XO Market bets on user-generated prediction markets to rival Polymarket and Kalshi

XO Market is betting that the future of prediction markets wont be dictated by centralized teams deciding what people can trade on, but by users themselves.  The startup, which just closed a $6 million seed round led by 20VC, Picus Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Venture Together and a group of angels including Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins, is positioning itself as the “YouTube of prediction markets,” according to co-founder Ali Habbabeh.  “Today‘s major platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket act more like Netflix,” Habbabeh told CoinDesk in an interview. “They decide what markets exist. We’ve flipped that model entirely. On XO, users create the markets themselves.”  The distinction is critical. While incumbents rely on internal teams to curate and list prediction markets, XO allows individuals or companies to spin up their own markets, set parameters and fees, and let others trade on them. The result, Habbabeh said, is a broader, and often more creative, set of opportunities.  “We believe the future of prediction markets is user-generated. The best markets arent decided by a platform, they emerge from the community.”  Mainnet beta launch  The model appears to be gaining traction. Since starting its mainnet beta in mid-November, XO has generated more than $150 million in trading volume, attracted over

04-30

Ripple expands headquarters in Dubais financial hub as regional demand accelerates

Ripple has expanded its operations in the UAE by establishing a new Middle East and Africa headquarters in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), as it scales up to meet increasing demand for regulated blockchain payment services.  The blockchain payments infrastructure company plans to double the size of its Middle East and Africa team out of the new DIFC office, aiming to keep pace with a region that now accounts for roughly 20% of the companys global customer base. For a firm that first set up shop in Dubai in 2020, that is a large share of business to be pulled from a single region just six years later.  In March 2025, Ripple became the first blockchain payments company to receive full licensure from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), allowing it to offer regulated cross-border digital payment services from inside the DIFC.  In June 2025, the DFSA approved RLUSD, Ripples dollar-pegged stablecoin, as a recognized crypto token within the financial center. That approval means regulated firms operating in the DIFC can use RLUSD in custody, settlement, and payments without venturing outside the regulatory perimeter.  RLUSDs total market capitalization currently sits at over $1.5 billion, per CoinGecko.  Ripple‘s clients in the region include Zand Bank,

04-30

Prosecutors seek 20 years for Delio CEO in $181M crypto case

South Korean prosecutors are pushing for a 20-year prison sentence against Delio CEO Jung Sang-ho.  Jung is accused of embezzling about 250 billion won or $181.5 million in customer funds before the platform abruptly froze withdrawals in June 2023, leaving thousands of investors unable to access their money.  Delios legal team denies wrongdoing  Delio marketed itself as a high-yield crypto platform, offering returns of up to 10.7% on deposits of bitcoin, ether and other tokens. It appeared to be a stable way to earn passive income for many people. But the company was far more fragile, according to prosecutors.  A large portion of customer assets had been placed with FTX, whose collapse in late 2022 sent shockwaves through the global crypto market. When FTX went bankrupt, those funds became largely unrecoverable. Prosecutors allege Delio continued promoting its services and failed to disclose growing risks to customers.  In June 2023, Haru Invest halted withdrawals. Panic spread quickly and users rushed to pull out their funds. Days later, Delio froze withdrawals and after a couple of months the company had shut down entirely.  Authorities say Jung misled investors for a long time. He allegedly submitted a falsified audit report that overstated the companys crypto holdings by tens of

04-30

Heres why the crypto market is falling today

The crypto market fell 2.6% to $2.60 trillion on Thursday as concerns over a prolonged blockade at the Strait of Hormuz and the Federal Reserves hawkish stance on rate cuts weighed on investor sentiment.Crypto market cap drops 2.6% to $2.60T as Bitcoin falls to $75,102 and major altcoins decline amid risk-off sentiment.Escalating U.S.–Iran tensions and a prolonged Strait of Hormuz blockade push oil above $110, raising inflation and recession concerns.Federal Reserve holds rates at 3.5%–3.75% and signals no near-term cuts, reinforcing a “higher-for-longer” outlook that pressures crypto markets.  Bitcoin (BTC) price dropped 3.5% to an intraday low of $75,102 from its Wednesday high of $77,800 before trading sideways within the $75,000–$76,500 range and settling near $76,000 at press time. Ethereum (ETH) was down 3% to $2,250, while other top altcoins such as XRP (XRP), BNB (BNB), and Solana (SOL) declined by 1–2% each.  The broader crypto market weakened amid a confluence of geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic pressures that have continued to dampen risk appetite.  U.S. President Donald Trump has recently warned officials to prepare for an extended U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has now stretched into another week with no clear resolution. The standoff comes as Iran signals it

04-30

Alphabet (GOOGL) Stock Soars 7% on Stellar Q1 Results and Cloud Revenue Surge

First-quarter earnings per share reached $5.11, dramatically exceeding the $2.63 consensus forecastTotal revenue climbed to $110B, representing 22% annual growth and surpassing the $107B projectionCloud platform revenue skyrocketed 63% to $20B with operating margins reaching 33%Cloud contract backlog almost doubled to $462B; capital expenditures reached $36B in the first quarterShares climbed more than 7% after-hours, prompting KeyBanc to raise its price target to $425  Alphabet delivered impressive first-quarter financial results on Wednesday that significantly exceeded analyst projections, driving shares up over 7% in extended trading.  Alphabet Inc., GOOGL  The company reported earnings per share of $5.11, representing a 94% beat versus the Street consensus of $2.63, and marking substantial improvement from $2.81 in the year-ago period. Total revenue came in at $109.9 billion, outpacing the $107 billion forecast while posting 22% year-over-year expansion.  During Thursdays premarket session, GOOGL traded at $372.30, reflecting a 6.4% gain.  $GOOGL | Alphabet Q126 Earnings Highlights  EPS: $5.11 (Est. $2.62-$2.73) ; UP +82% YoY  Revenue: $109.896B (Est. $106.6B-$107.0B) ; UP +22% YoY  Operating Income: $39.696B (EBIT Est. $36.3B) ; UP +30% YoY  Google Cloud Revenue: $20.028B (Est. ~$18B) ; UP +63%…  Investors focused primarily on the Google Cloud segments performance. The division generated $20 billion in quarterly revenue, marking 63% growth compared to the prior

04-30

Dogecoin (DOGE) Mega-Rally Continues: 3 Price Levels to Watch Next

Three levels are immediately relevant. Your immediate support is $0.104-$0.105. It corresponds with short-term averages and is the breakout zone. The breakout becomes weaker if the price rapidly drops below this level. The rising trendline support is $0.097-$0.098. Losing it would shatter the framework that initially supported the move. The next resistance cluster is $0.110-$0.112. Price has already responded there once, so unless volume increases, sellers will likely defend it once more.  Whats next for DOGE  The most likely scenario for what comes next is not a direct continuation. After a breakout like this, markets typically dont act that neatly. Consolidation above $0.10, allowing momentum to cool while maintaining structure, is more realistic. The likelihood of DOGE continuing toward greater resistance increases significantly if they are able to maintain their position above that level and establish a base.  In terms of strength, this is a respectable breakout rather than a remarkable one. It lacks the aggressive inflow that usually propels multi-leg rallies, but it does have structure behind it. If the overall state of the market doesnt change, DOGE can increase. If not, it will return to range in the same amount of time as it first appeared.

04-30

Bitcoin Conference 2026 Faces Criticism Over Low Turnout Claims

Bitcoin Conference 2026 faced low-turnout claims, while organizers claimed otherwise.Organizers pushed back with crowd footage and higher attendance numbers.Empty main stage footage and no-show speakers fueled criticism during the opening day.  Bitcoin Conference 2026 opened at The Venetian in Las Vegas on April 28 under heavy criticism after claims of weak turnout spread across crypto social media.  Jacob King, CEO and co-founder of SwanDesk, said the event saw a record low crowd, with only a few dozen attendees in some areas. He also claimed several speakers did not appear and that parts of the event ended four hours early.  BREAKING: The Bitcoin conference saw a record low turnout this year, with only a few dozen attendees.  Several speakers also didnt show, and the event ended 4 hours early.  Those claims were quickly challenged. Xs AI bot Grok replied that Bitcoin 2026 had record-high attendance, citing organizer estimates of 30,000 to 40,000 people.  Grok also pointed to reports from Bitcoin Magazine and CoinDesk and said the venue video showed full seating and packed halls. The clash turned the conference itself into the story before markets even focused on any announcements.  Empty Main Stage and No-Show Speakers Fuel Criticism  Despite the organizers claims of a strong overall turnout, early footage

