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BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) on Thursday launched the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ:ETHB) on Nasdaq, combining spot Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) exposure with staking rewards as institutional demand for crypto yield accelerates.

The Staking Feature Gap

ETHB marks BlackRock’s third crypto ETF and the first to incorporate staking, Coindesk reported on Thursday.

The fund holds spot Ethereum and stakes a portion of holdings on the Ethereum network, allowing investors to earn rewards while benefiting from price movements.

The launch addresses a gap that discouraged crypto-native investors from moving into ETFs. 

Jay Jacobs, BlackRock’s U.S. head of equity ETFs, explained that investors who already held ether directly and were staking it weren’t ready to move into exchange-traded products because they …

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Prominent crypto analyst Trader Mayne predicts Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) may face another leg lower before long-term buying opportunities emerge.

Bitcoin Could See Another 20% Drop

Speaking on his podcast, Maybe said Bitcoin remains in a broken higher-timeframe structure, suggesting further downside may occur before a meaningful bottom form.

He pointed to a similar breakdown during the previous cycle, when Bitcoin lost its monthly structure and continued falling for months, eventually dropping more than 20%.

Based on historical drawdowns and a key yearly order block, Mayne believes Bitcoin could decline toward the $48,000 zone, which would represent roughly a 60% correction from its all-time high.

While many …

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has been trading in a range for months, with observers searching for short-term price patterns that could signal where the market may head in the longer run.

Bitcoin Often Rises Before Sharp Bear Market Drops

Prominent analyst Benjamin Cowen said in a March 11 podcast that bear markets in Bitcoin often behave counterintuitively, with prices spending more time drifting upward than falling.

These rallies can last weeks or months, creating optimism that a new bull market has begun before a rapid capitulation pushes prices to a lower low.

According to Cowen, this structure makes bear markets difficult to identify in real time because temporary rebounds often convince investors that …

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JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) faces a proposed class action lawsuit accusing the bank of enabling a $328 million crypto Ponzi scheme run by Goliath Ventures by ignoring suspicious transactions and allowing fraudulent wire transfers to Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) wallets.

The $328 Million Scheme

Investors filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging JPMorgan was the sole banking institution for Goliath from January 2023 to May or June 2025. 

“Goliath obtained at least $328 million from what are believed to be over 2,000 investors,” the complaint states.

Investors deposited about $253 million into JPMorgan’s 0305 account from January 2023 through June 2025, representing nearly two-thirds of the $328 million total.

Investors transferred roughly $123 million of that amount to Goliath’s wallets maintained by Coinbase.

CEO Christopher Delgado ran the scheme through Goliath Ventures from January 2023 to January 2026 before authorities arrested him on February …

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XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) and Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) ETF holders are “even better diamond hands than the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF holders,” Bloomberg senior ETF analyst James Seyffart said Wednesday, as both products held $1.4 billion in inflows despite assets falling over 60%.

The Diamond Hands Data

Seyffart said on the Milk Road podcast there hasn’t been a ton of outflows despite massive pullbacks, demonstrating stronger holder conviction than Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) ETFs.

Bitcoin ETFs saw roughly $9 billion in outflows from October 10, 2025 through February 23, representing about 12-15% of flows reversing after Bitcoin fell more than 50%. 

Meanwhile, Ethereum ETFs experienced worse performance with 25% of flows reversing after the asset dropped over 60%.

In contrast, XRP and Solana ETF holders barely sold despite similar or …

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SoFi Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI) is capturing significant market attention this week as its momentum score surged from 39.06 to 63.72.

Momentum Spikes, Growth Remains Elite For SOFI

This rapid week-on-week improvement in its percentile ranking follows a flurry of high-impact news, including a landmark stablecoin settlement partnership with Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:MA) and a massive show of confidence from the company’s top leadership.

While SOFI‘s price trend is currently flagged as downward in the short and medium term, according to Benzinga Edge’s Stock Ranking, its growth ranking remains elite at 95.27, reflecting a robust expansion in earnings and revenue.

