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Bill Morgan argued XRP holders and Ripple shareholders may still gain together long-term.

Zach Rynes said XRP sales can fund shareholder value instead of token gains over time.

Both sides tied the dispute to XRPL adoption metrics and Ripple’s public strategy.

A public exchange on the social platform X has sparked renewed debate over XRP’s economic structure. Lawyer Bill Morgan and analyst Zach Rynes argued over whether Ripple’s equity investors and XRP holders face conflicting incentives. The dispute began after Rynes warned investors about projects that sell both equity and tokens. He argued that such structures create economic misalignment between investor groups.

Morgan responded by disputing that claim and stating both groups can benefit from XRP’s long-term growth. Their discussion soon expanded to XRP adoption data, XRPL development activity, and Ripple’s role in supporting the network.

Yes, your argument is simple, that there is a misalignment between the interests and incentives of ripple shareholders and XRP holders, or that the incentives are split but in part your argument although partly correct suffers from the logical fallacy of excluding the middle… https://t.co/clqrM5xG70 pic.twitter.com/pPBs5r1rlP

— bill morgan (@Belisarius2020) March 13, 2026

 The debate reflects a broader question within crypto markets. Can companies that sell equity and tokens maintain aligned incentives between investors and token holders?

Zach Rynes Raises Concerns Over “Double Dipping”

Zach Rynes posted his view on X that projects selling both tokens and company equity face structural problems. He wrote that such arrangements create economic misalignment between investor groups.

“Personally I would never buy a crypto token from a project that has also sold equity to investors,” Rynes wrote. He argued that the practice creates “unavoidable economic misalignment” and weakens the token’s value capture model.

Personally I would never buy a crypto token from a project that has also sold equity to investors

Such “double dipping” creates unavoidable economic misalignment between investor classes and muddies the value capture story

At some point, the market will force these projects to… pic.twitter.com/pRjStUWGik

— Zach Rynes | CLG (@ChainLinkGod) March 12, 2026

He also stated that markets may eventually force projects to merge tokens with equity or separate their economic functions. According to Rynes, the issue represents a structural challenge across the crypto industry.

Rynes also argued that several major crypto assets do not face this structure. He cited Bitcoin, Ethereum, Chainlink, Hyperliquid, and Solana as examples that lack similar investor overlap. Later, he defended his position against criticism. “My argument is pretty simple,” Rynes wrote, adding that critics should address his claims rather than create a “strawman.”

Bill Morgan Says XRP Incentives Can Align

Bill Morgan replied directly to Rynes and said the argument ignores a middle ground. He wrote that Ripple shareholders and XRP holders can still benefit from long-term adoption.

Morgan said that XRP exchange-traded fund trading activity indicates investor interest. According to his response, daily ETF trading volume has largely produced net inflows. He added that development on the XRP Ledger does not rely solely on Ripple. Other entities can build applications that drive value to the network.

Morgan also pointed to growth in decentralized finance connected to XRP. He cited activity from projects such as Flare, which he described as a stronger oracle provider than Chainlink in his view. He also mentioned amendments to the XRP Ledger protocol. According to Morgan, these updates expand potential institutional use cases for the network.

Morgan said daily XRPL transaction volume has risen since late 2025. He also noted growth in real-world asset tokenization activity on the network. In addition, Morgan referenced Ripple’s public statements about XRP. He wrote that the company calls XRP “the north star” and central to its strategy.

Related: XRP Holds $1.38 as Breakout Setup Draws Fresh Attention

Dispute Shifts to XRPL Adoption and Market Value

Rynes responded again by repeating his criticism of Ripple’s financial model. He asked why Ripple selling XRP to fund acquisitions and stock buybacks benefits token holders.

“Ripple Labs socializes its costs to XRP holders to fund product launches and corporate acquisitions,” Rynes wrote. He argued that value flows mainly to Ripple shareholders. Rynes also criticized comparisons that focus only on XRPL adoption. He said XRP supporters examine growth without comparing it with competing blockchains.

He described XRPL as “an obsolete ghost chain.” According to his statement, the network ranks outside the top forty chains by usage. Rynes added that XRPL holds less than one percent market share in real-world assets. He also said the network controls less than 0.01 percent of stablecoin activity.

He also questioned XRP’s market valuation relative to adoption metrics. Rynes wrote that he has not seen a larger gap between an asset’s valuation and its level of use. Morgan answered by dismissing that response. He said critics who view XRPL as overvalued should simply avoid investing in XRP.

“If it is a ghost chain with a heavy discount between its market price and its value just move on and ignore it,” Morgan wrote on X.

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Buterin casts Ethereum as sanctuary tech built for freedom and digital autonomy.

The new EF mandate focuses on privacy, security, and resistance to online capture.

It also backs safer user tools without shifting power to central gatekeepers today.

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin released a new mandate that defines how the Ethereum Foundation will guide the network’s future development. The document frames Ethereum as a “sanctuary technology” built to protect technological self-sovereignty and cooperation without coercion. It also clarifies that the foundation acts as a steward rather than the sole authority over the blockchain ecosystem.

According to the post, Ethereum should function as an escape hatch in cyberspace. The network aims to prevent any single organization, ideology, or actor from gaining total control online. The mandate outlines a renewed focus on censorship resistance, open source development, privacy, and security. These principles appear under the acronym CROPS.

Buterin said the foundation will expand these principles across Ethereum’s protocol layer and the user-facing access layer.

Ethereum Positioned as Sanctuary Technology

Buterin described Ethereum as a unique technological object with a specific global role.
He said the network exists to preserve technological self-sovereignty and enable cooperation without domination or manipulation.

This is the new EF Mandate.

For many of you, the contents should be no surprise, and a clarification along the lines that we have been going and thinking for the past few months. But the clarification is nevertheless worth making.

Ethereum is a unique object and has a unique… https://t.co/SMGCWnmUk5

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) March 13, 2026

The foundation therefore sees itself as a steward responsible for maintaining these characteristics. It remains the original steward but not the only one. The mandate explains that Ethereum should act as a sanctuary technology. This concept refers to tools that protect user autonomy in digital systems.

Buterin also stated that the foundation must broaden its perspective. He encouraged stronger connections with communities that support similar technological values. These groups include those working in what he described as the “sanctuary tech” or CROPS community.

Such collaboration could expand Ethereum’s reach beyond the traditional crypto ecosystem.

Protocol Development Focuses on Decentralization

The mandate places strong emphasis on Ethereum’s protocol layer. Buterin said the network must prioritize decentralization, verifiability, security, and privacy. He also pointed to inclusion guarantees and protocol liveness as key goals. These elements help ensure the network continues to function reliably and openly.

The document also identifies technical capabilities that may improve Ethereum’s role.
Examples include Layer-1 scaling and account abstraction. Some forms of in-protocol aggregation may also appear if they strengthen the system. Buterin argued that these improvements allow users to benefit directly from Ethereum’s core properties.

The mandate introduces what he calls the “walkaway test.” Ethereum must remain resilient even if future use cases expand. Buterin argued that a decentralization-first blockchain should not adapt solely to current applications. Instead, the protocol must maintain strong foundational properties regardless of shifting demand.

Application Layer Aims to Strengthen User Agency

The mandate also describes how the foundation views the application layer.
It aims to improve what Buterin called the “zero option” for users. This approach prioritizes privacy, security, and independence from intermediaries. User-facing tools should protect agency while reducing reliance on centralized services.

The foundation will continue building applications that align with CROPS principles.
Meanwhile, other ecosystem participants may pursue broader on-chain integration projects.

Buterin described these paths as complementary. Developers outside the foundation may adapt EF tools or integrate parts of them into different systems.

Related: Vitalik: Ethereum Foundation Stakes 72,000 ETH With DVT-lite

He also addressed the challenge of protecting non-expert users. Ethereum applications should reduce the risk of catastrophic mistakes such as accidental approvals. At the same time, design choices must preserve user freedom rather than shift control to centralized authorities.

Buterin said this design approach remains rare across technology sectors. Which path will shape the future of decentralized systems as Ethereum expands its sanctuary technology vision?

The mandate concludes that the Ethereum Foundation will continue to steward the network while supporting others who contribute to the ecosystem’s broader development.

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TRON led blockchain revenue, as updated daily, weekly, and monthly network fees moved higher

TRX cleared the $0.28-$0.29 zone as spot volume jumped 21% and price held near $0.2944

Positive funding and a firm RSI kept focus on $0.309, with $0.28-$0.29 now key support

TRON moved to the front of the revenue table as fresh network data showed rising activity across fees, trading, and token volume. At the same time, the TRX token pushed through a price zone that had capped advances for weeks, giving traders a clearer level to watch after a sluggish stretch in February.

Tron ranked #1 in revenue, far ahead of other blockchains.

In the past 24 hours, 7 days, and 30 days, its revenue reached $947K, $5.42M, and $24.96M.https://t.co/28rZKzvLEx pic.twitter.com/0GxrgEI11h

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) March 14, 2026

Data shared by Lookonchain showed the network generating $947,419 in revenue over 24 hours, $5.42 million over seven days, and $24.96 million over 30 days. Those figures later increased to $1.01 million for the day, $6.43 million for the week, and $25.98 million for the month. The climb placed the chain ahead of rivals on revenue during the measured periods and added weight to the latest move in the token.

Revenue Growth Aligns With Rising Market Activity

The increase in revenue did not appear in isolation. Trading across applications tied to the network also picked up, though not evenly across every segment. Decentralized exchange volume, for instance, reached $60.42 million over the past 24 hours and $382.57 million over seven days.

