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7 September 2026 | 11:13 U.S. inflation is the main market-wide risk this week, while policy decisions, security updates, network upgrades and migration deadlines could move several individual tokens.

Date Catalyst Main exposure September 10–11 U.S. PPI and CPI Bitcoin, altcoins, yields and the dollar September 10 ECB policy decision European markets and global risk appetite No fixed date Liquid incident resolution L-BTC, Liquid services and bridge confidence September 10–11 MultiversX and XRPL upgrades EGLD, XRP and network applications September 10 Harmony migration deadline ONE holders, applications and liquidity providers 1. U.S. inflation could move the entire crypto market The Bureau of Labor Statistics calendar places the August Producer Price Index release on September 10 and the Consumer Price Index on September 11. Both reports are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET.

PPI measures prices received by domestic producers, while CPI tracks prices paid by consumers. CPI normally has the stronger immediate influence on Federal Reserve expectations, but an unexpected PPI result could begin changing market positioning one day earlier.

The releases arrive shortly before the Federal Reserve’s September 15-16 meeting. Because the figures could alter expectations for that decision, Bitcoin’s historical reactions to Federal Reserve rate increases provide useful context for the connection between monetary policy and crypto prices.

Hotter inflation could push Treasury yields and the dollar higher if traders reduce expectations for monetary easing. Higher yields increase the return available from lower-risk assets, while a stronger dollar can tighten financial conditions for assets priced in the U.S. currency. Both developments can pressure Bitcoin and altcoins.

Softer inflation could lower yields and weaken the dollar, creating a more favorable environment for risk assets. The initial move may still prove temporary if the data do not materially change the expected path of interest rates.

That happened after the May 2024 CPI report was released on June 12. Bitcoin initially surged above $69,000 after inflation came in below expectations, but part of the advance faded as traders considered the Federal Reserve’s cautious outlook.

After this week’s releases, traders can distinguish a broader macro move by checking whether Bitcoin, two-year Treasury yields and the dollar move in consistent directions. Softer inflation accompanied by falling yields, a weaker dollar and gains across altcoins would provide stronger confirmation than an isolated Bitcoin spike.

2. The ECB decision could send conflicting signals The European Central Bank’s monetary-policy meeting concludes on September 10. The decision is due at 12:15 UTC, or 2:15 p.m. in Frankfurt, followed by a press conference.

The ECB does not usually influence crypto as directly as the Federal Reserve, but its decisions can move European bond yields, the euro and expectations for global liquidity.

A restrictive decision or unexpectedly hawkish guidance could lift regional yields and weigh on risk appetite. A dovish decision could support European assets through lower borrowing costs, but it could also weaken the euro and strengthen the dollar. Those opposing effects make the market’s response more informative than the rate decision alone.

The ECB raised its three key rates by 25 basis points in June, confirming that renewed inflation pressure can still produce a restrictive policy surprise. That decision provides policy context rather than proof that Bitcoin will respond in a particular direction this week.

Traders should compare the ECB statement with movements in EUR/USD, European yields and the dollar index. A Bitcoin move that occurs without corresponding changes in those markets would be more likely to have a crypto-specific cause.

3. Liquid’s repayment now requires on-chain proof The Liquid Network incident has no scheduled resolution, but a return of funds, publication of a technical postmortem or restoration of normal network activity could become a significant development during the week.

Liquid said approximately 4,000 BTC, valued near $320 million at the time, left its federation wallet. It also said the SideSwap Peg-Out Authorization Key and the federation’s other keys had not been compromised.

SideSwap said the L-BTC submitted through its service had been created through an Elements software vulnerability before the related peg-outs were processed. No complete public postmortem had independently established the full mechanism at the time of writing.

The unidentified parties controlling the Bitcoin claimed in on-chain messages to be white hats. They said they would return most of the funds after the vulnerability was patched, but that promise had not been completed or independently verified.

The distinction between a stolen key and a software failure matters. A compromised private key would mean an attacker obtained direct control over protected funds. A validation failure could allow an unauthorized state change even when the relevant keys continue functioning as designed.

A detailed examination of how 4,000 BTC left Liquid without a reported key compromise explains the known transaction sequence and the questions that remain unanswered.

The broader Bitcoin market would face greater risk if the funds began moving toward exchanges or services commonly used for liquidation. Without such movement, the immediate consequences remain more concentrated in L-BTC, Liquid-based services and confidence in federated bridges.

The 2022 Ronin bridge exploit provides a relevant comparison. RON fell about 20% after the breach was disclosed, while the most direct disruption remained within Ronin and its connected applications. Security incidents generally become market-wide risks only when losses, forced selling or technical concerns spread beyond the affected system.

For Liquid, the useful evidence would be confirmed repayment transactions, a reconciled reserve balance, publication of the vulnerability fix and the restoration of network and exchange services.

4. MultiversX and XRP Ledger face execution tests Two protocol changes are expected during the week, placing the immediate focus on whether both networks complete their upgrades without disruption.

MultiversX has scheduled its Supernova mainnet activation for September 10 at epoch 2233. The upgrade is designed to reduce block times from approximately six seconds to 600 milliseconds by separating consensus from execution.

If the activation succeeds, faster confirmation could make the network more suitable for applications requiring frequent or time-sensitive transactions. Its longer-term value to EGLD will depend on whether developers and users take advantage of that additional capacity.

The XRP Ledger could activate its fixCleanup3_3_0 amendment around September 11. The projected date remains conditional on validator support staying above the required threshold.

Under the XRPL amendment process, a proposal must retain supermajority support for two weeks before activation. The current voting position and projected date can be followed through the XRPScan amendment tracker.

The bundled fixes affect features including vaults, lending, automated market makers, permissioned trading infrastructure, checks and pseudo-accounts. It is primarily a maintenance amendment rather than a new source of XRP demand.

Ethereum’s 2022 Merge shows why technical execution and price performance must be judged separately. The network completed its transition to proof of stake, but ETH initially rose by around 2% before falling about 6% below its price at the time of the upgrade, according to Coinbase Institutional. Wider market conditions and existing trader positioning outweighed the successful deployment.

For both MultiversX and XRPL, activation is the first test. A lasting token-price effect would require the technical changes to produce greater usage, liquidity, transaction activity or fee generation.

5. Harmony users face an asset-access deadline Harmony has proposed retiring its mainnet and migrating ONE to Ethereum while redirecting the project toward AI-powered video infrastructure.

The proposals are nonbinding and may be revised. Their immediate importance comes from Harmony’s instruction for users to exit smart contracts before September 10 because multisignature wallets, liquidity pools and on-chain applications cannot be transferred automatically.

The proposal says its final-state calculation would cover wallet balances, staking delegations, validator rewards and ONE reported by centralized exchanges. Users should nevertheless verify how their wallet, exchange or application plans to handle the migration rather than assume every balance will receive identical treatment.

Liquidity providers may need to unwind positions, while application teams must determine whether balances and services can be moved safely. These actions could reduce on-chain liquidity or produce selling pressure even before the proposal reaches its final form.

Validators may stop operating from 7 a.m. Pacific Time on September 10 under the published plan. Declining validator participation could therefore become relevant before the network’s final block is established.

BNB Beacon Chain’s retirement shows why migration deadlines can matter long after a blockchain stops operating normally. BNB Chain provided a formal migration process, but users who missed the primary window later needed a dedicated recovery tool to move eligible assets.

For Harmony, the most useful indicators are validator participation, bridge availability, decentralized-exchange liquidity and updated instructions for assets remaining in smart contracts after September 10. ONE’s market price will show only part of the migration’s impact.

Inflation has the widest market reach U.S. inflation has the greatest potential reach because it can reprice interest-rate expectations across crypto, bonds, currencies and equities. The ECB decision is the secondary macro event, while Liquid carries the largest unresolved security risk.

Liquid, the two network upgrades and Harmony’s migration proposal have narrower exposure. Their effects should be assessed through fund movements, network performance and user access – not automatically treated as signals for the wider crypto market.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

Author

Kosta has reported on cryptocurrency markets and blockchain infrastructure since 2020, bringing over six years of hands-on experience in the crypto industry built through daily tracking of markets, trends, and emerging blockchain developments. Specializing in Bitcoin on-chain analysis, institutional ETF flows, and digital asset price action, his work at Coindoo has been cited by other news agencies and consistently covers market developments with a focus on data-driven reporting across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. Over the years, Kosta has contributed to multiple crypto media outlets in different regions, authoring over 6,000 articles across the sector. His reporting spans cryptocurrency markets and the broader fintech industry, tracking not only price action but also the technological and regulatory forces shaping the ecosystem. To support his analysis, Kosta actively leverages on-chain data and metrics from leading platforms such as Santiment, Glassnode, and CryptoQuant, enabling deeper, evidence-based market insights. He believes in the power of transparency and the data that underpins the blockchain ecosystem. His academic background in Marketing Management from Denmark further complements his analytical approach, adding a strong understanding of communication strategy and content positioning to his work.

