Security Alert: Hackers Using Obsidian to Spread PHANTOMPULSE Malware

April 15th — Crypto data firm KaikoData reports that South Korea accounts for 30% of global crypto trading volume, with altcoins making up 85% of that share. Bitcoin and Ethereum, meanwhile, represent just 9% and 6% of the country’s crypto trading activity, respectively. South Korean exchanges post an average weekly trading volume of $2.622 billion, which is dominated by altcoins and shows strong speculative tendencies. By contrast, Japan’s monthly crypto trading volume stays steady at $20–30 billion (far lower than South Korea’s monthly equivalent, based on its weekly average). However, Japan’s Bitcoin 1% market depth is 3–5 times that of South Korea, offering better liquidity.

On April 15, Bitfinex noted that 60% of Bitcoin’s supply hasn’t moved in over a year. Liquid supply available for current demand has shrunk since November 2025. Of this supply, the 1–6 month holder cohort makes up 22.1% of the total—making it the largest active group. A significant portion of this cohort’s holdings is held by institutions, tightening available supply at current price points.

April 15th — The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has officially rolled out mandatory cost basis reporting rules for digital asset brokers, set to take effect on April 15, 2026. Per financefeeds, the rules apply to centralized exchanges, custodial wallet service providers, and certain digital asset custodians. Under the new regulations, affected parties must submit Form 1099-DA to both the IRS and taxpayers, documenting sales and exchanges of digital assets. The IRS notes the move aims to reduce underreporting of digital asset capital gains and align cryptocurrency tax reporting standards with those for traditional securities. For investors, this means they’ll need to more accurately track and preserve the purchase price, acquisition date, and on-chain transaction records for each token moving forward.

On April 15, cross-chain protocol LI.FI unveiled LI.FI Earn—a new product tailored for enterprises with digital asset strategies. It delivers on-chain yield capabilities, allowing access to strategies from 20+ vault protocols via a single integration, and supports cross-chain execution across 60+ blockchains.

April 15 — U.S. cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase announced Wednesday that it will release its Q1 2026 earnings report following the U.S. stock market close on May 7, 2026, and host a video webcast to discuss results at 2:30 p.m. PT that same day.