Hey folks! Welcome to the latest edition of the Crypto Weekly Digest. Over the last week, the cryptocurrency ecosystem has seen significant developments in the regulatory, institutional, and market sector. On the regulatory front, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) held a roundtable on April 11, inviting stakeholders to help shape forthcoming crypto trading regulations. At the same time, OpenSea has petitioned the SEC for clarity regarding the NFT marketplace, citing that they do not provide trading activity to users. On the other hand, El Salvador secured Level 1 travel approval from the US implying it as the highest travel safety. Earlier, the country was labelled as Level 4 implying an unsafe zone.
A major milestone came with President Donald Trump signing the first-ever U.S. crypto bill into law, establishing legal frameworks for digital assets and potentially reshaping how cryptocurrencies integrate into mainstream finance. However, Trump’s broader economic stance, including his new round of global tariffs, has triggered concern.
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This tension is contributing to market instability following which Bitcoin and Ethereum faced price trajectory, wherein ETH’s price low dragged its ETH/BTC ratio to a five-year bottom. Meanwhile, Binance’s $2 billion lawsuit with Nigeria has been postponed to April 30. Further, the platform had delisted 14 underperforming tokens after a community vote—part of an effort to improve token quality and reduce market risk. Also, the platform secured a payment license via BPAY in Bahrain, expanding its presence in the Middle East.
Other institutions are also deepening their crypto involvement. 21Shares launched the world’s first Dogecoin ETP on the Swiss SIX exchange, while the Lomond School in the UK has accepted Bitcoin for tuition, signaling a gradual cultural shift in crypto’s real-world applications. Even humanitarian efforts are tapping into blockchain, with WFP USA embracing cryptocurrency for global hunger relief efforts.
Further, Pakistan announced plans to repurpose surplus electricity for Bitcoin mining, potentially turning power inefficiencies into economic opportunities. Meanwhile, U.S. miners remain under pressure despite tariff pauses, highlighting the ongoing tension between regulatory relief and rising operational costs.
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Adding to the market’s complexity, Changpeng Zhao, former Binance CEO, has announced plans to fund AI tools that replicate users’ writing styles, a move blending crypto entrepreneurship with generative tech trends. As institutional involvement grows, the crypto market is entering a critical phase. Stakeholders are balancing opportunity with caution, awaiting clarity on regulation, while navigating unpredictable price swings and the shifting tides of global policy. The coming days would determine whether crypto’s integration into global finance will be defined by collaboration or confrontation.
