Market Signal Briefing

Seven years after a routine patrol led to the largest crypto-forfeiture in Irish history, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) has finally cracked the code on a multimillion-dollar bitcoin fortune once thought lost to a German incinerator.

From Fishing Rods to Riches: Ireland Recovers $32M in ‘Lost’ Bitcoin from 2019 Case On Tuesday, The Irish Times reported that Irish investigators achieved a massive technical breakthrough by gaining access to a dormant wallet containing 500 BTC, valued at roughly $32 million (€30 million). This single victory marks the first successful entry into a hoard of 6,000 bitcoin seized from former beekeeper turned cannabis mogul Clifton Collins back in 2019.

For years, the CAB sat on a digital goldmine they simply couldn’t touch. Collins, showing a penchant for old-school security, had diversified his illicit earnings across 12 different virtual addresses to protect his “honey” from prying eyes.

The story of how the keys were lost has become the stuff of crypto-legend. The Irish Independent also reported on the CAB’s success. Btcparser.com discovered the 500 movement from a wallet first created in 2016. Collins reportedly printed his private keys on an A4 piece of paper and stashed the document inside the aluminum cap of a fishing rod case at his rented County Galway property.

The 500 BTC transfer via mempool.space. Luck ran out for the beekeeper in 2017 following a routine patrol arrest, and while he was cooling his heels, his landlord had the property cleared out. Reports say workers at a local dump recalled seeing discarded fishing gear, but the paper—and the keys to a fortune—were shipped off to Germany and China to be incinerated.

The resulting lockout left both Collins and the Irish state staring at a screen they couldn’t bypass for seven long years. During that time, the “lost” coins did what bitcoin has done over the years: they appreciated by 17,815% against the U.S. dollar.

While the assets were worth a mere $9,000 per coin during the 2019 seizure, the current market climate has sent the total value of the 6,000 BTC soaring to approximately $378 million (€360 million). It seems even dormant bitcoins can’t help but grow in value while sitting in a landfill-bound rod case.

The recent breakthrough wasn’t a stroke of luck, but a high-tech offensive supported by Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre. The agency provided the CAB with high-level technical expertise and decryption resources to finally bypass the security of the first wallet.

The Clifton Collins wallet, according to Arkham data as of March 24, 2026. With one of the 12 wallets now wide open, the Irish state has secured its first $32 million slice of the pie. Investigators are now optimistic that the same technological “skeleton key” used for this wallet can be applied to the remaining 11 addresses. Bitcoin.com News discovered that the 500 BTC transferred today was sent to Coinbase.

Should the CAB successfully drain the remaining 11 wallets, the total haul would dwarf the value of every other asset typically seized and sold by the bureau combined. It’s a far cry from the small-time seizures Collins initially surrendered.

Back in the early days of the case, Collins gave up roughly €1.2 million in accessible assets, including a private plane, a camper van, a fishing boat, and about €1 million in Bitcoin from separate, unlocked accounts. Those figures now look like pocket change compared to the $378 million currently on the line.

The High Court in Dublin has already ruled that these bitcoin accounts are the proceeds of crime and are officially forfeited to the state. For now, the Irish government is holding a winning lottery ticket that just needs a few more codes to fully cash out.

The CAB’s persistence proves that in the world of crypto-forfeiture, being “lost” is often just a temporary state of being—provided you have Europol on speed dial.

FAQ 🔎 How did Irish authorities gain access to the seized Bitcoin?
Investigators utilized high-level technical expertise and decryption resources provided by Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre to unlock the first of 12 wallets. What is the total value of the Bitcoin seized from Clifton Collins? The total hoard consists of 6,000 BTC, which has appreciated to an estimated value of $378 million (€360 million) as of March 2026. Why was the Bitcoin inaccessible for seven years?
The private keys were printed on a piece of paper hidden in a fishing rod case that was accidentally discarded and incinerated after the owner’s arrest. Will the Irish government be able to recover the remaining 5,500 Bitcoin?
Authorities remain hopeful that the successful breakthrough on the first 500 BTC wallet can be replicated across the remaining 11 encrypted addresses.

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News Products Contact Hamburger menu Send a Release HOUSTON, March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) will host a conference call and webcast to discuss first quarter 2026 results on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 9 a.m. Central time (10 a.m. Eastern time). Please visit the Investors/Events & Presentations page on the EOG website to access a live webcast of the conference call. If you are unable to listen to the live webcast, a replay will be available for one year.

If you have any questions, please contact Angie Lewis at 713-651-6722.

About EOG
EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE: EOG) is one of the largest crude oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States with proved reserves in the United States and Trinidad. To learn more visit www.eogresources.com.

Investor Contacts

Pearce Hammond

713-571-4684

Neel Panchal

713-571-4884

Shelby O'Connor

713-571-4560

Media Contact

Kimberly Ehmer

713-571-4676

SOURCE EOG Resources, Inc.

OTTAWA, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- #Kitsault--Dr. Krishnan Suthanthiran announced plans to establish Kitsault Energy (KE), a proposed energy corridor located north of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada. The project is designed to connect inland energy resources to a dedicated port and terminal at Kitsault, enabling efficient export to international markets. KE aims to facilitate the export of Canada's abundant crude oil, natural gas liquids, and other key commodities—including potash, uranium, canola,.

NEW YORK, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against REGENXBIO Inc. (“Regenxbio” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: RGNX). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. 

The class action concerns whether Regenxbio and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

You have until April 14, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Regenxbio securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.   

[Click here for information about joining the class action]  

On January 28, 2026, Regenxbio issued a press release “announc[ing] that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed a clinical hold on its investigational gene therapy, RGX-111, for the treatment of MPS I, also known as Hurler syndrome, following preliminary analysis of a single case of neoplasm (intraventricular CNS tumor) in a participant treated in its Phase I/II study.”  The press release also disclosed that “[t]he FDA also placed a clinical hold on RGX-121, for the treatment of MPS II, also known as Hunter Syndrome, citing the similarities in products, study populations, and shared risk between the clinical studies.” 

On this news, Regenxbio’s stock price fell $2.40 per share, or 17.9%, to close at $11.01 per share on January 28, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. 

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT: 
Danielle Peyton 
Pomerantz LLP 
[email protected] 
646-581-9980 ext. 7980 

NEW YORK, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Richtech Robotics Inc. (“Richtech” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: RR). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. 

The class action concerns whether Richtech and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

You have until April 3, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Richtech securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.   

