April 1st, 2025

How Can Crypto Help Earthquake Victims in Thailand and Myanmar?

In disaster-stricken regions, bank failures, infrastructure collapse, and international restrictions slow down aid. Cryptocurrency donations offer a solution by enabling fast, borderless, and direct transactions, bypassing financial roadblocks.

A massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, last Friday, leaving devastation in its wake. The disaster has already claimed over 2,000 lives, with more than 3,400 injured, and the numbers are expected to rise as reports from neighboring Thailand come in.

The quake, which originated 10 kilometers below the surface, released energy equivalent to hundreds of nuclear explosions, making it the most powerful earthquake in Myanmar since 1912 and the second deadliest in its modern history.

Rescue teams continue to search for survivors, with hundreds still missing. In Bangkok, around 80 individuals are trapped in a collapsed construction site.

International aid has started to arrive, with the United Nations pledging $5 million, China committing $13.8 million, and additional support coming from India, Russia, and the U.S.

Why Crypto Matters in This Crisis

In the aftermath of such disasters, traditional financial systems often struggle to facilitate swift aid distribution. Damaged infrastructure, banking delays, and international restrictions can slow down relief efforts. Cryptocurrencies offer a powerful alternative by enabling direct, borderless donations without intermediaries.

Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and stablecoins like USDC allow instant, transparent transactions, ensuring that funds reach victims faster. Unlike traditional bank transfers, which can take days or even weeks due to bureaucratic hurdles, crypto transactions settle within minutes, making them an ideal tool for emergency relief.

Organizations Accepting Crypto Donations

Several humanitarian organizations have embraced cryptocurrency donations to speed up relief efforts in Myanmar and Thailand. Among them:

British Red Cross – Welcomes over 70 different cryptocurrencies and tokens for donations.
Doctors Without Borders – Facilitates crypto contributions through The Giving Block.
Save the Children – Accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDC to fund their initiatives.
Red Cross – Supports BTC, BCH, ETH, and a variety of stablecoins via BitPay.
UNICEF – Enables donations in both Bitcoin and Ethereum to aid their missions.

For those willing to donate, official wallet addresses for these organizations can be found on their respective websites. Platforms like The Giving Block also provide a comprehensive list of verified charities accepting crypto donations.

Binance and Crypto Leaders Step Up

The crypto community has already mobilized to assist earthquake victims. Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) announced a donation of 1,000 BNB tokens—worth approximately $611,000—divided equally between Myanmar and Thailand. Zhao posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I will donate 500 BNB each to Myanmar and Thailand.”

His donation has inspired further contributions, including 44 BNB from blockchain thought leader and intergovernmental advisor Anndy Lian, who urged his followers to support relief efforts.

Binance Thailand, along with local partners, is ensuring that these funds are allocated efficiently to rebuild infrastructure and provide essential services.

Crypto’s Growing Role in Disaster Relief

This isn’t the first time cryptocurrency has played a major role in humanitarian efforts. In previous disasters, such as the Turkey-Syria earthquake and the Maui wildfires, crypto donations have allowed relief organizations to bypass slow banking systems and deliver aid faster.

Platforms like CryptoRelief and Binance Charity have proven that blockchain-based donations enhance transparency, ensuring that funds reach those in need rather than being lost in administrative overhead.

In Myanmar and Thailand, where financial and governmental challenges can delay traditional relief efforts, crypto offers a lifeline. By leveraging decentralized networks, donations can reach affected communities directly, helping fund medical supplies, food, and emergency housing without bureaucratic slowdowns.

The Road Ahead

As the death toll rises and thousands remain displaced, every contribution counts. The Myanmar-Thailand earthquake is a tragic reminder of the importance of efficient relief mechanisms.

For those looking to make an impact, donating in crypto is a fast and effective way to support relief efforts. Whether through Bitcoin, Ethereum, or stablecoins, every transaction brings much-needed assistance to those struggling to recover from this catastrophe.

Source: https://bsc.news/post/crypto-help-earthquake-victims-thailand-myanmar

Anndy Lian

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

www.anndy.com

j j j

April 1st, 2025

Gold soars, Stocks teeter, Crypto seesaw: The world awaits Trump’s trade hammer

I’m here to unpack the swirling storm of economic forces at play on this first day of April 2025. The financial world is holding its breath, eyes fixed on tomorrow’s looming tariff deadline set by US President Donald Trump. Reports over the weekend hinting at “broader” and “higher” tariffs than previously anticipated have cast a shadow over global risk sentiment, leaving markets jittery and investors scrambling to make sense of it all.

