Former Senatorial candidate and pro-XRP lawyer John Deaton has commented on a recent report that revealed certain crypto firms are looking to apply for bank licenses. Deaton expressed surprise that Ripple wasn’t among these firms, considering the efforts the crypto firm has made so far to disrupt the financial landscape.
John Deaton Comments On Ripple’s Exclusion
In an X post, Deaton stated that he is surprised not to see Ripple on the list of crypto firms looking to apply for bank licenses. The pro-XRP lawyer was reacting to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, which revealed that Coinbase, Circle, BitGo, and Paxos were looking to apply for bank licenses.
Deaton remarked that it was only a matter of time before crypto firms look to compete with traditional financial institutions and become the go-to for banking needs. According to the WSJ report, the top crypto exchange and these other crypto firms plan to apply for bank charters or licenses.
This bank charter would enable these firms to operate as a bank or any other type of financial institution, depending on the agreement between the regulator and these firms on what kind of services they can provide.
Deaton’s surprise likely relates to the fact that Ripple has so far made several efforts to establish itself in the financial space, especially through its payment services. Moreover, the crypto firm recently agreed to acquire prime broker Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, as part of its effort to expand its services.
However, the crypto firm could still make a similar move to apply for a bank license once it ends its ongoing legal battle against the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The court recently granted both parties’ joint motion to pause the XRP lawsuit while they finalize their settlement.
Hidden Road Acquires FINRA Approval
While Ripple may not be looking to apply for a bank license just yet, the crypto firm is still making other moves, especially through its latest acquisition. Hidden Road recently received approval from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to operate as a member broker-dealer.
The firm explained that the approval will enable it to expand its recently launched fixed income prime brokerage platform, which includes Fixed Income Repo and Global Funding services. As a broker-dealer, Hidden Road will also be able to provide its clients with several regulatory-compliant prime brokerage, clearing, and financing services in fixed-income assets.
It is worth mentioning that Ripple executive Cassie Craddock recently revealed that the XRP Ledger (XRPL) will begin to power Hidden Road’s post-trade infrastructure as part of the crypto firm’s acquisition of the prime broker.
Bitcoin price consolidates above the $84,600 on Sunday, April 20. Having closed eight consecutive sessions above the $80,000 mark, on-chain data trends suggest BTC market outlook for the week ahead remains bullish despite regulatory pressures on Coinbase.
Oregon State to Sue Coinbase as Bitcoin Price Holds Above $80,000 for Consecutive Days
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has filed a securities enforcement action against Coinbase, alleging that the exchange facilitated the sale of unregistered crypto assets, exposing investors to significant risk.
In the lawsuit, Oregon state alleges that Coinbase has encouraged the sale of unregistered cryptocurrencies to people in Oregon exposing residents to risk of pump-and-dump schemes and fraud.
“After building trust with Oregon consumers, Coinbase sold high risk investments without them being properly vetted to protect consumers Oregonians lost money, and we believe Coinbase should be held accountable and take steps to protect consumers.”
The complaint accuses Coinbase of misleading consumers in Oregon by offering high-risk digital assets without sufficient oversight.
In response, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, Paul Grewal, called the suit a “desperate scheme” and “a giant leap backwards” in crypto policy progress.
Despite this legal headwind, Bitcoin has remained resilient. Following a sharp decline to $74,300 on April 9, triggered by China’s new tariffs on U.S. tech, BTC swiftly rebounded after the U.S. Consumer Price Index for March came in lower than expected.
Bitcoin price action, April 20, 2025 | Source: Coingecko
Bitcoin price is trading at $84,500 at press time on April 20, having closed above $83,000 for eight consecutive trading sessions.
This steady uptrend, even in the face of a fresh regulatory attack, suggests that the market sees the lawsuit as isolated to Coinbase—not a major threat to Bitcoin’s near-term price prospects. With continued institutional interest and technical strength holding above key support, BTC price appears poised to maintain positive momentum in the week ahead
BTC Showing Resilience to U.S. Pressures
Bitcoin’s recent price action showcases strength relative to U.S. equities, particularly in the tech sector.
While flagship stocks such as NVIDIA and Microsoft grapple with declining investor sentiment, Bitcoin continues to draw inflows and sustain support.
US Tech Stocks Heatmap, April 20| Source: TradingView
NVIDIA shares dropped over 7% this week following a $5.5 billion charge related to China export compliance. The erasing billions in market capitalization for adjacent US tech stocks including Microsoft, Tesla, and Apple.
Against this backdrop, Bitcoin has appreciated nearly 12% since April 12.
More so, Lower-than-expected jobless claims last week increased pressure on the Fed to maintain a hawkish stance—yet BTC has continued its upward trajectory, bucking the risk-off trend.
This decoupling signals renewed investor conviction in Bitcoin as a long-term macro asset, especially as U.S. fiscal policy and central bank dynamics introduce heightened volatility to traditional markets.
Investors Pull 14,000 BTC from Exchanges in the Last 8 Days as BTC Sets Up Local Bottom
A critical on-chain indicators supporting the current BTC rally is the notable drop in exchange-held Bitcoin.
