As competition in the cryptocurrency space continues to grow, more blockchain and Web3 projects are turning to specialist PR agencies to get their announcements in front of the right audiences. Kooc Media, a crypto PR agency founded in 2017, has positioned itself as a direct solution for projects that need guaranteed media placements without the delays and unpredictability of traditional PR.

The agency operates differently from most PR firms. Rather than relying solely on pitching third-party journalists, Kooc Media owns and runs its own portfolio of established news publications, giving clients immediate access to real editorial placements on sites with built-up traffic and domain authority.

“Crypto doesn’t wait for anyone,” said Michelle De Gouveia, spokesperson for Kooc Media. “If you’ve just closed a funding round or you’re about to list a token, you need that press coverage live now, not in two weeks after a journalist decides whether they’re interested.”

A PR Model Designed Around Crypto’s Pace

Traditional PR works on a pitch-and-hope basis. An agency writes a press release, sends it to a list of reporters, and waits to see who picks it up. For industries that move on slower timescales, this can work fine. For crypto, where a token can launch, spike and settle within a matter of days, it creates a problem.

Kooc Media was built to remove that bottleneck. The agency owns and operates several well-known online publications including Blockonomi, CoinCentral, MoneyCheck, Parameter, Beanstalk and Computing. Clients can view the full list of brands on the agency’s sites page.

Because these are in-house publications, there is no pitch process and no editorial gatekeeping to navigate. When a client books a PR package, their article gets published. It’s a straightforward transaction with a clear outcome, which is exactly what most crypto teams are looking for.

Same-Day Publishing Across Multiple Sites

Speed is one of the main reasons crypto projects choose Kooc Media over other PR options. The agency offers same-day distribution, meaning a press release submitted in the morning can be live on multiple websites by the afternoon.

This matters for time-sensitive announcements like exchange listings, mainnet launches, strategic partnerships and presale openings. In each of these cases, the window for maximum impact is short. Having coverage appear within hours rather than days can make a meaningful difference to how much attention an announcement receives.

Beyond its own network, Kooc Media also distributes press releases through a wide partner network of finance, technology and crypto news sites. Clients who select higher-tier packages can also access major newswire distribution, with placements appearing on outlets including Business Insider, Bloomberg, Benzinga, MarketWatch, USA Today and Dow Jones-connected feeds.

Who Works With Kooc Media

The agency’s client base spans the full range of the crypto industry. This includes new token projects preparing for their first public launch, established blockchain companies announcing product updates, DeFi protocols seeking broader recognition, NFT and gaming platforms building mainstream awareness, and Web3 infrastructure companies raising venture capital.

Kooc Media also serves fintech companies that operate at the crossover between traditional finance and blockchain. As institutional interest in digital assets has increased, press coverage that reaches both crypto-native audiences and mainstream financial readers has become more valuable than ever.

“There’s a big difference between being covered on a crypto blog and being covered on a financial news network,” said De Gouveia. “Both have their place, but when a project shows up on both, it sends a much stronger signal to investors and partners.”

Crypto-specific PR packages and pricing are available at kooc.co.uk/crypto-pr/.

Full-Service PR Without the Overhead

Many crypto startups operate with small teams. They may have strong developers and a clear product vision but no dedicated marketing or communications staff. Hiring a full-time PR manager or building a media outreach strategy from scratch isn’t realistic when a project is focused on shipping code and hitting launch deadlines.

Kooc Media addresses this by offering managed PR creation. The agency’s in-house editorial team writes the press release, handles the formatting, and takes care of publishing and distribution. The client provides the key details about their announcement, and Kooc Media handles the rest.

This means a project with no existing press presence can go from zero coverage to being featured across multiple high-authority publications in a single day. There are no long onboarding processes, no retainer agreements and no minimum commitment periods.

Transparent Reporting and Verifiable Results

Every Kooc Media PR campaign comes with full reporting. After distribution is complete, clients receive a list of live URLs showing exactly where their press release has been published. Each link is clickable and verifiable, so there is no ambiguity about what was delivered.

