BlackRock accumulated approximately $654 million worth of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) through its U.S. spot ETFs during the first week of March, according to Coinglass data. Figures for March 2 and March 3 show the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) attracted net inflows of $263.20 million and $322.40 million, respectively, totaling $585.60 million and representing the bulk of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF additions as overall Bitcoin funds posted $458.20 million and $225.20 million in net inflows on those days. On the Ethereum side, BlackRock's iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) registered net inflows of $26.50 million on March 2 and $41.90 million on March 3, bringing its two-day total to $68.40 million, while all Ethereum spot ETFs combined recorded a $38.70 million net inflow on March 2 before a $10.80 million net outflow on March 3. Over the past five days, spot Bitcoin ETFs have drawn roughly $1.4 billion in net inflows, and analysts cited by the report link the renewed institutional buying to investors taking advantage of Bitcoin's recent price dip as the token rebounded from around $68,000 to above $71,000 amid broader geopolitical tensions.

Bitget launched an upgraded Market Maker Incentive Program featuring a group-based maker rate structure, the platform announced. The revised framework is designed to deepen order book liquidity and support better execution quality for participants in its crypto trading markets.

Morgan Stanley filed an application for a Bitcoin ETF designating Coinbase as crypto custodian and BNY Mellon as fund administrator, according to the filing. The product's net asset value will be calculated daily using the CoinDesk Bitcoin Benchmark 4PM New York Settlement Rate as the pricing reference.

Kraken has secured approval for a Federal Reserve master account, becoming the first cryptocurrency platform to gain direct access to the Fed's core banking infrastructure. The approval positions Kraken uniquely among digital asset firms operating within the U.S. financial system.

Kraken has become the first cryptocurrency exchange to secure access to the Federal Reserve's core payments system, the original report says. The move marks the first instance of a digital asset trading platform connecting directly to the U.S. central bank's primary payment infrastructure.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson said in a recent livestream that the proposed CLARITY Act could treat most new digital tokens as securities by default, expanding SEC oversight and imposing registration obligations from inception, while established assets such as XRP and ADA might avoid that designation under current draft language. He argued the framework lacks clear compliance paths for decentralized finance protocols like Uniswap and prediction markets, potentially restricting liquidity channels and token distribution models while leaving DeFi systems exposed to enforcement-based interpretations. Senate discussions on the bill and broader crypto rules remain stalled as banking groups and cryptocurrency firms fail to agree on treatment of stablecoin rewards, staking programs, and membership benefits despite a March 1 White House deadline, while the Senate Banking Committee weighs a new markup window in mid to late March and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency advances related digital asset rulemaking. Polymarket data show odds the CLARITY Act will be signed into law in 2026 rose to 74% from 65%, and at the time of writing Cardano (ADA) traded at $0.2646, down 2.16% in 24 hours, while XRP changed hands at $1.35.

Asian equity markets fell sharply as the conflict involving Israel, the U.S. and Iran intensified, fueling investor panic and concerns over a potential energy shock. South Korea's KOSPI index recorded historic losses of more than 10%, triggering trading curbs amid steep declines and panic selling. The selloff deepened across the region as oil prices surged and supply disruption risks through the Strait of Hormuz weighed on energy-dependent economies.

Bitcoin moved above $71,000 as the market tested higher levels in the latest leg of its advance. Traders and analysts are watching price action around this area to gauge whether the current rally in Bitcoin can be sustained or will face resistance near recent highs.

BlackRock shifted a total of 12,084 ETH to a Coinbase Prime address through its Ethereum ETF ETHA in two transactions 20 minutes ago, according to PANews. The transfers comprised one transaction of 10,000 ETH and a second transaction of 2,084 ETH, both routed via the ETHA vehicle.