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Golden Ten Data reported on April 20 that, given the outlook has become even more uncertain due to the Iran war, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda did not commit in advance to a rate hike in April after attending the IMF meeting, but still sent some hawkish signals, suggesting that if not this month, a hike in June remains possible. Although market attention focused on his lack of clear indication of an April hike, Ueda also did not downplay the possibility of an April rate increase and emphasized the need to closely monitor the Middle East situation and its impact on the Japanese economy. Three sources familiar with Bank of Japan's thinking said that with both possibilities still on the table, Bank of Japan policymakers may hesitate until the last moment before deciding whether to raise rates at the meeting scheduled for April 27-28, depending in part on progress in negotiations to end the US-Iran war. The sources said: "In a highly uncertain situation, it is too early to make a decision now for a policy meeting over a week away."

According to ChainCatcher, GMGN monitoring showed that this morning, the market value of the Solana ecosystem meme coin TROLL surged sharply from 16.6 million US dollars, with a peak exceeding 22 million US dollars. It is currently reported at 21 million US dollars, reflecting a 24-hour increase of approximately 33%, with trading volume reaching 2.4 million US dollars during the same period.

ChainCatcher live report: Hong Kong Legislative Councillor (Technology and Innovation Constituency) Duncan Chiu delivered a keynote speech at this year’s 2026 Hong Kong Web3 Carnival on “Steady and Progressive Development Keeps Hong Kong at Forefront of Web3 Expansion.” He reviewed Hong Kong’s Web3 development since 2022, covering the virtual asset service provider licensing regime, tokenized product pilots, last year’s Policy Statement 2.0, and the SFC’s ASPIRe roadmap, and believes that regulatory clarity is the primary factor for industry growth. He specifically compared the regulatory pathways of the United States and Hong Kong, noting that although the US has introduced key documents such as the Clarity Act, Genius Act, and joint statements by the SEC and CFTC, the political situation may cause legislative delays or even reversals. In contrast, Hong Kong offers a stable, transparent, and continuous development environment regarding product categorization, legislation, and infrastructure. He also mentioned the potential threat of quantum computing to the crypto industry, estimating that it is at least five years away, but the industry should be prepared at the cryptography level in advance. Finally, he stressed that Hong Kong needs more technology developers and should promote cross-jurisdictional connectivity to create a virtuous cycle for product issuance, investor participation, and innovator entry.