Sei Network users holding Kava USDT must swap or bridge assets before governance vote disables IBC transfers as part of EVM-only transition.
Approximately $145,000 in USDT bridged from Kava sits on Sei Network right now—and holders need to move it or risk losing access entirely. Following the April 13 v6.4 upgrade, Sei now has the technical ability to disable inbound Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) transfers, and a governance proposal to flip that switch is coming.
This isn’t theoretical. Once that proposal passes, Cosmos-native assets like Kava USDT become stranded. No more bridging in, and potentially no way to recover what’s already there.
What’s Actually Happening
The v6.4 upgrade is part of SIP-3, Sei’s broader push to become an EVM-only chain. The protocol-level capability to block IBC transfers is now live on mainnet, though it hasn’t been activated yet. Sei Labs says they’ll publish the governance proposal with advance notice, but smart money isn’t waiting around.
For context: this transition has been telegraphed for months. Anyone still holding Cosmos-native assets on Sei should have seen this coming, but $145k suggests not everyone got the memo.
Your Options
Swap to EVM-native stablecoins: Platforms like Saphyre and Symphony can convert Kava USDT to EVM-native equivalents. Expect slippage—liquidity for this pair isn’t exactly deep given the circumstances.
Bridge back to Kava: Skip:Go offers a frontend to return your USDT to the Kava chain. From there, bridge elsewhere or use it natively. This is probably the cleaner exit.
DeFi users, listen up: If you’ve supplied Kava USDT to any lending protocol on Sei, withdraw first. Unwind those positions before attempting to swap or bridge. Getting locked into a lending pool with an unbridgeable asset is a nightmare scenario.
The Bigger Picture
Sei’s EVM-only pivot isn’t stopping here. Future upgrades will address outbound IBC transfers and the network’s native oracle solution. The chain is clearly betting its future on EVM compatibility over Cosmos interoperability.
Whether that’s the right call remains to be seen, but for now, the immediate concern is simple: check your wallet. If you’re holding Kava USDT on Sei, the clock is ticking. Questions can go to Sei’s Discord or the SIP-3 migration guide—but action should come first.
Bitcoin (BTC) reached monthly highs above $76,000 on Tuesday as US inflation data continued to buoy risk assets.
Key points:
Bitcoin upside continues as bulls target $76,000 — the highest price since early February.
US PPI inflation remains below market expectations despite the war in Iran having no end in sight.
Bitcoin traders stay risk-off on overall market strength.
Bitcoin tops $76,000 amid fears that “inflation is back”
Data from TradingView showed new local highs of $76,038 on Bitstamp — Bitcoin’s best performance since mid-March and on track to hit a two-month record.
The March print of the Producer Price Index (PPI) came in below expectations despite the US-Iran war.
“On an unadjusted basis, the index for final demand rose 4.0 percent for the 12 months ended in March, the largest 12-month advance since increasing 4.7 percent in February 2023,” an official statement from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted.
“The March rise in final demand prices can be attributed to a 1.6-percent advance in the index for final demand goods. Prices for final demand services were unchanged.”
Markets had expected a 4.7% year-on-year increase, with a 1.1% month-on-month jump — but it ultimately came in at 0.5%.
US PPI one-month % change. Source: BLS
Despite this, reactions were hawkish, noting that inflation was showing a clear uptrend overall.
“We are now officially seeing inflation metrics in the US that are at 4% or higher,” trading resource The Kobeissi Letter responded on X.
“Inflation is back.”
Fed target rate probabilities (screenshot). Source: CME Group
Correspondingly, markets kept bets of interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve firmly at the end of next year, per data from CME Group’s FedWatch Tool.
Bitcoin’s 21-week trend line is a line in the sand
Among traders, BTC price action continued to cause suspicion.
CryptoReviewing, the pseudonymous cofounder of the trading community Wealth Capital, noted that the move to $75,000 had triggered a wave of short liquidations.
$BTC $73,500 – $76,500 liquidity sweep complete ✅$BTC precisely wiped out the largest liquidation cluster zone at $73.5k – $76.5k within hours from this post.
As Cointelegraph reported, market participants had already been gearing up for a short squeeze, with its price still stuck in its local range.
