This week in crypto was marked by major exchange updates and political shifts influencing digital assets. Taken together, the highlights display how the global cryptocurrency ecosystem continues to advance.

The following is a recap of the biggest stories that happened this week in crypto and will continue to shape the sector.

Pi Network’s PI on CoinMarketCap

Pi Network’s PI token made headlines this week when it successfully secured a listing on CoinMarketCap. The milestone will certainly increase the project’s visibility.

However, the excitement remains dampened by continued delays regarding its listing on Binance. The Pi Network community remains optimistic after significant voter support among the exchange’s community members.

The prolonged wait raises concerns about when and if Binance will approve its listing. Despite the setbacks, the token continues to attract a huge following. As BeInCrypto reported, Pi Network now boasts a followership of over 4 million on X (Twitter).

Trump Announced the US Crypto Reserve

US President Donald Trump shook the crypto space by proposing the establishment of a US Crypto Reserve. As BeInCrypto reported, he named XRP, Cardano (ADA), and Solana (SOL) as potential assets in the reserve.

This move aimed to boost the country’s positioning in the blockchain sector and provide a more stable framework for integrating cryptocurrencies into national financial structures. The announcement triggered both excitement and skepticism.

Analysts debated whether this proposal was feasible. On the other hand, experts predicted more altcoins could be added to the crypto reserve. As it happened, however, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed Bitcoin would get preferential treatment.

US to Establish Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

It turned out that Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, funded with seized BTC, aiming to secure the US’ digital asset strategy.

“Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency, is referred to as “digital gold” because of its scarcity and security, having never been hacked. With a fixed supply of 21 million coins, there is a strategic advantage to being among the first nations to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” the order read.

The order also authorized budget-neutral strategies for potentially acquiring more Bitcoin. Yet, critics argue that the reserve lacks substantive impact.

To some, however, Trump’s latest executive order presents as a rebranded version of past initiatives rather than a transformative step for crypto regulation. While the order emphasizes the potential of a national Bitcoin reserve and greater integration of blockchain into financial systems, critics argue that it repackages previously suggested policies without offering tangible steps forward.

This has led to speculation about whether the administration is taking genuine action or merely capitalizing on crypto’s popularity for political leverage.

Binance Delisting Concerns: 10 Tokens at Risk

In exchange-related news, Binance placed ten altcoins under review, signaling potential delistings due to regulatory concerns and insufficient liquidity. The uncertainty surrounding these tokens has led to market volatility, with investors closely watching for Binance’s final decision.

In the latest update, GoPlus Security (GPS) has joined the list, following the incorporation of a monitoring tag. It comes only days after it was listed on Binance.  

“The Monitoring Tag has been applied to GoPlus Security (GPS) due to a significant price drop immediately following the spot listing and certain market-making behavior of one of GPS’ market makers,” Binance said in a statement.

In the immediate aftermath of this announcement, GPS saw an immediate 49% decline in price. The sharp drop reflects the market’s sensitivity to Binance’s listing and delisting decisions.

Trump Hosts First-Ever White House Crypto Summit

Another of the top crypto news this week is the much-anticipated White House Crypto Summit. The event, which will take place today, marks the first event of its kind. Reports suggest that key topics will include regulatory frameworks, the role of crypto in national security, and the future of decentralized finance (DeFi).

Industry leaders, policymakers, and blockchain innovators will gather to discuss the path forward. However, many are waiting to see whether tangible policy changes will emerge from the discussions. Analysts suggest that while the event is a step in the right direction, the long-term impact depends on how the administration follows up with actionable measures.

A notable controversy at the summit was Ethereum’s indirect representation. Many in the Ethereum community expressed concerns that their blockchain was not given a direct platform, despite its critical role in the crypto ecosystem.

Following the summit, the crypto market could see increased volatility, with projects tied to summit attendees likely to experience price swings. Ted, a crypto investor, shared a list of altcoins poised for impact.

Notwithstanding, this week demonstrated how politics, regulation, and exchange activities shape the crypto playing field. With ongoing debates over listings, delistings, executive orders, and policy shifts, today’s Crypto Summit has the industry in flux.

Donald Trump has followed through on his promises and signed an executive order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate US Digital Asset Stockpile. 

While some industry figures have lauded the order, others remain skeptical. They argue that the initiative is little more than a rebranding of existing government holdings with no substantive new strategy.

Donald Trump Signs Order for Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

The order directs the US Department of Treasury to initially fund the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve with BTC seized through criminal and civil asset forfeiture. The administration has vowed not to sell these assets. 

“Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency, is referred to as “digital gold” because of its scarcity and security, having never been hacked. With a fixed supply of 21 million coins, there is a strategic advantage to being among the first nations to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” the order read.

Arkham Intelligence data shows that the US government holds 198,109 BTC in its public wallets, valued at $17.5 billion at current market prices. 

Despite this substantial holding, David Sacks, the White House’s AI and Crypto Czar, noted that a comprehensive audit of the government’s digital assets has never been conducted. The new executive order mandates this accounting.

“Premature sales of Bitcoin have already cost US taxpayers over $17 billion in lost value. Now the federal government will have a strategy to maximize the value of its holdings,” he wrote.

It also authorizes budget-neutral strategies for potentially acquiring more Bitcoin. Yet, critics argue that the reserve lacks substantive impact.

Industry Experts Divided on Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

Jacob King, founder of WhaleWire, dismissed the recent attention around the reserve. 

“In reality, this has existed for over a decade—they’re just slapping a fancy title on it to appease Bitcoiners,” he remarked. 

King also pointed out that the reserve would not involve any new Bitcoin purchases. Therefore, he believes, this makes the move largely insignificant in the grand scheme of the market.

Peter Schiff, an outspoken critic of Bitcoin, also weighed in on the order. According to Schiff, the move was made under pressure from donors and conflicted cabinet members. 

He described the order as a “bogus” attempt to capitalize on the Bitcoin the government already holds.

“If they seize any more Bitcoin they can keep that too. But they can’t buy any more, as buying by definition requires a payment,” Schiff posted.

Despite the criticisms, some industry leaders see the order as a significant step toward legitimizing Bitcoin on the world stage. 

“The end game was never the US government buys all of the world’s Bitcoin,” Ryan Rasmussen, Head of Research at Bitwise, said.

Rasmussen explained that the move will likely prompt other countries to buy Bitcoin. He also expects it to pressure wealth managers, financial institutions, pensions, and endowments to adopt the cryptocurrency. 

The reserve, Rasmussen said, will alleviate concerns about the US selling its holdings and may pave the way for future acquisitions. He added that the move increases the likelihood of US states adopting Bitcoin.

Matt Hougan, CIO at Bitwise, also concurred. He pointed out that the order could significantly reduce the likelihood of future Bitcoin bans. Hougan added that the reserve,

“Accelerates the speed at which other nations will consider establishing strategic bitcoin reserves, because it creates a short-term window for nations to front-run potential additional buying by the US.”

Analyst Nic Carter also praised the decision, calling it a successful fulfillment of a key campaign promise. He highlighted that Bitcoin had received official US government approval, a distinction not granted to other cryptocurrencies. Carter emphasized that using no taxpayer funds helped shield the initiative from backlash.

“Announcement couldn’t have gone better,” he claimed.

The signing of the executive order took place just one day before the White House Crypto Summit. Initially, it was anticipated that Trump would sign the Bitcoin reserve order at the summit, which had driven Bitcoin prices up. Nonetheless, the actual signing led to a dip in the cryptocurrency’s value. 

After briefly regaining that level on March 5, Bitcoin dropped below $90,000 again. At press time, Bitcoin was trading at $87,469, marking a 4.5% decrease over the past 24 hours.

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US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 7 establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) and a “Digital Asset Stockpile.” Both will initially be capitalized with cryptocurrency seized via government criminal and civil forfeiture proceedings, with future acquisitions possible under budget-neutral conditions.

Moments after the news went public, BTC’s price slipped from roughly $91,200 to about $84,667—a drop of more than 7%—in what many observers are calling a classic “sell the news” moment. Some market participants appear dissatisfied that the executive order is not immediately more aggressive in buying Bitcoin. Yet key industry voices maintain that the market may have misread the long-term implications.

Is The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve A Disappointment?

According to David Sacks, White House AI and crypto czar, who announced the development via X: “Just a few minutes ago, President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a SBR. The Reserve will be capitalized with Bitcoin owned by the federal government that was forfeited as part of criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings. This means it will not cost taxpayers a dime.”

Sacks added that the US owns about 200,000 Bitcoin. However, he also clarified that “there has never been a complete audit” and that “the E.O. directs a full accounting of the federal government’s digital asset holdings.” Notably, the US President Trump commits to not selling “any Bitcoin deposited into the Reserve. It will be kept as a store of value. The Reserve is like a digital Fort Knox for the cryptocurrency often called ‘digital gold.’”

Additionally, the Secretary of Treasury and Commerce—led by well-known Bitcoin bull Howard Lutnick—is authorized to develop budget-neutral strategies for acquiring more Bitcoin. Although specific methods remain unclear, the move could lead to further US government BTC accumulation. “The Secretaries of Treasury and Commerce are authorized to develop budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional Bitcoin, provided that those strategies have no incremental costs on American taxpayers,” Sacks writes via X.

Separate from the SBR, the executive order establishes a US Digital Asset Stockpile, which will include seized digital assets other than BTC. According to Sacks, this stockpile will not be actively expanded beyond whatever coins the government gains via forfeiture. Its purpose, he explained, is to exercise “responsible stewardship of the government’s digital assets under the Treasury Department.”

In the midst of the price volatility, industry leaders struck an optimistic tone. David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc, wrote on X: “The global response to tonight’s news will be immediate. This is the shot heard around the world. Could not be more proud of this moment or more excited for what comes next. See you on the moon.”

Nic Carter, general partner at Castle Island Ventures stated via X: “Announcement couldn’t have gone better: Campaign promise kept. Bitcoin Reserve clearly distinguished from altcoin Stockpile. Bitcoin gets official USG seal of approval, no other coin does. No taxpayer $ spent to acquire coins (so no backlash). Future acquisition of coins likely left to Congress, as it should be.”

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer (CIO) Matt Hougan listed four reasons why the executive order has major bullish impacts on Bitcoin:

1) Dramatically reduces the likelihood the US government will some day “ban” Bitcoin;

2) Dramatically increases the likelihood that other nations will establish strategic Bitcoin reserves;

3) Accelerates the speed at which other nations will consider establishing strategic Bitcoin reserves, because it creates a short-term window for nations to front-run potential additional buying by the US;

4) Makes it much harder for institutions — from national account advisor platforms to quasi-governmental agencies like the IMF — to position Bitcoin as somehow dangerous or inappropriate to hold.

Renowned crypto analyst MacroScope (@MacroScope17), commented: “The market has been unsure there would even be a strategic reserve. Now, not only will there be one, actually acquiring more BTC looks likely. The immediate sell-the-news reaction aside, over the longer term, this is hugely bullish compared to the market’s expectations up to this point.”

The analyst expects that this news will ignite a “nation-state arms race psychology”. Also, he expects to see more 13F filings by sovereign wealth funds who waited for this announcement. “Critical to watch this in coming weeks and months,” he concluded.

At press time, BTC traded at $88,104.

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

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