Bitcoin Hits 6-Week High Over $74K on Heavy Short Coverings

A wave of short liquidations helped propel Bitcoin above $74,000 on Monday, its highest level in roughly six weeks, despite investors’ continued caution over the escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.  The cryptocurrency last traded 3.4 percent higher at $73.4k after reaching as high as $74.4K earlier in the session.

Bitcoin is at its lowest point in many months after news of a fed changeup.

Bitcoin surged 6% despite a decline in global stock markets as worries about inflation were heightened by rising oil prices.

Cryptocurrency markets saw widespread gains as traders rushed to cover their positions after placing bets on further declines. There were approximately $344 million worth of cryptocurrency liquidations over the previous day, with short liquidations making up about 83% of the total.

Leveraged traders are compelled to liquidate their positions when prices move against them, which frequently intensifies market movements. As the Middle East conflict entered its third week, market sentiment remained cautious despite the rebound, raising concerns about the world’s energy supply.

President Donald Trump has urged allies to assist him in securing the crucial Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for international oil shipments.

According to media reports, drone attacks in Gulf states persisted on Monday despite US authorities’ repeated assertions that Iran’s military capabilities had been destroyed. Concerns about supply disruptions near the vital Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for international crude exports, also kept oil prices above $100 per barrel. In Asian trading on Monday, US stock futures slightly increased as investors anticipated the U.S.

It is generally anticipated that decision-makers will assess inflation risks and maintain current interest rates at the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting later this week. Despite short-term price gains, analysts warned that macroeconomic risks and geopolitical unpredictability could keep cryptocurrency markets volatile in the near future.

BlackRock’s Tokenization Tsunami: XRP About to Get Flooded with Institutional Cash

According to financial expert Levi Rietveld, the global movement toward asset tokenization could have a big effect on the cryptocurrency industry, especially the XRP ecosystem

 

Rietveld contended that a surge of capital into blockchain networks might result from BlackRock’s asset management approach. Rietveld mentioned BlackRock’s size and increasing emphasis on blockchain-based financial infrastructure in the tweet, saying that the company is “getting ready to unleash an absolute tsunami on XRP.”

The company currently oversees assets worth about $14 trillion, which Rietveld highlighted as a crucial component in determining the potential scope of tokenized finance.

He explained how the company’s long-term plans to tokenize real-world assets could move trillions of dollars onto blockchain networks in the years to come. Rietveld referenced Larry Fink’s remarks on the future of asset tokenization in the video.

Fink has frequently talked about putting conventional financial assets on blockchain infrastructure, according to Rietveld. He hasn’t, however, given a specific timeframe for when this change will take place.

Rietveld cited Fink’s 2025 statement that the industry was beginning to tokenize assets across several significant categories.

These consist of bonds, stocks, and real estate. Fink described this shift as a major structural change in global finance that could allow trillions of dollars’ worth of conventional assets to switch to blockchain-based systems, according to Rietveld.

According to Rietveld, this trend indicates that the financial industry is actively getting ready for a time when tokenized assets will be crucial to international markets.

Forex Signals March 16: Micron Earnings Preview, Nvidia GTC on Top of the Critical FED Meeting

This week, the FED will hold a crucial meeting about times of conflict, Nvidia will host the GTC conference, and Micron will publish its earnings. Continue reading “Forex Signals March 16: Micron Earnings Preview, Nvidia GTC on Top of the Critical FED Meeting”

Boris Johnson Brands Bitcoin a ‘Giant Ponzi Scheme’ — Crypto Titans Fire Back

Bitcoin sparked a new debate after former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the cryptocurrency market a “giant Ponzi scheme” in a recent column. In response to the remarks, Eric Trump and Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy, refuted the description.

The latest reversal caused Bitcoin to lose much of its gains for the week.

Johnson argued that Bitcoin primarily depends on the number of new investors entering the market. He asserted that cryptocurrency prices appear to function similarly to Ponzi schemes because they rely on a steady flow of new users.

He shared his long-held conviction that cryptocurrencies operate in this manner and warned that the sector depends on attracting new, often inexperienced investors. To illustrate his concerns, he told a tale about a villager.

