Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Australia’s Treasury has released draft crypto regulations requiring digital asset platforms (DAPs) and tokenised custody platforms (TCPs) to obtain an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). Under the AFSL licence proposal, crypto exchanges must meet conduct standards, custody rules and enhanced disclosures. Firms face penalties of up to A$16.5 million or 10% of annual turnover for serious breaches. Low-value operators processing under A$10 million annually or holding less than A$5,000 per client are exempt. ASIC will oversee compliance. Public consultation runs until 24 October 2025. In parallel, regulators are developing a stablecoin licensing framework. APRA may oversee issuers under a new stored-value facilities regime, while ASIC has licensed AUDM and AUDF and Coinbase plans to add AUDD. Industry leaders welcome the clarity of the AFSL licence and stablecoin framework, citing improved consumer protection, market stability and reduced regulatory uncertainty.

Griffin AI’s GAIN token plunged 90% within 24 hours of its Binance Alpha launch after a hacker exploited a fake LayerZero peer contract to mint 5 billion unauthorized GAIN tokens. By bypassing the official Ethereum endpoint and supply cap on BNB Chain, the attacker created non-existent liquidity on PancakeSwap. Low liquidity triggered rapid sell-offs of 147.5 million GAIN via PancakeSwap and OTC trades, driving the price from $0.25 to $0.0273 and wiping out $36 million in market capitalisation. Analysts estimate the exploiter bridged $3–4 million in proceeds through deBridge to Solana (SOL), Ethereum (ETH), Base and Arbitrum (ARB). Although user wallets were unaffected, the incident raised questions over contract security, multisig permissions and potential insider involvement. Griffin AI has requested trading freezes, halting deposits and withdrawals on centralised exchanges and pausing its airdrop campaign. The team is now working with exchanges and security partners to contain the cross-chain DeFi exploit and recover value.

According to SoSoValue data, Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded net inflows of $223 million on September 19 and $241 million on September 24. BlackRock’s IBIT led with $246 million and $129 million respectively, while Ark Invest and 21Shares’ ARKB added $37.7 million on September 24. Total AUM for Bitcoin spot ETFs now stands near $150 billion (6.6% of Bitcoin’s market cap), with year-to-date cumulative net inflows around $57.7 billion. In contrast, Grayscale’s GBTC saw $23.5 million in outflows on September 19, extending its cumulative net outflows to $24.1 billion. Sustained inflows into Bitcoin spot ETFs signal growing institutional demand for regulated Bitcoin exposure, underpinning bullish momentum for BTC.

On-chain data shows ETH exchange reserves have fallen to 14.8 million ETH, the lowest since July 2016. Over the past two years, Ethereum exchange reserves have declined nearly 50%, including a 20% drop since mid-July. Institutional investors—including digital asset treasury firms—and U.S. spot Ether ETFs drove net outflows to decade highs, moving 5.26 million ETH into corporate treasuries and 6.75 million ETH into ETFs. Large withdrawals into cold storage, staking, and DeFi reduce immediate sell pressure. Despite an 11% pullback to below $4,100 last week, shrinking ETH exchange liquidity and strong institutional flows may support longer-term price strength. Traders should monitor Ethereum exchange reserves and institutional demand for bullish signals.

Whale Alert reported that USDC Treasury minted $250 million USDC on the Solana blockchain at 05:41 Beijing time, following earlier notices at 23:48. This USDC minting increased stablecoin supply on Solana to meet rising DeFi and trading liquidity needs. Such routine USDC minting events signal on-chain demand but tend to have limited immediate price impact. Traders are advised to monitor on-chain USDC flows, liquidity pools and DeFi metrics for potential shifts in market activity.