[Click here for information about joining the class action]  

On January 29, 2026, Hunterbrook Media published a short report alleging that Richtech had mischaracterized a non-commercial participation in Microsoft’s AI Co-Innovation Labs as a “close collaboration.”  According to the report, Microsoft stated that the engagement was a standard customer program with no commercial element, despite Richtech’s public statements implying a meaningful partnership.  The report further noted that the announcement preceded a dilutive private placement and followed Richtech’s failure to file its Form 10-K in a timely manner, raising questions about the accuracy of the Company’s prior disclosures. 

On this news, Richtech’s stock price fell $1.06 per share, or 20.87%, to close at $4.02 per share on January 29, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. 

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT: 
Danielle Peyton 
Pomerantz LLP 
[email protected] 
646-581-9980 ext. 7980 

NEW YORK, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. (“Franklin” or the “Company”) (NYSE: FBRT). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. 

The class action concerns whether Franklin and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

You have until April 27, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Franklin securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.  

[Click here for information about joining the class action]  

On February 10, 2026, Franklin issued a press release announcing the appointment of a new Chief Executive office and President, effective immediately. 

On this news, Franklin’s stock price fell $0.10 per share, or 0.98%, to close at $10.25 per share on February 11, 2026. 

Then, on February 11, 2026, Franklin announced its financial results for fourth quarter and full year 2025.  Among other items, Franklin reported fourth quarter earnings per share of only $0.12, missing consensus estimates by $0.16, and revenue of only $81.12 million, compared to the consensus estimate of $93.65 million.  In a press release, Franklin’s Chief Executive Officer said that “2025 was a year of transition” and that “it has taken longer to resolve and sell” certain real estate assets “than we originally planned.” 

On this news, Franklin’s stock price fell $1.44 per share, or 14.19%, to close at $8.71 per share on February 12, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. 

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980

Apple's new AI vision is taking shape. It's testing a standalone app for its Siri voice assistant and a new "Ask Siri" feature.

NEW YORK, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Camping World Holdings, Inc. (“Camping World” or the “Company”) (NYSE: CWH). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. 

The class action concerns whether Camping World and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

You have until May 11, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Camping World securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.   

[Click here for information about joining the class action]  

On October 28, 2025, after the market closed, Camping World released its third quarter 2025 financial results, reporting, among other things, that “new vehicle revenue was $766.8 million for the third quarter, a decrease of $58.1 million, or 7.0%,” “average selling price of new vehicles sold decreased 8.6%,” and “new vehicle gross margin was 12.7%, a decrease of 81 basis points, driven primarily by the 8.6% decrease in the average selling price per new vehicle sold.”  The Company further disclosed that “total gross margin was 28.6%, a slight decrease of 27 basis points,” and “the slight gross margin decrease was primarily from the reduced average selling price per new vehicle sold.”  Camping World said it saw 2026 as a “consecutive year of Adjusted EBITDA growth, starting in the low $300 million range.”  

On this news, Camping World’s stock price fell $4.17 per share, or 24.8%, to close at $12.65 per share on October 29, 2025. 

Then, on February 24, 2026, after the market closed, Camping World released its fourth quarter 2025 results, reporting, among other things, that it had “implemented strict, corrective inventory management objectives to structurally improve [its] turnover rates” creating gross margin headwinds into 2026.  The Company reported financial results, including that “net loss was $(109.1) million for the fourth quarter of 2025, an increased loss of $49.6 million, or 83.3%,” “adjusted EBITDA was $(26.2) million, an increased loss of $23.7 million,” “gross profit was $338.2 million, a decrease of $38.7 million, or 10.3%, and total gross margin was 28.8%, a decrease of 247 basis points.”  Camping World also reported that “new vehicle gross margin was 12.3%, a decrease of 291 basis points,” and “used vehicle gross margin was 16.0%, a decrease of 277 basis points,” both due to an increase in the average cost per vehicle sold and a decrease in average selling price, “driven in part by accelerated sales of aged used vehicles in December.”  Camping World additionally reported Selling, General & Administrative as a percent of gross profit of 85%, a year-over-year improvement of only 190 basis points, falling well short of the Company’s prior guidance for 300 to 400 basis-point improvement.  Finally, Camping World announced that it would be pausing its quarterly cash dividend, effective immediately, “following consideration of forecasted tax distributions, the reduced availability of excess tax distributions to fund dividend payments driven partly by the impact of recent tax law changes, and in consideration of the Company’s focus on reducing net debt leverage.” 

On this news, Camping World’s stock price fell $1.79 per share, or 16.5%, to close at $9.06 per share on February 25, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. 

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.  

CONTACT: 
Danielle Peyton 
Pomerantz LLP 
[email protected] 
646-581-9980 ext. 7980 

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VOC Energy Trust (the “Trust”) (NYSE Symbol — VOC) on March 24, 2026 filed its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Annual Report on Form 10-K is available in the “SEC Filings” section of the Trust's website at http://voc.q4web.com/home/default.aspx as well as on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Trust unitholders may also request a printed copy of the Annual Report on Form 10-.

Hong Kong, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wellchange Holdings Company Limited (the “Company” or “WCT”) today announced the strategic development of a next-generation AI-powered bookkeeping and bank statement intelligence platform designed to enhance how businesses, accountants, and auditors manage financial data, and to complement the Company’s existing software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) platform business. The integrated solution is currently undergoing testing and is scheduled for commercial launch in the second quarter of 2026, subject to development progress and market conditions.

The platform combines automated AI bookkeeping with intelligent bank statement reconciliation, aiming to reduce manual accounting work, improve audit readiness, and enhance financial accuracy across organizations of all sizes.

WCT’s AI accounting ecosystem builds upon its existing technology foundations, including Quickstart Bookkeeping, an AI-driven bookkeeping application, and Bankcel AI, an intelligent reconciliation engine designed to automate bank statement analysis and matching.

Key Platform Highlights

AI-driven bookkeeping automation with real-time transaction classification and ledger generationIntelligent bank statement reconciliation to accelerate matching and discrepancy detectionAudit-ready financial data architecture designed to improve compliance and traceabilityScalable integration with existing accounting workflows and banking data sourcesImproved efficiency, accuracy, and transparency in financial reporting “This platform represents a significant milestone in WCT’s long-term vision to modernize financial operations through artificial intelligence,” said Shek Kin Pong, Chairman & CEO of WCT.

