Strategy has announced a new bi-monthly dividend plan for STRC. According to Odaily, CEO Phong Le stated that the company will increase the frequency of STRC dividends while maintaining the same 11.5% yield, effectively doubling the payout frequency.

On April 20, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, stated that unilateral restoration of normal traffic in the Hormuz Strait is impossible due to ceasefire violations by the United States and threats to Iranian ports and vessels. According to BlockBeats, these developments underscore ongoing tensions between the two nations, impacting regional maritime operations.

The VIX Index, a key measure of market volatility, has increased by 2.43 points to 19.91, marking its highest level in a week. According to BlockBeats, this rise follows an eight-day period of decline.

SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom, formerly the head of digital assets at BlackRock, shared insights at the 2026 Hong Kong Web3 Carnival. According to Foresight News, Chalom highlighted his experience in the crypto industry, noting that he has witnessed 5-6 cycles of significant rises and falls over the past eight years. He emphasized that after each downturn, the market reaches new highs, with quality projects surviving while lesser ones are eliminated. Chalom pointed out the unique aspect of Digital Asset Treasury (DAT), where Ethereum's price increases lead to stock price rises, and even during downturns, staking can maintain Ethereum's 'productivity.' Since October last year, the prices of BTC, ETH, and SOL have significantly retracted. Although short-term price predictions are challenging, the current risk-reward ratio is the best it has been in a long time. Looking ahead, Chalom predicted that in 3-5 years, most people will possess a new type of digital wallet, which users may not even recognize as a 'crypto wallet.' Brokerage accounts will transform into on-chain wallets, and bank accounts will incorporate on-chain components. He also foresees that most individuals will have a 'digital twin' AI agent to manage tasks such as depositing salaries, allocating year-end bonuses according to preferences, and even performing quarterly rebalancing. These agents, which do not sleep or make mistakes, will align their incentives with users. The machine economy of agents will integrate into daily life, much like ordering food via smartphones today, with most activities occurring on the most secure and trusted blockchain, Ethereum. Chalom expressed concerns about two main issues: the increasing correlation between crypto assets and tech stocks, which complicates explaining their unique value to investors, and the need for improved security standards within the ecosystem.

Strategy has proposed a bi-weekly dividend plan for STRC. CEO Phong Le stated, "We will increase the dividend frequency of STRC, doubling the frequency while maintaining the same 11.5% yield." (BitcoinTreasuries.NET)

According to official news, B.AI announced a strategic partnership with Biconomy. The two companies will jointly build a financial layer for AI and drive the development of the digital economy. By integrating Biconomy's high-performance trading platform, validated by millions of users, B.AI will provide a more secure, transparent, and globally accessible financial trading environment for future autonomous AI transactions, further solidifying the AI ​​financial value chain in the digital economy era. Providing users with fast and transparent trading infrastructure, both companies are committed to building a next-generation financial ecosystem that prioritizes security and global access.

On April 20, Hyperinsight monitoring revealed that in the past 10 minutes, the address 'Hyperliquid Early Contributor Loracle' (0x8def...) initiated a 5x leveraged short position on HYPE, amounting to 29,000 units, valued at approximately $1.2 million, with an average price of $41.04. According to BlockBeats, this position remains active near the same price level at the time of reporting. The address belongs to an early contributor to the Hyperliquid ecosystem and is associated with the founder of Hypurrfun. Previously, during the main upward surge of HYPE from $20, the contributor significantly increased long positions, with the scale once exceeding $40 million.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bagaei stated that unilaterally restoring normal traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is impossible due to the violation of the ceasefire agreement with the United States and threats against Iranian ports and ships. (Jinshi)

According to Gate data, the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied a second round of negotiations, and US oil company stocks rose in pre-market trading. Exxon Mobil rose 2%, Chevron rose 1.5%, and ConocoPhillips rose 2.7%. Diamondback Energy rose 2.6%, Devon Energy rose 2.6%, and Occidental Petroleum rose 2.5%.

Victory Macro Technology (02476.HK) experienced a significant increase in its grey market trading, with shares rising over 60%. According to Jin10, this surge comes ahead of the company's official listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The strong performance in the grey market indicates positive investor sentiment and anticipation for the company's market debut. Victory Macro Technology's impressive pre-listing performance highlights the growing interest in new stock offerings within the Hong Kong market.

The real AI token is USDC. Everything else is just a facade.

Sam Altman-backed identity project World is rapidly expanding beyond crypto, embedding its human verification technology into popular applications such as Zoom and Tinder as concerns over AI-generated fraud and impersonation intensify.

Fake university certificates and official documents are being sold on social media in South Korea, often paid for in crypto and delivered within hours. Police say these networks are organised and linked to wider fraud, making them difficult to track and stop.

DeFi touts itself as transparent and regulated. But in reality, the most crucial question is: who bears the losses?

The two countries and the two most important AI companies have both reached the limits of their respective paths.

Where exactly does AI payment happen? How can AI spend money securely? How does this business make money? Where will the competition between large companies and startups lead?

Iran’s decision to include Bitcoin as a payment option for oil tankers crossing the Strait of Hormuz signals a growing shift in how nation-states view crypto—not just as an asset, but as geopolitical infrastructure.

Nayib Bukele leads a 26-country survey with 94% approval while El Salvador keeps buying about 1 Bitcoin a day and holds over 7,600 BTC. His support comes mainly from improved security, not Bitcoin, which most people say has little impact on their lives.

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Hong Kong Web3 Carnival, comprehensively outlining Ethereum's five-year technology roadmap, clarifying Ethereum's core value proposition, phased technology upgrade plan, and underlying principles for long-term development.

The key to survival in a bear market lies in understanding how to identify complex, structured commodities and protect oneself.