A consistent close above the resistance range between 19 cents and 20 cents will trigger a rally toward the parabolic phase for the DOGE price.
The anticipated approval of spot DOGE ETF in the next few months will improve its overall liquidity, trading volume, and demand.
Dogecoin (DOGE) price performed better than the rest of the top-10 altcoins by market capitalization in the past 24 hours. As Bitcoin (BTC) price teased above $97k and the total crypto market cap gained 1.2 percent in the past 24 hours to hover about $3.12 trillion, DOGE price rallied over 5 percent to trade around $0.1813 on Thursday, May 1, during the mid North American session.
The early bull phase – characterized by rising optimism and a breakout from key resistance levels – has signaled the onset of the much anticipated parabolic phase of the 2025 crypto bull cycle.
Dogecoin Whales Increases Accumulation
As investors adjust accordingly, amid the Wall Street quarterly earnings report and improving trade war negotiations, on-chain data shows whale investors have increased their appetite for memecoins, led by Dogecoin. According to market data from Santiment, Dogecoin investors, holding between 1 million and 10 million coins, added 100 million DOGE in the past week to currently hold about 10.55 billion coins.
The rising demand for DOGe coincides with the notable spike in its Futures Open Interest (OI) to about $1.88 billion, from about $1.31 billion on April 9, 2025. Additionally, as Coinpedia reported, the odds for a Doge ETF approval before the end of this year have significantly increased, with Polymarket’s users betting at a 68 percent approval rate.
What Next For DOGE
Dogecoin price has depicted a high correlation with Bitcoin price action YTD, catalyzed by its high adoption by institutional investors. The large-cap memecoin, with a fully diluted valuation of about $26.9 billion and a 24-hour average trading volume of around $1 billion, is aiming for 26 cents, which coincides with the 200-day Moving Average Simple (SMA).
From a technical analysis standpoint, DOGE will enter its price discovery in the near future. However, the weekly MACD line must cross above the signal line and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) regains above 50.
Japan is set to lift the ban on crypto ETFs backed by Bitcoin & Ether as the nation’s ruling party recently proposed a major shift in cryptocurrency policies. Startale Group CEO Sota Watanabe revealed that the nation eyes regulating crypto within a new framework under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.
Japan Proposes Regulatory Shift To Jack Up Crypto ETFs
In an X post on March 6, the Soneium contributor firm’s (Startale) CEO revealed that Japan’s ruling party (Liberal Democratic Party) proposed a major shift in cryptocurrency regulations recently. The proposal is to regulate digital assets within a new framework under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, offering more clarity.
If approved, this proposal will pave the way for crypto ETFs launch in the Asian country shortly ahead. In turn, the broader market could substantially leverage enhanced regional investor participation, thereby bolstering prices.
With countries such as the U.S. forging ahead with pro-crypto regulations, Japan is initiating efforts to not lag in the race. So far, the U.S. marks a monumental stride with its looming crypto summit and a digital asset reserve in the pipeline.
Nevertheless, other developments suggesting a more pro-crypto approach by the Asian country amid a global shift have followed.
What’s More?
According to Startale CEO, cryptocurrencies are likely to be regulated ‘not as a security’ under the new proposal. Besides, it is to be regulated as a new asset with a new framework within the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.
The Japanese government is already in talks with industry leaders to forge ahead with the same. Also, Sota Watanabe revealed that tax deductions from 55% to 20% seem up for grabs with the new regulatory proposal.
Altogether, the paradigm shift in regulatory policies underscores the nation’s growing support for digital assets, and thus crypto ETFs. Not long ago, CoinGape reported that Japan rejected Bitcoin national reserve plans, citing the broader sector’s volatility.
Stablecoin Advancement Adds To Pro-Crypto Wave
Also, the crypto subsidiary of Japan’s SBI financial services revealed that it will soon support Circle’s USDC stablecoin transactions. Starting March 12, SBI VC Trade is expected to offer users the first USDC transaction. This development, contrary to the country’s previous ban on stablecoin backed by foreign countries, also signaled growing support for crypto.
In response, market participants weigh substantial optimism over crypto ETFs launch in the country ahead. The nation’s financial regulator, Financial Services Agency (FSA), could uplift the ban on Bitcoin ETF & Ether ETF sooner than expected. Meanwhile, the proposal comes amid a broader crypto market recovery trend, sparking investor discussions globally.
Since its launch in late March, World Liberty Financial’s stablecoin USD1 has achieved an impressive market capitalization, reflecting strong investor interest. If the creators want to maximize USD1’s reach by accessing markets abroad, particularly in Europe, they must confront MiCA’s extensive compliance list.
In a BeInCrypto interview, experts from Foresight Ventures, Kaiko, and Brickken stressed the importance of stablecoin issuers having substantial European bank reserves, operational volume caps protecting the euro, and transparent USD1 information to ensure transparency and avoid conflicts of interest.
USD1’s Search for Dollar Dominance
World Liberty Financial (WLF), a decentralized finance (DeFi) project heavily associated with the Trump family, officially launched USD1 a month ago. Through this stablecoin, WLF aims to promote dollar dominance worldwide.
So far, this initiative has been working well for WLF. According to CoinGecko, USD1 has now surpassed a market capitalization of $128 million and reached a 24-hour trading volume of nearly $41.6 million. The project has already released 100% of its total supply of 127,971,165 tokens.
USD1’s market capitalization over the past 24 hours. Source: CoinGecko.
For WLF to seriously establish dollar dominance across the globe, it will have to move fast and efficiently. This urgency stems from the need to surpass its main competitors, USDT and USDC. These rivals currently hold a massive market share advantage.
Additionally, there’s a need to maintain a competitive advantage against established currencies like the euro.
USD1 needs to access foreign markets and stand out from established competitors to achieve this. Should Europe become a primary target, USD1 must prepare to tackle numerous challenges head-on.
The EU’s Stringent Compliance Demands
The European Union (EU) became the first jurisdiction in the world to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets across its 27 member states. This regulation, known as Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA), has been in effect for nearly four months. Through this legislation, the EU has confirmed how seriously it takes compliance with a defined regulatory regime.
The regulation is detailed and clear, leaving no room for interpretation. If USD1 wants to operate in this crypto market of 31 million users, it must ensure it meets every demand.
US Senators Flag Risks of Presidential Involvement in USD1
In the letter, the group asked both agencies to clarify how they plan to uphold regulatory integrity following the issuance of USD1.
The Senators cautioned that letting a president personally benefit from a digital currency overseen by federal agencies he has sway over is a big risk to the financial system. They argued that an unprecedented situation like this one could hurt people’s trust in how regulations are made.
“The launch of a stablecoin directly tied to a sitting President who stands to benefit financially from the stablecoin’s success presents unprecedented risks to our financial system,” they argued.
The letter further detailed situations where Trump could directly or indirectly affect decisions regarding USD1.
As things stand, USD1 isn’t well-prepared to follow MiCA’s strict reporting and transparency rules.
How Do Concerns Over USD1 Impact MiCA Acquisition?
According to Ianeva-Aubert, if USD1 doesn’t clear up doubts over potential conflicts of interest, this would affect its ability to apply for an operating license in the European Union.
“MiCA requires strong governance, including independent directors and clear separation between owners and managers. Issuers must have clear rules to handle conflicts of interest. If USD1 has any conflicts, this could make it harder to comply,” she said.
Ianeva-Aubert also highlighted that WLF still hasn’t released enough public information on USD1 to assess the degree of its compliance effectively. In particular, the stablecoin issuer has not disclosed the measures it would take to safeguard against market manipulation.
As of now, USD1 would likely fail MiCA’s transparency tests. However, industry experts pointed out other parts of the framework that might be even larger obstacles for USD1 to operate across the European Union.
Impact of the EU’s Reserve Mandate on USD1
When asked about the biggest regulatory hurdles USD1 would face in securing a MiCA license, experts’ responses were unanimous. The stablecoin would need to store a large portion of its reserves in a European bank.
This mandate has proven difficult for established stablecoin issuers seeking operations across the region.
This regulation aims to ensure seamless accessibility for European crypto users and traders. For Forest Bai, Co-founder of Foresight Ventures, USD1 could capitalize on this opportunity during the early stages of its development. By doing so, it could avoid some of the obstacles its competitors had to endure.
Yet, even as USD1 scales and its demand grows, other mandatory requirements could restrict its scope of success.
MiCA’s Transaction Volume Caps to Preserve Euro Dominance
As part of the MiCA regulation, the European Union has taken specific measures to safeguard the euro’s dominance. If a digital currency not denominated in euros were to become extensively adopted for daily payments within Europe, it could present a potential risk to the European Union’s financial sovereignty and the stability of the euro.
