Bitcoin climbed above $72,000 on March 4, 2026, marking its highest level in nearly a month amid President Trump's endorsement of the Clarity Act, a key cryptocurrency market structure bill. The rally, which saw gains of around 6% to 8% in 24 hours, was bolstered by a South Korean stock market plunge and short position liquidations totaling $110 million. Other major cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and XRP also rose, pushing total market capitalization over $2.4 trillion.
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called on the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve to avoid using taxpayer funds to stabilize the cryptocurrency market amid Bitcoin's sharp decline. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, she warned that such intervention would benefit wealthy investors at public expense. Warren emphasized stronger protections for retail crypto users instead.
At the iConnections conference in Miami, institutional investors showed renewed interest in digital assets despite bitcoin's 25% decline this year. Allocators now view crypto as a core part of alternative investments, led by family offices. Regulatory clarity remains a key hurdle for broader adoption.
Morgan Stanley has filed for a national trust bank charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to provide cryptocurrency custody services to institutional clients. The application, submitted on February 18, aims to position the Wall Street giant as a direct competitor to crypto-native custodians. This move reflects a broader trend of traditional banks expanding into digital assets amid a more favorable regulatory environment.
Bitcoin held around $68,000 on Tuesday, March 3, showing resilience after Monday's rally, as global stocks tumbled on renewed Middle East tensions. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 fell over 2%, gold dropped sharply, and the U.S. dollar strengthened amid risk-off moves.