Benzinga Edge's Stock Ranking for ...</a></figure></p><p><a href=https://www.benzinga.com/news/26/03/51209174/sofi-stock-sees-massive-rise-in-momentum-as-mastercard-stablecoin-deal-goes-live?utm_source=benzinga_taxonomy&utm_medium=rss_feed_free&utm_content=taxonomy_rss&utm_campaign=channel alt=SOFi Stock Sees Massive Rise In Momentum As Mastercard Stablecoin Deal Goes Live>Full story available on Benzinga.com</a></p></div></body></html>

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Bitcoin is hovering around $70,000, following $115.2 million in net inflows into Bitcoin ETFs on Wednesday, while Ethereum ETFs reported $57 million in net inflows.  


Cryptocurrency		 Ticke Price
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $70,555.61
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $2,071.21
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $86.87
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $1.39
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) $0.09442
Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) $0.055945

Meme coin market capitalization is up 4.1% to $33 billion over the past 24 hours.

Trader Commentary:

Crypto trader Jelle said Bitcoin continues to mirror its mid-2022 bear market …

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A top cryptocurrency analyst on Wednesday flagged imminent volatility for Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), as the seventh-largest cryptocurrency battles a month-long sideways movement.

Upward Breakout Or Downside Breakdown?

Ali Martinez took to X, highlighting a Bollinger Bands squeeze roughly between $81 and $92. They interpreted it as a sign of an incoming “major price move.”

The Bollinger Band Squeeze occurs when the volatility drops, causing the space between the bands to tighten. When the price closes outside of bands, traders consider it a potential new breakout. This strategy is used to identify the start of new trends after periods of consolidation.

Bulls Vs. Bears: Who’s …

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Barry Silbert, CEO of cryptocurrency conglomerate Digital Currency Group, hailed the growth of financial privacy on Wednesday after mining giant Foundry announced plans to launch a Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) mining pool.

A Mining Pool For ZEC?

Foundry, which operates one of the world’s leading Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) mining pools, Foundry USA pool, said the launch intends to address a critical gap in Zcash’s mining infrastructure.

“With the launch of our Zcash pool, we are bringing to Zcash the same compliance, transparency, and operational excellence that made Foundry USA Pool the trusted standard for Bitcoin miners,” said Mike Colyer, CEO of Foundry.

Silbert, whose conglomerate is the parent company of Foundry, cheered the development, adding, “Financial privacy will become more important as digital assets integrate with …

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Renowned author and statistician Nassim Nicholas Taleb found Elon Musk’s widely touted X Money payments service better than Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) on Wednesday.

X Money A ‘Private’ Currency?

Talib responded to Musk‘s announcement that X Money will begin early public access next month, saying, “This is much, much smarter than Bitcoin. Private currencies must compete with one another.”

X users differed on what Taleb meant by “private currencies,” with some concluding that “private” referred to X as a private company rather than privacy features.

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Binance (CRYPTO: BNB) co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao disputed on Wednesday Forbes’ estimate that his net worth has exceeded $111 billion, ranking him ahead of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

CZ Says Wealth Can’t Increase In Bear Market

Forbes reported that CZ’s wealth jumped nearly $47 billion from last year. But CZ asked how that was possible, given that cryptocurrency prices have dropped over the same period.

“Binance is the largest crypto exchange. It grows and shrinks with the industry,” CZ said. “Binance’s valuation can’t increase when crypto prices are down.”

He added that Binance’s revenue is tied to trading volumes, which shrink during a “crypto winter.”

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Leading cryptocurrencies traded flat, while stocks fell further on Wednesday as President Donald Trump authorized tapping the strategic reserve to lower oil prices.

