The total crypto market capitalization increased by 26% in seven days, reaching $1.16 trillion on March 17. Bitcoin BTC tickers down $27,370 was the biggest winner among the top 20 coins, up 31.5%, though some altcoins gained 50% or more during the period.
The surge in cryptocurrency prices occurred as the United States Federal Reserve was forced to lend banks $300 billion in emergency funds. According to PBS NewsHour, nearly half of the money went to failed financial institutions Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and was used to pay uninsured depositors. The remaining $153 billion was obtained through a long-standing program known as the “discount window,” which allows banks to borrow funds for up to 90 days.
