CRV price trades near $0.24 as LlamaLend exploit concerns weigh on short-term sentiment.

Curve DAO (CRV) token is trading at $0.24 at press time, down 3.5% over the past 24 hours. The pullback comes during a recovery attempt, with price still near the upper half of its seven-day range between $0.21 and $0.26.

CRV is up about 5% on the week but remains down 20% over the past month.

Derivatives activity has softened. Volume is down 12% to $127 million, while open interest has slipped 1.73% to $67.8 million, according to CoinGlass data.

As uncertainty persists, the drop in open interest shows that some leveraged positions are being closed rather than opened, indicating caution among traders.

LlamaLend pool exploit adds pressure

Curve Finance’s March 2 statement confirming that it is looking into an attack on the sDOLA LlamaLend markets has dampened sentiment. The issue stemmed from how the pool’s price oracle was configured, which introduced the risk of manipulation.

Blockchain security firm BlockSec had clarified that the vulnerability affected only the sDOLA–crvUSD LlamaLend pool and not Inverse Finance itself. The exploit resulted in an estimated $240,000 profit for the attacker.

Borrowers who used sDOLA as collateral were liquidated, while lenders were unaffected. sDOLA holders even saw gains due to the price distortion.

The attack relied on a flash loan. Funds were borrowed, sDOLA was redeemed and re-staked as a donation, and the pool’s pricing mechanism was temporarily distorted.

That shift pushed several positions below liquidation thresholds, allowing the attacker to liquidate them at a profit.

Curve emphasized that the core protocol contracts were not compromised. Even so, the incident has revived concerns about oracle design and integration risks within DeFi lending markets.

CRV price technical analysis

CRV continues to trade in a bearish structure. The daily chart shows a sequence of lower highs and lower lows. Price sits below the descending 50-day moving average, reinforcing the short- to mid-term downward bias.

Attempts to reclaim the 0.25–0.26 zone have failed so far, leaving overhead supply in place. Bollinger Bands expanded to the downside after a period of contraction, confirming that the latest volatility break favored sellers.

Price is now hugging the lower band, a sign that sell pressure has not fully eased. A close back above the mid-band would be the first sign of stabilization, but that has yet to occur.

The momentum is still skewed toward bears because the relative strength index is less than 50. It recently recovered from around the 30 level, but there hasn’t been any major bullish divergence. 

Immediate support sits near 0.22, which marks the lower boundary of the current range and a liquidity cluster. A daily close below that level could open the path toward the psychological 0.20 mark.

On the upside, 0.25 acts as near-term resistance. A sustained move above 0.30 would be required to break the pattern of lower highs and shift the broader structure.

XRP price continued its downtrend in February despite notable catalysts, including higher ETF inflows than Ethereum and Bitcoin, the launch of the permissioned DEX feature, and substantial inflows of real-world assets.

Ripple (XRP) token dropped to a low of $1.1137 in February, its lowest level since November 2024, and 70% below its all-time high.

Some key XRP metrics did well in February, even as the crypto market crash gained steam. For example, spot XRP ETFs added close to $60 million in inflows, while Bitcoin and Ethereum funds shed over $206 million and $369 million, respectively.

The XRP Ledger network also experienced strong inflows, with the amount of money in its real-world assets network rising by 10% to $2 billion. That amount is much higher than Solana’s $1.8 billion.

Brad Garlinghouse, Ripple’s CEO, predicted that over $10 trillion in assets would move to the network. 

He cited the ongoing surge in institutional-scale capital and a structural shift in global finance, where most assets are moving on-chain. For example, data compiled by DeFi Llama shows that the total RWA on-chain capital market capitalization has soared to over $20.8 billion.

Some of the top companies that are launching tokenized assets are blue-chip names like BlackRock, WisdomTree, Franklin Templeton, and Fidelity. 

Garlinghouse’s statement came two weeks after the developers launched Permissioned DEX, a tool allowing institutions to park the in the decentralized finance industry in a secure and regulated manner. 

Also, Ripple Labs recently received a banking charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. As such, it is positioning itself as an all-rounded platform offering various services to companies in the financial services industry.

XRP price technical analysis 

Technical analysis suggests that the XRP price remains in a technical bear market after plunging by double digits in the past few months. 

Ripple is about to form a mini death cross pattern, which happens when the 50-week and 100-week Exponential Moving Averages cross each other. This is a common bearish continuation sign in technical analysis.

The Relative Strength Index has dropped and is hovering slightly above the oversold level of 30. The Percentage Price Oscillator has also continued falling and is at its lowest level in years. It also formed a big double-top pattern at $3.38 and a neckline at $1.6143.

Therefore, despite its strong fundamentals, there is a likelihood that it will continue falling in the near term. The initial target will be at $1.1137, its lowest level in February. A move below that level will point to more downside, potentially to $1.

