Last Week in Summary

Bybit CEO Ben Zhou met with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to discuss the development of Georgia's digital asset ecosystem and cryptocurrency industry integration. The meeting highlighted Bybit's significant expansion in Georgia, including obtaining regulatory licenses, launching local platforms, and becoming the largest crypto card issuer in the country. The discussion emphasized regulatory cooperation and opportunities for Georgia's economic growth through fintech innovation and industry-government collaboration.

Gemba, a UK-based FinTech firm specializing in white-label banking infrastructure, has been recognized in the 2026 Sifted 100 leaderboard for fastest-growing startups in the UK and Ireland. The company enables technology firms and non-financial businesses to deploy branded payment accounts and cross-border financial services in under seven minutes, representing a significant acceleration from traditional 12-18 month integration timelines.

Devexperts has announced major updates to its DXtrade multi-asset trading platform, including a redesigned sidebar order entry system, a new fixed home workspace, and REST API management capabilities. These enhancements consolidate trading workflows into a more efficient and user-friendly interface while supporting various asset classes including stocks, options, futures, forex, and digital assets.

GlobalBlock, part of GCEX Group, has launched a digital assets offering for UK clients with financial promotions approved by FCA-authorised firm Archax Limited. The platform provides OTC execution, portfolio solutions, and cryptoasset settlement tools backed by GCEX Group's liquidity infrastructure and targets high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and corporates seeking professional digital asset access.

PayPal has expanded its PYUSD stablecoin to 70 markets globally, enabling users to buy, hold, send, and receive the dollar-backed digital currency directly from their PayPal accounts. The expansion allows for faster cross-border transactions with lower costs and quicker settlement times, with businesses able to access proceeds in minutes rather than days or weeks.

B2BROKER has integrated FXCubic's liquidity and risk management technology into its B2TRADER platform to enhance institutional FX trading capabilities for brokers. The expanded partnership combines scalable infrastructure with advanced multi-asset trading capabilities including cryptocurrencies, CFDs, and perpetual futures in a unified, mobile-first environment.

Thunes has extended its Pay-to-Stablecoin-Wallets solution to 11,500 Swift-connected financial institutions, enabling banks to send real-time payments directly to stablecoin wallets supporting USDC and USDT across 140+ countries. The move positions Thunes as a bridge between traditional banking and digital assets, allowing instant access to dollar-denominated stablecoins for salary disbursements, remittances, and business transfers.

TradeStation Securities has integrated with Level2, a no-code visual strategy automation platform by Bytemine Technologies, enabling traders to create and deploy automated trading strategies without writing code. The integration allows traders to use Level2's drag-and-drop interface to build rule-based strategies, run backtests, and execute trades directly through their TradeStation Securities accounts.

Markets are entering Phase 2 of repricing as oil surge-driven inflation concerns reshape monetary policy expectations, with central banks becoming more cautious about rate cuts. The Reserve Bank of Australia's stance signals that inflation risks remain present, while Phase 3 consequences of margin compression and credit stress are not yet fully priced into markets.

Mastercard has agreed to acquire stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, including contingent payments, marking a major strategic move by a traditional financial incumbent to embed digital asset capabilities into its global network. The acquisition combines Mastercard's extensive reach across 200+ countries and established financial relationships with BVNK's technical expertise, regulatory licensing, and proven stablecoin infrastructure that currently processes approximately $30 billion annually. This deal signals the financial industry's growing commitment to supporting digital currency services and tokenized money solutions at scale.

Spotware has launched cBridge, a platform-agnostic liquidity bridge solution that reduces bridge costs by up to 80% by replacing volume-based billing with transparent infrastructure-based pricing. The standalone solution supports cTrader, MT4, MT5, and FIX API environments, designed with operations teams in mind to streamline liquidity management and configuration workflows.

McKay Brothers and Quincy Data have launched a new ultra-low latency financial connectivity service between US and Australian derivatives markets, delivering sub-168 millisecond round-trip delays. The service connects major exchanges including CME, ICE Futures, ASX, and Cboe Australia, supporting price discovery across multiple asset classes and time zones. Both firms operate under a Level Playing Field policy ensuring equal access to infrastructure for all clients regardless of size.

Sage Capital Management has opened a new office in Zug, Switzerland and obtained an SRO/VQF licence from FINMA, positioning itself as a regulated financial intermediary for digital asset trading and lending to institutional clients. The expansion reinforces the firm's multi-jurisdictional regulatory framework and commitment to governance and transparency, with the appointment of Rupertus Rothenhaeuser to oversee the Swiss operations.