Johnson says the person invested approximately £500, or about $661, in Bitcoin after meeting someone in a pub who promised the investment would double. According to Johnson, the investor subsequently lost money.

He maintained that these circumstances highlight the dangers that older investors, in particular, who might not fully comprehend how cryptocurrency markets function, face. Johnson also questioned the intrinsic value of Bitcoin, pointing out that it only exists as computer-stored digital code.

On the other hand, he stated that governments and organizations that back traditional currencies have historically given them credibility.

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy and supporter of Bitcoin, responded to Johnson’s criticism.

Saylor claimed that Bitcoin does not fit the framework of a Ponzi scheme because the network lacks an issuer, promoter, or guaranteed return. He defined cryptocurrency as a decentralized, open financial system that is driven by market demand and code. In response to Johnson’s remarks, Eric Trump expressed disagreement with the assertion that Bitcoin is similar to a Ponzi scheme.

Ripple’s Ex-CTO Debunks XRP Burn Myths: “Even Halving Supply Had No Clear Impact”

XRP holders have engaged in a heated debate regarding the potential direct rise in the market value of XRP through the burning process.

 

This sentiment was highlighted in a recent XRP Launch post, which suggested that Ripple might push the price above $1.3894 by questioning why Ripple does not burn XRP to benefit holders. David Schwartz, former Ripple CTO and a core architect of the XRP Ledger, provided a nuanced perspective on X.

The conversation reflects a common assumption among retail investors: reducing supply automatically boosts price. He mentioned historical examples, noting that “XLM burned about half its supply on this chart.”  Schwartz’s point emphasized that even significant token burns in other networks do not necessarily lead to immediate price appreciation.

This highlights the limitations of direct supply manipulation. Spade argued that these mechanisms offer little direct benefit to market value because they primarily burn XRP indirectly during transactions.

Schwartz explained that although these kinds of initiatives don’t directly affect prices, they can have a big indirect impact.

These actions boost adoption, liquidity, and network activity by extending XRP’s usefulness through On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), stablecoin settlements, and cross-border payments. Even though burns themselves have little direct impact, widespread use and functional integration can eventually improve XRP’s market position and support sustainable growth.

Mastercard Teams Up with Ripple to Power Next-Gen Digital Payments

Mastercard has recognized Ripple’s expanding role in international payments with its Crypto Partner Program.

Washington Promise to US Citizens Reawakens for Card Networks as Stocks Retreat

Mastercard emphasized Ripple’s extensive experience in cross-border payments and acknowledged the company’s contribution to the global advancement of digital payments. More than 85 cryptocurrency businesses, fintech firms, and financial institutions have joined Mastercard’s Crypto Partner Program to work together on next-generation payment solutions.

Prominent players in the initiative include Ripple, Solana, Aptos, PayPal, and OKX.

Ripple has established a solid reputation in cross-border payments with its network handling more than $100 billion in transactions across more than 60 markets.

Mastercard claims that the program will establish a platform for discussion and product development, enabling participants to contribute to new payment solutions that integrate Mastercard’s worldwide card infrastructure with the speed and programmability of blockchain technology.

Additionally, Mastercard believes digital assets are about to enter a new stage of development, which is reflected in the initiative.

These technologies are now supporting real-world use cases like business-to-business transfers, institutional payouts, and cross-border remittances. Major fintech and cryptocurrency companies like Ripple, PayPal, Circle, and Solana are among the more than 85 businesses that have signed up for the program.

Ripple commended the endeavor and said that digital assets are quickly developing from experimental technologies into instruments that can support practical financial applications. The business stated that to link blockchain innovation, cooperation throughout the ecosystem is crucial.

Ripple Targets $50 Billion Valuation in $750M Share Buyback Push

Ripple intends to repurchase $750 million worth of its stock. The company’s valuation might rise to about $50 billion as a result of this action. Notably, macro FUD is still having an impact on both public and private markets at this time.

 

 

Psychologically speaking, carrying out a buyback in the face of uncertainty signals an effort to boost shareholder confidence by raising the value of each share. Thus, investor interest is maintained.

