International oil prices rose roughly 3% to close on Monday amid dim prospects for U.S.-Iran peace talks. Trump stated he has no intention of extending the upcoming expiring agreement with Iran. The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in June this year technically expired on Monday. The two sides still have differences on multiple issues including the Strait of Hormuz. Other officials hinted that the U.S. is not in a hurry to end the nearly six-month conflict. U.S. Energy Secretary said the U.S. is engaged in a long-term game with the Islamic Republic of Iran, while Trump senior advisor Kushner noted that Trump will remain patient in reaching an agreement. Per market data from BIT (bit.com), U.S. stocks closed on Monday: the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.5%, and the Nasdaq declined 0.32%. SK Hynix (SKHY.O) rose 3%, Micron Technology (MU.O) gained 4%, SanDisk (SNDK.O) jumped 8.8%, and Nike (NKE.N) fell 4%. According to HTX market data, Bitcoin is currently trading at $64,288, with a 2.13% gain in the past 24 hours.
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Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
As BTC, ETH, and XRP face heightened volatility, EX DeFi is attracting attention with a cloud mining model focused on long-term digital asset participation.
Summary
Bitcoin volatility is pushing investors to explore EX DeFi’s cloud mining model as an alternative way to earn from digital assets. EX DeFi is gaining attention among Bitcoin holders seeking diversified returns through cloud mining and renewable energy infrastructure. As crypto markets remain volatile, EX DeFi offers Bitcoin holders access to cloud mining without the need for costly mining hardware. The cryptocurrency market has recently been rocked by another shocking security incident. Attackers exploited a vulnerability in the firmware of Coldcard hardware wallets to drain funds from numerous Bitcoin addresses, sparking widespread concern regarding the security of hardware wallets and the risks associated with self-custody of digital assets. Public investigations indicate that the scale of the theft linked to this vulnerability has already reached hundreds of millions of dollars, with the total loss still being tallied.
The incident began on July 30, 2026. Galaxy Research discovered that attackers transferred approximately 1,083 BTC from over 1,000 addresses in just 41 minutes, followed by subsequent waves of fund transfers. As investigations progressed through mid-August 2026, the number of confirmed affected addresses and the volume of stolen BTC continued to rise.
What makes this incident unique is that the issue did not stem from the Bitcoin blockchain itself; rather, it was linked to the random number generation mechanism used by certain Coldcard firmware versions when creating wallet seed phrases. This vulnerability rendered the seeds generated by some wallets predictable, thereby increasing the risk that private keys could be derived and funds stolen.
This has prompted many investors to reconsider a fundamental question: Is Bitcoin itself still safe? In reality, this incident highlights security risks inherent in cryptocurrency storage tools and private key management, rather than a compromise of the Bitcoin network itself. For investors, selecting a secure and reliable method of asset management has become an increasingly critical aspect of digital asset investment.
As market panic intensified, the prices of major cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, and XRP experienced significant volatility. Many investors began to wonder: beyond simply waiting for price appreciation, are there more efficient and sustainable ways to participate in Bitcoin’s long-term value growth?
Against this backdrop, a growing number of investors are turning their attention to EX DeFi — a platform offering stable returns by combining cloud mining with renewable energy. It allows investors to hedge against short-term market risks while focusing on Bitcoin’s long-term value and exploring more diversified ways to engage with digital assets.
A Firmware Flaw Dating Back to 2021 The root cause of this incident can be traced back to a firmware update released by Coinkite in 2021. The relevant update introduced a flaw in the random number generation process used for creating mnemonic phrases. Mnemonic phrases are a crucial component in generating master keys for hardware wallets; if randomness is insufficient, attackers can narrow down the range of potential seeds through calculation and analysis, thereby increasing the likelihood of recovering the associated private keys.
According to research organizations such as Galaxy Research, this issue had previously been reported to Coinkite by researchers. This large-scale attack indicates that some wallet seeds generated in the past may have been at risk for an extended period.
Public reports suggest that the specific range of affected Coldcard devices and firmware versions requires further confirmation via Coinkite’s official security announcements. Notably, simply updating the firmware does not fix wallet seeds that were already generated using the affected firmware; users must migrate their assets in accordance with the manufacturer’s security recommendations.
EX DeFi cloud mining: A new option for Bitcoin investors Amidst heightened market volatility, an increasing number of digital asset investors are turning their attention to EX DeFi, seeking to explore diversified yield-generation models through methods such as cloud mining and yield aggregation.
For Bitcoin holders, EX DeFi offers a relatively straightforward way to participate in the digital asset ecosystem compared to high-volatility investment methods like futures trading. Users can access Bitcoin mining services without the need to deploy mining hardware or bear costs associated with equipment maintenance, allowing them to capitalize on Bitcoin’s long-term value while maximizing the utility of their digital assets.
Why is EX DeFi attracting increasing attention? Amidst frequent security incidents involving digital assets, investors are paying greater attention to asset storage, platform security, and risk management.
1. Security and Stability
EX DeFi employs a multi-layered security architecture, integrating technologies from McAfee and Cloudflare alongside measures like offline cold wallets to provide comprehensive protection for platform operations and user assets.
2. Eco-friendly and Efficient
The platform’s mining operations utilize renewable energy sources — such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power — aiming to minimize the environmental impact of energy consumption while maximizing computational efficiency.
3. Compliance and Transparency
The platform continuously improves its operational standards, data transparency, and user protection mechanisms, offering a clearer and more reliable environment for cryptocurrency services.
4. Smart Custody
EX DeFi handles daily operations, computing power management, and earnings settlement through a professional team and automated systems, allowing users to easily earn passive income.
5. Multi-currency Support
The platform supports a wide range of mainstream digital assets — including BTC, ETH, DOGE, SOL, XRP, USDC, LTC, and USDT — offering greater flexibility to diverse users.
6. Affiliate Rewards
The platform offers an affiliate program where users can earn referral commissions of 3% + 2% (up to a maximum of $50,000 in rewards) by inviting friends, making it easy to boost passive income even without making an investment themselves.
How do I use EX DeFi?
1. Sign Up
Visit the EX DeFi platform to create an account and receive a $17 reward upon completing registration
2. Select a Plan
Deposit Bitcoin or other supported digital assets, then choose a suitable mining plan based on budget and the contract term.
3. Earn Mining Returns
Once the contract begins, the system automatically contributes computing power to the mining pool; earnings are settled and credited to an account automatically within 24 hours. Upon contract expiration, the principal is automatically returned.
Examples of common contracts
BTC (Beginner Trial Contract): Investment: $100 | Term: 2 days | Daily Return: $4 | Total Profit: $100 + $8
DOGE (Golden Shell Mini Dogecoin Pro): Investment: $500 | Term: 6 days | Daily Return: $6.5 | Total Profit: $500 + $39
BTC (Canaan-Avalon-A1466): Investment: $1,000 | Term: 10 days | Daily Return: $13.4 | Total Profit: $1,000 + $134
LTC (Bitmain Antminer L7): Investment: $5,000 | Term: 20 days | Daily Return: $73.5 | Total Profit: $5,000 + $1,470
BTC (Bitmain S19K-Pro): Investment: $10,000 | Term: 30 days | Daily Return: $161 | Total Profit: $10,000 + $4,830
For more contract details, visit the EX DeFi website.
Summary The Coldcard incident serves as a reminder to the market that the security of the Bitcoin blockchain and the security of digital asset storage tools are distinct issues. This incident did not involve a breach of the Bitcoin network itself; rather, it exposed the severe consequences that can arise from firmware vulnerabilities in specific hardware wallets, prompting investors to place greater importance on issues such as private key generation, asset custody, and platform security.
For long-term BTC investors, beyond monitoring price trends and market cycles, it is equally important to consider how to mitigate risks associated with relying on a single storage method and to explore more diversified approaches to digital asset management. EX DeFi aims to provide users with an alternative way to participate in the digital asset ecosystem through methods such as cloud mining, hash rate management, and renewable energy.
For more details, visit the official EX DeFi website.
Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.
Cover image via depositphotos.com Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.
The most recent attempt to stabilize around $1.00 has not yet resulted in a significant reversal signal, and XRP is still trapped in a clear downtrend. After momentarily falling below the psychological $1 threshold, the asset is currently trading close to $1.002, placing XRP at one of its most technically sensitive levels of 2026.
The next significant dynamic resistance is located around $1.08, and XRP is currently trading below the short-term average near $1.04. More significantly, the longer-term averages continue to be significantly higher at roughly $1.16 and $1.35.
XRP/USDT Chart by TradingViewThe fact that $1.00 has not responded strongly is the immediate problem. Although buyers have so far stopped a clear breakdown, XRP is still printing lower highs and lower lows.
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XRP must first reclaim the $1.04–$1.08 region in order to achieve a short-term recovery. A move above $1.08 would reveal the $1.15–$1.16 resistance zone and significantly improve the setup.
Rebounds are still susceptible to fresh selling until then. On the downside, XRP would have little obvious support right below if it lost $1.00 on a daily closing basis. The next sensible area to keep an eye on would be the $0.95 region.
Therefore, until buyers are able to transform the current $1.00 defense into an actual higher-low structure instead of just another brief pause, XRP remains bearish.
Bitcoin averaging downAlthough Bitcoin's overall technical structure is still weak, it is exhibiting significantly more stability than XRP. After spending most of August consolidating in a relatively small range following the dramatic June sell-off and subsequent recovery from below $60,000, Bitcoin is currently trading at about $63,650.
BTC/USDT Chart by TradingViewThe way Bitcoin interacts with the moving averages centered around the current price is the most significant short-term development. Since Bitcoin is almost exactly on the short-term averages between $63,650 and $63,800, buyers and sellers are immediately engaged in a battle in the $63,000 to $64,000 range.
The price is no longer significantly lower than these averages, in contrast to the June decline. However, this stabilization has not resulted in a more widespread reversal of the trend. While the long-term average is significantly higher at $71,600, Bitcoin is still below the declining intermediate moving average at $66,300.
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Following the previous volatility, the market is essentially contracting. The first significant bullish signal would come from a move above $66,300, which might pave the way for a move toward $70,000–$71,600. Regaining the latter would be a far more significant structural advancement.
Shiba Inu at the lower end of the range With the current consolidation around $0.00000447 doing little to challenge the larger bearish structure, Shiba Inu is still stuck close to the bottom of its 2026 range.
After declining in July, SHIB has been able to stabilize, but buyers have not yet shown the follow-through required for a real trend reversal. The moving averages make the issue very clear. At roughly $0.00000447–$0.00000457, SHIB is trading almost exactly around the short-term averages, forming a compressed local structure.
SHIB/USDT Chart by TradingViewThe more significant resistance, however, is still above: the long-term average is much higher near $0.00000577, and the intermediate moving average is located around $0.00000490. With a significant increase in volume, the late-July volatility spike momentarily drove SHIB toward $0.0000058.
Because of this rejection, the $0.0000049–$0.0000050 region is especially crucial. Before the market structure can improve, another breakout attempt must pass through this zone and remain above it. As of right now, momentum provides minimal directional confirmation.
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The RSI is currently at about 46, which is far from oversold territory but below the neutral 50 level. This implies that SHIB could continue moving sideways without necessarily triggering a significant rebound. The immediate support region is located between $0.0000043 and $0.0000044. Losing it would expose the psychological $0.0000040 level and the July lows around $0.0000041.
The initial goal for bulls is to recover $0.0000049. The path toward $0.0000055–$0.0000058 could be reopened by a sustained move above $0.0000050. Until then, SHIB's stabilization appears to be more of a consolidation at the lows than a confirmed recovery.
Zcash remains strong technically Despite significant volatility, Zcash still has one of the stronger technical structures on the chart. After gaining about 5% on the most recent daily candle, ZEC is currently trading at $511. This keeps the price above all of its major moving averages and maintains the larger recovery structure that has been in place since the March–April bottom.
The $490–$500 range is where the immediate setup is concentrated. While another significant average is situated lower at roughly $472, the short-term moving averages are grouped around $493–$495. Since late July, ZEC has frequently traded in this region, but sellers have been unable to force a prolonged breakdown. $490 is therefore especially crucial.
ZEC/USDT Chart by TradingViewBy staying above it, ZEC has another chance to attack the recent resistance around $520–$530 and maintains the constructiveness of the current structure. Attention would probably shift to $550–$570, where the previous July rally faced strong selling pressure, if there were a clear breakout above that region.
Compared to what the short-term price action indicates, the larger trend is still much stronger. The long-term moving average for ZEC is currently close to $426 and is still rising.
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As a result, even after several months of erratic consolidation, the price maintains a sizable cushion above its main trend support. Declining volume is the primary weakness. A breakout from the current range would benefit from a noticeable increase in participation, as recent trading activity is significantly lower than that of the major May and June moves.
If ZEC drops below $490, $470-$475 will be the next significant support. The technical picture would deteriorate below that level, with $425–$430 emerging as the primary structural support.
Nike (NKE) closed at $39.09 on Monday. That is its weakest close since September 2014. The stock sits about 78% below its 2021 record. Bitcoin has not fallen that far in this bear market.
Nike is a Dow Jones Industrial Average stock. Investors buy that index for safety. The chart no longer looks safe.
Nike (NKE) Stock Performance. Source: Yahoo FinanceA Dow Stock Falls Further Than BitcoinNike lost 4.03% on Monday, nearly 80% below its record close of $169.74 recorded on November 5, 2021. The damage since then is easy to size. Nike is now worth about $58 billion.
$NKE – NIKE SINKS TO 12-YEAR LOW
Nike fell 3.2% to $39.42, putting shares on track for their lowest close since September 2014.
The stock is now down 38% YTD, 5.5% in August, and nearly 78% from its 2021 all-time high.
Nike is also the worst performer in the Dow today and is…
— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) August 17, 2026
Apply today’s share count to the record price, and the peak value was near $255 billion.
Bitcoin’s fall is the smaller one. BTC changed hands near $64,325 on Monday, up 2% in 24 hours. Bitcoin’s record was $126,080, set on October 6, 2025. So Bitcoin’s price action sits close to 50% below the top, or roughly half of Nike’s decline.
Now compare the clocks. Bitcoin gave up half its value in 10 months. Nike has been sliding for 57.
Bitcoin (BTC) and Nike (NKE) Stock Price Performance. Source: TradingViewThe years erased matter more than the speed. Bitcoin is trading back at levels last seen in 2024. Nike is trading back at 2014 prices.
Bitcoin at least has a cycle to blame. Nike does not. Its decline runs through a bull market in US equities.
Nike Bought Crypto Near the Top and Buried It Near the BottomThe digital detour comes with a date. On December 13, 2021, five weeks after that record close, Nike bought RTFKT.
RTFKT was a small studio. It sold sneakers and avatars that existed only as NFTs on Ethereum.
Then-CEO John Donahoe sold the deal as proof Nike could own digital culture.
“This acquisition is another step that accelerates Nike’s digital transformation and allows us to serve athletes and creators at the intersection of sport, creativity, gaming and culture,” John Donahoe, then Nike CEO, in the company’s December 2021 release.
Nike shut the RTFKT studio in early 2025. Collectors then sued for $5 million, arguing the company had sold unregistered securities and walked away.
