Anthropic adds interactive visualizations to Claude, enabling the AI chatbot to generate diagrams, charts, and visual aids within chats.

The post Anthropic expands Claude with in-chat visualizations and diagrams appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The launch of Wyoming's stable token on Hedera could accelerate digital payment innovation and enhance trust in regulated blockchain use.

The post Wyoming’s Frontier Stable Token launches on Hedera appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Microsoft launches Copilot Health, an AI assistant analyzing medical records and wearable data as firms race to build AI health tools.

The post Microsoft launches Copilot Health AI assistant, allowing users to upload medical and wearable data appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

BlackRock launches ETHB, a staked Ethereum ETF offering ether exposure and staking rewards, expanding its lineup of crypto ETFs.

The post BlackRock launches staked Ethereum ETF, expanding crypto product lineup appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Market fear contrasts with Bitcoin's stability, highlighting potential volatility, while Hyperliquid's rise signals DeFi's growing influence.

The post Bitcoin holds steady while Hyperliquid quietly steals the spotlight appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Policy Group Calls for Bitcoin Inclusion in Proposed Crypto Tax Exemption

The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) is urging Congress to broaden proposed de minimis tax relief for digital assets beyond payment stablecoins to include bitcoin and other major network tokens.

Under current law, bitcoin is treated as property, which means every purchase with the asset triggers a capital gains calculation, regardless of transaction size. 

BPI argues that this framework discourages routine payments, such as buying coffee or sending small remittances, because users must track cost basis and report minor gains and losses.​

Lawmakers have worked on several approaches in the 119th Congress. Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced a standalone bill that would create a 300 dollar per‑transaction threshold with a 5,000 dollar annual cap and address mining and staking taxation. 

House members Max Miller and Steven Horsford floated a discussion draft tied to the PARITY Act that would apply a narrower exemption to regulated payment stablecoins and target a 200 dollar threshold consistent with foreign currency rules.​

BPI describes that shift toward a “stablecoin‑only” de minimis model as a significant departure from earlier bipartisan efforts to cover a broader range of digital assets. 

The group contends that limiting relief to stablecoins would leave most bitcoin payments subject to full reporting obligations while also failing to account for the fact that stablecoin transactions rely on separate network tokens for transaction fees, which remain taxable events.​

In response, BPI has led a coalition letter to key tax writers and mounted an outreach campaign on Capitol Hill, meeting with 19 congressional offices across both chambers over the past three months. 

The organization is pressing for a value‑based exemption that would apply to both GENIUS‑compliant payment stablecoins and large‑cap network tokens, potentially up to 600 dollars per transaction with an annual cap near 20,000 dollars. 

BPI warns that with midterm politics approaching and Senator Lummis set to leave the Senate in January 2027, the window for comprehensive digital asset tax reform may close if Congress does not advance a package before an expected legislative push in August 2026.

Coinbase rejects claims they opposed Bitcoin tax relief 

All this comes as Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad and CEO Brian Armstrong recently denied allegations that the exchange lobbied against the proposed de minimis tax exemption for Bitcoin, responding on X to claims made by Bitcoin podcaster Marty Bent. 

Shirzad called the accusation “a total lie,” stating the company had never and would never lobby against Bitcoin.

The denial followed Bent’s March 11 report alleging Coinbase had told lawmakers the exemption was unnecessary because Bitcoin was not widely used as money. 

According to Bent, the company argued that a de minimis exemption would amount to a “handout” unlikely to pass and was instead advocating for stablecoin-focused tax treatment that could benefit its own business model. Bent later said he had three sources supporting the claim.

Armstrong  rejected the allegation, calling the rumor “totally false” after being publicly asked for clarification by Jack Dorsey of Block Inc..

This post Policy Group Calls for Bitcoin Inclusion in Proposed Crypto Tax Exemption first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Paraguay Adopts Stricter Crypto Oversight, Mandates Detailed Transaction on Bitcoin Reporting

Paraguay’s National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT) has issued General Resolution No. 47/26, imposing comprehensive reporting requirements for bitcoin and crypto activity. 

The rule targets Bitcoin (BTC) and other digital assets. It mandates that residents and entities disclose nearly all transactions exceeding $5,000 per year.

The resolution requires platforms and administrators to submit detailed data, including wallet addresses, blockchain networks, and transaction hashes. Obligated parties must also report the date and time of each transaction, the amount and USD value, fees paid, and counterparty information, according to local reporting.  

The measure covers buying, selling, trading between cryptocurrencies, mining, staking, yield farming, airdrops, lending income, payments, and transfers between personal wallets.

Officials describe the initiative as a step toward integrating cryptocurrencies into the national tax system. 

“Proper identification and monitoring will strengthen oversight and compliance,” the DNIT stated. The regulation does not create new taxes but increases transparency for fiscal authorities.

The resolution aligns with recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Since 2019, FATF has urged countries to enforce strict reporting requirements on virtual assets to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing. 

Paraguay, as a member of GAFILAT, has incorporated these guidelines to improve anti-money laundering enforcement and reduce international scrutiny.

The regulation arrives during a period of broader legal and financial transition. Law No. 7572/2025 on the Securities and Products Market formalizes oversight of tokenized assets, while the Securities Superintendency (SIV) regulates tokens representing property or credit rights. 

DNIT’s authority, by contrast, covers all cryptocurrency transactions, including decentralized digital assets used as a medium of exchange.

Paraguay aims to professionalize its capital market. Over the last decade, the market’s share of national GDP rose from 1% to 15%. 

Paraguay’s changing crypto oversight

The government is also moving to mine Bitcoin using seized rigs and to develop tokenization projects in agribusiness and real estate. Officials hope to attract foreign investment, reduce intermediation costs, and enforce mandatory audits for smart contracts. 

Separating custody functions from stock exchange operations at the Paraguayan Securities Depository (Cavapy) is planned to strengthen transparency.

Regional trends reinforce Paraguay’s direction. Brazil introduced similar reporting rules in 2023, and Argentina has proposed comparable legislation. 

Multilateral agencies, including the International Monetary Fund and Inter-American Development Bank, provided technical support for integrating blockchain analysis and taxation into fiscal systems.

Market responses have been measured. Exchanges operating in Paraguay have started updating policies to comply with the new resolution. 

The DNIT resolution represents the first phase of Paraguay’s comprehensive cryptocurrency oversight. Implementation will continue through 2026, with subsequent phases addressing taxation and compliance verification, according to reports. 

This post Paraguay Adopts Stricter Crypto Oversight, Mandates Detailed Transaction on Bitcoin Reporting first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Corporate Bitcoin Holdings Hit Record High as Institutions Accumulate 2.8x Mining Supply: Report

Corporate ownership of bitcoin has reached a new high in early 2026 as exchange-traded funds, multinational corporations, and private firms expand their exposure to the asset, according to the latest corporate adoption report from BitcoinTreasuries.net.

The data shows that institutional demand now forms a central pillar of the bitcoin market. Public companies, private firms, ETFs, and government-linked entities collectively hold a growing share of the circulating supply, with a small number of large buyers responsible for most accumulation.

The findings illustrate a shift in bitcoin’s ownership structure. Early adoption was driven by retail investors and technology enthusiasts. Today, large financial vehicles and corporate balance sheets shape the flow of capital into the asset.

A major force behind that transition has been the rise of spot BTC ETFs. These funds have accumulated substantial reserves since their introduction in major markets, offering investors exposure through regulated exchange-listed products rather than direct custody of the underlying asset.

Institutional allocators often prefer ETFs because they fit within traditional portfolio frameworks and comply with regulatory requirements. The result has been a steady inflow of capital into ETF products, tightening supply on exchanges and anchoring bitcoin within mainstream financial markets.

Alongside ETFs, a small group of public companies continues to dominate direct corporate ownership. The largest holders maintain treasuries measured in tens of thousands of bitcoin and treat the asset as a primary reserve rather than a speculative investment.

Strategy is dominating bitcoin treasury activity

The most prominent example remains Strategy, the software firm led by Michael Saylor. Strategy continued to expand its holdings during February, purchasing 5,075 BTC through a series of weekly acquisitions. That activity represented roughly 65% of all bitcoin added by corporate treasuries during the month.

Despite that buying, February delivered an unusual milestone for the sector. Corporate treasuries collectively added about 7,800 BTC but disposed of approximately 8,600 BTC, producing a net decline of roughly 800 BTC for the first time since standardized data tracking began, according to the report.

The setback appears limited when placed within a broader time frame. Corporate treasuries have added roughly 62,000 BTC so far in the first quarter of 2026, with most purchases occurring in January and early March. Strategy again accounted for a large share of those acquisitions, reinforcing its position as the dominant corporate holder.

Beyond direct purchases, the structure of corporate bitcoin finance is evolving. Companies linked to the sector now rely on preferred shares, convertible securities, and other forms of “digital credit” to fund acquisitions while offering investors high yields.

Among those products, several preferred share classes issued by Strategy and other firms offer yields well above traditional benchmarks. One floating-rate instrument linked to Strategy carries a credit spread of roughly 7.60 percentage points above three-month U.S. Treasury bills, according to research cited in the report.

In total, five digital credit instruments tied to bitcoin treasury strategies were projected to distribute about $435 million in dividends by the end of February. 

Advocates argue that such financing tools allow companies to convert bitcoin’s long-term appreciation potential into steady income streams for investors. During a keynote presentation at the Bitcoin For Corporations 2026 conference, Saylor described the approach as an attempt to extract stable credit returns from bitcoin’s historically volatile price movements.

At the same time, smaller public companies have begun experimenting with BTC allocations, though their holdings remain modest compared with the largest corporate treasuries. Many firms treat BTC as a diversification asset or a signal of alignment with digital-asset markets rather than as a primary treasury reserve.

Private companies and family-controlled entities represent another important but opaque segment of the market. Public disclosure remains limited, yet available evidence suggests that several large private holders accumulated bitcoin over many years and maintain long-term positions outside the scrutiny faced by public companies.

Regional patterns also shape corporate adoption. Firms based in North America and parts of Europe show higher levels of exposure, reflecting more developed capital markets and regulatory frameworks for digital assets. In jurisdictions with unclear tax treatment or strict financial rules, companies often hesitate to hold bitcoin directly, according to the report. 

Treasuries bought bitcoin 2.8× issuance

Another notable dynamic involves the relationship between corporate treasuries and the bitcoin supply itself. Since the April 2024 halving, companies tracked by BitcoinTreasuries.net have acquired BTC at a pace that frequently exceeds new mining output.

Across a survey of 94 weeks since the halving event, treasury companies accumulated bitcoin at about 2.8 times the rate at which new coins entered circulation through mining. Over a shorter window, Strategy alone acquired roughly 1.8 times the BTC produced by miners.

Those figures highlight how institutional demand can influence supply conditions in the market. When long-term holders absorb newly mined coins, the amount available for trading declines, which can amplify price movements during periods of rising demand.

This post Corporate Bitcoin Holdings Hit Record High as Institutions Accumulate 2.8x Mining Supply: Report first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

3rd Bitcoin Golf Championship Lands at Bali Hai Golf Club Before Bitcoin 2026 Vegas Conference

Bitcoin Sports Network (BSN) will host the 3rd Annual Bitcoin Golf Championship on April 26, 2026, at Bali Hai Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event is scheduled alongside the Bitcoin Vegas Conference at the Venetian, which starts on the 27th of April.

