Japan’s cabinet has approved a draft amendment that would classify cryptocurrencies as financial products, marking a shift in how the country regulates the sector.
The proposal brings crypto assets under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, a framework used for stocks and other securities, Nikkei reported. If passed during the current parliament session, the law could take effect as early as fiscal 2027.
Until now, Japan has treated crypto mainly as a payment tool under the Payment Services Act. That approach focused on custody, anti-money laundering checks and exchange registration. The new rules would ban insider trading and require issuers to publish annual disclosures.
Penalties would also rise. Operating without registration could bring up to 10 years in prison, up from three, and fines could increase to 10 million yen ($62,800). The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission would gain broader authority to police the market.
In a press conference, Minister for Financial Services Satsuki Katayama said the move will “expand the supply of growth capital in response to changes in the financial and capital markets, ensuring market fairness, transparency, and the protection of investors.”
Bitcoin BTC$73,335.16 treasury firm Nakamoto (NAKA) is resorting to a familiar Wall Street playbook as it looks to lift its beating-down share price and stay on Nasdaq.
The company is seeking approval for a “reverse stock split” that would combine shares at a ratio to be set between 1-for-20 and 1-for-50, according to a preliminary proxy filing (Schedule 14A), as it has seen a collapse in its share price to around $0.22. Prices are down roughly 99% from its May 2025 peak.
A reverse stock split reduces the number of shares outstanding while increasing the share price proportionally, for example turning 20 shares at $0.20 into one share at $4. While it does not change the company’s underlying value, it is commonly used to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s $1 minimum bid requirement and avoid delisting. Nasdaq mandates listed companies to maintain a minimum bid price of $1 per share, and firms that fail to ensure that within a specific period risk being delisted.
Nakamoto recently sold about 5% of its bitcoin holdings, leaving it with 5,058 BTC, pointing to ongoing liquidity management.
Other bitcoin treasury firms have taken similar steps, including Strive Asset Management earlier this year. Most DAT shares have taken a beating in recent months, tracking the collapse in BTC’s spot price to roughly $70,000 from over $126,000 in October.
Alongside the reverse split, the company, in a Form S-3 filing, registered more than 400 million shares for potential resale by existing investors. This does not raise new capital, but creates a large overhang that could weigh on the stock.
The company also has a shelf registration allowing up to roughly $7 billion in future securities issuance. This is separate from an at the market (ATM) program of up to approximately $5 billion, which would allow it to sell newly issued shares directly into the market over time.
Ctrl Alt, a tokenisation infrastructure provider, has successfully secured direct authorisation from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide regulated investment services.
The regulatory milestone places Ctrl Alt Ltd—a subsidiary of Alt Ltd—on the FCA’s official register under the UK framework for investment firms. Previously, the company operated as an Appointed Representative. Now, with its own direct FCA authorisation, Ctrl Alt can operate independently under its own regulatory permissions and oversight.
Expanding digital capital markets
Matt Ong, CEO and founder of Ctrl Alt
The newly acquired authorisation enables the firm to expand its digital capital markets services, specifically supporting the end-to-end lifecycle of tokenised assets. This allows Ctrl Alt to enhance its offerings and deliver innovative, compliant solutions for the alternative asset space.
Since its founding in 2022, the firm has already tokenised over $1.2billion in assets, spanning sectors such as real estate, private credit, funds, and commodities.
Matt Ong, CEO and founder of Ctrl Alt, emphasised the importance of the approval for both the company and the broader UK financial landscape.
“This authorization is an important step for Ctrl Alt and for financial innovation in the UK as a whole,” Ong stated. “It allows us to continue expanding our tokenization capabilities and support the development of more efficient and accessible financial markets.”
He added: “At a time when UK-based firms are relocating abroad, we are focused on strengthening London’s position as a global hub for digital capital markets and delivering the tokenization infrastructure that will drive the next generation of financial innovation.”
Collaborating with the Bank of England
The FCA approval arrives amidst Ctrl Alt’s ongoing participation in key strategic initiatives led by the Bank of England.
The firm is currently involved in the Digital Securities Sandbox, exploring the use of its tokenisation infrastructure for the issuance, trading, and settlement of securities. Additionally, Ctrl Alt is participating in the Bank of England’s Synchronisation Lab, where it is actively testing synchronisation capabilities alongside the Bank’s renewed real-time gross settlement service.
According to Ctrl Alt, this latest FCA milestone cements its position as a central participant in the UK’s evolving financial ecosystem, allowing for continued collaboration with governments, regulators, and financial institutions to advance the mainstream adoption of tokenised markets.