Plenty of consumer brands quit NFTs in the same window, as BeInCrypto reported when brands retreated from NFTs. Nike’s version stands out for one reason. The purchase marked the top of its own stock.
The Turnaround Still Has No Revenue LineElliott Hill returned as chief executive in October 2024. He spent 32 years at Nike before retiring, then came back to fix it.
Almost two years on, the numbers have not turned. Fiscal 2026 revenue was $46.4 billion, flat as reported and 2% lower currency-neutral. Earnings slipped 3% to $2.10 a share.
The mix is the problem. Wholesale, meaning shoes sold through other retailers, rose 6% to $27.5 billion.
Nike Direct, its own stores and apps, fell 6% to $17.7 billion. Direct sales earn more per shoe, so the profitable channel is the shrinking one. Converse dropped 31% to $1.2 billion.
China is the deepest wound. Greater China revenue fell 11% to $5.85 billion, and profit in the region fell 20% to $1.28 billion.
The fourth-quarter gross margin of 49.2% looked like a win. However, $986 million of expected tariff refunds were delivered. Strip that out, and margins barely moved.
“No hints yet that revenues can turn positive in the foreseeable future … we don’t see a clear reason to expand the P/E [ratio] from here (from 22x FY27 consensus EPS),” Evercore ISI analyst Michael Binetti stayed unconvinced in a research note.
What Comes NextMonday brought one more twist. David Denton started as Nike’s chief financial officer on the same day the stock hit its 12-year low. Matthew Friend, his predecessor, leaves on September 4.
Wall Street still expects a bounce. The average target is $50.66, roughly 30% above Monday’s close, per Stock Analysis data. JPMorgan sits lowest at $40, and Nike closed below even that.
The dividend pays $1.64 per year, yielding over 4%. That is the strongest card bulls hold. First-quarter results are due in late September.
Bitcoin holders spent a decade hearing that their asset was reckless. Nike holders bought the safe label and are 78% poorer since 2021. So, which chart belonged to the speculative asset?
Bitcoin climbed above $64,000 on Monday as markets watch the expiration of the 60-day U.S.-Iran truce.
Notable Statistics:
Coinglass data shows 61,780 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $196.26 million. SoSoValue data shows net outflows of $57.6 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Friday. Spot Ethereum ETFs did not report any net inflows or outflows. In the past 24 hours, top gainers include Pump.fun, Morpho and Beldex. Notable Developments:
Bitcoin Stuck Around $63,000 but Volatility Is Coming, Analyst WarnsBitcoin ETFs See Largest Outflow in Six Weeks: What’s Going On?Strategy’s Bitcoin Drought Hits 7 Weeks as Saylor Skips His Sunday RitualBMNR Jumps 4% as Bitmine Buys 9,926 More ETH: What’s Going On?Crypto Billionaire Changpeng Zhao Estimates 2-4 Million Bitcoin Gone Forever, Calls BTC a ‘Deflationary Asset’XRP Tests $1 For 8 Days in a Row: Which Way Does It Break?Trader Notes:
Trader Dom highlighted that Bitcoin’s realized volatility fell to 6.2% annualized on Sunday, its lowest level in 12 months, reflecting months of subdued price action.
He expects volatility to pick up soon, with $67,000 range resistance the key level to watch—a breakout above it would mark a bullish shift.
CryptosBatman noted that Bitcoin is reclaiming the 200 EMA near $64,000, with descending trendline resistance at $64,500 to $65,000.
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A clean break above $65,000 would strengthen the bullish case, but an overbought Stoch RSI signals near-term caution, with rejection potentially sending BTC back toward $62,500 to $63,000 support.
Altcoin Sherpa said Bitcoin still looks resilient, with $62,000 remaining a key support level. He sees a bounce as more likely than a sharp breakdown for now, but still expects BTC to eventually fall below $60,000, though the timing remains uncertain.
Image: Shutterstock
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Stacks, a Bitcoin Layer-2 project, announced the launch of its Genesis Bond, a self-custodial Bitcoin yield mechanism, set to go live in 24 days. This new product aims to offer institutional investors a way to earn yield on Bitcoin while maintaining custody of their assets on Bitcoin Layer 1. The yield is generated through Stacks’ existing Proof of Transfer system, which has already distributed over 4,200 BTC to stakers since its inception. The announcement highlights a growing institutional interest in Bitcoin staking applications, potentially marking a significant development in the cryptocurrency’s use case for institutional stakeholders.
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Key Takeaways Markets appear to interpret the Genesis Bond launch as a positive development for Bitcoin, suggesting increased institutional interest. The self-custodial feature of the Genesis Bond indicates a focus on security and control for Bitcoin holders. The new product could indicate a broader acceptance of Bitcoin-denominated yield mechanisms within institutional finance. What to Watch Observers should monitor the impact of this launch on Bitcoin’s price, particularly if institutional participation materializes as expected. Key indicators include potential announcements from major financial institutions regarding their involvement with the Genesis Bond. Additionally, any regulatory responses from entities like the SEC or Commodity Futures Trading Commission could influence market sentiment and the broader acceptance of Bitcoin yield products.
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Term Structure
Contract Odds Δ since publish Volume 24h August 17 2026 99.9% — — View market → August 17 2026 99.9% — — View market → August 17 2026 99.9% — — View market → August 17 2026 99.9% — — View market → August 17 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 17 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 17 2026 13% — — View market → August 17 2026 99.9% — — View market → August 17 2026 0.1% — — View market →
Bitcoin edged higher on Tuesday, though analysts cautioned the move remains a corrective bounce within a broader bear market rather than a confirmed trend reversal.
A Bounce, Not a Reversal
The overall market structure remains bearish, according to chart analysts tracking the token. Tuesday’s advance is being read as a short-term recovery within that larger downtrend, not evidence the decline has ended.
The immediate focus is whether Bitcoin can hold above its low from earlier this month. Analysts describe that level as the key line in the sand. A sustained hold keeps the case for a larger bounce intact; a break below it would signal the recovery attempt has failed.
Support and Resistance Levels in Focus
Bitcoin’s main support zone sits between $59,310 and $62,415, per the chart now, an area analysts have tracked for several weeks. Holding this range keeps the near-term outlook constructive.
On the upside, a key resistance zone to watch sits between $66,233 and $76,638, set weeks ago and flagged in advance as the next major technical hurdle. Within that broader band, several indicators converge on a narrower target. The ideal upside target for this bounce sits between $69,117 and $72,126 total, a zone where a long-term trend line and Bitcoin’s 200-day moving average both align.
Near-Term Levels
On shorter time frames, Bitcoin cleared a minor resistance level near $63,960. A more significant signal would be a move above $64,470, which analysts say would indicate stronger buying conviction behind the current advance.
On the downside, a break below the $63,245 support level could signal the bounce is losing steam. Should that level give way, the next level of interest is $62,665, a prior swing low.
What Would Strengthen the Bullish Case
Analysts said a higher low followed by a higher high over the next 24 to 48 hours would add confidence that a durable low is forming. That confirmation has not yet materialized, keeping the broader outlook cautious. For now, Tuesday’s advance is being treated as a constructive signal worth monitoring, not confirmation that Bitcoin’s downtrend has concluded.
Story Ends Here
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PANews reported on August 17, according to SoSoValue data, as of 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on August 17, 2026, the total net Bitcoin purchases by global listed companies (excluding mining companies) last week were $5.32 million, down 90.34% from the previous week.
Strategy did not buy or sell Bitcoin last week, but spent $132 million to repurchase 1,388,720 shares of STRC preferred stock. Japanese listed company Metaplanet did not buy Bitcoin last week, marking five consecutive weeks without Bitcoin purchases. In addition, two other companies bought Bitcoin last week. French Bitcoin company Capital B announced on August 17 that it purchased 5 bitcoins at a price of $64,395.60, bringing its total holdings to 3,145 BTC; asset management firm Strive announced on August 17 that it spent $5 million last week to buy 79 bitcoins at a price of $63,231, bringing its total holdings to approximately 20,246 BTC.
As of press time, global listed companies (excluding mining companies) tracked in the statistics held a total of 1,139,641 BTC, an increase of 0.007% from the previous week, with a current market value of approximately $72.42 billion, accounting for 5.7% of Bitcoin’s circulating market capitalization.
Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.
TL;DR
Blockstream CEO Adam Back said Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto was often wrong in early technical calls, rejecting theories that Nakamoto planned unlimited block-size growth.The White House holds a closed-door crypto meeting on Aug. 19 with SEC Chair Paul Atkins, CFTC Chair Mike Selig, and executives from Ripple, Coinbase, Gemini, Polymarket, Nasdaq, NYSE, CME and DTCC, bypassing the stalled CLARITY Act.Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong predicted AI agents will outnumber human wallet holders, pointing to the x402 payment protocol and USDC on Base, which have already processed over $100 million.Bitcoin fell below its 200-week moving average, trading between $62,000 and $65,000, as U.S. spot ETFs saw $389.7 million in net outflows during Aug. 10–14 — the largest weekly withdrawal since early July.Strategy raised $334 million via an MSTR stock sale to defend its 840,447 BTC holdings, while BitMine extended its ETH accumulation streak to 59 consecutive weeks.Adam Back reminds crypto community of Satoshi's mistakesBlockstream CEO Adam Back delivered a harsh reality check to supporters of the theory about Satoshi Nakamoto's "true plan."
Commenting on a new podcast by Robin Linus — which claimed that Satoshi intended to increase block sizes indefinitely in accordance with Moore's Law to push BTC to $1 million — Back reminded them that Bitcoin's creator was not a prophet and often contradicted himself.
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On the very first day of the network's launch, Satoshi defended Bitcoin rather uncertainly against criticism from James A. Donald, who predicted a scaling collapse because of the overwhelming bandwidth demands and resource requirements imposed on full nodes.
satoshi said lots of things, many self-contradictory. his "maybe" defense of day 1 "that will never scale" critique from james donald), and later about blockchains not scaling, layer2, btc banks. and sometimes he was wrong.
so 🤷♂️ we should think first principles for ourselves👍
— Adam Back (@adam3us) August 17, 2026 Nakamoto later acknowledged these limitations himself and shifted to discussing higher-layer systems: Layer 2 solutions and even the concept of "Bitcoin banks."
Back stated directly that BTC's creator was plainly wrong in several of his early technical forecasts, meaning that his archives should not be treated as scripture.
With this context in mind, the Blockstream CEO is urging the industry to stop performing textual analysis of posts written 15 years ago. Bitcoin should be developed using reason and the fundamental principles of mathematics and security as they apply today, not through blind faith in authority.
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White House gathers crypto market leaders without waiting for CongressThe U.S. administration does not intend to wait for Congress and is taking crypto market regulation into its own hands. According to ETF Store President Nate Geraci, the decision to move forward has already been made: the executive branch is launching a proactive policy on its own without waiting for approval of the stalled CLARITY Act.
The clearest confirmation will be a closed-door meeting at the White House scheduled for Aug. 19. Geraci expects the event to send an unequivocal signal to the market: the rules will be established here and now, regardless of the legislative deadlock in Congress.
At the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, senior administration officials, new SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Mike Selig will bring together industry heavyweights. The list of participants includes Ripple, Coinbase, Gemini and Polymarket, as well as Wall Street giants Nasdaq, NYSE, CME and DTCC.
The meeting will serve as an official preview of the first session of the CFTC Innovation Committee, which begins the following day.
The real intrigue, in Geraci's view, lies in the tectonic shift for players such as Ripple. Instead of spending years waiting for legislation or fighting regulators in court, the company now has a seat at the negotiating table inside the White House.
Support for the CLARITY Act on Capitol Hill would be an ideal scenario, but Geraci stresses that the executive branch is signaling that it is ready to maintain the market's momentum on its own by implementing rules through agency directives on an accelerated timetable.
AI agents will outnumber humans in wallet count, Brian Armstrong saysCoinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has made the bold prediction that AI agents will inevitably outnumber humans and that cryptocurrencies will become their new financial foundation.
According to Armstrong, traditional banks simply cannot open accounts for software code without a passport, which is why the robot economy will be powered by the concept of AiFi (Agentic Finance).
To support this forecast, Coinbase is already rolling out ready-made infrastructure in which the stablecoin USDC serves as the base currency on the fast Base network. Armstrong identifies the open x402 protocol as the foundation of this new ecosystem — a machine-to-machine payment standard based on the classic HTTP status code 402 Payment Required.
We're watching AiFi develop in real time.
Agents will inevitably outnumber humans. They need rails that can keep up, and we're building them. https://t.co/a0By9CG7bC
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) August 17, 2026 The system allows bots to pay one another for APIs, computing power or databases without any human involvement. This is not some distant future: the technology has already been validated by the market, with more than $100 million processed through x402 and support from giants such as Google, Visa and Stripe.
Armstrong's prediction overturns the conventional understanding of mass crypto adoption. AI agents do not care about polished applications or marketing — they need low-cost transactions around the clock.
If the Coinbase CEO's prediction comes true, blockchain will complete its transformation from a speculative instrument into the only viable circulatory system for the global robot economy.
Total US Bitcoin Spot ETF net inflow in Q3 2026 in context of BTC price action, Source: SoSoValueCrypto market outlook: Time to buy? Bitcoin falls below 200-week MA and tests summer 2022 levelsInstitutional capital is flowing out of funds as investors reassess risk amid the asset's prolonged consolidation. At the same time, long-term corporate holders are using the lull to aggressively defend their treasury positions and hedge their balance sheets.
Key checkpoints:
ETF momentum reverses: After a temporary stabilization, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows of $389.7 million during the week of Aug. 10–14, marking the largest weekly withdrawal since early July. Fidelity's FBTC led the redemptions with $153 million.Bitcoin tests a technical reversal: The leading cryptocurrency is trapped in a narrowing trading range between $62,000 and $65,000 because of historically low spot demand, while its price has fallen below the critical 200-week moving average.A historical cycle bottom approaches: Technical analysts note that Bitcoin is on day 1,363 of its current cycle and is rapidly approaching the 1,432–1,436-day range in which macroeconomic lows have typically formed, drawing strong historical parallels to the market bottom of summer 2022.Corporate treasury protection intensifies: To protect its substantial holdings of 840,447 BTC, acquired at an average price of $75,385, Strategy raised $334 million through the sale of Class A common stock (MSTR). This increased its dollar reserve to $4.8 billion, providing 2.8 years of operational autonomy without being forced to sell its coins.Ethereum accumulation continues: High-conviction corporate buying remains active, with BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) extending its ETH purchasing streak to 59 consecutive weeks and locking 87% of its position in staking to generate an estimated $250 million in annual yield. You Might Also Like
Cambricon’s 561,000 equity incentive shares will be listed for trading on August 20.
Chinese AI chip firm Cambricon announced that it has recently received the "Transfer Registration Confirmation" and "Securities Change Registration Certificate" from the Shanghai Branch of China Securities Depository and Clearing Co., Ltd., completing the share registration for the first vesting period of the reserved portion of its 2023 Restricted Stock Incentive Plan (the "Incentive Plan"). A total of 124 incentive recipients are eligible for this vesting. The total number of shares to be listed and traded is 561,000, with the listing date set for August 20, 2026. The total vested restricted shares amount to 597,600: 36,600 shares come from the company’s repurchased A-share common stock, and the remaining 561,000 shares are from the company’s targeted issuance of A-share common stock to the incentive recipients.
