News linked to both this project and an event.
According to CoinDesk, the cryptocurrency market weakened overall on Friday, with BTC hovering near $77,800—its upward momentum since Wednesday’s rally from $65,000 notably slowing. ETH traded at $2,300, down approximately 0.8% over the past 24 hours, underperforming BTC. Market pressure stems primarily from two sources: First, Japan’s March Corporate Services Price Index rose 3.1% year-on-year—above expectations—and core inflation accelerated, raising market expectations that the Bank of Japan may signal an interest rate hike at its next policy meeting; a stronger yen could trigger unwinding of global risk-asset carry trades. Second, the ongoing Iran conflict continues disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz; WTI crude futures have surged over 40% since the outbreak of hostilities, reaching $96 per barrel. The U.S. Department of Defense warned that mine clearance will take at least six months, implying persistent global inflationary pressures and further constraining the Federal Reserve’s room to cut interest rates.
According to Decrypt, Bitcoin financial services company Fold has launched a “Bitcoin Bonus Program” that allows businesses to distribute recurring bonuses to employees in Bitcoin. Steak ’n Shake is the first partner, offering over 10,000 hourly workers a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 per hour worked, fully vesting after two years. The program is operated by Fold Business, which handles all custody and compliance requirements—enabling traditional enterprises to offer crypto-based incentives without managing technical infrastructure. Fold plans to expand its enterprise offerings to include payroll disbursement, corporate Bitcoin treasury management, and corporate cards.
According to the Belarusian state news agency BELTA, Alexander Yegorov, First Deputy Chairman of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus, revealed at the “Digital Banking–2026” conference that Belarus has adopted Decree No. 19, formally establishing a regulatory framework for crypto banks. Under the decree, crypto banks will support 26 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), TON (Toncoin), Solana (SOL), and multiple stablecoins. They will also be authorized to conduct 11 types of operations, such as crypto deposits, crypto lending, crypto staking, crypto collateralization, crypto transfers, issuance of proprietary tokens, and crypto storage and exchange. Yegorov stated that the current list of supported cryptocurrencies and permitted operations is not final and will be continuously updated and refined in response to investor demand and emerging ideas.
Fold Holdings, a Nasdaq-listed bitcoin financial services company, has announced the launch of the "Bitcoin Bonus Program", providing enterprises with a simple employee reward tool. This tool enables employers to deliver recurring bitcoin bonuses to employees through existing payroll systems without the need to modify payroll systems or assume custody or compliance responsibilities. It is reported that the Bitcoin Bonus Program will incorporate a "vesting structure," allowing employees to track, hold, and grow their assets over time. Its first partner is Steak 'n Shake. (Globenewswire)
According to The Wall Street Journal, Bitcoin financial services company Fold has announced the launch of its Bitcoin Bonus Program, enabling employers to issue recurring Bitcoin bonuses to employees—including vesting schedules—without modifying their existing payroll systems and without assuming custody or compliance responsibilities. This program is Fold Business’s first offering. Fold disclosed that Steak ’n Shake has joined as the flagship partner, extending the program to thousands of hourly employees.
According to Decrypt, Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, stated during a hearing before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee that the U.S. government is currently operating a Bitcoin node for cybersecurity-related testing—but is not engaged in mining. Paparo said the U.S. military’s interest in Bitcoin centers primarily on its value as a computer science tool—including cryptography, blockchain, and reusable proof-of-work mechanisms—with the aim of leveraging the Bitcoin protocol to strengthen cybersecurity and enhance military capabilities. This effort remains in the “experimental phase.” He also noted that maintaining the U.S. dollar’s global dominance aligns with U.S. military interests and offered positive remarks about the stablecoin legalization bill—the GENIUS Act—signed by former President Trump last summer, stating that the legislation helps reinforce the dollar’s global standing.
Odaily News Documentary Finding Satoshi was released on Wednesday, claiming that Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto is not an individual but a pseudonym jointly used by cryptographers Hal Finney and Len Sassaman. Directors Tucker Tooley and Matthew Miele, through a four-year investigation, pointed out that Hal Finney was responsible for writing the Bitcoin code, while Len Sassaman was responsible for writing the text content, including the whitepaper. Hal Finney's widow, Fran Finney, admitted in an interview that her husband may have been involved in the creation of Bitcoin. Investigators eliminated other candidates such as Adam Back through a process of elimination, noting that the online activity records of Hal Finney and Len Sassaman closely match those of Satoshi Nakamoto. Additionally, the film includes a 90-minute interview with Sam Bankman-Fried, but it was ultimately not used.
