Hyperliquid opened doors to ‘democratized’ crypto whale hunting: Analyst
Crypto whale tracking on the Hyperliquid blockchain has enabled traders to target whales with prominent leveraged positions in a “democratized” attempt to liquidate them, according to the head of 10x Research.Hyperliquid, a blockchain network specializing in trading, allows traders to publicly observe what type of positions a whale is holding, and since these positions are leveraged, the market can assess the liquidation levels unless an additional margin is added, Markus Thielen said in a March 17 report.Source: 10x Research“This transparency opens the door for coordinated efforts, where groups of traders could intentionally target these stop levels to trigger liquidations,” he said. It’s a common belief in the crypto market that whales with substantial holdings can influence the market through their trading tactics, such as stop-loss hunting, to deliberately trigger other traders’ stop-loss orders and liquidate their positions. Thielen says the recent actions from traders show this balance of power could be shifting. “In effect, stop-hunting is being ‘democratized,’ with ad-hoc groups now playing a role once reserved mainly for market-making desks, or treasury teams, at exchanges before tighter regulatory scrutiny,” Thielen added. Thielen told Cointelegraph that it’s still “unclear if this type of activity will become widespread onchain, but as always, transparency can cut both ways.” Why are traders trying to liquidate whales?This isn’t the first time smaller traders have attempted to take down larger entities through coordinated trading tactics. Thielen says crypto traders trying to liquidate whales have echoes of the GameStop short squeeze, which saw small traders flip the table on Wall Street short-sellers by buying GameStop’s stock, sending it to all-time highs of over $81 to liquid their positions. “This reminds me of the dynamics we saw during the GameStop saga in 2020/2021, where aggressive short squeezes drove rapid price spikes,” he said. Related: Bybit CEO on ‘brutal’ $4M Hyperliquid loss: Lower leverage as positions grow“When stop levels get triggered, prices often accelerate in that direction, providing liquidity for others to cover. We’ve seen similar tactics from market makers and exchanges in the crypto space over the years.” Hunt is still on for 40x leveraged Bitcoin short-sellerOn March 16, a crypto whale known for placing large, highly leveraged positions on Hyperliquid opened a 40x leveraged short position at $84,043 for over 4,442 Bitcoin (BTC), worth over $368 million on March 16, facing liquidation if Bitcoin’s price surpassed $85,592.The move didn’t go unnoticed, and pseudonymous trader CBB sent out the call on X to gather a team of traders with enough funds to liquidate the whale’s position. Source: CBBThielen said in the 10x report that on March 16, Bitcoin surged by 2.5% within minutes, partly because of a coordinated effort to liquidate a whale’s short position on Bitcoin perpetual via Hyperliquid.The whale has since increased their position to $524 million, and at one point, the whale hunters nearly got their wish when the price of Bitcoin hit $84,583.84, according to CoinGecko. Source: CRGHowever, some speculate the exposed short position could be intentional. Hedge fund trader Josh Man said in a March 17 post to X that the whale might be purposefully trying to get liquidated. “So this there is a fairly rare and not widely used technique of self-liquidation and this FEELS a little like that,” he said. “In such events, the seller is actually creating a bomb designed to go off and create a rally from the liquidation of his own short. One would expect that he has a large offsetting long versus short.” Source: Josh ManMagazine: Crypto fans are obsessed with longevity and biohacking: Here’s why
BTC dominance steadily rising since 2023, is altseason now a relic?
