say AI Will Fuel Ethereum Supply Shock: Here’s Why and Next Coin to Pump appeared first on Cryptonews.
Crypto World
Senator Cynthia Lummis Says the Clarity Act Risks a 4-Year Delay
Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) warns that the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) faces a potential four-year legislative freeze if the Senate does not act before the 2026 midterm elections.
Her post arrives one day after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent published an op-ed demanding the same urgency.
Why the Urgency Matters Now
Lummis has been the CLARITY Act’s most prominent Senate champion since its inception. She chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Digital Assets and has repeatedly framed the bill as essential to preventing regulatory uncertainty from pushing crypto firms overseas.
This is our last chance to pass the Clarity Act until at least 2030. We can’t afford to surrender America’s financial future,” Lummis said in a post.
The warning carries added weight given that Lummis announced in December 2025 that she will not seek a second term.
She cited the physical and mental demands of another six-year commitment.
Her current term ends in January 2027, making this legislative push a defining moment in her Senate career.
A Coordinated Washington Push and What Stands in the Way
Lummis is not alone. Her remarks came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and others from within President Donald Trump’s inner circle said action is needed now.
Bessent warned that regulatory ambiguity had already driven crypto development to jurisdictions with clearer rules, including Abu Dhabi and Singapore.
Despite broad executive branch support, several obstacles remain. The bill’s core stablecoin yield dispute has a framework in place following the Tillis-Alsobrooks compromise from March 20.
That deal bans passive yield on stablecoin balances but permits activity-based rewards.
However, the legislation still faces five sequential hurdles before reaching the president’s desk. Those include:
- A Banking Committee markup,
- A 60-vote Senate floor threshold, and
- Reconciliation with the House version passed in July 2025.
- Reconciliation with the Senate Agriculture Committee version (which advanced its own draft in January 2026)
- Presidential signature from Trump
Democratic senators continue to push for ethics language barring government officials from profiting off personal crypto ventures.
The White House has resisted those demands.
The Senate returns from Easter recess on April 13. Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee plan to initiate the markup process in late April.
If that window closes without action, analysts warn that the bill could effectively be dead until at least 2027, as midterm campaign pressures consume the remaining legislative calendar.
On prediction markets, traders currently assign a 56% probability that Trump will sign the CLARITY Act into law before the end of 2026.
The post Senator Cynthia Lummis Says the Clarity Act Risks a 4-Year Delay appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Bitcoin, Altcoin Traders Attempt To Restart Bull Market: Will They Win?
Key points:
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Buyers are attempting to push Bitcoin toward the $76,000 level but are facing significant selling from the bears.
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Several major altcoins are likely to pick up momentum if they break above their overhead resistance levels.
Buyers are attempting to sustain Bitcoin (BTC) above the $72,500 level but are expected to face significant resistance from the bears. US spot BTC exchange-traded funds have witnessed a mixed week, with two days of inflows and two days of outflows, according to Farside Investors data. However, a positive sign is that the inflows have been larger than the outflows, resulting in weekly net inflows of $576.5 million.
Although there are signs of recovery, Glassnode said in its latest Week Onchain newsletter that BTC will have to cross the True Market Mean at $78,000 and the Short-Term Holder Cost Basis at $81,600 to transition into a sustainable recovery regime. Until then, the “mid to long-term bias remains tilted to the downside” as any rally into the zone is expected to encounter selling pressure from recent buyers who may want to exit their positions at or near breakeven.

Along with BTC, Ether (ETH) may also be bottoming out. The Capriole Macro Index Oscillator recorded a reading of -2.42, signaling undervaluation. In 2022, ETH had bottomed out in the $1,000 to $1,200 range when the indicator fell to -2.2. That suggests limited downside risk and greater upside potential.
Could BTC and select major altcoins continue their relief rally? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.
Bitcoin price prediction
BTC rose above $73,000, but the bulls could not sustain the higher levels. That suggests the bears are attempting to retain the price below the $72,000 level.

