EMPD News & Events

As bitcoin, ethereum and other cryptocurrencies see major legal, institutional, and technological developments, the financial landscape continues to adapt. Stay up on the crypto news that matters with the "Crypto Currents" weekly from The Fly. Also, join us for your essential daily recap, every day at 2 PM ET on FlyCast radio.COINBASE, GEMINI SUED BY NY AG FOR 'ILLEGAL' GAMBLING PLATFORMS:New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Tuesday that she has sued Coinbase Financial Marketsand Gemini, Titanforthrough their so-called "prediction market" platforms. Both Coinbase and Gemini offer users the ability to bet on events, including sports, entertainment, and elections, in violation of New York laws. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General found that Coinbase and Gemini are running prediction markets that constitute illegal, unlicensed gambling operations. These illegal operations expose New Yorkers, including those under the legal gambling age of 21, to serious financial and personal risk. James is seeking court orders requiring Coinbase and Gemini to pay fines, forfeit illegal profits, and pay restitution to customers."Gambling by another name is still gambling, and it is not exempt from regulation under our state laws and Constitution," said James. "Gemini and Coinbase's so-called prediction markets are just illegal gambling operations, exposing young people to addictive platforms that lack the necessary guardrails. My office is taking action to protect New Yorkers and stop these platforms from violating the law."James' lawsuits also allege that Gemini and Coinbase are violating New York laws that forbid anyIn her lawsuits, James is asking the court to require Coinbase and Gemini to forfeit illegal profits, distribute restitution to consumers who were harmed, and pay fines equal to three times the profits the companies made through their illegal actions.Additionally on Wednesday, The Information's Yueqi Yang reported Kalshi plans to offer crypto trading in the U.S. with perpetual futures, putting it in competition with exchanges like Coinbase.On Tuesday, ProCap Financialannounced ato create a new category of investment research focused entirely on real-time prediction market data.Coinbase also announced in a Monday blog post thatand ethereum holdings. This unlocks more liquidity for users without having to sell their crypto holdings with users being able to send USDC globally for free or convert to fiat to cover any of life's expenses. Coinbase One members also earn up to 3.5% APY in USDC rewards.The company also announced Wednesday that it is listing a new fiat-backed stablecoin, tGBP.  The company said, "Expanding access to local currency stablecoins is crucial to positioning the UK as a true global hub for crypto innovation and supports our mission to build a more open, accessible and efficient financial system."ROBINHOOD PRICE TARGET CHANGES:JPMorgan lowered the firm's price target on Robinhoodtoon the shares after chatting with management ahead of Q1 results due next week. A headline decline in Q1 estimates was mostly driven by lower net interest revenue and higher expenses, the analyst said. The firm also lowered its target valuation multiple given recent softer net deposit growth and "the limited outlook on retail engagement going forward," the analyst added.Cantor Fitzgerald raised the firm's price target on Robinhood to $110 from $95 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares. Despite concerns about a broader macro slowdown, recent bank results and company commentary suggest consumer spending remains relatively stable, the analyst said. While thematic headwinds have pressured the sector, these risks appear overstated, and Q1 estimates look largely achievable, with forward guidance and Middle East developments likely acting as the main catalysts, the firm said.Cantor Fitzgerald also raised the firm's price target on Coinbase toon the shares.Meanwhile, KeyBanc lowered the firm's price target on Robinhood to $110 from $120 on lower estimates, while keeping an Overweight rating on the shares ahead of quarterly results. The firm is less constructive on digital asset-exposed names as the trading backdrop remains challenged and the related model impact challenging to overcome.Additionally, Mizuho raised the firm's price target on Robinhood to $115 from $105 and kept an Outperform rating on the shares. The SEC ended the long-standing $25,000 minimum tied to the pattern day trader rule, replacing it with broker-determined intraday margin requirements, the analyst said. The firm views the move as "structurally positive" for Robinhood, but added its proprietary survey of 160 traders with less than $25,000 suggests the near-term impact is modest. However, with over 80% reporting being constrained by the old rule, trading activity could increase by 3%, Mizuho estimated. The firm said Robinhood is "over-indexed to smaller balances." Mizuho estimated 25% of its funded accounts are affected, translating to 1%-2% upside to fiscal 2027 sales estimates.Robinhood Ventures Fund Ialso announced Wednesday it hadOn April 17, RVI purchased approximately $75M of common stock of OpenAI.OKX TO INTEGRATE WITH BITGO BANK AND TRUST:OKX announced its, an OCC-regulated digital asset trust bank and subsidiary of BitGo Holdings, bringing automated off-exchange settlement infrastructure to institutional clients trading