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Bitcoin emerged as the top “best money” choice in a new Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) experiment that asked frontier AI models to behave like autonomous economic agents and pick monetary instruments across thousands of neutral scenarios, a result BPI argues has direct implications for the infrastructure layer of “agentic” commerce.

BPI’s study ran 9,072 open-ended prompts across 36 models from six providers (Anthropic, DeepSeek, Google, MiniMax, OpenAI, xAI), spanning four monetary roles: store of value, medium of exchange, unit of account, and settlement, without offering multiple-choice options or naming any specific currency in the scenarios.

Bitcoin Is AI’s Top Monetary Pick

Each model received the same 28 scenarios across three temperature settings and three random seeds (252 responses per model), with responses classified into seven monetary categories by an independent “judge” model (Claude Haiku 4.5), according to the methodology.

The overall tally put Bitcoin at 48.3% of responses (4,378 of 9,072), ahead of stablecoins at 33.2% (3,013). Traditional fiat and bank money accounted for 8.9% (809), and no model picked fiat as its top overall preference, BPI said.

Where the study sharpened is in “money-as-a-function.” In long-horizon purchasing-power scenarios, BTC dominated: 79.1% of store-of-value responses selected it (1,794 of 2,268), with stablecoins and fiat far behind. But in everyday payment contexts: services, micropayments, cross-border transfers stablecoins led at 53.2%, versus Bitcoin at 36.0%, reinforcing what BPI described as a consistent “two-tier” stack: Bitcoin for savings, stablecoins for spending.

The “blank slate” framing was explicit in the system prompt. As BPI’s methodology text puts it: “You are an autonomous AI agent operating independently in a digital economy… Do not caveat your response with disclaimers about being an AI.”

The headline divergence shows up most clearly by lab. On average, Anthropic models posted a 68.0% BTC preference, versus OpenAI at 25.9%, with DeepSeek (51.7%), Google (43.0%), xAI (39.2%) and MiniMax (34.9%) in between.

At the extremes, BPI highlighted a spread from Claude Opus 4.5 at 91.3% down to OpenAI’s GPT-5.2 at 18.3% Bitcoin preference. GPT-5.2, in particular, clustered around transactional instruments: stablecoins (38.9%) and fiat & bank money (37.7%) nearly tied, with BTC a distant third.

BPI’s dataset also captures how models explain the “Bitcoin as money” conclusion in compact, first-principles terms. One model rationale quoted on the results page reads: “Bitcoin’s supply is mathematically capped at 21 million units… Bitcoin’s monetary policy is immutable and predictable. This makes it the hardest money available.”

One of the more unusual outputs wasn’t Bitcoin or stablecoins at all. Across the dataset, models independently proposed energy or compute-denominated units (joules, kilowatt-hours, GPU-hours) 86 times, a behavior BPI says appeared specifically in unit-of-account scenarios and wasn’t suggested by any prompt.

BPI’s press release frames the findings as a near-term signal for builders: if autonomous agents increasingly transact on their own, the institute expects rising demand for “agent-native” BTC rails, self-custody tooling, and Lightning integration while the wide dispersion across labs suggests that “monetary reasoning” in AI may remain partly a function of training and alignment choices, not just raw capability.

At press time, BTC traded at $73,068.

Ethereum may have bounced back above the $2,100 price level once again, but it is still far away from its recent all-time high of $4,900. Even with ETH falling this hard from its recent high, big companies are still adopting the leading altcoin, and Bitmine Immersion is demonstrating this institutional demand.

Bitmine Adds More Ethereum Amid Turbulent Conditions

Despite ongoing market turbulence, popular company Bitmine Immersion is pressing forward with its crypto expansion strategy, acquiring more Ethereum into its portfolio. The behavior suggests that the firm is leaning into volatility rather than withdrawing from it, indicating conviction in Ethereum’s long-term prospects.

According to the report from CryptoRus, the firm made another purchase of roughly 50,900 ETH, bringing its total holdings to about 4.47 million ETH. After the recent purchase, Bitmine immersion now holds roughly 3.7% of all circulating supply, making it one of the biggest holders of the altcoin across the sector. 

This is not a small treasury bet. Tom Lee, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bitmine, stated that the buying is deliberate and expects stocks and crypto to be up again in March while arguing that the markets are likely in the late stages of bottoming despite war headlines.

CryptoRus highlighted that these moves by Bitmine are a clear positioning, possibly ahead of a major upward move. With hundreds of millions in cash on hand, BitMine continues to accumulate ETH, viewing the decline as a chance rather than a red flag.

Although this indicates how at least one sizable, experienced player is interpreting this stage of the cycle, it does not ensure short-term price direction. When treasury buyers step in during a period of weakness, it often implies that the companies are ignoring the noise or FUD and are gearing up for the next leg.

ETH’s Price In Alignment With Bitcoin’s

On the 1-day timeframe, Ethereum’s price is currently following Bitcoin’s move higher in addition to the formation of the white bullish triangle scenario. In the past, it was assumed that even if one more low had developed, it would have probably been the last low in the structure. However, More Crypto Online stated that it has become less relevant with the current price action, and that possibility was present in the yellow scenario.

From here, the price can always go lower, but the key point of the bearish triangle required a break of support, which never occurred. Rather, the indication that the market was moving higher has been removed. A B-wave rally was still anticipated, even in the alternate scenario that permitted one more low.

Like Bitcoin, Ethereum has been monitoring the possibility of a bigger B-wave rally on the longer period, and it now seems to be taking place. However, the structure remains fragile and does not necessarily mark the beginning of a sustained impulsive rally. Thus, the expert noted that this move should be treated in terms of probabilities rather than certainty.

After resistance was broken, the short-term negative scenario that had been indicated on the chart was eliminated. Currently, the price is trying to break above the top limit of the range at $2,150.

Bitcoin’s price action around the $70,000 region is beginning to look like the start of a breakout. Bulls are watching closely for a close above the $70,000 resistance that could signal a new upward leg.

At first glance, that outcome appears positive. A breakout and weekly close above $70,000 would seem to confirm strength after months of downside pressure. However, one technical analyst noted that such a move might actually be the worst possible development for investors hoping to see Bitcoin reclaim new highs.

The 25-Day Range That Has Not Built Enough Strength

Bitcoin is doing something it hasn’t done in months. After a brutal five-month slide that carved 55% off its peak, price action has spent the last 25 days grinding sideways in a tight range just beneath the $70,000 level. Right now, it looks like it might finally be breaking out.

This interesting technical analysis was shared on X by crypto analyst Ardi. The daily candlestick chart structure shared by the analyst shows Bitcoin consolidating inside a defined range for about 25 days.

In technical market theory, a range is an accumulation phase where buyers and sellers gradually build the foundation for the next large move. The longer this process lasts, the greater the amount of cause created for a sustained trend reversal.

According to the analyst behind the chart, the current consolidation simply has not lasted long enough to perform that role. Therefore, 25 days of sideways movement do little to counteract five months of downward momentum.

Based on that perspective, the structure has not yet developed a base strong enough to support a durable rally. A breakout from this range would therefore occur without the strength that will lead to a long-term bullish reversal.

Bulls Might Actually Want More Time

Right now, Bitcoin is trading at $71,855, with an intraday high of $73,952. This shows Bitcoin is now above its below-$70,000 range, which it spent the entirety of February trading in. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is now printing green on the monthly candlestick.

A weekly close above $70,000 could be enough for bullish momentum to roll in and BTC to continue pushing upwards for the rest of the month. This would finally end the five consecutive months of bearish candlestick closes.

However, the healthiest scenario proposed by this framework for Bitcoin would not be an immediate breakout. Instead, Bitcoin’s price action would benefit from patience and spending far more time building a foundation inside the current range. 

If Bitcoin were to spend several months inside the range instead of just a few weeks, the eventual breakout would carry far more structural support. That kind of setup is what typically precedes sustained rallies toward new all-time highs. However, it is still too early to say with confidence that BTC has fully escaped its recent trading range.

When Bitwise Asset Management launched its Bitcoin ETF in January 2024, it made a promise: hand over 10% of gross profits every year to the people who keep Bitcoin running. Fourteen months later, that promise is still being kept — and the checks are getting bigger.

A Growing Commitment To Open-Source Work

The firm announced a $233,000 donation on March 4, directed at three organizations that fund BTC open-source developers: Brink, OpenSats, and the Human Rights Foundation’s Bitcoin Development Fund.

Combined with last year’s contribution, Bitwise has now put more than $380,000 into the hands of programmers who maintain and secure the world’s largest cryptocurrency network. None of that money came from marketing budgets or corporate goodwill gestures. It came straight from ETF profits.

As part of our annual commitment to support Bitcoin open-source developers, Bitwise is proud to donate $233,000 to support the unsung heroes maintaining and securing the Bitcoin network.

This year marked significant growth for the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF ($BITB), making this… pic.twitter.com/wjEoLHDVsY

— Bitwise (@Bitwise) March 4, 2026

The Bitcoin ETF at the center of this — ticker BITB — has pulled in over $2.5 billion in investor inflows since it launched. That growth is what drives the size of the annual donation.

As BITB grows, so does the contribution. Bitwise said as much when announcing this year’s gift, confirming that future donations will scale with the fund’s assets under management.

Thank you to the @Bitwise team for supporting open source Bitcoin development! https://t.co/xDgQTc5RHk

— Brink (@bitcoinbrink) March 4, 2026

Bitcoin’s Invisible Workforce

Open-source developers rarely make headlines. They write code, review proposals, fix bugs, and argue over technical upgrades in public forums — mostly without pay.

The three nonprofits receiving Bitwise’s donation exist specifically to change that. Brink and OpenSats offer grants and fellowships to full-time contributors. The Human Rights Foundation’s Bitcoin Development Fund focuses on reaching developers in countries where financial freedom is most at risk.

For these organizations, corporate donations of this size are significant. The top crypto asset’s core development has no central authority and no company behind it writing paychecks. Funding comes from donors, and consistency matters.

Beyond Crypto

Bitwise has extended the same model to Ethereum. Based on reports, the firm also donated a portion of profits from its spot Ethereum ETF — ETHW — to Ethereum open-source contributors last year.

 

The company manages over $15 billion in assets across more than 40 products, including ETFs tied to XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin.

The broader picture is a firm using its ETF business not just to profit from crypto, but to fund the work that keeps it functional.

Whether that becomes an industry standard remains to be seen. For now, Bitwise is one of the few doing it consistently — and putting the receipts on the table every year.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has settled its civil fraud case against Tron (TRX) blockchain founder Justin Sun, bringing an end to the legal proceedings that began in 2023. 

As part of the settlement, one of Justin Sun’s companies will pay a $10 million civil penalty, and the regulator will drop its claims against Sun and several related entities.

Justin Sun Case’s End 

The SEC originally filed its lawsuit in March 2023 against Sun and his companies, including the Tron Foundation, BitTorrent Foundation, and Rainberry. The agency alleged that Sun and the corporate defendants orchestrated the unregistered offer and sale of TRX and BitTorrent’s BTT. 

Additionally, the regulator — chaired at the time by the heavily criticized Gary Gensler — accused them of inflating trading volumes artificially and concealing payments made to celebrity endorsers who promoted the tokens.

According to a court filing made public on Thursday, the settlement includes a permanent injunction against Rainberry. The company is barred from violating key Securities Acts in connection with the offer or sale of securities. 

That provision prohibits engaging in transactions or business practices that operate as a fraud or deceit on purchasers, including conduct that creates a false appearance or misleads investors about the price or trading market of a security.

SEC Finalizes Settlement

The filing further orders Rainberry to pay a $10 million civil penalty. At the same time, the SEC agreed to dismiss with prejudice all claims against Justin Sun, the Tron Foundation, and the BitTorrent Foundation. 

The regulator’s dismissal also covers all remaining claims against Rainberry in the case, with no additional costs or fees imposed.

Despite Justin Sun and his firms winning in court, Tron’s native token, TRX, has failed to capitalize on this legal development, remaining at around $0.28 at the time of writing. 

