Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Phantom Wallet has added BNB Chain support, allowing users to view BNB balances, send and receive tokens, and swap assets directly in the app. Users must update Phantom Wallet to the latest version to access the features. The integration expands Phantom’s multichain wallet coverage and could improve access to BNB Chain liquidity and decentralised applications. Phantom previously added Robinhood Chain support but discontinued support for Monad and Sui. The announcement provided no data on trading volumes, supported tokens, price impact or a potential Phantom token launch.

A Bitcoin wallet that had been inactive since May 2011 transferred 20.43 BTC, worth about $1.7 million, after 15.4 years of dormancy. Blockchain intelligence platform Arkham identified the coins as rewards originally paid by Braiins, formerly known as Slush Pool, at a time when the payout was worth roughly $3 to $4. The Bitcoin was split and moved to SegWit addresses. The transaction fee was below $1, and the funds had not been sent to a known exchange deposit address. Earlier transactions linked to the wallet were labelled as associated with Mt. Gox and Silk Road, both commonly used channels in 2011. The movement is being watched by Bitcoin traders because transfers from very old wallets can signal potential selling pressure, although there is no evidence of an exchange deposit or an immediate sale. The Mt. Gox trustee reportedly still holds about 34,500 BTC, with creditor claims due by 31 October 2026.

Illinois will delay its 0.2% crypto tax, known as the Digital Asset Tax, from 1 January to 1 July 2027. The agreement was submitted to the Sangamon County Circuit Court for approval after the Digital Chamber challenged the measure, arguing it was added to the state budget without sufficient legislative debate or public feedback. The crypto tax was included in Illinois’ fiscal 2027 budget and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in June. It would require crypto brokers and exchanges to collect the levy on purchases and transfers. Non-compliance could bring fines and prison sentences, while lawmakers estimate the tax could raise up to $60 million in 2027. The Digital Chamber, Blockchain Association and Crypto Council for Innovation continue to argue that the crypto tax is unconstitutional and difficult to enforce. The delay is not a repeal, and the underlying lawsuits remain unresolved. Critics also warn that the levy could apply even when users have not realised a gain, increasing compliance costs and potentially affecting trading activity in Illinois. For crypto traders, the six-month delay reduces immediate regulatory and operational pressure on brokers. However, the crypto tax could still raise transaction costs and influence US market activity if it takes effect in 2027.

Artificial intelligence is driving major developments across the technology and power sectors. Constellation Energy (CEG) signed a 20-year power agreement with Amazon (AMZN) to support data-centre growth and investment in the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant. The deal gives Amazon greater long-term electricity cost certainty for AWS and AI workloads, while Constellation benefits from another major corporate customer after its agreement with Microsoft. As an unregulated utility, Constellation can negotiate directly with large technology companies, potentially supporting higher returns than traditional regulated utilities. Oracle (ORCL) is reportedly negotiating a five-year, $7 billion AI chip lease with Tencent (TCEHY). If confirmed, the agreement could diversify Oracle’s AI customer base and reduce its dependence on OpenAI. Investors have been concerned about Oracle’s rising debt, customer concentration and higher credit-default-swap costs. Tencent could gain access to advanced Nvidia or AMD chips that are difficult to obtain directly in mainland China because of export restrictions. Micron Technology (MU) reported results that significantly exceeded Wall Street expectations, supported by strong AI demand for memory and storage products. Analysts see substantial earnings potential, but Micron remains exposed to the traditional boom-and-bust cycle of the memory industry. A slowdown in AI spending, higher interest rates or geopolitical disruption could pressure the stock, despite strong long-term agreements and optimistic fiscal 2026 and 2027 guidance. The AI theme remains a key driver for technology markets, but traders should monitor bond yields, corporate debt and signs of slower data-centre spending.

