CryptoQuant Quicktake

In mid-April 2026, Ethereum is entering a structurally bullish phase beyond a simple price rebound. ETH surged 8–9% in 24 hours, outperforming Bitcoin, driven by simultaneous improvements in regulation, capital flows, and network activity.

A key catalyst is the April 13 SEC staff statement on DeFi. It clarified that certain user interfaces—such as DeFi front-ends and wallet-based apps—may operate without broker-dealer registration if they meet conditions like no custody, no investment advice, no execution involvement, neutral fee structures, and no discretion. This signals that DeFi can be treated as a neutral technology layer, reducing regulatory risk and providing a structural tailwind for Ethereum.

On-chain data supports this shift. Active addresses are trending upward, indicating renewed network usage. Meanwhile, the Coinbase Premium Gap is improving, suggesting a recovery in U.S.-driven demand, often linked to institutional flows.

ETF inflows are also strengthening, with three consecutive days of net inflows and the highest weekly levels of 2026. This reflects sustained, portfolio-level allocation rather than short-term trading.

At the corporate level, accumulation is accelerating. Bitmine now holds approximately 4.8 million ETH (over 4% of total supply), adding more than 70,000 ETH in the past week. This mirrors the strategic accumulation previously seen in Bitcoin.

Overall, this rally reflects a structural shift rather than a leverage-driven bounce. With regulatory clarity, institutional inflows, and rising network activity aligning, Ethereum is transitioning toward a “DeFi infrastructure asset.” The key is not why price rose, but what is fundamentally changing.

Written by XWIN Research Japan

Bitcoin may be entering its first clear profit-taking wave after reclaiming the $75,000 level.

On April 14, short-term holder profit sent to exchanges rose to 54,000 BTC, the highest reading since January 14, when it reached 44,800 BTC.

That suggests recent buyers are beginning to lock in gains as price pushes higher.

The move is also showing up on Binance flows.

On the same day, the 1D–1W holder cohort sent nearly 2,000 BTC to Binance, indicating that freshly accumulated coins are starting to return to exchanges.

Together, the two signals suggest the rally is still intact, but it is now meeting its first meaningful round of short-term distribution.

Written by Amr Taha

With Ethereum priced at US$ 2,365.22, the asset demonstrates resilience by sustaining itself above its short-term moving averages (SMA-7 and SMA-14). However, the on-chain data analysis reveals that the true battle is occurring in the derivatives market, with a rare global/top-exchange split.

THE GLOBAL TRAP

The indicator Ethereum: Open Interest - All Exchanges reached the US$ 16.37 billion mark, operating significantly above its 14-day average. Globally, the Ethereum: Funding Rates - All Exchanges remains in negative territory (-0.00027471). The macro verdict is clear: most of the global market is trying to "short" the rally, paying fees to maintain sold positions while the price refuses to drop.

THE BINANCE THERMOMETER: ACCELERATION AND DIVERGENCE

By refining the analysis to our main indicator, Ethereum: Open Interest - (Binance), we observe a massive concentration of capital and risk. Currently at US$ 6.04 billion, this indicator showed an explosive Open Interest (24H %) of +10.47%. Unlike the global average, the Ethereum: Funding Rates - (Binance) registers 0.00154327. This divergence suggests that Binance is the epicenter of volatility: while the world doubts the upside, liquidity on the planet's largest exchange is being tested by aggressive buyers facing a wall of global shorts. This double-digit jump in leverage in 24 hours indicates that new players have entered the game heavily.

TACTICAL CONCLUSION AND TAIL RISK

We face an extreme imbalance. With 40% of global ETH Open Interest on Binance, the fuel for a violent move is ready. However, the positive Binance Funding Rate introduces a reverse liquidation risk: while the world eyes a Short Squeeze, Binance traders are "buying the top" with high leverage. If ETH fails to break resistance, the market may seek liquidity below, punishing late Binance buyers before any major global reversal. Volatility is imminent; the direction will be defined by who capitulates first.

Written by GugaOnChain

XRP data on Binance indicates a significant decline in whale withdrawals from the platform recently, with outflows dropping to approximately 1.08 billion XRP, the lowest level recorded since 2021. This marked decrease reflects a shift in whale behavior, with fewer large-scale XRP transfers off the platform compared to previous periods of elevated activity.

This continued decline in withdrawals suggests reduced whale activity and fewer large-scale XRP transfers, reflecting a cautious, wait-and-see approach among major investors.

