Crypto World
Crypto Funds Pull In $1B as 3-Week Inflow Streak Persists
Momentum in crypto investment products persisted last week, underscoring resilience amid geopolitical stress and reinforcing Bitcoin’s role as a potential safe-haven asset. Data from CoinShares show a total of $1.06 billion flowing into crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs), led by $793 million into Bitcoin. The three-week inflow streak now totals roughly $2.7 billion, lifting year-to-date inflows to about $1.2 billion. Industry observers frame this as evidence of continued demand for digital assets, particularly Bitcoin, in a risk-off environment where traditional markets are sensitive to global tensions. Since the Iran crisis began, assets under management in digital-asset ETPs have risen about 9.4% to nearly $140 billion, marking a significant shift in scale and investor confidence.
Key takeaways
- Bitcoin ETP inflows dominated, with about $793 million of the $1.06 billion weekly total, driving three consecutive weeks of positive flows and helping to push year-to-date gains toward the $1.2 billion mark.
- Ether funds posted inflows of roughly $315.3 million last week, yet year-to-date remain in the red by around $23 million; the improved momentum partly stems from the US launch of new staking ETF listings, moving Ether exposure closer to a net-neutral position.
- XRP faced outflows totaling about $76 million for the week, while Solana attracted roughly $9.1 million of inflows, signaling divergent sentiment across major detractors and beneficiaries within the market.
- US spot Bitcoin ETFs kicked off their first five-day inflow streak of 2026, pulling in about $767.3 million, though year-to-date figures still show net outflows near $493 million, indicating a mixed near-term trajectory for spot exposure.
- Short-Bitcoin products drew inflows of around $8.1 million, suggesting a nuanced, somewhat polarized market view on near-term Bitcoin direction.
Tickers mentioned: $BTC, $ETH, $XRP, $SOL
Sentiment: Bullish
Price impact: Positive. The sustained inflows into BTC-focused ETPs and broader digital-asset products point to renewed demand and a potential shift in risk-off capital toward Bitcoin as a hedge.
Market context: The ongoing ETF activity reflects a broader liquidity backdrop and evolving regulatory acceptance of crypto products in major markets. With ETH-related staking products contributing to momentum, investors are watching whether US-listed offerings can sustain inflows in an environment shaped by macro concerns and policy developments around digital assets.
Why it matters
The persistence of inflows into crypto ETPs—especially Bitcoin—thematically reinforces a narrative that has gained traction among institutional participants: digital assets can complement traditional portfolios during periods of macro stress. The fact that Bitcoin-led products drew the lion’s share of inflows while other assets lag or reverse direction highlights the evolving core-periphery dynamics within the crypto sector, where Bitcoin remains the anchors of liquidity and perceived safety. This dynamic matters not only for traders but for asset managers seeking regulated vehicles to provide crypto exposure to a wider audience.
Ethereum’s trajectory reveals a more nuanced story. While Ether funds are still in the red year-to-date, the recent inflows coincide with the launch of new staking ETF listings in the US, which are shaping liquidity and expectations for yield-oriented crypto products. The ability of these products to move flows toward neutral parity signals that institutional appetite for Ether exposure is stabilizing, even as the broader market contends with competing narratives around yield, staking, and regulatory clarity. The reaction to staking ETFs underscores a broader trend: regulated structures can translate macro- and policy-driven developments into measurable capital movement, influencing market liquidity and price discovery across ETH-related instruments.
On the altcoin side, XRP’s outflows contrasted with modest Solana inflows, painting a picture of selective risk sentiment within the broader ecosystem. While XRP has faced persistent selling pressure, Solana’s inflows hint at continued interest in alternative layer-1 ecosystems, albeit at a smaller scale than Bitcoin. The mixed signals among major assets illustrate a market still negotiating the balance between risk, opportunity, and regulatory visibility in a rapidly evolving sector.
Finally, the unfolding story of US spot Bitcoin ETFs—tied to the first five-day inflow streak of the year—offers a useful barometer for the sector’s maturity. Despite three consecutive weeks of inflows totaling around $2.1 billion, the year-to-date tally remains negative, underscoring the volatility inherent in crypto markets and the sensitivity of flows to macro headlines and policy shifts. Investors continue to monitor whether this inflow momentum can translate into sustained positive drift, particularly as other regions contemplate or expand their own regulated crypto products.
What to watch next
- Upcoming weekly flow data to see if Bitcoin-led inflows sustain their momentum into consecutive weeks.
