As XRP struggles, SolStaking positions contract-based staking and real-world 
asset integration as an alternative to direction-dependent crypto strategies. 
#partnercontent

With crypto markets in turmoil, investors are turning to contract-based yield for income

Bitcoin climbed to $69,550 on Wednesday, its highest point in over a week, 
after a sharp swing upward from around $62,350 in less than a day. The move 
came as US stock markets turned green again, giving investors across the board 
a reason to buy back in. Related Reading: Crypto’s Biggest Bull Run Could Come 
From The Most Unexpected Place: AI Bubble ETF Cash Returns After Five Weeks Of 
Outflows One of the clearest signs of renewed confidence came from the spot 
Bitcoin exchange-traded fund market. Reports say US-listed Bitcoin ETFs pulled 
in $257.7 million in a single day on Tuesday — a notable turnaround after five 
straight weeks of withdrawals that had drained roughly close to $4 billion 
from those same funds. Fidelity drew approximately $83 million of that total. 
BlackRock&#8217;s iShares Bitcoin Trust attracted close to $79 million. The return 
of institutional buying added fuel to a rally already building on the back of 
a calmer macro backdrop. The broader stock market&#8217;s recovery was partly tied 
to US President Donald Trump&#8217;s State of the Union address on Tuesday night, in 
which he described his first year in office as an economic success. He pointed 
to falling mortgage rates and a 1.7% drop in core inflation over the final 
three months of 2025. Markets took the speech as a sign that the policy chaos 
seen in recent months — particularly around tariffs and court battles — might 
be settling down. Spot Buyers, Not Speculators, Are Behind This Rally What 
makes this price move stand out is the data beneath the surface. Reports note 
that Bitcoin&#8217;s aggregated open interest — a measure of outstanding futures 
positions — has actually been declining even as prices climbed. It fell from 
above 240,000 BTC earlier in the week to around 235,167 BTC. That kind of drop 
suggests traders with borrowed money were closing out positions rather than 
opening new ones. Funding rates tell a similar story. They remain slightly 
negative at around -0.0037%, meaning short sellers are currently paying fees 
to traders betting on higher prices. That is an unusual setup during a strong 
rally, and it points to a market where aggressive speculation has been 
squeezed out rather than amplified. Related Reading: Bullish Signal? Coinbase 
Bitcoin Premium Turns Positive After Months In Red Ticking Upward The 
cumulative volume delta — which tracks whether buyers or sellers are more 
aggressive on spot markets — has been ticking upward, confirming that real 
purchasing activity is driving the move. According to market experts, options 
market dynamics are also playing a role. Dealers holding what is known as a 
positive gamma position tend to buy when prices dip and sell when prices rise, 
as part of routine hedging. That behavior acts as a natural shock absorber, 
smoothing out big swings and making explosive breakouts harder to sustain in 
either direction. Featured image from Yellow, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin Breaks Past $69,000 As Wall Street Steadies And ETF Money Returns

The investment in STS Digital highlights the growing institutional demand for 
robust crypto options and derivatives amid market volatility.
The post Kraken, CMT Digital, and Fidelity&#8217;s arm invest in crypto options 
platform STS Digital appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Kraken, CMT Digital, and Fidelity’s arm invest in crypto options platform STS Digital

As the Crypto Fear and Greed Index plummets, Bybit is doubling down on 
stablecoin yield and fixed-income-style products to help users generate steady 
returns amid volatility.

Bybit expands stablecoin yield and fixed-income products

Tokenized real estate won’t scale on liquidity alone. Enforceable rights, 
compliant transfers, and real servicing matter more than chain speed.

Cryptocurrency price in KRW