Crypto News

Bitcoin-backed loans are increasingly funding real-world expenses rather than crypto trades, according to lenders. SALT Lending says borrowers use them for tuition, business working capital, home purchases and debt consolidation. The company reports originating more than $2 billion in Bitcoin-backed loans since 2016, with fixed one-, three- or five-year terms and APRs of 7.49% to 10.50%, depending on loan-to-value. SALT says it does not require credit checks or income verification and usually funds approved loans within 24 to 48 business hours. Its figures and claims, including that all pledged collateral has been returned, are company-reported and not independently verified. SALT operates in 47 US states and Washington, D.C., and says it is seeking licensing expansion in California and Nevada. The trend spans other lenders and products. Ledn says it has funded more than $11 billion in loans since launching in 2018 and serves institutional, wealthy and retail borrowers. Lenders are also working to make crypto-backed credit more predictable: Coinbase added fixed-rate USDC borrowing against Bitcoin through Morpho, complementing variable-rate loans. Morpho had more than $1.4 billion in outstanding loans backed by about $3 billion in collateral. Ledn has also pointed to lending against other hard assets, such as gold, as a possible next step. Bitcoin-backed loans let holders access cash without selling BTC, but carry interest costs and liquidation risk if Bitcoin prices fall. Broader use as collateral may support Bitcoin’s utility, though it does not by itself establish a near-term price direction.

Lookonchain first reported that trader Machi held a 39,000 ETH long position worth about $99.8 million, with liquidation at $2,501.38 per ETH. A later report put a crypto whale’s ETH long position at 98,089 ETH, worth about $252.3 million, and cited liquidation levels of $2,446.48 and $2,424.47. The later figures indicate a larger reported position and lower liquidation thresholds, but the reports do not confirm whether they concern the same account. ETH liquidation risk may draw traders’ attention to downside levels: forced closures could add selling pressure, though neither report gives the current ETH price or confirms a liquidation has occurred.

Bitcoin weakened from around $84,123 to $83,366, falling below the $85,000 recovery threshold as rising Treasury yields, oil prices and a stronger US dollar pressured crypto markets. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to about 5.36%, while oil remained above $100 a barrel amid reports that Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz. Crypto liquidations rose 235% to $547 million in 24 hours, mostly affecting leveraged long positions. Bitcoin is now only about 1.3% above the estimated $82,300 average cost basis of US spot Bitcoin ETF buyers. A daily close below that level could bring the next on-chain support near $73,500 into focus. ETF flows have shifted: after $148.7 million in outflows ended a nine-session inflow streak, spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $119 million in inflows on Tuesday, even as Bitcoin fell. Traders are watching whether buyers hold near breakeven or sell. A large sell wall around $85,000–$85,500 remains a near-term hurdle; Friday’s US payrolls report and further changes in yields and energy prices could add volatility. Ethereum fell to $2,568, with spot Ether ETFs logging a sixth consecutive day of outflows and about $408 million in cumulative withdrawals. This follows earlier reported daily outflows of $59.6 million. Bitmine, which holds 6.02 million ETH, says it plans to stop buying when its holdings reach 5% of supply. Cardano fell despite launching a mainnet token standard for regulated assets, which has not yet been adopted by an issuer; earlier reports also noted whale selling and Petrobras-related blockchain pilots. Solana, BNB and XRP also declined. For traders, persistent macro pressure and ETF selling pose downside risks, while sustained Bitcoin ETF inflows and a recovery above $85,000 could ease near-term selling.

Former New York Governor and OKX board member Andrew Cuomo urged crypto firms to support candidates from both parties, arguing bipartisan backing is needed for durable federal crypto regulation. He said relying mainly on agency guidance can leave businesses facing policy uncertainty after elections, and that crypto’s potential to broaden access to financial products can align with Democratic priorities. The call comes as the CLARITY Act remains stalled in the Senate. The House passed the bill in 2025, with 78 Democrats joining Republicans, but a Senate cloture vote on September 15, 2026, failed 49–50. The bill would clarify how digital-asset oversight is divided between the SEC and CFTC. Earlier, 18 Democratic senators supported the GENIUS Act. Crypto PAC spending has leaned toward Republicans: Tech Influence Watch reports $54.3 million spent supporting Republicans and $26.2 million supporting Democrats in the 2026 election cycle, plus $23.2 million opposing Democrats. Fairshake has said it plans to back 32 House candidates in November, including 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats. For traders and crypto businesses, bipartisan crypto legislation could reduce uncertainty for tokens, exchanges and custody, but the failed vote underscores unresolved divisions over investor protection and regulatory authority. Without progress on the CLARITY Act, the near-term market impact is likely limited.

