Category: Altcoin News

Crypto rug pulls have slowed, but are now more devastating: DappRadar

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There has been a 66% year-on-year decrease in the number of crypto rug pulls this year compared to 2024, but recent data shows the size of each rug pull has been increasing. Rug pulls have dropped in frequency year-over-year, with early 2024 recording 21 separate incidents, compared to only seven so far in 2025, according to an April 16 report from blockchain analytics platform DappRadar. However, since the beginning of 2025, the Web3 ecosystem has lost nearly $6 billion to rug pulls, according to DappRadar’s report. However, the report attributes…

Manta founder details attempted Zoom hack by Lazarus that used very real ‘legit faces’

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Manta Network co-founder Kenny Li says he was targeted by a highly sophisticated phishing attack on Zoom that used live recordings of familiar people in an attempt to have him download malware.  The meeting seemed real with the impersonated person’s camera on, but the lack of sound and a suspicious prompt to download a script raised red flags, Li said in an April 17 X post. “I could see their legit faces. Everything looked very real. But I couldn’t hear them. It said my Zoom needs an update. But it…

Yemenis are turning to DeFi as US sanctions target Houthi group

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Yemeni citizens are increasingly using decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols to bank themselves amid US sanctions aimed at the Houthi group, which they have deemed a terrorist organization.  In the past, internet infrastructure challenges and low financial literacy among the war-torn population contributed to relatively limited crypto adoption, according to an April 17 report from blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. “However, there are signs of growing interest and usage driven primarily by necessity rather than speculation,” the blockchain intelligence firm said.  “For those who use cryptocurrencies in Yemen, the ability to…

Arizona crypto reserve bill passes House committee, heads to third reading

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One of Arizona’s crypto reserve bills has been passed by the House and is now one successful vote away from heading to the governor’s desk for official approval. Arizona’s Strategic Digital Assets Reserve Bill (SB 1373) was approved on April 17 by the House Committee of the Whole, which involves 60 House members weighing in on the bill before a third and final reading and a full floor vote. Source: Bitcoin Laws SB 1373 seeks to establish a Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund made up of digital assets seized through…

Bitcoin dip buyers nibble at BTC range lows but are risk off until $90K becomes support

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Bitcoin’s (BTC) realized market cap reached a new all-time high of $872 billion, but data from Glassnode reflects investors’ lack of enthusiasm at BTC’s current price levels. In a recent X post, the analytics platform pointed out that despite the realized cap milestone, the monthly growth rate of the metric has dropped to 0.9% month over month, which implied a risk-off sentiment in the market. Bitcoin realized cap net position. Source: X.com Realized cap measures the total value of all Bitcoin at the price they last moved, reflecting the actual…

OpenAI sought Anysphere deal before turning its sights on WindSurf

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OpenAI was reportedly in talks to buy Anysphere, the company that produces the Cursor AI coding assistant, before entering into talks with rival company WindSurf. According to CNBC, OpenAI approached Anysphere in 2024 and again in 2025, but talks stalled both times. Failing to arrive at a deal led OpenAI to look elsewhere for potential acquisitions. Sources familiar with the deal also say OpenAI is prepared to pay $3 billion to purchase WindSurf, which would make it the company’s largest corporate acquisition to date. An example of OpenAI’s ChatGPT producing…

Ripple acquisition Hidden Road secures FINRA registration

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Prime brokerage Hidden Road, which was recently acquired by Ripple for $1.25 billion, has secured a broker-dealer license from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) — a move that enhances its capacity in the fixed-income markets.  As a FINRA broker-dealer, Hidden Road can further develop its fixed-income prime brokerage services and extend its capabilities in traditional markets, the company announced on April 17. This includes offering institutional clients regulatory-compliant clearing and financing services across fixed-income securities.  Membership in FINRA is considered a significant commitment to compliance and investor protection. It…

A16z doubles down on LayerZero with $55M investment

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Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, or a16z, announced a $55 million investment in LayerZero, a Web3 company that runs a crosschain messaging protocol. The investment was disclosed in an April 17 X post by Ali Yahya, a general partner in the firm. A16z has made previous investments in LayerZero, including an initial investment in March 2022 and a subsequent investment during LayerZero’s Series B funding round in April 2023. The companies have not disclosed the funding round’s valuation. Source: Ali Yahja | alive.eth The Canada-based LayerZero was valued at $3…

4 reasons why Bitcoin price could rally to $90K in April

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Key points:  Monetary stimulus in China and Europe increases investors’ focus on Bitcoin price. The US Federal Reserve is under political pressure to cut rates, as the DXY weakens. Bitcoin’s decoupling from traditional markets continues to gain attention.  Bitcoin (BTC) traders are somewhat puzzled by BTC price jumping to $85,000, especially since the S&P 500 index has dropped 5.7% in April, and this move came after the cryptocurrency managed a 14% rebound off its trade-war induced crash to $74,400. Investors are cautiously optimistic, but multiple events and data points to…

Trump blasts ‘too late’ Powell for not cutting interest rates

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US President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, accusing him of being too slow to cut interest rates and escalating a long-running conflict that risks undermining the central bank’s political independence. With the European Central Bank (ECB) cutting interest rates again on April 17, “Too Late” Powell has failed to act appropriately in the United States, even with inflation falling, Trump said on Truth Social on April 17.  “Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!” Trump said. Source: realDonaldTrump Florida Senator Rick Scott agreed with the…