Macro Trends

Gate Research Daily Report: On March 24, the crypto market as a whole entered a corrective rebound phase. BTC and ETH strengthened in tandem, but the Fear and Greed Index remained in the Extreme Fear zone. The current recovery is still primarily capital-driven, and market sentiment has not fully warmed up. On the market board, ANON, CSPR, and LIGHT ranked as the top three gainers among assets with a market cap exceeding 10 million USD, corresponding respectively to the three niche sectors of AI DeFi assistants, enterprise-grade public chains, and Bitcoin infrastructure. Incremental funds are conducting structural rotations around high-recognition themes. At the industry level, the partnership between Deloitte Canada and Stablecorp, Nasdaq’s tokenized collateral integration with Talos, and the on-chain risk control collaboration between Bluprynt and Kroll show that institutional-grade infrastructure such as stablecoins, collateral management, and compliance trust layers continues to advance steadily.

The sharp correction in gold prices results from the interplay of a stronger US dollar, changing interest rate expectations, and leveraged liquidations. This article offers an in-depth examination of the factors driving the recent slump in gold, shifts in capital structure, and projections for future market movements.

Gate Research Daily Report: On March 23, the rebound in BTC and ETH failed to sustain upward momentum, with capital returning to defensive positioning and overall risk appetite remaining subdued. Altcoins did not see broad-based expansion, and market opportunities were mainly concentrated in short-term rotation across high-volatility sectors. SIREN, BR, and BANANAS31 respectively represent active capital flows in the AI Agent, BTCFi, and BNB Chain meme segments. At the industry level, tokenized gold is progressing toward a standardized infrastructure phase, while connections between payment networks and capital market infrastructure continue to deepen. Meanwhile, competition in the stablecoin space is gradually shifting from issuance to treasury and capital management capabilities.

In February 2026, the on-chain ecosystem exhibited more pronounced structural divergence amid price pressure. On-chain activity did not contract in tandem, but instead became further concentrated on high-frequency and high-efficiency networks. Solana maintained its dominance in high-frequency activity, while Base and Polygon continued to expand. Arbitrum saw a recovery in activity, but its capital retention and value capture weakened. Ethereum shifted from net outflows to significant net inflows, reinforcing its role as the primary settlement layer and a key hub for macro asset deployment. On the BTC side, the price pullback pushed short-term holders broadly into unrealized losses, with profit-taking cooling and sell pressure still concentrated among short-term positions, while the long-term holder structure remained intact. At the sector level, AI Agent, supply-side shocks, and institutional DeFi narratives coexisted. Short-term returns were driven by structural catalysts, while mid-term allocation continued

The article leverages data points such as the surge in oil prices due to the Strait of Hormuz crisis, inflation expectations, and central banks' 36,000-ton gold reserves to reveal the divergence between Bitcoin and gold in the early stages of the crisis.

In February, the overall crypto market showed a weak trend, with notable outflows from BTC ETFs. Major blockchains remained stable throughout the month, with Solana leading by a wide margin at over 100 million daily transactions. Ethereum recorded 13.34 million unique active addresses, maintaining its second-highest level in history. TradFi trading volume on Perp DEXs surged to $47.3 billion, largely driven by Hyperliquid’s HIP-3. The Web3 sector completed 46 funding rounds totaling $986 million, with the top 10 projects accounting for $793 million—three major deals were led by Tether. Meanwhile, Web3 security incidents declined significantly month-over-month, though smart contract vulnerabilities remained the primary risk source.

The text shifts the perspective from the Middle East to the global stage, systematically assessing the energy dependence, reserve life, and social/political tipping points of Japan, South Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, the United States, and China.

Gate Research Institute: Over the past 24 hours, BTC briefly climbed above $71,000, but following a sharp drop and quick rebound during the U.S. market session, it settled back near $69,300. ETH rapidly declined from $2,070 to $2,010 and remains in a recovery phase. Altcoins showed weakness, with most lagging behind BTC, while the Fear & Greed Index remains in the extreme fear range. HUMA, NAORIS, and ARIA saw gains of 50.13%, 39.38%, and 29.02%, respectively, fueled by AI-related narratives. Additionally, Oracle’s earnings beat expectations, driving its share price up nearly 8% after hours, and both Hyperliquid and Circle announced significant product updates.

This article analyzes the shift in VC strategy from being judgment-driven to being driven by the ability to win deals. It highlights how scaled institutions like a16z, leveraging massive capital, full-spectrum services, and economic moats, are enabling capital-intensive giants such as OpenAI and Anthropic to prevail.

Gate Research: Between 2025 and 2026, PayFi is evolving from a crypto payment tool into a next-generation payment and financial engine, with stablecoins achieving scale in high-frequency and cross-border payments and demonstrating clear efficiency and cost advantages over traditional systems. As Web2 and Web3 continue to converge, institutions such as Visa, PayPal, and emerging neobanks are becoming key gateways to mainstream adoption, while the combination of stablecoins, real-world assets (RWA), and AI is shaping PayFi’s foundational architecture by enabling automated, always-on settlement, asset mobility, and risk management. Looking ahead to 2026, regulatory clarity, scalable asset tokenization, and the maturity of AI-driven financial systems will be the primary determinants of PayFi’s competitive landscape and long-term barriers.

The article not only explains the mechanism of quantitative easing but also discusses its uniqueness in the current economic environment, particularly its role in stimulating bubbles.

The article provides an in-depth analysis of the "3/30" fee model’s rationale, explores the roles and challenges large funds encounter in the cryptocurrency market, and highlights the potential advantages of smaller funds and family offices.

This report presents comprehensive data and charts that demonstrate the correlation between the growth of the total market capitalization of the crypto market and the expansion of global risk asset market capitalization. It also analyzes how large-scale asset supply affects pricing.

The article examines historical investment cases and urges readers to remain humble and vigilant during periods of market exuberance, warning them not to overlook potential risks due to short-term gains.

Gate Research Weekly Report: Bitcoin has fluctuated between $100,300 and $107,500 over the past week, and its consolidation phase is expected to continue. Visa has launched a stablecoin payment pilot, enabling platforms to pay content creators and freelancers directly in USDC. VCI Global plans to invest $100 million to acquire the OOB token of Oobit, a crypto payments company backed by Tether. The number of Ethereum validators has fallen back to April 2024 levels, while the exit queue waiting time has reached a new high. Meanwhile, Solana’s active address count has dropped to 3.3 million, the lowest level in a year. The x402 Network facilitators have processed more than 18.82 million transactions, marking a 35-fold increase since May.