This decrease in whale withdrawals also coincides with a gradual decline in the price of XRP during the same period, with the asset currently trading near $1.33, according to recent data. This synchronicity suggests that whales are no longer withdrawing large amounts of the cryptocurrency, potentially indicating reduced institutional activity or a slowdown in liquidity redistribution.

On the other hand, the decline in whale withdrawals to their lowest levels since 2021 is considered an indicator of a period of relative calm in the movements of major investors. Whales tend to reduce their activity during such periods while awaiting greater clarity on market direction. Such phases are often observed before larger price movements, whether upward or downward, with whale activity gradually returning as market conditions evolve.

Written by Arab Chain

After a prolonged period during which LTHs were significantly more active on Bitcoin, their behavior now appears to be shifting.

Since November, the CDD (30-dma) has dropped sharply, indicating a clear decline in LTH activity. It has fallen from 1.6 million to 330,000, representing a fourfold decrease in activity.

CDD, which measures the number of days a BTC has been held before being moved, is an effective tool for capturing LTH behavior.

When it rises sharply, it typically suggests that LTHs may be preparing to sell recently moved coins.

However, with the growing number of large entities holding BTC and the emergence of quantum-related concerns, many coins can now be moved without necessarily being sold.

Some BTC movements are driven by security measures or UTXO consolidation, as seen when Coinbase moved around 800,000 BTC in November.

Other entities may also transfer BTC to change the type of address used for custody. Certain address formats are more resilient to quantum threats or allow for lower transaction costs.

That said, when CDD declines to this extent, it still indicates that selling pressure is decreasing.

Notably, CDD has now returned to levels of reduced activity that had not been observed since 2023.

Written by Darkfost

Ethereum is entering a structurally important phase where on-chain data reveals a divergence between price action and underlying capital behavior. While price remains compressed around the $2K range, realized capitalization held by accumulating addresses continues to expand, reinforcing the presence of long-term demand absorbing supply during weakness rather than chasing momentum.

From a capital perspective, the steady rise in realized cap among accumulating cohorts suggests coins are consistently moving into wallets with low historical spending behavior. This trend is especially visible after the April 2025 drawdown and the recent consolidation, where price volatility failed to trigger distribution and instead drove further accumulation. Such behavior reflects conviction-driven positioning rather than speculative rotation, indicating stronger hands are increasing exposure.

At the same time, inflow dynamics confirm this shift. During the mid-2025 rally, Ethereum saw elevated inflows from high-frequency in-out addresses, typically linked to trading and distribution near local tops. In contrast, the current structure shows a decline in these speculative flows, while addresses receiving funds from centralized exchanges become more dominant. This implies assets are gradually leaving liquid venues, reducing immediate sell pressure.

The lack of extreme inflow spikes suggests the market is not overheated. Instead, Ethereum appears to be in a re-accumulation phase where supply is quietly transferred to stronger holders. If exchange outflows persist, it strengthens the case for tightening supply and a potential expansion phase ahead. Overall, Ethereum on-chain structure reflects strengthening fundamentals despite muted price action, often a precursor to larger directional moves.

Written by CryptoZeno

BTC unrealized losses are rising again, but this still does not look like full capitulation.

Relative unrealized loss is now near 0.14. Stress is back. More holders are underwater again.

But this is still not a true washout. The metric is well above the near-zero regime seen through most of 2024 and 2025, yet still far below the deeper reset zones of 2022, when it moved above 0.3 and later into the 0.5-0.6 range.

So the market is under pressure again. But it still has not reached the kind of broad pain that usually comes with full surrender.

Losses are building again. Full capitulation is not here 🧸 DYOR

Written by TeddyVision

The NVT Ratio (Network Value to Transaction) acts like a "PE Ratio" for crypto.

High NVT: Suggests the market cap is outgrowing the actual volume being transferred on the ledger (potentially overvalued or a speculative bubble).

Low NVT: Suggests the network is being used heavily relative to its price (potentially undervalued or a strong organic base).

Analysis of the Chart Trends

The "De-leveraging" of Valuation: Looking at the transition from late 2025 into early 2026, the chart shows a significant "cooling off." The massive spikes in NVT seen in 2025 have leveled out.

Current Positioning (170.2):* The current NVT value of 170.2 sits in a "neutral-to-low" historical range compared to the 2025 peaks. This indicates that the current price of $1.37 is much better supported by actual on-chain transaction volume than it was during the speculative spikes of last year.