Brent crude oil rose above $106 a barrel. An earlier Gate data snapshot put the price at $106.02, up 0.3% over 24 hours; a later report from Odaily on 8 October 2026 showed it at $106.00, up 0.8%. The reports gave no reason for the move. Higher Brent crude prices can affect inflation expectations and broader risk sentiment, but neither update cited direct effects on cryptocurrency prices or trading. Crypto traders may monitor energy prices alongside inflation and interest-rate indicators, while treating this oil move alone as no clear signal for crypto markets.

Bitcoin climbed above $86,000, gaining 3.38% to about $86,688, after weak US jobs data eased concerns about further Federal Reserve rate hikes. September payrolls grew by 29,000, below forecasts of 84,000–90,000, and unemployment rose to 4.2%. Traders are now watching upcoming US inflation data and Fed signals. Institutional flows offered further support. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $103 million in daily net inflows, including $196 million for BlackRock’s IBIT, while Fidelity’s FBTC saw $61 million in outflows. A later weekly tally showed $241.08 million in net inflows, the third positive week in a row. Ethereum funds, by contrast, recorded outflows of $55 million in one tally and about $118 million in another. Strategy also bought 334 BTC for roughly $28.7 million, bringing its holdings to 848,000 BTC. Citi raised its 12-month targets to $113,000 for Bitcoin and $3,028 for Ethereum, while expecting institutional inflows to build gradually. A proposed SEC policy allowing state-chartered trust companies to custody crypto for investment advisers and funds could widen institutional access. Separately, Tether plans to bring USDT to Bitcoin through Utexo, which raised $7.5 million in seed funding and plans to use RGB and the Lightning Network; its RGB implementation is expected in October 2026. Solana reportedly reached 1.2 million wallets holding tokenised stocks, representing 95% of reported on-chain real-world asset activity. For Bitcoin traders, softer economic data, ETF demand and potential custody reforms are supportive, but the rally remains sensitive to inflation and Fed policy. One report cited resistance around $87,200–$87,600 and support near $82,600; another identified the weekly EMA ribbon as key support and $114,457 as a technical resistance level. Liquidations reached $362.77 million in 24 hours, mostly from short positions, while Bitcoin futures open interest rose to 653,000 BTC, or about $56 billion, and funding rates tripled—signs of heightened leverage that could amplify volatility.

Binance will temporarily suspend its US stock trading service from 18:50 to 21:00 UTC+8 on 10 October while its brokerage partner upgrades its system. Users will be unable to submit stock orders during the maintenance window, which is scheduled outside regular US market hours. Binance says the outage may end early or run longer than planned, and Binance US stock trading will resume automatically once the upgrade is complete. The notice concerns stock trading only and does not announce any change to Binance’s cryptocurrency services.

Federal Reserve minutes show all 19 policymakers supported a 25-basis-point rate increase in September, bringing the federal funds target range to 3.75%–4.00%. Most said another hike could be appropriate before year-end, but stressed that decisions will depend on incoming data and gave no clear signal of an urgent October move. CME FedWatch put the October hike probability below 20%, down from about 70% after the September decision, while markets increasingly expect action in December. Goldman Sachs forecasts a December increase but says the Fed could also hold rates steady. The Fed minutes cited upside inflation risks from energy prices, tariffs and investment in AI infrastructure. Officials also described growth and consumer spending as resilient, and financial conditions as supportive. Rising long-term Treasury yields were already restraining activity, while some officials urged preparation for possible Treasury-market stress; the minutes outlined no clear intervention plan. For crypto traders, lower odds of an immediate hike may ease near-term pressure on risk assets, but persistent inflation risks and the prospect of higher rates for longer could weigh on risk appetite. Upcoming inflation and employment data may drive sharp market reactions.

