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At the "Crypto 2026: From Cryptocurrency to Smart Economy" themed forum held in Hong Kong, Dr. Daxue Wang, CFO of Lotus Technology Inc., delivered a keynote speech titled "Cryptocurrency Links to the Physical Industry, Smart Mobility on the Chain."Dr. Daxue Wang stated that smart mobility is the pioneering carrier of the smart economy. Lotus, as a luxury electric vehicle brand with a 78-year history, has been listed on NASDAQ and is actively exploring the deep integration of cryptocurrency technology with the physical industry. He proposed three major integration directions:First, safeguarding data value by utilizing the immutable nature of blockchain and privacy computing, allowing users to have absolute control over their personal data, achieving trustworthy data circulation and value flow. Second, releasing asset value by exploring the efficient circulation and fair trading of assets such as vehicle sales, brand value, intelligent driving technology patents, and global sales networks through RWA, while promoting trustworthy traceability of carbon assets in green mobility. Third, co-creating ecological value by recording data on driving, charging, maintenance, etc., through on-chain smart nodes, allowing users to upgrade from "car owners" to "participants in the brand ecosystem" through on-chain rights confirmation.Dr. Daxue Wang pointed out that the current challenges include compliance implementation, technology adaptation, and ecological co-construction, but the opportunities lie in open cooperation, promoting smart mobility as a practical landing scenario for the smart economy. Lotus hopes to work hand in hand with the cryptocurrency ecosystem to realize the vision of "from buying a Lotus car to sharing the growth value of Lotus technology."

The strategic director of Spark, monetsupply.eth, posted on platform X that as the stablecoin market begins to lack liquidity, the situation is entering a more dangerous phase. I believe that the ETH market is about 16.5% supported by rsETH, and if the loans supported by rsETH experience losses shared between the mainnet and external chains, there may be a 10% to 15% reduction in emode, leaving a remaining 2% to 3% reduction for ETH suppliers to smooth out the umbrella structure.ETH suppliers naturally tend to exit as soon as possible to avoid this risk, so the utilization rate is locked at 100%, and the borrowing rates are insufficient to incentivize the repayment of unrelated LST cycles (wstETH, weETH) to release liquidity. Since users cannot withdraw ETH, those who borrow stablecoins like USDT and use ETH as collateral cannot close their positions even when stablecoin borrowing rates rise, cutting off the typical incentive mechanism to maintain market health.Currently, two unhealthy incentives are causing the market utilization rate to be locked at 100%: 1) ETH holders cannot close their positions to maintain a healthy LTV, and liquidators cannot atomically withdraw or sell collateral, which may lead to bad debts if the ETHUSD price falls. 2) Users supplying USDT, in order to exit their holdings, tend to maximize borrowing of other stablecoins, which is currently generating positive returns (temporarily), thus the exit cost is low; if conditions worsen, they can at least recover 75% of the position value.The bottom line is that these pooled/re-staked lending markets must maintain liquidity at all costs to operate normally. The recent weakening of slope2 against Aave's maximum borrowing rate is having a negative impact and significantly increasing the risk of failure in the yield market.

etherFi posted on platform X that its Liquid treasury is temporarily not directly exposed to the Kelp rsETH event risk, but as a precautionary measure, it has suspended the LayerZero cross-chain bridging functionality for weETH and eETH until the root cause of the Kelp rs ETH event is clarified. Meanwhile, for Liquid (ETH, BTC, USD), sETHFI, and eBTC products, the relevant Teller contracts have been suspended to block the LayerZero OFT bridging path, and the deposit and withdrawal functions for the related assets have also been suspended. They are currently working closely with security partners and will provide timely updates once more details are confirmed.

According to Coinglass data, the current 8-hour average funding rate for ETH across the network is -0.0052%. Among the current mainstream exchanges, the rate on Binance is -0.0113%, OKX is -0.0036%, Bybit is -0.0096%, and Gate is 0%.

According to Coinglass data, the current 8-hour average funding rate for BTC across the network is -0.0025%. Among the current mainstream exchanges, the rate on Binance is -0.0072%, OKX is -0.001%, Bybit is -0.0019%, and Gate is -0.0018%.