Buyers are attempting to push Bitcoin toward the $76,000 level but are facing significant selling from the bears.
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.
Crypto market data daily view. Source: TradingView
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.
Flare published a governance proposal on Thursday that would make it one of the first layer-1 blockchains to capture maximal extractable value (MEV) at the protocol level rather than letting it flow to the small number of specialized actors who profit from transaction ordering across virtually every major chain.
MEV is the revenue that block builders extract by reordering, inserting or censoring transactions within a block. On most blockchains, this value flows to external searchers and builders who effectively impose a hidden tax on ordinary users through front-running, sandwich attacks and arbitrage.
External estimates put annual MEV revenues at tens of millions on networks like Arbitrum, upwards of $500 million on Ethereum, and as much as $1 billion on Solana. Flare’s three-stage proposal would route the revenue into the protocol’s own token economics.
In the first stage, block building moves from individual validators to a designated builder, initially run by the Flare Entity, with a fallback to the current model if the builder is unavailable. In the second, block building moves into Flare Confidential Compute, making the process publicly auditable. The third stage merges the builder and proposer into a single entity, shifting existing validators to a verification role.
The proposal also creates FIRE, the Flare Income Reinvestment Entity to collect revenue from multiple protocol sources including attestation fees, FAsset and Smart Account fees, confidential compute fees and the captured MEV. FIRE’s primary mandate is reducing FLR token supply through open-market buybacks and burns.
Several changes would take effect immediately after approval. Annual FLR inflation would drop to 3% from 5%, with the hard cap cut to 3 billion tokens per year from 5 billion. A 20-fold increase to the base gas fee, from 60 gwei to 1,200 gwei, would raise estimated annual FLR burn from roughly 7.5 million to 300 million at current transaction volumes. Even after the increase, a standard Flare transaction would cost a fraction of a cent.
Flare has deep roots in the XRP ecosystem, having distributed its initial token supply through an airdrop to XRP holders in 2023. Its FAssets system, which has produced over 150 million FXRP, is designed to bring smart contract functionality to assets on blockchains like XRPL that do not natively support it.
The network reports over $160 million in total value locked as of late March 2026, with more than 887,000 active addresses.
The global financial system is experiencing a slow collapse that many fail to recognize.
Currency debasement is a structural issue that impacts the cost of living worldwide.
Those unable to short the currency suffer most from inflation, highlighting systemic inequalities.
Sovereign debt levels are unsustainable, potentially leading to defaults.
Central banks and commercial banks operate a two-tier ledger system, creating money through fractional reserve banking.
Monetary policy is leading to currency and bond debasement, affecting savings and wages.
The current monetary system is a relatively recent experiment, evolving from a gold-backed system.
Economic imbalances often result in rising debt levels and populism.
The transition from gold-backed currencies to fiat money reflects a decoupling from precious metals.
The shift to digital ledger systems marks a fundamental change in value storage and transfer.
Telecommunications have enabled fast transactions but increased reliance on intermediaries.
The financial system’s design benefits those who can short the currency, disadvantaging lower-income groups.
The evolution of monetary systems highlights inherent instability and systemic risk.
Economic policies often exacerbate wealth inequality, impacting the working class.
The reliance on digital representations of value underscores the fragility of modern financial systems.
Guest intro
Lyn Alden is the founder and CEO of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy. She previously served as lead engineer at the Federal Aviation Administration’s William J. Hughes Technical Center. She is the author of the bestselling book Broken Money, which examines the history and future of monetary systems.
The slow financial collapse
We are experiencing a slow financial collapse that many people do not recognize.
— Lyn Alden
Currency systems must grow or die, leading to systemic instability.
Inflation disproportionately affects those at the bottom of the income stack.
They’re literally shorting the thing that you’re holding your bank account and that you’re saving in.
— Lyn Alden
The financial system benefits those who can short the currency.
Sovereign debt levels are unsustainable, risking default.
Once you get to the part where there’s this much debt on the sovereign ledger there’s really no way out of it other than they’re going to default.
— Lyn Alden
The design of the financial system inherently favors wealthier individuals.
The mechanics of money creation
The financial system operates as a two-tier ledger managed by central and commercial banks.
It’s one giant ledger… the central bank runs a ledger and then it’s really a two-tier ledger.
— Lyn Alden
Fractional reserve banking allows banks to create money by lending.
Currency and bond debasement impacts people’s savings and wages.
They create new money to buy some government bonds to create more money in the system.
— Lyn Alden
Monetary policy has real-world consequences on financial stability.
The interaction between central banks and commercial banks is crucial for money creation.
