Ethereum surged 29% this week, breaking a 10-week downtrend and catching short sellers off guard with $400M liquidated. 

The S&P 500 extended its rally with a nine-day winning streak, its longest since 2004, as optimism over potential trade deals and upcoming Fed and earnings updates lifted sentiment. Gold rose to $3,245 on trade uncertainty and Fed rate cut hopes. CoinDesk Indices, which tracks the broader crypto market, fell 1.50% in the past 24 hours, while Bitcoin and Ether dropped 0.10% and 0.51%, respectively. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today's top performer is AI16Z, which surged 7.0% after Bonsai's smart media protocol integrated with Eliza to empower agent-driven social content creation.

elizaOS (AI16Z), launched in October 2024, formerly ai16z, is a Solana-based DApp that uses a DAO and an AI agent, "Marc AIndreessen," to manage community-driven investments in tech and crypto projects. 

, lets developers create agent-driven social media scripts and templates using ElizaOS plugins. The Bonsai Client, its first implementation, enables easy deployment of these smart media agents on platforms like Lens. Builders can explore these tools and compete for prizes in the Lens Spring Hackathon.

Check out the latest prices, charts, and data of 

Ethereum surged 29% this week, breaking a 10-week downtrend and catching short sellers off guard with $400M liquidated. Despite muted ETF flows and neutral derivatives sentiment, ETH’s dominance remains unshaken—boasting $64B in TVL, dwarfing Solana, BNB Chain, and Tron combined. With fresh momentum from the recent pectra upgrades and Trump distancing from rival altcoins, all eyes are now on a potential push toward $2,700. 

BTC spot ETFs saw $920.9M in net inflows this week, driven by $1.09B into non-GBTC funds despite $171.5M outflows from GBTC. Since inception, total net inflows stand at $41.1B.

 are now live and claimable as a small bonus for users farming the upcoming Aster (AST) airdrop. By depositing BNB to mint asBNB, users can start earning points toward both the main airdrop and future ecosystem rewards. Optional perp trading can boost points further, but simply holding asBNB is enough to qualify.

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Ethereum outperforms with a 20% rally as fresh capital flows in and undervaluation signals flash

Our monthly report delves into insights from options volatility to inspire your next crypto move.

: April 2025 saw BTC's implied volatility surge above 75% due to tariff chaos, but it collapsed to 35% within a week, indicating a surprising short-term drop in volatility expectations despite ongoing macro uncertainty.

: BTC's return above $100K was met with muted enthusiasm in the derivatives market, suggesting that 

traders no longer view this level as a significant psychological barrier, and the rally isn’t likely to be sustained.

: ETH significantly outperformed BTC with a 23% rally, leading to increased demand for short-dated calls and a positive shift in the options market, highlighting renewed bullish sentiment.

: Historical trends suggest a potential summer lull in volatility in store for BTC, raising questions about whether this pattern will repeat in 2025 amidst ongoing macroeconomic challenges.

Bitcoin’s volatility plunges in late April

April 2025 witnessed significant volatility in the cryptocurrency market, particularly influenced by US trade policies. As President Trump announced steep reciprocal tariffs, the crypto landscape experienced sharp fluctuations. Bitcoin (BTC) initially demonstrated resilience, despite widespread sell-offs in equities and the US dollar, only to succumb to a decline from $88K to $75K by early April. This period was characterized by a dramatic rise in implied volatility that peaked above 75% as traders sought protection through short-dated puts. However, as the tariffs faced moderation, implied volatility plummeted to 35% by mid-April, marking the lowest level since early March.

Interestingly, while short-tenor volatility collapsed, 

the back end of BTC's term structure remained elevated, signaling that market participants expect heightened volatility in the mid-term

. Amidst this backdrop, realized volatility fell below the five-year seasonal average, paralleling similar trends in previous years and suggesting a 

. The historical pattern contrasts that BTC often experiences a rebound in volatility heading into May, raising questions about whether this trend will persist.

