The World Silver Institute maintained its view in its annual outlook released Wednesday that the global silver market will experience a supply shortage for the sixth consecutive year. The report indicates that the supply gap is expected to widen by 15% to 46.3 million troy ounces in 2026. While demand for silver bars and coins is expected to grow by 18%, demand from industrial, photographic, jewelry, and silverware sectors is declining, potentially reducing total consumption by 2%. Supply is projected to decrease by 2%, primarily due to a slight decline in mining activity and reduced hedging, but this is partially offset by a 7% increase in recycling. The report states that while the Iran war casts a shadow over the short-term price outlook, it maintains a “constructive view” on silver for the remainder of 2026. The institute expects the Middle East conflict to be contained and that the tightening of monetary policy to curb energy inflation will be temporary. Even if the war continues, concerns about weak growth and fiscal strain could depress real bond yields, thereby boosting non-interest-bearing precious metals such as silver and gold. The report writes, “This, coupled with a recovery in safe-haven demand as cyclical market liquidations occur, should reignite interest in gold and silver.” (Jinshi)

Artificial intelligence startup Hilbert announced the completion of a $28 million Series A funding round, led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Hilbert aims to help businesses automate growth-driving business decisions, thereby changing the current situation where companies invest heavily in artificial intelligence but do not necessarily see returns. (Jinshi)

US President Donald Trump stated that he will dismiss Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell if he remains in office after his term expires. Powell's term as chairman is scheduled to end on May 15. In an interview, Trump said, "If he doesn't leave, then I'll have to fire him." It is understood that Trump's nominee, Walsh, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate, meaning that Powell may continue to serve as "interim chairman" during the transition period. Powell has previously stated that he will remain in office in accordance with the law if a successor is not confirmed. In addition, the US Department of Justice is currently investigating the renovation project at the Federal Reserve headquarters. Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell for not lowering interest rates as he wished and questioned the related project costs, claiming that there may be "corruption or serious mismanagement." Powell responded that he has no intention of resigning before the investigation is completed and emphasized that he will fulfill his duties until the investigation is "completely concluded and has a transparent conclusion." (CCTV News)

The European Union has announced that it will permit member states to have increased flexibility in subsidizing fuel and fertilizer prices. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting that this decision aims to mitigate the economic impact resulting from the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The move is intended to help stabilize markets and support economies affected by the price shocks. This development comes as part of broader efforts by the EU to address the economic challenges posed by geopolitical tensions. The flexibility in subsidies is expected to provide relief to industries and consumers facing rising costs due to the conflict.

Key Takeaways US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $411 million in inflows on Tuesday, the second-largest daily inflow of April behind the $471 million recorded on April 6, per SoSoValueBitcoin surged from around $68,100 on April 1 to a high of $75,600 on Tuesday, a gain of over 10%, before pulling back to around $73,860HashKey Group's Tim Sun attributes the rally to easing geopolitical tensions and a significant rebound in net market liquidity since early AprilAnalysts warn of downside risks including US tax season portfolio rebalancing and a potential Treasury General Account refill that could drain liquidity from risk assetsPrediction market Myriad puts the probability of Bitcoin's next major move being a pump to $84,000 at 59%, down from 64% a day earlier US spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $411 million in inflows on Tuesday, their second-largest single-day haul of April, as Bitcoin briefly touched $75,600 before pulling back -- a rally analysts attribute to improving macro conditions but view with caution given persistent structural risks. The inflow figure, sourced from SoSoValue, trails only the $471 million recorded on April 6 this month. Bitcoin has gained over 10% since April 1, climbing from approximately $68,100 to Tuesday's high of $75,600 according to CoinGecko data. The asset has since retreated roughly 1%, trading around $73,860 at time of reporting. Two Drivers Behind the Move Tim Sun, senior researcher at HashKey Group, identified two primary catalysts for the rally. "A temporary easing of geopolitical conflicts, which spurred a marginal recovery in global risk appetite and a substantive improvement in the liquidity environment," Sun said, adding that a significant rebound in net market liquidity since early April lifted traditional risk assets including the S&P 500 alongside Bitcoin. "Consequently, the combination of recovering risk appetite and warming liquidity pushed Bitcoin rapidly above $75,000," he said. The improved sentiment is visible across derivatives metrics. The Coinbase premium indicator, which tracks demand from US investors, has remained positive since April 8. An improved 25 delta skew also points to easing selling pressure from options market participants. Analysts Urge Caution Despite the headline inflow numbers and price gains, derivatives traders are not convinced the move marks the start of a sustained uptrend. Georgii Verbitskii, derivatives trader and founder of TYMIO, said the broader market context remains fragile. "The market still looks weak and unstable, more consistent with a bearish or transitional phase than a strong uptrend," he said, adding that expectations for large, sustained moves "should remain low" and that investor sentiment should stay "cautious." Prediction market Myriad reflects the mixed picture, with users currently pricing a 59% probability that Bitcoin's next major move is a pump to $84,000 -- down from 64% just a day earlier. The probability of a spring crypto rally has risen to 51%, up from 35% on April 1. Liquidity Risks Loom Two near-term headwinds could cap upside. First, US tax season, typically running through mid-to-late April, historically prompts portfolio rebalancing that can suppress risk asset gains. Second, Sun flagged a potential Treasury General Account refill as a structural liquidity risk. "The Treasury will once again withdraw liquidity from the market system, potentially suppressing high-elasticity risk assets like Bitcoin," he said, noting that the TGA balance is likely to return above $1 trillion based on Treasury financing patterns. If the $73,000–$75,000 range holds and downside risks remain contained, Sun identifies $79,000 as the next key level to watch.

