The US Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing today. Top lawmakers will meet with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and other key industry figures to discuss the evolving structure of digital asset markets.
Amid rising anticipation of more regulatory clarity, crypto whales appear to be making bold plays. On-chain data shows that large investors have ramped up the accumulation of CRO, SHIB, and BONK.
Cronos (CRO)
CRO, the native token of the Cronos Chain, has already made headlines this week after Trump Media & Technology Group named it in a proposed ETF.
On Tuesday, the company submitted a filing for a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) named the “Truth Social Crypto Blue Chip ETF. ” The fund will hold a diversified portfolio of five cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP, and CRO.
This has triggered renewed investor interest in the coin. The combination of ETF-related momentum and anticipation of more regulatory clarity has led to a noticeable uptick in whale confidence.
According to data from Santiment, large CRO holders—wallets holding between 10 million and 100 million tokens—have accumulated an additional 20 million CRO over the past two days, bringing their total holdings to 1.03 billion coins.
If this trend of whale accumulation continues, it could provide the bullish momentum needed to push CRO’s price toward the $0.104 mark in the near term.
However, if profit-taking commences, CRO’s price could fall to $0.085
Shiba Inu (SHIB)
Leading meme coin SHIB is among the assets that crypto whales are buying ahead of today’s Senate hearing.
Per IntoTheBlock, SHIB’s Historical Concentration shows a 3% increase in holdings by addresses with more than 1% of the coin’s total circulating supply. This means that the largest holders are tightening their grip on the meme coin, a sign of growing confidence among major investors.
As of press time, this whale cohort collectively holds 62% of SHIB’s total supply, amounting to 603.30 trillion tokens.
Typically, buying activity from large holders is seen as a vote of confidence. It prompts smaller investors to follow suit in fear of missing out (FOMO). As SHIB whales tighten their grip on the supply, the resulting scarcity can create upward price pressure, pushing its price toward $0.000013.
However, if bullish momentum wanes, SHIB could lose some recent gains to trade at $0.000011.
Bonk (BONK)
The recent spike in activity on Bonk’s decentralized meme coin launchpad LetsBonk has sparked renewed demand for the token among both retail and whale investors. As excitement builds ahead of today’s US Senate hearing on digital assets, whale accumulation of BONK remains firmly underway.
According to data from Moby Screener, 11 whales have executed 70 large trades within the past 24 hours. Of these, 39 are buy transactions, totaling 3.17 billion BONK tokens, compared to 31 sells totaling just 172.14 million tokens.
This has resulted in a net positive flow of 3 billion BONK over the past day. The accumulation trend confirms that whales are positioning ahead of a potential policy shift, signaling increased confidence in BONK’s near-term outlook.
Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of Bridgewater, has issued a stark warning that the global monetary order is “on the brink” of collapse.
He pointed to the current administration’s tariff policies as a significant catalyst, arguing that they have fueled deglobalization trends and caused severe trade imbalances.
Ray Dalio’s Warnings: The Coming Challenges to US Economic Superiority
The US tariff on most Chinese imports has risen to 145%. In retaliation, Beijing has imposed a 125% tariff on American goods. While reports have circulated that de-escalation could be expected soon, nothing has been confirmed yet.
In his latest essay, Dalio delves deeper into this dynamic, arguing that even if negotiations result in de-escalation, it may not fully undo the damage already inflicted.
“Some people believe that the tariff disruptions will settle down as more negotiations happen and greater thought is given to how to structure them to work in a sensible way. However, I am now hearing from a large and growing number of people who are having to deal with these issues that it is already too late,” he wrote.
Dalio highlighted that exporters and importers worldwide are now forced to reduce their dealings with the US drastically. He noted that both American and Chinese producers and investors are actively seeking alternative plans to minimize interdependence.
He believes this trend is becoming broadly recognized across trade, capital markets, geopolitical, and military relations. Dalio argued that the world is nearing a breakdown of monetary, domestic, political, and international order due to unsustainable fundamentals. This situation mirrors past historical shifts in global orders.
