Quant Soars on Clearing House Partnership$QNT surged 30% in 24 hours to $241.83 on $1.54 billion in trading volume, extending a weekly gain of 262%. The catalyst was a headline-grabbing announcement on Thursday: The Clearing House selected Quant, a provider of programmable money infrastructure, to power the On-Chain Money Initiative, a new interoperable payments network for US banks.
Quant will supply the interoperability, orchestration and transaction-management layer, linking the network to existing fiat rails like RTP and CHIPS. The initiative is designed to create new opportunities across corporate treasury, liquidity management, cross-border payments and digital asset settlement. For banks without their own tokenized deposit capability, Quant has also been contracted to provide a commercial bank-side solution through its Tokenised Deposits-as-a-Service offering. The Clearing House's networks clear and settle more than $2 trillion each day, putting the partnership at the core of the US banking system.
The network is expected to become available to participating institutions in the first half of 2027, with additional details on participation and use cases to be announced as development progresses.
Hedera Rides Its Own Wave$HBAR was not far behind, climbing 26% to $0.1202 over the same 24-hour window. Its daily volume jumped more than 14-fold to $1.18 billion, lifting its market cap to $5.26 billion. The primary catalyst was a September 23 announcement from Switzerland's Hashgraph Group, which said its IDTrust identity platform, built on Hedera, had been validated by IBM and listed in the IBM Cloud Catalog. The Hashgraph Group also received IBM Silver Partner status and signed a global Embedded Solution Agreement covering IBM Cloud and AI technology, giving Hedera a commercial connection to one of the world's largest enterprise technology ecosystems.
Together, the two tokens stood out as the top performers among the 100 largest cryptocurrencies on an otherwise difficult day for the market. Bitcoin fell 1.7% and the total crypto market cap slipped 1.7% to $2.86 trillion, per CoinMarketCap data.
Sources:
The Clearing House: On-Chain Money Initiative announcement
The Clearing House Partners with Quant to Advance the On-Chain Money Initiative (PR Newswire)
The Clearing House Selects Quant for Tokenized Deposit Interoperability (Ledger Insights)
ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood said that recent research in artificial intelligence and quantum computing has changed her perspective on the long-dormant BTC attributed to Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto.
Speaking on ARK Invest’s FYI podcast, Wood and other participants discussed the potential threats that quantum computers could pose to Bitcoin’s cryptographic systems in the future, and how artificial intelligence could be used to defend against these risks.
Wood noted that AI is accelerating quantum research, and that Bitcoin developers are also beginning to use the same technology to enhance network security. One developer featured in the podcast stated that recent findings from AI-powered security efforts are being reviewed by Bitcoin Core developers, and some fixes are being directly implemented into Bitcoin Core.
The most noteworthy part of the discussion was what it might mean if the Bitcoins believed to belong to Satoshi Nakamoto were to move one day.
According to participants, the movement of BTC linked to Satoshi may not point to a single scenario. Possible causes include the owner moving the coins to new addresses, switching to more secure signature systems to protect against a potential quantum threat, or attackers gaining access to the private keys.
The podcast also discussed the possibility that unexpected movements in Satoshi’s coins could be negatively impacted by the market in the short term. However, it was noted that new signature schemes are being tested for Bitcoin and various protocol solutions are being developed for a future transition to quantum-resistant systems.
Wood also said that the movement of large, long-inactive Bitcoin wallets could be unsettling for investors, but his concerns have somewhat diminished as research in AI and quantum computing advances.
Investors in the prediction markets are pricing in only about a 3% chance that the Bitcoins attributed to Satoshi Nakamoto will move before the end of 2026.
*This is not investment advice.
Follow our Telegram and Twitter account now for exclusive news, analytics and on-chain data!
Bitcoin price enters October about 9% above its close on the day of the Fed rate hike, after a September that history said should be red.
The Bitcoin price prediction for October now depends on who keeps buying.
Is Bitcoin Following History?Not this year. August’s median return since 2011 is −7.15%, and Bitcoin (BTC) gained 25%. September’s median is −2.34%, and it is up almost 6%.
2026 Has Already Broken the August and September Script: BeInCryptoOctober is friendlier per history. It rose in 10 of the past 15 years, with a median gain of 11.2%, according to CryptoRank monthly data. What’s important is that after a green September, it rose four times out of six.
Why Are the Funds Slowing Down?Spot Bitcoin ETFs have bought for seven straight sessions since September 17, taking in $2.98 billion. The $134.47 million on September 25 was just 13% of the $998.95 million peak on September 21, per SoSoValue flow data.
This Buying Streak Is Fading Faster Than August’s: BeInCryptoThe August streak ran nine sessions and $3.04 billion, and never dropped below 38% of its peak day. When it broke on August 28, Bitcoin slid 5.8% by September 15. Despite that risk, some buyers are still in play.
Who Is Buying Now?Long-term holders are. Hodler Net Position Change tracks whether coins held for months are being added to or sold. It stayed red from August 2 to August 30, as holders sold. This metric has been green since August 31.
Bitcoin Hodler Net Position Change: GlassnodeIt dipped to 16,415 BTC on September 25, then climbed to 23,172 BTC on September 27. Holders are buying the pause that funds are sitting out. But there is one big risk building as well!
Where Could a Long Flush Come From?A liquidation map shows where leveraged bets get forced shut. On Binance, positions from the past seven days lean short, with $1.96 billion above the price against $1.03 billion of longs below. A small push higher could squeeze them.
Shorts Crowd This Week. Longs Crowd the Month: BeInCryptoHowever, the 30-day map brings the risk. Longs total $4.35 billion down to about $74,170, against $1.65 billion of shorts. October has a memory here. More than $19 billion of leveraged bets were wiped out on October 10, 2025.
Bitcoin Price Prediction: The Levels for OctoberOn the two-day chart, Bitcoin has traded inside a falling channel since January 13. Buying volume has faded since February 6, and the late-September push failed at $87,360, near the channel’s upper line.
Bitcoin Price Pattern: TradingViewThe 50-period exponential moving average (EMA), an average that weights recent prices more, sits at $74,117. It is close to crossing above the 100-period EMA at $74,312, a bullish signal. Selling volume has also eased since September 22, which gives the cross room to complete.
Reclaiming $84,433 comes first. Above $87,360, the next hurdles are $90,288, $99,764 and $115,094. Below $80,811, weak ETF flows could drag price to $74,957, near the EMAs and the long pile.
Bitcoin Price Analysis: TradingViewAnalyst’s View: History and holders favor a green October. Fading ETF flows and the 30-day long pile do not. A two-day close above $87,360 with ETF buying back would favor the bulls, and losing $80,811 would put that $74,000 zone in play.
Disclaimer
This Analysis reflects BeInCrypto's editorial interpretation of information and data available at publication and may become outdated. It is general and non-personalised, does not consider your circumstances, and is not investment research, financial, investment, legal or tax advice, an offer or a recommendation. Forecasts, targets, technical analysis and forward-looking statements are uncertain and may not materialise; past performance and indicators do not predict future results. References to assets, products or providers do not imply endorsement. Crypto-assets and financial products may result in total loss. Verify material information before acting.
