Crypto News

Grayscale’s Zcash ETF, ZCSH, recorded $93.56 million in net outflows in the week ended October 2, its first negative week since late August. Redemptions reached $30.25 million on September 30 and $26.93 million on October 2. The Zcash ETF’s cumulative net inflows fell to about $212.56 million, while total net assets declined to roughly $751 million from a peak near $915 million–$979 million. ZEC closed at about $1,304 on October 3, down around 21% from its September 26 close near $1,653 and below its recent high above $1,650. The outflows coincided with falling ZEC perpetual open interest, profit-taking and weaker spot momentum. However, the available data does not establish that Zcash ETF redemptions caused the entire decline. Continued withdrawals could still add selling pressure if the fund liquidates holdings. Grayscale converted its Zcash Trust into the ZCSH spot ETF on August 25. The fund completed a three-for-one share split on September 30, which reduced the per-share value without changing investors’ overall holdings. Digital Currency Group invested about $100 million through an authorised participant transaction on September 8. Traders should also monitor Zcash’s NU7 upgrade: testnet activation was expected around October 6, with mainnet targeted for November 5. The upgrade is designed to reduce target block times from 75 seconds to 25 seconds and revise fee sustainability and shielded-transaction protections.

Aave Labs has proposed creating the Aave Foundation, a memberless foundation company in the Cayman Islands, through an ARFC governance proposal. The Aave Foundation would hold and protect Aave trademarks, key domains, protocol codebase intellectual property and IP created by future service providers. It would license the Aave brand to developers without fees and handle trademark protection, but would not control protocol development or governance. AAVE token holders would retain control over listings, risk parameters, budgets, service-provider appointments and framework changes. The Aave Foundation would have an independent director and unrelated supervisor, with no appointment rights or seats for Aave Labs or DAO service providers. The DAO could appoint or remove key officials, approve major charter or IP changes, and direct liquidation or restructuring. The proposal would move to a Snapshot vote and then an on-chain AIP vote if it receives community support. The DAO would cover one-time registration, legal and IP transfer costs, while no recurring budget is requested. Quarterly reporting on assets, spending and legal actions is also planned. For traders, the Aave Foundation proposal is mainly a legal and governance restructuring, with no direct change to AAVE token economics, protocol parameters or immediate market fundamentals.

BlackRock is expanding tokenization from individual securities to complete onchain portfolios through a partnership with Ondo Finance. It developed three tokenized strategies focused on high income, diversified growth and high growth. Each strategy is represented by a transferable token, giving investors exposure to multiple underlying assets through a single blockchain-based position. The BlackRock tokenization initiative could make portfolio allocations more portable and transparent. In the future, the tokens may move between wallets and platforms, serve as collateral for lending, or connect with decentralised finance products. Automated software could also adjust allocations as market conditions change. Broadridge estimates that traditional model portfolios held about $9.8 trillion in assets as of June. The development reflects a broader shift from tokenized individual securities to tokenized investment portfolios. Bitwise has launched a similar automated portfolio model with Coinbase and Glider, although its tokenized stocks remain in users’ wallets while software manages target allocations. For crypto traders, the launch may support long-term demand for ONDO and tokenized real-world asset infrastructure, but it is not an immediate price catalyst. Wider adoption will depend on liquidity, regulatory clarity, custody, prime-brokerage infrastructure and the number of assets brought onchain. Industry executives also see potential applications across private credit, private equity, crypto and international assets, particularly when combined with artificial intelligence and stablecoins.

Pi Network price remains range-bound as traders await the Protocol 28 Mainnet upgrade. PI rose about 1.5% in an earlier 24-hour period to around $0.0918, but later traded near $0.0888 on October 3. Its seven-day range was approximately $0.0861-$0.0935, while reported daily volume fell from about $6.1 million to $5.1 million and market capitalisation remained near $1 billion. Technical indicators point to consolidation rather than a confirmed breakout. The main trading range is $0.08-$0.10. A sustained move above $0.10, supported by stronger spot volume and several daily closes, could open a possible test of $0.115. A break below $0.08 could expose PI to its recorded low near $0.07059. RSI was neutral at 52.64, and an analyst identified a symmetrical triangle pattern. Protocol 28 completed Testnet deployment. Mainnet nodes must upgrade by October 13, ahead of planned activation on October 16. The upgrade should improve transaction-data handling and make grouped smart-contract updates safer. However, a successful upgrade alone may not create demand for PI. Traders should monitor new applications, recurring payments and sustained user activity after launch. Pi Network also reported progress on access issues. More than 417,000 users flagged for possible duplicate accounts may continue KYC after further checks, while a separate fix targets about 497,000 Fast-Track wallets unable to claim migrated balances because they lacked PI for gas fees. These figures do not confirm completed migrations or immediate selling, but newly transferable coins could increase exchange supply. A partnership with Open Standard is exploring OUSD stablecoin rewards and broader ecosystem utility. The agreement remains exploratory, with no confirmed launch date or evidence that it will directly generate PI demand. For traders, volume, exchange deposits, migration data, application usage and PI’s performance against Bitcoin and the wider market are key signals.

