Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Solana based NFT marketplace Magic Eden is winding down major parts of its Ethereum and Bitcoin operations as it pivots toward blockchain-based gambling. The company confirmed it will discontinue support for Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and Bitcoin marketplaces, including Runes and Ordinals, in March. Its Bitcoin API and crypto wallet services will also be phased out shortly afterward. The move marks a significant shift for a platform that previously ranked among the most active NFT marketplaces during the digital collectibles boom. CEO and co-founder Jack Lu said in a post on X; Strategic Pivot Toward Dicey iGaming Platform Magic Eden is redirecting…

Bitcoin slipped below $66,000 on Monday as geopolitical tensions intensified following reports that Iran targeted oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The pullback erased earlier gains that had briefly pushed the cryptocurrency close to $67,000 during Asian trading hours. At the same time, U.S. stock index futures turned sharply lower. S&P 500 e-mini futures declined around 1.4%, reversing earlier advances, while crude oil prices surged more than 7% amid fears of supply disruptions. According to several open source intelligence (OSINT) sources on X; Iran Attacks Raise Oil Supply Concerns Open-source intelligence accounts reported missile strikes on U.S. assets in Bahrain, Kuwait…

Trump Media & Technology Group is weighing a potential spinoff of its social media platform, Truth Social, as the company accelerates its expansion into cryptocurrency and financial technology. The company confirmed it is in discussions involving TAE Technologies and Texas Ventures Acquisition III, a special purpose acquisition company. Under the proposed structure, Truth Social could be separated into a new publicly traded entity, informally referred to as SpinCo, which would later merge with Texas Ventures Acquisition III. Shares of the new company would be distributed to existing shareholders. The talks follow a previously announced merger agreement with TAE Technologies valued…

Gold Price Climbs Above $5,370 Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions Gold surged more than 1% on Monday to trade above $5,370 per ounce, extending its strong upward momentum as investors sought safety following a sharp escalation in Middle East tensions. The move came after joint military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran over the weekend reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. The developments triggered retaliatory actions from Tehran targeting US-linked assets across the region, including bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria. Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz…

Bitcoin could see renewed momentum if artificial intelligence reshapes the global economy and influences central banks toward easier monetary policy, according to research from NYDIG. Greg Cipolaro, the firm’s research lead, argues that AI may emerge as a “general-purpose technology” comparable to past transformative innovations. Its broader impact on labor markets, productivity and liquidity conditions could become a defining macro driver for digital assets such as Bitcoin, which was recently trading near $66,000. Cipolaro notes that if AI-led growth coincides with expanding liquidity and stable real interest rates, the environment could be supportive for Bitcoin. However, stronger economic growth that…

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined a sweeping two-part plan to redesign the blockchain’s execution layer, arguing that deep architectural changes are necessary to meet long-term scalability and proving goals. In a detailed post, Buterin said Ethereum’s state tree and virtual machine together account for more than 80% of the network’s proving bottleneck. Incremental upgrades, he argued, will not be sufficient to address core inefficiencies as zero-knowledge (ZK) technologies and client-side proving become more central to Ethereum’s roadmap. Binary State Tree Proposal Gains Momentum The first proposal centers on EIP-7864, which would replace Ethereum’s current hexary Keccak-based Merkle Patricia Tree…

Analysts at JPMorgan Chase believe proposed U.S. crypto market structure legislation could be approved by mid-2026, potentially acting as a positive catalyst for digital asset markets in the second half of the year. Despite continued weakness in overall sentiment, the bank suggests regulatory clarity may help shift institutional positioning. The proposed framework, commonly referred to as the CLARITY Act, aims to establish a formal classification system for digital assets. Under the plan, certain tokens would fall under the oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, while others would remain regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This distinction could reduce…

Bitcoin may be trading at a significant discount compared to gold and global liquidity trends, according to Jan3 CEO Samson Mow, who argues that current metrics point to potential upside for the cryptocurrency. Mow said Bitcoin is between 24% and 66% below its historical trend when measured against gold’s market capitalization and the global money supply. At the same time, he described gold as “overextended” after April futures closed at $5,247.90 per ounce. Tokenized gold assets were trading even higher, reflecting sustained demand for safe-haven exposure. Bitcoin-to-Gold Ratio Z-Score Signals Reversal Potential A key metric highlighted in the analysis is…

Prediction platform Kalshi has issued a formal update on how it will handle trades tied to the “Ali Khamenei out as Supreme Leader” market after the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader. The company’s co-founder said Kalshi’s longstanding policy prohibits markets that resolve directly on an individual’s death, and the rules include provisions to prevent people from profiting from such outcomes. Under the revised settlement terms, Kalshi will refund all trading fees associated with the Khamenei market. Positions that were opened before confirmation of Khamenei’s death will be settled based on the last-traded price prior to the confirmed death report,…

Claims circulating online about a “new” Paid Partnership Policy from X banning crypto promotions are inaccurate. Archived records show that the cryptocurrency industry has been listed as an “industry ineligible for paid partnership promotions” since at least June 27, 2024. The policy’s classification of crypto as a restricted promotional category is therefore not a recent development, contrary to claims spreading within online communities. Key Updates in the Latest Policy Version A comparison between the 2024 archived version and the current Paid Partnership Policy reveals only procedural adjustments rather than a new ban. First, disclosure language has been updated. Previously, creators…