Crypto News Today: Trump Tariff Update, Ripple News, PI Network News, KiloEx Hack

XRP remains in the spotlight as Ripple and the SEC request a pause in appeal proceedings, sparking settlement rumors ahead of the April 16 deadline. Ripple’s CEO claims an agreement is in place, but official SEC confirmation is pending. Legal experts hint the appeal may be withdrawn once Paul Atkins secures a voting majority. Meanwhile, the XRP price gained slightly, influenced by ETF buzz and reduced tariffs. All eyes are on April 16, a day that could redefine XRP’s regulatory future.

Ocean, a decentralized Bitcoin mining pool launched in 2023 by veteran Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr and backed by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, has partnered with Tether. The largest stablecoin issuer is expanding its mining infrastructure, investing $500 million across sites in Uruguay, Paraguay, and El Salvador. Tether’s CEO emphasizes supporting decentralization through Ocean’s advanced software, which enables miners to create custom block templates even with limited bandwidth, bolstering Bitcoin’s long-term integrity against centralizing forces. A strategic move overall.

El Salvador’s Bitcoin initiative has faced challenges, with only 20 active Bitcoin Service Providers (BSPs) currently operating in the country. Despite initial interest, 161 out of 181 applicants remain inactive. Chivo, the government-backed wallet, is set to be disbanded following an agreement with the IMF. Crypto remittances have not gained significant traction, with less than 1% of funds using Bitcoin rails. President Bukele acknowledged the limited local adoption but highlighted its branding and investment benefits.

XRP price could surge past $10 as the SEC vs. Ripple lawsuit nears a potential settlement. Key catalysts include possible US government endorsement, a pro-crypto SEC chair, expected XRP ETF filings by BlackRock, and potential SWIFT integration. Currently trading at $2.15, XRP may see massive inflows if ETFs are approved in May 2025. With strong fundamentals and institutional interest, analysts suggest XRP could realistically target $10, and possibly even $20, in the coming months.

Pi Network is turning heads as its token, Pi Coin, enters futures trading on Bitunix, marking a major step toward mainstream recognition. After a 35% weekly surge driven by its integration with Chainlink, Pi is currently trading around $0.75. The futures launch, despite being synthetic, signals rising market interest. With over 60 million users and dApp momentum building, Pi’s Open Mainnet anticipation grows. Analysts predict a potential 228% surge by May 2025—though caution remains due to its unlaunched Mainnet.

KiloEx, a newly launched DeFi trading platform backed by YZi Labs, has suffered a $7 million exploit across the BNB, Base, and Taiko chains. The attacker, using Tornado Cash, exploited a price oracle vulnerability to siphon funds. Operations are currently suspended, and a bug bounty program is underway. The KILO token plunged 30%, shedding $3.5 million in market cap. This incident underscores ongoing security risks in multi-chain DeFi and raises fresh concerns about the safety of cross-chain platforms.

The global crypto market cap edged up 0.63% to $2.7 trillion, while the 24-hour trading volume dipped 4.68% to $78.57 billion. Market sentiment remains cautious, with the Fear & Greed Index at 31 (Fear). Bitcoin and Ethereum saw modest gains, rising 1.04% and 0.98%, respectively. XRP also ticked up, while Solana slipped 0.81%. Among top gainers, FARTCOIN surged 8.69%, followed by Story IP (+5.94%) and KAS (+5.07%), reflecting selective bullish activity in a cautious market.