The Bank of Japan left its monetary policy setting unchanged on Tuesday, voting 6"3 to keep the uncollateralized overnight call rate at around 0.75%, as both Japanese equities and digital assets showed short-term weakness. In its outlook, the BOJ said Japan's economic growth is expected to slow in fiscal 2026. The bank cited higher crude oil prices as a key headwind, warning of pressure on corporate profits and weaker real household income due to deteriorating trade conditions. Even so, the BOJ expects the economy to continue expanding at a moderate pace, supported by government measures, accommodative financial conditions, and resilient corporate profitability. It projects growth to pick up again from fiscal 2027 as the drag from elevated energy costs fades and income-led spending strengthens. Inflation remains central to the outlook. The BOJ forecasts the consumer price index excluding fresh food will rise 2.5% to 3.0% in fiscal 2026, driven largely by energy and goods prices and companies' efforts to pass wage increases on to consumers. Inflation is then seen easing to 2.0% to 2.5% in 2027 and stabilizing around 2% in 2028. Japanese stocks fell after the decision. The Nikkei 225 closed down 1.02%, weighed by losses in paper and pulp, transport, and communication. Orix Corp., Shimizu Corp., and Kajima Corp. gained more than 9%, while SoftBank Group, Nitto Denko, and Renesas Electronics dropped between 6.75% and 9.86%. Cryptocurrencies also moved lower. Bitcoin was last at $76,641.17, down 1.36% over 24 hours but still up 0.58% on the week. Ethereum fell 1.83% on the day and 1.87% over the week. XRP posted the steepest declines, down 1.93% in 24 hours and 3.53% over seven days. BNB slipped by a smaller amount. Related: Japanese 10Y JGB Yields Hit 2.40% Multi-Decade High, Pressuring Bitcoin and Altcoins Disclaimer: This material is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Coin Edition is not responsible for losses arising from the use of any content, products, or services referenced. Readers should exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.

ZetaChain has been hit by a smart contract exploit.

ChainCatcher reports that Bitcoin miner Core Scientific will repurpose its Pecos, Texas, mining facility into a high-density AI colocation data center with a planned total power capacity of 1.5 GW. The company expects about 1 GW of that capacity to be available for third-party leasing. As part of the conversion, roughly 300 MW of the site's mining capacity will be redirected to support data center operations. Core Scientific said the first data hall has finished foundation work and has moved into the main construction phase, with operations targeted to begin in early 2027. To fund the build-out, Core Scientific has acquired more than 200 acres of local land and plans to raise over $4 billion. The financing package includes issuing $3.3 billion of senior secured notes and drawing on a previously secured $1 billion credit facility from Morgan Stanley. Proceeds are intended to accelerate data center development across Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.

Core Scientific plans to repurpose its bitcoin mining facility in Pecos, Texas, into a high-density AI colocation data center, Cointelegraph reported. The company is targeting total power capacity of 1.5 GW, with about 1 GW expected to be available for lease. As part of the shift, roughly 300 MW of the site's existing mining capacity will be reassigned to data center operations. The first data hall has finished foundation work and has moved into the main construction phase, with an initial opening slated for early 2027. To support the buildout, Core Scientific has acquired more than 200 acres locally and outlined plans to raise over $4 billion. The funding package includes $3.3 billion in senior secured notes and a $1 billion credit facility previously secured from Morgan Stanley, to advance data center projects across Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.

The Bank of Japan left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.75% following a two-day monetary policy meeting. Policymakers pointed to geopolitical tensions and higher energy prices as key downside risks, with the ongoing Iran conflict adding to pressure on global economic stability.

