The market may be pricing XRP through an outdated lens. Over the past several 
days, the most consequential development around XRP has come from outside 
crypto. On April 8, the Federal Reserve proposed allowing U.S. banks and 
credit unions to use intermediaries through the FedNow Service, a change the 
central bank said could support private-sector […]
The post The Fed is building competition for XRP’s core payments use case into 
the FedNow banking system appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The Fed is building competition for XRP’s core payments use case into the FedNow banking system

The AI report that the industry watches most closely landed Monday when 
Stanford HAI released its 2026 AI Index, revealing that the US performance 
lead over China has nearly evaporated, with Anthropic&#8217;s top model leading the 
nearest Chinese competitor by…

Latest AI News: Stanford’s 2026 AI Report Card Just Dropped and China Has Nearly Closed the Gap on the US in the AI Race

Bitcoin (BTC) is trying to steady itself after a shaky start to the week. 
After dipping briefly toward the key $70,000 support level on Sunday, BTC has 
since bounced back and is now trading above $72,000 on Monday. However, the 
next move may depend less on internal crypto dynamics and more on the 
escalating geopolitical backdrop of tensions between the United States and 
Iran, and the events that unfold in the days ahead. $100,000 Bitcoin By Year- 
End In a new report, market analyst Sam Daodu argues that Bitcoin’s direction 
is closely tied to how the conflict unfolds. Rather than pointing to a single 
likely outcome, Daodu lays out three scenarios, each with a different 
implication for oil prices, investor sentiment, and ultimately BTC price 
action. Related Reading: Retail Crypto Activity Hits 9-Year Low As Big Money 
Steps In In Daodu’s bullish scenario, a full peace deal would shift the 
outlook for both geopolitics and commodities. He suggests oil prices would 
retreat back toward pre-war levels, roughly in the $65 to $70 per barrel 
range. Daodu says that if that happens, Bitcoin could push toward $100,000 by 
year-end, which would translate to a 39% price increase from current trading 
levels. April 15 Agreement Expectations The base case is more cautious and 
revolves around what could happen around April 15. Daodu’s view is that if the 
talks scheduled for that period lead to a new agreement, oil prices might drop 
below $95 again, similar to what happened after the first ceasefire was 
announced last week. Daodu also points to a specific positioning factor: there 
are reportedly about $6 billion in short positions between $72,200 and $73,500 
right now. If oil prices fall quickly and risk sentiment improves fast, those 
short positions could unwind, triggering a squeeze. That could help drive 
Bitcoin higher between $75,000 to $80,000. Bear Path For BTC The bearish 
scenario centers on the ceasefire failing—either because it breaks apart 
completely or because it expires without a workable outcome. Daodu notes that 
the two-week ceasefire is already under strain. With talks having collapsed 
and a blockade being announced, the agreement is described as “hanging by a 
thread.” Related Reading: Ethereum About To Turn? Death Cross Says Bottom Is 
Closer Than You Think If negotiations fail and oil prices rise above $110 to 
$120, Daodu says Bitcoin would likely lose the $70,000 support level. From 
there, the downside path could accelerate, with BTC potentially sliding toward 
$65,000. If the crisis drags on, he adds that prices could fall further toward 
$55,000 to $60,000. Even with these three paths laid out, Daodu’s conclusion 
is that the base prediction is the most realistic outcome at the moment. In 
his assessment, Bitcoin is likely to remain range-bound until the next round 
of talks produces something tangible. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from 
TradingView.com

Three-Way Bitcoin Outlook Tied To US–Iran War—Which Case Is Most Realistic?

The exchange’s head of security said there had been two incidents involving 
“inappropriate access” to client data, involving about 2,000 user accounts.

Kraken won‘t negotiate after extortion attempt with client data

Bitcoin’s attempts to hold rallies above the $70,000 to $75,000 range continue 
as ETF demand limps along, US treasury yields rise and traders take profit as 
BTC price hits overhead resistance.

Cryptocurrency price in NZD