COINDESK: Live updates: Bitcoin holds $79,000 as hike odds climb, zcash runs 45% in a week

Key Takeaways Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, argues that Bitcoin can address security challenges using standard software updates without requiring broad social consensus He dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence might trigger a Bitcoin price collapse exceeding 50% within the coming two years Buterin characterized the probability of breaking Bitcoin’s fundamental cryptography as extremely low Bitcoin’s proof-of-work framework has maintained resilience against 51% attacks throughout its history Buterin has highlighted AI’s potential for strengthening blockchain security through formal code verification methods On September 7, Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, stated that Bitcoin possesses sufficient infrastructure to address cybersecurity challenges without requiring community-wide consensus mechanisms.

Vitalik: Optimistic About the Long-Term Development of Cybersecurity, Expects Bitcoin to Handle Issues Not Requiring Social Consensus Well

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said he is quite optimistic about the long-term development of cybersecurity and expects Bitcoin to… pic.twitter.com/7bwg2gsVUE

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) September 7, 2026

His remarks addressed mounting concerns within cryptocurrency communities regarding artificial intelligence potentially threatening Bitcoin’s stability, with certain market observers predicting potential price declines surpassing 50% during the upcoming two-year period.

Buterin rejected these pessimistic projections. He explained that network-level vulnerabilities can be resolved through straightforward client software and mining pool updates, eliminating the necessity for social consensus processes.

He assessed the likelihood of successfully compromising Bitcoin’s fundamental cryptographic systems, including its hash functions and proof-of-work architecture, as exceptionally minimal.

Throughout its operational history, Bitcoin’s proof-of-work infrastructure has generated approximately 2^96 hashes. This enormous computational foundation creates significant barriers against successful attack implementations.

Bitcoin has maintained an unblemished record regarding 51% attacks. Such attacks involve a single entity acquiring majority mining power control, enabling transaction manipulation.

Distinguishing Technical Vulnerabilities from Consensus Challenges Buterin established a distinct separation between two categories of security issues. Technical vulnerabilities, according to his analysis, can be remedied through software patches. Consensus challenges, including governance disagreements or controversial protocol modifications, represent fundamentally different scenarios.

Regarding Bitcoin specifically, Buterin maintains that its technical foundation is sufficiently robust that coordinated community mobilization isn’t necessary for security maintenance.

In a publication released during May, he examined artificial intelligence’s cybersecurity implications from multiple perspectives. He recognized that AI technologies enable increasingly sophisticated attack methodologies.

However, he simultaneously emphasized that AI provides opportunities for enhanced defensive capabilities. Formal verification technologies, which provide mathematical proof of code correctness, can be implemented across blockchain infrastructures including consensus protocols.

Bitcoin employs elliptic-curve cryptographic methods. These are regarded as secure against contemporary computing systems, though theoretically vulnerable to sufficiently advanced quantum computing technology.

Present-day quantum computing systems remain significantly underdeveloped for threatening Bitcoin’s encryption standards. The cryptocurrency sector is proactively investigating post-quantum cryptographic alternatives as preventive measures.

When these statements were made, Bitcoin was trading within the $64,000 to $65,000 resistance zone. Market participants were monitoring for indications of either breakthrough momentum or continued price consolidation.

Buterin’s perspective provides confidence to stakeholders concerned about Bitcoin’s security trajectory over extended timeframes.

Key Points Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis cautions that missing this Congressional window on the CLARITY Act means waiting until 2030 for crypto market structure rules The legislation cleared the House in July 2025 but has remained gridlocked in the Senate for more than twelve months September 15 marks a crucial procedural vote, though observers doubt final approval before November’s midterm elections Ethics requirements pushed by Democratic lawmakers continue to block progress Bitcoin hovered near $79,000 while the Crypto Fear and Greed Index registered 75, signaling “greed” sentiment Wyoming’s Senator Cynthia Lummis is intensifying pressure on the Senate to advance the CLARITY Act, cautioning that inaction now threatens to freeze crypto regulation efforts for the remainder of the decade.

If the Clarity Act doesn’t pass this Congress, the next real opportunity to bring market structure legislation back up is 2030. That’s years of jobs, investment, and tax revenue we can avoid squandering if we finish this now.

— Senator Cynthia Lummis (@SenLummis) September 6, 2026

In a September 6 statement on X, Lummis emphasized that failing to move the CLARITY Act through the current Congressional session pushes the next viable opportunity for comprehensive market structure legislation all the way to 2030.

“By completing work on this legislation immediately, we prevent the loss of countless opportunities—jobs, investment capital, and government revenue,” Lummis stated.

Understanding the CLARITY Act’s Framework The CLARITY Act aims to eliminate regulatory ambiguity surrounding digital assets across the United States. The legislation establishes clear criteria for determining whether a digital asset qualifies as a security or commodity, while delineating jurisdictional boundaries between the SEC and CFTC for overseeing various asset categories.

Senator Lummis: Failure to Pass the CLARITY Act This Congress Could Delay the Next Opportunity Until 2030

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis said that if the CLARITY Act does not pass during the current Congress, the next real opportunity to advance market structure legislation may not… pic.twitter.com/jmZzheLTZz

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) September 7, 2026

After securing House approval in July 2025, the legislation has languished in the Senate chamber for over twelve months without reaching a final floor vote.

The Senate calendar includes a procedural motion scheduled for September 15. However, this vote serves merely to determine whether deliberations can conclude and legislative proceedings can advance—it does not constitute final passage.

Republican Representative French Hill recently acknowledged that “negotiations have progressed to a meaningful stage,” though market watchers identify persistent roadblocks.

Remaining Legislative Roadblocks Democratic lawmakers continue insisting on the incorporation of ethics-related provisions as a prerequisite for their backing. These stipulations remain unresolved.

According to CoinDesk reporting, securing final passage ahead of November’s midterm elections appears virtually impossible. House leadership intends to schedule its concluding vote immediately following Senate action, just days before voters head to the polls.

Congressional terms operate on two-year intervals. Should the legislation fail to advance during the current session, it must be resubmitted entirely in the subsequent Congress, starting the process anew.

Lummis stands among the Senate’s strongest cryptocurrency advocates, having previously championed proposals to incorporate Bitcoin into America’s strategic reserve holdings.

Certain market observers contend that even with legislative postponement, near-term market consequences may prove minimal. Institutional investment has maintained momentum following spot Bitcoin ETF authorizations, while stablecoin regulatory frameworks progress through independent channels.

Current Cryptocurrency Market Conditions Bitcoin was changing hands near $79,000 on September 7, showing a modest 0.03% decline across 24 hours while posting 3.01% gains for the week.

Ethereum traded at $2,506, reflecting a 0.39% increase. Ripple sat at $1.41, experiencing a 0.47% decrease.

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index registered 75, firmly within “greed” parameters.

South Korean Bitcoin exchanges maintained a 1.48% premium, indicating slightly elevated prices compared to worldwide trading platforms.

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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Liquid Network, a Layer-2 sidechain settlement network, suffered an unprecedented liquidity shock. This was after roughly 3,996 Bitcoin [BTC] left its Federation peg wallet in one transaction.

The withdrawal erased about 95% of its 4,207 BTC balance, leaving only 197 BTC, disrupting Liquid’s backing structure.

Later on, the funds moved to an address carrying a white-hat message, keeping recovery possible but uncertain. More importantly, operators disabled bridge nodes, effectively pausing Liquid and affecting new transactions.

Source: Galaxy Research The exchanges also halted Liquid Bitcoin (LBTC) deposits and withdrawals. This limited movement while Federation members investigate. Meanwhile, other assets remain unaffected, containing the incident largely around Bitcoin liquidity.

Liquid’s recovery now depends on regaining the BTC and restoring bridge operations safely, since prolonged disruption could weaken confidence in its federation model.

With Liquid paused, the deeper issue remains whether the incident threatens LBTC itself or it just exposed a serious operational failure. SideSwap PAK was able to allow for withdrawals.

On a post on X, Liquid acknowledged that the attacker was unable to compromise either the PAK used to enable those withdrawals or other Federation keys.

This in turn narrowed the attacker’s exploit path. Nonetheless, since approximately 4000 BTC had already been transferred using an apparently normal authorization process, the incident remains unsolved.

Meanwhile, reserves fell from roughly 4,200 BTC to 197 BTC, while circulating LBTC remains near 197 BTC.