Whale Pass holders for the Bitcoin Vegas 2026 conference get a 10% off the 3rd Annual Bitcoin Golf Championship as well! With code WHALE26 at checkout.

The announcement follows the 2nd Max & Stacy Invitational, which BSN organized in January at El Encanto Country Club in La Libertad, El Salvador, in partnership with Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert and sponsored by Ikigii (Towerbank).

The El Salvador event included a poker tournament sponsored by Casino Colonial and a poolside 19th Hole Challenge. Attendees included Mike Peterson, Dr. Jack Kruse, Texas Slim, Archie from The Bitcoin Archives, and Bitcoin educator Jimmy Song.

“Nothing is impossible for Chris and Frieda. It is almost magical how they nail it every single time,” said Max Keiser.

Keiser also said: “I love this event. It’s like an amusement park for Bitcoiners. Everybody is focused on having maximalist fun. Chris and Frieda are the wizards behind the scenes making it all come together.”

Patrick Lowry, CEO of Samara Asset Group, said: “BSN once again proves to be the best at bringing Bitcoiners from around the world together. My wife and I enjoyed golf, poker, and meeting Bitcoiners from around the world—we’ve already begun planning next year’s trip.”

The Las Vegas event will use a 2-person scramble format. It will include Bitcoin-themed hole activations, exclusive prizes, and the Bitcoin Kickoff Party at the clubhouse. Organizers expect more than 300 attendees, including founders, builders, investors, and creators. Bali Hai Golf Club is located minutes from the main conference venue.

Following the Las Vegas event, BSN plans to host an event in Canada and launch the World Bitcoin Poker Tour.

Tickets and sponsorships for the Las Vegas event are available at bitcoingolfchampionship.com. Details for the Canada event are at https://thebtcopen.com/.

Attendees can play golf and poker with Bitcoin OGs and then head to the world class Bitcoin Vegas conference the next two days at the Venetian. 

This post 3rd Bitcoin Golf Championship Lands at Bali Hai Golf Club Before Bitcoin 2026 Vegas Conference first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Juan Galt.

Bitcoin Magazine

Binance: U.S. Midterms Historically Followed by Strong Bitcoin Gains

New research from Binance suggests the upcoming 2026 United States midterm elections could set the stage for a recovery in both Bitcoin and equities, even as markets face pressure from geopolitical tensions and rising energy prices.

In a report released this week, Binance Research found that risk assets have shown a consistent rebound after U.S. midterm election cycles. Historical data shows the S&P 500 has produced an average return of 19% in the 12 months following midterm elections, with no negative annual return recorded since 1939.

Bitcoin has shown an even stronger pattern in the limited number of cycles since its emergence as a liquid asset. In the three post-midterm years on record, the cryptocurrency delivered an average gain of 54%, according to the report.

“Once election outcomes are determined and uncertainty is resolved, markets have historically staged powerful rallies,” the report stated.

The research arrives about eight months before voters head to the polls on Nov. 3 to determine the composition of the 120th Congress. Historically, midterm election years have produced some of the most volatile periods in the four-year presidential cycle as investors adjust expectations around fiscal policy, regulation, and government spending.

Binance Research noted that midterm years have often brought meaningful drawdowns before the subsequent recovery. The S&P 500 has experienced an average peak-to-trough decline of about 16% during midterm election years, making it the weakest period in the presidential cycle.

Bitcoin has shown similar behavior in past cycles, though with greater volatility. The cryptocurrency posted sharp declines during the previous three midterm years on record, including a 56% drawdown in 2014, a 73% decline in 2018, and a 64% drop in 2022.

Despite those losses, each cycle was followed by a strong recovery once the election period passed, Binance wrote.

Bitcoin, oil, Iran, and macro events

Market participants say the historical pattern reflects the removal of political uncertainty once the balance of power in Washington becomes clear. 

Fiscal policy expectations, regulatory agendas, and legislative priorities tend to stabilize after election outcomes are known, giving investors a clearer framework for positioning capital.

The report also touched on the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran as a central source of macro risk. 

Disruptions tied to the conflict have pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important shipping corridors for global energy markets.

The energy shock has added pressure to risk assets across global markets, including Bitcoin. Binance analysts say sustained supply disruptions could keep oil prices elevated and weigh on investor sentiment.

Bitcoin has traded near the $70,000 level in recent sessions, with market structure showing repeated liquidity sweeps above and below key price ranges. Derivatives analysts say that pattern suggests traders are waiting for clearer signals from macro events before taking directional positions.

Despite near-term uncertainty, Binance Research argues that the historical record around U.S. midterm cycles offers a longer-term perspective for investors.

If the pattern holds, the months following the 2026 midterm elections could provide one of the strongest windows for risk assets in the political cycle, potentially setting up a new rally for both equities and Bitcoin once political uncertainty fades.

This post Binance: U.S. Midterms Historically Followed by Strong Bitcoin Gains first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

The United States spent in the first six days of its war with Iran an amount equal to nearly half the current market value of the Bitcoin held by the federal government.

The administration told lawmakers this week that the war cost at least $11.3 billion through its first six days, Reuters reported on March 11.

According to the report, the $11.3 billion estimate came from a closed-door briefing for senators on Tuesday and did not include the full cost of the conflict.

Meanwhile, the US officials also told lawmakers that $5.6 billion in munitions was used in the first two days of strikes. Several congressional members reportedly said they expect the White House to seek additional money from Congress.

Related Reading

$679M bet on Iran war sparks Washington crackdown on crypto prediction markets

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Mar 6, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

Estimating the US's Iran war spending in Bitcoin

Data from BitcoinTreasuries, which tracks sovereign and corporate Bitcoin holdings, shows US government entities with 328,372 Bitcoin. At the current market price of about $70,430, that holding was worth about $23.13 billion.

That puts the six-day war bill at about 48.9% of the current market value of the tracked federal holding. As of press time, that $11.3 billion also converts to about 160,443 Bitcoin.

The math also shows the pace of spending. At $11.3 billion over six days, the average cost works out to about $1.88 billion per day. At that rate, the full 328,372 Bitcoin holding would equate to about 12.3 days of war spending.

Meanwhile, a supplemental request of $50 billion, a figure congressional aides told Reuters could be on the table, would equal about 2.16 times the current market value of the government’s tracked Bitcoin position.

Notably, these numbers are about the scale of the US government's war spending and do not describe how the government is financing the war.

According to the White House order that created the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, Bitcoin deposited into the reserve “shall not be sold” and is to be maintained as a reserve asset of the United States.

The order also says agencies may not sell or otherwise dispose of government digital assets except in limited cases, including court orders, victim restitution, law enforcement operations, revenue-sharing with state and local partners, and releases required by law.

That leaves the federal Bitcoin holding outside the normal cash machinery of wartime operations.

According to the White House order, the reserve is to be capitalized with Bitcoin already held by the Treasury through criminal or civil asset-forfeiture proceedings, or received in satisfaction of civil money penalties.

Related Reading

Iran conflict could push oil to $150 and crash Bitcoin up to 45%

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Mar 6, 2026 · Gino Matos

War spending, inflation, and Bitcoin’s role

Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, has for several years argued that rising US war spending can strengthen Bitcoin’s long-term case by adding to borrowing, inflation pressure, and demand for assets outside the traditional financial system.

In 2023, Hayes tied that view to Washington’s open-ended support for Israel’s war against Hamas. He argued that, alongside US spending tied to Ukraine, the fiscal burden of military commitments would continue to grow.

According to him:

“Added to Ukraine’s tab, America’s military budget is set to truly explode. This will increase future government borrowing, and the sky's the limit when it comes to the sums of capital a war can waste.”

His argument was that larger war budgets eventually force investors to reassess the role of government debt in portfolios.

At the time, Hayes said some institutional investors had already begun reducing exposure to bonds and Treasury bills in anticipation of heavier US military expenditure and would increasingly look to alternative assets for returns.

He said:

“If long-term US Treasury bonds offer no safety for investors, then their money will seek out alternatives. Gold, and most importantly, Bitcoin, will begin rising on true fears of global wartime inflation.”

Notably, he returned to the same theme a year later, arguing that military spending in the United States was likely to keep rising and that domestic savers would ultimately bear part of that burden.

This thesis rests on how modern states finance large and prolonged spending campaigns.

Hayes argued that governments can steer banks toward lending to priority industries or push them to buy government bonds at below-market rates, while inflation gradually erodes the real value of savings.

War spending is typically debt-funded, and larger borrowing needs can increase the stock of dollars moving through the financial system. That process can weigh on the purchasing power of existing money over time and support demand for scarce assets such as Bitcoin.

In that framework, Bitcoin occupies a different position because it is not issued by the state and its supply does not expand in response to fiscal strain.

He wrote:

“The only way to escape, assuming no capital controls are erected, is to buy a store of value outside of the system like Bitcoin.”

Notably, Bitcoin's current market performance during this Iran war has shown why investors would want exposure to the emerging industry

Related Reading

Israel’s Iran war is costing the equivalent of 41,300 Bitcoin every week

Israel’s weekly war costs equal more than 13 weeks of Bitcoin’s current issuance.

Mar 5, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

Data from CryptoSlate showed that Bitcoin has gained nearly 4% since the first US strike on Iran in late February.

Andre Dragosch, Bitwise Europe Head of Research, attributed that performance to the fact that “Bitcoin has turned into a serious institutional asset with deep liquidity and frequent participation of large sophisticated investors.”

The post White House admits Iran war burned equivalent of half the US Bitcoin reserve in 6 Days appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The SEC and CFTC have just signed an agreement that turns months of public harmonization talk into a formal operating framework for crypto, derivatives, and hybrid market products.

The agreement covers product definitions, clearing and margin rules, dually registered venues and intermediaries, crypto assets, reporting, examinations, surveillance, and enforcement.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins admitted that years of “regulatory turf wars,” duplicate registrations, and overlapping rules helped push activity to other jurisdictions. That turns a procedural announcement into a concrete claim: part of the U.S. crypto problem came from the U.S. regulatory structure itself, not only from the firms trying to navigate it.

The immediate effect, however, is procedural and is unlikely to move markets on its own.

The MOU does not rewrite securities or commodities law, and it does not settle every classification fight. But it establishes regular meetings, on-request data sharing, advance notice between agencies, cross-training, coordinated exams, and consultation on enforcement to avoid duplicate or conflicting outcomes.

For firms that interact with both agencies, that framework could change the cost, speed, and risk of operating in the United States before Congress passes any new crypto statute.

On CryptoSlate, Bitcoin traded at $68,318, up 4.12% over 24 hours, 4.31% over seven days, and 8.01% over 30 days. BTC dominance stood at 58.6%, while total crypto market capitalization was about $2.4 trillion.

In that market, a coordination pact between the two main U.S. regulators lands primarily as a development in market structure around Bitcoin, product design, and venue strategy.

The market signal is straightforward. Bitcoin is trading in a market where institutional access, product design, margin treatment, and venue structure still shape how capital moves.

That is where the SEC–CFTC deal could first show up.

The agencies are not promising a softer line. Instead, they aim to reduce overlap so one product or venue does not trigger two separate regulatory tracks with different forms, data demands, and enforcement risks.

