Crypto News

Ethereum consensus client Prysm released version 7.2.1 before the Glamsterdam upgrade on the Sepolia testnet. The update makes the 200 million gas limit the default for Prysm validators after the fork, replacing the previous 60 million default that required manual configuration. Glamsterdam is scheduled for Sepolia epoch 353,024, at 13:53:36 UTC on 6 October 2026. The higher gas limit, introduced under EIP-8261, could allow more transactions and on-chain operations per block, but it will also increase hardware and execution-node performance demands. Prysm 7.2.1 enables partial data columns by default and fixes an issue involving construction of the first post-fork block. Older command-line settings can still override the new limit, although Prysm now displays a startup warning. Teku continues to use a 60 million gas default and requires operators to set 200 million manually. Glamsterdam combines the Gloas consensus-layer and Amsterdam execution-layer upgrades, including enshrined proposer-builder separation and block-level access lists. Hoodi and Ethereum mainnet activation dates remain undecided. For traders, Prysm and Glamsterdam are important Ethereum infrastructure developments, but the testnet rollout does not directly alter ETH market conditions. The immediate price impact is therefore likely to be limited.

BitMine Immersion Technologies bought 15,112 ETH in the week ending 4 October, taking its Ethereum treasury to 6,016,414 ETH. The holdings equal about 4.9% of Ethereum’s circulating supply, leaving the company roughly 88,586 ETH short of its 5% target. The purchase was below the previous week’s 17,362 ETH and was BitMine’s smallest weekly acquisition since mid-August. BitMine had staked 5,067,309 ETH, or 84.2% of its holdings, through its MAVAN validator network and partners. Based on a seven-day annualised staking yield of 2.63%, the company estimates annual gross staking revenue of about $363 million. Full staking could raise that figure to roughly $431 million, although returns vary and remain exposed to network participation, fees, operating costs, custody risks, validator downtime and slashing. At an ETH price of about $2,697.51, BitMine’s ETH treasury was worth approximately $16.23 billion. Its wider digital-asset, cash and equity holdings were previously valued at about $17.4 billion, including 214 BTC, a stake in Beast Industries and shares of Eightco Holdings. Cash and marketable securities fell to $643 million from $672 million. Chairman Tom Lee said ETH gained more than 70% in the third quarter and outperformed the S&P 500 by 68.32 percentage points. However, ETH remained down about 10% for the first nine months of 2026. BitMine’s shares had fallen 3% in 2025, compared with a 10% decline for ETH, partly reflecting a 21-million-share buyback under a $4 billion authorisation. The company’s ETH treasury strategy increases its sensitivity to ETH prices, staking performance, financing conditions and dilution. The value of its ETH holdings exceeding its ordinary equity market value does not by itself prove that the stock is undervalued, given debt, preferred shares, taxes and custody risks.

Safe governance is under scrutiny after early investor Greenfield Capital filed a complaint with Switzerland’s Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations. Greenfield is seeking a review of the Safe Ecosystem Foundation and possible board restructuring after more than a year of discussions. The investor says Safe’s current governance lacks independence and relevant financial, risk-management and corporate-governance expertise. It questioned links involving board member Stefan George and Gnosis, which has competing wallet products, as well as Richard Meissner’s association with the company developing and operating Safe products. Greenfield wants George removed and independent directors appointed. It also alleged that George and Gnosis co-founder Martin Köppelmann pressured Safe founders over SAFE token allocations after the February 2025 Bybit hack. These allegations have not been tested in court. Safe’s operating indicators have also weakened. Second-quarter revenue was $1.98 million, implying an annualised run rate of about $8 million, below its $20 million 2026 target. Assets managed through Safe wallets fell from about $6.6 billion in early 2024, or $66 billion under the later reporting metric, to roughly $3 billion, or $30 billion, in the latest figures. This decline came while DeFi total value locked rose by about 40%. Safe has also lost stablecoin market share. Global stablecoin supply increased by about 135%, while stablecoins held in Safe wallets on Ethereum rose only 11%. Safe’s share of circulating USDC fell from 12.8% to 2.5%. The Safe governance dispute may not immediately affect operations, but it raises regulatory and reputational risks. Traders should monitor the regulator’s response, board changes, revenue updates, wallet outflows and any renewed selling pressure in SAFE.

