Apr 14, 2025: Our weekly Institutional Insights explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

 explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

Weekly highlight — Apple exemptions send crypto higher 

US president Donald Trump’s administration recently exempted smartphones, computers and other electronics from reciprocal tariffs, providing significant relief for major technology manufacturers like Apple and NVIDIA. This move, announced by US Customs and Border Protection, limits the impact of Trump’s 125% tariff on goods from China and baseline 10% global tariff affecting many countries.

The exclusions cover popular electronics, such as smartphones, laptops, hard drives and memory chips, typically not domestically produced. This decision is welcome news for consumers who feared rising prices due to potential tariffs. It also benefits major tech companies that have made substantial investment pledges in the US domestic markets to the Trump administration.

The tariff reprieve marks a noteworthy easing in Trump's trade conflict with China, effective retroactively from April 5. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that America must not depend upon China for critical technologies, highlighting the president's efforts to secure substantial investments from leading tech firms to bolster domestic manufacturing. 

However, the reprieve may be temporary. The exclusions stem from an initial order designed to prevent cumulative tariffs on specific sectors. While certain semiconductor manufacturing equipment is excluded, the announcement doesn’t cover the 20% tariff targeting China, aimed at addressing fentanyl shipments.

Analysts note that while this exemption is a win for the tech industry, uncertainty remains regarding future tariffs. The administration is poised to further investigate semiconductor imports, potentially leading to new tariffs in the coming weeks. As negotiations evolve, other countries may seek similar exceptions, complicating the trade landscape. 

Overall, while this announcement offers temporary relief, the future of tariffs remains uncertain as the administration continues its aggressive trade policies.

Weekly crypto highlight — Bitcoin has its role to play amid volatility

The concept of "safe haven" assets, traditionally represented by gold and government bonds, is being challenged in today’s volatile markets. For decades, investors relied on a classic portfolio structure of 60% equities and 40% bonds, with capital flowing into gold and government bonds during market downturns. These assets were seen as stable and reliable, ideal for safeguarding against volatility. However, in a world marked by constant market activity, geopolitical unrest and rising skepticism toward governments, the definition of a safe-haven asset may require reevaluation.

Enter Bitcoin, a highly volatile and often misunderstood asset. Despite skepticism from many investors, Bitcoin has significantly outperformed traditional safe-haven assets since the COVID-19 market lows, rising over 1,000% since March 2020. In contrast, long-duration bonds have dropped by 50%, and gold, while up 90% over five years, appears less impressive when adjusted for monetary inflation.

However, Bitcoin's status as a safe haven remains debated. During various risk-off events, it’s behaved more like a high-beta asset than a protective hedge. For instance, in March 2020, BTC fell 40%, while the Nasdaq-100 dropped 27%. But during the recent tariff-led sell-off in April 2025, Bitcoin held up better than the Nasdaq-100, suggesting emerging strength.

Non-sovereign assets like Bitcoin could thrive amid geopolitical tensions, given their decentralized, censorship-resistant nature. Traditional safe havens like gold and long-duration bonds are losing their luster, with gold’s gains overshadowed by monetary expansion and rising yields on Treasury bonds.

As Bitcoin continues to demonstrate resilience, it may challenge the notion of what constitutes a safe haven. While it may not fit the classic definition of a low-volatility asset, its durability, neutrality and liquidity make it increasingly relevant in today’s financial landscape. Thus, the traditional playbook for safe-haven assets may need an update.

Advanced

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Weekly Institutional Insights: Apple exemptions send crypto higher; Bitcoin’s role to challenge gold

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report delves into macro events; the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume; and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

After initially resisting US president Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, crypto markets joined the global sell-off, with BTC falling from $87K on April 2 to a low of $74K. BTC’s term structure was inverted again before easing, while ETH’s term structure remained inverted. Meanwhile, short-term BTC volatility skews favored OTM puts, reflecting more bearish sentiment than during the Q1 2023 US banking crisis. However, volatility levels decreased after Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs (excluding those on China), leading to a significant rally in spot prices.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

BTC open interest declined substantially this week

Bybit’s largest perpetual swap markets initially remained stable during the broader market sell-off and tariff reactions, recovering from the dip after the 

. However, Trump’s recent announcement and subsequent pause of near-unilateral import tariffs significantly impacted these markets, leading to notable declines in open interest for BTC and ETH, which have fallen sharply from their late March highs.

After a brief period of positive funding rates, BTC’s perpetual swap market fluctuated between positive and negative sentiment, indicating traders were hesitant to commit to a strong directional move (similar to trends in options markets). This changed when President Trump announced a 90-day tariff relief, leading to positive jumps in funding rates. Altcoins displayed a similar pattern, with funding rates alternately positive and negative before rising following the tariff announcement.

