Market Signal Briefing

XRP price hovered at $1.52 on Wednesday after a slight crypto market consolidation. The broader cryptocurrency market showed signs of cooling after recent volatility. 

Meanwhile, U.S. crypto stocks moved higher, reflecting improving sentiment in traditional markets.

On March 18, Wall Street futures extended gains despite lingering geopolitical tensions. Investors continue to monitor developments in the Middle East closely. Global financial markets have experienced sharp swings in response to the conflict.

Despite the turbulence, XRP maintained modest weekly gains above the $1.52 threshold. Traders appeared cautious, yet the token avoided deeper losses seen elsewhere. ETF tied to XRP reported mild inflows this week. That followed eight straight sessions of limited fund activity.

The trends have been moving in the XRP Ledger developments capturing market interest. The latest technical developments have made it more attractive to institutions.

XRPL Advances Institutional Compliance and Tokenization Since February 2024, the XRP Ledger has rolled out six protocol upgrades. These updates were designed to address compliance and regulatory concerns. Institutional adoption has often been slowed by legal and operational uncertainties.

The Clawback feature launched in February 2024. It enables issuers to reclaim or freeze tokens when required by regulation. This tool allows asset control without relying on complex smart contracts.

On-chain identity verification was improved in October 2024, with the introduction of decentralized identifiers. Other enhancements were Multi-Purpose Tokens and Permissioned Domains. These characteristics help towards controlled trading and regulated issuance of assets.

According to industry data, XRPL is now at the forefront in terms of driving tokenized commodity growth in 2026. Upgrades that are compliance based are being perceived by analysts as enhancing its institutional positioning.

XRP Price Prediction: Key Levels To Watch As of the XRP Price Consoldated at $1.46 as the market reflected a measured pullback after testing higher resistance levels. XRP declined roughly 1.52% during the latest session, signaling temporary selling pressure following its recent upward expansion.

Price is still squeezed between the significant psychological barrier of $1.50 and is still constraining short-term bullish follow-up.

The Relative Strength Index is almost 47, which puts XRP in the neutral range and does not indicate extreme conditions. In the meantime, the MACD histogram has become slightly negative, which implies the loss of momentum upwards in the short-term.

Source: XRP/USDT 4-hour chart: Tradingview A sustained move above $1.50 could open the path toward $1.55, where minor supply previously emerged. If bullish momentum strengthens further, the next upside objectives stand near $1.65 and then $1.70.

The downside is that the short-term support is shaping around $1.45, which has drawn short-term buyers several times. The next visible technical cushion is $1.40, and a conclusive break of less than $1.45 can reveal it.

XRP Steadies Above Key Strike as Traders Eye $14.6M Position XRP price is holding slightly above a major options cluster at $1.40 on Deribit.There is approximately 14.6 million contracted at that strike price, as indicated by data.

Open Interest The traders seem concentrated on the expiry date of March 27. Almost a quarter of all XRP options on the exchange are at this level, indicating increased positioning and subsequent volatility in the future.

Bitcoin has fallen sharply back toward $70,000 per bitcoin over the last 24 hours as a worst cast scenario for the bitcoin price looks increasingly likely.

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The bitcoin price, which had charged toward $80,000 per bitcoin earlier this week on hopes the U.S. and Israel war in Iran could be coming to an end, remains well below its October 2025 peak (even as a legendary billionaire predicts the end of the U.S. dollar).

Now, as traders gear up for Elon Musk’s imminent crypto game-changer, a major Wall Street bank has suddenly soured on bitcoin.

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Forbes‘Time Is Running Out’—Bitcoin Is Suddenly Braced For A Surprise Price ShockBy Billy Bambrough

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The bitcoin price has dropped sharply, raising fears bitcoin could be headed for a steeper price crash.

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Analysts with Wall Street giant Citi have slashed their bitcoin price forecast, predicting that bitcoin won’t make a fresh all-time high over the next 12 months due to the crypto market structure bill known as the Clarity Act stalling in Congress.

The odds of the Clarity Act, designed to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for bitcoin and crypto and clarify oversight of crypto markets and participants, passing before the end of the year have plummeted to 60% on the Polymarket prediction platform, down from a peak of almost 90% in February.

"Regulatory catalysts will drive further adoption and flows but ⁠the window of opportunity for U.S. legislation this year is narrowing," Citi ​strategist Alex Saunders said in a note seen by Reuters, giving bitcoin a price target of $112,000, down from $143,000 previously.

Citi’s new bitcoin price target suggests even previously bullish analysts are feeling bearish following the late 2025 bitcoin price crash.

Earlier this week, Alex Thorn, a researcher with the crypto and data centre infrastructure company Galaxy Digital, warned "time is running out" to pass the bill after U.S. Senate majority leader John Thune reportedly said the bill could face further delays.

U.S. president Donald Trump has called on crypto and banking lobbyists to come to an agreement on the bill after Coinbase chief executive Brian Armstrong torpedoed it when he abruptly pulled the exchange’s support in January.

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

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ForbesBitcoin Is Suddenly Braced For A Surprise Fed Price ShockBy Billy Bambrough

The bitcoin price has rebounded from its recent lows but remains far from its October 2025 peak of $126,000 per bitcoin.

Forbes Digital Assets

Bitcoin and crypto market watchers are feeling increasingly gloomy about the possibility fresh crypto regulation will make its way to Trump’s desk any time soon.

“The American Bankers Association formally rejected White House Clarity Act compromises [last] week, effectively killing crypto market structure legislation despite its July 2025 House passage," Jimmy Xue, chief operating officer at cross-asset liquidity infrastructure provider Axis, said in emailed comments.

Xue pointed to bitcoin’s “jarring $110 billion wipeout” last week as a sign of “institutional uncertainty” in the face of “transformative” crypto integration with Wall Street giant BNY Mellon launching exchange-traded fund (ETF) custody services, Kraken securing Federal Reserve payment system access, and NYSE operator Intercontinental Exchange investing $25 billion in OKX.

“The regulatory picture compounds this institutional uncertainty,” Xue added.

HIVE Digital Technologies said Wednesday that its first artificial intelligence GPU cluster in Paraguay is now running live workloads, marking an early step in the company’s effort to expand beyond its traditional bitcoin mining business.

The cluster, located in a data center in Asunción, is part of HIVE’s BUZZ AI Cloud platform and is currently processing training workloads tied to large language model research.

The deployment is designed as a proof-of-concept for running AI computing jobs across long distances, with model training initiated from New York and executed on GPU infrastructure in Paraguay. HIVE said the project will generate performance data on latency, throughput, and workload management that could inform a broader rollout of high-performance computing capacity in the country.

A research team from Columbia University is using the cluster in early testing to experiment with large language model training. According to the company, the project is non-commercial and aimed at benchmarking system performance as HIVE evaluates how its infrastructure handles AI workloads.

HIVE said the Asunción cluster is the first step in a phased plan to layer AI and high-performance computing infrastructure onto its existing energy footprint in Paraguay. The company currently operates about 300 megawatts of hydroelectric-powered infrastructure in the country, with another 100 MW under development.

