Charles Schwab officially launched its Schwab Crypto spot cryptocurrency trading service on April 16, which will be rolled out to retail investors in phases over the next few weeks. The service supports direct trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum, and includes educational content and professional customer support, while integrating with Schwab's existing investment, trading, wealth management, and banking services.

The Syrian Oil Company (SML) announced on the 15th that the first batch of Iraqi "re-exported" oil began loading at the Baniyas port refinery in Syria. Due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iraqi oil exports have been hampered, making transshipment via Syria an alternative. SML Deputy Director Ahmed Kubagi stated at a press conference on the 15th that, according to an agreement between Syria and Iraq, Iraqi oil will first be transported by truck to the Baniyas refinery, then transferred to the port terminal, and subsequently exported by sea. The first tanker will carry approximately 500,000 tons of oil, and the loading process will take at least three days. Kubagi added that, according to the agreement, Syria can extract the amount of oil needed for its power plants from the Iraqi shipments, with the remainder being exported. (CCTV News)

JST has recently executed a significant token burn, destroying 271 million JST tokens, which represents 2.74% of the current total supply. According to ChainCatcher, this burn is valued at approximately $21.3 million. The treasury reserve has now surpassed the $100 million mark, providing a solid foundation for the continuation of the deflationary process. The funds for the buyback and burn were sourced from the protocol's actual revenue, establishing an automated deflationary cycle driven by real income. This development indicates that JST is steadily progressing towards a sustainable economic model with long-term viability.

Soluna Holdings, a Nasdaq-listed company, has announced the acquisition of Spring Lane Capital's stake in the AI compute project, Project Dorothy 1A (D1A), for $16.5 million, securing 100% ownership. According to ChainCatcher, earlier this month, Soluna Holdings also acquired the Briscoe Wind Farm for $53 million. The company plans to accelerate the transformation of its integrated compute base, focusing on AI computing.

On April 16, a significant development was observed in the cryptocurrency market. According to BlockBeats On-chain Detection, a major investor, who had previously faced substantial losses, has now recovered and gained profits due to a surge in the price of HYPE. Last November, the investor opened a long position on HYPE at its peak price of $38.6. However, the value of HYPE subsequently declined, reaching a low of $20.5 by the end of January, resulting in a substantial unrealized loss of $26 million. Currently, the price of HYPE has increased by 120% from its lowest point of $20.5. This rise has allowed the investor to not only recover from the previous losses but also achieve an unrealized profit of $8.5 million.

Schwab has announced the launch of its Schwab Crypto service, offering spot cryptocurrency trading. According to Foresight News, the service will be rolled out to retail clients in phases over the coming weeks. Schwab Crypto will provide direct trading channels for Bitcoin and Ethereum, along with educational content and professional support.

Naver and Dunamu have announced plans to establish an IPO committee for Naver Financial within a year following their share swap agreement, according to a corrected filing. The companies aim to list Naver Financial within five years, with a possible two-year extension. However, Dunamu has stated that no specific decisions have been made regarding the timing or structure of the IPO. The approximately $10.3 billion all-stock deal is pending regulatory approval.

Hong Kong has issued its first batch of stablecoin licenses, marking a significant development in the region's financial landscape. According to PANews, traditional banks have emerged as the primary recipients of these licenses, while Web3 players have taken a backseat in this regulatory move. This strategic decision highlights Hong Kong's approach to integrating stablecoins into its financial system, prioritizing established banking institutions over newer digital entities. The issuance of stablecoin licenses is part of Hong Kong's broader plan to regulate digital currencies and ensure financial stability. By granting licenses to traditional banks, the region aims to leverage their existing infrastructure and expertise in managing financial risks. This move is seen as a way to balance innovation with security, providing a controlled environment for stablecoin operations. Web3 companies, which have been at the forefront of digital currency innovation, are now observing from the sidelines as traditional banks take the lead. This shift underscores the challenges faced by newer players in navigating regulatory frameworks designed for conventional financial institutions. Hong Kong's stablecoin licensing strategy reflects its commitment to maintaining a robust financial system while embracing digital advancements. As the region continues to develop its regulatory approach, the impact on both traditional and digital financial sectors will be closely watched.

Sahara AI has officially launched its investment agent, Sorin, which supports research, analysis, and trading execution across cryptocurrencies, stocks, prediction markets, and tokenized assets. According to Foresight News, Sorin can be deployed locally on desktop for autonomous trading, ensuring non-custodial operations without fund locking. Previously, 20,000 early users participated in testing. Sorin now offers features such as automated execution of quantitative strategies, real-time cross-market monitoring, and personalized risk management, which were previously exclusive to institutional investors, to all users.

Investment, Venture Capital, Venture Capital: From Doolittle to Power Law - Golden Finance, The history of venture capital is essentially a history of the institutionalization of risk.

According to on-chain analyst Ember, a whale opened a long position of 1.38 million HYPE tokens at the November high of $38.6, worth $62.13 million. At that time, HYPE fell to a low of $20.5 at the end of January, resulting in a paper loss of $26 million. Since then, the price of HYPE has rebounded to $45, a 120% increase from the low, turning the whale's paper loss into a break-even point and realizing a profit of $8.5 million.

Quantum Computing, BTC: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding the Real Threat of Quantum Computers to Bitcoin (Part 2) - Jinse Finance: The threat is real and closer than previously anticipated.

This is essentially a large-scale social experiment: giving more complex tools and a freer environment to a group with vastly different levels of education and risk tolerance.

X will either become the next WeChat, or it will become a place that everyone pays attention to, but no one actually puts money into.

Kevin Warsh, a leading candidate for the next Federal Reserve Chairman, recently submitted a 69-page financial disclosure document for his Senate hearing.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has issued a stark warning: China possesses the infrastructure, talent, and computing power needed to develop an AI systems that could infiltrate into the US security system.

Kalshi is adding a parent portal, selfie checks and family monitoring tools to stop minors from using its prediction market platform by bypassing age verification rules. The move comes as the company faces rising regulatory pressure and legal disputes in the US, while competition in prediction markets is also growing.

We analyzed the crypto prediction markets on Polymarket and selected 10 assets that best reflect the current true attitude of funds.

A controversial governance proposal from World Liberty Financial has triggered a wave of investor outrage, forcing early backers into a four-year vesting timeline just as the Trump-linked token plunges to near all-time lows—raising fresh concerns over control, transparency, and the true cost of political crypto.

Anthropic has started asking some Claude users to verify their identity with a government ID and, in some cases, a live selfie before accessing certain features, using a third-party provider called Persona.