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Tether has hired KPMG to perform a full audit of USDT, the world’s largest stablecoin, which currently has around $184 billion in circulation after years of relying on point-in-time attestations.

KPMG To Conduct First Full Audit Of $184B USDT

The Financial Times reported on Friday that Tether hired KPMG, following the company’s earlier announcement that it had engaged an unnamed “Big Four” accounting firm for the first time to conduct a full financial statement audit.

According to the FT, Tether has also brought in PwC to ready its internal systems for the audit, representing the El Salvador-based company’s most significant move yet toward full financial transparency.

The dual appointments come as Tether navigates investor hesitation in its fundraising efforts while pushing for U.S. market expansion under the new federal stablecoin framework created by the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. 

The audit will provide a thorough review of Tether’s entire financial reporting framework, including internal controls and asset valuations, an effort the company has described as “the biggest ever inaugural audit in the history of financial markets.”

Why It’s a Big Deal

The company had previously released monthly attestations from BDO Italia verifying that USDT was backed by the assets Tether reported to hold. Tether revealed in January that it held over $122 billion in direct U.S. Treasury securities, with total Treasury exposure reaching about $141 billion when including related instruments like overnight reverse repurchase agreements. 

However, those assurances do not match the depth of a comprehensive financial statement audit, which KPMG is now set to carry out, according to the Financial Times.

Tether said it selected the Big Four firm through a competitive process and claims to already meet Big Four-level audit standards, though it has yet to publicly confirm a timeline for completing the audit.

The audit marks a major turning point for the firm, which has long faced questions over reserve transparency and was fined $41 million by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2021 for making misleading statements about USDT reserves.

Early this year, Tether launched USAT, a fully regulated, GENIUS Act–compliant dollar-pegged stablecoin. However, with just $27 million in circulation, it remains tiny compared to USDT.

XRP is nearing a critical inflection point, facing strong technical resistance even as rapid developments across the ecosystem begin to reshape its long-term outlook.

Market analyst GainMuse notes that XRP is struggling to break through the key $1.50 resistance, with recent price action signaling clear buyer hesitation. The altcoin briefly pushed into this upper range but failed to sustain momentum, retreating quickly, a classic sign of rejection at a critical level.

Source: GainMuse

According to CoinGecko, XRP is currently trading at $1.33 and remains within well-defined boundaries.

Resistance sits firmly near $1.50, while support is holding around $1.25. A clean breakout above resistance could ignite fresh upside momentum, but failure to do so may keep the asset range-bound or even drive a retest of lower support levels.

Despite short-term uncertainty, sentiment is steadily shifting bullish. Analysts suggest XRP’s long-anticipated push toward $4 could be forming, provided it decisively breaks above its current resistance zone.

Seen through this lens, the tight consolidation below $1.50 may not signal weakness, but rather a period of accumulation setting the stage for a stronger upward move.

AI-Driven Commerce and Institutional Momentum Signal a Transformative Shift

Beyond price movements, the XRP ecosystem is entering a new phase of rapid innovation.

Insights from t54.ai highlight the rise of agent commerce on the XRP Ledger, where AI-powered agents can autonomously execute transactions, managing everything from escrow and validation to final settlement without human involvement.

Notably, integration with Virtuals Protocol is expected to push XRP’s utility into a new phase. AI-driven agents will execute complex on-chain operations, powering programmable, trust-minimized commerce without constant human input.

t54’s x402 facilitator already enables these agents to transact natively in XRP and RLUSD, indicating a system in which payments, escrow, and settlement occur faster, more efficiently, and with minimal friction.

Meanwhile, institutional momentum is building in parallel. Evernorth Holdings is preparing for a Nasdaq listing, backed by a reserve of 473 million XRP, valued at roughly $685 million, according to a recent S-4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 

The scale of that position signals rising institutional conviction and marks a meaningful step toward XRP’s deeper integration into mainstream finance.

Ripple’s head of coverage for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, and Central Asia reckons that the world’s most sophisticated digital-asset markets are not in New York, London, or Singapore, but across Africa.

With 54 countries and more than 1.5 billion people building financial rails from the ground up, the continent is becoming a growth engine for cryptos like Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, Cardano, and DOGE, driven by utility rather than speculation.

Ripple’s Reece Merrick revealed that Sub-Saharan Africa recorded $205 billion in on-chain value over the 12 months through June 2025, a 52% increase from the prior year and the third-fastest growth rate among regions globally.

Nigeria alone contributed $92 billion, while four African nations now rank in the global top 20 for crypto adoption, up from two the year before. Stablecoin volumes surged 180% year-on-year, underscoring accelerating real-world use.

Traditional cross-border transfers are expensive and slow. Sending $200 to the region still incurs an average fee of 8.9%. Digital assets slash that expense dramatically and settle in seconds, addressing everyday issues with inflation, foreign-exchange shortages, and financial exclusion.

That said, South Africa has introduced a licensed crypto-asset service provider regime and issued a rand-backed stablecoin. Nigeria has lifted its banking ban on crypto, passed legislation recognizing digital assets as securities, and begun accepting applications from virtual asset service providers. Kenya’s VASP bill cleared parliament in October and is now in active consultation for implementing rules.

