Editor's Note: As the Middle East situation gradually eased amid the uncertainty of "negotiations OR NOT," the U.S. stock market once again experienced a "TACO-style rebound," with some leading crypto concept stocks rising. Last week, the S&P 500 index once hit a new high of over 7,000 points, and Asian stock markets also warmed up simultaneously. The MSCI Asia Pacific index rose by 0.8% at one point, while the MSCI Emerging Markets index recovered all the losses suffered in the nearly two months since the outbreak of the Iran conflict. The South Korean KOSPI index even reported 6,388.47 points today, hitting a record high. In the short term, the market has digested the negative impact of the U.S.-Iran situation, and the next phase may continue to rise and make up for gains.
Below is a summary of last week's currency and stock market information compiled by Odaily Planet Daily. All U.S. stock data are frommsx.com.
Middle East Issues Ease, Economy and Fundamentals Become Focus of U.S. Stocks and Other Markets, Silver Volatility Exceeds Gold
UBS: Investors to Shift Focus from Middle East Issues to Economic and Profit Fundamentals, U.S. Stocks Remain Attractive
On April 16, a UBS research report pointed out that, based on the bank's baseline scenario, the final diplomatic resolution of the Middle East conflict will allow investors to once again focus on healthy economic and profit fundamentals. The bank stated that during the Middle East crisis, it has always believed that global and U.S. stock markets remain attractive. The bank expects the U.S. stock Q1 earnings season to be strong, highlighting optimistic prospects for corporate profits. Earnings per share are expected to grow by 17% this quarter, which would be the fastest growth rate since Q4 2021. However, the bank also expects the path to a long-term ceasefire in the Middle East to be fraught with difficulties. Even if shipping resumes in the Strait of Hormuz, the global energy market will need time to return to normal. Therefore, the bank recently raised its Brent crude oil price forecast for the end of June from $90/barrel to $100/barrel. Considering the outlook for the energy market, the bank has become more cautious about stock markets most sensitive to high fuel costs (including the Eurozone and India) and has downgraded their ratings from "attractive" to "neutral."
Analysis: Focus on U.S.-Iran Negotiation Progress and Strait Reopening, Silver Follows Gold in Short-Term Strong Fluctuations, Volatility May Be Higher Than Gold
Influenced by the renewed blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the escalation of the U.S.-Iran conflict pushing up the U.S. dollar index, and inflation concerns. Silver's industrial attributes make it more sensitive to global growth and risk appetite, and its fluctuation range is often greater than that of gold. Currently, the "stagnation" part of the U.S. economy has not been verified. With the renewed escalation of U.S.-Iran geopolitical tensions and intraday oil price increases, short-term interest rate cut expectations are unlikely to升温 quickly, and more economic data guidance is needed. In addition, the spot end drive for silver remains weak. The 1M, 3M, and 6M London silver lease rates, although slightly rebounding, are still operating at low levels with fluctuations. Short-term industrial demand expectations for silver are also weak. The cancellation of photovoltaic tax rebates effective from April may slow down the previous rush for silver exports in the photovoltaic sector.
Weekly Update on Dynamics of Listed Companies in Currency and Stocks
Representative Companies with BTC Treasuries
Global listed companies' BTC buying momentum strongly rebounds, weekly net purchases exceed $2.5 billion, hitting a recent high
According to SoSoValue data, as of 8:00 AM Eastern Time on April 20, 2026, the total weekly net purchase of Bitcoin by global listed companies (excluding mining companies) last week was $2.542 billion, an increase of 154.2% compared to the previous week.
Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) announced an investment of $2.54 billion (an increase of 154% compared to last week) to purchase 34,164 Bitcoins at $74,395, bringing total holdings to 815,061 Bitcoins.
Japanese listed company Metaplanet did not purchase Bitcoin last week.
In addition, 4 other companies purchased Bitcoin last week. U.S. asset management company Strive announced on April 15 the purchase of 27 Bitcoins, bringing total holdings to 13,768 Bitcoins, without disclosing the specific purchase amount; Japanese fashion brand ANAP invested $410,000 on April 16 to increase holdings by 5.07 Bitcoins at $81,607.50, bringing total holdings to 1,422.1041 Bitcoins; British Bitcoin company The Smarter Web Company announced on April 14 an investment of $800,000 to purchase 11 Bitcoins at $72,702, bringing total holdings to 2,706 Bitcoins; A French Bitcoin company announced on April 20 an investment of $920,000 to purchase 12 Bitcoins at $72,102.50, bringing total holdings to 2,937 Bitcoins.
