Bitcoin whale wallets added 10,000 BTC between April 1 and April 3, lifting whale holdings from about 4.21 million BTC to more than 4.23 million BTC. The purchases were valued at roughly $670 million as BTC traded below $70,000 and hovered near the $66,000 level. The accumulation came as broader sentiment remained bearish and price action stayed mostly in the red for the week.

Crypto markets saw renewed volatility and institutional momentum, including a $440M liquidation event as bitcoin dropped below $66,000. Coinbase said it received conditional OCC approval for a national trust charter, while a long-idle wallet last active in May 2014 moved 500 BTC in five transfers. Corporate buying also continued as Metaplanet reported 5,075 BTC purchased in Q1 2026, lifting holdings to 40,177 BTC.

The FDIC is scheduled to hold a board meeting on April 7, 2026 to finalize initial federal rules for stablecoin issuance under the GENIUS Act. The law requires 1:1 backing with cash or short-term U.S. Treasuries and bars issuers from paying interest, even as issuers already keep over 80% of a $250 billion-plus reserve pool in Treasuries and repos. The framework also sets staged deadlines through 2028 and raises open questions on redemptions, state-federal authority, and operational risks.

On April 3, 2026, the Ethereum Foundation staked about 45,034 ETH, lifting its active validator total to nearly 69,500 ETH and leaving it just short of a 70,000 ETH target. The deposits were valued around $93 million at prices near $2,059, and the foundation estimates the program could produce $3.9–$5.4 million per year in staking income.

Charles Schwab says it will roll out direct spot trading for Bitcoin and Ether in the first half of 2026, extending access across roughly 46 million brokerage accounts. The firm, which manages nearly $12 trillion in client assets, plans to offer the service under "Schwab Crypto" via Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, with an early-access waitlist already available.

On April 2, 2026, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted Coinbase conditional approval to establish "Coinbase National Trust Company" as a federally chartered trust company focused on digital-asset custody. Coinbase executives said the charter does not turn the firm into a commercial bank, but it would place custody operations under a single federal framework instead of a state-by-state licensing model. The approval remains conditional, with Coinbase still required to meet OCC requirements before it can launch operations under the charter.

Global X Management Company launched the Global X Ethereum Covered Call ETF (EHCC) on April 2, 2026, aiming to make weekly income distributions by selling call options on Ether-related ETPs. The actively managed fund charges a 0.75% expense ratio and invests at least 80% of net assets in U.S.-listed spot and futures Ether ETPs, without holding ETH directly.

Central banks recorded net purchases of 19 metric tons of gold in February, a rebound from January's net 5 tons and still below the 2025 monthly average of 26 tons. Poland led buying with 20 tons, while Turkey and Russia posted the largest reported reductions at 8 tons and 6 tons. China also extended its run of additions, with official data showing reserves rising to 74.22 million fine troy ounces.