Crypto News
US crypto rules like 'floor is lava' game without lights — Hester Peirce
SEC Commissioner and head of the crypto task force, Hester Peirce, says US financial firms are navigating crypto in a way that’s similar to playing the children’s game “the floor is lava,” but in the dark.“It is time that we find a way to end this game. We need to turn on the lights and build some walkways over the lava pit,” Peirce said at the SEC “Know Your Custodian” roundtable event on April 25.The lava is crypto, says PeircePeirce explained that SEC registrants are forced to approach crypto-related activities like “the floor is lava,” where the aim is to jump from one piece of furniture to the next without touching the ground, except here, touching crypto directly is the lava. “A D.C. version of this game is our regulatory approach to crypto assets, and crypto asset custody in particular,” she said.Peirce said that, much like in the game, firms wanting to engage with crypto must avoid directly holding it due to unclear regulatory rules. “To engage in crypto-related activities, SEC-registrants have had to hop from one poorly illuminated regulatory space to the next, all while ensuring that they never touch any crypto asset,” Peirce said.Source: US Securities and Exchange CommissionPeirce said that investment advisers are often unsure which crypto assets qualify as securities, what entities count as qualified custodians, and whether “exercising staking or voting rights” could trigger custody violations.“The twist in the regulatory version is that it is largely played in the dark: burning legal lava and no lamps to illuminate the way.”Peirce also said that a broker or ATS that cannot custody or manage crypto assets will struggle to facilitate trading, making it unlikely for a “robust market” to develop.Echoing a similar sentiment, SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda said at the event that as more SEC registrants work with crypto assets, it’s essential that they have access to custodial options that meet legal and regulatory requirements.Uyeda said the agency should consider letting advisers use “state-chartered limited-purpose trust companies” with the authority to hold crypto assets as qualified custodians.Related: Blockchain needs regulation, scalability to close AI hiring gapMeanwhile, the recently sworn-in chair of the SEC, Paul Atkins, said that he expected “huge benefits” from blockchain technology through efficiency, risk mitigation, transparency, and cutting costs.He reiterated that among his goals at the SEC would be to facilitate “clear regulatory rules of the road” for digital assets, hinting that the agency under former chair Gary Gensler had contributed to market and regulatory uncertainty.“I look forward to engaging with market participants and working with colleagues in President Trump’s administration and Congress to establish a rational fit-for-purpose framework for crypto assets,” said Atkins.Magazine: Bitcoin $100K hopes on ice, SBF’s mysterious prison move: Hodler’s Digest, April 19 – 25
Published Date: 2025-04-27 04:31:53Creator: Cointelegraph by Ciaran Lyons
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Solana's Loopscale pauses lending after $5.8M hack
Update (April 26 at 8:57 PM UTC): This article has been updated to include updates from Loopscale. Solana decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Loopscale temporarily halted its lending markets after suffering an approximately $5.8 million exploit. On April 26, a hacker siphoned approximately 5.7 million USDC (USDC) and 1200 Solana (SOL) from the lending protocol after taking out a “series of undercollateralized loans”, Loopscale co-founder Mary Gooneratne said in an X post. Loopscale has since “re-enabled loan repayments, top-ups, and loop closing”, but “[a]ll other app functions (including Vault withdrawals) are still temporarily restricted while we investigate and ensure mitigation of this exploit,” Loopscale said in an April 26 X post.The exploit only impacted Loopscale’s USDC and SOL vaults and the losses represent around 12% of Loopscale’s total value locked (TVL), Gooneratne added. “Our team is fully mobilized to investigate, recover funds, and ensure users are protected,” Gooneratne said.Loopscale’s ‘Genesis’ lending vaults. Source: LoopscaleIn the first quarter of 2025, hackers stole more than $1.6 billion worth of crypto from exchanges and on-chain smart contracts, blockchain security firm PeckShield said in an April report. More than 90% of those losses are attributable to a $1.5 billion attack on ByBit, a centralized cryptocurrency exchange, by North Korean hacking outfit Lazarus Group.Related: Crypto hacks top $1.6B in Q1 2025 — PeckShieldUnique DeFi lending modelLaunched on April 10 after a six-month closed beta, Loopscale is a DeFi lending protocol designed to enhance capital efficiency by directly matching lenders and borrowers.It also supports specialized lending markets, such as “structured credit, receivables financing, and undercollateralized lending,” Loopscale said in an April announcement shared with Cointelegraph. Loopscale’s order book model distinguishes it from DeFi lending peers such as Aave that aggregate cryptocurrency deposits into liquidity pools.Loopscale’s daily active users. Source: Mary GooneratneLoopscale’s main USDC and SOL vaults yield APRs exceeding 5% and 10%, respectively. It also supports lending markets for tokens such as JitoSOL and BONK (BONK) and looping strategies for upwards of 40 different token pairs. The DeFi protocol has approximately $40 million in TVL and has attracted upwards of 7,000 lenders, according to researcher OurNetwork.Magazine: Ripple says SEC lawsuit ‘over,’ Trump at DAS, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 16 – 22
Published Date: 2025-04-26 20:03:02Creator: Cointelegraph by Alex O’Donnell
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US Senator calls for Trump impeachment, cites memecoin dinner