The Bitget hack began on 24 September 2026, when attackers stole about $387.5 million from hot and warm wallets. The exchange later reported abnormal transfers at 02:31:11 Beijing time. Cold wallets and private keys were not affected. Investigators believe the attackers exploited a zero-day vulnerability in third-party security software to obtain privileged credentials. Fraudulent withdrawals were executed across Ethereum, Tron and the XRP Ledger. Bitget suspended withdrawals and gradually resumed them from 28 September. It said its User Protection Fund, valued at more than $464 million before the incident, would fully cover customer losses. The Bitget hack also triggered a wider debate about DeFi security and intervention. Bybit’s Ben Zhou offered assistance, while the LazarusBounty team and NEAR Intents’ SHIELD system tracked suspected laundering routes. SHIELD identified more than $50 million in suspicious activity, but only about $503,000 was frozen during execution. A further $166,000 moved before detection. Tether and Circle separately froze an estimated $320,000 to $340,000. Total recovery remained near 0.2% of the stolen funds. Bitget criticised permissionless protocols that declined to cooperate, while NEAR Intents waived a proposed 5% recovery bounty. The incident highlights third-party software risk, weak cross-chain recovery tools and the conflict between DeFi neutrality and blocking illicit funds. Possible North Korean links remain unconfirmed. Traders should monitor BGB-related sentiment, exchange wallet flows, withdrawal conditions, stablecoin freezes and regulatory responses.

MSCI is considering a new non-operating company rule that could remove major Bitcoin treasury firms from its Global Investable Market Indexes. The proposal follows MSCI’s abandoned 2025 plan to target digital-asset treasury companies directly. Under the framework, companies would need operating assets exceeding 50% of total assets and would then face five additional financial tests. MSCI’s simulation identified Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, Metaplanet and uranium investment firm Yellow Cake as potential exclusions. The Bitcoin Policy Institute accused MSCI of repackaging its earlier plan. It cited metadata from an MSCI consultation presentation that reportedly placed the file in an internal folder labelled “digital asset treasury companies”. BPI also said “operating assets” is not a standard balance-sheet category under US GAAP or IFRS, leaving MSCI broad discretion over asset classification. Index removal could force benchmark-tracking funds to sell affected shares and reduce access to passive funds, pension mandates and broad-market ETFs. JPMorgan previously estimated that Strategy could face about $2.8 billion in outflows, although MSCI-linked funds’ existing Strategy exposure may represent less than one average trading day of volume. The longer-term risk is weaker institutional demand and valuation pressure for Bitcoin treasury companies. The consultation closed on 30 September 2026. MSCI is expected to announce its decision by 16 October, with revised rules scheduled for the November 2026 index review. Traders should monitor the decision, expected index flows and sentiment toward corporate Bitcoin holdings.

The Bitget hack has intensified debate over whether permissionless crypto protocols should block stolen funds. Following the 24 September attack, Bitget estimated losses at about $387.5 million. The exchange said its private keys and cold wallets were not affected. Investigators traced attacker-controlled wallets across multiple networks, including Ethereum, BNB Chain, THORChain and Bitcoin-related services. Some funds were routed through cross-chain platforms and a Wasabi CoinJoin transaction, complicating tracking without removing the transaction trail. Bitget CEO Gracy Chen asked THORChain to reject addresses linked to the stolen assets. THORChain declined. Developer Boone Wheeler said a genuinely permissionless protocol cannot screen individual addresses or transactions. Supporters said intervention could undermine credible neutrality and encourage wider censorship. Critics noted that THORChain has previously used emergency controls to halt activity during a protocol exploit, and warned that a neutral venue could attract more illicit flows. NEAR Intents adopted a different approach. Its automated SHIELD system detected more than $50 million in attempted Bitget-related transfers, blocked $503,000 and allowed $166,000 to pass. NEAR also waived its share of Bitget’s recovery bounty. NEAR said its base protocol remains permissionless, while individual applications can use automated risk controls. For traders, the Bitget hack is primarily an operational and reputational risk rather than a direct price catalyst. It could increase scrutiny of cross-chain security, wallet screening and DeFi compliance. THORChain’s stance may support neutral liquidity but raise regulatory concerns, while NEAR’s controls may improve institutional confidence while increasing debate over partial permissioning. Short-term risks include disrupted routing, lower liquidity and counterparty concerns; longer term, protocols with stronger security controls may attract more institutional capital.