The Solana treasury, backed by a $100 million convertible financing facility, has been launched by Fitell Corporation, marking Australia’s first corporate treasury dedicated to SOL. Fitell immediately allocated $10 million for SOL purchases and will custodian holdings with BitGo. The Solana treasury will deploy assets across DeFi strategies — options, liquidity provisioning, structured yield products and snowball instruments — with returns reinvested to compound growth. Advisors David Swaney and Cailen Sullivan will oversee risk-managed strategies as Fitell plans to rebrand as Solana Australia Corporation and pursue a dual ASX listing to become the region’s largest public SOL holder. While SOL’s price is up 47% year-on-year, Fitell’s Nasdaq shares fell 17.5% as investors weigh crypto volatility and DeFi returns roadmap. Traders should watch for demand-driven price support and deeper market liquidity as institutional adoption of Solana and DeFi yield strategies expands.

Lyno AI has raised $37,127 by selling 742,543 LYNO tokens at $0.05 in its Early Bird phase of the crypto presales. The next stage opens at $0.055, targeting a final price of $0.10 per token. Built on an AI-powered cross-chain arbitrage engine across 15+ blockchains including Ethereum, Polygon and Arbitrum, Lyno AI’s audited smart contracts and 30% fee-share model minimize execution failures and reward stakers. Real-time AI monitoring also optimizes gas use and profit visibility. High-profile investor Tim Draper forecasts up to 280× returns, and a $100K giveaway for purchases over $100 boosts demand. With strong momentum and outpacing competing presales, traders should assess Lyno AI’s growth potential in the crypto presales market.

UK and US officials have launched the Transatlantic Task Force for Markets of the Future to align crypto regulation across their jurisdictions. Co-led by both nations’ treasuries, the task force will review digital asset frameworks, stablecoin rules, AML standards, consumer protections and tokenized securities in wholesale markets. Within 180 days, it will deliver recommendations on stablecoin frameworks, AML guidelines for crypto firms, cross-border listings, capital-raising via blockchain financing solutions and pilot digital securities sandboxes. Harmonized crypto regulation aims to reduce compliance costs, boost cross-border investment and enhance market efficiency. Industry leaders, including advisors from Coinbase and the UK Cryptoasset Business Council, welcome the initiative as a step towards global digital finance leadership. Proposed measures will require parliamentary or congressional approval before implementation.

MicroStrategy Bitcoin acquisition continues as the firm added 525 BTC at an average price of $114,562 and later purchased 850 BTC at $117,344 each. These MicroStrategy Bitcoin purchases raise total holdings to 639,835 BTC, representing over 3% of the circulating supply. Since 2020, the company has invested $47.3 billion at an average cost of $73,971 per BTC, generating more than $25 billion in unrealized gains and a 25.9% YTD return. The latest buys were funded through sales of MSTR common stock and STRF perpetual preferred shares under its “42/42” financing plan, which aims to raise $84 billion by 2027. Despite its strong Bitcoin portfolio performance, MicroStrategy remains excluded from the S&P 500, a decision analysts attribute to lingering bias against institutional Bitcoin exposure.

Since lifting its crypto ban in June 2024, Bolivia has faced severe dollar shortages, prompting major manufacturers such as Toyota, Yamaha and BYD to accept Tether’s USDT stablecoin. On September 20, a local Toyota dealership completed the country’s first USDT-backed vehicle purchase, verified by crypto custodian BitGo. Dealers partnered with BitGo to ensure secure self-custody and large transfers. Bolivia’s Central Bank reported $294 million in crypto payments in H1 2025, a 630% year-on-year increase. Local USDT liquidity has surged from roughly $20,000 daily in early 2024 to nearly $1 million this year. Market data from DefiLlama shows USDT’s market cap at $172.3 billion, representing 58.8% of the stablecoin sector. Bolivian legislator Mariela Baldivieso noted that Bolivia now ranks among Latin America’s top five crypto adopters, with regional adoption at 63% in 2025 according to Chainalysis. Tether also unveiled the USA₮ token under the GENIUS Act to meet US regulatory standards. A MEXC survey found global crypto adoption jumping from 29% to 46% quarter-on-quarter, driven by economic pressures in East Asia and the Middle East. For crypto traders, the real-world use of USDT underscores growing stablecoin demand and higher transaction volumes in a volatile currency environment. While USDT’s price remains pegged, increased adoption may boost trading activity and market confidence.

