Whale-tracking service @whale_alert reported that an unidentified wallet moved 3,000 BTC to the OKX exchange today. Based on prices at the time, the transfer was valued at about $231.5 million. Market watchers widely interpret the deposit as a potential prelude to selling.

Kraken parent Payward has agreed to acquire Bitnomial for up to $550 million in cash and stock, a deal that would give Payward a fully licensed U.S. crypto-derivatives stack under Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversight. Payward said the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026. Bitnomial holds all three CFTC licenses required to run a U.S. derivatives business: an exchange, a clearinghouse and a brokerage. With that infrastructure in place, Payward plans to expand Kraken's regulated U.S. offering to include products such as spot margin, perpetual futures and options. Executives framed the purchase as an infrastructure play more than a front-end trading upgrade. Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi said clearing and settlement systems shape market access and determine which products can be offered. Payward highlighted Bitnomial's crypto-native build for settlement, collateral management and 24-hour trading, developed over more than a decade, including support for unified trading across spot and derivatives. Founder Luke Hoersten said the firm pioneered features such as regulated perpetual futures and native crypto settlement. Payward also plans to distribute regulated derivatives via its Payward Services division through a single API aimed at fintechs and financial institutions, including banks, brokerages and payment providers. Partners would be able to pair derivatives access with staking, tokenized equities and fiat on-ramps, as Payward pursues a vertically integrated suite of services. The deal also addresses a geographic gap. Payward already operates regulated derivatives businesses in the U.K. and the European Union; Bitnomial would provide a comparable foundation in the United States as regulatory clarity continues to improve.

Morgan Stanley has continued to ramp up its Bitcoin exposure, adding 177.76 BTC worth $13.75 million on April 18, according to Arkham. The purchase lifts the bank's total holdings to 1,347.54 BTC, valued at $103.94 million. The steady accumulation underscores a growing institutional vote of confidence in crypto. Historically, supportive positioning from large market participants has tended to coincide with stronger Bitcoin price performance. Institutional interest is also showing up in U.S. market indicators. CryptoQuant data shows the Coinbase Premium Index has stayed positive for 10 consecutive days, the longest streak year-to-date. The previous comparable run occurred in December 2025, when Bitcoin held firmly above $90,000. Spot Bitcoin ETFs are reinforcing that trend. Sosovalue data indicates net inflows have remained positive for four straight days. On April 18, spot ETF inflows jumped to a three-month high of $663.9 million. Against that backdrop, Morgan Stanley's new spot Bitcoin ETF, MSBT, has posted strong early demand. Inflows reached $102 million in its first week of trading, pushing total assets above $140 million. The bank characterized the debut as its most successful ETF launch to date. Bitcoin prices have responded alongside the uptick in institutional participation. BTC has remained in an uptrend over the past two weeks and recently touched a two-month high of $78,317 before easing back. At the time of writing, Bitcoin traded at $77,257, up 3.15% on the day. Technical signals have improved as well, with BTC reclaiming the 20-, 50-, and 100-day EMAs. The Stochastic Momentum Index (SMI) rose to 70, supporting the bullish momentum. If U.S.-led institutional demand persists, BTC could break above $80,000 and target $82,938. If the move stalls, support is seen around $72,584. Final Summary: Morgan Stanley bought 177.76 BTC worth $13.75 million, taking total holdings to 1,347.54 BTC valued at $103.94 million. MSBT drew more than $102 million in first-week inflows, lifting assets to over $140 million.

RaveDAO’s token RAVE rallied to a new all-time high of $27.94 on Friday, jumping more than 50% over the past 24 hours and lifting its market capitalization to $6.56 billion. The token is up 18,308% from its all-time low of $0.14 recorded four months ago in December 2025. At the time of writing, RAVE was trading at $26.48, easing back from the peak. The move was driven primarily by an aggressive short squeeze. After RAVE pushed above $20, more than $1 million in short positions were liquidated within a single hour, triggering forced buybacks that intensified upside pressure. Open interest has since climbed above $500 million. A KuCoin listing on April 17 added to demand by expanding access and drawing additional spot buying. The combination of new exchange exposure and crowded short positioning contributed to the outsized price action. Alongside the rally, blockchain investigator ZachXBT raised concerns about token concentration. Four days ago, he alleged that insiders control 90% of RAVE’s supply and are manipulating prices on centralized exchanges. ZachXBT said he contacted a RaveDAO cofounder for comment but has not received a response. Crypto community reaction has been divided. Some traders continue to follow the momentum, while others cite the alleged supply concentration as a risk regardless of near-term gains. One commenter questioned whether the team is aiming to push the fully diluted valuation toward $100 billion, calling RAVE the market’s most overbought token. Related: RaveDAO Price Prediction: Why Did RAVE Surge 2500% In Ten Days? Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Coin Edition is not responsible for losses resulting from the use of any referenced content, products, or services. Readers should exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said Europe needs a larger ecosystem of euro-denominated stablecoins and called on EU banks to speed up work on tokenized deposits, according to CoinDesk. He described the current euro stablecoin market—still far smaller than the dollar-pegged segment—as "unsatisfactory." The push highlights a shift in tone from some French policymakers. Former Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire had previously opposed privately issued stablecoins. Bank of France Governor François Villeroy de Galhau has also warned that stablecoins could undermine monetary sovereignty.

