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Introduction: Vitalik recently published an article titled "Simplifying Ethereum L1", advocating for the introduction of RISC-V, promoting STARK technology, and mechanisms like 3-slot finality to reduce protocol complexity, aiming to simplify Ethereum to a level close to Bitcoin within five years. (Background: The Ethereum Foundation refused to disclose "Vitalik's voting weight", raising community concerns over governance transparency: fundamentally centralized) (Additional Context: Vitalik discusses AI: The "tree-ring model" reveals the reversal of the AI competition landscape between China and the US) Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin today wrote about "Simplifying L1", stating that if Ethereum is to become "the world ledger of civil assets and records", it needs scalability and resilience. He highlighted an often-underestimated factor in achieving resilience: "the simplicity of the protocol", which allows more developers to participate in core development, reduces error risks, and lowers maintenance costs, thus strengthening the overall decentralized foundation. He used Bitcoin as an example to illustrate the many benefits of its simple protocol, and reflected on how Ethereum's past over-design and numerous features led to maintenance difficulties, high entry barriers, and increased error likelihood, hoping to simplify Ethereum's core protocol to a level close to Bitcoin within the next five years. Simplifying the consensus layer: Embracing 3-slot finality and STARK technology First, Vitalik aims to significantly simplify Ethereum's "consensus system" by adopting a new method called "3-slot finality" to determine blocks, removing many complex settings, and even implementing it with just 200 lines of code, while also improving security. Furthermore, he promotes the use of STARK technology to compress verification information, allowing all nodes to participate without relying on a few individuals, thereby avoiding centralization. Finally, he also suggests redesigning the validators' entry and exit mechanisms to make the overall consensus protocol lighter and easier to verify. Note: A slot in Ethereum's consensus layer (Beacon Chain) is a "time unit", with each slot being 12 seconds. Simplifying the execution layer: Switching from EVM to RISC-V Next, in the execution layer, Vitalik expressed dissatisfaction with the EVM, believing its excessive optimization for specific cryptographic applications has become an unnecessary burden. He reiterated a previously proposed radical solution: replacing EVM with the open-source instruction set RISC-V or a similarly simple VM, listing multiple advantages: 100-fold efficiency improvement in a ZK environment, simple instruction set architecture, easier for developers to get started, increased contract size limits, and support for multi-language development (not just Solidity). He also admitted that this transition would take time, and in the short term, he still recommends implementing some lightweight upgrades to EVM (such as increasing contract size limits). Additional reading: Will Ethereum's "switch to RISC-V" scare away developers? OG warns: ETH ecosystem will be redistributed, small projects will flee to Solana. "Color-coded partitioning" strategy In practical implementation, Vitalik further proposed a "color-coded partitioning" strategy, which ensures that compatibility and user experience are not sacrificed during the transition process. This strategy divides the functions in the Ethereum protocol into three categories based on importance and risk levels, thus ensuring existing applications continue to operate while making the protocol itself simpler and more maintainable. 1) Green Zone: Critical consensus area, must be extremely simple. This part of the code directly affects "which block is considered valid". All nodes must execute this code without any errors. Therefore, the goal here is simplicity, verifiability, and low error risk. 2) Orange Zone: Historically compatible area, can be left for specific implementations to handle. These exist to preserve past historical transactions, contracts, and old version functionalities. While new nodes may not need these functions, old contracts still rely on them for execution of historical data. 3) Yellow Zone: Tool-assisted area, not part of blockchain consensus, but helps users understand and makes it easier for developers to operate. For example: When Etherscan displays account information, it interprets the operational details of ERC-4337, but this information does not affect the chain's consensus itself. Some block builders or wallets may optimize based on this data. Ultimately, Vitalik hopes to remove the current complex EVM from Ethereum's consensus core and replace it with a smart contract interpreter written in RISC-V, deployed on-chain as a general contract operation. In doing so, Ethereum's core only needs to understand the RISC-V virtual machine, significantly simplifying the protocol logic; while applications that need to execute old contracts can parse past EVM instructions through this interpreter. This design allows Ethereum to simplify its main system while still retaining compatibility. Setting a clear "maximum lines of code" goal In addition, Vitalik also suggests that Ethereum should use the same set of standard tools and formats across different technical layers in future designs, making it easier for developers to get started and improving overall network performance and security. At the same time, he calls for Ethereum to set a maximum protocol code line number target, like the lightweight deep learning framework tinygrad, and to shift the design culture from "functionalism" to "minimalism". Only through simple design can Ethereum truly become a globally trusted, decentralized, and maintainable infrastructure. Related reports: ADA founder slams Ethereum's "three major flaws": Vitalik admits Cardano is better, ETH may disappear in ten years. Technology) What is RISC-V that Vitalik advocates? Why does CKB-VM choose RISC-V? Analyzing Vitalik's strategic ambition to "replace EVM with RISC-V" to reconstruct Ethereum's execution layer. "Vitalik: Ethereum is overly complex, L1 should be simplified to "close to Bitcoin" level within five years". This article was first published in BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).

The Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting will be held tonight, which may be Buffett's last complete attendance for Q&A. Market focus includes the direction of the massive cash reserves, Apple shareholding strategy, outlook on the US economy, succession planning, and overseas investment prospects. (Background: Coca-Cola's stock price has hit a new high against the trend! Can learning from Buffett protect your investments from economic recession?) (Background: Buffett is loaded with US Treasury bonds! Berkshire's holdings exceed $300 billion 'far surpassing the Federal Reserve', what calculations is the Oracle of Omaha making?) Tonight, global investors will focus on the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting, which is highly significant, not only marking the 60th anniversary of Buffett's acquisition of the company but also potentially being the last time this legendary investor fully participates in the Q&A. In the context of high age and an uncertain global economic environment, this meeting is not only a convergence of wisdom but also the most critical public dialogue before Berkshire enters the 'post-Buffett era'. The Q&A session of this shareholders meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 PM tonight. At that time, the soon-to-be 95-year-old Buffett will be joined by his designated CEO successor Greg Abel (in charge of non-insurance businesses) and Ajit Jain, who heads the insurance business. Here are the key topics that may be discussed in this shareholders meeting: Speculation on the direction of massive cash reserves Berkshire's large and continuously growing cash reserves are a major focus of this meeting. As of February, its cash reserves have reached a record $334.2 billion. The market generally speculates on how Buffett will utilize this huge sum. Potential options include large-scale acquisitions (possible targets include energy, insurance, industrial sectors, or even privatizing major stocks like Coca-Cola or American Express, or increasing holdings in Occidental Petroleum), or accelerating stock buybacks. In the past, Buffett has been able to accurately bottom out during market chaos, whether he will take action again is one of the key questions this time. Portfolio adjustments and global economic outlook Berkshire's portfolio adjustments are also an important weather vane. Changes in the Apple holdings are particularly noteworthy, as its share has dropped from about half last year to 22%, and the market is eager for Buffett's explanation. Additionally, the judgment on the US economic outlook, as well as the impact of the trade war on Berkshire's businesses and overall investment portfolio, will also be key discussion points. In overseas markets, the investment strategy in Japan's five major trading companies has received high praise; in the Chinese market, after reducing holdings in BYD, whether there will be a reallocation or plans to shift to emerging markets like India is also of concern. At the same time, views on emerging technologies such as AI may also be mentioned. How to pass on wealth? Who will succeed? As early as last year's shareholder letter, Buffett clearly stated that Greg Abel's full succession is not far off, and the outside world expects this meeting to provide a clearer timeline for the leadership handover. Regarding Buffett's personal wealth transfer planning of over $150 billion, although he has repeatedly stated that he will donate 99.5%, it is still expected that he will further explain his values and arrangements during this meeting. This Berkshire shareholders meeting is not only a conveyance of Buffett's investment philosophy but may also symbolize a farewell and the opening of a new chapter. Regardless, this 60th anniversary shareholders meeting is a valuable 'Buffett lesson' for global investors. In the current context of intertwined policy volatility, how to allocate capital and face uncertainty, every word and action from Buffett will serve as a reference for market directional judgment.

A U.S. court has ruled that Apple violated an injunction, forcing Apple to loosen its App Store policies, allowing U.S. developers to direct users to external payments, which brings new opportunities for consumer-facing cryptocurrency applications. (Background: The Block and Morph report highlights: Catalysts for consumer-grade cryptocurrency ecosystems, building decentralized applications for everyday users) (Supplementary background: Overview of 10 potential cryptocurrency applications in the Base ecosystem: restaurant points, travel recommendations, fitness..) An important ruling from a U.S. court is impacting tech giant Apple, forcing it to make significant concessions regarding its strict iOS App Store policies. This change primarily affects applications in the U.S. region, allowing apps to direct to external payment methods and offering new possibilities for developers and users of NFT and cryptocurrency-related applications. The lawsuit from Epic Games against Apple's 'intentional' defiance The direct cause of this policy adjustment stems from the long-standing antitrust legal battle between Epic Games (the well-known developer of Fortnite) and Apple. On April 30, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple 'intentionally' violated the court injunction issued in 2021 regarding this case. The injunction required Apple to allow developers to direct users to external websites for purchases within apps and not to charge fees for such transactions. However, in 2024, Apple implemented a new policy that charged a 27% fee on purchases completed through external links. The court deemed this practice a violation of the prior injunction and considered it anti-competitive behavior. The court thus ordered Apple to immediately stop charging commissions on external purchases and not to impose any restrictions that hinder developers from directing users to external payment methods. External payment channels officially unblocked In response to the court's ruling, Apple quickly updated its iOS App Store review guidelines and has informed iOS developers that, effective immediately, applications in the U.S. App Store will no longer restrict developers from adding buttons, external links, or other calls to action when showcasing NFTs owned by others. Apple also stated that the relevant injunction regarding directing users to payment methods outside of in-app purchases no longer applies in the U.S. region. This means that developers can now set links or buttons directing to external payment pages within their applications without having to pay Apple a 27% fee. This change significantly reduces the operational costs for related applications, allowing many large iOS apps to launch promotional offers for U.S. users. This just in: In a victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors, Apple has approved Spotify’s U.S. app update. After nearly a decade, this will finally allow us to freely show clear pricing information and links to purchase, fostering transparency and choice for U.S.… https://t.co/dWhXLLLcpr — Spotify News (@SpotifyNews) May 2, 2025 Positive developments for consumer-grade cryptocurrency applications The loosening of Apple's policies brings substantial benefits to developers in the cryptocurrency and NFT industries. Farcaster software engineer Wojciech Kulikowski noted that this move could trigger a 'generation-level consumer crypto bull market' and open up more experimental space, allowing previously blocked native cryptocurrency mobile applications to re-enter the stage. Challenges remain Despite the policy loosening, Apple still maintains restrictions on certain cryptocurrency-related activities, such as apps being prohibited from cryptocurrency mining, launching initial coin offerings (ICOs), or rewarding users with tokens for completing tasks. At the same time, Apple plans to appeal the court ruling, which casts uncertainty on future developments, requiring developers to pay attention to potential legal changes while adapting to the new policy. Furthermore, this ruling currently only applies to the U.S. region, and applications in overseas markets must still comply with Apple's original payment rules. Related reports Apple and Meta fined €700 million for violating the EU's 'Digital Markets Act'; is cryptocurrency payment in the App Store not far off? Apple removes 14 'unregistered overseas exchanges' in South Korea, including KuCoin and MEXC, with unlicensed operations facing up to five years in prison Apple breathes a sigh of relief! Trump announces: Electronic products like phones and computers are granted tariff exemptions; will iPhones not increase in price? "Apple ruled to have intentionally violated the law! iOS apps in the U.S. can freely direct sales without a 27% commission; will cryptocurrency mobile applications explode?" This article was first published in BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).

