KRAK Acquisition Corp., a SPAC associated with crypto exchange Kraken, raised about $345 million in an IPO in January and is now evaluating crypto-native acquisition targets valued between $2 billion and $10 billion. The firm is focused on stablecoins, DeFi, tokenization, and digital payment infrastructure, aiming to help mid-sized and emerging companies access public markets while deepening Kraken's strategic ties across the digital asset ecosystem.

On Thursday, BlackRock launched the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust (ETHB), adding a staking-focused Ether ETF to its existing spot Bitcoin and Ether products that began trading in 2024. Robert Mitchnick said BlackRock will avoid more complex or exotic crypto ETF designs, even as ETHB recorded over $15.5 million in first-day trading volume and $43.5 million in inflows. He added that BlackRock is also developing a Bitcoin Premium Income ETF while investor demand remains concentrated in Bitcoin and Ether.

Democratic Senators Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren, and Ruben Gallego said they will oversee a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into whether Binance violated sanctions laws by facilitating transactions tied to Iran and terrorism-linked entities. The lawmakers, who sit on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, argued that the reported activity suggests Binance may have enabled restricted financial flows and vowed to ensure the exchange is held responsible if any violations are confirmed.

Shiba Inu has climbed back above its 26-day exponential moving average and is approaching the 50 EMA after trading as low as $0.0000055. Ethereum is holding near $2,200 after breaking its 50-day EMA, with chart targets near $2,500 if momentum continues. XRP has moved from the low $1.30 range to around $1.44–$1.47 and is testing resistance at $1.50 on its path toward a potential attempt at $2.

Alibaba’s AI systems, when prompted with tailored inputs, generate notably bullish price projections for XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum into the closing months of 2026. The models see XRP potentially climbing from about $1.45 toward $8, Bitcoin advancing from roughly $73,500 toward $250,000 by 2027, and Ethereum aiming for a new high near $5,041 if key resistance levels are cleared. These forecasts assume supportive macro conditions, expanding institutional use and the successful passage of measures such as the CLARITY Act, while also highlighting the speculative nature and significant risks of crypto investing.

Bitcoin and crypto exchanges that once defined the industry by disrupting traditional finance now face rising competition as major banks expand digital asset services. Large institutions such as Morgan Stanley are moving into trading, custody, and staking while using third-party infrastructure providers to launch quickly. With banks’ broader distribution, capital efficiency, and diversified revenue models, trading activity and fee structures at established crypto exchanges could come under sustained pressure.

On March 13, Bitcoin again met heavy selling pressure near $74,000–$74,500, keeping it locked in a wide trading band while traders watch key on‑chain levels. Several large-cap altcoins such as ETH, BNB, XRP, SOL, DOGE, HYPE, ADA, BCH and XMR are testing or approaching major moving averages and resistance zones that could signal either trend reversals or extensions of their consolidations.

On March 13, the total cryptocurrency market capitalization rose from $2.469 trillion to $2.572 trillion, adding $103 billion within a day. Bitcoin briefly revisited last week's high of $74,215 while Ethereum climbed above $2,200 before both eased slightly. The move was driven by a 5.45% rise in derivatives open interest to $108.62 billion and over $389.4 million in liquidations, mostly from short positions.