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Iranian officials have set a deadline for the US to fulfill the memorandum of understanding.
A senior Iranian official said Iran has set a several-week deadline for the U.S. to fully implement the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding (MOU), noting that Iran will not wait indefinitely for the U.S. to maintain its maritime blockade. Citing that "efforts to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement with the U.S. have reached an impasse", Iran has decided to shift its policy "from defensive to fully offensive". If diplomatic efforts fail, "Iran is prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Middle East region. Iran’s timeline will be conveyed to the U.S. through intermediary countries". The U.S. and Iran released the official MOU text on June 17, with its third clause stipulating that both sides commit to negotiating and reaching a final agreement within a maximum of 60 days. The 60-day negotiation window set by the MOU expired on August 17. Due to severe disagreements on issues including the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S.-Iran negotiations reached an impasse and made no substantive progress. (CCTV News)
2 minutes ago
The rally in the US memory sector has further widened, with SanDisk rising over 10.4% and Kioxia’s ADR surging 15%.
According to market data from BIT (bit.com), during US stock trading hours, the storage sector’s gains further expanded: Kioxia ADR surged 15%, SanDisk (SNDK) rose over 10.4%, Seagate Technology (STX) gained 3.3%, Western Digital (WDC) climbed 6.8%, Micron Technology (MU) advanced 5.6%, and SK Hynix ADR rose 6.4%.
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Public companies shed 2,501 BTC; Bitmine buys 9,926 ETH as DEX volumes slip
Aug 10–Aug 16, 2026 #LookonchainWeeklyReport ?? Overview Stablecoin supply grew by $40.88M last week, DEX spot volume fell and perp volume fell, while public companies shed 2,501 BTC. ?? Stablecoin Market The total stablecoin market cap increased by $40.88M. ?? Spot & Perps Trading Volume on DEXs DEX spot volume fell 14.13% and perp volume fell 10.49% WoW. ?? Protocol Revenue Protocol revenue edged up 0.09% WoW, while Hydration Lending led weekly revenue growth with a 2085% increase. ?? Last ...
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$BTC ETF Outflows Hit -$421.76M Weekly; $ETH Gains +$6.58M Today
Anthropic and OpenAI may restrict enterprise API access to their most powerful AI models, sparking concerns over competition risks.
Anthropic and OpenAI are accelerating the rollout of industry-specific AI applications and features. Some enterprise clients fear the two firms may prioritize deploying their most powerful AI capabilities to their own products over making them accessible to external enterprises via APIs. This trend has shifted the dynamic between model providers and enterprise clients from underlying tech collaboration to potential competition. If top-tier model capabilities are increasingly directed toward their own applications, businesses may need to reassess their reliance on AI infrastructure suppliers, supply chain arrangements, and long-term technology strategies.
While the leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin has been trading sideways between $60,000 and $65,000 for some time, investors in the cryptocurrency market are now focused on macroeconomic developments that could determine Bitcoin’s direction.
While macroeconomic developments are being closely monitored at this point, a noteworthy assessment of the FED came from Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzius.
A Goldman Sachs economist stated that the likelihood of the Fed raising interest rates in September is very low, which could be positive for Bitcoin.
Hatzius stated that the recently released weak economic data and the slowdown in inflation have made it more difficult for the Fed to raise interest rates again.
Markets are pricing the Fed as too hawkish! According to Jan Hatzius’s assessment sent to clients, weakening retail sales in the U.S., softening employment data, and declining inflation significantly reduce the likelihood of a Fed interest rate hike in September.
At this point, Hatzius noted that, under the current economic outlook, inflation is more likely to continue improving rather than worsening for the remainder of the year.
The economist stated that, as things stand, the markets are still pricing in the Fed’s interest rate path as overly hawkish.
What Does This Mean for Bitcoin? A Goldman Sachs economist notes that reduced concerns about further Fed interest rate hikes could improve market liquidity conditions, which could have a positive impact on risky assets, including Bitcoin.
However, Hatzius’s statement does not directly imply a bullish prediction for the Bitcoin price.
Hatzius’s BTC assessment is based on the expectation that “the Fed will be less hawkish → the likelihood of interest rate hikes will decrease → creating a more favorable environment for BTC in terms of liquidity/risk appetite.”
How are markets pricing in the September interest rate hike?
According to CME FedWatch data, markets are pricing in a 25 basis point rate hike by the Fed at its September meeting at approximately 30.6%.
Conversely, the probability of interest rates remaining at their current level is approximately 69.4%. At this point, the market is closely watching economic data from the US and statements from Fed officials.
*This is not investment advice.
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According to market data from BIT (bit.com), crypto-related stocks posted broad gains at the opening of the US stock market. Specifically: Strategy (MSTR) rose 3.2% — it did not add Bitcoin holdings last week, instead selling $334 million worth of stocks, pushing its dollar reserves to $4.8 billion. Coinbase (COIN) gained 1.07%, Circle (CRCL) climbed 1.6%, BitMine Immersion (BMNR) advanced 2.6%, and SharpLink Gaming (SBET) increased 1.42%.
Gerber Warns Strategy’s Bitcoin Leverage Could Trigger a Selloff
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In Bitcoin news today, Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, argued this week that gold remains easier to use for everyday transactions than Bitcoin, reviving a long-running debate over the asset’s real-world utility.
The comments arrived alongside a sharper attack on Michael Saylor’s Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR), which Gerber warned could “nuke” Bitcoin if its leveraged accumulation model unwinds, according to a note shared with Benzinga.
Gerber’s utility argument centers on a simple observation: gold can be exchanged in far more physical settings worldwide than Bitcoin, even after years of industry claims about the cryptocurrency’s payment potential.
Saylor kinda makes me over Bitcoin. Hard to take it seriously anymore.
— Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) August 14, 2026 Trader Scott Melker pushed back on that framing, arguing that crypto-linked Visa and Mastercard cards already allow holders to spend Bitcoin at nearly any point of sale that accepts plastic.
That distinction matters for anyone tracking Bitcoin payments adoption, since card-rail spending routes through a custodian converting BTC to fiat at the point of sale rather than merchants accepting Bitcoin directly on-chain.
Bitcoin News: Saylor’s Leverage Model Draws FireSOURCE: Yahoo FinanceGerber’s more pointed criticism targets Strategy’s approach of selling equity to fund Bitcoin purchases. He questioned why an investor would accept diluted exposure at a premium to the underlying asset, a dynamic visible in Strategy’s stock, which trades at roughly 1.61x its Bitcoin holdings.
“The fact they can sell stock at some inflated valuation to then buy Bitcoin is crazy bad math for the investor. Why would you buy $100 of Bitcoin for $200?”
Gerber said Bitcoin’s periodic hard corrections could force Strategy into selling if its debt-funded structure comes under pressure, calling that scenario the mechanism that could “nuke” the cryptocurrency.
Strategy has countered that its shift toward perpetual preferred stock, which carries no maturity date, insulates the company from forced liquidations even in an 80% drawdown.
The company held 629,376 BTC worth more than $72Bn as of its latest disclosure, after adding 430 BTC for roughly $51.4M, yet its stock has lagged Bitcoin’s own price performance over the same stretch.
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Bitcoin Miners Betting Big on AIIn other Bitcoin news, Gerber also questioned whether Bitcoin’s network foundation is weakening as major miners redirect infrastructure toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.
That trend is documented rather than speculative: several listed miners have already converted mining capacity into AI hosting contracts, a shift detailed in coverage of Riot Platforms’ recent AI leasing arrangement.
Core Scientific, for example, has been converting a 300-megawatt Texas facility, once used for Bitcoin mining, into an AI data center campus, with colocation revenue now outpacing its digital-asset self-mining revenue.
CoinShares projections cited in coverage of the trend suggest mining revenue could fall from roughly 85% of total revenue in early 2025 to under 20% by the end of 2026 for miners with significant AI contracts, according to crypto.news.
That reallocation of capital doesn’t signal the disappearance of Bitcoin mining, but it does mean the economics increasingly favor AI hosting over pure hash-rate production, a tension that supports part of Gerber’s broader skepticism without proving his claim that Bitcoin mining AI conversions have permanently capped the network’s upside.
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Strategy has raised $333.7 million through common stock sales without buying or selling Bitcoin last week, leaving its holdings unchanged at 840,447 BTC.
Summary
Strategy raised $333.7 million from MSTR stock sales between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16. The company made no Bitcoin purchases or sales, keeping its holdings at 840,447 BTC. Strategy spent $132.2 million repurchasing STRC shares and $52.4 million on STRC dividends. Another $149.1 million was added to its U.S. dollar reserve, taking the total to $4.80 billion. According to a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Aug. 17, Strategy sold 3.46 million MSTR shares between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16 through its at-the-market offering program.
The company used $52.4 million of the proceeds to fund twice-monthly dividends on its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock, or STRC. Another $132.2 million went toward STRC repurchases, while $149.1 million was added to its U.S. dollar reserve.
Strategy reported no Bitcoin purchases or sales during the seven-day period, a week after it sold Bitcoin to help finance another round of STRC repurchases.
Strategy uses MSTR proceeds for STRC buybacks During the latest reporting period, Strategy repurchased about 1.39 million STRC shares for $132.2 million under its Digital Credit Securities Repurchase Program.
The company made no repurchases of its STRF, STRK or STRD preferred securities and did not buy back any MSTR common stock.
Following the STRC purchases, Strategy had about $653 million remaining under its $1 billion preferred securities repurchase authorization. Another $1 billion remained available under its separate common stock repurchase program.
Both programs were established under a capital framework approved in late June. As previously reported by crypto.news, Strategy’s board authorized up to $2 billion in security repurchases on June 29, split evenly between MSTR common stock and its preferred securities.
The same framework allowed the company to sell up to $1.25 billion of Bitcoin to fund its U.S. dollar reserve, preferred dividends, interest payments and security repurchases. The authorization did not represent a completed Bitcoin sale and gave Strategy the option to use its BTC holdings as a source of liquidity when required.
STRC, meanwhile, remained below its $100 par value. The preferred stock closed Friday at $94.78, down 1.03% during the session, and fell another 0.12% to $94.67 in Monday premarket trading, according to Yahoo Finance.
Strategy has been using several measures to support the preferred security after it fell well below par earlier this year. In June, CEO Phong Le personally bought $1 million of STRC and said he planned to hold the position until the security returned to par, likely longer.
At the time, Strategy had raised $335.5 million through MSTR sales and increased its dollar reserve to $1.4 billion, according to coverage published in June. STRC was trading below $90 when Le disclosed the purchase.
Strategy Bitcoin holdings remain at 840,447 BTC Strategy’s decision not to buy Bitcoin last week came immediately after two consecutive weeks of BTC sales.
Between Aug. 3 and Aug. 9, the company sold 1,690 BTC for $108.6 million at an average price of $64,262 per coin. Strategy used the entire amount to repurchase about 1.15 million STRC shares.
The Bitcoin-funded STRC buyback reduced Strategy’s holdings to the current 840,447 BTC, while MSTR sales during the same week generated another $653.1 million. Of that amount, $650 million was directed to the dollar reserve and $3.1 million was added to unrestricted cash.
Strategy had sold another 1,638 BTC between July 27 and Aug. 2 for $104.7 million. Proceeds from that transaction were split between $52.4 million in STRC dividends and $52.3 million in preferred stock repurchases.
The two sales followed Strategy’s first Bitcoin disposal since December 2022. Between May 26 and May 31, the company sold 32 BTC for about $2.5 million, with the proceeds expected to help cover preferred stock distributions.
At the time, STRC had fallen below its $100 reference price while its annualized dividend rate had risen to 11.5%. The first Bitcoin sale broke a multiyear period in which Strategy accumulated BTC without selling any of its holdings.
Strategy later raised STRC’s annual dividend rate to 12% as part of its June capital framework. Management has said the dividend can be adjusted as it seeks to keep STRC trading close to its $100 par value.
Despite the recent disposals, Strategy remains the largest publicly disclosed corporate holder of Bitcoin. Its current 840,447 BTC were acquired for an aggregate $63.36 billion, including fees and expenses, at an average purchase price of $75,385 per coin.
Strategy dollar reserve reaches $4.80 billion While Bitcoin holdings stayed unchanged last week, Strategy continued building the cash reserve used to meet obligations tied to its capital structure.
The company’s U.S. dollar reserve stood at $4.80 billion as of Aug. 16 after another $149.1 million was allocated from MSTR sales. The total includes expected proceeds from common stock transactions that had been executed but had not yet settled by Sunday.
Strategy created the reserve to fund dividends on its preferred securities and interest payments on outstanding debt. Its board retains authority over the use of the funds.
The cash position has increased quickly in recent weeks. Strategy entered August with a reserve of about $4 billion before adding $650 million during the Aug. 3 to Aug. 9 period, taking the total to $4.65 billion.
At the same time, Strategy has continued issuing common shares to provide liquidity. Last week’s sale of 3.46 million MSTR shares generated $333.7 million, following $653.1 million raised from the sale of about 6.59 million shares during the previous week.
The company still has substantial capacity to raise additional capital through its at-the-market programs. Its latest filing showed about $21.70 billion remained available for MSTR issuance and sales as of Aug. 16.
Strategy also reported no sales under its STRF, STRC, STRK or STRD at-the-market programs during the latest week. Remaining issuance capacity stood at about $17.51 billion for STRC, $1.62 billion for STRF, $2.10 billion for STRK and $4.01 billion for STRD.
The company raised $333.7 million selling MSTR shares last week and spent all of it on preferred dividends, preferred buybacks and its dollar reserve, leaving its 840,447 bitcoin untouched.
Original Image Credits: Gage Skidmore / flickr.com
Posted August 17, 2026 at 9:48 am EST.
“No bitcoin purchases or sales were made this week,” Strategy said in a Form 8-K filed Monday. The company neither bought nor sold bitcoin between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16, and every dollar it raised selling stock went to servicing its preferred shares instead.
The company sold 3,458,866 MSTR shares for $333.7 million in net proceeds, about $96.48 a share after commissions. It sent $52.4 million to dividends on its STRC preferred stock, $132.2 million to buying that same preferred stock back, and $149.1 million into its USD Reserve. Those three uses account for the entire raise. Strategy sold no preferred stock, having halted the STRC issuance that once funded its bitcoin buying.
Eight Weeks Since the Last Buy Strategy last bought bitcoin in the week ended June 21, when it added 520 BTC for $34.9 million at an average of $67,068 a coin. Monday’s filing was the eighth straight to report no purchase, a stretch that has taken in a $216 million bitcoin sale and the start of a financing overhaul. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor had pledged in May to buy 10 to 20 bitcoin for every one the company sold.
Holdings stand at 840,447 BTC bought for $63.36 billion, an average of $75,385 a coin. With bitcoin near $63,530 on Monday, the position is roughly $9.96 billion underwater.
Buying Back Preferred Below Par The week’s repurchase covered 1,388,720 STRC shares at about $95.19 each, close to 5% under the $100 par value and a shade above STRC’s $94.78 close on Friday. Strategy told investors in June that it wanted the security to trade near par. About $653 million of the $1 billion preferred repurchase authorization remains, alongside an untouched $1 billion for common stock.