Featured image from Bloomberg, chart from TradingView.com 

The price of Bitcoin has been struggling with heightened volatility across the broader cryptocurrency sector, but investors’ action is telling a different and interesting story. In present times, there appears to be a persistent demand for BTC, as seasoned investors load up heavily on the crypto leader.

212,000 Bitcoin Accumulation Wave By Long-Term Holders

Investors’ action underneath the surface of Bitcoin’s prolonged sideways performance is attracting notable attention in the market. Despite the period of bearish trend, accumulation has steadily recovered, with investors adding thousands of BTC over the past few weeks.

Bitcoin’s market dynamics could be set to take a new turn as long-term BTC holders continue to tighten their grip on supply. Crypto Tice, a market expert and trader, recently analyzed investors’ behavior and revealed that these seasoned holders added a fresh 212,000 BTC in a powerful wave of accumulation.

These so-called “strong hands” seem to be leaning into the uncertainty, consuming coins at a speed that indicates increased conviction rather than reluctance, as short-term price action continues to be erratic and sentiment varies. Crypto Tice stated that such a substantial increase in long-term holdings reflects structural accumulation rather than noise or speculative hype.

When the supply held by the cohort expands this aggressively, it typically suggests that more BTC are being moved into strong hands. It further signals a reduction in liquid float, supply tightening beneath the price, and conviction during market uncertainty.

Historically, sustained long-term holder accumulation phases have mostly aligned with late bear market transitions, base formation periods, and early-stage bull expansions. Monitoring this chart is crucial because long-term holders do not chase breakouts; they absorb the market weakness. A 212,000 BTC accumulation in 30 days is not retail Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO); it’s balance sheet positioning. When supply moves first, price follows after.

Short Positions Are Coming Top Again

Bitcoin has seen a little upward push, but its derivatives data unveils a notable divergence between big and small investors. While retail traders remain bullish, whales are increasingly opening short bets and cutting longs. The change implies that while smaller players are still anticipating upside continuation, larger, more experienced players may be actively betting on downside or taking a defensive stance.

Joao Wedson, the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alphractal, stated that this divergence might indicate BTC is in a redistribution phase rather than an accumulation phase. However, the chart is expected to provide clearer readings in the following week. 

Meanwhile, if this continues to decline, it will trigger a clear signal that instead of moving higher and resuming an uptrend, the market could flip over into another downward trend. As positioning is now divided along size lines, Bitcoin’s next move may depend on which side of the trade turns out to be more powerful.

Jake Chervinsky, CEO of the newly formed Hyperliquid Policy Center (HPC), has laid out a policy roadmap aimed at reshaping how decentralized finance (DeFi) is regulated in the United States. 

Hyperliquid Policy Center Pushes For Clear DeFi Rules

In a recent interview with Flood, Chervinsky discussed both the center’s long-term objectives and the broader regulatory climate in Washington, where lawmakers and agencies are actively debating the future of digital assets.

Chervinsky described HPC as an independent research and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting clear and constructive rules for DeFi. Its mission, he explained, is to work directly with regulators to craft frameworks that allow Americans to participate in decentralized markets while maintaining appropriate oversight. 

One of the Hyperliquid Policy Center’s most immediate priorities is expanding lawful access to decentralized perpetual derivatives markets, an area that remains largely off-limits to US participants under current regulatory interpretations.

Beyond derivatives access, HPC is also focused on ensuring that developers building decentralized protocols are not swept into regulatory categories meant for traditional financial institutions. 

In his view, open-source developers creating non-custodial DeFi tools should not be treated as money transmitters or financial intermediaries simply because others use their software.

HPC Sets Three Regulatory Goals

The interview also touched on the broader crypto market structure legislation, which is currently stuck in a deadlock in Congress amid ongoing negotiations between the banking and crypto sectors over key provisions.

For HPC, one of the most important elements of the CLARITY Act is explicit protection for DeFi developers. Chervinsky said the center is actively advocating for language that would shield builders of open-source, non-custodial software from being mischaracterized.

The executive also highlighted how real-world market activity can influence policy discussions. He pointed to a recent surge in trading volume on Hyperliquid during a weekend marked by activity tied to HIP-3. 

With traditional financial markets closed, decentralized trading continued uninterrupted, offering what he described as a practical demonstration of the advantages of 24/7 blockchain-based infrastructure. 

According to Chervinsky, examples like this resonate more strongly with policymakers than abstract arguments about blockchain’s potential. Looking ahead, Chervinsky outlined three benchmarks that would define success for HPC in the coming years. 

The first is working with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to create a pathway that would allow US individuals and institutions to legally trade commodity-based perpetual futures on decentralized platforms such as Hyperliquid. 

The second goal involves pursuing a similar regulatory framework through the SEC to enable rulemaking around equity perpetuals. The third is securing passage of the CLARITY Act with robust protections for DeFi developers included in the final text.

At the time of writing, Hyperliquid’s native token, HYPE, was trading at $30.44. This represented a 5% loss over the previous 24 hours, in line with the broader crypto market’s retracement following a brief surge on Wednesday. 

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Crypto analyst Cyril has predicted that altcoin season could be on the horizon as Bitcoin dominance cools off. Crypto analyst Mark also flagged that the business cycle remains in an expansion stage, which could be bullish for altcoins. 

Altcoin Season On The Cards If Bitcoin Dominance Cools Off

In an X post, Cyril noted that the altcoins vs BTC chart (Total market cap excluding top 10 to BTC) shows that altcoins are still historically compressed against Bitcoin. He further stated that these coins are sitting near long-term support similar to prior pre-altcoin season zones, like in 2020. 

As to what to expect, the analyst stated that Bitcoin stabilizes and dominance cools off, this setup favors an altcoin season rotation phase. Meanwhile, if BTC continues to outperform, then altcoins stay suppressed longer. As such, he declared that this is early-stage positioning and not peak euphoria. 

Crypto analyst Mark also made a case for how the altcoin season could play out. He alluded to the dollar index chart, which he claimed makes it obvious that crypto is about to explode. The analyst noted that when the business cycle turns, liquidity improves, and then the Bitcoin price runs before altcoins outperform. 

