Bitcoin climbed to $77,000 on Friday, coinciding with nearly $1 billion in liquidations of mostly shorts.

Notable Statistics:

Coinglass data shows 182,798 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $818.97 million.

SoSoValue data shows net inflows of $26.05 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Thursday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net inflows of $18.02 million.

In the past 24 hours, top gainers include RaveDAO, Ethena and Aerodrome Finance.

Notable Developments:

Trader Notes:

Ted Pillows noted heavy sell walls forming between $78,000 and $80,000, creating a strong resistance zone. He also warned that downside liquidity is thin until around $73,000, meaning a sharp pullback could occur…

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Galaxy Digital Inc (NASDAQ:GLXY) shares are surging on Friday. The stock is riding a wave of renewed optimism across the digital asset ecosystem.

The Nasdaq is up 1.38% while the S&P 500 has gained 1.40%.

Middle East Peace Fuels Risk-On Sentiment

The primary catalyst is a sector-wide crypto rally. Markets reacted to signs of progress toward a Middle East ceasefire. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial vessels on Friday.

“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open,” Araghchi posted on X.

Crypto Prices Bounce On Geopolitical Relief

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC)…

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The long discussed threat that quantum computing could one day break modern cryptography is no longer being treated as a distant, theoretical concern. Within the crypto industry, it is increasingly framed as a timing problem, not an if.

The Timeline Problem Is Getting Harder To Ignore

For years, the idea that quantum computers could crack cryptographic keys sat comfortably in the long term category. Estimates often placed meaningful breakthroughs decades away, giving networks ample time to upgrade.

That timeline is now being questioned.

Recent research and industry discussions suggest that advances in quantum computing could compress that window significantly. Some projections now place…

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has the potential to reach $1 million by 2035, says Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, but only if store of value market continues to grow the same manner for the past 20 years.

Path To $1 Million

In an Apr. 17 interview with CoinDesk, Hougan said Bitcoin is entering a long-term institutional adoption phase, driven by ETF growth, geopolitical instability and rising demand for “digital gold.”

He estimates Bitcoin could reach seven-figure valuations if it captures 15%–17% of the global store-of-value market, up from roughly 6% today.

Under that scenario, long-term price targets could extend even further, toward $1 million–$2 million.

Hougan also argued that Bitcoin’s recent…

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Dogecoin Cash Announces Gold-Backed Token Plan

Dogecoin Cash Inc. proposed a framework where one billion tokens would equal one gram of physical gold. 

The system would create tokens only when gold enters custody and remove them from circulation upon verified redemption.

“We are evaluating a framework that seeks to integrate verifiable ownership of physical gold with blockchain-based auditability and precision,” management said in a statement.

“The objective is to determine whether a system can be structured in which real-world assets, mathematically defined units, and transparent digital infrastructure operate within a disciplined and verifiable environment,” they added

The…

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is up 5% after breaking above the descending trendline that defined the entire bear trend from $128,000, setting up short-squeeze conditions.

The 46-Day Short Streak

The last time this squeeze happened was November to December 2022 during the FTX collapse.

“Traders are actively building short positions and betting against a breakout, creating conditions where a short squeeze becomes more likely if upward momentum persists,” said Vetle Lunde, head of research at K33.

If prices keep climbing, traders who bet against the rally face mounting losses that can force them to buy back positions all at once, sending prices sharply higher in a cascading short squeeze. The…

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XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) has gained roughly 10% over the past week, with traders increasingly pointing to a potential breakout as price compression continues higher timeframes.

Price Structure Compressed

He says this compression, combined with several weekly indicators, is unusually significant.

Based on historical cycle behavior, he suggested XRP could eventually see a large move, potentially in the $8–$12 range in a strong bullish scenario.

XRP’s weekly indicators (MACD, RSI, Stoch RSI) are very close to turning bullish but are not confirmed yet since the weekly candle has around three days left.

Momentum looks compressed and downside pressure may be fading, which could signal a potential…

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