Market Signal Briefing

Bitcoin (BTC) is flashing a fresh “death cross” on its three-day chart, marking the bearish signal’s first appearance since June 2022.

Key takeaways:

BTC’s death cross raises the odds of a 35% average downside in March.

US Bitcoin ETFs have attracted over $458 million in daily inflows.

BTC/USD three-day price chart. Source: TradingViewPast BTC death crosses preceded 35% dropsA death cross pattern appears when the short-term 50-period moving average crosses below the longer-term 200-period moving average, and it has at times presaged further near-term weakness.

In 2022, for example, Bitcoin’s 50–200 MA crossover on the three-day chart came before a steep slide of about 50%, with BTC eventually bottoming near $15,480.

BTC/USD three-day price chart. Source: TradingViewIn total, BTC has formed a death cross three times before 2026. The average returns over the following one, three, and 12 months were around –35%, –20%, +30%, respectively.

Bitcoin averaged a drawdown of roughly 80% from its peak in those three cycles. As of March 2026, BTC had already dropped by about 50% since its record high of around $126,270 five months ago.

It suggests BTC is now entering “the most brutal part of the bear market,” per analyst Mister Crypto.

That view echoes market commentators who see Bitcoin eventually carving a bottom in the $30,000–$45,000 range.

Bitcoin ETFs attract $458.20 million despite Middle East turmoilUS spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $458.20 million in net inflows on Monday, according to Farside Investors data, signaling that dip-buying has returned after weeks of outflows.

US Bitcoin spot ETF cumulative flows. Source: Farside InvestorsThe inflows came as Bitcoin volatility spiked following a sharp escalation in the Middle East.

After US and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, Iran said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz and warned it would attack ships attempting to pass, raising fresh concerns about energy prices, supply chain stability, and shipping routes.

However, Arthur Hayes, the former BitMEX CEO, argued that this may eventually boost Bitcoin prices.

In a recent essay, Hayes said that prolonged US involvement could eventually push policymakers toward easier money.

He wrote that the longer US President Donald Trump engages in costly “Iranian nation-building,” the higher the chance the Fed “lowers the price and increases the quantity of money.”

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.

Veteran trader and author Bob Loukas, who has over 30 years of experience in financial markets and is known for his 60-day BTC cycle theory, shared a new Bitcoin price outlook on Monday. Unlike the wave of optimistic predictions that swept the crypto world over the weekend, Loukas’s analysis offered little reason for bullish sentiment.

In his latest analysis, Loukas notes that despite Bitcoin being deeply oversold, the weekly chart “remains horrendous.” From a purely visual standpoint, he says, the apex cryptocurrency seems to be “hanging by a thread,” hinting at the possibility of another significant drop. Loukas also set a gloomy price target of roughly $49,000 per BTC for the leading digital asset.

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 Bitcoin Price To Crash To $49,000? Responding to commenters who cited the business cycle indicator, Loukas dismissed it as the “biggest cope” in crypto. He also sees no evidence of a halving-driven rally, asserting that the upcoming halving is unrelated to Bitcoin’s current price action.

According to the pundit, early inflows were driven more by spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) developments, a pro‑crypto government stance, and regulatory shifts — but “beneath all of it, it has always been a bear cycle.”

Crypto prices are recovering from their worst weekend lows on Monday, mirroring a strong rebound in U.S. equity markets. Bitcoin has climbed to $69,343, gaining 5.4% in the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko data.

Advertisement  

The premier crypto currently remains roughly 25% above Loukas’s target. If his projections hold, this implies that from the October 2025 peak, BTC could potentially plummet by an eye-watering 60%.

Analyst Tony Severino echoed this bearish outlook, citing Ichimoku Cloud signals that suggest a further decline of 38% to 66% from current levels is almost certain.

‘Scam token’ case against Uniswap dismissed by U.S. district judge in NYCDistrict Judge says that due to the protocol’s decentralized nature, the identities of the scam token issuers are basically unknown, leaving plaintiffs with no identifiable defendant. Mar 3, 2026, 11:17 a.m.

A federal judge has dismissed a proposed class action lawsuit against Uniswap Labs, CEO Hayden Adams and several venture capital backers, ruling they cannot be held liable for alleged “rug pull” tokens traded on the decentralized exchange’s protocol.

In a ruling issued Monday by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Katherine Polk Failla threw out the remaining state law claims in Risley v. Universal Navigation Inc., the Brooklyn-based firm that operates Uniswap. after previously dismissing the plaintiffs’ federal securities claims. The decision effectively ends the case at the district court level.

The ruling is one of the first to specifically address whether developers and investors behind a decentralized protocol can be held liable under existing securities and state laws for tokens created and traded by third parties.

“Due to the Protocol’s decentralized nature, the identities of the Scam Token issuers are basically unknown and unknowable, leaving Plaintiffs with an identifiable injury but no identifiable defendant,” Failla wrote.

“Undaunted, they now sue the Uniswap Defendants and the VC Defendants, hoping that this Court might overlook the fact that the current state of cryptocurrency regulation leaves them without recourse, at least as to the specific claims alleged in this suit,” she added.

Irina Heaver, a UAE-based crypto lawyer, told CoinDesk “the dismissal signals that courts are beginning to engage more seriously with the realities of decentralization.”

By recognizing that a permissionless protocol governed by autonomous smart contracts is not the same as a centralized intermediary exercising control, the court drew an important distinction for DeFi, she explained.

“When code executes automatically and there is no discretionary control, liability cannot simply be reassigned to developers because bad actors misuse the infrastructure,” Heaver said. “The real question now is how this reasoning carries into criminal cases such as Tornado Cash. If decentralization is acknowledged as a structural reality, prosecutors will need to prove intent and control, not merely authorship of code.”

Brian Nistler, Uniswap’s head of policy, celebrated the ruling on X, calling it “another precedent-setting ruling for DeFi.” He highlighted what he described as his “favorite quote” from the case: “It defies logic that a drafter of a smart contract, a computer code, could be held liable … for a third party user’s misuse of the platform.”

The plaintiffs, a group of investors , claimed they lost an undisclosed amount of money after purchasing dozens of tokens on the Uniswap Protocol that they later described as scams. Because the token issuers were unidentified, the investors instead sued Uniswap Labs, the Uniswap Foundation, Adams and venture firms Paradigm, Andreessen Horowitz and Union Square Ventures.

Failla rejected the argument that the defendants could be held responsible simply for providing the infrastructure on which the tokens were issued and traded.

“Plaintiffs’ theories of liability are still predicated on Defendants having ‘facilitated’ the scam trades by providing a marketplace and facilities for bringing together buyers and sellers of Tokens,’” Failla wrote, concluding that the claims failed as a matter of law.

In an earlier dismissal of the federal claims, Failla said it “defies logic” to hold the drafter of a smart contract liable for a third party’s misuse of the platform — language that has been widely cited by decentralized finance advocates.

More For You

U.S. Senate housing bill includes CBDC ban

11 hours ago

The Senate Banking Committee's bipartisan "ROAD to Housing Act" includes a provision banning the Fed from issuing a CBDC before 2031.

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

X account @XRPwallets, which tracks XRP transactions, including those made by Ripple, has published a detailed report of where half of the billion XRP coins unlocked by the crypto giant last month were distributed.

The majority, according to the X post, was used for ETPs and other investments via major cryptocurrency trading platforms. Traditionally, Ripple releases one billion XRP during the first days of every new month and then locks around two-thirds of it back into escrow.

You Might Also Like

HOT Stories

Ripple's actual half-billion XRP release mapped@XRPwallets revealed that, in February, the San Francisco-based blockchain behemoth shifted approximately 309 million XRP to major cryptocurrency exchanges. Those coins eventually went to XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), XRP trusts and other investments. The largest XRP chunk was sent to Binance — 300 million. Five million XRP went to Bitgo and four million XRP to Coinbase.

Besides, Ripple transferred around 100 million XRP to various Ripple Pay (formerly known as ODL) corridors to support liquidity in those payment channels.

February 2026 Ripple Holdings/Escrow to External Tracking

▫️ [ETPs, Trust, Other Investments]
🔽300M XRP thru Binance
🔼5M Bitgo Init
🔼4M CB

🔼99.7985M XRP sent to ODL
corridor

🔽408.7986M Total Outbound (Not all Inclusive) 🚨🚨🚨 https://t.co/75C51V3XQc?from=article-links

— XRP_Liquidity (ETF 1Y 39.8B = Max 54.4B) (@XRPwallets) March 3, 2026 Since early 2018, Ripple has been unlocking one billion XRP and then locking around 700 million or 800 million XRP.

