Techub News Global AI & Web3 Morning Report: Trump's speech did not mention the reopening plan for Hormuz, oil prices surged over 11% to a three-and-a-half-week high; U.S. stocks fell initially, then stabilized, narrowing losses. The three major indices rose over 3% for the week, ending a five-week losing streak.

Techub News AI

Reviewed by: Cora

Key Developments

A national address by Trump did not mention any plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He said Iran would be hit “extremely violently” within the next two to three weeks. Iran denied that it had requested a ceasefire and vowed to carry out an attack that is “more devastating.” Oil prices surged sharply: WTI crude rose 11.4% to $111.54, Brent rose to about $111.69, with both reaching their highest levels in more than three and a half weeks. (Source: CBS News, Barchart)

After U.S. stocks fell more than 1% in early trading, they rebounded on reports of “Iran and Oman reaching an agreement on a draft monitoring measure” for the Strait of Hormuz. The S&P 500 ultimately closed up 0.11% at 6,582.69, the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.11%, and the Dow Jones edged down 0.13%. The three major indexes were up 4.4%, 3.4%, and 3.0% for the week, ending five straight weeks of declines. (Source: Investopedia, Barchart)

The UN Security Council will vote on a proposal to authorize naval action in the Strait of Hormuz. Musk said relying on the Strait of Hormuz is “too lazy,” urging countries to achieve energy independence. (Source: CNN, Barchart)

BTC fell from $68,097 to about $66,172 (down 3% day-over-day), ETH fell from $2,139 to about $2,064 (down 4.4% day-over-day), as geopolitical uncertainty suppressed risk appetite. (Source: Yahoo Finance, Fortune)

The U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth removed Army Chief of Staff Randy George from his position, effective immediately. With the Iran war entering its fifth week, U.S. forces have struck more than 12,300 targets, destroying or damaging more than 155 Iranian ships. (Source: NPR)

Anthropic’s annualized revenue has surged to $14 billion (up 14x year over year), and its valuation has risen to $600 billion. Claude Code is driving growth in enterprise AI, with expectations to go public in Q4 2026. (Source: Zacks)

OpenAI monthly revenue reached $2.0 billion, with enterprise business accounting for 40%. The advertising business reached $100 million in annualized revenue in just six weeks after launch. Three ETFs under Ark Invest will increase their holdings of OpenAI shares. (Source: Zacks)

Asia-Pacific markets reversed across the board: South Korea’s Kospi fell 4.47% to 5,234, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 2.38% to 52,463, and Australia’s ASX fell 1.06%. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.18% to 25,249. (Source: CNBC)

Gold dropped to about $4,675 per ounce (down about $45 day-over-day), and silver plunged 5.6% to $71.39. Polymarket shows an 87% probability that gold will close lower on the day. The U.S. trade deficit widened in February to $57.3 billion, and initial jobless claims fell to 202,000. (Source: Fortune, USA Today, BEA)

Global Macro and Traditional Markets

What happened in the past 24 hours that mattered?

Trump’s national address disappoints markets: no mention of reopening Hormuz; oil prices hit a new three-and-a-half-week high

TECHUB NEWS message, citing CBS News, NPR, and NYT reports: On the evening of April 1, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a national address of about 19 minutes, claiming that Iran’s “offensive capabilities have been largely destroyed,” and that U.S. military targets “are about to be completed,” but that Iran will be struck “extremely violently” within the next two to three weeks, “sending them back to the Stone Age.” However, the address did not provide any specific plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, nor did it announce a ceasefire timeline, leaving markets greatly disappointed. Politico noted that “two to three weeks” has become a familiar refrain from Trump, who has used similar wording multiple times on the Russia-Ukraine war issue—yet the war has still been ongoing after nearly a year. Multiple U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran currently has “no intention of serious negotiations,” believing it is in a favorable position. A spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, Zafari, said Iran would launch “a more devastating strike.” As a result, WTI crude surged 11.41% to $111.54 per barrel, setting a new three-and-a-half-week high, while Brent crude rose to about $111.69 per barrel. (Source: CBS News; NPR; NYT)

