WTI Crude Oil (USOIL) trades at $99.26 on March 23, 2026, as Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum to Iran fuels fears of a Strait of Hormuz showdown. Discover if oil can shatter the $101.60 resistance to target $108.00 as the 11 million bpd supply shock intensifies.

ERC20 stablecoin usage expanded sharply, with active addresses rising from about 85,000 in March 2025 to nearly 600,000 in March 2026, pointing to more sustained on-chain participation. Data in the report also show a preference shift in supply growth, with USDC up $4.5 billion year-to-date while USDT supply fell by roughly $2 billion. Exchange reserves were reported at $65.37 billion, down 0.72% in 24 hours, alongside net outflows of over $485 million.

An escalating corporate appetite for Bitcoin and a high-stakes "war chest" strategy from GameStop are set to collide this week. As the Q4 2025 earnings cycle for major infrastructure and retail players concludes, the market is bracing for a shift from speculative digital asset plays to fundamental execution.

Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz rippled into crypto, pushing Bitcoin (BTC) into a wide intraday band of $68,265–$71,051 before it hovered near $69,195, down 2.2%. Liquidations climbed above $300 million, up 80%, including more than $123 million tied to BTC, as broader risk-off pressure pulled major altcoins lower and the total market cap slipped to $2.37 trillion.

NYSE Arca and NYSE American have eliminated the 25,000-contract position limit for options tied to 11 Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds after rule filings published March 10. The SEC acknowledged the changes on Sunday and waived the usual 30-day delay, putting the new rules into effect. The update also permits trading these ETF options as FLEX options with customizable strike prices and expiration dates.

This week's roundup centers on an SEC filing tied to the Evernorth (XRPN) Nasdaq treasury, where Ripple cofounder Chris Larsen is described as injecting 261 million XRP into a structure targeting more than $1 billion. It also highlights claims that the SEC has categorized Shiba Inu (SHIB) as a nonsecurity digital commodity, and notes Bitcoin's reaction after the Fed held rates at 3.5%-3.75% on an 11-1 vote.

21Shares macro head Stephen Coltman said the 2026 divergence between Bitcoin and gold reflects different buyer bases, with gold more tied to central bank demand while BTC is more widely held by individuals. He noted gold slipped to about $4,497 per ounce after peaking near $5,600 in January 2026, while Bitcoin stayed relatively steady as Middle East hostilities began. Coltman argued around-the-clock BTC access can matter during crises, as some regional exchanges were shut down shortly after the conflict started.

NYSE Arca and NYSE American filed SEC rule changes to remove the 25,000-contract position and exercise limits on options tied to spot bitcoin and ether ETFs, with the changes effective immediately. The update covers options on 11 crypto ETF products and also permits these contracts to trade as FLEX options with customizable terms. With these filings, major U.S. exchanges now treat crypto ETF options the same as other commodity-based ETF options.