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Crypto Whale Builds $16.7M Bet on TON, NEAR, and AI Tokens

Altcoins to Buy Now: Raoul Pal Says These Three Chains Stand Out

The post Crypto Whale Builds $16.7M Bet on TON, NEAR, and AI Tokens appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

A major crypto whale identified as 0x84b3 has accumulated roughly $16.7 million in long positions across high-beta AI, privacy, and infrastructure tokens. On-chain data from Hypurrscan shows the wallet holding large positions in NEAR Protocol, Starknet, Monero, and Toncoin, alongside smaller allocations in AZTEC and Pump.fun. The positioning suggests growing speculative appetite for AI-linked, scalable, and privacy-focused crypto ecosystems.

Upbit Lists Pharos (PROS) on KRW, BTC and USDT Markets

Upbit Lists Dogwifhat WIF Across KRW BTC and USDT Markets

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Upbit will list Pharos trading pairs against KRW, BTC, and USDT on May 8, expanding access to the emerging Layer 1 project. Pharos is an EVM-compatible blockchain built on an asynchronous BFT-based proof-of-stake consensus mechanism designed to improve scalability and network efficiency. The listing on South Korea’s largest crypto exchange could increase liquidity and market visibility for PROS as competition among Layer 1 ecosystems continues to intensify.

Bitcoin Open Interest Records Biggest Surge of 2026

A prominent 3D golden Bitcoin logo on a black medallion, centered over a green digital network grid with connected nodes and orange coin accents.

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Bitcoin open interest has posted its strongest increase of 2026, surpassing levels seen during Bitcoin’s previous all-time high formation. The surge signals renewed trader activity in futures markets, despite funding rates remaining broadly negative in recent weeks. Binance continues to dominate derivatives trading with roughly 34% market share and $2.5 billion in average monthly open interest, followed by Gate.io and Bybit. Analysts say the trend reflects returning market optimism, though rising leverage also increases liquidation risks and potential volatility.

Bithumb Expands Into Vietnam With New Crypto Exchange Partnership

Bithumb Employee Mistake Sends 2,000 BTC to Users

The post Bithumb Expands Into Vietnam With New Crypto Exchange Partnership appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Bithumb has signed an agreement with SSID, a subsidiary of Vietnam’s largest securities firm SSI, to launch a digital asset exchange in Vietnam. The partnership will focus on crypto wallets, custody, compliance, security, risk management, and product development. Subject to regulatory approval, Bithumb could also make a strategic investment in the venture. The move highlights growing competition among Asian exchanges to expand into emerging crypto markets with developing digital asset regulations.

Coinbase Is Down After AWS Infrastructure Failure Disrupts Trading

Coinbase prediction markets lawsuit

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Coinbase experienced major service disruptions after increased temperatures impacted the use1-az4 Availability Zone in Amazon’s AWS US-EAST-1 region. The exchange confirmed it would gradually restore operations by first placing all markets into “Cancel Only” mode before re-enabling trading. The outage came shortly after Coinbase reported weaker-than-expected earnings, intensifying scrutiny over the platform’s infrastructure resilience. The incident also highlighted the risks of heavy reliance on centralized cloud providers during periods of elevated crypto market activity.

$2B in Bitcoin & Ethereum Options Set to Expire on May 8th

$2.1 Billion Bitcoin and Ethereum Options Expiry Today

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Around 20,000 Bitcoin options worth $1.6 billion and 182,000 Ethereum options worth $410 million are set to expire on May 8. Bitcoin’s put-call ratio stands at 0.73 with a max pain level of $79,500, while Ethereum’s ratio is 0.93 with max pain at $2,350. Despite Bitcoin’s rally toward $82,000 this week, implied volatility and options activity remain muted, signaling cautious sentiment and a broader market consolidation phase rather than aggressive speculative positioning.

Tether Freezes $515M in USDT Across Ethereum and Tron

Tether Invests $150 Million in Gold.com to Expand Digital Gold Access

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Tether has frozen roughly $515 million worth of USDT across TRON and Ethereum over the past 30 days, according to BlockSec’s USDT Freeze Tracker. The blacklist action affected 371 wallet addresses, including 329 on Tron and 42 on Ethereum. Most frozen funds were located on Tron, totaling about $506 million, while Ethereum accounted for approximately $8.73 million. The move highlights Tether’s increasing enforcement activity and growing focus on compliance and illicit transaction monitoring.

Tom Lee Says Ethereum Price Could Reach $22,000 Leading Next Crypto Rally

Ethereum Price Near Breakout On-Chain Signals Just Flipped Bullish

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Fundstrat strategist Tom Lee says Ethereum remains undervalued despite its growing role in digital finance. Speaking at the Consensus conference in Miami, He said Ethereum could emerge as one of the biggest winners of the next crypto market rally, as artificial intelligence and tokenization increase demand for blockchain-based financial systems.

As per Lee, the recent recovery in digital assets signals the end of the crypto downturn and positions Ethereum for long-term growth.

“At the current price around $2,300, Ethereum is cheap,” Lee said during his presentation.

Lee tied Ethereum’s outlook closely to the expansion of tokenized assets, stablecoins, and AI-powered digital agents, which he said will increasingly rely on decentralized payment and settlement networks.

Ethereum price outlook tied to Bitcoin and tokenization growth

Ethereum has historically traded at an average ratio of about 0.048 against Bitcoin, rising to roughly 0.087 during the 2021 crypto bull market.

