Hard – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com Latest Crypto News Fri, 12 Sep 2025 23:34:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.7 https://i0.wp.com/earlybirdsinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/cropped-New-Project-2024-12-17T235703.455.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Hard – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com 32 32 240146708 Hard Fork Completed https://earlybirdsinvest.com/hard-fork-completed/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/hard-fork-completed/#respond Fri, 12 Sep 2025 23:34:50 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/hard-fork-completed/

We would like to congratulate the Ethereum community on a successfully completed hard fork. Block 1920000 contained the execution of an irregular state change which transferred ~12 million ETH from the “Dark DAO” and “Whitehat DAO” contracts into the WithdrawDAO recovery contract. The fork itself took place smoothly, with roughly 85% of miners mining on the fork:

the-moment-ethereum-historically-hardforked

You can see ongoing fork progress here. EthStats shows Go, Java and Parity (Rust) nodes successfully synchronized to the fork chain.

The recovery contract is already returning DAO token holders’ ether; about 4.5 million ETH has been sent to DAO token holders, and about 463000 ETH is in the control of the curator; a contract to facilitate extrabalance payments is currently undergoing security review.

Users who are interested only in participating in the fork chain should upgrade their clients to a fork-compatible version if they have not already done so; the upgraded Go client (version 1.4.10) is available here. If any users continue to be interested in following the non-fork chain, they should still update, but run with the –oppose-dao-fork flag enabled, though they should beware of transaction replay attacks and take appropriate steps to guard against them; users with no interest in the non-fork chain do not need to worry about transaction replay attack concerns.

We thank our developers and the community for working together to make the transition as smooth as it has been, and look forward to working together to continue to make the Ethereum ecosystem and protocol a success.


]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/hard-fork-completed/feed/ 0 58144 Crypto falls hard: Google Search Trends Calls the Final Local Market Top https://earlybirdsinvest.com/crypto-falls-hard-google-search-trends-calls-the-final-local-market-top/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/crypto-falls-hard-google-search-trends-calls-the-final-local-market-top/#respond Sat, 30 Aug 2025 21:01:34 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/crypto-falls-hard-google-search-trends-calls-the-final-local-market-top/

The crypto market succumbed to a substantial amount of bear pressure that began on Thursday, August 28th, with most of the big assets falling to a new low on Friday, August 29th.

Naturally, the latest data suggests that this latest price drop, seen across the digital asset market, may have been predicted. This conclusion is based on recent cryptographic activity at Google, the world’s largest search engine.

Is Crypto Bull Cycle over?

In a post on August 29th on social media platform X, Alphractal founder and CEO Joao Wedson revealed that crypto-related searches on Google have been surged to new highs recently. This recent surge in Google searches suggests that Bitcoin and the broader crypto market may have reached a new local top, according to on-chain data experts.

Related readings

This revelation is based on the Google Trends chart. This allows investors to assess the social engagement of a variety of crypto-related topics on search engines. As shown in the chart below, metrics compare a variety of subjects, including cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, altcoin, centralized exchange, and data aggregation platforms.

Crypto
Source: @Joao_Wedson on x

As observed in the highlighted chart, Google Trends metrics have recently witnessed a significant surge, suggesting an increase in public attention across multiple crypto topics. According to Wedson, this type of spike has historically coincided with whales entering the market to sell while “everyone is obsessed.”

Furthermore, cryptocurrency markets have often shown a trend in the past to move in the opposite direction of crowds. These trends explain the price drops seen by most digital assets in the past few days as the market appears to have reached the new local top.

However, Wedson pointed out that other on-chain signals say the market slump, led by the latest well-being, does not necessarily spell the end of the current bull cycle. “Look back to BTC hitting $124K. Euphoria peaked online, whales actively sold, and we’ve been shortened,” the founder of Alfractal added.

Wedson then advised investors to take caution when Euphoria hits the crypto market, as it could suggest that Euphoria is imminent from the local top. Analysts at Crypto said a better strategy is to exit the market wisely at a higher price and then re-enter at a cheaper rate.

