MoonPay CEO calls on Congress to keep state authority over stablecoins

Ivan Soto-Wright, CEO of cryptocurrency payment firm MoonPay, is calling on US lawmakers to leave a path open to state-level regulators when passing legislation on stablecoins. In an April 18 X post, Soto-Wright said he wanted Congress to “keep state-regulated issuers in the game” when it comes to stablecoin regulation, referencing efforts in the House … Read more

Mantra exposes crypto liquidity problems, and Coinbase is bearish: Finance Redefined

Crypto investor sentiment took another significant hit this week after Mantra’s OM token collapsed by over 90% within hours on Sunday, April 13, triggering knee-jerk comparisons to previous black swan events such as the Terra-Luna collapse. Elsewhere, Coinbase’s report for institutional investors added to concerns by highlighting that cryptocurrencies may be in a bear market … Read more

South Korean crypto emerges from failed coup into crackdown season

South Korea kicked off 2025 with political chaos, regulatory heat and a crypto market finally brought to heel — or at least forced to grow up. The nation closed 2024 in disarray following then-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law stunt in December. In the aftermath, authorities spent the first quarter drawing lines in the … Read more

Spar supermarket in Switzerland starts accepting Bitcoin payments

Global grocery giant Spar has rolled out Bitcoin-based payments in Switzerland, marking another step in the growing adoption of cryptocurrency for everyday transactions. A Spar supermarket in Zug, Switzerland, has implemented Bitcoin (BTC) payments via the Lightning Network. The store’s Bitcoin payments went live on BTC Mao, a community-driven project highlighting stores that accept BTC … Read more

Synthetix’s sUSD stablecoin continues fall after depeg, tapping $0.68

The Synthetix protocol’s native stablecoin, Synthetix USD (SUSD), has slipped further away from its US dollar peg, reaching new all-time lows under $0.70.  However, the firm reiterates that this isn’t the first time the asset has been under significant stress, and several risk measures are in place. “Synthetix and sUSD have weathered multiple bear markets … Read more

Yemenis are turning to DeFi as US sanctions target Houthi group

Yemeni citizens are increasingly using decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols to bank themselves amid US sanctions aimed at the Houthi group, which they have deemed a terrorist organization.  In the past, internet infrastructure challenges and low financial literacy among the war-torn population contributed to relatively limited crypto adoption, according to an April 17 report from blockchain … Read more

Slovenia’s finance ministry floats 25% tax on crypto transactions

Slovenia’s Finance Ministry is considering a possible 25% tax on crypto trading profits for residents in the country under a new draft law now open for public consultation.  The bill proposes to tax traders when they sell their cryptocurrency for fiat or pay for goods and services, but crypto-to-crypto and transfers between wallets owned by … Read more

Ripple acquisition Hidden Road secures FINRA registration

Prime brokerage Hidden Road, which was recently acquired by Ripple for $1.25 billion, has secured a broker-dealer license from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) — a move that enhances its capacity in the fixed-income markets.  As a FINRA broker-dealer, Hidden Road can further develop its fixed-income prime brokerage services and extend its capabilities in … Read more

4 reasons why Bitcoin price could rally to $90K in April

Key points:  Monetary stimulus in China and Europe increases investors’ focus on Bitcoin price. The US Federal Reserve is under political pressure to cut rates, as the DXY weakens. Bitcoin’s decoupling from traditional markets continues to gain attention.  Bitcoin (BTC) traders are somewhat puzzled by BTC price jumping to $85,000, especially since the S&P 500 … Read more