CryptoCity

Digital assets are shifting from being mere investment tools to being deeply integrated with local financial infrastructure. Countries are rolling out real-world tests of cryptocurrencies for payments, settlements, and banking systems through regulation and technological trials.
Compared with the lively crypto market in the United States, Israel and Pakistan have staged a more low-key yet far-reaching test this month. The truly pivotal industry shift of 2026 may be happening precisely where digital assets are deeply integrated with local currencies and banking systems.
Israeli crypto company Bits of Gold announced that after a two-year pilot, the Israel Securities Authority has approved the issuance and circulation of BILS, a stablecoin pegged to the shekel. Just a few days ago, the State Bank of Pakistan issued Circular No. 10 of 2026, officially repealing the virtual currency ban that has been in place since 2018.
Pakistan’s new regulation is clear: under a compliant regulatory framework, licensed virtual asset service providers (V

Lawsuit documents involving Elon Musk and OpenAI were accidentally exposed. Steam founder previously quietly sponsored OpenAI with more than $20 million in 2018 and served as an informal adviser. The documents also revealed that he had arranged a meeting between Musk and the well-known game producer Hideo Kojima.
Steam founder previously sponsored OpenAI
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Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s lawsuit is in full swing, and court documents submitted as evidence unexpectedly revealed that Steam founder Gabe Newell (nickname G胖) had quietly sponsored OpenAI with $20 million.
In court documents regarded as an undisputed fact, covering the years 2016 to 2020, it was revealed that Newell in 2018

To address physical violence threats known as “wrench attacks,” Binance has launched the “Withdrawal Protection” feature. Users can set a withdrawal lock-up period of one to seven days to buy golden response time to protect their crypto assets, but this feature cannot prevent intervention by public authorities.
Responding to wrench attacks, Binance introduces the “Withdrawal Protection” feature
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As cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular, incidents of physical crimes targeting holders—often referred to as wrench attacks—are being reported more and more frequently.
For this reason, the well-known cryptocurrency exchange Binance has rolled out a new feature called “Withdrawal Protection” with the aim of protecting users from physical violence threats similar to wrench attacks, so that they are not forced to transfer assets when their personal safety is at risk.
Binance states that, to date, the industry has already addressed issues such as phishing, SIM card hijacking, and seed phrase leaks.

Elon Musk stated during a court hearing with OpenAI that most cryptocurrencies are scams, but some still hold value. He also revealed legal disputes between the two parties regarding non-profit missions and for-profit transitions.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, during a court trial involving OpenAI, was unexpectedly asked to comment on the early ICO fundraising ideas discussed by OpenAI. He said, "Some cryptocurrencies have their value, but most are scams." Many veterans who experienced the ICO era might lament: if OpenAI had raised funds through ICOs back then, would it have become one of the most successful cryptocurrencies, or would it inevitably have speculative traits leading to a bubble?
OpenAI once attempted to raise funds via ICO

The escalating Iran-U.S. conflict threatens the Strait of Hormuz, with the IMF warning that oil prices could surge to $125 per barrel. An extended conflict would lead to a global growth slowdown to 2.2% and push inflation above 6%.
Middle East conflict escalation impacts supply chains, with rising oil prices risks emerging
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As the U.S. and Iran conflict continues to escalate, the global energy market faces intense volatility. International Monetary Fund Chief Kristalina Georgieva warned that if the conflict persists and affects key transportation routes, international oil prices could rise to $125 per barrel, causing profound impacts on the global economy.
Currently, market focus is on transportation risks in the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway has historically carried about 20% of the world's crude oil supply. If blocked, it would immediately cause supply disruptions. Energy companies and analysts note that signs of supply contraction are gradually emerging.

Iranian exchange Nobitex has been exposed for having been founded by members of the elite Kharrazi family, who used pseudonyms to conceal their identities. The platform is viewed as a parallel financial system used to circumvent sanctions, with extensive financial dealings involving the Central Bank of Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Shadow of a wealthy family? The Kharrazi dynasty behind the Agamiril surname
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Nobitex was established in 2018 and has since grown into Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, controlling about 70% of the country’s market trading market share.
According to an in-depth investigation by Reuters, this digital asset giant, which has more than 11 million users, was founded by brothers Ali Kharrazi and Mohammad Kharrazi. In the early days of their entrepreneurship, these brothers were involved in various corporate records

