DFINITY’s Pierre Samaties Discusses ‘Self-Writing Internet’—AI That Builds Web3 Apps for You

In a compelling conversation at Paris Blockchain Week, Pierre Samaties, the Chief Business Officer of the DFINITY Foundation, shares the bold vision behind the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP)—an infinitely scalable, fully decentralized infrastructure designed to power the next generation of Web3 applications.

From a breakthrough AI project dubbed the ‘Self-Writing Internet’ to protocol-level integrations with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and soon Solana, DFINITY is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in Web3. Samaties offers exclusive insights into how users will be able to build live, on-chain apps with nothing more than natural language prompts.

Samaties on the Internet Computer Protocol

DFINITY Foundation is the main contributor to the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP). I take care of anything business-related, commercial-related, and product-related at DFINITY.

The Internet Computer community is growing significantly because it’s the only true world computer infrastructure where you can actually build a full end-to-end world computer stack, which means you have front end, back end, data, and everything on-chain. This is very attractive for many developers. If you read the Electric Capital report from last year, you see that ICP is the second fastest growing developer ecosystem, right behind Solana.

The Self-Writing Internet

We’re working on something which our founder and Chief Scientist, Dominic Williams, coined the ‘Self-Writing Internet.’ This enables anyone on this planet to use an AI interface, like a ChatGPT interface, where you prompt in natural language what kind of application you want to have built and deployed on-chain.

Not only is the AI returning the codes, but it is also returning a URL with the deployed application live on the internet computer in a matter of one to two minutes. And we’re obviously working to get this to chat speed. Not only that, you can actually update the application through prompting. That is a very big thing because this is another use case, finally, after DeFi.

A Web3 infrastructure is superior to a Web2 infrastructure, but you don’t need to tell anyone about it. People will just realize that this is a great thing. I can create my own app. If I’m an individual, an enterprise, or a startup, I can just get going with natural language. So this is a very big thing.

Users wouldn’t notice the difference between web2 and web3 because any application on the Internet Computer is accessed through a web browser. So for you, it would just feel like a normal web application, which by the way, I think should actually be the real goal of Web3. I think the problem with Web3 that we have today is that it always has its own extra thing on how to access it, and some UI issues. The key to adoption is really to make it as seamless as possible. And this is what that product is.

On ICP’s Integration into Key Blockchains 

Another key feature of the Internet Computer is that it has a protocol-level integration with Bitcoin, with Ethereum, and in a few weeks with Solana, and others are following. On Bitcoin, it specifically allows everyone who’s building on the Internet Computer to interact, read, and write on Bitcoin. That is very interesting for Bitcoin builders. Bitcoin is a single-purpose blockchain, which is fantastic for what it does, but it’s very hard to build logic on top of it.

Given that we have this Chain Key Bitcoin Integration, many builders – and we have over 40 different projects from the Bitcoin community – are using ICP tech to build true Bitcoin DeFi and Bitcoin Web3 applications. You can use the main chain with the most liquidity, with the best trust assumption we have for Web3 and DeFi applications.

There is a “canister,” which is our term for smart contracts on Twitter. It is a full-stack canister that can read and write Bitcoin. This means you can build the logic in everything that you want to do on ICP, smart contracts, and stiffer applications, but you immediately interact with Bitcoin. 

The other important key element is that we have a digital twin of Bitcoin that is cryptographically secured on the Bitcoin mainnet, living on the Internet Computer. It’s called CkBTC and it allows for Bitcoin transactions with one-second finality, plus only 10 sets of transaction fees. That allows projects like Odin.fun, that aims to create a centralized exchange feeling on a decentralized infrastructure with Bitcoin.

Whenever you convert a mainnet Bitcoin to a CK Bitcoin, it automatically locks the Bitcoin on the mainnet. And there is no central bridge that can be rug-pulled or hacked or exploited, which makes CkBTC the most secure way to have Bitcoin outside of the mainnet.

ICP’s Scalable Infrastructure Deflationary Model

ICP is probably one of the most ambitious projects in the entire Web3 industry. This is also why DFINITY has one of the largest R&D teams in Web3, and we spend most of our funds on R&D. But what our team has actually created is something really marvelous. It is a well-configured infrastructure that is already infinitely scalable because it scales horizontally.

The mainnet has been live since 2021. We run around 500+ applications already on the Internet Computer, including entire social media platforms. There is a WhatsApp telegram clone called OpenChat with around 20,000 users already. And scalability is not a problem. The system has been designed for scalability. Think about it: if you have an undertaking to create a true world computer, you make very intelligent choices about scalability.

As I mentioned, it is horizontal scalability. We don’t have a gas model but a reverse gas model. Now, all of us feel the pain of second-generation blockchains that have this gas model, where you always need to top up in order to do transactions. The Internet Computer has to build from scratch on a first-principle approach.

This is what we call a reverse gas model. As a user, you will not be obliged to pay gas fees because we think that kills adoption. Instead, we have a model that is pretty much the same as we have in web2 today. If you host your application on Amazon, you would pay Amazon for your cloud computing space. This is exactly the same logic on the Internet Computer.

