The largest aluminum producer in the U.S., Alcoa, is close to selling its idle Massena East smelter in upstate New York to bitcoin firm New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG), as it offloads dormant assets and taps demand for energy-ready industrial sites.

The company’s chief executive officer, Bill Oplinger, said the company is in advanced talks and expects the deal to close “in the middle part of this year,” Bloomberg reports.

The site, located along the St. Lawrence River, has sat idle since 2014 when Alcoa shut it down due to high operating costs and global competition.

The appeal lies in the site’s power, not the metal itself. Aluminum smelters are built to run around the clock, drawing large amounts of electricity through dedicated substations and transmission lines. When they close, that infrastructure remains.

For bitcoin miners and data center developers, this can cut years off the time required to secure grid access.

Massena East also has access to hydropower from the New York Power Authority, a draw for firms seeking low-cost and carbon-free energy.

The deal reflects a broader shift. Earlier this year, Century Aluminum sold a Kentucky smelter to TeraWulf (WULF), which plans to build a digital infrastructure campus supporting high-performance computing and AI.

Leading bitcoin treasury company Strategy (MSTR) has proposed shifting the dividend payment schedule on its perpetual preferred equity, Stretch (STRC), from monthly to semi-monthly.

The amendment, outlined in Strategy’s investor presentation, would keep the 11.5% annualized dividend rate and total annual obligations unchanged (currently $1.2 billion). Holders would receive payouts roughly every two weeks instead of once a month, with the first semi-monthly payment expected on July 15, following the June 8 shareholder vote.

According to Strategy’s presentation, STRC currently sees an average $0.45 price drawdown after the ex-dividend date (the deadline to own a stock to receive a dividend), with recovery to its $100 par value taking around two weeks. Typically, on the ex-dividend date, the stock price drops by approximately the amount of the dividend payment.

When STRC trades below its $100 par value, Strategy cannot issue shares through its at-the-market (ATM) program to raise funds for bitcoin purchases. By smoothing the price action, the company aims to keep STRC closer to par, enabling more consistent capital raising.

Semi-monthly payments are expected to reduce this volatility and time lag.

Steadier bitcoin buying

More frequent payouts would also reduce reinvestment lag and spread out the buying pressure more evenly across the month, allowing Strategy to purchase bitcoin at a steadier pace and keep purchases consistent.

According to the presentation, the shift aligns with the typical twice-monthly U.S. payroll cycle and creates more entry and exit opportunities for shareholders, all aimed at lowering volatility.

STRC’s historical volatility averaged 13% from August 2025 to March 2026, but dropped to just 2% between March and April 2026, according to Strategy’s data.

If approved, STRC would become the only semi-monthly dividend-paying preferred in the market, compared with 921 that pay quarterly and 32 that pay monthly, the company said. Nasdaq rules require at least 10 calendar days between dividend declaration and the record date.

STRC recently fell below $99 following the April 15 ex-dividend date, a drop of more than $1, which is the volatility the company is aiming to reduce.

Disclosure: The author of this story owns shares in Strategy (MSTR).

Read more: The one metric investors are overlooking in Michael Saylor’s Strategy

Forty cents of every venture capital dollar invested in crypto companies in 2025 went to firms building products that combine artificial intelligence and crypto, more than double the 18 cents a year earlier.

“AI is increasingly entering crypto not as a parallel narrative, but as part of crypto’s own product and infrastructure stack,” Binance Research said, citing data from Silicon Valley Bank, noting that this shows “how quickly AI is becoming embedded within crypto roadmaps.”

That pressure is visible in crypto’s shift from AI “co-pilots” to “agents.” Co-pilots help users analyze information, while agents can monitor conditions and execute actions. In trading environments, where timing affects outcomes, reducing the gap between insight and execution can change behavior.

The trend is part of a wider surge in AI spending. Crunchbase data shows AI companies raised about $242 billion in the first quarter of 2026, or roughly 80% of global venture funding. Gartner estimates total AI spending will reach $2.52 trillion this year.

