Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Bitcoin fell to just above $82,000, its lowest level in more than two weeks, after failing to hold gains near the $87,000 resistance. The drop followed a roughly $2,000 decline in about 20 minutes and coincided with reports that the US government moved some crypto holdings, including BTC and BNB, and renewed geopolitical concerns involving Iran. At around the $83,000 support level, the TD Sequential indicator flashed an hourly buy signal. Analyst Ali Martinez said the recent correction had followed a sell signal near $87,000 and pointed to past chart patterns that preceded further gains. He sees a possible move above $90,000, but the indicator is not a guarantee of a rebound. Traders are likely to watch whether Bitcoin can hold support and whether macroeconomic and geopolitical developments keep pressure on prices.

Panmure Liberum market strategist Joachim Klement warns that the AI investment boom could burst in 2027 or 2028. He forecasts the S&P 500 could fall to 5,000 by the end of 2027, more than 35% below its reported level of about 7,723. Klement argues that major technology companies’ AI capital spending is outpacing the revenue it generates, while free cash flow is shrinking and borrowing costs are rising. Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Oracle are forecast to spend a combined $658 billion on capital expenditure in 2026. Klement says they would need $2 trillion to $5 trillion in additional annual revenue to justify that spending. He estimates that a 4.5%–6% cut in tech spending could push the S&P 500 down 20%; a dotcom-style crash could send tech hardware stocks down more than 70%. The AI bubble warning is relevant to traders watching risk appetite and technology valuations, though the article does not identify a direct catalyst for cryptocurrency prices.

Greece has proposed a 10% crypto tax on individuals’ gains from selling digital assets in a draft bill released for consultation on October 7–8, 2026. The rate is lower than the 15% rate signalled in June and would establish the country’s first dedicated crypto tax framework. The draft sets an annual €500 tax-free threshold and exempts crypto-to-crypto swaps. Staking, lending and liquidity-provision income would be taxed at 10% as interest. Individuals would also have 12 months after the law takes effect to declare past crypto gains without penalties or interest. The proposal could give Greek crypto traders greater clarity, but DeFi users would need to track income separately. The crypto tax remains under consultation and may change before becoming law; its direct effect on global crypto prices is likely to be limited.

Standard Chartered plans to offer crypto custody in Singapore to institutional clients and eligible corporate investors, subject to regulatory requirements. The planned service is expected to cover selected cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets, though supported assets and a launch date have not been announced. The Singapore crypto custody service would expand the bank’s digital-asset operations, which currently include the UAE, Luxembourg and Hong Kong, as it consolidates its custody business. Standard Chartered also offers spot Bitcoin and Ether trading in the UAE and provides banking infrastructure to CoinMENA. The move adds to institutional crypto infrastructure but does not, by itself, signal near-term buying pressure for any specific token.

A suspected HYPE whale has transferred 131,421 HYPE to Kraken since 28 September, worth about $11.77 million at the reported average deposit price of $89.56. Based on an estimated cost basis of $3.87 per token, selling at that price would yield an estimated $11.26 million profit, or a 2,214% return. The transfers may signal selling pressure, but no completed sale has been confirmed. The first suspected transfer came before Hyperliquid Labs announced on 30 September that it had sold 3.75 million HYPE, worth about $329 million, over the counter to a single institutional buyer that was not expected to sell on public markets. Two further suspected transfers reportedly followed, including one shortly before the report. Traders may watch Kraken flows for signs of HYPE selling, while treating the wallet’s intentions as unconfirmed.

Gate and Visa are launching the Gate Visa crypto card in more than 40 markets, expanding access to crypto payments. Eligible users can apply for and manage the card through the Gate app, spending digital assets at Visa-accepting online and in-store merchants. The Gate Visa crypto card automatically converts assets in users’ Gate accounts into fiat at checkout; availability, supported assets and eligibility vary by market. The card connects Gate accounts to Visa’s network, which spans more than 200 countries and territories and over 175 million merchant acceptance locations. Visa says more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programmes are live and payment transaction volume has risen nearly 200% year on year. The launch also extends Gate Money, which combines digital assets, fiat, stocks, ETFs, gold, banking and payments in one app. Gate says it serves more than 61 million users. No specific rollout date or supported assets were provided, and the card’s reach and uptake will depend on local terms.