In March, Ripple also unlocked one billion coins. Earlier today, the aforementioned account reported that, in February, Ripple locked back 700 million XRP, and in March, it put back in escrow the same amount of crypto.

Ripple Escrowed XRP Relocked History

MAR - 700M XRP
FEB - 700M XRP
JAN - 700M XRP

2025

700M locked per month with exception of June 670M locked. Total unlocked 3.63B XRP

2024

800M locked per month with exception of NOV 530M locked. Total unlocked 2.67B XRP https://t.co/tlhMv12A0k?from=article-links

— XRP_Liquidity (ETF 1Y 39.8B = Max 54.4B) (@XRPwallets) March 3, 2026 Ripple sends 20 million RLUSD to GeminiIn an earlier tweet today, @XRPwallets also commented on Ripple recently minting a substantial amount of its stablecoin, RLUSD. According to @RL_Tracker, the crypto heavyweight minted two batches of RLUSD on Monday: 69,000,000 and 19,655,000 RLUSD. The former was the largest RLUSD mint ever made by Ripple.

@XRPwallets tracked the second one, saying that it was issued to a wallet that belongs to the Winklevosses' crypto exchange, Gemini. Apparently, this transaction was made as part of the collaboration between Ripple and Gemini (using Mastercard and WebBank) announced in November 2025.

The crypto exchange then intended to implement RLUSD settlements on the XRP Ledger for payments made with fiat bank cards. The first product of this collaboration was the Gemini XRP Credit Card.

That initiative was meant to ensure faster, more secure, transparent and compliant settlement within the conventional financial system.

Bitcoin miner Core Scientific (CORZ) expects to liquidate the majority of its bitcoin (BTC) holdings in 2026, with most of the sales likely occurring in the first quarter, as the company reallocates capital toward its expanding artificial intelligence and high-performance computing operations.

In its annual report filed Monday, the Nasdaq-listed miner said it “currently expects to monetize substantially all” of its bitcoin reserves this year to enhance liquidity and fund planned capital expenditures tied to its high-density colocation strategy.

The timing and size of sales, the company added, will depend on market conditions and cash requirements.

As of Dec. 31, 2025, Core Scientific held 2,537 BTC with a carrying fair value of $222 million, based on an average 2025 bitcoin price of $101,639.

The balance marked a sharp increase from 256 BTC at the end of 2024, reflecting a year in which the company retained most of its self-mined bitcoin production despite mounting capital commitments.

That accumulation phase is now reversing.

1,900 BTC already liquidated During its fourth-quarter earnings call, executives disclosed that Core Scientific had already sold just over 1,900 BTC in January for approximately $175 million, implying an average sale price near $92,000 per coin.

Following those transactions, the firm's holdings fell to fewer than 1,000 BTC, with roughly 630 BTC remaining, and management signaling it would continue to sell periodically.

Core Scientific CFO Jim Nygaard characterized the January sale as opportunistic, executed at prices well above current levels. CEO Adam Sullivan said its bitcoin mining is now “essentially in runoff,” with certain operations maintained primarily to satisfy minimum power commitments as legacy sites are converted to AI-focused colocation.

The company’s latest filing makes clear that treasury monetization is not incidental but central to its 2026 capital plan.

Core Scientific has been repositioning itself as a provider of high-density data center infrastructure designed to support AI and other compute-intensive workloads. Rather than regularly selling mined bitcoin to cover operating costs in 2025, the company built up its reserves nearly tenfold year over year. Now, those reserves are being tapped to finance the transition.

The strategy mirrors a broader shift among publicly traded miners seeking more stable, contracted revenue streams amid bitcoin price volatility and rising mining difficulty.

NYSE-listed bitcoin miner Cango recently sold 4,451 bitcoin for roughly $305 million to reduce leverage and support its AI expansion. Riot Platforms, another mining company, has directed substantial power capacity toward AI and high-performance computing initiatives, while TeraWulf has accelerated AI data center buildouts at its Lake Mariner and Texas sites. Bitdeer has also liquidated its bitcoin treasury to fund infrastructure growth, and CleanSpark, Bitfarms, and IREN have all outlined similar diversification plans in recent quarters.

In each case, companies are leveraging secured power capacity and existing data center footprints to pursue AI workloads, which can offer longer-term contracts and more predictable cash flow than bitcoin mining alone.

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

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

One of the project's co-founders weighed in on perhaps the hottest and most controversial part of Pi Network.

Tim Hakki

Web 3 Journalist

Tim Hakki

Part of the Team Since

Feb 2024

About Author

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

Has Also Written

Fact Checked by

CryptoNews Editorial Team

Author

CryptoNews Editorial Team

Part of the Team Since

Sep 2018

About Author

The CryptoNews editorial team is composed of seasoned writers specializing in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Their expertise ensures comprehensive, accurate, and insightful content for...

Has Also Written

Last updated: 

5 minutes ago

Iranian crypto exchange outflows spiked 700% to nearly $3 million immediately following coordinated US and Israeli military strikes, according to a blog post by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic.

The surge was detected on Iran’s largest exchange, Nobitex, suggesting a rapid flight to safety as users rushed to move assets off-platform and into overseas exchanges, in capital flight maneuvers that could be bypassing traditional banking systems.

This behavior signals acute distress in the local market, with capital potentially bypassing the domestic banking system entirely.

With the Iranian regime’s internet restrictions collapsing trading volumes by 80%, the value leaving exchanges indicates Iranian crypto speculation is over for now.

Key Takeaways:

Nobitex outflows surged 700% immediately after military strikes began. USDT trading pairs were suspended by central bank order, freezing liquidity. On-chain data shows 5.9% of volume is now linked to illicit or sanctioned activity. Iranian Exchange Outflow Deep Dive: 700% Spike Defies Volume Collapse Data from Elliptic reveals that net outflows on Nobitex, the country’s largest exchange, jumped 700% in the 48 hours following the strikes.

Source: EllipticThis massive exit occurred despite a wider collapse in market activity. Transaction volumes across Iranian platforms fell by roughly 80% between Feb. 27 and March 1 due to severe internet restrictions.

Bitcoin rebounded after the Iran strike shock, erasing losses quickly on global markets, but local Iranian traders did not wait for price discovery. They moved immediately to secure assets.

TRM Labs attributes the volume drop to “mechanical access limitations” rather than a collapse of market infrastructure. However, the simultaneous spike in withdrawals suggests that those who could access the network prioritized capital extraction over trading.

If these outflows sustain at current levels, domestic exchanges face a liquidity crisis. Users are effectively draining the order books, moving capital flow from centralized venues to decentralized wallets that are harder for local authorities to seize and harder for global regulators to track.

Discover: The best pre-launch crypto sales

USDT Sanctions Risk and Illicit Volume Signal: Is Tether the Next Target?The primary bridge for this capital flight is Tether (USDT). Recognizing this, Iran’s central bank directed major platforms, including Nobitex and Wallex, to temporarily suspend trading of the USDT/toman pair. This move effectively severed the main link between the domestic fiat currency and the global crypto economy.

Given its deep liquidity and dollar peg, USDT is the preferred vehicle for sanctions evasion and illicit flows

Source: EllipticThis concentration of risk draws a target on Iran’s crypto infrastructure. Global regulators, particularly OFAC, are increasingly sophisticated at mapping on-chain relationships between exchanges and sanctioned entities. The suspension of USDT pairs suggests Tehran is aware of the vulnerability.

If sanctions enforcement tightens on Tether rails, Iranian exchanges could be cut off from global liquidity pools entirely. This would force flows into less transparent, peer-to-peer shadow banking networks, complicating compliance for every major exchange worldwide.

Macro Implication: Failure of Control vs. Risk of IsolationThe situation presents a binary outcome for the region’s crypto market. If tensions escalate, the oil price impact from the Iran war could further devalue the rial, driving a second, more desperate wave of capital flight into crypto assets. This would likely trigger aggressive secondary sanctions from the U.S. targeting any protocol or platform facilitating these flows.

On the other hand, if internet restrictions ease and the central bank restores USDT pairings, the market may return to the “risk containment mode” observed by TRM Labs.

However, the 700% outflow spike has already signaled that confidence in domestic platforms is fragile.

The implications for global traders are clear: liquidity in the region is becoming increasingly toxic, and compliance firewalls need to be higher than ever.

