Category: Cryptocurrency

A recent poll of 1,000 registered American voters conducted in April by Public Opinion Strategies on behalf of CoinDesk reveals that cryptocurrency ranks dead last among election issues. Only 1% of respondents identified crypto as their top concern, and a mere 3% considered it the single most important issue for the 2026 midterms.

The survey, which carries a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.53%, had an equal split of 41% Republicans and 41% Democrats. Negative sentiment toward crypto was widespread outside the GOP base. Among independents, 48% held unfavorable views versus 27% favorable. Democratic-leaning voters were similarly negative: 54% unfavorable compared to 26% favorable. Republican leaners barely registered a net positive at 41% favorable versus 39% unfavorable.

Further highlighting the disconnect, 62% of respondents expressed distrust in the Trump administration’s ability to oversee the cryptocurrency sector. In contrast, artificial intelligence fared much better in the same survey, with 46% favorable and 45% unfavorable—a net positive that crypto failed to achieve.

Only 27% of respondents had ever invested in, traded, or used cryptocurrency, while another 27% said they had not done so but might consider it in the future. Despite the low priority rankings, 22% of voters acknowledged crypto as an important issue, and 40% indicated they would vote for a candidate aligned with their views on digital assets.

The industry’s legislative hopes, such as the CLARITY Act, face an uphill battle. As crypto.news previously covered, TD Cowen warned that the 2026 midterm cycle could push the bill off the congressional calendar until 2027, citing voter indifference as a direct threat. Crypto advocacy groups spent an estimated $120 to $130 million in the 2024 elections, with 2026 spending expected to surpass that figure. However, Binance Research notes that midterm years historically see Bitcoin declines averaging around 56%, often followed by a recovery once electoral uncertainty dissipates.

Senators Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks reached a compromise on the CLARITY Act on May 1, banning passive stablecoin yield while allowing activity-based rewards tied to payments and platform usage. This deal reduces some investor uncertainty, but Daniel Reis-Faria, CEO of ZeroStack, remains cautious. He notes that larger investors are still hesitant because the full implementation rules are not yet in place—only the principle has been agreed upon. The Senate Banking Committee plans a markup in mid-May, with a floor vote targeted before the Memorial Day recess. Despite the positive movement, Reis-Faria emphasizes that until the regulatory framework is fully detailed, big players will likely adopt a wait-and-see approach. Polymarket odds for the CLARITY Act passing in 2026 jumped significantly after the deal, but JPMorgan had previously described its passage as a key catalyst for digital assets. The one-year window for joint rulemaking by the SEC, CFTC, and Treasury adds ambiguity that reins in institutional enthusiasm. Standard Chartered estimates that uncapped stablecoin yield could shift up to $500 billion from banks by 2028, explaining ongoing banking industry resistance. Overall, the deal is a step forward, but not a game-changer for major investors.

Ethereum is currently testing the crucial $2,400 resistance level after a 3.5% bounce to $2,393 on May 4, though it has since settled near $2,370. Over the past month, the cryptocurrency briefly breached this mark twice but failed to hold. Now, a combination of technical and on-chain indicators suggests a more sustained breakout may be imminent.

On the daily chart, a bullish MACD crossover is forming, a pattern that historically preceded a 25% rally in Ethereum. The last such crossover led to a significant upward move within 30 days. Additionally, the Supertrend indicator has remained green since mid-March, confirming that the broader trend is still bullish despite recent price swings.

Ethereum is currently trading near the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level at $2,381, indicating strong buying interest. If bulls can push past the $2,400 resistance, the next target is the 38.2% Fib level at $2,772, provided momentum continues.

Fundamentally, demand appears to be strengthening. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw over $100 million in net inflows on Friday, ending a four-day outflow streak of $183 million. While this does not guarantee immediate institutional buying, it signals renewed interest. Furthermore, Ethereum exchange reserves have dropped to 14.5 million ETH, the lowest since 2016, suggesting reduced selling pressure and potential supply constraints.

