[News Brief] Apr 22, morning | U.S. Government Moves to Strengthen Global Crypto Leadership Following Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act

U.S. Government Moves to Strengthen Global Crypto Leadership Following Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act

Bitcoin Magazine, citing Fox Business, reported that the U.S. government is pushing to strengthen U.S.-led global leadership in digital assets following the newly introduced Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act.

The report comes as discussions continue in the United States over legislation aimed at institutionalizing a national Bitcoin reserve. The bill is viewed as boosting market expectations for policy support, as it aligns with efforts to treat Bitcoin as a national strategic asset.

Report Says Final Draft of U.S.-Iran Agreement Reached

Odaily reported that Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency, citing Al Arabiya, said a final draft of an agreement between the United States and Iran had been reached with Pakistan acting as mediator.

The details of the agreement are expected to be released within the next several hours. The development is drawing market attention as a potential signal of whether tensions between the United States and Iran may ease.

Trump Says the U.S. Will Reach an Agreement With Iran One Way or Another

According to Odaily, President Trump said the United States is in negotiations with Iran and will reach an agreement one way or another.

Regarding the possibility that Iran and Oman could impose transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, he said the U.S. is watching the issue closely and does not want any such tolls imposed. He also claimed that the United States has full control over the Strait of Hormuz and that any blockade is being enforced effectively.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for Middle Eastern oil shipments, and related tensions could affect energy prices and volatility in global financial markets.

Rubio Says Diplomacy With Iran Would Be Difficult if It Imposes Strait of Hormuz Transit Fees

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Thursday that if Iran were to implement a transit fee system in the Strait of Hormuz, a diplomatic agreement between the United States and Iran would become virtually impossible.

Rubio said no one in the world supports such a toll system, adding that it would be unacceptable and, if pursued, would constitute both a threat to the world and an illegal act.

He added that there has been some progress in negotiations with Iran, but said the opposing side appears somewhat fragmented and that developments over the next few days should be watched closely. The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping lane for Middle Eastern crude exports, and rising tensions there could increase volatility in global financial markets.

IEA Chief Warns Oil Market Could Enter a Risk Zone This Summer

Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, said the oil market could enter a “risk zone” this summer.

He noted that oil supply-demand conditions could become more unstable around July and August. A rise in oil prices could intensify inflationary pressure, affecting interest rate expectations and risk-asset sentiment.

Fed’s Goolsbee Says U.S. Inflation Problem Is Quite Serious

According to Odaily, Federal Reserve official Austan Goolsbee said the United States is facing a fairly serious inflation problem.

He added, however, that the labor market remains stable. Inflation concerns are considered a key variable for risk assets because they can influence interest rate policy expectations.

Arthur Hayes Says AI-Driven Deflation Crisis Is a Key Macro Factor Behind Bitcoin Decline

According to Wu Blockchain, Arthur Hayes said at the Bitcoin 2026 conference on April 28 that artificial intelligence is triggering a deflation crisis.

Hayes argued that high-income knowledge workers are being displaced by AI, potentially causing severe shocks to traditional SaaS companies and lenders. He said this so-called “new subprime crisis,” which could develop into hundreds of billions of dollars in banking losses, has been a key macro factor behind Bitcoin’s earlier price decline.

121.40 Million USDT Transferred to Bitfinex

According to Whale Alert, 121.40 million USDT, worth about $121.33 million, was transferred from an unknown wallet to Bitfinex.

Large stablecoin inflows to exchanges are often interpreted as potential buying power entering the market, though the specific purpose of this transfer has not been confirmed.

Hong Kong-Licensed Issuer AnchorPoint Completes Ethereum-Based Stablecoin Test

Wu Blockchain reported, citing the Hong Kong Economic Journal, that AnchorPoint Financial, a licensed stablecoin issuer under the Hong Kong Monetary Authority framework, has completed testing of an Ethereum-based stablecoin.

The test was reportedly supported by licensed trading-related institutions backed by OSL Group and Futu Holdings. Hong Kong is moving to build a regulated digital asset payment infrastructure as it develops its stablecoin regulatory regime.

CryptoQuant Says Bitcoin Miner Indicators Have Yet to Confirm a Market Bottom

A CryptoQuant analyst said miner-related indicators have not yet confirmed a bottom in the Bitcoin market. Although selling pressure from miners has eased, weak profitability and a wait-and-see stance suggest the possibility of continued short-term range-bound trading.

According to Odaily, the analyst said the Miner Position Index (MPI) remains in negative territory, indicating that current selling intensity is still below the historical average. This suggests miners are not engaging in panic selling, but rather limited sales to maintain cash flow.

The analyst also said the Puell Multiple remains below 1, meaning miner profitability is still historically weak. However, the strong accumulation behavior typically seen at cycle bottoms has not yet been confirmed.