“By integrating AI bookkeeping with intelligent bank statement reconciliation, we are building a foundation that not only simplifies daily accounting work, but is intended to improve how financial data is prepared for audit and compliance.”

About Wellchange Holdings Company Limited

Wellchange Holdings Company Limited is an enterprise software solution services provider headquartered in Hong Kong. The Company conducts all operations in Hong Kong through its operating subsidiary, Wching Tech Ltd Co. The Company provides customized software solutions, cloud-based  SaaS platforms, and “white-label” software design and development services. The Company’s mission is to empower our customers and users, in particular, small and medium businesses, to accelerate their digital transformation, optimize productivity, improve customer experiences, and enable resource-efficient growth with our low-cost, user-friendly, reliable and integrated all-in-one Enterprise Resource Planning software solutions.

For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://wellchange.co/ 

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including the closing of the Offering, and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct. The Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to read the risk factors contained in the Company’s final prospectus and other reports it files with the SEC before making any investment decisions regarding the Company’s securities. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law.

Investor Relations Contact

Wellchange Holdings Company Limited
Investor Relations
Email: [email protected] 

BROOMFIELD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DigitalOcean Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DOCN), the Agentic Inference Cloud built for production AI, announced today that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of $700,000,000 of its shares of common stock (the “Offering”). Additionally, DigitalOcean intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional $105,000,000 of shares of common stock from DigitalOcean. The Offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there c.

4.15K Followers

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Long position through a purchase of the stock, or the purchase of call options or similar derivatives in CODA over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Q4: 2026-03-19 Earnings SummaryEPS of -$1.27 misses by $0.33

 |

Revenue of

$60.34M

beats by $8.64M

Gemini Space Station, Inc. (GEMI) Q4 2025 Earnings Call March 20, 2026 8:30 AM EDT

Company Participants

Ryan Todd
Cameron Winklevoss - Co-Founder, President & Director
Danijela Stojanovic - Interim CFO & Chief Accounting Officer
Tyler Winklevoss - Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO

Conference Call Participants

John Todaro - Needham & Company, LLC, Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Good day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Gemini's Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] Please be advised that today's conference is being recorded. I would now like to hand the conference over to Ryan Todd, Head of Investor Relations. Please go ahead.

Ryan Todd

Thanks, operator, and thank you, everyone, for joining this morning for Gemini's Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Earnings Call. My name is Ryan Todd, Head of Investor Relations at Gemini. Joining me on the call today are Gemini's founders, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss; and Interim CFO, Danijela Stojanovic.

Yesterday, we released our fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results. During today's call, we may make forward-looking statements, which may vary materially from actual results and are based on management's current expectations, forecasts and assumptions. Information concerning the risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause these results to differ is included in our SEC filings. Our discussion today will also include certain non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are provided in the shareholder letter on our Investor Relations website and on the SEC's website. Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for GAAP measures. We'll start today's call with prepared remarks and then take questions.

And with that, let me turn the call over to our founders, Cameron and Tyler.

Cameron Winklevoss
Co-Founder, President & Director

Thanks, Ryan. Cameron

San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 24, 2026) - Johnson Fistel, PLLP is investigating potential claims on behalf of investors of Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: THRY). The investigation focuses on Thryv Holdings executive officers and whether investor losses may be recovered under federal securities laws.

What if I purchased Thryv Holdings securities?
If you purchased Thryv Holdings securities and suffered losses on your investment, join our investigation now:

Click here to join the investigation.

Or for more information, contact Jim Baker at [email protected] or (619) 814-4471.
There is no cost or obligation to you.

Background of the investigation
On February 26, 2026, Thryv Holdings reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2025. In connection with this announcement, the Company disclosed a net loss for the quarter and earnings per share fell significantly below analyst expectations, despite reporting modest year-over-year revenue growth. Following the release, the price of the Company's common stock declined 46% on February 26, 2026.

In light of this disclosure, Johnson Fistel is investigating whether Thryv Holdings complied with the federal securities laws. If you suffered losses from your investment in Thryv Holdings stock, contact Johnson Fistel.

About Johnson Fistel, PLLP | Securities Fraud & Investor Rights
Johnson Fistel, PLLP is a nationally recognized shareholder-rights law firm with offices in California, New York, Georgia, Idaho, and Colorado. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits and also assists foreign investors who purchased shares on U.S. exchanges. To learn more, visit www.johnsonfistel.com.

Achievements
In 2024, Johnson Fistel was ranked among the Top 10 Plaintiff Law Firms by ISS Securities Class Action Services. This recognition reflects the firm's effectiveness in advocating for investors, having recovered approximately $90,725,000 for aggrieved clients in cases where it served as lead or co-lead counsel. This marks the eighth time the firm has been recognized as a top plaintiffs' securities law firm in the United States, based on the total dollar value of final recoveries.

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Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.
Johnson Fistel, PLLP has paid for the dissemination of this promotional communication, and Frank J. Johnson is the attorney responsible for its content.

Contact
Johnson Fistel, PLLP
501 W. Broadway, Suite 800
San Diego, CA 92101
James Baker, Investor Relations - or - Frank J. Johnson, Esq.
(619) 814-4471 | [email protected] | [email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289761

Source: Johnson Fistel, PLLP

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Lombard, a company building Bitcoin-based lending infrastructure, will team with Bitwise Asset Management to enable institutions to earn yield and borrow against Bitcoin (BTC) without moving assets out of custody, aiming to unlock hundreds of billions of dollars in Bitcoin held in institutional custody.

The partnership was announced Tuesday at the Digital Asset Summit in New York. 

Jacob Phillips, CEO and co-founder of Lombard, told Cointelegraph: 

The breakthrough is Bitcoin Smart Accounts—connecting two previously isolated worlds: institutional custody and onchain finance.According to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph, Bitwise will develop yield strategies combining DeFi lending with tokenized real-world assets, while Morpho, a decentralized lending protocol, will provide the lending infrastructure for borrowing against Bitcoin.

The platform uses Bitcoin-native tools such as partially signed transactions and timelocks to verify collateral, allowing positions to be represented onchain without transferring or rehypothecating the underlying assets.

Rather than relying on bridges or wrapped assets, Phillips said “Bitcoin Smart Accounts eliminate all three risk vectors simultaneously,” addressing custody, bridge and counterparty risks that have historically limited institutional Bitcoin lending.

The offering targets high-net-worth individuals, asset managers and corporate treasuries seeking to put long-held Bitcoin positions to work without changing custody arrangements.