U.S. Bitcoin ETFs recorded $148.69 million in net outflows on Wednesday, ending a nine-session inflow streak that had attracted roughly $3 billion. Fidelity’s FBTC led withdrawals with $125.58 million, followed by Bitwise’s BITB at $13.63 million and BlackRock’s IBIT at $9.48 million. No Bitcoin ETF reported an inflow. Trading volume reached $2.36 billion, while total net assets stood at $107.98 billion. The Bitcoin ETF reversal coincided with broader crypto fund selling. Ether ETFs lost $59.58 million, Solana ETFs recorded $11.10 million in outflows, Zcash ETFs shed $30.25 million and HYPE ETFs lost $5.03 million. XRP ETFs reported no net flow. Bitwise’s newly launched NEAR ETF was the only major crypto ETF category to attract capital, receiving $14.04 million. The Bitcoin ETF outflows may reflect profit-taking or a temporary pause after strong institutional buying. Traders should monitor ETF flows, BTC price momentum and trading volume to assess whether demand stabilises or weakens further. Despite the single-session withdrawal, cumulative Bitcoin ETF flows remain near previous highs and positive for 2026.

NEAR Intents, a cross-chain trading platform in the NEAR ecosystem, suffered a security exploit that caused losses of more than $3.8 million. The NEAR Intents hack was linked to a bug involving its Omni deposit and withdrawal infrastructure and smart contracts. The incident was first identified through unusual withdrawals from a NEAR Intents-linked BNB Smart Chain hot wallet. The stolen assets were reportedly sent to KuCoin and converted or bridged into Bitcoin. NEAR Intents patched the vulnerability and said it is working with blockchain analytics firms and law enforcement to trace the funds. Deposits and withdrawals on several networks, including BNB Smart Chain, Polygon and TON, were suspended for about 12 hours while core services were restored. The platform has promised to fully reimburse affected users. NEAR Intents says it has processed more than $30 billion in volume across 35 blockchains, making the breach a significant warning for cross-chain security. The NEAR token fell about 6% over 24 hours after the news, increasing short-term selling pressure. Traders may continue to monitor recovery progress, compensation plans and any further wallet movements. The incident may also weigh on confidence in cross-chain infrastructure over the longer term.

Zcash (ZEC) is consolidating near $1,400 after reaching almost $1,687 in September and closing the month at $1,414. Technical signals remain cautious. The token is trading inside a rising channel, while bearish RSI divergence suggests weakening momentum. A break below $1,360 could expose ZEC to deeper losses, while a move above the channel could reopen resistance near $1,600-$1,700. On-chain data provides a potential support signal. Lookonchain reported that two wallets believed to belong to the same whale withdrew 24,706 ZEC, worth about $28.17 million, from Binance and Gate. The coins were acquired at an average price of roughly $1,140. Withdrawals reduce exchange supply, although wallet ownership and investment intentions have not been confirmed. Zcash ETF momentum has also slowed. Following the launch of Grayscale’s spot Zcash ETF, ZCSH, on 25 August, cumulative inflows approached $268 million by the end of September. However, the funds recorded outflows of $8.12 million on 28 September and $30.25 million on 30 September. These flows indicate weaker short-term institutional demand but do not yet erase the product’s overall positive flow trend. Zcash’s privacy technology, powered by zk-SNARKs, remains a central long-term theme. Traders are watching whether ZEC can hold $1,400, with $1,360 as key downside support and $1,600-$1,700 as the main upside resistance zone.

Citi raised its Ethereum price target by 35% to $3,028, citing stronger crypto-market activity, improving macroeconomic conditions and renewed ETF demand. It also lifted its Bitcoin target to $113,000 from $82,000. Ethereum remains below key resistance near $2,800 after repeatedly failing to hold above that level. A sustained breakout could put the psychological $3,000 mark and Citi’s Ethereum price prediction within reach. Current support is estimated at $2,600-$2,660. US spot Ethereum ETFs attracted substantial inflows on 21-23 September, including $270 million, $162.2 million and $104.5 million respectively. However, flows weakened, with net outflows of $59.6 million recorded on 30 September, according to Farside Investors. Around 35% of ETH is staked, reducing liquid supply and potentially magnifying the impact of renewed institutional demand. For traders, the $2,800 resistance level and ETF-flow trends are key indicators. The Ethereum price prediction remains constructive, but volatile fund flows could delay a breakout.