- Status and performance of US staking ETFs and their impact on Ether-related fund flows and pricing dynamics.
- Regulatory developments around crypto ETFs and related products, especially in the US and Europe, that could alter institutional appetite.
- Market reaction to XRP and other major altcoins as wallets and funds re-balance in response to outflows or new product launches.
- Continued monitoring of total assets under management in digital-asset ETPs to gauge whether the 9.4% rise since the Iran crisis translates into a longer-term structural shift.
Sources & verification
- CoinShares Digital Asset Fund Flows Weekly report (volume-277) detailing weekly inflows and annual totals.
- SoSoValue chart documenting weekly flows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs and the five-day inflow streak.
- Cointelegraph article: Bitcoin ETFs add $251M as Goldman Sachs tops XRP ETF holders.
- Cointelegraph article: Spot Bitcoin ETFs five-day inflow streak 2026.
Market reaction and key details
Crypto investment products continued to show resilience as investor demand reinforced Bitcoin’s standing within regulated markets. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) led the charge, drawing about $793 million of the total inflows of $1.06 billion for the week, sustaining a three-week run that has injected roughly $2.7 billion into digital-asset ETPs. This momentum helped lift year-to-date inflows to approximately $1.2 billion, while total assets under management across digital-asset ETPs rose by about 9.4% since the onset of the Iran crisis, nearing $140 billion. The data suggests a growing willingness among institutional buyers to allocate to regulated crypto products even amid geopolitical tensions that typically heighten risk aversion in traditional markets.
The performance split between assets underscores a nuanced market: Ether (CRYPTO: ETH) funds posted inflows of around $315.3 million, yet year-to-date figures remain negative by roughly $23 million as demand for ETH exposure encounters the broader macro headwinds. The late-week uplift in ETH-related flows was linked to the US’s introduction of new staking ETF listings, a development that appears to be nudging Ether exposure toward net neutrality as product availability expands. The Ethereum narrative reflects how regulated products—especially those tied to staking mechanisms—can shape price dynamics and investor appetite even when asset-specific momentum is uneven.
In contrast, XRP faced outflows of about $76 million, signaling continued selective selling pressure on the asset, while Solana drew about $9.1 million in inflows, illustrating a more modest, but positive, tilt toward SOL among market participants looking for exposure beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Short-Bitcoin products also attracted inflows of roughly $8.1 million, a signal that market sentiment remains polarized on near-term direction, with some participants seeking hedges or tactical bets as macro catalysts unfold.
The week’s broader narrative centered on US spot Bitcoin ETFs, which marked their first five-day inflow streak of 2026 by pulling in nearly $767.3 million. Yet, despite these fresh inflows, year-to-date performance for spot BTC funds remains negative—around $493 million—highlighting that the broader bleed from earlier months has yet to be fully offset. The juxtaposition of robust weekly inflows against a still-negative YTD tally underscores the complexity of the environment: liquidity is returning in fits and starts, but the trajectory for the year remains uncertain as stakeholders weigh macro factors and regulatory signals.
Looking ahead, observers expect this week to reveal whether US spot Bitcoin ETFs can sustain positive momentum into the March and April period, following a challenging start to the year characterized by substantial outflows in January and February that were partially offset by inflows in March. The dynamic between spot BTC demand and the evolving landscape of staking and regulated products will likely shape not only fund flows but also price formation across the crypto market as investors reassess risk and return in a shifting regulatory backdrop.
What to watch next
- Follow weekly asset flows to determine if Bitcoin-led inflows become a longer-term pattern rather than a temporary rebound.
- Monitor the performance and uptake of US staking ETFs and any regulatory clarifications that impact Ether exposure through regulated vehicles.
- Track XRP and SOL demand as new product launches and ecosystem developments unfold, potentially reshaping allocations among major altcoins.
An oil tanker unloads crude oil at a terminal at the port in Qingdao, in China’s eastern Shandong province on March 11, 2026.
– | Afp | Getty Images
BEIJING — China on Monday stressed that it had enough energy resources as the Iran war restricts oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. President Donald Trump pressures Beijing to help secure the critical waterway.
China’s energy supply is “relatively strong,” and forms a “relatively good” foundation for responding to external market volatility, Fu Linghui, spokesperson at the National Bureau of Statistics, told reporters in Mandarin Chinese, translated by CNBC.
The bureau also announced that China’s domestic crude oil production rose by 1.9% year on year to 35.73 million metric tons in the January to February period.
Trump said Sunday that China should help with efforts to restore oil flows through the Hormuz waterway before his planned trip to Beijing at the end of this month, The Financial Times reported. He also said he might delay his China travel plans.
