The Solana Foundation is launching a new developer platform aimed at making it easier for financial institutions to build blockchain-based products, with early users including Mastercard, Western Union and Worldpay.

The Solana Developer Platform (SDP), currently available for developers to test, is a toolkit that enables enterprises to create and scale financial applications on Solana without deep crypto infrastructure expertise. The SDP will also integrate AI tools such as Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex.

The platform bundles services from more than 20 infrastructure providers — spanning custody, compliance, wallets and payments — into a single interface, streamlining what has traditionally been a fragmented process for institutions entering the space.

At launch, SDP includes two live modules. The issuance module enables companies to create tokenized deposits, stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets, while the payments module supports fiat and stablecoin flows, including on- and off-ramps and onchain transactions. A trading module is expected later in 2026.

The involvement of traditional payments firms underscores growing institutional interest in blockchain-based settlement. Mastercard is exploring stablecoin settlement on Solana, while Western Union is testing cross-border payments on the platform. Worldpay is focusing on merchant settlement and tokenized assets.

“As Solana continues to be the most trusted and innovative infrastructure for payments and financial companies worldwide, SDP provides an accessible and familiar experience for institutions and enterprises to start building products on Solana today,” the Solana Foundation wrote in a press release shared with CoinDesk.

Read more: Solana Foundation’s Liu: Focus on finance, not gaming ‘misadventures’

The Financial Stability Board has raised fresh concerns about the spread of foreign currency stablecoins in emerging markets. 

In its 2025 annual report, the global watchdog said US dollar stablecoins used across borders can create financial and policy risks for developing economies.

Meanwhile, the FSB said foreign currency-denominated stablecoins can create pressure for emerging market and developing economies. It stated that US dollar stablecoins moving across several jurisdictions may carry “potentially more acute” risks for those markets.

According to the report, these risks include currency substitution and weaker use of local payment systems. The board also said they can reduce the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy and create pressure on fiscal resources.

The FSB said regulators still need to track how the stablecoin sector develops. It noted that authorities must understand risks tied to liquidity, operational issues, and links with the wider financial system.

The report also referred to the FSB’s 2023 global framework for crypto asset activity and stablecoin arrangements. After reviewing that framework in 2025, the board said there are still clear gaps and inconsistencies in how it is being applied across jurisdictions.

Moreover, the board said crypto assets and stablecoins still have limited use in real economic activity, including payments. It stated,

“Despite growth in these markets in recent years, crypto-assets and stablecoins are not widely used in financial services supporting the real economy.”

At the same time, the FSB said stablecoins may offer some benefits. Still, it added that regulators should keep watching vulnerabilities as connections with core financial markets and institutions continue to grow.

FSB sets focus areas for 2026

The report said the board will continue to monitor digital innovation linked to crypto assets in 2026. Stablecoin-related risks remain part of that work, especially in areas tied to market structure and financial resilience.

The FSB also listed other priorities for the coming year. These include private credit, nonbank financial intermediation, cross-border payments, crisis preparedness, and further work on regulatory modernization.

Bitcoin BTC$70,945.00 has likely found its bottom and is primed for further gains, Wall Street broker Bernstein said in a Tuesday note to clients, reiterating its $150,000 year-end price target.

“We believe Bitcoin has found its trough and is now heading higher,” wrote analysts led by Gautam Chhugani. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was trading around $71,000 at publication time.

The broker also maintained its bullish view on bitcoin treasury company Strategy (MSTR), calling it a high-beta proxy for bitcoin with a “resilient, liquid and pressure-tested” balance sheet. The firm, led by Executive Chairman Michael Saylor, holds roughly 3.6% of the total bitcoin supply, worth about $53.5 billion.

Bernstein has an outperform rating on Strategy with a $450 price target. The shares were unchanged in early trading, around $138.10.

The analysts also highlighted growing demand for Strategy’s preferred instrument, STRC, which offers an 11.5% monthly dividend with low volatility.

STRC’s perpetual structure helps reduce equity dilution while providing long-term capital, with trading volumes rising 65% over the past three months, the report noted.

Bitcoin’s recent pullback comes after a sharp run-up to record highs in late 2025, with prices falling as much as 45% from the peak amid a mix of macro and market-driven pressures. Analysts point to a higher-for-longer interest rate backdrop, geopolitical risk tied to the Middle East and intermittent exchange-traded fund (ETF) outflows weighing on risk appetite.

The unwind of leveraged positions and profit-taking by long-term holders accelerated the decline, triggering bouts of forced liquidations and adding to volatility.

