Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

CoinShares Nasdaq debut via a $1.2 billion SPAC merger with Vine Hill Capital and Odysseus Holdings completed on September 8, making it the first European Web3 company on a major U.S. exchange. The transaction values CoinShares about 37% above its Stockholm market cap and includes a $50 million anchor investment. Founded in 1998, CoinShares pivoted to digital assets in 2014 and now manages over $8 billion in assets (AUM), ranking fourth globally. In Q1–Q2 2025, it reported revenues of $39.96 million and $41.52 million with a 75% EBITDA margin. Asset management accounts for 74% of revenue, while capital markets and proprietary trading remain volatile. Backed by clearer U.S. regulation and rising institutional interest, the CoinShares Nasdaq SPAC listing aims to boost U.S. growth and set a benchmark for European crypto firms.

A recent NPM hack compromised 18 versions of popular Node packages, including chalk, debug and strip-ansi. Attackers stole developer credentials via a phishing email posing as NPM support. They then published malicious updates that silently replaced copied crypto wallet addresses with hacker-controlled ones. Affected networks include BTC, ETH, SOL, TRX and LTC. Although only about $50 was stolen, Ledger CTO Charles Guillemet warns that such supply chain attacks pose a major crypto security risk. TON CTO Anatoly Makosov urges developers to apply patches, lock dependencies and rebuild apps to remove clipboard hijacks. Traders should use audited or hardware wallets, verify transaction signatures and monitor package integrity to guard against software wallet vulnerabilities.

Robinhood Markets will be added to the S&P 500 index on September 22, while MicroStrategy was unexpectedly excluded. Robinhood’s market capitalization has doubled year-to-date to over $100 billion, and its diversified revenue streams—including $160 million in Q2 crypto transaction revenue, new stock tokens in Europe, and U.S. crypto staking—secured its S&P 500 inclusion. This index effect is likely to attract more than $10 billion in passive inflows, sending HOOD shares up 7% on the announcement. MicroStrategy met the formal S&P 500 criteria but was rejected, likely due to past GAAP losses under bitcoin accounting rules, volatility from its over 3% Bitcoin supply holdings, and ongoing regulatory uncertainty. Despite a $10 billion net income in Q2, MSTR shares fell 3% after the decision. Traders should note the divergence between traditional profitability metrics and crypto-centric business models in index inclusion decisions. The S&P 500 inclusion signals growing mainstream crypto adoption. For traders, these developments highlight the impact of stable earnings and market cap requirements on index-driven capital flows. The moves in HOOD and MSTR offer insights into how major indices can influence both stock performance and sentiment in the crypto market.

Cboe Global Markets will launch 10-year cash-settled continuous futures for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) in the US on Nov. 10, pending regulatory approval. These continuous futures eliminate manual rollovers with a transparent daily funding rate tied to real-time spot prices, mimicking offshore perpetual futures in a regulated, US-clearing environment. The offering aims to capture institutional and retail demand for regulated crypto derivatives by replicating offshore trading volumes onshore, reinforcing Cboe’s position in the regulated crypto derivatives market. With crypto derivatives accounting for over 75% of trading volume and perpetual futures driving 68% of Bitcoin turnover, Cboe joins Coinbase and SGX in shaping the competitive landscape of compliant futures products.

Nasdaq has filed a rule change proposal with the SEC to enable trading and settlement of tokenized securities on its regulated exchange. The plan expands the definition of securities to include blockchain-based tokens carrying CUSIPs, dividend rights and voting privileges identical to the underlying shares. After matching under existing rules, participants can choose settlement via traditional records or as blockchain tokens. Clearing by the DTCC on a permissioned ledger preserves regulatory oversight while unlocking 24/7 trading and near-instant T+0 settlement. The move aligns with a joint SEC-CFTC initiative to bring regulated crypto products into mainstream markets and defends Nasdaq’s market share against native crypto exchanges. Tokenized securities promise lower capital lock-up, fractional ownership and potential integration with DeFi protocols, boosting institutional capital efficiency and reducing counterparty risk. Retail benefits remain limited under current zero-commission trading and T+1 cycles. Nasdaq’s blockchain track record spans Linq, ChainCore and the Nasdaq Financial Framework. Major institutions including BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and KKR have issued tokenized fund assets, mainly via brokers. Global peers are already active: Hong Kong’s Fosun tokenized $328m of Sisram Medical shares on Solana and Ethereum, while China Merchants Bank piloted tokenized money-market funds on Solana. Pending SEC approval, Nasdaq could launch its tokenized securities platform by 2026, marking a critical step in regulated asset tokenization.