Crude oil prices have have surged past $100 a barrel to near 4-year highs as flows through the Strait of Hormuz have stalled for most countries since the Iran war began more than two weeks ago. However, Iran has sent more than 11 million barrels of oil to China through the strait during that time.
Subscribe now
Trump claimed Beijing should assist with ensuring oil flows through the strait because China gets 90% of its oil through the waterway, the report said.
However, analysts have estimated China only relies on the strait for about 40% to 50% of its seaborne oil imports, and pointed out that oil shipments going through Hormuz account for just 6.6% of China’s total energy consumption.
As of January, Beijing held an estimated 1.2 billion barrels of onshore crude stockpiles, one of the largest reserves in the world and enough to meet demand for three to four months.
Crypto exchange Bithumb will have to pay a fine of 36.8 billion won, about $24.5 million, after it was found to be in violation of South Korea’s Anti-Money Laundering rules.
Summary
- South Korean regulators fined Bithumb 36.8 billion won, about $24.5 million, after identifying about 6.65 million AML-related violations during an inspection of the exchange’s compliance controls.
- Authorities said Bithumb processed 45,772 crypto transfers linked to 18 unregistered overseas virtual asset service providers.
- The exchange will face a six-month ban on external crypto transfers for new users from March 27 to Sept. 26.
According to a local media report, South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit under the Financial Services Commission identified about 6.65 million violations during an AML inspection where the exchange failed to properly carry out customer identity verification, transaction monitoring, and record-keeping requirements.
Bithumb facilitated 45,772 crypto transfers involving 18 unregistered overseas virtual asset service providers in violation of the country’s AML framework.
Regulators decided on the penalties following a sanctions deliberation committee meeting that reviewed the exchange’s compliance with the Act on Reporting and Use of Specific Financial Transaction Information.
Bithumb has also been banned from processing external crypto transfers for new customers for six months, from March 27 to Sep. 26.
Existing customers, however, will be able to continue trading and using external transfers, while new customers can still buy or sell crypto and deposit or withdraw Korean won through the platform.
The penalties follow repeated warnings from the Financial Intelligence Unit, which had been urging the exchange to suspend all activity involving unregistered overseas crypto firms. Bithumb reportedly failed to implement the necessary blocking measures despite those instructions.
The latest penalty marks the largest fine ever imposed on a South Korean crypto exchange among several platforms that regulators have sanctioned for AML violations.
Last year, Upbit, one of South Korea’s largest crypto exchanges, received a three-month restriction on crypto deposits and withdrawals for new users over dealings with unregistered VASPs, alongside a 35.2 billion won penalty.
Bithumb is also navigating another probe by the Financial Supervisory Service over its operational mistake in which it accidentally credited users with an enormous amount of Bitcoin.
On Feb. 6, the exchange inadvertently distributed 620,000 Bitcoin worth roughly $40 billion to $44 billion at the time after an employee mistakenly entered payout amounts in BTC instead of Korean won during a promotional event.
FSS Governor Lee Chan Jin said regulators would look into how an exchange with far fewer actual reserves was able to record and distribute such large phantom Bitcoin balances within minutes, raising questions about internal controls and electronic ledger systems at the platform.
CoinDesk Indices presents its daily market update, highlighting the performance of leaders and laggards in the CoinDesk 20 Index.
The CoinDesk 20 is currently trading at 2140.46, up 5.1% (+104.17) since 4 p.m. ET on Friday.
All 20 assets are trading higher.
Leaders: ETH (+8.8%) and DOT (+8.5%).
Laggards: UNI (+0.9%) and BCH (+2.5%).
The CoinDesk 20 is a broad-based index traded on multiple platforms in several regions globally.
Ether (ETH) bulls are eyeing a move back toward $2,800 in March, with at least three indicators showing ETH price potential to rise higher.
Key takeaways:
-
Ether’s price jumped by over 9% toward $2,280 on Monday.
-
Multiple indicators, including a symmetrical triangle, hint at an extended price rally toward $2,800.
Ether invalidates a bearish chart pattern
On Sunday, Ether’s price action invalidated what initially appeared to be a bear pennant on the daily chart.
Related: Ethereum Foundation sells $10.2M worth of ETH to BitMine in OTC deal
The ETH/USD pair pierced through the pennant’s upper trend line at $2,100, jumping 9.8% to a six-week high of $2,287 on Monday. Its breakout came alongside a rise in trading volume, implying stronger conviction behind the rally.
