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Why are NEAR, Virtuals, and Morpho surging?

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Why are NEAR, Virtuals, and Morpho surging?

NEAR Protocol, Virtuals, and Morpho crypto stood as some of the best performers on Tuesday amid a broader market rebound back above the $2.4 trillion mark.

Summary

  • NEAR Protocol, Virtuals and Morpho led altcoin gains with double-digit rallies on Tuesday.
  • NEAR, VIRTUALS benefited from positive developments across the AI sector alongside project-specific catalysts.
  • Morpho rallied following the launch of the OKX Onchain Earn product on the protocol.

According to data from CoinGecko, the global crypto market rose 5% to $2.45 trillion before stabilizing around $2.4 trillion at press time. The market recovery was largely fueled by Bitcoin, the bellwether’s rally on Monday with the flagship crypto jumping from intraday lows near $65,000 to over $69,800 in a matter of hours.

Besides this, investor appetite for risk assets also returned after U.S. manufacturing data exceeded market expectations, fueling optimism surrounding Fed rate cuts this year.

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The crypto market recovery triggered a short squeeze across major crypto assets. Data from CoinGlass shows nearly $202 million worth of short positions were liquidated in the past 24 hours, out of the total $331 million liquidated from both sides across leveraged markets.

Amidst this volatility, NEAR Protocol, Virtuals, and Morpho emerged as the standout winners. These assets capitalized on the easing market sentiment to post double-digit gains.

NEAR Protocol (NEAR) was the strongest gainer of the day with its 24% rally to a 5-week high of $1.45 on Monday. The surge extended its weekly gains to over 50%.

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The AI token’s gains follow AI chip-making giant Nvidia announcing a multiyear strategic partnership with Coherent Corp, a global leader in photonics and networking, to advance its optical interconnect technology.

As part of the agreement, Nvidia would be investing $2 billion in Coherent to support research and development, along with expanding manufacturing capacity.

NVIDIA shares rose by 2.93% shortly after the announcement, sparking a broader rally in AI-focused cryptocurrencies. The partnership also comes just days after the chip giant revealed bullish quarterly earnings, easing fears of a slowdown in AI spending.

As Nvidia is the market bellwether for artificial intelligence, its bullish earnings and stock rally serve as a major impetus for related assets such as NEAR Protocol.

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Project-specific catalysts, including the launch of Near FM and Near Intents has also supported the recent rally.

Virtuals Protocol 

Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) rose over 15% today to $0.79, its highest price since late January this year. The gains followed after it broke out of a consolidation from the $0.60-$0.75 range it had been stuck within over the past week.

Besides sharing the AI market hype surrounding Nvidia news and its stock gains, the agentic AI coin also benefited from strengthening fundamentals supporting it. 

In a recent X post, the Virtuals Protocol team revealed that agent transactions on the network soared by around 128% over the past two weeks, as 3,421 agents competed in Epoch 2 of its AI revenue incentives program. Agent-to-agent revenue reached $2.8 million during the period, with roughly $200,000 distributed to builders.

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The team also outlined upgrades for Epoch 3 aimed at tightening reward quality and making it materially harder to manufacture artificial signal, with a stronger focus on genuine demand and sustained utility. 

Morpho 

Morpho (MORPHO) rose 11% on the day to $1.97, extending its weekly gains to around 25%.

Morpho’s gains today can be largely attributed to a surge in network activity following the launch of the OKX Onchain Earn product on the Morpho protocol. The event includes a 65 million KAT (Katana Network) reward pool for users staking USDT on the protocol.

At the same time, there’s also noticeable chatter around Apollo Global’s recent commitment to the protocol, which has provided a strong fundamental backstop for the current price action. Under a newly established four-year cooperation agreement, the $940 billion asset manager is authorized to acquire up to 90 million MORPHO tokens, representing roughly 9% of the total supply.

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Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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Ethereum Price Prediction: Whales Drive 7th Red Month While RWA Sector Hits $15B Record

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Ethereum Price Prediction: Whales Drive 7th Red Month While RWA Sector Hits $15B Record

Ethereum is on the verge of something it has never experienced before: a seventh consecutive red month and that is fueling bearish price prediction.

For an asset of this size and history, that kind of streak carries psychological weight.

It is not just about price drifting lower, it is about confidence slowly eroding as each monthly close reinforces the downtrend.

Large holders have played a major role in shaping that pressure. Wallets holding between 100K and 1M ETH have been steadily reducing exposure, using relief rallies to distribute rather than accumulate.

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That persistent supply has kept upside attempts muted and sentiment fragile. When whales derisk, the rest of the market tends to tread carefully.

