The post Zcash Gains Attention as Investors Call It a “Next Bitcoin” appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Zcash is a decentralized privacy and anonymity token is suddenly making a comeback. Now, a new report has pushed Zcash back into the spotlight, calling Zcash as a possible “next Bitcoin.”

Despite the enthusiasm, Zcash (ZEC) token price has seen a drop of 5.4% in the last 24 hours trading below $520.

Why Bitcoin OGs Are Turning Toward Zcash?

According to the Wall Street Journal report, many early Bitcoin supporters attending the 2026 Las Vegas crypto conference expressed frustration with how transparent and institutionalized Bitcoin has become.

While Bitcoin still dominates the market near $79,000, some investors now believe its original privacy-focused vision has weakened as governments, ETF issuers, and blockchain surveillance tools increasingly monitor on-chain activity.

That growing concern is pushing attention toward Zcash, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency launched in 2016 by cryptographer Zooko Wilcox alongside researchers from Johns Hopkins and MIT.

Unlike Bitcoin, Zcash uses advanced zk-SNARK technology that allows users to hide wallet addresses, transaction amounts, and transfer details while still maintaining optional transparency controls.

Zcash Price Surge Gains Institutional Attention

The renewed interest is already showing up in the market.

Since the beginning of May 2026, ZEC price has surged more than 33%, climbing from roughly $380 to around $546 while briefly touching a yearly high near $615.

Over the past month alone, Zcash has rallied nearly 50%, significantly outperforming Bitcoin during the same period.

Major crypto investor Barry Silbert recently described Zcash as “Bitcoin circa 2013,” while firms like Grayscale Investments continue supporting the asset through institutional products.

Meanwhile, Arthur Hayes revealed that ZEC is now one of his largest crypto positions outside Bitcoin.

Arthur on why the Zcash and NEAR integration is the quietly building mechanism that flips NEAR from inflationary to deflationary

"Shielded Zcash lets you swap and send any coin, USDT on Tron, Bitcoin, anything, and that transaction will not point back to you. Completely… https://t.co/AOWKNsDRbc pic.twitter.com/tytoAgM5q0

— Laura Shin (@laurashin) May 12, 2026

Hayes argued that privacy will become increasingly valuable as artificial intelligence, governments, and large technology companies gain more ability to analyze public blockchain transactions.

“People want that privacy,” Hayes said during an interview with Unchained founder Laura Shin.

Can Zcash Really Become the “Next Bitcoin”?

Despite the growing excitement, Zcash still remains far smaller than Bitcoin.

ZEC currently holds a market capitalization near $8.9 billion, only a tiny fraction of Bitcoin’s trillion-dollar market size.

At the same time, privacy coins continue facing strong regulatory pressure globally because of concerns around illicit finance and sanctions evasion.

The post JPMorgan Boosts Bitcoin ETF Holdings by 175% as BTC Falls Below $80K appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

JP Morgan, a global leader in financial services, has increased its investment in BlackRock’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF during the first quarter of 2026, raising its holdings to 8.3 million shares, up 175% from the last quarter. 

The move came as Bitcoin ETFs saw $635 million in outflows on May 13, showing many investors were selling while JPMorgan was quietly buying more.

JPMorgan Increased IBIT Holdings by 175%

According to its latest SEC Form 13F filing, JPMorgan increased its holdings in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) from roughly 3 million shares at the end of December 2025 to nearly 8.3 million shares in Q1 2026. The move shows an increase of approximately 175%.

Based on filing data, the additional exposure added nearly $162 million in value during the quarter, even while Bitcoin itself dropped more than 22% during the same period.

However, at current market prices, JPMorgan’s IBIT position is estimated to be worth roughly $390 million to $400 million.

The filing also showed overall expansion into crypto-linked assets, including additional exposure to Ethereum, Solana, mining-related equities, and other digital asset investment products.

Jamie Dimon’s Bitcoin Stance Continues Shifting

The latest filing is especially notable because JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has historically been one of Bitcoin’s biggest critics on Wall Street.

