Market Signal Briefing

The crypto market has dropped over 4% in the past 24 hours. The XRP price has followed, falling by a similar margin. Still, it holds around 7% gains over the past week. What stands out is that XRP remains down over the past 30 days. This shows the broader trend is still weak.

At the same time, a new institutional demand narrative is quietly building. This puts XRP at a key moment where weakness and opportunity are both present.

XRP Structure Weakens Near $1.43 but Bullish Divergence Signals HopeXRP’s price still follows a cup-and-handle pattern. This pattern usually signals a move higher, but the current handle is starting to weaken. The key level now sits at $1.43. This level acts as support for the pattern. A daily close below it would break the structure and end the setup.

So while the pattern remains active, it is under pressure.

At the same time, momentum is showing early signs of strength. Between late January and mid-March, XRP formed a lower low. But the Relative Strength Index (RSI), a momentum indicator, formed a higher low. This creates a bullish divergence.

A bullish divergence means selling pressure is fading even as the price drops, hinting at a reversal of the broader downtrend. The same signal appeared earlier between late January and early March. That move led to a rally of more than 20%.

XRP Price Structure: TradingViewNow the same setup is forming again.

This suggests that despite the recent drop, XRP may still attempt another move higher. If that happens, it could be the push needed to break above the key resistance. But for that move to sustain, the broader market structure must support it.

Leverage Drops While Selling Pressure Continues to EaseMarket data shows that leverage has cooled significantly.

Open interest, which tracks total futures positions, dropped from around $975 million to $847 million, a decline of roughly 13.1%. At the same time, funding rates fell from about 0.0015 to 0.0011, marking a drop of over 26%.

A similar setup appeared earlier in March. At that time, open interest dropped toward $764 million, and funding turned negative before XRP moved higher.

OI And Funding Rate: SantimentSpot activity also supports the idea of reduced selling pressure.

Exchange net position data shows continued outflows. On March 8, outflows stood near -47.4 million XRP, while recent data shows deeper outflows of around -115.2 million XRP. This suggests stronger accumulation compared to the previous rally phase.

XRP Spot Flow: GlassnodeAt the same time, short-term holders have reduced their exposure sharply. HODL waves, which track how long coins are held, show that the 1-week to 1-month cohort dropped from around 5.24% of supply on March 1 to 1.36% now, a decline of nearly 74%. The supply for this cohort has now dropped to a yearly low, hinting at steady exit for speculative money.

HODL Waves: GlassnodeThis indicates that short-term traders have already taken profits and exited positions.

So the market now has:

lower leverage (down almost 13%) weaker bullish positioning (funding down almost 26%) stronger outflows (more than 2x compared to early March) reduced short-term supply (down almost 74%) This combination often supports consolidation instead of further downside. Alongside this, Evernorth is working on a Nasdaq-linked XRP treasury structure, hinting at potential long-term institutional demand. This could help surface a MicroStrategy-like narrative, but for XRP. It seems that this sentimental driver has managed to keep the spot outflows intact.

With pressure easing, the next move now depends on key price levels.

XRP Price Levels: $1.60 Break Could Unlock 30% MoveXRP is now trading between two important levels. On the upside, $1.60 remains the key resistance. A break above this level would confirm the pattern and could push XRP toward $2.08. If momentum continues, the move could extend toward $2.32.

On the downside, $1.43 remains critical support. A break below this level would invalidate the structure and shift the trend lower.

For now, XRP sits in a balanced position.

Momentum is improving, leverage has dropped, and selling pressure has eased. At the same time, the XRP price remains under resistance and close to support.

XRP Price Analysis: TradingViewThis makes the next move decisive.

If $1.43 holds and $1.60 breaks, the XRP price could enter a stronger recovery phase. But if support fails first, the breakout setup will collapse before it can fully play out.

Bitcoin [BTC] traded near $70,800 at press time after rebounding from the $65,000 demand zone, which aligned with the highlighted support band between $64,500 and $66,500.

Initially, price reacted strongly within this zone, forming a base after multiple tests, while buyers stepped in to absorb selling pressure. As a result, recent candles showed a short-term recovery, with price pushing back above $70,000.

Source: TradingView However, this rebound remains tentative, as price struggles to extend toward the $71,400–$75,600 supply region. Upper wicks on recent candles suggest early signs of rejection, while bodies lack strong follow-through.

Meanwhile, volume remained relatively muted during the advance, contrasting with heavier participation seen during prior declines.

Bitcoin’s upside lacks conviction as derivatives cool off As momentum builds gradually, the $65,000–$66,500 zone continues to define the current value area. Unless buyers sustain pressure above $71,000 and push toward $74,000, the price may rotate back to retest support, maintaining a range-bound structure.

Bitcoin edges higher, yet derivatives positioning reveals a fragile foundation beneath the move. Initially, Funding Rates remained mildly positive, with Binance at 0.0001% and the OI-Weighted average near 0.0020%, signaling restrained participation rather than aggressive bidding.

Source: CoinGlass As price lifts, this subdued backdrop suggests that the move leans on short trimming, not fresh demand.

At the same time, liquidation data reinforced this imbalance, as only $74 million in shorts closed against $395 million in long liquidations. Despite the price being high, the pain is being felt by the bulls, which usually precedes a deeper flush.

Meanwhile, Open Interest dropped to approximately $48.5 billion, down 4.8% in 24 hours, reflecting position closure.

As this unfolds, momentum fades quickly after each upward push, with long positions unwinding soon after. Without a sustained rebuild in Open Interest alongside price strength, the advance risks fading, leaving Bitcoin vulnerable to another pullback.

Bitcoin’s structure remains fragile Price hovered just above the 20-day EMA at $70,624 at the time of writing, yet momentum remained uncertain. Initially, BTC attempted to stabilize after rebounding from sub-$65,000 levels, forming a short-term base.

However, as price approached the 50-day EMA at $72,772, repeated rejections emerged, with upper wicks near $74,500 signaling persistent supply.

Source: TradingView The structure reflects hesitation rather than strength, as candles failed to close decisively above key moving averages. The RSI held near 50.68, indicating neutral momentum and a lack of strong directional bias.

For now, buying pressure appears limited, with no clear expansion in participation.

Unless price reclaims the $73,000–$74,500 zone with conviction, the move risks fading, while it may gradually rotate back toward deeper support levels established earlier.

Final Summary Bitcoin’s rebound above $70,000 shows weak conviction, as muted volume, soft funding, and $395 million in longs outweigh limited short covering.
Bitcoin remains capped below $71,400–$75,600 resistance, and without a strong close above $73,000–$74,500, a downside toward $65,000–$66,500 stays likely.

Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

Samson Mow, the CEO of JAN3, continues to share his anti-Ethereum stance on whether any cryptocurrency can compete with Bitcoin as money.

Mow has slammed the second-largest cryptocurrency, once again praising BTC. He even gave ‘proof’ that he believes Bitcoin is money and Ethereum is not.

Mow slams Ethereum as "not money"The JAN3 chief executive commented on an X post published by the Ethereum Foundation, in which it announced that the foundation has finalized the terms of selling an impressive $5,000 at an average price of $2,049 in an over-the-counter deal.

HOT Stories

Mow used this tweet to point out that the Ethereum Foundation would rather sell ETH than accept this crypto as salary. No one who works for Ethereum wants to get paid in ETH, he said. Per Samson, this is the best proof that “Ethereum isn’t money.”

Unlike with Ethereum, anyone who works on Bitcoin, regardless of the sphere – research, protocol, applications, etc, would happily take BTC as payment.” He added that Bitcoin would certainly be preferred in this case, which proves that Bitcoin can indeed serve as money and can replace it in the future.

This is how you know Ethereum isn’t money. No one working on Ethereum actually wants to be paid in ETH.

Almost anyone working on Bitcoin at any level (research, protocol, applications, etc) would happily take BTC as payment. In fact it would be preferred. https://t.co/S9XusX38q2

— Samson Mow (@Excellion) March 19, 2026 As proof of his statement, in the comments, Mow shared a screenshot from the FAQ of the OpenSats charity organization. The screenshot states that they accept donations in fiat, convert them to Bitcoin, and distribute grants in BTC.

You Might Also Like

Important Bitcoin reminder from JAN3A day earlier, Samson Mow’s firm, JAN3, published an important reminder to the global crypto community about crypto exchanges, warning users against holding their crypto there.

JAN3 warned that even the best crypto trading platforms are not immune to collapse. And when it happens, “thousands of people lose everything.” The tweet says: “Trusting an exchange is the same as trusting a stranger.” The only way out here is to hold one's own crypto keys.

“Learn from the mistakes of others. Don’t wait to become the victim,” the tweet states.

Every time an exchange collapses, thousands of people lose everything.

Trusting an exchange is the same as trusting a stranger.

The only way to ensure no one can take your Bitcoin is for YOU to hold the keys.

Learn from the mistakes of others. Don’t wait to become the victim.

— JAN3 (@JAN3com) March 18, 2026 Bitcoin price goes down againOver the past 24 hours, the largest cryptocurrency has again gone down by nearly 6%, losing the recently reclaimed $74,500 level and landing in the $70,000 zone.

Currently, rising geopolitical tensions are driving investors out of risky assets, such as Bitcoin and gold, and both are falling in price.

BTC/USD chart via TradingView

Bitcoin is not yet an asset with a settled identity. During geopolitical turbulence, gold was selected as a safe haven, while BTC showed behaviors both as a high-beta risk asset and as a hedge under specific conditions.

The US national debt crossed the $39 trillion threshold, adding $1 trillion in roughly five months since breaching $38 trillion in late October 2025.

Economist Peter Schiff highlighted that debt has grown by $2.8 trillion since President Trump took office 14 months ago. He warned that war spending, rising interest rates, and a potential recession could push the total to $50 trillion before Trump leaves office.

