US Imposes 35 New Sanctions on Iran in Operation Economic Fury, Focusing on Crypto

The U.S. Treasury Department, under Secretary Scott Bessent, has increased its “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran through Operation Economic Fury. On April 29, 2026, the department announced new sanctions against 35 entities and individuals involved in Iran’s shadow banking networks, which are used for sanctions evasion, illegal oil trading, weapons purchases, and funding groups like the IRGC.

Key Actions

  • The sanctions target “rahbar” networks that move tens of billions of dollars in illegal funds through shell companies and intermediaries.
  • There is an ongoing focus on crypto channels, following the recent freeze of $344 million in USDT from two Tron wallets connected to Iranian operations.
  • Other targets include shadow fleet tankers, Chinese refineries that process Iranian oil, and financial facilitators who now face the risk of secondary sanctions.

Bessent said the shadow banking system is a “critical financial lifeline” for Iran’s armed forces and terrorist activities, and promised to cut off these revenue streams.

Implications for CryptoThis move highlights how blockchain transactions, especially on Tron, can be traced and shows that stablecoin issuers are working with U.S. authorities. Although there was no major market disruption, the action emphasizes the need for compliance in high-risk areas and supports ongoing discussions about stablecoin regulations.stablecoins.

The move comes amid fragile ceasefires and geopolitical tensions, using economic tools as the “financial equivalent of bombs.” Iran has leaned heavily on crypto and shadow networks to bypass traditional restrictions.

2026 Outlook

The U.S. is showing that it will continue to enforce “follow the money” strategies across all channels, and more sanctions are likely. This development adds to cautious feelings in the crypto market, along with major events like the FOMC, and points to both risks and the growing maturity of compliance systems in digital assets.

Germany’s Crypto Tax-Free Holding Period Remains Safe: No Abolition Planned for 2027

As of April 28–29, 2026, Germany’s well-known 1-year tax-free holding period for crypto (Haltefrist) is still in effect. Although there is political debate, no decision has been made to remove this exemption in the 2027 budget reforms.

Under current law (§ 23 EStG), gains from selling or swapping Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other crypto are completely tax-free if held longer than one year — regardless of profit size. Short-term gains (under 12 months) are taxed at your personal income tax rate (up to 45% + solidarity surcharge) only if they exceed the €1,000 annual exemption.

Current Status of the Debate

Since late 2025, some members of the Left Party, Greens, and SPD have suggested ending the holding period and taxing all crypto gains like stocks at a flat rate of about 25 to 30 percent. However, the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition has not made any final changes. The main 2027 budget numbers will be released on April 29, with more details expected in May. Officials stress that the rule remains unchanged.

Why This Matters for Crypto Investors

Germany is still one of the best places in Europe for long-term crypto holders. If the rules change, they would mostly affect new purchases made after 2027, and existing holdings might be protected under a grandfather clause. More DAC8 reporting will start in 2026 and 2027 to increase transparency, but this does not affect the current tax rules.

Market Reaction & Outlook

Recent news caused some temporary worry in German crypto communities, but the exemption is still in place. Even if changes happen, Germany would still be competitive compared to many other EU countries. Long-term holders should keep an eye on the 2027 budget process, as any final decision will probably be made in the next few months.

For advice tailored to your situation, talk to a German tax advisor (Steuerberater), since things like wallets, FIFO rules, and staking can differ for each person. The 1-year tax-free period is still available and gives patient investors a strong reason to hold in 2026.

Volatile Iran Situation Cannot Hold Back Bullish Stocks; Dow up 279 Points

The Dow Jones added 0.6% on Tuesday even after President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social that Iran broke the ceasefire multiple times.

Stocks are climbing this week and are near record highs.
Stocks are climbing this week and are near record highs.

The Nasdaq gained 0.4%, and the S&P 500 added 0.3% while the Dow climbed 279 points, or 0.6% On Tuesday. These gains came off the back of a bearish day for the market and during a time of extreme volatility because of heightened tensions in the Middle East.

The Nasdaq closed off a 13-day streak of gains on Monday, but it still retained much of its upward progress and is close to its record high. Several tech stocks already performed well on the tech-heavy index this week, including Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), and Alphabet (GOOGL), which all rose Monday.

Ceasefire Ending Soon; Should Investors Panic?

On Wednesday, the ceasefire between Iran and the United States will end, and that could lead to increased fighting between the two countries. There have already been reports of violations on both sides as ships are still being attacked and the Strait of Hormuz remains under contention.

