US-based Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) experienced their largest single-day net inflow in nearly two months. As per the data, this is the highest daily inflow since January 30, when the funds attracted $588.1 million shortly after Bitcoin price reached its all-time high.
ARK and Fidelity funds show strong Bitcoin ETF performance
The strong inflow on April 21 saw $381.3 million entering the funds. It was widely distributed across multiple ETF providers, with ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) capturing the largest share at $116.1 million. Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) followed with the second-highest inflow at $87.6 million. The data comes as Bitcoin price has reclaimed the $88,000 level.
Grayscale, which had previously experienced substantial outflows after converting its Bitcoin trust to an ETF, showed signs of stabilization with its Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) and Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) recording combined inflows of $69.1 million.
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), which maintains the largest assets under management among the Bitcoin ETFs, attracted $41.6 million, approximately half of what it had received before the weekend trading break on April 17. Other funds including HODL and EZBC also contributed to the day’s positive performance with inflows of $11.7 million and $10.1 million respectively. The positive ETF inflow comes amidst the expectation of the first ever XRP ETF going live.
United States experience continued crypto outflow
While US Bitcoin ETFs saw strong performance on April 21, overall digital asset investment data for the week shows notable geographic variations in investor behavior. According to CoinShares’ weekly report, the overall digital asset investment sector showed modest total inflows of $6 million for the week.
The United States continued to experience net outflows totaling $71 million for the week despite the strong single-day performance on April 21. This suggests that the substantial inflow day was an exception to the generally cautious US investor stance.
Funds Flow by country: CoinShares
In contrast, European markets displayed more positive sentiment toward digital asset investments. Switzerland led with inflows of $43.7 million, followed by Germany with $22.3 million. Canada also contributed positively with $9.4 million in net inflows during the same period.
The CoinShares report highlighted that broader market sentiment fluctuated throughout the week, with stronger-than-expected US retail sales figures that caused significant outflows of $146 million mid-week.
Bitcoin products specifically ended the week with minor outflows of $6 million despite the substantial daily inflow seen in the ETF data. Additionally, short Bitcoin investment products recorded outflows of $1.2 million which was their seventh consecutive week of outflows. These products have now seen investors withdraw approximately 40% of their total assets under management over this period.
BeInCrypto sat down with members of the LBank team to analyze the possible resurgence of the meme coin market as a leading crypto narrative and what their fusion with artificial intelligence (AI) can have on their reach.
LBank also discussed the impact of the four-month-old Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation on its operations across Europe. They described a fundamental change in investor confidence in light of greater regulatory clarity and simplified accessibility.
Have Meme Coin Highs Given Way to Devastating Lows?
In recent years, the meme coin market has largely been characterized by overwhelming highs and devastating lows. The first few months of 2025 have further confirmed the volatile nature of these tokens, to the point that a vocal part of the crypto community believes that their recent lows have marked the end of the meme coin lifecycle.
These claims are not unfounded, especially now that the US President has become a meme coin player. When Trump launched his meme coin in mid-January, TRUMP reached a market capitalization of nearly $8.8 billion, a number never before seen by a meme coin launch.
When insider traders capitalized on the surge to sell off their holdings and retain millions of dollars in gains, retail investors bore the brunt of the massive sell-off, suffering hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
“The decline in meme coin market cap since January can be attributed to a combination of market dynamics and sentiment shifts. A key driver was the rapid rise and subsequent crash of the TRUMP token, which drew significant market capital due to its viral appeal but collapsed sharply, eroding investor confidence and triggering a broader risk-off sentiment,” Eric He, Community Angel Officer and Risk Control Adviser at LBank told BeInCrypto.
After similar experiences with the MELANIA token and the LIBRA launch, some of these retail investors realized that meme coins —as unregulated and unpredictable as they are— may not be the best investments.
Is the Meme Coin Frenzy Coming to a Halt?
Given the devastating effects that these episodes have had on the meme coin market, trading has reduced significantly. The crypto community seems to have become saturated with news of pump-and-dump schemes and rug pulls, likely contributing to a halt in the meme coin frenzy.
The total meme coin market capitalization has been free-falling since January’s peak following the presidential token launches. Now, its levels resemble those of September 2024. The greater economic downturn that traditional and crypto markets experienced over the past several weeks has only worsened prospects.
Yet, despite this downward pressure, the market still experiences a high level of activity. It has a $14.5 billion trading volume and a $57 billion market capitalization.
Total meme coin market capitalization. Source: CoinGecko.
According to the LBank team, the meme coin industry is due for a revival.
LBank’s Belief in the Revival of the Meme Coin Market
Though the decline in meme coin performance has been significant, the LBank team expressed that these circumstances are far from unexpected. Meme coins are inherently tied to community support and social momentum.
The sustained trading volumes and large market capitalization serve as tangible indicators that, even in a downturn, the market is seeing active community engagement and liquidity. Investors still see value in the tokens’ cultural and speculative appeal.
“We see it as a healthy market correction rather than a fundamental shift. Meme coins have always been volatile, but the fact that trading volumes remain high shows continued interest. What’s happening now is not the end of the trend—it’s just a recalibration before the next wave,” Mario Iemma, Head of Spanish Markets at LBank, told BeInCrypto.
In fact, Iemma believes that meme coins will not be dying out anytime soon.
AI agents represented the first significant shift in the evolution of the cryptocurrency industry. These autonomous systems proved that they could make decisions and perform tasks independently. This technology enhances intelligence, adaptability, and fairness in financial mechanisms.
Now, developers have unlocked artificial intelligence’s potential on tokens. Systems like Grok have already made news by using AI to automatically and independently design and launch tokens.