Yet beneath the surface, a very different story is unfolding.

Source: RWA

While ETH struggles on the chart, Ethereum’s Real World Asset sector has surged past $15 billion in total value locked. Tokenized Treasuries, gold products like PAXG and XAUT, and institutional vehicles such as BlackRock’s BUIDL fund are expanding rapidly on-chain.

That divergence is what makes this moment so tense. Price action suggests exhaustion and potential capitulation, but network adoption is accelerating.

Ethereum Price Prediction: Can ETH Price Catch Up?

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Technically, Ethereum is compressing around the $2,150 zone, which now acts as a decisive structural level. A confirmed weekly break below it would validate a larger bearish formation and expose the $1,320 region as a downside target.

Source: ETHUSD / TradingView

However, repeated defenses of this support leave room for a reversal scenario. If buyers reclaim $2,400 and push through $2,500, the bearish setup weakens significantly and opens the door for a squeeze higher.

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U.S. judge dismisses Uniswap scam token class action with prejudice

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U.S. judge dismisses Uniswap scam token class action with prejudice

A federal judge has dismissed a proposed class action lawsuit against Uniswap Labs, CEO Hayden Adams and several venture capital backers, ruling they cannot be held liable for alleged “rug pull” tokens traded on the decentralized exchange’s protocol.

In a ruling issued Monday by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Katherine Polk Failla threw out the remaining state law claims in Risley v. Universal Navigation Inc., the Brooklyn-based firm that operates Uniswap. after previously dismissing the plaintiffs’ federal securities claims. The decision effectively ends the case at the district court level.

The ruling is one of the first to specifically address whether developers and investors behind a decentralized protocol can be held liable under existing securities and state laws for tokens created and traded by third parties.

“Due to the Protocol’s decentralized nature, the identities of the Scam Token issuers are basically unknown and unknowable, leaving Plaintiffs with an identifiable injury but no identifiable defendant,” Failla wrote.

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“Undaunted, they now sue the Uniswap Defendants and the VC Defendants, hoping that this Court might overlook the fact that the current state of cryptocurrency regulation leaves them without recourse, at least as to the specific claims alleged in this suit,” she added.

Irina Heaver, a UAE-based crypto lawyer, told CoinDesk “the dismissal signals that courts are beginning to engage more seriously with the realities of decentralization.”

By recognizing that a permissionless protocol governed by autonomous smart contracts is not the same as a centralized intermediary exercising control, the court drew an important distinction for DeFi, she explained.

“When code executes automatically and there is no discretionary control, liability cannot simply be reassigned to developers because bad actors misuse the infrastructure,” Heaver said. “The real question now is how this reasoning carries into criminal cases such as Tornado Cash. If decentralization is acknowledged as a structural reality, prosecutors will need to prove intent and control, not merely authorship of code.”

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Brian Nistler, Uniswap’s head of policy, celebrated the ruling on X, calling it “another precedent-setting ruling for DeFi.” He highlighted what he described as his “favorite quote” from the case: “It defies logic that a drafter of a smart contract, a computer code, could be held liable … for a third party user’s misuse of the platform.”

The plaintiffs, a group of investors , claimed they lost an undisclosed amount of money after purchasing dozens of tokens on the Uniswap Protocol that they later described as scams. Because the token issuers were unidentified, the investors instead sued Uniswap Labs, the Uniswap Foundation, Adams and venture firms Paradigm, Andreessen Horowitz and Union Square Ventures.

Failla rejected the argument that the defendants could be held responsible simply for providing the infrastructure on which the tokens were issued and traded.

“Plaintiffs’ theories of liability are still predicated on Defendants having ‘facilitated’ the scam trades by providing a marketplace and facilities for bringing together buyers and sellers of Tokens,’” Failla wrote, concluding that the claims failed as a matter of law.

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In an earlier dismissal of the federal claims, Failla said it “defies logic” to hold the drafter of a smart contract liable for a third party’s misuse of the platform — language that has been widely cited by decentralized finance advocates.

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Visa and Bridge plan stablecoin-linked card expansion to over 100 countries

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Visa and Bridge plan stablecoin-linked card expansion to over 100 countries

Visa and Stripe-owned stablecoin firm Bridge have expanded globally the stablecoin-linked card issuance product unveiled last year, which was focused on Central and South American countries.

Lead Bank, which was announced as a participant in Visa’s stablecoin settlement pilot earlier this year, is also working with Bridge’s stablecoin infrastructure, according to a press release.

Bridge-enabled stablecoin-linked cards are now live in 18 countries, using crypto platforms like Phantom and MetaMask, with planned expansion to over 100 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East by end of year, the companies said on Tuesday.