Dimon famously called Bitcoin a “fraud” and “scam” in previous years while repeatedly criticizing cryptocurrencies publicly.

However, despite the criticism, JPMorgan has steadily expanded crypto-related services since 2020.

Bitcoin ETF Exposure Expands Beyond BlackRock

JPMorgan also increased its exposure across several other Bitcoin ETF products. Its holdings in the Fidelity Investments Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) rose roughly 450%, while exposure to the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) surged nearly 900%.

Meanwhile, the bank’s position in the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) jumped more than 3,000%, though BITO tracks Bitcoin futures instead of spot BTC directly.

The aggressive expansion comes during one of crypto’s most volatile periods in 2026, suggesting major institutions may be viewing current Bitcoin prices as long-term accumulation opportunities rather than warning signs.

Despite recent ETF outflows and BTC price failing below $80K the broader institutional trend still appears heavily focused on building long-term Bitcoin exposure through regulated investment products.

The post XRP News: XRP Ledger Hits Record High as Large Wallet Accumulation Surges appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The XRP Ledger is quietly showing one of its strongest long-term accumulation signals in years. New data from market intelligence platform Santiment that wallets holding at least 10,000 XRP have now reached a new all-time high.

Meanwhile traders closely watch whether XRP can finally break above the key $1.50 resistance zone.

XRP Wallets Reach Record High

According to Santiment data, the XRP Ledger now contains roughly 332,230 wallets holding at least 10,000 XRP tokens each, the highest level ever recorded.

The data shows wallet growth has steadily climbed since June 2024 despite several major crypto market corrections throughout 2025 and 2026.

Most of the newly added wallets reportedly hold between 10,000 and 100,000 XRP, placing many of them among the top 5% of XRP holders globally. 

Santiment noted that this type of accumulation usually reflects long-term positioning rather than short-term speculative trading. 

At the same time, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently said Ripple is “close to the finish line,” while continuing to highlight the XRP Ledger’s fast settlement speeds, low transaction costs, and more than 4.2 billion total transactions processed since 2012.

Brad Garlinghouse on how close the US may finally be to crypto regulatory clarity.

“𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦’𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯.” pic.twitter.com/wU2KHdygFI

— Binance (@binance) May 13, 2026

Institutional Activity Driving XRP Ledger Growth

Beyond wallet growth, XRP Ledger activity has also expanded sharply over the past year.

Monthly XRP Ledger transactions jumped from roughly 43 million a year ago to a new all-time high near 71 million in April, representing around 65% year-over-year growth.

Unlike previous retail-driven cycles, Santiment says much of the recent growth appears tied to institutional settlement activity. As of now, XRP ETF holdings have also climbed toward roughly $1.36 billion, adding further institutional exposure to the ecosystem

Santiment also highlighted increasing ecosystem activity connected to, Bitstamp, Ripple USD, Braza Bank and Expanding XRPL DeFi infrastructure

XRP Price Still Faces Key Resistance

Despite the strong on-chain growth, XRP price action remains stuck in short-term consolidation. As of now XRP is trading near $1.44 while traders closely monitor the important $1.50 resistance level.

Technical charts show momentum cooling slightly on lower timeframes following recent selling pressure, although the broader market structure still remains bullish.

Analysts believe a successful breakout above $1.50 could open the door for a larger move toward the $1.60–$1.66 range in coming weeks.

The post Bitcoin ETFs Bleed $635M as BTC Crashes Below $80K appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a massive $635 million outflow just as Bitcoin crashed below the key $80,000 support level, marking the biggest one-day institutional exit since February. The sudden selloff followed hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data, raising fears that Wall Street may be taking profits after the recent rally.

Bitcoin ETFs Record Massive $635 Million Outflow

On May 13, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a combined net outflow of roughly $635 million, marking the largest single-day withdrawal since January 29. The biggest selling pressure came from BlackRock’s IBIT fund, which alone recorded nearly $285 million in outflows.

The latest drop followed another $233.2 million ETF outflow one day earlier, showing institutional sentiment weakened rapidly within just 48 hours.

