Polymarket users bet Biden more likely to pardon SBF than Ross Ulbricht  

Crypto investor sentiment has seen a significant recovery from global tariff concerns, but analysts warn that the market’s structural weaknesses may still result in downside momentum during periods of weekend illiquidity.Risk appetite appeared to return among crypto investors this week after US President Donald Trump adopted a softer tone, saying that import tariffs on Chinese goods may “come down substantially.”However, the improved investor sentiment “does not guarantee that Bitcoin will avoid volatility over the weekend,” analysts from Bitfinex exchange told Cointelegraph:“Sentiment improvements reduce fragility, but they do not eliminate structural risks like thin weekend liquidity.” “Historically, weekends remain vulnerable to sharp moves — especially when open interest is high and market depth is low,” the analysts said, adding that unexpected macroeconomic news can still increase volatility during low liquidity periods.Related: Trump fought the bond market, the bond market won: Saifedean AmmousBitcoin (BTC) staged a near 11% recovery during the past week, but its rally has previously been limited by Sunday liquidity dynamics.BTC/USD, 1-year chart. Source: CointelegraphBitcoin fell below $75,000 on Sunday, April 6, despite initially decoupling from the US stock market’s $3.5 trillion drop on April 4 after US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that Trump’s tariffs may affect the economy and raise inflation.The correction was exacerbated by the lack of weekend liquidity and the fact that Bitcoin was the only large liquid asset available for de-risking, industry watchers told Cointelegraph.Related: US banks are ‘free to begin supporting Bitcoin’ — Michael Saylor“While improved sentiment creates a more stable foundation, cryptocurrency markets are still susceptible to rapid movements during periods of reduced trading volume,” according to Marcin Kazmierczak, co-founder and chief operating officer of RedStone blockchain oracle firm.“The sentiment recovery provides some cushioning, but traders should remain cautious as weekend liquidity constraints can still amplify price movements regardless of the current market mood,” he told Cointelegraph.Crypto investors may have “maxed out on tariff-related fears”Cryptocurrency markets may have priced in the full extent of tariff-related concerns, according to Aurelie Barthere, principal research analyst at crypto intelligence platform Nansen.“It feels like we’ve maxed out on tariff-related fear,” she told Cointelegraph, adding:“While many remain uncertain about where things are headed over the next month or so, it also seems like markets were just waiting for the slightest signal that we’re back in the game.”“Whether the rally is sustainable depends on whether we can break through previous resistance levels, at least in isolation. It could have legs, as markets now seem to believe there’s a ‘Trump put’ under equities, the US dollar and US Treasurys,” Barthere added, warning of more potential volatility amid the upcoming negotiations.Nansen previously predicted a 70% chance that crypto markets will bottom and start a recovery by June, but highlighted that the timing will depend on the outcome of tariff negotiations.The tariff negotiations may only be “posturing” for the US to reach a trade agreement with China, which may be the “big prize” for Trump’s administration, according to Raoul Pal, founder and CEO of Global Macro Investor.Magazine: Bitcoin’s odds of June highs, SOL’s $485M outflows, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 2 – 8