According to the Financial Times, UK-based startup Stratiphy will offer both cryptocurrency exchange-traded notes (ETNs) and innovative finance ISAs (IF ISAs), enabling investors to hold crypto assets within capital gains tax-free accounts. Stratiphy provides three ETNs issued by 21Shares—the largest European crypto ETP issuer—which track Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a Bitcoin-and-gold composite product. The platform currently manages approximately £4 million in assets and serves around 2,000 clients. In October last year, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority lifted its four-year ban on retail investors purchasing exchange-traded notes (ETNs).
Odaily News According to Etherealize's latest research report, which proposes the "Productive Money" theory, if Ethereum captures the combined monetary premium of approximately $31 trillion currently held by gold and Bitcoin, its implied price could exceed $250,000, far above the current level of around $2,300.The report points out that ETH not only possesses traditional monetary attributes such as scarcity, verifiability, and censorship resistance but can also generate an annualized yield of about 2%–4% through staking, achieving an "interest-bearing" monetary characteristic, thereby distinguishing it from non-productive assets like gold and Bitcoin.Furthermore, within the DeFi system, ETH serves a triple demand source as a "collateral asset + fee-burning mechanism + staking lock-up," forming a mechanism for supply contraction and value accumulation. The report believes that with the development of on-chain finance and asset tokenization, ETH is expected to simultaneously possess the dual attributes of a "store of value + productive asset."However, the report also notes that ETH's path to achieving this valuation still faces multiple uncertainties including regulation, technology, and competition. Its long-term value revaluation depends on the market's recognition of its monetary properties.
Odaily News The Russian State Duma (the lower house of parliament) has passed the "Digital Currency and Digital Rights Bill" in its first reading, marking a crucial step towards the legalization of crypto assets in the country. According to the bill, the Bank of Russia will become the core regulatory body for the crypto market, responsible for issuing licenses, approving or prohibiting related transactions, and defining the legality of transactions.The bill intends to recognize cryptocurrencies as "property" but explicitly prohibits their use as a means of payment within the country, with the ruble remaining the sole legal tender. However, against the backdrop of Western sanctions, crypto assets can be used for cross-border trade settlements, including scenarios such as service payments and intellectual property transfers.Furthermore, the bill allows Russian residents to legally invest in crypto assets through licensed institutions, but will implement an investor classification system, setting up tests and annual investment quota limits (with a suggested cap of 300,000 rubles) for ordinary investors. Initially, only high-market-cap mainstream assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum will be permitted for trading, with a whitelist to be established by the central bank.The bill is expected to be formally passed and take effect no later than July 2026. However, some lawmakers and banking industry figures have criticized it for being overly strict in regulation, potentially affecting market activity and even leading to funds remaining in the gray market. Simultaneously, supporting legislation is also planned to introduce criminal penalties, with illegal crypto transactions potentially punishable by up to 7 years in prison. (Cryptopolitan)
Odaily News Kevin Warsh stated during a Senate hearing that digital assets "have become part of the U.S. financial system" and supports their inclusion into the financial system to provide investors with more opportunities and protection.This statement is seen as a signal of a generally more open policy towards the cryptocurrency industry should he become the Federal Reserve Chair. Warsh has previously referred to Bitcoin as an "important asset that aids in policy-making."However, Elizabeth Warren expressed concerns during the hearing, mentioning potential risks in the crypto space such as "sock puppet" accounts, emphasizing the need for enhanced regulation and prevention of abuse.
On-chain investigator ZachXBT updated that funds related to the KelpDAO attack have begun moving: approximately $1.5 million has been cross-chained from Ethereum Mainnet to the Bitcoin network via Thorchain, and roughly $78,000 has been transferred via Umbra. The attacking address initially sourced its funds from Tornado Cash, and fund laundering and cross-chain transfers are ongoing.