Discover: The best meme coins in crypto

Bitcoin's price is down more than 20% during the past year as investors weigh AI disruptions and economic uncertainty. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF tracks the broad-market index and usually benefits regardless of which sectors of the economy are doing well.

Here’s How Much $1,000 Invested in Bitcoin in 2010 Is Worth Today Prefer us on Google

$1,000 in mid-2010 bought about 12,500 BTC at $0.08.At $68,900, that stash equals roughly $861.25 million today.Satoshi’s dormant 600,000–1.1 million BTC could total $41.3–$75.8 billion.Bitcoin is trading near $68,900, a level that reflects one of the most extraordinary wealth creation stories in modern financial history. But the real scale of that transformation becomes clear when looking back at 2010, when Bitcoin was still an obscure experiment trading for just a few cents.

So what would $1,000 invested in Bitcoin in 2010 be worth today?

The Math Behind a 2010 Bitcoin InvestmentIn mid-2010, Bitcoin traded for roughly $0.08 per coin. At that price, a $1,000 investment would have purchased approximately 12,500 BTC.

At today’s price near $68,900 per BTC, those 12,500 coins would now be worth $861,250,000. That means a $1,000 investment in Bitcoin in 2010 would be worth approximately $861 million today.

Even if purchased slightly later in 2010 at higher prices, such as $0.30, the return would still exceed $229 million. Few assets in history have delivered comparable long-term gains.

The Rise of Satoshi Nakamoto’s Net WorthThe same price appreciation has dramatically increased the theoretical net worth of Bitcoin’s anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.

Blockchain researchers estimate that Satoshi mined between 600,000 and 1.1 million BTC during Bitcoin’s first year. Much of this estimate comes from analysis of the so-called “Patoshi pattern,” identified by researcher Sergio Damian Lerner. The pattern isolates a distinct mining signature believed to be associated with Satoshi’s early activity.

At current prices, around $68,900:

600,000 BTC would be worth approximately $41.3 billion 1.1 million BTC would be worth approximately $75.8 billion That places Satoshi’s theoretical net worth among the wealthiest individuals in the world, at least on paper. In 2010, those same holdings would have been worth only tens of thousands of dollars. The scale of appreciation is unprecedented.

Renewed Attention on Satoshi’s WalletsInterest in Satoshi’s holdings recently resurfaced after a mysterious transaction sent 2.56 BTC, worth more than $180,000, to the Bitcoin genesis address.

Blockchain data shows that the genesis address now holds over 103 BTC. However, the original 50 BTC block reward from the genesis block is technically unspendable. Charles Hoskinson previously explained that the genesis block’s coinbase transaction was not added to Bitcoin’s global transaction database, making those coins permanently inaccessible.

Most of Satoshi’s estimated wallet addresses remain completely dormant. Researchers believe Satoshi controls more than 20,000 early mining addresses, many containing exactly 50 BTC, the original block reward amount.

None of these wallets has shown outgoing activity since their creation.

Why Satoshi’s Coins MatterIf even a small portion of Satoshi’s Bitcoin were ever moved, it would likely send shockwaves through the market. The prolonged inactivity has fueled speculation for over a decade, ranging from lost private keys to deliberate long-term silence.

At today’s valuations, Satoshi’s untouched holdings represent one of the largest dormant fortunes in financial history.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s rise from under $1 to nearly $69,000 highlights how early adoption and long-term conviction have defined the asset’s trajectory. A $1,000 investment in 2010 required belief in a system with no institutional backing, no exchange infrastructure, and virtually no mainstream awareness.

That same $1,000 today represents generational wealth.

Perspective on Early AdoptionBitcoin has experienced multiple drawdowns of 70% or more since 2010. The journey from cents to tens of thousands of dollars was far from smooth. Volatility, regulatory uncertainty, exchange failures, and macroeconomic shifts shaped its evolution.

Yet despite those cycles, the long-term trend remains one of exponential growth.

The comparison between a $1,000 retail investment and Satoshi’s early mining rewards underscores a broader truth. Bitcoin’s early years offered asymmetric upside rarely seen in financial markets. Whether such returns can be replicated remains an open question, but the historical performance remains unmatched.

As the market continues to watch Satoshi’s dormant wallets and Bitcoin’s long-term structure, one fact remains clear:

Few investments in history have transformed $1,000 into nearly a billion dollars.

How to Calculate Bitcoin Returns YourselfWhile the $1,000 example from 2010 highlights Bitcoin’s historic upside, investors can model different entry points using tools like CoinCodex’s Bitcoin profit calculator.

The calculator allows users to input a specific investment amount and date to see how much it would be worth today. It can also be used to estimate potential future returns based on different price scenarios. Whether analyzing past performance or exploring hypothetical outcomes, it provides a quick way to visualize Bitcoin’s volatility and long-term growth potential.

For example, users can compare how $1,000 invested in 2013, 2017, or 2020 would have performed, offering a perspective on how timing influences returns. The same tool can also model forward-looking scenarios if Bitcoin reaches new price milestones.

Of course, past performance does not guarantee future results. Bitcoin’s history includes multiple severe drawdowns alongside explosive rallies. Still, tools like the CoinCodex calculator help investors better understand both the upside potential and the risk profile of the asset.

Disclaimer

In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.

XRP Gears Up for a Breakout Battle at the 2 Billion Sell Wall — What’s Next for Price? Prefer us on Google

Whales absorbed 1.3B XRP just below a 2B token resistance wallETFs are in green as long-term holders quietly reduce active supplyHidden bearish signal lingers, but support at $1.27 still holdsXRP price has started March with renewed momentum. After bottoming near $1.27 on February 28, XRP rebounded nearly 12%, climbing to $1.43 before stabilizing around $1.36. Even so, the broader structure remains weak. The token is still down roughly 18% over the past 30 days.

Price is compressing inside a defined range. And directly above it sits a major obstacle: more than 2 billion XRP in supply clustered near $1.60. For the first time in months, however, ETF flows, long-term holder behavior, and whale accumulation are beginning to align beneath that wall. But before discussing breakout potential, we must address the risk.

Bearish Divergence Keeps XRP Trapped Inside Its RangeBetween February 6 and March 2, XRP formed a lower high on the daily chart. During the same period, the Relative Strength Index (RSI), a momentum indicator that measures the strength of price moves, formed a higher high. When price makes a lower high but RSI makes a higher high, this creates a hidden bearish divergence. It signals weakening structure and often appears before pullbacks.

That helps explain repeated XRP price movement between $1.43 and $1.27. Even the spike to $1.67 on February 15 was quickly sold into. Sellers stepped in aggressively. Momentum has not yet confirmed a breakout.

Hidden Bearish Sign: TradingViewWant more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

Yet despite this divergence, XRP has not broken below its range floor near $1.27. If momentum is on weak grounds, why is support holding? To answer that, we move beyond the chart.

ETF Inflows and Falling Liveliness Signal Conviction Is ReturningThe first shift in conviction is now visible in XRP’s own ETF data.

Exchange-Traded Funds reflect institutional participation. When net inflows are positive, capital is entering the asset. When flows slow, demand is fading. March 2026 has started with $6.97 million in net inflows. That may look modest, but context matters.

January recorded $15.59 million in inflows. February improved further to $58.09 million. Now, in just the first few days of March, XRP has already attracted nearly 45% of January’s total. That signals that institutional participation has not disappeared despite repeated price rejections.

XRP ETFs: SoSo ValueSo capital is entering.

At the same time, on-chain behavior is reinforcing this shift. XRP’s liveliness metric is declining. Liveliness measures the ratio of coins moved relative to total coins ever created. When liveliness rises, older coins are being spent. When it falls, long-term holders are likely to accumulate.

Since February 11, liveliness has dropped from 0.815 to 0.813. More importantly, liveliness is now closing in on the six-month-low. The last time it sat near these levels was mid-October, when XRP was trading above the $2.30 mark.

Liveliness: GlassnodeThe same behavior appears to be forming again. That decline suggests long-term holders are tightening supply instead of selling into strength. ETF inflows returning while older coins remain dormant creates a constructive combination.

Institutional money is entering, long-term holders are not selling, and Active supply is shrinking. That alignment suggests conviction may be rebuilding beneath the surface. But conviction alone does not break resistance. Breaking resistance requires size. That brings the focus directly to whale positioning.

