Crypto News

Markets expect the Federal Reserve to hold its benchmark rate at 3.75%-4.00% at today’s decision, with futures pricing in odds above 90%. The Fed raised rates in September for the first time since 2023, as inflation reached 3.7% and oil prices neared $100 a barrel. Hiring has slowed, adding to the challenge of balancing inflation and economic growth. The Fed rate decision may still unsettle markets if officials signal another increase. Futures put the odds of a quarter-point hike at the Dec. 8-9 meeting at 75%-80%. Bitcoin is trading near $80,700, where traders are watching a resistance zone. Higher Treasury yields can make volatile assets such as Bitcoin less attractive, while leveraged positions may amplify moves through liquidations. The Fed’s statement and any dissenting votes could therefore influence short-term crypto trading.

Metakse Ghambaryan, crypto project lead at the Armenian Stock Exchange and director of the Web3 Armenia Foundation, has joined the FIO Board of Directors. She oversees strategy for the exchange’s digital asset program and promotes Web3 education in Armenia. Ghambaryan says FIO’s human-readable handles can make crypto transfers easier to understand by linking a simple name to wallet addresses across supported chains. Her appointment adds traditional finance and Web3 education experience to the FIO Board. The news highlights FIO’s focus on usability and adoption, but does not announce a product launch, funding or a change to the token’s utility.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) surprised markets by holding its policy rate at 2.75% in a split 4-3 vote. The New Zealand dollar fell about 1.4% after the decision, while markets had priced in roughly 23 basis points of tightening. Although a rate hike in December remains possible, the RBNZ’s signal was seen as dovish, putting market expectations for further tightening at risk. The news may add pressure to the NZD against commodity-linked currencies, though the undervalued NZD/USD could see some near-term relief.

Pimco reduced its exposure to debt tied to Meta and Oracle data centre projects as the AI bond market cooled, while still making a profit on some holdings. The asset manager sold about $3 billion of Meta-related bonds six to eight months after buying them, at prices above face value. Filings show its positions in both the Meta and Oracle financing deals are now about 50% smaller than before. Oracle-linked bonds fell from 98.7 cents at issuance to around 88 cents. Pimco has also passed on several large AI-related debt deals, including transactions involving Broadcom and Anthropic, SoftBank’s roughly $11 billion junk-bond issue, and some Oracle data-centre loans. It nevertheless invested about $4 billion in a SpaceX financing to support the company’s AI expansion. Pimco’s moves point to more selective lending as AI infrastructure borrowing grows and the AI debt market faces a pullback.

Avail has launched ShieldTX, a privacy tool for Hyperliquid traders. ShieldTX creates a separate wallet for each perpetual-futures position, making it harder for on-chain copy-trading bots to link trades and replicate strategies. The tool aims to reduce the execution costs that can arise when traders are copied. Research shared by ShieldTX with The Block analyzed 332,317 Hyperliquid wallets and examined seven top-100 traders alongside suspected copycat wallets. It estimated that copied traders faced a median additional cost of 63 basis points per trade due to execution-price effects. About 29% of Hyperliquid’s top 150 accounts use subaccounts, but those wallets may still be linked on-chain. ShieldTX adds another privacy option for Hyperliquid traders, though the reported figures are estimates from a limited sample.

Hyperliquid has unstaked 180,000 HYPE to fund monthly token unlocks for team members. The report did not identify the buyer involved in an earlier over-the-counter transaction. The HYPE unstaking and team unlocks add a potential source of token supply, but the article does not say whether the unlocked tokens will be sold.

Hong Kong-regulated gold token XAUa launched on Sui on October 28, 2026, expanding beyond its earlier issuance on Ethereum. Each XAUa represents one gram of 99.99% pure, LBMA-certified gold held by Brinks in Hong Kong. AlphaToken issues the token, while TBook manages on-chain distribution to eligible buyers. Sui’s Permissioned Asset Standard (PAS) checks transfers against compliance rules and rejects transactions that fail validation. TBook has also rebuilt and migrated its vault issuance platform to PAS, allowing other real-world asset (RWA) issuers to create compliant vaults on Sui. The launch adds a gold-backed RWA use case to Sui, but restricted access may limit liquidity and reach. It is a development in tokenization rather than a clear near-term price catalyst for SUI.