The rollout is expected in the second quarter of 2026, with Lombard planning to add more custodians and protocols to expand access across institutional Bitcoin holdings.

Phillips said the model could change how institutions approach Bitcoin allocations:

We're moving Bitcoin from a pure store of value to productive institutional capital. That's the shift.That’s because Bitcoin in institutional portfolios has historically functioned as a passive store of value, he said, with limited options to generate yield or access liquidity without exiting custody, taking on counterparty risk or triggering taxable events.

Lombard estimates that $500 billion worth of the biggest crypto is held in institutional custody, much of which remains outside onchain financial markets.

Bitcoin DeFi gains traction as vaults and lending expandData from DefiLlama shows Bitcoin’s total value locked in DeFi at roughly $2.93 billion, a small fraction of its approximately $1.4 trillion market capitalization. However, momentum is beginning to build as efforts to turn Bitcoin into a yield-generating asset gain traction.

Bitcoin in DeFi. Source: DefillamaOne key driver is the rise of onchain vaults, which function like automated investment funds that deploy user capital across DeFi strategies. In January, Bitwise announced a tie-up with DeFi lending protocol Morpho to launch non-custodial vaults designed to generate yield through overcollateralized lending.

The trend has accelerated in recent months. In February, Telegram added yield-generating vaults to its built-in crypto wallet, allowing users to earn returns on Bitcoin, Ether and USDT within the app.

In March, Bitcoin staking protocol Babylon integrated with hardware wallet maker Ledger, enabling users to deploy BTC in financial applications while maintaining self-custody through hardware-based transaction signing.

At the time of writing, Babylon Protocol leads Bitcoin-based DeFi with about $2.8 billion in total value locked, while Lombard ranks second with around $744 million.

Magazine: Banks want to run Vietnam’s crypto exchanges, Boyaa’s $70M BTC plan: Asia Express

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

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Circle froze USDC tokens in 16 business wallets late Monday night after receiving a request connected to a sealed U.S. civil case. The stablecoin issuer’s move sparked immediate backlash from crypto advocates who worry about centralized control over digital assets.

The freeze affects wallets suspected of involvement in activities currently under legal scrutiny, though Circle won’t say what those activities are. Company officials confirmed the action came in response to a legal directive but declined to provide specifics about the ongoing case or the criteria used to select the targeted wallets. The affected businesses reportedly hold substantial USDC amounts, though exact figures remain undisclosed.

Investigator Slams Circle’s Decision ZachXBT ripped into Circle’s move. The blockchain investigator called out the company for exercising what he sees as dangerous centralized power over supposedly decentralized digital money. His criticism resonated across crypto Twitter, where users expressed fears about future freezes hitting their own holdings without warning.

“Circle just proved stablecoins aren’t really stable when they can freeze your funds anytime,” ZachXBT posted. The investigator’s comments highlighted a growing tension between regulatory compliance and the crypto industry’s foundational promise of reducing centralized control. Many users didn’t expect such swift action from Circle, especially without more transparency about the underlying legal issues.

But Circle’s defenders argue the company had no choice. Legal experts point out that stablecoin issuers face intense regulatory pressure and can’t ignore court orders or government requests. The freeze probably protects Circle from potential legal liability while the civil case plays out in court.

Jeremy Allaire addressed the controversy during a March 23 webcast. Circle’s CEO said the company remains committed to regulatory compliance and consumer protection, though he admitted the challenge of balancing legal obligations with decentralization principles. Allaire didn’t provide a timeline for unfreezing the accounts or reveal additional details about the sealed case.

Market Stays Calm Despite Freeze USDC’s price held steady at $1 throughout the controversy. Trading volumes jumped 15% over the past week as investors reassessed their stablecoin positions, but the token maintained its dollar peg without major disruption. CoinGecko data shows increased activity around USDC trading pairs, suggesting heightened interest rather than panic selling.

The financial impact on frozen businesses remains unclear. Industry insiders estimate the affected wallets could hold millions in USDC, potentially disrupting operations for those entities. Some businesses might face cash flow problems while waiting for legal resolution, though specific companies haven’t been named. Analysts have drawn connections to Moonpay launches open-source standard for AI amid evolving conditions.

Arcane Research analysts noted similar incidents in the past triggered debates about stablecoin issuer roles in the broader crypto ecosystem. They warned that frequent interventions could influence user confidence in USDC and other centralized stablecoins. The research firm sees this freeze as part of a broader pattern of increased regulatory enforcement in crypto markets.

Circle released another brief statement March 24, reiterating their cooperation with U.S. authorities. The company said it understands community concerns but remains bound by legal obligations that require such actions in certain circumstances. Heath Tarbert, Circle’s Chief Legal Officer, spoke at an industry conference March 26 but couldn’t disclose details due to ongoing proceedings.

The Blockchain Association and other crypto advocacy groups issued a joint statement March 25 urging Circle to increase transparency around its decision-making process. They want clear criteria for when and how freezes get executed to maintain trust in stablecoin systems. The advocacy groups worry about precedent-setting effects if Circle can freeze funds without detailed public justification.

Circle hasn’t issued further updates about the frozen wallets’ status. The lack of information continues fueling speculation among affected parties and the wider crypto community. No timeline exists for potential unfreezing, leaving businesses in limbo while the sealed civil case progresses through the court system.

Some crypto users are already moving funds to alternative stablecoins or decentralized options. The freeze reminded many that USDC operates under traditional financial regulations despite its digital nature. Circle’s actions align with compliance requirements but challenge crypto’s decentralization narrative.

Industry stakeholders are watching Circle’s next moves closely. The company’s standing in the crypto community faces scrutiny as users weigh convenience against control concerns. Trading data suggests most investors aren’t abandoning USDC yet, but sentiment could shift if similar freezes become more frequent. This echoes themes explored in AI Payments Could Boost Stablecoin Demand, underscoring the shifting landscape.

The sealed civil case’s details remain unknown, adding mystery to an already controversial situation. Legal proceedings could take months or years to resolve, potentially keeping affected wallets frozen indefinitely. Circle maintains it can’t comment further while litigation continues.

The freeze highlights broader tensions between traditional financial compliance and crypto’s decentralized ideals. Tether, Circle’s main competitor, has faced similar pressure from law enforcement agencies over the years. USDT freezes have occurred dozens of times since 2017, often targeting addresses linked to ransomware or sanctions violations. Binance USD and other centralized stablecoins operate under comparable legal frameworks that require issuer cooperation with authorities.