“Expanding our work with Bridge gives us one more way to bring the speed, transparency and programmability of stablecoins directly into the settlement process. This milestone gives our partners greater choice in how they move value, and it reinforces Visa’s role as a trusted network connecting stablecoins and the global payments ecosystem,” said Visa’s head of crypto Cuy Sheffield.

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Bridge cofounder Zach Abrams said the expansion with Visa will enable businesses launching their own custom stablecoins to use them seamlessly within their card programs.

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Cardano (ADA) price dips below $0.27 as Hoskinson calls CLARITY act a ‘horrific’ bill

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Cardano (ADA) price dips below $0.27
Cardano (ADA) price dips below $0.27
  • Cardano (ADA) dips below $0.27 amid whale selling and bearish market sentiment.
  • Hoskinson slams CLARITY Act as harmful to crypto innovation.
  • ADA eyes $0.28 support and $0.30 resistance levels.

Cardano (ADA) has seen its price dip below the $0.27 mark, continuing a recent streak of selling pressure.

The cryptocurrency is currently trading around $0.2646, down nearly 3% over the past 24 hours.

Bitcoin-denominated value has also decreased, reflecting broader market weakness.

Notably, this decline comes as ADA battles multiple resistance levels while trying to hold its long-term support near $0.28.

Charles Hoskinson’s statement about the CLARITY Act

Adding to market uncertainty, Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, has publicly criticised the CLARITY Act.

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While some executives see regulatory clarity as a positive step, Hoskinson’s stance highlights concerns that the CLARITY Act may inadvertently hinder growth and limit competition within the American crypto market.

Hoskinson called the proposed legislation “horrific” and warned it could stifle innovation in the cryptocurrency space.

Hoskinson argues that the bill would categorise most digital assets as securities by default.

He believes this framework could give regulators excessive power and place unnecessary burdens on future crypto projects.

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According to him, while established networks may be grandfathered in, new developers could be forced to operate abroad to avoid restrictive US rules.

On-chain shows whales offloading ADA holdings

On-chain data from Santiment confirms that whale activity has also been a significant factor in ADA’s recent price movements.

Both mid-tier and large holders have reduced their exposure, creating a supply surge that the market has struggled to absorb.

At the same time, futures markets indicate negative funding rates, showing that bearish sentiment dominates derivatives trading.

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Retail investors attempting to buy the dip have been unable to counterbalance these outsized moves.

Cardano Price Outlook

For traders and investors, several levels are crucial to watch.

The immediate resistance lies near $0.29 to $0.30, reinforced by descending trendlines and moving averages.

Breaking above this zone could open the door for a short-term recovery.

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On the downside, Cardano’s historical price context shows that the $0.28 region is a critical support zone.

This level has repeatedly acted as a floor in past downtrends, making it a key point to monitor.

Failure to hold $0.28 would expose the next support around $0.25, with deeper levels near $0.24 if selling continues.

A break below these points could signal a continuation of the downtrend and test historical lows around $0.21 to $0.18.

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Bank of Japan to Test Blockchain-Based Reserve Settlement System

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🚨

The Bank of Japan is moving to place central bank reserve money onto blockchain infrastructure, a step that marks the first G7 central bank validation of distributed ledger technology at the reserve settlement level.

BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda confirmed the initiative Tuesday in a speech at the FIN/SUM conference in Tokyo, framing it as a necessary adaptation to what he called a “new financial ecosystem.”

The announcement carries institutional weight beyond Japan’s borders. It arrives as central banks globally race to establish credible blockchain settlement frameworks before private-sector tokenization outpaces regulatory infrastructure.

Key Takeaways:
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  • The BOJ is launching a sandbox to test whether central bank current account deposits — institutional reserves — can operate on blockchain-based systems, targeting interbank and securities settlement.
  • Japan is an active participant in Project Agora, the BIS-led multilateral experiment exploring tokenized central bank money for cross-border wholesale settlement.
  • Governor Ueda explicitly flagged smart contract code errors as a direct threat to financial stability, signaling the BOJ views technical risk validation as a precondition for any production deployment.

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What the Bank of Japan Sandbox Is Actually Testing

The sandbox targets BOJ current account deposits, the reserves commercial banks hold at the central bank, as the asset to be tokenized and tested on blockchain rails.

Ueda specified two primary use cases: domestic interbank settlement and securities settlement, both currently processed through BOJ-NET, Japan’s national financial network.

