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Lombard Finance, a Bitcoin infrastructure developer, has launched a software development kit (SDK) that allows wallets, exchanges, and other platforms to offer one-click bitcoin (BTC) staking. The release aims to further bring BTC into the decentralized finance (DeFi) economy by tapping into the estimated $154 billion in bitcoin estimated to be sitting idle on centralized exchanges. The new toolkit allows users to stake BTC to mint a liquid staking token called LBTC, which can be automatically deposited into Lombard’s DeFi Vault for a current annual yield of 3%, according to the protocol. “Once viewed solely as a store of value,…

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has sometimes been referred to as “digital gold,” suggesting that it can be a safe haven type of investment, and that it can help hedge against volatility in the stock market. But is that really the case? Based on how it’s done this year and during the last big market crash, it looks to be the complete opposite. Gold is supposed to offer investors some stability in hard times. It’s generally seen as a good way to store value, and investors normally flock to it when they are worried about the economy or the markets in general.…

Sidra Amin top-scored for Pakistan women again as the hosts set Thailand a fighting target of 206 in their fourth One-Day International (ODI) encounter of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Qualifiers on Thursday. In the day-night encounter at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, a World Cup spot is up for grabs for the hosts if they get over the line in this all-important match. Sidra and skipper Fatima Sana’s partnership was crucial for the Green Team after being in trouble earlier in the innings. Pakistan’s batting woes continued as the hosts lost regular wickets and could not up their…

Crypto markets steadily rose in Asian morning hours Thursday after a sell-off the night before as Fed chair Jerome Powell dashed hopes of early rate cuts as global markets reel from the impact of newly-levied U.S. tariffs. Bitcoin (BTC) added 2% in the past 24 hours, data from CoinGecko shows, touching nearly $84,500. Ether (ETH), XRP, dogecoin (DOGE) and BNB Chain’s BNB added between 1%-3%, with Solana’s SOL leading at 6%. Down the pecking order, Hyperliquid’s HYPE surged 8.5% to lead gains among midcaps on no immediate catalyst. Celestia’s TIA dumped 4% to lead losses, as selling pressure on tokens…

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk on Thursday committed his future to the Premier League club, signing a new two-year contract. The Dutch defender follows Mohamed Salah in ending months of speculation by extending his stay at Anfield, with fans preparing to celebrate winning the English Premier League title. “I’m very happy, very proud,” said Van Dijk who, like Salah, would have been out of contract at the end of the season. “There are so many emotions obviously that go through my head right now speaking about it. “It’s a proud feeling, it’s a feeling of joy. It’s just incredible. The…

London CNN  —  The European Central Bank cut its main interest rate to 2.25% from 2.5% Thursday, citing worries about rising trade tensions as Donald Trump’s tariffs have sparked a global trade war. The ECB said in a statement Thursday that, while the eurozone had built up “resilience against global shocks,” the “outlook for growth has deteriorated owing to rising trade tensions.” “Increased uncertainty is likely to reduce confidence among households and firms, and the adverse and volatile market response to the trade tensions is likely to have a tightening impact on financing conditions,” the central bank said. “These factors…

The Bitcoin Policy Institute has suggested that Bitcoin could reach a price of $1 million if the U.S. government were to purchase 1 million BTC. Zach Shapiro, head of policy at the institute, said in a Bitcoin Magazine podcast, “If the United States announces that we are buying a million Bitcoin, that’s just a global seismic shock. […] I think first, Bitcoin price goes through the roof. I think we’d probably go very quickly to something like a million dollars per Bitcoin.” The discussion took place in the context of a March 7 executive order by President Donald Trump that…

Bitcoin dipped 1.5% to $83,700 during remarks by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the Economic Club of Chicago on Wednesday. The cryptocurrency later steadied at $83,800, down 0.5% over 24 hours. The S&P 500 also slipped 2% midday before partially recovering. The moves followed Powell’s cautious comments on inflation, tariffs, and monetary policy. Powell said recent tariff increases imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration were larger than expected and may produce more persistent economic effects. He said inflation was likely to rise temporarily due to the tariffs but added it was too early to determine the long-term impact. “We…

The Pakistan flag was flying high at the Melbourne squash courts as the nation’s young stars bagged four gold medals and one silver at the Australian Junior Open on Thursday. Mehwish Ali defended her Girls U-17 title after defeating Eden-Alma Poulava 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 in today’s final. The top seed remained undefeated throughout the tournament and didn’t cede a single set to her opponents. Compatriot Azan Ali Khan took the Boys U-17 title in similar fashion with a dominating 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 win over local favourite Henry Kross. Khan is ranked Number 2 in Pakistan in the Boys U-17 category…

Coinbase’s latest market report paints a mixed picture for the crypto market, showing signs of decline but also potential for recovery later in the year. The report, published on April 15, reveals that the altcoin market cap has dropped by 41%, from $1.6 trillion in December 2024 to about $950 billion by mid-April 2025. This marks a significant contraction, with the market reaching as low as $906.9 billion on April 9. Venture capital funding for crypto projects has also decreased by 50-60% from the highs of 2021-2022, with these factors contributing to a gloomy outlook for the sector. David Duong,…