Market Signal Briefing

Bitcoin price started a decent increase above $68,000 but failed at $70,000. BTC is now consolidating and might aim for more gains above $69,200.

Bitcoin started a fresh increase after it settled above the $67,500 support. The price is trading above $68,000 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There was a break above a bearish trend line with resistance at $66,800 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might dip again if it trades below the $67,400 and $67,000 levels. Bitcoin Price Fails At $70,000 Bitcoin price managed to form a base above the $65,500 zone. BTC started a fresh increase and was able to surpass the $66,500 resistance zone.

The price even rallied above the $68,000 resistance. Besides, there was a break above a bearish trend line with resistance at $66,800 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Finally, the bears appeared near $70,000. A high was formed at $70,100, and the price recently corrected some gains. There was a move below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $63,030 swing low to the $70,100 high.

Bitcoin is now trading above $68,000 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $67,500, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $69,200 level.

Source: BTCUSD on TradingView.com The first key resistance is near the $69,500 level. A close above the $69,500 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $70,000 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $70,500 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $70,850 and $71,200.

Downside Continuation In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $70,000 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $68,000 level. The first major support is near the $67,500 level or the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $63,030 swing low to the $70,100 high.

The next support is now near the $65,650 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $65,000 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $64,200, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term.

Technical indicators:

Hourly MACD – The MACD is now losing pace in the bullish zone.

Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level.

Major Support Levels – $68,000, followed by $67,500.

Major Resistance Levels – $69,200 and $70,000.

Bitcoin (BTC) has wrapped up February with its fifth straight monthly loss, marking only the second time in its history that the leading cryptocurrency has printed five consecutive red candles on the monthly chart. 

Upside Call Options Surge The latest decline saw Bitcoin fall to around $63,000 last Saturday, representing a roughly 15% drop for the month of February. However, the start of March has brought a modest rebound. 

The asset opened the first week of the month at $68,600, posting gains of just over 3% as it attempts to reclaim the $70,000 level, which has continuously acted as a significant resistance barrier over the past several weeks.

The 1D chart shows BTC’s recovery toward $68,000 on Monday. Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, market participants appear relatively composed. Markus Thielen, head of research at 10x Research, said traders do not anticipate the Iran conflict causing major economic disruption. 

In a note to Bloomberg, Thielen said that demand for upside Bitcoin call options has increased in recent days, suggesting that some investors are positioning for a potential rally ahead of the upcoming Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting.

The current setup has also reignited historical comparisons. The last time Bitcoin experienced a similar string of red monthly candles was during the 2018–2019 bear market. 

In that earlier cycle, the asset went on to print six consecutive monthly losses. What followed was a sharp reversal: five straight green candles and a 308% surge, with Bitcoin climbing from roughly $3,400 to $14,000.

Market Watchers Split On Bitcoin Outlook Market expert Ash Crypto recently highlighted this pattern on social media, suggesting that if history were to repeat, Bitcoin could be approaching a cyclical bottom after its fifth red month. 

A comparable 300% advance from current trading levels would imply a potential move toward $272,000. Such a projection, however, depends on whether the recent lows ultimately prove to be the final bottom of this correction.

The monthly performance chart for BTC shows the rally towards $14,000 in 2019. Source: Ash Crypto on X Not all analysts are convinced that the downside is over. Technical analyst Virtual Bacon has outlined the possibility of further retracement before a sustained recovery can be expected. 

He identified $65,000—previously an all-time high—as the first key level, noting that the price has already revisited that zone. For those who subscribe to the thesis that former highs often turn into support, he suggested that the opportunity may already be present.

A deeper pullback, in his view, could bring Bitcoin toward $58,000, where the 200-week simple moving average (SMA) currently sits. Historically, that long-term indicator has played a critical role in defining market bottoms. 

It helped contain the sharp selloff during the 2020 COVID-19 crash, marked the absolute low in 2018, and was tested multiple times in 2015 without ever closing below it every week. 

Because of this track record, the 200-week moving average has been widely regarded as one of the most reliable long-term accumulation zones in Bitcoin’s history.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Journalist

Posted: March 3, 2026

Security is the key feature to look into when in the field of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin has time and again proved to be the most secure network, driven by a social consensus mechanism.

However, Bitcoin’s security feature faced yet another critical test, to which it responded swiftly.

What would this mean for its security and, in turn, its overall trend over the long term?

Mt. Gox’s Bitcoin hard fork proposal dies in hours According to a post by CoinMarketCap, the ex-CEO of Mt. Gox, Mark Karpeles, proposed a hard fork for Bitcoin [BTC] on the 27th of February, which died in only 17 hours.

The proposal was to redirect 79,956 BTC from a dormant address linked to the 2011 hack to a designated recovery address that was controlled by the Mt. Gox trustee.

Karpeles was referencing the 2016 DAO fork for Ethereum [ETH], which recovered funds but created Ethereum Classic [ETC].

If this proposal passed, it would validate spending the stolen coins without the original private keys. Hence, it would compromise the security of the network, as this could be done even on coins that were not necessarily stolen.

The process would see the network undergo a rigorous upgrade of its software. However, the community rejected it so fast, as they viewed it as an exception to “code is law” and immutability as dangerous even for a clear theft case.

Community reacts The community, which represented the social consensus in which Bitcoin operates, was quick to criticize this move.

For instance, the CTO of Vypex, Eric Hall, said,

“Proposing to hard fork Bitcoin is like asking the ocean to move because you built your house on the beach the audacity met reality and reality didn’t even need a full day to respond.”

Another added,

“Proposing a hard fork to reallocate dormant BTC opens a dangerous precedent, once you rewrite history, Bitcoin’s immutability narrative starts to crack.”

The community reactions reinforced Bitcoin’s strength in social consensus for security by rejecting the rewriting of history.

What’s next as BTC answers the stress test question? This quick invalidation of a potential compromise to the Bitcoin network’s security backed an earlier analysis. This analysis noted that the structure in Bitcoin prevented any single donor from altering the code, regardless of their wealth or notoriety.

Meanwhile, its price action stayed above the $65K level.

This was a decline on the day, with the capitalization at $1.33 trillion, five times more than that of second-placed Ethereum. The results showed that BTC remained as the leading world reserve asset in the crypto markets.

Final Summary Mt. Gox’s proposal that could compromise Bitcoin’s security dies within hours.  Bitcoin’s community proved strength in the social consensus mechanism for BTC’s security.

Ethereum price started a fresh increase from $1,950. ETH is now consolidating gains and might aim for another increase above $2,050.

Ethereum started a fresh upward move above the $1,920 zone. The price is trading above $1,950 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is a key rising channel forming with support at $1,960 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could start a fresh decline if it stays below the $2,090 zone. Ethereum Price Eyes Fresh Gains Ethereum price managed to form a base and traded above the $1,920 resistance, like Bitcoin. ETH price rallied above the $1,960 and $2,000 resistance levels.

The bulls even pumped the price above $2,050. A high was formed at $2,089 before there was a downside correction. The price dipped below $2,020 and the 38.2% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1,835 swing low to the $2,089 high before the bulls appeared.

Ethereum price is now trading above $1,960 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is also a key rising channel forming with support at $1,960 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD.

Source: ETHUSD on TradingView.com If the bulls remain in action above $1,960, the price could attempt another increase. Immediate resistance is seen near the $2,040 level. The first key resistance is near the $2,080 level. The next major resistance is near the $2,120 level. A clear move above the $2,120 resistance might send the price toward the $2,155 resistance. An upside break above the $2,155 region might call for more gains in the coming days. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $2,220 resistance zone or even $2,250 in the near term.