The selloff accelerated after the latest U.S. CPI inflation report came in hotter than expected. Inflation rose 3.8% year-over-year, above the market forecast of 3.7% and sharply higher than the previous 3.3% reading.

That immediately increased fears that the Federal Reserve may delay interest rate cuts even longer.

Glassnode Data Shows Institutions Selling Into Strength

According to Glassnode data, the 7-day moving average of U.S. spot ETF flows dropped to negative $88 million per day, the weakest level since mid-February.

However, analysts highlighted one important difference this time. February’s outflows happened during market weakness, while the latest selling happened while Bitcoin was still trading relatively strong near $80K.

The 7D-SMA of US Spot ETF Netflow dropped to -$88M/day, the largest outflow since mid-February.
February's outflows occurred into price weakness. This wave is selling into strength, with BTC trading near $80k.
Institutional participants were using the recovery over the recent… https://t.co/BlsOLfq7yE pic.twitter.com/4qHLVjw7WC

— glassnode (@glassnode) May 14, 2026

That suggests some institutional participants may have used the recent BTC recovery rally as an exit opportunity rather than panic-selling during fear.

Another key pressure point sits near the estimated ETF holder cost basis around $82,100.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin price failed to hold above the $81,000 resistance zone and later dropped below the important $80K support level.

Ethereum and XRP ETFs Also See Weakness

The broader crypto ETF market also slowed significantly. Ethereum ETFs recorded another $36 million in outflows, extending their losing streak to three straight trading sessions with total withdrawals nearing $184 million.

ETH price currently trades near $2,267, down roughly 1.6% over the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, XRP ETFs remained mostly flat recently after recording several zero-flow sessions this month. However, XRP funds still attracted $25.8 million in inflows earlier this week, marking one of their strongest inflow days of 2026.

The post Wells Fargo Boosts Ethereum ETF Holdings as Institutional Demand for ETH Grows in 2026 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Institutional interest in Ethereum is rising again. American Top financial services company Wells Fargo has sharply increased its exposure to Ethereum-linked ETFs during the first quarter of 2026. 

This comes even while ETH trades near $2,300 and market sentiment stays weak, showing institutions are still quietly accumulating.

Wells Fargo Expands Ethereum Exposure

According to the filing, Wells Fargo raised its position in BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) by about 63.5%, increasing its holdings from roughly 672,600 shares in Q4 2025 to nearly 1.1 million shares in Q1 2026. 

At the same time, its exposure to the Bitwise Ethereum ETF (ETHW) also grew by around 37%, climbing from about 186,800 shares to over 257,000 shares. 

The broad-based increase across multiple Ethereum-linked funds suggests that the bank is not just diversifying, but actively building larger exposure to ETH through regulated investment products.

JPMorgan And BlackRock Pushed Ethereum Tokenization Forward

Wells Fargo is not alone. JPMorgan recently filed for a new tokenized money market fund called JLTXX that will run directly on the Ethereum blockchain. The fund is designed to help stablecoin issuers hold reserves in a regulated and interest-generating product while using Ethereum for instant transfers and 24/7 liquidity.

BlackRock is also expanding its Ethereum strategy. Earlier, the asset management giant filed plans to launch tokenized share classes for its $7 billion Treasury liquidity fund. 

The ownership records for these shares will live directly on Ethereum using ERC-20 tokens, while BNY Mellon will maintain the on-chain share registry.

Earlier, Bitmine Chairman Tom Lee predicted Ethereum could eventually reach $62,000, saying tokenization could become one of the biggest drivers behind its future growth.

ETH Price Levels Traders Are Watching

The move comes at a time when Ethereum is still trading near the $2,300 level and overall spot demand remains weak.

According to crypto trader TED Pillow, Ethereum is currently facing a critical technical zone. He notes that ETF-related selling pressure and weak spot demand have kept prices under pressure, and a breakdown below the $2,250 level could trigger further downside.

$ETH is still hovering around the $2,300 level.

ETFs are selling, and the overall spot demand looks weak.

If Ethereum loses the $2,250 level from here, things could get ugly. pic.twitter.com/NAtHNvjZ2h

— Ted (@TedPillows) May 13, 2026

However, he also points out that a move above $2,400 could quickly shift momentum, especially as accumulation continues beneath current levels.