Whales Accumulate under the 2 Billion Sell WallTwo major whale cohorts began accumulating on March 1. Addresses holding between 100 million and 1 billion XRP increased their balances from 7.39 billion to 8.59 billion XRP. And addresses holding between 10 million and 100 million XRP increased from 10.91 billion to 11.01 billion XRP. In total, they already added 1.30 billion XRP.

XRP Whales: SantimentThese are large entities capable of absorbing a heavy supply. Their accumulation is happening just beneath a major resistance cluster.

Cost basis distribution data shows approximately 2.00 billion XRP were accumulated between $1.58 and $1.60. Cost basis data reflects the average price at which holders acquired tokens. When price returns to these levels, many holders attempt to exit at breakeven if the conviction weakens. That creates selling pressure.

1st Cost Basis: GlassnodeThis explains February’s rejection near $1.67, close to the supply cluster zone. To push above $1.60, buyers must absorb more than 2 billion XRP in supply, which can only happen if whales join the party.

Now the structure becomes clear.

Institutional flows have started March strong, long-term holders are not selling, and whales are increasing exposure. Three forces are building beneath one wall.

One Level Decides Whether the XRP price Breaks Out or Stays StuckFor immediate strength, the XRP price must first close above $1.43 and $1.48 to escape consolidation. The decisive level, however, remains $1.60-$1.61.

A daily close above $1.61 would signal that the 2 billion XRP supply cluster has most likely been absorbed, or the selling didn’t happen that aggressively. If that happens, XRP could extend toward $1.70 and potentially $2.16 in a stronger breakout scenario.

On the downside, $1.27 remains critical. Cost basis data shows roughly 443 million XRP accumulated between $1.27 and $1.28.

Key Support Cluster: GlassnodeThat cluster has repeatedly defended the price. If $1.27 breaks, XRP could revisit $1.11.

XRP Price Analysis: TradingViewUntil one of these levels gives way, the XRP price remains locked between compression and expansion. March has started strong. Now the breakout battle begins.

Disclaimer

In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.

Tue, 3/03/2026 - 10:03

Cred, author of "Technical Roundup" YouTube channel and popular trader, explained why $71,000 is the most important line to watch for Bitcoin right now, and what he will be doing once the current market situation resolves.

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

Well-known trader Cred, creator of the Technical Roundup channel, shared on X his updated view on Bitcoin’s price today, outlining what he sees as the defining level for BTC in the current market structure. According to him, $71,000 now stands as the most important threshold, effectively framing the next major directional move.

Bitcoin makes it to $70,000, but no rally yetAs he describes it, this is the most relevant level on the monthly and weekly time frames. In his usual sarcastic manner, Cred writes that if Bitcoin moves up from here, he will pretend he was in a long. And if it meets rejection, he will lie and say he had a short open the whole time. 

Bitcoin Price Outlook by Cred, Source: XJokes aside, the message is clear. For Bitcoin, this level acts as a line in the sand, dividing continued downside pressure from a breakout attempt and a shift into a local bullish phase.

HOT Stories

As for Bitcoin itself, yesterday’s gain of more than 4.5% did not turn into a full-fledged rally, and at the $70,096 mark, BTC met selling pressure. Today, it is already trading below $67,000.

You Might Also Like

What is important, however, is that the move to the $70,000s marked the first time in two weeks, since Feb. 16, that BTC traded in that area. As we can see, it was immediately met with a sell-off.

Now, trading at $67,000, the price action on the BTC chart looks like a bearish retest before a further move lower. Until the level outlined by the analyst is broken, talking about any kind of rally like yesterday’s is premature.

Related articles

On Monday, March 2, 2026, the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) announced that Hidden Road is now live on the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC).

DTCC announcement of Hidden Road. Source: X

As such, former Ripple Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz signaled its importance to the Ripple ecosystem.

“Seems important,” Schwartz replied to the announcement on X.

The Ripple community will be celebrating Hidden Road going live on DTCC’s NSCC as a sign of mainstream adoption of XRP Ledger (XRPL). Furthermore, Hidden Road will now process Over the Counter (OTC) trades through NSCC’s centralized setup.

The listing of Hidden Road in DTCC’s NSCC directly is seen as a major milestone in the integration of blockchain technology with the United States financial clearing system. Notably, Ripple Prime processes trillions of dollars per year, which is gradually being integrated into the Ripple ecosystem as Ripple Prime.

The expected impact on XRP The XRPL ecosystem including XRP and Ripple USD (RLUSD) remains the primary focus of Ripple Labs, according to Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse. Worth noting that Ripple acquired Hidden Road for $1.25 billion in 2025 to catalyze the mainstream adoption of XRPL and RLUSD to institutional investors.

With Hidden Road having grown to a major prime brokerage, clearing, and financing platform, Ripple Labs is well-positioned to revolutionize the FX market. Consequently, Ripple Labs is keen to tokenize real-world assets (RWA) on XRPL and facilitate seamless FX trading through Ripple Prime, which is now live on NSCC.

Ultimately, Ripple Prime going live on DTCC’s NSCC will catalyze the macro bullish outlook for XRP, as revealed by X users @SMQKEDQG. At press time, XRP price traded around $1,35, having dropped about 18% in the past 30 days, catalyzed by the low retail demand and the notable drop in its Open Interest (OI).

Nearly 4 out of 10 altcoins are now trading near their all-time lows. CryptoQuant author Darkfost dropped the data, and the numbers are hard to ignore. At 38%, this is the largest altcoin regression observed during this entire cycle, surpassing even the aftermath of FTX's collapse in 2022, when the metric hit 37.8%.

Japan’s prime minister says she has no knowledge of or involvement in a Solana-based meme token that briefly reached a $27.7 million market cap before tumbling. Mar 3, 2026, 10:24 a.m.

Japan’s economic security minister Sanae Takaichi said she has “absolutely no knowledge” of a Solana-based meme token bearing her name, after the cryptocurrency briefly surged to a market capitalization of around $30 million million.

“I have heard that a cryptocurrency called SANAE TOKEN has been issued and is being traded to some extent,” Takaichi wrote on X. “Due to the name, it seems there are various misunderstandings, but regarding this token, I have absolutely no knowledge of it, nor has my office been informed about what this token entails. We have not given any approval whatsoever in this matter.”

Her statement came after the token reached a market capitalization of $27.72 million before falling back to around $6 million. Onchain data cited by Wu Blockchain showed that the top three addresses held roughly 60% of the token’s supply, with several leading wallets recording notable inflows.

This is not the first time a memecoin inspired by a political figure has caused a stir, with the LIBRA token initially framed as being backed by Argentina president Javier Milei, leading to political turmoil.

Takaichi said she issued her statement “to ensure that the public does not labor under any misapprehensions,” distancing herself and her office from the project.

More For You

Tether taps Deloitte for first USAT reserve report

1 hour ago

The report is a third-party attestation, which provides a snapshot of reserves at a specific point in time, rather than a full audit of the company's finances.

What to know:

Tether has released its first reserve report for its new U.S.-regulated stablecoin, USAT, which was reviewed by Deloitte and shows $17.6 million in reserve assets backing 17.5 million tokens.The report is a third-party attestation, which provides a snapshot of reserves at a specific point in time, rather than a full audit of the company's finances.The USAT token is designed to comply with new U.S. regulations, and Tether's stablecoin sector is growing rapidly, with a total market capitalization now over $315 billion, led by Tether's USDT and Circle's USDC.

A proposal circulating in the XRP Ledger (XRPL) community is aiming at one of crypto’s most entrenched trading businesses: options.

The idea is to build a purpose-built XRPL sidechain that feels “Hyperliquid-like,” a venue designed for exchange-grade execution, then connect that activity back to the XRPL base layer through bridging.

In the proposal’s document, Hyperliquid has shown that a dedicated chain can bootstrap deep derivatives liquidity if it gets the execution engine, risk controls, and incentives right.

This move is notable because it signals a broader shift in how parts of the XRPL ecosystem may compete in decentralized finance.

Instead of trying to match general-purpose DeFi ecosystems app-for-app, the network and its developers want to focus on a specialized financial primitive where market structure matters more than breadth.

In this case, that primitive is derivatives, and more specifically, options.

Why the timing mattersThe backdrop is a derivatives market that has become one of crypto’s biggest liquidity battlegrounds.

Data from CoinGecko estimates that the total perpetual futures trading across centralized and decentralized venues reached $92.9 trillion in 2025, while Perp DEX volume jumped 346% to $6.7 trillion.

That level of growth has altered the strategic map for blockchains that once sat outside the core DeFi conversation. If a network can host the flow, it can capture the fees, the users, and a larger share of market relevance.

