Monetary Policy

Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman indicated that, given current conditions, the central bank might reduce interest rates only three times for the rest of the year.

Federal Reserve official John Williams affirmed a steady monetary policy outlook, projecting 2% to 2.5% economic growth and stable unemployment around 4.25% to 4.5%. Inflation is expected to decrease from 2.75% to 3% in 2026 to 2% in 2027.

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said at an IIF event that the effective functioning of stablecoins depends on users’ confidence in full redemption mechanisms, calling for the development of international standards. The United States has meanwhile released the GENIUS Act, requiring stablecoin issuers to meet compliance requirements. In South Korea, Circle’s CEO said there are no plans to launch a won-pegged stablecoin, and that the company is currently watching local legislative debates.

The Australian dollar has reached a 30-year high against the Japanese yen, propelled by optimism over a US-Iran ceasefire and a global equity rally. The RBA's hawkish policy and positive links to equity markets enhance AUD's appeal, though risks remain due to potential volatility.

The central bank released a report stating that Taiwan’s CBDC development will follow a phased promotion strategy. In the short term, it is not urgent to issue retail CBDC; the focus is on wholesale CBDC and the infrastructure for asset tokenization. The central bank emphasized that CBDC will not increase the money supply and will have legal standing. As a rule, merchants may not refuse to accept it, in order to prevent the payment market from becoming overly dependent on the private sector.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent indicated that the Federal Reserve may lower interest rates further, emphasizing that rising oil prices have not impacted inflation expectations, as they remain detached from broader economic price pressures.

Kevin Warsh, nominated by Trump for Federal Reserve chair, is the wealthiest candidate in recent history, with a net worth up to $209 million. His diverse investments include Silicon Valley, fintech, and AI. Despite potential conflicts, he has a modern view on digital assets.

Shin Hyun-song, nominee for Bank of Korea governor, acknowledged the coexistence of CBDCs and stablecoins at a confirmation hearing. He proposed a three-pronged approach for the won's internationalization and pledged to divest foreign assets to prevent conflicts of interest.

Former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen believes the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates this year, despite uncertainty from the Iran war and oil price volatility. She sees a broad supply shock impacting various sectors but suggests stable inflation expectations make rate hikes unlikely.

Kevin Warsh, nominated for Federal Reserve Chair, reported investments in over 20 digital asset companies. His portfolio includes DeFi platforms, blockchain networks, and Web3 projects. The Senate Banking Committee may advance his nomination, raising potential conflict of interest concerns.

Shin Hyun-song, nominated as Bank of Korea governor, discussed the future coexistence of Korean won stablecoins at a parliamentary hearing. He emphasized plans to enhance the digital currency ecosystem, including Project Hangang Phase 2 and participation in the Agora project for cross-border payments.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent advised the Federal Reserve to observe before cutting rates, expressing confidence in declining core inflation. He mentioned the implementation of a 10% tariff under Section 122, with uncertainty about a potential increase to 15%.

Gate News news: On April 14, the hearing of Fed chair nominee Waller is scheduled for April 21.

Gate News message: On April 14, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said the United States should "wait and see" before cutting interest rates.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned in his annual shareholder letter that a war with Iran could trigger persistent oil and commodity price shocks, creating inflation pressure that is stickier than the market expects, and that the Federal Reserve may need to maintain high interest rates for longer. He noted that the war’s economic impact is widespread, including a global restructuring of supply chains and rising energy prices. In addition, Dimon still holds a positive view of the U.S. economy, but warned that the economic shocks from the war could weaken that resilience.

2026-04-13 13:45 to 2026-04-13 14:00 (UTC), the BTC price fluctuated within the 70945.9 to 71699.9 USDT range. Within 15 minutes, it recorded a notable gain of +0.86%, with a swing of 1.06%. Market attention has surged, short-term volatility has clearly intensified, and on-chain large transfers, spot, and derivatives trading volumes have expanded in sync, indicating that the activity level of funds by major players is at one of the highest points of the year. The main driving force behind this anomaly is that BTC has been probing the 72000–73500 USDT range with a large amount of leverage shorts

The Bank of Korea recommends introducing a circuit breaker mechanism in the crypto-asset industry to prevent abnormal trading, and points out that the Bithumb mistaken payment incident reveals a structural vulnerability. The governor nominee, Hyun-sung Shin, emphasizes that CBDCs and deposit tokens should be the core of digital currencies, and proposes a phased opening strategy for stablecoins. The Bank of Korea also plans to launch an offshore KRW system with real-time gross settlement in 2027 to reduce credit risk.

CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost noted that although March CPI recorded the largest month-over-month increase, core CPI remained stable, indicating that U.S. inflation has not fully spread yet. Attention should be paid to upcoming PCE data. If the Iran-Iraq conflict continues, inflation could evolve into a systemic risk and affect economic growth, and the Federal Reserve may need to continue raising rates to respond.

Gate News message: On April 10, U.S. National Economic Council Director of the White House, Hassett, said the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened within two months. In addition, Hassett said the Federal Reserve still has room to cut interest rates, and this outlook will be very solid.

Gate News, April 10, according to Reuters, the market continues to price in expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged throughout 2026.