Source: X The fact that these numbers are so similar indicates that remaining LBTC continues to be backed on a one-to-one basis.

Therefore, there is no immediate risk of insolvency. However, due to the exchange halting all transfers of LBTC and the bridge nodes being disabled, that backing is currently unavailable.

Liquid’s restart becomes the real test The exchanges have temporarily suspended all deposit and withdrawal functions for LBTC. Moreover, SideSwap has suspended swap, peg-in, and peg-out functions, and the bridge nodes are currently down.

This prevents users from creating new transactions and thus limits user interaction with the system.

Although freezing accounts is an effective method of limiting additional risk, continued non-operation may ultimately limit users’ trust in Liquid’s long-term stability regardless of how much LBTC is backed by cash reserves.

All together, a secure, coordinated restart now determines whether this incident becomes a temporary disruption or lasting reputational damage.

Final Summary Liquid Network lost nearly 4,000 BTC, forcing a pause while LBTC backing remains intact. Recovery hinges on fixing the authorization failure and safely restoring bridge access.

Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao has expressed confidence that Bitcoin’s market value could rival gold’s in the next major bull cycle, citing growing adoption among sovereign entities and institutional investors. Speaking at Bitcoin Asia in Hong Kong, Zhao outlined the factors he believes could help close the gap, currently estimated at about tenfold between Bitcoin and gold.

Path to narrowing the market gapZhao attributed gold’s advantage to its infrastructure maturity, emphasizing that governments have long-established systems for managing gold reserves, custody, and valuation. According to him, Bitcoin still lacks this level of operational support, but he believes the gap can be bridged as sovereigns and large investors show greater interest.

He explained, “The difference between Bitcoin and gold is about ten times based on financial gold values instead of total above-ground gold.” Official calculations from the World Gold Council put the financial market value of gold around $14 trillion, compared to Bitcoin’s $1.6 trillion at the time of discussion.

With around 20.08 million BTC in circulation, equaling physical investment gold’s approximate $13 trillion would require a Bitcoin price near $647,000, though this is a mathematical estimate and not a prediction.

The World Gold Council also values all above-ground gold, including jewelry and industrial uses, at $31 trillion. Achieving parity with this measurement would put Bitcoin at $1.54 million per coin.

Bitcoin’s price outlook and government adoptionZhao stated that Bitcoin could reach $1 million—an important psychological threshold—within a shorter timeframe than many expect. He acknowledged, however, that structural changes in global reserves could take years, as economies might need significant time to adjust accounting and infrastructure.

He noted one obstacle may be the emergence of a new digital currency that could compete with Bitcoin’s role in government reserves, but he does not see this as an imminent threat.

Billionaire investor Ricardo Salinas Pliego weighed in with his own parity calculation, estimating Bitcoin would need to hit $1.86 million to match gold, though he did not specify his methodology.

In the United States, authorities have taken steps toward formalizing Bitcoin as part of national reserves. After the executive order issued in March 2025, the government began holding confiscated BTC, and new legislative initiatives are under consideration for potential purchases. While officials are exploring ways to expand these holdings, no official policy replaces gold with Bitcoin at this stage.

Gold remains dominant in sovereign reservesDespite increasing attention on digital assets, gold continues to occupy a central role in global monetary reserves. According to a World Gold Council survey conducted in 2026, 93% of central banks worldwide reported holding gold. Nearly half of those surveyed signaled plans to expand their reserves in the coming year, highlighting gold’s enduring appeal as a store of value.

Governments still rely on gold for official reserves, and there is no clear sign that Bitcoin will replace it in the near term, despite notable advances in digital asset adoption.

In a rapidly moving market where technical factors and macroeconomic events—such as a single Federal Reserve decision or a sudden altcoin listing—can have dramatic effects, many traders are seeking ways to get a complete market view. Privacy-focused tools like CryptoAppsy have gained traction among these traders, enabling everything from real-time charts to coin-specific news and price alerts on a single screen, without requiring account creation.

4 hours ago

Silicon Valley angel investor Liron Shapira published a post stating he is roughly 50% confident that Bitcoin (BTC) will fall by more than 50% in price over the next two years. He believes the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) may erode some of the market’s prior perceptions of Bitcoin’s security and robustness, thereby undermining BTC’s long-term value support. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin holds an opposing view. He said he is quite optimistic about Bitcoin’s long-term network security, noting the primary challenge lies in completing necessary transitions. Buterin expects Bitcoin can effectively handle at least issues that do not require social consensus to resolve—such as upgrading clients and mining pools to counter network-layer attacks, which fall into this category. He added the probability of a real breakthrough in Bitcoin’s hash algorithm or Proof-of-Work (PoW) mechanism is extremely low. Vitalik further revealed he has already bet on this stance via asset allocation, with roughly 90% of his net worth currently held in crypto assets.

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Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has countered assessments that long-term advancements in artificial intelligence and security technologies could compromise Bitcoin’s security system, leading to a price drop of more than 50% in BTC. Buterin stated that the Bitcoin network’s fundamental security mechanisms are significantly resilient to such threats.

According to Buterin, potential attacks on Bitcoin’s network layer can be addressed by updating client software and mining pools. Therefore, the network’s current structure is not expected to become completely vulnerable to technological advancements.

Ethereum founder Buterin also stated that the likelihood of Bitcoin’s hash function or Proof-of-Work (PoW) mechanism being seriously compromised is extremely low. He noted that these systems form the basis of Bitcoin’s security model and argued that these mechanisms will continue to play a crucial role in protecting the network in the future.

Buterin specifically stated that he did not agree with the view that artificial intelligence could significantly weaken Bitcoin’s security, leading to a more than 50% drop in the BTC price over the next two years.

The recent rapid advancements in artificial intelligence have sparked debate about their potential impact on the security of cryptocurrency networks, with some assessments suggesting that advanced AI systems could pose risks to cryptographic security mechanisms.

However, Buterin’s statements suggest that it is unlikely these risks will reach a level that threatens Bitcoin’s fundamental security structure in the short term. According to him, while software and infrastructure updates can be made to counter potential attacks, the complete failure of Bitcoin’s hash function and PoW system is considered highly improbable.

*This is not investment advice.

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Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, addressed growing security concerns surrounding Bitcoin, stating the network has the necessary infrastructure to manage cybersecurity threats without requiring broad community agreement.

Buterin’s outlook on Bitcoin securityButerin emphasized that technical vulnerabilities in Bitcoin can be resolved through standard client or mining pool updates instead of community-wide consensus. He argued that such routine software interventions are effective for handling most anticipated threats, particularly those driven by advances in artificial intelligence.

His comments specifically responded to fears within cryptocurrency circles that artificial intelligence could undermine Bitcoin’s stability, with some market observers predicting potential price declines exceeding 50% over the next two years.

Buterin made clear that straightforward software updates by technical teams can address network-level vulnerabilities, reducing the need for lengthy stakeholder debates.

He indicated that breaking Bitcoin’s fundamental cryptography, such as hash functions or proof-of-work mechanisms, remains highly improbable with current technology.

Bitcoin’s proof-of-work resilienceThroughout its history, Bitcoin’s proof-of-work protocol has generated approximately 2^96 hashes, creating a formidable computational barrier to potential attacks. So far, Bitcoin has maintained an unblemished record with respect to 51% attacks, where a single entity gains majority control over network mining power and could alter transaction histories.

Such robust design features have contributed to Bitcoin’s reputation as a secure and reliable decentralized payment network, despite waves of criticism and doomsday predictions in the broader crypto market.

Buterin’s views support the idea that Bitcoin does not depend on reaching full social consensus to enact technical upgrades or address certain attack scenarios—particularly if threats originate from software or mining pool vulnerabilities.

Distinguishing technical and social riskButerin differentiated between two main categories of blockchain security issues: technical vulnerabilities and consensus challenges. He said software fixes can address technical flaws, while consensus-based governance is reserved for larger debates or controversial protocol changes.

He previously explored the role of artificial intelligence in blockchain cybersecurity, stating that AI can not only create more advanced cyber threats but also strengthen blockchain networks by facilitating formal code verification methods.

Formal verification refers to a mathematical approach for ensuring software code performs as intended, eliminating many bugs before code is implemented on the blockchain.

Mini dictionary: Formal verification, a process that uses mathematical proofs to confirm the correctness of code against its specifications, reducing the risk of security flaws in critical systems such as blockchain networks.

Bitcoin uses elliptic curve cryptography, widely considered secure against today’s computers. However, theoretical vulnerabilities could emerge with the rise of powerful quantum computers, a development not expected in the near term. The cryptocurrency sector is already exploring post-quantum cryptographic options as a precautionary step.

Market context and industry perspectiveAt the time of Buterin’s comments, Bitcoin traded between $64,000 and $65,000, as market participants watched for signs of renewed upward momentum or continued sideways movement.

