This Week in Crypto: Binance Cuts Altcoins, Ripple Inches Toward SEC Deal, and Global Trade Shifts

Binance Delists 14 Altcoins

Binance, the largest global crypto exchange by volume, revealed its decision to delist 14 altcoins. Some of the tokens include:

The delisting caused prices of these tokens to drop sharply – many by double digits within hours.

Binance said the decision followed its usual review process. This includes checking for factors like:

• Project development activity
• Trading volume
• Market liquidity
• Team responsiveness

They will no longer be tradable after April 16. Withdrawals will remain possible until June 9. After that, any remaining tokens will be automatically converted into stablecoins.

The process involved community participation. Over 103,000 votes were cast, and 93,000+ were found valid.

Arthur Hayes Predicts Bitcoin Boom from Trade War and Fed Moves

Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, made headlines again with a bold prediction. He believes a perfect storm is brewing for Bitcoin. His reasoning:

• A potential US-China trade war
• The possible return of Fed stimulus (quantitative easing)

Hayes pointed to former President Trump’s plan to add 125% tariffs on Chinese goods. He said this could lead to rising costs and disrupted supply chains.

In that case, central banks may return to stimulus policies to keep economies stable. This could drive Bitcoin up dramatically.

Here are Hayes’s Bitcoin price forecasts:

While some say these numbers are too high, others agree the macro outlook supports a bullish case for Bitcoin.

Is the Fed Already Doing Stealth QE?

A growing number of analysts think the Federal Reserve is injecting liquidity into the system without saying it officially.

This “stealth QE” theory is based on metrics like the Reverse Repo Facility (RRP), which shows unusual capital movements.

Why does it matter?

• These hidden inflows may help keep crypto and other assets stable
• It could explain why Bitcoin has held above $70,000, despite pressure

Analysts warn that if this continues, it may lead to a formal QE announcement in 2025. That would strongly benefit the crypto market.

Ripple and SEC Move Toward Settlement

Another big story this week: Ripple and the US SEC filed a joint motion to settle the last phase of their long legal battle.

This case began in 2020 and has been a cloud over XRP and the broader market.

A major win came in 2023 when a judge ruled that XRP is not a security when sold to retail buyers. However, the case continued over institutional sales.

The new joint motion suggests both sides want to end the case soon.

Why it matters:

• A final settlement could give XRP regulatory clarity
• This could open the door for US exchanges to relist XRP
• It might also raise chances for an XRP ETF in the near future

According to Polymarket, the chance of an XRP ETF now stands at 77%.

Trump Pauses Tariffs – Except on China

Finally, former President Trump made a major announcement on trade policy. He said he would pause tariffs for most US trade partners – except China.

Markets reacted positively, and total crypto market cap rose by over 5%.

However, China responded by raising tariffs on US goods to 125%. This could:

• Increase global trade tensions
• Make decentralized finance more appealing as traditional systems come under stress

This week was packed with big news for crypto. From Binance’s delisting to Ripple’s legal closure and shifting trade policies, the market is evolving fast.

Regulation, global economics, and central bank actions remain the biggest drivers. All eyes are now on the Fed, trade talks, and Ripple’s final legal steps. The next few weeks could be pivotal for crypto’s next chapter.