Bitcoin Price Watch: $85K Pivot Sets Stage for Weekend Fireworks
On the 1‑hour chart, bitcoin‘s price action carved a brisk climb from $84,310 to $85,432 before easing into a brief consolidation just above the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement at $84,739. Market depth showed bids thickening near that golden‑ratio level, and short‑term momentum cooled without collapsing—hinting that traders may reload longs if bitcoin retests the $84,700–$84,900 pocket with light sell volume. A decisive hourly close above $85,400 would quicken a push toward the week’s $86,000 liquidity node, whereas a slip under $84,300 would invite probes of deeper support.
BTC/USD on Bitstamp 1H chart on April 19, 2025.
Zooming out to the 4‑hour timeframe, bitcoin has tracked a modest series of higher lows since bouncing off $83,031, while sellers cap advances near $86,450. This sideways‑to‑up channel suggests accumulation rather than exhaustion. Volume surges accompany both rallies and pullbacks, indicating balanced two‑way interest. A sustained hold above the midpoint at $85,000 shifts the bias toward testing the upper boundary, with a clean breakout projecting to the late‑March swing high around $88,000. Failure to defend $83,000, however, would likely drag price toward the $80,000 psychological shelf traders watched last month.
BTC/USD on Bitstamp 4H chart on April 19, 2025.
The daily chart paints a broader recovery narrative after April’s retreat to $74,434. Bitcoin has since reclaimed more than half that drawdown and now flirts with the 23.6% retracement at $85,388—an area that often decides whether relief rallies mature into fresh impulsive advances. The bullish engulfing candle posted near the low underscored strong dip demand, and follow‑through buying has kept the market on pace to revisit the $88,772 yearly peak. Still, traders will eye $81,603, the 50% daily retracement, as critical support should macro headwinds appear.
BTC/USD on Bitstamp 1D chart on April 19, 2025.
Oscillator readings largely echo equilibrium. The relative strength index (RSI) sits at 53, the Stochastic oscillator at 87, the commodity channel index (CCI) at 81, the average directional index (ADX) at 13, and the Awesome oscillator at 1,045—all signaling neutrality rather than trend exhaustion. Momentum (MOM) at 2,720 flashes a sell bias, implying waning upside speed, while the moving average convergence divergence (MACD) prints a positive 45, tilting slightly bullish. The mixed tableau counsels patience: traders can wait for either MOM to revert or MACD to fade before adopting a high‑conviction stance.
Moving‑average (MA) gauges lean constructive but not unequivocal. Short‑term exponential moving averages (EMA 10 / 20 / 30) and simple moving averages (SMA 10 / 20 / 30) cluster between $82,799 and $83,973, each flashing optimism and providing a cushion beneath spot price. The EMA 50 at $85,327 issues a bearish signal, hinting that bitcoin must clear that hurdle decisively to unlock space toward $88,000, while the SMA 50 at $84,221 offers intermediate support. Higher‑frame signals conflict: the EMA 100 and SMA 100, sitting at $87,414 and $91,061, remain in bearish territory, yet the EMA 200 at $85,008 switches back to the bullish range. Traders should thus track any crossovers between the EMA 50 and EMA 200 for early trend confirmation.
Fibonacci retracement grids across the three timeframes converge into two zones of tactical interest. On the micro side, overlapping 50 – 61.8% bands on the 1‑hour and 4‑hour charts frame $84,337 to $84,871—a likely reload region for dip buyers. On the macro canvas, the daily 50% mark at $81,603 aligns with the psychologically potent $80,000 handle and the 61.8% level at $79,911, mapping an attractive swing‑entry basin if a deeper pullback materializes. Conversely, conquering the daily 23.6% line at $85,388 would open a technical glide path toward $88,772, the last resistance before uncharted territory.
If bitcoin defends the $84,300–$85,000 cushion and secures a clear hourly close above $85,400, upside momentum could carry the price toward the $88,000 swing high and potentially new territory beyond.
A decisive break below $83,000 would tip the balance to sellers, inviting a drift to the 50 percent daily retracement at $81,603 and perhaps the 61.8 percent level near $79,900, with $74,434 waiting as the last major support.
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Telegram Founder Slams ‘Misinformation’ as France Quietly Starts Playing by EU Rules
Telegram founder Pavel Durov pushed back against a media narrative on Thursday, criticizing a French report that claimed his detention last summer led to Telegram’s compliance with European Union laws.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, Durov argued that the messaging platform has always adhered to legal obligations within the European Union and took issue with the assertion that any regulatory changes came as a result of his time in custody. Emphasizing that the report misrepresented the facts and unfairly shifted blame, he said:
Telegram has always been compliant with EU laws.
Durov also contended that it was actually French law enforcement that only recently began following the proper procedures outlined by the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). “After last August, it was the French police that finally started to ‘comply with European rules’ — by sending their requests to Telegram in the legal way described by the EU’s Digital Services Act,” he explained.
As a result of this procedural shift, he added, French courts have successfully accessed user information from Telegram to assist criminal investigations. The Telegram founder clarified that this official method of contacting Telegram had been publicly accessible long before his detention, stating: “The information about this legal way to reach us could be obtained on our apps, website or just by googling ‘telegram eu police’ — long before my detainment in France.”
While expressing continued respect for France and its police institutions, Durov said he felt compelled to correct public misconceptions. The Telegram founder stressed:
I love France and respect its police force, so I didn’t want to embarrass anyone by pointing out the above. But I cannot ignore when such obvious misinformation about Telegram is spread.
His arrest in France in August 2024 had drawn global attention. He was taken into custody on charges including complicity in child exploitation and drug trafficking, stemming from allegations that Telegram had failed to adequately moderate illegal content. Although released under judicial supervision with a travel ban, a judge later granted temporary travel permission. The case has fueled ongoing international debate about the responsibilities of tech platforms. Durov reiterated the app’s proactive regulatory stance: “Telegram is the 2nd most popular messaging app in the world. We spend millions of dollars every year to ensure our compliance with laws across the globe. In the EU in particular, we always start preparing to comply with laws years before they even come into force.”
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Slovenia Proposes 25% Crypto Tax That Could Redefine EU Markets
Slovenia’s Ministry of Finance released a draft bill Thursday in Ljubljana proposing a 25% tax on profits from crypto asset disposals, opening the measure to public discussion through May 5, 2025. The initiative, introduced by the Ministry of Finance Directorate for the Tax, Customs and Other Public Revenue System, is part of a broader effort to harmonize Slovenian tax law with international standards. The proposed rules aim to enhance regulatory clarity while minimizing administrative burdens on taxpayers. The official text, as translated by Google, outlines the conditions under which individuals must report gains and how those gains will be assessed.
Under the proposal, the tax applies to profits earned from converting crypto assets into fiat currency, using them for goods or services, or transferring them to another person. The Ministry defined these actions as “disposals,” and excluded crypto-for-crypto exchanges or wallet transfers involving the same holder. The draft emphasizes:
The tax is calculated and paid at a proportional rate of 25 percent.
The tax base is the profit realized in the tax year, calculated as the difference between the value at disposal and value at acquisition. Taxpayers must keep detailed records of all acquisitions and disposals and present them to tax authorities upon request.
The bill includes an optional simplified method for calculating income tax on crypto-related activities over the past five years. Under this option, the tax base is set at 40% of the combined value of crypto assets as of Dec. 31, 2025, and the total value of crypto asset disposals during that period, whether exchanged for fiat currency, goods, or services.
The Ministry also proposed changes to the taxation of derivative financial instruments to align with Slovenia’s Capital Market Development Strategy for 2023–2030. These would mirror the crypto tax rate and structure, offering a uniform approach. The Ministry stated:
We propose taxation for these instruments at a proportional rate of 25 percent, regardless of the holding period or the time that has passed since the transaction was concluded.
Both legislative drafts represent an effort to modernize Slovenia’s approach to taxing evolving financial assets.
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Ripple Enters Broker-Dealer Arena as Hidden Road Gains FINRA Authorization
Hidden Road, a global prime brokerage firm recently acquired by Ripple for $1.25 billion, announced a regulatory milestone Thursday. Its subsidiary, Hidden Road Partners CIV US LLC, received authorization from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to operate as a broker-dealer.
This new designation allows the firm to enhance its capabilities in fixed income prime brokerage. “This approval enables Hidden Road to expand its recently launched fixed income prime brokerage platform, which currently includes Fixed Income Repo & Global Funding services,” the company stated, adding:
As a broker-dealer, Hidden Road will now be able to provide new and existing institutional clients with a full suite of regulatory-compliant prime brokerage, clearing, and financing services in fixed income assets.
Noel Kimmel, president of Hidden Road, framed the milestone as pivotal to the firm’s trajectory in capital markets. Kimmel stated: “Our broker-dealer registration is a significant step in the development of Hidden Road’s fixed income prime brokerage platform and bolsters our capabilities in traditional financial markets.” The executive continued: “As a FINRA member, we will be able to bring our best-in-class, technology-driven fixed income service offering to an expanded universe of institutional clients. Our business has tremendous momentum, and we look forward to continuing to provide superior execution and support to our clients amidst today’s exceptionally dynamic market environment.”
Ripple recently announced its acquisition of Hidden Road, a deal valued at $1.25 billion and pending regulatory approval. If completed, it would make Ripple the first digital asset firm to own a global, multi-asset prime broker. The acquisition aims to expand Ripple’s cross-border payment and custody services. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse commented: “We are at an inflection point for the next phase of digital asset adoption – the U.S. market is effectively open for the first time due to the regulatory overhang of the former SEC coming to an end, and the market is maturing to address the needs of traditional finance.”
Ripple CTO David Schwartz described the deal as transformative, stating that XRP could support part of Hidden Road’s daily $10 billion clearing volume and 50 million transactions. “Ripple’s acquisition of Hidden Road is a defining moment for the XRP Ledger and XRP,” he said. The partnership will integrate blockchain-based settlement, use XRP and RLUSD for collateral and cross-asset trades, and aim to establish Hidden Road as the largest non-bank prime broker globally.
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Coinbase Clashes With Oregon in Surprise Crypto Lawsuit After SEC Exit
Crypto exchange Coinbase revealed on April 18 that it is facing a new securities enforcement action from Oregon’s Attorney General, a move the company strongly condemned as legally baseless and politically motivated. The company’s chief legal officer, Paul Grewal, shared the news in a blog post, stating:
We’ve learned that today he will file a securities enforcement action against Coinbase asserting the same stale, repeatedly refuted theories that the SEC rightly disavowed (with prejudice) when it dismissed its case against Coinbase.
Grewal argued that Oregon’s approach disregards recent legal developments and public sentiment, calling it an effort to relitigate settled issues. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) dismissed its lawsuit against Coinbase with prejudice on Feb. 27, preventing it from being refiled. The dismissal, which imposed no fines or business changes, reflects a shift toward a more crypto-friendly stance under the Trump administration.
Coinbase framed the lawsuit as a serious threat to ongoing efforts in Congress to establish national clarity around digital asset regulations. Grewal maintained that both Democrats and Republicans are making headway toward bipartisan federal legislation, and accused Oregon of undermining that process: “Yet instead of waiting for Democrats and Republicans in Congress to enact clear rules of the road, Oregon has taken it upon itself to try to regulate a worldwide industry through enforcement.” He portrayed the action as a relic of an earlier era of crypto regulation and asserted that it impedes progress. “Oregon’s holdout campaign is obstruction for the sake of obstruction,” he stated.
The Coinbase legal chief also shared on social media platform X: “In case you think I’m jumping to conclusions, the AG’s office made it clear to us that they are literally picking up where the Gary Gensler SEC left off. Seriously.” He opined: “This is exactly the opposite of what Americans should be focused on right now. We’ve never been closer to bipartisan legislation for digital assets and this backward lawsuit does nothing to protect consumers or solidify American leadership.”
Despite the legal challenge, Coinbase reassured users in Oregon and elsewhere that its operations remain unaffected. Grewal emphasized the company’s readiness to challenge the state in court:
Let there be no doubt: Oregon’s lawsuit, like the SEC’s, is meritless, and Coinbase will do whatever is required to beat it.
He concluded by affirming the company’s commitment to the crypto industry and its user base: “We do not and will never shrink from fighting injustice, and we will never stop standing up for our customers and the industry.”
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