Invest ideasNews
25 May 2026, 11:03
Kenya's GenZ protests resume as 2026 finance bill imposes harsh regime for crypto traders
Kenya’s Finance Bill 2026 proposes to introduce a 10% excise duty on fees charged by Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) for crypto trading and other activities. The proposed excise duty on crypto platforms will be double the 5% tax on the betting industry. Such a move increases the cost of operations for VASPs, who either have to pass these costs on to their consumers through fees or absorb them as a reduction in profit margins. Kenya expands tax powers and compliance, tightening across sectors According to reports, in addition to the increased excise duties, VASPs must also follow other stringent measures. The VASPs bill requires crypto firms to pay a one-off licensing fee of KSh 150 million ($1.1 million) before they can undertake any activities in Kenya. They also have to pay a KSh 2 million ($1.5 million) annual renewal fee to keep operating in Kenya. In addition, the Finance Bill 2026 requires crypto exchange and trading platforms to provide annual reports to the KRA containing user and transaction details. Kenya is still considered one of the major players in East Africa’s digital economy, and even in crypto adoption. The levying of a 10% excise duty on VASPs, along with mandatory reporting, will force crypto traders and platforms to move their operations to countries with a more favorable attitude toward cryptocurrencies. Such action might make Kenya lose its importance in terms of crypto volumes, leading to changes in regional liquidity and negatively affecting the general investor attitude toward cryptocurrencies issued in Africa. Foreign payment services and banks that work through credit cards in Kenya might increase tariffs due to new taxes and VAT applied to fintechs. Payments are important to the country, as they contribute to imports, exports, and diaspora remittances. Some provisions of the bill’s digital payments tax are being called for scrapping by market analysts. As reported by Cryptopolitan, Binance is facing mounting pressure from Kenyan users due to frustrations over frozen accounts. This follows the exchange’s collaboration with Kenya’s DCI. GenZ protests resume as economic pressures intensify Following new details of the Finance Bill 2026, GenZ-led demonstrations are back in Nairobi and several large towns today. This is in response to the impact of increased taxation on digital services, crypto, mobile phones, and general financial transactions amid an ongoing recovery from previous cost-of-living shocks for household consumers and small businesses. I wouldn't mind if people protest on the streets when there's something wrong with the Finance Bill. But if there's nothing wrong, accept it – CS Mbadi pic.twitter.com/Ge1n0nFxKX — Kenyans.co.ke (@Kenyans) May 25, 2026 The disruptions occasioned by the demonstrations will result in short-term economic losses for small-scale traders and businesses that rely heavily on cash flow. The proposed bill affects individuals by increasing the cost of sending money digitally, conducting crypto transactions, buying new mobile phones, and transacting in digital currencies. Companies relying on M-Pesa, debit cards, and crypto will incur losses and increased overhead costs. The bill consists of various clauses aimed at widening the tax base and enhancing collections. The KRA will now have the power to serve agency notice on banks, SACCOs, or mobile money service providers such as M-Pesa, even after a taxpayer has lodged an objection to the assessment of his/her taxes. Funds will be frozen or diverted to the tax authority during the objection period. Deadlines for filing tax returns will be shortened, with ordinary returns to be filed before April 30 rather than June 30, and nil returns before January 311, thus aligning with the filing deadlines. A private company’s undistributed profits will now be assumed to constitute 60% dividends to be taxed. VAT invoicing requirements will apply to businesses making taxable supplies, regardless of registration status, not just to registered businesses. VAT will apply only to taxable supplies. New taxes will be imposed on digital payments: a 5% withholding tax on local card transactions, a 20% withholding tax on non-resident card transactions, and a 16% VAT on some digital payment services offered by the financial technology industry. CLARIFICATIONS ON CERTAIN TAX PROPOSALS UNDER THE FINANCE BILL, 2026.CLARIFICATIONS ON CERTAIN TAX PROPOSALS UNDER THE FINANCE BILL, 2026. pic.twitter.com/xtIeYaXf5N — Public Investments and Assets Management-Kenya (@SDPI_AM) May 25, 2026 Payment gateways may be considered royalties, thereby making them eligible for a 20% withholding tax, particularly when payments are made to foreign entities. The preferential 5% withholding tax on dividends paid to individuals of the East African Community will now be replaced by a 15% withholding tax. Lenders and leasers will be exempt from the EBITDA threshold of 30% interest deduction. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .
25 May 2026, 11:03
Bitcoin’s Identity Crisis: Hedge, Tech Proxy, or Liquidity Trade?