Binance faces a regulatory review in the European Union over how it continues to serve customers without a full Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) licence. The review, reported by the Financial Times, involves the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and regulators in France, Germany and Greece. Authorities are examining Binance’s use of MiCA’s reverse solicitation exemption. The provision allows a non-EU firm to serve a customer only when that customer independently initiates the relationship. It cannot be used for marketing, promotion or routine customer acquisition in Europe. Regulators may request more information and could impose fines or other restrictions if Binance’s explanation is inadequate. Binance withdrew its Greek MiCA licence application on 24 June and has explored alternative routes to EU authorisation. Its previous registrations in France, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Spain and Sweden have lapsed under MiCA. Customers outside those jurisdictions are reportedly served through an Abu Dhabi-regulated entity. From 1 July, unlicensed crypto firms faced tighter limits and were generally expected to wind down new EU activity while helping existing customers transfer or sell assets. Binance says it complies with applicable regulations and is working towards MiCA authorisation. No formal penalty has been announced. However, the Binance investigation increases uncertainty over customer access, product availability and regional operations. Traders should monitor regulatory announcements, as enforcement could pressure sentiment around Binance and its ecosystem, while a favourable resolution could reduce that risk.

Adobe faces its biggest business disruption in a decade as net new annual recurring revenue (ARR) reportedly falls nearly 40% year over year. Slower ARR and remaining performance obligation (RPO) growth are weakening expectations for a revenue reacceleration. Competition from AI platforms, including Anthropic, is adding pressure to Adobe’s software model. Although Adobe reports more than 100 million monthly active users across its freemium products, the company has not yet proven that it can convert this user base into significant paid growth. Adobe’s valuation may appear inexpensive after its earnings multiple declined, but the discount reflects uncertainty over long-term ARR growth, monetization and the company’s AI strategy. The stock’s recent price action suggests a prolonged sideways or downward trend unless Adobe provides clearer evidence of improving demand and recurring revenue. For traders, Adobe remains a high-uncertainty technology stock. Further weakness in ARR, RPO or guidance could increase selling pressure, while stronger monetization or AI-related growth could support a valuation recovery.

Stablecoins are designed to maintain a peg to the US dollar, not appreciate like Bitcoin. Traditional stablecoins such as USDC and USDT generally remain near $1, while issuers often retain the interest earned on reserves, including short-term US Treasury bills. Yield-bearing stablecoins use a different structure. Rebasing tokens increase the holder’s balance, while value-accruing tokens keep the balance unchanged but raise the redemption value over time. This means a yield-bearing stablecoin can gain value while maintaining its dollar peg. The article highlights sUSDS, a value-accruing token linked to the Sky Savings Rate. Users convert USDS into sUSDS, with returns generated through activities such as collateralised lending, US Treasury exposure and liquidity provision. The rate is variable and set by governance. At the time of writing, USDS supply was approximately $9.9 billion, backed by about $16.8 billion in collateral, while sUSDS supply stood near $4.65 billion. The stablecoin market exceeded $300 billion after reaching about $322 billion in May 2026, with more than 99% of supply dollar-pegged. Yield-bearing stablecoins reportedly grew about 300% in 2025 and accounted for more than half of net sector supply growth in early 2026. Traders should assess depeg risk, smart-contract vulnerabilities, collateral quality and variable yields before using yield-bearing stablecoins. Unlike plain stablecoins, these products may generate returns, but they also introduce additional risks.

MetaMask is investigating a security incident affecting part of its Ethereum staking infrastructure and has begun exiting the affected validators operated through MetaMask Staking, formerly Consensys Staking, on Lido. MetaMask said there is no evidence that ordinary wallet users face an immediate threat, and no private keys or user withdrawal credentials have been reported compromised. The initial precautionary exit is expected to remove the final affected validators by 7 October. However, Ethereum’s withdrawal queue, validator re-entry process and the creation of replacement infrastructure could extend the full restaking process to as long as 45 days. The main risk involves validator signing keys, downtime and potential slashing, rather than the direct theft of user funds. Lido said stETH holders do not need to take action because MetaMask is only one of several node operators. The protocol also holds more than 6,750 stETH in temporary reserves to help absorb potential losses. As of 1 October, about 1.578 million ETH was waiting to enter staking, while roughly 576,000 ETH was queued for exit. ETH traded near $2,685, with no clear market panic or significant stETH depeg. The MetaMask security incident is market-neutral for now, but further disclosure of the root cause, affected validator count or infrastructure involved could influence sentiment toward Ethereum staking providers and validator security.

