Crypto World
Fold Q4 Revenue Up as CEO Sees Bitcoin Rewards Overtake Air Miles
Fold, the Bitcoin-focused payments and financial services firm, delivered an 8% sequential revenue gain in Q4, reaching $9 million as it added roughly 2,000 customers and expanded an array of products designed to weave Bitcoin rewards into everyday spending. The company also rolled out its Fold Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card, a Visa– and Stripe-enabled offering that promises Bitcoin-backed cashback to users and points toward broader consumer adoption of crypto-native rewards.
During Fold’s Q4 and 2025 full-year earnings call, CEO Will Reeves framed the results within a longer-term outlook: “Bitcoin rewards will overtake the airline miles as the preferred consumer reward in the US.” He emphasized that for this vision to translate into mass adoption, the card programs must scale to millions of cardholders and be supported by stronger risk and fraud controls before the model can really “open the floodgates.”
Fold’s earnings also underscore the competitive landscape in crypto rewards. With rivals including Coinbase, Gemini, Swan Bitcoin and River Financial already piloting Bitcoin-backed card programs in the US, Fold is betting on scale and product breadth to capture a larger share of a nascent but rapidly evolving market.
Nevertheless, the quarterly improvement did not erase a tough year on the metrics side. Fold reported a 3% year-over-year decline in transaction volume to $215 million, and an operating loss of $6 million for the period. Those figures contributed to a full-year 2025 net loss of $69.6 million, according to Fold’s financial statements. The company said the results reflect ongoing investments to build out a Bitcoin-native financial services ecosystem across multiple product lines, including consumer and enterprise offerings.
In a nod to its evolving capital structure, Reeves noted that Fold had extinguished two outstanding convertible debt instruments, describing the move as removing a structural overhang and directing financing toward growth initiatives rather than debt management. He outlined a plan for 2026 built around customer acquisition, engagement, cross-sell, and retention—the core levers the company believes will scale its Bitcoin-focused platform.
Beyond consumer products, Fold has been building a broader ecosystem around Bitcoin payrolls, bonuses, and corporate financial programs through Fold for Business. One notable partner cited by Fold is Steak ’n Shake, which has explored paying employees in Bitcoin and offering Bitcoin-based bonuses as part of its compensation mix. This line of effort reflects Fold’s strategy to embed Bitcoin more deeply into corporate payroll and benefits workflows, broadening the utility of the token beyond speculative holding into everyday financial operations.
On the balance sheet side, Fold has pursued a strategy of maintaining a Bitcoin treasury as a strategic asset. Yet the company has been reducing its holdings, with its treasury down to 827 BTC as of March 17, from 1,527 BTC at the end of last year. The reduction mirrors a broader trend of concentrated crypto treasuries being deployed for operating needs or risk management, and it adds a layer of complexity for investors watching Fold’s capital efficiency and liquidity alongside its growth ambitions.
Key takeaways
- Q4 revenue rises 8% to $9 million as Fold adds about 2,000 customers and expands Bitcoin-linked products, including a newly launched Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card.
- CEO Will Reeves frames Bitcoin rewards as a potential US consumer reward leader, contingent on scaling to millions of cardholders and tightening risk controls.
- Strategic shifts accompany growth: Fold extinguishes two convertible debt instruments to reduce financial overhang and focuses 2026 on scaling customer engagement and cross-sell opportunities.
- Financials show a divide between growth investments and bottom-line pressure: 2025 saw a 3% YoY drop in transaction volume to $215 million and a net loss of $69.6 million, despite revenue gains.
Fold’s expansion into Bitcoin rewards and enterprise tooling
With the Fold Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card now live, the company is aiming to convert consumer spending into Bitcoin accrual at a scale that could rival existing reward ecosystems. The card’s integration with Visa and Stripe signals an attempt to remove friction for mainstream users who want crypto rewards alongside familiar payment rails. Reeves stressed that a successful rollout hinges on risk and fraud controls that can withstand mass adoption, hinting at a compliance-first approach as a prerequisite to broader consumer rollout.
Fold’s product suite has grown beyond consumer cards. Fold for Business is designed to bring Bitcoin into payrolls, bonuses, and corporate programs, signaling a push to embed Bitcoin rewards into business workflows. Partnerships such as Steak ’n Shake illustrate a real-world test bed for how crypto incentives can translate into employee compensation and consumer engagement, a pattern other operators are watching closely as a potential model for corporate crypto compensation programs.
The competitive backdrop adds urgency. Fold sits among a growing cadre of platforms experimenting with Bitcoin-friendly cards and rewards structures, as consumer interest in crypto-backed perks persists even as the macro environment remains uncertain. The broader market’s willingness to embrace Bitcoin rewards will hinge on the reliability of issuers’ risk controls, the efficacy of KYC/AML processes, and merchants’ willingness to participate in crypto-native cashback arrangements.
Financials in focus: growth, losses, and a restructured balance sheet
On the surface, Fold’s Q4 and full-year results underline a company investing aggressively to build a broader, Bitcoin-native financial services stack. Revenue rose by 8% in the quarter, aided by new customer acquisitions and product expansion. Yet the year delivered pressure on the top line’s profitability. The company reported a 3% YoY decline in transaction volume to $215 million and an operating loss of $6 million for the period, contributing to a full-year net loss of $69.6 million for 2025.
