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OKX Claims Bybit Misled EU Regulators Over Hack

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OKX pushed back against a recent article claiming that EU watchdogs were scrutinizing the exchange over its potential role in the Bybit hack. The firm received a MiCA license last month to meet EU compliance and claims that regulators are not investigating its services.

OKX’s comments took a surprisingly hostile tone towards Bybit, even though the firm proactively tried to cooperate in freezing stolen money. It did not directly refute the notion that Lazarus Group hackers used its decentralized services.

OKX Pushes Back Against Claims of EU Scrutiny

OKX, a leading crypto exchange, has been building its regulatory credibility as of late. Last month, OKX settled with the US Department of Justice to help normalize relations. It also recently secured a MiCA license to conduct business in the European Union.

Today, the exchange reacted to a recent Bloomberg article that claimed EU regulators were quietly scrutinizing it. In the article, Bloomberg referenced Bybit’s statement and described that EU regulators are ‘zeroing in’ on OKX’s Web3 services.

“The Bloomberg article is misleading. It is unfortunate Bybit’s statements are spreading misinformation among journalists. We want to clarify for our community that OKX is not being investigated. This is simply a case of Bybit’s lack of security know-how. Our web3 wallet services are no different than what is offered by other industry players,” OKX wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

A Bybit Misunderstanding?

On March 4, Bybit CEO Ben Zhou posted a breakdown of the Lazarus Group’s money laundering efforts, which were largely successful.

Also, Zhou claimed that 8% of the funds were laundered through a decentralized OXK wallet, and its President, Hong Fang, reached out to help. Zhou thanked her for this assistance.

However, this 8% of the stolen funds, which amounted to around $100 million, is at the center of the EU’s apparent scrutiny. Bloomberg reported that regulators are trying to determine whether OKX’s separate, decentralized Web3 service also falls under MiCA. If so, the EU may even claim that OKX violated sanctions against North Korea.

All that is to say, this report doesn’t cite any new claims from Bybit except the exchange between Zhou and Hong. This interaction had a very cordial tone at the time, but OKX’s official statement is much more caustic today.

The firm absolutely refutes these claims and reiterates that Bybit was hacked because of its own security vulnerabilities.

“We will continue to help Bybit to strengthen the industry. But we absolutely refute the false claims by Bybit that are leading to misinformation about our role in what began as a serious security vulnerability on their exchange,” OKX wrote.

These claims are particularly concerning and don’t necessarily align with OKX’s proactive response after the hack. When the hack first happened, crypto sleuth ZachXBT specifically appreciated the firm’s willingness to help freeze stolen assets.

If this cooperation attracted regulatory scrutiny, however, some frustration is understandable. So far, Bybit hasn’t commented on any of these proceedings.

It’s important to remember that Bloomberg didn’t state that a criminal investigation was taking place, only that a confidential group of watchdogs was closely discussing the issue. It didn’t specifically touch on the actual laundering allegations.

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 It the Safest Crypto Sector?

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Onchain data shows that RWA tokenization is bucking macroeconomic trends by growing remarkably while other crypto sectors face uncertainty and contractions. There is an increasing belief that these are some of the safest Web3 assets.

Several experts shared key insights into this remarkable growth with BeInCrypto.

How Can RWAs Change Crypto?

Real-world Assets (RWAs) are an important part of the crypto market for several reasons. For example, a report from Binance Research claims that they are the Web3 economy’s most tariff-resilient asset sector.

According to new data, RWAs are growing substantially, surpassing $20 billion on-chain with 12% growth in the last 30 days.

RWA Sector Growth. Source: rwa.xyz

This data gives a few key insights that may be especially relevant in the near future. Importantly, while most of the crypto market is retreating under macroeconomic concerns, the RWA sector is on the rise.

Over the past month, Trump’s on-and-off tariff chaos and inflation fears have injected extreme volatility into the crypto market. Altcoins like Ethereum and XRP have lost over 10% on the monthly chart, but daily volatility has been much worse.

However, major RWA tokens, like Chainlink, Mantra, and ONDO, either remained comparatively stable or had positive positive gains during this period.

Kevin Rusher, founder of RWA lending platform RAAC, remarked on these dynamics in an exclusive commentary shared with BeInCrypto.

“The tokenized RWA market crossing $20 billion in this market is a strong signal. First, it is the only sector in crypto still reaching new ATHs while most are far from their highest levels and suffering heavy losses. Secondly, it shows that it’s not only hype anymore. Institutions are not just talking about it; they are actively tokenizing Real World Assets now,” Rusher said.

Rusher’s comments about institutional RWA investment are clearly visible in the crypto market. On April 7, MANTRA’s OM token held onto value despite broad-sector losses, as it announced a $108 million RWA fund.

