Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Says the US Is Targeting Iran’s Access to Crypto

• US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington's sanctions campaign is now explicitly targeting Iran's access to cryptocurrency, alongside oil exports and shadow banking.
• The Treasury's "Economic Fury" measures have disrupted significant revenue streams for Iran, with over 1,000 entities and individuals designated under sanctions since February 25.
• The connection between crypto and geopolitical events has influenced Bitcoin's price movements, highlighting the potential for cryptocurrencies to be used in trade settlement and as a workaround for sanctions.

https://cryptopotato.com/treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-says-the-us-is-targeting-irans-access-to-crypto/

Bitcoin Price Pushes Above $80,000 for First Time Since January

• Bitcoin's price has surpassed the $80,000 mark for the first time since January, raising hopes for a potential rally.
• The total cryptocurrency market capitalization has increased to $2.74 trillion, with Bitcoin's dominance at 58.6%.
• Analysts caution that the price surge may be speculative, as on-chain data indicates a lack of fundamental demand support.

https://cryptopotato.com/bitcoin-price-pushes-above-80000-for-first-time-since-january/

Altcoins With Double-Digit Gains as Bitcoin Rocketed to 3-Month High: Market Watch

• Bitcoin surged above $80,500 for the first time since late January, with its market capitalization reaching $1.6 trillion and dominance at 58.5%.
• Most altcoins experienced gains, with Ethereum nearing $2,400, XRP at $1.41, and ZEC seeing a notable 7.3% increase.
• The total cryptocurrency market cap rose by over $50 billion in a day, reaching $2.730 trillion, with SKYAI emerging as the top performer, skyrocketing by 40%.

https://cryptopotato.com/altcoins-with-double-digit-gains-as-bitcoin-rocketed-to-3-month-high-market-watch/

Institutional Demand at 500% of Bitcoin Supply Could Drive BTC to $96K: Analyst

• Institutions are purchasing Bitcoin at over five times the rate of its daily production, historically leading to significant price increases.
• Charles Edwards predicts a potential 24% price rise over the next month, possibly bringing BTC to around $96,000, based on past demand-to-supply ratios.
• Despite Bitcoin's recent price surge past $80,000, analysts caution that the increase is driven by speculative trading rather than genuine spot demand, indicating potential market instability.

https://cryptopotato.com/institutional-demand-at-500-of-bitcoin-supply-could-drive-btc-to-96k-analyst/

Bitcoin Price Dumps Suddenly as Iran Reportedly Attacked US Warship in Hormuz

• Bitcoin's price surged to over $80,500 but dropped sharply to around $78,000 following heightened tensions between Iran and the US, including missile attacks on a US Navy vessel.
• US President Trump announced a new mission to guide ships through the Strait, described as a humanitarian gesture, shortly before the missile incident.
• The market experienced significant volatility, with $450 million in liquidations and nearly 110,000 traders affected in the past 24 hours.

https://cryptopotato.com/bitcoin-price-dumps-suddenly-as-iran-reportedly-attacked-us-warship-in-hormuz/

Ethereum (ETH) at a Crossroads: Another Rejection or This Time It Will Be Different?

• Ethereum (ETH) briefly rose to nearly $2,400 but faced resistance and is currently trading around $2,350, with analysts predicting potential pullbacks or further gains.
• Analyst Ali Martinez identified $2,375 as a major resistance level, suggesting failure to surpass it could lead to a drop to around $2,210, while a close above could push ETH to $2,550.
• Large investors, or whales, have recently purchased 140,000 ETH, indicating bullish sentiment, and there is growing institutional interest in spot ETH ETFs, which could support price increases in the coming weeks.

https://cryptopotato.com/ethereum-eth-at-a-crossroads-another-rejection-or-this-time-it-will-be-different/

Strategy Hits Pause Button, but BitMine Keeps Buying Ethereum (ETH)

• BitMine Immersion Technologies acquired 101,745 ETH worth nearly $240 million, increasing its total Ethereum holdings to over 5.180 million tokens, representing 4.29% of the total supply.
• Tom Lee expressed optimism about a potential crypto market recovery, citing Ethereum's role in tokenization and the rise of AI systems needing public blockchains.
• Strategy, co-founded by Michael Saylor, paused its acquisition announcements for a week but plans to resume next week while raising funds for Bitcoin purchases.

https://cryptopotato.com/strategy-hits-pause-button-but-bitmine-keeps-buying-ethereum-eth/

Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2, Base to Upgrade to Zero-Knowledge Proofs via SP1