Despite the scale of the correction, Bernstein analysts characterized the move as a temporary reset in sentiment rather than a breakdown in fundamentals, noting the absence of systemic stress typically seen in prior crypto downturns.

On the macro side, the analysts noted bitcoin has outperformed gold by 25% since the onset of the Iran conflict at the end of February, underscoring the cryptocurrency’s appeal as a portable, censorship-resistant asset during periods of geopolitical stress.

Institutional demand remains a key driver. The broker pointed to resilient ETF flows and increasing participation from banks offering bitcoin-related financial services.

Read more: Bitcoin’s quantum threat is real, but far from an existential crisis, Galaxy says

• Dogecoin price was around $0.094, up 4% in the past 24 hours.
• Bulls continue to show resilience as the technical picture suggests a potential breakout.
• Despite geopolitical headwinds, the $0.15 target remains in play.

Dogecoin (DOGE) is holding near the psychologically important $0.09–$0.10 range, as the broader crypto market navigates the geopolitical tensions linked to Iran.

The digital asset space has shown pockets of resilience, with Bitcoin remaining close to the $70,000 level, helping support sentiment.

Dogecoin had briefly climbed to around $0.15 in early 2026, and that level could remain relevant if buying interest returns, despite continued selling pressure over the past month.

DOGE eyes $0.10 retest

Dogecoin (DOGE) is trading around $0.094 at the time of writing, having slipped below the $0.10 level after a roughly 9% decline over the past week.

The $0.092 area has continued to provide near-term support through much of February and March.

The token is slightly higher on the day, after recently testing the lower band of its daily Bollinger Bands.

Broader market direction remains key. Bitcoin is attempting to stabilise near $70,000 despite ongoing geopolitical pressures, a level closely watched by market participants.

A sustained move higher in Bitcoin could support sentiment across altcoins.

For DOGE, the $0.10 mark remains a critical inflection point.

A break above this level could shift momentum in favour of buyers, while continued macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty may test the token’s ability to hold current support levels.

Dogecoin price outlook: $0.15 target remains

From a technical perspective, the case for Dogecoin (DOGE) revisiting the $0.15 level in the near term rests on two key factors.

First, the token has continued to hold above the $0.090 support zone.

Second, the Bollinger Bands on the daily chart are tightening, a setup that often precedes a stronger directional move.

These conditions have coincided with repeated rebounds from the lower Bollinger Band, suggesting that the $0.09–$0.10 range is acting as an intermediate support area.

Some analysts view this price action as indicative of a potential double bottom formation.

This structure implies that, for now, a sharp breakdown into a sustained free-fall scenario appears less likely.

At present, DOGE is trading close to the middle band of its Bollinger Bands, hovering near a key psychological level that has defined recent price action.

The continued contraction in the bands points to building pressure, with a breakout likely to determine the next directional move.

Dogecoin price chart by TradingViewIf the squeeze resolves upward, DOGE could retest the upper band and potentially post a sharp directional move.

Fundamentally, strong trading volume that’s up 120% in the last 24 hours to $1.69 billion suggests buyer interest.

This, aligned with whale accumulation, indicates a structural floor just beneath the current price.

As long as Dogecoin avoids an extended breakdown below $0.08–$0.09, the $0.15 target continues to appear technically plausible.

Institutional investors aren’t just betting on ‘number go up’ strategy for crypto anymore, they are shifting to hunting for steady sources of income.

Many institutions already hold bitcoin BTC$70,957.35 and ether (ETH) on their balance sheets. While they are holding these assets for the long-term price appreciation, investors are increasingly seeking to put them to work to earn income while waiting, said Brett Tejpaul, Coinbase’s (COIN) head of institutional, in an interview with CoinDesk, noting that this is how the next phase of institutional money entering the digital asset sector will look.

“The second wave of institutions… is underway. It’s happening.”

That shift is shaping a new wave of products, he said. Coinbase last week launched a tokenized share class of its Bitcoin Yield Fund on Base in partnership with Apex Group, a $3.5 trillion fund services provider. The fund aims to generate yield through strategies such as selling call options or lending bitcoin, with target returns in the mid-single digits, depending on market conditions.

The push for yield is not limited to just crypto-native firms.

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has also moved in this direction. The firm recently launched the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB), giving investors exposure to rewards generated by helping secure the network. The product signals that demand for yield-bearing crypto strategies is spreading across traditional finance.

This is a similar strategy to what traditional investors call ‘structured products.’ These financial instruments include assets with options that are designed to deliver certain returns or yields. With many options and yield-generating strategies now available in the digital assets sector, traditional investors are seeking similar products in crypto, especially as lawmakers set clearer regulations for the sector.

Read more: Regulation, derivatives helping drive TradFi institutions into crypto

Moving money faster

This “second wave” of institutional money is also focusing on how to use blockchain technology for payments, settlements, cost and transparency.

The structure reflects a broader trend: tokenization. By putting fund shares onchain, asset managers can make ownership easier to track and transfer while opening the door to round-the-clock markets. For institutions used to waiting days for settlement, the appeal is practical.

He said almost half the conversations with institutions right now include stablecoins and tokenization, pointing to a surge in interest following recent regulatory movement in the U.S. Large financial firms are exploring how to use blockchain systems to move money faster and at lower cost, especially across borders.

That interest is gaining momentum as policymakers move to set clearer rules. The passage of the GENIUS Act has already provided a framework for stablecoins, while the proposed CLARITY Act is expected to further define how digital assets and tokenized products can be issued and traded. Together, they are giving institutions more confidence to commit capital and build products tied to blockchain-based systems.

The appeal is straightforward. Tokenization allows traditional assets such as bonds, funds, and private credit to be represented onchain, enabling faster movement and quicker settlement. Stablecoins, often pegged to fiat currencies, offer a way to move value globally at low cost without relying on legacy payment rails.

Some of the largest firms in traditional finance are already moving in this direction. BlackRock has launched a tokenized Treasury fund, while JPMorgan has tested tokenized deposits and blockchain-based payments. Franklin Templeton has also brought tokenized money market funds onchain, signaling growing comfort with the model among asset managers.

As a result, both traditional financial institutions and crypto-native firms are racing to build or integrate stablecoin infrastructure, seeing it as a foundation for the next phase of financial markets.

This is directly tied to what Tejpaul called the ‘second wave’ of institutional money entering crypto. The first wave of institutional money came from hedge funds, endowments and wealthy investors seeking exposure or arbitrage. But this next group looks different. It includes banks and payments firms building products on top of crypto rails.

That shift ties closely to yield. Stablecoins, often backed by short-term government debt, can produce income streams that resemble traditional cash management products. Tokenized funds extend that idea to a wider set of assets.

At the same time, institutions are paying closer attention to market structure. Around-the-clock trading and near-instant settlement are becoming part of the pitch, with the two largest stock exchanges in the U.S., the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, soon bringing 24/7 trading to their clients. In traditional markets, trades can take days to settle, leaving capital tied up and exposed to counterparty risk.

Blockchain-based systems aim to reduce that friction, thereby increasing transparency and lowering costs.

“People want to know where their capital is at all times, and they don’t want it to be in transit or be lost in the settlement process,” Tejpaul said.

Still, adoption is uneven.

Most institutional capital remains concentrated in a small set of major tokens, with limited appetite for smaller assets after recent market volatility. And large firms tend to move slowly, often taking years to evaluate new technologies.

But the direction is becoming clearer. Institutions are no longer asking only how to buy crypto. They are asking what it can do for their portfolios and their businesses. And with more regulations coming to clear that path, it will likely open the door to more institutional money in the future.

“All of a sudden, all the dots are connecting… what was opaque is becoming clear,” Tejpaul said.

Host a Local AI Meetup

Business owners feel curious about AI but overwhelmed. They distrust strangers offering solutions. When you host a community event, you’re automatically positioned as the local authority.

Find free venues: libraries, coworking spaces, coffee shops with meeting areas. Create a simple event page. Post in local business groups and LinkedIn. Keep the format straightforward: a 20-minute presentation on how local businesses currently leverage AI, followed by questions.

Critical element: demonstrate something live. Open your computer. Show a workflow executing. Display a lead arriving and receiving an automatic response. When people witness value operating in real-time, the conversation fundamentally shifts.

Collect email addresses. Follow up within 24 hours. That becomes your pipeline.

Direct Outreach to Local Markets

Traditional. Proven. Underutilized. Walk into 10 local businesses this week: dental offices, real estate brokerages, law firms, contracting companies. Or send 20 LinkedIn messages daily to business owners managing 10-50 employees in your geography.

Don’t lead with your solution. Begin with diagnosis: what’s the most expensive bottleneck in your daily operations? Start conversations about their specific problems, not your services. Those who respond are self-selecting—they already know something requires fixing.

Withhold pitches in initial outreach. Understand their situation completely. Propose solutions mapped directly to their stated problems. This approach converts 3-5x more consistently than leading with I build AI automations.

The Speed-to-Response Diagnosis

This technique is exceptionally effective for speed-to-lead sales. Select a niche. Use Google to identify local businesses. Find ones with website contact forms. Submit test inquiries. Track response time.

Most respond after hours. Many after days. Some never respond. You’ve collected data. Now email them: I submitted an inquiry through your website 3 days ago. Still waiting. How many leads do you estimate you’re losing? I build systems responding within 60 seconds, 24/7.

This isn’t a cold pitch. It’s a diagnosis. You identified and quantified a problem, then offered a solution. Completely different conversation.

Free Discovery Audits

You know business owners: colleagues, acquaintances, former coworkers, gym contacts. Offer complimentary 20-minute audits. I’ll review your current processes and identify automation opportunities. No charge—I’m building my portfolio.

Yes, you’re working for free initially. But you gain practical experience, they receive legitimate value, and they’ll recommend you. The audit itself becomes your sales conversation. By its conclusion, you understand their problems better than they do. The proposal writes itself.

After establishing case studies, start charging for audits. The audit becomes a paid service.

Partner with Service Providers

Other service providers already possess your target clients. Marketing agencies, business coaches, accountants, web developers—they consult with business owners constantly. Many get asked about AI and lack confidence answering.

Approach them: I specialize in AI automation for small businesses. When your clients ask about AI, I’d appreciate being your referral partner. Happy to split revenue on closed deals. You just built a sales team without employment. In tight-knit industries, one solid partnership generates sustained pipeline.

The best partnerships are with providers whose services complement AI but aren’t competitive. Web developers, accountants, and business coaches all have hungry clients who need automation.

Coworking Community Office Hours

Contact local coworking spaces. Volunteer to host free weekly AI Office Hours for members. Two hours weekly. Members arrive with questions. You provide solutions on the spot.

You gain credibility as the resident AI expert, access to warm prospects who already trust you, and content fodder—every question becomes potential social media material. Most spaces accept because it adds member value. Paying clients develop naturally.

The implicit positioning is powerful: you’re the person who knows AI in this community. When someone needs help, they think of you first.

Consistent Social Documentation

Document every client success. Built a lead response system for an HVAC contractor. 2 hours setup. Now responds to every lead within 60 seconds. Automated appointment reminders for a dental practice. Reduced no-shows 40%. Runs entirely on autopilot.

You don’t need massive following. You need consistency. Post 3-5 times weekly for 90 days. Mix wins with educational content. The objective isn’t virality. It’s staying top-of-mind so when someone needs AI implementation, they think of you first.

Post everywhere: LinkedIn, Twitter, even TikTok or YouTube if that fits your style. Different platforms reach different people. Consistency matters more than platform choice.

Building Your Personal Sequencing

Start with methods 2 and 4: direct outreach and free audits. These generate first clients fastest with zero infrastructure required. You can start today.

Once you have case studies, add method 3: the speed-to-response diagnosis. This is most effective once you have a success story to reference.

As you establish credibility, layer in methods 1, 5, and 6. These take more setup but generate steady referrals.

Use method 7 throughout. Social documentation works best when you have wins to document, but you can start immediately.

Key Takeaways

• Bitcoin briefly surged to $71,200 after President Trump announced a five-day pause on strikes against Iran, pulling it further from the critical $65,000 liquidation zone.
• Over $400 million in crypto positions were liquidated within hours as markets swung sharply on conflicting headlines between Washington and Tehran.
• With BTC now hovering around $70,000, the $3 billion in long positions clustered below $65,000 remains a live threat as geopolitical uncertainty persists.

Bitcoin caught a brief but significant boost on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause on military strikes targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure, describing the move as the result of “very good and productive” talks aimed at a complete resolution of hostilities. The announcement sent Bitcoin surging from $67,500 to above $71,200 within hours, temporarily widening the distance between BTC’s price and a critical $65,000 liquidation zone.

The move followed a weekend of geopolitical threats and a subsequent de-escalation, with broader asset classes and benchmark indices reacting together. For Bitcoin bulls sitting on leveraged positions, the rally offered a moment of relief.

Relief, Then Reversal

The rally did not hold. Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied any communication had taken place with the United States, framing the five-day suspension as a retreat rather than diplomacy. Bitcoin, shown at $70,464 in one snapshot, retreated to levels seen in early February after multiple failed attempts to convincingly surpass $75,000. The $400 million in liquidations indicates positions were both sizable and tightly clustered around optimistic breakouts toward $75,000. Bitcoin settled back around $70,000, although still above $65,000, but not a comfortable price level. Investors also weighed the potential impact on other risk assets.

The $3 Billion Risk Remains

Before Monday’s geopolitical headlines, Coinglass data had already flagged a dangerous build-up of over $3 billion in long positions concentrated below the $65,000 level across Binance, OKX, and Bybit. That exposure has not disappeared. Bitcoin has traded between $70,533 and $64,700 since early February, forming a tight range. Heavy liquidation clusters remain around $70,500 on the upside and $65,000 on the downside.