Cryptocurrency 24-Hour Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 9:15 p.m. ET)
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) -0.22% $69,912.33
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)
               		 +0.48% $2,046.98
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)                          -0.73% $1.37
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)                          +0.18% $86.28
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)              -1.85% $0.09276

Crypto Market Shifts Sideways

Bitcoin surged past $71,000 but met strong resistance shortly after, dropping back under $70,000 overnight. Trading volume fell 16% in the last 24 hours. Ethereum wobbled in the $2,000 region amid subdued trading volumes 

Nearly $180 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market over the past 24 hours, representing a notable decline from the previous day. Bearish short positions worth $102 million were wiped out.

Moreover, about $490 million in Bitcoin shorts risked liquidation if the apex cryptocurrency rises to $73,000.

Open interest in Bitcoin futures spiked 1.51% in the last 24 hours. Rising open interest alongside flat price action signals a consolidation phase where market participants are actively building positions, but there is no clear consensus on direction.

Meanwhile, Binance derivatives traders, including both …

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Institutional investors invested more than $540 million in U.S. Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) ETFs in Q4 after their launch last October, per Bloomberg data, yet the token’s price has barely moved. This has sparked debate about the true impact of demand on the token’s price, translating into real momentum for the blockchain’s native asset.

Data highlighted by Bloomberg ETF analyst, James Seyffart, indicates that approximately 30 large institutional investors collectively created more than $540 million in exposure to Solana ETFs during the fourth quarter of 2025. Venture firm Electric Capital led the allocations with nearly $138 million, followed by Goldman Sachs with more than $107 million.

However, despite that surge in institutional positioning, the token’s price has been stuck in consolidation, trading around $86 as of March 11 and only slightly higher at $86.80 on March 10, still far from the coveted $100 mark. To be more specific, the price of Solana fell from …

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Bloomberg Intelligence senior commodities strategist Mike McGlone predicts Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) will fall to $10,000, calling the crypto asset class “dead” as unlimited token supply and five years of underperformance versus the S&P 500 make it uninvestable for institutional risk managers.

The $10,000 Target Explained

McGlone defines $10,000 as the most widely traded price for Bitcoin since 2019-2020, similar to how crude oil has traded around $57 per barrel for almost 10 years. 

“That’s where Bitcoin set its place,” McGlone said, arguing the asset will return to this level during a broader risk asset correction.

McGlone previously called for Bitcoin to drop to $1,100 in 2018 when it traded at $10,000.

Bitcoin ultimately bottomed at $3,000, making him “30% wrong, 70% right.” He became bullish in 2019 and correctly predicted Bitcoin would exceed $100,000 in 2020 by “just adding a zero.”

Now McGlone argues Bitcoin must “lop off a zero” from $100,000. Currently trading around $68,000, he’s about 32% …

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Ripple has begun buying back equity shares from investors and employees in a tender offer worth up to $750 million that values the private company at $50 billion.

Ripple’s Biggest Buyback Yet

The repurchase, reported by Bloomberg on Wednesday, comes as crypto markets reel.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has fallen more than 40% from its October peak and XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) has dropped over 50%. Ripple is effectively buying back its own equity at fire-sale crypto prices while signaling a $50 billion self-assessment.

Ripple bought back $285 million at an $11 billion valuation in January 2024, offered $700 million at $175 per share in June 2025, then attempted a $1 billion tender at $40 billion in September 2025 that saw the lowest participation rate of any round, with employees refusing to sell.

The …

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Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO: BTC) macro behaviour is increasingly tied to global liquidity and energy markets, which increases its correlation with the Nasdaq, according to VanEck’s Matthew Sigel.

Bitcoin’s Correlation With Nasdaq Rising

Speaking on Squawk Box on CNBC on March 11, Sigel said oil shocks and geopolitical tensions, including risks around the Strait of Hormuz, can tighten liquidity and put pressure on risk assets such as Bitcoin.

As a result, Bitcoin’s correlation with the Nasdaq Composite has climbed to a five-year high.

Sigel also noted that investors in the Middle East are increasingly turning to Bitcoin during geopolitical stress because it is easier to move across borders than physical assets such as Gold.

