Vitalik Buterin: Open to "anti-data center populism," which may help delay the progress of AGI

When the Asia-Pacific stock markets hit the circuit breaker, why does Bitcoin stand out as the best?

Author: Jae, PANews On March 4th, as the situation in the Middle East suddenly worsened, global financial markets instantly entered a "wartime state." For global investors, this was a trading day worthy of being recorded in history. Disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy choke point, triggered a sharp surge in international oil prices. Panic quickly swept through traditional capital markets, and Asia-Pacific stock markets experienced an epic sell-off. KOSPI in South Korea plummeted 12% in a single day, marking the largest decline in history; the Nikkei 225 dropped 3.7%, its worst performance in five months; Middle Eastern local stock markets once tumbled nearly 5% amid a correction; major European and American stock indices closed lower across the board. However, an unusual phenomenon quietly emerged amid this sell-off. The crypto market, often regarded as "high risk, high volatility," which tends to be the first asset class to collapse during any geopolitical crisis, surprisingly held steady this time. Bitcoin experienced a brief panic

Bank failures, war conflicts: Iran's $7.8 billion cryptocurrency "shadow economy" becomes the focus again

As the US-Israel coalition escalates actions against Iran, the country's "shadow economy" has once again come into focus. Iran is using cheap electricity to mine Bitcoin, stabilizing its currency and bypassing sanctions. Mining hash rate accounts for 2%-5% of the global total and is expected to create a $7.8 billion ecosystem by 2025. The stablecoin USDT is also used to stabilize the rial exchange rate, which has depreciated by over 96%. Additionally, during protests, the public has accelerated their shift to Bitcoin to protect assets.

Iran and North Korea are both using it! Stablecoins have become the preferred virtual asset for illegal transactions, with involved fraud totaling $51 billion.

According to the FATF report, stablecoins have become the preferred asset for illegal transactions, especially in countries like Iran and North Korea. The organization calls for increased regulation of stablecoin issuers and states that by 2025, stablecoins will account for the majority of illegal virtual asset transactions. To address these challenges, the FATF recommends that issuers strengthen their technical capabilities to improve regulatory efficiency.

Institutions: Unless tomorrow's non-farm payrolls show significant weakness, the US dollar will remain strong.

A strategist at TD Securities stated that if the U.S. non-farm payroll report does not show significant weakness, it will not affect the dollar. They believe the market will focus on the Middle East conflict and its impact on the Federal Reserve's rate-cutting ability, rather than employment data. If oil prices remain high, the dollar should stay strong.

Middle Eastern conflict fuels "Digital Gold"! Bitcoin ETF surges by $1 billion in three days, as safe-haven asset characteristics quietly return

Against the backdrop of tense Middle East tensions, Bitcoin has recently attracted over $1 billion in ETF capital inflows, with its price once breaking through $70,000, demonstrating its potential as a "hedge asset." Analysis indicates that Bitcoin has shown better resilience than traditional assets during geopolitical crises, and the weakening of the US dollar has also boosted its performance. Future capital momentum will be a key indicator to verify Bitcoin's position.

UAE Banking System Stable Despite Rising Regional Tensions

The UAE's banking system remains stable amid increased regional tensions following Iranian attacks. The Central Bank reassures that financial institutions operate efficiently, maintaining strong balance sheet indicators and advanced risk management practices.