XRP Ledger Launches Institutional DeFi Suite as XRP Slides 16%

Russia will prohibit cash-for-crypto transactions and require trades to go through cashless, bank-mediated channels, a senior central bank official said. The measure is meant to increase oversight of crypto-related flows and clamp down on informal peer-to-peer markets.

Japan’s cabinet has reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial instruments and will introduce bans on insider trading plus annual disclosure requirements for token issuers. The measures aim to strengthen investor protection and bring crypto closer to regulated markets.

Morgan Stanley launched the MSBT Bitcoin ETF with a 0.14% fee, undercutting BlackRock’s IBIT and intensifying an issuer fee war. The move could shift investor flows and compress margins across the digital-asset ETF market.

The New York Times published an 18‑month investigation linking Adam Back to Satoshi Nakamoto using stylometric analysis, interviews, and historical research; Back has denied the claim. Ripple’s CTO responded by calling the matter 'case closed' as the crypto community digests the report.

Zcash rallied over 30% on April 8 to $336.50 following reports of a US–Iran ceasefire, hitting its highest level since January. The privacy-focused token was among the day's top-performing assets.