Buterin’s analysis aims to reassure investors and developers who worry that advances in artificial intelligence could drastically undermine the security of established blockchain networks like Bitcoin in the near future.

He underscored that the probability of catastrophic cryptographic failure in Bitcoin, due to AI or new attack vectors, is extremely low, offering reassurance to long-term stakeholders.

TLDR Retail borrowers averaged 53.5 loans in 2026, marking a 74% surge from the 30.8 loans recorded in 2025. Bitcoin’s collateral share among wealthy users fell to 30.5% while Zcash advanced strongly to a 24.2% share. BlackRock cut IBIT’s in-kind Bitcoin conversion minimum by 96%, reducing the entry threshold to only $1M. IBIT has processed more than $5B in Bitcoin conversions while holding about 3.645% of total BTC supply. Crypto holders turned more often to loans backed by digital assets as market conditions weakened in 2026, according to research from CryptoQuant using CoinRabbit data. Retail users showed the sharpest increase, with average borrowing activity climbing 74% from the previous year. High-net-worth borrowers also increased loan use, while collateral choices shifted toward assets including Zcash.

At the same time, Bloomberg reported that BlackRock lowered the minimum for converting large Bitcoin holdings directly into shares of its iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, or IBIT, expanding access to another way of retaining Bitcoin exposure without direct custody.

Retail Crypto Borrowing Climbs as Repeat Loans Increase CryptoQuant found that retail users averaged 53.5 loans per borrower in 2026, up from 30.8 in 2025. That represented a 74% increase. High-net-worth users showed a smaller but still notable change, with their average number of loans rising 18% from 16.5 to 19.4.

Crypto-backed lending allows holders to obtain cash without immediately selling their digital assets.  Borrowers generally pledge more collateral than the loan amount because falling asset prices can create liquidation risks or trigger demands for additional collateral.

Repeat borrowing also increased across CoinRabbit during the period analyzed by CryptoQuant. The share of users taking multiple loans rose from 61.9% to 65.1%.

Retail borrowers also waited longer between loans, averaging 21 days compared with 11 days previously. The report does not assign a single cause, but it records a clear rise in borrowing frequency across both major user groups.

Zcash Gains Share as Collateral Preferences Shift Collateral composition changed alongside borrowing behavior. Among high-net-worth users, Bitcoin’s share of pledged assets fell sharply from 57.8% to 30.5%. Zcash reached 24.2% after failing to appear among the previous top 10 collateral assets. 

CryptoQuant linked part of that shift to Zcash’s price rally from about $50 in late 2025 toward $800. Monero, Chainlink, and Cardano also captured larger shares of high-net-worth collateral during the period. Retail borrowers continued to use XRP heavily, although its collateral share fell from 41.7% to 35.2%. Bitcoin remained close behind, while TRON, Stellar, BNB, Kaspa, and Velo also entered the retail collateral mix.

Trading preferences changed as well. Tether and Bitcoin retained the two largest positions by trading volume, while USD Coin moved into third place. Flare, Ether, and Ondo entered the top 10, while Solana, Stellar, and Shiba Inu dropped out.

Together, the CoinRabbit data tracked simultaneous changes in borrowing patterns, collateral selection, and trading activity. A separate shift has taken place among larger Bitcoin holders. Bloomberg reported on Aug. 25 that BlackRock cut the minimum size for converting Bitcoin directly into IBIT shares to $1 million in July.

The threshold had stood at $25 million when the in-kind conversion process first became available.  According to Robbie Mitchnick, BlackRock’s head of digital assets, the fund has processed more than $5 billion through these conversions, up from more than $3 billion when Bloomberg first reported the trend in October.

The process can take more than a week and allows holders to move Bitcoin from private wallets into a regulated fund while retaining price exposure. Mitchnick said concerns, including “kidnappings, ransom demands, and custody failures,” have encouraged some holders to make the switch.

Bloomberg also reported that Bitwise cut its own minimum from $100 million to $3 million. BlackRock’s 96% threshold reduction broadens access to family offices and wealthy individual holders. IBIT currently holds roughly 3.645% of Bitcoin’s total supply and lists net assets of $60.65 billion, while the more than $5 billion processed through its conversion service reflects growing use of the structure.

Bitcoin (BTC) price tumbles below $80,000 on Monday amid improved odds of a rate hike with the robust US employment data. Institutional demand holds firm with crypto-focused Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) recording nearly $1.25 billion in inflows last week. Jupiter (JUP) and Zcash (ZEC) extend gains over the last 24 hours, leading the broader crypto market rally.

Crypto ETFs record third consecutive week of over $1 billion in inflowsCoinGlass data shows that Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH) ETFs recorded $986 million and $218 million in inflows last week, while the rest of the altcoin funds saw positive inflows, except for Dogecoin (DOGE), which saw $343,580 in outflows. Last week’s total inflows stood at $1.24 billion, recording the third consecutive weekly inflow of over $1 billion, indicating firm demand among large institutional investors.

Crypto net ETFs flow. Source: SoSoValueIn addition, Grayscale’s ZEC-focused trust-turned-ETF (ZCSH) recorded over $45 million in inflows over the last seven trading sessions, surpassing $430 million in Assets Under Management (AUM). Strong inflows into ZCSH reflect institutional demand diversifying toward private money.

Bitcoin faces sell wall above $80,000Bitcoin trades around $79,939, maintaining a broadly bullish bias. The King Crypto holds well above the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), clustered between $70,000 and $73,000, forming a firm support zone.

From a technical perspective, the May 6 high at $82,850 serves as the immediate resistance zone. A confirmed breakout above this level could target the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement level at $89,337, measured from $97,924 to $57,800.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering near 66 on the daily chart, suggesting positive yet cooling momentum, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is slipping below its signal line, hinting at waning upside pressure in the short term.

BTC/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, immediate support is seen at the 50% retracement near $77,862, followed by the 200-day EMA just above $72,768 and the 50-day and 100-day EMAs near $72,092 and $70,276, respectively, reinforcing a broader demand zone.

Jupiter and Zcash extend gainsJupiter trades around $0.2673, sustaining its 25% gains from the previous day's rally. The DeFi token maintains a bullish near-term bias as the price holds well above the 200-day EMA around $0.2114, with the 50-day EMA at $0.2076 and the 100-day EMA near $0.2018 forming a broader demand zone.

The RSI near 67 on the daily chart points to strong but cooling upside momentum, and the MACD is sloping upward above the signal line, suggesting that buyers still have the upper hand

Looking up, a confirmed breakout above the May 10 high at $0.2766 could extend the JUP rally toward the November 10 high at $0.3722.

JUP/USDT daily price chart.An extended correction in JUP could find support at the 200-day EMA at $0.2114, followed by the 50-day EMA at $0.2076 and the 100-day EMA near $0.2018.

Zcash edges lower by 3% at press time on Monday, after four consecutive days of rally, totaling to 46% gains last week. The privacy coin holds well above the 50-day, 100-day and 200-day EMAs clustered between $505 and $710, advancing into the price discovery mode.

The 20% gains made the previous day confirmed a breakout above the 127.2% Fibonacci extension level, measured from $368 to $888, at $1,128. This opens the path toward the 161.8% Fibonacci extension level at $1,529 as the next bullish target.

Momentum remains overheated, with the RSI hovering in overbought territory near 81 and the MACD maintaining positive readings, suggesting persistent but potentially stretched buying pressure in the near term.

ZEC/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, initial support is now seen around the reclaimed 127.2% Fibonacci extension level at $1,128, followed by the Fibonacci anchor at $888, with additional demand clustered near the 78.6% retracement at $735.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)

US-listed Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) pulled in $986.9 million during the week ending September 4, according to SoSoValue data. Inflows into Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), and Hyperliquid (HYPE) products fell between 73% and 96% that week.

Bitcoin funds lifted their weekly haul by 6.7%. The four other major product groups moved in the opposite direction after a strong showing the week before.

Altcoin Funds Give Back a Week of GainsThe week ending August 28 told the reverse story. Bitcoin ETFs took in $924.5 million that week, roughly half the $1.92 billion collected a week earlier.

Solana products jumped 443% to $153.9 million during that stretch. XRP funds climbed 178% to $110.5 million, and Hyperliquid funds reached $56.9 million.

Those gains vanished within five trading days. Solana ETFs took in $6.2 million, XRP funds took in $19 million, and Hyperliquid funds took in $12.3 million.

None of the five recorded a net outflow. The shift, therefore, points to slower buying rather than investors pulling capital out.

Trading activity cooled across the board, including in Bitcoin. Turnover in the Bitcoin funds dropped to $14.5 billion from nearly $19 billion, while Ethereum turnover fell to $4.1 billion.