BlockBeats, April 18 — U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a series of comments over the past 24 hours that shaped expectations around the Middle East and broader geopolitics. On the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the waterway has reopened, while stressing that U.S. maritime restrictions on Iran will remain in place until any deal is "100% completed." He also said no tolls will be imposed on vessels transiting the strait. On the nuclear file, Trump said Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely. He added that the United States would take part in removing Iran's enriched uranium and bringing it to the U.S., while reiterating that no frozen Iranian funds would be released. Trump indicated talks will continue through the weekend. He warned that if no agreement is reached by next Wednesday, a return to hostilities cannot be ruled out. Addressing discrepancies between U.S. and Iranian messaging, he said Iran "needs to say different things domestically." On regional security, Trump said the U.S. has barred Israel from continuing strikes on Lebanon and plans to handle Hezbollah independently. Trump also used the moment to send broader political signals, calling NATO "useless at critical moments" and criticizing some allies for a lack of coordination. He again accused The New York Times and CNN of inaccurate reporting. He thanked Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Pakistan for supporting the operation. Separately, Trump said the first batch of UFO-related documents will be released soon, and that he will sign an executive order and hold a press conference on Saturday. Overall, Trump's frequent statements are driving market and diplomatic expectations, projecting a mix of hardline posture and uncertainty as ceasefire efforts, negotiations, and blockade measures proceed in parallel. (Jinshi)

Circle has launched USDC Bridge, a native cross-chain infrastructure aimed at moving USDC across more than 17 blockchains, as stablecoins take on a larger role in what industry executives describe as an "agentic" economy. According to the report, the bridge supports networks including Ethereum (ETH), Arbitrum One (ARB), Avalanche (AVAX), Base, Sei Network, Polygon, Monad and Optimism, among others. Transfers use a burn-and-mint model with disclosed upfront fees, while destination gas is handled automatically to reduce friction for repeat transfers. The rollout drew mixed reactions. Some users questioned the fee levels, with commentator Duo Nine asking, "Why are the fees so high? Is your CCTP bridge cheaper? What's this exactly?" Critics pointed to Circle's Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), which they say can be cheaper and offers zero fees on Solana, though the report noted that cross-chain transactions typically carry costs. Circle Chief Strategy Officer Dante Disparte argued stablecoins are moving into a new phase, saying, "The next big frontier breakthrough for stablecoins is going to be agentic commerce and economic activity." In a separate development, Singapore Gulf Bank (SGB) introduced a 1:1 USD-to-USDC mint-and-redeem service on Solana, allowing businesses to convert USD to USDC directly from SGB accounts at no cost. On usage metrics, Token Terminal data cited in the report showed USDC's monthly transfer volume on Ethereum reaching a new high of $1.8 trillion, reinforcing demand for stablecoins both as a payment rail and as a liquidity tool. The report also contrasted Circle's approach with Tether's USDT. USDT does not have a single official dedicated bridge comparable to the newly launched USDC Bridge and instead relies on third-party protocols such as Wormhole. On disclosures, Tether said KPMG will conduct quarterly attestations, while Deloitte handles Circle's monthly attestations. In market activity, 250 million USDC valued at $249.868 million was minted at the USDC Treasury as CRCL shares were poised to finish the week in positive territory. The report added that Circle minted another $500 million in USDC on Solana, a move expected to add liquidity to the broader crypto market. CRCL stock ended the week higher, with the report pointing to a potential retest of the previously invalidated lower high near $100. Technical indicators cited were supportive, with MACD described as bullish and RSI moving above neutral, signaling continued buying interest. The stock's rebound comes after recent criticism of Circle related to its handling of funds reportedly stolen through CCTP. Overall, the report framed the USDC Bridge launch as supportive for cross-chain stablecoin activity tied to the agentic economy, while acknowledging user preference for lower-cost or free options such as CCTP on Solana.

Huo Xing Finance reports that President Trump on April 18 delivered a flurry of statements over the past 24 hours, laying out his stance on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional security. Trump said navigation through the Strait of Hormuz has resumed, while stressing that a maritime blockade on Iran will remain until any agreement is "100% completed." He also claimed Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely. Under the arrangement he described, the U.S. would take part in retrieving Iran's enriched uranium and transporting it to the United States, while adding that no frozen Iranian funds would be released. On the diplomatic timeline, Trump said talks would continue over the weekend. He warned that if no agreement is reached by next Wednesday, a return to war "cannot be ruled out." Addressing perceived inconsistencies in Tehran's messaging, he said Iran "needs to say different things domestically." He also rejected reports of fees for transit, saying no tolls would be charged for passage through the Strait. On regional security, Trump said the U.S. has stopped Israel from continuing airstrikes in Lebanon and plans to deal with Hezbollah independently. Trump also used the remarks to sharpen political attacks at home and abroad. He criticized NATO as "useless at a critical moment" and faulted certain allies for a lack of cooperation. He renewed claims that The New York Times, CNN and other outlets reported inaccurately. He thanked Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Pakistan for supporting operations. He additionally said the first batch of UFO-related documents would be released soon, and announced plans to sign an executive order and hold a press conference on Saturday. Overall, Trump's rapid-fire messaging is shaping market and diplomatic expectations, pairing a hard line with uncertainty as ceasefire efforts, negotiations and the blockade proceed in parallel. (Jin Shi)

Aztec Network, a newly launched Layer 2 platform, has moved 15,154 ETH to Coinbase over the past three months. The ETH traces back to Aztec's official public auction held in December 2025, when 15% of the AZTEC token supply was sold. Wu Blockchain reported the sale raised 19,388.4 ETH in total, with a portion set aside to support early liquidity.