Strategy has acquired another 1,665 BTC for approximately $142.7 million while spending $151.7 million to repurchase STRC preferred shares during the week ended Sept. 27.
Summary
Strategy bought 1,665 BTC for $142.7 million, lifting total Bitcoin holdings to 847,666 coins overall. Strategy repurchased 1,534,530 STRC shares for $151.7 million during the September 21 to 27 period. MSTR sales generated $246.2 million net proceeds, with no preferred shares issued during the week. Strategy held $5.02 billion in USD Reserve and $1.00 billion in deployable USD Cash overall. Bitcoin holdings cost $63.95 billion in aggregate, averaging $75,437 per coin including fees and expenses. Strategy disclosed the transactions in a Sept. 28 Form 8-K, showing that the company paid an average of $85,681 per BTC, including fees and expenses, between Sept. 21 and Sept. 27. The purchase lifted its Bitcoin holdings to 847,666 BTC.
During the same period, Strategy sold 1,469,165 MSTR shares through its at-the-market program, generating $246.2 million in net proceeds. Of that amount, $142.7 million funded the Bitcoin purchases and $103.5 million went toward STRC repurchases.
The company issued no STRF, STRC, STRK or STRD preferred shares through its ATM programs during the week.
Strategy Bitcoin holdings reach 847,666 BTC Following the latest purchase, Strategy held 847,666 BTC acquired for an aggregate $63.95 billion. Its average acquisition cost stood at $75,437 per BTC, including fees and expenses.
The latest addition follows Strategy’s 950 BTC purchase after a two-week buying pause reported for the previous week. The company spent $75.7 million on that acquisition at an average price of $79,670 per BTC, increasing holdings at the time to 846,000 BTC.
Strategy’s new $85,681 average purchase price for the Sept. 21-27 period was above Bitcoin’s latest market price. CoinGecko shows BTC trading near $83,401 at the latest reading, around 2.7% below Strategy’s average price for the latest purchase.
At that market price, Strategy’s 847,666 BTC position would be worth roughly $70.7 billion. The calculation uses a live market price and therefore differs from the company’s recorded acquisition cost.
STRC repurchases reach another $151.7 million Alongside the Bitcoin acquisition, Strategy repurchased 1,534,530 shares of its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock, or STRC, for approximately $151.7 million.
The latest transaction continues a repurchase program that Strategy began earlier in 2026. After the latest week, $723.5 million of authorization remained under its digital credit securities repurchase program, according to the filing.
Strategy’s previous $174 million STRC repurchase came during the Sept. 14-20 period, when the company spent more on preferred-stock repurchases than on its $75.7 million Bitcoin purchase.
Earlier in September, Strategy doubled its digital credit securities repurchase authorization to $2 billion after spending $176.3 million on STRC during a week when it bought no Bitcoin.
Strategy said in July that it intends to repurchase STRC while the preferred stock trades below its $100 stated amount, subject to market conditions, liquidity and other capital priorities.
MSTR sales funded both transactions Strategy financed the latest Bitcoin purchase and part of the STRC repurchase through MSTR common-stock sales.
The company raised $246.2 million in net proceeds by selling 1,469,165 MSTR shares between Sept. 21 and Sept. 27. The filing assigns $142.7 million of those proceeds to Bitcoin purchases and $103.5 million to STRC buybacks.
A further $48.1 million of the STRC repurchase came from Strategy’s USD Cash balance. Over the same period, the company used $22.1 million from its separate USD Reserve to pay preferred-stock dividends.
Strategy reported $18.84 billion of additional MSTR issuance capacity under its ATM program as of Sept. 27. No preferred shares were sold during the latest reporting period.
The latest funding structure differs from the previous week, when Strategy made no ATM stock sales and used existing cash to fund its Bitcoin purchase and STRC repurchases.
Strategy keeps $6.02 billion in dollar assets Strategy ended Sept. 27 with a $5.02 billion USD Reserve and $1.00 billion in USD Cash, giving the company a combined $6.02 billion across the two balances.
The company defines the USD Reserve as capital designated to support preferred-stock dividends and interest payments on outstanding debt. USD Cash is maintained separately for Bitcoin purchases, reserve additions, capital management and other treasury uses.
The cash framework has changed materially since July, when Strategy built a $3.75 billion reserve while Bitcoin buying remained paused.
Strategy’s board expanded its STRC repurchase program during September while continuing to manage Bitcoin purchases, common-stock issuance and preferred-stock obligations through separate pools of capital.
As of Sept. 27, the company still had $723.5 million available under its digital credit securities repurchase authorization and $1 billion available under its separate MSTR common-stock repurchase program.
Nvidia announced a massive $150 billion expansion to its share repurchase program, sending shares up almost 2%. Major U.S. indices declined as crude oil prices and government bond yields surged amid escalating U.S.-Iran diplomatic tensions. MongoDB experienced a significant share price decline following CEO CJ Desai’s departure to spearhead Meta’s enterprise AI initiative. SpaceX achieved a breakthrough as Starship successfully entered orbital space and released advanced Starlink satellites. Citigroup partnered with Coinbase for enterprise stablecoin payment solutions, while Bitcoin dropped closer to $83,000 despite robust ETF capital flows. U.S. equity markets faced headwinds to begin the trading week. Escalating crude prices, increasing government bond yields, and renewed international tensions created downward pressure on major indices.
Meanwhile, significant corporate announcements and developments captured investor attention throughout traditional and digital asset markets.
Nvidia Unveils Unprecedented Share Repurchase Program Nvidia expanded its stock buyback authorization by an additional $150 billion. This represents the most substantial single share-repurchase program ever disclosed by an American corporation.
The chipmaker’s stock climbed approximately 2% following the announcement. Year-to-date, the shares have appreciated more than 20%.
This strategic move provides Nvidia with substantial capacity to distribute capital back to investors. The semiconductor giant maintains robust cash generation driven by surging artificial intelligence processor demand.
The repurchase authorization arrives while Nvidia’s valuation metrics sit near decade-low levels relative to earnings.
Major Indices Decline on Energy Prices and International Concerns Broader equity benchmarks moved downward. The S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones Industrial Average all posted losses.
Oil prices advanced following President Donald Trump’s dismissal of a diplomatic overture from Iran designed to de-escalate bilateral tensions.
Elevated energy costs can fuel inflationary pressures. Simultaneously, climbing Treasury yields reduce the relative attractiveness of high-multiple technology equities versus fixed-income securities.
MongoDB Leadership Transition to Meta Platforms MongoDB experienced substantial volatility after Chief Executive Chirantan “CJ” Desai announced his resignation to accept a position at Meta Platforms.
Desai will oversee a newly established Meta division dedicated to delivering the company’s artificial intelligence capabilities to corporate clients.
This strategic expansion represents Meta’s ambition to extend its AI offerings beyond consumer applications into the enterprise software market. MongoDB’s stock price dropped significantly on the announcement.
SpaceX Achieves Orbital Milestone SpaceX celebrated a significant achievement as its Starship vehicle successfully achieved orbital insertion during its fourteenth experimental launch.
