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Bithumb Could Face 6-Month Partial Suspension in South Korea
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Regulatory authorities in South Korea are intensifying oversight of cryptocurrency platforms as Bithumb—the country’s second-largest exchange by trading volume—faces a potential six-month partial suspension. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has issued a preliminary notice tied to alleged anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer deficiencies, including dealings with unregistered overseas virtual asset service providers and gaps in customer due diligence. In a parallel move, a reprimand was issued to Bithumb’s chief executive, signaling the seriousness of the regulator’s intent. While officials have signaled that a sanctions decision will be refined in March, the action remains at an early stage and could still be adjusted before any final measures are announced. Bithumb has framed the development as not yet final, underscoring that the scope of any sanction could change as the review unfolds.
Key takeaways
- The FIU has issued a six-month partial suspension notice to Bithumb over AML and KYC controls, including concerns about dealings with overseas service providers not registered in Korea and customer due-diligence gaps.
- A reprimand to Bithumb’s CEO accompanies the notice, a move regulators describe as a serious penalty that could influence leadership decisions and future appointments.
- A formal sanctions review is expected later in March, with the potential for adjustments before any final measures are imposed.
- If finalized, the suspension would restrict new users from transferring digital assets off the platform, while other services would presumably remain available to existing customers.
- Background context includes a high-profile miscredit incident during a February promotional event that incorrectly credited 2,000 BTC per user, triggering scrutiny of internal controls and security protocols.
Tickers mentioned: $BTC
Sentiment: Neutral
Market context: The development comes amid a broader push by South Korean authorities to strengthen AML and KYC standards for crypto platforms, mirroring a global tightening in exchange compliance and risk controls as regulators expand oversight and enforcement actions.
Why it matters
The FIU action against Bithumb highlights how regulators are moving beyond generic compliance rhetoric to enforce concrete consequences for exchanges that fail to meet anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer requirements. The preliminary six-month suspension, if finalized, would directly curtail a gateway for new users to move digital assets off the platform, which could have downstream effects on liquidity and user onboarding for one of Korea’s largest trading venues. While Bithumb emphasized that this step is not a final sanction and that the scope could shift, the message from authorities is clear: robust AML controls are no longer optional in a highly regulated market.
The episode also situates Bithumb within a broader crackdown across the sector. Earlier in 2025, Upbit’s parent company Dunamu faced sanctions including a partial suspension and a substantial fine, underscoring regulators’ willingness to penalize organizational structures and processes that enable noncompliant activity. Korbit, another domestic exchange, received a significant but smaller penalty in the same wave. Taken together, these penalties reflect a policy pivot toward stronger accountability for the crypto ecosystem, particularly around interactions with overseas providers and customer verification processes.
Beyond regulatory signaling, the incident underscores the operational risks exchanges face in maintaining AML/KYC rigor. The February promotional miscredit—where 2,000 BTC per user was credited by mistake, culminating in a total distribution cited as 620,000 BTC—exposed gaps in internal controls and risk monitoring. That event, which occurred during a promotional period, has implications for governance, incident response, and customer trust as authorities scrutinize how platforms manage incentives, security, and compliance at scale. The combination of a potential sanction and a past misstep illustrates why exchanges are prioritizing robust onboarding checks, cross-border provider screening, and transparent reporting to regulators.
What to watch next
- The sanctions decision timetable: a March review by the FIU to finalize whether the six-month partial suspension will become binding and how it will be structured.
- Scope adjustments: authorities may limit or expand restrictions on withdrawals for new users, depending on ongoing assessments of the exchange’s AML/KYC posture.
- Regulatory activity at other exchanges: continued enforcement against Upbit and Korbit could foreshadow broader policy direction for the sector.
- Internal controls and governance responses at Bithumb: any governance changes, risk-management enhancements, or new compliance programs could influence the regulatory outcome and investor confidence.
Sources & verification
- FIU preliminary notice detailing a six-month partial suspension and the associated AML/KYC concerns at Bithumb.
- Bithumb’s public statements noting the action is at the pre-notification stage and that sanctions, if imposed, may evolve.