Bank of America clients withdrew $3.5 billion from US stocks last week, marking a second consecutive week of net outflows, after selling $15 billion the week before. Bank of America analysts Jill Carey Hall and Trey Brown said retail investors were the main drivers of the selling. The communication services sector—which includes telecom companies and media and technology firms such as Meta—saw its largest weekly outflow since records began in 2018. Industrials had the second-largest outflow and recorded net withdrawals for a 13th straight week. The figures point to continued pressure on US stocks, particularly in communication services and industrials. US stock outflows may also influence crypto trading if investors broadly reduce exposure to risk assets, though the report provides no direct data on cryptocurrency flows.

Ripio filed for a Brazil crypto broker license with the central bank on October 27, three days before the October 30 deadline for existing operators. The Argentine firm is seeking approval for crypto intermediation and custody, as well as authorization to operate in the foreign exchange market. CEO Sebastian Serrano said Ripio would make the changes needed to comply with the rules; the company has served Brazilian customers since 2015. Ripio has begun converting customer balances in Brazilian reais into its wBRL stablecoin and plans to discontinue some services, including Pix deposits, by October 29. At least 14 to 16 firms have publicly applied under Brazil’s new virtual asset service provider framework. Applicants face minimum capital requirements of R$10.8 million to R$37.2 million, depending on their activities, and filing does not guarantee approval.

Bitcoin mining is getting tougher as network hashrate nears 1,100 EH/s and difficulty sits at about 140.6 trillion. The next adjustment, expected on October 29, could raise difficulty by 6.3% to nearly 150 trillion. With mining costs again exceeding Bitcoin’s price, operators are exploring new revenue streams and ways to use mining’s excess heat. Tether has introduced its open-source Mining Development Kit (MDK), designed to connect mining and AI hardware, pools and other systems through a shared framework. Fifteen firms, including Bitdeer, Bitmain, Canaan, MicroBT and several mining pools, have pledged to explore integrations. The commitments are non-binding, and a stable 1.0 release is expected by year-end, so broad adoption remains uncertain. Separately, Heatbit is taking preorders for Bitwater, a 600-watt water-heater element that combines Bitcoin mining hardware rated at 34 TH/s with water heating. It costs $899 for preorder, with shipping expected in Q1 2027. The launch highlights attempts to improve mining economics, but returns will depend on electricity costs, usage and mining conditions.

US natural gas production is forecast to reach a record 112.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2026, up from 107.6 Bcf/d in 2025, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Output is projected to rise further to 116.1 Bcf/d in 2027, while expanding production in the Permian Basin and Haynesville shale supports growth. US LNG exports are expected to average 17.6 Bcf/d in 2026, about 17% higher than in 2025, and increase to 18.6 Bcf/d in 2027. The rise comes as European gas prices approach €100 per megawatt-hour. EU storage was about 74.9% full on October 26, below 82.9% a year earlier and the five-year average of roughly 89.6%. Germany’s reserves stood at around 61.6%. Disrupted Middle Eastern LNG shipments have added pressure to supply. Despite record US natural gas production, exports cannot immediately eliminate Europe’s shortfall: liquefaction, transport and regasification costs, as well as limited export capacity, separate US and European prices. Higher European energy costs could also renew inflation concerns, while growing electricity demand from AI data centres may support US gas demand.

US stocks opened mixed on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq up 0.24% and the S&P 500 up 0.17%, while the Dow fell 0.08%. A strong earnings report from South Korea’s SK Hynix—operating profit rose 632% year over year—lifted semiconductor shares. Micron gained about 4% in premarket trading, while Nvidia, AMD and Marvell also advanced. The Nasdaq’s rally reflects renewed interest in AI chipmakers, though concerns remain about the cost of AI infrastructure. Investors are also watching Microsoft and Alphabet earnings, due after the close, for signs that cloud and AI growth can justify heavy investment. Major technology companies could spend nearly $600 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026. The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates at 3.75%–4.00%; its decision and guidance could sway stocks and broader risk appetite. The Nasdaq’s gains may therefore prove sensitive to signals on borrowing costs and AI spending returns.