Retail-sized transfers under $10,000 make up a larger share of activity in sub-Saharan Africa than the global average, highlighting genuine inclusion over institutional flows.

Moreover, Nigeria and South Africa also show rising business-to-business use, particularly stablecoin settlements linking Africa with the Middle East and Asia.

Bitcoin dominates local purchases, accounting for 89% of buys in Nigeria and 74% in South Africa, serving as both a hedge and an entry point in volatile fiat environments. South African banks, including Absa, are now moving from pilot projects to live crypto product development.

David Sacks is stepping down from his role as the White House’s crypto and AI czar, ending a brief stint that reshaped U.S. digital asset policy, though several key legislative efforts remain unresolved.

Speaking to Bloomberg on Thursday, David Sacks said his role concluded after reaching the 130-day cap for special government employees. He’ll continue working with the administration as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, focusing on broader technology matters.

“Moving forward as a co-chair of PCAST, I can now make recommendations on not just about AI, but an extended range of technology topics,” he told Bloomberg. “So yes, this is how I will be involved moving forward.”

Sacks will co-lead PCAST with Michael Kratsios, joined by high-profile members including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Andreessen “a16z” Horowitz’s Marc Andreessen, early Coinbase backer Fred Ehrsam, Oracle’s Larry Ellison, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg.

Sacks has been a key figure in the White House since Donald Trump appointed him in December 2024 as a top technology adviser. During his tenure, he helped shape the administration’s crypto agenda, championing market structure and stablecoin legislation and advocating for a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve as part of a broader effort to position America as a global crypto hub.

He also pushed for clearer digital asset regulations and, like many in Trump’s circle, criticized the previous administration under Joe Biden for relying too heavily on enforcement.

Key U.S. Crypto Legislation Hits Snag

In his role as crypto and AI czar, David Sacks assisted the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets in publishing a 166-page report in July that offered guidance on regulating the cryptocurrency sector.

His departure comes as Washington lawmakers continue pushing for comprehensive crypto regulation. Proposed legislation aims to divide oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Last year, the House passed its market structure bill, the Clarity Act, with bipartisan backing. In January, the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its own version along party lines, but progress has since stalled in the Senate Banking Committee, largely due to disagreements over how to treat stablecoin rewards.

First, the 2020-to-2022 period recorded the highest level of mining activity in the ecosystem to date. Surging activity in decentralized finance, non-fungible tokens, and genuine demand for transaction capacity drove hash rates sharply higher. Billions of dollars poured into specialized hardware, data centers, and supporting operations, giving birth to an entire sector built around that energy-heavy process.

Then came the single upgrade that almost instantly shut the door on that era. The hash rate fell to zero, and equipment valued at billions of dollars became useless on Ethereum within hours. Moreover, miners, equipment operators, and the infrastructure they had built simply moved on or shut down.

Since then, the blockchain has moved from its power-hungry competition model to one centered on staked capital and validator participation. Reward systems, incentives, and even the makeup of those steering the network all shifted dramatically.

The central trade-off is baked into the design: proof-of-stake brought major efficiency gains but surrendered some of the broad decentralization that proof-of-work had delivered. According to Alphractal’s João Wedson, this is not a subjective view but a structural reality. Judging today’s Ethereum by mining-era standards means looking at a system the protocol has already left behind.

Meanwhile, Santiment revealed that BitMine added another 65,341 ETH to its holdings, coinciding with Fundstrat’s Tom Lee declaring that Ethereum is now in the final stages of a mini-crypto winter. On-chain figures tracked by Santiment show that wallets holding between 100 and 100,000 ETH snapped up 756.95K tokens across just the past two days.

At press time, CoinMarketCap data shows Ethereum down 2.65% to $2,064 in 24h, still outperforming Bitcoin, primarily driven by a structural upgrade to institutional access via expanded ETF options trading.

One of the main catalysts is the NYSE rule change removing trading limits on spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF options, effective immediately after SEC approval on Sunday, March 22, 2026. Market watchers also highlighted accelerated institutional accumulation by BitMine and a broader risk-asset rally driven by geopolitical de-escalation.

If ETH holds above the $2,162–$2,200 resistance zone, it could target $2,350; a break below $2,044 risks a retest of $2,000 support.

Expert crypto trader Ali Martinez tipped an incoming Ethereum (ETH) price surge after recent upticks. This adds to the growing optimism for altcoins as on-chain metrics align for a long-term jump. ETH price is down 2.6% to $2,062 at the time of writing, wiping out last week’s bear trend.

Ali Martinez: ETH Trend From Bearish to Bullish

The trader known for popular crypto market trend statements wrote on X that signs are surfacing for an ETH jump. According to him, the recent uptick above $1,800 marks the basis for bulls toward another round of gains.

Initial buying signals coincided with the asset’s MVRV ratio falling below 0.8. This gave retail investors more confidence in the short-term direction. Notably, the MVRV ratio at this point is often referred to as the Generational Buy zone, although market conditions limited previous growth.