The USD Reserve finished the week at $4.80 billion, up from $4.65 billion. Strategy’s board set a floor in June of 12 months of expected preferred dividends and interest, which the company put at about $1.76 billion a year. In a post on X, Strategy said the week “increased USD Duration by 41 days to 2.8 yrs and tightened STRC’s BTC Credit by 4 bps to 114 bps.”
Related Listen: Strategy Sells $216M in Bitcoin. Is Saylor a Buyer or a Seller Now?: Bits + Bips
AI-assisted content: This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by a member of the Unchained editorial team before publication.
When will Bitcoin hit $100K again is what many investors are asking right now. Bitcoin is trading today for around $62,800, about half of its all-time high of approximately $126,200 reached in October 2025.
For a cryptocurrency that approached six figures less than a year ago, the path back to $100,000 now appears significantly longer than many bullish traders anticipated. This sentiment is reflected in the trading activity at Kalshi, a CFTC-regulated prediction market.
In Kalshi’s market for “When will Bitcoin cross $100,000 again?” the likelihood of this happening before November 2026 is currently priced at just 5%, rising modestly to 13% by January 2027.
This implies an overwhelming 87% chance that Bitcoin will still be trading below $100,000 when the new year arrives, a worrying statistic for BTC bulls.
When Will Bitcoin Hit $100K Again? Not this Year is What Kalshi Bettors are Saying
(SOURCE: Kalshi)
This is a stark change from earlier in the year. In May, Kalshi traders had assigned a 40% probability to a potential year-end surge to $100,000. By late June, sentiment had further deteriorated, with separate contracts indicating a 69% chance that Bitcoin would revisit $50,000 before seeing $100,000 again.
Other Kalshi markets focused on 2026 year-end outcomes have concentrated most of their probability in the $55,000 to $70,000 range, indicating that traders view current price levels more as a ceiling than a launchpad.
This bearish sentiment aligns with the broader technical and macroeconomic landscape. Bitcoin has declined nearly 46% over the past year and remains well below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which had characterized its bullish phase in the spring.
Additionally, flows from spot Bitcoin ETFs, which were a significant driver during the 2025 rally, have reportedly reversed into net outflows. Traders point to the absence of a clear catalyst to spark a near-60 % price increase from current levels in just a few months.
Check out the BTC Markets on Kalshi and Claim Your FREE $25
Optimistic Outlook for Bitcoin Price Analysis in 2026 $BTC held above the $62,000 level and is now bouncing back.
For strong bullish momentum, Bitcoin needs to break above $65,500.
And if BTC loses the $61,900 level, it could drop to $59,000-$60,000. pic.twitter.com/rpwmH2D64M
— Ted (@TedPillows) August 17, 2026
However, not all traders on Kalshi agree with this pessimistic outlook. Some argue that historical patterns suggest Bitcoin has staged rebounds of over 80% following major corrections, as seen in both 2019 and 2023. They believe that as long as the broader market structure remains intact, a similar recovery is plausible once accumulation runs its course.
Nevertheless, this optimistic view is currently a minority perspective on Kalshi, where “No” contracts for Bitcoin closing at $100,000 by January 2027 are trading around 87 cents on the dollar.
It’s important to understand what these numbers signify. Kalshi’s pricing reflects how much traders are willing to risk at this moment, rather than providing a guaranteed forecast.
The odds have already fluctuated dramatically this year, swinging from 40% to near zero and back to the low teens within just a few months. Factors such as liquidity, positioning, and new macroeconomic data can shift these odds rapidly.
Ultimately, the market’s message is clear: a return to $100,000 this year looks unlikely, and even achieving that milestone by early 2027 remains uncertain. Future changes in this outlook will likely depend on ETF flows, Federal Reserve policy, and whether Bitcoin can find and maintain a stable bottom.
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Swan Bitcoin CEO Cory Klippsten indicated that Bitcoin could reach a local bottom in October before starting a recovery that may drive its price to $130,000 by the 2028 halving. Klippsten, who leads the US-based Bitcoin services platform Swan Bitcoin, referenced the asset’s historical cycles to support his outlook on near-term price action and long-term potential.
Historical Trends and Near-Term Bitcoin Price OutlookDrawing on previous Bitcoin cycles, Klippsten pointed out that BTC often establishes a significant low about a year after reaching a bull market peak. He projected that Bitcoin, which he expects to previously peak above $126,000 in early October 2025, could fall toward $57,000 in the months ahead. He also considered a possible deeper correction to $53,000 before a more sustained recovery begins.
Despite recognizing these historical patterns, Klippsten urged caution in viewing them as exact roadmaps, noting that Bitcoin’s track record includes only a small number of completed halving cycles. According to his scenario, however, Bitcoin could gradually rebound after this period, potentially reaching $130,000 by the 2028 halving.
The amount of BTC controlled by long-term holders may support prices, but a further correction could take place before Bitcoin settles at a more durable bottom.
He added that around 14.7 million Bitcoin was held by long-term investors at the time of his analysis. Klippsten views this high concentration as a factor that could help stabilize the market by limiting available supply, but warned that it is not certain to prevent further declines in the near term.
Altcoins and the Shift Toward Traditional FinanceTurning to the broader crypto market, Klippsten described most alternative cryptocurrencies as no longer credible rivals to Bitcoin. He argued that the era of broad-based competition among altcoins is coming to an end, with the majority “effectively dead” in their role as challengers to Bitcoin’s dominance.
Klippsten predicted that cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance will increasingly integrate with the established financial sector. He believes regulatory developments are likely to prompt crypto exchanges, lenders, and other intermediaries to evolve into entities resembling conventional financial institutions, making the separation between crypto platforms and traditional banks less distinct over time.
Among crypto projects, Klippsten singled out Hyperliquid as a potential outperformer. Hyperliquid, a decentralized derivatives trading platform, generated about $5.9 million in revenue last week, ranking fifth among DeFi protocols by revenue according to DefiLlama.
Its native token, HYPE, has climbed around 130% since the start of the year, while Bitcoin has fallen about 28% in the same timeframe, based on data from KuCoin.
Mini dictionary: Hyperliquid is a decentralized trading protocol designed for high-speed derivatives trading, operating entirely on-chain and focusing on deep liquidity, transparency, and broad access outside traditional exchanges.
AssetPerformance YTDRevenue (Last Week)HYPE+130%$5.9 millionBitcoin-28%N/AInstitutional investors are driving a new trend in crypto, with liquidity concentrating around major projects as smaller tokens see less interest.
Market maker Wintermute’s July report echoed this theme, noting that institutional participation has made crypto rallies more selective. Rather than widespread increases across numerous tokens, market activity and liquidity are now focused on larger assets and projects that attract institutional capital. This shift has reduced trading volumes in smaller and riskier tokens.
If current trends persist, analysts expect the next crypto market cycle to be shaped by Bitcoin’s ongoing dominance and a handful of high-liquidity altcoins drawing the majority of investor attention.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
The dollar fell to a 3-month low on Monday. Traders have stopped believing the Federal Reserve will raise rates again. Bitcoin (BTC), which normally thrives on a weak dollar, moved 0.7%.
Gold did far better. It has gained 9.3% in a month. Bitcoin has lost 0.8% over the same stretch. The same news reached both assets, and only one traded on it.
Dollar Index (DXY) Performance. Source: TradingView Why the Dollar Hit a 3-Month LowThe US economy stopped creating jobs in July. Payrolls fell by 23,000, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported.
The revisions hurt more than the headline. May and June were cut by a combined 103,000 jobs. Unemployment now sits at 4.1%.
Shoppers pulled back too. Retail sales dropped 0.6% in July to $763.6 billion, according to the Census Bureau. June had risen 0.2%.
Inflation cooled at the same time. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in the year to July. Core prices, which exclude food and energy, rose 2.5%.
Traders reached the obvious conclusion. Odds of a September hike fell to roughly 30%, down from about 75% in late July. That is the lowest reading since the Fed’s June decision, Brown Brothers Harriman said.
The dollar followed. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell for a third straight session to its weakest level since May 15.
Two weeks ago, the dollar index near 100 still held firm. That floor is gone.
Gold Caught the Move. Bitcoin Did Not.A falling dollar usually lifts scarce assets. This time it lifted one of them.
Gold climbed to $4,407 an ounce, while Bitcoin price action tells the opposite story. BTC sits at $63,572, up only 0.7%.
Gold (XAU) and Bitcoin (BTC) Price Performance. Source: BeInCryptoTrading is also thin. Bitcoin changed hands worth $12.6 billion in 24 hours. That is under 1% of its market value. Last week produced the same split. Gold outpaced Bitcoin sharply after the identical inflation report.
Why Wednesday’s FOMC Minutes Decide the Next MoveHere is what the dollar trade may be missing. The Fed’s July decision was not unanimous.
The vote was 9-3. Three voting members wanted a quarter-point increase, the Fed’s own statement shows. Rates stayed at 3.50% to 3.75%.
The dissenters were Beth Hammack of the Cleveland Fed, Neel Kashkari of Minneapolis, and Lorie Logan of Dallas. All three vote on policy this year.
Minutes from that July 28-29 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting arrive on Wednesday. They will reveal how close the call really was.
“We think it will be hard for the market to switch back to a fully hawkish mindset if there are a few sentences in the minutes pointing to a closer call on the unchanged rates decision than most think,” Chris Turner, global head of markets at ING, told Bloomberg.
Global purchasing managers’ index (PMI) surveys follow on Friday. Strong US readings would rebuild the case for the dollar, according to Elias Haddad of Brown Brothers Harriman.
Options desks are already hedging. One-month contracts turned against the dollar for the first time since late February. Longer-dated contracts still favor it.
That gap points to short-term weakness rather than a lasting shift. The Fed does not meet again until September 15-16.
The dollar is trading as though the Fed is finished. Three of its own voting members disagreed three weeks ago. Wednesday’s minutes will show which side read the room correctly.
Bitcoin treasury Strategy has gone another week without buying the leading cryptocurrency — but didn’t sell any this time.
The Nasdaq-listed company said Monday in a regulatory filing that it had upped its cash buffer by selling 3,458,866 shares of MSTR common stock to generate $333.7 million.
Strategy added $150M to its USD Reserve and repurchased $132M of $STRC, extending USD Duration to 2.8 yrs (+41 days) and tightening STRC BTC Credit to 114 bps (-4 bps). As of 8/16/26: ₿840,447 BTC Reserve; $4.8B USD Reserve. $MSTR https://t.co/kNWPowilmT
— Michael Saylor (@saylor) August 17, 2026 Strategy used $52.4 million to pay dividends on its STRC preferred stock, then spent $132.2 million to buy the stock back. It also added $149.1 million to its dollar reserve.
Strategy — formerly MicroStrategy — has recently pivoted to common stock sales to build up its cash reserves, rather than buying Bitcoin.
It has halted its Bitcoin sales and even sold a chunk of its holdings over the past two months after aggressively buying in 2025.
Strategy stock (Nasdaq: MSTR) has taken a hit in 2026, dropping over 60% year-to-date. At a little over $95 a pop, it is currently trading nearly 80% below its 2024 record.
The company started buying Bitcoin in 2020 as a way to protect shareholder returns. It has since become the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, with 840,447 coins worth $53.4 billion, acquired at an average price of $63,357, according to its website.
Despite focusing on its cash buffer, Strategy has reassured investors that its long-term posture toward Bitcoin is still the same. CEO Phong Le said earlier this month that he isn’t worried about the current bear market, and that the company plans to remain a long-term buyer of Bitcoin despite its recent sales.
“We’re the J.P. Morgan of the crypto economy, so whether we sell 1,000 Bitcoin out of 840,000 to me is irrelevant to the conversation,” Le said.
Strategy’s approach has spawned a wave of copycat companies that have since adopted similar crypto-treasury strategies of their own.
Mathew Di Salvo
Mathew is a reporter who's covered the space since 2019, reporting on everything from Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele's Bitcoin bet to crypto exchange FTX's bankruptcy.
Goldman Sachs just made its Bitcoin bet a lot harder to ignore. The bank added $386 million worth of Strategy Inc. shares to its portfolio, bringing its total position in the company formerly known as MicroStrategy to $558 million.
How Goldman is playing the Bitcoin trade Goldman’s approach here is worth understanding. The bank has not gone out and bought Bitcoin directly. Instead, it has accumulated roughly 2.33 million shares of Strategy Inc., the NASDAQ-listed company that Executive Chairman Michael Saylor has spent years turning into a publicly traded Bitcoin holding vehicle.
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Goldman added approximately 237,874 shares in the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, according to 13F filings. Those filings, mandatory disclosures that large institutional investors submit to the SEC each quarter, revealed the scale of the bank’s accumulating conviction.
Strategy funds its Bitcoin purchases primarily through equity offerings and convertible notes, a capital-raising playbook it has run since 2020. When Goldman buys Strategy shares, it is effectively financing that machine, and betting that the machine keeps working.
Why Strategy, why now Strategy completed a rebranding from MicroStrategy in February 2025, a move that was equal parts marketing and mission statement. The new name strips away any pretense that this is a software company with a side interest in crypto. It is a Bitcoin treasury company, full stop.
Strategy holds more Bitcoin than any other corporation on earth, a title it has defended aggressively through continued purchases. For institutions that want Bitcoin exposure without the custody headaches, regulatory uncertainty around direct holdings, or internal risk committee drama, Strategy stock is the path of least resistance.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
For most of the last cycle, corporate bitcoin buying was treated as a directional bet: acquire coins, wait for the dollar price to rise, and book a treasury gain. Strategy and Metaplanet have changed that framing. The two public companies most associated with bitcoin balance sheets are increasingly judged on per-share accumulation rather than spot price momentum.
That framing appears in the day-ahead market note published by CoinDesk on Aug. 17. The headline is not about a price target or a technical level. It is about the mathematics of share issuance, debt conversion, and bitcoin per share, metrics that can improve even when the underlying asset trades sideways.
Strategy built its current structure through convertible notes and at-the-market equity offerings, using the proceeds to add bitcoin. Metaplanet adopted a similar model in Japan, leaning on equity-linked issuance to expand its holdings. In both cases, the immediate market signal is not whether the company bought at a local top or bottom. It is whether a capital raise increased the number of bitcoin held per outstanding share.
That shift matters for how these stocks trade. When investors value the treasury operation, they look at the relationship between the share price and net asset value, and at how much bitcoin each share represents. A company can report flat dollar performance in bitcoin and still improve per-share exposure if it issues shares at a premium or converts debt at favorable terms.
Why spot price becomes a secondary variable For a conventional treasury, price is nearly everything. For a bitcoin-denominated balance sheet, capital market access changes the calculation. If a company can raise equity at a premium to its bitcoin holdings and immediately deploy that capital into bitcoin, the arbitrage can be positive for existing shareholders before the dollar price moves. That is the mathematical edge the day-ahead note points toward.
This is not the same as saying price risk disappears. A sharp downturn still hurts, and the same premium that makes issuance attractive can compress quickly when sentiment shifts. The model has made volatility a feature of liability management rather than only an asset risk.