Downside Continuation In ETH? If Ethereum fails to clear the $2,080 resistance, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1,990 level. The first major support sits near the $1,960 zone or the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1,835 swing low to the $2,089 high.

A clear move below the $1,960 support might push the price toward the $1,930 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $1,880 region. The main support could be $1,840.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bullish zone.

Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now above the 50 zone.

Major Support Level – $1,960

Major Resistance Level – $2,080

A federal court dismissed a lawsuit filed by investors against crypto exchange Uniswap, who claimed the company assisted scammers in stealing their funds. The news provided an immediate boost to the market. The legal victory boosted Uniswap’s native UNI token, which has risen 6% on the day to $3.92.

According to Judge Katherine Polk Failla, the evidence did not prove that Uniswap was directly involved in the scams, and therefore, the court lacked the legal authority to charge the company with fraud.

The court rejected the claims against Uniswap developers In April 2022, a group of investors filed a lawsuit against Uniswap Labs, accusing the company of aiding in fraud schemes. These investors wanted the platform to share responsibility after they lost money due to “rug pulls” and “pump-and-dump” schemes, since the tokens traded on Uni.

According to them, Uniswap violated state consumer protection laws because it profited from transaction fees while scams occurred on the platform. Their argument was that the platform simply helped scammers by allowing them to trade the tokens.

However, the court found that the victims sent most of the emails and online complaints after the trades had already occurred, so the evidence was insufficient to prove that Uniswap knew about them. The judge even explained that being aware of the existence of scams is not the same as knowing about a specific scam before it happens.

The court went on to compare Uniswap to a traditional exchange and said it does not create or control every token on its protocol, just as a stock exchange does not create or control every company it lists.

From the judge’s view, it is unreasonable to hold a developer liable for the independent actions of third parties because open-source software is free and works the same for everyone. 

The court concluded that the investors cannot pursue the developers who built the trading systems because of their own statements in which they say unknown providers carried out the alleged scams. Therefore, these investors must go after the people who created and promoted the scam tokens, as they are the real actors behind the fraud.

The plaintiffs cannot present the same claims to the court again after the judge dismissed the case with prejudice. 

Traders pushed UNI higher after the court dropped all legal risk The lawsuit had been ongoing for years, and investors were worried that a negative outcome could lead to huge losses; thus, investments in UNI remained low even though the protocol was still functioning. 

However, as soon as the court ruled in Uniswap’s favor, buyers went all in, driving UNI’s price up 6% because they were more confident the issue would no longer affect their investments. 

The industry believes the team at Uniswap can now focus fully on growth, upgrades, and innovation without any restrictions, as the court has already ruled that writing code does not make developers responsible for third-party fraud.

The court’s ruling helped prevent hesitation that might have slowed the formation of partnerships and the industry’s growth, which now favors long-term traders who care about steady development and adoption.

Traders also reacted to the ruling almost immediately, and the price of UNI stabilized between $3.92 and $3.95 as people adjusted their expectations for a brighter future with softer regulatory and legal risks. 

As for developers who build open systems, they now feel more secure continuing with their work and expanding their projects because the court finally drew a clear line between fraudsters and code creators. 

When uncertainty fades and confidence returns to a market that was troubled by high legal risk, weaker legal clarity, and a foggy future, people change their perceptions. The 6% increase in UNI shows just how quickly the industry responds positively to laws that support innovation, amidst a harsh regulatory environment that aims to limit the freedom of cryptocurrency.

Moreover, there are many other ongoing legal cases and administrative processes that are slowing the growth of certain digital assets in the U.S., and this ruling could just alter their courses.

Leading cryptocurrencies made a comeback on Monday despite escalating hostilities in the Middle East war. Cryptocurrency 24-Hour Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 8:20 p.m.

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Bitcoin is facing renewed pressure as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East reshape the macro backdrop and weigh on risk assets. Rather than responding to isolated headlines, the market is reacting to a broader shift in uncertainty, liquidity expectations, and cross-asset positioning. Price remains fragile, with rallies struggling to gain traction as participants reassess exposure in an increasingly volatile environment.

A recent CryptoQuant report sheds light on a critical behavioral shift through the Short-Term Holder (STH) P&L to Exchanges metric — a tool designed to track how the most reactive cohort is positioning. These investors, often responsible for amplifying short-term volatility, tend to transfer coins to exchanges when under stress, particularly during loss realization events.

Bitcoin Short-Term Holder P&L to Exchanges Sum 24H | Source: CryptoQuant During the February 5–6 capitulation episode, STHs sent approximately 89,000 BTC to exchanges at a loss within a single 24-hour window — a clear signal of panic-driven distribution. However, the dynamics have since evolved. Following that event, loss-driven inflows have steadily declined.

This suggests that immediate sell-side pressure from recent buyers is diminishing. The data indicate that acute panic has subsided. What remains is not aggressive accumulation, but a gradual transition from forced liquidation to relative exhaustion — a subtle yet important structural development.

The granular view of the Short-Term Holder P&L to Exchanges metric adds nuance to the broader picture. Even amid the recent geopolitical escalation involving Iran — an event class that has historically triggered reactive risk-off flows — exchange inflows from short-term holders did not materially expand. As Bitcoin probed the $63,000–$64,000 zone, there was no corresponding spike in realized-loss transfers. For a cohort typically hypersensitive to volatility, this restraint is notable.

Bitcoin Short-Term Holder Loss to Exchange | Source: CryptoQuant This behavior suggests a shift from reflexive panic to conditional holding. In prior stress episodes, similar price shocks produced visible surges in exchange-bound coins as weak hands rushed to de-risk. The absence of that pattern now implies that a meaningful portion of forced selling may already have occurred during the early-February capitulation phase.

Markets tend to stabilize only after marginal sellers are exhausted. The progressive decline in loss-driven transfers supports the thesis that liquidation pressure is being absorbed rather than re-accelerating.

Going forward, the signal to monitor is persistence. If short-term holder inflows remain muted, it would reinforce the case for seller fatigue and base-building conditions. Conversely, a renewed spike in realized-loss transfers would indicate that capitulation is incomplete, reopening the path for further downside volatility.

On the weekly timeframe, Bitcoin is attempting to stabilize near the $66,000 region after a decisive rejection from the $90,000–$100,000 zone. The broader structure shows a transition from expansion to correction: following the late-2025 highs, price printed lower highs and eventually lost the 50-week moving average (blue), which had acted as dynamic support throughout much of the prior uptrend.

BTC testing critical demand around key levels | Source: BTCUSDT chart on TradingView The breakdown accelerated once Bitcoin slipped below the 100-week moving average (green), triggering a fast move toward the mid-$60Ks. That area now represents a critical inflection point. While the 200-week moving average (red), rising near the low-$60Ks, remains intact, price is hovering uncomfortably close to this long-term trend baseline. Historically, sustained closes below the 200-week average have signaled deeper macro weakness.

Volume expanded notably during the sharp weekly selloffs, suggesting forced unwinds and liquidation-driven pressure rather than gradual distribution. However, recent candles show smaller bodies and reduced downside momentum, indicating short-term equilibrium.

