Blockchain.com is expanding its footprint in Africa with a launch in Ghana, deepening a regional push that has already shown strong traction in Nigeria over the past year. The company said it plans to offer Ghanaian users access to its trading platform as it builds out local infrastructure and pursues additional markets across the continent. The Nigeria rollout revealed robust demand, with the brokerage transaction volume up by more than 700% and trading activity centered on Bitcoin (BTC) (BTC) (CRYPTO: BTC), Tether (USDT) (USDT) (CRYPTO: USDT), and Tron (TRX) (TRX) (CRYPTO: TRX).

The Ghana expansion follows a period of rising activity ahead of a formal launch, with the company reporting a 140% increase in active users in the country over the past year and an 80% jump in transaction volumes. Blockchain.com stressed that its strategy in Ghana centers on building out local compliance and regulatory engagement, including a local compliance representation position. The move underscores a broader objective: to accelerate its regional infrastructure, forge partnerships with local payment rails, and position Ghana as a gateway to additional African markets.

“We are actively collaborating with Ghanaian officials and regulators to help build a regulatory framework and have already established local compliance representation in Ghana,” a Blockchain.com spokesperson told Cointelegraph. The emphasis on regulatory alignment mirrors a wider industry trend as exchanges seek clearer paths to operate within increasingly formal oversight regimes across the continent.

The company highlighted the importance of integrating with Ghana’s mobile money ecosystem, noting that such rails are a cornerstone of its strategy in the region. With mobile payments deeply embedded in everyday commerce, the ability to settle trades and fund wallets through popular mobile money channels is viewed as a key driver of uptake for digital assets among a broader cross-section of the population.

Blockchain.com’s Ghana announcement sits within a larger narrative of Sub-Saharan Africa’s rapid crypto growth. The firm already operates in more than 70 jurisdictions globally and has signaled plans to pursue additional African markets as part of a long-term growth plan. That strategy aligns with data from Chainalysis, which shows Sub-Saharan Africa emerging as a hotbed of on-chain activity. The region logged more than $205 billion in on-chain crypto value between July 2024 and June 2025, up 52% from the previous year, placing it among the world’s fastest-growing markets. Nigeria dominates that activity, accounting for more than $92 billion in on-chain value during the same period, with South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ghana following closely behind.

The Ghana push also resonates with broader discussions about crypto as a tool for remittances and cross-border payments. At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Vera Songwe, a former United Nations official, noted that stablecoins are increasingly used to reduce remittance costs, which traditionally run around $6 per $100 sent. In economies grappling with inflation and uneven access to traditional banking, such digital dollar alternatives are gaining appeal as faster, cheaper settlement mechanisms. Songwe’s remarks reflect a growing consensus among policymakers and researchers that digital assets can complement, rather than replace, existing financial systems when properly regulated and integrated.

Beyond Lagos and Nairobi, Africa’s crypto narrative features voices like Africa Bitcoin Corporation founder Stafford Masie, who has argued that Bitcoin is already serving as everyday money in some communities. Masie told the Coin Stories podcast that merchants in certain local economies accept satoshis for goods and services, underscoring a level of grassroots adoption that is outpacing formal channels in parts of the continent. This angle—where crypto acts as day-to-day currency rather than solely as a store of value—adds nuance to the Ghanaian expansion and the continent’s longer-term potential as a regional crypto hub.

Industry observers also point to regional price dynamics and currency volatility as catalysts for crypto uptake. Data from Borderless.xyz indicated that Africa recorded the highest median stablecoin-to-fiat conversion spreads among tracked regions in February, highlighting both demand for dollar-denominated liquidity and the challenges of local fiat markets. Taken together with Chainalysis’ Africa-focused data and Masie’s observations, the Ghana launch can be read as part of a broader pattern in which crypto infrastructure—paired with accessible payments rails—helps broaden financial options for a population that remains largely mobile-first and cash-centric in many communities.