The core technical challenge is interoperability. The BOJ is not looking to replace legacy infrastructure wholesale but to prove blockchain can connect with it. Smart contract functionality sits at the center of that value proposition, enabling faster, programmable execution of settlement instructions that currently require manual or batch processing.

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Ueda did not specify a blockchain architecture or timeline for sandbox completion. He confirmed the BOJ will engage external experts throughout development, suggesting technology firm or academic partnerships are forthcoming.

However, Ueda’s concerns about smart contract risk were unambiguous:

“Smart contracts are highly convenient in that they allow transactions to be carried out automatically without any manual labor. When the design of the smart contracts is inadequate, however, there is a risk that the stability of financial markets and payment systems will be threatened due to fraudulent use.”

What Does the BOJ Move Signal for Tokenized Finance?

Japan’s experiment positions it alongside, not behind, the most advanced institutional blockchain programs globally.

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The BOJ is a participating jurisdiction in Project Agora, the Bank for International Settlements initiative exploring tokenized central bank money for cross-border wholesale payments.

Ueda confirmed that Project Agora participants are actively designing a framework for central banks to issue tokenized deposits on-chain with embedded smart contract functionality.

That multilateral dimension matters. Cross-border settlement inefficiencies cost the global financial system billions annually in correspondent banking delays and FX conversion friction.

A BIS-coordinated framework with BOJ participation opens a path toward atomic settlement across currencies, without relying on private stablecoin infrastructure.

The domestic context reinforces the institutional momentum. Japan’s Financial Services Agency ran consultations in 2025 on reclassifying cryptocurrencies on par with securities.

In effect, the government has embedded blockchain and tokenization in its economic growth strategy. Japan’s first yen-pegged stablecoin, JPYC, launched in January 2021. The BOJ sandbox does not emerge from a vacuum; it sits atop an accelerating national tokenization agenda.

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Crypto Ecosystem Exposure Remains Indirect but Real

Permissioned blockchain networks, purpose-built for institutional settlement, the architecture most likely to underpin BOJ experiments, require the same smart contract tooling and security standards that public chains have been developing for years.

So, protocols and networks exposed to tokenized real-world assets and institutional-grade settlement infrastructure stand to benefit most as central bank experiments validate the underlying technology. The question is timing and whether public or permissioned chains capture the institutional layer first.

The BOJ’s next visible milestone will be the publication of technical findings from the sandbox and the naming of external expert partners.

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Those announcements will undoubtedly reveal which blockchain architecture Japan’s central bank considers fit for reserve infrastructure, and that choice will carry weight across the institutional DeFi space.

The post Bank of Japan to Test Blockchain-Based Reserve Settlement System appeared first on Cryptonews.

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Aave Chan Initiative Announces Exit From Aave DAO Amid Governance Rift

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Aave Chan Initiative Announces Exit From Aave DAO Amid Governance Rift

ACI’s exit escalates that debate, particularly as other major contributors like BGD Labs recently announced plans to leave by April 2026 amid governance friction.

The Aave Chan Initiative (ACI), one of the largest delegated service providers in the Aave governance ecosystem, has announced it will wind down its engagement with the Aave DAO and depart the protocol over the coming months, marking a significant escalation in ongoing governance tensions.

In a governance forum post published March 3 by Marc Zeller, founder of ACI, the organization confirmed that it will not seek renewal of its contract with Aave DAO and will begin a four-month wind-down of operations with a focus on transferring infrastructure and responsibilities back to the DAO or successor teams.

“The Aave Chan Initiative was built for Aave. Without a future in the Aave ecosystem, the name no longer applies,” Zeller wrote, explaining that the decision stems from what he sees as structural breakdowns in the governance process.

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ACI said its work included driving 61% of all governance actions, revenue strategies responsible for nearly half of the protocol’s income, and over $100 million in incentives deployed over three years.

Governance Accountability and Structural Concerns

In his statement, Zeller cited a series of events that undermined ACI’s ability to operate effectively, including what he characterized as a governance process that failed to apply consistent transparency and accountability standards to the largest budget request in DAO history.

“We spent three years building a culture of accountability inside the Aave DAO… When we applied those same standards to the entity requesting the largest budget in DAO history, the system stopped working,” Zeller said.

In a separate post, he argued that the “Aave Will Win” Temp Check vote cleared its preliminary stage thanks to Aave Labs–linked voting power, even as most other tokenholders had rejected the proposal.

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ACI’s departure follows a broader debate inside the Aave community over revenue allocation, service provider roles, and the balance of power between independent delegates and core contributors such as Aave Labs. ACI’s exit escalates that debate, particularly as other major contributors like BGD Labs recently announced plans to leave by April 2026 amid governance friction.