“Though not yet fully realized, it is also increasingly being realized that the United States’ role as the world’s biggest consumer of manufactured goods and greatest producer of debt assets to finance its over-consumption is unsustainable, so assuming that one can sell and lend to the US and get paid back with hard (i.e. not devalued) dollars on their US debt holdings is naive thinking, so other plans have to be made,” Dalio remarked.
The billionaire investor expressed concern that the US risks being bypassed as other countries adapt to these separations, establishing new trade networks and economic “synapses” that exclude the US. This shift could further erode trust in the US dollar, which is already losing ground amid global economic uncertainty.
While he did not specify which currencies might gain prominence, Dalio has previously advocated for “hard money” assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and gold as hedges.
“I want to steer away from debt assets like bonds and debt, and have some hard money like gold and Bitcoin,” Dalio said during the Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) in December 2024.
Global Monetary System at Risk: Is Bitcoin the Solution?
The warning has resonated within the cryptocurrency community. Jeff Park, Head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise, stated that Dalio’s recent comments signal a looming “dedollarization” threat.
Park emphasized that Dalio’s shift from supporting China to acknowledging US economic imbalances suggests the global move away from the US dollar is approaching faster than many anticipate, a concept long recognized by Bitcoin advocates.
“The dedollarization threat is nearer than you and I know,” Park wrote.
Similarly, another expert asserted that the conditions Dalio describes create an ideal environment for Bitcoin. Rex believes these developments could drive Bitcoin to surge significantly within the next 18 months, potentially exceeding market expectations.
This impact is already quite visible as BTC’s value has recovered amid a dropping dollar. Over the past week, it has appreciated by 7.5%. At the time of writing, BTC was trading at $94,985.
In fact, market watchers are increasingly bullish on BTC, predicting higher price targets for the largest cryptocurrency. Last week, ARK Invest raised its BTC price forecast from $1.5 million to $2.4 million by 2030. Meanwhile, experts’ forecasts for BTC range from $150,000 per coin to a more optimistic $1 million by the end of 2025.
Bitcoin (BTC) is hovering below the $94,000 level while still showing sensitivity to US economic indicators. Accordingly, this week’s US economic data could spark volatility in the crypto market.
From consumer confidence to labor market strength, economic indicators could influence sentiment and sway crypto prices.
US Economic Data To Watch This Week
The following US economic indicators could affect the portfolios of crypto market traders and investors.
“Let me try to help you make sense of everything that’s going on: Tariff madness, plunging consumer confidence, rising recession odds, market fragility and all the ways that the economy will shape your life,” economist Justin Wolfers remarked.
Consumer Confidence
The Consumer Confidence report will start the list of US economic indicators with crypto implications this week. On Tuesday, April’s Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index will show whether households are optimistic about financial conditions.
March’s 92.9 index signaled a relatively pessimistic outlook among US consumers concerning the economy and their financial situation.
According to data on MarketWatch, the median forecast is 87.4. Strong confidence often correlates with risk-on sentiment, driving investment into Bitcoin and altcoins.
Accordingly, reading below expectations might trigger profit-taking, denting confidence in the economy’s overall strength.
With global trade tensions, an unexpected decline could amplify safe-haven demand for Bitcoin, though volatility remains a risk.
“The soft data suggests that the hard data is set to fall. Consumer Confidence can lead the unemployment rate (inverted). If that ends up being the case this time around, we’re looking at around 6% or higher,” wrote Markets and Mayhem.
JOLTS Job Openings
This week, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLT), which tracks demand, adds to the list of US economic indicators.
The last JOLTS report was released on April 1, covering February 2025 data. It reported job openings at 7.6 million, hires at 5.4 million, and total separations at 5.3 million. The next JOLTS report, for March 2025, is due on Tuesday, with a median forecast of 7.4 million.
A rebound above 7.6 million for crypto could signal economic resilience, boosting risk assets like Bitcoin. Strong openings suggest hiring confidence, potentially increasing disposable income for crypto investments.
However, a weaker-than-expected figure, potentially below the median forecast of 7.4 million, might stoke recession fears. Such an outcome would drive investors toward Bitcoin as a hedge.
