Now that spring is finally here, it’s time to start transitioning your wardrobe from winter into the current season. That doesn’t necessarily mean put away all sweaters and coats, because as we know spring can be very fickle. But there are a few tricks to making those winter-looks more spring friendly.
Transitional Coats: Last week I talked about transitional coats, and these are the perfect items to add into your wardrobe right now. Lightweight, but will still keep you warm on a cool night. Spring Sweaters: Layer with a transitional coat, or wear on its own, some of your winter sweaters are easy to wear into spring. I lived in these cashmere sweaters from Everlane all winter, and I know I’ll be pairing them with skirts and shorts for spring. Pumps instead of Boots: I’ve traded in my boots for pumps. Keeping my feet warm isn’t a priority anymore, so it’s time to break out my favorite heels and pair back to effortless denim. These pumps have been worth the investment – I wear them the most during spring.
Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill no longer contains a 10-year moratorium on AI regulation, causing several setbacks for related tokens. Trade volumes and market cap for AI cryptoassets both fell over 5% in the last 24 hours.
Senators overwhelmingly shot down the moratorium in a 99-1 vote that saw pro-crypto legislators abandon the effort. Still, the market sector was already in a slump, and it’s hard to determine the bill’s impact.
However, Senators overwhelmingly rejected the bill’s language supporting AI, showing a massive rebuke for the entire industry.
NEWS: The Senate has removed AI moratorium from the reconciliation bill in a whopping 99-1 vote. Deals a massive blow to the effort to make this happen in the GOP package
The vote was nearly unanimous, signaling real apprehension towards the industry. Indeed, the only Senator who voted for it, Thom Tillis, already announced that he won’t seek re-election.
A lot of cryptoassets are tied to the AI industry, and the market sector has taken some major hits since the bill’s language changed. Market cap and volume are both down over 5%:
So, this leaves us with a few questions. What were the Big Beautiful Bill’s positions on AI? Why did the Senate overwhelmingly reject them? Can we expect the AI token market to continue showing reduced trade volumes and market capitalization?
The bill’s plan, essentially, was to impose a 10-year moratorium on AI regulation for all US states. This may have taken the form of an outright ban or a more roundabout method.
It would have proposed a $500 million fund on AI infrastructure development, but only states with zero AI regulations could access this money. Google and OpenAI supported this plan.
Such a vision would’ve created a lot of problems, and pro-crypto Senators even turned on it. If the bill banned AI regulation for 10 years, states would be powerless to prevent future AI-related crimes.
Obvious offenses include fraud or copyright infringement, but people might even use AI tools to simulate depictions of child abuse, as some Senators warned. This possibility caused prominent Republicans like Marsha Blackburn to disavow the effort.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say how the bill will impact the AI token market in the long term. So far, the Big Beautiful Bill has been very unpredictable already.
For example, Elon Musk’s opposition to the bill caused several Musk-related meme coins to flourish, but Dogecoin fell by over 5%. This chaos could create new opportunities, but it’s uncertain where they’ll appear.
Additionally, the AI token sector was already in a slump before the bill passed. These 5% drops are concerning, but AI asset trade volumes fell over 38% in the last 30 days.
Compared to other macroeconomic concerns, these legislative hurdles might not leave a lasting mark on the sector.
Microsoft’s incident response team has discovered a new remote access trojan (RAT) called StilachiRAT that poses a serious threat to cryptocurrency users.
StilachiRAT can collect system information, steal login credentials, and extract data from digital wallets. Although it has not yet spread widely, its potential impact worries the crypto community.
How Does StilachiRAT Threaten Crypto Investors?
StilachiRAT is more than just another malware—it represents an evolution in cyber threats targeting digital assets.
Microsoft reported on March 17 that once StilachiRAT infiltrates a system, it begins reconnaissance. It gathers details about the operating system, hardware identifiers, camera presence, and active Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions. Then, it focuses on stealing credentials stored in Chrome and data from the clipboard, where users often copy passwords or wallet keys.
This trojan specifically targets 20 cryptocurrency wallet extensions on Google Chrome. Some well-known wallets at risk include Metamask, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, TronLink, TokenPocket, BNB Chain Wallet, OKX Wallet, Sui Wallet, and Phantom.
“StilachiRAT targets a list of specific cryptocurrency wallet extensions for the Google Chrome browser. It accesses the settings in the following registry key and validates if any of the extensions are installed,” Microsoft warned.
Microsoft’s report highlights StilachiRAT’s advanced anti-forensic capabilities. It can delete event logs and assess system conditions to avoid detection.
To mitigate the threat, Microsoft advises users to download software only from official sources and avoid suspicious websites or attachments. Enabling real-time protection in Microsoft Defender and using browsers with SmartScreen can help block malicious sites.
Additionally, Microsoft recommends enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and regularly updating software to minimize risks.
“In some cases, remote access trojans (RATs) can masquerade as legitimate software or software updates. Always download software from the official website of the software developer or from reputable sources,” Microsoft advises.
According to Chainalysis’ 2025 Crypto Crime Trends report, illicit cryptocurrency transactions range from $40 billion to $50 billion annually. These funds are stolen through various methods, including ransomware and malware attacks.
Total Cryptocurrency Value Received by Illicit Addresses (2020 – 2024). Source: Chainalysis
Chainalysis estimates that the volume of illicit crypto transactions in 2024 could exceed $51 billion, with an average annual increase of 25% between reporting periods.
A local media report claims that Q1 2025’s four worst-performing ETFs in the UK were all related to crypto and blockchain. These products track more nebulous market indicators, not specific tokens.
However, global recession fears are also spurring a downturn in ETFs tied to specific assets. This data from Britain is only one piece of the puzzle, but it doesn’t suggest an optimistic outcome in the near future.
However, according to a local media report, a few crypto products are the worst-performing ETFs in the UK in Q1 2025.
Morningstar, a British finance publication, claimed that Q1 2025’s four lowest-performing ETFs in the UK were crypto and blockchain-related.
The worst offenders were VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators UCITS ETF (DAPP), Global X Blockchain UCITS ETF (BKCH), and iShares Blockchain Technology UCITS ETF (BLKC).
Worst-Performing ETFs in the UK. Source: Morningstar
It is very important to note that all these ETFs are tied to the crypto market in general, not specific tokens. As friendlier US regulators have signaled fresh approvers, issuers are launching more of these indirect products.
Three of the four worst-performing ETFs in the UK are traded by major crypto-related issuers.
All that is to say, this recent data from the UK could give valuable insights into the global crypto ETF market. None of these results paint an optimistic picture, and the bearish news from token-specific ETFs only makes the market seem more dismal.
It may be too soon to say, but institutional crypto funds may be in for a contraction.
