The FDIC is scheduled to hold a board meeting on April 7, 2026 to finalize initial federal rules for stablecoin issuance under the GENIUS Act. The law requires 1:1 backing with cash or short-term U.S. Treasuries and bars issuers from paying interest, even as issuers already keep over 80% of a $250 billion-plus reserve pool in Treasuries and repos. The framework also sets staged deadlines through 2028 and raises open questions on redemptions, state-federal authority, and operational risks.

On April 3, 2026, the Ethereum Foundation staked about 45,034 ETH, lifting its active validator total to nearly 69,500 ETH and leaving it just short of a 70,000 ETH target. The deposits were valued around $93 million at prices near $2,059, and the foundation estimates the program could produce $3.9–$5.4 million per year in staking income.

Charles Schwab says it will roll out direct spot trading for Bitcoin and Ether in the first half of 2026, extending access across roughly 46 million brokerage accounts. The firm, which manages nearly $12 trillion in client assets, plans to offer the service under "Schwab Crypto" via Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, with an early-access waitlist already available.

On April 2, 2026, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted Coinbase conditional approval to establish "Coinbase National Trust Company" as a federally chartered trust company focused on digital-asset custody. Coinbase executives said the charter does not turn the firm into a commercial bank, but it would place custody operations under a single federal framework instead of a state-by-state licensing model. The approval remains conditional, with Coinbase still required to meet OCC requirements before it can launch operations under the charter.

Global X Management Company launched the Global X Ethereum Covered Call ETF (EHCC) on April 2, 2026, aiming to make weekly income distributions by selling call options on Ether-related ETPs. The actively managed fund charges a 0.75% expense ratio and invests at least 80% of net assets in U.S.-listed spot and futures Ether ETPs, without holding ETH directly.

Central banks recorded net purchases of 19 metric tons of gold in February, a rebound from January's net 5 tons and still below the 2025 monthly average of 26 tons. Poland led buying with 20 tons, while Turkey and Russia posted the largest reported reductions at 8 tons and 6 tons. China also extended its run of additions, with official data showing reserves rising to 74.22 million fine troy ounces.

The Cardano Foundation's 2025 Activity and Financial Insights Report shows its treasury reduced ADA exposure from 76.7% to 51.6%, while Bitcoin and cash rose to nearly 49%. The total treasury value fell 45% year over year to about $361 million, alongside $29.7 million spent on grants, DeFi efforts, and governance work. On April 4, 2026, ADA traded at $0.24403 and ADABTC at 0.00000365, with indicators pointing to ongoing bearish pressure despite oversold readings.

At 8 a.m. Eastern time on April 4, 2026, bitcoin traded at $67,109, giving it a $1.32 trillion market cap and $45.26 billion in 24-hour volume. Price moved between $65,934 and $69,074 as BTC stayed capped below the $69,000 area, with indicators such as RSI 42 and MACD −894 pointing to lingering downside pressure.