[News Brief] Apr 22, morning | U.S. military launches additional strikes on Iran… tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz

U.S. military launches additional strikes on Iran… tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz

According to Odaily, U.S. Central Command said in a statement and video that it had carried out additional strikes against Iran.

The U.S. military said it used precision-guided munitions to strike more than 80 targets, including Iranian air defense systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites, and anti-ship missile capabilities.

It also said it destroyed more than 60 small vessels operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. military described the action as a direct response to Iran’s recent attacks on three commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessels previously attacked were identified as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Al Rekayat, the Saudi-flagged tanker Wedian, and the Liberia-flagged Cyprus Prosperity.

U.S. Central Command said its forces remain at a high state of combat readiness and warned that Iran would be held accountable if it fails to honor or violates the agreement.

Binance Alpha token TAC plunges 90% in 15 minutes

Binance Alpha token TAC fell more than 90% in just 15 minutes, dropping to around $0.0063.

According to Wu Blockchain, TAC was listed on Binance Alpha and Binance Futures in July 2025. The project is backed by investors including TON Ventures, Hack VC, Animoca Ventures, Symbolic Capital, and Spartan Group, and is building an EVM-compatible blockchain for the TON and Telegram ecosystem.

BTC falls below $63,000

According to PANews, BTC fell below $63,000 based on OKX market data.

BTC is currently trading at $62,999.90, down 1.47% on the day.

Coinbase BTC premium index remains negative for 50 consecutive days

According to Odaily, CoinGlass data shows that the Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index has remained in negative territory for 50 straight days. The latest reading is -0.0696%.

The Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index measures the gap between Bitcoin prices on Coinbase, a major U.S. exchange, and the global market average. A negative premium generally suggests rising selling pressure in the U.S. market, weakening investor risk appetite, and possible capital outflows.

SpaceX joins Nasdaq-100… broader indirect exposure to Bitcoin

Analysts say SpaceX’s inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 broadens indirect investment exposure to Bitcoin through index-tracking funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

On July 8, PANews, citing Bitcoin Magazine, reported that SpaceX officially joined the Nasdaq-100 on July 7. SpaceX had previously disclosed that it holds 18,712 BTC on its balance sheet.

JPMorgan estimated that the index rebalancing could drive about $4.3 billion in passive inflows into funds and ETFs tracking the Nasdaq-100.

With the addition, the number of Nasdaq-100 companies holding Bitcoin as a treasury asset has risen to three: SpaceX, Tesla, and Strategy. Analysts said index inclusion creates rules-based demand and could increase institutional investors’ structural exposure to corporate Bitcoin holdings.

Kraken seeks full banking license in Europe

Kraken has reportedly chosen Lithuania as its jurisdiction in pursuit of a full banking license in Europe.

CoinDesk, citing sources, reported that crypto exchange Kraken is seeking a full banking license in Europe.

If approved, the license would allow Kraken to offer services including checking accounts, consumer loans, and stock trading across the European Economic Area.

The move is seen as part of Payward’s broader strategy to expand its global licensing portfolio.

Vanguard creates its first head of digital assets role

According to PANews, citing Bitcoin Magazine, Vanguard, the world’s second-largest asset manager with about $12 trillion in assets under management, has created its first head of digital assets position.

The executive will evaluate areas including tokenization, stablecoins, digital wallets, custody, and blockchain payments, and determine whether Vanguard should build in-house capabilities, partner externally, or delay entering certain markets.

Vanguard said the appointment does not signal an immediate launch of crypto products and that it currently has no plan to launch its own cryptocurrency investment products.

SEC to hold Bitcoin and crypto regulation meeting this month

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is expected to hold a meeting this month on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency regulation, according to Bitcoin Historian on X.

He said the SEC is preparing a meeting “to clarify the regulatory framework for crypto assets and provide greater certainty to the market.”

The meeting is being interpreted as part of an effort to specify regulatory standards amid ongoing uncertainty around crypto regulation in the United States.

European Parliament members call for DeFi and staking to be considered in follow-up MiCA rules

According to PANews, members of the European Parliament have asked the European Commission to consider whether DeFi, staking, crypto lending, NFTs, and tokenized financial assets should be included in follow-up regulations to MiCA.

The policy position paper does not amend current law or impose new obligations, but it sets out priorities for the EU’s next phase of crypto regulation. The report warned that differences in enforcement among member states could weaken the EU’s single market for digital assets.

The European Commission had previously launched a public consultation in May on expanding MiCA’s scope and reviewing restrictions on yield-bearing stablecoins. The MiCA transition period ended on July 1, and crypto service providers offering services to EU customers must now be authorized.

Uniswap Labs proposes expanding UNI buyback and burn plan to v4 liquidity pools

Uniswap Labs has proposed expanding its UNIfication burn plan to Uniswap v4 liquidity pools. The proposal would impose protocol fees on some v4 pools and use part of the revenue for UNI token buybacks and burns.

According to PANews, Uniswap Labs has asked UNI holders to approve the proposal. A Snapshot vote is taking place from July 7 to July 12.

The UNIfication plan is currently operating across 11 chains. Its structure distributes protocol revenue to stakers and burns tokens.

If approved, the proposal could strengthen UNI’s deflationary structure and potentially increase liquidity inflows into Uniswap v4. However, some smaller liquidity providers are concerned that fee burdens could affect profitability.

New Hampshire to hold hearing on bond issuance for up to $100 million in Bitcoin purchases and holdings

New Hampshire’s governor and Executive Council are set to hold a hearing on a resolution authorizing up to $100 million in bond issuance for a Bitcoin purchase-and-hold project, according to Bitcoin Magazine.

The measure concerns a state-level plan to evaluate holding Bitcoin. If approved, it could draw attention as a case linking public financing with digital asset reserves.