Mar 17, 2025: Our weekly Institutional Insights explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

 explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

Weekly highlight — consumer sentiment falls

US consumer sentiment has fallen to its lowest level in over two years, reflecting growing concerns about the economic impact of tariffs. According to data from the University of Michigan, the preliminary sentiment index for March 2025 dropped to 57.9 from 64.7 in February, the lowest level since November 2022. This decline was worse than expected by a Bloomberg survey of economists.

Inflation expectations surged, with consumers anticipating a 3.9% annual price increase over the next five to ten years, the highest rate over three decades. Additionally, consumers expect prices to rise by 4.9% over the next year from 4.3%, marking the steepest rise since 2022.

As US president Donald Trump’s tariff policies expand, consumers across the political spectrum increasingly worry that these extra duties will lead to higher costs. Despite recent inflation cooling, ongoing price pressures could lead households to reduce discretionary spending.

The survey also indicated a record low in consumer expectations regarding personal finances, with respondents estimating only a 48.7% chance of stock market gains in the coming year. Joanne Hsu, 

 the University of Michigan, emphasized that uncertainty surrounding economic policies complicates financial planning.

Some analysts warned that declining consumer confidence poses a significant threat to spending, as fears of an economic downturn may deter purchases of major items. Overall, the current conditions gauge and the expectations index fell to their lowest levels in several months, showcasing widespread consumer apprehension.

Weekly crypto highlight — Bitcoin see slight life in the past weekend

Bitcoin rebounded from a four-month low earlier this week alongside other risky assets recovering from recent market turmoil. Economic uncertainties driven by a wave of tariffs from President Trump and the threat of a government shutdown have led to significant sell-offs across various asset classes, including cryptocurrencies.

“As we conclude a week of widespread selling, markets are experiencing a relief rally from oversold conditions,” stated Ravi Doshi, Co-Head of Markets at FalconX. The avoidance of a US government funding shutdown has eased market uncertainty.

On Friday, Bitcoin rose by as much as 6.2%, reaching $85,301, while smaller digital assets surged even more: Solana gained over 9%, Chainlink increased by 13% and XRP rose nearly 8%. Earlier in the week, Bitcoin had dropped to around $77,000, a significant decline from its all-time high of $109,000 in January 2025.

This slump triggered record outflows from Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, and large liquidations in crypto derivatives markets. Crypto markets are bouncing back as macro-driven liquidations seem to be pausing. Analysts suggest that ongoing macroeconomic stability may support crypto prices.

Advanced

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Weekly Institutional Insights: Consumer sentiment falls as crypto recovers from 4-month low

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report delves into macro events, the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume, and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

The ongoing sell-off in risk-on assets has intensified bearish signals in derivatives markets for crypto assets. Funding rates indicate a demand for short exposure, futures prices are trading below spot prices and volatility smiles are showing a strong skew toward OTM puts as traders hedge against further declines. The at-the-money (ATM) volatility term structure has inverted again after a lack of clarity around Trump’s proposed strategic digital asset reserve caused short-dated volatility to fall briefly before last weekend.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

Choppy spot price movements have had an impact on funding rates, with BTC and altcoin rates reacting primarily to spot fluctuations, rather than long-term market views. ETH has sold off more sharply during declines, and hasn’t participated as strongly in relief rallies, resulting in the worst YTD performance among the five tokens in Trump’s proposed digital asset stockpile. This is reflected in funding rates, with ETH perpetual swaps showing strong demand for leveraged short exposure to further downside risk.

Investors continue to protect against further decline

Despite higher realized volatility increasing both short- and long-tenor implied volatility, options trade volumes remain low. Last Friday’s expiration of significant open interest was mostly for downside protection against a deepening sell-off. However, the options market has reverted to an inverted term structure, which had dissipated during last Friday’s White House crypto summit, with strong relative demand for short-dated put contracts.

Open interest in Solana (SOL) options declined at the end of February, with over $5M in calls and more than $3M in puts expiring and most positions not rolled over. Despite SOL trading 44% below its January ATH, most new positions are in calls. However, this new positioning is disappointingly weak, given SOL's inclusion in Trump’s crypto reserve announcement alongside BTC, ETH, XRP and ADA.

Beginner

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Bybit X Block Scholes crypto derivatives analytics report (Mar 14, 2025): Investors hedge further declines

BinaryX has rebranded to Four, uniting GameFi, IGOs, and MemeFi under one ecosystem. With BNX now FORM, Four continues to innovate in blockchain gaming."

Having launched in May 2021, BinaryX, which started out as a 

 (DeFi) platform, has continued to evolve and adapt to the rapidly changing blockchain landscape. However, in the spirit of adaptability and innovation, the platform switched to 

, focusing its attention on play-to-earn (P2E) games.

As a GameFi platform, BinaryX has also created an 

 (IGO) launchpad from which developers can launch GameFi projects.

Now, BinaryX has rebranded to Four in order to align with the mission of its 

 product, a launch platform for the meme coin ecosystem.

Let's learn more about BinaryX and the way it continues to shape the crypto market with innovative products and adaptable business models.

 hub for the development of GameFi projects, includes an IGO launchpad to facilitate developers in launching games. 

BinaryX began in 2021 as a decentralized derivative trading system that featured the use of 

. But in 2022, the BinaryX team gradually evolved its project into a GameFi platform in order to adapt to the increased demand for P2E games. Its aim is to make web3 games more accessible and approachable to the vast community of gamers.

BinaryX also developed an IGO launchpad to serve as a comprehensive hub for gaming developers to launch their GameFi projects, and for investors to receive early access to promising new play-to-earn games. Furthermore, the BinaryX team announced the incorporation of a 

 (DAO) into its GameFi ecosystem so that its community of token holders could participate in voting on governance matters.

In February 2025, BinaryX rebranded to Four in order to align with its latest product, Four.meme, which was launched in July 2024. Following the rebrand, its native token, BNX, would now become FORM to reflect the project's commitment to innovation and adaptability.

As one of the top web3 platforms on BNB Chain, BinaryX has continued to innovate and experiment with different business models to adapt to the blockchain landscape's fast-paced nature. To this end, BinaryX has the following diverse products under its wing.

BinaryX launched its Initial Game Offering (IGO) launchpad in May 2022 as a dedicated platform to support blockchain gaming projects. The launchpad helps game developers secure funding for decentralized video games. They also get a platform on which to build communities and accelerate their web3 game development.

By leveraging BinaryX’s expertise in GameFi and its existing user base, projects gain exposure to a vast community of crypto gamers. The platform offers early access to promising blockchain games, allowing investors to participate in token sales and 

 presales. BNX holders can use their tokens to vote for games' listings on the BinaryX platform, and they also receive rewards, such as game tokens and NFT 

Some notable games launched on the BinaryX IGO launchpad include 

. These games showcase BinaryX’s commitment to innovation in GameFi, integrating play-to-earn mechanics, NFTs and decentralized governance to help create immersive gaming ecosystems.

BinaryX's GameFi trading platform is a marketplace designed for seamlessly trading blockchain gaming assets, including NFTs, in-game tokens and virtual items. Launched to support the growing GameFi ecosystem, the platform enables gamers and investors to buy, sell, trade and auction assets from BinaryX-powered games in a secure and efficient manner.

 and DeFi principles, BinaryX ensures transparent transactions with minimal fees, and enhances liquidity for in-game assets while empowering players to maximize their earnings.

The BinaryX GameFi trading platform supports transactions involving 

In January 2022, BinaryX launched the BinaryX DAO, a first for a GameFi project, through which BNX token holders can participate in the project's community governance, determine airdrop and dividend ratios, and submit proposals on how to improve the BinaryX ecosystem.

Case in point: BinaryX's community participated in voting for/against the platform's rebranding to Four during a community vote that was held from Sep 21–23, 2024.

The BinaryX Treasury serves as the financial backbone of the BinaryX ecosystem, supporting the development and sustainability of its GameFi projects. Some sources of assets used to fund the treasury include initial capital injection by the BNX team, income from gaming activities, income from the IGO launchpad and profit from external investment.