Bitcoin rose above $86,000 on 21 September before extending its advance beyond $87,000 on 2 October. Ethereum also climbed above $2,750 as strong buying lifted the wider crypto market. The rallies triggered major short squeezes. In the earlier move, CoinGlass recorded 129,660 liquidated traders and $922.27 million in total crypto liquidations. In the latest 24-hour period, 79,717 traders were liquidated, while total liquidations reached $363.64 million. The largest individual loss increased to $11.72 million on Binance’s BTC-USDT market, compared with $11.29 million for an earlier BTCUSDT short position. The Bitcoin rally highlights high leverage and elevated market volatility. Traders should watch whether Bitcoin can hold above $87,000 and whether Ethereum remains above $2,750. Failure to sustain these levels could trigger profit-taking, renewed short-term volatility and further liquidations.

Bitcoin price forecast: Bitcoin traded near $83,100 on September 30 after falling about 0.9% in 24 hours, as restrictive Federal Reserve policy and elevated Treasury yields pressured risk assets. Traders initially focused on the August US PCE inflation report, with hotter data seen as a risk for Bitcoin and softer data viewed as supportive. The later release was more favourable. Headline PCE inflation rose 3.4% year over year, below the 3.7% forecast, while core PCE fell to 3.0% against expectations of 3.3%. July figures were also revised lower, reducing the market’s expectations of an October Federal Reserve rate hike. Bitcoin subsequently rose about 1.3% to around $84,116 and briefly reached $85,518. The rally remained limited by Treasury yields near 5.3% and strong consumer spending. Bitcoin gained about 44% in the third quarter, its strongest Q3 performance since 2017, while September ended near $83,650, a 2026 monthly closing high. US spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted about $2.39 billion in the week ending September 26, although earlier September outflows of roughly $746.3 million show that demand remains uneven. For the latest Bitcoin price forecast, resistance is concentrated at $84,972-$85,000. A sustained weekly close above $85,000 could target $87,400 and then $90,000. Support sits at $82,300-$82,900, followed by $80,000 and the 50-day moving average near $78,000. A break below the low-$82,000 area would weaken the market structure. Lower futures leverage reduces the risk of crowded liquidations, but does not prove strong new spot demand. Traders should monitor Treasury yields, Federal Reserve expectations, ETF flows and price action around these technical levels. The article also promotes Bitcoin Hyper, a proposed Bitcoin Layer 2 using Solana Virtual Machine infrastructure, which reportedly raised more than $33 million in presale funding. These project claims are not independently verified.

US Bitcoin ETF inflows strengthened from $66.2 million on Sept. 29 to $102.67 million in the latest session, as BTC rose above $86,000. BlackRock’s IBIT led with $195.57 million in inflows, offsetting outflows from Fidelity’s FBTC and Grayscale’s GBTC. Bitcoin ETF trading volume reached $1.97 billion, total net assets climbed to $109.34 billion, and cumulative 30-day inflows reached about $2.99 billion. The Bitcoin ETF rebound points to renewed institutional demand, although flows remain concentrated rather than broad-based. Earlier inflows were led by IBIT and ARKB, while Bitwise’s BITB recorded withdrawals. Traders should monitor whether buying expands across more funds before treating the move as a durable trend. Ethereum ETF outflows worsened from $2.8 million to $55.37 million, marking a third consecutive day of redemptions. Solana ETFs lost $5.91 million, while Zcash outflows accelerated, including $28.26 million from Grayscale’s ZCSH. In contrast, Bitwise’s NEAR ETF attracted $8.08 million for a third straight session, XRP ETFs gained $4.07 million, and Grayscale’s HYPE ETF received $4.96 million. The mixed crypto fund flows show that institutional investment is becoming more selective. Bitcoin ETF demand is supportive for BTC, but continued withdrawals from Ethereum and other altcoin products could limit broader market momentum.