Cboe Global Markets has submitted an SEC proposal to launch near 24x5 U.S. equities trading on its EDGX exchange with a target launch date of December 2026. The proposal would make all NMS stocks available for trading from Sunday 9 p.m. ET through Friday 8 p.m. ET with operational pauses and all trades cleared through DTCC. Cboe leverages its existing expertise in around-the-clock derivatives and FX trading to support this expansion amid growing global demand for extended U.S. equities trading hours.

The article argues that UKBRENT crude oil is experiencing a classic blow-off top near the $100 psychological level, driven by FOMO-driven retail buying despite fundamental overextension. The author contends that smart money is distributing long positions at this level, setting up a violent mean-reversion crash contrary to bullish narratives fueled by Iran tensions and high fuel oil premiums.

Ironlight Group has secured $21 million in Series A funding to expand its infrastructure for tokenized securities trading and settlement. The round includes backing from prominent Wall Street figures like Greg Braca and institutional investors, with funds directed toward scaling its Alternative Trading System and technology platforms that integrate issuance, distribution, and trading functions while complying with SEC and FINRA regulations.

Hong Kong-based Velotrade has launched a crypto-focused proprietary trading platform enabling traders to operate funded accounts ranging from $5,000 to $200,000 without risking personal capital. Founded by former institutional traders from JP Morgan and other major banks, Velotrade differentiates itself through a performance-based revenue model tied to trader success rather than challenge fees, utilizing institutional liquidity bridges and AI-driven hedging.

Blue Ocean Technologies has appointed Chinmay Patel as Chief Technology Officer and Marcus Chan as Sales Representative for Asia-Pacific, strengthening its technology leadership and regional expansion. The appointments support the company's growth in after-hours US equities trading and tokenization strategies across Hong Kong and mainland China.

RoboForex has launched swap-free trading across all its markets, eliminating overnight holding charges without increasing spreads or commissions, following a successful pilot in Latin America. The feature is available to all clients on newly created accounts and aims to reduce cost uncertainty for traders holding positions over extended periods.

Bitcoin is trading at $73,786.72 on March 16, 2026, appearing to execute a V-shaped recovery despite extreme market fear. However, technical analysis reveals a formidable $74,000 supply wall and a "priced-in trap" that could halt the rally and catch retail traders off guard.

The euro is weakening against the British pound and US dollar as the dollar strengthens amid rising oil prices and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. EURUSD has broken below a rising channel and is approaching critical support levels at 1.12-1.13, while GBPUSD is stalling near 1.324 with bearish divergence signals. Traders should watch these technical support levels as they determine whether the currencies stabilize or continue declining.

Major central banks including the Federal Reserve, ECB, BoE, and BoC are expected to hold interest rates unchanged this week, but guidance on inflation risks and future rate cuts could trigger significant FX market volatility. Rising energy prices and geopolitical tensions are forcing policymakers to balance inflation concerns with economic growth, potentially signaling that rate cuts may be delayed longer than previously anticipated. Technical setups for GBP/USD and EUR/USD may react to any hawkish signals from central bank communications.

Mastercard has launched a Crypto Partner Program incorporating over 85 digital asset companies to standardize B2B infrastructure and improve blockchain integration with enterprise compliance and cross-border payments. The initiative positions stablecoins as foundational infrastructure for global money movement, with retailers and users expected to experience instant settlement and seamless blockchain-powered transactions within 12-24 months while maintaining a traditional finance front-end experience.

AUDUSD has failed to hold above the 0.7150 resistance level despite favorable fundamental catalysts, signaling institutional distribution and exhaustion in the rally. The article argues that while retail traders view the pullback as a buying opportunity, smart money is utilizing the liquidity to exit long positions, with bearish divergence suggesting further downside ahead.

Phemex's TradFi platform achieved over $10 billion in trading volume during its first month of operation, with gold instruments driving significant activity amid geopolitical tensions. The platform's 340% quarter-over-quarter user growth demonstrates strong demand for unified crypto and traditional asset trading with 24/7 availability and configurable leverage.

Citi has issued its first digitally native structured note on Euroclear's blockchain, marking a significant milestone in integrating complex financial products into traditional finance. This institutional adoption demonstrates that blockchain technology can handle sophisticated derivatives beyond simple assets like stablecoins and Treasury bills, with seamless user experiences for high-net-worth clients.