“Bitcoin’s recent PA hasn’t deviated much from what we saw in 2022,” Keith Alan, cofounder of trading resource Material Indicators, argued on the day.
“Nothing says that $BTC has to continue to mimic history, but if it does we should see price flirt with the 21-Week Moving Average ~$78.3k.”
BTC/USD one-week chart. Source: Keith Alan/X
Alan said that the trend line would “not be an easy level to break.”
“A rejection from that level would send the Weekly RSI back below the R/S flip line at 41, and send BTC to the next leg down,” he warned, referring to the relative strength index (RSI) indicator.
The US passage of the CLARITY Act and the end of the war in Iran, on the other hand, could send Bitcoin back toward its yearly open price of $87,500.
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research before making any decisions. Cointelegraph makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, including forward-looking statements, and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.
PENGU trades at $0.01 with technical indicators aligning for a potential 20% surge to $0.012, though failure to maintain current levels could trigger pullback to $0.0085.
Current Market Position Analysis
PENGU has established itself at the $0.01 level following a 9.57% daily advance that pushed the token through previous resistance zones. The price action demonstrates clear buyer interest at these levels, with trading patterns suggesting accumulation rather than distribution.
The token’s recent performance indicates a shift from the consolidation phase that dominated previous weeks. Multiple technical indicators are converging to support continued upward movement, creating a setup that favors bulls in the near term.
Technical Structure Assessment
The RSI reading of 55.89 positions PENGU in neutral-to-bullish territory, providing room for further advancement without entering overbought conditions. This reading suggests momentum can build without immediate selling pressure from technical levels.
Bollinger Band analysis shows PENGU approaching the upper band, indicating potential breakout conditions. The MACD histogram at neutral levels suggests the previous bearish momentum has dissipated, creating space for bulls to reassert control.
Price action between recent support and resistance levels shows disciplined buying at lower levels, establishing a foundation for potential upward movement. The intraday range demonstrates organized accumulation patterns rather than random retail activity.
Volume and Market Dynamics
Current volume levels support the recent price advance, indicating genuine market interest rather than low-liquidity manipulation. The size and consistency of trading activity suggests institutional participation rather than purely retail-driven movement.
Order flow analysis reveals absorption of selling pressure at key levels, creating the technical foundation necessary for sustained advances. This pattern typically precedes significant moves when combined with improving momentum indicators.
Price Target Framework
The technical setup supports a 65% probability scenario targeting $0.012 within a 14-day timeframe. This represents approximately 20% upside from current levels and aligns with measured move projections from the recent consolidation base.
The primary resistance cluster sits in the $0.0115-0.012 range, where previous selling activity suggests profit-taking may emerge. A successful break above this zone would open the path toward $0.014 as the next logical target.
Risk Assessment
The bearish alternative carries 35% probability and centers on failure to maintain support above $0.0095. A breakdown below this level would likely trigger retracement toward $0.0085, where the next significant support zone resides.
Key monitoring levels include $0.0105 for momentum continuation and $0.0090 for trend invalidation. Above $0.0105, the probability of reaching primary targets increases substantially, while failure to hold $0.0090 would signal a return to consolidation mode.
Strategic Outlook
PENGU’s technical position favors continued advancement toward the $0.012 target zone. The combination of improving momentum indicators, supportive volume patterns, and cleared resistance levels creates a favorable risk-reward setup for bulls.
Risk management remains paramount given the volatile nature of meme coin trading. Position sizing should account for the potential 15% downside to support levels while maintaining exposure to the 20% upside target scenario.
Bitcoin (BTC) reclaimed the $72,000 level as bulls attempt to push the price closer to its multi-month range highs. While lower levels are attracting buyers, sustaining the higher levels might pose a challenge.
Coin Bureau founder and market analyst Nic Puckrin told Cointelegraph that for BTC to reach $90,000, the geopolitical tensions must end, bringing oil prices to $80. Additionally, economic data must soften in order to calm investors’ fear that stagflation may hamper the US economy.
Another cautious view came from CoinEx exchange chief analyst Jeff Ko, who told Cointelegraph that the short-term sentiment “remains fragile and heavily macro-driven, especially by oil, the dollar and inflation expectations.” The analyst sounded more confident over the medium term as he does not expect oil prices to remain elevated due to the supply-demand fundamentals.