Aave has completed an adjustment to the floating borrowing rate curve for USDT in its Ethereum market. When pool liquidity tightens, borrowing costs will now rise earlier than before. Aave says interest already accrued on existing debt will not change; the updated curve affects only how outstanding balances grow from now on. The change may make borrowing more expensive as USDT liquidity falls, but the report provides no details on the size of the adjustment.

Markets expect the Federal Reserve to keep its benchmark interest rate at 3.75% to 4.00% on Wednesday, despite September US consumer and producer price inflation exceeding forecasts. Energy prices remain high, and there are few signs that investment in AI infrastructure is slowing. Recent comments from senior Fed officials have also suggested there is no urgency to raise rates this month. Oxford Economics said the officials made their remarks before the stronger inflation data emerged, and argued that their comments should not be seen as an indirect signal from Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh. If the Fed holds rates steady, Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack and Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan could dissent; both have said policy may need to tighten further. The expected Fed rate decision keeps inflation and interest-rate policy in focus for traders. A hold may limit immediate market disruption, but persistent price pressures and the possibility of dissent could keep expectations for future rate increases elevated.

Confusion over Iowa voting rights for people with past felony convictions could affect participation in the 2026 governor race. Governor Kim Reynolds’s 2020 executive order sought to restore voting rights to eligible people, but reports point to inconsistent implementation and uncertainty among local election officials. The issue may influence turnout among affected voters as Democratic nominee Rob Sand challenges Republican nominee Zach Lahn. The article says prediction-market pricing appears unfavorable to Democratic prospects, but provides no details connecting the reported voting-rights problems to specific market movements. Officials’ responses and voter-registration activity are key developments to watch. Iowa voting rights remain a state-election issue, with no direct cryptocurrency market catalyst identified.

Morpho has added oracle details to its app for supported lending markets, showing feed types, reported prices and data providers. The update gives users a clearer view of how collateral and loan assets are priced without requiring them to inspect smart contracts. Morpho is oracle-agnostic, so market curators choose from providers such as Chainlink, Pyth, Redstone, API3 and Chronicle. The app’s added visibility complements Morpho’s Oracle Portal, which helps decode configurations, compare prices with reference sources and identify potential issues. Morpho says market curators—not its core team—select and deploy market oracles. Incorrect prices can cause missed liquidations and bad debt, or trigger unnecessary liquidations. The new information does not eliminate oracle risk, but helps lenders assess it before depositing. Morpho’s app now makes oracle configurations more visible, while its existing tools continue to support oracle checks and risk monitoring.

Crypto analyst Ali Martinez highlighted key trading levels for XRP, Hyperliquid (HYPE) and Ethena (ENA) ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s FOMC meeting. The three tokens have rebounded, but their charts point to different tests for traders. XRP needs to hold $1.25. If it does, it could test $1.55 and potentially break toward $2.10; a drop below support could expose $0.98. XRP was trading near $1.33. Large wallets holding at least 10 million XRP reportedly control more than 68% of supply, a level that may support the recovery case. HYPE has bounced near $74, a trendline that previously preceded rallies. If support holds, Martinez sees a possible move above its all-time high of nearly $98 toward $110. A breakdown could bring $67 into view, with $60 also possible. HYPE was near $82. ENA must break resistance: a four-hour close above $0.22 could open a move toward $0.24–$0.27. Rejection may send it back to $0.18. ENA was trading just above $0.20. These are analyst scenarios, not guarantees, and the Fed meeting could add volatility to crypto markets.

Bitcoin’s Hash Ribbon recovered on August 26 and has remained positive for 61 days, while the 30-day average hash rate climbed 13% from July to about 1.1 zettahashes per second. The indicators suggest that miner stress may be easing, but do not confirm that Bitcoin has reached a market bottom. Historically, Bitcoin was higher a year after six of seven counted Hash Ribbon recoveries. The article cites an estimated 72% directional edge, while noting past failures: 15 of 231 signals reportedly did not succeed, including an April 2021 signal followed by a 17% decline. A January signal is still about 12% underwater. The current cycle may differ because some miners reportedly shifted capacity to AI, amid contracts worth about $100 billion. That raises uncertainty over whether the recovery reflects an end to miner capitulation or voluntary exits from Bitcoin mining. The discussion also points to Bitcoin trading above its 50-week average and MVRV above its average as supportive, but backward-looking, indicators.

