Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

GraniteShares plans to launch 3x leveraged XRP ETFs on April 23, 2026, offering investors exposure to XRP without direct ownership. The products will amplify daily price movements, enabling both long and short positions. This introduction aims to increase trading volume and market participation, building on existing demand for leveraged crypto derivatives. Market dynamics will be closely monitored post-launch.

U.S. Rare Earth Company plans to acquire Brazilian rare earth developer Serra Verde for about $2.8 billion, including cash and stock. The deal involves Serra Verde's Pela Ema mine and is expected to close in Q3 2026.

Votech Semiconductor clarified unusual stock price fluctuations, stating operations are normal with no material changes. The company's glass-based packaging segment is in early stages, contributing little revenue and experiencing losses, with uncertain industrialization prospects.

A report by Block Scholes reveals rising correlations between crypto assets and traditional markets, noting increased demand for unified trading platforms as traders manage diverse assets. Trading volumes have surged, reflecting a shift towards multi-asset strategies.

Anthony Scaramucci of SkyBridge Capital argues for a $1 million Bitcoin price target, emphasizing its decentralized trust system and recent institutional interest. He links Bitcoin's valuation to its fixed supply and historical perspectives on money, while noting counterarguments from economists about its viability as money.

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) once again emphasized the importance of global stablecoin regulatory coordination, pointing out three major risks that stablecoins face at this stage, including regulatory challenges related to cross-border flows and issues with market concentration. BIS proposed a unified ledger framework and argued that central banks need to lead the development of digital currencies, which would pose challenges to existing stablecoin issuers such as Tether and Circle. Overall, in the future, stablecoins may face a more stringent regulatory framework.

Gate News message, the largest on-chain SOL short position holder has opened a long position in oil. Over the past 10 hours, the trader deposited 9 million USDC into Hyperliquid and opened a 3x leveraged long position on 200,687 BRENTOIL, valued at $18.08 million. The trader continues to maintain a

Morgan Stanley predicts a 2030 surge in CPU demand from autonomous AI systems, potentially adding up to $60 billion to the CPU market. This shift will impact data center investments and memory requirements, benefiting major chipmakers.

Taiwan is evaluating whether to allow publicly listed companies to pay dividends directly in U.S. dollars, which is expected to reduce foreign investors’ currency-exchange costs and help stabilize the exchange rate, but the timing of the policy remains unclear. This change would benefit foreign investment firms, especially TSMC, but local investors face operational inconveniences, and the regulatory support still needs to be improved. The measure is intended to enhance the appeal of Taiwan’s stock market to keep pace with competition in global capital markets.

The Strait of Hormuz blockade triggers a major shock in the crypto market: after Bitcoin first breaks above $78,000, it then falls back to $74,000, and the market remains in panic. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the transmission mechanism between geopolitical shocks and crypto market price action.

The Philippines' DOE has implemented regulations on fuel price adjustments amid rising costs due to the Middle East conflict, granting the government authority to set minimum and maximum prices to curb profiteering. A significant rollback in fuel prices is set for April 21.

China's GuoTai Silver Futures ETF will halt trading on April 21, 2026, to protect investors from high premium risks. Trading will resume at 10:30 a.m., with normal redemptions. Continued high premiums may lead to further halts.

Multiple Chinese lithium companies in Zimbabwe have secured export permits for lithium concentrate. Huayou Cobalt's president announced that export procedures are underway, with shipments to China expected to take three months. Potential shortages in Guangxi lithium supply may arise but are not anticipated to significantly impact operations.

Hong Kong's SFC introduced a regulatory framework for trading tokenized investment products, enabling secondary market trading on licensed virtual asset platforms and enhancing access for retail investors.

Central bankers warn that stablecoins may accelerate dollarization in emerging markets and pose financial crime risks due to weak regulatory oversight. They urge for international coordination on stablecoin standards to balance innovation with financial stability.

As the 2D NAND supply shortage worsens, United Microelectronics (UMC) is expected to take over SLC and MLC Flash foundry orders, and the stock price surged 27%. However, industry insiders point out that UMC faces three major challenges: talent, technology, and equipment shortages, making it difficult to achieve its outsourcing manufacturing goals in the short term, which reflects market enthusiasm rather than an improvement in fundamentals. The company will also raise its wafer-fab foundry quotes to respond to rising costs. Investors need to carefully assess market risks.

Aomori Prefecture in Japan issued a tsunami warning following an earthquake, impacting Tohoku Shinkansen train services. Tsunami warnings and advisories were also given for other coastal areas, while checks were initiated at Onagawa Nuclear Power Station.

OCBC and Lion Global Investors are launching a physical gold fund token, GOLDX Token, on Ethereum and Solana blockchains, with OCBC handling design and Lion Global managing investment and governance.