on OKX in the United States.The company said, "The integration will enable institutional clients to trade on OKX while keeping assets in segregated, regulated custody at BitGo. Assets are not transferred or held on exchange, reducing or eliminating pre-funding requirements across venues, improving capital efficiency, reducing counterparty exposure. The entire workflow, from custody to execution to settlement, operates within a single consolidated institutional framework."Additionally on Wednesday, BitGo announced that The Better Money Company has selected BitGo's Crypto-as-a-Service to support its stablecoin clearinghouse. Through this partnership, BitGo will provide compliant issuer onboarding and qualified custody wallet infrastructure purpose-built to support TBMC's multi-issuer, multi-stablecoin clearing offering.BitGo also announced Tuesday an expansion of its Prime Services platform, continuing to further support protocols, foundations, DAOs, and early-stage token investors with new risk management solutions, structured products, financing, and treasury management capabilities. The expanded offering is designed to support organizations managing token treasuries, unlock schedules, and ecosystem capital. From a single platform anchored by regulated qualified custody, clients can access tools to hedge market exposure, manage liquidity, support treasury diversification, and execute strategic transactions.CIRCLE INITIATED WITH HOLD:Freedom Capital initiated coverage of Circle InternetwithCircle is a key player in the broader digital assets ecosystem as the leading global issuer of compliant stablecoins, primarily USDC, which has about $79B in circulating supply, or about 25% of total stablecoin market, the analyst siad. The firm sees strong potential for stablecoin adoption, specifically USDC, but is cautious on Circle shares given uncertainty around several potential outcomes, including the trajectory of interest rates, commercial adoption of stablecoins, regulatory changes, and rising competitive dynamics, the analyst added.Morgan Stanley kept an Equal Weight rating on Circle with an $80 price target following reports last week that hackers with suspected ties to North Korea drained $285M in user funds from perpetual futures trading platform Drift Protocol in 12 minutes and bridged the funds to USDC stablecoin. Morgan Stanley said the hackers used Circle's cross-chain transfer protocol to move funds from Solana to Ethereum. The attack could raise questions about Circle's know your customer and anti-money laundering practices, the analyst said. Circle has received public criticism within the blockchain community, the firm added.DDC REPORTS FY25 EARNINGS:On Tuesday, DDC Enterprisereportedwhich compared to revenue of $37.4M and an adjusted EBITDA loss of ($3.5M) for FY24. As of April 21, bitcoin holdings increased to 2,383."2025 was an important step forward for DDC," said Norma Chu, CEO. "We delivered record revenue and achieved positive Adjusted EBITDA, reflecting continued improvement in the operating efficiency and margin profile of our core consumer food business. This advancement is supported by expansion in our offline distribution channels and deeper penetration into lower-tier cities. At the same time, we made a deliberate decision to invest in building our bitcoin treasury strategy, and today, we rank among the top 30 publicly traded corporate holders of Bitcoin globally, representing approximately $182M value based on current market prices. While these investments impacted reported profitability in the second half, they reflect our focus on building a disciplined capital allocation framework designed to create value over time. As we move into 2026, we remain focused on growing our core business while maintaining discipline around our cost structure and continuing to execute our bitcoin strategy in a measured and strategic manner. We are also investing in the AI infrastructure that supports how we manage our treasury, with the goal of improving consistency, transparency, and long-term capital allocation."Additionally on Tuesday, DDC announced the launch of the DDC Treasury Intelligence Platform, a purpose‑built, AI‑driven operating system for managing the company's bitcoin treasury with greater discipline, transparency, and a bold, long‑term focus on shareholder value.OTHER CRYPTO NEWS:Hyperscale Datareportsaccelerates Michigan operations for AI data center, robotics hubStrategyacquiresprice target raised to $212 from $192 at Cantor FitzgeraldBitmine ImmersionannouncesEightco HoldingsreportsTeraWulfprice target raisedat OppenheimerStriveinitiated withEmpery DigitalsellsDeFi Technologies'ValourSoluna HoldingsannouncesPiper Sandler raises Riot Platformsprice target to, Hut 8to, lowers Galaxy Digitalprice target toBNB Plus Corp.announcesreceives non-compliance notice from NasdaqC1 FundannouncesAvax Oneannouncesreports preliminary Q1 revenue $2.4MVystar, R3alm launchDeFi Developmentto makeHyperliquid StrategiesinitiatedOlenoxenters non-binding LOI forB. Riley initiates Forward IndustrieswithSolana CompanywithMorgan Stanley Investment ManagementlaunchesCRYPTO STOCK PLAYS:Publicly traded companies in the space include Bit Digital, Coinbase, Core Scientific, Greenidge Generation, Mara Holdings, Strategy, Riot Platforms and TeraWulf.PRICE ACTION:As of time of writing, bitcoin was roughly flat this week at $78,198 in U.S. dollars, according to CoinDesk.