Executives said the testing phase will help determine whether HIVE can expand additional data center capacity, with potential AI infrastructure buildouts extending through 2027.

Bitcoin miners pivot The move comes as publicly traded bitcoin miners increasingly look for new revenue streams beyond traditional mining operations. While ASIC machines used for bitcoin mining cannot run AI workloads, many operators control large power contracts and data-center infrastructure that can be adapted for GPU clusters used in artificial intelligence training and inference.

HIVE has already begun repositioning parts of its business toward AI computing. Earlier this week, the company said it would phase down bitcoin mining operations in Sweden while expanding GPU data-center capacity in Canada through its BUZZ high-performance computing unit.

The strategy contrasts with some peers that have scaled back operations in Latin America. Bitfarms, for example, exited Paraguay earlier this year, selling its site as it pivoted toward AI and data-center development in North America.

Shares of HIVE were down less than 1% on Wednesday to around $2.20, according to The Block’s price data. The stock has mostly traded between $2 and $3 over the past four years, aside from short-lived spikes above $5 during crypto market rallies.

HIVE Digital share price chart. Source: The Block/TradingViewDisclaimer: 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.

The Race To Become Largest HolderBlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ:IBIT) has seen cumulative net inflows of $63.21 billion since launching in January 2024. 

The fund holds 784,062 Bitcoin, representing 3.7% of the total 21 million coin supply. BlackRock doesn’t buy Bitcoin for itself—investors buy IBIT shares through Nasdaq, and BlackRock holds Bitcoin on behalf of IBIT shareholders.

Strategy purchased 22,337 BTC last week for $1.57 billion, the fifth-largest acquisition on record. 

Total holdings now stand at 761,068 BTC, putting the company within striking distance of surpassing BlackRock within a week at current purchase rates.

The Preferred Stock ShiftLast week marked the first time Strategy used perpetual preferred stock as the primary vehicle to accumulate Bitcoin. 

STRC issuance reached $1.18 billion, equivalent to roughly 16,800 BTC at the average price of $70,000, far exceeding the $396 million raised via common stock.

The shift makes sense given MSTR shares are down more than 70% from highs. 

The company appears incentivized to support a higher share price without further dilution through common stock issuance.

STRC’s current 11.5% dividend rate means the $1.18 billion issuance implies roughly $135 million in annual dividend obligations. 

This pushed the company’s total annual dividend burden above $1 billion. Strategy has set aside approximately $2.25 billion in USD reserves to fund these obligations.

The Dividend PressureSTRC is showing early signs of pricing pressure. The preferred has now spent three consecutive days trading below its $100 par value following its March 15 ex-dividend date.

With the one-month volume-weighted average price below par, the company may increase the dividend by a further 25 basis points to support the price. 

The 11.5% yield would rise to 11.75% under this scenario.

Common equity may be used more selectively going forward, primarily when multiple to net asset value (mNAV) is meaningfully above 1 or when the company needs to build USD reserves. 

This suggests reduced reliance on common stock sales while leaning more heavily on STRC.

Image: Shutterstock

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The crypto market has entered a corrective phase, with Bitcoin (BTC) price dropping to around $71,500, down nearly 3.33%, while Ethereum (ETH) price has also slipped below $2,200 alongside broader market weakness. The pullback follows a recent multi-day rally, suggesting a shift in short-term momentum as traders turn cautious ahead of key macro developments.

The decline is not isolated to crypto. Traditional markets are also under pressure, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures falling by nearly 0.5% each, while gold has dropped close to 3%, reflecting a broader sell-off across non-yielding and risk-sensitive assets. At the same time, the Volatility Index (VIX) has surged over 3%, signaling rising uncertainty and expectations of increased market swings.

Cross-Asset Market Signals Point to Rising VolatilityA closer look at cross-market performance reveals a coordinated shift in sentiment rather than asset-specific weakness. While Bitcoin and Ethereum are declining, the simultaneous drop in equities and gold highlights a broader repricing across financial markets.

Bitcoin (BTC): -3.80% → $71,431Gold: -2.90%S&P 500 Futures: -0.51%Nasdaq Futures: -0.48%VIX: +3.80%Oil: +1.23%This combination is particularly notable. The decline in both crypto and gold suggests pressure on non-yielding assets, while falling equities indicate weakening risk appetite. Meanwhile, the rise in VIX points to growing expectations of volatility, and higher oil prices hint that inflation concerns remain in play.

Together, these signals suggest that markets are entering a risk-adjustment phase, where investors are reassessing positions across asset classes rather than reacting to crypto-specific developments.

Rising Crude Oil Adds to Macro Pressure on CryptoOne of the key drivers behind the current correction is the uptick in crude oil prices. It has gained over 1.2%, reaching over $95 and diverging from the broader decline seen across crypto, equities, and gold. This divergence is critical, as rising oil prices typically signal renewed inflationary pressure within the global economy.

In such an environment, non-yielding assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum face added pressure, as investors rotate toward yield-generating instruments. The simultaneous decline in crypto and gold further supports this view, indicating that the current move is driven by macro repricing rather than asset-specific weakness.

Overall, the rise in oil prices is reinforcing a “higher-for-longer” narrative, adding another layer of pressure on risk assets at a time when markets are already positioned cautiously.

Is This a Bull Trap? What’s Next for BTC, ETH & XRP Prices?The current pullback does not fully align with a classic bull trap, as the market lacks signs of excessive leverage or euphoric positioning. Instead, the decline appears to be a macro-driven correction, with rising yields, a stronger dollar, and higher oil prices weighing on risk assets.

For now, Bitcoin price holding above $70,000, Ethereum price sustaining above $2,000, and XRP price defending the $1.40 zone will be key to maintaining a bullish structure. A breakdown below these levels could extend the correction, while stability may allow a gradual recovery.

Overall, this phase reflects a reset in positioning rather than a confirmed trend reversal, with the next move likely to be driven by broader market signals rather than crypto-specific developments.

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In brief New YouTube series "The Crypto Castle" dials back the clock to 2015, when Bitcoin was just $250. Viv Ford stars as Viv, who moves into a house full of early Bitcoin adopters. The show looks at crypto as a subculture, and how it's evolved since the early days. “Crypto culture sucks,” says actor and comedian Viv Ford. “You'll go to crypto conferences and it's not what it used to be. It used to be fun degen conferences, and now it's like, men from JPMorgan talking about leverage or whatever. And you're, like, what happened?”

With her new YouTube sitcom “The Crypto Castle,” Ford’s aiming to break out of “this insane culture bubble” and reset the clock to the days when crypto was full of promise—and Bitcoin cost just $250 a pop.

Based on her real-life experience, “The Crypto Castle” stars Ford as Viv, a twentysomething drifting around the fringes of the San Francisco tech boom of the mid-2010s, who fetches up in a shared apartment with four Bitcoin bros.

“There's no comedic, relatable TV show about this wild world—why is that?” she said. “Why is there no ‘Silicon Valley’ for crypto? Why is there no, like, like ‘New Girl’-adjacent show for crypto?”

