Riot has lost a senior data center executive as investment in AI infrastructure and hyperscale capacity ramps up. The departure comes as the company steps up buildout activity in the sector. Riot shares slid 6%.

On-chain analyst Ember (@EmberCN) reported that USDT issuer Tether recently withdrew 951 BTC from Bitfinex, worth about $70.47 million. The coins were acquired earlier this quarter using 15% of the company's profits. Tether's Bitcoin reserve address now holds 97,141 BTC, valued at roughly $7.2 billion, ranking as the world's fifth-largest BTC wallet. Based on the withdrawal price, the average cost is estimated at $51,312 per BTC, implying unrealized gains of around $2.175 billion.

Bitcoin core developer Jameson Lopp says he would prefer the network freeze an estimated 5.6 million BTC he believes are effectively lost, rather than risk those coins being recovered one day by quantum-capable attackers. In comments to CoinDesk, Lopp stressed he is not calling for anyone's bitcoin to be frozen today and does not think such measures are currently needed. He said his view is driven by modeling worst-case future scenarios, arguing that removing long-dormant coins from potential circulation could be safer than allowing them to be captured by an entity that "likely doesn't care much about the ecosystem." Lopp's remarks follow the Tuesday publication of BIP361, a proposal he co-authored that examines a path toward retiring bitcoin's current signature scheme and, over time, invalidating transactions from wallets deemed vulnerable to quantum attacks. Under that approach, funds in wallets that fail to migrate could ultimately be frozen. At current prices, the dormant coins Lopp referenced would be worth about $420 billion. In a subsequent post on X, he said he "doesn't like" the proposal and hopes it never has to be used, calling it a rough contingency concept rather than a finished specification. "I wrote it because I like the alternative even less," he added, arguing that in an existential crisis, "individual economic incentives outweigh philosophical principles." Lopp has previously criticized the idea of "quantum recovery," describing it as rewarding technological dominance instead of constructive participation in the network. "Quantum miners don't trade anything," he wrote. "They are vampires feeding upon the system." About 28% of all bitcoin—roughly 5.6 million BTC—has not moved in more than a decade, Lopp said, with many analysts viewing a large portion as likely lost. If quantum computing advances eventually enabled recovery of those coins, he warned it could inject major volatility and damage confidence in the world's largest cryptocurrency. The proposal is in early stages and has no timeline for adoption, but it has already ignited intense community debate. Lopp framed the concept as a way to push wallet upgrades before a real threat materializes. "It's not that I want to freeze anyone's bitcoin," he said. "We believe it will be necessary to incentivize the ecosystem to upgrade because humans tend to be procrastinators." Any such change would require broad consensus across bitcoin's decentralized network. While there is no formal vote, past protocol upgrades have depended on overwhelming miner support for activation. Lopp said the larger risk may be reputational rather than purely market-driven. Even without a mass dump of recovered coins, he argued that credible proof of quantum capability could trigger immediate panic. "It doesn't even require a massive market dump," he said. "If there is any credible evidence that anyone has the capability to recover lost or vulnerable coins with a quantum computer, you should expect a massive market panic immediately." He added that rational holders would likely exit until the blockchain is secured against such threats. The debate highlights a growing rift between bitcoin's promise of immutable, censorship-resistant ownership and potential defensive steps against future shocks. Mati Greenspan, founder of Quantum Economics, said the dispute is more philosophical than technical. "The path to quantum resistance is relatively clear," he said. "The real question is how the Bitcoin community chooses to handle vulnerable coins along the way." Greenspan warned that freezing dormant accounts would represent a meaningful break from bitcoin's core principles. "On one hand, freezing dormant or exposed coins could remove a major tail risk and protect market confidence," he said. "On the other, it introduces a precedent of intervention that many would argue is more dangerous than the threat itself." He added that visible quantum attacks on dormant wallets could spark panic even without a large-scale selloff. Others echo concerns that a freeze would weaken bitcoin's foundational guarantees. "Ownership becomes conditional. Having keys no longer guarantees you can spend," said Leo Fan, founder of Cysic and former lead on quantum resilience at Algorand. "That weakens Bitcoin's 'unstoppable money' promise." Fan said he opposes freezing, but noted that taking millions of coins out of circulation could tighten supply and potentially lift bitcoin's value.