Data from CryptoQuant shows that more than 14,000 BTC have been withdrawn from centralized exchanges since April 12, aligning with the day Bitcoin reclaimed the $80,000 level.
Bitcoin Price vs. BTC Exchange Reserves, April 2025 | Source: CryptoQuant
These outflows suggest increasing long-term conviction among holders, reducing available supply for trading and heightening the potential for price appreciation. Historically, sustained withdrawal activity often marks local bottoms and preludes major bullish cycles.
The drop in exchange balances comes at a time of increased spot demand—especially with platforms like Charles Schwab signaling intentions to enter direct crypto spot trading.
As regulatory uncertainty begins to decouple from Bitcoin’s price performance, investors appear to be front-running the next wave of institutional participation.
In conclusion, while the Oregon lawsuit against Coinbase may create noise in the short term, Bitcoin’s structural and technical foundation remains intact. A continued consolidation above $83,000—paired with supply contraction and strong macro divergence—puts the $90,000 and $100,000 targets well within reach for Q2.
Bitcoin price is consolidating below a descending trendline resistance near $85,489, with short-term support from the 4-day SMA at $84,632. As see in the Bitcoin price forecast chart below, BTC has formed a coiling pattern with higher lows and marginally lower highs—often a prelude to a decisive breakout.
On April 20, BTC closed at $84,594, holding above the critical $84K level for the eighth consecutive session, suggesting persistent underlying demand.
Bitcoin Technical Analysis Today
The Average Daily Range (ADR) remains muted at 3.06, indicating consolidation but also priming BTC for a potential expansion in volatility.
Meanwhile, the bullish BBP (Buy Balance Power) reading at 1,553.76 reinforces near-term strength, showing that buying momentum is outpacing sell pressure. Volume has declined modestly, but the broader context of consistent closes above $83,000 reflects solid market absorption.
Bitcoin price forecast today leans bullish as the 4-day SMA trends above price, creating a compression zone between it and the 60-SMA. A daily candle close above $85,500 could confirm a breakout, targeting $88,000 short term. Failure to hold $84,000 would re-expose $82,300 as interim support.
Gate.io officially launched the brand-new airdrop platform CandyDrop. CandyDrop adopts a task-incentive mechanism, aiming to lower the entry barrier and enhance interaction between users and quality projects, creating a more convenient and efficient way for users to acquire cryptocurrencies.
Task-Driven Airdrops: Bridging Users with Quality Projects
CandyDrop is a token airdrop platform built by Gate.io, with its core mechanism being task-driven participation. Users can complete various tasks such as reaching a certain trading volume, depositing specific tokens, and inviting new users to register to earn candy points, which can be exchanged for project token airdrops.
Gate.io maintains its consistent professional standards in project selection, strictly controlling project quality, and selecting mature or high-potential tokens to ensure that users receive real and reliable rewards. This helps users access more quality assets while participating in the activities.
Easy Participation: Join CandyDrop Seamlessly
Participating in CandyDrop activities is very simple. On the web platform, users simply need to click “Startup” on the navigation bar and scroll to expand the “CandyDrop” page to easily join. On the app, click profile picture in the top left corner, scroll down to the “Earn” section, and open “CandyDrop” to quickly join the event as well.
After completing specified tasks, the system will award a corresponding amount of candy based on the task type. The more candy a user collects, the more tokens they will receive after the activity ends. After the activity ends, the platform will distribute the corresponding tokens to the user’s wallet based on the total amount of candy accumulated. Users can then choose to trade immediately to realize gains or hold the tokens long-term and wait for value appreciation.
CandyDrop Explained: Helping Users Participate with Confidence
CandyDrop activities have virtually no entry barrier, and all verified Gate.io users can participate. In addition to the aforementioned deposit, trading, and referral tasks, more innovative tasks will be introduced in the future.
CandyDrop’s candy distribution mechanism is closely tied to user engagement. The more tasks users complete, the more candy they receive, and the more likely they are to reach the required candy threshold to earn substantial rewards in each round. It is important to note that each CandyDrop event has an independent candy system, and candy from one event will not carry over to the next.
Each CandyDrop activity has its own rules and task requirements, which serve as the foundation for fair and orderly execution. Users must carefully read the detailed terms on the activity page before participating, to understand the rule specifics and better plan their participation strategy, allowing them to fully enjoy the event and its potential rewards.
CandyDrop: A New Model for Unlocking Asset Growth Opportunities
As the cryptocurrency market continues to develop, the CandyDrop platform, with its innovative, transparent, and user-friendly features, is expected to attract more users and inject new vitality into the industry. In the future, CandyDrop will continue to optimize platform functions, expand task types and incentive mechanisms, and provide users with diversified paths for asset appreciation, contributing to the prosperity of the crypto ecosystem.
Disclaimer: This content does not constitute an offer, solicitation, or recommendation. You should always seek independent professional advice before making investment decisions. Gate.io may restrict or prohibit certain services in specific jurisdictions. For more details, please read the User Agreement.