The price also reclaimed two key support lines in the name of the 20-day exponential moving average (EMA, red line) and the 50-day EMA (yellow line) at $2,072 and $2,210, respectively.
That simultaneously increased the odds of a symmetrical-triangle bullish reversal.
A symmetrical triangle forms when price makes lower highs and higher lows, compressing into a tightening range. It resolves when the price breaks either of the trendlines and moves by as much as the pattern’s maximum height.
In Ether’s case, the measured move above the upper trend line points to about $2,850, 26% above the current price. The level aligns with the 200-day EMA (the purple line), as shown in the chart above.
Ether’s next hurdle is the 100-day EMA (blue) near $2,500.
As Cointelegraph reported, a rejection there would weaken the breakout and raise the odds of a pullback.
Onchain data caps Ether’s upside at $2,800
ETH has been oscillating within a wide range defined by the realized price at $2,350 on the upside and on the downside at the lowest MVRV band of $1,650.
The chart below shows that the recent rebound off the lowest MVRV band mirrors the market structure observed in Q2 2022, where the price rallied past the realized price before being rejected by the first MVRV band just above.
This similarity reinforces the outlook that the current recovery attempt could be stopped around $2,650, where the first MVRV band sits above the realized price.
Glassnode’s Entity-Adjusted UTXO Realized Price Distribution (URPD), showing at which prices the current set of ETH UTXOs were created, also revealed a dense supply zone at $2,770-$2,880 that has been gradually maturing into the long-term holder cohort. This is where investors acquired more than 7.9 million ETH.
This unresolved supply overhang remains a persistent source of sell pressure, likely to cap attempts around the $2,800 level.
Meanwhile, ETH’s cost-basis distribution heatmap shows a heavy accumulation near $2,800, where more than 3 million ETH were previously purchased, suggesting a potential pathway toward this level in the short term.
Polymarket’s odds of $2,800 ETH price in March rise
Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market where users trade contracts on real-world outcomes, is showing a clear bullish shift for Ether in March.
Traders now assign 13% odds that ETH reaches $2,800 in March, a 10% increase over the last 24 hours. The $2,600 and $2,400 targets carry even stronger convictions at 32% and 69%, respectively.
At the same time, the odds of the ETH price reaching $1,800 and $1,600 in March are priced lower than before, suggesting the crowd is trimming downside expectations.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
TLDR
- OpenAI has postponed its planned “adult mode” feature for ChatGPT designed to enable erotic conversations
- Safety advisers expressed concern the feature might function as a “sexy suicide coach” given users’ emotional attachment to the AI
- OpenAI’s age verification technology incorrectly identifies approximately 12% of minors as adults
- Given ChatGPT’s ~100 million underage weekly users, the error rate poses risk to millions of teenagers
- The company maintains it will eventually launch the feature but requires additional time to ensure proper implementation
OpenAI has postponed its controversial “adult mode” feature for ChatGPT following significant pushback from internal teams, external advisers, and safety specialists concerned about teenage safety and psychological risks.
CEO Sam Altman initially proposed the feature last year, positioning it as a way to enable adult-oriented text conversations with the AI assistant. Altman defended the concept as respecting mature users’ autonomy while potentially driving user engagement and revenue growth.
However, the initiative encountered substantial resistance within the organization.
During a January gathering, OpenAI’s well-being advisory council—comprising psychology professionals and cognitive neuroscience specialists—reportedly expressed unified and intense opposition to the plan.
One council member cautioned that OpenAI risked creating what they termed a “sexy suicide coach.” This stark warning referenced documented incidents where individuals developed profound emotional attachments to ChatGPT and subsequently ended their lives.
The advisers highlighted additional risks, including the potential for unhealthy psychological dependency on the chatbot and the likelihood that underage users would circumvent age-restriction measures.
The central technical challenge involves OpenAI’s age-detection technology. Testing revealed the system incorrectly categorizes minors as adults approximately 12% of the time. With ChatGPT serving roughly 100 million users under 18 years old weekly, this failure rate could potentially grant millions of teenagers access to mature content.
Age Verification Problems
The organization had originally intended to deploy its age-verification system prior to activating adult mode. However, after discovering the significant error rate, OpenAI opted for a gradual implementation to enhance accuracy.
OpenAI also confronted difficulties in filtering prohibited material, including depictions of non-consensual activities or child exploitation, while permitting legitimate adult interactions. Company insiders indicated that current safety mechanisms remain inadequate for this purpose.
