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Can Ethereum’s Utility Make a Comeback Against Bitcoin?

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Ethereum (ETH) is still a leader in decentralized finance (DeFi) and smart contract applications, but it’s at a crossroads. The community has questioned Ethereum’s relevance in the shifting crypto industry, putting the altcoin’s future under intense scrutiny.

Mainstream narratives paint a dark picture of Ethereum’s developer exodus and underperformance.

Is Ethereum Getting Left Behind?

Critics reflect how Bitcoin’s ideological and political dominance, particularly after President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto stance, overshadowed Ethereum’s early promise of a global, decentralized computer.

Ethereum’s price downturn — down 44% in 2025 — is being driven by the exodus of developers, and network activity dropping 17% last year.

In contrast, Solana has spiked with an 83% uptick in developer engagement, partly driven by its adoption of meme coins and fast transaction speeds.

Standard Chartered analysts also cut their end-of-year Ether price forecast by 60%, based on what they told clients was Ethereum’s “identity crisis” and unclear direction forward.

Standard Chartered revises Ethereum forecast
Standard Chartered revises Ethereum forecast. Source: Standard Chartered Bank

Ethereum’s co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, acknowledged the growing criticism but rejected demands for quick fixes.

He reiterated Ethereum’s trajectory hinges on “long-term value” and real-world utility, not short-term speculation or political power.

“The only thing that can move Ethereum forward at this point is things that give long term value in a way where you can clearly see that the value is coming from a thing that is actually sustainable — like actual use for people,” Bloomberg reported citing Buterin.

Grassroots Push: Ethereum’s Loyalists See Opportunity

Despite growing critics, Ethereum’s most diehard supporters remain undeterred. They view the pessimism around the largest altcoin by market cap metrics as an inflection point for a turnaround.

“This is a bottom signal. Mainstream media almost always get the timing wrong,” a user on X remarked.

Ethereum Layer-2 (L2) solutions continue to dominate chain activity, while real-world asset (RWA) growth on Ethereum looks “exponential,” the user added.

Other users also reacted to the Bloomberg article, which renewed bullishness.

“Was starting to feel bearish but this post has me all bulled up again,” one added in a post.

These responses, among others, speak to Ethereum’s strong community, which has tended to shine in the face of adversity and innovation.

There is no political spectacle for Ethereum, unlike Bitcoin, with growth hinging on scalability and real-world use.

Recently, Buterin outlined a roadmap to Ethereum’s L2 ecosystem, calling for funding of open-source development to guarantee continued progress.

His vision is already coming to fruition as projects like Celo successfully transition to Ethereum layer-2 solutions. As BeInCrypto reported, Celo completed the migration after 20 months of testing, which aimed to improve scalability and transaction efficiency.

Adoption of Ethereum’s L2 scaling solutions, such as Arbitrum, Optimism, and Polygon, has also increased.

This aligns with Buterin’s perspective that sustainable blockchain growth comes from strengthened infrastructures, not hype-driven narratives.

These moves indicate that while speculation on Ethereum may be declining, long-term technological adoption could pick up the slack.

Can the Pectra Upgrade Flip the Narrative?

Likewise, Ethereum managed to overcome challenges through significant upgrades. Against that backdrop, its soon-to-be-released Pectra Upgrade could be revolutionary.

Though delays have frustrated some in the community, the upgrade is anticipated to offer improved security, transaction efficiency, and developer-friendly tools.

Ethereum’s continued commitment to innovation and ongoing testnet trials may be the perfect catalyst for reclaiming its DeFi throne. The network’s dominance in decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT (non-fungible tokens) ecosystems proves particularly resilient.

Indeed, meme coins and speculative trading have shifted to faster chains such as Solana.

That said, when it comes to high-value applications, Ethereum is still at the heart of it all — from decentralized exchanges (DEXs)  to institutional-grade financial products.

The question now, however, is whether Ethereum’s focus on real-world adoption can preserve and outlast Bitcoin’s dominance in the halls of political and financial attention.

With the Pectra upgrade on the horizon and a community loyal to the chain’s dominance in the ecosystem, Ethereum may soon show again that its greatest strength lies not in the hype but in resilience and innovation.

Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance
Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto

Despite community optimism, Ethereum’s price is down by 2.22% in the last 24 hours. BeInCrypto data shows ETH was trading for $1,842 as of this writing.

Disclaimer

In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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Is CZ’s April Fool’s Joke a Crypto Reality or Just Fun?

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On April 1, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) shared an amusing hypothetical on social media platform X (Twitter).

He posed the hypothetical scenario of a user generating a cryptocurrency wallet address commonly used for token burns, which permanently remove tokens from circulation.

Binance’s CZ Shares Cryptic Hypothetical on April Fools Day

Changpeng Zhao’s April Fools’ joke about generating a token burn address sparked discussions. However, the chances of it happening are astronomically low. CZ shared the post during the early hours of the Asian session, kickstarting an interesting discourse.

“Imagine downloading Trust Wallet and finding your newly generated address is: 0x000000000000000000000000000000000000dead. Theoretically speaking, it has the same chance as any other address. Alright, enough imagining. Not gonna happen. Get back to building. Happy Apr 1!” Changpeng Zhao wrote.

It comes in time for April Fools’ Day, celebrated annually on April 1, dedicated to practical jokes, hoaxes, and playful deception. Trust Wallet, integrated as Binance’s non-custodial wallet provider, played along with the joke.

“Happy April Fool’s Day,” wrote Trust Wallet.

While the idea seems far-fetched, CZ was not technically wrong. Theoretically, there is an infinitesimally small probability that someone could randomly generate a wallet address matching “0x000…dead” using software like Trust Wallet.