Decentralized alternatives like DAI gained traction following Circle’s announcement. MakerDAO’s collateral-backed stablecoin saw trading volumes spike 23% in the days after the freeze, according to DeFiPulse data. Frax Protocol and other algorithmic stablecoins also attracted new users seeking alternatives to centralized issuers. However, these options carry different risks including smart contract vulnerabilities and lower liquidity compared to USDC’s $52 billion market capitalization.

Frequently Asked QuestionsWhy did Circle freeze the 16 USDC wallets?Circle froze the wallets after receiving a legal request related to a sealed U.S. civil case, though specific details about the case remain undisclosed.

Who criticized Circle’s wallet freeze decision?ZachXBT, a prominent blockchain investigator, publicly criticized Circle for exercising centralized control over digital assets and undermining crypto principles.

Post Views: 15

Circle (CRCL) sank about 22%, its worst drop since June 2025, after a tougher CLARITY Act draft threatened to ban stablecoin yield, clashing with booming USDC growth.

Summary

Circle Internet Group (CRCL) stock is trading around $98.71, down about 22% on the day and roughly 18% below Monday’s close, its steepest slide since June 2025. The sell-off follows reports that the latest draft of the U.S. CLARITY Act would sharply limit or ban yield and rewards on stablecoins, directly hitting Circle’s USDC-centric business model. The move wipes billions from Circle’s market value even as USDC circulation and on-chain usage climb, highlighting the tension between regulatory risk and underlying product growth. Circle Internet Group shares plunged on Tuesday after fresh reports that U.S. lawmakers are tightening a key stablecoin bill to restrict yield and rewards, triggering an aggressive sell-off in one of the market’s highest-beta crypto stocks.

Source: Yahoo Finance Real-time data shows Circle trading at about $98.71 on the NYSE under ticker CRCL, down $27.93 or 22.05% on the day, with intraday lows near $98.31 after opening at $126.35 and closing Monday at $126.64. Intellectia.ai and other market trackers said the drop reached roughly 18% by midday, marking Circle’s largest one-day percentage decline since June 2025.

Circle’s slump came alongside a broader crypto-equities sell-off, with Coinbase (COIN) down more than 7% to roughly $178.10 and Robinhood (HOOD) off 4.7%, after a draft of the CLARITY Act circulated in Washington. According to summary of the draft, the latest language would “ban yield on stablecoins across exchanges,” effectively prohibiting interest-style rewards on tokens like USDC, a core revenue lever for both Circle and Coinbase. The bill is being viewed as a direct threat to Circle’s stablecoin-payments and rewards infrastructure, calling the proposed limits on yield “critical” to its platform economics and a key driver of Tuesday’s 22% intraday fall.

Circle shares sink as CLARITY Act hits stablecoin rewards The price action is striking because it collides with still-strong fundamentals for USDC. Yahoo Finance recently noted that Circle’s stock nearly tripled from its $31 IPO price on June 5, 2025 and at one point almost touched $299, buoyed by optimism around U.S. stablecoin legislation. Circle’s own “Internet Financial System in 2026” report highlighted that USDC in circulation has expanded sharply alongside rising reserve income, while Intellectia.ai cited Baird as telling clients that USDC outstanding averaged $75.2 billion through March 15, up 6% since the firm’s last earnings report. Baird raised its price target on Circle to $138 from $110 and reiterated an Outperform rating, arguing there is a “real path” to new revenue via products like Circle Payments Network and Arc Blockchain.

Reuters reported in February that Circle beat Wall Street expectations for fourth-quarter revenue on the back of stronger stablecoin circulation and higher interest income on reserves, sending the stock up nearly 30% in a single session at the time. Yet CRCL now trades below $100, roughly 35% below last week’s peak near $150 and more than 20% off the intraday highs it set earlier in March, even as USDC leads 2026 stablecoin flows and on-chain usage has jumped 600% year-to-date. That disconnect between booming token metrics and a stock that has just erased nearly a fifth of its value in one day captures the core investor dilemma: as long as U.S. lawmakers treat stablecoin rewards as quasi-banking, Circle’s equity seems to know be trading as much on the Hill’s mood as on USDC’s growth curve.

Hyperliquid has been hitting headlines lately, thanks to the growing interest in non-crypto assets (HIP-3) such as oil, gold, and silver trading on the platform.

In March alone, HIP-3 volumes accounted for 40% of total Hyperliquid daily volumes as the West Asia crisis dragged on. 

Below the surface, however, HIP-3 isn’t the only growth driver. Builder codes or integration with other platforms, such as Phantom and MetaMask wallets, has also seen incredible adoption. 

Source: Syncracy Capital  Collectively, HIP-3 and builder codes (third-party ecosystem) now generate $100 million annual revenue for Hyperliquid – About 19% of total revenue share. 

In terms of trading volumes alone, builder codes account for 10% of total volumes, primarily from mobile interfaces.

These are platforms like Phantom, which have plugged Hyperliquid under the hood to empower their perp offerings. For every trade made via these integrations, a fee-sharing model applies between Hyperliquid and the builder. 

Source: Syncracy Capital (Builder codes vs HIP-3 revenues) According to Ryan Watkins, co-founder of crypto VC firm Syncracy Capital, the two factors were ‘accelerating adoption’ for Hyperliquid. 

Impact on  HYPE? Now, how does this monster adoption impact HYPE value or tokenholders? Well, since most of the revenue goes toward the token buyback program, buying pressure may trigger HYPE appreciation, especially in a positive macro environment. 

In fact, this is exactly what happened in Q1 2026. As perp volumes doubled from $40B to nearly $90B, weekly revenues doubled too from less than $9M to over $22M. 

This made HYPE retracement to stabilize around $20, setting up a breakout to $38- Marking a whopping 86% run. After a cool-off to $25, the second phase lifted HYPE to $43, a massive 71% upswing.  

Source: DeFiLlama  In other words, under positive market sentiment, the strong adoption is a flywheel for HYPE and tokenholders. 

What’s next for HYPE price? At the time of writing, HYPE had retraced part of its recent gains and traded below $40. But some whales kept bidding as the price retraced, underscoring that some players remained bullish on the altcoin. 

Even so, HYPE was back in its H2 2025 price range of $35-50, and defending the range lows could increase the odds of hitting $50. 

Source: HYPE/USDT, TradingView Final Summary Non-crypto assets and integration with other platforms now generate $100M annual revenue to Hyperliquid  The massive adoption has been net positive for HYPE, and bulls may defend the $35-$50 price range if the trend continues. 

