On 17 March 2026, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released new guidance on how federal securities laws apply to crypto, stating that most crypto assets are not securities. The framework introduces a five-part taxonomy and explains how securities rules may apply to activities such as staking, airdrops, mining, and wrapping depending on how tokens are offered and used.

On Tuesday, the SEC released a 68-page interpretation, joined by the CFTC, arguing that most cryptocurrencies should not be treated as securities. The document lays out a token taxonomy covering stablecoins, digital commodities and "digital tools," and explains how mining, protocol staking and airdrops fit under federal securities laws. It also describes when a non-security crypto asset could become tied to an investment contract based on issuer conduct.

A Q1 2026 Kaiko Exchange Ranking indicates that the highest-rated crypto exchanges are separating from the broader market on governance, security, and institutional trust. The report says the top 10 venues average a Governance score of 67 versus 47 for the wider market, while Crypto.com leads overall with an 85 score and a perfect 100 in Security. The compliance focus comes as Europe nears the July 2026 deadline for the MiCA framework.

Aggregated open interest across Hyperliquid's HIP-3 markets climbed to a record $1.43 billion on Saturday, more than 100x higher than at launch six months earlier. Much of the activity is concentrated on trade.xyz, where tokenized equities and commodities can trade 24/7, including during weekends when traditional venues are closed.

Qualcomm said it approved a new $20 billion share repurchase program and lifted its quarterly dividend to $0.92 per share from $0.89. The actions were announced before the open on March 17, 2026, and QCOM traded higher in early Tuesday trading, up about $2.60 (+2.01%) to roughly $131.99.

Gold briefly benefited from a flight to safety after the US-Iran conflict intensified, but a stronger dollar and rising Treasury yields later pushed bullion lower. Bitcoin, meanwhile, rebounded toward and above $75,000, with its swings appearing more tied to liquidity and risk sentiment than geopolitics.

Delphi Digital says stablecoins are increasingly used in high-cost emerging-market payment corridors as a lower-fee alternative to legacy FX infrastructure. The firm cites combined costs of up to 8% for routes such as transfers to Argentina or Nigeria, while warning that off-ramps like bank account access still create delays and friction.

Uber Technologies shares moved higher in premarket trading after Nvidia outlined a robotaxi partnership that targets an initial launch in Los Angeles and San Francisco in 2027. The plan calls for a phased rollout that ultimately reaches Level 4 driverless operations and expands to 28 cities across four continents by 2028.