MetaMask began exiting Ethereum validators after a security incident redirected about 0.36 ETH in block-production rewards to an unexpected address, worth less than $1,000. Ethereum security researcher Kaden initially estimated that about 17,000 validators holding roughly 523,000 ETH entered the exit queue. Bitquery later counted 16,965 validators linked to approximately 565,056 ETH. MetaMask has not confirmed either estimate. MetaMask said there is no evidence that user wallets or customer funds were affected. The incident appears to involve compromised fee-recipient or payment credentials, which redirected validator rewards rather than the underlying 32 ETH stakes. However, compromised signing keys could expose validators to slashing penalties. No slashing has been reported. Lido said affected validators could complete their exits by 7 October, but exiting, withdrawing and rejoining Ethereum’s validator set may take up to 45 days. The affected stake may not earn rewards during this period. Lido said stETH holders do not need to act, while MetaMask warned users not to share recovery phrases with fake support agents. The incident also prompted precautionary withdrawals by Ethena of about $75 million in RLUSD-related assets and $60 million in PYUSD-related assets from Morpho. Ethena later redeployed the funds after receiving more clarity. For traders, the MetaMask incident is mainly an operational and Ethereum staking-risk event, not evidence of a direct customer-fund loss. ETH could face short-term pressure if more validator exits or slashing emerge, but the limited theft and lack of reported wallet losses reduce the risk of a wider market shock.

Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, has repurchased STRC shares as part of its Bitcoin treasury strategy. An earlier announcement said the company bought about $174 million of STRC using cash reserves, sending STRC up 11.9%. A later US Securities and Exchange Commission filing reported 1,534,530 shares purchased for approximately $151.7 million, or 64% of the company’s $2 billion STRC repurchase authorization. Less than $724 million remains available for future buybacks. Strategy also maintains a separate $1 billion authorization for MSTR common-stock repurchases and has raised its broader buyback authorization to $2 billion. The STRC buyback may signal that Strategy considers the shares undervalued or believes reducing supply can support market value. However, the filing does not confirm the timing or size of further purchases. Traders should monitor Strategy’s capital allocation, Bitcoin holdings, additional equity activity, and comments from Michael Saylor and Phong Le. STRC sentiment may benefit in the short term, but Strategy-related securities remain sensitive to Bitcoin prices, liquidity, corporate financing and broader risk appetite. Prediction-market data previously indicated an 83% probability of STRC reaching $100 by 31 December, although trading-volume data was not provided.

NEAR Intents has resumed operations after a security exploit caused about $3.8 million in losses involving USDT on BNB Smart Chain (BSC). The attacker exploited a vulnerability in the interaction between Omni’s deposit and withdrawal infrastructure and the NEAR Intents smart contract. NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin said the platform’s SHIELD system detected abnormal activity and triggered a temporary shutdown. The vulnerability was identified and fixed within an hour. NEAR Intents and near.com are now online, although some network connections remain restricted. Affected users are promised full compensation. The NEAR Protocol, NEAR token and other NEAR-based applications were not affected. NEAR Intents processes more than $4 billion in monthly trading and payments volume, making the incident relevant to crypto trading infrastructure and cross-chain security. NEAR plans to publish a postmortem and add safeguards, including formal verification for NEAR smart contracts. Traders should monitor USDT liquidity on BSC, affected wallet activity, platform restrictions and any compensation-related selling pressure. The exploit directly involved BSC-based USDT rather than the NEAR blockchain or NEAR token.

A MetaMask validator security incident may have redirected about 0.36 ETH in block rewards, worth roughly $970, to an address funded by Tornado Cash. The funds came from 18 of 19 MetaMask-operated Ethereum validators, and the address had made no outgoing transfers as of 1 October. The MetaMask incident appears to involve validator fee-recipient addresses, which receive block rewards and transaction fees, rather than withdrawal credentials controlling staked ETH. No slashing or loss of customer principal has been reported. MetaMask has not confirmed the estimated withdrawal of about 17,000 validators holding 523,000 ETH, or explained how signing access was obtained. Lido said its stETH holders do not need to act. Its 7,066 Consensys-operated validators had stopped staking or entered the exit process, which could delay rewards for up to 45 days. Ethena also temporarily withdrew about $75 million from an RLUSD vault and $60 million from a PYUSD vault on Morpho before redeploying the funds. Large ETH transfers linked to a wallet associated with Joseph Lubin drew attention, but no connection to the incident was established. The MetaMask incident increases scrutiny of Ethereum staking infrastructure and counterparty risk, but the limited value of the apparently redirected rewards suggests a neutral and contained short-term price impact.