Major institutional investors like BlackRock and Fidelity have also increased their RWA commitments.

Rusher went on to state that RWAs are especially attractive because of their stability. Although most of the crypto market is highly susceptible to volatility, RWAs are “building actual infrastructure with long-term value” and generating liquidity.

Tracy Jin, COO of crypto exchange MEXC, also echoed these sentiments:

“Historically, during seasons of liquidity crunch, investors seek refuge in more traditional stable assets like treasuries or cash. However, this time, the geopolitical turbulence has also triggered a sell-off in treasuries. With tokenized gold approaching a $2 billion market cap and tokenized treasuries seeing an 8.7% increase over the past 7 days, these assets continue to build market momentum at the heart of the general market slump,” Jin stated.

Overall, the capital flowing into the RWA ecosystem amid the financial market storm is a positive indicator for the broader crypto space. These funds could even encourage investors to increase their crypto exposure after the market settles. For these reasons, the RWA space has a lot of immediate potential.

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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Investors Shift to Crypto, Gold, and Equities Amid Tariff Volatility

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Welcome to the US Morning Crypto Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.

Grab a coffee to see how investors in emerging markets are doubling down on digital assets and tokenized alternatives as the US dollar falters and inflation risks rise.

Investors Turn To Crypto, Gold Amid Imminent Challenging Economy for the US

Escalated trade war chaos and abounding recession concerns, these narratives have put the status of the US as a haven in question while exacerbating volatility in financial markets.

Now, headlines in Washington are focused on escalating trade tensions, making US crypto news a key market driver. According to Raafi Housain, CEO of digital asset platform Fasset, trading volume has surged internationally for particular assets.

 “While US tariff headlines have dominated the macro conversation, in emerging markets we’re seeing a more nuanced response. In countries like Indonesia and Pakistan, trading activity on Fasset has more than doubled this week — partly as users return from Eid, but also due to growing demand for assets that feel resilient amid uncertainty,” Housain told BeInCrypto.

This suggests that perceptive investors are rethinking their strategies and repurposing their portfolios. Specifically, they are looking to new avenues, such as emerging markets, where access to traditional assets has historically been limited.

“Crypto is leading that surge, but we’re also seeing increased appetite for tokenized gold and, interestingly, US equities,” he added.

This portfolio diversification effort is unsurprising, considering US President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda is triggering global market volatility.

Already, macroeconomic signals are darkening despite the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) current inflation figures not fully reflecting the impact of ongoing tariffs.

Economists are sounding the alarm, with Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi warning of inflationary pressures by summer.

“…inflation statistics will look pretty ugly by mid-summer if the current trade policies remain in place,” Zandi stated.

Zandi did not rule out the possibility of a recession, with his sentiment coming despite President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on all reciprocal tariffs, but for China.

This warning aligns with China’s assertion that retaliatory tariffs on US goods lack competitiveness under current tariffs. Recognizing that tariffs are effectively a tax on imports paid by US businesses, Zandi added that these costs are usually passed on to consumers.

Meanwhile, as the investment scope shifts for well-informed investors, Housain notes adaptation, not panic.

“It’s clear that investors in high-growth markets aren’t retreating; they’re recalibrating — seeking diversification and more control in an unpredictable environment,” Housain explained.

Elsewhere, the dollar index (DXY) is dipping against a progressively rising cost of goods. Against this backdrop, crypto, tokenized commodities, and digital access to US equities are the hedges of choice for now.

Chart of the Day

DXY performance year-to date
DXY performance year-to-date. Source: TradingView

Data on TradingView shows the DXY is down by nearly 10% year-to-date (YTD), from the January 13 intra-day high of $109.87 to $99.04 as of this writing.

Byte-Sized Alpha

Crypto Equities Pre-Market Overview

Company Market open
Strategy (MSTR) $284.26 (+5.98%)
Coinbase Global (COIN): $171.09 (+1.22%)
Galaxy Digital Holdings (GLXY) $14.29 (+3.97%)
MARA Holdings (MARA) $11.94 (+7.10%)
Riot Platforms (RIOT) $6.85 (+4.41%)
Core Scientific (CORZ) $6.75 (1.91%)
Crypto equities market open. Source: Finance.Yahoo

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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How You Can Find Altcoin Winners Early

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The crypto market’s “altcoin season” isn’t what it used to be. In past cycles, Bitcoin rallies gave way to altcoin booms, lifting almost every token. Now, new market trends suggest those days of indiscriminate gains are fading. 

Analysts predict a more selective altcoin cycle – “the era of everything pumping is over.” In an interview with BeInCrypto, Hitesh Malviya, the founder of the crypto analytical tool DYOR, said that retail investors looking for the next big winner must adapt to these evolving trends.