“From a technical standpoint, Ethereum $ETH appears to trade within a well-defined ascending triangle on the weekly chart. The recent move toward $1,800 served as a critical reaction point, aligning with the rising trendline of this multi-year structure.”

Furthermore, the SuperTrend indicator flipped bullish for the first time in 10 months, signaling upcoming activity. As expected, whales made a series of huge purchases, reinforcing earlier short-term estimates. 

With momentum on the bulls’ side, traders anticipate sustained inflows as the price crosses the $2k mark. On the flipside, Ethereum has remained unstable, with bears citing major risks, including macroeconomic factors.

Amid recent debates, Martinez identifies possible resistance levels at $2,356 and $2,647, which could act as catalysts if crossed. At this point, ETH bulls forecast a potential jump above $3,600, but it would depend on broader market conditions.

Several policy watchers added that for ETH to hit the mark, the total market cap must appear very bullish. Last year, the ETH price surged due to momentum from crypto treasury firms, leading to altcoin season suggestions. With corporate demand, assets hit multiple all-time highs not recorded in months, including Bitcoin’s historic $125k mark.

Although slight pressure is being felt, little inflow has been recorded this month compared to last year’s dominant levels. At press time, ETH trades have wiped out 30-day losses, turning them into 17% gains, while the total crypto market cap stands at $2.35 trillion, a 1.8% slump in 24 hours.

Mid-tier and large wallets holding Chainlink tokens appear to be on an accumulation spree, as on-chain data reveals that their holdings are at their highest level in months. Meanwhile, spot LINK exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are nearing a $100 million milestone, highlighting institutional interest in the asset. At press time, LINK traded at $89.95, down 5.5% intraday.

Wallet Holding 1,000 LINK Tokens Hit 16-Week High

According to a recent X post by Santiment, wallets holding 1,000 LINK or more are now at their highest level since December 4. This indicates that the cohort has been actively buying LINK over the last 16 weeks, suggesting bullish sentiment among these traders that the price might continue to extend its gains.

“As $LINK remains in its range of $9 to $10 since early February, larger capital wallets have been gradually returning to the network in anticipation of a future breakout,” Santiment noted.

The rising demand for Chainlink comes amid heightened interest in tokenization. Recently, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink stated that tokenization could change the financial industry in the same way that the internet did nearly three decades ago.

Chainlink has positioned itself among the top chains in tokenization. Therefore, these mid-tier to large wallets could be positioning for a price move if there is a tokenization boom on the blockchain. 

Spot Chainlink ETF Nears $100M in Net Assets

Data from SoSoValue shows that spot LINK ETFs are approaching a key milestone. These products have amassed $93.74 million in net assets and are only 6% shy of reaching the $100 million mark. The amount of LINK tokens held by these ETFs is equivalent to 1.42% of Chainlink’s $6.36 billion market cap. 

Since their launch, the ETFs have recorded $98 million in cumulative net inflows from the only two products approved by US regulators. The Grayscale ETF has amassed $82 million in cumulative net inflows, while Bitwise has amassed $15.82 million. Last week, LINK ETFs recorded $4.6 million in weekly inflows, the highest in six weeks.

With nearly $100 million in net assets, Chainlink now ranks as the fifth-largest US-listed ETF after Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana by the value ot tokens held. If institutional demand surges, LINK could break above the $10 resistance level and extend gains.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

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Tech giant Google has warned that Quantum Computers will be able to break popular encryption protocols by 2029, and that organizations need to ensure they are quantum-proof by then. The move comes as the firm is reportedly achieving substantial success with Willow, its next-generation semiconductor-based quantum processors capable of processing up to 105 qubits.

In a Google blog post, the company outlined recent advancements in hardware development and quantum error correction, as well as estimates of quantum factoring resources. The search giant believes that, as a company, it is responsible for leading by example and providing a reliable timeline for the Quantum migration so that businesses and ecosystems are not adversely affected by such paradigm shifts.

Hasten Shift to Post Quantum Cryptography-Google

The switch to Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) was the highlight of the blog post, and Google underscored the real threat posed by the groundbreaking computing technology. Encryption and digital signatures are expected to be among the most vulnerable in this scenario. As a result, authentication services will be among the affected areas in the coming years, requiring prompt PQC migration. The company recommends that other engineering teams follow suit.

The blog post also claimed that relevant PQC protocols were adopted in the latest Android 17 upgrade. It reads:

“As an example of our ongoing PQC commitments, Android 17 is integrating PQC digital signature protection using ML-DSA in alignment with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This continues to put advanced PQC technology directly into the hands of our customers….”

Quantum Threat to Bitcoin and Blockchain

While the latest estimate is within earlier predictions of 3-5 years, Twitterati reacted, urging Bitcoin and crypto developers in general to proceed with PQC measures. JP Richardson, the CEO of an RWA tokenization company, tweeted:

Image Source: X

Ethereum and Solana are among the biggest blockchain networks to incorporate or propose new PQC measures to help protect their users. The former posted a Post Quantum Ethereum resource the day before yesterday, while the latter proposed a Post Quantum Vault concept that uses a new hash-based signature scheme that generates new keys with each transaction.

However, with these two networks, it is far easier to implement PQC measures due to their relatively centralized decision-making infrastructure. With Bitcoin, the threat is still in the assessment stage, and there is no consensus regarding the future. Proponents like Blockstream CEO Adam Back have repeatedly downplayed advances in QC and stated that no action will be required for decades. 

There are proposals like the BIP 360 that will mitigate risks associated with short exposures to Quantum attacks, but progress is still awaited on that front as well.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

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Ripple is exploring whether its stablecoin can streamline and potentially replace the manual payment systems that have long hindered cross-border trade, with the Monetary Authority of Singapore providing a regulatory sandbox to support the experiment.

Modernizing Digital Settlements

Ripple said in a March 25 announcement that it is taking part in BLOOM, an initiative by the Central Bank aimed at expanding settlement capabilities for tokenized bank liabilities and regulated stablecoins.

As part of the initiative, Ripple is collaborating with Unloq to trial a system that automates cross-border trade payments using its dollar-pegged RLUSD, triggering transactions once preset conditions—such as shipment verification—are fulfilled.

Traditional trade finance relies on multiple layers of manual checks, paper-based documentation, and correspondent banking networks, often causing settlements to drag on for days or even weeks. The pilot by Ripple and Unloq aims to change that by using Unloq’s SC+ platform to consolidate trade obligations, settlement rules, and financing processes into a unified execution layer, while RLUSD on the XRP Ledger facilitates the actual transfer of funds.

In October 2025, the Monetary Authority of Singapore launched BLOOM (short for Borderless, Liquid, Open, Online, Multi-currency) to improve settlement processes through tokenized bank liabilities and regulated stablecoins.

This pilot comes just under four months after Ripple revealed that MAS had expanded the permitted payment activities for its Singapore subsidiary, Ripple Markets APAC, under the major payment institution license in December 2025.

Acceptance into the program reflects MAS’s approval of the RLUSD-on-XRP Ledger framework as a viable platform for regulated testing—a validation that holds far greater importance for Ripple’s enterprise pipeline than another listing or payments corridor could ever achieve.

Ripple’s Expansive Growth Plan

By joining BLOOM, Ripple reinforces its strategic push into regulated financial markets. For instance, Ripple is pursuing an important financial services license in Australia by acquiring a local payments firm.

Additionally, Ripple is reportedly preparing a share buyback program of up to $750 million from investors and employees, a move that could peg the company’s worth at a staggering $50 billion.

Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate Ripple’s strategy of scaling worldwide operations while navigating changing regulatory landscapes.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

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Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson is issuing a direct call to action for the network’s users: put the chain to work and make it stronger. The message urges proponents to ramp up real-world activity on the blockchain rather than simply holding tokens.

That message lands at a moment when on-chain metrics are flashing some of the strongest contrarian signals in months. Wallets active on the network over the past year are averaging 43% losses, a level that has historically marked the point at which sentiment bottoms and recovery begins.

In any zero-sum market, such deep negative returns for the average participant tend to precede a mean-reversion bounce, as the pain creates lower-risk entry points for longer-term stakeholders and professional capital.

Adding to the bullish sentiment, derivatives markets show an extreme imbalance. Binance funding rates reflect the heaviest concentration of short positions relative to longs since June 2023. Crowded bearish bets of this magnitude have repeatedly set the stage for sharp reversals once leveraged traders are forced to cover.

At press time, CoinMarketCap data on ADA shows Cardano down 3.44% to $0.26 in 24h, outperforming Bitcoin’s +2.43% gain, primarily driven by a potential short squeeze from extreme bearish positioning. No clear coin-specific catalyst was visible, as the move aligns with a broader market uptick fueled by resilient Bitcoin ETF inflows.

That said, the analysis points to a crowded short trade reaching a multi-year extreme, creating conditions for a squeeze as the price bounces from key support. Moreover, the broader crypto market has gained strength from Bitcoin ETF inflows, combined with a technical bounce from the $0.25–$0.26 multi-year support zone.

If ADA holds above $0.26, a test of $0.30 resistance is likely; a break below $0.25 risks a drop toward $0.24. Moreover, the launch of Cardano’s privacy sidechain, Midnight, could trigger volatility.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

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Cardano (ADA) traded in a tight range on Thursday, showing limited price movement despite a noticeable increase in market liquidity. 

Over the past week, ADA has declined by nearly 8%, reflecting broader selling pressure across the cryptocurrency market.

Despite the recent weakness, analysts remain focused on key support levels that could stabilize price action. If these zones hold, Cardano may be positioned for a sharp rebound as buyers step back in.

According to popular analyst Ali Charts, in the last two instances when the cryptocurrency traded near $0.25, the asset surged by 85% and 200%, respectively. On Tuesday, the analyst hinted at the potential for a repeat rally.

Meanwhile, popular analytics firm Santiment highlighted that the average Cardano wallet active over the past year is experiencing a net loss of 43%.

Notably, while the coin has seen a staggering 71% drop since September, largely driven by whale selling earlier this month, the firm noted that such extreme negative MVRV (Market Value to Realized Value) metrics often signal an attractive buying opportunity. 

“When average returns are severely negative, this is an indication of a looming turnaround with coins always averaging 0% on MVRV’s (average trading returns) across any timeframe.” The firm stated. “So when other traders are in severe pain, key stakeholders and professional traders are intrigued by this due to the lowered risk of buying or adding on to their positions.”

Additionally, the firm drew attention to Cardano’s funding rate on Binance, which currently shows the highest short-to-long ratio since June 2023.

Typically, when traders overwhelmingly bet on a decline, it can set the stage for a contrary price movement. This pattern has historically marked bottom zones for ADA, as forced liquidations of these short positions can propel prices in unexpected directions, catching bearish traders off guard.

Elsewhere, analyst Crypto Patel highlighted that Cardano is sitting on a multi-year accumulation zone between $0.18 and $0.25. 

In a post on X, he suggested that if this zone holds, ADA could embark on a series of explosive moves, with potential price targets ranging from $1 to $10.

“Accumulation Zone: $0.25-$0.18. Targets: $1 ⮕ $3 ⮕ $10. NFA & ALWAYS DYOR,” he wrote, emphasizing the high-risk, high-reward nature of such a setup.

Beyond technicals, fundamental developments are also drawing attention. On Tuesday, Charles Hoskinson teased the launch of “Midnight,” a privacy-focused network expected to operate as a Cardano partner chain, later this week. 

The project has already secured notable partnerships, including involvement from Google and firms like Bullish and Worldpay as federated node operators, signaling growing ecosystem expansion, which could be a boon for ADA’s price.

At press time, ADA was trading at $0.25, reflecting a 5.43% drop in the past 24 hours.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

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Elon Musk brings on Benji Taylor, an experienced crypto professional, to lead design at X ahead of a wider launch of the platform’s X Money payments product next month. 

Taylor shared the news on X on Wednesday, expressing that he felt “honoured” to join the company and is eager to collaborate closely with Elon Musk and X’s head of product, Nikita Bier. “I believe this is the most important platform in the world, and I can’t think of a more exciting place to help shape the future,” he added.

Taylor previously founded Los Feliz Engineering, the team behind the self-custody wallet Family, which Aave Labs, the development firm behind the $40 billion decentralized lender Aave, acquired in 2023. After the acquisition, he took on the role of chief product officer at Aave before moving to lead design for Coinbase’s Base, the Ethereum-based layer-2 network built by American crypto exchange Coinbase.

Bier, X’s head of products, shared that he had invested in Taylor’s app six years ago and expressed strong confidence in his abilities.

“It was one of the most well-designed products I’d encountered,” Bier wrote. “After six months of convincing, we’re finally teaming up and building the greatest design team in the industry.”

X Money Goes Live Soon

Hiring a design lead well-versed in crypto wallets, DeFi, and blockchain UX aligns with X’s expanding focus on financial services.

Since last year, X has been building its own payments platform, X Money. Currently in internal beta testing, the system is preparing for a limited external rollout, with centibillionaire Musk aiming for a public launch in April 2026.

Described as a one-stop financial hub, X Money will enable peer-to-peer payments, high-yield savings, and crypto access via “smart cashtags,” letting users trade stocks and crypto straight from the X timeline. However, Bier clarified at the time that the platform wouldn’t execute trades or act as a brokerage.

Despite widespread speculation that X Money could integrate Elon Musk’s favorite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin (DOGE), there has been no official confirmation of support for the OG memecoin—or any crypto features—at this stage.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

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Bitcoin (BTC) traded sideways on Thursday, stalling after a volatile week as attempts to push higher ran into heavy resistance.

Notably, over the past seven days, the world’s largest cryptocurrency surged by roughly 1%, while other leading cryptocurrencies faced notable selling pressure.

However, despite the slight uptick, traders are keeping a cautious eye on the $72,000 level, where large-scale sell orders are shaping the near-term market outlook.

According to data from the analytics platform Coinglass, the BTC order book shows a concentration of heavy sell orders between $71,200 and $72,000, acting as a ceiling that prevents the market from pushing higher.

Bids are clustered at lower levels, including $70,400, $70,000, and $69,600, suggesting that while some buyers remain active, supply above is keeping the rally contained.

“As long as $71,800–$72,000 remains uncleared, this looks more like consolidation below resistance than a clean continuation higher,” the platform noted.

Meanwhile, analyst Crypto Tony assessed Bitcoin’s recent swings, noting the moves from $67,700 to $68,900 and the subsequent rebound. 

He outlined two potential scenarios: a rejection near $72,000 could push BTC to lower lows, while a successful breakout might extend the rally toward $78,000–$80,000.

“If we test $72,000 and reclaim, BTC could push higher; otherwise, a drop is likely,” he wrote, emphasizing the importance of this key level in determining near-term direction.

Additionally, analysts from Glassnode offered a tempered perspective, focusing on liquidity and market depth. They observed that Bitcoin has stabilized around the $70,000 mark, aided in part by improved flows from exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

However, muted spot trading volumes and substantial overhead supply indicate that demand remains insufficient to fuel a broad recovery. 

“Stronger demand is still needed to turn this consolidation into a sustainable uptrend,” they stated.

Notably, analyst Ted introduced the concept of Bitcoin’s “electrical cost,” a measure of the break-even price for miners.

The analyst noted that this cost has dropped below $50,000, down from roughly $70,000 just a few months ago.

He suggested that as miners adjust to lower break-even thresholds, BTC could see a deeper correction, potentially revisiting levels between $46,000 and $48,000, coinciding with August 2024 lows.

Moreover, analyst Crypto Patel highlighted that Bitcoin is still consolidating within a broad range of $62,000–$74,000 and that liquidity below $60,000 remains largely untouched.

Volume continues to decline, suggesting that traders should wait for a decisive breakout rather than attempting to predict the next move prematurely.

“The market is trying to make you impatient. Don’t let it. I’ll open my swing position when the range breaks, not before,” he warned.

At press time, BTC was trading at $68,902, reflecting a 2.67% decline in the past 24 hours.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

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Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has highlighted a new partnership on X between privacy-focused blockchain Midnight and UK-regulated Monument Bank, describing it as one of the most significant deals the ecosystem has seen so far.

Hoskinson believes the collaboration could unlock billions in total value locked (TVL).

This is one of the largest deals we've ever done and could bring hundreds of millions to billions of TVL to the Midnight ecosystem. I'm extremely proud of @F_ZK_Now and his team at the @midnightfdn for the hard work they put into the negotiations with Monument. Midnight is the… https://t.co/T98Z1jVEQR

— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) March 25, 2026

Monument Bank to Tokenize £250M in Retail Deposits on Midnight Blockchain

Monument Bank revealed it aims to pioneer the tokenization of retail deposits on a public blockchain among UK-regulated institutions. For this rollout, the London-based challenger bank will rely on Midnight, the highly anticipated privacy-centric blockchain tied to Cardano, with its official debut set for the final week of March.

The integration will be introduced in three stages, starting with a target of £250 million ($335 million) in tokenized retail deposits. These digital assets will be fully backed, representing a one-to-one equivalent of the underlying fiat funds held by Monument Bank.

According to the announcement, the deposits will remain redeemable on a one-for-one basis in pounds sterling and safeguarded under existing UK regulatory frameworks. The initiative also highlights data privacy as a major barrier that has long slowed blockchain adoption within the banking industry.

It’s important to note that Midnight’s architecture leverages zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs to protect transaction data, ensuring that sensitive financial information remains private and visible only to the bank and its customers.

In simple terms, it acts like a smart curtain for blockchain activity—allowing users to reveal only selected details while keeping the rest hidden. Operating as a partner chain to the Cardano smart contract platform, Midnight is designed to deliver both privacy and regulatory compliance for decentralized applications.

In later stages, Monument Bank plans to introduce tokenized investment products, including private market and commodity funds, and eventually enable lending against these holdings directly within the Monument app.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

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XRP traded largely sideways on Thursday as the broader cryptocurrency market struggled to regain strong upward momentum following a recent wave of liquidity injections.

Notably, over the past week, the cryptocurrency declined by nearly 7%, mirroring the weakness seen across several major cryptocurrencies.

Meanwhile, analyst ChartNerd argued that XRP is already trading at what he describes as a steep discount relative to previous price levels. 

However, he cautioned that the perceived bargain does not necessarily mean the asset has reached its bottom.

According to him, XRP is currently trading at roughly a 50% to 60% discount, yet the market has not reclaimed several important resistance levels or key macro exponential moving averages (EMAs) that would typically signal a confirmed bullish shift.

Without those technical confirmations, the analyst believes the possibility of further downside remains firmly on the table.

Additionally, analyst ChartNerd suggested that XRP could still slide toward lower levels if it continues to struggle below major resistance zones.

The analyst also emphasized that the bearish outlook would be invalidated if XRP manages to break above a key resistance level near $2.40, which capped price rallies earlier in January 2026.

A decisive move above that threshold could shift the broader market narrative and potentially mark the start of a new upward trend.

Elsewhere, analyst Tara outlined a possible corrective scenario that could unfold in the near term. 

Drawing on wave analysis, she suggested that XRP may currently be undergoing a Wave 2/5 retracement, a phase that often precedes a stronger directional move in either direction.

According to her analysis, the cryptocurrency could climb toward the $1.51 region, which aligns with the widely followed 0.618 Fibonacci retracement level.

However, she warned that such a move could potentially trap overly optimistic traders if the price fails to sustain momentum beyond that point.

If the retracement scenario plays out, Tara suggested the next wave could push prices significantly lower, with potential support near $1.12, a level that could form a double-bottom pattern.

In a more bearish outcome, the correction could extend toward approximately $0.87, which she described as an important macro support level.

However, despite these cautious projections, some analysts believe the current price behavior is not as chaotic as it might appear. Analyst Dark Defender argued that XRP’s movements remain aligned with a broader technical structure that many traders may not yet recognize.

According to him, the asset continues to follow a previously outlined market structure rather than move randomly, suggesting that the current consolidation phase could be part of a larger formation still developing.

Meanwhile, analyst Celal Kucuker offered a more ambitious outlook for the months ahead. 

In a projection covering September through December, he mapped out a sequence of price levels, including $2.40, $1.10, $1.80, and $0.90, before ultimately pointing to a bullish target as high as $8.60.

At press time, XRP was trading at $1.42, reflecting a 0.48% drop in the past 24 hours.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

Full article at ZyCrypto.com

Prominent analyst Crypto Patel is forecasting that BNB could climb to $5,000 during the next altcoin season, calling the long-term setup one of the most compelling in the market.

BNB is trading near $627, roughly 53% below its all-time high. Moreover, technical analysis indicates that the token’s chart structure and historical fractals suggest significant upside potential. The case rests on BNB’s track record of massive adoption, regular token burns, and robust fundamentals that have allowed it to outperform expectations in every prior market cycle.

That said, Crypto Patel identifies the $300–$420 range as the most attractive accumulation window ahead of the next leg higher, with staged targets starting at $2,000, then $5,000, and potentially reaching five figures. The analyst insists that this is not just speculation but a data-driven outcome grounded in the network’s real growth and consistent mechanics.

Meanwhile, another technical view highlights a hidden bullish divergence on the BNB chart. Its price has been forming higher lows, while the momentum oscillator is printing lower lows. This classic setup often precedes continuation of an existing uptrend and a push back above the current all-time high near $1,375.

CoinMarketCap’s Year-to-date performance underlines the token’s resilience amid volatility. On Jan. 1, BNB opened at $863.26, reached a high of $954.86, and closed the month at $780.48 with a market capitalization of $106.4 billion. By Feb. 1, the price had pulled back to close at $617.25 after trading as low as $576.72, with monthly volume of $62.2 billion and market cap at $84.2 billion.

At press time, CoinMarketCap data shows BNB down 2.89% to $626 over the past 24 hours, tracking the broader market decline closely. The drop was primarily driven by a macro-driven selloff in Bitcoin, which pulled down most major altcoins.

If BNB holds above the $620–$600 support zone, it could attempt to reclaim its 7-day SMA near $637. A break below $600 risks a retest of the lower support level.

Originally published on ZyCrypto - blockchain news, expert analysis, and Web3 coverage.

Full article at ZyCrypto.com

Grayscale, the second-largest digital asset manager after BlackRock, has removed Cardano (ADA) from its Digital Large Cap Fund (GDLC). The development coincides with a steep decline in price after the asset dropped to its lowest price since late 2023 due to intense selling pressure that has seen ADA reach the most oversold level in history.

Cardano Removed From Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund

Data from Grayscale shows that ADA is no longer among the crypto assets offered under the GDLC product. Instead, the asset manager has replaced ADA with Binance Coin (BNB), now the fund’s third-largest asset with a 4.92% weighting.

Cardano was included in this fund in January 2025 after Grayscale dumped Avalanche. The tide has now shifted against ADA, following months of price weakness exacerbated by prevailing bearish sentiment across the crypto market. 

The other assets in the fund include Bitcoin and Ethereum, with weights of 74% and 13%, respectively. The fund also holds XRP (4.26%) and Solana (2.62%).

Despite the adjustments, the fund has continued to perform poorly, with its NAV per share falling below $30 for the first time since October 2024. The drop comes at a time when crypto market performance has disappointed traders, leading to significant losses. 

ADA Plunges to 2023 Lows, Hits Most Oversold Level in History

Cardano has fallen to its lowest price since 2023 despite bullish sentiment by its founder, Charles Hoskinson, who said he would dump his luxury assets to buy ADA. At press time, ADA was trading at $0.27, down 16% in one week.

In addition to price, open interest has dropped, with Coinglass data showing it is at a 14-month low due to the unwinding of long positions. This further highlights a bearish outlook for the token. 

Nevertheless, some analysts are bullish that the ADA price might recover after it reached its most oversold level in history. In most cases, extreme selling pressure leads to a price recovery when the market reaches exhaustion.

With crypto prices down and market sentiment turning negative, Cardano could continue to face bearish pressure in the near term until fresh demand emerges.

On-chain analysts warn that Bitcoin’s structure is fragile despite its short-term strength, with a critical support level now defining the market’s next major move.

According to on-chain analysis shared this week, Bitcoin must hold above $71,000 to avoid a deeper breakdown. A sustained loss of this level could trigger a capitulation phase similar to the 2022 downturn, with the next major support zone projected near $55,500.

Alphractal’s João Wedson notes that disbelief in such downside scenarios mirrors sentiment at previous cycle lows, when market participants consistently underestimated how far prices could fall.

These concerns emerge even as Bitcoin posted a 4.04% gain over the past 24 hours, outperforming its recent weekly trends and aligning with a broader crypto market rise of 2.85%.

The bounce reflects competing forces, including expanding institutional infrastructure from firms like Fidelity and BlackRock, alongside heightened geopolitical risks that are reshaping global risk appetite. However, whether Bitcoin can strengthen its haven narrative under rising tensions or continue to cede that role to gold remains an open question.

Meanwhile, on-chain indicators support the cautious outlook. Data tracking Bitcoin’s Supply in Loss percentage has begun trending upward again, a pattern that historically marks the early stages of bear markets.

In prior cycles in 2014, 2018, and 2022, this metric shifted higher well before prices found a definitive bottom, as losses gradually spread from short-term holders to longer-term participants.

While the current reading is well below historical capitulation levels, the directional change suggests the market may be transitioning into a bear market structure rather than a routine pullback within a broader uptrend.

Analysts emphasize that on-chain metrics often signal stress before it becomes visible in price action. Another closely watched indicator is Net Unrealized Profit and Loss. A move into negative territory could signal capitulation and the formation of a durable bottom, while a positive reading may extend the current consolidation phase.

For now, Bitcoin is at a crossroads, balancing short-term relief rallies against mounting evidence of structural vulnerability.

Market analyst says Ethereum is having an “iPhone moment” as it approaches the ERC-8004 mainnet launch.

Ethereum is approaching an “iPhone moment” as the ERC-8004 standard prepares for a mainnet launch, potentially making ETH a vital asset for AI applications.

According to market commentary, the upgrade marks a milestone in which Ethereum transitions from hosting smart contracts to serving as critical infrastructure for autonomous, AI-driven systems operating at scale.

Currently, many publicly listed software companies are struggling to justify AI integration and are facing disruption from commoditised intelligence. Ethereum is becoming a scarce asset on which AI applications fundamentally depend.

The relationship between Ethereum and AI is not additive but symbiotic. Ethereum offers decentralised, tamper-resistant settlement and coordination, while AI injects the network with autonomous, high-frequency applications that expand on-chain activity and utility.

ERC 8004, formally introduced in August 2025 and now nearing mainnet, is designed to solve trust between autonomous agents. The standard enables AI agents from different organizations to discover one another, assess trustworthiness through portable reputation, and cooperate safely without prior relationships.

ERC 8004 does this through three on-chain registries covering identity, reputation, and validation, effectively creating an unfakeable digital profile for machines.

This infrastructure enables machine-to-machine payments, coordination, and enforcement without intermediaries. AI agents can autonomously trade, manage risk, price assets, and execute complex workflows, driving higher transaction frequency and more sophisticated contract usage.

The Ethereum Foundation’s dAI team has positioned Ethereum as the preferred settlement layer for AI agents, with forecasts suggesting AI-driven activity could account for up to 20% of DeFi volume by the end of 2025 and sustain gas growth into 2026.

The implications extend to real-world assets, where AI can automate valuation, compliance, and monitoring, improving efficiency for institutional products that require auditable execution.

Analysts argue that this dynamic strengthens Ethereum’s economics by increasing fees and burn, reinforcing its role as the neutral settlement and trust layer for an open AI agent economy.

Ethereum whales are pulling the market in opposite directions as January drew to a close, highlighting a growing clash between accumulation and distribution amid sustained price pressure.

ETH has erased its early 2026 gains and is down nearly 20% year-to-date, trading at approximately $2,111 after a 5.18% daily surge. The asset has also declined by more than 10% over the past week, struggling to reclaim the $3,000 level.

On one side of the divide, large holders are slowly building long-term exposure, as an over-the-counter whale address identified as 0xFB7 recently purchased 20,000 ETH, valued at approximately $56.1 million. Over the past five days alone, the same address has accumulated roughly 70,013 ETH, valued at nearly $203.6 million.

This behavior mirrors a trend observed last week, when whales collectively added more than 350,000 ETH in a single day. Meanwhile, Ethereum exchange reserves continue to decline, suggesting reduced sell-side supply as whales move assets into longer-term storage.

Furthermore, the Trump-backed World Liberty Financial reduced its Bitcoin exposure by swapping 93.77 WBTC, valued at $8.08 million, for 2,868 ETH. Another large address rotated out of 120 BTC, valued at $10.68 million, into 3,623 ETH.

However, not all signals are constructive. An early Ethereum whale deposited 50,000 ETH worth $145.25 million into Gemini after nine years of inactivity. Despite still holding 85,000 ETH valued at nearly $244 million, large transfers to exchanges often raise concerns about potential selling pressure or profit realization after a 32-fold price increase since acquisition.

Despite this tug-of-war, Ethereum’s network fundamentals remain resilient. The seven-day average of active addresses has surged to a record 718,000, creating a bullish divergence between stagnant price action and accelerating network activity. Historically, similar patterns have preceded upward repricing as fundamentals catch up with valuation.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin wallets holding at least 1,000 BTC have accumulated over 104,000 coins recently, even as BTC trades near $70,891 amid broader macro caution.