Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

CleanSpark plans to repurpose its Georgia Bitcoin mining facilities into large-scale AI data centers, securing power and land in College Park and appointing Jeffrey Thomas as SVP of AI Operations to lead the initiative. The Nasdaq-listed miner also arranged a $100 million credit line with Coinbase Prime to fund the expansion. Its stock jumped 13% on the news, adding to a 140% year-to-date gain. Traders view CleanSpark’s AI infrastructure pivot as a strategy to diversify revenue beyond volatile crypto mining and bolster long-term growth.

Coinbase has acquired the UpOnly NFT from Jordan “Cobie” Fish for 25 million USDC, marking one of the five largest NFT sales ever recorded. The on-chain purchase triggers a burn-to-revive clause obliging Cobie and co-host Ledger Status to produce eight new podcast episodes starting October 21, 2025. The UpOnly NFT purchase reflects a strategic NFT media play in Coinbase’s expanding content strategy. Following the announcement, memecoins UPONLY and COBIE on Coinbase’s Base network surged over 7,000%, while a Solana-based UPONLY token jumped 250% before correcting, highlighting the short-lived volatility typical of memecoin markets.

VanEck has filed an S-1 registration with the SEC for the VanEck Lido Staked ETH ETF, aiming to hold Lido’s liquid staking token stETH. The proposed DeFi ETF will track Ethereum staking yields, offer daily liquidity and bypass on-chain withdrawal delays. This filing follows recent SEC guidance clarifying that liquid staking derivatives do not constitute securities transactions. In parallel, 21Shares, WisdomTree and Bitwise received FCA approval to launch Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) ETPs for UK retail investors, featuring low fees down to 0.05% and optional staking yield features. Separately, Greenlane Holdings announced a $110 million private placement to add BERA tokens to its treasury, a strategy that drove its shares up 45% and underscores institutional demand for tokenized reserve assets. Combined, these developments—from the Lido Staked ETH ETF to UK crypto ETP expansions and Greenlane’s BERA treasury plan—highlight accelerating DeFi ETF adoption, enhanced liquid staking products and growing regulatory clarity, offering crypto traders new yield and investment avenues.

Ethereum co-founder and Consensys CEO Joseph Lubin has reaffirmed the importance of Ethereum VC funding—particularly from Paradigm—for driving Ethereum’s innovation, global capital inflow, and on-chain decentralisation. Despite concerns over centralisation and value extraction, Lubin argues that VC-backed investments bridge global liquidity into the ecosystem and accelerate the development of mature on-chain investment platforms. He pointed to recent talent moves—such as researcher Dankrad Feist joining the Stripe and Paradigm-backed Layer 1 chain Tempo—as evidence of blockchain’s mainstream adoption, even as Tempo’s curated validator model contrasts with Ethereum’s open-source ethos. According to Chainalysis and Messari, over 40% of Ethereum ecosystem funding in 2024 came from VCs, totaling more than $2.5 billion. Lubin predicts that future on-chain platforms with robust tokenomics will gradually assume VC roles on-chain, fostering progressive decentralisation. Crypto traders should watch Ethereum VC funding trends and validator models as key indicators of Ethereum’s long-term scalability and market catalysts.

Bitcoin fell below the key $108,000 support level on OKX, trading around $107,956. The 24-hour drop of up to 2.88% broke a major psychological barrier. Profit-taking ahead of potential macro events and rising market volatility intensified bearish sentiment. The breach triggered stop-loss orders, increasing selling pressure and choppy trading conditions. Traders should monitor whether Bitcoin can reclaim $108,000 or faces further downside, with the next support near $106,000. Watching order-book depth and on-chain metrics will be crucial to gauge if Bitcoin stabilizes or extends its slide.

On October 14, 2025, US authorities completed a record Bitcoin seizure of 127,000 BTC (≈$15 billion) tied to Chen Zhi’s so-called “pig butchering” fraud network. Prosecutors in Brooklyn traced the stolen coins through blockchain analysis, exposing a money-laundering operation that used fake investment platforms, forced labour, and the Lubian mining pool exploit in 2020. Dormant since the theft, these Bitcoins were flagged moving in July 2024 by chain intelligence firms. US agencies then exploited weak PRNG-generated private keys to secure and forfeit the assets. The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has also sanctioned Chen Zhi’s entities, blocking further transactions. This landmark Bitcoin seizure highlights the growing effectiveness of crypto enforcement and on-chain forensics. Traders should monitor its impact on market liquidity, sentiment, and future regulatory action.

Blockchain.com is exploring a SPAC merger to fast-track its public listing. The 12-year-old crypto platform recently appointed Justin Evans as CFO and Mike Wilcox as COO to prepare for public markets. Discussions remain at an early stage, with timing and valuation yet to be finalised. The company’s valuation peaked at $14 billion in 2022 before falling to $7 billion in late 2023 amid market volatility. This move follows peers Gemini and Bullish completing SPAC and IPO listings, and Kraken’s planned 2026 IPO. A SPAC merger offers faster access to institutional capital and greater market visibility but also brings heightened regulatory scrutiny and exposure to crypto cycle volatility. Traders should monitor deal terms, market sentiment and regulatory updates.

Ethereum core developer Federico Carrone has warned that Paradigm’s growing corporate influence poses a significant threat to Ethereum decentralization. In a post on X, he highlighted that Paradigm’s strategic hiring of key researchers and funding of open-source tools like Reth, along with projects such as Stripe-backed Tempo, may skew protocol governance toward corporate interests. Carrone argued that reliance on a single firm risks centralizing decision-making, shifting priorities from network security and scalability to profit rather than the community’s vision of Ethereum decentralization. He extended his caution to any deeply involved fund and urged the community to set checks and balances to preserve decentralized governance. His comments coincide with the Ethereum Foundation’s launch of its Privacy Cluster, underscoring the need for balanced governance. Traders should watch corporate participation closely, as centralization concerns could impact ETH market sentiment and long-term network value.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows of $1.23 billion last week. Bitcoin ETFs experienced $366.6 million of redemptions on Friday alone, led by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ($268.6 million), followed by Fidelity ($67.2 million) and Grayscale’s GBTC ($25 million). These withdrawals coincided with a $19 billion liquidation event triggered by U.S. tariff announcements and a Bitcoin price slide from above $115,000 to below $104,000. On-chain data shows exchange supply at a six-year low, with over 45,000 BTC withdrawn since early October. Glassnode reports illiquid supply fell just 2% in Q3, while liquid supply rose 12%. CryptoQuant data indicates exchange and OTC desk holdings declined from 4.5 million to 3.1 million BTC, signaling ongoing accumulation by long-term holders. Analysts caution that reclaiming the $108,000–$109,000 zone is key to avoiding a test of $100,000 support and could trigger a move toward $112,000. Meanwhile, institutional adoption remains strong: public companies continue adding Bitcoin to their balance sheets, CME Group plans 24/7 futures trading, and S&P is developing a crypto index. Despite short-term ETF outflows, these factors underpin a broader bullish outlook for Bitcoin.

Chainlink (LINK) rallied 12% in 24 hours to trade near $18.78, driven by intensified whale accumulation and broader altcoin recovery. On-chain data reveal 30 new wallets withdrew 6.25 million LINK (~$116 million) from Binance, pushing exchange reserves to multi-year lows. LINK futures open interest rose to $335 million, with shorts at 24%, indicating cautious bullish sentiment. Chainlink’s oracle and CCIP services secured over $61 billion in value locked and generated $1.11 million in Q3 fees, although daily on-chain revenues remain modest at $10,000–$15,000. Continued self-custody accumulation and declining exchange holdings suggest traders are positioning for further gains.

Since the mid-October market crash, Chainlink holders have withdrawn over 6.25 million LINK (about $116.7 million) from Binance. On-chain data first highlighted three new Ethereum wallets moving 825,750 LINK (~$15.2 million) on Oct. 20. A broader analysis by Lookonchain shows 30 newly created wallets have pulled out a total of 6,256,893 LINK since Oct. 11. These large LINK withdrawals suggest reduced sell pressure on Chainlink and signal a shift towards long-term holding or use in staking and DeFi activities. Traders should watch Binance flows and on-chain metrics for signs of tightening supply and potential price support for LINK.

On October 12, blockchain investigator ZachXBT uncovered a $3.05 million XRP theft from a US user who mistakenly imported Ellipal’s cold-wallet seed into a hot wallet. The hacker drained 1.2 million XRP, bridged assets to Tron via a cross-chain aggregator, and laundered funds through OTC channels linked to US-sanctioned Huione. Ellipal confirmed no firmware flaw and warned against mixing wallet types, urging users to keep seed phrases offline. The tracing underscores vulnerabilities in hardware wallet management and the complexity of cross-chain laundering. Traders should note that this XRP theft highlights the heightened risk of wallet misconfiguration and bridge exploitation on market stability and asset security.

Legendary trader John Bollinger, inventor of the Bollinger Bands indicator, has identified potential W-bottom patterns in Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) price charts. Both ETH—testing key support around $3,700 twice—and SOL—retesting $175 twice—formed classic double bottoms within the Bollinger Bands framework, with higher volume on the second lows signaling buyer interest and potential bullish reversals if prices break upward through the upper band. Bitcoin (BTC) has not shown a similar W-bottom but endured a sharp V-shaped drop below $104,000 before settling into a range-bound channel. Following a prolonged Bollinger Bands squeeze, volatility surged after last weekend’s record leverage liquidation, underscoring the need for traders to watch for renewed squeezes and breakout moves. On the longer-term view, the 50-week simple moving average has acted as reliable support during four tests since November, each leading to strong rebounds and pointing to a neutral-to-bullish market trend. Traders can leverage Bollinger Bands signals and double bottom confirmations in ETH and SOL to time bullish entries and manage risk.

A 10x Research report reveals retail investors overpaid some $20B in premiums as Bitcoin treasury stocks surged above net asset value (NAV), only to collapse, wiping out around $17B. Firms like Metaplanet and MicroStrategy saw valuations plunge despite strong BTC holdings—Metaplanet’s market cap fell from $8B to $3.1B against $3.3B in Bitcoin, while MSTR shares have dropped over 20% since August even after adding 220 BTC at above $123K. Bitcoin treasury stocks collapse mirrors a broader crypto slump, with BTC trading near $106,800, down 4% in the past week. The report warns that with share premiums evaporated, the sector must shift from marketing-driven hype to disciplined NAV-based trading. Arbitrage-focused managers could capture 15–20% annual returns by offering pure BTC exposure plus trading profits. Galaxy Digital’s Michael Novogratz says the treasury stock boom has peaked, predicting next gains will favor well-capitalized firms with experienced trading teams.

Ondo Finance has urged the SEC to delay Nasdaq tokenization, criticizing the lack of public details on how the DTC blockchain settlement will operate. In an Oct. 18 letter, the firm warned that opaque trading rules could favor large institutions and stifle competition among tokenized securities issuers. Nasdaq’s proposal seeks SEC approval to list tokenized securities alongside traditional stocks on its exchange. Industry players like Robinhood’s Layer-2 platform for European tokenized stocks, eToro and Kraken have also launched similar services, heightening market competition. Ondo said it would back the rule change only if the DTC publicly discloses its settlement processes and open standards. Otherwise, it plans to seek formal review to disapprove the measure. Traders should watch the SEC review and DTC’s settlement disclosure, as delays in Nasdaq tokenization could impact liquidity and market access.

