U.S. President Donald Trump is said to be "strongly considering" withdrawing the United States from NATO after allied governments declined to join military action against Iran, The Telegraph reported. According to the report, Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and singled out the United Kingdom, arguing the Royal Navy would be unable to support an operation aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The White House is also said to be increasingly frustrated with European partners for refusing to grant basing rights, as energy prices surge amid an ongoing blockade. Trump is scheduled to deliver a national address at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday to provide updates on the conflict and the future of the alliance. Source: The Telegraph

Franklin Templeton has agreed to acquire 250 Digital, a CoinFund spinoff, The Wall Street Journal reported. The $1.7 trillion asset manager plans to launch a new "Franklin Crypto" division aimed at institutional clients, underscoring continued traditional-finance expansion into digital assets despite the recent market drawdown.

April 1 — U.S. equities opened in positive territory, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.57%, the S&P 500 higher by 0.66%, and the Nasdaq gaining 0.7%, according to market data. Crypto-related stocks also moved broadly higher: MicroStrategy (MSTR) rose 0.37%, Coinbase (COIN) added 1.02%, Circle (CRCL) climbed 2.25%, MARA Holdings (MARA) gained 0.61%, BitMine Immersion (BMNR) advanced 0.78%, and SharpLink Gaming (SBET) rose 1.63%.

Cango, a NYSE-listed Bitcoin mining company, said it has completed two financing transactions. The company closed a $65 million strategic investment by issuing 49,242,424 shares of Class A common stock to two entities wholly controlled by Chairman Xin Jin and Director ChangWei Chiu, respectively. The deal settled on March 31, with proceeds paid in USDT. Cango also signed a securities purchase agreement with Hong Kong-listed financial services group DL Holdings Group Limited, issuing a $10 million convertible note along with warrants to purchase up to 370,370 shares of Class A common stock. The warrants carry an exercise price of $2.70 per share.

President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that Iran's "New Regime President" has formally requested a ceasefire with the United States. Trump said he would only consider the request after the Strait of Hormuz is fully "open, free, and clear" for global shipping.

April 1 (UTC+8) — U.S. retail sales rose more than expected in February, supported by broad-based gains and a rebound in auto purchases, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Retail sales, unadjusted for inflation, increased 0.6% in February after a slight dip in January. Rising gasoline prices could weigh on consumer demand in coming months. The conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran has lifted global oil prices by more than 50%, pushing the national average gasoline price above $4 per gallon for the first time in more than three years. Some market participants worry that further increases at the pump could offset part of the boost from tax cuts to household spending and the broader economy. Core retail sales — excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and dining services — rose 0.5% in February, following a 0.2% gain in January. This measure is viewed as the closest match to the consumer spending component of GDP. Consumer spending cooled in the fourth quarter of last year, pulling annualized GDP growth down to 0.7%.

Brazil's central bank has doubled its gold holdings in 2025, making gold the country's second-largest reserve asset behind the U.S. dollar.

Shanghai recorded a one-day withdrawal of 45 tons of silver, the biggest drawdown in eight weeks. Total inventories have declined to 323 tons, underscoring renewed outflows from China's silver vaults.

US private-sector employers added 62,000 jobs in March 2026, down from 66,000 in February, according to ADP's Employment Change report. Over 2010–2026, ADP payroll growth averaged 143.52 thousand. The series peaked at 1,247 thousand in August 2021 and hit a record low of -6,094 thousand in April 2020.