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Development included a provision temporarily barring the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency in its bipartisan bill to boost housing in the U.S.

The “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act,” introduced Monday by Committee Chairman Tim Scott and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, respectively the top Republican and Democrat on the committee, aims to make it easier to build houses in the U.S.

“Not only is this bill about cutting regulatory red tape, lowering costs, and expanding housing supply while generating no new spending, but it’s about making sure people like the single mom who raised me in North Charleston, South Carolina, have even greater access to economic opportunity and the American dream of homeownership,” Scott said in a statement.

“The package includes the vast majority of the Senate’s unanimously supported ROAD to Housing Act, incorporates bipartisan housing ideas from the House, and takes a good first step to rein in corporate landlords that are squeezing families out of homeownership,” Warren said in her own statement.

Neither lawmaker mentioned the CBDC ban, which occupies just two pages in the 303-page bill. Lawmakers have included the ban in previous bills, and the House of Representatives passed it as a standalone bill last year, but it has so far not made it all the way through Congress.

“Except as provided in subsection (c), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or a Federal reserve bank may not issue or create a central bank digital currency or any digital asset that is substantially similar to a central bank digital currency directly or indirectly through a financial institution or other intermediary,” the section said.

It included a sunset provision for Dec. 31, 2030 and carved out an exception for permissionless, private “dollar-denominated” currencies that “fully preserve the privacy protections” of physical currency.

The White House published a “Statement of Administration Policy” supporting the bill, explicitly supporting the CBDC provision in the two-paragraph statement.

“The Administration highlights the inclusion of presidential priorities … to halt the development of a Central Bank Digital Currency that could be [sic] pose significant threats to personal privacy and liberty,” the statement said.

TLDR

• Riot stock increased on Monday as the crypto market strengthened and traders prepared for earnings.
• The share price reached $16.50 after recovering from an intraday low of $15.45.
• Analysts expected Riot’s quarterly revenue to rise by 10 percent to $158 million.
• The company previously reported $180 million in third-quarter revenue driven by mining operations.
• Riot expanded into data colocation as Bitcoin remained in a technical bear trend.

Riot stock moved higher on Monday as the crypto market gained strength, and the move came as traders prepared for new earnings results. The action pointed to growing interest in the company.

Riot Stock Advances With Market Optimism Growing

Riot Platforms traded higher during Monday’s session, and the move lifted the share price to $16.50. The stock also bounced from an intraday low of $15.45, and it stayed 40% above its February floor.

The company kept a market capitalization near $6.14 billion, and the rally aligned with a wider jump in Bitcoin and altcoins. The crypto market showed steady demand on Monday, and traders watched the stock closely for new signals.

Riot Platforms, Inc., RIOT

Wall Street projected stronger results for the firm, and analysts expected quarterly revenue to rise by 10% to $158 million. Forecasts also placed annual revenue at $658 million, and the increase suggested steady demand for mining output.

The company posted $180 million in revenue in the previous quarter, and it reported $84 million during the same period in 2024. Mining revenue climbed from $67 million to $160 million, and engineering revenue rose from $12 million to $19 million.

Riot Accelerates Data Shift Under Rising Pressure

The firm faced pressure as Bitcoin held a technical bear trend after a drop of over 40% from its peak. The crypto pullback influenced miners broadly, and the company worked to navigate a shifting environment.

The group expanded into data colocation to support new growth, and the sector saw rising investment from enterprise clients. This move created another income stream, and it aligned with the broader shift toward high-density compute facilities.

The company secured 200 acres in Texas for future sites, and the expansion supported long-term mining plans. The firm also signed a data center leasing agreement with AMD for 25 MW of IT capacity, and the partnership created new revenue options.

Pressure also increased from Starboard Value, and the group pushed for a faster transition toward data center operations. It urged the company to roll out more sites, and the approach targeted a stronger appeal to hyperscale clients.

Peer firms such as IREN secured deals worth over $10 billion, and these agreements reflected growing demand for high-capacity compute services. Likewise, CoreWeave reported a backlog above $50 billion, and the scale showed how the sector continued to expand.

The company’s recent activity positioned it for future contracts, and traders monitored the pace of new developments. Riot stock continued to react to crypto prices, and Monday’s move reflected the latest market shift.

Bitcoin price holds near $68,000 as short-term holders show restraint despite US-Iran war tensions.

Bitcoin (BTC) trades at $68,308 at press time, up 1.3% over the past 24 hours. The asset is positioned near the top of its seven-day range between $62,905 and $69,340, recovering from a sharp dip earlier in the week.

The larger trend, however, is still corrective. After reaching an all-time high of $126,080 in October 2025, Bitcoin has dropped about 45% from that peak. So far in 2026, it is down roughly 20%, reflecting continued pressure following last year’s rally.