Circle’s stock fell by 15% after a disappointing CLARITY Act deal signaling no yield on stablecoins. CRCL fell below $100, hurting the prospects of one of the leading stablecoin issuers. 

Circle immediately reflected the recent CLARITY Act deal, which limited the ability of stablecoin issuers to promise yield. The native CRCL token declined by around 15% on the news. Additionally, CRCL fell in response to Tether’s announcement of an official audit by a Big Four firm. The behavior of CRCL reflects the concerns of future regulations on the usage of stablecoins. CRCL continued its slide in the past day, crashing to the $98 range.

CRCL broke below $100 on the effect of the CLARITY Act deal and its potential effect on DeFi. | Source: Google Finance As Cryptopolitan reported, the CLARITY Act changes were expected by March 1, but were once again delayed. The bill was awaiting a breakthrough for about two months, while stablecoins continued to serve crypto insiders. Circle’s bid to cross over to traditional finance and expand its services was cut short by the bill’s amended language. 

CLARITY Act excludes stablecoin holders from yield In the past few days, the CLARITY Act deal reached a key agreement, aligning senators Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks with White House officials. The breakthrough shifted the balance on the side of traditional bank demands, meaning stablecoin issuers would not be allowed to offer yield to passive holders. The contentious issue was stalled with the Senate Banking Committee for the past few weeks. 

The CLARITY Act thus may proceed and become the next key piece of stablecoin regulation in the coming weeks. Along with the GENIUS bill, the act outlines the possibilities for stablecoins to serve as a cross between traditional finance and crypto. The biggest concern was that stablecoins could compete with banks in offering interest rates, bypassing other requirements for banking entities. 

For now, the agreement is not final, and Senator Tillis may continue to consult the banking industry. Senator Alsobrooks stated the language of the bill is not finalized, and some types of rewards may be allowed, but not for passive holding. 

Currently, stablecoins can offer yield through DeFi liquidity provision or through special exchange-based incentive programs. Coins held in wallets rarely accrue yield. 

Can Circle offer yield?  Both Tether and Circle rely on short-term US T-bills to back their stablecoins, receiving regular returns. However, neither company can share the yield with token holders, based on the intended bill.

Despite the rapid adoption of USDC and its presence on 12-16M monthly active wallets, the CLARITY Act will not allow rewards to accrue. In general, USDC was created without yield in mind, but other types of stablecoin may also be affected. 

USDC is also widely used in DeFi space, serving as collateral and for liquidity on decentralized trading pairs. 

For now, the effect of the CLARITY Act remains uncertain. According to some analysts, even protocols like Uniswap may be affected. Uniswap offers stablecoin yield through its smart contracts, but the problem may be the user interface, which may have to comply with requirements tailored for the financial sector. 

However, the CLARITY Act only affects US-based companies, meaning international USDC usage and forms of yield may continue. Additionally, DEX liquidity providers are not passively holding USDC, meaning their reward is part of an activity. The exact language of the CLARITY Act will also signal the future for DeFi.

20h05 ▪ 4 min read ▪ by Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

Tether is playing big. Long criticized for its opacity, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin finally announces a full audit of its reserves by a Big Four firm, a highly awaited first by the market. Such a step could reshuffle the cards of trust around the world’s largest stablecoin. However, the company refuses to reveal the identity of the firm responsible for this mission, casting doubt even as it claims it wants to increase its transparency.

In brief Tether announces an unprecedented audit of its reserves, a first awaited for the largest stablecoin on the market. Nearly 192 billion dollars of assets involved, meant to guarantee the stability of USDT. A Big Four firm is mandated, but its identity remains deliberately hidden. This is a response to long-standing criticism about Tether’s lack of transparency Tether finally launches a full audit of its reserves While the company outperforms a declining crypto market, Tether claims it has engaged a Big Four firm to audit all of its reserves, estimated at around $192 billion, meant to guarantee the parity of USDT. However, the company has not revealed the identity of the involved firm.

It states that this approach aims to provide an independent and comprehensive view of its financial situation, marking a break from its previous practices.

Tether announces a previously unseen full audit of its reserves ; The amount of assets involved reaches about $192 billion ; The Big Four firm involved remains undisclosed ; The company abandons simple attestations in favor of an in-depth audit ; The stated objective is to strengthen transparency and credibility. Until now, Tether published attestations carried out by third parties that validated certain elements at a given point in time without examining the entirety of the accounts. A full audit involves a much broader analysis of assets, liabilities, and internal procedures. This evolution aims to respond to recurring criticisms about USDT’s transparency while highlighting the composition of the reserves, largely made up of U.S. Treasury bonds.

Regulatory pressures and the controversial legacy This initiative comes amid growing regulatory pressure, especially in the United States with the GENIUS Act, which imposes increased requirements on stablecoin issuers. The CEO of Tether called the audit a strategic priority, asserting the company is looking to improve its transparency with authorities and markets.

Such repositioning comes after several years of controversy. Tether was long criticized for its inability to produce an independent audit despite repeated promises. The company was also faced with accusations regarding the presentation of its reserves, notably in a case settled with New York authorities in 2021. The major audit firms had until then shown reluctance to collaborate with Tether due to reputation risks involved.

In a market seeking transparency, altcoins could stand out. Some projects already rely on regular audits and clearer communication to attract investors and regulators.

If this audit succeeds and validates the announced reserves, it could strengthen confidence in USDT and consolidate its dominance in the market. Conversely, maintaining secrecy around the selected firm and the absence of a precise schedule leave questions unanswered. The outcome of this process could have a lasting influence on transparency requirements within the stablecoin ecosystem.

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Luc Jose A.

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

DISCLAIMER

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

The comparison between Monero and Zcash is usually framed as a technical debate, but that approach misses the real point. This is not about cryptography. It is about how privacy behaves under pressure, and more importantly, how markets assign value to it.

The dominant narrative assumes that Zcash is better positioned because it offers flexibility. It can operate within regulatory frameworks, allows selective disclosure, and aligns with institutional requirements. That sounds logical, especially in a market increasingly shaped by compliance. But that logic breaks down when you analyze real user behavior and monetary incentives.

The thesis here is clear. The market is mispricing privacy because it treats optional privacy as equivalent to enforced privacy. They are not the same thing, and that difference becomes critical the moment privacy stops being a preference and becomes a necessity.

