
On Jan. 20, 2025, the United States will start a new chapter in more ways than one. While the nation will be focused on President Trump`s inauguration as our 47th President, the U.S. financial sector will be celebrating the resignation of Joe Biden`s Securities and Exchange Commission Chair, Gary Gensler. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, I am well aware of Gensler`s heavy-handed approach in stifling innovation and shackling the American economy`s engine. His punitive stance was particularly damaging in the burgeoning field of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. While touting his actions as measures to protect investors, Gensler leveraged contrived ambiguity to undermine the growth and technological advancements that make U.S. markets competitive and drive promising projects offshore, including the development of the next generation of the internet. Under Gensler`s leadership, the SEC`s enforcement-focused agenda frequently did more harm than good, and "regulatory uncertainty" was used to attack American crypto exchanges like Bittrex, Kraken, and Coinbase, with Bittrex explicitly citing the effects of Gensler`s approach when it exited the U.S. market. The question isn`t whether cryptocurrency requires regulation — it unquestionably does. Cryptocurrency, by its very design, challenges traditional financial systems and demands an entirely different regulatory framework — one that balances consumer protection with the need to foster innovation. With the price of bitcoin recently breaking the $100,000 threshold, digital assets have demonstrated their staying power, and investors have already embraced their potential. Last year, I was proud to help the House pass the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act , a bill championed by our incoming Financial Services Chair French Hill. FIT 21 represents a groundbreaking shift in the legislative landscape and would establish a responsible new regulatory framework that clearly defines the role of the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. This would offer much-needed clarity to a rapidly evolving market and, unlike the SEC`s enforcement-heavy playbook, FIT 21 both fosters transparency and innovation and protects consumers without stifling creativity. I applaud Rep. Hill for his work on this, and look forward to his ongoing efforts in tandem with President Trump in this arena. President Trump demonstrated a keen understanding of cryptocurrency`s transformative potential during his historic campaign. Polling demonstrates that his embrace of these issues helped him earn broad support from younger and more diverse voters for whom cryptocurrency is a staple of daily life. During his first administration, President Trump`s SEC worked collaboratively with the crypto industry to enforce securities laws without alienating innovators, offering clear guidance through landmark initiatives like the DAO Report and the Framework for Investment Contract Analysis of Digital Assets . These resources provided critical insights to help entrepreneurs navigate compliance while building groundbreaking technologies. Beyond the Biden administration`s hostility to crypto, Chuck Schumer and Democrats in the Senate refused to consider FIT 21 after it passed the House with overwhelming, bipartisan support. Moreover, in New York, the courts thwarted Governor Hochul`s attempt to shutter bitcoin miners by deploying the state`s radical climate law. In anticipation of President Trump`s return and Republican majorities in the House and Senate, the crypto market is booming, with the price of bitcoin increasing by up to 33% since Election Day. Moreover, President Trump`s new cabinet and the Department of Governmental Efficiency could revolutionize the way federal agencies operate and save taxpayers billions by integrating blockchain technology across government. With President Trump`s appointment of Paul Atkins as the next SEC Chair, we can expect a more thoughtful and transparent approach to governance and policies that encourage innovation while safeguarding investors — setting the stage for the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector to thrive and the creation of high-paying new American jobs. We will be able to move beyond the opportunities missed during the Biden administration and build a framework that positions the U.S. as a leader in the global digital economy.
