Crypto.com has partnered with KG Inicis, South Korea’s largest payment gateway and value-added network provider, to enable cryptocurrency payments for foreign tourists visiting the country. The integration will allow travelers to use digital assets through Crypto.com Pay to purchase goods and services from South Korean merchants connected to KG Inicis’s network.

The partnership represents a real-world expansion of Crypto.com’s merchant payment infrastructure in Asia, one of the exchange’s key growth markets. Merchants using the service will have options for how they settle transactions, addressing a key adoption barrier for crypto payments in traditional retail environments.

Sources: Phemex News | Crypto.com LinkedIn

This article was generated automatically by The Defiant’s AI news system from publicly available sources.

Strategy paused its Bitcoin accumulation via STRC preferred stock after failing to raise fresh capital since Friday, signaling a notable shift after two weeks of aggressive buying. The pause comes as STRC traded below its $100 par value, a critical threshold that governs the company’s ATM issuance model. In a two-week window, Strategy added more than 40,000 BTC, funded by roughly $1.18 billion in STRC-linked sales, illustrating how the financing structure can drive large crypto exposure even for yield-focused vehicles. The current pause raises questions about the durability of the funding channel and the susceptibility of BTC exposure to shifts in liquidity conditions and capital markets dynamics.

Key takeaways

• STRC traded below its $100 par value, triggering a pause in its at-the-market BTC purchase program.
• Over a two-week period, Strategy accumulated more than 40,000 BTC, financed by about $1.18 billion in STRC-linked share sales.
• In the week ending March 15, 22,337 BTC were purchased, following 17,994 BTC bought the prior week, underscoring a highly active push into BTC before the halt.
• Historical episodes of STRC dipping below par have coincided with meaningful BTC price declines, suggesting potential near-term downside risk if the par-value threshold remains breached.
• Analysts flag a bear-flag setup that could pull BTC toward the 66,000–68,000 area or, if the pattern fails, threaten a steeper drop toward the 51,000 level.

Tickers mentioned: $BTC, $STRC

Sentiment: Neutral

Price impact: Negative. The halt in STRC-driven BTC buying and the par-value constraint may weigh on near-term BTC price if funding remains constrained.

Trading idea (Not Financial Advice): Hold. Monitor STRC trading dynamics and BTC price levels for signs of a renewed funding window or renewed selling pressure.

Market context: The episode underscores how exchange-traded funding vehicles for crypto can tighten liquidity and shift risk sentiment at times of capital-market stress, set against a backdrop of macro liquidity trends and ongoing volatility in Bitcoin price action.

Why it matters

The STRC program has been a visible mechanism for injecting fresh capital into Bitcoin markets. By design, STRC is a yield-focused preferred stock whose issuance hinges on trading above or at par. When STRC trades below the $100 mark, the economics of issuing new shares become less favorable, dampening the flow of fresh funds that previously supported aggressive BTC accumulation. The recent pause, therefore, is not merely a corporate funding decision but a signal of how sensitive crypto-market exposure can be to financing terms and capital structure constraints.

From a market perspective, the two-week surge—more than 40,000 BTC added in a short span—represented a substantial fraction of weekly mining output, underscoring the scale at which external financing can influence price discovery in a relatively short window. The $1.18 billion in STRC-linked proceeds that underwrote those purchases highlight how a few instrumented channels can temporarily tilt risk positioning and liquidity in the Bitcoin market. As the par threshold reasserts itself, traders will be watching whether STRC can sustain new issuances at or above par or whether the funding dynamics tilt toward a more tepid approach, tempering BTC demand for the time being.

Historical patterns add a cautionary note. When STRC traded below its par value in January, Bitcoin experienced a pronounced pullback in the ensuing weeks, roughly a 40% drop over about three weeks. A similar sequence unfolded in November 2025, with BTC sliding by around a quarter. While past performance is not a guarantee of future results, the recurring relationship between STRC’s par-value status and BTC price moves suggests that the current pause could precede a period of heightened volatility for BTC if par-value constraints persist. The interplay between a yield-focused funding vehicle and the sovereign price of Bitcoin remains a focal point for traders who track the macro-financial plumbing feeding crypto markets.

Recent technical signals add another layer of complexity. Bitcoin has faced resistance near the $76,000 level as it tests the upper boundary of a bear-flag pattern observed in intraday charts. A sustained move below the lower boundary could confirm a bearish continuation, with potential downside targets calling for a move toward the mid-to-low 60,000s and, on a sharper breakdown, toward the $51,000 region. The bear-flag framework, while not determinative on its own, has historically framed risk in the context of large-scale funding dislocations and speculative positioning tied to speculative financing instruments tied to crypto assets. For reference, market discussions and price analysis have linked BTC price behavior to these dynamics in related coverage and chart analyses.

The story also reflects broader market dynamics where large, yield-oriented buyers can dominate short-term price action if their funding pipelines run hot or cold. The juxtaposition of STRC’s par-value constraint with BTC’s price volatility illustrates how liquidity conditions—supercharged by financing structures—can materially influence risk premia, placement, and price resilience in a market that remains highly sensitive to macro signals and risk appetite. While the long-run trajectory of Bitcoin remains a function of network fundamentals and broader macro factors, the current pause underscores the importance of funding liquidity as a near-term driver of price activity.

The narrative around STRC’s activity is reinforced by the public data and ongoing coverage that track the relationship between STRC ATM issuance,BTC purchases, and the evolving price backdrop. For readers seeking more context, prior discussions and data points on STRC-driven purchases and related BTC exposure can be explored through related material that documents the scale of the program, its funding mechanics, and the historical linkages between par-value actions and BTC price moves.

The implications for investors hinge on monitoring both STRC’s ability to resume attractive issuance terms and Bitcoin’s response to any renewed influx of capital. If STRC can maintain or reestablish its par-value-driven issuance cadence, BTC demand could reemerge, potentially stabilizing prices near critical support and resistance zones. Conversely, a protracted pause could amplify near-term volatility as traders adjust to a tighter funding environment and reassess risk premia across crypto markets.

The Bearish scenario remains contingent on market conditions and structural funding flows, but the current data points—par-value dynamics, the scale of recent BTC purchases, and the observed price patterns—provide a framework for evaluating risk over the near term. In this context, the interplay between STRC’s capital formation mechanics and BTC’s price trajectory will be a critical determinant of crypto-market liquidity and sentiment in the weeks ahead.

What to watch next

• Monitor STRC’s trading near the $100 par value and any change in ATM issuance terms that could reopen the funding channel.
• Track weekly BTC purchases in relation to STRC-linked sales to assess whether the funding wind-down is temporary or signals a broader shift in exposure.
• Observe BTC price action around the 66,000–68,000 range for potential support and watch for any breach that could confirm or disprove bear-flag expectations.
• Look for official statements, filings, or disclosures from STRC that shed light on capital-raising plans and the structure of ongoing ATM transactions.

Sources & verification

• STRC.LIVE dashboard for at-the-market share issuance data and stock activity.
• BTC price data and BTC price-related analyses linked in coverage of Bitcoin price movements.
• Article detailing STRC’s role in two-week Bitcoin purchases and the total BTC accumulated, including the $1.18 billion in STRC-linked proceeds.
• Historical references to BTC price declines following STRC par-value breaches in January and November 2025.
• Charts and analyses showing BTC price behavior around $76,000 and the bear flag pattern, including references to TradingView and related price commentary.

Key figures and next steps

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) exposure linked to STRC’s financing model remains a focal point for traders watching liquidity cycles and risk appetite. The current pause in STRC-driven purchases underscores how capital structure dynamics can drive or dampen crypto-market participation, with potential knock-on effects on BTC price and volatility in the near term. Investors will be watching whether STRC can resume issuance at or above par, whether BTC demand stabilizes around technical support levels, and how broader market liquidity conditions evolve as macro narratives shift in the coming weeks.

What to watch next

• Any update from STRC on par-value thresholds and ATM issuance terms within the next few trading sessions.
• New BTC purchase activity tied to STRC-linked capital if the par-value hurdle is overcome.
• BTC price behavior once markets digest the potential for continued selling pressure or fresh liquidity injections.

Explore all the latest and most important advancements across the Pi Network ecosystem.

The team behind the controversial crypto project Pi Network unveiled several important updates lately, while the community celebrated its symbolic Pi Day.

PI’s price had its glory moments, briefly climbing to a five-month peak, but then experienced a massive correction.

