Crypto World
Trump’s “Big Wave” Warning Moves Gold and Bitcoin Prices
US President Donald Trump jolted global markets once again on Monday, after warning that a “big wave” is still coming in the escalating Iran conflict.
However, instead of triggering a traditional flight to safety, markets witnessed one of the sharpest cross-asset reversals in recent memory: precious metals plunged while crypto surged.
Markets Defy Safe-Haven Playbook as Capital Rotates From Gold to Bitcoin
Trump described ongoing U.S. military strikes as “very powerful” in an interview with CNN, suggesting that a larger phase of the operation remains ahead.
Within just 60 minutes, gold and silver erased an estimated $1.1 trillion in combined market value. Spot gold fell 2.05%, shedding nearly $100 per ounce and wiping out roughly $750 billion in value.
Meanwhile, Silver posted an even more violent reversal, plunging 7% in under two hours. It erased approximately $370 billion as prices moved toward $88 per ounce.
At the same time, capital rotated aggressively into digital assets. Bitcoin broke above $69,000, surging 5% in roughly 50 minutes and adding an estimated $60 billion to its market capitalization. Ethereum reclaimed the $2,000 level, climbing 5.8% and contributing another $23 billion.
“The Crypto market has added $100 billion in the last 45 minutes, liquidating nearly $80 million in short positions,” one analyst noted.
The divergence caught many off guard, given that investors have been accustomed to gold outperforming during geopolitical stress.
Instead, metals saw heavy selling pressure while crypto absorbed the headline shock and accelerated upward.
Derivatives Signal Limited Leverage as Bitcoin Absorbs Geopolitical Shock
Initial headlines reportedly triggered roughly $300 million in total crypto liquidations. However, derivatives data suggested a more resilient structure beneath the volatility.
Funding rates were sitting in the 6th percentile, indicating limited speculative excess. Open interest declined by only about $1 billion, suggesting that leverage had largely been flushed out before the geopolitical escalation.
Similar Middle East tensions last year led to more disorderly price action. This time, Bitcoin dipped briefly but did not spiral lower.
The absence of aggressive cascading liquidations may signal a market that was already braced for geopolitical risk.
The metals reversal, meanwhile, raises questions about positioning and liquidity dynamics. Quick unwinds in gold and silver futures markets can amplify volatility when crowded trades reverse.
The scale of the move, reaching more than $1 trillion erased in an hour, shows how fragile sentiment can become when expectations shift abruptly.
With Trump signaling that a larger military phase could still lie ahead, volatility is unlikely to fade. The next wave of headlines may test whether crypto’s resilience holds, or whether traditional safe havens regain their footing.
Crypto World
Peter Schiff Mocks Michael Saylor After Strategy Adds 3,015 New BTC
TLDR
- Peter Schiff reacted to Michael Saylor’s latest Bitcoin purchase with a sarcastic congratulatory message.
- Michael Saylor announced that Strategy acquired 3,015 Bitcoin for about $204.1 million.
- Strategy’s total Bitcoin holdings reached 720,737 Bitcoin after the new acquisition.
- Peter Schiff argued that Saylor continued to average down a losing trade during market volatility.
- Schiff claimed that gold continued to outperform Bitcoin and traded above $5,400.
The market saw a new debate today as Michael Saylor expanded his Bitcoin holdings with another large purchase, and the move quickly drew a sharp reaction from Peter Schiff, and both sides repeated their long-held views as community discussions grew. The announcement detailed a fresh acquisition of 3,015 BTC, and the news pushed new conversations across trading circles. Reactions surfaced fast as both supporters and critics responded with firm and clear messages.
Peter Schiff Challenges Saylor After New BTC Move
Peter Schiff issued a short message that referenced Saylor’s latest move, and he framed it with clear sarcasm. He wrote that Saylor “brought Strategy’s average price back under $76,000,” and the statement spread fast.
He argued that Saylor continued “averaging down a losing trade,” and he claimed the firm faced growing unrealized losses. He added that gold kept trading higher when compared with Bitcoin and kept pushing his point.
