Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

US spot Bitcoin ETFs moved from weak flows to a sharp rebound over the month. On October 15, they recorded $5.1 million in net inflows after $261.4 million in outflows the previous session, although October 7 had seen $484.9 million in outflows. BlackRock’s IBIT led the October 15 gains with $16.8 million, while GBTC and BTCO recorded outflows. Bitcoin recovered above $82,000 after briefly falling below $80,000, amid concerns about US inflation and possible Federal Reserve rate increases. The latest figures show a stronger return of demand: on October 19, US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $526.7 million in net inflows, reversing $82.4 million in outflows on October 16. IBIT accounted for $665.2 million in inflows, partly offset by outflows from FBTC and GBTC. However, Bitcoin’s price did not sustain a breakout: it reached $83,155 before closing at $81,938 and later traded near $82,058. Traders are watching resistance around $83,000–$83,200 and support near $80,000–$81,000. The ETF inflows are encouraging, but their concentration in IBIT, macroeconomic uncertainty and about $66 billion in BTC perpetual-futures open interest leave room for volatility. A sustained recovery in Bitcoin demand and a move above resistance have yet to be confirmed.

Chevron shares reached a fresh 52-week high of $225.67 before closing Monday at $224.45, as investors await the company’s third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 30. Analysts expect Chevron earnings to rise 155.68% year over year to $4.73 per share, with revenue forecast to increase 18.4% to about $58.88 billion. The outlook follows a strong second quarter, when Chevron reported $12.1 billion in net earnings and adjusted earnings of $6.06 per share. Higher oil prices, strong refining margins, increased production and the Hess acquisition supported results. Worldwide production rose 20% year over year, while US output reached a record. Investors will watch production, refining margins, cash flow, Hess integration and growth in Guyana. Chevron also maintained its $10 billion to $20 billion annual share-buyback target after returning billions to shareholders in the second quarter. The results may influence whether the stock’s 2026 rally can continue.

BlackRock has filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to launch the iShares Bitcoin Managed Protection ETF, proposed ticker PBIT. The filing expands the firm’s Bitcoin ETF range, which also includes the income-focused BITA. The proposed fund would use options linked to BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and similar instruments, alongside cash and short-term fixed-income securities, rather than holding Bitcoin directly. The Bitcoin ETF aims to capture some Bitcoin-linked gains while limiting a portion of losses. A typical options tranche is designed to absorb about the first 10% of declines from its reference value, while sold call options cap potential gains. This is not a guaranteed loss limit: market conditions, overlapping tranches, fees and option performance could affect results, and investors could lose some or all of their investment. BlackRock has not disclosed the management fee, listing exchange, final options caps or a confirmed launch date. The proposal requires SEC effectiveness before shares can be sold. For traders, the Bitcoin ETF adds a structured way to seek managed exposure, but does not create new direct Bitcoin demand or confirm a launch.

Tokyo-based GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae says it found traces of ARTEX, a Chinese-developed AI penetration-testing tool, on infrastructure used in attacks against Japanese companies. The ARTEX-linked infrastructure reportedly targeted about 20 firms; nine were in the same sector, and eight companies disclosed breaches between September and October 2026. GMO also identified six other AI-based attack infrastructures targeting Japanese businesses in retail, education, finance and media. US cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike previously linked ARTEX to attacks on South Korean banks in late September. GMO shared its findings with Japanese law enforcement, but no specific threat actor has been identified. The report describes cybersecurity risks and has no direct connection to cryptocurrency markets.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $526.7 million in net inflows on Monday, their strongest daily total since September 22, according to Farside Investors. BlackRock’s IBIT led with $665.2 million, offsetting outflows from Fidelity’s FBTC ($83.6 million) and Grayscale’s GBTC ($54.9 million); other funds reported no net flows. The rebound reversed Friday’s $82.4 million in withdrawals, but Bitcoin ETFs remain about $88 million in net outflows for October after two consecutive weeks of weekly withdrawals. Bitcoin traded between $78,700 and $82,800. By contrast, spot Ether ETFs lost $103.3 million on Monday, including $95.4 million from BlackRock’s ETHA, and have seen three straight weeks of withdrawals. The flows suggest stronger relative demand for Bitcoin than Ether, but ETF flows alone do not determine price direction.

Lighter Core has launched a binary options product, according to the platform. Lighter Core says it plans to follow up with a full options trading service. The announcement did not provide details on launch timing, supported assets or product terms.

The Tesla Roadster is not a flying car under US aviation rules, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told CBS. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tesla must still meet applicable vehicle safety standards, and drivers must follow local road laws. Technical estimates cited by MotorTrend suggest the Roadster’s demonstrated jumps would be brief: flight time could be under two seconds at full thrust, or less than six seconds even with 250 kilograms of gas. Refilling the gas supply could take six to seven hours. The clarification challenges claims surrounding the Tesla Roadster’s flight capability, but has no direct connection to cryptocurrency markets.

A crypto derivatives trader with more than $126 million in cumulative profits has continued building a BTC short position. On 19 October, the trader increased the position by about $5.61 million, to roughly $20.29 million, after closing and reopening shorts; the closed trades reportedly lost an estimated $46,000. The following day, from 09:41 to 13:42 UTC+8, the trader added a further $4.63 million, taking the BTC short’s value from about $32.79 million to $37.5 million, according to Odaily. The growing BTC short position reflects one trader’s increased bearish exposure, not confirmation of a wider market trend. Traders can monitor BTC price action, funding rates and open interest for signs of broader positioning or market impact.

Mastercard launched Stablecoin Security, an API that screens institution-mediated stablecoin payments for fraud, scams, sanctions exposure and other risks before funds move on-chain. It combines payment data with blockchain analytics to produce risk scores that financial institutions can use to approve, decline or review transfers through existing systems. Stablecoin Security adds a pre-transaction checkpoint, but does not cover direct wallet-to-wallet transfers or reverse confirmed blockchain transactions. Borderless.xyz and Keyrails are initial partners. The service is launching in North America, with global commercial availability expected in 2027. Mastercard plans to expand Stablecoin Security through BVNK, which it acquired in August for up to $1.8 billion. The company says its 2025 analysis of 593 million stablecoin transfer events across 141 million Ethereum transactions found that nearly 60% involved complex, multistep transfers, complicating fund tracking and risk assessment. Supported networks, tokens, pricing and the precise global launch date have not been disclosed. For crypto traders, the rollout points to stronger compliance controls in regulated stablecoin payments, but does not by itself signal an immediate change in stablecoin prices or the broader market.

PAPER faced a series of trading restrictions after concerns emerged that its perpetual futures market launched before Papertrade had resolved potential attack risks. The Papertrade founder responded to the controversy, while Paragon halted PAPER trading and settled all open positions at $0.026296. Aster also delisted its PAPER pre-market perpetual contract and switched it to reduce-only mode. Trader “Maji” said PAPER may remain non-transferable for an extended period, leaving holders reliant on fee income for returns. Separately, 21 of Papertrade’s 25 biggest loss-makers had combined trading volume of $111.5 billion. Other market developments were mixed. Solana recorded 8.92 billion non-vote on-chain transactions in Q3 2026, up 104%. Bitwise’s CIO said JPMorgan now expects Bitcoin to be the best-performing asset over the next decade. Hyperliquid’s policy centre urged the SEC to exclude airdrops from the definition of securities. OpenAI was also reportedly accelerating a funding round of about $30 billion at a potential valuation above $1.4 trillion.

Bitcoin’s daily Bollinger Band width has tightened to one of its lowest levels in two and a half years, signalling a sustained contraction in Bitcoin volatility. Historically, such squeezes can precede a directional breakout, but the indicator alone does not reveal whether the next move will be up or down. Traders may watch for a change in volatility and confirmation from price action before taking a directional position.

Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun criticised the Tesla Roadster’s proposed cold-gas propulsion system on X, arguing that it is essentially powered by compressed air and has a specific impulse of less than 50 seconds. Elon Musk responded with an insult. The exchange concerns the practicality of the Tesla Roadster’s propulsion concept; the report provides no new launch or performance details.