From speeches to a signed process

This did not begin this week. The agencies had already spent months building the case publicly. On Sept. 5, 2025, they said fragmented oversight and legal uncertainty had pushed novel products overseas and floated a joint harmonization push covering definitions, data standards, reporting, capital and margin, and innovation-related exemptions.

On Sept. 29, they held a joint roundtable focused on regulatory overlap and market structure.

The event mixed crypto-native firms with large traditional market operators, including CME, Nasdaq, ICE, Robinhood, Bank of America, J.P. Morgan, Citadel, and Jump. The cross-market mix shows the agreement reaches beyond crypto policy.

The agencies are treating crypto as part of a broader problem in U.S. market plumbing, where securities, derivatives, digital assets, and new venue models increasingly overlap.

The MOU itself notes that markets have become more convergent, more global, and more dependent on digital infrastructure and on-chain systems.

The public campaign continued into 2026. The agencies tied harmonization to U.S. financial leadership in January. They pushed further on March 10, when Atkins said staff had already begun joint meetings on product applications. By the time the MOU arrived a day later, the argument had shifted from theory to operating procedure.

The SEC also opened a public portal for meeting requests and written submissions. The written-input log showed that outside parties had already started filing views.

If the September and January speeches were stage-setting, March is where the agencies began to show their work.

The MOU does not alter statutory authority, and the document states that directly. The agencies still have separate mandates, enforcement powers, and political risks.

But the process now aims to move conflicts earlier. A shared meeting before a product filing. A shared exam plan before two teams arrive. A consultation before one enforcement action triggers a second, overlapping one.

For firms that have spent years preparing for both agencies at once, that shift represents a real operational change.

The language still needs translation here.

“Harmonization” means the agencies are trying to stop sending firms through two separate bureaucratic tracks when one business touches both rulebooks.

“Dually registered venues” refers to platforms that may need to satisfy both agencies. “Coordinated oversight” means exam teams, reporting systems, and enforcement staff should compare notes before firms face duplicate scrutiny for the same issue.

Where the first test cases are likely to appear

The clearest near-term effects are likely to appear in product handling and market infrastructure rather than token-by-token classifications.

Atkins pointed to cross-margining as one area where separate regulatory silos can trap liquidity in different accounts when related positions could be managed together, according to his March 10 remarks.

In practice, that means regulators are examining whether firms can use collateral more efficiently across connected products instead of posting additional capital in separate regulatory buckets.

Another likely test area is crypto-linked products that do not fit neatly into one regulatory category.

CFTC Chair Caroline Pham Selig said staff had been considering margined spot crypto under an “actual delivery” exception and the classification of “true crypto-perpetuals.”

Questions like these can sit unresolved for months when firms are unsure which regulator controls the harder edge of the issue.

Under the new framework, the agencies say they want those disputes handled together rather than in parallel. This is where the next set of effects could emerge.

If the framework works, the first visible winners are unlikely to be retail traders reading a policy document over breakfast.

Instead, the impact will fall first on exchanges, clearing firms, brokers, and crypto operators seeking clarity on product design, registration paths, reporting systems, and exam risk.

The effects can still travel outward.

Faster product decisions can influence where liquidity forms. More efficient collateral treatment can change how capital is deployed. Fewer duplicate reporting demands can lower the cost of operating in U.S. markets.

These are the channels through which a procedural change can reshape market structure. The limits are just as important.

The MOU repeatedly uses language such as “endeavor,” “as practicable,” and “where appropriate,” particularly regarding notifications, exams, and enforcement coordination.

The agencies have signed a framework for working together. They have not erased the legal boundary between a security and a commodity, nor promised deadlines for every unresolved classification issue in crypto. That leaves a clear reporting question for the next quarter.

Will the MOU produce a concrete before-and-after example? A product filing that moves faster, a coordinated exam instead of two separate ones, or a reporting process that no longer requires duplicate systems.

Until one of those examples appears, the agreement remains a serious signal with an open scorecard.

What the next quarter could show

For Bitcoin, the regulatory shift is indirect but still meaningful.

Bitcoin itself sits near the edge of the agreement’s legal scope. The central issue is how the U.S. regulates the infrastructure around crypto, trading venues, derivatives, collateral, reporting systems, and the boundary between securities and commodities law.

If the agencies can narrow their overlap there, they make the U.S. a less costly place to build Bitcoin-linked and crypto-linked market products.

If they cannot, the same complaints Atkins raised in March will likely resurface under a different policy banner.

Bitcoin’s 30-day gain of 8.%, combined with 58.6% dominance in a roughly $2.4 trillion market, points to a crypto ecosystem where institutional channels still matter.

In a market of that size, procedural changes at the SEC and CFTC do not need to move spot prices immediately to shape long-term positioning. They can influence where new products launch, where firms commit capital, and how willing large operators are to build within the U.S. regulatory perimeter rather than around it.

The agencies acknowledged that regulatory overlap helped send activity elsewhere, then signed a framework intended to reduce that overlap.

The test begins now rather than in some distant legislative cycle.

The SEC’s public intake process is open. Staff meetings on product applications have already begun.

The first signs of success, or failure, should appear in product treatment, exam practices, and the speed at which the agencies deliver a single, coherent answer to firms that once received two.

The next clear signal is unlikely to be another press release.

It will be the first case where the truce changes an outcome.

The post The SEC finally admits what caused the mess US crypto was in before Trump took power appeared first on CryptoSlate.

President Donald Trump's announcement of the first major new US oil refinery in nearly 50 years arrives as gasoline prices have become a political problem and energy has turned inflationary again.

The Brownsville project is being pitched as an industrial revival and consumer relief. Still, the sharper question is whether a refinery that won't produce fuel for years can address the inflationary pressures now.

Sustained energy-driven price pressure can keep the Fed more cautious, tightening liquidity conditions for risk assets like Bitcoin. At the same time, some investors still view persistent inflation and geopolitical commodity shocks as part of the longer-term case for scarce, non-sovereign assets.

Related Reading

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Mar 10, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

A historic first meets a same-week price shock

Trump said a 168,000-barrel-per-day refinery will be built at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, backed by India's Reliance Industries, with a binding 20-year offtake term sheet and a plan to break ground in the second quarter of 2026.

The company described the project as improving the US-India trade balance by $300 billion, breaking that figure down into $125 billion in shale oil purchases, $175 billion in refined-product value, and a claimed $300 billion improvement in the bilateral deficit.

Reuters reported the company disclosed a nine-figure investment at a ten-figure valuation, while typical refinery construction math implies approximately $6.7 billion for a plant of this size.

The announcement landed as the US average retail gasoline price hit $3.58 per gallon on Mar. 11, up nearly 60 cents since Feb. 28.

The US refining system faces a genuine configuration mismatch.

The Energy Information Administration says many American refineries were optimized for heavier, sour crude, while much of US production consists of light, sweet shale oil.

That helps explain why US crude exports hit another record in 2024 at more than 4.1 million barrels per day even as the country remained a net crude importer.

US refining capacity stood at 18.4 million barrels per calendar day as of Jan. 1, 2025, essentially flat year over year. The newest refinery with significant downstream capacity is Marathon's Garyville plant, which came online in 1977.

Brownsville would represent a genuine greenfield expansion in a system that has mostly grown through debottlenecking and upgrades.

Reuters reported in June 2024 that entrepreneur John Calce was already working to build a large South Texas refinery under the Element Fuels banner. The current America First Refining materials still reference Element Fuels' work, suggesting Trump elevated a pre-existing Brownsville concept into a national energy symbol.

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Mar 11, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

Why energy inflation still matters for Bitcoin

Oil shocks rarely stay confined to fuel markets. Rising crude prices feed directly into headline inflation through gasoline, transportation, and production costs, complicating central bank policy and delaying interest-rate cuts.

That affects crypto because liquidity conditions remain one of the biggest macro drivers of Bitcoin’s price cycle. When inflation accelerates and the Federal Reserve turns more cautious about easing, risk assets often lose some of the monetary tailwinds that supported the 2023–2025 rally.

Recent geopolitical tensions have already made oil extremely volatile, raising concerns that energy inflation could force policymakers to keep rates elevated longer than markets expected.

In the short term, that dynamic tends to pressure speculative assets. Traders often treat Bitcoin more like a high-beta macro trade than a pure inflation hedge, meaning rising oil and hotter CPI prints can trigger risk-off positioning across crypto markets.

Over longer horizons, however, some investors still frame persistent commodity shocks and monetary instability as part of the structural argument for scarce digital assets. The result is a paradox: energy inflation can weaken Bitcoin in the near term while reinforcing its narrative over the long run.

Consumer-relief frame runs into timing problems

The political promise is immediate, but the impact on physical supply is years away.

Groundbreaking is planned for the second quarter of 2026, which means any material fuel output will be in the latter part of the decade, while gasoline pain is happening now.

Reuters quoted analyst Tom Kloza saying that if Brownsville is the build site, he would assume it is an export refinery because there is limited local demand and no pipeline connections to move product inland.

That shifts the narrative from “Trump found a way to lower domestic pump prices” to “Trump is marketing an export-oriented refining project as an affordability answer.”

EIA's Mar. 10 outlook said Brent jumped from $71 on Feb. 27 to $94 on Mar. 9 and forecast it would stay above $95 for the next two months.

Republicans already fear higher fuel prices could damage them in the midterms. The refinery gives Trump a fresh energy symbol at a moment when voters care most about pump prices. Still, the timetable disconnect remains: the politics are now, the molecules are later.

The US Trade Representative says the US goods trade deficit with India was $58.2 billion in 2025.

The project's claimed $300 billion improvement is more than five times last year's bilateral deficit, which helps explain why the figure serves better as political packaging than as a disclosed refinery cost.

India's Reliance backing a 20-year offtake commitment suggests the refinery is designed to serve both domestic shale monetization and long-term export flows.

On Mar. 11, Brent settled at $91.98 and WTI at $87.25, while stocks dipped and strategists said higher energy prices could squeeze margins and force investors to rethink 2026 earnings assumptions. HSBC lifted its 2026 Brent forecast to $80 from $65.

Markets are reacting to the risk that 20% of global fuel supply could be disrupted through the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran warned the world should be ready for $200 oil.

That turns the Brownsville announcement into something bigger than a single construction project. Trump is trying to convert refinery capacity into a political answer to three problems simultaneously: gasoline inflation, energy security optics, and the trade deficit with India.

Absorption scale and the political test

US refinery utilization had already risen to 91% in mid-February, while gasoline demand climbed to 8.75 million barrels per day.

That suggests the American refining system is being worked harder to meet stronger demand, which weakens any claim that a newly announced refinery will change the 2026 consumer picture.

The IEA's February 2026 Oil Market Report forecast that world oil supply would rise by 2.4 million barrels per day in 2026 to 108.6 million barrels per day. That makes the strongest defense of Brownsville not “the world desperately needs more refining” but “the US needs better-configured refining for its own crude slate.”

Supporters sell Brownsville as an industrial revival: America is finally building a refinery tailored to domestic shale rather than exporting light crude.

Meanwhile, skeptics characterize it as campaign-stage theater: an export-leaning project with uncertain economics presented as a consumer-price solution it cannot deliver soon.