If you’re a developer, you pay for compute cycles, and you pay for these compute cycles in ICP, and this ICP is burnt. This also means the more computing is happening on the Internet Computer, the more deflationary the tokenomics are.

ICP’s Deflationary Model

I can’t comment on prices, but we already had a few days in the last six months where the network became deflationary because of a significant network activity of a few projects that have been deployed. This leads us to believe that we might reach a sustainable deflationary state way before we predicted it initially.

But again, time will tell, and the self-running internet is also going to be a key catalyst, because every application that you can deploy will obviously run on ICP. It will need to pay for its compute cycles, which is very cheap by the way, probably the cheapest in the industry. That will further add to some type of deflationary elements.

About Developing on ICP

As long as the self-writing internet is not out, you will not be able to use AI for prototyping. But once that’s out, maybe relatively soon, you can just prototype with that. If you are a project and you have already figured out the architecture and your idea, you can just contact our dedicated growth team, which is led by my colleague Lomesh.

The growth team will help you with everything from onboarding you to the Internet Computer, reviewing your projects, and potentially also supporting me with some grants.

Expectations at Paris Blockchain Week

For me, the real benefit of these conferences is to have face-to-face discussions. As always, we have a lot of online meetings and so on. But I think the value of this is really to have here a lot of people, in particular, every European leader of the industry.

So we can have just good discussions, and we can just get things done. Still, we are a trustless industry in a sense, we want to achieve trustless, but face-to-face discussion is still very important to build trust. That’s what I’m trying to achieve here.

The post DFINITY’s Pierre Samaties Discusses ‘Self-Writing Internet’—AI That Builds Web3 Apps for You appeared first on BeInCrypto.

ZORA Price Battles Intense Selling Pressure After Airdrop

ZORA launched its airdrop today, distributing tokens to early users. The rollout caused confusion, as no official claim site was provided. Users had to check their allocations manually through the smart contract. While the Content Coin narrative boosted coin creation and new users, trading volume dropped sharply from its initial peak.

ZORA’s price fell around 50% in the first two hours after the airdrop. It is now trying to recover, but momentum remains uncertain. The market is still reacting to the airdrop and overall token distribution.

Content Coin Narrative Boosts Zora Usage

The Zora airdrop officially launched today, distributing tokens to early users based on two snapshot periods—but it was met with confusion. Base founder, Jesse Pollak, addresses some of these points in an exclusive interview with BeInCrypto.

Many users were unclear on how to check their eligibility, as no official claim site or checker was provided. Instead, allocations had to be verified manually via the smart contract, leading to mixed reactions across the community.

While 10% of the total 10 billion supply was reserved for early adopters, the decision to allocate 65% of tokens to insiders (team, treasury, and contributors) raised questions about the distribution model.

Coins Created and Unique Creators Per Day.
Coins Created and Unique Creators Per Day. Source: Dune.

Since Base chain began promoting the idea of Content Coins, activity on Zora has noticeably increased. The number of newly created coins has remained above 20,000 since April 17, reaching nearly 28,000 yesterday.

Meanwhile, unique creators on the platform grew from 3,683 on April 16 to 6,206 by April 22.

While this growth suggests rising interest, it also reflects a trend still in early development, with questions remaining around long-term sustainability and utility.

Zora Volume Peaked at $31 Million—Now It’s Down Over 70%

Zora’s trading volume in USDC surged sharply with the rise of the Content Coin narrative, hitting $30 million on April 16 and peaking at $31 million on April 17.

This initial spike reflected a strong wave of early interest and speculative momentum around the new use case for content on-chain. a

The increase aligned with Base’s push to promote content coins as a fresh alternative to traditional meme tokens, drawing attention from creators and traders alike.

Zora Daily Volume In USDC.
Zora Daily Volume In USDC. Source: Dune.

However, despite the number of coins created continuing to climb, Zora’s volume fell significantly to just $9 million by April 22.

This divergence suggests that while more users are experimenting with the platform—launching and minting coins—actual trading activity has not kept pace.

The drop in volume may indicate fading speculative interest, uncertainty around the airdrop, or early profit-taking following the initial hype.

ZORA Price Dives After Airdrop, Now Eyes Recovery

ZORA’s price experienced a sharp selloff immediately following its airdrop, dropping roughly 50% within the first two hours of launch.

Such volatility is not uncommon for newly airdropped tokens, as early recipients often rush to secure profits, adding intense short-term selling pressure.

Since then, ZORA has shown signs of recovery, attempting to stabilize and build upward momentum. If it can break above the $0.023 level, it could move to test resistance at $0.0289, with a potential extension toward $0.034 if buying strength returns.

ZORA Price Analysis.
ZORA Price Analysis. Source: TradingView.

However, the recovery remains uncertain. If ZORA fails to hold current levels and bullish momentum fades, it may retest support at $0.019.

A break below that could lead to further downside, with the next key level around $0.0165.

This price action reflects a typical post-airdrop pattern—initial volatility, followed by a battle between early profit-takers and potential long-term holders looking to establish positions.

