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Bitcoin and Ethereum Drop as Iran Tensions, Inflation Surge, and Fed Warning Shake Markets

Bitcoin and Ethereum came under pressure as rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran, stronger than expected inflation data, and caution from the Federal Reserve unsettled global markets. Analysts are closely watching Ethereum’s price range between $2,180 and $2,200, noting that a sustained move below this zone could drive it down toward $1,900.

A combination of escalating global risks, inflation concerns, and signals from the Federal Reserve has created uncertainty across financial markets. According to analyst Ash Crypto, the rise in oil prices, hotter producer price inflation, and the Fed’s cautious stance are weighing on cryptocurrencies as well as traditional risk assets.

In a March 19 post on X, the analyst highlighted that market stress intensified due to three major developments occurring almost simultaneously. Reports of an attack on Iran’s South Pars gas complex, the largest gas field globally, pushed oil prices sharply higher. Brent crude surged by up to 7 percent in a single day, while West Texas Intermediate climbed 4.2 percent.

At the same time, U.S. producer price index data exceeded expectations, coming in at 3.4 percent year over year, which raised fresh concerns about a potential rebound in inflation.

The Federal Reserve added to the uneasy sentiment by holding interest rates steady between 3.50 percent and 3.75 percent. However, Chair Jerome Powell warned that rising energy costs could make inflation trends harder to predict. Ash Crypto noted that Powell’s acknowledgment of the Middle East situation marked a first for the Fed, and markets reacted negatively to his tone.

Meanwhile, Binance Research reported that the Federal Reserve has also considered the possibility of further rate increases, even though it still expects only limited easing later in the year.

Even before the Federal Open Market Committee decision, Bitcoin had already dropped by more than $5,000 at one point, although it later recovered slightly. Data from CoinGecko showed Bitcoin down nearly 5 percent over the past 24 hours, while Ethereum declined by more than 6 percent during the same period.

Despite the recent pullback, there are still signs of demand in the market. XWIN Research reported that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net inflows on March 18, even as prices were falling. On chain data also indicates accumulation, including a large buyer acquiring $191 million worth of Bitcoin since March 10. However, this demand is being offset by whales moving more than 44,000 Bitcoin to exchanges, which could increase short term selling pressure.

In the near term, caution remains. Ash Crypto noted that Bitcoin is holding above a key support level around $66,000 after failing to break resistance at $76,000 earlier in the week. Ethereum, on the other hand, is testing a critical zone between $2,180 and $2,200, and a sustained break below this range could lead to a decline toward $1,900.

Over the past week, Bitcoin has remained relatively stable, posting a modest gain of about 2 percent. Ethereum has performed slightly better, rising more than 8 percent in the same period, suggesting the recent drop may be a short term reaction rather than a shift in the broader trend. Even so, both assets remain well below their all time highs, with Bitcoin down nearly 44 percent from its peak and Ethereum roughly 56 percent lower, despite Ethereum showing a yearly gain of about 13 percent while Bitcoin is still down close to 15 percent.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Ethereum Signals Potential Long Term Bottom as Key Metric Resets

Ethereum declined further on Thursday during a broader market pullback, losing nearly 5 percent and falling toward the 2,100 level.

Recent on chain data suggests the asset may now be entering a historically important accumulation phase, with past trends showing strong upside following similar conditions.

MVRV points to undervaluation

According to Ali Martinez, Ethereum has moved into what he describes as a generational buying zone. This view is based on the MVRV Ratio, which compares market value to the average cost basis of investors.

The metric has dropped into the 0.8 to 1.0 range, signaling that Ethereum is trading near fair value. Historically, this range has often marked the beginning of strong upward cycles.

Previous occurrences of similar levels were followed by gains of 150 percent, 5,390 percent, 130 percent, 280 percent, and 250 percent. Current data suggests that Ethereum could be approaching a long term bottom, as accumulation activity increases across the network.

Another trader, EliZ, noted that recent conditions provided short term opportunities for traders who entered at lower levels and took profits during altcoin rallies. However, the market is now entering a more decisive phase shaped by key technical levels.

As long as Ethereum remains within the 2,050 to 2,180 range on the daily chart, the medium term upward trend is expected to hold. A drop below 2,000 would invalidate this structure and could shift sentiment toward a more bearish outlook.

If that level fails, it could trigger a deeper decline and create conditions favorable for aggressive short positions.

