Iran Demands Bitcoin Payments At Hormuz As Trump Says Strait Must Open ‘Immediately And Completely’

The Bitcoin Toll System

Hamid Hosseini, spokesperson for Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union, told the Financial Times that Iran wants to collect tolling fees from any tanker passing and assess each ship.

“Iran needs to monitor what goes in and out of the strait to ensure these two weeks aren’t used for transferring weapons,” Hosseini said. 

His industry association works closely with the state.

Each tanker must email authorities about its cargo. Iran will then inform them of the toll in digital currencies.

The tariff is $1 per barrel of oil, while empty tankers can pass freely.

“Once the email arrives and Iran completes its assessment, vessels are given a…

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Morgan Stanley Becomes Official First US Bank To Launch A Spot Bitcoin ETF

Banking giant Morgan Stanley launched its spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund today, opening a new front in the battle for dominance in the growing U.S. crypto ETF market and setting up a direct challenge to BlackRock’s flagship iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).

The new fund, trading under the ticker MSBT, began trading April 8 on NYSE Arca with an expense ratio of 0.14%, the lowest among spot bitcoin ETFs. The pricing undercuts IBIT’s 0.25% fee and signals a shift toward cost competition in a market where products offer near-identical exposure to bitcoin’s price.

Spot bitcoin ETFs hold bitcoin directly and track its market value, leaving fees, liquidity, and distribution as the main…

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Iran To Accept Bitcoin For Strait Of Hormuz Transit

Iran plans to require shipping companies to pay transit tolls in Bitcoin for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Financial Times report. This links bitcoin to one of the world’s most critical energy corridors and current events.

The policy would apply to oil tankers seeking passage during a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States, announced after a shift in posture from Donald Trump. The arrangement aims to reopen a route that handles a large share of global oil flows while allowing Tehran to maintain control over access.

According to statements attributed to Iranian officials, shipping firms would receive a payment request prior to…

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Coinbase Wins Australian Derivatives License As COIN Targets Trend Reversal – Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COI

Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) received an Australian Financial Services License to offer retail derivatives trading as COIN tests $170 support zone for the second time since February’s $143 low.

The Australian License

Coinbase announced Tuesday it received the AFSL through its local entity, authorizing the company to offer retail derivatives trading in Australia. 

The license is the first of its kind granted to a crypto exchange in the region.

Coinbase Australia will offer crypto and equity perpetuals to Australian investors, followed by futures and options. 

“We’re going to compete with traditional financial services on stock trading, payments, and other TradFi products with the…

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Bitcoin Surges 5% But ETFs Bled $159M: Is This A Bull Trap?

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) surged 5% after the White House announced a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire, yet ETFs bled $159 million on April 7.

The Ceasefire Rally

Bitcoin briefly rose to $71,700 on Wednesday morning, marking its highest point since March 18. 

The price surge coincided with President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. and Iran agreed to a “double-sided ceasefire” for two weeks. 

Trump previously warned of “complete demolition” of Iran’s power plants and bridges if Iran didn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday.

“The reason for [ceasefire] is that we have already met and exceeded all military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive agreement…

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Bitcoin Reclaims $71,000 As Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Rise 5% On Iran Ceasefire – Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Tr

Bitcoin is up 5% to reclaim the $71,000 level after President Trump overnight announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran.

Bitcoin ETFs saw $159 million in net outflows on Tuesday, while Ethereum ETFs reported $64.7 million in net outflows.  

Meme coin market capitalization jumped 4% to $34.7 billion over the past 24 hours.

Trader Commentary: 

Trader Lennaert Snyder maintained a bullish outlook, identifying $74,800 as the next key liquidity target. He added that short trades remain possible but should be treated as countertrend given the broader bullish bias.

Ted Pillows said Ethereum has broken above the $2,150 to $2,200 resistance zone, signaling near-term strength. A sustained move above…

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Bitcoin Price Pumps Above $72,000 On Trump, Iran Ceasefire

Bitcoin price surged late Tuesday, climbing roughly 5% from a day-long range near $67,000–$68,000 to an intraday high of $72,753, as geopolitical tensions eased following a surprise ceasefire announcement tied to U.S.-Iran negotiations.

The rally came after Donald Trump said he would suspend further military escalation against Iran for two weeks, provided Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — a critical artery for global oil shipments. The announcement marked a sharp shift from earlier rhetoric, when Trump had threatened strikes on Iranian infrastructure if a deal was not reached by an 8 p.m. ET deadline.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the development as a…

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FDIC Advances Stablecoin Oversight Framework Under GENIUS Act With New Prudential Rule Proposal

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has advanced a new regulatory framework that begins to define how U.S. banks and their subsidiaries may issue and manage stablecoins under the GENIUS Act, marking a significant step in the federal oversight of dollar-pegged digital assets.

In a proposed rule approved on April 7, the FDIC outlined requirements for “permitted payment stablecoin issuers” (PPSIs), which are expected to operate as subsidiaries of FDIC-supervised institutions. The framework sets standards for reserves, redemption practices, capital, liquidity, cybersecurity, and risk management, and is now open to a 60-day public comment period.

The proposal implements…

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Spot Bitcoin ETFs Roar Back With $471 Million Inflows As BTC Weathers Volatility – ARK 21Shares Bitcoin E

Bitcoin (BTC) is trading near $69,000, but for investors there is much more to talk about. Strong inflows of smart money into spot Bitcoin ETFs are quietly contributing to stability, defying the geopolitical instability and Bitcoin’s quantum resistance worries. The ETFs are becoming more structural, absorbing supply and cushioning downside even as volatility lingers.

The leading digital currency has seen some brief movements above $70,000 but soon fell back under the $69,000 level. This movement sparked a liquidation of around $196 million of short positions, per CoinDesk. Bitcoin is showing resilience by maintaining vital levels despite lingering macro uncertainties. Also, the Crypto…

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Demand For Crypto Pay Surges, But Payroll Systems Fall Behind: Research

A growing share of workers are open to receiving part of their paycheck in crypto, even as most employers have yet to offer it. New survey data from Oobit shows a gap between employee demand and workplace adoption, pointing to a shift in how compensation could evolve.

The study, based on responses from 1,004 full-time employees, found that 43% of workers are interested in receiving some portion of their pay in digital assets. Among those who already own digital assets, interest rises to 57%, suggesting familiarity plays a central role in adoption.

Still, crypto payroll remains rare. Only 7% of respondents said their employer currently offers a crypto payment option. At the same…

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