Bitcoin (BTC) dominance, a measure of Bitcoin’s overall share of the crypto market, has been steadily rising since 2023 amid a torrent of new cryptocurrency coins and tokens.The current BTC market dominance is roughly 61.6%, down from the local peak of 64.3% recorded on Feb. 3.BTC market dominance broke back above 60% on Feb. 2 amid a general market downturn over fears of a prolonged trade war between the United States and its trading partners.Macroeconomic uncertainty typically takes a toll on risk-on assets, and the recent market downturn hit altcoins harder than BTC due to their lower liquidity and higher-risk profiles.Bitcoin market dominance has been rising since 2023. Source: TradingViewThe current market cycle also features Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which silo liquidity into these financial instruments — preventing capital rotation into altcoins, which crypto traders and investors have become accustomed to.Previous cycles were characterized by investors rotating profits from less risky assets such as BTC into progressively higher-risk investments, starting with high market cap altcoins and eventually working their way into smaller cap tokens.The liquidity siloed in traditional investment vehicles coupled with the proliferation of new coins and tokens competing for limited investor attention and capital has led some analysts to suggest that altcoin season is now a thing of the past and will not be a feature of the current or future market cycles.Related: Bitcoin poised to reclaim $90,000, according to derivatives metricsToo many tokens have saturated the marketThe total number of cryptocurrency tokens and coins listed on CoinMarketCap on Feb. 8 was below 11 million unique assets, as of March 15 the number of digital assets listed on the website has surged to over 12.7 million.Tens of millions of unique digital assets are now floating around the markets. Source: DuneOver 600,000 tokens were launched in January 2025 alone. The vast majority of these assets were memecoins created on fair launch platforms and low-cap altcoins.According to market analyst Jesse Myers, when these coins fail, they do not go to $0. Instead, they linger around market capitalizations of $10,000 to $100,000 — permanently trapping capital inside illiquid pools.The proliferation of new tokens and digital assets prompted Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong to reevaluate the exchange’s token listing process to meet consumer demand.Magazine: DeFi will rise again after memecoins die down: Sasha Ivanov, X Hall of FlameThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Crypto ETPs see $1.7B in outflows, longest streak since 2015
Cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) continued seeing massive selling last week, recording the fifth week of outflows in a row, with $1.7 billion leaving the market. After seeing slightly softened outflows of $876 million in the previous week, crypto ETP liquidations accelerated during the past trading week, bringing the total five-week outflows to $6.4 billion, CoinShares reported on March 17.The ongoing outflow strike has also marked the 17th straight day of outflows, the longest negative streak since CoinShares started records in 2015, CoinShares’ James Butterfill wrote.Despite notable negative sentiment, year-to-date (YTD) inflows remain positive at $912 million, he added.Bitcoin ETP outflows: $5.4 billion in five weeksAfter seeing $756 million outflows in the first week of March, Bitcoin (BTC) ETPs saw increased selling in the trading week from March 10 to March 14, seeing a further $978 million outflows.The five-week selling streak brought total BTC ETP outflows to $5.4 billion, leaving just $612 million of YTD inflows by March 14.Flows by asset (in millions of US dollars). Source: CoinSharesBoth Ether (ETH) and Solana (SOL) ETPs saw $175 million and $2.2 million outflows, respectively. XRP (XRP) ETPs continued to go against the trend, seeing a further $1.8 million in inflows.This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.Magazine: XRP to $4 next? SBF’s parents seek Trump pardon, and more: Hodler’s Digest, Jan. 26 – Feb. 1
Bank of Korea to take ‘cautious approach’ to Bitcoin reserve
The Bank of Korea has recently announced that it is taking a cautious approach towards potentially including Bitcoin in its foreign exchange reserves. This decision comes after a written inquiry from Representative Cha Gyu-geun of the National Assembly’s Planning and Finance Committee.
According to officials from the Korean central bank, they have not yet looked into the possibility of adding Bitcoin (BTC) to their reserves due to its high volatility. They stated that a cautious approach is necessary, as Bitcoin’s price can fluctuate greatly and the transaction costs to cash out could rise drastically in times of market instability.
This announcement comes amidst global discussions on the role of cryptocurrencies in national financial strategies, sparked by US President Donald Trump’s executive order to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve and digital asset stockpile. However, the Bank of Korea has emphasized that their foreign exchange reserves must have liquidity and be immediately usable when needed, as well as a credit rating of investment grade or higher. These are criteria that Bitcoin does not currently meet in their opinion.
Some members of Korea’s Democratic Party have urged the country to integrate Bitcoin into its national reserves and develop a won-backed stablecoin. However, the Bank of Korea has stated that their reserves must be held in proportion to the currencies of countries with which they trade, and Bitcoin does not fit this criteria.
Professor Yang Jun-seok of Catholic University of Korea agrees with the Bank of Korea’s decision, stating that it is appropriate for foreign exchange to be held in proportion to the currencies of trading partners. Professor Kang Tae-soo from the KAIST Graduate School of Finance also commented on the US likely leveraging stablecoins rather than BTC to maintain dollar hegemony.
In related news, a Democrat lawmaker has urged the US Treasury to cease Trump’s plans for a Bitcoin reserve. Meanwhile, South Korea’s financial regulator is examining Japan’s legislative trend towards crypto assets as they consider lifting a ban on crypto exchange-traded funds in the country.
