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ITC Founder Shares Features That Define a Bitcoin Bear Market and Why BTC is Already in One

Sam Wisdom Raphael
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ITC Founder Shares Features That Define a Bitcoin Bear Market and Why BTC is Already in One

The founder of Into The Cryptoverse has revealed features that define a typical Bitcoin bear market and explained why BTC is already in one.

Bitcoin has kept sliding in 2026, now sitting 45% below its all-time high of $126,000 and down 20.5% for the year as it trades around $69,500.

Despite the declines, most analysts insist that this is simply a pullback within a continuing bull market. However, Benjamin Cowen, founder of Into The Cryptoverse (ITC), disagrees, suggesting that Bitcoin has entered a full bear market.

Key Points

  • Bitcoin has dropped 45% from its all-time high of $126,000 and is down 20.5% in 2026, currently trading around $69,500.
  • Despite the downturn, most analysts believe Bitcoin is facing a drawdown within a bull market, but Benjamin Cowen disagrees.
  • According to Cowen, during bear markets, Bitcoin typically spends more time trending upward, but when it drops within a short period, the drop is more powerful.
  • From the November 2025 low, Bitcoin climbed 21.6% over 54 days before crashing 38.8% in just 23 days to a new low in February 2026.
  • Cowen identified late March to April as the typical window of weakness for Bitcoin in midterm years, suggesting the current rally will likely break down within the next couple of months.
  • February lows in past bear market cycles never marked the macro bottom, and Cowen believes the same could be true for the current $59,930 February 2026 low.

How Bear Markets Actually Behave

The market analyst shared these details during a recent analysis. One of the most surprising things Cowen pointed out about Bitcoin bear markets is that the price actually spends more time going up than going down. 

For months at a time, Bitcoin will slowly climb higher before suddenly crashing to a new low within just one or two weeks. During the sharp drops, panic takes over, while those who turned bullish near the top keep telling investors to buy the dip. Notably, this pattern repeats until a new low forms and eventually gives way to something even lower.

Cowen used the low Bitcoin set on November 21, 2025, at $80,537 as an example. From that low, Bitcoin climbed for about 54 days and reached a local high of $97,939 on Jan. 14, 2026, gaining 21.6% along the way. 

Then, in just 23 days, it crashed 38.8% to a new low of $59,930 on Feb. 6, 2026, wiping out everything gained during those 54 days and falling an extra 25% below the November 2025 low. Cowen pointed out that Bitcoin moved up for more than twice as long as it moved down, yet still ended up at a lower price.

Bitcoin Cheerleaders Against Market Analysts

Speaking further, the ITC founder then identified the difference between people he calls price cheerleaders and those who actually try to read the market and manage risk. 

He suggested that price cheerleaders stay bullish no matter what, and many people mistake that constant optimism for real analysis. According to him, there is nothing necessarily wrong with being a long-term Bitcoin bull, and that buying during the depths of a bear market and holding through the recovery is a perfectly reasonable approach. 

The problem is when people fail to recognize that a bear market has arrived, and others trust their cheerleading as though it were sound financial analysis.

To support his concern, Cowen pointed out that measured against gold, Bitcoin today sits at the same valuation it held back in December 2017, at the 14-ounce-of-gold mark that was one of the highs of that period. 

He noted that someone who bought Bitcoin in 2017 and simply held all the way to 2026, nearly a decade, has essentially broken even relative to gold, while those who sold at the end of post-halving years came out ahead. 

Why The Bitcoin Structure Points to an Ongoing Bear Market

Moreover, Cowen revealed why he believes the current Bitcoin structure resembles a bear market. Specifically, Bitcoin set a low near $80,000 in November 2025, trended up for roughly two months, then broke down and found support near $60,000 in February 2026. 

Since hitting that $60,000 level, Bitcoin has been climbing again, which Cowen says is the same pattern playing out. He believes this current rally will likely break down within the next couple of months, with the period around late March to April typically being the window of weakness for Bitcoin in midterm years.

He then showed how this was different from the bull market structure that played out from 2023 to 2025, where Bitcoin would repeatedly drift lower before shooting up to new highs, the complete opposite of what is happening now. 