04-30

Sol Price Prediction: Solana Price Warning as SOL Eyes $67 Support

Solana failed again near the $86–$88 resistance zone, keeping sellers in control on the daily chart. The chart now points to $67 as the next major support, while KNIGHTs post keeps the wider $40 bearish target in focus.  Solana Breaks Triangle as SOL Price Faces $77 Target  Solana broke below a tightening triangle on the 1-hour chart, shifting short-term pressure toward the downside.  The chart shared by Ali Charts shows SOL trading near $83.81 after losing support inside the triangle pattern. The setup formed through late April as price moved between lower highs and higher lows. However, the latest move pushed SOL under the lower trendline, which weakened the structure.  SOL 1HR Chart. Source:  Ali Charts said the breakout could set up a move toward $77. That target now becomes the main downside level if sellers keep control and Solana fails to recover above the broken support area.  The chart also shows SOL rejected near the upper trendline before the drop. After that, price fell quickly through the lower side of the pattern and continued lower around the $84 area. This move shows that buyers lost short-term control after several failed attempts to push the price higher.  For now, SOL needs to reclaim the broken trendline to

04-30

Alphabet (GOOGL) Stock Soars 7% on Stellar Q1 Results and Cloud Revenue Surge

First-quarter earnings per share reached $5.11, dramatically exceeding the $2.63 consensus forecastTotal revenue climbed to $110B, representing 22% annual growth and surpassing the $107B projectionCloud platform revenue skyrocketed 63% to $20B with operating margins reaching 33%Cloud contract backlog almost doubled to $462B; capital expenditures reached $36B in the first quarterShares climbed more than 7% after-hours, prompting KeyBanc to raise its price target to $425  Alphabet delivered impressive first-quarter financial results on Wednesday that significantly exceeded analyst projections, driving shares up over 7% in extended trading.  Alphabet Inc., GOOGL  The company reported earnings per share of $5.11, representing a 94% beat versus the Street consensus of $2.63, and marking substantial improvement from $2.81 in the year-ago period. Total revenue came in at $109.9 billion, outpacing the $107 billion forecast while posting 22% year-over-year expansion.  During Thursdays premarket session, GOOGL traded at $372.30, reflecting a 6.4% gain.  $GOOGL | Alphabet Q126 Earnings Highlights  EPS: $5.11 (Est. $2.62-$2.73) ; UP +82% YoY  Revenue: $109.896B (Est. $106.6B-$107.0B) ; UP +22% YoY  Operating Income: $39.696B (EBIT Est. $36.3B) ; UP +30% YoY  Investors focused primarily on the Google Cloud segments performance. The division generated $20 billion in quarterly revenue, marking 63% growth compared to the prior year, while delivering a robust 33% operating profit

04-30

Ripple expands headquarters in Dubais financial hub as regional demand accelerates

Ripple has expanded its operations in the UAE by establishing a new Middle East and Africa headquarters in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), as it scales up to meet increasing demand for regulated blockchain payment services.  The blockchain payments infrastructure company plans to double the size of its Middle East and Africa team out of the new DIFC office, aiming to keep pace with a region that now accounts for roughly 20% of the companys global customer base. For a firm that first set up shop in Dubai in 2020, that is a large share of business to be pulled from a single region just six years later.  In March 2025, Ripple became the first blockchain payments company to receive full licensure from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), allowing it to offer regulated cross-border digital payment services from inside the DIFC.  In June 2025, the DFSA approved RLUSD, Ripples dollar-pegged stablecoin, as a recognized crypto token within the financial center. That approval means regulated firms operating in the DIFC can use RLUSD in custody, settlement, and payments without venturing outside the regulatory perimeter.  RLUSDs total market capitalization currently sits at over $1.5 billion, per CoinGecko.  Ripple‘s clients in the region include Zand Bank,

04-30
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