Summary
gm, Ripple Labs acquired prime brokerage Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, marking one of the largest deals in the industry. This move aims to enhance Ripple's institutional client services amid reduced regulatory pressure. Meanwhile, Binance announced plans to delist 14 tokens as part of efforts to strengthen investor protections. In the DeFi sector, Rootstock is preparing to release SDKs for Bitcoin Layer 2s using BitVM, potentially improving Bitcoin's smart contract capabilities. The market responded positively to President Trump's announcement of a 90-day pause on tariffs, with Bitcoin surging to $82,126, up 7.2% in 24 hours, while other major cryptocurrencies also saw significant gains.

News Headlines
💰 Stablecoins Are WhatsApp Moment for Money Transfers, A16Z Says

  • Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z) compares stablecoins to WhatsApp in terms of transforming money transfers.
  • Stablecoins have the potential to revolutionize financial transactions by offering a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional methods.

🎮 Aavegotchi to Migrate from Polygon to Coinbase's Base

  • Aavegotchi, a DeFi game, will migrate from Polygon to Coinbase's Layer 2 solution, Base, to enhance user experience and operational efficiency.
  • The transition is set to take place in the coming months, with automated asset transfer for most users.

🌐 Taurus Launches Interbank Network for Digital Assets

  • Swiss crypto fintech Taurus has launched an interbank network called Taurus-Network (TN) for digital asset transactions among regulated financial institutions.
  • The network aims to improve collateral mobility, optimize settlement speed, and reduce counterparty risk.

💼 Magic Eden Acquires Crypto Trading App Slingshot to Move Beyond NFTs

  • Magic Eden has acquired the crypto trading app Slingshot to diversify beyond non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
  • This acquisition allows Magic Eden to enhance its support for over 8 million tokens across various major blockchains.

🏦 Kraken Partners with Mastercard to Launch Crypto Debit Cards in Europe, UK

  • Kraken has partnered with Mastercard to issue crypto debit cards in the UK and Europe.
  • The cards will allow users to spend cryptocurrencies and stablecoins directly.

Market Metrics

Fundraising & VC
1. Firefish (Seed, $1.8M) - Open market for Bitcoin-backed loans
2. Lyzi (Seed, $1.4M0 - Crypto payment platform
3. MetaEra (Pre Series A, Undisclosed) - Blockchain-focused media outlet

On-chain Data
1. Internet Computer (ICP) token unlocked today ($13.68M, 0.57%)
2. Moca Network (moca) token unlock in 1 day ($16.65M, 10.76%)
3. Aptos (APT) token unlock in 2 days ($52.37M, 1.87%)
4. Axie Infinity (AXS) token unlock in 2 days ($24.97M, 6.49%)

Regulatory
🏛️ SEC Approves Ether ETF Options Trading

  • The SEC approved options trading on spot Ethereum ETFs from BlackRock, Grayscale, and Bitwise.
  • This move is expected to enhance Ether's appeal among institutional investors seeking to hedge against market declines.

👨‍⚖️ Paul Atkins Confirmed as New SEC Chair

  • The US Senate confirmed Paul Atkins as the new SEC chair with a vote of 51-45, primarily along party lines.
  • Atkins, who previously served as an SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008, is expected to bring a different perspective to crypto regulation.

💼 Ukraine Proposes 23% Tax on Crypto Income

  • Ukraine's financial regulator proposed a 23% tax on certain crypto transactions categorized as personal income.
  • The framework excludes crypto-to-crypto transactions and stablecoins, which could face lower taxation of 5% or 9%.

🔍 OpenSea Requests Regulatory Clarity from SEC

  • OpenSea has asked the SEC to clarify the regulatory distinction between NFT marketplaces and securities exchanges or brokers.
  • The company argues that classifying NFT marketplaces as securities exchanges represents regulatory overreach.

🌐 New York Proposes Blockchain for Election Security

  • A new bill in New York aims to evaluate the use of blockchain technology for securing voter records and election results.
  • The state Board of Elections is directed to study potential benefits of blockchain in the electoral process.

Technical Analysis
Bitcoin - Bitcoin is in a falling trend channel in the short term. Falling trends indicate that the currency experiences negative development and falling buy interest among investors. The currency is between support at points 80000 and resistance at points 84000. A definitive break through of one of these levels predicts the new direction. The currency is assessed as technically negative for the short term.

Ethereum - Ethereum is in a falling trend channel in the short term. This shows that investors over time have sold at lower prices to get out of the currency, and indicates negative development for the currency. There is no support in the price chart and further decline is indicated. In case of a positive reaction, the currency has resistance at 1870 points. The currency is assessed as technically negative for the short term.

Governance & Code
💰 Yearn DAO | Epoch 40 dYFI Emission (Active Vote)
- This proposal aims to determine where 90% of the emitted dYFI in this epoch is distributed.

💧 Lido DAO | Twyne x Lido Alliance Proposal (Preliminary Discussion)
- This proposal aims to onboard Twyne, a credit delegation protocol, into the Lido Alliance.

👻 Aave DAO |Onboard wETH to Aave V3 Celo Instance (Preliminary Discussion)
- This proposal aims to onboard wETH to the Aave v3 Celo instance.