Zcash’s model depends on user choice Transactions can be shielded, but they do not have to be. In theory, this creates flexibility. In practice, it creates fragmentation. If only a portion of users opt into privacy, the anonymity set shrinks, and the effectiveness of the system weakens. Data linked to the Electric Coin Company has repeatedly shown that shielded transactions have historically represented a minority of activity, even after multiple upgrades designed to improve usability.

That is the structural flaw. In a monetary network, participation is everything. A system that relies on users to choose privacy will almost always underdeliver on it, because most users default to convenience. Optional privacy tends to be underused, and underused privacy is weak privacy.

Monero removes that variable entirely Privacy is not something you opt into, it is the baseline condition of the network. Every transaction contributes to the same anonymity set. Every user reinforces the same privacy guarantees. There is no fragmentation, no leakage, no dependency on behavior. According to analysis from firms like Chainalysis, this design makes consistent transaction tracing significantly more difficult compared to systems where transparency still exists.

This is not just a technical difference. It is an economic one. Markets do not reward features. They reward properties that cannot be substituted. Enforced privacy is one of those properties.

The counterargument is predictable and, to some extent, valid. Zcash is more compatible with regulation. It can integrate into institutional environments. It does not trigger the same level of resistance from exchanges or compliance frameworks. That has translated into better accessibility and, in theory, a clearer path to adoption.

But accessibility is not the same as demand.

Zcash’s investment narrative relies heavily on the assumption that institutions will adopt privacy-enabled assets in a meaningful way. So far, that has not materialized at scale. Data from firms like CoinShares consistently shows that institutional flows remain concentrated in a narrow set of assets, primarily Bitcoin and Ethereum. Privacy coins remain a marginal allocation.

At the same time, Monero has followed a very different trajectory. It has faced delistings, restrictions, and increasing regulatory scrutiny, including actions by exchanges such as Binance and Kraken in certain regions. On the surface, that looks like a negative. Less access, less liquidity, less visibility.

When an asset solves a real problem, restricting access does not eliminate its use. It pushes that use into different channels. This is not unique to crypto. It is a recurring pattern across financial history. Demand does not disappear under pressure, it relocates.

The introduction of the Patriot Act is a useful reference point. Increased financial surveillance did not eliminate the demand for privacy. It changed where and how that demand was expressed.

This is where the market’s mispricing becomes evident. Monero is being discounted because it is difficult to regulate and harder to access, when in reality those characteristics are directly tied to its value proposition. The more constrained the financial environment becomes, the more valuable enforced privacy tends to be.

Zcash, on the other hand, is being positioned as a future institutional standard for privacy, but that future depends on a chain of assumptions that has not yet been validated. It assumes that institutions will demand privacy at the asset level rather than at the infrastructure level. It assumes that users will consistently opt into shielded transactions. It assumes that regulatory frameworks will actively support selective privacy instead of minimizing it.

Those are plausible assumptions, but they are not confirmed realities.

A balanced view requires acknowledging that Monero’s model also comes with limitations. Its incompatibility with regulatory systems restricts its integration into formal financial infrastructure. That limits its visibility and reduces the likelihood of institutional participation. Zcash’s flexibility addresses that issue, and if regulatory clarity evolves in favor of controlled privacy, it could benefit significantly from that positioning.

If the trajectory continues toward greater surveillance, stricter compliance, and increased monitoring of on-chain activity, then systems that guarantee privacy by default are likely to see structurally stronger demand. If, instead, the market evolves toward regulated integration where privacy is permitted but controlled, then systems like Zcash may find their role.

A practical way to evaluate this divergence is through observable signals. If restrictions on transparent blockchain activity continue to increase, whether through exchange policies, regulatory enforcement, or monitoring requirements, then demand for Monero should rise in parallel, even if that demand is not fully visible in traditional market data. If institutional capital begins to flow into privacy-enabled assets and shielded transaction usage grows consistently, then Zcash’s positioning becomes more credible.

The conclusion is not about picking a winner. It is about understanding that the market is pricing two different futures at the same time. One where privacy is restricted and becomes more valuable, and another where privacy is integrated and controlled.

Right now, that distinction is not fully reflected in valuations. And that is where the opportunity—and the risk—exists.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is outperforming traditional safe-haven assets as geopolitical tensions reshape investor behaviour, according to investor Anthony Pompliano.

Bitcoin Leads In Unusual Macro BackdropPompliano on Monday said Bitcoin has emerged as a standout asset amid the U.S.-Iran conflict, rising about 8% since tensions escalated and gaining roughly 34% against gold over a short period.

He noted that traditional safe havens are behaving unusually, while Bitcoin is benefiting from its position as a non-sovereign, decentralized asset that can be moved instantly across borders.

In an environment marked by capital controls and geopolitical instability, Pompliano sees Bitcoin's portability and independence as increasingly attractive to investors.

If tensions persist, he expects oil prices to rise further, which could pressure bonds and gold, while Bitcoin continues to outperform.

Positioning For Multiple ScenariosA potential ceasefire could trigger a sharp rally in risk assets, according to Pompliano.

He also highlighted the importance of diversification, noting that structurally strong sectors such as artificial intelligence, along with energy and infrastructure, continue to attract capital.

At the same time, he said scarce assets like Bitcoin and commodities remain key portfolio components, particularly in an environment of inflation risk, liquidity stress and geopolitical uncertainty.

Pompliano added that gold's recent decline, about 13%, appears driven largely by liquidity needs, as investors sell holdings to raise cash amid a stronger dollar and financial strain.

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One of Wall Street’s most followed technical analysts has laid out his clearest forecast yet for the four biggest names in crypto. Gareth Soloway, Chief Market Strategist at Verified Investing, is bullish in the short term but is sending a warning about what comes next.

Bitcoin: Still Chasing $80,000, But Time Is Running Out

Soloway has had an $80,000 to $85,000 target on Bitcoin for over a month, and he is not abandoning it yet. Bitcoin reached $76,000 before pulling back, and the chart structure is still holding higher highs and higher lows, which is technically bullish.

The critical support level to watch sits at $68,000. As long as Bitcoin holds above this line, Soloway believes the path to $80,000 remains open, possibly extending into April.

But here is the part most traders are missing. Soloway is clear that this is an intra-bear market rally, not the beginning of a new bull run. The bigger macro pattern forming on the chart is pointing toward an eventual breakdown to the downside.

“At some point the bigger pattern is going to take over,” he warned.

