MicroStrategy Inc. (MSTR) has significantly expanded its Bitcoin holdings with a massive $1.28 billion purchase. According to an SEC Form 8-K filing, the corporate intelligence firm acquired 17,994 Bitcoin (BTC) between March 2 and March 8, 2026, at an average price of $70,946 per BTC. This purchase was funded by approximately $1.276 billion in net proceeds from the sale of common and preferred stock. With this latest acquisition, MicroStrategy's total Bitcoin treasury has reached a staggering 738,731 BTC, reinforcing its position as the largest corporate holder of the cryptocurrency.
In a separate major development, Ripple has announced a pilot collaboration with Mastercard, WebBank, and Gemini to explore the settlement of fiat card transactions using its regulated stablecoin, RLUSD, on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The initiative, announced on November 5, 2025, is described as one of the first collaborations where a regulated U.S. bank could settle traditional card transactions with a regulated stablecoin on a public blockchain. Mastercard's presentation highlighted its commitment to making Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) easy to use, listing Ripple, Consensys, Fluency, and Fireblocks as key blockchain partners for this push. Ripple noted that RLUSD circulation has already surpassed $1 billion. However, the implementation remains subject to required regulatory approvals, framing the announcement as a pilot-stage exploration rather than a full commercial rollout.
Meanwhile, Japan's SBI Holdings has expanded its XRP-based shareholder reward program. CEO Yoshitaka Kitao revealed on March 13, 2026, that the program now extends to SBI ARUHI, a publicly listed mortgaging service company within the SBI Group. According to a February 4, 2026 disclosure, the program offers eligible shareholders coupons equivalent to either JPY 2,000 or JPY 8,000 in XRP, redeemable through SBI VC Trade. This move is part of SBI's broader mission to integrate blockchain with traditional banking, which includes issuing a $64.5 million blockchain-based bond that allows investors to earn rewards in XRP.
On the regulatory front, Coinbase executives have publicly denied allegations of lobbying against a Bitcoin tax exemption. CEO Brian Armstrong and Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad pushed back against claims circulating on social media platform X that the exchange was telling Washington lawmakers a de minimis tax exemption for Bitcoin was unnecessary. Such an exemption, which would eliminate capital gains taxes on small everyday cryptocurrency transactions, is considered crucial for Bitcoin's adoption as a medium of exchange.
Market analysis for XRP indicates a potential volatility surge. Technical charts show XRP's Bollinger Bands contracting around the $1.38 price level, a classic 'squeeze' pattern that often precedes a significant price movement. Despite a recent price dip, trading volume increased by 14.22% to $2.89 billion, suggesting investor accumulation.