UAE has signed the OECD’s multilateral competent authority agreement to adopt the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), reinforcing crypto tax reporting and aligning its digital asset regulations with global standards. Implementation begins in 2027, with the first automated exchanges of cross-border crypto tax data scheduled for 2028. To ensure smooth rollout, the Ministry of Finance opened a public consultation from September 15 to November 8, inviting feedback from exchanges, custodians, traders and advisory firms. Adoption of CARF commits the UAE alongside more than 50 jurisdictions, including New Zealand, Australia and the Netherlands, to automatic crypto-asset data sharing. While the framework imposes new reporting obligations and compliance costs, the enhanced crypto tax reporting regime aims to curb tax evasion, deter illicit activity and strengthen investor confidence. Observers expect improved tax transparency will support long-term market growth and bring the UAE in line with other centers like Switzerland and South Korea advancing similar crypto tax measures.

Coinbase has extended a $100 million Bitcoin-backed credit line to Bitcoin miner CleanSpark. The Bitcoin-backed credit line is secured by Bitcoin collateral and allows borrowing up to 5,000 BTC at 75% loan-to-value, with a 4% annual interest rate and a 2% facility fee. CleanSpark will use the Bitcoin loan facility to expand energy assets, increase mining capacity and invest in high-performance computing operations without selling BTC or issuing new shares. This non-dilutive financing strengthens the company’s balance sheet and supports operations amid market headwinds. The deal highlights Coinbase Prime’s growing institutional lending arm and robust demand for crypto-secured financing. It may improve Bitcoin liquidity and deepen capital ties between exchanges and miners.

AgriFORCE Growing Systems (NASDAQ: AGRI) has rebranded as AVAX One and launched a $550 million capital raise to acquire AVAX tokens and build a $700 million crypto treasury. The fundraising comprises a $300 million PIPE and $250 million equity-linked offering led by Hivemind Capital, with participation from Galaxy Digital, Kraken, Digital Currency Group, ParaFi, HashKey and over 50 institutional investors. AVAX One aims to boost per-share value, deepen Avalanche integration and accumulate AVAX tokens. The company retains its TerraHash Digital energy arm. Strategic support comes from Anthony Scaramucci on the advisory board and Matt Zhang as board chair. Following the announcement, AGRI shares jumped 132%, while AVAX token prices slipped 3% over 24 hours.

Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, sold 96,628 HYPE tokens on September 21. The on-chain sale converted into about $5 million, delivering a 19% profit. Traders saw the sale as whale profit-taking. HYPE token price slipped 7.6–12% in the hours after. Hayes said he used part of the proceeds to pay a deposit on a new Ferrari 849 Testarossa. Market analysts warn of supply overhang as 238 million HYPE tokens vest starting November 29. The monthly unlocks could add $410 million in tokens that buyback programs may not fully absorb. A separate large holder, Techno Revenant, also moved 2.39 million HYPE tokens, stoking further selling fears. In the short term, the HYPE token faces volatility from whale exits and token unlocks. However, Hayes remains confident. He projects a 126x price target by 2028, citing fee growth on the Hyperliquid derivatives exchange to drive long-term gains.

