Bitcoin climbed back above $70,000 and briefly approached $73,000 in early March 2026 after a volatile stretch marked by geopolitical shocks and macro uncertainty. The rebound followed a drop to about $63,000 on February 29, with renewed US spot Bitcoin ETF inflows of over $200 million on March 4 and crowded short positions in derivatives markets helping to fuel a sharp recovery. As price trades near $73,100 and tests resistance around the 200-period moving average near $74,000, holding above $70,000 could turn this zone into new support.

Bitcoin extended its advance beyond $68,500 and pushed through the $70,000 and $72,000 resistance areas before facing sellers around $74,062. The price is now consolidating above $70,000 and the 100-hourly simple moving average, with a bullish trend line offering support near $69,000. A clear move above $72,000–$72,500 could open the way to $73,200 and $74,000, while failure to break higher risks a pullback toward $70,000, $69,000 and possibly $66,200.

Publicly listed Bitcoin miners have sold more than 15,000 BTC over the five months following the October 2025 market crash, reversing the HODLing approach they adopted during the 2024–2025 bull run. Facing tighter profit margins, rising energy costs and heavy debt, major firms such as Riot, Marathon, Core Scientific, Cango and Bitdeer are liquidating reserves, pledging over 14,500 BTC as loan collateral and increasingly redirecting investment toward AI infrastructure.

Quantum firm PsiQuantum has begun constructing a 1 million-qubit facility in Chicago, a scale some scientists say could break Bitcoin's cryptography. The company raised $1 billion with Nvidia to build the site, while co-founder Terry Rudolph stated in July it has no intention of using its machines to attack Bitcoin, and CoinShares research estimates only 10,230 BTC is currently at direct quantum risk.

In Q1, Bitcoin's network fundamentals weakened as hashrate slid to around 825 million TH/s and the Miner Position Index jumped near 3, while nearly half of BTC supply sat at a loss. Against this backdrop, American Bitcoin has acquired 11,298 new ASIC machines and grown its holdings past 6,500 BTC, becoming the 17th largest public BTC holder. The move coincides with a reported 12% rise in Bitcoin hashrate, highlighting strong miner conviction in BTC despite market volatility.

On March 5, 2026, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that John "Lick" Daghita was arrested on Saint Martin in a joint operation with French tactical units over an alleged multimillion-dollar crypto theft. Investigators allege he siphoned more than $46 million in digital assets from wallets managed for the U.S. Marshals Service by Command Services & Support, a firm owned by his father. Blockchain sleuth ZachXBT linked his on-chain activity and Telegram persona after Daghita flaunted about $23 million in wallets during group chats.

Since October, publicly listed Bitcoin mining firms have collectively sold more than 15,000 BTC, reflecting growing pressure from shrinking margins and balance-sheet constraints. Large players such as Cango, Bitdeer, Riot Platforms, Core Scientific and MARA Holdings have all adjusted their treasury approaches, with some repaying BTC-backed credit lines and others signaling more flexible buy-and-sell strategies.

In February, Nasdaq-listed miner CleanSpark sold 553 BTC from its monthly output for about $36.6 million while producing 568 BTC and ending the month with 13,363 BTC in treasury. The company expanded its Texas footprint by closing on a second campus with 300 megawatts of ERCOT-approved power capacity and is preparing parts of its infrastructure for AI and high-performance computing. Other major miners, including Riot Platforms, Bitdeer and Core Scientific, also sold significant Bitcoin holdings to finance data center and infrastructure growth.