The current Crypto Fear and Greed Index shows an “Extreme Fear” state, and investors’ sentiment is cautious. Despite a weak market, on-chain data indicates potential bottoming signs, with whales holding the upper hand and retail investors pulling back. Bitcoin may be facing a buying opportunity as the market gradually builds momentum, setting the stage for future gains.

Gate News update. On April 1, Bloomberg reported that the EU is pushing to consolidate regulatory authority over large crypto institutions into the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), and Malta has publicly opposed it. If the relevant proposal is advanced by the EU Council and Parliament this summer, Malta may need to hand over its direct regulatory authority over top crypto institutions to ESMA.

Between 2026-03-31 18:00 and 18:15 (UTC), the ETH price moved in a range within a 0.71% amplitude (2093.36 - 2108.15 USDT), with a return of +0.69%. During this period, market attention increased, short-term buyers held the upper hand, and heightened price volatility drew close scrutiny from investors. The primary drivers behind this move were the rapid inflow of funds into the derivatives market and an expansion in trading volume. In March 2026, ETH derivatives trading volume remained consistently higher than spot, and leveraged capital was active, lifting risk appetite. At the same time, on-chain data

Last week, institutional investors sold a net of $11 billion in U.S. stocks, the largest single-week sell-off in nearly five weeks. Hedge funds, on the other hand, bought a net of $1.8 billion, ending four weeks of selling. Overall, U.S. stocks experienced a net outflow of $9.3 billion, with a total outflow of $25.5 billion over 16 weeks, indicating that institutional investors are gradually shifting to a wait-and-see stance.

Zcash (ZEC) is currently priced at $220, facing a critical decision closely linked to Bitcoin. If Bitcoin remains strong, ZEC may rebound, and surpassing $242 could trigger a short squeeze; on the other hand, falling below $208 will intensify selling pressure. The overall trend is affected by Bitcoin, so investors should closely watch its movements.

Sam Bankman-Fried's parents accepted a CNN interview, arguing that his conviction was unjust and claiming that FTX customer funds have been fully repaid. The FTX Recovery Trust will conduct a fourth distribution of approximately $2.2 billion. Despite the repayments, FTX creditor representatives stated they have not received full compensation, Joseph Bankman's actions contradicted the regulatory framework, and the family hopes Trump will lend a hand.

Andrej Karpathy stated on the No Priors podcast that since December last year, his programming approach has undergone a transformation, shifting from writing code himself to relying on agents, and he refers to this state as "AI psychosis," believing that the potential of agents remains to be tapped.

On March 11, the total net inflow of Bitcoin spot ETFs reached $115 million, continuing for 3 days of net inflow. BlackRock ETF IBIT had the highest single-day net inflow at $115 million; Fidelity ETF FBTC had a net inflow of $15.3685 million. Grayscale ETF GBTC, on the other hand, experienced a net outflow of $15.9676 million. The current total net asset value of Bitcoin spot ETFs is $90.886 billion, with a total net inflow of $55.902 billion.

On March 12, Gate News reported that the US SOL spot ETF had a net inflow of $1,663,100 on March 11, with the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF net inflow of $3,151,700, bringing the total net inflow in history to $771 million. Grayscale Solana Trust, on the other hand, experienced a net outflow of $1,488,600. The total assets under management (AUM) amount to $830 million.

The Omsk City Court in Russia sentenced three young men to five years in prison for holding a knife and robbing cryptocurrency holders. They used violence and threats to force victims to hand over assets, but ultimately gained no profit and fled after neighbors noticed. This case reflects an increase in violent crimes targeting crypto assets worldwide, and Russia is strengthening its crackdown on such crimes.