Grayscale added BitGo Bank & Trust as a custodian for part of the HYPE held by its Hyperliquid Staking ETF, HYPG, according to an SEC filing. The arrangement took effect on September 30, 2026, and gives the fund another provider for custody and safekeeping, reducing its reliance on a single custodian. The addition highlights growing institutional infrastructure for HYPE products, but does not change HYPG’s core exposure to HYPE. As of October 5, the fund held about $217.8 million in assets and had 6.54 million shares outstanding. About 88.66% of its assets were staked, with average gross staking rewards of 2.26%; returns are not guaranteed and may be lower after fees. HYPG’s 0.29% management fee is slightly below comparable HYPE products from 21Shares and Bitwise. Traders should note that staking income may not offset a sharp decline in HYPE’s price.

Early Ethereum holder pinosaur.eth transferred 9,618 ETH, worth about $24.58 million, to Kraken after holding the assets for roughly nine years. Later reporting described the move as a sale and said the wallet was cleared, though an exchange transfer alone does not confirm that the ETH was sold. On-chain analyst Ember traced the holdings to at least April 2017, when the wallet withdrew 7,459 ETH from Bitfinex at about $50 each. The reported profit is approximately $24.21 million, or around 65 times the original investment. This ETH whale transaction highlights long-term profit-taking; traders can watch exchange flows and follow-up activity for evidence of selling pressure.

Bitcoin’s pullback intensified in the later update. After an earlier 0.8% 24-hour decline to $85,938, Bitcoin fell 2.46% to $83,419, briefly touching $82,787. Ethereum’s loss widened from 0.3% to a 4.39% drop to $2,577, while Solana and XRP fell 3.35% and 4.86%. The latest figures point to a sharper crypto market sell-off. Liquidations rose from $194 million in the earlier report to $712 million over 24 hours, affecting more than 123,000 traders. Long positions accounted for $651 million of the latest total, and the largest single liquidation was a $26.64 million ETHUSDC position on Binance. Market sentiment also cooled: the Fear and Greed Index fell from 71 to 64 in the later report, although it remained short of widespread panic. Rising US Treasury yields added pressure to risk assets, with the 30-year yield reaching its highest level since 2002. Traders also weighed Federal Reserve minutes indicating another rate increase could come before year-end. Bitcoin moved from trading above its 20-day moving average in the earlier report to closing below the later estimate of $84,203; traders may watch support near $81,000 and $80,300. Ethereum was near its Bollinger lower band, with support around $2,547. These levels and further Fed signals may help traders assess whether the Bitcoin decline and broader crypto sell-off will continue.

Consensys plans to separate into two independently operated companies by the end of 2026: MetaMask, focused on consumer-facing self-custody and wallet services, and a restructured Consensys, which will retain Ethereum protocols and institutional blockchain infrastructure, including Linea. Joe Lubin is set to lead MetaMask as chairman and chief executive while serving as executive chairman of Consensys; Mike Kriak will lead Consensys, with David Cunningham as president. Lubin said MetaMask’s consumer business had been accruing value faster than other units. A later notice, dated September 9, 2026, reiterated the planned split but provided no further details on execution, finances or operational changes. The separation is not yet complete. For traders, it is primarily a corporate restructuring rather than an immediate catalyst: no direct changes to Ethereum operations, token supply or platform functionality were reported.

Metaplanet sold 10,000 BTC for about $789 million in the third quarter of 2026, then bought 11,000 BTC for roughly $949 million. The Japanese-listed company recorded a net increase of 1,000 BTC, bringing its holdings to 44,000 BTC and making it the second-largest corporate Bitcoin holder after Strategy. Metaplanet said the sale demonstrated its ability to convert Bitcoin into cash, with proceeds exceeding the principal of its bonds, borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities. The company also plans to allocate around 10% to 15% of its assets to strategic investments outside Bitcoin, including income-generating opportunities. The transactions point to continued Bitcoin exposure alongside more active liquidity and capital management, a development traders may weigh when assessing corporate demand for BTC.

Samsung reported preliminary third-quarter 2026 operating profit of 107.4 trillion won (about $80 billion), up 782.5% year on year and 20% from the previous quarter. The result slightly beat analysts’ forecast of 106.1 trillion won and marked a fourth consecutive quarterly record. Samsung profit growth was driven by strong AI-related demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), DRAM and SSDs, as chip shortages pushed prices higher. Revenue rose 126.6% to 195 trillion won, below the 199 trillion won market estimate. Later reporting added that Samsung’s HBM market share reportedly increased from 21% to 33%, with HBM4 sales helping narrow the gap with SK Hynix. A full earnings breakdown is expected later in October. The results point to strength in the AI semiconductor cycle, but the revenue miss and forthcoming guidance may affect expectations for chip demand and pricing. There is no direct impact on cryptocurrency prices; traders may view the results only as broader context for technology-sector risk sentiment.

SpaceX faces a sell rating as analysts warn that its valuation may leave little room for setbacks. An earlier assessment said the roughly $2.3 trillion valuation required sustained annual growth above 27% and projected revenue exceeding $775 billion by 2035, while capital spending and depreciation could constrain free cash flow. It estimated fair value at about $100–$120 per share, against a cited price of $159. The later assessment adds that SpaceX closed at $171.92 on October 6, 2026, about 27% above its June IPO price of $135. It estimates a valuation of $2.33 trillion, around 100 times trailing revenue, and reports that first-half 2026 free cash flow was negative by about $25 billion. The analyst’s 12-month target is $110, with even the bull-case valuation about 36% below the share price. A fourth-quarter 2026 lock-up expiration could increase share supply, while execution risks and the premium attached to Elon Musk may add volatility. For traders, the key signals are growth delivery, cash flow, capital intensity and potential selling pressure. The ratings are analyst opinions, not company announcements.

Standard Chartered has expanded its institutional DeFi research beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, initiating coverage of seven protocols and onchain infrastructure projects since mid-June 2026: Uniswap, Aave, Morpho, Chainlink, Sky, Arbitrum and Ethena. Its models assess protocol revenue, usage, token economics, dilution, governance and valuation. The coverage signals growing institutional interest in analysing DeFi as a set of individual onchain businesses, but does not mean the bank or its clients are buying the tokens. Ethena is the latest addition. Standard Chartered reportedly forecasts more than 600% upside for ENA and projects USDe supply could reach $40 billion by 2028. The bank also expects tokenized assets to grow to about $4 trillion by the end of 2028, with some activity potentially moving into DeFi. These are projections, not guaranteed outcomes. The research complements Standard Chartered’s digital-asset services, including custody, trading, tokenization, collateral and prime brokerage. Its coverage remains Ethereum-focused: the article cites about $53.1 billion in Ethereum DeFi total value locked and $146.6 billion in stablecoins, compared with $6.5 billion and $16.3 billion on Solana. However, Solana posted higher activity on several measures, with about $2.53 billion in daily DEX volume, 2.95 million active addresses and $6.09 million in application revenue, versus Ethereum’s $2.25 billion, around 617,000 addresses and $2.2 million in revenue. For traders, Standard Chartered’s DeFi research could raise the profile of covered projects and encourage closer scrutiny of fees, liquidity, token-holder value capture, dilution and governance. The contrast with Solana also highlights a gap between institutional research coverage and onchain activity; further protocol-level analysis would show whether coverage broadens. Price targets and research attention alone are not reliable buy signals.

Moody’s assigned Sky Protocol a B3 long-term counterparty risk rating with a stable outlook on 7 October 2026, marking its first rating of a stablecoin protocol. Formerly MakerDAO, Sky manages the dollar-pegged USDS and DAI. S&P Global Ratings assigned Sky a B- rating earlier in October, making it the only stablecoin protocol rated by both agencies.

