Tornado Cash narxTORN

The cryptocurrency community saw a major shift on March 21 as the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) officially removed Tornado Cash, an Ethereum-based privacy tool, from its sanctions list. The decision to lift the sanctions comes amid a broader shift in U.S. crypto policy under the Trump administration, which has taken a more favorable stance on digital assets. With several prominent crypto advocates appointed to senior government positions, the administration has signaled a move toward a more crypto-friendly regulatory approach. Tornado Cash is a decentralized protocol designed to enhance transaction privacy on the Ethereum blockchain by allowing users to mix their funds, making transaction trails harder to trace. In August 2022, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the protocol, accusing it of facilitating the laundering of over $7 billion in cryptocurrencies, including $455 million allegedly linked to North Korean hackers, the Lazarus Group. This marked the first time a decentralized protocol faced such sanctions, igniting debates over the regulatory reach of open-source software. The sanctions against Tornado Cash faced strong legal opposition from its users, backed by major industry players like Coinbase . Plaintiffs argued that OFAC had overstepped its authority, as Tornado Cash’s immutable smart contracts could not be classified as “property” under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Their argument gained traction, and in November 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in their favor, stating that OFAC had indeed exceeded its statutory authority by sanctioning the protocol’s smart contracts. Following the court’s decision, OFAC conducted a review and ultimately removed Tornado Cash from its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reaffirmed the department’s commitment to combating illicit cyber activities, particularly those tied to North Korea, while acknowledging the rapidly evolving nature of decentralized technologies. Meanwhile, legal proceedings against Tornado Cash developers continue. As CNF reported in February, Alexey Pertsev, one of the protocol’s developers, was released though he remains under house arrest and electronic monitoring after being arrested in May 2024. Prosecutors had accused him of facilitating money laundering through the platform. His colleagues, Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, face similar charges. Storm is set to stand trial in July, where he risks a maximum sentence of 45 years if convicted. The lifting of sanctions had an immediate effect on TORN’s market performance. The token’s price skyrocketed by over 60%, climbing from $7.50 to intraday highs of $15.23, reflecting renewed investor confidence and optimism about the protocol’s regulatory future. As of now, TORN is trading at $11.42 , still down 97.08% from its all-time high of $436.16, recorded on February 13, 2021. The token’s trading volume has surged by an astonishing 1,850.08% in the last 24 hours, reaching $3.5 million, while its market capitalization saw a more modest 36.75% increase to $60.35 million. With an increase of 50.90% over the past week, TORN has outperformed the broader cryptocurrency market, which has faced a 0.40% surge over the same period.

As Bitcoin brushes against $85,000, a quiet tension stirs the markets. Behind this apparent resistance lies a paradoxical movement: “whales” are silently preparing their offensive. Their strategy? Massive bets on the downside, despite a technical rebound that would make optimists dream. A risky game, indicative of unprecedented distrust, but also of an invisible battle where every dollar counts. Strategy of the man. The recent rebound of Bitcoin to $87,000 has sparked a fleeting hope. Yet, data from Alphractal delineates another reality: big holders have taken advantage of this rise to lock in their gains… and open record short positions. A brutal, almost cynical turnaround. As if these actors, accustomed to reversals, see in every ascent an opportunity for a fall. This distrust is explained by a rising financial leverage, signaling an overheated Bitcoin market. The Aggregated Open Interest/Market Cap Ratio, a key indicator, is dangerously climbing. Bets with leverage are multiplying, creating a powder keg ready to explode at the slightest shock. Cascade liquidations are looming, reminiscent of past crashes where excess confidence precipitated the falls. But why are these seasoned investors defying the trend? Perhaps they anticipate a technical pullback after a consolidation that’s gone on too long. Or, are they fearing an unstable macroeconomic environment — stubborn inflation, geopolitical tensions? In any case, their massive movement weighs like a sword of Damocles over the prices. In the shadow of bearish bets, one signal intrigues: whale wallets have grown by 62,000 BTC since March. Discreet accumulation or mere repositioning? IntoTheBlock highlights this contradiction. Some see it as a sign of long-term confidence, despite current turbulence. As if major players are already preparing for the post-crisis period, playing across multiple timelines. Technical analyst Captain Faibik adds fuel to the fire of the optimists. His thesis? A “Falling Wedge” in formation, a chart pattern heralding an explosive rebound. According to him, 10 to 15 days of consolidation would be enough to propel Bitcoin towards $109,000, shattering its ATH. An enticing scenario, but one that assumes a clear break from current resistance and, above all, a market capable of withstanding the manipulations of big holders. A crucial question remains: who, algorithms or whales, will dictate the next trend? On-chain and technical indicators clash, creating unprecedented uncertainty. Small investors are navigating through murky waters, torn between the fear of missing the rebound and the dread of a bearish trap. Bitcoin today embodies a fascinating duality. On one side, large investors, armed with their short positions, are betting on a collapse. On the other side, technical and on-chain signals suggest historical potential. This tension illustrates a market in search of bearings, where each actor shapes their own vision. On the institutional side, 83% intend to increase their exposure to cryptocurrencies .

