Gate News Report: On March 18, Phil Neuhart, Head of Market and Economics Research at First Citizens Bank, stated that investors and markets will pay special attention to the median projection of the federal funds rate at the end of 2026. Neuhart believes the median will continue to show only one rate cut for the remainder of this year. He pointed out that apart from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) projections, the tone of Powell's press conference will be a key variable influencing markets, particularly how he will address the contradiction between recent oil price spikes and weak labor market data.
Mastercard has announced the acquisition of blockchain payments company BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, aiming to connect traditional finance and blockchain systems to support digital asset payments. This move reflects Mastercard's strategic transformation in the stablecoin and digital asset sectors, and despite short-term stock price declines, the long-term development prospects are promising.
Visa Chief Product and Strategy Officer Jack Forestell stated that AI-powered intelligent networks represent a major opportunity for the payments industry, with AI agents expected to handle 15-25% of U.S. e-commerce transactions by 2030. AI will enhance payment success rates, promote micro-transactions, and drive digitalization of B2B payments, while Visa has launched the "Trusted Agent Protocol" to strengthen security. Intensifying competition is shifting market focus toward underlying infrastructure and technology standard-setting.
Bitcoin's upward momentum weakened after touching $75,000, with market concerns about a near-term peak. Despite institutional accumulation, total positions rose to $5.8 billion, but prices face macro uncertainty pressures. Bitcoin ETF inflows exceeding $1.5 billion support the price. Market focus is on the Federal Reserve meeting and geopolitical situation, which may affect short-term trends.
Gate News report shows that on March 18, the Hong Kong stock market displayed the following: MINIMAX-W(00100.HK) rose over 27%, now trading at 1311 Hong Kong dollars; Zhipu(02513.HK) rose over 20%, now trading at 746 Hong Kong dollars, hitting a record high.
UK Reform Party has yet to provide cryptocurrency donation wallet addresses to the Electoral Commission, raising concerns about fund transparency and foreign interference. Regulators point out that crypto donations present challenges in identity verification, calling for strengthened laws to prevent illicit funds from entering the political system. As financing through crypto assets expands, regulatory and compliance issues are becoming increasingly prominent.
