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Research institution Bernstein's latest report states that as Bitcoin approaches the $80,000 mark, the cryptocurrency market is entering a new phase of structural growth. This cycle may last longer than previous ones and has "asymmetric upside potential." The report points out that the previous drop to $60,000 has formed a temporary bottom, and the market is being driven by the integration of institutional funds and the traditional financial system.Analyst Gautam Chhugani stated, "The best times for the crypto industry are still ahead, which will be reflected in a higher and more sustained bull market cycle." In terms of supply structure, about 60% of Bitcoin has not been transferred for over a year, indicating an increase in the proportion of long-term holders; at the same time, ETFs and corporate balance sheet allocations continue to absorb supply. Strategy currently holds approximately 818,000 BTC, and its yield-generating products are attracting more traditional funds.On the institutional channel front, Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab are expanding Bitcoin ETF and spot trading access, further lowering investment thresholds. Fundamentally, the supply of stablecoins has surpassed $300 billion, and the demand for real payments and settlements has increased; the tokenization scale of real-world assets (RWA) has reached $345 billion, a year-on-year increase of 110%. Additionally, platforms like Hyperliquid are driving increased activity in on-chain stock and commodity trading.The report also warns that quantum computing poses a long-term potential risk to crypto security, but it is manageable in the short term, and the industry has ample time to transition to quantum-resistant standards.

The Avalanche Foundation stated on platform X that it supports DeFi United. This is a coordinated action aimed at restoring rsETH collateral support. DeFi is undergoing public stress testing, with transparent accounting and real accountability, while traditional financial systems often take months or years to complete such repairs.The Avalanche Foundation expressed support for Aave and the broader DeFi ecosystem.

According to PRNewswire, Bitmine Chairman Tom Lee stated that since the US-Iran conflict, ETH has outperformed the S&P 500 Index by 1,696 basis points, becoming the best-performing single asset globally, aside from crude oil, and has acquired the attributes of a "wartime store of value" asset.Tom Lee added that as Wall Street accelerates the promotion of on-chain tokenization and the demand for public, neutral blockchains from the Agentic AI system continues, Ethereum will continue to benefit. His basic expectation is that we are currently in the final stage of a "mini crypto winter."

The Block announced the appointment of senior media and technology executive Steve Chung as CEO to drive the company's institutional expansion. At the same time, Foresight Ventures committed to an additional $10 million investment to support its next phase of development.Former CEO Larry Cermak will continue to serve as president, focusing on research and product operations. Steve Chung's career began at Goldman Sachs, where he served as Chief Growth Officer at Fox Corporation, Chief Digital Officer at Fox Television, CEO of CJ ENM America, and Chief Operating Officer at Azuki. He stated that he will leverage AI to enhance the depth, speed, and practicality of insights, transforming The Block into a global platform for digital asset investors and decision-makers.Foresight Ventures partner Zac Tsui stated that Steve's background in capital markets, media, and the crypto industry makes him the ideal leader to guide the company in becoming a global institutional platform.

According to Gate market data, the three major U.S. stock indices showed mixed results before the market opened, with the Nasdaq up 0.1%, the Dow down 0.18%, and the S&P 500 down 0.05%.The seven major tech stocks showed mixed results before the market opened, with Apple (AAPL) down 1.35%, Microsoft (MSFT) down 0.08%, Alphabet (GOOGL) up 0.44%, Amazon (AMZN) up 0.25%, Nvidia (NVDA) up 0.88%, Tesla (TSLA) down 0.22%, and Meta (META) down 0.1%.

According to Jinshi reports, the Office of the Foreign Investment Security Review Mechanism (National Development and Reform Commission) has made a decision to prohibit investment in the foreign acquisition of the Manus project in accordance with laws and regulations, requiring the parties involved to withdraw from the acquisition transaction.