He repeated that gold traded above $5,400 and suggested Saylor could have directed the purchase toward gold instead. He stated his view plainly and kept his long-running position unchanged.
The crypto community responded with strong comments, and users defended Saylor’s strategy with confidence. They pointed to recent activity and said the purchase reinforced trust among smaller buyers.
Strategy Expands Bitcoin Holdings With New Purchase
Saylor confirmed that Strategy acquired 3,015 BTC for about $204.1 million, and he released the update online. He reported an average purchase price of about $67,700 per coin.
The firm now holds 720,737 BTC worth about $54.77 billion, and Saylor repeated his focus on long-term value. He said Strategy continued to follow its chosen plan.
Community members highlighted the new average cost of $75,985 per coin and shared charts showing the updated levels. Traders echoed Saylor’s stance and compared the numbers with current price action.
Saylor also repeated his outlook and said Bitcoin could move above $200,000 soon. He pushed this view as part of his ongoing public comments.
Market Reactions Grow After Latest BTC Announcement
Users linked Saylor’s repeated purchases with increased confidence across smaller trading groups. They argued the move added fresh energy to ongoing discussions.
Commentators responded with mixed views and tracked charts that compared Bitcoin with gold prices. They used new metrics and pointed to changing ratios.
Analysts said the timing of the new purchase placed more attention on Bitcoin’s short-term movement. They examined updated values and watched price behavior closely.
Saylor continued to promote his forecast as he shared data on long-term adoption. He kept pointing to the expanding global interest.
New figures from the purchase circulated through crypto channels and formed the core of ongoing conversations. Updates included fresh calculations tied to the Strategy’s holdings.
Crypto World
Solana Mobile Stack Goes Global as OEM Push Begins at MWC 2026
TLDR:
- Solana Mobile shipped 200,000+ devices across Saga and Seeker, generating over $5B in onchain volume.
- The SMS stack integrates with Visa, Stripe, PayPal, and Western Union on Solana’s live financial rails.
- Stablecoin volume on blockchains hit $27.6T in 2024, surpassing combined Visa and Mastercard totals.
- Over 75,000 users claimed SKR at launch; 46% staked immediately, signaling strong early retention.
Solana Mobile unveiled its Solana Mobile Stack for Android device manufacturers at MWC 2026 in Barcelona. The modular toolkit connects handsets to Solana’s blockchain infrastructure at the hardware level.
It follows the shipment of over 200,000 devices and $5 billion in onchain transaction volume. The company now targets OEMs seeking recurring revenue beyond device sales.
Solana Mobile Stack Brings Hardware Crypto Wallets to Android Manufacturers
According to a press release, the stack bundles three core components: Seed Vault, Seeker Wallet, and the SKR token.
Seed Vault integrates with a device’s existing secure element and trusted execution environment. Users authenticate via biometrics, similar to tap-to-pay. No seed phrases or third-party custodians are involved.
Seeker Wallet sits on top, giving users the ability to send, receive, buy, and sell digital assets. Peer-to-peer transfers and cross-border payments run at near-zero cost.
Payment networks including Visa, Stripe, Western Union, and PayPal already operate on Solana. That means users connect to live financial rails from day one.
The stack is modular and opt-in. According to the official press release from Barcelona, it does not interfere with Google Mobile Services, payments certification, or Android security approvals. OEMs can deploy it by region, SKU, or product line. No platform fragmentation risk applies.
MediaTek, the leading smartphone chip vendor by global shipment volume, has opened its development platform to Solana Mobile.
The stack runs production-ready on MediaTek Dimensity chipsets. Qualcomm chipset support is also included. Trustonic’s Kinibi TEE architecture is integrated for GlobalPlatform-compliant security.
SMS Production Data and OEM Revenue Model Detailed at MWC 2026
Solana Mobile has six-plus months of real-world data from its Seeker device. The network reports 85,000-plus weekly active wallets and over $5 billion in onchain volume.
More than 500 apps are published on the Solana dApp Store. Around 4,000 active developers are building across the ecosystem.
Devices have shipped to 50 countries. The US, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea lead sales. Solana reports 50 to 150 million monthly active addresses on its blockchain, per the press release.
