Innovative anti-money laundering (AML) technology company Hawk has officially launched its new AML Investigative Agent. The solution is aimed squarely at one of the biggest operational pain points currently plaguing financial crime compliance: the immense time and cost of manual investigations.
While much of the recent AI discussion within the AML space has focused heavily on improving detection and reducing false positives, the actual investigations process remains a heavily manual undertaking at many banks and payment firms.
Rising financial crime complexity means compliance teams frequently struggle to cope with mounting case backlogs. Investigators still spend significant portions of their day manually pulling together case data, identifying complex financial typologies, and drafting Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) narratives, creating a major drag on overall compliance operations.
Automating the heavy lifting
Hawk’s new agentic AI solution is specifically designed to automate these labor-intensive steps. Rather than replacing existing infrastructure, the agent acts as a model-agnostic, modular overlay that fits seamlessly into existing tech stacks and case management solutions.
Crucially, the system features built-in “human-in-the-loop” controls that can pause execution at defined steps for human review, approval, or input, ensuring that final oversight remains with human investigators.
Key capabilities of the AML Investigative Agent include:
Deep AML Typology Expertise: The system utilizes continually updated domain knowledge to identify financial crime patterns with a level of precision that generic AI models cannot match.
Extended Investigation Coverage: The agent analyzes extensive datasets that no human could digest in limited timescales, thereby improving the overall quality of the investigation.
Regulatory-Grade Explainability: To satisfy strict compliance requirements, the tool provides chain of thought visualization, confidence scores, citations, and detailed action logs.
By automating these processes, firms are given a clear pathway to pursue revenue growth and launch new products without being artificially held back by manual investigation limits.
Executive insight and industry trends
Wolfgang Berner, chief product officer at Hawk
Wolfgang Berner, chief product officer at Hawk, noted that the financial benefits of the technology are becoming undeniable.
“The cost savings offered by agentic AI in financial crime and compliance are simply too compelling for any bank or payment firm to ignore,” Berner stated. “Using agentic AI to support parts of every investigation delivers benefits that scale very quickly, bringing impactful results to financial institutions of all sizes.”
Berner added that Hawk is unique in its ability to simultaneously improve detection quality to reduce false positives while also cutting the time required to deliver well-structured investigations, all backed by the rigorous explainability that regulators demand.
The launch aligns perfectly with a broader industry shift toward automation in compliance. According to recent data from Chartis, 85 per cent of institutions expect to increase their agentic AI investments over the next two to three years. Furthermore, 61 per cent of institutions rank investigations as the number one area to be transformed by agentic AI, and 21 per cent of global banks report they are already utilizing the technology for investigations and case management.
Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure
A crypto analyst, who publishes technical analysis to his audience on X, has released a zoomed-out weekly Ethereum chart that interprets the current price weakness as the final stage of a multi-year accumulation cycle. As it stands, the Ethereum price is trading around $2,100 and 57% below its peak. Therefore, the technical analysis is suggesting that the cryptocurrency is in an accumulation zone, one that is setting up a price move to as high as $20,000.
The Accumulation Blueprint Playing Out On ETH’s Weekly Chart
The weekly ETH/USDT chart posted by Crypto Patel on X illustrates a structured price pattern that has been developing since 2024. The chart identifies a Selling Climax (SC) in early 2024, followed by an Automatic Rally (AR) to resistance within two months, and then a Secondary Test (ST) of the Selling Climax in mid-2024.
These are all terminologies of a Wyckoff blueprint, and this has created the sequence of price events that established the boundaries of the current trading range. There is a horizontal resistance line around $4,700 at the top of that range, while Support 1, at $1,549, represents the bottom.
There are also two notable downside wicks labeled as Spring 1 and Spring 2, both of which are situated around Support Spring 1, which occurred in mid-2025 and saw the Ethereum price fall below Support 1 very briefly before recovering and pushing back to a new all-time high just above the resistance line.