Crypto leading the AI push

This trend, however, isn’t surprising.

As capital concentrates in one area, it often pulls adjacent sectors along with it, pushing firms to adapt their strategies and shorten product cycles, Binance Research wrote.

While almost all sectors are trying to incorporate AI into their business models, the report says that crypto platforms have moved faster than traditional finance in deploying such systems. This is due to support from always-on markets in the digital assets sector and programmable infrastructure, whereas TradFi faces market-hour constraints and intermediary systems that agents must pass through.

For example, the research noted that on Binance’s AI Pro beta, nearly half of the activity on a recent day, 45.7%, was triggered by the system rather than users.

These interactions came from scheduled tasks and monitoring systems, pointing to growing use of AI tools that run in the background without prompts.

Adoption of AI solutions is uneven across the 17 exchanges and brokers Binance Research surveyed. Risk management, market signals, and fraud detection are standard, while user-facing tools such as copy trading, chatbots, and portfolio advisors are present in only 47% to 71% of them.

Several major platforms have shipped agentic products this year, moving AI closer to monitoring and execution within set guardrails. That compresses the value chain between identifying an opportunity and acting on it, Binance Research added.

That means the competitive landscape will shift from who’s integrating AI features to who’s owning users’ decision-making loops, the report noted.

Iran’s government has named Bitcoin (BTC) as one of the payment options for tolls on oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a move highlighted by observers as a clear signal of Bitcoin’s role as a neutral and strategic asset in a sanctions-driven economy. Sam Lyman, head of research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI), described the development as a notable instance where Bitcoin’s censorship-resistant properties are front and center in state-level financial decisions.

According to Lyman, the Iranian authorities chose BTC for its resilience to external interference—“No one can freeze Bitcoin. No one can shut down the Bitcoin network.” Yet he cautions that, at present, there is no on-chain evidence of BTC toll payments being executed, and Iran’s payments ecosystem remains diversified across multiple instruments, including Chinese yuan and US dollar-pegged stablecoins.

Iran’s payment mix for tolls now includes yuan, USD-pegged stablecoins, and BTC, a combination that reflects a broader push to sidestep traditional financial channels amid international sanctions. However, Lyman notes that the bulk of Iran’s crypto activity to date has been denominated in USD-backed stablecoins, underscoring how dollar-mapped liquidity remains a core part of the regime’s on-chain strategy.

In framing this development, Lyman emphasizes a broader point about how policymakers should view Bitcoin. The move illustrates why some lawmakers advocate considering Bitcoin as a strategic asset, rather than pursuing a blanket hostility toward digital assets or a dismissive stance on their utility in national finance. As the discussion around crypto and national security evolves, this incident provides a real-world data point on how a state actor contemplates the potential of censorship-resistant settlement rails.

Key takeaways

• Iran publicly designates Bitcoin as a payment option for oil tolls crossing the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a strategic use of BTC beyond speculative trading.
• Bitcoin’s censorship-resistant properties are cited as the primary rationale for its use in sovereign-level payments, according to Sam Lyman of the Bitcoin Policy Institute.
• As of now, there is no on-chain evidence confirming BTC toll payments; Iran’s crypto activity remains dominated by USD-backed stablecoins, notably USDt.
• Iran has shifted roughly $3 billion in cryptocurrencies since 2022, with the majority in stablecoins; U.S. authorities report a smaller portion of frozen assets relative to total movement, suggesting ongoing liquidity despite sanctions.
• The episode feeds into a broader policy debate about whether Bitcoin should be treated as a strategic asset by Western lawmakers and regulators, rather than being treated solely as a fringe or risk-prone technology.

Bitcoin as a strategic asset in Iran’s trade payments

Iran’s government has long pursued a formal digital asset strategy, a stance that has evolved since at least 2018. In the Hormuz toll context, Bitcoin has been positioned as a possible backbone for cross-border settlement where conventional financial channels are constrained by sanctions and geopolitical pressures. Lyman pointed out that the government’s willingness to accept BTC alongside yuan and USD-pegged stablecoins reflects a deliberate hedging of liquidity channels in a restrictive environment.

