Coinbase has expanded its partnership with PayPal to help drive adoption of the PayPal USD (PYUSD) stablecoin. As part of the collaboration, Coinbase will enable 1:1 conversions between PYUSD and USD across its trading and custody platforms. To encourage usage, the platform is waiving all conversion fees for both retail and institutional users. The move is designed to make PYUSD more accessible and support its integration into the broader crypto ecosystem.
A recent Cambridge report confirms that the United States now leads global Bitcoin mining, prompting questions about how China will respond. Though the country has long held an anti-crypto stance, Chinese mining pools have historically controlled a substantial portion of the global Bitcoin hashrate.
The US’s current competitive edge and renewed hostility over trade policy might motivate China to recapitulate. BeInCrypto spoke with representatives from The Coin Bureau and Wanchain to understand what might encourage China to change its stance toward digital assets.
US Overtakes China as Top Bitcoin Mining Hub
The US has firmly established itself as the world’s largest Bitcoin mining hub. A recent Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) report revealed that the US accounts for 75.4% of the reported hashrate.
Global distribution of Bitcoin mining activity. Source: CCAF.
This newest development confirms a notable reversal of power over Bitcoin mining dominance. China emerged as the world’s leading Bitcoin mining nation as early as 2017, leveraging its extensive mining infrastructure and low electricity costs to contribute upwards of 75% of the global hash rate at one point.
Yet, the country would later crack down on the industry.
China’s Crypto Crackdown
In 2019, the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC) signaled its intention to prohibit cryptocurrency mining by releasing a draft law categorizing it as an “undesirable industry.”
Two years later, at least four Chinese provinces began shutting down mining operations. These crackdowns intensified amid concerns over excessive energy consumption.
However, China possesses a proven capacity to adjust to geopolitical shifts that could jeopardize its economic dominance, and the current environment may present such a challenge.
Has Bitcoin Mining in China Truly Stopped?
Even with China’s official stance toward crypto, mining activity has not stopped within the region. In July 2024, Bitcoin environmental impact analyst Daniel Batten reported that the hashrate within China currently accounts for approximately 15% of the global total.
7/8
Bottom lines: 1. 15%+ hashrate still comes from China
2. If you have 200-500 miners and want to do renewable-energy mining, you’re welcome
3. This is particularly in Inner Mongolia, the Texas of China, which has a lot of wasted renewable power they want to monetize pic.twitter.com/r6QUgmLmjT
“Despite the official ban, the infrastructure is already in place: from offshore mining to cross-border trading hubs. With more global momentum behind crypto adoption and the US taking the lead, China may find itself incentivized to lean in more strategically, even if unofficially,” Nic Puckrin, Co-founder of the Coin Bureau, told BeInCrypto.
China also has a geographical advantage over the United States, especially regarding technological advancements.
Crypto mining, especially for proof-of-work cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, depends on Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) equipment to handle the necessary complex calculations for validation and mining.
China’s position as a top exporter of crypto mining hardware, particularly to the US, gives it a potential advantage should it decide to revive its mining sector.
Puckrin believes that the combination of trade friction and the US’s invigorated push for crypto dominance might be sufficient to make China reconsider its position.
“It’s unlikely China will make a public U-turn on its crypto mining and trading ban anytime soon. However, with US-based miners accounting for higher and higher proportions of Bitcoin’s hashrate, China is bound to be paying attention and may well be quietly reassessing its stance,” Puckrin told BeInCrypto.
However, China has strategies beyond restarting its Bitcoin mining industry to undermine the United States’ dominance.
China’s Nuanced Approach Beyond US Influence
Even though China opposes the widespread use of cryptocurrencies domestically, it may still see value in digital assets to counterbalance the US dollar’s global currency dominance.
Several countries worldwide have either adopted or are considering central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to strengthen their domestic currencies. China is at the forefront of these developments.
“Despite the ban on Bitcoin mining, China has actively participated in the digital asset space, through initiatives like CDBC research and the digital yuan, or e-CNY,” Wanchain CEO Temujin Louie told BeInCrypto.
In fact, China’s efforts to create a digital yuan are partly driven by its desire to de-dollarize its economy and lessen its dependence on the US dollar.
Louie also suggested that whatever move China makes, it won’t solely base its decision on what the US does or does not do.
That said, China’s decisions about digital currency will, in turn, affect how its position on crypto continues to develop.
“Weakening USD dominance, whether exacerbated or caused by President Trump’s approach to tariffs, may embolden China to be more aggressive in [its] efforts to internationalise the yuan, including the digital yuan, or e-CNY. Any change to China’s broader strategy will be reflected in [its] stance towards crypto,” he concluded.
China’s activity in other areas of international trade already proves how nuanced its policy changes tend to be.
Could China’s Conflicting Crypto Policies Signal a Change?
Aside from its appreciation of digital currencies like the e-CNY, China’s stance on crypto has already proven somewhat contradictory. These discrepancies may fuel the belief that the country might just be willing to revert—or at least soften—its total ban on mining.
A month ago, investment firm VanEck confirmed that China and Russia –two countries particularly burdened by US sanctions– are reportedly settling some of their energy trades using Bitcoin.
Russia and China are settling oil trades in BTC. I’ve heard first hand accounts of similar transactions with Venezuela. Full tankers are settled in BTC on the “grey” market. The U.S. Government crossed the Rubicon in 2022 by seizing Russian assets at the Federal Reserve and… pic.twitter.com/Y8OwJROw9W
“With the US dollar increasingly being used as a political lever –particularly in tariffed economies– other nations are actively exploring alternatives. Indeed, many countries around the world, including China and Russia, are already using Bitcoin as an alternative for trading in commodities and energy, for example. This trend is only going to accelerate as digital assets become a more prominent part of the global economy,” Puckrin told BeInCrypto.
