Morning Crypto Wrap — 03 March 2026

Executive brief

Bitcoin has demonstrated significant resilience, reclaiming the $69,000 level after an initial weekend drop to $63,000 triggered by military escalations in the Middle East. This price recovery coincided with a major shift in institutional market structure, as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $458.2m in net inflows in a single day. The conflict has served as a critical test for the asset’s digital gold thesis, particularly as global oil prices surged following reports that Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz. While traditional equities opened lower, the crypto market was buoyed by news that the CFTC plans to approve crypto perpetual futures in the United States within the coming weeks. This regulatory progress is mirrored in the private sector, where Visa and Bridge announced plans to expand stablecoin-linked cards to more than 100 countries.

However, the macro environment remains complex. The FATF has warned that stablecoins are increasingly used for sanctions evasion, and the US Senate has moved to block the issuance of a digital dollar until at least 2030. For investors, the primary driver remains the intersection of geopolitical instability and institutional liquidity. The opportunity lies in the potential for Bitcoin to outperform traditional risk assets if energy-driven inflation forces a pivot in monetary policy, though the risk remains that sustained high oil prices could further tighten global financial conditions and suppress broader risk appetite across the altcoin sector. Institutional demand appears to be absorbing the weekend shock, suggesting a directional cue toward further consolidation at higher levels if the regulatory environment continues to provide legal wins such as the recent dismissal of the Uniswap class action case.

1) Top 20 news headlines

• CFTC chief Selig to clear path for U.S. perpetual futures in coming weeks; the agency plans to approve regulated perpetual contracts within the next month;
• Bitcoin climbs as BTC ETFs post one of the quarter’s biggest inflow days; U.S. spot Bitcoin funds added $458.2m as institutional buyers absorbed the weekend shock;
• Iranian crypto outflows spike 700% after US-Israeli airstrikes; many of the funds from the $7.8b local ecosystem were sent to foreign exchanges for risk containment;
• Uniswap beats class action alleging it assisted crypto rug pulls; a federal judge ruled that decentralized protocols are not liable for the actions of unknown scam token issuers;
• Visa and Bridge plan stablecoin-linked card expansion to over 100 countries; the partnership aims to roll out stablecoin-backed cards globally after successful pilots in 18 countries;
• Bank of Japan expands blockchain settlement sandbox; the central bank is testing tokenised reserves as it prepares for a digital yen decision in 2026;
• International finance watchdog warns stablecoins used in sanctions evasion; the FATF reported that stablecoins now account for the bulk of illicit crypto activity;
• Eric Trump’s American Bitcoin buys 11,298 ASIC miners; the purchase increases the company’s mining capacity by 12% to 28.1 EH/s;
• Aave governance rift deepens as major group exits $26b protocol; the Aave Chan Initiative will not renew its engagement following a conflict over a $42.5m funding package;
• Core Scientific to sell bulk of BTC holdings to fund AI pivot; the miner has already sold $175m in bitcoin to accelerate its transition to AI data centres;
• NEAR token jumps 17% after Confidential Intents launch; the new private execution layer aims to curb front-running as the token extends its 40% weekly rally;
• Circle shares boosted by Middle East tensions and rising oil; the stock has risen about 20% since the U.S. strikes on Iran began over the weekend;
• US government moves $23,000 in bitcoin from forfeiture wallet; the transfer drained the Villanueva-labeled wallet entirely, routing funds across multiple new addresses;
• Nasdaq files for prediction market-style options on Nasdaq-100; the offering would allow traders to bet on the performance of tech companies like Nvidia and Tesla;
• Senate housing bill amendment blocks US CBDC until 2030; the proposed law would bar the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail digital dollar for the next 4 years;
• Vitalik Buterin shares Ethereum account abstraction progress; the founder stated the EIP-8141 proposal could go live within a year under the Hegota upgrade;
• Bybit fraud system stopped $300m of risky withdrawals; the exchange used real-time AI monitoring to prevent major losses during the fourth quarter of 2025;
• Riot reports record $647m revenue in 2025; the company holds 18,005 BTC worth $1.6b while its peers struggle with lower mining margins;
• MARA opens door to selling stockpiled bitcoin; the miner shifted its policy to allow balance sheet sales after reporting a $422.2m fair-value decline;
• Ondo Finance wins regulatory approval in Abu Dhabi; the approval allows institutions to trade tokenised equities on Binance’s regulated venue;

2) BTC and ETH ETF flows

3) X trending news

• Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz; the strategic waterway handles 20% of global oil supply and any ship passing through has been warned of military action.
• Trump ends trade with Spain; the US President halted all dealings after Spain banned the use of military bases for strikes on Iran.
• Michael Saylor buys 3,015 Bitcoin; the purchase was worth $199 million and continues MicroStrategy’s aggressive accumulation strategy.
• Iraq shuts world’s second-largest oil field; the Rumaila field, producing 1.5 million barrels per day, was closed following regional escalations.
• Wealth tax proposed for billionaires; US politicians Sanders and Khanna suggested a 5% tax to raise $4.4 trillion over 10 years.
• Poland seeks nuclear weapons; the country announced it will work on developing its own nuclear capabilities amid rising European security concerns.
• US crude oil prices surge; prices have reached $77 per barrel, erasing all declines seen since the start of 2025.