In the eye of observers, the assertion that BTC serves as a strategic asset hinges on two factors: censorship resistance and reliability under pressure. Bitcoin’s network-persistence means it cannot be unilaterally shut down by a single authority, a feature that can be appealing when traditional rails are subject to sanctions or asset freezes. Lyman underscored this logic in his discussion with Cointelegraph, framing BTC as part of a broader toolkit rather than a quick fix for all payment frictions.

Still, the practical reality remains nuanced. The Iranian government has not publicly disclosed confirmed on-chain BTC toll payments for Hormuz tolls to date. Lyman notes that while BTC is listed among accepted instruments, on-chain activity in this specific payment channel has not been evidenced publicly. This gap between the stated policy and observable transaction data highlights a common challenge in assessing the real-world use of crypto in state finance: official statements can outpace, or partially obscure, on-chain signals.

As part of the same ecosystem, the government’s stance toward stablecoins continues to be influential. USDt, a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Tether, has long been a dominant instrument in Iran’s on-chain activity. Lyman pointed out that the majority of crypto interactions in Iran are denominated in USDT, underscoring how dollar-denominated liquidity remains a central pillar of the regime’s digital asset operations.

“This is one of the most significant situations where Bitcoin is very clearly a strategic asset. The reason why Iran wants to use Bitcoin for these transactions is that no one can freeze Bitcoin. No one can shut down the Bitcoin network.”

The comment, attributed to Lyman, captures the core tension: Bitcoin’s perceived resilience against external controls sits alongside the practical reality that stablecoins and other instruments still dominate domestic crypto flows. BPI’s analysis, including its coverage of the Hormuz episode, also notes that a substantial portion of Iran’s on-chain activity has historically moved through USDt rather than BTC, reflecting both liquidity preferences and the regulatory environments surrounding stablecoins.

In a broader sense, the Hormuz toll framework can be read as part of a longer arc in which Iran has experimented with digital assets to bypass restrictions and diversify its financial channels. The government’s approach aligns with a multi-asset strategy rather than a single-asset solution, suggesting that BTC’s strategic prominence may emerge more from its stability of long-term censorship resistance than from its immediate transactional footprint.

Stablecoins and on-chain realities

The USDt dynamic is central to Iran’s crypto activity narrative. Lyman notes that the regime has used stablecoins extensively in its digital asset operations since the early days of the country’s crypto exploration. This preference persists despite publicized episodes in which stablecoin issuers and custodians faced enforcement actions or wallet freezes elsewhere in the ecosystem. Lyman frames this as a calculated risk, describing it as “rolling the dice” in the sense that stablecoins provide a familiar dollar proxy while carrying counterparty risk from issuers and custodians.

On the macro scale, Lyman estimates that Iran has managed to move roughly $3 billion in cryptocurrencies since 2022, with the majority denominated in stablecoins. Meanwhile, U.S. authorities have reported that only a fraction of those assets has been frozen—about $600 million—leaving a substantial portion still accessible for movement. The discrepancy between total crypto activity and frozen assets underscores how the regime has relied on the speed and flexibility of on-chain funds, particularly stablecoins, to navigate sanctions and maintain some degree of financial continuity.

These dynamics matter for policymakers and market participants alike. The use of stablecoins in sanctioned environments raises questions about enforcement reach, liquidity, and the substitution effects between different digital assets. It also highlights the ongoing importance of stablecoins in offshore and state-affiliated crypto activity, even as Bitcoin is increasingly framed as a strategic tool in high-stakes financial calculations.

For readers tracking market implications, the Hormuz development adds another layer to the evolving relationship between geopolitics and crypto liquidity. While Bitcoin’s censorship-resistant property is appealing in theory, the actual balance of assets and the on-chain evidence of toll payments remain under close watch. The Iranian case also illustrates how state actors may leverage a portfolio of instruments—BTC, yuan, and stablecoins—to preserve monetary sovereignty in a constrained environment.