Bitcoin analyst Frank Cappelleri says the Bitcoin chart resembles the 2022–2023 recovery that preceded a roughly 400% rally. He compared Bitcoin’s current 54% decline with the previous cycle’s 70% drawdown, arguing that both periods formed a potentially bullish technical base. Cappelleri did not forecast another 400% gain, but said a similar foundation could eventually support new all-time highs. Bitcoin was trading near $84,000 when the report was published. BTC gained slightly more than 1% in 24 hours, remained broadly stable over seven days, and rose about 10% over 14 days and 7% over 30 days. It was still 27% below its level a year earlier. Bitcoin also recorded a quarterly gain of about 42%, its strongest third quarter since 2017. On-chain data provided additional support. Santiment reported that wallets holding 10 to 10,000 BTC accumulated 41,025 BTC over 10 days, raising their combined holdings to 13.64 million BTC. BIT Research said Bitcoin’s bear market may have ended after BTC held above $62,900, while estimating the True Market Mean at approximately $76,900. The firm outlined a potential price range of $185,000 to $215,000, although it stressed that timing remains uncertain. Risks remain. Analyst Ali Martinez noted that Bitcoin declined after each of the previous four US midterm elections, with losses ranging from 27% to 72%. Traders should therefore view the Bitcoin chart as a potentially bullish signal, not a guarantee of a breakout.

Alphabet shares rose 2.3% after Google unveiled Gemini 4 Argon, a flagship artificial intelligence model aimed at competing with OpenAI and Anthropic. Google designed Gemini 4 Argon for complex professional workloads, including software engineering, financial research, legal services and cybersecurity. The model is initially available to trusted cybersecurity partners, with a wider rollout planned for developers, enterprises and consumers. Google says Gemini 4 Argon matches or exceeds rival models in several coding and cybersecurity benchmarks, although it reportedly trails competitors in some coding tests. The launch follows Google’s decision to abandon Gemini 3.5 Pro after repeated delays. Investors viewed Gemini 4 Argon as a reset for Google’s AI roadmap and a fresh catalyst for Alphabet stock. Google is also competing on price. Gemini 4 Argon will cost $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens. Alphabet can distribute the model through Search, Google Cloud, Workspace, Android and its developer ecosystem. For traders, the launch strengthens the AI and cloud growth narrative, but execution, adoption and competition remain key risks.

Tokenized stocks accounted for an average 11% of decentralised exchange (DEX) trading volume in September, according to Binance Research data cited by BeInCrypto. Meme coins remained the largest category at 17%, although tokenized stocks briefly overtook them in late July. The growth of tokenized stocks has been rapid. Their share of DEX activity was close to zero in 2025, but their market capitalisation exceeded $3 billion in the fourth week of September. On-chain transfers rose from about $6 billion in the first quarter to more than $100 billion in the third quarter. Tokenized-stock DeFi total value locked also reached approximately $247.8 million, up 1,961% year on year, with Robinhood Chain, Solana and BNB Chain accounting for nearly 90% of the total. Meme coin activity is also recovering. Dogecoin gained about 17% in the week ending 24 September, while launchpads on Solana and Robinhood Chain continued to attract traders. Robinhood Chain reportedly exceeded $1 billion in daily DEX volume in late August, driven partly by meme tokens. The article argues that tokenized stocks and meme coins may develop together rather than compete. Traders could see stock-market catalysts, tokenized equity activity and related meme narratives converge across 24/7 DEX markets. However, tokenized stocks do not necessarily provide the same legal rights, custody or redemption mechanisms as conventional shares. For traders, liquidity, wallet concentration, transaction volume and Smart Money activity may be more informative than price alone. Ave.ai is presented as a platform for tracking these on-chain indicators across multiple networks. The trend is potentially constructive for DEX adoption, but fragmented liquidity, speculative excess and product-structure risks remain significant.