According to Cointelegraph, Iran has designated Bitcoin for paying the oil transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, but insiders say that most of the funds are still settled through stablecoins.Hamid Hosseini, spokesperson for the Iranian Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters Union, stated that each tanker must report its cargo information to Iranian authorities via email, after which Iran will inform the amount of the fee to be paid, which must be paid in cryptocurrency. "Once the email arrives and Iran completes the assessment, the vessel will be given a few seconds to pay in Bitcoin, ensuring that it cannot be tracked or confiscated due to sanctions."

Lotus Technology Inc. (Lotus Technology, Nasdaq: LOT.US) Chief Financial Officer Dr. Wang Daxue confirmed his attendance at the forum themed "Crypto 2026: From Cryptocurrency to Smart Economy" held in Hong Kong on April 19, where he will present on the topic "Crypto Links to the Physical Industry, Smart Mobility on the Chain." This event is co-hosted by ChainCatcher and RootData and is one of the important peripheral activities during the Hong Kong Web3 Carnival.Lotus Technology has operational entities in the UK, EU, and China, with a sales network covering major markets worldwide. The company is committed to creating high-end luxury lifestyle vehicles, focusing on world-class R&D in next-generation automotive technologies such as electrification and intelligence.In recent performance communications from Lotus Technology, Dr. Wang Daxue emphasized cost optimization and operational efficiency improvements. As AI, crypto networks, and the physical industry accelerate their integration, his presentation will explore how on-chain technology can more deeply serve real-world applications from the perspective of the smart mobility industry. This forum will focus on the paradigm shift under the deep integration of AI technology and crypto networks, engaging in in-depth discussions around cutting-edge tracks such as AI Agent economy, smart payments, RWA, and crypto infrastructure.Event registration: https://luma.com/18v6vwpf

Alex Thorn, the research director at Galaxy Digital, posted on the X platform that the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list (SDN list) has historically involved 518 Bitcoin addresses, which have received a total of 249,814 BTC and sent 239,708 BTC, currently holding a net of about 9,306 BTC, worth approximately $707 million at current market prices.Thorn also stated that OFAC sanctions are only one of the means by which the U.S. intercepts illegal assets, and the CLARITY Act will further expand the Treasury's relevant powers.

According to Coinglass data, the current 8-hour average funding rate for BTC across the network is -0.0031%. Among the current mainstream exchanges, the funding rate for Binance is -0.0084%, OKX is -0.0071%, Bybit is -0.0028%, and Gate is -0.0037%.

According to Coinglass data, the current 8-hour average funding rate for BTC across the network is -0.0028%. Among the current mainstream exchanges, the rate on Binance is -0.0046%, OKX is -0.0012%, Bybit is -0.0092%, and Gate is 0.0032%.

Gate's outdoor crossover exhibition "Racing the Future" officially opened at the K11 MUSEA waterfront promenade in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. On the opening day, the event attracted a large number of citizens and tourists, with attendance exceeding ten thousand, and the waterfront area remained crowded, creating a lively atmosphere.As the official sponsor of the F1 Red Bull Racing team, Gate showcased the team's brand new 2026 racing car and related equipment at this exhibition, and set up an interactive experience area to attract visitors to closely experience the combination of racing engineering and speed culture. Many visitors stopped to take photos and engage with the interactive content. The racing suits, equipment, and gloves of champion driver Max Verstappen and driver Isack Hadjar were also on display, along with a giant driver helmet installation of Max Verstappen, drawing many fans to the event.In addition, Gate will hold the "Gate 13 Blue Carpet Ceremony" on April 20, where the unveiling of the F1 Red Bull Racing team's display car and brand collaboration will take place; that evening, Gate will also host a high-end anniversary dinner at the Rosewood Hong Kong, with platform founder and CEO Dr. Han in attendance, and over 300 representatives from top industry institutions and partners expected to participate in the exchange.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal cited by Jinshi, U.S. officials stated that the U.S. military is prepared to board and seize commercial vessels related to Iran in international waters within the next few days, expanding the scope of its naval operations beyond the Middle East.This plan comes as the Iranian military continues to strengthen its control over the Strait of Hormuz, having attacked multiple commercial vessels on Saturday and announced that the waterway is under "strict control" by Iran. These developments have caught shipping companies off guard, and just a day earlier, the Iranian Foreign Minister had claimed that the strait was fully open to commercial vessels, a statement that had received praise from President Trump.

