Tag: CRYPTOS FoxBusiness.

COZ has distributed 936 $NEO across four ecosystem projects in its Proof of Working 2.2 report, published on March 17. The round marks the largest single distribution in the relaunched series, up from 440 $NEO in round 2.0 and 446 $NEO in round 2.1. The weekly program rewards independent contributors for publicly delivered work in the Neo ecosystem. COZ staff members are not eligible for awards.

Four primary projects emerged as beneficiaries of the third round of the Proof of Working program.

Funded projects

HushNetwork (aboimpinto), a returning recipient from round 2.1, is building a decentralized social network focused on privacy and data ownership. According to the report, the project stabilized its alpha chat messaging flow, advanced posting functionality, and completed end-to-end workflow and UI polishing for its NEP-17 token forge tool (a feature aimed at enabling one-click token creation for communities and crowdfunding).

Neo Analytics (ethArek) is a public dashboard that translates Neo N3 on-chain activity into a daily-updated view using transparent, deterministic classification rules. This round’s work included the addition of dark mode, migration from raw RPC calls to the Dora SDK, USD swap backfill, and oracle transaction detection.

Typescript NeoFS SDK (Merl / AxLabs) implemented gRPC-js support and developed a protoc generator plugin in the core package. NeoFS is Neo’s distributed, decentralized object storage network, and the SDK provides TypeScript tooling for developers working with the service.

Neo N3 AI Assistant (Fireche) is an AI-powered tool designed to enable secure wallet management and smart operations through natural language conversation.

On-chain verification

COZ published a transaction hash for the distribution, verifiable on the Dora mainnet explorer. The report does not break down how the 936 $NEO total was allocated among the four recipients.

The full report can be found at the link below:
https://coz.io/blog/proof-of-working-2-2/

NYSE Arca and NYSE American have scrapped the 25,000-contract position and exercise limits on options tied to spot Bitcoin ($BTC) and Ether (ETH) ETFs. This makes them the last major US options exchanges to complete the transition.

The SEC waived its standard 30-day review period on both filings, allowing the changes to take effect immediately.

What Changed and Why It Matters for Crypto ETF Options

The rule changes cover options on 11 crypto ETF products, including BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC), ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB), and Grayscale’s Bitcoin and Ethereum trusts.

The filings also remove restrictions that prevented these products from trading as FLEX options, which allow customizable strike prices and expiration dates for institutional use.

Position limits will now follow each exchange’s standard framework, based on trading volume and shares outstanding. Options on large, liquid ETFs can qualify for limits of 250,000 contracts or more under those rules.

The 25,000-contract cap was introduced as a precaution when crypto ETF options first launched in November 2024. Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas noted at the time that IBIT generated nearly $1.9 billion in notional exposure on its first day of options trading despite the constraint.

How Every US Exchange Aligned on Crypto ETF Options

Nasdaq ISE and Nasdaq PHLX filed to lift their caps in January 2026. MIAX followed the same month. MEMX filed in February. Cboe filed in March. With NYSE Arca and NYSE American now in, the transition is complete.

The SEC noted the proposals raise no novel regulatory concerns, pointing to identical changes already operative at rival exchanges. Comment periods remain open until April 13, but the rules are effective now.

Separately, Nasdaq ISE has a pending proposal to raise IBIT-specific position limits to 1 million contracts, which the SEC is still reviewing. If approved, that would bring IBIT closer to parity with the largest equity ETFs in the country.

What This Unlocks for Institutional Crypto Derivatives

Removing position caps enables more efficient hedging strategies, basis trades, and overlay programs for institutional desks. Access to FLEX options allows institutions to negotiate bespoke contract terms for structured products, a feature that was already standard for comparable commodity ETFs like the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) and iShares Silver Trust (SLV).

The practical effect is that crypto ETF derivatives now operate under the same infrastructure framework that has supported gold and silver options for over a decade.

For institutional participants who previously faced constraints not imposed on any other commodity class, the playing field is now level.

The shift arrives during a period of heightened macro volatility driven by the US-Iran war, surging oil prices, and fading Fed rate cut expectations.

With $BTC ETFs holding nearly $91 billion in net assets and institutional flows increasingly driving crypto price discovery, removing artificial options caps gives large allocators the tools to manage risk at the same scale they already use for precious metals and equity indices.

Whether this translates into higher options volume and deeper liquidity for crypto ETFs will become visible in Q2 2026 trading data. The infrastructure is now in place. The capital allocation question follows.

Axel Adler, an analyst at the cryptocurrency analysis platform CryptoQuant, stated that although there are signs of recovery in the Coinbase Premium Index, a key indicator of investor demand in the US, a strong bullish momentum in the market has not yet been confirmed.

According to Adler’s analysis shared on the X platform, the Coinbase Premium Index recovered from its previous negative territory to neutral-weak levels during February-March 2026. This negative territory previously indicated a significant weakening in US investor demand. However, the index has not yet permanently moved into positive territory. Currently at -0.0195%, the indicator has remained negative for three consecutive days. This suggests that widespread buying appetite originating from the US has not yet materialized, and market sentiment remains cautious.

On the other hand, Adler also pointed to a notable development in the stablecoin market. He stated that the total market capitalization of USDT and USDC had rebounded from -$8.1 billion to +$4.5 billion, signaling renewed growth and indicating that liquidity was beginning to return to the market. However, he added that inflows to exchanges were still below normal levels, approximately 0.68 times.

*This is not investment advice.

HSBC reiterated its expectation that the Fed will keep interest rates stable for the next two years.

The bank announced that the Fed kept its policy interest rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75% at its March meeting and indicated a “wait-and-see” approach in its decision statement.

According to HSBC, persistent inflationary pressures and rising geopolitical risks continue to create uncertainty in the Fed’s monetary policy outlook. The sharp rise in energy prices, in particular, is cited as increasing inflation risks, while risks to the labor market have somewhat decreased.

The bank maintains its view that, under current conditions, the Fed will not change interest rates in 2026 and 2027. HSBC also noted that volatility in energy prices and geopolitical developments could support safe-haven demand, contributing to a strong US dollar.

On the other hand, according to CME’s FedWatch data, markets are largely pricing in a scenario where interest rates remain unchanged. Accordingly, the probability of the Fed raising interest rates by 25 basis points in April is calculated at 6.2%, while the probability of interest rates remaining at their current level is at 93.8%.

*This is not investment advice.

New data indicating a significant decline in interest in altcoins within the cryptocurrency market points to a notable shift in investor behavior.

An analysis published by CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost stated that altcoin trading volumes have entered a sharp downward trend, reflecting a significant decrease in investor interest.

According to the analysis, risk appetite has significantly narrowed due to current macroeconomic uncertainties and geopolitical risks, while altcoins continue to underperform against Bitcoin. This indicates that the market is shifting towards assets considered safer havens.

According to current data, the daily trading volume of altcoins on Binance is approximately $7.7 billion, while the total volume on other major exchanges is around $18.8 billion. These figures are significantly below the peak levels seen in October and February of 2025. During those periods, trading volume on Binance reached $40-50 billion, while on other platforms it rose to the $63-91 billion range. Furthermore, Binance’s share of the altcoin market is estimated to be around 40%.

The analysis noted that historically, peak trading volumes have generally coincided with market cycle peaks and FOMO (fear of missing out) periods. Conversely, it was argued that the current low-volume and stagnant market conditions indicate periods of weakest investor interest, and that such periods could be times when potential opportunities arise.

*This is not investment advice.

InterLink has crossed 7 million verified human users. The network added its most recent million users in just over a month, accelerating from the 6 million milestone rather than slowing down after it.

The announcement confirms that growth isn’t tapering and that the network is now preparing the next phase of activity, including new events, recognition mechanisms for verified users, and additional pathways for participation and value creation within the ecosystem.

What Seven Million Verified Users Actually Means

The number that matters here isn’t just the big total. It’s the verification layer underneath it. InterLink’s user count represents verified human identities, not wallets, not accounts that could be bots, not addresses spun up to farm rewards.

Seven million real individuals who have gone through an identity verification process and are actively participating in the network.

That distinction is genuinely hard to achieve at scale. Most crypto projects report wallet addresses or app downloads. InterLink is reporting verified humans, which is a different and significantly harder metric to inflate. Adding a million verified users in just over a month means the verification process isn’t scaring people off.

Most identity checks add enough friction to kill momentum. InterLink’s onboarding is apparently not doing that.

What’s Driving the Adoption

Growing from some baseline to 6 million takes time. Adding the next million in just over a month is a different kind of momentum. Networks tend to slow as they scale because the easiest users to reach get reached first, and subsequent growth requires more effort per user. InterLink’s trajectory is running the other way, with the most recent million arriving faster than earlier cohorts.

That kind of acceleration in a verified identity network has compounding implications. Each new verified user makes the network more valuable to the users already in it. Trust-based networks, where participants know they are interacting with real people rather than bots or anonymous wallets, become more useful as the participant pool grows.

Seven million verified humans is large enough to support meaningful economic activity, collaborative events, and social coordination that wouldn’t work at smaller scales.

What Comes Next for the InterLink Network

InterLink is using the 7 million milestone as a launchpad rather than a finish line. The announcement outlines three specific directions for the next phase.

A new wave of events will roll out for the user base. Special mechanisms are being prepared to recognize and enhance the value of verified users specifically. And new pathways will be introduced for users to participate, contribute, and unlock value within the ecosystem.

The language around these announcements is deliberately broad, but the direction is clear. The network is moving from a growth phase focused on user acquisition into an activation phase focused on what verified users can actually do and earn within the system. Identity verification was the foundation. The question now is what gets built on top of it.

The framing of verified identity as a prerequisite for real trust and real value is central to InterLink’s thesis. A network full of real people operates differently from one full of anonymous wallets and bots. Rewards actually mean something when they land with a human on the other side.

Contributions carry more weight when the contributor is a verified identity. Events and coordination mechanisms work differently when participants can trust who they are interacting with.

Why Verified Identity Networks Are Worth Watching

The broader context for InterLink’s growth is a crypto ecosystem that has struggled persistently with Sybil attacks, bot farming, and anonymous wallet proliferation that distorts participation metrics and reward distribution. Projects that solve identity verification at scale are addressing a foundational problem that affects almost every other layer of Web3 participation.

Reaching 7 million verified users with such huge adoption still building puts InterLink in a small group of projects that have actually demonstrated this at a meaningful scale. The next phase, activating those identities through events, recognition mechanisms, and new participation pathways, will determine whether the network converts its user base into durable economic activity.

Conclusion

Seven million verified humans in a single network is a number that doesn’t have many comparables in crypto. The acceleration from 6 million to 7 million in a month matters more than the total itself. InterLink is now moving from building its user base to activating it, and the mechanisms being prepared for verified users will determine whether this milestone becomes a foundation or just a headline.

The $ETH/$BTC pair is sitting at 0.03050 as of March 21, 2026, and analyst Daan Crypto Trades says that level needs to hold. On the two-day chart, $ETH/$BTC has been in a prolonged downtrend since peaking above 0.04100 in mid-2025. It was lower through the second half of the last year and into early 2026 before finding what looks like a short-term floor in the 0.03000 to 0.03005 range. The current price is barely above that floor, and the market context around it is firmly risk-off.

What the Chart Shows

The two-day $ETH/$BTC chart on Binance tells a clear story about the past year. From a low near 0.01856 in early 2025, the pair ran hard into July, hitting above 0.04100 before the trend reversed completely.

The decline from that peak has been consistent and steep, with brief recoveries at 0.03259 and 0.03400 that both failed to hold. Each rally got sold, and each rejection pushed the pair lower until it found the current consolidation zone just above 0.03000.

The highlighted box on the chart marks the current tight range where the pair has been compressing, roughly between 0.03005 and 0.03100. That compression after a sustained downtrend can mean accumulation or it can mean a brief pause before another leg lower. The level at 0.03000 is the line that separates those two interpretations in practical terms.

The 0.032 Level and Why It Matters for Alts

Daan identifies 0.03259 as the key resistance level to watch. That zone previously acted as support during the downtrend before breaking down, which means reclaiming it would represent a meaningful shift in the structure of the pair rather than just a bounce within the existing range.

The alt market angle is the part that makes this relevant beyond just the $ETH/$BTC trade. When $ETH strengthens relative to $BTC, it typically signals that risk appetite is expanding across the broader crypto market.

Capital flows from $BTC into $ETH first, then into smaller altcoins. A sustained move above 0.032 on the pair’s chart would be a leading signal that alts are finding the conditions they need to rally. Without it, most altcoins remain stuck in the same risk-off environment that has characterized the market since the $BTC rejections from the $72,000 area.

What Needs to Happen in USD Terms First

The $ETH/$BTC analysis doesn’t exist in isolation. Daan’s view is that $BTC above $72,000 and $ETH above $2,200 in USD terms are prerequisites for the ratio to reclaim 0.032.

The logic is straightforward: the pair needs low-timeframe momentum in dollar terms before the relative strength trade can develop. A rising $ETH/$BTC driven by $ETH strength in USD is a different and more durable signal than one driven by $BTC weakness.

$BTC has rejected from the $72,000 area multiple times recently, which is the source of the current risk-off sentiment. Each rejection has reinforced the ceiling and kept the broader market cautious. Until $BTC breaks convincingly above that level and holds, the conditions for a sustained $ETH/$BTC recovery aren’t fully in place. The chart shows what’s possible structurally. The USD price action in $BTC is what unlocks it.

The Risk-Off Reality Right Now

The current setup is neutral to cautious. $ETH/$BTC holding 0.03 is a prerequisite, not a signal. The floor is important to maintain but maintaining it doesn’t itself trigger anything. What the analysis describes is a market waiting for a catalyst that hasn’t arrived yet, with a clear set of conditions that would change the picture: $BTC above $72K, $ETH above $2.2K, and $ETH/$BTC reclaiming 0.032 on a sustained basis.

Until that sequence plays out, the $ETH/$BTC pair stays in compression and the broader alt market stays under pressure.

Conclusion

$ETH/$BTC holding 0.03 is the floor that keeps the setup alive. Losing it likely accelerates alt market pain. Reclaiming 0.032 is the signal traders are waiting for, but that requires $BTC and $ETH to move first in USD terms. Right now the market is risk-off, the $72K $BTC rejection is fresh, and patience is the only rational position until the structure changes.