With technicals painting a bullish picture and on-chain data showing improving fundamentals, Ethereum may finally break free from its narrow trading range. Traders will watch closely to see if the $2,400 level can be decisively conquered.

XRP is currently trading at $1.41, with a 24-hour volume of $1.67 billion, according to data from crypto.news. The token saw a 1.70% gain in the last day but slipped 0.30% over the past week. After briefly reclaiming $1.40 during early Asian trading, XRP’s upward momentum has market participants watching closely. The rise in trading volume suggests increased interest around the key $1.50 resistance level.

XRP has been oscillating between $1.35 and $1.45 in recent sessions. The latest push lifted it above the lower boundary, drawing attention to near-term resistance at $1.41–$1.42. A decisive break above this zone could lead to a retest of $1.45, while a drop below $1.40 would signal that the breakout attempt may have faltered.

Technical analysts are identifying bullish patterns on the monthly chart. EGRAG CRYPTO points to a macro diamond formation, where $1.50 serves as the critical trigger. A close above this level could pave the way toward $2.20. The analyst emphasized that this set up is not random, and a large move is likely building. Time windows in April 2027 and April 2028 are also highlighted.

CW noted that XRP’s Heikin Ashi candle has been green for four consecutive weeks, indicating a bullish shift in trend. However, further price confirmation is still required. ChartNerd observed that the 3-month Gaussian Channel shows rising cycle lows, with the latest floor near $0.77. But ChartNerd raised a question: is this consolidation healthy or a warning of a deeper correction later in 2026?

In the ETF space, XRP products saw minor outflows of $35,210 in the week ending May 1, following three weeks of net inflows totaling $82.88 million. Cumulative inflows remain robust at $1.29 billion, though weekly net assets dipped to $1.06 billion, reflecting softer short-term flows.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has formally pushed back against fresh accusations that its state-sponsored hackers are behind the majority of cryptocurrency thefts in 2026. A spokesperson for the country’s Foreign Ministry, speaking through the Korean Central News Agency, labeled the claims as baseless and politically driven, insisting that the United States is using such allegations to further its hostile stance toward Pyongyang.

Blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs had earlier reported that North Korean-linked groups were responsible for approximately $577 million in stolen digital assets between January and April 2026. This figure represents a staggering 76% of all crypto hack losses globally during that period. The report highlighted two major April incidents: a $292 million breach of KelpDAO and a $285 million attack on Drift Protocol, both attributed to North Korean actors.

In its rebuttal, the North Korean government argued that it is unreasonable for Washington—a nation with the most advanced cyber capabilities—to portray itself as the primary victim of cybercrime. The spokesperson vowed that Pyongyang would take all necessary steps to safeguard its national interests against what it perceives as unwarranted smears.

TRM Labs data indicates that North Korea’s share of global crypto theft has grown sharply over the years. It stood below 10% in 2020 and 2021, climbed to 64% in 2025, and reached 76% in the first four months of 2026. Cumulative losses tied to the country have now surpassed $6 billion since 2017. The firm attributed the KelpDAO exploit to the TraderTraitor subgroup of the Lazarus Group, while the Drift Protocol attack is linked to a separate faction still under investigation.

These two large heists, despite accounting for only about 3% of total hacking incidents by count, drove the majority of losses, illustrating how a few high-value breaches dominate the landscape. TRM Labs previously noted that North Korean operations have become more effective through improved tools, sophisticated laundering techniques, and a state-driven incentive to bypass international sanctions. The United Nations has also weighed in, stating in a recent report that cryptocurrency stolen by North Korean actors directly funds the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned six individuals and two entities in March 2026 for their involvement in North Korean IT worker schemes. These operations generated nearly $800 million in 2024 alone, using networks to facilitate crypto transactions and convert funds into digital assets.