Corporate leadership framed these numbers as the cost of building a platform tuned for scale. The extinguishment of two convertible debt instruments was presented as a turning point, eliminating a structural overhang and steering capital toward operating growth rather than financing costs. In Reeves’ words, the pathway to 2026 centers on “scaling what we’ve built across customer acquisition, engagement, cross-sell, and retention.”
From an investor relations perspective, the balance between growth investments and financial discipline remains a watch item. Fold’s ability to translate product expansion into durable, cross-sell-driven revenue will be critical, particularly as it expands into enterprise services and payroll-related offerings that could yield higher-margin revenue streams if customer adoption aligns with retention targets.
Bitcoin treasury dynamics and market reception
One notable tension in Fold’s narrative is its shrinking Bitcoin treasury. The firm’s holdings declined to 827 BTC by March 17, from 1,527 BTC at year-end, a move that has implications for both liquidity and crypto exposure management. For a company whose value proposition centers on Bitcoin-native financial services, treasury management will remain a focal point for investors who monitor balance sheet discipline alongside growth metrics.
Fold’s stock has experienced significant volatility in 2026. Data from Google Finance shows FLD down 59% year-to-date and 83.8% over the last 12 months. The company reported an after-hours surge of about 13% following earnings, only to retreat and trade around $1.07 in the subsequent session, underscoring the market’s sensitivity to both operational updates and the broader crypto funding environment.
Against this backdrop, Fold’s emphasis on Bitcoin as both an asset and a core enabler of product strategy resonates with a broader market narrative: if consumer demand for crypto rewards can be monetized at scale, a few high-quality, risk-managed programs could begin to shift mainstream consumer behavior toward crypto-augmented spending. Yet the path remains contingent on execution, risk controls, and the pace at which enterprise and consumer adoption outstrip ongoing losses.
Broader implications for crypto rewards and the consumer fintech landscape
Fold’s quarter signals a broader industry testing ground: can Bitcoin-powered rewards move from a niche product to a mainstream consumer feature? Reeves’ assertion that Bitcoin rewards could overtake airline miles points to a potential realignment of reward economics, but it requires durable merchant participation, transparent risk management, and predictable redemption dynamics. The presence of established players in the space suggests that competition will intensify, compelling Fold to demonstrate superior value through cross-sell, retention, and merchant partnerships.
Regulatory and macro factors will also shape the trajectory. As crypto-native financial services mature, issuers will need to navigate evolving oversight around consumer protections, data security, and anti-fraud controls. Fold’s emphasis on building a compliant, scalable backbone could position it favorably if it can align product milestones with rigorous risk management, especially as it expands Fold for Business and enterprise-facing offerings that bring Bitcoin into everyday corporate workflows.
In this evolving landscape, investors will be watching not only the headline revenue gains but also the quality of growth: how quickly Fold can transform user acquisition into durable engagement, how efficiently it can monetize via cross-sell across product lines, and whether treasury management can support a sustainable capital structure during an era of rapid product experimentation in crypto rewards.
For readers, the coming months will reveal how a Bitcoin-native financial services ecosystem can translate ambition into measurable scale. Watch for quarterly updates on customer growth, card activation and spend, enterprise adoption of Fold for Business, and any further refinements to risk and fraud controls that could unlock broader consumer uptake.
What remains uncertain is how quickly the market will normalize around crypto-native rewards as a mainstream consumer feature and how Fold’s strategic pivots translate into profitability. If the company can demonstrate that its product suite yields meaningful cross-sell momentum and improved capital efficiency in 2026, the roadmap may start to look less like a bet on early adopter enthusiasm and more like a blueprint for a durable, Bitcoin-centered fintech platform.
Looking ahead, Fold’s path will hinge on its ability to scale its card program, strengthen risk frameworks, and convert enterprise engagements into recurring revenue while maintaining prudent treasury management. The coming quarters should reveal whether the “Bitcoin-native” advantage can translate into durable, broad-based adoption or remain a defining but contested niche in the crypto rewards landscape.
Key Takeaways
- Bitcoin plummeted beneath the $70,000 threshold following the Federal Reserve’s decision to maintain current interest rates with minimal 2026 rate cut expectations.
- Federal Reserve policymakers elevated their 2026 inflation projection to 2.7%, attributing the increase to escalating petroleum prices linked to Middle Eastern tensions.
- Petroleum prices skyrocketed beyond $110 per barrel following Iranian strikes on regional energy infrastructure.
- Veteran Bitcoin investors liquidated more than 1,650 BTC, totaling approximately $117 million in value.
- Widespread declines affected cryptocurrency, equity, and precious metal markets, with the Nasdaq falling 1.5% and Ethereum declining over 6%.
Bitcoin (BTC) experienced a notable downturn this week, dropping beneath $70,000 following the Federal Reserve’s announcement to maintain current interest rate levels while indicating a slower pace of future rate reductions than market participants anticipated.
The central bank maintained its policy rate within the 3.5%–3.75% corridor. However, the primary source of anxiety for market participants stemmed from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s commentary during the subsequent press briefing.
Powell highlighted escalating petroleum costs as an emerging inflationary threat. “The oil shock for sure shows up,” he stated, acknowledging its influence on the Federal Reserve’s economic projections.
The Federal Reserve elevated its 2026 inflation outlook to 2.7%, surpassing its previous projection of 2.4%. This upward revision alarmed market participants who anticipated continued disinflation.