Binance is adding four bStocks tokenized securities—JPMorgan Chase (JPMB), Eli Lilly (LLYB), Securitize Corp (SECZB) and StablecoinX (USDEB)—as collateral for Cross Margin, Portfolio Margin and Portfolio Margin Pro accounts from 7 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC+8. Binance is also enabling leveraged trading in the corresponding pairs and supporting conversions through Binance Convert. Eligible users can use these tokenized stocks to support other leveraged positions, bringing traditional equity exposure into crypto margin accounts and potentially improving capital efficiency. Collateral ratios and other risk controls apply, and access is limited by user eligibility and jurisdiction. The securities are offered under an approved prospectus in Abu Dhabi Global Market and are not available in every region where Binance operates.

HyperLabs has completed the unstaking of 3.75 million HYPE tokens, worth about $332 million. The address requested the redemption seven days earlier; before completion, the tokens were expected to become available on 7 October, with an earlier estimate valuing them at about $338 million. HyperLabs has historically made similar requests roughly monthly and typically transferred redeemed tokens to market maker Flowdesk. That history has traders watching for further HYPE transfers and potential selling, but the redemption does not confirm an immediate sale or indicate HyperLabs’ plans. The large amount could add short-term volatility and selling pressure if it reaches trading venues.

Hyperliquid’s share of global perpetual futures open interest first reached a record 11.8%, then climbed to 11.9% in the later report, according to Odaily. The comparison includes major centralised exchanges such as Binance, Bybit and OKX. The increase points to growing participation in Hyperliquid’s perpetual futures market and greater competition between decentralised and centralised derivatives platforms. However, the reports do not provide total open interest, trading volume, leverage, position direction or a reason for the rise. The higher Hyperliquid open interest share may support sentiment around the platform and its HYPE token, but it does not confirm a broader crypto rally. Traders can watch funding rates, liquidations, trading volume and total perpetual futures open interest for further signals.

Marvell has raised its fiscal 2028 revenue outlook to about $20 billion, up from earlier targets of $18 billion and $16.5 billion, as demand for AI chips and data-centre infrastructure strengthens. It expects fiscal 2027 revenue of roughly $12 billion, around 45% annual growth, and says data-centre revenue could rise by more than 60% that year. In its latest reported quarter, data-centre sales were $2.17 billion, up 46% year on year and about 79% of total revenue. The expanded Google agreement could generate up to $120 billion in cumulative sales through fiscal 2033 if performance targets are met. Google also received warrants to buy nearly 59 million Marvell shares at $206.58 each. Marvell now expects custom silicon revenue to reach $12 billion by fiscal 2029, up from a previous $10 billion target. The company says connectivity products, including 1.6T optical signal processors and scale-up optics, will drive much of its fiscal 2028 growth. Its custom-chip programmes also serve Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta; a broader Google contribution could become more significant from fiscal 2029. Marvell estimates the AI market could reach $400 billion by 2030. The outlook reflects investment in custom accelerators for AI workloads, particularly inference, and could strengthen Marvell and Broadcom’s positions alongside Nvidia. For crypto traders, the news is an indirect signal of continued demand for AI infrastructure, not a direct catalyst for any cryptocurrency. Marvell remains exposed to data-centre spending and a small group of hyperscalers, while the projected Google sales depend on future targets.

Bitcoin extended its decline as rising oil prices and bond yields pressured risk assets. It first fell to $83,596, then dropped as low as $82,776.30; the later update put Bitcoin near $83,178, down 2.76% over 24 hours. Brent crude rose from above $100 to more than $101 a barrel, while the US 10-year Treasury yield approached 5.34%. Stocks and gold also fell, suggesting broad macroeconomic pressure. Middle East supply concerns, including shipping risks around the Strait of Hormuz, and a storm threat in the Gulf of Mexico added to oil-market uncertainty. Leveraged positions amplified the Bitcoin sell-off. The earlier report cited about $404 million in Bitcoin long liquidations in one hour and $555 million in total crypto liquidations over 24 hours. The later update raised the 24-hour total to about $969 million, including $644.47 million in long positions. Higher energy prices may stoke inflation expectations, limit the prospect of Federal Reserve rate cuts and keep yields elevated, weighing on Bitcoin and other risk assets. Traders are watching support around $82,776, followed by approximately $81,567–$81,166 and the psychological $80,000 level. A move back above $84,762–$84,877 could ease immediate bearish pressure; the earlier update identified $84,000–$85,000 as a recovery zone and $87,000 as a level that could improve the short-term structure. Technical signals are mixed: the four-hour RSI was 32.2, near oversold, while the daily RSI was 52.5 and the ADX was 42.8; the 50-day EMA remained above the 200-day EMA. Myriad traders assigned a 67% probability to Bitcoin touching $80,000 in October and 55% to a touch at $87,500. Oil prices, Treasury yields, Federal Reserve minutes and Middle East shipping headlines remain key catalysts for Bitcoin.