Transition and Handover

Despite announcing its exit, ACI said it will ensure a “graceful transition” of its systems and tools to the DAO before its contract expires. This includes handing off governance infrastructure, documentation for incentive programs, and ongoing commitments.

ACI also plans to submit a governance proposal to cancel its existing GHO revenue stream and transfer the remaining vesting to the DAO treasury to ensure continuity after departure.

Implications for Aave

ACI’s departure represents a rare and notable exit from the ecosystem by a delegate that has historically played a central role in shaping protocol strategy, incentive design, and governance tooling. Its exit, coupled with other service provider changes, may force the wider DAO to reassess how it structures governance oversight and balances power among contributors.

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As the DAO prepares for next phases of major proposals and technical upgrades, ACI’s winding down adds pressure to ongoing debates about decentralization, accountability, and the future of Aave’s governance model.

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BTC long-term bull case remains, says Fabian Dori

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BTC long-term bull case remains, says Fabian Dori

Bitcoin’s volatility is likely to remain elevated in the near term, and prices could fall further, as crypto markets grapple with a liquidity squeeze and deeply fractured sentiment, according to Sygnum Bank chief investment officer Fabian Dori.

But the longer-term picture, he argues, remains intact.

“We can see volatility remaining high in the short term, and prices could even go lower from here,” Dori told CoinDesk in an interview. “Sentiment has collapsed. Trust and confidence for investors to build exposure are very limited.”

The recent divergence between gold, which has held firm, and innovation assets such as Nasdaq tech stocks and bitcoin underscores how fragile the current environment has become. Yet Dori cautions against searching for a single explanation.

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“There isn’t one single cause, indicator or driver behind this gap,” he said. “It’s a number of elements that have been building over recent months.”

Crypto markets have trended lower in recent months, with bitcoin and other major tokens retreating from earlier highs as macro headwinds and uneven institutional flows weigh on sentiment. Sticky inflation and shifting expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts have curbed risk appetite, while periodic geopolitical flare-ups have reinforced a broader move out of speculative assets. At the same time, choppier exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, thinner liquidity and bouts of leveraged liquidations have magnified downside moves, leaving prices struggling to regain momentum and repeatedly testing key support levels.

Thin ice

Crypto, Dori argues, has been “on thin ice” for some time.

Long-term holders have grown wary of bitcoin’s four-year cycle and the risk of entering a correction phase. That caution has left the ecosystem on more fractured footing, with fewer strong hands willing to absorb volatility.

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Layered on top are crypto-specific liquidity stresses and broader macro pressures.

Since June last year, the U.S. Treasury’s issuance of bills and notes has significantly increased balances in the Treasury General Account (TGA) at the Federal Reserve. When those bills are issued, liquidity is effectively pulled from markets and sits idle.

“They are non-productive assets,” Dori said. “And crypto, being one of the most liquidity-sensitive asset classes, was among the most affected.”

A record liquidity event on Oct. 10 further dampened risk appetite among investors and market makers, he said, accelerating the deterioration in crypto market depth. Funding rates collapsed, and liquidity conditions worsened.

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At the same time, concerns ranging from bitcoin’s store-of-value narrative to quantum computing risks, forced selling of reserves by digital asset treasuries and delays around U.S. legislation, including the much-anticipated Clarity Act, have compounded uncertainty.

With sentiment already fragile, even minor headlines now trigger outsized price swings.

“The ecosystem was already on thin ice because of the cycle dynamics,” Dori said. Then you add additional liquidity constraints and collapsing sentiment, that’s a very vulnerable setup, he added.

Since early October, bitcoin has suffered drawdowns of roughly 40% to 50% from its recent highs. The last time markets experienced declines of that magnitude was during the systemic crisis of 2022, prompting renewed fears of broader structural risk.

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Dori rejects the comparison.

“From a macro perspective, regulatory clarity, institutional adoption and counterparty soundness, the picture today is totally different from 2022,” he said. “This is not the same systemic risk environment.”

Liquidity turn?

In Dori’s view, the current weakness reflects a short-term liquidity squeeze rather than a shift in fundamentals.

Market data, he said, shows empirical signs of improvement beneath the surface.

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The U.S. business cycle is broadening. ISM services activity has expanded in recent months, and manufacturing prints have surprised to the upside, historically prerequisites for improving risk appetite.

At the same time, headline inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target but is nowhere near levels that previously fueled acute concerns around trade policy or tariffs. The trend, Dori said, appears subdued enough to allow the Fed to continue its rate-cut cycle in coming months.

“That would improve liquidity conditions again,” he said.