Source: DefiLlama

That marked a weekly increase of 4.86%. Similarly, perpetual futures activity was larger in nominal terms, with $94.1 million traded in the last day and $556.08 million across the week, but that segment cooled from the previous week, posting a 26.88% decline. Meanwhile, spot market activity was firmer.

Trading volume in the token rose more than 21% and reached about $512 million. That increase mattered as it arrived during a softer session for Bitcoin, which fell 2.25% to roughly $70,795. The contrast did not prove full market separation, but it did suggest buyers were acting on chain-specific momentum rather than simply following the broader tape.

Price Action: TRX Break Above Key Barrier Reshapes the Outlook

On the chart, the move above the $0.28 to $0.29 range stood out. That band had repeatedly blocked upside attempts through February and also lined up with the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement area, giving it extra attention among short-term traders.

At press time, TRX changed hands near $0.2944, up about 2% over 24 hours. The broader trend looked steadier than that daily move alone suggested. On the monthly view, the token was ahead by around 6%, while year-on-year gains stood near 33%.

Source: TradingView

The structure of the rally also drew notice. Price had been printing a sequence of higher lows and higher highs, and the token remained above short- and mid-term moving averages clustered around $0.28. That did not settle the next move, but it did show that recent support had shifted higher.

Related: XRP Holds Key Support as Traders Sit on $50.8B Unrealized Loss

Momentum Holds as Key Price Levels Come Into Focus

Other indicators leaned constructive, if not decisive. The relative strength index hovered near 60, a reading that often points to firm buying interest without yet signaling an overheated market. Derivatives data added a similar message.

CoinGlass showed the OI-weighted funding rate in positive territory at about +0.0096%, indicating that long positioning continued to outweigh short exposure. That usually reflects a market still leaning to the upside, though not without risk if sentiment turns quickly.

Source: CoinGlass

With such market conditions, the next level in view sits around $0.309, near the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement. Beyond that, traders are likely to keep an eye on the $0.32 area, which marked a prior peak in mid-January. Regardless, there is still a note of caution in the chart.

Recent price action has formed a rising wedge, a pattern that can sometimes precede a pause or pullback. If that happens, the old resistance zone between $0.28 and $0.29 may become the first support test.Below that, the $0.27 to $0.26 region remains the next area to watch. For now, though, the immediate story is simpler: revenue is climbing, volume has improved, and the breakout has put TRON back in focus.

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GI-TOC says USDT is gaining ground in Amazon gold trafficking through a covert Venezuela route

Researchers warn stablecoins may help illicit miners and traffickers move value beyond banks

The illegal Amazon gold trade now blends environmental crime with rapid digital payment networks

A report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime says stablecoins are becoming more relevant in the illicit gold economy across the Amazon Basin, adding a digital payment layer to a trade tied to deforestation, corruption, smuggling, and violence.

Investigators say criminal networks linked to illegal mining and gold trafficking are using digital currencies to settle deals, with Venezuela emerging as a key point in that flow. The finding adds a financial angle to an old problem.

Illicit gold flows in the Amazon Basin are shifting.

Over the past 2 years, Venezuela has emerged as a regional destination for illicit gold from Brazil & Guyana, reversing past smuggling patterns.

Our new brief examines these dynamics: https://t.co/SdcoyMNHyO pic.twitter.com/eI7wQKSqV1

— Global Initiative (@GI_TOC) March 11, 2026

Illegal mining has expanded for years across remote parts of the rainforest, where weak enforcement and porous borders leave room for traffickers.

Stablecoins Enter the Illicit Gold Economy

According to the GI-TOC analysis, some illicit gold mined in the Amazon is reportedly sold in Venezuela in exchange for Tether’s USDT, a stablecoin designed to track the U.S. dollar. That matters because stablecoins combine speed, liquidity, and relative price stability. In legitimate commerce, those features can make cross-border transfers easier.

In underground markets, however, researchers say, the same traits can help move value outside formal banking channels. The report says gold smuggled from Brazil and Guyana is flowing into Venezuela through opaque networks connected to criminal groups and state-linked actors.

In some transactions, buyers reportedly use USDT to pay for the metal. Analysts describe this as part of a broader shift in how illicit networks settle trade, especially where cash movement is risky, and banking access is limited.

Venezuela Emerges as a Hub for Illicit Gold

The Amazon Basin contains one of the world’s largest informal gold mining sectors, much of it spread across remote territory where state presence is inconsistent. GI-TOC researchers say Venezuela has become a major destination for illicit gold shipments.

Traffickers move gold from mining areas in Brazil and Guyana into Venezuela by road, river routes, and clandestine airstrips. Once inside the country, the metal can pass through networks involving organized crime groups, corrupt officials, and armed actors who control access to mining zones and transport corridors.

The report says the Venezuelan military has reportedly purchased large quantities of incoming gold, helping create a market that draws traffickers from across the region. With Venezuela facing sanctions and reduced access to global banking systems, alternative payment channels have grown in importance. Stablecoins appear to fit that need.

A Harder Problem for the Police

Illegal gold mining is one of the Amazon’s most destructive criminal economies. Mining camps clear the forest, while mercury used in extraction pollutes rivers and harms communities. Researchers warn that crypto payments could make these operations harder to track by giving criminal groups another way to store and move proceeds.

The Amazon Observatory, part of GI-TOC’s research network, describes the rainforest as a hub for overlapping illicit economies, including gold mining, wildlife trafficking, and drug distribution.

Related: BONK.fun Domain Hijacked in Breach as Wallet Drainer Goes Live

Why the Findings Matter

The report arrives as regulators and law enforcement agencies pay closer attention to how digital assets are used in money laundering, sanctions evasion, and cybercrime. Industry analysts still note that illicit activity represents a small share of blockchain transactions.

The GI-TOC findings suggest stablecoins may be gaining traction in commodity markets where oversight is weak, cash is risky, and traditional banking channels are inaccessible. For investigators and policymakers, that raises a difficult question: as digital assets spread further into the global economy, how often will they surface in environmental crime and cross-border black markets?

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A wallet swap on Aave erased nearly $50M after liquidity failed in one brutal trade.

Block builders and arbitrage bots captured over $43M as the swap unraveled at once.

Aave said the user saw repeated slippage warnings yet still approved the risky order.

A crypto wallet lost roughly $50 million in a single decentralized finance transaction on Thursday after executing a large token swap that triggered extreme slippage. Blockchain records show the wallet attempted to swap $50,432,688 in aEthUSDT for aEthAAVE through the CoW Protocol, but the trade returned only about 327 tokens worth roughly $36,000. The loss occurred when thin liquidity in the trading pools caused the transaction to execute with more than 99% slippage.

As a result, arbitrage traders quickly captured most of the lost value within the same blockchain block. Data from blockchain security firm BlockSec shows that arbitrageurs extracted more than $43 million in profit from the transaction. Of that amount, about $32.6 million went to the block builder responsible for ordering transactions before the block finalized.

The transaction involved aEthUSDT, an interest-bearing token that represents Tether’s USDT deposited into the Aave lending protocol on Ethereum. The trade attempted to acquire aEthAAVE, which represents deposited Aave governance tokens.

So how could a single trade erase tens of millions of dollars within seconds?

Massive Slippage During Token Swap

Blockchain data show the wallet attempted to swap $50,432,688 in aETHUSDT via the CoW Protocol trading interface. The transaction targeted aEthAAVE tokens tied to Aave’s governance asset.

However, the order size far exceeded available liquidity in the relevant trading pools. As the trade was executed, the automated market mechanism adjusted prices dramatically. That shift pushed slippage beyond 99%.

As a result, the wallet received only about 327 aEthAAVE tokens. After the trade completed, those tokens held an estimated value of roughly $36,000.

Meanwhile, the missing value flowed directly to arbitrage traders and transaction intermediaries. Automated trading systems quickly exploited the price difference created by the oversized swap.

BlockSec said that arbitrageurs captured more than $43 million from the transaction during the same blockchain block. Of that amount, about $32.6 million went to the block builder responsible for assembling and ordering the transactions.

Aave Founder Says User Confirmed Slippage Warning

Stani Kulechov, founder of the Aave protocol, addressed the incident in a post on X. He explained that the user initiated the trade through the Aave interface using $50 million in USDT. Kulechov stated that the trading interface warned the user about extraordinary slippage before the transaction was executed. The interface required confirmation through a checkbox before allowing the swap to proceed.

Earlier today, a user attempted to buy AAVE using $50M USDT through the Aave interface.

Given the unusually large size of the single order, the Aave interface, like most trading interfaces, warned the user about extraordinary slippage and required confirmation via a checkbox.…

— Stani.eth (@StaniKulechov) March 12, 2026

“Earlier today, a user attempted to buy AAVE using $50M USDT through the Aave interface,” Kulechov wrote on X.

He added that the interface displayed a warning due to the unusually large order size. The user confirmed the warning on a mobile device and proceeded with the transaction.

According to Kulechov, the confirmation accepted the high slippage conditions, which ultimately produced the final trade result. The system, therefore, executed the swap after the user confirmed the risk.

Related: A Crypto Trader Made $2.3M Fortune Over The Past Month

DeFi Guardrails and Governance Debate

Following the incident, Kulechov said the scale of the loss exceeded typical slippage events seen in decentralized finance markets. He also expressed sympathy for the affected user. “We sympathize with the user and will try to make contact with the user and we will return $600K in fees collected from the transaction,” Kulechov said.

He also noted that the industry could add stronger safeguards while keeping decentralized finance permissionless. The Aave team plans to review ways to strengthen protections to help users avoid similar outcomes.

Earlier in the week, Kulechov discussed broader structural challenges within decentralized governance. In a separate post on X, he said decentralized autonomous organizations often struggle with slow decision-making processes.

https://t.co/V34mcJ0iIn

— Stani.eth (@StaniKulechov) March 10, 2026

He wrote that DAO governance often requires weeks of forum discussions, temperature checks, and multiple votes before proposals advance. Kulechov also described how governance systems can become politicized as participants align behind competing proposals.