U.S. stocks’ V-shaped rebound narrows losses: the three major indexes end the five-week losing streak with weekly gains of 3%–4.4%

TECHUB NEWS message, citing CNBC, Investopedia, and Barchart reports: On April 2, U.S. stocks fell sharply in early trading because the market felt Trump’s speech did not resolve the situation with Iran; the S&P 500 was down more than 1.1% at one point. However, the market rebounded quickly after news circulated during midday that Iran is consulting with Oman on a draft agreement concerning monitoring measures for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Ultimately, the S&P 500 closed up 0.11% at 6,582.69 points (WSJ data confirmed the close at 6,582.69), the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.11%, and the Dow Jones fell slightly by 0.13%. Tesla fell 5.42% to lead the decline; airline and cruise stocks came under pressure (Delta fell 1.24%, Alaska Airlines fell 0.85%). Energy stocks benefited from the jump in oil prices, with names like APA rising more than 4%. Because this week had only four trading days (Good Friday market holiday), the three indexes still posted strong weekly gains: Nasdaq up 4.4%, S&P up 3.4%, Dow up 3.0%, ending five straight weeks of declines. (Source: CNBC; Investopedia; WSJ)

Asia-Pacific markets reverse across the board: South Korea’s Kospi plunges 4.47%, Hang Seng slips slightly to 25,249

TECHUB NEWS message, citing CNBC: On April 2, Asia-Pacific markets fully reversed the gains from the prior two days after Trump’s speech. South Korea’s Kospi, which had surged the day before from +8.44%, reversed to plunge and closed down 4.47% at 5,234.05, while Kosdaq fell 5% to 1,634. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 2.38% to 52,463, and the TOPIX index fell 1% to 3,607. Australia’s ASX 200 fell 1.06% to 8,579.5. The Hang Seng Index slipped 0.18% to 25,249, once dropping by more than 0.5% during the day. Hong Kong tech stocks continued to face pressure: Tencent, Alibaba, Xiaomi, and Meituan all fell. The market worried about rumors that value-added tax could be raised to 32% (Xinhua has denied it). The HSTECH index is nearing bear-market levels (down nearly 20% from the October peak). Energy and mining stocks rose against the trend. (Source: CNBC; Trading Economics)

The UN Security Council to vote on naval action in the Strait of Hormuz; global energy crisis persists

TECHUB NEWS message, citing CNN: The UN Security Council will vote on a proposal to authorize naval action in the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to restore passage through the world’s critical oil transportation corridor. Currently, the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded by Iranian military forces, affecting roughly 8 million barrels of crude oil shipments per day worldwide. A draft agreement between Iran and Oman on monitoring passage through the strait has brought some hope to the market. Musk commented that countries relying on the Strait of Hormuz are “too lazy,” and that they should achieve energy independence. On the same day, Trump boasted on social media that U.S. forces bombed the largest bridge connecting Karaj and Tehran, and threatened to strike all of Iran’s power facilities if an agreement is not reached (several international law experts said this action may constitute a war crime). (Source: CNN)

U.S. Defense Secretary removes Army chief of staff; the Iran war enters its fifth week

TECHUB NEWS message, citing NPR: U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to resign and retire, effective immediately; no successor has been announced yet. This is a major personnel change as the Iran war enters its fifth week. According to data from U.S. Central Command, U.S. forces have struck more than 12,300 targets “to dismantle Iran’s regime security architecture,” destroying or damaging more than 155 Iranian ships. Struck targets include command centers, Revolutionary Guard strongholds, air defense systems, missile sites, and weapon production facilities. The president has received a briefing on options to send ground forces to Iran to seize the oil hub of Khark Island or obtain Iran’s highly enriched uranium. (Source: NPR)

Digital Asset Markets

BTC dips back to $66,000; ETH falls below $2,100; geopolitical risk suppresses risk appetite