United States Senator Jon Ossoff expressed support for impeaching President Donald Trump during an April 25 town hall, citing the President’s plan to host a private dinner for top Official Trump memecoin holders. “I mean, I saw just 48 hours ago, he is granting audiences to people who buy his meme coin,” said Ossoff, a Democrat, according to a report by NBC News. “When the sitting president of the United States is selling access for what are effectively payments directly to him. There is no question that that rises to the level of an impeachable offense.”Senator Ossoff said he “strongly” supports impeachment proceedings during a town hall in the state of Georgia, where he is running for reelection to the Senate.The Senator added that an impeachment is unlikely unless the Democratic Party gains control of Congress during the US midterm elections in 2026. Trump’s own Republican Party currently has a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. TRUMP holders can register to dine with the US President. Source: gettrumpmemes.comRelated: US lawmaker says TRUMP coin could risk national securityConflicts of interestOn April 23, the Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin’s website announced plans for Trump to host an exclusive dinner at his Washington, DC golf club with the top 220 TRUMP holders. The website subsequently posted a leaderboard tracking top TRUMP wallets and a link to register for the event. The TRUMP token’s price has gained more than 50% since the announcement, according to data from CoinMarketCap.The specific guest list is unclear, but the memecoin’s website states that applicants must pass a background check, “can not be from a [Know Your Customer] watchlist country,” and cannot bring any additional guests.On April 25, the team behind TRUMP denied social media rumors that TRUMP holders need at least $300,000 to participate in an upcoming dinner with the president.“People have been incorrectly quoting #220 on the block explorer as the cutoff. That’s wrong because it includes things like locked tokens, exchanges, market makers, and those who are not participating. Instead, you should only be going off the leaderboard,” they wrote.The TRUMP token jumped on news of the private dinner plans. Source: CoinMarketCapLegal experts told Cointelegraph that Trump’s cryptocurrency ventures, including the TRUMP memecoin and Trump-affiliated decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol World Liberty Financial, raise significant concerns about potential conflicts of interest. “Within just a couple of days of him taking office, he’s signed a number of executive orders that are significantly going to affect the way that our crypto and digital assets industry works,” Charlyn Ho of law firm Rikka told Cointelegraph in February. “So if he has a personal pecuniary benefit arising from his own policies, that’s a conflict of interest.”Magazine: Trump’s crypto ventures raise conflict of interest, insider trading questions
Published Date: 2025-04-26 16:40:41Creator: Cointelegraph by Alex O’Donnell
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Countries must add DePIN tokens to their digital asset stockpiles
Opinion by: Raullen Chai, co-founder and CEO of IoTeXThe United States and other superpowers are on the brink of a financial evolution. With President Donald Trump’s recent executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) and a US Digital Asset Stockpile (DAS), the conversation around digital assets in government reserves is gaining momentum. Countries like Czechia have also followed suit with their sovereign digital asset reserve plans. While Bitcoin (BTC) and select altcoins are being considered, the discussion remains incomplete without including decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) tokens.DePIN represents a new paradigm in infrastructure development, where communities, not corporations, build and operate essential networks like telecommunications that self-govern and distribute rewards to their individual contributors. If it were to include DePIN tokens in its DAS, the US could use blockchain technology to create a self-sustaining infrastructure economy that strengthens technological leadership. This would also encourage DePIN projects to build and scale physical infrastructure (such as WiFi, environmental monitoring and transportation) for US citizens by sharing bandwidth from their everyday devices. This eliminates the need for companies and governments to incur heavy capital expenditures. Moreover, if proven successful in the US, it would set an example for other countries to set up their own sovereign crypto reserves for the benefit of their own citizens. A supranational network of DePIN token reserves would also potentially unite different types of infrastructure and grids in other countries, reducing the cost and friction between them. A new asset class for sovereign investmentDePIN changes the way infrastructure is built. Instead of relying on governments or private companies to maintain critical infrastructure, DePIN uses blockchain and token incentives to enable community-driven bandwidth sharing. DePIN networks, like those powering WiFi or movement sensors, prove that this model can be more efficient and cost-effective than traditional approaches.For the US government, investing in DePIN tokens through its DAS would serve multiple strategic objectives. Regarding economic resilience, DePIN networks create a self-sustaining gig around infrastructure, reducing the country’s reliance on large corporations and enabling communities to earn revenue by contributing to infrastructure needs. Traditional infrastructure is prone to geopolitical risks and monopolistic inefficiencies. Meanwhile, DePIN offers a decentralized alternative that is censorship-resistant. The US has long been at the forefront of technological revolutions. Including DePIN in its sovereign investment strategy would reinforce its position as a leader in Web3 and blockchain. Many DePIN projects optimize resource utilization using token incentives to align infrastructure deployment with demand. This approach enables more sustainable, scalable solutions for Internet-of-Things sectors. While Bitcoin is a simple store of value, DePIN tokens represent ownership and operational stakes in decentralized infrastructure and possess tangible value just as equities or bonds.If countries were to include DePIN tokens in their digital asset reserves, they could