The total crypto market capitalization is $3.7 trillion

At the time of writing, Crypto’s total market capitalization was just above $3.7 trillion, reflecting a nearly 4% decline over the past day. Over $142 billion has been released from the crypto market in the last 24 hours, according to TradingView data.

Related readings

Crypto
Total crypto market capitalization for daily time frames | Source: TradingView total chart

ShutterStock featured images, TradingView charts

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/crypto-falls-hard-google-search-trends-calls-the-final-local-market-top/feed/ 0 55943 Why it’s so hard to get good sleep? https://earlybirdsinvest.com/why-its-so-hard-to-get-good-sleep/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/why-its-so-hard-to-get-good-sleep/#respond Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:50:55 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/why-its-so-hard-to-get-good-sleep/

For much of history, humans probably got pretty lousy sleep. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, many people slept in the same bed alongside their family in dwellings lacking any temperature control beyond a fire or air ventilation. Those homes were littered with bed bugs, fleas, and lice that not only feasted on their hosts at night but also spread diseases, which — in the absence of modern medicine — kept the infirm awake and suffering. The noises of cities and rural life alike also made sleep difficult, thanks to the all-hours bustling of laborers, horse-drawn carriages, and livestock with whom farmers might’ve shared a home. “Because in the winter they generated warmth,” says A. Roger Ekirch, a history professor at Virginia Tech and author of At Day’s Close: Night in Times Past.

Nighttime itself was a risk. Slumber left people vulnerable to crime or death from fire or other natural disasters. Some prayers throughout history sought God’s protection from the litany of threats adherents encountered in the dark, says Ekirch.

For those who are lucky enough to have access, modern marvels like central heating and air conditioning, comfortable beds, and even Tylenol have all but eliminated many of these barriers to sleep. “We don’t have to worry about the myriad perils to sound slumber and our physical well-being that people did 300, 400 years ago,” Ekirch says.

“We don’t have to worry about the myriad perils to sound slumber and our physical well-being that people did 300, 400 years ago.”

Still, sleep doesn’t come easily to millions of Americans. Over 14 percent of adults had trouble falling asleep most days in 2020, according to the National Health Interview Survey. Nearly just as many people — 12 percent — have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia, according to an American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey. Among the 33 percent of US adults who get less than seven hours of sleep a night, native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and Black adults are the most likely to get shorter durations of shut-eye. Those with an annual household income of less than $15,000 are also likely to be sleep-deprived.

Despite seemingly prime conditions for sleep, why do so many suffer from restless nights? The most comfortable bed in the darkest room might not be enough to overcome a mix of environmental, systemic, and behavioral forces preventing quality slumber.

Modern lifestyles aren’t ideal for sleep

American sleep culture is marked by contradictions.

Anyone who’s endured a night of terrible sleep can attest to its importance in cognitive functioning, mood, hunger, and overall health. Yet, many people act in ways that sabotage their hope for a good night’s sleep. We stay up later than we should to catch up on work or news or precious free time — what is sometimes called revenge bedtime procrastination. We consume content on our phones so upsetting or attention-grabbing as to prevent our falling asleep, although many of us know by now that screen use an hour before bed results in delayed bedtime and less sleep overall. We settle into bed and realize that late-afternoon coffee or nightcap too close to bedtime has come to collect its vengeance.

Some people innately need more sleep than others, and these so-called long sleepers simply cannot find the time in their busy schedules to devote to 10 hours of slumber. Try as we might to have it all, optimizing our waking hours might come at the detriment of our sleep. “We’re trying to have our cake and eat it, too,” Ekirch says. “The less time we accord to sleep, the more perfect we want it to be for when we do nod off.”

Ironically, a population of people with no notable sleep issues has turned sleep into a competitive sport, leveraging mouth tape, expensive mattresses, and sleep trackers like the Oura Ring in pursuit of the perfect night’s sleep. This fixation on enhancing sleep may actually do more to promote insomnia than peaceful slumber, experts say.

Most disruptions to sleep cannot be blamed on personal choices, though. Parents and other caregivers are among the most sleep-deprived, often contending with their children’s inconsistent sleep schedules. And the sleep patterns of shift workers — which account for 20 percent of the US workforce — are dictated by their employers.