Alloc Init co-founder Misha Komarov has presented Shielded Bitcoin, a research-stage proposal for private Bitcoin transactions. The system would use zero-knowledge proofs to hide senders, recipients and transaction amounts without changing Bitcoin’s core protocol through a soft fork. Shielded Bitcoin would rely on Bitcoin PIPEs, indexers and ZK rollup technology. It aims to process complex cryptographic proofs without custodians, bridges, a separate blockchain or a new asset. Users would retain control of their BTC while potentially gaining privacy comparable to Zcash and Monero. The proposal is not yet deployable. Early users could face a small anonymity set, making transactions easier to identify. Proof-generation costs, larger transactions and Bitcoin blockspace limits could also increase fees. The roles of indexers, ZK rollups and related trust assumptions require further research and community review. Shielded Bitcoin could eventually support corporate treasuries, institutional transactions and users facing surveillance or physical-security risks. However, it has no launch date or immediate network upgrade, so the proposal is unlikely to create a direct short-term BTC price catalyst. Its long-term importance depends on technical validation, adoption and regulatory acceptance.

Morgan Stanley has launched a Digital Asset Lab to test crypto infrastructure, blockchain systems and related financial services for institutional markets, according to an announcement confirmed on September 29, 2026. The Digital Asset Lab is expected to focus on operational testing, compliance, security, scalability and market liquidity rather than launching a specific cryptocurrency. No details have been disclosed about its leadership, technology partners, testing scope, launch date, investment amount or supported tokens. For crypto traders, the initiative signals continued institutional interest in digital asset infrastructure, but its immediate market impact is likely to be limited without concrete products, partnerships, transaction volumes or capital deployment. Over the longer term, stronger infrastructure could support wider institutional use of digital assets.

Coinbase faces allegations that it concealed repeated hacks after customers reported major account and fund losses. BlockTower Capital founder Ari Paul claims Coinbase lost $25 million belonging to his firm and that more than a dozen companies suffered over $1 billion in combined losses. He has not released public evidence, citing ongoing legal proceedings. Coinbase denies hiding hacks or losing $1 billion and says it cannot comment on specific customers. It has advised users to secure their API keys. The dispute began when trader Kuno accused Coinbase of holding $1.2 million after more than 30 unresolved support tickets. Coinbase executive Jordan “Cobie” Fish questioned the claim’s authenticity and said recent outreach received no response. Former Coinbase employee Justin Mart suggested stolen credentials, potentially linked to the Lazarus Group, could explain BlockTower’s losses. Paul rejected that explanation and said forensic firms and US investigators were involved, offering to publish evidence if Coinbase agreed not to sue or harass him. Coinbase separately disclosed in May 2025 that criminals bribed overseas support agents to steal customer data and rejected a $20 million ransom demand. Paul has not linked his allegations to that breach. The claims remain unverified, but the Coinbase controversy could increase scrutiny of exchange security, customer support and API-key controls.

Bitcoin rebounded above 84,000 USDT on OKX, reaching 84,016.5 USDT, after earlier data showed a move to 84,038.2 USDT. Its 24-hour loss narrowed from 0.66% to 0.26%, suggesting modest short-term buying support after recent weakness. Bitcoin remains above a key level that traders may assess as support or resistance. However, the limited rebound does not confirm a broader trend reversal. Traders should monitor Bitcoin trading volume, follow-through buying, market resistance near 84,000 USDT and wider crypto market sentiment before taking strong directional positions.

Mt. Gox still holds 34,387.51 BTC, worth about $2.88 billion, according to Arkham Intelligence. The failed exchange collapsed in 2014 after losing an estimated 850,000 BTC through hacking and operational failures. Its remaining Bitcoin comes from nearly 200,000 BTC recovered by the estate and is expected to be distributed to creditors. Trustee Nobuaki Kobayashi has set October 31, 2026 as the final repayment deadline. Since distributions began in mid-2024, around 19,500 of an estimated 24,000 creditors have received payouts through processes involving Kraken, Bitstamp and other venues. Creditors can decide whether to hold or sell their Bitcoin. In June 2026, more than 10,400 BTC worth about $739 million moved between Mt. Gox-linked wallets. The transfer was viewed as internal wallet reorganisation, not confirmed selling, because the funds had not reached an exchange custodian. Traders are monitoring exchange-linked addresses for signs of future Bitcoin supply entering the market. The Mt. Gox repayment overhang remains a potential volatility catalyst. Earlier distributions were absorbed by the market, while institutions such as Strive Asset Management have sought to buy approved but undistributed claims, potentially reducing open-market selling. Near-term Bitcoin price risk will depend on the speed and destination of future transfers, while the final deadline could create longer-term profit-taking pressure from creditors who acquired claims before 2014.