Price/NVT Convergence: In April 2026, the blue NVT line is showing tighter, more frequent oscillations. This "volatility compression" usually precedes a major move. It suggests that while the price has been range-bound, the underlying network utility is keeping pace.

Real-World Context (April 2026)

This technical data aligns with the current news cycle:

Institutional Adoption: With $1 billion now sitting in spot XRP ETFs (as of mid-April), the ledger is seeing "high-quality" transaction volume that keeps the NVT from spiking into "overvalued" territory despite the recent price surge.

Supply Dynamics: Exchange reserves are declining to around 2.75 B XRP, down from Q4 2025's 3 billion XRP on exchanges, indicating coins are moving off exchanges into private wallets/custody.

Finally, the NVT shows that XRP is reflecting current on-chain activity is healthy and fundamentally grounded rather than purely driven by retail hype. Also, the network usage is currently high enough to justify the $1.30–$1.40 price range, making this a period of valuation consolidation rather than overextension.

Written by TopNotchYJ

Bitcoin's Miners' Position Index (MPI) data indicates a period of relative equilibrium in miners' behavior recently, with a clear trend toward reduced selling pressure compared to previous periods. The index recorded a reading of approximately -0.83, a negative value reflecting a decrease in miners' transfers to exchanges. This suggests a reduced appetite for selling and a preference for holding Bitcoin rather than selling it into the market.

Historically, when the MPI rises above the 2 level, it signals increased selling activity by miners and the potential for downward pressure on price. Conversely, the index remaining in negative territory, as is currently the case, reflects reduced selling activity by miners, which supports the market and reduces the likelihood of sudden selling pressure.

The chart also shows that the index experienced sharp fluctuations in previous months, with several strong spikes above the 2 level, coinciding with periods of price correction for Bitcoin. However, the current phase appears different, as the index is moving within a relatively low and stable range, reflecting a shift in miners' behavior toward holding rather than selling.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin's price is trading near $74,000, coinciding with this decline in the MPI, which reinforces the view that the market is not currently experiencing significant selling pressure from miners. This data points to a more stable environment, where miners appear to prefer waiting rather than selling at current levels.

Overall, the current MPI reading reflects a decrease in selling pressure from miners and a more stable trend in their behavior, which could support more balanced price movements in the coming period, especially if the index continues to remain in negative or near-zero territory.

Written by Arab Chain

Bitcoin derivatives on Binance may have already gone through one of their clearest capitulation phases of the current cycle, but the recovery in positioning still looks incomplete.

On March 1, 2026, Binance’s 30-day change in Bitcoin open interest dropped to -14,960 BTC, making it one of the deepest capitulation readings recorded on the exchange in this cycle.

The only comparable event in this period came on September 8, 2023, when the metric reached -14,791 BTC.

That makes these two readings the biggest capitulation events for Binance derivatives traders recorded on Binance between H2 2023 and Q1 2026.

Why this matters is simple: when the 30-day open interest change falls this deeply into negative territory, it usually reflects a major reset in speculative positioning.

In practice, that means leveraged exposure has been aggressively flushed out of the market.

As of April 14, the metric recovered to around 5,760 BTC, showing that some positioning has returned.

But the rebuild still remains far from prior expansion highs.

Earlier leverage rebuild phases pushed Binance’s 30-day open interest change to 11,200 BTC on July 25, 2025 and 11,540 BTC on November 21, 2025, well above the current reading.

In other words, the current rebound is still roughly half the size of those earlier leverage expansion phases. That suggests Binance derivatives have recovered from the March washout, but speculative positioning has not yet returned to the same stretched levels seen during earlier market advances.

Written by Amr Taha

If lower yields were enough to break the whole space, TVL would be rolling over everywhere. That is not what the structure shows.

From peak TVL, the damage is deep in some names. Aave v3 is still down about 43.8%. Sky Lending is down 23.7%. Ethena USDe remains the weakest, down roughly 60.7%. Morpho looks different. Its drawdown is closer to 12.3%.

The right edge matters more. Over the last 7 days, Aave is up about 5.7% and Morpho about 4.6%. Sky is down 3.2%. Ethena is still slightly negative near 0.9%.

The yield premium is fading. Capital is getting more selective 🧸 DYOR

Written by TeddyVision

Uncertainty continues to dominate, yet some investors are choosing to increase their exposure to Ethereum derivatives, particularly on Binance.

