News linked to both this project and an event.
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) stated that, at today’s monetary policy meeting, the BOJ’s Policy Board reviewed developments and operations in the Japanese government bond (JGB) market and discussed future guidelines for JGB purchases. In principle, long-term interest rates should be determined by financial markets; therefore, it is appropriate for the central bank to conduct JGB purchases in a predictable manner while retaining sufficient flexibility to support JGB market stability. Based on this approach, and to improve the efficiency and stability of the JGB market, the BOJ decided—by a vote of 7 to 1—to implement the following measures: Starting now through March 2027, the BOJ will reduce its monthly JGB purchase target by approximately ¥200 billion per natural quarter, in principle. From April 2027 onward, its monthly JGB purchase target will be maintained at approximately ¥2 trillion. Should long-term interest rates rise rapidly, the BOJ will respond flexibly—for example, by increasing the scale of JGB purchases or conducting fixed-rate JGB purchase operations (both of which are exempt from the monthly JGB purchase target), as well as conducting funding operations against pooled collateral. Furthermore, the BOJ will no longer conduct mid-term reviews of its direct JGB purchase program. However, the BOJ stands ready to adjust the pace of JGB purchases at future monetary policy meetings, as deemed necessary, based on the fundamental principles guiding JGB purchases and other factors—including developments in the JGB market. (Jinshi)
OpenAI has released the Frontier Governance Framework, systematically elaborating on how its AI safety and governance practices align with emerging regulatory requirements such as the California Frontier AI Transparency Act and the EU's General-Purpose AI Code of Conduct. Based on OpenAI's existing Preparedness Framework, this framework focuses on areas including cyberattacks, CBRN risks, harmful manipulation, loss of control risks, model reporting, security incident response, and external expert review. It also states that it will be continuously updated as model capabilities and the regulatory environment evolve.
the "Transparency Alliance," initiated by Blockworks, has been officially established, garnering support from over 40 crypto enterprises including Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance.US. The alliance aims to jointly develop unified token information disclosure standards to enhance market transparency and attract institutional capital. Based on Blockworks' Token Transparency Framework, the alliance seeks to establish a standardized information disclosure mechanism for crypto assets, similar to that of the stock market, enabling investors to gain a clearer understanding of token structures and risks.Reportedly, the framework covers details such as token issuance structure, internal holdings allocation, market maker arrangements, exchange listing terms, and repurchase mechanisms. It distinguishes between two types of document systems: "one-time pre-issuance disclosure" and "ongoing update disclosure." To date, 44 projects, including Morpho, Jupiter, Spark, and dYdX, have completed the relevant filings.Industry insiders point out that this initiative aims to establish a unified information infrastructure for the crypto market to meet institutional investors' demands for transparency and compliance. Blockworks stated that it has communicated with relevant personnel from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Analysts believe that this alliance signifies the crypto industry is accelerating its shift towards an "institutionalized information disclosure system." However, its ultimate impact will depend on whether the market translates these disclosure standards into widespread industry consensus. (CoinDesk)
According to CoinPost, Japanese blockchain infrastructure company Nihon Blockchain Kiban has officially decided to issue the trust-based JPY-pegged stablecoin EJPY. The stablecoin is planned to be deployed on Japan Open Chain (JOC) and Ethereum, with the goal of launching issuance and circulation on JOC within fiscal year 2026. The announcement states that the trust-based architecture required for EJPY has achieved phased progress. The company noted that EJPY will primarily serve inter-corporate settlements, digital asset payments, fund transfers, and various Web3 payment use cases, and that it will advance a multi-chain strategy centered on JOC. Specific details—including the actual launch date, issuance terms, partner institutions, and supported blockchains—will be announced separately after consultations with regulatory authorities and relevant organizations and completion of necessary procedures.
: CME Group has announced the launch of cash-settled Bitcoin Volatility Futures, scheduled to go live on June 1st (pending regulatory approval).Based on the 30-day Implied Volatility Index (BVX), this product allows traders to trade or hedge Bitcoin volatility without speculating on the direction of price movements.The new contract is expected to carry the ticker symbol BVI, with a contract multiplier of $500 x the index value, aiming to provide the market with a more refined risk management tool.
According to monitoring by the Odaily Seer Prophecy Channel, in the Polymarket prediction event regarding "What will Powell say at the April press conference," the probability of purchasing "Good Afternoon" has risen to 98.3%. As the transaction price is close to 98.3¢, the total trading volume for this event currently stands at $57,749.In related context, Federal Reserve Chairman Powell is about to hold the April monetary policy press conference. As his term is set to expire in mid-next month, this press conference is viewed as a final act of his career. Based on historical precedent, Powell habitually greets the media with "good afternoon" at the start of each press conference. Although the market is currently under pressure from a high-interest-rate environment, bettors have shown extremely high consensus in predicting this customary phrasing.The Odaily Seer Prophecy Channel continues to monitor the prediction market, observing changes before prices are set.
According to Sing Tao Daily, two mainland Chinese men holding Two-way Permits—Wang Bochuan (27 years old, business consultant) and Xu Zilan (24 years old, salesperson)—were charged with raping a woman on November 4, 2025, at Regal Hotel Mong Kok (23 Tai Nan Street). Both defendants faced one count of rape and have been in custody since mid-November 2025—over five months. The case was mentioned today (April 18) at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, where the prosecution’s application to withdraw the charges was granted. One defendant applied for costs of the proceedings; the prosecution opposed the application, stating that both defendants had admitted to having sexual intercourse with the complainant and only agreed to provide their mobile phone passwords to police for investigation in the month following their charge. Based on this, the prosecution sought further legal advice before deciding to withdraw the charges. The judge ruled that the defendant had not incriminated himself and approved the application for costs. It has been confirmed that the two individuals were formerly BD staff at ME (formerly MetaEra).
Odaily News South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance has selected a new blockchain digital currency utilization pilot project under its 2026 regulatory sandbox framework. The project will explore the use of deposit tokens for executing business promotion expenses, aiming to test the application of blockchain technology in national fiscal operations.Currently, business promotion expenses in South Korea are primarily executed through government procurement cards, and their use during restricted hours such as late nights or weekends requires additional justification. Limited by the "National Fiscal Management Act," previous payment methods were relatively singular. The approval of this regulatory sandbox creates an exception for the use of deposit tokens.The Ministry stated that by pre-setting conditions such as expenditure timing and industry categories, deposit tokens are expected to enhance execution transparency and reduce the cost burden on small business owners by removing intermediaries from the payment flow. The Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to officially launch the pilot in the fourth quarter of 2026, with Sejong City designated as the first implementation area. Furthermore, South Korean regulators are simultaneously strengthening oversight of stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, and automated trading.
According to Newsis, South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance announced on April 16 that the pilot project titled “Blockchain-Based Digital Currency for Treasury Fund Disbursement” has been selected as one of the targeted regulatory sandbox initiatives for 2026. Under this pilot, government agencies’ operational expense disbursements—currently made via government procurement cards—will instead be issued and paid using blockchain-based deposit tokens. The South Korean government stated that this initiative is expected to enhance fund usage transparency by predefining permissible usage timeframes and eligible industries, while also reducing transaction fees for small merchants through a disintermediated payment structure. The pilot is scheduled to officially launch in the fourth quarter of this year, initially in Sejong City, with gradual expansion to other regions thereafter.