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Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed replacing the current Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) contract language with the RISC-V instruction set architecture to improve the speed and efficiency of the Ethereum network’s execution layer.

Buterin’s April 20 proposal outlined several long-term bottlenecks for scaling the Ethereum network including, stable data availability sampling, ensuring block production remains competitive, and zero-knowledge EVM proving.

The Ethereum co-founder argued that implementing the RISC-V architecture in smart contracts would keep block production markets competitive and improve the efficiency of zero knowledge functions for the execution layer. Buterin wrote:

“The beam chain effort holds great promise for greatly simplifying the consensus layer of Ethereum, but for the execution layer to see similar gains, this kind of radical change may be the only viable path.”

The proposal highlights the Ethereum network’s struggle to improve throughput and remain competitive with next-generation monolithic blockchains such as Solana and the Sui networks at a time when investors are losing confidence in the original smart contract blockchain.

Related: Vitalik Buterin unveils roadmap for Ethereum privacy

Ethereum’s scaling woes and a collapse of Ether’s price

Ethereum’s blob fees, transaction fees taken from Ethereum layer-2 scaling networks, dropped to a weekly low of 3.18 Ether (ETH) during the week of March 30, according to data from Etherscan.

Using current Ether prices, the 3.18 ETH collected for blob fees during the period equaled approximately $5,000.

In April 2025, Ethereum network fees dropped to their lowest levels since 2020, averaging around $0.16 per transaction.

According to Santiment marketing director Brian Quinlivan, the dramatic reduction in fees is due to fewer users sending transactions on the Ethereum base layer, opting instead to use smart contracts or one of Ethereum’s many layer-2 scaling solutions.

Ethereum’s layer-2 networks have been described as a double-edged sword that dramatically lowered transaction costs on the base layer but also cannibalized the Ethereum base layer’s revenue.

Concerns surrounding revenue generation on the base layer and the corrosive effects of layer-2 scaling solutions on Ethereum’s market share have driven the price of Ether to historic lows and could plunge Ether prices further to around $1,100 if investor confidence continues to wane.

Magazine: Proposed change could save Ethereum from L2 ‘roadmap to hell’

Opinion by: Henry Duckworth, founder and CEO of AgriDex

We all need and buy it. Food is a common, universal ground across the planet. It should come as no surprise then that the agricultural industry is enormous. In 2023, the European Union alone imported 154 million tonnes of agricultural products and exported 134 million tonnes more. The market is growing too, projected to expand by 3.45% annually from this year to reach $5.52 trillion by 2029. 

Yet, farmers and agricultural traders are confronted with a serious problem. They need to export food abroad and interact with foreign currencies. The financial system — particularly in Africa — is, however, underdeveloped. Inefficiencies in their trade result in high transaction costs, delayed cross-border payments, and high interest rates for loans. Large corporations can better navigate financial hurdles, but this isn’t always the case for small farmers, who suffer the most from outdated banking systems.

Blockchain technology and stablecoins promise to smooth unstable waters for agricultural traders. Eliminating intermediaries and providing financial inclusion, the technology gives farmers direct access to global markets. With Africa’s food and agriculture market predicted to be valued at $1 trillion by 2030, stablecoins stand to be much more than simply another financial trend for the industry.

Cross-border payments are hiding significant costs

Cross-border payments are the beating heart of agricultural trade, central to accessing resources, such as equipment and seeds, or engaging in trade between countries. International transactions are vital to African agriculture, as exports within Africa represent only 17% of total African exports. 

Local banking systems are, however, underdeveloped and impede these payments to a shocking degree. A huge sticking point is that traditional banking systems are expensive — they charge farmers between 3% and 6% in fees. This is no small matter when profit margins are already thin.

In transactions, the demand for an intermediary currency, typically the US dollar, leads to even more exchange rate losses, often falling within the 3%-10% range. This affects small businesses in Africa, which can pay nearly 200% more than larger companies to clear their transactions through formal channels.

As if the expense wasn’t bad enough, the process is also painfully slow. Farmers can expect to wait up to 120 days for payment settlements. These delays are devastating for businesses relying on quick access to funds. They are forced to take out high-interest loans with no immediate liquidity, further eroding their earnings.

Stablecoins can fix agricultural trade

Frustratingly outdated financial systems hamper the global agricultural industry, but a glimmer of hope is arriving in the form of stablecoins. Poised to reshape the agricultural trade, crypto offers farmers three key pillars of transformation.