Crypto markets react to labor market signals as they influence Federal Reserve (Fed) policy expectations. With rates at 4.25%–4.5%, a tight labor market could delay cuts, pressuring speculative assets.
ADP Employment
The ADP National Employment Report tracks private-sector job growth and will be out on Wednesday. March 2025’s 155,000 jobs beat expectations, signaling labor market strength despite tariff concerns.
A strong reading above 160,000 for crypto could ignite bullish sentiment, as job growth fuels consumer spending and risk appetite. If employment data suggests economic expansion, Bitcoin could gain more upside potential.
However, a miss below the March reading of 155,000 or below the median forecast of 110,000 might spark fears of a slowdown. This could push investors toward stablecoins or Bitcoin as safe havens.
Unlike the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Non-farm Payrolls (NFP), ADP’s payroll-based methodology excludes government jobs. This methodology offers a granular view.
With markets eyeing Fed policy, ADP’s outcome will set the tone for Friday’s NFP.
Q1 GDP
The advance estimate for Q1 2025 GDP will be released on Wednesday. This data also measures economic growth.
Q3 2024’s 2.8% annualized rate fell short of expectations, pressured by trade deficits. Meanwhile, Q4 2024’s 2.4% reading came following a downward revision to imports.
Strong GDP growth above 3% in crypto signals economic health, often boosting Bitcoin as investors embrace risk. Nevertheless, crypto markets are sensitive to GDP revisions and influence Fed rate decisions.
With inflation concerns lingering, a strong GDP, higher than Q4’s 2.4%, might reduce rate-cut hopes, pressuring speculative cryptos. Conversely, sluggish growth could spur expectations of monetary easing.
PCE
The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge is the Core PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures) Price Index. This US economic indicator, covering March, will come out on Wednesday this week after the March 28 data covering February.
After February 2025 saw a 2.5% year-over-year (YoY) PCE index, economists anticipate a modest drop to 2.2% for March, reflecting persistent price pressures.
Nevertheless, a PCE reading below 2.5% for Bitcoin could signal cooling inflation, raising hopes for rate cuts and boosting sentiment toward Bitcoin.
A hotter-than-expected figure above the previous reading of 2.5% might tighten Fed policy expectations. PCE’s exclusion of volatile food and energy prices offers a stable inflation view, making it a key driver of crypto sentiment.
With markets sensitive to monetary policy shifts, traders should monitor services spending, as it reflects consumer resilience. Nevertheless, volatility is likely, as PCE shapes the Fed’s rhetoric.
“March PCE inflation (out on Wed Apr 30) should read 2.1% (rounded). April PCE (out in late May) should read 2.0% (rounded). Tariffs are a boss but this is the Fed’s target measure. It could be time to cut, to be honest, politics aside,” wrote hedge fund manager Ophir Gottlieb.
Initial Jobless Claims
This week, the Initial Jobless Claims, reported every Thursday, adds to the list of US economic indicators. This data measures weekly unemployment filings. Claims are a high-frequency indicator, offering real-time labor market insights, and crypto markets often react swiftly to surprises.
For the week ending April 18, 222,000 claims indicated a steady labor market despite tariff chaos. Accordingly, claims below 222,000 could signal growing employment, fostering risk-on sentiment, and lifting Bitcoin.
However, higher claims above 222,000 could spark concerns of economic softening, driving investors to stablecoins or Bitcoin for safety. With the Fed closely monitoring labor data, an unexpected spike might fuel rate-cut speculation.
Non-farm Payrolls
The Non-farm Payrolls (NFP) report will be released on Friday. March 2025’s 228,000-job gain exceeded expectations, with unemployment at 4.2%.
A strong NFP could drive bullish momentum, as job growth signals consumer spending power. A weak report below the median forecast of 130,000 might trigger recession fears, pushing capital to Bitcoin as a hedge or stablecoins for stability.
NFP’s broad scope, covering 80% of GDP-contributing workers, makes it a market mover. Key interest will also be on wage growth, as 0.3% monthly increases suggest inflation pressures, potentially capping crypto gains.
With markets pricing in Fed policy, surprises could spark sharp volatility.
