Grayscale files S-1 for spot HYPE ETF that would hold Hyperliquids native token and seek to list on Nasdaq under ticker GHYP.

The post Grayscale eyes Hyperliquid with new HYPE ETF filing appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Nvidia fell below its 200-day moving average after GTC as oil, inflation, and rate fears pressured tech and the broader market.

The post Nvidia stock falls below 200-day moving average for first time in a year appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Hyperliquids licensed S&P 500 perpetual tops $100M in daily volume, extending 24/7 onchain trading of traditional markets.

The post Hyperliquid’s S&P 500 perpetual tops $100 million in daily volume after licensed launch appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Eightco's increased investment in OpenAI underscores the growing influence of AI in reshaping global industries and investor strategies.

The post Tom Lee-backed Eightco doubles down on OpenAI as total stake hits $90 million appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bluesky disclosed a $100 million Series B led by Bain Capital Crypto as its user base topped 43 million amid a leadership transition.

The post Bluesky discloses $100 million Series B as user growth tops 43 million appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

White House Reaches Tentative Crypto Regulatory Agreement: Report

Key senators and the White House have reached a tentative agreement on cryptocurrency legislation aimed at resolving a dispute between banks and digital asset firms over stablecoin yields, according to Politico reporting.

The move could clear the way for a landmark crypto regulatory bill stalled in the Senate Banking Committee since January.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) said Friday they have an “agreement in principle” on language intended to balance innovation with financial stability. The legislation seeks to prevent stablecoin rewards programs from triggering widespread deposit withdrawals from traditional banks, a concern raised by Wall Street groups.

“The agreement allows us to protect innovation while giving us the opportunity to prevent widespread deposit flight,” Alsobrooks said. Tillis described the deal as a positive step but noted the need to consult with industry stakeholders before finalizing details.

While specifics of the agreement remain unclear, early indications suggest it could bar yield payments on passive stablecoin balances. The tentative deal signals progress toward an April vote on the crypto market-structure bill, potentially unlocking the first major federal regulatory framework for digital assets.

Crypto legislation background 

The fight over a U.S. crypto market‑structure bill stems from a broader effort to build on 2025’s landmark stablecoin legislation, the GENIUS Act, which established a federal framework for stablecoins — requiring full backing, transparency and reserve disclosures for digital dollars. 

That law was widely seen in the crypto industry as a breakthrough for regulatory clarity while attempting to align digital assets with traditional financial standards.

After the GENIUS Act’s passage, the Senate turned its attention to more expansive digital asset oversight through what’s often referred to as the CLARITY Act or the crypto market‑structure bill. 

This legislation aims to define how U.S. regulators would police and oversee trading platforms, tokens, custody services and other infrastructure — essentially the backbone of a regulated digital asset ecosystem.

However, negotiations bogged down over one central issue: whether regulated exchanges should be allowed to offer yield‑bearing rewards on stablecoin holdings. 

Banks and major financial institutions argue that these rewards resemble unregulated deposit‑like products that could siphon funds away from FDIC‑insured accounts, potentially threatening lending and financial stability. 

Crypto firms — including major issuers like Circle and Coinbase — counter that such incentives are crucial for competitive markets and for user adoption of digital money.

The current tentative deal being negotiated between senators and the White House seeks a middle ground — potentially allowing activity‑based rewards while restricting passive yield — in hopes of unlocking Senate committee action by April. Whether that compromise holds both bank and crypto support will be decisive for the future of U.S. digital asset regulation. 

This post White House Reaches Tentative Crypto Regulatory Agreement: Report first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Phong Le Calls Morgan Stanley’s BTC ETF a “Monster Bitcoin” Bet With $160 Billion Potential

Phong Le, President and CEO of Strategy, the world’s first and largest Bitcoin treasury firm, said Morgan Stanley’s proposed bitcoin ETF could unlock as much as $160 billion in demand under a modest portfolio allocation scenario.

“Morgan Stanley Wealth Management oversees about $8 trillion in AUM and recommends 0–4% bitcoin allocation,” Le wrote on X. “A 2% allocation would represent $160 billion, about three times the size of IBIT. MSBT: Monster Bitcoin.”

In other words, Le is saying that even a modest 2% bitcoin allocation across Morgan Stanley’s $8 trillion wealth platform could drive about $160 billion into bitcoin, far exceeding the size of existing ETFs like BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust.

The comment landed as Morgan Stanley advanced plans for its own spot BTC ETF, revealing new details in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund would trade under the ticker MSBT, a symbol that Le cast as shorthand for the potential scale of institutional demand.

Morgan Stanley’s amended S-1 outlines a structure familiar to the growing class of spot BTC ETFs. The trust is set to list on NYSE Arca with a 10,000-share creation unit and an initial seed basket of 50,000 shares, expected to raise about $1 million. The bank also disclosed it purchased two shares earlier this month for audit purposes.

Key service providers mirror those used across the ETF ecosystem. BNY Mellon will act as cash custodian, administrator, and transfer agent, while Coinbase is set to serve as prime broker and custodian for the fund’s bitcoin. 

The product would hold BTC directly, aligning with the structure that has defined the current wave of the U.S.-listed spot ETFs.

Capital managers are migrating to bitcoin 

Le’s framing points to a larger question that sits beyond the mechanics of the filing: how much capital wealth managers may allocate if BTC becomes a standard portfolio component. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, with trillions in client assets, has signaled that bitcoin exposure can range from zero to four percent depending on client profile. 

Even a midpoint allocation, as Le noted, would imply flows that exceed the size of existing flagship products such as iShares Bitcoin Trust.

So far, adoption has moved in stages. Since spot BTC ETFs launched in 2024, the category has attracted more than $50 billion in inflows, driven in large part by self-directed investors. Within advisory channels, uptake remains uneven, shaped by internal policies, risk models, and client demand.

Morgan Stanley has already taken steps in that direction, allowing brokerage clients to access spot BTC ETFs and widening availability over time. The MSBT filing suggests a shift from distribution toward ownership of the product itself, a move that could deepen the bank’s role in the market if approval is granted.

The SEC has not provided a timeline for a decision, and approval is not assured. Still, the application marks a notable development: a major U.S. bank seeking to issue its own spot bitcoin ETF in a market it once approached with caution.

This post Phong Le Calls Morgan Stanley’s BTC ETF a “Monster Bitcoin” Bet With $160 Billion Potential first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Price Holds $70,000 as War-Driven Inflation Fears Meet Defensive Market Positioning

Bitcoin price held near the $70,000 level today as geopolitical risks tied to the conflict involving Iran shifted and macro expectations weighed on broader risk markets, while derivatives data and on-chain metrics pointed to a market in consolidation rather than capitulation.

The bitcoin price hovered around $70,500 in early Friday trading, following a pullback from a recent high near $76,000. 

The move came as energy markets surged and inflation concerns returned to the forefront, limiting upside across risk assets. Despite the pressure, Bitcoin price has shown relative stability compared with commodities and equities during the same period.

Research from VanEck frames the current environment as a post-stress reset. The firm’s mid-March ChainCheck report notes that Bitcoin price’s 30-day average price declined 19%, yet spot prices stabilized as realized volatility fell from 80 to near 50. 

At the same time, futures funding rates dropped from 4.1% to 2.7%, signaling reduced leverage and lower speculative intensity.

Options markets reflect a defensive posture. VanEck data shows the put-to-call open interest ratio averaged 0.77, the highest level since mid-2021, placing current positioning in the 91st percentile of observations since 2019. 

Demand for downside protection remains elevated, with put premiums reaching record levels relative to spot trading volume. Investors continue to allocate capital toward hedging, even as volatility declines.

Future positive returns for Bitcoin price?

This pattern has historical significance. According to VanEck, similar levels of options skew have preceded positive forward returns. Periods with comparable readings have produced average gains of more than 13% over the following 90 days and more than 100% over a one-year horizon. 

The data suggests that extreme caution in derivatives markets has often coincided with late-stage drawdowns rather than the start of new declines.

Onchain activity presents a quieter picture. Transfer volume fell 31% over the past month, while daily fees dropped 27%. Active addresses declined modestly, indicating limited participation at the network level. 

This trend led to the growing role of offchain venues, including exchange-traded products and derivatives platforms, which now account for a larger share of trading activity.

Long-term holders appear to be reducing distribution. Transfer volume declined across all age cohorts, signaling that older coins remain largely inactive. This shift points to reduced selling pressure from experienced market participants, a factor often associated with price stabilization phases.

Miner behavior adds another layer. Revenues declined 11% in the past month, reflecting tighter economics. Yet selling pressure from miners has not surged. Onchain flows to exchanges rose only 1%, while aggregate miner balances declined at a gradual pace. Over the past year, miners have sold most newly issued supply but have not accelerated liquidation of existing reserves.

Institutional flows, however, have softened. 

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded net outflows in recent sessions, reversing a prior streak of inflows. The shift aligns with broader risk aversion as investors respond to macro uncertainty and rising energy costs.

Yesterday, Morgan Stanley confirmed that its proposed spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund will trade under the ticker MSBT on NYSE Arca, according to an updated filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

At the time of writing, the bitcoin price is $70,371.

This post Bitcoin Price Holds $70,000 as War-Driven Inflation Fears Meet Defensive Market Positioning first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

North Carolina Lawmakers Propose State Bitcoin Reserve

North Carolina lawmakers introduced legislation on Wednesday to create a state-controlled Bitcoin reserve. 

Senate Bill 327, titled the North Carolina Bitcoin Reserve and Investment Act, would allow the Office of the State Treasurer to allocate up to 10% of public funds into BTC as part of the state’s long-term financial strategy.

The bill, sponsored by Senators Johnson and Overcash, passed its first Senate reading and was referred to the Rules and Operations Committee. Its stated goals include establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, promoting BTC as a financial innovation, and positioning North Carolina as a leader in state-level crypto adoption.

Under the proposal, the Treasurer would manage the reserve using cold storage wallets with multi-signature authentication. 

A new department within the Treasurer’s office would take custody of the assets, ensuring state control. The bill also calls for a Bitcoin Economic Advisory Board composed of industry experts to provide guidance and monthly audits to verify reserve balances, security, and performance.

Bitcoin acquisitions would be conducted through regulated U.S.-based exchanges, with bulk purchases timed to take advantage of market conditions. The bill also directs the Treasurer to explore BTC mining operations as a potential method to increase state holdings.

Use of the reserve would be restricted to severe financial crises, approved investment strategies, funding for critical infrastructure and economic development projects, and support for Bitcoin-related research, education, and business incentives.

Any liquidation of BTC would require approval from at least two-thirds of both chambers of the General Assembly. The bill allows the reserve to back bonds as an alternative financing tool for public projects.

The Treasurer would submit quarterly reports to the General Assembly detailing the reserve’s status, value, and performance.

Reports would also be publicly available on the Treasurer’s website, according to the bill’s text. The bill includes provisions to comply with federal and state laws regarding cryptocurrency holdings and taxation and encourages advocacy for federal regulations favorable to Bitcoin.

U.S. states want Bitcoin

Several U.S. states are exploring or have implemented BTC reserves as part of state treasury strategies. 

Texas, New Hampshire, and Arizona have enacted laws allowing portions of state funds to be allocated to Bitcoin, while Maryland, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan, South Dakota, Illinois, Tennessee and Missouri have introduced legislation proposing similar reserves. 

Other states, including Oklahoma, Utah, and Pennsylvania, have considered bills that remain in committee, while proposals in Wyoming, Montana, and Florida have stalled or been rejected. These efforts reflect a growing trend to use BTC as a potential store-of-value hedge and diversify state financial assets.

This post North Carolina Lawmakers Propose State Bitcoin Reserve first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Adam Back Confirmed As A Bitcoin 2026 Speaker

Adam Back has been officially confirmed as a speaker at Bitcoin 2026, returning to the conference as one of the few people in the world whose contributions to Bitcoin predate Bitcoin itself. As Co-Founder and CEO of Blockstream and CEO of Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company (BSTR), Back comes to Las Vegas operating at the intersection of Bitcoin infrastructure and capital markets like never before.