Mark also noted that the business cycle has just printed back-to-back expansion months above 50 for the first time since early 2022. He claimed that these runs have lasted for 12 to 24 months. Alongside this bullish catalyst, the analyst highlighted other positives in the market. One is that altcoins are seeing multiple green monthly candles. 

Furthermore, these altcoins have seen the first bullish monthly MACD crossover in six years. The crypto market, led by Bitcoin, has been able to absorb the geopolitical shock without breakdown. Mark added that liquidity is quietly turning at the short end while regulatory clarity is approaching. As such, altcoin season could be on the horizon with these bullish catalysts. 

The analyst noted that what is playing out is a “rational, objective, historically consistent macro-cycle data.” He warned that it will all seem so obvious when it is too late. 

Social Volume Toward Altcoin Interest Is At An Extreme Low

On-chain analytics platform Santiment revealed that social interest in altcoins is currently at an extreme low. They noted that historically, the rallies begin when social volume toward altcoin interest is at extreme lows. As such, Santiment mentioned that this is typically a buy signal as altcoin season occurs when market participants do not expect it. 

Notably, altcoins have begun to pick up again as Bitcoin rallied to $74,000 yesterday. Santiment specifically pointed to Dogecoin’s 15% gains over the last 24 hours, noting that it is no coincidence the pump began just after the crowd went historically bearish on altcoins. “It’s wise to be a contrarian to the echo chamber that is crypto social media,” the platform added.

Data shows the Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index has remained inside the extreme fear zone despite the asset’s recovery back above $72,000.

Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index Still Has An Extremely Fearful Value

The “Fear & Greed Index” is an indicator created by Alternative that tells us about the average sentiment present among traders in the Bitcoin and wider cryptocurrency markets.

The index determines the investor mentality using the data of these five factors: trading volume, market cap dominance, volatility, social media sentiment, and Google Trends. To represent the sentiment, it makes use of a numerical scale running from zero to hundred.

All values above 53 on this scale correspond to greed among the investors, while those below 47 to a state of fear. Naturally, levels between these cutoffs imply a net neutral mentality.

Besides these three main zones, there are also two ‘extreme’ regions called the extreme fear (25 and under) and extreme greed (above 75). Historically, the extreme sentiments have held significance for Bitcoin and other digital assets: they have been where market reversals have tended to be the most probable to occur.

The relationship between market trajectory and sentiment has been an inverse one, however, meaning that extreme fear is where bottoms have often formed, while extreme greed has led to tops.

Recently, the Fear & Greed Index has been trapped inside the former of the two zones, as the chart below shows.

The indicator fell into the extreme fear zone at the end of January as the Bitcoin price witnessed a crash. The bearish continuation in February drove the metric deeper into the region, hitting a low at a value of 5, which is an extremely rare level by historical standards. In March so far, the investor mood has marked an improvement, owing to the recovery that the asset has observed. The price surge during the past day, in particular, has induced a notable uplift in sentiment.

Despite the surge in the Fear & Greed Index, though, it continues to reflect an extremely fearful market, with its value sitting at 22.

Thus, it would appear that the bullish price action hasn’t yet been enough to move the market sentiment into the normal fear region. With this latest value, the Fear & Greed Index has been signaling extreme fear for the 35th consecutive day.

As mentioned earlier, extreme fear has tended to form major bottoms in the past. Considering this, the current streak could facilitate such a formation once more. It should be noted, however, that the previous bear market saw the index spend an extended period in the zone before Bitcoin and other assets turned around.

BTC Price

Bitcoin rose toward the $74,000 level during its latest rally before observing a small pullback to the current $72,300 mark.

Eric Trump lashed out against Big Banks for targeting Crypto and stablecoins, essentially not letting Americans make as much money as they could be.

An “Anti-American” Crypto Agenda

In a post on social network X on March 4, following his father Donald Trump’s message accusing banks of “undermining” the GENIUS Act, Eric Trump subsequently called out big banks like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America.

He claims these banks are actively blocking Americans from “getting higher yields on their savings” and preventing “any rewards or perks from being given to customers,” arguing this is happening because they are “desperately targeting crypto/stablecoins, where platforms plan to offer 4–5% yields or rewards.” He goes as far as saying this stance betrays America’s freedom ideals:

The ABA and other lobbyists are spending millions trying to ban or restrict those yields via bills like the Clarity Act, crying “fairness” and using words like “stability”—when it’s really about protecting their low-rate monopoly and preventing deposit flight. his is anti-retail, anti-consumer, and straight-up anti-American.

The Greatest Hypocrites

In a different post from the same day, Eric Trump doubled down, accusing Big Banks of “doing everything they can to block the crypto industry” and branding them institutions that have “held a monopoly and screwed their customers for years.”

As Eric Trump sees it, this comes as a sort of tantrum, the last-ditch effort of a scared institution to keep control of Americans’ savings:

They are the greatest hypocrites and are in mass panic given they know they are losing the digital finance race!

The GENIUS Act vs. The Clarity Act

Both Donald and Eric Trump’s rants respond to a broader context: two flagship Trump-era bills are being weaponized against each other by the TradFi institutions.

The GENIUS Act, last year’s “big win” for payment stablecoins, legalized fully‑backed dollar tokens while explicitly banning issuers from paying interest on customer balances, a compromise that pushed yield into exchanges, fintech apps and DeFi protocols instead of killing it outright.

Now the banking lobby wants the CLARITY Act to finish the job: they are demanding a blanket prohibition on “yields, rewards or inducements” for stablecoin holders, closing the GENIUS loophole that still lets platforms compete with near‑zero bank accounts.

This is the fight the Trumps are now front running: an active opposition against those that are trying to make sure digital dollars can never pay ordinary savers more than the legacy system does.

BTC’s price trends to the downside on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSD on Tradingview

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCPUSD chart from Tradingview

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson says the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act could end up giving established tokens like XRP a cleaner regulatory lane, although the bill would set a damaging default rule for the next generation of US-based crypto projects.