Citing historical data, Cowen also argued that the $59,000 low in February may not have marked the macro bottom. Notably, BTC saw lows of $34,000 in February 2022, $5,921 in February 2018, and $400 in February 2014. In every one of those cases, the February low was not the macro bottom, and Bitcoin went on to fall even lower later in the cycle.

Bitcoin Historical February Lows Benjamin Cowen
Bitcoin Historical February Lows | Benjamin Cowen

Garlinghouse Admires Ripple Exec’s Efforts in Driving Next Wave of Corporate Crypto Adoption

Lele Jima
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Garlinghouse Admires Ripple Exec’s Efforts in Driving Next Wave of Corporate Crypto Adoption

Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, has reaffirmed the company’s focus on enterprise-driven blockchain adoption. 

Garlinghouse made this known by endorsing comments from Ripple Treasury’s SVP Renaat Ver Eecke, who highlighted that financial entities are rapidly embracing digital assets and stablecoins. 

Key Points 

  • Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse endorsed remarks from Ripple Treasury SVP Renaat Ver Eecke on the expanding role of digital assets in corporate finance.
  • Garlinghouse confirmed that Eecke focuses on how corporations can foster the next wave of crypto adoption.
  • Eecke noted that corporate finance teams, particularly CFO offices, are increasingly exploring digital assets for real-world business use cases.
  • He also highlighted the Mastercard Crypto Partner Program as a key initiative supporting enterprise blockchain integration.

Garlinghouse Highlights Ripple’s Focus on Driving Next Wave of Crypto Adoption 

Garlinghouse responded to Eecke’s remarks about the growing role of digital assets in corporate finance, noting that his work at Ripple centers on helping corporations adopt crypto technologies, particularly stablecoins, for practical financial operations.

According to Eecke, corporations, especially within the CFO’s office, are increasingly recognizing that digital assets and stablecoins can streamline financial workflows. Instead of focusing on market volatility, Eecke stressed that finance leaders are evaluating blockchain technology for core functions such as treasury management, payroll processing, and vendor payments.  

Partnerships Aimed at Enterprise Integration 

Notably, Eecke highlighted the Crypto Partner Program launched by Mastercard as a key step toward broader enterprise adoption. The initiative brings together more than 80 crypto firms, fintech platforms, and financial institutions, including Ripple, to collaborate on blockchain-based payment and settlement solutions. 

These efforts aim to accelerate enterprise use cases such as cross-border remittances, business-to-business (B2B) transfers, and digital settlement systems across global financial networks.

Garlinghouse’s response effectively reinforced Eecke’s view that corporations are moving beyond speculation and focusing on the real-world utility of digital assets. 

Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets Accelerates 

Meanwhile, institutional adoption of digital assets and stablecoins has accelerated in recent memory. Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD and the native XRPL token, XRP, are increasingly used for cross-border payments and settlement.

For instance, Ripple collaborated with Mastercard and Gemini to pilot fiat card transaction settlement using RLUSD on the XRPL. Additionally, financial institutions such as SBI Group leverage Ripple’s payment solutions to enable faster and cheaper international transfers.

Ripple has also expanded its remittance infrastructure through a partnership with RedotPay to deploy the XRP-powered Ripple Payments solution in Nigeria.

Beyond Ripple’s ecosystem, major payment companies are also integrating stablecoins into their networks. PayPal launched its own stablecoin, PYUSD, to facilitate merchant transactions, while Visa expanded its stablecoin settlement platform in 2025, using assets such as USDT and USDC. 

XRP Bollinger Bands Reach Their Tightest Level Since Before the Rally to $3.6 in July

Sam Wisdom Raphael
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XRP Bollinger Bands Reach Their Tightest Level Since Before the Rally to $3.6 in July

The XRP Bollinger Bands on the daily chart have reached their tightest level since XRP recovered to the all-time high price of $3.6 in July 2025.

XRP has continued to face downward pressure despite two exceptionally bullish developments involving Ripple’s inclusion in Mastercard’s latest program and the firm’s $750 million share buyback. The price of XRP remains below $1.4 amid these developments, down more than 25% this year.

However, the downtrend that picked up after the January 2025 peak of $2.41 seems to be losing momentum, leading to more range-bound price action than declines since late February. Amid this new trend, the daily XRP Bollinger Bands have reached their tightest level since before XRP soared to $3.6 in July 2025.