X meme account @gork gained popularity with a sarcastic style and today received attention and a reply from Musk, causing the price of its namesake meme coin $GORK to soar over 4.6 times in just one hour. (Background: Coingecko reports that over 50% of the 7 million altcoins/meme coins created in the past four years are now dead) (Additional context: The meme coin $MIKAMI related to Yua Mikami opened for presale, raising over 2 million dollars in 4 hours) On May 1, the @gork account on X platform went viral, mimicking the AI model 'Grok' developed by Musk's xAI, attracting a large following with its extreme sarcastic meme content. Many of its humorous dialogues are both amusing and absurd. This also sparked significant user interaction, even the well-known 'On-Chain Emperor' 0xSun started following and interacting with it. Other prominent KOLs following this account include Shapolang, Liangfen Xiaodao, Changwei Xi, Laser Cat, CryptoCat, Magnolia, and others. As the account gained fame, the namesake meme coin $GORK also surged significantly, with its market value surpassing 63 million dollars within two days, but later experienced nearly a 50% pullback. Attention and Reply from Musk However, early this morning, @gork suddenly gained Musk's attention and received a heart smiley emoji reply on a related post. Many users expressed excitement over Musk's attention, believing it was a form of 'recognition' for the account. As a result, the price of $GORK quickly rose from 0.01684 dollars to 0.07784 dollars, hitting a new high, increasing by more than 4.6 times in less than an hour and a half. Potential Impact Musk's attention has historically had a significant short-term driving effect on meme coin prices, as seen with Dogecoin and Shiba Inu in the past. Discussions on the X platform indicate that some investors expect @gork ($GORK) could receive greater attention due to further interactions from Musk (such as retweets or public mentions), and there could even be some connection with Musk's xAI project. However, all of this remains speculation; meme coins are typically highly volatile and speculative. While attention from celebrities like Musk may drive prices up rapidly, there is also a substantial risk of significant pullback. Investors should carefully evaluate before investing. Related Reports Meme coin brainwashing culture prevails: When the Italian Shanhaijing and Tungtungtung go on-chain Trump announces 'Trump meme coin' for the top 220 participants to join a dinner on 5/22, token surges 60% US senators call for Trump's impeachment: $TRUMP meme coin 'selling out the White House backdoor' meets impeachment threshold "Sarcastic account gork goes viral! Musk personally replies and shows attention, meme coin GORK skyrockets 4 times surpassing 70 million dollars" This article was first published on BlockTempo (BlockTempo - The most influential blockchain news media).

Non-farm employment is strong, suppressing interest rate cut expectations. Nick Timiraos pointed out that Federal Reserve officials tend to wait and see, with Goldman Sachs and Barclays both delaying their forecasts to July. The direction of Federal Reserve policy will still depend on future data. (Background: Bitwise predicts that the 'four major U.S. brokerage firms' will open Bitcoin ETFs by the end of the year; is a true bull market for cryptocurrency coming?) (Context: Is the U.S. neglecting its allies Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea? Trump: I have no regrets at all; imposing a 145% tariff on China is what they deserve.) The U.S. April non-farm employment report was stronger than expected. Although it boosted U.S. stocks and the cryptocurrency market significantly, it also cooled market expectations for a rate cut by the Federal Reserve in June. Nick Timiraos, a journalist known as the 'voice of the Fed' (Wall Street Journal), bluntly stated that there are no signals in the job market indicating a 'need to cut rates'; officials are likely to continue to wait until a clearer turning point emerges. Extended reading: U.S. April non-farm data exceeds expectations! Bitcoin approaches $98,000, and the S&P hits a 20-year record with nine consecutive gains. Timiraos: The chances of a June rate cut have significantly decreased. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the non-farm employment population increased by 177,000 in April, exceeding the market expectation of 138,000, indicating that corporate hiring activity remains resilient. The unemployment rate remains at 4.2%, and the labor force participation rate slightly increased to 62.6%. Although the data for March was revised down by a total of 58,000, the overall trend has not shown a significant weakening. Timiraos pointed out that to cut rates, a notable increase in the unemployment rate needs to be observed. However, the April data shows no general decline in job vacancies, which leaves the Federal Reserve lacking a basis for a shift before next week’s meeting, making it highly likely to remain cautious and even avoid releasing any signals indicating readiness to cut rates in June. Timiraos additionally noted on X that the April unemployment rate, if calculated without rounding, is actually 4.187%, slightly up from March's 4.152%, indicating that the overall situation remains stable. He also emphasized: Over the past six months, the U.S. has averaged 193,000 new jobs per month, supporting the vitality of the job market. The number of permanently unemployed in April was 1.9 million, which, while setting a new high for this cycle, accounts for only 1.1% of the private labor force and has not constituted policy pressure. The total employment index increased by 5.3% year-on-year, highly correlated with nominal GDP growth, indicating that economic activity still has expansionary strength. Even excluding government, education, and healthcare sectors, employment in March and April still added 96,000 and 97,000 jobs, respectively, refuting some views that employment data is 'beautified.' Additionally, Timiraos observed that recently some individuals who had not been seeking jobs are starting to return to the workforce, a change that aligns with the Federal Reserve's rate cuts last autumn, suggesting that expectations for easing policies are slowly translating into real economic momentum. Some Trump advisers have characterized prior job growth as being flattered by ('brittle' due to) government or acyclical health care + education hiring. This wasn't the case in March + April. Hiring less government, education, health services was +96K and +97K, respectively. pic.twitter.com/VFKZDZuYSn — Nick Timiraos (@NickTimiraos) May 2, 2025. The probability of a June rate cut has plummeted to 34%. This report also caused a sharp reversal in market attitudes that had originally bet on a June rate cut. The CME FedWatch tool shows that the market probability of a June rate cut has dropped from 75% last week to 34%. Goldman Sachs and Barclays have also simultaneously delayed their first rate cut forecast to July. Goldman Sachs and Barclays: Forecasting the rate cut has been postponed to July. Following the strong non-farm data release, Goldman Sachs and Barclays simultaneously revised their forecasts, pushing back the timing of the Federal Reserve's first rate cut from June to July. Goldman Sachs pointed out that the April employment data shows that the underlying job growth remains stable at a monthly increase of 149,000, reflecting that economic activity has not significantly slowed down, and the Federal Reserve has no urgent reason to shift. The bank still expects three rate cuts of 25 basis points each in 2024, with timings falling in July, September, and December. Barclays believes that delaying until the end of July will allow decision-makers to observe more changes in the labor market and wait until uncertainties around tariffs and fiscal policy are clarified before making decisions. Both institutions emphasized that if subsequent data remains strong, the timing of rate cuts may be further delayed. Trump again criticizes the Fed for needing to cut rates. Despite the cooling of rate cut expectations, Trump, who continues to pressure the Federal Reserve to cut rates, quickly posted on Truth Social claiming, 'There is no inflation; the Fed should cut rates!' Gas prices have just fallen below $1.98 per gallon, a multi-year low, grocery (including eggs!) prices are down, energy prices are down, mortgage rates are down, employment is strong, and there is more good news because billions of dollars are flooding in through tariffs. As I said, we are just in a transitional phase; it has only just begun! Consumers have been waiting for several years to finally see prices drop. Now there is no inflation; the Fed should cut rates! The rate cut process needs to focus on more data. The April non-farm report is the last labor market indicator before the Federal Reserve's May meeting, showing that the U.S. economy has not significantly stalled, and there is a lack of pressure to force the central bank to lower interest rates in the short term. The market will next focus on price data such as CPI and PCE, as well as Federal Reserve officials' speeches to see if July will truly become the starting point for a policy shift. While expectations for rate cuts have not been extinguished, they have become more cautious amid the tug-of-war between inflation and employment. Related reports: The Federal Reserve's latest (Beige Book) analysis: Business concerns escalate, market and policy pressures intensify. Is there a major positive for Bitcoin coming? The U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve report will be released before May 5. The U.S. economy exploded) the first quarter GDP unexpectedly shrank by 0.3%, but core inflation heated up; is the real economic recession just a technical distortion? 'Non-farm employment too strong! The Fed's voice: The chances of a June rate cut have greatly decreased, and Goldman Sachs and Barclays have changed their tune to 'wait until July.' This article was first published in BlockTempo (BlockTempo - the most influential blockchain news media).