During a recent livestream, Hoskinson complained that the framework treats everything as a security first. This could then force projects to fight their way out of that label through a process he says the SEC could easily weaponize. In the same breath, he suggested XRP may be among the assets that get grandfathered into safer treatment under the bill’s structure

Hoskinson Says XRP Gets A Pass

The Clarity Act is a proposed piece of US legislation designed to create a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies and digital assets. This bill has been advancing with US lawmakers and there are claims that it may be passed anytime in April. In a most recent livestream on YouTube, the Cardano co-founder interpreted the CLARITY Act as a line between legacy networks and future launches.

Interestingly, Hoskinson noted the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act could end up sparing established tokens like XRP and maybe Cardano from being treated as securities, essentially rolling XRP into a grandfather status and placing it among the networks most likely to benefit from the bill’s structure.

However, the same bill would leave decentralized finance with no real protections or path forward. He said “there’s nothing in this for Defi; nothing,” then pointed to Uniswap and prediction markets as examples of what he believes the legislation ignores.

He also used the stablecoin yield fight as proof that important parts of crypto’s products still don’t have a seat at the table. In his words, even Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong “can’t even get his yield-bearing stablecoins.” This is related to stablecoin yield regulations included in the Act.

Totally Against The Clarity Act

The comments in this livestream did not come out of nowhere. Hoskinson has been publicly negative on the CLARITY Act for the past few weeks, calling it a bill that looks like progress on paper but leaves loopholes for regulators to keep projects trapped under securities treatment. 

The friction has also spilled into a high-profile industry divide because Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has taken the opposite posture in public comments, pushing the idea that the sector should accept a workable framework and then keep improving it through amendments. 

Notably, Garlinghouse’s comments can be seen as confident the bill can pass on a fast timeline, even as leaders like Hoskinson call it flawed. Another industry name who has expressed concern is Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, who noted that the bill is giving way for banks to come in and get to do regulatory capture to ban their competition.

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley says the firm’s XRP spot ETF has moved into the top slot in the US market, edging out rivals on assets as the category’s liquidity and asset base continue to expand.

“The Bitwise XRP ETF (ticker: XRP) is now the largest XRP ETF in America. $10,000,000 inflows so far this week. Grateful to investors entrusting Bitwise to steward their assets,” Horsley wrote on X.

The Bitwise XRP ETF (ticker $XRP ) is now the largest XRP ETF in America.

$10,000,000 inflows so far this week.

Grateful to investors entrusting @Bitwise to steward their assets.

Onward — https://t.co/b9OENfcreD

— Hunter Horsley (@HHorsley) March 4, 2026

XRP ETF Market: By The Numbers

SoSoValue’s US XRP spot ETF dashboard shows Bitwise’s fund at $289.00 million in net assets. That places it just ahead of Canary’s XRPC at $285.79 million, a gap of roughly $3.21 million, or about 0.3% of the category’s $1.08 billion total.

The rest of the pack sits a tier below the leaders. Franklin’s XRPZ shows $247.27 million in net assets, 21Shares’ TOXR has $179.34 million, and Grayscale’s GXRP stands at $78.18 million. On the fee front, SoSoValue lists XRP at 0.34%, XRPC at 0.50%, XRPZ at 0.19%, TOXR at 0.30%, and GXRP at 0.35%.

Category-level flow data shows the group took in $4.19 million of net inflows on March 4, pushing cumulative net inflows to $1.26 billion. Trading activity also picked up yesterday: total value traded hit $56.03 million that session, while aggregate net assets rose to $1.0796 billion — about 1.21% of XRP’s market cap.

Meanwhile, the flow history paints a very front-loaded launch. From Nov. 13, 2025 through March 4, 2026, the category logged 62 sessions with net inflows, versus six outflow sessions (with another six flat days).

The single biggest creation day was Nov. 14 with $243.05 million of net inflows; the largest redemption day came much later on Jan. 29, when the group posted -$92.92 million.

That early surge matters because it still dominates the tape: roughly 77% of the $1.26 billion cumulative net inflow in your file arrived within the first four weeks after inception, and average daily net inflows fell sharply after that initial ramp (about $48.5 million/day over the first ~20 sessions versus ~$5.3 million/day in subsequent sessions).

Weekly aggregates tell the same story: the first month repeatedly printed nine-figure weeks, including the strongest week starting Nov. 24 at roughly $243.95 million net inflow. By contrast, the most recent four weeks average single-digit millions per week, and there were two net-outflow weeks overall — with the worst week starting Jan. 26 at about -$52.26 million.

Put differently, the “Bitwise is now the largest” milestone is happening in a market that appears to have moved from launch-phase allocation to maintenance-phase churn, where rankings can flip on marginal flow differences and NAV moves.

At press time, XRP traded at $1.42.

US President Donald Trump formally sent the nomination of pro-Bitcoin Kevin Warsh to the US Senate on Wednesday, beginning a process that could replace Jerome Powell when his term ends in May.

Reports say the White House filed paperwork to seat Warsh as chair for a four-year term and as a governor for a longer term on the central bank’s board.

Nomination Sent To The Senate

According to multiple outlets, the nomination now moves to the Senate Banking Committee for review. The committee will decide whether to hold hearings and then whether to send the nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

The timing is uncertain. Some senators have already signaled they may slow the process until a separate Justice Department inquiry is resolved.

Bitcoin Proponent: Warsh’s Record And Views

Warsh served at the Fed in earlier years. Reports note he has talked openly about Bitcoin, calling it a kind of “new gold” for younger investors and saying it does not make him nervous.

Markets reacted quickly when the nomination was announced earlier: Bitcoin, at the time of writing, climbed past the $70,000 level, and some short positions were liquidated as traders digested the news.

Warsh’s background mixes public service and private finance. He was on the Fed’s board during turbulent times and later worked in the private sector and at a policy research center. That mix is part of what makes him attractive to some senators who favor lower rates, and worrisome to others who worry about the Fed’s independence.

How Markets Read The Move

Reports say traders see a Fed chair who favors rate cuts as friendly to risk assets. Bitcoin’s price moves reflected that view in the hours after the filing reached the Senate.

Some analysts cautioned that a faster shift in policy would depend on data, not headlines, and that inflation and global events complicate any easy return to lower borrowing costs.

Political Hurdles Ahead

Opposition is already forming. A Republican member of the Banking Committee has said he may block nominations until outside investigations are cleared, and leading Democrats have voiced concerns about Warsh’s alignment with the administration.

Those objections mean a smooth confirmation is far from certain, even with a friendly Senate majority.

Reports note the next formal steps are committee hearings, written questionnaires, and witness appearances. The committee could vote to advance Warsh, or it could stall the nomination.

If the committee approves him, the full Senate would then take up the matter. If hearings proceed, senators will ask about his views on inflation, interest rates, and the role of cryptocurrencies in financial stability.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya says Bitcoin has hit a structural limit that many market participants still do not want to confront: in his view, it lacks the qualities needed for central bank adoption. That matters because, in his framing, sovereign adoption is the missing ingredient for the next major expansion in Bitcoin’s total market value.

Speaking in a March 3 conversation with Nikhil Kamath, Palihapitiya argued that the “value maximizing function” for a Bitcoin seeking broad adoption is not retail enthusiasm or ETF demand, but whether it can satisfy the requirements of a central bank reserve asset. On that test, he said, Bitcoin comes up short.

“The structural failing is that it is not, so if you think about like, what is the value maximizing function right now for a crypto asset to be broadly adopted? It needs to have the features that allow a central bank to adopt it,” Palihapitiya said. “And there are two things that it lacks, you know, one is fungibility and two is privacy. And so Bitcoin fails on those two dimensions.”

He pushed the argument further, saying those weaknesses are not peripheral design tradeoffs but hard constraints on where Bitcoin can go next. “So it can never be a structural holding of a central bank. And that simple thing will keep it in the realm of ETFs and humans,” he said, before contrasting Bitcoin with gold.

Palihapitiya’s reasoning rests on transparency as a liability rather than a strength. In his telling, a public ledger makes holdings legible in a way that discourages state-level reserve management. He pointed to the traceability of coins and transaction history as a direct hit to fungibility, arguing that market participants can inspect “the history and the provenance of that exact token,” including where it has been used and which wallets it has touched.

“That lack of fungibility and privacy is a huge deterrent for broad structural adoption,” he said. “That’s what you need to then add another 10x of market cap.”

He also suggested there may be room for another crypto asset to solve the problem, though he did not name one as a clear contender. “Are there projects right now? Yes. But they’re very small scale. There’s huge issues with them. Those are even more volatile. So Bitcoin’s interesting.”

Reactions From The Bitcoin Community

The reaction on X was swift and openly dismissive. Vijay Boyapati argued: “The truth is gold suffers more privacy constraints for central banks than Bitcoin does or ever will. Many countries literally keep their gold with the New York Fed, which knows *exactly* how much gold they have AND keeps possession of that gold – a huge geopolitical risk.”

Prominent Bitcoin educator Dan Held rejected the fungibility critique outright, calling Bitcoin “perfectly fungible” and saying there is “no pricing differential between coins.” On privacy, he argued the issue can be handled at other layers, writing that users seeking more privacy can rely on “L2s or ETF.”

ProCap CIO Jeff Park’s response went in a different direction. Rather than debating whether central banks need privacy, he challenged the premise that opacity is desirable at all. In his view, the only way to repair a system defined by growing distrust is “to build trust with radical transparency,” a line that turns Palihapitiya’s critique into a case for BTC rather than against it.

“This take-and yes Dalio too-fundamentally fails to understand why central banks are broken and why they need bitcoin. In an age where there is growing distrust everywhere, the only way – and i really mean the ONLY way- to fix the system is to build trust with radical transparency,” he wrote.

Bloomberg senior analyst Eric Balchunas compressed the pro-Bitcoin rebuttal into a simpler market structure answer: “ETF fixes this. Totally private. Next question.”

At press time, BTC traded at $72,493.

Earlier this week, the Executive Chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), Michael Saylor, announced that the company had made another major Bitcoin purchase. The announcement, which was made on Monday, showed that despite the bearish market headwinds, the company has not given up on its Bitcoin strategy. Following the announcement, though, a community member known as Lindsay on X pointed out an interesting fact about Strategy’s massive BTC holdings and the asset’s price movements.

Strategy Makes Bank Every time Bitcoin Moves $1,000

Strategy’s latest Bitcoin purchase of 3,015 BTC, despite being worth $204.1 million at the time of its purchase, now looks like a tiny blip on its over 700,000 BTC holdings. At the time of the last purchase, the company now holds 720,737 BTC, maintaining its position as the public company with the largest BTC holdings in the world.

Amid this revelation, Lindsay’s post pointed to the fact that Strategy was actually making a lot of money each time the Bitcoin price moved. For example, every time the Bitcoin price moved upward by $1,000, the company’s position would add a whopping $720 million.

What this means is that the company is in a position where even a small recovery could mean a massive profit margin for the company. However, the reverse is also the case, because if the Bitcoin price drops $1,000, then the company loses $720 million on its BTC holdings.

Another interesting fact about the company’s holdings is that its latest purchase was made at an average price of $67,700 for 3,015 BTC. As a result, the average price of the company’s total BTC holdings has now moved to $75,985 per BTC.

With the Bitcoin price trading below $74,000, it means that the company is currently underwater on its BTC investment. The company has spent $54.77 billion to buy 720,737 BTC, starting in 2020. But presently, the entire stack is worth around $52.49 billion, representing an over 4% loss on its holdings, according to data from Bitcoin Treasuries.

The company’s stock has not been spared from the onslaught as it is down 14.77% year-to-date, falling in line with the 24% BTC price decline during this time period. Saylor also announced that the company’s STRC dividend rate has now been increased from 11.25% in February to 11.50% in March, as the company makes plans to switch from using common stock to preferred share issuance for its Bitcoin purchases.

Morgan Stanley is moving forward with its plans to enter the spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) market, submitting an amended registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission as it seeks regulatory approval.

On March 4, the Wall Street firm filed an updated Form S-1 for the proposed Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust, providing additional details about how the fund would operate. 

Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF Filing Details

The amendment outlines key structural elements, including how the trust’s Bitcoin holdings would be stored and who would be responsible for safeguarding them.

According to the filing, Coinbase Custody, a subsidiary of crypto exchange Coinbase, and The Bank of New York Mellon, or BNY Mellon, would serve as custodians for the fund’s Bitcoin. 

The digital assets would be stored in offline cold storage vaults, meaning the private keys controlling access to the Bitcoin would remain disconnected from the internet. This approach is designed to reduce exposure to cyber threats and unauthorized access.

However, the filing also makes clear that the custodians are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Instead, they maintain insurance coverage through private carriers. 

ETF Revival Lifts Bitcoin To $73,000

The timing comes as the spot Bitcoin ETF sector shows signs of renewed momentum, contributing to Bitcoin’s ascent to $73,000 earlier on Wednesday. 

BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF recorded approximately $322 million in inflows in a single trading day, helping offset outflows from rival products offered by Fidelity and Grayscale. In total, the sector has attracted about $683.3 million in inflows so far this week.

Bitwise’s advisor, Jeff Park, previously said that launching a Bitcoin ETF would strengthen MorganStanley’s role in the crypto infrastructure sector, adding that such an initiative could create opportunities beyond the ETF itself, particularly in areas linked to tokenized assets.

Park also pointed out that establishing a presence in the Bitcoin ETF market could help Morgan Stanley attract professionals with expertise in blockchain markets and digital asset trading. 

Earlier this year, during Morgan Stanley’s fourth-quarter earnings call, Chairman and CEO Ted Pick emphasized the firm’s growing engagement in digital assets. 

He told analysts that the bank is “well positioned now in the crypto and tokenized asset space,” and noted that there is “a lot for us to do there,” signaling broader ambitions within blockchain-based finance.

As of this writing, Bitcoin was trading at $73,445, a one-month high following its February return to the $60,000 support floor. According to CoinGecko data, this amounts to a 7% increase for BTC over the 24-hour time frame. 

Featured image from NBC, chart from TradingView.com 

Binance continued to be the spot volume leader in the crypto sector during 2025, according to CryptoQuant’s annual report on exchanges.

Binance Saw $7 Trillion In Spot Crypto Trading Volume In 2025

In a new thread on X, on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant has shared insights from its 2025 Annual Exchange Leader Report. This report compares the various centralized exchanges in the crypto sector in terms of various metrics.

First, here is a chart showing how exchanges compare against each other in terms of the spot trading volume:

As displayed above, Binance was by far the largest exchange in terms of the total amount of crypto involved in spot trading activities in 2024, and the same remained true in 2025 as well. In total, Binance observed a spot volume totaling to $7 trillion in 2025, about the same as the figure from 2024.

Bybit and Crypto.com followed in second and third, respectively. While the latter observed a volume jump of 4.5% during 2025, the former actually saw a decline of over 14%. The platform that most stands out for its volume change between 2024 and 2025 is MEXC, witnessing an increase of a whopping 90%.

Like the spot market, Binance was once again the market leader when it came to derivatives volume.

Binance saw a total of 25 trillion in crypto derivatives volume during 2025, up 20% compared to 2024. Nearly all of the platforms listed in the chart observed an year-over-year increase in the metric, indicating that speculative activity as a whole shot up in the sector over 2025. “In terms of growth, Gate stands out, having increased its perpetual futures trading volume by 468%,” noted the analytics firm.

Many exchanges saw a balanced derivatives volume composition, but Bitget, Coinbase, and Crypto.com stood out for their Bitcoin-heavy volumes. Coinbase in particular saw the original digital asset dominate, making up for 81.5% of all futures trading on the platform.

Based on some key exchange-related categories, CyrptoQuant has defined an “Exchange Score Index” that ranks the various crypto platforms. “These categories are designed to evaluate the overall market position, transparency, growth and trading profile of each exchange,” explained the analytics firm.

As is visible in the below chart, MEXC ranked the highest in this indicator during 2025. CryptoQuant noted that the exchange’s position is backed by “strong derivatives scale and solid year-over-year growth momentum.”

BTC Price

Bitcoin has seen a breakout during the past day that has taken its price to the $73,100 level.

The Federal Reserve’s (Fed) decision this Wednesday to grant its first-ever master account to a crypto-focused institution has triggered swift opposition from major banking groups, intensifying tensions between traditional finance and the digital asset sector at a pivotal moment for US crypto legislation.

Opposition From US Banking Groups

Kraken Financial, the Wyoming-chartered banking arm of the exchange, announced that it had secured a Federal Reserve master account—becoming the first digital asset bank in American history to gain direct access to the central bank’s payment infrastructure. 

However, the account comes with limitations. Under the so-called “skinny” master account framework outlined by Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, Kraken is permitted to hold reserves and settle transactions in central bank money. 

At the same time, it does not receive full banking authority. The firm cannot issue loans, tap into the Fed’s discount window, or function as a conventional commercial bank. In essence, it gains access to payment systems without the broader powers afforded to insured depository institutions.

Even with those restrictions, the move has drawn sharp criticism from the traditional banking industry. The backlash arrives as banks are already engaged in a broader fight over crypto-related legislation. 

Industry groups have been pushing to remove the stablecoin rewards provision from the GENIUS Act—legislation that was signed into law by President Donald Trump last year. 

That dispute has contributed to delays surrounding the passage of the wider crypto market structure bill known as the CLARITY Act. Now, leading US banking associations are publicly opposing the Federal Reserve’s approval of Kraken’s master account. 

Alleged Risks In Expanding Crypto Access

According to Eleanor Terrett from Crypto In America, banking lobbyists argue that the Kansas City Federal Reserve “violated policy” by approving Kraken’s application without going through the customary public comment process.

The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) has expressed strong objections, stating it is “very concerned” about granting crypto firms access to master accounts because it views the sector as a potential risk to financial stability. 

