Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin Price Surge Tests US$75,000 Resistance

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$71,213.59, up by 1.1 percent over the last 24 hours.

Bitcoin climbed past US$72,000 at one point on Friday (March 13), extending a rebound that has unfolded despite persistent geopolitical anxiety tied to the Middle East conflict. The digital asset briefly reached US$72,482 before settling slightly lower around US$72,200 during early US trading. The rally followed a sharp selloff earlier in the month, when the outbreak of fighting involving Iran triggered a wave of risk-asset liquidation.

The conflict continues to weigh on global markets as Iran signals it may keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, threatening disruptions to global oil shipments. Higher energy prices could amplify inflation pressures and delay interest-rate cuts, creating a difficult macro backdrop for speculative assets.

Even so, Bitcoin has drawn fresh institutional interest, with US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) heading toward a third consecutive week of net inflows.

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,103.74, up by 1.6 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

• XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.40, up by 1.6 percent over 24 hours.

• Solana (SOL) was trading at US$88.93, up by 2.4 percent over 24 hours.

Today's crypto news to know

BlackRock launches staked Ether ETF

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) officially launched the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ:ETHB), its first ETF to integrate native staking rewards, on the Nasdaq on Thursday (March 12). The fund launched with US$107 million in seed assets and recorded US$15.5 million in trading volume for its debut.

The ETF mandates that 70 percent to 95 percent of its Ether holdings are staked. It distributes 82 percent of gross staking rewards as monthly cash rewards, yielding an expected net annualized return of around 1.75 to 1.95 percent after the sponsor fee. BlackRock is waiving fees for the first US$2.5 billion in assets to capture early market share.

HIVE, AMC Robotics announce strategic AI/compute collaboration

HIVE Digital Technologies (TSXV:HIVE,NASDAQ:HIVE) and artificial intelligence (AI) robotics solutions provider AMC Robotics (NASDAQ:AMCI) announced a strategic collaboration that will allow AMC to leverage HIVE’s GPU AI compute infrastructure and services for development, testing and deployment requirements, specifically for the real-time video processing and navigation capabilities within its AI-driven robotics applications.

The two companies are also exploring broader areas of cooperation, including AI optimization, data processing and infrastructure scalability. In a press release, HIVE said the collaboration is expected to accelerate innovation at the intersection of AI, robotics and intelligent infrastructure.

Trump-linked crypto tokens offer investors access to Mar-a-Lago event

Investors holding the $TRUMP cryptocurrency are competing for invitations to an exclusive event at Mar-a-Lago scheduled for April 25, where US President Donald Trump is billed as the keynote speaker.

The gathering will invite the top 297 token holders to a private luncheon at the Florida resort. A smaller group of the top 29 investors will qualify for an additional VIP reception tied to the event.

The promotion effectively turns token ownership into a leaderboard competition, encouraging investors to accumulate more coins to maintain their rank among the largest holders.

However, the arrangement includes a notable caveat: the event coincides with the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, creating uncertainty about whether Trump will attend in person.

Trump family crypto venture creates US$5 million “Super Node” tier

World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture co-founded by Trump and members of his family, is offering high-net-worth investors privileged access to its internal team through a new token-locking program.

Investors who commit roughly US$5 million worth of WLFI tokens for six months can qualify for “Super Node” status, which includes preferential access to the firm’s business development executives for partnership discussions.

The program was approved by token holders in a governance vote that the company said passed with overwhelming support. Participants must stake roughly 50 million WLFI tokens and keep them locked for 180 days to qualify. Those who take part in governance votes can also earn a 2 percent yield paid in WLFI tokens.

CFTC launches review of prediction markets

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) launched a review and has issued guidance for exchanges listing “event contracts,” aiming to bring prediction markets into the regulated derivatives ecosystem.

While the legal battle over whether prediction markets are financial derivatives governed by federal law or gambling products governed by state laws is ongoing, federal oversight offers a legitimate path to operate in the US.

It provides regulatory certainty by introducing safeguards such as market surveillance and anti-manipulation controls, making it more like traditional financial exchanges.

The formal rule-making process is expected to take months or longer, starting with a public consultation.