THIS WEEK IN CRYPTO

  • Coinbase launched its own NFT platform. The crypto exchange deployed the first phase of its  NFT marketplace to compete with OpenSea and Rarity. Coinbase stated that this initial beta test of the NFT exchange is only open to an unknown number of users who had already signed up on its waitlist for this service. There’ll be no Coinbase transaction fees for NFT trades.

  • Bitcoin-backed mortgages are coming. Buying a house with Bitcoin as collateral may soon be possible as crypto startups try to crack the $2.6 trillion mortgage market. A start-up called Milo started offering 30-year mortgages backed by cryptocurrencies in March. Other startups aiming to offer crypto-backed mortgages include Figure and Ledn, both of which say they have waiting lists for loans.

  • Bitcoin ETFs to roll out in Australia. Regulators are finalizing approvals for products offering direct exposure to digital assets. Cosmos, 21Shares-ETF Securities aim to debut funds next week. 21Shares AG in partnership with ETF Securities expects Bitcoin and Ether funds to go live on April 27. In addition, Bloomberg Intelligence has said Australia could act as the Asia-Pacific’s gateway to crypto ETFs.

  • 0x Protocol partners with Coinbase. 0x Labs will power the newly launched Coinbase NFT marketplace. Coinbase’s nonfungible token marketplace, a beta version of which went live on Wednesday, will be powered by 0x. ZRX rallied to $1.09 per token, its highest level since December, CoinMarketCap data showed. Trade volumes for the token spiked over 3000% in the last 24 hours. Read more here.

  • Robinhood to launch in the UK. Robinhood has agreed to buy Ziglu, a London-based fintech app that allows users to trade bitcoin and several other cryptocurrencies. The announcement comes nearly two years after Robinhood halted plans to launch in Britain. Ziglu is one of the few crypto companies that has secured registration with the country’s Financial Conduct Authority.

  • Okcoin launches a fee-free NFT trading marketplace. Okcoin will launch NFTs from well-known collections such as Bored Apes, World of Women, Boss Beauties, and Crypto Punks and allow users to link to external wallets to trade. The NFTs will be minted on the Ethereum, Polygon, Binance, and OKC blockchains. Hong Fang, the CEO of Okcoin, said the company’s no-fee approach is in contrast to rivals. Read more here.

  • The biggest Ethereum whale acquires $223 billion Shiba Inu worth over $5.7 million. WhaleStats recently reported that the Ethereum whale “BlueWhale0073,” which is the fifth-largest ETH whale, has bought more than 223 billion Shiba Inu. Along with that, large traders have purchased a significant amount of SHIB which made it one of the most purchased assets in the last 24 hours.


  • Gemini launched its Crypto credit card in the U.S. The company launched its crypto rewards credit card that pays 3% on dining, 2% on groceries, and 1% on other purchases. Cardholders can receive rewards in over 60 different cryptocurrencies. Cardholders may have to pay tax on their crypto rewards. Cardholders can also enjoy World Mastercard® Benefits such as exclusive offers from companies like DoorDash, HelloFresh, Lyft, and ShopRunner.

  • Aave holders can now provide liquidity on the Avalanche DeFi platform. The head of DeFi at Ava Labs, the developer network for Avalanche's platform, said on Twitter today that Aave's latest version is now available for liquidity mining on the Avalanche blockchain.  While it may seem like a small improvement, being able to lend Aave tokens for rewards adds more utility to the cryptocurrency.

  • Silvergate Capital may expand its Bitcoin lending program. The company is willing to entertain more opportunities to expand its bitcoin lending program, CEO Alan Lane said Tuesday on the company’s post-earnings conference call. Last month, Silvergate made a $205 million bitcoin-backed loan to MicroStrategy and the bank is looking to do more.
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