Since February, around 350,000 ETH has been added to open interest on Binance, which now accounts for approximately 37% of total market share. At current prices, this represents over $1B that has flowed into Binance.

What is paradoxical is that despite the recent price increase (+35% since the February low), the majority of investors appear to be positioning for a correction by shorting the market.

This can be observed through ETH funding rates on Binance, which have reached levels not seen since the previous bear market.

Since late January, funding rates on Binance have remained mostly negative, reflecting a clear market dynamic where investors do not believe in a potential bullish recovery.

Observing such negative levels, with funding rates dropping below -0.01%, is relatively rare and indicates a significant buildup of short positions while investors remain in disbelief.

When this level of consensus forms, it is not uncommon for the market to move against the majority, triggering liquidations of the most aggressive positions and leading to short squeeze events, like the one observed yesterday.

Within just one hour, more than $3M in short positions were liquidated twice on Binance.

This type of setup could repeat, given the accumulation of short positions on Ethereum in recent months and could further fuel this early phase of the uptrend.

However, funding rates now appear to be turning positive again, currently around +0.01% (with today’s data not yet fully complete).

If this shift persists, derivatives markets could begin to support a potential upward move, reinforcing it and making conditions increasingly difficult for late short sellers.

Written by Darkfost

Since March, the flow of Bitcoin into futures exchanges — rather than spot exchanges — has been intensifying. This pattern closely mirrors the behavior observed following the FTX collapse in December 2022

The emergence of leveraged positioning at this juncture suggests that the bear market may be drawing to a close, with the early stages of a new cycle potentially underway.

Written by crypto sunmoon

I usually watch Estimated Leverage Ratio and Funding Rate together.

Right now, Estimated Leverage Ratio is still around 0.22, which tells me leverage across the market is still pretty high. A lot of traders are still positioned pretty aggressively.

At the same time, Funding Rate is pretty deeply negative, and the funding EMA is still moving further down in negative territory. That tells me shorts are still in control and still paying longs.

When funding is this negative while market-wide leverage stays high, I lean toward the idea that the market is getting a bit over-shorted. And if we get a positive catalyst from here — for example, something constructive out of the US-Iran talks — there’s a decent chance of a short squeeze that snaps price back up.

Written by Rei Researcher

Potential sell-side pressure for XRP on Binance may be softening as the exchange’s transaction mix shifts back to levels last seen in June 2025.

The 7-day average shows withdrawal transactions rising to 53%, while deposit transactions fell to 46%.

This is the first time since June 2025 that Binance’s XRP deposit/withdrawal transaction split has returned to these levels.

This matters because falling deposit activity usually means fewer transactions are moving XRP onto the exchange, while rising withdrawals point to more coins leaving it.

When that balance shifts this way, it can reduce immediate exchange-side selling intent, especially if the move continues over several days.

In simple terms, Binance is seeing a less deposit-heavy XRP flow structure again.

That does not guarantee an immediate price reaction, but it does signal a notable change in traders behavior that traders may want to watch closely.

Written by Amr Taha

XRP data on Binance indicates a significant decline in liquidity levels recently, with the index falling to its lowest point since 2021. This suggests a clear decrease in trading activity and a reduction in liquidity flows associated with XRP.

According to the latest data, the liquidity index fell to approximately 0.053, coinciding with a 30-day trading volume of around 3.77 billion XRP, one of the lowest levels recorded in recent years. This decline reflects a clear contraction in liquidity flows on the Binance platform, indicating reduced trader activity compared to previous periods that saw significant increases in liquidity.

Meanwhile, XRP is trading near $1.33, with relatively limited price movements, which aligns with the low liquidity environment. Periods of low liquidity are typically associated with reduced volatility and quieter price action, as fewer market participants and lower trading volumes prevail.

The drop in liquidity to its lowest level since 2021 is a significant indicator of changing market dynamics, potentially reflecting a period of investor caution, reduced trading activity, and anticipation of new market catalysts. Periods of low liquidity often precede more pronounced price movements, particularly when liquidity returns to the market.

this decline reflects a state of relative calm and investor anticipation at present, though conditions could shift if liquidity flows return to the market.

Written by Arab Chain

Recent market data highlights a significant divergence between Bitcoin’s price action and its Open Interest on Binance. While Bitcoin has been riding a short-term bullish channel, with its price climbing from 63000 USD on February 5th to a peak near 73200 USD on February 14th, the derivatives market is painting a contrasting picture. During this exact same timeframe, the 30-day Simple Moving Average of Binance Open Interest for BTC-USD has experienced a sharp decline, dropping from 1.9B down to 1.19B.