• Base is transitioning from optimistic rollups to a zero-knowledge-based system, enhancing its security with a trusted execution environment and zero-knowledge proofs.
• This upgrade positions Base as the largest Ethereum operator to implement ZK proofs for finality, aiming for one-day finality and improved capital movement to Ethereum's mainnet.
• In response to community concerns about asset support and potential market manipulation, Base co-founder Jesse Pollak emphasized the commitment to open markets and improving visibility for quality applications.

https://cryptopotato.com/coinbases-ethereum-layer-2-base-to-upgrade-to-zero-knowledge-proofs-via-sp1/

WLFI Lawsuit Sparks Response: Justin Sun Calls It ‘Meritless’

• World Liberty Financial (WLFI) has filed a defamation lawsuit against Justin Sun, accusing him of spreading false claims and seeking damages and a retraction.
• The conflict escalated after WLFI proposed a token vesting schedule that Sun criticized as a "governance scam," leading him to file a lawsuit to protect his rights as a token holder.
• Sun dismissed WLFI's counter lawsuit as a "meritless PR stunt," asserting his commitment to defending his actions in court.

https://cryptopotato.com/wlfi-lawsuit-sparks-response-justin-sun-calls-it-meritless/

SkyAI (SKYAI) Explodes by 300% in a Week: The Next Sensation or ‘Top Scam Coin?’

• SkyAI (SKYAI) has surged by 300% over the past week, reaching nearly $0.70 and a market cap of around $700 million, largely due to its recent listing on Bitget.
• Analysts express mixed views, with some predicting further gains while others raise concerns about potential manipulation and classify SKYAI as a "top scam coin."
• Approximately 62% of SKYAI's supply is held by the top 10 holders, creating a risk of price volatility, and the token's Relative Strength Index indicates it may be due for a correction.

https://cryptopotato.com/skyai-skyai-explodes-by-300-in-a-week-the-next-sensation-or-top-scam-coin/

Analyst Says XRP Diamond Pattern Points to Major Breakout

• EGRAG Crypto's analysis suggests XRP could reach between $183 and $300 over time due to a rare "macro diamond" pattern, with a near-term trigger at $1.50.
• Other analysts, like ChartNerd, propose more conservative targets of $8, $13, and $27, predicting a potential drop to 70-90 cents before any significant recovery.
• Despite recent market fluctuations, short-term data indicates minimal bearish pressure on XRP, suggesting a gradual upward momentum may continue.

https://cryptopotato.com/analyst-says-xrp-diamond-pattern-points-to-major-breakout/

Ripple (XRP) Makes Important Security Announcement Regarding North Korea

• Ripple is enhancing cryptocurrency security by sharing exclusive threat intelligence with the Crypto ISAC, focusing on North Korean cyber threats.
• The shared intelligence includes fraud-linked crypto wallets, malicious domains, and detailed profiles of threat actors to improve actionable insights.
• Crypto ISAC has launched a new API adopted by major firms like Coinbase, enabling real-time integration of threat data into security systems for faster detection and response.

https://cryptopotato.com/ripple-xrp-makes-important-security-announcement-regarding-north-korea/

160,000,000 DOGE in 4 Days: Is Dogecoin Ready for a Further Rally?

• Dogecoin has surged by 12% over the past week, reaching around $0.11, with a market capitalization of $17 billion, driven by increased buying from large investors.
• Whales have purchased 160 million DOGE in just 96 hours, now holding approximately 18.15 billion coins, indicating strong confidence and potential for further price increases.
• Despite the positive momentum, bearish signals such as an overbought Relative Strength Index and increased exchange inflows suggest a possible pullback in the near future.

https://cryptopotato.com/160000000-doge-in-4-days-is-dogecoin-ready-for-a-further-rally/

DPRK Calls Cyber Theft Accusations ‘Absurd Slander’ Driven by Reptile Media

• North Korea's Foreign Ministry denies allegations of involvement in global cyber fraud, labeling them as politically motivated attacks by the US and its media.
• The DPRK claims that the narrative of a cyber threat from its actors is part of a broader hostile policy by the US to damage its reputation.
• Recent data indicates that North Korea-linked groups accounted for 76% of crypto hack losses in 2026 through April, with fewer attacks but significantly higher financial impacts from major incidents.

https://cryptopotato.com/dprk-calls-cyber-theft-accusations-absurd-slander-driven-by-reptile-media/

Coinbase Warns Against State-by-State Prediction Markets Chaos, Backs CFTC Oversight

• Coinbase filed a comment letter with the CFTC asserting that prediction markets are derivatives under federal jurisdiction, warning against state-level regulation that could lead to chaos.
• The company emphasized that event contracts have long been overseen by the CFTC and serve as tools for hedging uncertainty, similar to traditional futures markets.
• Coinbase called for clarity on the CFTC's authority regarding contracts deemed contrary to public interest and proposed a replacement rule to clarify the two-step process for such determinations.

https://cryptopotato.com/coinbase-warns-against-state-by-state-prediction-markets-chaos-backs-cftc-oversight/

Bitcoin Price Prediction: What’s Next for BTC After Reclaiming $80K Resistance?