Recent data showing increased crypto transfers from Iran …

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Bitcoin is holding $70,000 as oil price continue to remain elevated.

Cryptocurrency Ticker Price
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $70,461.60
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $2,070.06
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $87.36
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $1.39
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) $0.09438
Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) $0.055823

Notable Statistics:

  • Coinglass data shows 95,278 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $190.53 million.
  • SoSoValue data shows net inflows of $250.9 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Tuesday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net inflows of $12.6 million.
  • In the past 24 hours, top gainers include Internet Computer, JUST and Artificial Superintelligence Alliance.

Notable Developments:

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Strive (NASDAQ:ASST) purchased $50 million of Strategy’s (NASDAQ:MSTR) STRC preferred stock after Michael Saylor claimed STRC achieved a Sharpe ratio above 3, outperforming Nvidia, Tesla and gold on risk-adjusted returns.

The Saylor Sharpe Ratio Claim

Saylor posted on X on Wednesday that STRC achieved a Sharpe ratio of 3.08, comparing it to gold at 2.88, Alphabet at 2.65, Nvidia at 1.66, and Tesla at 1.32. 

The Sharpe ratio measures returns relative to risk taken, with higher numbers indicating better risk-adjusted performance.

“Digital Credit is engineered for superior risk-adjusted returns,” Saylor said. STRC currently yields 11.5% with monthly cash distributions. 

The dividend rate adjusts each month to keep shares trading close to their $100 par value while limiting price volatility.

The claim positions STRC as delivering better returns per unit of risk than major tech stocks and traditional safe havens. …

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Fundstrat’s Tom Lee says the crypto market has moved past its winter phase, with reduced speculation and leverage creating a healthier foundation for future gains.

Markets Could Move Higher Through March

Markets, including crypto and major tech stocks, appear to have emerged from a recent bear phase, Lee said in a CNBC interview on Tuesday.

He expects markets to move higher in the near term, particularly through March, although he warned that a broader bear market could develop later in the year.

A roughly 20% decline could occur once markets stop reacting positively to good news, a signal Lee views as a typical indicator that a larger downturn may be forming.

For now, much of the speculative excess …

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Mastercard (NYSE:MA) on Wednesday launched a Crypto Partner Program with over 85 companies including Binance (CRYPTO: BNB), Circle (NASDAQ:CRCL), Ripple (CRYPTO: XRP), Gemini, PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL), and Paxos to connect blockchain technology with its global payments infrastructure.

The 85+ Partner Program

The initiative brings together crypto exchanges, blockchain developers, fintech firms, and banks to explore how blockchain-based systems can connect with traditional payment rails used by banks, merchants, and consumers. 

Participants will work with Mastercard teams to shape products combining on-chain tools with established payment rails.

The program focuses on practical use cases where digital assets are gaining traction, including cross-border transfers, business-to-business payments, and global payouts. 

Companies will collaborate on future product development targeting enterprise applications like remittances, B2B transfers, and settlement.

Mastercard’s network links banks, merchants, …

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is trading sideways, with investors’ weakening conviction conviction pointing to a psychologically difficult phase of the market cycle.

Why Investors Are Getting Jittery

Data from CryptoQuant suggests the market is currently in a highly uncertain phase marked more by hesitation than conviction.

Several on-chain indicators point to weakening investor confidence:

  • Apparent demand briefly improved following the latest sell-off but quickly turned negative again, indicating buyers remain cautious.
  • The CryptoQuant Bull Market Cycle Indicator currently signals a bear-market consolidation phase, typically associated with sideways price action and frustrating …

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Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) overtook market heavyweights Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) in the latest cryptocurrency market rebound.

What’s Impacting DOGE?

Dogecoin surged over 4% in the past week, ranking among the top large-cap cryptocurrencies in this period. Bitcoin and Ethereum trailed DOGE, as shown below.

