Driven by a near-total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, global energy markets have entered a historic "war premium" rally as WTI and Brent decisively clear the $100 and $110 thresholds for the first time since 2022. This 2026 supply squeeze, which has sidelined 20% of global oil, is fueling extreme volatility and a massive surge in decentralized hedging on platforms like Hyperliquid. While the Trump administration weighs a Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) release to inject liquidity and fill price gaps near $90, technical indicators remain parabolic with price targets eyeing $130. Investors are now pivoting to upcoming US CPI data and EIA reports to determine if the current vertical momentum will face a mean reversion or continue its record-breaking ascent.

During a podcast on Sunday, former CFTC chair Chris Giancarlo said US banks need clear crypto rules more urgently than the crypto sector, as their legal teams will not approve major investments without regulatory certainty. He warned that continued delays around the CLARITY Act in the Senate could leave US banks behind Asian and European competitors, and suggested that if the bill fails, current SEC and CFTC leaders may draft interim rules to guide the industry.

In 2026, the value of tokenized real-world assets rose to about $24.9 billion, roughly four times higher than a year earlier amid strong institutional demand. U.S. Treasuries, commodities, and products from issuers like BlackRock and Ondo Finance led this expansion, while total RWA holders across major chains climbed to over 663,000. Despite a recent monthly pullback, tokenized RWAs still represent more than $346 billion in underlying assets and could surpass $50 billion in value by 2030 if current trends persist.

On Monday, Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP posted gains even as global equity futures signaled steep losses amid a severe oil supply shock and rising U.S.-Iran tensions. Bitcoin traded near $66,124.97, while Ethereum hovered around $1,944.62 and XRP reached $1.34, with total crypto market capitalization at $2.28 trillion. Analysts pointed to digital assets' lack of direct exposure to disrupted physical energy infrastructure and Bitcoin's positioning as a value store as factors supporting prices.

On Mar. 8, Intercontinental Exchange, the listed parent of the New York Stock Exchange, was reported to have taken a minority stake of about $200 million in crypto exchange OKX at a roughly $25 billion valuation and to have secured a board seat. Investors and analysts cited OKX's global user base, derivatives-focused structure and strategic positioning as key reasons, while viewing the deal as part of a broader push toward tokenization and future digital market infrastructure.

In 2026, Shiba Inu is trading around $0.0000053, near prices last seen in 2021, with its structure still technically bearish and no clear bottom confirmed. XRP has entered one of its calmest trading phases of the year at about $1.36, showing low volatility but remaining below key moving averages. Bitcoin is hovering near $67,000 after a sharp breakdown from $74,000, and the market is watching whether it can reclaim that previously critical level.

Brent crude has climbed beyond $110 per barrel as mounting tensions around Iran and disruption risks in the Strait of Hormuz drive fears of a deeper supply shock. The surge, which has added more than 30% to Brent in a matter of weeks, is pressuring global equities, bond markets and currencies as investors reassess inflation and growth outlooks. If prices remain elevated, scrutiny on central bank policy, energy costs and recession risks is expected to intensify.

Bitcoin fell close to 2% in about 15 minutes on Sunday, slipping to around $66,272 after earlier strength during the recent US-Israel strikes on Iran. Over the same period, oil prices surged from $95 to $113.7 per barrel before easing to $105, amid warnings that roughly 3 million barrels per day could be disrupted in the Strait of Hormuz. Crude is now trading at its highest level since April 2022, while Bitcoin has logged four consecutive days of decline after reaching $73,770 last Wednesday.