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US Senators Demand SEC Halt Crypto ETP Approvals Due to Disclosure Concerns

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US Senators Demand SEC Halt Crypto ETP Approvals Due to Disclosure Concerns

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is facing
pressure from Democratic senators to halt the approval of new cryptocurrency
exchange-traded products (ETPs), citing concerns over risks to retail
investors.

According to a letter written to the regulator on
March 11, Senators Jack Reed and Laphonza Butler emphasize the dangers posed by
inadequate disclosures by brokers and insufficient liquidity in major
cryptocurrencies.

The senators mentioned: “We write to urge the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to take steps to protect investors
following its recent approval of the listing and trading of certain spot
Bitcoin exchange-traded products (ETPs).”

“The SEC’s approvals have provided a green light
for Wall Street to sell volatile cryptocurrency investments to ordinary
Americans through their brokerage and retirement accounts.”

Senators Reed and Butler highlighted findings from a
survey by FINRA revealing that 70% of brokers’ communications with retail
investors violated fair disclosure rules.

Specifically, the legislators expressed alarm over
brokers falsely equating cryptocurrency with cash and providing misleading
explanations of cryptocurrency risks. Such deficiencies raise concerns about
incomplete and deceptive information regarding Bitcoin ETPs.

Risk Factors

The senators argue that labeling spot Bitcoin ETFs as such obscures important characteristics,
potentially misleading retail investors. They stressed the need for investors
to understand the differences between ETPs and traditional funds.

Additionally, Reed and Butler expressed skepticism
about the integrity of cryptocurrencies , particularly highlighting Bitcoin’s
vulnerabilities and susceptibility to fraudulent schemes. They warned of the risks retail investors could face
from ETPs linked to cryptocurrencies, especially those prone to price
manipulation.

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In January, the SEC approved 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs.
This approval happened after years of anticipation and rejections, signaling a
significant shift in how investors can access and engage with cryptocurrencies
on traditional financial platforms.

The approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs simplifies retail
investors’ access to cryptocurrencies, enabling them to trade crypto through
their brokerage accounts. This eliminates the need for separate crypto exchanges
and mitigates risks associated with direct holdings, such as security breaches
and fraud.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is facing
pressure from Democratic senators to halt the approval of new cryptocurrency
exchange-traded products (ETPs), citing concerns over risks to retail
investors.

According to a letter written to the regulator on
March 11, Senators Jack Reed and Laphonza Butler emphasize the dangers posed by
inadequate disclosures by brokers and insufficient liquidity in major
cryptocurrencies.

The senators mentioned: “We write to urge the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to take steps to protect investors
following its recent approval of the listing and trading of certain spot
Bitcoin exchange-traded products (ETPs).”

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“The SEC’s approvals have provided a green light
for Wall Street to sell volatile cryptocurrency investments to ordinary
Americans through their brokerage and retirement accounts.”

Senators Reed and Butler highlighted findings from a
survey by FINRA revealing that 70% of brokers’ communications with retail
investors violated fair disclosure rules.

Specifically, the legislators expressed alarm over
brokers falsely equating cryptocurrency with cash and providing misleading
explanations of cryptocurrency risks. Such deficiencies raise concerns about
incomplete and deceptive information regarding Bitcoin ETPs.

Advertisement

Risk Factors

The senators argue that labeling spot Bitcoin ETFs as such obscures important characteristics,
potentially misleading retail investors. They stressed the need for investors
to understand the differences between ETPs and traditional funds.

Additionally, Reed and Butler expressed skepticism
about the integrity of cryptocurrencies , particularly highlighting Bitcoin’s
vulnerabilities and susceptibility to fraudulent schemes. They warned of the risks retail investors could face
from ETPs linked to cryptocurrencies, especially those prone to price
manipulation.

In January, the SEC approved 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs.
This approval happened after years of anticipation and rejections, signaling a
significant shift in how investors can access and engage with cryptocurrencies
on traditional financial platforms.

The approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs simplifies retail
investors’ access to cryptocurrencies, enabling them to trade crypto through
their brokerage accounts. This eliminates the need for separate crypto exchanges
and mitigates risks associated with direct holdings, such as security breaches
and fraud.

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Cryptocurrency Stocks To Add to Your Watchlist

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Cryptocurrency Stocks To Add to Your Watchlist
Galaxy Digital, Bitfarms, HIVE Digital Technologies, Digi Power X, ZenaTech, Soluna, and Bitcoin Depot are the seven Cryptocurrency stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeat’s stock screener tool. Cryptocurrency stocks are shares of publicly traded companies whose business models or balance sh
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1 Top Cryptocurrency to Buy Before It Soars 120%, According to a Top Wall Street Investment Firm | The Motley Fool

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1 Top Cryptocurrency to Buy Before It Soars 120%, According to a Top Wall Street Investment Firm | The Motley Fool

As many analysts are slashing their 2026 price targets for Bitcoin (BTC 1.28%), one top Wall Street investment firm is not. According to Bernstein, Bitcoin could still hit $150,000 by the end of the year.

Obviously, a lot needs to go right for Bitcoin for that to happen. But the world’s top cryptocurrency is capable of soaring in price by 120% this year. Here’s why.

“The weakest bear case in history”

Throughout its history, Bitcoin has experienced a number of boom-and-bust cycles. Typically, three years of boom are followed by one year of bust. Almost like clockwork, the price of Bitcoin collapses by more than 50% every four years. It happened in 2014, 2018, and 2022. And it now looks like it is happening in 2026. That helps to explain why market sentiment is so low on Bitcoin right now.

Today’s Change

(-1.28%) $-880.15

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Current Price

$67717.00

But Bernstein sees it differently. According to the firm, this is the “weakest bear case in history.” During previous crypto collapses, there have been insolvencies, bankruptcies, spectacular failures, and blow-ups. None of that has happened in 2026.

That’s why Bernstein describes the current situation as a “crisis of confidence,” and nothing more. And, to a large degree, the numbers bear this out. For example, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index recently dipped below 10 (out of a possible 100), indicating wide-scale panic in the market. Once the index moves out of “extreme fear” territory (a reading of 20 or higher), Bitcoin could soar in value.

Institutional adoption of Bitcoin

Institutional adoption of Bitcoin remains on track. Large asset managers and institutional investors continue to add Bitcoin to their portfolios. Large Wall Street firms continue to push out new Bitcoin-related products. Net inflows have returned to the spot Bitcoin ETFs. And Bitcoin treasury companies continue to buy Bitcoin (albeit at a scaled-back rate).

Orange Bitcoin symbol on Wall Street.

Image source: Getty Images.

All this suggests that the core investment thesis for Bitcoin remains valid. Now is no time to give up on Bitcoin, which has been the top-performing asset in the world for much of the past decade. It has routinely delivered triple-digit returns, and the price of Bitcoin has grown exponentially over the past 15 years.

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Is Bitcoin a risk asset or a safe-haven asset?

It’s also undeniable that Bitcoin has lost some of its luster as “digital gold.” Just 12 months ago, hedge fund managers were extolling the virtues of Bitcoin as a potential safe-haven asset. Some even compared it to gold as a long-term store of value.

Bitcoin / U.S. dollar chart by TradingView

But ever since October, the price of gold — as measured by the performance of the iShares Gold Trust (IAU +1.94%) — has skyrocketed in value, while Bitcoin has nosedived. The two assets are now moving in completely opposite directions, and it’s easy to see why money is moving out of Bitcoin and into gold. Even Bernstein acknowledges that Bitcoin is now trading like a “liquidity-sensitive risk asset.”

But that’s what’s needed for Bitcoin to break out and deliver truly explosive upside potential. By the halfway point of 2026, I fully expect market sentiment on Bitcoin to shift. As long as Bitcoin can tread water for the next few months, it’s capable of doubling in value to hit $150,000 by the end of the year.

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The rise of Polymarket, the cryptocurrency-based betting site for current events

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The rise of Polymarket, the cryptocurrency-based betting site for current events

Will the United States strike Iran? Who will win the Super Bowl? The Oscars? The municipal elections in Paris? These uncertainties can pay off big on Polymarket. With a rather austere appearance, the American website presents thousands of questions, allowing bettors to wager on the outcome of current events and collect winnings if they choose correctly.

In the United States, such prediction market platforms are booming. In November 2025, the volume of bets on Polymarket and Kalshi, the two leaders in the sector, was estimated at nearly $13 billion (€10.9 billion). By early 2026, Polymarket has claimed tens of millions of visitors and hundreds of thousands of active traders.

Molly White, a researcher and engineer from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, described “a powerful trend” in the United States, “where everything becomes an excuse for gambling.” Nikos Smyrnaios, a professor of social sciences at the University of Toulouse, added that there are issues raised by “risk speculation,” which he described as characterized by “a total absence of ethics.”

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