The stock market does not seem phased very much by the fluidity of the situation, though. Bullish movements from the previous week resulted in exceptional gains for the leading U.S. stock indices. Most of those gains have been maintained this week, even though Iranian and American leaders are throwing fierce rhetoric at one another and threatening action over perceived ceasefire violations.

Oil prices dropped as stock prices rose for the second day of trading for the week. Brent crude oil futures fell to $95 a barrel with a 0.3% decline, and West Texas Intermediate futures declined by 0.4% to hit $89 a barrel. As investors continue to expect peace to happen in the Middle East, we should see these prices fall further. Oil prices are not back to their pre-Iran conflict levels yet, though, as Brent crude was priced at $86 per barrel at the end of February before the fighting began.

This week has already been marked by strong earnings from several companies, including UnitedHealth (UNH). They posted first quarter earnings that exceeded market expectations and saw their stock jump 7%. They increased their outlook for the rest of the year thanks to strong numbers for the previous quarter.

Tesla (TSLA) is expected to report their quarterly earnings this week as well. Wall Street anticipates year-over-year growth even with the company’s poor performance in the most recent quarterly report and news that they have been overproducing vehicles as sales decline.

Bitcoin Climbs Toward $75,000 as Whales Accumulate and Institutions Return

Bitcoin [[BTC/USD]] shot up into the $75,000 level this week thanks to a mix of positive news from around the world, aggressive whale buying, and a strong wave of institutional money coming back into crypto markets after months of waiting.

The world’s biggest cryptocurrency rose about 0.6% in 24 hours to trade at around $74,718. This was a major psychological level that had kept it from going up for almost a month. The market cap is now about $1.49 trillion, and the daily trading volume is more than $52 billion.

Bitcoin Climbs Toward $75,000 as Whales Accumulate and Institutions Return
Bitcoin price analysis

Geopolitics Lights the Fuse

A change in how people throughout the world feel about risk was the main reason for the move. Reports came out that Iran had shown a willingness to talk about peace through former President Donald Trump. This calmed fears of a worsening conflict and caused a big rise in risk assets. The news was enough to push Bitcoin beyond the $74,000 resistance level, which has kept prices from going up for three to four weeks.

The breakout also brought back what traders call the “ETF Cost Basis,” which is the $74,232 level that represents the average entry price for institutional ETF holders. This level is important for large investors since it is considered as a psychological milestone.

Whales and Institutions Move in Unison

There has been a huge increase in accumulation among Bitcoin’s biggest holders, which is behind the price activity. Santiment, a company that studies on-chain data, says that “whales,” or wallets with between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC, bought 27,652 BTC on Sunday alone, which is worth more than $2 billion. The total amount of BTC held by whales has now reached 4.25 million, the highest level since mid-February.

The tendency was also seen by institutional players. According to CoinShares, crypto investment products around the world brought in $1.1 billion in net inflows for the week ending April 11. This ended five weeks of outflows that had taken about $4 billion out of the market. American buyers were in charge, making up around 95% of all global flows. Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. alone took in $833 million.

Morgan Stanley made news in this larger trend when its new Bitcoin ETF brought in about $62 million in its first week. The bank has subsequently registered for Ethereum and Solana ETFs and said it will offer more crypto services to customers.

[[BTC/USD-graph]]

 

The Derivatives Squeeze

The rally didn’t get to these levels just because of sentiment. The unexpected price change set off a chain reaction of forced sales, wiping out more than $95 million in Bitcoin short positions in less than a day. This so-called “short squeeze” sped things up, making prices go up faster than they would have if only fundamentals had been in play.

Experts say this is a double-edged sword. The pressure made gains bigger, but it also means that the rally was partially mechanical instead of organic. This is an important difference to make when judging how long it will last.

Caution Flags Remain

Some analysts aren’t sure that the worst is over. Technical experts say that a bearish macro triangle breakdown pattern has happened before during long retracement stages in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Bitcoin is currently trading below important high-timeframe Exponential Moving Averages, and the most recent rally, which was driven by news rather than structural support, raises worries about how long it will last.

Bears say that the $82,500 mark, which is the bottom of the last macro triangle, could keep prices from going up any higher.

What to Watch for Bitcoin Traders

The short-term picture depends on two things: if Bitcoin can stay above $74,500 at the end of each day and if U.S.-Iran diplomatic signals keep becoming better. If the price stays above $76,000 for a while, it could go up to $80,000–$83,000. If the price goes back down to $72,000, it would mean that the breakout has failed.

SanDisk Soars to All-Time High Past $784 as $1 Billion Nanya Deal Reshapes Memory Strategy

After reaching an all-time intraday high of $784.30, SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) finished Tuesday at $780.90, up nearly 10% on the day, capping an incredible run that has seen the stock rise more than 2,000% in the last year.