Analysts questioned the economics and noted that early Trump administration announcements can contain “a lot of hyperbole,” while the company disclosed a binding offtake commitment and a concrete timeline for groundbreaking.

The base case resembles a political symbol meets a delayed industrial payoff.

Brownsville moves through early-stage work, oil cools as EIA expects, and the story becomes: Trump used a long-cycle refinery build to demonstrate energy dominance, but actual pump relief comes from crude normalization rather than new Texas molecules.

The bear case sees prolonged conflict and sustained price pressure.

If the Strait of Hormuz stays impaired and gasoline remains above $3.50, Brownsville reads less like relief and more like optics.

Converting industrial policy into inflation politics

Trump's Brownsville announcement matters less as a construction story than as a macro-political test.

The project tries to sell a historic “first major refinery in nearly 50 years” as proof that fossil-fuel expansion can ease energy anxiety and inflation pressure, even though any real supply effect is years away.

Trump is trying to turn refinery capacity into an answer for inflation, trade, and energy security all at once, converting a long-dated industrial project into a same-week response to gasoline sticker shock and geopolitical oil risk.

Brownsville may be a real industrial project with genuine strategic logic around shale processing and export flows, but the consumer-pump promise is political because the timetable is measured in years.

Trump gets the energy symbol now. Voters could get measurable fuel-cost relief, depending on variables the Brownsville announcement cannot control: how quickly the Iran conflict resolves, how oil markets price risk through 2026, and whether a refinery designed partly for export can function as the domestic affordability answer Trump is selling.

For markets beyond energy, the inflation dynamic always feeds back into crypto.

If sustained oil-driven price pressure forces the Federal Reserve to stay cautious on rate cuts, liquidity conditions that supported Bitcoin’s recent rallies could tighten again.

In that sense, the Brownsville refinery announcement sits at the intersection of politics, energy markets, and macro liquidity: the project may take years to produce fuel, but the inflation narrative around oil prices can influence risk assets like Bitcoin almost immediately.

The post US gets first new oil refinery in 50 years but it will come too late for Bitcoin appeared first on CryptoSlate.

South Korea's move to suspend Bithumb over AML failures turns a local compliance case into a market-structure story.

Enforcement against the country's second-largest exchange threatens to reroute retail flows, deepen venue concentration, and degrade one of crypto's most-watched regional pricing signals: the kimchi premium.

Compliance case hits market plumbing

The Korea Financial Intelligence Unit sent Bithumb a preliminary notice of a six-month partial business suspension for alleged anti-money laundering and know-your-customer failures, including transactions involving unreported overseas virtual asset service providers.

Local reporting indicates the measure would primarily restrict new customers' external crypto transfers while existing users retain normal Korean won trading and deposit access. A sanctions review could occur as early as March.

The proposed action follows a February incident in which Bithumb mistakenly credited users with 620,000 Bitcoin, triggering a 17% plunge in BTC/KRW on the platform before prices recovered.

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Feb 14, 2026 · Andjela Radmilac

Regulators established an emergency response unit and stated that the error exposed structural vulnerabilities in virtual-asset markets.

Bithumb remains Korea's second-largest exchange even after recent turbulence. As of February, CoinGecko data showed that Upbit commanded 58.4% of won-exchange trading, Bithumb 24.8%, Coinone 13%, Korbit 3.5%, and Gopax 0.3%.

Kaiko research indicates Upbit and Bithumb together account for roughly 96% of Korean crypto volume, making any constraint on either venue a matter of market architecture rather than isolated regulatory cleanup.

Enforcement against a top venue creates broader pressure

Korea's market punches above its weight globally. Korean won-denominated trading reached $663 billion in 2025, and roughly one in three South Korean adults owns crypto, according to Kaiko.

That concentration creates a feedback loop: when trust in a major venue fractures, users respond quickly. Korea Times reported Bithumb's market share fell from 31.5% on Jan. 5 to the low-20% range after the February error.

Korea operates with unusually high venue concentration. Upbit alone accounted for approximately 70% of Korean trading volume in 2025, per Kaiko's liquidity analysis.

Related Reading

South Korea investigates Upbit over market dominance concerns

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Oct 10, 2024 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

When regulation constrains a venue holding a quarter of the remaining volume, retail flow reroutes. Coinone and Korbit absorbed some spillover, but the primary beneficiary was Upbit, which further centralizes Korean price discovery.

That centralization creates a second problem: the kimchi premium becomes harder to read.

The premium, which is the spread between Korean won-denominated Bitcoin prices and global dollar-based prices, typically averages 2% to 3% due to capital controls that hinder arbitrage.

It stood near 1% in early March after dipping into negative territory in mid-January.

Kaiko noted the premium ranged from over 10% in March 2024 to under 1% by October 2024, making it one of crypto's most volatile regional sentiment gauges.

As a result, the concern is that partial enforcement against a major venue makes the premium reflect market plumbing and access friction as much as genuine retail demand.

If Bithumb is sidelined for new-user transfers, the spread begins to capture bottleneck effects alongside enthusiasm.

Seoul tests controls without breaking the signal value

Bithumb is not an isolated case. Upbit previously faced a three-month partial suspension affecting new customers, along with a 35.2 billion won fine.

Korbit received a 2.73 billion won fine and a warning. Coinone and Gopax were also reported under review. The Korea Financial Intelligence Unit launched a task force in late 2025 to tighten anti-money laundering rules ahead of the Financial Action Task Force's 2028 mutual evaluation.

Seoul is moving in two directions simultaneously. It has gradually opened the market to corporate participation while tightening compliance standards, including plans to extend the travel rule below the current 100 million won threshold.

Related Reading

South Korea investigates Upbit's KYC violations amid market dominance concerns

Blurred IDs and potential fines loom over South Korea's largest crypto exchange in KYC compliance debacle.

Nov 15, 2024 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

That dual approach makes Bithumb a visible node in a broader effort to formalize crypto as financial infrastructure.

Additionally, the regulatory strategy creates tension. South Korea wants bank-grade compliance in crypto while relying on a small number of exchanges to handle a huge share of retail demand.

Tightening enforcement strengthens legitimacy, but risks distorting the market signals traders watch most closely.

Retail capital reroutes when local rails feel restrictive

South Korea's user base continued to expand even as activity cooled.

The Korea Financial Intelligence Unit reported the number of users eligible to trade rose by 1.07 million in the first half of 2025, while daily volume fell 12% and deposits fell 42% from the prior half-year.

The data suggest a market that remained broad while becoming more fragile, with this fragility having an offshore dimension. Tiger Research and CoinGecko estimated that approximately 160 trillion won moved from Korean exchanges to overseas platforms in 2025.

When local access feels constrained, South Korean crypto capital reroutes. A Bithumb sanction could accelerate that de-localization.

The timing amplifies the gravity, as South Korea just endured a sharp equity selloff.

Reuters reported the KOSPI fell 18.4% over two sessions on March 3-4, the won briefly weakened past 1,500 per dollar, and foreign investors pulled a record $13.67 billion from Korean markets in February.

In that environment, changes to domestic crypto rails matter more because retail capital is already searching for alternative risk expressions.

What Bithumb's constraint means for Bitcoin's South Korean tell

For Bitcoin, the Bithumb story is impactful because Korean pricing has long functioned as a fast retail-sentiment tell.

That becomes especially relevant when institutional forecasts diverge sharply.

Tiger Research's January model placed Bitcoin's first-quarter 2026 target at $185,500 with $84,000 support and $98,000 resistance, while Standard Chartered warned in February that BTC could fall to $50,000 in the coming months and cut its year-end target to $100,000.

In a market with that much macro uncertainty, losing confidence in one of the cleanest regional retail tells becomes a bigger issue.

The kimchi premium's value lies in its ability to capture shifts in Korean retail positioning before those shifts appear in global volume. If enforcement makes that signal noisier, Bitcoin traders lose a forward indicator.

The base case resembles the Upbit precedent: a partial sanction focused on new-user transfer activity rather than a full operational freeze.

Bithumb likely remains viable but weaker, with market share settling around 20-25%, more spillover to Upbit and Coinone, and the kimchi premium holding roughly in a 0-2% band.

The signal survives but becomes less clean because venue concentration rises.

The bear case sees sustained erosion of confidence. If the sanctions stick and Bithumb's share drops into the high teens, some South Korean capital moves offshore while domestic price signals deteriorate further.

The premium could persistently stay below 1% if confidence cools, or print short bursts if access bottlenecks at fewer venues.

Enforcement collides with market plumbing

South Korea's proposed action against Bithumb raises a sharper concern: Seoul can either tighten compliance standards or preserve clean retail signals.

However, attempting both simultaneously tests whether a highly concentrated market can absorb regulatory pressure without losing the transparency that made it valuable.

Bithumb still holds a quarter of South Korean won-exchange volume, and constraining a top venue can reroute flow, deepen concentration, and make South Korean price action a less reliable read on Bitcoin demand.

The post Why Bitcoin’s kimchi premium is on life support after South Korea targets crypto exchange appeared first on CryptoSlate.

XRP’s price performance is stripping out fast-money participation while leaving behind a more durable class of holders.

According to CryptoSlate's data, XRP is trading at $1.37 as of press time, down 55% within the last six months.

This comes as data from CoinGlass shows XRP's open interest has fallen to about $2.40 billion from a July peak of $10.94 billion, a drop of roughly 78% that leaves positioning at its lowest level since January 2025.

The decline points to a market that has already flushed out much of the speculative leverage that helped power the token’s earlier rally following Donald Trump's 2024 victory.

At the same time, several parts of the XRP market are still showing signs of longer-duration commitment, with significant whale accumulation and transfers away from exchanges.

This is occurring at the same time when spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are still holding more than $1 billion worth of the assets in their custody.

Essentially, the XRP support base currently comes from holders who appear more willing to endure volatility, and from Ripple's corporate strategy, which is still broadening the token’s potential access to regulated financial channels.

Leverage has been wrung out of the trade

The first major change in XRP’s market structure is evident in the derivatives market.

Data from CryptoQuant show that open interest across major XRP futures venues has dropped sharply from mid-2025 peaks, while repeated liquidation events have hit leveraged traders.

Binance remains the largest single venue, with current XRP open interest at $222 million, followed by ByBit at $195 million, according to CryptoQuant’s exchange breakdown.

Those levels remain above the lows seen in 2024, but they sit far below the peak conditions that accompanied XRP’s cycle high in July 2025.

CryptoQuant’s liquidation data show that long traders' liquidations have dominated short traders in both number and size.

That pattern usually pulls funding rates lower and leaves the market in a more neutral or defensive posture.

In practical terms, traders who were using leverage to chase upside have already been forced out or have chosen to step back, while those with bearish positioning are enjoying some respite.

Taken together, the data points to a market that has already gone through an extensive deleveraging cycle. That changes the character of the trade.

A sharp reduction in open interest can remove one source of downside pressure because fewer leveraged positions remain exposed to forced liquidations during every fresh drop. It also means any new upside move has to be carried more by spot demand and less by reflexive short-term positioning.

Whales and ETF holders stay put through the drawdown

While speculative positioning has fallen sharply, on-chain and ETF flow data suggest a different cohort has maintained its exposure during the selloff.

For context, data from CryptoQuant shows XRP has seen large exchange outflows during the recent period of market pressure.