Revenue sharing is built into the model. OEMs earn on transaction fees, staking commissions, and ecosystem activity as their installed base grows. The SKR token launched with over 75,000 claimants. Of those, 46% staked their tokens immediately.
Stablecoin transaction volume on blockchains reached $27.6 trillion in 2024, according to GSMA data cited in the announcement.
That figure exceeded the combined volumes of Visa and Mastercard. Mobile money transactions in emerging markets alone totalled $1.68 trillion that same year.
Regional deployment strategies differ. Emerging markets like India, Brazil, and Mexico focus on stablecoins and yield.
Developed Asia emphasizes self-custody and portfolio tools. Europe targets stablecoin yield and bank connectivity.
Crypto World
Japanese payments firm PayPay, partial owner of Binance Japan, seeks $1.1 billion IPO
PayPay, a SoftBank Corp-backed payments company that owns a 40% stake in Binance Japan, is seeking to raise as much as $1.1 billion in a U.S. initial public offering, Reuters reported Monday.
The Tokyo-based company and a selling shareholder plan to offer 55 million American depositary shares priced between $17 and $20 each, according to the report. At the top end of that range, the offering would value PayPay at more than $10 billion.
PayPay is Japan’s largest cashless payments provider, with more than 70 million registered users. The company’s app allows consumers to make mobile payments at stores, transfer money and manage digital balances, as Japan steadily shifts away from cash.
The shares are expected to trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol “PAYP.” The listing was initially slated to launch before markets opened on Monday but was postponed after global markets were rattled by this weekend’s attack on Iran, Reuters reported earlier.
The IPO comes as fintech firms test investor appetite for new listings amid volatile equity markets and rising geopolitical risk. A successful debut would mark one of the larger Japanese listings in the U.S. in recent years and provide SoftBank with another publicly traded asset tied to its broader digital finance strategy.
PayPay moved deeper into crypto through a capital and business alliance with Binance Japan in October. The partnership aimed to link digital payments with crypto, letting Binance Japan users fund purchases and withdraw proceeds through PayPay Money. A representative for Binance did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
Crypto World
Is XRP Price at Risk as Profit Taking Hits Monthly High?
XRP price continues to trade under a prolonged downtrend that has limited sustained upside for months. The altcoin has repeatedly failed to reclaim key resistance levels. While short-term sentiment shows mild improvement, the broader macro structure remains tilted toward caution.
Recent on-chain developments introduce a complex dynamic. Whale accumulation suggests confidence in a rebound. At the same time, profit-taking activity and weakening network growth highlight structural risks that could cap recovery attempts.
XRP Whales Are Buying
Large XRP holders appear committed to accumulation despite challenging market conditions. Throughout February, addresses holding more than 100,000 XRP increased their collective ownership. These wallets now control 83.7% of the total XRP supply.
This concentration indicates strong conviction among high-capital participants. Whales often accumulate during consolidation phases to position for future upside. Their buying suggests expectations of price recovery rather than imminent distribution. Sustained accumulation can reduce circulating supply and stabilize volatility.
Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.
Bearish Signals Appear
However, early signs of profit-taking are emerging on-chain. The network realized a profit and loss metric surged to $207 million over the past 24 hours. This marks the first significant wave of profit booking in nearly a month.
While moderate profit realization is healthy for market structure, accelerated selling could undermine bullish setups. If short-term gains motivate broader distribution, XRP’s recovery may stall. Monitoring realized profit trends will be critical for assessing sustained upside potential.
New address momentum paints a more cautious macro picture. This indicator compares monthly (red) new address growth against yearly (blue) trends. When monthly growth falls below yearly averages, it signals contraction in network activity.
Since early December 2025, XRP’s monthly new address growth has remained below yearly levels. This divergence reflects declining on-chain engagement and reduced network utilization. Weak onboarding often correlates with slower capital inflows.
Persistent contraction limits organic demand. Without consistent expansion in active addresses, price recovery becomes dependent on existing holders rather than new participants. Historical data show that prolonged divergence can suppress rallies until growth normalizes.