Crypto market data daily view. Source: TradingView
As far as price levels are concerned, macro analyst Jordi Visser said on the Anthony Pompliano podcast that a sustainable move could begin if BTC trades above $76,000 and Ether (ETH) above $2,400.
Could buyers pierce the overhead resistance in BTC and the major altcoins? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.
S&P 500 Index price prediction
The S&P 500 Index (SPX) gapped up and closed above the 50-day simple moving average (6,761) on Wednesday, indicating that the corrective phase may be over.
The 20-day exponential moving average (6,657) has started to turn up, and the relative strength index (RSI) is in the positive territory, indicating a slight edge to the bulls. Any pullback is expected to find support at the 20-day EMA. If the price remains above the 20-day EMA, the bulls will strive to push the index toward the all-time high of 7,002.
On the contrary, if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bears are selling on rallies. That increases the likelihood of a range formation in the near term.
US Dollar Index price prediction
Sellers are attempting to sink the US Dollar Index (DXY) below the 50-day SMA (98.67), but the bulls have held their ground.
The bounce off the 50-day SMA is expected to face selling at the 20-day EMA (99.34). If the price turns down from the 20-day EMA and breaks below the 50-day SMA, it suggests that the index may continue to oscillate inside the large range between 95.55 and 100.54 for some more time.
Contrarily, a close above the 20-day EMA suggests demand at lower levels. The bulls will then again attempt to thrust the price above the 100.54 resistance.
Bitcoin price prediction
BTC pulled back to the 20-day EMA ($70,209), indicating that the bears are fiercely defending the $74,000 to $76,000 zone.
The bounce off the 20-day EMA on Monday indicates that the bulls are buying on dips. That increases the possibility of a retest of the critical $76,000 resistance. Sellers are expected to defend the level with all their might, as a close above $76,000 will complete a bullish ascending triangle pattern. That clears the path for a potential rally to $84,000.
Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will attempt to pull the BTC/USDT pair below the moving averages. If they succeed, the BTC price may drop to the support line. A close below the support line tilts the advantage in favor of the bears.
Ether price prediction
ETH has pulled back to the 20-day EMA ($2,154), which is a crucial support to watch out for in the short term.
If the ETH price rebounds off the 20-day EMA with force, it suggests that the bulls are buying on dips. That improves the prospects of a rally above the $2,386 resistance. If that happens, the ETH/USDT pair may surge toward $2,800.
Alternatively, a break below the moving averages indicates that the bears are active at higher levels. That may signal a consolidation between $1,916 and $2,386 for a while.
BNB price prediction
Buyers are struggling to push BNB (BNB) above the moving averages, indicating that the bears are attempting to retain control.
Sellers will try to strengthen their position by pulling the BNB price below the $570 level. If they manage to do that, the BNB/USDT pair may resume the downtrend toward the next target objective at $500.
On the contrary, if the price turns up from the current level or the $570 support and rises above the moving averages, it suggests that the pair may remain range-bound for a few more days.
XRP price prediction
XRP (XRP) remains stuck between the $1.27 level and the 50-day SMA ($1.37), indicating a balance between supply and demand.
Sellers will attempt to gain the upper hand by pulling the XRP price below the $1.27 support. If they can pull it off, the XRP/USDT pair may descend to $1.11 and thereafter to the support line of the descending channel pattern.
This negative view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns up and breaks above the moving averages. That opens the gates for a rally to the downtrend line, which is expected to act as stiff resistance.
Solana price prediction
Solana (SOL) turned down from the 50-day SMA ($85) on Sunday, indicating that the bears are selling on minor rallies.
Sellers will strive to pull the SOL price down to the $76 level, which is likely to attract buyers. If the price rebounds off the $76 level, the bulls will again attempt to pierce the 50-day SMA. If they succeed, the SOL/USDT pair may extend its stay inside the $76 to $98 range for some more time.
A close below the $76 level indicates that the bears have seized control. That increases the likelihood of a drop below the $67 level.
If the DOGE price continues lower and closes below the $0.09 support, it shows that the bears have overpowered the bulls. The DOGE/USDT pair may plummet to $0.08 and subsequently to the $0.06 support.
Time is running out for the bulls. They will have to push and maintain the price above the moving averages to begin a relief rally. The pair may then rise to $0.11 and, after that, to the $0.12 level.
