Monday☕️

Earth Intelligence

21 Apr 2025 — 5 min read

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Yesterday, April 20, 2025, Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance announced a pilot cryptocurrency exchange to be launched in May 2025, as part of a government-led effort to regulate digital asset trading. Directed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the initiative aims to create a controlled platform for cryptocurrency transactions, emphasizing compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) regulations. Vietnam, where over 17 million people (21.2% of the population) own cryptocurrencies, ranks high in global crypto adoption. The pilot program will test regulatory approaches and market dynamics, seeking to balance innovation with oversight amid concerns about fraud and unregulated activities.

The exchange involves collaboration with Bybit, a global cryptocurrency platform, which is providing technical and operational support following a meeting between Bybit CEO Ben Zhou and Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang on April 17, 2025. Additionally, SSI Securities Corporation is supporting blockchain development through its $200 million SSI Digital Ventures fund, partnered with Tether and KuCoin, to invest in local startups. Managed by state-licensed entities, the exchange will operate under government supervision, with a legal framework expected in May 2025.

Economics & Markets:

Yesterday’s commodity market:

Yesterday’s crypto market:

Geopolitics & Military Activity:

In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, focusing on the capital, Sanaa, and the port city of Hodeida. Unverified reports and social media posts on X suggest up to 21-50 strikes occurred across Sanaa, Hodeida, Amran, and Marib, with significant explosions reported near Sanaa’s airport and other locations. The Houthis, supported by Iran, reported damage to civilian areas, including residential neighborhoods, but provided no specific casualty figures. The U.S. has not released an official statement detailing the scope or targets of these strikes.

One reported strike hit a marketplace in Sanaa, raising concerns about potential civilian casualties. Houthi media claimed the attacks damaged civilian property, including homes and shops, but offered limited details. The U.S. has not confirmed the marketplace strike, and independent verification is challenging due to restricted access to the area. The airstrikes are part of ongoing U.S. efforts to counter Houthi threats to regional and maritime security. However, the lack of transparent reporting from both sides makes it difficult to assess the full impact, including the extent of civilian harm or military losses.

Environment & Weather:

Space:

Yesterday, April 20, 2025, SpaceX launched the NROL-145 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, at 5:29 a.m. PDT (8:29 a.m. EDT, 1229 UTC). The Falcon 9 rocket carried a classified payload, likely part of the NRO’s proliferated architecture, a constellation of satellites designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The exact nature of the payload remains undisclosed, but it is believed to involve satellites built by SpaceX and possibly other contractors to support national security objectives.

This mission was the 10th in support of the NRO’s constellation and the fourth NRO launch of 2025, reflecting a steady pace of launches in collaboration with the U.S. Space Force. The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, on its 12th flight, separated after launch and landed on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean about eight minutes later. The landing marked SpaceX’s 421st booster recovery.

Statistic:

Largest assets on Earth by market capitalization:

Gold: $22.437T
🇺🇸 Apple: $2.959T
🇺🇸 Microsoft: $2.734T
🇺🇸 NVIDIA: $2.476T
🇺🇸 Alphabet (Google): $1.854T
Silver: $1.832T
🇺🇸 Amazon: $1.831T
Bitcoin: $1.690T
🇸🇦 Saudi Aramco: $1.641T
🇺🇸 Meta Platforms: $1.270T
🇺🇸 Berkshire Hathaway: $1.118T
🇺🇸 Broadcom: $803.98B
🇹🇼 TSMC: $787.00B
🇺🇸 Tesla: $776.37B
🇺🇸 Eli Lilly: $754.27B
🇺🇸 Walmart: $747.33B
🇺🇸 JPMorgan Chase: $644.64B
🇺🇸 Visa: $635.82B
🇨🇳 Tencent: $537.28B
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust: $483.12B
🇺🇸 Mastercard: $471.65B
🇺🇸 Exxon Mobil: $462.45B
🇺🇸 Costco: $441.24B
🇺🇸 Netflix: $416.22B
🇺🇸 UnitedHealth: $415.37B

History:

The Houthis, a Zaydi Shiite movement, emerged in northern Yemen in the 1990s as a religious revival group, initially focused on cultural and political grievances against the Yemeni government and foreign influence, particularly from Saudi Arabia and the United States. Named after their founder, Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, the group began as a theological movement but grew into a formidable militia, clashing with the government in the early 2000s. By 2014, the Houthis capitalized on Yemen’s political instability, seizing the capital, Sanaa, and sparking a civil war against the internationally recognized government. Backed by Iran, they gained control of significant territory, including Yemen’s Red Sea coast, while facing a Saudi-led coalition supported by the U.S. and UK. Their opposition to Israel and Western influence intensified, and the 2015 Saudi intervention, coupled with a blockade, deepened Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, with millions displaced and widespread famine.
Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Houthis escalated attacks on Red Sea shipping, targeting vessels they claimed were linked to Israel in solidarity with Palestinians, disrupting a key global trade route through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. These attacks, involving drones, missiles, and hijackings, such as the seizure of the Galaxy Leader in November 2023, prompted U.S. and UK-led airstrikes starting in January 2024 under Operation Prosperity Guardian to secure maritime navigation. The Houthis persisted, expanding targets to include U.S. and UK warships, with over 100 attacks reported by March 2025, sinking two ships and killing four sailors. In March 2025, U.S. airstrikes intensified under President Trump, targeting Houthi leaders and infrastructure, killing at least 100 people, though the group’s resilience and underground arsenals have limited the strikes’ impact. The Houthis’ actions, tied to the Gaza conflict and Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” continue to challenge U.S. efforts to restore Red Sea stability, with no clear resolution as global shipping remains rerouted.

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