Looking ahead, market participants are also watching regulatory developments closely. Any progress around crypto legislation such as the proposed Clarity Act could improve market clarity and potentially act as a catalyst for renewed upside in altcoins like Ethereum. 

The post Tether Freezes $344 Million in USDT Linked to Iran’s Central Bank appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Tether, issuer of world largest stablecoin (USDT) has froze $344 million in USDT linked to Iran’s Central Bank. Blockchain intelligence platform Arkham Intelligence said it identified and deanonymized the wallets after the freeze, claiming the funds were tied to possible sanctions evasion as pressure on Iran continues to grow.

The move marks one of the biggest USDT freezes ever and a rare case where wallets linked to a government were publicly identified after the freeze.

Arkham Freezes Iran-Linked Wallets

Today, Arkham Intelligence publicly identified and labeled crypto wallets linked to the Central Bank of Iran on its platform, marking them as both “Suspicious” and “Government.”

The wallets reportedly held a combined portfolio worth over $344 million, including $344.211 million in frozen Tether, along with smaller amounts of HTX and TRX tokens.

THE CENTRAL BANK OF IRAN IS ON ARKHAM

Arkham Intel has deanonymized the Central Bank of Iran’s crypto wallets after Tether froze $344M USDT linked to Iranian sanctions evasion.

Our research team breaks down how Iran uses crypto infrastructure to move capital under sanctions: pic.twitter.com/a1gwywTc57

— Arkham (@arkham) May 13, 2026

The move comes amid rising geopolitical tensions and increasing scrutiny of crypto transactions connected to sanctioned regions. Iran’s central bank has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018, with stricter counterterrorism-related sanctions added in 2020.

What Arkham’s Public Labeling Actually Changes

The freeze was the immediate action, but Arkham publicly labeling the wallet could have a much bigger long-term impact. Meanwhile, Tether works with more than 340 law enforcement agencies in 65 countries and has already helped freeze over $4.4 billion in assets.

So, now, exchanges, crypto platforms, and blockchain companies can clearly identify which wallet addresses are linked to the Central Bank of Iran. These labels stay attached to the wallets permanently, making it easier to track their activity across different platforms and transactions.

The move comes as regulators around the world are paying closer attention to stablecoins, international crypto transfers, and sanctions rules. 

Unlike decentralized cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, centralized stablecoins like Tether can be controlled by their issuers, who have the power to freeze or block wallet addresses directly.

The post Altcoins Quietly Rebound as Binance Tokens Recover Key Levels, Is Altseason Slowly Returning? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

After months of heavy selling pressure, the altcoin market is beginning to show early signs of recovery. According to Darkfost, nearly 21% of altcoins listed on Binance have reclaimed their 200-day moving average, up sharply from just 2% in February.

Although Bitcoin still leads the market, investors are slowly starting to return to altcoins after the sector fell more than 50% earlier this year.

Altcoins Are Recovering After Massive Market Correction

The Altcoin Season Index has dropped to 31 indicating that the cryptocurrency market is in a cautious phase with capital flow mainly into Bitcoin.

According to Darkfost, altcoins corrected by more than 50% during the downturn, partly because of Bitcoin’s own pullback and partly due to extreme market dilution.

Today, the crypto market contains nearly 51 million altcoins, creating one of the most competitive environments in crypto history. 

The Darkfost noted that around 46% of altcoins now exist on Solana, nearly 36% operate on Base and roughly 10% are built on BNB.

This massive token expansion diluted liquidity heavily across the market and made it harder for individual altcoins to sustain long-term momentum.

Binance Altcoins Show Strong Improvement

Despite difficult conditions, the latest market data shows recovery momentum slowly building again.

Darkfost’s chart analysis revealed that approximately 21% of Binance-listed altcoins have reclaimed the important 200-day moving average level, a key long-term technical indicator many traders use to identify trend reversals.

That number marks a major improvement compared to February, when only about 2% of Binance altcoins traded above the same level.