Fairshake PAC, backed by Coinbase, Ripple Labs and Andreessen Horowitz, will support 32 incumbent House members who voted for the CLARITY Act in the 2026 US midterm elections. The group is backing 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats, including House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill. Fairshake PAC will initially spend at least $6 million, giving $1 million each to six candidates: Democrats Janelle Bynum, Derek Tran and Steven Horsford, and Republicans French Hill, Bill Huizenga and Bryan Steil. The PAC held about $120 million to $122 million in cash, leaving funds for additional House and Senate races and late-cycle advertising. It is expected to spend more than $100 million overall, including at least $30 million on Ohio Senate candidate Jon Husted against Democrat Sherrod Brown. The CLARITY Act passed the House 294-134 in July 2025. It would establish digital-asset market rules and divide oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission. However, the bill remains stalled in the Senate after a 49-50 cloture vote on 15 September 2026, well below the 60-vote threshold. For crypto traders, the Fairshake PAC campaign signals sustained political support for clearer crypto regulation, but it does not resolve the Senate deadlock. The immediate price impact is likely limited. Election results and future congressional votes could affect regulatory risk, exchange operations and institutional participation over the longer term.

Ethereum’s validator exit queue fell to 767,349 ETH on 5 October 2026, down from a peak of about 851,000 ETH on 2 October. The backlog still implies a wait of roughly 13 days and eight hours, well above the 166,000 ETH recorded on 29 September. The surge followed MetaMask Staking’s decision to withdraw about 17,000 validators operated for Lido, representing an estimated 523,000 ETH. MetaMask said the move was a defensive response to a security incident disclosed on 30 September. It found no evidence that user wallets or funds were affected. Lido expects most of the withdrawn ETH to return to staking, although re-entry could take up to 45 days. Ethereum’s entry queue also remains large, with about 1.44 million to 1.5 million ETH awaiting activation and an estimated delay of around 25 days. ETH in either queue does not earn staking rewards. Ethereum’s churn limit restricts validator inflows and outflows to about 256 ETH per epoch, or roughly 57,600 ETH per day. The exit backlog remains a relatively small share of the estimated 43.6 million ETH staked, so the event does not currently indicate a systemic network problem. ETH traders should monitor re-staking activity, staking yields and further details about the MetaMask incident. The queue may create short-term volatility and liquidity concerns, but its gradual decline reduces immediate downside risk.

Binance will introduce new Brazil crypto transfer rules on 1 November. Brazilian users must state the purpose of every international crypto transfer and provide counterparty details before processing. Binance will report the transactions monthly to Brazil’s Central Bank under foreign-exchange regulations. The Brazil crypto transfer requirements cover assets sent to or received from overseas accounts, including transfers between a user’s Brazilian and foreign exchange accounts. Corporate customers must also disclose whether the counterparty belongs to the same economic group. Domestic transfers between Brazilian residents are excluded. Transfers of up to $50,000 will use 10 simplified purpose codes. Transactions above $50,000 must use one of 96 detailed classifications, with no general “other” option. A separate $100,000 per-transaction limit may apply when the foreign counterparty is not authorised to operate in Brazil’s foreign-exchange market. Binance said eligible overseas exchanges will be assessed and listed. Withdrawals will be blocked until the required information is submitted. Overseas deposits may remain pending or be returned. Transfers to or from a user’s own self-custody wallet require ownership confirmation but no purpose code. The rules also apply to API users and corporate accounts. The policy is separate from Brazil’s planned crypto Travel Rule, expected to cover domestic transfers in 2027 and international transfers in 2028. Traders should expect more compliance checks, slower cross-border settlement and greater transaction traceability. The measures do not restrict ordinary trading or domestic transfers.