During the April 6–7, 2025 sell-off, traders sought downside protection, as BTC's spot price fell to $75K in reaction to President Trump’s tariff announcement. The high volume of put options relative to calls indicates strong demand for this protection. Meanwhile, the US's reciprocal tariffs caused a significant inversion in BTC’s at-the-money volatility term structure, which, although it has eased, remains inverted. Additionally, there‘s a stronger skew toward OTM puts at short tenors as compared to the March 2023 US banking crisis. Put open interest has surged over the past week, reflecting extremely bearish sentiment for both the near and long terms.

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Bybit X Block Scholes crypto derivatives analytics report (Apr 9, 2025): Tariffs bring substantial volatility at a level similar to that of the Q1 2023 US banking crisis

In this tutorial, we’ll explore how you can stake and mint Lombard LBTCv on Bybit Web3 Staking with the Bybit Web3 Seed Phrase Wallet. 

In this tutorial, we’ll explore how you can stake BTC to mint 

Please note that in order to get started, you’ll first need to download the Bybit App on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. 

How to stake and mint LBTCv with Bybit Web3 Staking

: Launch the Bybit App on your mobile device and tap on the 

: Deposit BTC into your preferred Bybit Web3 Seed Phrase Wallet BTC address.

: Once you’ve deposited BTC into your wallet address, tap on the 

drop-down and select the BTC address into which you’ve deposited BTC. 

: Input the exact amount of BTC you’d like to stake, and tap on 

 and sign the message to allow this exact amount of BTC to be staked.

 page. Ensure that the amount of BTC is exactly the same as you wish to stake, and tap on 

: Tap on the icon located at the upper-right corner of the screen to check your transaction history.

: You’ll receive LBTCv in three progressive stages:

: Once you’ve received LBTCv, you can check your points (updated every hour).

If you wish to stake more BTC, simply repeat Steps 7 through 12. However, please

that you won’t be able to stake more BTC as long as you haven’t yet received your LBTCv.

To redeem your LBTC, simply scroll down the 

button. Then, wait three days for the successful redemption of LBTC.

If you wish to cancel your redemption, you can do so within these three days.

Beginner

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How to stake and mint Lombard LBTCv with Bybit Web3 Staking

A Chainlink Spot ETF would bridge TradFi and crypto, offering a simplified way to gain exposure to LINK without the complexities of digital wallets or exchanges.

There's been a recent surge in spot ETF applications as investors look for ways to sidestep the rigid frameworks of traditional finance. The success of 

 — drawing billions in inflows — signals a major shift in the way institutions approach crypto investments. 

 networks, is in line for its own Spot ETF. The proposed fund promises a direct, hassle-free way to invest in Chainlink (LINK), eliminating the need to deal with complex 

 and exchanges. This article explores what a Chainlink Spot ETF is, how it would work, its current market impact and what its potential approval could mean for investors and the broader crypto landscape.

A Chainlink Spot ETF is an exchange-traded fund, backed by Chainlink (LINK) tokens, that would directly track the market price of LINK, a cryptocurrency powering decentralized oracle networks, thus enabling investors to gain exposure without directly holding the asset itself.

 (ETF) would offer investors direct exposure to LINK’s price movements without requiring the investors to handle the digital asset directly. 

Authorized Participants (APs), typically large financial institutions or market makers approved by the ETF issuer, play a central role in maintaining liquidity and aligning the ETF’s market price with its net asset value (NAV). These entities facilitate the creation and redemption of ETF shares by acquiring LINK tokens from exchanges or over-the-counter markets, and transferring them to the ETF’s custodian, a regulated entity responsible for secure storage. 

In exchange, the ETF issuer provides APs with newly created shares, which represent fractional ownership of the underlying assets. The shares are then introduced to secondary markets for investors to trade.

Creation, redemption and listing of shares

When redeeming shares, APs collect ETF shares from the market and return them to the issuer, receiving LINK tokens from the custodian in return. These tokens can be sold on the open market or held, depending upon the AP’s strategy. This creation-redemption process enables an 

 mechanism that stabilizes the ETF’s price, relative to its underlying assets. 

If the ETF is trading at a premium to NAV, APs create and sell shares to capitalize on the price difference, pushing the market price downward. Conversely, if the ETF is trading at a discount, APs redeem shares, reducing supply and driving the price upward. This dynamic ensures that the ETF’s market price remains closely tied to LINK’s actual value. 

