Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Ripple funding continues to gain momentum as the crypto payments firm closed a $500 million funding round at a $40 billion valuation. The latest raise was led by Citadel Securities and Fortress Investment Group, with participation from Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital, Brevan Howard and others. This injection of capital underscores rising institutional investment in crypto infrastructure. Since 2012, Ripple has secured nearly $800 million in venture funding. In its strongest year to date, the company expanded beyond payments into stablecoins, crypto custody, prime brokerage and corporate treasury. Ripple also completed six acquisitions in just over two years, notably the $1.25 billion purchase of Hidden Road and earlier deals for Rail and GTreasury. Regulatory clarity improved in March when the SEC dropped its securities lawsuit against Ripple, removing a major overhang. For traders, the boost in institutional confidence and Ripple’s growth strategy built on XRP and stablecoins could drive higher liquidity and trading volumes in XRP markets.

French semiconductor firm Sequans Communications completed a strategic Bitcoin sale of 970 BTC (≈$100 million) to repurchase convertible bonds and halve its $189 million debt. The move reduced its total debt to $94.5 million and improved the debt-to-NAV ratio to 39%. It marks the first Bitcoin sale by a Digital Asset Treasury firm. Post-sale, Sequans holds 2,264 BTC (≈$240 million). Management says the Bitcoin sale enhances financial flexibility, risk management and supports an expanded ADS buyback program. Despite this, Sequans shares remain discounted with a 40% decline over one month. Traders will monitor the impact on crypto financing and market sentiment.

Balancer exploit has drained over $128 million from Balancer v2 liquidity pools across Ethereum, Polygon, Base and Sonic networks. The attacker exploited a smart contract vulnerability in the manageUserBalance function to perform unauthorized withdrawals, siphoning tokens such as 6,590 WETH, 6,850 osETH, 4,260 wstETH and additional staked ETH assets. Balancer’s security team confirmed the breach and, in an unprecedented move, offered the hacker a 20% bounty on returned funds within 48 hours before involving law enforcement and blockchain forensics. This Balancer exploit highlights persistent DeFi security risks and may prompt enhanced audits of automated market makers. Traders should monitor BAL price volatility, potential liquidity outflows, rising gas fees and risk premiums as DeFi security concerns escalate.

Ripple Prime has launched its OTC spot brokerage in the US, enabling institutional clients to execute, cross-margin and settle OTC spot trades in XRP, RLUSD and other digital assets. The service integrates with Ripple’s existing derivatives, FX, swaps and CME futures and options, offering seamless institutional trading infrastructure. Backed by Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road and strategic deals like the $1 billion GTreasury buy and partnerships in Bahrain and South Africa, Ripple Prime expands its global footprint and reduces counterparty risk. RLUSD compliance under the GENIUS Act and progress toward a US national bank charter enhance institutional trust. With around 20 XRP ETF applications pending at the SEC and eight ETFs in the DTCC pipeline, experts predict the first spot XRP ETFs will launch soon. XRP is trading around $2.41, down over 8% this week, reflecting short-term consolidation. Ripple Prime’s OTC spot brokerage could drive liquidity and position XRP at the center of institutional adoption and anticipated ETF inflows.

Bybit will suspend new user registrations from Japanese residents effective October 31, 2025 at 12:00 UTC, responding to tighter FSA oversight and upcoming crypto regulation in Japan. Existing accounts retain full trading access as Bybit reviews local compliance requirements under the amended Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. The decision follows FSA warnings in 2021 and 2023, and the FSA’s establishment of the Crypto Assets and Innovation Division in August 2025. Bybit’s move also builds on post-hack compliance measures, including proof-of-reserve reporting and third-party audits. Traders should watch FSA regulation updates and Bybit’s compliance roadmap for potential effects on market liquidity and exchange accessibility.

21Shares has filed a Form S-1 registration with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a spot Hyperliquid ETF that tracks the HYPE token. The proposed Hyperliquid ETF, sponsored by 21Shares US LLC, will appoint Coinbase Custody Trust Company and BitGo Trust Company as custodians. This move follows a similar Bitwise Hyperliquid ETF proposal, creating two issuers targeting the same token. The filings underscore growing US demand for regulated altcoin ETFs beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Separately, Bitwise’s Solana Staking ETF (BSOL) recorded $55.4m in day-one inflows and $72m on day two, setting a new liquidity benchmark against simultaneous Litecoin and Hedera ETF launches.