🚨 U.S. National Debt just hit $39 trillion

The last trillion was added in just 146 days.

That’s $6.85 billion every single day.

Or $79,282 every second.

Interest costs now exceed $1T annually. pic.twitter.com/nBUFzEGDXH

— Hedgeye (@Hedgeye) March 17, 2026 Meanwhile, the Peterson Foundation projects that at the current growth rate, the US debt could reach $40 trillion before this fall’s elections.

“America’s high and rising debt matters because it threatens our economic future,” the article read.

The Congressional Budget Office, in its Budget and Economic Outlook for 2026 to 2036, forecast that the deficit could rise to $1.9 trillion by 2026 and to $3.1 trillion by 2036. 

“Under the assumptions that govern CBO’s baseline, the federal government is projected to borrow an additional $26 trillion from the end of 2025 to the end of 2036. That borrowing would raise debt held by the public to $56 trillion, or 120 percent of GDP, by the end of the period,” the report noted.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch leaders and journalists provide expert insights

Against this backdrop, Bitcoin advocates argue that rising debt strengthens the case for “hard money,” assets with fixed supply, such as gold and Bitcoin, which may better preserve purchasing power compared to fiat currencies.

Follow us on X to get the latest news as it happens

The US National Debt just topped $39 trillion. This is why I believe in Bitcoin. It’s not about daily transactions but protecting value for the long haul. pic.twitter.com/v1YUWNNuz1

— Bitcoin Hopium (@BitcoinHopium) March 18, 2026 Higher debt forces central banks to print money and keep rates low, weakening fiat currencies. Bitcoin’s fixed supply makes it attractive as a hedge against currency debasement. However, the relationship isn’t immediate.

Short-term price action can diverge significantly from this macro thesis.

Key Takeaways Table of Contents

A falling wedge formation is developing on DOGE’s daily chart, a pattern that often signals significant price action ahead. Immediate resistance levels are concentrated between $0.105 and $0.11, coinciding with important Fibonacci levels. The Relative Strength Index has climbed out of oversold conditions and is nearing neutral territory with modest bullish momentum. The 50-day exponential moving average presents a critical overhead obstacle, and a decisive reclaim would signal a potential trend reversal. As of March 18, DOGE was hovering around $0.094, reflecting a nearly 5% decline over the previous 24-hour period. Dogecoin continues to consolidate in the vicinity of $0.10, forming a tightening pattern that has caught the eye of market participants. While historical precedent suggests this setup could lead to significant movement, the immediate outlook remains uncertain.

Dogecoin (DOGE) Price Analysis of the daily timeframe reveals DOGE is developing a classic falling wedge configuration. This technical structure occurs when an asset creates progressively lower peaks while the troughs converge upward. As this price channel narrows, it typically precedes a directional breakout. Long-term holders navigating this decline are anticipating an upward resolution.

This compression phase emerged following a pullback from earlier strong performance. Throughout this period, Dogecoin has established descending highs with diminishing selling intensity, indicating potential exhaustion among bearish market participants.

Overhead Resistance Remains Intact The initial barrier blocking any meaningful bounce lies within the $0.105–$0.11 range. This zone aligns precisely with the 0.5 through 0.618 Fibonacci retracement measurements derived from the latest downward swing. Additionally, this region intersects with clustered short-duration exponential moving averages, creating a concentrated resistance barrier.

Dogecoin has repeatedly approached the $0.10 threshold throughout the past twelve months. On each occasion price pushed above this mark, selling pressure reemerged and drove values lower. Technical observers note this repeated rejection has eroded $0.10’s credibility as dependable support.

A decisive breach above $0.11 could pave the way toward $0.116, with $0.136 as the subsequent target. However, current positioning remains beneath the 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving average indicators, maintaining the prevailing bearish structure.

On March 18, Dogecoin was changing hands near $0.094, reflecting a 4.84% intraday decline.

Breaking the 50-Day EMA Remains Crucial Even should DOGE successfully navigate past $0.11, the 50-day exponential moving average looms overhead and has shadowed the downward trajectory throughout the correction period. This dynamic indicator continuously adjusts with price action, making any breakthrough increasingly difficult to maintain.

From a historical perspective, successfully recapturing the 50-day EMA has consistently marked the initial legitimate indication of a trend transformation for DOGE. Absent this technical confirmation, market observers view any advance beyond $0.10 as temporary relief rather than meaningful reversal.

The Relative Strength Index has rebounded from deeply oversold readings and currently hovers near the neutral midpoint with modest bullish characteristics. The MACD indicator is similarly positioning for a possible bullish intersection, signaling that downward pressure may be waning.

Current market data confirms DOGE maintains its position above the longer-duration support foundation at $0.086, which marked the most recent localized bottom preceding the current stabilization attempt.

📊
No votes yet – Be the first to vote

Aksel Kibar sees trouble ahead. The respected crypto analyst warns Bitcoin could plunge to $52,000 if key support breaks, and traders aren’t taking his warning lightly.

Kibar runs Tech Charts LLC and knows his way around market patterns. His latest call centers on Bitcoin’s precarious position near the $66,000 level, where a breakdown could trigger massive selling pressure. The Chartered Market Technician has been watching Bitcoin’s price action closely, and what he sees doesn’t look good for bulls.

Bitcoin trades at $70,259 right now.

Technical Breakdown Looms The analyst’s warning stems from a bearish wedge pattern he’s been tracking. Kibar said traders should “move to the sidelines when setups fail” in his recent post on X, and he’s practicing what he preaches with Bitcoin’s current formation. His analysis builds on work from January 19, when Bitcoin was struggling below its 365-day exponential moving average around $97,000.

Back then, Kibar called out the consolidation pattern and predicted pressure on the $73,700 to $76,500 support zone. That call proved pretty accurate, and now he’s seeing similar warning signs in Bitcoin’s current chart structure. The wedge formation looks ready to break, and if it does, the path down to $52,000 opens up fast.

Kibar’s background adds weight to his calls. He worked at National Bank of Abu Dhabi before starting his own firm, and his technical analysis has caught attention from traders who follow chart patterns religiously. When he talks about risk management through technical signals, people listen.

But here’s the thing – no other major analysts have weighed in on Kibar’s $52,000 target yet. The crypto space moves fast, and silence from other voices leaves his warning standing alone for now.

Critical Support at $66K Everything hinges on $66,000. That’s the line in the sand Kibar’s drawn, and Bitcoin’s fate probably depends on whether it holds or breaks. If Bitcoin slices through that support, the selling could get ugly quick.

The wedge pattern Kibar’s tracking resembles formations he’s seen before. These setups can fool traders into thinking the trend will continue higher, but when they break down, the moves are often swift and brutal. Bitcoin’s volatility makes these technical breaks even more dangerous. This echoes themes explored in Bitcoin Tumbles Below K Despite Record, underscoring the shifting landscape.

Traders are watching every tick now. The $66,000 level has become a focal point for short-term strategies, with many positioning for either a bounce or a breakdown. Kibar’s warning gives the bears ammunition, while bulls hope the support holds firm.

Market conditions haven’t been kind to crypto lately. Bitcoin’s price swings in both directions over short periods, creating uncertainty that makes technical analysis even more important. Kibar’s emphasis on chart signals over market sentiment resonates with traders who’ve been burned by following the crowd.

His previous call on the 365-day EMA interaction provided a roadmap for Bitcoin’s move lower from $97,000. Now he’s offering another technical roadmap, and the destination doesn’t look pretty if the wedge breaks.

The cryptocurrency market has seen wild swings recently, making Kibar’s technical approach appealing to traders seeking structure in the chaos. His focus on specific price levels gives traders concrete points to watch, rather than vague predictions about market direction.

Kibar’s reputation on social media platforms adds another layer to his influence. When he posts analysis on X, traders pay attention because his calls have often proved prescient. The absence of commentary from other analysts leaves more room for his voice to shape market sentiment.

Risk management remains central to Kibar’s approach. He’s not just calling for a drop to $52,000 – he’s telling traders how to position themselves if the setup fails. That kind of practical advice separates him from analysts who just make price predictions without offering actionable guidance.

The March 19 analysis that preceded this warning showed Kibar’s attention to detail. He examined Bitcoin’s price action through multiple lenses, looking at both short-term patterns and longer-term trend filters. That thorough approach gives his current warning more credibility. This echoes themes explored in Bitcoin ETFs Pull .2 Billion as, underscoring the shifting landscape.

Bitcoin’s current behavior around the $70,259 level reflects the uncertainty Kibar’s warning has created. Traders aren’t sure whether to buy the dip or prepare for further downside, and that indecision often precedes significant moves in either direction.

The $52,000 target represents a substantial drop from current levels – roughly 26% lower than where Bitcoin trades now. Such a move would wipe out weeks of gains and potentially trigger broader selling across the crypto market. Kibar’s track record suggests traders shouldn’t dismiss the possibility.

Bitcoin’s institutional adoption has accelerated dramatically since 2021, with companies like MicroStrategy holding over 190,000 Bitcoin and spot ETFs attracting billions in assets. Major financial institutions now offer crypto services, making technical breakdowns potentially more impactful as institutional selling could amplify retail panic.

The $52,000 target would push Bitcoin below its 200-week moving average, a level that historically marks major bear market bottoms. Previous breaks of this technical indicator led to extended downtrends lasting months, with recovery often taking significant time as investor confidence rebuilds from such deep technical damage.

Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat price level triggers Bitcoin’s drop to $52,000?According to Aksel Kibar’s analysis, a break below $66,000 could initiate the move toward $52,000.

Who is Aksel Kibar and why do traders follow his calls?Kibar is a Chartered Market Technician who founded Tech Charts LLC and previously worked at National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

Post Views: 1

After rallying to a multi-week high of $1.60, XRP price crashed amid a market-wide downtrend triggered by escalating geopolitical and macroeconomic tensions.

