Ondo Finance expanded Ondo Global Markets beyond 250 tokenized stocks and ETFs on March 20, 2026, after adding 60+ new listings including BlackRock's IBIT and Galaxy Digital (GLXY). The company says the platform has processed over $12 billion in cumulative trading volume since its September 2025 launch and surpassed $600 million in TVL, while the broader RWA market stands at $27.35 billion in distributed asset value.

On 18 March 2026, U.S. Producer Price Index data showed a 0.7% month‑on‑month jump for February, well above the 0.3% forecast and alongside a 3.4% annual gain. With the Federal Reserve expected to keep rates at 3.5%–3.75%, traders pushed risk assets lower, sending Bitcoin, Ethereum and major altcoins into the red and trimming the total crypto market value.

On 17 March 2026, Ethereum traded near $2,308 as spot ETFs logged five straight days of net positive inflows, the first such run since January. Analysts describe the move as being driven mainly by options flows and gamma hedging rather than fundamentals, with ETH climbing above its 50-day SMA at $2,118 but still facing major resistance at the 100-day SMA around $2,594. Technical indicators such as an RSI near 62.85 and a strengthening MACD suggest building bullish momentum, while support remains in the $1,837 to $2,000 zone if conditions reverse.

On 13 March 2026, HSBC and a Standard Chartered-led joint venture emerged as frontrunners for Hong Kong's first stablecoin issuer licenses, which are expected to be announced by 24 March 2026. The new regime mandates 100% high-quality liquid asset reserves, strict AML rules, and next-day redemptions, while Hong Kong simultaneously advances broader digital asset reforms covering custody, derivatives, tax, and wholesale settlement. The initiative positions Hong Kong as a tightly regulated hub for institutional on-chain payments and cross-border trade finance.

On 11 March 2026, Mastercard announced that its Crypto Partner Program now includes more than 85 companies from traditional finance and the blockchain sector, such as Binance, PayPal, Ripple, JPMorgan Chase, Coinbase, Stripe, and others. The initiative is built around a private Multi-Token Network that settles tokenized bank deposits and regulated stablecoins, connects over 176 million wallets, and supports spending at more than 150 million merchants amid monthly crypto volumes nearing $1 trillion.

On March 4, 2026, Zero Hash submitted an application to the OCC for a national trust bank charter that would bring its digital asset infrastructure business under federal oversight. The planned Zero Hash National Trust Bank would provide digital asset and fiat custody, stablecoin management, custodial staking, and transfer agent services as part of a broader wave of crypto and fintech firms pursuing similar charters in early 2026.

On 5 March 2026, Eric Trump accused JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo of lobbying to derail the Clarity Act and restrict crypto yield products for retail users. He argued that banks pay depositors as little as 0.01% to 0.05% APY while earning around 4.4% from the Federal Reserve, and said this spread motivates efforts to suppress stablecoin yields. During the dispute, Coinbase stock rose about 15% on 4 March 2026 as markets reacted to the regulatory standoff between banks and crypto platforms.

On February 21, 2026, the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets updated guidance to permit broker-dealers to apply a 2% capital haircut to proprietary positions in qualifying payment stablecoins under Exchange Act Rule 15c3-1. Many firms had treated these assets with a 100% haircut; the change, subject to strict reserve, transparency and regulatory criteria, may enhance liquidity.

On 8 February 2026, ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said the planned digital euro is a cash-like public money for everyday use, including offline. He noted it will not launch before legislation is in place, with a pilot slated for 2027 and a possible rollout around 2029. Safeguards include holding caps, no interest and privacy protections.