On Feb. 6, Binance recorded an outflow of 530 million XRP, worth more than $720 million at the time, when the token traded near $1.37. A second large move followed on Feb. 9, totaling 278 million XRP.

Such transfers usually reduce immediately available exchange supply and are often read as a sign that whales or institutions are moving assets into cold storage or preparing to hold for longer periods.

The signal is useful, though it does not offer a complete answer on its own. Exchange outflows can reflect accumulation, but they can also reflect internal wallet movements or the reshuffling of custody.

Even so, the scale of the Feb. 6 and Feb. 9 moves falls within the same window where ETF traders' conviction in the token remains strong, giving the episode more weight.

On March 10, Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart stated that the XRP spot ETFs have accumulated more than $1.4 billion since launching in November.

Seyffart pointed out that the capital has remained in place even after XRP fell significantly from the $3 level it held just before the ETFs went live.

Bloomberg Intelligence ETF analyst Eric Balchunas wrote on X that the showing was notable given the drawdown.

According to him:

“This is really impressive given these launched into a brutal 45% drawdown. Traditionally, inflows are near impossible for an ETF having a reverse shiny object moment, and especially if they are brand new.”

Balchunas attributed the resilience largely to committed buyers who are “largely XRP superfans versus casual retail.”

That observation fits XRP’s market history. The token has held on to a loyal following of the “XRP Army” through the years of the SEC legal clash and long stretches when broader crypto attention moved elsewhere.

The ETF data suggests that loyalty has carried over into the listed wrapper, where investors often behave differently than they do in spot markets or on leveraged exchanges.

The contrast between collapsing open interest and steady ETF assets gives the current market a distinct tone, suggesting that the base of holders supporting XRP has become less dependent on momentum traders.

Ripple's expanding regulated footprint gives XRP market leverage

Ripple’s continued business expansion is giving XRP an added layer of support, with the company maintaining that the token remains central to its payments, custody, liquidity, and treasury management strategy.

The latest step came on March 11, when Ripple said it had secured an Australian Financial Services License through its acquisition of BC Payments Australia.

That followed recent licensing moves in the UK and Luxembourg, part of a broader effort to extend its regulated footprint globally. Ripple says it now holds more than 75 regulatory licenses worldwide.

At the same time, the company has continued to scale the business infrastructure behind that regulatory reach.

According to Ripple, Ripple Payments is now active in more than 60 major markets and has processed more than $100 billion in volume.

Meanwhile, Ripple is also aggressively expanding its stablecoin business. RLUSD’s market capitalization recently surpassed $1.3 billion, while the company also disclosed conditional approval for an Office of the Comptroller of the Currency charter (OCC).

Notably, the Brad Garlinghouse-led firm has also quietly built a full-stack institutional financial platform that settles, secures, and moves digital money globally.

Garlinghouse also noted that:

“AI is becoming a fundamental part of our products – especially in cash forecasting and liquidity management in real-time for the office of the CFO. Employee productivity may be where AI starts, but the end goal is much bigger.”

Together, those milestones give XRP a support narrative that many large-cap altcoins lack.

While Bitcoin remains the market’s main macro driver, XRP is increasingly trading on a more company-specific story tied to regulated access, cross-border payments, and financial infrastructure.

The post XRP leverage collapses 78%, but $1.4B in ETF money still won’t leave because of Ripple’s expanding footprint appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Global financial markets are once again facing rising geopolitical uncertainty. Oil prices are climbing as tensions escalate across key energy regions, while governments and energy companies move quickly to protect critical infrastructure.

A new development illustrates how rapidly the global energy landscape is evolving. The world’s largest oil producer, Saudi Aramco, is reportedly in talks with Ukrainian firms to purchase specialized interceptor drones designed to defend oil facilities from potential Iranian drone attacks.

At the same time, President Donald Trump has stated that rising oil prices could benefit the United States because the country has become one of the world’s largest oil producers.

Together, these developments highlight how energy security is becoming a central issue for global markets — and why crypto investors are paying attention.

Oil Infrastructure Is Becoming a Strategic Target

Energy facilities have increasingly become targets during geopolitical conflicts. Drone attacks on refineries, pipelines, and export terminals can disrupt global oil supply within hours.

For companies like Saudi Aramco, protecting infrastructure is therefore a top priority.

Ukraine has developed sophisticated drone defense systems during the Russia–Ukraine War, including interceptor drones capable of stopping incoming unmanned aerial vehicles before they reach critical targets.

Reports indicate Saudi Aramco is now exploring these technologies to strengthen its defenses against potential attacks.

This reflects a broader shift in modern warfare, where relatively inexpensive drones can threaten infrastructure worth billions of dollars.

Oil Prices React to Rising Risk

Energy markets are extremely sensitive to geopolitical tensions. Even the threat of disruption to major producers can push oil prices sharply higher.

Recent headlines have already contributed to volatility in financial markets, with billions of dollars wiped from global stock valuations as investors reacted to rising geopolitical risk and oil prices moving higher.

One of the most sensitive energy chokepoints remains the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil exports pass.

Any disruption to shipping in this region could trigger major price spikes and ripple effects across global markets.

Trump Highlights the U.S. Energy Advantage

President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the situation, noting that the United States benefits from high oil prices due to its status as a major producer.

Over the past decade, the U.S. has dramatically increased production through shale extraction, transforming the country into one of the world’s largest oil suppliers.

If geopolitical tensions push oil prices higher, American energy exports could play an increasingly important role in stabilizing global markets.

However, higher oil prices can also contribute to inflation and market volatility.

Why Crypto Investors Are Watching Oil

For cryptocurrency markets, developments in energy markets often serve as early signals of macroeconomic changes.

When oil prices surge, several effects tend to follow:

• Inflation expectations increase
• Central banks may delay interest rate cuts
• Global financial markets become more volatile

These conditions can initially pressure risk assets such as cryptocurrencies.

At the same time, prolonged geopolitical instability can strengthen Bitcoin’s narrative as a hedge against global uncertainty.

As traditional markets react to geopolitical shocks, some investors begin exploring alternative stores of value.

Is Bitcoin Becoming a Crisis Hedge?

The idea of Bitcoin acting as “digital gold” has been debated for years. During periods of geopolitical instability, this narrative often returns.

Rising oil prices, drone threats to critical infrastructure, and shifting energy alliances are once again forcing investors to reconsider how global crises affect financial markets.

Whether Bitcoin ultimately behaves like a risk asset or a crisis hedge will depend largely on liquidity conditions and investor sentiment.

What is clear, however, is that geopolitical developments in energy markets are increasingly influencing the cryptocurrency landscape.

The Ethereum price has recently demonstrated significant strength, establishing a firm base above the $1,900 support zone. After a period of intense volatility in early 2026, driven by macroeconomic shifts and geopolitical tensions, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap is showing signs of a structural bottom.

Is the Ethereum Bottom In?

Current market data confirms that the ETH USD pair has successfully navigated a high-tension consolidation block. Traders are closely watching the $1,900 region, which has served as a critical pivot point.

So we can safely say yes, the Ethereum price has stabilized above $1.9k. This stabilization is backed by a "scarcity index" turning positive and massive exchange outflows, indicating that whales are moving assets into cold storage.

• Key Metrics: As of March 12, 2026, ETH is trading above $2,050, recovering from recent local lows.

Ethereum Price Analysis: Decoding the ETH Chart

Analyzing the recent ETH/USD price action reveals a "coil" effect. The price has been trapped between a descending trendline and a static horizontal support.

Support and Resistance Zones

The technical structure shows a bullish divergence on the daily RSI. While the price made lower lows in early March, the RSI formed higher lows, suggesting that bearish momentum is fading. For a confirmed breakout, ETH needs a weekly close above $2,160 on high volume. This would clear the path toward the 50-day moving average (currently near $2,247) and eventually the $3,000 target.

On-Chain Fundamentals: Whales are Accumulating

Despite the "bleak" retail sentiment, professional investors are positioning themselves for a reversal.

• Exchange Outflows: Within a recent 48-hour window, over $155 million in ETH was withdrawn from major exchanges like Binance and Kraken.
• Institutional Inflows: BlackRock recently expanded its suite with a Staked Ethereum ETP, signalling that Wall Street's appetite for Ethereum's yield-bearing properties remains high.
• Network Upgrades: The upcoming "Glamsterdam" and "Hegota" upgrades are set to enhance parallel execution and sharding, potentially slashing Layer-2 fees by 95%.

"The current consolidation suggests bears are losing momentum. Historical data shows that ETH often delivers sharp relief bounces from these 'Extreme Fear' zones." — Market Analyst Insight.

The Path to $3,000: What Needs to Happen?

For the Ethereum price to reach $3,000, two major catalysts are required:

• Macro Stabilization: A shift in global risk sentiment, potentially sparked by a pause in interest rate hikes or a de-escalation of energy-related geopolitical conflicts.
• Altcoin Season: Historically, Ethereum outperforms Bitcoin once $BTC dominance stabilizes. If the Altcoin Season Index crosses the 75-mark, $ETH is likely to lead the charge.

The U.S. crypto industry may be entering a new regulatory era. In a landmark development, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to coordinate oversight of digital assets.

For years, one of the biggest obstacles to crypto adoption in the United States has been regulatory uncertainty. The SEC frequently classified many tokens as securities, while the CFTC argued that some digital assets should be treated as commodities. This disagreement created confusion for exchanges, investors, and crypto projects operating in the U.S.

Now, the two regulators are attempting to align their approaches — a move that could significantly impact Bitcoin, altcoins, and the broader digital asset market.

Why SEC and CFTC Cooperation Matters

The new agreement between the SEC and the CFTC is designed to improve collaboration between the two agencies when regulating cryptocurrency markets.

The partnership will focus on:

• sharing enforcement data
• coordinating investigations into crypto firms
• developing clearer oversight frameworks for digital assets
• supporting the introduction of new crypto financial products

This cooperation could help reduce regulatory uncertainty that has slowed innovation in the United States while other regions, such as Europe and the UAE, have moved forward with clearer crypto frameworks.

For crypto companies and institutional investors, regulatory clarity is often more important than regulation itself.

Institutional Investors Are Watching Closely

The timing of the agreement is significant. Institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies has accelerated over the past two years, especially after the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs and the expansion of crypto services by major financial institutions.

At the same time, global companies like Mastercard are expanding blockchain partnerships with major crypto platforms such as Ripple, Binance, and PayPal. These developments signal that traditional finance is gradually integrating digital assets into existing payment infrastructure.

However, large institutions typically require clear regulatory frameworks before committing significant capital. The SEC–CFTC collaboration could therefore act as a catalyst for further institutional investment in the crypto market.

Bitcoin Holds Strong Amid Regulatory Developments

Despite macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, Bitcoin has continued to trade near the $70,000 level. The resilience of BTC during periods of global instability has strengthened the narrative that Bitcoin is evolving into a macro asset class.

While Bitcoin remains the dominant asset in the crypto market, many analysts believe that regulatory clarity could eventually benefit altcoins as well. If regulators establish clear guidelines for digital assets, projects with strong fundamentals and real-world use cases may attract more institutional attention.

For now, Bitcoin continues to lead the market while investors wait for the next major catalyst.

Could This Trigger the Next Crypto Market Phase?