The central bank’s forward-guidance framework, commonly referenced as the “dot plot,” now indicates a median expectation of a single rate reduction in 2026. Just one month earlier, financial markets had priced in two to three rate decreases.
Prediction markets on Polymarket and CME Fed funds futures contracts responded immediately. The likelihood of only one rate cut this year surged to approximately 80%, compared to a mere 38% probability a month earlier.
Petroleum Market Volatility Intensifies Pressure
Oil prices had already been climbing before the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement. Crude oil prices jumped above $110 per barrel after Iran launched attacks on energy infrastructure throughout the Middle East, in retaliation for strikes on its South Pars natural gas complex.
Elevated petroleum prices drove bond yields higher and bolstered the U.S. dollar, factors that typically create headwinds for risk-sensitive assets such as Bitcoin.
The Bank of Japan similarly maintained its policy rate on Thursday and identified the Middle Eastern conflict as a potential threat to Japan’s inflation trajectory.
Bitcoin had been exchanging hands above $74,000 earlier in the week, momentarily approaching $76,000. By Thursday morning, it had declined to approximately $70,817, representing roughly a 4.2% decrease over the previous 24-hour period.
Ethereum dropped more than 6%, while XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin all registered declines ranging from 3% to 5%. The CoinDesk 20 Index decreased 3%.
Veteran Bitcoin Holders Liquidate Over $117 Million
On-chain analytics monitored by Lookonchain revealed that a minimum of two long-term Bitcoin investors sold during the market decline.
One early adopter who had previously liquidated an 11,000 BTC position sold an additional 650 BTC. A second veteran holder with a 5,000 BTC allocation liquidated their entire 1,000 BTC recent position.
Collectively, these two investors sold over 1,650 BTC valued at more than $117 million.
Cryptocurrency-related equity securities also experienced significant declines. Strategy (MSTR) and Bitmine (BMNR) decreased 5%–6%. Galaxy (GLXY) fell nearly 7%, while Gemini (GEMI) plunged 15%, reaching its lowest valuation since its public market debut.
Gold similarly extended its losses, declining 3.1% to below $4,850 per ounce — representing its weakest pricing in more than a month.
Powell rejected analogies to 1970s stagflation, emphasizing that unemployment remains near normal historical levels and inflation exceeds the target by only a modest margin. Financial markets are now incorporating expectations for a more restrictive monetary policy environment throughout the remainder of 2026.
The post Bitcoin (BTC) Tumbles Under $70K Following Hawkish Federal Reserve Stance appeared first on Blockonomi.
Crypto World
Bitcoin price drops to $70k as hot PPI data and Powell speech cast doubts over rate cuts
Bitcoin price erased all of its gains from this week as it crashed to a critical support level amid hotter-than-expected PPI data and Jerome Powell’s Federal Reserve speech that cast a shadow over any interest rate cuts for this year.
Summary
- Bitcoin fell over 5% to test the $70,000 support after hotter-than-expected U.S. PPI data and Powell’s hawkish remarks weakened rate cut expectations.
- Broader crypto markets declined, with total market cap dropping 3.8% to $2.51 trillion, while $455 million in liquidations amplified downside pressure.
- Technical indicators signal a potential rebound, but a breakdown below $70,000 could expose Bitcoin to further losses toward $65,000 and $60,000.
According to data from crypto.news, Bitcoin (BTC) price fell over 5% from its Wednesday high of $74,700 to an intraday low of around $70,660 on Thursday, March 19. The leading cryptocurrency was hovering at $70,879, down 27% from its year-to-date high of $97,538.
The global crypto market tanked alongside Bitcoin to $2.51 trillion, down 3.8% over the day, as major crypto assets such as Ethereum (ETH), XRP (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Dogecoin (DOGE) mirrored Bitcoin’s move.
Bitcoin price fell as fresh macroeconomic concerns lowered risk appetite among investors. This followed after the U.S. PPI data came in hotter than expected for February, with core PPI rising to 3.9% while headline PPI surged to 3.4%, beating market estimates of 3.0%.
A hotter reading typically signals that wholesale inflation is not cooling as fast as hoped, which could lead to higher consumer prices.
The inflation data hit sentiment harder as investors were already cautious ahead of Powell’s speech scheduled for later that day. Odds of a rate cut fell sharply, with markets pricing in a near certainty of a pause ahead of the FOMC meeting.
The Federal Reserve speech struck another blow to the market as Powell reiterated that the Fed would continue to hold interest rates steady while maintaining a strictly data-dependent approach. He attributed this to rising energy prices resulting from Middle East tensions, which have kept inflation elevated, with headline PCE around 2.8% and core inflation near 3.0%, both remaining above the Fed’s 2% target.
While the market had already expected a pause, the recent back-to-back hawkish signals rattled investors who pulled back in fear of further delays in monetary easing.
Meanwhile, the sharp drop in Bitcoin’s price triggered a liquidation cascade across leveraged markets as long positions were caught off guard. Data from CoinGlass shows that the total crypto market faced $455 million in liquidations, with $382 million liquidated from long positions. Bitcoin alone accounted for over $150 million of the total wipeout.
Bitcoin price fell close to the $70,000 support, a level analysts have identified as a key psychological and technical floor.
Several positive signals from technical indicators seem to point to a potential rebound that could be underway. Notably, the Supertrend indicator has flashed green. When this metric shows a green signal, it means the overall trend has shifted from bearish to bullish, often acting as a buy signal for momentum traders.