The post ZORA Price Battles Intense Selling Pressure After Airdrop appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Hedera (HBAR) Traders Bet on Further Price Gains as Long Positions Surge

The resurgence in broader market activity over the past 24 hours has triggered an uptick in bullish bias towards Hedera (HBAR), with traders increasingly betting on further price gains. 

HBAR’s long/short ratio has climbed to its highest level in the past month, signaling a shift in trader positioning.

Bullish Bets Push HBAR Toward Breakout Territory

HBAR’s long/short ratio currently stands at 1.09, its highest level in the past 30 days. This indicates a sharp rise in the demand for long positions among HBAR’s derivatives traders on Wednesday. 

HBAR Long/Short Ratio.
HBAR Long/Short Ratio. Source: Coinglass

An asset’s long/short ratio measures the proportion of its long positions (bets on price increases) to short positions (bets on price declines) in the market. A ratio below one means there are more short positions than long ones.

Conversely, as in HBAR’s case, a long/short ratio reading above one indicates that traders are predominantly bullish on the altcoin, and are opening bets in favor of an extended price rally. 

Moreover, HBAR’s rising futures open interest confirms the renewed demand for the altcoin. At press time, this is at $205 million, climbing 18% over the past day. HBAR’s value is up almost 10% within the same period. 

HBAR Futures Open Interest.
HBAR Futures Open Interest. Source: Coinglass

Open interest refers to the total number of outstanding futures contracts that have not been settled. When open interest rises alongside price like this, it indicates that new money is entering the market to support the uptrend. This trend signals strong conviction behind the HBAR’s upward movement.

Can HBAR Break Out? Traders Watch $0.199 as Next Key Level

As of this writing, HBAR trades at $0.187, resting above the resistance formed at $0.190. If demand strengthens and HBAR bulls flip this price level into a support floor, the token could extend its uptrend and climb to $0.199.

HBAR Price Analysis.
HBAR Price Analysis. Source: TradingView

On the other hand, if HBAR bears regain market control, this bullish projection will be invalidated. In this scenario, the token could lose its recent gains and fall to $0.153.

The post Hedera (HBAR) Traders Bet on Further Price Gains as Long Positions Surge appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Clanker Meme Coins’ Value Surged By 25% In A Single Day | Meme Coins To Watch Today

The meme coin market is witnessing the emergence of automated token launches with the help of Clanker. These meme coins are attracting the same interest from investors as traditional meme coins, so much so that even major CEXs like Coinbase are set to list one of them.

BeInCrypto has analyzed three clanker-based meme coins for investors to watch as these tokens’ market cap increased by 25% today.

tokenbot (CLANKER)

  • Launch Date – November 2024
  • Total Circulating Supply – 1 Million CLANKER
  • Maximum Supply – 1 Million CLANKER
  • Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $53.59 Million

CLANKER has experienced a significant surge of 18% in the last 24 hours, following a 58% increase over the past five days. Currently trading at $53, the altcoin shows strong momentum and is likely to continue its upward trend as market sentiment remains positive.

The anticipated listing of CLANKER on Coinbase on April 23 is driving excitement. As the first major exchange listing for this meme coin, this event is expected to bring increased visibility and trading volume, potentially attracting more investors. The listing could serve as a key catalyst for further price growth.

CLANKER Price Analysis.
CLANKER Price Analysis. Source: TradingView

With the Coinbase listing expected to generate attention, CLANKER’s price could rise toward the next resistance level of $67. However, if the listing fails to attract the expected hype, the meme coin could see a reversal, dropping to $42 or lower, especially if the $53 resistance is not breached.

BankrCoin (BNKR)

  • Launch Date – December 2024
  • Total Circulating Supply – 99.99 Billion BNKR
  • Maximum Supply – 100 Billion BNKR
  • Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $18.54 Million

BNKR has surged by 36% in the last 24 hours, making it one of the top-performing tokens in the Clanker ecosystem. Trading at $0.0001913, it is holding just above the support level of $0.0001842, showing strong momentum in the short term. The altcoin remains on an upward trajectory.

To maintain its growth, BNKR must breach the resistance at $0.0002085. With continued support from the broader market, the meme coin could push towards $0.0002477, which would mark a new high. This could attract more investors and solidify its position in the Clanker ecosystem.

BNKR Price Analysis.
BNKR Price Analysis. Source: GeckoTerminal

However, if BNKR fails to break the $0.0002085 resistance, it risks falling back through its current support of $0.0001842. This drop could bring the price down to $0.0001207, invalidating the bullish outlook and erasing recent gains for investors.

Small Cap Corner – Native (NATIVE)

  • Launch Date – December 2024
  • Total Circulating Supply – 98.99 Billion NATIVE
  • Maximum Supply – 100 Billion NATIVE
  • Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $2.84 Million

NATIVE price has surged by 39% in the last 24 hours, reaching $0.00002846. The token is just below the resistance level of $0.00002849, showing strong short-term bullish momentum. If this trend continues, NATIVE could aim for higher targets, supported by ongoing market optimism and investor interest.