The cooperation between the SEC and CFTC may represent an important step toward a more mature crypto ecosystem in the United States.

Clearer regulatory frameworks could:

• reduce legal risks for crypto companies
• encourage innovation within the U.S. market
• attract institutional capital
• enable the development of new crypto investment products

While short-term price movements are still influenced by macroeconomic conditions and global events, regulatory progress could shape the long-term trajectory of the crypto industry.

If the new regulatory alignment leads to clearer market rules, the next phase of the crypto cycle could be driven not only by retail speculation but also by institutional participation.

Conclusion

The SEC and CFTC agreement marks a significant moment for the cryptocurrency industry. After years of regulatory uncertainty and conflicting oversight, the two agencies are now attempting to coordinate their approach to digital asset regulation.

For investors, the development signals a potential shift toward a more stable regulatory environment. As the crypto market continues to mature and institutional adoption expands, regulatory clarity may become one of the most important drivers of the next market cycle.

$BTC, $ETH, $XRP

Payments giant Mastercard has officially launched its Global Crypto Partner Program, a massive initiative designed to weave blockchain technology directly into the fabric of traditional global banking. This is not just another pilot; the program unites over 85 high-profile companies to standardize how digital assets move across the world’s existing financial rails.

What is the Crypto Partner Program?

The Mastercard Crypto Partner Program is a unified integration framework. Unlike previous one-off partnerships, this initiative provides a set of technical and compliance standards that allow crypto-native firms to connect their on-chain tools to Mastercard’s network. It leverages the Mastercard Multi-Token Network (MTN) to handle tokenized deposits and stablecoins, aiming to make blockchain "invisible" to the end user while providing the speed of digital assets.

Solving the "Plumbing" Problem

For years, the friction between "crypto" and "banks" has been the primary barrier to adoption. Mastercard is addressing this by focusing on three specific pillars:

• Cross-Border Remittances: Bypassing the slow SWIFT network to settle international transfers in minutes using stablecoins like USDC.
• Mastercard Crypto Credential: Replacing complex wallet addresses with human-readable aliases (e.g., user.mastercard) to reduce send-errors.
• Real-Time Settlement: Enabling merchants to receive fiat instantly while the consumer pays from a self-custodial wallet like MetaMask.

Who is Involved in the Global Crypto Partner Program?

The program features an "Avengers-level" lineup of industry leaders. Key partners confirmed include:

• Infrastructure & Settlement: Ripple, Circle, and Paxos.
• Payments & Wallets: PayPal, Gemini, and MetaMask.
• Global Exchanges: Binance, Crypto.com, and Bitget.

Why This Matters Now

According to reports from The Block, Mastercard believes the "next phase of on-chain payments will be built through collaboration." By bringing 85+ firms under one roof, they are effectively creating a "Common Language" for money. This move follows the recent integration of SoFiUSD for card settlement, signaling that the company is moving aggressively to dominate the $300 billion stablecoin settlement market.

XRP Price Prediction: Why the $2.00 Level is the Next Major Target

Current market data suggests that a return to the $2 level is a high-probability target supported by record-low exchange liquidity, massive spot ETF inflows, and the integration of the $XRP Ledger into global financial infrastructure. As of March 11, 2026, XRP is trading in a "coil" formation that often precedes a violent breakout. Breaking above the 200-day Moving Average is the technical trigger required to turn this psychological resistance into a launchpad for further gains.

Understanding XRP Liquidity Magnets and Market Structure

To understand the $2 target, one must look at market structure and liquidity magnets. In trading, a "liquidity magnet" refers to a price zone where a large cluster of orders (often liquidations) resides. For XRP, the $2.00 to $2.20 range represents a massive area of short-position liquidations. If the price of $XRP moves into this zone, a "short squeeze" could rapidly accelerate the rally beyond previous resistance levels.

1. Institutional Infrastructure: The Ripple Prime Effect

The most significant fundamental driver for XRP in 2026 is its transition from a speculative asset to a core piece of financial infrastructure. Following its acquisition of several fintech firms in 2025, Ripple has launched Ripple Prime, a unified institutional platform.

On March 2, 2026, it was revealed that Ripple Prime's integration with major clearing houses has begun routing institutional post-trade volumes directly onto the XRP Ledger. This provides a fundamental "floor" for the price as the network begins processing real-world transaction volume rather than just retail speculation.

2. Institutional Inflows via Spot XRP ETFs

Since the landmark approval of Spot XRP ETFs, institutional adoption has accelerated. As of this week, XRP ETFs have surpassed $1.44 billion in cumulative inflows. Notably, banking giants like Goldman Sachs have emerged as top holders, signaling that the "smart money" is positioning for long-term appreciation.

According to recent reports from Nasdaq, the elimination of the SEC legal overhang in late 2025 allowed conservative wealth managers to finally include XRP in their digital asset portfolios. This persistent buying effectively reduces the circulating supply on exchanges, creating a supply-demand imbalance that favors the bulls.

3. Technical Breakout and Symmetrical Triangle Compression

From a technical standpoint, XRP is currently testing the apex of a massive symmetrical triangle on the daily chart. Historically, such compressions lead to significant price expansions.

• RSI Bullish Divergence: While price has stayed flat, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is making higher lows, suggesting hidden strength.
• Exchange Balances: XRP held on centralized exchanges has hit a 3-year low, according to CryptoQuant data.
• Network Activity: The XRP Ledger recently hit 2.7 million daily transactions, a record high that proves network utility is outpacing price action.

XRP Resistance Levels and Support Zones for 2026

To track the progress toward the $2 target, investors should monitor the following support and resistance zones:

XRP Future Outlook: The Impact of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act

While the path to $2 seems clear, investors must remain aware of broader macro risks. The upcoming US Digital Asset Market Clarity Act vote later this month will be the final piece of the puzzle. A "Yes" vote would provide the ultimate regulatory green light, likely triggering the final surge past $2.00.

Nvidia released its most capable open-weight model yet and revealed plans to spend $26 billion over five years building frontier open models—a direct challenge to Chinese AI dominance.

Optimism developer OP Labs is letting go of 20 employees to help it narrow focus amid shifts in the broader Ethereum landscape.

Investigators said the service infected thousands of routers and enabled fraud including crypto account takeovers.

Illicitly traded gold from the Amazon Basin is increasingly being bought in Venezuela using the USDT stablecoin, according to a new report.

Bitcoin is beating gold and stocks since the crisis began—and institutions are taking notice.

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss have found themselves in a dire prediccament due to the miscalculation of market timing that has eviscerated billions from their personal net worth.

Vitalik Buterin redefines Ethereum as "global shared memory." Explore his three key pillars: data availability, spam protection and smart contracts.

Binance Alpha has reduced the number of tokens trading on the platform by 21 as the exchange now considers the assets unqualified for its listing standard.

Total of 51 million Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoins burned within the last 24 hours as activity ramps up.

SHIB defies the market with a 4.2% price spike. With a $3.47 billion valuation, Shiba Inu secures its spot in the Top 30 ahead of Zcash as investors eye upcoming US GDP and employment data.

TLDR

• The CFTC issued a staff advisory and launched a formal rulemaking process for prediction market platforms.
• Chairman Mike Selig said the agency will exercise exclusive jurisdiction over prediction markets in the United States.
• The regulator set a 45-day deadline for public comments on its advanced notice of proposed rulemaking.
• The advisory requires designated contract markets to list contracts that are not readily susceptible to manipulation.
• The CFTC directed platforms offering sports contracts to communicate with relevant sports governing bodies.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued new guidance for prediction market firms operating in the United States. The agency released a staff advisory and launched a formal rulemaking process. The move follows a shift in policy under Chairman Mike Selig and sets a 45-day deadline for public comment.

CFTC Outlines New Framework for Prediction Markets

Chairman Mike Selig directed the agency to publish a non-binding staff advisory for designated contract markets. The advisory explains how platforms must seek approval for new trading products. It also states that firms should list contracts that are not readily susceptible to manipulation.

Selig said, “This begins the process of new rulemaking grounded in a rational and coherent interpretation of the Commodity Exchange Act.” He added that the agency will exercise its exclusive jurisdiction over prediction markets. The commission issued the document as an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking and invited public input.

The CFTC stated that the number of applications for DCM registration has more than doubled in the past year. It said many applicants seek to operate prediction market platforms. The 32-page document presents questions that will guide a future proposal and later, a final rule.

The agency set a 45-day window for public comments on the proposal. That timeline suggests the regulator wants to move the process forward quickly. The next stage will include a detailed proposal followed by a final rule under administrative law.

Polymarket and Kalshi Adjust to New Oversight

The advisory applies to DCMs that include Kalshi, Coinbase, and Polymarket. The CFTC directed these firms to follow clear procedures when listing new contracts. It also reminded them of their legal duty to monitor trading activity for manipulation.

Kalshi recently announced that it punished two customers for rule violations. The agency cited that action as evidence that platforms must police their markets. The CFTC stated that firms engaging in this business carry responsibility under the Commodity Exchange Act.

The guidance also addresses sports-related contracts listed on these platforms. The CFTC said firms should communicate with relevant sports governing bodies when developing terms and oversight programs. The agency linked that requirement to compliance and market integrity standards.

Selig now leads the CFTC as its only sitting commissioner. The commission is designed to have five members, yet only Selig currently serves. He has argued in court filings that the CFTC holds sole jurisdiction over sports event contracts.

Several states have sued prediction market providers over sports-related offerings. Selig filed a recent brief asserting federal authority in that area. The agency continues to collect comments before drafting the next phase of its rule proposal.

The post CFTC Starts Rulemaking Process for Prediction Markets appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Vitalik Buterin presented three core functions that redefine Ethereum’s long-term direction.
• The proposal describes Ethereum as a global bulletin board for permanent public data.
• The PeerDAS upgrade aims to reduce data storage costs on the Ethereum network.
• Ether serves as a payment tool to prevent spam and Sybil attacks in open systems.
• The network burns security deposits when participants violate established rules.

Vitalik Buterin outlined a revised framework for Ethereum in a post published today on X. He described three core functions that define Ether’s long-term purpose. He framed Ethereum as “the global shared memory of the world” and urged a shift away from marketing noise.

Vitalik Buterin Sets Out Ethereum’s Three Core Functions

Vitalik Buterin said Ethereum should function as a global bulletin board for open protocols. He explained that many cryptographic systems require a public place where users can write data permanently. He stated that older blockchain models made such storage expensive and limited. However, he said the PeerDAS upgrade allows Ethereum to store large data volumes at low cost.

He clarified that Ethereum does not need to compute every task directly on the chain. Instead, he said the network must guarantee that data remains available and cannot be deleted. He described this function as essential for open cryptographic coordination. Therefore, he positioned Ethereum as infrastructure for public data integrity rather than heavy computation.

Buterin then addressed spam prevention within permissionless systems. He argued that fully open platforms cannot ban users outright without undermining decentralization. As a result, he said every action must carry a small financial cost. He described Ether as a universal payment tool for APIs, spam resistance, and security deposits.

He added that the network burns deposits when users break established rules. This mechanism, he said, discourages Sybil attacks and system abuse. Consequently, Ether gains utility beyond speculation or trading. He framed transaction costs as necessary friction that protects open systems.