25 May 2026, 11:03
XRP price forecast: $1.36 level holds as CME futures near launch
XRP is trading in a tight range around $1.36 as the market continues to react to broader crypto weakness. Over the past 24 hours, the token has been oscillating between $1.34 and $1.37, reflecting a narrow range that has become more defined over the past several sessions. But despite the lack of strong momentum, the price has managed to hold above the lower boundary of its short-term structure, suggesting that buyers are still active near current levels. Price compression builds as XRP tests key support zone Market structure shows XRP stuck inside a tightening range between roughly $1.34 and $1.40 over the past week. This area has acted as a short-term equilibrium zone where neither buyers nor sellers have taken full control. A slightly wider range places support near $1.31 and resistance around $1.48, reinforcing the idea that price is coiling rather than trending. XRP price analysis The lower boundary near $1.31 has been tested multiple times without a clean breakdown, which suggests that buyers are still defending this area. However, repeated retests of support often weaken its strength over time. If this level fails to hold, the next significant support zone sits closer to the mid-$1.20s, where previous demand has appeared during earlier phases of market decline. On the upside, XRP continues to face pressure near $1.48, with stronger resistance building closer to $1.53–$1.60. That upper zone has capped multiple recovery attempts in recent sessions, keeping the market locked in a compression phase. This type of structure often precedes a sharper move, but direction remains unclear until either boundary breaks decisively. Capitulation signals and CME futures add conflicting pressure Recent market commentary has pointed to the possibility that XRP may be approaching a late-stage sell-off phase, often described as capitulation. This phase typically appears when selling pressure accelerates briefly before weakening as weaker holders exit the market. While this setup does not guarantee a reversal, it often coincides with exhaustion in downward momentum. At the same time, broader crypto conditions have remained soft, keeping XRP aligned with overall market sentiment rather than moving independently. The asset continues to show high correlation with wider digital asset weakness, reinforcing its sensitivity to Bitcoin-led direction. Against this backdrop, institutional developments are adding a longer-term structural shift. CME Group is preparing to introduce 24/7 crypto futures trading on May 29, including XRP-linked derivatives. The change removes traditional trading-hour constraints and is expected to improve liquidity flow across weekends and global sessions. CME’s existing XRP futures products have already attracted institutional participation, and continuous trading is expected to increase activity further by improving price discovery and reducing gaps caused by market closures. Outlook: breakout or breakdown still depends on $1.31–$1.48 range XRP’s near-term direction remains tied to the narrow band between $1.31 and $1.48. Holding above this zone keeps the market in consolidation and preserves the possibility of a recovery attempt toward $1.53–$1.60. A breakdown below support would shift attention toward lower levels in the broader correction structure that has dominated the past year. At current pricing, XRP remains in a low-volatility phase where neither trend continuation nor reversal has been confirmed. The combination of tightening price action, persistent longer-term weakness, and upcoming institutional trading changes places the asset in a transitional state, where the next decisive move is likely to define its short-term trajectory. The post XRP price forecast: $1.36 level holds as CME futures near launch appeared first on Invezz
25 May 2026, 11:02
This Is Why XRP Is Inevitable: XRP Automatically Bridges GBP to BRL
Crypto analyst Xaif Crypto recently detailed XRP’s role as a bridge currency on the XRP Ledger, arguing that the asset’s automated liquidity routing system makes it increasingly important for global transactions. Xaif Crypto stated that XRP can automatically connect two currencies when direct liquidity between them is limited, creating what he described as a “synthetic order book” in real time. The post focused on how XRP can facilitate conversions between currencies such as the British pound (GBP) and the Brazilian real (BRL) without relying solely on a direct trading pair. Xaif Crypto argued that this function positions XRP as a bridge between “every currency pair on earth.” “This is why XRP is inevitable,” Xaif Crypto wrote, adding that XRP automatically bridges two tokens by routing transactions through XRP whenever direct liquidity is thin. THIS IS WHY XRP IS INEVITABLE! XRP automatically BRIDGES two tokens GBP to BRL by routing through XRP when direct liquidity is thin, creating a SYNTHETIC ORDER BOOK on the fly" every currency pair on earth… and XRP is the bridge between all of them $XRP https://t.co/TSms4bRSgJ pic.twitter.com/q2USIrRCpY — Xaif Crypto (@Xaif_Crypto) May 23, 2026 How XRP Creates Synthetic Liquidity Xaif Crypto attached diagrams explaining the autobridging process on the XRP Ledger. One image showed a direct GBP/BRL order book with limited liquidity. The diagram then illustrated how XRP can connect the GBP/XRP and XRP/BRL order books to create a synthetic GBP/BRL market. According to the explanation, the XRP Ledger combines both direct and synthetic order books into a larger liquidity pool. This process allows users to complete transactions even when a direct market between two currencies lacks enough trading activity. The attached material explained that the XRP Ledger’s decentralized exchange and automated market maker pools use XRP as a routing asset. Instead of requiring every possible asset pair to maintain its own deep liquidity pool, the system can route trades through XRP during the transaction. The example described a scenario in which a trader swaps one tokenized asset for another. Although the user experiences the transaction as a single swap, the protocol executes two conversions behind the scenes: the first asset converts into XRP, and XRP then converts into the final asset. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 XRP’s Role in Liquidity Efficiency The attached images also emphasized the liquidity advantages of a bridge asset model. One highlighted section stated that without a shared bridge asset, every token pair would require a dedicated liquidity pool. The explanation argued that such a structure becomes inefficient as the number of tokenized assets grows. Another highlighted portion noted that the XRP Ledger now contains more than 25,000 automated market maker pools. The material added that the protocol’s pathfinding system routes through XRP by default because XRP remains one of the most liquid assets on the ledger against a broad range of counterparts. Xaif Crypto also referenced a highlighted statement from technical analyst ChartNerd, who said XRP is “among the most liquid assets on the ledger against a wide range of counterparts.” The discussion comes as supporters of XRP continue to point toward the asset’s utility within cross-border payments and liquidity routing systems. Advocates of the technology argue that autobridging and synthetic liquidity mechanisms could help improve efficiency for tokenized assets, stablecoins, and international currency transfers operating on the XRP Ledger. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post This Is Why XRP Is Inevitable: XRP Automatically Bridges GBP to BRL appeared first on Times Tabloid .
