Day: April 21, 2025

Crypto casino revenues hit $81B in 2024 despite global restrictions

admin

Crypto casinos generated more than $81 billion in revenue from betting in 2024, even as regulators in key jurisdictions continue to block access to the platforms, according to a new report. Citing data from the anti-online-crime platform Yield Sec, the Financial Times reported that wagers paid in crypto in 2024 generated $81.4 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR). This metric refers to the difference between bets taken and winnings paid out.   Yield Sec data also showed that the annual revenue for crypto casinos increased five times since 2022 despite gambling…

Bitcoin rally above $100K may follow US Treasury buybacks — Arthur Hayes

admin

Investors seeking Bitcoin exposure may be running out of time to purchase below a six-figure price, as US Treasury buybacks may signal the next leg up for the world’s first cryptocurrency. This might be the “last chance” to buy Bitcoin (BTC) below the $100,000 mark, according to Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX and chief investment officer of Maelstrom. “Seriously fam, this might be the last chance you have to buy $BTC post, hinting at incoming “treasury buy backs” as the “Bazooka” for Bitcoin’s price trajectory. Source: Arthur Hayes Treasury buybacks…

XRP price eyes 70% rally ahead of CFTC-regulated futures launch on Coinbase

admin

XRP (XRP) has dropped nearly 40% since hitting its multi-year high of $3.40 three months ago. Still, its ability to hold above key technical support levels, combined with a potentially market-shifting derivatives listing, has prompted some analysts to maintain a bullish outlook for the months ahead. XRP/USD daily price chart. Source: TradingView Coinbase XRP futures may launch on April 21 From a fundamental perspective, XRP may receive a boost from the anticipated launch of XRP futures contracts on the Coinbase Derivatives platform, scheduled for April 21 under the US Commodity…

Ethereum Foundation shifts focus to user experience, layer-1 scaling

admin

The Ethereum Foundation, the nonprofit organization developing the Ethereum ecosystem, is shifting its focus to user experience and layer-1 scaling challenges following its recent leadership reshuffle.  On April 21, the Ethereum Foundation co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak shared an X post detailing how the organization has changed since its change in leadership structures. Stańczak said the change aims to give Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin more time for research and exploration rather than dealing with day-to-day tasks and crisis management. “Each time Vitalik shares insights or communicates a direction, he accelerates major…

US dollar goes ‘no-bid’ — 5 things to know in Bitcoin this week

admin

Bitcoin (BTC) is eyeing new April highs as macro instability suddenly delivers a tailwind for BTC price performance. Bitcoin is on the way up, nearing $88,000, but few market participants are willing to trust the strength of snap price moves. A new macro week dawns in the shadow of the US trade war, with Federal Reserve speakers lining up to take to the stage. Gold is shattering all-time highs again, but this time Bitcoin is starting to react. US dollar weakness exhibits historic traits as three-year lows spark bullish predictions…

Metaplanet tops $400M Bitcoin holdings with new $28M purchase

admin

Japanese investment firm Metaplanet increased its Bitcoin holdings to more than $400 million after its latest purchase. Metaplanet acquired 330 Bitcoin (BTC) for $28.2 million at an average price of $85,605 per BTC, bringing its total holdings to 4,855 Bitcoin worth $414 million, according to an April 21 post from Simon Gerovich, the CEO of Metaplanet. The firm’s Bitcoin yield surpassed 119% year-to-date after its latest investment. Source: Simon Gerovich Metaplanet issued 2 billion Japanese yen ($13.3 million) of bonds to buy more Bitcoin on March 31, Cointelegraph reported. Related:…

Crypto adoption will be driven by high-growth markets, with or without the US

admin

Opinion by: Dominic Schwenter, chief operating officer of Lisk The US is in the middle of a crypto boom. Exchange-traded fund approvals have opened the door to institutional adoption, liquidity is increasing, and regulatory clarity is beginning to take shape under a more crypto-aligned administration. Filings from the Securities and Exchange Commission referencing blockchain hit an all-time high in February 2025, signaling a broader shift in how seriously the technology is being taken at the highest levels. This momentum is good for the industry. US-based crypto companies have spent nearly…

Synthetix founder threatens SNX stakers with ‘the stick’ to fix SUSD depeg

admin

Synthetix founder Kain Warwick has threatened SNX stakers with “the stick” if they don’t take up a newly launched staking mechanism to help fix the protocol’s ongoing sUSD (SUSD) depeg. Warwick said in an April 21 post to X that it has now implemented a sUSD staking mechanism to address the depeg, but admitted it is currently “very manual” without a proper user interface.  However, once the UI goes live, Warwick said, if there isn’t enough momentum, then they may have to “ratchet up the pressure” on the stakers in…

Two-thirds of Lazarus-hacked funds remain traceable

admin

Crypto exchange Bybit co-founder and CEO Ben Zhou says more than two-thirds of the digital assets stolen from the platform in February by North Korea’s Lazarus Group still remain traceable.  In an executive summary on hacked Bybit funds posted on X on April 21, Ben Zhou said that of the total $1.4 billion hacked, 68.6% “remains traceable,” 27.6% has “gone dark,” and 3.8% has been frozen. The untraceable funds primarily flowed into mixers, then through bridges to peer-to-peer and over-the-counter platforms, he added.  In February, hackers associated with the Lazarus…

Users being polite to ChatGPT is costing OpenAI millions — Sam Altman

admin

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says users sending “please” and “thank you” messages to ChatGPT is costing the company tens of millions of dollars. “Tens of millions of dollars well spent — you never know,” Altman said on April 16 after being asked to estimate the cost on X. Source: Sam Altman Altman’s response sparked discussion about what drives users to interact with AI models in a polite manner. Some AI users say they interact politely with the bots in case AI becomes sentient and starts treating people based on how…