[News Brief] Apr 22, morning | CoinShares Reports $1.2 Billion in Net Inflows into Digital Asset Investment Products Last Week

U.S. Central Command Orders 38 Vessels to Return to Iranian Ports

Odaily, citing Jinshi, reported that U.S. Central Command instructed 38 vessels to return to Iranian ports.

The move is seen as a response to escalating tensions in the Middle East. As uncertainty in maritime logistics increases, it could weigh on global financial markets and risk-asset sentiment.

President Trump to Review Proposal on Reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Ending Hostilities at National Security Council Meeting

Odaily, citing Solid Intel, reported that President Trump is expected to hold a National Security Council meeting later today to review a proposal aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending hostilities.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for global oil shipments, and discussions about reopening it are viewed as supportive of easing Middle East tensions and reducing uncertainty in energy markets.

Iranian Foreign Minister Says Tehran Reviewing U.S. Proposal for Talks

Odaily, citing CGTN, reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said the United States has proposed talks with Iran and that Tehran is currently reviewing the offer.

The remarks suggest a possibility of easing tensions between the United States and Iran, which could affect Middle East developments and broader global market risk appetite.

CoinShares Reports $1.2 Billion in Net Inflows into Digital Asset Investment Products Last Week

According to CoinShares, digital asset investment products recorded $1.2 billion in net inflows last week, marking a fourth consecutive week of inflows.

Wu Blockchain said on X on the 27th that total assets under management (AuM) rose to $155 billion, with Bitcoin accounting for the largest share of inflows at $933 million. Ethereum also saw $192 million in inflows, extending its streak of positive flows to three consecutive weeks.

This trend is interpreted as a sign that institutional capital is once again flowing primarily into Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Strategy Bought an Additional 3,273 Bitcoin Last Week

According to Odaily, Strategy purchased an additional 3,273 BTC last week at an average price of $77,906, for a total of about $255 million.

The company said that as of April 26, it holds a total of 818,334 BTC, acquired for approximately $61.81 billion at an average purchase price of $75,537 per bitcoin.

As a leading publicly traded corporate holder of Bitcoin, the additional purchase is seen as a signal of expanding institutional demand.

Western Union Plans to Launch Solana-Based Stablecoin USDPT Next Month

Western Union plans to launch USDPT, a Solana-based stablecoin, next month, PANews reported on the 27th, citing The Block.

According to the report, USDPT is designed not for general consumers but for settlement between Western Union headquarters and its agents. The company plans to use it as an alternative to the existing SWIFT network.

Western Union is also building a digital asset network that connects crypto wallets with its retail and agent network. Through this, wallet users would be able to exchange digital assets for local currency at Western Union locations.

In addition, the company plans to launch U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoin cards in dozens of markets later this year, allowing consumers to hold and spend stablecoins globally.

The initiative is seen as part of a broader trend of traditional remittance firms integrating stablecoins and blockchain-based payment infrastructure into real-world use cases.

U.S. Market Structure Bill Emerges as a Key Issue Around the May 25 Holiday Period

Odaily reported that, amid limited recent progress on the crypto market structure bill, the Memorial Day holiday period around May 25 is being viewed as a pivotal window for legislative momentum.

Market participants believe that if this period is missed, passage could become more difficult as the summer election season intensifies.

Issues such as stablecoin yield and DeFi sales activities remain under discussion. Last week, more than 100 institutions sent a joint letter to the Senate Banking Committee urging it to begin reviewing the bill and move the CLARITY Act to the next stage.

Market structure legislation aims to codify the principles of crypto regulation into law and reduce uncertainty stemming from future policy changes.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis Backs Confirmation of Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair

According to Odaily, Republican Senator Thom Tillis said he would support the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as Chair of the Federal Reserve, effectively removing the last major obstacle to President Trump's effort to install a new Fed chair.

Tillis had refused for months to allow a vote on Warsh's nomination. He had argued that no Fed confirmation should move forward while the Department of Justice's criminal investigation related to Jerome Powell was ongoing, describing the probe as an attack on central bank independence.

However, the investigation appears to have concluded last Friday, and Tillis is now said to have changed his position.

The Fed chair succession issue is being closely watched in crypto markets, as it could influence expectations for future interest rate policy and dollar liquidity, both of which matter for assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Goldman Sachs Says Even a Fed Chair Change Would Not Likely Lead to Rapid Rate Cuts

Goldman Sachs said that even if the Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve is replaced, it is unlikely to result in rapid interest rate cuts in the coming months.

According to Odaily, Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle wrote in a client note that while Kevin Warsh's chances of becoming Fed chair have become clearer, a change in leadership alone would not immediately shift the Fed's policy stance. He explained that if disagreements persist within the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), a new chair may find it harder than Jerome Powell to push aggressively for rate cuts.

He also noted that a new chair may not necessarily have a stronger preference for cutting rates than Powell, especially given elevated uncertainty surrounding the war in the Middle East.

Still, Goldman Sachs maintained its existing forecast for policy easing before year-end, expecting the Fed to cut rates by 25 basis points each in September and December.

Circle Ventures Purchases AAVE Tokens

Circle said on X that Circle Ventures is purchasing AAVE tokens.

According to Odaily, Circle said Aave is helping build the future of on-chain finance and that Circle Ventures will support the ecosystem and the broader community forming around it.

The announcement is viewed as a sign that Circle, a stablecoin issuer, is broadening its support for core DeFi protocols.

Spot XRP ETFs Saw $15.74 Million in Net Inflows Last Week

Spot XRP ETFs recorded $15.74 million in net inflows last week.

On the 27th, PANews, citing SoSoValue data, reported that spot XRP ETF capital flows for last week (April 20–24, U.S. Eastern Time) ended in net inflows.

The product with the largest weekly net inflow was Bitwise's XRP ETF, which recorded $8.86 million. Its cumulative net inflows total $426 million.

Franklin's XRPZ posted the second-largest weekly inflow at $4.66 million. XRPZ's cumulative net inflows stood at $349 million.

As of the time of reporting, total net assets of spot XRP ETFs were valued at $1.1 billion. ETF net assets represented 1.23% of XRP's total market capitalization, while cumulative net inflows reached $1.29 billion.