Nexus is building an AI R&D organization aimed at creating artificial intelligence agents that are transparent and verifiable to their users. Artificial intelligence continues to gain attention in the blockchain space, infrastructure company Nexus announced on Thursday, May 8, the launch of its dedicated AI research and development lab: the Nexus Verifiable AI Lab. The Nexus Verifiable AI Lab will work on bridging blockchain verifiability with artificial intelligence. They will focus on developing AI models that are auditable and trustworthy, with the help of zero-knowledge proofs. You might also like: Big Tech’s biggest nightmare? Decentralized AI | Opinion The primary goal is to address a growing concern with today’s large language models: their lack of transparency. Currently, users have no insight into how AI systems arrive at specific outputs, nor can they determine whether those outputs stem from machine logic or human input. AI needs to be transparent to grow: Nexus The opacity of AI systems is a particular concern in regulated industries. In industries such as healthcare, finance, etc, corporate users have to know where the training data is coming from, and how the model generates its outputs. “Modern AI systems are powerful — but opaque. We rarely know exactly what data they were trained on, which version was deployed, or whether the output we see was actually generated by the model we tested. In regulated domains like healthcare, finance, and law, this opacity is a dealbreaker,” Nexus wrote Nexus’s efforts showcase the growing convergence between AI and blockchain technologies. In particular, blockchain systems can provide the transparency and open-source nature that current AI models lack. What is more, Nexus is just one of the companies working on verifiable AI. For instance, Oasis Protocol launched its verifiable AI agents on April 29. With these agents, users can independently verify how they is they are applying the correct trading strategy. Read more: Open-source AI isn’t the end-all game—Bringing AI onchain is | Opinion
The crypto markets opened in the green on Thursday morning as investors reacted positively to President Donald Trump’s confirmation that the U.S. will sign its first post-tariff trade deal with the UK. The move is being heralded as a step forward for global trade relations and a much-needed confidence booster for risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Labeled by Trump as a “maxed-out deal,” the agreement appears to mark a shift in U.S. trade policy after years of escalating tariffs that unsettled markets and strained international relations. President Trump shuts down a negative reporter who asked if he is "overstating this deal because you need results?". President Trump: "This is a maxed-out deal, not like you said it very incorrectly." pic.twitter.com/kv12I8IjBf — Kim "Katie" USA (@KimKatieUSA) May 8, 2025 Speaking at a press conference, Trump emphasized the scale and flexibility of the agreement, stating, “This is a maxed-out deal that we’re going to make bigger and we make it bigger through growth, but we have tremendous assets involved.” In response to skepticism about the deal’s depth—particularly British ambassador Peter Mandelson’s description of the agreement as “only a starting point”—Trump pushed back, asserting, “There’ll be changes made, there’ll be adjustments made because we’re flexible—but it’s very conclusive, and we think everyone’s going to be happy.” Mandelson, for his part, acknowledged the symbolic and strategic importance of the deal, saying, “This is not the end, just the beginning—there is more we can do in reducing tariffs and trade barriers so as to open up our markets to each other even more than we’re agreeing to today.” Bitcoin Surges Past $100K on Trump Trade Deal The crypto market wasted no time responding. Bitcoin surged above $100,000 in early morning trading, while Ethereum and a host of altcoins followed suit. Analysts believe the deal’s implications for easing global trade tensions have injected new optimism into risk-on assets. Nic Puckrin, crypto analyst and founder of The Coin Bureau, noted the timing of the rally. “Traders this morning are waking up to green candles—but not because of anything Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in yesterday’s FOMC press conference,” he said. “What the market cares about much more than interest rates is the rhetoric around tariffs, and President Trump has just thrown risk assets a big lifeline.” Spot Bitcoin ETFs See Strong Flows However, Puckrin struck a note of caution. “It’s quite likely the announcement will be lacking in concrete details, which could be anticlimactic. Plus, at the moment, BTC is rallying on low volume, which is a recipe for short-term volatility.” He added that the broader outlook remains positive, citing strong flows into spot Bitcoin ETFs and increased institutional interest. “It’s shaping up to be a strong month, but prepare for some wild swings in either direction.” The market’s optimism was echoed by Charles Wayn, co-founder of Galxe, a leading Web3 growth platform. “Today’s announcement of U.S. tariff concessions for the UK and potentially the UAE is great news for the crypto industry,” said Wayn. “This uncertainty halted a crypto bull market many thought would last until at least July, and has particularly impacted altcoins.” Wayn sees the new trade agreement as potentially the first of several. “With more deals and concessions will come more certainty and better market conditions. And so, the bull market may revive yet, and altseason could still be on the horizon.” While traders wait for more details on the trade deal and monitor its ripple effects across global markets, the mood in crypto has undoubtedly shifted. For now, sentiment is bullish, but as ever in crypto, volatility lurks just beneath the surface. Is this the beginning of a sustained breakout, or simply another peak in a year already defined by turbulence? Markets will be watching closely. The post Bitcoin Rockets Past $100K on Trump’s ‘Maxed-Out’ UK Deal – Volatility Ahead? appeared first on Cryptonews .