More broadly, the Hormuz case invites a closer look at how Western policymakers might treat Bitcoin in national-security terms. If Bitcoin is recognized as a strategic asset, it could influence future regulatory debates and sanctions policy, potentially encouraging or discouraging certain kinds of on-chain transactions depending on their perceived strategic value and accessibility to sanctioned networks.

What to watch next

The next phase will likely hinge on whether any verifiable on-chain BTC toll transactions materialize and how policymakers and regulators adjust their framing of Bitcoin within national-security and sanctions regimes. Observers will also monitor whether Iran expands or shifts its mix of currencies for tolls and cross-border trade, and how stablecoin governance and custodial practices evolve in constrained markets. The Hormuz episode remains a critical, real-world flashpoint for understanding Bitcoin’s evolving role in geopolitical finance.

For researchers and investors, the key takeaway is that Bitcoin’s strategic value is being evaluated in state contexts, even as practical adoption and verification lag behind rhetoric. The balance between censorship resistance and regulatory risk will continue to shape how institutions, custodians, and markets perceive Bitcoin’s place in sanctioned economies.

Source note: These observations and figures are based on recent remarks from Sam Lyman, head of research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute. The Institute’s related analysis on the state of play around Bitcoin, the Strait of Hormuz, and the situation in Iran is available here: Bitcoin Policy Institute — State of Play.

ChatGPT now targets $2.50 to $3.50 for XRP by late 2026, up to 155% upside from current levels, as Bitcoin moved past $78,000 on April 17 after the Strait of Hormuz reopened. XRP trades at $1.47 with fresh weekly inflows of $119.6 million reported by CoinShares.

The XRP price prediction from AI models keeps running ahead of price, and that gap is the exact signal that defines every cycle. While the market debates which way XRP breaks next, one presale has been pulling capital straight through the macro fog, and the numbers behind it are starting to earn their own coverage. Pepeto crossed $9.16 million at $0.0000001865 with a Binance listing closing in fast.

ChatGPT sees XRP’s first leg moving toward $1.60 to $1.85, then a push into $2.50 to $3.50 by late 2026 as ETF inflows pick up, per Yahoo Finance.

The XRP price prediction has every structural piece in place: Rakuten integrating XRP for 44 million Japanese users on April 15, the SEC CLARITY Act roundtable on April 16, and XRPL on-chain lending amendments now in validator voting per 24/7 Wall St.

But no wallet ever built generational wealth buying XRP after the forecast confirmed. The returns go to the buyers who picked the right project while $1.47 and extreme fear kept everyone else frozen.

XRP, Pepeto, and the ChatGPT Prediction Most Holders Are Missing

Pepeto Built What No Other Presale This Cycle Can Match

Crypto headlines rotate every hour, but the wallets that printed real gains keep those records on record forever. Shiba Inu turned sub-cent buys into account sizes most salaries cannot match, returning 49 million percent inside a matter of weeks. Traders who showed up two days late caught an entirely different number, while the first holders walked away with seven-digit results.

Pepeto is building the same pace regardless of where the XRP price prediction settles. Chatter on X, Telegram, and Reddit grows louder by the day, mirroring the buildup ahead of every major meme listing the market has seen.

The difference between the two projects is clear. Shiba Inu had no utility and lost 93% once the hype passed. Pepeto is built to do the opposite. Its scanner flags unsafe code before any wallet sends funds, PepetoSwap handles trades across three chains with no fees, and the bridge carries tokens between Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana with no gas cost.

SolidProof audited every contract before the presale accepted a single buyer. A former Binance team member manages the exchange while the builder who took Pepe to $11 billion from nothing leads development. Staking at 182% APY keeps positions growing while the Binance listing draws closer.

