Citrea’s Bitcoin rollup has become a live experiment in whether BTC can support a full DeFi and stablecoin stack, and how much complexity Bitcoin should anchor at the base layer. Founders Fund and Galaxy Ventures-backed Bitcoin zero-knowledge rollup (ZK-rollup) Citrea launched its mainnet on Tuesday with BTC collateral lending, BTC-structured products and a new US dollar stablecoin, ctUSD. The launch is aimed at turning what Citrea calls “economically idle” Bitcoin (BTC) into base collateral for decentralized finance (DeFi) and payments, while anchoring more of that activity to Bitcoin’s base layer. The team expects active DeFi liquidity to reach $50 million in the first few weeks, with BTC lending, BTC-structured products, and decentralized trading already live from day one. Read more
Bitcoin has been called "digital gold," and some of its key properties may help BTC rally more than the precious metal in percentage terms. Bitcoin (BTC) has vastly underperformed gold (XAU) in the past year, dropping by 13.25% compared with the precious metal’s almost 100% rally. Can BTC catch up to gold’s gains? Key takeaways: Bitcoin’s supply is capped at 21 million, with about 1 million left to be mined. Read more
Heavy outflows from Bitcoin ETFs have diminished, putting BTC price in a better position to overcome the next hurdle at $93,000. Bitcoin’s (BTC) pre-FOMC rally on Wednesday stalled at $90,000 amid stiff overhead resistance and weak ETF demand. Still, several data points suggested that upward momentum may increase once the BTC/USD pair breaks above $93,000. Key takeaways: BTC bulls must flip the $90,000-$93,000 range into new support. Read more
Metaplanet said proceeds will be used for Bitcoin purchases, its Bitcoin income business and partial debt repayment as it executes its capital strategy. Tokyo-listed Bitcoin-focused company Metaplanet approved an overseas capital raise of as much as $137 million, combining new common shares and stock acquisition rights as it looks to expand its Bitcoin holdings and reduce debt. In a Thursday filing, Metaplanet said it plans to issue 24.5 million common shares at 499 Japanese yen per share, raising about 12.24 billion yen ($78 million) upfront. It also approved the issuance of 159,440 stock acquisition rights, representing up to 15.9 million additional shares, which could raise about $56 million if exercised. The warrants give investors the option to buy shares later at a fixed price above the current market level, but only over the next year. Both the shares and warrants will be sold privately to overseas investors, subject to routine closing conditions, according to the filing. Read more
The FOMC paused rate cuts, but a weakening dollar may be doing the easing instead, reshaping expectations for Bitcoin, crypto markets and US monetary policy. The US Federal Reserve voted to leave interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, a decision that was widely anticipated by investors. While the move signals a pause for now, market commentators suggest a path toward monetary easing could still emerge indirectly. Members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to hold the federal funds rate steady for the first time since July, keeping it in a range of 3.5% to 3.75%, while cautioning that inflation remains “somewhat elevated.” Two Fed officials dissented, voting in favor of an additional 25-basis-point rate cut. Read more
Bitcoin retreated from intraday highs after the US Fed left interest rates unchanged, but futures market data suggests traders may attempt to seize the short liquidity in BTC’s $93,500 range. Bitcoin (BTC) staged a quick rally to $90,600 on Wednesday, but the gains evaporated as the US Federal Reserve decision to forgo an interest rate cut was announced. Despite the whipsaw price action from Bitcoin, data shows traders eyeing a potential move to $93,500. One analyst said that the price level stands out as a key liquidation zone, with over $4 billion in leveraged short positions at risk of liquidation. Key takeaways: Over $4.5 billion in BTC short liquidations sit near $93,500, making it a possible stop-hunt level for traders. Read more
Bitcoin disappointed with an apparent failed breakout above $90,000 after gold soared to fresh highs and US dollar strength nosedived. Bitcoin (BTC) attempted a rebound past $90,000 at Wednesday’s Wall Street open as markets awaited US macro cues. Key points: Bitcoin struggles to hold a $90,000 uptick as gold surges and US dollar strength crumbles. Read more