RLUSD debuts on prominent crypto exchange OKX, offering broader access to the Ripple-affiliated stablecoin for US residents.
Ripple announced this team-up in an X post on Tuesday, with OKX confirming the development. The collaboration saw RLUSD go live on the exchange, allowing users to trade the stablecoin across more than 280 spot trading pairs, including RLUSD/XRP.
Key Points
RLUSD debuts on prominent crypto exchange OKX, offering broader access across over 280 trading pairs.
The move strengthens RLUSD’s presence across spot and derivatives markets, placing it as a strong contender against major stablecoins like USDT and USDC.
Users can now leverage RLUSD as an institution-grade margin collateral for derivative positions, including perpetual futures.
The system operates through the XRP Ledger, where deposits and withdrawals are handled directly.
OKX is integrating RLUSD directly on the Unified Order Books, allowing participants to use the stablecoin across both spot and derivatives markets within a single system.
RLUSD Launches On OKX
Notably, the move strengthens RLUSD’s presence across spot and derivatives markets. OKX accounts for a significant share of the industry’s total trading activity, and its availability on the exchange makes it more accessible.
Ripple launched RLUSD in December 2024, and it has grown to a market capitalization of $1.57 billion, operating on both Ethereum and the XRP Ledger. Despite this, it lags behind the sector leaders, Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC. The debut expands its reach, placing RLUSD as a serious contender in the stablecoin space.
RLUSD Expands into Derivatives and Collateral Use
Beyond spot availability, the integration introduces a more advanced use case. Users can now leverage RLUSD as an institution-grade margin collateral for derivative positions. In select markets, the stablecoin will also be available for perpetual futures. This allows OKX users to deploy the stablecoin more efficiently without needing to shift funds between different platforms.
The system operates through the XRP Ledger, where deposits and withdrawals are handled directly. The minting and redemption processes also occur directly on the network, helping to maintain consistent liquidity across the platform.
Additionally, institutional participants can deposit, trade, and manage RLUSD stablecoins via the OKX Prime services.
Demand for RLUSD Fueled Integration
Reacting to the integration, Jack McDonald, Ripple’s senior vice president of stablecoins, noted that demand for RLUSD is rising among both institutional participants and crypto-focused users. This is particularly for use as high-quality collateral in more complex financial setups.
OKX CIO Jason Lau also noted that OKX aims to support the best stablecoins in the space, and RLUSD appears to be one of them. Furthermore, it has proven to be a reliable alternative for institutions globally as their stablecoin of choice.
OKX, which reports serving over 120 million users globally, is integrating RLUSD directly on the Unified Order Books. This allows participants to use the stablecoin across both spot and derivatives markets within a single system, making capital allocation more flexible and reducing the need to move assets between accounts.
The development comes just after Ripple announced that Ripple Prime clients can now use RLUSD to trade Bitcoin options on Bullish.
Ripple Prime clients can now trade BTC options on @Bullish — and use $RLUSD to trade. Institutional crypto, fully integrated. https://t.co/7T19BFg0wZ
The exchange noted that the integration provides Ripple Prime’s institutional clients direct access to its regulated BTC options markets, which is the second largest by open interest among crypto-settled Bitcoin options.
With Shiba Inu posting a 54% loss over the past year, investors are now questioning whether SHIB can create new millionaires this year.
Since the inception of cryptocurrencies, only a handful of digital assets have embodied the “overnight millionaire” narrative. Interestingly, Shiba Inu ranks among the most notable examples.
At the time, Shiba Inu surged more than 150 million percent from its launch price to an all-time high of $0.00008845 in just 14 months. As the rally accelerated, SHIB became one of the most discussed assets in the crypto industry.
However, 2026 presents a completely different environment. The crypto market has matured significantly, and investors now focus more on utility, tokenomics, and real-world adoption rather than on pure hype cycles.
Since social media frenzy largely fueled SHIB’s historic rally, many investors are now asking a critical question:
Can Shiba Inu still create millionaires in 2026, or has the era of SHIB-made millionaires already ended?
Key Points
Shiba Inu has declined roughly 10% year-to-date, fueling renewed skepticism about its ability to create new millionaires in 2026.
Turning a $1,000 investment into $1 million would require an extreme 1,000x surge, which appears highly unrealistic under current market conditions.
Even a larger $50,000 position would still need a 20x rally to reach millionaire status.
Forecasts for 2026 from multiple analysts place SHIB within a projected range of $0.000004 to $0.00005.
Shiba Inu Price Current Market Reality
In 2026, Shiba Inu trades in a dramatically different environment from the one that fueled its explosive 2021 rally. For most of the year, SHIB has hovered around the $0.000006 region.