Technically, $69,000–$70,000 now acts as immediate resistance, aligning with prior support turned overhead supply. A weekly reclaim of that zone would be the first signal of structural recovery. Conversely, failure to defend the $62,000–$64,000 region could open the path toward a broader macro retracement.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

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Sebastian's journey into the world of crypto began four years ago, driven by a fascination with the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize financial systems. His initial exploration focused on understanding the intricacies of various crypto projects, particularly those focused on building innovative financial solutions. Through countless hours of research and learning, Sebastian developed a deep understanding of the underlying technologies, market dynamics, and potential applications of cryptocurrencies. As his knowledge grew, Sebastian felt compelled to share his insights with others. He began actively contributing to online discussions on platforms like X and LinkedIn, focusing on fintech and crypto-related content. His goal was to expose valuable trends and insights to a wider audience, fostering a deeper understanding of the rapidly evolving crypto landscape. Sebastian's contributions quickly gained recognition, and he became a trusted voice in the online crypto community. To further enhance his expertise, Sebastian pursued a UC Berkeley Fintech: Frameworks, Applications, and Strategies certification. This rigorous program equipped him with valuable skills and knowledge regarding Financial Technology, bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). The certification deepened his understanding of the broader financial landscape and its intersection with blockchain technology. Sebastian's passion for finance and writing is evident in his work. He enjoys delving into financial research, analyzing market trends, and exploring the latest developments in the crypto space. In his spare time, Sebastian can often be found immersed in charts, studying 10-K forms, or engaging in thought-provoking discussions about the future of finance. Sebastian's journey as a crypto analyst and investor has been marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and a dedication to sharing his insights. His ability to navigate the complex world of crypto, combined with his passion for financial research and communication, makes him a valuable asset to the industry. As the crypto landscape continues to evolve, Sebastian remains at the forefront, providing valuable insights and contributing to the growth of this revolutionary technology.

US-Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend have pushed geopolitical risk back to the center of crypto markets, but in CryptoInsightUK’s latest weekly note, the immediate takeaway for XRP is not simple downside. Founder Will Taylor argues that the first shock may be arriving at a moment when bearish positioning is already crowded, creating conditions where XRP could hold up better than Bitcoin and Ethereum if the market absorbs the news without fresh breakdowns.

Writing in the Week 184 edition of The Weekly Insight, Taylor framed the conflict first as a volatility event. “There could be extreme volatility in the near term,” he wrote, adding that this was also the kind of backdrop where bottoms can form “on the onset of bad news.”

He pushed the point further in a longer passage that gets to the core of his market view: “I am not saying number three is the definite outcome here. But I am saying, and I have said this for a while, that when people are overly invested emotionally in an event and are deeply worried about it, that is often where markets form bottoms. Especially if you do not see strong follow through to the downside.”

That distinction matters for XRP because Taylor is not arguing that war is bullish for crypto in itself. He is arguing that the market’s reaction function matters more than the headline. In his read, Bitcoin initially sold off on the news, but the move lacked the kind of follow-through that would usually confirm a deeper washout. He noted that liquidity still sat lower on Bitcoin, around $60,000, and said he would still prefer to see that level swept before calling for a more durable move higher.

Ethereum, in his telling, looked similar. Taylor said there was still downside liquidity near $1,720, but stressed that the larger pools of low-timeframe liquidity were sitting above price rather than below it. That left room for another dip, but not necessarily for a structurally bearish reset.

Why XRP Looks Different XRP is where his framework becomes more interesting. Taylor argued that XRP had already done some of the work Bitcoin and Ethereum were still waiting to do. “XRP had a spike to the upside about ten days ago that Bitcoin and Ethereum did not have. It showed relative strength there,” he wrote. “And now XRP has already moved down into the liquidity pools that Bitcoin and Ethereum are still waiting to touch. So in a way, XRP has already done what the others have not.”

He stopped well short of calling that confirmation, but the implication was clear. If the market was entering a fear-driven macro event and XRP had already traded into nearby liquidity while its larger peers had not, then XRP could be better positioned if the selling pressure fades instead of accelerating.

Taylor said he had been discussing the possibility of XRP leading altcoins and “potentially leading the market generally,” with this low-timeframe setup offering at least a hint in that direction.

Taylor’s broader thesis rests less on the war itself than on market structure. He continues to argue that Bitcoin still has significant daily liquidity above current levels and can make new all-time highs, while altcoins outperform on the way there. He tied that view to Bitcoin dominance, where he said Bollinger Bands were as tight as they had ever been on the weekly and extremely compressed on the monthly. If that volatility resolves lower, altcoins would be positioned to take share.

That is also why he ended the note on XRP against Ethereum. Taylor said the XRP/ETH chart “has started a new trend to the upside” and may be the beginning of a larger impulsive move. His closing framework was blunt: if Bitcoin pushes to new highs, if dominance weakens, and if XRP continues to hold momentum against Ethereum, then “XRP could be setting up for an explosive move.”

At press time, XRP traded at $1.3437.

XRP trades below the 200-week EMA, 1-week chart | Source: XRPUSDT on TradingView.com Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Bitcoin's 2026 bearish window is rapidly closing as corporate treasury accumulation accelerates and macro tailwinds build, tightening supply and reinforcing institutional demand, according to Jan3 CEO Samson Mow.

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Deloitte just finished auditing Tether’s USAT stablecoin reserves. The Big Four accounting firm released its first attestation report for the U.S.-regulated digital token, marking a pretty big deal for Tether’s credibility push.

Tether picked Deloitte to verify that USAT tokens have real money backing them up, dollar for dollar. The company has been getting heat from regulators and investors who want proof that stablecoins aren’t just digital IOUs. And with crypto regulations tightening across the board, Tether needed serious third-party validation. The attestation process involved Deloitte checking bank accounts, custody records, and asset holdings to make sure every USAT token has actual reserves behind it. Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s Chief Technology Officer, said the company is “committed to ongoing transparency and regulatory compliance” and called the attestation “just one step in a broader strategy.”

Things haven’t been smooth for Tether.

The company paid hefty fines in past years for misrepresenting its reserves, and USDT faced constant scrutiny about what assets actually backed the world’s largest stablecoin. But USAT represents Tether’s clean slate attempt – a U.S.-regulated token designed to meet stricter oversight requirements from day one.

Anchorage Digital Bank holds the actual reserves as custodian, adding another layer of regulatory comfort. Nathan McCauley, Anchorage’s CEO, emphasized that “robust custody services” are critical for maintaining digital asset integrity. The federally chartered crypto bank’s involvement gives institutional investors more confidence in USAT’s backing structure.

Market watchers are dissecting every detail of Deloitte’s report. Any red flags could spell trouble for Tether, which can’t afford another regulatory mess. The timing matters too – stablecoins are under intense government scrutiny right now.

Gary Gensler mentioned stablecoin risks during a February 2026 SEC hearing.

The Federal Reserve released a report in January calling for “robust reserve verification processes” to ensure stablecoins can handle financial stress. Tether’s Deloitte partnership basically checks that regulatory box, but the real test comes when officials review the actual findings. Jeremy Allaire, Circle’s CEO, recently said third-party attestations like Deloitte’s are “key to building trust with both users and regulators.” Circle’s USDC already goes through similar audits, so the competition for regulatory approval is heating up fast. This follows earlier reporting on Crypto Traders Buzz About World War.

Tether didn’t reveal specific details about what Deloitte found in its reserves yet. The company historically kept that information pretty close to the vest, which frustrated regulators and investors alike. But this attestation might force more disclosure than Tether’s used to providing.

The company announced plans on March 1, 2026, to expand its U.S.-regulated offerings, calling the Deloitte attestation a “foundational step” in that strategy. Tether wants bigger market share in the competitive stablecoin space, where transparency and compliance are becoming major differentiators. The expansion targets institutional clients who demand rigorous oversight before they’ll touch any digital assets.

Tether’s annual general meeting happens later this month. Shareholders will probably grill management about the attestation results and future regulatory strategy. The meeting could influence investor sentiment and impact USAT’s market performance, especially if Tether reveals more details about its reserve composition.

Industry analysts are watching how other stablecoin issuers react to Tether’s Deloitte partnership. As regulatory frameworks get tighter, third-party reserve verification might become standard practice across the sector. Companies that don’t get proper attestations could find themselves shut out of institutional markets or facing regulatory penalties.