Summary

XRP fell over 8% from its weekly high to $1.46 amid a broader crypto market downturn driven by geopolitical tensions and hawkish Fed signals. Network fundamentals strengthened, with XRP wallet addresses hitting a record 7.7 million and daily active users rising to a five-week high. Technical indicators point to a potential bullish reversal, with an Adam and Eve pattern forming, though a break below $1.44 could invalidate the setup. According to data from crypto.news, XRP (XRP) price fell 4.4% over the past 24 hours to $1.46 at the time of writing, extending its losses to over 8% from its weekly high of $1.60.

XRP price dropped amid deteriorating market sentiment for risk assets as Bitcoin fell below the $70,000 support, sparking market concerns of a potential drop to $60,000 next. This occurred as investors turned cautious amid rising oil prices that followed Israel’s drone strike against one of Iran’s largest gas facilities at South Pars.

The altcoin’s drop also follows bearish macroeconomic signals after the Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s latest speech cast doubt on further interest rate cuts over this year, as the central bank intends to maintain a data-driven approach amid stubbornly sticky inflation.

While the market has not yet recovered from the shock, with the crypto market cap still struggling at the time of writing, a few metrics that have strengthened seem to point to a long-term silver lining for XRP.

Notably, on-chain tracker Santiment recently shared that XRP holders have climbed to a new all-time high of 7.7 million wallets, a sign of growing adoption despite the price volatility. 

At the same time, daily active addresses on the network have risen to a 5-week high of 46,767 active addresses this week.

Together, these metrics mean the underlying utility and network participation are robust, which could sustain demand once the broader market stabilizes.

As reported by crypto.news earlier, whales have also entered an accumulation phase after months of distribution. Typically, such shifts often precede broader market recoveries as retail investors follow smart money flows.

XRP price analysis On the daily chart, XRP price has formed an Adam and Eve pattern, a highly reliable bullish reversal pattern in technical analysis. XRP price touched the neckline of the pattern at $1.60 earlier this week but has since pulled back. A confirmed breakout could spark a massive rally, at least in the short term.

XRP price has formed an Adam and Eve pattern on the daily chart — March 19 | Source: crypto.news The 20-day SMA appears to be closing in on a bullish crossover with the 50-day SMA. At the same time, the MACD lines have pointed upwards, suggesting that bullish momentum is quietly building beneath the surface.

For now, traders will be keeping an eye on the $1.50 psychological resistance, a break above which could embolden bulls to target a breach of $1.60, which would also confirm the Adam and Eve pattern. The next potential target would be the 100-day SMA at $1.70.

On a bearish note, a drop below $1.44, the 50-day SMA, could invalidate the bullish prediction.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

Bitcoin (BTC) and other major cryptocurrencies fell sharply on Thursday, tracking a broader risk-off move across global markets, as investors reacted to hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data, hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve, and rising geopolitical tensions.

Bitcoin briefly dipped to $69,969 on Thursday afternoon in Asia, before recovering back above the $70,000 level, according to The Block's BTC price page. The world's largest cryptocurrency is down 5.5% over the past 24 hours and has retreated more than 43% from its all-time high near $124,700 in October 2025. 

​​Ethereum dropped 6.9% to $2,159, while the GMCI 30 index, which tracks the top 30 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, fell about 5.4%.

The crypto selloff coincided with a sharp decline in Asia-Pacific equities, which tracked overnight losses on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.6% at closing on Wednesday, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 1.5%. 

Japan's Nikkei 225 led regional losses, falling 3.4%. South Korea’s Kospi slid 2.7%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index and China's CSI 300 also posted losses.

Macro pressures intensified after the Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady at 3.5% to 3.75%. Data released this week also showed the U.S. producer price index rose 0.7% in February, more than double economists' expectations of 0.3%, CNBC reported.

The Iran conflict also continued to fuel energy concerns, pushing oil prices higher. Brent crude rose about 7.4% to around $115 per barrel, while WTI crude gained roughly 1.2% to $97.5.

Macro headwinds Analysts said the crypto downturn appears to be driven primarily by macro factors rather than crypto-specific developments.

"The [crypto] selloff appears to be macro-driven rather than crypto-specific," Rick Maeda, research associate at Presto Research, told The Block. 

"Asian equities are down sharply and the U.S. dollar has strengthened, while gold is also falling," said Maeda, adding that such a combination points to a liquidity-driven selloff rather than a rotation into traditional safe havens. "A stronger dollar and rising yields are reducing the appeal of both gold and crypto simultaneously."

Nick Ruck, director of LVRG Research, similarly attributed the declines to a combination of inflation data and Powell's hawkish tone, which "dampened expectations for near-term interest rate cuts" and triggered a broader risk-off sentiment.

"Traders are currently monitoring upcoming macroeconomic indicators like CPI releases, further Fed commentary, and geopolitical developments impacting energy prices," Ruck said, adding that the $70,000 level remains a key technical threshold for bitcoin.

Meanwhile, Dominick John, analyst at Zeus Research, said the confluence of macro headwinds accelerated market downside through forced liquidations and leverage unwinds.

"Crypto cracked as the FOMC meeting met head-on with oil spikes, stoking inflation fears and reinforcing the Fed's higher-for-longer stance," John said. "Liquidity tightened, yields ticked up, and leverage unwinds accelerated the move turning a pullback into a flush."

Looking ahead, analysts said markets will remain highly sensitive to macro developments, particularly oil prices, labor market data, and any signs of easing geopolitical tensions.

Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.

© 2026 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

Key Takeaways Table of Contents

The Algorand Foundation has eliminated a quarter of its workforce in response to deteriorating market conditions and economic headwinds. Specific employee numbers remain undisclosed, though the organization praised departing team members as top-tier talent. ALGO currently sits at $0.09, representing a staggering 98% decline from its 2019 peak of $3.56. The workforce reduction mirrors similar moves at OP Labs, PIP Labs, Gemini, Messari, and Block. The foundation maintains its commitment to core objectives and continues recruiting for select positions. The organization overseeing the Algorand layer-1 blockchain protocol revealed Wednesday that it has eliminated one-quarter of its total workforce. This announcement arrives as Bitcoin remains significantly below recent highs and the cryptocurrency sector faces persistent challenges.

Today, the Algorand Foundation made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce by 25%. This decision was not taken lightly and is in response to the uncertain global macro environment as well as the broader downturn in crypto markets.

These employees have been best-in-class…

— Algorand Foundation (@AlgoFoundation) March 18, 2026

The foundation declined to specify the precise number of affected positions. Those departing were characterized as “best-in-class contributors,” with leadership describing the reduction as “incredibly tough.” In a statement shared on X, the organization attributed the decision to “the uncertain global macro environment as well as the broader downturn in crypto markets.”

According to the announcement, the restructuring creates a “more sustainable alignment” between available resources and the foundation’s strategic priorities across business operations, technological advancement, and ecosystem expansion.

While I am no longer at the Algorand Foundation, let me just say that the Algorand protocol is fantastic.

The technical team at the Algorand Foundation is also fantastic and passionate. I enjoyed working with—and remain confident in—all of them.

Stay focused and keep building! https://t.co/vK4s8UKsvL

— 𝙽 𝙸 𝙺 𝙱 (@nbougalis) March 1, 2026

Algorand emerged from the vision of Silvio Micali, a Turing Award recipient renowned for his cryptographic expertise, with its official launch occurring in 2019. The platform’s native digital asset, ALGO, reached its historical zenith of $3.56 during that inaugural year. Today, it hovers around $0.09 — representing a catastrophic 98% plunge from that milestone. The token hasn’t breached the $1.00 threshold since early 2022.

Neverthstanding this dramatic price erosion, the foundation’s fourth-quarter transparency documentation revealed transaction volume expansion of 4.7%. Real-world asset valuations on the platform climbed to $109 million, marking a 2.9% increase. Among blockchain networks hosting real-world assets, Algorand currently holds the 19th position with $83 million in value.

Industry-Wide Workforce Reductions Accelerate The Algorand staff cuts represent just one chapter in an ongoing narrative of employment contractions throughout the cryptocurrency sector. The previous week saw OP Labs — the development team powering the Optimism blockchain — terminate 20 positions while refining its operational scope. Within 24 hours, PIP Labs, responsible for Story Protocol, announced a 10% workforce reduction.

Gemini, the cryptocurrency trading platform, previously eliminated roughly 25% of its personnel and subsequently separated from three senior executives. Messari, a blockchain analytics provider, also disclosed recent layoffs while its chief executive resigned as the company pivots toward artificial intelligence-focused services.

Block, the payment processing company led by Jack Dorsey, terminated 4,000 workers in February, though the proportion dedicated to Bitcoin-related initiatives remains unclear.

Bitcoin presently trades near $71,000, approximately 44% beneath its October record of $126,000. The leading cryptocurrency briefly touched $60,000 on February 6, based on CoinMarketCap data.

Algorand’s Path Forward Notwithstanding the workforce contraction, the Algorand Foundation emphasizes continued progress toward multiple strategic objectives. Upcoming initiatives encompass the subsequent major version of its developer platform AlgoKit, the rollout of a streamlined wallet solution named Rocca, a commercial development toolkit, and enhanced post-quantum cryptographic protections.

The foundation’s December 2025 progress assessment highlighted growth in Algorand’s online stake from approximately 1 billion to 2 billion ALGO tokens within thirteen months, representing advancement toward enhanced decentralization.

At publication time, the foundation’s recruitment portal displays two available positions in community engagement and business development roles.

Traders can now access the benchmark index 24/7 without intermediaries, marking a milestone in tokenising real-world assets.

