Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

SEC staff have released nonbinding liquid staking guidance, suggesting receipt tokens are not securities but leaving critical legal and tax questions unresolved. The guidance outlines a structure for issuance and staking rewards but does not address formal rulemaking, restaking, cross-chain staking or derivative products. Marinade’s Scott Gralnick warned that without official SEC rules, compliance could face challenges. Lido Labs’ Sam Kim welcomed clarity yet flagged uncertain areas, while SOL Strategies’ Michael Hubbard noted only strictly compliant protocols may gain regulatory approval. Tax issues remain significant: Alluvial’s Evan Weiss highlighted unclear timing for staking rewards taxation and estate tax rules that hinder liquid staking inclusion in ETFs or asset liquidation. Traders and institutions should monitor forthcoming market structure legislation and potential SEC rulemaking to assess regulatory risk when evaluating liquid staking strategies.

Ethereum jumped 6% to $3,854, driving the ETH/BTC ratio up 38.5% in 30 days and rekindling optimism for a broad altcoin rally. Crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe predicts 200–500% gains for altcoins over the next 2–4 months, while Cas Abbe points to falling exchange supplies and rising institutional interest. Traders caution that historical Q3 returns average just 6.5% since 2016 and that August–September tends to underperform. If Ethereum breaks $4,000, some 817 million ETH shorts could be squeezed, potentially triggering a volatile surge. Analyst Wolf suggests a choppy build-up before any vertical move, and Tom Lee’s $16,000 ETH forecast remains on the table. Investors should monitor market sentiment, supply metrics and seasonal headwinds to gauge rally sustainability.

ProShares has launched the Ultra CRCL ETF (ticker: CRCA), a 2× daily leveraged ETF offering amplified exposure to Circle Internet Group stock. As the issuer of USDC, the second-largest stablecoin by market cap, Circle’s shares have soared nearly 400% since their IPO but retraced over 25% in the past month. Trading commenced on August 6 on NYSE Arca with a starting NAV of $25 and an expense ratio of 1.08%. This margin-free leveraged ETF lets bullish traders double their daily gains on Circle stock without margin requirements. However, compounding effects can magnify losses during downturns. Traders should apply strict risk management and clear exit strategies. The product marks growing institutional interest in structured crypto-linked instruments and broadens regulated digital-asset offerings.

Since early 2024, hackers have hijacked aged YouTube accounts to deploy YouTube scam bots promoting fake trading tools, facilitating a widespread crypto scam with malicious smart contracts. The YouTube scam bots use AI-generated videos, code snippets and fake testimonials to guide victims in funding these contracts with at least 0.5 ETH, only for attacker-controlled wallets to drain the deposits. Analysis shows scam wallets holding between 4.19 and 244.9 ETH, with over 256 ETH stolen to date. SentinelLABS warns traders to verify contract sources, audit code inputs and outputs, and avoid get-rich-quick schemes from social media or influencer videos.

US prosecutors have filed a sentencing memo in Seattle federal court urging ten-year prison terms for HashFlare co-founders Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turogin after their 2024 guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit telecom fraud. Authorities allege the $577 million cloud-mining service was a classic crypto Ponzi scheme that defrauded roughly 440,000 customers of about $300 million. The founders argue they cooperated with investigators, served 16 months in Estonian detention and point to later cryptocurrency price gains that enabled investors to withdraw $2.3 billion, far exceeding the $487 million in initial contracts. A hearing is set for August 14 before Judge Robert Lasnik. The case underscores mounting US scrutiny of cross-border crypto mining platforms and could shape future enforcement.

CoinJar has rolled out major platform upgrades to streamline portfolio management for crypto traders. The new Portfolio View tracks asset values over time and eliminates the need for external spreadsheets. A consolidated Balances Overview displays cash and crypto holdings across Bundles and Exchange. Users can now review trades, deposits and other account events in the seven-day Recent Activity section. The Recurring Buys screen allows one-stop management of dollar-cost averaging schedules. Real-time Available Balances show spendable funds after reserved amounts. Performance is up to 50% faster on web and mobile. A global UI refresh offers cleaner navigation. CoinJar News is integrated into the home screen for market updates and insights. Upcoming features include profit and loss tracking and dark mode for enhanced user experience.

China’s Ministry of State Security has issued a warning that Worldcoin’s iris-scan data collection poses significant privacy and security risks for users. The MSS highlighted on WeChat that Worldcoin, operated by Tools for Humanity, uses Orb devices to scan irises in exchange for WLD tokens, transferring unique biometric data overseas. The project has already faced regulatory halts in Indonesia and Kenya, and GDPR investigations in Europe. Traders should monitor potential regulatory measures from China, as heightened scrutiny could lead to trading restrictions and weigh on WLD market sentiment.