Cryptocurrency 7-Day Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 1:15 a.m. ET)
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)    +4.18% $0.09287
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)

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Gemini Space Station, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEMI) co-founders Tyler Winklevoss and his twin brother Cameron could dump millions worth of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) on the market, on-chain analytics firm Arkham said on Tuesday.

Transaction Sparks Intrigue

In an X post, Arkham highlighted that a wallet tied to Winklevoss Capital, the family office of the Winklevoss twins, sent 1,750 BTC, worth $121 million as of this writing, to Gemini hot wallets, “presumably for selling.”

The wallet still holds 8,757 BTC, worth $751.86 million, with unrealized profit of $1.8 billion on the holdings.

Benzinga reached out to Gemini for a comment, but has yet to hear back.

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Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) CEO Brian Armstrong deemed Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) an “inflation-proof” global money on Tuesday, following the network’s milestone of mining its 20 millionth coin.

Over A Century To Go

Armstrong took note of the feat, pointing out that only 1 million BTC remain to be mined, which would take over 100 years.

“Decentralized, inflation-proof, global money,” Coinbase’s top executive heaped praise on the $1 trillion-plus asset.

Armstrong, one of Bitcoin’s most vocal advocates, predicted it would hit $1 million by 2030.

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Leading cryptocurrencies recovered on Tuesday, while stocks and commodities remained volatile amid the ongoing Middle East war.

Cryptocurrency 24-Hour Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 9:30 p.m. ET)
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) +1.59% $70,050.52
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)
               		 +1.16% $2,035.55
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)                          +1.34% $1.38
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)                          +0.85% $86.04
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)              +3.02% $0.09370

Crypto Market’s U-Turn

Bitcoin rebounded as high as $71,700, with trading volume surging 11% in the last 24 hours. 

Ethereum spiked to an intraday high of $2,087.99 before easing to $2,035 in the evening. XRP and Dogecoin were up in the green.

Shares of  Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) and Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) closed down 0.35% and 1.64%, respectively.

Nearly $300 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market over the past 24 hours, predominantly short positions, according to Coinglass data. Moreover, about $490 million in Bitcoin shorts risked liquidation if the apex cryptocurrency rises to $73,000.

Open interest in Bitcoin futures increased 2.58% in the last 24 hours. Both retail and whale derivatives traders on Binance were long BTC as of this writing.

Top Gainers (24 Hours) 

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Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO: BTC) rally to around $70,000 over the past two weeks has outperformed traditional assets like gold (+1.6%) and the S&P 500 (-0.2%) as investors rotate capital back into crypto.

BTC Rebound Beats Traditional Markets

Bitcoin has jumped roughly 13% in two weeks, climbing above $71,000 and outperforming both the S&P 500 and gold.

Data from Santiment shows Bitcoin has gained ground since Feb. 24, when all three assets experienced a pullback.

The rebound marks a shift after crypto lagged traditional markets for several months following its Oct. 5, 2025, all-time high.

Analysts say the move partly reflects mean reversion, with capital …

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Bitcoin held near $70,000 on Tuesday as sentiment and ETF inflows improved following signals that tensions with Iran could ease.

Cryptocurrency Ticker Price
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $70,040.68
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $2,034.27
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $86.14
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $1.38
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) $0.09486
Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) $0.055688

Notable Statistics:

  • Coinglass data shows 99,391 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $386.23 million.
  • SoSoValue data shows net inflows of $167 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Monday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net outflows of $51.3 million.
  • In the past 24 hours, top gainers include Render, Kaia and Artificial Superintelligence Alliance.

Notable Developments:

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has been outperforming equities during the Iran conflict as ETF managers declared the “crypto winter” is bottoming.

The Outperformance During Iran Conflict

Bitcoin has risen 10% while equities are down during the Iran conflict, demonstrating diversification benefits. 

“So far in this conflict, actually, if you look at Bitcoin, it’s up a little bit and equities are down,” Hyman said on CNBC’s ‘ETF Edge’. 