The ill effects of poor sleep can negatively impact mental health. The opposite is true, too: Mental distress has consequences for sleep. “Stress, anxiety, weird work schedules,” says Jessi Pettigrew, a clinical social worker who focuses on sleep disorders, “can lead to the development of sleep disorders like insomnia or circadian rhythm disorders, which basically means being misaligned with your biological sleep schedule because of social reasons.”

Environmental and systemic barriers can disrupt sleep

Outside of individual behavior, where we live has a role in sleep.

Not having the ability to control the temperature in your bedroom because you lack effective heating or air conditioning can be a barrier to sleep, Pettigrew says. If you feel unsafe in your environment, you’re less likely to get restful slumber, too, she adds. This tends to impact people with housing insecurity, refugees, and those who are incarcerated.

Beyond the bedroom, noise and light pollution from bright street lights and traffic have been shown to interrupt sleep and contribute to insomnia — and those in low-income neighborhoods are more susceptible to these conditions.

“People who live in places with good natural light, green spaces, the ability to control the temperature and light and noise in their environment,” Pettigrew says, “helps them to sleep better and better regulate their circadian rhythm during the day and sleep at night.”

All of our waking experiences impact our ability to sleep, says Anita Shelgikar, a neurology professor at the University of Michigan Medical School and the president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine board of directors. And some of those waking experiences may be colored by racism and discrimination. Stress associated with racial discrimination has been linked to poor sleep. Among shift workers, people of color are more likely to work alternating day/night schedules, resulting in disrupted circadian rhythms. “If that disrupts your sleep enough, that technically qualifies as shift-work sleep disorder,” says Jade Wu, a behavioral sleep medicine psychologist and author of Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications. This disorder is marked by excessive sleepiness, insomnia, or both.

The knock-on effects of altered sleep-wake schedules are profound, ranging from cardiovascular disease and obesity to mood and immune disorders. “Sleep health disparities disproportionately affect the same populations who suffer from overall health disparities,” Shelgikar says.

Those in rural or low-income areas who generally lack access to healthcare, let alone specialized sleep medicine, may continue to suffer from poor sleep, in addition to any number of physical and mental health conditions. Without individualized care, Shelgikar says, the disparities may only widen.

How to overcome these sleep obstacles

If you work odd hours or have a fussy baby, hearing the common advice of keeping your room cool and dark and only retreating to bed when you’re sleepy can seem trite. Wu suggests identifying the environmental or circumstantial reason you aren’t getting restful sleep and doing whatever you can to mitigate it. For those who live in spaces that aren’t conducive to sleep — hot bedrooms or the constant wail of sirens all night — there are few things people can do beyond getting a fan or earplugs, Wu says. People with means and flexibility can seek out a doctor specializing in sleep medicine to diagnose potential disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea.

If you work odd hours or have a fussy baby, hearing the common advice of keeping your room cool and dark and only retreating to bed when you’re sleepy can seem trite.

But if your conditions for sleep are pretty good and you still struggle to get shut-eye, the key, according to Wu, may be to not obsess over it as much. “What you see in people with insomnia is that they’re trying too hard,” she says. “They’re tracking their sleep too closely. They are perfectionistic about their sleep hygiene and doing things like going to bed too early or trying to take too many naps, trying to achieve a certain number of hours of sleep, or a certain score on their sleep tracker.”

The human body was meant to sleep. And despite all the constructs and complications society throws our way, we still require sleep. Ironically, though, the more we fret over it, the more elusive it can become. As difficult as it seems, the best advice may be to surrender to the circadian rhythm. “One thing that can help with sleep,” Pettigrew says, “is just saying, I’m going to trust my body to take care of this.”

