As tensions between the United States and Iran remained high, the altcoin market was approaching cycle extremes, with 40% of altcoins at or near all-time lows, according to a CryptoQuant research report. The total valuation of the crypto market was down 45% from its peak of $4.27 trillion, reached in October 2025.
The report laid out how current conditions are slightly more severe compared to the previous cycle, where only 38% of altcoins fell to or around their all-time lows. The figure was already at 40% this time, and the long-term downtrend of Bitcoin was still in place.
Here’s a full breakdown of top headlines that shaped crypto in the past 48 hours.
ETF flows respond to US-Iran tensions
Starting in the final week of February, the Bitcoin spot ETF flows were positive and racked up a 4-week streak of inflows. This streak measured $2.218 billion, but the week ending on Friday, the 27th of March, brought $414 million in outflows.
Even before the inflow streak broke, the inflows massively slowed down in the third week of March, with just $95.18 million in inflows.
This was due to the rising oil prices, inflation worries, and it was becoming increasingly clear that the conflict would not see a quick resolution.
Farside Investors’ data showed that Bitcoin ETFs saw positive flows on Monday, the 30th of March, as BTC fell to the swing low at $65.6k.
U.S. Senators propose “Mined in America” bill
Introduced by Senators Bill Cassidy and Cynthia Lummis, the “Mined in America” act seeks to expand U.S.-based cryptocurrency mining. It also codifies a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, as was the earlier executive push.
The legislation allows facilities to qualify as “Mined in America” if they meet certain criteria through a voluntary certification program. The aim is to move away from mining hardware linked to foreign adversaries.
The previous executive actions outlined the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve idea, but this legislation seeks to embed it into law. This could strengthen U.S. leadership in digital assets.
Iran’s Speaker of the Parliament’s trading advice
In a post on X on the 29th of March, Mohammad Ghalibaf, Iran’s Speaker of the Parliament, said,
Pre-market news is a ‘reverse indicator’ and if they ‘dump’ the market, then “go long.”
On the 30th of March, before the market opened, President Trump announced that “great progress” was being made in Iran peace talks. The S&P 500 rallied off the news but was quick to slump and was 1.3% down from the local high on the 30th of March.
Crypto was also affected by the stock markets, with BTC rallying 3.2% from recent lows before slumping lower at press time.
No matter which way you slice it, peace talks blossoming before Monday’s market opens and fading away days later is an interesting pattern.
Final Summary
- The US-Iran tensions saw Bitcoin investors take profits earlier in March, and selling pressure has ramped up over the previous week.
- The bill pushing toward domestic Bitcoin mining hardware also sought to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