“Nothing in crypto pulls more attention than the meme coin space, but tokens without real products will not survive 2026. Pepe was the beginning, not the ending. Pepeto is the full vision I always carried, and with an experienced Binance engineer on the team, the exchange runs at an institutional quality,” said the cofounder behind the first Pepe coin.

XRP Price Prediction: XRP Holds $1.47 as ChatGPT Maps $3.50 Target on ETF Flows

XRP trades at $1.47 on April 17 after Bitcoin pushed past $78,000 per CoinMarketCap, with seven U.S. spot XRP ETFs now holding a combined $1 billion in AUM. Standard Chartered carries a $2.80 target while Grok sees $10 if adoption keeps accelerating.

This XRP cycle runs on a four-year rhythm. The buyers who picked the right project during fear become the names on every success list. Pepeto fills that role for 2026.

Conclusion

The XRP price prediction has ChatGPT and CoinShares inflows pointing past $2.50. News confirms big money is coming back. But returns from an $88 billion base cannot match what a presale priced in millionths of a cent can produce.

When XRP finally prints $3.50, every outlet will run the headline. Presale math produces far bigger multiples. Putting $1,000 into Pepeto today buys 5.36 billion tokens, which at a listing of $0.00005 works out to $268,000. Analysts base this target on Pepe’s all-time high, and they point out that Pepeto adds real utility Pepe never had, making a weaker result difficult to argue.

The wallets sitting on Pepeto at presale pricing carry the most one-sided return setup this cycle will produce, and the Pepeto presale is where that entry still sits open before the Binance listing sets a higher price.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs

What does ChatGPT predict for XRP in 2026 after the Hormuz reopening?

ChatGPT targets $2.50 to $3.50 for XRP by late 2026 per Yahoo Finance, up to 155% upside. Seven spot XRP ETFs now hold $1 billion in combined AUM.

Is XRP or Pepeto the better buy right now before the next rally?

Pepeto pairs a SolidProof audit, zero-fee exchange, cross-chain bridge, and contract scanner built by the Pepe cofounder and a senior Binance developer. The presale holds $9.16M at $0.0000001865 with 182% APY and a confirmed Binance listing.

Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.

Iran’s government naming Bitcoin (BTC) as a payment method for oil ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz highlights its role as a neutral, strategic asset, according to Sam Lyman, head of research at digital asset advocacy organization Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI). 

The government selected BTC as one of the payment methods for the tolls because of its censorship-resistant qualities, Lyman told Cointelegraph. He said: 

“This is one of the most significant situations where Bitcoin is very clearly a strategic asset. The reason why Iran wants to use Bitcoin for these transactions is that no one can freeze Bitcoin. No one can shut down the Bitcoin network.”

Iran is accepting oil tolls in Chinese yuan, US dollar-pegged stablecoins and BTC. However, there is “no onchain evidence” of a BTC toll payment so far, Lyman said, adding that the “majority” of Iran’s crypto transactions are denominated in US dollar stablecoins.

The announcement from the Iranian government highlights why US lawmakers should recognize and treat Bitcoin as a strategic asset, rather than taking a hostile regulatory stance toward it or dismissing digital assets altogether, Lyman told Cointelegraph.

Related: Bitcoin community weighs in on reports of Iran’s crypto toll for oil ships

Stablecoin confiscation is just a cost of doing business

“Iran has had a digital asset strategy for several years, going back to about 2018, and the majority of transactions that take place there are with USDt,” (USDT), Lyman said. USDt is a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by the company Tether.

The Iranian government is using stablecoins, despite the ability of stablecoin issuers to freeze wallets, he said. “I think they’re rolling the dice,” Lyman told Cointelegraph.

He said that the Iranian government has been able to shift about $3 billion in cryptocurrencies since 2022, with the “majority” of that value denominated in stablecoins.

However, the US Treasury Department was only able to freeze about $600 million in assets, according to Lyman.

“They were able to move $3 billion, and only have $600 million frozen. They were still able to move about $2.4 billion. So, I think that’s why stablecoins are still a go-to for the regime,” he said.

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