Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

The Federal Security Service of Russia arrested three Telegram investment channel admins for manipulating stock prices through a "Pump&Dump" strategy, involving more than 55k trades across 19 large companies. Research shows that 11% of Telegram investment signals can affect stock returns, and more than 60% of investors rely on such signals. The central bank warned that it will monitor unusual transactions.

Gate News update: On April 14, after the U.S. stock market closed, the Dow Jones rose 0.63%, the S&P 500 Index rose 1.02%, and the Nasdaq rose 1.23%. The crypto sector moved higher across the board—Circle rose 12.09%, Solana rose 7.41%, a certain CEX rose 3.98%, Strategy (MSTR) rose 2.89%, SharpLink rose 2.76%, and Bitmine rose 1.08%.

Saudi Arabia is pressuring the United States to lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and resume negotiations to prevent possible Iranian retaliation over President Trump’s sanctions, which could affect its oil exports. Saudi Arabia’s daily exports of 7 million barrels are crucial to the Strait of Mandeb, and the situation remains uncertain.

MicroStrategy announces it has increased its holdings of $1 billion worth of Bitcoin. Its total holdings now reach 780,897 BTC, and the fundraising is fully sold out through the preferred stock STRC. Founder Saylor stated that Bitcoin only needs an annual growth rate of more than 2.05% to cover dividends, avoiding dilution of common stock. This strategy demonstrates the company’s innovation in asset allocation and attracts other companies to imitate it.

MicroStrategy’s sustainable priority stock STRC saw trading volume reach $1.16B on Monday, setting a record high and up 46.5% from the prior figure. On the same day, the company announced a $1 billion Bitcoin purchasing plan, bringing its holdings to 780,897 BTC. Analysts predicted that purchases the following day could exceed $1 billion, highlighting an active accumulation trend by institutions toward Bitcoin.

On April 13, Bitcoin rose from its early-session low of 70,741 to trade as high as $74,900 during the session, approaching the $75,000 level. The main drivers came from two directions: after Trump ordered the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, traders began to view Bitcoin as a geopolitical hedge asset; and a massive net short position that had been building as funding rates stayed persistently negative was met with liquidation, triggering a chain of liquidations totaling millions of dollars near the $70,000 support level.

Odin Ding has launched the OwlPay and Wallet Pro services, focusing on B2B cross-border payments. By combining stablecoin technology with international financial systems, it showcases its fintech transformation. Through its partnership with MoneyGram, Wallet Pro enables cross-border transfers for cash purchases of stablecoins and operates in the U.S. market. The company’s offshore model avoids Taiwan’s strict regulation, and under the new draft legislation, it challenges the market competitive landscape; in the future, it will affect local operators’ compliance strategies.

Gate News message, on April 14, Lighter officially announced the launch of a Liquidity Partner Program, which will reward users who provide liquidity for RWA assets on the platform. The RWA asset categories covered by the program include crude oil, precious metals, U.S. stocks, and more.

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, TW88 (MSCI Taiwan) has surged by 1.5% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market

Gate News: Onchain Lens, a blockchain analyst, reported on April 14 that BlackRock withdrew 2,004 BTC from a certain CEX within the past 7 hours, worth approximately $145 million.

U.S. Vice President Vance disclosed the reason for the deadlock in the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, saying that the U.S. side withdrew from the negotiations because Iran’s representative lacked authorization under the agreement. Vance emphasized that Trump is willing to normalize relations between the U.S. and Iran, but only on the condition that Iran does not pursue nuclear weapons and does not support terrorism. Any future progress in the talks would require approval from Iran’s leadership in Tehran.

BlackRock raises its outlook for the U.S. stock market, citing reduced geopolitical risk and strong corporate earnings expectations. The report says the impact of the Middle East conflict is being contained, with S&P 500 profit forecasts rising and investment opportunities in defense and aerospace among others looking attractive. The U.S. and emerging markets are rated as areas to add to positions.

Gate News, April 14, April 14 (Tuesday) at the open, both Japanese and South Korean stock markets opened higher. The South Korea KOSPI Index (Korean Composite Stock Price Index) rose by 145.23 points, up 2.5%, to 5,953.85 points. The Nikkei 225 Index (Japan’s benchmark stock index) rose by 556.96 points, up 0.99%, to 57,059.73 points.

Bitmine has officially moved from the NYSE American board to the main board in the United States, marking an important milestone for the company. Despite a sharp drop in its stock price, it has still increased its share repurchase authorization to $4.0 billion. The company holds a large amount of Ether, and it predicts that a rebound in the crypto market will help boost its assets and stock price performance.

Due to market expectations that the United States and Iran will reach an agreement, the S&P 500 index has rebounded to its highest level since the war, and Bitcoin has also surged to $74,900. Despite the failure of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran, the U.S. has imposed a maritime blockade to pressure Iran. MicroStrategy once again made a large-scale purchase of Bitcoin, indicating that investor confidence is picking up.

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, SHOP (Shopify) has surged by 2% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market activity.

The founder of Muddy Waters, Carson Block, after trying the AI tool Claude, shifted his view of the economic outlook from optimistic to pessimistic. He warned that AI replacing knowledge work will trigger a severe economic crisis, and has already started shorting ETFs in the credit market. He noted that 15% of knowledge work is about to disappear, and predicted it will lead to a contraction in consumption and a systemic crash. His move to restart the short-selling setup has drawn attention in the current market.

BlackRock strategists have again turned bullish on U.S. stocks, taking an overweight view. They believe the impact of the Middle East conflict on the global economy is manageable, and that corporate earnings forecasts are rising. The recent ceasefire and the resumption of shipping are seen as positive signals—especially with the technology sector performing strongly.

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

OdinTin launches OwlPay and Wallet Pro services, focusing on B2B cross-border payments. By combining stablecoin technology with international financial systems, it demonstrates its fintech transformation. Through its partnership with MoneyGram, Wallet Pro enables cross-border transfers of stablecoins purchased with cash and operates in the U.S. market. The company’s offshore model sidesteps Taiwan’s strict regulation, and under the new draft law it will challenge the competitive landscape, which in the future will affect local providers’ compliance strategies.