Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

The Trump administration has set an informal March 1, 2026 deadline for Congress to resolve outstanding disputes on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act), aiming for passage and a possible presidential signing in Spring 2026. The White House and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are urging lawmakers to create a single federal framework for digital assets to reduce regulatory uncertainty, stabilize markets and attract investment. Industry participants including Ripple and Coinbase have taken part in closed-door sessions with senior officials; Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse estimated about a 90% chance of passage by April. Key negotiations focus on market structure, agency authority and clear definitions distinguishing securities from commodities. If Congress meets the March 1 target, the bill could progress to a spring vote and eventual enactment, potentially replacing the current patchwork of agency interpretations with unified federal rules.

This guide explains how to pick a trustworthy online casino that accepts Litecoin (LTC) deposits. Litecoin casinos are popular for fast ~2.5-minute block confirmations and low fees, but speed alone doesn’t guarantee reliability. Key selection criteria include a valid gambling license (commonly Curacao), fast withdrawals (minutes or instant automated payouts), reasonable withdrawal limits, provably fair games, and games from established software providers. Traders and players should also review bonus terms—look for wagering requirements under 40x for better value—VIP programs, mobile optimization, multiple crypto payment options, and responsive 24/7 customer support. The article warns new Litecoin casinos can be scams and recommends verifying licensing and transaction policies before depositing. A short FAQ notes not all crypto casinos accept LTC, many allow anonymous play without KYC, and welcome bonuses commonly range from 100%–200% match. This paid post is a sponsorship and not financial advice.

XRP reached a cross‑chain milestone on February 9, 2026, when $4.5 million worth of the token was transferred in a single day using Axelar Network’s Interchain Token Service (ITS) — the highest daily XRP cross‑chain volume recorded so far in 2026. Since January 2026, Axelar has processed more than $18.6 million in XRP across 5,326 transactions, illustrating accelerating cross‑chain adoption. Analysts credit Axelar ITS for reducing transaction costs, simplifying interoperability and unlocking XRP liquidity for DeFi, NFT marketplaces and multi‑chain dApps. The report also notes growing institutional interest in XRP (WisdomTree highlighted payment use cases) and mentions Japan’s SBI Shinsei Bank offering dividend payouts in XRP. Rumors about Ripple’s National Trust Bank approval potentially arriving soon were cited as a possible catalyst for broader payment‑rail functionality. Key SEO keywords: XRP, cross‑chain, Axelar, Interchain Token Service, interoperability, DeFi, liquidity.

Over the next four trading days roughly $137 billion of Treasury settlements will withdraw liquidity from financial markets, creating a near-term funding squeeze. Historical data show Treasury settlement days tend to weigh on risk assets: equities and Bitcoin have underperformed on settlement days versus non-settlement days. Bitcoin is especially vulnerable, averaging a 1.96% decline on settlement days while typically gaining on normal days. The liquidity pressure is likely to persist through the April tax season until Treasury tax receipts provide relief. Traders should expect heavier selling pressure, wider bid-ask spreads, and potential volatility across equities and crypto (notably BTC). Tactical positioning — reducing leverage, cutting size, or avoiding large directional bets during the four-day drain — may reduce execution risk. Monitor Treasury settlement calendar and tax-receipt timing for probable easing points.

Playnance reports its ecosystem has generated over $5.3 million in combined revenue and distributed more than $2 million in fiat via its "Be The Boss" rewards program. Daily activity has scaled to roughly 1.5 million on‑chain transactions and over 10,000 unique daily active users across non‑custodial consumer apps (including PlayW3 and Up vs Down). Active reward participants (Bosses) rose to about 2,567–2,809, more than doubling earlier levels. The platform runs a single shared wallet and operational layer to route transactions and tie rewards to measurable on‑chain activity. Playnance plans to launch a native G‑Token as a utility and settlement token integrated with existing transaction volumes and revenues; the company emphasizes designing the token around live system metrics rather than marketing it as a speculative standalone asset. CEO Pini Peter says token economics will follow observed user behavior and platform performance. Key trading facts: $5.3M ecosystem revenue, >$2M fiat payouts, ~1.5M daily on‑chain transactions, >10k daily active users, ~2.6k–2.8k active reward participants, and an upcoming G‑Token intended as a utility/settlement token. Traders should note the token is positioned to be revenue‑backed and integrated with active on‑chain throughput, which may influence initial token valuation dynamics and liquidity expectations.

TD Securities warns that three converging forces — the 2024 U.S. midterm election outcomes, Federal Reserve leadership turnover in 2025, and rising U.S. dollar volatility — create heightened market uncertainty into 2025. The midterms produced political realignments that affect tax policy, spending bills, financial regulation and debt-ceiling negotiations; TD Securities notes fiscal-policy uncertainty typically lasts 6–9 months post-election. Concurrent Fed transitions (regional bank presidents retiring, Board of Governors turnover and research head changes) raise questions about policy continuity and FOMC voting dynamics. Currency strategists highlight risks to USD valuation from weakened fiscal-monetary coordination, international reallocations out of U.S. assets, and higher transaction costs for dollar-denominated trade. Market impacts include greater equity volatility (earnings translation effects), bond yield-curve pressure, increased commodity price swings and rising hedging activity in derivatives. TD Securities cites historical parallels (2010, 2018 midterms; 2014, 2018 Fed transitions) but stresses current inflation dynamics make direct comparisons imperfect. Traders are advised to monitor political and Fed developments closely, adjust duration and currency exposures, and increase stress-testing and hedging. Primary keywords: USD risk, Fed leadership, midterm elections, currency volatility, fiscal policy. Secondary keywords: FOMC rotation, fiscal-monetary coordination, hedging, reserve reallocation.

MetaMask and Mastercard have launched a self-custodial crypto card in the United States that enables users to spend crypto directly from their MetaMask wallets. The card is issued by Mastercard and routed through a U.S. bank partner; MetaMask retains non-custodial control of private keys. The offering supports on‑chain spending from users’ crypto balances, aiming to reduce reliance on custodial fiat conversion services. MetaMask highlights security and user control as core features, while Mastercard provides global payment network infrastructure and compliance. The rollout starts in the U.S., with potential wider availability later. Key implications include improved crypto-to-fiat utility for retail users, greater mainstream payment integration, and increased on‑chain activity as traders and consumers use crypto for everyday payments. Primary keywords: MetaMask, Mastercard, crypto card, self-custodial. Secondary/semantic keywords: non-custodial wallet, on-chain spending, payment rails, U.S. rollout.

Polkadot (DOT) jumped ~22% in 24 hours to a one-month high near $1.74, lifting its market cap above $2.6 billion. The move came amid a broader crypto rally—Bitcoin approaching $70,000 and Ethereum reclaiming $2,000—which likely supplied primary upward momentum. DOT-specific catalysts cited by analysts and social commentary included: a scheduled token halving on March 14, 2025 that will cut annual DOT issuance and support a scarcity narrative; growing speculation about possible spot DOT ETFs from firms such as Grayscale and 21Shares that could bring fresh institutional and retail inflows; and a technical breakout above the daily 20 EMA and horizontal resistance around $1.40, with near support at $1.23–$1.30 attracting momentum buyers. On-chain and derivatives signals reported in earlier coverage—rising transactions, staking activity, parachain transfers, higher development commits, increasing open interest and large block buys near resistance—complement the narrative of elevated demand. Short-term indicators show DOT’s RSI around 70–73, suggesting overbought conditions and a higher risk of pullbacks. Community price targets range from $1.80 near-term to $2–$3 longer term. For traders: expect elevated short-term volatility. Watch ETF developments, the actual impact of the halving on circulating supply and staking incentives, key support ($1.30–$1.45) and resistance ($1.74–$1.85+), and derivatives positioning (open interest, liquidations) to time entries, hedges or profit-taking. Primary keywords: Polkadot, DOT, halving, spot ETF, crypto rally.

Prediction-market data show rising odds of near-term price gains for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) even as overall market sentiment remains in “Extreme Fear.” Myriad markets swung in favor of a BTC pump to $84,000 (with a notable simultaneously priced drop to $55,000 retaining significant odds). BTC rallied from below $63k to around $67k–$69k during the week. ETH climbed from about $1,815 to over $2,100 before settling near $2,023, shifting prediction markets toward a move to $3,000 while dump odds narrowed. Other platforms (Kalshi, Polymarket) also show reduced odds of deeper yearly declines: Kalshi puts BTC’s chance of falling below $55k at ~66% (down ~10% week-over-week) and ETH below $1,500 at ~63%. Despite these shifts, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index remains in “Extreme Fear” for most of February. On-chain indicators and ETF flows offered support: U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a large one-day inflow (~$506M), and on-chain data signalled easing selling pressure amid a tech-stock-led rally after NVIDIA’s earnings. Some analysts still warn of lower lows—CryptoQuant points to a bear-market bottom near $55k for BTC, and Standard Chartered projects BTC could drop to $50k and ETH to $1,400 before sustained rebounds. Predictors on Polymarket assign only ~19% odds that BTC or ETH will reach new highs by end-2026. Key takeaways for traders: prediction markets show growing short-term bullish positioning for BTC and ETH, ETF inflows and on-chain data offer near-term support, but sentiment metrics and some institutional analyses still point to potential deeper retracements before larger recoveries.

The Bank of England (BoE) is confronting a critical policy dilemma: stronger-than-expected UK economic data is clashing with market hopes for imminent interest-rate cuts. Standard Chartered’s analysis, led by Chief Economist Sarah Hewin, highlights persistent services inflation (~5%), average weekly earnings growth around 5.5%, low unemployment (~4%), resilient consumer spending and firm Q1 GDP readings — all pointing to sustained domestic price pressures. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) remains data-dependent and now requires consistent evidence that services-led inflation is cooling before easing the Bank Rate. Markets have repriced cuts from roughly 75 basis points to an estimated 25–50 bps, tightening financial conditions. Key transmission channels include mortgage costs, business investment, exchange-rate effects and broader financial conditions. The report warns of a two-speed economy (consumer sectors pressured; manufacturing supported by a weaker pound) and higher government debt servicing costs. Standard Chartered’s baseline anticipates a delayed and shallower easing cycle, with the main risk being premature cuts that could re-accelerate inflation. Traders should watch services CPI, wage growth, unemployment, PMI and monthly retail/GDP prints for triggers that would alter the BoE’s path.

Bitcoin briefly plunged about 30% to roughly $47,600 on decentralized perpetuals exchange Lighter while it was rallying above $69,000 on major venues. The crash lasted seconds and was isolated to Lighter, where thin order-book liquidity was overwhelmed by a single sell order of about 1,000 BTC (≈$67m). The trade wiped out available bids and produced a rapid wick down before prices recovered. Lighter — an upstart decentralized perpetuals (perps) exchange that captured large market share during a token airdrop — has seen monthly volumes drop from a peak (~$292bn processed in a month last November) to around $70bn in February, leaving order books thinner and more vulnerable to large market orders. The incident underscores liquidity risk on smaller DEX derivatives venues and the potential for outsized, exchange-specific flash crashes to produce misleading venue-level prices. Key facts: ~1,000 BTC sell order, ~30% drawdown to ~$47.6k on Lighter, contrast with >$69k on major exchanges, Lighter monthly volume fallen to ~$70bn from prior highs.

Coin Bureau CEO Nic Puckrin tells Cointelegraph he expects 2026 to split into a ‘tale of two crypto markets’: strong institutional conviction versus weak retail participation. He argues that recent ETF approvals, regulatory shifts and large-money adoption have driven headlines, but everyday retail investors remain largely absent compared with prior cycles — a divergence that matters for price dynamics and liquidity. Puckrin revisits the Bitcoin four-year cycle debate, noting that atypical pre-halving price rises and lack of a classic blow-off top forced traders to reassess cycle models. He also flags quantum computing as an emerging risk now entering some investors’ formal risk frameworks, though the community is divided on its urgency. Puckrin outlines key price levels and external catalysts to watch that could prompt a meaningful Bitcoin recovery later in 2026, and mentions he’s monitoring opportunities outside crypto. The interview underscores themes relevant to traders: liquidity concentration, institutional flows versus retail apathy, evolving risk factors (including quantum threats), and conditional catalysts that could drive short- and long-term Bitcoin moves.

Ethereum (ETH) has risen about 18% since tumbling below $1,800 on Feb. 6 and has reclaimed the $2,000 level. On‑chain and market data point to a potential local bottom: realized 30‑day volatility on Binance jumped to 0.97 (its highest since March–April 2025), historically a precursor to strong repricing and rallies; Ether’s MVRV Z‑Score fell into the historical accumulation zone (around -0.31), a level last seen before a major multi‑month upswing; and ETH is holding a multiyear ascending trendline in the $1,800–$1,900 range where investors accumulated ~2.9 million ETH per Glassnode. Analysts note fractal similarities to the 2020 setup that preceded a parabolic run, and short‑term targets include liquidity clusters near $2,200–$2,500 and a retest of the 50‑day SMA (~$2,540) if bulls push above $2,100. These signals suggest oversold conditions and potential for a multimonth recovery, though risks remain. This is not investment advice.

Regulatory changes in 2025–2026 are making crypto a lasting part of U.S. 401(k) plans. The Department of Labor rescinded its 2022 “extreme care” guidance in May 2025, restoring a prudence-based fiduciary standard. President Trump’s August 2025 Executive Order 14330 directed federal agencies to broaden access to “alternative assets,” explicitly including crypto. The DOL has submitted proposed rules (awaiting OMB review) that would define a fiduciary safe harbor for alternative assets; expected requirements include qualified custody, liquidity limits and portfolio allocation caps. Adoption is likely to be gradual — moving from SDBAs to core menu and target-date fund inclusion — constrained by fiduciary buy-in, platform integration, and consultant gatekeepers (Mercer, Aon, Willis Towers Watson). The 401(k) market’s large, steady contribution flows could dampen volatility and make retirement allocations a stable, long-term bid for crypto exposure. For advisors and traders, 2026 marks a structural inflection point: regulatory clarity opens the path for institutional retirement demand that may steadily increase inflows into spot crypto ETFs and custody services over years rather than weeks.

AVAX surged about 10% after announcements that more than $2 billion in real-world assets (RWAs) will migrate to the Avalanche ecosystem and institutions increase activity on-chain. A new Progmat-backed Avalanche L1 with on-chain privacy features—targeting Japan-focused institutional infrastructure—was revealed, expected to raise regulatory-compliant adoption and institutional trust. On-chain metrics show rising institutional participation: derivatives open interest climbed ~18% to roughly $200 million, futures volumes jumped above $1 billion, and spot taker cumulative volume delta indicates buyer dominance, signaling fresh capital inflows. Stablecoin transfer volumes and RWA token counts on Avalanche have also risen materially in recent months, attracting entities such as Franklin Templeton, Grove Finance and Centrifuge. Technicals favor bulls: AVAX broke out of a wedge consolidation and remains above key support levels, with a visible $3.41M liquidity cluster near $15 flagged as the next short-term target. Collectively, the RWA migration, institutional flows, higher open interest and aligned spot/futures momentum point to a bullish near-term outlook for AVAX and strengthen Avalanche’s positioning as an institutional RWA hub. Traders should watch liquidity clusters, the $15 support/resistance zone, and changes in open interest and funding rates for confirmation and risk management.

USD/CAD rallied toward the 1.3700 level as the US dollar recovered earlier losses, supported by a stronger U.S. economic backdrop and divergence in monetary policy between the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada. The move reflects the US Dollar Index finding technical support, muted gains in crude (WTI) that limit Canadian dollar upside, and interest-rate differentials: the Fed remains relatively hawkish while the BoC faces slowing domestic demand and may cut rates sooner. Commodity prices that normally support the loonie—WTI, natural gas, lumber—have shown mixed or softer trends, reducing CAD tailwinds. Technical traders view 1.3700 as a key pivot: a sustained break could target resistance near 1.3800, while support sits around 1.3600 and the 50-day MA (~1.3550). Upcoming US Retail Sales and Canadian CPI prints are likely catalysts. Order-book flows show higher volume around 1.3700 as participants position for a breakout. Key takeaways for traders: monitor Fed vs BoC communications and relative rate expectations, oil prices and risk sentiment, and the US/CAN macro releases that could rapidly shift USD/CAD positioning.

MicroStrategy chair Michael Saylor signalled continued Bitcoin accumulation as BTC stabilises around $67,000. On X, Saylor posted an image of himself with a large orange Bitcoin-branded bag and joked he might need a "bigger" one, implying further purchases. MicroStrategy holds 718,722 BTC (~$48bn at current prices) with an average cost near $76,000, leaving an unrealised loss of roughly 12%. The company’s mNAV ratio is about 1 and its adjusted enterprise value multiple is ~1.256. Saylor reiterated at Strategy World 2026 that Bitcoin’s core value lies in its capacity to move large sums of capital globally, while acknowledging price volatility as the primary obstacle to mass capital inflows and advising long-term holds (7–10 years). MicroStrategy’s stock (MSTR) is reportedly the most shorted stock per Goldman Sachs; shares trade near $132.8 YTD down ~12.6% and ~75.8% below the all-time high. Strategy continues weekly public reporting of BTC transactions. Key takeaways for traders: potential ongoing corporate demand from MicroStrategy may support Bitcoin price floors; however, volatility and MicroStrategy’s concentrated exposure (and its heavily shorted equity) add risk to correlated market moves.

CryptoQuant on-chain data shows XRP exchange reserves rose roughly 10.58% in 24 hours (about 2.78 billion XRP, ~US$3.98 billion), with exchange supply share up 7.22%. The increase occurred while XRP’s market price was rising, signalling traders are moving coins to exchanges—often a precursor to selling. Rising exchange reserves and supply share typically indicate growing sell pressure and potential for increased volatility. Short-term, this may pressure XRP prices if exchanges see higher outflows to market; longer-term effects depend on whether reserves are converted to fiat/stablecoins or withdrawn to cold storage. Key keywords: XRP, exchange reserves, on-chain metrics, sell pressure, CryptoQuant.

SBI Shinsei Bank announced a shareholder benefit on Feb 25, 2026: shareholders holding at least 100 shares as of March 31, 2026, may choose either 2,000 Japanese yen worth of XRP or a discounted health supplement. Shareholders who opt for XRP must have an account with SBI VC Trade, the SBI Group’s regulated crypto exchange. The program links equity ownership to cryptocurrency participation, reinforcing SBI’s long-standing partnership with Ripple and its strategy to expand XRP utility across payment and investor-incentive use cases. Japan’s clear regulatory framework for crypto exchanges enables such initiatives. The move may boost retail SBI VC Trade registrations and increase on‑ramps for XRP among traditional investors, potentially deepening retail adoption in Japan’s crypto market.

Gold retreated this week as a stronger US dollar and Fed-driven expectations of higher interest rates weighed on the non-yielding metal. The Dollar Index (DXY) climbed to three-month highs, pressuring demand and driving gold toward key technical support near $2,150/oz, with immediate resistance around $2,250 and the 200-day moving average near $2,100. Despite rate-driven headwinds, ongoing geopolitical tensions — including conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and rising South China Sea tensions — provided safe-haven demand that limited deeper declines. Structural demand from central bank purchases (about 1,037 tonnes added to reserves in 2024) and rising ETF holdings continue to underpin prices. Traders should watch Fed communications, DXY moves, central bank gold buying, inflation and real interest rates. Short-term bias is pressure from dollar/monetary policy; medium-to-long-term support remains from geopolitical risk and institutional accumulation.

Vitalik Buterin and the Ethereum Foundation’s Protocol team published a four-year upgrade plan called "Strawmap" that schedules seven hard forks over roughly four years to make Ethereum faster and more quantum‑resistant. Key goals: reduce slot/block time from 12 seconds to about 2 seconds in staged steps (12→8→6→4→3→2), and cut finality time from ~16 minutes to roughly 6–16 seconds by replacing the current confirmation system. The plan decouples slots and finality, improves peer-to-peer block propagation to allow safe shorter slots, and bundles major changes with a shift to post‑quantum hash‑based signatures. Two hard forks (Glamsterdam and Hegotá) are confirmed for this year as the initial steps. Traders should note the roadmap’s potential effects on throughput, UX, on‑chain fees, and long‑term security assumptions.

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT published a probe alleging multiple employees at Axiom Exchange misused internal customer‑support tools and weak access controls to look up private wallet addresses, referral codes and internal user IDs and then traded on that information. The report singles out Broox Bauer, a senior business‑development employee in New York, and includes audio clips in which Bauer describes tracking an initial 10–20 wallets then scaling up and sharing lists. Leaked screenshots and Google Sheets allegedly map KOL wallets to registration data for traders codenamed “Jerry” and “Monix”; several named KOLs confirmed the wallet matches. ZachXBT also says a suspected insider placed roughly $59,800 in bets across two new wallets about three hours before the public disclosure and realized nearly $109,000 in profit, and that Axiom’s revenue since 2024 is material to scale (ZachXBT estimates ~ $390m). Axiom responded on X saying the behaviour “does not represent us,” that access to the implicated tools was removed and an internal investigation is under way. The case drew heavy market interest — prediction markets and traders placed large wagers ahead of the disclosure — highlighting operational‑security and insider‑abuse risks at crypto platforms. ZachXBT urged Axiom’s co‑founders to conduct a formal review and consider legal action; the report notes potential SDNY jurisdiction given Bauer’s NYC location. Primary keywords: Axiom Exchange, insider trading, internal data, ZachXBT. Secondary/semantic keywords: wallet lookups, access controls, KOL wallets, leaked screenshots, SDNY.

Ripple participated in a $5 million seed round for AI infrastructure startup t54, joining lead investors Anagram, PL Capital and Franklin Templeton. t54 positions itself as a “trust layer for the agentic economy,” building agent-native financial primitives: verifiable agent identity (KYA), real-time risk assessment, programmable accountability, and settlement controls. The startup plans cross-chain support including XRPL, Solana, Base and Virtuals, and lists an “XRPL x402 Facilitator” that enables AI agents to pay with XRP and RLUSD. Ripple executives (Monica Long and Markus Infanger) framed the investment as strategic: as autonomous agents handle real capital, identity and risk infrastructure will become foundational. Franklin Templeton also endorsed the thesis for institutional tokenization. t54 cited YouGov and Keyfactor data showing consumer willingness to delegate purchases to AI and industry demand for unique digital identities for agents. At publication XRP traded around $1.44. Primary keywords: Ripple, XRPL, AI agents, agentic payments, t54, XRP. Secondary/semantic keywords: agent identity, KYA, risk assessment, programmable accountability, XRPL x402, RLUSD, Solana, institutional tokenization.

RWA tokenization promised to bring mainstream adoption to blockchain by democratizing access to real estate, art, commodities and private credit. As of early 2026 the RWA tokenization market reached roughly $34 billion (up from $24B in mid-2025), driven mainly by private credit and tokenized Treasuries, but still tiny relative to global markets (e.g., $300T real estate). Stablecoins constitute the bulk of reported on-chain figures, liquidity and secondary trading remain limited, and regulation is unsettled. Institutional players — BlackRock (via BUIDL integration with UniswapX) and Apollo (ACRED tokenized private credit via Securitize) — are deploying capital into tokenized products, but access is gated to qualified investors and market makers rather than retail. The article argues Web3 and RWA have largely failed their democratizing mission, enriching opportunists while retail investors suffered large losses in prior cycles (citing $2T lost in the 2022 crash and major security breaches). Key statistics and themes: $34B RWA market (early 2026), projections of up to $30T by 2030s rely on optimistic legal and liquidity improvements, BFSI captured ~23% of Web3 market share in 2023. The piece warns a renewed hype cycle is under way — “institutional adoption” narratives — but suggests this will reproduce the same capture dynamics, with short-term profit incentives outweighing genuine financial inclusion.

Short-term Bitcoin holders who bought roughly one to three months ago (realized price ~$90,000) are sitting on an average unrealized loss of about 24% as BTC trades near $68,000. On-chain analysis maps four deviation bands for short-term holders — minimum $56K, lower $79K, upper $126K, maximum $153K — which traders use as reference points. BTC is trapped between concentrated long clusters at $65K–$67K and an untouched short wall at $69K–$70K, creating a compressed liquidity setup that historically resolves with strong moves. Google Trends shows rising Bitcoin search interest, suggesting increasing retail attention that could either amplify a squeeze or remain transient. Analysts warn the next directional catalyst (fundamental or technical) could trigger a fast move: a sweep of long clusters would deepen short-term-holder losses, while a break above the short wall would relieve selling pressure. Key takeaways for traders: monitor $65K–$67K (long liquidity), $69K–$70K (short liquidity), the $79K level for a meaningful relief, and retail search activity as a potential sentiment amplifier.

Solana (SOL) drew trader attention after Bluntz Capital rejected bearish bets following a reported 77% peak-to-trough drawdown, arguing that deep sell-offs can purge positions and set up rebounds. Bluntz highlighted a weekly close near $89.95 on Binance and noted the 200-week simple moving average near $103.55 and a 14-period RSI in the mid-30s, framing current momentum as weak rather than decisively bearish. Separately, analyst Ali Charts identified near-term technical levels: a decisive break above $83.44 would expose resistance targets at $87.11 and $90.97 on short-term charts. The four-hour structure shows repeated reactions around horizontal bands, making $83.44 a key decision point; failure to hold above it could see sellers reassert control. Overall, the piece signals a range-bound SOL with potential short-term upside if buyers can sustain above the marked breakout zone, while weekly indicators caution that momentum and long-term trend remain fragile.

Decibel, an on-chain perpetuals exchange incubated by Aptos Labs, has launched fully on the Aptos mainnet after a high-volume public testnet. The platform runs a fully on-chain central limit order book (CLOB) where order placement, matching, settlement, margin and liquidation execute via Aptos smart contracts. During testnet, Decibel recorded more than 700,000 unique accounts, ~132,000 daily active users and over 1 million daily trades. Ahead of mainnet, the protocol locked roughly $50–58 million in pre-deposits, with about 40% of that capital originating from Ethereum and Solana users. Decibel uses a dollar-denominated stablecoin, usDCBL (issued by Bridge, now part of Stripe), as the default collateral; reserves are held in cash and short-term U.S. Treasuries and yield remains inside the protocol. Risk and liquidity backstop parameters were designed with Gauntlet. Cross-chain onboarding (X-Chain Accounts) allows traders to fund accounts from Aptos, Ethereum, Solana and centralized exchanges. The team plans future features including spot markets, unified multi-collateral accounts and tokenized real-world assets. The launch positions Decibel as a competitive Aptos-based derivatives venue versus incumbents in the on-chain perpetuals space, where recent sector volumes have been substantial. Key trading takeaways for derivatives traders: Decibel’s on-chain CLOB and fast Aptos finality may enable low-latency execution and transparent on-chain risk; usDCBL collateral and Gauntlet-designed parameters reduce some counterparty risk but concentrate protocol exposure to stablecoin reserve mechanics; cross-chain flows mean liquidity and volatility can migrate across chains; monitor initial liquidity, spreads, funding rates and liquidation behavior closely during early mainnet activity.

MetaMask (ConsenSys) has launched the MetaMask Card across all 50 US states, including New York, rolling out a Mastercard-backed crypto payment card that preserves self-custody until the point of payment. The card is issued by Cross River Bank with operational support from Monavate and integrates with Mastercard’s network, Apple Pay and Google Pay. The standard (virtual-first) card offers up to 1% back in mUSD; a premium MetaMask Metal physical card is available for a $199/year subscription and offers up to 3% back on the first $10,000 of annual spending, higher spending and ATM limits, and no foreign transaction fees. Unspent fiat or crypto-converted balances can earn yield through integrations with decentralized lending protocols such as Aave. The product is already live in multiple international markets (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Switzerland, the UK and EEA) with further expansion planned. For traders, the rollout increases fiat-crypto onramps and real-world utility for on-chain assets while maintaining non-custodial control — a factor that could lift retail demand for stablecoins and tokenized payments rails.

U.S. bank regulators faced Senate Banking Committee oversight as crypto — especially stablecoins — dominated pre-hearing policy moves. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) released a major proposal to implement the GENIUS Act, setting standards for stablecoin issuers including reserve requirements, custody practices, redemption procedures and registration processes. OCC Comptroller Jonathan Gould framed the package as a framework for a safe, sound stablecoin industry, while noting coordination with Treasury on AML and sanctions rules is ongoing. Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the Fed is working with other regulators on capital and liquidity rules for stablecoin issuers and aims to clarify permissibility of bank digital-asset activities. Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized rapid approval of Erebor Bank’s national charter, alleging political favoritism and demanding an inquiry. The FDIC, which led early GENIUS Act proposals, also testified. Key actors: OCC (Jonathan Gould), Federal Reserve (Michelle Bowman), Senator Elizabeth Warren, FDIC (Travis Hill). Primary keywords: stablecoin regulation, GENIUS Act, OCC proposal, Fed supervision. Traders should note potential short- and medium-term volatility around policy developments and charter approvals, and watch for final rule texts on reserve, capital and custody that could materially affect stablecoin issuers and bank involvement in crypto.