“The diversifying piece, I think, still stays intact as an important theme here,” he added.

Hyman challenged the narrative that cryptocurrencies are simply risk assets. 

His research shows Bitcoin, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), and XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) have minimal correlation with equities and equally low correlation with gold and silver. 

This means crypto moves independently from both traditional risk assets and safe havens, supporting the diversification case even …

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Markus Infanger, SVP of RippleX, on Tuesday said XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is evolving beyond payments as institutional interest grows, with crypto ETFs emerging as a potential bridge between traditional finance and blockchain markets.

RippleX Outlines Three Strategic Priorities

In an interview with The Block, Infanger outlined the company is focusing on three major priorities for 2026.

First, the firm plans to expand institutional decentralized finance (DeFi) on the XRP Ledger.

Tokenized real-world assets on the network have already grown to about $2 billion.

Ripple is developing infrastructure including lending protocols, atomic swaps, privacy features and programmable escrow to support use cases such as collateral mobility, stablecoin payments and institutional finance.

Second, Ripple aims to strengthen the …

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Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard declared Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is “going to die” on the PBD Podcast, while predicting silver will reach “thousands of dollars” as the gold-to-silver ratio collapses from 80:1 toward 13:1.

The ‘Bitcoin Is Going To Die’ Argument

Howard cited Bitcoin’s continued dependence on fiat currency as a fatal flaw. 

“Bitcoin is still based on fiat,” Howard said, arguing that as the U.S. dollar weakens, any asset tethered to its value framework remains exposed.

“Nobody wants their money in something that can be wiped out with a push of a button somewhere,” Howard said. 

He holds less than 1% of his portfolio in Bitcoin and frames that as a ceiling, not a floor.

Howard’s framework positions dollar collapse leading to metals surge and crypto irrelevance. 

This puts him squarely against the Bitcoin-as-digital-gold crowd at a moment when both assets compete for the same …

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Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) surged 5% on Tuesday, following Zcash Open Development Lab’s announcement of over $25 million in seed funding from Paradigm, a16z crypto, Winklevoss Capital, and Coinbase Ventures.

The $25M ZODL Funding Round

ZODL was founded by Josh Swihart, former CEO of Electric Coin Company. Under his leadership, ECC launched the flagship Zcash wallet Zodl, setting a new standard for Zcash usability. 

Since its launch in 2024, the app drove growth in the Zcash shielded pool by over 400% and facilitated more than $600 million in ZEC swaps since October 2025.

Earlier this year, the entire ECC team including the product team behind the wallet joined ZODL to continue building the primary user interface for Zcash. 

The work centers on developing Zodl as an open, self-custodial private financial platform designed to expand ecosystem …

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Ripple’s senior executive Recce Merrick says the company has spent years preparing for the surge in stablecoin usage as blockchain-based payments accelerate worldwide.

Ripple’s RLUSD Is The Answer

In a Mar. 10 post on X, Merrick said the company’s response is Ripple USD (CRYPTO: RLUSD), a dollar-backed stablecoin designed as an enterprise-grade product for institutional users entering the market.

Stablecoins processed about $33 trillion in transactions in 2025, roughly double the annual volume handled by Visa, highlighting the growing role of blockchain-based payments.

According to Merrick, stablecoin transaction volume increased 72% year over year in 2025, while active users surged 146% across 106 countries.

The total stablecoin market …

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Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) is trading higher Tuesday morning after Elon Musk confirmed that X Money, the digital payments platform for X, is set to begin early public access next month. Here’s what investors need to know.

Musk’s X Money Launch Revives Dogecoin Payment Speculation

Although the first phase of the rollout will focus on traditional fiat payments in U.S. dollars, the announcement revived speculation that Dogecoin could eventually be added as a payment option on the platform.