What’s unfolding is a high-stakes drama with far-reaching implications—not just for traditional equities and bonds, but for commodities like gold and Brent crude, and even the ever-volatile cryptocurrency space, where Bitcoin is staging its own wild dance. Let’s dive into the details of this market wrap, explore the undercurrents driving these shifts, and offer my perspective on where things might be headed.

The mood across global markets today is unmistakably subdued. Uncertainty is the name of the game as President Trump’s April 2nd tariff deadline approaches. Over the weekend, whispers emerged that the tariffs could exceed initial expectations, potentially targeting a wider swath of imports with steeper rates. This isn’t just a minor tweak to trade policy—it’s a bold escalation that threatens to upend supply chains, stoke inflation, and rattle investor confidence.

The S&P 500, a bellwether for US equities, epitomised this unease in a volatile trading session yesterday. It plunged 1.7 per cent at one point, only to claw its way back to a modest 0.6 per cent gain by the close. That recovery, however, doesn’t mask the bigger picture: Wall Street just wrapped up its worst quarter relative to global peers since 2009. The US market, once a beacon of strength, is losing ground as the rest of the world grapples with the ripple effects of America’s protectionist pivot.

Meanwhile, the bond market offered its own commentary on the situation. The yield on 10-year US Treasuries dipped 3 basis points to 4.22 per cent, pulling back from session highs as investors sought the relative safety of government debt amid the chaos. This move reflects a flight to quality—a classic response when risk appetite wanes.

The US Dollar Index, a measure of the greenback’s strength against a basket of major currencies, ticked up 0.2 per cent, signalling that despite the turmoil, the dollar retains its allure as a safe haven. But the real standout was gold, which soared 1.3 per cent to a fresh record of US$3,123.1 per ounce. That surge underscores a growing demand for tangible assets as investors brace for inflationary pressures and geopolitical uncertainty tied to Trump’s trade agenda.

Speaking of commodities, Brent crude oil climbed 1.5 per cent to US$74.7 per barrel, buoyed by a mix of geopolitical speculation and Trump’s latest rhetoric. The president has tied oil prices to his negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, hinting at “secondary tariffs” on Russian oil if a ceasefire agreement falters.

Trump’s confidence in Putin’s compliance adds a layer of intrigue—could this be a rare moment of stability in an otherwise fractious relationship, or is it just another bargaining chip in his tariff playbook? Either way, the oil market is taking notice, with prices reflecting both supply concerns and the broader inflationary fears stoked by trade disruptions.

Closer to home in Asia, there’s a glimmer of resilience amid the storm. China’s official manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMIs for March showed an uptick, suggesting that Beijing’s aggressive stimulus measures are bearing fruit. With the government frontloading support to counter external pressures—like the looming US tariffs—China’s economy appears to be finding its footing.

This buoyancy spilled over into early trading today, with Asian equity indices posting gains. It’s a stark contrast to the US, where equity index futures are pointing to a lower open. Investors in Asia seem to be betting on China’s ability to weather the trade war, at least for now, while their American counterparts remain on edge.

The cryptocurrency market, ever a barometer of risk sentiment, is no stranger to this turbulence. Bitcoin, the poster child of digital assets, hit a two-week low yesterday before rebounding slightly to US$83,465—a one per cent uptick, according to CoinGecko. That’s still a far cry from its January 20 peak of US$108,800, notched on Trump’s inauguration day, representing a 23 per cent drop. Ethereum and Solana followed a similar pattern, with gains of 1.1 per cent to US$1,840 and 1.4 per cent to US$125, respectively.

The crypto market’s seesaw performance reflects the broader unease gripping investors as they await Trump’s tariff announcement tomorrow. Some analysts, like the CEO of Coin Bureau, see a silver lining—predicting a potential 360 per cent breakout for Bitcoin this month, echoing its 2017 surge. Others, however, caution that the immediate fallout from tariffs could push prices lower, perhaps to the US$73,000-US$75,000 range, before any recovery takes hold.

What’s driving this crypto volatility? For one, there’s the persistent demand from unexpected quarters. Despite strict bans, Chinese investors continue to pour into Bitcoin and Tether, defying regulatory crackdowns. This hidden demand could be a wildcard, amplifying Bitcoin’s role as a hedge against geopolitical and economic instability. Then there’s Japan’s Metaplanet Inc., a publicly listed firm that just issued US$13.3 million in zero-interest bonds to bolster its Bitcoin reserves.