Reversal of this trend would signal improving fundamentals. A rise in monthly new addresses above yearly averages would indicate renewed adoption. Until that shift occurs, macro fundamentals remain fragile despite whale optimism.
XRP Price Downtrend Persists
XRP is trading at $1.34 at the time of writing, hovering directly above critical support at the same level. The altcoin remains capped below $1.47 resistance. A descending trendline active since early 2026 continues to restrict upward movement.
If bearish momentum strengthens, XRP could lose the $1.34 support. Combined with increasing profit-taking, such a breakdown may push the price toward $1.28. Further weakness could extend losses to $1.21, reinforcing the prevailing downtrend structure.
Conversely, stabilization in realized profits would support consolidation above $1.34. Holding this level may weaken the descending resistance line. A decisive breakout above $1.47 would invalidate the bearish thesis. Sustained momentum could then propel XRP toward $1.58, marking a structural shift in market sentiment.
Crypto World
Court Dismisses Class Action Lawsuit Against Uniswap
The decision marks a legal milestone for DeFi by reaffirming the immunity of decentralized platforms from liability for third-party misuse.
A New York court has dismissed a class action lawsuit against Uniswap Labs, underscoring the decentralized nature of the protocol and the challenges of holding developers accountable for third-party misuse.
The ruling, delivered by Judge Katherine Polk Failla, emphasizes that Uniswap Labs cannot be held liable for fraudulent activities conducted by third parties on their platform, drawing parallels to Venmo or Zelle regarding user misuse.
The court’s decision involved dismissing federal claims with prejudice and state-law claims without prejudice, further reinforcing the legal standing of smart contract developers. This ruling follows the affirmation by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, highlighting that creators of smart contracts are not liable for third-party misconduct.
Founded by Hayden Adams in 2018, Uniswap decentralized exchange on Ethereum that pioneered the Automated Market Maker (AMM) model. The platform has been at the forefront of the DeFi movement, providing a marketplace for buyers and sellers without intermediaries.
This legal victory not only secures Uniswap’s operational model but also sets a precedent for other decentralized platforms facing similar legal challenges.
This article was generated with the assistance of AI workflows.
Crypto World
Core Scientific turns lower after Q4 results disappoint
Core Scientific (CORZ), a bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure company, reported fourth-quarter revenue of $79.8 million for the period ended Dec. 31, compared with $94.93 million a year earlier. Consensus forecasts were for revenue of $122.08 million, according to LSEG data.
The company posted a loss of $0.42 per share, versus expectations for a loss of $0.08 per share.
The weaker results come as bitcoin miners continue to adjust to the April 2024 halving, which cut block rewards in half and squeezed margins across the industry. A higher network hash rate and rising energy and infrastructure costs have pressured profitability, particularly for operators still scaling new capacity.
Core has been repositioning itself beyond pure self-mining and toward hosting and colocation services for high-performance computing clients, including AI workloads. CEO Adam Sullivan said the company is leaning into that strategy.
“We’re now past the halfway point on our existing builds and scaling our colocation platform into a 1.5 gigawatt pipeline of leasable capacity,” Core Scientific CEO Adam Sullivan, said in a statement. “With a multi-geography footprint and proven execution, we’re accelerating RFS timelines across multiple sites to position the company for durable growth.”
As part of this plan, the company announced that it is expanding into Texas, adding about 430 mega watts of gross power capacity. It also increased capacity across other regions by about 300 mega watts.
CORZ shares were lower by 4.5% in after hours trading.
Meanwhile, Riot Platforms (RIOT), a bitcoin mining and data center development company, reported fourth-quarter revenue of $647.4 million, up from $376.7 million a year earlier. Analysts had expected revenue of $157.4 million, including $136 million from bitcoin mining and $21.3 million from engineering.
RIOT shares were flat after hours.
Crypto World
Buterin Says Ethereum’s Biggest Bottlenecks Are State Tree and VM, Proposes Deep Fix
Buterin proposes binary state trees and eventual RISC-V VM shift to improve Ethereum’s proving efficiency and execution simplicity.