Key Points

  • While XRP has declined 25% this year, the downtrend that picked up earlier in the year seems to be losing momentum.
  • XRP has continued to trade within a range of $1.49 to $1.31 since late February, seeing more consolidation than declines.
  • Due to the range-bound movement, the daily XRP Bollinger Bands have slipped to their tightest level since July 2025.
  • The last time this indicator was tighter than now, XRP soared by more than 60% to the all-time high of $3.6 in July 2025.
  • Tight Bollinger Bands often indicate lower volatility, and the breakout that follows could lead to an explosive run.

Downturn Now Losing Momentum

XRP began this year on a bullish note, initially soaring to a peak of $2.41 on Jan. 6. However, what followed was a massive pullback that dominated the entire January and spilled into February, pushing XRP to a low of $1.31 by Feb. 24.

Interestingly, since then, XRP has demonstrated greater resilience against the bears, as it fails to record steeper declines. However, during this period, the bears have not been able to stage a decisive recovery. This has led to a range-bound price action, as XRP trades in a range between the $1.31 low and $1.47. 

XRP Bollinger Bands Growing Tighter

Due to the range-bound price action, the daily XRP Bollinger Bands have continued to grow tighter. With the upper band at $1.44 and the lower band at $1.32, the distance between the two indicators now sits at a modest $0.12, representing the tightest the bands have been this year.

XRP Bollinger Bands
XRP Bollinger Bands

The last time the XRP Bollinger Bands witnessed this sort of squeeze was in July 2025, when the upper band stood at $2.15, and the lower band had a value of $2.05, representing a distance of $0.10. Interestingly, after this squeeze, what followed was a breakout, pushing the XRP price from $2.2 to $3.6, a 63% increase within two weeks.

Other Indicators Pointing to Imminent Breakout 

Notably, the breakout in July was a natural part of the market process, as a Bollinger Band squeeze often leads to explosive breakouts to the upside or downside. With the XRP Bollinger Bands now at levels similar to what the market witnessed in July 2025, another explosive surge could be imminent.

Additional indicators also point to such an imminent breakout for the XRP price. Specifically, XRP currently trades within a multi-month symmetrical triangle. The upper trendline, which has capped upward trends, formed as XRP dropped from the $2.41 peak in January, and the lower trendline, which has provided support, formed as XRP recovered from the $1.11 low in February.

XRP’s current range-bound price action has moved within this triangle, but the crypto asset appears to have pushed toward the apex of the triangle. As a result, a breakout to the upside or downside could ensue, possibly coinciding with a breakout in the XRP Bollinger Bands indicator.

In addition to this, the XRP daily Relative Strength Index (RSI) has dropped to levels similar to what the market recorded before the Bollinger Bands breakout in July 2025. At the time, the RSI dropped to 48.9 after a brief recovery. Today, the indicator has declined to 44.9 after a brief rebound as well. 

New XRP ETF From Kurv Now Ready to Launch, Latest SEC Filing Shows “KXRP” Ticker

Abdulkarim Abdulwahab
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0
New XRP ETF From Kurv Now Ready to Launch, Latest SEC Filing Shows “KXRP” Ticker

A new ETF for XRP appears ready to enter the U.S. market as asset manager Kurv Investment Management filed updated paperwork with the U.S. SEC.

The fund, called the Kurv XRP Enhanced Income ETF, will trade under the ticker KXRP, according to a prospectus dated March 11, 2026.

The filing indicates that the registration became effective “immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b),” clearing a key regulatory step toward launch.

Key Points

  • Kurv files SEC paperwork for new XRP ETF, KXRP, clearing a key regulatory step toward U.S. launch.

  • The Kurv XRP ETF will trade on Cboe BZX alongside Kurv’s Ether product, KETH, per filing details.

  • ETF targets total return with 0.99% fee, investing mainly via XRP derivatives and related ETPs.

  • XRP ETF demand grows despite price drop; inflows hit $1.44B, signaling strong institutional interest.

ETF Set to Trade on Cboe BZX

According to the prospectus, the Kurv XRP will list on the Cboe BZX Exchange, which hosts several other crypto ETFs. The filing also lists a parallel product, the Kurv Ether Enhanced Income ETF (ticker KETH).