The agency also provides information on the domain authority of each publication where the article appears. This is particularly relevant for projects that care about SEO, since backlinks from high-authority news websites contribute directly to higher search engine rankings.

For crypto projects, this dual benefit of credibility and search visibility makes PR a practical investment rather than just a branding exercise. A single well-distributed press release can improve a project’s Google rankings while also giving them something concrete to share with potential investors and community members.

Why Crypto PR Has Become Standard Practice

The days when a crypto project could gain traction purely through Discord communities and Twitter threads are fading. As the industry has matured, so have the expectations of investors, users and regulators. Press coverage on recognised publications now functions as a basic credibility signal that most serious projects are expected to have.

At the same time, the sheer number of projects launching every month means that standing out requires more than a good whitepaper. Visibility matters, and earned or placed media coverage remains one of the most effective ways to achieve it.

Kooc Media’s combination of owned media, partner distribution and newswire access gives crypto projects a clear path to that visibility without the guesswork that comes with traditional agency models.

iGaming and Gambling PR

In addition to its crypto and fintech services, Kooc Media runs dedicated PR packages for the iGaming industry, including online casinos, sportsbooks and gambling technology providers. Details on these services are available at kooc.co.uk/gambling-pr/.

About Kooc Media

Kooc Media is a specialist PR distribution agency covering the crypto, fintech, technology and iGaming sectors. The agency operates its own network of news publications and distributes through a broad partner network, offering guaranteed placements with same-day turnaround. Since 2017, the company has provided press coverage for hundreds of projects across the blockchain and financial technology space.

Kooc Media’s Crypto PR packages are available now through the company’s website at https://kooc.co.uk.

WhiteBIT, the largest European crypto exchange by traffic, has introduced two automated trading solutions –  Spot Grid Bot and Martingale (DCA) Bot – designed to give retail traders greater control, flexibility, and capital efficiency when navigating volatile and trending crypto markets.

Designed primarily for retail traders, the tools focus on automation that allows users to adjust strategy, manage risk, and intervene when market conditions change.

While grid and dollar-cost averaging (DCA) tools are widely available on the market, WhiteBIT’s approach focuses on improving how these strategies are executed in practice. The new tools offer live strategy editing, adaptive AI parameter recommendations, and multiple reinvestment models, allowing users to adjust their approach without fully restarting trading cycles.

The launch expands WhiteBIT’s spot automation offering, prioritizing practical differentiation over introducing entirely new strategy types.

Key Differentiators

WhiteBIT’s implementation introduces several improvements to standard automation tools :

• Mid-cycle bot editing – users can adjust core parameters without fully exiting the strategy
• Multiple reinvestment modes – profits can be withdrawn, compounded, or converted into asset accumulation (HOLD logic)
• Manual averaging in DCA – allowing traders to intervene strategically when markets move deeper than expected

These features address a most common limitation among automated trading: inability to adapt once a bot is deployed.

Spot Grid Bot: AI-assisted volatility strategy

The bot uses an adaptive AI system that analyzes historical price data and volatility patterns to recommend optimized trading ranges. Instead of relying on static presets, the system applies machine learning methods to forecast probable price behavior and suggest safer grid boundaries.Users can preview performance through a historical replay backtesting model, designed to provide realistic yield expectations.

A core differentiator is ability to adjust strategies in real time. Traders can:

• Expand grid levels
• Adjust spacing
• Add capital
• Modify risk exposure

This allows users to respond to breakouts or shifting volatility without restarting the bot — a common limitation among existing solutions.

Martingale (DCA) Bot: Directional cycle-based automation

The Martingale (DCA) Bot is designed for traders anticipating directional market movement, particularly in bullish conditions.Unlike traditional accumulation-focused DCA strategies, WhiteBIT’s approach:

• Uses increasing order sizing during averaging
• Closes positions by cycle
• Allows profit reinvestment or asset accumulation
• Supports manual averaging intervention

This structure allows traders to manage drawdowns more efficiently, adapt safety orders, and scale capital allocation.