Since then, however, the Ethereum price has been on a downside path, and the current price action is labeled as Spring 2, which is just above Support 1. If Support 1 breaks down, the next intended buy zone is Support 2 at $1,065. It is within the projected fall to Support 2 where Crypto Patel identifies the $1,800 to $1,400 range as the best buying and accumulation zone.
Ethereum Price Chart. Source: @CryptoPatel On X
Price Move To $20,000
The ETH accumulation map projects a price rally to as high as $20,000 after Ethereum breaks out of the accumulation zone. This rally is, however, contingent on a big resistance / breakout level around $4,700.
Crypto Patel’s projected targets ($10,000, $15,000, and $20,000) are plotted on the chart as a staged upside trajectory extending into late 2027 and 2028. The projected rally shows a rally from the current accumulation zone to $4,700, a pullback below $4,000 to consolidate the breakout, and then a parabolic extension to new all-time highs as high as $10,000 before continuing higher to $15,000 and $20,000.
A $20,000 price target for Ethereum would represent about a 10x return from the current price, which is trading at $2,135, up by 4.8% in the past 24 hours.
ETH price pushes upwards again | Source: ETHUSDT on Tradingview.com
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
By Omkar Godbole (All times ET unless indicated otherwise)
It’s risk-on again for markets after a Reuters report suggested a ceasefire plan between the U.S. and Iran could come into effect on Monday, potentially reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Bitcoin BTC$69,608.80 has climbed over 4% over 24 hours to nearly $70,000, lifting sentiment across the broader market. The CoinDesk 20 Index and XRP (XRP) also added 4%, while ether (ETH) jumped over 5%, alongside a 3% gain in solana (SOL).
The tone is reinforced by bullish signals in the futures market, a continued decline in bitcoin’s 30-day implied volatility index, and a 0.8% gain in Nasdaq 100 futures.
Meanwhile, Michael Saylor, founder of Strategy — the world’s largest publicly listed bitcoin holder — hinted at another BTC purchase. The company already holds 762,099 BTC, underscoring its dominant reserve position and long-term accumulation strategy. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed to increase oil output quotas by 206,000 barrels per day for May, a symbolic effort to relieve energy market stress.
Together, these point to potential for further upside in crypto.
But there’s a caveat. Recent ceasefire headlines citing unidentified sources have proven unreliable, often being debunked or outright rejected by Iran. If that pattern repeats, markets could quickly reverse course.
Another key question is whether any U.S.-Iran ceasefire would be binding on Israel. If not, the current risk-on sentiment may prove short-lived.
Notably, the latest ceasefire push is being described as a last-ditch effort to prevent the “massive strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure,” President Donald Trump threatened over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the oil market continues to inject inflationary pressure into the global economy. Earlier today, Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia raised the price of its Arab Light crude for Asia-bound shipments in May to a record-high premium over Middle Eastern benchmarks.
Some observers warned that oil prices are nearing a danger zone. The 12-month rate of change in oil stands at 92%. Historically, a move to 100% has coincided with stock market collapses. Stay alert!
Read more: For analysis of today’s activity in altcoins and derivatives, see Crypto Markets Today
What to Watch
For a more comprehensive list of events this week, see CoinDesk’s “Crypto Week Ahead”.
Crypto
April 6, 12 p.m.: DeFi Dev Corp. (DFDV) to host a March 2026 recap and Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on X Spaces.
Macro
April 6, 09:00 a.m.: U.S. ISM Services PMI for March est. 55 (Prev. 56.1)
Earnings(Estimates based on FactSet data)
Token Events
For a more comprehensive list of events this week, see CoinDesk’s “Crypto Week Ahead”.
Governance votes & calls
Aave DAO is voting to adjust oracle configurations, reduce liquidation thresholds, and modify interest-rate models across its V2 markets to support their continued deprecation. Voting ends April 6.
