Roger Ver, once known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” is now facing serious charges, including mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false returns. But Ver isn’t relying on the courts alone—he’s taking his fight to Capitol Hill.
$600K Lobbying Effort to Influence Congress
According to filings, Ver paid $600,000 to Trump ally Roger Stone to lobby Congress to amend the law he’s accused of breaking. The New York Times reported that Stone was hired in February. Ver denies wrongdoing but admits he struggled to manage his U.S. exit tax, citing Bitcoin market illiquidity at the time. In a January video, Ver made a public appeal to Trump, warning he faces over 100 years in prison for promoting crypto.
Support for Ver is growing. Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, serving a life sentence, has called for Ver’s pardon, highlighting Ver’s past support. American economist Jeffrey Tucker also defended Ver, calling him a hero being punished for advocating freedom.
Ver’s push coincides with Trump’s growing support for crypto and retreat from tough SEC regulations. Whether Ver’s lobbying will pay off remains uncertain, but the message is clear: crypto’s future now runs through political corridors.
Why did Roger Ver pay $600,000 to Roger Stone?
Roger Ver paid $600,000 to Roger Stone to lobby Congress to amend the law he is accused of breaking and to influence political support for his legal battle.
Is Donald Trump’s pro-crypto stance likely to help Roger Ver’s case?
Trump’s softer stance on crypto could create a more favorable political environment, but it’s unclear if it will directly impact Ver’s legal outcome.
How did Bitcoin’s illiquidity cause Ver’s tax issues?
Ver claims Bitcoin’s market was too illiquid when he renounced his U.S. citizenship, making it difficult to sell enough coins to cover his exit tax obligations.
The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) has raised concerns that the United States’ growing support for dollar-backed stablecoins could threaten Europe’s financial stability and monetary sovereignty.
These concerns come as stablecoin regulation gains traction in the US. US national banks and federal savings associations can offer services without prior regulatory approval.
EU Warns US Stablecoins Could Threaten Euro Stability
Pierre Gramegna emphasized the urgency of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) digital euro initiative as a countermeasure. As the Managing Director of the ESM, Gramegna urged expedition to preserve the country’s monetary sovereignty and financial stability.
“It could eventually reignite foreign and US tech giant’s plans to launch mass payment solutions based on dollar-denominated stablecoins. And, if this were to be successful, it could affect the euro area’s monetary sovereignty and financial stability,” Gramegna stated at a Eurogroup meeting.
The EU is advancing its digital euro project to safeguard its financial independence. The ECB has long warned that reliance on US-backed stablecoins could weaken the euro.
He echoes recent remarks by ECB official Piero Cipollone during an early February interview. Then, Cipollone indicated that the Trump administration’s support for stablecoins would likely accelerate legislation surrounding the digital euro. Such an outcome, he said, would position it as a necessary alternative.
“The US and Europe have differing views on stablecoins. The Trump administration sees them as a tool to strengthen the US dollar’s global presence, whereas the ECB fears they could destabilize Europe’s financial system,” Cipollone explained.
The ESM supports the ECB’s digital euro project and the European Commission’s efforts to revise the MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) directive. Gramegna emphasized that these measures are critical in preventing a scenario in which European consumers and businesses become overly reliant on US-backed stablecoins.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has also advocated for stablecoin regulation to solidify their role in financial markets. Meanwhile, new rules now permit US banks to offer stablecoin services, signaling further integration of stablecoins into traditional finance (TradFi).
These developments could accelerate the dominance of US-backed stablecoins in global transactions. Reports suggest that even Bank of America (BoA) is exploring launching its own stablecoin, while Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire is pushing for mandatory US registration of stablecoin issuers.
The debate over stablecoins mirrors broader geopolitical concerns. The dollar’s dominance in digital payments could grow as US financial institutions integrate stablecoins into their services. This could limit the euro’s influence.
European policymakers advocate for a strong regulatory framework and an accelerated timeline for the digital euro’s rollout to counter this.
The Solana Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to collaborate on talent development, economic data sharing, and founder workshops. This partnership aims to support the growth of the Solana Economic Zone in Dubai, fostering innovation and building a strong blockchain ecosystem. Together, they plan to nurture local talent and provide resources to accelerate Solana-based projects in the region.