A notable differentiator is the ability to manually average positions if the bot becomes inactive between safety orders.

Automated trading tools have become standard across exchanges, and WhiteBIT focuses on improving flexibility, transparency, and capital management within established grid and DCA strategies rather than introducing new strategy models.

Key Takeaways

• Bhutan’s state-owned investment arm, Druk Holding and Investments, transferred 519.707 BTC worth approximately $36.75 million to external addresses.
• Total 2026 outflows from Bhutan’s Bitcoin treasury have now exceeded $152 million, with holdings falling from nearly 13,000 BTC in late 2024 to approximately 4,453 BTC, a 66% reduction.
• Bhutan’s earlier pledge to allocate up to 10,000 BTC toward the Gelephu Mindfulness City project now faces significant headwinds.

The Royal Government of Bhutan moved another batch of Bitcoin from its sovereign treasury, transferring 519.707 BTC worth approximately $36.75 million to external wallets on Wednesday. The transaction spotted by Arkham Intelligence marks Bhutan’s third major Bitcoin movement in March alone and continues a pattern of steady, institutional-grade liquidations that has defined the kingdom’s crypto strategy in 2026.

A Quietly Depleting Holdings

The kingdom’s holdings have fallen roughly 66% from a late-2024 peak of about 13,000 BTC to 4,453 BTC, as larger March transactions replace the smaller $5 million to $15 million clips seen in January and February. Repeated transfers to Singapore-based QCP Capital suggest a structured over-the-counter selling arrangement.

The March activity has been the most intense yet. The latest 519.707 BTC transfer marks the wallet’s third large Bitcoin transaction in March, following $72 million moved in six separate transactions in the 24 hours leading up to March 18, and $11.8 million moved on March 9.

How Bhutan Built Its Treasury

Bhutan accumulated its cryptocurrency portfolio through government-operated hydroelectric mining facilities. Utilizing excess energy from hydropower plants meant mining costs were essentially negligible. Each Bitcoin sold represents nearly pure revenue for the state. The nation’s Bitcoin treasury reached its peak at approximately 13,000 BTC during late 2024.

As of March 12, Bhutan was the fifth-largest country by Bitcoin holdings, behind the US government, the United Kingdom’s government, El Salvador, and the United Arab Emirates Royal Group.

The Gelephu Pledge Under Pressure

In December 2025, Bhutan unveiled a Bitcoin Development Pledge, committing up to 10,000 BTC to fund the Gelephu Mindfulness City, an ambitious special administrative region project. On January 8, 2026, the project announced plans to establish a strategic cryptocurrency reserve including Bitcoin, Ether, and BNB, signalling a diversified approach to digital assets within Bhutan’s long-term economic planning. With current holdings sitting well below 5,000 BTC, that original commitment faces significant headwinds.

Druk Holding and Investments has not issued a public statement about the transfers. That silence is consistent with how the kingdom has handled its entire Bitcoin program. With Bitcoin navigating geopolitical-driven volatility this week and a $3 billion long liquidation risk still active below $65,000, Bhutan’s steady offloading adds another layer of sell-side pressure that the market is quietly absorbing.

Bitcoin BTC$68,860.72 slipped below $69,000 on Thursday as a broader pullback in risk assets gathered pace, with early optimism around Iran-U.S. peace and easing Middle East tensions fading.

The largest crypto lost more than 3% from its overnight high above $71,000, while major altcoins ether (ETH), XRP (XRP), Solana’s SOL (SOL) and Cardano’s ADA (ADA) plunged 4%-5% during the same period.

Oil prices remain the barometer for the broader market. Crude oil futures rose about 4%, reversing earlier declines and reinforcing concerns about inflation and supply disruptions tied to the Iran conflict.

U.S. stocks were at session lows just after noon on the East Coast, led by the Nasdaq’s 1.4% decline. Bond yields were sharply higher: the U.S. 10-year Treasury up 7 basis points to 4.40%, and the 10-year German Bund up 10.5 basis points to 3.06%.

Notably, all Magnificent Seven stocks are now all off double digit percentages from their all-time highs, with NVIDIA (NVDA) down 18%, Meta (META) 30%, Amazon (AMZN) 20%, Alphabet (GOOG) 19%, Microsoft (MSFT) 34%, Tesla (TSLA) 25% and Apple (APPL) down 14%.

“Looking ahead, the near-term trajectory will likely remain tied to macro developments,” said Joel Kruger, market strategist at LMAX Group.

A clearer path toward de-escalation could push risk assets, including bitcoin, higher, he said, while continued uncertainty may leave them stuck in a choppy range.

Crypto-related stocks were posting major losses as well: Coinbase (COIN), Circle (CRCL) and Strategy (MSTR) were down 3%-4%.

The sharpest losses came from bitcoin miners, nearly all of which are either in transition or have fully transitioned to being AI infrastructure plays and thus tied more to tech in general rather than crypto prices. Hut 8 (HUT) dropped 8.6%, while IREN (IREN) and Riot Platforms (RIOT) fell more than 7%. TeraWulf (WULF) and HIVE Digital (HIVE) also posted steep declines.

WhiteFiber (WYFI) shares fell 14% after its fourth quarter results showed worsening fundamentals, with a net loss widening to $1.5 million and a full-year loss of $24.7 million. The parent company of WhiteFiber, Bit Digital (BTBT), saw its shares down around 8%.

A few names bucked the trend, though. MARA Holdings (MARA) was up 8.7% after reporting the sale of $1.1 billion in bitcoin to pay down debt.

Bitcoin BTC$68,925.24 is proving more resilient than traditional safe-haven assets as gold and silver come under pressure from outflows, positioning unwinds and deteriorating liquidity, according to Wall Street investment bank JPMorgan.

“The deterioration in liquidity conditions in gold has seen its market breadth
decline below that of bitcoin currently,” analysts led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, wrote in the Wednesday report.

Bitcoin has shown relative resilience in recent weeks following the outbreak of war in Iran, even after a steep correction from its October all-time highs.

The cryptocurrency initially dropped sharply alongside broader risk assets, briefly falling into the low-$60,000 range and triggering large liquidations as investors rushed to de-risk amid geopolitical uncertainty.

But the sell-off proved short-lived. Prices have since stabilized in the high-$60,000 to low-$70,000 range, even as tensions persist and oil prices surge above $100 a barrel.

The price action suggests bitcoin is behaving less like a pure safe haven in the immediate shock phase and more like a high-beta macro asset, selling off initially, then finding support as flows return and longer-term holders step in once panic subsides.

Gold has fallen roughly 15% month to date, reversing a crowded rally that pushed prices to record highs near $5,500 in January. Silver, which peaked near $120, has followed a similar path lower. JPMorgan analysts attributed the sell-off to rising interest rates, a stronger U.S. dollar and broad profit-taking by both retail and institutional investors.

Flows data reinforce the shift. Gold ETFs saw nearly $11 billion in outflows in the first three weeks of March, while silver ETF inflows built since last summer have been unwound, the report said. In contrast, bitcoin funds have continued to attract net inflows over the same period.

Positioning data tells a similar story. JPMorgan’s proxy for institutional activity, based on Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) futures open interest, shows a sharp buildup in gold and silver exposure through late 2025 into early 2026, followed by a steep decline since January as investors cut positions. Bitcoin futures positioning, by comparison, has remained relatively stable in recent weeks.

Momentum signals also diverge. The bank noted that trend-following investors, such as Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs), have aggressively reduced exposure to gold and silver, with indicators swinging from overbought to below-neutral levels. That positioning shift has likely amplified recent price declines. Bitcoin momentum, meanwhile, is recovering from oversold conditions toward neutral, suggesting selling pressure may be easing.