Decentraland DAO is voting to require the DAO Council and Regenesis Labs to formally publish a 2030 definition of success and contingency plan. The proposal currently has support from voters. Voting ends April 6.
Unlocks
April 6: Hyperliquid (HYPE) to unlock 0.14% of its circulating supply worth $11.94 million.
Token Launches
Conferences
For a more comprehensive list of events this week, see CoinDesk’s “Crypto Week Ahead”.
Market Movements
BTC is up 3.56% from 4 p.m. ET Friday at $69,805.19 (24hrs: +4.23%)
ETH is up 4.34% at $2,154.80 (24hrs: +5.42%)
CoinDesk 20 is up 3.78% at 1,977.26 (24hrs: +4.06%)
Ether CESR Composite Staking Rate is unchanged at 2.69%
BTC funding rate is at 0.0058% (6.3400% annualized) on Binance
DXY is down 0.11% at 99.91
Gold futures are up 1.60% at $4,726.10
Silver futures are up 1.00% at $73.46
Nikkei 225 closed up 0.55% at 53,413.68
Hang Seng closed down 0.70% at 25,116.53
FTSE 100 closed on Thursday up 0.69% at 10,436.30
Euro Stoxx 50 closed down 0.70% at 5,692.86
DJIA closed down 0.13% at 46,504.67
S&P 500 closed up 0.11% at 6,582.69
Nasdaq Composite closed up 0.18% at 21,879.18
S&P/TSX Composite closed up 0.46% at 33,108.20
S&P 40 Latin America closed up 4.26% at 3,623.86
U.S. 10-Year Treasury rate is down 1 bps at 4.31%
E-mini S&P 500 futures are unchanged at 6,644.00
E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures are unchanged at 24,370.25
E-mini Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are unchanged at 46,779.00
Bitcoin Stats
BTC Dominance: 59.02% (unchanged)
Ether to bitcoin ratio: 0.030877 (1.02%)
Hashrate (seven-day moving average): 954 EH/s
Hashprice (spot): $31.75
Total Fees: 1.61 BTC / $108,359
CME Futures Open Interest: 106,600 BTC
BTC priced in gold: 14.9 oz
BTC vs gold market cap: 4.66%
Technical Analysis
WTI oil’s 12-month rate of change. (Jack Prandelli)
The chart shows swings in WTI oil’s price since 1986 in the upper pane. The lower pane shows the 12-month rate of change (ROC).
Historically, whenever the ROC rises to 100%, stock markets have collapsed. And now, the ROC is approaching that marker again.
“Every major market crash since 1987 was preceded by one signal,” Jack Prandelli, a commodity market analyst and author of the Substack-based Merchant’s News said on X.
Crypto Equities
Coinbase Global (COIN): closed on Friday at $171.46 (–0.88%), +3.80% at $177.97 in pre-market
Galaxy Digital (GLXY): closed at $17.64 (+1.55%), +2.44% at $18.07
MARA Holdings, Inc. (MARA): closed at $8.71 (+8.33%), +3.10% at $8.98
Riot Platforms, Inc. (RIOT): closed at $12.86 (+2.47%), +2.49% at $13.18
Core Scientific, Inc. (CORZ): closed at $16.23 (+6.08%), +1.79% at $16.52
CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSK): closed at $8.79 (+1.97%), +3.30% at $9.08
Exodus Movement, Inc. (EXOD): closed at $6.10 (–8.68%)
CoinShares Bitcoin Mining ETF (WGMI): closed at $35.76 (+2.58%)
Bullish (BLSH): closed at $36.37 (+3.71%), +2.06% at $37.12
Circle Internet Group (CRCL): closed at $90.26 (–0.53%), +4.20% at $94.05
Crypto Treasury Companies
Strategy (MSTR): closed at $119.83 (–2.40%), +4.04% at $124.67
SharpLink (SBET): closed at $6.19 (–4.18%), +4.52% at $6.47
Strive Asset Management (ASST): closed at $9.75 (–4.04%), +3.59% at $10.10
Upexi (UPXI): closed at $0.98 (–1.32%), +3.59% at $1.01
Onchain perpetual futures trading has cooled for five straight months since peaking in October 2025.