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/why-its-so-hard-to-get-good-sleep/feed/ 0 47587 ADA Takes a Hard Fall as Traders Feel the Heat of War in the Middle East https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ada-takes-a-hard-fall-as-traders-feel-the-heat-of-war-in-the-middle-east/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ada-takes-a-hard-fall-as-traders-feel-the-heat-of-war-in-the-middle-east/#respond Sun, 22 Jun 2025 11:46:21 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ada-takes-a-hard-fall-as-traders-feel-the-heat-of-war-in-the-middle-east/

Cardano (ADA)

is trading at $0.5478, down 6.45% over the past 24 hours, after a sharp correction fueled by market anxiety surrounding escalating geopolitical conflict in the Middle East. The token fell from a high of $0.586 to a low of $0.5464, with the steepest drop occurring during the 21:00 hour when ADA fell 3.2% on 126 million volume, according to CoinDesk Research’s technical analysis model. 24-hour trading volume climbed to 37.37% above its 30-day average.

Despite this volatility, Cardano continues to attract long-term interest. Nearly $1 billion worth of ADA has been withdrawn from centralized exchanges in 2024, and over 310 million tokens have been accumulated by large holders in June alone.

Institutional interest in the Cardano ecosystem was also underscored this week by the launch of a new proof-of-concept initiative involving decentralized storage platform Iagon, legal tech firm Cloud Court, and Ford Motor Company. The pilot project aims to test the viability of combining Cardano’s blockchain infrastructure with Iagon’s decentralized cloud storage to support secure legal data management systems.

Ford is contributing to the project in an advisory role, drawing on its internal experience managing large-scale legal data operations. The initiative is designed to explore how a hybrid architecture—where sensitive legal documents are encrypted and stored off-chain, and access logs and verification are handled on-chain—might address long-standing issues like fragmented records, inefficient collaboration, and lack of auditability. The project also reflects Cardano’s expanding presence in enterprise environments, with potential applications extending to sectors such as healthcare, finance, and public administration.

Technical Analysis Highlights

  • ADA declined 7.0% from $0.586 to $0.545 during the analysis window, forming a $0.041 range.
  • The steepest intraday move occurred during the analysis window, marked by a 3.2% hourly decline and elevated volume.
  • A high-volume resistance level formed at $0.569, while support was tested at $0.545.
  • Recovery attempts during the 23:00 and 00:00 hours failed to break resistance, despite volume exceeding 60 million ADA.
  • A descending channel with lower highs and lower lows confirmed the bearish structure.
  • Between 06:05 and 06:38, price entered a bullish channel with a sequence of higher lows and higher highs.
  • Resistance emerged at $0.558, and a support zone developed around $0.554.
  • Volume peaked at 2.3 million ADA during the 06:16 candle, supporting a temporary upward move.
  • A modest pullback from $0.558 to $0.556 followed, representing typical post-rally consolidation.
  • Volume declined during the pullback, suggesting weakening selling momentum.

Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy.

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ada-takes-a-hard-fall-as-traders-feel-the-heat-of-war-in-the-middle-east/feed/ 0 43468 AI-Powered Hard Hats? Buildots Raises $45 Million to Scale Up https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ai-powered-hard-hats-buildots-raises-45-million-to-scale-up/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ai-powered-hard-hats-buildots-raises-45-million-to-scale-up/#respond Fri, 30 May 2025 00:09:17 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ai-powered-hard-hats-buildots-raises-45-million-to-scale-up/

Buildots, a tech startup based in Chicago, has secured $45 million in new funding to help expand its platform that tracks the progress of construction projects.

The investment was led by Qumra Capital, with other backers including OG Venture Partners, TLV Partners, Poalim Equity, Future Energy Ventures, and Viola Growth.

According to a report by TechCrunch on May 29, this latest round brings the company’s total funding to $166 million.

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Founded in 2018 by Roy Danon, Aviv Leibovici, and Yakir Sudry, Buildots uses artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision to give construction managers a clearer view of what is happening on-site.

The system uses 360-degree cameras worn on hard hats to collect images as managers walk through projects. These images are then turned into a visual model that shows what has been completed and what still needs to be done.

The platform also features a chatbot that allows users to ask questions about the project’s progress. There is also a forecasting tool that flags possible delays or slowdowns early.

According to Danon, Buildots’ CEO, the platform makes it easier for construction managers and company executives to understand what is happening on-site, without relying on reports that may be delayed or incomplete. He said their clients include Intel and about 50 other companies in the construction industry.

