BitCluster is building a 120 MW Bitcoin mining data center in Ethiopia, citing the country's favorable climate and ample renewable power. Ethiopia is targeting an increase in its share of global Bitcoin hashrate to 5% this year, up from 2.5%.

Bitcoin spot ETFs drew a combined net inflow of about 12,142 BTC this week, CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost said in a post cited by ChainCatcher. Darkfost estimated the average cost basis for ETF investors at roughly $82,247, leaving holders still sitting on overall losses. ETF flows have strengthened notably since March, with inflows taking the lead. Trading activity has also picked up, with ETF volume rising to $4.7 billion, narrowing the gap with spot market turnover of $6.2 billion.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says demand for XRP is accelerating after the token's latest step into the Solana ecosystem. He pointed to the launch of wrapped XRP (wXRP) on Solana as a sign of growing interest and expanding use cases, framing the move as part of XRP's shift from a payments-centric asset to a multichain, multiuse token. RippleX confirmed that wXRP is now live on Solana. The rollout, enabled by Hex Trust and LayerZero, introduces a 1:1-backed representation of XRP that can be redeemed at any time. Custodied XRP backs the wrapped token, aiming to maintain price parity while extending XRP's functionality beyond the XRP Ledger. With wXRP available inside Solana's DeFi environment, XRP holders can access trading, liquidity, and yield opportunities on Solana without selling their native XRP. The integration also connects XRP to new liquidity pools and user bases through Solana-based applications, including Jupiter, Titan, Phantom, Meteora, and Byreal. Hex Trust first previewed the wXRP initiative last year, positioning it as a push to strengthen XRP's crosschain capabilities and DeFi participation. Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz also described broader ecosystem expansion for XRP as a positive development. Garlinghouse said XRP demand "keeps growing," suggesting the Solana launch will broaden access and utility by removing constraints that previously kept XRP largely confined to XRPL. XRP has historically been used for institutional payment flows on its native ledger, while Solana is positioned as a high-performance platform for decentralized applications. The wXRP bridge ties the two networks together, opening XRP to additional liquidity venues and new users. Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Views expressed may reflect the author's personal opinions and do not represent The Crypto Basic's position. Readers should conduct their own research before making investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.

XRP exchange-traded funds are posting a strong rebound in April 2026 and are on pace for their largest monthly net inflow of the year. So far this month, the products have attracted about $65 million in new money, reversing March's losses and lifting cumulative net inflows back to levels last seen at the start of 2026. Key points - XRP ETFs have taken in more than $65 million in net inflows so far in April 2026. - March 2026 saw net outflows of $31.16 million. - At the current pace, April is set to become XRP ETFs' biggest net inflow month of 2026. - The April improvement extends a broader inflow trend that has largely held since November 2025, with March the lone monthly setback. - Cumulative net inflows have climbed to $1.27 billion, a three-month high that matches early-2026 levels. April inflows accelerate; record month in sight Data from crypto analytics provider Sosovalue shows XRP ETFs have recorded $65.89 million in net inflows in April 2026, with roughly two weeks remaining in the month. If the momentum holds, April would surpass February's $58.09 million, currently the strongest positive net flow of 2026. For comparison, January 2026 logged $15.59 million of inflows. March 2026 posted $31.16 million of outflows, described as the first monthly loss on record for the category. Since April 10, XRP ETFs have reported consecutive daily inflows. The latest reported single-day intake was $13.74 million on April 17. Over that six-day stretch, inflows totaled $64.47 million, representing about 98% of April's month-to-date figure. Weekly data also shows two straight weeks of net inflows, with the most recent week at $55.39 million. Cumulative inflows return to early-2026 levels April's run has effectively erased the prior month's decline and pushed year-to-date gains higher. XRP ETFs first exceeded $1.27 billion in cumulative net inflows in mid-January 2026, but a $53.32 million single-day outflow on Jan. 20 pulled the total down to $1.22 billion. A six-day recovery attempt followed but did not reclaim $1.27 billion. On Jan. 29, the largest single-day outflow of $92.92 million drove cumulative net inflows to $1.17 billion. After subsequent rebounds and intermittent outflow days, the latest six-day streak has brought cumulative net inflows back to about $1.27 billion as of publication. Bitwise and Franklin Templeton lead April flows Most of April's net inflows have been concentrated in the Bitwise XRP ETF (XRP) and the Franklin Templeton XRP ETF (XRPZ). In April 2026, Bitwise's product has taken in $39.59 million, its second-best month of 2026 after January's $72.89 million. Franklin's XRP ETF has added $22.69 million in net inflows during April. By contrast, the Canary Capital XRP ETF (XRPC) has been comparatively muted in 2026 despite leading inflows in November 2025. XRPC has posted $445,260 in net inflows so far this month, though it still holds the largest cumulative total at $421.86 million. Bitwise and Franklin Templeton are narrowing the gap, with cumulative inflows of about $416 million and $344 million, respectively. Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Opinions cited may reflect the author's views and not those of The Crypto Basic. Readers should conduct their own research before making investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for financial losses.

