Crypto World
Micron (MU) vs Western Digital (WDC): Which AI Infrastructure Stock Offers Better Value?
Key Highlights
- Micron achieved unprecedented quarterly revenue of $23.86 billion in its fiscal Q2 2026, delivering 74.4% gross margin and $13.79 billion in net income
- The memory chipmaker projected fiscal Q3 2026 revenue at $33.5 billion and increased its 2026 capital expenditure forecast above $25 billion
- Western Digital generated $2.82 billion in fiscal Q1 2026 revenue, marking a 27% year-over-year increase, with cloud segment revenue climbing 31%
- Wall Street assigns Micron a Buy rating with $453.55 average target; Western Digital receives Moderate Buy with $265.58 target
- The companies address AI infrastructure needs through complementary technologies: Micron via memory solutions, Western Digital through storage systems
The artificial intelligence revolution has created powerful tailwinds for technology hardware companies, with Micron and Western Digital emerging as notable beneficiaries. However, these firms occupy distinctly different positions within the AI infrastructure ecosystem—one dominates the memory chip segment while the other focuses on cloud storage solutions.
Micron has delivered extraordinary financial performance recently. During its fiscal second quarter of 2026, the semiconductor manufacturer generated unprecedented revenue of $23.86 billion. The company achieved remarkable profitability metrics, including a 74.4% gross margin, 67.6% operating margin, and net income of $13.79 billion. The quarter also produced $11.9 billion in operating cash flow.
Management’s outlook proved equally impressive, with fiscal third-quarter 2026 revenue guidance reaching $33.5 billion and projected gross margin of approximately 81%. These figures represent performance levels that would have seemed unattainable for memory chip manufacturers in the recent past.
The catalyst behind this exceptional growth is high-bandwidth memory technology, which has become indispensable in artificial intelligence computing systems. Micron belongs to a limited group of global suppliers capable of producing these specialized chips, creating significant pricing advantages and margin expansion during the current AI infrastructure expansion.
To maintain production capacity aligned with market requirements, Micron elevated its fiscal 2026 capital investment plan beyond $25 billion. This substantial commitment demonstrates management’s confidence in sustained demand, though it also represents considerable spending during a period when memory markets have historically experienced boom-and-bust cycles driven by supply-demand imbalances.
Western Digital’s Enterprise Storage Focus
Western Digital presents a contrasting narrative. Following the divestiture of its flash memory division, the company now concentrates exclusively on hard-disk drive technology and enterprise storage infrastructure.
Western Digital Corporation, WDC
During fiscal first-quarter 2026, the company posted $2.82 billion in revenue, representing 27% year-over-year growth. Cloud segment performance particularly impressed, with revenue increasing 31% to reach $2.51 billion. Management attributed this strength to elevated shipments of high-capacity enterprise drives and customer migration toward higher-density products.
For the full fiscal year 2025, Western Digital delivered $9.52 billion in revenue alongside a 38.8% gross margin. Leadership also unveiled a dividend program, authorized a $2 billion share repurchase plan, and emphasized debt reduction as a strategic priority.
These developments illustrate a company leveraging improved cash generation to reward shareholders while capitalizing on robust cloud demand for revenue expansion.
Wall Street Perspectives
According to MarketBeat data, Micron holds a Buy consensus rating from 38 Wall Street analysts. The distribution includes 34 buy recommendations and 4 hold ratings, with zero sell ratings. The consensus 12-month price target stands at $453.55.
Western Digital receives a Moderate Buy rating based on input from 24 analysts, comprising 21 buy recommendations and 3 hold ratings. The consensus price target of $265.58 notably trails recent trading levels.
This divergence between analyst targets and current market prices suggests Wall Street perceives limited near-term appreciation potential for Western Digital following its recent valuation expansion.
Micron’s investment thesis centers on constrained supply in the AI memory marketplace. The counterargument acknowledges that memory industry cycles can shift rapidly when production capacity aligns with or exceeds demand.
Western Digital’s bullish case emphasizes expanding cloud storage requirements and a streamlined business structure following its corporate separation. The bearish perspective notes that hard-disk drive technology lacks the pricing power inherent to high-bandwidth memory products.
Both enterprises benefit from identical AI infrastructure investments, though through different technological avenues.