Shares are listed on exchanges and traded like traditional stocks, integrating seamlessly into existing portfolios while offering potential tax efficiencies. The structure combines the accessibility of conventional investments with the benefits of cryptocurrency exposure, appealing to those seeking indirect participation in LINK’s market movements through a regulated and familiar framework. For investors, the ETF will simplify exposure to Chainlink by eliminating the need to manage 

 or wallets, or navigate complex crypto exchanges. 

The Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF, which includes Chainlink (LINK), has gained attention as a significant development in the crypto ETF space. This ETF, 

 in February 2025 and currently provides exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum. 

 with the SEC on Mar 14, 2025 to expand the ETF's scope to include additional cryptocurrencies like LINK, ADA and SOL. This application remains the sole filing for a Spot Link ETF (as of Mar 20, 2025). While the SEC has approved the fund's initial structure, its response to the inclusion of Chainlink and other assets remains pending.

The SEC has historically been cautious about approving spot cryptocurrency ETFs, due to concerns about market manipulation and investor protection. However, the approval of multi-asset ETFs such as NCIQ signals a potential shift in regulatory attitudes. Market sentiment has been cautiously optimistic, with investors viewing these developments as a step toward broader acceptance and integration of cryptocurrencies into traditional financial systems. The timeline for the approval of Chainlink Spot ETFs remains uncertain, but growing institutional interest and regulatory advancements suggest progress in the near future.

Current impact of Chainlink Spot ETF applications on the crypto market

The anticipation surrounding Chainlink Spot ETF applications is clearly influencing market sentiment. Although Chainlink's price hasn’t yet surged dramatically, increased investor interest and speculation about potential ETF approvals have boosted overall optimism. 

Data from LINK and CoinGlass reveals that 

 have fallen to 138.8 million coins, the lowest since September 2024, indicating that investors are holding onto their tokens in self-custody wallets instead of selling. This trend reflects a growing belief that SEC approval for a Spot LINK ETF could substantially boost the token’s price. In addition, Chainlink’s role as one of the largest oracle networks and its innovative cross-chain interoperability protocol for asset tokenization further reinforce this positive outlook.

What will it mean if a Chainlink Spot ETF application is approved?

The approval of a Chainlink Spot ETF would have some significant implications for both the cryptocurrency market and traditional financial sectors, as follows.

If you’re looking to capture the market and trade LINK tokens, Bybit offers the 

A Chainlink Spot ETF would connect cryptocurrency with traditional finance by allowing investors to track LINK’s price without the complications of managing digital wallets. Specifically, it would keep the ETF's price in line with LINK’s market value, increase liquidity and attract institutional investors. Approval of a Chainlink Spot ETF could drive LINK's price higher, similar to trends seen with Bitcoin ETFs, and confirm Chainlink’s importance in the crypto ecosystem, encouraging its use across various industries. 

However, investors need to be cautious of potential short-term price swings and changes in regulations. Overall, this ETF would make crypto investing simpler for a broader audience, strengthening Chainlink’s position and supporting wider acceptance of blockchain technology in the financial world.

Intermediate

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Chainlink Spot ETF: A gateway to decentralized oracle investment

Candlestick

Trading

Understanding how inverted hammer candlestick patterns help you make better decisions in a trade. Learn how to critically identify such trends.

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Candlestick charts are an invaluable source of information for any trader. Despite the overwhelming 

 variants, it is still crucial to understand its functions. Supposed you’re analyzing the momentum or the market trend with an inverted hammer candlestick, here’s how you properly read and to apply it strategically. 

Generally, an inverted hammer is a type of candlestick pattern treated as a possible trend-reversal signal. As it is a well-known bullish reversal pattern, it mainly occurs at the end of a downtrend. The inverted hammer has a remarkable shape and clear-cut chart position make it recognizable among the others. 

The inverted hammer is a variation of the regular hammer pattern. Typically, it’s easy to identify a hammer pattern though there are exceptions. Of course, there are instances where the inverted hammer is mistaken as a shooting star pattern. They look almost identical with a small real body and a long upper shadow, but it marks the possible lowering turning point. That is why traders must be aware of everything about the peculiarities of patterns.

How Does an Inverted Hammer Candlestick Look Like?

The inverted hammer consists of three parts: a body and two shadows (wicks). A real body is short and looks like a rectangle lying on the longer side. The upper wick is extended and must be at least twice longer than the real body. However, the lower wick is tiny or doesn’t exist at all. This pattern bears such a name because its shape has some resemblance to an upturned hammer.