Ethereum developer salaries lag industry peers by 50-60%, with core contributors earning a median $140,000 vs. $800,000 at Solana (SOL), $330,000 at Aptos (APT) and $378,000 at Sui (SUI). External offers average $300,000-360,000, yet most developers stay driven by mission alignment and technical challenges. To address the pay gap, Protocol Guild pools 1% token commitments from projects like EigenLayer and raised over $32 million in on-chain grants. A median $67,000 subsidy lifts total median compensation to roughly $207,000. By boosting Ethereum developer salaries, Protocol Guild strengthens talent retention, network stability and long-term growth in the crypto ecosystem. Additional income comes from consulting, research grants and hackathons. While this model secures Ethereum’s development pipeline, dependence on limited funders may constrain scalability. For traders, these measures act as a neutral catalyst for ETH: they bolster network security but lack immediate price drivers.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a stablecoin DeFi revenue model to fund the network’s development. In a September 20 blog post, Buterin highlighted a revenue divide between speculative applications—like trading platforms, meme coins and NFTs—and value-driven projects that struggle financially. He suggested using low-risk stablecoin lending protocols, such as Aave, to earn predictable 5% yields on USDC and USDT. This approach mirrors Google’s steady ad revenue while respecting open-source values and decentralization. With Ethereum’s total DeFi TVL recently topping $100 billion, driven in part by clearer regulations like the Digital Asset Market Clarification Act, stablecoin DeFi could deliver reliable fees. Buterin also proposed launching basket-backed crypto assets and CPI-pegged stablecoins to diversify Ethereum’s revenue streams. By aligning these innovations with ethical principles, Ethereum aims to secure sustainable funding, balance growth between profitable and cultural projects, and enhance long-term market stability.

OKX data from September 19 and 22 show Bitcoin price dipping below key support levels. Initially, BTC slid below $117,000, trading at $116,796 on Sept 19, before slipping under $115,000 to $114,996 on Sept 22. These moves reflect ongoing volatility and short-term selling pressure as the cryptocurrency tests psychological thresholds. Traders are closely watching whether Bitcoin price can reclaim $115K and $117K or extend its pullback amid macroeconomic uncertainty and profit-taking. Short-term indicators point to bearish momentum, while the long-term outlook hinges on major resistance levels and upcoming on-chain metrics.

Ethereum ETFs saw renewed institutional demand in mid-September, attracting net inflows of $557 million in the third week of the month. BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) led the surge with $513 million, over 92% of total flows. Earlier in the week, ETHA recorded a one-day inflow of 80,768 ETH (about $363 million) on September 15, reversing a $787 million outflow from September 5–12. Grayscale’s Mini Trust added $18 million and Fidelity’s FETH $15 million, while VanEck’s ETHV and Invesco’s QETH saw outflows. Total Ethereum ETF assets stand near $30 billion, with $13.3 billion in cumulative September deposits. Trading volume hit $1.5 billion. Bitcoin ETFs also posted $886.7 million in inflows led by BlackRock’s IBIT. ETH opened short-term volatility but is up 4.4% over seven days and 79% over 90 days. Record stablecoin supply on Ethereum and plans for tokenized ETFs add to bullish momentum for ETH.

Ethereum exit queue peaked at over 2.6M ETH (~$12B) with a record 44-day withdrawal wait in July. Recent on-chain data shows the Ethereum exit queue has since fallen to 2.412M ETH (~$10.8B), cutting the withdrawal delay to 41 days, though sweep delays remain around 9.1 days. New staking demand has also weakened, with the staking queue holding about 320k ETH and validator admission waits averaging 5 days 14 hours. Traders should note this easing in exit pressure may reduce sell-side risk, but prolonged withdrawal and sweep delays continue to constrain ETH liquidity. Monitoring these queue metrics can guide trading and liquidity strategies.

Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin miner Bitdeer has increased its pure Bitcoin holdings to 1,966.1 BTC as of September 19, up from 1,935.6 BTC a week earlier. The rise in Bitcoin holdings underscores Bitdeer’s strategy to balance consistent mining output with selective miner sales for steady cash flow and treasury scaling. This week, Bitdeer generated 99.5 BTC in mining output and sold 69.0 BTC, resulting in a net accumulation of 30.5 BTC. Traders tracking Bitcoin holdings and miner sales can use these metrics to gauge institutional demand and potential price impact on market supply dynamics.