Vitalik Buterin has proposed execution-layer changes that could fundamentally reshape Ethereum’s core architecture. The project’s co-founder argued that deep modifications to the network’s state tree and virtual machine are necessary to remove what he described as the chain’s biggest proving bottlenecks.
In a detailed post on X, Buterin said that the state tree and VM together account for more than 80% of the constraints that affect proof efficiency and called them “basically mandatory” targets if Ethereum wants to enable scalable client-side and zero-knowledge proving use cases.
Ethereum Overhaul
He pointed to EIP-7864, a proposal developed by Guillaume Ballet and others, which would replace Ethereum’s current hexary Keccak-based Merkle Patricia Tree with a binary tree built on a more efficient hash function. According to Buterin, the change would shorten Merkle branches by roughly four times, by cutting bandwidth requirements and making client-side branch verification significantly cheaper.
This could reduce data costs for tools such as Helios and private information retrieval systems by 4x, Buterin added. Proving efficiency could also be improved by 3-4 times from shorter branches alone. He expects additional gains if Ethereum shifts to hash functions such as BLAKE3, which is estimated to be three times more efficient than Keccak. Meanwhile, a Poseidon variant could offer up to 100 times improvement, though he noted further security work would be required.
The proposed binary design would also group storage slots into 64-256-slot “pages” and allow more efficient loading and editing of adjacent storage, potentially saving more than 10,000 gas per transaction for applications that access early storage slots. Buterin explained that a prover-friendly state tree would also allow zero-knowledge applications to compose directly with Ethereum’s state instead of building independent trees, while at the same time simplifying the structure and enabling metadata additions for future state expiry mechanisms.
Beyond the state tree overhaul, Buterin made the case for eventually replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine with a RISC-V-based VM, as he described the idea as longer-term and non-consensus. But he expressed high conviction that it would become “the obvious thing to do” after state roadmap upgrades are complete.
Possible Deployment Roadmap
The Ethereum co-founder said that a RISC-V VM would be more execution-efficient, more prover-friendly, and simpler, while noting that many existing provers are already written in RISC-V and that an interpreter could be implemented in only a few hundred lines of code. He detailed a phased transition plan beginning with using the new VM for precompiles, then allowing developers to deploy contracts directly in the new VM, and ultimately retiring the EVM into a compatibility layer written as a smart contract in the new system.
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Under that roadmap, users would retain full backward compatibility apart from gas cost changes, which Buterin said would likely be overshadowed by scaling improvements in the coming years.
Buterin’s latest push comes just days after he introduced a quantum-resistance roadmap, which included proposals to replace consensus-layer BLS signatures with hash-based schemes such as Winternitz variants.
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Crypto World
Venice AI Surges Above $600 Million Valuation
The VVV token is up another 35% today after Venice became the recommended private model provider for OpenClaw
Venice AI, a decentralized artificial intelligence (AI) protocol created by Erik Voorhees, the founder and CEO of ShapeShift, continues to outperform the altcoin market, more than doubling its valuation over the past seven days.
The VVV token soared 35% today to a $640 million fully diluted valuation (FDV) after Voorhees revealed that Venice is a recommended model provider for OpenClaw, the open-source autonomous AI agent platform recently acquired by OpenAI for $1 billion.

VVV has had an impressive month, rallying nearly 300% while the broader market trended lower.
Following the DIEM token launch in September, Venice utilizes a dual-token system that provides DIEM stakers with free access to multiple AI models. DIEM reached an all-time high of $895 today, up more than 900% from its November low.
Crypto World
Cardano Price Reversal Failed As Whales Sold $540 Million Into It
The Cardano price flashed a textbook bullish divergence on the daily chart, surged 24%, then collapsed. On-chain data reveals a coordinated whale exit worth over $540 million into the rally — even as the Money Flow Index confirmed retail was actively buying the dip.
Here’s what happened, and what it means next.
Daily RSI Divergence Fired & MFI Confirmed the Move
Between December 31, 2025, and February 24, 2026, ADA’s daily chart built a bullish divergence. The Cardano price printed a lower low, between the late-December range and the February 24 low. Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index (RSI), a momentum oscillator, formed a higher low.
