The popular AI framework Virtuals Protocol will host an in-person meet-up in Hong Kong on Friday, January 17.

April 15th, per Axios — Two U.S. officials said U.S.-Iran negotiation teams made progress in a local-time Tuesday meeting, moving toward a framework agreement to end the war. One U.S. official noted the Trump negotiating team (Vice President Pence, Middle East Special Envoy Watterson, Senior Trump Advisor Kushner) has continued phone calls with Iran and mediators, exchanging drafts, and is “getting close to the goal.” A third official stated: “We want a deal, some in Iran do too — the key is getting the entire Iranian government on board.” Sources said a ceasefire would need extension to negotiate details if a framework is reached. “Details are complex; they can’t be wrapped up in two days,” one official said. Another official added the U.S. has not formally agreed to extend the ceasefire, and both sides remain in ongoing contact. Per PolyBeats monitoring (via https://t.me/PolyBeats_Bot), prediction market Polymarket puts the probability of a U.S.-Iran permanent peace ag

April 15 (Xinhua) — An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday that the U.S. has presented Iran with a comprehensive plan and demanded it “fully accept” the proposal, adding the U.S. knows full well this is “impossible” as it runs counter to the logic of negotiation and dialogue. The spokesperson noted Iran previously submitted 10 ceasefire terms to the U.S. via Pakistan in response to the U.S.’ so-called 15-point ceasefire plan. With the participation of Persian Gulf coastal countries, Iran is fully capable of ensuring Middle East security—provided the U.S. halts its military intervention and war provocations. Any external interference in the region will only complicate matters, the spokesperson added, pointing out it is wise for many European countries to “avoid falling into the U.S. military trap.”

April 15 – Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder of Binance, wrapped up his AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Binance Square today. Key takeaways from his remarks include: - **Meme Coins**: When asked if Binance would offer targeted support for native meme coins (many now tied to Binance-related tweets), CZ noted the BNB Chain already has robust infrastructure for meme coins (e.g., PancakeSwap). He emphasized that specific operations and project selection should be left to users’ own judgment. - **Entrepreneurial Journey**: CZ shared he’s launched multiple small startups since youth and gained early exposure to entrepreneurship. He worked at large firms (3,000–6,000 employees) but disliked the rigid 9-to-5 structure, preferring dynamic, small-team environments. He’s had many failed ventures and advised entrepreneurs to control risk, avoid heavy debt, and treat investments as “investments” (not loans). Before founding Binance, he worked 17 full years—contrasting with the rare college-dropou

On April 15th, Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit, attended the 2026 Paris Blockchain Week and joined a panel discussion themed “Trust, Technology, and Transformation” — focusing on the tokenized economy and new financial infrastructure. Zhou noted that the core of the next-generation financial system lies in trust and user experience design, not a single technological breakthrough. He added that Bybit has rolled out AI trading agent functionality, enabling users to automate strategies via sub-accounts, with AI’s role in trade decision-making and execution growing steadily. On industry trends, Zhou pointed out that institutions are integrating blockchain as underlying infrastructure, while stablecoins serve as a bridge for payments and settlements. Meanwhile, the global regulatory landscape is becoming clearer, which is driving greater institutional participation to some extent. He also noted that future financial services will be more “invisible” — users may not need to be

On April 15th, AI quantitative trading platform AlphaNet raised $10 million in a seed round financing led by Joffre Capital, with participation from Huashan Capital and the Asian Quantitative Trading Alliance. AlphaNet offers an integrated solution for proprietary algorithm execution and automated trading. It combines deep learning strategies, low-latency execution algorithms, AI computing power, and DEX liquidity protocols to help investors deploy and manage their quantitative strategies.

**Binance Launches Integrated Chatroom for Social, Transfers, Trading** On April 15, Binance officially rolled out its chatroom feature, letting users access social interaction, crypto transfers, and trading in one seamless experience. The tool is embedded directly in the Binance platform, acting as a one-stop social hub that ties real-time communication to crypto transfers—creating a closed-loop ecosystem spanning socializing, asset movement, and trading. **Key Chatroom Highlights:** - One-Click Access: Enter via the homepage’s top chat tab or Binance Square homepage - Immersive Market Talks: Engage in real time with top creators and trading experts to swap views and strategies - Fun Social Tools: Share trading cards and red envelopes directly in chats for more engaging interactions - Instant Info & Assets: One-click transfers sync information sharing with asset movement, helping users stay ahead Plus, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) is currently hosting an AMA (As