Blumenthal asked about the status of a monitor put in place after Binance pleaded guilty and if that person had filed any misconduct reports.
Richard Teng explains why crypto fundamentals remain strong, how regulation is driving global adoption, and where Binance is headed next.
In the past week, the Bitcoin market rose by almost 10%, representing a significant rally amid recent bearish struggles. Notably, the leading cryptocurrency has now reclaimed the $73,000 price zone for the first time since mid-March, translating to a mild bullish undertone for most investors. However, traders in the derivatives market remain largely unconvinced of a bullish recovery, given the rise in short positions during this period. Related Reading: Bitcoin Battles Key Levels: Will $70,000 Hold Or Trigger A Fresh Decline? Bitcoin Open Interest Jumps $350M, But Volume Lags According to market analyst Amr Taha, Bitcoin’s price gain was accompanied by a similar rise in leverage across major exchanges, indicating a boost in futures traders’ activity. However, a different on-chain data suggests that new market calls are dominated by bearish positioning rather than bullish ones. For context, data from the [BTC]: Open Interest Change By Exchange 7D Chart shows that Binance registered a $350 million increase in open interest on April 9, marking its highest level recorded since March 20. Meanwhile, Bybit followed with $299 million in new contracts, while OKX also recorded $200 million in new contracts. Amid these impressive figures, more data from the BTC: Binance Cumulative Net Taker Volume/OI [USD] 24H chart shows that net take volume on the world’s largest exchange failed to rise to the same levels. For context, the net taker volume measures the difference between aggressive buying and aggressive selling in the futures market. Therefore, a positive net taker volume suggests more aggressive buying, and there is greater bullish pressure in the market. However, Amr Taha’s observations indicate that aggressive buying activity accounted for only a small portion of the open interest boost observed on April 9. This suggests that most traders are placing negative bets on the premier cryptocurrency or opting for passive limit bids rather than aggressive market participation. Either way, there is an apparent lack of bullish conviction in the futures market despite Bitcoin’s recent rally. As a result, the sustainability of the upward move increasingly depends on genuine spot demand rather than leveraged derivatives positioning. Related Reading: Bitcoin Spikes Above $72,000 On Easing War Tensions, But CPI Threatens Reversal Bitcoin Price Overview At the time of writing, Bitcoin is valued at $72,837, up 0.34% over the last 24 hours. In tandem, the daily trading volume had experienced a similar slight rise of 3.85%. Despite the encouraging rally over the past week, the maiden cryptocurrency remains deep in a bear market, with its market price 42.08% below the cycle high of $126,200 recorded in October, 2025. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview
Binance is offering temporary relocation to employees based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the Iran conflict rattles the wider Middle East. Iran Tensions Spill Over To CEXs Bloomberg reported today that the largest crypto centralized exchange (CEX) said many staff members have opted to stay in the UAE, though it did not disclose an exact number. Related Reading: Is XRP Safer Than Bitcoin? This Analyst Explains The Real Quantum Risk For Holders In an e-mail statement sent to Bloomberg this Friday, the CEX explains it gave its UAE employees the relocation option as a precaution measure. Binance assures the company is more than capable to support this type of scenarios without it interfering with the business. Given the recent regional tensions, we offered employees the option to temporarily relocate as a precautionary, employee-first measure to provide flexibility and support during a period of uncertainty. As a remote-first organisation, we are well set up to support this kind of flexibility without disruption to our operations. This measure follows last month’s recommendation from Binance to its UAE staff to limit outdoor activity and prioritize remote work as tensions rose. Binance And The UAE: A Recap On March 2025, Binance reported it had roughly 1,000 employees in the country, accounting for about 20% of its global headcount, Bloomberg claims. At the ending of last year, Binance repositioned itself under Abu Dhabi Global Market oversight and moved its global platform under ADGM supervision, making the UAE its regulatory and operational anchor. The CEX giant is under an ongoing compliance upheaval and Iran‑linked scrutiny since February this year. Binance fired five investigators after an internal probe into roughly $1 billion worth of USDT transactions tied to Iran. According to The New York Times, users in Iran accessed more than 1,500 Binance accounts. In that period, around $1.7 billion moved from two Binance accounts to Iranian entities with alleged ties to terrorist organizations. This potentially breached international sanctions. A Binance contractor opereated one of those accounts. The cuts were focused on investigators and compliance personnel who were reportedly responsible for missing red flags tied to these potential violations of U.S. sanctions on Iran. Such move marked a major internal compliance crackdown and a strong signal of enforcement within the company’s regulatory structure. Related Reading: Bitcoin Stress Cycle Is Ending — But Traders May Hate What Comes Nex For global exchanges, jurisdictional arbitrage now includes war risk and sanctions optics. No direct impact on trading has been reported yet. Operational disruptions or a drawn‑out conflict could dent sentiment around BNB and Gulf‑centric liquidity. At the moment of writing, BTC trades for around $72k on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSD on Tradingview. Cover image from Perplexity. BTCUSD chart from Tradingview.
The integration covers gas costs to lower barriers for retail users. Binance doesn't operate the markets directly, instead providing access to a third-party application.
Binance Wallet has integrated Predict.fun prediction markets and is sponsoring all gas fees on BNB Smart Chain.