Bitcoin fell back to around $76,000 as Middle East volatility rattled markets, CoinDesk reported. The drop set off one of the biggest liquidation waves since 2026: about 168,336 traders were wiped out for a combined $762 million, including roughly $593 million in short-position liquidations—nearly three quarters of the total. Earlier, Iran's opening of the Strait of Hormuz had lifted risk assets and pushed Bitcoin above $78,000. After the waterway was remilitarized, risk-off positioning intensified and the price pulled back.

Sen. Thom Tillis said Thursday that a draft on stablecoin yield provisions under the CLARITY Act will not be released this week, Politico reported, as Senate negotiations continue and lawmakers remain split over how rewards linked to stablecoin activity should be treated. Tillis, a key sponsor working with Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, said he wants clarity on when the Senate Banking Committee will hold its markup before circulating text publicly. He cautioned that putting out language without a defined legislative runway could draw scrutiny and complicate the process. The draft is now expected next week or later. FOX Business journalist Eleanor Terrett added that lawmakers are trying to avoid a prolonged public backlash before a markup date is set, a strategy aimed at smoothing the bill's formal review. Tillis' team continues to meet with bank trade groups and crypto firms, signaling that core issues are still unresolved. The central dispute remains the stablecoin yield clause. The draft is reported to preserve earlier language that would bar rewards on idle balances, while permitting yield tied to transactional activity. Banks argue that allowing such incentives could siphon deposits from the traditional financial system. Crypto firms, including Coinbase, say tighter limits would curb innovation. The debate is sharpened by overlap with the GENIUS Act, which already prohibits issuers from paying interest but does not stop third-party platforms from offering yield. That distinction has become a focal point inside the CLARITY Act talks. The delay adds pressure to the legislative calendar. The bill failed to hit a targeted April 13–20 markup window, and attention is turning to the May 21 Senate recess. Despite months of discussions, no compromise has emerged. The White House has hosted closed-door meetings since early this year to push talks forward, but positions on both sides have held. JPMorgan has previously said it expects the bill could pass this year, while warning that shifting political dynamics could still affect its path.

BREAKING: Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's joint military command said Saturday that control measures in the Strait of Hormuz have been reinstated, walking back a Friday statement by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that the strategic waterway was open to commercial shipping. A few hours later, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported that two gunboats from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait. The ship and its crew were safe, according to the Associated Press. Tehran blamed the move on what it described as a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, accusing Washington of breaching the April 7 ceasefire framework. Under the arrangement, Iran agreed to keep the strait open in exchange for a two-week pause in hostilities. Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran's parliamentary National Security Commission, said vessels will once again need authorization from Iran's navy and must pay a toll before transiting. The Strait of Hormuz carries about 20% of global seaborne oil and LNG. Brent was trading near $130 a barrel before Friday's reopening announcement, which sent prices down more than 10%.

Huo Xing Finance cited Coinglass data showing whale positions on the Hyperliquid platform at $3.678 billion. Long positions total $1.855 billion, accounting for 50.44% of exposure, while shorts stand at $1.823 billion, or 49.56%. Unrealized P&L is $17.4291 million on longs and $42.676 million on shorts. One whale wallet, 0x0ddf..02, opened a 3x full-position BTC short at $67,992.10 and is currently sitting on $8.1779 million in unrealized profit.