Market Sentiment:

Bullish Bearish Neutral

Published: March 19, 2026 │ 10:00 AM GMT

Created by Kornelija Poderskytė from DailyCoin

Hyperliquid, a crypto-native derivatives platform, has launched perpetual contracts tied to the S&P 500, one of the world’s most widely followed benchmarks.

The contracts allow traders to access the benchmark index 24/7, bypassing traditional market hours, and mark a growing trend of tokenising real-world financial assets.

24/7 Trading for Global Investors For nearly 70 years, the S&P 500 has been a key benchmark in global finance. Access to the index has traditionally been limited by U.S. market hours, brokers, and geographic restrictions. The new S&P 500 perpetual contracts on Hyperliquid change that, offering 24/7 trading based on official S&P 500 index data.

Sponsored

The contracts allow users to take leveraged positions at any time, including weekends, without relying on intermediaries. Hyperliquid’s onchain structure updates prices continuously, providing uninterrupted exposure to the index. The platform says this approach improves accessibility and supports global price discovery.

Official Licensing and Contract Creation The contracts were created by Trade[XYZ] in partnership with S&P Dow Jones Indices. S&P Dow Jones Indices provided the official index data to maintain institutional-grade reliability and liquidity.

S&P Dow Jones Indices and trade[XYZ] have joined forces to launch the first official S&P 500 perpetual contract, available exclusively on Hyperliquid.

For 69 years, the S&P 500 has been a defining reference point for global finance. Until now, access to that benchmark has been…

— trade.xyz (@tradexyz) March 18, 2026 Trade[XYZ] developed the contract framework and implemented it on Hyperliquid, allowing leveraged trading on the S&P 500 around the clock. The contracts are described as the first officially licensed S&P 500 perpetual derivatives available on a crypto-native platform.

Tokenisation Trend Accelerates The launch reflects a broader movement to bring traditional financial instruments onchain. Hyperliquid previously introduced tokenised commodities such as gold and oil. 

By integrating a major equity benchmark, the platform expands access to conventional assets within decentralized finance. Traders using the perpetual contracts gain exposure that mirrors the underlying index, carrying the same potential for gains and losses as traditional S&P 500 investments.

The contracts offer global investors an opportunity to trade a widely recognized benchmark without relying on traditional intermediaries or market schedules.

Why This Matters The launch of S&P 500 perpetuals on Hyperliquid gives global investors round-the-clock access to one of the world’s most followed indices. It also demonstrates a shift in how traditional financial products are entering decentralized finance.

Discover DailyCoin’s trending crypto scoops right now:
Fed Holds Rates Steady, Crypto Markets on “Sell-the-News” Mode
ETH Strengthens on ETF Inflows and Rising Open Interest

People Also Ask: What is a perpetual contract?

A perpetual contract is a type of derivative that allows traders to take long or short positions on an asset without a fixed expiration date. Traders can hold positions indefinitely, subject to margin requirements.

What makes S&P 500 perpetuals different from regular S&P 500 trading?

Unlike traditional trading, these contracts are available 24/7, bypassing market hours and brokers. They provide continuous price exposure on a crypto-native platform.

How is the price of the contract determined

The price is anchored to official S&P 500 index data provided by S&P Dow Jones Indices. Hyperliquid updates contract prices continuously to reflect market movements.

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

Market Sentiment

0% Neutral

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.

Three years into this bull market run, the S&P 500 is still hovering close to new highs. But some top stocks have sold off recently, offering the chance to buy them at attractive valuations. These are still outstanding businesses trading at appealing valuations.

If you've got extra cash to commit to a long-term investment strategy, Microsoft (MSFT 1.87%) and Visa (V 3.04%) look like compelling buys right now. Both slipped year to date, but neither company is taking its foot off the gas. Each is pushing deeper into the biggest opportunities in its industry.

Here's why these two blue chip leaders could be smart buys on the dip.

Image source: Getty Images.

Microsoft Shares of Microsoft are trading 28% from their previous high, making it a top growth stock to consider buying right now. The software giant has benefited from integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools across its services, including the Azure enterprise cloud platform, Microsoft 365, and Copilot.

The stock's dip reflects concerns that agentic AI tools could intensify competition. However, Microsoft has built decades-long relationships with its customers because of the security and reliability it provides.

In the recent quarter, revenue from Microsoft Cloud, including Microsoft 365 commercial, Azure, and other services, grew 26% year over year to $51 billion. Microsoft says its AI business is already larger than some of its most widely used products that took decades to grow.

Today's Change

(

-1.87

%) $

-7.48

Current Price

$

391.93

Another important sign that investors are underestimating Microsoft's competitive strength is the growth in its productivity software suite. It reported a 160% increase in the number of licensed users (seats) using Microsoft 365 Copilot last quarter.

The stock's 23 forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is relatively attractive. This is as cheap as the shares have been since the bottom of the 2022 bear market.

Visa Investing in a top credit card brand like Visa is almost like getting a royalty on millions of transactions that occur in the global economy every day. Visa benefits from high margins on the recurring fees it earns from the huge volume of payments across its network.

Today's Change

(

-3.04

%) $

-9.38

Current Price

$

299.08

The stock is down 18% from its previous high, which could be discounting Visa's competitive edge despite its latest results. Revenue grew 15% year over year last quarter, while payment volume rose 8% and processed transactions increased 9%.

Visa's moat is built on its infrastructure and scale. Its network links roughly 175 million merchants, enabling the company to securely and efficiently process more than 31 billion credit card transactions each quarter.

One area where investors could be underestimating Visa is stablecoins -- a market expected to exceed $2 trillion by 2028, according to Morgan Stanley. Visa is positioning itself to serve as the bridge between fiat money and stablecoins, according to research from The Motley Fool. Visa reported that its stablecoin settlement volume reached an annualized run rate of $4.6 billion last quarter, indicating an emerging growth opportunity.

Investors will need to keep an eye on how AI reshapes software and payments, but the capabilities of the category leaders like Microsoft and Visa may be greatly underestimated. With a forward P/E of 24, Visa shares look like a compelling buy right now.

Although earnings season is chock-full of important data for investors to digest, an argument can be made that the quarterly filing of Form 13Fs is equally important. A 13F provides investors with a concise snapshot of which stocks Wall Street's smartest money managers bought and sold in the latest quarter (in this case, the fourth quarter).

On Feb. 17 (the filing deadline for fourth-quarter trading activity), billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller of Duquesne Family Office filed his fund's 13F. While it unveiled sizable increases in Druckenmiller's respective stakes in "Magnificent Seven" stocks Amazon and Alphabet (specifically the class A shares, GOOGL), it's a new holding that's stolen the show: the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP 1.32%).

Image source: Getty Images.

Are things looking not so magnificent for the Magnificent Seven? The S&P 500 (^GSPC 1.36%) is a market-cap-weighted index with 503 components -- three companies have dual classes of shares, which is why there are 503 components and not 500. Companies with larger market caps, such as Amazon and Alphabet, have more influence (i.e., weighting) within the benchmark index.

The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that assigns equal weight to all S&P 500 components. Instead of a 3% move from Alphabet providing a meaningful bump to the S&P 500 and one of the index's smaller components moving 10% and hardly having an impact, the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF attempts to level the playing field.

During the fourth quarter, billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller purchased 1,173,925 shares of the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, making it his fund's new fourth-largest holding.

Today's Change

(

-1.32

%) $

-2.58

Current Price

$

193.47

Despite adding to Amazon and Alphabet, Duquesne's chief investor exited Meta Platforms during the fourth quarter, jettisoned Tesla during the first quarter of 2025, and dumped Nvidia in the June-ended quarter of 2024.

His actions suggest that Wall Street's market leaders are collectively pricey and/or due to underperform the broader market. While double-digit percentage corrections in most members of the Magnificent Seven have brought down their forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios, many remain historically pricey.

Apple is still commanding a forward P/E of 27 after delivering three years of virtually stagnant sales from fiscal 2022 through fiscal 2024. Meanwhile, Nvidia is trading at a price-to-sales ratio of more than 20, which is at the higher end of its historic norm since going public.

-- Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) March 3, 2026 It appears that Duquesne's billionaire boss expects institutional investors (and perhaps even retail investors) to rotate into the other 493 S&P 500 companies when looking for stocks to outperform in 2026.

The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF has a relatively low net expense ratio of 0.20% and a superior yield of 1.5%, when compared to the market-cap-weighted S&P 500. More importantly, equal weighting is being given to companies with more attractive valuations. If sector rotation becomes a sustainable theme throughout 2026, this could be another in a long list of successful investments for Stanley Druckenmiller.

Sean Williams has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Tesla and is short shares of Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce both face pressure from US import taxes and a stalling electric vehicle pivot, but their responses differ markedly

Two of the world's most prestigious carmakers reported contrasting fortunes this week, yet both pointed to the same forces reshaping the top end of the global automotive market: American tariffs, Middle East instability and a faltering shift to electric vehicles.

Lamborghini, the Italian supercar manufacturer owned by Volkswagen through its Audi subsidiary, delivered a record 10,747 cars in 2025, generating $3.7 billion in revenue, a 3.3% rise on the previous year.

The headline figures, however, masked a squeeze on profitability.

Operating income fell to $885 million from a record $962 million in 2024, with the company's profit margin slipping to 24%.

Chief executive Stephan Winkelmann attributed the decline partly to a 15% US import tariff on European vehicles introduced by the Trump administration, which cost the broader auto industry nearly $35 billion last year, according to an Automotive News analysis.

"Being the US, by far our biggest market, we could not increase the price at the same level as the tariffs were increased, and at the same time the market was going down," Winkelmann told Fortune magazine.

Lamborghini raised prices on its Temerario and Urus models by 7% and its Revuelto by 10%, but could not pass on the full tariff burden to buyers without further dampening demand.

Rolls-Royce, the Goodwood-based luxury carmaker owned by German manufacturer BMW, faces a different configuration of the same pressures.

