Market Signal Briefing

Buying a cryptocurrency and then holding it for seven years is less about picking the flashiest chain of today, and more about picking the investment thesis that can inspire your conviction over time, survive your own boredom when the market is slow, and perhaps most importantly, survive a couple of gut-check drawdowns.

So with $3,000 to allocate today, is it smarter to load up on Bitcoin (BTC 1.24%) or XRP (XRP 1.91%) if you're (hopefully) going to be holding whatever you pick through 2033?

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Bitcoin's job is simple Bitcoin's pitch is that it's an asset with a fixed supply and enough of a social consensus about its worth that it functions as a store of value.

The coin's supply cap is hard-coded at 21 million coins that can ever be mined. A lot of that supply, approximately 20 million Bitcoin, is already out in the world.

And if you're building a well-balanced crypto portfolio, it's the scarcity of the remaining supply and the guarantee that it'll only get scarcer and more challenging to produce in the future that makes this coin a must-have holding.

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Nonetheless, the long-term risk that investors should not dismiss is the advent of quantum computing, which in theory could crack Bitcoin's encryption and enable the theft of coins at some point in the tail end of the next 10 years. There are some early steps taking place to update the coin to prevent that from being possible. Even so, the risk might not be fully addressed for years, or perhaps even too late to prevent a quantum attack which turns into a disaster for holders.

But the odds are good that Bitcoin's developers will adapt to the threat in time.

XRP needs to keep winning to outperform XRP is a bet that its chain, the XRP Ledger (XRPL), becomes important financial plumbing, and that demand for the coin rises alongside its use.

There are a few pieces of evidence that suggest it's succeeding. The XRPL saw around 1.1 million daily transactions recently, and it hosts 7.6 million activated wallets. That activity could accelerate if financial institutions continue to onboard their capital to the network in hopes of managing it more readily than they could elsewhere.

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Still, XRP competes against other money transfer rails and also against legacy systems for capital management. It needs to beat out that competition consistently over time to continue to grow. And while it'll likely win enough of its competitive fights to survive and expand somewhat for the next seven years, to continue to thrive and be a great investment, it'll need to be winning against bigger and bigger competitors all the while -- and that's a lot harder to believe in because it's a high bar.

So if you want a coin for a seven-year hold that demands the least babysitting and the least competitive jockeying, invest your $3,000 into Bitcoin, as it only needs to change elements related to its security rather than its core feature set.

TL;DR:

Lido Finance paused deposits on ZKsync after detecting a security weakness in the bridge contract. Current wstETH funds are not at risk, and withdrawals remain fully operational. The final fix will be audited and implemented via a governance vote in late March. Ethereum’s largest liquid staking protocol identified a vulnerability in the Lido Finance bridge on ZKsync and immediately took emergency measures. In an official statement, the team reported that new deposits into the wstETH endpoint contract have been suspended as a precautionary step to protect the ecosystem.

[Security Disclosure] A potential weakness was reported related to the ZKsync wstETH bridge endpoint contract. As of yet, there is no indication that the weakness was exploited, and wstETH holders on ZKsync are not affected. No other bridges are affected. Out of an abundance of…

— Lido (@LidoFinance) March 3, 2026 Developers clarified that there are no indications that this weakness has been exploited by malicious actors so far. Therefore, current wstETH holders on the Layer 2 network are not affected, and transfer and withdrawal functions continue to operate normally.

The incident was managed through an emergency “multisig” mechanism, which allows for the immediate deactivation of critical functions. However, the pause will remain active for several weeks while a technical solution is prepared that meets the security standards required by the protocol.

Governance and Timelines for Resolving the Technical Flaw Due to the platform’s decentralized structure, the implementation of the security patch cannot be immediate, as it requires a DAO vote. Consequently, the solution is expected to be deployed during the next vote scheduled for late March or early April 2026.

This announcement generated uncertainty in the markets, causing the prices of LDO and ZK tokens to fall over the last 24 hours. However, analysts suggest the reaction is preemptive and highlights the importance of auditing processes within decentralized finance (DeFi).

In summary, the early detection of the vulnerability in the Lido Finance bridge on ZKsync demonstrates the effectiveness of the network’s monitoring systems. Once the fix is audited and approved by governance, the deposit service will resume, consolidating a more resilient financial infrastructure against future potential threats.

Ethereum price started a fresh increase but failed near $2,080. ETH is now correcting gains and might decline further below $1,920.

Ethereum started a downside correction from the $2,080 zone. The price is trading below $1,950 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is a key rising channel forming with support at $1,960 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could start a fresh decline if it stays below the $2,050 zone. Ethereum Price Dips To Support Ethereum price attempted a fresh increase above the $2,000 resistance, like Bitcoin. ETH price rallied above the $2,020 and $2,050 resistance levels.

The bulls even pumped the price above $2,080. A high was formed at $2,089 before there was a downside correction. The price dipped below $2,000 and the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1,835 swing low to the $2,089 high.

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

Source: ETHUSD on TradingView.com If the bulls remain in action above $1,920, the price could attempt another increase. Immediate resistance is seen near the $2,020 level. The first key resistance is near the $2,050 level. The next major resistance is near the $2,080 level. A clear move above the $2,080 resistance might send the price toward the $2,120 resistance. An upside break above the $2,120 region might call for more gains in the coming days. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $2,200 resistance zone or even $2,220 in the near term.

Downside Break In ETH? If Ethereum fails to clear the $2,050 resistance, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1,960 level. The first major support sits near the $1,932 zone or the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1,835 swing low to the $2,089 high.

A clear move below the $1,932 support might push the price toward the $1,895 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $1,850 region. The main support could be $1,820.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is gaining momentum in the bearish zone.

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

Major Support Level – $1,932

Major Resistance Level – $2,050

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As the world moves away from a dollar-dominated financial system, one analyst argues that XRP is not competing for the status of “digital gold,” but quietly positioning itself as a global settlement layer. He noted that this practical utility will build more value for XRP over time, especially as it gains deeper adoption among financial institutions and payment networks. 

XRP Finds Its Lane As Global Settlement Layer Market analyst Luke Suther is making the case that XRP has been misunderstood all along, and that the real story has nothing to do with competing against Bitcoin (BTC) or gold. He laid out his vision for where XRP fits in an increasingly fragmented global financial system. His argument centers on a simple but often overlooked distinction between storing value and moving it. 

Suther pointed to the ongoing shift toward a multipolar world order, where no single nation dominates global trade and finance the way the United States (US) has for decades. In this world, he noted that gold would make a comeback, recognized once again as a top-tier collateral under Basel III banking regulations. He highlighted that the precious metal will also be prized for its hardness, neutrality, and universal trust.  

However, Suther emphasized that gold has a major limitation that most people miss. He argued that while gold can anchor a reserve system and operate as a store of value, it cannot move at internet speed. Capital in a multipolar world needs to cross borders instantly, without friction, and without running through dollar-dominated infrastructure. For this to happen, the analyst noted that a digital bridge is required. He described this digital bridge as XRP, noting that the cryptocurrency was designed to address the settlement inefficiencies that gold currently faces.