TabTrade, a new global forex and CFD broker registered in Saint Lucia, has launched with 0.0 pips average spreads on major currency pairs like EUR/USD and GBP/USD. The platform offers execution speeds below 30 milliseconds for Edge accounts and below 20 milliseconds for VIP accounts on MetaTrader 5, leveraging FIX API access and Equinix data center connectivity for reduced slippage.

Bitcoin experienced a sharp sell-off following geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Israel against Iran, dipping to $63,000 and triggering $200+ million in liquidations, but recovered dramatically to $74,000 as stability reports and strong U.S. manufacturing data emerged. On-chain data reveals a divergence in trader behavior, with large whales (10-10,000 BTC holders) selling 66% of recent gains at the $70,000 level while retail investors aggressively bought the dip, a pattern historically associated with consolidation or potential retail traps. The article highlights Bitcoin's continued sensitivity to macro factors despite its "uncorrelated asset" narrative, with nearly 43% of total supply currently underwater.

Corastone, a blockchain-based private market investing infrastructure platform, has secured investments from major financial institutions including Fidelity Investments, Hamilton Lane, and Future Standard. The platform aims to modernize private market workflows by replacing legacy file-based processes with a unified digital infrastructure that enables straight-through processing across general partners, wealth managers, and fund administrators.

PolyGun, a copy trading platform for prediction markets, has acquired Polymarket Analytics, a data intelligence platform that tracks over 2.3 million traders and monitors more than 183,000 active markets. The acquisition will integrate Polymarket Analytics' data pipeline into PolyGun's platform, providing users with enhanced access to trader performance data, market sentiment, and position history.

CME Group has set an all-time daily volume record of 8.3 million contracts traded on March 6, 2026, driven by heightened geopolitical uncertainty and increased demand for energy risk management tools. The record surpassed the previous high of 7.9 million contracts set just three days earlier, with multiple sub-categories also reaching single-day peaks including energy options and crude oil futures.

Broadridge Financial Solutions has integrated Crypto.com into its NYFIX order routing network, marking the first cryptocurrency integration for NYFIX in Asia. This integration enables cryptocurrency orders to flow through the same FIX-based infrastructure used by over 2,200 global buy- and sell-side participants, reducing fragmentation and operational friction between traditional and digital markets.

Cboe Global Markets announced a new three-outcome prediction market framework for S&P 500 contracts launching in Q2 2026, offering traders payouts of $0, partial returns within a defined zone, or full $100 payments. The patent-pending framework combines vertical spread mechanics with a user-friendly format designed for retail traders, rewarding directionally correct positions even when not perfectly predicted.

Oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel as Middle East tensions escalate, with major Gulf producers like Iraq and Kuwait cutting output and the Strait of Hormuz experiencing disrupted flows. Supply tightening could persist for extended periods despite speculative positioning remaining cautious, while governments have not yet intervened with strategic reserve releases. Refined product markets may also face pressure as refineries reduce operating rates in response to crude supply constraints.

Bybit appoints Derek Dai as Country Manager for MENA, signaling the cryptocurrency exchange's deepening commitment to the region despite geopolitical tensions. The strategic appointment aims to lead regional expansion, regulatory collaboration, and institutional partnerships, particularly leveraging Bybit's recently obtained UAE SCA licence. The move demonstrates Bybit's confidence in the Middle East as a key emerging hub for digital finance and tokenized assets.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil has surged to $116.57, driven by FOMO-fueled retail buying on Strait of Hormuz closure headlines, but ACY Securities analysts warn of a dangerous market trap forming around the $111 exhaustion candle. The vertical price ascent from $60 in February shows classic overbought conditions with RSI divergence on lower timeframes, suggesting institutional players are banking profits as retail chases a potential $130-$150 rally that may not materialize.

Blockchain.com has announced its expansion into Ghana as part of its broader Africa strategy, following significant success in Nigeria where it recorded over 700% growth in brokerage transaction volume since launching retail services. Ghana had already demonstrated strong demand with 140% growth in active users and 80% increase in transaction volumes prior to the official launch, reflecting strong interest in regulated access to digital assets across the region.

Falcon Investment Management won the Best European Multi-Strategy Fund award at the EuroHedge Awards with a 15.81% return and 4.40 Sharpe ratio. The fund, launched five years ago, operates across 20 teams managing various liquid strategies and has never recorded a down month since inception.