In 1997, Back invented Hashcash — a proof-of-work system originally built to combat email spam that became the direct technical foundation for Bitcoin’s mining process. Satoshi Nakamoto cited Back by name in the Bitcoin white paper, writing that the network would need “a proof-of-work system similar to Adam Back’s Hashcash.” Before the genesis block was ever mined, Satoshi emailed Back directly.

Blockstream, which Back co-founded in 2014, develops Bitcoin infrastructure across three areas: consumer self-custody tools including the open-source Jade hardware wallet, enterprise settlement and asset issuance on the Liquid Network, and institutional products through Blockstream Asset Management — with with Liquid Network closing 2025 with close to $5 billion in TVL. At Bitcoin 2025, Back framed the company’s direction: “We’re laser-focused on Bitcoin. At Blockstream, we are here to provide the infrastructure to enable that.”

On the capital markets side, Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company has entered into a definitive agreement to go public through a merger with Cantor Equity Partners I (CEPO), structured with 30,021 BTC on its balance sheet and up to $1.5 billion in PIPE financing — the largest ever announced alongside a Bitcoin treasury SPAC merger. As of March 2026, BSTR is awaiting completion of the de-SPAC process, with shareholder approval targeted as early as April, after which the combined company is expected to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker “BSTR.”

From inventing the proof-of-work system that makes Bitcoin possible, to building the infrastructure layer on top of it, to now bringing over 30,000 BTC to public markets — Back’s is unlike anyone else on the Bitcoin 2026 stage. His appearance at The Venetian this April will be one of the most technically credible perspectives at the conference on where Bitcoin’s protocol, infrastructure, and capital markets are all heading at once.

Bitcoin 2026 Returns to Las Vegas Bigger Than Ever

Bitcoin 2026 will take place April 27–29 at The Venetian, Las Vegas, and is expected to be the biggest Bitcoin event of the year.

Focused on the future of money, Bitcoin 2026 will bring together Bitcoin builders, investors, miners, policymakers, technologists, and newcomers from around the world. The event will feature a wide range of pass types, including general admission passes designed specifically for those new to Bitcoin, alongside premium passes for professionals, enterprises, and institutions.

With multiple stages, immersive experiences, technical workshops, and headline keynotes, Bitcoin 2026 is designed to serve both first-time attendees and long-time Bitcoiners shaping the next era of global adoption.

Past Bitcoin Conferences in the U.S.

Bitcoin’s flagship conference has scaled dramatically over the past five years:

• 2021 – Miami: 11,000 attendees
• 2022 – Miami: 26,000 attendees
• 2023 – Miami: 15,000 attendees
• 2024 – Nashville: 22,000 attendees
• 2025 – Las Vegas: 35,000 attendees

Get Your Bitcoin 2026 Pass

Bitcoin Magazine readers can save 10% on Bitcoin 2026 tickets using code ‘ARTICLE10‘ at checkout.

Stay at The official hotel of Bitcoin 2026, The Venetian, and get a guaranteed low rate plus 15% off your pass. Hotel Prices increase soon, be in the middle of where the fun is all happening, and where the networking never ends.

And don’t forget:

Volunteer at Bitcoin 2026 and get Pro Pass access plus exclusive perks.

All students ages 13+ can apply for a Student Pass and get free general admission access to Bitcoin 2026.

Location: The Venetian, Las Vegas
Dates: April 27–29, 2026

For more information and exclusive offers, visit the Bitcoin Conference on X here.

Why Attend Bitcoin 2026?

Bitcoin 2026 is the definitive gathering for anyone serious about the future of money. With 500+ speakers, multiple world-class stages, and programming spanning Bitcoin fundamentals, open-source development, enterprise adoption, mining, energy, AI, policy, and culture, the conference brings every corner of the Bitcoin ecosystem together under one roof.

From headline keynotes on the Nakamoto Stage to deep technical sessions for builders, institutional strategy discussions for enterprises, and beginner-friendly Bitcoin 101 education, Bitcoin 2026 is designed for everyone—from first-time attendees to the leaders shaping Bitcoin’s global adoption.

Whether you’re looking to learn, build, invest, network, or influence, Bitcoin 2026 is where Bitcoin’s next chapter is written.

Bitcoin 2026 Pass Types: Something for Everyone

Bitcoin 2026 offers a range of pass options designed to meet the needs of newcomers, professionals, enterprises, and high-net-worth Bitcoiners alike.

Bitcoin 2026 General Admission Pass

Ideal for newcomers and those looking to experience the heart of the conference.

• Limited access on Days 2 & 3
• Entry to Main Stage
• Access to Genesis Stage
• Full access to the Expo Hall

Bitcoin 2026 Pro Pass

Designed for professionals, operators, and serious Bitcoin participants.

Includes all General Admission features, plus:

• Full 3-day access, including Pro Day
• Entry to the Pro Pass Reception
• Access to Enterprise Hall, Enterprise Stage, and Networking Lounge
• Conference App networking features
• Access to the Bitcoin For Corporations Symposium
• Entry to Compute Village and Energy Stage
• Complimentary lunch, coffee, tea, and snacks
• Dedicated registration and check-in
• Reserved seating at Main Stage
• Huge savings when you bundle your hotel and Pro Pass

Bitcoin 2026 Whale Pass

The all-inclusive, premium Bitcoin 2026 experience.

Includes all Pro Pass features, plus:

• Reserved seating at Main Stage
• All-inclusive gourmet food and beverages
• Entry to Whale Night and Whale Reception
• Access to all official after-parties
• Networking app access to connect with other Whales
• Premium access to The Deep — an exclusive networking lounge with intimate speaker sessions
• Complimentary stay at The Venetian when you bundle your whale pass and hotel (use promo code ‘WHALEHOTEL’ here)

This is the most immersive way to experience Bitcoin 2026.

Bitcoin 2026 After Hours Pass

Your ticket to the night.

Most deals are done with a drink in your hand. Get exclusive access to 3 official Bitcoin 2026 after-parties across Las Vegas — each with a 2-hour open bar — where the real conversations happen and the best connections are made.

• Access to 3 official Bitcoin 2026 after-parties
• 2-hour open bar at each event
• Evening events across Las Vegas, April 27–29
• Network with Bitcoiners, builders, and industry leaders after hours

More headline speaker announcements are coming soon.

Don’t miss Bitcoin 2026.

This post Adam Back Confirmed As A Bitcoin 2026 Speaker first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

From presale traction to market debut

As recently as March 13, G Coin was still being framed as a token entering the market with measurable traction already in place.

Reports citing Playnance’s public tracker said the token had more than 200,000 holders and an estimated market capitalization of about $38 million ahead of its March 18 token generation event.

Playnance’s own documentation describes G Coin as the utility layer for gameplay, rewards, partner revenue distribution, and treasury flows, all running on PlayBlock, which the company says provides gasless execution, deterministic settlement, and sub-second finality.

That backdrop matters because G Coin was not launched as a blank-slate asset. Exchange-distributed coverage tied to Playnance’s launch materials said the broader ecosystem already supported more than 10,000 on-chain games, integrated with over 30 game studios, and processed roughly 2 million on-chain transactions per day.

In other words, the market was not just being asked to price a token, it was being asked to price activity that Playnance says is already happening across gaming, prediction markets, and other entertainment products.

Staking became the first hard signal

The clearest growth signal this week came from staking. On March 16, Playnance rolled out GCOIN staking on PlayW3, and launch coverage said more than 250 million tokens were locked within hours. The program lets users stake a minimum of 1,000 GCOIN across four lock periods, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months.

Rewards begin accruing after 24 hours, while early withdrawals remain possible but forfeit rewards. Playnance also said the model ties rewards to ecosystem activity rather than fixed token inflation, a structure designed to align participation with platform usage while trimming immediately circulating supply.

By March 18, that signal had strengthened. MEXC coverage around the market debut said more than 1 billion GCOIN were already locked in staking within hours of launch, as GCOIN/USDT went live following the token generation event.

A later March 19 report, citing the live tracker, said holders had climbed to 623,272, total sold tokens reached 13.981 billion, and 3.202 billion tokens remained locked. Compared with the 203,732 holders cited in March 18 coverage, that would imply roughly 3.1x holder growth in little more than a day.

Why the tracker matters now

That is why Playnance’s public G Coin Tracker has become more than a marketing page. It is now the most visible dashboard for testing the project’s launch-week claims in real time.

Indexed tracker snippets surfaced to search show the page tracking holders, price, growth, sold tokens, and market cap, while separate indexed snippets point to more than 3.15 billion G Coin in locked treasury categories.

In a market where many tokens reach exchanges before proving utility, Playnance is making the opposite pitch, utility first, then liquidity, with the tracker acting as the public scorecard.

The next question is whether that momentum survives once launch-week attention fades. For now, the past week shows a project moving through the phases that matter most, presale distribution, staking participation, exchange access, and transparent public tracking, with each step giving the market more data to judge whether Playnance’s growth story is durable.

Disclaimer: This was a sponsored post brought to you by Playnance.

The post Playnance’s G Coin turns launch week into a real-time growth test appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Britain’s bond scare is reopening a question Bitcoin was built for – moments when trust in sovereign debt and monetary management starts to crack.

Britain’s fiscal squeeze turned sharper after official borrowing data showed February public sector net borrowing hit £14.3 billion, up £2.2 billion from a year earlier and the second-highest February reading since records began in 1993.

Public sector net debt stood at £2.88 trillion, or 93.1% of GDP. On the same day, the Bank of England held the Bank Rate at 3.75% and warned that the latest energy shock would push inflation back up over the next couple of quarters while raising household fuel and utility costs.

The immediate market response sits in gilts, rate expectations, and mortgages. The slower shift shows up in savings behavior. Britain does not need a rush into Bitcoin for the asset to enter the conversation in a new way. A fresh round of doubt about cash, government bonds, and delayed rate cuts is enough to change how savers rank risk.

That shift starts with arithmetic rather than ideology. The Bank of England said in its latest minutes that preliminary staff estimates now put CPI inflation between 3% and 3.5% over the next couple of quarters. It also said higher household fuel and utility costs would squeeze real incomes. By January, the central bank’s own data showed the average rate on household instant-access deposits at 2.02%.

Easy-access cash is therefore paying less than the inflation range the Bank itself now expects. The gap is plain, about 0.98 to 1.48 percentage points below the near-term CPI path. For savers, that is where the definition of safety starts to shift. Cash still protects nominal value. It does less to protect purchasing power.

Britain’s household channel is also moving quickly. The latest forecast from UK Finance estimates that about 1.8 million fixed-rate mortgages will end in 2026. The Office for National Statistics already showed in its household-costs index that inflation was running at 3.6% for all households and 3.7% for mortgagors in the fourth quarter of 2025. That came before the Bank’s latest warning that energy prices would push costs higher again.

The UK sequence runs through government borrowing, gilt repricing, and household budgets. Gilts look less calm. Easy-access cash runs below the near-term inflation path. Mortgage pain is set to hit more households as fixed deals expire.

Bitcoin gains relevance in that setting as savers consider whether a small asset outside the sovereign stack should be included in the mix.

The squeeze starts with cash flow, then reaches portfolio choices

The Bank of England’s latest account of the shock gives the cross-market backdrop. In its March statement, the Bank highlighted that around one-fifth of global oil and LNG supply normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, Brent crude and Dutch TTF gas prices were about 60% above pre-shock levels, and that UK gas futures implied the next Ofgem cap could rise by 35% to 40%.

Related Reading

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Bitcoin may be more exposed now because a hidden Fed liquidity buffer that once softened stress is nearly gone.

Mar 20, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

That is the bridge between the macro data and the retail saver. A government can run a large deficit for years without changing how households think about money. However, a jump in utility bills lands every month. A mortgage reset lands with a letter and a direct debit. Those are the moments when a saver starts comparing trade-offs across purchasing power, liquidity, volatility, and trust in the issuer.