SanDisk Soars to All-Time High Past $784 as $1 Billion Nanya Deal Reshapes Memory Strategy
SanDisk Shares Hit All-Time High as $1 Billion Nanya Deal Signals AI Expansion

The flash memory giant’s most recent jump coincides with a series of calculated actions that have drawn interest from Wall Street, most notably a historic $1 billion private placement investment in Taiwan-based Nanya Technology. As part of the agreement, SanDisk would purchase around 139 million shares of Nanya common stock, or about 3.9% of the business. A multi-year DRAM supply deal has been reached between the two companies in addition to the equity investment; this relationship significantly expands SanDisk’s memory technology portfolio beyond its conventional NAND strengths.

The Nanya acquisition comes after SanDisk recently separated from Western Digital, which has been reducing its ownership through secondary offers, and began operating as an independent public business. Recently, Western Digital priced a secondary sale of more than 5.8 million SanDisk shares for $545 per share; nevertheless, Western Digital receives all of the transaction’s revenues, not SanDisk.

A New Memory Powerhouse Taking Shape

The Nanya cooperation is viewed by analysts as a key strategic change. SanDisk now has a presence in both of the key memory technologies driving contemporary AI infrastructure, NAND for storage and DRAM for high-speed processing in AI servers and data centers, thanks to its expanded NAND joint venture with Japan’s Kioxia.

The timing is intentional. The rapid expansion of AI inference infrastructure has coincided with an increase in demand for memory chips, and SanDisk seems to be setting itself up to take a bigger market share. This week, BofA Securities reaffirmed its Buy rating on the stock, noting the company’s outlook being significantly influenced by the robust demand from AI inference applications.

In response to a wider sector selloff caused by investor worries about capital spending and waning demand signals elsewhere, Morgan Stanley has kept its Overweight rating on SanDisk and peer Micron Technology. The company stated that it remains confident in the long-term viability of the foundations of the memory industry.

SanDisk (SNDK) Stock Valuation Debate Heats Up

The valuation situation is complex despite the bullish momentum. With a current market value of about $104.91 billion, SanDisk’s stock is trading at about 111 times trailing profits, which is a high multiple for a business that hasn’t made money in the last 12 months. In contrast to Simply Wall St, which estimates that the shares trade about 61% below intrinsic value, InvestingPro labels the stock as overvalued in comparison to its determined Fair Value.

Although projections range widely from $600 to $1,000, suggesting genuine disagreement about where SanDisk’s rapid transition finally leads, the analyst consensus target is around $770, placing the company barely above Wall Street’s average price objective.

Tuesday’s after-hours trade saw shares slightly decline to $773.85.

SanDisk has solidified its position as one of the most closely watched names in the semiconductor industry with an 183.7% year-to-date gain, a bold new supply agreement in hand, and an acceleration of AI demand. However, investors will be closely monitoring whether the execution of the Nanya partnership can justify the stock’s historic ascent.

US Bonds Rally on Growth Fears as Brent Surges to $116 a Barrel

US Treasury prices surged as traders reduced bets on higher interest rates due to concerns that the Middle East conflict would cause a severe economic slowdown. US stock futures increased as Brent reached $116 per barrel.

 

US yields fell across the curve after money markets reduced the likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate increase in 2026 to 25% from roughly 35% on Friday.

Two-year Treasury bond rates fell two basis points to 3.89 percent. After the benchmark fell to an August low at the end of last week, S&P 500 futures increased by 0.2 percent. The value of the dollar barely changed. The actions followed missile strikes that tore through the Middle East over the weekend as Iran and its proxies attacked US allies. After a month of fighting, concerns about an escalation increased with the arrival of Iran-backed Houthi forces and a US amphibious assault group.

Some of Wall Street’s largest bond fund managers predicted that yields will begin to decline as the war’s effects on growth become more evident, even though traders have so far mostly concentrated on the inflation shock caused by rising oil prices, sending the Treasury market toward its biggest monthly loss since October 2024

.According to Jim Reid, head of macro research and thematic strategy at Deutsche Bank AG, “it’s becoming clear that markets are expecting an extended period of high oil prices, with stagflationary implications for the global economy.” ”

This morning, growth rather than inflation is now the main concern. According to credit traders, the cost of insuring Asian investment-grade debt increased by roughly two basis points on Monday to about 94 basis points, a level last observed in May of 2025. After a central bank action intended to reduce speculation caused lenders to rush to sell dollars, the Indian rupee saw its biggest increase since February.