Using his projected Bitcoin fair value of $250,000, Lee said Ethereum could eventually rise toward $22,000 if previous valuation patterns return.

He also pointed to Ethereum’s long consolidation period, saying the cryptocurrency has spent nearly five years trading within a broad range after its last major rally.

“I think this third consolidation is going to be pulled up because of tokenization and agentic AI,” Lee said.

The Fundstrat strategist cited industry estimates projecting that tokenized real-world assets could eventually grow into a market worth hundreds of trillions of dollars.

Lee added that stablecoin transaction volumes have already surpassed Visa payment volumes, which he described as a sign that blockchain finance is moving into mainstream usage.

AI agents could increase demand for Ethereum settlement systems

A major part of Lee’s presentation focused on the connection between artificial intelligence and blockchain infrastructure.

He said autonomous AI systems will require digital payment networks capable of operating without traditional banks or centralized intermediaries.

“Agents are going to need money,” Lee said, referring to future AI-driven economic activity.

Lee described Ethereum as a likely settlement layer for those systems because of its role in decentralized finance, smart contracts, and tokenized asset markets.

BitMine expands Ethereum holdings and staking operations

Lee also highlighted the Ethereum strategy of BitMine, which he said now controls more than 4% of Ethereum’s circulating supply.

According to Lee, the company stakes about 85% of its Ethereum holdings and generates more than $300 million in annualized staking revenue.

He said BitMine initially expected it would take several years to accumulate 5% of Ethereum’s supply, but reached its current position much faster than anticipated.

“Ethereum is a scarce settlement layer,” Lee said. “It has never had downtime.”

Lee added that Ethereum’s supply has turned effectively deflationary during BitMine’s accumulation period, a trend he believes could support prices if institutional demand continues to rise.

Coinbase Launches Gold and Silver Perpetual Futures

Coinbase Launches Crypto-Backed USDC Loans in the UK

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Coinbase has launched gold (GOLD-PERP) and silver (SILVER-PERP) perpetual futures for eligible non-U.S. traders, expanding crypto-linked commodities trading. The new contracts are settled in USD Coin and offer up to 25x leverage. Meanwhile, Coinbase Derivatives is working with the CFTC to upgrade its regulated U.S. gold and silver futures markets to 24/7 trading, replacing the traditional 23/5 schedule. The move reflects growing demand for always-open digital trading infrastructure tied to real-world assets.

South Korea to Launch Crypto Tax Rules in January 2027

$4.8M Crypto Stolen After South Korea Tax Leak

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South Korea will begin taxing virtual asset gains from January 2027, according to local reports. The country’s National Tax Service is coordinating with major exchanges including Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax to finalize implementation measures. Under the current law, crypto gains exceeding KRW 2.5 million will face a 22% tax rate, including 20% income tax and 2% local income tax, marking a major regulatory step for South Korea’s digital asset market.

Ondo Finance and XRP Ledger Complete Real-Time Treasury Settlement

ONDO Price

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Ondo Finance, Kinexys by JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard, and Ripple completed a breakthrough pilot connecting the XRP Ledger with institutional settlement rails. The transaction enabled tokenized U.S. Treasuries to settle across borders in near real time, even outside traditional banking hours. Ondo processed Ripple’s OUSG redemption on XRP Ledger, while Mastercard routed settlement instructions to Kinexys, which delivered USD to Ripple’s Singapore account. The milestone strengthens the case for always-on global markets powered by tokenized assets and blockchain infrastructure.

Notcoin Price Jumps as Altcoin Season Momentum Accelerates

ENSO Coin Price

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Notcoin surged as the Altcoin Season Index climbed 7.5% in 24 hours, signaling stronger capital rotation into higher-risk altcoins despite Bitcoin slipping slightly. The rally appears driven more by broader market sentiment than coin-specific developments, highlighting growing appetite for speculative crypto assets. Analysts now see $0.00060 as a critical support level, while sustained altcoin momentum could push NOT toward the $0.00075 resistance zone. Rising Bitcoin dominance, however, remains the biggest threat to the rally’s continuation.

BNY Expands Digital Asset Custody Business Into UAE Amid Tokenization Push

Bitcoin ETF investment 2026

The post BNY Expands Digital Asset Custody Business Into UAE Amid Tokenization Push appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

BNY, the world’s largest custodian overseeing $59 trillion in assets, is expanding its digital asset custody operations into the United Arab Emirates through partnerships with Finstreet and the ADI Foundation. The initiative, based in Abu Dhabi Global Market, will initially support custody for Bitcoin and Ethereum before expanding into stablecoins and tokenized assets. The move highlights growing institutional adoption of blockchain infrastructure and strengthens the UAE’s position as a global hub for regulated digital asset finance and tokenization.

TON DeFi Explodes as STON.fi Volume Surges 26x After Network Upgrades

A 3D blue Toncoin (TON) token centered in front of bold "TELEGRAM INTEGRATION" text and a bullish candlestick trading chart with a rising white arrow.

The post TON DeFi Explodes as STON.fi Volume Surges 26x After Network Upgrades appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

DeFi activity on TON is accelerating rapidly, with DefiLlama data showing Total Value Locked jumping 20% in 24 hours. The biggest catalyst was STON.fi, which processed $40 million in daily swap volume after recent network upgrades a 26x surge from last week’s average. On-chain activity also intensified, averaging one transaction every 0.73 seconds. The momentum supports the “MTONGA” scaling vision backed by Pavel Durov, signaling growing utility, liquidity, and potential institutional attention for the TON ecosystem.

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