As well as Viv, the show features Garrett, the “loudest guy in the room,” would-be nation builder Trent, teenage prodigy Ray, and mysterious Frenchman Pierre, all pursuing their dream to change the world with crypto.

In recent years, crypto has typically only popped up in crime movies or been name-checked to add a futuristic gloss to TV shows and films, but Ford’s more interested in “characters that think they are building the future,” she told Decrypt.

“I was really interested in what was the subculture of this thing before it blasted off into the mainstream where everyone could start making money,” she added.

Crypto’s evolving subcultureThe show is a historical snapshot of Bitcoin’s evolution, Ford told Decrypt. “In the title card, we have the Bitcoin price graph, and you see it just kind of shoot up, and then you have the arrow of where you are, and it's when Bitcoin is low. So the viewer is aware of all of the things that are to come,” including the Bitcoin hard fork, the implosion of Mt. Gox, and the rise of Ethereum.

“It's very much trying to take just those moments of like, will this survive? What does this look like?” And for the Crypto Castle’s residents, their identity is “tied up in this,” she said.

That identity, she argues, is rooted in the idea of subcultures more generally, rather than crypto specifically. “A lot of the people that were in it at the start left, and that's really interesting,” she said. “I think probably the reason is because these people, actually, they're less so lovers of crypto and they're more so lovers of subculture—of finding the thing before the mainstream finds the thing. And so they're just on a mission to always find that thing.”

With the departure of those early pioneers, “there’s a sad evolution of the culture where it just went to, like, ‘How can you make money?’” she lamented. “As this industry tries to mature, tries to be taken more seriously, I'm like, ‘Wait, it's a joke.’ Can we go back to when it was, like, just this hilarious joke?”

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XRP has finally crossed the $1.50 price level that has been holding out much longer than it should have. The three million threshold on XRP Ledger suggests the presence of large players or institutional investors, but things are unlikely to turn euphoric here.

Strong network activity and XRP's capacity to sustain support close to current levels are encouraging investors to keep a close eye on the asset, even though the overall market structure is still cautious.

Bears still dominateOver the last few months, a consistent downward trend has dominated price action. Major moving averages, such as the 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages, have not been reclaimed by XRP, and it has continuously formed lower highs. These indicators limit the strength of short-term recovery attempts because they stay above the current price and continue to function as dynamic resistance zones.

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XRP/USDT Chart by TradingViewOn the other hand, current market activity suggests that XRP might be trying to establish a base. The asset found support in the $1.30-$1.40 range after falling precipitously earlier in the year, and it has since developed a short-term rising structure. This slow increase implies that buyers are intervening to protect the market and stop additional downward acceleration.

The activity on the XRP Ledger itself is one of the most noteworthy developments supporting this stabilization. According to data, more than 3.133 million transactions were completed on the network in a 24-hour period. Due to its proximity to some of the highest transaction counts ever documented on the network, this level of activity is noteworthy.

Intitutional activity carries XRP Whether through payments, transfers or institutional settlement activity, a high transaction volume frequently indicates increased network usage. XRP has long positioned itself as a payment-focused digital asset, and periods of increased interest from major players and cross-border payment flows usually coincide with spikes in transaction counts.

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The ecosystem itself may continue to be active and functional in spite of market volatility if network activity continues to be high while the price is trying to stabilize. Strong usage metrics occasionally precede price recoveries as network demand increases.

Whether XRP can sustain its present support zone and keep gaining momentum is currently the main concern for investors. The asset may signal the start of a more extensive recovery phase if it is able to recover adjacent resistance levels and break above its moving averages. Until then, XRP seems to be maintaining a significant level.

Strong network activity and a stable price structure indicate that traders, and possibly institutional participants keeping an eye on payment network demand, are still keeping a close eye on the asset.

Playnance’s GCOIN trading on MEXC started today, March 18, 2026, at 13:00 UTC, following its Token Generation Event earlier. The listing introduces the token to global markets and expands access to its Web3 ecosystem. The move supports broader participation, increased liquidity, and continued platform growth through an active trading environment.

GCOIN Listing Marks New Trading Phase In an X post, Playnance said GCOIN began trading against USDT on MEXC, its first entry into an open market environment. Notably, the listing followed the project’s Token Generation Event held earlier the same day. This sequence completed the token’s transition from issuance to active trading.

As trading opened, deposits became immediately available for users. However, withdrawals were scheduled to start on March 19, enabling full trading functionality. This structure ensured a controlled rollout while supporting early market activity.

Source: Playnance

Similarly, MEXC hosted a Kickstarter campaign tied to the listing. Users competed for a share of a 50,000 USDT airdrop during the campaign. This event helped drive early attention and user participation ahead of trading.

Platform Activity and Early Demand  Before the listing, Playnance reported strong platform usage across its ecosystem. CoinGape had earlier reported that Playnance would launch GCOIN today as activity grows. The network supports more than 10,000 on-chain games, showing a wide application base. It also processes over 2 million transactions daily, reflecting consistent user activity.

These metrics connect directly to GCOIN’s role within the system. The token powers transactions, rewards, and participation across the network’s applications. As a result, usage levels tie closely to token activity within the ecosystem.

Meanwhile, early demand for GCOIN appeared through its staking program. More than 1 billion tokens were locked within hours of launch. This fast uptake showed immediate engagement from users before trading began.

The platform recorded more than 300,000 GCOIN holders. This growing user base continues to contribute to activity across the network. The increase in holders aligns with broader ecosystem expansion efforts.

Token Design and Accessibility  GCOIN operates as a utility token within the Playnance ecosystem. It distributes value based on user activity rather than fixed emissions. This structure links rewards directly to participation across supported applications.

In addition, Playnance focuses on simplifying user access to blockchain services. The platform offers a Web2-like experience, reducing complexity for new users.

This approach supports onboarding across a broader audience base. As a result, the ecosystem has expanded with a diverse group of participants. Users interact with games, reward systems, and transactions through a unified interface.

This design supports continued engagement across different use cases. Following the listing on the top crypto exchange, MEXC provides added liquidity for GCOIN holders.

Source: MEXC

Users can now trade within a global exchange environment with flexible access. This setup connects existing platform activity with external market participation.

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Crypto ranking platform CoinGecko shares data on the year-to-date performance of major cryptocurrencies, in particular, the Top 10 digital assets, including Cardano.

According to the data, Cardano is down 12.9% in year-to-date performance. This follows the trend of most major cryptocurrencies, as the sell-off over the last five months has taken a handful to multimonth lows.

Save for Tron (TRX), WBT and Hyperliquid, which were up 6.3%, 3% and 64% on a year-to-date basis, the rest of the Top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were in losses across this time frame.

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Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, BNB, Solana (SOL) and Dogecoin (DOGE) were down 15.4%, 21.8%, 17.4%, 21.9%, 24.4% and 14.9%.

Reversal signals appearing?At the time of writing, ADA was up 1.09% in the last 24 hours and 13% up weekly. The rise follows a broader market recovery as investors returned to riskier assets.