Hyperliquid has become the clearest example of that shift.

By focusing on a trading-centric stack, including tight execution, coherent risk design, and an order book model that feels familiar to exchange users, it has grown into one of the sector’s most important on-chain venues.

DefiLlama’s data show Hyperliquid posting hundreds of billions in 30-day perpetual futures volume, billions in open interest, and tens of millions in rolling-month earnings.

Hyperliquid's Key Metrics (Source: DeFiLlama)That is the template the XRPL proposal is borrowing from, even though it targets a different corner of the derivatives market.

The more important point is strategic. A successful trading venue does not need to be all things to all users. It needs to solve a narrow but valuable problem better than rivals do.

For XRPL, the proposal suggests the opportunity may lie less in chasing general DeFi composability and more in building a derivatives venue where execution quality and liquidity depth define the product.

The XRPL sidechain focuses on options, not perpetualsThat distinction matters because perpetual futures are already crowded. Options are not.

However, liquidity in crypto options remains heavily centralized, with Coinbase-owned Deribit widely viewed as the dominant venue. The company claims to account for about 85% of the $40 billion BTC and ETH options activity.

Bitcoin Options Open Interest Market (Source: CoinGlass)That concentration reinforces itself. Market makers cluster where the order flow is deepest, and order flow gravitates to the venues with the tightest spreads and the most dependable liquidity.

The XRPL sidechain pitch is trying to wedge into that structure by emphasizing features that are less common in crypto-native options products.

One of the main differentiators is support for American-style options, which can be exercised before expiry. Much of the crypto options market, especially on centralized platforms, is built around European-style exercise at expiry.

That distinction will not matter to every trader, especially at launch. But it does matter for some hedging and structured strategies, and it gives the proposal a more TradFi-like profile.

For an ecosystem that has spent more time building payment rails than derivatives infrastructure, that is part of the point.

The proposal also makes clear that this is not meant to be a low-risk testing ground, as it includes margin functionality and leverage of up to 200x.

In practical terms, that means the proposal is not describing a cautious options sandbox.

It describes a high-performance venue that would compete for serious derivatives traders, the kind who care about execution speed, reliability, and capital efficiency as much as they care about product design.

That is where the opportunity becomes real, but so does the difficulty.

Risk engines and liquidity are the real testBuilding a derivatives sidechain is easier to describe than to operate because two hard problems sit at the center of any serious derivatives venue.

The first is the risk engine. Options and leveraged trading require consistent mark pricing, dependable oracles, liquidation systems, and margin models that hold up under stress.

If American-style exercise is part of the design, the venue also has to handle assignment and exercise edge cases cleanly.

These are not back-office details. In volatile markets, they become the product.

Trading systems rarely fail in a contained way. If a venue misprices risk, freezes during sharp moves, or cannot process liquidations reliably, traders and market makers can quickly lose confidence.

That is one reason Hyperliquid’s success has mattered so much. It not only offered throughput but also provided a cohesive trading experience that persuaded liquidity to stay.

The second problem is liquidity concentration. Derivatives markets tend to be winner-take-most as traders care about spreads, depth, and uptime.

A new venue can launch with sophisticated technology and still remain irrelevant if it cannot attract market makers and enough two-way flow.

CryptoSlate Daily Brief

Daily signals, zero noise.Market-moving headlines and context delivered every morning in one tight read.

5-minute digest 100k+ readers

Free. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.

You’re subscribed. Welcome aboard.

That makes the XRPL proposal as much a distribution and credibility challenge as a technical one.

In that sense, the sidechain pitch is not simply about copying Hyperliquid’s architecture.

It is about replicating the flywheel that made Hyperliquid matter in the first place: execution quality leads to liquidity, liquidity improves execution, and stronger execution draws more flow.

Meanwhile, the XRPL sidechain would rely on a trust-minimized bridge design using XPOP-style proofs and a high validator-signature threshold of around 80%.

That is a strong safety posture on paper, but it also turns validator coordination into a first-order operational issue. High thresholds may reduce certain attack surfaces, but they can also create liveness risk if validators do not participate consistently or if coordination becomes a bottleneck.

For many blockchain applications, that would be a manageable inconvenience. For a derivatives venue, it is a far more serious problem.

Downtime during calm conditions is one thing. However, downtime during a liquidation cascade is something else entirely.

A platform promising a Hyperliquid-like trading experience is implicitly promising reliable operations when markets are disorderly, not just when they are quiet.

XRPL’s compliance tooling could shape the betThe proposal arrives as XRPL has been building more explicit compliance-oriented primitives.

In recent months, the XRPL has implemented institutional-facing features like the Permissioned Domains and DEXs.

While it is unclear whether or not this option's sidechain is explicitly designed for permissioned liquidity pools, the broader direction is increasingly clear: XRPL is building tools that could support open infrastructure with segmented access layered on top.

That matters in derivatives, where regulatory and compliance scrutiny tends to be intense, especially for retail-facing, high-leverage products.

One plausible long-term design is not a purely permissionless venue or a purely closed one, but a structure that can support permissionless experimentation alongside permissioned institutional pools.

That would fit more naturally with XRPL’s existing identity than a direct attempt to become a general-purpose DeFi chain.

In light of this, the commercial opportunity that the options market provides is large enough to make the attempt worth watching.

Using DefiLlama’s rolling-month metrics for Hyperliquid, a rough implied take rate on volume lands in the low single-digit basis points range.

On that basis, a niche venue on XRPL would generate $0.1 billion to $1 billion in rolling 30-day derivatives volume, translating into tens to a few hundred thousand dollars a month.

However, a venue that reaches $10 billion to $50 billion in rolling 30-day volume could generate low single-digit millions to low tens of millions per month under similar assumptions.

Meanwhile, the bigger prize would come later. Deribit has reported hundreds of billions in annual options volume in recent year-end updates.

Capturing even 1% to 5% of that notional would represent a meaningful business, but only if the platform can keep spreads tight and systems dependable through volatile periods.

So, if the proposal advances from concept to testnet with credible specifications, audits, validator participation, and early liquidity programs, it would amount to a serious attempt to reposition XRPL in one of crypto’s most competitive arenas.

Mentioned in this articlePosted in

Versan Aljarrah of Black Swan Capitalist is making a broader case for XRP than the usual market-cycle prediction. In a X post titled How XRP Becomes a Global Reserve Asset, he argues that XRP’s long-term role is not limited to payments or bridge liquidity, but could extend to becoming a neutral settlement layer inside a digitized global financial system.

Aljarrah’s central point is that the XRP debate has been trapped in the wrong frame. “The conversation around XRP is usually clouded by speculation and price predictions,” he wrote. “But beneath all the noise lies a far more fascinating story, one that bridges regulation, sovereign integration, and institutional recognition at the highest levels of global finance. The true potential for XRP isn’t just as a payments token or bridge asset. It’s a foundational layer in a digitized financial order where liquidity, interoperability, and neutrality are all that matter.”

How XRP Becomes A Global Reserve Asset That thesis rests on three pillars. “To understand how XRP evolves into a global reserve asset, there are a few pillars that must align, sovereign adoption, regulatory clarity, and institutional recognition, which ultimately comes from the IMF,” Aljarrah wrote. In his telling, the process starts with nation-state usage rather than market enthusiasm.

He argues that reserve assets derive legitimacy from official acceptance, not price action. “Before any asset can become a global reserve instrument, it first needs sovereign legitimacy,” he wrote. “Reserve assets, whether gold, the US dollar, or Electronic Special Drawing Rights (ESDRs) derive their credibility not from market speculation but from their acceptance and usage by nation-states.”

From there, Aljarrah shifts to how XRP could fit into cross-border finance, especially for countries looking to reduce dependence on dollar-based settlement systems. “Emerging markets are all exploring blockchain-based solutions to improve liquidity, reduce costs, and stabilize their currencies,” he wrote.“For nations with volatile or dollar-dependent economies like the BRICS, XRP’s design presents a unique advantage as a neutral settlement bridge, meaning it can connect local currencies without forcing countries into the geopolitical influence of the military-industrial complex that comes with the dollar-based system.”

That leads into one of the strongest claims in the thread. “Therefore, it is not a matter of ‘if,’ but ‘when’ nations begin leveraging XRP to solve monetary inefficiencies,” Aljarrah said. “Countries all over the world have already integrated XRP into their payment rails and are already using it for cross-border settlements. That sets the stage for global institutional acknowledgment.”

