Crypto Market Update March 18: Bitcoin Down, Velo and Siren Lead Gains

Crypto Market Fell 1.4% As Crypto Bill Delay and Mastercard BVNK Deal

Key Highlights:

• Mixed sentiment persists as Fear Index remains in “Fear” zone. 

• Latest news includes Mastercard to Acquire BVNK, Aster chain mainnet launch, and Crypto bill faces delay.

Overall Cryptocurrency News, 18 March 2026:  The Crypto Market saw a mild decline with falling BTC and ETH prices, while altcoins showed strength. 

Major Cryptocurrency Events Today

Source:  Forex Factory

Crypto Market Last 24 Hours Update: Prices, Volume & Trends

The global cryptocurrency market today reached a capitalization of $2.6 trillion, noted a downturn of 1.4% in the last 24 hours, whereas Total trading volume was recorded at $115 billion.

Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance over the industry remains intense, with 56.6%, while Ethereum (ETH) carries 10.7%. The largest gainers in the industry over the past day are Polkadot Ecosystem and XRP Ledger Ecosystem.

Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis:

(Note: BTC and ETH are often viewed as less volatile historically, but still risky. The data recorded from CoinMarketCap)

• Bitcoin (BTC) price today reached $74000, slipped 2.28% in the last 24 hours, with a trading volume of $45.78 billion and a market cap of $1.48 trillion.

• Ethereum (ETH) price today is at $2329.6, dips 1.47% in 24 hours with a trading volume of $24.37 billion and a market cap of $281 billion.

Top Trending Crypto Coins Price in 24 Hours:

(Trending data is based on a combination of 24-hour price movement, trading volume, and CoinMarketCap.com trending metrics.)

• Aster price (ASTER): $0.7477, up 0.18% in the last 24 hours, trading volume (TV): $354.92 million.

• Velo price (VELO): $0.004622, gains 19.66%, TV: $7.17 million.

• TRON price (TRX): $0.3086, rises 4.36%, TV: $677.56 million.

• Siren price (SIREN): $0.7470, jumps 42.76%, TV: $54.38 million.

• Polymesh price (POLYX): $0.04867, gains 13.92%, TV: $165.8 million.

Top 3 Crypto Gainers in 24 hours (Ranked by 24-hour percentage gain):

• MemeCore price today (M): $1.91, surged 15.41%, trading activity $11.69M.

• River price today (RIVER): $22.21, climbed 14.43%, trading activity $43.52M.

• Kaspa price today (KAS): $0.0368, jumped 10.05%, trading activity $34.05M.

Top 3 Crypto Losers in 24 hours (Ranked by 24-hour percentage loss):

• Pi coin price (PI): $0.173, down 11.51%, trading activity around $42.85 million.

• Pepe price (PEPE): $0.053681, slipped 7.95%, trading activity near $579.42 million.

• Sky price (SKY): $0.07368, lower by 6.83%, trading activity close to $33.33 million.

Stablecoins and Defi Update:

• Stablecoins reflects 0.4% positive change over the past 24 hours, with a market capitalization of $312 billion and trading volume of $86.2 billion.

• The Overall (Defi) Decentralized Finance market declined 0.6% over the last 24 hours, recording a market cap of $55.4 billion and trading volume (TV) at $4.2 billion. Defi dominance globally marked 2.1%.

Crypto Fear and Greed Index Today

Source:  Alternative Me

Today’s Fear & Greed Index is 26 (Fear), slightly improving from yesterday’s 28 (Fear). It’s higher than last week (15, Extreme Fear) and last month (12, Extreme Fear), suggesting mild market relief but persistent cautious sentiment among investors.

Latest Crypto Market News Today, March 18

(Note: All of these updates affect traders, as they impact liquidity, sentiment, and potential returns, and thus must be monitored closely.)

1. RedotPay Eyes $150M Funding: Hong Kong’s RedotPay seeks up to $150M in new funding amid executive changes. Valued at $1B, it aims for a $4B U.S. IPO, handling $10B annual transactions.

2. Hyperliquid OI Hits $1.43B: HIP-3 market of Hyperliquid has an all-time open interest of $1.43B. The volume of tokenized assets is overwhelming, and the volume of the WTI crude oil trading comes second after Bitcoin.

3. U.S. Crypto Bill Faces Delay: Investment analysts caution that the crypto regulatory bill in the U.S. could sit until 2027 amid congressional wrangles over regulatory rules of stablecoins, the responsibilities of the US SEC and CFTC, and investor protection guidelines.

4. Coinbase Adds Katana & EDGEX: Coinbase declares a Katana (KAT) and EDGEX listing roadmap. Trading will commence when market-making and technical infrastructure are available, le and more announcements will be made.

5. Aster Chain Mainnet Launch: Supported by YZi Labs, Aster Chain releases Layer 1 mainnet based on zero-knowledge privacy. Staking and developer programs such as Aster Code will start in the near future.

6. BASED Token TGE Set: Based Foundation announces BASED token TGE on March 30. Following $11.5M Series A led by Pantera, the token will power the utility functions of the ecosystem.

7. Mastercard to Acquire BVNK: Mastercard intends to acquire stablecoin startup BVNK, its second attempt at a merger with Coinbase failed, for $1.8b. The transaction includes $300M in contingent consideration, which will enhance Mastercard's digital payment system.

Comparative Insight

Comparing the March 17 crypto update to March 18, the industry shifted from a strong recovery to a mild correction. Market cap fell from $2.65T (+3.6%) to $2.6T (-1.4%), while trading volume declined. Bitcoin and Ethereum moved from solid gains to slight losses. Sentiment weakened slightly (Fear 28 to 26), showing fading momentum, though altcoins continued selective outperformance despite broader consolidation. 

What This Means for Cryptocurrency Users

Cryptocurrency users are experiencing a transition period in which volatility is present, but there are still opportunities in selective altcoins. Nevertheless, the decrease in large assets and fear mood indicates cautious trading, risk control, and not making any headlong decisions,s but keeping a close eye on the regulatory developments.

Risk: This commentary is not concerned with long-term conditions and is simply informational. It does not indicate the price or show what to do on the investment.

CoinGabbar’s Opinion

The current situation remains moderately risky, not ideal for aggressive investments but suitable for careful, research-based entries. The short-term traders might have a chance, but the long-term investors must remain alert, diversify their investments, and make decisions that are not based on hype or short-term trends.

Disclaimer: The information should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are very unstable and dangerous. You should never make an investment decision without doing your research (DYOR) and using a qualified financial advisor. All regions are not able to provide all the services or assets in question.