Daily Crypto Signals: Bitcoin Holds Near $66K, Strategy Boosts STRC Dividend to 11.5%
Bitcoin weathered a turbulent weekend of Middle East conflict and oil price fears, trading around $66,000 while analysts eye a potential
Quick overview
- Bitcoin remained stable around $66,000 despite geopolitical tensions and oil price concerns, with analysts predicting a potential rally to $74,000.
- Strategy announced an increase in the monthly dividend on its STRC preferred stock to 11.5% for March 2026, while continuing to accumulate Bitcoin amid market downturns.
- The cryptocurrency market showed resilience over the weekend, stabilizing quickly after initial shocks from international events, unlike traditional financial markets.
- Tokenized gold assets on blockchain networks played a significant role in price discovery during the CME futures market closure, highlighting the growing practicality of digital assets.
Bitcoin BTC/USD weathered a turbulent weekend of Middle East conflict and oil price fears, trading around $66,000 while analysts eye a potential rally to $74,000. Meanwhile, Strategy raised the monthly dividend on its STRC preferred stock to 11.5% for March 2026 as the company continues accumulating Bitcoin despite a prolonged market downturn.
Crypto Market Developments
Following a concerted U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran and the announced death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which sent shockwaves through global financial markets, the cryptocurrency market managed a weekend of severe geopolitical uncertainty. U.S. stock futures fell by 0.65%, demonstrating the inability of traditional financial markets to react in real time. In contrast, cryptocurrency markets rapidly stabilized after absorbing the initial shock.
Iran said it was taking steps to restrict the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for international oil shipments, which raised further serious fears. The interruption could drive U.S. Consumer Price Index inflation back to 5%, which hasn’t been seen since March 2023, when the Federal Reserve was in the midst of an aggressive rate-hiking cycle, according to analysts at The Kobeissi Letter, who cited JPMorgan research. This exacerbates inflation worries that were already high after Friday’s higher-than-expected Producer Price Index result.
While CME futures markets were closed over the weekend, tokenized gold assets on blockchain networks managed almost all publicly visible gold price discovery. This is a noteworthy structural breakthrough. Between Friday at 5:00 PM ET and Sunday at 6:00 PM ET, tokens such as PAX Gold (PAXG) and Tether Gold (XAUt) became the only constantly accessible trading platforms. This phenomenon highlights the increasing practicality of tokenized real-world assets.
Bitcoin Holds Above $66,000 Ahead of Monday Market Open
Despite the international unrest over the weekend, Bitcoin held within its previous local range on Sunday, trading at about $66,527. Due to uncertainty about how U.S. stocks would begin on Monday, markets initially responded favorably before retreating, according to cryptocurrency trader and analyst Michaël van de Poppe. A higher low would mark the beginning of a recovery phase that he anticipates in March or April, he added, citing Bitcoin’s 21-day simple moving average at $67,627 as a crucial level to break for a sustained relief rally.
The tone of other dealers was similarly cautious but positive. Bitcoin had strayed below a crucial support zone before recovering it, according to trader BitBull, who also predicted a possible rally toward the $73,000–$74,000 range on the three-day chart. In the meantime, there was still an overhang in the CME Bitcoin futures gap to the downside around $65,880. As the market awaits more precise guidance from conventional financial markets responding to the Iran crisis, trader Crypto Caesar anticipated mostly sideways movement in the immediate future.
Strategy Boosts STRC’s Yield to 11.6% for March 2026
Michael Saylor, the chairman of Strategy and STRC Strategy, declared on Sunday that the business will increase the monthly dividend on its STRC preferred stock, also known as “Stretch,” from 11.25% to 11.50% for March 2026. The stock’s variable-yield structure, which modifies monthly to promote trading around STRC’s $100 par value and to reduce price volatility, is reflected in the 25 basis point rise. The next dividend payment to shareholders of record is set for March 31. Phong Le, the CEO of Strategy, has previously indicated a strategic shift toward the issuance of preferred shares, pointing out that last year perpetual preferreds raised $7 billion, or around 33% of the whole preferred market.
The dividend increase occurs at a challenging time for Strategy. The company’s common stock (MSTR) closed Friday at $129.50, down around 75% from its November 2024 high of $543 per share, and it announced a net loss of $12.4 billion in Q4 2025. The current price of Bitcoin is significantly lower than Strategy’s average purchase price of $76,020 per BTC. With its most recent purchase of 592 Bitcoin for more than $39.8 million during the week of February 16, the company’s total holdings now stand at 717,722 Bitcoin. Notwithstanding the decline, Strategy continues to pursue its Bitcoin accumulation plan, which is increasingly financed by preferred capital as opposed to ordinary equity.
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