The crypto industry is basically holding its breath waiting for more details. Tether’s past legal troubles make this attestation extra important – any problems could trigger fresh investigations or enforcement actions. But if Deloitte gives USAT a clean bill of health, it could legitimize Tether’s regulatory compliance efforts and boost confidence in U.S.-regulated stablecoins generally.

Anchorage’s role as custodian adds credibility since it’s the first federally chartered crypto bank in America. The bank’s secure custody solutions meet strict regulatory standards, which matters when government officials are evaluating stablecoin operations. McCauley’s team handles billions in digital assets for institutional clients who demand bank-level security. For more details, see Aave DAO Backs Treasury Revenue Shift,.

Tether hasn’t commented further on what the attestation found or what it means for USAT’s future. The company is probably waiting for regulatory review to finish before making any big announcements. Market participants are parsing every statement for clues about the reserves’ actual composition and whether they meet regulatory expectations.

The attestation represents Tether’s biggest transparency push since launching USAT. Whether it satisfies regulators and rebuilds investor trust remains unclear, but partnering with Deloitte sends a signal that Tether’s taking compliance seriously. The stablecoin wars are heating up, and proper attestations might separate winners from losers in the regulatory approval race.

USAT’s success could determine whether Tether regains its reputation or faces continued scrutiny from authorities who remember past compliance failures.

The attestation timing coincides with broader regulatory developments across multiple jurisdictions. European regulators under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework are implementing similar reserve requirements for stablecoin issuers operating in EU markets. Japan’s Financial Services Agency also announced new stablecoin guidelines in February 2026, requiring monthly reserve attestations from approved auditors.

Deloitte’s crypto audit practice has expanded rapidly over the past two years, handling reserve verification for several major digital asset firms. The accounting giant recently hired former Treasury Department officials to strengthen its regulatory expertise in the digital assets space. PwC and KPMG are also ramping up their crypto audit services as demand grows from stablecoin issuers seeking regulatory approval.

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Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is turning his attention to one of the blockchain’s most overlooked yet critical pressure points: who decides which transactions are included in each block. In a recent blog post, Buterin outlined a series of proposals aimed at reducing the risk of centralization in Ethereum block building and strengthening censorship resistance as the network scales.

With Ethereum’s upcoming “Glamsterdam” upgrade set to formalize proposer-builder separation (PBS), validators will be able to outsource block construction to a competitive marketplace of builders. While this system is designed to increase efficiency, Buterin warns that it does not fully eliminate centralization risks. If a small group of block builders gains dominance, they could censor transactions or extract excessive profits through maximal extractable value (MEV).

To address this, Buterin introduced a proposal known as FOCIL (Fork-Choice Enforced Inclusion Lists). Under this design, a randomly selected committee would choose specific transactions that must be included in the next block. If a builder fails to include those transactions, the block would be rejected. This mechanism would serve as an anti-censorship safeguard, ensuring that even a dominant builder cannot permanently exclude certain users or transactions from the Ethereum network.

Buterin also highlighted concerns around “toxic MEV,” where traders exploit visibility into pending transactions to front-run or execute sandwich attacks. One potential solution involves encrypting transactions until they are finalized on-chain, preventing bad actors from viewing and manipulating them in advance.

Beyond block construction, he pointed to vulnerabilities at the networking layer, where intermediaries can observe transactions before they are included in a block. Anonymized routing systems could help mitigate these risks and enhance transaction privacy.

Looking ahead, Buterin envisions more distributed block-building models that reduce reliance on tightly ordered global coordination. As Ethereum continues to scale, he argues that decentralization challenges are shifting from validators to the infrastructure that ultimately determines which transactions make it on-chain.

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Bitcoin has remained in a consolidation phase since its early February breakdown below the $70,000 threshold, oscillating around the mid-$60K region without establishing a clear directional bias. The loss of $70K marked a structural shift in short-term momentum, transitioning the market from trend continuation to range-bound stabilization.

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Bitcoin’s institutional love affair is cooling off fast. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange dropped a bombshell Thursday, showing futures open interest has plummeted to levels not seen since early 2024, and the numbers paint a pretty grim picture for crypto’s biggest players.

CME’s data comes as Bitcoin bounces around between $63,000 and $67,000 this week, can’t seem to find its footing while traditional markets like the S&P 500 keep chugging along. The contrast is stark – stocks are holding steady while digital assets struggle for attention. Back in February, Bitcoin futures were red-hot with institutional money pouring in, but that enthusiasm has basically evaporated. Open interest measures all the outstanding futures contracts, and when it drops this hard, it means the big players are backing away from the table.

The retreat raises serious questions about where Bitcoin goes next.

Many institutional investors are taking a hard look at their crypto allocations right now. Regulatory pressure keeps building, economic uncertainty lingers, and risk appetites are shrinking across the board. It’s not just futures either – spot trading volumes on major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase have taken a hit too. Traders seem stuck in wait-and-see mode, some locking in profits while others hesitate to jump back in.

Ethereum is feeling the pain alongside Bitcoin. The second-largest crypto by market cap shows similar futures interest declines, and altcoins are all over the map trying to find direction. But Bitcoin development keeps moving forward despite the market headwinds. Blockchain innovation doesn’t stop, and new applications keep emerging in various sectors.

The futures pullback could shake up Bitcoin’s price action going forward.

Fewer institutional players means less stability, but some analysts think retail investors might step up and fill the void. That could actually increase volatility rather than calm it down. Regulatory developments will be crucial to watch – several countries are tightening crypto rules, and the SEC is expected to make key digital asset rulings later this year. More on this topic: Bitcoin ETFs Pull 7 Million After.

Major financial institutions have gone pretty quiet lately. Banks and investment firms that used to talk up crypto are staying silent, leaving market participants to guess what comes next. Glassnode released a report March 1st showing Bitcoin network activity is cooling off too. Active addresses dropped, transaction volumes fell, and the data backs up what CME’s futures numbers are saying.

Fidelity Investments reportedly hit pause on expanding Bitcoin offerings. Sources close to the situation say market volatility and client hesitancy drove the decision. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s February 27th speech didn’t help either – he talked about cautious monetary policy amid inflation worries, pushing some investors back toward traditional assets.

JPMorgan Chase released a report February 28th suggesting institutions might be rotating into gold instead. The bank thinks some investors see gold as a safer inflation hedge compared to Bitcoin’s wild price swings. MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor addressed this during their March 1st earnings call, saying the company stays committed to Bitcoin long-term but they’re watching market conditions closely.

The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust discount has widened to 20% as of March 2nd, up from 15% earlier this year. That growing gap shows investors aren’t confident about near-term price gains. The Financial Times reported March 2nd that several hedge funds are cutting crypto exposure, adopting more conservative positions due to market unpredictability and potential regulatory challenges.

Bitcoin’s journey stays unpredictable as always. Some see buying opportunities in the current weakness, others remain cautious about jumping in. The digital currency’s resilience will get tested as external factors keep evolving. Market sentiment drives everything in crypto, and any major news could swing prices dramatically in either direction. More on this topic: Bitcoin Crashes 23% in Worst Quarter.

No major financial institution has commented on the latest CME data yet. The crypto community waits for signals from influential players about future trends, but silence from the big names leaves everyone guessing. Bitcoin futures demand sits at a crossroads right now, with institutional interest fading and concerns growing about asset stability.

The absence of fresh institutional endorsements or strategic shifts keeps the market in limbo. Without new initiatives to boost futures participation, uncertainty dominates Bitcoin’s immediate outlook. The lack of institutional support could mean more volatility ahead as the market searches for new sources of demand and direction.