A different kind of institutional bid The corporate treasury trade now looks less like a passive store-of-value decision and more like an active balance-sheet strategy. That distinction matters for bond investors, convertible arbitrage desks, and equity analysts trying to model these companies. The same institutional energy has been visible elsewhere. BlockchainReporter recently noted that tokenized real-world assets crossed $20 billion on-chain, another sign that capital markets are adapting to crypto-native structures rather than waiting for spot price breakouts.
That lines up with a broader move across digital-asset markets, where institutional capital has been searching for structured yield and access rather than pure spot exposure. BlockchainReporter also covered how institutional staking and fintech integration lifted SUI, a reminder that the demand is wider than any single treasury trade.
Regulation and refinancing risk still sit underneath The strategy only works as long as capital markets stay open and regulatory treatment does not become punitive. US policy debate around crypto market structure remains unresolved. BlockchainReporter previously covered how banking groups have been working to reshape a major crypto bill days before a Senate vote, and those fights still shape how institutions approach custody, trading, and exposure.
There is also a refinancing question. Convertible debt eventually matures, and share issuance depends on buyers accepting the premium. If either condition weakens, the per-share math becomes harder to sustain even if bitcoin’s dollar price is stable.
What the market should watch next The immediate test is not a specific price level. It is whether these companies can keep issuing paper at terms that still add bitcoin per share. Share price premium, convertible note demand, and the spread between equity value and underlying bitcoin holdings will say more about the trade’s health than a daily percentage move in spot.
For traders, that means monitoring balance-sheet announcements and capital markets activity as closely as bitcoin charts. For the broader market, Strategy and Metaplanet have turned corporate bitcoin accumulation into a structural flow, one that does not need a bull market to continue but does need functioning credit and equity conditions to survive.
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Strategy, the Nasdaq-listed digital asset company formerly known as MicroStrategy, entered another week without purchasing or selling Bitcoin. The company maintained its Bitcoin holdings unchanged, opting instead to strengthen its cash reserve amid market turbulence.
Cash reserve strategyAccording to a recent regulatory filing, Strategy raised $333.7 million by issuing 3,458,866 shares of its MSTR common stock. The company allocated $149.1 million of this sum to expand its USD reserve, while $52.4 million was used to pay dividends on STRC preferred stock. Additionally, Strategy spent $132.2 million repurchasing its own stock.
Chairman Michael Saylor emphasized the company’s efforts on social media, highlighting the $150 million increase in reserves and the repurchase of $132 million worth of STRC stock. With this move, the USD reserve now sits at $4.8 billion. Saylor also reported that the company extended its USD duration to 2.8 years and narrowed the STRC BTC credit to 114 basis points.
Strategy raised $333.7 million through a stock sale, bolstered its USD reserve by $150 million, and repurchased $132 million of STRC shares, while maintaining its Bitcoin holdings and supporting investor returns.
Mini dictionary: Strategy is a Nasdaq-listed company focused on digital assets and is the largest publicly traded corporate Bitcoin investor. Previously named MicroStrategy, it has shifted toward strengthening its cash position through stock offerings alongside its crypto holdings.
ActionAmountShares sold (MSTR)3,458,866Funds raised$333.7 millionUSD reserve addition$149.1 millionSTRC stock buyback$132.2 millionDividend payments$52.4 millionBitcoin holding policyStrategy has refrained from both buying and selling Bitcoin during the latest reporting period, halting all Bitcoin sales after previously reducing its holdings earlier in the year. This marks a shift from its aggressive accumulation strategy that peaked in 2025.
As of August 16, 2026, the company holds 840,447 BTC, worth $53.4 billion at an average acquisition price of $63,357 per coin. Despite volatile market conditions, Strategy continues to present itself as the largest corporate Bitcoin holder.
Strategy initiated its large-scale Bitcoin purchases in 2020, outlining its intention to use the asset as a hedge and a tool for enhancing shareholder value. Since then, it has served as a model for other corporations adopting similar crypto-treasury management approaches.
Stock performance and outlookMSTR shares have faced significant downward pressure throughout 2026. The stock has dropped more than 60% since the start of the year and now trades at just over $95, down nearly 80% from its 2024 peak.
Speaking earlier this month, CEO Phong Le addressed investor apprehension around the company’s strategic direction, citing confidence in their long-term commitment to Bitcoin. Le described Strategy as akin to “the J.P. Morgan of the crypto economy,” suggesting minor sales are negligible compared to their broader holdings and philosophy.
Strategy’s leadership asserts that their commitment to Bitcoin remains unchanged and that recent moves to boost cash reserves do not indicate a shift away from their core digital asset strategy.
Influence on industry peersStrategy’s approach to balancing a large Bitcoin treasury with traditional financial reserves has influenced a wave of companies to adopt similar treasury strategies. As market conditions evolve, many firms look to blend crypto assets with cash holdings to navigate volatility and support long-term objectives.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Amboss Technologies today launched the Amboss Affiliate Program, an open invitation to anyone who can introduce businesses to lower-cost, chargeback-free payments while expanding the Bitcoin payments network.
Approved affiliates earn 15% of the platform fees Amboss collects from each referred merchant for the first twelve months. That rate rises automatically to 20% once an affiliate’s referred merchants process a combined $1 million or more in trailing 30-day volume. There is no cost to join, no exclusivity requirement, and no earnings cap. Commissions sit in a rewards balance that can be claimed in any amount at any time and are paid in bitcoin over the Lightning Network in seconds.
The Amboss Payments API lets merchants accept instant, final Bitcoin payments from the roughly 900 million users of Lightning-enabled apps (including Cash App, Coinbase, Binance, and Kraken) then settle in USDT, USDC, or bitcoin under their own custody for a flat 0.5% fee. Optional conversion to stablecoins uses Lightning Labs’ bridgeless Taproot Assets, removing the volatility objection that has long blocked broader merchant adoption.
“Most payments companies spend heavily on ads and still end up with a sales force that doesn’t care about Bitcoin,” said Jesse Shrader, co-founder and CEO of Amboss. “We would rather pay the people who already talk to merchants every day, and pay them in bitcoin. If you help a business accept Lightning payments, you should share in the revenue for the first year of every account you create. We made the economics generous on purpose.”
The program is built for the people who already sit between merchants and their payment decisions: Lightning and Bitcoin integrators, payment consultants and PSPs, wallet and POS platforms, e-commerce tools, and creators inside the Bitcoin ecosystem. Affiliates never touch funds or handle onboarding. Amboss manages the product, merchant verification, integration support, and payouts.
“We only pay commissions out of revenue we actually collect,” said Mario Pazos, Chief Commercial Officer. “That means a referred merchant is never a loss for us, so every additional affiliate is pure reach. Our early partners are already moving volume. The application takes about two minutes.”
Applications are open now. Signup requires only basic identifying information for sanctions screening. Affiliates earning under $2,000 in a calendar year have no U.S. tax filing requirement.
Program details and application: https://amboss.tech/affiliates
About Amboss Technologies
Amboss builds infrastructure for the Bitcoin Lightning Network, including Amboss Rails (currently routing approximately $24.7 million per month) and the Amboss Payments API. Live network metrics are published at amboss.tech/rails/stats. Amboss Technologies, Inc. is a Delaware corporation.
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder and most prominent voice, publicly credited Bitcoin developers for pioneering scaling ideas that are now shaping Ethereum’s own roadmap. The acknowledgment, made on August 16, 2026, specifically highlighted technologies like Utreexo as influential to how Ethereum plans to handle its growing state management challenges.
What Utreexo actually does Utreexo was proposed by Bitcoin developer Tadge Dryja back in 2019, under the umbrella of the MIT Digital Currency Initiative. The core idea is elegant. Bitcoin’s UTXO set, the running ledger of all unspent transaction outputs that nodes must track, grows over time and becomes a storage burden for anyone running a full node.
Utreexo replaces that bulky data structure with a dynamic hash-based accumulator. The result is that the UTXO set size could shrink to under one kilobyte, making it dramatically easier to run lightweight full nodes without sacrificing validation standards or security.
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Ethereum’s cross-pollination strategy Ethereum uses an account-based model rather than Bitcoin’s UTXO model. Accounts work like bank balances, where each address has a running total. UTXOs work more like physical coins, where each transaction output is a discrete, unspent unit.
What Buterin outlined is an approach that doesn’t pick one model over the other. Instead, Ethereum’s scaling strategy aims to integrate UTXO-style state, dynamic state, and hybrid models to support increased network activity while preserving decentralization.
The timing lines up with Ethereum’s broader 2026 roadmap, which has placed heavy emphasis on several interrelated scaling initiatives. Gas limit increases would allow more computation per block. Statelessness solutions would reduce the data burden on individual nodes. Data availability enhancements would ensure that even as throughput grows, the information needed to verify the chain remains accessible.
Why the Bitcoin-Ethereum idea exchange matters For Ethereum specifically, the willingness to learn from Bitcoin’s UTXO research could accelerate progress on statelessness. Statelessness, in practical terms, means that nodes wouldn’t need to store the entire state of the blockchain to validate new blocks. They could verify transactions using compact proofs instead.
That’s exactly the kind of capability that Utreexo-style accumulators make possible, even if the specific implementation on Ethereum would look different given its account-based architecture.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Bitcoin hovers near the $63,000 mark on Monday as markets turned their attention to the Federal Reserve’s rate decision. The cryptocurrency was trading near the $63,336 mark.
In the past 24 hours, Bitcoin and Ethereum were up 0.53% and 0.75% respectively. Among the major altcoins, Tron, Hyperliquid, Dogecoin rallied upto 2.81% whereas BNB, XRP, Solana, and Cardano fell upto 1.48%.
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BTC remained close to $63K as markets turned their attention to the Federal Reserve’s rate decision. The Fed’s guidance on borrowing costs could influence market liquidity, the US dollar and investor appetite for riskier assets like BTC, said CoinSwitch Markets Desk.
It further said that a clear move above $63.3K could strengthen bullish momentum and support a recovery toward higher levels
The global crypto market capitalisation went up 0.35% to $2.17 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap. The crypto markets removed consoles throughout the weekend with the Bitcoin price recording no major moves and crypt defer and head index is at 38 and the market sentiments remain under fear said CoinDCX Research Team.
Riya Sehgal Research Analyst Delta Exchange said crypto markets are starting the week in consolidation mode, with Bitcoin trading near $63,200 and Ethereum around $1,895.
Sehgal further said fundamentally, weaker Bitcoin ETF flows, elevated oil prices and continued U.S.-Iran uncertainty remain key risks, while Wednesday’s FOMC minutes are the next major macro catalyst.
In the past week, Bitcoin and Ethereum fell 2.8% and 1.59% respectively. Among the major altcoins, XRP and Cardano were down 2.4% and 9.8% respectively whereas BNB, Tron, Hyperliquid, Dogecoin rallied upto 8.17% whereas XRP, Solana, and Cardano corrected upto 10.77%.
Prateek Gupta, Head of Business, Mudrex said Bitcoin is trading below the $63,000 mark, testing its 200-week moving average and reaching its lowest level since August 3 as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East push investors toward safer assets. Institutional flows have also turned weaker, with US spot Bitcoin ETFs recording $390 million in net outflows this week, reversing part of last week's $865 million inflows.
Attention now shifts to the upcoming Federal Reserve minutes, which could provide clearer signals on the policy path. A stronger case for tighter monetary policy could further pressure risk assets, including crypto, Gupta further said.
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Here is what other expert say
Nischal Shetty, founder, WazirX: Bitcoin continues to trade near $63,009, with the daily technical setup maintaining a bearish bias. Moving averages remain weak, suggesting sellers still have the advantage. For futures traders, a sustained move above $64,000 could help ease the prevailing downside pressure.
Vikram Subburaj, CEO, Giottus: The market remains anchored around an important cost-basis area despite a more supportive US interest-rate outlook. Spot trading volume measured in Bitcoin has fallen to its lowest level since 2019. Sellers appear increasingly exhausted, but buyers have not returned with enough conviction to drive a breakout.
Avinash Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO, Pi42: The current market calls for patience rather than aggressive positioning. Bitcoin’s ability to sustain above $62,300 and eventually reclaim the $64,300 to $66,500 zone will be important for confirming stronger momentum, while a decisive move above the $1,900 to $2,000 range could provide clearer direction for Ethereum.
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
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Vitalik Buterin has endorsed a plan to rebuild how Ethereum handles simple payments, copying a method Bitcoin has used since 2009. He credited Bitcoin developers for the idea on X.
The endorsement answers a problem Ethereum has carried for years. Every new account makes the network a little heavier to run.
Why Ethereum Keeps Getting HeavierThousands of computers worldwide hold a full copy of Ethereum. Those machines are called nodes, and each one stores every account ever created. That record never shrinks. A single account entry costs 100 to 150 bytes and stays there permanently, whether anyone uses it again or not.
Buterin has warned about the buildup before. He spent much of 2026 arguing that Ethereum’s deepest bottlenecks sit in how the network stores data. The side networks built on top are not the main problem.
How Bitcoin’s Design Could Fix ItEthereum Foundation researcher Toni Wahrstatter published an answer in July. He borrowed the way Bitcoin handles money, counting individual coins instead of running account balances.
Bitcoin calls those coins unspent transaction outputs, or UTXOs. Once someone spends one, almost nothing stays behind, roughly a third of a byte. The outcome shows up at scale. One billion Ethereum accounts would demand up to 150 gigabytes. One billion spent coins would need about 300 megabytes.
Recipients would gain something too. Today they need Ethereum’s token, ETH, in a wallet before money arrives. Under the new model the payment covers its own fee.
Buterin added the second half in January. He proposed letting computers bundle many transaction checks into one compact package, instead of passing a heavy check around for every payment.
Not everyone welcomed the borrowing. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson accused Ethereum of copying his own network’s coin tracking after the July proposal appeared.
Ethereum Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto MarketsButerin Praises Bitcoiners and Points AheadDeveloper conall.gwei joined the two ideas. Whoever builds the next block could then publish a single 128 kB summary and settle an enormous batch of payments at once.
Buterin answered him directly.
Bitcoiners deserve a lot of credit for pioneering many of these ideas (see Utreexo).
But yes, this is what the current proposed Ethereum scaling strategy looks like in action.
We want Ethereum to have the best of UTXO-style state, dynamic state, and everything in between,…
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) August 16, 2026
V. Buterin. Source: XUtreexo, the Bitcoin project he named, lets computers verify coins without keeping the full list. Buterin wants Ethereum to run both styles at once, so most activity scales up while ordinary people can still run a node. Those compact proofs, known as STARKs, already anchor his Lean Ethereum roadmap plans, which drew pushback over timelines in July. He also called the old tradeoff between speed, security and decentralization technically solved earlier this year.
The foundation keeps shipping changes regardless. It set out its 2026 protocol priorities in February, then swapped core cryptography this month to guard against quantum computers.
Markets have not rewarded the research push so far. ETH trades near $1,903, up 1.28% on the day, and the token has stalled below $2,000 for weeks.
Neither proposal has a launch date. Therefore, the open question is whether the teams that build Ethereum’s software will pick both up.