Cardano marked seven out of eight days in green from a March 9 low of $0.248, with the price surpassing the daily MA 50 at $0.279, which had capped ADA's price since January. According to analysts, this might be a sign of a bigger recovery.

In a recent tweet, Alicharts indicated that Cardano might be setting up for a bullish breakout, with 45 days of sideways trading nearing its end. Ali highlights Cardano's key resistance to be $0.304, which is the upper boundary of its trading channel. A break above $0.304 might cause Cardano to target liquidity gaps at $0.338 and $0.37.

In recent Cardano news, the Cardano Foundation, supported by  IOGroup, is requesting community approval to become the new managing entity of Project Catalyst.

Cardano's vision 2030 remains a key reference point in discussions, a community-developed framework describing where the ecosystem aims to be by the end of the decade. Earlier this year, the Vision 2030 framework was submitted as an info action and received over 67% support from participating DReps. The Midnight mainnet launch is targeted for March.

Dogecoin Price Prediction: Why $0.10 Breakout May Not Signal a Lasting Rally

Dogecoin recently crossed above $0.10, sparking a brief wave of optimism among retail traders. The psychological appeal of a round number is hard to ignore. However, analysts caution that this move carries more sentiment than substance. The broader technical picture remains firmly bearish, and the asset has a documented history of failing to sustain gains at this threshold.

$0.10 Is a Weak FoundationThe $0.10 level has been crossed and abandoned repeatedly over the past year. Each time Dogecoin climbed above it, sellers returned quickly, pushing the price back below the mark. In technical analysis, a level that repeatedly breaks down loses credibility as a reliable support level. Traders who interpret the current move as a turning point may be reading too much into a pattern that has consistently disappointed.

Price action at $0.10 does not reflect accumulation. It reflects indecision. Until buyers can hold this level across multiple sessions with sustained volume, the move remains categorically a short-term bounce rather than a trend reversal.

At the time of writing, Dogecoin trades at around $0.09448, down 4.84% in the last 24 hours.

The 50 EMA Remains the Real TestAbove $0.10 sits a far more consequential barrier: the 50-day exponential moving average. This dynamic resistance line has tracked Dogecoin's downtrend and continues to cap recovery attempts. The 50 EMA is not a static number. It adjusts with price action, which makes a sustained breakout above it considerably harder to achieve.

Market structure favors sellers as long as Dogecoin trades beneath this moving average. Historically, reclaiming the 50 EMA has been the first credible signal of a trend shift for DOGE. Without that confirmation, rallies above $0.10 remain noise within a larger downtrend. Bulls pointing to the round number as a signal are, in effect, ignoring the more significant obstacle positioned just above it.

The relationship between price and the 50 EMA is one of the clearest indicators available. When DOGE trades below it, the trend is down. When it reclaims and holds above it, the narrative changes. That threshold has not yet been cleared.

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YZi Labs-backed perpetual DEX platform Aster has finally unveiled its Aster Chain mainnet. The new chain will adopt zero-knowledge proofs and stealth addresses in a bid to curb ‘position hunting,’ common on transparent public chains and platforms like Hyperliquid. 

Initially, the DEX debuted on BNB Chain via a bridge and later extended to Ethereum [ETH], Solana [SOL], and Arbitrum [ARB] as a multi-chain dApp. While it will still support trading across these chains, it will transition into a sovereign Layer 1 ecosystem. 

The move is aimed at achieving the privacy and other optimal features for high-frequency traders while maintaining a CEX-like user experience.

Although the DEX became an instant hit after its launch last September, the traction has waned significantly in 2026. 

During its peak activity in October 2025, it handled nearly $74 billion in weekly trading volume. But its trading activity shrank to less than $10 billion as of mid-March 2026, following the broader crypto rout in the past few months. 

Its overall market share in perps trading volume declined by half, from 40% to 20%, over the same period. 

Source: Dune Interestingly, Aster’s wild FOMO after launch clawed down Hyperliquid’s [HYPE] market share. Hyperliquid had over 60% dominance before Aster went live. Afterward, its dominance fell to 27% but began reclaiming it only after unveiling trading support for oil, gold, silver, and other commodities via HIP-3. 

As of writing, Hyperliquid has regained most of its trading volume, while Aster’s steep decline has not abated. 

ASTER price reaction Likewise, its native token ASTER slumped 86% after a free fall from $3 to a low of $0.4. However, the broader market relief bounce from early February has boosted the altcoin’s recovery by 80%.  

But the mainnet debut didn’t help bulls that much. After the update, ASTER swiftly rallied by nearly 10%, hitting $0.790, but had erased most of the gains at the time of writing. 

When zoomed out, the altcoin was still stuck at its February tight price range of $0.70 and $0.80. The sideways structure may extend if there is no meaningful catalyst for a broader market extended recovery. 

However, should the $0.80 price level be flipped to support, then retesting $0.950 could be feasible. It’s unclear whether the planned staking feature will induce demand for ASTER. 

Source: ASTER/USDT, TradingView  Final Summary Aster has unveiled its Aster Chain mainnet to double down on privacy and trading efficiency.  Still, the DEX’s traction remains in a downtrend while the ASTER price has been stuck in a tight range. 

PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) has unveiled a significant expansion of its dollar-backed stablecoin, introducing PayPal USD (PYUSD) to users across 70 international markets. Revealed on March 17, 2026, this development allows millions of consumers and merchants to integrate the regulated digital asset seamlessly into their PayPal accounts, promising enhanced stability and efficiency in global transactions.

PYUSD functions as a stablecoin issued by Paxos Trust Company, a trust entity chartered and supervised by U.S. federal regulators.

It maintains full collateralization through reserves consisting of American dollar bank deposits, government securities like U.S. Treasuries, and comparable liquid assets.

Each unit is redeemable at a fixed rate of one US dollar, offering users a reliable store of value that merges the dependability of fiat currency with blockchain-enabled speed.

Through this rollout, account holders can now acquire, maintain, dispatch, and accept PYUSD straight from their PayPal profiles.

The cryptocurrency supports rapid settlements and reduced expenses for cross-border payments, outperforming many legacy financial channels that suffer from prolonged delays and elevated charges.

Individual users benefit from the convenience of immediate remittances to contacts within the PayPal network or transfers to compatible external digital wallets.

Balances can be exchanged for local currencies to facilitate spending or cash-outs.

Additionally, qualifying participants in select locations have the opportunity to accrue rewards on their PYUSD holdings, although this perk excludes users in the United Kingdom and consumer accounts in Singapore.

Enterprises are poised to experience notable improvements in operational liquidity.

Sellers receiving PYUSD payments gain near-instant access to proceeds, contrasting sharply with the multi-day waits common in conventional banking.

This capability aids in optimizing working capital, streamlining international dealings, and cutting down on currency conversion fees, ultimately fostering more dynamic participation in worldwide trade.

Commenting on the launch, May Zabaneh, PayPal’s Senior Vice President and General Manager for Crypto initiatives, emphasized the limitations of existing payment infrastructures.

She pointed out that global players desire swifter and more affordable methods for international exchanges.

The broad availability of PYUSD empowers individuals with quicker fund retrieval, economical overseas remittances, and improved engagement with the international economy, thereby advancing commercial progress on a universal scale.