The distinction is useful as Bitcoin fell about 50% from October 2025 to February 2026, while options volatility climbed to its highest level since 2022. During an active squeeze, investors still sell volatile assets and raise cash. Bitcoin remains sensitive to liquidity stress in those periods.

That pattern also strengthens the longer Bitcoin case in this UK move. Gilts are volatile, expected rate cuts have moved further out, and easy-access cash yields less than the inflation the central bank now expects. Under those conditions, Bitcoin starts to look less like a pure speculation and more like an opt-out from sovereign monetary promises. It carries its own volatility and offers a different source of risk than the one now confronting cash and government debt holders.

The regulatory setup in the UK makes that discussion easier to have than it was a few years ago. The Financial Conduct Authority’s latest consumer research found crypto awareness above 90%, and 25% of crypto users said they would be more likely to invest if the market were more regulated.

The finding supports familiarity with the asset class and sensitivity to regulatory clarity. It leaves the size and timing of any new demand open.

Britain deserves attention outside the UK because the household mechanism is unusually visible. The US still dominates crypto flows, ETF headlines, and dollar liquidity. Yet, Britain shows the pressure points more quickly.

When debt is high, borrowing surprises on the upside, utility bills rise, and a large block of mortgages heads for reset, the question reaches the kitchen table faster. The crypto implication is a broader willingness to treat sovereign paper and bank deposits as incomplete answers to the word “safe.”

The official forecasts point in the same direction. In its March outlook, the OBR projected 10-year gilt yields at 4.5% and 30-year yields at 5.3% before this latest shock, while also seeing public sector net debt rising from 94.5% of GDP in 2025-26 to 96.5% in 2028-29.

It expects the tax burden to rise toward 38% of GDP by 2030-31. Those figures point to sustained fiscal strain and leave little room for a comforting version of the old playbook in which rate cuts, calm bonds, and patient savers solve the problem together.

Related Reading

Bitcoin price faces a crucial weekend test as US growth collapses to 0.7% while inflation stays stubborn

The data looked shaky even before the oil shock, and Powell now has to explain what breaks first.

Mar 14, 2026 · Gino Matos

What the next 12 months could look like

The plausible paths for next year each have a different effect on savings behavior.

The shock fades but does not reverse

The Bank’s 3% to 3.5% inflation range proves roughly right for the next couple of quarters, utility bills rise, and households rebuild precautionary cash even though real returns stay soft.

In that version, Bitcoin may not attract large flows, though it gains narrative ground. The case is simple: if cash is liquid but losing purchasing power, and bonds are no longer calm, a non-sovereign asset looks easier to justify as part of a broader savings mix.

The energy shock persists

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research modeled a persistent-shock scenario in which UK inflation runs 0.7 percentage points higher in 2026, GDP comes in 0.2% lower in 2026 and 0.3% lower in 2027, and Bank Rate ends up about 0.8 percentage points above baseline.

Before the latest move, NIESR’s winter forecast had Bank Rate at 3.25% by the end of 2026. Taken together, those ranges keep a path above 4% in play if the shock sticks.

That is the scenario most likely to deepen the Bitcoin case. High debt narrows fiscal room. Sticky inflation cuts into cash. Higher-for-longer rates hit mortgages. The combination increases interest in assets that sit outside the state’s liabilities, even while Bitcoin itself remains volatile and sensitive to broader market stress.

Market-functioning stress

The third path would hit Bitcoin in the short run and strengthen its appeal over a longer period. NIESR’s separate bond-market note warns that a sovereign duration shock can move from repricing into a financial-stability event, where central banks may need market-functioning support even while inflation is still uncomfortable.

That is the institutional contradiction Bitcoin was designed to answer. It is also the kind of market period that can still pressure Bitcoin first if investors rush for liquidity.

That tension explains why Britain’s latest bond move stands out. The trade is messy. The mechanism is clear. When a state borrows heavily, energy costs rise, inflation firms again, and households face mortgage resets, the social meaning of safety begins to change. The debate moves from macro theory to monthly outflows and preserved purchasing power.

Britain’s latest bond move could become a Bitcoin development before many Americans view it that way.

The UK data already shows the ingredients: £14.3 billion in February borrowing, debt at 93.1% of GDP, a policy rate held at 3.75%, near-term inflation back at 3% to 3.5%, easy-access cash at 2.02%, and 1.8 million mortgages due to reset in 2026.

None of those figures points to an immediate Bitcoin win. Together, they show rising pressure on the old definition of safety.

If energy prices stay elevated, if the next utility cap rises as futures imply, and if mortgage resets keep landing into a period of high gilt yields and delayed rate relief, more savers may decide that cash and government paper no longer answer the whole problem.

The post Britain’s bond panic is currently making the case for Bitcoin many people seem to have forgetten appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Your gas bill just became a Bitcoin story

Fresh March data tied one household pressure point to one market trade. The preliminary survey from the University of Michigan put consumer sentiment at 55.5, the lowest reading of 2026, and said gasoline prices had exerted the most immediate impact felt by consumers.

The same release showed one-year inflation expectations at 3.4%, above 2024 levels. A day earlier, Freddie Mac data cited by the report showed the average US 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.22%, the highest in more than three months.

Then spot Bitcoin ETFs logged another day of net redemptions, with flows showing -$90.2 million on March 19 after -$163.5 million on March 18.

That sequence points to a household inflation shock moving through rates markets before it reaches Bitcoin.

The move starts with fuel. It reaches consumers fast, because drivers see gasoline prices every week and often every day. It then feeds into inflation expectations, pushes Treasury yields higher, lifts mortgage costs, and makes the Federal Reserve look less likely to cut quickly.

By the time the move reaches Bitcoin, the market is pricing tighter financial conditions.

Daily yields show the 10-year Treasury rose from 3.97% on Feb. 27 to 4.25% on March 19, a 28 basis point move in three weeks. Freddie Mac’s 6.22% mortgage rate followed that shift. The ETF flow data flipped as well.

After two inflow days of $199.4 million each on March 16 and March 17, US spot Bitcoin funds swung to two outflow days totaling $253.7 million on March 18 and March 19, based on data.

Bitcoin’s own price action fits the same frame. BTC sat around $69,983 after touching an intraday low of $69,156. The move points to a market that is treating the shock as a reason to demand more compensation for risk, especially in assets that have become more tied to institutional flows.

The rates trade is shaping Bitcoin faster than the hedge narrative

A broad inflation hedge label does not explain the current move very well. The type of inflation now hitting markets raises near-term financing costs first. That changes behavior faster than a long-run scarcity argument can.

The preliminary Michigan release is useful because it captured both sides of the move in one report. Sentiment fell, and inflation expectations rose. The details also help keep the timing straight.

Interviews ran from Feb. 17 through March 9, with about half completed after the Iran conflict began, so the survey does not prove that one day of ETF selling came directly from the same-day consumer release. It does show that the consumer side of the shock had already started to register while rates were moving higher.

Energy prices explain why the consumer signal reached rates so quickly. The EIA said the Brent spot price rose from an average of $71 a barrel on Feb. 27 to $94 on March 9 after military action began. Its March outlook lifted the US retail gasoline forecast to $3.58 a gallon in March, about 60 cents above the prior month’s forecast, and about 70 cents higher in the second quarter.

The agency’s base case still expects Brent to remain above $95 for the next two months before moving below $80 in the third quarter if flows normalize. That outlook keeps the near-term inflation risk alive, while also giving markets a reason to look past the shock if supply routes stabilize.

That is where the Fed enters the equation. The March 18 statement held rates at 3.5% to 3.75% and said the implications of Middle East developments for the US economy remained uncertain.

The central bank’s projections put 2026 PCE inflation at 2.7% and the year-end federal funds rate at 3.4%, while 17 of 19 participants saw upside risks to inflation. That is not a policy shock by itself. It gives traders another reason to price a slower path to easier money.

Bitcoin sits at the far end of that chain. Pressure can build whenever enough holders respond to financing costs, Treasury yields, and portfolio volatility.

The ETF market increased that sensitivity. Regulated fund wrappers made Bitcoin easier for traditional investors to buy. They also made it easier to trim when macro conditions turned less friendly.

Cross-market signals show where Bitcoin sits now, and what could change next

Bitcoin is moving alongside broader macro signals, and the contrast with adjacent markets helps show where capital is going. Gold ETFs took in $5.3 billion globally in February, the ninth straight month of inflows, with North America accounting for $4.7 billion, according to the World Gold Council’s March update.

At the same time, Bitcoin has stayed in a $60,000 to $72,000 range since the early-February sell-off, and stablecoin dominance has risen to about 10.3% after roughly $22 billion in net flows over three weeks. That is a defensive signal inside crypto, not just outside it.

Those cross-currents point to a clear near-term conclusion. Investors do not need to reject Bitcoin’s long-run scarcity case to sell it in a rates shock.

However, a preference for cash-like positioning, shorter duration, or classic defensive assets (while oil keeps inflationary pressure elevated and the Fed maintains restrictive policy) supports the case for gold as a safer-haven allocation.

Bitcoin, meanwhile, remains a higher-beta expression of broader risk appetite. In that setup, gold can absorb a safe-haven allocation while Bitcoin remains a high-beta expression of broader risk appetite.

Kaiko research adds another layer. It argues that this year looks less like a retail frenzy and more like institutional consolidation. That change helps explain why the old inflation-hedge shorthand falls short.

As Bitcoin sits inside more ETF portfolios and macro books, its short-run price can be shaped by the same forces that move equities, credit, and rates. A portfolio manager facing higher yields and weaker risk appetite does not need a crypto-specific reason to cut exposure.

The outlook is more nuanced than a simple bearish call. The EIA’s base case expects oil to cool later in the year if supply routes normalize. BlackRock’s weekly commentary said risk assets could recover over a six- to 12-month horizon if a clear end to the conflict emerged. Those views leave room for Bitcoin to recover if the energy shock fades before it hardens into a broader inflation problem.

For now, the most useful scenario map starts with the range already visible in market data.

Bitcoin can continue to trade within the recent $60,000 to $72,000 range if oil stays elevated in the near term but eases later, the 10-year yield holds in the low-to-mid 4% area, mortgage rates stay above 6%, and ETF flows remain mixed.

A clearer path to de-escalation, cooler yields, and a return of net ETF inflows could open a move into roughly $72,000 to $85,000.

If oil stays higher for longer, it leaves inflation expectations sticky and extends ETF redemptions, which would put roughly $55,000 to $62,000 back in view.

There's also the possibility of a prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. The EIA said 20.9 million barrels a day moved through Hormuz in the first half of 2025, about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption, while bypass capacity in Saudi Arabia and the UAE was about 4.7 million barrels a day. That is the scenario where the inflation shock turns into a deeper stagflation shock.

The next set of data will show whether this repricing holds. The consumer side of the shock is already visible. The rates side is already visible. The ETF side is already visible. The next reported checkpoints are close.

The Michigan survey will publish its final March reading on March 27. Freddie Mac will update mortgage rates again on Thursday. Daily Treasury data will show whether the 10-year yield slips back toward 4.0% or stays near 4.25%. And the ETF flow sheets will show whether this week’s redemptions were a brief response to oil and rates, or the start of a broader repricing in which Bitcoin trades as a risk asset exposed to macro pressure.

The post Why rising mortgage rates and gas prices are suddenly impacting Bitcoin holders directly appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin’s real macro risk right now is more discreet than simply watching the price of oil. Behind the scenes, a Fed liquidity cushion is nearly gone, and it can quickly become a headwind for Bitcoin's attempt to avoid a deep crypto winter.

On March 19, usage of the Federal Reserve’s overnight reverse repo facility stood at just $0.637 billion. Separately, the Fed’s weekly balance-sheet release for March 18 showed total assets at $6.656 trillion, reserve balances at $2.999 trillion, and the Treasury General Account at $875.833 billion.

As a result, one of the market’s easiest shock absorbers has shrunk to almost nothing.