In conclusion, while there is increasing global discussion on the role of cryptocurrencies in national financial strategies, the Bank of Korea has taken a cautious approach towards including Bitcoin in their foreign exchange reserves. They have cited Bitcoin’s high volatility and lack of liquidity and credit rating as reasons for their decision.
Bitcoin gets $126K June target as data predicts bull market comeback
Bitcoin (BTC) can hit new all-time highs by June this year if historical patterns repeat, network economist Timothy Peterson said.Data uploaded to X on March 15 gives BTC/USD around two-and-a-half months to beat its $109,000 record.April could spark 50% BTC price upsideBitcoin has declined 30% after topping out in mid-January. The extent of the drop is characteristic of bull market corrections, and Peterson keenly senses the potential for a comeback.“Bitcoin is trading near the low end of its historical seasonal range,” he determined alongside a chart comparing BTC price cycles. “Nearly all of Bitcoin’s annual performance occurs in 2 months: April and October. It is entirely possible Bitcoin could reach a new all-time high before June.”Bitcoin seasonal comparison. Source: Timothy Peterson/XPeterson has created various Bitcoin price metrics over the years. One of them, Lowest Price Forward, has successfully defined levels below which BTC/USD never falls after a crossing above them at a certain point. After its recovery from multi-year lows in March 2020, Lowest Price Forward predicted that BTC price would never trade under $10,000 again from September onward.Meanwhile, a new likely floor level has appeared this year: $69,000, as Cointelegraph reported, which has a “95% chance” of holding.Continuing, Peterson stipulated a median target of $126,000 with a deadline of June 1. Alongside a chart showing the performance of $100 in BTC, he also revealed that limp bull market performance has always been temporary.“Bitcoin average time below trend = 4 months,” he explained.“The red dotted trend line = $126,000 on June 1.”Bitcoin growth of $100 comparison. Source: Timothy Peterson/XA standard Bitcoin bull market comedownOther popular market commentators continue to emphasize that Bitcoin’s recent trip to $76,000 is standard corrective behavior.Related: Watch these Bitcoin price levels as BTC retests key $84K resistance“You don’t have to look at the previous BTC bull runs to understand that corrections are a part of the cycle,” popular trader and analyst Rekt Capital wrote in part of X analysis of the phenomenon at the start of March.Rekt Capital counted five of what he called “major pullbacks” in the current cycle alone, going back to the start of 2023.BTC/USD 1-week chart. Source: Rekt Capital/XAnalysts at crypto exchange Bitfinex told Cointelegraph this weekend that the current lows mark a “shakeout,” rather than the end of the current cycle.This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Bitcoin experiencing “shakeout” not end of 4-year cycle: analysts
Bitcoin’s recent price correction has caused widespread fear among investors, but crypto market analysts believe that this is just a temporary “shakeout” before the next leg up in the historic bull cycle. Despite dropping 22% from its all-time high of over $109,000, Bitcoin’s price is still holding strong and showing signs of recovery.
According to analysts, this price shakeout is a normal occurrence in bull cycles, where sudden drops are followed by quick recoveries. Technical indicators may have turned bearish, but the 4-year cycle of Bitcoin’s price movements suggests that this is just a temporary dip and not the start of a prolonged bear market.
The launch of US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and growing institutional investments in crypto also indicate that the traditional 4-year cycle may no longer be the sole factor influencing Bitcoin’s price. However, the recent correlation with traditional financial markets, particularly the S&P 500, means that Bitcoin’s bottom may only be found when equity markets stabilize.
Despite the uncertainty, the upcoming Bitcoin halving event in 2024 is still expected to have a long-term influence on the cryptocurrency’s price. The last halving in 2020 saw a 31% increase in Bitcoin’s price, and with growing institutional interest, the next halving is expected to be even more bullish.
In conclusion, while the current correction may have caused fear among investors, the overall sentiment remains positive for Bitcoin’s future. The 4-year cycle and halving events are still crucial factors to consider, but the growing institutional adoption and changing market dynamics suggest that Bitcoin’s price movements may not follow the traditional patterns anymore.