A positive in favor of the bulls is that the 20-day exponential moving average ($69,587) has started to turn up, and the relative strength index (RSI) has risen into the positive territory. That increases the possibility of a rally to the $76,000 resistance.
Sellers are expected to defend the $76,000 level with all their might, as a close above it completes a bullish ascending triangle pattern. The BTC/USDT pair may then ascend to $84,000.
The bears will have to swiftly pull the BTC price below the support line to signal a comeback. If they do that, the pair risks dropping to the crucial $62,500 to $60,000 support zone.
Ether price prediction
ETH’s pullback is finding support at $2,200, signaling that the bulls are attempting to flip the level into support.

If the ETH price turns up from the current level and breaks above $2,274, it improves the prospects of a rally above the $2,400 resistance. If that happens, the ETH/USDT pair may surge to $2,800.
This bullish view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns down and breaks below the moving averages. That suggests the higher levels are attracting sellers. The pair may then slump to the solid support at $1,916.
XRP price prediction
Buyers have failed to push XRP (XRP) above the 50-day simple moving average ($1.38), indicating that the bears are aggressively defending the level.

Both moving averages are flattening out, and the RSI is just below the midpoint, indicating a slight edge to the bears. A break and close below the $1.27 level signals the resumption of the downtrend to $1.11 and later to the support line of the descending channel pattern near $0.9.
On the other hand, a break above the 50-day SMA tilts the short-term advantage in favor of the buyers. The XRP/USDT pair may then rally to the downtrend line, where the bears are expected to pose a strong challenge.
BNB price prediction
BNB (BNB) has failed to rise above the 50-day SMA ($626), indicating that the bears are selling on minor rallies.

Sellers will attempt to strengthen their position by pulling the BNB price below the $570 level. If they succeed, the BNB/USDT pair may resume its downtrend to the next strong support at $500.
Conversely, a close above the moving averages signals that the pair may extend its stay within the range for some time. Buyers will be back in the driver’s seat on a close above the $687 level. That clears the path for a rally to $730 and subsequently to $790.
Solana price prediction
Solana (SOL) has been consolidating inside the $76 to $98 range, signaling buying on dips and selling on rallies.

If buyers drive the SOL price above the moving averages, the recovery may reach the $98 level. Sellers are expected to fiercely defend the $98 level, attempting to keep the SOL/USDT pair inside the range.
The next trending move is expected to begin above the $98 resistance or below the $76 support. If bulls propel the price above the $98 level, the pair may surge to $117. Alternatively, a break below the $76 level may sink the pair to $67.
Dogecoin price prediction
Dogecoin (DOGE) failed to rise above the downtrend line, indicating that the bears continue to exert pressure.

Sellers will have to quickly pull the DOGE price below the $0.09 support to complete the bearish descending triangle pattern. If they do that, the DOGE/USDT pair may plunge to $0.08 and later to the pattern target of $0.06.
Instead, if the price turns up and breaks above the downtrend line, it suggests that the bulls are aggressively defending the $0.09 level. The failure of a bearish setup is a positive sign as it is likely to attract buyers. The pair may then start its climb toward the $0.11 resistance.
Hyperliquid price prediction
Hyperliquid (HYPE) has been gradually moving higher toward the $41.59 to $43.76 resistance zone, signaling solid demand from the bulls.

The 20-day EMA ($37.91) has started to turn up, and the RSI is in the positive zone, indicating that the bulls are in command. A close above the overhead resistance zone opens the gates for a rally to $50.
Sellers will have to swiftly yank the HYPE price below the 50-day SMA ($35.27) to signal a comeback. If they do that, the HYPE/USDT pair may plummet to the $29.42 level.
Related: Bitcoin analysis sees $55K BTC price ‘iron bottom’ by December 2026
Cardano price prediction
Sellers are defending the 50-day SMA ($0.26) in Cardano (ADA), but the bulls have not allowed the price to dip back below the $0.25 support.

The first sign of strength will be a close above the 50-day SMA, as it opens the doors for a rally to the downtrend line. Sellers are expected to fiercely protect the downtrend line, as a close above it signals a potential short-term trend change.
On the contrary, a drop below the $0.23 level indicates that the bears have overpowered the bulls. That may sink the ADA/USDT pair to $0.22 and later to the support line near the $0.16 level.
Bitcoin Cash price prediction
Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is facing resistance at the 20-day EMA ($451), but the bulls have not given up much ground to the bears.

That increases the likelihood of a break above the 20-day EMA. If that happens, the BCH/USDT pair may climb to the 50-day SMA ($465) and subsequently to the $486 resistance. A close above the $486 level suggests that the market has rejected the break below the $443 support.
Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will attempt to defend the moving averages and pull the BCH price below the $420 level. If they do that, the pair may plummet to $375.
Chainlink price prediction
Chainlink (LINK) has been stuck between the $8 and $10 level for several days, indicating a balance between supply and demand.

The longer the price remains within a range, the stronger the eventual breakout. The flattish moving averages and the RSI near the midpoint do not give either bulls or bears a clear advantage.
If the LINK price turns up from its current level and breaks above the $10 resistance, it suggests the start of a new uptrend. The LINK/USDT pair may then reach $11.61. Conversely, a close below the $8 support may resume the downtrend toward the $6 level.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Crypto World
Ripple Narrative Evolves as XRP Moves Beyond SWIFT Comparison
TLDR
- Dom Kwok said XRP growth now extends beyond the SWIFT comparison narrative.
- Ripple focuses on institutional adoption and financial applications on XRP Ledger.
- RLUSD stablecoin supports real-world blockchain transactions and liquidity use.
- Developer activity increases through global hackathons and funding initiatives.
- Ripple executives confirmed plans to replace SWIFT, not partner with it.
Ripple’s long-standing comparison with SWIFT is losing focus as new XRP use cases expand across financial markets. EasyA co-founder Dom Kwok said the ecosystem now targets broader applications beyond cross-border payments. He stated that XRP growth now centers on institutional adoption, stablecoins, and blockchain-based financial systems.
Kwok said the early narrative helped XRP gain traction, but the market has evolved quickly. He explained that new developments now shape how participants evaluate XRP’s long-term role.
Ripple Focus Expands Beyond SWIFT Benchmark
Kwok said the SWIFT comparison once helped explain XRP’s utility to new users. However, he added that the benchmark now limits understanding of the ecosystem’s broader direction. He stated, “SWIFT is no longer the limiting factor for XRP’s growth.”
He explained that XRP Ledger now supports various financial applications beyond payments. These include liquidity management, tokenization, and enterprise financial tools. As a result, the ecosystem attracts attention from institutions exploring blockchain integration.
Kwok said XRP Ledger’s design supports both messaging and settlement within one system. This structure differs from SWIFT, which separates communication and transaction settlement processes. He noted that this technical advantage supports faster and more efficient transactions.
He also said enterprise adoption plays a central role in XRP’s expansion strategy. Companies entering the ecosystem bring existing clients and transaction flows. Even partial migration of operations to blockchain can increase on-chain activity.
Institutional Deals and RLUSD Drive XRP Ecosystem Growth
Kwok highlighted acquisitions involving firms like Hidden Road and GTreasury. He said these deals aim to integrate traditional finance operations with blockchain infrastructure. The approach focuses on gradually shifting financial processes onto XRP Ledger.
He explained that onboarding firms with active customer bases accelerates ecosystem growth. These companies already handle large transaction volumes across global markets. Moving even a small share of these transactions on-chain increases network usage.
Kwok also pointed to RLUSD as a driver of recent activity within the ecosystem. He described the stablecoin as a strong addition supporting real-world financial use cases. RLUSD enables easier access to digital payments and liquidity services.
