hodler

16 Apr 2026, 13:13

Bittensor Price Drops Below $240 as Investor Confidence Drops

Bittensor’s TAO has dropped by almost 4% today, April 16, 2026. Covenant AI’s exit triggered the downfall. The price of the token has come down to $240 from a level of $350 in the past month. Bittensor’s native token TAO is currently experiencing a downfall of almost 4% and the price of the token is hovering around the $240 mark. The price dropped down from $350 to $240 amid governance concerns, panic selling, and weakening market confidence. The token is underperforming when compared to the broader crypto market which is experiencing an uptick of 1.2% as per CoinMarketCap . The selloff has also been amplified by lower liquidity and a broader rotation away from the AI narrative, even as the wider crypto market has held firmer. At press time, the price of the token stands at $239.02 with a drop of 3.74% in the last 24-hours as per CoinMarketCap. TAO 24-hour chart What Triggered The Drop The main catalyst in recent times was Covenant AI’s exit from the TAO ecosystem. This exit raised questions about governance and control inside Bittensor. Reports tied the move to a 37,000 TAO sale by Covenant’s founder, a move that triggered panic selling, liquidations, and a broader loss of confidence among the holders. That combination turned a single event into a stronger chain reaction throughout the market. Why Selling Accelerated? The second layer that was added was a weakness that came from the market structure. TAO’s trading volume dropped suddenly, which made the token more vulnerable to outsized price moves when sell orders hit a thin order book. According to the above screenshot, the trading volume decreased by 34.82% in the last 24-hours. In that kind of setup, even modest selling can give rise to a greater decline than normal because there is less buying pressure to absorb it. Governance Debate Intensifies At the same time, the crisis has accelerated discussion about how Bittensor should handle subnet ownership and long-term alignment. A draft proposal known as BIT-0011 would introduce “locked stake” and “conviction,” allowing subnet ownership to shift toward participants who commit capital for longer periods. Supporters, on the other hand, are arguing that this move could reduce the risk of founders of insiders destabilizing a subnet by selling suddenly. While critics note that this is still only a draft, and this may change before implementation. Market Structure And Outlook Technically, TAO now looks fragile as the price is hovering below the $250 area, with near-term downside risk toward the $230-$235 zone if selling continues. A recovery would likely require a convincing reclaim of the $260 level alongside stronger volume. This would suggest that the buyers are finally stepping in with more confidence. Till this happens, the market appears to be treating Bittensor’s TAO as a high-beta asset that is reacting more to ecosystem trust than to the broader crypto backdrop. Investor Sentiment Even though there is a drop, crypto influencers such as Michaël van de Poppe see the event as a stress test rather than a collapse. The influencer also said in an X post that he still holds a large TAO position and framed the move as a major ecosystem test that could eventually lead to stronger governance and renewed momentum. That view is now split across three broad paths, where a sharp rebound if sentiment stabilizes, a consolidation phase if confidence rebuilds slowly, or deeper downsides if more subnets or holders exit. What Happens Next As of now, the key question is whether Bittensor can turn this crisis into a governance reset or whether the current weakness becomes a longer de-rating event. If the network can calm the market, regain trust, and advance proposals like BIT-011, the correction may prove temporary. If not, TAO could remain trapped in a bearish range until buyers regain conviction and volume returns. Also Read: Bittensor Price Forecast: Is $570 the Next Big Target for TAO?