If the bullish momentum holds, NATIVE could break past the $0.00002849 resistance and climb towards $0.00003338. A successful rise beyond this level could fuel further price growth, providing the meme coin investors with significant returns.

NATIVE Price Analysis.
NATIVE Price Analysis. Source: GeckoTerminal

However, if selling pressure increases and NATIVE fails to breach the $0.00002849 resistance, the price could drop back down to $0.00001695. This would invalidate the bullish outlook and erase recent gains, leaving the token vulnerable to further losses in the market.

The post Clanker Meme Coins’ Value Surged By 25% In A Single Day | Meme Coins To Watch Today appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Bitcoin Briefly Surpasses Google in Market Cap Ranking as Standard Chartered Predicts New All-Time High | US Crypto News

Welcome to the US Morning Crypto News Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.

Grab a coffee to see how Bitcoin (BTC) is faring against public companies, precious metals, and ETFs (exchange-traded funds) on metrics of total assets by market capitalization. The pioneer crypto is proving formidable, taking the stage as a tech stock proxy to ‘dynamic hedge’ against equities and US Treasury risk.

Bitcoin Surpassed Google in Market Cap

Amidst renewed optimism, Bitcoin has surpassed Google, effectively joining the top five assets on market cap metrics.

According to data on companiesmarketcap.com, which tracks over 10,436 firms, Bitcoin is now the fifth most valuable asset after GOLD, Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Nvidia (NVDA). As of this writing, it boasts a market cap of $1.86 trillion.

Top assets by market cap
Top assets by market cap. Source: Companiesmarketcap.com

This growth comes as Bitcoin progressively gains attention as a hedge against traditional finance (TradFi) and US Treasury risk, which aligns with the most recent US Crypto News publication. As BeInCrypto reported, experts say Bitcoin’s number one purpose in a portfolio is to hedge against risks to the existing financial system.

In contrast, Gold is losing appeal after recently establishing a new all-time high (ATH)While President Trump’s tariffs catapulted Gold to new heights, there appears to be a capital rotation as investors’ appetite for risk grows.

“Bitcoin has surged past the prior $88,800 technical ceiling, clearing the psychological $90,000 mark to trade at an eye-watering $93,500. Meanwhile, Gold has slid 6 percent, reflecting a renewed appetite for risk and a clear rotation into digital assets,” QCP Capital analysts said.

According to analysts, institutions are no longer testing the waters of crypto. Instead, they are diving in headfirst. Based on this outlook, BeInCrypto contacted Standard Chartered Head of Digital Assets Research Geoff Kendrick, who forecasted a new ATH for Bitcoin price.

Standard Chartered Reiterates Next Bitcoin ATH

According to Kendrick, the increasing 10-year US Treasury term premium, now at a 12-year high, correlates with an increase in Bitcoin price. The term premium is the additional yield investors demand to hold a long-term bond instead of a series of shorter-term bonds.

“While correlations vary over time, the relationship between Bitcoin and the term premium is pretty solid, especially since the start of 2024. This relationship shows that Bitcoin has lagged the term premium increase in recent weeks,” Kendrick told BeInCrypto.

According to the analyst, this lag likely reflects the previous narrative that tariffs are hurting tech stocks and Bitcoin trading, such as Mag7 stocks.

Further, the Standard Chartered head of digital asset research added that as long as Federal Reserve (Fed) independence issues continue to play out, Bitcoin will keep heading higher. Against this backdrop, Kendrick reiterated his end-of-year Bitcoin price target.

“This could be what is needed for the next all-time high, and on that, I reiterate my current forecasts for Bitcoin, of 200k end-2025 and 500k end-2028,” he added.

As Bitcoin acts as a dynamic hedge, it remains to be seen whether it can flip Nvidia this quarter. Nevertheless, Kendrick does not rule it out, acknowledging that dominant narratives change and Bitcoin serves several purposes in portfolios.

Chart of the Day

Top assets by market cap
Top assets by market cap. Source: companiesmarketcap.com

Byte-Sized Alpha

Crypto Equities Pre-Market Overview

Company At the Close of April 22 Pre-Market Overview
Strategy (MSTR) $343.03 $354.15 (+3.24%)
Coinbase Global (COIN) $190.00 $197.35 (+3.87%)
Galaxy Digital Holdings (GLXY.TO) $18.21 $21.56 (+18.40%)
MARA Holdings (MARA) $14.06 $14.55 (+3.48%)
Riot Platforms (RIOT) $7.12 $7.42 (+4.21%)
Core Scientific (CORZ) $6.92 $7.35 (+6.21%)
Crypto equities market open race: Finance.Yahoo

The post Bitcoin Briefly Surpasses Google in Market Cap Ranking as Standard Chartered Predicts New All-Time High | US Crypto News appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Base Network’s Jesse Pollak Talks Content Coins, Meme Coins, and ZORA Airdrop

After much anticipation, the ZORA airdrop is finally live, rewarding early platform users across two snapshot periods. However, there was notable confusion among the community on whether an official checker or claim site was provided.

Operating on the Zora network, the project leverages low-cost transactions via Base blockchain, making it accessible for creators and collectors. Jesse Pollak, the creator of Base blockchain, commented on Zora and content coins amid the airdrop euphoria. 

