Geopolitics

President Trump announced on social media that the naval blockade on Iran will persist until a complete deal is finalized, emphasizing that negotiations are nearly done and should be concluded swiftly.

The U.S. and Iran are negotiating a conflict resolution plan, involving the unfreezing of $20 billion in Iranian assets in return for Iran giving up its enriched uranium stockpile. Talks are set for April 20 in Islamabad.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure advocates for euro-denominated stablecoins and urges banks to consider tokenized deposits, supporting the Qivalis alliance's plans for a euro-pegged stablecoin by 2026 to counter U.S. digital payment dominance. This signals a shift from previous French policies against private stablecoins.

China plans to enhance its network legal system to address the needs of internet development, focusing on legislation for AI, digital economy, and other tech sectors. By December 2025, over 180 laws are expected, though current regulations still lag behind public expectations.

Ukraine aims to host a leadership summit in Turkey involving Presidents Zelensky, Putin, Erdogan, and Trump to discuss peace efforts, as stated by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Grinex, a Kyrgyz crypto exchange, suspended trading after a cyberattack resulting in losses of around $15 million. The advanced nature of the attack points to organized or state-level involvement. Grinex has reported the incident to authorities and is assessing the damage.

The Ethereum Foundation's ETH Rangers Program revealed a major security threat from North Korean operatives infiltrating Web3 companies. The investigation uncovered about 100 operatives, flagged 53 projects, and recovered over $5.8 million. The foundation urges improved hiring processes and global cooperation for enhanced security.

A 10-day ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel began on April 17, amid U.S. efforts to address the Iran conflict. China's Foreign Ministry supports the ceasefire and urges responsible negotiations to resolve disputes diplomatically.

According to an ETH Rangers project recap report published by the Ethereum Foundation on April 17, 2026 (Thursday), within its six-month funding period the Ketman project funded by the Ethereum Foundation identified 100 North Korean IT workers using false identities to infiltrate Web3 organizations, and contacted roughly 53 crypto projects to warn them they may have hired active North Korean agents.

Tennessee's “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act” (SB 2639) will be heard by the Senate Finance, Revenue and Appropriations Committee on April 21 (next Tuesday). The bill was introduced by Senator Kelly Roberts, has passed the Senate Business and Labor Committee, and now moves to the Finance Committee responsible for overseeing tax and spending measures. If it passes, the Tennessee State Treasurer may allocate up to 10% of eligible state funds to bitcoin (BTC).

Tennessee's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bill is advancing to a Senate Finance Committee hearing on April 20, moving closer to potential enactment into law.

Circle faces a class action lawsuit for failing to freeze $230 million in stolen USDC after the Drift Protocol attack. Plaintiffs argue that Circle's protocols allowed attackers to move and convert the stolen funds without intervention, raising concerns about the company's responsibilities in monitoring cross-chain transfers.

Bitcoin (BTC) is flat at $74,920. A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has taken effect, and Trump says Iran agreed not to develop nuclear weapons. Mizuho Bank warns that Musk’s X Money could be affected by New York’s crypto regulation. Yuga Labs replaces its CEO: Greg Solano becomes Chairman of the Board, and Michael Figge takes over. The market is broadly optimistic. A record-high Bitcoin buying wave in the past decade has emerged, suggesting the price may be moving toward $90,000.

The Kyrgyz cryptocurrency exchange Grinex suspended trading and withdrawals after a large-scale cyberattack and lost approximately $15 million in USDT. The stolen funds were quickly converted into TRX and ETH to reduce the risk of being frozen. Grinex is believed to be the successor to the sanctioned exchange Garantex, becoming the main trading platform for ruble-to-cryptocurrency pairs. In its attack statement, Grinex pointed the incident at an “hostile nation,” but it lacked specific evidence.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda highlighted the conflict in the Middle East as a source of inflation and economic slowdown risks. He confirmed that the Monetary Policy Committee will determine suitable measures to reach the 2% inflation target at the upcoming meeting.

April 17, Bitcoin returned to around $75,000 as U.S. President Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, boosting market sentiment. However, a CryptoQuant report shows that the proportion of large deposits has surged to over 40%, suggesting institutions may be preparing to sell. In addition, Bitcoin faces key technical resistance in the $76,000 to $76,800 range, and the market remains cautious about how events will unfold next.

The U.S. dollar index has dropped to near 98 from 100 as easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East reduce market risk-off sentiment. Analysts indicate that the dollar's recent strength was short-lived, signaling a potential return to a "weak dollar" outlook.

On April 16, the IAEA reported a temporary loss of external power at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, lasting about 40 minutes. The cause is under investigation as the facility, controlled by Russia since February 2022, faces ongoing security concerns.

Israel and Lebanon reached a 10-day ceasefire agreement, U.S. stock index benchmarks hit new highs, and market sentiment is optimistic. Bitcoin is hovering around 75K; with capital flowing in, the rally is gradually gaining momentum. Keep an eye on the 78K resistance level.