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TL;DR
- Bitcoin mining costs remain high, averaging about $70,000 per BTC, with efficiency and electricity prices determining profitability.
- Forbes Rich List highlights Ripple cofounders Jed McCaleb at $3.9 billion net worth and Chris Larsen at $12.3 billion among top crypto billionaires.
- Shiba Inu is attempting to reclaim the $0.0000006 price level, with a potential move toward a $3.5 billion market cap needed to stay in the crypto top 30.
- Mara Holdings moved 298 BTC to market maker Cumberland after introducing a mining policy that allows periodic Bitcoin sales to support liquidity and operational costs.
- Markets are focused on the U.S. CPI data, which could trigger heightened volatility in Bitcoin and broader crypto ahead of the March 19 FOMC decision.
Ripple cofounders McCaleb and Larsen net worth revealed on Forbes Crypto Rich List
Forbes today published its new Rich List. From a crypto market perspective, it was interesting to see who could be described as the "owners of the crypto industry" and who holds the largest capital within it. Apart from, of course, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao as the richest crypto mogul, particular attention was drawn to McCaleb himself.
For those unfamiliar with the name, McCaleb is a well-known American programmer and entrepreneur who stood at the origins of Ripple, Mt. Gox and Stellar. Interestingly, at the founding of Ripple, McCaleb received a stake of nine billion XRP out of the total supply of 100 billion coins.
According to Forbes, his net worth is now estimated at $3.9 billion, placing him 1,108th in the overall Forbes ranking and 11th among crypto entrepreneurs. Judging by the valuation of his wealth and the fact that from 2014-2016 through 2022 he actively sold XRP, most of his fortune appears to consist of proceeds from those token sales.
As is known, he also directed part of the $3 billion he earned to charitable causes.
Another Ripple co-founder present on the list is Chris Larsen. His net worth is estimated at $12.3 billion. He ranks 245th overall in the Forbes list and sixth among crypto billionaires.
Shiba Inu (SHIB) targets $0.0000006 breakout to defend $3.5 billion market cap threshold
Among other stories from this morning’s crypto market, the price of the Shiba Inu token seems set to make another attempt to overcome the important milestone of $0.0000006.
Yesterday, amid a broader crypto market rally, Shiba Inu already reached this level, posting a daily gain of more than 11%. A pullback followed, which can be considered a healthy correction. At the moment, Shiba Inu is trading around $0.00000056.
If in the coming day or in the near term the token manages to add about 7% in price, this would mean breaking an important level in terms of market capitalization at $3.5 billion, as per CoinMarketCap. As of March 2026, this is a significant benchmark for Shiba and allows it to maintain its position within the top 30 cryptocurrencies by size.
Yes, Shiba Inu has experienced better times, but in the conditions of the second crypto winter since the 2021 peak, it can be said that the token is still holding up relatively well. At least according to a number of skeptics, it remains valued $3 billion above what it deserves.
MARA moves 298 BTC to Cumberland after policy pivot
As revealed by CryptoQuant, today, the second-largest corporate holder of Bitcoin and one of the biggest publicly listed mining companies, Mara Holdings (MARA), moved 298 BTC to the address of market maker Cumberland.
The transfer occurred shortly after the announcement of a new mining policy that opens the door to selling a portion of its Bitcoin reserves. As CryptoQuant clarifies, mining is currently expensive, and according to MARA's latest filings, the average cost of mining stands at $70,000 per Bitcoin.
These estimates are based on figures such as $31.3 cost per PH/s per day and around 23.3 BTC mined per day. The most efficient operations using newer software and benefiting from low electricity costs can mine Bitcoin at around $45,000 per BTC.
However, profitability strongly depends on hardware efficiency, electricity prices, power usage efficiency, location and overall operating expenses. MARA is not alone in selling Bitcoin. Recently, Core Scientific sold 2,174 BTC that had been accumulated since 2024.
According to the new policy, MARA's sales will occur from time to time, with the goal not of outright liquidation but of supporting liquidity and financing operational expenses. As of the end of 2025, Mara held about 53,822 BTC.
Crypto Market Outlook: Key trigger for Bitcoin ahead of March 19 FOMC decision
As for the broader market context from late 2025 through March 2026, sentiment has remained cautious, with participants effectively living from one inflation report to another.
Today, in particular, is a key day for markets, as the Consumer Price Index is expected to be released. In a bullish scenario, inflation below 2.4% would signal that the Federal Reserve may lower rates in the near future, potentially allowing Bitcoin to finally break toward $80,000.
In a bearish scenario, inflation above 2.6% could strengthen the U.S. dollar while risk assets, including cryptocurrencies, move lower. For Bitcoin, this implies support levels around $66,000-$64,000. Judging by current trading dynamics, the strategy of large players appears to be wait-and-see ahead of the official data.
A spike in volatility can be expected, which will likely fade before the FOMC decision on March 19, just over a week away. Most likely, the market will remain range-bound with elevated volatility, resulting in a "crab market" in the coming days until clearer guidance emerges from the Federal Reserve.
Dan Burgin
Vladislav Sopov