According to Puckrin’s analysis of these indicators, China’s “shadow crypto economy” is projected to expand this year, which could result in a reassertion of its power. This resurgence would be primarily in response to de-dollarization efforts, rather than a reaction to US dominance in mining.
“We’ll likely see this activity ramping up in the near future, especially as more countries use crypto to bypass dollar-dominated systems,” he concluded.
It will remain crucial to interpret China’s intentions, especially regarding cryptocurrency, by observing its actions rather than relying solely on its official statements.
The Bitcoin’s fear and greed index surged from 37%, representing fear, to 47%, indicating neutral, in the last 24 hours.
Technical and fundamental analysis suggest the crypto market will gain bullish momentum ahead.
Bitcoin (BTC) price led the wider altcoin market in recording gains in the past 24 hours. For the first time since the March 4 selloff, Bitcoin price rallied over 5 percent in the past 24 hours to trade above $91.3k on Tuesday during the mid-North American session.
The wider altcoin market signaled bullish sentiment, thus the total crypto market cap gained over 3 percent to hover about $2.95 trillion at the time of this writing. Following the heightened volatility, more than $348 million was liquidated from the crypto-leveraged market, mostly involving short traders.
Forecasted Behind Bitcoin and Crypto Pump Today
Renewed Demand from Whale Investors
As gold price rallied to a new all-time high of about $3.5k/oz earlier on Tuesday, on-chain data shows whale investors have shifted focus on Bitcoin and selective altcoins. The renewed demand for Bitcoin and the altcoin market, by whale investors, significantly catalyzed bullish sentiment.
Notably, the U.S. spot BTC ETF issuers recorded a net cash inflow of more than $381 million, possibly signaling an end to a longstanding dry spell.
Rising Open Interest (OI)
According to market data from Coinglass, the total crypto Open Futures (OI) increased by about 13 percent in the last 24 hours to hover about $120 billion. Bitcoin’s OI surged by over 16 percent in the past 24 hours to hover around $69 billion at the time of this writing.
Macroeconomic Tailwinds
The wider crypto market gained a bullish outlook on Tuesday, partially catalyzed by notable gains in major stock indexes. The Dow, S&P 500, and the NASDAQ indexes had gained at least 2 percent during the mid New York trading session.
The improving negotiations of the global trade war played a crucial role in the bullish outlook.
What Next?
From a technical analysis standpoint, BTC price is well positioned to rally towards a new all-time high in the near future. According to Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick in a note to investors on Tuesday, BTC price could rally to a new all-time high if concerns over the Federal Reserve’s independence persist.
The post Bitcoin Price Regains $91k After Seven Weeks: Top Reason Bulls are Ruling the Crypto Market appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
The Bitcoin’s fear and greed index surged from 37%, representing fear, to 47%, indicating neutral, in the last 24 hours. Technical and fundamental analysis suggest the crypto market will gain bullish momentum ahead. Bitcoin (BTC) price led the wider altcoin market in recording gains in the past 24 hours. For the first time since the …
Latest news on XRP Ripple: XRP has found itself in the spotlight again. XRP is currently trading above $2, sparking renewed hope among investors. Analysts are buzzing about the possibility of it becoming the next cryptocurrency to get a spot ETF approval in the U.S., right after Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, while the long-term narrative sounds bullish, the short-term mood among traders is more cautious than confident.
What’s Next For XRP Price?
Despite the growing excitement, options data has another story. On Deribit, one of the largest crypto options exchanges, traders seem more interested in buying put options, a type of trade usually used to hedge against or profit from falling prices. In simple terms, more people are betting that XRP could dip further rather than rally soon.
XRP options skew. (Amberdata/Deribit)
This sentiment is backed by what’s known as a “negative options skew.” That means the demand for puts is higher than for calls across several timeframes. It’s a signal that traders are still nervous about XRP’s near-term performance, even with ETF discussions in play.
XRP’s price chart isn’t helping ease the nerves either. The coin recently dropped out of an ascending wedge, a technical pattern that often indicates a weakening uptrend. As a result, some analysts believe that XRP could revisit lows around $1.6, unless something bullish shifts the tide.
XRP ETF News: Stability from Strong Order Book
Not everything looks gloomy. One positive for XRP is its strong order book depth. Unlike tokens such as Solana, XRP can handle large trades without triggering volatile price swings—a level of stability that regulators may favor when evaluating ETF readiness.
This liquidity advantage is one reason XRP remains in ETF discussions. Ripple, the company behind XRP, also continues to promote it as a global payments solution—a real-world use case that many altcoins still lack
While ETF optimism is giving XRP fans something to look forward to, short-term traders seem to be playing it safe. Until the market sees clearer signs of upward momentum or regulatory progress, the price may stay under pressure.
On the other side, crypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO believesthis week could be a game-changer for XRP’s trend. He points out that XRP’s weekly candle is sitting above the key $2.10 level and the 21-week EMA, a positive sign.
But the real deal, he says, is $2.25. If XRP can close the week with a solid candle above $2.25, it could officially confirm a bullish trend reversal and suggest that the April 7 bottom was the turning point.
EGRAG sees $2.25 as more than just resistance, he calls it the “lock-in” point for the uptrend.
This week’s candle close could decide which direction XRP takes next. For now, XRP is caught between long-term hope and short-term fear.
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The post XRP Ripple News Today: XRP ETF Buzz Builds, but Derivatives Data Suggests Traders Still Fear a Dip appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Latest news on XRP Ripple: XRP has found itself in the spotlight again. XRP is currently trading above $2, sparking renewed hope among investors. Analysts are buzzing about the possibility of it becoming the next cryptocurrency to get a spot ETF approval in the U.S., right after Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, while the long-term narrative …