Blockchain.com’s expansion in Ghana comes amid a wider push by global crypto exchanges to establish local footprints across Africa. The Ghana launch—backed by public relations coverage from PR Newswire—signals a willingness to engage with regulators and to tailor product offerings to local conditions. While the practical rollout will hinge on a complex mix of licensing, compliance, and partnerships, the company’s statements emphasize a pragmatic approach: build the necessary regulatory bridges, invest in regional teams, and connect digital assets to existing payment ecosystems to support everyday use cases.

Crypto adoption grows across Sub-Saharan Africa

Crypto use has surged in Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. Chainalysis’ data for the 12-month period ending mid-2025 shows the region accumulating substantial on-chain value, with Nigeria taking the lead in absolute terms. South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ghana are among the other notable centers of activity. Analysts say this demand is driven by cross-border remittances, currency volatility, and a youthful, mobile-first user base seeking access to financial services beyond traditional banks. The Ghana launch sits at the intersection of these dynamics, offering a test case for how a major platform can adapt its services to a regulatory environment and to local payment rails that shape user behavior.

In Davos, Songwe emphasized that stablecoins can offer meaningful improvements in remittance costs and speed, potentially reshaping how money moves across borders in Africa. The combination of lower fees, faster settlement, and broader digital adoption may accelerate not only trading and savings but also merchant adoption as more businesses accept digital assets as payment. The narrative around stablecoins, remittances, and cross-border rails is increasingly central to how policymakers, fintechs, and asset providers view Africa’s crypto opportunity.

As Africa’s crypto story unfolds, Masie’s remarks about Bitcoin as a practical medium of exchange in some regions illuminate a reality that policymakers and investors are watching closely. If more communities begin to adopt crypto for day-to-day transactions, the demand for user-friendly products, local-language support, and compliant, regionally integrated services could rise quickly. For Blockchain.com and similar firms, the Ghana market represents both a proving ground and a springboard for broader regional expansion, where the combination of regulatory clarity, accessible payment rails, and culturally aware service design could accelerate crypto’s mainstream viability on the continent.

Why it matters

The Ghana expansion, alongside Nigeria’s sustained growth, demonstrates that Africa is not merely a speculative backdrop for crypto, but a dynamic testing ground for real-world use cases. Building out local compliance structures and engaging with regulators signals a shift from offshore operations toward regionally anchored models that can adapt to diverse regulatory regimes. For users, this could translate into more reliable access to trading, wallets, and payments that work with familiar mobile money platforms, reducing friction and increasing trust in digital assets.

From an industry perspective, the Ghana launch reinforces the importance of partnerships with payment providers and local banks to unlock liquidity and enable quick settlement. It also underscores the need for clear regulatory frameworks that protect consumers while allowing innovation to flourish. The combination of on-chain growth data, grassroots adoption, and the ongoing push for settlement efficiency suggests a longer-term trajectory where crypto services become embedded in everyday financial activity across Sub-Saharan Africa.

For builders and policymakers, the initiative highlights the critical balance between market access and compliance. As the region navigates licensing regimes, data privacy, and anti-money-laundering standards, a measured, transparent approach will determine whether crypto becomes a durable feature of Africa’s financial architecture or a transient trend. The Ghana moment should be read as part of a broader continental arc—one that could redefine how people in many economies access, move, and use digital value.

What to watch next

• Regulatory milestones in Ghana: licensing decisions, local governance structures, and the pace of market onboarding.
• Speed and scope of mobile-money integrations: new payment rails, KYC requirements, and onboarding timelines for retail users.
• Additional African market entries by Blockchain.com and peers, including partner networks and regional hubs.
• Post-launch adoption metrics in Ghana: active users, transaction volumes, and the mix of assets traded.

Sources & verification

• Blockchain.com Ghana launch press release and regional expansion statements (PR Newswire).
• Chainalysis report on Sub-Saharan Africa on-chain activity and regional growth (September report referenced).
• Vera Songwe remarks on stablecoins and remittances at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
• African crypto insights from Stafford Masie’s Coin Stories interview on Bitcoin as everyday money.
• Borderless.xyz data showing stablecoin-to-fiat conversion spreads by region (February).