The District of Columbia AG has filed a lawsuit against Athena Bitcoin, alleging the crypto ATM operator imposed undisclosed fees up to 26% under the vague term “Transaction Service Margin.” Since May 2024, DC officials report that 93% of deposits at Athena Bitcoin ATMs were linked to crypto scams. Many victims, with a median age of 71, lost an average of $8,000 per transaction and received no refunds due to the firm’s no-refund policy. One senior lost $98,000. The complaint also accuses Athena Bitcoin of inadequate anti-fraud measures, turning its ATMs into pipelines for illicit transactions. This case underscores growing regulatory scrutiny. Over 11,000 complaints and $246 million in losses have prompted at least 13 states to set crypto ATM transaction limits. Traders should watch for potential changes in ATM accessibility, fee structures, and consumer protections that may affect trading costs and liquidity.

Nasdaq will invest $50 million in Gemini IPO, scheduled for September 12, 2025. The Gemini IPO is priced at $17–$19 per share, seeking to raise $317 million by issuing 16.7 million shares under the ticker GEMI. Under the non-exclusive placement, Nasdaq clients gain access to Gemini’s custody and staking services while Gemini’s institutional users integrate Nasdaq’s Calypso collateral management platform. This partnership closes immediately post-IPO at the IPO price minus underwriting fees, subject to market conditions. The deal aligns with Nasdaq’s push for tokenized securities trading following its SEC filings. Ahead of the Gemini IPO, rivals like Kraken and Coinbase are also exploring asset tokenization.

Kazakhstan has launched a National Crypto Fund and CryptoCity initiative to accelerate digital finance transformation. The Kazakhstan crypto fund will accumulate bitcoin and strategic cryptocurrencies, backed by seized assets, state mining revenues and potential sovereign wealth allocations. Managed by the National Bank’s investment arm, the fund aims to hedge fiat volatility and bolster economic resilience. In parallel, CryptoCity will serve as a blockchain-focused smart zone in Alatau for token issuance, cryptocurrency payments and an expanded digital tenge CBDC. The financial regulator now accepts stablecoins for fees and has released a stablecoin rulebook. The Astana International Exchange will list Central Asia’s first spot bitcoin ETF, benefiting over 4,000 AIFC crypto and fintech firms. With 2.5–13% of global bitcoin hashrate and projected mining revenue growth by 2027, this strategy reflects a de-dollarization trend and aims to boost financial sovereignty and foreign investment. A digital assets law due in 2026 will address AML standards, energy use and legal clarity. Challenges in infrastructure and public education remain, but successful execution could position Kazakhstan as a leading global crypto hub.

At the Eastern Economic Forum, Kremlin adviser Anton Kobyakov claimed that Washington plans to shift about $35 trillion of US debt into stablecoins to engineer a ‘crypto cloud reset’ that devalues existing liabilities and restores confidence in the dollar. He drew parallels to the 1933 suspension of the gold standard and Nixon’s 1971 Bretton Woods exit, when the US untied the dollar from gold and offloaded inflation costs onto foreign creditors. However, market data show that total stablecoin supply is under $300 billion, far too small to absorb federal obligations exceeding $37 trillion. The recent GENIUS Act requires providers like Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC) to back each token with cash or US Treasuries and publish reserve attestations, which would actually boost demand for US debt rather than reduce it. Meanwhile, US authorities have set up a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and are reviewing the BITCOIN Act, signaling growing government engagement with crypto. Crypto traders should note that these developments highlight potential shifts in monetary policy and reserve allocation but are unlikely to materialize given current stablecoin market size. Bitcoin (BTC) trades near $113,000, and government-backed crypto holdings could add long-term support for digital assets.