The spacecraft successfully deployed upgraded Starlink communication satellites before the mission concluded prematurely following propulsion system complications.
Citigroup Expands Cryptocurrency Payment Services The convergence between conventional banking and digital currencies accelerated. Citigroup has reportedly engaged Coinbase to facilitate stablecoin payment acceptance for major enterprise clients.
This collaboration extends their existing partnership. The financial institutions had previously announced joint development of cryptocurrency-based payment infrastructure targeting institutional customers.
Bitcoin Retreats Despite Institutional Investment Surge Cryptocurrency valuations declined in tandem with equities. Bitcoin dropped approximately 1.7% toward the $83,000 level as energy prices climbed and market participants reduced risk exposure.
The comprehensive CoinDesk 100 benchmark declined roughly 2.6%, reflecting broader weakness throughout alternative digital assets.
This downward movement contrasts with powerful institutional appetite during the preceding week. American spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds captured approximately $2.4 billion in net inflows, while Ethereum ETFs registered around $690 million in new investment.
Investors currently face competing dynamics between artificial intelligence infrastructure investment, corporate capital return programs, and cryptocurrency ETF momentum against headwinds from elevated crude prices, rising bond yields, and international political uncertainty.
Two prominent public companies, Strategy and Strive, have significantly expanded their Bitcoin holdings by acquiring a combined 2,773 coins last week, totaling $232.5 million. These purchases are part of a renewed wave of accumulation among corporate treasuries, even as some industry peers have offloaded Bitcoin amid financial pressures.
Strategy, recognized as the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, revealed on Monday that it purchased 1,665 BTC for $142.7 million. This acquisition marked Strategy’s second consecutive buy following a brief pause in its Bitcoin accumulation strategy. In addition to increasing its cryptocurrency reserves, the Nasdaq-listed firm repurchased $152 million worth of its preferred stock, STRC.
Following these latest transactions, Strategy’s total Bitcoin holdings now stand at 847,666 coins, valued at approximately $70.5 billion. The recent figures were detailed in a filing submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Strategy now holds a total of 847,666 BTC as part of its treasury reserves, following a $142.7 million purchase last week.
Strive’s growing Bitcoin portfolioStrive, currently ranked as the fifth largest corporate Bitcoin holder, also reported notable activity, adding 1,107 BTC for $94.5 million last week. This purchase brings Strive’s total Bitcoin reserves to 27,462 coins.
Mini dictionary: Strive is a publicly listed company known for holding large Bitcoin allocations as part of its treasury. Unlike some of its competitors, Strive claims to operate without debt or margin, positioning itself to navigate volatile market conditions.
Despite industry headwinds, both public enterprises have continued to reinforce their commitment to Bitcoin as a treasury asset.
CompanyNew BTC AcquiredTotal HoldingsValue of HoldingsStock Performance (Past Year)Strategy1,665 BTC847,666 BTC$70.5 billion-50%Strive1,107 BTC27,462 BTCNot stated-30%Industry context and shifting treasury modelsA number of major corporate Bitcoin holders, including Satsuma, Smarter Web Company, Sequans, Nakamoto, and Empery Digital, have sold significant amounts of Bitcoin over the year to manage debt, finance operations, or execute share buybacks. Several companies have either exited the sector or shifted their focus toward artificial intelligence infrastructure as falling share prices prompted strategic realignments.
In this challenging environment, both Strategy and Strive have sought to reassure investors regarding their financial positions. Strategy’s CEO, Phong Le, defended the company’s decision to sell Bitcoin earlier this year, stating that those moves strengthened the company’s “bullet-proof balance sheet.” According to Le, choosing to sell when it did was “the right trade at the time.”
Strive CEO Matt Cole highlighted that the firm remains debt-free, maintains zero margin requirements, and holds unencumbered Bitcoin, describing the business as structurally equipped to handle high market volatility.
Strategy also announced plans to offer daily dividends on four preferred stock classes: STRF, STRC, STRK, and STRD.
Market outlookDespite accumulation activity from key players, both Strategy and Strive have experienced notable declines in their stock prices over the past year. Strategy’s shares (MSTR) are down more than 50%, while Strive’s stock (ASST) has fallen by over 30%.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin recently traded near $83,409, reflecting a 3% decrease over the past week.
The crypto market has not yet entered a confirmed altseason period, however many altcoins strongly outperform bitcoin. Unlike previous cycles, various capital focuses on a limited number of projects, essentially those generating revenue or meeting specific uses.
In Brief Altseason is approaching, but it is not yet confirmed. The Altcoin Season index is rising, without reaching the 75 threshold. Capital focuses on a limited number of altcoins. Revenue-generating protocols attract more investors. Memecoins remain active, despite stronger market selection. Altseason Is Approaching Without Being Confirmed Yet The bitcoin dominance currently stands around 58.6%. A sustained correction of this indicator could signal a major capital rotation towards the rest of the market. For now, the increases remain strong, but very uneven across sectors and projects.
The Altcoin Season index is close to 64 out of 100, compared to 48 the previous week. This shows that a growing number of altcoins outperform bitcoin over a 90-day period, but it remains below the 75 threshold used to confirm an altseason.
Four indicators justify this gradual shift :
The Altcoin Season index is at 64 out of 100 ; Bitcoin dominance remains below 60% ; The top ten altcoins account for nearly 80% of the market ; Revenue-generating protocols are among the winners. The crypto market is therefore in an intermediate phase. Many altcoins show significant performances characteristic of an altseason, without most of the major cryptos outperforming bitcoin.
Profitable Protocols Attract More Capital The best performances do not concern just one category. Over about thirty days, the PONS token exploded by more than 350%, while Uniswap rose more than 110%. Arbitrum climbed more than 150% and NEAR nearly 180%, according to available data.
However, David Hoffman, co-founder of Bankless, noted a common feature among many winners such as UNI, ARB, JUP, and ONDO. He therefore stated:
They make money, they all generate revenue.
Such a characteristic indicates that investors place increasing importance on business models compared to previous speculative phases.
This selection particularly benefits exchange protocols, on-chain derivatives platforms, and certain DeFi projects. HYPE, LIT, UNI, and MORPHO are among these different projects.
However, such a progression remains partial. The revenues of a protocol are still not redistributed to its token holders. Significant activity therefore guarantees neither sustained demand for the asset nor an immediate price increase.
Memecoins Remain Present Despite This Selection Speculation remains despite the return of fundamentals. Thus, launching platforms for the memecoins PUMP and PONS continue to record considerable activity. Data analyzed by linch co-founder Sergej Kunz even reveals that memecoins attracted the largest growth in the number of buyers over 30 days.
Nevertheless, their weight among the best performers seems to be decreasing. Two memecoins remain the top performers over a week among about twenty cryptos. Pudgy Penguins was then the only representative of this category in the weekly ranking.
Other themes have captured part of the flows. Privacy-related cryptos, including Zcash and Moreno, advance alongside tokens linked to artificial intelligence like TAO and VVV. Also, tokenized real-world assets and on-chain stocks attracted new buyers.
This diversity does not prove the existence of a global rotation. It rather indicates that multiple narratives coexist, with rapid movements between DeFi, AI, privacy, RWAs, and memecoins.
