While geopolitical tension and weak labor data are hurting market sentiment, institutional buying below $75,000 may soon exhaust sellers and spark a bull run. Bitcoin (BTC) failed to break beyond $71,000 on Thursday, partially driven by the decline in the US stock market, with BTC funding rates dropping deeper into negative territory. Key takeaways: Bitcoin bears show high conviction as funding rates drop, but steady institutional buying keeps sellers in check. Read more
US lawmakers are eyeing tax exemptions for US dollar stablecoins, which are pegged and do not change in value, but not other cryptocurrencies. Executives at Coinbase have denied allegations that the crypto exchange is blocking a de minimis tax exemption for Bitcoin (BTC) transactions below a certain threshold to push for stablecoin tax exemptions. Several Bitcoin advocates speculated on social media that the exchange told US lawmakers that a BTC tax exemption is not needed because BTC is not widely used as a medium of exchange. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong responded by calling the allegations “totally false” and a form of misinformation. Read more
A surge in tokenized finance is driving demand for systems that reconcile blockchain transactions for audits and reporting, pushing digital asset accounting into focus. Cryptio, an accounting and data platform focused on regulated digital assets, has raised $45 million in a Series B funding round, highlighting growing demand for tools that help financial institutions reconcile and report blockchain-based transactions within traditional accounting systems. The round was co-led by venture firms BlackFin Capital Partners and Sentinel Global, with participation from 1kx, BlueYard Capital, Alven and Ledger Cathay Capital. Cryptio develops software that helps companies reconcile activity across wallets, custodians and exchanges, translating blockchain transaction data into accounting records used for financial reporting, audits and compliance. Read more
A looming private credit crisis risked triggering liquidity crunches that could initially suppress Bitcoin prices, but Fed interventions may ignite a major BTC rally. There is a growing risk that a looming crisis in the private credit market, fueled by rising redemptions and defaults, could spill over into Bitcoin (BTC) and crypto markets, according to analysts. Key takeaways: The $2 trillion private credit sector faces a crisis from defaults, redemptions, and limited oversight. Read more
The funding will support development of a programmable execution layer designed to enable faster issuance and settlement of digital assets on the network. Tether’s investment arm has invested in Ark Labs, the developer of the programmable Bitcoin infrastructure Arkade, as part of a $5.2 million funding round to expand stablecoin capabilities on the Bitcoin network. According to Thursday’s announcement from Ark Labs, the investment is intended to support infrastructure that enables stablecoins such as USDT (USDT) to be issued, transferred and settled more efficiently on Bitcoin (BTC). The Lugano, Switzerland-based startup is developing an execution layer designed to support instant and programmable transactions on Bitcoin. The funding round brings the company’s total funding to $7.7 million. Read more
“This ends today,“ said CFTC Chair Michael Selig, who has been reiterating his position that the agency has exclusive jurisdiction overseeing prediction markets platforms. Update (March 12 at 8:56 pm UTC): This article has been updated to include comments from CME Group Chief Executive Terry Duffy. Michael Selig, chair of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has proposed a rule that could amend or issue new regulations over event contracts on prediction markets platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket. In a Thursday notice, the CFTC issued a staff advisory classifying event contracts on prediction markets as a “financial asset class.” The regulator also submitted an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to be published in the Federal Register, asking for public comment on how the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) would apply to prediction markets. Read more