Derive.xyz reports a surge in crypto options trading as investors flock to put options to hedge downside risk after last month’s rally cooled. For the August 29 expiry, BTC put open interest tops calls by nearly 5×, with half at the $95k strike. ETH put open interest exceeds calls by over 10%, concentrated at $3,200, $3,000 and $2,200 strikes. Spot BTC and ETH have slid 3.4% and 5.4% week-on-week to $114,484 and $3,654. The 30-day skew for both flipped to –2%, signalling demand for downside protection. Implied volatility is 35% for BTC versus 65% for ETH. Derive’s probability model assigns a 25% chance ETH falls below $3,000 and an 18% chance BTC retests $100,000 by month-end. These crypto options strategies underscore trader caution amid Fed uncertainty.

Indonesia’s leading crypto community, Bitcoin Indonesia, presented a proposal to Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to build national Bitcoin reserves through large-scale renewable energy mining. The plan leverages surplus geothermal and hydroelectric power for sustainable Bitcoin mining. Supporters argue this strategy will boost government revenue, create tech and energy sector jobs, and strengthen economic resilience. The proposal also calls for a comprehensive Bitcoin education initiative, including university courses, public awareness campaigns and developer training. Meanwhile, Brazil’s House of Representatives will hold a public hearing on August 20 to debate a bill allowing up to 5% of national treasury funds—about $15 billion—into Bitcoin reserves. The bill has backing from Vice President Alckmin and involves six key institutions, including the central bank and finance ministry. These moves align with a growing global trend—countries like the US, Ukraine, Bhutan and Kazakhstan are exploring Bitcoin reserves to hedge inflation and modernize financial infrastructure.

On August 7, PancakeSwap launched on-chain stock perpetual contracts, enabling DeFi traders to speculate on major U.S. equities—Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN) and Tesla (TSLA)—with up to 25× leverage. These non-expiring derivatives settle in cryptocurrency and operate without intermediaries, KYC or brokerage accounts. Users can go long or short directly from their crypto wallets during U.S. market hours. PancakeSwap’s new stock perpetual contracts broaden access to U.S. equities globally and diversify its DeFi derivatives suite beyond cryptocurrencies. Tokenized stocks and perpetual swaps reflect a growing convergence between decentralized finance and traditional markets. Traders should be aware of high risk: adverse price moves can trigger full liquidations, and short positions may incur losses exceeding the initial margin. This launch is poised to boost PancakeSwap liquidity and trading volume, reinforcing its position in DeFi derivatives.

BDACS, a leading South Korean digital asset custodian, has launched regulated institutional-grade XRP custody in partnership with Ripple. The new service, built on Ripple Custody infrastructure, offers secure storage for XRP and support for the RLUSD stablecoin, integrated with major local exchanges Upbit, Coinone and Korbit. Aligned with the South Korean Financial Services Commission’s roadmap, this move addresses surging institutional demand and paves the way for tokenization and on-chain settlements within the Busan Blockchain Free Zone. BDACS officials also eye partnerships with Avalanche (AVAX) and Polymesh to expand tokenized asset services. The expansion boosts market confidence and positions Korean institutions to capitalize on the projected $16 trillion global digital asset storage opportunity by 2030.

TAO Synergies, the Nasdaq-listed digital asset vault formerly known as Synaptogenix, has built a 42,111-TAO-token treasury on the Bittensor network through purchases and active staking. In July, TAO Synergies invested $10 million to acquire 29,899 TAO at an average price of $334 per token, boosting its position as the largest publicly traded Bittensor treasury. Supported by BitGo custody and staking infrastructure, the firm will continue accumulating TAO to enhance staking revenue and reinforce network security. With Bittensor’s market capitalization near $3.3 billion and TAO trading around $345, TAO Synergies aims to drive token appreciation and shareholder value. Another major holder, xTAO, held 41,538 TAO in July, reflecting rising institutional interest in decentralized AI assets.

Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, was convicted on August 6 of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting service, marking the first U.S. conviction in the Tornado Cash case. The jury deadlocked on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating North Korea sanctions, effectively acquitting him on those counts. He faces up to five years in prison at a sentencing hearing later this year. Prosecutors’ bid to revoke his $10 million crypto-backed bail was denied by Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who cited Storm’s compliance and U.S. family ties. Supporters have raised over $3 million for his defense, reflecting the industry’s split over DeFi privacy tools. The mixed verdict underscores escalating regulatory scrutiny of decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms and privacy mixers. U.S. authorities argue Tornado Cash enables money laundering, while advocates warn that aggressive oversight could stifle innovation and user privacy. Traders should monitor potential compliance mandates for DeFi protocols and shifting enforcement trends, particularly around Tornado Cash and privacy-focused tokens. In the short term, the verdict may dampen sentiment for privacy coins, but it also clarifies legal risks for mixer services. Long-term implications include possible new DeFi regulations or intensified enforcement actions. Crypto traders must watch for DOJ retrial decisions and evolving regulatory frameworks that could reshape market structures and trading strategies.

MetaMask and Stripe have teamed up to launch mmUSD, a US dollar–pegged stablecoin leveraging Stripe’s financial infrastructure and Stripe Bridge. Settled on the off-chain M⁰ network, mmUSD aims to deliver rapid, scalable transactions with high liquidity. Integrated into MetaMask’s 30 million+ user wallet, mmUSD supports altcoin swaps, DeFi lending and yield farming via Aave v3 pools on Ethereum and Linea. Positioned to rival leading stablecoins USDC and USDT in the $250 billion market, mmUSD offers on-chain regulatory compliance, fiat on-ramps, minimized volatility and a Seed Vault security mechanism. Benefiting from clear frameworks like the GENIUS Act, mmUSD reinforces the digital dollar’s dominance and boosts merchant payments and DeFi adoption.

Smarter Web Company, a UK-listed tech firm, has issued a $21 million Bitcoin bond via its Smarter Convert financing tool. The interest-free, Bitcoin-denominated convertible bond was fully acquired by French asset manager TOBAM across three managed funds. Investors can convert to shares at a 5% premium to the reference price; mandatory conversion is triggered if the share price rises 50% above the conversion price over a sustained period. The 12-month bond offers a 98% refund guarantee in Bitcoin, with repayments adjusted to the BTC price at maturity. This first UK Bitcoin bond enables Smarter Web to secure growth capital without immediate equity dilution and boost its Bitcoin reserves by roughly 30% of its cash holdings, now totaling over 2,050 BTC. The issuance may set a template for future crypto-aligned corporate financing.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has filed a motion in Delaware bankruptcy court to dismiss a $1.8B FTX lawsuit, citing improper service and lack of jurisdiction. He argues the FTX lawsuit relies on extraterritorial claims and notes that all transactions were processed through Binance entities in Ireland, the Cayman Islands, and the BVI. CZ asserts he was only a nominal signatory, never holding control of the transferred crypto, and denies his X posts selling FTT caused FTX’s collapse. If dismissed, the suit could set a key precedent on Delaware’s authority over foreign crypto executives and cross-border bankruptcy claims. Traders should monitor the case for its implications on Binance’s legal exposure, potential asset recovery practices, and broader crypto litigation risks.

MEXC Ventures led a US$200 million strategic investment in Indonesia’s oldest fully licensed crypto exchange, Triv, valuing the platform at US$200 million. Established in 2015, Triv serves over 3 million users and offers more than 1,000 cryptocurrency assets, including BTC, ETH and USDT pairs, plus futures trading and staking products. The exchange holds dual regulatory approvals from Indonesia’s OJK and BAPPEBTI, reinforcing trust and transparency. Through this partnership, MEXC Ventures aims to enhance Triv’s liquidity, expand its coin offerings and introduce innovative trading products for both new and experienced traders. Leo Zhao, Investment Director at MEXC Ventures, emphasised that backing a compliant market leader like Triv will accelerate crypto adoption in Indonesia and strengthen market confidence. The funding aligns with MEXC Ventures’ long-term strategy to support regulated, high-growth projects and diversify geographically across Southeast Asia. By injecting capital into Triv, MEXC Ventures reinforces its commitment to compliant cryptocurrency trading and positions itself for further regional expansion. Traders can anticipate improved trading depth and access to a broader range of tokens on Triv. This move is likely to intensify competition among regional exchanges and could have bullish implications for the Indonesian crypto market.

China’s Ministry of State Security has warned that a foreign crypto project collecting users’ iris scans in exchange for tokens poses national security and data privacy risks. The advisory, while unnamed, aligns with Worldcoin’s model: using Orb devices to scan irises and issue WLD tokens. Since rebranding to World, the project claims data protection via zero-knowledge proofs but has faced regulatory actions in Hong Kong, South Korea, Germany, Kenya and Taiwan, where iris data is deemed sensitive. WLD now trades around $0.94, down 45% over the past year and about 90% from its all-time high. Continued scrutiny from China may increase Worldcoin’s compliance costs, slow adoption and heighten volatility for the WLD token and similar biometric-crypto projects.