Silver Prices Up 945% Since COVID: A Historic Precious Metals Rally

Silver has experienced an extraordinary rally, climbing approximately 945% from its 2020 low, with much of this parabolic move occurring over the past few months. Yet, despite reaching a new all-time high of $121.64 earlier this year, the metal has already retraced nearly 50%, highlighting intense volatility and a potential shift in short-term momentum.

Silver Price Reaches New All-Time High at $121.65 Before Halving in Value

Silver recently surged to an all-time high of approximately $121.65 in January, only to enter a sharp corrective phase. Since then, the metal has halved in price, dropping roughly 50% and decisively breaking through the 0.382 Fibonacci support at $75.8. This pullback has prompted the MACD histogram to tick bearishly lower this month, while the RSI has retreated from overbought levels to neutral territory, signaling a loss of short-term bullish momentum.

On the long-term side, the monthly EMAs remain in a golden crossover, confirming that the broader trend remains fundamentally bullish. Additionally, the MACD lines continue to hold a bullish cross, supporting the overall uptrend despite recent weakness.

However, with the break of the $75.8 Fib support, silver could now extend its corrective move toward the golden ratio support near $45, where a potential bullish reaction may emerge. As long as this critical support zone holds, the long-term uptrend remains structurally intact.

SILVER
SILVER

Will Silver Bounce Bullishly Off the 50-Week EMA Support?

Over the past nine weeks, Silver has been in a corrective phase, approaching significant support at the 50-week EMA around $59.5. If a bullish reversal emerges from this level, the metal’s next key Fibonacci resistances lie at $84.2 and $100. A break above the 0.382 Fib resistance would open the path toward the golden ratio at $100, signaling a potential end to the correction. A move to the first Fib resistance at $84 would imply an upside of roughly 20%.

From a technical standpoint, the EMAs remain in a golden crossover, reinforcing a bullish mid-term trend. However, momentum indicators show caution: the MACD lines are bearishly crossed, and the MACD histogram is trending lower, while the RSI remains neutral, reflecting uncertainty in short-term momentum.

SILVER
SILVER

Can Silver Hold Above the 200-Day EMA?

On the daily chart, Silver’s EMAs continue to display a golden crossover, reaffirming a bullish bias in the short- to medium-term. The MACD histogram has been ticking higher over the past few days, with the MACD lines approaching a potential bullish cross, signaling improving upward momentum. Meanwhile, the RSI remains neutral, indicating no immediate overbought or oversold pressure.

Currently, Silver finds critical support at the 200-day EMA around $62.5, while the 50-day EMA near $78.5 represents the next significant resistance level. Maintaining above the 200-day EMA is essential for sustaining the short-term bullish structure and preventing a deeper correction.

SILVER

SILVER

Silver Faces Rejection at the 50-4H EMA Resistance

On the 4-hour chart, Silver has established a death cross, confirming a short-term bearish trend. Recently, the metal faced rejection at the 50-4H EMA near $71.8, a level it could potentially retest in the near term.

Despite the short-term bearish structure, momentum indicators show some bullish signs: the MACD lines are crossed bullishly, and the MACD histogram is ticking higher, suggesting potential upside pressure. The RSI remains neutral, offering no strong directional bias at this time. Overall, Silver remains at a critical juncture, balancing between short-term resistance and potential bullish momentum.

SILVER
SILVER

Silver — Short Summary & Key Levels

Silver has experienced an extraordinary rally from its 2020 lows, reaching an all-time high of $121.65 before retracing roughly 50%. The metal remains in a long-term bullish structure, supported by monthly EMAs in a golden crossover and MACD lines bullishly crossed, but short-term momentum is mixed, with daily and 4H charts showing death crosses and MACD histograms trending bearishly.

Key Support Levels:

  • 50-week EMA: $59.5
  • 200-day EMA: $62.5
  • Golden ratio (monthly): $45

Key Resistance Levels:

  • 50-day EMA: $78.5
  • 0.382 Fib: $84.2
  • Golden ratio (monthly): $100
  • All-time high: $121.65

Outlook:

  • Short-term: Bearish pressure dominates; Silver may retest the 50-week or 200-day EMA support.
  • Mid- to long-term: Trend remains fundamentally bullish; a break above $84.2 and eventually $100 would confirm the correction phase is over.

Mexican Peso Drops Sharply Against the Dollar as Oil Prices Surge

The Mexican peso weakened and ended the week with a slight cumulative loss, as markets remained focused on developments in the Middle East conflict.

The currency depreciated sharply against the U.S. dollar in Friday’s session, reversing earlier gains and reflecting renewed risk aversion tied to geopolitical tensions and their potential economic impact.

