Trump Threatens 25% Tariffs on the EU, the EU Promises Retaliation
Donald Trump announced that he would impose 25% tariffs on the European Union and claimed that the bloc was “established to deceive the US.” The EU announced that it would respond to these tariffs “hard and fast.”
While Trump stated that he would impose similar taxes on Canada and Mexico, economists warn that these steps could harm the US economy. The European Commission emphasized that they would “protect European businesses by opposing unfair trade barriers.”
A New Era Begins for Crypto as SEC Closes Gemini Investigation
The SEC announced that it would end its investigation into the Gemini platform and that no sanctions would be imposed. Cameron Winklevoss stated that the decision came after a long legal process.
In recent days, the SEC; Coinbase also dropped lawsuits against companies like OpenSea, Robinhood, and UniSwap. The shift suggests a softening of regulatory stance under the Trump administration. Gemini is considering an IPO this year, while the resignation of former SEC Chairman Gensler marks a new era for the crypto industry.
Gold-Backed Cryptos Shine, ETF Inflows Reach Peak
Gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) increased by 52.4 tons (about $4.9 billion), recording their biggest weekly inflow since March 2022. The price of gold rose 11 percent in 2025 and 43 percent in the past year, reaching $2,910. This rise is said to be due to concerns about geopolitical uncertainties and possible customs duties.
Among the biggest beneficiaries of this rise are gold-backed crypto assets such as XAUT, which tracks the price of gold one-to-one. The crypto market is up 26% YoY, while demand for gold-backed tokens has also increased. According to RWA.xyz data, $25 million worth of commodity-backed tokens were minted in February. This figure is the highest since December 2022.
Bank of America CEO Winks at the Stablecoin Market
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan predicts that USD-backed stablecoins will be legalized in the US. He stated that if the legal framework is established, the bank will enter this sector and potentially offer a digital asset such as the “Bank of America coin”. He emphasized that stablecoins are similar to the banking system.
While stablecoin regulations are gaining momentum in the US, major players in the market, Circle and Tether, are competing. Ripple also launched its RLUSD stablecoin in December, receiving approval from New York. The stablecoin market currently stands at over $230 billion, and if major banks enter the space, the sector is expected to expand rapidly.
Nvidia Exceeds Expectations, Bitcoin Falls
Nvidia beat expectations with $39.33 billion in revenue and $0.89 earnings per share in the fourth quarter. The company’s $43 billion first-quarter revenue forecast also exceeded market expectations. However, investors may be a little disappointed with the 71% gross profit margin. In the crypto market, Bitcoin fell by more than 5% to $82,256, while artificial intelligence-related tokens continue to rise.
Bitwise Takes First Step for Aptos ETF
Bitwise Asset Management has filed for a trust in Delaware to create the Aptos ETF. The move is seen as the company prepares for an SEC filing.
Bitwise has become the first asset manager to offer an investment product that directly holds APT tokens. The move comes amid growing interest in crypto ETFs outside of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Aptos is currently the 36th largest crypto asset by market cap.
Ark Invest Exits Bitcoin ETF While Buying Coinbase Shares
Ark Invest invested about $8.7 million by buying 41,032 Coinbase shares. This was the company’s first purchase of Coinbase stock since October. At the same time, Ark rebalanced its portfolio by selling $8.6 million worth of spot Bitcoin ETFs. While both Coinbase and Bitcoin have been losing value in recent weeks, Ark’s strategic move has drawn attention.
Coinbase shares have fallen significantly since peaking at $343.62 in December. Bitcoin, similarly, has lost 19% after reaching above $109,000 in January. Ark’s investment strategy requires that no asset take up more than 10% of the portfolio, so it adjusts its allocation based on price fluctuations.
XRP Ledger Plans Major Updates for Institutional DeFi
XRP Ledger (XRPL) has announced a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen its DeFi solutions targeting institutional finance. The new updates include; identity verification systems, tokenization tools, and lending mechanisms, will enable financial institutions to tokenize real-world assets (RWA), expand the use of stablecoins, and participate in decentralized liquidity markets.
Planned innovations include permissioned DEXs that only verified users can participate in, a flexible Multi-Purpose Token (MPT) standard for traditional financial instruments, private lending protocols for on-chain lending markets, and the mainnet launch of XRPL’s Ethereum-compatible EVM sidechain in Q2 2025. These developments aim to give XRP Ledger a stronger position in institutional DeFi.
Grayscale Staking Moves for Ethereum ETF
The SEC is evaluating Grayscale’s updated staking proposal for an Ethereum ETF. The new regulation aims to allow funds to earn rewards through Ethereum staking while maintaining existing custody protections. Grayscale said it will run its staking services through trusted providers and will not pool assets with other institutions.
Grayscale’s move aims to offer ETF investors the same return opportunities that emerged with Ethereum’s transition to a proof-of-stake model. If the SEC approves, Grayscale Ethereum ETFs will reflect staking rewards as income and will be able to track fund returns more accurately. The SEC must make a decision within 45 days to evaluate the proposal.
Oklahoma Bitcoin Reserve Bill Passes Committee, Other States Reject
The bill that includes Bitcoin reserves in Oklahoma was moved to the House by the Government Oversight Committee on February 25, passing 12-2. The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, known as HB 1203, allows the state treasury to invest in digital assets with a market value exceeding $500 billion. Currently, only Bitcoin meets this criterion. Representative Cody Maynard, who introduced the bill, argues that Bitcoin offers a safe haven against bureaucratic monetary policies due to its decentralized nature. If passed, a portion of the state’s retirement and savings funds could be invested in Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation.
However, similar attempts have failed in other states. Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wyoming have either rejected or halted Bitcoin reserve laws.
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BITCOIN (BTC)
BTC is priced at $85,420 as of the morning hours, up 1.39%. With the recent sharp decline, the support at 91,370 was broken and the downward movement continued. Currently, the price has touched the support area between 84,000 – 86,000 and is trying to get a reaction from there. If this area is maintained, an upward recovery and an increase towards the levels of 91,370 and 96,060 can be seen. However, if this support zone is broken, the downward movement may deepen and continue to the levels of 82,000 and even 80,000.
ETHEREUM (ETH)
ETH is priced at $ 2320 as of the morning hours with a 0.58% loss in value. Especially with the loss of the 2,797 level, the selling pressure has increased and the price is looking for support between the 2,461 and 2,338 levels. The 2,338 support is currently being tested and it will be critical whether it gets a reaction from here. If an upward movement starts from this level, the 2,461 and 2,562 levels can be followed as the first resistance points. However, if the price breaks this support and continues its downward movement, a drop to the 2.168 level may be experienced.
RIPPLE (XRP)
XRP is priced at $ 2.1980 as of the morning hours with a 0.84% loss in value. After the support at 2.7220 was broken recently, the downward momentum gained momentum and the price has fallen to the blue support zone where it previously received a buying reaction. It will be critical for now whether the price can react from here. If an upward movement starts from here, the resistance zone at 2.4000 – 2.5000 levels can be followed as the first target. If this level is exceeded, the 2.7220 level may be retested and the price may rise to 2.8716. However, if the current support is broken, the decline may deepen and the price may retreat to 1.90 levels below.
AVALANCHE (AVAX)
AVAX is trading at $22.37 with a 2.24% gain as of the morning hours. With the loss of the 28.77 level, the selling pressure increased and the price fell to the support area at 21.88. There is currently a horizontal movement in this support area and it is of critical importance whether the price will react from here. If a recovery starts from the current levels, the 28.77 area can be followed as the first resistance level. In a stronger bullish scenario, a move towards the 32.95 and 35.63 levels may be possible. However, if the price drops below 21.88, the decline may deepen and a pullback may occur below 20.00.
SOLANA (SOL)
SOL is priced at $138 levels with a 2.19% gain as of the morning hours. It is seen that the selling pressure has increased especially with the loss of the 176.27 level and the price has reached the support area around 138.00, where it had previously received a reaction. Whether this area can be protected is of critical importance. If a recovery starts from here, the first target can be followed as 176.27. In a stronger bullish scenario, the price may rise to 201.83 and then 229.30. However, if the current support zone is broken, the decline may deepen and the price may pull back to 120.00.