DeFi protocol Sky (formerly MakerDAO) has submitted a proposal to become the issuer of Hyperliquid’s USDH stablecoin, offering 4.85% yield on USDH holdings and $2.2 billion in USDC for instant off-chain redemptions via its Peg Stability Module. Sky also pledges a $25 million “Hyperliquid Star” growth fund, multichain support through LayerZero, Basel III–compliant risk frameworks and leverages its S&P B- credit rating. With $8 billion circulating in USDS and DAI and $13 billion collateral backing, Sky plans to allocate over $250 million of its profits to build SKY liquidity on Hyperliquid. Co-founder Rune Christensen highlighted the alignment on real profits and decentralization. Since the bid, Hyperliquid’s native token HYPE has jumped 12% to $53.36 and trading volume is up 141% to $397 million. Validators will vote on September 14 among competitors including Paxos, Frax Finance, Agora and Native Markets, underscoring intensifying competition for stablecoin issuance.

Gemini has filed for a $317 million Nasdaq IPO under the ticker GEMI, targeting a September 12 listing. As part of the private placement, Nasdaq will invest $50 million, linking Gemini’s custody and staking services with its Calypso trading and risk platform. The deal will make Gemini the third US-listed crypto exchange after Coinbase and Bullish if completed. In parallel, Gemini is expanding in Europe under MiCA rules, launching ETH and SOL staking with flexible pools, no minimum deposits and up to 6% APR, and offering MiFID II-regulated perpetuals with up to 100× leverage and USDC collateral. Nasdaq has also filed with the SEC to trade tokenized securities on regulated venues. The Gemini IPO benefits from a recovering US equity market and recent crypto listings like Circle (CRCL) and Bullish (BLSH) that delivered strong rallies. Anticipated Fed rate cuts could further boost demand for new issues, supporting a bullish outlook for the Gemini IPO.

Grayscale has filed a Form S-1 to convert its Chainlink Trust into a spot Chainlink ETF on NYSE Arca under the ticker GLNK. The proposed Chainlink ETF mirrors existing Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs by allowing cash creations and redemptions, with potential in-kind transactions once regulators approve. BNY Mellon will serve as transfer agent and administrator. This is Grayscale’s second 1933 Act application for a Chainlink ETF, following Bitwise and joining bids from VanEck and 21Shares. Concurrently, Chainlink is expanding real estate tokenization from pilots to live projects—enabling on-chain title records, automated lending, and auctions—backed by LINK token rewards and a new strategic reserve. These developments are expected to boost institutional adoption and LINK trading liquidity upon SEC approval and clarity on staking reward tax treatment.

Dunamu, parent of South Korea’s top exchange Upbit, has launched Giwa, an Ethereum Layer2 scaling network. Giwa testnet on the OP Stack delivers 1-second block times and has processed over 4 million Sepolia blocks. The network supports EVM smart contracts with Solidity-compatible code for seamless dApp deployment. A dedicated Giwa Wallet is in development. The platform will integrate Korean won–pegged stablecoins at launch, aligning with South Korea’s digital asset regulations. CEO Oh Kyung-seok unveiled these features at the 2025 Upbit D Conference. With Upbit’s 73% domestic market share and $22.5 billion in 24-hour volume, Giwa benefits from strong liquidity. It competes with Binance’s BNB Chain and Coinbase’s Base for developers and capital. Cross-chain bridges, transparent governance, and flagship dApps will be key to attracting users. Key milestones include mainnet launch, native stablecoin issuance, and first major applications. By hiding blockchain complexity behind a user-friendly interface, Giwa aims for mainstream adoption and improved on-ramps into Web3.

