Major banks are investing in altcoins, and many are looking at staking rewards for additional returns.

Taurus and Figment join forces to enable banks to stake Ethereum, Solana

A court in India has ordered the encrypted email service Proton Mail blocked 
in the country for refusing to share information with authorities.
In an April 29 hearing of the High Court of Karnataka, Justice M Nagaprasanna 
ordered the government to &#8220;block forthwith&#8221; domain names associated with 
Proton Mail, citing authority under the country&#8217;s Information Technology Act 
of 2008. The order stemmed from a complaint filed in January by a New Delhi- 
based design firm, alleging that some of its employees received offensive 
emails through the service. 
It&#8217;s unclear whether the ban will take effect or face other possible 
challenges in court. The Proton team reported in March 2024 that Indian 
authorities had similarly proposed ordering the service blocked in response to 
alleged &#8220;hoax bomb threats,&#8221; but it continued to operate in the country.
The crackdown on Proton Mail appeared to be part of a larger global trend to 
pursue action against platforms based on users&#8217; activities, such as the arrest 
of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France in part for allegedly failing to 
moderate illicit content. Cointelegraph reached out to Proton for comment but 
did not receive any response at the time of publication.
_**Related:**__**Crypto projects prepare to battle for privacy in 
Switzerland**_
In Spain, Proton AG &#8212; the Swiss company behind the platform &#8212; provided 
information to the authorities about one of its users in 2024. The move had 
many privacy advocates questioning the security of their data with the 
centralized service.
## Vying for market share in the world&#8217;s most populous country
Cryptocurrency exchanges are no stranger to legally sanctioned crackdowns 
attempting to curtail their activities in a country, or in some cases, face 
blocks or bans. US authorities imposed sanctions on crypto mixing services 
like Tornado Cash in 2022, facing swift backlash from the industry and legal 
challenges, while South Korea reportedly blocked 14 exchanges on the Apple 
store for allegedly operating without the proper registration.
In India, users face a 30% tax on profits from crypto trading, which has been 
in effect since April 2022. Though crypto firms operating in the country 
endure increasing regulatory oversight, India is estimated to have more than 
100 million digital asset holders out of its roughly 1.4 billion people.
_**Magazine:**__**Pok emon on Sui rumors, Polymarket bets on Filipino Pope: 
Asia Express**_

Indian high court orders steps to block Proton Mail

Bitcoin is trading over $95k and gunning for the $100k level again. Meanwhile, 
Ethereum has broken out of a big range and moved closer to the $2000 level. 
Following this, Ethereum Classic has also experienced bullish momentum. Let’s 
find out…

Ethereum Classic price prediction – ETC will follow Ethereum soon?

Ethereum is currently trading above the $1,800 mark, holding strong after 
weeks of volatility but struggling to reclaim the critical $2,000 resistance 
level. Bulls have managed to push prices higher, yet momentum must continue 
building for a full breakout. Analysts are closely watching Ethereum’s 
movements, noting that the market is preparing for a decisive move that could 
shape the coming weeks. Global macroeconomic tensions remain a challenge, but 
optimism is growing across crypto markets. Related Reading: Ethereum Shows 4H 
Bearish Divergence – Can Bulls Hold $1,750? Top analyst Daan shared insights 
revealing that ETH is still consolidating within its current range against 
Bitcoin (BTC). According to his analysis, he’s watching the local range high 
around the 0.02 BTC level closely. A successful break above this key range 
could signal a major shift in market dynamics, potentially sparking a multi- 
week decline in Bitcoin dominance led by Ethereum. This would likely trigger 
an increased risk appetite toward altcoins, as investors rotate capital away 
from Bitcoin and into higher-risk assets. For now, Ethereum continues to move 
within its range, and bulls must act fast to reclaim momentum. If ETH can push 
through these resistance levels, the stage would be set for a major rally 
across the altcoin sector, with Ethereum leading the charge. Ethereum Battles 
Resistance As Bulls Aim For Breakout Against BTC Ethereum is trading at a 
critical level, and all eyes are on whether bulls can reclaim higher supply 
zones to confirm a bullish reversal. After recovering strongly from local 
lows, ETH has begun forming a bullish structure in low time frames. However, 
persistent selling pressure still threatens to invalidate this structure 
unless buyers step in with strength. Momentum has shifted, and many analysts 
expect a decisive move soon—but there&#8217;s also caution, with some warning that a 
failed breakout could drag Ethereum back to the $1,500–$1,600 demand zone. 
Daan shared a key perspective on Ethereum’s performance relative to Bitcoin. 
He noted that ETH/BTC is still consolidating within a defined range, with the 
local range high near 0.02 BTC acting as the most important resistance. A 
successful breakout above this level would likely trigger renewed interest in 
altcoins and could mark the start of a Bitcoin dominance downtrend led by ETH. 
According to Daan, such a move would increase risk appetite across the board. 
However, he also warns that if ETH loses the 0.0185 BTC level, it could 
confirm a continuation of the current downtrend. For now, Daan is closely 
watching how the range develops. A confirmed breakout followed by a structure 
flip would offer a much clearer bullish signal. Related Reading: Solana Forms 
Textbook Cup And Handle Pattern – Massive Breakout Ahead? Ethereum 
Consolidates As Bulls Eye Critical Breakout Ethereum is trading at $1,830 
after spending several days consolidating within a tight range between $1,850 
and $1,750. This narrow trading channel has kept price action muted, but it 
also signals that a decisive move could be approaching. Analysts agree that 
whichever side breaks out first will likely set the tone for Ethereum’s price 
action over the coming weeks. Bulls have managed to defend the $1,750 support 
multiple times, but their real challenge lies ahead: reclaiming the 
$2,100–$2,000 zone. This range is seen as critical for reversing the broader 
downtrend and establishing a more sustainable recovery rally. A strong 
breakout and daily close above $1,850 would be an encouraging signal, but 
failure to follow through could quickly lead to another leg down. Related 
Reading: Solana Will Face A Pivotal Moment In May – Bear Market Bounce Or Bull 
Market Dip? On the bearish side, if Ethereum fails to hold the $1,800–$1,750 
range and experiences a false breakout above $1,850, it could trigger a deeper 
correction toward the $1,600 or even $1,500 level. Traders and investors are 
watching closely, as the coming days could mark a major turning point for 
Ethereum’s medium-term structure. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from 
TradingView