Change in Weekly Spot ETF Net Inflows, Week Ending September 4 versus Week Ending August 28, 2026. Source: SoSoValue/BeInCryptoFollow us on X to get the latest news as it happens

Prices Refused to Follow the MoneySpot prices stayed narrow across all five assets. Bitcoin gained 2.58% over the five trading days to September 4.

Ethereum rose 1.09%. XRP added 3.02%, while Hyperliquid gained 5.76%.

Solana trailed the group with a 0.18% gain. Its fund assets slipped over the same stretch, to $1.41 billion from $1.43 billion.

Bitcoin opened Friday at its highest price since May 12. The move followed remarks from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller about the coming inflation reading.

The August employment report then landed on the final day of the flow week. Payrolls rose 162,000 against a forecast near 53,000, and traders raised bets on a Fed hike this month.

That reading runs counter to the dovish signal that pulled money into Bitcoin funds on Thursday. The August inflation print, due September 11, will test how the flows hold up.

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How High Can Bitcoin Price Go This Week? $83K Rally or $73K Pullback?

Berlin’s state government refused a 30 Bitcoin ransom, and the hackers behind the attack published 5.7 terabytes of stolen data on the dark web.

The Rhysida ransomware group had opened the auction at 30 BTC. Berlin let the deadline pass instead of paying.

Why the Bitcoin Ransom Demand FailedRhysida, a ransomware crew active since 2023, offered the files to the highest bidder. Bidding started at 30 BTC.

Bitcoin (BTC) trades near $79,902 per coin. Therefore, 30 coins come to roughly $2.4 million. Berlin’s Senate Chancellery put the demand at about two million euros.

BTC has added 0.46% today and 24.4% over the past month. That climb raised the dollar value of the demand while the ultimatum ran.

Bitcoin Price Chart. Source: BeInCryptoFlorian Hauer, the city’s chief digital officer, ruled out any payment.

“The State of Berlin will not give in to blackmail. The safety of the State of Berlin’s staff and the people of Berlin is our top priority.”

The Bitcoin ransom deadline ran out on Friday, September 4. Rhysida published the full dataset that afternoon.

Berlin’s refusal tracks a broader shift. On-chain ransomware payments fell about 8% in 2025, even as claimed attacks rose 50%.

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Berlin Counts the Cost of a Dark Web AuctionThe attack surfaced on August 14. Berlin then cut two Senate departments from the state network. One covers urban development and housing; the other covers mobility, transport, and the environment.

Housing benefit payments and family support stalled until both departments returned on August 23. Officials have warned that residents’ personal data could be in the leak.

A central crisis unit now reviews the material Rhysida released once the Bitcoin ransom went unpaid. Forensic specialists comb through the files around the clock.

The State Criminal Police Office and Germany’s federal cybersecurity agency lead the investigation. Officials told residents to report fraud or identity theft to police.

Berliners elect a new state parliament on September 20, two weeks after the Bitcoin ransom expired.

Rhysida collected nothing. Berlin has not put a figure on the damage, and the review of the published files continues.

Table of contents

The International Monetary Fund has confirmed that El Salvador did not use public funds to accumulate bitcoin after the first review of its loan program, saying in a press release that documentation provided by Salvadoran authorities shows the additional holdings came from private donations. The disclosure accompanied a staff-level agreement on the combined second and third reviews of the country’s 40-month Extended Fund Facility, announced on 3 September 2026.

Donations, Not Public Funds The fund said the bitcoin added since the first review came from private donors, and that no further accumulation beyond those documented donations is expected. The finding explains how El Salvador’s holdings have kept rising even though the fund’s earlier review had required the public sector’s bitcoin balance to remain unchanged. The IMF did not identify the donors or say how much each contributed, and it stressed that the documentation was provided by Salvadoran authorities. The disclosure follows months of questions over how the country’s stockpile kept expanding while it remained inside the lending program.

A National Reserve That Keeps Growing El Salvador’s official tracker has climbed to 7,764.37 BTC after the balance jumped by more than 1,000 BTC in November and has continued receiving one bitcoin a day. President Nayib Bukele said in March of last year that the country’s bitcoin purchases would not stop. El Salvador became the first country to make bitcoin legal tender in 2021, though the original IMF agreement later made private-sector acceptance voluntary, required taxes to be paid in U.S. dollars, and limited public-sector purchases. The government has also transferred majority ownership and operational control of its Chivo wallet to a private operator while retaining a minority stake and custody of customer assets.

Oversight and the Road Ahead El Salvador and IMF staff also agreed on steps to strengthen the legal and supervisory framework for crypto assets and improve oversight of bitcoin held by the public sector. The government has already expanded its national bitcoin treasury and kept up its one-bitcoin-a-day strategy, moves that have drawn scrutiny as the fund weighs how the program fits within its safeguards. The staff-level agreement, which still requires approval from the IMF’s executive board, keeps the lending program on track toward its next disbursement and signals continued cooperation between the fund and the government on bitcoin policy.

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21h05 ▪ 11 min read ▪ by Ghiles A.

Summarize this article with:

The bitcoin market pauses after its surge above 82,000 dollars. On September 6, its price moves around 80,000 dollars, in a narrow zone where buyers and sellers neutralize each other. However, the rise observed since late August maintains solid technical foundations. The price remains above the main daily moving averages, while weekend volumes drop sharply. This configuration now places the market facing several key levels before any new sustained acceleration.

In brief The price moves around 80,000 dollars, after failing to sustainably break above 82,000 dollars. The 79,586–80,147 dollar zone is the main short-term support to watch. Moving averages remain favorable, with the price still above the main daily indicators. Oscillators and low volume show a slowdown in momentum after the September 3 peak. Oscillators and low volume show a slowdown in momentum after the September 3 peak. Bitcoin: resistance remains firmly present around 82,000 dollars  After a particularly volatile week for Bitcoin, the market now moves into a waiting phase. Around 9:30 am on September 6, the price ranges between 79,750 and 80,100 dollars as shown on the BTC/USD hourly chart—Bitstamp on TradingView below. Hourly candles remain small and overlap since the strong progression observed on Friday. This evolution reflects a temporary balance between buyers and sellers.

Bitcoin moves below 80,000 dollars, with visible resistance around this key threshold. Source: TradingView The decline in volumes reinforces this impression of caution. Trades made on Saturday and Sunday remain well below levels observed on September 3 and 4. This drop corresponds to the usual weekend rhythm but also limits the scope of recorded movements. A significant variation in a low-liquidity market does not necessarily provide a lasting confirmation.

The immediate battle focuses on a range of a few hundred dollars. The intraday zone extends precisely from 79,586 to 80,147 dollars. A confirmed break above 80,147 dollars could push the bitcoin price toward 80,335 dollars, then 80,523 dollars. Conversely, a break below 79,586 dollars would place 78,650 dollars as the next technical target.

This situation explains the importance of volumes in the coming hours. A breakout from the current zone without notable trading volume would remain difficult to interpret. Operators must therefore simultaneously monitor the price and market activity. For now, no camp manages to clearly regain the upper hand.

Bitcoin slows down after the strong rise at the beginning of September The four-hour analysis helps better understand the current slowdown. The market rose sharply on September 3 before reaching a zone between 81,400 and 82,200 dollars. This rise then encountered significant resistance. On September 4, a quick correction brought the price back toward 78,000 dollars.

The following sessions then established a stabilization phase. The price moved between about 79,500 and 80,200 dollars during the next two sessions. At the same time, the range of fluctuations decreased. Volume also declined, confirming the change of pace after the early-week surge.

BTC/USD chart on 4 hours via Bitstamp. Source: TradingView The price currently sits around the middle of this range. The zone from 79,900 to 80,100 dollars has concentrated a large part of recent trades. This position particularly indicates stabilization after the failure to break resistance. It does not yet signal a new upward phase.

The next four-hour close therefore becomes decisive. A close below 79,586 dollars could open a move toward 78,650 to 78,700 dollars. Conversely, buyers must achieve a close above 80,335 dollars, then 81,430 dollars. These levels would confirm a new test of the peak reached on September 3.

The daily trend retains several supports On the daily chart, the general structure remains stronger despite the recent pause. The market had established a consolidation base between 58,000 and 64,000 dollars in mid-summer. Progress then accelerated at the end of August. The price ultimately reached about 82,239 dollars on September 3.

The pullback on September 4 did not cancel this upward trend. The days of September 5 and 6 mostly show reduced volatility. On Sunday, the price opened at 79,830 dollars, reached 80,106 dollars, touched 79,600 dollars, and then displayed 79,910 dollars. These levels show a recovery that maintains structure but that now crosses a pause phase.