Bitcoin climbed back above $71,000 after news of a conditional U.S.–Iran ceasefire tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Bitcoin Bounces Back… For Now According to today’s QCP Market Colour, after the announcement of the ceasefire risk assets rallied, equities rose and oil cooled into the low-$90s. However, the report warns that all of this looks more like a temporary pause than a lasting resolution. Let’s not forget that, according to President Donald Trump himself, the ceasefire hinges on how Iran handles the Strait of Hormuz in the weeks ahead. ???? President Donald J. Trump makes a statement on Iran: pic.twitter.com/9mqTayL0Q3 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 7, 2026 The energy infrastructure attacks in Saudi Arabia show how fragile the de-escalation remains. Related Reading: Binance Deploys PRER Volatility Shield — Here’s How New Price Bands Could Hit Your Orders This rebound is supported by risk repricing, not conviction. According to the market colour, the macro picture remains uneven. U.S. payrolls rebounded, but softer labor data keeps the Fed juggling growth concerns and energy-driven inflation. The upcoming inflation report (CPI) due this week may determine if Bitcoin’s move back above $71,000 is sustainable or just a short‑lived bounce. Options data from QCP shows compressed front-end vols, but downside skew remains bid. Hedge demand is still strong. Notable call interest sits between $75K–$85K, while support lies around $60K–$65K, making $74K a key breakout level. Exchange Netflow Shows Why Bitcoin Is Still Defensive Despite the price bounce, on-chain data from CryptoQuant shows exchange reserves remain high, suggesting cautious sentiment rather than full accumulation. The report of Novaque Research from CryptoQuant explains that Binance is currently holding about 637.6K BTC in reserves, while Coinbase Advanced holds roughly 866.6K BTC. Both are still tracking well below their levels from earlier in 2025. Bitcoin exchange reserve on Coinbase. Source: CryptoQuant. The split between exchanges matters, according to the report. Coinbase is more closely tied to US institutional flows, whereas Binance better reflects global crypto‑native liquidity. Coinbase’s reserves have stayed tight and mostly sideways after a long downtrend, hinting that bigger players are not eager to bring coins back on‑exchange to sell. Binance’s balances have rebounded more visibly, but they still sit below previous highs and under the 50‑day average. Bitcoin exchange reserve on Binance. Source: CryptoQuant. These signals suggest positioning is cautious rather than capitulatory: holders are wary, but they are not behaving as if they must dump Bitcoin at any price. Exchange netflow supports that view, CryptoQuant believes. Overall exchange netflow is slightly negative at around -289.6 BTC, and since February there has been a consistent tilt toward outflows, only occasionally punctuated by sharp deposit spikes. In a genuine internal market break, the analysis explains, you would typically see persistent positive netflows as investors move coins onto platforms to sell into weakness. Instead, the data still shows Bitcoin being pulled off exchanges on many sessions. Bitcoin exchange netflow on all exchanges. Source: CryptoQuant. This does not automatically imply a bullish outcome, but it does highlight that Bitcoin continues to be supported by a holder base more inclined to remove supply than to keep recycling it back into the market. Related Reading: Crypto Trust Crisis — The “Kim Jong‑Un Test” Is Exposing Secret North Korean Moles Summing Up Bitcoin’s defensive setup mirrors institutional hesitation. Traders may be waiting for a clear macro or volatility shift before committing fresh capital. The short-term rally hinges on headlines, not fundamentals. Unless the ceasefire holds and inflation softens, Bitcoin could struggle to break $74K convincingly. For traders, this means tight ranges and tactical plays, not full-risk exposure, at least until the next macro signal. Bitcoin bounced back and reclaimed $72k earlier today. At the moment of writing, BTC trades for the low $71ks on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSD on Tradingview. Cover image from Perplexity. BTCUSD chart from Tradingview.
Binance is introducing a new rule to stop user orders from being executed at “abnormal prices” during extreme market conditions. A New Measure To Protect The Market, Binance Says The largest crypto centralized exchange announced today the release of the Spot Price Range Execution Rule (PRER) on spot markets starting April 14, 2026, rolling it out gradually across pairs. According to the announcement, the new feature will allow orders execution only within a dynamic price range. Binance will now keep every spot pair inside a moving fair‑value corridor built around a reference price derived from recent trades. As that reference ticks higher or lower, the corridor moves with it, creating a live price band above and below where Binance believes ‘normal’ trading should occur. Related Reading: Crypto Trust Crisis — The “Kim Jong‑Un Test” Is Exposing Secret North Korean Moles Any taker order that tries to sweep past that band simply stops at the edge. The in‑range portion fills, while the out‑of‑range remainder expires. In quiet markets, almost all liquidity sits inside the corridor, so in practice it’d be hardly noticeable. During stress, however, the band becomes a circuit‑breaker, blocking executions at prices the engine flags as detached from fair value. Put in simpler terms, Binance says under “normal” volatility PRER should not impact day‑to‑day trades at all, because bids/asks stay within the band. PRER is an execution filter triggered only when the market dislocates. It won’t change order types or fee tiers Why Is Binance Introducing The New Rule? WuBlockchain framed this new venture as a way to “prevent tragedies like the one on October 10th from happening again”. Binance introduces the Spot Price Range Execution Rule to prevent tragedies like the one on October 10th from happening again. To prevent user orders from being executed at abnormal prices under extreme market conditions, starting on 2026-04-14, Binance is introducing a feature… pic.twitter.com/Uk5JiqqyA8 — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) April 7, 2026 On October 10, 202,5 a crypto flash crash and liquidation cascade wiped out tens of billions in leveraged positions across the market. The macro shock widely linked to a Trump tariff announcement hit risk assets and helped trigger a chain reaction in over‑levered crypto positions. More than $19 billion of leverage was forcibly liquidated within hours. Bitcoin dropped from roughly $122,000 to near $105,000. Altcoins crashed far harder, with some thinly traded tokens briefly printing effectively to zero. According to an article from our sister website Bitcoinist, Binance attributed the turmoil to a broader macroeconomic shock and denied responsibility, later paying about $283 million in compensation. Binance claims PREER will help maintain fair and orderly market conditions during periods of unusual volatility. Market Implications Aggressive takers and algos need to watch for more unfilled or partially filled orders in fast markets. Liquidity providers may adjust quoting behavior, knowing extremes are less likely to print, which could tighten spreads on some pairs while reducing tail opportunities on others. Related Reading: This Bitcoin Trader Lost Millions In 2 Weeks, Here’s How Now, “last‑resort” liquidity in a crash may vanish faster if out‑of‑range orders just expire instead of clearing the book. At the same time, however, retail stop orders should be less likely to be executed at absurd wick prices. This will potentially reduce slippage in extreme events. PRER is another step toward institutional‑style market plumbing on Binance. Although active traders must adapt their execution logic, the new rule could make spot order books more attractive to risk‑averse capital. At the moment of writing, BTC trades for around $68k on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview. Cover image from Perplexity. BTCUSDT chart from Tradingview.