At the same time, the MACD, which measures the relationship between two moving averages of a security’s price, also pointed upwards, suggesting that the downward pressure is exhausting and a bullish crossover may be imminent.
For now, the immediate resistance to keep an eye on lies at $72,540, the upper boundary of the Supertrend. A break above it could push Bitcoin price to above $74,500, a level that aligns with the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level.
On the contrary, if Bitcoin falls below the $70,000 support, a revisit to $65,000 and subsequently to $60,000 becomes a distinct possibility as the next major liquidity zones.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
A Coinbase user’s attempt to block an IRS summons for his financial records was blocked by a California court.
Summary
- A California court dismissed a Coinbase user’s attempt to block an IRS summons, citing failure to meet required notification rules within the 90 day deadline.
- The petition challenged the summons on privacy and scope grounds, even though the user had already amended his tax return and paid additional dues.
According to information from PACER, Roger Metz filed a petition in the Northern District of California in May last year to quash an IRS summons that sought his financial records in connection with an audit of his 2022 tax return.
Metz’s case was based on the argument that the summons violated his privacy rights and was overbroad. Metz’s lawyers had also argued that he had identified the error himself and had filed an amended return and paid the additional tax, but that did not prevent the IRS action.
However, US District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín ruled against the petitioner on Wednesday after finding that he failed to notify all required government parties within the 90-day window. The judge has dismissed the case on procedural grounds.
The ruling is based on federal civil procedure rules, where defendants must be formally notified of lawsuits to ensure they receive notice and the opportunity to respond. Court documents suggest Metz had served the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and the IRS, but had failed to notify the US Attorney General in Washington. Government lawyers argued this was sufficient grounds for dismissal.
“In his opposition brief, Metz does not offer any explanation for his failure to serve the United States within 90 days after filing his petition, much less that he had good cause,” Judge Martínez-Olguín said in the ruling.
The case has been dismissed without prejudice, as such Metz has the option to file the petition again at a later date.
As previously reported by crypto.news, last year, another Coinbase user, James Harper, accused the IRS of violating his Fourth Amendment rights following a John Doe Summons used to obtain his data from a crypto exchange. The court, however, sided with the IRS and declined to hear his case.
The outcome reinforces the IRS’s authority to obtain user financial records from centralized crypto exchanges.
It’s not all bad news, though, as there was at least one whale that made a big purchase in the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin’s price has nosedived once again in the past 24 hours, dropping below $71,000 for the first time since the weekend.
While the blame has been placed on the US Federal Reserve, certain OG whales have been disposing of large BTC portions, which can also be attributed to the correction.
OGs Selling
Lookonchain reported that an ancient BTC wallet sold another 1,000 units in the past day, worth around $71 million. The entity received 5,000 BTC (worth around $1.66 million at the time) over 12 years ago, but began selling off its assets in November 2024.
The unknown market participant has disposed of 3,500 BTC at an average price of over $96,000. According to the analytics company’s estimations, the whale profited around $442 million, or a 266x return.
A #BitcoinOG with 5K $BTC($356M) sold another 1,000 $BTC($71.57M) 8 hours ago.
This OG received 5K $BTC(cost $1.66M) at $332 12 years ago, and started selling $BTC on Nov 26, 2024, selling a total of 3,500 $BTC($337M) at ~$96,262.
Total profit: $442M — a 266x return.… pic.twitter.com/oErv0KccjN
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) March 19, 2026
In another post on X, Lookonchain indicated that one more BTC OG wallet, flagged as belonging to Owen Gunden, has sold 650 BTC in the past day as well. This one followed a previous big dump of 11,000 BTC, worth over $1.1 billion at the time.
These substantial market sell-offs coincided with or even preceded bitcoin’s notable price drop in the past 24 hours. The asset traded above $74,000 by yesterday afternoon, when it nosedived to $71,000. Although it bounced at first after the Fed’s decision to maintain the interest rates, it dropped further in the following hours toward $70,000.
You may also like:
One Is Buying
It’s not all doom and gloom on the bitcoin whale scene, though. The analytics resource explained that another such market participant has been buying BTC “every day since Mar 10,” and splashed another $37 million yesterday to acquire over 500 units.
The post noted that the entity has accumulated a total of 2,656 BTC at an average price of just over $72,000 since March 10, worth around $190 million as of press time.
Whale bc1qfs has been buying $BTC every day since Mar 10, and bought another 500.78 $BTC($37.16M) ~30 minutes ago.
Since Mar 10, he has bought a total of 2,656 $BTC($191.43M) at an average price of $72,063.https://t.co/eaqtA9hwE4https://t.co/ZwV8QZ7eh9 pic.twitter.com/gOTfLItqLU
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) March 18, 2026
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
- Bitcoin traded to intraday lows of $70,500 amid key macro and geopolitical-related events.
- Veteran trader Peter Brandt has highlighted a potential bearish retest of support.
- The Iran war and inflation concerns tick potential negative catalysts boxes.
Bitcoin price flipped lower to trade below $70,500 as sellers showed fresh strength, with BTC down as cryptocurrencies reacted to US inflation data, the Federal Reserve’s rate decision, and the escalation in the Iran war.
Veteran trader Peter Brandt has shared his outlook for BTC in terms of technical setup, noting that a constructive “horn” remains in play. However, it could also be an “ugly” flag pattern.