The recovery now places altcoin performance back near levels last seen during September 2025.

Altcoin Sectors Outperforming Bitcoin

Interestingly, the recovery is not happening equally across the entire altcoin market. Over the past 90 days, several sectors have already started outperforming Bitcoin, showing where investor interest is returning first.

AI-focused projects like Artificial Superintelligence Alliance, Virtuals Protocol, SKAI, and SIREN are gaining strong investor attention, while trading-related projects such as DEXE continue to show strength. 

Meme coins like Bonk, Floki, and PENGU are also seeing renewed momentum. 

At the same time, major altcoins including Bittensor, Ondo, Injective, Chainlink, and Render are recovering steadily, suggesting that investors are slowly rotating capital back into selected altcoin sectors.

Why Does Bitcoin Still Matters Most?

Despite all of this, as long as BTC struggles below major resistance zones near $82,000–$84,000, many altcoins may continue facing limited upside momentum.

However, if Bitcoin stabilizes and macro conditions improve, liquidity could begin rotating more aggressively into altcoins again.

The post Charles Schwab Launches Bitcoin and Ethereum Trading for Selected U.S. Clients appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Brokerage giant Charles Schwab which manages nearly $11.8 trillion has officially launched spot crypto trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum, giving selected U.S. clients direct access to the two largest cryptocurrencies through its Schwab Crypto platform.

The move marks one of Schwab’s biggest crypto expansions so far, mid growing adoption of digital assets across traditional finance.

Charles Schwab Launch Crypto Accounts to Retail Clients

Starting this week, selected retail clients can trade Bitcoin and Ethereum directly through Schwab.com and thinkorswim accounts instead of relying only on ETFs or crypto-related stocks.

Until now, Schwab mainly offered indirect crypto exposure through ETFs, futures products, and crypto-linked investment vehicles. The new Schwab Crypto platform operates separately from standard brokerage accounts.

Schwab Crypto accounts are now being rolled out to retail clients.

Starting today, the first group of clients can trade Bitcoin and Ethereum at Schwab, right alongside their other investments.

Sign up for updates and a chance to get early access: https://t.co/ELe1HWHS8Y pic.twitter.com/HJKbPUD7Ob

— Charles Schwab Corp (@CharlesSchwab) May 12, 2026

According to the company announcement, blockchain infrastructure firm Paxos handles trade execution and sub-custody services, while Schwab Premier Bank serves as the primary custodian. 

Schwab service is available in most U.S. states except New York and Louisiana during the early rollout phase.

Why Schwab’s Crypto Launch Matters

According to company data, Schwab clients currently hold roughly 20% of all assets invested in U.S. spot crypto ETPs, showing that demand for digital assets already exists heavily inside its customer base.

With the launch, Schwab is now competing directly with major crypto platforms like Coinbase, Robinhood, and Fidelity Investments. 

Schwab currently charges a flat 0.75% trading fee, while Fidelity Crypto charges spreads approaching 1%, Robinhood ranges between 0.35% and 0.85%, and Coinbase Advanced Trade starts around 0.6%.

Unlike Coinbase, which offers access to more than 260 cryptocurrencies, Schwab is taking a more conservative approach focused only on Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two assets that together account for nearly 75% of the total crypto market value.

Why Schwab Chose Bitcoin and Ethereum Only

Schwab currently supports only Bitcoin and Ethereum trading. Together, Bitcoin and Ethereum still account for nearly 75% of the entire crypto market capitalization.

That decision reflects how dominant the two assets remain across the broader crypto market.

Over the past year, traditional finance giants have rapidly expanded into crypto through spot Bitcoin ETFs, Ethereum ETFs, tokenized assets, stablecoin systems, and institutional custody services. 

Now, major brokerage platforms are beginning to offer direct crypto trading alongside traditional investments, showing how digital assets are becoming part of mainstream finance.

What Next?

Schwab already confirmed the rollout is happening gradually and may later expand into additional cryptocurrencies over time.

If adoption remains strong, other major financial institutions could accelerate similar direct crypto trading offerings to compete for institutional and retail demand.