For much of the last two years, cash could leave the overnight reverse repo facility and move back into bills, repo, bank reserves, or risk assets.

That process did not solve every macro problem, but it softened some of the pressure when the Treasury rebuilt cash, when issuance rose, or when markets had to absorb tighter financial conditions.

That passive release valve has now shrunk to a rounding error. So the next inflation scare, oil-driven repricing, or funding squeeze gets less automatic relief. Pressure can land more directly on reserves, or it can force a more active policy response.

That dynamic sits beneath the week’s focus on oil and the Fed.

Related Reading

Bitcoin eyes new liquidity as the Fed's $18.5 billion repo spike reignites money printer chatter

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Feb 19, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

Bitcoin sold off this week, dipping below $70,000, while U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs posted two straight days of outflows totaling $253.7 million, with $163.5 million on March 18 and $90.2 million on March 19.

Crypto traders often talk about “net liquidity,” usually as a shorthand for how the Fed’s balance sheet interacts with the Treasury’s cash balance and the reverse repo pool.

The recent numbers explain why that framework should be back in focus. The balance sheet rose again. Reserves fell. The Treasury’s cash balance stayed large. And the passive buffer that once helped absorb stress is now effectively gone.

The shift also lines up with the way Bitcoin has traded through the ETF era, more in step with rates, flows, and broader liquidity conditions than many holders expected at the start of the cycle.

This week’s ETF outflows do not establish causation on their own. They do fit a market that remains highly sensitive to macro repricing and less supported by old balance-sheet plumbing than many holders may assume.

The old cushion is nearly gone, and the Fed has shifted toward active reserve management

The first thing we should pin down is around composition. The near-zero overnight reverse repo print does not mean every reverse repo liability on the Fed’s books has disappeared. The March 18 weekly balance-sheet data still showed $331.352 billion in total reverse repos. But almost all of that sat in foreign official cash.

A separate series showed foreign official and international accounts at $330.654 billion, leaving only about $698 million in the domestic “others” bucket that traders usually have in mind when they talk about the old ON RRP liquidity cushion.

The Fed still carries reverse repo liabilities, but the domestic pool that could quietly run down and feed liquidity back into markets is basically exhausted.

Related Reading

Fed decision tonight will likely decide whether Bitcoin gets past $80k or fall further

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Mar 18, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

The core figures look like this:

A January Fed research note said changes in the Treasury General Account, the ON RRP facility, and the foreign repo pool affect reserve balances one-for-one unless the Fed offsets them.

That same work argued that money-market rates become more sensitive when reserve buffers are smaller. The issue, then, is transmission. Shocks that once could be softened by a falling ON RRP balance now reach the system more directly.

The Fed has already moved on this front. The FOMC ended balance-sheet runoff starting Dec. 1, 2025, and began reserve management purchases of Treasury bills in December 2025 to maintain ample reserves.

Markets have lost an automatic cushion, while policymakers have already shifted toward a more active reserve-management stance.

Bitcoin is trading with rates and flows as the macro backdrop tightens

That shift carries through to Bitcoin because the market has already shown how fast it responds when rates and flows move together.

The Fed’s March 18 policy statement held the federal funds target range at 3.50% to 3.75%, described economic activity as still expanding at a solid pace, and said inflation remains somewhat elevated.

It also said uncertainty around developments in the Middle East had increased. Markets did not need a rate hike to reprice. They only needed a reminder that inflation risk and geopolitical risk can still keep yields firm.

The two-year Treasury yield moved from 3.68% on March 17 to 3.76% on March 18. That is only an eight-basis-point move, but short-end repricing carries weight when Bitcoin is already leaning on ETF demand and broad risk appetite.

The two straight ETF outflow days fall short of proving that Fed balance-sheet plumbing caused the move. They do show investors were willing to cut exposure as the rates backdrop turned less friendly.

The ON RRP data helps explain why the move hit so hard. Oil can still shape the market by feeding inflation concerns. But the mechanism runs deeper.

With the market’s passive liquidity release valve nearly empty, the same inflation scare can travel faster into funding conditions, yields, and allocation decisions than it did when the reverse repo pool still held hundreds of billions that could run down.

For Bitcoin, that is a more durable macro frame than a single move in crude, which the Fed’s own research supports.

The January research paper said quarter-end repo effects have already intensified as reserves and ON RRP balances declined, with SOFR rising seven basis points above the ON RRP rate at the March 2023 quarter-end and by as much as 25 basis points at later quarter-ends.

That is a market-structure signal rather than a crypto-specific one. It shows how tighter buffers can become visible first in funding markets.

There is also a clear offset. The New York Fed’s February 2026 reserve-demand elasticity update said the fed funds rate’s sensitivity to reserve changes was very small and statistically indistinguishable from zero, which suggests reserves are still abundant.

The market is dealing with a setup in which the old passive cushion has thinned out, while the remaining reserve pool still looks ample for now.

That combination can produce a new regime for Bitcoin. In the earlier phase, markets could watch the reverse repo pool fall and treat that decline as a quiet source of support.

In the current phase, there is much less quiet support to assume. Either reserves absorb shocks cleanly, or the Fed leans harder on bill purchases and standing facilities, or risk assets do more of the adjustment on their own.

The next pressure points sit in quarter-end funding, Treasury cash swings, and ETF demand

The most useful framework from here is to identify the set of conditions to watch.

The most likely scenario is that reserve balances stay near current levels, the Fed keeps rates unchanged, and ETF flows continue to swing day by day with mixed demand. In that setup, Bitcoin likely remains tied to short-end yields and broad risk appetite, but without a visible funding break.

The firmer-risk case is easy to sketch from the numbers already on the table. If the Treasury keeps a large cash balance, the domestic reverse repo pool stays near zero, and inflation worries keep the short end under pressure, reserve drains should land more directly on the banking system than they did when ON RRP still had room to fall.

Bitcoin only needs tighter financial conditions, more cautious ETF demand, and less confidence that passive liquidity support is still there in the background to feel that change.

The softer-risk case is also clear. If reserve management purchases keep reserves stable, if quarter-end funding stays orderly, and if ETF flows recover after this week’s outflows, the market may treat the disappearance of the ON RRP cushion as a change in plumbing rather than a fresh source of stress.

The regime shift would still be there. The difference would be that the Fed’s active tools were doing enough work to keep the strain from spilling into broader markets.

So the next checkpoints are mechanical.

• Traders should watch the daily ON RRP series, the weekly H.4.1 update for reserves and the Treasury’s cash balance, and the daily ETF flows.
• They should also watch whether quarter-end funding pressure starts to show up more clearly in repo markets, because that is where the Fed’s own research says thinner buffers can become visible first.

Bitcoin’s immediate pressure may still arrive through oil, inflation, or a hawkish rates repricing. The larger macro signal sits one layer lower.

The passive liquidity cushion that once softened market stress is nearly exhausted. The next shock will show whether active Fed management can keep that from becoming crypto’s next macro headwind.

The post While the world watches oil prices, one critical Fed cash backstop is almost empty appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin investors are buying protection around $50,000 even as the flagship digital asset holds near $70,000 and has recently outperformed gold, the S&P 500, and the US dollar during the ongoing Iran war.

According to CryptoSlate’s data, Bitcoin was trading at about $70,688 at press time, which means hedging around the $50,000 level means investors are guarding against a roughly $20,000 drawdown, even as the spot price remains firm.

The contrast has become one of the clearest signals in the market. Spot Bitcoin has shown resilience through the first phase of the conflict, but the derivatives market still shows traders paying for downside insurance.

On Deribit, the latest public options-flow note showed buying in the $50,000 to $60,000 put zone, along with March put spreads and fresh downside structures after attacks on Middle East energy infrastructure and a hot US producer-price print.

That split suggests investors are no longer treating Bitcoin as a one-directional war trade. Instead, they are weighing two outcomes at once.

One is that Bitcoin continues to absorb geopolitical stress better than many expected. The other is that the oil shock spills into inflation, pushes rate-cut expectations further out, and drags risk assets lower, forcing BTC back toward the low-$50,000s.

Related Reading

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Mar 14, 2026 · Andjela Radmilac

Middle East crude is rising faster than Brent

Oil helps explain why that hedge has stayed in place. Reuters reported Brent settled at $108.65 a barrel on March 19 after reaching an intraday high of $119.13, while West Texas Intermediate touched $100.02 before ending at $96.14. Brent later traded at $107.29 after hitting $119 the previous day.

The Kobeissi Letter, a macro analysis platform, noted that the more severe move has been in the Middle East itself.

According to the firm, Dubai crude, a regional benchmark tied more closely to Gulf exports, hit $166.80 on March 19, while physical cargo prices for crude and fuel also set records as the conflict around Iran disrupted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Oman’s oil price rose to $167 a barrel, while Brent remained near $113 and WTI traded around $97, leaving the gap between regional and global benchmarks at one of its widest levels in years.

That divergence has changed the market’s reading of the oil shock. Brent remains the headline benchmark, but the bigger stress is showing up in Gulf-linked cargoes, where traders are pricing the direct effect of disrupted shipping, lower exports, and supply fears around the Strait of Hormuz.

The Kobeissi Letter explained:

“When the war first began, US oil prices surged in the wake of uncertainty. However, as the Strait of Hormuz closed, markets began reassessing risks. While the Strait of Hormuz is closed, ~18% of global crude oil supply is offline.”

So, once that war premium moved from futures into physical barrels, the macro risk became harder for Bitcoin traders to ignore.

That would essentially shift the question for crypto investors from whether oil is rising to whether the rise remains contained in global benchmarks or continues feeding through Middle East cargo markets, keeping inflation pressure elevated for longer.

Related Reading

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

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Mar 6, 2026 · Gino Matos

Why traders are still buying downside protection

That backdrop is showing up clearly in Bitcoin derivatives.

Deribit’s March 19 note described buying $50,000 to $60,000 puts and said downside protection was provided through April and December risk-reversal structures as the energy shock and inflation data hit the tape.

The current market structure of the flow also adds nuance, with some of the recent downside positions expressed through put spreads and risk reversals rather than outright crash bets.

This suggests a market that manages costs and defines risk rather than simply positioning for panic. Investors are still paying for defense, but they are doing so with targeted structures around a specific lower range.

Meanwhile, broader derivatives data point in the same direction. K33 Research said CME Bitcoin futures open interest had climbed back above 110,000 BTC, while perpetual open interest held between 260,000 and 270,000 BTC.

It also said the seven-day average funding rate was -2.2% and the 30-day average had been negative for 18 consecutive trading days, the longest streak since December 2022.

In practical terms, the futures and perpetuals markets are still leaning defensive, even as Bitcoin trades near the top of its recent range.

Deribit’s weekly report with Block Scholes showed the same caution in options. BTC at-the-money implied volatility was around 50%, seven-day implied volatility stood at 52%, and the futures-implied yield curve remained flat at 2% to 3% across tenors.

Put-call skew had recovered from the late-February low, but the surface had still not rotated toward calls. So, traders were no longer chasing downside hedges at the same pace as earlier in the month, yet they were still willing to pay for protection.

Glassnode’s positioning data reinforces that picture, showing that perpetual funding remained firmly negative, while directional premium remained bearish, and directional perp premium turned negative for the first time since 2022.

This means that traders were still leaning short even after BTC's recovery from recent lows.

What comes next for Bitcoin

The upside case is that this hedge-heavy positioning becomes fuel for a squeeze. Glassnode said the combination of crowded shorts, negative funding, and easing options stress leaves Bitcoin vulnerable to further squeeze-driven upside if spot demand continues to recover.

In that setup, the same defensive posture that now reflects caution could turn into forced buying if traders have to cover shorts into strength.

Related Reading

Bitcoin price faces a crucial weekend test as US growth collapses to 0.7% while inflation stays stubborn

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Mar 14, 2026 · Gino Matos

Meanwhile, CryptoQuant’s more constructive scenario points the same way.

The crypto analytics firm said daily demand from accumulator addresses remained high at 224,700 BTC, above the monthly average, while exchange outflows reached 11,300 BTC in three days. At the same time, the Coinbase Premium remained positive, suggesting US buyers were still active.

