Macro Trends

In February 2026, the on-chain ecosystem exhibited more pronounced structural divergence amid price pressure. On-chain activity did not contract in tandem, but instead became further concentrated on high-frequency and high-efficiency networks. Solana maintained its dominance in high-frequency activity, while Base and Polygon continued to expand. Arbitrum saw a recovery in activity, but its capital retention and value capture weakened. Ethereum shifted from net outflows to significant net inflows, reinforcing its role as the primary settlement layer and a key hub for macro asset deployment. On the BTC side, the price pullback pushed short-term holders broadly into unrealized losses, with profit-taking cooling and sell pressure still concentrated among short-term positions, while the long-term holder structure remained intact. At the sector level, AI Agent, supply-side shocks, and institutional DeFi narratives coexisted. Short-term returns were driven by structural catalysts, while mid-term allocation continued

Gate Research Daily Report: On March 23, the rebound in BTC and ETH failed to sustain upward momentum, with capital returning to defensive positioning and overall risk appetite remaining subdued. Altcoins did not see broad-based expansion, and market opportunities were mainly concentrated in short-term rotation across high-volatility sectors. SIREN, BR, and BANANAS31 respectively represent active capital flows in the AI Agent, BTCFi, and BNB Chain meme segments. At the industry level, tokenized gold is progressing toward a standardized infrastructure phase, while connections between payment networks and capital market infrastructure continue to deepen. Meanwhile, competition in the stablecoin space is gradually shifting from issuance to treasury and capital management capabilities.

In February, the overall crypto market showed a weak trend, with notable outflows from BTC ETFs. Major blockchains remained stable throughout the month, with Solana leading by a wide margin at over 100 million daily transactions. Ethereum recorded 13.34 million unique active addresses, maintaining its second-highest level in history. TradFi trading volume on Perp DEXs surged to $47.3 billion, largely driven by Hyperliquid’s HIP-3. The Web3 sector completed 46 funding rounds totaling $986 million, with the top 10 projects accounting for $793 million—three major deals were led by Tether. Meanwhile, Web3 security incidents declined significantly month-over-month, though smart contract vulnerabilities remained the primary risk source.

The article leverages data points such as the surge in oil prices due to the Strait of Hormuz crisis, inflation expectations, and central banks' 36,000-ton gold reserves to reveal the divergence between Bitcoin and gold in the early stages of the crisis.

The text shifts the perspective from the Middle East to the global stage, systematically assessing the energy dependence, reserve life, and social/political tipping points of Japan, South Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, the United States, and China.

Gate Research Institute: Over the past 24 hours, BTC briefly climbed above $71,000, but following a sharp drop and quick rebound during the U.S. market session, it settled back near $69,300. ETH rapidly declined from $2,070 to $2,010 and remains in a recovery phase. Altcoins showed weakness, with most lagging behind BTC, while the Fear & Greed Index remains in the extreme fear range. HUMA, NAORIS, and ARIA saw gains of 50.13%, 39.38%, and 29.02%, respectively, fueled by AI-related narratives. Additionally, Oracle’s earnings beat expectations, driving its share price up nearly 8% after hours, and both Hyperliquid and Circle announced significant product updates.

This article analyzes the shift in VC strategy from being judgment-driven to being driven by the ability to win deals. It highlights how scaled institutions like a16z, leveraging massive capital, full-spectrum services, and economic moats, are enabling capital-intensive giants such as OpenAI and Anthropic to prevail.

Gate Research: Between 2025 and 2026, PayFi is evolving from a crypto payment tool into a next-generation payment and financial engine, with stablecoins achieving scale in high-frequency and cross-border payments and demonstrating clear efficiency and cost advantages over traditional systems. As Web2 and Web3 continue to converge, institutions such as Visa, PayPal, and emerging neobanks are becoming key gateways to mainstream adoption, while the combination of stablecoins, real-world assets (RWA), and AI is shaping PayFi’s foundational architecture by enabling automated, always-on settlement, asset mobility, and risk management. Looking ahead to 2026, regulatory clarity, scalable asset tokenization, and the maturity of AI-driven financial systems will be the primary determinants of PayFi’s competitive landscape and long-term barriers.

In June 2025, the total cryptocurrency market capitalization fluctuated between $3.2 trillion and $3.6 trillion, with geopolitical tensions in the Middle East temporarily weighing on market sentiment. Solana led with nearly 100 million daily transactions, followed by Base with 9.7 million. SEI surged in popularity, driven by price gains and favorable policy momentum—its daily trading volume exceeded $94 million in mid-June, with a short-term price increase of over 50%. Global crypto regulation showed growing divergence, Singapore tightened oversight of offshore services, the U.S. advanced stablecoin legislation, while South Korea and Vietnam adopted a more supportive stance. Overall, the regulatory climate showed signs of warming.

Gate Research Daily Report: Bitcoin rose by 0.71% to $87,393, while Ethereum dipped slightly by 0.06% to $2,055. The market cap of tokenized U.S. Treasury bonds surpassed $5 billion for the first time. PumpSwap's daily trading volume exceeded $450 million. USDC's market cap reached a record high of $60 billion. Gate Wallet now added support for Berachain. BlackRock launched the iShares Bitcoin ETP in Europe. Asia Web3 Alliance Japan proposed a U.S.-Japan collaboration to advance the tokenized economy and Web3 innovation.

This article provides an in-depth look at the Ethereum Foundation, covering its organizational structure, operational framework, funding sources, expenditures, and its role in supporting the Ethereum ecosystem. We will also explore how the foundation differs from traditional corporations, the challenges and controversies it faces, and its potential future developments.

In 2025, with the positive shift in U.S. policies (including President Trump's support for the crypto industry), the launch of the Bitcoin ETF, and interest rate cuts by major economies, the crypto asset market is expected to continue its strong growth. This article explores how Bitcoin's perception is changing, the improvement of market conditions, and the advancement of tokenization technologies, all of which will create new growth opportunities for digital assets.

Gate Research (Feb 15-21, 2025): This report provides a comprehensive analysis of key developments in both the cryptocurrency market and the broader macroeconomic environment. On February 15, Federal Reserve’s Logan stated that even if inflation continues to cool, it may not necessarily trigger rate cuts. On February 18, a New York Fed survey revealed that U.S. manufacturing costs in February saw the largest increase in two years. On February 19, data from the U.S. Treasury showed that the top three foreign holders of U.S. debt reduced their holdings in December, while total foreign net inflows exceeded $87 billion. Also on February 19, U.S. January residential construction fell by 9.8% month-on-month, worse than the expected 7.3% decline, and far below the previous value of 15.8%.

This article delves into the capital control issues of Layer 2 scaling solutions in the Ethereum ecosystem, analyzing how venture capital (VC) influences the decentralized foundation through governance and economic means, and proposes potential solutions to provide new insights for Ethereum's future development.

These views offer policymakers important considerations for how to approach crypto regulation, ensuring that the U.S. leads this critical shift toward the next generation of the internet.