A Narrower Altseason Than in Previous Crypto Cycles Now, the top ten altcoins represent according to Talos nearly 80% of the total capitalization of this category, compared with about 70% at the end of 2024. Samar Sen, head of international markets at the company, describes “a market where capital focuses on a smaller number of assets”.
Broker participation is also said to have decreased. Thus, their share in altcoin trades supposedly fell from nearly 65% at the end of 2024 to 32% in September 2026. Liquidity providers and market makers might play a less critical role in the current rise.
“Investors focus on specific narratives and ecosystems rather than treating altcoins as a single global strategy,” highlights Samar Sen.
A true altseason might now require broadening the rise beyond a few leaders. As long as the index remains below 75 and the top ten altcoins concentrate most capital, the market looks more like a selective rotation than a broad advance.
Maximize your Cointribune experience with our "Read to Earn" program! For every article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning benefits.
Join the program
A
A
Lien copié
Luc Jose A.
Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d'une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j'ai rejoint l'aventure Cointribune en 2019. Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, j'ai pris l'engagement de sensibiliser et d'informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu'elle offre. Je m'efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l'actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
In brief Strive bought 1,107 BTC between Sept. 21 and Sept. 25 at an average of $85,396, bringing its stash to 27,462 BTC worth about $2.3 billion. SATA preferred stock supplied 85% of the capital raised, including $12.4 million from warrant exercises, per CEO Matt Cole. Strive remains the fifth-largest public Bitcoin holder and would need roughly 1,235 BTC a week to catch Twenty One by year-end. Strive kept its Bitcoin shopping streak alive last week, though its cart was a bit lighter.
The Dallas-based asset manager bought 1,107 BTC for about $94.5 million between Sept. 21 and Sept. 25, paying an average of $85,396 per coin including fees, according to a Form 8-K filed Monday with the SEC.
Its holdings now total 27,462 BTC, worth about $2.3 billion at Friday's closing price of $83,943, the company said.
That's a step down from the prior week, when Strive's stash grew by 1,355 BTC, based on its previous filings.
Once again, preferred stock footed most of the bill. "Warrant exercises generated another $12.4M. Including those proceeds, 85% of total capital raised came from SATA," CEO Matt Cole wrote on X.
Strive acquired 1,107 $BTC for $94.5M at an average cost of $85,396 per bitcoin, bringing total holdings to ₿27,462.
Warrant exercises generated another $12.4M. Including those proceeds, 85% of total capital raised came from SATA.$ASST $SATA pic.twitter.com/duihTtFKrm
— Matt Cole (@ColeMacro) September 28, 2026
SATA is Strive's variable-rate perpetual preferred stock, which pays dividends and lets the company raise money with less dilution for common shareholders. Its share count rose by roughly 1 million during the week to 12.2 million, the filing shows. At its $100 stated amount, that puts SATA's notional value at about $1.22 billion. Class A common shares rose by about 649,000.
Strive's cash pile also grew by $19.2 million to $248.8 million.
Strive leans heavily on SATA to fund its buys. Its 469 BTC purchase earlier this month, which lifted holdings to an even 25,000 coins, was paid for entirely with the preferred stock. A $109 million purchase in early September split funding 70/30 between SATA and common stock.
Strive ranks fifth among public Bitcoin holders, behind Strategy, Twenty One Capital, Metaplanet and MARA, according to Bitcoin Treasuries data. To catch Twenty One's 43,514 BTC by year-end, it would need about 16,050 more coins, or roughly 1,235 a week.
Rival treasury firms also disclosed purchases Monday. Strategy added 1,665 BTC for $142.7 million, pushing its holdings to a record 847,666 BTC. Tom Lee's Bitmine picked up 17,362 ETH worth about $47 million, bringing it to 4.9% of Ethereum's supply.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
In brief Strive bought 1,107 BTC between Sept. 21 and Sept. 25 at an average of $85,396, bringing its stash to 27,462 BTC worth about $2.3 billion. SATA preferred stock supplied 85% of the capital raised, including $12.4 million from warrant exercises, per CEO Matt Cole. Strive remains the fifth-largest public Bitcoin holder and would need roughly 1,235 BTC a week to catch Twenty One by year-end. Strive kept its Bitcoin shopping streak alive last week, though its cart was a bit lighter.
The Dallas-based asset manager bought 1,107 BTC for about $94.5 million between Sept. 21 and Sept. 25, paying an average of $85,396 per coin including fees, according to a Form 8-K filed Monday with the SEC.
Its holdings now total 27,462 BTC, worth about $2.3 billion at Friday's closing price of $83,943, the company said.
That's a step down from the prior week, when Strive's stash grew by 1,355 BTC, based on its previous filings.
Once again, preferred stock footed most of the bill. "Warrant exercises generated another $12.4M. Including those proceeds, 85% of total capital raised came from SATA," CEO Matt Cole wrote on X.
Strive acquired 1,107 $BTC for $94.5M at an average cost of $85,396 per bitcoin, bringing total holdings to ₿27,462.
Warrant exercises generated another $12.4M. Including those proceeds, 85% of total capital raised came from SATA.$ASST $SATA pic.twitter.com/duihTtFKrm
— Matt Cole (@ColeMacro) September 28, 2026
SATA is Strive's variable-rate perpetual preferred stock, which pays dividends and lets the company raise money with less dilution for common shareholders. Its share count rose by roughly 1 million during the week to 12.2 million, the filing shows. At its $100 stated amount, that puts SATA's notional value at about $1.22 billion. Class A common shares rose by about 649,000.
Strive's cash pile also grew by $19.2 million to $248.8 million.
Strive leans heavily on SATA to fund its buys. Its 469 BTC purchase earlier this month, which lifted holdings to an even 25,000 coins, was paid for entirely with the preferred stock. A $109 million purchase in early September split funding 70/30 between SATA and common stock.
Strive ranks fifth among public Bitcoin holders, behind Strategy, Twenty One Capital, Metaplanet and MARA, according to Bitcoin Treasuries data. To catch Twenty One's 43,514 BTC by year-end, it would need about 16,050 more coins, or roughly 1,235 a week.
Rival treasury firms also disclosed purchases Monday. Strategy added 1,665 BTC for $142.7 million, pushing its holdings to a record 847,666 BTC. Tom Lee's Bitmine picked up 17,362 ETH worth about $47 million, bringing it to 4.9% of Ethereum's supply.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
Bitcoin price traded near $84,000 on Sep. 28 after retreating from a recent high above $87,000, leaving traders focused on whether U.S. spot ETF demand can help the price hold its September breakout.
Summary
Bitcoin price traded near $83,960 on the daily chart, above its 20-day moving average of $80,730. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs drew about $2.39 billion in net inflows during the week ended Sep. 25. The 4-hour Supertrend remained bearish near $85,087, while ADX stood at 14.74. Bitget Wallet’s Lacie Zhang identified $81,500–$83,000 as the key area for the pullback. Lacie Zhang, research lead at Bitget Wallet, told crypto.news that the retreat reflected profit-taking after Bitcoin’s rally, a reduction in leveraged long positions, firmer U.S. Treasury yields and a stronger dollar. She said rates, energy prices and geopolitical risks appeared to be the main sources of pressure, while changes in derivatives positioning made the decline faster.
Bitcoin’s Binance daily chart showed the price near $83,960, down 0.61% for the session at the time of the reading. It had moved away from the $87,000 area reached during last week’s advance but remained above its 20-day, 50-day, 100-day and 200-day simple moving averages.
Bitcoin ETF inflows slow after a strong week U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $2.39 billion in net inflows from Sep. 21 through Sep. 25, according to Farside Investors. Daily inflows fell from $999 million on Monday to $134.5 million on Friday, with each of the five sessions still finishing positive.
Zhang said the continued purchases could support Bitcoin during the pullback, though the slower pace suggested investors were becoming more selective as yields rose. The distinction matters for U.S. investors because the ETF figures show fund demand remained positive through Friday even as Bitcoin gave back part of its rally.
“U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs also remain net buyers,” Zhang said.
She described the $81,500–$83,000 range as the prior breakout area. In her view, holding that zone alongside continued net ETF inflows and contained liquidations would support a period of consolidation. Several sessions of ETF outflows, a further rise in the 10-year Treasury yield and a break below $82,000 would raise the risk of a deeper decline, she said.
Bitcoin’s daily trend holds while the 4-hour signal weakens On the daily chart, Bitcoin remained above its 20-day simple moving average at $80,729.58 and its 50-day average at $76,510.45. The 100-day and 200-day averages stood at $69,942.10 and $71,176.27, respectively, placing all four below the price shown in the chart.
Bitcoin price daily chart — Sep. 29 | Source: TradingView The daily relative strength index read 62.83. It had eased from the higher readings seen during the move toward $87,000 but remained above 50, while Bitcoin traded around $3,230 above its 20-day average. The price gap gives traders a second level to watch if Zhang’s breakout zone fails to hold.
The 4-hour chart showed a weaker near-term setup. Bitcoin traded near $83,972, below a bearish Supertrend line at $85,086.94. That indicator followed the price lower after the retreat from $87,000, leaving the $85,000 area as an immediate hurdle for a rebound.
Bitcoin price 4-hour chart — Sep. 29 | Source: TradingView The 4-hour average directional index, or ADX, stood at 14.74. The low reading indicated that the recent sideways trading had little trend strength, even though the Supertrend signal remained bearish. Bitcoin had also rebounded from a nearby low around $83,256 on the 4-hour chart, putting that level close to the upper part of Zhang’s support range.
The $82K level could decide the next test A move above the 4-hour Supertrend near $85,087 would put Bitcoin back toward its recent high around $87,000. The chart does not show a confirmed break of that high, and the lower ADX reading leaves room for further range-bound trading before a stronger move develops.
On the downside, the 4-hour low near $83,256 is the first nearby level. Zhang’s $81,500–$83,000 breakout range sits below it, followed by the daily 20-day moving average near $80,730. A decline through $82,000 would meet one of the conditions Zhang identified for a deeper correction, particularly if U.S. ETF flows turn negative for several sessions.
The next published ETF figures will help show whether Friday’s slower inflow was part of a continuing drop in purchases. For now, Farside’s five positive sessions and Bitcoin’s position above its daily moving averages sit alongside a bearish 4-hour Supertrend, leaving the $82,000–$85,000 area at the center of the near-term price test.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
A wallet linked to the Bitget hacker has swapped about $6.3 million in ETH for Bitcoin through THORChain after the network rejected the exchange’s request to block addresses tied to its Sep. 24 breach.
Summary
The wallet completed 27 swaps, converting about 2,390 ETH into 75.2 BTC. Bitget asked THORChain to refuse transactions from addresses it had identified as belonging to the attacker. THORChain said its emergency controls can halt network activity but cannot freeze an individual swap. Bitget has raised its estimate of assets transferred to attacker-controlled addresses to $387.5 million. According to CoinDesk’s review of THORChain transaction records, the 27 completed swaps sent all 75.2 BTC to one receiving address. The orders came from an Ethereum wallet that blockchain tracker Lookonchain had identified as part of the attacker’s activity. Four more transactions involving a combined 400 ETH were pending when CoinDesk reviewed the records.
Bitget-linked wallet converts ETH in 27 swaps Submitted between roughly 03:55 and 06:23 UTC on Monday, most of the orders involved about 100 ETH apiece. CoinDesk valued each batch at approximately $265,000 at the prices used in its review. The completed transactions exchanged roughly 2,390 ETH for 75.2 BTC; the pending 400 ETH was separate from that total.
The records also showed limits on what the wallet could exchange at its chosen prices. Two orders of 100 ETH were only partly filled because portions did not meet the minimum price set for the trade. About 114 ETH was returned to the sending wallet, according to CoinDesk’s review.
THORChain allows a user to exchange assets held on different blockchains without sending them through a centralized exchange. In Monday’s transactions, ETH entered the swap network, and BTC went to an address on the Bitcoin network. Both sides of the transfer remain visible on public blockchains, leaving investigators able to follow the recorded movements even though the assets changed chains.
A separate route had already put Bitget-linked Bitcoin into a privacy transaction. On Sep. 27, blockchain compliance firm AMLBot traced about four BTC into a Wasabi CoinJoin round after funds moved from TRON to Ethereum and then through THORChain. AMLBot said its tracing linked the Bitcoin to a Bitget-associated TRON wallet. CoinJoin combines inputs and outputs from multiple users in one transaction, making a direct match between them harder to establish.
THORChain says a halt cannot target one address Bitget CEO Gracy Chen asked THORChain over the weekend to refuse service to addresses the exchange had published and was tracking. In her X post, she argued that the network should act on the identified funds:
“Decentralization is a design principle, not a shield for facilitating known stolen funds.”
THORChain rejected the request for an address-specific block. In its public response, the team said a network halt is an emergency tool for protecting the protocol and “is not a selective freeze of specific funds or an individual swap.” Its controls can stop swaps across the network or restrict activity on a connected blockchain, according to the team, but either action would also interrupt transactions from other users.
Security firm GoPlus has challenged THORChain’s account of its available controls. As reported on Sep. 27, the firm pointed to validator votes, signing controls, and chain-specific pauses described in THORChain’s documentation. GoPlus argued that those mechanisms give node operators ways to intervene when funds are at risk. THORChain maintains that its emergency halt protects the network itself and does not serve as a blocklist for particular wallets.
The network used its emergency controls after an attacker took about $10.7 million from a THORChain vault in May. Operators stopped activity while developers repaired the vulnerability, and trading resumed in June after roughly five weeks. THORChain said the May attacker’s addresses were not individually blacklisted.
Bitget raises breach estimate and offers recovery rewards Bitget first valued the assets affected by the Sep. 24 breach at approximately $351.6 million. After accounting for Zcash and TRON assets omitted from its initial calculation, the exchange raised the value transferred to attacker-controlled addresses to about $387.5 million. Bitget said the increase came from a fuller review of the original incident, rather than additional theft after the breach.
