Bitcoin Briefly Rallies Following Positive Comments from Former US President Donald Trump

The cryptocurrency market saw a day of mixed fortunes as Bitcoin briefly rallied following positive comments from former US President Donald Trump before retracing gains.

The cryptocurrency market displayed mixed fortunes on Thursday, with Bitcoin briefly rallying following positive comments from former US President Donald Trump before retracing gains. Meanwhile, Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) solidified its position as the largest node operator on the Ethereum network, and venture capital poured into The Open Network (TON). In another development, memecoin platform Pump.fun launched its own decentralized exchange, intensifying competition within the Solana ecosystem.

Bitcoin faced significant volatility after Trump hinted at a pro-Bitcoin stance during his talk at the Digital Asset Summit. The cryptocurrency rose to an intraday peak of $87,453 amid speculation of a major announcement. However, after Trump reaffirmed his dedication to making the U.S. a “Bitcoin superpower” and called for clearer regulations on stablecoins—without mentioning capital gains taxes or a strategic Bitcoin reserve—the price fell to around $83,655.

This “buy the rumor, sell the news” pattern is common in the crypto markets. Earlier in the day, Bitcoin responded positively to the release of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes, which hinted at a slower pace of quantitative tightening and the possibility of two interest rate cuts in 2025.

Market analysts remain cautious. BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes noted that while quantitative tightening may be nearing its end, volatility in both equities and cryptocurrencies is likely to continue. Technical analyst Aksel Kibar suggested that Bitcoin could test support levels around $73,700. However, the resurgence of the BTC Coinbase premium—a metric indicating higher demand on the Coinbase exchange—could signal renewed spot demand for the cryptocurrency.

Coinbase has become the largest node operator in the Ethereum ecosystem, controlling 11.42% of all staked Ether. As of 3rd March, the exchange held 3.84 million ETH, valued at approximately $6.8 billion. This development highlights Coinbase's significant role in maintaining the infrastructure of the Ethereum network.

This news comes amid ongoing discussions about the possibility of an Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF). Robbie Mitchnick, BlackRock's (NYSE:BLK) head of digital assets, described the firm's proposed Ether ETF as a “tremendous success” but acknowledged its limitations, particularly the lack of staking capabilities. Staking yields are a crucial component of investment returns in the crypto space, and Mitchnick emphasized the challenges of integrating staking into ETFs.

Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin emphasised the network's potential to institutional investors, comparing its versatility to internet protocols and its ability to support applications like social networks and distributed identity systems.

The Open Network (TON) has attracted significant interest from venture capital firms, with investments exceeding $400 million. Notable backers, including Sequoia Capital and Benchmark, have acquired Toncoin (TON) to support the ecosystem. TON's integration with Telegram, which boasts one billion monthly active users, has been a key driver of this attention.

The TON Foundation aims to onboard 30% of Telegram's user base to its blockchain within the next three years. The network has already seen substantial growth, with native accounts increasing from 4 million to 41 million over the past year. Toncoin is said to have over 121 million individual holders, highlighting its expanding reach.