Rather than framing XRP as digital gold or as a competitor to any cryptocurrency or precious metal, Suther characterized it as a “complementary infrastructure.” He called XRP an operational extension of gold’s value, qualifying it as a high-quality liquid asset designed to bridge the reserve layer and facilitate instant real-world settlement. 

From his perspective, gold holds value; however, XRP is the vehicle that moves it. Together, he argues that they form the natural architecture of a multi-polar system no longer anchored to any single currency. 

XRP Emerges As Settlement Layer For National Security Black Swan Capitalist Versan Aljarrah stated in a recent X post that the consequences of modern warfare stretch far beyond borders and battlefields, reaching deep into the infrastructure of global finance. He argued that when powerful nations begin weaponizing reserve currencies and cutting off access to payment systems, the countries on the receiving end begin building alternatives that route around the systems being used against them. 

According to him, cross-border liquidity that flows without political interference is no longer a matter of financial convenience but a national security priority. Countries that once relied on dollar-dominated systems are now actively seeking alternatives that no single government can shut down. In this context, Aljarrah sees the altcoin as an alternative to address these problems. It’s a system that allows capital to flow across borders without relying on a single nation’s currency or being affected by political interference.

XRP trading at $1.35 on the 1D chart | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

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Scott Matherson is a leading crypto writer at Bitcoinist, who possesses a sharp analytical mind and a deep understanding of the digital currency landscape. Scott has earned a reputation for delivering thought-provoking and well-researched articles that resonate with both newcomers and seasoned crypto enthusiasts. Outside of his writing, Scott is passionate about promoting crypto literacy and often works to educate the public on the potential of blockchain.

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Ethereum is navigating renewed volatility as escalating tensions in the Middle East reshape the macro landscape and weigh on digital assets. Price action has become increasingly reactive to external risk signals, with liquidity thinning during periods of heightened geopolitical uncertainty. While short-term swings dominate headlines, underlying on-chain dynamics suggest a more structural shift may be unfolding beneath the surface.

According to a recent CryptoQuant analysis, Ethereum reserves on Binance have declined to approximately 3.46 million ETH — the lowest level recorded since 2020. This contraction in exchange-held supply is not a marginal fluctuation but a multi-year structural low. Such a development carries meaningful implications for investor positioning and the evolving balance between available supply and latent demand.

Historically, declining exchange reserves indicate that investors are withdrawing assets to cold storage or long-term custody solutions. This behavior is typically associated with holding preference rather than imminent distribution. When fewer coins remain readily accessible on centralized platforms, the pool of immediately tradable supply contracts is reduced. In theory, this reduces the probability of abrupt sell-side shocks driven by excess exchange liquidity.

The longer-term trajectory of Ethereum reserves on Binance reinforces the structural nature of this shift. From prior cycle peaks above 5 million ETH, exchange balances have trended steadily lower, interrupted only by brief countertrend rebounds that failed to establish higher highs. The pattern of successive lower highs signals persistent net outflows rather than episodic movements. At approximately 3.46 million ETH, reserves now sit at their lowest level in nearly six years, underscoring the magnitude of the contraction.

Ethereum Exchange Reserve | Source: CryptoQuant This evolution aligns with broader behavioral changes across the Ethereum ecosystem. The rise of self-custody solutions and the expansion of staking participation have structurally reduced the float available on centralized venues. Coins removed from exchanges are less likely to be deployed for immediate trading, particularly when allocated to long-term custody or yield-generating mechanisms.

The timing is notable. With ETH trading near $2,027, the market occupies a technically sensitive zone. A continued decline in reserves at this level may indicate growing conviction among holders unwilling to sell into volatility. Should incremental demand emerge while exchange supply continues to tighten, the resulting imbalance could generate upward pressure.

On the 4-hour timeframe, Ethereum remains structurally weak despite attempts to stabilize near the $1,950–$2,000 zone. Price continues to trade below the 50, 100, and 200-period moving averages, all of which are sloping downward — a clear alignment that confirms short-term bearish control.

Ethereum consolidates in a range | Source: ETHUSDT chart on TradingView The early-February selloff established a lower high structure, and subsequent rebounds have failed to reclaim the 200-period moving average (red), currently positioned well above price near the $2,100 region. This level now acts as a decisive dynamic resistance ceiling. Meanwhile, the 100-period moving average (green) has repeatedly capped intraday recoveries, reinforcing the broader downtrend.

Support has developed around $1,900, where buyers previously stepped in following a sharp liquidation wick. However, each bounce has produced progressively weaker follow-through, suggesting demand remains reactive rather than proactive.

Volume expanded during the breakdown phases but has since tapered, indicating temporary equilibrium rather than accumulation. The compression between $1,900 and $2,000 reflects indecision under a bearish structure.

For momentum to shift meaningfully, ETH would need a sustained break above $2,050–$2,100 to challenge the descending moving averages. A loss of $1,900, however, would likely reopen downside toward the $1,800 liquidity pocket.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

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

A fresh political push for crypto legislation is stirring debate across Washington and the digital asset industry.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a forceful statement backing the CLARITY Act and warning that major banks should not undermine what he described as America’s crypto agenda.

In his remarks, Trump said the “Genius Act” was being threatened by banks and stressed that the United States must finalize market structure legislation as soon as possible. He argued that Americans deserve the opportunity to earn more on their money and warned that delays could push innovation to countries like China.

Trump framed the legislation as part of a broader effort to position the U.S. as the “Crypto Capital of the World,” adding that the industry should not be stalled by traditional financial institutions protecting their interests.

Ripple CEO Calls Message “Extremely Pointed”Reacting to Trump’s comments, Brad Garlinghouse described the statement as “an extremely pointed message” to lawmakers and stakeholders who have slowed progress on the CLARITY Act.

An extremely pointed message from @POTUS to those who are dragging their feet on CLARITY.

This is, and always has been, about what’s in the best interest of the American people. pic.twitter.com/t1CIFBOBg4

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) March 3, 2026 Garlinghouse’s response quickly gained traction within the XRP community, where regulatory clarity has long been viewed as essential to long-term growth.

The CEO of Ripple has repeatedly argued that the absence of clear digital asset rules in the U.S. has placed domestic firms at a disadvantage compared to international competitors. His latest reaction shows growing alignment between parts of the crypto industry and political voices calling for immediate action.

Lawmakers and Industry Voices Weigh InThe discussion expanded beyond Ripple.

Mike Selig also backed publicly backed Trump’s stance, stating that the CLARITY Act must pass to establish a future-proof digital asset market structure. He added that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is prepared to implement the framework under the current administration.

Across social platforms, reactions reflected frustration with perceived delays. Several users questioned why banks should have influence over legislation that could introduce competition to their business models. Others argued that clear rules would unlock innovation, attract builders and accelerate U.S. leadership in blockchain development.

A recurring theme in the responses was urgency. Many commenters warned that Congress is running out of time and called for immediate passage of the bill to prevent the U.S. from falling behind in global crypto adoption.

What’s at StakeAt its core, the debate centers on market structure.

The CLARITY Act tries to define how digital assets are classified and regulated, potentially drawing clearer boundaries between securities and commodities oversight. For years, regulatory uncertainty has been cited as one of the biggest obstacles facing crypto companies operating in the United States.

Trump’s statement framed the issue as one of national competitiveness. He suggested that failing to finalize crypto legislation could shift innovation and capital overseas. That message resonates strongly with industry leaders who argue that regulatory ambiguity has already slowed domestic progress.

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Bitcoin’s lending scene just got messy. New platforms are tearing apart the old playbook and rebuilding everything from scratch, basically turning BTC into something that can actually work in real credit markets.

The problem with Bitcoin lending wasn’t really about price swings – it was the whole setup that sucked. Loans stayed stuck between two parties, capital got trapped, and borrowing costs went through the roof. You couldn’t trade these loans or do much with them after they got made. Pretty much a dead end for anyone wanting to build serious credit markets around Bitcoin.

Early DeFi tried to fix things but didn’t really work out.

Orderbooks split up liquidity into tiny pieces, making everything harder to trade. Then came pool models that flattened out markets and killed any chance of having different loan terms or ways to tell good loans from bad ones. The whole thing kind of stalled out for a while.

But now things are shifting fast. New systems are mixing pooled liquidity with orderbooks, and they’re creating standardized loan units that actually make sense. These loans can be traded like any other asset, which opens up secondary markets that didn’t exist before. It’s a big deal because it means Bitcoin-backed loans don’t have to stay locked up forever.

Morpho V2 and Alpen are leading the charge here. They want market-based pricing without killing liquidity in the process. David Seroy from Alpen Labs thinks this approach can break through the structural ceiling that’s been holding back onchain credit markets for years now.

Standardization changes everything.

When loans become fungible claims that can be securitized and traded, borrowing costs drop and you can get longer maturities. Traditional finance figured this out decades ago – credit only scales when you have secondary markets where people can buy and sell loans after they’re made. More on this topic: Bitcoin Miner MARA Holdings Eyes Potential.

Bitcoin could work the same way if these new systems take off. With standardized claims, BTC-backed loans might soon be sold or used as collateral for other deals, turning them into assets that can be financed over and over. That’s way beyond just using Bitcoin as simple collateral – it’s about integrating BTC into actual functioning credit markets that can handle real volume.

The risks are still there though, mostly around custody and governance. Trust has to be explicit and kept to a minimum or risk premiums will eat up any benefits. Different markets will handle this based on whatever structures they choose, but it’s going to be a key factor in whether this stuff actually works.

And the immediate impact looks pretty significant. Standardized BTC-backed loans could lower costs, give borrowers more maturity options, and offer Bitcoin holders better liquidity when they need it. Bitcoin starts functioning as foundational collateral within its own credit market instead of just sitting there.

March 2026 saw Alpen making real progress on transforming how Bitcoin-backed loans get structured and traded. By creating these standardized loan units, platforms can let secondary markets form naturally instead of forcing them. That’s crucial for unlocking Bitcoin’s potential as robust collateral that provides stability and liquidity for both sides of the deal.

Seroy said the emergence of these systems marks a pivotal moment for Bitcoin’s integration into mature financial markets. By cutting down on the fragmentation that plagued earlier DeFi efforts, standardized claims offer a cleaner pathway for Bitcoin to function as foundational collateral within its own credit markets. No more scattered liquidity or trapped capital. Related coverage: Bitcoin Plunges Below K as Whales.

Institutions are starting to pay attention as these innovations roll out. The landscape of Bitcoin-backed lending is set for major changes, with infrastructure being developed that can give institutions deeper funding options. This could lead to lower borrowing costs and more availability of fixed-term loans, attracting institutional players who want stable, long-term investment opportunities in crypto.

Trust remains the big concern though. As these systems evolve, keeping things transparent and minimizing risks around custody and governance will make or break adoption rates. The ability to define and monitor these parameters effectively will probably decide how fast these new credit market structures get picked up.

Morpho V2 has been pushing these architectural changes hard, integrating orderbooks with intent-based liquidity to allow market-based pricing while keeping things scalable. The approach tackles the liquidity fragmentation problem that’s been killing earlier decentralized finance models for years.

Investment desks are exploring these new credit structures, drawn by promises of deeper funding and more stable liquidity. The shift is real, with companies like Alpen Labs redefining how credit markets can function using Bitcoin as a core asset rather than just another speculative play.

Challenges remain pretty clear. Success depends heavily on oracle integrity and robust governance models. Without careful management of embedded risks, the potential benefits of these innovative credit solutions could get completely undermined by technical failures or governance breakdowns.

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In brief 22 of 36 AI models chose Bitcoin as their top monetary preference in simulations. No tested model selected fiat currency as its first choice, the report says. Results varied by AI lab, with Anthropic models showing the strongest Bitcoin preference. Artificial intelligence models favored Bitcoin over traditional fiat currencies, according to a new report from the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

In the study, 22 out of 36 tested AI models selected Bitcoin as their top monetary preference, while no model chose fiat currency as its first choice, according to the report.

“We expect an increasing share of economic activity to be conducted by autonomous agents, but conversations around AI agents' monetary preferences have been entirely speculative,” Bitcoin Policy Institute President David Zell told Decrypt. “We wanted to actually test it.”

Researchers evaluated models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek, xAI, and MiniMax, placing them into scenarios designed to reflect the core functions of money, including saving, payments, and settlement.

Each model was treated as an independent economic actor and allowed to select monetary instruments without predefined options.

“We took 36 frontier models from six labs, framed them as autonomous economic agents, gave them complete freedom to choose their own monetary instruments across 28 scenarios spanning the four fundamental roles of money, and asked: what do they converge on?” Zell said.

The experiment generated 9,072 responses, he said. A separate AI then categorized the responses.

“The entire design eliminates anchoring bias. We never suggest an answer, and classification happens after the fact by a separate system,” Zell said.

Across those simulations, models frequently selected Bitcoin in long-term value scenarios while stablecoins were chosen more often as a medium of exchange and settlement, at 53.2% and 43% for stablecoins, compared to 36% and 30.9% for Bitcoin, respectively.

Results also differed across AI developers. Anthropic models showed the highest average Bitcoin preference at 68.0%, followed by DeepSeek at 51.7% and Google at 43.0%.

xAI models averaged 39.2%, MiniMax 34.9%, and OpenAI models preferred Bitcoin 25.9% of the time, according to the report. However, while the report found that Claude, DeepSeek, and MiniMax models favored Bitcoin over other cryptocurrencies, GPT, Grok, and Gemini models preferred stablecoins.

“The system prompt avoids naming or favoring any instrument,” Zell said. “Models evaluate based on technical and economic properties but are never told which instrument excels on which dimension.”

Zell cautioned against speculators using the findings as predictions about where the crypto market is heading.

“Our limitations section states explicitly that LLM preferences reflect training data patterns, not real-world predictions,” Zell said.

Even with that limitation, Zell said consistent outcomes across models developed by competing AI labs are notable.

“Six independent labs with different training pipelines and alignment methods arrive at the same broad pattern,” Zell said. “We’re not claiming AI discovered the right answer about money. We’re showing that a coherent monetary architecture emerges consistently across diverse systems, and that’s worth understanding.”

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Crypto regulation drama is back. And this time, it is XRP in the spotlight again, and it might fuel bearish price predictions.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has publicly criticized Ripple’s support for the Clarity Act, arguing that under the bill’s current wording, XRP would likely have been classified as a security at launch.

Cardano Founder: "I guess we just have to pass a horrific, trash bill that makes all #crypto a security by default."

Charles Hoskinson warns do not pass the CLARITY ACT. pic.twitter.com/xsRKMoRI85

— Altcoin Daily (@AltcoinDaily) March 3, 2026 His broader warning is that the industry may be walking into a regulatory trap where most new tokens automatically start life as securities before potentially transitioning into commodities later.

Hoskinson pointed to XRP’s early structure in 2012, when the network and token distribution were heavily concentrated around its founders.

Under the proposed framework, he claims that the level of centralization at inception could have triggered a securities classification. In his view, that creates a dangerous precedent for future blockchain projects in the United States.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has taken the opposite stance. He has consistently argued that regulatory clarity, even if imperfect, is better than ongoing uncertainty. From Ripple’s perspective, establishing defined rules could reduce enforcement by ambiguity and provide a clearer path for innovation.

So what does this mean for investors?

XRP Price Prediction: Should Investors Be Worried?The debate is largely about how assets are treated at launch, not necessarily how they are viewed today.

XRP has already navigated years of legal scrutiny and partial courtroom clarity in the US. Hoskinson’s comments focus more on hypothetical classification under new legislation rather than an immediate enforcement action.

In the short term, this is more of a narrative and policy debate than a direct threat to XRP’s current market structure.

Source: XRPUSD / TradingViewWith all these talks, XRP is still trapped in that descending channel. Nothing structural has flipped yet.

Price keeps printing lower highs along the upper trendline while leaning hard on $1.30 support. That squeeze between falling resistance and horizontal demand is the real battleground.

Right now, $1.30 is carrying everything. It has held multiple times, but repeated taps weaken any level. If XRP breaks $1.30 with momentum, the move likely speeds up toward $1.12, the next serious demand zone.

On the upside, bulls need $1.50 back first. That is the immediate supply cap.

Clear and hold above $1.50, and $1.61 becomes the breakout trigger. A confirmed push through $1.61 would break the channel and shift the chart toward $1.90 and possibly $2.20.

Why Maxi Doge ($MAXI) Thriving In The Bear Market

When big names like XRP are stuck grinding inside downtrends and every rally feels heavy, people start looking for something that can actually move. That is where Maxi Doge ($MAXI) comes in.

Maxi Doge is not made for slow, patient trades. It is built for momentum. Loud meme narrative, bold branding, and a community-first vibe designed for quick sentiment flips, not drawn-out institutional plays.

And the early traction shows it. The $MAXI presale has already raised around $4.6 million, with staking rewards going up to 67% APY for early buyers.

If institutions are stacking the slow movers, retail usually hunts speed. Maxi Doge is positioned right for that rotation.

Visit the Official Maxi Doge Website Here

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With the Ethereum price slowly demonstrating bullish traction after reclaiming the $2,000 mark, sentiment is turning positive once again. During this price action, investors are choosing to hold the leading altcoin rather than sell, which is indicated by a significant drop in crypto exchanges’ reserves.

Available Ethereum On Exchanges Hits New Lows Following the bounce in Ethereum’s price, the supply of ETH sitting on cryptocurrency exchanges has experienced a sharp decline. According to the report, the number of the coin available on crypto exchanges has fallen to new lows, signaling a notable shift in market structure and sentiment.

As per the chart shared by Leon Waidmann, an optimist and the head of research at Lisk, the metric is currently sitting at a multi-year low. As coins continue to migrate from trading platforms into private wallets or long-term storage, the amount of liquid accessible for instant sale is gradually decreasing.

Currently, over 16 million ETH is left on cryptocurrency exchanges, falling from about 23 million ETH in 2023. Even though the price of ETH has declined sharply from a new all-time high, holders kept withdrawing their coins from platforms. This is considered a positive development for Ethereum as fewer ETH reserves on exchanges means less immediate sell pressure on the altcoin.

Source: Chart from Leon Waidmann on X When reserves drop during a price crash, this is an interesting trend as it implies that holders are not panic-selling. Waidmann highlighted that these holders are deliberately moving ETH off cryptocurrency exchanges to staking contracts, cold storage, and Decentralized Finance (DeFi).

These investors are making an active choice to hold, and this is historically how supply shocks are started without a price pump. While everyone else is preoccupied with the red candles, there is a silent accumulation. The market may be scared currently, but on-chain data is telling a different story.

ETH Is Attracting A Massive Wave Of Adoption Ethereum adoption is picking up pace at a significant rate, as evidenced by its mainnet activity. The network’s activity has spiked to unprecedented levels, with its daily transactions climbing to an all-time high despite the bear market. The milestone shows a significant rise in on-chain demand, which is fueled by increased DeFi activity, stablecoin transfers, NFT interactions, and the emergence of AI and real-world asset protocols.

Data shows that the mainnet transactions per day have surged to nearly 3 million. This is a notable number when compared to levels seen in previous cycles, especially during a bull run. Waidmann noted that the current number of daily transactions is more than the ones seen in the 2021 bull run and in the 2023 recovery.

Despite the fact that the price of ETH is down, the network is experiencing its busiest period, signaling sustained engagement beneath the surface. Record-breaking transaction counts frequently indicate increasing utility rather than being pure speculation.

ETH trading at $1,995 on the 1D chart | Source: ETHUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

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TL;DR

Vitalik Buterin envisions Ethereum as sanctuary technology, prioritizing protection over mass adoption. Buterin instructs builders to avoid corporate mimicry and prioritize decentralization and sovereignty. Buterin personally uses privacy tools, advocating for computing self-sovereignty in daily life. Vitalik Buterin does not want Ethereum to win the efficiency race. He wants it to opt out of the race entirely. In a period where blockchain projects compete to attract mainstream users through polished interfaces and corporate partnerships, Buterin points Ethereum in the opposite direction — toward what he calls “sanctuary technologies”, a category of tools designed not to impress, but to protect.

Buterin’s argument is not simply aesthetic. He identifies a structural problem: when a technology prioritizes mass adoption above its core principles, it gradually becomes indistinguishable from the systems it was supposed to replace. Ethereum, in his view, drifted toward exactly that outcome, and the correction requires more than a software upgrade.

His instruction to builders in the space is direct: “Do not try to be Apple or Google, seeing crypto as a tech sector that enables efficiency or shininess.” Buterin frames the pursuit of corporate-style growth as a path that ends with Ethereum serving the same function as the platforms it originally challenged — convenient for users, but ultimately controlled by interests beyond their reach.

The alternative he proposes centers on building digital infrastructure where no single actor holds dominant power. Buterin describes the ideal outcome as “de-totalization” — a condition where governments and corporations alike lack the capacity to achieve total control over individuals’ digital lives. 

He draws a direct line between Ethereum’s present direction and the principles that animated the cypherpunk movement of the 1990s, which warned against surveillance architectures decades before most people understood what surveillance capitalism meant.

Over the past year, many people I talk to have expressed worry about two topics:

* Various aspects of the way the world is going: government control and surveillance, wars, corporate power and surveillance, tech enshittification / corposlop, social media becoming a memetic…

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) March 3, 2026

Buterin Applies the Same Logic to His Own Devices What separates Buterin’s position from abstract philosophy is that he applies it to his personal computing choices. He has publicly outlined a shift away from dominant tech platforms toward privacy-preserving, decentralized alternatives — a transition he frames as part of a broader path toward “computing self-sovereignty.”

The list of substitutions he made covers the tools most people use daily. He replaced Google Docs with Fileverse, a decentralized document platform with end-to-end encryption where no corporation retains access to the files. He moved from Google Maps to OpenStreetMap and Organic Maps, open-source tools that run locally and do not stream location data to external servers. He switched from Gmail to Proton Mail, from Telegram to Signal, and started running large language models locally on his own hardware rather than sending queries to cloud-based AI services.

Each substitution follows the same logic: reduce the surface area through which third parties collect, store, or monetize personal data. Together, the changes amount to a working prototype of the digital life Buterin wants Ethereum’s infrastructure to make possible for everyone.

Critics like Gaurav Sharma, CEO of io.net, argue that local hardware cannot meet the demands that serious AI development actually requires. Running models on a personal machine works for individual use cases, but training and deploying AI at scale demands thousands of GPU-hours that no personal device can provide. 

Sharma and others in the decentralized compute space suggest the choice between sovereignty and scale presents a false binary. Their answer involves aggregating idle GPUs from machines distributed across the world — a model they argue delivers both capacity and independence without forcing users to hand data to a centralized cloud provider.

The tension Sharma identifies sits at the core of where Buterin’s vision gets complicated. Individual self-reliance as a computing model has real limits. Sovereignty built on personal hardware breaks down the moment the task outgrows the hardware. Whether decentralized compute networks genuinely solve that problem — or simply replace one form of dependency with another — remains an open and consequential question.

What Buterin puts on the table, beyond the technical debate, is a values question: what does Ethereum owe its users, and what should it refuse to become in order to honor that debt? His answer, increasingly, is that Ethereum owes them a space where their data, transactions, and communications remain theirs — not as a feature, but as a guarantee built into the foundation of the protocol itself.

Ripple has expanded XRP payments with new tools that let businesses collect, hold, exchange, and pay out funds across fiat and stablecoin rails through one platform. The company said the upgraded service is now live in more than 60 markets, has processed over $100 billion in volume, and operates with more than 75 licenses, as it targets financial institutions and fintechs seeking regulated cross-border payment infrastructure.

The update adds managed custody, unified collections, and advanced liquidity features to Ripple Payments. Ripple said these services are designed to reduce the need for multiple vendors across treasury, custody, settlement, and collections, while supporting both traditional currencies and digital assets within one workflow.

Ripple Broadens Payments Stack for Enterprise ClientsRipple said the latest expansion builds a full payment flow for businesses that need to move money internationally. The platform now supports collection of fiat and stablecoin payments through named virtual accounts and wallets, automated conversion into a preferred currency, and settlement into a consolidated account.

The company also linked this rollout to its recent acquisitions of Palisade and Rail. Through those additions, Ripple said it can now offer managed custody, high-speed transaction signing, wallet provisioning at scale, and automated sweeping of funds into operational accounts. XRP news presented that combination as part of a broader push to give regulated businesses a single platform for treasury movement and cross-border transactions.

XRP News Shows Focus on Banks and Payment FirmsRipple named several companies already using the service, including Corpay, AMINA Bank, Banco Genial, MassPay, alfred, AltPayNet, CambioReal, and ECIB. According to Ripple, these firms are using the platform for use cases such as stablecoin-to-fiat transfers, Brazil payout flows, business payments across Asia-Pacific, and corporate cross-border settlement.

Among the examples, Ripple said Corpay is using managed custody and liquidity tools to fund and settle positions across Asia-Pacific with RLUSD, while AMINA Bank has adopted Ripple Payments for near real-time cross-border flows for institutional and crypto-native clients. Ripple also said MassPay is using the network for payouts to more than 100 countries, and Banco Genial is applying it to outbound payments from Brazil.

Stablecoin Push Centers on Scale and ComplianceIn the XRP news, the company said global annual stablecoin transaction volume reached $33 trillion last year and that stablecoins now account for 30% of all onchain transaction volume. Those figures position Ripple Payments as infrastructure for firms that want faster settlement and simpler liquidity management.

The company also stressed its regulatory reach as part of the product pitch. Ripple said it holds more than 75 licenses globally, including a New York Department of Financial Services trust charter, and said that base allows it to move money on behalf of customers and work directly with banks and payment providers. Ripple added that the network runs on 51 real-time payment rails and is supported by more than 20 banking partners.

XRP Price Action Stays in FocusXRP price action remained Volatile on March 3 as traders weighed the product expansion against broader market conditions. Data showed XRP at about $1.37, down 2.3% over the previous 24 hours, with roughly $3.24 billion in daily trading volume and a market capitalization near $83.68 billion. The data showed XRP had still gained 1.2% over the past seven days, which pointed to continued participation despite the daily pullback.

Meanwhile, an XRP analyst noted that current price action may be following a 2017-style fractal pattern on the daily chart. The chart shared with the post projected a short sideways phase before a stronger move higher later in March. 

XRPUSD 1-Day Chart | Source: X

The analyst added that this setup could send XRP toward the $10 to $11 range if the pattern continues to track the historical structure.

TL;DR:

Veteran trader Bob Loukas describes the current technical structure as “horrendous” and suggests that the price is hanging by a thread. Despite optimism surrounding the halving, experts argue that the market is undergoing a bearish cycle hidden beneath ETF inflows. Technical projections set a price target near $49,000, which would represent a significant pullback. Recent statements by Bob Loukas have caused a tsunami in the crypto market. The analyst asserted that Bitcoin’s weekly chart warns of a drop toward levels not seen in months. While the crypto recovered briefly, the analyst—with three decades of experience—maintains that the asset’s visual configuration suggests extreme vulnerability to further corrections.

As deeply oversold as Bitcoin is, this weekly chart remains horrendous and from a purely visual perspective, feels like it's hanging on by a thread and readying for another big leg lower. pic.twitter.com/dvNwAeoyZ8

— Bob Loukas 🗽 (@BobLoukas) March 2, 2026 Furthermore, Loukas dismisses theories linking current behavior to the halving cycle, labeling these arguments as attempts by the community to ignore technical reality. He stated that the initial momentum was fueled by regulatory factors and exchange-traded funds, but the underlying trend remains predominantly bearish.

Risks of a 60% Retracement and Ichimoku Cloud Signals Loukas’s pessimistic view is supported by other renowned analysts, such as Tony Severino, who used advanced indicators to validate the risk of a major crash. In this regard, Ichimoku Cloud signals suggest that an additional decline of up to 66% is a statistical possibility that investors should not dismiss in the short term.

Consequently, if these veterans are correct, the price of the pioneer cryptocurrency could collapse to $49,000 per unit. This scenario would invalidate most of the bullish weekend predictions, forcing traders to re-evaluate their risk management strategies in the absence of clear support levels.

In summary, Bitcoin’s fate will depend on its ability to break the inertia of the bearish cycle that, according to Loukas, has been operating beneath the surface. Monitoring accumulation levels will be key to determining whether the asset can avoid the fateful $49k target and regain the confidence of institutional capital.

For years, the crypto industry has searched for its next defining breakout like DeFi summer or the NFT boom. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence has seamlessly integrated into everyday life. From developers using ChatGPT as a coding co-pilot to consumers relying on AI assistants for email drafting, travel planning, and workflow automation, AI adoption has surged. In contrast, blockchain technology still feels largely infrastructural and finance-focused.

Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol, believes that gap between AI and crypto is about to close — but not in the way many expect. According to Polosukhin, AI agents will become the primary users of blockchain networks. “AI is going to be on the front end, and blockchain is going to be the back end,” he explained, emphasizing that AI will serve as the interface layer while crypto operates behind the scenes.

Rather than interacting directly with wallets, blockchain explorers, or transaction hashes, users will rely on AI-powered agents to manage assets, execute payments, coordinate services, and even participate in DAO governance. In this model, blockchain infrastructure becomes invisible, acting as a neutral financial settlement layer that provides security, ownership, verifiability, and programmable incentives.

Polosukhin also criticized the crypto sector’s recent obsession with AI-themed tokens, memecoins, and speculative trading bots, arguing that such trends damage credibility and alienate serious AI developers. He believes blockchain’s true strength lies in powering neutral markets and trusted execution systems for AI-driven economies.

As AI systems increasingly handle financial decisions — from paying bills to allocating capital — they will require secure, decentralized financial rails. Polosukhin suggests that while blockchain is inherently financial, finance touches nearly every aspect of life.

If artificial intelligence becomes the operating system of the internet, blockchain may not be the application users see, but the invisible infrastructure enabling AI agents to transact, govern, and coordinate securely in a decentralized digital economy.

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As many publicly traded bitcoin miners pivot toward AI infrastructure investments, Trump family-backed American Bitcoin (ABTC) is reinforcing its commitment to large-scale bitcoin mining. The company announced Tuesday that it has purchased 11,298 new ASIC miners, a strategic move expected to increase its total mining capacity by approximately 12%.

The newly acquired ASIC mining machines are scheduled for delivery and deployment in March 2026 at ABTC’s Drumheller facility in Alberta, Canada. Once operational, the additional equipment is projected to add 3.05 exahashes per second (EH/s) to the company’s hashrate. Based on current bitcoin network data, this expansion would represent roughly 0.3% of the global bitcoin hashrate, further strengthening American Bitcoin’s position in the competitive crypto mining industry.

With the added hashrate, ABTC could potentially mine around 42 bitcoin per month, translating to an estimated 515 bitcoin annually. At a bitcoin price of approximately $68,000, this production level would generate about $2.9 million in monthly gross revenue, or nearly $35 million per year, before accounting for electricity costs, mining fees, and fluctuations in mining difficulty. These projections highlight the company’s long-term confidence in bitcoin mining profitability despite broader industry shifts toward artificial intelligence data centers.

Eric Trump, co-founder and chief strategy officer of American Bitcoin, emphasized the company’s strategic focus on domestic mining operations. He stated that as bitcoin continues to mature, building an American-owned and professionally managed hashrate is critical to protecting the network, fostering innovation, and ensuring U.S. leadership in the future of bitcoin.

While ABTC is doubling down on BTC mining infrastructure, its stock experienced short-term pressure, with shares falling 2.6% to $0.99 in Tuesday trading. Nonetheless, the expansion underscores American Bitcoin’s commitment to scaling its mining operations and maintaining a strong foothold in the evolving cryptocurrency mining landscape.

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War is burning across the Middle East. Oil prices are climbing. Stock markets in Asia have taken a hit. And yet, Bitcoin is still standing above $66,000 — a fact that has caught the attention of analysts keeping a close eye on the market.

Calm Where There Should Be Panic The group most closely watched during moments of market stress is what analysts call short-term holders — people who bought Bitcoin recently and are most likely to sell fast when things go wrong.

Based on reports from on-chain data platform CryptoQuant, that group has stayed unusually quiet. When Bitcoin slipped into the $63,000 to $64,000 range on Feb. 28, exchange inflows from recent buyers barely moved. No major wave of selling followed. No spike in coins being rushed to exchanges at a loss.

Bitcoin short-term holder profit and loss to exchanges. Source: CryptoQuant That was not the case earlier in February. Reports say that on Feb. 5-6, short-term holders sent 89,000 BTC to exchanges at a loss within a single 24-hour window. It was a clear panic event. Since then, those kinds of loss-driven transfers have been falling steadily — and the Iran escalation did not reverse that trend.

CryptoQuant analyst Moreno, who tracked the data, says this matters because markets tend to find their footing once the most nervous sellers have already exited.

If exchange inflows from short-term holders remain low, it could point to seller exhaustion and set the stage for a price recovery. A sudden jump in those inflows, however, would suggest the selling is not done.

BTCUSD now trading at $66,870. Chart: TradingView What History Says About War And Bitcoin This is not the first time Bitcoin has been tested by armed conflict. According to market analyst Ted Pillows, the pattern has played out twice before.

When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Bitcoin dropped — then surged 40%. When Israel struck Iran in June 2025, Bitcoin dipped again before gaining 25%.

Feb 2022: Russia attacked Ukraine.

▫️ $BTC dumped first and then rallied 40%.

June 2025: Israel attacked Iran.

▫️ Bitcoin dumped first and then rallied 25%.

Feb 2026: US attacked Iran.

Will a similar pattern follow again? pic.twitter.com/b8FLF4aR9p

— Ted (@TedPillows) February 28, 2026

Now, following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026, Bitcoin has once again pulled back. Pillows is now asking whether that same rebound pattern could follow a third time.

The current conflict is far larger than those earlier flashpoints. Reports say US-Israeli forces struck more than 2,000 targets across 131 Iranian cities and provinces, hitting nuclear sites, missile systems, and senior military figures, including Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Bitcoin Price Action Iran fired back with missiles and drones aimed at Israel, US bases, and multiple Gulf states. The war has dragged in Lebanon, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Cyprus, and a UK military base.

Bitcoin has dropped 3.5% since Feb. 26, bringing its price to $65,540. It briefly touched $63,030 on Feb. 28 before climbing back above $65,000.

Given the scale of what is happening on the ground, that kind of price movement is relatively contained.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Vitalik Buterin turned heads in his latest post, where he claimed Ethereum is the “wrong-shaped tool” to directly ease the world’s concerns. 

Buterin, who has been very vocal in recent months about Ethereum’s ideals, or at least, what he perceives them to be, is on X again, discussing the two most prominent worries from the past year. 

Vitalik’s on the two things worrying people the most  In his post, the two worries he highlighted were: 

The negative aspects of current world politics and concerns regarding AI risks. The “brute reality that Ethereum seems to be absent from meaningfully improving the lives of people.”  While “financial freedom and security” is critical, and would fix some things, Buterin claims it would leave the bulk of their deep worries about the world unaddressed. 

“It’s okay for individuals to laser-focus on finance, but we need to be part of some greater whole that has things to say about the other problems too,” he wrote before going on to discuss how the network is apparently a wrong-shaped tool. 

Buterin says Ethereum can’t save the world In his post, Buterin admits that Ethereum is the “wrong-shaped tool” for saving the world because beyond a certain point, “fixing the world implies a form of power projection that is more like a centralized political entity than like a decentralized technology community.” 

He suggested that the Ethereum community conceptualize itself as being part of an ecosystem building “sanctuary technologies.” 

“The goal is not to remake the world in Ethereum’s image,” Buterin wrote. “The goal is the opposite: it’s de-totalization.” 

He believes that Ethereum is built around properties that make it a poor fit for saving the world interventions. But according to him, that does not mean Ethereans do nothing either, because Ethereum has qualities that make it great for some things. 

Good examples of such things include creating open, unstoppable building blocks that individuals and small groups can use creatively to improve their own situations or create alternatives without needing a single person or entity to wield massive centralized power. 

The famous founder ended his post with a rousing call to action. “Ultimately, tech is worthless without users. But look for users, both individual and institutional, for whom sanctuary tech is exactly the thing they need,” he wrote.

Buterin and Ethereum Foundation go all in on DeFi  Buterin’s comments come days after he discussed DeFi being a central part of the services Ethereum provides. In that equally lengthy post, the popular founder also clarified that finance is not the only thing Ethereum is good for, even though it excels in that aspect. 

He pointed out that there is a specific vision of what he and the Ethereum Foundation want to see out of DeFi: that it is permissionless, open-source, and can pass the walkaway test. However, he also admitted that making that vision a reality will inevitably take a lot of work. 

Anthropic may have passed Buterin’s test Buterin has a long-running interest in ethical AI governance and alignment and has often spoken about the risks of dangerous AI in a world where privacy is no longer a luxury. 

In his recent post, he shared his two cents on the drama between Anthropic and the Department of Defense (DOD), pointing out how Anthropic had been maintaining the two red lines of “no fully autonomous weapons” and “no mass surveillance of Americans.” 

He seemed willing to reevaluate his opinions regarding Anthropic, but he said that for that to happen, the company would have to stand its ground against the US government demanding unfettered access to Claude for any military purposes. 

“IMO fully autonomous weapons and mass privacy violation are two things we all want less of, so in my ideal world anyone working on those things gets access to the same open-weights LLMs as everyone else, and exactly nothing on top of that,” Buterin wrote about the drama. 

Anthropic did hold its ground and has suffered for it. Trump has ordered federal agencies to stop using their tech, and Hegseth had them blacklisted as a supply-chain risk while the Pentagon cut ties. 

Despite the very public show by the US officials, Anthropic’s tech was apparently used in the Iran strikes over the weekend, according to reports.

Binance is witnessing a significant surge in XRP inflows, sparking concerns of a potential sell-off as volatility continues to shape sentiment across the broader cryptocurrency market. Recent on-chain data reveals that approximately 470 million XRP have been transferred to Binance over the past week, signaling a possible shift in investor behavior.

According to CryptoQuant data, the netflow of XRP from the XRP Ledger to Binance has reached an estimated $472 million. Large exchange inflows are often interpreted as a bearish indicator, as traders typically move assets to centralized exchanges when preparing to sell. Prominent XRP supporter STEPH IS CRYPTO highlighted the development, noting that such substantial deposits could precede increased selling pressure.

The XRP netflow metric remains a critical indicator for assessing market outlook. When exchange inflows rise sharply, it can suggest that both retail investors and whales are positioning themselves defensively amid uncertain market conditions. Current crypto market volatility has intensified this trend, with traders closely monitoring liquidity and price action.

Over the past week, XRP price has declined by 1.08%, settling at $1.36. This drop follows a brief recovery period during which the token erased a 4% drawdown within 24 hours. Despite this short-term rebound, negative trading volume signals weaker liquidity, raising further concerns about sustained downward pressure.

Market participants are now watching XRP exchange flows and broader crypto trends to gauge whether additional sell-offs may occur. As uncertainty continues to dominate the digital asset space, Binance XRP inflows could remain a key metric influencing short-term price direction and overall investor sentiment.

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XRP is showing early signs of recovery after a prolonged downtrend that pushed the asset toward the lower $1.30 range. The latest XRP price action indicates a potential stabilization phase, with the formation of a short-term rising support line and slightly higher lows. This shift has sparked speculation among traders about whether XRP can rally toward the $1.60 resistance level or if another decline remains likely.

Despite the recent bounce, the broader trend for XRP remains bearish. Major moving averages are still sloping downward and continue to act as dynamic resistance zones. Over the past several months, these technical levels have consistently capped recovery attempts, reinforcing ongoing selling pressure. For XRP to confirm a stronger bullish move, it must first sustain momentum above the critical $1.45–$1.50 resistance range and reclaim nearby moving averages.

The current XRP/USDT chart shows that short-term buyers are attempting to establish a base. Momentum indicators are no longer deeply oversold, and trading volume has stabilized compared to the sharp sell-off seen earlier. These technical signals suggest that downside pressure is easing, leaving room for a possible technical rebound.

However, a breakout toward $1.60 is not guaranteed. The $1.60 level represents a significant resistance cluster, aligning with key moving averages and previous breakdown zones. If XRP fails to hold its rising trendline support, renewed selling pressure could push the price back toward recent lows.

In the near term, consolidation between support and overhead resistance appears to be the most probable scenario. A decisive break above $1.50 accompanied by strong trading volume would significantly increase the chances of an XRP price rally toward $1.60. Without clear confirmation, XRP may remain range-bound or vulnerable to further downside.

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Bitcoin is attempting to rebuild short-term momentum after staging a strong recovery from the $63,000 level, which recently acted as a key demand zone following a sharp market sell-off. Buyers quickly stepped in around this area to prevent further downside acceleration, stabilizing the market and sparking a gradual recovery. Since that rebound, Bitcoin’s price has been steadily climbing, forming a tightening consolidation pattern just below the psychologically important $70,000 level.

If Bitcoin manages to hold above $65,000, the leading cryptocurrency may continue stabilizing and build a stronger foundation for another upward move. The recovery from $63,000 suggests that buyers remain active at lower levels, and the formation of higher lows indicates increasing short-term bullish pressure in the market. However, despite the improving structure, Bitcoin still trades below several key moving averages on the daily chart. The closest dynamic resistance currently sits at the 26-day exponential moving average (EMA), which traders are closely monitoring.

As Bitcoin’s price approaches this resistance once again, the current technical setup suggests a potential retest of the 26 EMA in the near term. A successful push above this level could further strengthen bullish momentum and attract additional buying interest. While the broader trend remains cautious, the gradual improvement in price structure shows that the market may be shifting toward a more optimistic outlook.

Trading volume has also played a crucial role in supporting Bitcoin’s recovery. The bounce from $63,000 was accompanied by a noticeable surge in trading activity, signaling genuine demand rather than a temporary move caused by thin liquidity. Since then, volume has generally remained supportive during upward price movements, which often strengthens the reliability of bullish breakouts.

The $70,000 level carries both technical and psychological significance for the cryptocurrency market. It aligns with a previous breakdown zone and marks the upper boundary of the current consolidation triangle. A decisive breakout above $70,000, especially if supported by rising volume, could trigger momentum-driven buying and short-covering activity. Such a move would likely shift overall market sentiment from defensive to cautiously optimistic as traders anticipate further upside potential for Bitcoin.

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SummaryBAE Systems remains fundamentally strong, but current valuations above 20x P/E are unjustifiable for long-term investors.Recent geopolitical events have driven short-term upside, yet I see profit-taking and sentiment-driven volatility as dominant forces.I raise the fair value to £13.5/share and the price target to £11/share ($58 ADR), but see no compelling upside at current prices.BAESY earns a 'Hold' rating due to stretched valuation, despite operational excellence and a well-covered dividend.I do much more than just articles at Wolf of Value: Members get access to model portfolios, regular updates, a chat room, and more. Learn More » VanderWolf-Images/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

It seems to be a theme for me to cover companies where I have to be honest and say "yes, I was positive on the company, held shares, BUT..." usually followed by me selling

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of RYCEF either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. 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.

While this article may sound like financial advice, please observe that the author is not a CFA or in any way licensed to give financial advice. It may be structured as such, but it is not financial advice. Investors are required and expected to do their own due diligence and research prior to any investment. Short-term trading, options trading/investment and futures trading are potentially extremely risky investment styles. They generally are not appropriate for someone with limited capital, limited investment experience, or a lack of understanding for the necessary risk tolerance involved. I own the European/Scandinavian tickers (not the ADRs) of all European/Scandinavian companies listed in my articles. I own the Canadian tickers of all Canadian stocks I write about. Please note that investing in European/Non-US stocks comes with withholding tax risks specific to the company's domicile as well as your personal situation. Investors should always consult a tax professional as to the overall impact of dividend withholding taxes and ways to mitigate these.

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PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR (PDD - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $100.71, moving -2.05% from the previous trading session. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.94% for the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.83%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 1.02%.

Shares of the company have depreciated by 0.61% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Retail-Wholesale sector's loss of 6.17%, and the S&P 500's loss of 1.3%.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR in its upcoming earnings disclosure. On that day, PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR is projected to report earnings of $2.88 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 4.35%. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $17.93 billion, indicating a 18.35% upward movement from the same quarter last year.

Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $10.48 per share and revenue of $61.14 billion. These totals would mark changes of -7.42% and +11.8%, respectively, from last year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for PDD Holdings Inc Sponsored ADR. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.

The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged. PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

With respect to valuation, PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 8.48. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 15.48, which means PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR is trading at a discount to the group.

We can additionally observe that PDD currently boasts a PEG ratio of 0.88. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The Internet - Commerce industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 0.94 as of yesterday's close.

The Internet - Commerce industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 164, positioning it in the bottom 34% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.

In the latest trading session, Lululemon (LULU - Free Report) closed at $174.27, marking a -1.08% move from the previous day. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.94%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.83%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 1.02%.

The athletic apparel maker's shares have seen a decrease of 1.63% over the last month, not keeping up with the Consumer Discretionary sector's gain of 1.25% and the S&P 500's loss of 1.3%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Lululemon in its forthcoming earnings report. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $4.74, signifying a 22.80% drop compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $3.6 billion, indicating a 0.33% downward movement from the same quarter last year.

For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $13.06 per share and a revenue of $11.07 billion, representing changes of -10.79% and +4.57%, respectively, from the prior year.

Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Lululemon should also be noted by investors. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), possesses a remarkable history of outdoing, externally audited, with #1 stocks returning an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.33% higher. Currently, Lululemon is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Looking at valuation, Lululemon is presently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 13.76. This represents a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 17.39.

Investors should also note that LULU has a PEG ratio of 11.1 right now. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. As the market closed yesterday, the Textile - Apparel industry was having an average PEG ratio of 2.15.

The Textile - Apparel industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 53, finds itself in the top 22% echelons of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.

Comfort Systems (FIX - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $1,391.16, moving -3.27% from the previous trading session. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.94%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.83%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 1.02%.

Prior to today's trading, shares of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning company had gained 22.27% outpaced the Construction sector's gain of 6.21% and the S&P 500's loss of 1.3%.

The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Comfort Systems in its upcoming release. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $7.01, signifying a 47.58% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $2.38 billion, up 30.11% from the prior-year quarter.

For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $37.01 per share and a revenue of $10.95 billion, demonstrating changes of +28.15% and +20.33%, respectively, from the preceding year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Comfort Systems. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.

Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 20.91% higher. Comfort Systems is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

In terms of valuation, Comfort Systems is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 38.86. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 26.15 of its industry.

The Building Products - Air Conditioner and Heating industry is part of the Construction sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 193, which puts it in the bottom 22% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Be sure to use Zacks.com to monitor all these stock-influencing metrics, and more, throughout the forthcoming trading sessions.

In the latest close session, Micron (MU - Free Report) was down 7.99% at $379.68. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.94%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.83%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 1.02%.

The chipmaker's stock has dropped by 5.74% in the past month, falling short of the Computer and Technology sector's loss of 4.34% and the S&P 500's loss of 1.3%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Micron in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to go public on March 18, 2026. In that report, analysts expect Micron to post earnings of $8.5 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 444.87%. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $18.87 billion, indicating a 134.29% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $33.79 per share and a revenue of $75.45 billion, signifying shifts of +307.6% and +101.86%, respectively, from the last year.

Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Micron. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 3% higher. Micron is holding a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) right now.

In terms of valuation, Micron is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 12.21. This denotes a discount relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 21.17.

The Computer - Integrated Systems industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 21, which puts it in the top 9% of all 250+ industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.