By Frank Martin (MoneyAmped.com)
Over the last seven days, several crypto-related developments have happened, with some causing major price shifts in the markets. Here are the top stories from March 24th to 31st.
US President Pardons BitMEX Co-Founders
On March 28th, news outlet CNBC reported that US President Donald Trump had pardoned three BitMEX co-founders, Samuel Reed, Arthur Hayes, and Benjamin Delo. The trio was charged with violating the Bank Secrecy Act while operating the crypto exchange.
Delo and Hayes entered a plea in February 2022, while Reed pleaded guilty in March of the same year.
Analysts Says Bitcoin Could Hit a New ATM Sooner Than Expected
Despite growing concerns over Trump’s international trade policies, analysts at Real Vision have insisted that Bitcoin will soon cross $109k to set a new all-time high (ATM). According to the firm’s chief crypto researcher, Jamie Coutts, the chances of Bitcoin reaching a new ATM before the end of quarter two are high, although many retail investors are pessimistic.
He adds that BTC could enter new territory regardless of the growing fears over recession or uncertainty on Trump’s tariffs.
SBF Transferred to Transit Facility After Controversial Interview
On Friday, the Federal Bureau of Prisons officials moved the founder of FTX exchange, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), to a transit facility two weeks after his controversial interview with politicial journalist Tucker Carlson.
Earlier this month, Carlson interviewed SBF remotely, with the FTX founder explaining the events that caused his exchange to collapse. After the interview, SBF was sent to solitary confinement and later to a transit facility, awaiting to be moved to another unknown location.
UAE Announces Plans to Create a Digital Dirham
Before the end of 2025, the United Arab Emirates could launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The UAE’s Central Bank governor, Khaled Mohamed Balama, told Khaleej Times on Thursday that the digital dirham could be launched in the fourth quarter to enhance financial inclusion.
ZachXBT Accuses Popular Exchange of Manipulating Its Native Token’s Supply
Last Tuesday, Onchain investigator ZachXBT accused Crypto.com of manipulating the supply of its native coin CRO. He revealed that the exchange reissued over 60 billion CRO tokens burned four years ago. According to him, Crypto.com’s move undermines Web3 principles of transparency and decentralization.
Following ZachXBT’s allegations, several crypto enthusiasts have called out Crypto.com, with some demanding the exchange to burn the reissued tokens.
Analysts Say XRP Could Fall 40% Before Rallying Again
Analysts at Cointelegraph have warned that XRP could plunge 40% in the coming days after noticing the completion of a bearish setup on the token’s weekly price chart. These analysts argue that the implementation of US tariffs on various US trading partners on April 2nd could fuel bearish momentum, leading to a price drop below major support levels.
Report: Lazarus Group Began Planning Attack on Bybit in Mid-2024
According to a recent report by onchain analytics company Chainalysis, North Korean cybercriminal organization Lazarus Group paused its activities in June to plan for what became the biggest hack in crypto history.
The firm noted that the group didn’t attack any crypto project during the second half of last year despite an increase in hacks, thus raising red flags, which suggested that it was preparing for something big.
Darkweb Actor Claims to Possess Confidential Info for 100k Users of Binance and Gemini
A user (AKM69) on the Dark Web Informer website claimed on March 27th that they had confidential details of over 100,000 users of crypto exchanges Binance and Gemini. The details include names, phone numbers, emails, and locations of the users. The darkweb actor has asked interested buyers to send their bids.
Winners and Losers
BTC is down 5.3% in the last seven days, according to CoinGecko data. It trades at $82,657, while Ethereum is priced at $1,832 after dropping 12.1%.
Top gainers this week include Zcash, which is up 20%, and Berachain, which has surged 27%. Meanwhile, Hyperliquid and PancakeSwap have seen the most losses, plummeting 15% and 21%, respectively.
