Weekly Crypto Round-up for March 15 – March 21, 2025

A comprehensive overview of the week's events, updates and movements in the crypto space to stay up-to-date on the most important crypto stories and market-shaping events.

1. KEY TAKEAWAYS

• MoonPay acquires stablecoin firm Iron in $100M deal
• President Trump becomes the first sitting U.S. president to speak at a crypto conference
• World Liberty Financial (WLFI) invests $4 million in Avalanche (AVAX) and Mantle (MNT)
• Europe leads global crypto banking innovation
• NYSE Arca seeks SEC approval for first-ever staking-enabled Ethereum ETF
• Fed's steady interest rate stance triggers positive crypto market response

2. CONTENT

💸 MoonPay, a leading crypto payments company, has acquired Iron, an API-driven startup specializing in stablecoin infrastructure. With Iron, MoonPay can offer businesses the ability to accept stablecoin payments, unlocking instant, low-cost, and borderless transactions.

This marks MoonPay’s second major acquisition this year, following its $175 million purchase of Helio in January. MoonPay has more than 30 million accounts in 180 countries and was last valued at $3.4 billion when it raised its last round of funding in 2021. This deal will significantly bolster MoonPay’s capacity to provide enterprises with fast, cost-effective, borderless stablecoin transactions.

🌐 U.S. President Donald Trump spoke at the Blockworks Digital Asset Summit, marking the first time a sitting president addressed a crypto conference. Trump reaffirmed in his pre-recorded remarks that he’s called upon Congress to pass legislation creating “simple, common-sense rules” for stablecoins and market structure.

Referring to the DAS crowd as “pioneers”, the President made it clear he sees crypto regulation as integral to improving the U.S. banking and payment system. Trump vowed the US would “dominate crypto and the next generation of financial technologies.” He labeled the so-called Operation Chokepoint 2.0 as “a form of lawfare through government weaponization” that “went beyond regulation.”

📊 World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a DeFi project with ties to the Trump family, has expanded its digital asset holdings by acquiring $4 million worth of Avalanche (AVAX) and Mantle (MNT) tokens. WLFI’s increasing investment activity suggests strategic expansion, but some analysts speculate that these purchases might be part of a broader token swap arrangement.

This latest move pushes WLFI’s total crypto investments beyond $340 million, spanning 11 assets. The portfolio now includes Ethereum (ETH), Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), Tron (TRX), Chainlink (LINK), Aave (AAVE), Ethena (ENA), Movement (MOVE), Ondo (ONDO), and SEI, alongside the recently acquired AVAX and MNT.


️🌍 Europe is solidifying its position as a global leader in the realm of crypto-friendly banking, with over 60 institutions now offering a range of cryptocurrency services.

This surge marks a significant departure from the more cautious approach seen in other regions, particularly the United States. According to Coincub’ latest research, 63 European banks currently offer crypto services – including trading, custody, staking, payments, stablecoins, and banking services for crypto companies – far outpacing other regions.

This EU’s proactive approach, — from the early E-Money Directive (EMD) in 2000 to PSD2 — has now culminated in MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation), providing a unified legal framework for crypto assets across the bloc. This regulatory clarity has made Europe an increasingly attractive hub for crypto-friendly banking and innovation.

📉 The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Arca has submitted a formal proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), requesting approval to allow staking for the Bitwise Ethereum ETF. If granted, this would mark the first time an Ethereum-based exchange-traded fund (ETF) could participate in Ethereum staking—a process where holders lock up their ETH to help secure the network and, in return, earn rewards.

This move reflects growing institutional interest in not only holding crypto assets but also actively participating in their ecosystems. Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake in 2022 opened the door for staking, and now traditional financial products are looking to capitalize on this.

💲 The Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates steady at 4.25%-4.50% during its Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) March 19 meeting. This move signals that the central bank is taking a wait-and-see approach as concerns about inflation persist.

Historical data shows a strong correlation between Fed policy changes and crypto price movements. This upward movement comes as no surprise, given that traders had largely anticipated the Fed to hold rates steady. Despite the positive short-term response, some analysts caution that the long-term impact of the Fed’s monetary policies on cryptocurrencies remains.

3. MARKET MOVES

📈 In the last 24 hours, Bitcoin's price moved -2.48% to $83.88k and trading volume moved -29.65% to $25.54b.

The crypto market remains as dynamic as ever, with new opportunities coming up every day. Whether you’re a seasoned trader, an investor or a beginner, this is your chance to stay ahead in the world of crypto.

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