Spanning regions such as Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America, the initial wave encompasses nations including Colombia, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the United States, among others.

Certain territories like Singapore restrict access to business profiles exclusively.

Remaining supported markets are slated for activation shortly. PayPal’s extensive presence in roughly 200 countries positions this move as a key step toward broader digital currency adoption.

Overall, the initiative reflects PayPal’s ongoing efforts to innovate in payments technology.

By extending PYUSD’s utility, the platform seeks to create a more accessible and cost-effective ecosystem for digital commerce in an increasingly interconnected environment.

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A potential breakout is forming on Cardano’s chart, with analysts pointing to key resistance levels that could determine whether the asset enters its next upward phase.

According to technical analyst Ali Martinez, ADA has spent roughly 45 days consolidating within a tight range, which is often seen before significant price expansion.

The immediate level to watch is $0.304, which marks the upper boundary of the current channel. A confirmed breakout above that zone could trigger a rapid move into nearby liquidity gaps, with projected targets at $0.338 and $0.376.

The setup is taking shape as altcoin sentiment strengthens. Crypto analyst Ash Crypto noted that the Altcoin-to-Bitcoin ratio is its most bullish in over five years, citing a breakout from a four-year downtrend, three consecutive months of bullish MACD signals, and a confirmed monthly RSI breakout and retest. Similar conditions appeared in the second quarter of 2020, which preceded one of the largest altcoin rallies on record.

Adding to the bullish outlook, trader GordonGekko warned that altcoins may be approaching a parabolic phase, suggesting that prolonged consolidation at lower price levels could give way to a sharp expansion, leaving sidelined investors chasing momentum.

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Market data from CoinMarketCap shows ADA trading near $0.2753, down 3.66% over the past 24 hours, with gains of 5.9% over the past week and 0.82% over the past month.

However, fundamental developments within the ecosystem are also influencing sentiment. A governance dispute involving the Liqwid DeFi protocol has triggered a revote over the distribution of approximately 18.81 million NIGHT tokens tied to its ADA market. Charles Hoskinson has called for a transparent process, urging insiders to recuse themselves to preserve trust in decentralized governance.

The outcome could impact liquidity and user confidence across the ecosystem. For now, analysts are focused on key technical levels. A breakout above resistance could confirm bullish momentum, while a drop below $0.26 support may reinforce downside risks.

Circle’s policy chief Dante Disparte told a United Kingdom House of Lords committee that the UK has a chance to build its crypto regime by combining the clarity of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) with elements of the new US stablecoin framework.

“The model is clear: take the best of both and make it distinctly British,” Disparte said during a Wednesday meeting of the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee. “From Europe, take clarity, definitions, licensing, governance and strong consumer protection from the US and the landmark Genius Act.”

Disparte argued that the absence of a regulatory framework will keep stablecoin activity offshore, leaving UK users more exposed and jeopardizing London’s status as a global hub for financial innovation. The meeting was part of the House of Lords’ inquiry into growth and proposed regulation of stablecoins in the UK, with Disparte and Jesse McWaters of Mastercard scheduled as witnesses.

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been consulting on a broader crypto asset regime that is expected to come into force on Oct. 25, 2027, when companies conducting the new regulated activities will need authorization.

Trusted stablecoins “expand” markets Circle’s DisparteDisparte also addressed concerns that stablecoins could deplete bank deposits and reduce demand for traditional lines of credit.

“The future is not banks versus stablecoins,” argued Disparte, adding that a clear regulatory framework can manage these risks without stifling innovation by adopting strong reserve and liquidity standards and encouraging bank participation.

“Our growth across currencies and jurisdictions is proof that trusted stablecoins expand markets. They do not shrink them.”Disparte proposed four governing principles to anchor the UK’s regulatory framework: 1-to-1 reserve backing, requiring high-quality liquid reserves, enforceable redemptions and strong transparency standards.

Circle is the issuer of the world’s second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization, USDC (USDC).

Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of global policy and operations at Circle. Source: Parliamentlive.tvThe US’s federal stablecoin framework, the GENIUS Act, was signed into law on July 18, 2025. The EU’s MiCA framework, the first comprehensive regulatory framework for the crypto industry, went into effect for crypto-asset service providers on Dec. 30, 2024.

Stablecoins lack clear value propositionMastercard’s McWaters said stablecoins lack a clear value proposition to threaten payment cards.

Stablecoins currently lack a “clear value proposition that would drive customers” to adopt them over the variety of domestic payment options available, McWaters said, while also praising their ability to accelerate cross-border transactions.

Jesse McWaters, executive vice president and head of global policy, Mastercard. Source: Parliamentlive.tv“Blockchain technology, the rails on which stablecoins run, provides a new, innovative and potentially significantly additive way of moving money, particularly in cross-border contexts,” he said.

Magazine: How crypto laws changed in 2025 — and how they’ll change in 2026

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XRP is beginning to show the kind of price behavior that traders usually watch for when a downtrend starts running out of steam. A technical setup of XRP’s price action shows a cryptocurrency that has already absorbed months of selling pressure and is now trying to build a base above a key support zone. 

Although the analysis does not suggest that XRP has already broken into a full bullish trend, it does show that the decline has slowed down, and price is starting to stabilize where buyers are stepping in.

A Downtrend That Has Worn Itself Out Technical analysis shows that XRP spent part of September and early October in a consolidation band before rolling over into a broad decline that lasted for months. That downtrend remained intact into early 2026, when another sell-off pushed the price below $1.30 very briefly in February. 

Instead of leading a deeper collapse, however, that drop appears to have created an area where sellers began losing momentum. This drawdown is shown in a clearly defined descending channel visible on the daily chart shared on the social media platform X by crypto analyst BitGuru.

The analyst behind the outlook described this as trend exhaustion, and the chart supports that idea. The downward channel that formed from January into February eventually broke down into a stabilization zone, not another leg lower. 

XRP then began holding above nearby support, and the price action is now trading around the mid-$1.40s on the chart. That is a notable change from the earlier pattern, because it means that the XRP price is no longer making clean lower lows with the same confidence.

XRP Price Chart. Source: @bitgu_ru On X

Why The Setup Points To A Move Higher Just as important, the chart places a nearby support band around roughly $1.33 to $1.34, while the invalidation area sits much lower, near the $0.88 region. As long as XRP keeps defending increasingly higher support levels and avoids falling back into that earlier breakdown structure, then there is still the case for a price jump.

The technical analysis shows the XRP price basing just above a green accumulation zone, with an upside path pointing into a broader target area that stretches into the low-$2 range. At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $1.52. Sustained strength in the next few days can open the path toward a medium-term recovery. 

Based on the levels shown in the chart above, the first price objective is around $1.88. A sustained close above $1.88 would represent a meaningful structural shift and open the door to a retest of levels last seen in early 2026. More ambitious medium-term targets are between $2.09 and $2.20.

Support level continues to hold up | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

A pseudonymous whale called Jason has built a 2,281 BTC short on Binance, now in multi‑million profit, extending a pattern of eerily well‑timed macro trades.