Despite the effective registration, the prospectus states that the U.S. SEC has not approved or disapproved the securities or endorsed the adequacy of the prospectus, a standard disclaimer included in ETF filings.

Kurv XRP ETF Filing
Kurv XRP ETF Filing

Fees and Investment Strategy

The Kurv XRP ETF aims to maximize total return, according to the filing summary. It carries a 0.99% annual management fee, with no distribution or service fees currently listed.

Based on the fund’s cost example, an investor who puts $10,000 into the ETF and receives an assumed 5% annual return would pay about $101 in expenses in the first year and $315 over three years, excluding brokerage commissions.

Instead of holding XRP directly, the ETF plans to gain exposure primarily through XRP derivatives and XRP exchange-traded products. These include futures contracts, options, forwards, and positions in XRP-linked ETFs or exchange-traded notes.

The fund may also hold fixed-income instruments such as bonds and debt securities, using them alongside derivatives to build income and synthetic exposure to the digital asset.

Under normal conditions, at least 80% of the fund’s assets will be invested in XRP ETPs or derivatives tied to XRP.

XRP ETF Market Continues to Grow

The potential launch of the Kurv product comes as demand for XRP investment vehicles has steadily increased. Recent data highlighted by Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple Labs, shows that XRP ETFs have continued attracting institutional capital even as the token’s price declined.

Specifically, cumulative inflows into U.S. XRP ETFs climbed from roughly $150 million in November 2025 to about $1.44 billion by early March 2026.

While XRP has dropped from around $2.50 near the first ETF launch to roughly $1.37, the funds still hold more than $1.2 billion in cumulative inflows. This suggests institutional investors have continued accumulating exposure during the price downturn.

Meanwhile, total net assets across existing XRP ETFs currently sit below $1 billion. The Canary XRP ETF is leading the market. Other asset managers include Bitwise, Franklin, 21Shares, and Grayscale.

Upon launch, the Kurv XRP Enhanced Income ETF would become the newest addition to the growing lineup of XRP investment products.

Cardano Price Analysis: ADA Must Break Resistance at $0.268, but Whale Distribution Adds Pressure

Maxwell Mutuma
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Cardano Price Analysis: ADA Must Break Resistance at $0.268, but Whale Distribution Adds Pressure

Cardano has faced resistance near a key technical barrier, while whale distribution adds pressure and keeps the recovery outlook fragile.

Cardano’s (ADA) daily chart shows a market that is holding up on the day without proving real strength. ADA trades at $0.2607, up 1.2% over 24 hours, after moving between $0.2575 and $0.2666.

The important detail is how it got there. Notably, the price climbed sharply into the upper end of the range and peaked near $0.266. It then spent most of the session sliding lower before a modest rebound that took the price to $0.2607. 

That is not the profile of a clean breakout. Rather, it looks more like intraday enthusiasm fading into supply. Moreover, performance data reinforces caution: Cardano is down 4.9% over 7 days, 11.4% over 14 days, 0.6% over 30 days, and 64.0% over one year.

Cardano Price Prediction

Cardano’s daily technical setup shows why a close above key resistance levels matters. Per the Bollinger Band indicator, the middle band sits higher around $0.2688, with the upper band near $0.2927 and the lower band at $0.2495. 

Cardano Price Analysis
Cardano Price Analysis

That keeps price below the band basis and in the lower half of the volatility range, which means bulls still have not reclaimed the market’s short-term equilibrium level. In practical terms, ADA is not breaking out yet. It is still trying to recover from weakness while trading under a dynamic resistance zone that has capped recent rebounds.

The Bull Bear Power reading near -0.0068 adds to that cautious view because it shows underlying pressure remains slightly negative even after the latest bounce attempt. That suggests buyers have managed to slow the decline but not generate enough force to shift momentum decisively upward.

Cardano likely needs a daily close above the middle Bollinger Band before traders can argue that a stronger recovery phase is underway. Until that happens, price action still looks like consolidation beneath resistance rather than a confirmed bullish reversal.

Why Are Cardano Whales Distributing?