BTC price 24-hour performance
Bitcoin is currently trading at approximately $70,850 as of March 19, 2026.
The benchmark digital asset has declined by nearly 4% over the past 24 hours, sliding from highs near $74,800 amid a confluence of negative catalysts.
Notably, the price movement ties directly to global events.
The ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, now in its third week, has escalated with Iran’s missile strikes in the Gulf after Israel eliminated key Iranian figure Ali Larijani.
This has spiked oil prices, fueling inflation fears and contributing to Bitcoin’s risk-off sentiment, as seen in prior dips below $64,000 after initial attacks.
Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve’s March meeting held interest rates steady, citing inflation and uncertainty over the direction of the war in Iran and its impact on global energy markets.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized a cautious stance, delaying cuts amid rising inflation risks, which prompted a retreat across risk assets.
Earlier in the day, US inflation data showed the producer price index (PPI) coming in hotter than expected. BTC fell from above $74,000 as traders turned their attention to the further impact of the war.
BTC price forecast: Brandt’s shares potential “ugly” outlook
Peter Brandt, known for his classical charting expertise, highlighted Bitcoin’s potential price setup via a post on the social media platform X.
“The horn is constructive. The flag is ugly. Take your pick,” he cautioned as downside pressure resurfaced.
Comment on Bitcoin
I am well aware that you cryptocultists cannot stand the idea of traders being flexible and not totally dogmatic like you, but Bitcoin is set up for me in two ways.
The horn is constructive
The flag is ugly
Take your pick
Opinions are a dime a dozen $BTC pic.twitter.com/ORFbiI5yo3— Peter Brandt (@PeterLBrandt) March 18, 2026
A look at the chart suggests a “horn” pattern that represents a volatile, widening formation.
In terms of technical setup, this signals a potential breakout momentum if Bitcoin pushes through upper resistance.
Brandt’s chart shows consolidation above macro support, with price poised near the range top. If bulls manage to reclaim $74,000, a move to the $80,000 could materialize.
However, the flag pattern suggests action could turn bearish amid the macro and geopolitical factors.
Bitcoin price on the daily chart indicates rejection at the recent top could be another bearish wedge pattern, ex-fund manager Aksel Kibar notes.
Potentially, bears could target a retest of $68,000. Any further decline may see BTC revisit the $65,000-$60,000 range.
Block Inc., the firm behind payment platforms Square, Cash App and Afterpay, has quietly brought back a small portion of workers it laid off in late February with its transition to rely more on artificial intelligence.
Multiple Block employees posted on LinkedIn this month that they were offered a place to return to the company after initially being part of the 4,000 employees who were fired.
Design engineer Andrew Harvard said on March 3 that he rejoined after being told that his layoff was due to a clerical error. “They offered me the opportunity to return, and I’ve accepted,” he added.
On March 8, technical lead Richard Hesse said he was the only member of his team who wasn’t impacted by the staff cut and that he spent two days convincing management that he needed more staff to continue working on “infrastructure highly critical to our customers.”
“I’m happy to share that they listened to my requests and have decided to re-hire some of those laid off,” he said. “While my teams were not returned to full levels, I’ll have enough to continue on.”
Chane Rennie, creative strategy lead, said on March 12 that he was asked to rejoin the company about a week after being laid off, but did not explain why.
Cointelegraph contacted Block on what staff were rehired, but did not receive an immediate response.
Block CEO Jack Dorsey acknowledged at the time of the layoffs that Block may have made some missteps in its staff cut decisions and had built in flexibility to correct course.
Dorsey said recent advances in AI tools forced Block to restructure its 6,000-strong workforce, adding that AI now “fundamentally changes what it means to build and run a company.”
The Guardian reported that several fired Block employees pushed back against Dorsey’s assertions that AI tools can effectively replace workers at scale.
Related: Nvidia’s Huang: AI will boost jobs as it needs trillions in infrastructure
Some of those laid off said they believed the staff cuts were Dorsey’s way of regaining investor confidence, with Block shares down double digits so far this year.
Block, which offers a range of Bitcoin (BTC) and crypto products with Square and Cash App, currently has 27 job listings on its website.
The only two position types currently listed are manager or account executive, and none of the roles specifically mention the use of AI in the job descriptions.
Meanwhile, the Algorand Foundation, the team behind the Algorand layer-1 blockchain, said it had made the “difficult decision” to reduce its headcount by 25% on Wednesday, blaming the crypto slump and macroeconomic uncertainty.
On Monday, blockchain analytics platform Messari also announced staff cuts as part of its transition to become an AI-first company.
Magazine: Big Questions: Can Bitcoin save you from the dreaded Cantillon Effect?
Crypto traders are parsing the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold rates and its implications for a possible market rally. With policy left unchanged, attention shifted to whether the pause can catalyze a relief bounce for Bitcoin and the broader crypto market, or whether the move simply defers the next leg in a cautious macro backdrop.
Santiment, a sentiment-tracking platform, reported a rapid shift in social mood in the wake of the central bank’s decision. Its metrics show the crypto social discussion score jumping from about 9 to 71 in the hours after the Fed’s expected outcome, as traders linked the hold to a potential upside for crypto assets. The firm noted that market participants appeared to focus less on immediate cuts and more on the prospect of later policy pivots that could support risk assets. Santiment said on X.