TLDR Bitcoin traded near $63,460 on Monday, up 0.7% daily but still 2.3% lower over the week. Hyperliquid’s HYPE gained 3.4% daily and 8.7% weekly, outperforming most large-cap coins. Chainlink’s LINK rose 15.7% over seven days, one of the biggest weekly gains in the top 20. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $390 million in net outflows last week, reversing the prior week’s inflows. Bitcoin faces resistance near $65,000–$66,000, with $60,000 acting as the main support level. Bitcoin traded around $63,460 during Asian hours on Monday, August 17. The price was up 0.7% over 24 hours.
Over the past week, though, Bitcoin remained 2.3% lower. It had fallen from above $65,000 the week before.
The cryptocurrency’s market capitalization stood near $1.27 trillion. The broader crypto market was valued at roughly $2.24 trillion.
Bitcoin dominance held close to 57%. Most large-cap coins posted small daily gains, but weekly results were mixed.
Bitcoin fell as low as $62,500 on Friday. It stabilized over the weekend and climbed back above $63,000.
Bitcoin Price on CoinGecko Other major coins moved in different directions. Ethereum traded near $1,900, up 1% daily but down slightly for the week.
XRP stayed near $1.00, down 2.8% weekly. Solana traded around $75.47, roughly flat on the week.
ETF Outflows Mark a Reversal Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $390 million in net outflows between August 10 and August 14. Fidelity’s FBTC accounted for roughly $153 million of that total.
This is a shift from the previous week. Bitcoin ETFs had attracted $853.5 million in inflows across five straight sessions before that.
Spot Ethereum ETFs saw a smaller outflow of $2.26 million for the week.
HYPE and LINK Outperform the Market Hyperliquid’s HYPE token traded near $58.81. It gained 3.4% daily and 8.7% over seven days, giving it a market cap near $13.1 billion.
Hyperliquid reported $169 million in second-quarter revenue. The platform directed $141 million of that toward HYPE buybacks.
Chainlink’s LINK traded near $9.45, up 15.7% for the week. Monero also outperformed Bitcoin, rising 4.9% weekly to around $413.84.
Among the top 100 coins, Bitway rose 22.3% daily, the strongest performer in that group. Stable and Quant posted the largest daily losses, falling 3.7% and 3.6%.
Bitcoin’s chart shows the price consolidating below the $65,000–$66,000 resistance band. The $60,000 level continues to act as the main support floor.
The Federal Reserve will release minutes from its July meeting on Wednesday, August 19. Officials voted 9-3 to hold rates at 3.5%-3.75% at that meeting.
TLDR JPMorgan launched a program in March 2026 letting institutional clients pledge Bitcoin and Ethereum for U.S. dollar loans through its Kinexys platform. Crypto collateral carries haircuts of 30% to 50%, far higher than the 1% to 5% applied to Treasuries. Custodians Fidelity Digital Assets and Coinbase Custody hold the pledged tokens while Chainlink supplies real-time pricing data. Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Bank of America are building a separate tokenized deposit network set to launch in 2027. CEO Jamie Dimon once called Bitcoin a fraud, but the bank now treats it similarly to stocks, bonds and gold on its books. JPMorgan Chase now lets large institutional clients use Bitcoin and Ethereum as collateral for U.S. dollar loans. The bank opened the program in March 2026 through its digital assets platform called Kinexys.
This marks a shift for a bank whose leadership spent years dismissing crypto. CEO Jamie Dimon once described Bitcoin as a “hyped-up fraud” and compared it to a pet rock.
The Kinexys platform, formerly named Onyx, already processes over $5 billion in daily transaction volume. Adding crypto collateral extends a system the bank had already built to move tokenized value.
How the Program Works Clients deposit Bitcoin or Ethereum with a third-party custodian, usually Fidelity Digital Assets or Coinbase Custody. JPMorgan never holds the tokens directly.
Instead, the bank receives a receipt confirming the deposit. The client then gets a dollar loan backed by that crypto holding.
Price feeds from Chainlink update the collateral value continuously. If prices fall below a set threshold, the system triggers an automatic margin call.
The client must add more collateral or repay part of the loan. If they do neither, the custodian can sell the crypto to cover the gap.
Comparing the Collateral Discounts Banks apply “haircuts” to collateral based on how risky an asset is. U.S. Treasuries typically get haircuts of just 1% to 5%.
Investment-grade bonds sit between 5% and 15%. Gold usually falls between 10% and 25%, depending on the custodian.
JPMorgan applies haircuts of 30% to 50% on Bitcoin. That means a client pledging $100,000 in Bitcoin might receive between $50,000 and $70,000 in loan proceeds.
Ethereum reportedly gets wider haircuts than Bitcoin inside the bank’s models. JPMorgan’s own analysts have said Bitcoin has moved further into the institutional mainstream than Ethereum has this year.
The program also connects to JPMorgan’s other crypto products. The bank has filed for bitcoin-backed structured notes tied to BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin fund, offering leveraged returns tied to price targets through December 2026.
Other banks are watching closely. Goldman Sachs has been developing its own crypto-collateral approach through repo structures, while Citigroup is building custody systems meant to handle trillions in tokenized assets.
Separately, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo are working together on a tokenized deposit network. That system is expected to launch in the first half of 2027 and would let companies move funds around the clock.
Regional banks are unlikely to build this kind of infrastructure on their own. Most will likely rely on the same custodians and pricing providers that JPMorgan already uses.
The program currently applies only to institutional and high-net-worth clients. Retail access is not yet part of the offering, though reports suggest JPMorgan is reviewing a broader rollout for qualified retail investors by mid-2027.
Regulators have not issued formal guidance on banks holding crypto as collateral. The direction of that guidance over the coming months will likely shape how fast other banks follow JPMorgan’s lead.
Bitcoin traded around $63,460 during Asian hours on Monday, Aug. 17, recovering 0.7% over 24 hours but remaining 2.3% lower over seven days as the cryptocurrency market entered another week with limited momentum.
Summary
Bitcoin traded near $63,460 Monday, gaining 0.7% daily while remaining 2.3% lower across the week. Hyperliquid rose 3.4% daily and 8.7% weekly, outperforming most major cryptocurrencies during Monday morning trading. Monero traded near $413.84, gaining 4.9% weekly as momentum improved toward its $420–$430 resistance zone. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $390 million in net outflows across last week’s five sessions. Bitway led top-100 gainers with 22.3%, while Stable and Quant posted the largest daily declines. Bitcoin’s market capitalization stood near $1.27 trillion.
The broader crypto market was valued at roughly $2.24 trillion, while Bitcoin dominance remained close to 57%. Most large-cap cryptocurrencies posted modest daily gains, but weekly performance remained mixed after Bitcoin fell from above $65,000 during the previous week.
Bitcoin price remains below last week’s highs Bitcoin’s latest rebound has yet to erase the decline from last week’s $65,400 area. BTC fell as low as roughly $62,500 on Friday before stabilizing through the weekend and moving back above $63,000.
Ethereum was trading around $1,900.64, up 1% in 24 hours but 0.8% lower over seven days. XRP remained near $1.00 and was down 2.8% for the week. Solana traded around $75.47, down 0.1% daily and 1.4% weekly. BNB held near $605.63 and was 0.6% higher over seven days.
TRON changed hands near $0.332, gaining 0.4% daily and 0.7% weekly, while Dogecoin rose 0.6% to about $0.070.
The subdued Bitcoin performance follows another reversal in U.S. institutional flows. Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $390 million in combined net outflows between Aug. 10 and Aug. 14, with Fidelity’s FBTC accounting for about $153 million. Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded a smaller $2.26 million weekly net outflow.
Bitcoin spot ETF net inflow, source: SoSoValue That marked a sharp change from the previous week, when, as crypto.newspreviously reported, Bitcoin ETFs attracted $853.5 million across five consecutive inflow sessions.
HYPE and LINK outperform major altcoins Hyperliquid’s HYPE remained one of the strongest large-cap performers. The token traded around $58.81, gaining 3.4% over 24 hours and 8.7% during the past seven days. Its market capitalization stood near $13.1 billion.
Chainlink posted an even larger weekly increase among the top 20 cryptocurrencies. LINK traded near $9.45, gaining 0.7% on the day and 15.7% over seven days. Monero also outperformed Bitcoin, rising 4.9% weekly to around $413.84.
HYPE’s performance follows a period of renewed activity around Hyperliquid. In related coverage, crypto.newsreported that Hyperliquid generated $169 million in second-quarter revenue and directed $141 million toward HYPE buybacks.
Among the broader top-100 market-cap group, Bitway was the strongest daily performer in the latest crypto.news snapshot, rising 22.3%. Ether.fi followed with a 7.9% increase.
On the downside, Stable fell 3.7%, Quant lost 3.6%, and Canton declined 2.7%. Uniswap remained one of the weakest weekly performers among larger assets, falling 18.4% over seven days despite gaining 1.3% Monday.
Bitcoin tests resistance after steady recovery Bitcoin’s daily chart shows BTC consolidating after its sharp June pullback, with price hovering near $63,490 and posting a modest 0.94% intraday gain. Despite the short-term uptick, BTC continues to trade below the key resistance band around $65,000–$66,000, keeping the broader structure tilted to the downside compared with earlier cycle highs. In the near term, price action remains confined to a range, with $60,000 acting as the main support floor.
The Aroon Oscillator sits in positive territory at 42.86, suggesting that recent upward moves are currently outweighing recent lows. This points to mild bullish momentum in the short term, though the signal is not strong enough to indicate a confirmed trend shift.
Bitcoin (BTC) price chart, source: crypto.news Momentum indicators, however, remain weak. The MACD continues to reflect bearish conditions, with the histogram at approximately -124.49 and the MACD line near -236.26, still positioned below the signal line around -111.77. This setup indicates that downside momentum has not fully dissipated despite the recent price recovery.
Overall, Bitcoin is stabilizing after its decline but has yet to establish a convincing bullish reversal. A sustained breakout above the $65,000–$66,000 resistance zone would strengthen the recovery case, while a breakdown below $60,000 would likely reintroduce stronger bearish pressure.
Fed minutes and White House meeting come into focus Macro policy returns to the foreground this week. The Federal Reserve will publish minutes from its July 28–29 meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 2 p.m. ET. Officials voted 9–3 to maintain the federal funds target range at 3.5%–3.75%, with three members preferring a quarter-point increase.
Markets have since reduced expectations for another rate increase. Futures pricing pointed to roughly a 30% probability of a September hike heading into Monday, according to the Financial Times.
Crypto traders will also watch Washington. As crypto.news reported, Coinbase, Ripple and other crypto and prediction-market executives are expected at an Aug. 19 White House meeting as policymakers continue discussing digital asset regulation.
For Bitcoin, the immediate question is whether Monday’s move can extend beyond the $64,000 region and recover last week’s highs. Until then, BTC remains below its recent range peak while selected altcoins, notably LINK, HYPE and XMR, continue to outperform.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Binance has overtaken CME Group in Bitcoin futures open interest for the first time since late 2023, holding roughly 148,500 BTC against CME’s 102,840. The reversal unwinds two years of institutional dominance narrative and raises questions about whether traditional finance is retreating from crypto derivatives or simply relocating.
Summary
Binance has surpassed CME Group in Bitcoin futures open interest for the first time since late 2023, holding roughly 148,500 BTC ($9.6 billion) compared with CME’s 102,840 BTC ($6.7 billion). CME open interest has fallen to its lowest level since February 2024 after five consecutive months of decline, driven largely by the unwinding of the cash and carry basis trade. The annualized Bitcoin futures basis has compressed to roughly 3%, falling below the 3.8% yield on two year U.S. Treasuries, eliminating the arbitrage incentive that fueled institutional CME positioning. Market makers and hedge funds are migrating toward offshore perpetual contracts on Binance, Bybit, and OKX, while a parallel regulatory shift is bringing perpetual futures onshore through CFTC approved venues like Kalshi. The reversal raises fundamental questions about whether the “institutional adoption” narrative built on CME dominance was always more fragile than it appeared, and whether traditional finance is retreating or simply relocating. For two years, a single chart told the story of Bitcoin’s institutional coming of age. CME Group, the Chicago exchange where pension funds, sovereign wealth managers, and hedge funds trade everything from corn to crude oil, held more Bitcoin futures open interest than any venue on Earth. That lead over Binance, the offshore exchange synonymous with retail speculation, became the most cited proof point for the “institutions are here” thesis.
That chart has now flipped. Binance holds roughly 148,500 BTC in open interest, worth approximately $9.6 billion. CME has dropped to around 102,840 BTC, or $6.7 billion, its lowest reading since February 2024. The gap is not narrow. It is roughly 45,000 BTC wide and growing.
The shift did not arrive overnight. CME open interest has fallen for five consecutive months, accelerating through the second quarter of 2026 as the profitability of the basis trade collapsed and institutional appetites shifted. What looked like a permanent structural change in Bitcoin market microstructure may have been, at least in part, an arbitrage play dressed in institutional clothing.
Understanding what happened, why it matters, and where it leads requires following the money through a maze of basis spreads, regulatory upheaval, and the evolving definition of what “institutional” even means in crypto.
The basis trade machine and how it broke The centerpiece of CME’s rise to the top of the Bitcoin futures leaderboard was not directional conviction. It was the cash and carry basis trade, a delta neutral strategy older than most of the people trading it.
The mechanics are straightforward. Buy spot Bitcoin, or more commonly after January 2024, buy shares of a spot Bitcoin ETF like BlackRock’s IBIT. Simultaneously sell Bitcoin futures on CME at a premium to the spot price. The difference between the futures price and the spot price, the basis, represents annualized yield. When Bitcoin was rallying through 2024 and the first half of 2025, that basis regularly exceeded 15% to 20%, dwarfing anything available in traditional fixed income.
Hedge funds, proprietary trading desks, and institutional players rotated capital into this trade at scale. According to CFTC Commitments of Traders data, leveraged funds held persistent net short positions on CME Bitcoin futures throughout most of 2024 and 2025, the signature footprint of the basis trade. They were not bearish on Bitcoin. They were harvesting yield from the contango.
The problem is that the basis trade is self limiting. As more capital enters, competition compresses the spread. As Bitcoin’s price declined from its highs above $120,000 to the $60,000 to $80,000 range through the first half of 2026, futures premiums collapsed alongside it. By mid 2026, the annualized three month basis on CME had fallen to roughly 3%, below the 3.8% yield on two year U.S. Treasuries.
At that point, the math stopped working. Why lock up capital in a trade that earns less than risk free government debt, while carrying counterparty risk, margin requirements, and the operational complexity of rolling quarterly futures contracts? The answer, for most institutional desks, was to unwind.
The unwinding was not panic. It was arithmetic. The Block reported that CME Bitcoin futures activity slumped to a 14 month low in April 2026, with average daily open interest falling below $8 billion and daily trading volume dropping under $3 billion. Each month since has continued the decline.
The scale of the exodus is visible in the raw numbers. CME began 2026 with approximately 175,000 BTC in open interest. By April, that figure had dropped to roughly 120,000 BTC. By August, it sat near 103,000 BTC, a decline of more than 40% in eight months. For context, the open interest that CME lost over this period, roughly 72,000 BTC, represents more than $4.5 billion in notional value at current prices. That is not a rounding error. It is a structural repricing of where institutional derivatives capital lives.
Where the money went The capital that exited CME did not vanish from the Bitcoin derivatives market. Some returned to direct spot holdings, simplifying portfolios and removing the futures leg entirely. But a meaningful share migrated to offshore perpetual contracts, the instrument that dominates crypto derivatives trading and has for years.
Perpetual futures, which have no expiration date and use a funding rate mechanism to stay tethered to spot prices, account for roughly 90% of all crypto derivatives volume globally. Binance alone controls approximately 33% of the centralized perpetual futures market, followed by OKX and Bybit. In the first quarter of 2026, Binance tightened its grip even as overall crypto trading volume declined, capturing a 40% share of perpetual futures activity.
The appeal for institutional market makers is not mysterious. Perpetuals offer continuous liquidity without the friction of quarterly roll dates. Margin requirements on offshore exchanges are more flexible. And for desks that are genuinely market neutral, providing liquidity on both sides, the funding rate on perpetuals can generate yield similar to the old basis trade, often with better capital efficiency.
What has changed is not the existence of these benefits, which offshore venues have offered for years, but the willingness of institutional participants to act on them. As the basis trade on CME became unprofitable and the regulatory climate around perpetuals began to shift, the stigma of trading on offshore venues appears to have softened for a segment of the institutional market.
This does not mean Goldman Sachs is opening a Binance account. The migration is concentrated among crypto native market makers, quantitative trading firms, and smaller hedge funds that operate across jurisdictions. Many of these firms are registered in Singapore, Dubai, or the British Virgin Islands and face no regulatory barrier to trading on Binance or similar platforms. For them, the question was never whether they could trade offshore but whether the economics justified staying on CME. Once the basis spread vanished, the answer changed.
These participants were a significant share of CME’s open interest, and their departure has been measurable. CoinGecko data from the first quarter of 2026 shows that Binance and OKX together dominate the perpetual futures landscape, with decentralized perpetual exchanges also nearly quadrupling their share of open interest year over year, adding another layer of competition that CME cannot match.
CME’s countermove and why 24/7 was not enough CME did not sit idle while its Bitcoin futures franchise eroded. On May 29, 2026, the exchange launched 24/7 trading for cryptocurrency futures and options, eliminating the weekend gap that had been a persistent structural disadvantage against crypto native venues.
The inaugural weekend saw more than 7,200 contracts traded, roughly $50 million in notional value. Average daily volume across CME’s crypto complex reached 407,200 contracts, up 46% year over year. The exchange also introduced Bitcoin volatility futures on June 1, expanding the toolkit available to institutional traders.
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— crypto.news (@cryptodotnews) April 27, 2026 These moves addressed genuine pain points. Corporate treasury desks, asset managers, and hedge funds running Bitcoin positions had long struggled with the inability to adjust hedges during weekends when spot markets kept moving. The CME gap, a visible discontinuity in Monday’s opening price relative to Friday’s close, was a real source of basis risk.
But 24/7 trading arrived too late to reverse the basis trade exodus. The open interest decline continued through June, July, and August, suggesting that the forces driving capital away from CME were more fundamental than trading hours. The basis trade collapse was a yield problem, not an access problem, and extending trading hours does not restore the contango.
The perpetual futures revolution comes onshore While CME was losing open interest to offshore venues, a parallel regulatory development was reshaping the competitive landscape from the other direction. On May 29, 2026, the same day CME went 24/7, the CFTC approved Kalshi’s BTCPERP contract, the first Bitcoin perpetual futures product listed on a regulated U.S. exchange.
The approval represented a watershed moment for American crypto derivatives trading. Perpetual futures had existed exclusively offshore for nearly a decade, generating trillions of dollars in annual volume on exchanges beyond the reach of U.S. regulators. The CFTC’s decision to allow them onshore, initially through Kalshi and with additional applications from Coinbase and others in the pipeline, opened a new front in the competition for institutional flow.
CME’s response was to sue. The exchange filed a federal lawsuit against the CFTC and its chairman, arguing that the agency had overstepped its authority and that perpetual futures should be classified as swaps, not futures, which would subject them to different regulatory treatment and potentially restrict their availability. The legal argument centers on whether a contract that never expires and settles through continuous funding rate payments meets the statutory definition of a futures contract or whether it more closely resembles a swap, which carries heavier compliance obligations including mandatory clearing and reporting. The case remains pending, and its outcome could reshape the regulatory framework for crypto derivatives in the United States for years to come.
Kalshi’s early traction has been notable. Within weeks of launch, the platform generated more than $5.5 billion in cumulative perpetual futures volume. It subsequently added Ethereum, Solana, and XRP perpetuals, broadening its product lineup beyond Bitcoin.
The implications for CME are significant. If regulated perpetual futures gain a foothold in the United States, they could siphon volume not only from offshore venues but from CME’s own quarterly futures contracts. The instrument that CME is fighting in court may ultimately become the instrument that defines the next phase of institutional crypto derivatives trading.
Was institutional adoption ever what it seemed? The Binance CME flip forces a reexamination of the “institutional adoption” narrative that has underpinned much of the bullish thesis for Bitcoin since 2024. That narrative rested on several pillars: the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs, the growth of CME open interest, the expansion of custody solutions from banks like Citi, and the entry of traditional brokerages like Charles Schwab into crypto trading.
Each of those pillars remains standing. Spot Bitcoin ETFs control more than $100 billion in assets, even as the institutional rotation into other products accelerates. Schwab launched Bitcoin and Ethereum trading on its $13 trillion platform in May 2026. Citi is building $30 trillion custody rails scheduled for deployment later this year.
But the CME open interest decline reveals that a meaningful portion of what was counted as “institutional demand” was actually basis arbitrage, mechanically long spot and short futures, with no directional view on Bitcoin’s price. When the basis compressed, the demand disappeared.
This distinction matters for how markets interpret institutional flow. A pension fund buying IBIT because its investment committee believes in Bitcoin as a long term asset is fundamentally different from a prop trading desk buying IBIT and shorting CME futures to harvest a 15% annualized spread. Both show up as ETF inflows. Both contribute to CME open interest. But only one represents genuine conviction in Bitcoin’s value proposition.
The first half of 2026 exposed this ambiguity. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $5.4 billion in net outflows, the first negative half year since the products launched in January 2024. A significant portion of those outflows traced directly to basis trade unwinding, as desks closed the spot leg alongside the futures leg. The headline, that institutions were dumping Bitcoin, obscured the more nuanced reality that arbitrageurs were simply closing a trade that no longer paid.
The opposing case: why this reversal may be temporary Not everyone reads the Binance CME flip as a structural shift. Several factors could reverse the trend and restore CME to the top of the open interest rankings within months.
First, the basis trade is cyclical. When Bitcoin enters its next sustained rally and futures premiums expand back into double digit contango, the cash and carry trade will become profitable again. Institutional capital will return to CME for the same reason it arrived: risk adjusted yield. A move above $100,000 in spot Bitcoin, combined with renewed ETF inflows, could compress the timeline for this reversal to weeks rather than months.
Second, CME’s 24/7 trading is still new. The exchange needs time to build liquidity around the clock, particularly on weekends when crypto markets are often most volatile. As that liquidity deepens, the structural advantages of trading on a CFTC regulated exchange, counterparty clearing through CME Clearing, standardized margin, and regulatory certainty, may draw institutional flow back.
Third, the regulatory crackdown on offshore exchanges could intensify. Binance has operated under scrutiny from U.S., European, and Asian regulators for years. Any enforcement action, licensing restriction, or counterparty event affecting Binance could rapidly shift open interest back toward regulated venues.
The invalidation criteria for the structural shift thesis are clear: if Bitcoin’s three month annualized basis on CME returns above 8% for a sustained period, if CME regains the open interest lead from Binance, or if U.S. spot ETF flows turn decisively positive again, the reversal narrative loses its foundation.
What the hedge fund positioning data reveals One of the most telling signals in the CME data is not the decline in overall open interest but the shift in how hedge funds are positioned. For most of 2024 and 2025, leveraged funds on CME held persistent net short positions, the signature of the basis trade. In recent weeks, CFTC Commitments of Traders data shows that hedge funds have flipped to a net long position, a rare and significant shift.
This flip suggests that the remaining institutional participants on CME are no longer running delta neutral arbitrage. They are taking directional bets on Bitcoin’s price. The nature of institutional demand on CME is changing from yield extraction to conviction, which is arguably a healthier and more durable form of institutional participation.
The flip also means that the next phase of CME open interest growth, when it comes, may be driven by genuine directional flow rather than arbitrage. This could produce a CME open interest profile that is smaller in absolute terms but more meaningful as a signal of institutional sentiment.
Whether this transition is complete or merely in its early stages remains unclear. The net long positioning could reverse if Bitcoin’s price declines further, triggering stop losses and margin calls among the remaining directional traders. But for now, the data suggests a qualitative change in the type of institution that trades Bitcoin futures on CME.
There is a parallel signal worth noting. JPMorgan analysts have observed that institutional participation in perpetual futures skews heavily toward speculative trading instead of hedging, a dynamic that differs from traditional commodity futures markets where commercial hedgers anchor open interest. If CME’s remaining participants are increasingly directional while perpetual venues remain speculative, the two markets may be evolving toward different functions entirely: CME as a venue for macro conviction bets, and perpetuals as the infrastructure for short term trading and market making.
What to watch The Binance CME flip is not the end of institutional Bitcoin adoption. It is, however, the end of a specific chapter in which CME open interest served as the primary scoreboard for measuring it.
Several developments will determine whether this shift is temporary or permanent. The Bitcoin futures basis is the single most important variable: if annualized yields return above 8% to 10%, expect the basis trade and the CME open interest it generates to come back quickly. The trajectory of U.S. spot ETF flows will signal whether institutional appetite for Bitcoin exposure, independent of arbitrage, is growing or contracting.
The onshore perpetual futures market deserves close attention. Kalshi’s volume trajectory, CME’s lawsuit against the CFTC, and whether additional regulated venues launch competing perpetual products will shape the competitive landscape. If perpetuals win regulatory acceptance in the United States, the quarterly futures contract that made CME the center of institutional crypto trading may become an increasingly niche product.
Binance’s regulatory status is equally critical. The exchange is operating under a monitored compliance agreement with U.S. authorities and faces ongoing scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions. Any deterioration in Binance’s regulatory position could rapidly redistribute open interest toward CME and other regulated venues.
Finally, watch the CFTC Commitments of Traders data for shifts in hedge fund positioning. The recent flip from net short to net long is a meaningful signal, but it needs confirmation over multiple reporting periods to constitute a trend.
The market structure that emerges from this transition will look different from what came before. A world in which CME, Kalshi, Binance, and decentralized perpetual protocols each serve distinct segments of the institutional and retail spectrum is more fragmented but potentially more resilient than one in which a single venue dominates. The risk is that fragmentation reduces transparency, making it harder for regulators and market participants alike to gauge total leverage in the system.
The story of Bitcoin’s institutional market is not the story of one exchange winning and another losing. It is the story of capital finding the most efficient venue for each strategy at each moment. Right now, that search is pulling capital away from CME and toward offshore perpetuals, onshore innovations, and direct spot holdings. Where it goes next depends on basis spreads, regulation, and whether the next Bitcoin rally reignites the machine that made CME dominant in the first place.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency markets carry significant risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions. Published August 16, 2026.
NVIDIA will invest $1.5 billion in SoftBank's subsidiary SB Energy, which will sign a 20-year lease agreement with OpenAI.
NVIDIA announced it will invest $1.5 billion in SoftBank’s subsidiary SB Energy, and secure Ohio’s Ports-Pike Technology Campus exclusively to host its artificial intelligence (AI) computing operations. Under the agreement, SB Energy will operate the data center under a 20-year lease signed with OpenAI, which will serve as the customer for the project’s 8 IT gigawatt capacity. NVIDIA is also providing credit support for the project’s initial 4.25 IT gigawatt phase, while retaining the option to add an additional 3.75 IT gigawatts of capacity. The Ports-Pike project is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs, establish an $80 million community fund, with OpenAI set to contribute an extra $40 million to the community welfare fund. Separately, market sources indicate that following its deal with NVIDIA, Groq’s valuation in its latest funding round has reached $3.5 billion.
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US stock storage sector posts broad pre-market gains, with Kioxia ADR surging over 17%, and SK Hynix and SanDisk rising more than 3%.
According to market data from BIT (bit.com), U.S. storage sector stocks rallied broadly in pre-market trading. Japanese storage firm Kioxia’s American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) jumped more than 17%. Seagate Technology (STX) added 1.96%, Western Digital (WDC) rose 2.59%, SanDisk (SNDK) gained 3.33%, Micron Technology (MU) climbed 2.66%, and SK Hynix ADRs advanced 3.4%.
10 minutes ago
Iranian officials: Decision to shift policy from defensive to "full offensive"
Senior Iranian officials have announced that Iran has decided to shift its policy from defensive to an all-out offensive. Additionally, in an interview today, former US President Donald Trump stated there is no timeline for ending the war with Iran, he is in no hurry, and demanded Iran "raise the white flag and surrender". Trump also noted that his considerations on resolving the war issue are "unrelated to the US midterm elections".
10 minutes ago
Hyperliquid backs the SEC’s repeal of the trade-through rule, calling for the establishment of best execution guidelines for on-chain markets.
In June, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed repealing Rule 611 (the trade-through rule), a core provision of Regulation NMS (Reg NMS), as well as the ban on locked or crossed quotes, arguing that order processing should be governed by market competition and brokers’ best execution obligations. HPC (Hyperliquid Policy Center) and Douro Labs (a core contributor to the Pyth Network) jointly submitted a comment letter backing the proposal, urging the SEC to provide principle-based best execution guidance for on-chain markets. The letter noted that Rule 611 is premised on all venues pre-disclosing quotes and having a central information processing system aggregate them into the National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO), a framework fundamentally incompatible with how on-chain transactions actually operate. Automated Market Maker (AMM)-type venues do not pre-disclose quotes, with prices determined in real time during trades based on liquidity pools; on-chain order books, meanwhile, operate entirely outside of centralized quote systems. It also called on the SEC to confirm that tokenized Reg NMS stocks remain subject to Reg NMS’s investor protection framework, adding that protections should not vary based on the settlement ledger used. Repealing Rule 611 would allow market structure to evolve through competition rather than regulatory design, and the letter recommended that when the NBBO is missing or does not reflect on-chain conditions, independent reference prices based on transparent, manipulation-resistant methodologies be recognized.
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BitMine added 9,926 ETH to its holdings last week, lifting its total ETH holdings to approximately 5.815 million.
BitMine, the largest Ethereum treasury company, added 9,926 ETH to its holdings last week, bringing its total ETH position to approximately 5.815 million. Its current portfolio also includes 210 BTC, equity in Eightco Holdings valued at $73 million, and shares in Beast Industries worth $180 million. To date, BitMine has staked 5,067,309 ETH, with a value of roughly $9.6 billion.
SafePal’s latest disclosure hits a less obvious layer of crypto infrastructure: the commerce systems around wallet sales rather than the custody layer itself. The wallet provider confirmed that order information tied to nearly 40,000 customers was exposed, according to the original report.
SafePal has not disclosed whether the records were held on its own systems or by a third-party fulfillment vendor. That detail will matter to customers because a logistics partner breach can be just as dangerous as a compromise of the wallet maker’s internal database.
