Market Performance
| Asset / Index | Value ($) | Daily Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | 70,857 | -0.47% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | 2,165 | 0.00% |
| Nasdaq (NAS100) | 24,274 | +0.07% |
| S&P 500 (SPX) | 6,556 | -0.36% |
| Russell 2000 (RUT) | 2,543 | +1.72% |
| U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) | 99.282 | +0.07% |
| VIX Volatility Index | 25.19 | -2.63% |
| U.S. 10-Year Yield | 4.336 | -0.28% |
| Brent Crude Oil (BRENT) | 95.375 | -2.39% |
| LBMA Gold (XAU) | 4,558 | +3.31% |
| LBMA Silver (XAG) | 73.10 | +5.17% |
“Prepared at UTC 08.15 am”
Asian Markets Rise on Falling Oil Prices and Renewed Diplomatic Hopes
Asian stock markets moved higher on Wednesday with broad-based buying as declining oil prices and renewed hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East boosted investor confidence across the region. Regional equities also followed gains in U.S. futures after Wall Street indices declined overnight, signaling improving sentiment despite recent volatility.
Oil Drops on Ceasefire Hopes Between U.S. and Iran
Brent crude fell to as low as $97.15 per barrel early in the day after reports that the United States had sent Iran a 15-point plan aimed at ending the conflict in the region. The development raised hopes for a ceasefire and reduced risks to key oil transport routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. is currently in negotiations with Iran, adding that Tehran is “speaking reasonably” and appears willing to sign a peace agreement.
Circle shares fell 20% while Coinbase declined around 10% after reports that the latest draft of the U.S. CLARITY Act could impose strict limits on stablecoin yields. The proposed legislation would ban rewards on passive stablecoin balances and restrict structures deemed economically equivalent to interest, threatening a key driver of USDC adoption. The sell-off hit Circle after a 170% rally since early February, while rival Tether moved to strengthen confidence by hiring a Big Four firm to audit USDT reserves.
BNY CEO Says Institutions Will Drive Next Phase of Crypto Adoption
BNY CEO Robin Vince stated that major financial institutions will play a key role in bridging traditional finance and digital assets, driving the next phase of crypto adoption. He highlighted tokenization of existing products, such as money market funds, as an early use case, while emphasizing that clearer regulations and greater trust will be essential for broader institutional participation.
BlackRock Executive Says Institutions Focus on Bitcoin and Ethereum
BlackRock’s head of digital assets Robbie Mitchnick said institutional investors are increasingly concentrating on bitcoin and ethereum, viewing most other tokens as temporary or largely insignificant. He argued that artificial intelligence represents a more powerful long-term trend than the proliferation of new cryptocurrencies, while positioning crypto as “computer-based money” that complements AI-driven data and intelligence systems.
Robinhood announced a new $1.5 billion share buyback program, adding more than $1.1 billion to its existing authorization. The company plans to execute the buyback over approximately three years starting in the first quarter of 2026, aiming to reduce outstanding shares and potentially increase earnings per share.
Ripple Tests RLUSD Trade Finance in Singapore Sandbox
Ripple is testing trade finance use cases backed by its RLUSD stablecoin within the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s sandbox program. The pilot, conducted with supply chain firm Unloq under the MAS BLOOM initiative, enables cross-border payments to be automatically triggered once shipment conditions are verified, linking Ripple’s stablecoin strategy to real-world commercial applications.
Retail Traders Underperform in Prediction Markets
A new report by Citizens JMP found that retail investors tend to underperform in prediction markets, facing deeper median losses as they compete against more sophisticated and better-capitalized participants. The findings highlight structural disadvantages for individual traders within event-based trading platforms.
Wintermute Launches 24/7 WTI Oil CFD Trading for Crypto Investors
Crypto market maker Wintermute introduced over-the-counter WTI crude oil CFD products, allowing investors to speculate on oil prices around the clock using either fiat or crypto collateral. The offering provides flexible order and margin options via chat, electronic OTC platforms, or API, distinguishing itself from standardized perpetual futures contracts by offering customized trading conditions.
$14B Bitcoin Options Expiry on Deribit Draws Market Focus
Approximately $14.16 billion worth of bitcoin options nearly 40% of total open interest on Deribit are set to expire on Friday, drawing attention to potential price impact. The “maximum pain” level for this expiry is around $75,000, which could act as a price magnet as market makers hedge positions and large sellers aim to minimize payouts. Implied volatility has narrowed, while institutions are selling call options at higher strike prices, signaling cautious optimism and expectations of a relatively controlled expiry despite geopolitical risks.
Morgan Stanley Says Crypto Shift Reflects Long-Term Infrastructure Evolution
Morgan Stanley’s head of digital assets Amy Oldenburg said Wall Street’s growing focus on crypto is not driven by short-term fear of missing out, but rather by years of behind-the-scenes work to modernize financial infrastructure. The bank is expanding its digital asset strategy across trading, asset management, and infrastructure, with plans to support tokenized equities on its alternative trading system in the second half of 2026. Oldenburg noted that despite rising interest in tools like stablecoins and steady institutional growth, upgrading legacy banking systems and coordinating across global financial networks remain major challenges.