Consensys CEO Joe Lubin has confirmed that MetaMask’s long-awaited MASK token may launch sooner than expected. The MASK token will reward wallet activity and grant governance rights over MetaMask upgrades. It will integrate directly into the MetaMask interface to reduce scams and confusion. This launch is part of a broader decentralization strategy across MetaMask, the Linea layer-2 network and other Consensys projects. MetaMask recently launched its native dollar stablecoin, mUSD, on Ethereum and Linea, achieving a $53 million market cap. The MASK token is expected to enhance payment services and stablecoin functions within the wallet. MetaMask has also partnered with Mastercard and Baanx to offer a crypto debit card, setting the stage for MASK token utility. With over 30 million monthly users, MetaMask’s token launch could boost user engagement and reinforce its role in Ethereum DeFi and decentralized governance. Traders should monitor official MetaMask and Consensys channels for precise tokenomics, distribution details and timeline updates before making investment decisions.

Ethereum Fusaka upgrade is scheduled to activate on mainnet on December 3, 2025, marking the first phase of a multi-stage increase in blob capacity per block. Following initial boosts, further capacity hikes are planned for December 17 and January 7. The upgrade deploys data availability sampling and multiple EIPs to improve backend performance, reduce bandwidth requirements, and accelerate Layer 2 rollups. Stability tests on Fusaka Devnet-5 revealed installation issues and a critical ckzg library bug—fixed by Ethereum researcher Justin Traglia—prompting a Devnet-6 launch and migration to public testnets before mainnet deployment. During stress tests, the Prysm client generated orphan blocks under high load, highlighting the need for efficiency enhancements. Since the Dencun upgrade, average blob usage has risen from 0.9 to 5.1 per block, underlining growing L2 activity. Meanwhile, a record 2.6 million ETH stands in the validator exit queue, raising short-term sell-pressure concerns despite assurances that the prolonged withdrawal process is essential for network security. Traders should watch for lower gas fees, higher throughput, and increased rollup-driven volume as the Ethereum Fusaka upgrade rolls out.

The Ethereum Fusaka upgrade is scheduled to activate on the mainnet in December 2023, following successful testnet runs on Sepolia, Holesky and Hoodi. Combining EIP-4844 (proto-danksharding) and EIP-7594 for Peer Data Availability Sampling (PeerDAS), the Ethereum Fusaka upgrade enhances data availability, reduces bandwidth requirements and lowers gas fees for layer-2 rollups. To address high blob usage—99.6% on Arbitrum One and 99.2% on OP Mainnet—developers will introduce two parameter-only forks: one around December 17 to raise max blob counts from 9 to 15, and another on January 7, 2026, increasing the limit to 21. These lightweight forks require no client software updates and aim to relieve network congestion and drive further rollup adoption. A $2 million audit contest on Sherlock, sponsored by Gnosis and Lido, is now underway to uncover vulnerabilities before the mainnet launch. Confirmed at All Core Devs Consensus Call #165, the activation meets the 30-day notice period after the final Hoodi testnet fork. By leveraging the Ethereum Fusaka upgrade, traders can expect lower transaction costs and improved throughput, potentially boosting DeFi and NFT activity across layer-2 networks.

Rex Shares’ XRP ETF (XRPR) and Osprey Funds’ Dogecoin ETF (DOJE) together attracted $55 million in first-day ETF inflows, marking the strongest ETF launches of 2025 under the SEC’s new generic listing standards. The XRP ETF opened with $38 million, while the Dogecoin ETF saw $17 million, far exceeding initial forecasts. Both altcoin ETFs are structured via Cayman Islands subsidiaries under the Investment Company Act of 1940, offering regulated investment wrappers. Over 90 altcoin ETF applications remain pending with the SEC, signalling a growing pipeline of products. On debut, XRP traded near $3.01 (down 3%) and DOGE around $0.27 (down 6%), reflecting short-term volatility amid profit-taking. Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas noted the robust first-day volumes as a positive indicator for future altcoin ETF launches. Traders should monitor ongoing SEC approvals and ETF inflows to assess long-term impact on altcoin liquidity and market stability.

On September 17, 2025, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) extended its blockchain analytics requirements to all state-chartered banks and licensed foreign bank branches engaged in virtual currency-related activity (VCRA). Building on the April 2022 VCRA framework, banks must deploy blockchain analytics tools such as Chainalysis or Elliptic for customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and risk assessment of third-party VASP exposures. Institutions must tailor blockchain analytics to their risk profile, reassessing tools as digital asset activities grow. The digital assets regulation drive underlines New York’s strict bank compliance regime and signals higher standards for risk management in cryptocurrency services. This guidance standardizes blockchain analytics across traditional and crypto-native firms, closing visibility gaps between on-chain and off-chain transactions and enabling shared threat intelligence. Banks can leverage sandbox environments to test digital asset products with validated controls, reinforcing market integrity and paving the way for greater institutional participation in digital assets.

Michigan House Bill 4087 has advanced to its second reading, proposing to allocate up to 10% of the Economic Stabilization Fund and the Countercyclical Budget Reserve into eligible cryptocurrencies. House Bill 4087 defines eligible digital assets as cryptographically secured and independently operated without central bank oversight, aiming to build a strategic crypto reserve. The bill mandates strict security protocols — state control of private keys, end-to-end encryption, geographically dispersed data centers, and regular audits — alongside three approved custody options: secure on-chain wallets, regulated custodians such as banks or trust companies, and exchange-traded products from registered investment firms. It also allows limited lending of held crypto for additional yield if it does not increase financial exposure. Mirroring similar efforts in New Hampshire, Arizona and Texas, the proposal faces opposition from the Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council over market-cap thresholds and token centralization, while supporters cite the state pension fund’s recent ARK Invest Bitcoin ETF purchase as evidence of modernizing fiscal strategy and boosting economic resilience. Now under Government Operations Committee review ahead of a full House vote, the bill signals growing institutional interest in cryptocurrency investment. Traders should monitor committee debates and potential pilot allocations for insights into broader public-sector crypto involvement and its impact on market sentiment.

Rex-Osprey’s XRP Spot ETF launched on September 19 with a first-day trading volume of $37.7 million, far exceeding the roughly $1 million typical at new ETF debuts. The DOGE Spot ETF from the same issuer recorded $17 million in opening volume, placing both products among the top five ETF launches of the year. Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas highlighted the elevated liquidity and strong investor participation in these spot ETFs, signaling growing demand for crypto exposure on regulated markets. Early performance of the XRP Spot ETF and the DOGE Spot ETF suggests robust investor interest. Traders will watch ongoing trading volume, assets under management (AUM) and bid-ask spreads. Sustained high debut volumes could reflect durable capital inflows and set a new benchmark for future spot ETF launches.

Plasma mainnet beta is set to launch on Sept 25, debuting its native XPL token. Backed by Tether and Founders Fund, the network completed a $1 billion USDT deposit campaign and an oversubscribed $50 million XPL public sale. Binance seeded early liquidity with a pre-market XPL/USDT perpetual contract around $0.55 and added momentum via a $1 billion on-chain product cap on Binance Earn. At launch, Plasma will distribute $2 billion in USDT liquidity across more than 100 DeFi platforms, including Aave, Euler, Fluid, and Ethena. The new PlasmaBFT consensus layer powers instant, authorization-based transfers, with zero-fee USDT transfers and unlimited zero-cost vault deposits and withdrawals during the beta. Governance and validator rewards will be issued in XPL, with 25 million tokens for early participants and 2.5 million for the Stablecoin Collective. U.S. holders face a one-year lockup due to regulations. Plasma aims to drive real-world stablecoin utility in payments, FX, and on/off-ramps, positioning digital dollars as mainstream money.

MoneyGram has launched a USDC mobile app in Colombia, enabling users to send, receive and store USD-backed stablecoin on the Stellar network via a Crossmint-powered wallet. The service hides blockchain complexity—no private key management or gas fees—and offers near-instant transfers. Recipients can protect remittance value from peso depreciation by holding USDC or converting at over 6,000 MoneyGram locations. The app, available by waitlist on iOS and Android, plans to add USD debit card functionality and deposit incentives. With Colombia’s stablecoin regulations still evolving, traders should monitor conversion fees, liquidity, and peg stability risks when using USDC for cross-border transfers.