The CME futures decline mirrors broader institutional crypto withdrawal patterns across multiple asset classes. Goldman Sachs quietly scaled back its digital asset trading desk in late February, while Morgan Stanley reduced crypto research coverage by 30% according to internal sources. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF saw net outflows of $127 million during the first week of March, marking its largest weekly exodus since launch. Even crypto-focused firms are pulling back – Galaxy Digital reported a 40% reduction in institutional client onboarding compared to Q4 2023.

Geopolitical tensions add another layer of complexity to institutional hesitancy. The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation takes full effect in December, creating compliance headaches for global banks. Singapore’s Monetary Authority tightened crypto lending rules in February, forcing several institutions to restructure their digital asset operations. Meanwhile, Japan’s Financial Services Agency is reviewing leverage limits on crypto derivatives, potentially impacting how institutions access Bitcoin futures markets. These regulatory shifts create operational uncertainty that many large players simply don’t want to navigate right now.

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Judge Katherine Polk Failla of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled in favor of Uniswap, definitively dismissing state lawsuits against Uniswap Labs and its founder, Hayden Adams. The ruling determines that developers of a decentralized protocol cannot be held liable for scams or “rug pulls” perpetrated by third-party token issuers who use their open-source code for illicit purposes.

This ruling closes a case that began in 2022 and reinforces the legal stance that software is not to blame for misuse by external parties. For the DeFi ecosystem, the impact is monumental, as it establishes that providing an automated marketplace does not equate to providing substantial assistance to fraud, thereby protecting technological innovation against litigation over the conduct of unidentified users.

As soon as the news broke, the native token UNI reacted with a 6% increase, trading near $3.92. The next step for the community will be to monitor how this precedent influences other ongoing regulatory lawsuits, while analysts observe whether this judicial clarity drives greater institutional adoption of decentralized exchange protocols under a framework of limited liability for code creators.

Source:https://goo.su/uNNzY

Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News is prepared from official and public sources verified by our editorial team. Its purpose is to provide rapid information on relevant facts within the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendations. We recommend always verifying the official channels of each project before making related decisions.

The next phase of tokenization is kicking off strong: BlackRock’s Pool Tokens land on HBAR via Archax.

Market Sentiment:

Bullish Bearish Neutral

Published: March 3, 2026 │ 12:07 AM GMT

Created by Kornelija Poderskytė from DailyCoin

BlackRock is testing the waters with a selection of money-market funds (MMFs) tokenized on Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) via Archax, but a lot more is yet to come. With a carbon-negative footprint, fixed & ultra-low fees amidst an ultra-high 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) score, Hedera’s HBAR Network will now also host BlackRock’s Pool Tokens.

BlackRock’s ‘Fund Of Funds’ Sets Foot On HBARThese are synthetic baskets that comprise various money-market funds (MMFs). This sort of ‘fund of funds’ is also deployed by Archax, the British institutional-grade crypto brokerage that previously released a series of Pound Sterling, Euro & United States Dollar MMFs on-chain.

HUGE: BlackRock and State Street-linked money market fund exposure is showing up on Hedera rails via Archax’s regulated tokenization stack. pic.twitter.com/qkM0yNrz9E

— STEPH IS CRYPTO (@Steph_iscrypto) March 2, 2026 With the new Pool Tokens, BlackRock’s investors are able to gain access to ultra-safe, yield-bearing cash equivalents with nearly-instantaneous settlement time. The fractional ownership of real estate is becoming increasingly trendy in the growing Real World Asset (RWA) market, now breaching $25 billion in market capitalization.

ETF Buzz Calms Down: No Direct BlackRock Deal?It’s fair to say that this doesn’t imply a direct partnership between Blackrock & Hedera (HBAR), as Archax brokers are the ones choosing the particular DLT chain for the deed, not BlackRock directly. However, 2025 was full of speculation that BlackRock would launch HBAR based ETFs, including a standalone exchange-traded fund (ETF) item.

While that didn’t happen, BlackRock is likely to make use of HBAR’s on-chain collateral for trading, while government bonds & tokenized treasuries are expected to be the next big thing in the RWA market. BlackRock’s expansion into tokenization market aligns with Hedera’s growing role in the field, so choosing HBAR as a settlement layer isn’t out of the question.

🚨 Speculative Prediction: BlackRock + Hedera (HBAR) Partnership for Mass-Scale RWA Tokenization 🚨

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager ($10T+ AUM), appears poised to leverage Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) for tokenizing real-world assets like bonds, real estate, and… pic.twitter.com/APKqs8G7r6

— Bmendo (@Bmendo_X) February 7, 2026 Ultimately, it’s safe to say that BlackRock is testing HBAR’s waters with lower-risk products before diving into higher-risk, bigger-reward assets. Those could be private credit, as well as structured on-chain products like Derivatives on niche Real World Assets (RWAs) & carbon credit markets.

Stay in the loop with DailyCoin’s top crypto news:
Crypto Funds Pull In $1 Billion, Snapping 5-Week Slump
Is XRP Facing The Most Price Turbulence This Week?

People Also Ask:What exactly are these “Synthetic Baskets” on HBAR?

They are Pool Tokens launched by regulated platform Archax on the Hedera network. The first one is a synthetic token that holds equal parts of tokenized money-market funds from four giants: abrdn (Aberdeen), BlackRock, State Street, and Legal & General.

Is this a direct BlackRock partnership with Hedera?

Not yet. BlackRock has no announced commercial relationship or direct selection of Hedera (they clarified this in 2024 after earlier confusion). However, third-party tokenization via Archax now gives BlackRock fund exposure on HBAR.

Are these synthetic baskets actually tradable today?

Yes — Archax’s Pool Tokens are minted and live on Hedera. They enable fractional ownership, instant settlement, and composability with other DeFi protocols on the network.

DailyCoin's Vibe Check: Which way are you leaning towards after reading this article?

Market Sentiment

100% Bullish

This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

Major crypto stocks rallied sharply after Bitcoin climbed back above the key $70,000 level, recovering from a weekend pullback that briefly pushed prices down to the $63,000 range. The rebound comes despite escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran, highlighting Bitcoin’s resilience and renewed investor confidence in digital assets.

Crypto-related equities outperformed the broader market as Bitcoin approached the psychological $70K mark. Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR), the largest publicly traded corporate holder of Bitcoin, rose 5.77%, closely tracking BTC’s price movement. Between February 23 and March 1, 2026, Strategy acquired 3,015 BTC for approximately $204 million, increasing its total holdings to 720,737 BTC. The company funded the purchase through $229.9 million in net proceeds raised via at-the-market common and preferred share sales, reinforcing its long-term Bitcoin strategy.

Circle Internet Group (CRCL) led the crypto stock rally with a 12.61% gain on March 2. Shares hit an intraday high of $94.80, up from the prior close of $83.44. Although still 68.29% below its 52-week high of $298.99, CRCL remains nearly 90% above its 52-week low of $49.90. Trading activity surged, with over 15.2 million shares exchanged—150% of its average daily volume—signaling strong investor interest.

Coinbase Global (NASDAQ: COIN) advanced 4%, reflecting its sensitivity to cryptocurrency price action. Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ: HOOD) also climbed 4.14% to $78.99, though it remains below key moving averages, including its 50-day and 200-day trends.

Bitcoin initially dropped from $66,000 to $63,600 following geopolitical developments but quickly rebounded. Analysts note that BTC has cleared a high-volume trading zone, with $72,000 identified as the next resistance level and $68,000 as critical support. Strong spot market buying, rather than derivatives-driven activity, suggests sustained demand and potential upward momentum for both Bitcoin and leading crypto stocks.