TECHUB NEWS message, citing Yahoo Finance and Fortune: After opening at $68,097 on April 2, Bitcoin continued to trade lower, dropping to about $66,172 intraday, down roughly 3% day-over-day. Ethereum fell from $2,139 to about $2,064, down 4.4% day-over-day. Trump’s “extremely violent strike” rhetoric and his failure to propose a solution for the Strait of Hormuz have heightened concerns that the conflict could drag on, putting broad pressure on risk assets. Since the Iran war began, BlackRock has net bought nearly $2 billion in crypto assets and currently holds about $53.22 billion worth of BTC, but its ETH holdings have fallen from 3.15 million coins to 3.02 million, indicating institutions are more cautious about ETH. (Source: Yahoo Finance; Fortune; Finbold)

Metaplanet adds 5,075 BTC in Q1; total holdings surpass 40,000

TECHUB NEWS message, citing TECHUB NEWS breaking news: Japan-listed company Metaplanet released Q1 Bitcoin accumulation data. In Q1, it accumulated an additional 5,075 BTC in total, and total holdings surpassed the 40,000 mark. Metaplanet, as Asia’s “MicroStrategy,” continues to execute a Bitcoin reserve strategy; even during periods of major BTC price volatility caused by the Iran war, it has still kept adding. On the same day, the Drift protocol theft incident continued to unfold: within 5 minutes, the attacker converted 2.45 million USDC into 1,195 ETH. An affiliated address of Amber Group transferred out more than 6,449 ETH. (Source: TECHUB NEWS breaking news)

Anthropic annualized revenue $14 billion valuation $600 billion; expected to list by year-end

TECHUB NEWS message, citing Zacks: Anthropic’s latest disclosure shows annualized revenue of $14 billion (up 14x year over year), making it the fastest-growing AI company currently. Its valuation surged 50% from the prior $400 billion to $600 billion. Growth is mainly driven by the Claude Code product, marking the AI industry’s shift from “chatbots” to “intelligent agents” (Agentic AI). Anthropic is currently a leader in enterprise AI, and is expected to list in Q4 2026. Korean telecom SK Telecom (SKM), as an early investor, provides a secondary channel for public market investors to invest in Anthropic. Meanwhile, OpenAI monthly revenue reached $2.0 billion, with enterprise business accounting for 40%, and the advertising business reached $100 million in annualized revenue in just six weeks after launch. Nvidia’s forward P/E ratio fell to a seven-year low, and the AI segment’s fundamentals remain strong. (Source: Zacks)

Crypto regulation moves into full implementation; the GENIUS bill and MiCA framework accelerate rollout

TECHUB NEWS message, citing Blockchain Council and Yahoo Finance: In 2026, global crypto regulation enters a “full implementation” stage. To date, 68 countries have enacted or proposed special legislation for cryptocurrencies (42 in 2024), and 14 non-EU countries have adopted MiCA-aligned approaches. Key timeline points: July 1 marks the full expiration of the EU’s old VASP licenses; platforms must transition to complete MiCA CASP authorization. In the U.S., the GENIUS stablecoin bill has entered the implementation planning stage, targeting full execution on January 18, 2027. The Clarity bill (the Digital Assets Markets Clarity Act) is expected to pass before July, transferring substantial regulatory authority to the CFTC. In Hong Kong, HKMA’s first batch of stablecoin licenses are still under review, and the A-S-P-I-Re framework continues to advance. (Source: Blockchain Council; Yahoo Finance)

Hong Kong and Asia-Pacific Markets

Hang Seng Tech Index nears bear market; rumors of VAT increase hit Hong Kong tech stocks

TECHUB NEWS message, citing Bloomberg (China Show): On April 2, the Hang Seng Tech Index continued to come under pressure, nearing the bear-market threshold—nearly a 20% drop from the October peak. Earlier, market rumors suggested Hong Kong tech companies’ VAT could rise from 6% to 32%. Although Xinhua has denied any further tax hikes, investor sentiment has been significantly shaken. Tech giants including Tencent, Alibaba, Xiaomi, and Meituan all fell. Goldman Sachs’ basket of software stocks plunged about 6% overnight—the largest decline since April last year—further dragging on Asia-Pacific tech. However, real estate and financial stocks rose against the trend, up about 10% (cumulatively over three months); high-dividend strategies are favored amid geopolitical uncertainty. The IFIC Hong Kong AI Carnival WEB3 Summit will be held on April 18, and Web3 Festival 2026 will take place in Hong Kong from April 20 to 23 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. (Source: Bloomberg)