25 May 2026, 11:00
Investors Rotate Capital: HYPE ETF Inflows Surge as Bitcoin and Ethereum Funds See Major Outflows
BitcoinWorld Investors Rotate Capital: HYPE ETF Inflows Surge as Bitcoin and Ethereum Funds See Major Outflows A clear shift in institutional sentiment emerged in digital asset markets last week, as investors pulled over $1 billion from spot Bitcoin ETFs and $215 million from Ethereum ETFs, while simultaneously directing capital into newer altcoin products, including the recently launched HYPE ETFs. Capital Rotation Toward Emerging Narratives According to data reported by CoinDesk, the HYPE spot ETFs from Bitwise and 21Shares attracted approximately $72.38 million in net inflows during the same period. XRP and Solana ETFs also saw positive flows of $22 million and $15.6 million, respectively. The trend suggests a deliberate reallocation of capital away from established large-cap crypto assets toward projects perceived to have newer narratives and higher potential for near-term returns. Market analysts point to a broader pattern: as Bitcoin and Ethereum have traded in relatively narrow ranges, investors are seeking exposure to ecosystems with more active development and community momentum. The rotation is not necessarily a bearish signal for BTC or ETH, but rather a tactical portfolio adjustment by institutional allocators. Hyperliquid Ecosystem Momentum The inflows into HYPE ETFs coincide with strong underlying fundamentals for the Hyperliquid network. HYPE, the native token of the Hyperliquid decentralized exchange, has surged 59% over the past month. The platform’s trading volume and fee revenue have continued to grow, reinforcing the thesis that investors are betting on active, revenue-generating protocols rather than passive store-of-value assets. Hyperliquid’s rise reflects a broader appetite for infrastructure tokens tied to real on-chain activity, as opposed to speculative meme coins. The ETF flows into HYPE validate this trend at the institutional level. What This Means for Investors For market participants, the capital rotation signals that institutional demand for crypto exposure is becoming more nuanced. Rather than a simple binary choice between Bitcoin and Ethereum, allocators are now evaluating a wider range of sector-specific opportunities. The success of HYPE, XRP, and SOL ETFs in attracting flows suggests that product differentiation and narrative alignment matter more than brand recognition alone. However, investors should note that altcoin ETFs generally carry higher volatility and liquidity risk than their large-cap counterparts. The inflows, while significant in percentage terms, remain small relative to the multi-billion-dollar BTC and ETH ETF markets. Conclusion The outflows from Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, combined with inflows into HYPE, XRP, and SOL products, represent a meaningful shift in institutional capital allocation within digital assets. While the long-term trend remains uncertain, the data suggests that investors are actively rotating into projects with strong on-chain fundamentals and compelling narratives. The coming weeks will reveal whether this rotation is a short-term tactical move or the beginning of a broader structural shift in crypto ETF demand. FAQs Q1: Why did Bitcoin ETFs see over $1 billion in outflows? A: The outflows likely reflect a tactical rotation by institutional investors seeking higher potential returns in altcoin projects with strong recent momentum, rather than a broad exit from crypto exposure. Q2: What is driving the inflows into HYPE ETFs specifically? A: HYPE’s inflows are supported by a 59% price surge over the past month and growing trading volume and fee revenue on the Hyperliquid decentralized exchange, signaling strong underlying protocol activity. Q3: Are these flows a sign of a bear market for Bitcoin and Ethereum? A: Not necessarily. The capital rotation appears to be a portfolio rebalancing move rather than a bearish signal. Bitcoin and Ethereum remain dominant by market cap and institutional adoption, but investors are increasingly diversifying into higher-growth altcoin narratives. This post Investors Rotate Capital: HYPE ETF Inflows Surge as Bitcoin and Ethereum Funds See Major Outflows first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
25 May 2026, 10:54
BlackRock Sells $1 Billion of Bitcoin After Poor ETF Performance
BlackRock makes huge Bitcoin sale after recording steady ETF withdrawals on each day of the past week, sparking concerns across the crypto community.