Understanding these mechanics is essential for grasping the broader economic picture.
The evolution of monetary systems
The current monetary system is a relatively young experiment.
The system is actually pretty young… we’re about fifty-five years into this current experiment.
— Lyn Alden
The transition from gold-backed currencies to fiat money marks a significant shift.
Economic imbalances often manifest in rising debt levels and populism.
We see it in debt levels but then we do see it usually in rising populism.
— Lyn Alden
The historical context of currency systems is crucial for understanding current dynamics.
The shift away from gold backing has led to increased systemic risk.
The evolution of monetary systems highlights the fragility of modern economies.
The impact of telecommunications on money
Telecommunications ushered in the modern age of money, enabling fast transactions.
We opened this door where you could do fast transactions around the world.
— Lyn Alden
The reliance on intermediaries for value settlement increased with technological advancements.
The historical context of money and telecommunications is essential for understanding their impact.
The modern financial system relies heavily on digital representations of value.
The role of intermediaries in banking and value settlement has grown over time.
Telecommunications have fundamentally changed how money is used and transferred.
The impact of these changes is evident in the current financial landscape.
The transition from gold-backed currencies
Governments gradually decoupled from precious metals over time.
Governments got kinda constrained by it… they started to gradually decouple from precious metals.
— Lyn Alden
The shift to a purely digital ledger system represents a fundamental change.
It’s just kind of a list of ones and zeros that we use for our money.
— Lyn Alden
Understanding the historical transition is crucial for grasping current monetary systems.
The reliance on digital systems marks a significant transformation in value storage.
The move away from gold backing has implications for financial stability.
The evolution of currency systems reflects broader economic trends and challenges.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Open banking legislation or regulation has now been implemented in approximately 60 jurisdictions globally. Despite this widespread adoption, the vast majority of banks continue to treat the initiative as a strict cost centre. According to a new release, many financial institutions lack a commercial model, a clear path to revenue, or any real incentive to push beyond the regulatory minimums.
To combat this industry-wide stagnation, Ozone API—a company founded by the original authors of the UK open banking standard—has published Commercialising Open Banking: A Practical Guide. The free resource is designed to give banks a clear, actionable framework for building sustainable commercial models around their Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
Moving beyond a compliance mindset
Huw Davies, co-founder and CEO of Ozone API, highlighted the missed opportunities in the current financial landscape.
“Open banking is now operating in around 60 jurisdictions. That should be a moment to celebrate. But the honest reality is most banks are still treating it as a compliance project,” Davies stated. “No commercial model, no revenue, no real incentive to go further. We wrote this guide because we’ve sat with banks, central banks, and regulators across six continents and seen what works.”
He added: “The shift from compliance to commercialisation isn’t complicated. But it does require banks to make a deliberate decision to build a commercial model, not bolt one on as an afterthought.”
A three-tier framework for API commercialisation
The new guide introduces a three-category framework based on successful digital deployments observed across global markets:
Foundational APIs: These form the regulatory baseline, but also serve as the critical foundation for customer retention, market positioning, and broader ecosystem participation.
Premium APIs: These are value-added services—such as enhanced payments, identity verification, and enriched data—that third parties will actively pay to access.
Distribution Channel APIs: These interfaces allow banks to embed their own products directly wherever customers need them, effectively turning open banking into a genuine growth channel.
Navigating a fragmented global market
The resource provides insights tailored to all major global markets. This includes the UK ahead of its upcoming open finance expansion, and the EU as the industry awaits final PSD3 texts expected in the first half of 2026.
It also examines the US market, where commercialisation is taking centre stage while regulatory progress under Section 1033 stalls, and Brazil, which currently boasts 35 million active users and processes a staggering 2.3 billion successful API communications every week.
Beyond pure API strategy, the guide addresses the practical hurdles of digital transformation. It explores platform requirements, the classic ‘build vs. buy’ dilemma, common implementation pitfalls, and realistic project timelines. It also provides advice on how to secure internal buy-in across technology, product, legal, and executive teams to ensure commercial projects don’t stall.
Bitcoin (BTC) extended its bullish run into the Wall Street open on Friday, rallying above $73,000. Traders now eye a move back toward $80,000 by the end of April, as several indicators point to bulls retaking control of the crypto market.
Bitcoin breaks a bearish chart pattern
On Tuesday, Bitcoin invalidated what initially appeared to be a bear pennant on the daily chart.
Related: Old Bitcoin whales sold $271M in BTC: Is crypto rally at stake?