Crypto analyst Dark Defender has issued a highly bullish XRP price prediction, targeting about $36 in a potential Wave 3 rally. XRP was trading at $1.5374 when the forecast was published, meaning the target implies a gain of more than 2,200%. Dark Defender said his earlier forecast of a Wave 1 peak at $3.3939, made in August 2024, was broadly validated as XRP later surged above $3.66, its reported all-time high. He believes the subsequent correction, which took XRP down more than 70% to near $1, completed five sub-waves and marked the end of Wave 2. The analyst points to a breakout above a descending trendline and rising trading volume as evidence that a new advance may be forming. His Fibonacci targets are approximately $18.23 at the 361.8% extension and $36.77 at the 423.6% extension. He also suggested that XRP could soon gain greater recognition on Nasdaq, although this claim was not supported by a confirmed announcement. The XRP price prediction is based on technical analysis and remains speculative. Traders should monitor resistance near $2.10, volume, market liquidity and broader crypto sentiment rather than treating the $36 target as a forecast with certainty.

Alabama’s crypto ATM refund rules took effect on 1 October 2026 under the Cryptocurrency Kiosk Fraud Prevention Act. The rules strengthen consumer protection and require eligible operators to reimburse scam victims. First-time users may receive a full refund of the transaction amount and fees. Existing users may receive 50% of the transaction amount plus a refund of fees. Disputes must be reported to the operator, law enforcement and the Alabama Securities Commission within 60 calendar days, alongside a fraud report. New users face limits of $1,000 per day and $10,000 per month across kiosks operated by the same business in Alabama. Existing users have a separate $10,500 daily limit. Crypto ATM operators must disclose fees, cryptocurrency and US dollar amounts, exchange rates and fraud warnings before payment. US-based operators must also offer 24-hour, US-based toll-free support. The Alabama Securities Commission warned about impersonation, fake arrest threats, romance scams and fabricated emergencies. FBI data showed 177 Alabama crypto ATM fraud complaints and nearly $3 million in reported losses in 2025. Nationwide, complaints reached 13,460 and losses approached $389 million, although some cases involved other payment methods. The crypto ATM rules are unlikely to directly affect major cryptocurrency prices. However, they could raise compliance costs, reduce fraud-related risk and influence access and transaction volumes across crypto ATM networks.

Bitcoin began October, known among crypto traders as “Uptober”, at about $84,859. The Bitcoin price rose 0.9% over 24 hours. September ended with a 6.33% gain, marking the cryptocurrency’s third consecutive positive month. The monthly advance offers a supportive backdrop for Bitcoin traders, although the article provides no further details on trading volume, market catalysts or resistance levels. Bitcoin’s performance in October will likely depend on whether buyers can sustain momentum above the $85,000 area.

Nvidia researchers introduced Mid-Harness, a method designed to improve AI agent reliability. The system generates several possible commands at each step, then uses a verifier model to select the best action before execution. On the TerminalBench-Lite benchmark, using eight candidate actions per step increased first-attempt success, or Pass@1, from 50.00% to 68.03%. The method targets terminal agents that operate command-line interfaces and external tools, where a single incorrect command can cause an entire task to fail. The researchers found that action-level scaling performed better and used fewer tokens than repeatedly running complete task trajectories. Combining both approaches also produced consistent gains across different models and benchmarks. In some tests, TMAX-9B acted as both the generator and verifier, suggesting that a relatively small AI model can effectively evaluate its own candidate actions. Mid-Harness does not require retraining the generator. Instead, it adds a verification layer between command generation and execution. However, a 68.03% Pass@1 rate still leaves roughly one-third of tasks unsuccessful, and the method requires further testing in longer, less predictable real-world environments. For crypto traders, the development is relevant to AI-agent and blockchain automation narratives, but it has no direct impact on cryptocurrency prices or network fundamentals.

