Bitcoin

Stocks dominated by crypto-related technologies plummet when Bitcoin falls below $35K

Crypto stocks tumbled on Friday as risk-off sentiment swept through the markets. While the US markets recorded their fifth consecutive negative session, cryptocurrency was bleeding heavily after bulls were battered. Bitcoin price declined below a critical support level, with an analyst suggesting the drawdown could see the pioneer crypto slump to lows of $30,000. On…

Crypto stocks tumbled on Friday as risk-off sentiment swept through the markets.

While the US markets recorded their fifth consecutive negative session, cryptocurrency was bleeding heavily after bulls were battered.

Bitcoin price declined below a critical support level, with an analyst suggesting the drawdown could see the pioneer crypto slump to lows of $30,000. On Saturday 22 January, Bitcoin price broke below $35,000 and was on track for more than 12% in intraday declines and close to 20% over the week.

Crypto stocks such as Marathon, Voyager Digital, and Coinbase fell Friday. MicroStrategy also saw a significant dip.

Riot Blockchain shares plunge 15%

Riot Blockchain (RIOT) shares retreated heavily on Friday, dropping more than 14% to close at $15.00. Over the week, RIOT has declined 24% and is down more than 33% YTD.

Despite the recent downturn, shares in the Bitcoin miner have remained up to 400% over the last three years. The company’s revenue has increased by twofold over the past three years, which suggests that it is on solid footing.

Elsewhere, Coinbase (COIN) slipped 13% to $191. 97, while Robinhood (HOOD) fell 5.2% to $12.98. Coinbase shares declined

Robinhood’s shares are nearly 30% down year-to-date and close to 60% off its IPO price of $38 in July.

Voyager Digital Ltd shares fell to a 52-week low of $9. 95 before recouping some of the losses to close at $10. 12, about 15% lower.

Other publicly traded crypto-centric companies to see huge declines on Friday were Hive Blockchain (HIVE) at -16%; Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA) at -11%; Hut 8 Mining (HUT) at -13% and Bitfarms (BITF) at -14%.

MicroStrategy (MSTR) slides 20%

MicroStrategy Inc. shares fell over 20% on Friday to record the stock’s worst single-day performance since 23 February 2020. After opening at $422., the stock fell to $20% on Friday. This was the worst single-day performance since February 38. 84, the stock fell to $365. 98 to touch a 52-week low before closing at $375. 89 for an 18% downturn.

On a weekly view, MicroStrategy has declined 22%, while year-to-date returns stand around 33% lower.

While the stock price of the enterprise software manufacturer is falling in line with the overall market trend, documents proving that the US Securities and Exchange Commission had rejected the company’s crypto accounting strategy showed that it was also on the verge of declining.

MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor stated last week that they would not sell their Bitcoin assets even if the market continues to plummet.

Bitcoin

BitcoinOS Launches Charms: Metaprotocol for Programmable Tokens on Bitcoin and UTXO Blockchains

BitcoinOS (BOS) has announced the launch of Charms, a groundbreaking metaprotocol designed to enable native, programmable tokens on Bitcoin and other UTXO blockchains without the need for bridges or custodians. This new protocol allows developers to create decentralized applications and smart assets directly on Bitcoin, facilitating seamless token transfers across UTXO-based chains such as Cardano…
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Bitcoin

qBTC to Release Open-Source Quantum-Safe PoW Bitcoin Side Chain, Adds Jameson Lopp as Advisor

This content is provided by a sponsor. LAS VEGAS, May 23, 2025 – Quantum Safe Technologies Corp, the research collective building qBTC, the world’s first quantum-safe sidechain for Bitcoin, today announced it will publish the full source code of its proof-of work- side chain protocol during the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas…
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Bitcoin

Report: Trump administration wants USAID to adopt blockchain technology

USAID will change its name to the US Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance (IHA) By using blockchain technology, it will “radically increase security, transparency, and traceability” The revamp comes after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut USAID numbers from 10,000 to just under 300 in early February The Trump administration reportedly wants its…

Mavryk Dynamics raises $5M to build its RWA L1 blockchain network

USAID will change its name to the US Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance (IHA)
By using blockchain technology, it will “radically increase security, transparency, and traceability”
The revamp comes after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut USAID numbers from 10,000 to just under 300 in early February

The Trump administration reportedly wants its United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to “leverage blockchain technology” as it works on renaming the organization.

According to a report from WIRED, a government memo has been circulating among State Department officials detailing plans for USAID. In the 13-page document – first reported on by Politico – it states that as part of the revamp, USAID will change its name to US Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance (IHA).

The memo also suggests “leveraging blockchain technology” which will “radically increase security, transparency, and traceability.”

It adds: “This approach would encourage innovation and efficiency among implementing partners and allow for more flexible and responsive programming focused on tangible impact rather than simply completing activities and inputs.”

USAID staffers on leave

Since US President Donald Trump re-entered the White House, significant changes have been made to organizations in the US. One of which is USAID.

In early February, USAID staff were put on administrative leave “with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions,” according to a government notice.

Following the implementation of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), staff numbers at USAID have been cut from 10,000 to just under 300.

In a post on X in February, Musk wrote: “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.”

USAID is a criminal organization.

Time for it to die. https://t.co/sWYy6fyt1k

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2025

Blockchain in humanitarian efforts

The use of blockchain in humanitarian efforts has been used before with many seeing the potential is can bring. In 2020, UNICEF invested around 135 Ethereum – about $30,000 at the time – into eight companies from seven developing countries to assist in developing prototypes and to scale their projects.

Financial services company AID:Tech turned to the payment rails of stablecoin issuer Circle to provide fraud-resistant disaster relief delivery in USDC in 2021. By doing so, they wanted to reduce inequality and increase opportunities by bringing accountability and transparency to the distribution of federal relief.

Realizing the benefits of blockchain technology, AID:Tech was the first company to use the technology to deliver international aid in 2015.