Bitcoin price today: At market open today, March 17, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency is trading in the green, at $83,693.28, with a market capitalisation of $1.66 trillion, according to data on CoinMarketCap. Over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin’s trading volume has jumped 77 per cent to $22.92 billion, the data showed.
This is a good sign after the token slumped below $80,000 on Friday (March 14) but managed to stay around the level through the weekend.
Crypto Prices on March 17: Ether, Tether, Solana & Dogecoin
For other cryptos, the second-largest coin, Ether, was priced at $1,909.53 at 9.30 am on March 17, with a market cap of $230.33 billion. US Dollar-linked stablecoin Tether has stayed at $1, with a market cap of around $143.47 billion. USDT is the world’s most-traded crypto, with trade volumes over the past 24 hours exceeding Bitcoin’s at $51.65 billion.
Other cryptos in the news, including Solana and meme coin Dogecoin, were also in the green on March 17 at $129.06 and $0.1731, respectively.
Bitcoin and Crypto Markets: Expert View
According to Avinash Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO, Pi42, Bitcoin and the broader crypto market are experiencing volatility ahead of the United States Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision.
“Bitcoin is currently trading near $83k and can see upside if it breaks a key resistance level, while sentiment is shifting as the Crypto Fear and Greed Index falls to 22, reflecting increased uncertainty. The correction from $100K to $77K has made investors wary, but the optimism is that it can be a fleeting correction and not a long-term slide,” he added.
On Ethereum and Dogecoin being under pressure too, Shekhar felt that the market is “internalising macroeconomic factors and technicals” and “market participants are eyeing breakout catalysts”.
He feels that the institutional demand for crypto is “still robust, and the next steps of Bitcoin will determine the direction of the crypto universe over the next couple of weeks.”
Here are the other top updates on cryptocurrencies, markets and related news.
ECB member on US Crypto Reserve: ‘Risks Bringing Next Financial Emergency’
Bloomberg reported that Francois Villeroy de Galhau, a member of the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council, cautioned against the United States’ cryptocurrency reserve on March 16.
In an interview with French weekly La Tribune Dimanche, de Galhau said, “The United States risks sinning through negligence. Financial crises often originate in the US and spread to the rest of the world. By encouraging crypto-assets and non-bank finance, the American administration is sowing the seeds of future upheavals.”
He noted that supervision was better secured and protected against any banking crisis on the EU side. His comments come after US President Donald Trump this month signed an executive order calling for the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate stockpile of other digital assets.
Donald Trump’s in Talks with Binance US?
Wall Street Journal and Reuters have reported that representatives of US President Donald Trump‘s family are considering a stake in the US arm of crypto exchange Binance and “held talks” to this end. The WSJ report noted that Binance had reached out with a deal in 2024 in an effort to resurrect the “exiled” company, and billionaire founder Changpeng Zhao has also been lobbying for Donald Trump to grant him a pardon.
It is at present unclear whether the deal will reach fruition. Reps for Trump and Binance did not respond to queries, the Reuters report added.
Russia Using Cryptos for Oil Trade with India, China: Report
According to a Reuters report citing four sources, Russia is using cryptocurrencies to trade oil with India and China and circumnavigate European sanctions on its industry.
It cited sources say that some Russian oil companies are using crypto tokens such as Bitcoin, Ether and Tether to convert Indian rupees and Chinese yuan into Russian roubles for trade. The report described this as a “small but growing part of Russia’s overall oil trade”. The country’s oil business was worth $192 billion in 2024, it added.
Russia’s central bank declined to comment, as per the report. However, the sources said the practice is likely to continue as it is a “convenient tool and helps run operations faster.”
(With inputs from Agencies)
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