ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Reuters, Jan Kubicek, a member of the Czech National Bank (CNB) board, holds a "skeptical attitude" towards incorporating Bitcoin into the bank's large reserve assets, primarily due to concerns about its legal uncertainty and the volatility of digital currencies. Earlier this year, CNB Governor Ales Michl proposed considering Bitcoin, and the bank has begun analyzing the possibility of expanding the asset classes in its reserve investment portfolio. However, CNB Vice Governor Eva Zamrazilova has stated that Bitcoin is not a suitable reserve asset.In an interview on Tuesday, Kubicek stated, "We will evaluate different categories of assets, and Bitcoin is just one of them. I have a fairly skeptical attitude towards Bitcoin." He pointed out that the legal status of Bitcoin is an issue, as directly holding Bitcoin would mean developing many new processes in areas such as accounting or auditing. He also mentioned that volatility is another concern, making it difficult to assess market price trends. He said, "We cannot be sure whether the volatility of Bitcoin in the coming years will resemble the patterns observed in the past decade, because I doubt that if more institutional investors accept Bitcoin as an investment asset, its performance will be different from what we have seen so far."Kubicek indicated that the bank's research on new asset classes may be completed before October, and this research could explore the possibility of holding international corporate bonds, as well as investing in more targeted stock indices (such as technology) and real estate investment funds.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cryptonews, the Central Bank of Russia has invited the Republic of Tatarstan to assist in testing the smart contract functionality of the digital ruble. The Tatarstan Ministry of Finance has established a working group that will conduct conditional targeted funding expenditure experiments using the central bank's testing platform, with the tests expected to conclude in the third quarter of 2025.A month prior, the Central Bank of Russia had "indefinitely postponed" the nationwide rollout plan for the digital ruble originally scheduled for August this year, but this testing indicates that the digital ruble project is still progressing. Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina stated that the new launch date will be announced later.At the same time, the Moscow Metro also announced the expansion of its digital ruble pilot project, collaborating with the central bank and VTB Bank to test the functionality of recharging Troika smart cards using the digital ruble. These developments are similar to the pilot projects of China's digital yuan, but Russia has previously stated that one of the main functions of the digital ruble is to assist Russian enterprises in making cross-border payments with other countries that use digital fiat currencies.

ChainCatcher news, institutional surveys show that interviewed analysts expect the European Central Bank to cut interest rates two more times this year, and no longer anticipate that the bank's rates will fall below 2%.The monthly survey indicates that after six rate cuts so far, the European Central Bank is still likely to cut rates consecutively in April and June. However, unlike the previous survey, respondents expect the deposit rate (currently at 2.5%) to remain at 2% before the end of the survey period. In mid-February, a slight majority had anticipated that rates would eventually drop to 1.75% by March 2026. Governments across Europe plan to significantly increase defense investments, which could boost sluggish economic growth and exacerbate inflation.In addition to military spending, Germany also intends to increase spending by several hundred billion euros to renovate its aging infrastructure. Deutsche Bank economist Marco Wagner stated that this spending "will increase inflationary pressure by the end of 2026."