Base Marketing Director Sarah Wolf tweeted that she will officially leave Coinbase after nearly five years of work. She joined Coinbase in 2023 as the first Builder Marketer, participating in and promoting Base from its initial small pizza party to an active builder community covering 52 countries.Sarah Wolf stated that after leaving, she will join Anthropic to be responsible for startup marketing, expressing her anticipation to support the startup ecosystem built around Claude.

According to Jinshi reports, global markets significantly rebounded over the past week driven by expectations of easing tensions in the Middle East, but core uncertainties remain unresolved. Iran once announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a rapid decline in oil prices, a broad strengthening of risk assets, U.S. stocks reaching new highs, a weakening dollar, and gold approaching the $4900 mark. However, Iran subsequently signaled that it "is still under military control," combined with the U.S. maintaining sanctions against Iran, which has heightened market concerns about the volatility of the situation.On the macro level, the biggest variable next week will still be the progress of U.S.-Iran negotiations. U.S. President Trump stated that negotiations may advance over the weekend and warned that if an agreement is not reached by next Wednesday, the ceasefire could end, and there is a risk of renewed conflict; meanwhile, Iran's attitude towards negotiations remains cautious, especially with significant differences on key issues such as uranium enrichment. The market has currently shifted from "pricing in conflict escalation" to "pricing in a path to easing," but any sudden changes could still trigger sharp asset fluctuations.In terms of interest rate expectations, the decline in energy prices has alleviated inflationary pressures, and the market's expectations for a rate cut by the Federal Reserve this year have risen to about 60%. At the same time, Federal Reserve Chair nominee Kevin Warsh will attend a Senate hearing next week, and his policy stance (especially whether it leans dovish) will become an important variable affecting gold and risk assets.On Tuesday at 20:30, U.S. March retail sales month-on-month;On Thursday at 20:30, U.S. initial jobless claims for the week ending April 18;On Thursday at 21:45, U.S. April S&P Global Manufacturing/Services PMI preliminary;On Friday at 22:00, U.S. April University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index final value, one-year inflation expectations final value;In the short term, the market's main focus will revolve around three major variables: progress in U.S.-Iran negotiations, oil price trends, and signals from the Federal Reserve.

According to the Iranian Tasnim News Agency on the 18th, Iran has not yet agreed to hold the next round of negotiations with the United States.

According to Coinglass data, the current 8-hour average funding rate for ETH across the network is -0.0036%. Among the current mainstream exchanges, the funding rate on Binance is -0.0011%, OKX is 0.0064%, Bybit is -0.0112%, and Gate is 0.0021%.

According to Coinglass data, the current 8-hour average funding rate for BTC across the network is -0.0064%. Among the current mainstream exchanges, the rate on Binance is -0.0071%, OKX is -0.0007%, Bybit is -0.0078%, and Gate is -0.0106%.

Recently, the internet police in Taizhou, Zhejiang, China reported a fraud case disguised as "metaverse" and "virtual currency."The criminal gang promoted facial recognition payment devices, initially attracting users through a points system, then luring investors to purchase their self-issued "air coins." They continuously siphoned off funds through methods such as locking assets, manipulating prices, and "currency swapping," ultimately defrauding over 130 investors of approximately 35 million yuan. The court determined that the defendants committed fraud with the intent of illegal possession, with the amount being particularly large, sentencing them to 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 yuan.

According to the official announcement, Bitget IPO Prime's first project preSPAX is now open for subscription, with the investment period ending on April 21 at 14:00 (UTC+8). The token allocation phase will take place from April 21 at 14:00 to 18:00 (UTC+8); spot trading will begin on April 21 at 20:00 (UTC+8). For more details, please refer to the Bitget official platform.