Gate Crypto Flash News and Market Updates

Gate News update: On April 8, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins announced that he has ended “enforcement-led regulation,” and said that the seven crypto-related registration cases brought by the previous administration were a “misallocation of resources,” providing no direct benefit to investors.

The Iranian Navy announced that all vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz must obtain permission; those that do so without authorization will be destroyed. At the same time, fighter jets are still flying over the Persian Gulf, and most ships are moored. The move shows that Iran continues to exert influence over the waterway.

Adam Back clarified on the X platform that he is not Satoshi Nakamoto, but since 1992 he has been involved in research on electronic cash and privacy technology, helping to drive the development of Hashcash. This response was in reply to a report by The New York Times, which suggested that he shares many similarities with Nakamoto.

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, JPN225 (Nikkei 225) has surged by 4.5% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market

On April 8, the three major U.S. stock index leaders traded broadly higher before the opening bell; the Nasdaq rose 3.37%, the Dow Jones rose 2.44%, and the S&P 500 rose 2.61%. The seven major technology stocks also moved higher across the board, with Meta up 4.87% and Tesla up 4.36%.

World Liberty Financial borrowed more than $50 million in stablecoins on the Dolomite platform in the short term, drawing attention from the DeFi market. WLFI deposited large amounts of governance tokens as collateral, causing the liquidity pool utilization rate to exceed 100%, leaving liquidity nearly exhausted and pushing interest rates sharply higher. Analysis suggests this move could be intended to meet liquidity demand or to increase on-chain activity; investors should carefully assess the risks.

The Democratic Party of Korea plans to regulate tokenized real-world assets and stablecoins in the soon-to-be enacted “Framework Act on Digital Assets.” The proposal would require issuers to deposit assets with a trustee-managed trust institution, and classify stablecoins as a means of payment, subject to oversight by foreign exchange regulators. The bill bans earnings from idle stablecoins and calls for the development of interoperable technical standards, aiming to improve market transparency and safety. This marks an important step forward for South Korea’s digital asset regulation.

Bernstein analysts say that quantum computing poses a potential threat to Bitcoin, but it is not a terminal crisis—it is part of a broader technological upgrade. Technology companies plan to transition to post-quantum cryptography before 2029, while Bitcoin and Ethereum are already rolling out the corresponding upgrades to ensure long-term security. While risks do exist, they need to be managed with sensible planning and not exaggerated.

Pi Network is testing its Launchpad functionality, introducing a “12-grid” token distribution system where users can obtain and verify tokens by subscribing to projects. Test results show the system is stable and supports future ecosystem development. Although it is still on the test network, it has already laid the groundwork for the project’s token distribution and smart contract applications. Overall, the project is moving toward a complete blockchain ecosystem.

In 2026, the Bitcoin market’s supply and demand imbalance is severe. The institutional firm Strategy has purchased 94,470 Bitcoins, far exceeding the 43,000 Bitcoins produced by miners. This reduces the number of available Bitcoins, intensifies market scarcity, increases upward pressure on prices, and strengthens investors’ confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term value. Institutional buyers’ behavior dominates market dynamics; tight supply and demand may persist, and it’s important to monitor how it affects prices.

Bitcoin’s price rose 6.7% on Wednesday to $72,379, influenced by easing tensions between the US and Iran and falling oil prices. Investor risk-avoidance sentiment eased, driving crypto and traditional assets to rise in tandem. Technical indicators show strong upward momentum for Bitcoin; if it breaks through $74,500, it could further test the $76,000 or $80,000 targets.

AI company Anthropic has restricted access to its new AI system, Claude Mythos Preview, after finding thousands of critical software vulnerabilities in testing. Many of these vulnerabilities had gone unnoticed for years, including security issues across multiple operating systems and cryptographic protocols. Industry experts warn that AI-driven cyberattacks will grow significantly, and that the balance between technical innovation and security defenses must be prioritized.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) acknowledged in its FY 2025 enforcement report that crypto registration cases under the leadership of the former chair did not effectively protect investors. The current chair, Paul Atkins, emphasized that the focus will be on fraud and market manipulation that directly affect investors’ interests, and has already withdrawn enforcement actions against several crypto companies, which is expected to improve the compliance environment for crypto businesses. This indicates that the SEC is re-evaluating its regulatory strategy, with an emphasis on market health and investor protection.

Gate News update: On April 8, according to Bitcoin Archive data, 21% of the total Bitcoin supply is currently held by long-term holders.

Seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to the CFTC Chair, questioning the regulator’s lack of enforcement regarding insider trading in prediction markets related to Iran and Venezuela, and requesting answers to six questions from the CFTC. The incident has sparked concerns about the legitimacy of prediction markets and the strength of regulatory oversight, and the CFTC has pledged to pursue selective enforcement. As the market expands, in the absence of clear regulations, investors need to pay attention to possible policy changes and their impacts.

Changpeng Zhao, recalling the 2017 policy turmoil, said that after it, venture capital took a cautious approach, and Sequoia paused its collaboration. He felt disappointed, but he still achieved user growth after the policy shock. In the end, due to a valuation disagreement, Sequoia was unable to invest. CZ believes that venture capital only supports projects in good times.

Gate News message, April 8, Iranian Supreme Leader’s military adviser Muhsin Rezaei said in a post on social media on the 8th, "The armed forces’ hands are still on the trigger," until Iran’s national interests are fully secured. (Xinhua)

Cryptocurrency market fund flows are diverging: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETFs have seen outflows, while XRP bucked the trend by attracting a net inflow of $3.32 million. The analysis suggests that XRP is benefiting from the regulatory environment and its payment prospects, as institutional investors shift toward it to seek diversification and returns. XRP’s resilience could shape the market landscape going forward.