Under that view, institutions are absorbing liquidity while retail sells into war headlines, creating the conditions for a bear trap rather than a breakdown.

However, the downside case remains tied to a wider conflict and a more persistent inflation shock. CryptoQuant said that if the US sends more troops to Iran and the conflict escalates further, restrictive Fed policy could remain in place for longer.

In that scenario, BTC's probability of a revisit to the February bottom near $60,000 rises, with the final liquidation zone around $54,800.

For traders trying to time the next entry, the more useful signal may be less about headlines and more about positioning.

CryptoQuant’s framework argues that price could continue to fluctuate between $69,000 and $65,000 amid heavy military tension, with a clearer entry only once the Bitcoin Price Momentum indicator returns toward its balance point near 50 and begins to show a reversal in the support region.

The post Bitcoin beating gold and stocks right now is making “smart money” worried appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The cryptocurrency market is currently navigating a dual-force storm: a historic regulatory breakthrough in Washington and a terrifying escalation of geopolitical tension in the Middle East. While US Senators have finally reached a tentative agreement with the White House to resolve the long-standing stablecoin dispute with banks, the news is being overshadowed by reports that the United States is preparing for a potential ground invasion of Iran.

US Crypto Market Structure: The Stablecoin Compromise

In a move that could define the US crypto market structure, Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) announced an "agreement in principle" on Friday. The deal seeks to bridge the gap between digital asset firms and traditional banks regarding stablecoin yields.

Banks have argued that allowing crypto exchanges to pay rewards on stablecoin holdings would trigger "deposit flight" from traditional savings accounts. The new compromise reportedly limits yield payments on passive balances while protecting the ability of firms to innovate within the payment sector. This agreement clears the path for the landmark Market Structure Bill to move to a committee vote as early as April.

USA-Iran War: USA Ground Force Preparations

The regulatory optimism was quickly met with a "risk-off" wallop. According to CBS News, Pentagon officials have drafted detailed plans for the deployment of ground forces into Iran. While the White House maintains that no final decision has been made, the "Operation Epic Fury" preparations suggest a significant shift from localized strikes to a broader theater of war.

Investors are reacting to the prospect of a prolonged conflict. Historically, $Bitcoin has often been touted as "digital gold," but in the immediate wake of sudden military escalations, it frequently behaves like a high-beta risk asset, selling off alongside tech stocks as traders scramble for liquid cash and traditional havens like the US Dollar.

Why is the Crypto Market Crashing?

The current market downturn is driven by three primary factors:

1. War Fatigue and Escalation: Initial surgical strikes in February were priced in, but the threat of "boots on the ground" suggests a multi-month or multi-year conflict that could disrupt global energy supplies.
2. Liquidity Crises: Large institutional players often sell liquid assets like BTC and ETH to cover margins in other bleeding sectors.
3. Inflationary Fears: A ground war in the Middle East risks pushing oil prices toward $120 per barrel, likely forcing the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates "higher for longer" to combat resurging inflation.

Future Outlook: Recovery or Recession?

Despite the immediate carnage, the long-term outlook for crypto remains anchored by the "CLARITY" of new regulations. If the Senate passes the stablecoin deal, it provides a legal "green light" for institutional capital to enter the space with reduced litigation risk.

Traders should monitor the support levels for BTC at $60,000. If this level holds despite the war rhetoric, it could signal a massive "accumulation" phase once the initial panic subsides.

• Expert Insight: "The market is currently pricing in the worst-case scenario for the Middle East. However, the legislative progress in D.C. is the most significant structural tailwind we've seen in years. We are seeing a transfer of wealth from panic-sellers to long-term regulatory-focused accumulators."

Bitcoin has gone through multiple crashes, corrections, and market cycles since its creation in 2009. From drops of over 80% to new all-time highs, volatility has always been part of the journey.

Yet one question still appears frequently: Can Bitcoin ever go to $0?

While short-term crashes are always possible, a complete collapse to zero is extremely unlikely. Here are three strong reasons why Bitcoin will not crash to $0.

1. Massive Global Adoption and Institutional Support

Bitcoin is no longer a niche experiment used by a handful of tech enthusiasts. Today, it is a globally recognized asset class.

• Major financial institutions like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Morgan Stanley are actively involved in $BTC
• Spot Bitcoin ETFs have opened the door for billions in institutional capital
• Governments and corporations now hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets

This level of adoption creates a strong demand floor.

For $Bitcoin to go to $0, every institution, company, and investor worldwide would have to abandon it simultaneously—a scenario that is highly unrealistic.

2. Decentralized Network with Proven Security

Bitcoin operates on a decentralized network secured by thousands of nodes and miners across the world.

• No central authority can shut it down
• The network has maintained near 100% uptime since launch
• It is protected by one of the most powerful computing networks globally (hash rate)

To bring Bitcoin to $0, the entire network would need to fail or be compromised globally.

Given its distributed nature and continuous upgrades, this is extremely unlikely. In fact, the network has only grown stronger over time.

3. Scarcity and Built-In Economic Model

Bitcoin has a fixed supply of 21 million coins, making it one of the scarcest assets in the world.

• New supply is reduced every 4 years through the halving mechanism
• Demand continues to grow as adoption expands
• Lost coins further reduce circulating supply

This scarcity creates a long-term value proposition, similar to digital gold.

Even during major crashes, Bitcoin has never reached zero because there is always buyers stepping in at lower levels.

Conclusion

Bitcoin can be volatile. It can drop 50%, even 80% during bear markets. But a complete collapse to $0 would require:

1. Total global abandonment
2. Network failure
3. Zero demand worldwide

All three happening at the same time is highly improbable.

Instead, Bitcoin continues to follow cycles of boom and correction, with each cycle bringing higher adoption, stronger infrastructure, and deeper liquidity.

Cardano Price Today: Consolidation After a Downtrend

Cardano ($ADA) is currently trading around $0.26–$0.27, moving sideways after a prolonged downtrend.

Over the past few weeks, ADA has shown limited volatility, with price action stuck in a tight range and no strong breakout attempts. Buyers are present, but not strong enough to push the price higher.

Cardano Price Analysis: Range-Bound with Strong Resistance

Looking at the chart, ADA is no longer trending down aggressively, but it is also not in a confirmed uptrend.

Key levels:

• Immediate resistance: $0.30
• Major resistance: $0.40
• Critical target: $0.50
• Support zone: $0.25

Price has repeatedly failed to hold above $0.30, showing that sellers remain active at higher levels.

👉 This suggests a neutral to slightly bearish structure.

How Much Does ADA Need to Reach $0.50 Before April?

Let’s calculate:

• Current price ≈ $0.27
• Target price = $0.50

👉 Required increase:
+85%

This would need to happen within days to a couple of weeks — a very aggressive move.

Is an 85% Move Before April Realistic?

👉 Mostly unlikely

Here’s why:

1. Time Constraint Is Very Tight

Reaching $0.50 before April would require a rapid move with sustained momentum — something not currently visible on the chart.

2. Multiple Resistance Levels

ADA would need to break:

• $0.30
• $0.40
• Then push toward $0.50

Each level increases selling pressure and slows the move.

3. Lack of Momentum

The current consolidation between $0.25 and $0.30 shows hesitation rather than accumulation for a breakout.

RSI Insight: No Breakout Signal Yet

The RSI is around 47–48, indicating:

• Neutral momentum
• No bullish divergence
• No sign of an imminent breakout

👉 This supports the idea that ADA is not building strong upward pressure yet.

Historical Comparison: Has ADA Done This Before?

Cardano has delivered 80%+ rallies, but typically:

• During strong altcoin seasons
• With high market-wide momentum
• After major catalysts

👉 Right now, these conditions are not present, especially within such a short timeframe.

Most Likely Scenario Before April 2026

Based on the chart:

• ADA likely remains between $0.25 and $0.30
• Break above $0.30 → first bullish signal
• Break above $0.40 → stronger trend shift
• $0.50 → unlikely before April without a sudden catalyst

Cardano Price Prediction: Can ADA Reach $0.50 Before April?

👉 Mostly unlikely

To reach $0.50 before April 2026, ADA would need:

1. An 85% price surge in days
2. Clean breakout above multiple resistance levels
3. Strong bullish momentum across the market

These conditions are currently missing.

Conclusion

Cardano is stabilizing, but not yet ready for a major breakout.

While $0.50 remains a valid long-term target, expecting it before April 2026 does not align with:

• Current technical setup
• Market structure
• Momentum indicators

👉 The key level to watch remains $0.30 — a break above it could be the first sign of recovery.

Bitcoin Price News: BTC Defends Uptrend Despite Volatility

$Bitcoin price news today shows a market at a critical turning point. Despite recent volatility, BTC is holding firmly above a key ascending trendline, trading around the $70,000 level.

Looking at the 4-hour chart, Bitcoin continues to respect a rising support structure that has been forming since early March. This trendline has acted as a strong foundation, preventing deeper corrections even during sharp sell-offs.

Bitcoin Price Analysis: Ascending Trendline Still in Play

From a technical perspective, the chart reveals a clear structure:

• Support Zone: $68,000 – $69,000 (trendline + recent bounce area)
• Major Support: $62,600 (previous range low)
• Resistance Zone: $74,000 – $76,000
• Key Breakout Level: $80,000

Bitcoin recently corrected from the $75K–$76K range but found strong buying interest exactly at the ascending trendline. This confirms that buyers are still defending higher lows — a classic bullish continuation pattern.

As long as BTC remains above this trendline, the structure favors an eventual move higher.

RSI Signals Cooling Momentum — But Not Weakness

The RSI indicator currently sits around 42–43, showing that momentum has cooled after the recent drop.

This is important for two reasons:

1. Bitcoin is no longer overbought, allowing room for a new move up
2. The market is stabilizing rather than entering panic-selling territory

Historically, such RSI resets within an uptrend often precede the next bullish leg.

ETF Narrative Strengthens: Morgan Stanley Enters the Game

One of the biggest catalysts in recent bitcoin price news is Morgan Stanley filing for a spot Bitcoin ETF.

This development signals:

• Continued institutional interest in Bitcoin
• Expansion of ETF competition beyond existing players
• Potential for increased capital inflows into BTC

The ETF narrative has been one of the strongest drivers of Bitcoin’s recent rally. With another major financial institution entering the space, the long-term outlook remains supported by growing institutional demand.

Bitcoin Future: What Happens Next?

Bullish Scenario

If Bitcoin continues to hold the ascending trendline:

• A move toward $74K–$76K resistance becomes likely
• A breakout could push BTC toward the $80K level
• ETF-related optimism could accelerate momentum

Bearish Scenario

If the trendline breaks:

• BTC could revisit $66K–$68K
• A deeper correction toward $62,600 support becomes possible

However, current price action suggests buyers are still in control.

XRP Price Today: Stuck Below Key Resistance

XRP is currently trading around $1.40–$1.44, struggling to gain momentum after weeks of consolidation. Despite a few short-term rebounds, the price remains under pressure and continues to follow a broader downtrend.

XRP has failed to reclaim higher levels and is now hovering below key resistance zones, with buyers showing limited strength.

XRP Price Analysis: Bearish Channel Still Dominates

The below chart clearly shows $XRP trading inside a descending channel, which is a classic bearish pattern.

Key observations:

• Lower highs confirm ongoing selling pressure
• Price remains below the mid-channel resistance
• Strong resistance sits around $1.60, then $2.00
• Support is holding near $1.20

Even recent upward moves have been weak and quickly rejected, suggesting that the market lacks strong bullish conviction.

👉 As long as XRP remains inside this channel, the trend is still bearish to neutral.

How Much Does XRP Need to Reach $2?

Let’s break it down:

• Current price ≈ $1.44
• Target price = $2.00

👉 Required move: +38.9% increase

This is a significant move — especially within a very short timeframe.

Can XRP Realistically Move +40% in 12 Days?