In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, understanding which platforms are leading the charge is crucial. Recent Coingecko data for April 2025 reveals a compelling picture of the exchange landscape, highlighting one player’s significant lead. If you’re interested in the pulse of the crypto market, these figures offer valuable insights into where the bulk of trading activity is happening. What Does Binance’s Dominant Market Share Mean? According to figures released by Coingecko, Binance secured the top spot among crypto exchanges by a significant margin in April 2025. They commanded a staggering 38.0% of the total market share based on trading volume. This isn’t just about being number one; it’s about demonstrating a level of dominance that far outstrips its closest competitors. This substantial Binance market share signifies several key things: Unmatched Liquidity: A high market share typically indicates deep liquidity, making it easier for users to buy and sell assets quickly and with minimal price impact. Strong User Base: Maintaining such a lead requires a massive and active user base, drawn to the platform’s features, asset selection, and reputation. Industry Influence: Binance’s position gives it considerable influence over market trends, listing decisions, and even regulatory discussions globally. For traders and investors, this data point underscores Binance’s position as the primary venue for cryptocurrency trading worldwide during this period. Exploring the Top Crypto Exchange Rankings While Binance held a commanding lead, the crypto exchange rankings provided by Coingecko also shed light on the other key players making waves in April 2025. Understanding the landscape beyond the leader is vital for a complete market view. Here’s how the top five shaped up: Rank Exchange Market Share (April 2025) 1 Binance 38.0% 2 Gate.io 9.0% 3 Bitget 7.2% 4 MEXC 7.1% 5 OKX 7.1% This table clearly illustrates the significant gap between Binance and the rest of the pack. The competition for the spots below Binance is much tighter, with Gate.io, Bitget, MEXC, and OKX clustered together, vying for position. Who Are the Leading Trading Volume Leaders? The exchanges listed represent the trading volume leaders for April 2025. Trading volume is a critical metric as it reflects the total value of assets traded on an exchange over a specific period. High trading volume is often associated with: Better price discovery Reduced slippage for large orders Overall market activity and interest Binance’s 38% share means that for every $100 traded across these top five exchanges, $38 was traded on Binance. This level of activity solidifies its status not just as an exchange, but as a central hub for global crypto trading. Understanding the Landscape of Top Crypto Exchanges While volume is a primary metric for these rankings, what else defines the top crypto exchanges ? Factors like security infrastructure, regulatory compliance, user interface, customer support, and the range of services (spot trading, futures, options, staking, etc.) all play a crucial role in attracting and retaining users. The exchanges listed in the top five likely excel in many, if not all, of these areas to achieve such high trading volumes. For users choosing an exchange, considering these factors alongside trading volume and market share data is essential for a safe and effective trading experience. Why Coingecko Data Matters The insights shared here are based on Coingecko data , a widely respected source for cryptocurrency market information. Coingecko aggregates data from numerous exchanges, providing valuable metrics like price, trading volume, market capitalization, and exchange rankings. Their methodology aims to provide a reliable overview of the crypto market, helping users and analysts make informed decisions. Relying on reputable data sources like Coingecko is fundamental to navigating the often-complex crypto landscape and understanding