When price makes a lower low but RSI makes a higher low, it signals that bearish momentum is weakening even as price continues to fall.
The signal resolved on February 25 when ADA surged nearly 24%, briefly touching $0.31 before posting a long upper wick — a candlestick structure indicating aggressive selling into the highs.
Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.
What makes this setup more interesting is that the Money Flow Index backed it up. The MFI is a volume-weighted momentum indicator that combines both price and volume to measure buying and selling pressure, scored from 0 to 100. Unlike the RSI, which only considers price, MFI factors in trading volume — making it a more direct proxy for whether real capital is flowing into or out of an asset.
Between February 24 and 28, both price and MFI trended higher together. There was no bearish MFI divergence. This means the dips were being genuinely bought with volume conviction, not just price drifting upward on thin liquidity. Someone was actively absorbing sell pressure.
So the RSI divergence fired. MFI confirmed genuine buying support. ADA jumped 24%. And yet, from that February 25 peak, the price fell 17% within days. If the technical setup was valid and dip-buying was real, what killed the rally?
Over 2 Billion ADA Distributed in 3 Days: The Whales Were the Sellers
The answer is on-chain. Santiment’s supply distribution data reveals that between February 24 and 27, every major whale cohort reduced its holdings simultaneously.
The 1 billion-plus ADA cohort executed the largest single exit. It shed roughly 1.02 billion tokens in a single day between February 24 and 25 — dropping from 2.90 billion to 1.88 billion ADA.
The 100 million to 1 billion cohort initially picked up tokens on February 24, likely absorbing some of that initial sell, but then reversed aggressively by February 27, dropping from 3.47 billion to 2.61 billion ADA — a reduction of approximately 860 million tokens.
The 10 million to 100 million cohort shed around 220 million ADA over the same window, declining from 13.90 billion to 13.68 billion. Even the smallest whale tier, the 1 million to 10 million holders, reduced from 5.69 billion to 5.64 billion, offloading roughly 50 million tokens.
In total, approximately 2.15 billion ADA was distributed across all four cohorts within three days. At the average price of roughly $0.27 during this window, that amounts to approximately $540 million in concentrated sell pressure — all hitting the market during a rally that retail was actively buying into.
This is why the MFI data is so revealing. The MFI confirmed genuine buying support. The whale data confirms where the selling came from. Retail and mid-tier addresses were absorbing whale supply on the way up, but $540 million in distribution over 72 hours simply overwhelmed that demand.
Derivatives Data Adds Weight To ADA Breakdown
The derivatives market reinforces this picture. Cardano’s futures open interest had already collapsed from $1.95 billion September peak to below $450 million by mid-February. One of the lowest levels this year. This meant that leveraged retail had largely exited before the divergence even fired.
The buying MFI captured was therefore likely spot-driven: retail accumulating on the dip, using RSI divergence as conviction. But spot buying alone could not absorb the scale of whale distribution.
Cardano Price Action: Lower Lows Persist, Whale Re-Entry Becomes the Key Signal
ADA’s daily price structure remains lower as of March 2 (relative to late December), trading at $0.27, while the RSI continues to print higher lows (again relative to late December). This means the divergence framework is still technically alive, even after the late-February failure. A new swing low could trigger it again.
On the upside, $0.31 is the line in the sand. This was the exact rejection level on February 25. A daily close above this level would mark the first structural break in the downtrend, opening a path toward $0.37.
On the downside, a loss of $0.26 would confirm the weakness. Below that, the $0.23 and $0.21 levels become critical.
If $0.21 fails, deeper Fibonacci extensions at $0.18 (0.618) and $0.15 (0.786) come into play.
But the most important variable for Cardano’s next move is not a price level. It is whether the whales start buying again. As of March 2, Santiment data shows that major holders have not resumed significant accumulation.
If ADA declines toward $0.21 or lower and whale cohorts begin to re-accumulate, as they did earlier, it would represent a considerably stronger setup than February delivered. The moment whales resume buying can be treated as a potential local bottom signal.