Institutions are quietly accumulating large amounts of XRP, suggesting a wave of strategic buying that could influence prices as available tokens become scarcer. Recent reports show that major financial players have already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in XRP, potentially signaling a looming supply crunch. Analyst Says XRP Supply Shock Incoming On April 4, market analyst @CryptoCupra on X reported that major institutions are silently loading up on XRP, with over $200 million already committed. The analyst stated that this “is only the beginning,” implying that more institutional investors will continue buying XRP en masse. Related Reading: What Does The Japanese Bond Gap Have To Do With The XRP Price Reaching $150? @CryptoCupra noted that prominent players, including Goldman Sachs, have already entered the markets alongside several top investment funds. He emphasized that this accumulation differs from typical retail participation, reflecting strategic positioning by experienced large-scale investors with enough resources to influence XRP’s supply. The analyst stated that as more institutions buy XRP, the number of tokens available for trading continues to decrease. He explained that such accumulation often precedes a supply shock, which occurs when demand exceeds the tokens sellers are willing to offer. Usually, a supply shock can influence a cryptocurrency’s price, often triggering sharp rallies as buying pressure increases while liquidity remains limited. @CryptoCupra claims that institutional investors are deliberately buying XRP ahead of a potential price surge, highlighting their confidence in the cryptocurrency’s future potential. Among the firms outlined in his post, Goldman Sachs has the highest exposure to XRP, holding more than 83.63 million tokens worth over $153.8 million. Following directly behind it is Millennium Management LLC, which has purchased approximately 12.54 million XRP, valued at more than $23 million. Institutions Buy The Dip As Exchange Liquidity Plummets Notably, the recent accumulation activity comes even as XRP faces significant volatility and price declines toward $1.3. The cryptocurrency has already recorded six consecutive months of losses since October 2025. The ongoing downtrend has placed severe pressure on its price and market structure, contributing to this extensive losing streak. Related Reading: Why XRP Supply Crashing On Coinbase Is A Good Thing For The Price Despite this poor performance, institutional investors continue to accumulate, likely viewing the lower prices as an opportunity to buy the dip and stay ahead of any potential price rebound. Further supporting the thesis of a possible supply shock, XRP liquidity on Binance has crashed to its lowest levels. CIO of RoyalPeakCap Arthur has reported that XRP’s 30-day liquidity index on Binance has fallen to zero. Additionally, trading volumes have declined from $200 million in January 2025 to almost nothing today. This development comes after news of XRP holders boycotting Coinbase spread across the market. As more holders withdrew their XRP from the exchange, rumors of a potential supply shock emerged, with hopes that continued outflows could positively impact the price. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
In his new memoir, Changpeng Zhao reveals he signed the FTX letter of intent as a formality and calls Caroline Ellison's $22 floor price offer a "fatal mistake."
Under new CEO Stephen Gregory, the U.S. arm of the crypto exchange giant looks to regain market share lost to Coinbase and Kraken.
The Chainlink price has failed to show any signs of bullish recovery since falling below the $10 level in early February. While these struggles have been spread across the general cryptocurrency market, there has rarely been any indication of optimism for LINK, as the altcoin sits nearly 70% adrift of its cycle high of $25. The latest on-chain data suggests that the Chainlink price could be gearing up for another round of bearish pressure in the coming weeks. $126M In LINK Tokens Move To Binance In A Single Day In a recent post on the X platform, pseudonymous on-chain analyst Darkfost shared that significant amounts of the Chainlink token have made their way to Binance in the past day. According to the crypto pundit, market participants seem to be taking advantage of the weekend, characterized by low volatility, to move large amounts of digital assets. Related Reading: XRP Has Never Been This Quiet On Binance. Discover If The Silence Is A Warning or a Setup Darkfost observed this interesting trend on Friday, April 3rd, saying that substantial transfers of Chainlink tokens (14.9 million) materialized on the day. More specifically, the analyst revealed that around 14.7 million LINK tokens were moved to Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. This coin movement is worth about $126 million, which is quite significant for a digital asset of Chainlink’s size. Besides the destination and the asset class, this transfer is also relevant due to the fact that trading volumes are typically low during weekends. Examining various rationales behind this transfer, Darkfost highlighted a couple of potential reasons behind the $42 million movement. “It may involve transfers from the project team relocating funds for custody purposes or as part of an agreement with the Binance platform,” the analyst said in their social media post. In an alternative scenario, Darkfost said this recent Chainlink token movement to Binance could have been from a whale looking to benefit from the exchange’s deep liquidity. The analyst, however, acknowledged that it would be difficult to determine the exact reason behind this significant token transfer. In any case, Darkfost concluded that market participants should still be cautious with exchange inflows of this size and nature, as they could potentially spell significant downside pressure on the Chainlink price. Chainlink Price At A Glance As of this writing, the price of LINK stands at around $8.7, reflecting a mere 0.5% jump in the past 24 hours. This sluggish daily price action mirrors the uncertain climate in the general cryptocurrency market at the moment. According to data from CoinGecko, the altcoin is up by about 1.5% in the past week. Related Reading: Real Money Is Buying XRP. Leveraged Traders Are Still Shorting It. Discover What Usually Happens Next Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Amid the ongoing bear market, crypto analyst Darkfost reports that trading activity among Bitcoin retail investors has reached a new low, suggesting a notable decline in participation. However, broader on-chain data provides deeper context to this trend, pointing to a mix of both constructive and concerning underlying drivers. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sharks & Whales Capitulate: Realized Loss Exceeds $200M Decoding Puzzling Moves By Bitcoin Retail Traders In an X post on April 3, Darkfost shares that Bitcoin retail activity has established a record low, i.e, transactions of less than 1 BTC have reduced significantly. This analysis is based on data from Binance, which is the largest exchange by trading volume and the most patronized trading platform by retail market participants, also known as shrimps. As of the time of the report, Darkfost states that the 30-day moving average of retail investors’ BTC inflows to Binance has fallen to 332 BTC, representing the lowest level since the launch of the exchange in 2017. Such a crash in retail investor activity is typically associated with a market of low interest, lacking hype or potential for a strong price momentum. However, more data provided by Darkfost sheds light on the contributing factors for this recent observation. Firstly, more retail participants have opted to keep their holdings on exchanges, despite events like the FTX collapse. Therefore, while there is a drop in BTC inflows/activity, they remain active investors in the market. Furthermore, there has been significant adoption of the Bitcoin spot ETFs by retail investors who prefer an indirect exposure to the digital asset. For context, BTC inflows from retail investors as of the launch of these ETFs in January 2024 stood at 1000 BTC, i.e., 3x today’s value. Meanwhile, other retail investors have actually left the Bitcoin market, rotating their capital into other financial markets like equities and commodities, which have seen strong rallies in recent times. Another interesting factor highlighted by Darkfost is that a small number of these retail participants have increased their holdings, automatically moving into a higher-ranking cohort. Going by the factors mentioned above, the observed drop in Bitcoin retail activity is driven by mixed developments. However, it appears that most retail investors are adapting their participation strategy as Bitcoin matures, rather than exiting the market amid the bear season. Related Reading: Bitcoin Mining Not As Globally Decentralized As It Appears — Here’s Why Bitcoin Price Overview At the time of writing, Bitcoin trades at $66,889, reflecting a minor 0.11% loss in the past day. On the monthly chart, the premier cryptocurrency reports a larger loss of 8.08%, highlighting the continuous struggles of the bear market that commenced in October 2025. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview
Senator Richard Blumenthal has escalated his scrutiny of Binance, sending a follow‑up letter on April 1 to co‑CEO Richard Teng that presses the crypto exchange to explain apparent discrepancies between its testimony to the Senate and subsequent media reporting about transactions tied to Iran. The New Haven Democrat said he is concerned that Binance may have provided “misrepresentations or misleading information to the Subcommittee and to the public,” and he demanded documents and records the company relied on in preparing its earlier responses. Senate Probe Seeks Wallets, Transactions, And Answers Blumenthal’s letter comes after reporting by Fortune and The New York Times that traced roughly $1.7 billion in flows from Binance‑linked accounts to entities with ties to Iran, a far larger sum than the $110,000 figure Binance cited last year for direct transactions with four major Iranian exchanges. The senator said that gap, together with Binance’s partial or delayed production of materials requested by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), raised “further alarms about its candor and compliance with Congressional oversight.” Related Reading: New Bitcoin Crash Ahead? Bloomberg Strategist Forecasts Return To $10,000 – Here’s Why Blumenthal’s letter lays out a long list of specific questions and records requests. He asked Binance to disclose whether any accounts sent or received funds to or from a set of Iran‑linked wallets referenced in the reporting, and to provide the wallet addresses. He demanded a full, year‑over‑year accounting of transactions between Binance and known Iranian exchanges, and asked to explain the methodology it used to calculate the $110,000 figure, including whether it counted transfers that were later associated with Iranian exchanges. Blumenthal also pressed the crypto exchange on internal compliance practices. He asked whether Binance has removed, weakened, or relaxed any detection, screening, freezing, or reporting mechanisms since January 1, 2025, including tools designed to spot illicit indirect transfers. He sought clarity on whether Binance has ever declined to investigate, suspend, or remove accounts tied to individuals inside Iran — including those using VPNs or “drop accounts” (KYC‑verified accounts that are bought, shared, or stolen). Relatedly, he asked whether Binance had ever disciplined compliance staff who raised concerns internally or provided information to law enforcement or external partners, noting reports that Binance had dismissed personnel for “unauthorized disclosure.” Binance Given April 14 Deadline The senator further criticized what he characterized as delayed or inadequate action by Binance in response to law enforcement warnings. He said Binance took two months to respond to law enforcement regarding alleged terrorist financing by entities such as Hexa Whale and another two months to remove an implicated shell entity. He also alleged it took at least five months for Binance to remove Blessed Trust as a vendor after being warned about its role in suspected terrorist financing. Blumenthal wrote that Binance appeared, in some cases, to have labeled certain accounts with internal tags like “Don’t block. Internal accounts,” which he said should have signaled the need for heightened scrutiny rather than protection from enforcement. Related Reading: ICBA Opposes OCC’s Conditional Nod For Coinbase National Trust Bank Charter He asked for exact dates showing when the companies and people involved opened Binance accounts, started sending funds to Iranian intermediaries, were reported to US law enforcement, and when they were suspended or removed. The Senator also demanded explanations for any delays between being notified and taking action. Blumenthal invoked Senate rules and gave Binance until April 14 of this year to turn over records. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
A prominent crypto analyst is pointing to similarities between Cardano’s current market position and Bitcoin’s early years. Some see a struggling altcoin still far from its glory days, while others believe the current setup looks like the early stages of major breakouts seen in previous cycles. A crypto analyst known as Crypto Patel on the social media platform X is leaning heavily toward the latter, and according to him, a $10+ ADA price is only a matter of time. Analyst Constructs ADA Comparison To Bitcoin Crypto analyst Crypto Patel has compared the current Cardano setup to Bitcoin’s early days, arguing that the opportunity being presented now is one the industry has seen before. Related Reading: This Major Cardano Upgrade Could Change The Network’s Trajectory Posting on X, analyst Crypto Patel pointed to ADA’s recent commodity classification by US regulators and its position nearly 91% below its all-time high as evidence that crypto investors are mispricing a cryptocurrency that already cleared its most significant legal and price structure breakdown. Cardano is currently trading around $0.24, a level that, on a bi-weekly chart spanning back to 2019, is right above a macro bullish order block identified by CryptoPatel. The macro bullish order block is a demand zone between $0.13 and $0.18 that has historically attracted significant buying interest. The asset is down roughly 92% from its all-time high of $3.09, a figure that reads as catastrophic in isolation but which CryptoPatel frames as an opportunity. The situation resembles a period when Bitcoin traded at depressed levels while facing skepticism among investors in its early days. Interestingly, Cardano is in a much better position because it just got classified as a commodity. “That’s like buying Bitcoin when everyone called it a scam,” he wrote, “except this time the government already said it’s legit.” What The Chart Is Actually Saying The technical structure of CryptoPatel’s thesis is more layered than a single bullish callout. Technical analysis of the 2-week ADA/USDT chart on Binance shows the complete macro cycle and how the ADA price may be bottoming. Related Reading: Cardano Just Saw A Large Spike In DeFi Activity, Why Is Price Still Struggling Below $0.3? From its 2020 lows, the ADA price rallied 3,402% into the 2021 peak before entering a prolonged price correction. This prolonged correction led to the formation of a large descending triangle between 2022 and 2025, with a descending resistance trendline suppressing every recovery attempt. This led to a triangular price structure of lower highs and higher lows. When the price eventually broke down through the triangle’s lower support in 2025, that support flipped to resistance. The resistance level is between $0.45 and $0.50, and that range will need to be reclaimed for any meaningful recovery to take hold. CryptoPatel’s projected recovery path is staged: a reclaim of Resistance 1 at $1.20, followed by Resistance 2 at $2.95, before a full bull market extension toward $5.82 and ultimately $15.60. This final target represents a gain of about 12,471% from the cycle bottom. “$10+ ADA is not a question,” the analyst wrote. “It’s just a matter of time.” Featured image from Unsplash, chart from Tradingview.com
