Strategy Pauses BTC Buying After 13-Week Streak

(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Bitcoin & Crypto Daily Report · March 31, 2026 · Covering March 30 Session

BTC Price $67,405 ▲ +0.18% · holding $67K H: $68,380 · L: $66,195 ETH Price $2,057 ▲ +0.61% · above $2K H: $2,092 · L: $2,012 Fund Flows −$414M Weekly outflows Strategy pauses BTC buying Fear & Greed Extreme Fear ~10 Brandt: no ATH until Q2 2027 1

Strategy pauses Bitcoin purchases for the first time in 13 weeks - the most significant signal of institutional caution since the war began. Michael Saylor's Strategy skipped its weekly BTC purchase and halted stock sales without explanation. After 13 consecutive weeks of accumulation that built the 762,099 BTC position, the pause signals that even the market's most aggressive buyer is stepping aside. Crypto funds saw $414 million in total outflows for the week - the first outflow in five weeks - as inflation fears, Fed rate-hike expectations, and Iran tensions drove a broad shift to risk-off positioning.

2

Peter Brandt says no new BTC all-time high until Q2 2027 - Polymarket gives just 15% odds for $120K this year. Veteran trader Brandt's timeline pushes the recovery narrative into the distant future - a full year away. Polymarket 's prediction markets are equally bearish, pricing only 15% probability that BTC reclaims $120,000 in 2026. The consensus is shifting: the war has broken the cycle, rate-hike probability is at 52%, and the structural catalysts (ETFs, 401(k), strategic reserve) cannot overcome a macro environment where the Fed may be raising rather than cutting rates.

3

US Labor Department formally proposes crypto-in-401(k) rules as the "Mined in America Act" seeks to codify the strategic BTC reserve. Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer said the rule change would enable Americans to invest in products "that better reflect the current investment landscape." Separately, US senators introduced the Mined in America Act to boost domestic BTC mining and codify the strategic reserve. Square rolled out Bitcoin payments at point-of-sale for US merchants. Bernstein sees a potential bottom for crypto stocks, with COIN, Robinhood, and Figure trading ~60% below peaks - "growth in revenue and earnings through 2027."

01Session Data

Asset	Price	24h Chg	Volume
BTC	$67,405	+0.18%	$3.22B
ETH	$2,057	+0.61%	$2.28B
SOL	$83.10	−0.50%	$409.8M
XRP	$1.3235	−2.05%	$147.2M
DOGE	$0.0911	−1.98%	$42.6M
MSTR	$123.82	−3.48%	$17.7M
BTC Dominance	~58.6%

Perpetuals Movers Top Gainers RIVER +27.79% ONT +17.39% BCH +2.96% ZEC +2.60% Top Losers NOM −5.75% SIREN −3.78% CRCL −3.63% MSTR −3.48% 02Market Commentary

Today's Bitcoin price today analysis covers a session where the most relentless buyer in crypto went silent. Strategy's 13-week buying streak - the longest continuous accumulation in BTC corporate treasury history - ended without explanation. The pause coincides with $414 million in weekly crypto fund outflows, MSTR stock down 3.48%, and Peter Brandt projecting no new ATH until Q2 2027. When the market's largest whale, its most famous trader, and its institutional flow data all turn bearish simultaneously, the signal is unambiguous. This is part of The Rio Times' daily coverage of cryptocurrency markets and Latin American financial markets.

BTC held $67,405 on Monday - essentially flat after the weekend bounce - as volume declined to $3.22 billion. The price is range-bound between $65,000 and $68,500, and the market appears to be waiting for the April catalyst window rather than taking directional bets. XRP underperformed (−2.05%) while ETH held above $2,000. The MSTR/BTC premium continues to compress - shares fell 3.48% to $123.82 even as BTC was flat - suggesting the Strategy pause is being aggressively repriced.

The legislative pipeline is the session's bright spot. The Labor Department's formal 401(k) proposal moves crypto closer to retirement accounts than ever. The Mined in America Act codifies the strategic reserve and boosts domestic mining. Square's POS Bitcoin payments and Mitsubishi's adoption of JPMorgan's blockchain for corporate payments show that institutional integration is advancing regardless of price action. Google's quantum computing update - showing fewer qubits needed to crack elliptic curve crypto than previously thought - adds a long-term risk vector that the industry must address.

03Technical Analysis

The daily chart shows BTC at $67,662 (O 66,741 / H 68,340 / L 66,487), a small-bodied green candle within the consolidation range. The MACD at −392/−476/−868 remains deeply negative - all three lines worsening. This is the weakest MACD configuration since the February capitulation. RSI at 46.36/45.52 has both lines below 50, confirming bearish momentum. Price is trapped between the lower Bollinger at $64,952 and the Kijun-sen at $68,279. The 200-day SMA at $90,582 is 34% above - bear market territory.

The $68,279–$68,671 zone (Kijun-sen / Senkou Span cluster) is the barrier that must break for any recovery to gain traction. Two attempts this week have failed at $68,340–$68,380. A close above $69,269 would signal genuine bullish momentum. The $64,952 lower Bollinger and the February $60,062 capitulation low remain the downside targets.

Support & Resistance

Level	Price	Source
Resistance 2	$70,484	BB upper / $70K psych
Resistance 1	$68,279	Kijun-sen (2x rejected)
Current	$67,405	March 31, 2026
Support 1	$64,952	Lower Bollinger Band
Support 2	$60,062	Feb 6 capitulation low

04Forward Look GOOD FRIDAY → APR 3 (US MARKETS CLOSED)

US equities close Friday. NFP releases into a closed market. BTC's 24/7 trading means it absorbs the jobs data alone - any surprise will move crypto with no equity market to arbitrage against. Thursday is the de facto weekly close for correlated positioning.

STRATEGY PAUSE → WATCH FOR SAYLOR COMMENTARY

Saylor's silence is louder than any tweet. If Strategy resumes buying next week, the pause becomes a tactical reset. If it extends to a second week, the market will interpret it as a loss of conviction from the single most important BTC buyer. MSTR's 3.48% decline suggests the market is pricing continuation of the pause.

APRIL CATALYST WINDOW → APR 6 / APR 9 / APR 13

Iran deadline (Apr 6), February PCE (Apr 9), Warsh hearing (possibly Apr 13). The Mined in America Act and 401(k) proposal are medium-term legislative catalysts that need weeks or months to advance. The April window is the only near-term event that can change the trajectory.

05Verdict

Strategy's 13-week buying streak ending is the session's defining event. When the market's most visible accumulator pauses while crypto funds hemorrhage $414 million, Peter Brandt calls no ATH until 2027, and Polymarket prices just 15% odds of $120K this year, the collective message is clear: the war has broken the 2026 cycle thesis. BTC is range-bound at $65K–$68.5K with the MACD at its worst configuration since February's capitulation. The legislative pipeline (401(k), Mined in America, Square POS, Mitsubishi/JPM) is building the infrastructure for the next cycle - but the current cycle is in survival mode.

Bias: BEARISH - Strategy pause + MACD deterioration + RSI below 50. The $68,279 Kijun-sen has rejected price twice. A close above $69,269 would be the first bullish signal in two weeks. A break of $64,952 targets the $60,062 February low. The April 6–13 catalyst window is the only path to a regime change.

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