The hammer occurs when open, low, and close prices are approximately the same. The inverted hammer is generated in the downtrend or after it, and this is a mark of a highly probable trend reversal. It appears when bullish traders are ready to change the trend after bearish traders have knocked the prices downwards. When looking into the upper wick, it shows the bulls’ attempts to push the price up as high as possible. In contrast, the lower wick is caused by the bears, who strive to stand against the higher price.

The hammer represents a one-day bullish reversal pattern. Its real body can either be bearish (the open is higher than the close) or bullish (the close is higher than the open). But it doesn’t matter how it looks like. In any case, it will be viewed at the bottom of a downtrend, and the market line is expected to reverse. 

Any traders should be aware that no patterns can be utterly informative when being utilized or analyzed alone. Simple identification of the inverted hammer candle is not sufficient for successful trading, including (forex, stock, or even cryptocurrency).

 or the inverted hammer candle position, to consider when assessing a position. Supposed a trader is sure that he or she has identified the pattern correctly, it is necessary to start looking for other signals to confirm a possible reversal. However, this is a warning only but not a signal by itself to buy.

As the inverted hammer cannot be considered a decisive signal, it works well combined with some classic technical analysis patterns.

On the contrary, Double Bottom is one of the most robust reversal patterns. Its shape resembles the letter “W” as it consists of two consecutive lowest points that are nearly equal, with a moderate peak between them.

The inverted hammer at the second bottom on this chart confirms the Double Bottom, and both indicators signal the market moves up. A trader needs to wait for the market closure above the inverted hammer’s high to go long.

This is another technical analysis pattern that receives its name after the letter. Its shape looks like the letter V and appears when price momentum changes from an aggressive selling to an aggressive buying condition.

The inverted hammer typically forms before a trader enters the trade. So when the market closes above the high of the inverted hammer, it’s time to go long. Keep in mind that it is necessary to trade these both patterns with a support level, as it tends to bounce off the trends.

Of course, there are also other ways to use the inverted hammer in trading. For instance, traders can make a profit from the pullbacks in an uptrend. In this case, the inverted hammer indicates a possible entry on a pullback.

This pattern can be introduced into a profitable 

 if a trader considers some general considerations and scenarios. Since this is a bullish candlestick pattern, only the buying rules can be applied to it.

the possible price reversal points on the chart. These can be 

. It is tolerable to enter the trade after the confirmation candlestick formation. Such a strategy means there will be lower risks to enter a trade, but the purchase price will be higher, and the traders’ profits will be significantly lower.

. Traders set the stop-loss limits according to their trading views. But as a rule of thumb, they are 

 than the inverted hammer candle’s low price. It is crucial to follow the stop-loss strictly as trading the candlestick patterns can never be considered failing.

. Some important characters to be into consideration includes:

The Pros and Cons of an Inverted Hammer Candlestick

There is no ideal pattern that will work at any time in any situation. The inverted hammer is no exception. There are several obvious advantages of using this candlestick:

But these advantages are accompanied by disadvantages as well. The main disadvantage is common to all the strategies and scenarios. It may happen so that pattern will 

The inverted hammer candle may be a signal of a 

 but not a longer-term trend. Also, sometimes the additional confirmation is desirable, and this results in loss of profits.

 with its bearish variant, the shooting star mentioned above. They may miss the moment though the signal is evident.

Differences Between an Inverted Hammer and a Shooting Star

The form of these two candles is identical. A real short body is a combination of a long upper wick and a tiny lower wick (or no lower wick at all). Both can be regarded as a possible trend-reversal signal. But, the only distinction between them lies in the position they take in the chart.

The inverted hammer always appears as the 

 of the downtrend. On the contrary, the shooting star appears at the top of the trend and marks the possible downward price movement. In a nutshell, these two patterns are similar in shape. However, they provide traders with different signals.

Candlestick charts are an integral part of technical analysis. The chance for success depends much on how a trader is familiar with candle patterns and uses them for trading no matter what asset they prefer. A candlestick can not be a trade signal in isolation. Instead, it’s best to get an accurate and precise holistic point of view when interpreting the candlestick.

The confluence of factors makes the basis for market development, but not a single factor, and this fact cannot be ignored. The ‘Reversal trend’ is not meant to be taken literally. If the inverted hammer has appeared on the chart, it doesn’t mean that the price line would undoubtedly change and go in the opposite direction. It means the change of the market sentiment, so the traders should be readу to look for other symptoms of the nearest moves. An inverted hammer candlestick can certainly be a useful tool for those who can use it in combination with other signals.

Candlestick Patterns Professional Traders Use

 – A curated list of candlestick patterns most frequently used by traders

 – Learn the basics of candlestick patterns

 (Chart basics: trend, neckline, wedges)

How to Read the Inverted Hammer Candlestick Pattern?

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Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards