The wave of crypto-related kidnappings has intensified with the latest attack targeting a Russian couple in Argentina. The couple, co-operators of a local cryptocurrency business, paid nearly $45,000 in ransom to regain their freedom. Russian Couple Pays $43K in Cryptocurrency to Regain Freedom Argentine law enforcement authorities have confirmed the kidnapping of a Russian couple in Buenos Aires. According to a report by a local news outlet, the incident took place in the upscale Palermo neighborhood of the capital city. Authorities say the incident forms part of a streak of crypto kidnappings sweeping across Europe and North America. The unnamed victims operated a local cryptocurrency business in Argentina, becoming targets in a transnational crypto kidnapping scheme. The trouble began when the couple was invited to dinner by two Chechen men at an apartment on Gorriti Street. However, the dinner turned out to be a ruse to lure the crypto executives… Read More at Coingape.com
WisdomTree has tipped XRP and Solana (SOL) to spearhead an altcoin resurgence in 2025 as investors turn their gaze outside Bitcoin (BTC). The firm’s report points to impressive use cases and incoming mass institutional adoption for both assets.
2025 Will Be The Year Of The Altcoins, Says WisdomTree
After the regulatory milestones achieved by Bitcoin and Ethereum in 2024, WisdomTree says 2025 will see altcoins record similar wins. WisdomTree’s Market Outlook predicts that key jurisdictions will warm up to exchange-traded funds for top altcoins in 2025.
The report specifically mentions XRP and Solana as altcoins expected to receive ETPs in global markets. Analysts at WisdomTree say both assets have demonstrated potential as “institutional-grade investment vehicles.”
For Solana, its capabilities for NFTs, DApps, and DeFi make it a top blockchain in the cryptoverse. On the other hand, XRP is carving a niche for itself in cross-border and global settlements.
“By approving ETPs for assets such as Solana and XRP, regulators would broaden the spectrum of crypto investment opportunities,” read the report.
At the moment, billions in ETF outflows from BTC and ETH have dampened the enthusiasm of investors, triggering interest in new ETPs.
The report highlights Solana’s stablecoin functionalities and XRP Ledger’s near-instant transaction as part of the reasons for ETP approvals. WisdomTree analysts say the approvals open doors to nearly “$300 trillion of managed wealth.”
The Inclusion In A Crypto Strategic Reserve Underscores XRP and SOL’s Relevance
SOL and XRP made the cut for a US Crypto Strategic Reserve, accentuating their growing institutional influence. The announcement sent asset prices surging to new highs amid whispers of a flippening for Ethereum.
XRP’s case with the SEC is inching toward a dismissal with analysts predicting May as the end to the lawsuit.
Frank Templeton has filed an S-1 with the SEC to launch a Solana spot ETF, fuelling speculation for a fresh rally. Experts say the approval for the Solana ETF will happen in 2025, citing a change in stances by the SEC.
Ethereum’s planned Pectra upgrade, the blockchain’s most significant update since 2022’s “The Merge,” launched today on the Sepolia testnet. However, the launch didn’t go smooth as it faced issues in its testnet release, further delaying mainnet launch. According to a recent tweet from the lead Ethereum developer, the team has identified the issue and rolled out a fix.
Quick Fix Applied to Sepolia Deposit Contract Issue
The Ethereum community employs testnets to experiment with significant updates in a secure environment before they are implemented on the primary blockchain, often referred to as the “mainnet.”
Despite these precautions, the rollout encountered some snags. Tim Beiko, a leading developer at the Ethereum Foundation, reported on Twitter that they were addressing a glitch related to the custom deposit contract on the Sepolia testnet.
He further explained that this glitch had impacted certain Execution Layer (EL) clients, leading to problems with processing transactions within blocks. EL clients are essential software that operates on the Ethereum network’s nodes.
Roughly six hours after the error was identified, Tim Beiko reported that a solution was in place. He stated, “Client teams have coordinated on a fix and are trying to deploy it to validators right now. If this works as expected, we’ll have a longer update out shortly.”
Tim Beiko stated that all node operators need to upgrade their nodes to the versions listed on the Ethereum website’s blog. He mentioned that validators had already upgraded, resulting in the chain operating normally again. However, he noted that explorers, wallets, and other infrastructure providers might encounter issues until they also perform their upgrades.
The Mainnet Release Might Get Delayed
Earlier in the day, the launch was hailed as a triumphant success. Terence, a leading Ethereum developer, shared on Twitter that the Pectra had “finalized with a perfect proposal rate” on the Sepolia testnet. This meant that every validator had flawlessly proposed their assigned blocks without fail.
However, this achievement came after a challenging period. Initially, the deployment of Pectra on Sepolia had caused significant disruptions, preventing transactions from being recorded and essentially bringing the testnet to a halt for around five hours.
The Pectra upgrade had encountered problems before. For example, a misconfiguration among validators caused a chain split during its deployment on the Holesky testnet on February 24, leading to a failed rollout. Ethereum developers now expect that it will take at least two more weeks to finalize this activation.
The plans for a mainnet launch of Pectra, which is one of the most significant forks since Ethereum transitioned to proof-of-stake, are dependent on successful upgrades of both the Holesky and Sepolia testnets.
Although the Ethereum Foundation had initially aimed for an early April release for the mainnet, this timeline might be stretched to ensure the issues observed in the testnets are thoroughly addressed and do not recur.
The post Developers Implement Crucial Fix After Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade Faced Issues on Sepolia Testnet appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Ethereum’s planned Pectra upgrade, the blockchain’s most significant update since 2022’s “The Merge,” launched today on the Sepolia testnet. However, the launch didn’t go smooth as it faced issues in its testnet release, further delaying mainnet launch. According to a recent tweet from the lead Ethereum developer, the team has identified the issue and rolled …
Ethereum price surged 12% in four days, overtaking Solana and XRP as Trump’s policy shift boosted risk appetite across global markets.
Ethereum’s Undervalued Status Powers Late Rally Over SOL and XRP
Ethereum price broke above $1,825 on April 25, marking its highest level in 50 days. Despite a sluggish start to the week, ETH now posts a 12% gain on the weekly timeframe, overtaking top Layer-1 rivals Solana (SOL) and XRP.
A major driver of Ethereum’s late rally was its undervalued status. At the start of the week, ETH struggled for traction, consolidating below $1,600 for a 14-day stretch between April 9 and April 23.
While ETH remained stuck under the $1,620 resistance, Bitcoin (BTC), XRP, and Solana had already broken major psychological barriers—$90,000, $2.20, and $150 respectively—earlier in the week.
Investors sitting on sidelined capital viewed ETH as undervalued relative to the broader market.Rapid inflows pushed Ethereum price from $1,600 on April 22 to $1,825 by Saturday, April 26—a 12% surge in just four days.
Ethereum price overtakes Solana and XRP on Weekly Timeframe, April 26 | Coingecko
Ethereum’s late rally now places it ahead of Solana and XRP in weekly performance, with the latter two posting 5.3% and 6.9% gains, respectively, according to CoinGecko data as of April 26.
Bullish Investors Stake 91,000 ETH Amid Rumors of Institutional Migration From Ethereum to Solana
Trends observed on the Ethereum 2.0 staking network further affirm the narrative that investors piled into ETH following Trump’s tariff rollback hints earlier this week.
According to official Beacon Chain data, Ethereum has witnessed a consistent flow of new deposits since April 22.
As seen on Beaconcha.in, total ETH staked stood at 34,055,790 on April 22.
Ethereum staking deposits as of April 26 | Beaconcha.in
Following Trump’s announcement of a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, deposits steadily climbed, reaching 34,146,222 ETH at press time on April 26.
This reflects an increase of 90,432 ETH—equivalent to approximately $164 million at current market prices.
Increased staking typically impacts asset prices positively for two key reasons: First, it reduces the circulating supply of tradable ETH on exchanges, tightening liquidity during periods of strong demand.
This supply shock helped ETH outpace rivals SOL and XRP on the weekly timeframe, despite its slow start.
Second, rising staking participation signals continued confidence among Ethereum’s core developers and large investors in the network’s long-term viability.
Such moves often encourage neutral traders and new entrants to take long positions.
Additionally, Ethereum staking enforces time constraints on liquidity.
According to validator platform Figment.io, withdrawals from the Beacon Chain can take up to nine days.
This lock-up period means the $164 million in new staking deposits will not be available for instant sell-offs, helping to establish strong short-term support for ETH even if broader market sentiment softens next week.
Ethereum Price Forecast Today: ETH Eyes $1,950 if Momentum Holds Above $1,800
Ethereum price is hovering above $1,802 at press time on April 26, as bulls look to set a strong bullish cluster above the key psychological $1,800 level.
The Keltner Channel indicator shows ETH rebounding from near the lower band at $1,511, with ETH price action now targeting the midline resistance at $1,928.
Volume Delta confirms bullish momentum, printing a positive 47,260 ETH on the latest session, the highest in two weeks.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has bounced sharply from oversold territory at 31.74 to 39.58, suggesting strengthening bullish divergence.
Ethereum Price Forecast Today
Ethereum price forecast today suggests a continuation toward $1,928 if buyers maintain dominance. A daily close above $1,850 would validate a trend shift toward the Keltner Channel midline, with $1,950 emerging as the next major resistance.
Conversely, failure to hold $1,800 could expose ETH to renewed selling pressure, with immediate downside risk to $1,700 where prior consolidation occurred.
However, considering the improving Etheruem market volume dynamics and RSI recovery, odds now slightly favor a bullish continuation into early May.