Hong Kong’s Web3 regulatory framework continues to mature, attracting a return of global crypto companies

TECHUB NEWS message, citing IndexBox: Hong Kong’s continuously improving digital asset and Web3 regulatory framework is attracting global crypto companies and industry professionals to return. The push for stablecoin licenses and new legislation has strengthened market confidence. Although there has been some delay in HKMA’s first batch of licenses, regulatory clarity continues to improve. On the same day, according to TECHUB NEWS’s earlier report, Hong Kong will pass legislation on a crypto asset reporting framework (OECD CARF), and OSL Group’s full-year 2025 revenue reached HKD 489 million, a record high. In April, Hong Kong will host multiple major Web3 events, including the IFIC Hong Kong AI Carnival and Web3 Festival 2026. (Source: IndexBox; INCRYPTED)

Latest prices for global coin and stock-related items (as of 2026-04-03 08:30 HKT)

Cryptocurrencies:

BTC: about $66,170 (down about 3% day-over-day, from $68,097)

ETH: about $2,064 (down about 4.4% day-over-day, from $2,139)

BlackRock holds about $53.22 billion in BTC; net bought nearly $2 billion during the war

BlackRock’s ETH holdings fell from 3.15 million coins to 3.02 million, showing institutional caution

Metaplanet added 5,075 BTC in Q1; total holdings surpassed 40,000

U.S. stocks (Apr 2 close / this week’s performance):

S&P 500: 6,582.69 points (+0.11%) / This week +3.4% (ending five straight weeks of declines)

Dow Jones: down slightly 13% / This week +3.0%

Nasdaq 100: +0.11% / This week +4.4%

Tesla fell 42% to lead the market decline; energy stocks benefited from the surge in oil prices

Airline and cruise stocks faced pressure: Delta down 24%, Alaska Airlines down 0.85%

Asia-Pacific markets (Apr 2 close):

Kospi (South Korea): 5,234.05 points (-4.47%, reversing the previous day’s +8.44% gain)

Nikkei 225: 52,463 points (-2.38%)

ASX 200 (Australia): 8,579.5 points (-1.06%)

Hang Seng Index: 25,249 points (-0.18%); Hang Seng Tech nears a bear market

Commodities and FX:

WTI crude oil: $111.54 per barrel (surged +11.41%, hitting a new three-and-a-half-week high)

Brent crude oil: about $69 per barrel (surged; once touched $106.47 then continued higher)

Spot gold: about $4,675 per ounce (down about $45 day-over-day); Polymarket 87% probability it closes lower today

Silver: $39 per ounce (plunged 5.6%)

U.S. trade deficit expanded to $57.3 billion in February (expected $62 billion)

Initial jobless claims fell to 200,000 (expected 212,000); the jobs market remains steady

Key signals:

Trump’s speech offered no substantive progress on a ceasefire; the war may continue for weeks

The Iran-Oman Strait of Hormuz draft agreement is the only peace signal

A UN Security Council vote on naval action could become a turning point

Oil prices break above $110; analysts predict it may impact $200

AI sector fundamentals remain strong: Anthropic’s revenue growth is 14x; OpenAI monthly revenue is $2.0 billion

U.S. stocks’ weekly trend ends five straight weeks of declines, but large intraday swings show the market is fragile

What are some great articles worth reading in the past 24 hours?

Take a look at how Claude Code does Harness—this is the real difficulty of Agent engineering

Interview with Morph: making stablecoins part of everyday payments

After Drift’s theft of $280 million

On-chain U.S. stocks at the critical point: how the dual-track flywheel reshapes financial pricing systems

RWA industry monthly panoramic report — analysis of macro policy, institutional positioning, and key projects (March 2026)

Bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows again last week; as Middle East tensions intensify, can the crypto market stay unscathed?

Disclaimer: This early-morning newsletter is for information only and does not constitute any investment advice. The market is risky; invest with caution.