On Wednesday, the US administration under President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, significantly intensifying global trade tensions. This escalation not only disrupted international markets but also accelerated trade negotiations between Washington and its key allies, particularly Canada and the European Union (EU). The unfolding developments highlight the fragile state of the world economy amid tariff-induced uncertainty.

On Thursday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voluntarily dismissed its civil lawsuit against Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, and its founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ). This decision marks a notable shift in the regulatory stance of the SEC towards the cryptocurrency sector amid the return of former President Donald Trump to the White House.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) initiated formal legal proceedings on Wednesday against Allan Guo, former director of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange Blockchain Global. The charges allege multiple breaches of fiduciary duties related to Guo’s involvement with the now-defunct ACX Exchange. The exchange shuttered operations in December 2019 after clients were unable to withdraw their funds or cryptocurrencies.