Moves like these signal a growing institutional embrace of crypto as a strategic asset, even as short-term market jitters persist. My take? The tariff uncertainty might kneecap Bitcoin in the near term, but its long-term narrative as a store of value could gain traction if inflation spikes and traditional currencies wobble.

Back to the broader market, the Federal Reserve’s voice is adding another layer of complexity. New York Fed President John Williams, a permanent voter on the FOMC, struck a cautious tone, warning of higher inflation risks this year. He emphasised that monetary policy remains “moderately restrictive” and that the Fed can hold steady for a while—a signal that rate cuts aren’t imminent.

Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin, though not a voter this year, echoed that sentiment, insisting the central bank needs clear evidence of cooling inflation before easing. This hawkish tilt is a double-edged sword: it bolsters the dollar and bonds but keeps pressure on risk assets like stocks and crypto. Investors hoping for a dovish lifeline may be left wanting, especially as the Fed eyes this week’s US payroll report and global PMI data for fresh clues.

From my vantage point, we’re at a pivotal moment. Trump’s tariff gambit is a high-risk, high-reward play—potentially a masterstroke if it forces concessions from trading partners, but a disaster if it sparks a full-blown trade war and recession. The markets are pricing in the latter, with the S&P 500’s correction and gold’s rally screaming caution. Yet there’s an undercurrent of opportunity.

China’s rebound, Asia’s resilience, and Bitcoin’s defiant demand suggest that pockets of strength could emerge from the chaos. The US economy, for all its tariff-induced woes, still has robust fundamentals—corporate earnings remain solid, and consumer spending, while shaky, hasn’t collapsed. If Trump’s tariffs land softer than feared tomorrow, we might see a relief rally; if they’re as harsh as rumoured, brace for more pain.

Looking ahead, this week’s data drops—US payrolls and global PMIs—will be critical. A strong jobs report could ease recession fears but fuel inflation worries, complicating the Fed’s calculus. Weak PMIs, especially in Europe or Asia, might amplify the tariff fallout.

For now, I’d wager the market stays choppy, with safe havens like gold and bonds holding their appeal. Bitcoin? It’s a wild card—capable of plunging or soaring depending on how the tariff dust settles.

I have seen cycles come and go, I’d say this: buckle up. April 2025 is shaping up to be a rollercoaster, and tomorrow’s announcement could set the tone for months to come. The facts are still unfolding, but one thing’s clear—the world’s financial stage has rarely been this gripping.

Source: https://e27.co/gold-soars-stocks-teeter-crypto-seesaw-the-world-awaits-trumps-trade-hammer-20250401/

Anndy Lian

www.anndy.com

j j j

March 27th, 2025

US tariffs vs crypto wins: An economic shift

I’ve been closely following the unfolding events surrounding President Trump’s announcement of a 25 per cent tariff on all autos manufactured outside the United States, set to take effect on April 2, 2025. This decision, coupled with the ripple effects across financial markets, commodities, and the cryptocurrency sector, paints a complex picture of risk, opportunity, and uncertainty.

My perspective on this topic is shaped by a careful analysis of the data, historical precedents, and the broader implications for both traditional and decentralised financial systems. What we’re witnessing is a pivotal moment where geopolitics, trade policy, and technological innovation are colliding, with far-reaching consequences for investors, industries, and everyday consumers.

Let’s start with the tariffs themselves. The announcement of a 25 per cent levy on imported autos and car parts is a bold move, one that harkens back to Trump’s earlier trade policies during his first term. The stated goal, presumably, is to bolster domestic manufacturing and protect American jobs—a narrative that resonates with his political base. However, the immediate market reaction suggests that investors are less convinced of its efficacy.

Major US indices retreated, with the S&P 500 dropping 1.1 per cent, the Dow Jones slipping 0.3 per cent, and the Nasdaq taking a steeper 2.0 per cent hit. The technology sector, already reeling from negative news in AI and data centre developments, bore the brunt of this decline. The VIX, often dubbed the “fear gauge,” spiked 7.1 per cent to 18.36, signalling heightened volatility and unease among traders. This isn’t surprising—tariffs introduce uncertainty, and markets despise uncertainty.

The impact on the auto industry is particularly stark. Countries like Japan, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, and Canada, which collectively account for a significant share of US auto imports, now face a steep cost increase. For example, Japan’s Toyota and Germany’s Volkswagen rely heavily on the US market, and a 25 per cent tariff could force them to either absorb the cost (cutting into profit margins) or pass it on to consumers (raising prices).

Domestic producers like General Motors and Ford aren’t immune either, as the tariff extends to car parts—many of which are sourced globally. This could disrupt supply chains and elevate production costs, potentially offsetting any competitive advantage the tariffs aim to create.

I see this as a double-edged sword: while it might encourage some manufacturers to relocate production to the US, the short-term pain of higher costs and disrupted logistics could outweigh those gains, especially in an industry already grappling with inflation and semiconductor shortages.

Turning to the bond market, US Treasuries yields climbed across the curve, with the 2-year yield rising 2.3 basis points to 4.017per cent and the 10-year yield advancing 3.9 basis points to 4.352 per cent. This uptick reflects a shift in investor sentiment—higher yields suggest expectations of stronger economic growth or, more likely, inflationary pressures stemming from the tariffs. The US Dollar Index, up 0.4 per cent to a three-week high, further underscores this flight to safety and confidence in the dollar amid global uncertainty.

Commodities offered a mixed picture: gold held steady, a sign that investors aren’t fully panicking yet, while Brent crude rose 1.1 per cent to US$74 per barrel, buoyed by reports of declining US inventories. In Asia, the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index edged up 0.2 per cent, with Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite surging 3.8 per cent on domestic dividend news, though early trading hinted at broader regional weakness. This divergence highlights how global risk sentiment is fracturing—some markets are finding local resilience, while others brace for a tariff-induced storm.

Now, let’s pivot to the cryptocurrency angle, which adds another layer of intrigue. On the same day as the tariff announcement, Congress struck down an IRS regulation that would have required decentralised digital asset platforms to report customer transactions starting in 2027. This move, which saves the crypto industry an estimated US$4 billion in taxes, is a significant win for the sector—and, notably, for President Trump’s own World Liberty Financial platform.

Decentralised exchanges like Uniswap had argued that the rule was impractical, given their lack of custody over user assets or access to personal data. I find this development fascinating because it juxtaposes Trump’s protectionist trade stance with a deregulatory push in the crypto space, potentially benefiting his personal financial interests. It’s a reminder that policy decisions often carry a personal dimension, and here, the optics are hard to ignore.

Meanwhile, GameStop’s pivot to Bitcoin adds a wild card to the mix. The retailer’s plan to sell US$1.3 billion in zero-coupon convertible bonds to fund Bitcoin purchases—following the playbook of Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy—sent its stock soaring 12 per cent on March 26. This isn’t just a quirky corporate move; it reflects a growing trend of companies embracing cryptocurrency as a treasury reserve asset.

With Bitcoin’s price historically sensitive to macroeconomic shifts, the tariff-induced uncertainty could either amplify its appeal as a hedge or expose it to sharper volatility. Ethereum, too, is in the spotlight with its Pectra upgrade successfully launching on the Hoodi testnet, though its price dipped three per cent amid a bearish technical pattern. If Pectra hits the mainnet by April 25, as developers hope, it could bolster Ethereum’s long-term utility—yet the immediate market mood remains cautious.

The stablecoin front offers a counterpoint of stability. Custodia Bank and Vantage Bank’s launch of a US bank-backed stablecoin on Ethereum marks a milestone in bridging traditional finance and blockchain. This isn’t just a technical achievement; it’s a regulatory breakthrough, showing that US banks can tokenise assets within legal bounds.

Caitlin Long of Custodia has long championed this integration, and her optimism seems warranted—stablecoins could smooth out some of the volatility plaguing other cryptocurrencies, especially as tariff-related turbulence looms.

My take on this is that the tariffs are a gamble—potentially revitalising US manufacturing but risking higher costs, strained trade relations, and inflation that could squeeze consumers already stretched thin. The market’s initial retreat and the VIX’s jump suggest that investors share my skepticism about the short-term outlook, though the dollar’s strength hints at underlying resilience in the US economy.

In the crypto realm, deregulation and corporate adoption (GameStop, Trump’s platform) signal a maturing industry, yet one still tethered to broader risk sentiment. The stablecoin breakthrough offers a glimmer of hope for stability, but Ethereum’s wobble reminds us that volatility remains a constant.

I can’t help but think about the people behind these numbers—the autoworkers hoping for job security, the investors watching their portfolios, the crypto enthusiasts betting on a decentralised future. The tariffs might protect some livelihoods but raise car prices for millions. The crypto wins might empower innovation but also widen inequality if gains concentrate among the well-connected.

My role here is not to pick winners or losers. What’s clear is that we’re in for a bumpy ride—April 2, when the tariffs kick in, will be just the beginning. For now, I’ll keep watching the data, the markets, and the human stories, because that’s where the real truth lies.

Source: https://e27.co/us-tariffs-vs-crypto-wins-an-economic-shift-20250327/