Crypto took a global leap forward this week with Bitcoin volatility dropping to its lowest level in over 500 days, BlackRock making a massive BTC purchase through its flagship ETF, and TOKEN2049 Dubai delivering institutional-scale stablecoin deals.
From XRP’s leveraged ETF debut to Worldcoin’s reentry into the U.S., here’s what moved the markets this week.
Bitcoin volatility hits 563-day low, signaling institutional maturity
Bitcoin’s weekly price volatility has fallen to its lowest level since November 2023, marking 563 days without major swings, according to K33 Research.
This sustained stability is viewed by analysts as a sign of Bitcoin’s evolution from a speculative asset to a maturing store of value.
Lower volatility tends to reduce short-term trading risk and may increase appeal for institutional portfolios seeking reliable, long-term exposure.
According to Companiesmarketcap, Bitcoin now has a $1.9 trillion market cap, placing it as the world’s seventh-largest asset, ahead of Meta, Silver, and Saudi Aramco.
Analysts say this calm period could precede a breakout, as similar volatility troughs in 2020 and 2023 were followed by sharp upward moves.
BlackRock’s IBIT ETF absorbs $970M in BTC, solidifies market dominance
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) recorded its second-largest daily inflow on April 28, scooping up $970 million in Bitcoin, according to Sosovalue’s data.
The inflow lifted total net inflows across all U.S. spot BTC ETFs to $590 million for the day, helping push Bitcoin back above $94,000.
With more than $54 billion in assets, IBIT now controls 51% of the total market share among spot Bitcoin ETFs. It has become the world’s 33rd-largest ETF overall, outpacing many legacy finance products.
Market analysts noted that BlackRock’s continued accumulation provides “structural support” for BTC price appreciation. The inflows come amid declining retail interest, suggesting institutional demand is driving the current recovery.
ETF-related Bitcoin purchases accounted for over 75% of BTC inflows in February, and momentum appears to be building again.
TOKEN2049 Dubai ends with stablecoin deals, political fireworks, and AI crossovers
TOKEN2049 Dubai wrapped up with bold announcements. World Liberty Financial introduced its USD1 stablecoin on TRON and confirmed it will be used in a major institutional deal with MGX.
Mesh also revealed Apple Pay support for crypto-to-stablecoin payments.
Eric Trump argued that crypto is a lifeline for those shut out of the traditional system, while Pipe Network launched PipeQuest to reward infrastructure participation ahead of its Solana-based mainnet.
AI also took the stage as Emad Mostaque debuted an open-source medical reasoning model to integrate healthcare and crypto’s decentralized ethos.
Mastercard rolls out stablecoin payments for 150M merchants
Mastercard announced on April 28 a sweeping crypto initiative that will enable stablecoin payments across cards, wallets, and global merchants.
The move is backed by partnerships with major platforms like MetaMask, Kraken, Binance, and stablecoin issuers including Circle and Paxos. Circle, Nuvei, and Crypto.com are also among the early partners.
The payments giant will support wallet top-ups, card-linked spending, and merchant settlement in stablecoins like USDC.
It will also introduce on-chain remittances via Mastercard Crypto Credential, aiming to bridge traditional finance and Web3 for real-world use cases.
Mastercard’s push comes as Standard Chartered forecasts the stablecoin market could reach $2 trillion within three years.
XRP leveraged ETFs go live after SEC approval
ProShares launched three XRP futures-based leveraged ETFs in the U.S. this week following SEC clearance, marking a major step for institutional access to XRP.
The new products—Ultra XRP (2x long), Short XRP (-1x), and Ultra Short XRP (-2x)—track futures contracts under daily reset rules and are aimed at short-term traders seeking amplified exposure.
The rollout follows the resolution of Ripple’s years-long SEC battle, which concluded in March. While spot XRP ETFs remain pending, this launch reflects growing regulatory openness.
UK introduces first national crypto law amid surging adoption
The UK government unveiled its first formal crypto regulation during Fintech Week in London, covering exchanges, custodians, and brokers.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the move will position Britain as both an innovation hub and a safe market for consumers, citing a tripling in crypto ownership since 2021.
The framework aligns crypto oversight with traditional finance rules and is part of the broader “Plan for Change” economic agenda. Final legislation is expected later this year.
Cross-border discussions with the U.S. on a shared “transatlantic sandbox” for digital assets are also advancing.
Worldcoin relaunches in U.S. as ‘World’, partners with Visa and Tinder
Sam Altman’s crypto ID project returned to the U.S. this week under the new name “World”, launching in six major cities with iris-scanning Orbs and WLD token access.
World previously paused U.S. plans due to regulatory uncertainty, but is now backed by friendlier policy under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Early adopters include Visa, set to release a World-branded card, and Match Group, which will test World ID for verification across its dating apps.
Other partners include Shopify, Telegram, Discord, and prediction market Kalshi.
