Prediction markets and CME futures traders have converged on one outcome ahead of the April 29 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting: the Federal Reserve will hold rates steady, and likely will continue doing so well into the summer.

The bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure sector has had a split personality through the first four months of 2026. Bitcoin itself opened the year around $88,700 and has spent most of its time grinding lower, sitting around $76,000 to $78,000 as April comes to a close, a loss of roughly 12% since January 1. Against that backdrop, the performance of the top mining stocks tells a story that has very little to do with bitcoin anymore.

Strategy’s bitcoin positioning drew renewed attention as Michael Saylor revived his orange-dot chart. The update followed last week’s major BTC purchase and sharpened focus on Strategy’s accumulation pattern.

Bitcoin is hovering near the upper end of its 24-hour range, but the charts are not handing out free confidence. At $77,989, bitcoin looks constructive, though short-term momentum is starting to act like it needs a coffee.

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Welcome to Latam Insights, a compilation of the most relevant crypto news from Latin America over the past week. In this edition, Brazil issues a blanket ban on non-financial prediction markets, Hashrate Index highlights the potential for bitcoin mining growth in the region, and Brazil’s largest bank invests in bitcoin mining.

Space and Time has launched Dreamspace, an AI-powered, no-code app builder designed to democratize blockchain development.

Industry leaders and financial experts have issued a sharp rebuke of the South African National Treasury’s Draft Capital Flow Management Regulations 2026, calling the proposal a regressive move that mirrors apartheid-era economic controls.

The two companies would agree to merge, with CS Digital receiving $55 million in an all-share transaction, to combine Olenox’s energy expertise with CS Digital’s expertise in bitcoin mining. The combined company would seek to develop off-grid mining and AI data center initiatives close to generation sites.

Ripple opens registration for Swell 2026 in New York, with the company describing it as its biggest Swell yet. The event brings Swell and Apex into one program, with builders, financial leaders, developers and the XRP community under one roof.

An anonymous wallet with no prior trading history turned $174,000 worth of ether into $2.45 million by trading Apecoin on both sides of an 80% price surge in a single day.

Europe’s MiCA rules helped euro stablecoins surge even as broader crypto adoption cooled, while a Balancer exploit wallet reawakened to move funds through Thorchain. In Washington, more than 100 crypto groups pushed the Senate to act on the CLARITY Act. Grayscale said bitcoin may be forming a durable bottom as recent buyers return to breakeven, and Tether froze $344 million in USDT with U.S. authorities, highlighting the growing role of issuers in enforcement.

CFTC escalates prediction market fight as state challenges intensify across the U.S. The Kalshi case in Massachusetts heightens tensions, with regulators warning states they will see them in court.

Bitcoin’s safe-haven properties remain under market pressure as Willy Woo says major capital pools still treat it as untested. That perception keeps bitcoin tied to risk assets during global uncertainty.

State gambling enforcement against Kalshi is being challenged as 38 attorneys general back Massachusetts’ lawsuit. The case could shape whether states can enforce gambling licensing rules against event contracts.