16 Apr 2026, 13:12

Justin Sun escalates public feud with 'tyrannical' Trump-linked World Liberty

Crypto mogul Justin Sun is still on his public fight with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), calling the Trump-linked venture “tyrannical” after Cryptopolitan reported on a new proposal that would keep early investor tokens locked for four years. “This proposal is packaged as ‘governance alignment signals’ and ‘long-term commitments,’ but it’s one of the most absurd governance scams I’ve ever seen. I’ll break it down point by point,” said Justin, who is the biggest investor in this project. WLFI had posted a new proposal Wednesday on its governance forum, which would stop early investors from trading tokens for another two years, then place them under a further two-year vesting period. The company said 80% of those holdings are already locked. If the measure passes in a vote set for one week later, early investors holding 17 billion tokens would not be able to fully trade them until 2030, one year after Trump is scheduled to leave office. Justin Sun says WLFI vote punishes dissent In a long post on X, Justin wrote that the proposal was being wrapped in phrases such as “governance alignment signals” and “long-term commitments,” but called it “one of the most absurd governance scams I’ve ever seen.” Justin then laid out his case point by point. First, he said the proposal punishes anyone who votes no by ending up with tokens locked forever and no path to unlock them. Justin also said he has personally been frozen out . He said he controls about 4% of the voting power, but his tokens have been frozen, and he has been shut out of the process. He said other holders with large voting power are in the same position. “The outcome was decided before the vote even started,” Justin wrote. He said the team can decide who gets to vote and who does not. He then turned to control of the protocol. Justin said the WLFI smart contract is controlled by a 3/5 anonymous multisig, while an anonymous guardian EOA can blacklist addresses that hold WLFI and also ignore votes and act directly at the contract level. Justin wrote, “The so-called governance proposals, on-chain votes, and community discussions are all just theater. This isn’t decentralized governance; it’s dictatorship dressed in DAO clothing.” Justin attacks anonymous control as replies under his post turn against him Justin also attacked the voting rules. He said people who want to vote must complete identity checks, sign electronically, and meet compliance standards. At the same time, he said the guardian and multisig signers with real power remain unnamed. “The ruled must dox themselves, while those with absolute power remain anonymous,” Justin wrote. Justin also said the results “lack legitimacy, should not be binding, and should not be recognized,” calling on WLFI holders to oppose the measure publicly and preserve legal rights. Naturally, the replies under Justin’s post show little sympathy. One user told him to stay silent and blamed Tron projects tied to him for investor losses, naming Winklink, Tron Bet, dead Tron memes, and a failed meme season. That person said they lost $100,000 on $SUNDOG. Another said they had been burned by “Brother Sun” before and were standing with WLFI. One Chinese reply said it was satisfying to see Justin get hit back and called it karma. “So you’ve got your day coming too, huh! China’s karma theory is still something you gotta believe in. When you were the big fish gobbling up the little fish, didn’t you ever think there’d come a day when a whale swallows you whole?” Another person said he bought Trump’s shitcoins to get close to Trump and still got scammed. A second Chinese reply said, “You forced yourself onto it, and now you’re playing the victim? Back when blockchain was taking off, how many of us regular folks in China did you fleece, huh? You? You’re not a scammer? So everyone else is? You’re a real comedian, Sun Yuchen.” If you want a calmer entry point into DeFi crypto without the usual hype, start with this free video.

16 Apr 2026, 13:09

Report: China Yuan Stablecoin Could Arrive in 3 to 5 Years, Circle CEO Says

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire told Reuters on Thursday that a yuan-backed stablecoin represents a “tremendous opportunity” for China as currency competition shifts onto blockchain infrastructure. Key Takeaways: Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire predicted China could launch a yuan-backed stablecoin within 3 to 5 years. USDC grew 72% year-on-year to $75.3 billion by end-2025, boosted by U.S.-Iran

16 Apr 2026, 13:09

Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF sees $100m inflow in a week

Morgan Stanley’s spot Bitcoin ( BTC ) ETF (MSBT) began trading last week, on April 8, and so far, its performance has been quite positive. Notably, the fund has drawn in approximately $103 million since launch, as attested by Farside Investors data as of April 16. Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust ETF inflows. Source: Farside Investors For comparison, WisdomTree’s Bitcoin ETF has amassed $86 million in inflows since its January 2024 debut, which illustrates just how quickly MSBT grabbed investor attention. Of course, the fund is still far below the market’s dominant players. For example, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ( IBIT ) has seen more than $500 million in inflows just over the past two days. The cheapest Bitcoin ETF wraps up its first week Amy Oldenburg, Morgan Stanley’s head of digital assets, said in an interview with Bloomberg that MSBT is already the firm’s most successful ETF launch to date. The fund tracks the CoinDesk Bitcoin Benchmark and carries a 0.14% expense ratio, which makes it the cheapest financial product offering in its category. BlackRock, for example, comes with an expense ratio of 0.25%. In addition to pricing, MSBT benefits from the issuer’s extensive wealth management platform, which oversees trillions in client assets. In other words, its network of financial advisors allows investors to gain Bitcoin exposure without relying on crypto-native platforms. All eyes are now on the bank’s competitors. For example, Goldman Sachs filed for a Bitcoin Premium Income ETF earlier this week, marking one of its first direct entries into crypto. At the same time, BlackRock is reportedly preparing a similar yield-focused ETF, signaling that competition is evolving beyond simple spot exposure. In short, the new launch, as well as the upcoming ones from the likes of Goldman Sachs, show that mainstream financial institutions are slowly acknowledging Bitcoin’s utility. Featured image via Shutterstock The post Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF sees $100m inflow in a week appeared first on Finbold .