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The Solana Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to collaborate on talent development, economic data sharing, and founder workshops. This partnership aims to support the growth of the Solana Economic Zone in Dubai, fostering innovation and building a strong blockchain ecosystem. Together, they plan to nurture …
Virtuals Protocol became the top-performing coin of the month and week, with gains of nearly 195% and 150%, respectively
Virtuals Protocol’s market cap surged 156.29% in April, crossing the $1 billion mark
Daily active wallets on Base Network dropped 84.9% from January highs, & Solana saw a 79.3% decline, showing reduced user activity despite price gains.
The RSI hit 84.75 and MACD shows a bullish crossover, as traders eye $2.00–$2.20 as a key zone for potential correction or breakout.
DEX volume rose 683% in two weeks to $27.6M but remains 89.7% below January’s peak of $267.5M, reflecting low market depth.
Virtual Protocol, $VIRTUAL coin is trading at $1.73, with a market cap of $1.13B and a 24-hour trading volume of $652.85M, reflecting a 32.66% increase in price and a 98.70% surge in volume.
From Hype to Hold: Virtual Agent Creation Hits a Plateau After Early Surge
Looking at the “AI Agents Created (Cumulative)” chart, we can see that demand for creating AI agents in the Virtual Ecosystem has cooled off over time. After a rapid spike from 68 agents in October to 16K agents by mid-January — a rise within just 3 months — the numbers have since plateaued, holding steady between 16K and 17,695 agents for the past 4 months.
This indicates that while there was an initial FOMO-driven rush, possibly fueled by hype or speculation, the market has now settled into a consolidation phase.
Virtual Protocol Sees Sharp Drop in Daily Active Wallets Despite Expansion to Solana
Virtuals Protocol, has seen a steep decline in user engagement, measured by daily active wallets (DAWs), despite expanding from Coinbase’s Base chain to Solana.
On January 2, 2025, the protocol recorded its peak activity with 58,641 DAWs on Base and 2,562 on Solana, totaling 58,641. However, by April 20, DAWs had dropped over 61% to 22,315 on Base and 241 on Solana—totalling 22,556, Making it a two-month high.
The decline continued through April 30, with DAWs falling to just 8,328 on Base and 529 on Solana, amounting to 8,857 users—a sharp 84.9% drop from the January peak.
Virtuals Protocol Sees 200% Price Jump, But DEX Volume Remains Weak
Despite a 200% price rally over the past two weeks, Virtuals Protocol’s trading volume on decentralized exchanges shows only a modest recovery.
On April 16, 2025, total DEX volume was $3.52 million — $3.29M on Base and $229K on Solana. Two weeks later, on April 29, volume rose to $27.6 million, with $26.4M on Base and $1.17M on Solana.
While this marks a 683% jump in volume, it’s still nearly 90% lower than the January peak of $267.5 million — signaling weak market participation despite the price hype.
Parabolic Surge in VIRTUALUSD Nearing Exhaustion: Key Profit Zone Ahead for Crypto Traders
Looking at the VIRTUALUSD chart and its on-chain behaviour, the asset is displaying a classic parabolic curve structure, with three completed bases fueling a sharp vertical rally. This began around April 10, breaking Base 1 ($0.60), Base 2 ($1.10), and Base 3 (~$1.40) to reach a high of $1.97 by May 1. This aggressive upside suggests the market is entering the Final pump, where $2.00–$2.20 is the projected Sell Point.
This Sell Point is a crucial level to watch—not only due to technical exhaustion, but because RSI is now extremely overbought at 84.75, signalling that price may soon reverse or consolidate. Additionally, the MACD continues to show a strong bullish crossover with widening histogram bars, confirming momentum, but the angle is steep, indicating a possible cooldown ahead.
If the parabolic rally sustains, VIRTUALUSD could reach its previous high of $2.60 by MAy 1st week. However, a failure to break $2.20 could trigger a healthy retracement to support levels at $1.40 and $1.10. Traders should monitor volume and momentum closely while managing profit-taking strategies near the peak zone.
The post Virtual Protocol (VIRTUAL) Soars 195% In April: Will The Rally Continue Or Face a Pullback? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Virtuals Protocol became the top-performing coin of the month and week, with gains of nearly 195% and 150%, respectively Virtuals Protocol’s market cap surged 156.29% in April, crossing the $1 billion mark Daily active wallets on Base Network dropped 84.9% from January highs, & Solana saw a 79.3% decline, showing reduced user activity despite price …