While crypto can be volatile, a move of nearly 40% in 12 days is unlikely under current conditions.

Here’s why:

1. Momentum Is Weak

XRP has been ranging between $1.35 and $1.50 with no strong breakout continuation.

2. No Strong Catalyst

Large moves typically require:

• Major legal developments
• Institutional adoption news
• Market-wide bullish momentum

None of these are currently driving XRP.

3. Market Structure Is Bearish

The descending channel suggests sellers still control the market.
Without a breakout, upside remains limited.

Historical Comparison: Has XRP Done This Before?

Yes — but under very different conditions.

XRP has previously delivered large double-digit gains in short periods, but these happened:

• During strong bull markets
• After major announcements (e.g., Ripple-related news)
• With significant volume spikes

👉 Current market conditions do not reflect that environment.

Most Likely Scenario for March 2026

Based on the chart:

• XRP is likely to remain within $1.20 – $1.60 range
• A break above $1.60 could signal early recovery
• A move to $2 would require a full trend reversal

That kind of shift typically takes more time than a few days.

Final Verdict: Can XRP Reach $2 This Month?

👉 Mostly unlikely

To reach $2 before the end of March 2026, XRP would need:

1. Nearly 40% upside in days
2. Strong breakout above resistance
3. A sudden surge in market momentum

None of these signals are currently present.

Bitcoin's volatility has subsided over the last month, but traders are still paying a premium for downside protection, VanEck said.

Prosecutors say automated plays of AI-generated songs fraudulently diverted royalties from human artists—to the tune of $8 million.

Kalshi's sports, politics, and entertainment prediction markets will be banned in Nevada for at least the next 14 days.

OpenAI will consolidate its fragmented desktop products into a single superapp, a report claims, as rival Anthropic gains momentum.

Kalshi has raised $1 billion at a $22 billion valuation, doubling its worth in just three months.

Discover why the 200-day MA is critical resistance for the XRP/BTC analysis and how the key support must hold by Monday to avoid a projected 64% bearish correction for XRP.

Shiba Inu seeing substantial inflow of funds on exchanges, which is not a good sign ahead of the weekend.

Despite taking a solid hit, the market is not yet ready to give up as multiple assets test local resistances once more.

Bitcoin is increasingly challenging gold’s status as the world’s premier store of value, decoupling from a massive sell-off in precious metals that has seen gold drop more than $1,100 from its February peak.

Evernorth CEO Asheesh Birla has addressed the growing divergence between XRP’s surging on-chain activity and its stagnant price.

Key Takeaways

• Bitcoin experienced a nearly 3% decline this week, retreating from $76,000 to approximately $70,000
• Federal Reserve maintained current rates while projecting just one reduction in 2026, dampening risk asset enthusiasm
• Citi analyst reduced Bitcoin price projection from $143,000 down to $112,000 due to legislative roadblocks
• Strategy expanded its holdings by purchasing 22,337 BTC, increasing total reserves to 761,068 BTC
• Morgan Stanley submitted an updated S-1 filing for a spot Bitcoin ETF with planned ticker symbol MSBT

Bitcoin began the trading week with strong performance, surging to $76,000 on Tuesday — marking its peak level since the beginning of February. However, this upward trajectory proved short-lived.

The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates at the 3.50%–3.75% range on Wednesday, marking its consecutive second meeting without adjustment. Chairman Jerome Powell indicated that escalating tensions involving Iran would likely elevate inflation pressures, diminishing the probability of rate reductions during the current year. The central bank’s updated projections anticipate a single rate reduction in 2026 and another in 2027, while increasing its PCE inflation forecast to 2.7%.

This conservative monetary approach negatively impacted risk-oriented investments. Bitcoin dipped beneath $69,000 on Thursday before bouncing back to approximately $70,843 by Friday — representing a weekly decline approaching 3%.

Central Bank Messaging Pressures Markets

Aurelie Barthere, Principal Research Analyst at Nansen, observed that the Fed elevated both inflation and economic growth forecasts. She emphasized that the press conference centered predominantly on inflationary concerns, characterizing the overall messaging as “rather hawkish.”

Escalating crude oil values, sparked by Israel’s strike on Iran’s South Pars gas infrastructure, intensified market pressures. Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, commented: “Increasing energy expenses, postponed monetary easing prospects, and a strengthening dollar are fostering a more discriminating investment climate.”

The $70,000 threshold has emerged as the critical level for market participants. Analyst Iliya Kalchev from Nexo Dispatch suggested that maintaining this level “invites a stabilization trade,” whereas breaching it “reopens the path toward the next support cluster.”

Banking Giant Lowers Outlook as Legislative Progress Stalls

Citi analyst Alex Saunders reduced his Bitcoin valuation target to $112,000 from the previous $143,000 projection. This adjustment stems from the Clarity Act — proposed cryptocurrency market framework legislation — encountering congressional obstacles. Probability metrics on Polymarket indicate passage likelihood has fallen to 60%, declining sharply from approximately 90% in February.

President Trump expressed on Truth Social: “The U.S. needs to get market structure done, ASAP. Americans should earn more money on their money.”

Notwithstanding the challenging week, Strategy’s Michael Saylor revealed on Monday that the company acquired an additional 22,337 BTC. The firm’s cumulative position currently totals 761,068 BTC, with a mean acquisition cost of $75,696.

Bitcoin spot ETF activity displayed variable patterns throughout the week. Monday and Tuesday recorded positive flows of $201 million and $199 million respectively, while Wednesday and Thursday witnessed outflows totaling $163 million and $90 million.

Concurrently, technical analysis shared by cryptocurrency account CryptoBullet identified a rising wedge formation on BTC charts, suggesting a possible decline toward sub-$50,000 levels should the pattern complete its breakdown sequence.

Morgan Stanley submitted an updated S-1 registration document with the SEC for a spot Bitcoin ETF, scheduled for NYSE Arca listing under ticker MSBT. Upon regulatory approval, this would represent the inaugural spot BTC ETF launched directly by a major American banking institution.

The post Bitcoin (BTC) Slides to $70K as Federal Reserve Dims Rate Cut Hopes and Citi Downgrades Target appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Circle Nanopayments supports USDC transfers as small as $0.000001, removing gas fees from sub-cent transactions entirely.

• Transactions are aggregated offchain and settled onchain in batches, allowing throughput to scale beyond blockchain congestion limits.

• The non-custodial design ensures only agent-signed authorizations can move funds, keeping user control intact at all times.

• Nanopayments preserves full x402 v2 protocol compatibility, making integration straightforward for developers already on the standard.

Circle Nanopayments is a new infrastructure solution designed to support gas-free USDC transfers as small as $0.000001.

The system addresses a growing need in the agentic economy, where autonomous AI agents must make continuous, high-frequency payments for API calls, inference, and compute.

By aggregating transactions offchain and settling them onchain in batches, Circle has built a financial rail suited for machine-to-machine commerce at scale.

Why Traditional Payment Rails Fall Short for AI Agents

Autonomous agents operate across disparate systems and execute multi-step workflows without direct human oversight.

As they do so, they need to pay continuously and in tiny increments for digital resources. Traditional payment infrastructure was not built for this type of activity.

Fixed fees, settlement latency, and operational overhead make sub-cent payments economically unviable on most networks.

On Ethereum, for example, a $0.000001 transfer carries a fee of over 53 million percent of the transfer amount. Even low-cost chains like Solana still impose fees that dwarf the value of ultra-small payments.

Circle took to X to address this directly, stating: “The rise of AI agents demands a new payment model. Traditional rails can’t support sub-cent payments, but USDC can. With Circle Nanopayments, developers can enable gas-free USDC transfers down to $0.000001, aggregated offchain and settled onchain in batches.”

Public blockchains also face throughput and predictability challenges. Network congestion and gas market dynamics affect how quickly transactions are processed.

Pay-per-crawl use cases require reliable, high-volume capacity that public mempools cannot consistently guarantee.

Interoperability adds another layer of complexity. Buyers and sellers often operate on different blockchain networks.

To accept broad payments, merchants must either verify transactions across multiple chains or rely on a third-party facilitator. This raises the integration burden, particularly for non-crypto-native publishers.

Circle addressed these barriers through offchain aggregation. Transactions are batched together and settled onchain periodically.

This removes per-payment gas costs entirely and allows throughput to scale independently of public blockchain congestion.

How Nanopayments Works and What Powers Its Security

Circle explains the payment flow in a straightforward sequence. An agent makes a one-time USDC deposit into the Circle Gateway smart contract, which funds its available Nanopayments balance.

When the agent requests a paid resource, the merchant responds with a 402 Payment Required status and payment details.

The agent then signs an EIP-3009 authorization for the requested amount and retries the request. The merchant submits the signed authorization to Nanopayments for verification. Circle instantly validates the signature against the agent’s offchain balance and deducts the payment amount.

Settlement happens asynchronously. Thousands of signed authorizations are batched, verified inside a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE), and submitted as a single onchain transaction. The onchain contract then verifies the TEE signature before updating balances.

Circle further noted that its solution delivers “no per-transaction gas drag, predictable throughput at scale, and standardized agent-to-merchant payments,” describing it as “the financial rail for agentic economic activity.”

Nanopayments also maintains full compatibility with the x402 v2 protocol, originally developed by Coinbase. The enhancements apply only to aggregation, verification, and settlement.

The standard x402 request and response structure remains unchanged, easing adoption for developers already building on that protocol.

The post Circle Nanopayments Brings Gas-Free USDC Transfers to Power the Agentic Economy appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• BTQ Technologies launched testnet v0.3 of Bitcoin Quantum, marking the first live implementation of BIP 360.

• BIP 360 introduces Pay-to-Merkle-Root outputs that hide public keys, reducing exposure to future quantum attacks.

• Bitcoin’s current ECDSA encryption could be broken by a sufficiently powerful quantum computer targeting private keys.

• Moving BIP 360 to Bitcoin’s mainnet requires a community-approved soft fork, with no confirmed timeline yet in place.

Bitcoin quantum resistance has taken a notable step forward as BTQ Technologies launched testnet v0.3 of Bitcoin Quantum.

This release marks the first live implementation of BIP 360, a proposed quantum-proof upgrade built for the Bitcoin network.

The testnet is now live and operational, moving the project firmly from concept to running code. Still, reaching Bitcoin’s mainnet will require a soft fork and the full support of the broader community.

How BIP 360 Addresses the Quantum Computing Threat

Bitcoin currently relies on elliptic curve cryptography, known as ECDSA, to protect wallets. This method has secured the network reliably for more than 15 years without a major breach.

It works much like a deadbolt lock on a front door — effective today, but not designed for quantum-era threats.

The concern, however, lies in quantum computing. A powerful enough quantum computer could reverse-engineer a private key directly from a public key.

That outcome would expose wallets across the entire Bitcoin network to theft. The risk is real, even if the technology to exploit it does not yet exist.

Crypto media outlet Milk Road addressed this risk in a social media post. It described quantum computers as a future lockpick, not yet built, but known to be in development.

The threat is widely acknowledged across the crypto industry. However, no quantum machine capable of breaking Bitcoin’s encryption is currently operational.

BIP 360 proposes to fix this gap by introducing Pay-to-Merkle-Root, or P2MR, transaction outputs. These outputs hide the public key from public view. This reduces the attack surface for any future quantum-based intrusion.

The proposal also sets the stage for quantum-resistant signature schemes, including Dilithium.

BTQ Technologies Testnet and the Road to Bitcoin Mainnet

BTQ Technologies moved past theory by launching a live testnet for BIP 360. The v0.3 release is described as the first of its kind for this proposed protocol upgrade.

It runs functional code in a real testing environment, not a simulation. This step signals that the project has moved well beyond the whitepaper stage.

Moving BIP 360 from testnet to mainnet, however, requires a Bitcoin soft fork. A soft fork is a backward-compatible protocol change that the broader Bitcoin network must approve. Miners, developers, and node operators all need to reach agreement before the change takes effect.