use blockchain technology to create self-sustaining, interconnected infrastructure economies. Imagine being able to distribute electricity between two countries when there is an excess demand in one and an oversupply in another. Distributed ledgers’ decentralized and cross-border nature can allow such mechanisms to happen. A true strategic hedge Historically, sovereign wealth funds have been used to preserve national wealth by diversifying investments. These models are, however, increasingly vulnerable to inflationary pressures. The US inflation rate averaged 8.0% in 2022, and the price of all assets, whether stocks or Bitcoin, sold off heavily during the year in an overall market rout. No one was immune. Recent: DePIN needs thoughtful regulation — not lawsuitsOn the other hand, DePIN offers a true hedge against these risks because the prices of core infrastructure services are, by definition, part of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), enabling users holding DePIN assets to directly profit from inflation increases or at least preserve their asset value. DePIN networks also use token incentives to align infrastructure deployment with economic shifts. This is particularly relevant given that global electricity prices surged by over 20% in 2022 due to supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions. In response to increased energy costs, decentralized energy grids operating on blockchain-based token economies could dynamically adjust rewards for energy producers. Coupled with the rise in underlying CPI prices, DePIN networks have the potential to deliver compounded returns (rise in CPI + additional token issuance) in opposition to such market sell-offs. Including DePIN tokens in a sovereign wealth portfolio exposes the US to next-generation economic models. DePIN networks are built on transparent principles that align incentives between users, infrastructure providers and investors. All nations that have historically led technological revolutions should seize the opportunity to embrace DePIN, reinforcing their status as pioneers. The future is decentralizedIntegrating DePIN tokens into the US DAS or any other sovereign digital asset stockpile would not simply be a financial decision — it is a strategic imperative. With the world shifting toward decentralized economies, the US and other tech powerhouses must position themselves at the forefront of this transformation. Countries that recognize and embrace this shift today will be best positioned to lead in the next era of global innovation. After all, infrastructure research has been stunted by decades of either monopoly or large-scale government ownership. If millions of individuals and communities became directly involved in their daily infrastructure through DePIN, it would increase the likelihood of infrastructure innovation due to the sheer volume of crowd involvement and offset research and development expenses from the government for the money to be allocated elsewhere. Decentralization is a win-win for all. Investing in DePIN will also ensure that national infrastructure remains affordable and not subject to national-level deployments requiring massive tax hikes to fund, enabling a future where physical infrastructure assets are affordably maintained. Specifically, if US policymakers act now, they can secure America’s leadership in the next great infrastructure revolution that prioritizes decentralized ownership. Opinion by: Raullen Chai, co-founder and CEO of IoTeX. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
Published Date: 2025-04-26 15:00:00Creator: Cointelegraph by Raullen Chai
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Crypto sentiment recovers, but weekend liquidity risks remain
Crypto investor sentiment has seen a significant recovery from global tariff concerns, but analysts warn that the market’s structural weaknesses may still result in downside momentum during periods of weekend illiquidity.Risk appetite appeared to return among crypto investors this week after US President Donald Trump adopted a softer tone, saying that import tariffs on Chinese goods may “come down substantially.”However, the improved investor sentiment “does not guarantee that Bitcoin will avoid volatility over the weekend,” analysts from Bitfinex exchange told Cointelegraph:“Sentiment improvements reduce fragility, but they do not eliminate structural risks like thin weekend liquidity.” “Historically, weekends remain vulnerable to sharp moves — especially when open interest is high and market depth is low,” the analysts said, adding that unexpected macroeconomic news can still increase volatility during low liquidity periods.Related: Trump fought the bond market, the bond market won: Saifedean AmmousBitcoin (BTC) staged a near 11% recovery during the past week, but its rally has previously been limited by Sunday liquidity dynamics.BTC/USD, 1-year chart. Source: CointelegraphBitcoin fell below $75,000 on Sunday, April 6, despite initially decoupling from the US stock market’s $3.5 trillion drop on April 4 after US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that Trump’s tariffs may affect the economy and raise inflation.The correction was exacerbated by the lack of weekend liquidity and the fact that Bitcoin was the only large liquid asset available for de-risking, industry watchers told Cointelegraph.Related: US banks are ‘free to begin supporting Bitcoin’ — Michael Saylor“While improved sentiment creates a more stable foundation, cryptocurrency markets are still susceptible to rapid movements during periods of reduced trading volume,” according to Marcin Kazmierczak, co-founder and chief operating officer of RedStone blockchain oracle firm.“The sentiment recovery provides some cushioning, but traders should remain cautious as weekend liquidity constraints can still amplify price movements regardless of the current market mood,” he told Cointelegraph.Crypto investors may have “maxed out on tariff-related fears”Cryptocurrency markets may have priced in the full extent of tariff-related concerns, according to Aurelie Barthere, principal research analyst at crypto intelligence platform Nansen.