Coinbase plans to relaunch Coinbase Pro by the end of 2026 as a unified platform for spot trading, futures, perpetual contracts, options and stocks. The exchange says its Deribit integration is complete, forming the Coinbase Global Exchange, and has opened a waitlist. Coinbase Pro is also expected to offer spot margin, with leverage of up to 10x on selected major assets and up to 5x on others; in the US, access is restricted to eligible contract participants and carries liquidation and loss risks. Options access is being rolled out in stages. Coinbase Prime options are expected in the coming weeks, as is access for eligible traders outside the US. US retail options are planned for later this year, while US institutional clients can already trade Deribit options and perpetual futures through Coinbase Prime. Coinbase says Deribit bitcoin options open interest exceeded $30 billion on September 30, and its trading volume topped $1 trillion last year. The Coinbase Pro relaunch could bring spot and derivatives trading together and expand access to crypto markets, but phased availability, eligibility rules and regulation will limit its immediate reach. No fee or launch-volume details have been disclosed, so the direct price impact on BTC is likely to remain limited.

TOKEN2049 Singapore opened its sold-out 2026 conference on 7 October at Marina Bay Sands, bringing together 25,000 attendees from 160 countries. The two-day event features 250 speakers, six stages and 500 exhibitors, with more than 1,000 related events taking place across Singapore during TOKEN2049 Week, which coincides with the Singapore Grand Prix. The programme includes panels, networking, investor meetings, wellness activities and startup showcases. On 8 October, TOKEN2049 Singapore will hold its first institutional track, with 250 leaders from traditional finance and digital assets taking part in private sessions. Participants include executives from BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Nasdaq. Speakers include Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman, Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson, Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan and Hyperliquid Labs CEO Jeff Yan. The event also features the second TOKEN2049 Origins 36-hour hackathon, with a $150,000 prize pool, and the NEXUS Startup Competition, offering $250,000 in prizes. The large turnout and dedicated institutional programme underline growing links between traditional finance and crypto. For traders, TOKEN2049 may offer clues about institutional adoption and digital-asset infrastructure, but the event itself is not a direct signal of token prices or market direction.

AMD is planning its AI chip supply chain three to five years ahead as high-bandwidth memory (HBM) shortages threaten to constrain growth. CEO Lisa Su has identified Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix as critical suppliers and said tight HBM supply could persist through 2028. AMD is urging memory makers to expand capacity as demand outstrips supply. Samsung has agreed to supply HBM4 for AMD’s next-generation Instinct MI455X accelerators under a broader partnership that also covers advanced memory for EPYC server processors. AMD is deepening cooperation with SK Hynix, which holds an estimated 57% to 58% of the HBM market and is closely aligned with Nvidia. The company is also discussing additional wafer capacity with TSMC and exploring alternative advanced-packaging options. AMD has committed more than $10 billion to Taiwan and says wider supply-chain investment could eventually reach tens of billions of dollars. It plans a substantial increase in AI chip production in 2027, but memory, manufacturing and packaging capacity remain key constraints. For traders, the supply push highlights robust AI infrastructure demand but also execution risks; updates on multi-year supply agreements, HBM4 yields and AMD’s 2027 ramp could affect sentiment toward the company’s AI growth prospects.

CertiK announced a brand repositioning at TOKEN2049 Singapore on 7 October, adopting “The Trust Layer for Digital Value” as it expands beyond Web3 security into digital-asset risk management and compliance. CertiK says its products include continuous security monitoring, compliance tools, digital-asset supervision and AI-assisted code review; its services include smart-contract audits, formal verification, penetration testing, proof of reserves and node validation. Founded in 2017, the company reports serving more than 5,500 clients in over 150 countries and territories, identifying more than 119,000 code vulnerabilities and helping protect over $600 billion in digital assets. The rebrand highlights CertiK’s broader focus on institutions, regulators and businesses, but does not announce a new token, funding round or service change. It signals a strategic expansion rather than an immediate catalyst for cryptocurrency prices.

Bitcoin’s pullback deepened from the $83,000–$87,000 range reported on 6 October, with BTC falling below $84,000 on 7 October to a low of $83,524. Repeated failures near $87,000–$87,722 have left the $84,000 area as a key test. On-chain data shows about 1.72 million BTC was acquired between $84,000 and $86,500, including nearly 769,000 BTC between $84,000 and $84,500. Earlier data also identified support around $83,300–$84,600, where roughly 1.59 million BTC changed hands. Derivatives point to elevated downside risk, but a short squeeze remains possible. Crypto futures liquidations reached $510.6 million in 24 hours, including $417.6 million in long liquidations. Open interest was broadly steady as positioning shifted net short. If Bitcoin holds $84,000, short covering could support a rebound; a sustained break below it could expose $81,300–$82,600, where on-chain cost-basis support is thinner. Bitcoin ETF flows have been volatile and weaker overall. Spot funds recorded $89.8 million in net outflows on 5 October, followed by $118.8 million in inflows on 6 October. Despite the rebound, average daily inflows over the previous five sessions were about $35 million, well below the $341.7 million recorded during the mid-September rally. BTC is trading near the ETF flow-weighted cost basis of $84,318. Earlier figures put total spot Bitcoin ETF assets at about $110.8 billion, with cumulative net inflows near $57.7 billion. Large holders reportedly added more than 14,335 BTC since 1 October, while proposed $5,000 US payments remain uncertain and are not an approved source of crypto liquidity. Ahead of US CPI data on 14 October, Bitcoin may consolidate between $81,300 and $86,500. Traders are watching ETF flows, short-term-holder selling, perpetual futures funding, Treasury yields, inflation expectations and the Federal Reserve’s 27–28 October meeting. Consecutive ETF outflows, short-term holders realising losses, or a sustained break below $81,300 would weaken the recovery outlook; holding support could leave room for a rebound.

Vest Labs has raised $13 million in a seed round led by Portal Ventures to expand its live-market proprietary trading business. The New York startup provides qualifying traders with company capital to trade perpetual futures tied to cryptocurrencies, equity indices and commodities around the clock. Vest shares trading profits with traders instead of relying on fees for simulated-account challenges; traders can keep up to 80% of profits, or as much as 95% on some account types. By late September, Vest reported about 27,000 traders, with roughly 26% having received payouts in USDC. Monthly active traders and trading volume had each risen by more than 300% month over month. Vest plans to use the funding to develop a mobile app, expand its team and add more tradable assets. Its exchange uses the zkRisk risk-pricing engine. Executives from Citadel Securities, BlackRock and KKR also invested in the round in their personal capacities. The company had previously raised about $10 million from investors including Jane Street, Amber Group and QCP Capital. The funding supports Vest Labs’ growth but does not, by itself, signal a broad shift in cryptocurrency prices.

Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan warned at Token2049 Singapore that chasing the next 100x crypto token has become “irrational exuberance” and a “hot potato” game. Traders may buy assets they believe have little value, hoping to sell before prices collapse. Coplan said some traders are turning to prediction markets, where event outcomes and potential returns are more defined. Over the seven days cited, Polymarket recorded $1.21 billion in trading volume, compared with Kalshi’s $2.3 billion, according to DefiLlama data. The prediction markets sector faces growing regulatory uncertainty. More than ten US states have sued Polymarket, Kalshi or both over whether event contracts—particularly sports-related contracts—constitute illegal gambling. The reports also cite banking concerns and access restrictions in some countries. For crypto traders, the comments point to changing risk appetite, but there is no direct token-price impact identified; regulation could nevertheless limit prediction market growth.