No Official Checker or Claim Site for ZORA Airdrop 

Airdrop farmers expressed concerns during the hours leading up to the Zora airdrop as the network did not provide an official checker or claim site.

“Zora launches in 30 mins & no official checker or claim site in view. Incompetence,” wrote a core contributor at NFTNG. 

However, reports suggested that Zora airdrops would happen automatically, not requiring users to claim the token. Users were required to go to the contract address and check their allocations.

From inception, the project committed to transforming the creator economy. To do this, it aimed to empower artists and developers through its decentralized NFT marketplace and protocol.

It aims to foster a permissionless, on-chain creator ecosystem, evidenced by its distribution of 300,000 OP tokens to early users in past campaigns.

Zora’s airdrop required users to engage with the network, minting NFTs, bridging ETH, or using Uniswap, before snapshots on March 3 and days before the Token Generation Event (TGE).

“Snapshot 1 includes activity from 00:00:00 UTC January 1, 2020 up until 14:00:00 UTC March 3, 2025. Snapshot 2 includes activity from 14:00:00 UTC March 3, 2025 up until 00:00:00 UTC April 20, 2025,” Zora said in a Sunday post.

Zora launched its “fun token” with a 10 billion total supply. It allocated 10% (1 billion tokens) for a retroactive airdrop to reward early adopters, including NFT minters, buyers, and creators.

An additional 20% was reserved for community incentives, though 65% went to insiders (team, treasury, contributors). This sparked criticism of skewed tokenomics.

However, ZORA has been listed on exchanges like Binance Alpha (DEX), Bybit, Bitget, KuCoin, Gate, MEXC, and Bitrue. Its launch price was also $0.03, which aligned with pre-market prices estimated at $0.02–$0.06.

Meanwhile, attention has shifted to Content Coins amidst the Zora airdrop frenzy. The mismatch between their viral popularity and financial returns has become apparent.

While Zora’s novel platform cultivated a loyal creator base, concerns linger over transparency and token utility.

The ZORA token, lacking governance rights, drew scrutiny from figures like ZachXBT. As BeInCrypto reported, the blockchain sleuth questioned Zora’s pivot to meme coin-like tokens and its decline in NFT market share amid competition from platforms like OpenSea.

Against this backdrop, BeInCrypto contacted Jesse Pollak, Creator of the Base network, on the same matter. Pollak recently defended the value of content coins, emphasizing their potential for creators despite volatility.

Jesse Pollak Discusses Base Network’s Viral Gambit

As meme coins surge back into the spotlight, the Zora airdrop has ushered in a new frontier in content. While Solana has positioned itself as the go-to chain for meme coin launches, Base Network is quietly redrawing the map.

With an ethos rooted in accessibility, virality, and on-chain creator empowerment, Base is going beyond competition and expanding the playing field.

In an exclusive with BeInCrypto, Jesse Pollak shared his thoughts on the rise of meme culture on-chain and why the next wave will not look like the last.

“We’re working to bring a billion people on-chain, and we know we can’t do that alone. I have a lot of respect for the Solana team – they have done a lot to onboard people into crypto, and I’m glad to see that. We’re looking to grow the pie, not just compete for the existing pie. And we see content coins on Base as one way to grow that pie,” Pollack told BeInCrypto.

According to the Base executive, one must not understand anything about crypto or the underlying infrastructure before posting on Zora.

Instead, creators can post their content, start earning, and experience firsthand the benefits of on-chain social.

From Meme Coins to Content Coins

Meme coins like DOGE, PEPE, and BONK have thrived on shared culture and speculative energy. However, where those coins demand coordinated communities, shill strategies, and roadmap hype, content coins represent a cleaner break from tradition.

“Content coins are one-off pieces of content that are also coins. Most photos posted on social media are just photos, but occasionally something will take off and become a viral meme. Similarly, with content coins, most of them are just pieces of content that people should post without expectation. However, big ones have the potential to turn into memes, and the free market is deciding on the value of each piece of content,” Pollak added.

According to the Base creator, virality, decoupled from long-term projects, marks a philosophical departure. It lowers the barrier to entry while foregrounding creativity, not coordination.

In contrast, Solana’s meme coins often emulate startup cultures, featuring brand building, influencer tie-ins, and a pitch deck’s worth of lore.

Base’s alignment with platforms like Zora introduces a new monetization pathway. Instead of creators launching tokens, they are launching moments.

Each post becomes an atomic unit of culture, value, and trade. Moreover, Base invites the entire internet to participate because no crypto literacy is required.

In this way, Base transcends a chain, becoming a cultural substrate for the next evolution of the web. It is a platform where virality itself becomes liquid.

Whether Base overtakes Solana as the new epicenter for memetic creation remains to be seen.

However, the network’s commitment to onboarding creators, not just developers and degens, sets a unique tone. It is meme culture without the roadmap, presenting virality without the whitepaper.

If Solana is the Nasdaq of meme coins, Base looks more like TikTok with a wallet in the race to bring the next billion users on-chain.