The next phase, in his view, is legal clarity. Aljarrah points to the CLARITY Act as a turning point because it could make XRP more accessible to institutions and sovereigns if Ripple’s influence over supply is reduced far enough.

“By reducing its holdings, Ripple effectively decentralizes its influence over XRP, making it legally neutral, non-sovereign, and globally accessible, requirements for an asset to achieve reserve and settlement status,” he wrote. “Once Ripple’s holdings fall under the Clarity Act’s compliance thresholds, institutional adoption accelerates, and sovereign nations can hold and transact with XRP without triggering securities laws.”

Only after those two conditions are met does Aljarrah bring in the IMF. He argues that in a tokenized financial system, XRP could begin to resemble a programmable reserve settlement instrument. “Once integrated as a reserve asset, the valuation of XRP would be determined by its settlement utility, liquidity depth, and transaction output within a network of sovereign participants and multilateral institutions such as the BRICS,” he wrote.

“This is probably the most important piece because price discovery would shift from noise to institutional liquidity corridors, where value reflects the asset’s function in global settlement operations. In essence, XRP’s price would be measured by how much value it moves.”

Aljarrah closes by framing XRP less as a speculative crypto asset and more as infrastructure. “This isn’t just about XRP, it’s about the transition from a centralized, dollar-dominated financial order to a multipolar, interoperable system powered by digital assets, infrastructure, and neutral settlement technologies,” he wrote.

For readers following the XRP story, the message is clear: this is not a near-term trading thesis, but a long-horizon argument about reserve status, monetary plumbing and the future architecture of global liquidity.

At press time, XRP traded at $1.3576.

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

TLDR PI cryptocurrency reached an all-time low of $0.13 in February before staging a 60% rally to $0.2056 The network is progressing through a significant protocol upgrade to v22/v23, with four phases remaining More than 16 million Pioneers have successfully completed the KYC migration, aided by new AI verification tools Blockchain analysis reveals Pi Core Team wallets transferring substantial PI token amounts to exchange-associated addresses The token currently trades near $0.17, facing resistance at $0.20 with critical support at $0.12 if the $0.15 level fails PI cryptocurrency is currently changing hands around $0.17 following a dramatic rebound from February’s historic bottom. The digital asset plummeted to $0.13 before surging 60% to reach $0.2056. Since touching that peak, prices have retreated.

PI Network (PI) Price The rally has encountered significant headwinds. Blockchain analytics reveal that addresses associated with the Pi Core Team have transferred substantial quantities of PI tokens to exchange-connected wallets within the last 48 hours.

Such transactions often indicate potential selling activity. When major token holders liquidate positions, it creates downward pressure by consuming available buy orders and establishing price ceilings.

Source: PI Scan The timing has sparked concern among community members. More than 35 million participants mined PI using mobile devices throughout the project’s initial phase, with many enduring extended wait periods for the Open Mainnet deployment.

Protocol Enhancement Continues Pi Network is currently implementing a comprehensive protocol enhancement targeting v22 and ultimately v23. The team has successfully completed two of six scheduled upgrade stages.

Pi Network ($PI) Trade Setup/Idea$PI is steady at $0.168 following the activation of Protocol 19.9, which brings the network one step closer to its Open Mainnet launch. This technical upgrade is fueling speculation, keeping the price pinned against the $0.18 resistance level. A… pic.twitter.com/SreSe4CJFU

— Altcoinpedia (@altcoinpediax) March 2, 2026

The outstanding phases are projected to conclude by April. This enhancement aims to strengthen developer resources, accelerate transaction processing, bolster security measures, and expand network capacity.

Traditionally, cryptocurrencies experience price volatility surrounding significant technical implementations. Whether this pattern emerges depends partly on whether distribution pressure diminishes.

Validator compensation is scheduled for distribution this month. Rewards will be calculated based on validator effectiveness, transaction volume processed, and contributions to network stability.

Identity Verification Advancement and Platform Innovations More than 16 million Pioneers have successfully navigated the KYC migration requirements. The development team has integrated advanced AI technology to accelerate the verification workflow.

Pi Network’s technical team has suggested plans for a KYC-as-a-Service platform, positioning PI as a competitor to established projects including Worldcoin and Humanity Protocol.

Critical Price Zones Under Watch PI is currently consolidating around $0.17. Technical analysts note that the $0.20 threshold has transitioned from a support level to a resistance barrier.

Source; TradingView The Relative Strength Index registers near 40, indicating subdued bullish momentum. A decisive break above $0.20 accompanied by elevated trading volume would challenge the current bearish configuration.

Should the $0.15 support zone fail, the subsequent major support level lies at $0.12. This would represent a substantial decline from PI’s peak valuation.

Daily chart analysis shows the cryptocurrency attempting to break above the Ichimoku cloud formation. The Supertrend indicator has shifted from bearish to bullish, while price action tests the 50-day moving average.

A sustained breakout beyond $0.2056 could establish a trajectory toward $0.25, according to prevailing chart patterns.

Currently, PI trades in the $0.17 range, with the immediate price challenge focused on breaching the $0.20 resistance threshold.

Core Scientific sells $175 million in bitcoin as AI pivot acceleratesCORZ still holds under 1,000 BTC but look to "remain opportunistic" moving forward. Mar 3, 2026, 8:53 a.m.

Core Scientific (CORZ), a bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure company, sold just over 1,900 bitcoin in January for approximately $175 million, according to CORZ Q4 earnings call.

The sale implies an average price of about $92,100 per BTC, about 35% higher than today's $67,000 current price, as it accelerates its shift toward AI focused data center operations.

Chief Financial Officer Jim Nygaard said on the Q4 call the company “we also opportunistically sold just over 1,900 bitcoin for approximately $175 million,” adding, “at this time, we hold under 1,000 bitcoin and expect to remain opportunistic going forward.”

On Dec. 31, 2025, the company held 2,537 BTC with the latest sale bringing its tally to around 630 BTC.

Management has made clear that bitcoin mining is no longer the long term focus. CEO Adam Sullivan described the mining segment as “essentially in runoff,” with operations maintained primarily to meet minimum power draw requirements while legacy sites are converted into colocation facilities supporting AI and high performance computing workloads.

Core Scientific ended the year with approximately $530 million in liquidity and highlighted up to $4 billion in potential financing tied to its 590 megawatt CoreWeave contract at stabilization, underscoring that BTC sales are being used to fund AI infrastructure expansion rather than rebuild mining capacity.
Core Scientific missed fourth quarter expectations, reporting $79.8 million in revenue versus $122.08 million consensus and a loss of $0.42 per share compared with estimates for a $0.08 loss.

The shift reflects a broader industry pivot away from pure bitcoin mining toward AI and data center infrastructure, with MARA Holdings (MARA) striking a deal with investment firm Starwood, Riot Platforms (RIOT) selling roughly $200 million of bitcoin in the final two months of 2025, and both Cipher Digital (CIFR) and Bitfarms (BITF) rebranding to emphasize AI and HPC exposure.

More For You

Bitcoin falls below $67,000 as U.S. equities slide and oil pushes higher

40 minutes ago

Risk off sentiment builds ahead of Tuesday’s open, with investors moving into the dollar and watching energy markets amid ongoing Middle East tensions.

What to know:

Risk assets retreat, with bitcoin down more than 2.5%, QQQ off 1% pre market, and crypto equities including Strategy, Coinbase, and Galaxy Digital falling around 2%.Defensive positioning builds as the dollar index climbs above 99 and Treasury yields push toward 4.1%, while oil holds firm above $74 amid ongoing geopolitical tension.

📊
No votes yet – Be the first to vote

Bitcoin shot to $70,125 on Coinbase late Monday night, marking a wild climb before hitting serious resistance around the same levels traders saw back on February 25. By early Tuesday morning, Bitcoin had dropped back to $68,000 during Asian trading hours, but the damage was done – crypto markets had basically flipped from panic mode to euphoria in less than 24 hours.

Crypto analyst ‘Bull Theory’ called it an “insane reversal” in the markets, pointing out how fast things shifted from pure fear after US futures opened Sunday night. The guy’s been tracking these moves for years, and even he seemed surprised by the speed. Markets had been bracing for chaos, but instead got a relief rally that caught most traders off guard. “Markets don’t hate bad news; they hate uncertainty,” Bull Theory said, noting how the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei actually gave investors some clarity they’d been missing.

Stock and crypto markets both bounced hard.