Subdued derivative response suggests Bitcoin rally might not endure

The market's reaction to BTC's resurgence above the $100K threshold was notably subdued compared to previous instances. While BTC rallied 20% following the initial tariff sell-off, the derivatives market displayed a muted response. The 25-delta put/call skew, a measure of market sentiment, indicated only a slight bias toward out-of-the-money calls, contrasting sharply with sentiment previously when BTC first breached the $100K mark in December 2024. This lack of exuberance suggests that traders no longer view $100K as a significant inflection point, raising concerns about the sustainability of the rally. 

Meanwhile, funding rates and implied volatility — though still bullish — didn’t reach the extremes observed in earlier months, indicating more cautious market sentiment. The relationship between BTC's spot price and implied volatility suggests that although traders are optimistic, they’re waiting for BTC to approach previous all-time highs before adjusting their volatility expectations.

Ethereum's option data points to further rally

In stark contrast to BTC, Ethereum (ETH) displayed remarkable resilience and outperformed major cryptocurrencies, gaining 23% overnight following favorable trade news. This rally catalyzed a surge in demand for short-dated calls, pushing front-end volatility expectations significantly higher. The response from the derivatives market was robust, inverting the term structure and indicating renewed bullish sentiment toward ETH, even as it’s trading well below its all-time high.

The ETH options market exhibited a shift from neutral to slightly negative skew, to a 10% bias favoring out-of-the-money calls, reflecting the market's confidence in ETH's potential to regain lost ground. Despite overall macroeconomic uncertainty, the demand for ETH options suggests that traders are optimistic about Ether’s future price movements.

In conclusion, April 2025 highlighted the complex interplay between macroeconomic factors and cryptocurrency market dynamics. While BTC faced challenges in eliciting strong responses from derivatives markets upon recrossing the $100K threshold, ETH's performance indicated a divergence in market sentiment. As traders navigate the evolving landscape, the potential for seasonal volatility patterns and the influence of macroeconomic developments will remain critical factors in shaping future market expectations.

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Bybit X Block Scholes options volatility report (April 2025): Data suggests Bitcoin rally might not endure, but Ether sees further upside

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report delves into macro events; the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume; and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

After mostly trading sideways at the end of April 2025, a US-UK trade deal sparked a crypto rally. BTC surged past $100K for the first time since February, but it’s ETH's performance that captured the derivatives market's attention. 

A 23% increase in ETH's spot price led to an inverted term structure and a spike in front-end volatility. The put/call skew for ETH shifted from a bearish bias to a nearly 10% skew toward OTM calls. Other sentiment indicators, such as perp funding rates and futures yield, also supported the rally. In contrast, while BTC's funding rates and skew have increased, its implied volatility remains low at 40%, over 30 points below ETH's 7-day implied volatility.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

ETH’s record performance since 2021 was propelled by positive term structure

ETH has significantly outperformed BTC and the top 10 cryptocurrencies, marking its largest single-day gain since May 2021. The options market has reflected this enthusiasm, with implied volatility for short tenors rising sharply and inverting ETH’s term structure, thus contrasting with BTC's muted, positively sloped structure. The 7-day tenor for ETH is now trading at a 33-point premium over that for BTC. 

While puts dominate BTC's open interest, ETH is seeing the opposite trend. On May 8, 2025, options volumes surged over $120M, more than double the typical monthly volume, with $60M more in calls than puts. ETH now boasts a positive futures curve and funding rates, as well as a strong skew toward OTM calls.

ETH sees exceptionally bullish put/call skew

ETH's substantial outperformance in the current crypto rally has led to bullish sentiment in its derivatives markets. Funding rates have surged, futures yields are strongly positive and the put/call skew has shifted significantly toward OTM calls, now close to 10%. This starkly contrasts with early April, when the skew was 20% toward OTM puts. Although ETH has underperformed (relative to BTC and other "ETH killers"), it has rebounded in this rally, with the ETH/BTC ratio rising after spending most of the year declining.

