Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Blockchain.com Co-CEO Lane Kasselman says a “crypto spring” has arrived, with institutional participation increasingly driving the digital asset market. He also argues that crypto has its strongest bipartisan support in Congress to date, and that the industry should maintain momentum regardless of which party leads after the US midterm elections. Kasselman discusses the stalled CLARITY Act, more than 30 SEC and CFTC rulemakings, and the burden of obtaining money transmitter licences state by state. He also covers Blockchain.com’s new options trading service, self-custody and custodial wallets, tokenisation, and the potential role of AI agents and stablecoins. His comments frame crypto spring as a period of growing institutional involvement, even as regulatory questions remain unresolved.

Strive’s SATS preferred stock pays a fixed annual dividend of $15 per share on a $100 stated amount. The dividend is cumulative, although payments depend on board declarations and may be deferred. The article argues that these terms could attract income investors and help SATS trade above its $100 stated amount. If SATS sells for $115, Strive could raise $115 for each $100 of preferred stock notional issued. Under the author’s Net Bitcoin Per Share (Net BPS) methodology, the premium could add residual value for common shareholders while funding Bitcoin purchases. At that price, the $15 dividend implies an effective yield of about 13%. However, SATS’s floating liquidation preference can temporarily rise with its market price, and the article notes tax and other risks. The strategy depends on SATS maintaining a premium. At $100, its effective dividend cost is 15%; below par, the cost rises and issuance could be dilutive under the Net BPS calculation. Strive also plans to hold an 18-month dividend reserve of $22.50 per share, limiting the funds available for Bitcoin purchases. The article presents above-par issuance as a possible financing opportunity, not a guaranteed outcome.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s 2027 Long-Term Capital Market Assumptions project Bitcoin will outperform large-cap stocks, gold and bonds over the next decade. The report outlines a 10% base-case return and a 16% bull-case return, according to a Bitcoin Magazine video featuring Grace Remington and Sean Hagan. The article does not provide a specific Bitcoin price target or clarify the forecast’s return methodology. These are long-term projections, not guarantees, and may not translate directly into short-term trading signals.

Net inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs fell about 96% on October 20 to $23.16 million, down from $526.7 million in the previous session, according to SoSoValue. BlackRock’s IBIT attracted $29.86 million and Fidelity’s FBTC added $3.58 million, while Bitwise’s BITB saw $10.29 million in outflows. The two-day net total remained positive at roughly $549.9 million, so the decline reflects a sharp slowdown in new buying—not a 96% withdrawal of existing holdings. Bitcoin traded near $82,000 as traders weighed whether institutional demand could support a move toward $90,000. Glassnode identifies resistance near $87,700, where the cost basis of some later-2025 buyers overlaps with other technical levels. A sustained move above $85,000 and then $87,700 could strengthen the recovery case. Support is seen around $80,000–$81,500, including the estimated average cost basis of US spot Bitcoin ETF holdings. A break below that zone could expose a level near $78,000. BlackRock’s continued buying offers some support, but weaker overall Bitcoin ETF inflows leave a breakout unconfirmed. Traders are also monitoring the Federal Reserve’s rate decision, Treasury yields and derivatives positioning.

AppLovin (APP) remains profitable despite a reported 64% decline in market capitalisation and slower growth. Ahead of its Q3 results, revenue and EBITDA guidance is said to be broadly in line with analyst expectations. EBITDA is forecast to grow 49% year over year, with margins near 83%; free-cash-flow margin is about 45%. AppLovin’s buybacks and expansion into connected TV (CTV) and other verticals support the article’s bullish investment case. The author maintains a Buy rating, estimates at least 67% upside to intrinsic value and says they may add shares before earnings, with a possible upgrade if fundamentals hold.

Cohen & Steers Select Preferred and Income Fund (PSF) receives a Hold rating, with an estimated fair value of $17.11, about 5.4% below its market price of $18.08. PSF trades at a 12% discount to its $20.55 net asset value and offers an 8.4% yield, but rising financing costs could pressure income as interest-rate swaps expire. The fund’s 7.9-year duration makes it sensitive to higher long-term yields. Its significant exposure to bank AT1 and contingent convertible bonds (CoCos) also leaves it vulnerable to bank-sector stress and potential declines in net asset value. The analysis says the discount and yield do not yet outweigh these risks. A wider discount combined with falling rates could support an upgrade, while a distribution cut of more than 10% or 10-year Treasury yields above 5.5% could prompt a downgrade. PSF is therefore viewed as a hold until long-term yields stabilise.