Currently, Shiba Inu trades at approximately $0.000006214. Although the token still experiences volatility, the parabolic price action that once defined SHIB has cooled considerably. In fact, the token has already declined by roughly 10% since the start of the year, reflecting weak market momentum.
Meanwhile, liquidity dynamics paint a concerning picture. More SHIB tokens are flowing into exchanges, which creates selling pressure on the asset.
Specifically, data from CryptoQuant shows that Shiba Inu recorded a net flow of 143.19 billion tokens to exchanges over the past 24 hours, representing a 2.27% increase. Additionally, approximately 81.53 trillion SHIB currently sit on exchanges, further intensifying sell-side pressure.
Shiba Inu net flow
Trading volume also remains far below the euphoric levels that once powered SHIB’s historic rallies. Currently, volume has dropped 4.2% over the past 24 hours to around $82 million. Notably, these metrics highlight a broader shift in SHIB’s market identity.
SHIB is no longer a tiny-cap speculative token capable of delivering astronomical percentage gains from modest capital inflows. Instead, it has matured into a large-cap crypto asset characterized by slower price movements and increasingly institutionalized trading behavior.
Why Millionaire Gains Are Harder Now
During its early growth phase, Shiba Inu benefited from an extremely low market capitalization. The token, which began trading at $0.000000001335 in 2022, surged to around $0.00008845 by 2021.
Then, even small amounts of capital entering the ecosystem could trigger enormous percentage gains, a dynamic that allowed early investors to generate extraordinary returns.
However, SHIB now operates on a much larger scale. It currently has a circulating supply of approximately 589.24 trillion tokens, giving it a market capitalization of around $3.65 billion.
Given this enormous supply and valuation, meaningful price appreciation now requires substantially larger capital inflows than in previous cycles.
For example, popular price targets such as $0.0001 and $0.01 would require massive rallies. From the current Shiba Inu price of $0.000006214, SHIB would need to rise roughly 1,509% to reach $0.0001 and about 160,826% to hit $0.01.
These targets would also imply enormous market caps. At $0.0001, SHIB’s valuation would reach approximately $58.92 billion, while $0.01 would push it to about $5.89 trillion.
While not impossible, these figures show why expectations of another 100x or 1,000x surge are increasingly detached from economic reality.
SHIBA INU Price Predictions 2026
Despite SHIB’s underwhelming performance this year, several analysts and platforms have issued price forecasts for SHIB’s December 2026 price.
Changelly
According to crypto trading platform Changelly, SHIB will likely continue trading with five leading zeros throughout 2026. The platform projects a base-case target of $0.00000756 and a bullish target of $0.00000869 by December 2026.
Changelly 2026 Price Prediction
Telegaon
Prediction platform Telegaon has also outlined multiple targets for SHIB. Specifically, Telegaon expects the token to trade between $0.00000631 and $0.0000143 during the remainder of 2026.
Telegaon 2026 Prediction for Shiba Inu
ChatGPT and Whale Scan
AI chatbots such as ChatGPT have also weighed in on SHIB’s outlook. Notably, ChatGPT’s forecast remains cautious, with its bearish scenario suggesting SHIB could decline to around $0.000004–$0.000005 by year-end.
However, its extreme bullish case puts SHIB at $0.00005 under highly speculative market conditions.
ChatGPT 2026 Price Projection
In addition, on-chain analytics platform Whale Scan predicts that SHIB could eventually eliminate one zero from its price. The platform forecasts a range between $0.00003 and $0.00005 by December 2026.
Although some projections anticipate moderate upside, most forecasts still point toward incremental gains rather than life-changing wealth for average investors.
What Would It Take to Create New SHIB Millionaires in 2026?
To determine whether Shiba Inu can still create millionaires, it is important to examine the numbers directly.
Scenario A: Small Investor Seeking to Turn $1,000 Into $1 Million
For a $1,000 investment to grow into $1 million, SHIB would need to deliver a 1,000x return. That would require the token’s price to climb to $0.006214, potentially pushing SHIB’s market capitalization to nearly $3.66 trillion.
Although SHIB has posted extraordinary gains in the past, achieving another 1,000x rally in the current market conditions appears highly unrealistic in a short timeframe.
Scenario B: Mid and Large-Level Investor ($10,000–$50,000)
For investors entering the market with mid or larger positions, the math becomes slightly more realistic, though still challenging. A $10,000 investment would require a 100x gain to reach millionaire status, while a $50,000 position would need a 20x rally.
Specifically, SHIB would need to rise to approximately $0.0006214 to turn a $10,000 portfolio into $1 million. Similarly, the token would need to reach roughly $0.000124 to transform a $50,000 investment into $1 million.
While extreme bull markets occasionally produce these types of returns, the probability remains significantly lower than during SHIB’s early growth phase.
