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USD Under Pressure Ahead of NFP: Yen and Loonie in Focus

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USD Under Pressure Ahead of NFP: Yen and Loonie in Focus

The dollar continues to decline ahead of the US January labour market report and has yet to show signs of firm stabilisation. Pressure on the US currency persists, although it is possible that following the release of the employment data the dollar may attempt to steady and find short-term support.

Investors are still trimming dollar positions in advance of the Non-Farm Payrolls report, as well as the unemployment rate and wage growth figures, which are viewed as key indicators for assessing the Federal Reserve’s next steps. After a spike in volatility at the start of the week, trading activity has eased and the market has shifted into wait-and-see mode, watching whether the data will confirm a gradual easing scenario or instead provide grounds for dollar stabilisation and a corrective rebound.

USD/JPY

USD/JPY remains under pressure amid NFP expectations and domestic developments in Japan. The yen found support after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decisive victory in the snap election, which boosted investor confidence in the country’s economic outlook.

The sharp rally in Japan’s equity market and fresh record highs in the Nikkei and Topix indices have been interpreted as a sign of political stability and the potential for large-scale reforms. This has strengthened demand for the yen and added downward pressure to USD/JPY.

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Technical analysis suggests a possible retest of the January extremes near 152.20–152.70, as a bearish engulfing pattern has formed on the daily timeframe. The bearish scenario would be invalidated by a sustained move above 154.50.

Key events for USD/JPY:

  • Today at 15:30 (GMT+2): US Non-Farm Payrolls
  • Today at 15:30 (GMT+2): US average hourly earnings
  • Today at 17:15 (GMT+2): Speech by FOMC member Michelle Bowman

USD/CAD

As expected, a test of the key resistance zone at 1.3700–1.3720 brought the upward impulse to an end. Following the formation of a dark cloud cover pattern, the pair declined towards 1.3520.

Should US employment data disappoint, a renewed test of the 1.3480 low is possible. A resumption of the upward correction may be considered only after a confident break and hold above 1.3580.

Key events for USD/CAD:

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  • Today at 15:30 (GMT+2): Canadian building permits
  • Today at 17:30 (GMT+2): US crude oil inventories
  • Today at 20:30 (GMT+2): Bank of Canada summary of deliberations

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Crypto World

Senator Tillis eyes “crypto-palooza” to break stalemate over stablecoin yield regulations

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CLARITY Act Stablecoin Yield Compromise Language

A bipartisan effort to bridge the divide between Wall Street and the digital asset industry could see a breakthrough as early as this week.

Summary

  • Senator Thom Tillis plans to release a draft agreement this week aimed at resolving the dispute between banks and crypto firms over stablecoin interest payments.
  • The proposed language for the Clarity Act seeks to settle whether digital asset companies can offer rewards on idle balances after banks voiced concerns regarding deposit drains.

Politico reports that Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is preparing to unveil a draft agreement aimed at settling the fierce debate over stablecoin yields. 

Working alongside Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tillis has been refining language for the Clarity Act, a piece of legislation intended to set a regulatory framework for the crypto sector. 

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The primary sticking point remains whether digital asset firms should be permitted to pay interest on idle stablecoin balances, a practice banks claim threatens their deposit base.

“I think the language has come together well,” Tillis stated on Monday, noting that a public release depends on the continued success of ongoing discussions.

Banking representatives have already expressed concerns regarding the latest proposal from the two senators. Traditional lenders argue that high-yield stablecoin products could pull liquidity out of the banking system, creating instability. 

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Conversely, crypto platforms like Coinbase argue that a ban on rewards would hinder growth and ignore the potential for banks to participate in these new markets. 

While the GENIUS Act, passed last year, prohibited stablecoin issuers from paying interest directly, it left a loophole for third-party exchanges to offer yields, which the Clarity Act now seeks to address.

The White House has attempted to mediate the standoff through several private meetings since January, yet both sides have remained firm in their views. 

Senator Tillis has suggested hosting a “crypto-palooza” on Capitol Hill, bringing both factions together in a public forum to force a resolution. 

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Even if a compromise is reached, the bill faces a steep climb through the Senate Banking and Agriculture Committees before it can reach the floor for a final vote.

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Crypto World

StarkWare Cuts Jobs, Restructures Around Revenue Push

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StarkWare Cuts Jobs, Restructures Around Revenue Push

Zero-knowledge scaling company StarkWare is cutting jobs and restructuring its operations as it shifts from infrastructure development toward revenue-generating products. 

CEO Eli Ben-Sasson said in internal remarks that the firm will split into two business units and cut headcount to move faster and operate more efficiently, with one unit focused on applications and the other on Starknet development.

Ben-Sasson said the company would adopt a “startup mode” mindset, prioritizing fewer initiatives with higher revenue potential, while warning that downsizing would affect employees across the organization. StarkWare did not disclose how many employees would be affected by the cuts.

The move reflects a wider retrenchment across crypto firms, which have been trimming headcount and narrowing priorities as they chase clearer product-market fit, stronger monetization and leaner operations. Messari, Algorand Foundation and Crypto.com all announced cuts in March.

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Source: Eli Ben-Sasson

StarkWare says technical edge must translate into revenue

Ben-Sasson said StarkWare’s next phase would center on turning its technology into “meaningful revenue” and “meaningful usage,” arguing that the company could no longer rely mainly on external blockchains or third-party teams to prove the value of its stack.

Ben-Sasson said the company would focus on “fewer things excellently” and prioritize products with revenue potential that can be built only on its technological stack. 

Related: Decentralized email platform Dmail to cease services on May 15

“We’re going to achieve this by innovating across not just infrastructure, as we’ve done so far, but across the whole stack of infrastructure and product,” he said. 

Crypto layoffs continue as firms tighten strategy

StarkWare’s cuts follow other recent layoffs across the crypto sector as firms narrow priorities and reshape operations. On March 17, Messari announced layoffs alongside a leadership change as the company moved deeper into artificial intelligence-powered research and data tools for institutions. 

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On March 19, the Algorand Foundation said it would cut 25% of its employees, citing macro uncertainty and the broader crypto downturn. The organization said the move was aimed at better aligning resources with its long-term business, technology and ecosystem priorities.

On the same day, Crypto.com also announced a 12% reduction of its workforce as part of a broader push into AI. The exchange said the layoffs were tied to company-wide AI integration and a decision to prioritize resources around key growth areas.

Magazine: Asia Express: Phantom Bitcoin checks, China tracks tax on blockchain

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