- Background reporting on a February promotional miscredit that credited 2,000 BTC per user, resulting in a reported distribution of 620,000 BTC.
- Regulatory actions against Upbit’s parent Dunamu, including a partial suspension and a 35.2 billion won fine in 2025, as reported by local sources.
- Regulatory penalties against Korbit, including a 2.73 billion won fine in December 2025.
Key figures and next steps
The unfolding situation at Bithumb sits at the intersection of intensified regulatory scrutiny and ongoing efforts by Korean authorities to tighten AML/KYC standards across crypto platforms. The FIU’s decision, the reprimand to the CEO, and the March review collectively determine whether a concrete sanction will anchor the exchange’s near-term operations. For market participants, the episode reinforces the importance of compliance-driven risk management, especially for platforms seeking to grow in a tightly monitored environment.
Where to verify
- Official FIU statements or notices related to Bithumb’s AML/KYC assessment and any forthcoming sanctions.
- Bithumb’s public responses or press releases addressing the pre-notification stage and the potential scope of sanctions.
- Independent reporting on the February miscredit incident and its impact on internal controls and regulatory oversight.
- Regulatory actions and penalties involving Upbit (Dunamu) and Korbit, including sanction amounts and the regulatory rationale behind them.
The Iran war and oil surge rocked global equity markets this month. Yet bitcoin barely budged — because large traders, institutional flows and sizeable wallet holders stepped in during the dips, keeping demand firm even as traditional markets wobbled.
Major oil benchmarks, Brent and WTI, have surged 30% this month, trading above $100 per barrel early Monday. The massive surge has weighed heavily on Asian equity markets and also caused downside volatility in Asian and European equities.
Bitcoin, however, has risen nearly 4% to $70,200 this month, according to CoinDesk data. The market has been propped by large traders snapping up BTC over-the-counter (OTC) in a privately negotiated deal, according to Paul Howard, senior director at high-frequency trading firm and liquidity provider Wincent.
“The demand has been driven by some large over-the-counter [OTC] trades, positioning for a swift end to the conflict in Iran, and also MSTR’s acquisition. The timing of which, with the geopolitical events, may be an indicator of confidence returning to risk assets,” Howard said in an email to CoinDesk.
OTC desks are private trading venues where buyers and sellers can execute large cryptocurrency transactions without going through public exchanges. Instead of placing orders on open order books, trades are negotiated directly between parties or facilitated by a broker. Large traders and institutions typically trade over-the-counter to avoid influencing the spot market price.
Howard also highlighted renewed investor interest in the popular “carry trade,” where traders short (bearish bet) Strategy (MSTR) stock while buying bitcoin ETFs at the same time. The strategy profits if BTC rises faster than MSTR falls, allowing traders to hedge risk while still benefiting from bitcoin’s moves.
Speaking of ETFs, the 11 U.S.-listed funds have registered net inflows of over $700 million this month, according to data source SoSoValue. That’s a sign of renewed institutional appetite for the cryptocurrency.
“Institutional flows have also turned supportive. Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have seen net inflows of around $1.7 billion since late February. This reversed a stretch of outflows that lasted roughly four months. For the March 8-10 period, flows contributed to a weekly net inflow of about $568 million,” Vikram Subburaj, CEO of India-based Giottus exchange, said.
Nexo, meanwhile, pointed to Strategy’s continued accumulation of bitcoin as a major bullish factor. The Nasdaq-listed firm purchased 17,994 BTC between March 2 and March 8, boosting its total holdings to 738,731 BTC.
The latest purchase matches several days’ worth of new bitcoin entering the market.
“The network has now surpassed 20 million BTC mined, leaving fewer than 1 million coins to be issued. At roughly 450 BTC per day, incremental supply remains limited. Strategy added 17,994 BTC, equivalent to approximately five weeks of issuance, bringing its holdings to roughly 3.7% of the circulating supply,” Nexo’s analyst Iliya Kalchev told CoinDesk.
Demand also funneled through bullish on-chain activity.
“Larger wallets holding more than 1,000 BTC added roughly 0.3% to their balances during recent dips. This points to prudent accumulation during periods of weakness,” Vikram Subburaj said.
