FTX Recovery Trust said on March 18, 2026 that its fourth major distribution, about $2.2 billion, is scheduled to begin on March 31. The round lifts cumulative Chapter 11 payouts toward roughly $10 billion, with different creditor classes receiving top-ups that range from pushing some groups to 100% recovery to a 120% cumulative payout for Convenience Class claims. Creditors must have completed KYC/AML, submitted tax forms, and finished provider registration by the February 14, 2026 record date to be included.

A federal appeals court has refused Kalshi's emergency bid to pause proceedings, a move that could allow Nevada regulators to block the firm's sports event contracts. Gaming lawyer Daniel Wallach said a state-court temporary restraining order now appears imminent and could keep Kalshi from operating in Nevada for at least 14 days while a preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled.

Crypto markets are weighing whether Q2 can repeat 2025's strong performance after this year's roughly 20% drop so far and a total market cap still down about 18%. In 2025's cycle, the total crypto market cap gained 23.4% in Q2 (about $640 billion), while Bitcoin rose 30% after a Q1 correction. Fresh inflation signals, risk-off reactions, and geopolitical shocks are now testing whether that resilience can hold.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the agency's new interpretation of how federal securities laws apply to crypto is meant to provide clarity but is "a beginning, not an end." He added the SEC would move away from "regulation by enforcement" and, if Congress passes a market structure bill, the agency would defer to it while using the interpretation as a bridge in the meantime.

South Korea’s People Power Party has filed a bill to remove digital asset taxation from the Income Tax Act, targeting full repeal of the crypto tax scheduled for 2027. The opposition Democratic Party, which holds a National Assembly majority, is reviewing the proposal after an estimated $110 billion reportedly left local exchanges amid a planned 22% levy on gains above 2.5 million won (about $1,781).

Animoca Brands on March 19 announced a strategic investment and partnership with Ava Labs aimed at accelerating adoption of Avalanche-based projects across Asia and the Middle East. AVAX traded around $9.41, down 3% over the past 24 hours, as the token stayed under $10 amid broader market sell-off pressure.

Bitcoin was rejected near $76,000 earlier in the week and later slipped into the mid $69,000s, while broader sentiment shifted back to extreme fear. Ethereum and XRP also moved lower and broke key support levels as liquidations topped $500 million. Separately, Playnance said its newly launched GCOIN reached an $80 million fully diluted valuation in under 24 hours and is aiming for a $100 million milestone.

Zcash (ZEC) retreated on Thursday, sliding nearly 10% and dipping to around $239 after rallying to a multi-month high near $280. The move was framed as broad profit-taking amid a risk-off tone across crypto markets, putting the $240 area and a psychological $230 level in focus for bulls.