genuine market trends versus noise. Challenges and Opportunities in the Exchange Market Binance’s dominance presents both challenges and opportunities. For competitors, the challenge is clear: how to capture market share from such a formidable leader? This often involves innovation, focusing on niche markets, offering unique features, or excelling in specific regulatory environments. For users, the concentration of volume on one platform means high liquidity but also raises questions about centralization and potential single points of failure. The ongoing competition among the other top exchanges, however, offers users choices and drives innovation across the board. In Conclusion: Binance’s Enduring Lead The April 2025 data from Coingecko unequivocally shows Binance maintaining an unparalleled lead in the cryptocurrency exchange market share by trading volume. With 38.0%, they continue to be the gravitational center for crypto trading activity, dwarfing the volumes seen on Gate.io, Bitget, MEXC, and OKX. This dominance highlights Binance’s robust infrastructure, massive user base, and deep liquidity. While the competition for the subsequent spots remains fierce, Binance’s position at the top appears incredibly secure based on these figures, solidifying its status as the unrivaled leader among top crypto exchanges in this period. To learn more about the latest crypto market trends, explore our article on key developments shaping crypto exchange rankings and trading volume.
The Pectra upgrade - the largest upgrade to Ethereum in terms of offerings - activated on the main network at epoch 364,032. Pectra includes a series of enhancements aimed at making Ethereum more user-friendly and efficient. The massive upgrade contains 11 key EIPs. One major update is the addition of smart contract functionality to wallets, making them easier to use and recover. The implementation of the hardfork in the Sepolia (consensus level) and Holesky (execution level) testnet led to failures. In the former case, intrusion by an attacker caused additional difficulties. In Holesky, even after restoring the network's operability, it turned out to be impossible to test the functionality of the upgrade in terms of validator output. The developers decided to create a new long-term testnet to complete the validation of the hardfork. The testnet, called Hoodi, launched on March 17, with the upgrade deployed in the same month. According to a statement from the Ethereum team, the main features introduced in the upgrade are active on the mainnet, including: wallets in the form of smart contracts; doubling the amount of data storage for scaling L2 networks; improving the user interface for validators. Developers will continue to monitor possible issues due to the hardfork activation over the next 24 hours. Ethereum price hits $2000 amid smart money activism Ethereum price indicates the best weekly dynamics among the top 10 cryptocurrencies. The coin's exchange rate grew by 8.5% during the week, exceeding $2000. The Pectra update implemented on May 7 was not a key driver of the price increase, accounts Nansen analyst Nicolai Sondergaard: ”This is a long-term process, not an instantaneous driver.” The expert noted the accumulation of ”smart money” - by institutionalizers like Wintermute. According to Nansen, within a day, the firm stockpiled the second most capitalized cryptocurrency to profit from market making. Lookonchain experts recorded the withdrawal of 41,269 ETH ($75 million) from Binance and Kraken by London-based fund Abraxas Capital. The entry price was $1930.41 per coin. The unrealized profit on the trade reached $354,000. Despite the notable growth, ether is still 59% below its all-time high ($4878) and the ETH/BTC ratio is close to five-year lows. 65.5 million wallets (nearly half of the network) are at a loss, data from IntoTheBlock shows. Ethereum's rally coincided with the overall market upswing, with capitalization reaching $3.2 trillion.
