Ripple Opens New Middle East & Africa HQ Despite US-Israel-Iran Conflict

Tech  Ripple Opens New Middle East & Africa HQ Despite US-Israel-Iran Conflict  Despite recent escalations in geopolitical tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran, Ripple has recently announced a major expansion in the region. The company just inaugurated a new Middle East and Africa regional office in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).  Ripple Inaugurates New HQ Office In The Middle East  The headquarter office expands Ripples presence in the Middle East with room for the company to double its headcount. For context, Ripple set up its first offices in Dubai in 2020. It initiated the latest move to leverage the surge in regulated blockchain-based payments and custody in the region.  Ripple‘s Regional Managing Director, Reece Merrick, said, “In recent years the Middle East has become an increasingly vital driver of Ripple’s global growth. Our new regional headquarters is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to playing our part in the regions upward trajectory.”  He continued, “From our earliest days in the UAE, we have seen first-hand the appetite from local businesses for regulated, blockchain-powered payment infrastructure, an appetite that is only growing. A larger team, based here in Dubai, will enable us to go further in supporting our clients and partners across the region and

04-30

Copper: China restocking offsets macro worries – ING

Finance  Copper: China restocking offsets macro worries – ING  ING analysts Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey report Copper trading near recent highs, supported by pre-holiday restocking in China ahead of Labour Day. This demand is offsetting macro and geopolitical uncertainty, while risks around the Iran conflict, stricter Chinese invoicing rules, and war-related supply constraints such as sulphur continue to shape the near-term Copper market balance.  Chinese restocking underpins copper prices  “Copper held near recent highs, supported by pre-holiday restocking in China, which is offsetting macro and geopolitical uncertainty.”  “Buying ahead of the Labour Day holiday has provided near-term support following the recent pullback.”  “In China, stricter enforcement around invoicing may weigh on spot activity and slow inventory draws.”  “Supply-side risks linked to war-related disruptions, especially constraints on inputs such as sulphur, continue to underpin the market.”

04-30

Tillis Stablecoin Agreement Accelerates Clarity Act

Tech  Tillis Stablecoin Agreement Accelerates Clarity Act  Senator Thom Tillis was at the center of negotiations with bankers over stablecoin yields, and these talks had been delaying the market structure law that would fully integrate the crypto sector into the US financial system for months. Tillis, in a statement to journalists on Wednesday, emphasized that he had largely addressed concerns that the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act threatened the banking lobby‘s interest-bearing deposits. The Republican senator, stating that the bill is Washington’s top priority, called on the committee chairman to move to the markup stage. According to the Fox Business recording, he said, “I will encourage him to move forward.” This statement has the potential to resolve the bills stuck traffic.  Senator Tilliss Stablecoin Deal with Bankers  The bill had been on hold in recent months with the additional negotiation time granted to Tillis‘s bankers; stablecoin yields were seen as competitors to traditional bank deposits. Stablecoins, promising around %5-6 interest, overshadow banks’ low-yield savings accounts, which has hardened the banking sectors demands for regulation. The senator expressed that he would share the compromise text on stablecoin rewards before the hearing and give stakeholders a final chance. If bankers return to the table in good

04-30

Ripple Opens New Middle East & Africa HQ Despite US-Israel-Iran Conflict

Tech  Ripple Opens New Middle East & Africa HQ Despite US-Israel-Iran Conflict  Despite recent escalations in geopolitical tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran, Ripple has recently announced a major expansion in the region. The company just inaugurated a new Middle East and Africa regional office in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).  Ripple Inaugurates New HQ Office In The Middle East  The headquarter office expands Ripples presence in the Middle East with room for the company to double its headcount. For context, Ripple set up its first offices in Dubai in 2020. It initiated the latest move to leverage the surge in regulated blockchain-based payments and custody in the region.  Ripple‘s Regional Managing Director, Reece Merrick, said, “In recent years the Middle East has become an increasingly vital driver of Ripple’s global growth. Our new regional headquarters is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to playing our part in the regions upward trajectory.”  He continued, “From our earliest days in the UAE, we have seen first-hand the appetite from local businesses for regulated, blockchain-powered payment infrastructure, an appetite that is only growing. A larger team, based here in Dubai, will enable us to go further in supporting our clients and partners across the region and

04-30

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Bitcoin Price Eyes $77,279 Breakout Level

Bitcoin is testing short-term resistance near $77,279 while traders also watch the monthly close above $74,434. A breakout could support another move toward $80,000, but a weak close would keep pressure on the downside.  Bitcoin Tests Micro Resistance as BTC Watches $77,279 Breakout Level  on the 30-minute chart after bouncing from the short-term support area near $75,910.  The chart shared by MCO Global DE shows a micro resistance zone for orange wave 4 between $76,673 and $77,279. This area matches the 38.2%, 50%, and 61.8% retracement levels marked on the chart.  BTC 30-Minute Chart. Source:  MCO Global DE said wave C may be forming as a diagonal structure on the downside. That means wave 4 could still extend toward the 61.8% retracement at $77,279 before Bitcoin decides its next move.  The lower support zone sits around $75,910 and $74,968, based on the 61.8% and 78.6% levels shown on the chart. Bitcoin already bounced from that area, which makes it the first zone to watch if sellers return.  A strong breakout above the micro resistance zone could suggest that Bitcoin has already formed a local bottom. In that case, BTC would need follow-through above $77,279 to weaken the short-term bearish structure.  However, failure near the resistance zone would keep