Buildots plans to use the new funds to grow its product so that it can monitor more stages of a project.

On May 19, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced two major updates for the company during the Computex trade show in Taiwan. What were they? Read the full story.

Aaron S. Editor-In-Chief

Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.
With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.
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Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ai-powered-hard-hats-buildots-raises-45-million-to-scale-up/feed/ 0 39051 Bitcoin to $200,000? Investor Dan Tapiero Says One Catalyst Could Send Bitcoin Flying if US Economy Slows Hard https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitcoin-to-200000-investor-dan-tapiero-says-one-catalyst-could-send-bitcoin-flying-if-us-economy-slows-hard/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitcoin-to-200000-investor-dan-tapiero-says-one-catalyst-could-send-bitcoin-flying-if-us-economy-slows-hard/#respond Thu, 08 May 2025 16:09:09 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitcoin-to-200000-investor-dan-tapiero-says-one-catalyst-could-send-bitcoin-flying-if-us-economy-slows-hard/

Macro investor and fund manager Dan Tapiero believes Bitcoin (BTC) could turn bullish amid a potential change in US monetary policy.

In a new thread on the social media platform X, Tapiero says the uncertainty caused by tariffs is having a “growth-dampening impact” on both the US and China.

According to the macro investor, the Federal Reserve could consequently be forced to cut rates, just like China’s central bank already has, catapulting Bitcoin to a rally of over 2x from the current level.

“If US slows hard, could Fed get to 1.4% -250bps (basis points) from here?

Imagine how high Bitcoin would [go] in that scenario.

$200,000+”

Bitcoin is trading at $97,095 at time of writing.

Earlier this week, the central bank of the world’s second-largest economy, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), announced it would reduce its policy rate it charges commercial banks for short-term loans by 10 basis points from 1.5% to 1.4%.

The PBOC also announced it will lower the reserve requirement ratio, or the amount of cash that commercial banks must hold in reserves, by 50 basis points, per CNBC. Lowering the reserve requirement ratio is expected to release additional liquidity amounting to around one trillion yuan, approximately $138.5 billion, to the market.

Earlier this month, Tapiero said consumer expectations on the US economy have fallen to levels last witnessed during the Global Financial Crisis in March of 2009. The corrective measures that could be taken, argued Tapiero, would impact Bitcoin positively.

“This is extreme data. Much lower rates and US dollar needed to offset fiscal austerity. Fiat debasement equals +BTC.”

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]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitcoin-to-200000-investor-dan-tapiero-says-one-catalyst-could-send-bitcoin-flying-if-us-economy-slows-hard/feed/ 0 35098 Buffalo Japan is selling a transparent hard disk drive for its 50th anniversary https://earlybirdsinvest.com/buffalo-japan-is-selling-a-transparent-hard-disk-drive-for-its-50th-anniversary/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/buffalo-japan-is-selling-a-transparent-hard-disk-drive-for-its-50th-anniversary/#respond Thu, 08 May 2025 03:20:05 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/buffalo-japan-is-selling-a-transparent-hard-disk-drive-for-its-50th-anniversary/

Blast from the past? In 1998, Buffalo Japan introduced the “skeleton hard disk,” a drive designed to showcase its inner workings. To mark its 50th anniversary, the company is releasing an updated version of the original HDD. Priced at 100,000 yen (approximately $696), the new Skeleton Hard Disk offers a 4TB capacity – but getting your hands on one will be a challenge.

Buffalo designed the Skeleton Hard Disk as an external USB drive with a premium package and design, though its technical specifications aren’t groundbreaking. Using a standard USB 3.2 (Gen 1) interface, the drive lets users see the spinning magnetic surface and moving read/write heads during I/O operations. Forget state of the art. We want novelty.

Unfortunately, Buffalo didn’t release specific internal specifications, so it’s unclear whether Buffalo chose CMR or SMR recording technology for this celebratory product. While Buffalo designed the USB HDD as a desk centerpiece, the company reassures customers that it still serves as a standard external USB storage device.

Buffalo offers a dedicated application called SeekWizard, a Windows-only utility that runs the HDD in various “demo” modes. The tool lets users choose from different head movement patterns, including “random seek,” “sequential seek,” and “second hand step.”