Derivatives activity has increased over the past day. CoinGlass data shows trading volume rising 8.7% to $72.3 billion, while open interest has edged up 1.6% to $44.9 billion. When open interest climbs alongside price, it often suggests that new positions are being opened rather than closed.

Short-term holders are not rushing to sell

A March 1 analysis from a CryptoQuant contributor examined Bitcoin’s Short-Term Holder P&L to Exchanges metric. This indicator tracks whether recent buyers are sending coins to exchanges at a profit or a loss. Short-term holders tend to react quickly to fear-driven events and can amplify volatility.

According to the report, on Feb. 5–6, during a sharp market drop, roughly 89,000 BTC were sent to exchanges at a loss within 24 hours. That episode marked a clear capitulation from newer market participants. Since then, those loss-driven inflows have steadily declined.

The recent geopolitical escalation involving U.S. and Iran provided another stress test. Bitcoin briefly dipped toward the $63,000–$64,000 area, yet exchange inflows from short-term holders did not spike.

There was no surge in panic selling or aggressive profit-taking from this typically reactive group.

That shift is notable. Markets often stabilize once forced sellers have exited. The current data suggests much of the recent liquidation pressure may already have played out.

Selling from recent buyers has slowed, and weak hands seem to be less active. Whether or not this calm continues will be crucial going forward. 

Seller fatigue would be evident if exchange inflows from short-term holders continued to be low. A sharp increase in realized losses would indicate a resurgence of stress.

Bitcoin price technical analysis

Since January, Bitcoin has continued to move within a downward structure marked by lower highs and lower lows. The recent rebound comes after a sharp decline, and the price is currently consolidating rather than showing a strong trend in either direction. 

Bollinger Bands show that before rising, Bitcoin touched the lower band around $64,400. At $67,300, it currently trades near the middle band. The upper band, near $70,100, marks immediate resistance.

A rejection in the $70,000–$71,000 zone would keep pressure on the upside, while a strong daily close above that area could shift short-term momentum.

The relative strength index has climbed from oversold levels in the low 20s to around 47. Momentum is improving, though it has not crossed above 50, a level often associated with stronger buyer control.

The current structure resembles a sharp impulse lower followed by sideways compression, which can develop into a bear flag. If that pattern resolves downward, a return to the low $60,000s becomes plausible.

Support sits between $64,000 and $65,000. If that area fails, the next psychological level near $60,000 could come into focus.

Hyperliquid price has rallied into a major resistance cluster near $32 but shows signs of exhaustion as volume declines. Failure to reclaim this zone increases the probability of a corrective move toward lower support.

Hyperliquid’s (HYPE) recent recovery attempt has brought price back into a critical technical region that previously acted as support but has now flipped into resistance. While the rally initially suggested momentum recovery, weakening volume and structural rejection signals indicate that the move may lack sustainability.

The market now sits at a decisive level where continuation requires a structural shift, otherwise downside rotation remains the higher-probability outcome.

Hyperliquid price key technical points

• Key Resistance: $32–$35 zone aligns with 0.618 Fibonacci and VWAP resistance.
• Market Structure: Former support has flipped into high timeframe resistance.
• Downside Risk: Exposed value area low increases probability of move toward $21.

Hyperliquid has returned to a major technical inflection point around $32, an area that previously served as support before breaking down. In market structure analysis, former support zones frequently transform into resistance once lost, and the current price reaction confirms this behavior. The rejection occurring at this level suggests that sellers continue to defend higher prices aggressively.

The resistance zone extends between $32 and $35, where multiple technical indicators converge. The 0.618 Fibonacci retracement, combined with an overhead VWAP resistance, creates a strong confluence region. Such clusters often represent decision zones where markets either transition into trend reversals or resume the prevailing direction. For Hyperliquid, price has yet to demonstrate sufficient strength to invalidate the bearish structure.

A notable concern accompanying the rally is the decline in trading volume. Healthy bullish continuation typically requires expanding participation as price approaches resistance. Instead, diminishing volume indicates weakening demand, suggesting that the rally may be corrective rather than impulsive.

This type of behavior frequently precedes rejection scenarios where markets rotate back toward lower liquidity zones, even as Hyperliquid launches a Washington-based advocacy group to push for clearer congressional rules around decentralized finance.

From a volume profile perspective, price tends to rotate between the Value Area High (VAH), Point of Control (POC), and Value Area Low (VAL). In the current structure, the value area low remains technically untested following the recent move higher. When one side of the range remains exposed, markets often seek balance by revisiting that region. This dynamic increases the probability that Hyperliquid reverses near resistance and rotates back toward lower support.

The next major support level sits near $21, representing the value area low and a key demand zone. A move toward this region would complete a full rotational cycle within the broader range structure. While such a decline may appear bearish in the short term, it would remain consistent with range dynamics rather than signaling immediate long-term collapse.