Hyperliquid price prediction
Buyers failed to propel Hyperliquid (HYPE) above the $43.76 overhead resistance on Saturday, indicating that the bears are aggressively defending the level.
A positive sign in favor of the bulls is that they have not ceded much ground to the bears. That enhances the prospects of a break above the $43.76 level. If that happens, the HYPE price may soar to $50.
Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bulls have given up. The HYPE/USDT pair may then slump to the 50-day SMA ($35.99).
Cardano price prediction
Cardano (ADA) plunged below the $0.25 level on Sunday, signaling that the bears are attempting to take charge.
The $0.23 level is the crucial support to watch out for on the downside. If the level breaks down, the ADA price may drop to the Feb. 6 low of $0.22 and later to the support line of the descending channel pattern.
The first sign of strength will be a break and close above the 50-day SMA ($0.26). Sellers will attempt to halt the relief rally at the downtrend line; if the bulls prevail, the ADA/USDT pair could signal a potential trend change.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Monero’s oversold bounce from $110 support shows conviction, but bears still control the narrative with price trapped 24% below the 20-day average. Expect choppy consolidation before a probable ass…
XMR’s Technical Reality Check
Monero’s trading at $118.70 after a solid 4.77% bounce, but don’t get fooled by the green candle. The RSI sitting at 38.32 tells the real story – we’re in oversold recovery mode, not a breakout. That MACD histogram flatlining at zero screams indecision, with both bulls and bears sizing each other up after the recent selloff from $173 highs.
The Bollinger Band position at 0.32 reveals XMR is hugging the lower third of its range, suggesting the selling pressure that hammered it down 35% from recent peaks is finally exhausting itself. With price trading 11% below the crucial 20-day SMA at $133.10, any meaningful rally needs to reclaim that level to flip the short-term narrative bullish.
Volume & Price Alignment
The $574K daily volume on Binance tells a story of selective participation – not the capitulation spike you’d expect at a major bottom, but not the anemic flow of a dead bounce either. Smart money appears to be accumulating around the $110-112 zone, which aligns perfectly with the technical support cluster.
Price action between $112.87 immediate support and $122.07 resistance creates a tight 8% trading range where algos are likely harvesting volatility. The daily ATR of $10.34 suggests we’re seeing compressed price swings, typically a precursor to larger directional moves.
Expert Outlook Context
The information vacuum from major KOLs and institutions creates an interesting setup – no narrative-driven momentum in either direction means price discovery is purely technical right now. This absence of external catalysts often produces the cleanest technical setups, where support and resistance levels matter more than Twitter hype.
Monero’s privacy-focused fundamentals remain intact while regulatory uncertainty continues to create periodic selling pressure across privacy coins. This backdrop suggests any rallies will face headwinds around previous resistance zones.
Forward Price Path
Base Case (60% probability): XMR consolidates between $112-125 for the next 10-14 days before attempting a breakout toward the 20-day SMA at $133. The path higher requires clearing $125.43 strong resistance with conviction – failure here likely sends price back to retest $110 lows.
Bull Case (25% probability): A decisive break above $125 with volume expansion triggers momentum buying toward $135-140 zone within 30 days. The 50-day SMA at $146 becomes the ultimate target if privacy coin sentiment shifts positive.
Bear Case (15% probability): Breakdown below $112 support opens the door to $107 and potentially a retest of the lower Bollinger Band near $93. This scenario requires broader crypto weakness or Monero-specific negative catalysts.
The next 72 hours are critical – watch for how price reacts around the $122 pivot. A rejection with volume suggests the bears aren’t done, while a clean break above signals the oversold bounce has legs toward $130+.
The European Central Bank (ECB) set out a cautious path toward tokenizing Europe’s capital markets, saying the technology can deliver efficiency gains only if it remains anchored to central bank money, infrastructures remain interoperable, and regulation is “robust and supportive.”
In its latest Macroprudential Bulletin published on Monday, the ECB said distributed ledger technology (DLT) could help deepen the European Union’s savings and investments union, but warned that benefits will depend on interoperable infrastructure and policymakers keeping pace with new risks.
The central bank’s stance highlights a push to modernize market plumbing in the bloc without loosening control over settlement or financial stability.