Treasury-driven liquidity pressures could also ease, setting the stage for a faster-than-expected turn ahead of the next Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Dori added.

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From a crypto-native perspective, the fundamental backdrop remains constructive. Stablecoin growth continues, integration into traditional finance is expanding, and the number of native tokens locked on networks such as Ethereum and Solana remains robust.

Institutional adoption, while uneven, is still progressing.

“Once sentiment normalizes and liquidity conditions improve, the gap between traditional assets and crypto should narrow again,” Dori said.

Searching for a trigger

For now, however, sentiment is the dominant force.

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Fear-and-greed indicators sit at extreme fear levels, underscoring how little appetite there is to rebuild exposure. “That clearly indicates that trust and confidence are very limited,” Dori said. “We need some kind of trigger.”

What that catalyst might be is less clear.

The passage of comprehensive U.S. crypto legislation, such as the Clarity Act, would be “an extremely positive development,” he said. A normalization of geopolitical tensions could also help restore broader investor appetite.

Improvement in concerns tied to artificial intelligence and sustainability narratives could provide additional tailwinds. Meanwhile, a further recovery in liquidity conditions, combined with continued institutional inflows, would reinforce the constructive case.

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Until then, markets remain exposed.

The short-term view, because of sentiment, is not great, Dori said. But he remains confident that the structural foundation is stronger than it appears.

“Fundamentally, we see improving business cycle data, stablecoin growth, institutional participation and stronger counterparty risk management,” he said. “That’s very different from what we saw in 2022.”

In Dori’s assessment, bitcoin’s current slump is less a verdict on its long-term viability and more a function of liquidity mechanics and shaken confidence.

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Volatility may intensify before it subsides. Prices may even test lower levels. Yet if liquidity conditions ease and macro data continue to firm, Dori believes the turn could come sooner than many expect.

For now, crypto remains on edge. But beneath the surface, he argues, the fundamentals are quietly improving.

Read more: Bitcoin is stuck in a rut but JPMorgan says new legislation could be the ultimate spark

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Natural Gas Prices Rise Amid Middle East Conflict

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Natural Gas Prices Rise Amid Middle East Conflict

The recent strike by Israel and the US, along with Iran’s retaliatory actions, has pushed energy asset prices higher. Yesterday, we reported on a bullish gap in oil markets, and while US natural gas prices have not surged as sharply, they are also on the rise. Traders’ attention is focused on news from the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of global liquefied gas shipments pass.

Today’s XNG/USD chart reflects the increase in natural gas prices – driven by concerns over potential disruptions to supply chains.

Technical Analysis of XNG/USD

The long-term descending channel, repeatedly referenced in previous analyses, remains relevant – its median acted as resistance on 6 February.

A notable event occurred on 9 February, when a bearish gap formed on the XNG/USD chart (around the 3.200 level). This area acted as resistance on 12 February.

From a bullish perspective:
→ The market finds support near the 2025 low, likely an economically justified support level close to production costs.
→ The reversal on 26 February resembles a Rounding Bottom pattern.

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Currently, US natural gas prices are trading near 1.133, where local February highs formed. However, if escalation in the Middle East continues, XNG/USD may rise toward the noted resistance around 3.200.

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This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.

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Dollar surge pressures crypto and gold after escalation in Iran conflict: Crypto Markets Today

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Management wins board approval to sell BTC

The crypto market, U.S. equities and precious metals all tumbled on Tuesday as the dollar index (DXY) rose by 0.5% since midnight UTC to its highest level since Jan. 19.

The risk-off sentiment comes after escalation in the conflict in Iran, with Israel launching fresh strikes on Tehran and Beirut while the U.S. embassy in Riyadh was hit by two Iranian drones.

Gold hit a one-month high of $5,410 on Monday but fell back to $5,260 on Tuesday as investors opt for the dollar as a safe haven.

Bitcoin has been largely correlated with gold this week; rallying on Monday to $70,000 before reverting back to $66,500 – firmly in the middle of a range it has occupied since early February.

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The altcoin market fared worse than bitcoin, with the likes of ADA, ZEC and DASH losing upwards of 4% since midnight UTC.

