Author: John Smith

Crypto VC funding slid to $659m across 63 April deals, a 74% drop from March that drags monthly flows back to 2024 lows even as DeFi and AI still attract capital. Summary Cointelegraph data show crypto venture funding fell to $659 million across 63 deals in April, down 74% from $2.6 billion and 84 rounds in March. Since peaking at $3.84 billion in October 2025, monthly crypto VC flows have trended lower even as 2026 year‑to‑date funding still totals about $5.64 billion. DeFi led sector activity with 12 deals, while blockchain services and AI‑linked crypto projects each saw 8 rounds;…

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse declared at XRP Las Vegas that the CLARITY Act will pass by the end of May, his third public deadline for the bill after predicting 80% odds of April passage on Fox Business in February and revising to May at two successive industry events. Summary Garlinghouse first gave 80% odds of April passage on Fox Business on February 19, revised to end of May at the FII Priority Miami Summit on March 27, and reaffirmed end of May at the Semafor World Economy Summit on April 13. He says the stablecoin yield dispute that paralysed the…

137 Ventures has raised over $700m across two new funds, lifting AUM above $15b as it doubles down on AI agents, robotics, advanced industry and a $10b‑plus SpaceX stake. Summary SpaceX backer 137 Ventures has closed more than $700 million across two new funds, lifting its assets under management above $15 billion. The growth-stage firm says the fresh capital will target high‑impact technology bets in AI agents, robotics, advanced industrial systems, and aerospace propulsion. 137 Ventures now owns more than 1% of SpaceX, a stake its founder values at over $10 billion ahead of a potential IPO that could see…

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said at XRP Las Vegas on April 30 that if the CLARITY Act does not clear the Senate Banking Committee before the Memorial Day recess on May 21, the bill could be shelved until 2030, as the current tri-branch alignment between the House, Senate, and White House on crypto legislation is uniquely fragile. Summary The bill has over 120 firm backers including Coinbase, Kraken, Circle, and Andreessen Horowitz and holds public support from the White House, SEC Chair Paul Atkins, and Treasury Secretary Bessent. Senators Cynthia Lummis and Bernie Moreno have both said independently that failure…

Bitcoin price rose nearly 3% to $78,700 on May 1 as Iran submitted a new peace proposal through Pakistani mediators to the United States, easing oil pressure and improving risk sentiment across global markets for the second time in a week. Summary Bitcoin price climbed to $78,700 on May 1, recovering from a multi-week low near $74,900 posted just two days earlier when Trump received a military briefing on new Iran strike options. Iran submitted a revised peace proposal through Pakistani mediators on May 1, CNBC reported, with oil prices edging lower on the development as Strait of Hormuz supply…

Bittensor price is showing renewed strength as it climbs above the $260 level, with improving momentum indicators hinting at a potential continuation of the recent recovery trend. Summary Bittensor price is trading around $263, up 5.7% in 24 hours, holding above the key $236 support after breaking a long-term downtrend. Bullish momentum builds as MACD turns positive, with upside targets at $294 and $340 if strength continues. Fundamentals strengthen with Nvidia’s reported $420M stake, ETF filings by Grayscale and Bitwise, and over 70% of supply locked in staking. According to data from crypto.news, Bittensor (TAO) price was trading around $263.19…

WHITE TECH has received authorization from Croatia’s Financial Services Supervisory Agency, HANFA, to operate as a crypto-asset service provider under MiCA. Summary WHITE TECH received MiCA authorization from Croatia’s HANFA regulator. The approval allows crypto exchange, custody, administration, and transfer services. WHITE TECH joins Croatia’s early MiCA-approved firms as EU crypto rules expand. The company is part of the W Group ecosystem and is majority-owned by Volodymyr Nosov, founder and CEO of WhiteBIT. The approval allows WHITE TECH to offer regulated crypto services under the EU’s common framework. WHITE TECH supports crypto exchange services, fiat-to-crypto conversion, and crypto-asset transfers for…

Ethereum traded at $2,280.47 at press time, with 24-hour volume at $10.18 billion, according to crypto.news data.  Summary Ethereum’s exchange supply ratio has dropped, but price has not yet formed a matching bottom. Binance ETH funding rates remain negative, showing traders still favor downside positions. Rising short liquidations may add buying pressure if Ethereum continues its recent recovery. ETH gained 0.75% in the past day but remained down 1.56% over the last seven days. Its market cap stood at $275.23 billion, based on a circulating supply of 120 million ETH.  The price action comes as analysts track opposing signals from…

A Nordic Bitcoin education group has released an open-source AI database designed to generate evidence-backed responses to common criticisms about Bitcoin’s environmental impact and energy use. Summary Bitcoin Beyond 66 has launched an AI database that generates evidence-based responses to claims about Bitcoin’s environmental impact and energy use. The tool draws on more than 22 peer-reviewed studies and cites Cambridge research showing over 52% of Bitcoin mining uses renewable energy. Users can input criticism and receive structured replies, with response tones ranging from direct to balanced or soft depending on context. According to Bitcoin Beyond 66, the tool, called “The…

The U.S. Senate has approved a resolution banning senators and Senate staff from using prediction markets. Summary Senate approved a rule banning members and staff from using prediction markets, with the change taking effect immediately. Lawmakers cited risks of insider information misuse, with Senator Bernie Moreno saying the ban protects public trust. According to Senate proceedings, the resolution passed by unanimous consent on Thursday changed the chamber’s standing rules and took immediate effect. Lawmakers tied the ban to the risk that officials exposed to sensitive information could profit from event contracts.  “Engaging in any way in a prediction market or…