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With the XRP price still struggling to reclaim $1.5, it comes as no surprise that sentiment has plunged toward the negative. Naturally, this has led to major sell-offs across the board, causing a downward cascade. Amid this sell-off, a pundit has warned that XRP investors could be making a grave mistake by panic-selling. Instead, he has proposed a way that XRP investors could use their coins without having to offload them on the market.

Selling XRP To Take Profits Is Not The Way

Max Avery, a staunch XRP supporter, went to the X platform to warn investors of an expensive mistake they could be making. According to the pundit, selling off XRP coins right now in a bid to “take profit” could turn out to be a very expensive mistake for investors.

According to Avery, by selling their coins, XRP investors are not just risking losing their coins, but also getting themselves on the hook for taxes. Explaining further, Avery said that the sell-off could trigger a 15-37%, depending on the jurisdiction.

After doing this, to get back into the digital asset, investors are now burdened with trying to time the market and figuring out the best time to re-enter the altcoin. Essentially, trying to call the bottom, something that has been historically near impossible to do.

Instead, the pundit tells investors that rather than selling off their their coins, it is better to borrow against the asset. This way, investors are able to get cash to spend when needed, while also maintaining their token holdings. Additionally, this triggers no tax event, making it easier to spend.

How XRP Is Faring

Some interesting developments surrounding XRP during this time include the fact that its open interest has seen a major crash, data from Coinglass shows. It went from a peak of over $10.8 billion to sitting below $3 billion at the time of writing. Since open interest is the total of the contracts open on the cryptocurrency, it means that participation among traders has waned for the digital asset.

In the same vein, daily trading volume has also seen a notable decline. In the last few months, XRP’s daily trading volume has trended below $10 billion, a stark contrast compared to the $78 billion that was recorded in late 2024.

These trends suggest that XRP is now in a bear market, especially as investors begin to take profits from the market. However, times like these have often helped to mark a bottom in the past, and if that is the case here, the altcoin may be gearing up for a rebound soon.

The White House is expected to host another round of talks this Friday between representatives of the crypto industry and major banking institutions, as both sides race to meet a March 1 deadline aimed at advancing the long-delayed crypto market structure bill (CLARITY Act). 

The renewed discussions come after weeks of negotiations in Washington, D.C., where participants have been attempting to bridge a key divide over the treatment of stablecoins.

SEC Safe Harbor And Strategic Crypto Reserve

The dispute has centred on whether stablecoin issuers should be permitted to offer interest on unused token balances. However, as Bitcoinist reported earlier this week, the prospect of paying interest-like returns on dormant stablecoin holdings — a priority for many crypto-native firms — has effectively been ruled out. 

The conversation has instead shifted toward a narrower question: whether companies may provide rewards tied to specific user actions or engagement, rather than simply compensating users for holding balances.

Despite signs that at least one contentious issue may be cooling, expectations for Friday’s meeting remain high. Market expert Paul Barron has suggested the gathering could produce several significant developments. 

In a recent post on X, Barron predicted a potential truce between banks and stablecoin issuers. He also floated the possibility of formal Treasury protocols governing a proposed strategic reserve, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and XRP.

In addition, Barron suggested that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could introduce “safe harbor” guidelines designed to reduce enforcement actions and provide clearer regulatory pathways for crypto projects.

However, reporting from Eleanor Terrett of Crypto In America indicates that a breakthrough may not yet be imminent. 

DeFi And Ethics Issues Might Resurface

Citing sources on both sides of the negotiations, Terrett noted that no decisive “eureka” moment has emerged since draft legislative language was circulated following last week’s meeting, which participants described as constructive. 

That session marked the third formal attempt by industry and banking representatives to find common ground. It remains uncertain whether an agreement will be finalized by the White House’s March 1 target date or whether negotiators will settle on a compromise that prompts a public announcement.

Attention is now expected to return to other unresolved matters within the broader market structure framework. Concerns surrounding decentralized finance (DeFi) and ethical considerations are likely to resurface, particularly during a Senate Democratic member meeting on market structure scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. 

With the deadline fast approaching, the upcoming White House session may prove pivotal in determining whether months of negotiations translate into legislative progress or whether further delays await the CLARITY Act.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced the four firms chosen to test stablecoin services in its regulatory sandbox program.