He said developer participation is also rising through hackathons and educational programs. Events in Hong Kong and Singapore have attracted new builders to the network. Some developers have already secured funding for XRP Ledger-based projects.
Kwok stated that this growth in developer activity supports broader ecosystem expansion. More applications increase network utility and attract institutional interest. This trend also contributes to renewed attention from market participants.
XRP Strategy Targets On-Chain Financial Systems
Kwok said the XRP thesis now focuses on bringing financial systems onto blockchain networks. He explained that multiple blockchains will likely serve different financial roles. However, he maintained that XRP remains focused on enterprise adoption.
He added that XRP does not require integration with SWIFT to succeed. XRP Ledger validator Vet stated that blockchain systems combine messaging and settlement functions. This approach replaces traditional systems that separate these processes.
Ripple executive Eric van Miltenburg confirmed this direction. He said the company aims to replace SWIFT rather than collaborate with it. This position aligns with the broader shift toward blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Recent developments show continued progress in institutional adoption and stablecoin use. These factors continue to shape XRP Ledger activity and ecosystem growth. Market participants continue monitoring updates related to RLUSD and enterprise integration.
Crypto World
Crypto yields are falling below TradFi
The crypto yield pitch was simple: accept smart contract risk, earn more than with a bank. It doesn’t work like that anymore.
Nowadays, Aave, the largest DeFi lending protocol by deposit base, offers just 1.84% on the world’s largest stablecoin, USDT, and an equally dismal 2.61% APY on the Coinbase-Circle stablecoin USDC.
Lido, the largest Ethereum liquid staking service, returns just 2.53%.
By contrast, Interactive Brokers pays 3.14% on idle cash with no lockup and zero crypto exploit risk. Another basic high-yield savings account at Axos Bank pays 4.21%.
The risk premium that justified DeFi’s existence has inverted.
Many of DeFi’s flagship products now pay less than a federally insured deposit account. Trader James Christoph posted what the rest of the market has started to think: “DeFi — Earn 1% below Treasury bills and lose all of your money one time per year.”
The yield compression is structural
Ethereum staking yields have fallen from above 5% shortly after its Merge blockchain fork to just 2.7%, as over 38 million ether now competes for the same validator rewards.
Yield from Ethena, whose crypto dollar sUSDe once delivered above 50% APY in 2024, has compressed 93% to just 3.56% while its total value locked has more than halved.
The CoinDesk overnight rate which benchmarks to Aave’s daily borrowing costs — a crypto play on words to the actual overnight rate for Fed funds — has collapsed from rate peaks in the double-digit percentages before settling to approximately 3% today.
Depending on the day over the last month, CoinDesk’s overnight rate has actually and quite embarrassingly been less than the actual overnight rate for US banks.
Across the stablecoin lending landscape, the picture is uniformly grim. Compound pays just 2.55% on USDC deposits. Sky’s USDS savings rate sits at 3.75%, the highest among blue-chip protocols, but derives around 70% of its income from offchain sources including US Treasuries and Coinbase USDC rewards.
Bitcoin, which used to attract high interest rates from borrowers demanding BTC loans, now earns nearly nothing on platforms that formerly paid handsome premiums.
Many DeFi investors have to walk way out onto the risk curve toward insanity to outperform TradFi.
Read more: DeFi yields exceed 60% APY on bitcoin with insane risks
Tokenized TradFi displaces DeFi
While crypto-native yields collapse, tokenized versions of traditional fixed-income products are growing into a deca-billion dollar sector.
- BlackRock’s BUIDL fund holds over $2 billion in assets and delivers 3.47% APY.
- Ondo Finance’s USDY manages $1.8 billion yielding 3.55%.
- Franklin Templeton’s BENJI holds over $1 billion paying 3.54%.
- Superstate’s USTB, a tokenized US government securities fund, holds $646 million paying 3.47%.
The average seven-day APY across the tokenized treasury sector is roughly 3.38%. That TradFi yield, tokenized, beats Aave’s offer from crypto’s two largest DeFi stablecoin pools.
The inversion is complete. An investor choosing Aave’s USDC pool over a tokenized Treasury fund accepts smart contract risk, regulatory uncertainty, and the possibility of a protocol exploit for a lower yield.