Derivatives positioning

  • Market dynamics have transitioned into a consolidation phase, with BTC futures open Interest stabilizing at $15.3 billion as the post-leverage cleanup reaches equilibrium. Retail sentiment remains cautiously bullish with funding rates ranging from 0% to 10%, while institutional conviction has softened slightly, marked by the 3-month annualized basis dipping just below 3%. This suggests a firm market floor but a temporary plateau in upside momentum.
  • The options market has shifted from “panic-hedging” to sustained bullishness, with 24 hour call volume surging to a 63/37 split. The 1-week 25-delta skew has cooled to 14% (down from 27%), signaling a sharp drop in the cost of downside protection. Crucially, the implied volatility (IV) term structure has moved into contango, as front-end premiums collapse below the stable 49%–50% seen in longer-dated tenors, indicating that immediate fear has been replaced by mid-term growth expectations.
  • Coinglass data shows $392 million in 24 hour liquidations, with a 50-50 split between longs and shorts. BTC ($163 million), ETH ($96 million) and Others ($20 million) were the leaders in terms of notional liquidations. Binance liquidation heatmap indicates $69,800 as a core liquidation level to monitor, in case of a price rise.

Token talk

  • CoinDesk’s Memecoin (CDMEME) and DeFi Select (DFX) Indices are the best performing benchmarks over the past 24 hours, rising 0.95% and 0.71% respectively.
  • AI token NEAR bounced back from oversold conditions with a 13.3% move to the upside on Tuesday, indicating that portions of the altcoin market remained coiled ready to spring to the upside.
  • Broadly, however, the altcoin market remains in a consolidation phase as a part of a downtrend dating back to October. Over the past week the likes of PEPE, ATOM, SHIB and BCH have all lost double digits despite bitcoin remaining in the middle of its trading range.
  • DeFi tokens JUP and MORPHO bucked the consolidation trend, rising by 23% and 20% respectively over the past week with continuation to the upside on Tuesday.

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Japan’s PM Takaichi disavows Sanae Token after memecoin peaks at $28M

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Crypto Breaking News

A token bearing the name of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi briefly surged to a multi-million-dollar valuation on the Solana network before tumbling after the premier publicly denied any involvement. The episode spotlights how political-name assets can spark swift, emotion-driven moves in crypto markets, even when official ties remain unproven. On Feb. 25, trackers flagged Sanae Token reaching a market capitalization of about $27.7 million, a figure that was soon undermined by the denial. As the day progressed, the asset’s apparent value receded, with the market cap hovering around $7 million as traders reassessed the token’s fundamentals and branding risks in a highly speculative environment.

Key takeaways

  • The Sanae Token briefly attained a market capitalization of roughly $27.7 million on Feb. 25, according to data tracked by Gmgn, before retracing following the prime minister’s denial of any connection.
  • Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi publicly stated on X that she had no knowledge of the token and that neither her office nor she had approved it, aiming to prevent public misunderstanding.
  • The Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) is reportedly weighing a probe into the token’s issuance and the operators behind it, though no formal announcement has been made.
  • The episode is part of a broader pattern of political-name tokens drawing attention in multiple jurisdictions, including examples in the United States and Argentina that have sparked volatility and regulatory scrutiny.
  • Under Japan’s Payment Services Act, issuers and service providers in the crypto space must register with the FSA; operating without proper registration can invite enforcement actions and heightened consumer-protection concerns.

Sentiment: Bearish

Price impact: Negative. The Sanae Token’s market capitalization fell from about $27.7 million to around $7 million after the denial by the prime minister’s office.

Trading idea (Not Financial Advice): Hold. The episode illustrates how social signals can produce rapid, reversible moves, and a cautious stance may be prudent until regulatory clarity and project details emerge.

Market context: The incident ties into a wider trend of political-name crypto assets triggering volatility and regulatory attention as investors weigh branding risk, authenticity, and regulatory requirements within evolving crypto frameworks.

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Why it matters

The Sanae Token episode underscores how branding, public perception, and political associations can ignite short-lived surges in crypto markets. For investors and observers, it reinforces the importance of separating hype from fundamentals, especially when an asset appears to base its value on branding rather than verifiable use cases or disclosures. Tokens tied to public figures can attract early liquidity, but they also carry heightened reputational and regulatory risk if the connection to the figure is uncertain or contested.

From a regulatory perspective, the developments illuminate the delicate balance authorities strike between fostering innovation and enforcing consumer protections. Japan’s framework requires crypto-asset service providers to register with the FSA, a standard designed to curb unregistered activity and ensure some level of due diligence. The possibility that the Sanae Token’s issuer may have operated without proper registration highlights the risk of enforcement actions and potential measures that could affect market access, investor confidence, and product governance in the sector.

Globally, the phenomenon of political-name tokens has surfaced in several markets as a test case for how regulators will treat branding-driven crypto ventures. In the United States, a Trump-themed memecoin drew attention and volatility around the time an official launch was announced on Jan. 17, 2025. The asset briefly spiked to around $73 before retreating, and it was trading nearer typical levels around $3.40 at the time of reporting. In Argentina, a Libra-based token gained global notice after a promotion by President Javier Milei on X, surging past $4.50 before collapsing to sub-$0.20 values within hours, prompting allegations of pump-and-dump activity. These instances illustrate how political narratives can drive liquidity and price, while regulators scrutinize misrepresentation, disclosures, and registration obligations.

What to watch next

  • Whether the FSA formally opens an investigation into the Sanae Token’s issuer and the operators involved, and which specific actions or disclosures come under review.
  • Any official statements from the token project or its backers addressing registration status and compliance with the Payment Services Act.
  • Regulatory developments in Japan and other jurisdictions regarding political-name tokens and branding-driven crypto assets.
  • Subsequent market moves for similar political-name tokens in the US, Argentina, and elsewhere, including any new official launches or enforcement actions.

Sources & verification

  • Japan’s regulatory framework and the Payment Services Act as it relates to crypto-asset issuers and service providers.
  • Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s X post denying knowledge of or approval for the token, and her comment about preventing public misunderstanding (link).
  • Gmgn data indicating the Sanae Token’s market capitalization and price action around February 25.
  • Kyodo News reporting that the FSA was weighing a probe into the token’s issuance and related operators.
  • Historical coverage of political-name tokens in the United States (Trump memecoin) and Argentina (Libra token) and the reported price movements and promotions surrounding those assets (announcement, Libragate timeline).

What the story means for the market

The Sanae Token case adds a data point to the ongoing discussion about how branding and public-office associations influence crypto demand, liquidity, and price discovery. It also reinforces the need for clear regulatory frameworks that can deter misrepresentation and protect investors while allowing genuine innovation to flourish. As authorities increasingly scrutinize crypto projects with political branding or affiliations, market participants may become more discerning about token narratives, disclosures, and the legitimacy of issuers—especially when official approvals or registrations are a prerequisite for operating in regulated environments.

Rewritten Article Body

The episode began with a rapid, speculative ascent for a token that carried the name of a prominent political figure, followed by a swift retrenchment once the public denial arrived. The Solana-based Sanae Token rose to a claimed market cap of about $27.7 million on Feb. 25, drawing attention from traders who monitor the intersections of politics and crypto. The spike occurred despite the absence of verifiable ties between the token and the Japanese prime minister’s office. In the hours that followed, the asset’s value deteriorated as investors digested the denial and reassessed the risk profile of a project anchored to a name rather than a clearly defined product or utility.

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The public denial came through a concise message from Sanae Takaichi on X, where she emphasized that she had no knowledge of the token and that neither she nor her office had granted approval or been informed of its contents. The post, aimed at clarifying the situation and quelling misconceptions, is accessible on the official platform: https://x.com/takaichi_sanae/status/2028441855227236653.

Market observers quickly turned to regulatory signals as a potential counterweight to hype-driven moves. The Financial Services Agency (FSA) of Japan reportedly weighed a formal investigation into the token’s issuance and the operators behind it, according to Kyodo News. While the regulator had not publicly announced a formal inquiry, the possibility of closer scrutiny underscores the regulatory calculus facing crypto projects that combine branding with fundraising activities. Japan’s regime under the Payment Services Act requires crypto-asset exchanges and issuers to register with the FSA, a framework designed to curb unregistered activity and to impose disclosure and consumer-protection standards. The absence of registration could invite enforcement action and heightened scrutiny over investor protections.

Meanwhile, the broader phenomenon of political-name tokens has featured in other markets, illustrating that branding and public perception can generate sharp, if ephemeral, liquidity. In the United States, a token tied to former President Donald Trump drew attention as the team indicated an official launch in January 2025. The token briefly surged toward $73 before receding, and market observers noted trading levels around $3.40 at the time of reporting. Separately, an Argentine episode surrounding a Libra token drew international headlines after President Javier Milei endorsed it on social media; the asset jumped to above $4.50 but collapsed to sub-$0.20 within hours, prompting questions about possible pump-and-dump dynamics. These cases reflect a recurring theme where political branding can catalyze price moves that require regulatory context and investor discernment to interpret and respond to appropriately.

For investors and participants in the crypto ecosystem, the Sanae Token episode is a reminder that policy and governance structures play a critical role in shaping market outcomes. As regulators consider enforcement actions and registration requirements, and as projects navigate compliance frameworks, the quality of disclosures and the legitimacy of project teams become central to evaluating risk. The intersection of politics and crypto remains a dynamic frontier, one where headlines can transiently alter sentiment, but where durable value typically hinges on clear use cases, transparent governance, and adherence to regulatory norms.

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Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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