Bitcoin (BTC) is up nearly 12% over the past seven days, gaining momentum as it reclaims key technical levels and approaches major resistance zones. The recent price surge has been supported by a slight recovery in the number of Bitcoin whale addresses, hinting at renewed accumulation from large holders.
Technical indicators like the Ichimoku Cloud and EMA lines point to a strong uptrend, with bullish formations suggesting continued buyer control. As BTC flirts with the $100,000 mark again, whale activity and chart signals will determine whether this rally has more room to run.
Subtle Accumulation: What the Rise in BTC Whales Could Mean
The number of Bitcoin whales—wallets holding between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC—has been trying to recover over the past few days, showing subtle but notable movement.
There are 2,006 BTC whale addresses, slightly higher than the 2,000 recorded on April 21. The count briefly rose to 2,005 on April 22 before dipping to 2,002 the next day, and now it’s back above that level.
While these daily fluctuations may seem minor, they often reflect deeper shifts in sentiment and positioning among some of the largest players in the crypto market. The recent stabilization suggests that accumulation might be picking up again after a period of distribution or hesitation.
Tracking whale activity is important because these entities tend to have an outsized influence on market trends. Whether institutional investors, long-term holders, or high-net-worth individuals, whales often act with a level of strategic insight and patience that retail investors can’t always match.
Their behavior can signal confidence or caution in the broader market. The number of whale addresses showing a slight upward trend could indicate renewed interest in accumulating Bitcoin at current levels.
This might not immediately translate to a sharp price move. Still, it does add a layer of underlying support to the market, potentially reducing downside risk and paving the way for more sustained bullish momentum if broader conditions align.
The price trades above the blue conversion line (Tenkan-sen) and the red baseline (Kijun-sen), indicating short-term strength and trend alignment.
These lines have acted as dynamic support levels throughout the recent move, with price bouncing off them multiple times in recent candles. This suggests that buyers remain in control, and any dips have been met with demand.
The green cloud (Kumo) ahead is thick and rising, signaling a strong support zone and a positive trend outlook.
The distance between the red and green boundaries of the cloud also suggests expanding volatility, which tends to support stronger directional moves.
Because the price is well above the cloud and all key Ichimoku components are aligned in bullish formation, the current setup supports the idea of an ongoing uptrend—at least in the short to mid-term—unless price sharply reverses and closes below the blue and red lines.
Will Bitcoin Break Above $100,000 Before May?
Bitcoin recently broke above the $90,000 mark for the first time since early March.
Its EMA lines support the bullish narrative, with all short-term moving averages positioned above the long-term ones and spaced widely apart—often a hallmark of a strong uptrend.
Bitcoin price could challenge key resistance levels at $96,484 and $99,472 if this momentum continues. A break above those could open the door for a push past the psychological $100,000 mark, with the next major target near $102,694—the highest level since early February.
However, there’s still room for caution. It may lose its short-term footing if Bitcoin retests and fails to hold the support level at $92,920.
In that case, price could slide toward $88,839, and if a downtrend takes shape, further losses down to $86,533 become more likely.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is quickly becoming a notable force in the push for global crypto adoption. With growing participation from institutions and enterprises and supportive regulations for Web3 technology, MENA is set to expand its impact.
BeInCrypto interviewed Stephan Apel, CEO of Outlier Ventures, to explore the characteristics of these tech-driven economies and their anticipated innovations.
Web3 Adoption and Market Growth
MENA has emerged as a significant center for Web3 development, facilitated by a combination of demographic, technological, and cultural factors. The region’s entrepreneurial spirit has also fostered an environment conducive to the adoption of decentralized technologies.
“The MENA market has set a standard for adopting next-gen technologies and using them to boost their economic transformation. This is especially true for Web3 technologies— the region recognised their potential early on, offering the resources needed for these projects to scale and thrive on both regional and global levels,” Apel told BeInCrypto.
Consequently, the region is witnessing an increase in startups, investors, and developers exploring Web3 and its diverse applications.
A 2024 Chainalysis report revealed that MENA was the seventh biggest crypto market worldwide. From July 2023 to June 2024, the region saw $338.7 billion in online crypto transactions, representing 7.5% of all crypto transactions globally.
Share of all cryptocurrency transaction value by region. Source: Chainalysis.
Notably, Turkey and Morocco ranked among the top 30 countries globally in crypto adoption. Turkey secured the 11th spot, while Morocco ranked 27th. These nations alone accounted for $137 billion and $12.7 billion in received cryptocurrency value, respectively.