The ECB said that tokenization and DLT are “moving from concept to early-scale deployment,” but the benefits will “only be realised safely if European policy action keeps pace.”
ECB maps conditions for tokenized capital markets
One article in the Bulletin lays out how tokenized assets could rewire the issuance-to-settlement chain, cutting operational frictions and potentially improving secondary market liquidity. By moving securities and cash onto compatible ledgers and automating corporate actions, the authors argue, tokenization could streamline processes that today rely on multiple intermediaries and legacy systems.
The analysis underlines, however, that efficiency gains hinge on avoiding a patchwork of incompatible platforms and ensuring that central bank money, not just commercial bank money or privately issued tokens, can be used for settlement in tokenized markets.
A further piece drills into the nascent market for tokenized bonds, finding early evidence that they can already lower borrowing costs and tighten bid-ask spreads compared with traditional formats.
The authors attribute this partly to operational efficiencies and partly to improved transparency and programmability around settlement and collateral management. Still, they frame these benefits as tentative and conditional, cautioning that technology, legal and liquidity risks remain and that policymakers will need to monitor whether advantages persist once tokenization scales beyond flagship deals and highly selected issuers.
Tokenized MMFs and euro stablecoins under the microscope
The Bulletin also takes a hard look at tokenized money market funds and euro-denominated stablecoins, treating them as parallel experiments in onchain cash-like instruments.
One article stresses that tokenized money market funds (MMFs) largely replicate familiar liquidity and run risks but layer on new operational vulnerabilities, raising questions about how they would behave under stress alongside stablecoins.
Comparison between balance sheet and asset-backed model. Source: ECB
Another argues that Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) compliant euro stablecoins could reshape demand for sovereign bonds and act either as a liquidity buffer in turbulent markets or a new channel of bank contagion, depending on how issuers meet deposit and reserve requirements.
Across the five pieces in the Bulletin, the ECB’s stance is clear: Tokenization can support its vision of an integrated capital market, but only if policy, prudential rules and central bank infrastructure evolve in lockstep.
Cointelegraph reached out to the ECB for comment, but had not received a response by publication.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy
Bernstein said Monday that Bitcoin’s selloff has already priced in much of the market’s fear around quantum computing, arguing that the threat is real but still manageable rather than an immediate existential risk.
Bitcoin’s (BTC) near 50% drawdown from its $126,198 all-time high in October 2025 is proof that the market has “priced in” several risks tied to a quantum breakthrough, partly thanks to technological progress on zero-knowledge privacy and quantum-proof cryptography that “counterbalance” the AI and quantum acceleration, Bernstein said in a Monday note shared with Cointelegraph.
The note lands two weeks after Google researchers said future quantum computers could break the elliptic-curve cryptography used across many blockchains with fewer than 500,000 physical qubits in some architectures, reviving debate over how quickly Bitcoin needs a post-quantum upgrade path. This research suggested a quantum computer could crack a Bitcoin private key in nine minutes, in a theoretical scenario, which is less than Bitcoin’s 10-minute block production time.
However, Bernstein said Bitcoin core developers have “adequate time” to determine a post-quantum path. Last week, Bernstein predicted that Bitcoin has about three to five years to prepare for a post-quantum security upgrade, Cointelegraph reported on Wednesday.
Graph showing the risk that an on-spend quantum attack that takes 9 minutes to derive a private key succeeds against Bitcoin. Source: Google Quantum AI
Institutions will play constructive role in quantum-proofing Bitcoin
Bernstein said large institutional holders, including exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuers and corporate treasury buyers such as Strategy, are likely to play a constructive role in any eventual consensus on a post-quantum upgrade.
“We expect institutional partners with now billions at stake to play a constructive role in building consensus on the post-quantum path.”
The note also highlighted the recently introduced BIP-360 proposal and added that slower consensus from Bitcoin developers is seen as responsible behavior when it comes to a $1.5 trillion asset.
BIP-360 is a draft Bitcoin Improvement Proposal that proposes a Pay-to-Merkle-Root output type designed to reduce long-exposure quantum risk by removing Taproot’s key-path vulnerability, though it does not itself add post-quantum digital signatures.
Bernstein said BIP-360 could be implemented as a soft fork for exposed Bitcoin addresses, but added that this would still leave around 8% of the BTC supply in inactive addresses vulnerable to future quantum breakthroughs.
Quantum-proofing Bitcoin is a social issue, not technical
The real challenge of quantum-proofing Bitcoin lies in the societal adoption element of the new standards, not the technical development, according to Arthur Breitman, co-founder of Tezos blockchain.
“The coding work could be done this afternoon,” but Bitcoin holders would still need to migrate to this new standard, Breitman told Cointelegraph during an interview at EthCC 2026.
“If Bitcoin needed to migrate in the next month, they could do it from a technical perspective […] but they can’t get everyone to migrate their key in a month, Breitman said. “It’s going to take years for people to properly migrate their keys,” he added.
Arthur Breitman, co-founder of Tezos, interview at EthCC 2026. Source: Cointelegraph
Asset manager Grayscale’s head of research, Zach Pandl, shared a similar view in a research report last Monday. He said Bitcoin’s quantum-proofing challenges are “more social than technical,” provided that its UTXO model does not have native smart contracts and that some address types are not quantum vulnerable.
However, he warned that the community needs to find consensus on how to quantum-proof wallets where the private key has been lost or is otherwise inaccessible.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy
Zero-knowledge scaling company StarkWare is cutting jobs and restructuring its operations as it shifts from infrastructure development toward revenue-generating products.
CEO Eli Ben-Sasson said in internal remarks that the firm will split into two business units and cut headcount to move faster and operate more efficiently, with one unit focused on applications and the other on Starknet development.
Ben-Sasson said the company would adopt a “startup mode” mindset, prioritizing fewer initiatives with higher revenue potential, while warning that downsizing would affect employees across the organization. StarkWare did not disclose how many employees would be affected by the cuts.
The move reflects a wider retrenchment across crypto firms, which have been trimming headcount and narrowing priorities as they chase clearer product-market fit, stronger monetization and leaner operations. Messari, Algorand Foundation and Crypto.com all announced cuts in March.
StarkWare says technical edge must translate into revenue
Ben-Sasson said StarkWare’s next phase would center on turning its technology into “meaningful revenue” and “meaningful usage,” arguing that the company could no longer rely mainly on external blockchains or third-party teams to prove the value of its stack.
Ben-Sasson said the company would focus on “fewer things excellently” and prioritize products with revenue potential that can be built only on its technological stack.
“We’re going to achieve this by innovating across not just infrastructure, as we’ve done so far, but across the whole stack of infrastructure and product,” he said.
On March 19, the Algorand Foundation said it would cut 25% of its employees, citing macro uncertainty and the broader crypto downturn. The organization said the move was aimed at better aligning resources with its long-term business, technology and ecosystem priorities.
On the same day, Crypto.com also announced a 12% reduction of its workforce as part of a broader push into AI. The exchange said the layoffs were tied to company-wide AI integration and a decision to prioritize resources around key growth areas.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy
South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said Monday that API-based trading now accounts for about 30% of crypto buy-and-sell turnover, warning that some traders are using automated tools to inflate volumes and manipulate prices.
According to reports from Yonhap News Agency and Maeil Business Newspaper, the regulator warned that some traders are using automated tools to inflate volumes and manipulate prices, citing cases involving repeated small trades, spoofed orders and coordinated activity across multiple accounts.
The FSS said it will launch targeted investigations into accounts suspected of using APIs for excessive or abnormal trading patterns, signaling closer scrutiny of automated trading activity in the market.
The warning follows South Korea’s broader push to curb crypto market abuse, as regulators intensify enforcement even as parts of the legal framework remain under development.
According to the reports, the FSS described several methods used in distorting prices, including repeated placement of small market buy and sell orders to create the appearance of active trading. The regulator added that traders used higher-priced limit orders to artificially inflate prices.
In one case outlined by the FSS, a trader used API-driven orders from 5,000 won (about $3) to 10,000 won (about $6) to simulate trading activity before selling into rising prices as retail investors entered the market. In another case outlined by the FSS, a trader set a target price and repeatedly submitted higher-priced buys to drive prices to that level.
The FSS warned users against indiscriminately using high-frequency trading code shared online and urged investors to avoid chasing assets that show sudden spikes in price and trading activity without clear reasons.