Investment Considerations
Micron and Western Digital represent legitimate beneficiaries of artificial intelligence infrastructure expansion, operating at distinct layers of the hardware architecture. Micron demonstrates stronger financial metrics and more direct exposure to AI memory demand currently. Western Digital offers a more conservative, stable investment profile with enhanced capital return programs. Neither qualifies as speculative—both companies produce tangible earnings supporting current market attention.
Crypto World
ECB Details Digital Euro Plan as Australia Eyes $24B Gains
TLDR
- The European Central Bank plans to publish Digital Euro technical standards by summer.
- The ECB will begin a 12-month pilot for the Digital Euro in the second half of 2027.
- Lawmakers could approve a full Digital Euro launch around 2029.
- Private banks will provide wallets while the ECB maintains the core infrastructure.
- The Reserve Bank of Australia estimates tokenization could deliver AUD $24 billion in annual efficiency gains.
The European Central Bank has outlined a clear path for its Digital Euro project and expects to publish technical standards by summer. Executive Board member Piero Cipollone confirmed the plan before European Union lawmakers and detailed the rollout process. Meanwhile, Australia’s central bank has projected AUD $24 billion in annual efficiency gains from tokenization efforts.
Digital Euro Framework and Pilot Roadmap
The ECB will release core technical standards for the Digital Euro by this summer. Cipollone said the framework will give banks and payment firms time to prepare their systems. He stressed that early coordination will support a smooth integration process.
The standards will allow terminals, wallets, and payment apps to include Digital Euro functionality before issuance. As a result, providers can embed features directly into payment infrastructure. Cipollone told lawmakers that “early alignment with industry participants is critical to ensuring a smooth rollout.”
The ECB has scheduled a 12-month pilot for the second half of 2027. The trial will test person-to-person transfers and point-of-sale payments in controlled settings. Licensed payment service providers will operate the pilot under central bank oversight.
The central bank will review both technical performance and user adoption during the pilot. If lawmakers approve the framework, the ECB targets a potential launch around 2029. Officials linked the timeline to infrastructure development and legislative coordination across the European Union.
The ECB has confirmed that it will not offer the Digital Euro directly to consumers. Instead, private banks and payment firms will provide wallets and customer services. The Digital Euro will function as a public infrastructure layer within the existing financial system.
Australia Advances Tokenization Strategy
The Reserve Bank of Australia has estimated that tokenization could deliver about AUD $24 billion in annual efficiency gains. Bloomberg reported that the figure equals roughly $16.7 billion in economic value. The projection highlights the growing focus on blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Assistant Governor Brad Jones said stablecoins and bank-issued deposit tokens will play complementary roles. He stated that authorities are shifting toward practical deployment frameworks. The RBA has launched a digital sandbox to test new tokenized financial products.
The central bank has also expanded a working group focused on deposit tokens. Officials aim to integrate tokenized finance into the existing monetary system while maintaining oversight. The RBA said the initiative supports coordination between regulators and industry participants.
In Europe, the ECB continues to position central bank money as the anchor of the financial system. Cipollone said public money must retain its role as a tokenized asset, and stablecoins gain traction. The ECB’s Pontes initiative is testing cross-platform settlement of tokenized securities using central bank money.
The Appia roadmap outlines a longer-term plan for integrated tokenized markets across Europe. The Digital Euro will complement cash and bank deposits within that framework. Authorities confirmed that central bank-backed settlement remains central to these efforts.
Crypto World
US says Chinese firms using crypto to sell fentanyl chemicals to cartels
The US has accused two China-based pharmaceutical firms of using crypto to sell fentanyl precursor chemicals to violent Mexican cartels distributing drugs across the US.
Six defendants and two pharmaceutical firms, Shandong Believe Chemical Company and Shandong Ranhang Biotechnology Ltd, were indicted by an Ohio district court grand jury yesterday and charged with money laundering, international criminal financing, and terrorist financing.
The firms allegedly presented themselves as legitimate pharmaceutical companies while marketing and selling various chemical products that are required in the production of fentanyl.
It’s alleged that drug traffickers accepted crypto as payment, and would send the funds to crypto wallets under the control of the accused entities and persons.
Crypto under the control of the two firms would then be sent to agents, who would hold onto the funds until they could be converted into fiat currency and laundered through international banks.
As part of the indictment, a sum of crypto from a Binance account with $26,000 worth of funds will be forfeited if the US manages to secure a conviction.

