Gate Crypto Flash News and Market Updates

Global shipments of battery separators for EVs and hybrids reached 2.056 billion square meters in early 2026, showing a 5.9% yearly growth. Non-China markets grew significantly, while SEMCORP led sales. Demand is shifting towards energy storage systems.

Spot Silver reached $80 per ounce on April 15, achieving a 0.58% intraday gain, marking its highest price since March 18, according to Jin10.

On April 15, analyst Yu Jin reported that a suspected ARIA controller sold 45.64 million ARIA tokens across eight wallets for 5.42 million USDT. This sell-off led to a drastic 91% price drop, affecting the token's market cap significantly.

Rakuten Wallet has launched XRP as a payment method, allowing users to buy XRP with Rakuten Points and spend it at millions of merchants in Japan. This integration expands XRP's reach to a vast, non-crypto user base within Rakuten's extensive ecosystem.

FairSquare Labs, a South Korean digital asset firm, completed an undisclosed Series B funding round led by CKX Partners, with support from multiple investors. The company offers platform solutions and participates in significant consortia focused on digital asset security and stability.

China's Ministry of Finance will issue RMB 15.5 billion in sovereign bonds on April 22 in Hong Kong, with details to follow from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's clearing system.

Mirae Asset Securities' Hong Kong unit received approval for a digital asset retail license and will launch a mobile trading system in June, integrating traditional and digital assets for local retail investors. The move aims to enhance the investment ecosystem and expand into other markets.

NCSOFT plans to distribute 80,576 treasury shares, valued at around $14 million, to boost employee motivation and shareholder value. The allocation, occurring on April 24, follows the company's recent name change and approval of a share retention plan.

Tether launched Tether Wallet, a non-custodial wallet for digital assets, on April 14. It allows users to transfer assets across blockchains without separate gas tokens and supports user-friendly addresses. Tether Wallet emphasizes user control over private keys and aims to enhance digital transactions for billions.

South Korean AI startup Upstage secured 180 billion won (around $130 million) in its Series C funding, achieving a valuation over 1 trillion won, becoming the country's first AI unicorn. The funds will expand infrastructure and support international growth.

Polygon has launched sPOL, a liquid staking token for POL that increases yields for stakers and unlocks 3.6 billion staked POL. It facilitates DeFi engagement, allowing users to migrate existing stakes without penalties and accumulate rewards. Despite its benefits, sPOL carries associated risks.

21Shares US has revised its Hyperliquid ETF filing (ticker THYP) following SEC feedback, as reported by Bloomberg's James Seyffart. Management fee details remain undisclosed.

Evergrande Property Services announced an exclusivity agreement for potential sale negotiations regarding a 51.016% stake held by China Evergrande and CEG Holdings. The company reported mixed 2025 financial results amid ongoing operational challenges.

X has launched its Cashtags feature for iPhone users in the US and Canada, allowing for real-time financial and crypto asset data and facilitating easy access to related posts and price charts.

Google Chrome has introduced a feature called Skills, enabling users to save and reuse Gemini prompts across web pages. Initially available for English (US) users, it allows prompt edits and requires confirmation for certain actions. Competing browsers are entering the market, and Google is also offering preset Skills for various tasks.

In 2025, South Korean chaebol family members earned an average of 2.72 billion won, significantly outpacing employee compensation. Notable pay disparities exist, with several executives earning over 100 times their employees' salaries. Some companies increased owner pay while cutting staff salaries, while others did the opposite.

Amazon is set to acquire Globalstar for $11.6 billion, enhancing its satellite communications capabilities. The deal is aimed at boosting Amazon's Project Kuiper, enabling direct-to-device services by 2028, and may reshape competition in the market.

Ripple and Kyobo Life Insurance are collaborating on a proof-of-concept to explore blockchain-based government bond trading, aiming to enhance settlement times and reduce risks. The project tests tokenized bonds and stablecoin payments, moving traditional assets to a blockchain system.

Figure Technology has integrated auto loans into its on-chain credit platform, Hastra, broadening decentralized finance options. With plans to launch on Solana and Ethereum, this move highlights significant growth in real-world asset access for investors.

A major centralized exchange has partnered with High Roller Technologies to provide prediction market services in the U.S. Analysts project significant growth in this sector, although it faces regulatory challenges.