Empery Digital announced an update on its previously authorized share repurchase program. As of April 17, the Company has repurchased 26,244,657 shares of its common stock under its $200M share repurchase program, at an average purchase price per share of $5.71, including all fees and commissions. Following these repurchases, the current number of shares outstanding is 29,813,797, after giving effect to the potential exercise of 2,146,395 pre-funded warrants.During the week ending April 17, the Company sold 20 BTC for an average price of $74,425 per BTC, generating approximately $1.5M of gross proceeds. As of April 17, the Company held 2,914 BTC in its treasury.

As bitcoin, ethereum and other cryptocurrencies see major legal, institutional, and technological developments, the financial landscape continues to adapt. Stay up on the crypto news that matters with the "Crypto Currents" weekly from The Fly. Also, join us for your essential daily recap, every day at 2 PM ET on FlyCast radio.CHARLES SCHWAB DETAILS SPOT CRYPTO TRADING LAUNCH:On Thursday, Charles Schwabannouncedoffer that will begin a phased rollout to retail clients in the coming weeks. Schwab Crypto will provide direct access to bitcoin and ethereum trading, combined with educational content and experienced professional support. At launch, Schwab Crypto will include direct trading in bitcoin and ethereum, in-depth digital assets education and resources, including insights and commentary from the Schwab Center for Financial Research and crypto-focused content through Schwab Coaching, as well as the ability to view and trade cryptocurrency and traditional investments side-by-side across Schwab.com, Schwab Mobile, and thinkorswim. It will also include access to Schwab's 24/7 support from thousands of tenured service professionals and will be priced among the lowest in the industry at 75 basis points on the dollar value of each trade. Over time, Schwab plans to add additional cryptocurrencies to the platform, as well as transfer capabilities for both deposits and withdrawals, allowing clients with existing digital asset investments to bring them to Schwab alongside their other investments."With Schwab Crypto, investors can access familiar cryptocurrencies within an all in one investing and banking experience, backed by an ecosystem of education, tools, resources, and support so they can make informed decisions about how crypto might fit into their broader investing goals," said Joe Vietri, Head of Digital Assets. "Whether you're new to crypto and looking for a firm you know and trust, or you already own digital assets, our goal is to be the destination of choice for retail investors who want to incorporate digital assets into their portfolios with confidence."ETORO ENTERS AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE ZENGA:eToroannounced Wednesday that it has entered intoa self-custodial crypto wallet provider, in a move that deepens eToro's digital asset capabilities and accelerates its strategy of connecting traditional finance with on-chain infrastructure and the crypto native economy. The acquisition brings together eToro's global multi-asset platform and distribution with Zengo's non-custodial wallet technology, supporting Zengo's next phase of growth while expanding eToro's digital asset capabilities. The transaction strengthens eToro's ability to support evolving digital asset use cases, including tokenized assets and emerging decentralized trading models such as prediction markets and perpetuals, as these markets develop.Yoni Assia, CEO, said, "We believe the future of finance will be increasingly digital, decentralized and user-controlled, with self-custody playing an important role in that evolution. Zengo has built an innovative and secure wallet experience, and this acquisition will enable us to accelerate its growth while continuing to provide users with choice in how they access digital assets. As we often say, crypto downtimes are the time to build and this acquisition reflects that long-term approach. At the same time, we continue to demonstrate the strength of our diversified business model. We've seen strong capital market activity so far this year, with commodity trading accounting for 60% of trading commissions by asset class in Q1 2026, with commodities trading volume nearly 4x higher year over year. This growth was driven by shifting global macro dynamics, our standing as a top-tier global multi-asset platform, and our strategic expansion of 24/7 trading, including gold and oil."On Thursday, eToro announced the relaunch of Tori, its AI investing companion, introducing three upgrades: persistent memory, real-time market sentiment from X powered by Grok 4.2, and the ability to create and manage user-defined AI-driven Agent Portfolios entirely through conversation.eToro also announced Tuesday the launch of the eToro App Store, a marketplace enabling investors and developers to build, share and access trading and analytics applications directly within the eToro platform.SEC APPROVES PLAN TO REMOVE DAY TRADING LIMITS:The Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday approved changes to the pattern day trading rule, shifting from a fixed $25,000 threshold for small investors to risk-based margin requirements applied to all traders. Public feedback "overwhelmingly supported" the plan, which includes the "elimination of the $25,000 minimum equity requirements and definition of pattern day trader," SEC Assistant Secretary Sherry Haywood wrote in an order.Goldman Sachs noted the change and pointed