Circle has launched the Arc Testnet, a new Layer-1 blockchain using USDC as its native gas token to deliver fixed-dollar fees, sub-second finality and optional privacy controls. Over 100 institutions—including Visa, Mastercard, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, State Street and Coinbase—are testing Arc Testnet for real-time settlements, cross-border payments, tokenized assets and trading. The network integrates with developer platforms like Alchemy, Chainlink and MetaMask, while early adopters JPYC, BRLA, MXNB and PHPC are issuing local stablecoins on Arc. South Korea’s BDACS will launch its KRW1 stablecoin on the network. Circle plans to transition Arc from centralized control to community governance, positioning it as an “Economic Operating System” for on-chain finance. Traders should monitor USDC liquidity flows, institutional adoption signals and on-chain metrics as Arc Testnet ramps up.

Visa has expanded support for four stablecoins—USDC, EURC, PYUSD and USDG—across four major blockchains: Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche and Stellar. In Q4 2025 card spending via stablecoin payments surged fourfold year-on-year, driving a monthly settlement run rate of $2.5 billion. Since 2020, Visa’s stablecoin payments platform has processed over $140 billion in crypto and stablecoin flows, including $100 billion in direct card purchases and $35 billion in crypto-linked spending. Beyond payments, Visa opened its Tokenized Asset Platform to banks. Financial institutions can now mint and burn their own stablecoins and test pre-funding via Visa Direct. The company also uses AI-driven tokenization to enhance fraud prevention. Visa now powers over 130 stablecoin-linked card programs in 40 countries, enabling conversion of USDG and PYUSD into more than 25 fiat currencies through partners like Paxos. This move boosts Visa’s cross-border payment capabilities and deepens crypto integration for banks and merchants. Traders should watch for increased on-chain stablecoin activity and partnerships driving liquidity and faster settlements. Enhanced tokenization tools may also attract institutional flows, underpinning stablecoin demand.

Truth Social has partnered with Crypto.com to roll out Truth Predict, a new prediction market feature. With a 6.3 million user base, the platform will begin beta tests ahead of a full US launch. CEO Devin Nunes says Truth Predict turns user opinions into actionable forecasts. The move taps into rising demand for prediction markets, following rivals Kalshi and Polymarket—both facing regulatory scrutiny—and Sam Altman’s World adding Polymarket access. Truth Predict aims to boost user engagement, generate data-driven insights, and potentially enhance Crypto.com’s token utility.

Mutuum Finance’s MUTM presale has raised over $18.1 million at $0.035 per token, selling 780 million tokens to 17,500 holders. The presale price will step up to $0.04 and $0.06 at launch, driving early demand and balanced token distribution. As a DeFi lending platform, Mutuum Finance issues yield-bearing mtTokens and channels revenue into token buybacks under a buy-and-distribute model. Security is bolstered by a CertiK audit score of 90/100 and a $50,000 bug bounty. The upcoming V1 launch on Sepolia Testnet in Q4 2025 will introduce a Liquidity Pool, Debt Token, Liquidator Bot and support for ETH and USDT. Roadmap plans include an over-collateralized USD stablecoin and Chainlink oracle integration to enhance price accuracy. Analysts forecast a 15–20× price jump to $0.60–$0.70 within 12–18 months post-launch, while whale on-chain purchases signal growing institutional confidence. With a capped supply of 4 billion MUTM and revenue-driven tokenomics, the MUTM presale momentum positions Mutuum Finance as a bullish crypto trading opportunity ahead of Q4 2025.

British Columbia’s legislature introduced the Energy Statutes Amendment Act on October 20, 2025. The law permanently bans new crypto mining projects from connecting to the provincial power grid. It aims to curb unprecedented electricity demand. The bill would convert a 2022 moratorium into a permanent prohibition. It also restricts power for AI and data centers. The law prioritizes traditional mining, natural gas, low-emission LNG plants and major industrial projects supported by the North Coast Transmission Line. Energy Minister Adrian Dix and Premier David Eby say it will direct clean energy to higher-benefit sectors. They expect it to attract investment, create jobs, prevent grid overload, expand capacity for electric vehicles and heat pumps, and avoid rising tariffs. Similar crypto mining bans have appeared in the US, Kazakhstan, Russia, Norway, and parts of Asia. Governments use them to balance grid stability with economic growth.