“Participants take sides, lean toward the loudest voices, and form political alliances to get their own proposals passed later,” he wrote. He added that DAOs sometimes reward political influence rather than operational efficiency, which can slow innovation within crypto projects.

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Strategy reportedly added 4,038 BTC through STRC and deepened its treasury strategy.

STRC shares now serve as a steady funding route for faster Bitcoin accumulation.

The latest purchase keeps Strategy at the center of the Bitcoin treasury market focus.

Strategy Inc. reportedly added about 4,038 Bitcoin in a single day through capital raised with its STRC preferred shares. The move extends the company’s long-running Bitcoin treasury strategy. It also marks another large purchase tied to a funding tool built to attract yield-focused investors. Market watchers linked the latest estimate to trading activity around STRC. 

Their reading suggests investor demand gave Strategy enough capital to complete the purchase. The company remains the largest public corporate holder of Bitcoin. The reported buy adds to Strategy’s steady pace of accumulation. It also shows how the firm continues to rely on capital markets to expand its Bitcoin reserves.

BREAKING: Michael Saylor's Strategy is now estimated to have accumulated 4,038 BTC today via STRC

Nearly double it's previous daily record!

pic.twitter.com/aFzTtwIE2R

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) March 12, 2026

STRC Becomes a Core Funding Tool

Strategy introduced STRC as part of a broader financing structure for Bitcoin purchases. The instrument blends features of equity and debt within the company’s capital stack. STRC pays a recurring dividend and sits below traditional creditors in priority. The dividend now stands near 11.5% annually. That payout has helped draw investors seeking income.

As demand grows, Strategy can raise capital across trading sessions and direct it into Bitcoin. In turn, STRC has become a central part of the firm’s current acquisition model.

Earlier trading sessions had already pointed to purchases of more than 1,400 BTC through the same mechanism. This time, the estimate rose above 4,000 BTC in one day. That would make it one of the largest acquisitions linked to STRC since launch.

Bitcoin Strategy Keeps Expanding

Strategy built its position through repeated Bitcoin purchases over several years. Since 2020, the company has shifted from a software-focused identity toward a Bitcoin-centered treasury model. That approach turns company securities into a route for Bitcoin exposure. Many market participants now view Strategy’s stock and related instruments as leveraged proxies for the asset.

In 2026, the company increased its use of preferred equity programs like STRC. That shift opened access to investors who want yield rather than direct crypto exposure. As a result, Strategy gained another path to raise capital on a regular basis.

The broader structure also reduces reliance on common stock and convertible debt alone. Instead, the company can spread fundraising across several instruments while continuing to add Bitcoin.

Related: Investors Shift Strategy as Crypto Funding Surges 50% in 2026

Market Focus Turns to Risk and Scale

The structure still brings clear obligations. Strategy must keep paying dividends on preferred shares even when Bitcoin prices swing. That creates fixed pressure during weak market periods. Some analysts focus on that risk. They note that a sharp or extended downturn could strain the balance sheet while dividend commitments remain in place.

Others point to the model’s flexibility. They say it gives the company another way to gather capital and continue buying Bitcoin when market conditions allow. The latest estimated 4,038 BTC purchase keeps that debate active. Can capital market tools like STRC change how public companies build digital asset treasuries?

For now, Strategy appears committed to that path. Under Michael Saylor’s leadership, the company continues to use investor capital and structured securities to grow one of the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin reserves.

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Bitcoin held above $71K as oil spiked and equity markets weakened worldwide again.

Brent surged past $100 after Trump put Iran’s nuclear threat above oil price concerns.

Steady institutional demand kept Bitcoin resilient as traders watched liquidity closely.

Bitcoin rose to its highest level in a week as Middle East tensions shook risk markets and drove oil above $100 a barrel. CoinMarketCap data showed Bitcoin at $71,369, up 1.25% on the week, with market value at $1.42 trillion and 24-hour volume at $46.02 billion. While stocks fell and oil surged, Bitcoin held firm and extended gains during the latest trading sessions.

Bitcoin Recovers After Early-Week Slide

Bitcoin dropped toward $66,000 earlier in the week before buyers stepped back in. It then climbed through March 10 and March 11 and reclaimed the $70,000 level. That rebound came with stronger trading activity. Data showed a 3.21% volume-to-market-cap ratio, pointing to active but orderly market participation.

Supply metrics stayed tight. Circulating supply stood near 20 million BTC, while Bitcoin’s maximum supply remained fixed at 21 million coins. Since the latest Middle East escalation on Feb. 28, Bitcoin has gained about 7%. Over the same stretch, the Nasdaq 100 stayed mostly flat, while the S&P 500 fell about 1%.

Gold also moved lower during that period. Silver fell harder, with a drop of nearly 9%, adding to the contrast with Bitcoin’s performance.

Oil Shock Hits Broader Markets

Traders kept a close watch on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow route that handles roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments. Concerns over disruption lifted volatility across energy markets.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons mattered more than oil prices. He made the remarks in a Truth Social post. “The United States is the largest oil producer in the world, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money,” Trump wrote. “BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stopping an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons.”

After those remarks, Brent crude futures jumped 9.2% and closed above $100 per barrel for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. It was also the benchmark’s biggest one-day gain since May 2020. Stocks moved the other way. Google Finance data showed the S&P 500 down 1.52%, the Dow down 1.56%, and the Nasdaq down 1.73% to 24,533.

Related: Metaplanet Launches New Units and Backs JPYC Stablecoin

Bitcoin Outperforms as Liquidity Stays in Focus

The divergence also showed during Wednesday’s U.S. session. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust traded 1% higher while the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Russell 2000, and Dow all sat in the red. Market activity suggested continued demand from larger buyers. The text said institutions and big traders were buying coins through privately negotiated deals, helping support the market.

Nic Puckrin, co-founder of Coin Bureau and lead market analyst, said oil shocks have eventually led to Bitcoin weakness when liquidity tightens. “The deciding factor for Bitcoin usually ends up being global liquidity,” Puckrin said.

He said investors appeared to price in limited long-term damage to liquidity because they expected the oil crisis to be short-lived. Still, he warned that the picture could change if the crisis drags on.

“In 2022, the Bitcoin price drop was driven primarily by the Fed’s aggressive hiking cycle to curb inflation,” Puckrin added. “If the same scenario plays out and global liquidity tightens, Bitcoin’s current strength could be undermined.”

For now, Bitcoin has held up better than the broader market mood. The key question is whether that resilience can last if the conflict starts to reshape global liquidity.

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Metaplanet launched two new units and opened a fresh JPYC-linked Bitcoin strategy.

The firm set aside 4 billion yen to fund Japan’s growing Bitcoin rails and tools.

A Miami arm will target Bitcoin products and bridge Asian and Western capital flows.

Bitcoin treasury firm Metaplanet has launched two new subsidiaries and invested in stablecoin issuer JPYC as it expands its strategy across Japan’s digital asset market. The company confirmed the move after its board approved the creation of Metaplanet Ventures and Metaplanet Management. The announcement came from CEO Simon Gerovich in a post on the social media platform X on Thursday.

Metaplanet Ventures will direct 4 billion yen toward companies building financial infrastructure around Bitcoin in Japan. The investment program targets sectors such as lending, payments, custody, stablecoins, derivatives, and compliance services.

The initiative also includes an incubator and grant program that will support early-stage founders, developers, educators, and researchers in the country’s digital asset ecosystem.

Gerovich stated that Japan already holds a strong regulatory structure for digital assets.
“Japan has built the best regulatory framework in the world for digital assets,” Gerovich said. “Now it needs the companies, the builders, and the infrastructure to match.”

Today our Board approved the establishment of two new wholly owned subsidiaries, Metaplanet Ventures and Metaplanet Asset Management.

Metaplanet Ventures is our commitment to Japan's Bitcoin ecosystem. We'll be investing ¥4 billion over the next few years into companies building…

— Simon Gerovich (@gerovich) March 12, 2026

Metaplanet Ventures Targets Bitcoin Infrastructure

Metaplanet Ventures will deploy the 4 billion yen investment gradually over the next several years. The capital will support companies that develop financial systems and services linked to bitcoin. The venture arm will also operate programs designed to help startups enter the market. The incubator and grant initiative will focus on founders, researchers, and developers building tools for Bitcoin-related finance.

As the first investment under the venture program, Metaplanet committed 400 million yen to JPYC Inc. The funding forms part of the company’s Series B financing round.

JPYC issues a yen-denominated stablecoin known as JPYC. The company launched the token in October 2025. The stablecoin maintains a one-to-one peg with the Japanese yen through bank deposits and government bonds. The token operates across several blockchain networks including Avalanche, Ethereum, and Polygon.

Earlier this month, JPYC partnered with Sony Bank to expand its usage. According to Nikkei Asia, the partnership aims to support creators working in Japan’s music and entertainment industries.

Gerovich also addressed the role of digital fiat in institutional bitcoin markets. “Every Bitcoin transaction has two sides: Bitcoin and a currency,” he said. “As this market goes institutional, that currency side goes digital.”

Miami Unit Expands Bitcoin Capital Markets

Metaplanet also launched Metaplanet Asset Management as a Miami-based subsidiary. The company described the unit as a digital credit and bitcoin capital markets platform linking Asian and Western investors. The platform will manage Bitcoin-related investment products. It will also provide capital markets advisory services and build regulatory infrastructure connected to those activities.

According to the company’s disclosure statement, the unit will introduce several financial products over time. These include funds, managed strategies, and structured instruments tied to bitcoin markets.