April 28 — International crude prices firmed again after U.S.-Iran talks stayed stalled and flows through the Strait of Hormuz were disrupted. WTI climbed back above $100 a barrel, while both WTI and Brent gained more than 2% on the session. The White House said President Trump and his national security team have reviewed Iran's latest proposal. Tehran is seeking the removal of U.S. port blockades and an end to hostile actions in return for resuming shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said sanctions relief would only be considered once any agreement is "100% implemented," and the two sides have yet to reach a consensus. Tamas Varga, senior analyst at PVM Oil Associates, said a break above $150 is "not impossible" if the conflict becomes prolonged. He argued the global market lacks sufficient alternative energy sources to offset the supply shortfall, and extended disruptions would outweigh the effect of softer demand. Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, added that even if tensions ease immediately, clearing mines, easing tanker congestion and restoring output would take months, with the market likely needing at least four to six months to stabilize. Several Wall Street firms have also lowered their expectations for an oil-market recovery. Goldman Sachs pushed back its timeline for Gulf energy exports to normalize to the end of June. Citigroup said that if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked through late June, Brent could reach $150 per barrel.

The Bank of Japan left its key policy rate unchanged at 0.75%, with the decision passing by a 6–3 vote, as the war in the Middle East adds uncertainty to the economic outlook. Analysts say the tone amounts to a "hawkish hold" and are increasingly pricing in a potential rate increase as soon as June. Market impact: › The yen firmed on the hawkish pause › Supportive for bitcoin and other risk assets › Stocks could see a relief rally

MACRO: Three Bank of Japan board members dissented in favor of a rate increase on today's decision, prompting markets to price in a 74% probability of a June hike. The yen moved higher while $BTC edged lower.

Aave founder Stani Kulechov on Tuesday released a technical rollout plan aimed at restoring rsETH backing across impacted protocols, with execution steps expected to begin within days. The recovery effort is designed around two workstreams: rebuilding rsETH's intended 1.07 ETH backing ratio through staged ETH deposits, and unwinding eight affected positions on Aave. A post-incident review found that 98% of rsETH collateral on Aave was concentrated in a single looping strategy, a structural weakness that magnified losses across the platform. The cross-protocol response group, DeFi United, has expanded to include Compound, in what is shaping up as one of the broadest coordinated responses to a DeFi exploit in recent memory. Exploit details and current exposure The April 18 exploit hit rsETH's bridge on the Unichain-to-Ethereum route. An inbound packet was forged and validated on Ethereum without a corresponding burn on Unichain, leading the Ethereum-side adapter to release 116,500 rsETH. The attacker dispersed funds across multiple addresses, depositing a sizable portion as collateral on Aave V3 on Ethereum and bridging another portion to Arbitrum to open Aave positions there. The remainder moved through other venues. Cryptoquant analysts described the fallout as the most severe DeFi liquidity crunch since 2024. Seven addresses tied to the exploiter still maintain active rsETH-backed positions across Aave and Compound, accounting for about 107,000 rsETH of the 116,500 stolen. Track 1: Rebuilding the 1.07 ETH backing ratio DeFi United says rsETH needs its nominal Kelp rsETH exchange ratio of 1.07 ETH restored to normalize market function. The group has secured ETH commitments to reach that target, with final execution contingent on governance approvals and definitive agreements. Operationally, the plan converts committed ETH into rsETH in tranches as a risk-management measure, then deposits rsETH into the bridge lockbox contract. LayerZero and Kelp have added security measures ahead of bridge reactivation, though the plan notes residual risk remains until the changes are validated in production. Track 2: Controlled liquidations to clear exploiter positions Unwinding eight impacted positions across Aave's Ethereum Core and Arbitrum markets requires governance proposals to pass and execute on both networks. The proposed mechanism temporarily adjusts the rsETH oracle price to enable efficient liquidations, creating a controlled deficit that is later covered using ETH recovered by redeeming rsETH collateral. All parameter changes are intended to be temporary and fully reverted, leaving no lasting modifications to the Aave protocol. This leg targets roughly 13,000 ETH currently locked in Aave positions. In parallel, Compound is coordinating a clearance of the exploiter's position with DeFi United and providing needed liquidity, a process expected to recover an additional 16,776 ETH on Compound. The plan also flags governance and execution risk. Because the exploiter still holds active positions on both Ethereum and Arbitrum, deliberate interference could disrupt the liquidation sequence and force additional steps. DeFi United says the structure is designed to restore rsETH backing without socializing losses, but that outcome depends on smooth execution across governance votes and liquidation procedures.