Volatility Shares has filed with the SEC to launch 27 new leveraged ETFs, including a pioneering 5× XRP ETF and 3× and 5× products for Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL). If approved by December 29, 2025, the 5× XRP ETF will provide daily 5× exposure to XRP price movements, amplifying gains and losses. Analysts warn that daily resetting leverage leads to volatility decay and compounding risks, with a 2% XRP price drop triggering a 10% ETF loss. This filing highlights growing institutional demand for XRP ETFs but raises concerns over heightened market volatility and liquidation risks. Traders should weigh the potential for amplified returns against significant downside during volatile conditions.

On October 15, 2025, Coinbase Asset Management launched the Coinbase US Bitcoin Yield Fund, an open-end Bitcoin yield fund for accredited U.S. investors. The fund aims to deliver the Bitcoin benchmark return (BRR) plus additional BTC yield through private credit lending and basis trading strategies. Investors can subscribe in BTC, USD, or USDC, with access opening in the coming weeks. Beginning in 2026, qualified retirement accounts, including tax-deferred IRAs via a partnership with iTrustCapital, will be able to hold the fund. As an SEC-registered investment adviser with CFTC Commodity Pool Operator status and NFA membership, Coinbase offers a regulated avenue for bitcoin holders seeking yield. This Bitcoin yield fund meets rising institutional demand for crypto income products and strengthens Coinbase’s push into the U.S. retirement market.

Tether has released the open-source Wallet Development Kit (WDK), empowering developers to build self-custodial wallets for humans and AI agents. This versatile WDK supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon (MATIC), Solana (SOL), Lightning Network, TON, and multiple stablecoins, including USDT and XAUT. It provides prebuilt modules and customizable templates for wallet setup, transaction signing, asset management, DeFi integrations, payments, cross-chain transfers, swaps, and lending across mobile, desktop and embedded devices. CEO Paolo Ardoino notes that self-custodial wallets are the backbone of resilient monetary infrastructure. The WDK also features a dedicated AI runtime, enabling Tether’s AI agents to autonomously execute BTC and USDT transactions. Ardoino predicts that within 15 years, every AI agent will hold its own wallet, catalyzing machine-to-machine commerce. This initiative underscores Tether’s commitment to transparent, interoperable infrastructure and its strategic role at the convergence of cryptocurrency and AI.

According to Electric Capital’s latest data, Ethereum developer growth led the blockchain ecosystem from January to September, with over 16,000 new contributors joining its core and layer-2 networks—Arbitrum and Optimism—raising total active developers to 31,869. This surge in Ethereum developer growth underscores its market dominance despite a modest 5.8% rise in full-time maintainers. Compared with Solana’s 29.1% annual and 61.7% biannual growth—adding 11,500 developers (17,708 total, potentially undercounted by 7,800 due to AI-assisted code and tracking gaps)—and Bitcoin’s near 7,500 new developers (11,036 total), Ethereum maintains the largest, most dynamic developer community. Analysts warn that AI-generated code and hackathon repositories may inflate developer counts and debate persists over classifying EVM-compatible chains, highlighting varied growth trajectories across leading crypto networks.

The US Department of Justice has completed a historic Bitcoin seizure, confiscating 129,426 BTC (approx. $15 billion) linked to Chen Zhi’s alleged “pig butchering” scam. This record crypto asset forfeiture boosts the government’s holdings to over 316,760 BTC. Under a 2025 executive order, any surplus from the Bitcoin seizure will fund a strategic bitcoin reserve. Authorities must confirm illicit acquisition and settle victim restitution before allocating funds, a process that may span several years. Security experts warn that managing large-scale cryptocurrency holdings carries significant risks. Hackers often target substantial reserves, demanding robust custody solutions. Blockchain analytics firms have traced the seized coins to a December 2020 hack at China’s Lubian mining firm. Market participants will watch closely when and how the DOJ moves these assets into the strategic reserve. Gradual releases could reshape long-term Bitcoin supply and affect price stability. The move highlights the DOJ’s increasing role in crypto enforcement and asset recovery.

Since late 2024, France’s Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority (ACPR) has expanded on-site AML checks on over 100 crypto exchanges, including Binance and Coinbase. Conducted with the AMF, these AML checks assess compliance with EU’s upcoming MiCA license requirements, focusing on money laundering and terrorist financing risks. Early findings revealed gaps in internal controls. Regulators have issued guidance to upgrade IT systems and hire more compliance staff. Firms failing to meet standards risk enforcement actions or denial of MiCA authorization. To date, only Deblock, GOin and CACEIS have secured full MiCA license approval. Ongoing probes into Binance’s 2019–2024 operations for money laundering and tax offences underscore the scrutiny. Traders should monitor developments: prolonged or expanded AML checks could delay MiCA approvals, impacting exchange liquidity and cross-border services. Analysts expect this regulatory push to raise industry standards, ensure a safer digital asset market and boost investor confidence.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse urged regulators to apply equal crypto regulation to firms meeting AML, KYC, and OFAC standards. Speaking at DC FinTech Week, he said that granting cryptocurrency firms a national bank charter and access to a Federal Reserve master account would streamline fund transfers and integrate crypto into mainstream finance. He criticized banking lobby groups for blocking OCC approvals, warning that uneven rules hinder fair competition and industry growth. Garlinghouse emphasized that leadership changes at the SEC or White House alone won’t resolve regulatory imbalance. He argued that consistent oversight and equal crypto regulation will foster innovation, protect users, and reduce systemic risk. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s Assembly Bill 471 highlights growing focus on crypto compliance by proposing new licensing requirements for digital asset businesses.

At GITEX GLOBAL 2025, Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and DePIN protocol Peaq signed a memorandum of understanding to define regulatory frameworks for on-chain robotics and tokenized machines. The pact centers on Peaq’s Layer-1 blockchain and its Machine Economy Free Zone (MEFZ), launched in July as a sandbox for AI-integrated robotics on blockchain. Under the agreement, VARA and Peaq will share anonymized economic data, develop compliance guidelines for VARA licensing, and deliver joint training to technical and regulatory teams. The MoU outlines support for new projects in MEFZ, workforce development, and data exchange to drive research, governance and security. By establishing comprehensive rules for on-chain robotics, the collaboration ensures robust governance and security across automated systems. This partnership advances the UAE’s efforts to standardize virtual asset regulation, fostering innovation and market growth in the machine economy on blockchain.

As bitcoin treasury firms face a broad mNAV collapse, investors are shifting focus to those with clear competitive edges. There are 205 publicly listed companies holding $113.8 billion in BTC, yet market net asset values have plunged due to market saturation and a recent nearly 10% drop in Bitcoin price. Standard Chartered warns smaller players are most at risk. Analysts at Breed and Glassnode predict only a few treasury firms will survive, while TON Strategy labels the trend a bubble spawning a nascent financial segment. KindlyMD CEO David Bailey—who led its merger with Nakamoto Holdings on August 14 to build a 1 million BTC treasury—says new entrants must pursue unique strategies to stand out. Recommendations include tapping untapped international markets, specializing in credit assets or acquiring steady-income businesses. Despite its ambitions, KindlyMD’s share price fell 57% over six months, with a single-day 55% plunge on September 15. This sector maturation suggests a shift toward a healthier ecosystem dominated by differentiated leaders. Traders should watch business differentiation and mNAV trends closely as indicators of institutional adoption and long-term stability.

France’s ACPR has granted a DLT Trading and Settlement license to Lightning Stock Exchange (Lise) under the EU DLT Pilot Regime, enabling Europe’s first fully tokenized SME stock exchange. Backed by BNP Paribas, Bpifrance and CACEIS, Lise combines MTF and CSD functions on a single blockchain platform to offer instant settlement, 24/7 trading and lower counterparty risk. The exchange will launch its first on-chain IPO in early 2026, followed by up to 10 additional tokenized equity offerings by 2027. This approval comes amid a real-world asset tokenization boom—exceeding $33.9 billion to date, led by Ethereum ($12.1 billion) and Solana ($0.686 billion)—and marks a landmark step for regulated tokenized securities in Europe.

In early November, President Donald Trump officially declared a full-scale trade war with China, threatening 100% tariffs on Chinese imports in response to Beijing’s rare earth mineral export restrictions. The announcement triggered a sharp crypto sell-off, with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) tumbling over 10% as traders liquidated nearly $20 billion in leveraged positions. Smaller tokens saw deeper declines amid forced selling, pushing total crypto market capitalization down to $3.75 trillion. The tariff threat also sent gold to fresh highs, underscoring cryptocurrencies’ status as risk assets. Beyond price impacts, China’s rare earth controls—vital for electronics and mining hardware—are set to raise semiconductor and mining costs, squeeze smaller miners and delay hardware upgrades. Policy experts warn the ongoing trade war may lead to tighter cross-border capital controls and fragmented payment systems, potentially driving demand for blockchain-based alternatives. Institutions are repricing geopolitical risk, reshaping capital flows and increasing market volatility.

Tether has settled a $299.5 million lawsuit with the Blockchain Recovery Investment Consortium, resolving litigation over the liquidation of about 40,000 BTC collateral during Celsius Network’s 2022 bankruptcy. CEO Paolo Ardoino confirmed that all Celsius-related claims are resolved. Tether plans a $20 billion equity raise to strengthen its balance sheet amid scrutiny of its $10.1 billion in secured loans. Separately, stablecoin issuer Paxos accidentally minted 300 trillion PYUSD tokens and burned the excess after 22 minutes, triggering Aave to freeze its PYUSD reserves. On the regulatory front, Erebor Bank received preliminary approval for a U.S. national charter. Stripe’s Bridge platform and Sony Bank have also filed for charters. Bernstein analysts expect Circle’s USDC revenue to remain resilient through upcoming rate cuts. Tether has also launched a GENIUS-compliant stablecoin, USAT. Traders should note these developments showcase evolving legal, financial, and regulatory dynamics in the stablecoin market.

BitMEX Research’s Q3 2025 derivatives report reveals that perpetual swap funding rates are structurally anchored by a built-in 0.01%/8 h interest floor and capped by institutional arbitrage capital. Over 92% of BTC and ETH funding rate intervals remained positive, with BitMEX showing the highest stability—0.01% anchor in 78% of Bitcoin periods and 88% for Ethereum. Binance averages slightly below the baseline, indicating persistent shorting pressure, while Hyperliquid’s hourly window and lower leverage generated spikes above 0.06% and 35% higher ETH volatility than BTC. Traders should avoid betting on sustained negative funding rates and anticipate brief rate surges. These insights guide timing of basis trades and risk management in crypto derivatives.

ODDO BHF has launched EUROD, a euro stablecoin fully backed 1:1 by euro reserves, under the EU’s MiCA regulation. Built on the Polygon network and managed via Fireblocks with liquidity from Flowdesk, EUROD will debut on Bit2Me, one of the first MiCA-authorized exchanges. The stablecoin undergoes external audits and meets strict governance, reporting and redeemability requirements. ECB President Christine Lagarde has warned that unregulated foreign stablecoins could trigger a euro-area run and urged that issuance rights be reserved for EU-authorized entities. EUROD joins Société Générale’s EURCV, Circle’s EURC, AllUnity’s EURAU and a nine-bank alliance planning a compliant euro stablecoin in 2026. With euro stablecoin market cap around $574 million—far below dollar-pegged rivals—MiCA aims to boost EU financial sovereignty. EUROD’s uptake by payment providers and institutional investors will determine its success as a regulated euro stablecoin alternative.