Gate News update, April 20. According to Gate market data, as of the time of writing, PIEVERSE (pieverse) is trading at $1.13. It is up 79.64% over the past 24 hours, with a highest price of $1.48 and a lowest price of $0.571. The 24-hour trading volume reached $14.2417 million. Its current market cap is approximately $197 million. Pieverse is an agent-native, compliance-first payment protocol stack. Its core mission is to build foundational payment infrastructure for Web3. By using on-chain verifiable invoices, receipts, and checks to timestamp value, it enables seamless, auditable transactions and perfectly connects blockchain data with real-world compliance needs (such as tax filings and audits). Pieverse is also rolling out x402b (an extension protocol supporting HTTP web payments) and the cross-project, general Timestamping Alliance. This information does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be mindful of risks related to market volatility.

Google is collaborating with Marvell Technology to create two custom chips to enhance AI workload efficiency and lessen dependence on Nvidia's GPUs. One chip will be a memory processing unit, while the other will be a new tensor processing unit for AI inference, with designs expected by 2027.

From 17:45 to 18:00 (UTC) on 2026-04-19, the ETH price recorded a return of -0.56% within 15 minutes, closing in the 2294.03 - 2311.0 USDT range, with an amplitude of 0.73%. Heightened market volatility triggered increased short-term trading activity and boosted attention, while overall liquidity performance tightened. The main driving force behind this unusual move is institutions’ short-term in-and-out flows of ETF funds and a lull in on-chain stablecoin activity. In early April, after the ETH spot ETF recorded a net inflow of $120.24 million over a short period, it quickly reversed to a net outflow of $64.61 million, indicating that institutional capital became more short-term and there was no signal of sustained accumulation. Meanwhile, on-chain USDT and USDC activity fell in tandem to an annual low; ETH’s short-term buying power was clearly insufficient, putting pressure on liquidity. In addition, high-win-rate whales have been frequently shorting ETH and BTC since April 14, with related position sizes exceeding $25 million, further intensifying downward pressure in the short term. On the macro front, the Federal Reserve maintains high interest rates, the U.S. dollar remains strong, risk appetite has shifted to cautious, and some funds have flowed into traditional assets such as U.S. stocks. On-chain data shows that exchange reserves for ETH have fallen to the lowest level in nearly a decade, suggesting that long-term holders are actively shifting away from self-custody, further reducing market liquidity supply and amplifying price anomalies. Network conditions are stable; gas fees are operating at low levels, and on-chain transactions have not shown extreme spikes. The risk of near-term fluctuations remains high. ETF fund flows, large on-chain transfers, stablecoin activity, and changes in whale positions will be key indicators to watch. If institutions step up selling or stablecoin outflows expand further, ETH price volatility may intensify. Please continue to monitor macro developments and on-chain liquidity changes, stay alert to the risk of sharp short-term volatility, and get more real-time updates.

The SEC has approved a NYSE proposal to create a trading mechanism for tokenized securities, allowing them to be traded alongside traditional shares with full fungibility and equal trading rules.

Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin emphasized the transformative potential of AI for the cryptocurrency sector while cautioning against the risks of centralization among tech giants. He envisions AI-driven autonomous transactions on blockchain and highlights the convergence of traditional finance with DeFi.

A wallet associated with Arthur Hayes transferred 3,000 ETH to exchanges, sparking speculation about potential selling pressure. While some interpret this as profit-taking, others suggest it may be for repositioning. The crypto community remains divided as traders monitor the situation closely.

From 18:00 to 18:15 (UTC) on 2026-04-17, the BTC price fluctuated and trended downward within the 77097.4 to 77573.2 USDT range. Over these 15 minutes, the return rate recorded -0.49%, and the amplitude reached 0.61%. During this period, market trading was active; short-term volatility was amplified, and trading attention increased significantly. The main driver behind this abnormal move is that the overall leverage structure is bearish and long positions are fragile. At present, the BTC perpetual contract funding rate has remained negative for 11 consecutive days, indicating that the bears have the upper hand in the market. In addition, futures open interest (OI) is about 628.3 billion USDT, which is at a historical high. During the anomaly window, trading volume increased noticeably. On-chain data shows large amounts of BTC flowing from long-term holder addresses to exchanges, suggesting that active sell orders may have triggered longs to passively reduce positions, amplifying downward price pressure. Moreover, institutional positioning enthusiasm in the mainstream contract market has cooled off; liquidity boundaries have tightened, causing large-trade activity to have an amplified effect on market volatility. In the options market, implied volatility rose to 39.81%, increasing demand for downside protection and reflecting a defensive posture among market participants. Macro-environment volatility and some capital flowing into safe-haven assets, together with the recent regulatory uncertainty-related historical events, reinforced the move, pushing overall market risk appetite lower. Current BTC leverage risks still remain. If, in the future, there are concentrated sell-offs, volatility may be further amplified. It is recommended to continue monitoring sustained high OI levels, the persistence of negative funding rates, and on-chain transfers of large amounts of funds, and to stay alert for whale behavior and any disruptions to market sentiment caused by macro-policy developments. For subsequent price action, please watch key support levels, institutional and whale on-chain moves, and relevant global market news, and guard against short-term risks.