Cosmos Hub halted block production at block 33,086,740 after validators representing more than one-third of voting power stopped participating in consensus. The halt followed a Neutron governance exploit in which an attacker used privileged permissions to control contracts linked to Astroport and Drop. About 1.7 million ATOM was transferred to Cosmos Hub and used in cross-chain liquidity activity before Neutron stopped operating. Validators paused the Cosmos Hub to prevent further movement of the stolen assets. Cosmos Labs then coordinated the Gaia v28.3.0 recovery upgrade, which redirected 1,227,121 ATOM from the attacker-controlled address to a 4-of-6 multisig wallet managed by Nansen, Keplr, Enigma, Silknodes, Kiln and Polkachu. More than 67% of voting power approved the upgrade, allowing the network to restart at block 33,086,741 on 23 September, about 25 hours after the halt began. The Cosmos Hub incident highlights the safety-versus-liveness trade-off in CometBFT-based proof-of-stake networks. More than one-third of voting power can stop finality, while more than two-thirds is required to approve a coordinated recovery rule. For traders, the event raises concerns about validator concentration, governance privileges, cross-chain security and emergency state changes. ATOM transfers, exchange deposits and withdrawals, and price discovery may become unreliable during similar disruptions. The incident is likely to keep short-term risk premiums elevated across ATOM and related ecosystems, even though the recovery reduced the immediate risk of further asset movement.

Prediction market platform Kalshi is reportedly in advanced talks to raise about $1 billion at a $40 billion valuation, Reuters reported. Sequoia Capital and Wellington Management may lead the round, while Tiger Global Management and Dragoneer Investment Group could also participate. The discussions have not been finalised, and the companies involved have not officially commented. Kalshi reached a $22 billion valuation after completing a $1 billion Series F round in May, doubling its valuation from December. Reports that Kalshi was seeking a $40 billion valuation first emerged in June. If completed, the deal would mark another sharp increase and signal strong investor interest in prediction markets, alternative data and fintech platforms. For crypto traders, Kalshi’s funding plans may improve expectations for the broader prediction-market sector and its potential role in information and price discovery. However, the private financing would not directly affect cryptocurrency prices. Regulatory uncertainty remains a key risk, particularly over whether Kalshi’s sports contracts fall under federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight or state regulation. The dispute could eventually reach the US Supreme Court.

Bitcoin retreated about 1% from $85,000, but institutional demand continues to support its broader recovery. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded eight consecutive sessions of net inflows, attracting roughly $3 billion and nearly matching August’s total. Earlier inflows included about $999 million in one session, led by BlackRock’s IBIT, ARK 21Shares and Fidelity’s FBTC. Corporate accumulation also remains strong. Strategy bought another 950 BTC, taking its holdings to 846,000 BTC. Bitcoin has reclaimed the $82,000-$83,000 resistance area, but the next key test is the $80,000-$82,000 support zone. Holding that range could support a move back towards $85,000, followed by $88,000-$90,000 and potentially $100,000 over the longer term. Short-term momentum is less certain. The four-hour chart shows lower highs and lower lows, while futures open interest rose by about $2 billion and the rally triggered hundreds of millions of dollars in short liquidations. Rising leverage and profit-taking could amplify volatility. US inflation and growth data are the next major catalysts. Markets expect a 0.4% monthly increase in the August PCE price index and 1.5% annualised second-quarter GDP growth. Hotter inflation could strengthen expectations for tighter Federal Reserve policy and pressure Bitcoin, while softer data may support risk assets. FedWatch puts the implied probability of an October rate increase at 68%. Sustained ETF inflows remain bullish, but weaker demand or negative macroeconomic surprises could interrupt Bitcoin’s recovery.