Analysts describe such concentrations as “liquidation magnets,” that is, price levels where a large volume of forced closures can compound selling pressure once breached. The October 10 event, which saw $19 billion wiped from the crypto market in a single day, followed a near-identical pattern of heavy leveraged build-up before a key level broke.

What Comes Next

As traders watch whether Bitcoin can reclaim $70,000 and fill the CME gap, one open question persists: will current liquidity and geopolitical developments allow BTC to return to breakout attempts near $75,000, or has this episode reset expectations for a lower, more volatile trading band?

For now, the Trump ceasefire announcement has bought the market some breathing room. But with Iran denying any talks and a break above $70,000 still needed to signal renewed bullish momentum toward $75,000.

🚨 ALERT: Over $3 billion in long positions risk liquidation if $BTC drops below $65,000. pic.twitter.com/EaiPNwDt1E

— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) March 22, 2026

Hyperliquid’s HIP-3 market has reached a new high as demand for tokenized asset trading continues to grow. 

Open interest across HIP-3 markets climbed to $1.74 billion on Sunday, up 25% from $1.39 billion a week earlier. The move shows rising activity in perpetual futures linked to tokenized traditional assets.

Aggregated open interest across Hyperliquid’s HIP-3 markets hit a record $1.74 billion on Sunday. By Monday, that figure eased slightly to $1.73 billion, but it still stayed near the platform’s peak level.

The rise extends the growth of Hyperliquid’s permissionless perpetual futures market for tokenized traditional assets. HIP-3 launched about six months ago, and it has quickly become one of the main areas of activity within the broader Hyperliquid ecosystem.

Trade.xyz remains the largest HIP-3 market platform. Built by Hyperliquid’s tokenization arm, Hyperunit, Trade.xyz accounts for $1.58 billion in open interest, or 91.3% of the total HIP-3 market.

That level of concentration shows how much of the current activity sits on one venue. It also shows that tokenized real-world asset trading is becoming a major part of the platform’s expansion.

Trade.xyz also posted new records in daily activity on Monday. The platform reported $5.6 billion in 24-hour trading volume and 45,300 unique daily traders.

The most active pairs on the platform are tied to tokenized traditional assets. WTI oil led with $1.27 billion in 24-hour volume, followed by Brent oil at $1.04 billion and silver at $1.01 billion.

This pattern shows that traders are using the platform to gain exposure to commodities through perpetual markets. The product allows them to trade these assets at any hour rather than waiting for standard market sessions.

That round-the-clock structure has become more relevant during periods of market stress. Recent tension in the Middle East increased volatility in oil prices, and that pushed more traders toward platforms offering “24/7 trading capability” for ongoing price discovery.

HYPE gains as ecosystem growth continues

Hyperliquid’s native token, HYPE, has also moved higher as activity on the platform increased. At the time of reporting, HYPE traded at $38.3, up 2.8% over the past 24 hours and 30.6% over the past 30 days.

The token’s move has come alongside rising platform revenue. As Crypto News reported, Hyperliquid is generating about $14 million in weekly fees, while some analysts say HYPE still trades below levels seen in comparable centralized exchange-style businesses.

The platform is also preparing for another product expansion. Hyperliquid recently introduced HIP-4, which would allow “permissionless prediction market listings” and could widen the range of tradable markets on the network.

Bitcoin recently found support at a key onchain metric — the average realized price for a specific year — in this case the 2023 cost basis.

The 2023 average realized price currently sits around $63,700. During the local bottom in early February, when bitcoin dropped roughly 50% from its October all-time high, to roughly $60,000, price effectively tested and held this level as support.

This behavior mirrors the previous cycle. In early 2023, as the bull run began, bitcoin experienced several small corrections and repeatedly used the 2023 realized price as support. This can be observed in March, July, and September 2023, when price consolidated in the $20,000 to $26,000 range.

Looking at newer cohorts, the 2026 average realized price started the year near $90,000 and has since declined to around $77,000. With bitcoin currently trading just above $70,000, the average 2026 buyer is underwater. Notably, this cohort’s cost basis has also fallen below both the 2024 cohort at $81,500 and the 2025 cohort at $96,400.

Zooming out further, the aggregate realized price, which represents the average cost basis of all coins in circulation, is currently around $54,360. Historically, bitcoin has traded below this level in every major bear market, including 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2022.

So far in this cycle, bitcoin’s lowest price has been around $60,000. If that level fails, it becomes the next key support to watch, with the realized price at $54,000 acting as a deeper historical floor.