Semtech is benefiting from rising investment in AI data centers. Its data-center revenue grew 91% in Q2 FY2027, according to the article. The company’s expanded photonics portfolio and LoRa technology are also presented as potential growth drivers, supporting ambitious revenue and margin targets through FY2030. At about $137 per share, Semtech trades at roughly 38 times FY2027 earnings. The article estimates that valuation could fall to 21 times FY2028 earnings if the company meets its targets. The author rates Semtech a Buy, while identifying its reliance on continued AI infrastructure spending as a key risk. Semtech’s growth outlook therefore depends partly on whether data-center investment remains strong.

Ghost now lets publishers customize Stripe Checkout pages directly in Ghost Admin. They can change brand colors, button styling, corner shapes and fonts, with a live preview of each update. The Stripe Checkout settings are available under Settings → Tiers → Checkout. The design changes apply only to checkout pages used by Ghost, so other sites or shops using the same Stripe account are unaffected. Ghost(Pro) users can access the feature immediately; self-hosted users need to update to the latest Ghost version. The update is a publishing and payments feature, with no direct cryptocurrency market impact.

Standard Chartered has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Zodia Custody, advancing a deal first announced through a non-binding offer in May. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions; its value and completion date have not been disclosed. After closing, Zodia Custody’s regulated operations in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Luxembourg and the UAE are expected to join Standard Chartered’s Securities Services division. The bank says existing custody clients are expected to receive uninterrupted service. Zodia’s software and professional-services business will operate separately as Zodia Solutions under SC Ventures, providing digital-asset infrastructure to financial institutions. The acquisition expands Standard Chartered’s institutional crypto custody plans and broader digital-asset services. The bank has launched Bitcoin and Ether trading for eligible professional clients in the UAE and plans to offer institutional custody in Singapore. The deal strengthens institutional infrastructure, but regulatory approvals and integration will determine when the changes take effect.

Two US tokenized-stock frameworks are taking shape, but neither has reached publicly verifiable live trading as of 14 October 2026. The first route brings tokenized shares into Nasdaq’s existing order book and DTC settlement system. It preserves established price discovery, while changing how shares are delivered after a trade. Its eligible assets cover about 95% of US investable equity value, but tokens can move only between DTC-registered wallets and receive no collateral or settlement value under specified DTC risk calculations. Trading also depends on DTC completing the required services. The second route creates on-chain venues where tokenized shares trade against stablecoins or other eligible assets, with trading and settlement on-chain. OKXICE announced a venue for 63 stocks, but its theoretical combined daily trading cap is about $710 million, based on September 2026 volumes. Demand is concentrated: overseas tokenized trading volumes for six stocks already exceeded their individual venue caps. The pools also need to build liquidity, and companies can object to third-party tokenization of their shares. Both routes require tokens to represent real share rights. The first reuses traditional market liquidity but remains limited by DTC infrastructure; the second enables on-chain settlement and potentially round-the-clock trading, but faces liquidity, trading-cap and price-divergence risks. The frameworks are in place, yet actual adoption and market impact remain unproven.

Independent Dan Osborn is running against Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts in a closely contested 2026 Nebraska Senate race. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) says Democratic groups recruited and financially supported Osborn, a claim Republicans argue could affect his appeal to voters outside the Democratic base. Osborn has received backing from Democratic-aligned political action committees and fundraising platforms. The article reports that polling shows a near tie, while prediction-market pricing gives Republicans a 70.5% chance of winning and Osborn a 28.5% chance. The figures reflect market expectations, not a definitive forecast. Further campaign statements, polling and political spending could shift voter perceptions and market odds. Dan Osborn’s Democratic support is therefore a central point to watch as the Nebraska Senate race develops.

Meta’s third-quarter 2026 earnings will test whether its growing AI investment can boost advertising and profits enough to justify rising costs. Analysts forecast revenue of $63.3 billion to $63.4 billion, up about 23% to 24% year on year, and net income of roughly $15.44 billion. Investors will scrutinise quarterly capital expenditure of $41 billion to $42 billion and a possible $10 billion legal charge linked to youth social media settlements. Meta’s full-year 2026 capex outlook is $130 billion to $145 billion, with spending potentially rising further in 2027. The latest estimates add a possible legal expense and new scrutiny of quarterly spending to the earlier focus on cash flow and advertising growth. In the second quarter, revenue rose 28% to $60.8 billion, but capex reached $31.1 billion and free cash flow was about $784 million. Meta’s Muse AI assistant, launched in September, recorded 10 million downloads in its first 40 days. However, the company has no substantial cloud business, making evidence of AI-driven gains in advertising, engagement or subscription revenue especially important. Options markets imply a roughly 6% share-price move after the results, without indicating direction. The Meta earnings report could shape sentiment on Big Tech AI investment and, indirectly, broader risk appetite relevant to crypto traders.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the company’s Blackwell and upcoming Vera Rubin GPUs could remain useful for seven to eight years, compared with roughly four years assumed in some financial models. Longer GPU lifespans could raise the chips’ collateral value, improve financing terms and make AI data-centre investments appear less risky. Nvidia projects $1 trillion in combined revenue from the two architectures through 2027, up from an earlier $500 billion estimate. Blackwell entered volume production in 2025, while Vera Rubin is expected to ramp in the second half of 2026. Industry depreciation schedules are generally around five to six years, and CoreWeave has extended contracts for A100 GPUs launched in 2020 through 2029. Huang’s estimate is not yet an industry standard; investors will be watching demand, GPU contract extensions and depreciation assumptions.