Institutional flows turn negative

On the institutional side, US spot Ethereum exchange traded products recorded outflows of about 55.7 million dollars on March 18, ending a five day streak of inflows.

Fidelity saw the largest withdrawals through its Ethereum product, with around 37.11 million dollars exiting the fund. Grayscale followed with nearly 9 million dollars in outflows.

Funds from VanEck and Bitwise also recorded losses of approximately 4.8 million dollars each, reflecting broader macroeconomic pressure on digital asset investment products.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Bitcoin Falls Below 70,000 After Fed Meeting as Ethereum Loses Key Support

Bitcoin dropped below the 70,000 level following the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting, while Ethereum also slipped under an important support zone near 2,200.

Some altcoins moved sharply in both directions, with tokens like HASH and RIVER posting gains of more than 12 percent, even as the broader market declined.

Bitcoin extends losses after recent rejection

Bitcoin faced strong resistance near 76,000 earlier in the week, and the rejection from that level intensified selling pressure over the past two days. The asset has now fallen below 70,000 for the first time since last Thursday.

Last week, Bitcoin briefly touched 74,000 before retreating toward 70,000 over the weekend amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. It managed to hold that level initially, with buyers stepping in at the start of the new week.

Momentum returned on Tuesday when Bitcoin climbed to a six week high of 76,000. However, the rally was short lived, and the price quickly pulled back to around 74,000.

Volatility increased ahead of the Federal Reserve announcement. Bitcoin dropped sharply to just under 71,000 before the rate decision, then briefly rebounded to 72,000. Selling pressure resumed afterward, pushing the price below 70,000 again before a slight recovery. Despite the bounce, the asset remains down about 5 percent on the day, with its market value falling to around 1.41 trillion dollars and its dominance slipping to about 56 percent.

Altcoins see mixed but mostly negative moves

Most major altcoins followed Bitcoin lower. Ethereum declined by more than 6 percent and is now trading well below 2,200. XRP also weakened, falling under the 1.50 level after a drop of around 3.5 percent.

Other large assets recorded losses as well, with BNB falling below 650, Solana dropping near 90, and Cardano, Chainlink, and Monero seeing even steeper declines.

Among the hardest hit were Zcash, Worldcoin, Mantle, and Bittensor, all of which posted double digit losses. In contrast, HASH and RIVER stood out with strong gains, rising to approximately 0.144 and 26.6 respectively.

Overall, the total cryptocurrency market capitalization has fallen by about 100 billion dollars since the previous day’s peak, bringing it down to roughly 2.5 trillion dollars.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Crypto Market Loses $100 Billion as Federal Reserve Signals Fewer Rate Cuts

The cryptocurrency market has erased recent gains after hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve unsettled traders.

Total market value dropped by nearly 100 billion dollars within a day surrounding the Fed’s Wednesday meeting, falling to about 2.52 trillion dollars from a recent six week high near 2.61 trillion dollars.

In the same period, roughly 136,000 traders were liquidated, with total losses reaching about 452 million dollars. Most of these were leveraged long positions in Bitcoin.

The sharp decline has pushed the market back toward the midpoint of its recent six week trading range, effectively erasing much of the gains from the latest rally.

Federal Reserve outlook pressures sentiment

The sell off began ahead of the meeting and continued after remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who indicated there may be only one rate cut this year. The central bank kept interest rates unchanged within the 3.5 percent to 3.75 percent range, which aligned with expectations.

Although policymakers still project a potential rate cut later in the year, Powell emphasized ongoing concerns about persistent inflation, even before factoring in the impact of rising fuel costs linked to geopolitical tensions.

Analysts at Swissblock noted that Federal Open Market Committee events often act as catalysts for volatility, with outcomes depending heavily on the broader market environment. They explained that in higher risk conditions, such events tend to trigger price rejections or accelerate downward movement.

According to their view, rate decisions typically reinforce existing market trends. While conditions may be shifting toward a lower risk environment, this transition is not yet fully confirmed, leaving room for continued volatility.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has continued to criticize Powell for moving too slowly on rate cuts. However, policies such as tariffs and ongoing geopolitical tensions have contributed to rising prices, which could push inflation higher. Inflation and employment remain the two primary factors guiding the Fed’s rate decisions.

Crypto market outlook

Bitcoin has fallen by about 4.3 percent over the past day, dropping below 71,000 dollars and struggling to recover. Ethereum also declined, losing around 5.6 percent and slipping under the 2,200 dollar level.