Daily BTC/USD chart via Bitstamp September 6, 2026. Source: TradingView
The price also remains above the 10- and 20-day moving averages. These stand respectively at 78,771 and 77,231 dollars. This position maintains a favorable framework on the daily chart. However, the reduced volume limits the interpretation of this short-term analysis.

Trades over 24 hours currently reach 20.21 billion dollars. This amount remains well below the 35 to 40 billion recorded on September 4 and 5. A new test of the resistance between 80,335 and 82,239 dollars remains possible. However, current data show more of a slowdown than a new acceleration of the trend.

Oscillators indicate a cooling of momentum Daily technical indicators present a more mixed situation. According to CoinLore data, the RSI reaches 66.71 at the time of writing, a high level but still below the classic overbuy threshold set at 70. The stochastic is around 62, while the CCI reaches 65.77. The ADX shows 47 Sunday morning, while the Awesome Oscillator reaches 7,714.

These indicators remain considered neutral overall. The ADX confirms, however, that the trend retains some persistence. Despite this element, the overall reading includes two bearish signals, nine undecided signals, and no bullish signals. This distribution shows that indicators do not yet confirm a new acceleration.

Momentum provides an additional caution signal. The momentum oscillator displays -379, while the MACD is at 3,230 with a bearish reading. These two indicators correspond to the pullback observed after the September 3 peak. They thus show that the speed of progress has weakened since the recent peak.

This divergence between price structure and momentum deserves particular attention. The market retains several technical supports, but momentum indicators remain less favorable. A new increase would thus need additional confirmations. Without these, consolidation around 80,000 dollars can continue.

Moving averages maintain a favorable orientation Moving averages present a different reading from oscillators. The exponential moving averages at 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, and 200 periods all show bullish signals. Simple moving averages also follow this orientation. Bitcoin’s price thus remains above each of the main daily moving averages.

The indicator dedicated to moving averages lists 13 positive signals, one neutral signal, and one bearish signal. This configuration thus offers a globally favorable framework. It explains why the daily structure remains stable despite the momentum slowdown. However, it alone is not sufficient to confirm a new peak.

The Hull moving average is the main immediate obstacle. It stands at 80,523 dollars, just above the current price. This average adds extra resistance in an area already marked by several technical levels. Breaking this reference could therefore reinforce the reading of a recovery.

Below the market, several averages form an important support zone. The 20-period SMA is at 77,208 dollars, while the 20-period VWMA reaches 76,714 dollars. The 20-period EMA is at 76,416 dollars. A daily close below this ensemble would change the currently favorable structure.

Key Bitcoin levels to watch  In the short term, two zones concentrate most attention. Above the price, the zone from 80,335 to 82,239 dollars groups several important resistances. Below the market, the zone from 79,586 to 78,650 dollars constitutes the first technical area to watch. A confirmed breakout from one of these two zones would better define the next direction.

The more distant support is around 76,200 dollars. The psychological zone of 75,000 dollars then constitutes another marker. These levels allow measuring the potential magnitude of a possible downward movement. They thus complement the structure observed around daily moving averages.

The derivatives market also provides an additional indication. Call options currently represent 61.69% of open positions according to Coinglass data. Put options represent 38.31% of open positions. On Binance, the level of maximum sensitivity is around 70,000 dollars, while the following expirations roughly range from 60,000 to 80,000 dollars.

Calls dominate open positions at 61.65%, while puts represent 50.30% of 24h volume. Source: Coinglass.
This configuration alone does not allow determining the market’s next direction. Derivatives complement price, volume, and technical indicator data. For now, these elements show a still balanced situation in the short term. The next breakout will therefore need to be accompanied by higher volumes to gain reach.

The market thus retains a favorable daily structure, but immediate momentum remains fragile. Breaking 80,335 and then 81,430 dollars would strengthen the possibility of a new test of the September 3 peak. Conversely, a break below 79,586 dollars would put 78,650 dollars back at the center of analysis. Between these levels, consolidation can still continue.

In the short term, BTC‘s trajectory will therefore mainly depend on the next closes and volume evolution. A recovery of trades would ideally accompany any attempt to break resistances. Otherwise, the market could maintain lateral movement around 80,000 dollars. The next direction will thus remain conditioned by the price’s ability to sustainably exit its current range.

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Ghiles A.

Journaliste et rédacteur web passionné par l’univers des cryptomonnaies et des technologies Web3. J’y traite les dernières tendances et actualités afin de proposer un contenu de haute qualité à un large public du secteur.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) surged 22% in August while the Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ) barely moved 5% and its correlation with gold hit a six-year high, fueling a debate whether BTC is breaking away from its traditional risk-asset behavior.

Why Bitcoin Correlations ShiftProminent key opinion leader Scott Melker pushed back on the idea that Bitcoin needs to permanently track either equities or gold.

He argued on Friday that Bitcoin’s changing correlations show it remains largely uncorrelated over longer periods, potentially helping portfolio diversification.

Bitcoin’s correlation with gold has risen sharply as its link with stocks has weakened.

Melker cautioned that these shifts may not last. Bitcoin can move with stocks at times and gold at others without being tied to either over the long term.

Trending

Bitcoin’s rally came as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $731 million in daily inflows, the strongest since January.

The crypto king is nearing its 50-week moving average.

Melker said a break above $82,800 would mark a higher high and strengthen the bullish structure.

Wall Street Moves On-ChainOffchain co-founder Steven Goldfeder pointed to Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) as an example of traditional finance adopting blockchain infrastructure.

Robinhood Chain, built with Arbitrum technology, processes roughly 12 million to 15 million transactions daily and generates millions of dollars in fees, according to Goldfeder.

He expects other financial firms to follow as tokenized assets, 24/7 trading and near-instant settlement become more common.

Goldfeder sees privacy becoming critical as institutions move on chain.

Financial firms will likely favor systems that protect transaction details while keeping required information available to authorized parties.

Image: Shutterstock

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Someone pulled $319 million in Bitcoin (BTC) out of Blockstream’s Liquid network on Sunday. It cost 21 cents in fees. Then they left a note on the blockchain saying they were the good guys.

While the internet calls it a heist, the chain says something stranger. Liquid’s remaining coins are still fully covered, down to the fourth decimal place.

We are aware of a security incident on @Liquid_BTC. Purported white-hat hackers have withdrawn ~4,000 BTC (~$320 million) from the Liquid Federation wallet. The @Blockstream team is working on contacting them on-chain with a signed message.

What we know so far is that the funds…

— Liquid Network 🌊 (@Liquid_BTC) September 6, 2026
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$320M Crypto Reserve Moves, But the Wallet Left a Strange MessageThe first move cleared at 14:06 UTC, releasing 3,996 coins to an address nobody had ever used before. That was 95% of everything the network held.

Four hours later the money moved again. The sender paid 269 satoshis, about 21 cents, and attached a message anyone can read.

Actors left a message “we are whitehats. contact us on chain”. Source: memepoolThen they sent 0.00001 back to Liquid’s own address. The other 3,998.49 coins have not moved since.

“It looks like ~4,000 BTC just moved from the Liquid Network bridge all at once with an OP Return saying, “we are whitehats. contact us on chain”,” one user noted.

The Part Everyone MissedLiquid runs on one rule: To take coins out, you destroy the matching tokens inside the network first. So when the reserve shrank, the tokens it backs shrank with it. Both landed in nearly the same spot.

Liquid got got?

Liquid Pegout tx 4000/4200 BTC
8db751a650ae2f12006b7e8c69a75e4df360e8afd6b9e05ae0b9fa6458a7b140

Hacker message: "we are whitehats. contact us on chain"
c103de95817b43f2df635ec6f35ff126ca26a7c6d20570c4b01866b2b3e69a19

— ∴FreeSamourai∴ (@ErgoBTC) September 6, 2026
The peg holds, with 0.22 coins to spare. Nobody still holding L-BTC is short a satoshi. That kills the insolvency story. However, it leaves a worse one. Add what left to what remains, and the network held about 4,193 coins on Saturday. Nearly all of them were burned to make this move work.

Blockstream is clear about who can do that. Only a federation member can burn the tokens. Fifteen companies hold the keys, and 11 must sign before coins leave.

Its documentation calls the destination list a safeguard.

Whitelisted addresses are used as a failsafe to ensure that the federation always remains in full control of the BTC held by the Liquid Network,” the team said in its documentation.

The coins went to a brand new address. Blockstream has not explained that, or said anything at all.

Traders have seen this before, particularly with Ronin bridge attackers who gave back $10 million and took a bounty in 2024.

The money sits still, in daylight. Whoever holds it asked to be contacted. Nobody has answered.