Why Significant Upside Remains Unrealistic
The crypto market has changed dramatically since 2021. Back then, SHIB operated as a small-cap speculative asset. Today, however, it has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar token, meaning it now requires far more capital inflow to achieve life-changing price increases.
Moreover, several ongoing challenges continue to limit SHIB’s growth potential. For example, the development team’s preference for anonymity has discouraged some institutional investors from engaging with the ecosystem.
In addition, SHIB burn activity has slowed considerably. Although the community continues to burn tokens daily, current burn rates remove only a relatively small number of tokens compared to the asset’s massive circulating supply.
Meanwhile, several ecosystem initiatives remain incomplete, including the metaverse project and NFT marketplace. As a result, some investors question whether SHIB can successfully transition into a utility-focused ecosystem.
Competition has also intensified across the crypto industry. Investors increasingly favor emerging narratives tied to artificial intelligence, real-world assets, and blockchain infrastructure. Consequently, meme-coin enthusiasm has weakened as traders rotate capital into newer sectors.
Should You Buy Shiba Inu Right Now?
Whether investors should buy SHIB right now largely depends on their risk tolerance and investment expectations. At the current price of $0.000006214, some traders view Shiba Inu as a speculative opportunity with potential for moderate upside during a broader crypto bull market. Forecasts from platforms like Changelly and Telegaon suggest SHIB could still post gains by the end of 2026.
However, investors should also recognize that SHIB is no longer the low-cap asset that delivered explosive millionaire-making returns in 2021. The token’s massive circulating supply, slowing burn rate, rising exchange inflows, and weaker trading activity significantly reduce the likelihood of another easy 100x or 1,000x rally.
As a result, SHIB may now appeal more to speculative traders seeking short-term volatility or moderate cycle gains rather than investors expecting life-changing wealth from small investments. Anyone considering buying SHIB should carefully evaluate the token’s risks, broader market conditions, and whether the project can maintain long-term relevance in an increasingly utility-driven crypto market.
Final Thoughts
Whether Shiba Inu can create new millionaires in 2026 largely depends on how much capital an investor can commit to the token. For average retail investors hoping to turn a few hundred or thousand dollars into millions, the odds appear dramatically lower than they were during SHIB’s infancy.
As a result, more realistic expectations for SHIB in 2026 center around 2x to 5x gains rather than another historic 1,500,000x rally. While such returns could still prove profitable, they would require significantly larger investments to generate millionaire-level wealth.
For more on SHIBA INU news and the latest market updates, visit our dedicated coverage hub.
Gold futures on Binance have now reached a total trading volume of $100 billion in just four months since the platform opened trading in January.
Verified CryptoQuant analyst, Darkfost, called attention to the recent milestone, which comes even as gold prices have struggled since January 2026, down more than 16% from the January peak.
Key Points
Binance gold futures hit $100 billion in volume within four months of launching in January 2026.
The platform introduced XAUUSDT and XAGUSDT perpetual futures with up to 50x leverage.
Daily trading volume ranges from $500 million to $1 billion, with peaks reaching $6.6 billion.
Gold peaked at $5,602 in January 2026 before dropping, including an 11.57% decline in March.
Binance’s peak gold trading volume exceeded major exchanges, reaching up to four times Tokyo Commodity Exchange levels.
Binance’s Gold Futures Introduction
For context, Binance launched XAUUSDT perpetual futures on Jan. 5, 2026, marking the first product in its new TradFi perpetual contracts category. Two days later, the platform added XAGUSDT perpetual futures for silver.
These contracts are settled in USDT and do not involve physical delivery. They also allow traders to operate 24/7 and offer leverage of up to 50x, which makes them more flexible than traditional commodity markets.
According to Darkfost, ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty has pushed more investors toward gold, including those who usually focus on crypto. He pointed out that tensions between Iran and the United States continue to affect market visibility.
Gold Prices Down
Despite this demand, gold has been in a correction phase since late January. Darkfost noted that the metal had gained about 210% since October 2023 but now trades 16.5% below its all-time high.
At the start of the year, gold stood at $4,326 per ounce before rising to the all-time high of $5,602 in January 2026. It later dropped below $5,000 by the end of that month, then recovered in February to close above $5,200.
However, after the U.S.-Iran conflict escalated toward the end of February 2026, gold began to weaken again. It fell by 11.57% in March 2026, marking its biggest monthly drop since October 2008, and has continued to decline in April with an additional 2.83% loss.
Rising Activity Despite Gold Correction
Darkfost noted that after the strong gains early in the year, a period of consolidation is expected. However, interest in gold trading remains high, and Binance’s futures market has confirmed this.
Gold Futures Volume on Binane | CryptoQuant
The platform now records between $500 million and $1 billion in trading volume on a typical day. Activity increased during the February correction and again in late March, when several spikes went above $3 billion.
Notably, the highest daily volume reached $6.6 billion on March 23. Additional data shows that weekly trading volume exceeded $17 billion in the week ending around March 27, 2026.
Binance Outpaces Traditional Exchanges
Earlier this month, Binance CEO Richard Teng revealed that the platform’s peak gold trading volume has been much higher than that of major traditional exchanges.
At its peak, Binance recorded about twice the volume of the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX), twice that of India’s Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), and four times that of Japan’s Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM).
Crypto exchange Poloniex has sparked fresh excitement around Shiba Inu after unveiling a promotional campaign centered on SHIB and other dog-themed tokens.
As meme-based cryptocurrencies continue to mirror the broader market downturn, Poloniex has moved to reignite engagement among meme coin enthusiasts, particularly Shiba Inu supporters.
Key Points
Poloniex has declared the arrival of a Shiba Inu revolution, prompting users to consider whether they are ready to “take the green pill.”
The exchange introduced an AI DOG Poster Contest, offering five selected participants a $20 USDT trial fund.
Shiba Inu was featured alongside other meme coins, such as Dogecoin, Baby Doge Coin, and Floki, as part of the campaign spotlight.
Despite SHIB’s recent underperformance, some users interpreted the “green pill” wording as a subtle bullish signal for the token.
SHIB Revolution Is Here: Poloniex
In a tweet shared today, the exchange made a bold declaration announcing the arrival of what it called “SHIB Revolutions.” The post featured a quoted tweet with a Matrix-inspired parody image depicting a Shiba Inu as the central figure in a futuristic cyber-themed setting.
The character held a glowing green geometric symbol of Poloniex. Alongside the visual, Poloniex asked users: “Are you ready to take the green pill?”
The wording deliberately references the iconic decision-making symbolism from The Matrix Revolutions. However, instead of the classic red-and-blue pill concept, Poloniex introduced a “green pill” styled after its logo to encourage users to engage with its newly launched meme campaign and trading platform.
Poloniex Launches AI Dog Poster Contest
Meanwhile, the campaign follows the recent launch of Poloniex’s AI DOG Poster Contest, which encourages meme coin enthusiasts to create AI-generated posters, anime remakes, and meme-inspired artwork centered on dog-themed cryptocurrencies.
Notably, the promotional post spotlighted Shiba Inu, suggesting that participants can focus their branding and captions around the token. In addition, the exchange highlighted other meme tokens, including Dogecoin, Baby Doge Coin, Neiro, and Floki.
To participate, users must follow Poloniex’s official account, repost the contest announcement, and submit their posters in the comment section. Furthermore, each entry must include elements of the Poloniex logo. The exchange stated that it will select five winners, with each receiving a $20 USDT super trial fund prize.
Community Interprets “Green Pill” as Bullish Signal
Although the post primarily promotes Poloniex’s meme campaign, many commenters quickly linked the “green pill” message to potential price action for Shiba Inu. One user remarked that they had been waiting for the green pill for a year, suggesting they still anticipate a major SHIB rally.
For context, SHIB’s price has declined by more than 54% over the past year, falling to around $0.000006206. Additionally, the token has dropped roughly 10% since the start of this year.
Nonetheless, many supporters continue to believe SHIB could stage an unexpected comeback if broader market sentiment improves. However, whether the token can deliver the long-awaited surge remains uncertain.
Crypto markets are showing mixed momentum today, with Bitcoin facing resistance as on-chain data suggests rising selling pressure from large holders.
Meanwhile, the DeFi sector is responding to a major exploit, legal pressure continues for former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, and Canada signals a tougher stance on crypto regulation.
Bitcoin Faces Resistance as Exchange Inflows Surge
Bitcoin is facing renewed selling pressure as large holders move significant amounts of BTC onto exchanges.
According to CryptoQuant analyst Woominkyu, net inflows reached 9,905 BTC on April 27, the highest daily level in a month. This spike comes as Bitcoin continues to struggle near the $78,000 resistance zone, where upward momentum has stalled despite recent consolidation.
Supporting this bearish signal, the Exchange Whale Ratio rose to 0.707 on the same day. This means that the top 10 inflow transactions accounted for over 70% of all exchange deposits. This concentration is a strong indication that large holders are actively positioning for distribution.
In addition, exchange reserves are also trending upward. Holdings increased from 2.666 million BTC on April 25 to 2.677 million BTC by April 28, a pattern often interpreted as rising potential sell-side pressure.
Collectively, these indicators suggest weakening demand absorption. Woominkyu warned that if inflows continue to outweigh buying pressure, Bitcoin could retest the $74,000–$75,000 support range in the near term.
As of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $77,152, down 0.7% over the past 24 hours.
LayerZero Pledges $23M to DeFi Recovery After Major Exploit
In the DeFi sector, LayerZero Labs has committed significant resources to a recovery effort following a major exploit affecting Kelp DAO.
The firm has pledged over 10,000 ETH, worth approximately $23 million, to an Aave-led recovery initiative. Specifically, half of the amount (5,000 ETH) will be donated directly. Meanwhile, the remaining 5,000 ETH will be used to support liquidity on Aave.
The response follows a $292 million exploit on April 18 involving a sophisticated RPC poisoning attack that compromised LayerZero’s verification system. Attackers exploited the vulnerability to forge cross-chain messages, resulting in the minting of unbacked rsETH on Ethereum.
Roughly 107,000 rsETH were subsequently deposited into Aave lending positions, creating a significant bad debt burden for the protocol.
Alongside its financial commitment, LayerZero also plans to improve liquidity support for GHO, Aave’s native stablecoin. In addition, it will collaborate with Aave and other DeFi players on refining omnichain token standards for lending infrastructure.
U.S. Court Rejects Bankman-Fried’s Bid for New Trial
In legal developments, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has been denied a retrial by a federal court in New York.
Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year sentence for his role in the collapse of FTX. He had argued that newly identified witnesses could provide testimony in his defense.
However, Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected the request, ruling that the witnesses were already known before the original trial. He added that the defense had not attempted to secure their testimony at the time.
The court also found no indication that the witnesses would support claims regarding FTX’s solvency or full customer repayment. Kaplan further noted that the motion appeared aimed at rehabilitating Bankman-Fried’s public reputation following the exchange’s bankruptcy.
Canada Proposes Ban on Crypto ATMs Amid Fraud Concerns
In regulatory news, Canada is considering a ban on crypto ATMs as part of its Spring Economic Update 2026.
Specifically, officials argue that these kiosks have increasingly been linked to fraud and money laundering, describing them as a frequent tool for illicit financial activity rather than legitimate consumer use.
If approved, the ban would remove standalone crypto ATMs from public locations such as malls, gas stations, and retail stores. However, Canadians would still be able to purchase crypto through regulated money service businesses.
The proposal marks a notable shift for a country that once played a pioneering role in ATM-based crypto adoption, including hosting the world’s first Bitcoin ATM in Vancouver in 2013.
While the Bitcoin 2026 conference brought thousands to The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, XRP made itself impossible to miss across the city.
Community builder Ray Fuentes called attention to a series of XRP advertisements placed at key locations throughout Las Vegas, timed around the upcoming XRP Las Vegas 2026 event. This comes as XRPLV26 is set to begin right after Bitcoin 2026 concludes.
Key Points
Ripple placed XRP advertisements at multiple key locations in Las Vegas, visible during Bitcoin 2026.
One of the ads, placed at Conrad Las Vegas, sat directly outside the Bitcoin 2026 venue at The Venetian Resort.
This ad campaign comes as the community awaits XRP Las Vegas 2026 (XRPLV26).
XRPLV26, the world’s largest XRP conference, will run from April 30 to May 1 at Paris Las Vegas.
XRP Marks Its Territory in Vegas
According to Fuentes, watching Ripple take over Las Vegas confirmed that the tide was turning. He argued that XRPLV26 was shaping up to be a monumental moment, urging his followers to be there. His post came with a video capturing several XRP advertisements at well-known spots around the city.
Fuentes’ video showed an XRP advertisement carrying the message “Raise the Standard” at the Conrad Las Vegas, one of the three Hilton premium hotel brands within the Resorts World Las Vegas complex.
Notably, the placement was particularly notable because it sits just outside the venue hosting Bitcoin 2026. This put it directly in the line of sight of Bitcoin 2026 conference attendees.
The campaign moved beyond that spot. Specifically, another XRP advertisement with the message “XRP didn’t fold” appeared on the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino building along the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. XRP ads also appeared at the Aria and Horseshoe buildings in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Ripple also placed a Ripple Treasury advertisement at Harrah’s Las Vegas hotel directed toward a financial audience, carrying the message “Don’t gamble with cash flow forecasts.”
XRP Community Reacts
The video drew responses from within the XRP community. For instance, XRPL validator Vet pulled the section of the footage showing the XRP ads near the Bitcoin 2026 venue and shared it separately, calling it the best clip out of Vegas.Vet claimed the XRP community gave those at the conference something to look up to.
This is the best clip out of Vegas.
The XRP community gives everyone over there something to look up to.
Also, Abdullah “Abs” Nassif, host of the Good Evening Crypto show, attended Bitcoin 2026 in person and posted video footage showing several empty seats inside the event. He suggested that the XRP community would never face a similar turnout problem, calling the Bitcoin conference a ghost town.