Read more: World Cup games in Mexico at risk after crypto-laundering drug lord killed
The alleged buyer of these specific precursors is the Gulf Cartel (Cartel del Golfo). It’s one of Mexico’s oldest criminal organizations, dating back to the 1930s, and was designated a terrorist organization last year.
The US claims the cartel deals in drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, human smuggling, and “employs violence, including assassinations of civilians and government officials, to intimidate the public and control territory.”
US and China collaborated to achieve the fentanyl indictment
FBI director Kash Patel said yesterday’s indictment was the result of a “historic” collaborative investigation between the US and China’s Ministry of Public Security.
He implied the indictments were helped by the FBI and Donald Trump visiting China last November, as Patel claimed the president’s negotiations with President Xi, “continues to pay dividends for America’s national security in the war on deadly narcotics.”
Read more: Crypto payments to China chemical suppliers fuel US fentanyl epidemic
Crypto analysis firm Elliptic has previously found that centralised crypto exchanges in Russia and Australia have been used to facilitate millions of dollars worth of funds that stem from China-based sellers of fentanyl precursors.
It was able to trace $32 million worth of crypto, made up of bitcoin, Tron-based USDT, and Ethereum-based USDT, transferred as part of fentanyl precursor sales.
Another alleged crypto money laundering operation, indicted by the US in 2024, allegedly worked with “Chinese underground money exchanges” and the Sinaloa Cartel to facilitate illicit funds connected to the drugs trade.
Fentanyl is a key contributor to opioid deaths in the US, and exports of the drug from China directly to the US were curtailed in 2019. However, by selling precursor chemicals instead, many companies can skirt regulations.
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Crypto World
The Memecoin Retention Crisis: Why Over 90% of New Tokens Collapse After Launch
TLDR:
- The memecoin market cap holds above $45B even as the Fear & Greed Index drops to a low of 10.
- Only 0.00009% of PumpFun tokens captured over 55% of FDMC, exposing extreme memecoin market concentration.
- OG memecoins like DOGE, PEPE, and BONK show stronger retention through utility, trust, and trading volume.
- Over 90% of memecoins launched in late 2025 and early 2026 have already lost liquidity and user interest.
Memecoins continue to struggle with user retention even as the total market cap holds above $45 billion. The Fear & Greed Index has fallen to 10, yet the sector remains structurally active.
Thousands of new tokens launch weekly, but the overwhelming majority collapse within weeks. The gap between surviving and failing projects keeps widening, pointing to deep retention problems across the memecoin space.
Weak Fundamentals Drive Rapid User Exits From New Tokens
Most new memecoins share a common failure pattern rooted in poor design. They launch with heavy hype, attract early buyers, then collapse once whale selling begins. That cycle has repeated consistently throughout late 2025 and into 2026.
Data from PumpFun shows only around 12 tokens, roughly 0.00009% of all launches, captured over 55% of fully diluted market cap.
The remaining thousands lost liquidity extremely fast. Users had little reason to stay once early momentum faded.
Crypto analyst Tanaka pointed this out directly on X, noting that whale concentration and full dependence on hype culture leave most tokens without a retention foundation. When there is no utility, no community incentive, and no roadmap, users simply move on to the next launch.
The numbers back this up clearly. Over 90% of memecoins launched in late 2025 and early 2026 have already died.
Tokens that once reached $1 to $2 billion in market cap are now sitting at tens of millions or have vanished entirely. That collapse rate reflects a market where retention was never prioritized.
Utility and Track Record Separate Survivors From Short-Term Projects
Established memecoins retain users far better because they offer more than speculation. FLOKI expanded into the Valhalla play-to-earn metaverse and operates across both BSC and Ethereum. That cross-chain utility gives holders a reason to stay engaged beyond price movement.
PEPE demonstrated strong user confidence by reclaiming a $1.7 billion market cap. It led a market recovery with a 20.5% daily gain on March 16, backed by a 287% volume surge to $790 million. That kind of organic volume reflects genuine user participation, not just short-term speculation.
BONK similarly retained its Solana user base, gaining 10% with a 228% trading volume spike to $131 million. Gemini’s decision to launch BONK perpetual contracts with 100x leverage further reinforced its credibility among active traders seeking longer-term exposure.
DOGE remains the clearest example of sustained retention, holding its position as the leading memecoin even in a weak market. Its potential integration with X Money adds a forward-looking narrative that newer tokens simply cannot compete with.
As Tanaka noted, OG memecoins continue to prove that brand trust, community depth, and utility pathways are what ultimately keep users from walking away.
Crypto World
AI agents to help investigators unearth crypto criminals, according to new TRM program
Artificial intelligence agents will be deployed starting Wednesday by law enforcement agencies using analytical tools provided by TRM Labs, which added the new agents that are meant to allow investigators to use regular language to frame their searches.
The new investigative assistant is embedded in the TRM Forensics service that’s extended to law enforcement agencies, crypto businesses and financial firms, and it “translates natural language prompts into complex investigative actions,” TRM said in a press release. A user can request information about the flow of funds without needing highly technical inputs, speeding up the time-dependent process of chasing bad actors.
Last year, illicit crypto volume hit $158 billion, according to the analysis firm.
“What we’re seeing every day is that the caseload is growing faster than the workforce, and investigators are being asked to operate across dozens of blockchains, jurisdictions, and typologies simultaneously,” said Ari Redbord, head of legal and government affairs for TRM.
An AI tool on investigators’ side, he said, could help overcome “a sharp acceleration in AI-enabled fraud and scams,” which TRM data puts at a 500% increase “as criminal actors use automation, deepfakes and AI-driven tools to scale operations with speed and precision that simply didn’t exist before.”
Crypto World
Prediction Markets Don’t Just Forecast Power
Welcome to our institutional newsletter, Crypto Long & Short. This week:
- Ryan Kirkley on how crypto prediction markets can risk incentivizing manipulation and amplify misinformation at scale.
- Top headlines institutions should pay attention to by Francisco Rodrigues.
- Geodnet decoupling suggests fundamental re-rating in Chart of the Week.
Thanks for joining us!
Expert Insights
Prediction Markets Don’t Just Forecast Power – They Reshape It
By Ryan Kirkley, Co-Founder and CEO of Global Settlement Network
Prediction markets are often pitched as neutral forecasting tools: efficient ways to aggregate information and convert collective belief into a price. That case is not entirely wrong. The academic literature has long found that prediction markets can produce forecasts that outperform many conventional benchmarks. But as someone who believes in crypto’s role in modernizing market infrastructure, I think we should be honest about what the sector is building here. The crypto version of prediction markets is no longer just about forecasting. It is about financializing real-world instability.
That distinction matters. On Polymarket, for example, users can bridge assets from Ethereum, Solana, Bitcoin and other chains; those deposits are converted into USDC.e on Polygon, where fully backed yes/no positions trade and settle on-chain as tokenized claims. In other words, crypto does not merely host these markets. It gives them global reach, cross-chain funding and low-friction settlement. That is impressive market design. It is also exactly what makes the social risk larger.
Once you turn war, political violence, public disorder or institutional breakdown into tradable crypto instruments, you create new incentives for bad actors. The first is obvious: people with privileged information can try to monetize it. U.S. regulators have long recognized that not every event belongs inside a financial market. CFTC Regulation 40.11 bars event contracts involving terrorism, assassination and war, among other categories deemed contrary to the public interest. That is not anti-market moralizing. It is recognition that some contracts do more than reveal information; they can distort behavior around the underlying event.
The second problem is even more serious: prediction markets can reward people who are not just informed about an outcome, but capable of influencing it. Academic research has warned that when traders have outside incentives, or can take actions that affect the underlying event, information aggregation can break down. A market is supposed to measure probability. But when the market itself becomes a source of incentive, it starts to reshape the probability it claims to observe.
That concern is no longer theoretical. Reuters reported this month that markets on Iran strikes and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s ouster drew ethics and insider-trading scrutiny after unusually well-timed bets were flagged; in a separate report, Reuters noted that Polymarket removed bets on a nuclear explosion after public backlash. Even if only a small number of traders are acting on nonpublic information, the message to everyone else is corrosive: access, not insight, may be what gets rewarded.
There is a third risk, and it is deeply crypto-native: these platforms increasingly function as media engines as much as markets. Axios reported in February that prediction-market accounts were spreading false, misleading or context-free claims to millions on social media, turning market odds into viral narratives before facts were established. When screenshots of thin or sensational markets circulate as “truth,” bad actors do not need to influence the event itself. They only need to influence the information environment around it.
For advisors and allocators, the mistake is to treat every liquid market as legitimate simply because price discovery exists. Crypto has real work to do: modernizing settlement, improving transparency and making capital markets more programmable. But building the most efficient rails for speculating on war, regime change or civic breakdown is not financial innovation. It is moral hazard at internet scale. Prediction markets do not just forecast power. In their current crypto form, they reshape it by rewarding those most willing to exploit instability.
Headlines of the Week
While this week has shown clear progress on the regulatory front, market anxiety coupled with AI disruption has started to affect the crypto industry.
Chart of the Week
Geodnet decoupling suggests potential fundamental re-rerating
Geodnet, a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) protocol providing high-precision positioning for Robotics and Physical AI, shows a clear fundamental decoupling. While its price has trended sideways alongside an underperforming DePIN index (down 3% relative to BTC, as per CoinDesk Data), monthly token burns have reached $500,000, currently neutralizing roughly 60–80% of new emissions. This divergence is driven by the growing data revenue from autonomous drone fleets and humanoid robot developers. As the network pivots from infrastructure build-out to a high-margin data layer for the machine economy, the current supply-demand imbalance suggests a potential fundamental re-rating.

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Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk, Inc., CoinDesk Indices or its owners and affiliates.
Crypto World
Ripple XRP Enters MAS BLOOM Sandbox to Pilot RLUSD Trade Finance Settlement
Ripple has joined the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) BLOOM sandbox to pilot trade finance settlements using its RLUSD stablecoin. The initiative, conducted in partnership with fintech Unloq, utilizes the XRP Ledger to automate payment release upon programmable triggers.
This is not a proof-of-concept for the future. It is a live test of replacing traditional letters of credit with smart contracts to cut settlement time from days to seconds. By entering the sandbox, Ripple is positioning its enterprise stablecoin directly inside the regulated financial infrastructure of Singapore.
- Pilot Scope: Ripple and Unloq are testing programmable RLUSD payments within Singapore’s BLOOM sandbox to automate cross-border trade settlements.
- Settlement Mechanism: The system replaces manual letters of credit with XRP Ledger smart contracts that trigger instant funds release upon cargo verification.
- Strategic Context: The move leverages Ripple’s existing Singapore Major Payment Institution license to target the $9 trillion trade finance market.
The Mechanism: How Programmable Settlement Works
This system eliminates the ‘dead air’ in trade finance, the 5-10 day gap between delivery and payment confirmation. Fintech Unloq provides the SC+ infrastructure, a smart-contract layer that digitizes trade obligations. When a predefined condition is met, such as a customs API confirming cargo arrival, the smart contract triggers the XRP Ledger.
The XRPL then executes the settlement using RLUSD, Ripple’s enterprise-grade stablecoin. This is an atomic swap of documentation for capital. There is no correspondent bank intermediary. There is no manual reconciliation. The stablecoin liquidity moves instantly, reducing counterparty risk to near zero.
Prior to this setup, exporters relied on paper-heavy letters of credit and expensive bank guarantees. The BLOOM sandbox allows Ripple to demonstrate that a tokenized bank liability or regulated stablecoin can function as a legally binding settlement instrument.
The pilot specifically targets smaller businesses often priced out of traditional trade finance due to high fees. By automating the verification-to-payment loop, Unloq and Ripple effectively compress the financing cycle.
The Strategic Signal: Why MAS Matters
Joining the MAS BLOOM initiative is a credibility play, not a tech demo.
Singapore runs one of the strictest regulatory environments for digital assets in the world. Operating under MAS oversight means Ripple is stress-testing RLUSD where the standards are highest. Pass here and the compliance argument becomes hard to dispute anywhere else.
The bull case is straightforward. Successful execution in the sandbox validates RLUSD as a viable Swift replacement in trade finance. It stops being a speculative asset and becomes critical B2B infrastructure. If programmable settlement captures even a fraction of regional trade flows, demand for RLUSD liquidity spikes on fundamentals, not speculation.
The market Ripple is targeting is not small. Trade finance is a $9 trillion sector running on paper and trust. Ripple is betting it can run on code and collateral instead.
The BLOOM pilot is the test. Graduate from crypto asset to global trade instrument or stay a speculative play waiting for a use case. The outcome answers that question directly.
Discover: The best new crypto in the world
The post Ripple XRP Enters MAS BLOOM Sandbox to Pilot RLUSD Trade Finance Settlement appeared first on Cryptonews.
Crypto World
Interactive Brokers lets clients move crypto from external wallets without liquidating
Interactive Brokers now lets clients transfer supported crypto from external wallets into IBKR accounts without selling first, extending its low-fee, multi-asset platform push.
Summary
- Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) announced on March 25 that clients can transfer supported cryptocurrencies from external wallets directly into their IBKR-linked crypto accounts without first liquidating their positions.
- The feature covers Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and other supported assets, with custody handled through Paxos or zerohash, and commissions ranging from 0.12% to 0.18% of trade value — significantly below the industry norm of up to 2.00%.
- The move follows IBKR’s January launch of 24/7 stablecoin account funding and deepens its push to position itself as a single destination for both traditional and digital asset management.
Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) launched a crypto portfolio transfer feature on Wednesday, allowing clients to move existing digital asset holdings from external wallets or platforms directly into their IBKR-linked crypto accounts — without selling first. According to a BusinessWire press release, eligible clients of Interactive Brokers LLC and Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited can now transfer Solana, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other supported cryptocurrencies directly into accounts held at Paxos or zerohash, and manage them alongside stocks, options, futures, currencies, and bonds from a single interface.
CEO Milan Galik framed the announcement as a direct response to friction in the crypto trading experience. “Crypto investors should be able to access competitive crypto pricing and diversified investment opportunities without managing multiple accounts or liquidating their positions,” Galik said. “By enabling direct crypto portfolio transfers, we’re making it easy for traders to benefit from IBKR’s low-cost crypto trading and gain access to our full range of global markets within the same professional trading environment.”
The pricing angle is central to IBKR’s pitch. The brokerage charges commissions of 0.12% to 0.18% of trade value — with a minimum of $1.75 per order and no added spreads or markups — compared to fees of up to 2.00% or more on many retail crypto platforms, often with additional embedded costs. In a previous crypto.news story, IBKR launched 24/7 stablecoin account funding in January, enabling clients to deposit USDC and have it converted to USD almost instantly through zerohash, replacing cross-border wires that typically take one to three business days and carry fees of $25 to $50 per transaction.
Wednesday’s feature is part of a broader, deliberate build-out. IBKR began offering crypto trading in 2021 with Bitcoin and Ethereum, before adding Solana, XRP, and other tokens in subsequent years. In February 2026, the brokerage expanded further, adding Coinbase Derivatives perpetual-style futures contracts to its platform. Crypto custody is handled through two regulated partners — Paxos Trust Company, supervised by the New York Department of Financial Services, and zerohash, a FinCEN-registered money services business with a BitLicense from the NYDFS.
The move puts IBKR in increasingly direct competition with crypto-native exchanges for active traders, particularly those who want access to traditional markets alongside digital assets. That pressure is coming from both sides — a previous crypto.news story noted that Morgan Stanley plans to offer crypto trading on E-Trade in 2026, signaling that legacy brokerages are collectively accelerating their digital asset integrations.
Interactive Brokers serves individual investors, hedge funds, proprietary trading groups, financial advisors, and introducing brokers across more than 170 markets globally. The group is a member of the S&P 500. The firm has long differentiated itself on low costs and broad market access, and the portfolio transfer feature extends that model to users who currently hold crypto elsewhere but want lower trading costs and integrated access to traditional markets — without the tax and timing complications of liquidating to move.
“Perpetual-style crypto futures have become popular with traders because they provide long-dated exposure and greater flexibility,” Galik said at the February launch of Coinbase Derivatives contracts. The portfolio transfer feature now means those same traders can bring their existing crypto holdings onto the platform in a single step. As a previous crypto.news story noted, the stablecoin-funded account initiative earlier this year already pointed to a firm that views crypto infrastructure not as a bolt-on, but as a core part of its long-term platform strategy.
Crypto World
Ondo Tokenizes Five Franklin Templeton ETFs
The partnership brings growth, large-cap, fixed income, equity income, and gold ETFs onchain through Ondo Global Markets.
Ondo Finance has partnered with Franklin Templeton to tokenize five of the asset manager’s exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The deal marks the first time Templeton-managed ETFs are available on-chain, extending the $1.7 trillion asset manager’s blockchain footprint beyond its tokenized money market fund.
The five ETFs span a broad range of asset classes: the Franklin Focused Growth ETF (FFOG), an actively managed fund targeting innovative U.S. companies; the Franklin U.S. Large Cap Multifactor Index ETF (FLQL); the Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL); the Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF (FLHY); and the Franklin Income Equity Focus ETF (INCE). The products will be available through Ondo’s Global Markets platform.
Under the arrangement, Franklin Templeton continues to manage the underlying ETFs while Ondo provides tokenization infrastructure and digital distribution. Ondo will acquire shares of the ETFs and issue blockchain-based tokens representing their economic exposure — tokens that do not grant direct ownership of the underlying shares but instead pass through returns to holders. That structure opens the door to DeFi use cases, such as on-chain collateralization, that are not available with traditional fund shares.
The tokenized ETFs will initially be available in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America, with U.S. availability contingent on further regulatory clarity around how third parties can distribute registered funds on-chain.
The structure bypasses the need for a brokerage account, targeting crypto-native investors who hold assets primarily in wallets and stablecoins. Liquidity will be supported by Ondo’s market makers, including during periods when traditional markets are closed, enabling around-the-clock trading.
The deal also represents a significant expansion for Ondo Global Markets, which launched in September 2025 with over 100 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs on Ethereum. Since then, the platform has grown into the largest tokenized securities platform by TVL, with over $700 million locked, according to DeFiLlama.
The Franklin Templeton tie-up adds a new dimension: rather than tokenizing individual equities, Ondo is now wrapping actively managed funds from a top-tier asset manager, offering diversified exposure through a single token.
Ondo’s Rapid Rise
Ondo Finance’s overall TVL stands at roughly $2.7 billion, according to DeFiLlama. The protocol first crossed $1 billion in March 2025 following the launch of Ondo Nexus, and broke through $2 billion less than a year later in January 2026. Ethereum remains the dominant network for Ondo’s tokenized assets, with Solana and BNB Chain accounting for smaller shares.
The platform also received a regulatory boost in late 2025, when the SEC closed a multi-year investigation into Ondo Finance without bringing charges.
The ONDO token is trading at approximately $0.26 with a market cap of about $1.2 billion, according to CoinGecko, down more than 85% from its all-time high of $2.14 in December 2024.
This article was written with the assistance of AI workflows. All our stories are curated, edited and fact-checked by a human.
Crypto World
BlackRock CEO Fink Says $150 Oil Prices Could Spark Recession
TLDR
- BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warned that oil prices near $150 could trigger a global recession.
- He said prolonged supply disruptions could keep oil prices above $100 for years.
- Fink stated that high energy costs would raise production and transport expenses worldwide.
- He explained that lower-income households would face greater pressure from rising fuel bills.
- Goldman Sachs raised the probability of a US recession to 30% due to oil-driven inflation risks.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warned that soaring oil markets could tip the world into recession. He said prolonged supply shocks could lift crude toward $150 per barrel. He outlined two economic paths based on how the Iran conflict develops.
Oil Prices Could Stay Above $100 for Years
Fink spoke on the BBC Big Boss Interview podcast on March 25. He said oil prices could climb sharply if tensions restrict supply and trade. He warned that crude near $150 would strain growth and fuel inflation.
He stated, “We could have years of oil prices above $100, closer to $150 oil.” He added that such levels would carry “profound implications in the economy.” He said high energy costs would likely trigger a global recession.
He explained that elevated fuel costs would raise transport and production expenses. As a result, businesses would face tighter margins and slower expansion. Lower-income households would also feel stronger pressure from higher energy bills.
He contrasted this outlook with a full de-escalation scenario. He said Iran’s reintegration into global markets could push oil toward $40 per barrel. He argued that increased supply would support growth and ease inflation pressures.
However, he warned that a partial resolution presents greater risks. He said Iran could still threaten trade routes and Gulf stability. In that case, oil prices could remain elevated for years.
He stressed that sustained prices near $150 would almost certainly lead to recession. He said energy costs at that level would ripple across sectors. He linked the outlook directly to supply disruptions and trade threats.
Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Raise US Recession Odds
Other major financial institutions have also raised recession probabilities. Goldman Sachs increased its United States recession odds to 30%. The bank cited rising inflation tied to oil prices and weaker growth forecasts.
JPMorgan placed recession odds at 35%. The bank said markets may underestimate the economic drag from prolonged energy shocks. Both institutions connected their outlooks to persistent crude price strength.
Oil markets have shown volatility in recent weeks. Reports about ceasefire talks caused brief price declines on Wednesday. However, traders continued to track risks around key shipping lanes.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to global energy flows. Any disruption there could tighten supply quickly. As tensions evolve, oil prices continue to respond to geopolitical signals.
Fink’s remarks add to the ongoing debate within financial circles. He tied recession risk directly to crude levels above $100 and approaching $150. His comments followed recent market swings linked to developments involving Iran.
He reiterated that a clear end to hostilities could lower oil prices sharply. Yet he maintained that unresolved threats would keep prices high. The interview aired on March 25 and detailed both economic scenarios.
Crypto World
Bitcoin Price News Reveals 1000x Setup as Trump Demands Iran Surrender and Oil Rises While Pepeto BTC and SOL React
On March 6, President Trump declared there would be no deal with Iran except a surrender, sending Brent crude oil above $90 for the first time in more than a year and dragging stocks and crypto down with it. The BTC cycle is full of instability, but the same conditions that push the market down create the best entry points for the projects that thrive when the cycle turns.
The bitcoin price news also shows Pepeto raised more than $8 million with a live exchange and the Binance listing approaching. Analysts project 1000x, and the wallets entering during this fear are the early believers that every cycle rewards the most.
President Trump declared no deal with Iran except surrender on March 6, sending Brent crude above $90 for the first time in over a year and pulling crypto lower alongside equities, according to CoinDesk.
The correction hit BTC and most altcoins while a few early stage projects kept their ascending trends through the selling, according to CoinMarketCap.
The BTC headlines remind investors that macro pressure creates the entries that produce the biggest returns, and the presale that kept raising through the fear is where those returns live.
Where the Market Pays Most to the People Who Entered Before the Recovery
Pepeto
The current environment is full of instability, but investors have also become more demanding. AI is driving technological change, and the projects that address real problems are the ones that thrive in the new market. Pepeto fits that reality completely because the exchange already runs the contract checking, zero fee trading, and cross chain transfers the market is moving toward.
The risk scorer checks every contract for hidden drains, honeypot functions, and fake minting before your capital goes near them, and explains what it found in plain language so you decide with facts. PepetoSwap keeps every position at full value with zero fees, and the cross chain bridge moves tokens at zero cost.
More than $8 million raised during the correction with 193% APY staking compounding in early wallets while stages fill faster proves serious conviction. The SolidProof audit cleared every contract, a former Binance expert is on the dev team, and the cofounder who built the original Pepe coin to $11 billion with the same 420 trillion supply is behind the platform.
Pepeto is at $0.000000186, and analysts project 1000x once the Binance listing opens public trading. The bitcoin price news confirms the best entries happen during fear, and the exchange with the product already shipping and the listing days away is the kind of opportunity that produces the returns people reference for the rest of the cycle.
BTC
Bitcoin trades near $71,299 as of March 24 after a 21% recovery from lows below $60,000 with $225 million in net ETF inflows on Tuesday led by BlackRock’s $322 million IBIT day, according to CoinMarketCap.
The BTC outlook projects Bitcoin between $74,000 and $93,000 through 2026, a 28% gain at the upper end. Solid foundation, but the return from $71,299 is not the math that changes your life the way 1000x from one listing does.
SOL
Solana trades near $92 as of March 24 bouncing 4% alongside the broader market with the appchain utility narrative giving it an edge in the sector rotation, according to CoinMarketCap.
SOL holds $92 support with $92 resistance overhead. Analysts project $92 to $135 for 2026, a 1.6x that rewards steady holders. Dependable infrastructure, but the return ceiling cannot match what the presale delivers from one listing event.
Bitcoin Price News Confirms That the Market Pays Most to Early Believers and the Window Is Open Now
The bitcoin price news has confirmed once more that production quality platforms at presale pricing are what the current market rewards most. The market always pays the biggest returns to the early believers, and Ethereum was under $10 once before it reached $2,057, and the people who got in when nobody believed in it are the ones who built real wealth.
Millions in capital entering Pepeto’s presale during extreme fear proves those same kinds of wallets expect the same outcome, and following their moves is how you position on the right side of the listing. The Pepeto official website is where that entry is still open.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQ:
What does the latest bitcoin price news mean for presale entries?
Institutional inflows lifting BTC from lows creates the backdrop where presale tokens with live products see the biggest listing returns. The Pepeto official website is where those entries are secured now.
How does the bitcoin price news cycle help identify the best opportunities?
The bitcoin price news reveals broader market direction, and the exchange that checks contracts in real time positions you ahead of the moves the news reports after.
Why are early stage entries important during this bitcoin price news cycle?
When the market recovers from fear, early entries see the largest returns because the listing compresses what months of recovery deliver into one event.
Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.
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