Meanwhile, Ali Martinez also highlighted a notable shift in Cardano whale behavior, saying large holders sold or redistributed 130 million ADA over the past week. 

Cardano Whale Activity
Cardano Whale Activity

The accompanying chart suggests whale-held supply slipped from above 13.65 billion ADA to about 13.55 billion ADA during that period, pointing to reduced concentration among major wallets. For perspective, sustained selling or redistribution by whales can limit upside momentum, especially when ADA is already trading below key technical resistance.

Why XRP Structure Remains Unchanged Despite Painfully Slow Consolidation

Mark Brennan
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Why XRP Structure Remains Unchanged Despite Painfully Slow Consolidation

While XRP has remained in a “painfully slow” consolidation phase since last month, data shows its broader structure remains intact.

XRP has been stuck in a tight range since late February 2025, oscillating between $1.31 and $1.47 after collapsing from the January peak of $2.41. Despite the slow and frustrating price action, chart data shows the broader market structure remains intact and that the consolidation remains within a defined corrective phase.

The current setup points to two possible outcomes before any major move develops. XRP either drops to test lower support around $0.87 or pushes above the key resistance at $1.65. Until one of those scenarios plays out, the market may remain in its current holding pattern with no clear direction.

Key Points 

  • XRP peaked at $2.41 in January before collapsing to a low of $1.31 on Feb. 24, and has since been consolidating between that low and $1.47.
  • Data indicates the price has been following a 5-phase Elliott Wave structure, with the current Wave 4 correction running for 34 days and pulling the price 17% lower to $1.38.
  • Two key levels will determine XRP’s next major move, with $0.87 acting as the lower support and $1.65 serving as the critical resistance.
  • There is a 75% probability that XRP would need to test the $0.87 support level first before it can achieve any sustained breakout.

XRP Current Trend “Painfully Slow”

Market analyst Casi discussed this in her recent analysis. Notably, she stressed that the current XRP consolidation was painfully slow, noting that 34 days have passed since Wave 4 started. 

She pointed out that volatility has essentially dried up, which explains why the market feels so draining right now, but insisted that the current conditions represent a classic example of Wave 4 behavior. At the time of her update, XRP was trading at $1.38.

Despite the sluggish price action, Casi insisted that nothing has changed structurally. She explained that the market needs to do one of two things before the outlook changes. 

Specifically, XRP must either drop to the lower support zone around $0.87, which sits near the Fibonacci 0.854 retracement level, or push above and hold the $1.65 resistance level. Until one of those two things happens, she notes that the price may maintain the consolidation within the same corrective structure.

Elliott Wave Pattern Confirms Lengthy Corrective Phase

Data from the accompanying chart supports these claims. Notably, XRP has been trading in a lengthy corrective Wave 4 on the 1-hour chart since mid-February. Looking at the broader picture, XRP has followed a 5-phase Elliott Wave structure throughout 2025. 

XRP 1h Chart Casi Trades
XRP 1h Chart | Casi Trades

Wave 3 pushed the price up from the low of $1.11 on Feb. 6 to a high of $1.67 nine days later. After that run, Wave 4 kicked in and has been dragging the price lower ever since, with XRP now sitting at $1.38, down 17% from the Wave 3 peak.

While the selling pressure has eased up during this period, XRP has moved into consolidation instead of climbing back above key resistance. This inability to reclaim those levels has kept the corrective wave in place and prevented any bullish signal from showing up on the chart.

XRP Short-Term Symmetrical Triangle

The consolidation that has been running since late February has pushed XRP into a symmetrical triangle on the 1-hour chart. This pattern shows the tightening price action and shrinking volatility that Casi flagged in her analysis, suggesting that the market is winding up ahead of a bigger move. 

The symmetrical triangle aligns with the later part of the corrective Wave 4 structure that Casi identified. Essentially, the direction of the eventual triangle breakout will likely decide whether XRP heads toward the $0.87 support or pushes up to the $1.65 resistance.

Responding to Casi’s analysis, an investor asked about her main view, specifically whether XRP would go lower before heading higher. Casi revealed that she believes XRP will most likely need to test the support below before it can break through the resistance above. She put the odds of that downside support test happening first at 75%.

Solana Prediction for Mar 12: Can SOL Rebound Despite Cautious Funding?

Maxwell Mutuma
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Solana Prediction for Mar 12: Can SOL Rebound Despite Cautious Funding?

Solana holds support, but cautious funding and muted momentum keep the outlook uncertain.

Solana’s (SOL) latest market watch shows a rebound that looks active on the surface but still lacks strong conviction underneath. SOL has gained about 0.7% over 24 hours, yet the broader performance profile remains weak, down 4.6% over 7 days and 1.7 over 14 days. 

Notably, the price recovered from the lower end around $84.52 and settled at the mid-range around $85.9. Futures volume stands at $13.2 billion, far above the spot volume of $779.3 million, while open interest remains elevated at $5.16 billion. 

The next section will show whether Solana’s technical setup actually supports a rebound or quietly warns of another reversal.

Is Solana Poised for Upward Moves?

Solana’s daily technical outlook shows price trying to stabilize, but still without a convincing trend shift. On the Auto Pitchfork, SOL trades near $85.93 and sits below the median path of the channel. The recent candles hover close to the lower half of the structure rather than advancing toward the upper band.

Solana 1D Chart
Solana 1D Chart

That suggests the market is holding inside the broader channel, but not yet strong enough to reclaim the centerline as support. In simple terms, Solana is not breaking down outright, yet it also is not showing the type of directional strength that usually precedes a sustained move higher.

Also, the Advance Decline Ratio reading near 0.80 adds another useful detail. A lower ADR value points to subdued daily expansion, which means volatility has cooled and price is moving with less force than during earlier swings. 

Essentially, Solana may be entering a compression phase inside its channel, where support is holding for now, but momentum remains too muted to confirm a breakout. A stronger bullish case would likely require the price to push back toward the pitchfork median and hold above it, instead of continuing to drift in the lower half of the range.

Solana OI-Weighted Funding Rate

Solana’s OI-weighted funding rate chart shows derivatives sentiment has stayed mostly cautious even as price attempts to stabilize. The white price line remains far below its early-January levels, while the funding rate has spent much of the period below zero. 

Solana Funding Rate
Solana Funding Rate

Additionally, repeated deep negative spikes can be seen through late January, February, and early March.

That pattern suggests short positioning or defensive hedging has remained dominant across perpetual futures, even during periods when SOL tried to recover. Ultimately, Solana’s rebound still lacks broad speculative confidence.

Senior Analyst Van Straten Breaks Down Michael Saylor’s Patient, High-Stakes Bitcoin Approach

Zabi
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Senior Analyst Van Straten Breaks Down Michael Saylor’s Patient, High-Stakes Bitcoin Approach

Senior analyst James Van Straten believes Michael Saylor is prioritizing financial endurance while waiting for Bitcoin to surge past $150,000.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Van Straten argued that Saylor’s strategy largely centers on keeping the company solvent until that possible price milestone arrives.

Key Points

  • Michael Saylor’s firm continues to accumulate Bitcoin, now holding 738,731 BTC.
  • The latest purchase added 17,994 BTC at an average price of $70,946 per coin, financed via stock offerings.
  • Analyst Van Straten says the company has enough financial resources to sustain operations and dividends for more than two years.
  • Market confidence remains strong: the firm’s first convertible note trades above face value despite an 85% drop in stock price.
  • Saylor plans to keep buying Bitcoin quarterly with no set end date, signaling a long-term crypto strategy.
  • He remains confident in navigating market downturns, even if Bitcoin falls 90%, citing cash reserves and refinancing capacity.

Analyst Highlights Strategy’s Financial Position

Expanding on that view, Van Straten outlined several factors he believes reinforce the company’s financial positioning.

He noted that the firm currently has sufficient coverage to meet dividend payments for roughly two years. The company has also consistently demonstrated the ability to raise significant capital. Even during weaker market conditions, it successfully secured about $1 billion from investors.

At the same time, Van Straten highlighted market confidence in the company’s debt. According to him, the firm’s first convertible note still trades above its face value. This remains notable because the company’s stock has fallen by around 85%.

In addition, the analyst pointed to the company’s ongoing fundraising efforts. He said the firm is raising roughly $500 million each week. Those funds help cover dividend obligations totaling about $50 million.

Van Straten added that dividend payments may exceed optimal levels by one to two percent. However, he suggested this small difference likely does not worry Saylor.

“Saylor knows that in two years, Bitcoin will most likely be north of $150K, and these price levels will be unlikely to be revisited. Then the game is over,” Van Straten said.

Major Bitcoin Purchase Provides Context

Van Straten’s comments came shortly after the company announced another significant Bitcoin acquisition. Earlier this week, the firm purchased 17,994 BTC at an average price of $70,946 per coin. The transaction, valued at approximately $1.28 billion, increased its total holdings to 738,731 BTC.

To finance the purchase, the company relied on stock offerings. It sold 6,327,541 shares of MSTR common stock, generating about $899.5 million. In addition, it issued 3,776,205 shares of STRC preferred stock, raising roughly $377.1 million.

The latest acquisition fits within the company’s broader Bitcoin strategy. Since the accumulation began in August 2020, the firm has consistently expanded its holdings. Across all purchases, the firm’s average acquisition price currently totals $75,862 per Bitcoin.

During a recent interview with CNBC, Saylor reiterated that the company has no plans to sell its Bitcoin in the foreseeable future. Instead, he said the firm intends to continue purchasing the cryptocurrency every quarter without setting a defined end date.

Saylor Expresses Confidence Despite Market Risks

Saylor has also addressed concerns about the risks associated with such an aggressive strategy. 

He acknowledged that the cryptocurrency market can experience severe downturns. Even so, he expressed confidence in the company’s ability to navigate those periods. According to Saylor, the firm could refinance its debt if Bitcoin fell by as much as 90% over four years.

He added that the company maintains sufficient cash reserves to support its financial obligations. Those reserves help fund dividends payable on Bitcoin-backed preferred shares, including STRC, while also ensuring debt commitments can be met for more than two years.

Looking further ahead, Saylor remains optimistic about Bitcoin’s long-term trajectory. He suggested the asset could deliver returns two to three times higher than the S&P 500 over the next four to eight years.

As of this writing, Bitcoin is trading at $69,744, down 3.2% over the past week and about 45% below its peak of $126,080 recorded on October 6, 2025.

Wells Fargo Files “WFUSD” Trademark, Hints at Stablecoin Ambitions

Zabi
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0
Wells Fargo Files “WFUSD” Trademark, Hints at Stablecoin Ambitions

The $2.1 trillion financial services giant, Wells Fargo, has applied to trademark “WFUSD” for services related to digital assets and blockchain technology.

The application was submitted on March 10, according to records from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The filing has already been accepted and placed in the agency’s processing system.

However, the process is still in its early stages. The application has not yet been assigned to an examining attorney. Based on typical USPTO timelines, the review queue can extend beyond 10 months before a detailed examination begins.

The filing suggests that the San Francisco bank may be exploring services related to cryptocurrency and stablecoins.

Key Points

  • Wells Fargo submitted the trademark application for “WFUSD” on March 10, 2026, to the USPTO.
  • The application is still under review and may take more than 10 months to process.
  • The filing covers three service classes: IC 009 (technology products), IC 036 (financial services), and IC 042 (software development).
  • Services described include crypto transaction software, trading platforms, exchange services, and digital payment systems.
  • Similar filings by firms like Western Union and JPMorgan indicate interest in blockchain experimentation.

Trademark Covers Crypto Software and Financial Services

The application outlines service categories related to financial technology and digital asset infrastructure. It specifies three trademark classes, IC 009, IC 036, and IC 042, which cover technology products, financial services, and software development.

In practical terms, the filing references software designed to facilitate financial transactions using digital assets. It also includes platforms for cryptocurrency trading, exchange services, and digital payment systems.

Additionally, the application mentions software tools for processing cryptocurrency, stablecoins, and other blockchain-based assets.

Taken together, these descriptions indicate that the trademark could support a range of blockchain-based financial tools. However, the filing itself does not confirm whether Wells Fargo intends to launch a stablecoin or any specific digital asset product.

Similar Trademark Moves by Other Financial Firms

Wells Fargo is not the only financial institution exploring trademark registrations in digital assets. For instance, Western Union previously filed an application for “WUUSD,” which included two identical service categories—IC 009 and IC 036—indicating a similar focus on potential crypto-related services.