The US stock market surged due to strong non-farm data and signs of easing in US-China trade relations, with the S&P 500 index setting the longest winning streak in over 20 years, and Bitcoin rising to nearly $98,000. (Background: Bitcoin surged to $97,000, technical analysts call for a parabolic revival, on-chain analysts estimate BTC could reach $175,000) (Additional context: Coca-Cola's stock price hits a new high against the trend! Can learning from Buffett shield your investments from economic downturns?) The US stock market experienced significant gains on Friday (the 2nd), with all three major indices rising, particularly the S&P 500 index, which closed higher for the ninth consecutive trading day, setting the longest winning streak in over 20 years. Behind this surge are two key driving forces: one is the better-than-expected non-farm payroll report, which alleviated concerns about a potential slowdown in the economy; the other is the emerging signs of easing in US-China trade relations, boosting market optimism. Non-farm payrolls exceed expectations, unemployment rate steady According to the latest data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the non-farm payrolls in April increased by 177,000, significantly higher than the market expectation of 138,000. Although this figure is slightly lower than the revised 185,000 in March, it remains strong. This report effectively eased market concerns about a rapid deterioration in the US economy, thereby boosting investors' risk appetite. Looking closely at the data, the unemployment rate remained low at 4.2%, while average hourly earnings increased by 0.2% month-over-month, with a year-over-year growth rate of 3.8%. These figures together depict a resilient labor market. Easing of US-China trade tensions In addition to the favorable economic data, signs of easing in US-China trade relations have also injected optimism into the market. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated yesterday that Beijing is evaluating the possibility of restarting trade negotiations with the US, while emphasizing that the US needs to show sincerity, especially in being prepared to address key issues such as lifting unilateral tariffs. Meanwhile, a report from the Wall Street Journal indicated that China is considering taking action to address the fentanyl crisis raised by the US, which is seen as a positive signal that could pave the way for the resumption of trade talks. All four indices rise Stimulated by the above positive news, all four major US stock indices rose on Friday: The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 564.47 points, an increase of 1.39%, closing at 41,317.43 points. The Nasdaq Composite rose by 266.99 points, an increase of 1.51%, closing at 17,977.73 points. The S&P 500 index rose by 82.53 points, an increase of 1.47%, closing at 5,686.67 points. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index performed particularly well, rising by 149.39 points, an increase of 3.52%, closing at 4,397.05 points. Among them, all 11 sectors of the S&P 500 index showed a broad rise, with communication services stocks leading with a 2.31% increase, followed closely by financial stocks, which rose by 2.15%, collectively becoming the main driving force in the market. In terms of individual stocks, most technology stocks showed strong performance; however, Apple fell by 3.74% due to the forward-looking impact of tariff costs after its earnings report, and Amazon also saw a slight decline of 0.12% due to disappointing financial forecasts and slowing growth in its cloud business. In addition, Taiwan's ADRs generally rose, with TSMC's ADR increasing by 3.80%. Bitcoin briefly approached $98,000 As US stocks opened higher last night, Bitcoin also strengthened simultaneously. According to Binance's spot data, after the employment data was released, Bitcoin rose from $96,500, reaching a high of $97,895 at 10:45 PM. However, selling pressure emerged afterward, and before the deadline, it had fallen back to $96,484, down 0.38% in nearly 24 hours. Related reports Bitcoin breaks through $96,000, will the consolidation end and explode? Traders closely watch tomorrow's US non-farm employment data US stocks plummeted nearly to a circuit breaker! Non-farm payrolls surged by 228,000, exceeding expectations, with Bitcoin soaring past $84,000 as a safe haven? US non-farm data is coming tonight! Analysis: Bitcoin is severely oversold, a weak labor market may lead to a rebound in cryptocurrencies "US April non-farm data exceeds expectations! Bitcoin approaches $98,000, and S&P sets a 20-year record with nine consecutive gains" This article was first published on BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).

In response to Taiwanese users' concerns about content censorship and data security, Meta issued a rare statement to clarify, but it seems a little late. (Previous story: Zuckerberg is finished! Antitrust settlement fails, "FTC wants to fine 30 billion US dollars", WSJ: Meta only wants to pay 450 million magnesium, which even IG can't afford) (Background supplement: Former Meta executives revealed Zuckerberg's crimes of licking the Communist Party: secretly creating "Facebook Taiwan and Hong Kong Speech Censorship" tools, selling Facebook users' privacy) Do you believe in Meta or do you believe that I am Qin Shi Huang? In recent years, social media giant Meta has been constantly questioned by Taiwanese users. The Meta series of products (Facebook, Instagram, Threads and other platforms) have been accused of cooperating with the Chinese government to conduct content censorship and share Taiwanese user data, triggering concerns and the "#DeleteFacebook" campaign. Former Meta executive Sarah Wynn-Williams also testified in the U.S. Congress in April, accusing Meta founder Zuckerberg of personally leading a plan to curry favor with Beijing in order to enter the Chinese market and developing censorship tools that have been used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. To this end, Meta issued a rare official statement on May 2, 2025 to clarify such sensitive issues in detail. Meta’s core clarifications are summarized in three points: 1. It solemnly declares that it has never accepted the Chinese government’s content censorship of Taiwanese users; 2. It emphasizes that it has never shared any Taiwanese user information with the Chinese government, and the content review team is not in China; 3. It reiterates its commitment to building a safe and free platform in Taiwan, defending freedom of speech and protecting user information. Meta: Global and Local Implementation Meta means that all user-posted content is reviewed in accordance with the globally unified (community guidelines), which aims to prohibit inappropriate content and does not serve any specific government. Review combines technology and human teams. For Taiwan content, a review team of native Traditional Chinese speakers was specially hired to cover the globe and across time zones to understand Taiwan's cultural context. This move also refuted rumors that the team was in China. As for politically sensitive words, Meta said that their political implications need to be judged based on the context. Compliance and Transparency Report In terms of user data protection, Meta emphasizes strict compliance with laws and regulations such as the US Stored Communications Act. Meta solemnly clarifies that it has never shared any Taiwan user information with the Chinese government or provided it upon its request.Its data protection policy is strict and protects Taiwanese users according to the law. Meta's government data request report, which is published every six months, shows that it responds to legitimate requests from various countries in accordance with the law, and the report does not include China's data requests for Taiwan. Users are still dissatisfied. The controversy originated from rumors circulating in Taiwanese social networks, which were linked to the poor handling of fraudulent accounts by some users and doubts about the transparency of the determination of politically sensitive words, and triggered the "#DeleteFacebook" campaign. Meta's response to the controversy was to reiterate the principles of "fairness and transparency" and encourage users to report back through the complaint mechanism. On a legal level, although Taiwan's (Personal Information Protection Law) has limited constraints on multinational companies, Meta emphasizes that it follows "U.S. regulations first" in dealing with data protection issues. But looking at the comments from users who responded to Meta's post, 80% of them were negative responses, questioning whether Meta was lying. Looking back at the background that Meta had publicly expressed interest in entering the Chinese market but no consensus was reached and the service was not operated in China, Meta Asia Pacific senior executive Simon Milner personally denied the accusation of developing censorship tools to cooperate with China. Although Meta seemed to have "stopped the bleeding" immediately, judging from the social media trend, it seems that the wound had been torn for many years. It is too late to mend it now. It has a taste of post-public relations, which has made the people who were originally dissatisfied with Meta even more angry. Related reports Apple and Meta were fined 700 million euros for violating the EU's "Digital Markets Act". Will it be soon possible to use encrypted payments in the App Store? Zuckerberg is done! Antitrust settlement failed "FTC wants to fine $30 billion", WSJ: Meta only wants to pay 450 million magnesium, which even IG can't afford "Meta solemnly refutes: We have never cooperated with China to censor Taiwanese content or share user information" This article was first published in BlockTempo (BlockTempo - the most influential blockchain news media).

Movement officially claims to have been misled into signing a malicious agreement, which experts point out may facilitate price manipulation. This article is sourced from Sam Kessler's piece on Coindesk (Movement Token Slumps 14% as Coinbase Suspends Trading), compiled and written by Chain Catcher. (Background: Binance exposed the market maker's 'malicious dumping of MOVE' that reaped $38 million, and the foundation: will initiate a buyback. The community angrily revealed the culprit is it.) (Additional context: Movement announced $MOVE tokenomics: 50% for the community, a full organization of the mainnet and roadmap.) Event highlights: Movement Labs is investigating whether it was misled into signing a market-making agreement without full knowledge. The agreement transferred control of 66 million MOVE tokens to an unidentified intermediary, resulting in a massive sell-off worth $38 million immediately after the token was listed. Internal contracts show a company with almost no digital footprint, Rentech, appeared on both sides of the transaction: on one side as a subsidiary of Web3Port, and on the other as an agent of the Movement Foundation, raising external doubts about 'self-dealing'. Insiders at the Movement Foundation initially warned about this transaction, calling it 'the worst agreement they had ever seen'; experts pointed out that the agreement may structurally induce pre-emptive actions to inflate the token price and then dump the tokens to retail investors. This incident exposed serious divisions among the senior leadership of Movement: executives, legal advisors, and project consultants pushed the transaction despite internal opposition, and their actions are currently under full scrutiny. A financial agreement originally intended to boost the listing of the MOVE cryptocurrency ultimately turned into a token sell-off scandal, not only leading to Binance banning trading but also sparking intense internal disputes within the team. Documents obtained by CoinDesk reveal the key issues of this crisis and explain how the incident spiraled out of control. According to internal documents reviewed by CoinDesk, the blockchain project Movement—developer of the MOVE cryptocurrency—is investigating whether it was misled into signing a financial agreement without full knowledge. This agreement granted a single entity extraordinarily concentrated control over the MOVE token market. This agreement led to 66 million tokens being rapidly dumped into the market the day after the MOVE token was first listed on exchanges on December 9, triggering a price crash and igniting strong suspicions of 'insider trading'. Notably, the project received backing from World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture capital platform supported by Trump. Cooper Scanlon, co-founder of Movement Labs, stated in a Slack message on April 21 that the company is investigating why over 5% of MOVE tokens originally reserved for market maker Web3Port were transferred through an intermediary named Rentech. He pointed out, 'The foundation was originally led to believe that Rentech was a subsidiary of Web3Port, but the facts are clearly not so.' Rentech denies any false statements or misleading actions. Slack message from Movement co-founder Cooper Scanlon. Rentech is spelled 'Rentek'. (Obtained by CoinDesk) According to an internal memorandum from the Movement Foundation, the contract signed with Rentech effectively lent about half of the publicly circulating MOVE tokens to a single trading counterparty. This gave that entity extraordinarily large control over this early-stage token. Several experts told CoinDesk that such arrangements are highly unusual. Even more concerning, the version of the contract obtained by CoinDesk shows it included an incentive mechanism for 'manipulating the token price to a fully diluted valuation exceeding $5 billion, then dumping the tokens to retail investors and proportionately sharing the profits.' Senior crypto project founder Zaki Manian bluntly stated after reviewing the documents: 'Even just participating in such a black-and-white written contract is crazy.' Market makers are typically hired to provide liquidity for newly issued tokens, usually trading on exchanges with funds lent by the token issuer, thereby stabilizing prices. However, this role can also be easily abused, allowing insiders to quietly manipulate the market and cash out large amounts of tokens without immediately alerting the public. A series of contract documents obtained by CoinDesk reveal the gray areas in the crypto industry characterized by weak regulation and opaque legal structures—these loopholes often turn publicly-facing projects into tools for the benefit of a select few. Although rumors of market-making mechanisms being abused are common in the crypto circle, specific details behind them are rarely made public. The market-making contract reviewed by CoinDesk shows that Rentech appeared simultaneously as an agent of the Movement Foundation and as a subsidiary of Web3Port in the agreement—this 'dual identity' arrangement theoretically enabled it to dominate terms and profit from them. Ultimately, the collaboration between Movement and Rentech resulted in a wallet associated with the Chinese financial company Web3Port rapidly dumping $38 million worth of MOVE tokens the day after the token was listed on exchanges. Web3Port claims to have collaborated with projects like MyShell, GoPlus Security, and Trump-backed World Liberty Financial. Due to misconduct, the exchange Binance subsequently banned the market-making account, and Movement announced it would initiate a token buyback program. Similar to stock options mechanisms in startups, tokens in crypto projects typically have lock-up periods to prevent insiders from dumping large amounts of tokens during the project's early trading stages. However, Binance's ban decision has raised market doubts about Movement—there is a widespread belief that the project team may have reached some form of advance unlocking agreement with Web3Port, although Movement denies this claim. Mutual accusations Movement is one of the most closely watched crypto projects in recent years, positioned as a next-generation Layer 2 blockchain aimed at enhancing Ethereum's scalability based on the Move programming language launched by Facebook. The project was founded by two young individuals, Rushi Manche and Cooper Scanlon, who dropped out of Vanderbilt University at just 22 years old and successfully raised $38 million.

The Ethereum scalability solution Layer-2 (L2) ecosystem is becoming increasingly complex, with some raising concerns about centralization. Against this backdrop, the Ethereum R1 solution, which emphasizes no native tokens and relies on donations, was born to challenge the existing model and aims to return to the decentralized spirit of Ethereum, drawing attention to its pros and cons and the impact on the ecosystem. (Background: Is the Ethereum community suggesting to abandon EVM with the removal of EOF in the scheduled Ethereum Fusaka upgrade by the end of 2025?) (Supplementary background: Is Ethereum openly outperforming Solana? The community proposal to 'increase gas limits by a hundred times' theoretically boosts TPS to over 2000) Ethereum scalability has always been a core challenge in the blockchain field. To address the issues of mainnet congestion and high transaction fees, Layer-2 (L2) is seen as the key pathway for Ethereum to achieve large-scale applications. However, with the emergence of other high TPS public chains and alternative products recently, along with the decline in ETH prices, voices of concern have begun to emerge within the Ethereum community, worrying whether the development direction of these L2s aligns with the interests of Ethereum's base layer and its decentralized spirit. Today (2), a group of independent Ethereum developers launched 'Ethereum R1,' a concept-driven L2 solution that does not include a native Layer2 token ETH, relies entirely on user-donated ETH for operational funds, and emphasizes decentralization and censorship resistance. Can the distinctive Ethereum R1 bring a true demonstration of decentralization to L2? The launch of Ethereum R1 in the current environment represents the community's feedback on the recent disputes within the Ethereum foundation. The Principles of Ethereum R1 The core feature of Ethereum R1 lies in its 'no native token' economic model. The Ethereum R1 team believes that a universal L2 should be a commoditized infrastructure that is simple, interchangeable, and avoids reliance on any centralized entities or introducing governance risk. They emphasize the core principles of 'trustworthy neutrality,' 'decentralization,' and 'censorship resistance.' As highlighted by the Ethereum R1 team in their official statement, their launch is a response to internal concerns within the Ethereum community regarding the over-commercialization of many current L2 solutions, the introduction of complex governance tokens, and a tendency toward independent blockchains (similar to new L1s). These concerns mainly focus on the potential inconsistency of privately distributed tokens with the interests of Ethereum's base layer, opaque or centralized governance mechanisms, and the risks of potential centralized control. The no-native-token model of Ethereum R1 has potential advantages. Firstly, it reduces the likelihood of speculation, making its value more closely tied to Ethereum's own ETH. Secondly, this simple design may facilitate future interoperability between different L2 networks. It aims to establish a neutral, minimalist, universal Rollup layer to reduce reliance on specific decentralized application (dApp) providers and serve as a purely transaction processing layer, countering the trend of some L2s increasingly resembling independent L1s. Challenges of Ethereum R1 and Outlook for L2 Ecosystem Although Ethereum R1's philosophy aligns more closely with the original spirit of Ethereum, its unique operational model faces significant challenges. The first challenge is the sustainability of funding; relying entirely on donations presents greater uncertainty in long-term development and operational funding compared to L2 solutions that have venture capital support and possess independent tokens for financing and incentives. The lack of a native token as an incentive mechanism raises a practical question of how to attract enough developers to build applications on its platform and draw in enough users for transactions in a competitive L2 ecosystem, especially given the complexities of zero-knowledge proof technology (ZK-Rollup), where tokens typically play an important role in financing and incentives. This may hinder the no-token L2 model's capabilities in ecological construction, developer incentives, and investment in cutting-edge technology compared to token-based competitors. Nevertheless, the emergence of Ethereum R1 injects a mindset emphasizing the value of decentralization into the current distracted Ethereum Layer-2, directly criticizing that current Layer2s may not have sufficient Ethereum value. It reminds the entire community that there is not just one way to scale, and returning to and upholding the core values of blockchain is equally important. Whether Ethereum R1 can survive may be a significant question, but its emergence and the thoughtful reminders it brings serve as a wake-up call for increasingly homogenized Layer2 solutions that have lost the value of their native cryptocurrencies. Whether the Ethereum community can accommodate the existence of idealism and maintain the value of its existence will also test the future funding operations of the Ethereum foundation. Related Reports: Jesse, the head of the Base chain, responds to the Chinese community: How does it differ from Solana's positioning? Can it help Ethereum out of its predicament? Ethereum proposes 'Square Root Dynamic Fee Rate' reform! Balancing users and rewarding builders, can it restore community confidence? After ten years of trials and tribulations, can Ethereum welcome a 'great surge'? "The Ethereum community protests against 'over-commercialization of L2', and an independent team promotes Ethereum R1's insistence on not issuing tokens and relying on decentralized fundraising." This article was first published on BlockTempo (BlockTempo - the most influential blockchain news media).

Arthur Hayes tweeted: Altcoins? They might be right in front of us! Just as the price of Hyperliquid (HYPE) tokens has surged strongly, let's analyze HYPE's recent performance, driving factors, and future outlook. (Background: Arthur Hayes' latest interview: Bitcoin and Ethereum have bottomed out, where will new liquidity come from? How to select targets at this stage?) (Additional context: Arthur Hayes: 'Now' might be the last chance to buy Bitcoin below $100,000!) In the cryptocurrency market, the much-anticipated 'altcoin season' has always been a hot topic in the community. Today, Arthur Hayes made a brief post on social media that reignited this discussion: 'Recently, many people ask me when alt season will come? Sometimes it's just staring you in the face. HYPE' The most asked question of me recently: wen alt szn? Sometimes it’s just staring you in the face. $HYPE pic.twitter.com/SoUcFhOtAQ — Arthur Hayes (@CryptoHayes) May 2, 2025 He posted a picture of the Hyperliquid (HYPE) token price breaking through 20 USDT, quickly capturing the market's attention, and this strong hint aligns with Hyperliquid (HYPE)'s recent astonishing price performance. Arthur Hayes' comments on 'HYPE' As a heavyweight commentator in the cryptocurrency field, Arthur Hayes' statements always ripple through the market. This tweet, 'Sometimes alt season is right in front of you. HYPE', is widely interpreted as a hint that altcoin season may be approaching. Let's look back at his previous definitions regarding the occurrence of alt season. Hayes has emphasized that when Bitcoin's dominance rises, it usually signals a risk-averse market, and one should prioritize Bitcoin (BTC) at this time. He suggested that it is still too early for large-scale investments in most altcoins until Bitcoin's dominance stabilizes. The '$HYPE' mentioned here leans more towards representing the 'speculative' sentiment in the market due to expectations of an altcoin rebound rather than directly pointing to a specific token. HYPE's Strong Rebound Coincidentally, around the time Arthur Hayes posted, Hyperliquid has seen a cumulative surge of over 115% since the low on April 7, showing a strong short-term upward trend. In the past month, its monthly increase has reached as high as 55%. In terms of technical indicators, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) was close to 64 on April 29, indicating it has not yet entered the traditional overbought territory. Additionally, the previously appeared MACD bearish crossover warning seems to have eased with the breakout on May 2, indicating that short-term bearish pressure has lessened. Multiple Factors Behind HYPE's Surge Hyperliquid (HYPE)'s recent impressive price performance can be viewed through some superficially positive factors. In the past month, the open interest in the derivatives market has significantly increased by nearly 14%, which is the first positive factor for DEX. On the fundamental side, the Validator Update on the Hyperliquid platform recently introduced 21 permissionless nodes, significantly enhancing the platform's decentralization and security (mitigating some community criticisms). Moreover, the changes in the fee structure brought about by the introduction of the staking mechanism have lowered trading costs, which is expected to attract more users to trade on the platform, thereby increasing demand for HYPE tokens. As a high-performance Layer1 platform focused on low-slippage trading, Hyperliquid benefits from the overall growth of the decentralized perpetual contract market, which also provides ongoing fundamental support for HYPE's price. Despite the recent strong performance, Hyperliquid (HYPE) faces significant resistance levels near $20 and $22, where a large amount of selling pressure has accumulated. Whether it can successfully break through and stabilize will be key to determining HYPE's future price trend. Additionally, from a technical support perspective, if HYPE cannot hold the support level of $17, it may trigger a wave of decline. Related Reports Tether Q1 Report: Holding nearly $120 billion in US Treasuries, a record-breaking quarter with a profit of $1 billion Tether cross-chain stablecoin USDT0 launched on Flare! $FLR surged 18%, is the XRP DeFi ecosystem benefiting? "Arthur Hayes: Alt Season is Right in Front of Us! Focus on HYPE's Ambition of a 50% Monthly Increase" This article was first published on BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).

This report statistically discloses the scale of major types of crypto crimes and clarifies the impact of compliance facilities on the scale of the criminal industry, urging the industry and government to pay attention to the harm caused by crypto crimes. (Background: Trump believes that 'cracking down on crypto crime' harms U.S. competitiveness; orders the Justice Department to suspend cross-border law enforcement, raising concerns in the legal community) (Additional background: SEC chairman requests a budget of $2.4 billion! Opening 170 positions to strengthen the fight against crypto crime) 2024 is a milestone year for the Web3 industry. The market value of crypto and the adoption of industry infrastructure have reached unprecedented heights, while the criminal industry has increasingly utilized crypto infrastructure to optimize its business or create new criminal normalization. This report statistically discloses the scale of major types of crypto crimes and clarifies the impact of compliance facilities on the scale of the criminal industry, urging the industry and government to pay attention to the harm caused by crypto crimes. Due to space constraints, this article only presents part of the report's conclusions and data; you are welcome to download the full version from the Bitrace official website. https://bitrace.io/en/blog The landscape of cryptocurrency crime remains severe. High-risk addresses receiving stablecoins Considering that risky activities mainly occur in Ethereum and Tron networks, Bitrace defines blockchain addresses used by illegal entities to receive, transfer, and store stablecoins (erc20_usdt, erc20_usdc, trc20_usdt, trc20_usdc) in these two networks as high-risk addresses. In the past year of 2024, the total receipt scale of these high-risk addresses reached $64.9 billion, slightly higher than the previous year. The proportion of high-risk activities in the total transaction scale of stablecoins Calculated by transaction volume, this part of high-risk activities accounted for 5.14% of the total stablecoin transaction activities that year, a decrease of 0.80% compared to 2023, but still significantly higher than in 2021 and 2022. Classification of stablecoin receipts by high-risk addresses Calculated by stablecoin type, from 2021 to 2024, USDT in the Tron network accounted for the largest share. However, in 2024, the shares of USDT and USDC in the Ethereum network both increased. The scale of online gambling continues to grow. The amount of stablecoins received by online gambling platforms In 2024, the funding scale of online gambling platforms and the payment platforms providing deposit and withdrawal services reached $21.78 billion, an increase of over 17.50% compared to the scale in 2023. Classification of stablecoin receipts by online gambling platforms Statistics on the types of stablecoins used by online gambling platforms show a significant increase in the share of USDC in 2024, reaching 13.36%, far higher than 5.22% in 2023. This indicates that as the market share of USDC increases, its adoption in the online gambling sector has also greatly improved, even though it is issued and regulated by compliant entities. The scale of black and gray market transactions remains unchanged. The amount of stablecoins received by black and gray market transaction addresses In 2024, business addresses related to black and gray market transactions in the Ethereum and Tron networks received funds exceeding $27.81 billion, slightly higher than in 2023, and the transaction scale of these two years far exceeds that of 2021 and 2022. Closely related to the development of the black and gray industries are cryptocurrency collateral trading platforms, which can almost provide collateral services for all links in the black and gray industry, establishing trust among criminals. The amount of stablecoins received by Haowang collateral The rise of Haowang collateral and its competitors in Southeast Asia has unfolded alongside the gradual popularity of stablecoins in local real economic activities, a trend particularly evident in 2024, when its business scale expanded to $2.64 billion in the fourth quarter. The scale of crypto fraud has sharply increased. The amount of stablecoins received by fraud addresses In 2024, blockchain addresses associated with fraud activities saw an explosive growth in the receipt scale of stablecoins. Compared to 2021-2023, the fund scale that year reached $52.5 billion, exceeding the total of previous years. However, this astonishing growth trend may not be entirely accurate, as the statistical values are limited by the statistical methods of security firms and the increasing level of fraud by illegal entities. For example, as security firms support many new public chains, more criminal incidents are observed, which means that past events may not have been included in the statistics; incidents occurring within centralized institutions and not actively disclosed by victims also cannot be included in the statistics. With improvements in statistical methods and increased case disclosures, this batch of data will further grow in the next year's investigation report. The scale of money laundering begins to shrink. The amount of stablecoins received by money laundering addresses In 2024, blockchain addresses related to money laundering activities received a total of $86.3 billion in stablecoins, slightly lower than in 2023 and on par with 2022. This value may indicate that significant law enforcement activities and regulatory legislation by major policy entities over the past two years have effectively suppressed the money laundering crime situation in the crypto industry. The proportion of stablecoin receipts for money laundering by major centralized exchanges Considering that centralized exchanges have a unique advantage in cashing out funds compared to other entities, making them more favored by money laundering gangs, Bitrace conducted a fund audit on the hot wallet addresses of major centralized cryptocurrency exchanges. The results are similar to those in the fraud section; the overall scale of funds received for money laundering by the platforms is proportional to their business scale, but the proportion of OKX has significantly decreased in recent quarters, possibly as a result of its compliant operations. The on-chain freezing activities of stablecoins have significantly increased. The number of stablecoins frozen by Tether and Circle In 2024, stablecoin issuers actively cooperated with law enforcement, with Tether and Circle freezing stablecoins worth over $1.3 billion in Ethereum and Tron networks, double the freezing scale of the previous three years. The amount of stablecoins received by frozen addresses Statistics on the fund transfer activities of frozen addresses that year showed a transaction scale of $12.9 billion in 2024, which is basically on par with 2023, indicating that on-chain crypto crime activities began to be active years ago, but effective measures against them only started in 2024. * It is worth emphasizing that not all driving factors of frozen addresses are related to cases, and in this statistic, Bitrace has not excluded this part, so the actual scale may be slightly smaller. Trends in sanctions by OFAC and NBCTF The amount of stablecoins received by addresses associated with sanctions by OFAC and NBCTF The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury and the National Bureau for Counter-Terrorism Financing (NBCTF) of Israel are two agencies related to sanctions and anti-terrorism financing, which have collaborated extensively in combating terrorist financing and financial networks related to terrorist organizations (such as Hamas). Statistics on the funds related to blockchain addresses disclosed by these two organizations showed that the overall funding scale reached its peak in 2022 and has decreased year by year since then. Although regulatory measures by government departments have a significant impact on the business of sanctioned entities, they have minimal effect on criminal groups using these infrastructures for illegal activities, as the anonymity and non-requirement characteristics of crypto technology make it difficult for such entities to be sanctioned and highly substitutable...

U.S. President Trump ordered the cessation of federal funding for Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR), citing biased reporting, which sparked intense controversy and legal challenges. (Background: Trump's son predicted 'banks will be eliminated in ten years': Without adopting cryptocurrency technology, financial services will quickly become worthless) (Context: Hundreds of American universities are at war with Trump! Harvard sues: Government severely infringes on 'academic independence' What exactly did Trump do?) On Thursday (May 1, 2025), U.S. President Trump signed an executive order aimed at completely terminating federal government funding for American public media, including the popular Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR). The core reason for this order is that the Trump administration believes these two entities have failed to provide taxpayers with 'fair, accurate, or unbiased descriptions of current events.' In a social media post announcing this order, the media organizations were further accused of wasting taxpayer money: using millions of taxpayer dollars to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as 'news.' The executive order directly instructs the umbrella organization responsible for overseeing federal appropriations to PBS and NPR—the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)—to 'terminate existing direct funding to the maximum extent permitted by law and refuse future funding.' The order also requires CPB and other federal agencies to work together to identify and eliminate sources of indirect public financial support for these two news organizations, which is seen as the latest move by the Trump administration to use federal power to control or undermine institutions that oppose its views. Criticism of 'stifling diverse voices' The Trump administration accuses PBS and NPR of biased reporting, echoing long-standing criticisms from some Republicans. Georgia Republican Congressman Marjorie Taylor Greene referred to NPR and PBS as 'radical left' and 'communist' breeding grounds during a House hearing in March this year. Many Republican lawmakers believe that with the national debt exceeding $36 trillion, public broadcasting is a reasonable target for budget cuts, and considering its perceived liberal bias, cutting funding is appropriate. Trump himself stated in March that he was 'happy' to stop funding for NPR and PBS, deeming it 'very unfair' and biased. The executive order also mentions: Since the establishment of CPB nearly 60 years ago, the media landscape has changed dramatically. In this environment, government funding of news media is not only 'outdated and unnecessary' but also undermines the appearance of journalistic independence. This has prompted strong rebuttals from the leadership and supporters of PBS and NPR. They argue that in many markets, especially small towns and rural areas, public broadcasting remains an important source of local information. PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger emphasized during a congressional hearing in March that PBS provides content that commercial networks cannot find and stated last month that the Trump administration's attempt to withdraw funding would 'disrupt the essential services that PBS and local member stations provide to the American people.' Ed Ulman, CEO of Alaska Public Media, warned that funding cuts would have a devastating impact on small markets and rural stations like his, potentially forcing some stations to shut down; Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, also criticized the portrayal of public media as a propaganda machine unworthy of taxpayer support as a 'dangerous mischaracterization.' Trump's legal issues with the media Earlier this week, the Trump administration attempted to dismiss three of the five CPB board members (Tom Rothman, Diane Kaplan, Laura Gore Ross) but did not provide legal justification. CPB immediately filed a lawsuit in federal court, accusing President Trump of overstepping his authority, claiming his actions violate federal law and threaten the independence of public media. CPB argues that the organization was created by Congress as a private non-government entity, and its board members are not government officials who can be arbitrarily dismissed by the president. On Tuesday (April 29), a federal district court judge in Washington, D.C., Randolph D. Moss, issued a temporary restraining order, temporarily blocking Trump's attempt to dismiss the board members, and a full hearing is scheduled for May 14. The executive order attempts to directly cut CPB's funding to PBS and NPR, and its legal validity is also in question. CPB's funding primarily comes from congressional appropriations, and it has been authorized to receive $535 million in funding for each of the next two fiscal years. Legal experts point out that U.S. presidents typically do not have the authority to unilaterally withhold or freeze funds that Congress has approved. During Nixon's presidency, when he attempted to withhold funding for programs he disliked, courts repeatedly ruled his actions illegal (as seen in the 'Train v. New York' case). To completely eliminate funding for CPB, Congress would theoretically need to pass new legislation to repeal its authorization act or zero out its funding in the budget bill. Therefore, although Trump's executive order is forceful in wording, demanding to 'terminate funding to the maximum extent permitted by law,' the actual effect it can produce, and whether it will provoke more legal challenges, remains to be seen. The survival of public media The Trump administration's hostility toward public media has historical roots and is part of the long-standing policy direction of the Republican Party, even included in the 'Project 2025' blueprint developed by right-wing think tanks, which advocates for the complete elimination of CPB. In fact, the attempt to cut or eliminate public broadcasting funding dates back at least to the Nixon presidency, when dissatisfaction arose due to coverage of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. In the 1990s, then-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich vowed to 'zero out' federal support for public broadcasting. During his first term, Trump also proposed to eliminate CPB funding each year, but Congress (regardless of which party was in control) rejected these proposals. Now that Trump has returned to the White House and also controls a majority in Congress, this threat appears particularly severe. While PBS and NPR emphasize their importance to local communities, especially rural areas, and their efforts to serve diverse audiences, U.S. public media is facing one of its most severe survival challenges since its establishment in 1967, amid direct orders from the White House and hostility from some congressional members.

Today, the Taiwan stock market surged alongside a strong rise in the New Taiwan Dollar. What forces are driving this rare dual strength in currency and stocks? (Background: Will electricity prices rise? Taiwan Power Company reveals three scenarios; Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua: Striving for a NT$100 billion subsidy from the Legislative Yuan, restarting nuclear power requires consensus from all.) (Additional background: Trump supports 'nuclear energy development AI'; what impact might this have on Bitcoin mining?) After a day of closure, the Taiwan stock market today (the 2nd) was buoyed by impressive earnings reports from U.S. tech stocks, with TSMC rising by NT$42. The weighted index closed up 552.61 points, a gain of 2.73%, approaching 20,800 points. At the same time, the exchange rate of the New Taiwan Dollar against the U.S. Dollar experienced a rare sharp increase, once appreciating by more than NT$1.2 during the day, reaching a new high since January 2024. Although the central bank later intervened, it is still seen at the early 30s, with one U.S. dollar exchanging for NT$30.84 before the deadline. The driving force: Capital and international momentum. The simultaneous strength of the Taiwan stock market and the New Taiwan Dollar is primarily driven by capital inflow. A large influx of foreign capital into the Taiwan stock market not only pushes up stock prices but also directly boosts the exchange rate as foreign investors increase their purchases of New Taiwan Dollars. The strong performance of the U.S. stock market, especially the impressive earnings reports from tech giants, has attracted capital to Taiwan as a vital part of the global tech supply chain. On the other hand, recent U.S. economic data has been worse than expected, and the market's heightened expectations for potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve have diminished the appeal of the U.S. dollar as a safe haven, leading to a relative weakening of the dollar. We know that the rapid appreciation of the New Taiwan Dollar will increase exchange rate pressure on export-oriented companies, potentially leading to losses due to exchange rate fluctuations. Additionally, for Taiwanese cryptocurrency investors, converting stablecoins like USDT back to New Taiwan Dollars has also been affected. According to data from MAX Exchange, the current USDT/TWD trading pair reports NT$31.31, which is a full 4.5% lower compared to last week's peak. Of course, this may just be a short-term fluctuation, and not everyone has a need to exchange back to New Taiwan Dollars, but it reminds you to consider if you have significant withdrawals in the near future. Related reports: Has the myth of Bitcoin security been shattered? Researchers: '$10 billion + 10GW power' can launch a 51% attack; large institutions can easily short to profit. Europe's largest electricity company ENEL will 'tokenize solar panels' allowing currency to offset electricity bills. RWA new application 'Taiwan stock market surges; New Taiwan Dollar skyrockets to NT$30.8, a new 16-month high! Converting stablecoins back to fiat money has decreased...'. This article was first published on BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).

Recently, local exchanges in Taiwan have been reported to be involved in fraud and money laundering cases, prompting the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) and the Virtual Currency Operators Association to call for a re-investigation. (Background: The local exchange 'Bishang Technology' is implicated in fraud exceeding 100 million, with three individuals, including the person in charge, being ordered to be detained) (Supplementary background: Two founders of XREX are involved in money laundering of 410 million NTD; why was the prosecution suspended? Complete timeline and official responses released) Recently, the largest chain physical store exchange in Taiwan, 'Bishang Technology', has been reported to be suspected of colluding with a fraud group for money laundering, which has attracted significant attention from the FSC. During a routine press conference on the 1st, the FSC announced that it will comprehensively expand financial inspections of Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) this year. The FSC's Inspection Bureau Deputy Director Guo Wenlong clearly stated during the routine press conference that after completing financial inspections of 10 VASP operators last year (from the beginning of 112 to the end of 113), this year, an additional 12 operators will undergo special financial inspections, with plans to complete all verification work by the end of the year. This expansion of financial inspections is larger than before, demonstrating the determination of the regulatory authorities to strengthen supervision. It is worth noting that FSC Chairman Peng Jinlong stated that the involved Bishang Technology had sent personnel for inspection on April 28, so it is not included in the list of these 12 operators. Guo Wenlong further explained that as of the end of March this year, among the 26 operators that had previously conducted compliance declarations under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 21 have re-applied for registration with the FSC. The 12 operators expected to be inspected this time mainly consist of those who have not undergone financial inspections and newly registered operators. The focus of this VASP special financial inspection will concentrate on five core areas: Anti-Money Laundering (AML): Checking whether operators effectively implement money laundering prevention regulations. Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (CFT): Evaluating measures taken by operators to prevent the financing of terrorism activities. Counter-Proliferation of Weapons (CPF): Verifying whether operators comply with regulations to prevent the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Consumer Protection: Assessing whether operators have adequate mechanisms to protect customer rights. Fraud Prevention Measures: Evaluating operators' capabilities in preventing and handling fraud incidents. The FSC emphasizes that all operators engaged in virtual asset business within Taiwan must complete compliance registration under the Money Laundering Prevention Act with the FSC. Chairman Peng Jinlong previously stated that after the Bishang Technology incident, future reviews of VASP’s licenses and operational qualifications will be stricter to improve market order and reduce related financial risks. Virtual Currency Industry Association Statement Today (2nd), the Republic of China Virtual Currency Industry Association also publicly stated regarding this matter: In response to the recent news events concerning VASP members that have drawn social attention, our association feels a significant responsibility. Our primary goal has always been to promote the healthy development of the industry and protect user rights, urging member companies to implement self-discipline, cooperate with regulations, comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, and actively cooperate with national fraud prevention policies. Our association will continue to work closely with regulatory authorities to jointly establish a more robust regulatory system, aiming to enhance public confidence and trust in this emerging virtual currency industry. While encouraging innovation, we strive to create a safe, transparent, and trustworthy industry environment. Related Reports ACE Exchange Announcement: Due to failure to complete registration, 'VASP business suspended', users angry and preparing to sue. FSC New Regulations: 70-80% of customer assets of VASP in Taiwan must be stored in cold wallets. "The FSC emphasizes 'Taiwan exchanges must thoroughly investigate money laundering' and expand financial inspections; the association urges compliance with regulations" this article was first published on BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).

The well-known Web3 content monetization protocol Access Protocol launched the AI-driven data and agent marketplace Access Intelligence last week, and announced today a partnership with BlockTempo, a leading blockchain media platform in Taiwan and the Chinese-speaking region. Users will soon be able to leverage BlockTempo's real-time news reports to power their AI agents. (Background: Access Protocol launches Access Intelligence: Opening a new era for data and agent monetization) (Additional context: Access Protocol showcased its influence at Consensus Hong Kong, promoting AI-driven content monetization innovations) This article is a press release written and provided by Access Protocol. May 2, 2025 – Access Intelligence is proud to collaborate with BlockTempo, the most influential all-encompassing blockchain media in Taiwan and the Chinese-speaking region. Previously, the renowned Web3 content monetization protocol Access Protocol announced the launch of Access Intelligence on April 26, a marketplace that connects data and information providers, AI agent deployers, and end consumers, allowing anyone to launch data-driven AI agents in five minutes without any coding, thus unlocking value. You will soon be able to use BlockTempo's real-time crypto news reports to power your AI agents, bringing trusted, fast-updating Web3 and AI news directly into your community and workflow. Through BlockTempo's real-time news, you can build AI agents to acquire timely market news, regulatory updates, significant project developments, and Asia-centered cryptocurrency trends. Andreas Nicolos, CEO of Access Protocol, commented on this collaboration: We believe AI agents will become the largest consumers of information globally. Media, information, and data companies need to think about how to position themselves and profit from the consumption by agents. Access Intelligence allows any user to harness the power of AI delivered through BlockTempo's news and information — simplifying content consumption and curation, bringing us closer to a truly autonomous world. Stay fast and up-to-date with the latest information. Choose BlockTempo when creating AI agents with Access Intelligence for quality news content from the largest cryptocurrency media in Taiwan and the Chinese-speaking region. Whether you are running a channel, alpha group, or looking to stay informed, BlockTempo + Access Intelligence will help you stay ahead. Follow @tryintelligence on X for more updates. Related Reports Coinbase helps you understand the current state, risks, and future of AI agents Discussion on AI agent applications: Can vertical agents break the stagnation in the sector? Jensen Huang optimistic about AI agents: Driving trillions in business opportunities, how will human jobs be replaced? Sam Altman looks to 2025: The first AI agents will flood into the labor market, getting closer to AGI… "Access Intelligence partners with BlockTempo to inject real-time Web3 information into AI agents" was first published on BlockTempo, the most influential blockchain news media.

Bitcoin approaches $97,500, reaching a new high in two and a half months. Trader Peter Brandt predicts that if it returns to a parabolic shape, it could surge to $125,000 to $150,000 between August and September; on-chain indicators also support the bullish logic. (Background: MicroStrategy launches a new $21 billion financing plan, unafraid of Bitcoin's $5.9 billion loss in Q1, 'continue buying') (Additional context: Is a major bullish factor for Bitcoin coming? The U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve report will be released before May 5) Soft U.S. economic data is motivating the market's expectations for interest rate cuts alongside a safe-haven narrative. Bitcoin surged to $97,424 last night (1), setting a new high for the last two and a half months. Veteran trader Peter Brandt further predicts that if the technical pattern holds, the peak for this round of the bull market may reach $125,000 to $150,000, attracting significant market attention. Extended reading: U.S. economy exploded) First quarter GDP unexpectedly shrank by 0.3%, while core inflation heated up. Is the real economic recession merely a technical distortion? Technicians are bullish: returning to a parabolic trajectory, BTC could reach $150,000. Peter Brandt pointed out yesterday on platform X that if Bitcoin can regain its 'parabolic trajectory', it has a chance to reach the $125,000 to $150,000 range by the third quarter of 2025 (around August to September). From his price charts, it can be seen that this technical pattern is similar to the bull market that extended from 2020 to 2021, when BTC soared from $3,700 to nearly $65,000. However, Brandt also reminded that parabolic patterns are usually accompanied by significant corrections, and once a peak is reached, a pullback of up to 50% may occur, and investors need to be wary of volatility risks. Hey @scottmelker If Bitcoin can regain the broken parabolic slope then $BTC is on target to reach the bull market cycle top in the $125k to $150K level by Aug/Sep 2025, then a 50%+ correction pic.twitter.com/WUUzxl0ckn — Peter Brandt (@PeterLBrandt) May 1, 2025 On-chain data supports: entering the 'rising zone', bull market structure continues From the perspective of on-chain data, researcher Axel Adler Jr. believes that Bitcoin has entered the 'rising zone'. Currently, the indicator calculated based on NUPL and MVRV has reached 0.8. If it breaks above 1.0 and maintains there, it will trigger a new wave of bullish momentum, targeting a price range of $150,000 to $175,000, similar to the trajectories of the bull markets in 2017 and 2021. This is his optimistic scenario. At the same time, he lists two other scenarios: Basic scenario (consolidation): If the Ratio remains between 0.8 and 1.0, the market will be in a wide range of fluctuations between $90,000 and $110,000: participants will continue to hold positions but will not significantly increase their stakes. Pessimistic scenario (correction): If the Ratio drops to around 0.75, short-term holders will begin to take profits, and the price may correct to $70,000 to $85,000. Considering that a correction has already occurred, the first two scenarios are more likely to happen. Key pressure zone arrives Although breaking through $97,000, market observations indicate that Bitcoin is approaching a high transaction density area between $96,000 and $99,000, expecting to enter a consolidation phase in the short term. If it can effectively break through and stabilize above $100,000, it will become an important psychological barrier and technical support, laying the foundation for further challenges to the $150,000 high predicted by Brandt. Looking ahead at Bitcoin's future, attention should also be paid to tonight's non-farm employment data, as well as the progress of tariff negotiations between the Trump administration and various countries, especially interactions with China. Related reports Bitcoin breaks through $96,000, will the consolidation end in an explosion? Traders are closely watching tomorrow's U.S. non-farm employment data Bitwise predicts 'four major U.S. brokerages' will open Bitcoin ETFs by the end of the year, is a true bull market coming for everyone? Monero's market value surged by $1.5 billion in one day: why are hackers no longer fond of Bitcoin? "Bitcoin surges to $97,000, technical analysts declare parabolic pattern revival, on-chain analysts estimate BTC could reach $175,000." This article was first published in BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).

MicroStrategy announced its latest financial report yesterday, despite facing a book loss of $5.9 billion in the first quarter, it still announced a new refinancing plan to raise $21 billion to continue purchasing BTC. (Background: MicroStrategy's stock price tripled since last October: Analyzing Bitcoin's financial magic) (Background Supplement: MicroStrategy spent $1.92 billion to buy 22,000 BTC, Michael Saylor: Bitcoin will surge to $13 million within 20 years) The Bitcoin holding leader among US-listed companies, MicroStrategy, announced its financial report yesterday. Despite a book loss of up to $5.9 billion due to Bitcoin price fluctuations in the first quarter of 2025, the company unwaveringly announced the launch of a new stock issuance plan of up to $21 billion. Financial Situation and Bitcoin Strategy According to the report, the $5.9 billion book loss primarily stems from the fair value impairment of Bitcoin assets under accounting standards, as the market price of Bitcoin fell from $93,390 in Q4 2024 to $82,445 in Q1 this year. Nevertheless, MicroStrategy continues to firmly increase its Bitcoin holdings. As of April 28, MicroStrategy had 553,555 Bitcoins, with a historical investment of $37.9 billion and an average purchase cost of $68,459. Furthermore, the company announced the initiation of a new $21 billion market financing, with a clear goal of continuing to buy, buy, buy and increase its Bitcoin holdings. Market Response to High-Risk Strategy MicroStrategy insists on viewing Bitcoin as a core asset and has a near-faithful embrace of cryptocurrency strategies, which has influenced dozens of publicly listed companies worldwide to follow suit. However, I must remind you that due to its holding structure, MicroStrategy's balance sheet will experience significant fluctuations with Bitcoin prices, and the short-term high-risk nature cannot be ignored. However, in the long term, I believe MicroStrategy will ultimately benefit from Bitcoin's value. Although the MSTR stock price has experienced significant fluctuations in the past two months, it has still risen 27% since the beginning of this year, with a market value once again exceeding $100 billion. Related Reports Michael Saylor: There are 55 million people indirectly "holding MicroStrategy supported BTC," hinting at buying Bitcoin again. A new crypto aircraft carrier is born! Tether, SoftBank, and Bitfinex jointly established “21 Capital” with $3 billion: all buying Bitcoin to replicate MicroStrategy's success. Bitwise launched a “Bitcoin concept ETF” tracking companies holding over 1,000 BTC, including MicroStrategy, mining companies, game developers... A quick overview of the top ten component stocks "MicroStrategy launches a new $21 billion financing plan, undeterred by a $5.9 billion loss in Q1 Bitcoin 'keep buying'" This article was first published on BlockTempo (BlockTempo - the most influential blockchain news media).

Tether's Q1 2025 financial report is impressive, with U.S. Treasury holdings nearing $120 billion and operational profits exceeding $1 billion, demonstrating strong financial strength. (Background: Understanding USDT0: Is Tether's cross-chain stablecoin reliable?) (Additional context: Tether's cross-chain stablecoin 'USDT0' launched on Optimism and Unichain; what is USDT0? What problems can it solve?)

Leading stablecoin issuer Tether publicly released its Q1 2025 transparency report yesterday, completed by BDO, one of the top five independent accounting firms globally. Here are the key highlights.

U.S. Treasury holdings nearing $120 billion
First, the report highlights Tether's significant growth in U.S. Treasury holdings. As of the end of Q1 2025, the company's total exposure to U.S. Treasuries reached a historic high, close to $120 billion. This substantial figure includes indirect exposure to U.S. Treasuries through money market funds and reverse repurchase agreements.

As of March 31, 2025, Tether's total assets amounted to at least $149,274,515,988, while total liabilities were $143,682,673,588, indicating that the company's current excess reserves stand at $5.6 billion.

Q1 profits of over $1 billion, with $7.66 billion in Bitcoin holdings
The report shows that Tether generated over $1 billion in operational profit this quarter, primarily due to its large and robust U.S. Treasury investment portfolio.

It is worth mentioning that Tether's reserve assets also include approximately $6.6 billion in precious metals (mostly gold) and $7.66 billion in Bitcoin.

Operational performance of USDT
Regarding the operational performance of Tether's main stablecoin, USDT, it continued to maintain a stable growth trend in Q1 2025, with a circulating supply increase of about $7 billion. Meanwhile, the number of user wallets utilizing USDT increased by 46 million, achieving a quarterly growth rate of 13%.