Tornado Cash ( $TORN ) Surges 42% in a Day, Indicators Hint Further Gains🔥📈 To know more👇

The euphoria of the February peaks has evaporated. Bitcoin, after having brushed against 109,000 dollars, is now fluctuating around 82,000 dollars, revealing a reality more complex than it seems. According to the latest report from Glassnode, authored by researchers Cryptovizart and Ukuria OC, the market is facing an unprecedented liquidity crisis, coupled with a growing divide among investors. A contrasting picture that raises questions: is Bitcoin at a critical turning point or simply in a phase of consolidation? Bitcoin is going through a period of financial drought. The Realized Cap, a key indicator measuring the capital actually invested, is only increasing by 0.67% per month. This stagnation betrays the absence of fresh capital flows, essential for supporting prices. On-chain trades and derivative markets reflect this asphyxiation: inflows onto platforms have dropped by 54% since the end of February, while the “Hot Supply” — those bitcoins held for less than a week, a symbol of frantic speculation — has halved to barely 2.8% of the circulating supply. The open interest on futures contracts has decreased by 35%, a sign of a retreat from hedging and arbitrage strategies. Institutions, in particular, are unwinding their “cash and carry” positions — combining spot ETFs and shorts on futures contracts — causing massive closures (378 million dollars on the CME) and outflows from ETFs. “The unwinding of these trades intensifies the pressure on prices,” emphasizes Glassnode . The options tell the same story: put premiums are rising, while the Delta Skew (25) confirms that bearish protections are favored by investors. Institutional traders, in particular, seem to be barricading themselves, anticipating persistent volatility. The current correction in Bitcoin is widening a gap between two categories of actors. Short-term holders (STH), caught in the turmoil, see their unrealized losses reaching cyclical record levels: 7 billion dollars since February. An alarming figure, but still lower than that of the capitulations of 2021-2022. “These investors are under intense psychological pressure, oscillating between hope and panic,” analyze Cryptovizart and Ukuria OC. On the opposite side, long-term holders (LTH) are biding their time. Their selling activity is slowing, even if some have seized the opportunity to secure profits around 80,000 dollars. “Their partial withdrawal from the market reflects a defensive strategy, but not a flight,” the report specifies. With 40% of Bitcoin’s total wealth in their hands, LTH are sitting on a sword of Damocles: a massive sell-off could flood the market. This duality sketches a paradoxical landscape. On one side, STH, mired in historical losses, embody the fragility of the retail market. On the other side, LTH, silent guardians, seem to be returning to a logic of patient accumulation. “Their relative inertia acts as a stabilizer, limiting panic sales,” notes Glassnode. Bitcoin is navigating in a gray area, torn between institutional caution and the distress of small holders. The stagnant liquidity and high volatility could persist as long as incoming flows remain timid. However, there remains a glimmer of hope: if institutional ETFs manage to offset outflows, the network could regain balance.

Ukraine is taking another step toward legalizing cryptocurrency . Legislators are now in the last stages of developing a bill intended to better control the market after long-term struggle with confusing rules. Should things go as expected, the bill might be finished and put into use by mid-2025. BREAKING: 🇺🇦 Ukraine is planning to legalize crypto by mid 2025. They are setting the tax rate around 5-10%! BULLISH FOR CRYPTO! pic.twitter.com/8NDDKgn3Ou — Mister Crypto (@misterrcrypto) March 1, 2025 One issue remaining under great contention even if legalization is approaching is the tax policy. The government is weighing a tax rate between 5% and 10%. Another debate, however, suggests using a uniform tax rate akin to ordinary income tax—18% plus a military charge of five percent. Should this program be carried out, the overall tax on crypto transactions might reach 23%. Some groups think that hefty taxes would impede the expansion of the Ukrainian crypto market. Conversely, the administration contends that the nation requires more money, particularly to support military demands and war-torn rehabilitation. This presents a conundrum: would Ukraine actually impede crypto growth with a too strict tax policy, or will it become a new refuge for adoption? Ukraine has long been among the nations most advanced in the usage of digital assets, no mystery about that. The continuous battle has rendered the nation further reliant on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology for donations and financial transactions. Since digital assets are quicker and simpler than more traditional means, many worldwide communities donate them. Still, the legal situation of cryptocurrency in Ukraine has been murky so far. Although the nation established legislation acknowledging the existence of digital assets in 2021, its rules still do not entirely conform with European Union guidelines. Thus, changes to the regulations are still ongoing so that Ukraine may comply with international norms in monitoring digital assets, particularly with money laundering and criminal funding. Legal clarity is much welcomed by investors and entrepreneurs who have long been engaged in this sector. Clear laws will make crypto transactions in Ukraine no longer in a gray area. If the tax policy implemented is too expensive, though, many business players may decide to relocate their activities to neighboring nations with friendlier laws. Some analysts believe Ukraine might develop into one of the biggest centers of crypto adoption in Europe, particularly if the government strikes a mix between rigorous control and laws appealing to investors. In the next few months, the law is supposed to be presented to parliament. Should it pass the first reading, more talks aimed at mid-2025 implementation will be conducted. Still, not everyone has great hope for this chronology. Some officials and outsiders think the legislative process could be slower than expected, particularly given ongoing disputes over tax laws and other technical matters. Nevertheless, this action is nevertheless a significant indication that Ukraine is committed to using crypto’s possibilities in line with its future economic plan.