OKX is launching a self-custodial payments platform that is says will feel like Venmo and CashApp.

OKX unveils OKX Pay to bring self-custodial crypto payments to the mainstream

Wallet provider MetaMask is launching a crypto payments card that will allow 
users to spend self-custodied funds, offering crypto holders additional ways 
to use their tokens. 
The new card is backed by Mastercard and is being developed in partnership 
with CompoSecure and Baanx, according to the company. The product uses smart 
contracts to execute the IRL (In Real Life) transactions, with a processing 
speed under five seconds. It operates on the Linea network, a layer-2 scaling 
solution on Ethereum.
The companies marketed the self-custodied crypto card as an alternative to the 
potential risks associated with centralized exchanges. In February, the 
second-largest crypto exchange by volume, Bybit, was hacked for $1.4 billion, 
an event that sparked widespread consternation in the crypto space.
With the launch of its card, MetaMask is entering a competitive segment of the 
cryptocurrency market. Major exchanges like Binance, Bybit, Coinbase, and 
Crypto.com already offer crypto debit cards, some of which feature &#8220;crypto- 
back&#8221; rewards that allow users to earn digital assets on their purchases.
MetaMask has struggled lately as interest in and participation in the Ethereum 
ecosystem have dried up. According to Dune Analytics, the wallet collected 
just $289,312 in fees for the week of April 14, much less than the $1.3 
million in fees collected for the same period a year ago.
_**Related:**__**Spar supermarket in Switzerland starts accepting Bitcoin 
payments**_
## Stablecoin, BTC payments growing use cases for crypto
Payments have emerged as one of the fastest-growing use cases for 
cryptocurrencies in 2025, offering a way to bring real-world utility to 
digital assets.
Luxury brands like Dorsia have begun accepting various cryptocurrencies as 
payment, while messaging app Signal is reportedly exploring adopting Bitcoin 
for peer-to-peer transactions, and a bill in New York has been introduced to 
legalize the use of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for state payments.
_**Magazine: Bitcoin payments are being undermined by centralized 
stablecoins**_

MetaMask to launch self-custody crypto card with Mastercard

The Stacks Asia DLT Foundation has officially registered in the Abu Dhabi 
Global Market (ADGM), becoming the first Bitcoin-based foundation to establish 
a presence in the financial center. Bitcoin L2 Projects Get Support Through 
New ADGM Registration According to the announcement shared with Bitcoin.com 
News, the foundation’s move aims to support Bitcoin layer two (L2) […]

Stacks Asia DLT Foundation Registers in ADGM to Advance Bitcoin L2 Innovation

Following the Bitcoin (BTC) price increase above $94,000, Tony Severino, a 
CMT-verified analyst, released a detailed technical analysis outlining a clear 
strategy for navigating the next major move. As the Heikin Ashi monthly candle 
flashes bearish signals, the analyst shares the ideal time to buy Bitcoin, 
warning investors of potential bear market traps. Upper Bollinger Band Reveal 
Time To Buy Bitcoin Severino has provided an in-depth examination of the 
Bitcoin market, identifying precise conditions under which investors and 
traders, including himself, might consider re-entering based on key market 
indicators and price action. The analyst broke down a Bitcoin price chart 
featuring monthly candlesticks, Bollinger Bands, and historical comparisons. 
Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Prediction: The Last Leg-Up That Confirms A 
Resounding Rally To $150,000 The chart highlights that in late 2021, after 
hitting its previous ATH, Bitcoin touched the Upper Bollinger Band but failed 
to close above it. At the time, this move was perceived as a classic non- 
confirmation, which ultimately led to a sharp reversal and brutal bear market 
in 2022. Fast forward to today, Bitcoin is hovering above $94,000, with the 
Upper Bollinger Band positioned at $108,000. According to Severino, merely 
reaching this Upper Bollinger Band level, as it did in 2021, is not enough 
reason to buy Bitcoin in anticipation of a price increase. Instead, the 
analyst asserts that a full monthly close above $108,000 is needed to confirm 
a breakout and continuation of the bullish trend. The analyst also disclosed 
that he would consider buying Bitcoin once it closes sufficiently above this 
level. However, if the flagship cryptocurrency fails to close above the Upper 
Bollinger Band for a month, it could mirror the 2021 double top and fake 
breakout, potentially leading to another steep bear market this cycle. 
Overall, Severino advises investors to closely watch Bitcoin’s price action 
around this key Bollinger Band. He stresses that capital preservation far 
outweighs succumbing to the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO). With elevated risks 
and rising volatility, the analyst believes that clear confirmation signals 
are the only way to engage with the market safely. BTC’s Heikin Ashi Candle 
Flips Bearish While Severino confirms the ideal time to buy BTC, the analyst 
also announced that the Bitcoin Heikin Ashi candles have turned bearish. The 
analyst shared a 12-week Heikin Ashi candlestick chart, which shows Bitcoin 
flashing early warning signs of a potential bear market. Related Reading: 
Analyst’s Bitcoin Price Prediction From March Plays Out, Here’s The Rest Of It 
The chart highlights a critical moment where Bitcoin’s Heikin Ashi candle 
turned red for the first time since its previous price peaks in 2014, 2018, 
and 2022. Historically, such a signal has marked the beginning of prolonged 
bear markets and deep price corrections. Further strengthening the bearish 
outlook, Severino pointed out that the Fisher Transform, a technical indicator 
used to detect trend reversals, is exhibiting a bearish crossover, with the 
green Fisher line dropping below the red Trigger line. In previous cycles, 
whenever these two signals — the Heikin Ashi and Fisher Transform — aligned, 
Bitcoin experienced substantial declines that lasted for months, if not years. 
Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

CMT-Verified Analyst Reveals When To Buy Bitcoin As Heikin Ashi Candle Turns Bearish

Arizona passes SB 1025 and SB 1373, allowing up to 10% of public funds to be 
invested in Bitcoin and creating a statewide digital asset reserve.
The post Arizona approves first state Bitcoin reserve bills appeared first on 
Crypto Briefing.

Arizona approves first state Bitcoin reserve bills

Despite growing competition from emerging issuers, the stablecoin market 
remains largely dominated by a few key players. According to data from Web3 
research firm Nansen, Tether&#8217;s USDt continues to lead among US dollar-pegged 
stablecoins, even as competition intensifies.
As of April 25, Tether (USDT) has a roughly 66% market share among 
stablecoins, compared to around 28% for USDC (USDC), Nansen said in the April 
25 report. Ethena&#8217;s USDe stablecoin ranks a distant third, touting a market 
share of just over 2%.
Nansen expects Tether&#8217;s lead to endure even as rivals such as USDC clock 
faster growth rates.
&#8220;With nearly 3x as many users as Uniswap and 50+% more transactions than the 
next app, Tether is by and far the largest use case of onchain activity,&#8221; 
Nansen said.
&#8220;Despite the potential dispersion in stables, we inevitably believe this is a 
&#8216;winner-takes-most&#8217; market dynamic,&#8221; the Web3 researcher added.
_Tether has 66% of stablecoin market share. Source: Nansen_
Tether is also the most profitable stablecoin issuer, clocking nearly $14 
billion in 2024 profits. The company earns revenue by accepting US dollars to 
mint USDT and subsequently investing those dollars into highly liquid, yield- 
bearing instruments such as US Treasury bills.
&#8220;Given the growth of USDT and USDC, the users are clearly expressing that they 
do not necessarily care about the yield as they are forgoing it to Tether and 
Circle -they simply want access to the most liquid and &#8216;stable&#8217;/ least-likely- 
to-depeg stablecoin out there,&#8221; Nansen said.
_USDC has seen faster growth than USDT since November. Source: Nansen_
## Competitive landscape
Adoption of USDC has accelerated since November, when US President Donald 
Trump&#8217;s election victory ushered in a more favorable US regulatory environment 
for crypto, Nansen said.
Circle&#8217;s US-regulated stablecoin has been &#8220;particularly attractive to 
institutions requiring regulatory clarity,&#8221; the report said.
But USDC now faces &#8220;intensifying competition as major traditional financial 
institutions (i.e., Fidelity, PayPal, and banks) enter the market,&#8221; Nansen 
said, adding that stablecoins, including PayPal&#8217;s PYUSD and Ripple USD, are 
&#8220;rapidly gaining traction.&#8221;
On April 25, payment processor Stripe tipped plans to create a new stablecoin 
product of its own after buying stablecoin platform Bridge last year.
Despite its smaller market share, Ethena&#8217;s yield-bearing USDe stablecoin 
remains &#8220;competitive on most fronts moving forward,&#8221; partly because of 
integrations across centralized exchanges (CEXs) and decentralized finance 
(DeFi) protocols, the report said.
Since launching in 2024, Ethena&#8217;s stablecoin has generated an average 
annualized yield of approximately 19%, according to Ethena&#8217;s website.
_**Magazine: **__**Bitcoin payments are being undermined by centralized 
stablecoins**_