Bitcoin is holding near $80,000 after pulling back from about $86,000, while market excitement and conviction appear muted. In an interview with Bitcoin Magazine, software engineer and Bitcoin Sentiment Weekly author Michael Sullivan says language-based sentiment measures resemble levels seen in 2015 and argues that subdued sentiment may be consistent with an early “disbelief rally.” He discusses investor psychology, short-term holders’ frustration, and possible narratives involving Bitcoin, traditional finance and AI-driven deflation. These are the guest’s interpretations, not confirmed market signals or investment advice. For traders, the contrast between a firm Bitcoin price and weak enthusiasm may be worth monitoring, but sentiment alone does not establish that a bull market has begun.

Utah’s SEDI digital identity framework requires open standards, but standards alone may not guarantee wallet choice or interoperability. The article argues that credentials could still be difficult to move between wallets, and verifiers could face vendor-specific integrations, even when systems use published standards. SEDI’s implementation rules have not yet resolved key questions, including which credential formats and presentation protocols will be supported, how conformance testing will work, and who will govern the trust registry. Key custody and credential re-issuance also affect whether holders can switch wallets without losing access or repeating identity checks. The article says SEDI needs precise technical profiles, transparent and independent certification, portable credentials, state-governed trust infrastructure and verifier onboarding that does not depend on bilateral vendor deals. These choices will determine whether SEDI’s legal protections for wallet choice and selective disclosure work in practice. The article is an analysis of digital identity policy, not a report of a cryptocurrency market development.

A surge in cyberattacks and AI-discovered software vulnerabilities has made October a difficult month for cybersecurity, with potential risks for crypto users. The PHP Foundation disclosed critical flaws in PHP, which is used by around 70% of websites. Cloudflare reported millions of attempts to exploit them, and US officials urged organizations to patch affected systems or take them offline. Other incidents included compromised credentials at cloud provider Railway, a patient-data breach at Quest Diagnostics, weak digital certificate keys at eMudhra and a major GitHub service disruption. Security experts warn that AI is making it faster and easier to find vulnerabilities, while organizations may lack the capacity to fix and deploy patches just as quickly. For individuals, recommendations include enabling multifactor authentication, using unique passwords, updating devices and browsers, and removing unused apps and account permissions. Crypto holders are advised to keep spending funds in a hot wallet and longer-term assets in a hardware wallet, and to check transaction details before signing. Bitcoin advocate Jameson Lopp argues that self-custody keeps control of private keys with users, while CertiK analyst Jonathan Riss says personal precautions can limit exposure but cannot prevent wider infrastructure failures.

Anthropic reported $16.29 billion in revenue in the first half of 2026, up from about $1.2 billion a year earlier. But the company’s rapid growth depends heavily on cloud marketplaces operated by Amazon, Google and Microsoft. These channels accounted for 48% of Anthropic revenue in the first half of 2026, rising from 11% in 2023 and 47% in 2025. In 2025, about $2.16 billion in sales went through Amazon and Google marketplaces. Anthropic paid an estimated $351 million in distribution fees, while its computing and infrastructure costs reached about $7.3 billion against $4.6 billion in revenue. The cloud companies are also investors, infrastructure providers and AI competitors, creating potential risks around pricing, capacity and customer access. Anthropic’s IPO filing also showed that cloud marketplaces represented 58% of its net accounts receivable as of June 30, 2026. The figures highlight the trade-off behind Anthropic revenue growth: cloud platforms provide reach and enterprise customers, but also create significant distribution and concentration risks.

Nvidia (NVDA) may have more room to grow as supply constraints ease, according to investor Rick Orford, who maintains a Strong Buy view on the stock. The article says demand for AI infrastructure from major customers, including SpaceX, Alphabet and Meta, could exceed Nvidia’s roughly 70% growth outlook. Nvidia is reportedly expanding supply commitments and plans to double chip-testing capacity by 2027. Higher output could support continued sales growth and strengthen its pricing power. However, the company faces risks, including $108.5 billion in customer guarantees. The article says strong free cash flow and disciplined share buybacks help support its valuation. Any potential increase to Nvidia’s growth guidance remains an expectation, not a confirmed forecast.

