Mastercard Integrates Stablecoins into Global Payments
Mastercard has launched a new integration that will allow users to spend stablecoins and businesses to receive payments with these assets. The company is working with the crypto platform to offer a crypto card, while also working with stablecoin issuers such as Circle and Paxos to expand the use of assets such as USDC as a payment tool. With the Mastercard Move platform, users will be able to spend stablecoins at more than 150 million locations and withdraw to their bank accounts.
Mastercard, which believes in the potential of stablecoins, is taking this step to increase the widespread use of digital assets in the financial system. At a time when the U.S. Congress is pushing ahead with stablecoin regulations, Mastercard’s move could be transformative for both institutional and individual use.
Strategy Increases Bitcoin Stock to 553,555 with $1.4 Billion Purchase
Strategy, the largest institutional holder of Bitcoin, announced that it purchased 15,355 Bitcoins for $1.4 billion between April 21-27. The purchase was funded with proceeds from the company’s stock sale. With the purchase, Strategy’s total Bitcoin holdings reached 553,555 BTC, worth approximately $52.7 billion at current market prices.
Strategy’s average cost per Bitcoin is $68,459, meaning the company currently has $15 billion in unrealized gains. The company’s stocks, which have been buying BTC for the third week in a row, are also on an upward trend.
Arizona Bitcoin Reserve Bill Awaits Governor’s Approval
The Arizona state legislature has passed a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” bill that would invest a portion of public funds in Bitcoin. However, Governor Katie Hobbs, who has threatened to veto all bills due to budget disagreements, remains uncertain about her decision.
While supporters emphasize the move’s potential to protect against inflation and pioneer digital finance, opponents point to Bitcoin’s high volatility and regulatory shortcomings. Hobbs’ decision will determine whether Arizona becomes the first U.S. state to officially embrace crypto.
ProShares Postpones Launch of XRP Futures ETFs
ProShares has indefinitely postponed its XRP futures ETFs, which were previously expected to launch on April 30. According to Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart, the company has not yet determined a clear launch date for its Short XRP ETF, Ultra XRP ETF and UltraShort XRP ETF products.
The general expectation in the market is positive. In particular, the appointment of Paul Atkins as SEC chairman and CME Group’s plan to launch XRP futures are raising hopes that a spot XRP ETF may be approved in the future. The XRP price is also approaching its 30-day peak of $ 2.36 due to these developments.
Solstice Labs to Launch USX, a Yield-Providing Stablecoin on Solana, in Summer 2025
Solstice Labs, backed by Deus X Capital, is preparing to launch USX, a new yield-focused stablecoin on the Solana network this summer. USX, which will be fully collateralized, aims to offer delta-neutral returns with arbitrage and staking strategies based on existing stablecoins such as USDT and USDC.
USX holders will also have access to the YieldVault platform, which will launch with $100 million in locked assets. Thus, both individual and institutional users will be able to benefit from DeFi returns in a transparent way. “We aim to make DeFi returns more accessible and transparent,” Solstice Labs CEO Ben Nadareski said.
Tether Gold Backed by 7.7 Tons of Physical Gold
Tether announced in the first independent report it published for its gold-backed stablecoin Tether Gold (XAUT), that the token is backed by over 7.7 tons of physical gold. XAUT’s market value recently reached $825 million, while the rise in gold prices and economic uncertainties have increased investors’ search for safe havens.
However, BDO Italia, which prepared the report, has raised questions about Tether’s financial transparency due to past regulatory issues and failure to fully comply with reporting standards. It remains unclear whether the company will have more reliable independent audits in the future.
Standard Chartered Says Bitcoin Could Reach $120,000 in Q2
Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick predicts that Bitcoin could break a new record of $120,000 in the second quarter as investors exit US assets. Kendrick also maintains his Bitcoin target of $200,000 by the end of 2025. In particular, the increase in US treasury yields, the accumulation of whales and the shift of ETF flows from gold to Bitcoin are shown among the factors supporting this rise.