Stablecoins mean farmers and traders can bypass banking inefficiencies. With intermediaries taken out of the picture, they can transact instantly and with lower costs. Farmers save between 3%-6% per payment, and funds are received in minutes rather than in painful waits of weeks or months. The result? These players have the working capital needed to stay in business.

Traders can forget about unstable local currencies. By pricing their goods in a stable digital asset, they can gain access to global markets. Fluctuating exchange rates will become a problem of the past. Businesses operating in countries with volatile currencies will feel that relief most acutely, as sudden devaluations in a currency have the power to wipe out profits overnight.

Recent: Web2 is failing vertical farms — they need DePIN to survive

The agricultural trade is crippled by immense, systemic fraud and supply chain inefficiencies, with global food fraud costing $40 billion annually and global trade in fake goods another staggering $500 billion. Stablecoins could be transformative in reducing the original movement of counterfeit goods across supply chains, making the industry far more efficient.

Results are already being seen in African agribusiness. Zimbabwe-based conglomerate Parrogate, for example, is committing to blockchain to streamline payments to its suppliers while improving cross-border trade efficiency. The company, which prides itself on growth and development across the continent, is just one of numerous African businesses getting behind stablecoins and reaping the benefits.

Agriculture still faces global challenges

Stablecoins should be music to the ears of those working in agriculture. The road there could, however, be rocky. Significant regulatory uncertainty, especially in Africa, is one hurdle. Many nations have strict capital outflow controls, so farmers and traders must comply with local regulations or face legal issues.

Another limitation is technological barriers and an education gap across the industry, which prevent some farmers from fully grasping and using the technology. European farmers, who need stablecoins less because infrastructure is pretty well established, will also not have full access to these stable mechanisms for facilitating trade.

There are barriers, but the demand for stablecoins in African agriculture is undeniable. There is a strong willingness within the agricultural community to get on board with compliant stablecoins that support cross-border liquidity.

The mass adoption of stablecoins won’t happen overnight, but that’s not to say that this industry isn’t progressing toward the digital. The offer of stablecoins is tantalizing — instant transactions, lower fees and enhanced financial access. It’s only a matter of time before more farmers make the switch.

Agricultural traders struggling under the weight of an outdated and intrusive banking system are ready for greater financial inclusion. And we should be, too. This industry connects us all and will be lifted by stablecoins. The tech will be transformative for the field — not just as an innovation, but as an essential evolution.

Opinion by: Henry Duckworth, founder and CEO of AgriDex.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Bitcoin holders are celebrating one year since the 2024 Bitcoin halving by praising BTC’s resilience amid a global trade war and suggesting an accelerated market cycle due to a growing institutional presence.

The 2024 Bitcoin halving reduced block rewards from 6.25 Bitcoin (BTC) to 3.125 BTC, slashing new BTC issuance in half.

Despite rising concerns over a global trade war and escalating tariff tensions between the United States and China, BTC has climbed more than 33% since April 2024, Cointelegraph Markets Pro data shows.

“So, even though Bitcoin’s showing resilience, I think the mix of past experiences, economic uncertainty, and this selling pressure is keeping investors on the sidelines, waiting for a stronger green light before they jump in,” said Enmanuel Cardozo, a market analyst at asset tokenization platform Brickken.

Cardozo added that institutional investment from firms such as Strategy and Tether could speed up Bitcoin’s traditional four-year halving cycle. He added:

“For the 2024 halving in May, that puts the bottom around Q3 this year and a peak mid-2026, but I think we might see things move it a bit sooner because the market’s more mature now with more liquidity.”

However, Bitcoin’s trajectory remains tied to broader monetary policy, the analyst added. He said a US Federal Reserve rate cut in May or June may “pump more money into the system and push Bitcoin up faster.”

The halving is a built-in feature of the Bitcoin network that assures Bitcoin’s scarcity, which is considered one of BTC’s defining monetary characteristics.

Related: Crypto, stocks enter ‘new phase of trade war’ as US-China tensions rise

ETFs and institutions fuel faster cycle

Institutional adoption and Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) may be contributing to a shorter market cycle, according to Vugar Usi Zade, chief operating officer at Bitget exchange.