Regis Resources reported group gold production of 83,000 for the September quarter of FY2027, according to the opening remarks of its earnings call. CEO and Managing Director Jim Beyer said the company’s 12-month moving average lost time injury frequency rate fell to zero from 0.3 at the end of June. Regis Resources also reported no environmental non-compliances or significant environmental incidents during the quarter. The call included CEO Jim Beyer, COO Michael Holmes and CFO Anthony Rechichi. The available transcript excerpt does not provide further financial or production details.

NioCorp Developments (NB) is trading at $3.13, down more than 60% over the past year, while Seeking Alpha contributor GT Research argues that the market assigns Elk Creek a project value of only about $72 million. That compares with the project’s estimated $3.44 billion after-tax net present value (NPV). The author rates NioCorp a buy and sets a $8.29-per-share target, but says financing is the key risk. Elk Creek’s feasibility study forecasts average annual EBITDA of $608 million, a 22.8% internal rate of return and a 40-year mine life. Estimated capital costs have risen to $1.849 billion. The project has permits and commercial coverage for all of its planned production in the first decade, although many agreements are non-binding. NioCorp’s valuation therefore depends heavily on securing funding and delivering the project.

Meridian Energy Limited published a slide deck in conjunction with a shareholder and analyst call, according to a Seeking Alpha post dated 20 October 2026. The post provides no details from the presentation, financial figures or management guidance. It therefore offers no specific new information to assess Meridian Energy’s business outlook or share performance.

The crypto market faces a risk-off backdrop as oil-driven inflation and rising Treasury yields reinforce expectations that US interest rates may stay higher for longer. The 10-year Treasury yield reportedly climbed above 5.15%, while interest-rate swaps put the chance of a December Fed hike near 90%. WTI crude topped $103 a barrel and Brent briefly exceeded $110, adding to inflation concerns and pressure on risk assets. US stocks staged a limited rebound, led by semiconductors and memory shares, but trading remained subdued. The S&P 500 rose 0.41% and the Nasdaq gained 1.11%; meanwhile, analysts warned that elevated yields, weak earnings and widening credit stress could prompt renewed deleveraging. Hedge funds were reportedly selling technology stocks, and the article describes AI-related borrowing costs as a growing risk. For crypto traders, the combination of a stronger dollar, higher yields and reduced risk appetite could weigh on Bitcoin and other volatile assets in the short term. The equity bounce may offer some support if it broadens, but the article characterizes it as a pause rather than a confirmed trend reversal. Traders will be watching Fed signals, oil prices, Treasury yields and major technology earnings for clues on whether risk appetite can recover.

Sophon users must withdraw assets by November 25, 2026, ahead of the zkSync-based Layer 2’s mainnet shutdown on November 30. After bridges and RPC nodes are retired, remaining funds may become inaccessible. Sophon disabled new deposits on June 25 and says operating its standalone chain costs about $3.4 million a year; shutting it down is expected to save $3 million annually. Users should also withdraw assets from Sophon farms and claim staking and Guardian rewards. The project is shifting towards consumer finance and AI applications on Base, starting with the Pyre app. SOPH’s former gas and staking functions will end with the chain. The team says SOPH will instead be tied to revenue from its Base products, with a portion allocated to buybacks and burns. The token’s stated fixed supply is 10 billion.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s 2027 Long-Term Capital Market Assumptions forecast Bitcoin to deliver a 10% annualised compound return over the next decade, ahead of US large-cap stocks at 7.5% and gold at 5.5%. Bitcoin’s first appearance in the bank’s long-term forecast makes it the report’s highest-returning asset class. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan said the inclusion reflects a shift in traditional finance toward treating Bitcoin as an asset for long-term analysis. The forecast also points to substantial risk: Bitcoin’s estimated annualised volatility is 55%, compared with 18% for US large-cap stocks and 17.2% for gold. J.P. Morgan estimates Bitcoin’s arithmetic annual return at 20.9%, but says volatility can reduce the compound return investors realise. Bitcoin is not included in the report’s sample portfolio allocations, and the report covers no other digital assets. The projections are estimates, not investment advice or guarantees.