He added that more than 400,000 BTC recently changed hands between $60,000 and $70,000.
Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm reacted after federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York asked a judge to schedule an October retrial on two criminal counts that a jury previously failed to resolve.
Summary
- SDNY prosecutors requested an October retrial for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm on two unresolved charges.
- A prior jury deadlocked on money-laundering and sanctions counts after a four-week trial.
- Storm says the two counts carry up to 40 years in prison if he is ultimately convicted.
U.S. prosecutors push for second trial of Roman Storm after jury deadlock
In a letter filed with U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, prosecutors requested that the court set a new trial date in October to retry Storm on conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions. These are the two charges on which jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict after weeks of testimony and deliberation.
The filing follows Storm’s earlier trial in Manhattan, which lasted roughly four weeks. At the conclusion of the proceedings, a 12-member jury returned a split outcome, reaching a verdict on one count while deadlocking on the two remaining charges.
As the jury could not reach a unanimous decision on those counts, the court declared a mistrial on them.
Prosecutors now argue that the unresolved charges should be retried before a new jury and proposed October as the timeframe for the proceedings.
Storm publicly responded to the filing in a social media post, saying the government was seeking another trial despite the earlier jury deadlock. He noted that jurors had been unable to reach a unanimous decision on the money-laundering and sanctions-related counts after hearing the full case presented by prosecutors.
According to Storm, the two unresolved counts together carry a potential sentence of up to 40 years in federal prison if a future jury were to convict.
“The 2 counts = up to 40 years in federal prison. For writing open-source code. For a protocol I don’t control. For transactions I never touched. A jury already couldn’t agree this was criminal. But the SDNY prosecutors want to keep trying with the hope of getting a different answer,” Storm wrote on Twitter.
Storm, who helped develop the privacy protocol Tornado Cash, also said the prospect of another trial poses significant financial challenges for his defense. He stated that his legal defense funds had largely been exhausted after the initial four-week trial.
Judge Failla has not yet ruled on the prosecutors’ request to set a new trial date or issued a schedule for how the case will proceed.
Excess leverage in crypto markets has virtually dissappeared which could result in a healthier spot-based market recovery, say analysts.
Global tensions, particularly the Iran-US conflict, have rattled crypto markets and pushed investors away from risk-taking.
“Periods like this are generally not favorable for risk-taking, and this can be clearly observed in the sharp decline of Bitcoin’s Estimated Leverage Ratio on Binance,” said CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost on Monday.
The metric measures the intensity with which investors use leverage and is calculated by comparing the futures Open Interest (OI) with the amount of BTC reserves held on the exchange. Since February, this ratio has fallen sharply from 0.198 to 0.152 — coinciding with Bitcoin dropping from $96,000to $69,000.
A Healthier Market Dynamic
If the ratio remains low while Bitcoin consolidates, it likely signals that spot buying rather than leveraged speculation is becoming the dominant price driver, which is a generally healthier dynamic.
“Lower leverage generally means less systemic pressure, which can help stabilize price action before the market enters a new directional phase.”
🗞️Bitcoin leverage reset after market volatility
“Since February, Bitcoin’s Estimated Leverage Ratio on Binance has dropped from 0.198 to 0.152, representing a significant and rapid decline. This type of move is typically observed after periods of strong volatility and major… pic.twitter.com/q1MVOR5CZa
— Darkfost (@Darkfost_Coc) March 9, 2026
In a separate post, CryptoQuant analyst “IT tech” said that “bottom callers are multiplying.” One metric just hit 29 consecutive days in distress territory, they added, highlighting the Bitcoin long-term holder-to-short-term holder SOPR ratio, which is at 0.89.
“Recent buyers are underwater. LTHs aren’t selling, but they’re not absorbing either. STH capitulation building, but nowhere near extremes. Calling a structural low here is premature.”
Meanwhile, Glassnode reported on Monday that momentum has “firmed modestly,” with RSI lifting from recent lows, “but price action still lacks the strength of a decisive bullish shift.”
“Spot activity remains subdued, with lower trading volume pointing to softer participation even as conditions begin to stabilize.”
Crypto Market Outlook
Spot markets have climbed 4.3% on the day to reach $2.46 trillion in a move that follows US President Trump’s comments that the war with Iran could be “over soon.” Bitcoin reclaimed $70,000 in early trading in Asia on Tuesday as oil prices tanked 28% from Monday’s high of $120.
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Ether remained weak, but it was holding above the $2,000 level at the time of writing. Meanwhile, some altcoins were seeing larger gains, including Hyperliquid and Zcash, which surged more than 11% each.
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US prosecutors have requested a retrial of crypto mixer Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on two charges at his trial last year.
US Attorney for Manhattan Jay Clayton asked federal Judge Katherine Polk Failla in a letter on Monday for a trial date to retry Storm on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate sanctions.
The letter asked the court for the retrial to begin on or around Oct. 5 to 12, with the trial expected to last three weeks. It said prosecutors were prepared to retry the case as early as spring, between March and May, but Storm’s defense lawyers said they weren’t available until late 2026.
In August, a jury convicted Storm of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, but was deadlocked on the money laundering and sanctions violation conspiracy charges, which has allowed prosecutors to retry those charges.
Storm had pleaded not guilty and asked Judge Polk Failla in October to acquit him of the money transmitting charge, arguing prosecutors failed to prove he intended to help bad actors use Tornado Cash.
Clayton wrote in his letter that Storm’s lawyers told prosecutors that setting a new trial date was premature due to the pending acquittal motion, which wouldn’t be resolved until early April, when it is scheduled for argument.
Prosecutors hope for “different answer,” says Storm
Storm posted on X that the two counts the government plans to retry him on could see him spend “up to 40 years in federal prison. For writing open-source code. For a protocol I don’t control. For transactions I never touched.”
“A jury already couldn’t agree this was criminal. But the SDNY [Southern District of New York] prosecutors want to keep trying with the hope of getting a different answer,” he added.
Amanda Tuminelli, the legal chief at crypto advocacy group the DeFi Education Fund, said the Justice Department’s decision to retry Storm was “incredibly disappointing.”
“Despite failing to convince a jury the first time around, despite making obvious mistakes like calling irrelevant witnesses and not understanding the forensic analysis of their own blockchain evidence, and despite multiple legal and logical fallacies to their allegations of third-party dev liability, the SDNY will retry Roman Storm,” she added.
Related: DOJ finalizes $400M crypto forfeiture in Helix Bitcoin mixer case
Clayton’s letter comes as a report that the US Treasury submitted to Congress this month acknowledged some lawful uses of crypto mixers, including those who use such services “to maintain more privacy in their consumer spending habits.”
In his X post, Storm also noted that US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche had issued a memo in April saying the Justice Department “is not a digital assets regulator,” and the agency would “no longer pursue litigation or enforcement actions that have the effect of superimposing regulatory frameworks on digital assets.”
“Same country, same DOJ — just filed to retry me anyway,” Storm said.
Magazine: Can privacy survive in US crypto policy after Roman Storm’s conviction?
Non-fungible token lending platform Gondi has vowed to compensate users affected in a Monday exploit during which the attacker stole roughly $230,000 worth of NFTs from the protocol.
Summary
- Gondi confirmed an exploit in its Sell & Repay contract allowed an attacker to steal about $230,000 worth of escrowed NFTs, prompting the platform to disable the feature.
- The protocol said affected users will be compensated by purchasing comparable NFTs from the same collections.
According to a post-incident update, Gondi confirmed that an exploit of its “Sell & Repay contract” allowed an attacker to withdraw roughly $230,000 worth of escrowed NFTs from the protocol. The contract allows borrowers to sell escrowed NFTs and subsequently repay outstanding loans on the platform.
An updated version of the contract was deployed on Feb. 20, but Gondi did not clarify how the vulnerability was exploited.
The exploit did not impact any other parts of the protocol, and the platform has paused the contract as it works on a fix while other services remain operational.
“All users who interacted with this contract and were impacted have been contacted directly by our team,” Gondi wrote. In a subsequent update, the protocol said it plans on making affected users whole by purchasing comparable items from the same collection.