Analysis and Takeaway:

This specific divergence (rising prices coupled with declining open interest) is a crucial indicator of the underlying market dynamics. It suggests that the recent upward price momentum is primarily driven by spot market accumulation rather than leveraged trading in the futures market. Furthermore, a dropping Open Interest during a price rally often points to a short covering scenario, where short sellers are forced to close their positions, inadvertently adding buying pressure and pushing the price higher.

Overall, this can be viewed as a fundamentally healthy macro signal. A price rally built on low leverage significantly reduces the risk of sudden, severe liquidation cascades. However, for this bullish momentum to sustain itself aggressively over the longer term, we would eventually need to see fresh capital re-entering the derivatives market (a rising Open Interest) to confirm the trend’s enduring strength.

Written by CryptoOnchain

With BTC quoted at US$72,403.83 (24h%: +1.75%), the market finds itself facing a scenario of massive accumulation in the over-the-counter (OTC) market and an imminent risk of a supply shock. As a main strategy, the investor's focus at this moment is to completely step away from the short-term price noise and monitor the validation of scarcity and the breaking point of derivatives.

DERIVATIVES

The spot market is like the surface of an iceberg: its calm, especially in periods of low volatility, as observed at this moment, is merely apparent. Derivatives occupy the submerged and agitated part. It is there that the vital signs of momentum emerge. Tracking them is indispensable, acting as a radar for hidden pressures that anticipate liquidations and trend reversals.

SHORT SQUEEZE

Deluded by the lethargy of the spot market, retail bet on the fall. With the indicators Bitcoin: Funding Rates – All Exchanges (-0.009%) and Bitcoin: Funding Rates – Binance (-0.007%) being negative, what is exposed is the fear of the herd and the excess of leverage in short positions, amid the news about the war in the Middle East.

However, our highlighted indicator, Bitcoin: Long & Short Liquidations (USD) – Binance, proves that reality is brutal and reveals who bled the most in the last 24 hours. There were US$5.25 million in annihilated shorts against US$2.01 million in longs — a significant result for a moment of low volatility, even more considering that it occurred in just one exchange.

CONCLUSION

With the spot supply scarce, any slight upward movement pulls the trigger on liquidations, feeding a Short Squeeze. Looking only at the surface at this moment is accepting the shipwreck.

Written by GugaOnChain

Over the past two days, Coinbase Premium Index data for Ethereum shows a significant increase in the premium on Coinbase compared to Binance. The index reached approximately 0.055, its highest level since October 2025, before subsequently retreating to around 0.006. This suggests a decline in the premium and a slowdown in buying momentum following a surge in strong institutional demand.

The Coinbase Premium Index is a key indicator of institutional demand. When Ethereum trades at a higher premium on Coinbase compared to Binance, it typically signals increased demand from institutional investors, particularly in the U.S. market.

Recently, the index’s rise to 0.055 reflected a significant influx of institutional liquidity. Ethereum traded at a higher price on Coinbase than on Binance, indicating increased institutional investor activity and stronger demand for Ethereum during this period.

However, the index later retreated to around 0.006, indicating a relative slowdown in institutional demand during the current period. This decline reflects a narrowing price gap between Coinbase and Binance, suggesting reduced buying momentum from institutional investors following the previous surge.

Written by Arab Chain

Bitcoin is still seeing selling. But not from a position of strength. aSOPR has spent 22 of the last 30 days below 1.0 and is back under break-even at 0.995. This is not a market distributing from a wide profit cushion. That cushion is already gone.

LTH-SOPR/STH-SOPR says the same. Over the last 30 days, the ratio averaged 0.99, with 24 of those days below 1.0. Long-term holders are not realizing profit at a clear premium to short-term participants. Selling is there. But it looks reactive.

There was a sharp spike in the ratio on Apr 5. It did not hold. In the next 7 sessions, the ratio moved back below 1.0 on 6 of them before rebounding to 1.27. What matters is what did not happen. The market did not move into clean long-term holder distribution.

That keeps Bitcoin in a compressed structure. Stress is still there. Profit is not. Selling is real. But it still does not look like broad, confident distribution from the strongest cohort 🧸 DYOR

Written by TeddyVision