Kendrick emphasized that Bitcoin could be a better hedge against financial system risks than gold, while he stated that timing analyses also showed that US investors were turning to alternative assets. Bitcoin was trading at around $95,300 at the time the news was published.
Ethereum Foundation Reorganizes Its Management Structure
The Ethereum Foundation has made a significant change in its leadership structure, clearly separating the duties of the management team and the board of directors. The board is a structure that determines Ethereum’s vision and assumes a protective role; the newly formed management team will be responsible for strategy and operations. Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz K. Stańczak were appointed as joint executive directors, while Vitalik Buterin will continue his role as a technical advisor.
This move came after criticism from the Ethereum community about the lack of interest in the foundation. The foundation will focus on three main topics over the next 12 months: scaling Ethereum, increasing blob capacity in Layer 2, and improving user experience. In this context, new improvement proposals that foresee increasing gas limits are also on the agenda.
Spar Supermarkets in Switzerland Launch Bitcoin Payments Nationwide
Spar, one of the major supermarket chains in Switzerland, has decided to expand the Bitcoin payment option to the entire country. Following the pilot application launched in its Zug and Kreuzlingen branches, payments will be made by scanning a QR code at the checkout via DFX Swiss’s OpenCryptoPay platform.
This step is one of the first examples of a major retail chain in Switzerland integrating Bitcoin into daily shopping payments. Switzerland, where more than 600 businesses across the country accept Bitcoin, continues to be one of the pioneers of crypto adoption in Europe.
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BITCOIN (BTC)
BTC is trading at $94,850 as of the morning hours, down 0.17%. The BTCUSDT price has reached the $94,000-96,000 resistance band with the strength it gets from the strong support area between $88,500-91,000. The price currently seems stuck in this resistance area. If there is a permanent break above $96,000, a new upward momentum may occur towards the $98,000-99,000 levels. However, if the price fails to break this zone and drops below $ 93,500, a correction towards the $ 91,000 zone can be expected. The direction of the trend in the medium term will be clear with price movements around these critical bands.
ETHEREUM(ETH)
ETH is priced at $ 1,802 with a 0.13% gain as of the morning hours. The ETHUSDT price has risen rapidly after the break of the falling trend line and settled in the $ 1768-1800 range. A search for balance is currently observed around $ 1800. If permanence can be achieved above $ 1800, the next target will be the $ 1853 resistance. In downside risks, $ 1768 should be monitored as the first strong support. Especially if it falls below this level, a broad correction may be on the agenda and a pullback to the $ 1680-1700 band may occur.
RIPPLE(XRP)
XRP is trading at $ 2.2895 levels with a 0.30% loss as of the morning hours. The price in the XRPUSDT parity showed a rapid increase with the strength it received from the $ 2.11 support and climbed to $ 2.28 levels. The $ 2.23 region now works as an important support. The price holding above this level can be considered a positive signal for the continuation of the trend. If closes above $ 2.30, the $ 2.34-2.36 band may become the target. However, if it persists below $ 2.23, a downward correction process may begin in the short term.
AVALANCHE(AVAX)
AVAX is trading at $ 22.00 levels with a 0.50% gain as of the morning hours. The AVAXUSDT price started a sharp upward movement with the strength it received from the $ 19.95 support level and advanced to the $ 22 resistance. However, it later encountered selling pressure from this area. The $ 21.65 intermediate support area is currently protected. If this level is broken downwards, a correction movement up to the $ 20.00 band may be seen. For the continuation of the upward movements, it will be critical for the price to maintain its stability above the $ 22 level and create a new higher peak.
SOLANA(SOL)
SOL is trading at $148 levels with a 0.12% gain as of the morning hours. The price in the SOLUSDT parity has entered a horizontal consolidation process at $150 levels after a strong upward break from the demand zone in the $137-140 band. The horizontal structure formed after the upward momentum shows that the current trend is in a digestion phase. If the price can close above $150, the next target may be the $155-157 band. Otherwise, closing below $145 could increase selling pressure and push the price back to the $140 region. Below this level, broader support is around $124.
