Iran&#8217;s toll strategy in the Strait of Hormuz may reshape global shipping 
routes, affecting trade dynamics and geopolitical negotiations.
The post Iran charges $2M toll per tanker in Strait of Hormuz, impacting 
shipping routes appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Iran charges $2M toll per tanker in Strait of Hormuz, impacting shipping routes

Iran&#8217;s refusal to engage in talks heightens geopolitical tensions, reducing 
prospects for diplomatic resolutions and impacting global markets.
The post Iran refuses further US talks, cites pressure tactics and blockade 
appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Iran refuses further US talks, cites pressure tactics and blockade

XRP holders can now trade, earn yield, and tap liquidity on Solana — without 
ever selling their tokens. Related Reading: Bitcoin, Ethereum Trading Expands 
As Charles Schwab Enters Crypto Market A Bridge Between Two Networks That 
capability became real this week when wrapped XRP, known as wXRP, went live on 
the Solana blockchain. The rollout connects XRP to one of the busiest 
decentralized finance platforms in crypto, giving holders access to apps like 
Jupiter, Titan, Phantom, Meteora, and Byreal. Custody firm Hex Trust and 
cross-chain protocol LayerZero made the integration possible. wXRP is backed 
one-to-one by XRP held in custody. Holders can redeem it at any time, keeping 
the price in line with the native token while opening doors across Solana&#8217;s 
ecosystem. For years, XRP&#8217;s DeFi use was largely confined to the XRP Ledger. 
That changes with this launch. Demand for XRP keeps growing. More access, more 
ecosystems, more utility. https://t.co/zEqt5C3mmJ — Brad Garlinghouse 
(@bgarlinghouse) April 17, 2026 Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse didn&#8217;t wait long 
to weigh in. He called the Solana launch a clear signal that demand for XRP is 
growing — and said it points to more ecosystems, broader access, and expanded 
use for the asset going forward. What The Launch Means For XRP The move marks 
a shift in how XRP is being positioned. It started as a tool for institutional 
cross-border payments on its native ledger. Solana, by contrast, runs 
decentralized applications at high speed and low cost. Bridging the two 
through wXRP puts XRP in front of an entirely different user base. 🚀 wXRP is 
now live on @solana, enabled by @Hex_Trust and @LayerZero_Core. Growing demand 
for $XRP is driving liquidity cross-chain—opening new paths across ecosystems 
and expanding the overall market. https://t.co/AiExVF5nvX — RippleX 
(@RippleXDev) April 17, 2026 RippleX, the developer arm behind the XRP Ledger, 
confirmed the launch on social media. Based on reports, Hex Trust had been 
signaling the wXRP project since last year, with a stated focus on improving 
cross-chain participation for XRP holders. Former Ripple CTO David Schwartz 
had also backed the direction. When the concept was first floated in late 
2025, he called XRP&#8217;s expansion into outside ecosystems a good thing. Ripple&#8217;s 
Multi-Chain Push Takes Shape The Solana integration is part of a broader 
pattern. Ripple has been working to take XRP beyond its original design — 
turning a payments token into an asset that works across multiple blockchain 
environments. wXRP is the most concrete step in that direction so far. Related 
Reading: BREAKING – Bitcoin Breaks $78K As Iran Reopens Strait Of Hormuz For 
holders, the mechanics are straightforward. They wrap their XRP, use it within 
Solana&#8217;s apps, and can unwrap it whenever they choose. No sale required. No 
loss of exposure to the underlying asset. Garlinghouse framed the demand as 
ongoing, not a one-time spike. His comments suggest Ripple sees the Solana 
launch as one piece of a longer expansion — not a finish line. Featured image 
from Vecteezy, chart from TradingView

XRP Expansion Into Solana Sparks Fresh Demand, Ripple CEO Says

Bitcoin futures open interest across all exchanges slid 4.2% over the past 24 
hours to $58.44 billion, while options positioning on the CME skewed heavily 
toward puts, a clear signal that institutional traders are hedging rather than 
pressing longs. At 10:30 a.m., with BTC sitting at $76,185 Saturday morning, 
the derivatives market is telling a […]

Bitcoin CME Options Open Interest Stays Put-Heavy as Price Stalls Around $76,000

Kevin Warsh is set to become the first Federal Reserve chair with disclosed 
crypto holdings, and the first whose policy instincts could still squeeze the 
sector harder than his predecessors. Most Americans don&#8217;t follow Fed personnel 
drama closely, but they feel its aftershocks every month through mortgage 
rates, savings yields, and the temperature of equity […]
The post Why Kevin Warsh should become Bitcoin’s most impactful Fed chair yet 
appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Cryptocurrency price in USD