“It feels like we’ve maxed out on tariff-related fear,” she told Cointelegraph, adding:“While many remain uncertain about where things are headed over the next month or so, it also seems like markets were just waiting for the slightest signal that we’re back in the game.”“Whether the rally is sustainable depends on whether we can break through previous resistance levels, at least in isolation. It could have legs, as markets now seem to believe there’s a ‘Trump put’ under equities, the US dollar and US Treasurys,” Barthere added, warning of more potential volatility amid the upcoming negotiations.Nansen previously predicted a 70% chance that crypto markets will bottom and start a recovery by June, but highlighted that the timing will depend on the outcome of tariff negotiations.The tariff negotiations may only be “posturing” for the US to reach a trade agreement with China, which may be the “big prize” for Trump’s administration, according to Raoul Pal, founder and CEO of Global Macro Investor.Magazine: Bitcoin’s odds of June highs, SOL’s $485M outflows, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 2 – 8
Published Date: 2025-04-26 13:57:06Creator: Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai
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DeFi Development seeks $1B to boost Solana investments, expand treasury
DeFi Development Corp (formerly Janover) aims to raise over $1 billion worth of capital to invest in Solana, the industry’s sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.The Nasdaq-listed firm, previously a real estate financing platform connecting commercial property lenders and buyers, announced its plans in a Form S-3 registration statement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on April 25.The filing states that the funds will be used for general corporate purposes, including Solana (SOL) token acquisitions.DeFi Development Corp S-3 filing. Source: SECAccording to the filing, the company may use proceeds from the offering to purchase more Solana, noting:“Solana does not pay interest, but staking rewards can be earned on Solana. The ability to generate a return on investment from the net proceeds from this offering will depend on whether there is appreciation in the value of Solana following our purchases of Solana with the net proceeds from this offering.”The company also warned that fluctuations in Solana’s price could lead to it converting the tokens into cash at a value “substantially below” the net proceeds raised.Related: Deloitte predicts $4T tokenized real estate on blockchain by 2035Janover was a real estate financing company connecting lenders and buyers of commercial properties before a team of former Kraken exchange executives bought 728,632 shares of its common stock on April 7. Joseph Onorati, former chief strategy officer at Kraken, has since been appointed as chairman and CEO.The announcement comes shortly after the leadership of DeFi Development Corp adopted a Solana treasury reserve, “by applying a proven public-market treasury model to an asset that’s earlier in its lifecycle, structurally reflexive, and vastly underexposed as compared to Bitcoins.”The firm’s new Solana investment treasury has drawn comparisons to Michael Saylor’s Strategy, which has amassed over 538,200 Bitcoin (BTC) as of April 20 — the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder.The firm’s board of directors approved the company’s Solana-focused treasury policy on April 4, authorizing long-term accumulation and the launch of Solana validators to enable the staking of its treasury asset.Parker White, the firm’s chief investment officer, who previously served as an engineering director at Kraken exchange, already runs a Solana validator with $75 million in delegated stake.Related: US banks are ‘free to begin supporting Bitcoin’ — Michael SaylorRegulatory concerns remain for Solana investmentWhile the Solana-focused treasury implementation marks a significant step for altcoin adoption, the firm remains concerned by the potential effects of opaque crypto regulations, according to the filing:“We may be subject to regulatory developments related to crypto assets and crypto asset markets, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.”The firm cites unclear regulations around digital assets, which may “adversely affect the price of Solana” and, in turn, impact “the market price of our common stock.”The firm noted that Solana’s potential “reclassifying” as a security remains a particular concern, which may lead to the firm being classified as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940.However, the firm’s share price has been benefiting from its Solana acquisitions. Its shares rose by over 12% when DeFi Development Corp added $11.5 million worth of Solana tokens to its treasury on April 22, Cointelegraph reported.“The decision by commercial property platform Janover to add SOL to its treasury is truly groundbreaking,” Chris Chung, founder of Solana-based swap platform Titan, told Cointelegraph. “I’m confident we will see many other businesses follow suit before long as crypto becomes increasingly adopted by traditional finance.” Magazine: Ripple says SEC lawsuit ‘over,’ Trump at DAS, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 16 – 22
Published Date: 2025-04-26 13:02:42Creator: Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai
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Trump’s WLFI crypto investments aren’t paying off
World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the crypto firm associated with the family of US President Donald Trump, made waves when it debuted late last year.WLFI caused a stir when it launched ahead of the president’s inauguration. Observers have accused the project of front-running important crypto-related events, like the White House Crypto summit, and presenting a conflict of interest.Trump is in a unique position to influence outcomes that would affect his portfolio, but WLFI is not insulated from the broader market trends, which have seen crypto and stock prices drop amid significant macroeconomic concerns. The Trump administration will soon mark 100 days in office. Here’s what WLFI has been up to, and how the president’s crypto investments are shaking out.The “gold paper” for WLFI features flattering Trump imagery. Source: WLFIFounding and ownership of Trump’s crypto investment WLFI projectWLFI launched on Sept. 16, with then-President-elect Donald Trump announcing the move on X. Founded under the guidance of real estate magnate Steve Witkoff and his son Zach, the co-founders also include Chase Herro, a crypto investor and self-described “dirtbag of the internet,” and Zak Folkman, a social media influencer and former pickup artist. The Trump family also features prominently. President Trump is listed as “chief crypto advocate,” while his sons Eric, Donald Jr. and Barron are “Web3 ambassadors.” The leadership team at WLFI. Source: WLFIWLFI token salesOne of World Liberty Financial’s first moves was to sell its own token. The first token sale opened on Oct. 15, 2024, earning the company about $300 million by selling 20 billion WLFI $WLFI for $0.015 each. On Jan. 20, 2025, the day Trump was inaugurated, WLFI announced a second token sale, citing “massive demand and overwhelming interest.” The firm offered 5 billion tokens at $0.05 each, representing a price increase of 230% from the first sale. The second sale was completed nearly two months later on March 14, having met its full target of $250 million.According to the project’s “gold paper,” the WLFI tokens will confer voter rights to holders on important matters affecting the protocol, such as upgrades. The anticipated token distribution is:35% through token sales,32.5% for incentives and community growth,30% for “initial supporter” allocation,and 2.5% for “core team and advisers.”All told, WLFI walked away with $550 million in token sales. $WLFI was only available to accredited investors and cannot be transferred or traded on exchanges per the terms and conditions. There is yet to be an announced listing date for the token. WLFI’s portfolioToken sales aside, the WLFI has been acting as a type of crypto fund, accumulating a number of different tokens over the past several months. Here’s a breakdown:WLFI portfolio contains a number of different assets, with 13 making up the lion’s share at time of writing. Most of its holdings are in dollar-backed stablecoin USDC, followed by Wrapped Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH). The top 13 assets make up nearly $100 million of the firm’s $103 million portfolio, according to Arkham. Dozens of other small coins, some with a total dollar value of less than $100,000, make up the remaining value. WLFI’s $5 million worth of Aave Ethereum USDC (aethUSDC), means they supply USDC to a pool on Aave. WLFI’s portfolio contains eight cryptocurrencies that are non-stablecoin assets it purchased (versus received via airdrop). Wrapped BTC (WBTC)Mantle (MNT)Movement (MOVE)Sei (SEI)Avalanche (AVAX)Tron (TRX)Ondo (ONDO)Ether (ETH) Overall, WLFI’s holdings in WBTC, SEI and AVAX have been performing most successfully. The first WBTC purchase happened on Dec. 18, when WLFI exchanged 103 WBTC for 103 cbBTC. Nearly one month later, WLFI traded everything for ETH. The fund started accumulating WBTC again, mostly using USDT, and sent it to Coinbase Prime in early February.WLFI’s AVAX position was completed in one purchase on March 15, while it bought nearly $6 million worth of SEI over three separate purchases in February, March and April.Other positions haven’t been faring nearly as well. Major investments in MNT, MOVE, ONDO and ETH are all seeing losses in the double digits as of April 24. MOVE is taking a beating, with WLFI’s total investment value down over 50%, losing some $2,100,000 on the investment.Taking into account the average price of WLFI’s token purchases, along with its assets’ current prices, the fund is seeing a loss, on average, of $4,280,000.Notably, WLFI has also deposited several early purchases of tokens in December and January into Coinbase Prime. WLFI wallets slowly acquired ETH long before the main action started. WLFI began acquiring large sums worth over $1 million in late November and continued doing so every few days until Dec. 21. Then, it moved all acquired ETH (including 3,700 ETH deposited in October) to Coinbase Prime on Jan. 14.Between Jan. 19 and Jan. 21, it bought nearly 57,000 ETH and continued acquiring it until Feb. 3, when it moved most of the ETH to Coinbase Prime. Coincidentally, Eric Trump was shilling Ether on X at the same time.Source: Eric Trump Conflicts of interest and stablecoinsThe curious timing of WLFI moving the tokens to a crypto exchange and Eric Trump’s post raises the question of the Trump family’s ability to influence the tokens they hold. In late March, a group of Senators from that body’s banking committee wrote an open letter, pressing regulatory agencies to consider the potential conflicts of interest in WLFI, particularly with the project’s stablecoin, USD1. Related: US House committee passes stablecoin-regulating STABLE ActUSD1 launched in early March, and at publishing time is trading on centralized exchanges Kinesis Money and ChangeNOW, according to CoinMarketCap. The Senators were concerned that Trump stands in a unique position to influence and offer boons to his own stablecoin project, particularly with the forthcoming stablecoin framework bill under consideration in Congress. When markets slumped following Trump’s tariff announcement on “Liberation Day,” the president posted on the right-wing social media platform Truth Social, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!” further igniting concerns about insider trading and market manipulation. Despite these concerns, the Trump administration’s ties to crypto are only strengthening. His administration has dropped several high-level enforcement cases against crypto firms, and his allies in Congress are writing favorable legislation for the industry. And crypto firms seem to believe in the project. On April 16, crypto market maker DWF Labs announced a $25 million investment in WLFI and agreed to provide liquidity for USD1. Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again
Published Date: 2025-04-26 12:00:00Creator: Cointelegraph by Aaron Wood
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What are reciprocal tariffs, and what do they mean for the crypto industry?
