Crypto and TradFi markets had a strong opening today, as Bitcoin briefly jumped 5% due to optimism about a tariff deal. China and institutional investors in the US wish to avoid a trade war if possible.
Despite these encouraging signs, no deal has actually been reached, and Bitcoin also suffered subsequent losses. The whole market is in a state of flux until the situation becomes more clear.
Today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,285 points, or 3.4%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both jumped 3.4% and 3.3%, respectively. Nonetheless, hundreds of stocks have fallen 20% or more.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin has a few advantages that can protect it from tariff volatility. For example, a recent report from Binance Research claims that the least risky cryptoassets are the most insulated from drops.
This includes RWAs and centralized exchanges, but Bitcoin is a close third.
Furthermore, the markets are very optimistic about a deal to avoid the tariffs. Yesterday, rumors of a pause triggered a trillion-dollar rally, highlighting traders’ desperation for good news.
Despite the retaliatory tariffs, China is similarly eager to avoid a full-blown trade war with the US. Trump claimed that he is making progress with China and South Korea, fueling optimism.
I just had a great call with the Acting President of South Korea. We talked about their tremendous and unsustainable Surplus, Tariffs, Shipbuilding, large scale purchase of U.S. LNG, their joint venture in an Alaska Pipeline, and payment for the big time Military Protection we…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 8, 2025
Nonetheless, it’s important not to overstate Bitcoin’s chances of success under tariffs. Despite the hopes on both sides of the Pacific, China confirmed that it’s prepared to fight a trade war if Trump forces its hand.
This might explain Bitcoin’s price drops despite its strong performance since yesterday. Ultimately, all we can do is wait and hope.
Donald Trump’s broader circle and business avenue is reportedly planning to launch a crypto game based on Monopoly this month. Trump is a longtime fan of the game, launching an officially licensed spinoff in 1989.
Bill Zanker, who helped Trump launch NFTs and his TRUMP meme coin, is spearheading development. However, the community response is skeptical, as very little information about the crypto element is public.
Trump Is Launching a Crypto Monopoly Spinoff
The intersection of blockchain and gaming has a wide variety of uses, from Tap-to-Earn tokens to NFT use cases and more. A surprising addition to this space is coming soon, as a new report claims that Trump’s family will launch a crypto game loosely based on Monopoly soon.
The exact details are somewhat hazy, but reporters have managed to identify a few key facts. This Monopoly game is being spearheaded by Bill Zanker, a longtime Trump associate who worked with him to launch his NFTs in 2023 and was also involved in the TRUMP token.
It’s unclear when the two renewed their partnership, but the game is set to release this month. Anonymous sources claimed that players will earn in-game cash, which is presumably where the crypto element comes in.
Both developers quoted directly compared this game to Monopoly, and its rules will likely match up. Further reports suggest that Zanker is looking to buy the IP rights for the 1980s Trump Monopoly spinoff board game.
In other words, this IP question could present a possible difficulty if Monopoly’s owners don’t license another spinoff to Trump. Even if the crypto game doesn’t bear any Monopoly branding, Hasbro could sue if the gameplay is substantially similar.
So far, the online crypto community’s response has been incredulous. Users called Trump’s crypto-themed Monopoly spinoff a “joke,” an attempt to “max extract” value from his supporters, and called developers “the largest manipulators ever.”
Even if retail investors have potential upside, there seems to be a narrow window for gains.
“Are we about to witness another Trump family rug? Apparently, Trump’s a big fan of Monopoly. Zanker claims it’s not a MONOPOLY GO! clone — but confirmed the game is real and set to launch end of April. Incoming circus or giga pump?” said one user.
It’s difficult to determine the potential impact of this game on crypto, as we have basically no information about its tokenomics. For example, in Monopoly, users have to spend in-game currency to play.
Will that be a major component of Trump’s version? Will the in-game currency include the TRUMP meme coin? How will users extract value? These details will likely remain unanswered until an official announcement.
For years, crypto in Africa was synonymous with Bitcoin (BTC). Today, that narrative has flipped, with companies like Yellow Card, a crypto exchange operating in Africa, clearly reflecting this shift.