“While not the exact same piece, we believe this is a fair and meaningful resolution and are coordinating directly with each owner,” it added.
Gondi has since been reviewed by the team at Blockaid and an independent auditor, who have concluded that the protocol is safe to use.
According to Blockaid, the attacker started selling some of the stolen NFTs after the exploit. As of the last update, Gondi said that the attacker’s wallet still contained some of the stolen NFTs while the remainder was sold to “innocent buyers who had no knowledge of the exploit.”
“We reached out to each of them directly and asked for their help in returning the items to their rightful owners,” it added.
Meanwhile, at least four NFTs were recovered and returned by the NFT community, including Aluminum Gazer, Servant of the Muse, Doodle, and Lil Pudgy.
The platform said it was using its protocol fees to buy back recovered items and compensate affected users.
The Gondi exploit marks the second attack in two weeks. As previously reported by crypto.news, Bitcoin-focused DeFi platform Solv Protocol was exploited late last week, allowing the hacker to drain roughly $2.7 million worth of funds from one of its token vaults.
Bitcoin managed to avoid losses suffered by global stock markets over oil supply uncertainty, with a 5% relief bounce from its weekly open level.
Bitcoin (BTC) returned to $69,000 at Monday’s Wall Street open with markets in limbo over the Middle East oil crisis.
Key points:
-
Bitcoin sees a rebound after dropping below $68,000 for the weekly close.
-
Oil woes continue as the G7 fails to agree on a timeline for the release of reserve oil supplies.
-
Bitcoin derivatives traders stay level-headed on the mid-term outlook.
Analysis: Trump wants to buy time with oil
Data from TradingView showed BTC price action continuing a rebound that began just before the weekly close.
Now up 5% on the day, BTC/USD showed strength relative to global stock markets, with Asia particularly sensitive to the ongoing suspension of oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
A dedicated meeting of the G7 countries to discuss the release of 400 million barrels of crude from their joint reserves ended in indecision on the day.
“The G7 countries have ~1.2 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, which is equivalent to ~60 days of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. 400 million barrels can supply roughly 20 days worth of Strait of Hormuz oil flows,” trading resource The Kobeissi Letter responded in a post on X.
“But, it’s a risk. If the war rages on once these stockpiles are depleted, the world would enter an unprecedented energy crisis.”
Kobeissi argued that US President Donald Trump was “looking to ‘buy’ a couple more weeks” with the initiative.
WTI oil was still up 9% on the day at the time of writing, circling $100 per barrel amid considerable volatility.
Gold, meanwhile, lacked the momentum to head closer toward all-time highs after starting the week with a retest of $5,000.
Commenting, trading company QCP Capital noted a rotation from gold to the US dollar as a hedge against the current geopolitical uncertainty.
“With uncertainty rising, global equity markets have turned defensive. That said, US Treasuries and gold also failed to provide their usual haven bid, with both coming under pressure as surging crude prices stoke inflation fears and push yields higher,” it wrote in its latest “Market Color” analysis post.
“Instead, the US dollar has emerged as the preferred defensive asset, supported by elevated yields and the US’s status as a net energy exporter.”
Bitcoin options traders see no “one-way decline”
Bitcoin thus eyed key price points that bulls had failed to reclaim at the weekly close.
Related: Bitcoin braces for oil shock and death crosses: 5 things to know this week
Here, crypto trader, analyst and entrepreneur Michaël van de Poppe hoped that oil would settle down, allowing for BTC price relief.
“Bitcoin continues to show strength and it’s already back up to $69K,” he acknowledged.
“If Oil continues to fall and indices break back upwards, I would assume that we’ll start to see a continuation towards the range high again.”
QCP pointed to the “more nuanced outlook” for the market being created by derivatives traders.
“For example, the purchase of 500x BTC 24APR26 72k straddle points to expectations of continued volatility rather than a sharp, one-way decline,” it continued about options.
“Notably, March’s highest open interest is concentrated at the 75k and 125k call strikes. While a rapid recovery to these levels remains unlikely, this positioning signals pockets of renewed optimism in BTC despite ongoing macro and geopolitical uncertainty.”
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.