Furthermore, the MENA region’s crypto activity is predominantly driven by institutional and professional players, as a substantial 93% of all value transferred involves transactions exceeding $10,000.
Meanwhile, Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) members have distinguished themselves through their ambitious technological initiatives.
MENA’s Strategic Shift Towards AI
The onset of artificial intelligence (AI) has prompted governments and businesses within the Middle East to acknowledge the global trend towards related advanced technologies. Countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are considering their strategic position concerning this technological transformation.
According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030. The consulting firm predicts that the Middle East will bring 2% of the total global benefits, equal to $320 billion.
MENA’s pioneering role in AI development. Source: PwC.
The PwC report also indicates that Saudi Arabia will see the largest absolute gains from AI by 2030, with an estimated US$135.2 billion added to its economy, or 12.4% of GDP. In terms of GDP percentage, however, the UAE is expected to see the greatest impact, approaching 14% of its 2030 GDP. Meanwhile, for GCC states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar, AI is expected to contribute 8.2% of their GDP.
Given the region’s latest initiatives and investments in AI innovation, these numbers come as no surprise.
Saudi Arabia’s AI Development Initiatives
In 2016, the Saudi Arabian government launched Vision 2030, a program to promote economic, social, and cultural diversification. Integral to this vision is a strategic shift towards artificial intelligence and data-driven innovation, a key component of the nation’s economic diversification efforts.
Saudi Arabia is making notable advancements in AI. The country aims to reduce its reliance on oil by developing advanced technology sectors through targeted investments, infrastructure development, and workforce training.
“Fueled by its Vision 2030 initiative, Saudi Arabia has already created a thriving startup ecosystem, dedicated significant investment in emerging technologies,and designed policies to attract global talent and entrepreneurship,” Apel told BeInCrypto.
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) spearheads Saudi Arabia’s push into artificial intelligence, shaping and implementing the country’s national data and AI strategy. The National Data Bank is a cornerstone of their efforts. It is designed as a central hub for data access and analysis, facilitating AI applications across public and private sectors.
Last November, Saudi Arabia also unveiled Project Transcendence. The $100 billion investment initiative focuses on accelerating the integration of AI and advanced technologies.
Similar to its neighbor, the UAE has actively pursued AI adoption.
UAE’s AI Strategy and Investments
In 2017, the UAE launched its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which aims to make the country a global leader in the field by 2031. The UAE AI and Blockchain Council oversees this strategy, which impacts sectors like education, energy, and tourism.
The UAE is already reaping the benefits of its AI initiatives. In April, Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion investment in G42, an Abu Dhabi-based technology holding company. G42 is known for its data centers and the development of Jais, a leading Arabic-language AI model.
In September, G42 and Nvidia partnered to create AI-driven solutions for improved weather forecasting. The collaboration aims to advance climate-related technologies by using Nvidia’s Earth-2 platform, which enables AI-augmented climate and weather simulations.
Three months later, Abu Dhabi-based global technological ecosystem Hub71 partnered with Google to boost startup growth in the UAE. This collaboration will bring Google’s “Google for Startups” program to Abu Dhabi, including a dedicated accelerator for Hub71 startups in 2025.
He also drew attention to the planned convergence of AI and Web3 technologies in these prominent regions.
Convergence of AI, Web3, and IoT
Integrating the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and AI technologies is gaining traction among businesses in the Middle East. By combining these technologies, organizations can access new avenues for growth, increase efficiency, and create novel user experiences.
In 2018, the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority launched Dubai Blink, a platform that integrates AI, blockchain, and virtual licenses to facilitate global trade. This system enhances supply chain innovation through ‘smart commerce’ by expediting trade with a unified online platform. Furthermore, it addressed the cumbersome process of supplier identification by using AI algorithms to streamline and accelerate the validation process.
Ultimately, MENA’s proactive approach to technological advancement, coupled with its strategic focus on Web3 and AI, signals a future where the region will be a pivotal architect in shaping the digital economy.
As PI Day approaches, many Pi Network users or Pioneers could lose their accumulated Pi coins.
The risk comes following widespread complaints about the inability to complete the Know Your Customer (KYC) verification process.
Growing Frustration Among Pi Network Users
In a late February announcement, the Pi Network team stated that users who fail to complete KYC and migrate their balance to Mainnet within the extended grace period—ending at 8:00 AM UTC on March 14, 2025—”risk losing most of their mobile balance.”
“…the end of the Grace Period is inevitable to make sure the network can move on in its new phase without large sums of unverified and unclaimed mobile balances. Thus, this is the last chance for any Pioneer to complete the required steps to avoid forfeiting their past mobile balances,” read the announcement.