The premium for accepting smart contract risk has not just compressed. For many average depositors in average liquidity pools, it’s flipped negative.
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Crypto World
Aave price bleeds quietly as DeFi’s blue chips are sold to feed new fads
Aave price is trading around $91, slipping 3–4% in 24 hours as traders derisk DeFi blue chips to chase hotter themes, even though the protocol still anchors more than $20 billion in on‑chain lending.
Summary
- AAVE’s price hovers near $90–$92 with about $296m in 24h volume against a roughly $1.5b market cap, pointing to active de‑risking rather than a dead market.
- Token Terminal’s March report shows Aave overseeing around $23–$24b in TVL across 14–20 chains and holding roughly 50–62% of DeFi lending share.
- Technicals show a controlled downtrend: mid‑band RSI, neutral‑to‑bearish signals, and futures data that looks more like long unwinds than aggressive new shorts.
Aave (AAVE) price is trading around $91 on April 10, 2026, under pressure as traders derisk from DeFi blue chips to chase newer narratives, even as the protocol maintains one of the deepest lending books in crypto. Over the past 24 hours, AAVE has fallen roughly 3–4%, with daily volume near $296 million — a high figure for a token with a market capitalization of about $1.5 billion — suggesting active trimming in size rather than illiquid drift.
Aave March 2026 data compiled by CoinStats and Token Terminal shows the protocol operating with a market cap near $1.49 billion at a price of roughly $98.37, while supporting about $23.8 billion in total value locked across more than 20 blockchains and controlling an estimated 50–62% share of DeFi lending. That dominance is echoed in Token Terminal’s latest report, which notes Aave ended March with over $42 billion in deposits across 14 chain deployments, with Ethereum alone accounting for more than 80% of capital.
On TradingView, the AAVEUSDT chart places spot around $90–$92, down from recent local highs near the mid‑$90s but still well above the early‑cycle lows. The daily trend is lower but orderly, with most candles printing inside a gentle descending channel rather than a vertical collapse. Technical dashboards for AAVEUSDT label the setup as neutral‑to‑slightly bearish: RSI sits in the mid‑band rather than at capitulation levels, and aggregate signals tilt toward “sell” or “neutral” rather than “strong sell,” indicating a controlled cooldown rather than panic.
Perpetual futures data adds nuance. Binance‑linked summaries point to a small positive funding basis and soft open‑interest changes, a pattern more consistent with the slow unwinding of existing longs than with aggressive new shorting. In other words, traders appear to be trimming DeFi beta to free up capital for faster‑moving plays in areas such as meme coins, AI tokens or on‑chain perps, rather than specifically targeting AAVE for downside.
From a price‑prediction standpoint, that positioning argues for patience. CoinStats’ April outlook frames current levels in the context of three scenarios: a conservative market‑cap range of $2.2–$2.6 billion, implying $145–$165 per token; a base case of $3.6–$6.3 billion, implying $225–$395; and an optimistic band of $10–$14.5 billion, implying $625–$906, all hinging on Aave v4 execution, real‑world‑asset integration and sustained institutional flows. With the token currently near $91 and the trend pointing modestly lower, the market is not pricing in those upside paths yet.
In the near term, the more likely path is continued range‑trading and drift until either a volatility spike flushes out remaining longs or a clear catalyst — such as a major v4 launch, new L2 integrations or a headline RWA partnership — forces traders to reprice the token. Until then, Aave looks less like a broken protocol and more like a blue chip being sold to fund whatever the market’s next story happens to be.
Crypto World
Bitcoin whales quietly rebuild the bull case
Bitcoin’s largest holders are quietly tightening their grip on supply again, and derivatives markets are starting to price that shift in conviction with a clear upside bias toward $88,000.
Summary
After four days locked in a tight band between $70,000 and $72,000, Bitcoin punched to an intraday high of $73,255 on Friday, a move traders say echoes the Q2 2025 breakout that followed weeks of compression below key moving averages. Then, as now, price is pressing against a descending trend line; this time, the crucial trigger sits near $76,000, the upper boundary of the downtrend that began after Bitcoin’s slide from roughly $126,000. A clean break there, one desk notes, would “remove the psychological lid that has capped every rally for months.”
