Global Markets

Robert Kiyosaki, in a recent post, said that Bitcoin and Ethereum could become the safest investments of 2026, because the United States continues to print money, debt is rising, and inflation is worsening. He criticized the safety of U.S. Treasuries as “the biggest lie,” and noted that real assets and cryptocurrencies can preserve wealth during inflation. His investment recommendations include holding Bitcoin, gold, silver, and commodities. Although some of his predictions weren’t accurate, some of his long-term predictions have come true.

Visa executives recently visited South Korea and described the market as the world’s best stablecoin testbed, citing 17M crypto investors and a high rate of AI adoption. However, South Korea has been slow to advance the regulatory framework for digital assets, hindering the progress of related experiments, suggesting that regulatory lag could cause the loss of market advantages.

A World Gold Council report shows that in February 2026, central banks net bought 19 tons of gold, up from January but below the 2025 average. Some central banks have continued to accumulate gold; China has increased its holdings for 16 months. Goldman Sachs and UBS predict that the gold price could rise to $5,400 and $5,900, respectively, in the future.

Digital asset ETPs saw a peak of over $250B, ending 2025 with $184B AUM, mainly driven by Bitcoin products. The market is evolving, with over 125 new filings indicating a trend toward diversified asset offerings.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Financial Secretary Paul Chan said that in March, the average daily trading value of the Hong Kong stock market exceeded HK$300 billion, up 8% year over year. This year, funds raised through IPOs have already exceeded HK$103 billion, the world’s No. 1, and companies collectively view Hong Kong as an important window for financing and for “going global.”

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could surpass gold ETFs in total assets under management (AUM) as investor demand expands beyond the traditional “digital gold” narrative, according to ETF analyst James Seyffart. “There are just more use cases of why somebody would put a Bitcoin ETF in a p

Gate News message, April 5, according to data, within the two months after major global shock events, Bitcoin generally performed better than gold and the S&P 500 index (a U.S. stock market benchmark index). In specific data, after the Trump administration announced large-scale tariff measures in April 2025, Bitcoin rose 24% in the following 60 days, gold rose 8%, and the S&P 500 rose 4%. In early March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Bitcoin also rose 21%, outperforming gold and the S&P 500 index.

The crypto market shows mixed signals with a 0.34% market cap increase to $2.3T, while trading volume fell by 16.99%. Bitcoin rose by 0.50% to $66,896.80, and Ethereum dropped by 0.18% to $2,053.15. Key gainers include PEPE, TRUMP IP, and TRUMP MOG, which saw significant price increases. DeFi TVL decreased by 0.35%, and NFT sales volume fell by 5.18%. Notably, Drift Protocol experienced a 40% loss after a breach, and Charles Schwab plans Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading in 2026.

The World Gold Council report shows that in February 2026, central banks in various countries net bought 19 tons of gold. Although this is below the 2025 average, it is up from January’s 5 tons. Central banks’ acceptance of gold continues to strengthen, with both the Czech Republic and China maintaining consecutive gold-buying records. Goldman Sachs and UBS predict that gold prices may rise in the future.

What to know: Digital asset ETP assets surged past $250B at their peak following U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF approvals, with $184B in AUM at year-end 2025 and the U.S. accounting for nearly 80% of global assets. The market remains concentrated, with Bitcoin-based products

James Seyffart predicts that Bitcoin spot ETFs may surpass gold ETFs in assets under management as investor demand evolves. Bitcoin is seen as a versatile investment option, while gold remains traditional. Despite recent declines, both asset classes have seen significant fund flow activity.

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could surpass gold ETFs in total assets under management (AUM) as investor demand expands beyond the traditional “digital gold” narrative, according to ETF analyst James Seyffart. “There are just more use cases of why somebody would put a Bitcoin ETF in a p

A research report from China International Capital Corporation (CICC) notes that the Iran–U.S. conflict has pushed up oil prices, increasing inflation risks, affecting expectations for Fed rate cuts, and driving selling of gold ETFs. Geopolitical developments put oil prices at a crossroads, while the gold market is focused on how an economic downturn could affect it; in the future, it may reassess expectations for rate hikes. Demand for gold investment and prices may have room to rise.

JPMorgan Chase’s analysis shows that in Q1 2026, digital-asset fund flows totaled only $11 billion, market momentum slowed, and the main sources of capital were corporate allocations and crypto venture capital; meanwhile, traditional investors’ participation declined, and the overall market exhibited the characteristics of being dominated by a few large players.

Bitcoin traded mostly flat on April 3, hovering near $67,000 despite sharp geopolitical and political developments. The cryptocurrency’s relative stability kept its market cap steady at $1.34 trillion and liquidations low at $31 million. Political Turbulence Overshadows Conflict Bitcoin traded

On April 3, under market pressure, Bitcoin Treasury Company adopted different strategies: Nakamoto Holdings sold 284 bitcoins to adjust its balance sheet, while Strategy kept 762,000 BTC untouched. New Hampshire plans to issue Bitcoin-backed municipal bonds, expected to raise $100 million. CoinShares merged with Vine Hill Capital and listed on Nasdaq.

Charles Schwab will launch a cryptocurrency trading service called “Schwab Crypto” on its investment platform on April 3, initially supporting trading in Bitcoin and Ethereum and covering most states in the United States. The service has been developed by its subsidiary. Charles Schwab has previously offered related ETF products and supported trading on the EDX Markets exchange.

Gate News message, according to the April 3 update, Bitcoin ETFs recorded a 1-day net outflow of 21 BTC (approximately $1.39 million) and a 7-day net outflow of 3,616 BTC (approximately $240.99 million). Ethereum ETFs saw a 1-day net outflow of 15,212 ETH (approximately $31.14 million) and a 7-day n

On April 3, BVIX was quoted at 49.18, with an intraday decline of 7.56%; EVIX was quoted at 69.80, with an intraday decline of 5.50%. The U.S. dollar to offshore Chinese yuan exchange rate fell by 0.05%, and the U.S. dollar to the Japanese yen fell by 0.02%. Gate supports users in trading multiple asset types within the platform, enabling the fusion of crypto and traditional financial assets.

Gate News message, on April 3, after the Non-Farm Payrolls data was released, the U.S. Dollar Index DXY (a measure of the dollar’s strength versus a basket of currencies) surged sharply in the short term, topping out at 100.1. Non-U.S. currencies generally fell; EUR/USD and GBP/USD both dropped nearly 30 points in the short term.