Bitcoin’s price action reflected a moment of cross-currents. At the time of writing, BTC traded around $70,790, having slipped about 4.35% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap. Over the prior 30 days, the benchmark crypto had been modestly higher, up roughly 3.56%. The Fed pause has reinforced a narrative among traders that a relief rally could unfold even without an immediate move on rates, though many remain cautious about how durable any bounce will be in the face of broader macro headwinds.
Key takeaways
- Santiment’s social-sentiment metrics surged after the Fed pause, signaling heightened bullish chatter and a belief in a potential crypto rally ahead of any rate cuts.
- Bitcoin stood near $70,800, with a 24-hour drop of about 4.4% but a 30-day gain around 3.6%, illustrating a choppy near-term path despite the rate hold.
- Historically, Fed policy has been a strong catalyst for crypto optimism, with some observers looking to possible rate cuts in 2025 as a signal for a new Bitcoin bull year.
- Nevertheless, analysts warned that the relief could prove fleeting if macro catalysts do not materialize, and several voices raised concerns about a potential bull trap in the near term.
Fed pause reshapes trader expectations
By keeping the federal funds target rate steady in the 3.5%–3.75% range, the Fed reinforced a wait-and-see posture as markets weigh the path ahead. In crypto circles, the decision has often been treated as a macro backdrop that can lift risk assets if investors anticipate eventual rate relief. Several analysts noted that the absence of a rate cut yet did not erase the possibility of a future pivot; instead, the hold tended to shift the conversation toward timing rather than direction.
Industry observers have long linked monetary policy signals to crypto momentum. The prospect of rate reductions in 2025 remains a potential bullish catalyst for Bitcoin, even as near-term dynamics stay uncertain. The tension between expecting a policy pivot and defending a risk-off stance has created a bifurcated narrative: some participants anticipate a durable rally if the Fed begins cutting ahead of other central banks, while others caution that any move higher could stall without more concrete macro or liquidity support.
Signals vs. price action: market mood in flux
The latest price action sits at a crossroads. Bitcoin’s 24-hour decline underscores the fragility of short-term momentum, even as longer-term momentum metrics show intermittent strength. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index moved back into Extreme Fear territory on Wednesday after a brief return to Fear the day before, highlighting that overall sentiment remains jittery even as social chatter turns more optimistic. This dichotomy—elevated social bullishness alongside continued price weakness—illustrates the complexity of interpreting a Fed-driven impulse in a market that is simultaneously assessing liquidity, macro data, and broader risk appetite.
Analysts remain divided on the durability of any rally. On one hand, on-chain and technical commentary has pointed to a potential multi-month uplift should equities stabilize and macro conditions improve. On the other hand, a number of voices warn that the current up-move could be a “bull trap”—a short-lived ascent that reverses as soon as momentum fades or as real money exits risk assets. Bitcoin brokered a dramatic move in recent sessions, and traders will be watching both macro data releases and central-bank commentary for confirmation of a lasting shift.
Within the broader market context, there are competing signals. The S&P 500 has trended lower, with roughly a 3.7% decline over the past 30 days, according to Google Finance data cited in market briefs. This backdrop suggests investors remain cautious about chasing a near-term crypto rally without supporting upside from risk assets or a clear path to lower policy rates. Still, some voices remain constructive about a more pronounced rally in the medium term, arguing that a capitulation-like washout could open the door to renewed appetite for risk assets as liquidity conditions improve.
Commentary from notable voices in the space reflects this split. On-chain analyst Willy Woo warned that the market could be forming a bull trap, where early bullishness misreads the strength of the uptrend. Meanwhile, traders like Matthew Hyland suggested that a meaningful rally could emerge once broader markets find a bottom and begin to rebound. Hyland pointed to the current macro setup as a prerequisite for a broad crypto upside, aligning with the view that BTC tends to perform when equities recover from downturns.
Within social channels, sentiment remains a volatile gauge. A crypto trader known as Moustache echoed the hopeful sentiment, stating on X that a “massive rally” could unfold in the coming months. Whether that call translates into tangible price action will depend on the confluence of rate expectations, inflation data, and the speed at which liquidity returns to risk markets.
Broader context and what comes next
The Fed’s decision to pause reinforces a broader narrative about policy paths and crypto’s sensitivity to macro signals. If investors interpret the hold as a precursor to rate cuts, Bitcoin and other tokens could benefit from a renewed bid as risk appetite improves and liquidity conditions ease. Conversely, if the hold is read as evidence that the macro environment remains constrained, any rally could be shallow or short-lived, fading as momentum cools and traders reprice risk.
Going forward, market watchers will closely track several signals: upcoming inflation data, the Fed’s own communication on the trajectory of rates, and the pace at which other central banks respond to evolving macro conditions. The next few weeks could reveal whether the relief rally discussed by traders gains traction, or if the narrative shifts back toward caution and consolidation as macro cues darken risk sentiment.
In the meantime, sentiment indicators remain the most volatile barometer. The surge in social sentiment following the Fed decision suggests players are ready to test a higher-risk stance, but price action and macro momentum will ultimately determine whether the rally endures or merely proves transient.
Readers should keep a close watch on the development of rate expectations and the evolution of risk appetite in equities, as these will likely set the pace for crypto’s trajectory in the near term. The next major inflection point will be how quickly market participants price in possible rate cuts and how convincingly the macro data supports a shift from caution to confidence.
