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Haun Ventures raises $1B, expands to AI-driven crypto investing

Haun Ventures has raised $1 billion to back crypto startups across early and late stages, marking a strategic expansion into artificial intelligence for the first time. The fund centers on three pillars—crypto financial infrastructure, tokenization, and AI agents—an approach founder Katie Haun calls part of the “new economy.” In a blog post published on Monday, Haun, a former U.S. government prosecutor turned crypto executive, said this is the most dynamic period in technology and finance she has witnessed. “The foundations of capital, commerce and trust are undergoing meaningful structural changes,” she wrote, adding that founders who can see across all of it—and build accordingly—will define the entrepreneurs of this era. Key takeaways Haun Ventures raises $1 billion to support crypto startups and expands into artificial intelligence for the first time, focusing on crypto infrastructure, tokenization, and AI agents. The firm frames these three areas as components of the “new econ...
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US Banks Say Stablecoin Proposal Falls Short on Bank Deposits

The banking industry is pushing back against the latest draft of the CLARITY Act, arguing that its language on stablecoin yields does not adequately protect ordinary bank deposits. In a coordinated Monday statement, the American Bankers Association joined several industry groups to say the proposed provisions fall short of the policy goal of prohibiting stablecoin yield in ways that could undermine traditional banking funding models. The groups—comprising the American Bankers Association, the Bank Policy Institute, the Consumer Bankers Association, the Financial Services Forum and the Independent Community Bankers of America—emphasized that Congress must get the policy right. They warned that any loopholes could enable platforms to offer bank-like interest on crypto balances outside established regulations, thereby threatening the stability of the banking system and the safety of deposits. Key takeaways The CLARITY Act’s current Section 404 is seen by banking coalitions as insufficient...
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Aave seeks court relief to unfreeze ETH under restraining notice

Aave, the decentralized finance protocol, has filed an emergency motion in a New York court to vacate a restraining notice that would block Arbitrum DAO from transferring 30,766 Ether to the victims of the Kelp DAO exploit. Gerstein Harrow LLP served the notice on Arbitrum DAO last Friday, claiming its clients hold default judgments against North Korea worth about $877 million and that the Kelp hacker group had possession of the stolen tokens, giving a legal claim over the Ether. Aave contends that theft does not confer ownership and argues that North Korea is only suspected to be involved, calling the notice “logically and legally incoherent.” Meanwhile, Arbitrum DAO has been voting on whether to release the Ether to support DeFi United, an industry-wide coordination effort aiming to restore rsETH holders and backing after the roughly $292 million Kelp DAO hack on April 18. The voting window closes on May 7, with the outcome shaping how the DeFi ecosystem responds to the incident. Key...
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Western Union Deploys USDPT on Solana, Expands Stablecoin Payments

Western Union has taken a formal step into blockchain-enabled payments by launching USDPT, a US dollar-denominated stablecoin, on the Solana network. The pilot rollout targets Bolivia and the Philippines, with the company aiming to extend USDPT to more than 40 countries in 2026. The stablecoin is issued by Anchorage Digital, described as the first federally regulated crypto bank in the United States, and Fireblocks is providing the wallet and settlement rails that underpin the on-chain payments component. Western Union also intends to list USDPT on licensed crypto exchanges, integrating them with its broader payments and liquidity infrastructure. Industry observers view the move as a notable milestone in regulated digital assets entering core remittance rails, particularly as the GENIUS Act fosters a more accommodating regulatory landscape for stablecoins. Other remittance firms have begun dabbling in stablecoins, including MoneyGram’s USDC rollout in Colombia and Zelle’s announced pla...
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Bitcoin tracks risk-on as stocks rise and miner profits surge

Bitcoin extended a fresh rally, testing the $80,000 level for the first time in three months as miners’ profitability improves and large ETF inflows buoy sentiment. The move came with about $270 million in liquidations on leveraged short futures, signaling near-term buying pressure even as risk assets move in tandem with tech shares. Across markets, Bitcoin still trades well below its October peak around $126,200, keeping investors wary of a full-blown breakout. Yet the latest data points suggest a constructive setup for bulls: rising on-chain profitability for miners, a rebound in market share versus altcoins, and renewed institutional demand into BTC and ETH ETFs. The Bitcoin-to-altcoin dynamic appears to be shifting back toward BTC as investors reassess risk and liquidity conditions in the space. Key takeaways Mining profitability has improved to about $37 per day for a one pentahash/second unit, the highest in months, even as total hashrate has declined roughly 13% in the past quar...
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World Liberty Sues Justin Sun for Defamation in WLFI Dispute

World Liberty Financial has filed a defamation lawsuit in Florida against Justin Sun, the Tron founder, intensifying a public fight between the Trump-family-backed crypto platform and one of its largest investors. The Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County is the venue for the complaint, which accuses Sun of making false public statements about WLFI and of violating the project’s token-sale terms through alleged prohibited transfers, short-selling and straw purchases. The filing seeks a court-ordered retraction and damages. Sun responded on X, describing the lawsuit as a “meritless PR stunt” and saying he looked forward to defeating the case in court. The action comes less than two weeks after Sun sued World Liberty over the freezing of his WLFI tokens, underscoring a broader clash over token controls and governance at WLFI. In the broader context, WLFI has faced increasing scrutiny over its governance structure and the power dynamics surrounding its token. The project pr...
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Bitcoin Near Break-Even Cost Basis as $80K Flips to First-Time Support

Bitcoin touched a fresh three-month high near $80,500 on Monday, testing a key resistance zone for the first time since late January. The move leaves BTC just below the short-term holder cost basis of about $81,486, a threshold many traders view as a potential accelerator for further gains if price can close above it. A daily close above roughly $81,500 would be seen as a bullish signal, potentially firming up $80,000 as a new base and opening room for the next leg toward the mid-to-upper $80,000s. Key takeaways Bitcoin hits a three-month high around $80,500, with the next critical hurdle near $81,500–$81,486, the short-term holder cost basis. The market is showing a shift in on-chain dynamics: short-term holder losses have narrowed, and coins are increasingly moving in profit, while long-term holders remain reluctant to distribute. On-chain metrics point to a thinning overhead supply: SOPR has climbed above 1, indicating coins are being moved at a profit, led by long-term holder...
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