The post Base Network’s Jesse Pollak Talks Content Coins, Meme Coins, and ZORA Airdrop appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Binance Tightens South African Compliance—Is Kenya Next?

Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volume metrics, has strengthened its compliance regulations for users in South Africa, aligning with the country’s regulatory demands.

The development comes four years after the exchange’s legal engagements with South African regulators, culminating in Binance amending its offerings.

Binance Tightens Compliance for South African Users

Binance announced stricter regulations for its users in South Africa. Effective April 30, users must provide detailed information on both the sender and receiver of any crypto transactions on the exchange.

“In adherence to local regulatory requirements, Binance will gradually introduce changes to crypto withdrawal and deposit procedures for South African users to make sure we continue operating in full compliance to the local requirements,” Binance announced.  

Specifically, for deposits, users in South Africa will have to provide the sender’s information when receiving any amount of crypto on their Binance exchange accounts. Regarding crypto withdrawals, users must provide the beneficiary’s information when sending any crypto out of their Binance accounts.

Details could comprise the full name, country of residence, and details regarding the originating exchange.

“This update only affects crypto deposits and withdrawals,” Binance articulated.

The exchange will demand these requirements through a pop-up message when performing the affected transactions.

Further, failure to provide these details could result in delayed transactions or failure to execute entirely. This means crypto assets are returned to the originator.

The upending of these requirements follows growing regulatory pressure from South African regulators, who pursue stronger oversight in the sector.  

Meanwhile, this is not the first time Binance has complied with South African regulations. Four years ago, the leading exchange discontinued multiple service offerings in the country, including futures, options, margin trading, and leveraged tokens.

Beyond that, South Africa’s FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority) welcomed Binance’s action to restrict South Africans from opening new accounts to trade derivatives.

This decision was part of the regulator’s push for its citizenry to stick with derivative market transactions with a FAIS Act-compliant Registered Financial Services Provider. FAIS stands for Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services.

Meanwhile, as South Africans brace for new regulations regarding the Binance exchange after April 30, the question arises: Is Kenya next?

Kenya To Start Taxing Crypto Exchanges

Recently, reports indicated that Kenya could begin taxing crypto exchanges for commissions they receive from the country’s over four million digital currency users. However, this move is contingent on the adoption of fresh regulations.

Under the proposed new regulations, which guide the payment of the digital service tax, crypto exchanges operating in Kenya will be required to pay a 1.5% duty.

“For the purposes of these Regulations, a taxable electronic, Internet or digital marketplace supply include… facilitation of online payment for, exchange or transfer of digital assets excluding services exempted under the Act,” the Business Daily reported, citing former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u.

These comments followed the National Treasury unveiling a Draft National Policy on Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers and the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, 2024, which aimed to bring clarity and oversight to the digital asset ecosystem.

Such legislation could warrant crypto exchanges operating in Kenya adopting similar requirements as Binance in South Africa.

The post Binance Tightens South African Compliance—Is Kenya Next? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Cardano to Witness the Shortest Death Cross in History as Price Crosses $0.70

Cardano (ADA) has recently shown a modest recovery, riding the wave of broader market bullishness, which has brought its price back above $0.70. 

This uptick has sparked renewed optimism among investors, and if the bullish momentum continues, Cardano could see a breakout above $0.80, potentially marking a significant shift in its price trajectory.

Cardano Could End Its Bearishness

Cardano’s technical indicators have recently shown signs of a potential turnaround, especially after a Death Cross formation. Sixteen days ago, the 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) crossed below the 50-day EMA, signaling a bearish trend. This is known as a Death Cross, often seen as a negative signal in technical analysis. 

However, the recent recovery above $0.70 and sustained bullish momentum could see ADA rise above $0.80. Should this reversal happen before April begins, it would mark the shortest Death Cross in Cardano’s history. It would be a sharp contrast to the previous 56-day span from March to May 2020.

Cardano EMAs
Cardano EMAs. Source: TradingView

On the macro level, Cardano’s bullish momentum is supported by a variety of technical indicators, especially the Relative Strength Index (RSI). Currently above the neutral line at 50.0, the RSI is at a 7-week high, signaling growing investor confidence and increasing buying pressure. The RSI’s upward momentum highlights the market’s positive outlook on ADA, suggesting that Cardano is gaining traction after a period of relative stagnation.

With a strong RSI reading, ADA appears to be benefiting from a resurgence of investor interest, which may help sustain the altcoin’s price gains in the short term. If the bullish momentum continues, Cardano could potentially see significant price increases, pushing it toward new resistance levels and offering an opportunity for profitable trades.

Cardano RSI
Cardano RSI. Source: TradingView

ADA Price Needs To Escape This Zone

Cardano’s price is currently trading at $0.70, marking a 13% increase in the last 24 hours. If this bullish trend continues, ADA will likely encounter resistance around $0.77. Historically, the $0.70 to $0.77 range has been a consolidation zone. A successful breach of $0.77 would signal a further move towards $0.85. 