Open interest for Bitcoin options increased, with implied volatility remaining suppressed

The announcement of the new US administration's first trade deal, nearly 30 days into Trump's 90-day tariff pause, jolted crypto markets, pushing BTC back up above $100K. Surprisingly, implied volatility has remained suppressed, failing to invert BTC's term structure, with front-end volatility trading at around an 18-month low of 35-40%. On May 8, 2025, options volumes surged, with call volume reaching $189M, reversing last week's trend of higher put volumes. Meanwhile, open interest rose steadily to exceed $300M, the highest level this month, but remains significantly larger for puts than for calls despite the price increase.

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Bybit X Block Scholes crypto derivatives analytics report (May 9, 2025): Ether’s put/call skew turns remarkably more bullish than Bitcoin’s

This article explores how Sign works, its flagship products (such as TokenTable, SignPass and EthSign), its native token (SIGN) and how to trade SIGN on Bybit.

Sign is an omnichain attestation infrastructure that empowers users and developers to verify real-world claims on-chain. Built for a more transparent and decentralized future, it eliminates the need to “just trust” and enables everyone to verify with cryptographic proof.

This article explores how Sign works, its flagship products (such as TokenTable and EthSign), its native token (SIGN) and how to trade SIGN on Bybit.

 is an omnichain attestation protocol designed to make it easy for anyone to verify the authenticity of any claim — 

. Whether it’s a document, credential or user identity, Sign transforms traditional trust models into verifiable, cryptographic attestations. 

Sign’s mission is to replace outdated, opaque validation systems with transparent, 

 proof — enabling a future where “verify” replaces “trust.” Through tools like schema registries and digital signatures, Sign empowers users to bring accountability and integrity to digital interactions.

Sign is developed by the team behind EthSign, a 

-native e-signature and agreement platform. Its core team brings deep experience in 

 development and cross-chain integrations.

The project is backed by top-tier investors, including Sequoia Capital China (now known as HongShan Capital Group), Mirana Ventures, HashKey Capital and Hack VC.

This strategic funding positions Sign as a foundational layer in the web3 infrastructure stack.

Sign allows users to create attestations — cryptographically signed statements that prove the validity of claims, such as credentials, achievements or actions. These digital proofs can be verified by anyone at any time, making them tamperproof and transparent.

Sign’s key technical elements include a schema registry that ensures consistent data formatting, digital signatures proving authenticity, and on- and off-chain attestations with support for revocation or updates

This system acts like a programmable layer for web3, bringing a new level of trust to identity, credentials and data exchange.

TokenTable is Sign’s flagship token distribution platform. It helps projects unlock, distribute and manage tokens transparently and securely at scale.

It uses Sign’s attestation engine to verify token unlocks, 

 and vesting schedules, ensuring traceable, auditable token flows.

SignPass is a blockchain-based identity solution that brings real-world credentials on-chain. One notable implementation is the Sierra Leone PR Card, used for the world’s first government-approved on-chain permanent residency program.

SignPass offers encrypted on-chain records for easy 

 verification, physical ID issuance for daily identity use and streamlined digital application systems for cross-border access.

It showcases the way blockchain can modernize public sector services worldwide.

EthSign is a decentralized contract signing platform that lets users create, sign and store legally binding agreements directly on-chain. It removes intermediaries and ensures documents are immutable and accessible.

EthSign reinforces Sign’s mission by bringing traditional documentation into the realm of verifiable web3 attestations.

The SIGN token is the native utility token powering the Sign ecosystem. It’s used for:

The total supply is capped at 10 billion SIGN, with 1.2 billion tokens in circulation. While the fully diluted valuation (FDV) sits above $746 million as of May 7, the circulating market cap is approximately $89.6 million. SIGN continues to gain traction across exchanges and developer networks.