Despite all the geopolitical mess brewing in the Middle East, Bitcoin pretty much ignored traditional safe-haven plays and did its own thing. Macro outlet Milk Road jumped on the narrative, saying Bitcoin’s strength during stress could really boost its “digital gold” story. That’s the kind of talk that gets institutions interested, especially when gold and bonds aren’t performing like they used to. Fundstrat’s Tom Lee went even further, predicting March would be positive for stocks overall, drawing parallels to how markets reacted during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Back then, markets initially tanked but then rallied 40% once the shock wore off.

Analyst ‘CrediBull Crypto’ made a pretty solid point about panic-selling, saying it typically leads to people dumping at the worst possible moment. Sounds familiar – that’s exactly what happened in 2022 when everyone was freaking out about the war.

But here’s where things get interesting. CryptoQuant’s ‘Moreno’ noticed something different about sell-side pressure – it’s basically disappeared. Recent buyers aren’t panicking like they used to, even with all the Iran tensions floating around. No significant exchange inflows from short-term holders, which usually means people are about to dump their coins. Instead, these holders are just sitting tight, waiting things out rather than making emotional trades.

The market rally brought some wild sentiment swings too. Santiment reported a huge surge in positive vibes, even as Bitcoin was grinding toward $65,000 earlier in the day. The whole Iran-Israel-US conflict thing had markets on edge, but Bitcoin managed to pull off a 7% rally to $69.9K before smacking into that $70K wall again. Pretty impressive considering all the fear floating around. See also: Bitcoin Crashes 23% in Worst Quarter.

Crypto market cap jumped 2.6% to $2.42 trillion, mostly thanks to Bitcoin dragging everything higher. Ethereum also pushed past $2,000, though altcoins didn’t really join the party – they’re still lagging behind the big players.

And the geopolitical stuff? Still a wildcard for future moves.

Santiment’s data showed something pretty weird happening with social sentiment. As Bitcoin approached those critical resistance levels around $70K, discussions about the Iran-Israel-US conflict actually intensified on social media. So you had this perfect storm of market technicals meeting geopolitical drama, creating the kind of volatility that either makes traders rich or breaks them completely. The timing wasn’t coincidental – when Bitcoin threatened to drop below $65,000 on March 2, positive sentiment surged and helped push the price back up. Within just over two hours, Bitcoin rallied 7%, showing how fast this market can flip when conditions align.

Bitcoin and Ethereum led the charge, but most altcoins barely moved. Shows you how much Bitcoin still controls the overall market direction. Traders are basically watching Bitcoin’s every move to figure out what comes next, especially with all this geopolitical uncertainty hanging over everything.

‘Bull Theory’ hammered home the psychology angle during these volatile periods. “It’s crucial to recognize how quickly sentiment can change,” the analyst said on March 3. That sentiment shift was pretty obvious as Bitcoin moved from $65,000 to nearly $70,000 in just a few hours. The speed of these moves in crypto markets still catches traditional traders off guard – they’re used to slower, more predictable patterns. More on this topic: Bitcoin Crashes to , 000 as.

CryptoQuant’s data from the same day showed Bitcoin transfers to exchanges actually decreased, which is usually what happens before people sell. But instead of selling, holders are keeping their coins despite all the geopolitical risks. That’s a sign of growing confidence, or maybe just stubbornness. Hard to tell the difference sometimes in crypto.

Ethereum hitting $2,000 was significant because it marked a recovery from previous declines. The correlation between Bitcoin and Ethereum continues to be a major factor for traders trying to read market health. When Bitcoin moves, Ethereum usually follows, though not always in the same proportion.

March 2’s market activity got even more interesting when Santiment reported that “huge surge in positive sentiment” happened right as Iran tensions were heating up. Instead of running scared, crypto investors seemed to focus more on market dynamics than geopolitical drama. That’s either really smart or really naive, depending on how things play out.

‘CrediBull Crypto’ drew comparisons to previous geopolitical events on March 3, saying the market’s quick recovery from initial panic shows it’s getting more mature. The 40% climb after the 2022 Russian invasion supports that theory – markets panic first, then figure out the real impact later.

Tom Lee from Fundstrat stayed bullish despite ongoing tensions. He thinks removing uncertainty – like the recent Iran developments – usually stabilizes investor sentiment. Lee made these comments as Bitcoin hovered around $70K, suggesting more gains could come if geopolitical tensions cool down. But that’s a big if in the current environment.

Post Views: 16

More Than $75B Liquidated — Why Crypto Rebounded Within 24 HoursCrypto markets stunned investors this weekend, but the rebound was not accidental.

According to market analyst Diana, the sharp recovery wasn’t random; it was strategic positioning.

Following the sudden geopolitical escalation involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, over $75 billion was erased from the crypto market within minutes. Panic selling drove Bitcoin toward $63,000, Ethereum down to nearly $1,900, and XRP to $1.29, triggering widespread liquidations and fear across the market.

Then came the reversal no one saw coming.

In less than 24 hours, the market snapped back with force. Bitcoin surged past $67,000, now hovering near $67,941. Ethereum climbed back toward the critical $2,000 level, while XRP rebounded to $1.36, according to CoinCodex data.

Source: CoinCodexWhat looked like a full-blown breakdown quickly turned into a powerful recovery, signaling aggressive dip-buying and renewed investor confidence.

Markets Began Pricing a Shorter ConflictTraders rapidly recalibrated geopolitical risk. As reports suggested Iran’s leadership was destabilized, betting markets priced in a 60–70% chance of a near-term ceasefire, shifting expectations away from a drawn-out global conflict.

The narrative flipped fast, from “World War III” fears to a contained military operation scenario. With worst-case outcomes suddenly looking less likely, risk appetite returned, and crypto responded immediately.

Big Money Bought the FearAs retail traders scrambled to exit, institutional capital quietly stepped in.

On-chain data revealed heavy transfers into accumulation wallets, with whales and funds aggressively positioning for upside. To seasoned investors, the sell-off wasn’t structural, it was a liquidity reset. The dip became a strategic entry point.

This is a classic crypto cycle: panic wipes out overleveraged positions, weak hands fold, strong hands accumulate and price stabilizes swiftly.

Adding fuel to the narrative, Morgan Stanley is reportedly eyeing a U.S. bank charter to expand institutional crypto custody, a move that signals deepening Wall Street commitment to digital assets even amid volatility.

The Weekend Liquidity EffectCrypto never sleeps, unlike traditional markets. Weekend liquidity is thin, so even modest institutional inflows can trigger sharp price swings. This same low liquidity magnified both the initial crash and the rapid rebound.

U.S. Leadership Signaled ContainmentDonald Trump called the strikes 'effective' and 'ahead of schedule,' signaling controlled operations rather than an open-ended escalation. Markets read this as a move to contain the conflict, easing fears of a worst-case scenario. 

Meanwhile, Indiana is set to require pension funds to offer cryptocurrency investment options by 2027, reflecting growing institutional crypto adoption.

ConclusionNotably, the crypto market didn’t ignore the war, it repriced it. Digital assets are now macro-sensitive, lightning-fast markets. Uncertainty sparks volatility, but stability attracts capital just as quickly. In crypto, fear is fleeting, but liquidity and conviction endure.

Bitcoin miner Core Scientific (NASDAQ: CORZ) is getting ready to offload virtually its entire Bitcoin stash. And the timing is interesting.

In its annual report filed Monday, the company revealed it expects to sell the majority of its 2,537 BTC holdings during Q1 2026. The proceeds will go straight into funding its AI compute colocation buildout.

“During 2026, we currently expect to monetize substantially all of our bitcoin holdings, subject to market conditions, to enhance liquidity and fund our planned capital expenditures and other cash requirements,” the company stated in the filing.

From 256 BTC to 2,537, and Now Back to ZeroHere’s what makes this interesting. Core Scientific spent all of 2025 hoarding. Instead of selling mined coins to cover costs, they held. Their reserve grew nearly tenfold, from 256 BTC at the end of 2024 to 2,537 BTC by December 31, 2025, all produced through self-mining. The carrying fair value sat at $222 million, based on an average price of $101,639 per coin.

That accumulation strategy is now being reversed entirely.

Also Read: Jack Dorsey’s Block AI Layoffs Spark Backlash: What This Means for Cash App Bitcoin Users

Core Scientific Q4 Earnings Add PressureThe BTC sale announcement landed alongside a rough earnings report. Core Scientific posted Q4 2025 revenue of $79.8 million, falling well short of the $124.5 million analysts expected. Colocation revenue climbed to $31.3 million from $8.5 million a year ago, but it wasn’t enough to offset the mining slowdown.