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Ostium Launches Competitive Points Program for Trading Activity and Liquidity Provision

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ostium , the pioneering leveraged trading platform for Real World Assets, today announced the launch of its Ostium Points Program, a competitive system tracking user activity and engagement across the platform designed to help incentivize trading, referrals, and liquidity provisioning across its ecosystem. Today the platform enables users to long or short stocks, commodities, indices and currencies. The program officially launches on Monday, March 31, 2025, with an initial points distribution of 10 million points allocated retroactively to early adopters who have been active on the platform prior to the program launch. Retroactive points emphasize recognizing users on Ostium’s public Mainnet and private Mainnet, testnet, and pre-testnet phases. Visit ostium.app/points to check your points allocation. 500,000 points will be distributed weekly based on user activity. Weekly points distribution may increase and available points will be communicated at the start of each week. The program is designed to recognize early adopters while creating an engaging competitive environment for all participants. By acknowledging users who contribute to the ecosystem through their trading activity, referrals, and liquidity provision, Ostium aims to further strengthen its community of traders and liquidity providers. The Ostium Points Program features the following components: Real-time score tracking: Scores update immediately when users trade or provide liquidity. These scores are converted into points at the end of every week. Weekly conversions to points: Every Sunday at midnight UTC, accumulated scores convert to points based on relative participation levels. Score tracking then resets for the new week. Dual scoring system: The program tracks two types of scores: Trading/Referral scores and Liquidity Provision scores. While there are two score categories, they combine into a single points total. Competitive leaderboards : Users can monitor their real-time ranking against other participants in both score categories and in the global points leaderboard. Referral benefits: The program allocates 1 trading score for every 5 trading scores generated by referred users. Users who sign up with a referral code receive a 5% boost on all trading scores. Community contributions : A small portion of weekly points is optionally reserved for substantial open-source contributions to the protocol, such as critical bug reports and technical research. The Points Program represents the next phase in Ostium’s community development strategy, building on its mainnet launch that brought access to global macro markets for the first time onchain. The Ostium Points Program begins March 31, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET. Users can view their point allocations and track their scores on the platform’s interface. New points are allocated weekly on Sundays at midnight UTC. For more information about the Ostium Points Program, visit www.ostium.app/points. About Ostium Ostium is the leading leveraged trading platform for Real World Assets offering the first onchain long/short exposure to markets like the Nasdaq, Gold, and Oil. The platform enables users to trade stocks, commodities, indices and currencies. Ostium was founded by alumni from Harvard, Bridgewater, and BlackRock and is supported by top-tier investors such as General Catalyst, LocalGlobe, Susquehanna (SIG), GSR, and Alliance DAO. Note: The Ostium Points Program is designed for tracking engagement and participation. Points have no monetary value, cannot be transferred, sold, or exchanged for any consideration, and do not represent any ownership interest, investment opportunity, or any right to any future rewards. Ostium reserves the right to modify or terminate the program at any time. CoinDesk

Bitcoin Price Bounces Back—Can It Finally Break Resistance?
Bitcoin price started a recovery wave above the $83,500 zone. BTC is now consolidating and might struggle to settle above the $85,500 zone. Bitcoin started a decent recovery wave above the $83,500 zone. The price is trading above $83,000 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. There is a connecting bullish trend line forming with support at $84,500 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair could start another increase if it stays above the $83,500 zone. Bitcoin Price Starts Recovery Bitcoin price managed to stay above the $82,000 support zone . BTC formed a base and recently started a decent recovery wave above the $82,500 resistance zone. The bulls were able to push the price above the $83,500 and $84,200 resistance levels. The price even climbed above the $85,000 resistance. A high was formed at $85,487 and the price is now consolidating gains above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $81,320 swing low to the $85,487 high. Bitcoin price is now trading above $83,500 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average . There is also a connecting bullish trend line forming with support at $84,550 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. On the upside, immediate resistance is near the $85,200 level. The first key resistance is near the $85,500 level. The next key resistance could be $85,850. A close above the $85,850 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $86,650 resistance level. Any more gains might send the price toward the $88,000 level or even $88,500. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $85,500 resistance zone, it could start a fresh decline. Immediate support on the downside is near the $84,500 level and the trend line. The first major support is near the $83,500 level and the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $81,320 swing low to the $85,487 high. The next support is now near the $82,850 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $82,000 support in the near term. The main support sits at $80,500. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now losing pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $84,500, followed by $83,500. Major Resistance Levels – $85,200 and $85,500. CoinDesk