Altcoins experienced steeper losses, with assets such as Dogecoin, Cardano, Chainlink, and Zcash seeing notable declines.

Data from Santiment suggests that some traders are still anticipating a short term rebound despite the unchanged rate decision. This expectation may stem from the fact that much of the negative price reaction had already taken place prior to the announcement.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Crypto.com to Cut 12 Percent of Staff as It Pushes Forward With AI Integration

Crypto.com is set to reduce its workforce by about 12 percent as part of a broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence across its operations.

Founder and CEO Kris Marszalek announced the decision on March 19, explaining that the company is shifting toward an AI driven model and will phase out roles that no longer fit this direction.

Focus on AI driven efficiency

Marszalek stated that businesses that fail to adopt AI risk falling behind, while those that act quickly and combine advanced AI tools with high performing teams will unlock new levels of scale and precision.

He clarified that the layoffs will mainly affect positions that do not evolve with the company’s new direction. Employees impacted by the decision have already been informed and are being offered support to help with their transition.

The move comes shortly after Crypto.com acquired the AI.com domain in February for a reported 70 million dollars, which the company sees as a foundation for developing autonomous AI systems.

Marszalek did not disclose the company’s total workforce size or the exact number of employees affected, nor did he detail the financial impact of the restructuring.

Industry trend toward smaller AI powered teams

The shift reflects a broader trend across the tech and fintech sectors. Earlier this year, Block, led by Jack Dorsey, cut more than 4,000 jobs across its platforms, including Cash App, Afterpay, and Square.

At the time, Dorsey emphasized that future business models would rely on smaller teams supported by AI tools to boost efficiency and productivity.

Interestingly, reports suggest that Block has since rehired some of the affected workers. Several former employees shared on social media that they were invited back, including Andrew Harvard, who said his initial layoff was attributed to an administrative mistake.#crypto#cryptonewshttps://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Evernorth Files With SEC to Advance Planned Nasdaq Listing for XRP Treasury Firm

Evernorth has submitted a Form S 4 registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission as part of its proposed merger with Armada Acquisition Corp. II, moving forward with plans to become a publicly listed company on Nasdaq.

The Nevada based firm said it aims to use more than 1 billion dollars in expected proceeds to build what it believes will be the largest publicly traded XRP treasury company on the exchange.

Details of the SPAC transaction

The filing outlines Evernorth’s structure as a regulated corporate vehicle designed to give public market investors exposure to XRP through an actively managed treasury strategy. It also offers insight into how the company plans to allocate, manage, and report its XRP holdings within a public company framework.

Evernorth disclosed that it has secured over 1 billion dollars in funding from institutional investors, including Ripple Labs, SBI Holdings, Pantera Capital, Kraken, and Arrington Capital, which also sponsors Armada II.

The registration statement includes a preliminary proxy and prospectus and is currently under review by the SEC. The deal still requires approval from Armada II shareholders and must meet standard closing conditions. If completed, the merged entity is expected to trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker XPRN, subject to exchange approval.

Industry perspective and regulatory backdrop

Michael Arrington commented that Evernorth is positioning itself as a bridge between traditional finance and digital assets, highlighting the growing role of XRP in global financial systems.

The development follows recent guidance from the SEC, which categorized XRP among digital assets treated as commodities rather than securities. This distinction suggests that most digital assets fall outside traditional securities regulations unless they represent tokenized securities.

XRP price faces resistance

XRP continues to struggle around the 1.50 level, which remains a key resistance point. The asset briefly moved above this mark earlier in the week but failed to maintain its momentum. After declining by nearly 4 percent over the past day, it was trading around 1.46.

Analysts believe the proposed CLARITY Act could play a decisive role in XRP’s next move. EGRAG CRYPTO noted that the token is forming an ascending triangle pattern, which is often associated with potential breakouts. The analyst estimates a 65 percent probability of a move higher, though delays in the legislation could lead to a rejection or a false breakout near the 1.65 to 1.70 resistance zone.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

North Korea Linked Hackers Suspected in Bitrefill Breach That Emptied Wallets

Bitrefill has revealed that a cyberattack earlier this month led to the theft of cryptocurrency funds, with evidence pointing to tactics commonly associated with North Korean linked hacking groups.