Stripe announced 288 updates at the 2026 Sessions conference, with a core focus on the AI agent economy (Agentic Commerce). Officially evolving into a global financial operating system for the AI era.
The rise of the AI agent economy, Agentic Commerce Suite sets new standards for machine payments
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Global fintech giant Stripe at the 2026 Sessions annual conference, led by product and business head Will

Warren Buffett said plainly at the annual meeting that the market’s gambling sentiment today is stronger than ever before, and he used the metaphor of a church connected to a casino to describe the current state of investing and speculation. He specifically pointed to the options expiring that day and to predicted-market activity as factors that are driving the wave of speculation.
On May 2, at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting, Warren Buffett delivered a sharp assessment of the current financial markets: “We have never seen people in a more intense gambling mood than now.” According to Fortune, during the lunch break at the meeting, Buffett likened today’s financial markets to a “church connected to a casino,” distinguishing between traditional value investing and the present enthusiasm for short-term options trading and predicted-market fervor. He added, “This doesn’t mean investing is bad, but it does mean that the prices of many things appear to be extremely absurd.”
“Church connected to a casino”: Buffett draws a line between speculation and investing
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Las Vegas XRP Conference Sparks AI Social Scams. Scam Groups Use Deepfake Technology to Generate Photos of “Beautiful Women,” Precisely Targeting Wealthy Attendees for Pig-Butchering Investment Schemes.
Multiple pig-butchering social scam incidents have been reported at the XRP annual conference held in Las Vegas. Scam groups use AI-generated beautiful women to take “photo-shopped” selfies at XRP booths to mislead investors, carrying out highly targeted pig-butchering romance scams.
XRP Las Vegas Conference Attendees Become Targets for Pig-Butchering Schemes
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Prominent figures including Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and co-founder David Schwartz also attended this year’s XRP conference held at Paris Las Vegas. XRP

The U.S. Senate unanimously passes an amendment banning senators and their staff from participating in prediction markets.
This ban takes effect immediately and covers platforms that bet on election outcomes or legislation.
As the cryptocurrency market structure bill faces obstacles, the U.S. Senate on April 30 swiftly passed a resolution: banning senators and their staff from participating in prediction markets.
According to Senate rules, this ban took effect immediately upon announcement.
This resolution, driven by Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, is only 14 lines long but unusually received unanimous approval from the entire chamber.
Bernie Moreno stated that the resolution amends Senate Rule 37, strictly prohibiting senators from engaging in "any agreement, contract, or transaction based on whether a specific event occurs, to what extent it occurs, and related buying, selling, payment, or settlement."
The wording in the resolution,

A court in Hangzhou, China has ruled that companies may not dismiss employees by claiming AI cost-cutting as justification. After a company used AI to replace human labor and laid off employees who refused pay cuts, it was ordered to pay compensation of more than 260,000 yuan. The case established that companies cannot unilaterally shift technological risks to workers.
Latest Chinese Court Ruling: Cannot Fire Employees Due to AI
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With AI technology advancing rapidly, more companies are introducing AI to replace human labor, and labor-management disputes are increasingly coming to the forefront. The Intermediate People’s Court of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, recently made public a labor dispute case involving AI replacing human workers.
According to reports from Xinhua News Agency and CCTV News, a 35-year-old employee surnamed Zhou joined a fintech company in Hangzhou in November 2022. He served as the supervisor of AI large-model quality inspection, earning a monthly salary of 25,000 yuan, and was mainly responsible for oversight and review of matters.

The Ministry of Education will launch the "Libraries Have AI" program, allowing the public to experience paid AI tools like ChatGPT for free at libraries.
The program covers 47 universities and aims to bridge resource gaps and deepen AI literacy education.
The Ministry of Education will promote free use of AI tools such as Library GPT and Claude
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As generative AI integrates into daily life, the Ministry of Education will promote the "Libraries Have AI" plan, enabling the public to use mainstream AI tools for free at libraries.
According to United Daily News, the Ministry of Education plans to pilot the program starting in the fourth quarter of 2026 at national libraries such as the National Library.
The public can use paid AI tools in public spaces with a library card.
Initially, each library will set up 5 dedicated computers to provide free access to ChatGPT and other AI tools for the public and students.