The Latest Developments

March has been quite eventful for Pi Network. At the start of the month, the Core Team announced that the protocol v19.9 migration was successfully completed, while version 20.2 was scheduled for release around March 12. The official confirmation about the migration arrived with the Pi Day celebratory announcement.

Another major development was Kraken’s decision to allow trading services with Pi Network’s native cryptocurrency. This happened just a day before Pi Day – the community’s special date, celebrated because it matches the mathematical constant π (3.14), and which is logically held annually on March 14.

This year, the team marked the occasion by rolling out several ecosystem upgrades designed to boost utility, attract more developers, and strengthen the network’s overall infrastructure. Some of the improvements include new Mainnet capabilities for Pi App Studio, advancements that enable future smart contract functionality, KYC validator rewards, and more.

Most recently, Pi Network’s team disclosed that second migrations have started and “will continue with a gradual rollout, opening the door for Pioneers to bring additional PI to Mainnet and further participate in the ecosystem.” The post on X received mixed reactions: some users praised the move, whereas others questioned why the team had launched a second migration when the first one hadn’t been properly completed.

PI Remains Trending

The numerous developments surrounding Pi Network led to significant volatility in PI. The protocol updates, the listing on Kraken, and the anticipation of Pi Day boosted the price to a five-month peak of almost $0.30. At one point, the asset’s market capitalization neared $3 billion, making PI the 36th-largest cryptocurrency.

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However, over the past few days, the price headed south just as rapidly in what appeared to be a classic “sell-the-news” moment. As of this writing, PI trades at around $0.18 (per CoinGecko’s data), representing a 9% daily decline and a 19% collapse over the week.

Despite the downtrend, the asset remains one of the most-searched digital assets. It is the fifth-most trending cryptocurrency on CoinGecko today, surpassing well-known names such as Bittensor (TAO), Ethereum (ETH), and Bitcoin (BTC).

What Lies Ahead?

In the following days, the daily token unlocks will exceed 15 million on a couple of occasions. Nonetheless, the end of March and the beginning of April are expected to be much calmer on that front, which could stabilize the price and slow down the recent pullback.

Moreover, PI’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) has fallen to 10, signaling oversold conditions that can sometimes precede a resurgence. The technical analysis tool ranges from 0 to 100, and conversely, anything above 70 is considered bearish territory and indicates that a short-term correction could be on the way.

VersaBank, a federally chartered Canadian digital bank focused on institutional lending, is adding foreign exchange functionality to its tokenized deposit platform, allowing users to convert between US and Canadian dollars within a blockchain-based system.

Announced Tuesday, the upgrade enables real-time, 24/7 currency conversion using Real Bank Tokenized Deposits (RBTDs), that is, digital representations of fiat deposits issued and backed by the Ontario-based institution. 

The feature is designed to improve cross-border transactions by reducing reliance on traditional foreign exchange rails, which are often slower and limited by banking hours.

The update marks an incremental step toward commercialization rather than a full product launch. VersaBank has been piloting its tokenized deposit system since last year, and the addition of US dollar and Canadian dollar conversion expands its functionality for cross-border payments, particularly between the two countries.

RBTDs are tokenized versions of bank deposits that can be transferred on blockchain infrastructure while remaining liabilities of the issuing bank and backed 1:1 by customer deposits, according to the American Bankers Association. Unlike stablecoins, which are typically issued by nonbank entities, they operate within the traditional banking system.

Related: Columbia Business professor casts doubt on tokenized bank deposits

Financial institutions explore tokenized deposits

Banks are increasingly exploring tokenized deposits as a way to combine blockchain-based speed and programmability with the safety of traditional deposits, particularly for use cases like cross-border payments and financial settlement, as outlined by KPMG.

One notable example is BNY’s launch of tokenized deposits for institutional clients, aimed at supporting collateral and margin requirements. BNY said the move comes as institutions seek “faster and more efficient ways to move assets.”

Globally, Singapore’s Project Guardian is exploring asset tokenization in financial markets, including pilot programs involving tokenized deposits and other digital assets.

The push comes as tokenization emerges as one of blockchain’s fastest-growing use cases. Industry data shows more than $27 billion in tokenized assets across products ranging from private credit to US Treasury bonds and equities.

Related: Crypto’s 2026 investment playbook: Bitcoin, stablecoin infrastructure, tokenized assets