An analyst maintains a Buy rating on Hut 8 (HUT), arguing that its AI infrastructure expansion and diversified operations could support a recovery after recent volatility in neocloud and AI infrastructure stocks. Hut 8 operates across ASIC computing, AI cloud services and digital infrastructure, which the analyst says may reduce its reliance on AI revenue compared with some neocloud peers. The analyst expects lower Bitcoin network difficulty and rising BTC prices to support Hut 8’s Compute segment revenue and EBITDA in its upcoming third-quarter results. Project-level financing, contracted AI capacity and a streamlined corporate structure are also cited as potential strengths. Hut 8 has seen sharp share-price swings, including a nearly 20% weekly move, amid a broader sector sell-off. The article is an analyst’s investment opinion, not a company announcement, and the positive outlook remains subject to market conditions and execution.

The World Bank expects global commodity prices to rise 23% in 2026, driven by higher energy costs, disrupted shipping and grain transport, and strong demand for safe-haven assets such as gold. Its latest Commodity Markets Outlook forecasts global oil supply will fall 5.2% this year—the steepest decline in 40 years outside the 2020 global recession—as inventories are depleted during the Middle East conflict. Further escalation or continued damage to Russian oil infrastructure could worsen the outlook. The Bank expects commodity prices to drop 7% next year, but prolonged supply shocks or a severe El Niño could keep food prices high, stoke inflation, and raise the risk of tighter monetary policy. For crypto traders, higher commodity prices may matter mainly through inflation expectations, interest-rate outlooks, and broader risk appetite.

Alphabet and Microsoft are due to report quarterly results after US markets close on Wednesday. Investors will focus on cloud growth and whether rising AI infrastructure spending is reducing free cash flow. The Alphabet and Microsoft earnings reports will test whether cloud revenue can show that AI investments are beginning to pay off. Since the previous results in late July, Microsoft shares have risen about 36%, after Azure posted its fastest growth in four years. Alphabet shares have fallen 6.3% over the same period, following a sharp increase in AI capital expenditure that pushed free cash flow into negative territory.

Major financial institutions expect the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by 25 basis points in December. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, UBS and HSBC are among the banks forecasting a hike. Markets broadly expect the Fed to hold rates steady at its October meeting, with the implied probability of a hike currently just 9.4%. The Fed raised rates by 25 basis points in September, its first increase in more than three years. But inflation remains elevated: US consumer prices rose 3.7% year on year in September, up from 3.4% in August. The expected Fed rate hike in December could affect risk appetite and crypto-market liquidity, though the October decision is seen as more likely to be a pause.

The CLARITY Act, which would clarify US regulatory oversight of digital commodities, faces a tougher path after stalling in the Senate. Potential Democratic gains in either chamber after the midterm elections could lead to stronger consumer-protection and oversight provisions, complicating negotiations. The bill also faces the Senate’s 60-vote threshold. Prediction-market pricing puts the chance of the CLARITY Act becoming law by the end of 2026 at 4%; the odds of Senator Mike Lee voting for it are around 6%. These figures reflect low expectations for passage and bipartisan support, not confirmed outcomes. For crypto traders, the CLARITY Act’s uncertain prospects keep US digital-asset regulation a source of policy risk, with congressional control, amendments and statements from key senators worth monitoring.

Samara Asset Group CEO Patrick Lowry says the market is rejecting most pure-play Bitcoin treasury companies, with Strategy the notable exception. He calls the label misleading and argues that simply holding Bitcoin can do shareholders a disservice if its returns fail to clear a company’s hurdle rate. Lowry says Samara treats Bitcoin as working capital, not just a long-term reserve. The group parks commitments for more than 20 venture funds in Bitcoin and sells it to meet capital calls, regardless of the market price. He also criticises the “digital gold” framing, arguing that it positions Bitcoin as an investment rather than money. The discussion also covers MSCI’s treatment of non-operating companies, possible regulatory scrutiny of crypto treasury strategies, and European regulation. Lowry links Bitcoin’s sensitivity to Federal Reserve rate-hike talk to its investment framing and wider macroeconomic conditions. The comments offer a perspective on how Bitcoin treasury companies manage liquidity, shareholder returns and market risk; they do not announce a change in Samara’s holdings.