16 Apr 2026, 13:05

Deal Confirmed: XRP Is Set to Expand Its Utility to Solana. Here’s the Latest

XRP is stepping into a broader role within the evolving digital asset economy, as interoperability becomes the defining theme of modern blockchain infrastructure. With capital increasingly flowing toward decentralized finance ecosystems, assets that can move seamlessly across chains are gaining a clear advantage. This latest development positions XRP at the center of that shift, opening the door to new forms of utility beyond its traditional payments narrative. Crypto commentator SMQKE has drawn attention to this milestone, highlighting XRP’s confirmed pathway into the ecosystem of Solana. The integration builds on a December 2025 rollout that introduced wrapped XRP (wXRP), developed through a collaboration between Hex Trust and LayerZero. This infrastructure enables XRP to operate within Solana’s high-speed DeFi environment while maintaining a 1:1 backing with the native asset. Unlocking DeFi Utility Through Wrapped XRP The launch of wXRP marks a significant expansion in XRP’s functional scope. By wrapping native XRP into a Solana-compatible token , holders can now deploy their assets across decentralized applications without selling their underlying positions. This structure preserves exposure to XRP while unlocking access to lending protocols, liquidity pools, and yield-generating strategies. Yes, XRP is set to expand its utility across Solana-based DeFi protocols by integrating with Solana. “This directly increases XRP's utility, potentially driving organic demand as users wrap more native XRP to access higher yields and trading opportunities.” Documented. https://t.co/kahEE0J7vO pic.twitter.com/9gQIcsAkYF — SMQKE (@SMQKEDQG) April 15, 2026 This shift transforms XRP from a primarily transactional asset into one that actively participates in decentralized financial markets. It also aligns XRP with a broader industry move toward composability, where assets integrate seamlessly across protocols to maximize efficiency and returns. Why Solana Strengthens XRP’s Position Solana’s infrastructure provides a critical advantage in this integration. The network offers high throughput and low transaction costs, making it one of the most attractive environments for DeFi activity. By entering this ecosystem, XRP gains access to a deep and active liquidity landscape that supports a wide range of financial use cases. Recent social signals from Solana referencing XRP have further fueled market interest, reinforcing the narrative that cross-chain collaboration is accelerating. While understated, these signals often reflect deeper technical alignment and ongoing ecosystem development. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 Demand Dynamics and Institutional Appeal The introduction of wXRP introduces a new source of organic demand. As users wrap XRP to access DeFi opportunities, the asset’s utility increases, potentially influencing long-term supply dynamics. This demand differs from speculative trading, as it stems from functional use within financial protocols. The involvement of regulated custody through Hex Trust adds another layer of credibility. Secure and compliant asset management reduces operational risk and may encourage institutional participants to explore cross-chain strategies involving XRP. A Defining Step Toward Interoperability XRP’s expansion into Solana represents a strategic move toward a multi-chain future. As blockchain ecosystems continue to converge, assets that can operate across networks will define the next phase of growth. For XRP, this integration signals more than a technical upgrade. It reflects a broader evolution into a versatile, cross-chain asset capable of competing in the rapidly expanding world of decentralized finance. 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 urged to do in-depth 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 Twitter , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Deal Confirmed: XRP Is Set to Expand Its Utility to Solana. Here’s the Latest appeared first on Times Tabloid .

16 Apr 2026, 13:02

Bitcoin Pushes 200-Day Return to $87,000 Amid Quantum Fears; XRP Price's Rare Double Bottom Opportunity Appears; Binance Lists Microsoft and Alibaba to TradFi R...

Bitcoin targets $87,000 despite quantum fears, XRP prepares a rise to $1.90 if the double bottom is validated and Binance lists Microsoft and Alibaba amid 188% surge in TradFi trading on the exchange.