Bitcoin rose to about $86,100-$86,757 after softer inflation and weak US jobs data reduced expectations for further Federal Reserve rate rises. September payrolls increased by only 29,000, below forecasts, while unemployment rose to 4.2%. CME FedWatch data put the probability of an October rate hold at 74%, up from 35.8% a week earlier. The shift supported Bitcoin and other risk assets, although stronger inflation or jobs data could renew rate-hike concerns. Bitcoin remains below resistance near $87,354. A break above that level could open a move towards $90,000, while rejection may trigger short-term profit-taking. The 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages have both moved above the 200-day EMA, creating bullish golden-cross signals. However, these indicators lag price action and do not guarantee further gains. Bitcoin is still about 31% below its record high from a year earlier. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $189.84 million in the latest reported daily inflows. September inflows reached $2.65 billion and third-quarter inflows totalled $6.34 billion, lifting total ETF net assets to about $101.1 billion. Net inflows for 2026 remain below $1 billion after first-half outflows, suggesting recent demand has also been allocation-driven rather than solely dependent on easier liquidity. Options traders show downside protection concentrated around $80,000, while call interest is focused between $89,000 and $92,000. Bitcoin’s Fear & Greed Index stood at 68. Traders are watching the Federal Reserve meeting minutes on 7 October, US September CPI on 14 October and the next Fed meeting on 27-28 October. Ethereum and XRP posted modest gains, while Solana declined. High Treasury yields and upcoming inflation data remain risks to Bitcoin’s short-term momentum.

Greek police arrested 17 people in Katerini on September 30 over an alleged $8 million crypto pyramid scheme. Nine suspects were reportedly military personnel, including two non-commissioned officers accused of leadership roles. A 44-year-old leader of the Association of Artificial Intelligence Friends in Katerini was remanded in custody, while some suspects were released on bail of €15,000 to €20,000. Investigators allege that the unlicensed crypto pyramid scheme promised to double investments within 50 days with minimal risk. It was promoted through the Hellenic Artificial Intelligence Team Association, or AT Team Greece, which reportedly claimed that AI-powered trading generated automated returns. Recruitment bonuses allegedly helped attract new investors. Authorities estimate that about 10,000 people took part and that the operation had been active since at least 2025. The platform reportedly froze withdrawals around September 1. Police seized approximately €295,090 in cash and electronic devices. Only 18 victims have so far reported identified losses of about €55,970, although the figure may increase. Investigators also estimate that the group recruited 1,842 members and collected roughly €2 million in Katerini alone. The crypto pyramid scheme emerged after two anonymous complaints were submitted through Greece’s gov.gr portal in July. The allegations and financial estimates have not been tested in court. The case does not name a specific cryptocurrency, so its direct effect on token prices is likely limited. However, further arrests, asset seizures or regulatory action could increase scrutiny of unlicensed crypto investment platforms.

Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett says the US stock market is showing signs similar to the period before the 2000 dot-com crash. The AI bubble remains concentrated in the “Magnificent Seven” and other technology shares, while market breadth has weakened sharply. About 400 S&P 500 companies are below their 50-day moving averages and 300 are below their 200-day averages. The median S&P 500 stock is around 16% below its peak, even as the index remains near a record high. Hartnett also warned that hyperscaler capital spending could form a major AI investment bubble. He identified credit stress, weaker liquidity and geopolitical capital outflows as key risks. His latest assessment adds that recent flows are moving toward safer assets: $18.8 billion entered bonds, compared with $15.8 billion in equities and $900 million in cryptocurrencies. Hartnett recommends buying US Treasury bonds, calling the trade “buy humiliation”. The 10-year Treasury yield has reached 5.33%, while long-duration government bonds and investment-grade technology debt have weakened. Traders are watching several risk levels, including MOVE above 125, the Global Financials ETF below $125, the MDY mid-cap ETF below $666 and the IJR small-cap ETF below $135. For crypto traders, the AI bubble warning points to a potentially bearish short-term backdrop. A reversal in concentrated technology leadership could trigger broader risk reduction and pressure cryptocurrency prices. However, falling bond yields, renewed liquidity or policy support could improve conditions for digital assets over the longer term.

Japan has added crypto exchange Garantex to its Russia sanctions list, restricting payments and capital transactions involving the platform unless approved by the Japanese government. The action also covers 33 Russia-linked entities, nine individuals and 35 vessels associated with the country’s shadow fleet. The Garantex sanctions limit the exchange’s access to Japanese financial channels. The United States and European Union previously sanctioned Garantex over alleged illegal transactions and sanctions violations. US authorities estimate that the exchange processed more than $96 billion in cryptocurrency activity since 2019, although this figure does not indicate that all transactions were illicit. Japan is also restricting funding, repairs, technical assistance, insurance and other services for the designated vessels. Blockchain intelligence reports suggest that some Garantex-linked activity moved to alternative infrastructure, including Grinex, after earlier enforcement actions. For crypto traders, the case signals tighter sanctions compliance, greater counterparty risk and increased scrutiny of exchanges with links to Russia or sanctioned entities. The direct impact on major cryptocurrency prices is likely to remain limited, but affected platforms could face reduced liquidity, disrupted payment access and further enforcement pressure.