Michael Saylor said Strategy generated 17,585 Bitcoin in the first two weeks of April 2026, valuing the haul at $1.3B.

Wall Street kicked off Q1 reporting season with solid results, though one development is drawing outsized attention. Goldman Sachs delivered strong earnings and filed for a Bitcoin Premium ETF, underscoring traditional finance's accelerating push into crypto. JPMorgan Chase posted record markets revenue. Johnson & Johnson reported 9.9% growth and raised its outlook. As earnings roll in, investors are weighing the numbers against the longer-term signals.

Odaily Planet Daily reported that Michael Saylor said in a post on X that Strategy generated 17,585 BTC in the first two weeks of April 2026, valued at about $1.3 billion. An accompanying image showed Strategy's year-to-date Bitcoin yield at 5.6%, equal to 37,339 BTC (around $2.78 billion). The quarter-to-date yield was listed at 2.3%, also equivalent to 17,585 BTC (about $1.3 billion).

Bitcoin briefly climbed above $76,000 on April 15 as traders responded to renewed optimism around upcoming U.S.-Iran talks, but the rally is running into potential selling pressure tied to the U.S. tax filing deadline. Markets are now testing whether bullish momentum can hold. Market snapshot - Price move: BTC gained more than 5% over the past 24 hours, reaching $76,120—its highest level since Feb. 6. - Latest level: Bitcoin was trading around $74,508 as the market digested the move and probed key support. - Short squeeze: The surge triggered roughly $500 million in liquidations of short positions globally. Key drivers Bullish factors - Easing geopolitical risk: The U.S. and Iran are expected to hold direct talks on April 16, supporting expectations for lower tensions, softer oil prices and improved risk appetite. - Institutional interest: Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) said it invested $1 billion to buy about 13,900 more BTC. Goldman Sachs has also filed to launch a Bitcoin yield ETF. - On-chain activity: Bitcoin’s daily trading volume is up 62% year-to-date, pointing to stronger on-chain demand. Bearish factors - Tax-related supply: April 15 is the U.S. tax deadline, with estimates suggesting up to $2.8 billion of potential selling from tax-driven liquidations—the main near-term overhang. - Retail caution: Despite improved sentiment, funding rates have stayed negative for 46 straight days, signaling limited retail momentum chasing. - Negotiation risk: No agreement has been reached; any negative headlines could quickly reverse the move. Levels to watch: U.S. open seen as pivotal Bitcoin is consolidating in a $74,200–$76,000 range as traders wait for clearer direction. - Upside case: A sustained break above $76,000 on strong volume could open the door to $78,000–$80,000, with an outside chance of testing $89,000. - Downside case: Failure to reclaim $76,000 or tax-related selling could pressure the $73,800–$74,200 support area. A breakdown may set up a retest of $72,000, or even $70,000. Risk note: Post-open price action in U.S. markets may offer the next clear signal. With volatility elevated, manage leverage carefully. Disclaimer: This content reflects the author’s personal views and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not investment advice and does not represent the official position of AiCoin. Investing involves risk; exercise prudence.

April 15 — Michael Saylor, founder of MicroStrategy, said Strategy generated 17,585 bitcoins in "Bitcoin Gains" during the first two weeks of April 2026, worth roughly $1.3 billion at current prices. Saylor described "Bitcoin Gains", under the company's "Bitcoin standard" framework, as the metric closest to traditional net profit. A chart accompanying the statement shows that as of April 15, Strategy held 780,897 BTC, valued at $58.123 billion. BlockBeats notes that "Bitcoin Gain (BTC Gain)" is a key performance indicator developed by Strategy to quantify shareholder value created by its Bitcoin-focused capital strategy. The measure reflects the increase in Bitcoin per share over a given period, driven by raising funds through tools such as equity issuance, convertible bonds and preferred stock, then deploying the proceeds to purchase additional Bitcoin. It is not net profit under conventional accounting, but what Saylor calls the closest equivalent within the Bitcoin standard.