Ethereum’s Smart Contracts and the Role of Zero Knowledge

Buterin also described smart contracts as tools for convenience and coordination. He stated that users can compute most processes locally on their own devices. Then, they can submit results to Ethereum using zero-knowledge proofs. He explained that this approach reduces on-chain computation while preserving verification.

He emphasized that smart contracts provide a shared standard environment. According to him, this standard lets different programs interact within one ecosystem. He said this structure simplifies digital asset management and protocol communication. Therefore, Ethereum acts as a common platform for decentralized applications.

In his post, Buterin summarized Ethereum as shared global memory. He wrote that Ether supports privacy and censorship resistance in modern systems. He stressed that the asset now underpins a broader technology stack. He shared these points on X earlier today without outlining a specific timeline.

The post Vitalik Buterin Redefines Ethereum With Three Core Roles appeared first on Blockonomi.

In the latest crypto news today, Strive Asset Management just put more than a third of its entire treasury into a single Bitcoin-linked instrument, and it’s not even Bitcoin. The $50 million allocation into Strategy’s STRC preferred stock, yielding 11.5%.

But an 11.5% yield is a treasury management move, not a wealth-building one. TAO ran 8,000% from its low. ICP delivered a 4x in 2025 alone.

Both were AI-native crypto projects that most institutional players missed entirely, because by the time the 13F filings appeared, the move was already done.

DeepSnitch AI is sitting at the same intersection right now: $2M+ raised, 190% gained in presale, and a March 31st TGE on Uniswap. Strive is targeting 11.5%. That’s not the same conversation.

Strive allocates $50M to Strategy’s STRC preferred stock

Strive Asset Management has allocated $50 million to Strategy’s variable-rate perpetual preferred stock, currently yielding 11.5%. The crypto news follows similar allocations by Prevalon Energy, Anchorage Digital, and Oranjebtc, and comes as B. Riley Securities initiated coverage of Strategy with a Buy rating.

STRC is designed to function as a liquid treasury asset, offering institutions a yield-generating alternative to cash or money market funds while maintaining indirect Bitcoin exposure through the Strategy’s balance sheet.

This signals a maturing ecosystem of Bitcoin-linked financial instruments extending well beyond direct BTC ownership. Companies are now building layered treasury strategies, holding Bitcoin, Bitcoin-adjacent equities, and yield-bearing preferred stock simultaneously.

Top 3 cryptocurrencies to purchase amid the crypto news today

DeepSnitch AI

TAO ran 8,000% from its low. ICP delivered a 4x in 2025 alone. Both were AI-native crypto projects,  and both made those moves before institutional capital arrived, not after. That’s not a coincidence.

The AI and crypto crossover has consistently produced the biggest moves in recent memory, and they’ve consistently rewarded the investors who found the entry point before the narrative went mainstream.

DeepSnitch AI is at that entry point right now. The platform is live, five AI agents running from one dashboard are already being used by real traders today to analyze crypto news and find the best investment opportunities, and the presale closes March 31st.

Over $2.1 million raised across six stages confirms the market is pricing in the 100x–1,000x projections seriously, rather than just talking about them. DSNT is at $0.04339 in Stage 7, which already marks a 190% gain for early buyers. Less than three weeks remain to get in at the same level.

Bittensor

Bittensor traded at $195 on March 11, down over 60% from last year’s peak. But the data around it tells a completely different story. Social engagement surged 5,231% in a single week. Trading volume jumped 133% above its six-month average.

Staking reinforces that read. Roughly 68% of TAO supply stays staked despite falling prices and rising emissions. Long-term holders choose rewards over exits. That’s conviction, not uncertainty.

A potential institutional catalyst looms. Grayscale is pursuing a TAO ETF conversion, a move that could unlock capital the market hasn’t priced in yet. Hold $190, and the accumulation thesis stays intact.

ICP

Internet Computer surged over 8% on March 11 after Upbit lists ICP across KRW, BTC, and USDT pairs. The momentum drives ICP straight toward the $2.80–$3.00 resistance zone. A confirmed breakout there marks the first real trend shift after months of sustained selling.

The fundamentals give that breakout real backing. 4,400 monthly active developers. 161 full-time contributors. 25,000 total repositories. That’s builder conviction, and it doesn’t come from chasing price.

Clear $3.00, and $3.66 comes first, then $4.00. Lose $2.45–$2.50, and bulls regroup there. The real test: whether volume holds after the listing excitement fades. That’s what separates a catalyst from a trend.

Closing thoughts

The latest crypto news show that Strive and Strategy are playing the institutional Bitcoin game, and 11.5% on STRC is a sound treasury move. It’s not a 100x. TAO ran 8,000%. ICP delivered a 4x. Both were AI-native projects caught early.

DeepSnitch AI has already gained 190% across six presale stages, raised over $2 million, and is offering up to a 300% bonus for early participants. A $30,000 position could enter launch day worth $90,000, before the token even hits Uniswap on March 31st.

Visit the official website for more information, and join X and Telegram for community updates.

FAQs

What are the biggest crypto headlines today impacting institutional investment strategies?

Strive Asset Management is allocating $50M into Strategy’s STRC preferred stock, confirming that corporate Bitcoin exposure is evolving into layered, yield-bearing instruments. It signals institutional sophistication, not institutional upside.

What do the latest blockchain updates reveal about where smart money is moving?

Institutions are building sophisticated Bitcoin-adjacent positions via instruments like STRC. Retail smart money is doing what early TAO and ICP investors did, positioning in live AI-native crypto projects like DSNT before the institutional filings appear.

What does today’s crypto news say about the best opportunities beyond institutional Bitcoin plays?

Bittensor’s 5,231% social surge and ICP’s Upbit listing are notable momentum signals, but both are recovering assets with established price histories. DeepSnitch AI is pre-launch and closing its presale on March 31st.

The post Crypto News Today: Strive’s $50M STRC Bet Lands Just as DeepSnitch AI’s 190% Run and Daily Trader Utility Start Looking Explosive appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• CryptoQuant said Ethereum could fall to $1,500 if bearish market conditions continue.
• The firm reported that daily active addresses on Ethereum reached an all-time high last month.
• ETH has dropped more than 50% from its recent cycle highs despite rising network activity.
• CryptoQuant said exchange inflows signal stronger selling pressure on ETH compared with Bitcoin.
• The one-year change in Ethereum realized capitalization has turned negative, indicating capital outflows.

Ethereum may face further downside as onchain data shows a widening gap between network usage and price performance. CryptoQuant said ETH could drop to around $1,500 if bearish conditions persist. The firm linked the outlook to rising exchange inflows and weakening capital trends despite record activity.

Ethereum Adoption Rises as Price Weakens

CryptoQuant reported that daily active addresses on Ethereum reached an all-time high last month. The firm said usage surpassed levels recorded during the 2021 bull market. However, ETH has fallen more than 50% from its recent cycle highs.

The firm described this gap as an “adoption paradox” within the Ethereum network. It said rising user growth no longer supports stronger price action as in past cycles. Instead, price trends now diverge from onchain participation metrics.

CryptoQuant also tracked a surge in smart contract activity across decentralized applications. It said internal contract calls reached record highs as decentralized finance and Layer 2 networks expanded. Internal calls occur when smart contracts execute transactions automatically within applications.

“The historical relationship between smart contract activity and ETH price has deteriorated,” CryptoQuant said. It added that earlier cycles showed a clearer positive link between contract activity and price gains. Now, higher transfer counts no longer coincide with rising ETH prices.

Exchange Inflows and Capital Trends Pressure ETH

CryptoQuant stated that exchange inflows offer a clearer signal for the ETH price direction. The firm explained that exchange deposits often indicate potential selling pressure. It said elevated inflows relative to bitcoin suggest stronger relative selling activity.

“The elevated ratio of ETH exchange inflows relative to bitcoin suggests stronger relative selling pressure on ETH,” CryptoQuant said. The firm added that this trend helps explain ETH underperformance against BTC. It said traders move capital toward exchanges when they prepare to sell assets.

Julio Moreno, head of research at CryptoQuant, outlined a downside scenario for ETH. He told The Block that ETH could fall to around $1,500 if the bear market continues. He said that level could appear by late third quarter or early fourth quarter this year.

CryptoQuant also highlighted weakening investment demand within the network. It said the one-year change in Ethereum’s realized capitalization has turned negative. That metric tracks net capital entering or leaving the asset over time.

Moreno said Ethereum needs renewed capital inflows to reverse the trend. “We need to see positive capital inflows and lower exchange inflows for ETH to exit the bear market,” Moreno told The Block. ETH traded at around $2,070 at publication, up about 0.5% over 24 hours.

The post CryptoQuant Warns Ethereum Could Drop to $1,500 appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Ripple burned 25,000,000 RLUSD on the Ethereum blockchain in a single transaction.
• The total RLUSD burned within 24 hours reached 51,000,000 across Ethereum and the XRP Ledger.
• Ripple minted 29,000,000 RLUSD and 14,990,000 RLUSD on Ethereum during the same period.
• On March 11, Ripple burned 25,000,000 RLUSD on the XRP Ledger in two transactions.
• Ripple continues to adjust RLUSD supply through regular minting and burning events in March.

Ripple removed 25,000,000 RLUSD from circulation through a burn transaction on the Ethereum blockchain. The Ripple stablecoin tracker on X confirmed the action and shared the Ethereum transaction hash. The burn followed recent minting and burning activity across Ethereum and the XRP Ledger within 24 hours.

Ripple, RLUSD See 51 Million Tokens Burned in 24 Hours

Ripple executed a 25,000,000 RLUSD burn at the RLUSD Treasury on Ethereum. The tracker stated, “25,000,000 RLUSD burned on Ethereum,” and attached the transaction hash. This action followed a mint of 6,060,694 RLUSD on the same blockchain within hours.

Within the same 24-hour period, the tracker reported three other burn transactions. Two transactions burned 8,000,000 RLUSD and 3,000,000 RLUSD on Ethereum. A separate transaction removed 15,000,000 RLUSD from the XRP Ledger.

Together, these three transactions accounted for 26,000,000 RLUSD removed from circulation. A fourth burn later increased the total to 51,000,000 RLUSD within 24 hours. The tracker documented each transaction with on-chain data and timestamps.

At the same time, Ripple continued minting activity at the RLUSD Treasury. The tracker reported 29,000,000 RLUSD minted on Ethereum. It also recorded another 14,990,000 RLUSD entering circulation on the same network.

These mint events added fresh supply to Ethereum despite the burns. The tracker logged each mint with transaction details. As a result, Ethereum recorded both supply increases and decreases within the same day.

RLUSD Activity Extends Across March on Ethereum and XRP Ledger

Ripple maintained steady RLUSD supply adjustments throughout March. On March 11, Ripple burned 25,000,000 RLUSD on the XRP Ledger. Two separate transactions accounted for 15,000,000 and 10,000,000 RLUSD.

On the same date, Ripple removed 999,965 RLUSD from Ethereum through burning. Earlier, on March 9, Ripple minted 7,000,965 RLUSD on Ethereum. Other days in early March also showed mint or burn transactions across both networks.

The Ripple stablecoin tracker documented each event in real time. It provided transaction hashes for Ethereum burns and ledger references for XRP activity. The records show alternating minting and burning actions during the month.

