Crypto Industry News & Market Trends

Tether shareholder pays £5M to keep Nigel Farage safe and secure

Tether shareholder and billionaire tycoon Christopher Harborne gave Nigel Farage £5 million ($6.7 million) shortly before the Reform UK leader backtracked on claims he wasn‘t planning to stand in the UK’s 2024 general election.　　Farage declared in May 2024 that he wouldn‘t be running to become an MP. However, by July of that same year, he announced that he’d be standing in the constituency of Clacton.　　revealed that at some point before his seemingly spur of the moment election bid, Farage received the multi-million-dollar gift from Harborne.　　The gift was kept under wraps and not publicly disclosed — which it didnt legally have to be, as it was technically given before Farage announced his bid for Parliament.　　Farage pre-emptively attacked report via an article in that was published hours before, titled “Farage: My home was firebombed.”　　In this piece, Farage claims that Harborne gave him the money “so that I would be safe and secure for the rest of my life.”　　He notes that Harborne, “is an ardent supporter who is deeply concerned for my safety,” and bemoaned the lack of security funding from the government.　　Farage also revealed that he was a victim of an arson attack on his home last year.　　“I would rather not be

04-29Industry

Wiener Privatbank joins Real Finance to expand institutional access to blockchain-based assets

Blockchain　　Wiener Privatbank joins Real Finance to expand institutional access to blockchain-based assets　　Real Finance has entered a strategic partnership with Wiener Privatbank to build a regulated institutional framework for participation in blockchain-based markets, according to details shared with Finbold on April 29.　　The collaboration aims to integrate traditional banking infrastructure with the REAL blockchain to allow institutional clients access to on-chain financial products within a structure aligned with European regulatory standards.　　Under the partnership, Wiener Privatbank will provide core banking services, including custody of client funds, reserve safeguarding, and support for asset origination.　　Client funds will be held in EU-regulated accounts, with compliance aligned to frameworks such as the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), alongside established know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) procedures.　　Institutional-grade infrastructure aligned with regulated financial standards　　The initial minimum viable product (MVP) phase is expected to support approximately $50 million in on-chain assets. Following the launch of the REAL blockchain mainnet, the partners are targeting more than $500 million in tokenized assets within the first year.　　As part of the agreement, Wiener Privatbank will also support the origination and structuring of euro-denominated assets, contributing to liquidity development within a regulated digital asset environment.　　In a subsequent phase, the companies plan to explore the issuance

04-29Industry

Tether leads Belos $14 million raise to expand stablecoin payments across Latin America

Belo, a Latin America-focused digital wallet that uses crypto rails for payments, has raised $14 million in a Series A round led by stablecoin issuer Tether.　　The round included Titan Fund, The Venture City, Mindset Ventures and G2.　　The company plans to use the funds to expand into Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay, while scaling its infrastructure across the region. It is also deepening its presence in Brazil, targeting freelancers, remote workers and others who move money across borders.　　Founded in Buenos Aires in 2021, Belo offers a digital wallet that lets users hold and transfer local currencies alongside digital dollars. The platform has grown to more than 3 million users across Latin America.　　“We reached this round with three years of profitable operations and a product that people use in their daily lives,” said CEO Manuel Beaudroit. “This round is about scaling.”　　Stablecoins — cryptocurrencies with prices tied to fiat money — have gained traction across emerging markets as an alternative to traditional banking systems, especially in regions with high inflation, currency volatility or limited access to dollar-denominated accounts. In Latin America, they are often used to store value, send remittances and bypass costly foreign exchange systems.　　Belo combines payments, foreign exchange and