<Copyright ⓒ TokenPost, unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited>

BMNR stock surged on March 2 as Ethereum climbed back above the critical $2,000 level, fueling renewed investor interest in crypto-related equities. Shares of Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. rose 8% during the trading session, reaching an intraday high of $21.02 before settling at $20.82, according to TradingView data. Despite the recent rally, BMNR remains 87.07% below its 52-week high of $161, yet it has rebounded an impressive 550.63% from its 52-week low of $3.20. Trading volume reached 18.3 million shares, representing 46.3% of the company’s average daily volume.

The rally in BMNR stock closely followed Ethereum’s 4% price increase, with ETH trading near $2,030 after reclaiming the $2,000 psychological level. Ethereum had previously been trading within a narrow range before breaking higher, supporting bullish sentiment across crypto markets.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies recently strengthened its Ethereum position by purchasing 50,928 ETH, bringing its total holdings to 4.474 million ETH. At current prices, the company’s Ethereum portfolio is valued at approximately $8.9 billion, representing 3.71% of the token’s circulating supply. The company is targeting ownership of 5% of Ethereum’s total supply, a strategy it refers to as the “alchemy of 5%.”

Bitmine’s balance sheet includes $9.9 billion in crypto assets, cash, and strategic investments. This portfolio consists of 4.474 million ETH, 195 Bitcoin, $868 million in cash reserves, $200 million invested in Beast Industries, and a $14 million treasury investment linked to Eightco Holdings (ORBS) or Worldcoin.

Staking remains central to Bitmine’s growth strategy. As of March 1, roughly 3.04 million ETH—valued at nearly $6 billion at a price of $1,976—has been staked. The company plans to launch its MAVAN institutional staking platform in early 2026 to generate yield and expand treasury holdings.

Ethereum derivatives data indicates elevated volatility, with $111.48 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours, including $69.42 million in short positions. Analysts note Ethereum is trading above its monthly support level, signaling potential for further upside despite historical December weakness.

<Copyright ⓒ TokenPost, unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited>

23h05 ▪ 3 min read ▪ by Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

Michael Saylor continues his offensive on bitcoin. Strategy has just announced a new massive purchase, further strengthening a balance sheet already dominated by the flagship asset. This operation, the 101st since the beginning of its accumulation strategy, takes place in a market context closely watched by institutional investors. With each acquisition, the company increases its exposure and confirms an intact conviction: making bitcoin the central pillar of its treasury.

In brief Strategy makes its 101st bitcoin purchase with an investment of 204 million dollars. The company acquires 3,015 BTC at an average price of 67,700 dollars per unit. Total reserves now amount to 720,737 bitcoins. This strategy strengthens the correlation between Strategy’s market capitalization and Bitcoin’s evolution. Strategy adds 3,015 BTC to its balance sheet Strategy, after a purchase at a largely overvalued price, announced the acquisition of 3,015 additional bitcoins for a total amount of 204 million dollars. The operation was carried out between February 23 and March 1, 2026, according to published information. This new transaction is part of a continuous accumulation policy engaged for several years by the company led by Michael Saylor.

The average purchase price was 67,700 dollars per bitcoin, confirming execution spread over several days. The financing of this acquisition comes from the sale of common shares under the “at-the-market” (ATM) program, a mechanism allowing capital raising directly on the market.

The disclosed information are as follows :

3,015 BTC acquired ; 204 million dollars invested ; Average purchase price : 67,700 $ per BTC. Following this operation, Strategy now holds 720,737 bitcoins. The total cumulative acquisition cost reaches approximately 54.8 billion dollars, for an overall average price of about 75,985 dollars per bitcoin.

An accumulation financed by the stock market The operation was made possible through the sale of common shares under the ATM (at-the-market) program, a mechanism allowing the company to gradually raise funds on the markets.

This approach differs from previous bond financings used by Strategy of Michael Saylor during earlier accumulation cycles. It illustrates an adaptation of the financial leverage mobilized to pursue this bitcoin strategy.

By using the stock market, Strategy pursues a unique model: converting raised capital into bitcoin to increase its strategic reserve. This method strengthens the correlation between the company’s market capitalization and BTC’s evolution, making the company an indirect exposure vehicle for traditional investors.

Strategy continues its methodical accumulation of bitcoin, consolidating a financial model now closely linked to BTC’s evolution. This 101st operation confirms a strategic conviction assumed for the long term. Meanwhile, Strategy confirms a 11.5% STRC dividend for March 2026, an additional signal sent to the markets about the strength of its financial positioning.

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Luc Jose A.

Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d'une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j'ai rejoint l'aventure Cointribune en 2019. Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, j'ai pris l'engagement de sensibiliser et d'informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu'elle offre. Je m'efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l'actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.

Analyst sounds the alarm over tensions involving Iran, the US & Israel — including reported airstrikes and attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Market Sentiment:

Bullish Bearish Neutral

Published: March 2, 2026 │ 9:55 PM GMT

Created by Kornelija Poderskytė from DailyCoin

Levi, a popular market expert, is warning XRP and HBAR holders that escalating conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel could trigger a sharp, institution-led sell-off in digital assets as early as Monday’s market open. The host ties a series of overnight airstrikes, reported casualties, and fresh attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz to what he expects will be a fast “risk-off” move by large funds once traditional markets resume trading.

Strait Of Hormuz Disruption & Oil Shock At The CenterLevi Rietveld’s main argument is that the most critical development is not just the military exchange itself, but the targeting of oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a choke-point he says channels “20% of the world’s oil.”

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With new airstrikes in Iran and hits on tankers reported “over the last 12 hours” while most retail traders slept, he expects a supply shock that legacy markets have not yet priced in due to weekend closures.

Levi cites Brent crude’s last settle around $72–73 per barrel, then points to over-the-counter indications of prices “jumping over 10% to around $80 a barrel” when futures reopen. Prior geopolitical flare-ups, he notes, have driven “5 to 15% initial moves” in oil, which he frames as a direct cost shock feeding into goods and services globally.

Crypto Resilience So Far, But Institutions Haven’t Moved YetWhile crypto prices have held up “surprisingly well” over the weekend, the host stresses that this resilience is almost entirely retail-driven. Large institutions, he says, have been “completely inactive” while traditional markets are closed and historically “sell pretty indiscriminately” during heightened geopolitical risk to satisfy shareholders and de-risk portfolios.

He sees a “very large sell-off for XRP and probably even every other cryptocurrency” as likely between Monday and mid-week, with Bitcoin leading, followed by Ethereum and XRP. In his view, the immediate timeline hinges on what he calls the current “kinetic phase” of the conflict, which he expects could last one to four weeks, depending on whether Iran’s leadership moves toward de-escalation or continues to rotate in anti-West commanders.

XRP’s Technical Price Levels & Trading StrategyOn XRP specifically, the analyst focuses on long-term weekly moving averages. Levi says XRP recently broke below its 100-week simple moving average and is now “rapidly approaching” the 200-week SMA, which he treats as his primary bear market bottom signal.

Further on, Levi Rietveld projects a possible dip “below a dollar and twelve cents,” with a potential bottom “just around one dollar per coin.”

Looking back to the 2022 cycle, he highlights the period when XRP traded below its 200-week SMA around $0.30 as a generational buying zone that later offered exits “anywhere above a dollar.” He expects a similar pattern: a break below the 200-week line, a consolidation of “a few months,” and then a full bull market breakout.

Despite positioning himself as long-term bullish on XRP, he says he is preparing for “short-term downwards pressure” by opening short positions ahead of Monday’s open, framing it as a tactical move rather than a change in fundamental outlook.

