The U.S. Attorney's Office for Northern California announced that a federal grand jury has indicted 10 executives and employees of four cryptocurrency market makers—Gotbit, Vortex, Antier, and Contrarian—accusing them of manipulating cryptocurrency prices and trading volumes through fraudulent transactions to induce investors to buy at artificially inflated prices. Two CEOs and another executive from the three companies were extradited from Singapore to the United States and made their first court appearance in Oakland, California federal court. This case is the result of a covert operation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation Division targeting “wash trading” in the cryptocurrency industry, which has already seized over $1 million in cryptocurrency. Two defendants have previously pleaded guilty and been sentenced. The defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
A new address has accumulated 6,905 ETH in the past 11 hours, worth $14.496 million.
According to on-chain analyst @ai_9684xtpa, three minutes after Iran expressed its willingness to end the war, a whale (a large investor) accumulated cryptocurrency, betting on a rebound. The new address 0xD3B…DC889 withdrew a total of 6905 ETH from WhiteBIT and the 001K Bot in the past 11 hours, worth $14.496 million, at an average withdrawal price of $2099.38. The timing of this entry coincided precisely with the Iranian president's speech.
According to Lookonchain, CoinShares transferred 10,720 BTC ($720 million) to a new wallet in the past two days, marking the largest BTC outflow in its history.
S&P tokenizes its iBoxx U.S. Treasury Index on the Canton network.
According to Cointelegraph, S&P Dow Jones Indices has tokenized its iBoxx U.S. Treasury Index on the Canton Network, presenting this key fixed-income benchmark as a digital asset. This tokenized index is not an investment product, but rather allows financial institutions to directly integrate benchmark data such as pricing and index levels into the blockchain system. Canton Network is a public blockchain focused on institutional applications, with over 600 participating institutions and validators, and is backed by institutions such as Goldman Sachs and Citadel. S&P Dow Jones Indices will continue to control access to the index, with permissions embedded in the token itself. Currently, U.S. Treasury products account for the largest share of the tokenized asset market, with on-chain tokenization exceeding $12.5 billion.
Report: UAE plans to join forces with US military to forcefully break through the Strait of Hormuz
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal cited by Jinshi, Arab officials say the UAE is preparing to assist the US and its allies in forcibly opening the Strait of Hormuz following the Iranian attack. This move would make the UAE the first Gulf state to directly intervene in the conflict. Officials stated that the UAE is currently lobbying the UN Security Council to pass a resolution authorizing such military action. A UAE official revealed that its diplomats have urged the US and major military powers in Europe and Asia to form an alliance to forcibly open the strait. The official added that the Iranian regime believes it is fighting for its survival and is willing to drag the global economy down with it by blocking the strait. The official also stated that the UAE is actively assessing its military role in securing the strait, including assisting in mine clearance and providing other support services.
According to a report by Politico cited by Jinshi, sources familiar with the matter and close to the White House say that as the Iran war enters its second month, senior White House staff and government officials are discussing the possibility of oil prices soaring to $150 per barrel or even higher. Two industry officials with ties to the White House stated that White House officials are assessing the economic impact of high oil prices and considering measures, including invoking additional emergency powers, to reduce costs. Trump has also been briefed by the Treasury Department on the near-term outlook for energy prices. The U.S. Treasury Department currently believes that oil prices are likely to remain above $100 per barrel for some time. Sources say the government considers this figure a "benchmark" and does not rule out the possibility of oil prices rising to $200 per barrel.
According to Caixin, the first batch of stablecoin issuer licenses in Hong Kong, originally scheduled for March 2026, has not yet been issued as planned. A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) responded that the HKMA is making every effort to expedite the licensing process and will announce details in due course. Regarding who will receive the first batch of stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong, the market previously focused on the two major Hong Kong dollar issuing banks, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank. HSBC has not publicly disclosed whether it has submitted an application for a stablecoin license. However, as early as mid-January this year, there were rumors that HSBC had a significant chance of obtaining one of the first licenses. Currently, there is no official disclosure as to why the stablecoin license issuance has been delayed compared to the initial announcement. Sources close to the stablecoin license application process revealed that the HKMA has recently been in close contact with the first batch of potential compliant issuers, and suggestions for modifications regarding issuance are still being made. In addition, a second batch of compliant stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong is also under application.
According to CNN, suspected North Korean hackers compromised axios, an open-source software used by thousands of U.S. companies, sending malicious updates to organizations that downloaded the software within three hours on Tuesday morning, attempting to steal cryptocurrency to fund North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. Google's Mandiant stated that the attack was carried out by a suspected North Korean hacking group, and the hackers are expected to use the stolen credentials and system access to target businesses and steal cryptocurrency. Security firm Huntress has identified approximately 135 compromised devices involving about 12 companies. This is the latest in a series of supply chain attacks by North Korea in recent years. Last year, North Korean hackers stole $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency in a single attack, setting a record at the time for the largest cryptocurrency hack. Earlier reports yesterday indicated that version 1.14.1 of the npm core package axios was under active supply chain attacks.