What are reciprocal tariffs? Reciprocal tariffs might sound like textbook trade jargon, but the idea is pretty straightforward: If one country slaps tariffs on your goods, you hit back with the same. Think of it as a tit-for-tat strategy in global trade — a way for governments to say, “If you’re charging our exporters 20%, we’re doing the same to yours.”The roots of this concept go back to the 1930s, when the US passed the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act. The goal back then was to break down trade barriers through mutual deals, not trade wars. But fast forward to today, and the term is making a comeback — this time with a bit more edge.For example, in early 2025, in an effort to address what it perceived as unfair trade practices and a significant trade deficit, the US government, under President Donald Trump, imposed a series of escalating tariffs on Chinese imports. These tariffs began with a 10% baseline and, through successive increases, reached a staggering 145% on a wide range of Chinese goods.China responded in kind, implementing its own set of reciprocal tariffs. Initially, Beijing imposed a 34% tariff on all US imports, which was later increased to 84% and eventually to 125%, targeting various American products, including agricultural goods and machinery.So, what does this have to do with crypto? You’ll get there — but first, let’s dig into how these tariffs actually work. How do reciprocal tariffs work? While the US has recently adopted a formula based on trade imbalances to determine its tariff rates, other countries, like China, often respond with their own set of tariffs, which may not follow the same calculation method.How the US calculates its tariffsIn 2025, the US implemented a tariff strategy that calculates rates based on the trade deficit with a particular country. The formula used is:Tariff rate (%) = (US trade deficit with country / US imports from country) × 100 / 2Example:US imports from China: $438.9 billionUS exports to China: $147 billionTrade deficit: $291.9 billionDeficit ratio: ($291.9 billion ÷ $438.9 billion) × 100 ≈ 66.5%Tariff rate: 66.5% ÷ 2 ≈ 33.25%This approach led to the US imposing a 34% tariff on Chinese imports in April 2025. Also, these new tariffs don’t replace old ones — they’re added on top. So, if a product already had a 20% tariff and now gets hit with a 34% reciprocal tariff, importers are suddenly paying 54%. That kind of jump can make foreign goods a lot more expensive, fast.How China respondsWhen the US imposes tariffs, China often retaliates by targeting sectors that are politically and economically significant to the United States, particularly those that could influence key voter bases.Targeted sectors:Agriculture: China has frequently targeted US agricultural products, such as soybeans, pork and beef. For instance, in 2018, China imposed a 25% tariff on US soybeans, significantly impacting farmers in states like Iowa, where soybean farming is a major industry.Aerospace: In 2025, China suspended imports of Boeing aircraft and halted purchases of aircraft parts from US companies, affecting the US aerospace sector.Phased implementationChina often implements tariffs in phases, allowing for strategic adjustments and negotiations:In early 2025, following US tariff increases, China initially imposed a 34% tariff on all US goods. This was later increased to 84% and eventually to 125% in response to escalating US tariffs.China also imposed additional tariffs of 10%-15% on various US agricultural products, including corn, soybeans and wheat, as part of its retaliatory measures.While the US uses a specific formula to calculate its tariffs, China’s approach is more about strategic retaliation, aiming to create economic and political pressure rather than directly matching tariff rates.Did you know? Policymakers sometimes choose a slightly higher number to send a stronger political message — especially if they want to appear tough on trade or take a hard line against a specific country. A flat “34%” sounds more decisive and deliberate than “33.25%.” Economic implications of reciprocal tariffs Reciprocal tariffs ripple through the global economy in very real ways. When the US and China start trading blows with import taxes, everyone else feels the aftershocks, too.Global trade slows downIn early 2025, the World Trade Organization had some stark news: Global trade, which was supposed to grow by around 3%, is now barely moving at all — closer to 0.2%. The WTO pointed directly to the US’s aggressive tariff strategy and the domino effect it’s having on other economies. As countries respond with their own barriers, goods just... stop moving. Fewer exports, fewer imports and a whole lot of uncertainty.Developing countries get squeezedSmaller economies — like Cambodia, Laos and others that rely on