Crypto.com has unlocked a major milestone in Europe, a license that allows it to offer derivatives and securities within the European Economic Area (EEA.) The company shared on Wednesday, May 21, that it has secured a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) license after receiving regulatory go-ahead for its acquisition of Cyprus-based investment firm A.N. Allnew Investments Ltd. This approval came directly from CySEC, Cyprus’ financial watchdog. What does this mean for Crypto.com? The new license means Crypto.com can now offer crypto derivatives, securities, and other investment products to eligible users within the EU. The move opens up the European market for the exchange, allowing it to operate without legal repercussions. The license also reflects Crypto.com’s commitment to improving ties with regulators. Earlier this year, the trading platform received its Market in Crypto Assets (MiCA) license, which allowed it to offer its services to European customers. While MiCA governs crypto… Read More at Coingape.com
The conversation around 25-year prison sentence of Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has changed. After some voices in the crypto community suggested the punishment was too harsh, lawyer John Deaton stepped in with strong opinion regarding the conversation. His comments have added a new twist to the ongoing debate about whether justice was served.
Community Member Zach Revisits SBF Sentence
In a recent post on X, a crypto community member named Zach questioned whether Bankman-Fried’s sentence was too harsh. Zach pointed out that the customers of the crypto exchange he founded are being paid back entirely with interest. He suggested that the trading platform’s downfall was not because it was bankrupt but due to cash flow problems.
While he admitted that combining FTX customer funds with Alameda Research was illegal, Zach believed it was a case of poor management rather than criminal intent. He said Sam Bankman-Fried might have made decisions based on utilitarianism and effective altruism, rather than acting out of greed.
After facing pushback from community members regarding his opinion, Zach quickly clarified that he was not arguing SBF’s innocence. Instead, he believed a 25-year sentence without parole for poor decision-making was not justice.
John Deaton Shares Hot Take
Meanwhile, John Deaton does not hold back when he responds to Zach’s argument. In his X post on social networking site X, Deaton said Sam Bankman-Fried fully deserved every year of his 25-year sentence.
Deaton did not stop at Bankman-Fried alone. He said his parents, Joe Bankman and Barbara Fried, should also be facing prison time. He pointed to trial evidence, including private chats, which showed Bankman-Fried’s public image of altruism was fake.
The crypto lawyer also criticized him for showing no remorse after the collapse of FTX and mentioned that SBF donated $10 million to the Biden administration.
Concluding his remarks, he urged former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to reopen the SBF’s campaign finance fraud case that was dropped. John Deaton said the case was dismissed only because it involved elected officials.
Is There Hope for Sam Bankman-Fried?
Some market participants believe that the Justice Department could influence the future of Sam Bankman-Fried. Recently, federal prosecutors and regulators have scaled back on crypto cases.
Notably, regulators have focused mainly on crimes directly related to cryptocurrency and have left other matters to the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Unfortunately, in the recent SBF interview with Tucker Carlson, the FTX founder admitted that without intervention, he could remain in prison until his late fifties.
Despite these efforts, the strong call from John Deaton for further charges suggests that leniency remains unlikely. However, the changing environment in Washington means the door is not entirely closed. For instance, former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes bagged Presidential pardon in the United States recently.
Ethereum (ETH) price at $1,805 shows resilience above the $1,800 mark despite the sudden shakeout in the crypto market. With short-term bullish resilience, the upcoming Pectra upgrade is expected to boost the ETH market price with multiple changes in the ETH mainnet, leading to increased scalability and additional features.
Ethereum Price Prepares Bullish Launch From $1,800
In the 4-hour price chart, the Ethereum price trend showcases a sideways movement above the $1,755 mark. This crucial zone marks a high-demand area extending between $1,754 and $1,765.
Providing multiple bouncebacks, the high-demand area and the 200 EMA line hold the Ethereum price uptrend. Currently, the Ethereum sideways movement marks a consolidation range with the upper ceiling near $1,855.
As the ETH price holds above $1,800 after a prevailing recovery, the 100 and 200 EMA lines are on the verge of giving a positive crossover. However, the RSI indicator reflects a loss of momentum as the consolidation range grows.
Currently, the 4-hour RSI line struggles to overcome the halfway line. Based on the Fibonacci levels, a bullish breakout of the upper ceiling at $1,855 will likely test the 78.60% Fibonacci level near $1,949.
Optimistically, the uptrend could reach the $2,100 mark near the previous swing high. On the flip side, the crucial support below $1,755 remains at the $1,676 level.
On-Chain Data Signals Potential Price Surge to $2,000
As Ethereum holds its ground near $1,800, the in/out of the money around price indicator from IntotheBlock reflects a strong resistance ahead. The initial supply zone extends from $1,805 to $1,857, holding a total volume of 5.85 million ETH in 4.48 million addresses.