Bitcoin 2026 and XRP Las Vegas 2026
Notably, Bitcoin 2026 is the world’s largest Bitcoin-only conference, put together by BTC Inc., the company behind Bitcoin Magazine. The event runs from April 27 to April 29, 2026, at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The conference covers Bitcoin adoption, institutional and corporate participation, infrastructure, mining, and regulatory issues. Speakers include Michael Saylor, Tim Draper, Arthur Hayes, Senator Cynthia Lummis, and Paolo Ardoino, among others, to address topics ranging from Bitcoin treasury strategies to yield, policy, and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, XRP Las Vegas 2026, the largest XRP-focused conference in the world, picks up right where Bitcoin 2026 leaves off. The event runs from April 30 to May 1, 2026, at Paris Las Vegas, located at 3655 S Las Vegas Blvd.
The agenda covers the XRP ecosystem, XRPL development and applications, tokenization, blockchain and DLT innovation, payments, real-world utility, policy, and institutional adoption.
Confirmed speakers include Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, former CTO David Schwartz, Paul Barron, Chris Giancarlo, Jack McDonald, and Asheesh Birla, among others.
XRP is seeing growing institutional traction, especially in the real-world asset tokenization sector, as evidenced in recent data.
This is crucial for the XRP ecosystem, especially considering the prospects of the RWA tokenization sector. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink believes everything will be tokenized one day, with fellow industry leader and Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan projecting a $200 trillion market.
As a result, XRP’s growing traction in this sector holds bullish prospects. Not only does it increase its utility and relevance, but it also boosts adoption.
Key Points
Data shared by Evernorth shows that tokenized U.S. Treasuries on the XRP Ledger have increased 8x year-over-year from $50 million to $418 million.
A shared chart shows that Justoken leads the XRP Ledger table with $1.8 billion in total value, while Ripple’s RLUSD takes second place with $397 million.
2026 has already recorded approximately $352 million in Treasuries trading activity, marking a 5x increase from $70 million throughout 2025.
As this trend continues, the XRP Ledger appears to be positioning itself as a viable channel for distributing and settling tokenized assets at scale.
U.S. Treasuries Tokenization on XRP Surges 8x
Data shared by Evernorth shows how quickly this segment is evolving. Tokenized U.S. Treasuries on the XRP Ledger stood at roughly $50 million a year ago. That figure has now climbed to about $418 million, marking an eightfold increase within twelve months.
Data from RWA.xyz shows that Ondo Finance, Open Eden Digitals, and Zeconomy are the platforms responsible for tokenizing US Treasuries on the XRP Ledger.
Notably, RWA tokenization involves converting tangible assets, such as bonds, gold, treasuries, and equities, into digital tokens. Such an increase on the Ledger suggests that institutions are preferring to use the network to move assets on-chain.
XRP Ledger dUNL validator Vet affirmed this. He highlighted that RWA issuance on XRP has increased significantly across the board, spurred by the incessant integrations seen in recent times. This makes the XRPL a stronger distribution platform for RWA issuers.
Meanwhile, a shared chart shows that Justoken leads the XRP Ledger table with $1.8 billion in total value. Ripple’s RLUSD takes the second place with $397 million, while VERT Capital and Ondo occupy the next two slots with $382 million and $323 million, respectively.
In general big increase in RWA issuance on the XRP Ledger across the board.
With every week seeing new XRP integrations the network becomes a stronger distribution platform for asset issuers.
Interestingly, the rise is not limited to supply alone. Movement of these assets across the network has also accelerated. Throughout 2025, transfer volume for tokenized Treasuries totaled around $70 million. In contrast, 2026 has already recorded approximately $352 million in Treasuries tokenization activity within the first few months of the year, marking a 5x increase already.
This sharp increase suggests that existing assets are not sitting idle. Instead, they are being used more frequently, pointing to growing confidence in the network’s ability to handle real-world financial instruments.
As more treasuries are tokenized and actively transferred, the XRP Ledger is beginning to function less like an experimental platform and more like an operational financial rail.
Institutional Behavior Points to a Larger Shift
What stands out is the type of capital entering this space. U.S. Treasuries have a reputation as one of the most conservative instruments in global finance. Their increasing presence on the XRP Ledger signals a shift in how institutions are choosing to move and manage value.
Evernorth noted that when both issuance and transfer activity rise simultaneously, it reflects more than just short-term interest. It suggests that institutions are testing and using the underlying infrastructure in practical scenarios.
Notably, as this trend continues, the XRP Ledger appears to be positioning itself as a viable channel for distributing and settling tokenized assets at scale. The firm noted that more institutions will likely pick a rail whose US Treasuries tokenization has expanded 8x in the past year to tokenize assets.