Blockchain.com expands in Ghana as Africa strategy accelerates

Blockchain.com is expanding its Africa footprint with a formal push into Ghana, a move described by the company as a continuation of its strategy to grow beyond markets where it already operates. The Ghana initiative follows Nigeria’s rapid uptake, where the platform launched retail operations last year and reported a more than sevenfold rise in brokerage activity. In Nigeria, traders have prioritized Bitcoin (BTC) (BTC) (CRYPTO: BTC), Tether (USDT) (USDT) (CRYPTO: USDT), and Tron (TRX) (TRX) (CRYPTO: TRX), reflecting broad appetite for major digital assets as users experiment with wallets, trading, and payments on the go.

The Ghana plan emphasizes a local presence—comprising regulatory engagement, regional leadership, and partnerships with payment rails—that could accelerate user onboarding and broaden access to digital assets in a country where mobile money is deeply entrenched in daily life. The company’s stance is to establish a regulated, compliant operating framework from the outset, a strategy that aligns with global trends toward clearer oversight as crypto markets mature across the region.

Industry observers note that Africa’s crypto surge has a distinct social dimension. Chainalysis data show that Nigeria remains a dominant driver of on-chain activity for the continent, but the growth story extends beyond a single country. The $205 billion on-chain value figure for the region underscores the scale of activity and the potential for service providers that can offer user-friendly interfaces, robust security, and accessible funding and withdrawal channels to attract a broader base of customers who previously relied on informal channels for cross-border payments and savings.

From a macro perspective, the Ghana launch comes at a time when policymakers are increasingly evaluating how to balance innovation with consumer protection. Songwe’s Davos remarks about stablecoins and remittances reflect a recurring theme: digital currencies can lower costs and speed settlements for cross-border flows, provided that stablecoin issuance, custody, and compliance frameworks are designed with local realities in mind. In practice, this means building partnerships with local banks and payment processors and cultivating a regulatory environment that supports responsible crypto usage while preserving financial stability.

Masie’s account of Bitcoin’s role in some African communities adds texture to the Ghana narrative. If merchants already accept satoshis in daily transactions in parts of the continent, then the Ghana expansion could unlock practical uses beyond speculation, reinforcing the case for a networked economy where crypto acts as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, existing financial channels. In parallel, the ongoing discourse around stablecoins and on-chain liquidity continues to shape how fintechs approach product design, risk management, and customer education as they roll out new services in the region.

Arthur Hayes backs Hyperliquid as his largest liquid shitcoin bet, targeting $150 HYPE as Bitcoin grinds near $69K in a derivatives‑driven, fragile macro regime.

Bitcoin trades firmer near $69K as derivatives-driven market structure collides with a fragile macro backdrop, and Arthur Hayes makes Hyperliquid (HYPE) his “largest liquid shitcoin position.” His latest essay frames Maelstrom as “hype men that monetize attention,” arguing that in a choppy regime “the best performing shitcoins are exchanges” because they keep earning fees even when spot markets stall.

Sonic Labs has introduced the US Sonic Dollar (USSD), a native stablecoin designed to serve as the primary stable liquidity layer across Sonic’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. The launch arrives at a pivotal moment for the Layer 1 blockchain, which has seen its key metrics slide sharply over the past year.

Built on Frax’s frxUSD infrastructure, USSD combines permissionless on-chain access with institutional-grade backing from BlackRock, Superstate, and WisdomTree. The stablecoin is fully pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar and is available with zero minting fees through non-custodial smart contracts, mintable from over 10 chains using supported assets such as USDC, USDT, PYUSD, and tokenized Treasury products.

Under Pressure

Last year, Sonic reached $1 billion in total value locked (TVL) within just 66 days of launching, but that momentum did not sustain. TVL fell by two-thirds from $1.1 billion in May 2025 to around $367 million by September. According to DefiLlama, the chain’s TVL now sits around $34 million, a fraction of its peak.

The S token has followed a similar trajectory. S reached an all-time high of $1.03 in January 2025 and has since fallen roughly 96%, according to Coingecko. Over the past month alone, S has dropped approximately 13%, and currently trades at a market capitalization of $150 million.

Vertical Integration

Against that backdrop, Sonic is framing USSD less as a product launch and more as a structural fix.

“When a network’s primary stable asset is external, liquidity fragments and incentives become harder to align,” Sonic said in a blog post.

Yield generated by the assets backing USSD is designed to flow back into the Sonic ecosystem rather than being retained externally, supporting buybacks and ecosystem incentives as usage grows. The idea is to create a self-reinforcing liquidity loop rather than relying on mercenary capital or third-party market makers.

USSD is live on Sonic, Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, and seven additional chains.

The trading of tokens on the network will not be impacted, the exchange assured.

The world’s largest crypto exchange will support an upgrade later this week, during which token deposits and withdrawals on the Ethereum network will be halted.

Additionally, it will expand the list of trading options on Binance Spot, as the effort is once again centered on the stablecoin U (United Stables).

The Upcoming Developments

Binance disclosed that the Ethereum network upgrade is scheduled for March 10 and is expected to take roughly an hour to complete. Once the process is finalized and the system is confirmed to be functioning normally, deposits and withdrawals will be resumed.

The company assured that trading assets on the aforementioned ecosystem will not be affected and promised to handle all user-related technical requirements. It also said there will be no further announcements on the above.

This is a standard procedure that Binance has carried out seamlessly many times before. Beyond briefly pausing Ethereum-related operations during upgrades, the exchange has implemented similar measures to support improvements across different ecosystems, including Cardano, BNB Smart Chain, and others.

Binance also shared another update with its community today (March 9). It confirmed that new trading pairs – BCH/U, NEAR/U, TRX/U, and NEAR/USD1 – will go live on March 10, with Trading Bots support launching on the same day.

The listing effort once again focuses on U (United Stables) – a stablecoin launched last year and pegged to the greenback. Last week, the firm opened trading for AVAX/U, LINK/U, LTC/U, PAXG/U, and ZEC/U. Prior to that, it added ADA/U, DOGE/U, and PEPE/U to its Cross Margin section, while XRP/U, SUI/U, ASTER/U, and PAXG/U were listed on its Spot market.

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The Delisted Ones

The exchange has a strict policy of scrapping certain pairs that no longer meet its standards.

On March 5, it said goodbye to the cross margin pairs CHZ/BTC, CAKE/BTC, ENA/BTC, UNI/ETH, CRV/BTC, INJ/BTC, XTZ/BTC, and the isolated margin ones FET/BTC, OP/BTC, PAXG/BTC, CHZ/BTC, CAKE/BTC, ENA/BTC, CRV/BTC, INJ/BTC, XTZ/BTC. A day later, it removed the spot trading pairs CHZ/BNB, ENA/BRL, NEIRO/JPY, and RLC/BTC.

When delisting is focused on a particular cryptocurrency rather than on trading pairs, it usually has a negative price impact. Such was the case in late 2025 when Binance terminated all services with Flamingo (FLM), Kadena (KDA), and Perpetual Protocol (PERP). The involved digital assets crashed by double digits shortly after the announcement.

Bitcoin BTC$68,153.83 rose 2.8% since midnight UTC after global markets plunged when futures trading opened an hour earlier.

Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 index futures both fell more than 1.5% since midnight as oil surged to as high as $115 per barrel, the most since June 2022. Precious metals also suffered. Gold and silver lost 1.6% and 1.1% respectively, eroding the haven narrative as investors flocked to the U.S. dollar.

Sentiment for bitcoin, meanwhile, is warming, and it has remained resilient to the war in Iran and subsequent supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.

“While BTC has yet to fully earn its digital gold narrative, its practical use case as a digital escape hatch is becoming increasingly relevant, particularly in Gulf countries, amid episodes of currency volatility and political uncertainty,” trading firm QCP said in a note on Monday.

Derivatives positioning

• Exchanges have liquidated crypto futures bets worth nearly $400 million in 24 hours. Bearish bets on oil bore the brunt as prices for the so-called black gold rose to $115 per barrel.
• Open interest (OI) in bitcoin futures remains steady near weekly lows of around 650K BTC, a sign the futures market is not participating in the Monday morning rally. OI in ether futures rose to 13 million ether.
• XRP’s OI jumped to 1.72 billion tokens, the highest since Feb. 24, alongside a small uptick in SOL OI, both indicating capital inflows.
• OI in PAXG, AVAX, LTC and several other alternative tokens has declined over 24 hours. Investors seem to be de-risking on the price bounce.
• BTC and ETH’s 30-day implied volatility indexes remain steady, reflecting market calm amid chaos in Asian equities and oil markets.
• On Deribit, bitcoin and ether puts continue to trade at a premium to calls, signaling persistent downside concerns. However, the premium remains largely unchanged from last week, suggesting the surge in oil prices hasn’t sparked an outsized demand for protective puts.
• The BTC implied volatility term structure remains in backwardation, a sign traders are pricing higher volatility in the short term relative to the long term. That’s consistent with the unknowns of the war.

Token talk

• The altcoin market was buoyant overnight with tokens including DASH, XMR and ZEC posting gains between 3.8% and 5.2%.
• Decentralized finance (DeFi) tokens also performed well. ETHFI and MORPHO have both outperformed bitcoin BTC$68,153.83 and ether (ETH) since midnight.
• CoinMarketCap’s “Altcoin Season” indicator is now at 36/100, significantly higher than February’s low of 22/100. A CoinDesk report on Friday suggested that the lack altcoin mentions on social media could be bullish in terms of a market reversal.
• The best performing benchmark of the past 24 hours was CoinDesk’s Computing Select Index (CPUS), which includes chainlink LINK$8.9212 and bittensor (TAO) and is up by 2.7%, followed by the CoinDesk Smart Contract Platform Select Index (SCPXC), which rose by 0.92% since Sunday morning.
• On the flip side, institutional-focused token canton (CC) lost 3.4% of its value in the past 24 hours while WLD$0.3645, the token created by OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, fell by around 2%.

Crypto markets erased their weekend slump on Monday as risk assets rallied following reports that G7 energy ministers are discussing a potential release of oil reserves to compensate for supply disruptions caused by the ongoing Iran conflict.

Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at around $69,000, up 2.7% over the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, ETH and SOL gained 4% to about $2,020 and $85, respectively, and XRP is up 1.7% on the day.

The overall crypto market capitalization climbed 2.7% to $2.43 trillion, according to Coingecko.

Crude oil (WTI) briefly surged above $110 per barrel on Sunday night as fears of an extended Middle East conflict intensified, only to reverse sharply after G7 energy ministers met to discuss a potential release of strategic stockpiles. WTI is currently trading at around $92. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq pared earlier losses, while gold and silver were mostly unchanged.

Almost all of the Top 100 digital assets posted gains over the last 24 hours.

Today’s top gainers are Hyperliquid (HYPE), which ralled 12%, followed by Zcash (ZEC) and Bittensor (TAO), which climbed 9%.

Canton (CC) and RAIN are the biggest losers.

Around 94,000 leveraged traders were liquidated for $409 million in the past 24 hours, according to CoinGlass. Bitcoin accounted for $157 million, while ETH positions made up $79 million.

Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded outflows of $349 million on Friday, marking a second day of losses.

Growing interest in Bitcoin mining is reviving demand for cloud mining services, with platforms like NOW DeFi offering low-barrier entry.

As the cryptocurrency market enters a new phase of expansion, Bitcoin mining has once again become a key topic among investors. At the same time, rising hardware costs, fluctuating energy prices, and increasing technical barriers have pushed many retail users to seek a more accessible way to participate: cloud mining.

Compared with traditional mining models, cloud mining does not require users to purchase expensive equipment or manage complex deployment, maintenance, and electricity consumption. By renting hash power from remote data centers, users can participate in Bitcoin mining and receive mining rewards. This model is attracting more users who want to enter the crypto ecosystem with lower barriers.

Entering 2026, discussions around cloud mining have noticeably increased across the industry. One important reason is that more platforms are introducing free hash power rewards, flexible contract structures, and renewable energy mining infrastructure, allowing cloud mining to evolve from a niche activity into an accessible entry point for a broader user base.

Why cloud mining is gaining attention again in 2026

For many new users, traditional Bitcoin mining involves a significant upfront investment. Mining hardware purchases, cooling systems, electricity costs, and technical maintenance often discourage individual investors from participating. Cloud mining platforms address this challenge by centralizing infrastructure operations, significantly lowering the entry barrier for users.

Several factors are driving renewed interest in cloud mining in 2026:

• Rising hardware costs: ASIC miners have become increasingly expensive
• Growing energy efficiency requirements: More mining operations are shifting toward renewable energy
• Technological advancements: AI-powered hash power optimization and automated reward settlement improve user experience

As a result, platforms offering free trials or free hash power rewards are becoming a key focus in the cloud mining market.

Free hash power rewards are attracting new users

In today’s cloud mining market, competition among platforms is no longer limited to contract pricing. Transparency, stability, payout efficiency, and mining energy structure are also key factors. For newcomers, the ability to test a platform with minimal risk has become an important consideration.

Against this backdrop, NOW DeFi has gained attention due to its free hash power rewards and renewable energy mining infrastructure. The platform offers new users a $22 free mining reward, allowing them to experience Bitcoin cloud mining without purchasing hardware or setting up mining equipment.

In addition to free rewards, NOW DeFi emphasizes its renewable energy mining network. According to the platform, its mining infrastructure operates in several regions rich in clean energy resources, including:

• Norway
• Canada
• Iceland
• Paraguay
• Sweden
• Uruguay

These locations offer stable supplies of hydropower, wind, solar, or geothermal energy, supporting large-scale mining operations.

Example mining contracts

Actual returns may vary depending on Bitcoin market prices, network mining difficulty, and other operational factors.

Other cloud mining platforms worth noting

In addition to emerging platforms, several established services remain active within the cloud mining industry.

NiceHash — a globally recognized hash power marketplace.

ECOS — a cloud mining platform operating in Armenia’s Free Economic Zone.

CryptoTab — a lightweight browser-based mining experience.

F2Pool — a long-standing mining pool established in 2013.

As the industry continues to mature, platforms offering transparent mechanisms, stable payouts, and renewable energy infrastructure are more likely to gain user trust.

The future of cloud mining in 2026

From an industry perspective, cloud mining is undergoing an upgrade focused on efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. For users who prefer not to manage mining hardware or technical maintenance, cloud mining offers a more convenient way to participate in Bitcoin mining.

As free hash power rewards increasingly become a user acquisition strategy, more people are able to explore Bitcoin mining with lower financial risk. This trend is contributing to the growing global adoption of cloud mining.

Among the platforms gaining attention in this evolving market, NOW DeFi has been frequently mentioned for its free mining incentives, global renewable mining network, and relatively clear product structure. For users looking to explore Bitcoin mining through a low-barrier entry point, such platforms provide an accessible starting point.

Ready to start earning free Bitcoin?

Users can register by visiting the official NOW DeFi website or downloading its mobile application. After registration, new users can claim the platform’s free hash power reward and begin participating in Bitcoin cloud mining without purchasing mining hardware.

About NOW DeFi

NOW DeFi is a technology platform focused on digital asset infrastructure and cloud mining services. The platform aims to provide users with a more efficient and transparent mining experience through its global mining network, renewable energy infrastructure, and AI-powered hash power optimization.

By leveraging green energy solutions and automated mining systems, NOW DeFi enables users worldwide to participate in Bitcoin mining with lower barriers and simplified access.

U.S. inflation data is the major catalyst to watch this week, as it could move the needle on market sentiment and Federal Reserve interest-rate expectations.

The war in the Middle East and other geopolitical risks have kept commodity markets volatile, with bitcoin BTC$68,449.13 last week failing to remain above the $70,000 mark.

The U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran is escalating, and the odds of a near-term ceasefire on prediction markets appear slim. Traders will be monitoring the price of crude oil for potential signs of its impact on inflation.

Against that background, there are some specific crypto events to catch the eye. Solstice and Kamino have teased a new product announcement, without giving any details, and Succinct also said it will make an announcement.

What to Watch

(All times ET)

• Crypto
  • March 9: Solstice and Kamino to announce a new product or feature. No details were provided.
  • March 10: Succint will make an announcement. No details were provided.
  • March 12: Polakdot’s economic upgrade to start rolling out, featuring a DOT supply cap, an emissions cut and unbonding reduction.
  • March 12: BOB mainnet to undergo its Jovian hardfork.
• Macro
  • March 9, 6:50 p.m.: Japan GDP growth annualized final for Q4 est. 1.2% (Prev. -2.6%)
  • March 9, 10:00 p.m.: China balance of trade for January-February (Prev. $114.1B)
  • March 11, 7:30 a.m.: U.S. inflation rate YoY for February (Prev. 2.4%); core rate YoY (Prev. 2.5%)
  • March 11: OPEC monthly report
  • March 12, 7:30 a.m.: U.S. initial jobless claims for week ending March 7 (Prev. 213K)
  • March 12, 7:30 a.m.: U.S. balance of trade for January (Prev. -$70.3B)
  • March 12, 3:30 p.m.: Fed balance sheet for week ending March 11 (Prev. $6.63T)
  • March 13, 7:30 a.m.: U.S. GDP growth rate QoQ second estimate for Q4 (Prev. 4.4%)
  • March 13, 7:30 a.m.: U.S. core PCE price index MoM for January (Prev. 0.4%)
  • March 13, 9:00 a.m.: U.S. JOLTS job openings for January (Prev. 6.542M)
  • March 13, 9:00 a.m.: U.S. Michigan consumer sentiment preliminary for March (Prev. 56.6;)
• Earnings (Estimates based on FactSet data)
  • March 9: Sharplink (SBET), pre-market, $0.31
  • March 11: Exodus Movement (EXOD), pre-market, $0.14
  • March 12: Cango (CANG), post-market, -$0.34
  • March 13: Bit Digital (BTBT), pre-market, -$0.01

Token Events

• Governance votes & calls
  • Convex Finance is voting on Curve Ownership DAO Vote ID: 1358, which would onboard GHO as a Pegkeeper with a 3 million crvUSD debt ceiling. Voting ends March 9.
  • Lido DAO is voting to make the delegate incentivization program (DIP 2.0) a permanent governance mechanism. Voting ends March 9.
  • Lido DAO is voting to authorize a one-time $5 million DAO Treasury allocation into the Lido Earn ETH and USD vaults. Voting ends March 9.
  • Lido DAO is voting on whether Stakin (recently acquired by The Tie) should continue operating as a node operator and whether to approve updating Stakin’s onchain name and reward address. Voting ends March 9.
  • Aavegotchi DAO is conducting ballots 1 and 2 of a multi-sig signer election, asking token holders to choose one signer from among the nominees. Voting ends March 10.
  • Ssv.network DAO is voting to cancel DIP-46 and reallocate the originally approved $15 million development budget, splitting it into $14.9 million for DVT and $100,000 as a retroactive research grant. Voting ends March 10.
  • Realtoken Ecosystem Governance DAO is voting to temporarily drop interest rates on the RMM (Real Estate Monetary Fund) to zero for 15 days. Voting ends March 10.
  • Unlock DAO is voting to approve the Unlock Protocol DAO budget for Q1–Q2 2026, totaling approximately $30,768. Voting ends March 11.
  • Arbitrum DAO is voting to establish an operational directive that automatically consolidates idle and surplus non-ARB funds from DAO initiatives directly into the Arbitrum Treasury Management Company (ATMC) portfolio. Voting ends March 12.
  • CoW DAO is voting on a CoW Swap Affiliate Program to reward affiliates who refer new retail traders and those traders upon reaching qualifying volume milestones, with up to 500,000 USDC allocated over a six-month pilot. Voting ends March 12.
  • World Liberty Financial DAO is voting to introduce a WLFI governance staking system requiring unlocked token holders to stake (minimum 180-day lock) to participate in governance. Voting ends March 12.
  • Arbitrum DAO is voting to implement a delegated voting power (DVP) quorum model, update its constitution, and enable onchain proposal cancellation. Voting ends March 12.
• Unlocks
  • March 12: Aptos APT$0.9671 to unlock 0.69% of its circulating supply worth $11.21 million
  • March 13: WhiteBit Coin (WBT) to unlock 27.77% of its circulating supply worth $4.59 billion.
  • March 15: Connex (CONX) to unlock 1.54% of its circulating supply worth $15.79 million.
• Token Launches
  • March 9: Nexira’s (NEXI) token generation event occurs. Token to be listed on KuCoin.
  • March 12: ForU AI’s (FORU) token generation event occurs.