How to Find Winning Altcoins Amidst Choppy Markets

Traditionally, altcoin season meant Bitcoin’s dominance fell, and most altcoins surged. That broad rally may be ending. 

“If the idea of a full-blown alt season comes from past cycles, then that’s something I really don’t expect. What we have seen so far in altcoins was simply the blooming and bursting of a bubble that happened over two bull cycles and two bear cycles,” Malviya told BeInCrypto.

Market experts foresee a more nuanced phase where only the strongest projects thrive. In short, instead of a rising tide lifting all boats, the next altcoin season may favor quality (projects with real usage and revenue) over quantity. 

Investors should focus on fundamentals like usage, revenue, and community growth—the market now rewards substance over hype. Indeed, interest in speculative sectors such as meme coins has drastically declined since late January 2025.

“The adoption curve will take a new shape upwards, while the speculative curve will lose its charm, introducing lower volatility in the market, providing more stable returns, and making the market less correlated to stocks. This will create a new asset class in crypto, which should have two major types of asset offerings—tokenized equities with strong cash flow (e.g., AAVE) and store-of-value assets (BTC, ETH),” Malviya continued.


Strength of Crypto Narratives
Strength of Crypto Narratives in the Last 90 Days. Source: DYOR

A key reason for the evolution of the altcoin season is that liquidity now rotates between different narratives.

Liquidity flows toward compelling stories. There have been mini-cycles where certain themes catch fire – meme coins, AI tokens, DeFi projects, metaverse gaming, etc. Money chases one hot narrative, then moves to the next.

Savvy investors watch social media, developer activity, and news to catch emerging narratives early and get in before the crowd.

“Liquidity will always flow into different narratives at different times, as there are multiple categories within crypto—just like in stocks, where some categories always outperform others. The same market dynamics will be seen in crypto as well,” Malviya stated.

How to Find Potential Altcoin Season Winner? Identifying Strength in Downtrends

Malviya believes that investors should watch for altcoins showing relative strength during downturns. If an altcoin can hold its value or even rise while Bitcoin slides, that resilience signals strong demand (likely early accumulation). 

“At DYOR, we offer a metric called Optimised Relative Strength, which helps track some of the best coins and narratives that have shown the highest strength in the past 7, 30 and 90 days. Coins that have outperformed against the broader market in the past 30 days have a great chance of rallying when the market finds a bottom and starts a fresh leg up,” Malviya explained.

Top Coins by Optimised Relative Strength in the Past 7 Days
Top Coins by Optimised Relative Strength in the Past 7 Days. Source: DYOR

Moreover, Malviya also discussed other fundamental metrics to track. These include:

  • DEX Volume: Rising trading volumes on decentralized exchanges can push the native token’s prices higher.
  • Total Value Locked (TVL): Growth in deposits and total value locked implies user trust – bullish for the lending protocol’s token.
  • Derivatives Volume: Increasing on-chain trading activity means more traders and fees supporting its token.
  • Oracle Total Value Secured (TVS): Climbing total value secured by an oracle (e.g., Chainlink) shows a greater reliance on it, boosting token demand.
  • DePIN Revenue: Actual revenue from a DePIN project (real-world service) signals a sustainable model, not just hype.

Furthermore, Malviya also emphasized the tokenomics of a crypto project. He believes that even a great project can falter if its tokenomics are flawed.

Tokenomics – a token’s supply and incentive design can make or break an altcoin. Good tokenomics (fair distribution, strong utility) create lasting demand, whereas poor tokenomics (excessive inflation or constant insider unlocks) often doom a project.

“Ideally, the community and ecosystem fund should get at least 60% of the supply to generate actual demand for the product by incentivizing developers and users through planned token emissions at different stages. Tokens are actually created to drive real user demand for the product. They can be considered as bribes to get user attention, but since these bribes are also tradable in the market, they can create a ripple effect that could potentially lead to the product’s failure. This happens because retail sentiment often mixes both the product and the token, where, in most cases, the token price eventually determines how much adoption the product gets,” Malviya elaborated.

Lastly, he shares tools that can help users potentially find the next winner for the altcoin season.

  • DYOR – Users can use DYOR to find relative strength data on more than 200+ coins, detailed demand-side tokenomics data on 70+ coins, and fundamental data on 65+ coins, along with detailed research reports on top projects.
  • DeFiLlama – It tracks multi-chain DeFi data like TVL and volumes.
  • Dune Analytics – It is a community-driven platform offering custom on-chain data dashboards.

“The community should learn to use DeFiLlama and DUNE dashboards to uncover some interesting alphas. Most on-chain data is tracked on both of these platforms—all you need to do is find the right dashboard, take notes of the different growth metrics you notice, and build your thesis around a coin using that data to reach better due diligence,” Malviya concluded.

Those armed with solid research stand the best chance of catching the next altcoin season winner.

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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