The company makes around 5,600 cars a year, a fraction of Lamborghini's volume, and its chief executive, Chris Brownridge declined to specify what tariff impact the business had absorbed.

Where the two companies most visibly diverge is on electrification, and the contrast is sharper than it first appears.

Rolls-Royce this week abandoned its pledge to sell only electric vehicles by 2030, a target set by its previous chief executive Torsten Müller-Ötvös when the company launched its first fully electric model, the Spectre, in 2022.

Brownridge said sustained client demand for V12 internal combustion engines made the original goal untenable.

"We recognise some clients would rather have a V12 engine," he said. "The V12 is part of our history."

Lamborghini's position is more nuanced than the headlines suggested.

Winkelmann recently pushed back against the widely circulated characterisation of EV development as "an expensive hobby" for low-volume manufacturers, saying the quote was "a bit taken out of context" and that Lamborghini had not abandoned electric car development.

Instead, the company has shifted the targeted launch of its first fully electric model to after 2030, while its fourth model line, the Lanzador, will now arrive before then as a plug-in hybrid, using a variant of the Urus SUV's 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 powertrain rather than the pure-electric configuration originally planned.

The strategic overhaul contributed to last year's profit decline alongside the tariff hit.

Winkelmann said a central challenge for any future Lamborghini electric car will be emotional appeal, and specifically sound, an element he regards as fundamental to the brand's identity.

"One of the biggest topics of rejection of full-electric cars is the missing sound," he said, adding that the company was focused on finding an authentic solution rather than simply playing back a recorded engine note.

"You don't want something which is not real," he said.

Both companies share exposure to Middle East turbulence, with the ongoing war in Iran threatening a region that has become a significant luxury car market.

The United Arab Emirates alone typically sees more than 300,000 vehicle sales a year, with around 20% being premium imports, according to data firm GlobalData.

Brownridge said Rolls-Royce was working to facilitate deliveries to clients in the region despite logistical difficulties, while Winkelmann said Lamborghini would lean more heavily on Europe, Japan and South Korea to compensate for softness in both the US and China.

The two brands are not alone in recalibrating their ambitions.

Bentley, another UK-founded luxury marque owned by Volkswagen, pushed its all-electric deadline from 2030 to 2035 in 2024 and announced hundreds of job cuts this week at its factory in Crewe, Cheshire.

Honda told investors last week it expects a $15.7 billion writedown as it restructures its electric vehicle division, while Stellantis, the French automotive group that owns Fiat and Jeep, booked more than 22 billion euros in charges in February, largely linked to reversing its EV strategy.

For Winkelmann, the direction of travel is clear, even if the destination remains uncertain.

"We will follow very closely the rate of acceptance of electric cars in the future for our types of customers," he said.

Zalando SE (ZLNDY) Q4 2025 Press Conference Call March 12, 2026 4:00 AM EDT

Company Participants

Simon Thiel - Senior Vice-President of Corporate Affairs
Patrick Kofler - Head of Investor Relations
David Schröder - Co-CEO & Member of the Management Board
Robert Gentz - Co-Founder, Co-CEO, GM & Member of the Management Board
Anna Dimitrova - CFO & Member of Management Board

Conference Call Participants

Jason Gowans - Levi Strauss & Co.
Frederick Wild - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Luke Holbrook - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Joffrey Meller - BofA Securities, Research Division
Monique Pollard - Citigroup Inc., Research Division

Presentation

Simon Thiel
Senior Vice-President of Corporate Affairs

Good morning. Welcome to Zalando's Annual Press Conference and Business Update. My name is Simon Thiel, and I'm heading Corporate Affairs. I wanted to say thank you for joining us today. We will be presenting our full year results 2025 and sharing our plans for the future, and we're delighted to have so many of you joining our broadcast today.

Patrick Kofler
Head of Investor Relations

Good morning also from my side. My name is Patrick Kofler, and I'm heading the Investor Relations department. We have gathered the press, investors and analysts for today's event. It's a pleasure to have you all here.

Simon Thiel
Senior Vice-President of Corporate Affairs

We will start our conference with a prerecorded presentation by our co-CEOs, Robert Gentz and David Schroder. They will walk you through our progress as we're successfully executing our strategy. At 9:45 a.m. CET, following the presentation, we will open the virtual floor to a live Q&A session for our journalists with our co-CEOs, Robert and David, and our new CFO, Anna Dimitrova.

Patrick Kofler
Head of Investor Relations

For our investors and analysts, at 9:45 a.m. CET, our CFO, Anna Dimitrova, will walk you through the financial development of the last year and

Crude surges again as the conflict in the Middle East escalates, with several natural gas facilities in Qatar facing missile strikes.

A Tesla logo is pictured at a Tesla dealership in Berlin, Germany April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesSEOUL, March 19 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday that the ​automaker may be able to "tape out", ‌a stage when a chip design is finalised and sent to a factory ​for production, its next-generation AI6 ​chips in December.

Musk said last year ⁠that Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), opens new tab would make ​the AI6 chips, likely to be ​used in self-driving cars and humanoid robots at Tesla' new factory in Taylor, Texas, ​after the Korean company clinched a $16.5 ​billion deal to supply artificial intelligence chips ‌to ⁠the electric car maker.

Stay up to date with the latest news, trends and innovations that are driving the global automotive industry with the Reuters Auto File newsletter. Sign up here.

"With some luck and acceleration using AI, we might be able to tape out AI6 ​in December," ​Musk ⁠said on his social media platform X, when asked ​when the chip would reach ​final ⁠design.

A Samsung executive said on Wednesday that it plans to produce Tesla chips, ⁠based ​on Samsung's advanced 2-nanomete ​process, in the second half of 2027.

Reporting by ​Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Alexander Smith

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

, /PRNewswire/ -- Millions of music fans are eagerly awaiting another historic moment for Mandopop. After three years and eight months, iconic Mandopop artist Jay Chou is set to release his 16th studio album, "Children of the Sun." Pre-orders officially began at 13:00 on March 19 across Tencent Music Entertainment Group's three major platforms: QQ Music, Kugou Music, and Kuwo Music.

From youthful anthems to legendary status, Jay Chou now makes a monumental return under the title "Children of the Sun." While staying true to his signature style, he pushes musical boundaries with 13 meticulously crafted tracks that construct a complete narrative dimension. Each melody embodies warmth and power, further continuing the timeless legacy of Mandopop.

As the exclusive pre-order and collaboration platform for the album in mainland China, Tencent Music Entertainment Group is committed to delivering an unparalleled music experience for fans in return for their enduring support. QQ Music and Kugou Music have specially launched "Children of the Sun" SVIP Limited Bundles, offering two premium collectible editions: the "Commemorative Card Edition" includes two NFC collector's cards and physical lyric cards, seamlessly blending technology with ritual; the "Commemorative Medal Edition" features a physical medal marking the king's triumphant return, creating an exclusive music memorabilia piece with high collection value.

Pre-orders are now open across Tencent Music platforms–QQ Music, Kugou Music, and Kuwo Music, with the official release scheduled for March 25. Join us in celebrating this timeless musical journey and witness the return of the king of Mandopop.

SOURCE Tencent Music Entertainment Group

Precious metals mining stocks fell sharply on Thursday as gold and silver prices continued to pull back from recent highs.

Fresnillo PLC (LSE:FRES), the Mexican silver and gold miner, dropped 5.75%, while fellow FTSE 100 constituent Endeavour Mining PLC (LSE:EDV, TSX:EDV, OTCQX:EDVMF, FRA:6E2) fell 6%. 

On the FTSE 250, Atalaya Mining plunged 10.5%, Pan African Resources lost 7.5% and Hochschild Mining droipped 5.9%.

The price of gold was down 2.1% to $4,717 an ounce on Thursday morning, down from around $5,200 a week ago and $5,400 at the end of February.

Silver fell harder, dropping 5.8% to $71.03 an ounce, having traded above $84 a week ago and above $90 at the end of last month.

Mining stocks tend to track the underlying metal prices closely, since their revenues and profits rise and fall with the commodities they produce.

The retreat comes after an exceptional run for both metals, with gold hitting record highs above $5,400 and silver surging alongside it as investors sought safe-haven assets amid geopolitical uncertainty.

However, the war in the Middle East has sent up energy prices and raised worries about inflation and support for the US dollar, hitting demand for precious metals.

By Reuters

March 19, 20268:51 AM UTCUpdated 13 mins ago

The logo of Samsung Electronics is seen at the company's store in Seoul, South Korea, April 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

SEOUL, March 19 (Reuters) - Samsung Life (032830.KS), opens new tab ​said in ‌a corporate filing on ​Thursday that ​the company will ⁠divest ​1.3 trillion won ($867.07 ​million)worth of its stake in ​Samsung ​Electronics (005930.KS), opens new tab.

The decision is part ‌of ⁠efforts to resolve risks from ​a ​local ⁠regulation on the ​governance of ​finance ⁠companies, it said.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

($1 = ⁠1,499.3000 ​won)

Reporting ​by Heejin Kim Editing by ​Ed Davies

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Highlights

Hole 25MN-049 returned 1.25 g/t gold over 14.95 metres ("m") from 202.95 m. Hole 25MN-052 returned 1.05 g/t gold over 19.96 m from 141.43 m.Hole 25MN-053 returned 0.75 g/t gold over 24.69 m from 230.12 m. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2026) - Scorpio Gold Corp. (TSXV: SGN) (OTCQB: SRCRF) (FSE: RY9) ("Scorpio Gold", or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from five step-out holes and one exploration hole of the Phase Two drill program at the Manhattan District Project ("Manhattan"), Nevada, USA: 26MN-049 through 26MN-054, see Figure 1. The results are tabulated in Table 1 and discussed below. Scorpio Gold has drilled 56 drill holes to date from its Phase Two diamond drilling program, 25MN-011 through 25MN-045, 26MN-046 through 26MN-066, for a grand total of 18,228 m. With the results herein, Scorpio Gold has reported assays on 42 of these (25MN-011 through 25MN-054), totalling 14,334 m, and assays are pending from 14 holes (26MN-055 through 26MN-066), totalling 3,894 m. The pending results will be reported as they become available.