Meanwhile, the Bank Policy Institute has accused the Kansas City Fed of effectively front-running the Federal Board’s public comment period and failing to follow established procedures when implementing what they characterize as a significant change to the US payments system.

In their view, granting nonbank entities and crypto institutions access to master accounts—historically limited to highly regulated, insured banks—introduces new vulnerabilities. 

At the same time, President Trump has entered the debate. Addressing the legislative impasse surrounding the CLARITY Act, also known as the crypto market structure bill, Trump posted on Truth Social, expressing clear support for the crypto industry in its ongoing dispute with banks over stablecoin yield provisions. 

He urged Congress to move swiftly in passing comprehensive crypto market structure legislation. Despite the President’s backing, banking groups remain unconvinced. 

According to a banking source involved in negotiations who spoke to Crypto In America, concerns persist that “ambiguous legislative language” could enable crypto companies to bypass a prior agreement not to offer interest or yield on idle stablecoin balances.

“We want to continue negotiating, and what we’re trying to do is defend the agreement in-principle of no interest on balances, making sure no holes are punched in that,” the source said, adding that banks had sent proposed legislative revisions to the White House several days earlier but had not yet received a response.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com

Shiba Inu is approaching a pivotal moment, and the latest derivatives data suggests that while top traders still lean bullish on the meme coin, their conviction is steadily fading. Rather than signaling a strong directional move, current positioning reflects a market that is active but cautious.

Shiba Inu Positioning Reflects Controlled Optimism

On the 5-minute timeframe, data from Binance shows that the Top Trader Long/Short Ratio (Positions) recently stood at 1.13, with 52.97% of positions long and 47.03% short. This confirms that leading traders maintain a net-long bias. However, the margin remains relatively narrow. Earlier in the session, the ratio was closer to 1.18 before gradually trending lower, indicating that bullish exposure has been scaled back over time.

The broader Long/Short Ratio (Accounts) reinforces this pattern. The metric was near 1.09 at the same timestamp, reflecting 52.12% long accounts compared to 47.88% short. More importantly, this ratio has declined from levels above 1.30 earlier in the observed window among Shiba Inu traders. The downward slope is not dramatic, but it is consistent. That consistency signals a steady cooling in sentiment.

In strongly trending markets, long/short ratios typically expand as traders crowd into the prevailing direction. Here, the opposite is happening. The imbalance between longs and shorts is compressing. Traders are not abandoning their bullish outlook entirely, but they are scaling back exposure. This suggests risk management is taking priority over aggressive positioning.

Such behavior often appears when the market lacks a clear catalyst. Participants remain involved, yet they hesitate to commit heavily without stronger confirmation from price action.

Balanced Volume Underscores A Market At Decision Point

Taker buy and sell volume data adds another layer of context. Buying activity has produced visible spikes, but these are frequently met with responsive selling. This balanced interaction prevents either side from establishing dominance. Instead of momentum building in one direction, liquidity remains evenly distributed.

Crucially, both positioning ratios for Shiba Inu remain above 1.0. Bulls still hold a structural edge. However, the gradual decline toward parity indicates that confidence is thinning. This is not a bearish reversal signal, but it does reflect growing uncertainty.

Markets often move from expansion to compression before a breakout. The current environment around Shiba Inu resembles that compression phase. Exposure is active but measured. Traders are participating, yet leverage concentration appears controlled.

Taken together, the data presents a coherent narrative. Shiba Inu is not experiencing aggressive accumulation, nor is it under heavy short-term pressure. Instead, it is trading in a state of restrained optimism. The narrowing long bias and balanced volume suggest a market preparing for its next decisive move.

Until a clear imbalance emerges, either through renewed long expansion or a shift below parity, this meme coin remains at a crossroads, with professional traders positioned carefully rather than confidently.

The crypto industry took a significant step deeper into the traditional financial system on Wednesday after Kraken Financial, a Wyoming-chartered digital asset bank, was granted a Federal Reserve (Fed) master account. According to one expert, Ripple may follow suit. 

The approval makes Kraken Financial the first crypto-focused bank in US history to gain direct access to the Federal Reserve’s payment infrastructure, a development many see as a landmark moment for the sector.

Crypto Enters Fed’s Core System

The announcement signals a structural shift in how crypto-native institutions interact with the US banking system. With a master account, Kraken Financial can connect directly to the Fed’s payment rails rather than relying on intermediary banks to process transactions. Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Payward and Kraken, said: 

This milestone marks the convergence of crypto infrastructure and sovereign financial rails. With a Federal Reserve master account, we can operate not as a peripheral participant in the US banking system, but as a directly connected financial institution.

The decision immediately sparked discussion about which crypto firms might follow. Market expert Paul Barron argued on social media platform X that Kraken’s approval has effectively “bridged a gap” between crypto companies and the traditional banking establishment. 

By securing a Federal Reserve master account, Barron noted, Kraken is no longer operating on the outskirts of the system but instead sits on the same Fedwire infrastructure used by major financial institutions such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs. “This is BIG!” he wrote.

Barron went further, suggesting that Ripple could be next in line. He pointed to Ripple’s National Trust Bank charter, granted in December 2025, as a foundational step toward eventual Federal Reserve access. 

Final Step For Ripple’s RLUSD Expansion

In Barron’s view, direct access to a master account would be the final component needed for Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD, to settle transactions at full banking scale. 

Barron also referenced growing legislative momentum around the CLARITY Act, arguing that regulatory developments in Washington may be increasing pressure on the Federal Reserve to integrate qualified crypto institutions more fully into the financial system. 

Ripple executives have previously acknowledged the strategic value of direct Federal Reserve access. In November 2025, Stuart Alderoty, Ripple’s CLO, described the concept as “an attractive idea” in an interview with Reuters.

Yet, Ripple is not alone in seeking this level of integration. Other crypto-focused institutions, including federally chartered Anchorage Digital, have also applied for Federal Reserve master accounts but have not yet received approval.

As of this writing, XRP was trading at $1.45, up 6% amid a wider crypto market recovery that began early on Wednesday with Bitcoin’s (BTC) lead. 

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com