Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (April 9) as of 9:00 a.m. UTC.
Bitcoin and Ethereum price update
At the time of this writing, Bitcoin (BTC) has halted its recent slight recovery, priced at US$77,268.18 and down 2.8 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range has brought a low of US$74,772.55 and a high of US$79,968.91.
Bitcoin performance, April 7, 2025.
Chart via TradingView
Bitcoin has seen sharp volatility amid rising global trade tensions, with US–China tariff escalations fueling fears of a trade war. Investors are retreating from risk assets, while rumors of major institutional sell-offs have added further pressure to its price.
Ethereum (ETH) is priced at US$1,479.31.90, a 5.7 percent decline over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$1,398.62 and a high of US$1,575.01.
Altcoin price update
Solana (SOL) is currently valued at US$107.17, down 4.0 percent over the past 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$101.86 and a high of US$110.64 on Wednesday.
XRP is trading at US$1.83, reflecting a 6.4 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency recorded an intraday low of US$1.73 and a high of US$1.95.
Sui (SUI) is priced at US$1.97, showing an increaseof 3 percent over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$1.87 and a high of US$2.08.
Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.5748, reflecting a 7.6 percent free fall over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price on Wednesday was US$0.5406, with a high of US$0.6155.
Crypto news to know
Trump’s tariff shock wipes US$2 billion from US Bitcoin stash
The US government’s Bitcoin holdings have dropped by nearly US$2 billion since April 2 —dubbed “Liberation Day” by President Trump— following a steep market selloff triggered by the global tariff announcements.
According to Arkham Intelligence, the 198,012 BTC held by federal agencies declined in value from US$17.24 billion to US$15.21 billion in just under a week as Bitcoin slid from over US$87K to below US$77K.
Trump’s executive order earlier in March established a strategic Bitcoin reserve sourced from seized assets, further tying federal coffers to crypto price swings.
The losses come as the administration ramps up global economic pressure, testing the volatility of its newly created digital reserve.
Pakistan taps Bitcoin mining and AI to solve power woes
Pakistan is turning to Bitcoin mining and AI data centers as a solution for its surplus electricity problem, aiming to repurpose excess power into revenue-generating infrastructure.
Bilal Bin Saqib, head of the country’s Crypto Council, told Reuters that mining sites will be selected based on regional energy overcapacity, with former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao advising on the initiative.
Despite regulatory ambiguity, Pakistan ranks among the top 10 countries in global crypto adoption and boasts over 15 million users.
The move also emphasizes youth blockchain upskilling and fostering innovation in fintech through regulatory sandboxes to boost exports and economic resilience.
Kraken and Mastercard bring crypto spending to 150 million merchants
Crypto exchange Kraken is teaming up with Mastercard (NYSE:MA) to roll out crypto debit cards across the UK and Europe, enabling users to spend digital assets at more than 150 million merchants.
The partnership builds on Kraken Pay, which allows seamless crypto-to-fiat transactions in over 300 currencies. The new physical and digital cards—set to launch in the coming weeks—are aimed at expanding crypto’s real-world utility and normalizing digital asset payments.
Kraken CEO David Ripley views this as a critical step toward integrating crypto into everyday commerce, while Mastercard underscores its commitment to innovating in digital finance and supporting blockchain initiatives across its global network.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.