Perp volume on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) fell to $699 billion in March 2026 from October’s $1.36 trillion, according to DefiLlama data.
The decline has been steady across the period, with volumes slipping through November and December before losses extended through the first quarter of 2026.
Daily activity also shows signs of softening. On April 4, perp DEX volume fell to $8.4 billion, the first time it dropped below $10 billion since Sept. 6, 2025. This also marks the lowest level since July 5, 2025, according to DefiLlama.
The trend signals a sustained cooldown in onchain perpetual futures trading following the 2025 surge. Perp volumes serve as a proxy for speculative demand and leveraged positioning in crypto markets.
Hyperliquid leads perp DEX volumes over the past 30 days
DefiLlama data shows that trading activity remains concentrated among the top perp DEX platforms. In the past 30 days, Hyperliquid put up about $185.5 billion in reported volume, accounting for roughly 34% of total volume among the top 10 perp DEXs.
This puts the platform significantly ahead of rivals such as edgeX, which reported $73 billion, and Aster, at $68 billion.
Related: Bitcoin shorts risk $2.5 billion liquidation at $72K: Are bears in danger?
Other platforms recorded notably lower volumes over the same period, including Lighter at about $50 billion and Grvt at nearly $40 billion. Smaller venues like ApeX Protocol, Variational and StandX each recorded between roughly $16 billion and $33 billion in 30-day volume.
The data shows that a large share of onchain perpetual futures activity is concentrated in the top platforms, as overall volumes have declined from late-2025 highs.
Perp DEX slowdown follows rapid growth
The slowdown follows a period of rapid growth in onchain derivatives trading. In 2025, perp DEXs nearly tripled cumulative volume to $12.09 trillion, with about $7.9 trillion, about 65%, generated in 2025 alone.
This was largely driven by monthly activity averaging nearly $1 trillion each month in the fourth quarter.
Perpetual futures exchanges are becoming a key battleground across crypto ecosystems. Blockchains have been racing to launch or host perpetual DEXs to capture trading activity, though liquidity has historically tended to consolidate around a small number of dominant platforms.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy
Bitcoin (BTC) faces a fresh showdown this week as macro tensions contrast with a bullish BTC price trend reversal.
A classic BTC price metric is above to flip bullish for the first time in nearly a year — last time, price gained $25,000 in two months.
Short time frames see liquidations as “aggressive” traders pile in at $70,000.
Iran war tensions are at breaking point as US President Donald Trump’s “Bridge Day” deadline nears.
US inflation data will come thick and fast as the war begins to reflect in the numbers.
The Bitcoin bear flag stays in play, with analysis warning that new lows are “likely just a matter of time.”
MACD indicator teases key bullish cross
On longer time frames, the weekly chart has become a source of hope for Bitcoin bulls this week.
The weekly close reclaimed the 200-week exponential moving average (EMA) trend line, but more than that, a classic BTC price metric is about to produce a key bull signal.
On a weekly basis, the moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) hinted that Bitcoin’s latest downtrend is in the process of reversing.
“Holding this level is crucial for the entire Crypto industry,” X commentator Crypto Seth argued on Monday, noting that Ether (ETH) was also due an MACD cross.
BTC/USD one-week chart with MACD data, 200 EMA. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView
Bitcoin’s last bullish weekly MACD flip occurred in May 2025, around one month after BTC/USD put in its 2025 low near $74,500. Over the following two months, price went from $94,000 to $119,000, setting new all-time highs.
Continuing on the phenomenon, X trading resource GalaxyTrading flagged key MACD comparisons across Bitcoin’s past two bear markets.
“In the 2018 bear market, it took around 245 days for the weekly MACD to turn positive,” it noted.