Pantera Capital has injected over $300 million into crypto treasuries, backing digital asset treasury (DAT) firms across the US, UK and Israel. Partners Cosmo Jiang and Erik Lowe argue that crypto treasuries can boost net asset value per share more effectively than spot Bitcoin or crypto ETFs. These firms use strategies like staking rewards, DeFi yields, volatility monetization, NAV premiums and convertible bonds to grow token holdings and enhance yield. BitMine Immersion Technologies is a flagship Ethereum treasury in this strategy. It holds about 1.2 million ETH (around $5.3 billion) and aims to control 5% of the supply. Since June, BitMine’s share price has surged over 1,300%, far outpacing Ether’s 90% gain. Pantera’s portfolio spans BTC, ETH, SOL and other altcoins, reflecting broad institutional interest. Institutional backers include Stan Druckenmiller, Bill Miller and ARK Invest, highlighting the appeal of crypto treasuries as ETF alternatives. However, critics such as Vitalik Buterin and analysts at Standard Chartered caution that high leverage and market volatility pose liquidation risks in a crypto downturn.

Wisconsin lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 386 and Assembly Bill 384 to tighten crypto ATM regulation after a 99% surge in kiosk-related complaints and $247 million in losses in 2024. Led by Sen. Kelda Roys and Rep. Ryan Spaude, the bills require operators to hold a money-transmitter license and implement strict KYC procedures, including photo ID and biometric checks. Machines must display on-screen FRAUD ALERT warnings. Daily transaction limits are set at $1,000, with fee caps of $5 or 3% per transaction. First-time users must provide name, birth date, address, phone number, and photo ID, and full identity checks kick in 60 days after the law passes. Operators must refund victims of confirmed scams within 30 days of law enforcement confirmation. These strengthened crypto ATM regulation measures build on a recent FinCEN advisory and align with global crackdowns in New Zealand and the UK. Together, they aim to reduce fraud, improve compliance, and boost consumer confidence in physical cryptocurrency services.

The ODIN•FUN exploit in April saw attackers inflate the SATOSHI token price via a liquidity pool exploit and drain 58.2 BTC (about $7 million) from the AMM. The ODIN•FUN exploit used a pump-and-dump on the SATOSHI token to empty platform reserves. Following the incident, ODIN•FUN paused AMM trading and engaged a leading security firm for a full smart contract audit. The team also alerted law enforcement and major exchanges, including Binance, to trace and recover stolen funds. This liquidity pool exploit underscores rising DeFi security risks. Traders should reassess exposure to high-risk AMM pools and await audit findings before resuming trades.

Pantera Capital’s November 2022 Bitcoin halving cycle forecast predicted BTC would reach $117,482 by August 11, 2025. Data from Coin Metrics via CNBC confirm BTC closed above $119,000 on that date, with the price near $120,000—up 660% from the $16,000 low. This outcome validates the Bitcoin halving cycle’s predictive power and highlights diminishing returns after each halving event. Institutional adoption has surged: US spot Bitcoin ETFs hold 1.49 million BTC (7.1% of supply) and public and private companies hold 1.36 million BTC. Some insiders, including Jason Williams and Pierre Rochard, argue that with 95% of Bitcoin mined, halving’s impact on circulating supply is now marginal, as demand shifts to retail investors, new ETP products and corporate reserves.

New York’s Southern District Federal Court has approved extending the Roman Storm retrial deadline, potentially postponing any new Tornado Cash money laundering and U.S. sanctions violation trial until December 18, 2025. Judge Katherine Failla excluded time beyond the standard 70-day window to grant extra preparation for the Storm retrial. Storm was convicted in August 2023 for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business tied to Tornado Cash, while the jury deadlocked on counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and to violate U.S. sanctions. He remains free on bail pending sentencing and any retrial motion. Co-founders Alexey Pertsev, convicted of money laundering in the Netherlands and appealing, and Roman Semenov, still at large, face parallel legal proceedings.