FCA’s Sandbox Will Shape UK’s Stablecoin Rules Later In 2026

In a new announcement, the FCA has revealed the four companies that are part of the regulator’s stablecoin sandbox program. This sandbox will trial stablecoin-related products in a safe environment under proposed regulatory rules.

The FCA first launched a special cohort called the “stablecoins cohort” for its regulatory sandbox back in November 2025. “The stablecoins cohort is part of our commitment to supporting growth and innovation in UK financial services,” noted the statement.

The UK regulator took applications from companies between November 26th and January 18th to become members of the cohort. 20 firms applied and now, the FCA has announced the results.

Monee Financial Technologies, ReStabilise, Revolut, and VVTX are the four companies selected by the regulator to test how their services and products would work with proposed regulation. “It will help the FCA assess its proposed policy in a live environment and ensure future rules are clear, effective and support responsible innovation,” explained the FCA.

The proposals of the four firms cover a range of stablecoin use cases, including payments, wholesale settlement, and trading, but FCA’s sandbox will mainly focus on the issuance of these fiat-tied tokens. “We are supporting UK stablecoin issuers to ensure they can be trusted for payments, settlement and trading,” said Matthew Long, director of payments and digital assets at the FCA.

According to the announcement, UK’s sandbox testing will begin in the first quarter of 2026, with the findings helping mold the country’s final stablecoin rules later in the year.

The UK isn’t the only country that has been making progress on regulation related to this class of cryptocurrencies. Last year, President Donald Trump signed on the GENIUS Act, providing a regulatory framework for stablecoins in the United States.

Over in Asia, Hong Kong put into legislation its stablecoin bill in August, while South Korea’s bill is pending debut as policymakers debate issuance models, with the country’s central bank advocating for bank-only won tokens.

The legislative momentum around the world has meant that fiat-pegged digital assets have been gaining more adoption. Japan observed the launch of its first yen token last year. Meanwhile, in Europe, twelve major banks have come together to form a consortium aimed at launching a euro-tied stablecoin in the second half of 2026. Currently, the sector is heavily dominated by USD coins, so the consortium plans to challenge the hegemony with a real European alternative.

Bitcoin Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $69,500, up 4% in the last seven days.

Платформа AllUnity крупнейшего по размеру активов немецкого банка Deutsche Bank запустила стейблкоин с привязкой к швейцарскому франку. Токен CHFAU работает на блокчейне Эфириума.

Председатель Объединенного комитета по стратегии национальной безопасности Великобритании Мэтт Вестерн (Matt Western) предложил ввести временный мораторий на криптовалютные пожертвования политическим партиям.

Bitcoin has recently become the least correlated to the stock market since the FTX crash back in 2022, according to analytics firm Santiment.

Bitcoin Has Broken Away From S&P 500

In a new post on X, Santiment has discussed how Bitcoin has moved relative to the stock market recently. The number one digital asset has faced a downtrend alongside the rest of the cryptocurrency sector in the last few months that has taken its price below $70,000. Compared to six months ago, BTC is today down 43%.

Historically, the asset has generally shown some degree of correlation with the stocks. “For years, Bitcoin has often moved in the same direction as the stock market, particularly the S&P 500,” noted Santiment. Lately, however, this trend has broken. While BTC has gone down, the S&P 500 is up 7% in the past six months. Below is a chart that shows how the price trajectories of the two assets have compared.

According to Santiment, this is the weakest correlation that Bitcoin has shown to the stocks since November 2022. Back then, the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX induced a price crash for the asset that caused it to diverge from the S&P 500.

This previous breakaway for the cryptocurrency was different from the current one, however, as it lasted only briefly. The latest one, on the other hand, has been rather persistent. “Instead of moving alongside equities, Bitcoin has sharply underperformed while traditional markets have remained stable and gold has thrived,” said the analytics firm.

Now, will the decoupling that Bitcoin has experienced from the S&P 500 last? If the past is anything to go by, the answer may lean toward no. “Historically, when an asset that is usually correlated breaks away in this dramatic fashion, it typically does not stay disconnected forever,” explained Santiment.

