Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has acquired TradeStation Crypto, the digital asset-focused division of online brokerage TradeStation, to expand its regulatory licensing and presence in the United States.

TradeStation Crypto, based in Florida, has obtained money transmitter and other regulatory licenses across most U.S. states in recent years. Kraken’s acquisition of TradeStation Crypto marks a strategic step to accelerate its growth and introduce new product offerings in the U.S. market.

A spokesperson for Kraken confirmed the acquisition, stating that it aligns with the company’s objectives to enhance its footprint in the U.S. market. However, the spokesperson declined to disclose the financial details of the transaction.

The acquisition comes after TradeStation Crypto faced regulatory challenges, including a $3 million settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over a lending service. After this incident, TradeStation’s parent company withdrew from the cryptocurrency space.

TradeStation Crypto gained attention for its involvement in Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez’s initiative to establish the city as a crypto hub. Notably, the company commissioned the Miami Bull, an 11-foot, 3,000-pound statue unveiled by Mayor Suarez in early 2022.

In addition to its U.S. expansion, Kraken has been making strides in the European Union. The exchange recently announced the acquisition of Netherlands-based crypto firm BCM and secured virtual asset service provider licenses across the region as part of its ongoing growth strategy.

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Bitcoin maintains its position above the significant threshold of $60,000, marking a resurgence amid recent dips that saw it hit six-week lows. Short-covering activity has been notably active, contributing to this upward trend.

Despite recent corrections, Bitcoin continues to assert its dominance within the cryptocurrency market, attracting investors who are turning away from riskier currencies. Additionally, a slowdown in US 10-year treasury yields has provided further support and bolstered sentiment towards cryptocurrencies.

Today, Bitcoin saw a notable rally of 2.9% on Bitstamp, reaching $63,046 from a session low of $60,830. This recovery comes after a 4% decline on Wednesday, the second drop in three days, when it dipped to $59,672 amidst turbulence in Wall Street markets.

The collective market value of cryptocurrencies surged by $20 billion today, surpassing $2.375 trillion, buoyed by gains in Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Bitcoin’s dominance has strengthened as other AI-linked cryptocurrencies experienced declines in recent weeks. Its market share has risen to 55%, marking an increase of 1.35% last week and 2.5% in March, largely due to an influx of new investments.

Anticipation surrounding Bitcoin’s upcoming halving event has driven Google searches to record highs, surpassing the interest levels seen during the 2020 halving.

Meanwhile, US 10-year treasury yields have receded from their recent five-month highs, falling to 4.696%. This decline has provided support for non-yielding assets like Bitcoin.

As the market awaits further guidance on US interest rates, Crypto.com‘s CEO anticipates a wave of selling leading up to the halving event. However, in the long run, this event is expected to have a positive impact and add value to the cryptocurrency market.

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Recent data from analytics firm Santiment indicates a notable shift in sentiment within the crypto community, signaling a growing bearish inclination.

The sentiment within the crypto community regarding the trajectory of Bitcoin’s price appears to be turning bearish, according to metrics derived from social media activity. This trend, historically observed, often coincides with market bottoms.

As American poet and novelist Charles Bukowski famously remarked, “The masses are always wrong. Wisdom is doing everything the crowd does not do.” This adage holds true in the realm of cryptocurrency, where a burgeoning bearish sentiment towards Bitcoin (BTC) suggests that the current downtrend may be nearing its end.

Santiment, a blockchain analytics platform, noted in a recent market insights report that prices tend to move inversely to the expectations of the majority of traders. According to their analysis, the market could potentially bottom out either just before or shortly after the upcoming halving, anticipated within the next two days.

Santiment’s Social Trends indicator, which monitors discussions across platforms like Telegram, Reddit, and 4Chan, has revealed a decline in mentions related to “bull market” or “bull cycle” since late March. Conversely, there has been a steady increase in references to “bear market” or “bear cycle.”

The decline in mentions of phrases like “buy the dip” indicates a waning sense of optimism, known in crypto circles as “hopium,” among retail investors. Historically, such a decline has often signaled the conclusion of downtrends.

Bitcoin has faced various pressures this month, including diminishing prospects of Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, escalating geopolitical tensions, and U.S. tax payment deadlines. These factors have contributed to a 14% decline in its price, with the leading cryptocurrency briefly dropping below $60,000 before rebounding to around $61,200 at the time of writing.

With Bitcoin’s blockchain set to undergo its fourth mining reward halving, reducing the per-block BTC emission by 50% to 3.125 BTC, concerns about a further price decline have been raised by some analysts, including those at JPMorgan. However, the prevailing consensus remains bullish over the long term.

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In the volatile world of cryptocurrency, timing is everything. A recent example highlights the missed opportunities faced by some traders, particularly one long-time Dogecoin investor.

This investor, whose wallet had been accumulating DOGE since 2013, made a crucial decision to sell their tokens in late 2023, just before a significant price surge. Let’s delve into the details.

Initially investing a modest $146.87 in late 2013, the wallet amassed over 274,000 DOGE. Throughout 2014, further investments totaling around $5,000 were made, culminating in a final investment of $195.61 in early 2015.

During the subsequent years of dormancy, DOGE experienced a meteoric rise, particularly in 2021, fueled by social media hype and Elon Musk’s endorsements. At its peak, the wallet’s holdings soared to over $4 million.

However, the crypto market downturn in 2022 and 2023 saw DOGE’s value plummet by over 90%. Despite signs of recovery, the wallet’s owner chose to liquidate all tokens on Oct. 28, 2023, generating proceeds of $370,000.

Unfortunately, this timing proved suboptimal, as DOGE rallied soon after. Year to date, DOGE has surged over 60%, and since the sale date, it has soared more than 120%, reaching a peak of 23 cents in 2024.

Had the wallet held onto its tokens, it would have garnered an additional $450,000 in gains. Selling at the 2024 peak could have resulted in total proceeds of $1.25 million, underscoring the missed opportunity for significant profit.

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Aptos Labs, creators of the Aptos layer-1 blockchain, announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft(NASDAQ:MSFT), Brevan Howard, and South Korean telecommunications giant SK Telecom(NYSE:SKM) to provide institutional access to decentralized finance.

The partnership introduces Aptos Ascend, a comprehensive suite of institutional solutions facilitating regulatory compliance, privacy in transactions and accounts, and streamlined know-your-customer  processes.

In response to the growing demand for DeFi integration among large institutions, various layer 1 blockchain platforms, including Avalanche and NEAR, have pursued similar enterprise partnerships.

Utilizing Microsoft Azure and Azure OpenAI services, Aptos Ascend leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver financial solutions.

Brevan Howard will leverage its industry expertise to explore digital asset management opportunities for institutions and their clients, with support from Boston Consulting Group in implementing these solutions.

Mo Shaikh, co-founder and CEO of Aptos Labs, highlighted the collaborative effort’s goal of providing financial institutions with a secure, compliant, and scalable gateway to DeFi on the Aptos platform.

Aptos previously announced its utilization of Microsoft’s infrastructure to introduce innovative AI and blockchain-powered solutions, such as the Aptos Assistant chatbot.

Founded by former Meta(NASDAQ:META) employees, Aptos Labs continues to innovate at the intersection of AI and blockchain technology.

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