Hyperliquid has officially activated its HIP-4 event contracts, introducing a novel prediction market product to its trading ecosystem. According to data from defioasis, these contracts achieved a nominal trading volume of $6.05 million on their first day, capturing roughly 0.7% of the day’s overall prediction market activity. For context, Kalshi dominated the sector with $546 million in contracts, while Polymarket recorded $190 million. Other players like Limitless ($68.26 million), Crypto.com ($28.2 million), Opinion ($25.72 million), and Predict Fun ($11.8 million) also posted notable volumes.

HYPE, the native token of Hyperliquid, is currently trading at $41.64 with a 24-hour volume of $255.91 million, reflecting a modest 1% daily gain but a nearly 2% decline over the past week. Its market capitalization stands at approximately $9.92 billion, based on a circulating supply of 240 million tokens. The price is hovering near the upper end of its recent range, with resistance at $42.50 to $44.00 being closely watched by traders for a potential breakout. Support is established around $40.50 to $41.00; if this zone holds, buyers may push toward $42.50 and $44.00. A drop below $40.50 could shift focus to $38.00 and $36.00.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) currently sits at 54.38, above its moving average of 51.94, indicating mild bullish momentum but not yet strong buying pressure. A rise above 60 would strengthen the bullish case, while a fall below 50 would suggest weakening demand. Meanwhile, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) presents a mixed picture: the MACD line is at 0.357 below the signal line at 0.510, and the histogram stands at -0.153, implying lingering bearish pressure although the situation appears to be stabilizing.

Hyperliquid operates its own layer-1 blockchain tailored for high-frequency trading, with flagship products including an on-chain perpetual futures exchange, spot trading, lending, borrowing, and the HyperEVM for Solidity-based applications. The platform has maintained a strong share of on-chain perpetual futures volume, and a portion of trading fees is allocated to buying back and burning HYPE tokens, linking exchange activity directly to tokenomics. The HIP-4 launch adds a prediction market layer to this ecosystem, potentially driving further engagement and demand for HYPE.

Anthropic is on the verge of sealing a major collaboration with Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, and other Wall Street giants, pooling around $1.5 billion to deploy artificial intelligence tools across companies backed by private equity. This initiative aims to embed AI into finance, operations, customer support, data analytics, and enterprise software, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The project is spearheaded by Anthropic, Blackstone, and Hellman & Friedman, each expected to invest roughly $300 million. Goldman Sachs is slated to contribute about $150 million as a founding partner. This joint venture marks a significant move to commercialize advanced AI solutions for business use, with an official announcement possibly coming as early as May 4.

The timing coincides with Anthropic’s exploration of a valuation exceeding $300 billion, with some projections reaching up to $900 billion. Private equity firms are keen to gain early exposure to AI infrastructure, fueling the partnership. Concurrently, OpenAI is pursuing similar deals with private equity to broaden its enterprise footprint, highlighting a race among AI leaders to scale through financial backing.

Both Anthropic and OpenAI are also tipped as potential IPO candidates later this year, adding urgency for investors seeking positions before any public listing. Separately, Anthropic has initiated preliminary talks with UK chip startup Fractile to secure specialized inference chips that enhance AI model efficiency, reducing costs and speeding up processing as demand surges.

Large investors, often referred to as whales, have accumulated a staggering 160 million Dogecoin tokens within a span of four days. At current market rates, this acquisition is valued at roughly $18 million, signaling a strong vote of confidence in the memecoin’s potential for upward movement. This flurry of whale activity comes as Dogecoin recently broke above the $0.109 threshold during early Asian trading hours, a level that now serves as a crucial support zone. The price surge was accompanied by a noticeable increase in trading volume, suggesting the move was driven by concentrated buying rather than retail speculation.

According to data from crypto analytics firm Santiment, large holders now control a record-breaking 108.52 billion DOGE, a figure that underscores their growing influence. The network has also seen a spike in large transactions, with 739 transfers exceeding $100,000 recorded in a single day. This heightened whale engagement coincides with a broader market uplift, as Bitcoin briefly surpassed $80,000, lending tailwinds to the crypto sector.