A Democratic staff report from the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says 84% of 846 wallets sanctioned or targeted over links to Iran and regional proxies used Tether USDT exclusively or for more than 80% of transaction value. The share rose to 87% among 757 wallets identified by Israel’s counter-terrorism financing bureau and stood at 57% among 101 wallets designated by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Bitcoin was a distant second. The report, titled “Tethered to Terrorism”, alleges that Iranian oil smugglers Alireza Derakhshan and Arash Estaki Alivand moved more than $603 million in USDT between 2021 and 2025 through networks linked to Hizballah, the Houthis and Iranian financial institutions. The funds may also have supported transactions involving drones and military equipment. Senator Richard Blumenthal called USDT a “superhighway” for sanctions evasion and asked the Treasury and Justice Department to investigate Tether’s sanctions screening and anti-money-laundering controls. The report says Tether did not consistently freeze designated wallets before 2024. It alleges that 34 of 39 wallets linked to Hizballah financier Tawfiq Muhammad Sa’id Al-Law were frozen late, allowing more than $34.6 million in USDT to move after designation. Tether disputes the concerns through its enforcement record, saying it froze about $550 million linked by US authorities to Iran in 2026, more than $22 million across over 640 addresses referred by Israel, and over $4.9 billion overall while cooperating with more than 340 law-enforcement agencies in 67 countries. For traders, the investigation increases regulatory and compliance risk around Tether USDT. Short-term reactions could include closer exchange monitoring, liquidity concerns and risk-off sentiment around USDT. Longer term, stronger enforcement could improve confidence if Tether demonstrates consistent controls, but further investigations or restrictions could pressure stablecoin usage and market access.

Coinbase has secured CFTC approval for Coinbase Clearing LLC to operate as a registered derivatives clearing organization. The approval completes Coinbase’s U.S. crypto derivatives structure, alongside Coinbase Derivatives LLC as a designated contract market and Coinbase Financial Markets as a futures commission merchant. Coinbase Clearing can settle fully collateralized futures, options on futures and swaps within the company’s regulated framework. Coinbase said the clearinghouse will use USDC as collateral and support 24/7 settlement, making it one of the first U.S. clearing operations built around continuous crypto-market trading. The registration does not cover margined derivatives. Coinbase will continue relying on external clearing partners for those products and for planned U.S. single-stock perpetual contracts linked to companies such as Nvidia, Microsoft and Tesla. Coinbase applied for the registration on 14 November 2025 and received approval on 28 September 2026. Coinbase has not disclosed which contracts will migrate first or when the service will launch. The approval could support future growth in regulated perpetual futures, options and USDC-based derivatives. However, CME has challenged the CFTC’s treatment of certain crypto perpetual products, suggesting possible regulatory scrutiny. For traders, the Coinbase CFTC approval is strategically positive for Coinbase and may broaden access to regulated crypto derivatives. The immediate impact on USDC and wider token prices is likely limited because the decision does not create a new asset, add trading incentives or change spot-market supply.

ZEC whale accumulation intensified over the past week, according to blockchain tracking data and Onchain Lens. Initially, the whale received about 8,605 ZEC through three centralised exchanges before consolidating roughly 4,400 ZEC into a linked wallet. The entity was then estimated to control 65,158 ZEC across six addresses, worth about $91.13 million. Later tracking focused on the whale’s main wallet, which received approximately 41,700 ZEC and transferred out about 18,700 ZEC, leaving a net increase of roughly 23,000 ZEC valued at $31.7 million. A further 4,200 ZEC, worth about $5.84 million, entered the wallet within three hours. This continued ZEC whale accumulation is a notable on-chain signal, but wallet movements do not confirm whether the tokens will be held, sold through another address or used for other purposes. The whale’s estimated average acquisition price was $1,509.70, above the reported ZEC price of $1,398.60, implying an unrealised loss of about $7.24 million. Traders should monitor ZEC exchange inflows, wallet consolidation, price momentum, trading volume and broader market sentiment before treating the activity as a bullish signal.

Goldman Sachs initially projected that six hyperscalers would invest about $1.73 trillion in AI infrastructure in 2026 and 2027, with spending potentially reaching $4.14 trillion from 2028 to 2030. Its later forecast focuses on five companies—Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Oracle and Meta—and estimates $800 billion in AI infrastructure capex in 2026 and $1.2 trillion in 2027. The 2027 figure is above Wall Street’s $1.1 trillion consensus, while an upside scenario reaches $1.4 trillion. Cumulative spending from 2026 to 2031 could total $7.6 trillion, with annual spending potentially reaching $2 trillion in 2028 despite slower growth. The scale of AI infrastructure spending implies that hyperscalers may need about $300 billion in annual AI revenue to break even. Goldman estimates that roughly $1 trillion in annual revenue may be required to generate attractive returns, creating monetisation, valuation and execution risks. Cloud backlogs for AWS, Azure and Google Cloud had reached $1.69 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, up 152% year on year. Energy supply is the main constraint, alongside labour shortages and limited high-bandwidth memory chips. Expanding power generation, data-centre capacity and semiconductor production could take years. For traders, the AI infrastructure theme supports semiconductor, data-centre and energy stocks, but also increases leverage and interest-rate sensitivity across the tech sector. Policy developments, including discussions involving Nvidia, Anthropic and Palantir executives, could add volatility through AI regulation, export controls and government contracts. The news has no direct cryptocurrency catalyst, but risk sentiment around technology and power demand could indirectly affect crypto markets.