DeFi Development Corp (formerly Janover) aims to raise over $1 billion worth of capital to invest in Solana, the industry’s sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.The Nasdaq-listed firm, previously a real estate financing platform connecting commercial property lenders and buyers, announced its plans in a Form S-3 registration statement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on April 25.The filing states that the funds will be used for general corporate purposes, including Solana (SOL) token acquisitions.DeFi Development Corp S-3 filing. Source: SECAccording to the filing, the company may use proceeds from the offering to purchase more Solana, noting:“Solana does not pay interest, but staking rewards can be earned on Solana. The ability to generate a return on investment from the net proceeds from this offering will depend on whether there is appreciation in the value of Solana following our purchases of Solana with the net proceeds from this offering.”The company also warned that fluctuations in Solana’s price could lead to it converting the tokens into cash at a value “substantially below” the net proceeds raised.Related: Deloitte predicts $4T tokenized real estate on blockchain by 2035Janover was a real estate financing company connecting lenders and buyers of commercial properties before a team of former Kraken exchange executives bought 728,632 shares of its common stock on April 7. Joseph Onorati, former chief strategy officer at Kraken, has since been appointed as chairman and CEO.The announcement comes shortly after the leadership of DeFi Development Corp adopted a Solana treasury reserve, “by applying a proven public-market treasury model to an asset that’s earlier in its lifecycle, structurally reflexive, and vastly underexposed as compared to Bitcoins.”The firm’s new Solana investment treasury has drawn comparisons to Michael Saylor’s Strategy, which has amassed over 538,200 Bitcoin (BTC) as of April 20 — the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder.The firm’s board of directors approved the company’s Solana-focused treasury policy on April 4, authorizing long-term accumulation and the launch of Solana validators to enable the staking of its treasury asset.Parker White, the firm’s chief investment officer, who previously served as an engineering director at Kraken exchange, already runs a Solana validator with $75 million in delegated stake.Related: US banks are ‘free to begin supporting Bitcoin’ — Michael SaylorRegulatory concerns remain for Solana investmentWhile the Solana-focused treasury implementation marks a significant step for altcoin adoption, the firm remains concerned by the potential effects of opaque crypto regulations, according to the filing:“We may be subject to regulatory developments related to crypto assets and crypto asset markets, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.”The firm cites unclear regulations around digital assets, which may “adversely affect the price of Solana” and, in turn, impact “the market price of our common stock.”The firm noted that Solana’s potential “reclassifying” as a security remains a particular concern, which may lead to the firm being classified as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940.However, the firm’s share price has been benefiting from its Solana acquisitions. Its shares rose by over 12% when DeFi Development Corp added $11.5 million worth of Solana tokens to its treasury on April 22, Cointelegraph reported.“The decision by commercial property platform Janover to add SOL to its treasury is truly groundbreaking,” Chris Chung, founder of Solana-based swap platform Titan, told Cointelegraph. “I’m confident we will see many other businesses follow suit before long as crypto becomes increasingly adopted by traditional finance.” Magazine: Ripple says SEC lawsuit ‘over,’ Trump at DAS, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 16 – 22

Over $4 trillion worth of real estate could be tokenized on blockchain networks during the next decade, potentially offering investors greater access to property ownership opportunities, according to a new report.The Deloitte Center for Financial Services predicts that over $4 trillion worth of real estate may be tokenized by 2035, up from less than $300 billion in 2024. The report, published April 24, estimates a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 27%.The $4 trillion of tokenized property is predicted to stem from the benefits of blockchain-based assets, as well as a structural shift across real estate and property ownership.Global tokenized real estate value, growth predictions. Source: Deloitte“Real estate itself is undergoing transformation. Post-pandemic work-from-home trends, climate risk, and digitization have reshaped property fundamentals,” according to Chris Yin, co-founder of Plume Network, a blockchain built for real-world assets (RWAs).“Office buildings are being repurposed into AI data centers, logistics hubs and energy-efficient residential communities,” Yin told Cointelegraph.“Investors want targeted access to these modern use cases, and tokenization enables programmable, customizable exposure to such evolving asset profiles,” he said.Related: Blockchain needs regulation, scalability to close AI hiring gapThe uncertainty triggered by US President Donald Trump’s import tariffs has boosted investor interest in the RWA tokenization sector, which involves minting financial products and tangible assets on a blockchain.Both stablecoins and RWAs have attracted significant capital as safe-haven assets amid the global trade concerns, Juan Pellicer, senior research analyst at IntoTheBlock, told Cointelegraph.The tariff concerns also led tokenized gold volume to surpass $1 billion in trading volume on April 10, its highest level since March 2023 when a US banking crisis saw the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the voluntary liquidation of Silvergate BankRelated: US banks are ‘free to begin supporting Bitcoin’ — Michael SaylorBlockchain innovation could drive regulatory clarityGrowing RWA adoption may inspire a more welcoming stance from global regulators, Yin said.“While regulation is a hurdle, regulation follows usage,” he explained, likening tokenization to Uber’s growth before widespread regulatory acceptance:“Tokenization is similar — as demand increases, regulatory clarity will follow.”He added that making tokenized products compliant with a wide range of international regulations is key to unlocking broader market access. However, some industry watchers are skeptical about the benefits introduced by tokenized real estate.The Truth Behind Tokenization and RWA panel. Source: Paris Blockchain Week“I don’t think tokenization should have its eyes directly set on real estate,” said Securitize chief operating officer Michael Sonnenshein at Paris Blockchain Week 2025.“I’m sure there are all kinds of efficiencies that can be unlocked using blockchain technology to eliminate middlemen, escrow, and all kinds of things in real estate. But I think today, what the onchain economy is demanding are more liquid assets,” he added. Magazine: Ripple says SEC lawsuit ‘over,’ Trump at DAS, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 16 – 22