Bitcoin’s price recovery is running ahead of fresh stablecoin liquidity, raising questions about whether the rally can continue. CryptoQuant contributor MorenoDV_ said Tether’s USDT market capitalisation fell by nearly $1 billion in five days, while its 60-day supply growth has struggled to stay positive. USDT expansion supported trading liquidity during Bitcoin’s 2024 and 2025 rallies, but recent contractions mean that source of support is weaker now. Bitcoin traded near $83,000, up more than 1% over 24 hours but still 34% below its record high of more than $126,000. The analysis said a sustained recovery would be better supported if daily USDT withdrawals ease, the 60-day supply change moves clearly above zero, and spot buying strengthens. USDT contraction does not necessarily mean capital is leaving crypto, as liquidity could shift to other stablecoins or enter through spot Bitcoin ETFs. Large holders have provided some support: wallets holding 10 to 10,000 BTC added nearly 89,000 BTC since 19 September, taking their combined holdings above 13.69 million BTC, a six-month high, according to Santiment. However, HashKey’s Tim Sun said ETF and corporate treasury demand—the main sources of marginal buying in recent years—has cooled as higher borrowing costs reduce some companies’ incentives to finance Bitcoin purchases. Without stronger fresh liquidity, profit-taking or renewed selling could stall the Bitcoin recovery.

Bitcoin storage alternatives are drawing attention after recent thefts and security concerns shook confidence in hardware wallets. The article says more than $200 million in crypto was stolen in recent months from tampered Ledger devices and Coldcard wallets whose seed phrases were not generated with adequate randomness. It also cites a rise in physical attacks on crypto holders, including an average of one reported “$5 wrench attack” in France every 2.5 days this year. The five Bitcoin storage alternatives reviewed are crypto ETFs, passkey-based wallets, multisig wallets, centralized exchanges and paper wallets. ETFs and exchanges reduce the burden of managing private keys, but introduce custodian, issuer and counterparty risks. Passkeys can simplify access, though device loss and recovery arrangements remain concerns. Multisig splits transaction approval across several keys but can add coordination challenges and smart-contract risks. Paper wallets avoid online storage but can be lost, damaged or compromised during creation or use. The article concludes that no method is risk-free. Diversifying crypto holdings across storage methods and providers may limit the damage from a single failure. The right approach depends on an individual’s security experience, access needs and tolerance for third-party custody.

The eMudhra certificate flaw may still expose crypto trading bots and exchange applications, CertiK warned, even after Google, Apple and Microsoft blocked eight vulnerable certificates issued by the Indian certificate authority. CertiK’s Peiyu Wang said browser protections do not necessarily cover software that uses separate security systems or lacks the same certificate revocation safeguards. Attackers could use compromised certificates to impersonate exchanges, wallet interfaces or APIs, potentially replacing deposit addresses or prompting users to approve malicious transactions. Such attacks would also require traffic interception or redirection; the certificates alone do not reveal wallet private keys. Crypto operators should update software and certificate trust stores and confirm their applications reject the affected certificates. The eMudhra certificate flaw is an application-level security concern, not evidence of a broader crypto-market compromise.

US storage stocks led early market gains on 21 October, with SK Hynix and SanDisk each rising 4% and Micron gaining 3%. Nvidia added 2%. SpaceX shares opened 8% higher after the company reported third-quarter revenue of $14.6 billion, up 161% year on year. Elon Musk said annual recurring revenue could reach $500 billion to $1 trillion by the end of 2027. The share moves reflect strength in technology and storage stocks, while SpaceX shares reacted to the company’s earnings and growth outlook.

