Market Performance
| Asset / Index | Value ($) | Daily Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | 66,815 | +0.32% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | 2,064 | +0.93% |
| Bitcoin Spot ETF | +8.99M | — |
| Ethereum Spot ETF | -71.17M | — |
| Nasdaq (NAS100) | 23,961 | +1.31% |
| S&P 500 (SPX) | 6,582 | +0.11% |
| Russell 2000 (RUT) | 2,522 | +2.27% |
| U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) | 99.998 | -0.08% |
| VIX Volatility Index | 23.87 | -10.50% |
| U.S. 10-Year Yield | 4.309 | -1.53% |
| Brent Crude Oil (BRENT) | 106.445 | +1.11% |
| LBMA Gold (XAU) | 4,676 | +1.17% |
| LBMA Silver (XAG) | 72.80 | +2.81% |
“Prepared at UTC 08.17 am”
Trump Warns of Further Escalation Targeting Iran’s Infrastructure
U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Thursday evening via Truth Social that military escalation against Iran could intensify further, stating that key infrastructure such as bridges and power plants may be targeted. He said the U.S. military has not yet begun fully dismantling remaining assets in Iran and indicated that upcoming targets could include critical infrastructure, adding that Tehran’s leadership understands what needs to be done quickly.
Trump Replaces Attorney General as DOJ Shifts Crypto Enforcement Approach
President Donald Trump removed Attorney General Pam Bondi and appointed her deputy Todd Blanche to lead the U.S. Department of Justice. As Deputy Attorney General, Blanche had already disbanded the DOJ’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and instructed prosecutors to avoid regulatory violation cases against the crypto industry. Despite committing to divest, Blanche reportedly held between $159,000 and $485,000 in crypto assets while signing enforcement-related documents, raising ethical concerns.
Crypto Industry and Lawmakers Review Stablecoin Yield Compromise Draft
Representatives from the crypto and banking sectors are set to meet with lawmakers to review a revised compromise text on stablecoin yield provisions within the broader market structure bill. The draft, initially introduced by Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Thom Tillis, would ban yield derived directly from stablecoin balances while allowing returns generated through business activities, though the industry has expressed concerns over certain aspects of the proposal.
CFTC Sues States Over Crackdown on Prediction Markets
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed lawsuits against Illinois, Arizona, and Connecticut after the states attempted to shut down sports-related prediction market products. The legal battle highlights an ongoing dispute over whether such markets fall under federal derivatives regulation or should be treated as gambling under state jurisdiction.
Drift Protocol Exploit Drains $270M via Nonce Mechanism Abuse
An attacker drained at least $270 million from Solana-based Drift Protocol by exploiting a legitimate feature known as “durable nonces,” rather than using traditional hacking methods. By obtaining two misleading approvals from the protocol’s security council multisig, the attacker executed pre-signed transactions valid for over a week, gaining control at the protocol level without exploiting code bugs, private keys, or oracle systems.
Quantum Blockchain Testnet Launched to Explore Real-World Use Cases
Postquant Labs launched a blockchain testnet designed to allow quantum processors, GPUs, and CPUs to operate together, enabling researchers to test whether quantum computing can provide practical advantages for blockchain tasks. Built with support from D-Wave, the experimental network has already attracted early participation from six research teams and over 13,000 records.
Riot Platforms Sells 3,778 BTC Amid Challenging Market Conditions
Bitcoin mining firm Riot Platforms sold 3,778 BTC in the first quarter at an average price of $76,626, generating approximately $289.5 million. The company produced 1,473 BTC during the same period and held 15,680 BTC at quarter-end. Blockchain analytics platform Arkham also detected a 500 BTC outflow linked to Riot, reflecting broader selling pressure among mining firms facing tightening margins.
Tech Giants Back x402 Foundation for AI-Powered Crypto Payments
Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services are among major companies supporting the newly established x402 Foundation, aimed at managing and standardizing a protocol for AI-driven payments across crypto and fiat systems. Launched by the Linux Foundation, the initiative has also attracted backing from firms including American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Stripe, Circle, Polygon, Solana Foundation, and Shopify.
Polymarket Expands into Stocks and Commodities Using Pyth Oracle Data
Polymarket introduced new markets tied to stocks, commodities, and ETFs, using price data from Pyth Network as the resolution source for daily contracts. The new offerings include directional and closing price contracts on major indices, gold, oil, and U.S.-listed equities, with outcomes automatically determined based on real-time data feeds and reset at the end of each trading session.
X Considers New Rules to Combat Crypto Scams via Phishing Attacks
Social media platform X is considering new measures targeting first-time crypto-related posts to prevent phishing scams and account takeovers. The move follows incidents where scammers impersonated trusted figures to promote fraudulent crypto investments, prompting the platform to strengthen user protection mechanisms.
SoFi Launches Unified Platform for Fiat and Crypto Business Banking
SoFi Technologies introduced its Big Business Banking platform, enabling companies to manage both fiat and crypto transactions within a single regulated system. The service allows businesses to hold deposits, transfer funds, and execute transactions 24/7, consolidating functions typically split across banks, custodians, and crypto service providers.