Traders are now closely monitoring the $0.109 mark to see if it holds as support. Should Dogecoin maintain this level, the next target lies at $0.114. Conversely, a dip below $0.109 could indicate a failed breakout, potentially leading to a retracement. Dogecoin’s market capitalization currently stands at $17.21 billion, based on a circulating supply of 150 billion coins. With whales accumulating at an aggressive pace and technical indicators turning bullish, the stage seems set for a potential rally, though caution remains warranted given the volatile nature of crypto markets.

Capital B, a French Bitcoin treasury firm, has raised €1.1 million ($1.28 million) through a warrant issuance fully backed by Blockstream CEO Adam Back. This strategic investment deepens Back’s involvement with the company, as he subscribed to 10 million warrants at €0.11 each. Each warrant allows the purchase of one new share at €0.84, a price that matches the firm’s net asset value per share.

With this move, Back’s stake in Capital B has increased to 9.97% on a fully diluted basis, exceeding 39.5 million shares. Back, best known for inventing Hashcash—a proof-of-work system referenced in Bitcoin’s whitepaper—continues to expand his influence in the Bitcoin treasury space.

The proceeds from the warrant issuance are earmarked for accelerating Capital B’s Bitcoin accumulation strategy. The company’s stock responded positively, rising over 6.5% on the day of the announcement, though it remains down 16% since the start of 2026.

According to Bitcointreasuries.net, Capital B now holds 2,943 BTC, valued at approximately $234 million, making it the 25th-largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally. The firm is one of only two European Bitcoin treasury companies to raise capital in the past month, alongside the UK-based Connecting Excellence Group, which also received Back’s support.

In contrast, other firms have adopted cautious strategies. Nasdaq-listed Nakamoto launched an actively managed derivatives program to hedge downside risk on its Bitcoin holdings, while Genius Group liquidated its entire Bitcoin treasury in February to repay debt. These divergent approaches highlight the varying strategies among corporate Bitcoin holders.

Between May 4 and May 11, the crypto market will experience a significant wave of token unlocks worth over $229 million, according to Tokenomist data cited by WuBlockchain. Cliff unlocks and linear releases are set to inject fresh supply into circulation, potentially impacting prices.

Leading the cliff unlocks are Hyperliquid – HYPE and Ethena – ENA, which together will add over $34 million in tokens. Hyperliquid is releasing 422,000 HYPE tokens valued at roughly $17.51 million, representing a mere 0.11% of its adjusted released supply. Meanwhile, Ethena will unlock 171.88 million ENA tokens worth about $17.28 million, accounting for 2.12% of its adjusted released supply.

Other notable cliff unlocks include Space and Time – SXT, RedStone – RED, and Opinion – OPN. SXT sees 387.64 million tokens worth $5.96 million hitting the market, making up 23.20% of its adjusted released supply—the highest ratio among the cliff unlocks. RED will release 40.85 million tokens valued at $5.54 million (12.20% of supply), while OPN unlocks 32.09 million tokens worth $5.45 million (12.22% of supply).

Linear unlocks also add pressure. Rain – RAIN leads with a massive release of 10.47 billion tokens worth $78.39 million, equivalent to 2.19% of circulating supply. Solana – SOL follows with 464,650 SOL valued at $38.90 million, though this represents only 0.08% of its circulating supply. Corn – CC unlocks 191.71 million tokens worth $28.36 million (0.50% of supply), TRUMP releases 6.33 million tokens worth $14.75 million (2.72% of supply), Worldcoin – WLD unlocks 37.23 million tokens worth $9.70 million, and Bittensor – TAO releases 25,200 tokens worth $7.29 million.

Traders closely monitor these events as increased supply can create short-term selling pressure if demand fails to keep pace. The high supply ratios for SXT, RED, and OPN particularly draw attention to potential price volatility in the coming days.