Ripple XRP News, China Tariffs, Solana News, BTC Value, and More

Raydium has launched LaunchLab, a memecoin creation platform aiming to rival Pump.fun. LaunchLab offers free token launches, customizable bonding curves, and zero migration fees. Tokens raising 85 SOL graduate to Raydium’s AMM with 10% trading fee share for creators. Following the news, RAY surged 14% before correcting. Meanwhile, PumpSwap continues gaining traction, hitting $460M in daily volume on April 17 and surpassing $7.3B total volume since its March 22 launch.

Dubai-based DWF Labs has expanded into the U.S. with a new office in New York City and a $25 million purchase of World Liberty Financial (WLFI) governance tokens. The move aims to boost institutional partnerships, regulatory engagement, and local hiring. DWF Labs will also provide liquidity for the USD1 stablecoin, using its advanced infrastructure. The firm highlights the U.S. as a key hub for digital asset innovation, supporting the development of next-generation financial systems in collaboration with WLFI.

Glider, a self-custodial DeFi platform, has raised $4 million in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with backing from Coinbase Ventures, Uniswap Ventures, and GSR. Aimed at making crypto trading more user-friendly, Glider will integrate AI to automate fund management while ensuring users retain full asset custody. Set to launch in the coming months, the platform will charge a management fee. This move aligns with rising investor comfort with AI-driven financial tools and growing demand for secure, self-custodial solutions.

On April 16, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs faced a total net outflow of $170 million, with Fidelity’s FBTC accounting for the largest share at $114 million. Meanwhile, spot Ethereum ETFs saw $12 million in outflows, marking the seventh straight day of losses. The steady outflow trend highlights growing caution among investors in the crypto ETF space, as both Bitcoin and Ethereum products continue to face sustained selling pressure.

Hong Kong’s SFC has approved Ethereum staking services, enabling ChinaAMC to launch a staking-enabled Ether ETF with OSL by May 15. This marks a key step in Hong Kong’s push to become Asia’s digital asset hub. OSL, an SFC-licensed platform, partners with Kiln to manage Ethereum validators. The ETF allows investors to earn staking rewards, which are added to its net asset value. This development boosts compliant institutional access to Ethereum’s proof-of-stake ecosystem while meeting regulatory and security standards.

Solana has attracted over $120 million in liquidity from other blockchains in the past 30 days, led by Ethereum and Arbitrum. This surge comes amid strong memecoin rallies and renewed network activity. However, technical indicators show bearish divergence, suggesting possible short-term corrections. With $130 emerging as a key support zone, SOL must close above $147 for a bullish trend reversal. Traders remain cautiously optimistic as Solana consolidates and attempts to break through resistance levels.

The Gold-Silver ratio has surged past 100:1, signaling a rare divergence in precious metals. Gold continues its upward run, while Silver recently broke below its $32.60 support, now trading at $32.47. Resistance is seen at $33.48 and above. Despite historical tendencies to mean-revert, analysts advise caution against betting on a reversal. Instead, risk-managed long positions in Silver using algorithmic trading systems are favored.

Tensions escalate as China warns it will ignore the U.S. “tariff numbers game,” following the Trump administration’s announcement of tariffs up to 245% on Chinese imports. The White House accused Beijing of retaliating and restricting exports of rare earth materials crucial for the tech and defense sectors. In response, China hiked tariffs on U.S. goods to 125% and lodged a WTO complaint. Beijing slammed the U.S. move, calling it a threat to global trade norms.

Ripple’s decade-long legal battle with the SEC is nearing its end, but a crucial step remains. Ripple seeks an “indicative ruling” from Judge Torres to resume private XRP sales, which is vital for a future IPO. While a settlement is on the table, legal delays could stretch the outcome into 2027. Meanwhile, XRP price has surged 20%, reclaiming $2. Analysts now eye a parabolic rally, predicting a potential rise to $10 if bullish patterns and legal clarity align.