The firm expects the platform to support products across yield, fixed income, equity, credit, commodities, and volatility strategies. These offerings will operate within Bitcoin-focused capital markets. Market observers continue to track the strategy as Japan’s digital asset regulations evolve. Analysts are watching JPYC’s growth as a possible signal of the venture’s progress.

*Notice Regarding Investment in JPYC Inc. through Metaplanet Ventures K.K.* pic.twitter.com/SP1zz4oyil

— Metaplanet Inc. (@Metaplanet) March 12, 2026

If JPYC gains adoption as a settlement tool in institutional bitcoin markets, could the stablecoin strengthen Metaplanet’s long-term infrastructure strategy?

Analysts also plan to monitor the incubator and grants programs connected to Metaplanet Ventures. Those initiatives may influence open-source innovation and startup development within Japan’s bitcoin sector.

Related: Metaplanet Secures $130M Loan to Expand Its Corporate Bitcoin Reserves

Financial Performance and Bitcoin Holdings

Metaplanet reported a net loss of 95 billion yen for 2025. The company attributed the loss mainly to unrealized valuation declines tied to its bitcoin holdings.

Despite the headline loss, Gerovich reported strong operational growth. Operating profit increased 1,695 percent year over year. Gerovich stated that unrealized losses do not affect the company’s long-term bitcoin strategy because Metaplanet does not plan to sell its holdings.

“Even in this year’s down market, our stock fell 23% while Bitcoin fell 24%—we have not underperformed,” Gerovich said. He added that the company deployed every yen raised according to the previously announced strategy.

Metaplanet currently holds 35,102 BTC. The company values the holdings at about $2.45 billion based on current market prices. The company’s Tokyo-listed shares fell 1.9 percent intraday Thursday to 362 yen. Meanwhile, U.S.-listed shares under ticker MTPLF closed 5.53 percent higher on Wednesday at $2.29.

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Mastercard’s 85-firm Crypto Partner program targets remittances, payouts, and settlement now

The new network links crypto firms, banks, and payment providers through real commerce flows

Participants include PayPal, Ripple, Circle, Binance, SoFi, Paxos, and Worldpay in the group

Mastercard has opened a new chapter in its digital asset strategy by launching a Crypto Partner program that links more than 85 crypto-native firms, payment companies, and financial institutions. The initiative is built around a simple commercial goal: move blockchain tools out of isolated trials and into the real payment flows that already power remittances, business transfers, payouts, and settlement across borders.

The company said participants will help shape future products that combine digital asset speed with the reach of existing card and money movement systems. The move matters as it shows where the payments firm now sees the market heading. Rather than promoting a single coin, wallet, or chain, the company is organizing a broader working network around trust, compliance, interoperability, and deployment at scale.

Digital assets are entering a new phase. What once ran in parallel to existing financial systems is increasingly being applied to solve practical, real-world needs — often behind the scenes – from cross-border remittances to B2B money transfers. This creates new opportunities to… pic.twitter.com/DZ1gjmW8og

— Mastercard (@Mastercard) March 11, 2026

Mastercard said the program will let insights move in both directions between traditional finance and firms building on-chain infrastructure, while giving participants a role in designing services that can work across markets instead of remaining limited to pilots.

From Crypto Experiments To Payment Infrastructure

The company presented the new effort as an extension of work it has already been doing through Start Path, Mastercard Engage, and its Crypto Card program. That earlier push has already brought digital assets closer to mainstream spending. In a 2025 company update, Mastercard said users can spend supported stablecoin balances at more than 150 million merchant locations worldwide through partner programs.

In a separate 2024 annual report filing, the firm also said about 30% of all Mastercard transactions are now tokenized, showing how deeply blockchain-linked payment technology has already entered its wider network strategy. That background helps explain why the new Crypto Partner program is framed around execution rather than experimentation.

Mastercard said the focus is on turning technical innovation into scalable and compliant use cases for global commerce. The company tied that effort to practical payment categories such as cross-border remittances, B2B money transfers, settlement, and payouts, areas where speed, programmability, and operational efficiency matter more than headline token prices.

Why the Partner Mix Stands Out

The size and makeup of the partner group show that the program is targeting the full stack of digital asset finance. Mastercard’s published list includes firms such as PayPal, Ripple, SoFi, Binance, BitGo, Circle, Crypto.com, Marqeta, MoonPay, Paxos, Worldpay, Fireblocks, Chainalysis, Polygon, Solana, Aptos, and OKX.

That spread reaches across custody, compliance, wallets, exchanges, issuance, tokenization, settlement, and merchant acceptance. In effect, the network is not being built for one narrow product. Instead, it’s being built to connect many parts of the digital asset economy to the company’s existing payment rails.

Notably, the inclusion of SoFi is especially timely. On March 3, SoFi and Mastercard said they would enable settlement using SoFiUSD across the Mastercard network, including for SoFi Bank. The release said issuers and acquirers would be able to settle card transactions using the dollar-backed stablecoin, giving a concrete example of how digital dollars are beginning to move from theory into back-end payments operations.

Related: Stablecoin Race Heats Up as Solana Tops $15B With New Entrants

Visa’s Parallel Push Raises the Competitive Stakes

The launch also lands during a broader race among payment networks to make digital assets useful in regulated finance. Visa said in September 2025 that Visa Direct was testing stablecoins as a funding source for cross-border payouts to reduce friction and improve liquidity management.

Two months earlier, Visa once again acknowledged its settlement platform was adding support for additional stablecoins and blockchains, expanding the number of digital assets it could use for issuer and acquirer settlement. Taken together, those moves show that large card networks are no longer treating blockchain as a side project.

Mastercard’s new Crypto Partner program signals that the next contest will center on who can turn digital assets into a reliable payment infrastructure first and do it at a global scale with standards already accepted by banks, businesses, and merchants.

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Bitcoin held above $70,000 as equities weakened and oil raced toward $100 overnight.

Analysts linked Bitcoin’s resilience to leverage reset and steady whale buying activity.

Oil soared despite emergency reserve release as Hormuz disruption unsettled trade.

Bitcoin held above $70,000 on Wednesday night even as U.S. equities declined and oil prices surged toward $100 a barrel amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran. The cryptocurrency maintained relative strength while major stock indexes weakened and energy markets reacted sharply to disruptions in Middle East trade routes. Analysts attributed Bitcoin’s resilience to a large leverage reset and steady accumulation by institutional traders.

The broader cryptocurrency market also strengthened. Total market value rose about 1.2% in the past 24 hours and reached roughly $2.47 trillion. Bitcoin edged up about 0.6% and traded near $70,500.

At the same time, traders watched global markets closely as geopolitical uncertainty reshaped risk sentiment across commodities, equities, and digital assets.

Oil Surge and Equity Weakness Shape Market Mood

Oil prices jumped more than 8% and crossed the $100 mark despite the International Energy Agency announcing the largest emergency release of crude reserves in history. Supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz drove the rally.

According to a Stocktwits report, the United States Oil Fund (USO) ranked among the most discussed tickers on the platform. Its price climbed more than 8% in overnight trading while retail sentiment turned “extremely bullish.”

Meanwhile, U.S. equity markets moved lower. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) fell as much as 1.11% in overnight trading. The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) dropped 1.75%.

In addition, the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ), which tracks the Nasdaq-100, declined about 1.03%. Retail traders on Stocktwits maintained a bearish outlook toward SPY as discussion levels remained high.

Bitcoin Shows Resilience as Crypto Market Climbs

Despite the weakness across traditional markets, the cryptocurrency sector held firm. The total digital asset market value reached about $2.47 trillion after a modest daily gain. Bitcoin maintained steady momentum and traded around $70,500. Retail sentiment on Stocktwits remained neutral, even as broader markets reflected growing caution.

Aurelie Barthere, principal research analyst, addressed the trend in comments to Stocktwits. She said Bitcoin’s relative stability may reflect different selling pressure compared with equities. “This relative resilience suggests that, even as geopolitical uncertainty lingers, the marginal seller in bitcoin may be less aggressive than in equities at the moment,” Barthere said in an email.

Since the escalation of the Middle East conflict on Feb. 28, Bitcoin has gained roughly 7%. During the same period, the S&P 500 declined about 1%. Gold dropped around 3%, while silver fell nearly 9%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq-100 remained largely unchanged. Brent crude also briefly climbed back above $100 per barrel earlier in the day as tensions across the region continued.

Institutional Demand and Whale Activity Drive Momentum

The contrast between equities and Bitcoin also appeared during Wednesday’s U.S. trading session. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) traded about 1% higher. At the same time, major benchmarks, including the S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, Russell 2000, and Dow Jones Industrial Average, all traded in negative territory.

Market observers attributed part of Bitcoin’s strength to institutional buying activity. Large investors reportedly acquired coins through privately negotiated transactions. Those deals helped maintain steady demand even as broader markets showed caution.

Bloomberg reported that financial markets have swung sharply in response to mixed signals surrounding the Middle East conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump suggested this week that the war might end soon, although the timeline remains uncertain. Iran has continued strikes across the region and has disrupted shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy trade route.

The resulting jump in oil prices has pushed investors toward the U.S. dollar and other liquid assets. Could Bitcoin’s stability during geopolitical turmoil signal a changing role for digital assets in global markets?

Related: Bitcoin Faces $45K Risk in 2026 as Polymarket Odds Rise

Andreja Cobeljic, head of derivatives trading at Amina Bank, said derivatives data suggested potential upward momentum for Bitcoin. He pointed to negative funding rates in perpetual futures markets. Negative average monthly funding rates have occurred only ten times since 2018. Cobeljic said those periods historically preceded strong returns over longer horizons.