04-29Industry

IBM and MIT launch new computing lab to advance AI and quantum research

IBM and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have launched the MIT-IBM Computing Research Lab, expanding their long-standing collaboration to focus on next-generation computing technologies.IBM and Massachusetts Institute of Technology launch MIT-IBM Computing Research Lab, expanding a long-standing partnership to focus on next-generation computing.New lab integrates AI, advanced algorithms, and quantum computing, with an emphasis on hybrid systems that combine quantum and classical technologies.Initiative aims to drive breakthroughs in scientific research and train future talent, with applications spanning materials science, biology, and financial modeling.　　According to reports, the new lab builds on the foundation of the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, established in 2017, and reflects the rapid evolution of both artificial intelligence and quantum computing.　　While the earlier initiative focused primarily on AI, the updated lab will integrate quantum computing into its core research agenda. This will allow researchers to unlock computational methods that go beyond the limits of classical systems.　　Leaders from both institutions said the initiative is designed to bring together academic and industrial expertise to tackle increasingly complex scientific and engineering challenges.　　IBM Research director Jay Gambetta noted that the collaboration will focus on rethinking how models, algorithms, and systems are built in an era shaped by the convergence of AI and quantum

04-29Industry

AAVE Price Prediction: $110 Target Within 15 Days as Whales Load Up

AAVEs Technical Reality Check　　The momentum picture for AAVE is painting a classic accumulation pattern that seasoned traders recognize immediately. With RSI sitting dead center at 49.18 and MACD histogram flatlining at zero, were witnessing that critical moment where directional conviction typically emerges. The Bollinger Band positioning at 0.50 confirms AAVE is trading exactly at the statistical mean – neither oversold nor overbought.　　Price action is hugging the 20-day SMA at $97.51, creating a coiling effect that historically precedes explosive moves. The $7.49 daily ATR suggests we should expect roughly 7-8% moves when this consolidation breaks, making the immediate resistance at $100.00 and strong resistance at $102.38 very achievable targets.　　Volume & Price Alignment　　Heres where the story gets interesting for bulls. Despite the sideways grind, Binance spot volume clocked $16.7 million over 24 hours – substantial for a mid-cap DeFi token during consolidation. The derivatives market is telling an even more compelling story with open interest holding steady at $62 million while funding rates remain neutral at 0.0027%.　　The real kicker is the positioning data. While retail traders are modestly long at 54.6%, the smart money contingent – those top traders who consistently profit – are positioned 59.6% long. This divergence typically signals institutional

04-29Industry

Can XRP price break $1.50 as a symmetrical triangle forms amid RWA narrative?

In the case of XRP, technical indicators present a bias tilted towards a potential bullish breakout from the pattern, thus rewarding patient buyers. The Supertrend has flipped green for the first time in weeks, while the 50-day SMA is close to forming a mini golden cross with the 100-day SMA, suggesting that the long-term trend is turning positive.　　For now, $1.39, which aligns with the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement level, lies as the key resistance level to watch in the immediate term. A breakout from this barrier could trigger a rally towards $1.50 and beyond to challenge the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level at $1.61.　　On the contrary, a failure to hold the lower boundary of the triangle near $1.32 could lead to a deeper correction toward the psychological support at $1.20.

04-29Industry

Tehrans Imam Khomeini Airport reopens after 57-day suspension

Tech　　Tehrans Imam Khomeini Airport reopens after 57-day suspension　　Tehran‘s Imam Khomeini Airport has reopened for international flights after a 57-day suspension due to the US-Israel war on Iran. The market for the Iranian regime’s fall by April 30 is at 0.1% YES, while May 31 sits at 3.0% YES.　　## Market reaction　　The April 30 market is virtually unchanged at 0.1% YES, likely because the resolution date is days away. The May 31 market shows 3% YES, down from 5% a week ago. The spread between these two dates suggests traders expect continued stability into May.　　## Volume and order book　　The regime fall market has $111,584 in USDC traded over the last 24 hours. It would take $113,028 to move the May 31 market 5 points, meaning the order book is thick enough to absorb most speculative bets. The largest single price move in the last 24 hours was a 50-point spike that quickly reverted, showing the market reacts sharply to news but corrects fast.　　## Why it matters　　The flight resumption points to a stabilization phase that reduces the probability of the regime‘s immediate collapse. The fragile ceasefire, extended by US President Donald Trump, has allowed some normalcy to return, including the reopening of airspace.