"Results from hole 26MN-053 at Black Mammoth reinforces our belief that strong gold mineralization continues along the caldera margin to the northwest of Goldwedge, outside the current Inferred Resource Constraining Pit. With mineralization hosted primarily within brecciated volcanic units, the 24.69 metre interval grading 0.75 g/t gold from 230.12 metres signifies the potential for blue-sky opportunities along this margin through the district. With results pending from hole 26MN-057, our second hole at Black Mammoth, we are already planning follow-up holes," stated Harrison Pokrandt, VP Exploration of Scorpio Gold.

"We are very pleased to have confirmed the presence of gold mineralization in this zone, which supports our broader thesis of district-scale potential along the caldera margin. Importantly, Black Mammoth holds significant development potential given its proximity to the permitted Goldwedge underground, creating a unique opportunity to potentially access and develop mineralization from underground ahead of any larger-scale open pit development. This positioning may also allow us to efficiently advance exploration by drilling from underground workings into the target area. Combined with continued strong results along the Reliance Trend and the newly defined Zanzibar Trend, we remain focused on systematically expanding mineralization outside the current resource footprint and advancing multiple growth fronts across Manhattan," commented Zayn Kalyan, CEO and Director of Scorpio Gold.

Figure 1. Surface Plan Map of drill results, with highlights noted.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/289134_31e0d8644430bbd1_002full.jpg

Drill hole 26MN-053 was drilled at Black Mammoth as a 250 m exploratory step-out from Goldwedge. This drill hole tested the faulted contact zone between caldera volcanics and Zanzibar Formation meta-sedimentary units, see Figure 2. Two drill holes stepped out on drill hole 25MN-042 along the Reliance Trend, see news release dated February 11, 2026. Drill hole 26MN-049, a 50 m step-out to the southwest of 25MN-042, and 26MN-052, a 50 m step-out to the southwest of 26MN-049, followed up on 25MN-042. Drill holes 26MN-051 and 26MN-054 were drilled to the north of the historic East Pit, both as 50 m step-outs from drill hole 25MN-043 (see news release dated February 11, 2026) to test a northerly extension of a mineralized fault splay. Drill hole 26MN-050 was an exploration hole to the northeast of Mustang Hill to test magnetic and soil anomalies. All the drill holes tested beyond the Inferred Resource Constraining Pit ("IRCP"), see Figure 5. Step-out drill holes targeted non-pit constrained inferred category mineralization and uncategorized mineralization. For further details see "Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report, Manhattan Property, Nye County, Nevada" with an effective date of June 4, 2025, on Scorpio Gold's website at https://wp-scorpiogold-2025.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/2025/10/Scorpio-Gold-Manhattan-Mineral-Resource-Estimate-43-101-FINAL-2025-10-23.pdf.

Table 1. Results from the current batch of drill holes. Note: There is insufficient geological information to estimate a true width for the drill intercepts reported.

Drill Hole IDTarget
Azimuth / DipFrom (m)To (m)Intercept¹ (m)Gold (g/t)26MN-049Reliance Trend9.2016.617.410.88309 m060° / -60°
including12.5916.614.021.57

47.2552.585.330.64
including47.2550.052.801.09

202.95217.9014.951.25
including208.94211.472.535.4326MN-050Sloppy GulchNo significant intercepts.

520 m070° / -45°

26MN-051East Pit118.29125.276.980.23401 m080° / -45°159.72166.276.550.2526MN-052Reliance Trend17.7145.1127.400.30352 m060° / -60°64.7179.0714.360.24

141.43161.3919.961.05

190.74195.014.270.80

208.85219.6710.820.24

223.78242.8319.050.28

247.59249.632.043.49

312.58320.447.861.3526MN-053Black Mammoth230.12254.8124.690.75510 m206° / -45°364.54376.1811.640.24

401.73407.435.700.3526MN-054East Pit257.89266.658.760.40335 m040° / -45°    ¹ Intervals contain no more than 3 continuous metres grading less than 0.1 g/t gold.Black Mammoth Results:
26MN-053: This drill hole tested the Black Mammoth Fault and associated mineralization, as it trends to the NW from Goldwedge. The drill hole contains one interval hosted in Oligocene Round Rock Formation volcanic tuffs, see Figure 3, directly above the faulted Ordovician Zanzibar Formation contact ("Caldera Margin"), see Figure 4, section A to A'. The interval contains 0.75 g/t gold over 24.69 m from 230.12 m. Two deeper intervals exist within Cambrian Gold Hill Formation fine-grained meta-mudstones and siltstones. Intervals include 0.24 g/t gold over 11.64 m from 364.54 m and 0.35 g/t gold over 5.7 m from 401.73 m. All intervals represent new mineralization, and the upper interval is approximately 250 m to the NW of the edge of the IRCP, see Figure 5, section B to B'.

Figure 2. Annotated photo of Black Mammoth. Photo is taken from Point A, noted on Figure 1, looking to the northwest. Note the drill holes indicated are located behind the hill in the background.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/289134_31e0d8644430bbd1_003full.jpg

Figure 3. Drill hole 26MN-053, interval 243.49 to 248.99 m, displaying Oligocene Round Rock Formation volcanic tuffs with fine grained quartz-calcite epithermal breccia matrix.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/289134_31e0d8644430bbd1_004full.jpg

Figure 4. Cross-section A-A', showing gold grades with reported intervals highlighted.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/289134_31e0d8644430bbd1_005full.jpg

Figure 5. Long-section B-B', showing gold grades with reported intervals highlighted.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/289134_31e0d8644430bbd1_006full.jpg

Reliance Trend Results:
26MN-049: contains three intervals hosted in the Cambrian Gold Hill Formation along the Reliance Trend to the north of the West Pit. These intervals are hosted in fine grained meta-sedimentary clastic and carbonate units, including 0.88 g/t gold over 7.41 m from 9.2 m, including 1.57 g/t gold over 4.02 m from 12.59 m; 0.64 g/t gold over 5.33 m from 47.25 m, including 1.09 g/t gold over 2.8 m from 47.25 m; and 1.25 g/t gold over 14.95 m from 202.95 m, including 5.43 g/t gold over 2.53 m from 208.94 m (see Figure 6). See Figure 7, section C to C'.

Figure 6. Drill hole 26MN-049, interval 208.94 to 211.47 m, displaying Cambrian Gold Hill Formation fine grained meta-sediments with quartz-calcite-adularia-fluorite epithermal veins.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/289134_31e0d8644430bbd1_007full.jpg

Figure 7. Cross-section C-C', showing gold grades with reported intervals highlighted.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/289134_31e0d8644430bbd1_008full.jpg

26MN-052: contains eight intervals hosted in the Cambrian Gold Hill Formation along the Reliance Trend to the north of the West Pit. These intervals are hosted in fine grained meta-sedimentary clastic and carbonate units, including 0.3 g/t gold over 27.4 m from 17.71 m; 0.24 g/t gold over 14.36 m from 64.71 m; 1.05 g/t gold over 19.96 m from 141.43 m (see Figure 8); 0.8 g/t gold over 4.27 m from 190.74 m; 0.24 g/t gold over 10.82 m from 208.85 m; 0.28 g/t gold over 19.05 m from 223.78 m; 3.49 g/t gold over 2.04 m from 247.59 m; 1.35 g/t gold over 7.86 m from 312.58 m. See Figure 7, section C to C'.

Figure 8. Drill hole 26MN-052, highlighting interval 153.3 to 153.9 m, displaying Cambrian Gold Hill Formation fine grained meta-sediments with high-grade quartz-calcite-adularia-fluorite epithermal veins.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/289134_31e0d8644430bbd1_009full.jpg

East Pit Results:
26MN-051: This drill hole tested a northerly extension of a mineralised fault splay to the north of the East Pit, as a 50 m step-out to the southeast from drill hole 26MN-046, see news release dated February 11, 2026. The drill hole contains two intervals in the Cambrian Gold Hill Formation. The intervals are hosted in fine grained meta-sedimentary clastic units and include 0.23 g/t gold over 6.98 m from 118.29 m and 0.25 g/t gold over 6.55 m from 159.72 m.

26MN-054: This drill hole tested a northerly extension of a mineralised fault splay to the north of the East Pit, as a 50 m step-out to the northeast from drill hole 26MN-046. The drill hole contains one interval in the Cambrian Gold Hill Formation. The interval is hosted in fine grained meta-sedimentary clastic units and includes 0.4 g/t gold over 8.76 m from 257.89 m.

Sloppy Gulch Results:
26MN-050: This exploration drill hole tested a structure noted on a magnetic survey, a 1 km diameter circular gold in soils anomaly, in an area to the northeast of Mustang Hill with multiple historic adits. The drill hole did not produce any significant results.

Marketing Update

CEO & Director, Zayn Kalyan will be presenting in the upcoming John Tumazos Very Independent Research, LLC (https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8689922433388844127) virtual conference taking place on April 1, 2026, as well as the Kinvestor Mining & Energy Conference 2026 (https://events.zoom.us/ev/AqZOiYwerf2Kv3TJez8vTvVNTyKMEmr_jp80f3UtIxI9XTeO0zBv~AqHc1fMqB4n4B-bLXKcHprzFPXGtp3G-ZkuuR9IAGCgaWiXVVj9YSUeb34G3QswtnWOMylvkr9QJuMkStdAfNL78fg) happening March 26, 2026 at 12:40pm PT/3:40pm ET. Investors can look forward to an update on Phase Two of the ongoing 50,000-meter drill program at the Manhattan District located in the Walker Lane Trend in Nevada. Registration is free, so be sure to sign up today to secure your spot (registration links are provided above).