However, from a strategic perspective, the action also signals increased control over ownership. Ripple can increase its internal equity by buying back more of its shares. This demonstrates the company’s confidence in its expansion, especially as it continues to scale its blockchain use cases, as one analyst pointed out.

However, given that macro FUD has already driven XRP, Ripple’s native token, well below its previous cycle highs to multi-month lows, skeptics have also assessed what the move might mean.

This technical flaw is noteworthy because it has begun to translate on-chain. Particularly following XRP’s 16.35 percent correction in February, which broke the crucial $1.8 support level, retail capitulation seems to be increasing as unrealized losses mount.

The company might “presumably” be funding the buyback with sales of XRP tokens. The claim cannot be completely disregarded, given XRP’s ongoing technical weakness in comparison to Ripple’s strategic growth. Rather, it might increase the difference between the two.

A weak technical structure is reinforced by this arrangement, making Ripple’s buyback seem less encouraging for the token and increasing market scrutiny of XRP as it consolidates below the $1.5 level.

Forex Signals March 10: Oracle ORCL, BioNTech, Firefly Aerospace Earnings Preview Today

Investors are keeping a tight eye on Oracle Corporation, BioNTech, and Firefly Aerospace’s earnings reports today. The results are expected to provide insight into the growing private space industry, the need for enterprise clouds, and the possibility of biotech comeback. Continue reading “Forex Signals March 10: Oracle ORCL, BioNTech, Firefly Aerospace Earnings Preview Today”

Strategy plans Bitcoin Buy as BTC Dips Amid US-Iran Tensions

Michael Saylor shared a cryptic post suggesting that Strategy may be preparing for its 101st Bitcoin purchase.

Saylor shared Strategy’s Bitcoin accumulation chart, which shows the company’s purchases since August 2020, as is frequently the case with his posts. He wrote on X, “The Second Century Begins.” Strategy currently has 720,737 Bitcoin, which is worth more than $48.7 billion.

The BTC rate fell further on Friday as the stock market climbed.

The last purchase took place on February 23 and March 1, when it purchased 3,015 BTC at an average cost of $67,700 each.

Additionally, this batch represented the company’s 100th Bitcoin purchase. Bitcoin has repeatedly lost this crucial psychological support area, which has now become a resistance level, and has struggled above the $70,000 mark. The most recent factor affecting risk sentiment in cryptocurrency markets is the tensions between the US and Iran.

Bitcoin traded around $67K, which puts it below Strategy’s average purchase cost of roughly $76K.

The stock is currently trading at a discount to its underlying BTC treasury because Strategy’s basic NAV, which calculates the value of its Bitcoin holdings to its market capitalization, was slightly less than 1. Some investors were cautious since the company has continued to finance its Bitcoin accumulation strategy through debt and equity financing, as evidenced by the roughly 4.5 percent decline in strategy shares on March 6.

Ripple Expresses Strong Optimism for XRP Despite Market Undervaluation

Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, has expressed optimism about XRP’s long-term prospects, suggesting that the asset’s potential was not accurately reflected by the current state of the market.

Garlinghouse publicly questioned why XRP and the larger cryptocurrency market have been subject to such intense selling pressure.

He stressed that the sector’s overall outlook was favorable while acknowledging that investors have been irritated by recent price changes. “To be honest, I don’t understand why some of that is happening,” Garlinghouse remarked. “Because I believe we’re positioned to have an extremely successful year.”.

His remarks are consistent with the view held by many industry players that market prices frequently lag behind institutional and technological advancements within the blockchain ecosystem. Growing institutional involvement, according to Garlinghouse, is a key element that could influence XRP’s future performance.

He claimed that years of regulatory ambiguity had built up demand, which is only now starting to show.  A higher degree of financial adoption is demonstrated by the use of ETFs as collateral. Securities and financial instruments are widely used by institutions in traditional finance to manage liquidity and obtain loans. In this context, the emergence of XRP-linked products indicates that digital assets are gradually becoming part of the mainstream financial infrastructure.