Conferences

TLDR

• Anthropic filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense over a supply chain risk designation.
• The designation restricts Anthropic from working with defense contractors on federal projects.
• Federal officials labeled the company after talks failed over surveillance and weapons use.
• Anthropic refused to allow its systems for mass surveillance of Americans or autonomous weapons.
• The Pentagon paused a contract valued at up to 200 million dollars following the dispute.

Anthropic has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense and other federal agencies over a supply chain risk designation. The company challenges the Trump administration’s decision that restricts its work with defense contractors. The dispute centers on failed talks about surveillance use and a Pentagon contract valued at up to $200 million.

Anthropic Challenges Federal Supply Chain Risk Designation

Anthropic filed the lawsuit after federal agencies labeled the company a supply chain risk and restricted defense partnerships. The designation followed collapsed talks between the company and defense officials over permitted uses of its systems. Federal officials insisted the technology must support all lawful purposes, including surveillance and weapons programs.

However, Anthropic refused to allow its systems for mass surveillance of Americans or autonomous weapons. As talks ended, the government halted adoption plans and jeopardized a Pentagon deal worth up to $200 million. The company argues the classification lacks legal basis and seeks judicial review to protect its operations.

An Anthropic spokesperson told CNN, “Seeking judicial review does not change our longstanding commitment to harnessing AI to protect our national security.” The spokesperson added that the lawsuit protects its business, customers, and partners. Meanwhile, the Pentagon maintained that lawful use requirements remain essential for defense technology.

Defense Contract Dispute and Corporate Responses

The Financial Times reported that Chief Executive Dario Amodei sought last-minute negotiations with defense leaders. He attempted to de-escalate tensions and prevent a formal blacklist. However, the effort failed to stop the supply chain risk classification.

Following the designation, federal agencies limited cooperation with Anthropic in defense projects. The Pentagon stated that contractors must ensure full lawful access to deployed systems. Officials maintained that defense technology providers must meet comprehensive operational requirements.

Despite the government dispute, Anthropic’s consumer business showed resilience. The company’s Claude application surpassed OpenAI’s ChatGPT in Apple App Store rankings after news of the contract termination. By early March, Anthropic reported that more than one million users signed up for Claude daily.

Major technology companies responded to the federal classification with public statements. Google confirmed it would continue providing Anthropic technology to cloud customers for non-defense purposes. Microsoft issued a similar statement, and Amazon said it would maintain access outside defense work.

Anthropic continues discussions with government officials while pursuing its lawsuit in federal court. The company maintains that the designation lacks a clear statutory foundation. As of early March, more than one million users join Claude daily, according to company data