When the adult mode eventually launches, OpenAI intends to restrict functionality to text-based interactions exclusively. The system will not produce erotic images, audio, or video materials.
Other AI Companies and Adult Content
Multiple competing AI platforms already permit certain adult-oriented content. Elon Musk’s xAI introduced a flirtatious personality option for its Grok assistant, though Musk subsequently limited access to paying subscribers. Meta permits its AI to participate in romantic roleplay scenarios, while stating the capability remains unavailable to accounts registered by minors.
In late 2024, a 14-year-old Florida resident died by suicide following an intense emotional relationship with a Character.AI chatbot. His mother pursued legal action, prompting Character.AI to reach a settlement and implement stricter teenage access controls.
OpenAI stated it continues to support the fundamental concept of providing adult content options for mature users. The organization indicated it will prioritize other enhancements in the interim, including improvements to ChatGPT’s personality features and customization capabilities.
The postponement is anticipated to extend at least one month, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Bitcoin’s recent strength during geopolitical uncertainty reflects a fundamental shift in the asset’s ownership structure, according to Wall Street broker Bernstein.
The cryptocurrency climbed roughly 7% last week, with ether (ETH) gaining about 9%, outperforming gold and global equity indices as markets reacted to escalating global conflict. The broker said the performance highlights how institutional ownership is reshaping the market.
“We believe the combination of Strategy’s treasury model and ETFs have transformed bitcoin’s ownership structure,” analysts led by Gautam Chhugani said in the Monday report.
Strategy, which the analysts described as acting like a “bitcoin central bank of last resort,” has continued buying through the downturn. The firm extended its streak of weekly purchases, acquiring about $1.57 billion worth of BTC, according to a Monday filing.
The company, led by Executive Chairman Michael Saylor, bought 22,337 bitcoin at an average price of $70,194 each, bringing its total holdings to 761,068 BTC acquired at an average cost of $75,696 per coin.
Strategy has also expanded its preferred equity financing strategy through the STRC product, which offers investors high-yield income linked to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) and has generated rising trading volumes. The additional liquidity helps fund more bitcoin purchases through at-the-market offerings.
Meanwhile, spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have attracted about $2.1 billion in inflows over the past three weeks, bringing ETF ownership to roughly 6.1% of total bitcoin supply. The analysts said these vehicles are increasingly drawing allocations from wealth managers, pension funds and sovereign investors.
Retail investors have been net sellers in recent months, but long-term holders remain dominant. About 60% of bitcoin supply has not moved for more than a year, a signal that many investors continue to treat the asset as a long-term store of value, the report said.
Bitcoin’s recent outperformance during geopolitical stress has also revived debate about its role as “digital gold.” While the token lagged the precious metal for much of the past year, its gains during the latest bout of global uncertainty have prompted some analysts to argue the asset is beginning to behave more like a geopolitical hedge, though the comparison remains contested.
For equity investors, Bernstein added that Strategy (MSTR) remains a high-beta way to gain exposure to bitcoin’s upside, currently trading at about a 14% discount to its bitcoin net asset value on a basic share basis.
The largest cryptocurrency was trading 4.4% higher around $73,900 at publication time. Ether, the second-largest crypto by market capitalization was up 8.4% at $2,273.
Read more: CEO of crypto investment firm Keyrock says bitcoin is undervalued, entering ‘transition year’
Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the world’s largest public holder of Bitcoin, continued aggressively stacking Bitcoin last week, bringing the company’s total reserves to above 760,000 BTC.
Strategy acquired 22,337 Bitcoin (BTC) for $1.57 billion last week, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Monday.
The purchase ranks among the five largest Bitcoin acquisitions by Strategy on record, following a massive 17,994 Bitcoin buy for $1.28 billion a week earlier.
The purchase was made at an average price of $70,194 per Bitcoin, below the company’s overall average acquisition price of $75,696, Strategy said. Bitcoin averaged a price of $70,571 for the week of March 9-15, based on daily closing prices.
The acquisition brings its holdings to 761,068 BTC, acquired for a total cost of roughly $57.61 billion, the company said.
STRC now the most liquid preferred stock in the market, Saylor says
The purchase came amid Strategy selling record amounts of its perpetual preferred equity, Stretch (STRC), after easing its sales rules on March 9.
“This was the first week Strategy could run the STRC ATM in extended hours with a second broker,” Bitcoin Quant founder Rohan Hirani noted in a post on X.
Related: Strive allocates $50M of treasury to Strategy’s STRC preferred stock
According to STRC Live, the stock saw a record week last week, with 10,767 BTC estimated to be bought across four active days.