However, the chances are comparable to winning the lottery multiple times. To put things into perspective, one can generate blockchain addresses using cryptographic hashing functions that produce 160-bit outputs.

This means there are 2¹⁶⁰ possible Ethereum addresses—a number so vast that generating any specific address, such as “0x000…dead,” is practically impossible.

“Haha, imagine the odds! That is a 1 in 2^160 type of vibe. Good one, CZ—back to work now, no distractions from the code,” Synergy Media wrote, putting the rarity into context.

While CZ’s April Fool’s joke entertained the crypto community, the reality remains unchanged. The likelihood of generating a wallet address identical to “0x000…dead” is close to zero. This means the post was a fun thought experiment but nothing more.

“Imagine that you can randomly generate a Bitcoin private key every second, and suddenly one day the private key you generated happens to correspond to Satoshi Nakamoto’s wallet or Binance’s wallet. That’s terrifying,” another user quipped.

However, the joke does highlight the fascinating cryptographic underpinnings of blockchain technology. While every address is technically possible, some are rare and might as well be myths. Crypto users will have to keep burning their tokens the old-fashioned way.

Disclaimer

In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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XRP Bulls Fight Back—Is a Major Move Coming?

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XRP price started a fresh decline below the $2.080 zone. The price is now recovering some losses and might face hurdles near the $2.150 level.

  • XRP price started a fresh decline after it failed to clear the $2.20 resistance zone.
  • The price is now trading below $2.120 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.
  • There is a connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $2.10 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair (data source from Kraken).
  • The pair might extend losses if it fails to clear the $2.150 resistance zone.

XRP Price Faces Resistance

XRP price failed to continue higher above the $2.20 resistance zone and reacted to the downside, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The price declined below the $2.150 and $2.10 levels.

The pair even declined below the $2.050 zone. A low was formed at $2.023 and the price is now attempting a recovery wave. There was a move above the $2.050 level. The price cleared the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $2.215 swing high to the $2.023 low.

The price is now trading below $2.120 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. On the upside, the price might face resistance near the $2.10 level. There is also a connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $2.10 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair. The trend line is near the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $2.215 swing high to the $2.023 low.

XRP Price

The first major resistance is near the $2.150 level. The next resistance is $2.1680. A clear move above the $2.1680 resistance might send the price toward the $2.20 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $2.220 resistance or even $2.250 in the near term. The next major hurdle for the bulls might be $2.2880.

Another Decline?

If XRP fails to clear the $2.120 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $2.050 level. The next major support is near the $2.020 level.

If there is a downside break and a close below the $2.020 level, the price might continue to decline toward the $2.00 support. The next major support sits near the $1.880 zone.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for XRP/USD is now losing pace in the bearish zone.

Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for XRP/USD is now above the 50 level.

Major Support Levels – $2.050 and $2.020.

Major Resistance Levels – $2.120 and $2.150.



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CFTC’s Crypto Market Overhaul Under New Chair Brian Quintenz

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Brian Quintenz, the incoming Chair of the US CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission), has begun meeting with Capitol Hill lawmakers before his nomination hearing.

On Monday, Quintenz met with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to discuss key regulatory issues, including the CFTC’s role in overseeing crypto spot markets.

CFTC Targets Crypto Spot Market After Derivatives

Brian Quintenz met with Republican Senator from Iowa Chuck Grassley to discuss another element in the CFTC’s crypto market structure regulation agenda. This time, the focus is on crypto spot markets.

“It was wonderful to meet with you Chuck Grassley and discuss your leadership on whistleblower issues as well as the future of the agency,” Quintenz stated.

Grassley also commented on their discussion. He highlighted the CFTC Whistleblower Protection Program for spot crypto markets as part of the agenda. Notably, Grassley is a member of the Senate AG Committee, the legislative body overseeing the CFTC.

Eleanor Terrett, host of the Crypto America podcast, indicated that the Senate AG Committee will have a significant role in part of the CFTC’s crypto regulation agenda. Specifically, it would have an outsized say in whether the CFTC could gain expanded jurisdiction over crypto spot markets.

The meeting comes as the CFTC moves closer to expanding its role in crypto regulation. US President Donald Trump tapped Quintenz, a former executive at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), to lead the agency.

His appointment is part of Trump’s broader plans to reshape crypto oversight. This could potentially give the CFTC greater authority over digital asset markets.

Meanwhile, regulatory developments surrounding crypto have accelerated in recent weeks. The CFTC eased regulatory hurdles for the crypto derivatives market only days ago. The move will enhance market efficiency and attract institutional investors.

Beyond derivatives and spot markets, the CFTC is also exploring other areas of crypto oversight. The agency recently announced plans to host a roundtable discussion on prediction market regulation. It aims to address the regulation of decentralized prediction platforms.

Stablecoins are also on the agency’s radar. The CFTC also revealed a forum to discuss stablecoin regulation and potential risks associated with their widespread adoption.

Additionally, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the CFTC revoked previous crypto-related guidelines, signaling a shift in regulatory strategy.

Crypto markets can also not rule out the possibility of further collaboration between key agencies in the broader industry. Reports indicate that the US SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and the CFTC have discussed reviving a joint advisory committee to coordinate on crypto regulation.

If revived, the committee could serve as a bridge between the agencies. This would address concerns over jurisdictional overlap and streamlining oversight efforts.

As Quintenz prepares for his nomination hearing, his meetings with lawmakers suggest that crypto regulation will be a top priority for the CFTC moving forward.

Disclaimer

In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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