Decentralized science meets AI — legacy institutions aren’t ready
Opinion by: Sasha Shilina, PhD, founder of Episteme and researcher at Paradigm Research InstituteScience has always been about pushing boundaries, yet today, many of those boundaries are artificial — walled-off journals, slow-moving institutions and research funding locked behind bureaucratic doors. The system is designed for gatekeepers, not explorers. But what if we could tear down those walls? What if science could be set free?Over the past few years, we’ve watched decentralized science (DeSci) morph from a radical experiment into one of crypto’s most electrifying frontiers. Once dismissed as a niche idea, DeSci is now a billion-dollar movement. As of early 2025, the top DeSci tokens collectively boast a market capitalization of around $1 billion. Momentum is undeniable: Half of the top 10 projects in the space launched just last year, according to Messari. What started as a whisper is now a roar, echoing across the halls of academia, biotech labs and decentralized autonomous organizations alike.Raw energy isn’t enough. DeSci still faces formidable challenges: scalability, quality control, reproducibility and real-world adoption. It’s a vision in motion, not a finished revolution. And that’s where artificial intelligence steps in — not just as a tool but as the missing puzzle that could propel DeSci from a bold experiment to an unstoppable force.AI is already reshaping the traditional science (TradSci) landscape: sifts through massive data sets, spots hidden patterns, cracks problems that once took decades to solve, ventures into longevity research, and accelerates drug development, materials science and computational biology. Yet, for all its promise, access to AI remains tightly controlled and monopolized by a handful of corporations, elite universities and government-backed institutions. AI’s vast potential is shackled by centralization.What if these two forces — the decentralized infrastructure of DeSci and the power of AI — merged into one system? A system where science is decentralized, intelligent, autonomous and radically open?Let’s call it DeScAI. Science, but unstoppableImagine a world where every experiment, every data set and every discovery isn’t buried in paywalled journals or trapped in proprietary vaults but flows seamlessly across a decentralized, living network. This is the vision of DeScAI, where blockchain and AI unite to build an open, intelligent and self-sustaining ecosystem. Knowledge isn’t just stored — it breathes, evolves and connects. AI curators scour vast data sets, linking research across disciplines, uncovering hidden insights and transforming isolated findings into a shared intellectual bloodstream.Recent: DeFi can help us choose the best robots for the jobFor too long, independent researchers have struggled to access the AI tools they need for research and massive data analysis. DeScAI could rewrite this equation by turning the world into a vast, decentralized supercomputer. Every idle processor, every surplus server and every untapped resource can contribute to a global grid where computing power is not a commodity but a shared asset. Need to map the human brain or train a biodiversity model? There is no need to beg a tech giant — just tap into the collective machine. Smart incentives ensure fairness; AI optimizes distribution; and science advances at a speed never seen before.What about funding? Today’s grant system is a labyrinth of delays, favoritism and opaque decision-making. DeScAI could replace this outdated model with a marketplace of ideas where anyone — researchers, enthusiasts even curious citizens — can directly support groundbreaking projects. No elite panels, no endless bureaucracy. AI-assisted platforms analyze proposals, suggest collaborations, and help communities vote with their resources. If an idea has merit, it gets the backing it deserves — whether from one person or 10,000.Peer review, once the bedrock of scientific integrity, has become a bottleneck. Papers languish in submission queues for months, sometimes years, subjected to a process that is as unpredictable as it is biased. DeScAI can potentially turn peer review into a dynamic, real-time process. Research is uploaded to an immutable ledger, where AI immediately verifies data integrity and flags potential conflicts of interest. Expert reviewers — who are no longer anonymous gatekeepers but active, rewarded participants — provide transparent, constructive and traceable feedback. Reputations are built on contributions, not credentials. Science becomes an ongoing conversation, not a waiting game.Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of DeScAI is its ability to turn isolated curiosity into collective intelligence. What if an AI could help a marine biologist in Argentina and a quantum physicist in Germany stumble upon a connection neither would have made alone? What if an engineer working on renewable energy models could instantly access simulations run by climate scientists in a different hemisphere? DeScAI makes these moments of serendipity not just possible but inevitable.What about the raw material of modern science — data? Today, data is hoarded, exploited and sold without the consent of those who generate it. DeScAI shifts power back to the people. Data contributors retain ownership and are compensated when their information is used to train AI or develop new models. Blockchain solutions ensure privacy; smart contracts enforce fairness; and the age of data colonialism ends.Science should be borderless, but for too long, geography, institutions and economics have dictated who gets to participate. DeScAI erases those barriers. A young coder in Nairobi can collaborate with a neuroscientist in Seoul, not because an institution promotes it but because the infrastructure allows it. AI-driven translation tools dissolve language barriers, decentralized data sharing enables seamless collaboration, and research teams form organically around ideas, not affiliations.The resistance will be fierceAcademic publishers, government agencies and corporate research labs have built their influence on exclusivity. They will not willingly embrace an open system where knowledge flows freely, research is verifiable in real-time and funding no longer depends on institutional decisions. Some projects in this space will stumble, giving critics ammunition to dismiss the movement as they may argue that decentralized oversight cannot maintain the same level of quality control, and it is unrealistic to expect cohesive governance from a patchwork of tokenholders and autonomous agents. Yet the success of DeScAI does not hinge on dismantling the existing research order outright — it hinges on demonstrating superior efficiency, fairness and innovation. Ultimately, it offers a parallel ecosystem that anyone can join, building trust through open ledgers, cryptographic proofs and AI-verified methodologies. The direction is clear: Just as DeFi forced the banking sector to acknowledge new economic models, DeScAI will force research institutions to do the same.This is not a slow evolution — it is a shift in scientific power. The old system, built on secrecy and hierarchy, collides with an emerging model of openness and decentralization. The question for those still embedded in traditional academia is whether they will adapt or be left behind as knowledge production moves into a future they can no longer control.Opinion by: Sasha Shilina, PhD, founder of Episteme and researcher at Paradigm Research Institute.This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
Trade war puts Bitcoin’s status as safe-haven asset in doubt
Several years back, many in the crypto community described Bitcoin as a “safe-haven” asset. Fewer are calling it that today.A safe-haven asset maintains or increases in value in times of economic stress. It can be a government bond, a currency like the US dollar, a commodity like gold, or even a blue-chip stock. A spreading global tariff war set off by the United States, as well as troubling economic reports, have sent equity markets tumbling, and Bitcoin too — which wasn’t supposed to happen with a “risk off” asset. Bitcoin has suffered compared with gold, too. “While gold prices are up +10%, Bitcoin is down -10% since January 1st,” noted the Kobeissi Letter on March 3. “Crypto is no longer viewed as a safe haven play.” (Bitcoin dropped even further last week.)But some market observers are saying that this wasn’t really unexpected.Bitcoin (white) and gold (yellow) price chart from Dec. 1 to March 13. Source: Bitcoin Counter FlowWas Bitcoin ever a safe haven?“I have never thought of BTC as a ‘safe haven,’” Paul Schatz, founder and president of Heritage Capital, a financial advisory firm, told Cointelegraph. “The magnitude of the moves in BTC are just too great to be put in the haven category although I do believe investors can and should have an allocation to the asset class in general.”“Bitcoin is still a speculative instrument for me, not a safe haven,” Jochen Stanzl, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets (Germany), told Cointelegraph. “A safe haven investment like gold has an intrinsic value that will never be zero. Bitcoin can go down 80% in major corrections. I wouldn’t expect that from gold.”Crypto, including Bitcoin, “has never been a ‘safe haven play’ in my opinion,” Buvaneshwaran Venugopal, assistant professor in the department of finance at the University of Central Florida, told Cointelegraph.But things aren’t always as clear as they first appear, especially when it comes to cryptocurrencies. Related: Bitcoin dominance hits new highs, alts fade: ResearchOne could argue that there are different kinds of safe havens: one for geopolitical events like wars, pandemics, and economic recessions, and another for strictly financial events like bank collapses or a weakening dollar, for instance. The perception of Bitcoin may be changing. Its inclusion in exchange-traded funds issued by major asset managers like BlackRock and Fidelity in 2024 widened its ownership base, but it may also have changed its “narrative.”It is now more widely seen as a speculative or “risk on” asset like a technology stock.