The exchange detected unauthorized transfers at 18:31 UTC on Sep. 24 and suspended withdrawals while it investigated. Bitget said its cold wallets remained secure. Its later update said investigators had found and fixed the vulnerability, while Mandiant and SlowMist were assisting with the investigation and security checks. Bitget has not released a complete public account of how the attacker entered its systems.
Chen subsequently announced a recovery bounty program with separate 5% rewards for eligible efforts that freeze stolen assets and recover them. Bitget published primary attacker addresses across Ethereum-compatible networks, XRP Ledger, Zcash and TRON, along with a tracing dashboard for further movements. The exchange said it would decide eligibility and payments based on each participant’s contribution; work carried out under a court order or law enforcement request does not qualify for the bounty.
For U.S. readers, the recovery effort includes Circle, the U.S.-based issuer of USDC. Bitget said Circle had frozen 99,990 USDC tied to the attack, while Tether had frozen 218,023 USDT. Those token freezes concerned identified stablecoin balances; THORChain’s response addressed Bitget’s separate request to stop ETH-to-BTC swaps. Bitget has also discussed a future U.S. business, with Chen saying in July that it would seek licenses and approvals before offering services to Americans.
Bitcoin withdrawals lead Bitget’s staged reopening Bitget set out a phased withdrawal schedule after the security checks. Under the published timetable, Bitcoin withdrawals on the Bitcoin network were due to reopen at 08:00 UTC on Sep. 28. ETH withdrawals across Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Arbitrum, Base and Optimism were scheduled for the same time on Sep. 29.
The schedule placed USDT withdrawals on Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Solana and TRON at 08:00 UTC on Sep. 30. Bitget assigned other tokens, fiat services and peer-to-peer transactions to a final stage scheduled for Oct. 2. The exchange told customers to check its official notices for confirmation that each service was available.
Adam Back’s Bitcoin treasury firm has officially ended its planned merger with Cantor Equity Partners I, stepping back from what would have been one of the more ambitious crypto public listings in recent memory. Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company, known as BSTR, terminated the deal on August 20, 2026, after a shareholder vote was delayed so many times it started to feel less like a postponement and more like a slow goodbye.
The company’s CIO, Sean Bill, confirmed the firm will stay private until both market conditions and its internal structure are in better shape. That’s a significant pivot for a company that once styled itself the “Berkshire Hathaway of Bitcoin” and had a Nasdaq debut firmly in its sights.
What the deal looked like before it unraveled BSTR was not approaching this merger quietly. The company had assembled an initial balance sheet of approximately 30,021 BTC, valued at over $3 billion at the time of the planned listing. Of that, 25,000 BTC came from founders, with the remaining 5,021 BTC contributed through in-kind PIPE financing.
The broader PIPE structure was substantial: up to $1.5 billion in total, broken into $400 million in common equity, up to $750 million in convertible securities, and a layer of preferred equity on top. The overall deal was valued at roughly $4 billion, which would have made it a serious entrant into the increasingly crowded Bitcoin treasury company space.
The shareholder vote that was supposed to seal the deal was originally set for sometime in June or July 2026. It got pushed to July 10. Then it got pushed again, indefinitely. By the time BSTR officially walked away in August, the repeated delays had already told most of the story.
The executive bench BSTR assembled was notable. President Katherine Dowling and CFO Bob Stefanowski, who joined in February 2026, rounded out a leadership team that leaned heavily on traditional finance credibility alongside Back’s Bitcoin reputation.
What comes next for BSTR and the treasury company model The company has signaled it has not abandoned public market ambitions entirely. The framing from Bill is a pause, not a permanent exit: revisit the structure, wait for better conditions, then come back.
The active management positioning BSTR adopted also sets it apart from companies like MicroStrategy, which operates as a more passive accumulator. BSTR’s pitch was that it would do more than hold Bitcoin, focusing on yield generation in addition to long-term holding.
Disclosure: This article was edited by John Chen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Citigroup is working with America’s biggest crypto exchange, Coinbase, in its latest blockchain-based venture.
The two companies said in a joint statement Monday that they were teaming up to allow Citi clients to move between regular money and stablecoins without having to build or manage both banking and crypto systems themselves.
The announcement comes as banks worldwide utilize Bitcoin’s underlying technology to speed up their processes and cater to crypto-hungry customers.
Citi last month said it would allow institutional investors to custody both traditional assets and bitcoin within one framework, rather than needing separate systems, later this year.
“Our clients operate in an increasingly fast-paced and complex global economy, and we’re focused on delivering the solutions they need,” said Debopama Sen, Head of Payments, Services, Citi.
“Our goal is to build the next generation of payments infrastructure — one that is seamless, interoperable, and operates across both traditional and digital payments instruments and networks.”
There are two parts to the deal, the announcement said. Firstly, Coinbase Virtual Accounts, built on Citi’s banking-as-a-service platform, will give Coinbase’s payments customers bank-account-like features so they can accept, hold, send funds. Citi will provide the regulated banking backbone so that incoming fiat can be automatically converted to stablecoins.
Secondly, Citi’s merchant platform, Spring by Citi, will use Coinbase’s infrastructure so that Citi’s enterprise clients can accept stablecoin payments at checkout. Coinbase will convert the stablecoins to fiat, and Citi settles the funds, so merchants never have to hold or manage crypto directly.
“Fintechs building on Coinbase have always needed a fast, compliant bridge between fiat and stablecoins, and Citi gives us that at scale,” Coinbase’s Head of Infrastructure Product, Alec Lovett, said.
Coinbase and Citi first announced last year that they would partner to enhance digital asset payment capabilities for institutional clients.
Citi has a number of blockchain offerings, including Citi Token Services, which enables real-time cross-border payments using tokenized deposits.
The firm since last year has also been working with other top banks — including Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America — to explore issuing a stablecoin product.
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.
Strive, a Dallas-based asset manager, acquired 1,107 Bitcoin between September 21 and 25, investing $94.5 million at an average price of $85,396 per Bitcoin including fees. This purchase, disclosed in a Form 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, lifts Strive’s total Bitcoin holdings to 27,462 BTC, valued at about $2.3 billion based on Friday’s closing price of $83,943 per coin.
Bitcoin acquisition and fundingStrive maintained its ongoing Bitcoin buying streak, though the latest purchase marked a smaller increase compared to the previous week’s addition of 1,355 BTC. The company’s CEO, Matt Cole, confirmed that most of the recent funding came from Strive’s preferred stock offering, known as SATA. Cole stated, “Warrant exercises generated another $12.4 million. Including those proceeds, 85% of total capital raised came from SATA.”
Warrant exercises generated another $12.4 million. Including those proceeds, 85% of total capital raised came from SATA.
Strive’s variable-rate perpetual preferred stock, SATA, allows the asset manager to raise funds efficiently while reducing dilution for common shareholders. The number of SATA shares increased by about 1 million during the week, reaching a total of 12.2 million shares. At a stated amount of $100 per share, SATA’s notional value now stands at approximately $1.22 billion. During the same period, Strive’s Class A common shares grew by around 649,000.
Mini dictionary: SATA, or Strive Adjustable Terms Asset, is Strive’s variable-rate perpetual preferred stock. SATA pays dividends and enables the company to raise capital with limited dilution to holders of common shares.
Purchase history and treasury rankingStrive’s most recent cash reserves also saw an uptick, increasing by $19.2 million to reach $248.8 million. The firm has consistently used SATA to finance its Bitcoin purchases, including a recent acquisition of 469 BTC—bringing its total at the time to 25,000 coins—funded entirely through preferred stock. Earlier in September, a $109 million purchase was financed by a combination of SATA and common stock in a 70/30 split.
According to Bitcoin Treasuries data, Strive remains the fifth-largest public holder of Bitcoin, trailing behind Strategy, Twenty One Capital, Metaplanet, and MARA. To surpass Twenty One Capital’s total of 43,514 BTC by the end of the year, Strive would need to accumulate roughly 16,050 more Bitcoin, averaging 1,235 BTC per week.
CompanyBTC HoldingsRankStrategy847,6661Twenty One Capital43,5142Metaplanet38,3473MARA36,9004Strive27,4625Market activity by rival firmsOther major institutional players also reported significant crypto acquisitions this week. Strategy disclosed the purchase of 1,665 Bitcoin for $142.7 million, increasing its treasury to a record 847,666 BTC. Meanwhile, Tom Lee’s Bitmine added 17,362 Ethereum, worth about $47 million, and now holds approximately 4.9% of total ETH supply.
Pump Coin Price climbed 17% to $0.00519 over 24 hours, extending its weekly gain to 38%. The rally stood out as the wider crypto market fell 1.37% to $2.87 trillion.
Bitcoin traded near $84,000, while Ethereum hovered around $2,677 and XRP price near $1.50.
Here’s Why Pump Coin Price Is Surging Pump. fun’s buyback program appears to be supporting PUMP. The platform directs roughly half its revenue toward purchasing tokens and permanently burning them. Its dashboard recorded a $1.14 million purchase on September 27, following $1.46 million the previous day. In total, the platform has spent more than $463 million on buybacks, removing over 168 billion tokens.
These purchases create recurring demand while reducing supply, although neither measure guarantees further gains. Recent platform trading activity on Solana also matters because stronger trading can raise fee revenue and fund larger repurchases. PUMP remains about 44% below its record high despite this week’s sharp rebound.
$1.5M buyback day ($3M in revs) for $PUMP and the chart is breaking out of the range. Oh and social trading is probably just in its 2nd or 3rd inning. I find it unlikely we don’t meaningfully surpass last cycle revenues and that would mean $10M+ revenue days pic.twitter.com/D0wxs5sQmK
— Austin Barack (@AustinBarack) September 27, 2026
Regulatory attention added another talking point for PUMP traders. SEC staff guidance issued September 25 addressed buyback announcements involving nonsecurity tokens on functional networks. Staff said such announcements alone do not necessarily promise essential managerial efforts under securities law. The guidance neither classifies PUMP nor grants Pump.fun a legal exemption, and it has no binding force.
Pump.fun Overtakes Hyperliquid in Weekly Revenue Rankings The Solana-based memecoin platform Pump. fun has overtaken Hyperliquid in seven-day revenue, according to DefiLlama data. DefiLlama Pump generated $15.16 million during the latest seven-day period, narrowly ahead of Hyperliquid’s $15.06 million.
That places Pump third among tracked crypto applications, behind stablecoin issuers Tether and Circle. Tether led the rankings with $121.64 million, while Circle recorded $50.40 million. Pump’s lead over Hyperliquid stands at about $100,000, leaving little separation between the platforms.
PUMP Coin Price Surges Toward $0.0055 as Momentum Builds The PUMP coin price surged to $0.005196 on September 28, gaining 3.12% during the active four-hour period. PUMP briefly reached $0.005366 before easing from that high.
The rise took PUMP above $0.0048, an area that had limited earlier recovery attempts. Trading activity increased as the token approached $0.0052.
A four-hour close above $0.0052 would put the next resistance at $0.0055 in focus. Clearing $0.0055 could open a move toward $0.0060 for the future PUMP coin outlook, though both targets depend on continued momentum.
The four-hour RSI was 70.12, which indicated a good movement and the likelihood of a rest. Chaikin Money Flow stood at 0.11, meaning there was a positive buying pressure.
Source: TradingView Should Pump Coin Price fall below the $0.0052 level, traders would consider a re-test of the level at 0.0048. A fall below that would put the previous trading range of around $0.0045 in sight.
Donald Trump is willing to offer Iran sanctions relief in exchange for "substantive progress" on the nuclear issue.
According to Al Jazeera, U.S. President Donald Trump is open to considering easing sanctions on Iran and unfreezing Iranian funds if "specific progress" is made on the Iran nuclear issue. U.S. officials said the U.S. and Iran are holding "positive and constructive" discussions via intermediaries, but no deal will be reached if the nuclear issue is not resolved. The official added that Iran has signaled some flexibility on the nuclear issue, though the two sides have yet to agree on the timeline for implementing relevant commitments. Trump previously rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling the plan "unacceptable." Trump said more talks with Iran are expected this week. Negotiations on the U.S. side are led by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said Trump is skeptical of Iran’s proposals, believing Iran is demanding all its conditions be met before advancing further negotiations. White House officials also noted the U.S. is cautious about Iran’s commitments, citing Iran’s violation of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding reached in July, which included attacks on commercial vessels. (Source: Jinshi)
3 hours ago
Crypto markets saw a short-term rally, as foreign media reported that Trump is prepared to ease sanctions on Iran.
According to Al Jazeera, U.S. officials said the U.S. is continuing active discussions with Iran via intermediary channels; no agreement will be reached unless the nuclear issue is resolved. Trump is prepared to ease sanctions on Iran and unfreeze its frozen assets in exchange for progress on the Iran nuclear issue. Possibly as a result, the crypto market rallied in the short term, while U.S. WTI and Brent crude oil prices dropped by roughly $1 each, hitting $92.02 per barrel and $105.65 per barrel respectively.
3 hours ago
Analysis: The restaking 'gold rush' is ebbing, profits of Ethereum's leading protocols have shrunk sharply
As restaking yields continue to decline and smart contract risks rise, Ethereum’s leading liquid restaking protocol ether.fi is gradually exiting the restaking business and shifting to a "crypto neo-bank" model. Data shows that as of September 8, the restaking sector’s assets under management (AUM) stood at approximately $10.02 billion, generating only around $99,977 in fees over the past week. By contrast, liquid staking protocols manage roughly $51.87 billion in AUM and produced about $27.35 million in fees. Calculated per dollar of assets, fees from liquid staking are roughly 53 times higher than those from restaking. ether.fi CEO Mike Silagadze noted that restaking offers "no meaningful yield opportunities" while exposing users to additional risks, prompting the firm’s exit from the segment. As of August, less than 1% of ether.fi’s assets remained restaked via EigenLayer, with the company expected to fully sever related structural connections by the end of this year. Meanwhile, the five major liquid restaking protocols—Renzo, Kelp, Swell, Puffer Finance, and Bedrock—combined to generate around $953,000 in gross profit in Q2 2026, a sharp decline from the $2.18 million they earned over the prior three quarters. ether.fi has since pivoted its business focus to crypto neo-banking, including offerings such as crypto payment cards, lending markets, yield vaults, and tokenized stocks and metals.