QA/QC

HQ sized diamond drill core samples were cut in halves, then bagged and secured with security tags to ensure integrity during transportation to the Reno, NV, Paragon Geochemical facility for preparation. For quality assurance ("QA"), unmarked coarse blanks, unmarked certified reference materials, and requested laboratory duplicates were inserted into the sampling sequence. QA samples were systematically inserted into each batch of samples, amounting to approximately 10% of the run of samples. Samples were analyzed for gold using method PA-AU02 (~500 g), a two-cycle PhotonAssayTM analysis of crushed material (70% passing 2 mm). All Paragon Geochemical facilities comply with ISO 17025:2017.

About the Manhattan District

Manhattan, located in the Walker Lane Trend of Nevada, USA, is road accessible and lies approximately 20 kilometers south of the operating Round Mountain Gold Mine (https://www.kinross.com/operations/default.aspx#americas-roundmountain), which has produced more than 15 million ounces of gold. For the first time, the Company has consolidated Manhattan's past-producing mines under a single entity that holds valuable permitting and water rights. Historically, Manhattan has produced approximately 700,000 ounces of gold from high-grade placer and lode operations dating from the late 1890s through to the mid-2000s.¹ The maiden mineral resource estimate (the "Maiden MRE") covering the Goldwedge and Manhattan Pit areas of Manhattan is comprised of 18,343,000 tonnes grading 1.26 g/t gold for a total of 740,000 oz contained gold in the inferred category.²

A historical mineral resource estimate (the "Historical MRE") covers the Black Mammoth, April Fool, Hooligan, Keystone, and Jumbo areas of Manhattan and comprises 1,652,325 tonnes grading 5.89 g/t gold for a total of 303,949 oz contained gold.³ The deposit is interpreted as a low-sulfidation, epithermal, gold-rich system situated adjacent to the Tertiary-aged Manhattan caldera in the Southern Toquima Range of Nevada. A "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") has not done sufficient work to make the Historical MRE current, and the Company is not treating the Historical MRE as current.

Notes

Adjacent Properties: The Company has no interest in, or rights to, any of the adjacent properties mentioned, including the Round Mountain Gold Mine, and exploration results on adjacent properties are not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company's properties. Any references to exploration results on adjacent properties are provided for information only and do not imply any certainty of achieving similar results on the Company's properties.Historical Data: This news release includes historical information that has been reviewed by the Company's qualified person. The Company's review of the historical records and information reasonably substantiate the validity of the information presented in this presentation. The Company encourages readers to exercise appropriate caution when evaluating these data and/or results.Third-Party Mineral Projects: These deposits are cited solely for geological context. The Company cautions that these properties are not necessarily adjacent to, nor does the Company or have any interest in or control over them. Although certain geological features may be similar, there is no assurance that mineralization comparable to these deposits will be discovered on any of the Company's properties. Information regarding the aforementioned deposits is taken from publicly available sources and technical reports believed to be reliable but has not been independently verified by the Company. The Company encourages readers to exercise appropriate caution when evaluating these data and/or results.Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE): All scientific and technical information relating to Manhattan pertaining to Maiden MRE contained in this news release is derived from the Technical Report dated October 23, 2025 (with an effective date of June 4, 2025) titled "Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report" (the "Technical Report") prepared by Matthew R. Dumala, P.Eng (BC) of Archer Cathro Geological (US) Ltd., Patrick Loury, M.Sc., CPG (AIPG) of Daniel Kunz & Associates, Annaliese Miller, LG (WA) of Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. and Art Ibrado, PhD, PE (AZ) of Fort Lowell Consulting PPLC. The information contained herein in respect of the Maiden MRE is subject to all of the assumptions, qualifications and procedures set out in the Technical Report and reference should be made to the full text of the Technical Report, a copy of which has been filed with the applicable securities regulators and is available under the Company's profile on www.sedarplus.ca.Historical MRE: A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to make the Historical MRE current, and the Company is not treating the Historical MRE as current.

The Company considers the Historical MRE relevant as it demonstrates the presence of significant gold mineralization across multiple zones within Manhattan; however, its reliability is uncertain because it was prepared prior to the adoption of the current CIM Definition Standards and current QA/QC practices. The Historical MRE provides limited disclosure of assumptions, parameters, estimation methods, cutoff grades, and QA/QC protocols, and therefore these cannot be fully verified by the Company. The categories used in the historical estimate predate, and are not directly comparable to, current CIM Definition Standards, and the Company is not treating the Historical MRE as a current Mineral Resource Estimate. To upgrade and verify the Historical MRE in order to make it a current Mineral Resource Estimate, the Company would be required to undertake confirmatory drilling, modern QA/QC sampling, validation and digitization of historical datasets and updated geological modeling followed by the preparation of a new Mineral Resource Estimate in accordance with CIM Definition Standards and NI 43-101. The Company encourages readers to exercise appropriate caution when evaluating the Historical MRE.

All scientific and technical information relating to Manhattan pertaining to the Historical MRE contained in this news release is derived from the Technical Report dated May 1997 titled "Exploration and Pre-Production Mine Development, Manhattan District Project, Nye County" (the "Historical Technical Report") prepared by New Concept Mining, Inc. The information contained herein in respect of the Historical MRE is subject to all the assumptions, qualifications and procedures set out in the Historical Technical Report and reference should be made to the full text of the Historical Technical Report.References: (1) Strachan, D. G., and Master, T. D., 2005: Update and Revision of the Gold Wedge Project Development, Nye County. Report prepared for Nevada; Royal Standard Minerals, Inc. and dated March 31, 2005; (2) Dumala, M. R., and Lowry, P., 2025: Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report, Manhattan Property, Nye County, Nevada. Report prepared for Scorpio Gold Corporation and dated October 23, 2025 (with an effective date of June 4, 2025); and (3) Berry, A., and Willard, P., 1997: "Exploration and Pre-Production Mine Development, Manhattan District Project, Nye County". Report prepared for New Concept Mining, Inc. and dated May 1997. Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Thomas Poitras, P. Geo., Chief Geologist of Scorpio Gold, a "Qualified Person", as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Verification included review of laboratory certificates, review of field logs and chain-of-custody records, inspection of blank/standard/duplicate performance, and review of collar and down-hole survey data. No limitations or failures to verify were identified.

About Scorpio Gold Corp.

Scorpio Gold holds a 100% interest in the Manhattan District located in the Walker Lane Trend of Nevada, USA. Scorpio Gold's Manhattan District is ~4,780-hectares and comprises the advanced exploration-stage Goldwedge Mine, with a 400 ton per day maximum capacity gravity mill, and four past-producing pits that were acquired from Kinross in 2021 (see news release dated March 25, 2021 https://scorpiogold.com/news/scorpio-gold-closes-purchase-of-kinross-manhattan-property-nye-county-nevada/). The consolidated Manhattan District presents an exciting late-stage exploration opportunity, with over 140,000 metres of historical drilling, significant resource potential, and valuable permitting and water rights.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

 ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SCORPIO GOLD CORPORATION,

Connect with Scorpio Gold:
Email | Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | X | YouTube
To register for investor updates, please visit: scorpiogold.com
TSXV: SGN | OTCQB: SRCRF | FSE: RY9

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to the timing, scope and interpretation of assay results; potential for resource growth; the potential continuity, extent and characteristics of mineralization along the Reliance Trend, Gap Zone, Zanzibar Trend and Mustang Hill; the intended follow-up exploration activities and timing of future disclosures, and other statements that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; compliance with extensive government regulation; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289134

Source: Scorpio Gold Corp

Ready to Announce with Confidence? Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.

Contact Us

TORONTO, March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the March 2026 cash distributions for the iShares ETFs listed on the TSX or Cboe Canada which pay on a monthly or quarterly basis. Unitholders of record of the applicable iShares ETF on March 26, 2026 will receive cash distributions payable in respect of that iShares ETF on March 31, 2026.

Details regarding the “per unit” distribution amounts are as follows:

Fund NameFund TickerCash Distribution Per UnitiShares 1-10 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index ETFCBH$0.050iShares 1-5 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index ETFCBO$0.053iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index ETFCDZ$0.117iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETFCEW$0.062iShares Global Real Estate Index ETFCGR$0.155iShares International Fundamental Index ETFCIE$0.064iShares Global Infrastructure Index ETFCIF$0.325iShares 1-5 Year Laddered Government Bond Index ETFCLF$0.033iShares 1-10 Year Laddered Government Bond Index ETFCLG$0.037iShares US Fundamental Index ETFCLU$0.172iShares US Fundamental Index ETFCLU.C$0.211iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Preferred Share Index ETFCPD$0.062iShares Canadian Fundamental Index ETFCRQ$0.184iShares US Dividend Growers Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)CUD$0.090iShares Convertible Bond Index ETFCVD$0.075iShares Global Water Index ETFCWW$0.209iShares Global Monthly Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)CYH$0.072iShares Canadian Financial Monthly Income ETFFIE$0.040iShares ESG Balanced ETF PortfolioGBAL$0.239iShares ESG Conservative Balanced ETF PortfolioGCNS$0.251iShares ESG Equity ETF PortfolioGEQT$0.178iShares ESG Growth ETF PortfolioGGRO$0.217iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETFXAGG$0.120iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF(1)XAGG.U$0.087iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XAGH$0.101iShares Core Balanced ETF PortfolioXBAL$0.155iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETFXBB$0.080iShares Core Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETFXCB$0.070iShares ESG Advanced Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETFXCBG$0.125iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETFXCBU$0.121iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF(1)XCBU.U$0.087iShares Canadian Growth Index ETFXCG$0.107iShares Core Conservative Balanced ETF PortfolioXCNS$0.155iShares S&P/TSX SmallCap Index ETFXCS$0.091iShares ESG Advanced MSCI Canada Index ETFXCSR$0.469iShares Canadian Value Index ETFXCV$0.376iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETFXDG$0.074iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF(1)XDG.U$0.053iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XDGH$0.072iShares Core MSCI Canadian Quality Dividend Index ETFXDIV$0.119iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETFXDU$0.066iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF(1)XDU.U$0.048iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XDUH$0.059iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETFXDV$0.111iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XEB$0.055iShares S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index ETFXEG$0.167iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETFXEI$0.112iShares Jantzi Social Index ETFXEN$0.225iShares Core Equity ETF PortfolioXEQT$0.091iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETFXESG$0.200iShares Core Canadian 15+ Year Federal Bond Index ETFXFLB$0.115iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETFXFLI$0.174iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF(1)XFLI.U$0.127iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF (CAD-Hedged)XFLX$0.168iShares S&P/TSX Capped Financials Index ETFXFN$0.147iShares Floating Rate Index ETFXFR$0.040iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETFXGB$0.050iShares Global Government Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XGGB$0.042iShares Core Growth ETF PortfolioXGRO$0.117iShares Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index ETFXHB$0.076iShares U.S. High Dividend Equity Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XHD$0.084iShares U.S. High Dividend Equity Index ETFXHU$0.078iShares U.S. High Yield Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XHY$0.083iShares Core S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETFXIC$0.272iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XIG$0.068iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XIGS$0.142iShares Core Income Balanced ETF PortfolioXINC$0.159iShares Core Canadian Long Term Bond Index ETFXLB$0.062iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETFXMA$0.037iShares S&P/TSX Completion Index ETFXMD$0.149iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XMS$0.145iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor Index ETFXMTM$0.035iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETFXMU$0.297iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF(1)XMU.U$0.217iShares MSCI Min Vol Canada Index ETFXMV$0.329iShares S&P/TSX North American Preferred Stock Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XPF$0.073iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETFXQB$0.054iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor Index ETFXQLT$0.061iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index ETFXRE$0.060iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETFXSAB$0.049iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETFXSB$0.069iShares Conservative Short Term Strategic Fixed Income ETFXSC$0.053iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETFXSE$0.053iShares Core Canadian Short Term Corporate Bond Index ETFXSH$0.063iShares ESG Advanced 1-5 Year Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETFXSHG$0.124iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETFXSHU$0.146iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF(1)XSHU.U$0.105iShares Short Term Strategic Fixed Income ETFXSI$0.057iShares Core Canadian Short-Mid Term Universe Bond Index ETFXSMB$0.102iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETFXST$0.144iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETFXSTB$0.047iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XSTH$0.000iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETFXSTP$0.000iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF(1)XSTP.U$0.000iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETFXSUS$0.085iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XTLH$0.121iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETFXTLT$0.123iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF(1)XTLT.U$0.089iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XTOH$0.080iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETFXTOT$0.070iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETF(1)XTOT.U$0.051iShares Diversified Monthly Income ETFXTR$0.040iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)XUH$0.103iShares S&P U.S. Financials Index ETFXUSF$0.237iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA Index ETFXUSR$0.189iShares S&P/TSX Capped Utilities Index ETFXUT$0.092iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETFXUU$0.127iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF(1)XUU.U$0.093iShares MSCI USA Value Factor Index ETFXVLU$0.123 (1) Distribution per unit amounts are in U.S. dollars for XAGG.U, XCBU.U, XDG.U, XDU.U, XFLI.U, XMU.U, XSHU.U, XSTP.U, XTLT.U, XTOT.U, and XUU.U

Estimated March Cash Distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF

The March cash distributions per unit for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF are estimated to be as follows:

Fund NameFund TickerEstimated Cash Distribution Per UnitiShares Premium Money Market ETFCMR$0.095
BlackRock Canada expects to issue a press release on or about March 25, 2026, which will provide the final amounts for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF.

Further information on the iShares ETFs can be found at http://www.blackrock.com/ca.

About BlackRock

BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate.

About iShares ETFs
iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of more than 1,700 exchange traded funds (ETFs) and approximately $5.47 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2025, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock.   

iShares® ETFs are managed by BlackRock Canada.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.

Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). TSX is a registered trademark of TSX Inc. (“TSX”). All of the foregoing trademarks have been licensed to S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed for certain purposes to BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”),  which in turn has sub-licensed these marks to its affiliate, BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), on behalf of the applicable fund(s). The index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and has been licensed for use by BFA and by extension, BlackRock Canada and the applicable fund(s). The funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively known as “S&P Dow Jones Indices”) or TSX, or any of their respective affiliates. Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices nor TSX make any representations regarding the advisability of investing in such funds.

MSCI is a trademark of MSCI, Inc. (“MSCI”). The ETF is permitted to use the MSCI mark pursuant to a license agreement between MSCI and BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., relating to, among other things, the license granted to BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. to use the Index. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. has sublicensed the use of this trademark to BlackRock. The ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MSCI and MSCI makes no representation, condition or warranty regarding the advisability of investing in the ETF.

Contact for Media:
Sydney Punchard
Email: [email protected]

Gold and silver joined a broad sell-off on Thursday, with the metals shedding 2% and 5.5% as fears about the Iran war and inflation gripped global markets.

At 4:56 a.m. ET, spot gold was down 2.3% at $4,707.20 an ounce. Front-month gold futures were down 4% at $4,702.40.

Gold prices

Silver prices

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Bitcoin has been grinding higher, with price edging above $74,000 this week in a move that signals rising demand. The upward trajectory looks constructive on the surface, but underlying dynamics reveal a more complex picture.

Several bearish indicators suggest the current advance is not yet a confirmed reversal, and caution remains warranted.

Bitcoin Is Looking At A Repetition Of The PastAs Bitcoin pushed above $74,000 this week, the 12-hour simple moving average of short-term holder realized profit spiked to $18.4 million per hour. This elevated reading mirrors the pattern observed throughout February, when STHs consistently sold into rallies above $70,000. Each time the price edged higher, profit-taking from recent BTC buyers exhausted the momentum before a sustainable breakout could develop.

This behavior reflects a defining characteristic of early recoveries in bear market regimes. Recent buyers prioritize exiting positions over holding through resistance levels. Their tendency to treat price strength as an exit opportunity rather than a signal to accumulate creates a structural ceiling that prevents rallies from compounding into sustained breakouts.

Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

Bitcoin Supply Profitability Signal. Source: GlassnodeShould the market successfully absorb this sell pressure and hold above $70,000 over the coming weeks, higher targets would become increasingly viable. The True Market Mean at $78,000 and the upper band of the current air gap near $82,000 represent the next meaningful objectives. Achieving either level would require STH selling pressure to diminish meaningfully from current rates.

Can Investors Absorb The Selling?The Supply Profitable State indicator has climbed to approximately 60%, reaching a level consistent with early bounce attempts observed at comparable points in prior cycle bottoms. Historically, recoveries from deep bear markets into early bull conditions have been validated by this metric climbing from below its negative one standard deviation threshold toward its long-run mean of approximately 75%.

The current reading of 60% places Bitcoin precisely at a historically significant inflection point. Previous cycles have shown that market exhaustion frequently occurs at first recovery attempts from this level. The indicator’s position neither confirms nor denies a sustained recovery, but it does align with the pattern of bear market bounces that stall before transitioning into genuine bull market conditions.

Bitcoin Realized Profits. Source: GlassnodeA sustained push above 75% would carry significantly more weight as a confirmation signal. Crossing that threshold would indicate that the proportion of supply in profit has moved beyond the early recovery range and into territory historically associated with confirmed bull market conditions. Continued rejection near 60% would reinforce the bear market recovery narrative and validate the cautious interpretation of current price action.

BTC Price Might Note Some DrawdownBitcoin price is trading at $70,879, sitting below the $72,294 resistance level. The crypto king failed to sustain its push above $75,000 earlier this week, a development that underscores the persistent selling pressure from short-term holders at elevated price levels. Price is currently moving within an ascending channel, providing near-term structural guidance.

Downward pressure could send Bitcoin below $70,000 and through $68,830, testing the ascending channel’s lower trendline. A breakdown below that boundary is unlikely but would expose BTC to a decline toward $66,224. This would represent a meaningful setback for the recovery thesis.

Bitcoin Price Analysis. Source: TradingViewAccumulation at the $70,000 psychological support level offers the constructive alternative. Thus, a confirmed bounce from that zone could push BTC price back toward $75,000, and securing that level as support would invalidate the bearish thesis entirely.

An analyst known for accurately predicting Bitcoin’s 2025 top believes BTC is not done correcting.

In a new strategy session, the pseudonymous analyst Killa says that Bitcoin may be following a similar 2022 pattern that would set BTC up to start forming a market bottom around July.

“We are somewhere around this lower end of the [2022] region of the fractal, meaning that we are going to have months of chop before the bottoming zone.”

The analyst says that Bitcoin’s bottoming could last about two months, suggesting a bull market rally may begin in September, based on the 2022 cycle when a similar bottom was formed in November and December.

“Now, do I think we are going to form a macro bottom precisely here [in July]? No. But I do think this is going to be the area where we start forming that bottoming zone…

Measuring how many months we were in this lower range [in 2022] before having the bull market continue – or the bear market rally, in a way – we can see two months. Now, if we measure two months on top of that July, that puts us at around August 30th. That means that we are probably going to bottom around this period.”

Source: Killa/YouTube Bitcoin is trading for $71,079 at time of writing, down 4.4% on the day.

Generated Image: DALLE-3