Continued institutional buying, including by Bitcoin ETFs, paired with Bitcoin’s rising scarcity, may accelerate Bitcoin’s rise to new highs, he told Cointelegraph.

“With growing scarcity triggered by the halving, Bitcoin will likely retest its all-time high if it breaches the $90,000 mark in the coming weeks,” Usi Zade said. “While the halving offers a good basis for growth based on demand and scarcity, the timeline for impact on price can vary over time.”

He noted that Bitcoin’s growth remains closely tied to traditional financial markets and investor sentiment.

Related: Bitcoin speculative appetite declines as investors seek safety

Bitcoin reached a new all-time high above $109,000 on Jan. 20, 273 days after the 2024 Bitcoin halving, signaling an accelerated market cycle.

In comparison, it took Bitcoin 546 days to reach an all-time high after the 2021 halving, and 518 days after the 2017 halving, according to data shared by popular crypto trader Jelle, in an April 8 X post.

Magazine: Bitcoin’s odds of June highs, SOL’s $485M outflows, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 2 – 8

Bitcoin (BTC) tapped 3-day lows into the April 20 weekly close as analysis warned of a fresh liquidity grab next.

Analysis sees Bitcoin crossing $83,000

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD dropping 1.5% to $83,974 on the day before rebounding.

Still broadly less volatile over the weekend, Bitcoin sought to stem the week’s downside as doubts appeared over the strength of nearby support.

Investigating the current liquidity setup across exchange order books, popular analyst Mark Cullen was particularly skeptical of $83,000.

“Bitcoin 90k liquidity still calling. BUT, i think the 83k level isn’t safe, those lows from last Sunday and Wednesday are likely to get run first,” he summarized on X. 

“THEN we wait for the reaction and bullish structure to build back inside the range low.”

Cullen and others nonetheless saw a short-term BTC price range between $83,000 and $86,000 staying in place over the Easter holiday weekend.

📈#Bitcoin Range Bound‼️

The long easter weekend is likely yo see $BTC play out a range between83k and 86k. With it al ready sweeping the highs of the range late last week, IMO we are going to see liquidity sought from the lows before continuation higher.#Crypto #BTC https://t.co/iNllx4LexJ pic.twitter.com/6zx5gXZx79

— AlphaBTC (@mark_cullen) April 20, 2025

“Pretty slow market during this long weekend as expected. I think next week will get interesting as the charts are quite compressed. Any decent good/bad headline could spark a pretty large move I think. Even if its just from positions getting squeezed,” popular trader Daan Crypto Trades continued. 

“Generally those moves are not one you want to be fading when it occurs. $83K-$86K is the range to watch in the short term.”

An accompanying chart showed BTC price action relative to the latest closing point of CME Group’s Bitcoin futures, potentially inviting the creation of a “gap” that could provide a short-term price magnet.

Fellow trader Roman meanwhile eyed what could become a return to multimonth lows as part of a bullish inverse head and shoulders reversal pattern.

“If volume is decreasing on the way to 76k, I’ll take longs,” he told X followers.

Confidence increases over BTC price breakout

Updating readers on the daily chart, popular trader and analyst Rekt Capital had good news.

Related: Bitcoin can reach $138K in 3 months as macro odds see BTC price upside

Bitcoin, he confirmed, had definitively broken out of a multimonth downtrend without violating it during retests as support.

“Bitcoin hasn’t just broken the Downtrend and successfully retested it as support for the first time since Downtrend formation,” he wrote.

“But Bitcoin has also been able to sustainably maintain above the Downtrend for a period of several consecutive days now.”

As Cointelegraph reported, the fate of the downtrend had been on the radar for weeks, with not everyone agreeing that price had left it behind for good.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Dogecoin holders worldwide celebrate “Dogeday” on April 20, as the memecoin’s community awaits upcoming deadlines for Dogecoin-related exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications.

Dogeday marks the unofficial holiday of the Dogecoin (DOGE) community. It gained traction in the memecoin community four years ago, in 2021, during International Weed Day on April 20.

Despite its reputation as a joke token, Dogecoin remains the eighth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, currently valued at $23.3 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.

Dogecoin’s tokenomics have often been criticized for issuing 14.4 million worth of new DOGE into circulation per day, giving it a daily inflation rate of over $2.16 million.