Microsoft’s official X account, followed by more than 13 million users, was briefly compromised and used to promote the unauthorized CLIPPY meme coin linked to the company’s former Clippy assistant. Attackers changed the profile image, followed and reposted content from a Clippy impersonation account, and claimed CLIPPY’s liquidity pool was paired with Microsoft stock, MSFT. Those claims were not independently verified. Microsoft said the Microsoft X account hack was unauthorized. It removed the posts, secured the account and launched an investigation. The company said it did not endorse, sponsor or issue any cryptocurrency connected to Clippy, Microsoft or the MSFT ticker. The promotion reportedly remained online for about 30 minutes, followed by a deleted apology. The Microsoft X account hack reflects a wider crypto scam pattern in which attackers compromise trusted profiles to create false legitimacy for meme coins. Similar incidents involved accounts linked to Robinhood, SpaceX and Starlink, while an operation involving 15 hacked accounts reportedly generated nearly $500,000. Traders should verify token announcements through official websites and multiple trusted sources before trading, as hacked-account promotions can trigger short-term volatility and rapid losses.

DeepSeek and Huawei have open-sourced six software modules for Huawei Ascend AI chips, targeting Nvidia’s CUDA advantage. The toolkit includes FlashMLA, DeepEP, DeepGEMM, TileKernels, DeepSelect and an Ascend version of TileLang. TileLang is the central component, offering a higher-level framework intended to simplify AI development while retaining hardware performance. The tools support many operators used to train DeepSeek’s V4 models. DeepGEMM supports BF16, FP8 and FP4 matrix operations, while TileKernels aims to provide compatible Python interfaces for Nvidia GPUs and Huawei NPUs. DeepSeek and Huawei have also optimised computing and communications for a 128-chip Ascend 950 cluster. The partnership is expanding. DeepSeek is preparing to deploy at least 160,000 Ascend 950DT chips at a data centre in Inner Mongolia. The chips are expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2026, while parts of the facility could come online from late 2027 to early 2028. DeepSeek has already optimised its V4 model for Ascend hardware and used Ascend 950 chips in some training workloads. The release could reduce Chinese developers’ reliance on Nvidia and limit exposure to US export controls. However, the performance evidence remains limited. Early tests used an unpublished proof-of-concept development kit and manual configurations. Full bandwidth is expected only with Huawei’s commercial Atlas 850E kit, reportedly planned for October 2026. DeepEP currently reaches about 90% to 95% of physical bandwidth at expert-parallelism scales of up to 32, while larger configurations and data-combine operations are still being optimised. FlashMLA is not yet supported on Ascend, and DeepSelect currently supports only BF16. For crypto traders, this is a neutral and mainly long-term technology story rather than an immediate market catalyst. The DeepSeek partnership may support demand for domestic AI infrastructure, semiconductor alternatives and data-centre capacity, but it does not directly affect major cryptocurrency fundamentals. Traders should monitor TileLang adoption, Ascend shipments, DeepSeek’s future hardware purchases and Nvidia’s China market share.

US President Donald Trump has appointed Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to help lead a new Super Intelligence Force coordinating federal AI policy. The group will report to Trump and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and consult AI companies, consumers, public-interest groups, religious organisations and critical infrastructure providers. The earlier announcement said the task force would assess AI risks and opportunities and recommend ways to preserve US leadership in advanced AI. It was also expected to review AI incident-reporting systems, with the group initially given 120 days to produce recommendations. The later update did not provide a detailed mandate or timeline. Jay Clayton is closely watched by crypto traders. As SEC chair during Trump’s first term, he oversaw 57 enforcement cases involving crypto firms, initial coin offerings and blockchain projects. The SEC’s 2020 lawsuit against Ripple alleged that $1.3 billion in XRP sales were unregistered securities offerings. Clayton later advised crypto companies, including One River Asset Management and Fireblocks. In 2025, he became interim US attorney for the Southern District of New York, whose office continued prosecuting Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm. The appointment does not introduce new cryptocurrency rules or immediately change market liquidity. It may influence sentiment around AI tokens, data centres, semiconductors and technology regulation. For XRP and the wider digital-asset market, traders are likely to monitor whether Clayton’s enforcement-focused background affects future AI or crypto policy.

Near Intents recovered the full $3.8 million stolen in a cross-chain exploit after its general manager, Alex Shevchenko, gave the attacker 48 hours to return the funds. The recovery covers assets including Bitcoin, BNB, Ethereum and Solana, reducing the risk of direct losses for users. The exploit was caused by a flaw involving Near Intents’ Omni deposit and withdrawal layer and its main smart contract. The platform suspended services, promised full user compensation and reported the incident to law enforcement. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT said the assets were moved to KuCoin and later bridged to Bitcoin. An on-chain message attributed to the attacker admitted wrongdoing, praised the team’s response and encouraged hackers to use bug bounty programmes. Near Intents said it had ended its investigation. The platform supports swaps across 35 blockchains and has processed more than $30 billion in volume. For traders, the Near Intents recovery limits immediate user-loss concerns but does not remove broader smart-contract and cross-chain security risks. The incident may keep security and service-restoration updates in focus, while the recovered funds are unlikely to create a lasting price catalyst for the cryptocurrencies involved.

Visa stablecoin payment volume grew nearly 200% year over year, with more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs now serving consumers, businesses and commercial clients worldwide. Business and commercial cards accounted for about 17% of Visa’s stablecoin-linked card volume in fiscal 2026 year to date, according to VisaNet data. Visa also reported that stablecoin settlement activity exceeded a $20 billion annualised run rate, more than 15 times the level recorded a year earlier. Card payment volume and settlement volume measure different parts of the network, and Visa did not disclose the dollar value behind the 200% card-payment growth. Stablecoin adoption is expanding beyond crypto trading into cross-border payouts, supplier payments, treasury management and business-to-business commerce. Allium estimated that global stablecoin payments reached $401 billion to $527 billion during the first eight months of 2026. Business-to-business payments were the largest category, with 43% of geographically identified B2B volume involving cross-border transfers. Visa is also developing stablecoin infrastructure for banks, fintech firms and crypto companies, including settlement, wallet and lending tools. The growth strengthens the long-term adoption case for stablecoins and related payment infrastructure, but it is unlikely to provide an immediate directional catalyst for major cryptocurrency prices.

The Philippines has frozen 116 financial assets in an alleged plunder and kickback investigation linked to government flood-control projects. The Court of Appeals order covers 25 crypto wallets, 86 bank accounts, four investment accounts and one insurance policy. The freeze order was dated 21 September 2026 and announced on 1 October. The assets are reportedly linked to an unnamed lawmaker, a corporation and associated individuals. The Anti-Money Laundering Council said funds moved through intermediaries, banks, a money service business, a virtual asset platform and multiple wallets to obscure their origins. Investigators found no apparent operating revenue sufficient to support the scale of the investments. Earlier investigations into the scandal, which emerged in 2025, examined suspected corruption funds converted into USDT and estimated crypto movements of $50 million to $100 million. Those figures have not been directly linked to the 25 crypto wallets in the latest order. Authorities have not disclosed the wallet addresses, cryptocurrencies, platform or value of the frozen crypto assets. The freeze is an interim measure and does not establish criminal guilt. For crypto traders, the case is mainly a regulatory and compliance development. It may increase scrutiny of Philippine crypto exchanges, wallet providers and transaction-monitoring systems. The immediate impact on global crypto prices is likely to remain limited unless major exchanges, widely traded tokens or broader illicit-finance activity become involved.

Former UK National Crime Agency officer Paul Chowles has been ordered to forfeit £1,810,678.93 after stealing 50 Bitcoin from evidence seized during the Silk Road 2.0 investigation. The Bitcoin was worth about £59,409 in 2017, but its later rise increased the assessed criminal benefit to £1,970,759.27. Chowles transferred the Bitcoin, split the funds and used the Bitcoin Fog mixer to conceal the transactions. He also converted part of the holdings through Cryptopay and Wirex cards. Police linked the transfers to his iPhone, notes and account records after arresting him in 2022. He pleaded guilty in May 2025 and received a five-year-and-six-month prison sentence. Authorities recovered 30 of the 50 stolen Bitcoin. A separate confiscation order was issued against darknet operator Thomas White after the theft was initially attributed to him. The case highlights Bitcoin custody, blockchain tracing and the legal risks of mishandling seized cryptocurrency. It is unlikely to create direct selling pressure on Bitcoin, making the market impact neutral.