BlackRock has found a way to solve one of crypto’s most persistent identity crises: what do you do when you’re sitting on a mountain of Bitcoin but want the comfort of a brokerage account? You swap it, directly, for shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), no sale required.

The firm’s in-kind conversion program has quietly processed over $5 billion in direct Bitcoin-to-IBIT swaps as of August 2026. That figure was sitting at roughly $3 billion back in October 2025, meaning the pipeline has grown by more than 60% in less than a year.

The $1 million door just opened wider The acceleration traces back to a single decision made in July 2026. BlackRock slashed the minimum transaction size for in-kind conversions from $25 million down to $1 million.

At the old threshold, the program was essentially a velvet-rope affair for the ultra-wealthy and institutional holders. A $25 million floor meant you needed to be holding roughly 250 Bitcoin (give or take, depending on price) just to walk through the door. The new $1 million minimum opens the program to a much broader class of high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and smaller funds.

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The mechanics work through authorized participants, the intermediaries that create and redeem ETF shares. A Bitcoin holder delivers their coins to the authorized participant, who in turn delivers them to the trust and issues IBIT shares back to the holder. No sale hits the market. No immediate capital gains tax event gets triggered.

Why whales are biting Self-custody at scale is genuinely difficult. Hardware wallets, multisig setups, seed phrase management, inheritance planning: all of these become exponentially more stressful when the number after the dollar sign has seven or eight digits. A single operational error can mean permanent, irreversible loss.

By converting into IBIT shares, holders get their Bitcoin exposure wrapped inside the familiar infrastructure of Wall Street. Custodial risk shifts to Coinbase (IBIT’s custodian) and the broader ETF ecosystem. The shares sit in a standard brokerage account, show up on consolidated wealth statements, and can be margined, lent, or used as collateral just like any other security.

Robbie Mitchnick, BlackRock’s head of digital assets, has pointed to the growth potential of this market segment as the accessibility barriers continue falling.

IBIT’s gravitational pull IBIT remains the largest US spot Bitcoin ETF by both assets under management and flows, and the in-kind conversion program is widening that lead.

Every Bitcoin that flows into the trust through a direct swap adds to IBIT’s asset base without requiring a cash purchase on the open market. Cash creations, where an authorized participant buys Bitcoin on the market and delivers it to the trust, can move prices. In-kind creations simply transfer existing coins from one owner to the trust, which is price-neutral in the immediate term but still grows the fund’s footprint.

Other ETF issuers are exploring similar in-kind conversion options, but BlackRock’s distribution network gives it a structural advantage. The firm manages over $10 trillion in total assets across its platform, which means it already has relationships with the advisors, family offices, and institutions most likely to facilitate these conversions.

Tax strategy meets asset management When a Bitcoin holder sells their coins on an exchange, they realize a capital gain (or loss) at the moment of sale. The in-kind swap structure sidesteps this by treating the transaction as a like-kind exchange rather than a sale, deferring the tax liability into the future.

This isn’t a permanent tax avoidance strategy. The holder’s cost basis in the original Bitcoin carries over to the IBIT shares, so the tax bill comes due eventually, presumably when the shares are sold. But the ability to defer that event indefinitely, or until a more tax-efficient moment arises, is enormously valuable for wealth planning purposes.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

Liquid Network is reviewing a major incident after about 3,996 BTC, valued at $318.4 million, was withdrawn from its reserves in a single transaction. The actors behind the withdrawal described themselves as “whitehats” in an on-chain message, prompting extensive scrutiny from industry leaders and the wider crypto community.

Ledger Chief Technology Officer Charles Guillemet publicly raised doubts about the legitimacy of the “whitehat” claim. He stated that taking control of such a significant amount of BTC without prior disclosure to network operators does not align with standard security research procedures.

Guillemet compared the event with previous high-profile protocol exploits, referencing the 2022 Ronin bridge attack that resulted in losses exceeding $600 million and the 2023 Euler Finance incident in which assets were ultimately returned after negotiations.

Withdrawing hundreds of millions before communication is completely different from disclosing a vulnerability, and this conduct diverges from established whitehat practices, Guillemet argued. The focus has turned to whether these actors’ actions genuinely warrant the label they chose for themselves.

Despite similarities to some previous bridge exploits, the BTC that left the Liquid Network has not been reported as widely dispersed or laundered. In a notable move, the individuals behind the peg-out posted an OP_RETURN message on the blockchain, inviting contact: “we are whitehats. contact us on chain.”

Blockstream responded on the Bitcoin blockchain, urging the party in control of the funds to reach out to its security team. However, there have been no confirmed negotiations or asset returns as of now, and independent verification of the whitehat claim remains outstanding.

Liquid investigates peg-out mechanics and security modelFollowing the withdrawal, Liquid Network confirmed that the peg-out utilized SideSwap’s Peg-out Authorization Key (PAK), an additional security layer. The network stated that neither the PAK nor any other authorization keys appeared to be compromised, intensifying debate over whether existing withdrawal safeguards were adequate.

Liquid employs a federated security structure where 15 functionaries govern the network, and an 11-of-15 quorum is required to unlock Bitcoin from reserves. The system mandates that Liquid Bitcoin (LBTC) must be destroyed before a matching amount of BTC can be released, with peg-out authorized only to approved addresses via the PAK mechanism.

On-chain analysis confirmed that the proper amount of LBTC was burned during the withdrawal process, ensuring the liquid supply of LBTC remained fully backed and minimizing immediate risk of unbacked liabilities.

Nonetheless, the nearly 4,000 BTC peg-out amounts to around 95% of the network’s total BTC reserves. This scale led exchanges to temporarily suspend LBTC-related deposits and withdrawals in order to mitigate further exposure. Liquid paused bridge node activity while its investigation proceeded, but confirmed that USDT, DePix, and tokenized assets held on the platform were unaffected.

Critical market tools and next stepsThe Liquid security incident comes at a time when technical volatility can dramatically shift crypto market dynamics. For traders navigating sudden events—whether triggered by a major Federal Reserve announcement or an unexpected altcoin listing—monitoring all relevant data is crucial. In these environments, switching between multiple apps for charts, news, and portfolio updates has grown costly for investors. As a result, many have turned to privacy-first solutions like CryptoAppsy to bring real-time charts, price alerts, asset-specific news, and macroeconomic data together on a single platform, with no account required.

Investigators continue to focus on two key areas: how this peg-out passed normal authorization checks and whether the withdrawn BTC might ultimately be returned. The answers may shape trust in federated security models going forward.

The Liquid Network reported that hackers withdrew approximately 4,000 BTC, valued at nearly $320 million, from the federation wallet that backs its LBTC sidechain asset on Sunday. Following the incident, Liquid immediately paused its bridge nodes and suspended L-BTC deposits and withdrawals to prevent further unauthorized transactions. Assets such as USDT, DePix, and RWAs issued on the network remained unaffected, according to the official Liquid Network account.

Details of the ExploitThe Liquid Network, a federated Bitcoin sidechain developed by Blockstream, enables fast and confidential transfers by issuing tokens like LBTC, which is backed 1:1 by bitcoin held in a multi-signature wallet. This wallet operates under the control of 15 federation members, requiring the signatures of 11 members for fund movements. Before the security breach, the reserves accounted for over 4,200 BTC; afterwards, Blockstream’s proof of reserves page indicated a steep drop to just over 200 BTC.

Hackers managed to drain 4,019.4 BTC from the reserve via a peg-out transaction, exploiting the SideSwap Peg-out Authorization Key. SideSwap, a bridge exchange and member of the Liquid Federation, appears to have been central to the technical flaw. Preliminary evidence suggests that the attackers took advantage of an inflation bug on the LBTC sidechain, allowing them to mint over 4,000 counterfeit LBTC and redeem this for real bitcoin held in the treasury. As the transaction complied with Liquid’s consensus rules at the time, the system’s security modules, called HSMs, signed off on the withdrawal, permitting the attackers to transfer a sum worth roughly $320 million.

Mini dictionary: Hardware Security Module (HSM): A physical or virtual device designed to safeguard and manage digital keys, perform cryptographic operations, and increase overall security for sensitive blockchain actions and key management.

MetricBefore HackAfter HackBTC in Reserve4,200+207Total BTC Withdrawn–4,019.4LBTC RedeemabilityFully redeemableCurrently haltedWhite-Hat Claims and Ongoing NegotiationsThe hackers moved the stolen bitcoin to an address ending in 6gyqjlte and attached a message in the OP_RETURN data field stating “we are whitehats. contact us on chain.” At the time of publication, the full amount remained at this address. Later, an on-chain message from the suspected Blockstream team requested contact via the provided security email address, although this has not been concretely verified. The attacker responded with a further OP_RETURN message containing instructions to communicate over Signal, an encrypted messaging platform.