The exchange rate closed at 17.9557 pesos per dollar, according to official data from Mexico’s central bank (Banxico). Compared to the previous close of 17.7396, this represented a decline of 21.61 centavos, or 1.22%.

The dollar traded within a range of 17.9963 at the high and 17.7092 at the low. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, rose 0.34% to 99.54.

[[USD/MXN-graph]]

Oil concerns weigh on sentiment

Clashes involving the United States and Israel against Iran have impacted energy infrastructure in the Middle East. This, combined with Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has created a complex backdrop that pushed WTI crude up 2.38% to $97.82.

Iraqi authorities also declared force majeure across all oil fields operated by foreign companies, meaning operations may be suspended or disrupted without contractual penalties due to circumstances beyond their control.

Focus on inflation and Banxico

This week, the Federal Reserve (Fed), the European Central Bank (ECB), and the Bank of England (BoE) all left interest rates unchanged, citing heightened uncertainty stemming from the conflict.

Attention now turns to Banxico, which is expected to announce its policy decision next week. Markets anticipate that it will also keep rates on hold. In addition, Mexico’s mid-month inflation data will be closely watched ahead of the announcement.

Weekly performance and outlook

Despite Friday’s decline, the peso posted only a marginal weekly loss. Compared to last Friday’s official close of 17.9489 per dollar, the currency slipped just 0.04%, according to Banxico data.

In the near term, markets are likely to remain highly volatile. Any signs of de-escalation in the conflict could trigger sharp rebounds, though these may prove difficult to sustain.

Alibaba Stock Tumbles 7% After Q3 Miss as AI Spending Weighs on Profits

Even though Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) doubled down on its long-term artificial intelligence goals, the company’s stock fell precipitously on Thursday after a disappointing third-quarter earnings report that fell short of Wall Street estimates on both the top and bottom lines.

Alibaba Stock Tumbles 7% After Q3 Miss as AI Spending Weighs on Profits
Alibaba Shares Plunge 7% as Weak E-Commerce Growth and AI Spending Spree Weigh on Profits

Analyst projections of RMB 10.94 were significantly higher than the company’s reported earnings of RMB 7.09 per American depositary share. Revenue for the December quarter was RMB 284.84 billion, or about $40.7 billion, which was less than the RMB 289.3 billion projection and only a 2% year-over-year increase. By midday on Thursday, shares had dropped about 7.3%, continuing a larger slump that has seen the stock lose about 17% over the previous six months.

Alibaba’s Profits Hit by Price Wars and Rising Costs

A 57% year-over-year decline in adjusted EBITA to $3.35 billion and a 67% decline in adjusted earnings per share to $0.13 were the headlines that most alarmed investors. As the business fights intense competition from rivals like JD.com and Meituan, especially in the rapidly expanding food delivery market, management ascribed the margin pressure to increased spending on promotions, logistics, and user acquisition.

Alibaba’s primary e-commerce sector has always faced difficulties. While the company’s rapid commerce and food delivery activities had some resilience, its larger e-commerce segment gained only 6%, with core business lines essentially unchanged. Weak consumer demand in China has been a persistent drag across the sector.

Cloud and AI Remain Bright Spots

The news wasn’t all bad. With a 36% increase in revenue to $6.2 billion, Alibaba’s Cloud Intelligence Group remained an exceptional performer. Management cited the company’s Qwen AI chatbot’s monthly active user count of over 300 million as proof that its AI approach is working. Strong enterprise adoption in China is indicated by the claimed six-fold increase in token use on the company’s Bailian platform.

Over $100 billion in cloud and AI revenue over the next five years is an ambitious goal that CEO Eddie Wu reiterated, indicating a compound annual growth rate exceeding 40%. Additionally, the business introduced its ATH AI platform and stated that it intends to continue investing heavily in AI infrastructure, such as chips and data centers, for the foreseeable future.

Analysts Remain Cautiously Optimistic on BABA Stock

Analysts have not given up on their positive long-term view in spite of the shortfall. Mizuho noted that short-term challenges from weak demand and high investment spending were the key causes of the estimate reductions, but it kept its Outperform rating while slightly lowering its price target from $195 to $190. The company noted that token costs are increasingly being viewed by business clients as productivity expenditures, a trend that may eventually spur faster-than-anticipated margin improvement and cloud revenue development.

Alibaba’s balance sheet is still reassuring; the business has more cash than debt, and its price-to-earnings ratio of about 22.5, along with its unusually low PEG ratio of 0.3, indicates that the stock may still be cheap in relation to its potential for growth.