From 14:30 to 14:45 (UTC) on 2026-04-17, the Bitcoin (BTC) market saw clear signs of abnormal movement. The 15-minute candlestick return reached +0.69%, with the price ranging from 77455.4 to 78044.4 USDT and an amplitude of 0.76%. Short-term fluctuations increased market attention, trading volume expanded in parallel, and liquidity improved further. The main driver behind this abnormal move was a clear strengthening of spot-market buy-side demand. According to on-chain and statistical data, from 14:00 to 15:00, BTC spot buys had the upper hand. Massive buy orders continued to push the price higher, while whale addresses (≥10,000 BTC holdings) were actively net-buying during this period. The inflow of large on-chain funds directly drove spot prices higher. In addition, CME Bitcoin futures open interest increased by 70%, yet there was no large-scale liquidation or forced selling, indicating that institutional capital was returning in an orderly manner and that futures leverage did not become the dominant source of pressure. The leading force behind this upswing came from the spot market, and any wait-and-see sentiment caused by shrinking ETF flows did not suppress short-term prices. Meanwhile, on-chain data shows that network activity has continued to rise, and the distribution of holdings is becoming more concentrated. In the short term, the coordinated effect of whales and newly onboarded users amplified price elasticity. Benefiting from an increase in macro risk appetite in mid-April—along with dovish signals from the Bank of Japan coinciding with easing geopolitical tensions—BTC’s attractiveness as a risk asset improved, and investors’ risk appetite strengthened. In addition, although ETF net inflows fell to $4.2 million, there were no large outflows, providing bottom support for spot. Multiple factors converged to drive BTC’s short-term rebound within the 15-minute window. It is worth noting that the SOPR data for short-term holders shows that some short-term capital is currently trading at a loss; if the price pulls back, there may be a risk of additional downside. Changes in institutional capital driven by shrinking ETF flows are also a potential trigger for volatility. The return of leveraged funds to the futures market is also worth watching. Investors should closely monitor key support levels, the movements of actively circulating on-chain funds, and changes in macro news, so they can grasp the market’s timing and stay up to date with more real-time market information.

2026-04-17 12:45 to 2026-04-17 13:00 (UTC), the BTC price fluctuated within the 75720.6 to 76256.6 USDT range, and the return rate within 15 minutes reached +0.64%, with a range of 0.71%. During this period, market attention stayed high, trading activity increased, short-term volatility intensified, reflecting a rapid market move driven by concentrated capital. The main driving force behind this anomaly is that the long-position structure has been significantly amplified on coin-margined perpetual contracts, along with rapid inflows of funds into the long direction. Data shows that in the 12:45–13:00 window, the long contract positions for BTC surged from 8M to 11.4M, accounting for 57% to 77%. Short-term long funds concentrated into the market, and buy-side strength rose markedly, forming a direct impetus for price upside. At the same time, net inflows of ETF funds in the spot market increased, with holdings in major ETF products rising; institutional buying became more active, and the coordination strengthened spot price support. In addition, on-chain active addresses remained at a high level, trading volume expanded significantly, and BTC net inflows on mainstream trading platforms on April 17 also rose—together indicating increased market participation. Meanwhile, BTC broke through a key historical price range ($75,000), and technical buying as well as momentum-chasing funds entered in line with the move. Besides structural factors, global macro environmental risks remain elevated. Some capital is inclined toward BTC as a safe haven, and in the short term, multiple factors have converged, jointly pushing up the market’s volatility. In the near term, with the share of long positions and trading volume rising, if there is an unexpected news event or a reversal in sentiment, it is likely to trigger a rapid pullback. Key risk focus points include: changes in capital flows on mainstream trading platforms, the strength of support in the $75,000 range, and how macro events evolve. Users should be alert to short-term risks during periods of high volatility, monitor key on-chain and macro indicators in real time, and stay on top of more market updates.

Between 09:30 and 09:45 (UTC) on 2026-04-17, the BTC price’s return within 15 minutes was -0.70%. During the day, it fluctuated in the 75511.9 to 76307.6 USDT range, with an amplitude of 1.04%. Short-term market sentiment became more cautious; although capital activity increased, volatility noticeably accelerated. The main driving force behind this move is the large-scale outflow of funds on-chain and active deleveraging in the derivatives market. On-chain data shows that, within this time window, the net outflow from BTC exchanges increased, with a 24-hour net outflow of -2,844.68 BTC. Investors transferred a large amount of BTC to cold wallets, significantly weakening market liquidity and pressuring buy-side demand, which dragged prices lower. In the derivatives space, open interest in perpetual contracts fell in tandem; some leveraged funds actively reduced exposure, indicating the market’s more conservative stance on short-term price action, thereby further weakening support. In addition, multiple large transfers and whale address activity occurred frequently during the anomaly period, amplifying pressure on capital flows and causing sentiment in the derivatives market to turn even colder. The funding rate dropped briefly within the window, indirectly reflecting that some position holders moved into cold wallets for safer risk management. At the same time, the number of active addresses remained persistently high at over 120k, suggesting network participation was not hit and the fundamentals remained stable; however, the combined effect of frequent outflows amplified market volatility in the short term. What needs to be watched is that continuous net outflows of funds on-chain and a decline in holdings pose a threat to the stability of support levels. Large address behavior could lead to further capital escaping. In the short term, focus on changes in exchange BTC balances, on-chain transfer volumes, whale address flow, and the dynamics of derivatives open interest. If capital does not return later, volatility risk may further expand; it is recommended to closely monitor real-time market conditions and key on-chain indicators.