He also noted consistent whale accumulation near the $60,000 price level. “Negative average monthly funding rates have happened only 10 times since 2018, and has historically preceded strong forward returns over longer horizons,” Cobeljic said.

“Whale accumulation has been observed consistently in the low $60,000 range. In combination, the near-term setup for a relief rally is more constructive than the headline environment would suggest.”

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Japan’s Yen led safe-haven gains as Iran conflict sparked a sharp global risk retreat.

Oil route fears and Fed caution pushed traders to reassess short-term currency bets.

Carry trade unwinding and asset repatriation added force to the Yen’s rapid climb.

The Japanese Yen surged against major currencies after escalating conflict involving Iran pushed investors toward safe-haven assets. In early Asian trade, the Yen outperformed even the US Dollar as traders reacted to rising geopolitical risk, oil market pressure, and fresh uncertainty across global financial markets.

Iran Conflict Drives Fresh Demand for Safe Havens

Iran launched what was described as its “most intense operation since the beginning of the war.” That escalation quickly shook market sentiment and sent investors into assets considered safer during periods of conflict.

At the same time, Tehran increased efforts to halt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway remains one of the world’s most important oil routes, so any disruption there can affect energy markets almost immediately.

US military officials declined requests to escort tankers and civilian ships through the strait. Defense officials said they would not do so until the threat of Iranian fire had eased. Elsewhere, the Israel Defense Forces said they launched a “wide-scale wave of strikes” targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. Those actions added to fears that the conflict could spread further across the region.

As tension rose, traders moved quickly into the Yen. The currency’s strength reflected a broader defensive shift as market participants chose capital preservation over higher returns. Will deeper conflict in the Middle East keep driving demand for the Yen in the days ahead?

Inflation and Fed Expectations Shape the Broader Market

Alongside geopolitical stress, investors also absorbed fresh US inflation data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% month over month in February, up from 0.2% in the previous reading. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose 0.2% in February. That compared with 0.3% in the prior report and matched market expectations.

Even so, traders paid close attention to oil prices as the Iran conflict intensified. A sustained rise in energy costs could lift headline inflation in the coming months and complicate the outlook for US monetary policy.

For now, the Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady at its March 18 policy meeting. As a result, traders looked past the CPI release and focused more heavily on conflict-driven risks and the inflation threat from higher oil prices.

That mix of geopolitical fear and inflation concern added fresh pressure to currency markets. It also gave the Yen stronger support as risk appetite weakened.

Related: Japanese Nail Salon Invests Billions in Bitcoin Strategy

Yen Strength Gains Support From Structural Market Forces

The Yen’s rally also reflects deeper structural factors. Japan runs a large current account surplus and holds the world’s largest net international investment position, which often supports the currency during periods of stress.

In addition, Japanese pension funds and insurance companies have a history of bringing foreign assets back home when global risk rises. That repatriation creates natural demand for the Yen and can accelerate its gains.

The Bank of Japan’s ultra-loose policy has also played a role. Low Japanese rates encouraged carry trades, with investors borrowing Yen to buy higher-yielding assets elsewhere. When market fear rises, those trades often unwind quickly. Investors then buy back the Yen, which adds more upward pressure to the currency.

This pattern has appeared before. During the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the market panic of March 2020, the Yen also posted sharp gains as investors rushed toward safety.

Technically, USD/JPY support levels are now under pressure. If those levels break, traders may begin to price in further Yen strength, with oil prices, bond yields, and official statements likely to guide the next move.

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Solana’s stablecoin supply reached $15.6B as Western Union, Fidelity, and Jupiter ascertained

Western Union linked USDPT to 360,000 payout points, widening digital dollar access quickly

Fidelity and Jupiter expanded stablecoin utility through brokerage rails and deeper DeFi use

Competition across the dollar-token market is accelerating as large financial firms and crypto-native platforms roll out new products, pushing Solana deeper into the center of the sector’s expansion. Data from DefiLlama shows the value of dollar-pegged tokens on Solana has climbed to about $15.6 billion, while CoinGecko recently cited the broader market at roughly $310 billion.

Source: DefiLlama

Those figures show how fast the category is growing and why new issuers are moving quickly to secure market share. However, the latest wave of launches shows that the contest is no longer only about creating another token tied to the U.S. dollar. Instead, firms are now building around distribution, payments access, redemption rails, and DeFi liquidity.

Stablecoin launches are skyrocketing:

Western Union is the latest Fortune 500 company to launch a stablecoin, $USDPT, as volumes have skyrocketed.

This follows Fidelity's first stablecoin launch, Fidelity Digital Dollar, $FIDD, for retail and institutional investors.

As a… pic.twitter.com/I3Y9pr0ike

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) March 10, 2026

Western Union, Fidelity, and Jupiter are entering from very different positions, yet all are targeting the same fast-growing demand for blockchain-based dollars. Their moves are also reinforcing Solana’s role as one of the main networks competing for new issuance.

Western Union Pushes Stablecoin Into Real-World Payments

Notably, Western Union has taken one of the most practical routes into the market. In October 2025, the company said it planned to launch USDPT, a U.S. dollar payment token built on Solana and issued by Anchorage Digital Bank. Western Union said the product was expected to become available in the first half of 2026.

The rollout advanced further this month when infrastructure provider Crossmint said it would support USDPT and connect the token to Western Union’s Digital Asset Network. That network is designed to let users convert digital dollars into local currency through more than 360,000 collection points worldwide, with cash pickup available in more than 200 countries.

LEGACY FINANCE MEETS SOLANA!@WesternUnion is building on @solana to launch USDPT, a U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin for faster, cheaper global transfers — here are the crucial details https://t.co/MlqkCJNRf0

— BSCN (@BSCNews) October 29, 2025

The model gives Western Union a direct link between blockchain payments and physical cash access, a feature that could matter most in remittance markets where recipients still depend on local payout options.

Fidelity Brings Brokerage Muscle to the Market

Besides, Fidelity has moved faster from concept to live issuance. On Feb. 4, the company announced the launch of Fidelity Digital Dollar, or FIDD, for both retail and institutional investors.

Fidelity said eligible customers can buy or redeem FIDD at a one-to-one rate with the U.S. dollar, and the token can also be transferred to Ethereum mainnet addresses. The company added that issuance and reserve management are handled through its digital asset and asset management businesses.

That gives Fidelity tighter control over operations and places the token inside an existing financial system with built-in customer reach. While Western Union is linking blockchain dollars to cash collection, Fidelity is tying its product to digital purchase and redemption services that already serve traditional investors.

Jupiter Expands On-Chain Liquidity With JupUSD

Meanwhile, Jupiter is pursuing a different path by embedding its new product directly into decentralized finance activity. The protocol’s verified dashboard shows JupUSD launched on Jan. 5, 2026, as a Solana-native dollar-pegged token built with Ethena Labs. According to the same listing, JupUSD is backed 90% by BlackRock BUIDL exposure through USDtb and 10% by USDC.

JupUSD has just launched on Solana as the latest Ethena Whitelabel stablecoin to go live!@jupiterexchange is rolling out JupUSD across its suite of products, including JupLend, Swap, Mobile, Send, and Perps – over time replacing the ~$500M worth of USDC inside of JLP. https://t.co/fK9M8p9TsH pic.twitter.com/gDjzqpNnbj

— Ethena (@ethena) January 5, 2026

That structure gives Jupiter a product designed for trading, lending, and liquidity across its ecosystem rather than for remittance or brokerage use. The launch also adds another major entrant to a network where DefiLlama says USDC still holds the largest share of supply at 54%.

Related: Vitalik: Ethereum Foundation Stakes 72,000 ETH With DVT-lite

Solana Becomes a Key Venue in the Stablecoin Fight

The race now appears to be defined by utility and reach. Western Union is pairing tokenized dollars with global cash access, while Fidelity is using its investment platform to support digital dollar flows.

Jupiter, on the other hand, is deepening DeFi liquidity inside its network. Each launch targets a different user base, but together they show why Solana has become one of the main venues for new dollar-token competition.

With $15.6 billion already on chain and new issuers still arriving, the network is no longer just a host for transfers. It is becoming a central arena where the next phase of the dollar-token market is taking shape.

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STRK20 brings native token privacy to Starknet without disrupting wider DeFi access. 

Starknet says shielded transfers can stay fast, cheap, and fully ready for compliance. 

Encrypted audit access could expand stablecoin use among larger regulated institutions.

Starknet is developing a privacy framework that allows teams to launch shielded stablecoins and other digital assets while preserving regulatory compliance. The capability, called STRK20, is under development by StarkWare and is expected to launch on Starknet later this year. The framework introduces token-level privacy for assets on the Ethereum Layer 2 network while keeping them compatible with decentralized finance applications. 

Developers say the system will allow transactions and balances to remain confidential without sacrificing speed, cost efficiency, or compliance features.

STARKNET ENTERS THE PRIVACY ERA WITH NEW STRK20 TOKEN STANDARD

Starknet has launched STRK20, a privacy-focused token standard that uses zero-knowledge proofs to hide sender, receiver, and transaction amounts onchain providing default anonymity to ERC20 tokens. pic.twitter.com/DLXLNxOglY

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) March 11, 2026

Starknet Introduces Token-Level Privacy for ERC-20 Assets

The STRK20 framework targets privacy for tokens issued on Starknet, an Ethereum Layer 2 network. Developers designed the system to work across ERC-20 tokens, the standard used for most fungible assets on Ethereum.

StarkWare said the capability could extend privacy functionality to Ethereum-based assets and decentralized finance platforms. The team shared details in a statement provided to The Block. StarkWare said, “This will enable Ethereum and ERC20s to leverage this privacy capability, including for private DeFi.”