Ethereum treasury company Sharplink has reported a $734.6 million net loss for 2025 due to a crypto market decline in the second half of the year.
The firm posted its financial results for the year on Monday, revealing that its full-year net loss was primarily driven by a $616.2 million paper loss on the 868,699 Ether (ETH) it has accumulated to date.
Adding to its losses was a $140.2 million impairment charge related to converting its staked Ether.
Ethereum saw rocky performance in the second half of 2025. While its price climbed to $4,829 in August, the October market crash saw it spiraling down to close the year at roughly $3,000.
Despite the losses, the firm said it will continue to buy more Ether, arguing that its strategy is designed to weather crypto volatility.
“While short-term market volatility impacted GAAP financial results, our strategy is designed to excel through cycles. Our mandate is simple: increase ETH per share responsibly and maximize the productivity of our treasury through time,” Sharplink said.
Sharplink, chaired by Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, pivoted from being a sports betting marketing company to becoming a digital asset treasury in June 2025.
Sharplink is looking to gradually increase its Ether-per-share ratio to create long-term shareholder value. The firm said it managed to more than double this ratio in 2025, going from 2 ETH per share to 4.01 ETH per share.
Despite taking a hit on the value of its ETH holdings, total revenue jumped 659% from $3.7 million to $28.1 million in 2025. Meanwhile, ETH staking revenue increased by 48.5% from Q3 to Q4 to hit $15.3 million.
For the year, the firm also banked $55.2 million from its ETH-to-liquid-staked-ETH conversions and redemptions.
Related: Ether’s path to $2.5K may be trickier than expected: Here’s why
After securing $3.2 billion in funding across 2025, Sharplink has become the second-largest publicly traded Ethereum holder behind BitMine Immersion Technologies, which now holds over 4.5 million ETH, representing 3.76% of the total supply.
BitMine also reportedly has major paper losses on its Ethereum holdings, with some estimates hitting as high as $8.8 billion amid a 60% drop in ETH over the past six months.
The price of Sharplink’s stock, SBET, has been volatile over the past 12 months and is up 67% since this time last year to sit at $7.60 at the time of writing.
The price skyrocketed 1,000% in the span of a week to hit almost $80 following its initial Ether treasury announcement in late May, before falling after the firm made its pivot.
Over the last six months, the price has declined by more than 50%.
Magazine: What’s a ‘Network State’ and are there real-life examples? Big Questions
Cryptocurrencies linked to artificial intelligence, such as Bittensor’s TAO, NEAR Protocol, Internet Computer, and others rallied after Wired reported that Nvidia is preparing a new open-source platform for autonomous AI agents, a concept similar to the OpenClaw framework, ahead of its annual developer conference.
The broader artificial intelligence token category rose about 4.8% to roughly $14.17 billion in market value, outperforming the wider crypto market, where the CoinDesk 20 index was up 2.86%. Among the majors, Bittensor’s TAO led the move, with NEAR Protocol and Internet Computer also advancing.
Nvidia’s new platform, according to Wired, will be called NemoClaw. The system would allow enterprise software companies to deploy AI agents that can perform multi-step tasks for employees, and Nvidia has reportedly approached firms including Salesforce, Cisco, Google, Adobe, and CrowdStrike about potential partnerships ahead of its developer conference next week.
Wired says NemoClaw is expected to include security and privacy tools for enterprise use and is part of Nvidia’s broader strategy to expand its software ecosystem while maintaining its dominance in AI infrastructure.
Nvidia’s GTC developer conference begins March 17.
Investment advisors were the biggest buyers of the US-based spot Solana ETFs at over $270 million, while hedge fund managers came in next at $186 million.
Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Electric Capital Partners and investment bank Goldman Sachs were the two largest buyers of spot Solana exchange-traded funds, which launched for trading in the US in October last year.
Data shared by Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart on Monday shows that the top 30 institutional holders of US spot Solana (SOL) exchange-traded funds bought over $540 million worth of the ETFs in the quarter.
Electric Capital and Goldman Sachs took out the top two positions with $137.8 million and $107.4 million worth of Solana ETF exposure, while Elequin Capital, SIG Holding and Multicoin Capital rounded out the top five.