ChainCatcher news reports that, according to 4E monitoring, under the continuous impact of Trump's tariff policy, the three major U.S. stock indices experienced significant fluctuations last week and collectively closed lower. The Dow Jones fell about 3.1%, marking its worst weekly performance since March 2023. The S&P 500 dropped 2.27%, and the Nasdaq fell 2.43%, both marking the fourth consecutive week of decline. Large tech stocks, except for Nvidia which rebounded nearly 8%, all closed lower for the week.The cryptocurrency market was highly volatile, with Bitcoin rebounding after dipping to a recent low on Tuesday, oscillating around $83,000. U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, driving Bitcoin above $85,000, but the upward momentum could not be sustained over the weekend due to a lack of liquidity, closing at $83,144, up nearly 1.5% over the past week. Other major tokens saw slight increases, with Ethereum striving to hold above $1,900, and BNB boosted by a $2 billion investment in Abu Dhabi and a revival in on-chain memes, rising nearly 10% over the past week.In the forex commodities sector, the U.S. dollar index fell about 0.1% last week; the oil market rebounded on Friday, reversing the downward trend for the week, with U.S. oil seeing its first weekly increase in nearly two months. The shadow of the trade war triggered a rush to safe-haven assets, with spot gold reaching a high of $3,004.94 on Friday, marking the first time it has surpassed the psychological threshold of $3,000, with a cumulative increase of 2.65% for the week.U.S. inflation data for February, both CPI and PPI, came in below expectations, easing concerns about economic stagflation. However, the latest University of Michigan consumer confidence index hit its lowest level in nearly three years, indicating extreme pessimism among consumers regarding the economic outlook. This week marks the "Super Central Bank Week," with over 20 central banks set to announce their latest policy rates, with a focus on the Federal Reserve and Japan, where the market currently expects both the Fed and the Bank of Japan to maintain their interest rates.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cryptoslate, François Villeroy de Galhau, the Governor of the Bank of France and a member of the European Central Bank's governing council, stated in an interview with the French newspaper La Tribune Dimanche that U.S. President Trump’s support for cryptocurrencies is making a huge mistake, and the U.S. could pave the way for the next financial crisis by embracing cryptocurrencies and non-bank finance. He said, "The U.S. may make a mistake out of negligence. Financial crises often originate in the U.S. and then spread to other parts of the world. By encouraging crypto assets and non-bank finance, the U.S. government is laying the groundwork for future turmoil. The current wave of deregulation in the U.S. is dangerous."Villeroy de Galhau has been openly critical of Trump’s policies. Even before Trump took office in January, Villeroy de Galhau was one of the earliest economists to express concerns about Trump and his policies. On January 15, he said, "I think that the claims we sometimes hear in the U.S. about the lack of regulation of non-bank institutions, various funds, or the lack of regulation of crypto assets could jeopardize financial stability." Earlier this week, Villeroy de Galhau stated that Trump’s trade war and economic policies are "a tragedy for the U.S. economy."

ChainCatcher news, according to Bloomberg, European Central Bank Governing Council member Francois Villeroy de Galhau stated that the U.S. support for cryptocurrencies and non-bank finance could potentially trigger the next financial emergency.In an interview with the French weekly "Le Journal du Dimanche," he said: "The U.S. could commit a crime out of negligence. Financial crises often originate in the U.S. and spread to other parts of the world.By encouraging crypto assets and non-bank finance, the U.S. government is sowing the seeds of future turmoil." Galhau added that regulation in Europe is more secure and stated that there is no risk of a banking crisis occurring in the EU.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), supported by 15 central banks, is piloting a currency platform so that countries can settle trade using local currencies. According to Reuters, the platform is called the African Currency Market and is planned to launch later this year. The planned launch of the African Currency Platform is expected to help facilitate intra-African trade.The pilot and planned launch of the African Currency Platform coincide with some African countries advancing de-dollarization. They believe that trading in the usually scarce U.S. dollar hinders trade. In 2023, Kenyan President William Ruto, who has repeatedly called for de-dollarization among African nations, stated that the launch of PAPSS eliminates the need for the U.S. dollar in settling transactions.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the Central Bank of Russia has proposed to launch a 3-year pilot program for cryptocurrency trading, which is only available to high-net-worth investors who meet specific asset or income thresholds.According to the proposal, investors who hold at least $11.5 million or have an annual income of $5 million can participate in the pilot.The pilot still requires government approval, and if passed, it could become an important step for Russia in promoting the development of the cryptocurrency market.

ChainCatcher news, according to market news, the Central Bank of Russia (BANK OF RUSSIA) allows investors to purchase cryptocurrencies "in a limited way."

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, ECB President Lagarde stated that the EU plans to launch the digital euro in October.Previous news, the ECB President said that the digital euro cannot be advanced unless legislation is completed.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, the regulated digital asset exchange ATME in Bahrain has launched gold-backed tokens with the support of the country's central bank, with each token representing one kilogram of gold, providing qualified investors with a safe and modern way to invest in gold without the challenges of physical gold storage.ATME CEO Alex Lola stated that combining the stability of gold with blockchain technology will promote financial inclusion in the region.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jin10 data, Nomura Securities expects the European Central Bank to implement only one 25 basis point rate cut this year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, European Central Bank President Lagarde stated that the digital euro is more urgent than ever, and it cannot advance without the completion of legislation by the European Commission and Parliament.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, the European Central Bank has lowered the deposit facility rate by 25 basis points to 2.5%, in line with market expectations, marking the fifth consecutive meeting of rate cuts.The main refinancing rate and the marginal lending rate have been reduced from 2.90% and 3.15% to 2.65% and 2.9%, respectively.