The Federal Reserve is navigating a challenging period in its policy-making, according to Odaily. Federal Reserve official Harker stated that while inflation expectations appear to be relatively well-managed, the employment market is not seen as a source of inflationary pressure. He noted that supply shocks present a complex issue for monetary policy.

Following the suspension of its Stargate project in the UK, OpenAI announced it has abandoned plans to directly lease computing power from Norway's Narvik "Stargate Norway" data center. The project, originally planned for 230MW by UK AI cloud service startup Nscale, was intended to be built by OpenAI. Sources familiar with the matter said OpenAI had considered leasing approximately half of the facility's computing power but ultimately failed to reach an agreement with Nscale; the relevant computing power is now being handled by Microsoft. OpenAI stated it is negotiating with Microsoft to acquire Norwegian computing resources through its cloud services, a move that is financially more in line with its existing spending arrangements. (CNBC)

Federal Reserve official Hamak stated that this is a "difficult time" for Fed policymaking, with inflation expectations appearing relatively well-controlled. He does not believe the labor market is a source of inflationary pressure, and supply shocks are tricky for monetary policy. (Jinshi)

Inflation expectations seem to be relatively well-managed, according to Jin10, citing remarks from Federal Reserve official Hammack. The statement reflects ongoing efforts by the Federal Reserve to maintain economic stability amid fluctuating market conditions. Hammack's comments suggest confidence in the central bank's strategies to keep inflation in check, which is crucial for sustaining economic growth and consumer confidence. The Federal Reserve continues to monitor economic indicators closely to ensure that inflation remains within target levels, balancing the need for growth with price stability.

Federal Reserve official Patrick Harker stated that he does not view the job market as a source of inflationary pressure. According to Jin10, Harker emphasized that the current employment situation is not contributing to rising inflation rates. This perspective comes amid ongoing discussions about the factors influencing inflation and the broader economic landscape. Harker's comments suggest a focus on other elements that may be driving inflation, rather than attributing it to employment dynamics.

In less than 12 months, an employee laid off by OpenAI turned a $225 million investment into $5.5 billion, and the area he bet on was almost entirely outside the collective understanding of Wall Street.

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A fake Ledger wallet app on the App Store tricked users into entering seed phrases, leading to losses of about $9.5 million across more than 50 victims before it was removed. The scam was exposed by ZachXBT, while Apple said it had taken down the app and the developer after confirming it used bait-and-switch tactics to impersonate the real wallet service.

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The cost of accessing Donald Trump’s exclusive crypto gala has dropped more than 90% as the TRUMP memecoin continues to spiral downhill from its all time high, signaling how the memecoin could be shifting from a speculative asset to just a symbol of power and fame.

High Roller Technologies has partnered with Crypto.com to launch regulated prediction market products in the US, allowing users to trade event-based contracts across finance, sports and entertainment.