Summary

On-chain sleuths say Jason holds a 2,281 BTC short on Binance at a $74,238 entry, sitting on roughly $4.2 million in unrealized profit with BTC near $72,467.​ The trader’s history includes perfectly timed shorts during prior market crashes and a reported $58.89 million loss, underscoring a high‑conviction, high‑risk strategy. Today’s bet lands as Bitcoin slides on Iran-linked Strait of Hormuz tensions and hotter‑than‑expected U.S. PPI, with analysts split on whether Jason is signal or noise. A pseudonymous trader known online as Jason (@Jason60704294) is once again drawing scrutiny from on-chain analysts after data published Wednesday by blockchain sleuth @ai_9684xtpa revealed that Jason currently holds a short position of 2,281.09 BTC on Binance, with a nominal value of approximately $169 million and an opening average entry price of $74,238. With Bitcoin (BTC) trading around $72,467 at the time of monitoring — roughly 2.38% below Jason’s entry point — the position carries an unrealized floating profit of approximately $4.155 million.

The trade is not an isolated event. It is the latest chapter in a documented pattern that has made Jason one of the most closely tracked retail-sized whale accounts in crypto markets. According to on-chain analysis aggregated by Blockchain.news, Jason had just days earlier closed a long position with a profit of $14.668 million before pivoting sharply to the short side, opening an initial position of 28.48 BTC at an estimated entry price of around $74,210. Wednesday’s data confirms that position has since been substantially scaled up to over 2,281 BTC — a markedly more aggressive commitment.

A Track Record That Raises Questions Jason’s history adds considerable weight to the current trade. In August 2025, the trader opened short positions on BTC at $120,948 and on ETH at $4,712, positions that — if held — would have generated substantial returns as both assets declined sharply in subsequent months. Earlier, the trader had reportedly exited positions recording a $58.89 million loss, underscoring that the strategy carries real risk despite its headline-grabbing wins.

The timing of today’s short aligns with a broader market deterioration. Bitcoin has been under sustained pressure since late February, when U.S.-Israel military strikes on Iran triggered a Strait of Hormuz crisis that has since disrupted approximately 15% of global oil supply. Wednesday’s release of U.S. February PPI data — coming in at 0.7% month-on-month against a 0.3% forecast — compounded the risk-off sentiment, further dimming expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts that had previously underpinned crypto’s bull case.

It is worth noting the platform context. Jason’s current position is held on Binance, not on Hyperliquid, making real-time on-chain tracking of the exact account more difficult, as Odaily reported. The figures cited are derived from analyst monitoring of wallet behaviour and social media timestamps rather than direct smart contract reads. Nonetheless, the data is broadly consistent with Jason’s established trading fingerprint: high-conviction, concentrated directional bets placed at key technical inflection points.​

Whether Wednesday’s short is prescient once again, or whether it becomes a cautionary tale in an eventual Bitcoin rebound, remains to be seen. What is clear is that a growing cohort of on-chain analysts are watching every move — and that in a market defined by opacity, Jason has become something of an unlikely signal in the noise.

By PYMNTS  |  March 18, 2026

 | 

New regulatory guidance on cryptocurrency has not been enough to lift bitcoin above $75,000.

That’s according to a report from Coindesk on Wednesday (March 18), one day after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued their first joint guidance on applying securities laws to crypto tokens.

The guidance from the two agencies classifies crypto tokens into five categories: digital collectibles, digital commodities, digital securities, digital tools, and stablecoins. As Coindesk notes, this guidance doesn’t hold the same weight as a formal rule, but it does provide more clarity on the digital asset space.

“After more than a decade of uncertainty, this interpretation will provide market participants with a clear understanding of how the Commission treats crypto assets under federal securities laws,” SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins said in a news release. “This is what regulatory agencies are supposed to do: draw clear lines in clear terms.”

The agencies’ position represents a change from the existing system of case-by-case enforcement, delineating which tokens are considered securities and which are not, and is expected to give issuers and exchanges much‑needed guidance on how different assets will be regulated under federal law, the Coindesk report said.

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“The practical effect is a more coherent and less burdensome regulatory environment. Legal uncertainty declines, the risk of retroactive enforcement is reduced, and compliance becomes more predictable,” Tagus Capital said, per Coindesk.

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“This supports institutional participation, exchange development, and product innovation, while improving market structure through lower compliance costs and better price discovery. Although the guidance stops short of binding law and still leaves room for case-by-case interpretation, it sets a strong template for future legislation and may accelerate global regulatory convergence.”

Still, bitcoin, which had reached record levels last fall before a dramatic drop in price, was not able to break the $75,000 threshold. That’s what the Coindesk report called a “key resistance level” for the token.

“On the upside, $75,400–$76,000 continues to act as resistance,” Vikram Subburaj, CEO of India-based crypto exchange Giottus, told the news outlet. “Bitcoin needs to hold above this range to signal stronger momentum.”

The SEC and CFTC had announced a memorandum of understanding last week aimed at harmonizing how the overlapping areas of financial markets, the crypto sector included.

“The agreement reflects a long-awaited effort to reduce regulatory conflicts between the two agencies, whose jurisdictions frequently intersect, and who have both claimed authority over digital assets and crypto trading platforms that fell into gray areas,” PYMNTS wrote.

The Royal Government of Bhutan moved about $72 million worth of bitcoin to multiple addresses across Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Arkham and the provided coverage of the transfers. The activity marks another notable treasury movement from one of the market’s more closely watched sovereign-linked BTC holders.

HAS BHUTAN STOPPED MINING BITCOIN?

Bhutan just moved another $44.44M BTC out of its accounts. Bhutan has moved $72.3M BTC out of its addresses in the past 24 hours.

Bhutan's last >$100K BTC inflow was over 1 year ago. Has Bhutan stopped mining Bitcoin? https://t.co/IhcGDMRH0t pic.twitter.com/qvQuKXXoaU

— Arkham (@arkham) March 18, 2026

Arkham’s post indicated the latest leg included another roughly $27.8 million in bitcoin moved out of Bhutan-linked holding addresses, following an approximately $11 million transfer last week that was sent to the same address used again in the new round of activity. In practical terms, that suggests the transfers were not isolated wallet maintenance, but part of a broader repositioning pattern now unfolding over several transactions.

What comes next is whether Bhutan-linked wallets continue routing BTC to the same destinations or pause after this two-day wave. For market participants, the immediate watchpoint is not just the $72 million headline, but whether the receiving addresses show further movement that clarifies if the transfers relate to custody, liquidity management, or eventual distribution.

Source: Arkham (X).

Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News are based on verified public and official sources. Their purpose is to provide fast, factual updates about relevant events in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.

This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendation. Readers are encouraged to verify all details through official project channels before making any related decisions.

XRP price is trading tightly around the $1.45 mark, but derivatives data suggest the asset is being magnetized by a significant cluster of options open interest at the $1.40 strike. With approximately $14.6 million in contracts concentrated at this specific level, the market is facing a classic liquidity battleground that could dictate short-term volatility as expiry approaches. The mechanics of dealer hedging around this “pin” risk often suppress price discovery until the contracts settle, creating a coiled-spring effect on the subsequent move.