Ripple has teamed up with Absa Bank to introduce institutional-grade crypto custody in Africa. Under this partnership, Absa will use Ripple’s custody infrastructure to secure tokenized assets, including XRP, for its clients. Absa manages ZAR 2.07 trillion (US$119.5 billion) in assets and generated US$6.34 billion in revenue last year. The deal addresses rising demand for compliant crypto custody solutions in emerging markets. It follows Ripple’s previous African collaborations, such as its stablecoin rollout (RLUSD) via Chipper Cash, VALR and Yellow Card, and marks its first major pan-African custody alliance. Institutional interest in digital assets continues to grow. Ripple’s custody roster now includes BBVA, HSBC and Bahrain FinTech Bay. Meanwhile, developments like BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, Morgan Stanley’s crypto funds and increased Bitcoin exposure by sovereign wealth funds underscore a bullish backdrop for digital asset custody.

Bhutan has integrated its National Digital Identity (NDI) platform with Ethereum, announcing the migration from Polygon to Ethereum set for completion in Q1 2026. This Ethereum migration positions Bhutan as the first nation anchoring a national ID on a public chain, leveraging Ethereum’s security and scalability. Launched in October 2023, the NDI uses a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) model, allowing citizens to store credentials in digital wallets and share proofs selectively without exposing full personal data. The new migration underscores growing institutional adoption of public chains and highlights Ethereum migration’s impact on digital identity. In addition to identity innovation, Bhutan exploits hydropower for crypto mining, holding over 11,286 BTC and 495.44 ETH in reserves. The country also partners with iDen2 and Binance Pay–DK Bank to enhance wallet features, including biometric liveness verification, to curb fraud in high-value services. For crypto traders, Bhutan’s strategic shift from Polygon to Ethereum signals institutional confidence in Ethereum’s decentralized network. The Ethereum migration could reinforce long-term ETH demand and bolster its market value, while SSI frameworks may drive demand for digital identity solutions.

Hyperliquid HIP-3 upgrade will let anyone launch permissionless perpetual futures DEXs on its Layer-1 HyperCore blockchain. Deployers stake 500,000 HYPE tokens and bid in Dutch auctions for each additional asset after three free slots. Each new perpetual futures DEX can customise order books, oracles, margin settings and support up to 20× leverage with diverse crypto and traditional collateral. Hyperliquid HIP-3 introduces on-chain order books and reduces gas fees via Dutch auctions every 31 hours. Future updates will add cross-margining and streamlined asset reservations. Staking HYPE tokens offers fee discounts, referrals and potential buybacks. Analysts say HIP-3 poses a challenge to Binance after its recent outages. Hyperliquid maintained 100% uptime and zero bad debt during October’s market crash. If 100 exchanges go live, HIP-3 could lock 20% of HYPE’s circulating supply, boosting liquidity and validator-backed security. With HYPE down 15% to $38.78 and BNB down 10%, the success of HIP-3 may attract traders seeking 24/7, zero-middleman perpetual trading and reshape market share.

Coinbase invests in CoinDCX, boosting the Indian exchange’s valuation to $2.45 billion from $2.15 billion. This investment underscores Coinbase’s commitment to responsible innovation in the Asia crypto market and follows its licensing wins in Singapore and Dubai. CoinDCX, founded in 2018, serves over 20 million users. It reported annual revenue of ₹11.79 billion (~$133 million), transaction volume of ₹13.7 trillion (~$154.6 billion) and client assets above ₹100 billion (~$1.12 billion). The fresh capital will drive user growth, geographic expansion and education initiatives. After a $44 million security breach in July, CoinDCX launched an $11 million bounty for recovery leads. Coinbase invests in CoinDCX as part of a broader Asia onchain economy push. It also acquired derivatives platform Deribit to offer Bitcoin and Ethereum spot, futures and options on a single platform. Separate stakes in prediction market Kalshi ($300M Series D at $5B valuation) and Coinflow ($25M Series A) highlight its strategic focus on stablecoin infrastructure and regulated exchanges.

The Ethereum Fusaka upgrade activated on Sepolia testnet follows successful Holesky trials in October. The Ethereum Fusaka upgrade raises the block gas limit to 60 million and introduces Peer Data Availability Sampling (PeerDAS, EIP-7594), allowing validators to verify transaction data by sampling chunks from peers instead of downloading full datasets. These enhancements reduce storage requirements and improve data availability, boosting network scalability, throughput, and efficiency. Traders should monitor Sepolia’s performance as a gauge for the December mainnet rollout, which could influence ETH liquidity and market sentiment.

Citibank plans to launch a native crypto custody service by 2026, aiming to securely store institutional clients’ digital assets using proprietary technology and third-party partnerships. Meanwhile, JPMorgan has ruled out direct custody but will expand its crypto trading services to meet rising institutional demand. These divergent strategies mark renewed Wall Street engagement with digital assets, underscored by BlackRock CEO Larry Fink’s endorsement of Bitcoin as a gold-like alternative. Traders should monitor impacts on service offerings, regulatory compliance and liquidity as major banks integrate crypto custody and crypto trading solutions.

Over the week, bitcoin (BTC) price on OKX fell below $103,000—trading at $102,883.10 on November 12 (-0.57%)—following an earlier dip under $101,000 on November 7 ($100,946.50, ‑1.05%). These declines highlight short-term bearish momentum in the cryptocurrency market amid rising volatility, profit-taking and macroeconomic uncertainties. Traders will watch $100,000 support, $102,000 resistance, trading volume and macro signals for clues on the next bitcoin price direction.

JPMorgan Chase boosted its Bitcoin ETF holdings by 64% in the third quarter, adding 5.28 million shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) worth $343 million. The bank also purchased $68 million in call options and $133 million in put options to manage risks and capitalize on price swings. This move highlights growing institutional investment in Bitcoin ETFs despite recent market volatility and IBIT outflows. JPMorgan analysts cite reduced crypto leverage and rising gold volatility as drivers behind this shift. They forecast Bitcoin could reach $170,000 within 6–12 months. Bitcoin trades near $102,900. The expanded ETF stake and bullish price outlook signal renewed institutional confidence in regulated Bitcoin ETFs.

Kazakhstan plans to establish a national crypto reserve fund valued at $500M to $1B by early 2026. The crypto reserve fund will be funded by seized, repatriated and mining-related digital assets. It will invest in crypto ETFs and shares of blockchain companies rather than holding tokens directly. Officials say the fund will strengthen economic sovereignty and formalise the digital asset framework. They plan to channel assets from gold and FX reserves, alongside confiscated crypto, into this state-run digital asset fund. The government is also exploring licensed crypto banks, a national exchange and energy deals with state miners in exchange for virtual currencies. Regulators have closed 130 illicit platforms this year, seizing $16.7M in crypto. Bitcoin (BTC) remains near $100K, down 9% over the past week.

Crypto Fear & Greed Index fell from 24 to 20, marking its lowest level in seven months. This gauge measures market sentiment by combining volatility (25%), trading volume (25%), social media activity (15%), market surveys (15%), Bitcoin dominance (10%), and Google Trends (10%). The Crypto Fear & Greed Index’s plunge to extreme fear highlights heightened panic selling and volatile conditions. For traders, this record low may signal a contrarian buying opportunity but also suggests potential short-term bearish pressure. Recommended strategies include dollar-cost averaging, clear stop-loss orders, and monitoring trading volume for trend confirmation. Investors should avoid emotional trades based solely on fear readings and combine sentiment data with technical and fundamental analysis.

Spain’s Institute of Technology and Renewable Energies (ITER) in Tenerife plans to liquidate 97 Bitcoin purchased in 2012 for about €10,000. With Bitcoin trading above $100,000, the holdings are valued at over $10 million. After previous sale attempts stalled over compliance and regulatory hurdles, ITER has engaged a Bank of Spain- and CNMV-regulated firm to conduct a transparent institutional sale. The transaction will follow detailed compliance procedures and official channels rather than retail exchanges. Proceeds will fund ITER’s future research in quantum technology, renewable energy and genomics. This move highlights growing institutional interest in cryptocurrency and underscores the importance of regulatory clarity for large-scale Bitcoin transactions.

On November 7, Ethereum price on OKX first dipped below $3,300 to $3,298.26, then slid further under the key $3,200 support, trading at $3,198.06. This represents a marginal 0.07% drop followed by a sharper 3.11% intraday fall. The ETH price drop reflects broader crypto market profit-taking and shifting investor sentiment. Traders have placed increased sell orders, pushing Ethereum lower against the dollar. Market participants will monitor on-chain indicators and macroeconomic signals to see if ETH price can reclaim $3,200 or face more downside. Support levels to watch include $3,280 and $3,200.

Franklin Templeton has launched Hong Kong’s first tokenized US Treasury fund, the Franklin OnChain US Government Money Fund, under the HKMA’s Fintech 2030 strategy and Project Ensemble sandbox. Registered in Luxembourg, it issues digital shares on a blockchain for short-term US Treasuries, enabling near-instant settlement, 24/7 trading, improved liquidity and lower fees. HSBC and OSL Group participated in settlement tests, demonstrating seamless integration with traditional banking infrastructure. This tokenized US Treasury fund aligns with HKMA’s broader plans to create a tokenized deposit settlement framework, potentially incorporating CBDCs. The SFC has revised rules to support digital asset distribution and tokenized securities. Future phases of Project Ensemble will expand to corporate bonds, trade finance and cross-border investments, targeting settlement times in seconds, robust stress-testing and enhanced cybersecurity, alongside investor education programs. Global consulting firms forecast real-world asset (RWA) tokenization growing from US$36 billion today to US$190 trillion by 2033, underscoring the transformative potential of tokenized US Treasury fund products for institutional investors and market infrastructure. Franklin Templeton’s pioneering vehicle marks a landmark step in Hong Kong’s digital finance and could serve as a template for future tokenized money market funds.

Franklin Templeton has revised its S-1 filing for a spot XRP ETF by shortening the Section 8(a) clause to trigger automatic SEC effectiveness after a 20-day review. This fast-track approach is also used by Bitwise and Canary Funds. It bypasses potential SEC amendments and leverages reduced regulator activity during the recent government shutdown. Upon securing Form 8-A effectiveness and exchange approval, the spot XRP ETF could list as early as mid-November. It may debut on November 13, pending Nasdaq clearance. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart and ETF expert Nate Geraci note that auto-effective S-1 amendments could shave weeks off traditional review times. Market analysts forecast up to five spot XRP ETF listings by mid-November 2025, with over $10bn in inflows. Traders should monitor SEC filings for updates. They must prepare for increased XRP ETF liquidity and volatility at launch.

Bitcoin has fallen below the $99,000 level, trading at $98,980 on the Binance USDT market. This sharp correction follows profit-taking by whales and algorithmic sell-offs triggered when key support levels failed. Broader economic headwinds, including rising interest rates, also weighed on market volatility. Traders cite multiple causes for the downturn: whale-driven profit-taking, algorithmic selling after breaching support, and macroeconomic concerns. Historical patterns show that breaks of major technical thresholds often accelerate selling across Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. In response, investors are deploying proven strategies. Short-term traders watch for a rebound above $99,500 to signal stabilization. Long-term holders rely on HODL conviction and dollar-cost averaging to smooth entry prices. Monitoring on-chain metrics such as active addresses, transaction volumes, and whale movements offers deeper market insight. Portfolio diversification and disciplined risk management, including stop-loss orders, remain key to navigating this bearish phase and positioning for the next bull cycle.

U.S. prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have requested the maximum five-year prison term under the Bank Secrecy Act for Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonn Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill. The Bitcoin privacy app is accused of running an unlicensed money-transmitting service that processed at least $237 million in illicit proceeds from drug trafficking, dark web markets, cyberattacks, fraud and child exploitation. Prosecutors allege Whirlpool and Ricochet features were designed to conceal criminal funds and that developers marketed the tool as a “laundry service.” They claim the founders collected about 246.3 BTC in fees and retained user data enabling traceability. The pair pleaded guilty to unlicensed transmission after a plea deal dropped money laundering counts. Defense attorneys argue Samourai Wallet was a non-custodial privacy tool built with legal counsel, citing cooperation, time served and academic support in the cypherpunk tradition. The probation office recommended 42 months, and sentencing hearings are set for November 6–7, 2025. The case underscores rising regulatory scrutiny of crypto privacy services and highlights compliance risks for Bitcoin traders.

Gemini has filed with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to become a designated contract market and launch regulated prediction market contracts. The new event-driven derivatives will cover sports, elections and economic outcomes. Gemini aims to tap a sector that posted record volumes and follows its $425 million IPO while addressing rising net losses. As soon as CFTC approval arrives—typically within months—Gemini will compete with Polymarket, Kalshi, CME Group and Coinbase. The move diversifies Gemini’s product line and expands revenue streams beyond traditional spot and crypto derivatives trading. Traders should watch for regulatory updates. Approval would open fresh markets on the Gemini platform. This could boost trading activity once the prediction market contracts go live.

Senator Elizabeth Warren’s legal team has dismissed a defamation threat from Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao over her social media post linking his November 2023 guilty plea for anti-money laundering compliance failures to a presidential pardon. Zhao’s counsel demanded a retraction, arguing the post misrepresented his plea and falsely suggested he financed Binance’s stablecoin USD1 and lobbied for a pardon. Warren’s lawyer countered that her statements are fact-based and protected opinion under the First Amendment, citing court records, Zhao’s four-month sentence served in April 2024, and the stablecoin’s role in a $2 billion transaction. The dispute highlights growing crypto regulation risks for Binance and the impact of political influence on market sentiment.