A16z Crypto, the web3 division of Andreessen Horowitz, used a recent blog post to argue that many so-called zkVMs emphasize succinctness rather than genuine zero-knowledge privacy. On Tuesday, the team announced an upgrade to the open-source Jolt zkVM that integrates the NovaBlindFold folding scheme to generate blinded proofs, making the system suitable for privacy-focused applications. The blog added that this approach keeps the resulting ZK proof only about 3 KB larger than Jolt's earlier non-zero-knowledge version.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is urging the network's community to rethink its development philosophy and stop trying to emulate Big Tech platforms like Apple or Google. He argues that Ethereum has so far had only a limited positive impact on people's lives and should instead focus on becoming part of a "sanctuary tech" ecosystem that resists government surveillance and corporate overreach. While acknowledging that Ethereum cannot single-handedly fix the world, he calls on developers to build tools that enhance freedom beyond just financial applications.

On March 3, 2026, OpenAI introduced the GPT-5.3 Instant model, making it the new default for ChatGPT with a focus on reliability. Internal tests show hallucination rates decreasing by 26.8% when web search is enabled and by 19.7% without web access in sensitive fields such as medicine, law and finance. The update also aims to be less restrictive in tone and will see the older GPT-5.2 Instant model retired on June 3, 2026.

BitGo Europe GmbH has extended its crypto-as-a-service platform to all 30 countries in the European Economic Area, allowing banks and fintech firms to integrate regulated custody, trading and fiat on- and off-ramps via APIs. The service offers multi-asset wallets with SEPA fiat rails and custodial coverage reportedly insured up to $250 million, while BitGo's shares, listed under BTGO on the New York Stock Exchange since Jan. 22, were recently trading at $10.20. This expansion comes amid a broader move by European financial institutions to adopt MiCA-aligned digital asset custody through partnerships with specialized providers.

Bitcoin maintained support near $68,000 on Tuesday while the US Dollar Index climbed from 96.6 to 99.4 over the past three weeks and gold slid 3.6%. At the same time, Bitcoin’s 30-day correlation with the Nasdaq 100 fell from 92% to 69%, and ETFs recorded $1.5 billion of net inflows since Feb. 24, highlighting resilient institutional demand despite a broader bear market.

Circle Internet Group's stock climbed nearly 8% to $103.71 on Tuesday, its highest level in about four months, as Mizuho analysts lifted their price target from $90 to $100 while keeping a neutral rating. The bank argued that a recent jump in oil prices and reduced expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts could modestly boost Circle's revenue outlook for 2026–2027 and more meaningfully support its valuation, even as long-term competitive pressure in stablecoins remains a concern.

Binance will on March 5 open trading for several U stablecoin pairs involving AVAX, LINK, LTC, PAXG, and ZEC, with trading bots enabled for these markets and a zero-fee promotion to boost adoption. On the same date, the exchange will remove a set of cross and isolated margin pairs against BTC and ETH that it says no longer meet its internal standards, while users will face temporary restrictions during the delisting process.

TD Cowen's Jaret Seiberg wrote in a Monday note that U.S. banks are likely to ultimately lose the political battle over stablecoin yield restrictions, even as they push to curb consumer rewards. He cautioned that the prolonged clash over how the OCC implements the GENIUS Act could create regulatory uncertainty and delay or endanger passage of the CLARITY Act market structure bill.