U.S. President Donald Trump was reportedly misled by a Ripple-linked lobbyist into endorsing certain crypto in a Truth Social post about a U.S. crypto reserve in March, leading to the lobbyist’s removal and straining ties with top White House officials. A Truth Social post by U.S. President Donald Trump praising Ripple ( XRP ), Solana ( SOL ), and Cardano ( ADA ) as potential components of a U.S. “Crypto Strategic Reserve” has triggered internal conflict in Trump’s circle, not due to market impact, but because of who authored the message. According to Politico, Trump published the post in early March, asserting that his administration would position the U.S. as the “Crypto Capital of the World” by including select tokens like XRP, SOL, and ADA in a new reserve system. However, the excitement quickly turned into frustration. Trump later learned that the message had been drafted by a lobbyist affiliated with Ballard Partners, a firm whose clients include Ripple Labs, the company most closely associated with XRP. Two anonymous sources told Politico that a Ballard employee handed Trump the draft during a donor event at Mar-a-Lago and encouraged him to publicly support the digital assets. Unaware of the lobbyist’s affiliations, Trump reportedly posted the message without knowing the full context. You might also like: What tariff shock? Bitcoin surges past $100k as market recovery continues Staff firing Once Trump realized Ripple’s connection, he was reportedly furious and ordered his team to sever ties with the lobbyist. “He is not welcome in anything anymore,” one source quoted Trump as saying. While Ripple maintains it does not control XRP, the company is a central player in the token’s ecosystem and has been involved in several legal and regulatory battles. The timing of Trump’s post — and the resulting price spikes in XRP, SOL, and ADA — added fuel to suspicions of market manipulation or political opportunism. Ballard Partners, led by longtime Trump ally Brian Ballard, has held significant sway in Washington since Trump’s 2016 election. The firm reportedly brought in $14 million in lobbying revenue in Q1 2025 and represents high-profile clients including TikTok and BMW. Following the incident, however, Ballard has reportedly been frozen out of Trump’s orbit, with staff instructed to avoid meetings with the firm. Ballard has pushed back on the narrative. In a statement to Politico, he said the firm is “accustomed to false accusations” and denied leveraging his relationship with Trump for business. Still, some close to the president believe the fallout was inevitable. “One way to get yourself in the doghouse is for the president to think you’re trading on his name,” a Trump confidant said. While Trump later clarified that Bitcoin ( BTC ) and Ethereum ( ETH ) would also be included in any strategic reserve, the damage had been done. The White House declined to comment on the matter. Ripple also has not issued a public statement. You might also like: Ethereum price reclaims $2000: is this the start of a major bull run?
Senate Democrats are pushing for new legislation that aims to prevent cryptocurrency-related corruption among top US officials. US Democratic senators led by Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduced the End Crypto Corruption Act of 2025 to prevent the president, vice president, senior executive branch officials, members of Congress, individuals appointed by the Senate and their immediate family from making money from issuing, endorsing and sponsoring crypto assets, including memecoins and stablecoins. “Any covered individual who knowingly violates section 13152(a) shall be subject to a civil monetary penalty equal to not more than 10% of the value of the financial interest that is the subject of the prohibited conduct, or the amount of financial gain, if any, that the covered individual benefitted from relating to the prohibited conduct, whichever is greater.” The move comes amid concerns that a conflict of interest arises from President Donald Trump’s crypto ventures. Merkley, who sponsored the bill, says that people who want to influence the president can enrich him by buying the crypto he owns or controls. The legislator says the setup is a corrupt scheme that endangers national security and erodes public trust in the government. Schumer says they are taking action to prevent Trump from putting consumers and national security at risk. “Donald Trump’s attempts at grift and corruption are well known and well documented. And right now, individuals can curry favor with this White House and make money for Trump by purchasing his digital assets… Our democracy shouldn’t be for sale.” Follow us on X , Facebook and Telegram Don't Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inbox Check Price Action Surf The Daily Hodl Mix Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing. Generated Image: Midjourney The post Democratic Senators Attempt To Block President Trump’s Crypto Ventures, Citing ‘Grift’ and National Security Risks appeared first on The Daily Hodl .