Blockstream, a Canadian blockchain technology company founded by Adam Back, is the principal developer behind Liquid Network. Liquid is known for its federated model, in which a select group of entities operates the bridge between Bitcoin and its sidechain assets. The network’s private technical architecture makes external investigation challenging, particularly around retail exposure and address balances.

Mini dictionary: OP_RETURN: A special feature in Bitcoin transactions that allows a small amount of data to be embedded in the blockchain, often used for attaching messages or signals related to a transaction.

User Impact and Industry ResponseLiquid recommended that exchanges and service providers halt all LBTC transactions until further notice. While the sidechain continues to produce blocks, bridges to the Bitcoin mainnet remain suspended.

Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3, stated that the hack impacted Aqua, a wallet that relies on the Liquid Network, but clarified that standard bitcoin transactions continue unaffected. Other industry wallets and services integrated with Liquid may be similarly affected.

Users holding LBTC currently face uncertainty over their token backing, as the bitcoin reserves are no longer sufficient for redemption. Public data is limited, so the proportion of retail versus institutional exposure remains unclear, but the incident is considered significant for both corporate and individual users who depend on the security of the Liquid Network.

LBTC holders now risk their savings, as the underlying BTC reserves are unavailable for redemption, leaving few options but to await a resolution with the hackers.

Given the scale of the heist and the public messages left by the attackers, some industry sources believe a finder’s fee or partial return of funds could be negotiated. However, if the bitcoin is not recovered, the breach would mark a substantial setback for the Liquid Network and its community.

Crypto holders increased their use of digital asset-backed loans in 2026 as weaker markets reshaped borrowing habits and collateral preferences.

Crypto holders relied more on loans backed by digital assets as market conditions weakened in 2026, according to research from CryptoQuant.

The report analyzed data from crypto lender CoinRabbit. It found higher borrowing activity among both retail and high-net-worth users.

Borrowing Activity Rises Crypto-backed loans allow holders to access cash without immediately selling their digital assets. Borrowers usually pledge more collateral than they receive, but falling prices can trigger liquidation or require more collateral.

According to the report, retail users recorded the biggest change in borrowing activity during the period. Their average number of loans rose 74%, from 30.8 per user in 2025 to 53.5 in 2026, while high-net-worth users rose 18%, from 16.5 to 19.4.

Repeat borrowing also became more common across the platform. The share of users taking multiple loans increased from 61.9% to 65.1%. Retail borrowers waited an average of 21 days between loans, compared with 11 days previously.

Beyond borrowing activity, collateral preferences also shifted, particularly among wealthier users.  Bitcoin’s share of pledged assets among high-net-worth users fell from 57.8% to 30.5%, while Zcash reached 24.2% after not appearing among the previous top 10.

CryptoQuant linked part of Zcash’s rise in collateral use to its sharp price rally. Zcash climbed from about $50 in late 2025 toward $800, while Monero, Chainlink and Cardano also gained larger shares among high-net-worth collateral.

You may also like: Bitcoin’s 4-Year Cycle Could Be Changing: Willy Woo Reveals What Could Replace It 8 in a Row: Ripple (XRP) ETFs Record Another Green Week but Warning Signs Return Bitcoin Holders Just Cashed Out 110,000 BTC in Profits: Is a Bigger Price Drop Coming? Shifting Asset Preferences Retail users continued to rely heavily on XRP as collateral during the period. However, its share fell from 41.7% to 35.2%, while Bitcoin remained close behind. TRON, Stellar, BNB, Kaspa, and Velo also entered the mix.

Meanwhile, the assets users traded most frequently changed during the period as market conditions shifted. Tether and Bitcoin remained the two largest assets by volume, while USD Coin moved into third place. Flare, Ether, and Ondo also entered the top 10.

Solana, Stellar, and Shiba Inu dropped out of the top 10 by trading volume. Together, these changes show that users adjusted both their borrowing and asset preferences during the weaker market period.

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Since the Federal Reserve was created in 1913, the US dollar has lost about 97% of its purchasing power, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U.

A 1913 dollar buys roughly 3 cents’ worth of today’s goods, meaning $1 back then is worth about $33 to $34 in 2026.

What 113 Years of Inflation Actually Looks LikeThat figure is not a slogan. It reflects the official price index compounded over 113 years, through two world wars, the Great Inflation of the 1970s, and the 2021-23 spike. The 1971 end of gold convertibility accelerated the dollar’s stretch, and cash left idle was quietly taxed by inflation the entire time.

“Check out the biggest, kosher ponzy scam in recent history. The US dollar has lost 97% of its purchasing power since the Federal Reserve was created in 1913. A $3 item in 1913 would cost $100 today,” one user said on X.

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The US Dollar Has Lost 97% of Its Value Since 1913. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of MinneapolisBitcoin was designed in response to that system: a 21 million-coin cap paired with a declining issuance schedule. It did not exist in 1913, so the comparison is not one-for-one. As a store of value, though, its record since 2009 has been extreme in both directions.

Early buyers saw their purchasing power explode. Later buyers, by contrast, endured drawdowns of 50% to 80% within single cycles.

As of early September 2026, Bitcoin trades near $79,852, well below its October 2025 peak of $126,080. Since its inception, the token’s price has soared more than 59,000%, and over full market cycles, it has beaten cash and often beaten gold.

Bitcoin (BTC) Historic Price Performance. Source: BeInCryptoInside any single cycle, though, it can erase years of gains within months — the trade-off inherent to a scarce, non-yielding, narrative-driven asset.

How Institutional Access Changed the StoryUtility has reshaped Bitcoin’s role since then. Spot Bitcoin ETFs, approved in the United States in 2024, turned a bearer asset into a ticker that pensions, RIAs, and balance-sheet allocators can hold without managing private keys.

Those products have accumulated $55.62 billion in cumulative net inflows as of September 4, according to SoSoValue data, with total net assets across the category reaching $101.25 billion, equal to roughly 6.33% of Bitcoin’s entire market cap.

Adoption remains incomplete in several respects. Volatility stays high, regulation varies widely across jurisdictions, and energy and custody risks are real and unresolved. The US dollar still clears most global trade, prices most debts, and pays most wages worldwide. Bitcoin has not replaced that role as a unit of account.

What Bitcoin has done is offer savers an exit from a currency that official statistics say lost 97% of its purchasing power since 1913. Whether that exit functions as a genuine reserve asset, pure speculation, or some combination of both depends heavily on the investor’s time horizon.

Cash loses value slowly and predictably. Bitcoin can lose value fast, sometimes dramatically so, but over the long run, it has, so far, compounded gains faster than either cash or gold.

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Bitcoin mined in 2010 moved from long-dormant addresses after more than 16 years, reigniting speculation over a possible link to Satoshi Nakamoto.

A dozen addresses holding a combined 600 Bitcoin (BTC), worth about $48 million, moved the coins on Saturday after more than 16 years of dormancy, according to onchain data reviewed by Cointelegraph.

Whale Alert, a blockchain transaction tracking platform, said the 600 BTC came from rewards mined across 12 Bitcoin blocks and that its research found no connection to Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin.

“None of the blocks can be connected to Satoshi based on our research,” a spokesperson for Whale Alert told Cointelegraph, tempering speculation around the origins of coins mined while Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator was still active.

Whale Alert traces all 12 mining block rewardsWhale Alert traced all 12 rewards to Bitcoin blocks mined in March 2010, when each block paid a 50 BTC block subsidy. The subsidy has since been cut in half four times, most recently in April 2024, when it fell from 6.25 BTC to the current 3.125 BTC per block.

The findings expand on Whale Alert’s earlier analysis of seven of the rewards. It said in an X post on Sunday that those seven originated from blocks it had determined were not mined by Nakamoto.

The mining blocks and addresses for the 12 dormant Bitcoin rewards. Source: Whale Alert

Lookonchain, an onchain analytics platform, had also initially identified seven miner wallets that moved 350 BTC after 16.5 years of inactivity, saying the wallets earned the coins through mining in March 2010.

Satoshi-era doesn’t mean Satoshi’s BitcoinThe movement attracted attention partly because the coins date to a period when Nakamoto was still actively involved with Bitcoin.

Nakamoto remained involved in Bitcoin development and communications through 2010 before gradually withdrawing from the project, with their last known communication dating to April 2011.

One of the 12 addresses received a 50 BTC mining reward on March 5, 2010, and moved the coins to a new address on Sept. 5, 2026. Source: Blockchain.com

Whale Alert noted that one reward moved several blocks before most of the others, saying the pattern was consistent with a test transaction before the remaining transfers.

Magazine: BTC will hit $1M by 2030... but Arthur Hayes is buying ETH instead

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