Bitcoin Stock-to-Flow (S2F) model creator, PlanB, has countered the prevailing uncertainty in the crypto community, insisting that the upcoming Bitcoin halving will not differ from past events. He predicts a surge in Bitcoin's price around the halving, with the cryptocurrency expected to reach $100,000 this year and top $300,000 in 2025.

PlanB's analysis suggests that traders will see higher gains if they sell their holdings a year after the halving. He also predicts that Bitcoin will outperform gold in this bull cycle, becoming twice as scarce as the precious metal. This aligns with Bybit's report that Bitcoin's S2F ratio will double to 112 post-halving, while gold's remains at 60.

Despite Bitcoin reaching an all-time high a month before the halving, PlanB remains optimistic about the cryptocurrency's price trajectory. However, it remains to be seen if Bitcoin will exceed his $300,000 top prediction.

Bitcoin has experienced an 18% pullback from its all-time high of $73,737, hitting $60,000 during late trading on April 17. Despite the nearing halving event, analysts, including 'Rekt Capital', suggest this correction may not be over, predicting a move into a re-accumulation phase. Historically, Bitcoin has seen two 18% retraces just over a month prior to the halving. The re-accumulation phase, characterized by a range low and sideways movement, has typically lasted several months post-halving.

On-chain analytics firm Santiment reports a declining social sentiment following the Bitcoin correction, with increasing mentions of a bear market. However, it notes that prices typically move opposite to mass traders' expectations. Meanwhile, Bitcoin prices recovered to $62,000 during the Thursday morning Asian trading session, with Ethereum also seeing a slight recovery to $3,027. Despite the current market correction, the overall outlook remains optimistic, with the re-accumulation phase expected to provide a solid foundation for future growth.

Bitcoin mining companies are witnessing a significant drop in stock prices ahead of the upcoming Bitcoin halving event, which is expected to reduce mining rewards by half. Key players Marathon Digital and Riot Blockchain have seen their stock prices drop by approximately 53% and 54% respectively from their peak earlier this year. CleanSpark’s stock, despite a 38.1% retreat from its three-year high, remains up by almost 250% for the year.

Despite these challenges, CEOs of Bitcoin mining companies remain optimistic about Bitcoin's long-term growth. They believe factors such as low-cost operations, advancements in equipment efficiency, and increasing demand for crypto assets can offset the anticipated revenue losses from the halving. They are also banking on increased demand from the new spot Bitcoin ETFs to drive BTC prices higher.

However, concerns about profitability post-halving persist, especially if Bitcoin's price remains around $40,000. Some U.S. miners may need to consider relocating or expanding operations offshore to access more affordable electricity costs if Bitcoin's price doesn't continue to rise after the halving.

Ethena, an Ethereum-based synthetic dollar protocol, has seen its stablecoin USDe grow to a market capitalization of over $2 billion in a record time since its launch in February. However, on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant has identified potential risks associated with the rapidly growing stablecoin. The firm's analysis reveals that while Ethena's current $32.7 million reserve fund is sufficient to cover extremely negative funding rates if USDe's market cap stays below $4 billion, larger funding payments will be required as the market cap increases. CryptoQuant's head of research, Julio Moreno, advises investors to monitor Ethena's reserve fund in relation to USDe's market capitalization to ensure it can handle periods of large negative funding rates.

Despite these potential risks, the market's response to USDe has been overwhelmingly positive, with the stablecoin's market cap peaking at just under $2.4 billion this week. This rapid growth has been attributed to USDe's attractive yields, which have reached as high as 17%. However, the analysis also warns of the need for caution with algorithmic stablecoins, referencing the collapse of the Terra/Luna ecosystem in 2022. Despite these concerns, the overall outlook for Ethena and USDe remains optimistic, with the market's response indicating a strong appetite for innovative stablecoin solutions.

Despite a recent dip, VeChain (VET) has seen a nearly 60% increase in its value year-over-year, with speculation about reaching new highs soon. Analyst predictions are varied, with some expecting short-term rises to $0.06, while others envision a whopping 2,500% rally to $1.

Despite plunging significantly in the past week, VeChain’s native cryptocurrency – VET – remains among the best performers on a yearly scale, with its price rising by almost 60% (per CoinGecko’s data). It currently hovers the $0.04 mark, while some analysts believe a new all-time high above $0.25 could be on the horizon.

According to the analyst, the asset may retrace to the “upper boundary” at $0.032 in the following days and then start ascending to as high as $0.60. Other analysts who recently envisioned a bright future for VET include the X users Clifton Fx and World of Charts. The former maintained the coin’s value could rise to $0.06 in the short term, while the latter assumed the $0.22 mark may be reached this summer.

The most optimistic prediction came from Flash, who believes VET is poised for a 2,500% rally toward the all-time high of $1. The market sentiment remains optimistic despite recent fluctuations, indicating a strong belief in the potential of VeChain.