For crypto investors more broadly, the takeaway is straightforward: a weekend of calm prices may not reflect the scale of institutional risk-off behavior once oil futures, equities, and large capital allocators fully digest the implications of a prolonged disruption in one of the world’s most strategic energy corridors.

Discover DailyCoin’s popular crypto news now:
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People Also Ask:How could the Strait of Hormuz tensions affect crypto?

The analyst expects higher oil prices and broader risk aversion to push institutions to cut crypto exposure, leading to a near-term sell-off.

Why is the 200-week SMA important for XRP?

In his framework, trading below the 200-week simple moving average has historically marked major cycle bottoms and attractive accumulation zones.

Is the host bearish on XRP long term?

Not really. He remains bullish on XRP’s long-term prospects but is positioning for a short-term decline driven by macro and geopolitical risk.

What is the expected conflict timeline?

He describes the current period as a “kinetic phase” that could last one to four weeks, with markets reacting to how quickly — or slowly — it de-escalates.

DailyCoin's Vibe Check: Which way are you leaning towards after reading this article?

Market Sentiment

100% Bullish

This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

A February report claimed that Tether had frozen about $4.2 billion worth of its USDt stablecoin allegedly connected to illicit activities since 2023.

The US Justice Department is seeking to recover about $327,829 worth of stablecoins allegedly connected to a money laundering scheme part of an online romance scam.

In a Monday notice, the US Attorney's Office for Massachusetts said it had filed a civil forfeiture action to recover more than 327,829 of Tether's USDt (USDT). According to authorities, the funds were tied to an alleged online romance fraud scheme perpetrated by an individual named “Linda Brown” which targeted a Massachusetts resident starting in 2024. 

“Some of the victim’s funds were traced to multiple unhosted cryptocurrency wallets, which were seized in August 2025,” said the Justice Department. “The complaint alleges that all cryptocurrency associated with those wallets was property involved in money laundering.”

The notice of the romance scam came about three weeks after people in many countries celebrated Valentine’s Day. The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio issued a warning before the holiday about romance scams, informing people not to “send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to someone you have not met in person.”

Cointelegraph reached out to Tether for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Tether froze $4.2 billion tied to illicit activity in previous three yearsOn Friday, a spokesperson for the stablecoin issuer reportedly told Reuters that Tether had frozen about $4.2 billion worth of USDt connected to suspected criminal activity since 2023.

The company has the ability to freeze its stablecoin by blacklisting certain wallet addresses. For example, Tether reported in February that it had frozen about $544 million allegedly tied to unlawful betting platforms and money laundering at the request of Turkish authorities.

Magazine: Clarity Act risks repeat of Europe’s mistakes, crypto lawyer warns

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy

Ethereum plans on implementing Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS) and Fork-Choice-Enforced Inclusion Lists (FOCIL) within this year’s Glamsterdam and Hegota upgrades. Both aim to uphold network decentralization and scalability while increasing speed, privacy, and security.

PBS will roll out first with the Glamsterdam fork scheduled for the first half of this year. The feature will further separate block builders and validators on Ethereum, preventing large validators from monopolizing and profiting from select transactions, a concept referred to as Maximal Extractable Value (MEV).

On the other hand, FOCIL (EIP-7805), scheduled for the 2nd half of 2026, will compel 16 randomly chosen validators to include certain transactions in their block. This will prevent transaction blocking or censoring on the grounds of perceived profitability.

Ethereum rivals Cardano in network developmentIn early 2026, Ethereum’s MEV rose to about $24 million in a single month. While profitable for validators, revenue-driven approaches such as front-running and sandwiching resulted in increased network congestion and gas fees for users.

PBS distributes validator power, mitigating MEV-induced centralization that was typically associated with large validators. A bigger version of FOCIL, simply known as “Big FOCIL,” would offer the same benefits as its parent, only on a much larger scale.

Source: X

Rival chain Cardano plans on offering similar benefits with the upcoming Midnight sidechain. The chain would leverage a dual tokenomics system that would enable users to hide sensitive information, including account transactions and balances. This development would also separate private and public computations, making Cardano less congested and effectively lowering gas fees. Midnight will also be regulatory compliant, which will encourage adoption among privacy-centric institutions.

1/ ICYMI: As Midnight moves toward mainnet, we’ve been rolling out the federated node operators helping run, secure, and strengthen the network before Midnight transitions to full community-driven block production later this year.

So far, seven organizations across cloud… pic.twitter.com/pcD6IrqJIj

— Midnight (@MidnightNtwrk) March 2, 2026 ETH and ADA pricesAt press time, both ETH (2nd by market cap) and ADA (10th by market cap) showed positive price movement following the recent broad relief rally. ETH traded at $2,042, up 6%, while ADA traded at $0.28, up 2.70% in the last 24h. Cardano also showed positive market sentiment, following the recent launch of its USDC-backed stablecoin, USDCx.

Since the two altcoins move in lockstep with Bitcoin, their future price action largely relies on whether BTC will break above $70K.

Source: CoinMarketCap

Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.

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Ripple unlocks 1 billion XRP from escrowRipple's XRP unlock on March 1 meets a struggling market as February ends with a 16% drop for the price of the cryptocurrency.

Escrow. Ripple Labs unlocked 1 billion XRP from its escrow accounts, worth approximately $1.377 billion.Ripple unlocked another 1 billion tokens this morning from its XRP escrow account. As reported by Whale Alert, the release of 1 billion XRP, equivalent to more than $1.377 billion, occurred in three tranches: 200, 300 and 500 million XRP were unlocked step by step from the San Francisco-based blockchain company’s escrow accounts.

According to XRPL Services, the company currently continues to hold around 32.91 billion XRP. This accounts for approximately 32% of the token’s total supply and, at current prices, is equivalent to more than $45.3 billion. 

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As is known, the unlocking takes place to boost liquidity, manage the market and support the gradual release of XRP from the wallets.

XRP price down 16%. XRP price reaction was minimal, rising just 0.9% from the day’s open following the release.For XRP itself, at the time of release the price showed almost no reaction, with only a 0.9% increase from the day’s opening. In this context, the February figures, which have just closed, are more interesting as the month ended with XRP down 16.45%. At the peak of February’s decline, the drop reached 33%.

Solana jumps 11% as crypto market rebounds after $500M liquidation eventSolana led the recovery among major cryptocurrencies, rising 11% to $88.89.

Price surge. Solana led major cryptocurrencies with an 11% surge, topping gains among top-10 assets by market capitalization.Solana led major cryptocurrencies, especially those in the top 10 by market valuation, with an 11% bounce as the crypto market rebounded ahead of traditional futures opening on Sunday.

Crypto prices rebounded sharply on Sunday, as traders bought the dip following Saturday's crash, which saw over $500 million in liquidations. The market added $32 billion in market value by Sunday morning, after shedding about $128 billion the previous day, according to data from CoinGecko.

Crypto downtrend. Despite the recovery, weekly performance across digital assets remains mixed, with thin liquidity and upcoming equity market moves likely to determine whether momentum can be sustained.Solana led the recovery among majors, rising 11% to an intraday high of $88.89. At the time of writing, Solana was up 9.22% in the last 24 hours to $85.30 and down 0.41% weekly.

Despite the rebound in the markets, weekly performance across most digital assets remains mixed, with thin liquidity and upcoming moves in the equities market likely to determine whether this bounce continues.

Musk echoes comparisons between Anthropic and FTXElon Musk intensified the AI arms race by endorsing a viral critique that compares Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.

SBF vibes. Elon Musk endorsed a theory likening AI firm Anthropic to collapsed crypto exchange FTX.Elon Musk has endorsed a theory comparing AI giant Anthropic to the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX. He has agreed that the AI company and its CEO Dario Amodei, give off distinct "Sam Bankman-Fried vibes."