Bitcoin dominance has fallen below the key 60% market share threshold for the first time since January, slipping to around 59.2% amid Ethereum’s rally. Analysts at Bull Theory and Dan Gambardello highlight weekly-chart weakness and a break below long-term support, with projections forecasting a drop to 45% within six months—potentially triggering a “mega altseason” as traders rotate capital into altcoins. Social trading sentiment for altcoins is strong, though altseason indexes diverge: CoinMarketCap’s remains at 37/100, while Blockchain Center’s rises to 53. Bitcoin’s price stays stable near $119,350, but Ethereum leads gains—up over 8% to $4,670, closing in on its 2021 high. Other major altcoins also rally: SOL +12% to $200, ADA +9% to $0.86, LINK +13% to $24.50, and LTC +11% to $133. Traders will watch these technical indicators and price action closely to assess whether this drop in Bitcoin dominance heralds a sustained shift into altcoins or proves a brief correction.

Caldera has launched ERA Force One, a tiered community platform for $ERA token holders that mirrors U.S. Air Force ranks from Airman Basic to General. Members’ ranks are determined by their combined and staked $ERA token balances, with higher tiers unlocking premium benefits such as access to private Telegram groups and direct communication channels with the Caldera team. The platform automatically calculates holdings at registration via eraforce.one. Future governance initiatives and additional rewards are planned. This launch follows the $ERA token’s listings on major exchanges including Binance, Bybit, Coinbase, Upbit, Bitget and Bithumb. ERA Force One aims to align staking incentives with long-term community engagement, strengthening Caldera’s blockchain infrastructure ecosystem and driving growth in the $ERA token’s liquidity and adoption.

Binance has become the first exchange to join the expanded T3+ program under the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), a coalition launched in September 2024 by Tron Foundation, Tether and TRM Labs. The T3 Financial Crime Unit has frozen over $250 million in illicit crypto assets since inception. Global Ledger data shows more than $3 billion was stolen in H1 2025, with 30 percent laundered within 24 hours and only a 4.2 percent recovery rate. About 15 percent of illicit funds flow through centralised exchanges such as Binance, forcing compliance teams to intercept suspicious transactions within minutes. The T3+ expansion aims to enhance global intelligence sharing and real-time response to crypto crime, says Tron founder Justin Sun. Following Tether’s freeze of $86,000 in stolen USDT, the move reignites the stablecoin centralisation versus user sovereignty debate. Supporters, including Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, argue that coordinated action by issuers and exchanges is vital to deter money laundering, terrorism financing and other threats. Traders should watch how Binance’s participation in T3+ affects hack prevention, asset recovery and regulatory compliance in 2025.

US banking groups led by the Bank Policy Institute have urged Congress to close the stablecoin yield loophole in the GENIUS Act. They warn that the gap, which allows issuers or affiliated exchanges to pay interest on stablecoins, could trigger up to $6.6 trillion in deposit outflows. Stablecoins now account for $280 billion of the $22 trillion US money supply. USDT and USDC hold over 80% market share. Unlike bank deposits or money market funds, stablecoins do not fund loans or invest in securities, raising concerns about their impact on credit creation and financial stability. US Treasury data projects the stablecoin market could expand to $2 trillion by 2028. Banking groups argue closing the stablecoin yield loophole would protect the banking system, curb deposit flight, and secure funding for loans.

Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood reaffirms a target of Bitcoin surpassing $1 million by 2030, driven by rapid institutional adoption. She highlights Bitcoin’s growing status as digital gold and a primary institutional entry point into digital assets. As more institutions recognize Bitcoin as a reliable store of value, demand and inflows from both institutional and retail investors are expected to rise. Analysts compare this shift to historical commodity adoption cycles, which may underpin long-term price stability despite Bitcoin’s inherent volatility. Traders should track institutional engagement metrics and ETF inflows for signals of future market momentum.

Ethereum ETF inflows hit a record $1.02 billion, pushing the price above $4,600. Institutional demand led by BlackRock and Fidelity supported the surge. The token climbed 8.4% in 24 hours and 31% in August, within 6% of its November 2021 high. Year-to-date gains stand at 38%, outpacing Bitcoin’s 29%. Speculation over US government reserve adoption and corporate holders raising ETH holdings to $8 billion added momentum. A rare monthly Stochastic RSI crossover above 50—a signal seen only once before this cycle—has historically foreshadowed major rallies. Ethereum is now testing the 161.8% Fibonacci extension near $4,868, with $4,100 as key support. Open interest in Ethereum futures reached an all-time high of $62.7 billion. Bitcoin dominance fell from 63% to 60.8%, indicating capital rotation into altcoins. Traders should watch ETF inflows, Stochastic RSI readings, inflation data and Bitcoin dominance for trade signals.