Meanwhile, Ripple advanced its regulatory position outside token operations. The company is obtaining an Australian Financial Services License, known as AFSL. With this approval, Ripple now holds more than 75 regulatory licenses globally.

Ripple confirmed its licensing progress in recent disclosures. The company stated that it continues expanding regulated operations across multiple jurisdictions. These updates come as RLUSD supply adjustments continue across Ethereum and the XRP Ledger.

The post Ripple Burns 25M RLUSD on Ethereum in Supply Shift appeared first on Blockonomi.

Bitcoin has gained 7% since the U.S.-Iran war started on February 28, outpacing gold, which fell 2%, and the Nasdaq 100, which slipped by 0.5%.

This is according to data shared on X on March 12 by BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes.

Bitcoin Holds Ground While Traditional Assets Slip

Hayes posted a normalized performance chart comparing Bitcoin, gold, and the Nasdaq 100 from February 28 to the present. All three assets started at the same baseline on that date, which allowed for a clean comparison of relative performance across nearly two weeks.

On the chart, Bitcoin stood out against the traditional safe haven asset and the broad tech index, gaining 7% as energy prices spiked in the background over concerns about supply disruptions.

Nevertheless, BTC’s price action in that period wasn’t exactly calm. When news of the United States’ and Israel’s strike on Iran first emerged, the asset dropped from around $66,000 to just above $63,000 before reversing to $67,000 following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Market watchers at the London Crypto Club agreed with Hayes, saying they had noted a similar dynamic playing out when the Israel-Palestine conflict escalated, and argued that BTC covers both the far left and far right tails of the risk distribution, meaning it can react to extreme scenarios in both directions while spending most of its time trading somewhere in the middle alongside equities.

As of today, the number one cryptocurrency is trading near $70,000, with a 24-hour range between $69,000 and $71,000, gaining less than 2% on the day, per data from CoinGecko. However, the picture goes red over seven days, with BTC down 3.5%, although its current price is a 2% bump on the 30-day reading.

Looking at the wider context, on-chain data analysts Arab Chain wrote that the Binance BTC Scarcity Index, which measures how much Bitcoin is immediately available for sale on the platform, recently hit its highest reading since October 2025, at 5.10.

According to them, the reading suggests that supply on the exchange has thinned out, and this condition historically appeared during bullish price phases when holders moved their BTC into cold storage rather than leaving them on exchanges.

Hayes is Watching the Fed

Despite the relative outperformance, Hayes has insisted that he’s still not buying Bitcoin. In a recent interview, the former BitMEX CEO said that he would not put any money into BTC right now, flagging the risk that if the United States’ war with Iran dragged on too long, it could trigger a broad equity sell-off that drags Bitcoin toward $60,000.

Bloomberg Intelligence strategist Mike McGlone offered a different framing, suggesting that oil could go near $120, Bitcoin to $90,000, Copper at $6 per pound, and silver near $100 per ounce, which would represent a collective peak for risk assets in the first quarter of 2026, with rising volatility possibly spilling into equity markets.

The post Arthur Hayes Explains How Bitcoin Has Outperformed Gold, Nasdaq 100 Since War Started appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Solana (SOL) has seen reduced volatility over the past several days, but the emergence of a certain technical signal suggests it may soon chart a substantial move.

Some analysts who touched upon the asset see an upswing as the more likely outcome, though others warn that a sharp decline could follow.

Major Turbulence Ahead?

Despite some sporadic spikes and dips, SOL has been trading in a tight range between $80 and $87 over the past weeks. According to Ali Martinez, this price action has triggered a squeeze in the Bollinger Bands.

This technical indicator consists of a moving average and two outer bands (one lower and one upper). When they tighten, it suggests the valuation might be gearing up for a huge move, as long periods of slight volatility are often followed by breakouts or breakdowns.

Although the Bollinger Bands don’t offer a clear direction, Solana’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands out as a distinctly bullish signal. The technical analysis tool ranges from 0 to 100 and is often used by traders to spot potential reversal points. It runs from 0 to 100, with readings below 30 considered buying opportunities, while anything above 70 is seen as bearish territory. Data shows that SOL’s RSI on a weekly scale recently fell to 29, while currently it stands at around 32.

X users James and OxBossman are among the optimistic analysts. The former argued that SOL under $90 is a “phenomenal offer,” while the latter thinks that the price would first hit $200 rather than collapse to $40.

The Bears Could be Quite Stubborn

Other popular traders, though, believe Solana’s native cryptocurrency has yet to feel the real impact of the current bear market. X user DrBullZeus predicted that the price could dip to as low as $50, assuming that “bulls are running out of time.”

UNKONWN TRADER was also pessimistic, forecasting heightened volatility in the coming weeks that might lead to a drop to $53, the lowest since the end of 2023.

When speculating on SOL’s price, it is useful to observe the asset’s recent exchange netflow. Over the past several days, inflows have outpaced outflows, indicating that more investors have been moving their holdings to centralized platforms. This doesn’t guarantee a price collapse but is a bearish factor since such behavior often precedes selling.

The post Fasten Your Belts: Key Indicator Suggests Solana (SOL) May be Ready for a Big Move appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitcoin’s LTH Realized Supply stood at 8.05 million BTC as of March 11, 2026, representing a decline of roughly 5.5% from the cycle peak of 8,529,671 BTC recorded on March 8, 2026, when the asset traded at $65,974, and the metric’s Z-score reached 3.20.

At the time of the latest reading, the Z-score had eased to 2.66.

Compressed Cycle

According to crypto analyst Axel Adler Jr., despite the recent pullback, the amount of Bitcoin held by long-term holders at this point in the cycle remains historically high. When compared with previous cycles at the same post-halving stage, day 691 after the halving, the current cycle shows significantly larger holdings.

In fact, the total volume of coins held by long-term holders was found to be about 1.52 times higher than during the 2020 cycle and roughly 3.4 times higher than in the 2016 cycle at equivalent points. Adler explained that the current Z-score of 2.66 is very similar to the 2016 cycle reading of 2.94 at the same stage. In the 2016 halving cycle, this period witnessed the early phase of the final redistribution period, which continued for approximately another 200 days before the metric reached its all-time high in December 2018.

On the other hand, the 2020 cycle displayed a very different structure at the same point in time. At day 691 following the halving in that cycle, the Z-score was only 1.08, reflecting the end of the bear market following the Terra/LUNA collapse, and the LTH Realized Supply had already been declining for eight months from its peak.

Adler also examined the MA365 ratio, which currently stands at 1.595 in the ongoing cycle. This level is lower than the equivalent ratio in the 2016 cycle, which was 2.523, and slightly higher than the 2020 cycle value of 1.502. According to the analyst, this means that the degree of overheating relative to the one-year moving average remains moderate.

In previous cycles, the final peaks of LTH Realized Supply occurred between days 880 and 912 after the halving, almost 190 to 220 days later than the current point in the cycle. In those cycles, the Z-score ultimately climbed to between 4.24 and 4.94 before the peak was reached. If the present cycle follows a similar timeline, Adler said the current peak could represent only an intermediate high rather than the final one.

Accumulation Loses Momentum

However, he also pointed out that the current cycle differs structurally from earlier ones because institutional inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have locked up large volumes of coins, thereby reducing the share of supply available for active circulation and potentially accelerating the accumulation process among long-term holders.

There has also been a slowdown in accumulation momentum, as the 30-day rate of change is currently at +7.6%, far below the levels seen in comparable phases of previous cycles, when the metric rose by as much as 87% in 2016 and 51.6% in 2020. According to the analyst, the declining growth rate suggests the market may be entering a stabilization phase following the strong accumulation seen in January and February 2026.

The post Bitcoin LTH Supply Near Record Highs Despite Pullback From Peak appeared first on CryptoPotato.

There’s encouraging data emerging for XRP traders from the order books of perpetual futures exchanges like Binance Futures, Bybit, and OKX, as well as their decentralized counterparts like Hyperliquid, Aster, and Lighter.

Referencing a graph from CoinAnk, popular data analyst CW8900 noted that the number of long positions in XRP has been increasing and has now exceeded the number of short positions.

$XRP‘s long positions have increased, exceeding the size of short positions.

Expectations for $XRP‘s rise are growing. pic.twitter.com/xMnIAEcQqs

— CW (@CW8900) March 12, 2026

But what does this mean for the XRP price? Well, usually, in a vacuum scenario, when there are more buyers than sellers, the price goes up. Of course, that’s incredibly simplified, and it would only hold if these orders are coming from market makers. Market takers could place buying orders at higher prices, but they wouldn’t be executed unless the price actually rises. In all fairness, though, an increasing number of long positions is almost always a good sign, especially if it persists.

This comes at a time when Ripple’s fundamentals are also looking good. For instance, in the last week alone, the company said it would pursue a strategic acquisition to obtain a financial license in Australia, was listed on Mastercard’s new crypto-focused platform, and announced a massive share buyback.

That said, there are some worrying signs as well. As CryptoPotato reported earlier this week, open interest has been dropping across several exchanges. This metric represents the total number of futures contracts that remain active in the market. When it declines, this usually means that traders are reducing exposure. So while the number of long positions went up, the broader open interest went down, meaning that an increase in price is far from certain.

The post Traders Are Loading Up on XRP Longs, but One Metric Signals Caution appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bittensor (TAO) has pumped by double digits over the past seven days, with some analysts expecting this could be the beginning of a much more substantial surge.

At the same time, certain indicators suggest a short-term correction is also a plausible option.

Further Gains Ahead?

As of this writing, TAO trades at around $213 (per CoinGecko), making it the top daily performer among the biggest 100 cryptocurrencies after rising 9% over the period. Its market capitalization soared past the $2 billion psychological mark, thus flipping well-known altcoins such as OKB, ASTER, and others.

The renowned analyst Ali Martinez noted TAO’s strong performance, spotting the potential formation of an Adam & Eve pattern on its price chart. It consists of two bottoms: a sharp “Adam” dip and a rounded “Eve” plunge. The structure is generally considered bullish, as it suggests sellers have lost momentum and could be replaced by buyers. Martinez estimated that in this case, TAO’s price could soar to as high as $270.

X user GalaxyTrading is also quite optimistic. Recently, they described TAO as “the clearest 10x coin for the next altcoin run phase.” The analyst argued that the asset could emerge as a dominant figure in the crypto space thanks to the development of Artificial Intelligence.

ZAYK Charts chipped in, too. Earlier this week, they assumed that Bittensor’s native token was moving within a falling channel, predicting that a breakout above roughly $200 could open the door to a possible 100% increase to almost $400.

Moving South is Also an Option

Despite the prevailing optimism among traders and analysts, some technical indicators suggest TAO’s valuation could tumble in the near future.

The asset’s Relative Strength Index (RSI), which measures the speed and magnitude of recent price changes, has risen above 70. This signals that the token is overbought and could be on the verge of a short-term pullback. The index runs from 0 to 100, and conversely, ratios below 30 are typically interpreted as buying opportunities.

The next factor on the list is TAO’s exchange netflow. CoinGlass’s data show that over the past few days, inflows have exceeded outflows, indicating that investors have been shifting from self-custody to centralized platforms. This is often viewed as a pre-sale step.

The post Bittensor (TAO) Jumps 12% Weekly: Chart Formation Signals a Potential Explosive Rally Ahead appeared first on CryptoPotato.