“Bitcoin, and crypto as a whole, have become highly correlated with risky assets and they often move inversely to safe-haven assets, like gold,” Adam Kobeissi, editor-in-chief of the Kobeissi Letter, told Cointelegraph. There’s a lot of uncertainty where BTC is heading, he continued, amid “more institutional involvement and leverage,” and there’s also been a “narrative shift from Bitcoin being viewed as ‘digital gold’ to a more speculative asset.” One might think that its acceptance by traditional finance giants like BlackRock and Fidelity would make Bitcoin’s future more secure, which would boost the safe haven narrative — but that’s not necessarily the case, according to Venugopal:“Big companies piling into BTC does not mean it has become safer. In fact, it means BTC is becoming more like any other asset that institutional investors tend to invest in.”It will be more subject to the usual trading and draw-down strategies that institutional investors use, Venugopal continued. “If anything, BTC is now more correlated to risky assets in the market.” Bitcoin’s dual natureFew deny that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are still subject to big price swings, further propelled recently by growing retail adoption of crypto, particularly from the memecoin craze, “one of the largest crypto-onboarding events in history,” Kobeissi noted. But perhaps that is the wrong thing to focus on.“Safe havens are always longer-term assets, which means that short-term volatility is not a factor in that characteristic,” Noelle Acheson, author of the Crypto is Macro Now newsletter, told Cointelegraph. The big question is whether BTC can hold its value longer-term against fiat currencies, and it’s been able to do that. “The numbers bear out its validity – on just about any four-year timeframe, BTC has outperformed gold and US equities,” said Acheson, adding:“BTC has always had two key narratives: it is a short-term risk asset, sensitive to liquidity expectations and overall sentiment. It is also a longer-term store of value. It can be both, as we are seeing.”Another possibility is that Bitcoin could be a safe haven against some happenings but not others. “I see Bitcoin as a hedge against issues in TradFi,” like the downturn that followed the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank two years ago, and “US Treasury risks,” Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered told Cointelegraph. But for some geopolitical events, Bitcoin might still trade as a risk asset, he said.Related: Is altseason dead? Bitcoin ETFs rewrite crypto investment playbookGold can serve as a hedge against geopolitical issues, like trade wars, while both Bitcoin and gold are hedges against inflation. “So both are useful hedges in a portfolio,” Kendrick added.Others, including Ark Investment’s Cathie Wood, agree that Bitcoin acted as a safe haven during the SVB and Signature bank runs in March 2023. When SVB collapsed on March 10, 2023, Bitcoin’s price was around $20,200, according to CoinGecko. It stood close to $27,400 a week later, roughly 35% higher.BTC price fell on March 10 before bouncing back a week later. Source: CoinGeckoSchatz doesn’t see Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation. The events of 2022, when FTX and other crypto firms collapsed and the crypto winter began, “damages that thesis dramatically.” Maybe it’s a hedge against the US dollar and Treasury bonds? “That’s possible, but those scenarios are pretty dark to think about,” Schatz added.No time for over-reactionKobeissi agreed that short-term fluctuations in asset classes “often have minimal relevance over a long-term time period.” Many of Bitcoin’s fundamentals remain positive despite the current drawdown: a pro-crypto US government, the announcement of a US Bitcoin Reserve, and a surge in crypto adoption. The big question for market players is: “What is the next major catalyst for the run to continue?” Kobeissi told Cointelegraph. “This is why markets are pulling back and consolidating: it’s a search for the next major catalyst.”“Ever since macro investors started seeing BTC as a high-volatility, liquidity-sensitive risk asset, it has behaved like one,” added Acheson. Moreover, “it is almost always short-term traders that set the last price, and if they’re rotating out of risk assets, we will see BTC weakness.”Markets are struggling in general. There’s “the specter of renewed inflation and an economic slowdown weighing heavy on expectations” that are also affecting Bitcoin’s price. Acheson further noted:“Given this outlook, and BTC’s dual nature of risk asset and long-term safe haven, I’m surprised it’s not falling further.” Venugopal, for his part, says Bitcoin hasn’t been a short-term hedge or safe haven since 2017. As for the long-term argument that Bitcoin is digital gold because of its 21 million BTC supply cap, that only works “if a large fraction of investors collectively expect Bitcoin to increase in value over time,” and “this may or may not be true.” Magazine: Crypto fans are obsessed with longevity and biohacking: Here’s why
BlackRock now holds over 567,000 BTC, valued at over $47 billion