Developers explained that the framework embeds privacy features directly at the token level. As a result, projects do not require additional infrastructure to use the system.

The team also outlined performance targets for the privacy feature. Transactions using the system are expected to settle in less than five seconds. Developers also estimate costs below twenty cents per transaction.

These targets aim to make privacy features practical for financial applications on blockchain networks. StarkWare said the framework supports confidential activity while maintaining compatibility with existing decentralized finance tools.

STRK20 Adds Confidential Transfers While Keeping Public Execution

Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains operate with full transparency. Anyone can usually view wallet balances and transaction histories on public explorers. This design improves auditability and verification. Yet it also limits certain financial use cases because organizations may prefer confidentiality for sensitive transactions.

STRK20 introduces what Starknet describes as transaction-layer privacy. Under this model, asset ownership remains hidden while transactions still execute on a public network. Users can shield tokens into a private state and later transfer them confidentially. They can also return those tokens to a public state when required.

The framework keeps both private and public states tied to the same asset. That structure avoids splitting liquidity across different token versions and maintains compatibility with existing liquidity pools.

Eli Ben-Sasson, StarkWare chief executive officer and co-founder of Zcash, described the capability as a possible catalyst for institutional adoption. He said privacy for transfers, swapping, staking, and other decentralized finance activity could move stablecoin adoption “up about five gears.” If privacy and compliance can coexist, could confidential financial activity on public blockchains finally scale for institutional markets?

Starknet Plans Ecosystem Integrations and Compliance Features

Starknet developers have already planned early integrations within the network’s ecosystem. Ekubo Protocol intends to support privacy-enabled swaps once the system launches. The team is also exploring private staking for several assets. These include Bitcoin and the Starknet token within decentralized finance environments.

Starknet discussed compliance features in a blog post describing the design of the privacy pool. The network explained that users register encrypted viewing keys on-chain when they join the privacy pool.

The blog post stated, “If a regulatory request comes in, a designated third party auditing entity can decrypt that specific user’s key and trace their complete transaction history, forwards and backwards.”

Starknet explained that the design isolates access to the specific user under review. The blog post added that the mechanism protects other users from exposure during an investigation. The company wrote, “This is not a backdoor. It is a carefully scoped access mechanism that responds to legal requirements without exposing the entire pool.”

Related: Starknet (STRK) Soars with Strong Network Activity and TVL

Starknet further stated that the architecture allows privacy by default while still enabling legal oversight. The blog post concluded that this approach could make STRK20 suitable for institutions and enterprises. Earlier experiments within the ecosystem already explored privacy-focused Bitcoin use cases. Starknet introduced strkBTC earlier this year. The asset allows optional shielding for Bitcoin balances while still supporting decentralized finance participation.

Interest in privacy solutions continues to grow across the crypto industry. Public blockchains process trillions of dollars in yearly transactions. Yet anyone can view wallet balances and transaction histories on those networks. Starknet developers say privacy tools could allow users to pay, trade, and lend without revealing financial activity. The team also stated that the system aims to maintain compliance while improving blockchain usability.

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Electric Capital and Goldman Sachs led a forceful move into Solana ETF exposure. 

Top 30 institutions built more than $540M in Solana ETF holdings by quarter-end.

Nearly half of Solana ETF assets now sit with institutional 13F-reporting firms.

Institutional investors have sharply increased exposure to spot Solana exchange-traded funds. Recent 13F filings show Electric Capital and Goldman Sachs leading the accumulation. Together, the top 30 institutions now hold more than $540 million in Solana ETF assets. Investment advisers control $270 million, while hedge funds account for about $186 million. The data indicates that institutional investors now own nearly half of all Solana ETF assets. 

This development signals strong participation from both traditional finance firms and crypto-native investment groups as the ETF market expands.

MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL SIGNAL FOR $SOL:

New 13F filings show Electric Capital and Goldman Sachs poured $137.8M and $107.4M into spot Solana ETFs.

The top 30 institutions now hold over $540M total: investment advisors $270M and hedge funds $186M.

This pushes institutional… pic.twitter.com/2nPUDdc8ti

— BSCN (@BSCNews) March 10, 2026

Electric Capital and Goldman Sachs Lead Institutional Buying

According to filings submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, venture capital firm Electric Capital emerged as the largest buyer. The firm reported roughly $137.8 million worth of spot Solana ETF exposure. Electric Capital has a history of backing blockchain infrastructure projects and continues to expand its presence in digital asset markets.

Goldman Sachs followed behind with about $107.4 million in holdings. The allocation marks one of the bank’s largest positions in altcoin-focused ETF products. The filings indicate that major Wall Street firms now treat Solana ETFs as part of their broader digital asset strategies.

Bloomberg Intelligence data confirms that Goldman Sachs and other financial institutions increased exposure during the fourth quarter of 2025. Their investments formed part of more than $540 million that flowed into Solana ETFs during the period. As a result, venture capital firms and global banks both contributed to the rising demand.

Institutional Participation Expands Across Investment Categories

Institutional involvement extends well beyond the two largest buyers. Investment advisers collectively accumulated over $270 million in Solana ETF positions. Meanwhile, hedge funds contributed roughly $186 million across several ETF products.

Other participants also appeared in the filings. Citadel Advisors, Multicoin Capital, SIG Holding, and Elequin Capital reported positions tied to Solana ETFs. The list reflects a combination of traditional financial firms and crypto-focused funds entering the market.

Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas addressed the trend on Thursday. He noted that cumulative flows into spot Solana ETFs have remained strong despite recent price declines in SOL. Balchunas also observed that firms filing 13F reports now control roughly half of all Solana ETF assets.

Solana is down 57% since the spot ETFs launched in July (that is about as unlucky timing as you'll ever see in ETFs) yet they managed to not only accumulate $1.5b in flows but not really give any of it up. Further, 50% of the assets are from 13F filers = serious inv base. Both… pic.twitter.com/jfCPCTOnsv

— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) March 5, 2026

Institutional Ownership Approaches Half of Total Assets

Data from Farside Investors shows that U.S. spot Solana ETFs have attracted $952 million in total inflows since launching in the United States. Nearly half of these assets now sit in portfolios managed by institutions that must disclose holdings through regulatory filings.

This concentration developed faster than analysts expected. Bloomberg Intelligence reported that identifiable institutional ownership in Solana ETFs reached levels that Bitcoin ETFs took longer to achieve after launch. As a result, the market now shows greater early participation from professional investors.

Related: Wall Street Regulators Step Up Oversight of Crypto and Prediction Markets

The influx of capital occurred during a volatile period for Solana. Market fluctuations pushed the price of SOL below previous highs during the same timeframe. Despite that volatility, institutions continued to allocate funds to the ETF products.

The $540 million held by leading institutions corresponds to roughly 4.3 million SOL tokens underlying the funds. These holdings represent a substantial portion of the circulating ETF exposure.

Institutional investors now control approximately 49% to 50% of total Solana ETF assets, according to recent estimates. That ownership level raises an important question: will institutional demand continue shaping the future liquidity and adoption of Solana-based investment products?

Bloomberg Intelligence and Farside Investors provided the primary data used in the filings analysis. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas also commented on the institutional flows and ownership levels reported in the disclosures.

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Ripple seeks an AFSL to deepen its regulated payments reach across Australia now.

The license bid could help Ripple scale faster cross-border payment services in APAC.

Australia stands as a key test for blockchain settlement inside regulated finance.

Ripple plans to obtain an Australian Financial Services License to expand its regulated payments infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region. The company said the license would allow financial institutions and enterprises in Australia to access faster cross-border settlement through its Ripple Payments platform. Ripple intends to secure the license through the proposed acquisition of BC Payments Australia Pty Ltd. The acquisition remains subject to standard completion procedures.

Exciting milestone for @Ripple in Australia!

Ripple is obtaining an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL). As we continue to bridge TradFi with the next gen of digital infrastructure, regulatory compliance remains the foundation of everything we build:… pic.twitter.com/JNF1iQSyG7

— Ripple (@Ripple) March 10, 2026

The license would extend Ripple’s regulatory presence across Asia-Pacific and add to more than 75 regulatory licenses the company already holds globally. Ripple also reported that its payments volume in the Asia-Pacific region nearly doubled year-over-year in 2025.

The company already works with several Australian firms, including Hai Ha Money Transfer, Stables, Caleb & Brown, Flash Payments, and Independent Reserve.

Ripple Expands Regulatory Strategy in Australia

Ripple said licensing remains central to its global growth strategy. The company seeks regulatory approvals to deliver compliant blockchain payment infrastructure across financial markets.

“Licensing is fundamental to Ripple’s strategy, ensuring we can deliver secure, compliant solutions to customers worldwide,” said Fiona Murray, Managing Director of Asia Pacific at Ripple.

Murray described Australia as a key market for the company’s expansion plans. “Australia is a key market for Ripple, and an AFSL strengthens our ability to scale Ripple Payments across the region,” Murray said.

She added that blockchain technology and digital assets allow financial institutions to move value across borders with improved speed and transparency. Ripple said it continues to work closely with regulators across the region as digital asset infrastructure evolves.

Payments Platform Designed for End-to-End Transactions

Ripple said the Australian license would allow its platform to manage the full lifecycle of cross-border transactions. The system handles onboarding, compliance procedures, funding, foreign exchange, liquidity management, and final payout.

Ripple Payments connects traditional banking rails with digital assets to facilitate global settlements. If regulators approve the license, Ripple would oversee settlement directly and connect customers to local payout partners.

The company said this approach helps optimize transaction routing while improving transparency and settlement speed. Ripple added that customers can integrate directly into its infrastructure without managing blockchain systems themselves or coordinating multiple intermediaries.

Founded in 2012, Ripple develops enterprise blockchain solutions for payments, custody, liquidity management, and treasury operations. The company describes its platform as a unified system that supports the movement, storage, exchange, and management of value across financial networks.

Related: Ripple CEO Predicts 90% Odds of CLARITY Act Approval by April

Industry Observers Monitor Crypto Integration in Finance

The expansion raises a broader question for the financial sector. Will blockchain settlement appear directly inside regulated payment systems? Some observers say the license could increase adoption of crypto payment infrastructure in regulated financial markets.

Kartik Swaminathan, lead contributor at crypto fintech firm Demether, described the license as “a game changer” and “a possible template of how crypto could enter mainstream usage.” Swaminathan also noted that regulatory clarity remains important for the sector.

While the license may bring legitimacy to blockchain settlement, he said, government agencies could take time to define clear regulatory processes. “Consumers are agnostic to tech, so new products need to be faster or cheaper to win,” Swaminathan said.

He added that Ripple faces growing competition from several Australian stablecoin initiatives. Swaminathan said market distribution could determine which payment technologies gain the strongest adoption in the future.

Ripple currently participates in several digital finance initiatives across Australia. These include Project Acacia, which the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre lead.

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Zcash rose 10% to $227 after ZODL announced a $25M seed round backed by top crypto firms

Trading volume jumped 42% to $370M, while open interest climbed 13% to signal stronger demand

Support at $204-$185 held again as RSI rose to 45, and traders watched resistance near $310

Zcash posted one of the strongest moves in the digital asset market over the past day after Open Development Lab announced a seed round of more than $25 million. The token climbed 10% in 24 hours to trade near $227, while daily trading volume rose 42% to $370 million.

The jump came alongside a broader risk-on move across crypto, with total market capitalization up 2.81% and Bitcoin gaining 3.50% in the same period. The price reaction stood out because it was paired with a sharp increase in spot activity, a sign that buyers were active at scale rather than pushing the market through thin liquidity.

That made the advance more notable than a routine bounce inside a quiet range. While the wider market offered support, the size of the token’s move showed stronger relative performance than most major assets during the session.

Funding Round Puts Development in Focus

The catalyst was the funding round secured by Zcash Open Development Lab, or ZODL, which said it raised more than $25 million to support the next phase of product and protocol work around shielded ZEC.

The raise drew backing from Paradigm, a16z crypto, Winklevoss Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Cypherpunk Technologies, Maelstrom, Chapter One, Balaji Srinivasan, David Friedberg, Haseeb Qureshi, Mert, James Nicholas, and other angel investors across crypto and technology.

https://t.co/MtgE0AF2eg

— Zashi → Zodl (@zodl_app) March 9, 2026

ZODL was founded by former Electric Coin Company chief executive Josh Swihart. It now leads the development of Zodl, the main self-custodial wallet and user platform tied to the network.

According to the figures provided, the wallet has helped expand the shielded pool by more than 400% since its 2024 launch and has supported over $600 million in ZEC swaps since October 2025. Earlier this year, the full ECC team joined ZODL to continue work on both the wallet and the protocol.

Market Metrics Show Strong Immediate Response

The announcement landed in a market that was already moving higher, but the token outpaced that backdrop by a wide margin. The 42% increase in turnover to $370 million suggested that the rally was supported by active participation rather than a brief price spike.

That distinction matters because rising prices and rising volumes often point to stronger conviction behind a move. Derivatives data also showed heavier positioning. Open interest rose about 13% over the past 24 hours to $362 million.

Source: CoinGlass

That increase indicated that more traders were opening fresh positions in the futures market as the price gained. Together, rising spot volume and rising open interest painted a picture of stronger engagement across both cash and leveraged markets.

Related: XRP Holds Key Support as Traders Sit on $50.8B Unrealized Loss

Chart Structure Turns Attention to Key Levels

From a technical standpoint, the token has formed a double bottom pattern, a structure traders commonly track when a downtrend begins to stabilize. Price also rebounded from the $204-$185 support zone, an area that has held since mid-October 2025. That band has rejected further downside three separate times, including the latest test.

Momentum data added to the recovery signal. The relative strength index moved up to 45 after rising from oversold territory. That showed improving buying pressure, though the reading remained below the neutral 50 level.

Source: TradingView

If bullish momentum continues, attention will likely shift to the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level in the $332-$310 range. That area also stands out as a former support zone that later turned into resistance and was last tested in mid-February.

Meanwhile, on the downside, the $204-$185 range remains the main support area. Below that, the next historically referenced level sits near $120, a price last seen in early October last year. For now, traders are monitoring whether volume stays elevated during any pullbacks, since sustained activity is often used to measure whether demand remains intact.

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Crypto funding rose 50% year over year as investors shifted toward larger late-stage rounds

Deal count fell 46% while average deal size jumped 272% to $34 million over 12 months

Just three February fundraises made up 44% of monthly volume as capital grew more concentrated

Crypto funding is rising again, but the money is moving in a very different way. Fresh data from Messari shows total fundraising climbed nearly 50% year over year between March 2025 and March 2026, even as the number of deals dropped 46%.

The shift points to a market where investors are writing fewer checks, backing fewer teams, and directing more capital into bigger and later-stage rounds. That change has reshaped the pace and structure of the market. 

BULLISH: CRYPTO FUNDING IS UP 50% IN 2026!

Between March 2025 and March 2026, crypto project fundraising has increased by 50%, but there's a catch…

The number of deals has fallen by 46% in the period, meaning investors are going for larger, more concentrated funding rounds.… pic.twitter.com/ql0vHSb1Sa

— BSCN (@BSCNews) March 10, 2026

Messari said the average deal size rose to $34 million over the past 12 months, up 273% from a year earlier, while the number of active investors fell 34.45% to 3,231. The result is a fundraising environment that looks stronger in dollar terms but narrower in participation, with capital flowing to selected companies rather than spreading across the sector.

Bigger Checks Replace Broader Risk

Messari described the trend as heavy capital concentration driven by late-stage and strategic mega-rounds. In February alone, just three fundraises accounted for 44% of the $795 million raised over the month.

That included Tether’s $200 million investment in online marketplace Whop, Novig’s $75 million Series B led by Pantera Capital, and ARQ’s $70 million Series B led by Sequoia Capital. Those headline rounds helped lift totals, but they also masked softer breadth beneath the surface.

Source: Messari

The $795 million raised over the last month represented a 65.3% drop from the prior 30-day period. Messari CEO Eric Turner said the industry still needs fresh capital, noting that few major venture firms have recently closed new funds outside Dragonfly Capital.

Monthly Totals Depend on a Few Heavy Days

The last 30 days show how concentrated Crypto funding has become. Messari data recorded 89 rounds and $950 million raised, but more than $624 million of that total came on just three days: February 18, 19, and 25.

That means roughly 57% of the monthly capital arrived in a narrow window rather than through steady daily activity. February 25 alone brought in $269.15 million across 10 rounds, while February 19 produced $213.30 million across five rounds. By contrast, fundraising momentum cooled in early March.

Source: Messari

The largest daily total this month reached $105.4 million on March 4, well below the stronger days seen in the second half of February. Daily round counts also slowed, averaging about 4.6 rounds per day in March after several February sessions posted between six and 10 announcements.

Crypto funding also looked weaker on a per-round basis over the last month. Average deal size fell to $18.37 million, down 43.06%, while active investors declined 14.83% to 293. That suggests the broader monthly picture remains uneven even as annual totals improve.

Related: Robert Kiyosaki Flags 2026 Market Crash and Debt Threat

Market Prices Fall as Venture Capital Holds Up

The rise in Crypto funding is unfolding against a weak backdrop for token prices. Since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, major digital assets have posted steep declines. Bitcoin is down 40%, Ether 45%, XRP 59%, Solana nearly 72%, and Dogecoin 78%. Similarly, TRUMP has dropped 90%, while MELANIA is down 98%.

Even so, investors have not fully stepped away from the sector. Coinbase Ventures, QUBIC Labs, Somnia, and Tether ranked among the most active investors over the past three months, with Coinbase Ventures leading on 14 rounds.

Source: Messari

Messari also said early-stage Crypto funding remains active but fragmented, pointing to Interstate’s $1.5 million round backed by more than 15 participants, from venture firms to angel investors. The pattern is clear. Crypto funding is still coming in, but investors are no longer spreading it widely. They are choosing scale, selectivity, and larger targets over volume.

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XRP holds at $1.38 as a tightening wedge keeps traders fixed on direction at present.

XRPL stablecoin supply reached $426 million as liquidity on the network expanded.

ETF outflows and long-cycle support now shape XRP’s next decisive market phase ahead.

XRP traded at $1.38 on March 10 after opening at $1.36, reaching a high of $1.39, touching a low of $1.36, and closing at $1.38. The move left the pair up $0.02 for the day, a 1.62% gain. At the same time, the chart showed price tightening inside a wedge after a broader decline, while on-chain liquidity improved and institutional flows turned negative.

Wedge Tightens as XRP Sits Below Resistance

The chart placed XRP in a narrowing structure after a retreat from the 1 Fibonacci level at $2.41. From that peak, the price moved through several retracement zones that now frame the market’s structure. Those levels included the 0.786 retracement at $2.14, the 0.618 level at $1.92, the 0.5 level at $1.76, and the 0.382 level at $1.6166. The sell-off later pushed the price toward the 0 Fibonacci level at $1.12.

Source: TradingView

From there, XRP rebounded and began trading between descending resistance and rising support. By the time of the chart snapshot, the price sat near the 0.236 retracement at $1.42, though it remained below that level. That left the pair trapped between nearby resistance and an ascending support line. As the two boundaries moved closer together, the wedge pattern continued to compress near its apex.

