On 1 April 2026, Russia's Finance Ministry approved draft laws that would route domestic crypto transactions through licensed intermediaries and limit retail purchases to 300,000 rubles per year per intermediary, subject to a suitability test. In the same week, Dubai's VARA released rules for exchange-traded crypto derivatives, allowing retail and institutional access with safeguards including a 5:1 retail leverage cap and a 20% initial margin requirement.

Russian officials have cleared a package of draft laws that would redirect most domestic crypto trading toward licensed intermediaries, tightening oversight of a market that has largely operated offshore and peer-to-peer. Alongside the same push, proposed limits for individuals have been discussed at roughly $3,850 per year, as authorities also warn that P2P users are increasingly targeted by scams.

The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a rule that could permit 401(k) plans to add cryptocurrencies and other private-market investments, while leaving final inclusion decisions to plan fiduciaries. The proposal would start a 60-day public comment period before regulators decide whether to finalize it, as supporters cite diversification benefits and critics warn about volatility, valuation challenges, and liquidity risks.

Bitcoin moved back above $68,000 on March 31 after comments attributed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian fueled bets that the Iran-US-Israel War could de-escalate. The wider crypto market added about $40 billion in value, with BTC up nearly 2% and Ethereum rising 3% to around $2,100. Risk assets also jumped as the DXY Dollar Index fell almost 1% and the S&P 500 gained 2.5%.

Crypto markets moved higher on March 31, 2026 after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran is prepared to end the war if binding security guarantees and compensation are provided. Bitcoin rose 1.4% to $68,034, while Ethereum gained 2% to $2,109 and Solana climbed 2.3% to $83, with HYPE up 2.7% to $37. The rally unfolded as investors waited for any official response from Washington.

XRP, Solana and Cardano are trading near key support levels around $1.30, $80 and $0.24 as Bitcoin hovers near $66,430 after pulling back from $68,000. Macro releases scheduled from Mar 31 to Apr 3, including JOLTS and non-farm payrolls, are expected to influence volatility and direction across major altcoins.

Standard Chartered said stablecoin velocity has doubled over the past two years, allowing higher transaction volumes without requiring supply to expand at the same pace. In a Tuesday report, the bank said it still expects the stablecoin market to reach $2 trillion by late 2028 despite faster turnover. The report added that USDC has driven much of the velocity increase, while USDT remains more associated with lower-velocity savings use.

On March 31, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor unveiled a proposed regulation that could broaden what 401(k) retirement plans are allowed to offer, including potential access to cryptocurrency and other alternative assets. The rule sets a process-focused standard for fiduciaries to assess options by criteria such as performance, fees, liquidity, valuation, and complexity, while adding a “safe harbor” approach aimed at lowering litigation risk.