Weekly Recap｜TOKEN2049 Dubai Postponed, SEC and CFTC Sign MoU, Echobit Launches Spring Super Giveawa
2026.03.16
Weekly Overview (Mar 9 – Mar 15)
Last week, risk appetite in global financial markets weakened, with equities and other risk assets experiencing heightened volatility. In the short term, macro market trends are likely to remain closely tied to geopolitical developments and energy prices.
Bitcoin briefly declined to around $66,000 before rebounding quickly to $73,000 as market sentiment improved.
Overall sentiment in the crypto market remains relatively cautious, with trading volumes staying at lower levels. Bitcoin has now recorded five consecutive months of decline, but liquidity conditions are gradually improving as stablecoin inflows return to the market. These signals together may indicate a potential turning point forming in the broader market.
This report provides a quick overview of last week’s key developments in the crypto industry and highlights the major trends and events to watch in the week ahead.
Market Pulse
Due to regional conflicts, several crypto events including TOKEN2049 Dubai have been postponed or canceled.
The Ethereum Foundation sold 5,000 ETH to support operational activities.
Tether is seeking a full audit by the end of 2026 and is reportedly targeting a $500 billion valuation.
Ripple launched a $750 million share buyback program, valuing the company at approximately $50 billion.
According to Forbes, Donald Trump’s net worth increased by $1.4 billion over the past year, largely driven by his crypto-related ventures.
Funding & M&A
A total of 15 funding rounds were recorded last week, raising over $230 million, mainly across the DeFi and AI sectors:
Yield-bearing stablecoin protocol Unitas raised $13.33 million in seed funding.
Palm-print identity verification company VeryAI secured $10 million in seed funding, led by Polychain Capital.
Crypto accounting platform Cryptio completed a $45 million Series B round.
ZODL, a development lab supporting Zcash, raised over $25 million in seed funding.
Stablecoin payment company KAST raised $80 million, reaching a valuation of approximately $600 million.
Stablecoin firm MetaComp completed a Pre-A+ funding round, bringing its total funding over the past three months to $35 million.
Policy & Compliance
The U.S. Federal Reserve will open a 90-day consultation period for the Basel III proposal.
The U.S. SEC and CFTC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen regulatory coordination.
Georgia now allows companies to issue reserve-backed stablecoins.
Echobit Highlights
Echobit launched the March Futures Trading Competition, inviting users to compete for trading rewards.
Echobit introduced the Roll The Dice interactive campaign to bring a fun community engagement experience.
Echobit hosted “The Woman Who Inspire You Most” community event celebrating inspiring women.
Echobit launched the Meme Contest – Random Draw Edition, encouraging community meme creation.
Echobit introduced the Venice Golden Canal themed campaign with a 100U prize pool.
Echobit launched the Spring Super Giveaway, bringing seasonal rewards to the community.
Echobit initiated the “Which Meme Coin Will Take Off?” community discussion campaign.
Echobit launched the “Triple Logo” Hunt Challenge to encourage brand interaction.
Echobit hosted the “Name the Crypto Campaign That Blew Your Mind” community engagement activity.
Next Week Preview (Mar 16 – Mar 22)
NVIDIA GTC 2026 will take place from March 16 to March 19.
The Federal Reserve FOMC will release its interest rate decision and economic projections on March 19.
Project updates include:
- Noble launching an EVM-based Layer 1 mainnet independent from the Cosmos chain
- POAP entering maintenance mode with limited future development
- Doodles releasing an AI beta version
- BTCS launching a new Bitcoin mining ecosystem
Several tokens including Arbitrum, LayerZero, and River are scheduled to unlock this week, involving tens of millions of dollars in value.
Hong Kong may announce its stablecoin licensing list as early as next week, while the U.S. Senate plans to advance legislation on crypto market structure.
Echobit will continue tracking global crypto developments — focusing on market movements, regulatory trends, and funding opportunities — helping you stay ahead throughout every market cycle.