Tether-backed infrastructure project Utexo plans to launch USDT on Bitcoin by the end of September 2026 through the RGB protocol, updating its earlier October target. The move would return USDT to Bitcoin more than a decade after its first issuance through Omni. Utexo raised $7.5 million in seed funding and received a commercial licence from Tether to use the USDT brand and issue the stablecoin on Bitcoin. Tether CTO Paolo Ardoino has supported the project, while Utexo says more than 450 businesses, including exchanges and wallet providers, have expressed interest. No major integrations have been confirmed. The Bitcoin-native USDT is designed to support private transfers, direct BTC-USDT swaps and Bitcoin-backed loans without requiring users to wrap BTC. RGB uses client-side validation and links ownership to Bitcoin UTXOs, keeping most transaction details off the public blockchain. Utexo also plans future Lightning Network support for faster and cheaper stablecoin payments. For compliance, Utexo would blacklist UTXOs linked to sanctions or illicit activity. The assets would not be frozen directly, but exchanges and bridge providers could block redemption or transfers to networks such as Ethereum and Tron. A successful launch could add native USDT liquidity to Bitcoin DeFi and improve BTC payment and collateral use. However, the market impact is likely to remain limited in the short term because adoption, RGB’s technical development, regulatory approval and wallet, exchange and bridge support remain uncertain. Traders should treat the launch as a notable infrastructure development rather than a confirmed BTC price catalyst.

The TRUMP meme coin will hold its third holder dinner on 22 November at Trump National in Virginia, with US President Donald Trump and three unnamed guests expected to attend. The top 185 registered TRUMP holders will qualify based on a time-weighted score that rewards larger balances and longer holding periods. The final ranking snapshot will be taken on 12 November at 1 p.m. Eastern time. The top 29 holders will receive VIP access, while the four highest-ranked participants will receive 18-karat gold Trump watches. Organisers said the event will not include private meetings or meet-and-greet sessions with Trump. The first TRUMP holder dinner, held in May 2025, drew criticism over concerns that token ownership could be linked to political access. The latest event follows a failed key Senate vote on the Clarity Act. Restrictions on Trump’s crypto interests were reportedly among the main obstacles in negotiations. Trump’s latest financial disclosure showed more than $635 million in 2025 income from the TRUMP meme coin, mainly from licensing royalties, and more than $1.2 billion in total crypto-related income. TRUMP was trading near $2.04, with a market capitalisation of about $576 million. The TRUMP meme coin has fallen more than 97% since its January 2025 launch. The dinner could create short-term publicity and speculative buying, but political scrutiny, regulatory uncertainty and the token’s prolonged decline remain significant risks for traders.

Brazil 2026 election polling shows President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva narrowly ahead of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. A Datafolha poll gives Lula 42% and Bolsonaro 38% in the first round, leaving both well below the 50% needed for an outright win and making a runoff likely. Prediction markets still favour Lula to receive the most votes in the first round, with his implied probability at 71.5%, down slightly from 72% a week earlier. Bolsonaro’s probability has risen to 28.5%, although expectations that he will win 36% to 39% of the vote have weakened. Simulated runoff contests remain close. The Brazil 2026 election is a political and macroeconomic risk event for traders. New polls, endorsements, debates and potential scandals could move prediction-market prices, the Brazilian real and emerging-market sentiment. The reports provide no direct cryptocurrency price signal, so the immediate impact on crypto markets is likely to remain limited.

Bitcoin briefly climbed above $85,000, reaching about $85,500, after August US PCE inflation came in below expectations. Core PCE rose 0.2% month on month and 3.0% year on year, below the 3.3% forecast, while headline PCE increased 0.3% month on month and 3.4% year on year. The softer inflation data reduced expectations of another Federal Reserve rate hike in October and strengthened bets on a December rate cut. However, the Bitcoin rally quickly faded as Treasury yields stayed high. Bitcoin later traded near $83,700, up about 0.4% over 24 hours. The US 10-year Treasury yield remained near 5.28%, while the 30-year yield reached 5.62%, its highest level since 2002. Elevated bond yields are supporting safer assets and limiting liquidity flows into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. A sustained decline in real yields may be needed for Bitcoin to resume its advance. Traders should monitor Treasury yields, the US dollar and oil prices. If yields remain elevated, Bitcoin could continue consolidating between $83,000 and $85,000. HYPE and DOGE gained, while SOL declined slightly and other major tokens posted mixed moves.