What to watch next: a clearer read on whether the Fed’s hold becomes a stepping stone to cuts, and whether Bitcoin can convert social buzz into sustained buying interest rather than a fleeting bounce. The landscape remains uncertain, but the emphasis on policy signals and macro resilience will shape the path forward for crypto markets in the days ahead.
Crypto World
Flow Traders debuts 24/7 OTC liquidity service for tokenized stocks, gold and money market funds
Flow Traders, one of the world’s top market makers in exchange-traded products, said Tuesday it is bringing its decades of TradFi expertise to tokenized assets with the launch of 24/7 over-the-counter (OTC) liquidity.
The move arms institutional clients with a new tool, allowing them to manage risk and keep capital flowing via blockchain versions of popular traditional assets when traditional exchanges are dark on weekends and after hours.
The new offering, delivered through Flow Traders’ Digital Asset OTC platform, provides proprietary, two-way pricing for tokenized money-market funds, equities and commodities, including Franklin Templeton’s BENJI and tether gold (XAUT), according to the press release shared with CoinDesk.
It means that the OTC platform will now constantly quote prices, ready to buy or sell the tokenized assets outside regular traditional market hours. The service is available immediately to permissioned counterparties, with institutions able to access liquidity via direct FIX connectivity and other standard trading interfaces.
“At Flow Traders, we have operated at the intersection of traditional and digital markets for many years, and we are pleased to launch 24/7 OTC liquidity for regulated tokenized equities and commodities for permissioned counterparties through our digital asset OTC platform,” Thomas Spitz, CEO of Flow Traders, said.
The OTC liquidity aims to address a nagging problem for institutions: The inability to adjust positions during weekends or overnight sessions. This has become brutally clear in recent weeks, as Iran-Israel tensions flared over the weekends, leaving traditional trading desks empty while crypto markets churned.
The demand mainly comes from institutions that want the ability to manage exposure outside traditional market hours,” Marc Jansen, co-chief trading officer at Flow Traders, told CoinDesk.
He explained that the OTC liquidity service will help large traders manage their risk better beyond market hours through tokenized equities and commodities, which are already gaining popularity on venues such as Binance, OKX, and Hyperliquid.
“All weekend long, with these markets getting pretty close to the traditional market open price as a result of that weekend price discovery. OTC liquidity helps support that activity, particularly for larger trades where public venue liquidity is still developing,” he said.
According to the firm, tokenization is growing fast and the tokenized gold and silver market alone is nearing $6 billion in value, up roughly fourfold since the end of 2024.
“Liquidity providers such as Flow Traders play a critical role in ensuring that tokenized assets like XAUT can trade efficiently across venues and reach a broader set of market participants,“ said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether.
The asset tokenization market is reportedly worth $3 trillion as of this year and is growing at a CAGR of 44.25% and could reach over $18 trillion by 2031, according to some estimates.
This booming market, however, demands more than just enthusiasm; it requires battle-tested expertise, and this is where Flow Traders appears to have an edge, thanks to their 20 years of experience in market-making and liquidity provisioning for global exchange-traded products.
They operate across asset classes, including ETPs, digital assets, fixed income, FX, and commodities, and ranked among the top three global market makers by ETP trading volume in 2025.
“For us, with extensive experience in the ETF markets, it’s a more familiar problem. We’ve always priced and managed risk in products when parts of the primary market are closed. That already requires using models rather than relying purely on underlying market prices and we’ve built those pricing models over time in our ETF business, and they can be extended to tokenized markets,” Jansen said.
“Our role is to provide liquidity wherever the market develops,” he added.
The new OTC service will expand coverage and evolve, with asset availability guided by institutional counterparty demand, ongoing regulatory developments, and the integration of supported trading venues.
Product offerings will therefore vary by jurisdiction and depend on client eligibility, with different members of the Flow Traders group providing access based on their respective regulatory statuses.
Bhutan has transferred roughly $72.3 million in Bitcoin over the past 24 hours, continuing a steady pattern of trimming its sovereign holdings.
Summary
- Bhutan transferred roughly $72.3 million in Bitcoin over 24 hours, with Druk Holding and Investments moving more than 973 BTC across multiple transactions.
- Holdings have declined to over 4,400 BTC from a peak of 13,295 BTC in October 2024, as the country continues periodic sales from its sovereign reserve.
According to Arkham Intelligence data, Druk Holding and Investments, which manages the country’s crypto mining and treasury operations, has moved more than 973 BTC. The latest transfers come as Bhutan has continued to offload portions of its Bitcoin reserves in measured intervals.
DHI’s last major transfer was flagged on March 10, when it moved more than 175 BTC worth around $11.8 million.
Arkham noted that the country periodically sells Bitcoin in clips of $5 million to $10 million, but current transfers appear larger in scale compared to the activity seen around September 2025.
After the current transfers, Bhutan now holds more than 4,400 BTC, valued at over $322 million based on current market prices.
At its peak, Bhutan held 13,295 BTC in October 2024 and has since gradually reduced its holdings through a series of on-chain transfers.
Bhutan’s Bitcoin play
Bhutan has outlined a Bitcoin Development Pledge aimed at supporting the Kingdom of Bhutan’s long-term economic development through its mining operations and strategic reserves. Meanwhile, it has also committed to deploying part of its Bitcoin holdings toward the development of the Gelephu Mindfulness City.
Further, Arkham added that Bhutan-linked wallets have not recorded inflows greater than $100 million over the past year. Many in the crypto community are now speculating that the country may have scaled back or ceased its mining operations.
