XRP Hits 8.1 Million Wallets Milestone Amid Price Slump, Shiba Inu (SHIB) Allegedly Suffered North Korea Hackers Impact, 13-Year Bitcoin on the Move — Morning Crypto Report

TL;DR

• XRP network activity is at record levels: Despite a price near $1.30, XRPL has expanded to 8.1 million addresses. Large holders have entered an accumulation phase ahead of the CLARITY Act.
• SHIB investigation: A MetaMask security director suggested possible involvement of North Korean hackers in Shiba Inu development following the Drift Protocol hack.
• “Ancient” BTC awakens: A 13-year-old Bitcoin wallet delivered a 491,300% return. The market shows signs of long-term holder capitulation.
• Macro pressure: Bitcoin holds the $67,000 level. Focus remains on Core PCE inflation data (April 9) and the risk of a Fed rate hike driven by oil above $100.

XRP network hits 8.1 million addresses, ignoring deep price correction

XRP Ledger is showing a historic record this weekend, as the number of wallets has reached 8.1 million. This comes amid a clear divergence: the user base and the number of large holders (“whales”) are growing, while the market price of XRP has been in a prolonged correction since July 2025, according to Eri, citing on-chain analytics data from CryptoQuant. As of early April 2026, the number of addresses on the XRPL network has grown to 8,189,798, marking a 3.39% increase in the first quarter of the current year alone.

From the peak levels of July 2025 around $3.65, XRP’s price has dropped by more than 60% and, as of April 5, 2026, is trading in the range of $1.30-$1.33. However, despite a 27% decline in the first quarter of 2026, the number of millionaire wallets (with balances over 1 million XRP) has started to rise for the first time since September last year, signaling accumulation by large players.

The growth in the number of addresses is accompanied by an increase in automated market maker (AMM) pools to nearly 28,000 and expansion of the ecosystem through partnerships, such as integration with Mastercard’s payment network.

The main expected event of April 2026 is the consideration of the CLARITY Act bill in the U.S. Senate. Its adoption could definitively strengthen the status of XRP as a digital commodity, which analysts see as the main catalyst for a possible recovery in price to the $1.65-$1.80 range.

At this stage, the XRPL network is demonstrating resilience in fundamental indicators — growth of wallets and accumulation addresses. However, to reverse the bearish trend, the market requires clear legislative signals and the return of institutional capital inflows.

MetaMask security director claims North Korean devs were involved in Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Information about deep infiltration of North Korean IT specialists into top crypto projects became public during the investigation of the attack on Drift Protocol, which occurred on April 1, 2026.

Following the $285 million theft from Drift Protocol, analysts, including specialists from Elliptic and TRM Labs, identified the signature of the Lazarus group. This pushed security experts, including a director from MetaMask Taylor Monahan, known online as Tayvano, to disclose data about the long-term presence of DPRK agents in the industry.

In the published list of projects allegedly involving North Korean developers, alongside SushiSwap and THORChain, Shiba Inu (SHIB) was also mentioned. It is claimed that they worked on protocols under the guise of qualified freelancers with “seven years of experience” as early as 2020.

Operatives successfully passed video interviews and used fake identities. Monahan noted that their qualifications were so high that they remained undetected within teams for years.

According to 2026 data, North Korean hackers have caused more than $300 million in damage to the industry in recent months alone.

At this point, the mention of SHIB in this list remains part of an analytical investigation. No official confirmation has been provided by the Shiba Inu team regarding code compromise or direct links to Lazarus. However, the presence of such specialists in teams or among open-source contributors creates risks of backdoors and vulnerabilities in the software supply chain.

Thirteen-year Bitcoin holder realizes profit 5,000 times higher than purchase price

According to CryptoQuant analyst Maartunn, a long-term holder (LTH) moved 0.0257 BTC about $1,730, which had remained dormant since Dec. 12, 2012. Despite the small volume, this transaction is notable for its extreme profitability: the LTH SOPR coefficient for this operation reached 4,913, meaning the asset was sold at nearly 5,000 times the purchase price.

Data from early April 2026 indicates significant pressure on long-term Bitcoin investors. The overall LTH SOPR across the market has dropped to 0.753, suggesting that many “old” holders are currently realizing losses of around 25%. The current price level near $67.3K is making even experienced market participants uneasy.

Historical context: The movement of BTC from 13 years ago is happening amid a broader trend of “awakening” dormant wallets. Recently, on March 20, 2026, a wallet inactive since July 2012 moved 2,100 BTC (about $147.7 million).

Analysts note that a drop in SOPR below 1.0 often signals a “capitulation” phase, which historically precedes the formation of a market bottom.

The overall background as of April 5, 2026 remains tense. The market is closely watching whether the current realization of losses by long-term holders will mark the final stage of clearing before a new upward move.

Crypto market outlook: Will BTC hold $67,000 level?

At the start of the new week in April, the crypto market remains in a prolonged consolidation phase, pressured by geopolitical tension and hawkish rhetoric from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Bitcoin, however, is holding above the $67,000 mark.

• Bitcoin (BTC): The price is compressed within a narrow range of $66,900-$67,300. The asset is trading below key moving averages, indicating local dominance of sellers. The main resistance level for the week is $69,500.
• Expectations for Fed rate cuts in 2026 have nearly disappeared. The market is beginning to price in the risk of a one-time rate hike due to inflation supported by high oil prices above $100 per barrel.
• On April 9, the Core PCE index is expected to be released. The forecast at 3.0% confirms “sticky” inflation, which is traditionally negative for risk assets.

Currently, the market reacts more to Wall Street reports and energy prices than to its own internal narratives. The uniqueness of the current moment lies in the fact that a high level of crowd pessimism, while the price holds above $66,000, often becomes fuel for a powerful short squeeze.

If the market absorbs the inflation data on April 9 without dropping below $65,500, the second half of the month could break the bearish trend despite the macroeconomic pressure.