The company said the attack, which occurred on March 1, showed multiple signs connected to the Lazarus Group, also known as Bluenoroff. These indicators include similarities in malware, operational methods, blockchain tracking patterns, and the reuse of certain IP and email addresses.

Details of the Bitrefill breach

According to Bitrefill, the incident began when an employee’s laptop was compromised, allowing attackers to extract an old login credential. This credential provided access to sensitive system data, which was then used to expand control across internal systems, including parts of the database and several cryptocurrency wallets.

The breach was first detected after unusual purchasing behavior involving suppliers raised concerns about misuse of gift card inventory and supply flows. At the same time, the company noticed funds being drained from hot wallets and sent to addresses controlled by the attackers. Once the issue was confirmed, Bitrefill shut down its systems to contain the attack.

The firm has since been working with cybersecurity specialists, incident response teams, blockchain analysts, and law enforcement agencies to investigate the breach.

Customer data and response measures

Bitrefill stated that customer data was not the primary target. Internal logs showed only limited database queries, suggesting the attackers were probing for valuable assets such as cryptocurrency holdings and gift card inventory.

The platform stores minimal personal information and does not require mandatory identity verification, with any such data handled by a third party provider. However, around 18,500 purchase records were accessed, including email addresses, crypto payment addresses, and technical metadata like IP addresses.

In about 1,000 cases where customer names were provided for certain purchases, the data was encrypted. Still, the company is treating it as potentially exposed due to the possibility that encryption keys were accessed. Affected users have already been notified.

Bitrefill said it does not believe customers need to take immediate action but advised staying alert for suspicious messages related to the platform or cryptocurrency activity.

The company has since strengthened its defenses by improving access controls, enhancing monitoring systems, conducting additional security audits and penetration testing, and refining its incident response processes. It also confirmed that financial losses will be covered using its operational funds, while most services have now been restored.

Ongoing threat from Lazarus Group

Despite improved security across the crypto industry, sophisticated attackers continue to find ways to exploit vulnerabilities. The Lazarus Group remains one of the most active and dangerous threats, having carried out some of the largest crypto related attacks in recent years, including a major theft from Bybit in February 2025.

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT previously noted that hacks involving platforms like Bybit, DMM Bitcoin, and WazirX have seen stolen funds moved and laundered with relative ease, suggesting that enforcement efforts are struggling to keep pace with these operations.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

XRP Awaits CLARITY Act Progress to Break Key Resistance Level

XRP has slipped below 1.50 after briefly rising above 1.60, with analysts noting that the asset is now at a crucial turning point where upcoming legislation could shape its next move.

According to EGRAG CRYPTO, the proposed CLARITY Act is the main factor that could determine whether XRP pushes beyond the 1.65 to 1.70 resistance zone, referred to as Zone 1.

Ascending triangle signals potential breakout

In an analysis shared on March 18, EGRAG explained that XRP is forming an ascending triangle pattern just below the 1.65 to 1.70 range. This type of structure typically points to a possible upward breakout, as it reflects rising support levels and growing buyer interest.

At the same time, resistance has remained relatively flat, suggesting that liquidity is concentrated just above current prices. Based on this setup, the analyst estimates a 65 percent probability of a breakout above Zone 1, driven by tightening price action and structural strength.

However, there is still a 35 percent chance of rejection or a false breakout, particularly if progress on the CLARITY Act is delayed.

Growing activity from traders and large holders

XRP has gained about 6.5 percent over the past week, trading within a range between 1.37 and 1.60. This movement coincided with increased derivatives activity, as noted by Amr Taha. He reported that open interest rose by 16 million dollars on March 13 and another 18 million dollars on March 16, just before XRP moved above 1.50.

Large holders have also been accumulating. Analyst Ali Martinez observed that major wallets added 200 million XRP over the past two weeks, increasing their holdings from 10.88 billion to 11.08 billion tokens.

Despite this buildup, XRP faced rejection at 1.60 and was trading near 1.45 at the time of writing. Another analyst, Tara, identified this level as an important macro support based on the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement.

Breaking resistance is only the first step

EGRAG emphasized that moving above the 1.65 to 1.70 range would be a significant technical development, but it would not guarantee a larger rally on its own. Advancing toward the 2.60 level and beyond would require additional support factors.

These include stronger institutional inflows, products similar to exchange traded funds, stable Bitcoin price action, or a decline in Bitcoin dominance, along with consistent weekly closes above the 1.85 to 2.00 range.