Morpho CEO Paul Frambot posted on X, stating that over the past week, he communicated with several large institutions to understand their views on the current DeFi situation. The core conclusions are as follows.First, institutional interest will not disappear. The reason is simple: distribution channels will not vanish ------ massive assets under management (AUM), payment, and lending operations are moving on-chain. Almost all fintech companies aim for full on-chain integration. For institutions, this is not a question of "whether" but "a must."Second, they have lost trust in the pool/hub model. Institutions and distributors want to control everything, including control over the code, control over risks, and control over compliance. At the same time, they also want flexibility, meaning the ability to isolate their own business and connect to a global liquidity network that is compatible with them.

According to Insight Korea, South Korea's digital bank K Bank has established a strategic partnership with blockchain company Ripple to advance the verification of next-generation cross-border remittance technology based on blockchain.Both parties will focus on assessing the optimization potential in remittance speed, cost structure, and transaction transparency through Ripple's global payment network and infrastructure. The current collaboration includes proof of concept based on digital wallets, joint development of cross-border remittance models, and expansion in the digital asset field. The ongoing second phase of testing has simulated the connection between the bank's internal systems and customer accounts, testing on-chain fund transfers aimed at the UAE and Thailand. K Bank is also evaluating the adoption of Ripple's SaaS digital wallet Palisade to enhance compliance and deployment efficiency.

According to Gate market data, both the Japanese and South Korean stock markets have reached new highs, with the Nikkei 225 index currently up 0.47% and the South Korean KOSPI index up over 1%.

According to Jinshi reports, U.S. President Trump spoke on the phone with British Prime Minister Starmer to discuss the current situation in the Middle East and emphasized the "urgent need to restore shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."The British side stated that the ongoing blockade for several weeks has left many crew members stranded in the Gulf region. Starmer warned that this would have "serious consequences" for the global economy and the cost of living for the British people. On the same day, Iran warned that the waterway "will not return to its previous state under any circumstances."

According to a report by Jinshi citing Xinhua News Agency, Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian called on regional countries to establish a collective security mechanism "not subject to U.S. interference." During a meeting with Oman's Sultan Haitham in the capital Muscat, Amir-Abdollahian stated that Iran's experience shows that the U.S. military presence in regional countries only leads to turmoil and division in the region. He urged regional countries to jointly build an independent collective security mechanism without U.S. interference.

According to the Korea Herald, two active-duty sergeants in their 30s from the South Korean Army Special Warfare Command were sentenced to two years in prison by the Changwon District Court on April 26 for illegally operating an unreported virtual asset exchange during their service and assisting in money laundering for drug transactions, and were fined 54.69 million won.Investigations revealed that the defendants operated an illegal trading platform through Telegram from 2023 to 2024, assisting buyers in converting approximately 54.69 million won in drug payments into virtual currency and transferring it to sellers on 90 occasions.

According to Jinshi, citing New Delhi Television, the second round of negotiations between Iran and the United States is scheduled to be held on April 27.

a16z released the latest research indicating that stablecoins are gradually evolving from their initial role as transaction settlement tools and stores of value into global financial infrastructure. Data shows that following the regulatory clarity driven by the U.S. GENIUS Act, the stablecoin market has accelerated its growth, with adjusted trading volumes reaching approximately $4.5 trillion.The report shows that consumer-to-business (C2B) stablecoin transactions grew by 128% year-on-year, reaching 284.6 million transactions. The monthly collateral deposits for stablecoin card projects also increased from nearly zero at the end of 2024 to over $300 million by early 2026, reflecting the rapid expansion of stablecoin payment scenarios. Meanwhile, the velocity of stablecoins has increased from 2.6 times to 6 times since early 2024, indicating a shift from being "held" to being "frequently used." a16z believes that the focus of stablecoin applications is shifting from cross-border payments to local payment infrastructure, particularly evident in markets such as Asia and Brazil.

According to market news, Colombia and U.S. law enforcement agencies have jointly acted to successfully dismantle a transnational cryptocurrency money laundering network associated with the Mexican "Jalisco New Generation Cartel" (CJNG). Since 2023, this network has transferred over $190 million in illegal funds through cryptocurrency channels, seizing multiple crypto wallets and cash on site.Investigations show that the network commonly employs tactics such as fund splitting, decentralized transfers across multiple wallets, circulation across jurisdictions, and token swaps to evade tracking. Currently, authorities have not disclosed specific details regarding the cryptocurrencies involved, trading platforms, or the number of arrests, and the investigation is still ongoing.

