The cryptocurrency market experienced notable volatility over the past 24 hours, with major assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum facing sharp corrections. Meanwhile, new developments in blockchain infrastructure, institutional moves, and tokenomics shifts are shaping investor sentiment. This comprehensive update covers trending digital assets, critical industry news, project milestones, and expert insights — all essential for staying ahead in the evolving crypto landscape.
Top CEX Trading Activity and Price Movements
Major centralized exchanges (CEXs) continue to reflect shifting market dynamics through trading volume and price trends.
Top 10 CEX Assets by Trading Volume (24H Change)
- BTC: -4.45%
- ETH: -10.32%
- SOL: -14.56%
- DOGE: -12.55%
- XRP: -9.88%
- TRUMP: -18.90%
- KAITO: +10.03%
- IP: +13.21%
- SUI: -15.41%
- LTC: -10.72%
Despite broad declines, select altcoins showed resilience. IP and KAITO emerged as standout gainers, signaling strong community or technical momentum.
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24H Gainers (Source: OKX)
- IP: +12.64%
- KAITO: +9.18%
- AUCTOIN: +5.06%
- POR: +2.15%
- METIS: +1.77%
- HMSTR: +1.14%
- MAX: +0.71%
- GODS: +0.60%
- ZKJ: +0.51%
- XAUT: +0.48%
The surge in IP and KAITO suggests growing interest in niche narratives — whether AI-integrated protocols or community-driven meme ecosystems.
Trending Cryptocurrencies This Hour
Market attention is currently focused on three notable assets:
- BAN: An art-themed meme coin that briefly plunged over 50% yesterday, sparking speculation about whale activity or market manipulation.
- PI: A long-standing community-driven cryptocurrency now listed on major platforms including OKX, reigniting interest after years of dormancy.
- KAITO: Recently launched its airdrop and secured listings on top-tier exchanges like Binance, driving significant retail inflow.
These movements highlight how sentiment, exchange visibility, and distribution events can rapidly shift trading volume and price action.
Headline Developments
SOL Faces Major Token Unlock on March 1
Solana is approaching one of the most anticipated token unlocks in recent memory. On March 1, 11.2 million SOL tokens — valued at approximately $2 billion — will enter circulation. This represents the largest single unlock in Solana’s history.
Much of the unlocked supply was acquired by major institutions such as Galaxy Digital, Pantera Capital, and Figure during the FTX bankruptcy auction at around $64 per SOL. With SOL currently trading significantly higher, these entities stand to realize substantial unrealized profits.
Analyst Artchick.eth notes that over the next three months, more than 15 million SOL (~$2.5B) will be released into the market. While this could create downward pressure, long-term supporters argue that institutional holders may not immediately sell, especially given ongoing ecosystem growth.
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Strategy Adds Over 20,000 BTC Amid Price Dip
Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, has acquired an additional 20,356 BTC at an average price of $97,514 per coin. This strategic accumulation during a market pullback reinforces confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term value proposition.
The move echoes previous buying patterns seen during volatility spikes and underscores institutional appetite for Bitcoin as a macro hedge against inflation and monetary instability.
BTC Briefly Drops Below $91,000
Bitcoin briefly dipped below the $91,000 mark on OKX, reflecting broader risk-off sentiment across financial markets. The 24-hour decline of 5.68% coincided with profit-taking following recent highs and macroeconomic uncertainty.
However, many analysts view this correction as healthy, potentially setting the stage for renewed upward momentum once short-term pressures subside.
YZi Labs Invests in AI Startup Vana; CZ Joins as Advisor
YZi Labs has made a strategic investment in Vana, an AI-powered crypto startup focused on decentralized identity and machine learning integration. In a significant development, CZ, co-founder of Binance, has joined Vana as an advisor.
This partnership — finalized in January 2025 — highlights the growing convergence between artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. Though financial terms were not disclosed, the involvement of high-profile figures signals strong belief in Vana’s vision for AI-driven Web3 applications.
Industry News Roundup
SEC May Reassess Lawsuit Against MetaMask Staking
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may revisit its lawsuit against ConsenSys over MetaMask’s staking services. According to Fox Business reporter Eleanor Terrett, the SEC is reevaluating its legal stance amid increasing scrutiny of staking models.
Notably, the agency has already dropped allegations that ConsenSys operated as an unregistered broker — a charge previously dismissed in the Coinbase case. This shift could signal a more nuanced regulatory approach to decentralized finance (DeFi) services.
Citadel Securities Eyes Crypto Market Making
Citadel Securities, the largest market maker on the New York Stock Exchange with a $65 billion valuation, is exploring entry into cryptocurrency markets. The firm aims to provide liquidity for Bitcoin and other major digital assets, betting on increased regulatory clarity under potential pro-crypto policy shifts.
