The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported an increase in distillate fuel production for the week ending March 13. According to Jin10, the production reached 5.451 million barrels per day, up from the previous week's 5.3157 million barrels per day. This rise in production reflects changes in the energy market dynamics and could impact fuel supply and pricing strategies in the coming weeks.

The Bank of Korea (BOK) announced the launch of the second phase of its digital won pilot program with nine commercial banks. The program tests the application of a bank-issued, central bank-backed deposit-type token in real-world scenarios, including government subsidy disbursements and peer-to-peer payments. Two new banks, Kyongnam Bank and iM Bank, joined the existing seven banks to conduct large-scale testing. Kim Dong-sub, head of the BOK's digital currency planning team, stated that the pilot program focuses on merchants and businesses with high public relevance and high transaction fees, exploring the potential for significantly reducing transaction costs through digital currency payments. Phase 2 testing will also support peer-to-peer transfers, which were difficult to achieve in previous phases. Furthermore, the BOK plans to begin disbursing government subsidies in digital currency in the first half of this year, with initial applications potentially including subsidies for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Simultaneously, the central bank is exploring applications for AI agents to purchase goods and services using the digital won. This pilot program comes at a time when South Korea's Digital Assets Basic Law (DABA) has been delayed due to disagreements among regulators regarding the authority to issue stablecoins, particularly concerning who has the right to issue stablecoins pegged to the won. (CoinDesk)

Stripe and Tempo have unveiled the open-source Machine Payments Protocol, enabling AI agents to conduct transactions in both fiat and cryptocurrency. According to NS3.AI, the protocol, which was launched on Wednesday, operates on Tempo's blockchain. Tempo has indicated that the protocol is designed to be compatible with various blockchains and payment systems. Additionally, Tempo announced that its blockchain became operational on Wednesday following a three-and-a-half-month testing period.

The Bank of Korea, in collaboration with nine commercial banks, has initiated the second phase of Project Hangang to explore the use of bank-issued deposit tokens on a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) platform. According to NS3.AI, this phase includes the addition of Kyongnam Bank and iM Bank to the pilot program. The project will focus on testing various applications such as subsidy payments, consumer transfers, and nationwide transactions. The government plans to start distributing subsidies in digital currency within the first half of this year.

Bitcoin has fallen from its six-week high as global financial markets experience a broader risk-off movement. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting the growing concerns over a potential escalation in the Middle East conflict, which has contributed to the market's cautious sentiment. This development has led to a retreat in Bitcoin's value, reflecting the heightened uncertainty in the financial landscape.

The U.S. refinery utilization rate for the week ending March 13 reached 91.4%, surpassing the anticipated 91.2%, according to Jin10. This marks an increase from the previous week's rate of 90.8%. The higher utilization rate indicates a robust demand for refined products and suggests that refineries are operating at near-maximum capacity to meet market needs. Analysts are closely monitoring these figures as they reflect broader trends in energy consumption and production efficiency.

U.S. EIA crude oil inventories for the week ending March 13 were 6.156 million barrels, compared to an expected 383,000 barrels and a previous reading of 3.824 million barrels. U.S. EIA strategic petroleum reserves for the week ending March 13 were 0 barrels, compared to a previous reading of 1,000 barrels. (Jinshi)

The White House Press Secretary, Levitt, has announced that the U.S. military has successfully sunk more than 120 Iranian naval vessels. According to Jin10, this development marks a significant escalation in military operations involving the United States and Iran. The statement from Levitt highlights ongoing tensions between the two nations, with the U.S. military taking decisive action in response to perceived threats from Iranian naval forces. The situation continues to evolve, with potential implications for regional stability and international relations.

According to Lookonchain monitoring, today the US Bitcoin ETF saw a net inflow of 2,492 BTC, the Ethereum ETF saw a net inflow of 13,478 ETH, and the Solana ETF saw a net inflow of 189,025 SOL.

Rising inflation and a fragile economy are posing significant challenges for monetary policy makers. Bloomberg posted on X, the Bank of England is set to make a decision on interest rates tomorrow, a move that could have substantial implications for financial markets. The central bank's decision comes at a time when economic conditions are precarious, and inflationary pressures are mounting. Market participants are closely watching the Bank of England's actions, as any changes in interest rates could influence investment strategies and economic forecasts. The decision is expected to be a critical factor in shaping the economic landscape, with potential impacts on consumer spending, business investment, and overall economic growth. As the Bank of England navigates these complex economic conditions, individuals and businesses may need to consider their financial strategies in response to potential changes in interest rates. The outcome of the decision could provide insights into the central bank's approach to managing inflation and supporting economic stability.

Wall Street and Silicon Valley are abuzz with discussion about whether AI will devour SaaS or destroy its business model and valuation.

Jinse Finance launches the "Jinse Web3.0 Daily," providing you with the latest and fastest news on MEME, DeFi, DAO, NFT, and the metaverse industry.

The AI ​​revolution has only just begun, but it has already had a profound impact on financial institutions.

A compliant payment network tool for financial institutions that uses stablecoins as a settlement technology to transfer funds globally.

A single postponement announcement may be reshaping the landscape of global cryptocurrency capital flows.

Whether Ethereum can successfully transform and whether ETH can capture the value of its thriving ecosystem will be a key issue that quantitative finance practitioners and all finance enthusiasts must pay close attention to in the coming years.

On March 17, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released an explanatory document clarifying how federal securities laws apply to specific crypto assets and their related transactions.

Regulation, SEC, a major relaxation of US regulatory policies: A landmark policy to legitimize crypto assets has finally been implemented in the United States.

Bitrefill has linked a March 1 cyberattack to North Korea’s Lazarus Group, revealing how a single compromised employee laptop allowed attackers to infiltrate its systems, drain funds, and access sensitive records.

The current AI is comparable to the stone monkey of Dongsheng Shenzhou. As long as it wants to learn and play, it can master all eighteen martial arts. But the prerequisite is that it needs a master to teach it the seventy-two transformations and a golden headband to help it restrain its nature.