Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said he half-jokingly thinks Bitcoin could go to zero. He called on outspoken crypto bulls to explain why long-time skeptics who label it a scam are wrong. His comments came as market sentiment worsened after Bitcoin slipped below $60,000 again.

Institutional demand for Ripple-linked token XRP is accelerating despite broader bearish market conditions.

Franklin Templeton is moving beyond experimentation with digital assets by launching a new crypto-focused division. The $1.78 trillion asset manager has completed its acquisition of 250 Digital. The new unit, Franklin Crypto, will target clients such as sovereign wealth funds and pension plans.

Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said in a post on X that the company made another Bitcoin purchase. The company acquired 520 BTC for approximately $35 million at an average price of $67,068 per coin. It also raised and retained an additional $300 million in cash, taking its total USD liquidity reserve from $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion.

SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci said he remains bullish on Bitcoin despite a sharp correction in the largest cryptocurrency by market value. He laid out five reasons in a post on X. Scaramucci characterized the selloff as a temporary leverage flush rather than a shift in fundamentals.

The FBI is stepping up its asset-recovery and tracking efforts after Americans lost a record $20.9 billion to cybercrime last year. FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau will pursue crypto scammers and bring them to justice. Cryptocurrency-related fraud now accounts for more than half of U.S. cybercrime losses, totaling $11 billion, according to an IC3 report.

Microsoft security researchers say a campaign dubbed "CryptoBandits" is using advanced clipper-style malware to steal cryptocurrency by swapping copied wallet addresses and targeting seed phrases. The malware is reported to spread through infected USB drives, masquerade as common documents via .lnk shortcuts, and route traffic through a bundled portable Tor client. Microsoft advises users to be cautious with unknown USB devices, verify addresses manually, and keep Microsoft Defender updated.

Bitcoin’s largest holders are ramping up accumulation after months of net selling. Whale addresses holding over 1,000 BTC have lifted their combined balances to 7.17 million BTC, the highest level since March 14, according to Santiment. The shift suggests renewed conviction among big holders and may help establish a structural floor for the cryptocurrency.

Nearly half of the circulating supply of stablecoins has remained inactive on cryptocurrency exchanges for more than a year, according to on-chain data from CryptoQuant. The figures point to a large pool of sidelined liquidity sitting on trading platforms. The data suggests investors are approaching the market with heightened caution.