Canary Files for HBAR ETF with Nasdaq
Asset manager Canary has submitted an application to Nasdaq for a Hedera (HBAR) ETF. If approved, this would mark a significant step toward mainstream adoption of enterprise-focused distributed ledger technology.
Dubai Approves USDC and EURC as Recognized Stablecoins
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has officially recognized Circle’s USDC and EURC as approved stablecoins within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). This landmark decision allows regulated firms to use these tokens for payments, treasury management, and other financial operations.
With over 7,000 active companies in DIFC since 2004, this paves the way for broader institutional use of compliant digital assets in the Middle East.
South Dakota Rejects Bitcoin Reserve Bill
South Dakota’s House Business and Energy Committee has effectively killed HB 1202, a bill proposing state-level Bitcoin reserves. By postponing discussion to “Day 41” of a 40-day legislative session, lawmakers have blocked further progress — at least for now.
This outcome mirrors similar setbacks in other U.S. states, underscoring ongoing political hurdles to public-sector crypto adoption.
Project Updates
Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade Launches on Holesky Testnet
The upcoming Pectra upgrade for Ethereum has gone live on the Holesky testnet at 9:55 PM UTC. The update introduces improvements to account abstraction, Layer 2 scalability, and validator experience — laying groundwork for enhanced functionality on the mainnet.
Developers can now test new features before full deployment, ensuring smoother integration across the ecosystem.
Sky Begins Daily $1M Token Burn
Sky co-founder Rune announced the activation of the Sky Smart Burn Engine, which will burn approximately $1 million worth of SKY tokens daily. This deflationary mechanism aims to increase scarcity and long-term value accrual for holders.
Metis Pushes AI-Driven Web3 Narrative
Metis Foundation lead Natalia Ameline called for a new era of AI-powered Web3 innovation, positioning Metis as a transformative force in revitalizing Ethereum’s ecosystem. The project’s ReGenesis initiative aims to merge decentralized infrastructure with artificial intelligence.
Morph Launches DeFi 2.0 with 7x Bonus Rewards
Consumer-focused blockchain Morph has launched its DeFi 2.0 campaign, adding new partners Concrete and LayerBank to its liquidity pools. Users can now earn boosted Morph points with multipliers ranging from 2x to 2.6x, plus a limited-time 7x bonus for the first seven days.
This incentive structure encourages deeper engagement while expanding Morph’s DeFi ecosystem.
Babylon Foundation Hints at TGE Announcement
Babylon Foundation teased a major announcement with a cryptic “Hello World” post on X, accompanied by a video. Speculation is growing that the project will soon reveal details about its token generation event (TGE).
Conan Meme Coin Achieves Full Decentralization
The Solana-based meme coin Conan has completed a full decentralization process, burning 19.5% of its supply (~$3M value). The team has relinquished all control, sending remaining tokens to a burn address or Binance wallet — cementing community governance.
Voices from the Ecosystem
- Arthur Hayes (BitMEX Co-Founder): Predicts BTC could fall to $70,000 if arbitrage funds unwind ETF/futures positions due to narrowing basis spreads.
- Qiao Wang (Alliance DAO): Argues that dApp value lies in frontends — not smart contracts — citing pump.fun’s new AMM impacting Raydium.
- Christian (Infini Founder): Offers hackers 20% bounty and legal immunity if stolen funds are returned, emphasizing ethics in crypto.
- Ben Zhou (Bybit CEO): Confirms Bybit has fully covered its ETH shortfall; a new audited Proof of Reserves report is imminent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is the SOL unlock significant?
A: The March 1 unlock releases 11.2 million SOL (~$2B), mostly held by institutions bought at $64/SOL. Profit-taking could pressure prices short-term.
Q: Is Bitcoin’s drop below $91K a bearish signal?
A: Not necessarily. Corrections are normal after rallies. Strong fundamentals and institutional buying suggest long-term bullishness remains intact.
Q: What does Citadel Securities entering crypto mean?
A: It signals growing institutional confidence. As a top-tier market maker, Citadel could enhance liquidity and stability in Bitcoin markets.
Q: How does token burning affect prices?
A: Regular burns reduce supply over time, potentially increasing scarcity and upward price pressure if demand stays constant or grows.
Q: Why are AI and blockchain converging now?
A: AI needs decentralized data and ownership models; blockchain benefits from intelligent automation — making their integration a natural evolution.
Q: Can meme coins like Conan be trusted after decentralization?
A: Fully burned and teamless projects reduce rug-pull risks, but volatility remains high due to speculative trading behavior.
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