US memory stocks weakened on 21 October, according to MSX.com data. SanDisk fell 0.6% after rising as much as 3.5% earlier in the session. Micron Technology and SK Hynix pared their gains to less than 2%. The pullback in US memory stocks followed a reversal in early trading strength; the report gave no further cause for the move.

SpaceX stock rose as much as 10%, marking its biggest gain since August, according to data from MSX.com. The report did not identify a specific catalyst for the move. The sharp rise in SpaceX stock is notable for equity investors, but the article provides no direct link to cryptocurrency prices or trading activity.

Tor Browser 15.0.26 was released on October 21, 2026, and is available from the Tor Browser download page and distribution directory. The update blocks compromised intermediate certificates issued by eMudhra. Tor Browser users should note that the updated revocation database may take a few minutes to build the first time the browser starts. The release changelog lists one change: updating certificate authority intermediates and related settings.

GTA 6 trailer and leaked gameplay have fueled speculation about Dacity Coin, a fictional token featured in the game. Some traders think it may appear in promotional missions; others speculate it could become a tradable in-game asset, like stocks in GTA V. Crypto traders have created an unofficial Dacity Coin meme token on Solana, with no connection to Rockstar or the game. The token reportedly reached a peak market capitalization of $15 million. One trader was reported to have $285,000 in unrealized gains on a $20,000 investment, though meme coin prices can fall sharply and those gains are not realized. The real-world token’s price action is driven by expectations about GTA 6’s content, not confirmed integration. Traders should treat it as a highly speculative asset, with substantial volatility and the risk that interest fades when the game launches.

Bitcoin Core 32.0 has reached its final release, marking the availability of a new version of the software used to run Bitcoin nodes. The supplied article provides no details on specific changes, security fixes or upgrade guidance. Node operators should consult the official release notes before updating. The release concerns Bitcoin Core software and does not, by itself, indicate a change to Bitcoin’s protocol or market outlook.

A 12-month, multicentre, randomised, sham-controlled trial studied external counterpulsation (ECP) in 190 people with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease or mild Alzheimer’s. ECP uses ECG-synchronised pressure cuffs on the legs to boost blood flow toward the heart. Participants received treatment for six months, followed by observation through week 52. The study reported better average daily-function and cognitive scores in the active-treatment group than in the sham group. Improvements were still evident at week 52. ScienceAlert also reported that about 84% of participants improved during treatment and roughly 75% remained above their starting level six months after treatment ended; these figures were cited from the report and the device company. The results are preliminary. The trial was funded by Renew Research, had potential conflicts of interest, and used a single-blind design. Participants were selected using clinical criteria rather than biomarker confirmation, and the sham treatment may not have fully concealed group assignment. The device has European certification for this use, but the article says it has not received equivalent FDA approval in the United States. Larger, independent studies are needed to confirm the findings and long-term safety.

The 3 November 2026 US midterm elections will determine control of Congress, but the next major market test for crypto may come in 2027, when lawmakers face debt-ceiling and federal funding deadlines. Analysts cited in the article expect a potential standoff around mid-year, although estimates of the Treasury’s X-date range from mid-year to late summer. A divided Congress could raise the risk of funding disputes and a government shutdown, while a Republican sweep could support tax and spending measures but also bring higher Treasury yields and a stronger dollar. Either outcome could affect risk appetite and liquidity. The article notes that a 10-year Treasury yield above 5.5% is possible under a Republican sweep, according to ING. For crypto, the debt ceiling matters because short-term Treasury yields and liquidity premiums can shift near an X-date. Bitcoin may face added volatility as a high-beta asset, while stablecoin reserves—often held in cash, repo and short-term Treasuries—could be affected by market stress and issuer portfolio adjustments. Regulation may move on separate tracks: agencies can continue implementing the GENIUS Act’s stablecoin framework, while broader market-structure legislation such as the CLARITY Act may struggle to advance through a divided or narrowly controlled Congress. Traders should watch election results, funding deadlines, Treasury debt-management updates, stablecoin rules and progress on crypto legislation. The debt ceiling and funding calendar may prove more consequential for crypto liquidity than election headlines alone.

