Tesla and X owner Elon Musk has triggered a once-in-a-while parabolic rally for frog-themed memecoin, Kekius Maximus (KEKIUS). This token was created by the billionaire’s followers, who generally track his profile changes on social media platforms. The token was created last year when the Tesla founder first changed his X profile name to Kekius Maximus. This action generally fuels a rapid price breakout for associated tokens. The Elon Musk and Kekius Maximus Link After months, he changed the profile name, the billionaire once again reinstated it, a move many considered a shoutout for the memecoin. Notably, different token variants were created the first time Elon Musk updated his profile photo with the name. One of the variants with the biggest liquidity is KEKIUS. According to data from CoinMarketCap, this token has jumped by 119% in 24 hours to $0.0502. This surge is unusual, as the token maintained an average price… Read More at Coingape.com
Ripple’s XRP has managed a 3% price increase over the past week, in line with the broader crypto market rally that has lifted several major coins.
However, despite the bullish momentum, a key technical indicator is flashing a warning signal that could undermine XRP’s recent gains.
XRP’s Rally on Thin Ice
XRP’s Chaikin Money Flow (CMF)—an indicator that measures the volume-weighted flow of money into and out of an asset—has been trending downward even as the token’s price has continued to rise. This momentum indicator is currently at 0.03 and trending toward the center line.
The trend forms a bearish divergence between XRP’s price action and CMF, a warning sign of weakening momentum. Typically, the CMF tracks the flow of capital into an asset, so when it declines while prices rise, it suggests that the rally lacks solid support from sustained demand.
In other words, XRP traders may be buying based on short-term hype rather than long-term conviction. This means its recent gains are vulnerable to being erased, especially if broader market sentiment shifts or profit-taking sets in.
Further, the altcoin’s negative Balance of Power (BoP) supports this bearish outlook. As of this writing, the indicator is at -0.76, highlighting the weakening demand for XRP.
When an asset’s BoP is negative like this, sellers exert more influence over price action than buyers. It is a bearish signal that indicates further downside pressure on XRP if the trend continues.
XRP Faces Crucial Test at $2 Support
XRP currently trades at $2.18, holding above support formed at $2.03. If demand weakens further, XRP bulls might be unable to defend this support level, causing the altcoin to fall back below $2, to trade at $1.61.
However, a resurgence in new demand for XRP will invalidate this bearish outlook. In that scenario, its price could rally to $2.29 and charge toward $2.50.
As developers await further testing results from the Hoodi testnet, the highly anticipated Ethereum Pectra mainnet upgrade, initially slated for April 2025, has been delayed.
This decision came during Ethereum’s All Core Developers Consensus Call (ACDC) #153 on March 20. It reflects the development team’s cautious approach to ensuring a smooth and stable upgrade process.
Hoodi Testnet to Determine Pectra Timeline
During the call, Ethereum’s core team reviewed the progress of Pectra.
Instead of confirming a mainnet date, they opted to monitor the upgrade’s performance on Hoodi, a newly launched testnet designed to assess Pectra’s stability. This is unsurprising, as Ethereum Protocol Support Lead Tim Beiko recently hinted as much. He noted the scheduling of Pectra Upgrade at least 30 days after Hoodi forks successfully.
“…Pectra will be scheduled 30+ days after Hoodi forks successfully, pending infra and client testing. Fusaka planning will run in parallel, with a deadline of March 24 to propose EIPs, and a tentative date of April 10 for a scope freeze,” Beiko explained.
Therefore, the delay is not entirely surprising, reflecting developers’ cautious approach to ensuring a smooth transition.
Ethereum Developers’ Consensus Layer Meeting 153 for Pectra Upgrade
The main reason for postponing the upgrade is the need for thorough testing. Developers use Hoodi to simulate real-world conditions and identify potential issues before activating Pectra on the mainnet.
The upgrade will go live on Hoodi on March 26, with developers observing its performance before deciding on the mainnet release.
Another factor influencing the delay is History Expiry, a planned cleanup process set to go live on May 1. This change, linked to Ethereum Improvement Proposal 6110 (EIP 6110), affects the handling of validator deposit history on Ethereum.
Since Pectra plays a key role in this process, the delay also compels the postponing of History Expiry. Developers are now reconsidering the timeline for implementing this change.
For now, the priority is to ensure a successful Pectra test on Hoodi, which is better than the Sepolia testnet. If testing goes smoothly, developers could move forward to set a mainnet launch date. However, they could extend the timeline further if necessary.
“Sepolia’s Pectra upgrade hit a snag because a node didn’t upgrade in time—sounds trivial, but it’s a reminder: Ethereum’s decentralization is only as strong as its weakest operator. If one forgotten node can delay an upgrade, imagine what happens when real money is on the line,” one user quipped.
At the same time, discussions about Ethereum’s next major upgrade, Fusaka, are underway. Developers are considering additional improvements for inclusion in future updates. This would ensure that Ethereum continues to grow and maintain its leadership in the blockchain space.
Although the Pectra delay is temporary, developers emphasize that thorough testing is essential to avoid unexpected issues.
The Ethereum community will have to wait a little longer, but the upgrade remains a top priority. A final decision on the mainnet launch date is due in the coming weeks.