exporting cheap goods to big markets like the US — are getting hit especially hard. When tariffs go up, American buyers pull back. That means fewer factory orders, lost jobs and shrinking income in places that can’t easily absorb the shock.Prices go up at homeMeanwhile, consumers in the US are starting to notice the pinch, too. Tariffs on Chinese goods have made everything from electronics to basic household items more expensive. Even American companies that depend on imported parts are paying more — and passing those costs down the line. Inflation is already high, and this just adds fuel to the fire.Did you know? The International Monetary Fund projected that the trade war could reduce global GDP growth from 3.3% in 2024 to 2.8% in 2025. Reciprocal tariffs’ impact on crypto When governments start slapping tariffs on each other, it sends a signal that things are unstable — and financial markets hate uncertainty. Stocks, bonds and, yes, crypto all react when global trade flows get disrupted.Market volatilityWhen the US announced a 50% tariff on Chinese imports in early April 2025, the crypto markets reacted swiftly. Bitcoin’s (BTC) price dropped to $74,500, and Ether (ETH) saw a decline of over 20%. This sharp downturn highlighted how sensitive cryptocurrencies are to macroeconomic shifts and investor sentiment.However, the situation began to stabilize after President Trump paused most tariffs for 90 days. By April 22, Bitcoin had rebounded above $92,000, reflecting the crypto market’s responsiveness to policy changes.Mining operationsUS Bitcoin miners are facing increased operational costs due to tariffs on imported mining equipment. With tariffs as high as 36% on essential hardware from countries such as China and Taiwan, miners are now grappling with higher capital expenditures.This is especially hard on smaller operations. Larger firms might be able to absorb the extra costs or renegotiate supplier deals — but smaller or mid-sized miners? They’re the ones getting squeezed. As margins shrink, some may be forced to shut down or relocate to tariff-free jurisdictions.Did you know? US Bitcoin miners faced a 22%-36% increase in equipment costs in early 2025 due to tariffs on Chinese-made mining hardware, leading some to consider relocating operations overseas.Investment trendsEconomic uncertainty often drives investors to look for safe havens — and crypto, increasingly, fits that bill. When traditional markets become volatile due to things like global tariff escalations, many investors turn to Bitcoin and other digital assets as a hedge against inflation, currency devaluation or geopolitical risk.There’s also been a noticeable uptick in institutional interest. With governments engaging in trade battles and inflating the costs of doing business across borders, crypto is starting to look like a more stable long-term play. In Q1 2025, for example, a number of hedge funds and sovereign wealth vehicles began allocating to digital assets in response to these global macro pressures.The establishment of a US strategic crypto reserve — reportedly holding both BTC and ETH — is a clear signal that crypto is no longer a fringe asset in the eyes of traditional finance or policymakers. Strategic considerations for crypto stakeholders For anyone in crypto — whether you’re building the infrastructure, mining the coins or managing investor portfolios — these policy shifts are very real and very relevant.Diversify If you’re a miner or a hardware-dependent startup relying on one supplier or country for equipment? That’s a liability. Tariffs can spike overnight, slashing your margins and forcing expensive workarounds.Diversifying your supply chain — whether through sourcing from neutral countries or investing in domestic alternatives — can soften the blow. Understand the regulatory landscapeCrypto companies can’t afford to be blind to policy anymore. Tariffs, trade barriers, sanctions — these are market-moving forces. If you deal with mining, cross-border payments or even just hardware shipments, you need to stay plugged into both local and international trade developments.This is where having legal and trade experts on your side becomes less of a luxury and more of a survival tool.Rethink the narrativeThere’s a unique opportunity here to reposition crypto. When traditional economic systems are being shaken by trade wars and retaliatory tariffs, the idea of a decentralized, borderless financial alternative starts to resonate on a whole new level.Crypto has long pitched itself as a hedge against inflation and a tool for financial freedom. In the context of rising global protectionism and economic fragmentation, those messages carry more weight than ever. Smart projects and investors will lean into this narrative, growing from the rain as opposed to simply weathering the storm.