Circle Foundation, the charitable arm of Circle Internet Group, is funding two stablecoin payment programmes with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The initiatives will test whether regulated stablecoins, including USDC, can make humanitarian aid faster, cheaper and more transparent while complementing traditional banking infrastructure. The UNDP will establish a Digital Asset Innovation Pool to help country offices expand lessons from earlier pilots in Syria, Haiti, Guatemala and Gambia into full programme delivery. Its work will cover regulation, compliance, beneficiary protection, operating procedures and links to local financial systems. A separate grant to World Food Program USA will support the WFP in developing governance, risk-management, sanctions-control, compliance, reconciliation and technical-integration frameworks. The WFP plans to test two to three stablecoin payment corridors in different countries over the next three years and conduct independent research on payment speed, efficiency and cost. The trials do not represent a United Nations commitment to adopt USDC globally or replace conventional banking. For crypto traders, the programme offers a positive real-world use case for regulated stablecoins, but the immediate price impact on USDC is likely to be limited. Evidence from the pilots and any broader adoption will be more important for long-term stablecoin sentiment.

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) plans to integrate Chainlink’s Runtime Environment (CRE) into its Collateral AppChain, with a target launch in Q4 2026. The platform will run on the permissioned Hyperledger Besu blockchain and is designed to support 24/7, near-real-time collateral management across institutional financial markets. Chainlink’s infrastructure will connect blockchain networks with traditional financial systems. Planned functions include collateral eligibility checks, asset valuation, margin calculations, collateral optimisation and settlement. The initiative builds on DTCC’s “Great Collateral Experiment” and its 2024 Smart NAV collaboration with Chainlink, which brought mutual fund net asset value data onchain. The project addresses a global collateral market estimated at about $15 trillion. DTCC processed $4.7 quadrillion in securities transactions in 2025 and holds approximately $114 trillion in assets for investors across more than 150 countries. The scale of the partnership strengthens Chainlink’s position in institutional interoperability, tokenisation and financial data infrastructure. However, the AppChain will initially operate in a permissioned environment, and DTCC has not said whether LINK will be used for transaction fees, collateral or settlement. For traders, the development is primarily a long-term Chainlink adoption signal rather than an immediate source of LINK token demand. It may support sentiment around institutional blockchain use, derivatives, repo and securities lending, but short-term price effects are likely to depend on broader market conditions and confirmation of actual LINK utility.

An on-chain investigation by pseudonymous analyst Wazz has linked 53 memecoin launches on Robinhood Chain to an alleged coordinated rug-pull operation. The activity reportedly ran from July 10 to September 21 and extracted at least $18.43 million, although the total may be higher because the estimate covers directly linked funds. The investigation began with DEED and later identified projects including CRUMBS, LEGS, PINK, HOT, WAIFU, RIG, PRESS, BELL, VAULTS, EQUITY and DRAFT. CRUMBS generated the largest reported proceeds at about $3.12 million, followed by LEGS at $2.90 million and PINK at $1.44 million. Wallet-funding patterns, shared collection addresses and reused private keys allegedly connected the launches. In several cases involving the Pons V2 launchpad, insiders exempted 15 to 25 wallets from its 99% anti-sniping tax. Bundled transactions then acquired most of the supply within seconds, with insider-linked wallets reportedly controlling 70% to 86% of tokens after launch. The group also allegedly created fake token versions before releasing genuine contract addresses, enabling repeated selling. Most proceeds were converted into ETH and moved to Ethereum, making recovery difficult. The allegations add market-integrity and rug-pull risks to Robinhood Chain as memecoin activity cools after official gas subsidies ended. Traders should verify contract ownership, liquidity, holder concentration, wallet funding links and insider exemptions before trading new Robinhood Chain tokens.