The StakeStone (STO) price has surged by over 500% in the past week, drawing attention to the token’s ecosystem. The altcoin’s rally comes ahead of a significant token unlock, which could put selling pressure on the token and drive its price down. Why The StakeStone (STO) Price Is Surging The StakeStone (STO) price has surged by over 500% in the last week amid bullish fundamentals in its ecosystem, as noted by market analyst Neel. One of these developments includes StakeStone’s launch of version 2.0 of its protocol earlier this year. The staking protocol version enables gasless transactions, social login, and AI-powered yield optimization across 20 blockchains. Related Reading: Greatest Wealth Transfer Is about To Happen For Altcoins, Analyst Warns Neel further mentioned that the StakeStone (STO) price has surged because of the protocol’s partnership with Trump’s World Liberty to provide cross-chain liquidity infrastructure for the USD1 stablecoin. This represents a huge positive for the token’s ecosystem as USD1 has a circulating supply of $4.3 billion. StakeStone will act as a liquidity rail that moves the stablecoin across different networks. Neel pointed out that another reason why the StakeStone (STO) price is surging is that the liquid staking and yield narrative is gaining momentum again this year. As such, smart money is rotating into this sector and investing in altcoins like STO. On-chain analytics platform Lookonchain drew attention to a fresh wallet that withdrew 25.5 million STO, 11.32% of the circulating supply, from Binance earlier this week. Activity in the futures market is also driving the StakeStone (STO) price surge. CoinGlass data show that top traders on Binance are currently bullish on StakeStone, with the traders’ long/short ratio above 1. The altcoin’s derivative volume has surged by over 500% to $3.44 billion, while open interest has climbed by almost 300% to $332 million. Price At Risk Of A Decline With Upcoming Unlock The StakeStone (STO) price is at risk of significant selling pressure due to an upcoming token unlock. Cryptorank data shows that 20.17 million STO tokens, 2.02% of the total supply, will be unlocked tomorrow. At current prices, these tokens are worth $18.22 million and represent 8.95% of the altcoin’s market cap. Meanwhile, it is worth noting that almost 70% of the token’s supply is yet to be unlocked. Related Reading: Signal That Led To Last 2 Altcoin Seasons Has Returned, And Here’s How Bitcoin Fits In Most of the tokens that will be unlocked tomorrow will go to investors, while the Foundation and Team also have some allocation from tomorrow’s unlock. Crypto analyst Anti-Moon opined that the team and investors were likely pushing the StakeStone (STO) price up since they will want to sell the altcoin at higher prices. At the time of writing, the StakeStone price is trading at around $0.8465, up over 285% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
Users would be required to set up a dedicated prediction account, separate from their spot trading accounts, to trade on event contracts.
The Binance exchange has registered a surge in derivatives activity triggered by an ongoing pullback in gold’s price. The highly priced commodity and world’s largest asset has experienced a steady price decline since around February amid exacerbating geopolitical tensions and concerns about global inflation levels. Related Reading: Not Binance: Bitcoin Analyst Who Bought At $1 Revealed What Really Caused The October 10 Crash Binance Users Show Heavy Interest In Gold Market In an X post by renowned analyst Darkfost, gold has declined by more than 17% from its all-time high above $5,300, marking a significant correction following an initial prolonged rally that began in 2024, resulting in a net gain of 160%. Considering the unstable macro environment in 2025, marked by impromptu tariffs and potential trade wars, gold emerged as the choice haven for many investors, while heavy inflows encouraged traders to build multiple leveraged positions. As prices began to reverse, these leveraged positions became vulnerable, i.e., margin calls were triggered, forcing automatic liquidations. Voluntary liquidations were recorded in some cases where traders preferred to take profits or move to protect other positions. During the most recent gold price decline, gold futures trading activity on Binance reached record levels since its launch in January. Notably, as gold approached $4,400 on March 23, daily futures trading volume on Binance exceeded $6.6 billion. Meanwhile, the cumulative volume over seven days surpassed $17 billion, representing the magnanimous interest in gold by Binance users. Notably, total trading activity since the launch of gold futures on the exchange has also now crossed $72 billion. This development represents a heavy appetite for gold access by many Binance users, who are now operating through recently launched tokenized exposure. These traders appear to be actively seeking alternative hedges and diversification strategies. The intersection of cautious sentiment, capital rotation, and increased derivatives activity highlights a newfound perpetual market set with high potential and unknown implications on the exchange’s digital asset markets. Related Reading: XRP Positioned At The Center Of Wall Street’s Tokenization Boom — Is A Rally Emerging? Crypto Market Overview According to CoinMarketCap, the total crypto market cap crashed to $2.28 trillion, reflecting a 3.81% loss. Amid this downward move, underlying sentiment also remains fragile, with the Fear & Greed Index at 22, firmly in “fear” territory. This cautious mood is further supported by a net outflow of $360.60 million, signaling that some investors are still reducing exposure or reallocating capital. Market dominance also shows capital concentration in major assets, with Bitcoin at 57.9% and Ethereum at 10.5%. The premier cryptocurrency is valued at $65,908, showing a 6.63% loss over the last seven days. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from Tradingview
A veteran Bitcoin evangelist who entered the market when most people had never heard the word “blockchain” is now pointing the finger at the Trump family, not a crypto exchange, as many think, for the liquidation chaos that shook the crypto industry last October. Davinci Jeremie, one of the earliest known Bitcoin adopters, recently shared his unfiltered take on what he believes caused the October 10, 2025, crash. What Davinci Jeremie Actually Believes The October 10, 2025, crypto market crash is one of the most debated events of the current cycle, with traders still split over what really triggered the sudden collapse in price. In the months since, several theories have surfaced, ranging from Binance-led liquidations to coordinated sell attacks. Related Reading: Expert Analyst Says Bitcoin Expansion Is Over, It Won’t Rally Until This Is Over Speaking on The Sujal Show, Jeremie offered a perspective that was politically charged. In his view, the Trump family’s financial interests provide a simpler explanation for what happened to the crypto market on that day. “I think obviously the Trump family. It’s clear right now that the Trump family wants to push crypto down so that they can get as much as they want,” Jeremie said. According to the early Bitcoin believer, wealthy participants approach markets differently. In his words, short-term thinking dominates retail behavior, with many looking for quick gains or rapid wealth creation. Large players, however, operate on extended timelines, often spanning five to ten years. “If you’re wealthy, you don’t think in short terms as most people do; you think in long terms,” he said. The Binance Theory That Took Over Crypto Jeremie’s take stands in opposition to the explanation that dominated industry discourse in the months following October 10. The October 2025 crypto crash, primarily on October 10, saw over $19 billion in leveraged positions liquidated within 24 hours. The sell-off began shortly after Donald Trump signaled plans to impose an additional 100% tariff on Chinese imports. That caused traders to dump risky investments, from stocks to Bitcoin. However, that crash was much more pronounced on the crypto market than expected. Related Reading: Bitcoin Roadmap To $300,000: Analyst Shares Step-By-Step Guide To The Top After the immediate aftermath of the crash, much of the attention was directed to crypto exchange Binance. The exchange quickly became the focal point of speculation, with many pointing to liquidation cascades on its derivatives platform as the primary reason for the crash. The theory was amplified after OKX CEO Star Xu went public with his criticisms, which were based on Binance’s promotional campaign that offered 12% APY on USDe. According to Star Xu, the campaign by Binance blurred the line between USDe and stablecoins like USDT and USDC, and retail investors were not aware of the systemic risks relating to the synthetic stablecoin ecosystem. Davinci Jeremie is known as one of the earliest Bitcoin adopters, having entered the market when BTC was trading around $1. His reputation grew significantly years later when an old YouTube video resurfaced of him urging viewers to buy at least $1 worth of Bitcoin. The clip has since become one of the most referenced moments in crypto history. Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com
An OG bitcoin whale has sent another $33 million worth of BTC to Binance as a possible selling spree continues amid market pressure.
The Federal Court fined Binance Australia Derivatives $6.9 million for misclassifying 524 retail clients as wholesale investors.
A gold-backed crypto token jumped from 453rd place to fifth among the most actively traded perpetual pairs on Binance — all within a matter of weeks. Related Reading: Iran Rejects Peace Talk Claims, Leaving Bitcoin Stuck At $70K XAUT: From Obscurity To The Top 5 Tether’s tokenized gold token, XAUT, recorded a daily perpetual futures trading volume of $6.40 billion on March 23, according to data highlighted by CryptoQuant analyst JA Maartunn. That figure dwarfs where it stood in December 2025, when daily volume barely crossed $1.50 million. The climb was fast and unrelenting. By January 2026, daily volume had moved into the tens of millions. By month’s end, it was brushing $300 million. XAUT just hit a new all-time high in perp volume on Binance “XAUT recorded $6.40B in daily perpetual trading volume, which is the highest since its listing. This brings XAUT-perpetual futures as the #5 most traded perp pair on Binance.” – By @JA_Maartun pic.twitter.com/YCRossyaCF — CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) March 25, 2026 February brought the first billion-dollar days, with volume peaking at $4.17 billion before pulling back sharply. March erased that earlier high entirely. Maartunn said the surge goes beyond ordinary price-driven trading. Traders, he argued, appear to be broadening their focus beyond traditional crypto assets. XAUT’s rise, he said, reflects that shift. Volume Climbs As Gold Prices Fall What makes the numbers harder to dismiss is the timing. Gold had a wild ride over the same stretch. Physical gold climbed from roughly $4,200 per ounce to a record $5,602 in late January 2026. That rally likely drew early attention to the token. But gold later fell back below $5,000, weighed down partly by the ongoing Iran conflict. XAUT’s trading volume kept climbing anyway. Binance does not list XAUT for spot trading. Access to the token itself is available through the Binance Web3 Wallet or decentralized exchanges. The exchange limits its direct offering to perpetual futures, meaning all of that $6.40 billion in daily volume is derivatives activity — not direct purchases of the token. XAUT currently carries a market cap of $2.54 billion and a fully diluted valuation of $3.21 billion. Each token is backed one-to-one by a troy ounce of physical gold meeting LBMA Good Delivery standards. The gold is held in vaults in Switzerland and issued by Tether on the Ethereum and Tron networks. Related Reading: Bernstein Sets $150,000 Bitcoin Target As ETF Inflows Surpass $1.6B In March Binance Expands Its Real-World Asset Offerings The record volume arrives as Binance moves to add more real-world asset products. Reports indicate the exchange is set to launch perpetual pairs for METAUSDT, NVDAUSDT, and GOOGLUSDT on March 26, each offering up to 10x leverage. The expansion signals growing platform interest in bridging traditional financial assets with crypto derivatives markets. Whether XAUT’s volume holds at these levels remains to be seen. The token went from a footnote in Binance’s rankings to one of its most traded products in a single quarter — a move few would have predicted at the start of the year. Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView
How regulators are balancing the "untraceable" promise of ZK-proofs with strict new anti-money laundering mandates – and what it means for the future of anonymous wealth.
The new Binance guidelines for market makers requires them to disclose information such as their identity and contract terms. Binance Tightens The Grip On Market Makers On Wednesday, the largest centralized crypto exchange in the world released a new set of guidelines aimed to token issuers and liquidity providers, tightening their grip on the mandatory disclosure of market maker identity and legal entity and contract terms. Additionally, Binance is posing an explicit ban on profit‑sharing and guaranteed‑return arrangements. In their blog post, Binance clarifies that a market maker is a professional trader or firm that provides liquidity by always placing buy and sell orders on a CEX or DEX. They earn money from the small difference between their buy price and sell price (the spread). In return, the liquidity they provide help other traders get in or out of positions quickly without moving the price too much. Related Reading: Hyperliquid Takes Over Wall Street: Can PURR Options Trigger a Fresh Rally? Top 3 Red Flags That Market Makers Should Look For Binance highlights ix “red flag” behaviors, including aggressive sell‑offs against vesting schedules, one‑sided order books and coordinated cross‑platform dumping 1. Selling against the vesting schedule Market makers are expected to stick to the token’s agreed vesting and unlock plan. If they start offloading large amounts too early, too often, or in a way that clearly clashes with that schedule, it’s a sign incentives are off or internal risk controls are weak. 2. One‑sided “liquidity” Effective market making is supposed to provide balanced liquidity on both sides of the book. When you see sustained sell orders with little or no matching buy interest from the same party, it can add downward pressure on price and disrupt orderly trading conditions. 3. Coordinated dumping across venues When big token transfers hit several exchanges at once and are quickly followed by heavy selling that goes beyond routine liquidity rebalancing, it’s often a clue that tokens are being systematically offloaded, not just responsibly warehoused for market making. More Illicit Activity Binance warns that market makers should also watch out for volume that doesn’t match price, volatility spikes from thin liquidity and large‑scale token offloading. The new expectations for token projects are clear: strict adherence to token release plans, no large offloads via market makers, full disclosure of MM identities and mandates to the exchange, clear written trading parameters, and continuous monitoring post‑listing. Banned activity includes revenue‑sharing/profit‑sharing models, guaranteed‑return deals between projects and market makers and vague token‑lending agreements that don’t clearly limit how borrowed tokens can be used. The goal of the new rules is to ensure their market-making arrangements are aligned with “long-term market integrity”, as responsible market makers ultimately boost liquidity and “reduce slippage”. Binance warns it will take swift action against violations of the guidelines, including blacklisting market makers that manipulate markets or violate token release schedules. Related Reading: Crypto Analysts Warn: Traders Misreading The Clarity Act Could Miss The Real Opportunity Market Implications Of The Binance Guidelines Binance is effectively admitting that “liquidity support” has doubled as unofficial selling channels and volume‑washing tools, and is trying to pre‑empt both another crash narrative and tougher external regulation. The potential winners of the new rules are retail traders who get cleaner order books and fewer surprise dumps on newly listed tokens, plus more transparent token‑launch structures. The likely losers, however, are smaller token issuers and aggressive market makers who relied on off‑the‑record guarantees or profit splits to juice volume and unlock liquidity. The practical takeaways for traders are the obvious: watch order‑book depth and slippage instead of headline volume, be cautious around early‑stage altcoin listings while market makers and issuers adjust, and expect some pairs to see thinner liquidity as aggressive players step back. If Binance really enforces blacklisting and reporting channels, the cost of “liquidity games” rises, which could reduce short‑term pumps but improve long‑term price discovery on the exchange. BTC’s price drops slightly after reaching $71k yesterday, trading for around $69k today. Source: BTCUSD on Tradingview Cover image from Perplexity, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview
The update zeroes in on how market maker setups are structured, signaling that deal terms and trading behavior are now part of Binance’s scrutiny.
The guidelines ban profit-sharing and guaranteed return arrangements, aiming to prevent conflicts of interest and manipulative trading.
Crypto analyst Crypto Patel has predicted that the BNB price could break $3,000, marking a new all-time high (ATH) for the Binance-linked coin. The analyst shared a game plan for exactly how this move is expected to play out by 2028. How The BNB Price Rally To $3,000 Could Play Out In an X post, Crypto Patel said that the BNB price could drop to $400 before hitting $3,000. The analyst noted that the altcoin has bounced perfectly from the near 0.5 Fib Retracement level and now climbed 21%. As to what is next for BNB, he said that if price holds above the 0.5 Fib level, then a new ATH setup would be in play. Related Reading: Analyst Drops ‘Realistic’ Price Predictions For Bitcoin, Ethereum, LINK, BNB, And Aptos However, if the BNB price breaks below $526, then it could lead to a drop to the second accumulation zone (the first being $600) at between $450 to $380, a range which Crypto Patel described as the best discount zone. The analyst said his personal target for BNB is $3,000, which he believes could be reached during the altcoin season. However, he reiterated that he won’t be surprised if a retest of $400 comes before the massive run to $3,000. The BNB price, along with the broader crypto market, is currently facing downward pressure due to the U.S.-Iran war, which is entering its fourth week. Crypto prices had crashed yesterday as oil prices rose to new highs after Iran and Israel attacked key energy sites in the Middle East. Escalating tensions are raising concerns that the war could drive inflation higher, which is bearish for the BNB price and the broader crypto market. Analyst Says BNB Seeing A Notable Shift In Structure In an X post, crypto analyst CryptoPulse noted that the BNB price is showing a notable shift in structure. This came as he revealed that price attempted a breakout to the upside but failed after trading within an ascending channel. The analyst added that BNB has now broken below the lower bound of this ascending channel. CryptoPulse warned that if this level turns into resistance, further downside pressure could follow. Related Reading: Crypto Market Holds Breath Ahead Of FOMC Meeting, Will The Fed Ease Interest Rates? Crypto analyst Batman said that a rally remains on the table for the BNB price. He noted that the altcoin was holding up relatively well and that the price hasn’t made a significant move yet. The analyst also revealed that the token was holding above a key confluence, a bullish FVG, and the 0.618 Fibonacci level. As long as the price holds above $610, Batman said BNB could still rally. At the time of writing, the BNB price is trading at around $642, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