BLAST fell 42% in 24 hours to $0.0002387 after South Korean crypto exchanges Upbit and Bithumb placed the token on their trading caution lists. The warnings indicate heightened exchange monitoring and could lead to further restrictions or delisting, although no such action has been announced. The risk has increased as the Blast project prepares to cease operations. Users have been advised to withdraw assets to the Ethereum mainnet before October 26. Traders should monitor exchange notices, the BLAST withdrawal deadline, liquidity, volatility and trading volume. The warnings and planned shutdown could sustain short-term selling pressure and increase long-term liquidity risk for BLAST.

BNY, one of the world’s largest custody banks, is in talks with Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, over a broad digital asset partnership. The potential agreement could cover cryptocurrency products, digital asset custody, wealth management, trading, payments and financial market infrastructure. Services would likely be delivered through Payward Services, Payward’s business-to-business platform for banks, exchanges and asset managers. Some proposed infrastructure arrangements may resemble Payward’s recent agreement with Nasdaq. The negotiations remain ongoing, and no final deal or specific products have been announced. A BNY and Payward partnership could improve institutional crypto custody, trading access and payment infrastructure over the long term. However, the absence of a signed agreement means the immediate market impact is likely to remain limited.

Circle is urging the European Commission to revise MiCA stablecoin rules ahead of the EU’s broader review expected in 2027. The USDC and EURC issuer says MiCA has attracted regulated firms, but only three of the 25 largest stablecoins by market value are currently covered by the framework. Circle wants the EU to preserve “multi-issuance”, allowing an EU-authorised entity and a foreign-regulated partner to issue the same stablecoin. It warned that tighter limits could push stablecoin activity offshore and weaken Europe’s competitiveness. The company also opposes MiCA’s fixed reserve requirements, which require e-money token issuers to hold at least 30% of reserves in commercial bank deposits, rising to 60% for significant tokens. Circle says these rules increase bank and counterparty risk, citing USDC’s temporary depeg after $3.3 billion of reserves were held at Silicon Valley Bank in March 2023. Circle supports liquidity-based standards focused on how quickly reserves can be accessed during redemptions, similar to proposals from the European Central Bank and other central banks. It also wants the EU to reconsider limits on exposure to a single sovereign and bank. Tether has opposed MiCA authorisation partly because of the deposit rules. The short-term trading impact is likely limited, but the MiCA review could influence stablecoin liquidity, exchange support, issuer costs and the long-term position of USDC, EURC and USDT in Europe.

MSCI is reviewing new screening criteria that could remove Strategy, Metaplanet and uranium holder Yellow Cake from major indexes. The proposed MSCI review may assess whether companies hold a sufficient share of operating assets, but the term is not clearly defined under US GAAP or IFRS. The uncertainty could also affect firms such as AST SpaceMobile and Lithium Americas. JPMorgan estimates that MSCI-linked funds could sell about $2.8 billion of Strategy stock if it is removed. If other index providers follow, potential selling could rise to $8.8 billion. MSCI is expected to announce a decision by 16 October, with any changes potentially taking effect during its December index review. The MSCI review creates a passive-flow risk for Strategy and could increase short-term volatility in MSTR. However, the direct impact on Bitcoin is likely to remain limited unless investors view the move as a broader challenge to corporate Bitcoin treasury companies.

HSBC RedCoin, HSBC’s Hong Kong dollar stablecoin, is expected to launch through PayMe before the end of 2026. The token will initially support peer-to-peer transfers and merchant payments, with corporate and institutional services planned later. PayMe has about 3.3 million users. HSBC received a stablecoin-related licence in April 2026, making HSBC RedCoin one of the first tokens approved under Hong Kong’s Stablecoins Ordinance. The bank will educate users about fraud prevention, redemption procedures and reserve transparency. A survey of about 1,000 Hong Kong customers found that 26% incorrectly believed stablecoins were government-issued. The launch comes as stablecoin use expands across Asia despite a 6.8% contraction in the wider Central and Southeast Asia and Oceania crypto economy. Chainalysis found that cross-border stablecoin transfers exceeded domestic transfers in every market studied, driven by remittances and business payments. Malaysia recorded the highest ratio, at 29.5 times. Stablecoin adoption is also growing in the UAE, where retailers are testing DDSC, a dirham-backed token for payments. Euro-backed stablecoins have exceeded $900 million in market capitalisation. EURC leads with $527.3 million, followed by EURCV at $171.4 million and EURXT at $62 million. However, euro stablecoins still represent only about 0.3% of the global stablecoin market, valued at roughly $301 billion. These developments strengthen the long-term payments and tokenisation case, but are unlikely to cause an immediate broad crypto price move.

Fed October odds on Polymarket shifted sharply toward a pause at the Federal Reserve’s 27–28 October meeting. Earlier pricing showed an 84% chance of unchanged rates after comments from New York Fed President John Williams. Later, weaker-than-expected August PCE inflation data pushed the no-change probability to 66%, while the chance of a 25-basis-point hike fell to 34%. Headline PCE rose 3.4% year over year, below the 3.7% forecast, while core PCE increased 3.0%, below the 3.3% estimate. The October contract has attracted roughly $20 million to $23 million in volume. Fed October odds still do not confirm a policy pivot. Polymarket assigns a 74% chance of a 25-basis-point hike in December and a 97% probability of no rate cuts this year. Strong inflation, resilient employment data, rising Treasury yields or hawkish Fed comments could revive hike expectations. Bitcoin was trading near $84,116, up about 1.3% over 24 hours. A near-term pause may support risk appetite, but traders should view the Fed October odds as a market signal rather than official guidance. If tightening is only delayed, financial conditions could remain restrictive and limit sustained gains for Bitcoin.

Petrobras, Brazil’s state-controlled energy company, is testing Cardano blockchain applications with the Cardano Foundation and Ledger Labs at PUC-Rio. The partnership builds on research that began in 2025 and expands Cardano’s enterprise and sustainability use cases in Brazil. One pilot tracks sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through production, distribution and environmental data. Its proposed Book-and-Claim system could turn verified certificates into transferable digital tokens and retire them after use, helping prevent double counting. A potential passenger tool could also estimate SAF allocations using routes, airports and emissions data. A second pilot covers Diesel R, Petrobras’ renewable-content diesel made from vegetable oils or animal fats. Cardano records would connect production, transport and end use, potentially helping companies verify supply-chain Scope 3 emissions. The projects strengthen Cardano’s real-world adoption narrative, but there is no confirmed commercial launch, ADA payment, token purchase or investment commitment. The news is therefore more relevant to Cardano’s long-term utility than to ADA’s immediate trading fundamentals.

The US CLARITY Act failed to secure the 60 Senate votes needed to advance, triggering a stronger-than-expected crypto market response. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan said the market may be better off without the CLARITY Act because its proposed compromises could have introduced new restrictions. In the three weeks after the 15 September Senate vote, Bitcoin (BTC) rose about 11% and Ethereum (ETH) gained roughly 12%. Hougan also cited a broader altcoin rally: NEAR rose 125%, Uniswap’s token (UNI) gained 49%, and Avalanche (AVAX) advanced 44%. Total crypto market capitalisation recovered from about $2.65 trillion to $2.95 trillion. The CLARITY Act could have restricted interest or rewards on stablecoin balances, created a national licensing system for spot crypto exchanges and limited platforms that combine exchange and brokerage services. With the CLARITY Act stalled, firms such as Coinbase and Kraken can continue operating under the existing framework, including stablecoin yield products for now. The setback was followed by more flexible regulatory action. The SEC introduced a five-year innovation exemption for certain blockchain-based trading of tokenised US stocks and clarified that announcing a buyback for an established crypto network does not automatically make its token an investment contract. Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor also urged crypto firms to develop compliant products under existing rules rather than accept restrictive legislative compromises. The CLARITY Act failure is a mildly bullish short-term signal for crypto prices, as traders avoided potentially restrictive rules. However, the sector remains dependent on agency guidance rather than durable legislation. A future SEC or CFTC leadership change could reverse the current approach, leaving long-term compliance and market-structure risks elevated.