• Bitcoin is trading above $80k, having reclaimed the 100-day moving average, indicating a strong recovery structure since the cycle peak.
• A daily close above $80k is crucial for potential upward movement toward $90k and $100k, while key support levels are at $72k and $70k.
• On-chain data shows miners are not heavily selling, suggesting reduced overhead pressure, which could support further price increases if the Miners' Position Index trends upward.

https://cryptopotato.com/bitcoin-price-prediction-whats-next-for-btc-after-reclaiming-80k-resistance/

ZachXBT Targets Lesser-Known DEX in Fresh Allegations Over Illicit Crypto Flows

• Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has accused Tokenlon, a decentralized exchange, of facilitating illicit activities such as romance scams and human trafficking, suggesting a significant portion of its trading activity is linked to these sources.
• Tokenlon's co-founder, Ben He Bin, has been mentioned in the allegations, with calls for enforcement actions against Tokenlon and other platforms like Butter Network and HiFiSwap.
• Tokenlon has responded by asserting it does not facilitate crime and that it does not custody user funds, while also facing scrutiny over its decentralization claims, as reports suggest it operates more like a centralized service.

https://cryptopotato.com/zachxbt-targets-lesser-known-dex-in-fresh-allegations-over-illicit-crypto-flows/

Bitcoin Flashes Bullish Signal That Could Push It to Next Big Target: Analyst

• Bitcoin has surpassed $80,000 for the first time since January, with a bullish MACD crossover indicating potential for significant price gains ahead.
• Historical data shows that similar MACD crossovers have previously led to substantial rallies, with the analyst targeting $89,000 and $94,000 as possible price levels if momentum continues.
• Despite the price increase, on-chain activity is at two-year lows, suggesting that the current rally may be driven by larger holders rather than widespread retail participation, raising concerns about the sustainability of the gains.

https://cryptopotato.com/bitcoin-flashes-bullish-signal-that-could-push-it-to-next-big-target-analyst/

TON and M Skyrocket by 30% Each, BTC Price Tapped $81K: Market Watch

• Bitcoin reached a new three-month peak of $81,350 after a volatile trading period, with its market cap nearing $1.620 trillion and dominance at 59%.
• Major altcoins showed mixed performance, with Toncoin and MemeCore gaining around 30%, while Ethereum approached $2,400 and several others experienced minor losses.
• The total cryptocurrency market cap increased by $30 billion, surpassing $2.750 trillion.

https://cryptopotato.com/ton-and-m-skyrocket-by-30-each-btc-price-tapped-81k-market-watch/

A Massive Bull Trap? Why Analysts Are Warning About Bitcoin’s $80K Breakout

• Bitcoin has surpassed $80,000 for the first time in three months, but weak on-chain activity suggests limited buying support, making it vulnerable to profit-taking.
• Analyst Doctor Profit warns of a potential bull trap, predicting a sharp drop after a brief rise to the $83,000-$85,000 range, while Santiment highlights low network activity as a concern for sustained price increases.
• Despite the current weak interest, historical patterns indicate that low activity can precede significant market interest, and bullish signals on technical charts suggest potential for further gains if user participation increases.

https://cryptopotato.com/a-massive-bull-trap-why-analysts-are-warning-about-bitcoins-80k-breakout/

Ripple (XRP) Sees Big Adoption Boost in Russia: Here’s What You Need to Know

• Russia's largest securities exchange, the Moscow Exchange, will launch crypto indexes for SOL, XRP, TRX, and BNB starting May 13, using data primarily from Binance.
• Existing indexes will now update every 15 seconds during trading sessions, with plans to expand to 10 total crypto benchmarks, including potential additions like Dogecoin and Cardano.
• The new indexes and future derivatives will be available only to professional investors, coinciding with a positive trend in the digital asset market as BTC reaches over $80,000.

https://cryptopotato.com/ripple-xrp-sees-big-adoption-boost-in-russia-heres-what-you-need-to-know/