The filing attracted attention after the company later revealed plans to develop a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin under the ticker USDPT. The firm plans to launch the token on the Solana network in 2026.

In the cryptocurrency market, tickers containing “USD” often signal a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar. However, past cases show that such naming conventions can sometimes lead to incorrect assumptions.

Past Filings Show Tickers Can Be Misleading

Trademark applications from major banks frequently trigger speculation in crypto markets.

One example came in June last year, when JPMorgan Chase filed a trademark application for “JPMD.” Some crypto users initially interpreted the filing as a potential stablecoin project.

However, the bank later clarified that JPMD refers to a tokenized deposit product, rather than a dollar-pegged stablecoin.

According to filing records, the trademark application remains under review. The episode highlights how trademark filings often signal experimentation with blockchain technology rather than confirming specific product launches.

Wells Fargo’s Broader Crypto Strategy

Wells Fargo’s interest in digital assets has been developing for several years. As early as 2020, the company opposed claims that cryptocurrency was merely a short-term trend, signaling openness to blockchain financial innovation.

The bank expanded its involvement in early 2024 by giving clients access to Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

More recently, reports indicated that Wells Fargo was included in discussions among several banks about launching a joint stablecoin initiative.

Ripple CEO Highlights XRP ETFs Impressive Milestone

Lele Jima
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Ripple CEO Highlights XRP ETFs Impressive Milestone

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has highlighted the remarkable performance of spot-based XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

In a simple post on X, Ripple CEO reignited public interest in XRP as spot ETFs showed resilience amid the ongoing price slump.

Key Points

  • Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse highlighted the resilience of XRP spot ETFs, which continued attracting capital despite XRP’s price decline.
  • Data from Bloomberg shows ETF inflows rising from $150 million on November 13, 2025, to about $1.44 billion by March 4, 2026.
  • XRP currently trades around $1.37, yet cumulative ETF inflows still exceed $1.2 billion.
  • Total net assets across XRP ETFs have fallen below $1 billion.

Ripple CEO Reacts to XRP ETFs’ Strong Performance

Garlinghouse reacted to commentary from James Seyffart of Bloomberg Intelligence, who noted that XRP ETFs continue to attract capital even as the underlying asset’s price declines. According to Seyffart, cumulative inflows into the products reached about $1.4 billion as of March 4, reflecting steady institutional demand.

Notably, data from Bloomberg shows inflows rising consistently from about $150 million on November 13, 2025, when Canary Capital launched the first XRP ETF, to roughly $1.44 billion by March 4, 2026.

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In response, Garlinghouse reacted with a simple ‘eyes’ emoji, which many XRP enthusiasts interpreted as an acknowledgment of the milestone.

XRP ETF Inflows Soar Despite Price Dip

Since the first ETF launched in mid-November, these funds have recorded mostly consistent inflows, with only a few days of outflows. By mid-December, cumulative net flows had already surpassed $1 billion despite a sharp decline in XRP’s price.

For context, XRP traded at around $2.50 when the first spot ETF began trading in the U.S. However, the token dipped below $2 in December.

Nonetheless, institutional investors continued allocating funds, pushing ETF inflows past the $1 billion mark. With XRP now trading around $1.37, the products hold more than $1.2 billion in cumulative inflows as of press time.

This trend contrasts with typical trading behavior, where capital often exits during price declines. Instead, steady ETF inflows suggest institutional investors have used market weakness to accumulate XRP exposure.

Net Assets Fall Below $1B

Although XRP ETF inflows stand at $1.21 billion, total net assets have fallen below $1 billion. At press time, combined assets across XRP ETFs stood at $985.73 million, largely due to four consecutive days of outflows between March 5 and 10.

Currently, the Canary XRP ETF (XRPC) leads the U.S. market with $273.02 million in net assets. It recently reclaimed the top spot from the Bitwise XRP ETF, which now ranks second with $264.88 million in assets.

Meanwhile, the Franklin XRP ETF, 21Shares XRP ETF, and Grayscale XRP ETF hold the third, fourth, and fifth positions, with net assets of $225.65 million, $156.11 million, and $66.07 million, respectively.

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