According to the filing, Strategy sold 11.9 million STRC shares for $1.18 billion during the week, with net proceeds accounting for 75% of the entire purchase. The company also sold 2.8 million Common A shares (MSTR), generating $396 million.
With Strategy now holding 761,068 BTC, the company would need to acquire 238,932 BTC to reach 1 million, an average of about 5,700 BTC per week over the remaining 42 weeks of 2026.
Magazine: Bitcoin’s ‘narrative vacuum,’ Ethereum now inevitable: Trade Secrets
Opinion by: Neil Staunton, CEO and co-founder of Superset
Crypto is one of the most innovative corners of finance. New protocols launch every week. New market designs are constantly tested, and experimentation moves fast. But innovation alone can’t build financial systems that institutions can rely on.
There’s a reason traditional finance is deliberately boring. It shouldn’t be a rollercoaster of emotions or surprises. When money is involved, reliability is much more important than novelty. Predictable settlement, consistent pricing and clear risk boundaries are what allow capital to move at scale. Without them, even the most elegant tech remains sidelined.
This is where crypto falls short. Today’s onchain market structure simply isn’t enough to support it. This is not about institutions “not getting it” (because they definitely are), but rather, it’s about meeting them where they are.
The infrastructure is there, but the ideology needs some help
Institutional hesitation toward crypto is often framed as a cultural divide, but this is a mistranslation. Banks, asset managers and payment providers adopt new technology all the time. Whether it’s real-time payment rails or cloud-based core banking systems, they’re open to innovation as long as it works reliably, repeatably and at scale.
The issue that’s been holding crypto back from institutional adoption is not merely self-custody or deeper decentralization but is actually a core industry problem: liquidity fragmentation.
Currently, liquidity is scattered across chains, venues and execution environments. Capital cannot be shared, and therefore, it needs to be duplicated. This leads to inconsistent pricing, higher slippage and risk being difficult to define (let alone manage). It’s a problem that’s been talked about a lot over the last few years, but hasn’t reliably been solved.
These issues are structural, rather than mere philosophical differences. Until they’re addressed, institutions will continue to experiment cautiously.
Market structure matters most
Regulation and user experience often dominate the crypto adoption conversation. And it’s true that both are important and need to be properly addressed. From an institutional perspective, market structure is a bottleneck that’s getting in the way of adoption.
At scale, financial systems must handle dollars and FX with precision. They must support deep liquidity, tight spreads and predictable execution even under stress. They need to behave the same way yesterday, today and tomorrow — and every day to come. But when liquidity is fragmented, none of this is possible.
Even well-capitalized institutions struggle to meaningfully deploy when execution depends on bridging risk, duplicated margin or inconsistent settlement paths. The result is higher costs, unclear exposures and hesitation to scale participation. Simply put, this is a massive failure of coordination.
Institutions need reliability
Traditional finance prefers its older systems because they have proven themselves, are familiar and dependable. If the crypto industry wants to attract institutions, it’ll need to make reliability a first-class design constraint.
Yes, some are skeptical of crypto, but the only way to prove them wrong is by earning trust through repetition and, frankly, being a bit boring. It needs to show that it can do the same thing, the same way, under a large variety of conditions. This is what institutions look for when they evaluate infrastructure. They need to be totally confident that risk is visible, liquidity is real and execution will behave as expected.
A moment of transition
Timing matters. Right now, people believe that the financial system needs to make significant changes. Institutions are demanding infrastructure that frees trapped capital and delivers predictable execution across an increasingly fragmented system.
Related: Animoca’s Yat Siu says crypto finally has to grow up
Stablecoins are becoming increasingly used as payment rails rather than entry-level crypto tools. They currently process close to $1 trillion a year, with a volume surge of 690% year-over-year in 2025. At the same time, financial institutions have started testing, integrating and building stablecoins into their books. Even the US Federal Reserve now analyzes how stablecoin growth reshapes bank funding and credit provision, underscoring that this shift is not hypothetical but already influencing core market plumbing.
This shift changes the question. It’s no longer whether crypto can coexist with traditional finance; it’s whether its infrastructure is ready to support it.
What “growing up” actually means
Maturity doesn’t mean crypto needs to lean into centralization or abandon self-custody or composability. It just means that coordination, where markets require it, needs to be prioritized: shared liquidity, consistent pricing and capital efficiency. At the same time, decentralization must be preserved where it truly matters.
This is about function over flash when it comes to designing systems. In finance, clever ideas matter far less than dependable ones.
