The ETF Momentum Is Back

Bitcoin has climbed from $68,000 to $77,000 over the streak—a 12% move that has coincided almost perfectly with the ETF bid returning. Cumulative ETF net inflows since launch now sit at $58 billion, and total assets hit $102 billion.

The $80,000 Test Ahead

Bitcoin just reclaimed its True Market Mean at $78,100, which tracks the average cost basis of actively transacted supply. This is the first time that level has been reclaimed since mid-January.

The problem is the next level. The Short-Term Holder Cost Basis sits at $80,100, which is the average entry price for anyone who bought in the last 155 days. 

A move above it would push more than 54% of recent buyers into…

Read more on Benzinga

The Fed Is Already Printing

Hayes said the Fed’s balance sheet is expanding at approximately $40 billion per month through reserve management purchases, despite all the inflation concerns.

He noted that people were freaking out after Federal Reserve Chair nominee Kevin Warsh testified to the Senate about how quantitative easing has harmed poor people, but the reality is different. 

When Warsh gets in, the impetus will be to continue the policies of his predecessor, which is balance sheet expansion.

Hayes added that he doesn’t believe the Fed balance sheet will shrink. It’s going to take a long time for them to agree about a framework that governs that shrinkage.

War Means Money… Read more on Benzinga

Veteran trader and chartist Peter Brandt predicted on Thursday an “investable low” for Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) later in the year, followed by a major cyclical high in 2029.

The Story Of Tops And Bottoms

Brandt, a technical analyst with nearly 50 years of experience, based his prediction on the historical accuracy of its 15-year cyclical patterns.

They projected an “investable low” in September or October 2026, which may or may not “penetrate” February 2026 lows around $60,000.

Moreover, if the patterns persist, Brandt expected the next major high between $300,000 and $500,000 in late 2029.

What Other Analysts Are Saying

Brandt’s prediction broadly aligned with the views of other…

Read more on Benzinga

Cryptocurrency punters are growing less optimistic about XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) reaching new highs this year.

XRP To Miss All-Time High Bus Again?

Similarly, chances of XRP hitting all-time highs by Sept. 30 stood at 12%, down from 35% at the start of 2026.

Nearly $250,000 has been wagered on the outcome. The market resolves to “Yes” if any XRP/USDT 1-minute candle on Binance on the specified date has a final “High” price higher than any previous Binance 1-minute candle for the same pair.

What’s The Current Sentiment?

XRP, the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has been weighed down by the geopolitical fallout of the Iran war. Year-to-date, it has collapsed 22%.

Benzinga

The Justice Department charged an Army soldier on Thursday with allegedly using classified details about a mission to capture Venezuela’s ousted leader, Nicolás Maduro, to profit on Polymarket.

How A Solder Exploited Classified Intel

Authorities said that Gannon Ken Van Dyke had a role in planning and carrying out the military operation, giving him access to “sensitive” information.

The indictment says he staked about $33,034, consistently taking the “YES” side of contracts tied to Venezuela, including the U.S. invasion of Venezuela and Maduro’s ouster. All of this occurred ahead of Trump’s public statement on Jan. 3 confirming Maduro’s capture.

Van Dyke won all his wagers,…

Read more on Benzinga

Leading cryptocurrencies retreated alongside stocks on Thursday, amid lingering uncertainty over the Iran conflict.

Crypto Market Cools After Rally

Bitcoin wobbled in the $78,000 zone after teasing $80,000 the day before. Trading volume plunged 23% over the last 24 hours.

Ethereum also consolidated at $2,300, failing to sustain Wednesday’s momentum, while Dogecoin traded upward.

Over $200 million was liquidated in the past 24 hours, with $126 million in bullish long positions erased, according to Coinglass data.

Open interest in Bitcoin futures fell 3.66% over the last 24 hours to $61.57 billion. Bitcoin’s Long/Short ratio on Binance remained below 1, indicating that derivatives traders were…

Read more on Benzinga

There are moments in the history of any asset class that, in hindsight, everyone agrees were turning points. The problem is that most people do not recognize them as they happen.

April 21, 2026, may be one of those moments.

What a Four-Star Admiral Said About Bitcoin Under Oath

Admiral Samuel Paparo, the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee to discuss the FY2027 defence budget. It was a routine hearing by Washington standards. 

Then, he went on to describe Bitcoin as a “peer-to-peer, zero-trust transfer of value” and called it a meaningful computer science tool for American power projection. 

He stated, unambiguously,…

Read more on Benzinga