04-30

Iranian rial hits record low amid US naval blockade intercepting oil shipments

The Iranian rial has fallen to a record low of roughly 1.8 million per dollar on the black market as a US naval blockade intercepts oil shipments. On Polymarket, the probability of an Iranian regime fall by June 30 sits at 8% YES, unchanged from 8% a week ago.  Market reaction  The blockade continues despite a shaky ceasefire and is cutting off Irans primary revenue source: oil exports. The Iranian regime fall by June 30 market is up 7 points from the April 30 contract, suggesting traders see accumulating pressure but not an imminent break. Daily volume is $16,685 in USDC, and it takes $22,030 to move the odds by 5 points. The largest move in the past day was a minor adjustment, with traders holding positions rather than making aggressive bets.  Why it matters  A currency collapse of this scale directly erodes the regimes ability to pay security forces, subsidize goods, and maintain domestic stability. But at 8%, the market prices regime survival as overwhelmingly likely through June 30. Traders appear to treat the economic deterioration as real but insufficient on its own to trigger a regime fall within six weeks.  What to watch  A YES share at 8¢ pays 12.5x if the regime falls

04-30

Beyond Big Tech: Five AI themes from the Mag 7 earnings

Tech  Beyond Big Tech: Five AI themes from the Mag 7 earningsMag 7 earnings confirmed that AI demand is still scaling, with stronger cloud growth and higher capex guidance — but stock reactions showed investors are now pricing the of AI spend, not just the size of the budget.Market reactions were nuanced, and the AI story is now more selective: investors rewarded clearer revenue flow-through and questioned capex without near-term offsets.Five themes investors may monitor stand out from the earnings cycle: memory, cloud infrastructure, custom silicon, power and energy, and Asias hardware backbone.  A different earnings reaction: Same theme, new discipline  The latest round of Mag 7 earnings was strong on the surface — solid revenue growth, improving cloud trends and continued AI momentum — but the details matter more this time. Crucially, capex guidance was revised higher across hyperscalers, with combined 2026 spend now tracking around $725bn (vs. ~$670bn pre-earnings) and Meta lifting its range to $125–145bn. Alphabet and Microsoft also flagged capacity constraints, signalling demand is running ahead of supply.  The first-order implication is clear: the AI buildout is intact and still scaling, which keeps the broader AI value chain — from semiconductors and memory to networking, power and data centres —

04-30

WLFI races toward 62 billion token unlock with near-unanimous vote

World Liberty Financials proposal to unlock 62 billion WLFI tokens is already set to pass, with early votes blowing past quorum and delivering near-unanimous support.  Under the plan, founders, team members, and partners would burn 10% of their holdings, roughly 4.5 billion WLFI, to begin unlocking the remaining 40.7 billion tokens over a five-year schedule following a two-year cliff.  No tokens would reach the market for at least two years due to cliff periods. The shift marks a structural change in how WLFI is valued, replacing open-ended lockups with predictable future supply and creating a clearer exit path for holders who previously had none.  This move seems to have near-unanimous support, with 99.5% voting in favor.  The vote also highlights the structure of WLFIs governance.  Participation levels align with prior proposals, suggesting that a relatively small group of large holders can push through major tokenomic changes with limited opposition.  Voting power is heavily concentrated among a small group of large holders. The largest wallet alone accounts for nearly 13% of votes cast, and the top four together control roughly 40% of total voting power so far, enough to heavily influence the outcome on their own.  WLFI also faces a lawsuit from Tron founder Justin Sun, who alleges

04-30

US Army eyes control of Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions

Tech  US Army eyes control of Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions  The U.S. Army is considering taking control of a section of the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reports, while the Polymarket contract on Strait of Hormuz traffic normalizing by April 30 sits at 0% YES.  The likelihood of traffic returning to normal levels by April 30 remains at 0% YES, meaning traders see no chance of a quick resolution. Heightened military involvement decreases the probability of normal traffic flow in the near term. The U.S. declaration of war on Iran by December 31, 2026 contract is at 7.5% YES, down slightly from 8% 24 hours ago.  Potential U.S. control of the Strait increases the likelihood of WTI Crude Oil hitting $150 in May. Military escalation could cause further supply disruptions and push oil prices higher, and related Polymarket contracts reflect trader expectations of continued volatility.  For traders, this is about sustained tension rather than near-term resolution. The term structure shows no expected return to normality in the Strait. A YES share on war declaration by December 31 is priced at 7.5¢, offering a 13.3x return if resolved. The low price reflects speculative interest despite the markets assessment that formal war declaration remains unlikely.

04-30

Shinhan Card Collaborates With Solana Foundation for Stablecoin Payment Infrastructure

Tech  Shinhan Card Collaborates With Solana Foundation for Stablecoin Payment Infrastructure  Major South Korean credit card issuer collaborates with Solana for blockchain payment trialsTestnet deployment scheduled to evaluate stablecoin transaction capabilitiesPartnership aims to bridge conventional financial services with cryptocurrency infrastructureReal-world merchant payment scenarios will be evaluated through pilot programsInitiative aligns with South Koreas evolving digital asset regulatory framework  South Korean financial services provider Shinhan Card has formalized a collaborative agreement with the Solana Foundation to build and test stablecoin-based payment infrastructure. The collaboration centers on evaluating digital currency transactions between consumers and businesses through distributed ledger technology. This move represents part of a larger effort to incorporate cryptocurrency solutions into mainstream financial operations throughout the Korean market.  Strategic Blockchain Payment Development Underway  The credit card company announced it has executed a memorandum of understanding with the Solana Foundation to push forward with stablecoin-enabled payment solutions. An enhanced proof of concept phase utilizing Solanas test environment is slated for implementation within the current calendar year. The program specifically targets practical applications involving merchant transactions and consumer payment flows.  This upcoming trial phase expands upon preliminary testing activities conducted during the previous year under supervised circumstances. Shinhan Card intends to measure transaction processing speeds, network performance metrics, and

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