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SEC approves Nasdaq’s move to allow tokenized securities trading

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SEC approves Nasdaq's move to allow tokenized securities trading

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved on Wednesday Nasdaq’s proposal to allow certain securities to trade in tokenized form, a significant milestone to integrate blockchain tech into U.S. equity markets.

Nasdaq’s tokenization plan ties into a pilot run by the Depository Trust Company (DTC), which will handle clearing and settlement of tokenized trades. Nasdaq filed for regulatory permission in September,

Under the framework, eligible Nasdaq participants can choose to have trades settled as blockchain-based tokens rather than through standard book-entry systems.

Tokenized shares will trade alongside traditional shares on the same order book and at the same price. They will carry identical rights, use the same ticker and CUSIP (identification number) and follow existing market rules.

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The SEC said the structure meets investor protection standards, noting that surveillance, data reporting and settlement timelines remain intact.

The move comes as tokenization of traditional assets like stocks, bonds and funds have become a fast-growing sector in the digital asset space. The process allows near-instant, around-the-clock trading with tokens tied to real-world assets.

The trend has captivated major U.S. exchanges. Nasdaq said last week that it is developing a framework that would allow publicly listed companies to issue blockchain-based versions of their shares. It has teamed up with crypto exchange Kraken to distribute tokenized stocks globally. Meanwhile, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the owner of the NYSE, invested in crypto exchange OKX with plans to launch new tokenized stocks and crypto futures.

Read more: Here is why Nasdaq and owner of NYSE are putting the $126 trillion equity market on blockchain

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Crypto World

What Bitcoin’s (BTC) falling hash rate might mean for prices

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What Bitcoin's (BTC) falling hash rate might mean for prices

Bitcoin’s hash rate is tumbling as the Middle East conflict drives up energy prices, adding pressure to the mining sector and broader market.

The drop in hash rate is likely tied to geopolitical tensions due to the war against Iran and surge in oil prices, given that an estimated 8% to 10% of global bitcoin mining operates in energy markets sensitive to energy costs.

With hash rate down roughly 8% over the past week to 920 EH/s, the network may be entering another phase of miner capitulation. Historically, such periods have coincided with downside pressure on bitcoin’s price, which is currently trading below $72,000, roughly 5% below its Monday high.

As a result, the network is set for an approximately 8% downward difficulty adjustment, which would mark the second-largest negative shift in the past five years, according to mempool.space.

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This decline follows one of the largest difficulty drops on record in mid-February, highlighting significant volatility in mining activity.

As a result of rising competition, persistently low transaction fees, and bitcoin price volatility, this has squeezed margins and pushed many publicly traded miners to diversify into AI and high-performance computing, alongside increased bitcoin sales to support operations, acting as a headwind for the bitcoin price.

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FOMC Leaves Interest Rates Steady at March Meeting

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Federal Reserve, Interest Rate

The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced on Wednesday that it would hold the Federal Funds rate steady at 3.5-3.75%, as it monitors macroeconomic impacts from the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Economic activity has expanded at a “solid pace,” Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said, adding that consumer spending remains “resilient,” while business investment continued to grow. 

However, the housing sector remains weak, and the labor market shows signs of softening, Powell said, while inflation remains “somewhat elevated” above the Fed’s 2% target.

Federal Reserve, Interest Rate
Jerome Powell addresses reporters following the March 2025 FOMC meeting. Source: Federal Reserve

This higher inflation and weak labor market is creating a tension between the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate of maximizing employment and stabilizing prices, Powell Said. He added that the war in the Middle East has further clouded the economic outlook. He said:

“The implications of events in the Middle East for the US economy are uncertain in the near term. Higher energy prices will push up overall inflation, but it is too soon to know the scope and duration of the potential effects on the economy.”

Interest rate policy impacts risk asset markets like cryptocurrencies and equities, with lower rates stimulating asset prices and higher rates acting as a restrictive force on risk asset prices, as investment capital flows from riskier asset classes to government bonds. 

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Related: Fed holds rates amid higher inflation outlook: Bitcoin bounces to $72K

Traders see no chance of rate cuts, while analysts say liquidity will flow

97% of market participants forecast no change in interest rates at the April 2026 FOMC meeting. While 3% forecast a rate hike of 25 basis points (BPS), according to data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).

A rate hike of 25 basis points would spike the Federal Funds Rate to a range between 3.75% and 4.00%.

Federal Reserve, Interest Rate
Interest rate target probabilities for the April 2026 FOMC meeting. Source: CME Group

Arthur Hayes, a market analyst and co-founder of the BitMEX crypto exchange, said he is waiting for the Fed to slash rates before he resumes buying Bitcoin (BTC). 

Hayes also said that the ongoing war between the US and Iran would likely cause the Federal Reserve to ease monetary policy to finance the war

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Others, like macroeconomist Lyn Alden, say that the Federal Reserve has entered a “gradual print” phase in which new money is steadily being created, slowly raising up all asset prices.

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