Momentum around the CLARITY Act is building, with investor Paul Barron suggesting that negotiations could conclude as early as next week. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has accused banks of slowing the bill’s progress in order to protect their deposit base.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Bitcoin Seen as Neither High Risk Play nor Safe Haven as Macro Forces Take Control

Bitcoin traded below 72,000 on Wednesday after failing to stay within its recent recovery range and struggling to gain momentum beyond its latest peak.

According to a market update from QCP Capital, Bitcoin is no longer behaving like a typical high risk asset that amplifies market moves, yet it has not attracted steady demand as a safe haven either.

Macroeconomic influence strengthens

The broader market remains under pressure, though losses have been more controlled compared to other assets sensitive to global economic conditions. Buying interest continues to appear near lower price levels, but overall spot trading volume remains weak. This suggests that short term price movements are being driven more by macroeconomic factors than by developments within the crypto sector.

In derivatives markets, conditions remain stable but cautious. Thirty day implied volatility is holding near 50, which is still higher than both short term and medium term realized volatility. This has supported strategies focused on selling premium. The market structure shows a mild contango setup, although slightly weaker on the day, while demand for downside protection remains stronger as put options are priced higher than call options.

Although volatility is elevated compared to recent trends, it is not showing extreme dislocation. Overall, the options market reflects a defensive stance, with continued geopolitical risk priced into longer dated positions.

Global policy outlook in focus

Macroeconomic conditions continue to dominate sentiment as markets await a series of central bank decisions. The Federal Reserve is concluding its March policy meeting, followed by the European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan, and the Bank of England.

Expectations for interest rate cuts have declined as rising oil prices complicate the outlook, even as economic growth and labor market data show signs of weakening. Oil prices remain close to 100 dollars, while ongoing tensions in the Gulf region are contributing to a stagflation like environment across global markets.

In this setting, QCP noted that Bitcoin is likely to remain range bound until there is clearer direction from monetary policy or geopolitical developments.

Risk of further downside movement

A Bitunix analyst stated that Bitcoin is currently in a high level consolidation phase after clearing liquidity above recent highs. The 75,000 to 76,000 range is seen as a strong resistance zone where short positions are concentrated and may be tested multiple times.

On the downside, the 72,800 level is acting as a key demand area where buying interest aligns with structural support. A move below this zone could open the door for further declines toward the 71,500 to 72,000 range, increasing the risk of cascading liquidations.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Bitcoin Falls Below 72,000 as Data Suggests Market Dynamics Are Shifting

Bitcoin slipped under the 72,000 level after holding near 74,000 earlier on Wednesday, with prices gradually declining over the course of the day.

Although selling pressure from miners has eased considerably, demand has not shown a strong response. New data indicates that underlying market dynamics may be changing in subtle ways.

Market direction remains uncertain

In its latest report, CryptoQuant explained that supply side activity has slowed, while demand has yet to pick up. The MVRV Ratio, which measures market value against realized value, is currently at 1.3. This places it slightly above the accumulation zone and points to limited speculative activity.

This level suggests that Bitcoin is trading close to its overall cost basis, signaling a reset phase rather than confirming either a clear bottom or a sustained recovery.

Miner activity provides further insight. During the sharp drop in early February, miner outflows surged to nearly 28,000 BTC as selling pressure increased. As prices later stabilized, those outflows fell significantly to about 6,800 BTC by mid March, marking the lowest level during this period.

The Puell Multiple, currently around 0.69, supports this trend. It shows miners are operating within a normal post halving range, without signs of financial strain or aggressive profit taking, and with no urgency to increase supply.

Shifting beyond traditional patterns

Despite reduced supply pressure, other structural factors continue to shape the market. Data from SoSoValue shows a steady seven day streak of inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange traded funds. CryptoQuant also highlighted growing institutional adoption of Bitcoin as a reserve asset, along with gradual acceptance at the national level. These trends may be helping to raise the overall price floor compared to past cycles.

Notably, the MVRV Ratio has not dropped below 1.0, a level historically linked to deeper market corrections. This suggests that older cycle patterns, including returns to lower valuation zones, may not play out in the same way this time.

As a result, analysts believe greater attention should be given to on chain accumulation trends, institutional investment flows, and miner behavior, as familiar signals may now be operating under evolving market conditions.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic