Coinpedia - Fintech & Cryptocurreny News Media| Crypto Guide

Crypto investment activity slowed significantly in the first quarter of 2026, with total inflows estimated at around 11 billion dollars, far below last year’s pace. When annualized, this trend suggests roughly $44 billion, compared to $130 billion in 2025. Most new capital came from corporate Bitcoin purchases and venture funding, while retail and institutional participation remained weak. Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs recorded net outflows, and miners continued selling holdings, reflecting cautious market sentiment.

The Ethereum Foundation has increased its staked ETH by about $46.64 million, bringing its total staked holdings to roughly $96.59 million. This move reflects a strategic shift from earlier periods of selling ETH to now prioritizing network participation and earning staking rewards. By doubling down on staking, the foundation aims to bolster Ethereum’s security and capture long-term yield, signaling confidence in the Proof-of-Stake ecosystem and a more sustainable approach to managing its ETH treasury.

Riot Platforms, one of Nasdaq’s largest publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies, sold 3,778 BTC in the first quarter of 2026, generating about $289.5 million in net proceeds. Following the sale, the company’s total Bitcoin holdings dropped to 15,680 BTC by the end of the quarter. Riot is not alone in reducing exposure, as several other publicly traded mining firms have collectively sold more than 15,000 BTC recently, signaling a broader trend of miner-led selling pressure.

Binance co‑CEO Richard Teng has introduced a new initiative to advance Web3 innovation and strengthen digital resilience in Ukraine with the launch of the Digital Resilience Lab. In collaboration with Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and local tech organizations, the program provides up to $500,000 in grants, along with mentorship and ecosystem support, to help students, veterans, and entrepreneurs develop practical blockchain solutions. This initiative highlights Binance’s ongoing commitment to promoting blockchain education, infrastructure, and real-world Web3 applications.

Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has made a major Bitcoin purchase, acquiring 5,075 BTC worth around $340 million in a single transaction. This boosts the company’s total holdings to 40,177 BTC, valued at roughly $2.7 billion, making it the third-largest corporate Bitcoin treasury globally. The firm has been steadily accumulating BTC, solidifying its position as Asia’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder and demonstrating strong confidence in Bitcoin as a long-term store of value.

On April 1, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw significant net outflows totaling about $174 million as investor interest waned. Despite this overall drop, Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) drew the largest single‑day net inflow of $10.25 million, standing out among Bitcoin funds. Spot Ethereum ETFs also experienced net outflows of roughly $7.1 million, but Grayscale’s Ethereum Trust (ETHE) attracted $17.42 million, showing selective confidence in some crypto investment products.

Iran is tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz, asking some ships to pay transit fees in cryptocurrency or Chinese yuan for safe passage. Vessels from “friendly” nations are given priority, while others must negotiate tolls through an intermediary linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Fees reportedly start at $1 per barrel of oil. In return, they receive permit codes, route guidance, and naval escorts. Shipping traffic has reportedly dropped about 90 percent since late February.

Drift Protocol shared that about $280 million was drained in a highly organized attack, affecting nearly half the funds in an associated wallet. The attacker took advantage of pre-signed durable nonce transactions, allowing them to delay execution and act at a strategic moment. By reportedly misleading several multisig signers through targeted social engineering, the attacker was able to gain control of important administrative privileges. The team confirmed the breach was not caused by a smart contract bug or compromised seed phrases, but by a carefully executed scheme.

SBI Holdings’ institutional liquidity arm B2C2 has designated Solana as its primary network for routing and settling large‑scale stablecoin transactions for institutional clients. The move reflects Solana’s high throughput, reliability, and scalability as market makers increasingly seek efficient settlement infrastructure for digital assets. B2C2 will support Solana‑based versions of major stablecoins, including USDC, USDT, PYUSD, USDG, USD1, EURC, and FDUSD, while serving clients such as Robinhood, Standard Chartered, Anchorage Digital, and Bitget.

Franklin Templeton, managing $1.7 trillion in assets, is acquiring a crypto-focused spinoff from CoinFund to expand its digital asset offerings. The acquisition will allow the firm to provide specialized crypto investment solutions for institutional clients such as pensions and sovereign funds. This move strengthens Franklin Templeton’s strategy in the fast-growing digital asset market and marks a major step in its effort to integrate crypto products into its broader investment portfolio.