Bitcoin governance has historically been a careful and time-consuming process. Protocol changes require extensive peer review and community debate before adoption. As a result, there is currently no confirmed timeline for BIP 360 to go live on mainnet.

Milk Road noted that reaching mainnet requires the full Bitcoin community to agree on the soft fork. That process is historically slow in Bitcoin development circles.

Nevertheless, BTQ Technologies moved ahead by launching a functioning testnet rather than waiting for the threat to escalate. Tackling the problem before it becomes urgent reflects a responsible approach to long-term protocol security.

The post BTQ Technologies Launches BIP 360 Testnet, Pushing Bitcoin Toward Quantum-Proof Security appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Payward supports the White House AI framework to establish a clear, consistent federal AI policy across the U.S. 
• Co-CEO Arjun Sethi warns that regulatory fragmentation becomes a chokepoint on deployment and capital allocation. 
• Kraken backed the framework on X, stating AI will shape the next generation of financial and economic infrastructure. 
• Payward sees the national AI framework as essential for leading AI-powered finance, tokenized assets, and digital infrastructure.

A national AI framework released by the White House has gained strong support from Payward, Kraken’s parent company.

The firm called for clarity, consistency, and U.S. competitiveness in federal AI governance. Payward stated the framework removes harmful regulatory fragmentation across state lines.

This would lower costs and speed up deployment for American AI companies building at scale.

Payward Frames AI as Foundational Infrastructure, Not an Application Layer

Payward welcomed the release of the White House’s national AI legislative framework. The company expressed full support for a clear, consistent federal approach to AI policy.

According to Payward, AI will shape the next generation of economic and market infrastructure. The key question is whether that infrastructure is built in the United States or elsewhere.

Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Payward, drew a sharp comparison between AI and existing foundational systems. “AI is not an application-layer technology. It is becoming a foundational infrastructure layer, analogous to compute, networking, and financial rails,” Sethi said.

He added that the policy question is whether that infrastructure is built within a coherent U.S. regulatory system. The alternative, he warned, is fragmentation across jurisdictions that degrades performance and increases time to market.

Sethi went further in describing how fragmentation affects business operations and capital flow. “At scale, fragmentation is not just a regulatory issue. It becomes a chokepoint on system performance, introducing friction across deployment, data, and capital allocation,” he continued.

A clear national framework, he said, collapses that overhead entirely. It creates a clear surface area for builders to compete and develop globally dominant platforms.

Sethi also tied AI governance directly to future economic leadership across nations. “Countries that value AI as infrastructure, and regulate it accordingly, will own the next generation of economic systems,” he stated.

Payward reaffirmed its commitment to responsible innovation in AI, blockchain, and finance. The company said a consistent federal policy supports continued growth across these interconnected sectors.

White House Framework Addresses AI-Powered Finance and Digital Asset Infrastructure

Kraken voiced its support through a post on social platform X, backing the new framework directly. “AI will shape the next generation of financial and economic infrastructure,” the exchange wrote.

It added that stronger policy foundations strengthen America’s ability to lead in technology and financial infrastructure. Kraken also noted its support for the White House’s work to advance a clearer national framework.

The White House framework establishes guiding principles for a unified national AI approach. It aims to eliminate conflicting state-level rules that have slowed technology deployment.

Moreover, it targets cost reductions and removes barriers for U.S. companies to build and scale. Societal safeguards are also woven into the framework alongside innovation and competitiveness goals.

Payward praised the Trump Administration’s approach to AI governance as forward-thinking and balanced. The framework covers AI-powered financial services, tokenized assets, and secure digital infrastructure.

These areas align directly with Payward’s core business in digital assets and financial technology. The firm said the framework strikes the right balance between rapid innovation and public safety.

Payward is committed to collaborating with policymakers, industry partners, and other relevant stakeholders. It stated that implementing the framework effectively remains a shared priority going forward.

The company views this national AI framework as a foundation for U.S. technological dominance. It called on industry and government to work together in building globally competitive AI systems.

The post Kraken’s Parent Payward Backs White House AI Framework to Strengthen U.S. Financial Infrastructure appeared first on Blockonomi.

The online gambling conversation used to revolve around a small group of major operators. DraftKings, along with a few other household names, dominated headlines, advertising, and player sign-ups. That has not changed entirely, but something else is happening alongside it. A growing number of players are actively searching for crypto-native alternatives, and platforms like ZunaBet are showing up in those searches with increasing frequency.

This does not mean ZunaBet is about to replace DraftKings. They serve different audiences in different ways. But understanding how they compare reveals a lot about where different segments of the gambling market are heading. Here is what each platform brings and where the differences matter most.

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DraftKings: The Household Name

DraftKings grew from a daily fantasy sports startup into one of the biggest legal gambling operators in the United States. It is publicly traded, licensed across multiple US states, and backed by partnerships with major sports leagues and media companies. Its brand recognition is enormous, built on years of advertising during live sports broadcasts and integration into mainstream sports culture.

The sportsbook is the centrepiece. DraftKings covers NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, tennis, golf, MMA, and just about every other sport with a significant American following. Live betting, same-game parlays, and regular promotional odds boosts keep the experience engaging for bettors who follow the major leagues closely.

Casino games are available in states that permit online casino gambling. The selection includes slots, table games, and live dealer options from recognized providers. The library is solid within each approved market, but availability and game count vary from state to state based on what local regulators allow.

All transactions at DraftKings run through traditional payment channels. Bank transfers, debit cards, and approved processors handle deposits and withdrawals. Full identity verification is required before any wagering can take place. These are standard conditions for any operator working within the US legal framework.

The loyalty program operates under the Dynasty Rewards banner. Players collect Crowns through wagering, which convert into DK Dollars at fixed rates. Multiple tiers exist, and the system provides some return on play. However, the actual percentage returned to players is modest, and the structure is designed more to encourage continued betting volume than to deliver substantial cashback.

DraftKings excels at what it was built for: serving American sports bettors within a regulated, fiat-based environment. For that specific audience, it is one of the best products available. But its design leaves gaps for players who want something different.

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ZunaBet: Filling Those Gaps

ZunaBet launched in 2026 and was purpose-built for a different kind of player. It is operated by Strathvale Group Ltd, registered in Belize, and holds an Anjouan gaming license (ALSI-202510047-FI2). The founding team carries more than 20 years of combined experience across the online gambling industry.

The first thing that separates ZunaBet from a platform like DraftKings is the game count. ZunaBet hosts 11,294 games from 63 different providers. That library includes titles from Pragmatic Play, Hacksaw Gaming, Evolution, Yggdrasil, BGaming, and many more. Slots lead the catalog, but RNG table games and live dealer rooms with professional hosts contribute meaningful depth. No single US-regulated platform comes close to matching this number, primarily because regulatory requirements cap what can be offered in any given state.

The sportsbook at ZunaBet runs as a full product alongside the casino. Coverage spans football, basketball, tennis, NHL, and other major leagues. Esports betting goes deep with markets for CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant. Virtual sports and combat sports add categories that traditional sportsbooks often overlook. The entire offering operates as an integrated platform where switching between a casino session and a sports bet takes seconds.

Payments are crypto-first. ZunaBet accepts over 20 cryptocurrencies: BTC, ETH, USDT across multiple blockchain networks, SOL, DOGE, ADA, XRP, and additional tokens. The platform charges no processing fees, and withdrawals move quickly. Players use whatever coin they already hold in their wallet.

The welcome bonus package reaches up to $5,000 in matched deposits plus 75 free spins over three deposits. The breakdown is clean: 100% match up to $2,000 and 25 spins on the first deposit, 50% up to $1,500 and 25 spins on the second, and 100% up to $1,500 and 25 spins on the third. No progressive unlock systems or points-based release mechanics. Just clear matched deposits spread across three visits.

Native apps exist for iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS. The web platform runs on HTML5 with a dark interface, responsive layout, and fast performance. Live chat support is available at all hours.

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Games: Regulation Creates a Ceiling

DraftKings operates under state-by-state licensing in the US. Each state has its own gaming commission that approves which providers and games can appear on the platform. The result is that game libraries differ depending on where a player is located, and the total count in any single state is a fraction of what an internationally operating platform can offer.

ZunaBet does not face those constraints. With 63 providers contributing to the platform, the game catalog runs deeper and wider than what any single regulated US market permits. Players get access to studios and titles that may never appear on DraftKings due to licensing limitations. For anyone who values having the broadest possible range of games available at any time, the structural advantage sits firmly with ZunaBet.

This is not a criticism of DraftKings. The company operates within the rules of its markets. But it does illustrate why players looking for maximum variety often end up exploring platforms outside the traditional regulatory framework.

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Sportsbook: Built for Different Audiences

DraftKings has one of the best sportsbooks in the US market. Coverage of American sports is excellent, the live betting product is smooth, and the promotional calendar keeps regular bettors engaged. If you want to bet on the Super Bowl, March Madness, or the World Series within a legal, regulated environment, DraftKings handles that about as well as anyone.

ZunaBet’s sportsbook takes a more global approach. Mainstream sports are well covered, but the platform also invests heavily in esports markets. Dedicated betting options for CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant reflect a deliberate choice to serve the growing audience of younger bettors who follow competitive gaming as closely as traditional sports. Virtual sports and combat sports fill out the rest of the lineup.

The audiences these sportsbooks serve overlap in places but diverge in others. DraftKings is optimized for American sports culture. ZunaBet is built for a global, digitally native audience that bets across categories. Neither approach is wrong, but one is more future-facing than the other as the betting audience continues to get younger and more internationally connected.

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Bonuses: Structured vs Variable

DraftKings runs frequent promotions tied to specific sporting events. Odds boosts, deposit matches on certain occasions, and free bet offers appear regularly. The specifics change often, which keeps things interesting but can also make it difficult for players to plan around a consistent offer.

ZunaBet goes with a fixed welcome structure. Up to $5,000 across three deposits plus 75 free spins. First deposit gets 100% up to $2,000 and 25 spins. Second gets 50% up to $1,500 and 25 spins. Third gets 100% up to $1,500 and 25 spins. The offer does not change from week to week. Players know what they are getting before they sign up, and the three-deposit format gives them a reason to come back without adding any confusion.

Both approaches have their logic. But for players who prefer knowing exactly what a platform will give them upfront, ZunaBet’s transparency is appealing.

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Loyalty: Volume vs Value

DraftKings Dynasty Rewards tracks wagering through Crowns, which convert to DK Dollars. The system has tiers and provides incremental returns. It functions as a standard rewards program that gives something back to active players, though the actual return rate stays relatively low across all tiers.

ZunaBet built its loyalty program around a dragon evolution concept featuring a mascot named Zuno. Six tiers carry defined rakeback percentages: Squire at 1%, Warden at 2%, Champion at 4%, Divine at 5%, Knight at 10%, and Ultimate at 20%. Each tier adds additional perks including free spins scaling to 1,000, VIP club access, and double wheel spins.

The contrast is significant. DraftKings rewards continued betting with modest returns. ZunaBet rewards continued betting with escalating returns that top out at 20% rakeback. For regular players comparing the long-term value of sticking with one platform, ZunaBet’s program returns substantially more at every level. That 20% ceiling is not standard in this industry. It is exceptional, and it gives serious players a financial reason to commit to ZunaBet over other options.

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Payments: Two Different Worlds

DraftKings handles all transactions through traditional financial channels. Bank accounts, cards, and approved processors move money in and out. Deposits are generally quick, but withdrawals can involve waiting periods depending on the method. Identity verification is mandatory for every account.

ZunaBet runs entirely on crypto. More than 20 coins are accepted, including stablecoins on multiple chains. No platform fees are charged. Withdrawals are fast. There is no requirement to connect a bank account or go through the kind of identity verification that fiat platforms demand.

These are fundamentally different experiences. Players who operate within the traditional banking system and value regulatory oversight will naturally lean toward DraftKings. Players who hold crypto and want the speed, flexibility, and privacy that comes with it will find ZunaBet a far better fit. As crypto adoption continues to grow, the audience for platforms like ZunaBet grows with it.

