Kraken nears $1.5B deal allowing it to offer US crypto futures: Report

Crypto exchange Kraken is reportedly closing in on a $1.5 billion acquisition of trading platform NinjaTrader, a move that would expand Kraken’s customer base and enable it to offer crypto futures and derivatives in the US. The deal could be confirmed by the morning of March 20 in the US, The Wall Street Journal said in a March 19 report, citing people familiar with the matter. Kraken’s expanded offerings would be made possible through NinjaTrader’s registration as a Futures Commission Merchant.  The move would help Kraken’s strategy to work across…

Trump to speak at Digital Asset Summit: Report

United States President Donald Trump will reportedly speak at Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit in New York on March 20, Blockworks said.  His speech will mark the first time a sitting US president has ever spoken at a cryptocurrency conference, Blockworks said in a March 19 announcement. Trump’s presence at the event underscores his embrace of an industry that, under former US president Joe Biden, was the target of more than 100 enforcement actions by federal regulators. “When we started Blockworks we could barely get someone from a bank to attend…

Stablecoin users grew 53% in one year: Report

A joint report by onchain analysis platforms Artemis and Dune showed that active stablecoin wallets increased by over 50% in one year.  The report, titled “The State of Stablecoins 2025:  Supply, Adoption & Market Trends,” showed that from February 2024 to February 2025, active addresses increased from 19.6 million to 30 million. This represents a 53% increase year-on-year.  The onchain analysis platforms said this expansion suggests wider user engagement. The report added that in 2024, stablecoins have emerged as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto, becoming a critical component…

Crypto companies seeking bank charters under Trump admin — Report

Cryptocurrency and fintech companies are increasingly seeking bank charters in an attempt to grow their businesses under the Trump administration, according to a report from Reuters, which talked to more than half a dozen industry executives. The moves come as the administration is seen as more industry-friendly and there are opportunities to gain the licenses that regulators under previous administrations may have been slow to approve. While discussions about pursuing bank charters are on the rise, it is unknown how many companies will ultimately follow through. It can cost tens…

Paul Atkins closes in on SEC chair role amid setbacks: Report

Paul Atkins could move one step closer to becoming the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s new crypto-friendly chair, with a Senate committee hearing reportedly in the works for March 27. President Donald Trump nominated Atkins to lead the SEC on Dec. 4, but his marriage into a billionaire family has reportedly caused headaches with financial disclosures — delaying his potential start date. While it isn’t clear whether the White House has produced those papers to the Senate, Senate Banking, House and Urban Affairs Chair Tim Scott is reportedly eyeing a…

Bitcoin choked by ‘exacerbating sell-side pressure’ from short-term holders: report

Bitfinex analysts said Bitcoin buyers with purchases in the last month were the hardest hit during recent crypto market selloffs. Bitcoin (BTC) shed 13.5% of its value in the past 30 days and has dropped over 29% from its all-time high set in January, the biggest correction of the current bull cycle, according to the Bitfinex Alpha Report released on March 17.  Past cycles witnessed similar drawdowns ranging from 30% to 50%. However, some expected a different outcome this time due to new institutional adoption through spot BTC exchange-traded funds…

S.Korea Cuts Out Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Considerations: Report

South Korea’s central bank, the Bank of Korea (BOK), has taken a cautious stance on including bitcoin in its foreign exchange reserves, per a Korea Economic Daily report. In response to a question posed by a member of the National Assembly’s Strategy and Finance Committee, the BOK made it clear on Sunday that it has not entertained the notion of embracing BTC. The primary deterrent for the BOK is bitcoin’s notorious price instability, where the central bank fears that the wild swings in…

Crypto users report new scam emails spoofing Coinbase, Gemini

Crypto users have reported a rise in scam emails made to look like they’re from crypto exchanges Coinbase and Gemini that attempt to get users to set up a new wallet with pre-generated recovery phrases controlled by scammers. In several examples posted to X, the email claims to be from Coinbase, asking users to transition to self-custodial wallets and providing instructions on downloading the legitimate Coinbase Wallet, giving a deadline of April 1 to make the switch. Source: Steve Kaczynski However, it also provides pre-generated recovery phrases. Once users open…

Brazil’s BRICS presidency prioritizes blockchain for cross-border trade: report

Brazil seems to favor blockchain for BRICS cross-border trade, moving away from talk of a joint currency. Brazil may be exploring blockchain to improve BRICS — which includes Russia, India, China, along with other members — trade transactions, with the topic potentially becoming a key focus during the country’s year-long presidency of the bloc, which began in January, Brazilian newspaper Valor Econômico reports, citing sources close to the matter. The plan appears to be different from past discussions on a BRICS common currency. According to the people close to the…