According to Cryptopolitan, Resolv Labs co-founder Ivan Kozlov issued an update regarding the previous attack on the USR stablecoin, denying rumors of insider involvement in the exploit and stating that no such evidence has been found. The vulnerability stemmed from a privileged minting role's private key being controlled by a single account, lacking multi-signature protection and an on-chain minting limit. Resolv has engaged the law firm Paul Hastings and Carey Olson for legal advice and is collaborating with Google's cybersecurity firm Mandiant and on-chain analytics firm Zero Shadow to reconstruct the attack and investigate liability.
According to Cryptopolitan, NFT marketplace Magic Eden announced that its native wallet will enter export-only mode on April 1st and cease operation completely on May 1st. Users must export their private keys or mnemonic phrases before then, otherwise their assets will be unrecoverable. The wallet has been removed from major app stores, and new wallets cannot be downloaded or restored. Magic Eden had previously shut down its Ethereum and Bitcoin marketplaces, shifting its focus to entertainment and the Dicey application. The ME token will remain the core of the ecosystem's incentives, with stakers receiving USDC rewards, and the project has established a ME buyback program.
According to CoinDesk, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson expressed concern about the Clarity Act, warning that even if it passes, it could require a 15-year rulemaking process and could be "weaponized" by future lawmakers. He pointed out that the current regulatory environment is a direct consequence of the FTX collapse, leading to a shift in Democratic attitudes towards crypto from curiosity to hostility, and triggering a three-year crackdown. Hoskinson criticized the Act for implicitly classifying all new projects as securities, making it difficult for them to escape this category, thus benefiting existing crypto assets like Cardano, XRP, and Ethereum while hindering the growth of new projects. Hoskinson believes that current discussions surrounding the Act focus on secondary issues such as whether stablecoins should pay yields, ignoring fundamental flaws.
According to Bloomberg, the New Hampshire Department of Business Finance plans to issue $100 million in Bitcoin-backed municipal bonds, the first financial product to combine high-risk crypto assets with traditional safe assets. The bonds have a Moody's Ba2 rating, two notches below investment grade. Principal and interest will be paid from proceeds generated by the Bitcoin collateral. If the price of Bitcoin falls below a certain threshold, the trust will be liquidated to fully repay bondholders. Wave Digital Assets will manage day-to-day trading, BitGo Bank & Trust will act as custodian, and Bitcoin mining company CleanSpark will provide the funds and Bitcoin collateral. The Governor of New Hampshire stated that this move does not involve any risk to state funds or taxpayers.
According to Bloomberg, Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr stated that stablecoins pose risks of money laundering and financial stability, and the quality and liquidity of their reserve assets are crucial to their long-term viability. He pointed out that stablecoin issuers have an incentive to maximize the returns on reserve assets by expanding the risk spectrum. Barr also acknowledged the potential advantages of stablecoins in areas such as fund management, remittance transfers, and faster settlement capabilities than wire transfers. The Federal Reserve and other regulatory agencies are developing rules under the Genius Act requiring stablecoin issuers to formally register and hold dollar-to-dollar reserves. Barr stated that strict control over reserve assets, coupled with regulatory, capital, and liquidity requirements, can enhance the stability of stablecoins and make them a more viable payment instrument, but success depends on the details of regulatory enforcement.
Crypto-friendly bank Cross River Bank completes $50 million in new funding.
According to Bloomberg, crypto-friendly bank Cross River Bank has raised $50 million from existing investors, led by a fund managed by T. Rowe Price, valuing the bank at slightly over $3 billion. The new funds will be used to accelerate product launches, deepen partnerships, and expand internationally, with a focus on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. Founded in 2008, Cross River provides banking infrastructure to over 100 technology and fintech companies, including Stripe, Coinbase, and Affirm. This month, it also partnered with the X platform for payments. The bank has garnered attention for its Solana blockchain integration and participation in the Visa USDC stablecoin settlement pilot program.
Iranian President: Willing to end the war with guarantees
According to Jinshi News, Iranian President Pezechian stated that Iran has no intention of starting a war, but is willing to end it if it can ensure that it will not be attacked again. Pezechian called the military actions of the United States and Israel unprecedented crimes and violations of international law, and stated that Iran had engaged in goodwill negotiations before the attacks. He also stated that countries hosting US military bases failed to prevent these bases from being used to attack Iran. Pezechian pointed out that ceasing aggression is the way forward, and that Iran is willing to end the conflict if security guarantees are provided; he urged Europe to abandon its current practices and called for professional cooperation consistent with international law.
