March 2025 was anything but quiet for crypto. Between major U.S. policy shifts, fresh regulatory moves, high-stakes market volatility, and new institutional plays, this month added fuel to the ongoing transformation of digital assets.

Whether you're a crypto-native, a curious CFO, or a fintech strategist, this roundup will bring you up to speed on all the action that shaped the space in March.

Market Performance

Bitcoin’s Rocky Month

While early March saw a healthy BTC rally, the latter half of the month was more turbulent.

After peaking at around $87,735, Bitcoin corrected amid global macro concerns — including rising U.S.-China trade tensions and weak tech earnings. Despite volatility, BTC still ended the month up ~2.6% overall.

Ethereum’s “Midlife Crisis”?

While Bitcoin stole the spotlight, Ethereum had a rougher ride. ETH dropped by ~7% in March, weighed down by delays in Layer 2 scaling solutions and ongoing governance debates among core developers.

The Financial Times even dubbed the situation a “midlife crisis,” citing growing pressure from newer, more nimble chains like Solana, Avalanche, and Aptos.

Still, Ethereum retains its crown as the leading smart contract platform, but its dominance — once above 70% — is being chipped away by newer, faster networks with lower fees and better UX.

Points of Interest

1. U.S. Creates Strategic Bitcoin Reserve & Crypto Czar Role

The headline event of the month? No contest.

On March 7, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and launching a White House Office of Cryptocurrency Affairs — a brand-new agency tasked with coordinating digital asset policy across the U.S. government.

The new office will be led by a so-called "Crypto Czar" (yet to be officially named), responsible for crafting federal standards for digital asset security, custody, and integration across finance, defense, and trade.

Why it matters:

• This is the first official move by a G7 country to hold Bitcoin in national reserves.
• It signals a shift from crypto as an outsider asset to crypto as a strategic national interest.
• The order mandates Bitcoin purchases to begin before Q3, prompting speculation about upcoming government accumulation phases.

The announcement triggered a short-lived rally, with Bitcoin jumping ~8% before settling back near $84,000 by month’s end.

2. FDIC & SEC Loosen the Reins on Crypto

On the regulatory front, there were two major developments in March that could shape crypto’s future in the U.S:

FDIC Gives Banks the Green Light

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issued new guidance allowing supervised institutions to engage in crypto-related activities without prior approval, provided they meet appropriate risk management standards.

Translation: banks can now more easily custody crypto, offer services, and integrate digital assets — no red tape required.

Trump’s SEC Pick Goes Pro-Crypto

Trump’s new SEC Chair nominee, Paul Atkins, said in a recent interview that digital assets will be a “top priority” under his leadership, and he criticized the enforcement-first approach of the previous administration.

Together, these moves signal a friendlier regulatory environment that could unlock new institutional products, such as crypto ETFs, tokenized bonds, and decentralized identity services.

3. Stablecoins Back in the Spotlight

While the stablecoin sector didn’t see massive drama this month, it did face new scrutiny and growing usage:

• USDC continued to dominate institutional flows, especially for cross-border payments and DeFi collateral.
• Tether (USDT) saw a slight decline in market share amid transparency concerns.
• And most notably, rumors swirled around a new government-affiliated stablecoin proposal linked to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve rollout — though no formal announcement has been made (yet).

Update: Trump-backed crypto bank joins stablecoin wars with new dollar-pegged token

Institutional Moves: BlackRock Doubles Down

Asset management titan BlackRock made headlines this month with the launch of its first Bitcoin ETP in Europe. Domiciled in Switzerland and listed across major European exchanges, this fund aims to tap into growing demand from high-net-worth individuals and institutions seeking exposure without direct custody risk.

With this move, BlackRock joins Fidelity, Invesco, and WisdomTree in expanding crypto offerings beyond U.S. borders, sidestepping still-slow ETF approvals in the U.S.

Final Thoughts

March 2025 might go down as the month when crypto went from “emerging technology” to “strategic infrastructure.”

With the U.S. taking bold steps to formalize its crypto policy, institutions leaning in, and regulators backing off the brakes, the coming months could unlock unprecedented momentum across the digital asset ecosystem.