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Bitcoin's Price Rally Driven by Americans' Safe Haven Bid: Matrixport
The U.S. trading hours continue to be a major source of bullish pressure for bitcoin.
Updated Mar 22, 2023, 2:48 p.m. Published Mar 21, 2023, 7:14 a.m.
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The recent bank failures in the U.S. have exposed the fractional reserve banking system’s core limitations and strengthened the case for investing in bitcoin .
Analysis by crypto services provider Matrixport shows that American buyers are leading the safe haven bid for the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin has rallied by over 40% in the last 10 days, reaching a nine-month high above $28,000, CoinDesk data shows.
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"Since the dip on March 10, Bitcoin has rallied by +44%. +31% of the rally was driven during the U.S. trading hours and an indicator that Americans are buying bitcoins with both hands," Markus Thielen, head of research and strategy, said in a note to clients, adding that the stress in the banking sector is not over.
Bitcoin is available to trade 24/7 worldwide. However, price action varies through each 24-hour cycle depending on the news flow and macroeconomic data releases.
Of late the news flow has been dominated by banking sector issues in the U.S. and the resulting repricing of interest rate expectations lower. That explains bitcoin's positive performance during U.S. trading hours.
American hours have been a major source of bullish pressure since the beginning of the year, according to Matrixport.
"Bitcoin is up +66% year to date, and during U.S. trading hours bitcoin rallied 47% while the cryptocurrency only rallied by +16% during trading hours in Asia. Bitcoin has barely broken a sweat during European trading hours – just +3%," Thielen said.
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What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
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Here’s why bitcoin’s is failing its role as a 'safe haven' versus gold
Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash.
What to know:
- During recent geopolitical tensions, Bitcoin lost 6.6% of its value, while gold rose 8.6%, demonstrating bitcoin's vulnerability in times of market stress.
- Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash, contrary to its reputation as a stable digital asset.
- Gold remains the preferred hedge for short-term risks, while bitcoin is better suited for long-term monetary and geopolitical uncertainties that unfold over years.
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