U.S. stocks open, Dow Jones down 0.03%, Rivian surges 27%

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggers a global energy crisis, and Brent crude’s one-month gain reaches the highest level since 1988

March Brent crude oil futures rose more than 60%, posting the largest monthly gain since 1988, as Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused a supply disruption. Analysts warned that oil prices could reach $200, and the market responded with renewed activity. Investors need to watch geopolitical developments and energy supply conditions.

Trump will make a statement on the Iran issue, as the Strait of Hormuz returns to the energy spotlight

Trump said the United States could end its war with Iran within two to three weeks, with the goal of stopping its nuclear weapons development. It has not yet been determined whether the strait will be reopened. Brent crude oil prices hit a record high, tightening energy supplies and further increasing market attention. Trump handed responsibility for restarting the strait to other countries and plans to explain the Iran issue in a nationwide address. The market is taking a cautious view of how events will unfold.

Brent crude oil falls below $101 per barrel, down 1.17% intraday

Gate News message: On April 1, market data showed that Brent crude oil (one of the international crude benchmarks) fell below $101 per barrel, with a intraday drop of 1.17%; WTI crude oil (the U.S. crude benchmark) is currently down 0.9%.

Metaplanet raises $255 million in funding, aiming to reach 100,000 BTC in its Bitcoin holdings by the end of 2026

Tokyo-listed company Metaplanet successfully raised $255 million and plans to increase its Bitcoin holdings to 100,000 BTC. By financing through issuing preferred shares and warrants, Metaplanet aims to reduce financial risk and demonstrate confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term value. As the corporate Bitcoin-holding trend accelerates, it is expected to boost market activity and drive up the Bitcoin price in the future.

ISO 20022 is quietly reshaping the global payments landscape, and banks are facing compliance pressure

ISO 20022 is changing the global financial payments system, improving payment processing efficiency. In 2025, SWIFT will retire traditional MT messages, and financial institutions will need to fully adopt ISO 20022 to avoid transaction delays and increased costs. This standard is not only a compliance requirement, but also an opportunity to modernize operations—driving organizations to fully upgrade and deeply redesign.

America’s first case! New Hampshire issues “Bitcoin-backed bonds,” and Moody’s rates them “Ba2” junk-grade

The New Hampshire State Department of Business and Financial Management will issue $100 million in bitcoin-backed municipal bonds, which have been rated “Ba2” by Moody’s. This innovative financial product will be repaid through the proceeds from the monetization of bitcoin, and it does not involve any state government public funds or taxing authority; the risk is borne by investors. This marks a major step for bitcoin into the traditional financial system.