Buffalo says the new Skeleton Hard Disk builds on a modernized version of the original concept design, retaining the essence of its innovative predecessor while offering a more refined, contemporary look. The hefty chassis provides a “unique” desk presence and reinforces the product’s premium feel, making it stand out as an exclusive collector’s item. The elegant packaging adds an unexpected touch of sophistication – something rarely seen with standard USB hard disk drives, enhancing the overall luxury appeal.

The company designed the Skeleton Hard Disk to appeal to Buffalo’s most devoted magnetic recording storage technology fans. Only 50 units are available, so the company will hold a Japan-exclusive lottery to determine which lucky customers will receive one of these extremely limited edition HDDs. Winners should expect their shipments sometime in June.

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/buffalo-japan-is-selling-a-transparent-hard-disk-drive-for-its-50th-anniversary/feed/ 0 35004 Older Americans Hit Hard by Crypto Scams, FBI’s IC3 Reports $2.8 Billion Losses https://earlybirdsinvest.com/older-americans-hit-hard-by-crypto-scams-fbis-ic3-reports-2-8-billion-losses/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/older-americans-hit-hard-by-crypto-scams-fbis-ic3-reports-2-8-billion-losses/#respond Mon, 28 Apr 2025 01:23:24 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/older-americans-hit-hard-by-crypto-scams-fbis-ic3-reports-2-8-billion-losses/

In its 2024 annual report, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) revealed a sharp rise in the number and severity of cryptocurrency-related fraud cases.

Over the course of the year, the IC3 recorded over 140,000 complaints linked to cryptocurrency, which led to staggering financial losses of $9.3 billion.

Alarming Trend

A significant portion of these losses came from individuals aged 60 and above, who filed roughly 33,000 complaints and suffered a combined total of $2.8 billion in losses. This age group also saw the largest increase in both reported complaints and financial harm.

The IC3’s report also noted a dramatic year-over-year increase in losses – 66% higher than in 2023, when total losses amounted to $5.6 billion. Investment scams involving cryptocurrency were the primary source of these losses, but the report also highlighted other schemes such as sextortion, where criminals manipulate personal content to coerce victims into sending money, and fraud involving crypto ATMs.

Additionally, ransomware attacks, which had been a recurring issue, showed a 9% rise in 2024, thereby posing a growing threat to critical infrastructure. Overall, fraud and crypto scams were the most significant contributors to the rise in reported cybercrimes, with older individuals particularly vulnerable to these high-stakes digital fraud schemes.

On the other hand, pig butchering scams, which were once mainly targeted at older adults, are now increasingly affecting younger individuals, particularly those aged 30 to 49. A recent study by Cyvers examined 150 major crypto platforms, revealing over 200,000 scam incidents and $5.5 billion in losses in 2024.

The research focused on Ethereum-based scams and uncovered significant fraud across various platforms, including major exchanges, a crypto-friendly bank, and institutional trading platforms. The scale of impact varied, but the trend is clear: younger people are becoming the prime victims.

Operation Level Up

‘Operation Level Up’ was thus initiated with the assistance of FBI agents and the US Secret Service to address the growing issue of cryptocurrency investment fraud. Pig butchering involves fraudsters building online relationships with victims and convincing them to invest in a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform.

As a result of this operation, a total of 4,323 individuals affected by cryptocurrency investment fraud were informed of the scam. Of these victims, 76% were unaware they had fallen victim to fraud. The estimated financial savings for these victims amounted to $285.6 million. Additionally, 42 victims were referred to an FBI victim specialist for support regarding potential suicidal thoughts.

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]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/older-americans-hit-hard-by-crypto-scams-fbis-ic3-reports-2-8-billion-losses/feed/ 0 33181 Why Opendoor Stock Fell Hard This Week https://earlybirdsinvest.com/why-opendoor-stock-fell-hard-this-week/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/why-opendoor-stock-fell-hard-this-week/#respond Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:07:48 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/why-opendoor-stock-fell-hard-this-week/

Shares of the online housing brokerage Opendoor Technologies (OPEN -4.13%) plunged 23% this week, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence, after the latest data showed that housing sales slowed to their lowest pace since 2009.