In an exclusive with BeInCrypto, Yellow Card co-founder and CEO Chris Maurice reveals how it is building a pan-African stablecoin network to leapfrog traditional finance (TradFi). This is amid growing regulatory clarity, collapsing fiat systems, and a remittance revolution.
Stablecoins Are Transforming Africa’s Financial Scene
The pan-African exchange operates in over 20 markets, and Maurice says stablecoins now account for over 99% of its transactions. This makes Yellow Card a bellwether for what might be the most transformative trend in emerging markets finance.
“When we first launched Yellow Card in 2019, people were exclusively buying Bitcoin. Now, the most popular asset is Tether (USDT),” Maurice told BeInCrypto.
As it happened, necessity, not speculation, has driven this evolution. Africa leads the world in peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto trading volume. However, unlike global crypto hubs chasing volatile returns, Africans are choosing stablecoins out of financial survival.
Local currencies are eroding under inflationary pressure in countries like Nigeria, which ranks second globally in crypto adoption (per Chainalysis). Stablecoins offer a reliable store of value and seamless means of cross-border payments.
This is especially critical in a continent with $48 billion annual remittances and persistent banking limitations.
“Stablecoins are solving practical financial services challenges in Africa. People aren’t in love with the tech. They need faster, cheaper ways to move money to survive and thrive,” Maurice added.
Infrastructure Built for the Unbanked
Yellow Card has gone beyond trading services. Its infrastructure integrates mobile money systems (like M-Pesa in Kenya) and local fiat currencies such as the Nigerian naira and Ghanaian cedi. According to the firm’s CEO, this helps onboard users without bank accounts.
By managing compliance, currency exchange, and payments internally, the firm enables businesses to operate without battling unreliable local rails.
“Our mission is to let companies invest, hire, and grow in emerging markets without needing to stress over infrastructure. We’ve built the back office [meaning] cybersecurity, AML, [and] data protection, so they can focus on growth,” he articulated.
The Regulatory Dam Has Broken
Maurice also observed that African regulators kept crypto in limbo for years. In Yellow Card’s view, 2024 marked a tipping point.
“There is regulatory momentum in Africa that is only accelerating. The dam has broken,” he said.
South Africa now classifies crypto as a financial product. It has licensed major exchanges like Luno and VALR. Countries in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), Mauritius, Botswana, and Namibia have followed suit with licensing regimes.
Meanwhile, regulatory incubators are emerging in Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Against this backdrop, Maurice says Yellow Card has actively helped draft legislation in Kenya and supports crypto frameworks in Morocco.
Fighting the Informal Market
Still, challenges remain. In countries like Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Morocco, outright bans have driven users underground into high-risk P2P networks. Yellow Card pushes for frameworks that level the playing field for compliant players.
“We face a lot of competition from companies that don’t maintain high AML standards…A level playing field is all we seek,” he said.
With $85 million in venture funding, Yellow Card is deploying capital into compliance and partnerships. With this, the company positions itself as the go-to infrastructure provider for global firms looking to tap African markets.
From Africa to Emerging Markets Everywhere
Cross-border payments are perhaps Yellow Card’s most powerful use case. The company’s co-founder says its stablecoin-powered rails are helping businesses reduce working capital needs, expand to new regions, and hire faster.
“We’ve had clients tell us we’ve enabled them to scale into new countries and reduce their costs dramatically. That’s real economic impact,” said Maurice.
The company is not stopping at Africa. Its infrastructure extends into other frontier markets, with a wave of strategic partnerships expected in 2025.
“Yellow Card has built a series of easy buttons for developed world companies to expand into complicated, high-growth markets,” he noted.
“Stablecoins are already a standard part of the financial infrastructure in Africa. CFOs and treasurers in traditional industries are now routinely using them to store and transfer value,” he added.
Africa’s crypto market is still small compared to global giants. Nevertheless, as the world shifts from speculation to utility, the continent’s fragmented financial systems may offer a glimpse into crypto’s most impactful use case: economic empowerment. For Yellow Card, the mission is clear and increasingly urgent.
“We’ve built a company for longevity and scale. Crypto adoption in Africa is stablecoin adoption,” Maurice concluded.