ChainCatcher news, CoinDesk senior analyst James Van Straten stated that against the backdrop of increased volatility in the bond market, the European Central Bank is expected to lower interest rates from 4.5% to 2.65% on Thursday, continuing its easing policy. As the anticipated easing policy approaches, the market is re-pricing the Federal Reserve to cut rates at least three times in 2025.The upcoming easing policy from the European Central Bank will only intensify the trend of global liquidity easing, providing a bullish signal for risk assets, including cryptocurrencies.Previous news, the European Central Bank is expected to cut rates by 25 basis points this week, with two more cuts anticipated within the year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, the European Central Bank's payment system experienced a major failure last Thursday, and the chaos that ensued during the 10 hours it took to identify and resolve the issue led to disruptions in welfare payments for over 15,000 Greeks, a large number of wages and pensions in Austria, and several financial transactions. The situation could have potentially worsened.If the situation had occurred or continued into the next day, i.e., at the end of February, it would have been a payday for many public sector employees, pensioners, and welfare recipients, and this chaos could have impacted millions of people and businesses, putting a strain on the banking system. According to officials from the Eurozone central bank, the core of the escalating turmoil was a hardware failure, but technicians took hours to identify the problem after initially misdiagnosing a database issue.Markus Ferber, a member of the European Parliament and a member of the committee overseeing the European Central Bank, stated, "A hardware failure is forgivable, but it is inexcusable if there is no backup that can be immediately activated when problems arise." An official from the European Central Bank indicated that the affected hardware did indeed have multiple backups, and the bank is analyzing why they did not activate.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, Goldman Sachs stated that it expects the European Central Bank's benchmark interest rate to reach 2% by June. It is anticipated that the central bank will not cut interest rates in July, whereas the previous forecast was a 25 basis point cut.

ChainCatcher news, former Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke stated that the recent acceleration of inflation experienced by the world may make it more difficult for central banks to control prices in the future. Bernanke hinted that central bank leaders may be more cautious about allowing prices to soar again. He cited research indicating that Federal Reserve policymakers in the 1970s (a period when the economy was impacted by oil price shocks) were "generally more hawkish than younger individuals."In his prepared remarks, Bernanke noted that a key lesson from the recent round of inflation is that central bank communication should place greater emphasis on the possibility that outcomes may differ significantly from the most likely forecasts, and that if reality diverges from predictions, monetary policy will respond appropriately.A better communication strategy might be for the Federal Reserve to state that its baseline forecast envisions temporary inflation.

ChainCatcher news, according to TASS, the Russian Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank are discussing the launch of domestic cryptocurrency trading under an experimental legal framework, limited to participation by "super high-qualified" investors. The specific criteria for this category are still being developed. Officials from the Ministry of Finance stated that if consensus is reached on the experimental system, investor qualification standards, and risk management, a formal proposal may be submitted to the government. Currently, discussions are ongoing among the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, and market participants.Previously, Putin signed a law in August 2024 allowing cross-border payments and cryptocurrency trading under an experimental legal framework starting from September 2024, with regulatory authority assigned to the Central Bank.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, State Street Global Advisors analyst Konrad Kleinfeld stated that the European Central Bank is expected to cut interest rates on Thursday, with two more cuts anticipated this year.Data from LSEG shows that the market has fully priced in the expectation of a 25 basis point rate cut at the upcoming European Central Bank decision. Following a 25 basis point cut in January this year, the remaining three cuts will bring the total monetary easing this year to 100 basis points.Kleinfeld stated, "Despite recent developments and Europe's urgent need to increase defense and fiscal spending, we still believe that the European Central Bank will cautiously adjust its interest rate policy in this environment." The current main deposit rate of the European Central Bank is 2.75%.