For the next divergence to succeed, it needs whale participation as confirmation, not contradiction. Until that happens, the Cardano price structure could continue to point lower.
Crypto World
Bitcoin Drops for Fifth Straight Month as Banks Integrate Crypto
Editor’s note: Bitcoin closed February with a 15% drop, marking five consecutive monthly losses. The report also highlights a shift as major banks move to integrate crypto into traditional finance, signaling a convergence of fintech and lending rails. With geopolitical tensions and upcoming US data ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next meeting, crypto markets remain sensitive to macro signals. This editor’s note sets the scene for the figures that follow and what they may mean for price momentum and policy-driven risk in early 2026.
“Bitcoin has started March on the backfoot amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have triggered a broader flight from risk assets. This week’s US economic data — including ISM manufacturing and services PMI, ADP employment figures, and non-farm payrolls — will be closely watched ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next meeting. While markets are currently pricing in a hold on rates, softer data could increase expectations of a cut, potentially providing much-needed support to cryptoasset prices.”
Key points
- Bitcoin fell 15% in February, extending five consecutive monthly losses.
- If March finishes lower, it would mark six consecutive monthly declines.
- Institutional adoption accelerates: Citibank plans to integrate bitcoin into core banking and custody; Barclays explores stablecoin payments and tokenised deposits.
- Markets await US data (ISM, PMI, ADP, payrolls) and the Fed decision, which could influence crypto prices.
Why this matters
These numbers and moves matter because they illustrate a shift where crypto assets are increasingly considered alongside traditional finance. The data underscores how macro factors and policy expectations can drive crypto sentiment, while bank-led crypto integration signals a broader use case beyond speculation. If banks expand custody, settlement, and compliance workflows for digital assets, market dynamics and liquidity could evolve even as Bitcoin remains volatile.
What to watch next
- March performance and whether Bitcoin ends the month with a sixth straight decline.
- Upcoming US data releases and the Fed meeting shaping risk assets.
- Progress on Citi and Barclays crypto initiatives with potential launches later this year.
Disclosure: The content below is a press release provided by the company/PR representative. It is published for informational purposes.
Bitcoin Records Five Consecutive Monthly Losses as Major Banks Move to Integrate Crypto into Traditional Finance
Abu Dhabi, UAE – 2 March 2026: Bitcoin ended February down 15%, marking five consecutive months of losses and a 48% decline from its all-time high of $126,500 in October 2025.
For the first time in its history, both January and February have closed in negative territory in the same year. Should March also finish lower, it would mark six consecutive monthly declines — only the second such occurrence on record.
Simon Peters, Crypto Analyst at eToro, commented:

“Bitcoin has started March on the backfoot amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have triggered a broader flight from risk assets. This week’s US economic data — including ISM manufacturing and services PMI, ADP employment figures, and non-farm payrolls — will be closely watched ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next meeting. While markets are currently pricing in a hold on rates, softer data could increase expectations of a cut, potentially providing much-needed support to cryptoasset prices.”
Biggest Movers
NEAR rose 17% last week, climbing from $1.009 to $1.184 following NEARCON 2026 in San Francisco. Key announcements included the Near.com Super-App, enabling account management across more than 35 blockchains without manual bridging, and “Confidential Intents,” a privacy execution layer designed to shield cross-chain transaction details.
Polkadot (DOT) also gained 17% in anticipation of a major supply reduction on 14 March, which will cut annual token issuance by more than 50% — from approximately 120 million tokens to 55 million.
Institutional Adoption Accelerates
Citibank announced plans to integrate bitcoin into its core banking systems, aiming to make the asset “bankable.” The proposed services include institutional-grade custody of bitcoin, key management and wallet services, and the extension of traditional tax, reporting and compliance workflows to digital assets. The service is expected to launch later this year.
In the UK, Barclays is reportedly exploring the development of a blockchain platform for stablecoin payments and tokenised deposits. Earlier this year, Barclays acquired a stake in Ubyx, a US-based clearing system for digital money, marking its first direct investment in stablecoin infrastructure.
These developments highlight the continued convergence between traditional finance and the digital asset ecosystem.
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