Morgan Stanley and Citadel Advisors were among the other notable institutions that bought spot Solana ETFs after Bitwise launched the first Securities and Exchange Commission-approved spot Solana ETF on Oct. 28.
Seyffart’s data comes from 13F filings submitted to the SEC in mid-February, where institutions managing over $100 million in assets are required to disclose their Q4 holdings and position sizes.
Investment advisors accounted for by far the largest share of spot Solana ETF ownership at over $270 million, while hedge fund managers came in next at $186.4 million.
Holding companies and brokerage firms held $59.5 million and $20.3 million, while banks held $4.5 million.
The $540 million in Solana ETF holdings was backed by approximately 4.3 million SOL tokens.
However, those 4.3 million SOL tokens have fallen over 30% in market value since the end of Q4, from $124.95 to $86.53 at the time of writing.
SOL ETF net flows steadying despite price fall
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas noted on Thursday that cumulative flows into spot Solana ETFs have held strong in recent months despite Solana’s price fall.
Related: US banking lobby considers suing OCC over crypto bank charters: Report
Balchunas also noted that 50% of Solana ETF assets are held by these 13F-filing firms, arguably making for a more serious investor base.
Farside Investors data shows that US spot Solana ETFs have accumulated $952 million worth of inflows since launching in the US.
Magazine: What’s a ‘Network State’ and are there real-life examples? Big Questions
Major tokens snapped back on Tuesday as ceasefire optimism rippled through risk markets.
Ether reclaimed $2,029, up 2.6% over the past 24 hours and back above the $2,000 level that has served as a psychological pivot for weeks. Solana led the recovery at 2.9% to $85.67. BNB added 2.6% to $639. XRP gained 1.7% to $1.37. Dogecoin lagged at just 1% and remains down 1.4% on the week, continuing to underperform the broader market on every bounce.
The catalyst was U.S. president Donald Trump telling reporters late Monday that the Iran conflict would resolve “very soon” and that U.S. military objectives were “pretty well complete.” Asian equities surged 2% after Monday’s 3.7% plunge. Tech stocks in the MSCI Asia Pacific index jumped 3.5%. Oil fell from Monday’s spike above $100.
Analysts at Nansen said in an email that crypto had “already absorbed the negatives and priced them in,” arguing the market was responding to headlines rather than broader macro deterioration.
The institutional flow data supports that read. CoinShares reported $619 million in crypto fund inflows for the week ending Friday, with $521 million going to bitcoin products and total AUM reaching $108.3 billion.
That capital came in during a week where the S&P lost $1 trillion in a single session and the economy shed 92,000 jobs. “Spot Bitcoin ETFs continue to attract capital even as price weakens, which suggests institutional allocators are treating this as a tactical entry rather than capitulation,” said Ryan Kirkley, co-founder and CEO of Global Settlement, in an email to CoinDesk.
Ethereum’s position above $2,000 is the one to watch this week. The second-largest cryptocurrency has been fighting to hold that level since late February, and FxPro analysts flagged $2,500 and the 200-week moving average as the zone that would confirm a genuine recovery rather than a series of dead cat bounces. The gap between $2,000 and $2,500 is where the narrative shifts from “surviving the drawdown” to “starting a new trend.”
For solana, the recovery has been structurally weaker. SOL remains down roughly 55% from its cycle highs and has underperformed ether on every major bounce since the October crash.
The memecoin economy that fueled solana’s 2024 rally has evaporated, and without that speculative engine the token is trading more on macro sentiment than ecosystem activity.
XRP has been the most range-bound of the majors, hovering between $1.30 and $1.45 for most of March. ETF inflows have been positive and the legal clarity from Ripple’s settlement should be a tailwind, but the token has failed to decouple from broader market direction.
The Fed meeting on March 17-18 looms as the next real test.
Global Settlement’s Kirkley noted that the 90-day correlation between bitcoin and the S&P 500 has climbed to 0.78, one of the highest readings since mid-2022. When bitcoin trades in lockstep with equities, altcoins amplify every move in both directions.
A hawkish dot plot or any hint that rate hikes are back on the table would hit the higher-beta end of crypto hardest.
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