Bitcoin is trading above $70,000 with limited volatility while geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalate. Following US strikes on Iran's Kharg Island, Donald Trump called for international warship deployments to the Strait of Hormuz, and France reportedly sent 10 vessels as Russia delivered 13 tons of medical aid to Iran. Oman has allegedly attempted multiple times to broker a peace deal between the US and Iran, but the US President declined, and BTC has so far shown little reaction.

According to Wu Blockchain on March 14, 2026, Coinbase and Bybit are reportedly discussing a potential strategic investment partnership that could help Bybit access the compliant US market. The talks allegedly come as Bybit’s valuation is expected to be comparable to OKX’s recent $25 billion mark following its funding round. The rumored deal follows Coinbase’s $2.9 billion acquisition of derivatives platform Deribit in 2025 and OKX’s minority stake sale to Intercontinental Exchange.

Spot XRP ETFs in the United States have gone more than a full week without a single day of net inflows, while several recent sessions have seen notable outflows. During the same period, XRP's price climbed from around $1.34 to just above $1.45 before slipping back below $1.40. Analysts point to tightening Bollinger Bands and a triangular consolidation as signs that a sizable price move of about 30% could be forming.

Analyst Merlijn The Trader argues that bitcoin's current structure mirrors late-2022 price action that preceded a move from $15,000 to $73,000, implying a potential 385% rally above $300,000 if the pattern plays out. He contends that BTC must hold the $65,000 level to complete its base, while another analyst, Doctor Profit, views the recent rise to $74,000 as a temporary "fake pump" before new lows. Bitcoin has twice been rejected at $74,000 in roughly ten days and is now struggling to stay above $70,000 amid a market still dominated by fear.

Pi Network's native token PI surged to nearly $0.30 before reversing sharply to around $0.21, erasing a 30% gain after its listing on Kraken. The move followed a series of protocol migrations, including the v20.2 upgrade that was reportedly completed by March 12 to enhance security and scalability.

US forces conducted a major bombing on Iran’s Kharg Island, a hub tied to about 90% of the country’s crude exports and roughly 2% of global oil supply. Bitcoin briefly faced resistance near $74,000 but is trading around $70,000‑$71,000, with potential volatility expected as traditional markets reopen.

Bitcoin climbed to $74,000 for the second time in ten days after US PCE data for January, but the move was swiftly rejected and the price dropped by more than $2,000 while Middle East tensions escalated. Over the week, BTC still gained about 6%, with Ethereum up nearly 10% and BlackRock’s new staked ETH ETF recording $15.5 million in first-day trading volume. Other notable developments included Ripple’s $750 million share buyback targeting a $50 billion valuation and a sharp rebound in the TRUMP memecoin price.

On March 13, 2026, analyst Ali Martinez argued that a multi‑year triangle pattern on XRP points to a potential $48 price target in the next bull run, implying a gain of roughly 3,300% from around $1.40. Such a move would lift XRP's market capitalization toward $3 trillion, exceeding bitcoin's prior peak and rivaling major global corporations, while other analysts focus on nearer resistance at $1.43–$1.50 and rising long positions on Binance. Bollinger Bands are tightening after a period of sideways trading, hinting at a major move ahead without indicating the direction.

Bitcoin once again slipped under the $70,000 threshold after briefly spiking above $71,000 during a volatile session tied to developments in the Middle East. Pi Network's PI token climbed nearly 5% after Kraken said it would enable trading from March 13, while HYPE, TAO, and SKY led gains among major altcoins and ETH stayed above $2,000.