Rootstock Sees Record Merged Mining Growth in Q1 2025 Smart contract platform Rootstock reached a significant milestone in Q1 2025, achieving an all-time high of 81% merged mining participation—up from 56.4% in Q4 2024. This surge in network security came as major players Foundry and SpiderPool joined the merged mining effort, according to Messari’s inaugural “State of Rootstock” report. Hash power on Rootstock surpassed 740 exahashes per second, even eclipsing Bitcoin’s October 2024 total hashrate. Messari analysts now position Rootstock in a “mature phase” of merged mining, further establishing its place in the Bitcoin layer-2 ecosystem. The network also experienced a 60% decrease in transaction fees, further improving usability for developers and users. “As BTCFi expands, Rootstock is ready for increased adoption,” said Messari analyst Andrew Yang. TVL and User Metrics Decline Despite Mining Milestone While mining boomed, Rootstock’s decentralized finance ecosystem suffered. Dollar-denominated TVL dropped 20% quarter-on-quarter to $179.9 million, and BTC-denominated TVL dropped by 7.2%. TVL had previously surged to $244.6 million in January due to a Bitcoin rally but dropped steadily from March as the larger market cooled. Ethereum-based DeFi performed also poorly with a 27% Q1 decline, partly due to macroeconomic uncertainty and the $1.4 billion Bybit exploit, DappRadar reports . Rootstock’s stablecoin market also saw realignment. USDt remained at the top at $3.8 million worth but lost dominance, decreasing to 27.5% market share from 41.3% in Q4 2024. No single stablecoin topped 30% by quarter-end. User activity metrics showed this decrease: Active addresses decreased by 26.5% New addresses fell 54.7% Daily transactions rose 4.3% to 11,524 Development Progress and Ecosystem Growth Continue While DeFi performance eased, Rootstock continued down its technical and ecosystem tracks. Lovell 7.0.0 upgrade tightened Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility to further improve smart contract functionality. New LayerZero and Meson Finance integrations helped broaden Rootstock’s footprint. The platform also launched a hackathon and improved community governance through RootstockCollective updates. Bitcoin layer 2 evangelist Alexei Zamyatin stated, “First company in DeFi that brings an easy to use set of products on Bitcoin will capture the whole 300 million user market.”
The US Senate has put the GENIUS Act, a stablecoin bill that is expected to shape the future of the cryptocurrency industry, to a vote. However, the bill was rejected with 48 “yes” and 49 “no” votes. Senator Cynthia Lummis expressed disappointment in a statement following the vote: “I am deeply disappointed that we failed to pass this important bipartisan stablecoin legislation today. Digital assets are the future of finance, and America must be a leader in this space. I thank President Trump, Senator Gillibrand, Leader Thune, Chairman Scott, and Senator Hagerty for their commitment to keeping digital asset companies and jobs in our country. We must continue to advance regulations that protect America’s dollar dominance and make our country the crypto capital.” Related News: Renowned Analyst Shares His Theory on the New Bitcoin Bull: “This is What Will Happen, Get Ready” Democratic Senator Mark Warner (Virginia) made a separate statement, noting that the content of the law has not yet been finalized: “Stablecoins have an undisputed place in the future of finance. The US must set the standard for responsible innovation in this space. We have made meaningful progress with the GENIUS Act, but the text of the bill is not yet complete. As it stands, I cannot ask my colleagues to vote for this bill. I am committed to working to strengthen the legislation, and I hope we can move the process to the Senate plenary next week to consider its final version.” The bill is expected to be brought up again in the Senate in the future and voted on with amendments. *This is not investment advice. Continue Reading: BREAKING: US Senate Rejects Crypto-Friendly GENIUS Act – Here Are the Details
An analyst from the banking giant Standard Chartered is reportedly changing his price prediction for Bitcoin ( BTC ), predicting that the crypto king shoots up even higher than previously anticipated. According to a new report by CNBC, Geoffrey Kendrick, head of digital assets at the firm, is apologizing for predicting that BTC will hit the $120,000 price tag by Q2 of this year, noting that his forecast may still be too low. As stated by Kendrick last month when he made the prediction, according to CNBC, “We expect these supportive factors to push BTC to a fresh all-time high around $120,000 in Q2. We see gains continuing through the summer, taking BTC-USD towards our year-end forecast of $200,000.” However, Kendrick now says the flagship digital asset should rise even higher because money is flowing into it from many avenues, noting that BTC has seen $5.3 billion worth of inflows during the last three weeks from prominent institutions, such as the Abu Dhbai sovereign wealth fund as well as the software firm Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy. “The dominant story for Bitcoin has changed again. It was [correlated] to risk assets… It then became a way to position for strategic asset reallocation out of US assets It is now all about flows. And flows are coming in many forms.” Though Kendrick said his previous prediction was too low, he did not specifically make a new one. Bitcoin is trading for $99,450 at time of writing, a 2.6% gain during the last day. Follow us on X , Facebook and Telegram Don't Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inbox Check Price Action Surf The Daily Hodl Mix Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing. Generated Image: DALLE3 The post Standard Chartered Analyst Backs Off Bitcoin Price Prediction, Now Calls $120,000 BTC ‘Too Low’: Report appeared first on The Daily Hodl .