out that as this likely reduces margin requirements for traders, which would allow more smaller-sized accounts to trade more actively, this could drive increased retail trading volumes in equities, which could benefit brokers under coverage, including Buy-rated Robinhoodand Interactive Brokersand Neutral-rated eToro. This could be particularly true for the former, which has smaller average account sizes and mostly U.S. exposure, whereas Interactive Brokers has larger average accounts, and eToro is predominantly non-U.S. exposed.Meanwhile, BernsteinThe firm has an Outperform rating on the name with a $130 price target. The upside will be driven by a recovery in crypto markets and "breakout" revenue growth in prediction markets, the analyst said. Bernstein believes a "weak" Q1 report is already priced into Robinhood shares. The market will be forward looking as trading volumes recover Q2 onwards, contended the firm.Additionally, Truist lowered the firm's price target on Robinhood to $100 from $120 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. The firm updated its Robinhood model to incorporate trading data from February and March ahead of Q1 earnings. While shares have been under pressure year-to-date with revenue headwinds from crypto prices and high-beta equity volatility, shares have consolidated in recent months around $70, which the firm views as an attractive entry point for a platform poised to organically grow assets 20%+ annually for the next three years, the analyst said.CRYPTO COMPANIES SEEK MYTHOS ACCESS:Major crypto exchanges and custodians including Coinbaseand Binance are racing to prepare for powerful AI models like Anthropic's Mythos, which the AI company says could be dangerously good at finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities, The Information's Yueqi Yang reported Tuesday. Coinbase has been in "close communication" with Anthropic about Mythos, "a highly restricted model not available to the public," Coinbase Chief Security Officer Philip Martin said. "Mythos, and future models like it, will enable even deeper testing of software and systems at scale. This will accelerate digital threats as well as digital defense."Meanwhile, Piper Sandler raised the firm's price target on Coinbaseon the shares. Heading into Q1 earnings, the firm expects management teams to strike a positive tone on the outlook for trading volumes, especially in futures as the Iran War continues to impact global energy and commodities markets. Piper is somewhat cautious on the tough year-over-year comparisons facing exchanges in Q2, but a continuation of the Iran War is a strong counter.NORTHERN TRUST, DIGITAL ASSET PARTNER FOR CUSTODY CAPABILITIES:Northern Trustannounced Thursday it hasto support the development of custody capabilities for tokenized financial assets. This integration will advance Northern Trust's broader digital asset strategy as the firm continues to evolve its asset servicing model in response to changing market structures. As part of this agreement, Northern Trust will integrate with Canton Network's infrastructure to develop and deploy applications that bridge digital and traditional markets, supporting institutional grade custody and asset servicing workflows for network participants. This move also creates opportunities with other regulated partners and financial services utilities that provide services for digitally issued assets. Northern Trust will utilize its digital assets platform to support custody and asset servicing for tokenized assets issued or transacted on the network."As institutional adoption of digital assets progresses, clients are looking for custody and servicing models that align with established market standards and regulatory expectations," said Guy Gibson, co‑president, Asset Servicing and head of Institutional Banking and Markets. "Connecting to the Canton Network allows us to extend our asset servicing role into new market structures while maintaining the same principles of scale, control, and risk management that clients expect from Northern Trust."OTHER CRYPTO NEWS:Benchmark startsHoldingswith a BuyBitGo, tradias expandHyperscale DatareportsStrategyacquiresprice target raised to $385 from $350 at TD CowenBitmine ImmersionannouncesCanaanreportsTeraWulfreports preliminaryStrivepurchasesEmpery DigitalsellsBGIN BlockchainannouncesDeFi Technologiesprice target loweredat MaximLM FundingminesHigh Rollerteams with Crypto.com toVisalaunchesBitdeerproducesExodus Movementexpandsfiles lawsuit to compel W3C to complete saleSolunaacquiresfor $16.5MLQR Houseto acquireCypherpunk TechnologiesincreasesMorpheus Research saysTechnology, 'short position justified'CRYPTO STOCK PLAYS:Publicly traded companies in the space include Bit Digital, Coinbase, Core Scientific, Greenidge Generation, Mara Holdings, Strategy, Riot Platformsand TeraWulf.PRICE ACTION:As of time of writing, bitcoin rose roughly 6% this week to $77,225 in U.S. dollars, according to CoinDesk.

As of April 10, 2026, the Company has repurchased 25,805,396 shares of its common stock under its $200M share repurchase program, at an average purchase price per share of $5.72, including all fees and commissions. Following these repurchases, the current number of shares outstanding is 30,253,058, after giving effect to the potential exercise of 2,496,395 pre-funded warrants. During the week ending April 10, 2026, the Company sold 55 BTC for an average price of $70,560 per BTC, generating approximately $3.9M of gross proceeds. As of April 10, 2026, the Company held 2,934 BTC in its treasury.