As of the end of Q1, the estimated global number of USDT wallets has reached approximately 415 million, indicating that the stablecoin has been widely accepted as a stable, efficient, and easily accessible channel into the global digital economy.

Strategic investments and future outlook
Tether's ambitions extend beyond just stablecoin issuance. Through its independent investment arm Tether Investments, the company is actively engaged in diversified strategic investments. To date, Tether has allocated over $2 billion into long-term projects in forward-looking industries such as renewable energy, artificial intelligence (AI), peer-to-peer (P2P) communications, and data infrastructure.

These investments are managed separately from the reserves backing USD₮ and do not belong to the reserve assets that maintain the stablecoin's value. This demonstrates Tether's vision to expand its business scope and play a more active role in global technological development and infrastructure construction.

Further reading: A new crypto giant is born! Tether, SoftBank, and Bitfinex jointly established '21 Capital' with an investment of $3 billion: all in on Bitcoin, replicating MicroStrategy's success.

Related reports Tether issues 'new stablecoin': What is the difference between USDT0 and USDT? One-click conversion of BTC, DOGE... to ERC-20 tokens, Flare launches FAssets and announces a $400,000 airdrop testing reward. Flare milestone moment! First decentralized KYC identity for Chinese visitors to Hong Kong. "Tether Q1 Report: Record U.S. Treasury holdings nearing $120 billion, with quarterly profits of $1 billion" was first published in BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).

The USD stablecoin USD1, issued by the decentralized project World Liberty Financial (WLFI) supported by the Trump family, will be natively issued on the TRON blockchain, furthering the collaboration between TRON and the Trump family in the crypto space. (Related Supplement: Justin Sun will attend Token2049 in Dubai and discuss the future of crypto with Trump's second son) (Related Supplement: TRX enters Trump's crypto project WLFI, becoming the 'only Chinese project', will the U.S. welcome friendly regulations for Asians?) This article is a sponsored piece provided by TRON and does not represent the views of the BlockBeats, nor is it investment advice or a suggestion to buy or sell. For more details, see the responsibility warning at the end of the article. On May 1, 2025, at the global blockchain and cryptocurrency industry event Token2049 summit held in Dubai, TRON founder Justin Sun hosted a much-anticipated fireside chat with Eric Trump, the son of President Trump, and Zach Witkoff, co-founder of the decentralized project World Liberty Financial (WLFI) supported by the Trump family. During the conversation, Zach Witkoff revealed that the USD stablecoin USD1 issued by WLFI will also be natively issued on the TRON blockchain. Previously, WLFI had issued the stablecoin USD1 on the BNB Chain. This dialogue focused on decentralized finance (DeFi), financial freedom, and TRON's crucial role in driving the transformation of the global financial system, attracting thousands of attendees and becoming a highlight of the summit. TRON and WLFI further their collaboration. In the discussion, Justin Sun used the founding intention of TRON as a starting point, emphasizing that financial freedom is the core value of blockchain technology. He stated, "The original intention of creating TRON was not to pursue profits, but to allow 8 billion people around the world to participate equally in the financial system and enjoy the right to financial freedom." This concept has run through the development of TRON and aligns closely with WLFI's vision. During this dialogue, Justin Sun specifically revealed the upcoming collaboration between TRON and WLFI: WLFI's USD1 stablecoin will be natively integrated on the TRON blockchain, with the initial minting scale expected to reach hundreds of millions of dollars, and it is anticipated to exceed billions of dollars in market value in the future. This collaboration not only marks a significant breakthrough for TRON in the stablecoin sector but also further solidifies its position as a global DeFi infrastructure. Justin Sun stated: "The integration of USD1 will bring new vitality to the TRON ecosystem. Our goal is to allow every user to easily use stablecoins via their mobile phones to participate in the global financial system." He also pointed out: "The collaboration between TRON and WLFI is an important step in the fusion of DeFi and traditional finance. We hope to enable global users to use stablecoins seamlessly in their daily lives, such as swiping cards in hotels or stores." Eric Trump expressed confidence in this collaboration: "TRON's technical strength and user base provide a perfect platform for promoting USD1. We believe this will drive the globalization of financial freedom." Zach Witkoff further disclosed that WLFI plans to integrate USD1 into traditional retail POS systems, allowing users to use stablecoins in real-world scenarios, which aligns closely with TRON's inclusive financial vision. Public information shows that in November 2024, Justin Sun invested $30 million to become the largest holder of WLFI tokens and was appointed as an advisor for the project. Subsequently, his investment scale with TRON increased to $75 million, laying the foundation for a series of deep collaborations between the WLFI project and the TRON network. Jointly exploring the advancement of financial freedom. As the host of the dialogue, Justin Sun focused the topic on the limitations of traditional finance, the transparency advantages of blockchain, and the future potential of the collaboration between WLFI and TRON, discussing the possibilities of future developments in decentralized finance. During the conversation, Eric Trump shared the unpleasant experience of the Trump family being "debanked" by traditional banks for political reasons. He stated that this experience made him deeply aware of the value of cryptocurrencies: "The crypto community, like us, believes in hard assets and pursues freedom. The transparency and decentralization of blockchain make the financial system no longer controlled by a few people." Justin Sun fully agreed with this and further asked: "The financial system is not just a tool; it also carries culture and values. How can we reshape the financial system through WLFI and USD1?" This question sparked a lively discussion. Zach Witkoff detailed WLFI's mission and progress. He pointed out that WLFI aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and DeFi, with the USD1 stablecoin being backed 1:1 by short-term government bonds and cash equivalents, striving to become the world's most transparent and regulated stablecoin. Justin Sun noted that TRON's high-performance blockchain can ensure that transactions of USD1 are fast, transparent, and cost-effective, which is key to the fusion of DeFi and traditional finance. Justin Sun also looked forward to the future of DeFi during this dialogue: "Five years from now, DeFi and traditional finance will be deeply integrated, and TRON will play a bridging role between the two." He called on the industry to strengthen self-regulation and enhance user experience to accelerate mass adoption. Eric Trump agreed: "The blockchain industry needs a more user-friendly experience, just like the real estate industry focuses on customer service. Only in this way can we defeat those outdated traditional banks." The fireside chat at the Token 2049 summit not only showcased TRON's influence in the global blockchain industry but also highlighted Justin Sun's vision as an industry thought leader. Through in-depth communication with Eric Trump and Zach Witkoff, Justin Sun conveyed a clear message to the world: TRON is not just a technology platform, but a practitioner of financial freedom. With the native integration of USD1 on TRON and deep collaboration with WLFI, TRON is accelerating the fusion of DeFi and traditional finance, bringing more transparent, efficient, and inclusive financial services to global users. In the future, TRON will continue to uphold its original aspiration and work with global partners to write a new chapter of financial freedom. As Justin Sun stated: "Our mission is far from over until every person on Earth can enjoy the right to financial freedom through TRON." ＿＿＿ Sponsored Disclaimer: The content of this article is a sponsored piece provided by the contributor, and the contributor has no relationship with BlockBeats. This article does not represent the views of BlockBeats. This article is not intended to provide any investment, asset advice, or legal opinions, nor should it be regarded as an offer to buy, sell, or hold assets. Any services, plans, or tools mentioned in the sponsored content are for reference only, and the final actual content or rules are subject to the announcements or explanations by the contributor. BlockBeats is not responsible for any potential risks or losses, reminding readers to proceed with caution.

Rick Wurster, the CEO of Charles Schwab, the largest online brokerage in the United States, revealed in an interview with Reuters yesterday that the company plans to enter the cryptocurrency spot trading market within a year, showcasing a strategic shift towards embracing digital assets and responding to market competition. (Background: Is a major Bitcoin boost coming? The U.S. Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Report will be released on 5/5) (Supplementary Background: Bitcoin ETF has seen net inflows for four consecutive days; is institutional positioning 'smart money' or a hidden 'bull market trap'?) As the largest online brokerage in the United States and one of the most commonly used platforms for purchasing U.S. stocks by Taiwanese people, every move made by Charles Schwab significantly impacts the financial market. Just yesterday (1), CEO Rick Wurster revealed in an interview with Reuters that Charles Schwab plans to enter the cryptocurrency spot trading sector within the next year, signifying that more investors will have easier access to cryptocurrency investments. Embracing the digital wave: Charles Schwab's cryptocurrency strategy The progress of Charles Schwab in promoting cryptocurrency services largely depends on the improvement of the regulatory environment in the United States, as large companies like this usually seek regulatory clarity and stability. Although Bitcoin has performed well in recent years, the cryptocurrency market still carries 'significant risks' at times, such as huge price volatility. Wurster added that the target clients for Charles Schwab's cryptocurrency business are not cryptocurrency enthusiasts pursuing dozens of cryptocurrencies, but rather existing stock and bond investors who are 'interested' in cryptocurrencies and wish to hold a small amount, indicating a cautious and pragmatic market entry strategy. Charles Schwab's market position and competitiveness Charles Schwab is the leader among U.S. online brokerages, managing nearly $10 trillion in client assets and 36.9 million brokerage accounts. The future launch of cryptocurrency spot trading reflects the company's response to the growing demand from clients for cryptocurrencies and its desire to enhance its competitive position. Overall, as a large and trusted traditional financial institution, Charles Schwab's entry is expected to improve the accessibility, legitimacy, and liquidity of the cryptocurrency market, further influencing market structure and development direction. Related Reports Trump announces 'Trump Meme Coin'; the first 220 can attend the dinner on 5/22, token surges 60% Trump set to issue ETF! U.S. manufacturing and cryptocurrency funds expected to be listed in the second half of the year, Truth.Fi partners with Crypto.com to seize the market Trump shouts: Will significantly reduce tariffs on China, will not dismiss Powell, Bitcoin knocks on the door of 94,000 U.S. stocks rise together "The largest online brokerage in the U.S., Charles Schwab, forecasts providing cryptocurrency spot trading within a year, managing $10 trillion in client assets" this article was first published on BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).