Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has shifted his stance, now supporting the CLARITY Act after previously criticizing it. He believes recent negotiations improved the bill, which he calls strong, and emphasizes the need for Congress to pass it.

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, XTIUSD (WTI Crude USOIL) has dropped by 2% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, USDKRW (US Dollar vs South Korean won) has surged by 0.5% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market

2026-04-12 20:30 to 2026-04-12 20:45 (UTC), the ETH price surged quickly within the range of 2197.57 to 2218.26 USDT. The 15-minute return recorded +0.68%, and the range reached 0.94%. During the event window, market attention increased; short-term volatility intensified, drawing investors to focus on on-chain fund movements and the direction of mainstream capital flows. The main driver behind this deviation is the significant inflow of ETF and institutional-type capital. Since the beginning of April, ETH-related ETFs have accumulated a net inflow of $114.66 million, total

With Taiwan’s Virtual Assets Service Act (expected to take effect in 2026), financial holding groups are accelerating their transformation and launching M&A competitions to find virtual asset service providers (VASPs) to strengthen their market positioning. Financial institutions such as Fubon and the Federal Bank have demonstrated and are actively evaluating M&A opportunities. Emerging platforms like HOYA BIT show strong potential, and future collaboration will promote deep integration between the financial and crypto industries.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) successfully moved up to the NYSE main board on Thursday, and Chairman Tom Lee said this is an important milestone. The company also increased the authorization for its share repurchase program to $4.0 billion; however, the stock price still faces challenges, down about 90% from its peak last year. Bitmine holds about 4.8 million ether (ETH), and its future performance will be influenced by the overall economy and geopolitical factors—especially as market risk appetite rises, the crypto market is expected to benefit.

Trump posted on Truth Social that many large tankers are delivering low-sulfur, high-quality crude oil to the United States, reflecting that geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran have led to rising demand in the market for alternative supplies. The United States has currently become the world’s largest crude oil producer, and its sweet crude oil has advantages in refining costs and efficiency. This kind of situation could reduce reliance on Middle Eastern oil, stabilize oil prices, and affect global risk assets, including the Bitcoin market.

Australia passed the “2025 Corporations Amendment Act (Digital Assets Framework)” on April 1, establishing a nationwide digital asset regulatory framework and requiring all cryptocurrency exchanges and custodians to obtain financial services licensing within six months. The law aims to strengthen investor protection, regulate the conduct of managing operators, and reduce the risks arising from the collapse of crypto platforms in the past.

On April 11, the U.S. and Iran began 20 hours of negotiations in Pakistan. The core issue was freedom of passage through the Strait of Hormuz. After Bitcoin briefly rose to $73,800, it quickly fell back to $71,557. The U.S. side took a hardline stance, demanding that Iran open the strait, while Iran insisted that easing restrictions must wait until a comprehensive agreement is reached. The two sides have not yet reached a consensus.

U.S. President Trump blockaded the Strait of Hormuz because Iran refused to give up its nuclear weapons program, causing crude oil futures prices on the decentralized platform Hyperliquid to surge by 7%. The market saw intense fluctuations due to concerns about a supply disruption, making it an important venue for price discovery. Strategic petroleum reserves are about to run out, supply risks in the oil market are intensifying, and this could trigger even more severe inflation pressure.

Gate News message: April 12, Iranian President Pezeshkian, on the day he spoke with Russian President Putin, said that Iran is fully prepared to reach an agreement that can safeguard lasting regional peace and security, while being balanced and fair.

Gate News update, on April 12, U.S. President Trump said that once the situation calms down, oil and natural gas prices will ultimately fall. He noted that oil and natural gas prices could be lower before the midterm election, or they could be slightly higher.

Bitcoin demand is set to expand rapidly as Morgan Stanley deploys its 16,000 advisors and launches a low-cost ETF, driving institutional inflows and strengthening crypto’s position in mainstream portfolios. Key Takeaways: Morgan Stanley’s 16,000 advisors unlock major bitcoin demand, driving

Gate News message: On April 12, U.S. President Trump issued a statement on the Iran issue. Trump said that his posts on social media about wiping out Iranian civilization prompted Iran to sit down at the negotiating table. Trump said that on Saturday, two U.S. warships that passed through the Strait of Hormuz encountered no interference. Trump also noted that if the Strait of Hormuz were blockaded, he would take measures similar to the sanctions imposed on Venezuela.

Gate News report: On April 12, local time, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy released drone surveillance footage, emphasizing that all ship activity in the Strait of Hormuz is currently under the close monitoring and complete control of its armed forces. The IRGC Navy issued a warning stating that any mistaken action will plunge the enemy into a deadly vortex within the strait.

Gate News message: On April 12, U.S. President Trump said today that Iran has not yet left the negotiating table. It is expected that they will return to negotiate and provide everything the U.S. side needs.

Gate News message, April 12, according to Xinhua News Agency, U.S. President Trump issued new threatening remarks to Iran. Trump said: "At the appropriate time, we will be fully 'ready,' and our military will put an end to Iran's remaining forces."

Gate News update. On April 12, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the U.S.-Iran talks had reached agreement on most issues, but that they failed to reach agreement on the key issue of nuclear matters. Trump disclosed that the U.S. side had received briefings on the status of the relevant talks. The talks lasted about 20 hours, but Iran was unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions. Trump said the U.S. would continue to push for negotiations, but at the same time had made comprehensive preparations. He reiterated that Iran would never have nuclear weapons.

Bitcoin ETFs saw a significant resurgence with $789 million in weekly inflows, the highest since February. BlackRock led the charge, contributing 80% of this total, signaling renewed institutional interest in the market after a period of withdrawals.

Fueled by the U.S.-Iran geopolitical conflict, Western banks have accelerated their exit from large-scale commodity trade finance due to compliance and sanctions risks, prompting traders to shift to stablecoins for cross-border settlement. Stablecoins have become an alternative settlement tool; their usage is rising, with market value exceeding $300 billion and on-chain transaction volume reaching $4 trillion.