To contain this possibility, MiCA places volume caps on transactions used as a means of exchange within the EU.
In other words, MiCA establishes predefined limits on the transactional volume of such currencies. The EU initiates regulatory measures when these limits are exceeded due to widespread payment usage.
Specifically, USD1 issuers must suspend any further digital currency issuance and provide a remediation plan to the relevant regulator, outlining steps to ensure their usage does not negatively impact the euro.
If USD1 wants to work in places where it can experience uninhibited growth, the European market might not be the best fit for this stablecoin. Other parts of MiCA also suggest this could be the case.
MiCA Limitations to Stablecoins as Investment Vehicles
EU regulators have been clear that stablecoins, or e-money tokens (EMTs), as the regulation refers to them, are payment instruments that should not be confused with investment vehicles. The MiCA framework has a few rules in place to prevent this.
Given the circumstances, experts like Bai think WLF might want to focus on countries with better market conditions for stablecoin issuers.
Should WLF Consider the EU Market for USD1 Operations?
While the European Union has an undeniable crypto market presence, other jurisdictions have an even larger footprint.
”The EU’s crypto market remains comparatively small, with just 31 million users versus Asia’s 263 million and North America’s 38 million users, according to a report from Euronews. This limited market size may not justify MiCA compliance costs for projects, like WLFI,” Bai told BeInCrypto, adding that “Projects ultimately determine their own growth strategy. Given that, currently, the EU represents a secondary market for USD1, the project’s strategic priorities may naturally shift toward regions with less stringent stablecoin regulations to drive its adoption.”
These circumstances alone may prompt USD1 to reconsider its options.
In fact, USD1 could start by gaining a competitive edge right at home.
USD1’s Political Backing at Home
With a crypto-friendly president in office –whose very crypto project officially announced the launch of USD1– the stablecoin has sufficient backing to make its mark.
Looking past the immediate future, Bai underlined that if the US doesn’t keep developing supportive crypto regulations, USD1’s growth in the country could be held back following a government shift.
Given this reality, USD1’s failure to comply with the EU’s regulations, should it ever even consider applying for a MiCA license in the first place, could have negative consequences for the project’s long-term viability.
Regardless of the markets WLF evaluates in its efforts to increase the reach of USD1, compliance with general stipulations concerning transparency, legal architecture, and real-time transaction oversight could be conducive to its eventual success.
Richard Kim, founder of Zero Edge, a defunct “crypto casino,” was arrested and subsequently released on bail in a federal securities fraud case. After an arrest on Tuesday, Kim posted a $250,000 bond using $100,000 in cash as collateral.
Before Zero Edge, Kim had an esteemed career at major institutes like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. The Southern District of New York (SDNY) is hearing this case.
How Richard Kim’s Crypto Casino Collapsed
Before everything fell apart, Richard Kim was ostensibly a successful crypto entrepreneur. A former executive at Galaxy Digital, an attorney, and an elite trader, he left in March 2024 to found Zero Edge.
This “crypto casino” would bring classical gambling onto the blockchain, according to a recent court document:
“In particular, Kim represented to prospective investors that Zero Edge would ‘develop a number of onchain games,’ beginning with craps, and operate both a ‘free to play / social casino version of the game’ in which players could win virtual currency, as well as a real money version of the game. KIM wrote that he would serve as the ‘chief architect’ of the company,” it read.
Kim leveraged his former connections, including those at Galaxy, to raise over $7 million in seed funding. However, Kim’s casino never opened.
According to his public statements, Kim initially lost $80,000 to a phishing scam and blew through $3.8 million by chasing losses in “high-risk leveraged crypto trades.” This happened within a week of his initial funding round.
From there, he misled investors for months before finally coming clean last June, describing himself as a gambling addict. Several of the casino’s investors, including Galaxy, filed complaints that progressed to federal charges this week.
The FBI arrested Kim on charges of wire fraud and securities fraud, and he is being tried in the Southern District of New York (SDNY).
In the grand scheme of things, Kim’s aborted attempt to open a digital casino is on the smaller end of crypto crimes. Nonetheless, it’s important that the federal government actually seeks to prosecute him.
This may be a small win for justice, but fresh crypto cases are being tried. Kim is currently out on bail, but he still faces repercussions for his failed casino. Whatever happens, its results will be an important data point for US crypto enforcement.
