[News Brief] Apr 22, morning | U.S. CENTCOM Deploys 15,000 Troops to Support Commercial Shipping Through the Strait of Hormuz

U.S. CENTCOM Deploys 15,000 Troops to Support Commercial Shipping Through the Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command said it will begin deploying 15,000 troops, missile destroyers, and more than 100 aircraft starting on the 4th to support commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Odaily, the operation is being carried out under orders from President Trump and is intended to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a key international trade route.

Iran strongly protested the move. According to CCTV International Watch, Ali Nikzad, deputy speaker of Iran’s parliament, said in a coastal interview on the 2nd that “the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war state, and Iran will not retreat a single step in this strait.”

Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said the measure could shift the standoff into a phase of controlled stability, but warned that Iranian threats remain and uncertainty persists over whether the U.S. will ultimately provide naval escorts.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key passage for global crude oil and logistics flows. The move is seen as a factor that could reignite geopolitical risk in the Middle East and affect volatility in financial markets and risk assets such as bitcoin.

Iranian Parliament Deputy Speaker: “The Strait of Hormuz Will Not Return to Its Pre-War State”

Ali Nikzad, deputy speaker of Iran’s parliament, said in a coastal interview that the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war state and that Iran will not back down one step in the strait.

According to Odaily, Nikzad said parliament is expected to approve a so-called “Strait of Hormuz Administration Act.” The bill would include a permanent ban on the passage of Israeli vessels, require ships from hostile countries to pay war reparations, and mandate prior approval from Iranian authorities for other vessels.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global crude oil and energy shipments. These remarks and the push for legislation are viewed as factors increasing uncertainty in maritime transport amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

Barclays Expects the Fed to Hold Rates Steady Throughout 2026

Barclays said it expects the U.S. Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged throughout 2026.

According to Odaily, Barclays withdrew its previous forecast of a 25bp rate cut in September and revised its outlook to no rate cuts this year.

As expectations for monetary easing weaken, the shift could act as a short-term headwind for risk assets such as bitcoin and ether.

Kashkari: “In Some Scenarios, the Fed May Need to Raise Rates”

According to Odaily, Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari said policymakers should remain open-minded about the future path of interest rates and warned that inflationary pressures could increase if the war drags on.

He said that in some scenarios, the Federal Reserve may need to raise rates. He also noted that even if the war were to end immediately, it could still take months for supply chains to normalize.

Kashkari said he is very concerned about the downside risks to the economy that the war could create, and that the Fed’s current task is to respond to uncertainty surrounding the inflation path. He also added that he looks forward to working with Waller after confirmation and remains open to some of the concerns Waller has raised.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs See $154 Million in Net Inflows Last Week, Marking a Fifth Straight Week of Inflows

Spot bitcoin ETFs recorded $154 million in net inflows last week, extending their streak to five consecutive weeks of inflows.

According to SoSoValue, total net inflows into spot bitcoin ETFs for last week (April 27–May 1, U.S. Eastern Time) came to $154 million. The source was PANews.

The product with the largest inflow was BlackRock’s IBIT, which saw weekly net inflows of $136 million. IBIT’s cumulative net inflows now stand at $65.5 billion. ARK Invest and 21Shares’ ARKB recorded net inflows of $49.98 million.

Meanwhile, the largest outflow came from Grayscale’s GBTC. GBTC posted weekly net outflows of $73.71 million, bringing cumulative net outflows to $26.29 billion.

As of the time of reporting, the total net asset value of spot bitcoin ETFs stood at $103.78 billion. ETF net assets accounted for 6.66% of bitcoin’s total market capitalization, while cumulative net inflows reached $58.72 billion.

More Than $229 Million in Major Token Unlocks Scheduled Over the Next 7 Days

More than $229 million worth of major token unlocks are scheduled over the next seven days. The expected release of large amounts of supply could increase short-term pressure on some tokens.

According to Wu Blockchain on the 4th, citing Tokenomist, one-time token unlocks above $5 million this week include HYPE, ENA, SXT, RED, and OPN. Tokens with linear unlocks exceeding $1 million per day include RAIN, SOL, CC, TRUMP, WLD, and TAO.

Token unlocks refer to the scheduled release of previously locked-up tokens into circulation and are generally seen as a short-term selling pressure factor. However, the actual price impact can vary depending on the proportion of unlocked tokens relative to circulating supply and investor demand.

Spot Ethereum ETFs Post $82.47 Million in Net Outflows Last Week

Spot ethereum ETFs recorded $82.47 million in net outflows last week, ending a three-week streak of net inflows.

According to SoSoValue, total net outflows from spot ethereum ETFs last week (April 27–May 1, U.S. Eastern Time) amounted to $82.47 million. The largest outflow came from BlackRock’s ETHA, which saw weekly net outflows of $71.4491 million. Fidelity’s FETH also posted net outflows of $50.256 million.

By contrast, BlackRock’s ETHB saw the largest inflow last week, with $44.4975 million in net inflows.

The total net asset value of spot ethereum ETFs currently stands at $13.6 billion. ETF net assets account for 4.93% of ethereum’s market capitalization, while cumulative net inflows total $12.02 billion.

CFTC Receives More Than 1,500 Public Comments on Proposed Prediction Market Rules

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has received more than 1,500 public comments on its proposed rules for prediction markets, indicating that regulatory debate in the sector is intensifying.

According to Odaily, the consultation revealed clear differences over the legal boundaries of prediction markets, their classification as commodities, and the scope of regulatory authority. Platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi argued that a regulatory framework would help integrate the industry into the mainstream financial system and support orderly growth.

Others, however, called for stricter regulation and enforcement due to potential risks. The market sees the CFTC’s eventual decision on final rules as a key variable that could shape the future direction of the prediction market industry.

BlackRock’s Europe-Listed Bitcoin ETP IB1T Surpasses $1.1 Billion in Assets Under Management

BlackRock’s Europe-listed bitcoin ETP, the iShares Bitcoin ETP (IB1T), has surpassed $1.1 billion in assets under management. Holdings were estimated at about 14,200 BTC.

Wu Blockchain said on X that IB1T was launched in March 2025 and later listed on Euronext Paris, Euronext Amsterdam, and Xetra. The product is considered a core part of BlackRock’s strategy to expand in Europe’s crypto ETP market.

BlackRock previously attracted substantial capital in the U.S. spot bitcoin ETF market. The growth in assets for its European product is being interpreted as a sign that institutional demand for bitcoin exposure is continuing in Europe as well.

Bisq Loses Approximately 11 BTC in Protocol Attack

Bisq said it recently lost about 11 BTC in a protocol attack. The stolen assets were mainly tied to altcoin trades, and compensation plans for victims are currently under discussion.

According to PANews on the 4th, Bisq officially announced that about 11 BTC was drained through an attack exploiting flaws in its verification mechanism. The attacker reportedly used a negative mining fee vulnerability to manipulate multisig transactions and move funds into their own account.

Bisq said it is considering compensating victims in bitcoin or BSQ tokens. However, the proposal must go through a DAO vote and is expected to be finalized after the DAO cycle ends on May 25.

Bisq said it has already fixed the relevant vulnerability and will distribute a patch update. It also added that it has strengthened codebase security reviews to guard against additional vulnerabilities that could affect wallets.

The company advised users to reduce the amount of BTC stored in wallets for the time being. Bisq said the incident is serious but manageable and expressed hope that it will serve as a security warning for other projects as well.