Crypto analytics firm IntoTheBlock has released data showing a higher correlation between Ethereum (ETH) and traditional market indexes than between Bitcoin (BTC) and the same markets. The correlation coefficient between ETH and the DAX, an index tracking 40 of the largest German companies, is 0.7, compared to BTC's 0.63. ETH's correlations to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 are 0.77 and 0.7 respectively, higher than BTC's 0.56 and 0.44.

Interestingly, both ETH and BTC have negative correlations with the US dollar Index, with ETH's correlation being stronger. Despite BTC recently being approved to trade on U.S. stock exchanges via several spot ETFs, ETH's correlation to traditional markets is significantly higher.

However, the likelihood of Ethereum receiving approval for a U.S.-listed spot ETF in the near future is uncertain. Despite this, financial advisors recognize the distinct roles of BTC and ETH in a portfolio, likening BTC to gold and ETH to a high-growth tech stock. Despite the lack of ETF approval, optimism remains high for Ethereum's potential in the market.

The cryptocurrency market experienced significant volatility this week, triggering billions in liquidation. Despite this, Bitcoin seems to be entering an accumulation phase, with withdrawals from exchanges reaching levels unseen since January 2023. This suggests a surge in investor activity and potential price hikes in the near future.

CryptoQuant analysts speculate that the increased withdrawals may be due to investors preparing for the anticipated Bitcoin halving on April 20, aiming to capitalize on potential gains. Meanwhile, a decrease in open interest on derivatives exchanges indicates a move away from leveraged trading, potentially stabilizing the market.

Despite initial panic selling, markets are rebounding, defying crowd expectations. This trend may continue until the hype surrounding the upcoming halving event dominates social media conversations. The current market conditions indicate a promising buying opportunity, suggesting a potential surge in Bitcoin's value soon.

Despite a recent market correction that saw Ripple's XRP lose nearly 20% of its value, analysts remain optimistic about the cryptocurrency's future. Amid the market downturn, which affected major digital assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Solana, XRP was not spared. However, several analysts predict a significant rally in the coming months.

Analyst Ash Crypto has outlined targets for 2025, suggesting that XRP could reach the $3-$5 range. Another analyst, Dark Defender, predicts a fresh bull run if XRP can overcome a key resistance zone of $0.52.

Analyst EGRAG CRYPTO believes the ongoing correction is an opportunity for buying, positioning XRP between bullish sentiment and bearish pressure. He suggests that XRP's price trajectory has formed a pattern that could trigger a bull run to the range of $1-$1.30.

Other bullish predictions come from Mikybull Crypto and YouTube content creator D.I.Y Investing, who believe XRP is poised for a significant rise. Factors such as a positive outcome in the lawsuit between Ripple and the US SEC could contribute to a resurgence in XRP's value this year.

Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market have recently experienced significant declines, with BTC tumbling toward $60K before recovering and crashing again. However, renowned trader Rekt Capital noted that Bitcoin has shown similar retrace patterns since the 2022 bear market bottom, with 20% drops and an 18% retrace on one occasion. The current pullback, estimated at 16%, aligns with these patterns and is typically followed by a substantial price surge.

Crypto investor Trader Tardigrade also views the recent Bitcoin movements as routine, noting that shakeouts have occurred several times since the beginning of the 2024 cycle, each followed by a price surge.

Renowned Bitcoin analyst CryptoCon remains optimistic, stating that despite Bitcoin's current difficulty breaking above resistance from all-time highs, its position is still on track for a cycle top expected by December 2024. This consensus among analysts suggests that these types of pullbacks are "normal" and have historically preceded price corrections ahead of previous halvings.

The Q1 2024 saw a surge in hacking activities with over $824 million lost across 67 incidents, as per Hacken's latest report. Access control breaches were the most frequent, accounting for 83% of the total funds stolen, spread across 26 separate incidents. Four major incidents, including a $290 million breach at Playdapp and a $112 million hack involving Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen's wallet, comprised 66% of the total losses.

Token projects were heavily targeted, with 19 reported incidents, followed by other projects and lending protocols. Gaming platforms, particularly Playdapp, suffered the most significant financial hits. Breached wallets of notable individuals, DAOs, tokens, bridges, and CeFi platforms constituted the second-largest category of losses.

However, there's a silver lining. Approximately $444 million, equivalent to 54% of the stolen amount, was successfully recovered or frozen. This recovery effort, aided by measures like hackers returning funds for bounties and intervention by white hat hackers, marks a significant advancement in the industry's responsiveness. The proactive steps by project teams and white hat hackers played a crucial role in recovering stolen funds and minimizing further disruptions. Despite the substantial amount hacked, the recovery of more than half of the stolen funds represents a significant positive development for the industry's security and resilience.

Hong Kong regulators have given in-principle approval for spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF products from China Asset Management, Harvest Global Investments, and Bosera Asset Management in partnership with HashKey Capital. However, Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas predicts that the Hong Kong ETF market may not perform as well as the US due to the absence of major players and potential high fees. Balchunas estimates that the Hong Kong Bitcoin and Ether ETF market may generate $500 million in inflows, compared to the over $15 billion from BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF product alone in the US.

Despite these predictions, the approval of these spot crypto ETFs is a significant milestone for Hong Kong's ambition to become a central digital assets hub. The Hong Kong spot Bitcoin ETF market could see an increase if larger players become involved and mainland Chinese investors gain access to the product. Furthermore, Hong Kong has an advantage over the US as one of the first jurisdictions to approve a spot Ethereum ETF. The US SEC has yet to approve a similar product tracking the price of Ether, despite numerous applications.

Although the US spot Bitcoin ETF market is larger, the approval of a spot Ethereum ETF in Hong Kong demonstrates the city-state's progressive stance towards digital assets. This could potentially attract more investors and boost the market, despite the current predictions.

The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), a prominent Ethereum non-fungible token (NFT) collection, has seen its floor price plummet by over 90% from its historical peak, recorded around two and a half years ago. As of April 15, the floor price of Bored Ape NFTs momentarily dipped below 11 ETH, equivalent to about $34,000, marking a 12.08% decline in a single day.

Despite this, BAYC has been a notable success story in the NFT market, known for its active community and frequent new collections. It has led the market in sales volume with over $3 billion in recorded transactions. Moreover, select BAYC NFTs have still been sold at prices significantly higher than the current floor price.

However, data from CryptoSlam reveals that Bitcoin-based NFTs are outperforming Ethereum NFTs, with the Bitcoin Ordinals achieving a sales volume of $458.8 million, surpassing the $299 million achieved by Ethereum NFTs. This shift in the market dynamics is noteworthy and could potentially impact the future performance of Ethereum-based NFTs like BAYC.

In the wake of a significant market correction, the crypto sector is showing signs of resilience and potential for growth. Bitfinex Alpha reports a surge in Bitcoin (BTC) outflows from exchanges, reaching levels unseen for over 15 months. This suggests investors are moving their assets to cold storage in anticipation of price increases post the Bitcoin halving event.

Simultaneously, there's a notable decline in BTC that has remained inactive for over a year, indicating a possible market inflection point. This pattern mirrors the market behavior observed in December 2020, just before a major price pump, suggesting a similar growth phase might be on the horizon.

Despite recent market volatility triggered by geopolitical tensions, BTC has rebounded to around $63,000 from its weekend low of $61,200. This recovery, coupled with the neutralization of funding rates in crypto perpetual markets, hints at a healthy correction and potential for reduced volatility.

Overall, these developments suggest a robust market that is well-positioned for future growth.

The Shiba Inu (SHIB) team continues to significantly reduce the token's circulating supply, with the burn rate soaring by nearly 500% in the last 24 hours and 193% weekly. Over 774 million SHIB tokens have been destroyed, aiming to make the coin scarcer and potentially more valuable in the future.

Despite these efforts, SHIB's price has dropped 8% in the last 24 hours and 25% weekly, mirroring the broader market decline. However, the advancement of Shibarium, a layer-2 scaling solution, could positively impact SHIB's future value. Shibarium aims to boost the meme coin's development by reducing transaction costs, improving speed, and enhancing scalability.

The network has seen a significant revival recently, with daily transactions and active accounts increasing. Shibarium has achieved several milestones, including exceeding 4 million total blocks and crossing 400 million total transactions. As the market faces a downturn, the SHIB team's proactive measures may set the stage for a potential rebound.

Crypto.com CEO, Kris Marszalek, in a recent Bloomberg interview, expressed optimism about the upcoming Bitcoin halving event, despite potential short-term selling pressures. The halving, set for April 20, is expected to cut mining rewards by half, posing a challenge for miners. However, Marszalek believes the long-term impact on Bitcoin's price will be positive, following the historical pattern of price increases post-halving.

Marathon CEO, Fred Thiel, and billionaire Arthur Hayes also shared their views on the halving event. Thiel suggested that the market might already partly reflect the halving, while Hayes cautioned that price action before and after the event could be negative. Ripple CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, however, maintains a positive outlook, predicting a doubling of the total crypto market cap this year, primarily due to Bitcoin ETFs and the upcoming halving.

Bitcoin is currently trading at $62,800, down 5.5% in the last 24 hours and 11.1% over the previous week. The global crypto market cap has also dropped 6% in the last day to $2.4 trillion. Despite these fluctuations, industry experts remain optimistic about the future of Bitcoin post-halving.

Despite Bitcoin's recent 10% drop, key stakeholders are holding firm, according to Santiment's latest analysis. Data shows that wallets holding between 100 to 1,000 BTC purchased 43,489 coins ($2.75 billion) since March 1st. Wallets with holdings ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 BTC amassed 80,544 coins ($5.1 billion), and those holding between 10,000 to 100,000 BTC accumulated 91,732 coins ($5.8 billion). This suggests that despite short-term market turbulence, large-scale investors remain committed to Bitcoin, indicating a strong underlying bullish sentiment.

Experts believe the market is in an uptrend, with the accumulation stage expected to continue until the halving. Bitcoin is currently sitting atop a crucial demand zone, indicating a potentially strong level of support. Over a million addresses have historically acquired over 530,000 BTC at an average price of $64.3k, making this area a potential stronghold for Bitcoin's price. However, if a downside break occurs, the next major demand zone is around the $56,000 level.

On the other hand, spot Bitcoin ETF demand seems to have stagnated, with digital asset investment products recording outflows of $126 million last week, and Bitcoin accounting for $110 million as investors maintained caution. The only exception was BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), which recorded inflows of $73.4 million on April 15th.

Despite a 25% drop in Shiba Inu's price over the past week, several factors suggest a potential rally. Increased whale activity is one such factor, with large investors purchasing substantial amounts of tokens. This activity can positively impact Shiba Inu's value by reducing the available supply, making it scarcer, and potentially triggering positive market sentiment.

Another factor is the decrease in Shiba Inu exchange netflow, indicating a shift from centralized exchanges to self-custody methods, which is considered bullish as it reduces immediate selling pressure.

Finally, the upcoming Bitcoin halving, expected later this week, could also boost Shiba Inu's price. The halving event, which reduces the rewards for validating blocks on the blockchain, leads to a decreased rate of new BTC entering circulation. Historically, this has been followed by a resurgence of the primary cryptocurrency and the entire digital asset market.

In a surprising turn of events, nine out of eleven newly launched Bitcoin ETFs have experienced zero fund flow for two consecutive trading days. Only Grayscale and BlackRock have seen fund flows on April 12 and 15, while others remained inactive, as per preliminary data from Farside Investors.

Grayscale's GBTC has also seen a continued outflow of funds, flipping the net aggregate negative again for the last two trading days. Crypto asset investment products have also seen an outflow of $126 million over the past week, according to CoinShares.

Despite this, BlackRock's industry-leading IBIT fund continues to support the crypto ETF markets with inflows, albeit shrinking. On April 15, IBIT saw an inflow of $73.4 million, the fourth double-digit inflow this month. However, this was not enough to offset the $110 million outflow from GBTC, resulting in a net outflow of $36.7 million for all Bitcoin ETFs yesterday.

Despite the stagnation in ETF demand, CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju remains optimistic, pointing out that "on-chain accumulation remains very active, even when excluding ETF settlement transactions."

In other news, the approval of spot BTC and ETH ETFs in Hong Kong is seen as a positive development, serving as a testbed for China's money to enter the system. However, the current market pullback continues, with total capitalization shrinking by a further 3.8% on the day. Despite these challenges, the blockchain industry remains resilient and optimistic about future growth.

Digital asset investment products experienced $126 million in outflows last week, indicating investor caution. Despite trading volumes rising from $17 billion to $21 billion, activity in ETP/ETFs decreased, accounting for 31% of total volumes on reputable exchanges, down from 40% in the previous month, according to CoinShares.

The U.S. saw the largest outflows of $145 million, followed by Canada and Switzerland. However, Germany saw inflows of $29 million, with investors viewing recent price drops as investment opportunities. Brazil and Australia also reported weekly inflows.

Bitcoin saw outflows of $110 million but maintained positive monthly inflows of $555 million. Ethereum faced the most significant outflows of $29 million, marking its fifth consecutive week of outflows. Meanwhile, altcoins such as Decentraland, Basic Attention Token, and LIDO attracted inflows, demonstrating continued investor interest in alternative digital assets.

Germany's largest federal bank, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW), has partnered with crypto exchange Bitpanda to offer digital asset custody services. The move is aimed at meeting the growing demand for digital asset management among institutional and corporate clients, with a planned launch in the latter half of 2024.

LBBW will utilize Bitpanda Technology Solution's "Investment-as-a-Service" (IaaS) infrastructure to offer cryptocurrency custody and procurement services to its corporate clients. The pilot for these services, which will include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets, is set to be further developed in the coming months.

Dr. Jürgen Harengel, COO of Corporate Bank at LBBW, expressed optimism about the future of crypto assets, stating that they are likely to become a fundamental part of future business models. This partnership with Bitpanda is seen as a strategic move to support the crypto strategies of LBBW's corporate clients.

This development is indicative of the increasing involvement of German banks in the crypto asset space, with many offering custody services and creating their own crypto-related products, potentially in anticipation of forthcoming EU regulations.