Market structure analysis reinforces the corrective outlook. Hyperliquid continues to trade below high timeframe resistance without establishing higher highs. Until price can reclaim the $32–$35 zone on a closing basis, bullish continuation remains unlikely.

Instead, the prevailing structure favors rejection and gradual downside rotation, even as traders increasingly view assets like BCH, XMR, HYPE, and BlockDAG as leading crypto opportunities driven by utility and momentum.

Additionally, the failure to break resistance after multiple attempts can weaken buyer confidence. Traders often interpret repeated rejections as confirmation of supply dominance, encouraging defensive positioning and short-term selling pressure. Without a decisive reclaim supported by strong volume expansion, upside attempts are likely to fade.

What to expect in the coming price action

Hyperliquid’s short-term outlook remains vulnerable while price trades below the $32–$35 resistance cluster. Continued weakness and declining volume increase the probability of a reversal toward $21 support. Only a confirmed breakout above resistance would invalidate the bearish scenario and shift momentum back toward bullish continuation.

TLDR

• xAI plans to repay $3 billion in high-yield bonds earlier than expected to reduce debt before major corporate steps.
• The company will redeem the bonds at $117 on the, which reflects recent price movement.
• Early repayment may trigger penalty costs because the bonds were expected to remain outstanding for two years.
• Musk merged xAI and X under one structure while working to simplify debt across his companies.
• Lenders were informed that both X and xAI debt will be repaid, although funding sources were not disclosed.

xAI will retire $3 billion of bonds early as the company reshapes its debt, and SpaceX prepares for a public listing, and lenders track rapid changes across Musk’s merged businesses.

Early Bond Repayment by xAI

xAI will repay the bonds at 117 cents as pricing data shows the debt rising toward that level. The move follows June’s bond sale that featured a coupon of 12.5 percent.

The redemption comes even though the structure suggested a longer timeline before repayment. The step underlines efforts to simplify obligations before further corporate actions.

Bank sources say early repayment usually triggers charges tied to make-whole terms, and xAI may incur such costs. They also state, “The process continues without disclosure of funding sources.”

Trace data shows the bonds climbed about three points on Monday to near 117 cents. The shift reflects rising expectations of an early call.

Debt Strategy and Business Consolidation

Musk merged xAI with SpaceX under a single holding entity last year. The group now carries about $18 billion of combined obligations.

Lenders say repayment plans also cover debt tied to X, formerly Twitter. They add that Morgan Stanley told them repayment will proceed as arranged.

X borrowed about $12.5 billion during Musk’s takeover, while xAI raised $5 billion through loans and bonds. Both moved under xAI Holdings after restructuring.

xAI revised its debt documents to restrict asset transfers and set a ceiling for future secured borrowing. Those provisions protect collateral for lenders.

SpaceX Prepares for IPO Filing

SpaceX may file confidentially for an IPO this month, according to sources. They say valuation targets exceed $1.75 trillion.

The company has not accessed bond markets, unlike X and xAI, which faced heavy servicing costs. X paid large monthly interest amounts, while xAI used cash rapidly.

SpaceX bought xAI last month and intends to expand data center capacity. The combined business holds a valuation of about $1.25 trillion.

People familiar with the matter say Musk plans to advance the offering timeline. They also report ongoing financing work tied to debt reduction.

Morgan Stanley declined to comment when contacted. Representatives for X and xAI did not respond to requests for comment.

Iran’s top crypto exchange saw a significant spike in crypto withdrawals within minutes of the US and Israel launching strikes in Tehran on Saturday. However, a widespread internet outage curbed additional outflows.

In a post on Monday, Elliptic said crypto outflows from the Nobitex exchange surged by more than 700% to over $500,000 within minutes of the first airstrikes, with a chart showing that outflows reached nearly $3 million in a single hour later that day. 

Elliptic said the sharp rise in outflows “potentially represents capital flight from Iran,” with its initial tracing showing that many of those funds were sent to foreign crypto exchanges.

“This allows funds to be moved out of Iran while avoiding some of the scrutiny of the global banking system,” Elliptic said.

However, crypto outflows from Nobitex fell sharply after Saturday, which fellow crypto forensics platform TRM Labs attributed to the Iranian regime enforcing strict internet blackouts.

Iran’s internet connectivity reportedly fell by approximately 99% shortly after the conflict unfolded, TRM noted.

TRM also opposed Elliptic’s conclusion that capital flight is leaving Iran, stating:

“It appears that the country’s crypto ecosystem is not showing signs of acceleration or capital flight, but instead experiencing a downturn in both transactions and volume as the regime enforces strict internet blackouts.”

The crypto outflows come as the US and Israel seek to topple the current Iranian regime and wipe out its nuclear and missile programs. Iran responded with airstrikes of its own on neighboring countries, creating further instability in the region.