Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

11/20 update below. This post was originally published on November 19

Bitcoin, ethereum and smaller cryptocurrencies have plunged over the last month as crash fears suddenly sweep through the market.

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The bitcoin price has dropped under $100,000 per bitcoin, giving up the psychological level and dragging ethereum and other major cryptocurrencies lower even as analysts claim the liquidity “flood gates” have been opened.

Now, as traders brace for a potential $1 trillion bitcoin and crypto market crash, the threat to crypto from quantum computers has led to ethereum cofounder and the project’s spiritual leader Vitalik Buterin warning elliptic curve cryptography could break before the next U.S. presidential election in 2028.

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Forbes‘Flood Gates Are Now Being Opened’—Bitcoin Braced For Trump ‘Tsunami’ As He Promises 2026 Price Game-ChangerBy Billy Bambrough

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Vitalik Buterin, a cofounder of ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency after bitcoin, has issued a stark warning over ethereum's future.

AFP via Getty Images

“Elliptic curves are going to die,” Buterin warned, referring to one of the foundational pillars of bitcoin, ethereum and crypto encryption, during the Buenos Aires Devconnect conference in comments reported by DL News.

11/20 update: Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin has also warned that the growing influence of Wall Street giant BlackRock over cryptocurrencies including bitcoin and ethereum could cause problems for the networks.

“How do you avoid capture by big behemoths like BlackRock?” Buterin was asked on stage, according to a DL News report, referring to a surge of institutional interest after the launch of BlackRock’s bitcoin and ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in early 2024.

Buterin warned that if BlackRock and other large institutions keep expanding their ethereum holdings, the network faces the possibility that those focused on decentralization get crowded out and base-layer choices are optimized for institutions, making it harder for regular users to run nodes, and in turn driving centralization.

“It easily drives other people away,” Buterin said. “We need to focus on the things that would otherwise be in short supply: global, permissionless, and censorship-resistant protocol."

This week, BlackRock registered a staked ethereum fund in Delaware, signaling its intent to enter the staked ether ETF market, while its flagship ethereum ETF now holds $10 billion worth of ethereum.

Last month, Google claimed a breakthrough in quantum computing, following in Microsoft’s footsteps after it unveiled a new quantum-enabling chip in February.

These and similar developments have catapulted quantum computing’s risk to bitcoin, ethereum and crypto up the agenda.

“Given the current staggering rate of hardware progress, I now think it’s a live possibility that we’ll have a fault-tolerant quantum computer running Shor’s algorithm before the next U.S. presidential election,” quantum computer researcher Scott Aaronson wrote in blog post this month, referring to how a quantum computer could break the encryption that underpins cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.

The “magnitude of the threat that quantum poses to all blockchains,” has given crypto investor Nic Carter “an urgent sensation like I have to act on it now with as much intensity as I can muster,” he posted to X.

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ForbesJPMorgan Just Called The Bitcoin Price Bottom—Predicts Massive $28.3 Trillion Gold Challenge In 2026By Billy Bambrough

The bitcoin price has dropped sharply over the last month, dragging down ethereum and other major cryptocurrenices.

Forbes Digital Assets

"We don’t need to panic, but we need to get serious," Alex Pruden, the chief executive of quantum computing risk company Project 11 posted to X, adding that “quantum computers at sufficient scale will break crypto at the most fundamental level imaginable.”

Meanwhile, bitcoin developers have also been warned they need to prepare for the post-quantum world that could become a reality by 2030.

“You should have a few good years ahead of you but I wouldn’t hold my bitcoin,” Théau Peronnin, the chief executive of Alice & Bob, told Fortune during the Web Summit conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

“They need to fork [move to a stronger blockchain] by 2030, basically," Peronnin said. "Quantum computers will be ready to be a threat a bit later than that."

Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, the largest public holder of Bitcoin (BTC), finds itself at the center of a stormy controversy involving JPMorgan as Bitcoin prices continue to struggle. 

With signs of a potential bear market emerging, fresh rumors suggest that one of the world’s largest banks allegedly holds a significant short position on Strategy’s stock (MSTR), which has plunged 69% from its record high of $543 per share last year.

Strategy Faces Potential MSCI Exclusion The turmoil escalated last week when JPMorgan issued a warning that Strategy might soon be removed from major equity indices, specifically the MSCI USA Index. 

JPMorgan’s analysts noted that the issues facing Strategy extend beyond the recent downturn in cryptocurrency prices, which have seen Bitcoin fall more than 30% from its all-time highs. 

As of this writing, Bitcoin is trading around $86,000, while the broader crypto market has experienced a staggering $1 trillion decline in total market capitalization over the past month.

JPMorgan’s analysts indicated that MSCI is considering whether companies with over 50% of their total assets in digital currencies should qualify for inclusion in traditional equity indices. Given that Strategy’s balance sheet is heavily weighted with Bitcoin, it is at significant risk of exclusion. 

The analysts stated that “MicroStrategy [is] at risk of exclusion from major equity indices as the January 15th MSCI decision approaches.” They speculated that removal from the MSCI could trigger approximately $2.8 billion in outflows, and if other index providers follow MSCI’s lead, the total could reach as high as $8.8 billion.

The situation is complicated by market dynamics, particularly the timing of JPMorgan’s bearish note, which coincided with Bitcoin’s weakness and MSTR’s decline, all while liquidity was thin and overall sentiment fragile. 

JPMorgan Faces Account Closures Surge According to analysts at the Bull Theory, JPMorgan has been noted for timing its market reports—bearing down when prices are already weak and striking a more bullish tone near market peaks. 

The analysts have highlighted that share lending for MSTR has reportedly increased, allowing brokers to lend shares to short sellers, which can exacerbate downward pressure on the stock price. 

Additionally, there are escalating reports of widespread account closures at JPMorgan, with thousands claiming to have exited due to perceived manipulation of both MSTR and Bitcoin. 

Amid these developments, the fear of a potential short squeeze is growing. The analysts believe that if Strategy’s stock were to rally around 40% to 50%, it could trigger a short squeeze in the bank’s position and spell major financial troubles. 

In response, Michael Saylor, the CEO of Strategy, has sought to clarify the company’s identity, emphasizing that it is not just a passive Bitcoin holder. He pointed out that Strategy operates as a software business with an active financial strategy, countering the narrative circulating around MSCI’s concerns.

As the situation unfolds, several key points emerge. The October 10th crash appeared to align with the MSCI announcement, coinciding with an already fragile market state. JP Morgan’s strategic timing of its bearish insights has amplified existing fears, creating further uncertainty as MSCI’s final decision looms.

The daily chart shows MSTR’s valuation trending downwards, trading below $170. Source: MSTR on TradingView.com Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

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The Bitcoin price has climbed by a fraction of a percentage to $87,500 as of 11 p.m. EST, showing limited upward momentum as markets digest Peter Schiff’s latest warning following silver’s explosive rally.

Veteran economist Schiff cautioned that Bitcoin could face the opposite outcome of silver’s surge, arguing that market downturns often unfold faster than rallies once selling pressure sets in. His comments followed a dramatic intraday jump of more than 10%, which briefly pushed prices above $79 per ounce for the first time.

What is happening with silver may soon be happening with Bitcoin, only in reverse. But since markets tend to melt down faster than they melt up, the time frame for the move should be condensed.

— Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) December 27, 2025

Market data showed silver rising from $78 to $79 in roughly ninety minutes, a move that caught global attention. TradingView charts revealed a near-vertical breakout, confirming that the metal remains in a strong multi-month uptrend and has entered uncharted territory.

Silver’s momentum has strengthened the broader market narrative favoring commodities and alternative assets. This shift is also reflected in the growth of crypto-based tokenized commodities, whose combined market valuation has risen toward $4 billion, signaling increasing investor demand for diversified exposure.

BREAKING: Silver prices extend gains to over +10% on the day, now above $79/oz for the first time in history.

It took just 90 minutes to go from $78 to $79. pic.twitter.com/jISKFkQHCC

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) December 26, 2025

Further data from CompaniesMarketCap showed silver narrowing the gap with NVIDIA in total market capitalization, pointing to rising institutional interest in metals. Despite silver’s strength, questions remain about sustainability.

A new chart shows silver’s monthly RSI at its highest level in 45 years, indicating extreme momentum. Another long-term comparison chart highlights Bitcoin losing relative strength against silver, giving back gains accumulated since 2017, underscoring how quickly silver has outperformed BTC in the latest rally.

Bitcoin Price Signals Deeper Downside Risk Bitcoin is trading near $87,500, showing weak price action after failing to hold key support levels. The broader chart structure suggests that bullish momentum has faded, with price now leaning toward a bearish continuation scenario.

A major technical feature is the rounded top formation that developed over several months. This pattern often signals the exhaustion of distribution and trend following a strong rally. Bitcoin has already broken below the neckline support, which was previously holding the price above the $80,000 zone. This breakdown confirms a shift from a bullish to a bearish market structure.

After losing neckline support, Bitcoin attempted a recovery but failed to reclaim that level. The rejected retest turned former support into resistance, reinforcing bearish pressure. Currently, the price is consolidating below this resistance, which limits upside potential in the near term.

BTCUSDT Chart Analysis by Tradingview

On the right side of the chart, price action shows an inverted cup and handle pattern.  The small consolidation near current levels represents the “handle,” where buying momentum continues to weaken. A decisive breakdown from this structure would likely accelerate selling pressure.

Based on the measured move from the rounded top and inverted cup pattern, the next major downside target is projected between $50,000 and $55,000. This area also aligns with previous consolidation zones and liquidity levels, making it a realistic technical objective if the bearish setup plays out.

The RSI (14) is currently around 43, remaining below the neutral 50 level, indicating that the bearish momentum is still in control. Importantly, the RSI is not oversold, meaning there is room for further downside before buyers are forced to step in aggressively.

Bitcoin remains technically weak below the $90,000–$92,000 resistance zone. As long as the price stays below this area, downside risk remains elevated. A strong daily close back above the neckline would be required to invalidate the bearish structure. Until then, the technical bias favors continued consolidation or further decline.

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WSJ: Strategy Snaps Up $109 Million Worth of Bitcoin After Week-Long Dry Spell

Claims that a Satoshi-era Bitcoin whale suddenly returned to the market with a multi-billion-dollar purchase have injected tension into an already fragile Bitcoin price action. The claims gained traction after social media posts on X revealed that an address dormant since 2011 had accumulated roughly 26,900 BTC, a move framed by some as a powerful bullish signal. 

However, a few others saw something very different. One warning revealed that the timing and context of the transfer pointed toward a setup that could lead to a large-scale distribution.

Why Some Traders See A Major Red Flag Claims that a Satoshi-Era Bitcoin address might be actually buying billions of dollars’ worth of BTC took many investors by surprise. According to a crypto participant known as 0xNobler on the social media platform X, the whale address became active for the first time since 2011 and went all in on Bitcoin again. Such a purchase goes against the trend of Satoshi-era whales becoming active after many years to sell their holdings. 

The claim of purchase is very bullish on the outside, but there are also bearish interpretations of the move. The bearish interpretation is based on market psychology and the historical behavior of early Bitcoin holders. 

A wallet allegedly active since the Satoshi era would have acquired BTC at negligible prices, often well below $1. From that perspective, the idea that such an entity waited more than a decade only to buy aggressively near all-time highs appears illogical.

A critic argued that sudden movements involving billions of dollars at the current price action indicate preparation. According to the critic, the entity behind the whale address is preparing to distribute. Large transfers into newly active wallets can be part of liquidity staging, designed to allow gradual distribution without causing immediate panic. 

Satoshi-Era Whale Story Appears To Be A Misunderstanding Closer inspection of the on-chain data indicates that the dramatic narrative surrounding this event rests on questionable assumptions. A few other crypto market participants pointed out that the circulated image claiming a Satoshi-era whale went all in on Bitcoin is edited and misleading, and that the receiving address labeled ‘3FsDiW’ may not belong to an early individual holder at all.

Interestingly, blockchain trackers link the address to Twenty One Capital, with records showing that it was created only a few days ago and the first transaction was first received on January 10, 2026. Transaction history shows a small test transfer of 1 BTC to Bitfinex, after which the remaining funds were consolidated into the new address ‘3FsDiW’ from another wallet already associated with Twenty One Capital.

Twenty One Capital is a publicly traded Bitcoin-focused company that reportedly holds more than 43,000 BTC on its balance sheet. This distinction matters, as it removes the existential fear implied by the original claims of a Bitcoin whale buying billions worth of Bitcoin.

BTC trading at $90,800 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com

The Ethereum (ETH) price is trading with a bullish bias, holding well above the support provided by a longstanding ascending trendline.

While a critical resistance holds on the 4-hour timeframe, positive ETH ETF flows on Monday inspire hope.

Over $5 Million Ethereum ETF Inflows on Monday Fuels ETH Price SurgeThe Ethereum price continues to show strength, at least on the 4-hour timeframe, drawing tailwinds from over $5 million in ETF inflows on Monday.

Data on SoSoValue shows that on January 12, spot Ethereum ETFs reported a total net inflow of $5.042 million. With this, they effectively ended a 3-day net outflow streak.

Ethereum ETF Flows. Source: SoSoValueAmidst the positive flows, however, BlackRock’s ETHA ETF bled $79.9 million, marking the only outflows on Monday as Fidelity, Bitwise, VanEck, Invesco, and Franklin Templeton posted zero flows.

Conversely, 21Shares recorded $5 million in positive flows, alongside Grayscale’s $50.7 million and $29.3 million inflows from its ETHE and ETH investment products, respectively.

As of January 12, the cumulative total net inflows into Ethereum ETFs was $12.44 billion, with up to $940.66 million in total value traded and $18.88 billion in total net assets. Notably, the total net assets account for over 5% of Ethereum’s market capitalization.

Elsewhere, Bitcoin spot ETFs saw a total net inflow of $117 million, marking a shift from four consecutive days of net outflows. Meanwhile, Solana spot ETFs recorded a total net inflow of $10.67 million, while XRP spot ETFs saw a total net inflow of $15.04 million.

Ethereum Price Outlook After $5.04 Million Monday InflowsWith the Ethereum price holding well above the multi-week support offered by the ascending trendline, the dominant trend remains bullish.

With the RSI (Relative Strength Index) rising, momentum is increasing, and if sustained, the ETH price could potentially realize further gains. However, the RSI position around the 50 level leaves a lot on the balance, with price action susceptible to bearish takeover.

However, its overall trajectory and position above 50 means the bulls have the upper hand, a sentiment that could be enhanced if Tuesday’s flows also come in positive for ETH ETFs.

Traders looking to take long positions for the Ethereum price, therefore, should wait for a decisive candlestick close above the $3,150 resistance level. This can be confirmed by a successful retest of that level, where price breaks above it, retests it, and manages to still hold above it on the 4-hour timeframe.

Such a move could see the Ethereum price target the $3,223 to $3,296 supply zone next, a bearish order block that stands in Ethereum’s path toward reclaiming its peak prices.

Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance. Source: TradingViewConversely, with the Ethereum price confronting immediate resistance at $3,150, the volume profiles show significant opposing forces at current price levels around $3,134. This is evident in the large nodes of bullish (green horizontal bars) and bearish (red) volume profiles on the chart.

However, with more bearish nodes and bullish nodes, the Ethereum price could pull back, which would be accentuated by negative ETH ETF flows on Tuesday.

In the event of a correction, the bullish thesis for the Ethereum price would be invalidated if the support due to the ascending trendline breaks, which could see ETH retest the $3,058 levels last seen on January 9.

Crypto looks like it is shrinking. Prices are down from the highs, headlines have cooled and the social hype machine that once amplified every move is much quieter. To a casual observer, it can feel as if the industry is fading out instead of breaking through.

Zoom out, and the picture changes. What looks like stagnation is better described as consolidation. Crypto is working through the same kind of reset that other asset classes have faced after long speculative climbs. These periods are uncomfortable, but they often set the stage for the next wave of utility-driven growth.

Four-Year Run Was Always Going To End In ResetThe last major crypto cycle effectively ran from 2021 through 2025. For roughly four years, and especially over the last three, prices consistently moved higher, new tokens launched constantly and capital poured into anything that offered exposure to upside. That surge was not abnormal. It was the crypto version of previous speculative waves.

After the late 1990s, the Nasdaq crashed and investors spent years separating real internet businesses from companies that only had a website and a ticker. After the housing bubble burst in 2008, credit markets went through a painful period of deleveraging and stricter underwriting. In both cases, a long period of rapid expansion was followed by a quieter period in which fundamentals finally caught up.

Crypto is now in its own quieter period. Volumes are lower, funding is more selective, and the most extreme forms of speculation have lost their grip on the narrative. That does not mean the industry is dying. It means the terms of competition have changed. Projects are no longer judged only on potential. They are being judged on whether they solve real problems.

...

From Memecoins To Markets With Clear JobsYou can see this shift most clearly by looking at what continues to gain traction. The projects that are still growing in the current environment are those that have a clear job inside an existing workflow.

Tokenized securities and other real-world assets are one example. These products do not cater to speculative investors; they are pragmatic tools that reduce operational friction for banks and asset managers by enabling faster settlement, easier collateral movements and better reporting. Interest in tokenized securities hasn’t faltered amid crypto’s recent market downturn, and investment is likely to remain steady across market cycles.

Stablecoins sit in a similar category. They address a basic but stubborn problem: slow and expensive digital payments. Dollar-pegged assets are now used for cross-border payouts, B2B settlement and increasingly for payroll. They move value quickly and predictably, and they interface well with exchanges and on-chain applications. Like tokenized securities, they are unlikely to be perturbed by a broader market downturn.

These products stand in sharp contrast to the last cycle’s darlings, such as memecoins and NFTs, which offered huge speculative upside but near-zero utility.

DATs Are Being Forced To Grow UpDigital Asset Treasuries, many of which were rushed to market in a speculative frenzy, are going through the same kind of adjustment.

During the market highs of mid-2025, a common assumption was that rising token prices would cover strategic mistakes. Treasury strategies leaned heavily on appreciation and light balance sheet discipline. That approach worked in a bull market environment, but it does not work in a flat or choppy one.

The DATs that look viable today are changing course. They are diversifying into complementary business lines that produce actual revenue. They are establishing cash reserves so they can keep operating if token prices stagnate. In cases where their stock or token trades far below market net asset value, they are buying back shares. These are pragmatic choices that extend the runway and protect holders.

DATs are starting to behave more like operating companies and less like perpetual trades. Over time, that will produce higher-quality offerings and fewer balance sheets that are one market shock away from distress.

Some Crypto Projects Are Still Quietly BoomingWhile attention and funding have largely shifted away from speculative-use cases, there are still some crypto projects that have identified a clear market head and are forging ahead at full speed.

Prediction markets are one of them. Platforms that allow users to trade on elections, macro events or sports have seen significant growth in volume. In an era of extreme political instability and division, prediction markets have emerged as a popular way to force vague opinions into concrete, tradable odds.

Decentralized exchanges are another. DEX volumes have continued to grow and, in many pairs, now compete directly with centralized exchanges. Users who care about transparency and self-custody are choosing to trade on systems where they can see the rules in code and hold their own assets. Consolidation is giving DEX teams time to harden their infrastructure and improve the basic user experience.

On the institutional side, demand for slower-moving products continues to build. ETPs and ETFs tied to digital assets are being launched and refined. Regulated products for IRAs and other retirement accounts are moving through approval processes. Licensing regimes and fiat on ramps are expanding so that banks, payment companies and fintechs can plug into crypto without improvising compliance.

Shakeout Is Painful And NecessaryConsolidation also means that some parts of the ecosystem are shrinking, and that is healthy.

Speculative products that relied solely on leverage and momentum are seeing lower interest. Many NFT projects have faded. Memecoin volumes have cooled. The novelty premium has worn off.

System as a Service (SaaS) tools with no clear product market fit beyond bull market activity are finding that their customer base evaporates when trading slows. Token launches that exist only because “everything has a token” are not getting sustained demand.

The net effect is a reallocation of capital and talent toward projects that show signs of durability. This phase gives the industry a chance to focus on work that will matter when the next wave of attention arrives. That includes opening more institutional doors through ETPs, ETFs, regulated products, IRAs and asset management channels. It also includes rethinking user experience so that everyday people can use crypto-powered products without needing to understand private keys or gas fees.

The quiet spell will not last forever. What comes next will depend on what gets built now.

Spencer Yang is a Managing Partner of BlockSpaceForce (BSF), a crypto-native advisory firm building and backing the inevitable convergence of crypto and public markets.

Stock Market Warning SignsThe stock market has seen some concerning signs over the past few weeks that are worth paying attention to.

So far, over the past two months:

Consumer Staples have outperformed the S&P 500 by 14% Utilities have outperformed the S&P 500 by 11% These two sectors are what is called "defensive", meaning it is what the equity market rotates into ahead of recessions. Now, in the larger context, both of these are still in a larger downtrend against the broader market, but these recent signals in the equity market aren't the only warning shot.

We've seen AI-driven fears permeate all varieties of US equities. Everything from cybersecurity stocks to wealth management, to SaaS- every day, we're seeing new concerns being expressed.

There has been violent rotation underneath the surface of the equity market for months now- rotation that is not visible if you look at the major indices. That rotation, out of the high-growth tech (that had been driving the stock market higher for 3 years now), and into defensive sectors like consumer staples, utilities, and healthcare.

Here's the striking, strong negative correlation that defensives/tech has to Bitcoin:

Bond Market Warning SignsNot only are we seeing signs of defensive positioning in the equity market, but we are also seeing concerning signals in the bond market.

February saw a significant decline in US Treasury yields:

-2yr US Treasury yield (largely a bet on Fed policy) has declined by 14bps

-10yr US Treasury yield has declined by 29bps

-30yr US Treasury yield has declined by 25bps

If you see economic growth deteriorating, bonds are the first thing capital will flock to. Imagine a world where AI has caused 5% deflation rate – everything is getting 5% cheaper each year.

In this hypothetical, a 10yr US treasury bond yielding 4% would give you a +9% real return. This is why bonds will get purchased (therefore driving yields down), ahead of an economic slowdown.

Not only that, but Friday saw a red hot PPI print, and bonds still got bid, with the 10yr treasury yield a whopping 6bps. Inflation came in hot, and bonds got bought.

As if that wasn't significant enough, we know that US Treasuries had ceased to benefit from the ‘safe haven bid' during risk-off moments. The past 12+ months have shown this surprising reversal of decades of typical capital flows. Instead of the dollar and bonds getting bought, they'd get sold.

Well, on Friday we saw silver, oil, and gold soaring on geopolitical concerns. So, over the past 12 months, we'd expect that Treasuries would probably be getting sold, but the opposite was true.

Hot inflation print AND geopolitical risk, and bonds were bid.

Bitcoin = UntestedGoing off the data that we do have, it appears bitcoin's "high-beta tech stock" correlation might cause it to sell off significantly.

BUT:

To put it simply, they'd have to print an enormous amount of dollars.

So, while the initial move in bitcoin could be lower (even significantly so), the next move would likely take bitcoin to mid-six digits, at least.

Thanks for reading! Catch you in the next one! For more updates throughout the week, follow @WOLF_Bitcoin 

Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

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© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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While Ethereum (ETH) and XRP Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) ended March in negative territory, Bitcoin (BTC) funds recorded their best monthly performance of the year despite weak market sentiment and geopolitical tensions.

Bitcoin ETFs End Negative Spell Bitcoin ended the first quarter of 2026 by breaking out of a five-month negative streak, closing with a positive performance for the first time since September 2025. The flagship crypto has been in a downtrend over the past six months, retracing over 50% from its October all-time high of $126,000.

As its price closes the month in green, US spot BTC-based ETFs have also ended a multi-month negative spell on Tuesday. According to SoSoValue data, the funds pulled in $1.32 billion in March, registering their first monthly gain in 2026.

Bitcoin ETFs end five-month outflows streak. Source: SoSoValue The category has been registering outflows since November, with cumulative outflows of around $6.3 billion until February. Nate Geraci, co-founder of the ETF Institute, previously highlighted that spot Bitcoin ETF investors have “largely displayed diamond hands” despite the ongoing market correction and negative sentiment.

As reported by NewsBTC, Geraci argued that the funds’ cumulative outflows since the October 10 crash were insignificant compared to the $56 billion in cumulative total net inflows the category has experienced since its January 2024 debut.

Despite the positive monthly close, BTC ETFs ended a four-week inflow streak after investors pulled out $296.18 million from the investment products. Additionally, the funds ended Q1 on a negative note, as March inflows couldn’t offset the $1.81 billion redemptions from January and February.

Therefore, spot Bitcoin ETFs closed the first quarter of 2026 with $496 million in outflows, their second-worst quarterly performance after Q4 2025’s $1.15 billion cumulative outflows.

Solana Leads Altcoin ETFs Performance Similar to Bitcoin, Solana (SOL) ETFs closed March on a positive note and led altcoin-based funds, with inflows worth $45.44 million. This performance brought SOL investment products’ quarterly inflows to $213.1 million.

Notably, the category has not seen monthly outflows since its launch in October 2025, printing six consecutive months of inflows. Following this performance, Solana ETFs are near the $1 billion milestone, currently having cumulative net inflows of $979.3 million.

Nonetheless, Ethereum funds tell a different story, closing the month with $46 million in outflows. Unlike Bitcoin, the second-largest cryptocurrency extended its negative streak to five months, recording total outflows worth $3.21 billion since November.

In addition, ETH investment products saw $769 million outflows in Q1. CoinShares recent report noted that Ethereum led all assets in outflows last week, shedding over $200 million for the second straight week, which may signal that institutional demand for the second-largest cryptocurrency has been slowing.

Meanwhile, XRP funds recorded their first monthly outflows after investors pulled $31.3 million from the ETFs. The category has recorded a remarkable performance since launching in November, with over $1.24 billion in inflows in the first four months.

It’s worth noting that despite the March setback, XRP ETFs saw positive net flows worth $42.52 million during the first quarter of 2026, only behind Solana funds.

Bitcoin trades at $68,523 on the one-week chart. Source: BTCCUSDT on TradingView Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com

Table of contents

API3’s recent integration with Scroll is setting new standards for data integrity and accessibility. This strategic development not only enhances the functionality of the Scroll Layer 2 solution but also pioneers new mechanisms for data utilization in blockchain applications.

Revolutionizing Data Access in DeFi API3 is well known for its robust oracle solutions, and now it has introduced its high-tech Oracle Stack on Scroll which represents a considerable improvement on how developers can access decentralized data. Using this integration, developers can access API3s decentralized APIs (dAPIs) that will be critical for supporting the next generation of decentralized applications.

This is important because it provides a means for real-world data to be ported to and then fed directly into the blockchain networks that DeFi platforms rely on, in a way that is both secure and non-tamperable.

Simultaneously, the launch introduces the OEV Network, a technological breakthrough for updating oracles in the most efficient manner. The upgrade is concerned with making sure that the fundamental benefits of those updates are not simply siphoned off by arbitrage, but instead returned to the applications that originally built on them, and therefore recapturing MEV associated with these protocols.

Its significance is not just in the technical upgrade, but in the fact that as a global collective, it is moving towards a more sustainable and equitable financial system which minimizes value leakage and protects platform integrity.

API3's Oracle Stack is now available on @Scroll_ZKP 📜

Builders can now leverage:

▲ +180 decentralized data feeds (dAPIs) on the API3 Market
▲ OEV Network to recapture protocol MEV (launching soon!)

Start building today! 🛠️ pic.twitter.com/cXQ46FBQNF

— Api3 (@Api3DAO) June 19, 2024 Scroll’s zero-knowledge proof-based Layer 2 solution provides an Ethereum application platform with scalability and efficiency. On the flip side, incorporating API3’s Oracle Stack into Scroll expands its suite of high-throughput applications, under the backdrop of a highly-secure framework vital for the likes of DeFi operations.

By utilizing API3’s oracles, as a part of Scroll’s infrastructure, applications can provide real-time market data without adding layers to existing architectures with compromising speed, which can be critical for DeFi.

In addition, by leveraging API3’s first-party oracle nodes, operated by data providers themselves, the data not only comes from a decentralized source, but also directly from a dolefully accurate source. This model also eliminates the middlemen we have in traditional data provision that contribute to likely points of failure and thus increase the reliability of the data feeds.

So, Scroll’s integration of API3’s Ethereum-based Oracle Stack represents more than another cog in a decentralized application; it should also spark further ingenuity in the greater DeFi sector. This provides a powerful suite of tools for developers to build richer, more dynamic, and more responsible applications, pushing the boundaries of what is possible with blockchain technology to achieve a more open and inclusive financial system.

As the partnership between API3 and Scroll matures, the potential for new applications and use cases is boundless. Extending beyond simple swapping and trading, the partnership will revolutionize DeFi possibilities from streamlined liquidity management across platforms to complex financial products. 

This is not a simple tech integration, but one step closer to opening up fully autonomous, secure and efficient financial services to everybody, regardless of any geographic or economic line that divides us all.

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