US spot Bitcoin ETF outflows intensified in the later update. After recording $89.8 million in net withdrawals on October 5, while remaining about $120 million positive over five trading sessions, the funds saw $484.9 million in outflows on a later Wednesday—their largest daily withdrawal since June 25. That erased October’s early gains and left Bitcoin ETFs about $163 million in net outflows for the month. BlackRock’s IBIT led the latest withdrawals at $207.7 million, followed by Fidelity’s FBTC at $105.1 million and ARK 21Shares’ ARKB at $101.7 million. Bitcoin fell to about $82,700 on Thursday, down roughly 2% over 24 hours, compared with around $86,000 in the earlier update. US spot Ether ETFs also lost $160.9 million, extending their outflow streak to seven sessions and bringing withdrawals since September 29 to about $569 million. The sharp reversal in Bitcoin ETF flows may add pressure to BTC, though traders will watch whether outflows persist or return to positive territory.

Hashi plans to begin a phased mainnet rollout this month, with more than $500 million in capital committed, according to Sui. Anchorage will join as a launch partner, providing qualified custody services and stablecoin liquidity. The Hashi mainnet launch could support activity in the Sui ecosystem, but the announcement does not specify how much of the committed capital will be deployed or when. Traders will likely watch for rollout progress, actual capital inflows and subsequent usage before assessing its impact on SUI.

79AU’s operator, 79thVault, may have lost about $12.5 million after a suspected private-key leak compromised its hot wallet on BNB Chain. The wallet reportedly sent 2.01 million 79AU tokens to an external address in seven transfers. The attacker then made about 95 swaps to sell the tokens back into the same trading pool, reducing its USDT reserves from roughly $15.2 million to $3.9 million. The attacker converted the proceeds into 16,249 BNB, worth about $12.5 million. The report also says the operator’s key sent another 3.79 BNB to the same external address, while 500,000 79AU was transferred to a separate address. The incident puts immediate pressure on 79AU’s liquidity and raises concerns about the security of the project’s wallet controls. The suspected 79AU private-key leak has not been confirmed by the team in the article.

WalletConnect has released POS Client version 1.0.13, following version 1.0.12. The earlier release upgraded Sign Client, Utils and Types to version 2.25.0; version 1.0.13 advances all three WalletConnect dependencies to 2.26.0. Its release notes reference commits c247899 and 22c6e93. This is a software maintenance update, with no new token, feature, network change or market information announced. Traders should view the WalletConnect update as a technical development rather than a direct price catalyst.

WalletConnect Sign Client 2.26.0 includes dependency updates for WalletConnect Utils, Types and Core, all to version 2.26.0. The release note lists changes linked to commits c247899 and 22c6e93, but provides no further details about their contents. The update is relevant to developers maintaining WalletConnect integrations; it does not announce a new feature or a market-moving event.

The WalletConnect signer-connection package’s 2.26.0 patch release updates three dependencies: @walletconnect/utils, @walletconnect/types and @walletconnect/sign-client, all to version 2.26.0. The notice does not describe specific bug fixes or new features. WalletConnect 2.26.0 is a software dependency update, with no stated change to supported assets or trading functions.

Kyrgyzstan has ordered the liquidation of EVA, issuer of the gold-backed USDKG stablecoin, and state-owned crypto exchange Coin Nomad Exchange. The move ends operations for USDKG, which launched in November 2025, was pegged to the US dollar and ran on the Tron blockchain. More than 50 million tokens had been registered for issuance; CoinGecko later listed about 50 million in circulation at close to $1, with 24-hour trading volume of roughly $22,955. The project says USDKG holders can request redemption in fiat currency or USDT by contacting it through its official email. It has not provided a deadline or detailed redemption terms, leaving uncertainty over how many holders will seek to redeem. The shutdown follows UK sanctions imposed on EVA in May under Britain’s Russia sanctions regime. The UK cited suspected business of economic significance to the Russian government, but did not allege that USDKG itself was used to evade sanctions. Coin Nomad had separately begun voluntary liquidation in September, with its creditor-claim period expected to end around 14 October 2026. The developments put USDKG redemptions and the token’s continued market support in focus.

South Korea’s Gwangju Bank and fintech company Toss have completed a proof of concept for stablecoin QR payments, linking the bank’s mobile app, the Toss app and Toss Place merchant terminals. Customers selected stablecoin payment in the bank app, scanned a merchant QR code in Toss and confirmed a direct wallet-to-wallet transfer. The companies are preparing a second trial to reduce the number of steps and are discussing tests with merchants in Gwangju and Jeonnam. No commercial launch date or supported stablecoin has been announced. The stablecoin QR payments trial follows other Toss initiatives, including research into won-backed stablecoin infrastructure and a separate exploration of USDC-based services. South Korean banks are testing stablecoin payments as lawmakers prepare to review digital asset legislation in November. The proposed framework is expected to address stablecoin issuance and distribution, but rules and issuer requirements remain unsettled.

Bath & Body Works faces ongoing demand concerns despite strong brand recognition, healthy margins and about 40 million loyalty members. Fiscal 2025 revenue was flat at $7.291 billion, while North American sales and transaction counts declined. In Q2 fiscal 2026, the company beat earnings expectations and raised its guidance, but sales still fell 2.3% year over year. The results raise questions about whether investment in product updates and customer acquisition can restore growth. The article views the valuation as attractive but maintains a cautious stance, highlighting the gap between Bath & Body Works’ financial strengths and weakening sales trends.

West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) shares trade at $364.98, a valuation that assumes substantial future profit growth, according to the article. The company supplies components used to contain and deliver injectable medicines, and demand for complex drugs supports its organic sales growth. However, West Pharmaceutical Services faces challenges in converting earnings into cash and proving it can maintain performance after selling its SmartDose business. The divestiture and currency headwinds are also expected to slow reported sales growth, even if underlying organic growth remains robust. The article argues that the company’s premium valuation will require stronger earnings and cash flow to be sustained. Traders and investors may therefore want to distinguish reported growth from organic performance and monitor post-divestiture results.

McDonald’s shares have fallen more than 30%, easing valuation concerns, according to the article. The stock trades at about 19 times earnings, below its 20-year average, with a 3.2% dividend yield and a 5.2% free-cash-flow yield. The author upgraded the shares, arguing that store expansion—not just same-store sales—is supporting growth. In the first half, sales rose 6% and operating profit increased 7%; the loyalty programme is also helping drive system-wide sales. Free cash flow reached a record despite high capital spending. The article says the payout ratio is aligned with free cash flow, supporting the dividend and continued buybacks. The author also views McDonald’s as a potential portfolio hedge when market volatility is low, though the stock’s performance is not a direct signal for crypto markets.

The Federal Reserve’s September meeting minutes reinforced expectations of another interest-rate increase before year-end, although officials said October action was not automatic. All 19 participants supported the September 25-basis-point hike, and most considered a further increase appropriate as inflation remained above target and progress in lowering it had stalled. The hawkish outlook weighed on risk assets. Bitcoin briefly fell to $82,300 before recovering to around $83,000, while many altcoins lost more than 3%. Higher-for-longer rates and rising Treasury yields could continue to pressure crypto valuations, particularly if upcoming inflation or jobs data strengthen expectations of a December hike. However, spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $2.65 billion in net inflows in September, with most arriving after the rate increase. US spot Ethereum ETFs also saw roughly $690 million in inflows. The figures suggest that the widely anticipated hike did not trigger a sustained institutional retreat, although ETF demand does not eliminate the risk from higher real yields or a stronger dollar. For crypto traders, the near-term outlook hinges on inflation data, financial conditions and whether spot ETF inflows persist. The minutes point to a hawkish, data-dependent Fed—not a guaranteed October hike—while September’s Bitcoin ETF flows indicate that some institutions continued to allocate amid tighter monetary policy.

Loopscale has outlined its merger with Orca under Formation. Both products will continue operating as part of the Formation ecosystem. Loopscale will not issue a token; ORCA will be the ecosystem’s only token. Loopscale points will continue accumulating until a redemption event planned for later this year, with further details expected soon. The arrangement puts the focus on ORCA and the eventual value and terms of Loopscale points.

SpaceXAI has upgraded Grok Bot with free, built-in tools to search and read X posts and track trending topics. Users no longer need to link an X account or configure a connector for these read-only features. Combined with scheduled tasks, Grok Bot can monitor product feedback, breaking news and industry developments, then provide regular summaries. X searches remain subject to rate limits, and the free usage allowance has not been disclosed. Posting and other non-read-only actions still require an X connector.

WalletConnect types@2.26.0 adds optional SDK identification to event tracking. The `eventClient.init()` method can now accept an SDK name and version, allowing products built on WalletConnect Core, such as WalletKit, to identify themselves in the INIT event. These details are sent as `sdk_name` and `sdk_version`, alongside the existing core user-agent data. The change improves SDK analytics and attribution but does not announce a token, trading feature, or market-facing product launch.

WalletConnect Universal Provider 2.26.0 includes patch changes that update its dependencies: @walletconnect/utils, @walletconnect/types and @walletconnect/sign-client, all to version 2.26.0. The release note does not provide further details about the changes. This WalletConnect update concerns developer libraries and does not announce a new token, network or trading feature.

WalletConnect Utils 2.26.0 fixes an EIP-191 message-hashing bug affecting non-ASCII text in SIWE and CACAO messages. The issue arose because the code counted JavaScript UTF-16 code units instead of the UTF-8 bytes required by the standard. As a result, compliant wallets could not verify those messages through EIP-191 or EIP-1271. The WalletConnect fix restores standard hashing for Unicode input; hashes of ASCII-only messages are unchanged. The update also includes @walletconnect/types 2.26.0.

Ripple Prime is expanding into leveraged ETF financing, taking on a role traditionally dominated by major Wall Street banks. The business grew from Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of prime brokerage Hidden Road, which was renamed Ripple Prime after the deal closed in October 2025. Ripple Prime launched its Delta One business in August and has also expanded brokerage, clearing and financing services for hedge fund manager Brevan Howard.

Infrastructure Capital Advisors says central bank rate hikes in response to an oil price shock risk weakening the global economy and have contributed to a sharp bond sell-off. It points to French 10-year government bond yields, which reached 4.9% after rising 130 basis points over six months; bond prices fell by more than a point in the latest session. The firm is bullish on US 10-year Treasuries, arguing that markets are pricing in four Federal Reserve rate increases while the Fed’s projections imply only one more. The outlook highlights a gap between market expectations and the Fed’s guidance, which could drive volatility in bond yields and other risk assets.

Orbital data centers could extend AI infrastructure into space, but the economics are not yet viable. Launch costs may need to fall by nearly 90%—to about $200 per kilogram—for the model to work, a level that may not be reached until the mid-2030s. Reaching that threshold depends on next-generation launch systems, particularly fully reusable vehicles such as SpaceX’s Starship. In the near term, orbital data centers are more likely to complement terrestrial hyperscale facilities than replace them. Potential early uses include space-based inference and edge processing for Earth observation, defense and communications, where processing data in orbit could be valuable.

United Community Banks (UCB) remains rated Hold because its valuation is not compelling, despite moves aimed at improving future results. In Q3 2026, the regional bank sold its equipment-finance portfolio, acquired Peach State Bancshares and repositioned $2.6 billion in securities to reduce risk and support earnings. The changes come with a near-term cost: UCB expects a $300 million pre-tax loss in Q3, temporarily weighing on tangible book value. Adjusted earnings per share are forecast to rise 10% in FY 2026 and 12% in FY 2027. United Community Banks also faces risks from geographic concentration, commercial real estate exposure and higher deposit costs. Growth in the Southeast and a stronger balance sheet could provide upside, but the article’s view is that the current share valuation does not yet justify a more positive rating.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an has proposed relocating Songshan Airport and converting the airport and surrounding land—about 300 hectares—into a Taipei AI park. The city estimates the project could generate NT$12 trillion in economic value and support 65,000 jobs. The Songshan Airport relocation proposal has resurfaced repeatedly over the past 25 years, but previous plans have stalled. Key obstacles include the central government’s control of the military-civilian airport, the lack of a destination for military and emergency aviation operations, and delays to Taoyuan Airport’s third runway, which Chiang says could take over Songshan’s traffic by 2033. Central government officials say Taipei did not consult them before announcing the plan, and transport authorities have given no relocation timeline. Critics also warn that shifting all of Songshan’s traffic to Taoyuan could strain capacity. The proposal may support Taipei’s AI development and urban-renewal ambitions, but its feasibility depends on national-level coordination and infrastructure planning.

Former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon said he was 90% certain that Chinese spies had infiltrated both AI companies. He offered no evidence, named no individuals and said he was not an expert in investigating espionage. His remarks came during an interview on the PBD Podcast, where he also argued that AI laboratories should be nationalised and employees subjected to security-clearance checks. Coxon said Chinese AI progress partly relies on “distillation”—training models on responses from US systems—rather than taking the models themselves. His China spy claims drew criticism from China technology policy specialist Scott Triolo, who called the comments irresponsible. Data cited in the article show that researchers of Chinese origin made up 38% of leading AI talent at US institutions in a 2022 sample, compared with 37% of US origin. The figures track undergraduate education, not nationality or intelligence ties, and do not establish espionage. A separate case involving former Google engineer Linwei Ding also illustrates that stealing trade secrets and spying for a foreign government are distinct legal charges. The China spy claims remain unsubstantiated. The story highlights growing concern about AI security and competition, but provides no evidence of a specific breach at OpenAI or Anthropic.