This concentration represents nearly a quarter of all open XRP options on major exchanges, flagging the $1.40 level as a critical pivot point for traders monitoring the March 27 expiry.

EXPLORE: Understanding Options Market Structure and Pin Risk

XRP Options Data: What the $14M Strike Concentration Signals

(Source – Derebit, XRP USDC)

Data from derivatives exchange Deribit reveals an unusual clustering of activity at the $1.40 strike price. As of press time, traders hold approximately $6.95 million in call options and $7.69 million in put options at this level. This balanced positioning brings the total notional value of open contracts at the strike to roughly $14.6 million. Such a high concentration at a single price point typically forces market makers—the entities that facilitate these trades—to actively manage their risk exposure.

When open interest is this dense, market makers who are “short gamma” (meaning they have sold options to traders) must hedge their positions by buying the underlying asset as prices drop and selling as prices rise,, roughly around the strike price. This dynamic hedging activity creates a gravitational pull, often referred to as “pinning,” which anchors the spot price to the strike level as expiry nears. This phenomenon, common in mature fiat currency markets like EUR/USD, is becoming increasingly relevant in crypto derivatives as institutional participation grows.

The current structure creates a unique friction point. With nearly 25% of the exchange’s XRP open interest locked at $1.40, any significant deviation from this level before the March 27 expiry would require substantial spot volume to overcome dealers’ counter-cyclical hedging flows.

XRP Price Levels: Support and Resistance Around the Options Battleground The options data provides a clear structural framework for XRP’s technical setup on the charts.  A clean break above the psychological barrier at $1.50 is necessary to distance the price from the gravitational pull of the $1.40 strike. Conversely, the $1.40 level itself is now reinforced as formidable support, backed not just by technical buyers but by the mechanical hedging flows described above.

Technical indicators suggest the asset is in a consolidation phase. Recent price action has seen XRP form a triple bottom structure, a pattern that typically precedes a reversal or sustained accumulation. However, for this bullish structure to play out, XRP needs to hold the $1.40 floor. A failure here brings the $1.35 level into focus—a price point that aligns with recent futures pricing on regulated venues like Coinbase.

If the price remains pinned between $1.40 and $1.50, volatility indices (such as DVOL) would likely compress, setting the stage for an expansion move once the options expire and the dealer inventory is cleared.

DISCOVER: How Options Positioning Signals Breakouts

Two Scenarios: What Happens if XRP Breaks the Options Strike The binary nature of options expiry presents two distinct paths for price action over the coming week.

The Bullish Scenario: If XRP sustains trade above $1.50, the put options at the $1.40 strike will likely expire worthless. This would force market makers who are short puts to buy back their hedges, potentially adding fuel to a rally. A confirmed daily close above $1.50 with rising volume would validate this thesis, opening the door to a test of the $1.60-$1.65 resistance zone. In this case, the $14.6 million “wall” acts as a launchpad rather than a ceiling.

The Bearish Scenario: Conversely, if spot selling pressure drives the price decisively below $1.40, the dynamic flips. As the price drops through the strike, market makers who sold put options would be forced to sell the underlying asset closer to expiry to hedge their increasing exposure. This mechanical selling can exacerbate the downward move, triggering a “gamma slide.” In this scenario, a loss of the $1.40 support could see XRP rapidly retest lower liquidity zones around $1.30 or even $1.25.

What XRP Traders Need to Watch for Expiry As the March 27 expiry approaches, traders should monitor open interest on Deribit and CME Group futures spread data. The spot price’s behavior relative to the $1.40  strike will serve as a leading indicator of momentum. Additionally, the growing maturity of the XRP market—evidenced by the launch of regulated futures and the integration of institutional treasury solutions by Ripple, suggests that derivatives data is becoming a more reliable signal for spot price direction than in previous cycles.

While the $1.40 level acts as a magnet today, the resolution of this positioning will likely dictate the trend heading into April. A clean expiry without a breakdown would reinforce investor confidence in the $1.40 floor, potentially inviting fresh capital allocation from funds waiting for the event risk to pass.

Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

XRP News

Daniel Frances is a technical writer and Web3 educator specializing in macroeconomics and DeFi mechanics. A crypto native since 2017, Daniel leverages his background in on-chain analytics to author evidence-based reports and deep-dive guides. He holds certifications from The Blockchain Council, and is dedicated to providing "information gain" that cuts through market hype to find real-world blockchain utility.

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.

Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz recounts a fun fact from XRP's history that reveals early interest in the cryptocurrency and its technology. In a tweet, Schwartz recalled the first email anyone had ever sent him that had the word "XRP" in it. The email was from Vinnie Falco asking for some XRP back in February 2013.

"Fun fact: The first email anyone ever sent me that had the word 'XRP' in it was from Vinnie Falco asking for some back in February of 2013," Schwartz said, sharing a screenshot of the said email.

The email had the subject "XRP please" and further reads: "Joel, Hey Buddy, this is Vinnie from the Bitcoin Talk forum. Ive decided to make a Ripple account so i can fully investigate the potential of the technology. Can you please float me some XRPs?"

This fun fact shared drew the attention of the XRP community. The subject of the email caught the attention of Vet, an XRP Ledger validator, describing it as "Best email subject.XRP Please."

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Vinnie Falco had been a participant in the Bitcoin Talk forum as well as being Ripple CTO Emeritus.

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A community member had asked the Ripple CTO Emeritus if he had sent him some. Schwartz responded that the inventor of Google autocomplete, Alex Kravets, sent him XRP instead.

The discovery of the potential of the XRP Ledger technology led Vinnie Falcon to join Ripple. Falco was part of the team that developed and published Beast, the HTTP and WebSocket library written in C++ and used in Ripple.

XRP Ledger historyIn early 2011, three developers, David Schwartz, Jed McCaleb and Arthur Britto were fascinated with Bitcoin but observed the waste inherent in mining. Then they set out to create a better version that improved upon its limitations with the goal of creating a digital asset that was more sustainable and built specifically for payments.

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The trio of developers continued the work to build a distributed ledger that improved upon these fundamental limitations of Bitcoin, originally naming the code Ripple, with XRP Ledger later launching in June 2012.

Recently, the Ripple whales have accumulated approximately 200 million tokens over the past two weeks, according to market analyst Ali Charts. The activity comes at a time when XRP is trading within a defined technical range, drawing attention from traders monitoring both accumulation trends and price structure.

Whale movements are often tracked as a signal of positioning during consolidation phases, especially when they coincide with broader market developments.

At the same time, regulatory developments in the United States have added a new dimension to XRP’s market outlook. As we reported, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has included XRP in its updated crypto classification framework, identifying the asset as a digital commodity rather than a security. This classification places XRP in the same category as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana under the new taxonomy.