This announcement has sparked widespread frustration among Pioneers. Based on discontent shared on X (Twitter), many claim they have attempted but failed to complete KYC. Crypto enthusiast Rod Thompson called the situation the biggest con job of crypto, with up to 10,000 PI Coins on the line for him.
“The Pi Network has been earning ad revenue for every one of my daily mining sessions, but I’m going to lose over 10,000 pi coins because people I haven’t spoken to in two years haven’t done KYC. At least one of them passed away over a year ago. That’s over $10,000 due to me for my efforts,” Thompson lamented.
Thompson is not the only Pioneer questioning the fairness of the Pi Network system. Another user, S.O.H., described the situation as “mass social engineering on blockchain.” Meanwhile, others, such as Ahmady Ala, reported that despite mining Pi for six years, they have yet to be allowed to complete KYC.
Pioneer’s screenshot on KYC issues with Pi Network. Source: Ahmady Ala on X
In the same tone, some users have had their KYC documents pending for over two years without resolution.
“My KYC verification has been pending for 2.5 years. Even if it won’t be approved, shouldn’t there be an option to reapply?” user H. Ibrahim posed in frustration.
Unfair Reward Distribution, Centralization, and Migration Delays
In addition to KYC-related frustrations, many users have reported balance inconsistencies. They claim their unverified balance keeps increasing while their transferable balance is significantly reduced.
This makes the migration process confusing, and the lack of transparency leads some to label Pi a “scam network.” Another major concern is the alleged unfair distribution of rewards.
“I mined consistently for 4 years, stayed loyal to Pi Network, brought in 39 people, and even completed KYC for 17 of them—yet I got nothing. Meanwhile, others with no referrals and irregular mining have more Pi than me. How is that fair?” another user, Mango Fan Token, stated.
Meanwhile, despite claiming a user base of 60 million, on-chain data indicates only about 11 million active users. This led to concerns over Pi Network’s actual adoption rate.
Additionally, questions about centralization have emerged. Some critics argue that the project’s control mechanisms limit the potential for a truly decentralized network. Another issue plaguing the network is the failure of many users to migrate their Pi coins to Mainnet.
BeInCrypto reported recently that Pioneers have struggled with transferring their balances, even after fulfilling all required steps. Some users, frustrated by prolonged lockup periods, have resorted to selling their PI Coin accounts on unofficial markets, raising further concerns about the platform’s credibility and long-term viability.
While criticism of the network continues to mount, Pi Coin has recently seen double-digit gains as investors gear up for Pi Day. Some analysts speculate that the surge is driven by optimism surrounding potential developments on March 14.
Pi Network (PI) Price Performance. Source: CoinGecko
CoinGecko data shows that PI Coin’s price was $1.71 as of this writing, up nearly 15% in the last 24 hours. However, whether the price momentum can be sustained in the face of ongoing technical issues and community dissatisfaction remains uncertain.
President Trump is again urging lower interest rates after bullish US employment data. Some analysts are hopeful that new rate cuts will generate positive momentum for Bitcoin.
However, there are no signs that Powell will change his mind. If anything, it’s even less likely. Tariffs could cause unprecedented chaos, and the economy doesn’t need rate cuts to survive right now.
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 177,000, far outperforming expectations, while unemployment remained steady and wages went up. This prompted President Trump to ask once again for cuts to the interest rate:
Gasoline just broke $1.98 a Gallon, lowest in years, groceries (and eggs!) down, energy down, mortgage rates down, employment strong, and much more good news, as Billions of Dollars pour in from Tariffs. Just like I said, and we’re only in a TRANSITION STAGE, just getting…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) May 2, 2025
President Trump has repeatedly asked Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates. The crypto industry has also heavily advocated for such a move, which would encourage investment in risk-on assets.
Powell’s position has been very consistent. Tariffs could severely damage the economy, and the Federal Reserve needs to keep its powder dry to stave off future collapse. If it cut rates after bullish news, the Fed would have one less potential tool in the event of a real crisis.
To put it bluntly, there is a very low chance that Trump will get his desired rate cuts soon. Justin Wolfers, an economist at the University of Michigan, explained why the bullish report actually makes rate cuts less likely:
“I’m almost certain that the Fed remains on hold at its next meeting. The real economy (so far) is strong enough to not warrant a rate cut. And the big questions are all just over the horizon. Powell has been clear: He doesn’t want to guess what’s over that horizon, he wants to wait & see. The report is absolutely legit. White House interpretations are a different issue,” he said.
