Gate Crypto Flash News and Market Updates

Israeli forces launched major military operations against Iran on April 17, destroying 60% of its ballistic missile systems and targeting key facilities in Tehran, resulting in the deaths of 40 senior officials. The operations involved 200 aircraft striking 500 targets and establishing air superiority.

Topnod has partnered with Layer1 blockchain Pharos, providing a user-friendly self-custody wallet that simplifies access to real-world assets. It will support Pharos's airdrop activities and facilitate the distribution of RWA assets on the Pharos chain.

The U.S. State Department has sanctioned seven commanders from Iranian-backed Iraqi militias for attacks on American interests in Iraq, highlighting threats to both American lives and Iraqi sovereignty. The U.S. urges Iraq to disband these groups.

MicroStrategy proposed a proxy to allow preferred stockholders to switch to semimonthly dividend payments, aiming to enhance liquidity and reduce volatility. The annual dividend rate remains 11.5%, with retail investors comprising 80% of holders.

OpenAI executives Bill Peebles and Kevin Weil announced their exits, part of a series of leadership changes as the company decentralizes its operations. Their departures follow several other high-profile exits and a shift in company structure.

Zoom has partnered with Sam Altman's World to launch a feature detecting real participants versus AI deepfakes during video calls. This aims to combat increasing deepfake fraud, with verification options for hosts and participants.

Gate News message, April 18 — According to Onchain Lens, a newly created wallet deposited $1.99 million USDC to Hyperliquid and opened a 5x leveraged long position in ASTER.

ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, divested shares of Circle and Bullish, totaling over $2.5 million on April 17, as reported by Ark Invest Tracker.

On-chain analyst Yu Jin reports that a wallet on Trump's Mar-a-Lago leaderboard transferred 2.22 million TRUMP tokens worth $6.82 million to a major exchange. The wallet had initially bought the tokens for $7.05 million and previously faced a $14.61 million loss on MELANIA tokens.

On April 18, Onchain Lens reported that a wallet linked to Arthur Hayes deposited 3,000 ETH, worth about $7.26 million, to a major centralized exchange, highlighting notable whale activity.

Iran's Army Commander Ali Jahan Shahi announced that a failed U.S. military operation in southern Isfahan influenced Iran's decision to accept a ceasefire. Iranian forces thwarted the attempt to rescue a downed pilot, resulting in the loss of several aircraft.

AI-generated bug reports are overwhelming the cURL project, with a significant rise in submissions leading to resource strain. Maintainers are responding by limiting AI model access and pausing vulnerability reward programs to manage the influx.

Senator Elizabeth Warren accused SEC Chair Paul Atkins of misleading Congress about enforcement actions' decline. With only 456 new cases in 2025, concerns arise regarding the SEC's effectiveness and the regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency and market oversight.

The Buck protocol announced an immediate shutdown, ensuring holders receive 100% capital returns with fully backed reserves. A redemption window has opened with no time limit for asset retrieval.

xAI launched speech-to-text and text-to-speech APIs for its Grok platform, enabling developers to integrate natural voice interactions into applications. This update enhances user experience and accessibility for various use cases.

Iconiq, a San Francisco-based wealth manager, plans to raise a new fund focused on AI investments, having previously invested over $3 billion in AI startups in 2025. The firm's investor base has shifted to include more institutional backers, and it recently made six new AI investments.

Nearly 120,000 authors have claimed a share of Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement over unauthorized book use in AI training. The settlement, resulting from copyright violations, raises concerns about fair competition in the AI industry.

The U.S. Treasury's OFAC issued General License 135, permitting specific Russian energy transactions impacted by sanctions, allowing necessary deliveries and repairs for cargo loaded before April 17, with a deadline for completion by May 17.

Gate News message, Morgan Stanley bought 177.76 BTC worth $13.75M three hours ago. The firm now holds 1,347.54 BTC worth $103.94M in total.

Anthropic's Chief Product Officer Mike Krieger has resigned from Figma's board, with the company stating the exit was unrelated to any internal disagreements. His departure follows a partnership between Figma and Anthropic to incorporate AI design assistants.