Weekly Recap｜Bitcoin Futures Demand Falls to the Lowest Level Since 2024, South Korea May Ban Corpor
2026.03.09
Weekly Overview (Mar 2 – Mar 8)
Last week, geopolitical risks once again became the dominant market theme. Escalating tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices sharply higher, while expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts were pushed further out, leading to a decline in global risk appetite and increased volatility in equity markets.
The crypto market also faced continued pressure from geopolitical tensions, miner selling, and liquidation events. During the week, significant volatility triggered hundreds of millions of dollars in leveraged liquidations, with Bitcoin prices once again falling toward the $67,000 level.
Looking ahead, key market variables for the coming week remain oil prices, inflation expectations, and the future path of interest rates.
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
- Stablecoin transaction volume reached a new monthly record of $1.8 trillion in February, with USDC accounting for around 70%
- Kazakhstan’s central bank is considering investing up to $350 million of reserves into crypto assets
- Publicly listed Bitcoin mining companies have sold over 15,000 BTC since October last year
- Analysis shows Bitcoin futures demand has fallen to its lowest level since 2024
- Core Scientific plans to sell around 2,500 BTC in Q1 2026 to support its transition toward AI infrastructure
- Data shows 38% of altcoins are trading near historic lows, exceeding levels seen after the FTX collapse
Funding & M&A
A total of 11 funding rounds were recorded last week, raising over $180 million, mainly across DeFi and AI sectors:
- On-chain collateralized decentralized protocol OmniPact raised $50 million in private funding
- QFEX secured $9.5 million in seed funding and launched a 24/7 high-leverage RWA trading platform
- AI procurement agent company Lio raised $30 million in Series A, led by a16z
- Stablecoin-focused financial application ARQ raised $70 million, backed by Sequoia Capital and Founders Fund
- Digital asset trading firm Crossover raised $31 million in Series B, led by Tradeweb
Policy & Compliance
- South Korea may prohibit corporations from investing in stablecoins
- Pakistan passed the Virtual Asset Act, establishing a national digital asset regulatory authority
- Russia’s central bank proposed allowing banks and brokerages to obtain crypto trading licenses
- The U.S. CFTC chairman stated preparations are underway to implement the CLARITY Act during the Trump administration
Echobit Highlights
- Echobit Trade & Get Rewards – Round 2 Trading Incentive Campaign
- Echobit March Futures Trading Competition
- Echobit Bali Stop Island-Themed Rewards Campaign
- Echobit Crack the Code Puzzle Challenge
- Echobit Roll The Dice Interactive Event
- Echobit Points Challenge Community Activity
- Echobit Find The Missing Number Puzzle Event
- Echobit Thursday Frenzy Telegram Slot Game Event
- Echobit International Women’s Day AMA Community Event
- Echobit The Woman Who Inspires You Most Interactive Campaign
- Echobit Your Trading Gut Trading Intuition Event
Next Week Preview (Mar 9 – Mar 15)
- California will begin enforcing its Digital Asset Licensing framework, with applications opening on March 9
- Sharplink will hold its 2025 earnings conference call on March 9
- Polkadot plans to introduce an economic model reform starting March 12, limiting the total DOT supply to 2.1 billion
- The U.S. will release February CPI and Core CPI data, key indicators for inflation trends
- Aptos (APT) will unlock approximately 11.31 million tokens, about 0.69% of the current circulating supply
Echobit will continue tracking global crypto developments — focusing on market movements, regulatory trends, and funding opportunities — helping you stay ahead throughout every market cycle.