According to Jinshi News, the Director of Enforcement at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) stated that combating insider trading using improper information in prediction markets, energy market manipulation, retail fraud, and anti-money laundering violations are our priorities.
Trump says war with Iran will end in two to three weeks.
According to Jinshi News, US President Trump stated that he expects the US to end its war against Iran within two to three weeks, implying that the US has essentially achieved its military objectives and is leaving the resolution of the Strait of Hormuz issue to other countries. Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday, "I'd say within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three weeks. We'll leave because we have no reason to continue doing this." Trump suggested that an agreement with the US is still possible during this period. He said, "We're getting the job done, I think in about two weeks, maybe a few more days, we'll get it done, but we're going to destroy everything they have. Now, it's possible we'll reach an agreement before then because we're going to hit bridges—we've already hit some, and we still have a few good bridges in mind. But if they're willing to sit down at the negotiating table, that would be a good thing."
OpenAI raises $122 billion, valuing the company at $852 billion.
According to Jinshi News, OpenAI has completed a $122 billion funding round, valuing the company at $852 billion. This marks the company's largest funding round to date, supporting its significant investments in chips, data centers, and talent. The majority of the funds in this months-long funding round came from three major technology companies. Amazon agreed to invest $50 billion, while Nvidia and SoftBank Group each invested $30 billion. A large portion of Amazon's investment ($35 billion) hinges on OpenAI's ability to go public or achieve technological milestones in general artificial intelligence. This is the first time OpenAI has raised over $3 billion from individual investors through banking channels. OpenAI stated that the company currently generates $2 billion in revenue per month.
Jack Dorsey's payments company, Block, is attempting to replace traditional hierarchical management with an AI-driven "company world model + customer world model," treating the company as a "mini-AGI" intelligent agent. Block uses a remote-first work model to accumulate all decision-making, code, and collaboration data, with AI constructing a real-time overview of the company's operations. It also utilizes high-density transaction data generated by Cash App and Square as "real customer signals." Building on this foundation, Block no longer centers on a fixed product roadmap but instead revolves around four components: fundamental financial capabilities, a dual-world model, an intelligent orchestration layer, and a multi-terminal interface.
Trump claims the Strait of Hormuz will automatically open after the US withdrawal.
According to the New York Post, Trump said in an interview on Tuesday that he believes the war with Iran could end soon and other countries can reopen the Strait of Hormuz on their own. “We’re not going to stay there for long. We’re completely destroying them right now,” Trump said in a phone interview. Trump claimed that the Strait of Hormuz, closed by Iran for 31 days, has caused global energy prices to soar, and that other countries can resolve the issue themselves. “I think it will automatically reopen, but my attitude is, I’ve destroyed this country, let the countries that use the strait open it themselves…because I think the people who control the oil would be very happy to reopen the strait.” When pressed about a Wall Street Journal report that he was willing to end the war without reopening the strait, Trump said, “To be honest, I don’t think about that.”
Latin American e-commerce giant Mercado Libre has announced the closure of its loyalty rewards program for its self-developed cryptocurrency, Mercado Coin. Starting April 17th, users will no longer be able to buy or sell or earn cashback through Mercado Coin, and its functionality within the platform's ecosystem will be removed.
Stablecoin cross-border payment network completes $8 million funding round, led by NEA.
According to Fortune, Latitude, a cross-border payments startup founded by former Stripe and Coinbase employees, announced the completion of an $8 million funding round. The round was led by NEA, with participation from Lightspeed Faction, Coinbase, Paxos, and the Solana Foundation, among others. Latitude's core product, "Global Payouts," targets US businesses, enabling payments from USD to personal accounts in over 50 countries via stablecoin links. It features automatic conversion between USD, stablecoins, and local fiat currencies and already serves content creator platforms such as Zencastr.
According to Iranian state media, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that, in retaliation for attacks against Iran, it will target US companies in the region starting April 1st. RIA Novosti, citing a Russian envoy, reported that Iran's Supreme Leader is currently in Iran but is avoiding public appearances.
Bitfarms will be renamed Keel and plans to sell $161 million worth of Bitcoin to bet on AI.
Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms reported revenue of $229 million for fiscal year 2025, a 72% year-over-year increase, but a net loss of $209 million from continuing operations. As of March 27, it had approximately $520 million in cash and Bitcoin liquidity and announced that it had received shareholder approval to relocate its registration to the United States and change its name to Keel Infrastructure as early as April 1, 2026, with the stock ticker expected to change to KEEL. The company also plans to sell approximately 2,400 Bitcoins, worth about $161 million, at an opportune time to invest in HPC and AI infrastructure development, further downplaying its pure Bitcoin mining company image.