The renewed interest reflects Dogecoin’s long association with Musk, who has repeatedly referred to the token as the “people’s crypto.” Any development tied to X’s payments …

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Circle Internet Group (NASDAQ:CRCL) surged 9.74% to $111.84 Monday as Bernstein reiterated its $190 price target, implying 70% upside from current levels as stablecoin adoption accelerates for payments and AI agents.

The Stablecoin Adoption Thesis

Bernstein analysts highlighted that stablecoins are increasingly diverging from the broader crypto market cycle. 

USDC supply stands at about $78 billion in circulation, reaching new highs despite Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) trading significantly below its previous peak.

Tether’s (CRYPTO: USDT) supply stands at about $184 billion.

Total stablecoin transaction volume hit $55 trillion in 2025, up 98% year-over-year.

The adjusted figure stripping out bots and high-frequency trading reached $11 trillion, growing 91%. Payment activity alone totaled roughly $375 billion in 2025, up 76% from the previous year.

Consumer-to-business payments surged 131%, driven by increasing payment …

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Popular NFT brand Pudgy Penguins announced the launch of a free-to-play browser-based game, ‘Pudgy World’, on Monday, its latest effort to expand its universe and audience reach.

This Penguin Is Not Alone

The game, touted as one of the “most technically advanced” browser-based games, allows players to explore 12 unique “towns” and features Pudgy Penguins’s mascot PENGU. The game requires no downloads and is accessible from anywhere.

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President Donald Trump may have signaled that the war in Iran is almost over, but cryptocurrency bettors don’t see an official declaration of the end of hostilities before this month.

When Will Trump Officially Announce The War Over?

Polymarket odds that Trump or U.S. officials will formally declare the end of the military campaign by March 31 have jumped to 44%, up from just 11% the previous day. The odds that a declaration comes by March 15 rose marginally to 11%.

Meanwhile, punters see a 73% chance that the fighting will officially end by April 30, climbing to 82% for a resolution by June 30.

Some other Polymarket contracts were also impacted. The odds that a third country, other than the U.S. and Israel, strikes Iran by the end of the month …

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Leading cryptocurrencies lifted alongside stocks on Monday after President Donald Trump said that the U.S. campaign against Iran could be nearing its end.

Cryptocurrency 24-Hour Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 9:30 p.m. ET)
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) +3.70% $68,973.71
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)
               		 +3.05% $2,012.41
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)                          +1.55% $1.36
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)                          +3.39% $85.43
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)              +1.28% $0.09104

Crypto Market Lifts

Bitcoin rose back above $69,000 as trading volume jumped 34% over the last 24 hours. Ethereum reclaimed $2,000, supported by strong buying pressure, while XRP and Dogecoin also edged higher.

Shares of cryptocurrency-linked companies also reversed, as Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) and Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN), closing up 4.06% and 1.31%, respectively.

Over $340 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market over the past 24 hours, with $184 million in bearish shorts erased, according to Coinglass data. Open interest in Bitcoin futures rose 3.11% in the last 24 hours to $44.91 billion

The market clung to “Extreme Fear” sentiment, according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index here, despite …

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Bitcoin tapped $69,000 on Monday, following a week of positive crypto asset inflows despite geopolitical turmoil.

Cryptocurrency Ticker Price
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $68,958.41
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $2,027
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $85.25
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $1.36
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) $0.09093
Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) $0.055450

Notable Statistics:

  • Coinglass data shows 95,151 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $416.72 million.
  • SoSoValue data shows net outflows of $348.8 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Friday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net outflows of $82.9 million.
  • In the past 24 hours, top gainers include DeXe, Hyperliquid and Zcash.

Notable Developments:

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has crossed a major milestone with the mining of 20 million coins, leaving less than 5% of the total supply yet to be issued

Kraken noted in a Monday blog post that unlike traditional assets such as gold, Bitcoin has a hard supply cap enforced by its code and decentralized network of nodes.

The fixed limit was embedded in Bitcoin’s design by its pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto in the 2009 genesis block.

