Bitcoin's network hashrate is falling as large mining firms shut down rigs and convert capacity to AI-focused data centers. The shift follows an earlier peak near 1.2K EH/s in early 2026, with miners chasing higher returns from AI compute than BTC mining revenue per megawatt. Companies cited include Core Scientific, Bit Digital and Iris Energy, alongside reported multi-billion-dollar AI contracts signed in late 2025 and early 2026.

Bitcoin moved in a narrow range on Saturday and was down about 1% over the past week amid broader market selling. Bernstein reiterated its long-term view that BTC could reach $150,000 by the end of 2026, framing the current decline as milder than prior cycle drawdowns. BTC was last quoted at $68,733, down 0.60% over the past 24 hours.

On March 23, 2026, DDC Enterprise said it bought an additional 200 bitcoin, bringing its treasury to 2,383 BTC valued at about $165 million. The company reported the new coins were acquired at an average price of $79,969 each and cited a year-to-date "BTC yield" of 44.9% as it continues incremental accumulation amid volatile prices.

Bitcoin fell sharply from above $72,000, breaking below $71,200 and $70,500 before sliding to a $67,343 low. BTC is consolidating under $70,000 and the 100-hour simple moving average, with resistance highlighted near $69,200 and $70,000. A move above $70,000 could ease pressure, while failure to reclaim it may expose supports at $68,000 and $67,250.

On March 23, 2026, Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings were showing an estimated $5.25 billion unrealized loss as BTC traded around $67,848 versus the firm’s $75,696 average cost. The company holds 761,068 BTC across 103 buys, valuing the reserve at about $52.36 billion at current prices, while short-term indicators such as RSI (26.62) and MACD remained negative. Michael Saylor posted “The Orange March Continues” on March 22, signaling no shift away from long-term accumulation.

SkyBridge managing partner Anthony Scaramucci said Bitcoin’s bear market still fits a four-year cycle framework and may stay volatile for most of the year before turning higher in Q4 2026. He added that ETF inflows and institutional participation have reduced volatility without fully eliminating cyclical behavior, and cited the prior drop from about $126,000 to $60,000 as an example of sentiment getting upended.

Bitcoin (BTC) traded below $69,000 on Sunday after a weekend drop toward $68,000, putting focus back on the 200-week EMA near $68,300. In the prior 24 hours, more than $300 million in longs and nearly $100 million in shorts were liquidated. Analysts also pointed to a daily-chart “golden cross” (21-day SMA over 50-day SMA) as a possible source of short-term relief.

The Pentagon has asked the White House for $200 billion in additional funding for the Iran war, an amount that translates to 2,915,451 BTC at a Bitcoin price of about $68,600. The comparison is presented as a sizing tool rather than a claim that the US would fund military spending with crypto. The article also contrasts the implied BTC figure with holdings reported for the US government, major funds, corporates, and Binance, plus Bitcoin's remaining issuance.