Housing inventory climbed quickly, but sales slowed as potential homebuyers shunned high prices, elevated interest rates, and economic uncertainty. With an unpredictable macroeconomic climate, investors are concerned that more pain could be ahead for the housing market and Opendoor.

A

Image source: Getty Images.

A cooling climate

The housing market showed its first dramatic signs of slowing down in March, with existing-home sales dropping 5.9% during the month compared to February. The monthly drop also represented a 2.4% decline year over year, according to data from Realtor.com.

Mortgage rates have fluctuated over the past month since President Trump announced aggressive tariffs on U.S. trading partners. But despite some temporary dips, they’re still elevated, sitting at around 6.8% for a 30-year mortgage.

While not historically high, mortgage rates are much higher than they were a few years ago, and they’ve remained stubborn during a historic rise in housing prices. For example, the median home sales price has spiked nearly 27% over the past five years to $416,900.

These rapidly accelerating home prices were fine when buyers felt more confident in the economy and their jobs, but that’s changed recently. A recent survey found that consumer confidence in where the economy is headed is at a 12-year low.

All of this is bad news for Opendoor, whose platform connects buyers and sellers. Opendoor also buys, flips, and sells homes, so the slowdown in homebuying is likely to hurt the business. Opendoor’s revenue fell 26% in 2024 to $5.2 billion, and its net loss widened to $392 million. Those figures were reported before the latest housing data, meaning Opendoor could face further downward pressure.

Not a great trajectory

With sales falling in 2024 and losses widening, Opendoor was already struggling. However, the latest housing market data indicates that tougher times could come.

Even if Trump’s tariffs don’t spur a recession, it’s evident that with consumers worried about their jobs and about price increases on goods due to tariffs, they’re holding off on house purchases. And with no end in sight to the tariff uncertainty, Opendoor may continue to be affected by this negative homebuyer sentiment.

Chris Neiger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/why-opendoor-stock-fell-hard-this-week/feed/ 0 32770 Ethereum shorts hit hard with $42.33 million in liquidations amid price surge https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ethereum-shorts-hit-hard-with-42-33-million-in-liquidations-amid-price-surge/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ethereum-shorts-hit-hard-with-42-33-million-in-liquidations-amid-price-surge/#respond Tue, 22 Apr 2025 19:01:30 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ethereum-shorts-hit-hard-with-42-33-million-in-liquidations-amid-price-surge/

Over the last 24 hours, 02,086 traders were liquidated for a combined $258.34 million in losses. The single largest wipe‑out hit Bybit’s ETH/USDT market for $2.65 million.

Over 12 hours, liquidations surged to $126.18 million, $60.01 million of longs versus $66.17 million of shorts, while the whole 24‑hour cycle broke down into $138.03 million of long liquidations against $120.31 million of shorts.

Ethereum led all tokens in that 12‑hour window, making up $42.33 million of the $126.18 million total, and it was mostly ETH shorts that were closed out. Bitcoin trailed at $33.24 million, and every other asset combined for under $12 million. By comparison, on the day’s total, over 76% of liquidations were long positions on average across major assets.

ethereum bitcoin liquidations
Total liquidations across the crypto derivatives market on April 22, 2025 (Source: CoinGlass)

Ethereum’s rise contrasts sharply with these losses, which is why its shorts were decimated in the past 12 hours. ETH climbed from $1,579.52 on April 21 to $1,629.86 on April 22, up roughly 3.2 percent.

The rally triggered margin calls on short bets, driving the bulk of those $42.33 million in ETH liquidations. Bitcoin also increased 1.1 percent to $88,324.30 but saw $29.96 million of its longs and $57.65 million of shorts liquidated over 24 hours, showing how both sides of the market have been vulnerable.

ethereum price
Ethereum’s price on April 22, 2025 (Source: CryptoSlate ETH)

Liquidation data from CoinGlass shows that high leverage can backfire during price swings, no matter how minor they might feel. This is particularly evident with Ethereum, where short squeezes and stop‑hunts have dominated recent liquidations.

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