Profits in the BinaryX Treasury are used to reward BNX stakers, incentivize BinaryX sidechain node providers and finance strategic investments in third-party projects.

BNX is the native token for the BinaryX platform. Its original maximum supply of 2.1 billion tokens was adjusted to 580 million after a community vote in late July 2024.

Distribution of the 580 million BNX tokens is as follows:

Following BinaryX's rebranding to Four, BNX will change to FORM, and holders will be allowed to exchange to the new token at a ratio of 1:1 (details to follow at a later date).

BinaryX has integrated a multi-token model. Apart from BNX, the other two tokens associated with the platform are as follows:

BinaryX officially rebranded to Four on Feb 21, 2025, following an overwhelming vote via its DAO, marking a significant transformation in its vision for GameFi and DeFi innovation. This shift comes with a revamped website, which will serve as a hub for the GameFi platform, IGO launchpad and Four.meme, a new addition to Four’s expanding ecosystem.

Following the rebranding, a 1:1 token migration from BNX to FORM is necessary in order to enhance the token's identity and align with the project's new direction. FORM remains on the BNB Chain, ensuring smooth compatibility with existing infrastructure.

 (CEXs) won’t need to do anything — the token swap to FORM will take place automatically. BinaryX will liaise with these exchanges to switch from the BNX contract address to the one for FORM.

 (DEXs), cold wallets and self-custody wallets will need to carry out a manual token swap based on a converter provided by BinaryX. To carry out this token swap, you’ll need to do the following:

 landing page (link will be provided at a later date).

4. Sign to authenticate your transaction to receive the FORM tokens.

5. Add the new FORM contract address into your wallet to see the new tokens.

You can buy BNX as a USDT Perpetual contract (

) on the Bybit trading platform. However, the BNXUSDT contract will be delisted on Mar 17, 2025, 9AM UTC, so make sure to close your open positions and cancel your active orders for BNXUSDT as soon as possible.

Over the years, BinaryX has consistently demonstrated strong performance. The rebranding of BinaryX to Four marks a bold step forward in its mission to impact the web3 space. This transformation reflects the project’s commitment to expanding its ecosystem, enhancing token identity and integrating innovative elements, such as Four.meme, alongside its GameFi platform and IGO launchpad.

By adapting to the evolving crypto landscape, Four is positioning itself as a comprehensive hub for web3 and gaming enthusiasts so that it can offer a seamless experience for gamers, investors and meme culture participants. The introduction of the FORM token ensures a more cohesive and recognizable branding, reinforcing Four’s long-term vision. Thanks to the smooth migration process from BNX to FORM, users can continue participating in the ecosystem while benefiting from enhanced liquidity and utility.

Four remains dedicated to GameFi innovation, supporting successful blockchain games such as 

, all of which feature play-to-earn mechanics, NFTs and decentralized governance. The revamped platform is designed to foster a dynamic gaming economy, support new game launches and provide a secure environment for trading digital assets. With its rebranding and expanded offerings, Four is set to lead the next wave of blockchain gaming and DeFi innovation, uniting gamers, developers and investors in a vibrant web3 ecosystem.

Intermediate

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From BinaryX to Four: A unified hub for GameFi, IGOs and MemeFi

Learn about the benefits of using Bybit Pay and the step-by-step instructions to get started with Bybit Pay now.

Traditional financial systems and blockchain-based ecosystems have long operated in silos, creating friction for users and businesses alike. 

 is a new payment solution that’s been designed from the ground up to solve this issue to make cryptocurrency transactions seamless for any users.

With the aim of mainstreaming crypto payment options, Bybit Pay has already begun partnering with traditional payment solution providers, enabling users to transact with cryptocurrencies through existing infrastructure. For example, with its recent 

, Brazilian users can now shop by using cryptocurrencies in a quick and effortless manner. 

In this article, we’ll explain the benefits of using Bybit Pay and provide step-by-step instructions for new users who want to get started with the platform.

With more than 60 million users on the Bybit platform, Bybit Pay empowers merchants with access to the global network of its vast user base. Meanwhile, users benefit from a seamless integration with web3 wallets that makes paying with crypto as easy as paying with fiat currency. The platform also offers collateralized payment tools that allow users to borrow against their NFT and crypto holdings. 

Through these innovative features, Bybit Pay blends the ease of traditional finance with the flexibility of cryptocurrencies, creating an ecosystem that benefits both users and merchants.

Bybit Pay can be accessed using the Bybit App on mobile and desktop. 

While filling in the form, make sure that the information you enter matches the information you’ve already provided during 

: As of now, only verified users in Brazil can make transactions using a Pix QR code.

Since the Pix integration, Brazilian users can use Bybit Pay wherever Pix is accepted. This opens up a vast network of offline establishments in the country, since Pix is Brazil’s leading instant payment system provider. 

In addition to offline establishments, Bybit Pay can also be used with a number of e-commerce providers for online shopping using cryptocurrencies. Bybit Pay will be available to users from other regions soon.

With the launch of Bybit Pay, Bybit is integrating crypto payments with traditional payment services providers — and vastly expanding the number of places where cryptocurrencies can be used.

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How to use Bybit Pay for effortless payments

Crypto

web3

So you want to buy, sell, trade or just try out cryptocurrencies? You'll need a crypto wallet for that! Read all about what a crypto wallet is here.

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So you want to buy, sell, trade or just try out these cryptocurrencies that everyone is talking about. The fact that you’re here means that you’re in the right place, because quite simply, none of these things are possible without a crypto wallet. 

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the topic: for instance, what is a crypto wallet? What wallet types exist out there and where exactly should you store your coins? 

Firstly, a good question to ask would be: "What is a crypto wallet?"

A crypto wallet is a software program that interacts with the blockchain of your choice by generating public and private keys, monitoring your balances, and most importantly, sending and receiving cryptocurrency  — but whatever they are, these wallets are not part of the blockchain. 

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror? Almost certainly you have, so you will know that what the mirror reflects is kind of you, but not you exactly. 

The same situation can be applied to cryptocurrency wallets. Whatever amount of coins you can see in your wallet, they aren’t there in the way that coins are in a real wallet; it’s just a reflection of your operations on the blockchain. 

It may sound complicated but it’s not really. Keep on reading and we’ll explain.

So we know what a crypto wallet is now, but what about its key components, public and private keys?

work in a way to conduct transactions on a blockchain – say, on the Bitcoin blockchain. 

, is generated by your crypto wallet and is associated with and attributable to you — it’s kind of like your email address on the blockchain. You can show it to people who want to send you something – most often, cryptocurrencies, but sometimes, other digital assets, too.

, on the other hand, is something different. It’s not visible to anyone but you and signs requests on your behalf, such as sending money. It is basically like the password to your assets. 

By using strict mathematical rules of asymmetric encryption, your private key proves that it was you who sent the request, so it’s important to keep your private key safe. If someone else gains access, they can take your coins.

That being said, if somebody tells you that you don’t need private keys to send and receive crypto they of course are theoretically right. But also, they mean you don’t really have full control over your money.

The Difference Between Hot and Cold Wallets

Any crypto wallet can be always categorized as either hot or cold.

A crypto wallet can never change its state: you will always know whether the wallet is hot or cold, because the difference is pretty clear.

Hot wallets are connected to the internet, while cold wallets are disconnected to the internet.

 or hot storages are more convenient, but they are less secure. Although stringent security measures are put in place to stop such incidents from occurring, hot wallets are nevertheless potentially prone to hacking in a way that cold wallets simply are not. 

 are more physical — this is probably the closest you can get to feel like you physically own your cryptocurrency. Paper wallets, hardware wallets, and, surprisingly, physical bitcoins (which works great as a gift coin, but is very inconvenient in the real world) are all cold wallets and they are pretty safe to store large amounts of cryptocurrency. 

Let’s look at these wallets in more detail. 

There are four fundamental types of hot wallets out there: 

web wallets, mobile wallets, desktop wallets and crypto exchanges. 

Sometimes the functionality of one hot wallet intersects with the functionality of the other hot wallet, so the lines between them can be blurred. 

It happens, for example, to web wallets and crypto exchanges, so don’t get confused telling one apart from the other. A good illustration is Coinbase, which acts as a digital wallet where you can trade one crypto for another one, and yet, there’s a self-standing medium called Coinbase Pro, a crypto exchange where you can trade digital assets. 

the wallet holders still have control of their private keys

. However, as we mentioned, they could potentially be hacked, albeit it is only a small possibility.

There are different types of hot wallets that use software out there. Let’s take a look at them. 

ts are wallets you can access from your browser, whether it’s Google Chrome, or Safari, for example. 

They are well-suited for people that facilitate basic transactions often and store small amounts of money on their accounts. 

Blockchain.com, BitGo, GreenAddress, Coinbase

 are all examples of web-based wallets, and all of them are well-established and easy to use. The only problem again is that, by using these wallets, you trust someone with your keys. 

, you’re trusting them to protect your private keys. If the private key is password-protected, like with 

, you, nevertheless, trust them to keep your keys safe on their server. 

What if something goes wrong with the custodian? What if something goes wrong with the server? 

A very common way to talk about this delicate matter 

Coinbase is a hosted wallet service, which means we manage your private keys for you, securing your funds with a password, device confirmation and 2-factor authentication.

However, as it turns out, not so many users sweat it about not owning their private keys. Because the service is well-reputed and very easy to use. 

mobile wallets are crypto wallets installed on your phone as apps from Google Play or App Store. 

What you need to know about them is that sometimes mobile apps and the corresponding online wallets complement each other as it goes with 

However, mobile wallets sometimes don’t have their browser analogs, which is perfectly fine, for example, the situation with 

, you get multi-signature, 2FA, HD wallet and full control over your private keys. With 

, it’s slick design, HD wallet and full control over your private keys, too.

So, you see, by their very nature, mobile apps are a little bit safer than online wallets. They are 

 to be isolated from the operating system of the phone, which provides a certain level of protection against malware, and gives you control over your keys. 

Desktop wallets are wallets you install on your device from a website of a developer.

There are two types of desktop wallets existing out there: full-node wallets and lightweight/thin wallets. 

 has a decent way to define the difference between them: “

Imagine a scientist reading about an experimental result and then repeating the experiment for herself. Doing so allows her to trust the result without having to trust the original scientists

If you download the whole blockchain with your wallet and “repeat the experiment for yourself”, you’ll run a full-node client. If somebody else keeps the blockchain on their side for you, you’ll just “read” about the experiment and keep it lightweight.

The first bitcoin wallet was a full-node client developed by Satoshi Nakamoto himself, the legendary pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin and blockchain. It’s called 

, and, as Florence + The Machine sings, “

”, namely, 320.76 GB, so yes, it’s not a mainstream kind of product.

However, it still exists, and if you own it, you don’t simply own a wallet, you are a verifier who takes part in the global process of money decentralization 24/7. You can mine crypto if you add to your setup super-powerful mining rigs, you approve blocks and transactions, plus, no one can really trick you into accepting fabricated transactions. 

Mostly, people use lightweight wallets, though, such as 

 and Mycelium. A thin client connects to the Bitcoin peer-to-peer (P2P) network but doesn’t fully validate transactions or blocks. If you use lightweight/thin clients, you use the third-party software that helps you interact with the initial blockchain from time to time.

Storing your digital assets is relatively convenient with a thin wallet. You don’t have to download all the blockchain to your computer, you don’t have to update the client all the time. Besides, thin wallets like Electrum let you keep your private keys, provide you with anonymity and guarantee a backup.

Are they less secure? Well, these wallets are vulnerable if the network is overpowered by an attacker, as Satoshi 

 in his white paper. But it is possible to verify payments without running a full network node. As such, this kind of verification is reliable as long as honest nodes control the network. 

The greatest problem with all the wallet types mentioned above is that it’s very difficult to exchange between dollars and bitcoins on top of them. You can’t easily add your credit card to your account. That’s where you may want to need cryptocurrency exchanges.

A cryptocurrency exchange is an online or mobile platform with a built-in trading functionality that lets you buy/sell and store cryptocurrencies. These platforms often have charting functionality built-in, together with other useful trading tools. 

You don’t have to be a broker or own a huge sum of money to start trading on cryptocurrency exchanges. Relative anonymity is also the reason why many individual traders prefer cryptocurrency exchanges. 

The regulators slowly get there, but still, in very many cases there’s no need to verify your identity if you want to start moving small chunks of money between different addresses. 

Keep in mind, though, if you want to withdraw or deposit fiat money (USD or Euro), you will normally have to provide cryptocurrency exchanges with some verification documents, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or ID.

As we’ve mentioned before, cold wallets are probably the most secure way to store larger sums of crypto, since these wallets are disconnected from the Internet. 

So, which wallet types of cold wallets exist out there?

A hardware wallet resembles a USB stick in appearance. It is a device that keeps your private keys in a safe offline environment. Yet, you might have to install some software on your machine to use it.

Despite the fact that these wallets are the safest in the market, there’s a fair number of possible problems with this storage type.

It is wise to keep your eggs in as many wallets as possible. Popular options include 

A paper wallet is offline crypto storage with QR codes and corresponding keys printed out on a piece of paper. 

Proper paper wallets are often a very secure way of storing bitcoins since they are not typically exposed to malware. They can also be easily stored securely in safes and safe deposit boxes.

Don’t forget, though: paper wallets are made of… paper which means they could be stolen, lost, get soaked or even burnt, so maybe you’ll need a few copies.

To generate your first bitcoin paper wallet and send bitcoins to it, click on this 

But remember in order to generate such a wallet and start using it, you normally have to follow a few simple steps: 

Before choosing a wallet, see if there is a 2-factor authentication (2FA) option. This is a technology that has one more piece of data for you to insert before you log in to your account. To use this, you will need to download an authentication application to your phone.

There’s also the multisig feature that protects your assets. Just appoint another person or a wallet protection service to sign your transactions together with you — and you’re safe even with a hot wallet!

Don’t lose a seed, a 12-word or a 24-word string almost every HD wallet generates once you create it. In theory, if something happens, with the help of that seed you can easily restore key pairs on any HD wallet that supports this seed feature. Still, it is strongly 

 to only use the same HD wallet program with the same HD-related settings for a particular seed.

 originally created hierarchical deterministic wallets (hierarchical deterministic wallets) to provide higher levels of anonymity for those who often send and receive digital currency. HD wallets keep the information of how much you spend on a transaction safe.

It will vary slightly, of course, but in general, the situation is always the same.

Just find or generate a public address in the settings of your wallet and show it to the person who is about to send you money. 

As for sending your own funds, open your wallet, enter the destination address as well as the amount and press “Send”.

It will take some time before you or your recipient gets money because miners will need to confirm the transaction. So don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal. 

Your bitcoin transaction needs to be added to the block in the Bitcoin network for it to be successfully completed or validated. Miners spend vast amounts of computing power and energy doing this and expect rewards, so you kind of have to persuade them into writing your transaction in their blocks.

For that, you’ll need to pay fees, and, guess what, miners of course have a financial incentive to prioritize the validation of transactions that include a higher fee. 

If you’re looking to send funds and get a quick confirmation, the appropriate fee can be higher than the average one. As of writing, it’s 26.16 USD/tx, but you can always 

Can I Store Different Cryptocurrencies in One Wallet?

There are wallets out there that can store one or multiple cryptocurrency types. For instance, Exodus offers quite a huge lineup of coins, such as Bitcoin, Ether, EOS, Dash, and others.

, that we were talking about earlier, but the general sentiment is – yes, of course, you can store different cryptocurrencies in one wallet. You just have to choose which one is well-suited for you.  

What Is a Crypto Wallet?

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