U.S. CPI: +2.9% YEAR-OVER-YEAR (EST. +2.9%); U.S. CORE CPI: +3.2% YEAR-OVER-YEAR (EST. +3.3%)

April 21 — At the "Decoding Web 4.0: When AI Agents Take Over On-Chain Governance" event, Cobo showcased its AI agent-focused "Contractual Execution" mechanism in a live demo session, highlighting how the tool works in real-world transaction scenarios. Built on four core components — intent, execution path, constraint rules, and completion conditions — the mechanism structurally defines each transaction, letting AI agents act autonomously within pre-set parameters. For basic use cases like token swaps, users only need to approve the contract one time. Once greenlit, AI agents execute transactions automatically within set constraints. When a transaction completes, the contract terminates and switches to a pending trigger state to avoid long-term permission risk exposure. For complex use cases like cross-chain bridges, AI agents can plan paths autonomously (including choosing bridges, executing routes, and more) and package the full execution plan into a set of contracts for use

On April 21, Ripple unveiled its XRPL Quantum-Secure Roadmap—an initiative to fortify the XRP Ledger (XRPL) against future quantum threats, with full readiness targeted by 2028. The roadmap outlines four key stages: 1. **Post-Quantum Recovery (Q-Day Preparedness)**: Focuses on establishing contingency plans to safeguard funds if classical cryptographic standards are decrypted. 2. **H1 2026**: Proactive planning and testing to assess quantum risks, plus collaboration with Project Eleven to validate NIST-recommended algorithms. 3. **H2 2026**: Integration of post-quantum signature schemes into Devnet, alongside exploration of privacy primitives. 4. **2028 Target**: Propose ecosystem amendments to enable a full transition to native post-quantum cryptography. Ripple noted that XRPL’s built-in key rotation and seed-derived key generation capabilities already lay the groundwork for this migration—positioning it with a protocol edge over networks like Ethereum when addressing qu

On April 21st, per Onchainlens data, Tether minted 1 billion USDT (1B USDT) on the Ethereum network just 4 minutes ago. Additionally, Tether has minted a total of 2 billion USDT (2B USDT) on Ethereum over the past two days.

April 21st — Per Iranian state media, an Iranian delegation has not yet departed for Pakistan to join peace talks with the U.S. (Xinhua)

April 21 — Japan Securities Clearing Corporation (JSCC), a clearing arm of Japan Exchange Group, has launched a proof-of-concept (PoC) experiment with Mizuho Bank, Nomura Securities and Digital Asset to explore blockchain technology for Japanese Government Bond (JGB) management. Per a joint statement released Monday, the experiment will use the Canton Network to integrate existing systems across multiple institutions and test on-chain transfer and management of JGBs. Its goal is to evaluate the feasibility of enabling real-time collateral transactions while complying with relevant financial instrument and transaction laws. The PoC will also explore cross-border use cases involving central counterparties (CCPs), institutional investors and other market participants. JSCC noted the experiment is part of Japan’s Ministry of Finance’s broader "Payment Innovation Project." As overseas markets like the U.S. advance testing of similar infrastructure, advancing JGB collateral management