South Korea steps up enforcement amid regulatory gaps
The warning comes as South Korean authorities have stepped up oversight of crypto exchanges following a series of operational and fraud-related incidents.
On April 7, regulators ordered exchanges to reconcile internal ledgers with actual asset holdings every five minutes after inspections found delayed balance checks and weak trade-halting systems.
South Korean authorities also moved to tighten safeguards against scams. On April 8, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) said inconsistent withdrawal-delay exemption rules allowed bad actors to move funds quickly, with exempted accounts accounting for a majority of voice phishing losses.
At the same time, enforcement efforts have faced legal constraints. On April 9, a South Korean court overturned a partial suspension of Upbit operator Dunamu, citing unclear rules and highlighting gaps in the regulatory framework.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy
Bitcoin’s fifth halving is roughly two years away, and the mining sector is heading into it with far less margin for error than in 2024, as higher costs, tighter energy markets and clearer regulation reshape the industry.
At the last halving in April 2024, Bitcoin (BTC) traded at around $63,000 as rewards fell from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC per block, according to Coingecko. In April 2028, at the next halving, miners face higher input costs for half the new coins, as rewards drop to 1.5625 BTC. That looks tougher in a world of record hashrate, higher energy prices and more selective capital.
Energy security has also become a strategic concern after geopolitical shocks jolted fuel and power markets, while regulators from Washington to Europe move from ad-hoc guidance to formal regimes for custody and licensed institutional platforms.
Those pressures are forcing miners to behave less like pure Bitcoin proxies and more like energy and infrastructure companies, monetizing reserves, cutting costs and rethinking capital allocation ahead of the April 2028 Halving.
The shift is also changing how investors assess the sector, with capital increasingly flowing toward operators that can secure long-term power and build infrastructure that extends beyond mining alone.
Behind those sales is a broader reset in how miners think about hardware, power and capital. The 2028 halving arrives in “an environment that looks almost nothing like 2024,” Juliet Ye, head of communications at Cango, told Cointelegraph.
She pointed to a widening efficiency gap that is “forcing real decisions around fleet upgrades” and a shift toward long-term energy contracts across multiple regions rather than chasing cheaper tariffs.
“There is less room in the middle now,” she said. “Operators with scale and diversification will be fine. Those without will find the next halving very difficult.”
GoMining struck a similar note. CEO Mark Zalan told Cointelegraph that “capital discipline now matters more than hashrate maximalism” and that new deployments now have to clear tougher return thresholds.
From a mining pool’s perspective, some of the underlying dynamics remain familiar even as the pressure grows. “There is actually very little fundamental difference between this mining cycle and previous ones,” Alejandro de la Torre, co-founder and CEO of Stratum V2 pool DMND, told Cointelegraph. “The same dynamics repeat.”
He expects mining hotspots to reach their peak, then realign, as “no region keeps dominance for long,” opening the door for more decentralization as mid-size miners expand into new energy partnerships.
The economics around the next halving are also shifting away from pure block rewards, which is a “thinner business than it used to be,” Zalan said. He predicted stronger operators will look closer to power and data center businesses, and earn additional revenue through curtailment, grid services and heat reuse.
Cango is already building toward that model. “The facilities that will matter in five years are the ones that can do more than one thing,” Ye said, using mining to fill capacity while positioning sites to toggle between AI workloads and hashpower.
Regulation, once viewed mainly as an overhang, is increasingly part of the investment case. Zalan pointed to more specific rules on custody and banking access in the United States, alongside the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regime and new exchange-traded funds (ETFs), derivatives and settlement rails out of Hong Kong, arguing “capital moves faster when those rules are clear and usable.”
Zalan said that backdrop is shaping both how miners finance themselves and how institutions position for the next issuance cut. He said he does not believe the market has “fully priced the next halving,” arguing that scarcity will meet a “much stronger ecosystem around Bitcoin by the time 2028 arrives.”
Ye sees investors already re-rating miners that lock in high-performance compute contracts, with those operators trading at “more than double the revenue multiple of pure-play miners,” while de la Torre believes supporting large established operators is “no longer the only logical path.”
If the 2024 cycle rewarded miners that rode Bitcoin’s price strength, the run into 2028 may favor operators that can manage debt, lock in power and build infrastructure that earns beyond block subsidies.
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