Ethereum Consolidates Against Bitcoin – Dominance Shift On The Horizon?

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed deciding on 
whether to greenlight two proposed cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) 
holding Dogecoin and XRP, filings show.
The US regulator has delayed its deadline for ruling on the proposed ETF 
listings until June, according to two filings reviewed by Cointelegraph.
The filings were responses to March requests from US exchanges NYSE Arca and 
Cboe BZX Exchange to list Bitwise&#8217;s Dogecoin (DOGE) ETF and Franklin 
Templeton&#8217;s XRP (XRP) ETF, respectively.
They came on the same day that Nasdaq, another US exchange, asked for 
permission to list a 21Shares Dogecoin ETF.
Dogecoin is the world&#8217;s most heavily traded memecoin, with a market 
capitalization of around $26 billion as of April 29, according to data from 
CoinGecko. XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger blockchain network. It 
has a market capitalization of approximately $133 billion, CoinGecko data 
shows.
_The SEC has delayed its deadline for reviewing Franklin&#8217;s XRP Fund. 
Source:__SEC_
 _**Related: **__**Institutions break up with Ethereum but keep ETH on the 
hook**_
## **Deluge of filings**
In 2025, the SEC has fielded requests to authorize dozens of altcoin ETFs for 
US listing. As of April 21, approximately 70 crypto ETFs were awaiting the 
SEC&#8217;s review.
Asset managers are proposing funds holding &#8220;[e]verything from XRP, Litecoin 
and Solana to Penguins, Doge and 2x Melania and everything in between,&#8221; 
Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas said in an April 21 post on the X platform.
The deluge of proposals comes as US President Donald Trump pushes the SEC to 
take a more accommodating stance toward cryptocurrencies.
However, analysts caution investor demand for altcoin ETFs may be tepid in 
comparison to funds holding core cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and 
Ether (ETH).
&#8220;Having your coin get ETF-ized is like being in a band and getting your songs 
added to all the music streaming services,&#8221; Balchunas said.
&#8220;Doesn&#8217;t guarantee listens but it puts your music where the vast majority of 
the listeners are.&#8221;
Although US exchanges are embracing crypto ETFs, they are also urging the SEC 
to take a tough regulatory posture toward digital assets. In an April 25 
comment letter, Nasdaq encouraged the SEC to hold digital assets to the same 
compliance standards as securities if they constitute &#8220;stocks by any other 
name.&#8221;
_**Magazine: **__**Financial nihilism in crypto is over &#8212; It&#8217;s time to dream 
big again**_

SEC punts decisions on XRP, DOGE ETFs

The Senate&#8217;s vote on the GENIUS Act could initiate comprehensive crypto 
regulation, enhancing market stability and US dollar dominance.
The post Senate to vote on GENIUS stablecoin bill before Memorial Day, Senate 
Majority Leader informs appeared first on Crypto Briefing.