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with approximately $11.6 trillion in assets under management, currently holds over 567,000 Bitcoin (BTC), valued at over $47.8 billion — making the asset manager one of the largest holders of BTC in the world.According to Arkham Intelligence, the asset manager’s most recent BTC acquisition occurred on March 14 when a Coinbase Prime wallet transferred 268 BTC, valued at over $22 million, to the asset manager’s iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) wallet.Tracking onchain funds to and from BlackRock. Source: Arkham Intelligence Data from Arkham also shows that the asset manager holds over 1.2 million Ether (ETH), valued at over $2.3 billion, roughly 70 million of the USDC (USDC) stablecoin and a long list of altcoins.The Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are widely cited as the most successful ETF launch in history, as asset managers like BlackRock drive tens of billions in liquidity to the crypto markets and disrupt the cyclical capital rotation that characterizes crypto investment.BlackRock’s crypto holdings. Source: Arkham IntelligenceRelated: BlackRock Bitcoin fund sheds $420M as ETF losing streak hits day 7Crypto ETFs experience four weeks of outflowsCrypto ETFs experienced four consecutive weeks of outflows in February 2025 and early March due to macroeconomic uncertainty and fears over a prolonged trade war.According to CoinShares, outflows from the recent market downturn totaled $4.75 billion, with the week of March 9 recording a total of $876 million in outflows.BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin fund experienced $193 million in outflows for the week of March 9, with all BTC ETFs recording $756 million in month-to-date outflows.Weekly crypto fund flows show a recent downturn featuring four weeks of consecutive outflows. Source: CoinSharesDespite the heightened volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty, BlackRock added IBIT to its model portfolio in February 2025.BlackRock’s model portfolios are preset investment plans that feature a range of diversified financial instruments and different risk profiles. The portfolios are promoted to asset managers, who pitch the preset investment plans to investors.The inclusion of an ETF or an asset in the model portfolio can significantly boost inflows into the asset by attracting fresh capital.In the case of IBIT, including the ETF in a preset investment portfolio will expose investors, who may take a more passive approach, to Bitcoin without those investors having to self-custody the digital asset or make any onchain transactions.Magazine: Bitcoin ETFs make Coinbase a ‘honeypot’ for hackers and governments: Trezor CEO
Argentina finalizes rules for virtual asset providers
Argentina’s securities regulator has finalized rules for virtual asset service providers (VASPs), which cover general codes of conduct and custody requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other platforms facilitating digital asset transactions. The regulations were published on March 13 by the National Securities Commission, also known as CNV, under General Resolution No. 1058. According to a translated version of the announcement, the regulations impose “obligations regarding registration, cybersecurity, asset custody, money laundering prevention, and risk disclosure” on VASPs operating in the country.The stated goal of the rules is to guarantee “transparency, stability, and user protection in the crypto ecosystem,” the announcement said.Argentine tax lawyer Diego Fraga said the final guidelines include mandatory separation of company and client funds, annual audits and monthly reporting with the CNV. Source: Diego FragaSince 2024, VASPs operating in Argentina have been required to register with the registry of virtual asset service providers, also known as PSAV. According to the new rules, registrations may be revoked for noncompliance, and any company operating without registration may be blocked by court order. Individuals who are registered with the PSAV have until July 1 to conform to the new rules. Companies incorporated in Argentina have until Aug. 1, and those incorporated abroad have until Sept. 1.“Those who do not comply with the established requirements and deadlines will not be able to operate in Argentina,” said Roberto E. Silva, the CNV’s president. Related: Argentina’s crypto adoption hopes dim after Milei’s LIBRA memecoin scandalDespite LIBRA scandal, crypto adoption rising in ArgentinaAs global law firm DLA Piper explained, Argentina’s push for clearer crypto regulations intensified one year ago after the CNV implemented registration requirements and said crypto issuers would be subject to securities laws. The regulatory pivot came amid a growing wave of crypto adoption in the country, which was partly driven by the rapid depreciation of the Argentine peso.By mid-2024, crypto adoption in Argentina had surged as locals flocked to stablecoins like Tether’s USDt (USDT).An October Chainalysis report determined that Argentina had overtaken Brazil as the largest Latin American country for crypto inflows at roughly $91 billion between July 2023 and June 2024. Argentina tops Latin America’s crypto adoption list in terms of value received between July 2023 and June 2024. Source: Chainalysis Crypto adoption trends remain positive in the face of the LIBRA scandal involving President Javier Milei. As Cointelegraph reported, Milei publicly endorsed the memecoin before it suddenly plunged in value, fueling allegations of a rug pull.Magazine: Caitlyn Jenner memecoin ‘mastermind’s’ celebrity price list leaked