Momentum data told a similar story. The RSI (14) stood at 45.80, while the RSI moving average read 42.52. Both figures remained below the 60.00 reference band and above the 20.00 floor. That positioning pointed to stabilization after a weaker stretch in momentum.

Breakout Target Meets Mixed Market Signals

The same setup also carried a breakout target. Based on the height of the symmetrical triangle pattern, a confirmed move higher could project XRP toward $2.06. That level sits close to 50% above the current $1.38 price. As a result, the wedge has become the chart’s central feature as traders watch whether price can break above nearby resistance.

At the same time, network data showed rising liquidity on XRPL. DeFiLama reported that stablecoin supply on the network rose 2.5% over the past seven days to $426 million. A larger stablecoin base often points to deeper liquidity and stronger trading activity across a network. In this case, the increase marked one of the main supportive data points around XRP.

Still, institutional demand slowed. The text noted that U.S. spot XRP ETFs posted $22 million in net outflows over the past two weeks, ending a four-week inflow streak. That contrast left XRP with two competing signals. Network liquidity expanded, yet ETF flows weakened.

Related: XRP Holds Key Support as Traders Sit on $50.8B Unrealized Loss

Long-Term Chart Levels Draw Fresh Attention

Crypto analyst EGRAG Crypto said “XRP may be sitting at a historically significant technical level.” His view centered on the 100-week Exponential Moving Average, which he described as a key floor in prior cycles. According to that framework, XRP reset near the same long-term indicator in 2017 before a parabolic move. The analyst said the same region also supported the market before the 2021 rally.

Source: X

He also pointed to a long-term ascending channel that has shaped all three market cycles. In each case, XRP found support near the lower band before moving toward the upper boundary during stronger phases. What happens if that pattern repeats once more?

EGRAG Crypto outlined two possible paths. The first mirrored 2021 and pointed to the 1.618 Fibonacci extension, placing XRP in the $6 to $9 range. The second followed the sharper 2017 expansion. In that case, the 2.414 to 2.618 Fibonacci extensions would indicate a range between $20 and $25, provided altcoin liquidity rotation and late-cycle momentum remain in place.

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Kiyosaki says unresolved 2008 flaws may now drive markets toward a deeper crash.

He links rising debt and private credit strain to a possible swift global downturn.

He urges investors to study silver and diversify into hard and digital assets now.

Robert Kiyosaki warned that a historic financial collapse could approach in 2026 and linked the risk to unresolved problems from the 2008 crisis. The Rich Dad Poor Dad author said earlier warnings in his 2013 book Rich Dad’s Prophecy described the possibility of a larger market crash if global financial structures remained unchanged. He now fears that the delayed impact of those structural weaknesses may surface again, although he also said he hopes the prediction proves incorrect.

Kiyosaki stated that the stock market collapse predicted in his earlier work never disappeared after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Instead, he believes policymakers postponed the problem through increased borrowing and monetary expansion. As a result, he argues that the next downturn could surpass previous crises in scale and impact.

REPEATING A WARNING

In Rich Dad’s Prophecy (2013) I warned the biggest stock market crash in history….was STILL coming.

In 2026, I hope I am wrong…. Yet I am afraid that crash is now arriving.

Why did I make that prediction?

Because the cause of the 2008 crash, the GFC,…

— Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) March 10, 2026

At the same time, Kiyosaki pointed to the growing debt burden across global economies. Governments and institutions continue to rely heavily on borrowing to sustain financial activity. He believes this dependence increases systemic vulnerability across financial markets.

Earlier Warnings and the 2008 Crisis

Kiyosaki referenced his experience during the 2008 financial crisis to explain his current outlook. He recalled appearing on CNN with journalist Wolf Blitzer during the period leading to the collapse of Lehman Brothers. During that interview, Kiyosaki predicted that Lehman Brothers could fail. The investment bank collapsed shortly afterward, becoming one of the defining moments of the global financial crisis.

He later cited the event as evidence that financial systems can accumulate hidden risks before sudden breakdowns occur. According to Kiyosaki, those events shaped his belief that large market disruptions often develop quietly before emerging rapidly.

Kiyosaki repeated that claim in his recent message. He wrote that he had predicted the Lehman collapse during the CNN appearance. He then suggested that another systemic event could emerge in the coming years.

Warning Over Private Credit Markets

Kiyosaki linked the potential future crisis to risks he described in the private credit market. In particular, he referred to what he called a “private credit Ponzi scheme” connected to BlackRock.

He warned that if the private credit market were to unravel, the financial shock could spread quickly across the global system. The impact, he said, could be rapid and destructive.

According to Kiyosaki, retirement savings for baby boomers could face severe losses if such a collapse occurred. Many retirees rely on financial markets for income and savings stability.

He added that the global economy now carries a debt load that many governments may struggle to repay. Rising obligations across public and private sectors continue to expand the scale of financial risk.

Could the world’s growing debt levels trigger another systemic financial crisis?

Investment Strategies and Asset Preferences

Alongside his warning, Kiyosaki repeated advice he has shared in previous discussions about financial protection. He encouraged investors to become proactive rather than remain passive during periods of uncertainty.

He suggested that individuals consider assets such as gold, silver, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and partnerships in real oil wells. In his view, these assets may retain value if financial markets experience severe turbulence.

Kiyosaki placed particular focus on silver as an accessible entry point for new investors. He said someone with as little as $10 could visit a coin dealer and purchase small amounts of “junk silver,” such as old dimes or quarters.

Related: Robert Kiyosaki Warns of “Giant Crash” as He Buys More Bitcoin

He explained that these purchases can provide both investment exposure and practical financial education. Dealers who specialize in precious metals often share knowledge with customers who show long-term interest in the market.

Kiyosaki also suggested that individuals without spare cash could skip a meal and use the money to buy silver. His statement aimed to illustrate how small steps can introduce people to investing and financial learning.

The comments formed part of his broader message urging individuals to take control of their financial education and investment decisions.

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XRP holds the $1.34-$1.27 support zone even as $50.8 billion in unrealized losses weigh.

Glassnode data shows 36.8 billion XRP are underwater as on-chain profitability keeps fading.

U.S. spot XRP ETFs logged $22 million in outflows in two days as near-term demand softened.

XRP price is clinging to a support band that traders have watched for weeks, even as pressure across the market keeps building. The token was trading near $1.34 at the time of writing, down 1.41% over the past 24 hours, while several other top-10 cryptocurrencies posted modest gains in the same window.

Source: TradingView

That divergence has put fresh focus on a price zone between $1.34 and $1.27, which has held in place since February and, so far, stopped the decline from deepening. The backdrop, however, is not especially forgiving. Broader crypto market sentiment remains in the extreme fear range, and the total market cap slipped another 0.11% on the day.

Source: CoinMarketCap

Against that setting, on-chain data suggests a large share of XRP holders are now sitting below their entry price. That matters less as a headline than as a measure of strain. When losses spread across a network, even routine price moves can start to feel heavier.

Losses Spread Across the Supply

According to Glassnode, about 36.8 billion XRP are currently being held at a loss. At prevailing prices, that works out to roughly $50.8 billion in unrealized losses. It is a large figure, but the more telling point may be what sits behind it: the market has slipped below the level where much of the circulating supply last changed hands.

At current levels, ~36.8B XRPs are in loss. Denominated in USD, the unrealized loss is now $50.8B.
https://t.co/oemb6IKnkt https://t.co/yTsIXWPFV4 pic.twitter.com/OJtVLCSggL

— glassnode (@glassnode) March 8, 2026

Glassnode further added that the token recently lost its aggregate holder cost basis, a line often used to gauge whether the average coin in circulation is sitting in profit or underwater. Once the price falls below that level, the balance of the market shifts.

More holders begin to carry losses, and confidence can thin out quickly, particularly when the broader tape is already weak. However, that does not automatically translate into forced selling, but it changes the tone. Traders tend to become more defensive when recoveries fail to push them back into profit.

Profitability Metrics Have Softened

A second on-chain measure points in the same direction. Glassnode’s reading of Spent Output Profit Ratio, or SOPR, shows that realized profitability has deteriorated over time. Its 7-day exponential moving average fell from 1.16 in July 2025 to about 0.96 now.

In simple terms, readings below one tend to show that coins moving on-chain are being sold for less than their prior cost basis. It is not a perfect measure of sentiment, but it does offer a window into how stressed holders may be. Here, the signal is fairly clear: profits have faded, and loss realization has picked up.

Glassnode also noted a resemblance to the stretch between September 2021 and May 2022, when the same metric stayed below one for an extended period. That episode did not produce an immediate rebound. Instead, it gave way to a longer period of consolidation before conditions stabilized.

ETF Flows Add Another Layer

Similarly, spot ETF flows have not offered much relief either. Data from SoSoValue showed $22.77 million in outflows from U.S. spot XRP ETFs over two days leading into this period. The numbers are small next to the asset’s total market value, but they still point to softer demand from a part of the market that traders watch closely.

Source: SoSoValue

Taken together, the picture is fairly straightforward. Price is still holding a closely watched floor, but buying conviction remains limited while a large share of supply sits at a loss.

Related: Why Monero (XMR) Price Is Down Today: Key Drivers Explained

Key Levels Traders Are Watching

For now, attention stays fixed on $1.34. If that area gives way, traders are likely to look toward the $1.21 to $1.12 region next. On the upside, a more durable recovery would require a move above $1.42, which lines up with short-term moving averages and the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level cited by market watchers.

The immediate setup remains fragile rather than broken. Support is still intact. But with underwater supply elevated, ETF flows negative, and broader risk appetite unsettled ahead of the March 12 U.S. CPI report, the market is left balancing on a narrow ledge.

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