An African payment infrastructure provider is piloting the Africa Currency Marketplace, which seeks to enable countries to settle trades with local currencies. PAPSS Fees to Be Market-Driven The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), a payment infrastructure provider backed by 15 central banks, is reportedly piloting a currency platform to enable countries to settle trades […]

De-Dollarization Push: African Payment Provider Tests Platform to Facilitate Local Currency Trade

MoonPay has received a Money Transmitter License from the Wisconsin Department 
of Financial Institutions. This license allows the company to expand its 
services in the state, according to a press release shared with crypto.news. 
This means that Wisconsin residents can…

MoonPay secures Wisconsin money transmitter license in effort to expand US services

The cryptocurrency market has faced a significant downturn since the start of 
2025, with some investors calling it the most painful cycle in history.
Some were disappointed about industry policy changes and the memecoin craze in 
the United States, while others even speculated about talent leaving the 
sector for other industries.
However, while the current crypto market state might look grim to some, the 
current cycle is far from being the most brutal on record, and many community 
members remain bullish.
&#8220;For those who have been through multiple cycles, this is just part of the 
process,&#8221; Trezor analyst Lucien Bourdon told Cointelegraph.
## The post-Trump inauguration sale
The current decline in crypto markets came after Bitcoin (BTC) reached an all- 
time high above $106,000 in December 2024, with the spike largely attributed 
to optimism around Donald Trump&#8217;s victory in the US presidential election.
While many were optimistic, some investors, such as BitMEX co-founder Arthur 
Hayes, accurately predicted a crypto sell-off following Trump&#8217;s inauguration 
on Jan. 20.
_Bitcoin price chart since October 2024. Source: CoinGecko_
Since then, Bitcoin has tumbled more than 18%, with the total crypto market 
capitalization erasing almost all gains that came from Trump&#8217;s election win, 
dropping 25%.
In the post-Trump inauguration sale, investors offloaded about $4.6 billion 
from crypto exchange-traded products by March 7, while the spot market saw 
even more outflows, with at least $1 billion in liquidations in a single day 
on March 3.
## What was the most brutal crypto sell-off in history?
But the most recent sell-off is not the worst on record. &#8220;If we&#8217;re talking 
about the worst Bitcoin cycle, 2014-2015 was possibly the most brutal,&#8221; 
Trezor&#8217;s Bourdon told Cointelegraph.
Referring to the collapse of the Mt. Gox crypto exchange, which suffered an 
850,000 BTC loss in a security breach in 2024, the analyst highlighted the 
event as the worst Bitcoin sell-off on record.
_Bitcoin price chart in the period from July 2013 to July 2016. Source: 
CoinGecko_
&#8220;The Mt. Gox collapse wiped out 70% of Bitcoin&#8217;s trading volume, leading to an 
85% drawdown in a market with no institutional support and far less 
liquidity,&#8221; Bourdon said.
## More than just falling prices
According to Brett Reeves, head of BitGo&#8217;s European sales, there is a &#8220;great 
deal more to just falling pieces&#8221; in the current market.
In addition to bigger price downturns in the past, Reeves highlighted notable 
advancements in global crypto products and regulation, which point to crypto 
assets increasingly becoming integral to the international financial system. 
He said:
&gt; &#8220;While prices may be crashing for now, we must remember how far we&#8217;ve come 
&gt; in a short space in time and just how much potential this space has in the 
&gt; years ahead.&#8221;
Contrary to crypto doubters and pessimists, some industry executives even see 
the current market cycle as a bull market.
_**Related:**__**EU retaliatory tariffs threaten Bitcoin correction to $75K &#8212; 
Analysts**_
&#8220;I actually think it&#8217;s the best,&#8221; Quantum Economics founder Mati Greenspan 
told Cointelegraph, adding:
&gt; &#8220;What sets this bull market apart from previous crypto bull runs is that 
&gt; it&#8217;s the first time we&#8217;ve seen prices rising over time that is not 
&gt; accompanied by copious money printing. This pullback is a short-term pain 
&gt; that will enable long-term gain.&#8221;
According to crypto analyst Miles Deutscher, terms like &#8220;bull market,&#8221; &#8220;bear 
market,&#8221; &#8220;cycle,&#8221; or &#8220;altseason&#8221; are not even suitable for the current market 
situation.
_Source: Miles Deutscher_
&#8220;This is a different market now,&#8221; he said in an X post on March 13.
_**Magazine:**__**Trump-Biden bet led to obsession with &#8216;idiotic&#8217; NFTs 
&#8211;Batsoupyum, NFT Collector**_

Worst crypto cycle ever? Community and history say otherwise

The latest Bitso Crypto Landscape in Latam report indicates that the region is 
still fertile ground for cryptocurrency markets. The stablecoin market grew, 
accounting for almost 40% of all purchases, while bitcoin purchases diminished 
to 22%. Bitso Report Shows Stablecoins Remain Strong in Latam Bitso, one of 
the largest cryptocurrency exchanges operating in Latin America, […]

Bitso Cryptocurrency Latam Report: Stablecoin Adoption Rises, Bitcoin Popularity Dwindles

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This Rare Bitcoin Buy Signal Could Ignite Next BTC Rally

REX Shares has launched a new, first of its kind exchange-traded fund focused 
on convertible bonds from companies incorporating Bitcoin into their treasury. 
REX Shares, an asset management firm specializing in investment products and 
funds, has just launched Bitcoin Corporate…