A breach of $0.77 would reinforce Cardano’s upward momentum, potentially driving its price even higher. Furthermore, a breakout above $0.80 would suggest that Cardano is ready to resume its longer-term bullish trend.

Cardano Price Analysis.
Cardano Price Analysis. Source: TradingView

However, the bullish outlook will be invalidated if Cardano fails to maintain its current price levels. If ADA falls back below $0.70 and slips to $0.63, it could erase the recent gains and lead to further declines. In this case, the positive momentum would be considered short-lived, and the bearish trend could be reinforced.

The post Cardano to Witness the Shortest Death Cross in History as Price Crosses $0.70 appeared first on BeInCrypto.

NFT Market Downturn Is a Shift, Not a Collapse, Says Rarible Co-Founder Alexander Salnikov

The non-fungible token (NFT) sector experienced explosive growth in 2021. Artists, investors, and collectors were all swept up in the frenzy. Yet, its meteoric rise was followed by a downturn, prompting questions about the sector’s sustainability.

Alexander Salnikov, co-founder of Rarible, believes the market is not facing a collapse but rather a shift. In an exclusive interview with BeInCrypto, Salnikov offered his perspective on the state of NFTs in 2025 and their role moving forward.

Are NFTs Still Relevant in 2025, or Have They Run Their Course?

The rise of NFTs, fueled by excitement and speculation, was inevitable for a market experiencing such rapid innovation. Nonetheless, like many emerging technologies, this early surge was followed by a correction. The hype gave way to the realities of market maturation and sustainability.

According to the latest report by DappRadar, the art NFT market saw an impressive surge in 2021, with trading volumes reaching $2.9 billion. However, by the first quarter of 2025, the trading volume was recorded at just $23.8 million, marking a 93% decline.

NFT Trading Volume Over the Years
NFTs Trading Volume Over the Years. Source: DappRadar

Similarly, the number of active traders peaked at a record high of 529,101 in 2022. Yet, this figure sharply declined by 96%, with just 19,575 active traders remaining by Q1 2025. 

A previous industry report from DappRadar revealed that the underwhelming performance wasn’t just a trend in 2025. In fact, 2024 was one of the worst-performing years for the NFT market since 2020. In addition, BeInCrypto also reported on a study that revealed 98% of NFT projects launched in 2024 were essentially “dead.” 

Despite the decline, Rarible’s Salnikov has maintained a positive outlook for the sector. He emphasized the importance of a clear purpose when it comes to NFTs. 

“Once upon a time, after the .com burst, the headlines rang that the internet was only a fad. But as more companies integrated the technology into everyday use cases, it became ingrained as a part of life,” he told BeInCrypto.

Salnikov argued that trust quickly diminishes when NFTs are viewed merely as speculative assets. In contrast, projects rooted in real community engagement or providing tangible utility offer clear value, making their worth easily understood. 

Meanwhile, rather than viewing the sector’s decline as a collapse, the executive sees it as a market recalibration, with the focus shifting away from speculative hype toward projects with more sustainable value. 

“The speculative phase had its moment, but now we’re watching NFTs evolve into actual infrastructure—tools creators use to build communities, products, and new digital economies,” he said.

NFTs Beyond the Hype: Unlocking Real-World Utility 

Salnikov stressed that utility in the NFT space is no longer a distant concept—it is happening right now. Creators are using NFTs for membership, brands for loyalty programs, and games for player identity. 

He pointed to a growing convergence between the digital and physical worlds, with NFTs being tied to merchandise, events, and even real-world assets. Binance Research’s April 2025 report further corroborates this trend. 

The report spotlighted several real-world partnerships, indicating interest in NFTs. Examples include Azuki’s physical-backed NFT with Michael Lau, The Sandbox’s Jurassic World collaboration, EGGRYPTO’s anime characters with Eparida, and Sony’s Soneium platform partnering with LINE to create Web3 mini-apps.

“The next wave of growth isn’t about chasing a trend—it’s about unlocking new types of ownership and access that feel native to the internet generation,” noted Salnikov.

While this perspective offers optimism, the reality for many companies is quite different. Due to low trading volumes, major platforms like Bybit, X2Y2, and Kraken have resorted to discontinuing their NFT services. 

Those that didn’t shut down explored alternative avenues. For instance, Magic Eden expanded beyond NFTs with the acquisition of Slingshot. Nevertheless, Salnikov dismissed this strategy, commenting,

“We’re not trying to bolt on non-NFT features just to stay busy—we’re building NFT commerce that actually fits the communities using it.”

He explained that this approach uses modular, customizable on-chain marketplaces. Creators can tailor them to fit their specific audiences, whether it’s a gaming project, an L3, or a legacy brand.

“NFTs are the feature—they just need the right framing,” the Rarible co-founder stated.

When Fame Fades: The Diminishing Returns of Celebrity-Backed NFTs 

Going back, an interesting trend during the NFT hype era was the involvement of celebrities. High-profile figures like Justin Bieber, Madonna, and Neymar jumped on the bandwagon, attracting substantial attention to the sector. Nonetheless, their investment strategies haven’t fared particularly well.