Under the surface, on‑chain data has flipped from distribution to accumulation. Crypto analyst Amr Taha highlights that 30‑day whale inflows to exchanges have dropped to $2.96 billion, falling below $3 billion for the first time since June 2025, versus about $8 billion as recently as February. At the same time, long‑term holders have booked a realized market value change of $49 billion, a shift Taha argues signals that “chips are moving from weak hands to strong hands,” with supply migrating toward investors willing to sit through volatility. CryptoQuant similarly frames the pattern as long‑duration capital “resuming accumulation to absorb available supply.”
Liquidity maps from CoinGlass show visible concentrations between $86,000 and $90,000, a zone now doubling as both magnet and battleground. “The chart shows a very pronounced liquidity structure,” one analysis notes, pointing to a thick cluster of orders that could accelerate a move once price enters that band. Market sentiment has turned bullish, with traders explicitly targeting $88,000 as the next waypoint if $76,000 gives way.
This parabolic move comes as digital assets continue to trade as the purest expression of macro risk appetite. Bitcoin (BTC) is hovering around $71,800, with a 24‑hour range roughly between $71,400 and $72,400 on close to $229.2B in combined spot and derivatives volume. Ethereum (ETH) changes hands near $2,214, up about 0.4% over the last day, with roughly $3.1B in spot volume and $54.2B in futures turnover. Solana (SOL) trades around $83, with about $0.55B in spot and $11.1B in futures volume over 24 hours.
Against that backdrop, broader crypto coverage has zeroed in on positioning and macro cross‑currents, from ETF flow whiplash to regime‑shift debates in volatility. For now, though, the tape is simple: whales have stepped back from the sell button, long‑term capital is quietly buying, and the market has a number in mind. It’s $88,000.
Crypto World
BitFuFu Reports 214 BTC Output, Trims Holdings to 1,794 BTC
TLDR
- BitFuFu produced 214 BTC in March while selling 80 BTC from its treasury.
- The company’s Bitcoin holdings declined to 1,794 BTC valued at nearly $131 million.
- Previous holdings peaked at 1,959 BTC in October 2025 before decreasing.
- Hashrate dropped to 25.9 EH/s, and power capacity declined to 457 MW.
- Cloud mining contributed 171 BTC, supporting overall production stability.
A Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin miner reported lower holdings after selling part of its treasury while maintaining steady production. The firm produced 214 BTC in March and sold 80 BTC during the same period. Its total Bitcoin balance now stands at 1,794 BTC, valued near $131 million at current prices.
BitFuFu Trims Holdings While Maintaining Production
BitFuFu confirmed it produced 214 BTC in March while selling 80 BTC from reserves. The company stated that the sale aligns with its balance sheet management approach and liquidity planning.
The firm reported total holdings of 1,794 BTC after the sale, reflecting a decline from earlier levels. It had previously disclosed 1,664 BTC in late 2024 before reaching 1,959 BTC in October 2025.
Chief executive Leo Lu addressed the change and linked it to internal strategy decisions. He said the company continues to target long-term growth in Bitcoin reserves.
Lu stated, “The sale supports our balance sheet strategy while we maintain our long-term objective of increasing Bitcoin holdings.” The company emphasized that treasury adjustments follow routine financial planning.
Operations Show Stable Output Despite Lower Capacity
BitFuFu reported a slight drop in total hashrate to 25.9 EH/s during March operations. Power capacity also declined to 457 MW as older mining rigs were phased out.
The company stated that performance remained stable despite reduced capacity levels. It explained that equipment updates aim to improve long-term efficiency.
Cloud mining contributed 171 BTC to the total monthly production figure. This segment continues to form a large portion of the company’s output.
The firm said its platform adapts to changes in network difficulty and Bitcoin price movements. It added that system flexibility supports consistent production results.
Lu explained that hardware upgrades will occur over time to improve efficiency levels. He said new machines will replace older units in a phased manner.
He also stated that changes in hashrate from external partners remained within normal operating ranges. The company confirmed that these shifts did not disrupt overall output stability.
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