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What the Momentum Suggests

DraftKings has a locked-in position in the US gambling market. Its brand recognition, regulatory licenses, sports partnerships, and advertising spend ensure it will remain a dominant force for years to come. That is not in question.

What is worth watching is the growing interest in platforms like ZunaBet among a segment of the market that DraftKings was never designed to serve. Crypto-native players, international audiences, esports bettors, and players who want massive game libraries and generous loyalty returns are actively searching for alternatives. ZunaBet meets those players exactly where they are.

More games than any regulated US platform can offer. More cryptocurrency options than most crypto casinos provide. A sportsbook that covers traditional and emerging betting markets. A welcome bonus that is straightforward and generous. And a loyalty program that returns up to 20% to its most committed players.

DraftKings owns the present of mainstream American sports betting. ZunaBet is building something for the next generation of gamblers who think differently about payments, play differently across game categories, and expect more back from the platforms they choose. The search momentum suggests that audience is growing, and ZunaBet is exactly what they have been looking for.

The post DraftKings and ZunaBet: Two Platforms, Two Directions for Online Gambling appeared first on Blockonomi.

Alongside the rest of the crypto market, Ripple’s cross-border token tried to break out in the middle of the business week, surging to a monthly peak of over $1.60. However, the subsequent rejection pushed it south to under $1.50 as of press time.

Even the most recent developments on the Ripple adoption and partnership front cannot truly initiate a notable leg up. As such, we decided to ask what is needed for XRP to finally break out of its current consolidation.

ChatGPT’s Take

OpenAI’s solution admitted that XRP has been quite sluggish as of late, trading over 60% away from its all-time high marked in July last year. Moreover, it has underperformed quite substantially even after the first spot XRP ETFs went live for trading in the US last November.

Nevertheless, it remained above $1.00 even during the most intense sell-offs in early February, which is why ChatGPT said that its bear phase “may be weakening.” To break beyond $1.60, though, the token would have to first flip that level into support, not just briefly wick above it as it has done on a couple of occasions since the February low.

“A clean breakout with strong volume would signal that buyers have absorbed the selling pressure at that level.”

However, the AI platform also outlined the significance of the broader market’s conditions as XRP “rarely moves in isolation.” It added that a continued BTC and ETH recovery would likely “provide the momentum needed for other larger-cap alts to follow through.”

Lastly, it noted that XRP has historically responded strongly to one of the following catalysts:

• Regulatory clarity or positive legal developments
• Institutional adoption or partnerships
• Increased utility in cross-border payments

However, these catalysts have failed to impact its most recent price moves, as mentioned above.

And Gemini’s View

ChatGPT’s rival from Google supports much of what was written above, saying that XRP has failed to materialize on Ripple’s big partnerships and it would need a more sustained revival from bitcoin to chart some gains. The AI solution believes the $2.00 level will remain a mirage for the foreseeable future, especially since riskier assets tend to underperform when the Fed keeps the interest rates high, and uncertainty levels from wars go through the roof.

“Right now, XRP isn’t just fighting technical resistance; It’s fighting the Federal Reserve. The post-FOMC hangover from March 18 made it clear: Interest rates are staying higher for longer and speculative capital is hiding out in safe-yielding Treasuries.”

It explained that the macro winds “need to shift” for XRP to break past $1.60 and head for $2.00. A cooling in inflation data or an unexpected dovish pivot from the Fed later this year would “instantly inject liquidity back into the crypto markets, lifting all boats – XRP included.”

The post We Asked 2 AIs: What Must XRP Do to Escape the Ongoing Crisis? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

There is a notable divergence in Bitcoin’s on-chain structure, where realized losses have surged to cycle extremes even as supply activity continues to contract. This points to a potential phase of selling exhaustion.

According to the latest analysis shared by Axel Adler Jr., Bitcoin’s Net Realized Profit/Loss, which tracks the balance between realized gains and losses across all UTXOs, has fallen sharply into negative territory, and losses reached nearly $2 billion during January-February 2026. The metric was last observed at these levels during the 2022-2023 bear market.

Supply Refuses to Move

Such a pattern comes after a long period from October 2023 through the end of 2024, when the metric remained consistently positive amid a rally from $30,000 to a peak of $125,000. The current dominance of realized losses, particularly with prices stabilizing in the $65,000-$75,000 range, points to capitulation pressure among weaker holders, which is historically associated with periods of market stress and compression in selling activity.

However, Adler Jr. explained that this alone does not confirm a trend reversal. At the same time, the Supply Active 30D Change metric, which measures changes in the proportion of recently moved coins, has declined below zero. This indicates a contraction in “young” UTXOs and reduced coin movement, and contrasts with prior bullish phases, where sharp upward spikes above 12% in this metric accompanied strong price advances.

The present decline means coins are increasingly dormant and reflects a lack of broad-based distribution despite high realized losses. Adler Jr. went on to add that these factors demonstrate exhaustion in loss-driven selling rather than a confirmed recovery in demand.

The divergence implies that while some market participants are capitulating, a larger share of holders remains inactive. Structurally, this aligns with accumulation or absorption phases, though confirmation requires a steady recovery in the 7-day moving average of Net Realized PnL back into positive territory while supply activity remains subdued.

Key Risks Ahead

More importantly, the primary risk lies in a scenario where supply activity accelerates before PnL recovers, which would indicate renewed distribution rather than organic recovery.

Until such confirmation emerges, the current market regime remains neutral, and conditions suggest compression in selling pressure rather than the onset of a definitive bullish reversal.

The post Bitcoin Realized Losses Hit Extremes While Supply Remains Frozen appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitcoin briefly climbed past $71,000 early Friday, as it slightly bounced back from earlier weakness. This comes as authorities worked to address oil supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and restore market stability.

Amid these developments, Bitcoin is nearing a long-standing support trendline that has “guarded” its price action since 2017.

Support Floor

According to data shared by crypto analyst Ali Martinez, historically, each prior retest of this level preceded major rallies, including gains of 963% in 2017, 261% in 2018, 1,126% following the 2020 COVID-19 market crash, and 660% after the 2022 FTX collapse.

The flagship cryptocurrency is currently approaching this support zone between $60,000 and $56,000. Martinez added,

“If this floor holds, we aren’t just looking at a bounce. Indeed, we are looking at the potential launchpad for the next major bull cycle.”

Additionally, the TD Sequential flashed a buy signal on Bitcoin, which means that the recent downtrend may be losing momentum. Based on this setup, the asset may be positioned for a rebound from its current levels.

Separate data shows Bitcoin is exhibiting a significant divergence as the number of whale wallets holding at least 100 BTC has increased to 753 over the past three months. During the same period, Bitcoin’s market value declined by 20%, indicating accumulation by large holders despite falling prices.

Weak Conviction

But a deeper look at market structure reveals that the latest move is not yet backed by strong conviction across all segments. Bitcoin has cleared a major supply cluster, which pushed the asset into a relatively thin liquidity zone up to $82,000. This suggests reduced resistance in the short term. However, the breakout has yet to confirm a broader structural shift.

Around 60% of Bitcoin’s supply is currently in profit, below the typical 75% seen in stronger bull phases, while short-term holders are realizing profits at a pace of $18.4 million per hour, pointing to ongoing sell-side pressure. Although spot demand has improved, supported by renewed inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs and stronger exchange buying activity, derivatives data show limited conviction.

CME futures open interest remains low, and negative funding rates indicate continued short positioning, which has partly fueled the rally through short covering. Options markets reflect declining volatility and rising call interest, pointing to a more balanced outlook. Glassnode observed that holding above $70,000 while absorbing profit-taking could support a move toward $78,000 and potentially $82,000, though further upside will likely depend on stronger capital inflows and increased leverage.

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Many leading cryptocurrencies have posted slight declines or negligible increases over the past 24 hours, but this isn’t the case for Bittensor (TAO), whose price soared by 15%.

The question now is whether this momentum can hold or if a pullback is coming next.

Further Gains Ahead?

Earlier today (March 20), TAO’s price soared to $306 (per CoinGecko data), the highest since the start of December 2025. Its market capitalization pumped to roughly $2.7 billion, making it the 35th-biggest cryptocurrency.

The most evident catalyst of the resurgence appears to be the discussion between NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang and the well-known entrepreneur Chamath Palihapitiya. Both men endorsed the project, with Huang praising Bittensor for successfully training a 4-billion-parameter Llama model using a fully distributed computing model.

According to multiple market observers, the price has yet to reach new peaks. X user John claimed that TAO “looks like it’s about to go on a massive run,” while Ardi envisioned a pump to $360-$370 if TAO initiates a decisive breakout above the $302 resistance level.

Andrew Crypto and Altcoin Sherpa also chipped in. The former forecasted heightened volatility in the coming months and an eventual rise beyond $500 after the summer. For their part, Altcoin Sherpa doesn’t see the current conditions as a perfect buying opportunity, although the comments from NVIDIA’s boss might change the picture.

“This is not a great place to be buying, but with NVIDIA having their conference and AI being in the news, maybe you can consider top blasting and not caring. Strong bounce; sad I didn’t take it earlier like I charted,” the analyst stated.

Those curious to observe other recent price predictions involving Bittensor’s native cryptocurrency can take a look at our dedicated article here.

Beware of These Signals

Contrary to the aforementioned optimism, TAO’s exchange netflow suggests the price may soon head south. Over the past several days, inflows have outweighed outflows, meaning that investors have been flocking toward centralized platforms and abandoning self-custody. This doesn’t guarantee a price crash but is typically considered as pre-sale behavior.

The asset’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) also signals trouble ahead for the bulls. The indicator has soared past 70 on a daily scale, thus entering overbought conditions, which could be a precursor of a pullback. The RSI ranges from 0 to 100, with anything below 30 considered a buying opportunity.

The post Bittensor (TAO) Hits a 3-Month Peak: What Caused the Rally and What Comes Next? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Morgan Stanley has filed a second amended S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch its spot Bitcoin ETF.

The update adds operational details and signals progress in the bank’s application, even though approval is still uncertain.

Morgan Stanley Adds Structure to Bitcoin ETF Filing

In its filing, the bank outlined plans for an initial seed basket of 50,000 shares, which is expected to raise about $1 million. Earlier in the month, the bank revealed that it had undertaken another routine step in ETF preparation, buying a couple of the fund’s shares for auditing purposes.

In its previous amendment, the investment giant disclosed that it had roped in BNY Mellon and Coinbase as key service providers, with the former acting as its cash custodian, administrator, and transfer agent, while the latter will serve as prime broker and custodian for the fund’s BTC holdings. Additionally, the filing also confirmed that if approved, the proposed BTC ETF will trade on the  NYSE Arca, with MSBT as its ticker.

The financial institution submitted its BTC ETF application back in January, alongside filings for products linked to Solana (SOL). At the time, it stated that it had decided to embrace crypto assets due to improved regulatory clarity under the Trump administration. And while it is yet to disclose its management fees, the spot Bitcoin ETF could go live in the next few weeks, thanks to the SEC’s generic listing standard.

Were that to happen, it would place Morgan Stanley among a growing list of issuers competing in the U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF market, where products launched in January 2024 have attracted over $56 billion in cumulative flows, according to data from SoSoValue.

Institutional Crypto Push Gathers Pace

Morgan Stanley’s foray into crypto isn’t exactly new. It previously allowed certain brokerage clients access to digital asset trading, and recent ETF launches from fellow Wall Street giant BlackRock could show them what to expect.

BlackRock has been in the crypto ETF space for a while now, but it recently launched a staked Ethereum ETF that recorded a trading volume of more than $15 million on its first day. While the figure seemed modest, especially compared to the firm’s more established funds, it showed that there is still interest in new crypto investment structures.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin itself was trading around the $70,000 level at the time of writing, up less than 1% in the last 24 hours and showing a dip of over 2% in the past seven days. In the last month, the OG cryptocurrency added at least 4% to its value, although it is still nearly 44% below its all-time high price recorded in October 2025, when it went past $126,000.

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