Published Date: 2025-04-26 10:45:00Creator: Cointelegraph by Bradley Peak
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Deloitte predicts $4T tokenized real estate on blockchain by 2035
Over $4 trillion worth of real estate could be tokenized on blockchain networks during the next decade, potentially offering investors greater access to property ownership opportunities, according to a new report.The Deloitte Center for Financial Services predicts that over $4 trillion worth of real estate may be tokenized by 2035, up from less than $300 billion in 2024. The report, published April 24, estimates a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 27%.The $4 trillion of tokenized property is predicted to stem from the benefits of blockchain-based assets, as well as a structural shift across real estate and property ownership.Global tokenized real estate value, growth predictions. Source: Deloitte“Real estate itself is undergoing transformation. Post-pandemic work-from-home trends, climate risk, and digitization have reshaped property fundamentals,” according to Chris Yin, co-founder of Plume Network, a blockchain built for real-world assets (RWAs).“Office buildings are being repurposed into AI data centers, logistics hubs and energy-efficient residential communities,” Yin told Cointelegraph.“Investors want targeted access to these modern use cases, and tokenization enables programmable, customizable exposure to such evolving asset profiles,” he said.Related: Blockchain needs regulation, scalability to close AI hiring gapThe uncertainty triggered by US President Donald Trump’s import tariffs has boosted investor interest in the RWA tokenization sector, which involves minting financial products and tangible assets on a blockchain.Both stablecoins and RWAs have attracted significant capital as safe-haven assets amid the global trade concerns, Juan Pellicer, senior research analyst at IntoTheBlock, told Cointelegraph.The tariff concerns also led tokenized gold volume to surpass $1 billion in trading volume on April 10, its highest level since March 2023 when a US banking crisis saw the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the voluntary liquidation of Silvergate BankRelated: US banks are ‘free to begin supporting Bitcoin’ — Michael SaylorBlockchain innovation could drive regulatory clarityGrowing RWA adoption may inspire a more welcoming stance from global regulators, Yin said.“While regulation is a hurdle, regulation follows usage,” he explained, likening tokenization to Uber’s growth before widespread regulatory acceptance:“Tokenization is similar — as demand increases, regulatory clarity will follow.”He added that making tokenized products compliant with a wide range of international regulations is key to unlocking broader market access. However, some industry watchers are skeptical about the benefits introduced by tokenized real estate.The Truth Behind Tokenization and RWA panel. Source: Paris Blockchain Week“I don’t think tokenization should have its eyes directly set on real estate,” said Securitize chief operating officer Michael Sonnenshein at Paris Blockchain Week 2025.“I’m sure there are all kinds of efficiencies that can be unlocked using blockchain technology to eliminate middlemen, escrow, and all kinds of things in real estate. But I think today, what the onchain economy is demanding are more liquid assets,” he added. Magazine: Ripple says SEC lawsuit ‘over,’ Trump at DAS, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 16 – 22
Published Date: 2025-04-26 10:07:50Creator: Cointelegraph by Zoltan Vardai
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Crypto banking rule withdrawal by Fed ‘not real progress’ — Senator Lummis
United States Senator Cynthia Lummis suggests the crypto industry may be celebrating too soon over the US Federal Reserve softening its crypto guidance for banks.“The Fed withdrawing crypto guidance is just noise, not real progress,” Lummis said in an April 25 X post. Lummis called the Fed’s April 24 announcement — withdrawing its 2022 supervisory letter that had discouraged banks from engaging with crypto and stablecoin activities — “just lip service.”Lummis is “not fooled”Lummis, a pro-crypto advocate known for introducing the Bitcoin (BTC) Strategic Reserve Bill in July 2024, pointed out several flaws in the Fed’s announcement, even as Strategy founder Michael Saylor and crypto entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano suggested it was a step forward for banks and crypto.Source: Anthony PomplianoShe argued that the Fed continues to “illegally flout the law on master accounts” and still relies on reputational risk in its bank supervision practices. It comes as the Federal Insurance Deposit Corporation (FDIC) is working on a rule to stop examiners from considering reputational risk when reviewing a bank’s operations, according to a recent Bloomberg report.Lummis also highlighted the Fed’s policy statement in Section 9(13), which hasn’t been withdrawn, stating that Bitcoin and digital assets are considered “unsafe and unsound.”She also reiterated many of the same staff behind Operation Chokepoint 2.0 are still involved in crypto policy today.“We are NOT fooled. The Fed assassinated companies within the industry and hurt American interests by stifling innovation and shuttering businesses. This fight is far from over.”“I will continue to hold the Fed accountable until the digital asset industry gets more than a life jacket, Chair Powell — they need a fair shake,” Lummis said.Related: If Trump fired Powell, what would happen to crypto?Custodia Bank founder and CEO Caitlin Long seemed to share a similar view to Lummis.“THANK YOU for seeing this for what it is,” Long said.Source: David SacksHowever, other crypto executives praised the Fed’s announcement as a positive development for the industry. Saylor said in an April 25 X post that the Fed’s move means that “banks are now free to begin supporting Bitcoin.”Anastasija Plotnikova, co-founder and CEO of blockchain regulatory firm Fideum, said the Fed’s decision “is a significant development, as it will simplify the path to institutional adoption.”Magazine: Ethereum is destroying the competition in the $16.1T TradFi tokenization race
Published Date: 2025-04-26 08:33:04Creator: Cointelegraph by Ciaran Lyons
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