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), parent company of NYSE, is investing in OKX and joining its board, signaling institutional confidence in digital asset infrastructure. This partnership aims to bridge traditional finance and crypto through tokenized securities and real-world assets, combining ICE's regulatory expertise with OKX's 24/7 technological capabilities.

B2PRIME Group has successfully obtained two licenses from the Securities Commission of The Bahamas under the Digital Assets and Registered Exchanges Act and Securities Industry Act, enabling the firm to offer regulated digital asset services to institutional and professional clients. The licenses allow B2PRIME to provide clients with secure access to crypto market liquidity and competitive pricing within a trusted regulatory framework. This move positions B2PRIME to expand its regulated digital asset offerings as The Bahamas continues to establish itself as a jurisdiction for digital asset regulation.

EURUSD is trading near the critical 1.1600 support level amid a 'perfect storm' of fundamental divergence, with retail traders betting on technical support while smart money sees risks from Eurozone energy issues and a hawkish Federal Reserve. Upcoming NFP and ISM Services data pose threats to the support zone, with potential for a sharp liquidity flush if data surprises hawkish, particularly below the 1.1570 liquidity vacuum level.

The SEC has resolved its three-year fraud case against Tron founder Justin Sun, with all personal charges dismissed and no admission of wrongdoing required from Sun himself. Only his US-based BitTorrent subsidiary Rainberry Inc. faces a $10 million civil penalty, while the original allegations included $31 million in unregistered securities sales and over 600,000 wash trades. The settlement represents a significant reduction from the SEC's initial complaint, with no disgorgement of proceeds and no personal restrictions imposed on Sun.

Intercontinental Exchange, owner of the New York Stock Exchange, has acquired a stake in crypto exchange OKX at a $25bn valuation and will launch US-regulated futures contracts while taking a board seat. This investment reflects traditional financial institutions' accelerating push into digital assets and blockchain-based markets, despite OKX's previous regulatory penalties in the US.

DXcharts has released an update enabling support for custom JavaScript indicators, allowing firms to create unlimited custom indicators with any calculation logic and visualization options. The update also introduces UI customization features to hide menu items and settings, giving trading platforms greater product differentiation without extensive modifications.

Brokers often prioritize spreads and brand recognition when selecting liquidity providers, but overlook crucial infrastructure elements like aggregation logic, routing strategy, and execution speed that significantly impact profitability. The article argues that headline spreads mean little in isolation and that execution quality—measured by fill rates, slippage, and reject ratios—is where real value is created or destroyed.

WTI Crude oil has surged to $77.08 following a U.S. submarine's sinking of an Iranian frigate, with geopolitical tensions driving a significant war premium into prices. However, the article cautions that this spike may represent peak fear rather than sustainable upside, suggesting the parabolic rally could be a trap for retail investors buying into FOMO-driven sentiment.

Crossover Markets announced the completion of its $31 million Series B funding round, valuing the firm at $200 million and establishing itself as a leading institutional digital asset ECN. The round was led by Tradeweb Markets, with participation from industry leaders including DRW Venture Capital, Ripple, Virtu Financial, and others. Tradeweb plans to integrate Crossover's crypto liquidity through its global distribution channels, positioning the collaboration as a significant advancement for institutional cryptocurrency trading.

sFOX has appointed Javier Martinez as CEO to lead the company's strategic shift toward expanding its institutional digital asset infrastructure platform, sFOX Connect, which enables financial institutions to integrate stablecoins, trading, and settlement services. The leadership transition reflects sFOX's evolution from a trading-focused platform to a comprehensive infrastructure provider serving institutions transitioning from experimental phases to operationalizing digital assets at scale.

Webull Corporation reported record 2025 revenues of $571 million (46% YoY growth) and net deposits of $8.6 billion (91% increase) in its first full year as a public company. The platform achieved all-time highs in customer assets ($24.6 billion) and funded trading accounts (5.0 million), while introducing its proprietary AI tool Vega and expanding into cryptocurrency trading globally.

February 2026 marks a pivotal shift where crypto-native innovations reshape traditional finance through T+0 settlement, AI-driven liquidity tools, and autonomous agents managing capital allocation. Major financial institutions including Cboe, Nasdaq, and ICE are adapting to 24/7 trading, tokenization frameworks, and advanced data integration, while significant M&A activity demonstrates how legacy finance giants are acquiring regulated innovators to navigate rapid technological change.

Axi, a global online trading broker, has launched Buy Crypto, a new service enabling traders and investors to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies directly through its platform. The service aims to simplify digital asset access while maintaining professional standards of transparency and security, backed by Axi's 18+ years of industry experience and supported by integrated tools and educational resources.

MEXC has achieved the top global ranking for Tether Gold (XAUT) perpetual trading volume with $3.43 billion in cumulative volume, according to CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko data. The exchange is capitalizing on growing institutional and retail interest in tokenised commodity assets through its "Commodity Zero-Fee Gala" promotional event running February-March 2026 with up to $1 million in prizes.

The S&P 500 is trading within a tight range of $6,792 to $6,985 following a 2.76% decline, with technical indicators suggesting potential for further downside despite holding support. While the broader trend remains bullish with support at the 4H-EMA 200 band around $6,700, momentum indicators like RSI and MFI suggest caution as the market experiences macro-driven volatility driven by earnings, geopolitics, and sector rotation from tech to defense and energy stocks.

The article challenges the "Digital Gold" narrative around Bitcoin, demonstrating that it moves in tandem with traditional markets like the Nasdaq with an 81% correlation to the S&P 500 rather than serving as a hedge during geopolitical crises. Through technical analysis of Bitcoin's price action from recent highs of $98,000 to current levels around $67,780, the authors identify institutional distribution patterns and warning signs that suggest the current market is a dangerous trap for retail investors.

Bitcoin and crypto markets surged in early March 2026 following a period of consolidation, driven by geopolitical tensions spurring safe-haven demand and a dramatic reversal in institutional ETF inflows. The breakthrough signifies a maturation of the crypto market, with digital assets increasingly viewed as legitimate macro-driven financial instruments rather than speculative assets. Regulatory shifts and institutional capital returning to the space underscore a fundamental shift in how cryptocurrencies are being integrated into traditional financial portfolios.

Hyperliquid has achieved record open interest in perpetual contracts for real-world assets like oil and gold, enabling 24/7 trading access previously unavailable in traditional markets. The platform's integration of tokenized TradFi assets with DeFi infrastructure has driven significant trading volumes, with silver trading exceeding $227 million in a single day, while offering tighter spreads than centralized exchanges.

BitGo Europe GmbH has launched its Crypto-as-a-Service offering across all 30 countries in the European Economic Area, enabling regulated fintechs and banks to embed digital asset functionality into their platforms under MiCAR regulations. The service provides multi-asset wallet infrastructure with qualified custody, KYC onboarding, SEPA on/off-ramps, and insurance coverage up to $250M, allowing institutions to bring crypto products to market faster without building underlying infrastructure.

Danish fintech Aryze has partnered with compliance technology firm Muinmos to strengthen its know-your-customer and know-your-business capabilities as it scales its payment infrastructure internationally. The partnership will support Aryze's operational workflows across onboarding, reconciliation, reporting, and oversight, combining two Danish firms' shared vision of bringing rigorous compliance standards to blockchain and digital assets.

24X National Exchange has launched an aggressive retail trade pricing program featuring tiered-free rebates of $0.0038 per share for equities trading over $1.00, designed to attract liquidity providers and retail order flow. The exchange, which began operations in October 2024, plans to introduce 23/5 trading later this year and emphasizes transparent, simplified pricing structures that eliminate complexity for smaller participants.

Prediction markets are experiencing a resurgence with increased participation from major prop trading firms and institutional investors, who are leveraging these platforms for new revenue streams and advanced trading strategies. Large trading desks have acquired stakes in platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket while retail prop firms are gaining access to funded trading accounts for event contracts through companies like MyFundedFutures and technical solutions from Devexperts.

ATFX strengthens its global presence through strategic engagements in London, Miami, and Dubai, including sponsorships, conference participation, and networking initiatives. The company received industry recognition including Best Broker–MEA 2026 and Best B2B Liquidity Provider awards at iFX Expo Dubai, while executives participated in key discussions on liquidity, FX market dynamics, and geopolitical impacts on commodities.

J. Safra Sarasin Group has completed its acquisition of a 71% stake in Saxo Bank, a Danish fintech bank, following regulatory approval from Swiss and Danish authorities, bringing combined client assets to over USD 460 billion. Leadership changes include Kim Fournais transitioning to Chairman while Daniel Belfer assumes the CEO role at Saxo Bank, with additional management appointments to the Board of Management from both organizations.