Crypto sentiment has slid into the fear zone, with the Crypto Fear & Greed Index dropping from neutral to 44 (Fear). Traders are adopting risk-off strategies and rotating funds into large-cap cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and XRP. On-chain data from Santiment shows capital flowing out of small-cap altcoins back into major tokens. Over the past month, BTC has fallen 5% while ETH rose 9%, and the total crypto market cap stands at $3.82 trillion. Despite an Altcoin Season Index reading of 56, many altcoins remain under pressure. Bitfinex analysts warn that a broader altcoin rally may be delayed until new spot crypto ETFs launch later this year. Some traders, including @rektfencer, view the current pullback as a final “shakeout” that could pave the way for renewed altcoin momentum. However, technical analysts caution that Bitcoin’s indecisive price action could trigger further short-term swings. The longer-term market outlook now hinges on upcoming ETF approvals and the dynamics of the next halving cycle.

StablecoinX has secured a $530 million PIPE financing, lifting its combined treasury to $890 million. The funds will purchase over 3 billion ENA tokens to strengthen the Ethena ecosystem and support the USDe stablecoin. In parallel, the Ethena Foundation launched a $310 million ENA buyback, bringing total repurchases to $570 million. According to Mark Piano, this measure deepens ENA liquidity and sustains ecosystem products like USDe and USDtb. USDe circulation has more than doubled to over $12 billion, aided by the December 2024 USDtb launch with Anchorage Digital Bank under the GENIUS Act. A new advisory board chaired by Rob Hadick (Dragonfly) will oversee governance, strategic partnerships and long-term shareholder value. The PIPE deal is set to close in Q4 2025. After closing, the merged entity will list on Nasdaq as StablecoinX (USDE). These efforts follow regulatory hurdles—including a BaFin ban in March 2025 and a German buyback settlement—and aim to restore confidence and drive sustainable growth in the Ethena ecosystem.

Nasdaq has filed for SEC approval to trade tokenized stocks and ETFs on a single order book alongside traditional equities. The proposal, slated for Q3 2026, would leverage blockchain for on-chain settlement while preserving full shareholder rights, including dividends and voting. The move follows similar initiatives by Coinbase, Galaxy Digital, and JPMorgan as regulators like the SEC and Congress debate digital asset rules and custody frameworks. Success hinges on regulatory clarity, central clearing infrastructure updates by the DTCC, and market adoption driven by trading efficiency. If SEC approval is granted, these tokenized stocks could set a global precedent and accelerate institutional blockchain integration in capital markets.

Boerse Stuttgart has launched Seturion, its pan-European blockchain settlement platform for tokenized asset trading and settlement. Developed with Solaris Digital Assets, this modular infrastructure supports issuance, registration and secondary market settlement of security tokens and other digital assets. Seturion offers atomic settlement to reduce counterparty risk, supports euro and stablecoin settlement, and connects with major European banking rails. Approved by BaFin and compliant with MiCA, the platform integrates into existing DLT infrastructures without a dedicated license. Early adopters include DWS Group, Börse Stuttgart Digital Exchange (BSDEX) and partner banks. With up to 90% cost savings and faster processing, the blockchain settlement platform aims to streamline cross-border trading, cut settlement times and drive wider tokenized asset adoption across Europe. The launch also aligns with the EU’s upgraded DLT pilot regime under the Savings and Investment Union plan.

An ex-Ethereum investor behind a $150 purchase turned $1.5M is leading the Little Pepe presale on its Ethereum Layer 2 chain. To date, the Little Pepe presale has sold 15 billion tokens across 12 stages, raising $24 million of its $25.5 million target at $0.0021 per token and projecting a 42.9% gain at a $0.003 listing price. The memecoin offers zero trading fees, anti-sniper protection, staking rewards, a built-in launchpad, DAO voting and a CertiK audit for security. Next steps include stage 13 at $0.0022, NFT drops, cross-chain support and listings on major exchanges. A $777,000 giveaway rewards 10 early participants, boosting engagement. Traders eye the presale momentum and roadmap as potential catalysts, signaling bullish prospects for Little Pepe.

Trump Media & Technology Group has acquired 684.4 million Cronos tokens (CRO) for $105 million—about 2% of the circulating supply—in a deal with Crypto.com. The company plans to integrate CRO into Truth Social’s incentive ecosystem and the upcoming Truth+ streaming service via the Crypto.com wallet. To manage its $6.42 billion CRO treasury, Trump Media formed the subsidiary Trump Media Group CRO Strategy, Inc., which has agreed to merge with SPAC YA II PN, Ltd. for a public listing. CEO Devin Nunes described CRO as a fast, secure universal payment solution. After the announcement, CRO rose over 3% on Binance, reflecting market optimism about Cronos token adoption.

Tether is stepping up its expansion into the gold sector, exploring gold mining investments across mining, refining and royalty companies. The Tether gold mining push aims to deepen the stablecoin issuer’s commodity exposure and diversify USDT’s backing. Since launching tokenized gold Tether Gold (XAUt) in 2020, Tether has backed 259,000 XAUt tokens with 7.7 tonnes of bullion and holds about $8.7 billion in physical gold reserves. CEO Paolo Ardoino calls gold a “natural counterpart to bitcoin.” In H1 2024 Tether reported $5.7 billion in profits and a market cap of $168 billion. Its XAUt market cap also jumped past $1.3 billion after a single-day $437 million mint in August. Recently, Tether Investments bought a $105 million stake in gold royalty firm Elemental Altus, injected a further $100 million post-merger with EMX, and has held talks with BVI-based Terranova Resources. By deploying crypto profits into the metals market, the Tether gold mining strategy enhances USDT stability and signals bullish momentum for Tether’s commodity-backed offerings, potentially strengthening trader confidence in stablecoin collateralization.

An ICO-era Ethereum whale that purchased 1 million ETH at $0.31 each in 2015 has reactivated after eight years. The whale staked $645 million in ETH, moving tokens into a validator contract while retaining 105,000 ETH in two addresses. This ETH staking deposit highlights growing confidence in Ethereum. Ether recently reached a record $4,946 high and trades near $4,329. Concurrently, crypto whales are accumulating ETH. A seven-year-old BTC wallet liquidated holdings to fund $334 million in ETH longs, and another converted 22,769 BTC into 472,920 ETH. Institutional buyers are also piling in, with Peter Thiel-backed Bitmine Immersion Tech adding 69,603 ETH to reach 1.75 million ETH. SharpLink Gaming and FalconX-linked wallets increased their ETH reserves. Combined with spot ETH ETF inflows and favorable regulation, this wave of whale activity supports a bullish outlook for Ethereum.

Wyoming’s state-issued FRNT stablecoin, backed by U.S. dollars and short-term Treasuries, will launch on the Hedera (HBAR) blockchain after approval by the state’s Stable Token Commission. Initially released in August on Ethereum, Solana, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Polygon and Optimism, the FRNT stablecoin expands its blockchain support to Hedera in line with Wyoming’s supportive crypto regulation. The Commission cited Hedera’s enterprise-led governance model and strong compliance record as key factors. Public trading details for the FRNT stablecoin on Hedera are pending, and proceeds from Treasury holdings will fund Wyoming’s education initiatives. This move highlights Wyoming’s regulatory leadership in state-issued stablecoins and offers traders a transparent digital asset for payments, payroll, and emergency disbursements.

ReversingLabs researchers have uncovered a novel supply-chain malware campaign that uses Ethereum smart contracts to conceal malicious payload URLs, bypassing traditional security scans. Attackers published two trojanized NPM packages—colortoolsv2 and mimelib2—disguised as Solana and Hyperliquid trading bots on GitHub. Once installed, these packages query specific Ethereum smart contracts on-chain to retrieve command-and-control server details for second-stage malware. Attributed to Stargazer’s Ghost Network, the operation relied on fake GitHub accounts, inflated stars, automated commits and rotating dependencies across new repositories to evade detection. This advanced exploitation of smart contract functionality highlights critical risks in blockchain-based supply chains and NPM package security, underlining the need for rigorous open-source library vetting, continuous GitHub metric monitoring and enhanced blockchain security practices.

Polymarket has received a no-action letter from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), clearing the way for its relaunch in the United States. The approval is tied to Polymarket’s $112 million acquisition of QCX LLC, a CFTC-licensed derivatives exchange, and QC Clearing LLC, now operating as Polymarket US and Polymarket Clearing. CEO Shayne Coplan hailed the swift decision, calling it a record-time approval for regulated prediction markets. Last November, Coplan faced an FBI raid over alleged unauthorized commodity exchange operations, and both DOJ and CFTC investigations have since closed. The no-action letter provides legal certainty for Polymarket’s US return and sets the stage for its expansion in the regulated US prediction-market sector. High-profile backer Donald Trump Jr., through 1789 Capital, has joined Polymarket’s advisory board following the clearance.

Anchorage Digital, a US-regulated crypto bank, has formally launched institutional custody and staking for Starknet’s native token STRK at a 7.28% APR, surpassing U.S. Treasury yields of 4–4.5%. Having supported STRK custody since January, Anchorage adds staking this week, strengthening its partnership with Starknet—the seventh-largest Ethereum Layer 2 by $545 million bridged value. Starknet Foundation’s James Strudwick notes the potential to unlock new DeFi opportunities for institutions. This move addresses rising demand for higher-yield, secure, regulated crypto products and could drive further institutional adoption of Layer-2 scaling solutions.

Grayscale Investments has launched the Ethereum Covered Call ETF (ETCO) on the NYSE Arca, marking its entry into yield-oriented Ethereum products. The Ethereum Covered Call ETF writes covered calls on spot Ethereum trusts—Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE) and Ethereum Mini Trust—collecting biweekly premiums to generate income. ETCO holds at least 80% of its assets in derivatives tied to Ethereum ETPs and began trading with $1.4 m in assets under management. The actively managed ETF targets biweekly distributions and carries a 0.66% expense ratio. By capping upside during rallies, ETCO seeks to deliver consistent yield and mitigate volatility. This launch complements Grayscale’s existing Bitcoin Covered Call ETF and Premium Income ETF, reflecting growing demand for complex income strategies in regulated crypto ETFs.

Bitcoin ETF inflows have topped $300 million over two trading sessions, led by BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC, marking an institutional rotation away from Ethereum ETFs, which saw over $135 million in outflows. This shift reverses August’s trend, when Ethereum’s spot ETFs dominated with $3.87 billion in net inflows. Analysts warn that while the concentrated dip-buying provides short-term support near Bitcoin’s $108,000 price level, sustained inflows over multiple days or weeks are required for a genuine trend reversal. On-chain signals—such as declining exchange reserves and steady spot ETH ETF subscriptions—suggest long-term accumulation in Ethereum despite its sub-$4,500 trading range. Traders should closely monitor daily ETF flow data, options positioning, macro indicators and on-chain metrics to assess market sentiment and potential price volatility. Bitcoin ETF inflows remain a key barometer of institutional sentiment in the current macroeconomic environment.

Coinbase is doubling down on AI-generated code in its engineering workflow, raising the share from 20% to over 40%—and setting a target of 50% by October. CEO Brian Armstrong has mandated AI integration with tools like GitHub Copilot, Claude Code and Cursor, making the 4,200-strong team “AI-native” and dismissing engineers who resist without valid reasons. All AI-generated code undergoes rigorous review, and internal data show a twofold increase in AI-written lines since April. Despite automation concerns, Coinbase plans to fill about 350 vacancies—nearly half in engineering, including 93 AI backend and 56 customer experience roles—to boost productivity and scale operations. Industry voices such as White House AI czar David Sacks and PwC researchers endorse AI’s role in enhancing efficiency. Crypto traders should watch how Coinbase’s AI-driven development and hiring push may set new productivity benchmarks in the crypto exchange sector.

Solana on-chain governance has approved the Solana Alpenglow upgrade, adopting new Votor and Rotor consensus modules. The Solana Alpenglow upgrade replaces TowerBFT and proof-of-history, cutting Layer 1 transaction finality from over 12 seconds to 150 milliseconds—a 100× speed boost. With over 98% support and 52% validator turnout, the upgrade achieves Web2-level responsiveness. The Solana Foundation expects this performance leap to unlock high-speed DeFi and DApp use cases, reinforcing SOL’s on-chain utility and potentially boosting trader demand.