According to The Block, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has launched "blockchain intelligence agents" trained on its own historical investigative data. These agents are designed for law enforcement agencies, compliance teams, financial institutions, and crypto companies to automate the monitoring and investigation of illicit on-chain activities. The agents can operate in deterministic or exploratory modes, generating complete audit trails that record the data used, reasoning paths, and specific actions to meet compliance and forensic requirements.
USA₮ expands to Celo and introduces Google Cloud support for distribution.
According to an official announcement from USA₮, the compliant digital dollar USA₮ issued by Anchorage Digital Bank has officially expanded to Celo, becoming its first supported network after Ethereum. The project also partnered with Self and Google Cloud to launch a mainnet faucet, allowing the distribution of USA₮ to compliant users through privacy-preserving human authentication.
China and Pakistan put forward a five-point initiative on Middle East ceasefire and maritime safety.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, after talks in Beijing, jointly proposed a five-point initiative on the situation in the Gulf and the Middle East. Both sides called for an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, permitted the entry of humanitarian aid into conflict zones, and urged all parties to initiate peace talks through dialogue and diplomacy as soon as possible, committing to resolving disputes peacefully. The initiative emphasizes that conflicting parties should cease attacks on civilians, energy, electricity, desalination plants, nuclear power plants, and other non-military targets, ensure the safety of ships and crew in the Strait of Hormuz, and expedite the restoration of normal navigation. It also reaffirms the primacy of the UN Charter and advocates for building a framework for lasting regional peace through multilateral mechanisms.
According to Fortune, The Better Money Company, founded by former a16z crypto investor Sam Broner and his partner Adam Zuckerman, announced the completion of a $10 million seed round of financing. The round was led by a16z crypto, with participation from BoxGroup, Sunflower Capital, Circle co-founder Sean Neville, and former Microsoft executive Charlie Songhurst, among others.
Tether dismisses two senior gold traders who were previously poached from HSBC.
According to Bloomberg, Tether Holdings, the issuer of stablecoins, has dismissed two senior precious metals traders, Vincent Domien and Mathew O'Neill, who were poached from HSBC several months ago. The two were previously hired to help build the "world's best gold trading floor" and assist Tether in accumulating gold reserves worth tens of billions of dollars. The report states that their departure is part of Tether's restructuring of its gold trading team, through which the company was expanding its gold holdings and related trading operations.
Interactive Brokers launches personal crypto asset trading in Europe
According to Business Wire, Interactive Brokers announced that it will open cryptocurrency trading to qualified individual investors in the European Economic Area through its Irish subsidiary. Users can trade 11 major crypto assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and Dogecoin, on the existing platform, alongside stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds, and funds. The service supports 24/7 trading, charges approximately 0.12%-0.18% commission on the trade amount, has no spreads or custody fees, and supports limit orders.
According to Bitcoin Magazine, Bitcoin developers are advancing a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP360) "Pay to Merkle Root (P2MR)" aimed at enhancing Bitcoin's quantum resistance, and the relevant testnet has been deployed. Screenshots show that the corresponding code submission was completed and verified on February 11th, reflecting the community's proactive technical preparations for potential quantum computing threats.
ZachXBT: A Kraken user is suspected of being scammed by social engineering, losing $18.2 million.
According to ZachXBT, an unidentified Kraken user is suspected of losing approximately $18.2 million in a social engineering scam. The address in question began transferring funds from Ethereum to Bitcoin via THORChain through the SafePal wallet approximately 45 minutes prior.
According to Reuters, OpenFX, a startup focused on foreign exchange market making and cross-border remittances, has raised $94 million in funding. The round was led by Accel, Lightspeed Faction, M13, Northzone, and Pantera, valuing the company at approximately $500 million post-money. OpenFX bridges the banking system with blockchain infrastructure using stablecoins, providing faster and lower-cost settlement services for large cross-border funds. The company claims that over 98% of transactions on its platform are settled within 60 minutes, and its annualized payment processing volume has increased from approximately $4 billion to approximately $45 billion. OpenFX plans to use the funds to expand into Southeast Asia and Latin America.
Musk joked about the "quantum threat," saying: "On the bright side, if you forget your wallet's password, you might be able to unlock it again in the future."
Iran claims attack on a secret US military command center in the United Arab Emirates.
According to CCTV News, Iranian intelligence discovered and destroyed a secret U.S. military command center outside the Manhattan base in the United Arab Emirates. Approximately 200 U.S. officers or commanders were inside the center before the attack.