Odaily News Grayscale has updated its ETF application document linked to Hyperliquid, changing the custodian to Anchorage Digital Bank, replacing Coinbase which previously served as the prime broker and custodian.This adjustment has garnered significant attention, as Coinbase has long dominated the crypto ETF custody space. Currently, almost all U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs (except Fidelity's) rely on its custody services.The filing shows that The Bank of New York Mellon will continue to serve as the transfer agent for this ETF (proposed ticker GHYP). The fund's staking functionality still requires regulatory approval and will utilize CoinDesk's Hyperliquid benchmark pricing data.Furthermore, Anchorage Digital Bank, as the first federally chartered crypto bank in the U.S., has been continuously expanding its institutional service capabilities in recent years, including areas such as stablecoins, wealth management, and token lifecycle management. (The Block)
Odaily News Tether disclosed in a regulatory filing that it holds 1.95 million shares in Antalpha through the company's 2025 initial public offering, representing approximately 8.2% of the post-IPO outstanding shares. Antalpha provides lending and financing solutions for the Bitcoin mining industry and is a key partner of Bitmain. Antalpha listed on Nasdaq in May 2025, raising approximately $49 million with an offering price of $12.80 per share. Tether subscribed to over half of the offered shares, becoming one of the largest investors. Its full-year 2025 revenue increased to nearly $80 million, with net profit rising to $18.5 million. However, its stock price fell over 27% this Monday, trading at around $9.30 per share.
Odaily News Trader 0xSun posted stating that news-driven trading remains one of the more cost-effective strategies in the current crypto market, with its core lying in the directionality and volatility brought by events.Reviewing several recent events, including abnormal ETH transactions, Arc fee adjustments, TAO ecosystem changes, RAVE-related investigations, and the KelpDAO security incident, all triggered significant price fluctuations within a short period. He believes that participating in such opportunities relies on either the speed of information acquisition or the ability to judge the impact of events.Furthermore, he indicated that as the recent altcoin market has gradually cooled down, he has resumed the strategy of going long on BTC while hedging by shorting some altcoin assets. He believes that against the backdrop of relatively weak liquidity and the fading of certain narratives, the overall performance of altcoins may face relatively more pressure.
Alex Thorn, Head of Research at Galaxy Digital, stated that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list—the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List—has historically included 518 Bitcoin addresses, which collectively received 249,814 BTC and sent 239,708 BTC, leaving a current net balance of approximately 9,306 BTC—valued at roughly $707 million at current market prices. Thorn also noted that OFAC sanctions represent only one of several U.S. tools for intercepting illicit assets, and the CLARITY Act would further expand the Treasury Department’s related authorities.
According to CoinDesk, Liz Truss—former UK Prime Minister and the shortest-serving in British history—said in an interview that the UK economy is on a “very negative trajectory,” with high taxation, excessive regulation, and energy costs making entrepreneurship “a risk rarely worth the reward.” She attributed inflation and wealth inequality to “currency devaluation” and noted that discussions about monetary policy within government have become “taboo”—a phenomenon she described as “quite alarming.” Truss said she is “very interested” in Bitcoin, viewing it as a vital tool for countering currency devaluation and resisting centralized financial control. She revealed she first encountered Bitcoin during her tenure as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. She is now actively building CPAC UK and plans to host a three-day conference bringing together entrepreneurs and activists to advance a movement for “sovereignty and freedom,” declaring outright: “There are only two options—either sink or radically transform.”
According to The Block, Bitcoin rose approximately 6% this week, briefly reaching $76,300—the highest level in nearly two months—yet the Crypto Fear & Greed Index remains at 21 (“Extreme Fear”). Multiple institutional analysts characterize this rally as “liquidity-driven” rather than a structural strengthening. Glassnode notes that while spot demand and ETF inflows have improved, the recovery lacks depth, institutional participation remains cautious, and options market positioning continues to favor downside protection. Bitfinex attributes this price increase primarily to concentrated buying by “Strategists” (who purchased 13,927 BTC last week), rather than an organic rebound in demand. Analysts broadly view $75,000 as a critical support level; if structural buying wanes and this level fails to hold, prices could retreat to the $70,000–$71,000 range. On the macro front, the Federal Reserve’s policy trajectory and the June FOMC meeting are seen as the next key risk catalysts.
According to Cointelegraph, the Tennessee Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act will hold a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on April 20, bringing it one step closer to potentially becoming law. The bill is advancing to the next stage of the state’s legislative process.
Odaily News The Tennessee "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bill" in the United States will hold a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee on April 20, further advancing the relevant legislative process. (Cointelegraph)