Ethereum: Rejected at $2,400, But Still Alive

Ethereum got turned away just below $2,400, and Soloway says the chart explains exactly why. The macro picture for ETH mirrors Bitcoin, bearish over the longer term. But in the near term, the higher highs and higher lows structure remains intact.

He is watching a key support zone closely. If Ethereum breaks below it, he says traders should watch out below. If it holds, there is still a chance to push toward the upper trend line resistance.

Solana: The Most Bullish Chart of the Four

Soloway reserved his most bullish comments for Solana, where he is holding a position with an average entry around $82. With Solana trading near $92 at the time of his analysis, he is sitting on a comfortable gain.

His near-term targets are clear. He plans to take half his position off the table near $100, and another portion if it pushes toward $105. The best-case scenario, he says, is a return to the $118 resistance area.

“This one is actually looking the most bullish,” he said, adding that the chart structure is clean and the upside trajectory is well-defined compared to the others.

XRP: A Shot at $1.70

Soloway called XRP’s chart setup “very good” and said he believes XRP has a genuine shot at reaching $1.70. The reasoning is clean: XRP broke out, pulled back, held its support level, and is now setting up for the next leg higher.

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XRP Ledger Sees Payments Dominate as RLUSD Takes Center StageRecent on-chain data from the XRP Ledger (XRPL) points to a clear trend that payments are emerging as the network’s dominant use case. 

An analysis of roughly 5,000 XRPL blocks, covering about four hours of activity, showed that 53.2% of over one million sampled transactions were payment-related. This concentration highlights a shift toward practical, real-world utility, with the ledger being used increasingly for value transfer rather than speculation.

A key driver of this activity is Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. In the same dataset, RLUSD recorded 92,699 transfers, making it the most active stablecoin on the network. 

Its rapid adoption points to rising demand for stable, dollar-pegged assets that can move efficiently across blockchain infrastructure, offering a practical alternative to the volatility typically associated with crypto markets.

Furthermore, the stablecoin ecosystem on the XRP Ledger is expanding at a rapid pace. Supply has more than doubled since December, climbing to nearly $570 million. 

Well, this growth points to improving liquidity on the network and increasing confidence from both users and institutions as they explore tokenized value transfer on the ledger.

XRP Ledger Expands Beyond Payments as DEX Activity and Institutional Signals ConvergeBeyond payments, decentralized exchange activity is also picking up momentum. Transactions classified as OfferCreate, used to place or adjust orders on the XRPL’s built-in DEX, made up 34.2% of the sampled activity. 

While payments remain dominant, this significant share points to a steadily expanding layer of decentralized financial activity developing alongside core transfer use cases.

On the other hand, institutional momentum is adding weight to this trend. Fox Business recently described RLUSD as a bridge between digital assets and traditional finance, highlighting its role in enabling smoother interoperability between blockchain networks and established financial systems. 

Furthermore, the European Central Bank is preparing to accept tokenized collateral from March 30, bringing XRP Ledger infrastructure into Europe’s financial system.

On the ground, adoption metrics are also strengthening the narrative. Ripple Payments reportedly exceeded $100 billion in total volume, while RLUSD also breached the $1 billion market capitalization mark. 

What’s the takeaway? Well, these developments point to a broader shift that the XRP Ledger is evolving beyond simple transaction handling into a real-time settlement layer where payments, liquidity, and tokenized assets increasingly converge.

ConclusionPayments accounting for 53% of activity on the XRP Ledger signals a network that’s moving beyond experimentation into real, high-volume financial use. 

As payments dominate usage, RLUSD gains traction as a liquidity anchor while decentralized exchange activity continues to grow alongside it. 

These trends show the XRP Ledger evolving from a single-use chain into a broader, multifunctional financial ecosystem.

Ontology (ONT) price recorded a sharp surge of nearly 50%, reaching $0.06235 in just a few minutes. The surge was backed by a sudden spike in trading volume and renewed market interest. The move comes after weeks of sideways consolidation, catching traders off guard as the token broke out with strong momentum. The rally outperformed the major cryptos, primarily driven by a major regulatory catalyst for its decentralised identity focus. 

ONT Price Surges With EU eIDAS 2.0 CatalystThe primary driver behind the recent surge is the EU’s confirmation of its eIDAS 2.0 digital identity framework, which aims to roll out digital identity wallets to over 450 million citizens by late 2026. The system is built on principles like selective disclosure, portable credentials, and user-controlled data, allowing individuals to verify information without exposing unnecessary personal details.

The EU confirmed eIDAS 2.0 digital identity wallets will roll out to 450M+ citizens by late 2026.

Selective disclosure. Portable credentials. User-controlled data.

Sound familiar? It should.

Here is why this matters for Ontology and the entire decentralised identity space. 🧵

— Ontology – The Trust Layer for Web3 (@OntologyNetwork) March 24, 2026 This development has brought fresh attention to decentralized identity (DID) solutions, a space where Ontology has been actively building. More importantly, while eIDAS operates within a jurisdiction-bound framework, it highlights the growing need for interoperable identity systems that can function across borders and decentralized environments. As a result, Ontology is being repriced within this emerging narrative, with traders positioning early around identity-focused infrastructure plays.

ONT Price Analysis: Breakout With Strong Volume SupportA look at the daily chart shows that the ONT price has broken out of a prolonged consolidation range with a massive bullish candle, supported by a sharp rise in volume. The price surged from the $0.04 zone to above $0.058, marking a decisive short-term breakout.

The rally has pushed Ontology price toward a key resistance zone between $0.065 and $0.070, which previously acted as a supply area. A successful move above this range could open the path toward $0.075, a level marked by prior rejection.

Considering the technicians, they have flipped in favour of the bulls. The Supertrend has turned bullish, while the On-Balance Volume (OBV) has spiked. Interestingly, the OBV has been maintaining an ascending consolidation, despite the price weakness, hinting towards a growing bullish momentum within. Therefore, a rise above the resistance zone of $0.068 and $0.069 may initiate a fresh bullish spell. 

On the downside, immediate support now sits near $0.048–$0.050, while stronger support remains around $0.042. The OBV indicator has also seen a notable spike, suggesting strong accumulation during the move.

Will the Bullish Momentum Sustain?While the EU digital identity narrative provides a strong fundamental backdrop, the sustainability of the rally will depend on whether the price can hold above newly formed support levels and break through key resistance zones.

If the Ontology (ONT) price manages to sustain above $0.060 and push beyond $0.070, the bullish momentum could extend further. However, failure to hold gains may lead to a pullback, especially given the sharp, volume-driven nature of the current move.

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