Brazilian Central Bank to Ban Cross-Border Settlements Using Stablecoins and Cryptocurrencies Starting October 2026 to Prevent Money Laundering. Despite global stablecoin payments reaching $550 billion, Brazil remains committed to regulatory boundaries, but retail trading will not be affected.
Brazil Will Ban Cross-Border Payments Using Stablecoins and Cryptocurrencies
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While major countries worldwide recognize the advantages of stablecoins and cryptocurrencies in cross-border payments, the Brazilian Central Bank has announced new regulations stating that from October 1, 2026, electronic foreign exchange providers (eFX) are officially prohibited from using stablecoins and cryptocurrencies for overseas remittances.
This ban mainly targets fintech companies and payment firms engaged in cross-border payments, requiring these institutions to conduct transactions with overseas counterparts either through traditional foreign exchange transactions or via non-residents holding accounts in Brazil.

The Iranian exchange Nobitex has been exposed as having been founded by the influential Kharrazi family, who use pseudonyms to conceal their identities. The platform is viewed as a parallel financial system to evade sanctions, with substantial financial dealings with the Central Bank of Iran and the Revolutionary Guards.
Shadow of a wealthy family? The Kharrazi dynasty behind the Agamyr surname
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Nobitex was established in 2018 and has now grown into Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, controlling about 70% of the country’s market trading market share.
According to a deep-dive investigation by Reuters, this digital-asset powerhouse with more than 11 million users was founded by the brothers Ali Kharrazi and Mohammad Kharrazi. In the early days of their entrepreneurship, these brothers and various corporate records

Las Vegas XRP Conference Sparks AI Social Scamming, Fraud Groups Use Deepfake Technology to Generate Beautiful Women’s Photos, Precisely Target Wealthy Attendees for Pig-Butchering Investment Scams.
Multiple Pig-Butchering Social Fraud Incidents Reported at the XRP Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Fraud Groups Use AI-Generated Women to Take Photos at XRP Booths to Confuse Investors and Conduct Precise Love Scam Pig-Butchering.
XRP Las Vegas Conference Participants Become Targets for Pig-Butchering Lock-On
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Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Co-Founder David Schwartz, among other prominent figures, attended this year's XRP Conference held at Paris Las Vegas. XRP

Chinese Hangzhou Court Rules Companies Cannot Fire Employees Using AI Cost-Cutting as a Justification. A company dismissed employees who refused pay cuts due to AI replacing human labor and was ordered to pay over 260k RMB. This case establishes that companies cannot unilaterally shift technological risks onto workers.
Latest Chinese Court Ruling: Cannot Fire Employees Due to AI
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As AI technology rapidly advances, the use of AI to replace human labor in companies is increasing, and labor disputes have also surfaced. The Intermediate People's Court of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, recently publicly addressed a labor dispute case involving AI replacing human workers.
According to reports from Xinhua News Agency and CCTV News, a 35-year-old employee with the surname Zhou joined a fintech company in Hangzhou in November 2022, serving as an AI large model quality inspection supervisor, with a monthly salary of 25k RMB, mainly responsible for oversight.

The U.S. Senate unanimously passes an amendment banning senators and their staff from participating in prediction markets.
This ban takes effect immediately and covers platforms that bet on election outcomes or legislation.
As the cryptocurrency market structure bill faces obstacles, the U.S. Senate on April 30 swiftly passed a resolution: banning senators and their staff from participating in prediction markets.
According to Senate rules, this ban took effect immediately upon announcement.
This resolution, driven by Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, is only 14 lines long but unusually received unanimous approval from the entire chamber.
Bernie Moreno stated that the resolution amends Senate Rule 37, strictly prohibiting senators from engaging in "any agreement, contract, or transaction based on whether a specific event occurs, to what extent it occurs, and related buying, selling, payment, or settlement."
The wording in the resolution,

Starting October 2026, the Central Bank of Brazil will ban companies from using stablecoins and cryptocurrencies for cross-border settlement to prevent money laundering. Although global stablecoin payments are projected to reach $55 billion, Brazil will still adhere to its regulatory red lines; however, retail trading will not be affected.
Brazil Will Ban Cross-Border Payments Using Stablecoins and Cryptocurrencies
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As major countries around the world have noted the advantages of stablecoins and cryptocurrencies for cross-border payments, the Central Bank of Brazil has issued a new regulation stating that, starting October 1, 2026, it will officially prohibit electronic foreign exchange providers (eFX) from using stablecoins and cryptocurrencies to settle overseas remittance payments.
This ban mainly targets fintech companies and payment firms engaged in cross-border payments. It requires these institutions, when collecting and making payments with overseas counterparties, to do so separately only through traditional foreign exchange transactions, or through accounts held in Brazil by non-residents in the form of black…