The Singapore Police Force's Anti-Fraud Centre, in collaboration with the Cyber Investigation Department and cryptocurrency platforms such as Coinbase, Coinhako, StraitsX, and Upbit, launched a month-long special enforcement operation from March 16 to April 15 this year, successfully intercepting over 2.86 million yuan in fraudulent funds.During the operation, authorities utilized analysis tools from blockchain intelligence companies TRM Labs and Chainalysis to identify victims involved in various cases, including impersonation of government officials, investment fraud, job scam, and online romance scams, and completed over 90 direct interventions via phone and face-to-face meetings. The police stated that the effectiveness of this operation was attributed to the rapid information-sharing mechanism between law enforcement agencies and private platforms, and emphasized the ongoing commitment to deepen public-private cooperation to address the increasingly complex threats of cryptocurrency fraud.

The probability on Polymarket that "Waller will be confirmed as Chairman of the Federal Reserve before May 15" rose from 27% to 85%, a short-term increase of 211%. The reason is that the U.S. Department of Justice is expected to withdraw the criminal investigation against Federal Reserve Chairman Powell. Previously, Senator Banking Committee member Thom Tillis stated that if Trump did not withdraw the criminal investigation against current Federal Reserve Chairman Powell, he would block Waller's nomination for Chairman of the Federal Reserve from entering the Senate's full voting process. Under the current influence of the news that the Department of Justice will withdraw the criminal investigation against Powell, the market expects that Waller has a very high probability of being confirmed by the Senate as Chairman of the Federal Reserve before Powell's term ends.

The South African Treasury has released the "Draft Regulations on Capital Flow Management for 2026" and is seeking public comments. The draft aims to restructure the current foreign exchange control framework based on the "Currency and Exchange Act," focusing on: aligning with the OECD and FATF recommendations on anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and curbing illegal capital flows; including crypto-assets in the foreign exchange control scope for enhanced risk management and regulation for the first time; further clarifying exemptions, licenses, and applicable conditions; and introducing an administrative penalty mechanism for violations of the regulations. Comments must be submitted via email to the address designated by the National Treasury within 30 days of the announcement.

BIT tweeted that in the past two issues of the "Biton Target" report, we hinted that the bear market phase of Bitcoin may be nearing its end. Signals from multiple time dimensions are gradually forming resonance, supporting this judgment. When this judgment was made, Bitcoin was approaching the downward trend line formed since the bear market began in October 2025, just one step away from breaking upwards. Meanwhile, the weekly stochastic oscillator has fallen to a low not seen since January 2023, which was near the phase bottom after the end of the 2021/2022 bear market. Historically, this indicator reading often corresponds to market bottom areas.Our Bitcoin trend model has turned bullish. Trend signals do not always materialize, but considering that Bitcoin itself has strong trends and high volatility characteristics, after the previous two signals reversed quickly, the current round of movement has better conditions for continuation. Additionally, Bitcoin's price is gradually approaching the 21-week moving average, which has a critical boundary significance in our bull-bear judgment framework.$73,000 has always been an important watershed since March 2024 and is a key threshold for confirming whether this trend can reverse. Recently, Bitcoin has been fluctuating around $70,000. If it can effectively break through and stabilize above $73,000, the reversal signal will be further confirmed. Currently, various indicators are overall positive, but before the price enters this round's target range, the upward pace may still be disturbed by phase risk factors, so attention should be maintained.

In response to the U.S. accusations of China "stealing" intellectual property from American artificial intelligence laboratories, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiaqun stated during a regular press conference on the 24th that the U.S. claims are unfounded and are a smear against China's achievements in the development of the artificial intelligence industry. China firmly opposes this. We urge the U.S. to respect the facts, abandon prejudice, stop suppressing technology related to China, and do more to promote technological exchange and cooperation between the two countries.