🔮 Witching hour x4

Trillions in derivatives expire today — and history says BTC dips in the days after. Plus why PitchFest matters heading into Miami, and Coinbase launches stock perp futures. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Friday, March 20, 2026 Trillions in options expire today as quadruple witching tests crypto resilience Four types of derivatives expire simultaneously today in the quarterly event that drove the highest S&P 500 volume of 2025. Bitcoin was consistently muted on the day itself last year — but saw weakness in the days to weeks after every single witching Friday. With oil above $100 and the Fed turning hawkish, the backdrop is even more fragile this time. Read the full story → Opinion Why CoinDesk PitchFest matters heading into Miami With Consensus 2026 weeks away, PitchFest is shaping up as the proving ground for the next wave of crypto startups — offering structured exposure to firms like Dragonfly, CoinFund, and Outlier Ventures. Read the op-ed → Markets Coinbase introduces stock perpetual futures for non-U.S. customers The contracts trade 24/7, are cash-settled in USDC, and allow up to 10x leverage on single-stock positions and 20x on ETFs — covering Apple, Microsoft, Tesla and major indexes. Read more → Consensus 2026 — Miami Don't just read crypto's top stories — experience them. Get your pass → Know someone who should be reading this? Share this newsletter See all of CoinDesk's newsletters    CoinDesk, Inc., 61 9th Avenue, 5th Floor, New York,NY,10011,USA, Unsubscribe Manage Preferences   Copyright © 2026 CoinDesk, All rights reserved.

🏦 BTC holds $70K while gold tumbles and oil tops $110

BTC holds $70K as $5.7T in derivatives expire — plus why 7 in 10 finance chiefs now call digital assets non-negotiable. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ SPONSORED BY Friday, March 20, 2026   Bitcoin has stabilized above $70,000 — a show of relative resilience after a week that saw it drop from $75,000, gold tumble 5%, oil surge above $110 a barrel, and rate-hike odds on prediction markets leap from 8% to 24%. The hawkish Fed, a hotter-than-expected PPI print, and ongoing supply disruptions from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have weighed on risk assets across the board. One analyst sees the upside emerging. Today's quadruple witching adds another test. Read today's full report → Market snapshot As of 8:30am EST Asset Price 24h Signal BTC $70,557 +0.62% Holding ETH $2,149 +1.10% Cautious SOL $89.76 +0.37% Range-bound XRP $1.46 +0.10% Resilient Prices approximate. Visit coindesk.com/price for live data. What matters today Markets   Story 1 of 3 Bitcoin holds steady. One analyst sees the upside emerging. Despite a brutal week for most risk assets — gold down 5%, oil above $110, the S&P 500 below its 200-day moving average for the first time in 10 months — BTC has stabilized just above $70,000. The perceived odds of a Fed rate hike surged from 8% to 24% on prediction markets after Wednesday's hawkish hold. BTC/SPX may be showing early signs of bottoming out, with RSI bouncing off oversold levels, but traders are being urged to hold dry powder until the dust settles. Read more → Derivatives   Story 2 of 3 $5.7 trillion in derivatives expire today. Crypto is watching closely. Today is quadruple witching — the quarterly event when stock index futures, stock index options, single-stock options, and single-stock futures all expire at once. An estimated $5.7 trillion in contracts settle today, with volume likely to spike in the final hour. Bitcoin faces a double-event: $1.7 billion in BTC options also expire on Deribit today, with a max pain price sitting at $70,000 and a put/call ratio of 0.96. Historically, crypto's most significant witching-day reactions come in the days and weeks after, not on the day itself. Read more → Institutional   Story 3 of 3 Ripple survey: 7 in 10 finance leaders say digital assets are now non-negotiable A new Ripple survey of more than 1,000 global finance leaders finds digital assets have moved from experiment to strategic necessity. Seventy percent say firms must offer digital asset solutions to stay competitive. Stablecoins drew the strongest consensus: 74% of respondents said they can improve cash-flow efficiency and unlock working capital — a signal that the stablecoin use case has moved firmly into the treasury suite, not just payments. Read more → A message from Nexo Unlock 30 Days of Wealth Club Premier with Nexo Nexo is a premier digital wealth platform offering crypto yield up to 16%, crypto-backed credit lines, and a wide range of digital assets. It is returning to the U.S. with an enhanced platform and 30-day access to exclusive privileges for new clients. Join Nexo Nexo's products and services are not available to residents of certain jurisdictions. This content is not intended for use by persons in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation. Rates, product availability, features, and applicable terms may vary based on jurisdiction, eligibility, loyalty tier, and other factors, and are subject to change at any time. CoinDesk Disclosure: The information contained in this newsletter, and any information linked through the items contained herein, is not intended to provide sufficient information to form the basis for an investment decision. You should seek additional information regarding the merits and risks of investing in any cryptocurrency or digital assets. L1.co Disclosure: This material is for informational purposes only, and the content contained herein should not be considered investment advice or a solicitation, offer, or recommendation to sell or buy any asset, strategy, or product. Investing in digital assets involves a high degree of risk, including the loss of principal. Crypto Daybook Americas: A newsletter from CoinDesk Were you forwarded this newsletter? Sign up here.  Copyright © 2026 CoinDesk, All rights reserved.  CoinDesk, Inc., 61 9th Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10011, USA Unsubscribe Manage preferences