“In 2022, it also took 245 days to turn bullish. In 2026, we will reach 245 days by the end of April.”
BTC/USD MACD data. Source: GalaxyTrading/X
Liquidations spike as Bitcoin tags $70,000
Bitcoin managed a trip beyond $70,000 after the weekly close, data from TradingView confirms, reaching new April highs.
While some traders remained skeptical over pre-market price action, the close itself was notable, bringing back both the 200-week EMA and old 2021 all-time high as potential support.
As Cointelegraph reported, both levels have courted suspicion over their reliability.
$BTC pumping on a Sunday and everyone celebrating…
The move to the local highs caught short positions off guard, with total crypto liquidations passing $250 million over the 24 hours to the time of writing, per data from CoinGlass.
In his latest analysis, trader CrypNuevo continued to eye longs closer to $64,000 for a potential liquidity hunt to the downside.
“There are some HTF liquidations between $64k-$64.5k. This adds fuel a move lower. I don’t see conclusive data on LTF liquidations,” he commented in an X thread on Sunday.
Crypto liquidation history (screenshot). Source: CoinGlass
In one of its “QuickTake” blog posts, onchain analytics platform CryptoQuant flagged the return of “aggressive short-term positioning” — spikes in both cumulative net taker volume and open interest on Binance.
This matters because Bitcoin’s move is being driven not only by price strength, “but also by renewed speculative participation in derivatives,” contributor Amr Taha commented.
“In simple terms, traders are becoming more willing to add fresh exposure as BTC pushes higher. If this trend continues, it could reinforce short-term momentum.”
Bitcoin open interest change by exchange (screenshot). Source: CryptoQuant
Trump’s Iran “Bridge Day” puts markets on edge
A combination of geopolitics and key US inflation data makes for a week of “extreme volatility,” analysis predicts.
The US-Israel and Iran war continues to guide market sentiment, and oil prices reflect the uncertainty over the fate of key issues such as the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz. WTI crude oil started the week with a trip above $115 per barrel.
Traders are now eyeing one deadline in particular when it comes to how the conflict might play out: Tuesday, 8pm Eastern time. This is when US President Donald Trump promises major infrastructure strikes if no deal with Iran is reached.
In a post on Truth Social at the weekend, Trump appeared particularly impatient, calling the day of the deadline “Power Plant Day” and “Bridge Day” while demanding that Hormuz reopen.
Source: Truth Social
Headlines remain mixed, however, with talk of a 45-day ceasefire now a focus.
“This is being described as a ‘last-ditch effort’ to prevent ‘massive strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure,’” trading resource The Kobeissi Letter reported on X.
Kobeissi noted that S&P 500 futures “erased all losses” on the news, underscoring risk-asset vulnerability to war-related triggers. As Cointelegraph reported, Bitcoin remains no exception.
Last week, macro investor and former hedge fund manager James Lavish nonetheless said that markets were pricing in odds of the war ending sooner rather than later.
A potential drawdown for BTC price action should markets experience a “black swan” event, he told Cointelegraph, could be up to 20%.
Risk assets face two major US inflation prints
Markets will thus be juggling war shocks and inflation data concurrently this week, with multiple US prints due.
Among them is the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, known as the Federal Reserve’s “preferred” inflation gauge.
February’s PCE release matched market expectations, but did not reflect inflation trends after the war had started.
“Following the jump in oil prices and potential spillover impact from fertilizer shortages on food prices, challenges around the inflation outlook still poses a major risk,” trading resource Mosaic Asset Company summarized in the latest edition of its regular newsletter, “The Market Mosaic.”
US PCE % change (screenshot). Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
That risk also applies to the week’s last and arguably most important inflation number: the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Here, the oil-price jump is especially pertinent, thanks to its direct impact on CPI inflation trends.
“Oil prices are now crossing above $115/barrel in the US. As a result, our models indicate that if current levels are sustained another ~7 weeks, US CPI inflation will rise to ~3.7%,” Kobeissi commented.
Kobeissi said that its “base case” for CPI inflation was now 3% — considerably higher than the Fed’s target.
US CPI 12-month % change. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Like PCE, the most recent CPI print was flat, helping temper the impact of previous overshoots.
The latest data from CME Group’s FedWatch Tool meanwhile shows practically no chance of the Fed either raising or lowering interest-rates at its next meeting at the end of April.
Fed target rate probabilities for April FOMC meeting (screenshot). Source: CME Group
New lows “just a matter of time?”
As macro events play out, Bitcoin still has a specific cloud hanging over it that traders fear will only lead price downward.
Related: Bitcoin ‘done’ with 85% crashes, says Cathie Wood amid new $34K target
BTC/USD continues to battle for support at the bottom of its second bear flag of 2026. The first, which appeared in January, resulted in a drop of roughly $25,000.
“Structurally, $BTC price action is still nearly identical to the prior bear flag structure,” Keith Alan, cofounder of trading resource Material Indicators, warned last week.
“Nothing says that it has to continue to mimic that price behavior, but I’m following it like roadmap until price deviates from that path.”
BTC/USD one-day chart. Source: Keith Alan/X
When it comes to new lows, Cointelegraph reported on broad consensus that February’s downside wick below $60,000 will be revisited.
“When that breakdown eventually happens, watch the behavior closely. If price starts repeatedly sweeping the lows, making it psychologically difficult to enter longs, that’s when a true bottom is more likely forming,” pseudonymous trader LP told X followers this weekend.
LP said that new lows were “likely just a matter of time.”
BTC price comparison. Source: LP/X
Alan, meanwhile, eyed a trip to the mid-$40,000 range as part of a “measured move” below bear-flag support.
“Expecting to test resistance in the $67k – $69k range before the next leg down,” he wrote while discussing the topic on X.
“End to the war or a really strong Q2 Open could invalidate the bear flag and challenge resistance at the MACRO structure.”
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.
Bitcoin BTC$69,872.84 climbed to near $70,000 as traders reacted to signs of possible de-escalation in the Iran war and amid a short squeeze that liquidated more than $270 million in shorts.
Crypto prices rose, along with equity index futures and equities, as Axios reported that the U.S. and Iran are discussing a potential 45-day ceasefire. The report raised hopes that hostilities could ease, potentially lowering the risks for ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.
That is improving appetite for risk assets across markets, and the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) fell. The retreat is being amplified as reports suggest Pakistan is brokering what’s being called the “Islamabad Accord.”
Under the deal, a ceasefire would take effect immediately and the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened. Nevertheless, markets still need convincing.
On Polymarket, the odds of a ceasefire this month are at around 30%, up from 18% before the Islamabad Accord came to light. Oil prices remain elevated, and the Federal Reserve is still widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged.
If a ceasefire materializes and the conflict winds down, a relief rally could further benefit risk assets. For now, though, traders appear to be treating the headlines with skepticism.
Derivatives Positioning
Notional open interest (OI) in bitcoin and ether (ETH) has risen by 7% and 11%, respectively, outpacing spot price gains. This suggests fresh capital inflows into the market, likely chasing bullish exposure, as both funding rates and cumulative volume deltas for BTC and ETH remain positive.
Among altcoins, ADA, AVAX and LINK stand out with double-digit increases in open interest alongside positive funding rates. In contrast, sentiment appears bearish for BCH and HYPE, which are sporting negative funding rates.
Bitcoin’s volatility meltdown continues, signaling market calm and supporting bullish price action. The 30-day implied volatility index, BVIV, has dropped below 50% for the first time since early February. Ether’s index, EVIV, also fell to the lowest level in weeks.
On Deribit, bitcoin’s $60,000 put and the $80,000 call are the most popular options bets, each boasting a notional open interest of $1.40 billion at press time. These, therefore, are key levels to watch, as they represent areas where traders are heavily positioned for either downside protection or upside participation.
Volatility, therefore, could pick up sharply if prices move outside of the $60,000-$80,000 range.
Broadly speaking, the mood in options market remains cautious despite bullish hints in futures. BTC and ETH puts remain pricier than calls, a sign of sticky demand for downside hedging. Some of the bias for puts also stems from persistent overwriting of calls, a yield-generating strategy.
Token Talk
Algorand’s ALGO token has surged nearly 50% in the past 30 days after a Google Quantum AI research paper highlighted its approach to quantum-resistant security.
The Google report examined how blockchains can defend against future threats from quantum computers, which might be able to break current encryption methods. Algorand drew notable attention for its use of FALCON, a post-quantum signature scheme selected by U.S. standards body NIST.
The network already uses the system for features like state proofs, which confirm ledger updates, and for certain transaction types.
ALGO rose from about $0.08 to near $0.12 so far, bringing its market capitalization past $1 billion. It’s up more than 7.3% in the last 24 hours amid a wider market rally.
The US, Iran, and mediators are in talks for a potential 45-day ceasefire. Odds for a ceasefire by April 7 are at 1% YES, down from 12% last week.
The April 7 market is pessimistic at 1% YES, a drop from 12% a week ago. The April 15 market is at 6.5% YES, down from 22%. The April 30 market is at 17.5% YES, declining from 40%. A 19-point increase between April 30 and May 31 suggests traders expect a catalyst in early May.
Trading volume is at $430,773 in USDC over 24 hours. A $12,367 movement cost for April 7 shows market vulnerability. The April 30 market, with $19,938 to move 5 points, is more stable but still affected by large orders. The May 31 market needs $17,165 for a similar move, indicating deeper liquidity.
Ceasefire talks indicate a diplomatic shift, but markets remain skeptical. With Trump’s ultimatum, traders are cautious about military escalation. A YES share for April 7 at 1¢ offers a 99x return, but the odds are slim for a quick diplomatic breakthrough.
Watch for CENTCOM statements or changes in Trump’s rhetoric. Announcements of talks or intermediary involvement by Oman or Qatar could impact markets.
Markets Impacted
Get prediction market intelligence as a structured API feed. Early access waitlist.
Bigo CEO Mike Belshe proposes using a blockchain to stop billions in annual US fraud.
VP Vance’s focus on fraud schemes shows how this is affecting the U.S. economy.
Following 2025 trials, Russia enabled the digital ruble for all federal payments in January 2026.
Bitgo CEO Mike Belshe: Put Money on a Public Blockchain to Reduce Fraud
While the federal government is trying to stop what President Trump has called a “free-for-all theft” leading to state and federal fraud, cryptocurrency personalities have proposed new solutions to this issue.
Mike Belshe, CEO of Bigo, one of the leading custody providers for digital assets, proposed implementing a blockchain to curb this problem, which might account for losses reaching up to $521 billion annually.
On social media, Belshe stated:
“There is a solution to all this state and federal fraud which doesn’t require repealing the money: put it on a public blockchain.”
The system would hypothetically include making public disbursements to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) using a blockchain like Ethereum, and then publishing the transactions and addresses receiving them for general oversight. “Citizens will take care of the rest,” he stressed.
Belshe’s remarks come at a time when the Trump Administration is publicly battling fraud, with Trump himself appointing Vice President Vance as “fraud czar,” focusing on states controlled by Democrats, including California, Illinois, Minnesota, Maine, and New York.
In California, eight individuals were recently arrested for their alleged involvement in a healthcare fraud scheme totaling over $50 million. The Department of the Treasury has stressed that “complex fraud rings in Minnesota have stolen billions of dollars from state programs for their personal enrichment in the United States and abroad.”
Russia has already tested its upcoming central bank digital currency ( CBDC), the digital ruble, for this same objective, with limited budgetary trials starting back in 2025. It can now be leveraged for all government payments since January 2026, with this use case identified as one “where the capabilities of the digital ruble can be used to best effect.”
Bitcoin jumped 3% to $69,120 on Monday as traders returned from the Easter weekend to a burst of optimism around a potential Iran ceasefire, pushing the largest cryptocurrency to its highest level in over a week and squeezing $196 million in short positions over the past 24 hours.
Ether led a bump among major tokens with a 3.7% gain to $2,130, its strongest daily move in the past week. SOL rose 2% to $82, XRP added 2.2% to $1.34, and dogecoin climbed 1.7% to $0.093. The broad rally pushed the total crypto market cap back above $2.5 trillion.
The catalyst was an Axios report that the U.S., Iran, and a group of regional mediators are discussing terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the six-week-old conflict.
Reports that more ships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz added to the relief, even as Trump issued increasingly aggressive threats to destroy Iran’s power plants starting Tuesday.
The liquidation data tells the story of how the market was positioned heading into the weekend.
Of the $273.8 million in total 24-hour liquidations across 81,819 traders, shorts accounted for $196.7 million versus $77.1 million in longs, a ratio of nearly 3-to-1 that indicates traders were heavily positioned for further downside after last week’s sentiment collapse. The largest single liquidation was a $10.17 million ETH-USDT short on Binance.
Bitcoin’s 24-hour range stretched from $66,634 to $69,350, a $2,700 swing that caught the worst of the short positioning.
The move came after Santiment data over the weekend showed social media sentiment had hit its most bearish skew since the war began, with five negative posts for every four positive ones. As is often the case in crypto, the most bearish sentiment reading of the cycle produced the sharpest bounce.
The move reclaims the top of bitcoin’s five-week war range but does not break it. The $65,000 to $73,000 channel that has contained every rally and selloff since the conflict began remains intact.
Resistance levels at $71,500 and $81,200, corresponding to the Lower Band and Trader On-chain Realized Price indicators as tracked in a CoinDesk report, sit overhead as the next meaningful tests if the ceasefire momentum holds.
Whether this rally has more substance than the last three depends entirely on whether the 45-day ceasefire materializes or becomes another headline that gets walked back within 48 hours.
Tokenization, the representation of real-life assets on a blockchain, could reshape both crypto markets and traditional finance, while introducing new risks that regulators are not yet equipped to manage, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In a new report, the IMF described tokenization as more than a technical upgrade to markets. By moving assets like money, bonds and funds onto shared blockchains, transactions can settle instantly, cutting out intermediaries and reducing delays that define today’s markets.
The IMF says the “atomic settlement” that tokenization brings to the financial world could lower counterparty risk and force firms to manage liquidity in real time.
“Stress events are likely to unfold faster, leaving less time for discretionary intervention,” the report reads. “Therefore, ensuring stability requires that tokenized asset management remains anchored in safe settlement assets, legally recognized finality, and robust governance arrangements.”
The report points to stablecoins — tokens whose value is pegged to a fiat currency — as a key bridge between crypto and traditional finance. These could become widely used settlement assets across tokenized platforms, the report said.
Still, their reliability depends on reserves and redemption systems, leaving them exposed to runs under stress.
The IMF also warned that faster, automated markets could amplify volatility, while smart contracts that trigger margin calls or liquidations may accelerate selloffs during downturns. Such rapid declines have been seen in crypto markets,
Tokenized assets also can move instantly across jurisdictions, complicating oversight and raising concerns about capital flight and currency substitution in emerging markets, the IMF wrote.
The organization called for clearer legal frameworks and stronger global coordination, arguing that without them, tokenized finance could deepen fragmentation rather than improve efficiency.
Tokenization has been a growing theme in the crypto sector. Real-world assets added to blockchain rails have already topped $23.2 billion according to DeFiLlama data. Excluding stablecoins, the majority of that figure is in the form of tokenized gold or money market funds.