“The venue decision is being made in the data,” Evernorth added.
Crypto markets delivered several notable developments today, highlighted by a historic token burn from Pump.fun, an expanded mining partnership between Canaan Inc. and Tether, and new anti-money laundering measures in Japan targeting crypto-linked real estate transactions.
Pump.fun Burns Over One-Third of Token Supply
Pump.fun, the Solana-based platform, announced on X that it has permanently destroyed approximately $370 million worth of PUMP tokens, equivalent to about 36% of the circulating supply. This marks one of the largest token burn events in recent crypto history.
The burn was through two blockchain transactions and consisted of tokens accumulated via buybacks over the past nine months. During that period, the platform directed all revenue toward purchasing PUMP tokens from the open market.
This aggressive supply reduction seeks to strengthen holder confidence and address concerns around long-term alignment between the platform and its community.
Shift to a More Sustainable Buyback Model
Following the burn, Pump.fun introduced a revised buyback framework to support both token value and operational growth.
Under the new model, 50% of net revenue will automatically purchase and immediately burn PUMP tokens. The remaining 50% will be allocated to core business functions, including product development, hiring, marketing, and ecosystem expansion.
The company acknowledged that its previous strategy, fully committing revenue to buybacks, limited its ability to scale.
Co-founder Alon Cohen described the updated approach as a turning point, emphasizing its significance. He highlighted the importance of aligning token economics with sustainable platform growth.
Canaan Expands Partnership with Tether
In parallel industry developments, Canaan has secured a new mining hardware order from Tether, reinforcing their ongoing collaboration.
The Singapore-based firm will deliver high-density mining hashboards engineered for immersion-cooled systems, intended for deployment at a South American facility linked to Tether.
The contract also provides the option to make further purchases, allowing Tether to expand operations in line with system performance. The move reflects an industry trend toward customized, data center–style mining environments.
Separately, Canaan reported holding 1,808 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $137 million, marking its highest reserve level to date.
Japan Tightens AML Oversight on Crypto Real Estate
Meanwhile, in Japan, regulators have introduced new guidance to mitigate risks associated with the use of crypto in property transactions. The directive, issued by multiple agencies including the Financial Services Agency and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, focuses on strengthening anti-money laundering (AML) controls.
Authorities highlighted the speed and cross-border nature of crypto transfers as key risk factors, noting their potential to facilitate illicit activity. Consequently, real estate agents are now expected to enhance customer due diligence and monitoring practices.
The guidance also reinforces existing legal obligations, requiring agents to report suspicious transactions and cooperate with law enforcement when necessary. Furthermore, it clarifies that converting crypto into fiat for clients may require registration under Japan’s Payment Services Act.
Crypto exchanges are also facing increased scrutiny. Regulators have urged platforms to monitor for unusual activity, particularly large transactions that do not match a user’s financial profile. Additionally, inbound crypto transfers exceeding 30 million yen must be reported under foreign exchange regulations.
The measures have been shared with industry bodies, including the Japan Cryptocurrency Business Association, as part of a broader effort to align crypto-related property transactions with established AML standards.
In today’s crypto market update, the Coinbase Premium Index has slipped into negative territory for the first time in three weeks, signaling softer U.S. demand as Bitcoin struggles to sustain its recent upward momentum.
Meanwhile, Bitwise CIO notes that the latest price rally was largely driven by aggressive accumulation from Strategy.
On the macro side, investor Paul Tudor Jones reiterated his stance that Bitcoin remains a stronger inflation hedge than gold, pointing to its fixed supply as a key advantage.
At the same time, Block, Inc. continues to expand its exposure, with Bitcoin holdings now approaching 9,000 BTC following its latest Q1 purchase.
BTC Weakens Amid Negative Shift in Coinbase Premium Index
The Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Index has slipped to -0.008, marking its first negative reading in three weeks. This metric is widely used as a proxy for U.S. spot market demand, and its decline suggests that American buying pressure has recently eased.
The shift comes as Bitcoin struggles to maintain its recent upward trajectory. At the time of writing, BTC is trading around $77,041, down 1.2% over the past week.
Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Index
According to crypto analyst Ardi, Bitcoin has recently broken below a rising trendline and lost the $77,300 liquidity zone, both key technical levels. In addition, he highlighted that similar sustained negative premium readings last appeared when BTC traded near $67,000. This observation points to a shift in market sentiment compared to earlier accumulation phases.
Looking ahead, Ardi expects volatility to remain elevated around the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. He identifies the $74,500–$75,500 range as a potential downside target if demand continues to weaken.
Bitwise: Strategy Drives Recent Bitcoin Rally
Despite short-term weakness, institutional activity continues to play a major role in supporting Bitcoin’s broader trend.