SIGN is available for trading on Bybit via Spot trading and as a USDT Perpetual contract. Bybit offers up to 75x leverage for the SIGNUSDT Perpetual contract and supports secure, high-liquidity spot trading.

Start exploring the future of attestations with SIGN on Bybit today.

Intermediate

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Sign (SIGN): Web3 protocol for trustless attestation

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Stablecoin

Quantoz Payments launches MiCA-compliant stablecoins—USDQ, EURQ and EURD—offering regulated digital payments and DeFi solutions within the EEA.

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 have received widespread recognition and use in the crypto world, thanks to their ability to provide stability and certainty in an otherwise volatile trading environment. Assets like 

 have become the go-to tools for fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat transactions. However, for about a decade, stablecoin cryptocurrencies operated without defined regulation and oversight in the European market — which, incidentally, has always been characterized by high levels of regulatory control.

The first crypto-focused regulatory steps in the European Union (EU) were taken in 2023 when the European Parliament adopted the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. MiCA aims to provide guidance on the adoption of blockchain-based assets in the EU, and also deals with the specific topic of stablecoins. The regulation came into effect in December 2024.

Under MiCA, stablecoins and similar assets are largely defined under two categories — electronic money tokens (EMTs) and asset-referenced tokens (ARTs). One of the first companies to leverage MiCA to offer regulated stablecoin assets in the European market is the Netherlands-based Quantoz Payments, a provider of regulated, fiat-backed EMT assets — USDQ, EURQ and EURD. Backed by the euro or the US dollar, these stablecoins can facilitate payments, merchant adoption and 

 (DeFi) use cases in a compliant fashion within the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, which are the jurisdictions covered by MiCA.

 is a Netherlands-based fintech company that issues and supports the use of fiat-backed stablecoins, known as EMTs, under the MiCA regulation. 

MiCA — which was adopted by the European Parliament in May 2023 and came into effect in December 2024 — defines the regulation of blockchain-based assets and technology in the European Economic Area (EEA). Quantoz Payments is a subsidiary of Quantoz N.V., a software development company based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Established in 2015, Quantoz N.V. identified the potential for regulated stablecoins in the European market well before the introduction of MiCA, and launched Quantoz Payments in 2021.

Quantoz Payments received an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from 

 (DNB), the Dutch central bank, which allows the company to offer services in the area of digital assets payment and management. The company specializes in offering stablecoins backed by established fiat currencies — the euro and the US dollar. 

Quantoz Payments maintains fiat reserves for its stablecoins via an independently managed entity, Stichting Quantoz. The independent nature of Stichting Quantoz ensures that the fiat reserves of the company’s stablecoins are adequately protected, and satisfy the necessary regulatory requirements.

Stablecoins offered by Quantoz Payments fall under MiCA’s definition of EMTs. In the section below, we’ll cover the precise differences between the two stablecoin types defined by MiCA, and why the assets offered by the company are classified as EMTs.

Quantoz Payments is one of the first and major providers of regulated EMTs within the EEA, which includes the EU’s 27 member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

The Quantoz Payments project is funded by a group of investors that includes the London-based VC firm Fabric Ventures LLP, one of the leading 

 (CEX) platforms; Kraken; and Tether, the company behind USDT, the world’s most widely used stablecoin. As of early 2025, Quantoz Payments offers two euro-backed EMTs (EURQ and EURD) and one US dollar–backed EMT (USDQ).

Stablecoins, electronic money tokens (EMTs) and asset-referenced tokens (ARTs)

Stablecoins — crypto assets pegged to a major, established digital or fiat asset — have been part of the crypto trading scene for more than a decade. Many stablecoins are pegged to the US dollar, either by maintaining sufficient reserves of the greenback or by using some algorithmic mechanism that should, at least in theory, ensure their tight peg to the USD. For instance, the world’s top two stablecoins by trading volume, USDT and USDC, are both pegged to the dollar by holding fully backed reserves of it. Other stablecoins might maintain a peg to the euro, British pound sterling or some other popular fiat currency. You may also find stablecoins pegged to popular precious metals, such as gold or silver.

