Metaverse Future Lies in the Hands of Creators and Brands, Say The Sandbox Co-founders

Circle, a USDC issuer, is considering delaying its IPO due to concerns about its partnership with Coinbase. Meanwhile, MicroStrategy is steadily increasing its Bitcoin treasury, aiming to reach 3% of the total supply. Bakkt Holdings faces a class action lawsuit for allegedly misrepresenting its crypto revenue stability.

The SEC issued guidance stating that certain dollar-pegged stablecoins are not considered securities, as long as they meet specific criteria. However, the statement did not address yield-bearing or algorithmic stablecoins. The coins must be redeemable one-to-one for USD and backed by low-risk, liquid assets.

Coinbase stock hit a seven-month low due to the U.S. equities market reacting to President Trump's tariff announcements. Other crypto-related stocks, including Bitcoin miners and non-miners like Tesla and Block, also experienced significant losses during the market selloff.

Tariffs announced by President Trump have caused market uncertainty, leading investors to consider cryptocurrencies as a safe-haven. Companies like Circle are going public, signaling growing interest in the crypto industry.

The Trump administration's focus on granting crypto firms access to U.S. bank accounts has led to regulatory changes by the OCC and FDIC. However, crypto-friendly institutions like Kraken Bank and Custodia Bank are still awaiting approval for Federal Reserve master accounts.

P2P.me, a blockchain-based service, allows users to pay in stablecoins by using a network of middlemen to convert USDC to fiat. With no traditional identity checks, the service prioritizes privacy and self-custody, attracting users in countries with alternative payment methods like QR codes.

EigenLayer, a prominent Ethereum startup, faced criticism for lacking the crucial feature of slashing upon its launch last year. The introduction of slashing on April 17 will complete the protocol, allowing apps to penalize bad actors and reward compliant operators.

Neon Machine's Shrapnel is facing financial troubles, with unpaid debts, layoffs, and a significant net loss in 2024. Despite a fundraising attempt, the studio has conducted multiple rounds of layoffs and is struggling to stay afloat.

Malicious packages named "bitcoinlibdbfix" and "bitcoinlib-dev" posed a threat to users of the bitcoinlib Python library. These packages attempted to extract sensitive database files by overwriting legitimate commands. The malware was detected and removed, safeguarding developers from potential risks.

Bitcoin's price fluctuated due to China imposing a 34% import tax on U.S. products, while major altcoins like XRP and Solana saw positive gains. The S&P 500 experienced its worst day since June 2020 amid escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China.