Weekly Recap｜Prediction Markets Hit 191M Trades in March, Russia Approves Crypto Regulation Bill, Ec
2026.04.07
Weekly Overview (Mar 30 – Apr 5)
Amid ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, the crypto market remained in a consolidation phase last week. While major assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum traded largely flat, persistent inflation pressures and signals of tighter monetary policy continued to weigh on overall market sentiment.
During the week, escalating tensions in Iran and stronger-than-expected U.S. nonfarm payroll data added further volatility. Bitcoin hovered near a key support level around $69,000, signaling a potential technical inflection point. Meanwhile, the Ethereum Foundation executed a rare large-scale staking move, reflecting long-term confidence in the network.
In the week ahead, key focus areas include developments in the Iran situation—particularly the April 6 deadline regarding the Strait of Hormuz—alongside the Fed meeting minutes and key U.S. inflation data such as CPI and PCE.
This report provides a concise recap of last week’s key developments in the crypto industry and a preview of the major trends and events to watch in the coming week.
Market Pulse
The Ethereum Foundation staked approximately $46.2 million worth of ETH.
The Uniswap Foundation released its 2025 financial summary, reporting $85.8 million in assets.
Prediction markets recorded 191 million trades in March, a record high with +2838% YoY growth.
Fidelity noted that Bitcoin’s current drawdown is only around 50%, significantly lower than previous cycles, indicating a maturing market.
Alameda Research unstaked $3.56 million in ETH, while still holding $300 million in SOL.
Solana processed over 10 billion transactions in Q1, setting a new quarterly record.
Metaplanet purchased 5,075 BTC in Q1, bringing total holdings to over 40,000 BTC.
Funding & M&A
A total of 16 funding rounds were recorded last week, raising over $260 million, mainly across DeFi and AI sectors:
RWA infrastructure firm Midas raised $50 million in Series A, led by RRE and Creandum.
Decentralized AI agent network ARO Network secured $5 million in strategic funding.
Stablecoin cross-border payment infrastructure firm OpenFX raised $94 million.
Stablecoin card issuance platform Kulipa raised $6.2 million in seed funding, led by 1kx.
Blockchain infrastructure platform Uniblock raised $5.2 million, with participation from SBI.
Crypto-friendly bank Cross River Bank secured $50 million in new funding.
Valinor raised $25 million in seed funding, led by Castle Island Ventures.
Policy & Compliance
Dubai introduced a regulatory framework for crypto derivatives trading.
Russia approved a new crypto regulation bill, setting an annual purchase limit of 300,000 rubles per platform for non-qualified investors.
A CFTC enforcement official warned that insider trading laws also apply to prediction markets.
Alabama became the second U.S. state to grant legal status to DAOs.
Australia passed new crypto regulations requiring exchanges to obtain financial services licenses.
The U.S. CFTC and Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Illinois over restrictions on prediction market oversight.
Echobit Highlights
Echobit launched the Trading Reward campaign to boost user trading activity.
Echobit rolled out Trade & Get Rewards Vol. 3, continuing to incentivize participation.
Echobit introduced the Growth Sprint campaign to drive community expansion.
Echobit launched the April Futures Trading Competition, offering more trading opportunities.
Echobit introduced the Easter Special campaign with seasonal rewards.
Echobit launched the BTC Monthly Closing Price Prediction activity.
Echobit rolled out the Points Challenge campaign.
Echobit launched the Global Launch Event to expand brand presence.
Echobit introduced the Chart Prediction Challenge.
Echobit rolled out the Friday Game Challenge to boost engagement.
Echobit initiated the Rugged Crypto Horror Stories community campaign.
Next Week Preview (Apr 6 – Apr 12)
French aerospace and defense company ST GROUP will be listed on Lise on April 9.
CoinList will support the OneFootball token TGE on April 9.
The Federal Reserve will release its FOMC meeting minutes.
The U.S. will publish March CPI and Core CPI (YoY and MoM) data.
Kenya will seek public consultation on its virtual asset service provider regulatory framework.
The European Central Bank is recruiting experts to contribute to the Digital Euro rulebook.
Echobit will continue tracking global crypto developments — focusing on market movements, regulatory trends, and funding opportunities — helping you stay ahead throughout every market cycle.