The company is now scaling a 1.5 gigawatt pipeline of leasable AI capacity with over $10 billion in contracted revenue.

Another Miner Joins the BTC ExitCore Scientific isn’t the first one.

As Coinpedia reported, Bitdeer also recently dropped its BTC holdings to zero. Cango sold 4,451 BTC for roughly $305 million. Riot Platforms moved 5,363 BTC in 2025 for about $535.5 million in proceeds.

Every one of these sales pointed toward the same destination: AI infrastructure.

What This Means for BitcoinWith BTC currently trading around $66,988, well below the estimated $87,000 production cost for most miners, the pressure to sell is structural. Miners sitting on reserves they built at higher average costs now face a choice: hold and bleed, or sell and build.

Core Scientific has clearly made its call.

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

Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.

Sponsored and Advertisements:Sponsored content and affiliate links may appear on our site. Advertisements are marked clearly, and our editorial content remains entirely independent from our ad partners.

Day four of the Middle East conflict is bringing renewed volatility to global markets during Tuesday's pre-market, with a clear shift toward risk off positioning.

Bitcoin is down 3% over the past 24 hours, slipping below $67,000 after briefly touching $70,000 on Monday. In equities, the Invesco QQQ (QQQ) ETF closed slightly higher to start the week but is now down about 2% in pre market trading.

Metals are also under pressure. Gold and silver are both lower, with gold holding above $5,300 per ounce and silver sliding another 4% to around $85 per ounce.

In energy markets, WTI crude oil is above $74 per barrel up 5% over the past 24 hours, nearing Sunday futures highs just above $75. Meanwhile, the US dollar is strengthening sharply, with the DXY index climbing above 99, a level not seen since Jan. 20.

Treasury yields are edging higher across the curve. The US 10 year yield is holding firmly above 4% and pushing toward 4.1%, reflecting persistent rate pressure.

Crypto related equities are tracking bitcoin lower. Strategy (MSTR), the largest publicly traded holder of bitcoin, is down 2%. Coinbase (COIN) has fallen 5%, Galaxy Digital is off 3%, and AI focused miners IREN (IREN) and Cipher Digital (CIFR) are also down roughly 4%.

あなたへの

Core Scientific sells $175 million in bitcoin as AI pivot accelerates

59 分前

CORZ still holds under 1,000 BTC but look to "remain opportunistic" moving forward.

知っておくべきこと:

Core Scientific sold approximately 1,900 BTC in January for $175 million implying an average sale price of about $92,100 per coin.The company is allowing its bitcoin mining business to wind down as it reallocates power and capital toward AI data centers and HPC colocation.

Bitcoin price surged to $69,000 Tuesday before a correction, putting it on pace for its strongest daily performance in nearly a week, as VanEck CEO Jan VanEck suggested the world’s largest cryptocurrency may be carving out a cyclical bottom.

Summary

VanEck CEO says 2026 represents Bitcoin’s typical bear-cycle year but believes a bottom may be forming. Bitcoin rallied 6%, rebounding from strong support near the $60,000–$62,000 zone. A break above $70,000 could confirm a broader recovery, while rejection may prolong the correction. Speaking on CNBC, VanEck framed 2026 as the fourth year in Bitcoin’s historical halving cycle, a period that has typically coincided with steep drawdowns following three consecutive years of gains.

“That’s why we’re in a Bitcoin bear market,” he said, pointing to the asset’s programmed supply cap of 21 million coins and its four-year halving mechanism, which reduces miner rewards and has historically shaped boom-and-bust patterns.

Despite acknowledging the broader downturn, VanEck said recent price action could represent “a very nice sign of life,” adding that he believes the market may be in the process of bottoming.

The move higher was not isolated to Bitcoin. VanEck noted that the entire crypto complex, including large-cap tokens and publicly traded firms such as Coinbase and Circle, participated in the rally.

However, he cautioned against reading too much into a single day’s action.

Bitcoin eyes break above $70K as bottoming pattern forms Technically, Bitcoin has rebounded from February lows near the $60,000–$62,000 range and is now consolidating around $67,000.

The area around $60,000 has acted as firm support following a sharp rejection lower last month, suggesting buyers are stepping in at that level.

Bitcoin price analysis | Source: Crypto.News Immediate resistance stands near $70,000, with a broader supply zone between $75,000 and $80,000.

Momentum indicators show selling pressure easing, while volatility has stabilized after February’s spike, conditions that often accompany base formation.

A sustained break above $70,000 would strengthen the case that a cyclical bottom is in place, while failure to hold current levels could reinforce the longer-term bear narrative.

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Historically, the Ethereum price has been very bullish for the first quarter of the year, with a few exceptions, and the month of March has been no different from the first two months of the year. Therefore, as the market ushers in another month of March, this report takes a look at the performance of Ethereum this month, and if this historical performance can point out where the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap could be headed.

Ethereum Is Ushering In A Bullish Month, But There’s A ‘But’ According to historical data from the CryptoRank website, the month of March has been one of the most bullish in history. Since its inception in 2015, only the months of January and May have surpassed the month of March in terms of average returns.

Looking at the number of years that the month of March has ended in the green, only the months of January and February can match it. Simply put, March has historically been one of the best months for investors who hold ETH. In that case, the probability of this month ending in green is also high.

As the website shows, over the last 10 years, there have been only three years where the month of March has ended in the red for Ethereum. Taking the monthly returns into account, it comes out to an average 23.7% for Ethereum in March.

Source: CryptoRank However, there is a hitch due to the fact that the first three months of the year have often moved in tandem. There have only been a few years of deviation, and given the trend that the year 2026 has begun with, the Ethereum price might be in trouble.

Despite the high average returns, the months of January and February 2026 have both ended in the red. The former saw a 17.7% decline, while the latter has seen a 19.6% crash. If this trend plays out as it has in history, then the likelihood of March ending in the red has just become higher.

While it is too early to tell where the price might end, there has already been a lot of uncertainty. This is because ETH has continued to skirt around the $2,000 level, with no indications that an upward move is imminent. If it follows the months of January and February, then the Ethereum price could be looking at a double-digit crash.

ETH price still wobbly at $2,000 | Source: ETHUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Dall.E, chart from TradingView.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

Sign Up for Our Newsletter! For updates and exclusive offers enter your email.

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.

The report is a third-party attestation, which provides a snapshot of reserves at a specific point in time, rather than a full audit of the company's finances. Mar 3, 2026, 9:33 a.m.

Leading stablecoin issuer Tether has secured a sign-off from Deloitte for the first reserve report tied to its new U.S.-regulated stablecoin, after years struggling in its relationships with major accounting firms.

Deloitte reviewed a report prepared by Anchorage Digital Bank, which issued the company’s new USAT token. In a letter released Monday, the accounting firm said Anchorage reported $17.6 million in reserve assets backing 17.5 million USAT tokens in circulation. The token’s market cap has, since the report, risen to nearly $20 million as its growth accelerates.

The total market capitalization of the stablecoin sector has, in fact, been growing rapidly. It’s now past $315 billion, according to CoinMarketCap data, with Tether’s USDT making up $183 billion of that. Circle’s USDC comes in second place, at $76 billion.

The new USAT token follows the passage of the Genius Act last summer. The law limits the types of assets that can back stablecoins and requires larger issuers to move under federal oversight. USAT is structured to comply with those rules.

Third-party attestations such as this differ from full audits, however. They offer a snapshot of reserves at a specific point in time rather than a deep review of company finances.

Tether has been leveraging the revenue it generates from the assets backing its stablecoins to invest in a plethora of industries. These include a majority stake in Latin American agricultural firm Adecoagro (AGRO), a privacy-focused health app, a stake in video-sharing platform Rumble (RUM). More recently, it invested $200 million in digital marketplace Whop.

More For You

PayPay, 40% owner of Binance Japan, seeks up to $1.1 billion in Nasdaq IPO

11 hours ago

The Nasdaq-bound payments firm backed by SoftBank targets a valuation above $10 billion.

What to know:

PayPay, Japan’s largest cashless payments provider backed by SoftBank, is seeking to raise up to $1.1 billion in a U.S. IPO that could value the company at more than $10 billion.In October, PayPay acquired a 40% stake in Binance Japan.The Tokyo-based firm and a selling shareholder plan to offer 55 million American depositary shares at $17 to $20 each on Nasdaq under the ticker PAYP.