According to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, much of the recent rally has been driven by sustained buying from Strategy. In fact, the firm has accumulated approximately $7.2 billion in Bitcoin over the past eight weeks. This wave of corporate demand has contributed to a 20% recovery from February lows.
Between April 20 and April 26 alone, Strategy acquired 3,273 BTC, worth roughly $255 million, bringing its total holdings to 818,334 BTC. This cements its position as the largest publicly listed corporate Bitcoin holder.
Broader institutional demand also remains supportive. Bitcoin ETFs have attracted around $3.8 billion in inflows since March, while long-term holders have resumed accumulation.
Over the past week, BTC has traded between $75,849 and $79,321, according to CoinGecko, and stood at approximately $76,486 on Wednesday, up 21% from its February 6 low of $62,822.
Paul Tudor Jones Calls Bitcoin the ‘Best Inflation Hedge’
Billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones recently reaffirmed his long-held view that Bitcoin is a superior inflation hedge compared to gold.
Specifically, speaking on the Invest Like the Best podcast, Jones pointed to Bitcoin’s fixed supply cap as its key structural advantage. He argues that it avoids the long-term dilution risks inherent in fiat-linked or commodity-based assets.
He also referenced the post-2020 monetary expansion period. During that time, aggressive stimulus measures fueled inflation concerns and increased demand for scarce assets like Bitcoin.
In his view, Bitcoin emerged as one of the strongest performers in that environment, reinforcing its growing role in macro investment strategies.
Block Expands Bitcoin Holdings Toward 9,000 BTC
Meanwhile, corporate adoption continues to deepen, with Block, Inc. reporting additional Bitcoin purchases in Q1 2026.
The Jack Dorsey-led company acquired 114 BTC, bringing its total holdings to nearly 9,000 BTC, valued at over $694 million. This follows its previous year-end position of 8,883 BTC, showing steady accumulation.
When including customer custodial assets, Block is associated with approximately 28,355 BTC, worth around $2.2 billion.
The company emphasized that its proof-of-reserves dashboard provides a point-in-time snapshot rather than a full solvency audit. However, it plans to release regular third-party verification reports.
Block has also published wallet addresses and cryptographic signatures, enabling public verification of holdings without exposing private keys.
XRP is in the spotlight again as a top crypto exchange, BitMEX, teases a major announcement involving the XRPL native token in Vegas.
BitMEX shared a cryptic message on X, eliciting reactions from the XRP community. The exchange stated that “all eyes on XRP in Vegas for us,” teasing that a major development involving the asset could be unveiled at the conference in Las Vegas this week.
Key Points
BitMEX shared a cryptic message on X, suggesting that a major development involving XRP could be unveiled in Las Vegas.
The tweet followed an earlier post in which BitMEX disclosed that a big announcement was on the way.
Ahead of the two-day Las Vegas conference, which starts on April 30, Ripple is already lighting up the city with XRP billboards.
Big XRP Announcement
The Tuesday post built on an earlier tweet where BitMEX disclosed that it is always building. This commitment to development has given rise to a new innovation, which the exchange noted will be announced soon.
“Big announcement otw…” BitMEX tweeted.
The following tweet mentioning XRP made things clearer. The exchange plans to make a big announcement regarding XRP in Vegas. While it did not provide further context, the XRP community is already salivating over this prospect.
One of the reactions claimed that BitMEX is sliding into the XRP Las Vegas group chat, and the conference is about to be “lit.” The community figure noted that XRP has real utility and adoption, and now, BitMEX, one of the leading derivative platforms in the crypto space, is courting the asset.
Others also lauded the development, insisting it is positive for the XRP ecosystem.
However, not all seemed excited. One of the major callouts was that the development has not moved XRP’s price. The fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap joined a broader market correction and, contrary to this faction’s expectations, did not react to news of the proposed announcement.
Ripple Lights Up Las Vegas
Ahead of the two-day Las Vegas conference, which starts on April 30, Ripple is already lighting up the city. Giant XRP billboards were seen on several towers in Vegas, one of which was the city’s Strip resort.
The message on the ad was clear: “RAISE THE STANDARD,” accompanied by the XRP ticker just beneath. Ripple’s official X account acknowledged this move, noting that it was glad to “add to the skyline.”
Good morning, Las Vegas! 🌄 Great week ahead for crypto and $XRP. Glad we could add to the skyline. pic.twitter.com/CSFwxwjjbD
Notably, XRP Las Vegas is an annual conference that brings together crypto industry leaders, builders, and the community. Last year’s event was held in late May, and during the event, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse noted that they were “rewriting the system” with their on-demand liquidity (ODL) infrastructure and XRP. He also called for unity in the industry, especially between XRP and Bitcoin proponents.