In January 2022, Bieber spent 500 ETH (approximately $1.3 million at the time) on Bored Ape #3001. This NFT is from Yuga Labs’ Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) collection. 

However, according to the latest data, the NFT is worth only 13.51 WETH (around $24,174), a decline of 98.1%. Although the singer hasn’t sold his NFT, it has received little attention lately, with no promotional efforts or notable discussions around it.

Thus, while celebrities can bring attention to NFTs, this highlights the need for substance beyond the name itself. As Salnikov pointed out, celebrity involvement in the sector is fleeting. 

According to him, a celebrity name alone can’t replace genuine creative direction or a strong community.

“Celebrity drops will come and go—it’s the culture behind them that determines if they stick,” he remarked.

He argued that celebrities treating NFTs as mere merchandise deters audiences. Nevertheless, when an NFT drop is intentional and truly taps into something meaningful like music, fashion, or fandom, that’s where the lasting value is found.

“We’re way more interested in working with creators who are building for the long haul than just chasing headlines,” Salnikov disclosed to BeInCrypto.

The executive also outlined the need for a more accessible and user-friendly approach for attracting interested users. He detailed that onboarding users should not feel “like a tech demo.” Salnikov pointed to Rarible as an example. 

According to him, Rarible focuses on ensuring that each marketplace built on its platform is a product people genuinely want to use. This involves features such as fiat onramps, low-cost mints, a clean user interface, and, most importantly, content that resonates with users. 

“We’re not selling NFTs—we’re powering experiences that just happen to be onchain,” Salnikov concluded.

While the NFT market faces ongoing challenges, it remains to be seen whether the industry is entering a new phase of growth or if further obstacles lie ahead in its evolution.

The post NFT Market Downturn Is a Shift, Not a Collapse, Says Rarible Co-Founder Alexander Salnikov appeared first on BeInCrypto.

How Bitcoin Holders’ Sentiment Split Signals Early Re-Accumulation Phase

As the broader crypto market begins to recover from recent lows, on-chain data reveals a growing behavioral divide between Bitcoin’s long-term and short-term holders.

Its Long-term holders (LTHs) have resumed net accumulation for the first time since the last local top, while short-term holders (STHs) appear to be exiting the market.

BTC LTHs Return to Accumulation as STHs Capitulate

In a new report, pseudonymous CryptoQuant analyst IT Tech noted that a clear behavioral divide has emerged between BTC’s LTHs and STHs, suggesting the early formation of a re-accumulation phase.

This is based on an assessment of BTC’s Net Position Change for Long-Term Holders (LTH), which, per the analyst, has now flipped positive for the first time since BTC’s last local peak.

“This suggests that experienced, conviction-driven participants are gradually returning to accumulation after several months of sustained distribution. Their activity often reflects strategic, cycle-aware repositioning, not necessarily whale-sized capital flows,” the analyst noted.

Meanwhile, BTC STHs—those who have held BTC for less than 155 days—are selling into weakness, with net outflows remaining firmly in negative territory. This trend suggests capitulation, as newer investors reduce their exposure to the coin in response to recent price troubles. 

Bitcoin Long-Term Holder Net Position Change.
Bitcoin Long-Term Holder Net Position Change. Source: CryptoQuant

IT Tech noted that this behavioral divergence “tends to signal early stages of a re-accumulation phase.”

“Suppose long-term participants continue increasing their positions while short-term supply gets flushed out. This setup may serve as a constructive base for future price recovery, even if short-term price action remains choppy,” the analyst said. 

Momentum Builds for Bitcoin as Buying Pressure Surges

On the daily chart, BTC’s positive Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) reflects increasing investor demand and positive cash flow momentum. This further reinforces the possibility of a bullish breakout as projected by the analyst. 

BTC CMF.
BTC CMF. Source: TradingView

At press time, this momentum indicator, which measures how money flows into and out of an asset, is at 0.10. A positive CMF reading like this indicates that buying pressure outweighs selloffs among market participants and hints at an extended price growth for BTC. 

Moreover, the coin’s Aroon Up Line currently sits at 100%, reinforcing the strength of its ongoing uptrend.

BTC Aroon Up Line
BTC Aroon Up Line. Source: TradingView

An asset’s Aroon Indicator measures the strength and direction of a trend by tracking the time since the highest and lowest prices over a given period. It comprises two lines: Aroon Up, which measures bullish momentum, and Aroon Down, which tracks bearish pressure. 

As with BTC, when the Aroon Up line is at 100, it signals strong upward momentum and a dominant bullish trend. This suggests that buying pressure is high, and the price may continue rising.

BTC Bulls Eye New Highs

BTC now trades firmly above the key support formed at $91,851. If the bullish pressure holds and demand rockets, the king coin could continue its uptrend to exchange hands at $95,971.

BTC Price Analysis
BTC Price Analysis. Source: TradingView

However, if traders resume profit-taking, this bullish projection will be invalidated. In that scenario, BTC’s price could retest the support at $91,851. Should it fail to hold, its price could fall to reach $87,730.

The post How Bitcoin Holders’ Sentiment Split Signals Early Re-Accumulation Phase appeared first on BeInCrypto.