Today’s Nugget:
The SEC just flipped bullish.
New Chair Paul Atkins is promising a “rational, coherent, and principled” approach to crypto regulation — and the market’s already reacting.
Atkins Sworn In — and the SEC Just Got a Whole New Vibe
On Tuesday, Paul Atkins was officially sworn in as the new SEC Chairman, and wasted no time outlining his priorities:
“A top priority of my chairmanship will be to provide a firm regulatory foundation for digital assets… through a rational, coherent and principled approach.”
This marks a clear departure from the combative tone of Gary Gensler. Atkins, who served under Bush and advised Trump, has long been seen as a crypto-friendly voice in Washington.
Early Actions Under Atkins:
Formation of the SEC Crypto Task Force
Initiation of roundtable sessions with DeFi founders
New commitment to “investor protection” via market structure clarity
Bottom line?
The Gensler era of enforcement-first is over.
Expect a wave of framework-first developments and possible ETF expansions in Q2.
Market Reaction: Price Action Doesn’t Lie
Here’s how markets responded:
BTC: +6.7%
ETH: +14.6%
SOL: +20.5%
Bitcoin
Solana
Eth
Now Let’s Break Down the Charts (April 22, 2025)
Bitcoin (BTC) $BTC ( ▼ 0.6% )
Price: $93,700
Resistance: $95,200–$96,000
Support: $88,000 → $84,500
Trend: Bullish breakout from consolidation — high volume breakout confirms strength.
What to watch:
Price has entered key supply zone.
A clean break above $96K opens the door for $100K+ price discovery.
Ideal dip-buy zones: $88K–$90K.
Solana (SOL) $SOL.X ( ▼ 1.79% )
Price: $151.94
Resistance: $164 → $180
Support: $138 → $128
Trend: Formed higher highs and higher lows — clear trend reversal confirmed.
What to watch:
Volume + structure = momentum continuation.
$164–$180 is the next challenge — clean break sets up $200+ target.
Ethereum (ETH) $ETH ( ▼ 0.65% )
Price: $1,814
Resistance: $1,870 → $1,950
Support: $1,720
Trend: Leading altcoin breakout. 7-day gains confirm institutional accumulation.
What to watch:
RSI is nearing overbought — short-term cooling likely.
Holding above $1,750 means the next leg is intact.
Macro Indicators You Need to Know
Metric | Value | Signal |
|---|---|---|
Open Interest | $123.39B (+11%) | More leverage entering market |
Fear & Greed Index | 72 (Greed) | Momentum building, but caution warranted |
Altcoin Season Index | 16 (BTC Season) | Bitcoin still leading the charge |
Bitcoin Dominance | 59% | Altcoins still suppressed, but primed |
Category Leaders This Week:
DeFAI: +28.12%
AI Agents: +34.06%
Layer 2s: +9.38%
Solana Ecosystem: +14.67%
Memes: +19.62%
Final Nugget:
The chart is your compass — but policy shapes the map.
A bullish chart without regulatory clarity is a shaky bet.
Today, we finally got both:
A clear breakout across major coins
A friendly regulatory regime setting in
Next-cycle wealth isn’t made when it’s obvious. It’s made when the structure, sentiment, and leadership quietly flip.
That’s now.
Stay Nugg’d. Stay ahead.
-Nick
Founder, CryptoNuggs