However, there’s been no confirmation of any halt in mining activity.
Early reports suggest the country has been using renewable energy sources, particularly hydroelectric power, to sustain its Bitcoin mining operations.
The latest transfers come as the Bitcoin price has dropped over 4.5% in the last 24 hours, falling below the $71,000 mark as investors reacted to hotter-than-expected inflation concerns in the US.
Large-scale selling from sovereign entities like Bhutan could further exacerbate downward pressure on the asset, especially as the market remains sensitive to signs of reduced institutional conviction and potential sell-side liquidity from major holders.
Retail gold purchases have tripled over the last six months, while Wall Street selling has accelerated over the past four months, according to data from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
“Retail-driven exuberance,” increasingly channeled through exchange-traded funds (ETFs), “set the stage for outsize moves,” continuing the precious metal rally from 2025, reported the BIS in a quarterly review released on Monday.
Since Q2 2025, retail investors have bought around $70 billion in gold ETFs, and these purchases have more than tripled over the last six months, observed the Kobeissi Letter, citing BIS data on Thursday.
“Retail investors are all-in on precious metals,” it noted.
Gold has surged 60% over the past year, and some crypto proponents have speculated it has come at the expense of Bitcoin, which some argue competes with gold as a store-of-value asset.
BIS data shows cumulative retail inflows effectively tripled from around $20 billion to roughly $60 billion over the six months from late Q3 2025 to the end of Q1 2026.
However, institutional selling started around mid-November and accelerated after the precious metals market began to correct in January, according to the data.
Leveraged liquidations amplified commodity drops
Bitcoin (BTC) is not the only asset susceptible to high volatility from overleveraged positions.
Prices of precious metals such as gold and silver reversed abruptly in late January and February 2026, while the “daily rebalancing of leveraged ETFs and margin‑triggered liquidations amplified the swings,” particularly in silver, BIS reported.
Smaller speculative derivatives traders, or “non-reportables,” had built up heavily leveraged long positions in silver heading into the crash, it added.
Gold prices are currently down 9% from their late January all-time high, while silver has slumped much harder, dropping 34% over the same period, according to GoldPrice.
Related: Bitcoin vs gold: ETF flows point to early capital rotation signs
The abrupt price drop and the spike in precious metal volatility “point to the role of retail flows, and amplification of price moves due to forced sales by leveraged ETFs, trend-following investors such as commodity trading advisers, and margin dynamics,” BIS stated.
Dollar strengthens as commodities and crypto weakens
The bank concluded that gold and silver declines coincided with changing expectations around US monetary policy and the performance of the US dollar, which has gained 4.7% since late January, according to the DXY dollar index.
“The precious metals crash seemingly coincided with shifts in expectations about the US dollar and the path of monetary policy, but it was hard to square with broader changes in fundamentals.”
Meanwhile, crypto markets have fallen around 43% from their October total capitalization peak as retail sentiment and interest in digital assets have dried up and remain at bear market levels.
Magazine: Metaplanet’s Japan Bitcoin bet, Bithumb ordered suspension: Asia Express
Bitcoin (BTC) Tumbles Under $70K Following Hawkish Federal Reserve Stance
Tory Frontbencher Called Racist Prick Over Muslim Prayer Tweet
Ranvet Stakes 2026 timing ideal for Sir Delius challenge
-
Crypto World5 days agoHYPE Token Enters Net Deflation as HyperCore Buybacks Outpace Staking Rewards
-
Tech3 days agoYour Legally Registered ‘Motorcycle’ Might Not Count Under Proposed US Law
-
Fashion6 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Addict Lip Glow
-
Tech2 days agoAre Split Spacebars the Next Big Gaming Keyboard Trend?
-
Sports5 days ago
Why Duke and Michigan Are Dead Even Entering Selection Sunday
-
Business4 days agoSearch for Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Enters Seventh Week with No Arrests
-
Business5 days agoUS Airports Launch Donation Drives for Unpaid TSA Workers as Partial Government Shutdown Enters Fifth Week
-
Crypto World5 days ago
Coinbase and Bybit in Investment Talks: Could Bybit Finally Enter the US Crypto Market?
-
Business3 days agoAustralian shares drop as Iran war enters third week
-
Business5 days agoCountry star Brantley Gilbert enters growing non-alcoholic beer market
-
Crypto World3 days agoCrypto Lender BlockFills Enters Chapter 11 with Up to $500M in Liabilities
-
Sports6 days agoCollege Basketball Best Bets: Conference Tournament Semifinal Picks
-
Politics22 hours agoThe House | The new register to protect children from their abusers shows Parliament at its best
-
Business6 days agoTrump demands Powell cut rates as Iran conflict raises energy prices
-
Fashion3 days ago25 Celebrities with Curly Hair That Are Naturally Beautiful
-
News Videos15 hours agoRBA board divided on rate cut, unusually buoyant share market | Finance Report | ABC NEWS
-
Crypto World6 days agoSenate Votes to Include CBDC Ban in Bipartisan Housing Bill
-
NewsBeat6 days agoDeane Road crash near Bolton colleges and university
-
News Videos6 days agoTom Lee: The 100x Opportunity EVEN Bigger Than Bitcoin (New Ethereum Prediction 2026)
-
Crypto World15 hours agoCanada’s FINTRAC revokes registrations of 23 crypto MSBs in AML crackdown
You must be logged in to post a comment Login