The Scarcity Index flipped to +0.48, a reading that lines up with a clear drop in XRP held on exchanges and signals that less XRP is sitting in tradable wallets than the recent average. CryptoQuant data shows the move was most visible on Binance, where on-platform balances have moved lower over the past weeks. Related Reading: Another Bitcoin Buy Coming? Saylor Sparks Speculation With ‘Orange Dots’ Post Exchange Balances Have Fallen Reports indicate a portion of XRP once held on exchanges has been shifted into private wallets. Large transfers off Binance and other venues reduced the amount of XRP readily available for quick trades. That can shrink the liquid float — the coins traders can buy and sell instantly — even though the total supply of XRP remains unchanged. Based on reports, some of the outflows appear to be custodial moves to cold storage or institutional custody, not token burns. When holders move assets off exchanges, tokens aren’t destroyed; they’re simply harder to access for fast selling. Traders watching on-chain flows see that as accumulation by holders who prefer possession over sitting on an exchange. Short Positions Loom Over Price Open interest in derivatives markets shows short positions clustered above current price levels, and that concentration matters. Reports note if buying volume grows quickly, those short positions can trigger stop-outs and push price sharply in one direction. ???? $XRP SUPPLY IS THINNING ON BINANCE. The Scarcity Index just flipped to +0.48. That means less XRP is sitting on exchanges than the historical average. Coins are being pulled into private wallets. Supply is quietly disappearing. This is NOT moon math. It’s basic economics.… pic.twitter.com/af1gdWnJUj — Xaif Crypto????????|???????? (@Xaif_Crypto) March 15, 2026 That makes markets more sensitive. But sensitivity doesn’t equal certainty. Price still needs buyers. A thinner exchange float can amplify moves when volume arrives, but it won’t create demand out of nothing. Data shows the Scarcity Index is one lens among many. Analysts and traders typically compare it with total exchange reserves across platforms, order book depth, and derivatives positioning to assess risk. If only one exchange shows declining balances, the signal is weaker than if multiple major venues report the same trend. Signals Require Multiple Confirmations According to on-chain observers, a single positive reading of a scarcity metric is not conclusive. Market participants usually look for corroborating signs: cross-exchange reserve declines, inflows into institutional custody products, rising buy volumes, or shifts in open interest that support a directional move. Without those, the scarcity reading is incomplete. Reports indicate the community reaction is mixed. Some traders interpret lower exchange balances as a bullish sign because there may be fewer sellers. Others caution that large holders can still redistribute coins back to exchanges and that a single exchange’s data can be noisy. Related Reading: WLFI Holders Face New 6-Month Lockup Rule To Gain Voting Power Based on the current data, expect volatility if buying picks up and shorts are forced to cover. Watch total exchange reserves, order book liquidity, and derivative metrics together. For now, the Scarcity Index flip to +0.48 is a notable data point. Reports from market watchers and custodians will determine whether it becomes the start of a broader trend or remains a short-lived signal. Featured image from Bitpanda Blog, chart from TradingView
Despite trading more than 40% below its all-time high, with $70,000 serving as a short-term support level, Bitcoin (BTC) may be poised for a repeat pattern that could lead to a 54% increase following this year’s US midterm elections. New research from cryptocurrency exchange Binance suggests that, historically, the aftermath of midterm elections has been positive for both the Bitcoin price and the S&P 500. Will Bitcoin Follow Historical Patterns? The research shows that since 1939, the S&P 500 has reported no negative returns in the 12 months following midterm elections, averaging gains of 19%. In the same periods, Bitcoin has experienced an average rally of 54% across all three previously recorded midterm years. Binance’s analysis further reveals that midterm election years often lead to political volatility, resulting in average peak-to-trough drawdowns of about 16% for the S&P 500—marking them as the weakest years in the four-year presidential cycle. Related Reading: Ripple Launches $750 Million Share Buyback, Boosting Valuation To $50 Billion Tracking Bitcoin from 2014 onward, the research indicates that the market’s leading cryptocurrency has mirrored these market dynamics, with an average decline of 56% during midterm years. The research emphasizes what they call “The Post-Election Opportunity,” as once election results are settled and uncertainties are cleared, markets historically tend to rally significantly. The exchange asserts that the year following midterm elections has been shown to be particularly strong for market returns, thus setting the stage for potential Bitcoin gains as well. If Bitcoin follows a similar trajectory, it could make a strong case for a rebound. However, potentially not toward new record highs. The cryptocurrency has fallen by an average of 70% from its previous all-time highs during previous bear market cycles. With Bitcoin’s bull market peak at $126,000, a potential decline to $37,800 could precede a 54% surge pointed by Binance, potentially returning its price to nearly $58,000. However, some analysts are pointing out that the market bottom may already have been reached. Is The End Of The Bear Market Near? NewsBTC reported Wednesday that CryptoQuant analysts suggest that Bitcoin might be in the final stages of its bear market, especially after it dropped to $59,900 on February 6. Related Reading: White House Crypto Advisor Denounces Attempts To Sabotage CLARITY Act’s Goals Currently, Bitcoin is consolidating between $65,000 and $70,000, eyeing the key resistance level at $73,000. This phase may indicate a final accumulation stage of the bear cycle, which is often succeeded by substantial recoveries, albeit not in a straight path. With this pattern in mind, if Bitcoin maintains its current trading levels, the post-midterm elections in the US could propel the cryptocurrency back toward $107,000 for the first time since November 2025. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Binance’s futures-to-spot ratio has jumped to a 1.5-year high, its highest level since mid-2023. But why? What The Binance Data Says About The Market New data from CryptoQuant analyst Maartuun shows that Binance’s derivative volume is dwarfing spot trading, as the futures/spot ratio has risen to around 5.1. This means that for every $1 traded on spot, about $5 are traded on futures. Most “price discovery” and liquidity is happening in the derivatives order books, not in simple buy‑and‑hold spot markets. Binance-Futures/Spot Volume Ratio. Source: CryptoQuant When the ratio is high, it usually signals that short‑term, leveraged speculation and hedging dominate over straightforward accumulation. Price tends to react more violently to liquidations, funding swings and positioning than to organic spot demand. A rising Binance futures/spot ratio tells us that the market is being run by traders who want speed, leverage and hedging, not by quiet spot accumulators, so volatility and event‑risk matter more than usual right now. Related Reading: Binance Strikes Back: Why It Is Taking The Wall Street Journal To Court Historically, spikes to 1.5‑year highs have coincided with periods where Bitcoin was at or near important macro levels and the market was “trading the narrative” via derivatives, either amplifying rallies or turning corrections into sharp squeezes. As stated on the article posted on May 22 last year, “this pattern often reflects short-term sentiment and positioning rather than long-term conviction”. Therefore, we shouldn’t necessarily read this as pure “euphoria”: it can just as well be hedging and defensive positioning as it is outright speculation. Derivative Market Leader: Exchange Perpetual Futures Trading Volume. Source: CryptoQuant What The Data Says About The World The latest leg of Middle East conflict (U.S.‑Israel vs Iran, risk around Hormuz and oil flows) has injected a clear “geopolitical risk premium” into global markets. Bitcoin and crypto have been hit in these shocks with fast, deep wicks. BTC dropped to around 63k on the February strike headlines before snapping back above 70k, showing markets, following human’s fears and own volatility, react violently but then re‑normalize once the worst headlines pass and the sentiments calm down. Spot Market Leader: Exchange Spot Trading Volume. Source: CryptoQuant Binance research notes that, right now, markets are stuck between multiple unresolved themes. AI‑driven margin pressure, fragile private credit, and now high geopolitical risk, all while inflation and U.S. macro data keep the Fed “higher for longer” narrative alive. That mix (energy risk, sticky inflation, potential for tighter financial conditions) makes long‑horizon risk‑on trades less attractive, so investors lean into instruments they can size up or down quickly, like Binance futures, rather than parking capital in spot. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Holds Near $70K As Markets Brace For Key Event In a calmer, low‑vol world, spot demand tends to dominate. However, in a world of wars, oil scares and uncertain central banks, derivatives on Binance take over as traders seek speed, leverage and hedging. BTC’s price trends to the downside on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview Cover image from Perplexity, BTCUSDT chart from Tradingview