The S&P 500 isn’t the only traditional asset that Bitcoin has diverged from; Gold has also charted a different path from BTC recently, despite the latter being popularly considered the former’s digital analogue.

In an X post, CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju has shared the data of an indicator that tracks the 90-day correlation between Bitcoin and Gold.

As displayed in the above graph, BTC mostly observed a positive degree of correlation to Gold between 2022 and the first three quarters of 2025. Since the last quarter of 2025, however, the correlation metric has plummeted into the negative zone for the assets.

A negative correlation implies that while the two assets exhibit a relationship, it’s of the negative kind. In other words, it means the assets are moving in opposite directions. “Bitcoin is in a “not digital gold” period,” said Young Ju.

BTC Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $66,000, down 2% over the last week.

Во второй половине года ключевая ставка Федеральной резервной системы США (ФРС) может снизиться три раза, что ускорит рост биткоина и альткоинов, считают аналитики ончейн-платформы Santiment.

Крупный трейдер попытался искусственно поднять цену утилитарного токена ARC на децентрализованной платформе для торговли деривативами Lighter, однако стратегия привела к ликвидациям и убыткам свыше $8 млн.

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance is once again facing scrutiny in the United States, this time following a formal inquiry launched by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. 

Senate Demands Records From Binance

In a letter dated February 24 and addressed to Binance co-CEO Richard Teng, Blumenthal cited reports suggesting the company enabled “large-scale violations” of US and international sanctions against Iran. 

He wrote that the cryptocurrency exchange appears to have disregarded warnings and recommendations designed to prevent Iranian money laundering schemes, allowing approximately $1.7 billion in transfers connected to Iran. 

According to the letter, these transactions allegedly supported Iranian-linked terrorist organizations and helped facilitate illicit Russian oil sales conducted through a so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers.

Blumenthal is seeking extensive documentation from Binance as part of a preliminary inquiry by the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI). 

The requests include records related to Binance’s role in potential Iranian money laundering, its handling of sanctioned entities, and its compliance practices. The Subcommittee has asked the company to provide materials by March 6, 2026.

Alleged Findings Of Internal Review

The investigation draws on reporting from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Fortune. According to those reports, Binance’s internal compliance staff discovered that two partners—Hexa Whale and Blessed Trust—allegedly acted as intermediaries to launder funds and enable trade with Iranian government-linked entities. 

Internal reviews reportedly identified roughly 2,000 accounts associated with Iranian entities on the exchange, despite US banking restrictions and Binance’s public claims that it prohibits Iranian users.

Documents obtained by the media outlets further suggest that Binance was warned that Hexa Whale may have been financing terrorist groups such as Yemen’s Houthi movement. 

Internal investigators also reportedly identified cryptocurrency transfers to wallets associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and payments to crew members operating vessels in Russia’s sanctions-evading oil fleet.

Blumenthal’s letter alleges that Binance failed to act decisively despite these warning signs. Investigators within the company reportedly recommended stronger “know your customer” controls and suggested banning sailors tied to Russia’s shadow fleet. 

However, according to the senator, those efforts were rejected. Binance allegedly granted VIP status to Hexa Whale even though the firm was suspected of using falsified documentation and its staff were said to have been directly involved in Blessed Trust’s questionable trading activity. 

No Evidence Of Violations? 

Binance has firmly rejected the allegations even ahead of Blumenthal’s inquiry. In a February 22 statement, the company said it conducted an internal review and found “no evidence of violations of applicable sanctions laws.” It also denied terminating investigators for raising concerns about sanctions-related activity.

The exchange emphasized that it has significantly strengthened its compliance systems since its 2023 settlement. According to Binance, sanctions-related exposure—measured as a share of overall trading volume—declined from 0.284% in January 2024 to 0.009% by July 2025, representing a 96.8% reduction. 

The company also reported that transaction volume involving four major Iranian crypto exchanges fell from $4.19 million in January 2024 to $1.1 million by January 2026. Binance added that approximately one-quarter of its global workforce is now dedicated to anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance functions.

At the time of writing, the exchange’s native token, BNB, traded at $616, representing a surge of 5% in the 24-hour time frame amid a slight rebound seen in the broader crypto market on Wednesday. 

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Криптовалютный проект World Liberty Financial (WLFI), связанный с семьей президента США Дональда Трампа, представил систему стейкинга и управления платформой, предусматривающую вознаграждения для держателей токенов.

Инвестиционный директор управляющей криптоактивами компании Bitwise Мэтт Хоуган (Matt Hougan) заявил, что «эффект привязки» мешает многим инвесторам объективно оценить потенциал крипторынка.

Dutch financial authorities have revealed that the reform bill to tax unrealized gains on crypto, stocks, and other investments will be revised following criticism from lawmakers and local investors.

Dutch Finance Minister To Revise Tax Overhaul

On Wednesday, the Minister of Finance of the Netherlands, Eelco Heinen, announced that the recently passed bill to tax unrealized gains on crypto and other assets will be reviewed and amended to address multiple concerns brought by the Senate and crypto investors.

“I don’t think the law can go through as it stands,” Heinen told local news outlet RTL Nieuws. “I think something has simply gone wrong here, and the current law needs to be amended.”

The Netherlands plans to overhaul its tax system on January 1, 2028. The proposed system, known as the Actual Return in Box 3 Act, is set to tax investors 36% on the change in value of their crypto and other assets each year, even if these have not been sold.

According to the report, the Dutch finance minister noted that there’s still time to amend the controversial tax overhaul, as it will not be enacted until 2028.

Moreover, he revealed that he has already discussed the bill’s upcoming revision with his state secretary, adding that they are set to examine the legislation and potential amendments with lawmakers.

“We have agreed that we will go back to the drawing board, engage in discussions with the House of Representatives and the Senate, and see how we can amend the law,” he stated.

Heinen also opened the door to a complete rewrite of the crypto tax bill if amendments in certain areas don’t suffice to address the concerns. Nonetheless, he shared that he doesn’t yet know which option will be necessary as they are “just going to have the conversation.”

The Unrealized Crypto, Stock Gains Tax Debate

The new system has been heavily criticized by local investors, who have expressed concerns about being unfairly taxed on their crypto and other assets. Some have argued that the legislation could push wealth out of the country, as crypto investors and other high-net-worth individuals could consider relocating to other jurisdictions with friendlier tax frameworks.

Under the new Box 3 system, the government will calculate tax by comparing the value of an asset at the beginning and end of the year, and the income earned during this period. As a result, both realized and unrealized gains on cryptocurrencies, stocks, bonds, and similar investments will be included.

Only real estate and shares in startups will be exempt from the new system, as they will be taxed when profit is made. Meanwhile, income from these assets will continue to be taxed in the year it is received.

For context, the old Box 3 system taxed investors based on the assumed returns of assets, a practice the Supreme Court ruled unfair and unsustainable after the Dutch state lost several court cases, with every year of delay costing the treasury hundreds of millions, RTL Nieuws detailed.

Since then, lawmakers have been developing the proposed new model that they consider more accurate. However, some reports noted that the government ignored previous concerns and still decided to advance the bill with some adjustments.

Notably, the Dutch House of Representatives passed the legislation two weeks ago, advancing it to the Senate for consideration. RTL Nieuws highlighted that the Dutch Senate, which has yet to discuss the reform plan, also shares similar concerns as investors.

Управление по финансовому надзору Великобритании (FCA) выбрало четыре компании для тестирования продуктов на базе стейблкоинов в рамках регуляторной песочницы. Из 20 претендентов отобраны Monee Financial Technologies, ReStabilise, VVTX и британский цифровой банк Revolut.

Главный аналитик компании K33 Research Ветле Лунде (Vetle Lunde) заявил, что биткоин-резерв США может сократиться примерно на 30% после завершения судебного разбирательства, связанного со взломом биржи Bitfinex.

The crypto market in Seoul may get a little clearer about who’s talking and why. According to recent reports, lawmakers in South Korea are drafting rules that would force people who give investment tips on social media to show what they own and what they are paid to promote.

Influencer Crypto Holdings Must Be Public

Reports say the measure would cover anyone who repeatedly recommends stocks or crypto on livestreams, short videos, blogs or broadcasts, and would require disclosure of asset types, quantities and any payments tied to a promotion. That includes both token holdings and publicly listed shares.

The proposal is being led by Kim Seung-won, who has pushed amendments to the Capital Markets Act and the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, according to multiple outlets. Rules like these aim to flag conflicts of interest where someone might hype an asset and then sell into the resulting price spike.

Who Would Face Penalties

Reports note that penalties for breaches could mirror existing sanctions for unfair trading, which means fines and possible criminal charges for the worst cases. That legal weight is seen as a way to deter pump-and-dump style promotions that can harm small investors.

Many observers point out that public officials in the country already disclose crypto holdings to ethics bodies, so this step is an extension of established transparency practices into the private social media sphere.

The move arrives as regulators worldwide test new ways to police online promotions and reduce investor harm.

Crypto: Practical Questions Remain

How the rules will be enforced is still an open issue. Reports say lawmakers want to link the rules to market surveillance systems and to give regulators clearer powers to investigate suspicious activity.

It will likely take time to settle the details on thresholds for who qualifies as an influencer, and what exact data must be published.

What This Means For Creators And Users

Creators who earn from promotions may need to change how they post. Some will disclose voluntarily. Others might stop recommending specific assets to avoid filing regular reports.

Ordinary investors could benefit if conflicts of interest become easier to spot, but the rules will only help if they are enforced.

Reports have disclosed that this bill is part of a larger tightening of oversight by agencies including the Financial Supervisory Service, which has been more active after recent market incidents.

The aim is clear: reduce hidden promotion and give crypto and retail investors clearer signals about who stands to gain from a recommendation.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Спустя более 17 лет после появления первой криптовалюты ее создатель Сатоси Накамото остается главной загадкой индустрии. Почему криптосообщество до сих пор не может установить личность разработчика Биткоина и возможно ли это в принципе?

Ethereum continues to face sustained selling pressure as broader crypto market sentiment shifts toward caution and, in some segments, outright panic. Price action has struggled to regain stability in recent weeks, with repeated rebound attempts failing to produce sustained upside momentum. Elevated volatility, tightening liquidity conditions, and persistent macro uncertainty have reinforced a defensive posture among both retail and institutional participants, leaving Ethereum vulnerable to further short-term weakness.

A recent CryptoQuant report provides additional context through on-chain activity. According to the data, the ETH Binance User Deposit Address metric has recorded a sharp increase. The number of unique addresses depositing Ethereum to Binance has surged from roughly 360,000 to more than 450,000, representing the highest level observed since August 2025. Metrics tracking deposit addresses often serve as a proxy for potential sell-side intent, since assets transferred to exchanges are typically more accessible for liquidation, collateral usage, or portfolio rebalancing.

However, such spikes do not automatically translate into immediate selling. In some cases, they reflect positioning adjustments, hedging activity, or preparation for derivatives trading. Even so, the scale of the recent increase suggests heightened market anxiety and warrants close monitoring as Ethereum navigates an increasingly fragile market environment.

Exchange Deposits Surge As Price Correction Deepens

The report highlights that this metric breakout has occurred alongside a severe price correction. Ethereum has declined sharply from its October peak near $4,900 to roughly the $1,900 region. The simultaneous drop in price and surge in exchange deposit addresses suggests two primary on-chain interpretations that merit careful consideration.

The first scenario points to retail capitulation. A rapid increase in unique depositing addresses often reflects panic behavior among smaller investors. Participants who held through earlier stages of the decline may now be transferring assets to exchanges to exit positions, reinforcing short-term sell-side pressure.

The second interpretation relates to derivatives market positioning. With ETH trading below the $2,000 threshold, some deposits likely represent collateral replenishment. Traders facing liquidation risk may be adding margin to maintain leveraged long positions rather than outright selling their holdings.

In the near term, increased deposits elevate potential supply on exchanges, which can intensify volatility if selling materializes. However, historically, extreme spikes in deposit activity have frequently appeared during late-stage corrective phases. Such conditions sometimes precede seller exhaustion.

Monitoring exchange outflows, spot volume absorption, and derivatives positioning will be critical to determine whether this activity signals continued downside risk or the early formation of a local market bottom.

Ethereum Tests Structural Support As Downtrend Persists

Ethereum continues to trade under sustained pressure, with the weekly chart showing a clear loss of bullish momentum following the rejection near the $4,800–$5,000 region. Price has now retraced toward the $1,900 area, a zone that previously acted as consolidation support during earlier cycle phases. The inability to hold above the mid-cycle moving averages suggests that sellers still maintain structural control.

The 50-week moving average has rolled over and now acts as overhead resistance, while the 100-week average appears to be flattening. Meanwhile, price is approaching the longer-term 200-week moving average, a level historically associated with major cyclical support. A decisive breakdown below this region could expose deeper downside, whereas stabilization here may encourage medium-term accumulation.

Volume patterns indicate intermittent spikes during declines, which typically reflect distribution rather than sustained buying interest. This reinforces the interpretation of a defensive market phase rather than a confirmed recovery trend.

Despite the weakness, volatility compression near long-term averages sometimes precedes transitional periods. Confirmation, however, would require sustained closes above reclaimable resistance levels and improving participation metrics. Until then, Ethereum remains in a fragile technical posture with risk skewed toward continued consolidation or downside drift rather than immediate bullish continuation.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

A man in his thirties has been charged with attempted murder after a business partner fell ill following a meeting at a café, reports say. The case stems from a dispute over failed crypto investments.

The accused is alleged to have put the pesticide methomyl into the partner’s coffee during a meeting in November. The victim collapsed, was taken to hospital, and regained consciousness three days later.

Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office opened the case and brought the charges. According to local outlets, the dispute grew out of heavy losses tied to a shared Bitcoin investment program in the crypto market that began in 2022.

Reports say about ₩1.17 billion was lost — an amount that, by the parties’ account, included both company funds and money the accused had put in personally.

Alleged Poisoning

The man accused is said to have met his partner at a café and offered a drink. After taking a few sips, the partner lost consciousness. Emergency services were called. He was rushed to hospital and stayed under care for several days.

He later told reporters his life had been shaken; he had been planning a wedding and his partner’s illness hit his family hard.

Dispute Over Crypto Investment Funds

Reports note the two ran an investment operation that handled pooled money for Bitcoin bets within the crypto sector. The exact business setup is not fully explained in public reports. It is not clear whether outside investors were involved or if the money was only theirs.

That detail matters because it changes how the loss would be seen — as private failure or as potential misconduct affecting others. For now, prosecutors are focused on the poisoning charge and a breach of the Pesticide Control Act.

Crypto Deal Disaster: The Human Toll

Chosun and Asia Business Daily carried quotes and timelines from investigators and from the victim. The reporting has emphasized the human toll: sleepless nights, hospital visits, and a ruined wedding plan. Those details give a face to what might otherwise read as a financial dispute.

Court Date

A trial is scheduled for March 10 at the Seoul Eastern District Court. Prosecutors will present evidence linking the accused to the pesticide and to the drink served that day.

The accused faces serious penalties if convicted, including prison time and fines under the pesticide law.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin is struggling to push decisively above the $66,000 level as persistent selling pressure continues to weigh on sentiment across the crypto market. Price action remains fragile, with bears maintaining short-term control while buyers show limited conviction. The broader environment — marked by cautious liquidity conditions and subdued risk appetite — has kept Bitcoin locked in a consolidation phase rather than a clear recovery trend.

A recent CryptoQuant report offers additional context through the Coinbase Premium Gap, a metric that measures the price difference between Coinbase Advanced and Binance. The indicator has recently returned to positive territory for the third time this year, currently standing at approximately $10.18. While this premium remains relatively modest, its direction provides useful insight into underlying market positioning.

A positive Coinbase Premium Gap typically reflects stronger demand from US-based institutional or professional participants, who are more active on Coinbase Advanced. This platform tends to serve sophisticated traders and institutional infrastructure, whereas Binance remains the dominant global exchange, particularly among retail investors and liquidity-driven participants.

Consequently, this shift may indicate a gradual improvement in institutional demand even as broader market momentum remains weak. However, the modest size of the premium suggests that conviction is still limited, leaving Bitcoin in a cautious transitional phase.