As of press time, the total Bitcoin holdings of the surveyed global listed companies (excluding mining companies) amounted to 1,081,576 Bitcoins, an increase of 3.28% compared to last week. The current market value is approximately $81.65 billion, accounting for 5.4% of Bitcoin's circulating market capitalization.
Data: Strategy's Holdings Surpass IBIT to Become the World's Largest Bitcoin Holding Entity
Strategy (MSTR) has surpassed BlackRock's IBIT to become the single entity holding the most Bitcoin globally. As of April 20, MSTR holds 815,061 BTC, with a total cost of approximately $61.56 billion, an average price of $75,527. The BTC Yield since the beginning of 2026 has reached 9.5%.
Listed Bitcoin Mining Companies Sold Over 32,000 BTC in Q1 2026, Exceeding the Total for 2025
According to statistics, listed Bitcoin mining companies sold a total of over 32,000 BTC in the first quarter of 2026, exceeding the total sales for the entire year of 2025 and setting a new record for a single quarter. TheMinerMag data indicated that related companies include MARA, CleanSpark, Riot, Cango, Core Scientific, and Bitdeer. The report also stated that the current miner hash price is about $33 per PH/s per day, lower than the break-even level of about $35 for some mining companies. According to CryptoQuant data, since 2023, Bitcoin miner reserves have decreased from over 1.86 million BTC to about 1.8 million BTC.
The Smarter Web Company Completes Approximately $2 Million Private Placement Equity Financing
British Bitcoin treasury company The Smarter Web Company announced that it has completed a private placement of 4,286,410 ordinary shares pursuant to a previously signed subscription agreement. This placement raised a total of approximately £1.5374 million (approximately $2 million, before expenses), equivalent to approximately £0.36 per share. The company expects to receive net proceeds of about 98.25%. The balance of ordinary shares not yet placed under the current subscription agreement is 52,377,540 shares.
Representative Companies with ETH Treasuries
Bitmine Increased Holdings by 101,627 ETH Last Week, the Largest Increase in Nearly Four Months
Bitmine purchased 101,627 ETH last week, worth approximately $234.7 million. Data shows that the company currently holds a total of 4,976,485 ETH, worth approximately $11.49 billion, of which about 3,334,637 ETH (approximately $7.7 billion) has been staked.
Intchains Group Has Staked 8,040 ETH, Plans to Accelerate AI-Enabled Operational Transformation
Nasdaq-listed Ethereum treasury company Intchains Group released the latest progress on Ethereum staking and strategic transformation. It disclosed that as of April 16, 2026, it has cumulatively staked 8,040 ETH, of which 1,000 are deployed on the FalconX platform and 7,040 are deployed on its own Goldshell Stake platform. The current multi-platform staking strategy helps enhance returns and diversify risks. The company also announced an acceleration of its AI-enabled operational model transformation, focusing on introducing automation and intelligent tools in areas such as chip and product development, market sales, and overall operations to improve efficiency and decision-making capabilities.
Representative Companies with SOL Treasuries
None.
Representative Companies with Altcoin Treasuries
Tether Supports SKY Token Treasury Company SDEV's $134 Million Financing, Layout for Stablecoin Infrastructure and SKY Ecosystem
Tether announced its support for the previously completed $134 million private financing by listed company Stablecoin Development Corporation (SDEV). The funds are primarily used to increase holdings of SKY tokens.
SDEV is positioned as an investment vehicle in the stablecoin track for traditional market investors. It currently holds approximately 2.15 billion SKY tokens, accounting for about 9.15% of the total supply, and is building ecosystem exposure around Sky Protocol and its stablecoin USDS.
The company stated that its core goal is to promote the application of stablecoins and DeFi in real scenarios and lower the barrier to entry for users.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino pointed out that the next phase of stablecoin growth will depend on "usability and infrastructure improvement," shifting focus from trading scenarios to daily payments and practical applications.
BNB Plus Faces Nasdaq Delisting Risk, Initiates Strategic Options Evaluation to Maximize Shareholder Value
BNB treasury company BNB Plus disclosed that it has received a notice from Nasdaq. Due to its stock price falling below the minimum requirement of $1, it no longer meets the continued listing standards. Furthermore, as it implemented a reverse stock split in the past year, it is not eligible for the常规整改期. The company stated that it has applied for a hearing, and its stock will continue to trade on Nasdaq until the outcome is determined.
Additionally, BNB Plus announced that its board of directors has approved the initiation of an evaluation of strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value. Potential options include mergers, reverse mergers, asset sales, joint ventures, financing, and other transactions. As of now, the value of its crypto treasury assets is approximately $12.2 million.