XRP and Solana are two staples in investors’ portfolios. But while they feature impressive technology and big ecosystems, they aren’t 100x moonshots. Remittix might just be that opportunity. So why exactly have investors funneled nearly $15 million into this up-and-coming PayFi solution and is it a better buy than XRP or Solana? Let’s find out. Remittix’s big utility pitch Remittix is gaining traction for one simple reason: it solves a real problem. Sending money across borders is still clunky, expensive and slow, but Remittix makes it instant. It lets users convert over 40 cryptocurrencies into fiat and send funds directly to any global bank account with no delays or hoops to jump through. The edge over traditional banks and even fintech competitors like Stripe and Wise is clear. Remittix users pay a flat fee with no hidden FX or wire costs; what’s sent is what’s received. The process is also as simple as can be. The person receiving funds just gets a normal bank transfer. They don’t need to know it started with crypto. That’s intentional: it gives users full control and flexibility while avoiding confusion on the other end. For businesses, Remittix opens doors. Its Pay API lets merchants accept crypto and settle in fiat to any chosen bank account, while companies can easily and quickly pay international employees and freelancers with minimal fees. Fast, scalable, and inclusive, Remittix has already raised over $14.7 million in its presale , with more than two-thirds of its 750 million ICO allocation nearly sold out. At just $0.0757 right now and with a $250k giveaway underway, Remittix is a bargain that’s hard to ignore. XRP ranges despite futures ETF launch XRP has been around for a long while, over a decade now and it’s been a favorite of financial institutions. It helps make cross-border transactions faster and easier, just in a less user-friendly package than Remittix. To the delight of XRP bulls, XRP futures ETFs recently launched in late April 2025, offering leveraged and inverse exposure to XRP’s price movements. However, the price of XRP didn’t react much, rising from around $2.05 in mid-April to a peak of $2.33 towards the end of the month. Source: CoinGecko Instead, XRP seems stuck in a broader range following its November 2024 run-up. Some see this as an opportunity to accumulate. However, from today’s price of $2.14, even doubling to $4.28 would require a market cap of $250 billion no small feat. Solana gets a reality check Solana is a titan in the game. With more than 8 billion transactions each month and fees that barely register, it’s earned a reputation as the go-to chain for speed and scalability. It now powers a whole ecosystem of dApps that cover everything from decentralized exchanges to NFT markets and lending platforms. Projects like Raydium, Pump.fun and Jupiter bring serious volume to the network. Source: CoinGecko While institutional players, like Galaxy Digital and DeFi Development Corp, are stacking Solana tokens in the background , some retail investors have been burnt by recent volatility. Euphoria peaked as SOL hit a new all-time high in January, topping $293.31. It’s since crashed back to Earth, reaching $105 in early April and now at $147.18. Further upside may be on the cards, especially with Solana’s Firedancer update coming later this year, but gains will likely be limited compared to under-the-radar opportunities like Remittix. Which crypto stands out right now? Remittix is stepping into a massive remittance market worth over $850 billion with real utility, simple execution and perfect timing. XRP brings legacy and banking relationships. Solana powers an entire tech ecosystem with leading speeds. Each coin has a story, but right now, Remittix looks like the one catching real momentum. Don’t sleep on the Remittix presale and load up before tokens sell out. Discover the future of PayFi with Remittix by checking out their presale here: Website : https://remittix.io/ Socials: https://linktr.ee/remittix