The BTC/USD pair pierced through the pennant’s upper trend line at $70,000, jumping as much as 7% to a six-week high of $73,300 on Friday. Its breakout came alongside a rise in trading volume, implying stronger conviction behind the rally.
The price also reclaimed key support lines, including the 200-week exponential moving average (EMA, blue line), the 20-day EMA (red wave), and the 50-day EMA (orange wave) at $68,350, $69,520, and $70,580, respectively.
That simultaneously increased the odds of a symmetrical-triangle bullish reversal.
A symmetrical triangle forms when price makes lower highs and higher lows, compressing into a tightening range. It resolves when the price breaks either of the trendlines and moves by as much as the pattern’s maximum height.
In Bitcoin’s case, the measured move above the upper trend line points to $87,000, about 20% above the current price.
The bullish divergence from the relative strength index (RSI) suggests that the bullish momentum has been steadily building up over the last two months, reinforcing BTC’s upside potential.
Bitcoin’s next hurdle is the 100-day EMA (blue) near $75,400.
As Cointelegraph reported, a rejection there would weaken the breakout and raise the odds of a pullback.
Onchain data caps Bitcoin’s upside at $80,000
Data from TradingView shows that Bitcoin has spent more than six weeks consolidating within a $60,000–$70,000 range, with multiple failed attempts to sustain a strong footing above $72,000.
Glassnode’s risk indicator reveals a major resistance between the true market mean at $78,000 and the short-term holder cost basis level around $80,000.
“This is a particularly meaningful threshold,” Glassnode said in its latest Week Onchain newsletter, adding:
“Any rally into this zone is likely to encounter meaningful distribution pressure from recent buyers seeking to exit at or near breakeven.”
Bitcoin risk indicator. Source: Glassnode
The chart above reinforces the view that any recovery attempt could be halted near the true market mean and the STH realized price, as seen in 2023.
Glassnode’s Entity-Adjusted UTXO Realized Price Distribution (URPD), which shows at which prices the current set of BTC UTXOs was created, also revealed that BTC price has entered a relatively open zone between $72,000 and $82,000, where there’s less resistance.
This means BTC may move more freely in the short term within this range, if the momentum holds, with the upside possibly capped at $82,000-$85,000. This is where investors acquired more than 1.3 million BTC.
BTC: Entity-Adjusted URPD. Source: Glassnode
Meanwhile, BTC’s cost-basis distribution heatmap shows a pronounced accumulation between $78,000 and $84,000, suggesting a potential short-term pathway toward this level.
Polymarket odds for $80,000 BTC in April rise
Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market where users trade contracts on real-world outcomes, is showing a clear bullish shift for Bitcoin in April.
Traders now assign 26% chances that BTC/USD reaches $80,000 in April, a 5% increase over the last 24 hours. The $75,000 target carries even stronger convictions at 76%.
BTC price targets for April. Source: Polymarket
At the same time, the odds of the BTC price reaching $65,000 in April are priced lower than before, suggesting the crowd is trimming its downside expectations.
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research before making any decisions. Cointelegraph makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, including forward-looking statements, and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.
The company reported expected revenue of 285 million euros for the first three months of 2026, down 3% from €294 million in the same period last year. Operating income fell to €34 million from €64 million a year earlier, marking the steepest quarterly profit decline in the company’s recent history.
Key Takeaways:
Betsson EBIT collapsed 47% to €34M as B2B license revenue fell 43% to €51M in Q1 2026
Shares plunged over 20% intraday before closing down 14.4% at SEK 90.10
Latin America grew 24% to €93M while CEECA fell 21% to €96M in regional split
B2B Segment Bears the Brunt as Mystery Customer Drags Results
The most striking figure in the release was the collapse of Betsson’s B2B licensing revenue, which fell 43% to €51 million from €90 million. The segment’s share of total group revenue dropped from 31% to 18% in a single quarter.
Betsson attributed the decline to lower revenue from a single unnamed B2B customer. Industry analysts have previously linked the underperforming partner to Realm Entertainment, which operates in Turkey’s unregulated gambling market under brands including Bets10 and Casino Metropol. The country’s ongoing crackdown on illegal gambling has weighed on Betsson’s results for consecutive quarters, with B2B revenue already declining 13% in the fourth quarter of 2025 before accelerating to the current 43% drop.
Chief executive Pontus Lindwall said the customer’s activity levels had stabilized since December but acknowledged the segment continues to weigh on group performance. He added that several unprofitable business-to-consumer markets are costing the company between €10 million and €15 million per quarter in operating income.