Coinbase Premium Turns Positive As Institutional Demand Tentatively Reemerges

The report explains that since February 4, when Bitcoin entered a more pronounced corrective phase, the Coinbase Premium Gap has gradually recovered after an extended period of weakness. The metric has now moved back into positive territory, suggesting that demand on Coinbase Advanced — typically associated with professional and institutional participants — is stabilizing relative to global retail-driven liquidity on Binance.

This development remains tentative and should be interpreted cautiously. The current premium is still relatively modest, indicating that institutional conviction has not fully returned. Nevertheless, the gradual recovery suggests that current price levels may increasingly be perceived as attractive entry zones for professional investors, particularly those with longer investment horizons.

At the same time, short-term volatility could easily push the indicator back into negative territory. Such fluctuations are common during transitional phases, especially when broader market sentiment remains fragile, and liquidity conditions are uncertain.

While the return to a positive premium can be considered constructive, it does not yet signal a confirmed trend reversal. For that to occur, the premium would need to expand consistently and hold positive levels over time. Until then, the signal primarily reflects cautious positioning rather than a decisive shift in investor behavior or a clear return of sustained institutional demand.

Bitcoin Price Structure Weakens As Key Support Faces Pressure

Bitcoin’s daily chart reflects a clear deterioration in short- to medium-term structure following the breakdown from the $90,000–$95,000 region. Price has now retraced sharply toward the $65,000 area, which is acting as an interim support zone after the recent capitulation leg. The move lower was accompanied by expanding red volume, suggesting aggressive distribution rather than orderly consolidation.

Technically, BTC is trading below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day simple moving averages. The 50-day average has rolled over decisively and now trends downward, while the 100-day is also beginning to slope lower. The 200-day average, previously a dynamic support, has turned into overhead resistance. This alignment typically reflects a bearish momentum regime.

The most recent bounce toward $66,000 appears corrective rather than impulsive, with no clear higher-low structure established yet. For bulls to regain control, Bitcoin would need to reclaim the $70,000–$72,000 range and sustain acceptance above the declining short-term averages.

If $63,000 fails to hold on a closing basis, downside liquidity could extend toward the next structural support zone near $58,000–$60,000. Until a clear reversal pattern forms, the chart favors cautious positioning within a defensive market phase.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Crypto asset manager Bitwise just made one of its boldest moves yet. The company has acquired Chorus One, a staking infrastructure firm that manages more than $2.2 billion in assets across dozens of blockchain networks. The deal brings 50 Chorus One employees into Bitwise’s growing onchain division, where several billion dollars in crypto assets are already being staked by clients.

Financial Terms Undisclosed

Chorus One has been in the staking business since 2018. Over those years, it built a client base that includes family offices, large funds, exchanges, high-net-worth individuals, and custodians — the kind of institutional relationships that take years to earn. Its founder and CEO, Brian Crain, will stay on in an advisory role as the rest of the team folds into Bitwise Onchain Solutions.

Reports say the financial terms of the deal were not made public. Bitwise did not disclose how much it paid.

What is clear, though, is what the company gets out of it. The acquisition extends Bitwise’s staking reach across more than 30 proof-of-stake networks — among them Solana, Avalanche, Sui, Aptos, Hyperliquid, Monad, and Tezos. That is a wide net, and it signals the company is not thinking just about Ethereum.

Staking, for those unfamiliar, works like this: holders of certain crypto tokens lock them up on a blockchain to help keep the network running. In return, they earn rewards — typically somewhere between 2% and 10% a year, on top of any gains from the token itself.

Why The Timing Matters

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has been warming up to a wider range of crypto investment products. That shift has opened the door for new types of exchange-traded funds, including ones that could one day offer staking rewards to ordinary investors. Bitwise appears to be positioning itself for exactly that possibility.

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley described staking as “one of the most compelling growth opportunities” the firm sees for its clients. The company already runs more than 40 investment products and oversees roughly $15 billion in assets under management. Its flagship offerings include the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF and the Bitwise Ethereum ETF, which have pulled in over $2 billion and $387 million in flows respectively since launching in 2024.

Room To Grow

With nearly 200 employees now spread across the world, Bitwise has been steadily building out beyond its core ETF lineup. Reports note that its other products include ETFs tied to Solana, XRP, Chainlink, and even Dogecoin. The Chorus One deal adds staking muscle to that already broad product shelf.

Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView