Asset manager Bitwise has made its next move in a bid to offer a NEAR ETF, filing its S-1 form with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This development provides a bullish outlook for the Near Protocol price, with institutional investors gaining exposure to the altcoin through this fund.
Bitwise Registers NEAR ETF Filing With US SEC
A SEC filing shows that Bitwise has registered its proposed NEAR ETF with the US SEC. This move is part of the plans to launch a fund that will directly track the value of the Near Protocol price and provide investors with exposure to the altcoin.
This comes following the asset manager’s registration of the Near Protocol ETF in Delaware. Following this filing, the firm will now move to file a 19b-4 form for the ETF with the Commission through an exchange. This will officially kickstart the approval process as the exchange declares its intention to list and trade the fund on its platform.
The Commission already has several filings for other altcoin ETFs on its desk, including ones from Bitwise. Bitwise has already filed for Solana, XRP, Dogecoin, and Aptos ETFs.
However, the SEC has shown it is in no hurry to approve these funds despite the regulatory-friendly environment that the Commission has created under this new administration. The agency has so far delayed its decision on all other crypto ETFs, with the latest being Canary Capital’s Litecoin ETF filing.
Insight Into The Altcoin’s Current Price Action
Amid Bitwise’s NEAR ETF filing, crypto analyst Lycus has provided insights into the Near Protocol’s current price action. He remarked that the altcoin’s price appears to be stabilizing above the $1.75 support zone.
The analyst added that if it can reclaim the $3.70 resistance, there could be a price surge towards the $5 level. Lycus affirmed that the NEAR price is showing strong support and advised market participants to wait for a small wick around $2.65 if they are planning to accumulate.
Core Scientific (CORZ), Robinhood Markets (HOOD), and Strategy Incorporated (MSTR) are drawing attention today. CORZ rose after appointing Elizabeth Crain to its Board and reinforcing its shift toward AI infrastructure.
HOOD confirmed a $250 million CAD acquisition of WonderFi, expanding into Canada and going head-to-head with Wealthsimple. MSTR bought 7,390 BTC for $765 million, raising its total holdings to over 576,000 BTC, while facing a class-action lawsuit over its Bitcoin-focused strategy.
Core Scientific (CORZ)
Core Scientific (CORZ) closed yesterday with a modest gain of 0.65% and is already up 5% in pre-market trading, following the appointment of Elizabeth Crain to its Board of Directors.
Crain brings over thirty years of experience in investment banking and private equity, having co-founded Moelis & Company and held senior roles at UBS. She will also Chair the Audit Committee, a key position as Core Scientific continues its strategic shift toward AI-related infrastructure.
Her appointment, along with Jordan Levy’s being named Chairman, marks a pivotal moment for the company as it enhances its leadership team amid a broader transition in business focus and operations.
CORZ’s chart shows signs of renewed strength, with a potential golden cross forming on its EMA lines. Analyst sentiment remains overwhelmingly bullish—16 out of 17 analysts rate the stock as either a “Strong Buy” or “Buy,” with a one-year price target averaging $18.28, representing a 68.49% potential upside.
If momentum holds, the next key resistance level is $13.18, which could be tested in the short term.
However, investors should watch for support at $10.34; if it fails, the stock may retrace to $9.45 or even $8.49.
The deal, which offers a 41% premium over WonderFi’s last closing price, will bring WonderFi’s 115-person team and established crypto brands—Bitbuy, Coinsquare, and SmartPay—under Robinhood Crypto’s umbrella.
Robinhood Crypto executive Johann Kerbrat recently emphasized the company’s focus on tokenization and financial accessibility, highlighting how fractionalized assets like real estate can open up previously inaccessible markets to everyday investors.
The company submitted a 42-page proposal to the SEC seeking a federal framework for tokenized real-world assets. It aims to bring traditional financial markets on-chain with legally recognized asset-token equivalence.
HOOD shares closed up 4% yesterday and are up slightly in pre-market trading, extending a remarkable 56% rally over the past 30 days. Technically, the stock’s chart shows strong momentum, with its short-term EMA lines clearly above the long-term trend—suggesting sustained bullish sentiment.
The next key resistance sits at $66.15; a clean break above that could push HOOD into uncharted territory, surpassing the $70 mark for the first time and establishing new all-time highs.
Strategy Incorporated (MSTR)
Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) has added another 7,390 BTC to its corporate treasury, spending approximately $765 million as Bitcoin traded above $100,000.
This latest accumulation brings its total holdings to 576,230 BTC—acquired for $40.2 billion—now valued at over $59.2 billion, reflecting an unrealized gain of roughly $19.2 billion. However, the aggressive Bitcoin strategy continues to attract scrutiny.
The company and its executives, including Executive Chairman Michael Saylor, have been hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging they misrepresented the risks tied to their Bitcoin-centric investment approach.
Strategy is still the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, despite legal pressure. Its Bitcoin-first approach has inspired similar treasury strategies in Asia and the Middle East.
MSTR closed yesterday up 3.4% and is down 0.47% in the pre-market. The stock is up nearly 43% in 2025. It is trading near key support at $404; if lost, it could fall to $383.
If momentum returns, MSTR could rise to $437. Analyst sentiment is strong—16 out of 17 rate it a “Strong Buy” or “Buy.” The one-year average price target is $527, implying a 27.5% upside.
In the crypto market, a new generation of on-chain banking products is currently taking shape. Highlighting this evolution, EVAA Protocol, the first and leading DeFi protocol on TON, is hosting deFINTECH, a legendary side event of TOKEN2049 Dubai, in collaboration with TAC, the Layer 1 TON EVM network extension that connects the TON blockchain with Ethereum apps, allowing Telegram users to access popular EVM applications directly from their TON wallet.
The event is supported by key partners, including sponsor Ston.fi, the leading DEX on the TON blockchain, and media partners BeInCrypto and INCRYPTED, providing official media coverage. The curated gathering will take place on April 30, 2025, from 2 PM to 6 PM at DAOS HUB Dubai, deFINTECH’s official venue partner.
deFINTECH brings together the builders, product leaders, and fintech visionaries who are actively reimagining the future of banking on blockchain rails. The event focuses on envisioning on-chain neo-banking—financial services built natively on-chain and natively integrated into everyday platforms like Telegram. This includes exploring stablecoin payments, Telegram-native wallets, tokenized vaults, and intuitive on-chain yield tools.
Hosted by EVAA Protocol, deFINTECH highlights the platform’s dedication to DeFi accessibility and efficiency. EVAA provides liquidity market solutions and leveraged staking strategies, integrated deeply with Telegram and top-tier TON applications like Tonkeeper, Notcoin, Ston.fi, FIVA, TG Wallet, and DeDust. This creates a frictionless experience for users to borrow, lend, and earn yield on TON.
Why deFINTECH Matters
With Telegram’s crypto ecosystem gaining significant traction and stablecoins becoming a preferred medium for payments and savings, particularly in emerging markets, novel opportunities are arising at the intersection of Web3, embedded finance, and real-world adoption. deFINTECH serves as a dedicated venue for those pioneering this transformation.
The event is designed for founders and product leads building on-chain fintech solutions alongside wallet teams, L1/L2 ecosystem developers, and Web3 banking infrastructure builders. It also brings together investors, early adopters in social finance and DeFi, institutional players exploring on-chain finance, media, and strategic contributors focused on this evolving sector. With 150–190 highly relevant guests expected, the event fosters an atmosphere centered on valuable connections and substantive discussions.
One unique aspect of deFINTECH is that it moves away from traditional conference formats. Instead of stages and panels, the event prioritizes meaningful dialogue, fosters early-stage collaboration, and encourages product-first conversations. The goal is to create an atmosphere where genuine connections are made and practical solutions for the future of on-chain finance are discussed. deFINTECH offers a focused environment for meaningful connections and strategic dialogue during the busy TOKEN2049 week. Attendance at the event is by invitation only.
What To Expect
Attendees can anticipate an afternoon centered around direct interaction and collaboration. The format includes focused roundtable discussions exploring the future of neo-banking and DeFi user experience. There will also be opportunities for live demos and product showcases presented in a casual, off-stage setting.
Attendees can also expect to participate in open networking with other participants, ensuring valuable interactions without superfluous presentations. deFINTECH cultivates a culture of co-creation, inviting attendees to actively take part in shaping the conversation rather than passively consuming content. The agenda features focused discussions, including insights from venture capital, partner spotlights, and collaborative talks, all interwoven with ample networking time.
The Venue: DAOS HUB Dubai
deFINTECH will be hosted at DAOS HUB Dubai, serving as the event’s official venue partner. Located in the heart of Dubai, DAOS HUB is a purpose-built ecosystem that provides a space where Web3 builders, contributors, and innovators can collaborate and grow. Its mission is to create an ideal environment for Web3 startups to thrive through network-native connections and curated access, making it a fitting backdrop for the event’s forward-looking conversations. The event runs from 2 PM to 6 PM on April 30, 2025.
“Web3 doesn’t need another conference. It needs a product room,” said Vlad Kamyshov, CEO of EVAA Protocol.“At deFINTECH, we stop pitching dreams and start building real tools — right inside Telegram, where our users already are. We believe stablecoin payments, Telegram-native wallets, and on-chain yield tools can reimagine banking—making it open, permissionless, and composable. This isn’t just a trend — it’s a movement. Our goal is to bring together the builders and visionaries shaping the next financial layer.”
For those actively working on Telegram-based payment rails, secure yield vaults for stablecoins, or compliance-friendly DeFi applications, deFINTECH offers a unique space to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the next wave of financial innovation.
The cryptocurrency market has been struggling lately, and Pi Network is no exception. The price of Pi Coin recently dropped below $0.50, even testing $0.47 before making a slight recovery. At the time of writing, Pi is trying to hold above $0.50, which has become an important support level.
But it’s not just Pi facing tough times. Major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum also took a hit as tensions between the U.S. and Iran increased. Bitcoin even fell below $100,000 for the first time in months.
Founder Steps In to Calm Supporters
As Pi’s price continued to drop, Pi Network founder Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis took to social media to address worried investors, known as Pioneers. He assured them that this is just a temporary market phase, not a permanent crash.
However, not everyone was convinced. One frustrated user commented, “Are you a scammer or a fraud? Does Pi fall every day? Support Pi and raise it.”
To this, Dr. Kokkalis replied, “Do you know about crypto? Why are other cryptos going down?”
But the user wasn’t satisfied and said, “Since I bought Pi, it has been falling. I’ve seen 3 ups and 5 downs. I have no confidence in Pi anymore. I will cut my losses and won’t invest in companies like yours.”
Is Pi Headed Below $0.40?
Currently, Pi Coin is under pressure. Experts say it will need a positive market shift to rise above $0.60. Crypto analyst Dr. Altcoin predicted that Pi is now firmly in the $0.40 range and might stay there until the end of August. He also said that the upcoming Pi Day 2 event is unlikely to push the price higher.
The post Pi Network Founder Slammed as ‘Scammer’ for Defending Price Crash; He Responds appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
The cryptocurrency market has been struggling lately, and Pi Network is no exception. The price of Pi Coin recently dropped below $0.50, even testing $0.47 before making a slight recovery. At the time of writing, Pi is trying to hold above $0.50, which has become an important support level. But it’s not just Pi facing …
