From 14:30 to 14:45 (UTC) on 2026-04-17, the Bitcoin (BTC) market saw clear signs of abnormal movement. The 15-minute candlestick return reached +0.69%, with the price ranging from 77455.4 to 78044.4 USDT and an amplitude of 0.76%. Short-term fluctuations increased market attention, trading volume expanded in parallel, and liquidity improved further. The main driver behind this abnormal move was a clear strengthening of spot-market buy-side demand. According to on-chain and statistical data, from 14:00 to 15:00, BTC spot buys had the upper hand. Massive buy orders continued to push the price higher, while whale addresses (≥10,000 BTC holdings) were actively net-buying during this period. The inflow of large on-chain funds directly drove spot prices higher. In addition, CME Bitcoin futures open interest increased by 70%, yet there was no large-scale liquidation or forced selling, indicating that institutional capital was returning in an orderly manner and that futures leverage did not become the dominant source of pressure. The leading force behind this upswing came from the spot market, and any wait-and-see sentiment caused by shrinking ETF flows did not suppress short-term prices. Meanwhile, on-chain data shows that network activity has continued to rise, and the distribution of holdings is becoming more concentrated. In the short term, the coordinated effect of whales and newly onboarded users amplified price elasticity. Benefiting from an increase in macro risk appetite in mid-April—along with dovish signals from the Bank of Japan coinciding with easing geopolitical tensions—BTC’s attractiveness as a risk asset improved, and investors’ risk appetite strengthened. In addition, although ETF net inflows fell to $4.2 million, there were no large outflows, providing bottom support for spot. Multiple factors converged to drive BTC’s short-term rebound within the 15-minute window. It is worth noting that the SOPR data for short-term holders shows that some short-term capital is currently trading at a loss; if the price pulls back, there may be a risk of additional downside. Changes in institutional capital driven by shrinking ETF flows are also a potential trigger for volatility. The return of leveraged funds to the futures market is also worth watching. Investors should closely monitor key support levels, the movements of actively circulating on-chain funds, and changes in macro news, so they can grasp the market’s timing and stay up to date with more real-time market information.

As of November 30, 2023, South Africa's FSCA received 128 crypto asset service provider license applications. Of these, 19 were withdrawn, 74 are under review, and others have set assessment dates, indicating a push for investor protection in the digital asset space.

2026-04-13 23:15 to 2026-04-13 23:30 (UTC), the ETH spot price rose rapidly, with the range return reaching +1.45%, closing at 2394.15 USDT. The high-low range was 2347.17–2394.15 USDT, with a swing of 2.00%. Short-term volatility suddenly surged, market attention increased, on-chain activity and derivatives sentiment moved in clear sync, resulting in a high-density resonance. The main driver behind this anomaly is that multiple on-chain transfers of more than 10,000 ETH occurred in a concentrated manner, with funds actively flowing to exchanges, forming a strong @E0@

Former CFTC Chairman Chris Giancarlo announced that he will take on the role full-time as a crypto and technology adviser, continuing to push the development of digital currencies and financial technology. He had been dubbed “Crypto Dad” for his support of the crypto industry, and after stepping down he has provided consulting services to multiple organizations.

From 19:15 to 19:30 (UTC) on 2026-04-13, the BTC price rose by 0.74% in the short term. The price range was 72,320.5 to 72,907.8 USDT, and the amplitude reached 0.81%. During this period, market attention increased rapidly, trading activity noticeably intensified, and key on-chain and exchange metrics rose in sync. The main driving force behind this abnormal move was a sharp surge in spot and derivatives trading volume in a short time. Within the anomaly window, BTC spot and derivatives trading volumes reached approximately $350 million and $680 million, respectively, both up about 67% compared with the prior cycle, indicating that the upward momentum was strongly supported.

Bernstein’s research report states that the Bitcoin pullback reflects market concerns about the risks of quantum computing, and argues that the quantum threat is manageable and does not constitute a systemic risk. Current technological progress provides a cushion for Bitcoin, giving developers 3 to 5 years to push forward a post-quantum upgrade. Institutional investors will help drive consensus formation, but user migration remains the main challenge.

On April 12, the prediction market Polymarket briefly appeared in Google News search results, but was then removed. Google said this was an error and said it will no longer display it. The platform has been proactively integrated with media and has already partnered with Google and the X platform.

Bittensor co-founder Jacob Steeves responds to the Covenant AI incident, accusing its founder of betraying trust and issuing an apology. Steeves says he will move forward with a locked staking mechanism, enhance protocol transparency and resilience to risk, and continue to push for open AI development.

Macro investor Jordi Visser believes that if Bitcoin and Ethereum break through $76,000 and $2,400 respectively, it will kick off a sustainable uptrend. He expects high inflation to push investors to seek profitable assets, and notes that the probability of an economic recession has fallen to 24%. This view contrasts with the current bearish expectations in the crypto industry.

Covenant AI announced that it is exiting the Bittensor network, questioning the authenticity of its decentralized governance structure and believing that decision-making power is centralized and lacks transparency. In recent subnet operations, it encountered improper behavior such as adjustments to management privileges. It believes this is inconsistent with the principles of decentralization. Covenant AI will continue to push forward in the direction of decentralized AI training.