Alberta voters rejected starting a legal process that could have led to a future independence referendum, choosing to remain part of Canada. The result is a political win for Prime Minister Mark Carney, who opposed separatism, and Premier Danielle Smith, who called the vote and also backed staying in Canada. Pre-vote polls indicated that about one-fifth of Albertans supported separation, but the vote blocked the proposed process. The decision may ease near-term uncertainty over Alberta’s status, though separatist sentiment and federal-provincial relations remain issues to watch. The article reports no direct cryptocurrency-market impact; traders may treat the result as a limited political risk signal rather than a crypto catalyst.

A forecast attributed to Meta AI suggests Bitcoin could reach $700,000–$1.5 million by 1 January 2027, with a speculative upper target of $2 million if a strong bull market returns. The article says Bitcoin was trading around $81,500–$82,100 on 18 October 2026. It links the extreme outlook to potential corporate treasury and pension-fund allocations, but presents no evidence that such allocations have been approved or are imminent. The technical picture described is more measured. Bitcoin has been consolidating in the low $80,000s; a weekly close above $90,000–$100,000 could signal stronger momentum, while support is cited at $78,000–$80,000 and $74,000–$76,000. The article notes that the previous high near $126,000 would need to be cleared before any much larger extension could be considered. The Bitcoin price targets remain highly speculative and would require a major increase in demand and institutional flows. The article also promotes Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a proposed Bitcoin Layer 2 with Solana Virtual Machine integration. It reports a presale price of $0.0136877, more than $33.1 million raised and advertised staking rewards of 60% APY. These are project claims, not independently verified market data.

XRP is trading near $1.30, down about 1% in 24 hours and more than 7% over the past week. The XRP price has fallen from above $1.50 earlier this month despite Ripple announcing new institutional partnerships and custody services. Broader market weakness, a stalled US CLARITY Act and declining risk appetite are weighing on the token. XRP is testing support at $1.27–$1.29. It trades below its 50-, 100- and 200-day moving averages, while the MACD signals a sell and the RSI is near neutral at 47. Resistance lies at $1.31–$1.32; a move above it could open a path to $1.35–$1.36 and then $1.40. A sustained break below $1.27 could put $1.20 and, subsequently, $1 in focus. Traders are watching whether buyers can defend support and whether broader market sentiment improves.

XRP traded at $1.30, up 1.15% in 24 hours, but remains between daily support at $1.2610 and resistance at $1.3746. A break above resistance could put $1.40 and $1.50 in view, while a close below support may expose $1.20. Crypto Captain’s call for XRP to reach $210 by year-end would imply a gain of about 16,000%. With roughly 63.12 billion XRP in circulation, that price would give the token an estimated $13.3 trillion market capitalisation—about eight times Bitcoin’s reported $1.66 trillion valuation. The forecast is based on a Fibonacci extension, which indicates possible chart levels but does not establish a catalyst for such a move. Near-term data is mixed. XRP’s 24-hour trading volume rose 61.41% to $1.81 billion, but US spot XRP ETFs recorded about $1.84 million in weekly net outflows, ending a 13-week inflow streak. XRP Ledger payment volume also fell 72% on October 17. For traders, the immediate XRP price forecast hinges more on whether support holds and price can reclaim resistance than on the extreme $210 prediction.

Sophon has set Nov. 25 as the deadline for users to withdraw assets before it shuts down key infrastructure and websites for its Ethereum layer-2 network. Assets left on Sophon Chain after the shutdown risk becoming permanently inaccessible. The team urged users to withdraw SOPH, ETH, USDC and other assets, and claim any outstanding staking or Guardian rewards. Sophon said in June that maintaining a standalone blockchain was no longer worth the cost and that it would shift its focus to consumer finance and AI applications on Base. Sophon’s planned shutdown follows a similar decision by Abstract, another consumer-focused Ethereum layer-2 network, which announced it would close on Dec. 15. The Sophon shutdown primarily affects its users and token ecosystem, rather than signaling a broad change in crypto market conditions.

JPMorgan’s Kinexys has expanded JPM Coin (JPMD), its tokenised US dollar deposit, from Base to Ethereum mainnet. The move gives eligible institutional clients another public blockchain option for transferring funds and settling transactions. Kinexys cited Ethereum’s on-chain liquidity, tokenised-asset ecosystem and established settlement infrastructure. JPMD is a permissioned bank deposit token, not a conventional stablecoin. It represents a claim on JPMorgan, and holders should not assume that every token earns interest or is protected by deposit insurance. JPMorgan has not disclosed Ethereum transaction volumes, active users or circulating supply; a third-party tracker showed zero supply at some points on launch day. The bank has also not provided a mainnet contract address or launch date in the earlier report. Kinexys says its platform has processed more than $4 trillion cumulatively and handles about $7 billion in daily activity, figures that are not specific to JPMD. JPMorgan has also launched a tokenised money-market fund on Ethereum. These initiatives could support institutional payments and tokenised-asset settlement, but adoption, liquidity and regulation will determine their scale. The expansion is a positive signal for Ethereum’s role in financial infrastructure, but current data does not show a measurable increase in ETH demand.

The US Department of Homeland Security has ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products and services from their information systems and stop buying new ones. The order took effect after publication in the Federal Register on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and also covers DeepSeek affiliates and third-party products built using its technology. DHS cited concerns that sensitive government and citizen data could be exposed to China, along with security weaknesses in DeepSeek’s iOS app. The move extends earlier restrictions on some US defense, intelligence and security bodies. It does not directly affect cryptocurrency markets or any specific token, but adds to US-China technology tensions and scrutiny of AI suppliers and government contractors.

Wintermute holds $81.36 million in open positions on Hyperliquid, with $69.59 million in shorts and $11.77 million in longs. That puts its short exposure at 85.5% of the total. The position data, tracked by Onchain Lens, shows major shorts in ETH ($22.61 million at 15x leverage), SOL ($12.65 million at 20x), and XRP ($4.2 million at 10x). Wintermute also holds a $4.1 million short in the S&P 500 at 3x leverage. Across 132 open positions, Wintermute has $936,400 in unrealized profit. Its reported profit was $9.66 million over the past 30 days and $17.746 million cumulatively.

Shares in Hong Kong-listed AI model developers Zhipu and MiniMax fell on 20 October, according to market data. Zhipu (02513.HK) dropped more than 5%, taking Zhipu shares below HK$500. MiniMax-W (00100.HK) fell 6.64%. The report gave no reason for the declines. The moves concern AI-related Hong Kong equities and do not directly indicate a change in cryptocurrency market conditions.

Ambarella is shifting from security-camera chips towards edge AI, targeting automotive, robotics and smart-security markets. The company’s new 5nm chips and X7 AI accelerator are central to its growth strategy, alongside partnerships with Capgemini and Macnica. Ambarella reported Q2 FY2027 revenue of $108.1 million, up 13.2%, with automotive and IoT driving growth. However, profitability remains limited and free cash flow is negative. The article’s author maintains a Buy rating at about $62, while warning that Ambarella’s valuation—around 77 times FY2027 earnings—leaves little room for execution setbacks. New product adoption, cash flow and stock-based compensation are key risks for investors to monitor.

A portfolio review by RoseNose uses 52-week highs and lows to identify 15 undervalued dividend stocks and 15 stocks considered overvalued. The review says energy companies Exxon Mobil (XOM), Shell (SHEL) and Chevron (CVX) have moved into overvalued territory, while casino and hospitality REIT VICI Properties (VICI) remains among the undervalued picks. The article highlights dividend yield as a key selection factor: several undervalued dividend stocks yield more than 5%, and some have investment-grade credit ratings. Its author advises caution toward shares trading at least 18% above their recent lows, favouring high-yield undervalued dividend stocks for a potential margin of safety. The title cites yields of up to 7.8%. The analysis concerns income-focused equities and does not address cryptocurrency markets.