This isn’t a surrender to corporate whim
Putting on a suit doesn’t mean losing crypto’s identity. Crypto so far has focused on proving what’s possible, but it needs to recognize that this next phase is about proving what works.
The future of crypto will not be defined by how radical it sounds; it will be defined by operational consistency when real capital is on the line. That’s not selling out — but growing up.
Opinion by: Neil Staunton, CEO and co-founder of Superset.
This opinion article presents the author’s expert view, and it may not reflect the views of Cointelegraph.com. This content has undergone editorial review to ensure clarity and relevance. Cointelegraph remains committed to transparent reporting and upholding the highest standards of journalism. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the company.
Key Takeaways
- Proposed US restrictions on stablecoin yields may redirect investors to international platforms.
- Foreign jurisdictions could capture early-adopter advantages in stablecoin return offerings.
- Asian financial hubs prioritize blockchain infrastructure, tokenization, and enterprise stablecoins
- Clear regulatory frameworks overseas may draw capital away from American crypto markets.
- Global competition for stablecoin yield services escalates as nations refine regulatory approaches.
A proposed American prohibition on stablecoin yield distributions could catalyze international markets to develop competing alternatives. Nations beyond US borders may rapidly introduce yield-bearing products that domestic users cannot legally access. This regulatory divergence could fundamentally alter stablecoin business models as foreign regulators and issuers adapt to emerging market dynamics.
Current US Senate deliberations on cryptocurrency legislation include a contentious proposal to limit third-party platforms from offering stablecoin yields. Traditional banking interests have advocated for this restriction, while digital asset proponents strongly oppose it, creating ongoing political gridlock. This regulatory vacuum presents significant opportunities for international competitors to capture market share in stablecoin services.
Yield generation has become a primary attraction for stablecoin holders, enabling passive returns on digital dollar equivalents. Should the United States implement restrictive measures, other nations may accelerate development of permissive regulatory structures. Foreign stablecoin providers could consequently secure competitive positioning, capturing investment capital currently domiciled in American markets.
International Markets Positioned to Offer Stablecoin Returns
Australia and comparable regulatory environments have established specific exemptions allowing stablecoin issuers to distribute yields to holders. These progressive frameworks enable product innovation while maintaining compliance with broader financial regulations. Currently, most global stablecoin platforms restrict yield payments to avoid conflicts with traditional banking regulations.
Should American lawmakers proceed with prohibition measures, the international competitive landscape could transform dramatically, encouraging worldwide regulators and issuers to reconsider their stablecoin yield strategies. Leading financial centers may leverage this regulatory gap to enhance their cryptocurrency service ecosystems. This dynamic could intensify rivalry among jurisdictions competing to dominate digital dollar infrastructure.
Stablecoin yield platforms may experience accelerated international expansion if US limitations take effect. Emerging markets could introduce superior yield rates or novel structural approaches to attract users. American investors may increasingly seek offshore alternatives offering greater flexibility in stablecoin products.
Asian Financial Institutions Embrace Blockchain Infrastructure
Prominent Asian financial institutions are concentrating investment on blockchain technology frameworks rather than direct cryptocurrency holdings. They are investigating tokenization of traditional financial instruments and institutional stablecoin issuance as strategic priorities. This approach emphasizes distributed ledger applications while treating speculative crypto assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum as peripheral concerns.
Asset management firms demonstrate greater engagement with cryptocurrency product creation, attempting to diversify client portfolio options. Less restrictive custody regulations enable them to examine stablecoin yield structures more aggressively. These institutions carefully evaluate partnership opportunities to ensure regulatory compliance and robust security protocols.
Stablecoin yield products are becoming increasingly central to Asian financial planning. Regulatory transparency and technological readiness shape institutional deployment decisions. Accordingly, international stablecoin ecosystems may experience significant diversification as global participants respond strategically to American policy developments.
Quick Overview
- Salesforce initiated a record-breaking $25 billion accelerated share repurchase (ASR) program — its largest ever
- The repurchase commenced March 11, 2026, delivering approximately 103 million shares upfront
- These 103M shares account for about 80% of the anticipated total repurchase volume
- This $25B ASR represents half of a comprehensive $50 billion buyback authorization approved by directors in February 2026
- CRM shares climbed approximately 2.5% during premarket hours Monday; complete settlement anticipated in Q3 or Q4 of fiscal 2027
Salesforce (CRM) initiated its historic $25 billion accelerated share repurchase initiative on Monday, marking the company’s most substantial ASR to date and pushing shares higher by approximately 2.5% in early trading.
The cloud computing giant verified the prepayment and upfront transfer of approximately 103 million shares through ASR contracts executed on March 11, 2026, involving several prominent banking institutions.
The financial partners include Banco Santander, Bank of America, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and Morgan Stanley, with J. Wood Capital Advisors providing advisory services for the arrangement.
The upfront transfer of 103 million shares constitutes approximately 80% of total shares projected for repurchase in this phase. The precise final count will depend on CRM’s volume-weighted average trading price throughout the transaction period, adjusted for a discount and other variables.
CEO Marc Benioff expressed strong enthusiasm for the decision. “We are aggressively repurchasing shares because we are so confident in the future of Salesforce,” he stated.
Robin Washington, Salesforce’s president and chief operating and financial officer, characterized the ASR as demonstrating the organization’s “increased conviction in the durability of its growth and cash flow trajectory.”
The $25 billion initiative represents the immediate deployment of precisely half the $50 billion comprehensive share repurchase authorization that Salesforce’s board of directors greenlit during February 2026.
This $50 billion overall program stands among the most substantial buyback commitments in enterprise software sector history.
Financial Details of the Transaction
The upfront 103 million share transfer calculation utilizes CRM’s closing stock price from March 11, 2026 — when the ASR contracts were officially signed.
Final settlement for this $25 billion portion is projected to occur during either the third or fourth quarter of Salesforce’s fiscal year 2027.
Trading approximately 2.5% higher in Monday’s premarket session, investors demonstrated cautious optimism about the announcement, though the response remained relatively modest considering the program’s magnitude.
Salesforce has faced mounting shareholder pressure throughout the past year to productively deploy its expanding cash reserves, and the $50 billion commitment represents a clear response to those demands.
Looking Forward
The additional $25 billion portion of the comprehensive $50 billion authorization remains unexecuted at this time.
This second installment may proceed through additional ASR arrangements or traditional open market acquisitions, though Salesforce hasn’t disclosed a specific timeframe.
The present ASR encompasses five major financial institutions, indicating a carefully orchestrated and professionally managed implementation rather than a straightforward market-based buyback approach.
The definitive share count for this phase will only be determined upon settlement completion, which isn’t anticipated until late in fiscal year 2027.
Putin’s Top Diplomat Mocks Trump For ‘Miscalculating’ Iran War
Can Trump sell the MAGA crowd on soccer?
The accessibility gap: Why good intentions aren’t enough for digital compliance
-
Tech5 days agoA 1,300-Pound NASA Spacecraft To Re-Enter Earth’s Atmosphere
-
Crypto World2 days ago
HYPE Token Enters Net Deflation as HyperCore Buybacks Outpace Staking Rewards
-
Business6 days agoExxonMobil seeks to move corporate registration from New Jersey to Texas
-
Crypto World7 days agoParadigm, a16z, Winklevoss Capital, Balaji Srinivasan among investors in ZODL
-
Fashion3 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Addict Lip Glow
-
Tech6 days agoChatGPT will now generate interactive visuals to help you with math and science concepts
-
Sports2 days ago
Why Duke and Michigan Are Dead Even Entering Selection Sunday
-
NewsBeat5 days agoResidents reaction as Shildon murder probe enters second day
-
NewsBeat7 days agoPagazzi Lighting enters administration as 70 jobs lost and 11 stores close across Scotland
-
Business5 days agoSearch Enters Sixth Week With New Leads in Tucson Abduction Case
-
Business19 hours agoSearch for Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Enters Seventh Week with No Arrests
-
Business2 days agoUS Airports Launch Donation Drives for Unpaid TSA Workers as Partial Government Shutdown Enters Fifth Week
-
Crypto World2 days ago
Coinbase and Bybit in Investment Talks: Could Bybit Finally Enter the US Crypto Market?
-
NewsBeat5 days agoI Entered The Manosphere. Nothing Could Prepare Me For What I Found.
-
Business7 days agoSearch Enters 39th Day with FBI Tip Line Developments and No Major Breakthroughs
-
Business2 days agoCountry star Brantley Gilbert enters growing non-alcoholic beer market
-
Business4 hours agoAustralian shares drop as Iran war enters third week
-
Crypto World6 days agoWill Chainlink price reclaim $10 amid volatility squeeze?
-
Sports5 days agoPWHL, Senators discussing plan to keep Charge in Ottawa
-
Sports3 days agoCollege Basketball Best Bets: Conference Tournament Semifinal Picks