04-29Industry

BitGorilla Launches Cross-Chain Execution Platform to Close the Swap Quality Gap

Built on solver-based routing infrastructure, BitGorilla helps traders, builders, and autonomous agents access more consistent cross-chain execution.　　Every crypto trader has a theory about what makes a good trade: pick the right asset, time the entry, read the chart. But according to @_capfree, founder of BitGorilla, most traders are optimising the wrong variable entirely. Execution differences between identical swaps can vary by 0.5%–2% depending on routing depth, solver competition, and mempool exposure.　　That gap is the execution gap. And it sits beneath almost every swap interface in crypto today.　　The fee that isnt called a fee　　The problem starts with a misconception: free trading is not actually free. The cost has simply moved somewhere the user cannot easily see it.　　On cross-chain routes, every intermediate hop introduces its own spread, pool fee, and extraction surface. Most users never see the breakdown — only the estimate before the swap and the result after it settles.　　Fragmentation, sandwiching, and the auction nobody told you about　　The deeper problem is structural. Crypto liquidity is scattered across hundreds of chains, thousands of pools, dozens of aggregators, and a growing network of professional solvers bidding on order flow through private auctions.　　The route your swap takes through that landscape determines the outcome more

04-29Industry

BoC: Cautious hold as oil lifts inflation – TD Securities

Finance　　BoC: Cautious hold as oil lifts inflation – TD Securities　　TD Securities strategists expect the Bank of Canada (BoC) to keep its policy rate at 2.25%, with a cautious statement in the April decision. The April Monetary Policy Report (MPR) is seen upgrading headline inflation forecasts on higher energy prices, while core revisions remain modest. Strategists anticipates a higher neutral rate range and notes the Bank will stress two-sided growth risks from elevated Oil prices.　　BoC to hold with two sided risks　　“We look for the Bank of Canada to hold rates at 2.25% as the policy statement strikes another cautious tone. The April MPR will provide the first update to the Bank‘s outlook since the start of the Iranian conflict, with higher energy prices expected to drive a sharp upgrade to the Bank’s inflation forecast, with more modest revisions to core inflation.”　　“The MPR will also give the BoCs latest assumptions for potential output and its neutral rate, where TD looks for its neutral estimate to rise by 25bps to a 2.50-3.50% range. Crucially, we look for the Bank to note ”two-sided“ risks to growth from higher oil prices, and maintain its pledge to look through near-term inflation impacts.”　　“With a lack of any

04-29Industry

AAVE Price Prediction: $110 Target Within 15 Days as Whales Load Up

AAVEs Technical Reality Check　　The momentum picture for AAVE is painting a classic accumulation pattern that seasoned traders recognize immediately. With RSI sitting dead center at 49.18 and MACD histogram flatlining at zero, were witnessing that critical moment where directional conviction typically emerges. The Bollinger Band positioning at 0.50 confirms AAVE is trading exactly at the statistical mean – neither oversold nor overbought.　　Price action is hugging the 20-day SMA at $97.51, creating a coiling effect that historically precedes explosive moves. The $7.49 daily ATR suggests we should expect roughly 7-8% moves when this consolidation breaks, making the immediate resistance at $100.00 and strong resistance at $102.38 very achievable targets.　　Volume & Price Alignment　　Heres where the story gets interesting for bulls. Despite the sideways grind, Binance spot volume clocked $16.7 million over 24 hours – substantial for a mid-cap DeFi token during consolidation. The derivatives market is telling an even more compelling story with open interest holding steady at $62 million while funding rates remain neutral at 0.0027%.　　The real kicker is the positioning data. While retail traders are modestly long at 54.6%, the smart money contingent – those top traders who consistently profit – are positioned 59.6% long. This divergence typically signals institutional

04-29Industry