Coinbase News Sparks Bitcoin Rally to $96k, Founder Interview

Bitcoin climbs to $96,750 as Coinbase rally, policy friction, and global crypto developments converge

Bitcoin pushed to a new two-month high on a broadly positive day for major cryptocurrencies, rising about 2% to $96,750. Ether also gained around 2% to $3,360, while Solana was flat near $145. XRP lagged the group, down roughly 1% to $2.11.

The move in Bitcoin added fuel to a sharp rise in Coinbase shares, highlighted in recent U.S. business coverage as equities linked to crypto tracked the spot market higher. The latest price action comes amid an active news cycle for Coinbase that has included a steady cadence of investor updates and public appearances, alongside ongoing discussion of market structure and regulation in Washington.

In altcoins, several mid-cap tokens posted outsized gains. Decred (DCR) led movers with a roughly 30% jump, while Dash (DASH) and Internet Computer (ICP) were each up about 10%, and Zcash (ZEC) gained around 7%. Monero (XMR) briefly set a new all-time high near $800 before retreating to about $725.

Beyond prices, the policy backdrop shifted after Coinbase pulled its support for a Senate crypto market structure bill ahead of a key vote, citing “major concerns” with the latest draft. Following that change, the Senate delayed the bill. The episode underscored how quickly U.S. legislative efforts can hinge on late-stage drafting and industry feedback, particularly on rules that would shape how crypto platforms and tokens are regulated.

Regulatory and licensing developments also drove headlines elsewhere:

• Zcash avoided further SEC action after the Zcash Foundation said the agency’s investigation has concluded.
• Ripple secured a Luxembourg license, extending its European expansion.
• Pakistan partnered with World Liberty Financial to explore stablecoin use cases for remittances and cross-border payments.

Institutional and market infrastructure initiatives continued to build. Figure unveiled a new public equity network designed to enable on-chain issuance of stocks and related assets, reflecting ongoing efforts to bring traditional financial instruments onto blockchain rails.

On the market-structure side, FTX outlined timing details for another round of creditor payments, with the next distribution set for March 31. Separately, Sui returned online after a nearly six-hour network stall, adding to the list of reliability tests that high-throughput blockchains have faced.

In the nonprofit sector, the Human Rights Foundation awarded nearly $1.3 million in Bitcoin grants to projects connected to human rights and freedom technology, highlighting continued use of Bitcoin funding for civil society initiatives.

Taken together, the session combined a strong move in Bitcoin with a fast-evolving backdrop: renewed attention on crypto-linked equities, shifting momentum in U.S. policymaking, and a steady stream of international licensing, infrastructure, and network reliability updates.