An investment analysis favors Suncor Energy (SU) over Occidental Petroleum (OXY) within the All-Weather Portfolio framework. Suncor generates more than 87% of its revenue outside the United States, primarily in Canada, while Occidental remains more US-focused. The analysis argues that Suncor offers more consistent revenue growth and a steadier relationship with oil prices, making it a better fit for investors seeking commodity exposure and geographical diversification. The All-Weather Portfolio approach aims to balance risk across economic conditions through exposure to assets such as commodities. The comparison is an equity-investment view, not a company announcement or cryptocurrency market event. Both companies remain exposed to oil-price volatility, energy-sector risks and broader macroeconomic shifts.

SHR Miner is promoting a cloud mining platform that allows users to activate a free mining contract without purchasing hardware or making an initial deposit. Mining is conducted through remote infrastructure, while users manage contracts, balances and withdrawals through a mobile interface. The platform says users can later purchase additional mining capacity, with paid contracts lasting between two and 55 days. It supports payouts in nine cryptocurrencies: BTC, ETH, DOGE, TON, ZEC, POL, SOL, TRX and BNB. SHR Miner states that withdrawals require a minimum balance of $100 and carry no withdrawal fee. Advertised contract examples range from $100 to $10,000, with projected returns varying by computing power and contract duration. The article also cites a limited-time $15 sign-up bonus and an estimated daily yield of $0.60 for the free entry option. SHR Miner says returns are not fixed or guaranteed and depend on mining conditions and cryptocurrency prices. The platform describes paid computing power as optional, but traders and investors should independently verify its business model, withdrawal history, terms and regulatory status before committing funds. The claims are promotional and do not provide a direct catalyst for the broader cryptocurrency market.

Shopify launched Canvas, an AI-powered store builder that lets merchants design and edit online shops through conversations with its Sidekick assistant. Changes render live from the store’s actual theme code, allowing users to review real-time results rather than static mock-ups. Shopify executive Ben Sehl said a fully customised store could take about 20 minutes with Canvas, compared with roughly two weeks of coding. The visual workspace displays multiple store pages together and supports direct edits, while Sidekick can make multi-step design changes based on natural-language instructions. The rollout is gradual. At launch, Shopify Canvas does not support third-party theme app extensions, Rollouts, Markets or Translations. These limitations may restrict adoption among larger merchants operating across multiple countries and languages. Shopify plans to add the missing features before making Canvas its default editor. The launch builds on growing Sidekick adoption. Weekly active shops using Sidekick increased 385% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, while about 42% of Shopify merchants used the company’s AI features. Canvas could strengthen Shopify’s platform retention by making AI-assisted store design faster and more accessible, although merchants with complex operations may need to continue using the existing editor.

Perplexity Computer now generates interactive financial charts and visualisations through TradingView, expanding its AI toolkit for traders and analysts. Users can run Pine Script screeners, identify stocks or ETFs, and send the results to Perplexity Computer for additional research and dashboard creation. The platform’s interactive charts support zooming, hovering and event annotations, with pre-market and post-market data also available. The TradingView integration is not yet fully native. Traders may still need to transfer tickers between platforms or use third-party tools such as the TradingView AI Analyst Chrome plugin. Perplexity Computer launched more than 35 finance-focused workflows on 5 May 2026 for public-equities and real-estate professionals. The update is primarily relevant to equity and macro traders rather than directly to crypto markets. However, better AI-assisted charting could improve market-screening workflows and encourage wider use of automated financial analysis. Separately, DeFi Saver said its automation protected $446.3 million of Aave V3 collateral during a January-February sell-off, executing 382 repay actions and helping users avoid an estimated $8.38 million in liquidation penalties. Those figures came from DeFi Saver’s own case study.

Acuity Inc. published its 2026 Q4 earnings call presentation. The available article provides no financial figures, operational metrics, management commentary or forward guidance beyond confirming the publication of the presentation. The Acuity 2026 Q4 earnings presentation may contain additional details for investors, but those details are not included in the supplied content. There is no direct mention of cryptocurrency, blockchain activity or crypto-related market exposure.

Circle’s USDC minting on Solana reached a record $13.5 billion in September, up from about $11 billion in August. The issuance came in repeated batches, commonly worth $250 million, with some reaching $500 million. Circle also minted $3 billion within a single 24-hour period early in September. The figure represents gross USDC issuance, not a matching increase in circulating supply. Newly minted USDC may remain in Circle-controlled wallets or treasury accounts before entering the market. By late August, Solana’s circulating USDC supply had exceeded $8 billion, or more than 10% of global USDC supply. Solana’s total stablecoin supply reached an estimated record $17.3 billion on 25 September, driven mainly by USDC and USDT. Rising net USDC supply could strengthen dollar liquidity, DeFi activity, trading volumes and SOL demand. However, traders should compare gross USDC minting with redemptions, circulating supply, exchange balances and October issuance. A large gap could indicate institutional settlement flows rather than sustained market participation. The development is therefore a potential liquidity tailwind, but not a standalone bullish signal for USDC or SOL.

Hardhat v3.18.1 is a small bug-fix release focused on developer reliability. The update fixes simulated EDR networks with forking disabled, which previously started without important chain predeploys. Affected components included Optimism’s GasPriceOracle and L1Block, as well as L1 beacon roots and history storage contracts. Hardhat v3.18.1 also improves the formatting of errors reported during Solidity tests. The release updates the @nomicfoundation/hardhat-utils dependency to version 4.4.0. The changes are mainly relevant to smart-contract developers and testing workflows, rather than end-user crypto markets.

Citi and Coinbase are highlighted as key supporters of the stablecoin revolution. The article argues that regulated stablecoins could modernise payments through near-instant settlement and very low transaction costs, offering an alternative to the traditional SWIFT-based financial system. The commentary focuses on the US GENIUS Act and suggests that compliance will be important for broad adoption. It identifies USDC as more likely than USDT to meet the article’s expected regulatory standards, although the provided excerpt does not offer detailed legal or market data. A major obstacle remains crypto access and security. Traditional self-custody requires private keys and seed phrases, creating risks for users. Institutional involvement from banks and exchanges could help address these barriers and support wider stablecoin adoption. The market backdrop is mixed. Long-term yields continue to rise, while crypto prices have shown resilience compared with equities. For traders, the main themes are stablecoin regulation, payment infrastructure, institutional adoption and the relative positioning of USDC and USDT.

Citigroup raised its 12-month Bitcoin (BTC) price target from $82,000 to $113,000 and increased its Ethereum (ETH) target from $2,240 to $3,028. The bank cited stronger crypto-market activity, improving macroeconomic conditions, a weaker US dollar and renewed US spot Bitcoin ETF inflows. Citi expects crypto markets to attract about $5 billion in additional capital over the next 12 months. It forecasts slower but more consistent demand, supported by higher allocations from financial advisers, brokerages and other traditional investment channels. Spot Bitcoin ETFs recently recorded about $3.08 billion in inflows across nine consecutive sessions, while one week drew $2.4 billion, the strongest weekly inflow since October 2025. With BTC near $83,700 on 1 October, Citi’s Bitcoin target implies about 35% upside. ETH near $2,687 offers roughly 13% potential upside to the bank’s target, showing a more bullish stance on Bitcoin than Ethereum. BTC has gained about 40% from its July low, while ETH has risen around 68%. The outlook remains exposed to elevated US Treasury yields, persistent inflation, possible Federal Reserve tightening and regulatory uncertainty after the Clarity Act failed in the Senate. Traders should monitor Bitcoin ETF flows, institutional allocations, interest-rate expectations and long-term yields. The $113,000 Bitcoin forecast is supportive, but it does not guarantee a sustained bull market.

VarunaVersion V3 will be introduced through ConsensusVersion V21. The mainnet upgrade is scheduled to activate at block height 22,437,000. Based on current block times, activation is expected on 1 October 2026 at approximately 21:00 UTC. Traders should monitor the upgrade timeline, node compatibility and any changes in network activity as the activation date approaches. VarunaVersion V3 is the key protocol upgrade outlined in the v4.11.0 release.