Related: Altseason 2025: ‘Most altcoins won’t make it,’ CryptoQuant CEO says

Dogecoin’s staying power “stems from a blend of community-driven enthusiasm, low entry barriers, and speculative appeal,” according to Anndy Lian, author and intergovernmental blockchain expert.

Dogecoin’s inflationary tokenomics may also contribute to its retail appeal, Lian told Cointelegraph, adding:

“Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, Dogecoin’s inflationary supply — adding roughly 5 billion coins annually — keeps prices accessible, typically under $1, making it psychologically appealing for retail investors.”

“The retail appeal is amplified by Dogecoin’s meme-driven branding, which resonates with younger, internet-savvy investors,” explained Lian.

Related: Solana, XRP ETFs may attract billions in new investment — JPMorgan

Memecoins like Dogecoin lack underlying blockchain use cases and typically rally based on social media traction and retail hype alone.

In November 2024, Dogecoin surpassed Porsche’s market capitalization, driven by continued social media endorsements by billionaire Elon Musk.

Dogecoin community awaits DOGE ETFs deadline in May

The Dogecoin community is closely watching the US Securities and Exchange Commission as it weighs several DOGE-related ETF applications.

There are four Dogecoin ETF filings awaiting approval: the Bitwise Dogecoin ETF, the Grayscale Dogecoin ETF, the 21Shares Dogecoin ETF and the Osprey Fund Dogecoin ETF.

Grayscale’s ETF application is due for a response on May 21 after the SEC delayed its decision on multiple crypto ETF filings.

Bitwise’s filing could receive a response on May 18, which marks the end of the SEC’s 75-day initial review period after the 19b-4 filing. However, the 240-day review period could enable the regulator to delay the decision until October 2024 for both filings.

The ETF applications from 21Shares and Osprey are still pending review for their initial 19b-4 filings, with no set deadline from the securities regulator.

Magazine: Crypto ‘more taboo than OnlyFans,’ says Violetta Zironi, who sold song for 1 BTC

Opinion by: Alon Muroch, founder of SSV Labs

Even though Ethereum remains a leader in terms of total value locked (TVL), things aren’t looking great. Network activity is hemorrhaging, and momentum is slipping. Ethereum has become locked in a fight for its future. Without meaningful change, Ethereum risks becoming inaccessible to the builders and users it needs to thrive. Ethereum needs fresh ideas to bolster the ecosystem out of its slump, unify it, and genuinely support innovation.

Enter based applications (bApps), which are any application or service that uses the Ethereum validator set for security. Inspired by the based movement, bApps enable any project to bootstrap directly from the Ethereum layer 1 (L1), enabling interoperable, scalable and cost-effective development.

High stakes and high costs

The recent decline in network activity highlights a deep issue across Ethereum, and it boils down to UX. The race to scale a blockchain isn’t just about TVL and transactions per second (TPS). It’s about the experience of users and developers who co-create the ecosystem. Ease of development and interoperable developer ecosystems and applications are paramount. Improving the developer experience is crucial for improving user experience, which drives adoption.

Today, builders are presented with two options. The first and more popular one is restaking, which has become the default mechanism for bootstrapping new services by locking up validators’ withdrawal keys or large amounts of capital for security. That leaves teams with only one other inconvenient alternative: self-bootstrapping. Building a validator set from scratch is resource-heavy, technically complex and often starts off centralized. Both choices are limiting for builders and don’t solve the fragmentation problems we see today in Ethereum.

It is not just builders but validators that are affected by this system. In the current restaking setup, validators who want to earn more yield by supporting new services must restake, lock up their withdrawal keys, and take on additional risk. By locking up withdrawal keys to secure applications with slashable capital, validators are exposed to cascading risks, which, at scale, could affect Ethereum itself — a core departure from Ethereum’s founding vision.

bApps are more secure

bApps provide a third, more accessible option for self-bootstrapping and restaking. Using based security infrastructure drastically lowers entry barriers for any size protocol to build securely and sustainably, all while preserving the traditional network effects of Ethereum. Validators are incentivized to join through risk-free yield opportunities; developers can affordably access security to build; and users benefit from a unified and interoperable ecosystem.

Recent: SSV Network to create ‘based’ apps infrastructure for Ethereum

Mission-critical services like rollups, bridges and oracles don’t need to reinvent the wheel. They simply plug into an existing, trusted security model. Using Ethereum validators as a primary security base, any out-of-protocol service can inherit the Ethereum L1’s decentralization and Sybil resistance. It’s also possible to extend this paradigm beyond Ethereum, enabling other L1 validators to secure bApps. This potentially turns bApps into a marketplace for multichain security, dramatically reducing the complexity (and cost) for developers and raising the bar for the entire ecosystem, offering a “based” path forward.

bApps empower validators to earn more with their existing stake. By primarily using the validator principle as non-slashable security, validators can opt into many services through their existing Ethereum validator role without needing to restake or supply extra stakes. This would encourage broader validator participation, especially from smaller or more risk-averse operators, which is excellent considering solo stakers are an important ecosystem pillar.

bApps unlock scalability

bApps also revolutionize Ethereum’s current bootstrapping ecosystem, which relies heavily on slashable capital. In restaking, one participant’s gain may directly correspond to another’s loss, creating a zero-sum model. Building a competitive dynamic where participants must add or reallocate resources instead of sharing them, consequently working against new entrants by creating competition for limited attention and resources.

The based economy, conversely, promotes an infinite-sum game, transforming competition for resources into a synergistic environment where new applications, services and participants increase the overall value of the platform. Each new validator increases security for bApps, and each new bApp provides new opportunities for validators. This infinitely scalable model breaks free from the limitations of a zero-sum model, enabling seamless bootstrapping, rewarding innovation and building more secure, inclusive and resilient ecosystems.

Unifying Ethereum’s fractured ecosystem

For Ethereum to grow, fragmentation has to be addressed. Builders need building blocks, which need to be secure, low-cost, interoperable and scalable. Think about what cloud computing did for Web2. BApps offer just that — by introducing an infinite-sum game, they unlock scalability and provide a safe and affordable way to bootstrap with Ethereum’s proof-of-stake network.

If Ethereum is to be the foundation of tomorrow’s decentralized world, it must empower the builders of today. The way forward is to solve Ethereum’s user and developer experience problem with a based infrastructure. Going based is the clear solution.

Opinion by: Alon Muroch, founder of SSV Labs.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Jan3 CEO Samson Mow says that Bitcoin dominance hasn’t yet exhausted its upside trajectory after analyzing how altcoin prices would stack up against Bitcoin if all were on equal terms of total supply.

His forecast for Bitcoin (BTC) Dominance to rise further comes as the ratio has already exceeded the levels many crypto analysts expected it would reach by late 2024.

“Unit bias is absolutely destroying the uninitiated,” Mow said in an April 19 X post. Mow suggested that unit bias — a psychological method in behavioral economics that suggests that individuals usually like to own a complete unit or stock regardless of its price and size — often causes less experienced investors to assume cheaper whole altcoins are better value than owning part of a Bitcoin.

Mow questions altcoin valuations on level playing field

“You can buy one twenty-one millionth of the BTC supply for ~$85,000,” Mow said. He asked, “What happens if you remove unit bias from alts to calculate the equivalent of 1/21 million?”

He pointed out that Ether (ETH) would be priced at $9,200, XRP (XRP) would be priced at $5,800, and Solana (SOL) would be priced at $3,400 — representing increases of approximately 278,746%, 470%, and 2,328%, respectively, from their prices at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap data.

“No way these alts are worth that much,” Mow said. 

Sunny Po, an anonymous Bitcoin proponent, said on Jan. 12 that “Unit bias is a core foundational framework of the normie mind. ‘Cheaper better.’”

Mow said that “most” altcoins take advantage of unit bias by implementing a very high total supply so market participants “can’t figure out what they’re buying.”

Related: XRP: Why it’s outperforming altcoins — and what comes next

Based on his calculations, Mow said Bitcoin dominance is going “so much higher.” Bitcoin dominance — a metric that reflects Bitcoin’s share of the total crypto market capitalization — is often used by traders to gauge when Bitcoin might be nearing a price peak. 

Historically, when Bitcoin Dominance declines, it often signals the start of altcoin season, with capital flowing from Bitcoin into altcoins to find higher returns.

At the time of publication, Bitcoin Dominance is sitting at 63.66%, as per TradingView data.

Several crypto analysts were forecasting Bitcoin Dominance to top out at 60% in late 2024 before the beginning of an altcoin season.

In August 2024, Into The Cryptoverse founder Benjamin Cowen said “I don’t think it is going back up to 70%, my target for Bitcoin dominance has been 60%.”

Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest, April 13 – 19