However, when the MiCA regulation was adopted in 2023, the specific term "stablecoin" wasn't featured in it to refer to a regulated asset. Instead, MiCA defines two types of assets usually referred to as stablecoins: EMTs and ARTs.

Under MiCA, an electronic money token (EMT) is a crypto asset that’s pegged to a single fiat currency. In contrast, an asset-referenced token (ART) is an asset that maintains a peg to multiple currencies. As such, the term stablecoin has no legal meaning under the EU’s primary crypto regulation; it’s now all about EMTs and ARTs.

MiCA also specifies a third category of crypto assets besides EMTs and ARTs: "other crypto assets." This category is essentially a catch-all for cryptocurrencies that don't track the price of a single asset or multiple assets — i.e., any non-stablecoin crypto.

All three cryptocurrencies offered by Quantoz Payments — EURQ, USDQ and EURD — fall under the definition of EMT. Notably, the stablecoins offered by Quantoz Payments qualify for EMT status since the company is registered in the EU as an authorized EMI. This means that the coins are recognized within the EEA as compliant assets. The recognition creates opportunities for using USDQ, EURQ and EURD in payment solutions, DeFi applications and other use cases within the EEA. As such, these assets can be used by traditional finance and retail entities in the region for their crypto-based operations.

In contrast, stablecoin assets provided by issuers who haven’t obtained an EU-based EMI license don’t typically enjoy the same status. In other words, while these assets might technically fall under the definition of an EMT or ART, they aren’t recognized in the EEA as fully compliant. This is the case, for example, with Tether’s USDT. Technically speaking, USDT satisfies the characteristics of an EMT. However, since Tether hasn’t obtained an EMI license anywhere in the EEA area, its USDT stablecoin isn’t recognized as an EMT under MiCA.

USDQ is a Quantoz-issued EMT backed by US dollar reserves. It maintains a tight 1:1 peg to the dollar. Quantoz holds 102% US dollar reserves for USDQ in order to comply with regulatory requirements and ensure rate stability. An 

 (ETH) in November 2024, just a month before the MiCA regulation fully became effective throughout the EEA.

USDQ has numerous use cases, including the following:

USDQ is listed on a limited number of exchanges. It’s 

, via the USDQ/USDT and BTC/USDQ swap pairs, for Bybit users in the Netherlands. For these users, USDQ is a great alternative to USDT since it allows them to conduct stablecoin-based crypto operations that are fully compliant with European laws.

EURQ is a euro-backed EMT offered by Quantoz Payments. It was launched on the Ethereum 

 alongside USDQ. The token’s use cases and operational mechanism are nearly identical to those of USDQ. The only exception is that EURQ is pegged to and backed by the euro fiat currency, instead of the US dollar.

EURD is another euro-backed EMT issued by Quantoz Payments. It was actually the first stablecoin asset launched by the company, back in October 2023. While EURQ and USDQ are Ethereum-based tokens, EURD is issued on the 

To obtain EURD, users need to send a fiat deposit to the Quantoz Foundation’s bank account. The foundation then notifies Quantoz Payments, and the company issues the requisite amount of EURD and sends it to the user's 

. Companies can create these wallets via the 

, available on the Google Play Store and Apple Store.

The EU's MiCA compliance and regulatory oversight rules have drastically changed European digital asset markets, including the niche of stablecoins. Sensing the opportunity, Quantoz Payments quickly identified the potential of compliant EMTs in Europe. In the space of slightly more than a year, between late 2023 and late 2024, the company launched all three of its EMT assets — USDQ, EURQ and EURD. Organizations in the region can now use these tokens to conduct their crypto-based transactions in a compliant way while also ensuring the financial stability of their funds and transfers.

Quantoz Payments: Introducing MiCA-compliant stablecoins USDQ, EURQ and EURD

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