Betsson’s shares closed at 90.10 Swedish kronor on April 9, down 14.4% from the previous close of 104.80 kronor, after briefly falling more than 20% during the session. The selloff followed a similar episode in January, when preliminary fourth-quarter results triggered a 21% single-day drop and prompted DNB Carnegie to slash its price target from 190 to 120 kronor.
The regional breakdown showed uneven performance across the group’s key markets. Revenue from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Betsson’s largest segment and the region most exposed to its B2B operations, fell 21% to €96 million. The Nordics declined 18% to €31 million. Western Europe grew 9% to €61 million, while Latin America posted the strongest gains at 24%, reaching €93 million.
Casino revenue dipped slightly while sportsbook revenue held flat on an improved margin of 8.4% compared to 8% a year earlier. The gross margin fell sharply to 57.6% from 64%, driven by the shift in revenue mix away from high-margin B2B licensing toward locally regulated markets carrying higher gaming taxes. Tax costs rose to €53 million from €45 million.
Betsson noted that the share of revenue from locally regulated markets reached a record 73%, up from 59%, reflecting its strategic pivot away from grey-market exposure. The operator also holds one of the iGaming sector’s most prominent sponsorship positions as Inter Milan’s front-of-shirt sponsor under a four-year deal reportedly worth approximately €30 million per season, structured through its Betsson Sport infotainment brand to navigate Italy’s gambling advertising ban from the nation’s under-fire Dignity Decree.
Betsson said average daily revenue in the early weeks of the second quarter is tracking 9% higher than the same period in 2025. The full first-quarter interim report is scheduled for April 24.
Abound, the financial super-app for Indians abroad developed by The Times of India Group, has revealed plans to build an AI-powered ‘Financial Autopilot’ in collaboration with NEAR AI. This next-generation capability is designed to help Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) seamlessly automate, manage, and grow their financial lives across borders.
Developed in partnership with NEAR AI—an initiative focused on building confidential and verifiable AI infrastructure—the Autopilot system is being positioned as a sophisticated, AI-driven agent. Rather than simply facilitating transactions, the system is designed to proactively monitor foreign exchange rates, bank balances, bills, and investments, subsequently executing optimal actions behind the scenes based on user-defined goals.
Moving from recommendationsto execution
Currently serving over 800,000 NRIs and processing more than $300million in remittance volume, Abound is leveraging AI to expand its services into a comprehensive cross-border ecosystem.
Once launched, the AI Financial Autopilot is expected to introduce several powerful features tailored for cross-border users:
Smart Remittances: Automatically executing money transfers when exchange rates hit user-defined targets.
India Banking and Investment Management: Actively monitoring Non-Resident External (NRE) and Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) accounts, identifying better returns, and managing fixed deposits.
Autonomous Bill Payments: Learning and automatically handling recurring financial obligations such as EMIs, utility bills, and school fees.
Unified Net Worth View: Providing users with a consolidated, real-time snapshot of their assets across multiple geographies.
Nishkaam Mehta, CEO of Abound by The Times of India
Nishkaam Mehta, CEO of Abound by The Times of India, emphasized that the future of finance lies in automated outcomes rather than simply offering better dashboards.
“For millions of NRIs, managing finances in India is fragmented and time-consuming,” Mehta explained. “With our AI Financial Autopilot, built in partnership with NEAR AI, we are building toward a world where users can simply set their goals, and their financial life runs itself. Our goal is simple: to become the default financial operating system for Indians globally, replacing faster transactions with smarter systems that work for you.”
Sunit Agarwal, product lead at Abound, echoed this sentiment, noting the significant operational shift. “We are building a system that does not just inform users, but actually acts on their behalf, whether that is optimizing a remittance, managing an investment, or taking care of routine financial tasks.”
Building on a secure intelligence layer
George Zeng, chief product officer and general manager of NEAR AI
To execute these automated actions safely, Abound is developing the system with security and user trust as foundational priorities. The platform will incorporate strong safeguards for sensitive financial data, require clear user approvals for critical actions, and provide transparent visibility into all AI-driven activities.
The partnership with NEAR AI is critical to delivering this secure infrastructure. George Zeng, chief product officer and general manager of NEAR AI, highlighted the importance of a reliable intelligence layer for the next generation of financial automation.
“Our partnership with Abound is a commitment to powering this vision, moving cross-border finance beyond simple transactions toward smarter, goal-driven systems that deliver genuine outcomes for millions of Indians around the world,” Zeng stated. “We are proud to combine our expertise in secure, reliable AI with Abound’s deep understanding of NRI financial needs.”
The rollout of the AI Financial Autopilot will proceed in a phased approach, prioritizing intelligent remittance optimization before integrating deeper into banking, investments, and bill payments.