However, with a nascent technology like AI, the LBank team emphasized the need for responsible and thorough deployment for the long-lasting success of AI-generated tokens. This success hinges on two particular factors: accessibility and security.
Security and Accessibility Challenges for AI-Generated Tokens
The concept of security is frequently associated with any emerging technology. Artificial intelligence is no exception, especially in a particularly unregulated industry like crypto.
According to He, AI-generated token projects’ degree of security and transparency will determine their success.
Iemma agreed, adding that if AI-generative tokens become widely accessible, this development will also require additional layers of oversight.
“That same accessibility demands better filters, vetting, and AI-based security audits—areas where exchanges like LBank are already investing resources,” he said.
While reflecting on the security risks associated with artificial intelligence and the breaches in consumer trust that meme coins have had on the crypto community, the LBank team also emphasized the need for greater regulation in the industry.
The development of cryptocurrency regulations varies significantly across the globe. Notably, the European Union implemented comprehensive rules almost five months ago, while key markets such as the United States are still establishing adequate frameworks.
MiCA’s Effect on the European Crypto Market
Last December, with the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, the European Union became the first jurisdiction to establish a comprehensive and unified regulatory framework for crypto-assets across all its member states, marking a significant milestone.
According to the LBank team, MiCA gives users and institutions a trustworthy framework. This development has proven critical for industry growth across the region.
“MiCA has forced firms to become more transparent and compliant, which is a good thing for long-term trust. We’ve seen exchanges accelerate their legal and operational upgrades. For users, it creates a safer, more predictable environment,” Iemma said, adding, “With clearer rules, banks and investment firms are more willing to explore crypto partnerships, custody solutions, and even tokenized assets. Regulation reduces reputational risk, and MiCA is helping bridge that gap.”
However, this experience can be largely attributed to established firms in the industry and investors with access to substantial resources. Other players, however, have struggled to gather the requirements to apply for a MiCA license.
Future Accommodation for Smaller Crypto Businesses
In discussing the impact of MiCA since its enactment last December, He highlighted how different industry players have responded to the landmark regulation. He noted that startups struggle the most to obtain an operational license.
When evaluating the cost-effectiveness of an operational license, He’s conclusions make sense.
MiCA is an expensive regulation. It mandates minimum capital requirements based on the crypto services offered. These requirements range from €50,000 for advisory and order-related services to €125,000 for exchange and trading platforms and up to €150,000 for custody services. Businesses must maintain this capital as a financial safeguard.
Beyond minimum capital requirements, companies must factor in government and legal fees, local presence costs, bank setups, and ongoing operational costs. But for prominent exchanges like LBank, the benefits outweigh the costs.
Future MiCA updates could address the high compliance costs for smaller businesses. Meanwhile, other regions developing their crypto regulations should consider this aspect to avoid creating similar barriers.
Amber International has announced a bold new move: the launch of a $100 million crypto reserve aimed at reshaping how traditional finance interacts with digital assets. What makes this initiative stand out is its AI-powered strategy, which is designed to identify and support promising blockchain projects and unlock new business opportunities across the crypto ecosystem.
A Smarter Reserve: Powered by AI and Targeting High-Potential Projects
Amber’s smart AI system scans on-chain data, developer activity, and even Crypto Twitter sentiment to spot the next big blockchain projects. The goal? To invest early in potential unicorns before they hit mainstream awareness.
The reserve currently includes leading digital assets such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Binance Coin (BNB), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), and Sui (SUI)—with plans to expand into emerging tokens and stablecoins like USD1 from World Liberty Financial.
Strategic Goals Behind the $100M Reserve
Amber International’s crypto reserve is built around three core goals:
Early-Stage Investments: Back innovative blockchain projects using smart data and AI.
Reduce Institutional Risk: Offer a safer, more stable gateway for institutional players like pension funds and asset managers to enter the crypto space.
Enable Real Usage: Unlike companies that simply hold BTC, Amber plans to actively deploy funds to fuel growth in DeFi and blockchain innovations.
Amber Teams Up with Hash Global to Launch BNB Fund
To kick things off, Amber has invested in DeFi Development Corp. (DFDV), a promising Solana-based project. Additionally, it has joined forces withHash Global to launch a BNB Fund targeting institutional investors.
“By introducing the BNB Fund to Amber Premium’s platform and our substantial crypto reserve, we are committed to driving the next phase of institutional client growth,” said Wayne Huo, CEO of Amber Premium.
The BNB ecosystem is seeing growing demand thanks to its strong infrastructure and innovative DeFi offerings. This partnership gives investors access to BNB Chain income products, helping them earn stable returns in a volatile market.
One of the biggest barriers to institutional crypto adoption has been risk—hacks, liquidity issues, and unclear regulation have kept many investors on the sidelines.
Amber’s approach includes:
Real-time monitoring and GPS tracking
Advanced risk management systems
Focus on low-volatility, high-trust assets
This model aims to make institutional investors feel safe, offering them exposure to crypto without the chaos.
Why This Could Fuel the Next Crypto Bull Run
Institutional capital is the missing link between short-term hype and long-term growth. If Amber’s model succeeds, its $100 million crypto reserve could unlock billions in institutional investments—paving the way for the next bull run.
Amber is setting a new standard for institutional-grade digital finance—one built on capital, confidence, and security.
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The post Amber International Launches $100M Crypto Reserve to Attract Institutional Investors appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Amber International has announced a bold new move: the launch of a $100 million crypto reserve aimed at reshaping how traditional finance interacts with digital assets. What makes this initiative stand out is its AI-powered strategy, which is designed to identify and support promising blockchain projects and unlock new business opportunities across the crypto ecosystem. …