Wall Street leaders are divided over whether the AI boom is a bubble, with implications for technology stocks, data-centre investment and risk assets including crypto. Citadel founder Ken Griffin said the market is “almost certainly” in a bubble, citing concerns about valuations and the time needed for AI spending to pay off. Deutsche Bank chief executive Christian Sewing played down the risk of an imminent burst, distinguishing market volatility from a systemic collapse. He described industrial AI as a major opportunity for Germany if regulation is appropriate. BlackRock chief executive Larry Fink argued that delaying data-centre construction could keep computing costs high and add to inflation, while slowing technology investment could threaten economic growth. He said competition for capital was at the highest level of his career. Federated Hermes investment chief Steve Chiavarone said bubble concerns may be valid but could be several years early, noting that investors still distinguish between borrowers’ ability to secure financing. The debate also highlights fiscal risks: the article cites a US deficit near $2 trillion and elevated government bond yields. For crypto traders, the key signals are likely to be interest rates, bond yields, liquidity and the pace of AI infrastructure spending. The AI bubble debate alone does not establish a direct market direction, but tighter financial conditions could weigh on high-beta assets.

France’s Treasury, AMF, Banque de France and ACPR have urged the European Commission to include stronger safeguards for decentralized finance (DeFi) in its review of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The proposal would make crypto-asset service providers that actively offer DeFi access conduct due diligence, monitor protocols and potentially face liability for certain client losses if they failed to address known risks. The proposed checks would cover smart contract vulnerabilities, audits, governance, liquidity, oracles, bridges and possible links to illicit funds. The authorities also support independent certification for some significant, fully decentralized protocols. A missing certificate would not automatically prevent access if a platform conducts its own review and explains the risks to clients. The submission is not legislation. Any MiCA changes would require action by EU lawmakers. The proposal favors oversight through crypto platforms rather than a blanket DeFi ban, while calling for services that are not fully decentralized to fall under MiCA rules.

Fhenix has launched its CoFHE coprocessor on Ethereum and Arbitrum mainnet, enabling smart contracts to process encrypted balances and other data without revealing it onchain. The system uses fully homomorphic encryption (FHE), with heavy computation handled off-chain and results returned to contracts. Fhenix’s dual-mode tokens let holders switch balances between public and confidential modes in one transaction, without bridging or leaving the token’s home chain. The company says the system was audited by Consensys Diligence, although the audit report was not publicly available to Unchained. Two applications, Fluton and AlphaEngine, launched with CoFHE. Fhenix plans three more applications in the fourth quarter and says it is developing a confidential stablecoin with Tandem, Offchain Labs’ venture arm. The launch could expand privacy-focused DeFi on Ethereum and Arbitrum, but adoption and regulatory considerations remain important factors.

Ripple supports the SEC’s proposed crypto rules, but says changes are needed to clarify token disclosures, safe-harbor eligibility and secondary-market trading. The company argues that securities status should depend on the investment arrangement and promises tied to a token sale—not automatically on the token itself or every later transfer. It also wants qualifying issuers to retain safe-harbor eligibility if promised work is abandoned, and says failure to file a disclosure form alone should not imply that a token is linked to an investment contract. The SEC proposal, introduced on August 18, would let eligible issuers raise up to $5 million over four years or $75 million in 12 months under exemptions, while retaining disclosure and anti-fraud requirements. It includes a conditional safe harbor for some investment contracts. Ripple says it spent more than $150 million on legal costs during its XRP dispute, arguing that companies should not need years of litigation to understand their obligations. Ripple cited the market fallout from the case: it says XRP lost about 70% of its value within days of the SEC’s December 2020 lawsuit, wiping out roughly $15 billion in market value. After a July 2023 court ruling that XRP was not a security in itself, XRP’s market capitalization reportedly rose by about $21 billion, and US trading resumed on Coinbase and Kraken. A cited study estimated that clearer rules from 2022 to October 2026 could have enabled 382–1,518 additional US token offerings and $325 million–$1.117 billion in extra capital. The SEC is still considering the proposal, and Ripple’s requested changes are not guaranteed. For XRP traders, clearer rules could improve confidence over the long term, but the near-term price effect remains uncertain.

XRP rose about 4.7% in 24 hours on October 21, trading between $1.29 and $1.35 as short positions faced forced liquidations. Derivatives tracker TRdesk reported around $4.4 million in XRP liquidations, with roughly $3.6 million—about 80%—coming from shorts. Covering short positions can add buying pressure, but liquidations alone do not explain the price move. XRP is approaching resistance at $1.35–$1.38. A sustained break above $1.38 could put $1.42 in focus, while a decline below $1.32 may bring support at $1.29 and $1.28 into view. The rebound comes ahead of the XRP Ledger’s expected October 23 activation of the fixCleanup3_4_0 maintenance amendment. It addresses technical issues involving token permissions, escrow, automated market makers and calculations related to future lending infrastructure. The update does not activate native lending, which still requires separate validator approval. Despite this XRP price recovery and the upgrade catalyst, broader market sentiment and sustained buying demand remain key to whether XRP can reclaim $1.40.