This is significantly larger compared to the nearest demand zone, extending from $1,748 to $1,800, holding a total volume of 2.29 million ETH within 3.46 million addresses.
In/Out of the Money Around Price
However, considering the short-term spike in Ethereum exceeds the overhead supply zone, the Ethereum price could witness a smoother sale towards the $2,000 mark. This is due to the short-term supply zones ahead holding a significantly lesser supply.
Will ETH Price Bounce Back as Analyst Signals an Ease in Selling Pressure?
As Ethereum hangs close to a crucial support, the spot volume is on a cooldown stage. As per the on-chain analyst DarkFost, this sudden slowdown in the Ethereum spot volume could actually be a good signal for a potential bullish recovery.
Based on the Ethereum spot volume bubble map by CryptoQuant, the analyst highlights the sudden drop in the spot volume, meaning the bigger the bubble, the higher the volume. Similarly, the change in the spot volume is denoted by the color of each bubble.
Currently, the sudden cool-off in the spot volume aligns with the prevailing correction in the Ethereum price trend. Witnessing a volume decline as the asset price declines could help reduce volatility under such conditions. This could also potentially reflect the slowdown in the selling pressure.
Ethereum spot volume bubble map
However, the analyst warns that the slowdown in the selling pressure does not mean the bottom is in.
The Pectra Upgrade Hype
The upcoming Pectra upgrade in Ethereum is likely to bring multiple key refinements to the mainnet. As per a recent tweet by Nansen AI, the key changes include the validator’s consolidation, reaching a 2,048 ETH market cap from the previous 32 ETH limit.
Furthermore, the Layer 2s can get cheaper, as blobs per block grow by 100% from 3 blobs to 6 blobs. Additionally, the EIP-7702 will bring temporary smart contract functionality to Ethereum wallets.
Overall, the key functionality brings faster staking, lower Layer 2 transaction fees, smarter wallets, and the Pectra Upgrade. These key upgrades will bring higher yields for stakers with easier operation.
Furthermore, roll-ups like Optimism and ZK-Sync will benefit from the cheaper data posting, with the increase in blobs per block. Decentralized applications (dApps) on the Ethereum ecosystem will be able to process batch transactions as gas sponsorships become easier.
Despite multiple upgrades, there are potential risks involved in the Pectra upgrade. Such as the validator’s consolidation could increase the risk of centralization on the Ethereum mainnet. Furthermore, the reliance of dApps on call data could increase transaction costs.
Finally, the growth of the smart wallet with the upgrade of EIP-7702 depends on the developers’ adoption. Nevertheless, the upcoming launch of Pectra upgrade shows potential to result in a massive Ethereum price surge.
Coinbase Announces Halt in Ethereum Deposits Ahead of Pectra
With the Pectra upgrade scheduled on May 7 at 3.05 am PT, Coinbase has announced a temporary pause of Ethereum deposits and withdrawals. This is to ensure the safety of the user’s funds. The temporary pause will extend from 2.50 am to 3.45 am PT.
Additionally, the initiation of new staking requests during this cool-off period will be delayed until 3.45 am PT. However, no existing stake positions will be impacted.
In the latest development within the Ripple ecosystem, the RLUSD stabecoin goes live on the Aave V3 Ethereum Core Market. Bolstering Ripple’s entry into the stablecoin market, RLUSD gained new utility, allowing users to supply or borrow the coin.
Notably, Aave’s listing of the token comes amidst growing adoption of the Ripple stablecoin. With increased momentum, the token has surpassed a market capitalization of $293 million since its December 2024 launch.
Ripple RLUSD Enters DeFi Space, Launches on Aave
In a recent X post, decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Aave officially announced the launch of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. While the listing marks Ripple’s entry into the DeFi space, it provides users with lending and borrowing services.
“Users can now supply and borrow RLUSD, Ripple’s enterprise-grade stablecoin, on the Aave V3 Ethereum Core market,” announced Aave on X. The initial launch of the stablecoin includes a supply cap of 50 million tokens and a borrowing cap of 5 million tokens.
RLUSD Market Activity Update
According to Aave’s dashboard, RLUSD markets are still ramping up, with a reserve size and available liquidity of $124.98 and a utilization rate of 0%. The price remains stable at $1.00, aligned with its USD peg. With no borrowings recorded, the current APY stands at 0%, reflecting low activity and a lack of lending promotions.
Growing Exchange Listings Fuel Ripple’s Growth
Interestingly, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is expanding globally. The stable token has initiated integrations with major platforms like Kraken, LMAX Digital, Bitstamp, Bullish, and Zero Hash. This paves the way for increased institutional and retail adoption of RLUSD.
Now, Ripple has plans to further boost adoption by engaging with institutions, integrating the stable token into more decentralized and centralized apps. The platform intends to explore new use cases in lending, trading, and DeFi. This positions RLUSD for growth in the competitive stablecoin market.