Liquidity conditions further highlight the divergence. Gold’s market breadth has deteriorated to the point where it now trails bitcoin, a reversal of the typical relationship. Silver’s liquidity has weakened further, with thinner market depth exacerbating recent price moves, the report added.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency was trading around $69,000 at the time of publication. Gold was trading around $4,450/oz, and silver $69/oz.

Read more: Wall Street broker Bernstein calls bitcoin bottom, keeps $150,000 year-end target

Crypto exchange Coinbase Global has launched a mortgage structure with Better Home & Finance that lets qualified borrowers pledge digital assets held in Coinbase accounts to fund down payments on standard conforming mortgages designed in accordance with Fannie Mae guidelines.

According to Coinbase, the structure enables borrowers to pledge digital assets such as Bitcoin (BTC) or USDC (USDC) as collateral for a separate loan used to fund the down payment, while the primary mortgage remains a standard, Fannie Mae–backed loan. Better will originate and service the mortgages.

When rolled out, the new development could mark a shift in how crypto assets are used in US housing finance, extending their role from qualifying assets in underwriting to a more direct component of mortgage financing.

The news follows earlier regulatory signals to integrate crypto into mortgage frameworks. In June, the US Federal Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to prepare proposals to recognize cryptocurrency as an asset in mortgage risk assessments without requiring conversion to US dollars.

It also builds on a series of developments integrating crypto into home lending, with lenders like Newrez and Rate recently recognizing crypto holdings in underwriting, signaling a broader push to embed crypto across the mortgage stack.

Cointelegraph reached out to Fannie Mae for more information but did not receive a response before publication.

Pledging crypto for down payments comes with added risks

According to Coinbase, borrowers would take out a standard conforming mortgage while using a separate loan secured by crypto holdings to cover the down payment.

The setup allows buyers to retain exposure to digital assets, but replaces upfront cash with additional debt. 

Related: Crypto mortgages in US face valuation risks, regulatory uncertainty

Coinbase said the model introduces constraints tied to pledged assets, with borrowers unable to trade collateral while it is locked.

The company said market volatility alone does not trigger margin calls as long as borrowers continue making payments, and mortgage terms remain unchanged once the loan is active.

The model also introduces new risks tied to the pledged assets. While price swings do not directly affect the mortgage, they may still influence borrower risk exposure and financial decisions over time.

Lenders have been gradually integrating crypto into mortgage underwriting

The new development follows several US lenders that recently incorporated crypto assets into mortgage processes. 

On Jan. 17, loan servicer Newrez said it would allow borrowers to use BTC, Ether (ETH), crypto ETFs and stablecoins as qualifying assets in underwriting, without requiring liquidation. 

On Feb. 23, mortgage lender Rate launched its RateFi program, which allows verified crypto holdings to count toward reserves and, in some cases, income. However, borrowers are still required to convert their crypto into cash for down payments and closing costs. 

Ex-Congressman Ryan frames crypto as a housing tool

Ahead of the rollout, Cointelegraph’s Turner Wright spoke with former Ohio Representative Tim Ryan, a member of Coinbase’s advisory council who has focused on middle-class affordability, including housing.

Ryan cast mortgage financing as a practical, real-world use case for crypto, arguing that digital assets can unlock wealth for early investors and help address one of the biggest barriers to homeownership — the down payment.

“Digital assets have a place for working-class people… all the way down to getting a home,” Ryan said. “To see the industry move into… the housing sector… is a really huge deal.”

Affordability remains a major challenge for US homebuyers. Despite slower activity tied to low inventory and elevated mortgage rates, the average home price still exceeded $405,000 in the fourth quarter.

A 20% down payment, often required to avoid private mortgage insurance, would still cost buyers more than $80,000, a hurdle that could be less challenging now for crypto investors.

Additional reporting by Sam Bourgi and Turner Wright.

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