Consequently, the updated classification is expected to influence how exchanges and institutional platforms approach XRP. Market participants have pointed to regulatory clarity as a factor that may support broader adoption, particularly in regions where compliance requirements have previously limited access. Concurrently, Ripple has also continued to expand internationally, including new infrastructure initiatives in Brazil focused on custody, liquidity, and cross-border settlement services tied to XRP and its stablecoin ecosystem.

XRP Technical Structure Signals Key LevelsAfter overtaking BNB as the 4th largest crypto, market analysts have identified several price levels that are currently shaping XRP’s technical outlook. Analyst Egrag Crypto noted that a long-term chart structure suggests the formation of a multi-cycle triple bottom pattern, with price action approaching what is described as a potential final phase. The lower boundary of this structure is estimated near $0.91, where multiple technical indicators converge, including Fibonacci retracement support and prior demand zones.

Source: X

Price movement within this range is being closely observed for signs of completion of the corrective phase. The broader structure indicates that XRP has maintained alignment with long-term moving averages despite periods of volatility. This has contributed to expectations that a breakout confirmation would require a move beyond key resistance levels rather than short-term fluctuations.

A critical level identified by analysts is around $1.65. A sustained move above this threshold on higher timeframes is viewed as confirmation that the corrective trend has reversed. This level also aligns with previous resistance zones, making it a focal point for traders assessing momentum shifts.

Ascending Triangle Formation and Breakout PotentialThe shorter-term analysis points to the development of an ascending triangle pattern, with resistance concentrated between $1.65 and $1.70. The structure is defined by a series of higher lows, indicating consistent buying pressure, while horizontal resistance suggests liquidity accumulation above current price levels. This setup is commonly associated with breakout scenarios when supported by volume and external catalysts.

According to crypto analyst Egrag Crypto, the pattern estimates a higher probability of an upward breakout, provided that supporting conditions remain intact. Moreover, with the recent market narratives tied to regulatory developments, including the update that XRP is not a security, there could be potential triggers. Egrag noted that if resistance is cleared, attention shifts toward higher price zones, including levels above $2.60.

Source: X

However, at the same time, alternative scenarios remain under consideration if resistance fails to break. A rejection at resistance at $1.70 could lead to a temporary pullback, particularly if anticipated catalysts are delayed or broader market conditions weaken. Moreover, Bitcoin’s price stability and overall market liquidity are also being watched, as they often influence capital rotation into altcoins such as XRP, especially ahead of the Fed rate cut decision today and the Iran-US war.

Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty said that the SEC has now made clear XRP is a digital commodity, not a security, and he thanked the agency’s Crypto Task Force for bringing long-awaited clarity to the market. His reaction came in a post on X.

We always knew XRP wasn't a security – and now the @SECGov has made clear what it is: a digital commodity. Grateful to the Crypto Task Force for working to deliver the clarity that markets, investors, and innovators have long deserved. https://t.co/jJ7QTUiJbJ

— Stuart Alderoty (@s_alderoty) March 18, 2026

The comment lands after a new SEC treatment described in the provided coverage said XRP, Solana and Cardano were classified as nonsecurity crypto assets. In practical terms, Alderoty framed the shift as a meaningful regulatory easing for XRP after years of legal and policy dispute over its status in the U.S.

The next point to watch is whether this regulatory clarity translates into broader exchange support, stronger institutional engagement and more durable market confidence around XRP. For now, Alderoty’s message signals that Ripple sees the development less as a symbolic win and more as a structural change in how XRP can be treated under U.S. rules.

Source: Stuart Alderoty (X).

Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News are based on verified public and official sources. Their purpose is to provide fast, factual updates about relevant events in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.

This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendation. Readers are encouraged to verify all details through official project channels before making any related decisions.

XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is approaching a key resistance zone near $2 as improving technicals and shifting market dynamics point to a potential breakout.

XRP's Technical SetupXRP rose about 5% over the past week, boosting trader optimism as it nears a critical resistance level.

In a Mar. 17 podcast, crypto analyst Cryptoinsightuk said XRP is showing multiple signs of a potential bottom, though short-term volatility remains likely.

On higher timeframes, XRP maintains a bullish structure after breaking out of a multi-year accumulation range.

The price is holding support between $1.38 and $1.60, while the relative strength index has returned to oversold levels, a condition that has historically marked macro bottoms.

On lower timeframes, XRP is breaking out of its recent range. Holding support around $1.45–$1.51 could signal strength and open the path toward reclaiming $1.67 and higher levels.

The analyst also highlighted liquidity conditions, noting there is more liquidity positioned above current prices than below. A breakout, he said, could trigger a wave of short liquidations and accelerate upside momentum.

Key resistance sits between $1.85 and $2. A move above this range could fuel a sharper rally.

Altcoin Rotation In FocusCryptoinsightuk linked XRP's outlook to broader market trends, particularly a potential decline in Bitcoin dominance. If capital rotates from Bitcoin into altcoins, XRP could benefit.

He described the market as being in a "waiting phase," but said several indicators suggest a larger move in altcoins may be approaching.

From a macro perspective, the analyst also pointed to a possible rotation of capital from gold into crypto. Historically, gold has peaked before major Bitcoin rallies, and recent price action, with Bitcoin strengthening relative to gold, may support that trend.

Overall, the thesis suggests crypto remains undervalued and could be on the verge of expansion, driven by clearer regulation, growing institutional adoption and capital rotation, though timing remains uncertain.

Image: Shutterstock

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - National plaintiffs' law firm Berger Montague PC announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE: SMR) ("NuScale" or the "Company") on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired NuScale securities during the period from May 13, 2025 through November 6, 2025 (the "Class Period").

Investor Deadline: Investors who purchased NuScale securities during the Class Period may, no later than April 20, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. To learn your rights, CLICK HERE.

Headquartered in Corvallis, Oregon, NuScale designs and deploys small modular nuclear reactors, providing innovative nuclear energy solutions globally.

The Complaint alleges that NuScale misled investors regarding its commercialization and deployment strategy for its NuScale Power Module ("NPM") technology. Defendants allegedly touted ENTRA1 Energy LLC as an exclusive commercialization partner for NPMs, despite the fact that ENTRA1 had no prior experience owning, financing, or operating nuclear power projects.

According to the lawsuit, the truth emerged on November 6, 2025, when NuScale revealed that third-quarter general and administrative expenses had surged to $519 million for the quarter - more than 3,000% higher than the prior year period - largely due to a $495 million milestone payment to ENTRA1, and that net losses had risen to $532 million. During a conference call, CEO John L. Hopkins confirmed that milestone payments under an agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority could potentially exceed $3 billion.

Following these disclosures, NuScale Class A shares dropped more than 12% over two trading sessions, from a closing price of $32.46 per share on November 6, 2025 to a close of $28.43 per share on November 10.

If you are an NuScale investor and would like to learn more about this action, CLICK HERE or please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Caitlin Adorni at [email protected] or (267)764-4865.

About Berger Montague
Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. With more than $2.4 billion in 2025 post-trial judgments alone, the Firm is a leader in the fields of complex litigation, antitrust, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For over 55 years, Berger Montague has played leading roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago; Malvern, PA; Minneapolis; San Diego; San Francisco; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288922

Source: Berger Montague

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