What did not move is just as important. SafePal said private keys, seed phrases, and crypto assets were not compromised. That distinction defines the risk here: this is not a failure of the signing device or the wallet’s cryptographic design, but of the operational layer that handles purchases and customer data.
Order records can still create a real exposure. Names, shipping addresses, purchase history, and contact details are the kind of data that feeds targeted phishing, fake delivery notices, and social engineering attempts. An attacker does not need a seed phrase if they can convince a customer to enter it into a convincing lookalike interface built from leaked order context.
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Kester is an experienced freelance content writer. His focus is primarily on blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. One might even refer to him as a "blockchain enthusiast." He has been following advancements in the crypto and blockchain area for several years, researching and writing his insights in the media. In addition to being a skilled content writer, Mushumir is also knowledgeable in SEO and digital marketing. He aspires to succeed as a content creator in the digital realm, dealing with customers in the finance and tech industries to generate traffic through engaging taglines and content. Mushumir enjoys traveling, reading, and playing cricket when he is not writing. He now works as a news and article writer for BlockchainReporter.
Investment advisor Ross Gerber has voiced strong doubts about Bitcoin’s practical value, suggesting that gold remains easier to use for transactions than the leading cryptocurrency. Gerber expressed his views during a discussion on X, the social media platform, where he questioned Bitcoin’s progression as a global payment and monetary system despite years of industry promises.
Bitcoin’s practical use challengedResponding to ongoing debates about digital currencies, Gerber questioned what tangible progress the crypto sector has achieved in delivering meaningful utility. He acknowledged the presence of stablecoins but argued that a payment system has limited relevance if it cannot be used seamlessly in everyday life.
Gerber remarked, “Probably easier to use gold than bitcoin in most places still.” His comment reflects a growing skepticism about Bitcoin’s mainstream adoption and utility outside of investment circles.
Bitcoin’s real-world application lags behind expectations, with gold still easier to use in most places, according to Gerber.
Concerns about the mining industryGerber, who is known for his investments in technology companies, has also expressed concern over the direction of the Bitcoin mining sector. He observed that leading miners are increasingly shifting from cryptocurrency mining to providing computing resources for artificial intelligence infrastructure. Rather than exclusively processing blockchain transactions, these firms are selling processing power to meet growing demand in the AI sector.
In Gerber’s assessment, the role of GPUs has shifted, with a greater emphasis placed on AI instead of supporting blockchain networks. This transition, he suggested, could signal that Bitcoin’s peak influence has passed.
Mini dictionary: GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) – A specialized electronic circuit designed to accelerate graphics rendering and, increasingly, used for parallel processing in fields such as artificial intelligence and blockchain mining.
Criticism of Michael Saylor and StrategyGerber has repeatedly criticized Michael Saylor, executive chairman at Strategy, for his highly visible advocacy of Bitcoin. On August 14, Gerber stated that Saylor’s aggressive endorsement had dampened his enthusiasm for the cryptocurrency.
In April, Gerber faulted Saylor after Strategy sold 32 BTC, a transaction valued at around $2.5 million. This marked the company’s first Bitcoin sale since late 2022, raising questions about its long-term commitment to holding the asset. Gerber accused Saylor of eroding investor confidence by making such moves despite promoting a “hold” approach.
Strategy, a company known for leveraging capital markets to fund its Bitcoin acquisitions, has faced increased scrutiny as it manages the interests of both common shareholders and preferred security holders. Meanwhile, its share price has exhibited considerable volatility.
Gerber himself has disclosed purchasing Bitcoin at approximately $400, while highlighting his early investments in Tesla and Nvidia as notable successes. These examples, he stated, generated significant returns compared to his experience with Bitcoin.
Shifting perspective on Bitcoin’s futureReflecting on his investment history, Gerber’s recent statements reveal a clear departure from his earlier optimism about Bitcoin. He is now less focused on the cryptocurrency’s potential for price appreciation, instead questioning whether its underlying economic use justifies its status as a prominent financial asset.
For Gerber, the key consideration remains practicality: if gold continues to outperform Bitcoin in everyday usability and if mining resources are increasingly diverted to artificial intelligence, proponents of Bitcoin may need to reassess the strength of its long-term investment appeal.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
The Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index has stayed negative for ninety days as Bitcoin’s [BTC] price continues its struggle to break above the $70,000 price level last observed in May.
To put things in perspective, the Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index calculates the price difference between Bitcoin on Coinbase and Binance and provides an estimate of buying or selling pressure from the U.S. market. A negative reading indicates that Bitcoin is trading at a lower price on Coinbase than Binance.
At press time, the index stood at ‑0.1066% according to Coinglass. However, what’s raising eyebrows is not the reading itself but the premium, which has stayed negative for three months.
Source: Coinglass
Here, the overall pattern points to sustained spot weakness on the U.S. side, which was further supported by a previous report from AMBCrypto. However, it does not necessarily portend a bear market or institutional withdrawal from Bitcoin.
Is price action denoting something else?
This occurred as the price of Bitcoin dropped from about $79K in May to $62,923.64 at the time of writing. Since the RSI remained largely below the neutral level during that time, it too echoed the bearish sentiment.
Source: Trading View
Additionally, Bollinger Bands further supported the volatility that had prevented the price from hitting a high bullish threshold. In fact, despite whale wallets having bought 54,000 more Bitcoin since mid-June, the price action hasn’t changed.
Are bulls losing steam?
Adding to the pressure, Glassnode also analyzed that the buy-side support below the current price of Bitcoin is eroding. A significant concentration of buy orders below the market existed earlier, especially in June.
Source: Glassnode
This created a solid “floor” because buyers were prepared to intervene and absorb selling pressure if Bitcoin dropped toward those levels. Now, with many of those bids removed, filled, or shifted lower, there are fewer orders directly beneath the price.
With less buy‑side support to cushion declines, the market’s liquidity buffer has weakened. This in turn means that if sellers become more aggressive, Bitcoin may move lower more readily.
All in all, though these metrics do not necessarily mean that Bitcoin will crash, they do suggest that the downside may have grown more susceptible.
Final Summary
BTC’s Coinbase Premium Index sat at around 0.1066% lower than the equivalent Binance price.
The price action, RSI, and Bollinger Bands all confirmed that bears were here to stay for some time.
CZ: "Hidden tokens" is a highly valuable wallet feature, and Trust Wallet may optimize its operation entry.
Binance founder CZ posted, stating, "I was wrong earlier. Some people pointed out that hiding tokens is actually a very useful feature, and the Trust Wallet team has also noticed this. They told me that Trust Wallet already has this feature, but it takes 5 clicks to locate it as the entry is quite hidden. I expect they will soon roll out updates for this function." Previous reports noted that CZ had announced he would stop using public addresses to prevent his actions from being overinterpreted by the community, and that BNB and "Binance Life" would be donated to Giggle Academy.
6 minutes ago
Binance will distribute dividends for Microsoft (MSFT) and Applied Materials (AMAT) via bStocks.
According to an official announcement, Binance will distribute dividends for Applied Materials (AMAT) and Microsoft (MSFT) to users holding AMATB or MSFTB balances via its bStocks platform. After deducting applicable withholding taxes, fees, costs, and other charges, the net cash dividend will be reinvested into additional units or fractional shares of the same underlying securities. Eligible users will receive these dividends in the form of AMATB or MSFTB bStocks stock tokens. Users holding AMATB or MSFTB on-chain will receive bStocks dividends via a multiplier adjustment. Only users holding AMATB or MSFTB at the snapshot time of 08:00 (UTC+8) on August 20, 2026, will qualify for the stock dividends.
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Changxin Technology's stock rose more than 10% in afternoon trading, hitting a new high since its listing.
According to market data, Changxin Technology rose more than 10% in the afternoon session, hitting a new high in its share price since listing, with a market capitalization of 4.07 trillion yuan and trading volume exceeding 23 billion yuan.
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After $牛来 was listed on @Aster_DEX Perps, its price surged by over 150%. The 24-hour trading volume has reached $4.47M.
After $牛来 was listed on @Aster_DEX Perps, its price surged by over 150%. The 24-hour trading volume has reached $4.47M.
Norway's $2.4 trillion sovereign wealth fund held a record 11,549 BTC in indirect bitcoin exposure at the end of the first half of 2026, according to K33 Research, marking the sixth consecutive reporting period of growth and the fund's first time in five-digit BTC territory.
Norges Bank Investment Management, which manages the Government Pension Fund Global on behalf of Norway's Ministry of Finance, holds no bitcoin directly. K33's methodology instead multiplies NBIM's ownership stake in any publicly traded company holding bitcoin on its balance sheet by that company's BTC holdings, then sums the result across the fund's entire equity portfolio. Exposure rose 21.2% during the first half of 2026 and 60.5% over the trailing twelve months, valued at roughly $725 million. Strategy alone accounted for 9,914 BTC-equivalent — 85.8% of NBIM's total exposure — up from 7,801 BTC at the end of 2025, an increase that on its own exceeded the fund's entire net portfolio-wide gain for the period, meaning reductions elsewhere partially offset Strategy's continued pull. Metaplanet ranked a distant second at 671 BTC-equivalent, followed by MARA Holdings, Coinbase, and Block. Despite the record dollar figure, bitcoin-linked holdings still represent just 0.03% of NBIM's total assets under management, down from 0.04% at the end of 2025, since the fund's overall assets have grown faster than its bitcoin-linked exposure.
K33 head of research Vetle Lunde was explicit that the growth doesn't reflect a deliberate allocation decision by Norway's fund managers — it's a byproduct of NBIM tracking broad global equity indices that increasingly include bitcoin treasury companies, not a bet anyone at Norges Bank chose to place.
In January 2025, we reported that NBIM's indirect exposure stood at 3,821 BTC worth about $356.7 million, cited then as one data point in a wider divide over sovereign bitcoin exposure — the European Central Bank rejecting bitcoin reserves outright even as Norway's fund passively accumulated exposure through its equity book. Eighteen months later, that exposure has more than tripled in BTC terms, entirely through the same passive mechanism, with no change in strategy required.
The concentration here is the real story, not the headline total. With Strategy responsible for nearly 86% of NBIM's bitcoin-linked exposure, the fund's bitcoin narrative is now largely a proxy for one company's balance sheet decisions — and Strategy's stock has not been a stable proxy to be tied to. Blockhead reported in June that Strategy's shares fell below $100 for the first time in two years, erasing roughly 81% of the stock's peak value as bitcoin's own price slid. NBIM's BTC-equivalent count keeps climbing regardless of Strategy's share price, since K33's methodology tracks bitcoin held on the balance sheet rather than market capitalization — but the dollar value of that exposure, and Strategy's own weight inside NBIM's broader equity portfolio, moves with a stock that has proven considerably more volatile than the passive index logic driving the fund's involvement in the first place.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Bitcoin (BTC) trades around $63,000 on Monday, edging higher after a 3% decline last week. Risk-off sentiment persists in the crypto market amid Israeli attacks on Lebanon and US plans for fresh sanctions on Iran. Still, Worldcoin (WLD) and World Liberty Financial (WLFI) are extending their near-term gains, emerging as top performers over the last 24 hours.
CoinMarketCap’s Fear and Greed Index at 37 on Monday suggests a persistent risk-averse condition among crypto investors.
Fear and Greed Index. Source: CoinMarketCapTechnical outlook: Will Bitcoin hold its ground near $63,000?Bitcoin maintains a bearish near-term bias as it trades below the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) near $64,306, supported by the former rising support trendline near $64,300.
From a technical perspective, Bitcoin must reclaim the short-term moving average near $64,306 to sustain a recovery toward the June 3 high at $67,516.
Momentum remains soft, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovering near 44 and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) negative and below the signal line, suggesting prevailing downside pressure.
BTC/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, the immediate support aligns with the July 6 low at $61,307.
Technical outlook: Could WLD and WLFI extend their gains?Worldcoin extends its short-term recovery on Monday, trading above the 50-day EMA at roughly $0.3605, tilting the near-term bias to neutral-bullish as it remains above this dynamic support. Still, WLD remains below the 200-day EMA at $0.4284, reflecting the longer-term bearish bias.
The altcoin could face resistance near the 50% retracement of the recent upswing from $0.2267 to $0.5498, at $0.4048.
Momentum supports this constructive tone as RSI hovers near 59 and the MACD rises with its signal line and expanding bullish histogram.
WLD/USDT daily price chart.Looking down, initial support is seen at the 50-day EMA near $0.3605, with the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement of the latest swing at $0.2905 acting as a deeper floor ahead of the prior cycle low zone around the 100% retracement at $0.2267.
World Liberty Financial extends gains above the $0.0500 psychological level on Monday, following an 11% jump last week. WLFI hovers above the 50-day EMA at $0.0567, following the breakout of the downward trendline at $0.0541, suggesting a constructive near-term bias despite trading well below the 200-day EMA at $0.0840, which still defines the broader cap.
Momentum is firm, with the RSI hovering near 69 as buying pressure resurfaces, while the MACD and signal line rise higher, with the histogram expanding positively, hinting that buyers remain in control.
The immediate resistance levels for WLFI are the June 4 high of $0.0638 and the May 7 high of $0.0763.
WLFI/USDT daily price chart.Looking down, the 50-day EMA at $0.0567 and the broken trendline near $0.0541 emerge as crucial support levels.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
CZ: "Hidden tokens" is a highly valuable wallet feature, and Trust Wallet may optimize its operation entry.
Binance founder CZ posted, stating, "I was wrong earlier. Some people pointed out that hiding tokens is actually a very useful feature, and the Trust Wallet team has also noticed this. They told me that Trust Wallet already has this feature, but it takes 5 clicks to locate it as the entry is quite hidden. I expect they will soon roll out updates for this function." Previous reports noted that CZ had announced he would stop using public addresses to prevent his actions from being overinterpreted by the community, and that BNB and "Binance Life" would be donated to Giggle Academy.
6 minutes ago
Binance will distribute dividends for Microsoft (MSFT) and Applied Materials (AMAT) via bStocks.
According to an official announcement, Binance will distribute dividends for Applied Materials (AMAT) and Microsoft (MSFT) to users holding AMATB or MSFTB balances via its bStocks platform. After deducting applicable withholding taxes, fees, costs, and other charges, the net cash dividend will be reinvested into additional units or fractional shares of the same underlying securities. Eligible users will receive these dividends in the form of AMATB or MSFTB bStocks stock tokens. Users holding AMATB or MSFTB on-chain will receive bStocks dividends via a multiplier adjustment. Only users holding AMATB or MSFTB at the snapshot time of 08:00 (UTC+8) on August 20, 2026, will qualify for the stock dividends.
6 minutes ago
Changxin Technology's stock rose more than 10% in afternoon trading, hitting a new high since its listing.
According to market data, Changxin Technology rose more than 10% in the afternoon session, hitting a new high in its share price since listing, with a market capitalization of 4.07 trillion yuan and trading volume exceeding 23 billion yuan.
6 minutes ago
After $牛来 was listed on @Aster_DEX Perps, its price surged by over 150%. The 24-hour trading volume has reached $4.47M.
After $牛来 was listed on @Aster_DEX Perps, its price surged by over 150%. The 24-hour trading volume has reached $4.47M.