Bitcoin’s issuance schedule is governed …

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Aon (NYSE:AON) on Monday announced the first known stablecoin insurance premium payment among major global brokers, settling with Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) and Paxos using USDC on Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) and PayPal USD on Solana (CRYPTO: SOL).

The First Stablecoin Premium Settlement

Aon completed the proof of concept by settling insurance premiums for Coinbase and Paxos across multiple blockchain networks. 

The transactions used USDC on Ethereum and PayPal USD (CRYPTO: PYUSD) on Solana, demonstrating flexibility across leading stablecoins and blockchains.

Tim Fletcher, CEO of Aon’s financial services group, said the move advances the firm’s commitment to innovation. 

“As tokenized instruments become more widely used, clients need confidence that speed and …

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Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) CEO Brian Armstrong says AI agents will increasingly transact using crypto wallets, while Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan argues institutional adoption could push Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) toward $1.3 million over time.

‘Own A Crypto Wallet’

Armstrong said Monday autonomous AI systems may soon execute more financial transactions than humans. “They can’t open a bank account, but they can own a crypto wallet,” he said.

These systems, including trading bots, automated services and machine-to-machine payment networks, could handle tasks such as purchasing data, paying for computing resources or executing financial trades without direct human input.

However, Armstrong noted that AI agents cannot easily access the traditional banking system because …

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) rejected $73,500 following a brief early March rally as Into The Cryptoverse analyst Benjamin Cowen declares the “simulation confirmed,” arguing BTC is tracking the average return of prior midterm years with 2014, 2018, and 2022 precision.

The Historical Playbook

Cowen predicted a month ago that Bitcoin would find a low in February, stay weak through February, rally in the first week of March, and then fade that rally. “We really do live in a simulation,” Cowen said as Bitcoin hit $73,500 before surrendering those gains.

The pattern repeats across midterm cycles. Bitcoin drops into February, rallies in early March, and then sells off just like the average of all prior midterm years. 

Despite narratives about ISM data, Jane Street, oil prices, and labor market weakness, Bitcoin follows the historical script.

Comparing 2026 to 2014 shows nearly identical moves: …

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BitMine Immersion Technologies (NYSE:BMNR) purchased 60,976 Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) previous week and forecasts ETH to bottom between March 8-14.

The 61,000 ETH Purchase

BitMine acquisition exceeds the recent weekly average of 45,000-50,000, with total holdings reaching 4,534,563 ETH at $1,965 per ETH.

The company now owns 3.76% of the ETH supply, over 75% of the way to the “Alchemy of 5%” target in just eight months.

Total crypto and cash holdings reached $10.3 billion, including 4.5 million ETH, $1.2 billion in cash, 195 Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), $200 million stake in Beast Industries, and $14 million stake in Eightco Holdings.

BitMine has 3,040,483 staked ETH representing $6.0 billion at $1,965 per token. This represents 67% …

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) tapped $69,000 on Monday morning after oil retraced back below $110, following the G7 and IEA’s announcement about the largest coordinated strategic oil reserve release in history.

The Historic Oil Intervention

The G7 and International Energy Agency announced the release of 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, representing nearly 30% of the IEA’s total 1.2 billion barrel stockpile.

The emergency meeting was called to combat a severe supply shock following escalation of the Iran crisis.

Oil prices plunged 11% in one hour after the announcement.

The intervention targets oil prices that surged above $100 a barrel amid conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.

IEA nations currently hold 1.24 billion barrels in public reserves plus 600 million barrels in industry stocks.

This system was designed after the 1973 crisis specifically for this …

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BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes says Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) 50% drawdown reflects growing fears of an AI-driven credit shock rather than weakness in the crypto market itself.

Bitcoin’s AI-Triggered Credit Destruction

Hayes argued in an interview with Cointelegraph that the decline reflects a broader macro risk tied to artificial intelligence and global geopolitics.

Markets may be underpricing geopolitical risk from the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, although his central thesis focuses on what he calls AI-triggered credit destruction.

Hayes’ argument: widespread AI adoption could …

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