Tech commentator Lukas (@hyperonline) posted a detailed thread analyzing why Anthropic’s corporate persona makes him uncomfortable. He has explicitly compared the AI firm to SBF’s fraudulent crypto empire.

500 million investment. Bankman-Fried was an early Anthropic backer, investing $500 million in 2022, funds later revealed to be misappropriated FTX customer assets.Notably, Bankman-Fried was an early backer of Anthropic. He invested $500 million into the AI startup in 2022. Later, it turned out that these were stolen FTX customer funds. "The whole thing feels calculated and insincere," Lukas explained, describing the vibe as feeling like "some sort of hyperpredator" in disguise.

TL;DR

Aptos token holders voted to cap the total supply at 2.1 billion. Staking rewards will decrease while transaction fees will increase. A portion of fees will fund token buybacks and permanent removal. Those who hold Aptos tokens and participate in its governance system made a decision that redefines the maximum number of coins that will ever exist. The measure establishes that there will never be more than 2.1 billion APT tokens in circulation.

Before this vote, which closed on March 1, there was no defined ceiling for the issuance of new tokens. The previous model allowed for the continuous creation of coins without a preset limit. With the approved change, once the total number of tokens in circulation reaches that figure, the network will stop generating new units.

The vote showed majority support among those who cast ballots. According to official Aptos governance records, 335.2 million APT tokens were used to support the proposal. Only 1,500 tokens were cast against it. Participation reached 39% of total eligible voting power, exceeding the 35% minimum required for the vote to be valid.

The proposal now moves to its implementation phase. The Aptos Foundation, the entity driving the development of this network, will be responsible for executing the necessary technical changes.

The limit on total supply is only one part of the approved changes The new scheme also modifies how participants who help secure the network are rewarded and how transaction fees are calculated. Rewards for staking tokens will be reduced. This system pays users who lock up their coins to help validate transactions. At the same time, the fees users pay to process transactions will increase.

A portion of those fees will be used to buy APT tokens on the open market. Those purchased tokens will be permanently removed from circulation. This process, known in the industry as token burning, reduces the total available supply over time.

For a token holder, the combined effect of these measures is straightforward. There will be a maximum number of coins that will never be exceeded. And if the network is used frequently, the fees burned will further reduce the circulating supply.

The vote occurred at a time when the price of APT showed weakness Data from Tradingview indicates the token reached $0.79 on February 23. That value represented the lowest point in recent trading sessions. Compared to prices from a year ago, APT had lost more than 85% of its value at that time.

In the days following the vote, the token showed some recovery. APT rose 17% in the seven days leading up to March 8. At the time of this publication, APT is trading near $0.96, an increase of 3.5% in the last 24 hours. This uptick coincides with a general upward movement in the cryptocurrency market.

The market tends to pay attention to changes in a token’s supply structure. A fixed cap, combined with the periodic burning of coins, eliminates the possibility that continuous issuance will dilute the value of existing holdings. For those maintaining long-term positions, this provides certainty about how many tokens will exist in the future.

The question now facing the market is whether network usage will be sufficient for fee burning to have a visible effect on circulating supply. If transaction activity grows, so will the number of tokens removed from circulation. If not, the hard cap will be the only active mechanism.

Market Analysis

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Tim Hakki

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Tim Hakki

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Feb 2024

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A journalist and copywriter with a decade's experience across music, video games, finance and tech.

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Last updated: 

14 minutes ago

News feeds may be rocked by war news, but markets are weathering it; ChatGPT even predicts a strong year ahead for XRP, SOL and SHIB HODLers.

It seems the market already priced in war news during the downturns following Trump’s previous threats of US military escalation on Greenland and Iran earlier in the year.

Given all the uncertainties, however, just how likely are ChatGPT’s forecasts?

XRP ($XRP): ChatGPT Predicts a Clean 7x Surge by ChristmasIn a recent update, Ripple reiterated that XRP ($XRP) remains fundamental to its vision to transform the XRP Ledger (XRPL) into a global, enterprise-grade payments network.

Source: ChatGPTPowered by elite infrastructure, instant settlement and minimal fees, XRPL is likely to capitalise greatly on two of crypto’s fastest-expanding niches: stablecoins and tokenised real-world assets.

With XRP currently trading around $1.41, ChatGPT projects a potential rally toward $10 in 2026, a move that would represent 7x for current holders.

Technical indicators also support upward movement. XRP’s relative strength index (RSI) hovers near 44, while price action has stabilised around the 30-day moving average, hinting the prolonged consolidation phase may be over

Additional bullish catalysts could include growing institutional participation following the rollout of U.S.-listed XRP ETFs, Ripple’s expanding global partnership network, and improved regulatory clarity if the CLARITY bill passes in the U.S. this year.

Solana (SOL): Will Solana Double ATH Soon?Solana ($SOL) hosts $6.5 billion in total value locked (TVL) and carries a market capitalisation of $51 billion.

Source: ChatGPTInstitutional demand grew after the recent launch of Solana exchange-traded funds from major asset managers, including Bitwise and Grayscale.

Even so, SOL suffered a deep correction in late 2025 and spent much of February trading below the $100 level.

Under ChatGPT’s most optimistic scenario, Solana could climb from its current price near $89 to roughly $600 by Christmas. Such a move would deliver close 7x upside and double Solana’s all-time high (ATH) of $293, recorded in January 2025.

Further reinforcing Solana’s outlook, asset management giants such as Franklin Templeton and BlackRock are actively issuing tokenised assets on the network, underscoring the network’s headstart as a scalable, institution-friendly blockchain.

Shiba Inu (SHIB): ChatGPT AI Predicts a Possible 2,000% RallyLaunched in 2020 as a playful parody of Dogecoin, Shiba Inu ($SHIB) has since evolved into a multi-faceted ecosystem with a market capitalisation around $3.4 billion.

Source: ChatGPTAt its current price near $0.0000057, ChatGPT’s analysis indicates that a decisive breakout above the $0.000025–$0.00003 resistance zone could ignite strong bullish momentum, potentially driving SHIB toward $0.00012 before year-end.

That scenario would imply eye watering gains of around 21x (+2,000%), placing SHIB above its October 2021 ATH of $0.00008616.

Beyond meme coin hype, the project offers real utility. Shiba Inu’s Ethereum Layer-2 solution, Shibarium, offers faster transactions, lower fees, enhanced privacy and a more developer-friendly environment.

Maxi Doge: Early-Stage Meme Coin Targets Explosive GrowthAccording to ChatGPT, Shiba Inu’s likelihood of a 21x run indicates strong conviction that a bull market could usher the start of meme season. However, newer stage meme coins offer more room for growth

One such buzzy new project is Maxi Doge ($MAXI). It has already raised $4.7 million during its ongoing presale, as early investors stack what some are calling the next Dogecoin.

Maxi Doge is Dogecoin’s louder, more aggressive gym-bro cousin, driven by envy and fuelled by a viral degen marketing strategy that taps into the chaotic energy of the 2021 meme coin cycle.

MAXI is an ERC-20 token on Ethereum’s proof-of-stake network, offering a significantly lower environmental footprint compared to Dogecoin’s proof-of-work architecture.

Early presale buyers can currently stake MAXI for yields of up to 67% APY, with rewards gradually decreasing as the staking pool expands.

The token is $0.0002806 in the current presale stage, with automatic price increases programmed at each funding milestone. Purchases are supported via wallets such as MetaMask and Best Wallet.

Stay updated through Maxi Doge’s official X and Telegram pages.

Visit the Official Website Here.