3 hours ago
Bonk Guy pumps MARSCOIN, claiming it could see 'explosive growth' in the fourth quarter.
Renowned crypto trader Bonk Guy has stated in a post that MarsCoin (MARSCOIN) features a "very clean" recent technical trend, indicating it could be primed for a significant rally in the fourth quarter. He noted that BNB and BNB Chain’s influence is growing in this cycle, while MarsCoin combines the "Elon Musk + CZ" concept alongside narratives like SPCX, with its fundamentals gradually taking shape. Bonk Guy also added that during the last cycle, he helped drive rallies for multiple Elon Musk-themed meme coins, with SHIB and DOGE once surpassing $40 billion and $80 billion in market cap respectively. He explained that this cycle, MarsCoin integrates Elon Musk, CZ and SPCX narratives, and Binance currently supports SPCX via its reward program, allocating a portion of trading fees to related incentives. As a result, the market may be underestimating MarsCoin’s future upside potential.
3 hours ago
Manus 2.0 Officially Launched: New Architecture, Professional Studio Tool, and Personal AI Agent Application Cue Roll Out Simultaneously
Beating AI Express (Dongcha) – Manus has officially launched Version 2.0, a comprehensive upgrade rather than a simple iteration, centered on the question of "what the next-generation Manus should look like". Key upgrades include: its self-developed Agent framework Cascade, which tests show cuts token consumption by 23.2%, reduces task completion time by 28.2%, and lowers operating costs by 32%; a new cloud PC for dedicated environments such as game servers or long-term automation; event-triggered automation that enables workflows to start from changes in email, Slack, Notion, and more; a desktop app upgraded to Manus Studio, allowing on-demand integration of tools; and new offerings including a video editor (supporting timeline fine-tuning and Alchemy creative mode) and a game development environment (supporting real-time modification, one-click multiplayer online, and cloud PC hosting). The Computer Use capability has also been upgraded, letting users remotely control authorized computers via natural language. A new standalone app, Cue, has launched for personal Agents, supporting mobile and desktop. Each Agent comes with its own email, phone, wallet, and PC, can form multi-Agent teams for collaboration, and integrate with offline services. Manus noted that Version 2.0 focuses on refinement and control after idea implementation, continuing its core mission of "helping people turn ideas into reality".
3 hours ago
Tether labeled as 'financial lifeline' for the Iranian regime by US Senate Democrats
Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Intelligence (under the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs) released a report on September 28, accusing Tether’s stablecoin USDT of becoming a key funding channel for Iran’s shadow banking network, helping the Iranian government evade international sanctions. The report estimated that Iran processed roughly $20 billion in transactions via the relevant network last year, though it did not specify the exact amount involving USDT. It also alleged that Tether failed to freeze Iran-linked wallets in a timely manner—some freezing actions took weeks—and did not proactively block wallets suspected of illegal activity. The report noted that USDT has become an important financial lifeline for Iran’s shadow banking network. In response, Tether said the same day it had assisted in freezing nearly $550 million in Iran-related USDT, adding that it has maintained direct cooperation with law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and other countries to help identify and freeze illegal funds.
Corporate digital asset treasury firms kept expanding their positions even as bitcoin and the wider crypto market opened the week with a modest pullback. The buying underscores a structural trend that has persisted through 2026: publicly listed companies treating bitcoin and ether as core balance-sheet assets rather than short-term trades.
Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), the company chaired by Michael Saylor, disclosed that it acquired 1,665 bitcoin between September 21 and 27 at an average price of roughly $85,681, bringing its total holdings to 847,666 BTC.
The same filing showed the firm also retired about $152 million of its STRC preferred stock and held $6.02 billion in dollar assets as of September 27.
The purchases were funded through sales of common stock under an existing at-the-market program.
Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR), chaired by Tom Lee, reported a parallel move on the ether side.
The firm added 17,362 ETH last week, lifting its holdings to just over 6 million tokens—approximately 4.9 percent of circulating supply and 98 percent of the way toward its stated “Alchemy of 5 percent” target.
Combined with cash, bitcoin, and other investments, Bitmine’s total holdings now stand near $17.2 billion.
Lee described the milestone as a “tremendous achievement” reached in under 15 months and reiterated his view that a crypto bull market has been under way since late June.
The announcements landed as prices eased.
Bitcoin slipped toward the $83,000 area after recently testing levels above $87,000, while ether traded near $2,700.
Traders pointed to two overlapping sources of caution: renewed tension around the Iran conflict and lingering questions about the economic return on the enormous capital spending tied to artificial intelligence.
US equities felt the same pressure.
After finishing Friday higher—the S&P 500 closed at 7,743.41, the Dow at 51,828.62 and the Nasdaq Composite at 27,068.72—the major indexes opened Monday lower by roughly half a percent to 0.7 percent.
Rising oil prices and Treasury yields that have hovered near multi-year highs weighed on risk appetite; semiconductor and other AI-linked names were among the weaker groups.
Inflation remains a central constraint.
August consumer prices rose 0.4 percent from July and 3.4 percent from a year earlier, with energy costs contributing a large share because of Middle East supply disruptions.
Core inflation excluding food and energy stood at 2.4 percent annually.
The Federal Reserve’s preferred PCE gauge for August is due September 30 and will influence whether markets continue to price a high probability of another rate increase in October.
The November 3 midterm elections add political uncertainty. President Trump’s approval ratings have stayed low amid dissatisfaction over the Iran campaign and household costs.
Forecasting models currently give Democrats a strong chance of taking the House and a competitive opportunity in the Senate.
A change in congressional control could affect fiscal policy, digital-asset regulation and energy strategy—all variables that feed into both traditional markets and crypto.
Geopolitically, the Iran conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes in February continues to keep oil prices elevated and the Strait of Hormuz under scrutiny.
Mediated talks were scheduled in New York this week, but President Trump has publicly rejected several Iranian proposals.
Higher energy costs feed inflation, support a stronger dollar and raise real yields—conditions that historically compress valuations for both equities and digital assets.
At the same time, questions about whether hyperscaler AI spending will produce the expected profits have prompted some rotation out of crowded technology trades.
Lee has argued that this rotation is already supporting crypto.
These forces cut both ways. Elevated yields and geopolitical risk typically reduce appetite for volatile assets.
Persistent inflation delays monetary easing. Yet corporate treasury buying provides a persistent bid that can limit downside.
Regulatory clarity after the midterms or any de-escalation in the Middle East would likely be received as positive for risk assets.
October has historically been a constructive month for bitcoin, with positive closes in 10 of the last 13 years—the origin of the “Uptober” nickname.
Seasonality is not destiny, especially after already-strong gains in August and September.
Sustained ETF inflows, a contained PCE print and calmer headlines would favor continuation.
A hotter inflation reading or renewed military escalation could keep prices range-bound. Treasury companies or DATs, for now, appear to be treating the current dip as an accumulation opportunity rather than a reason to pause.
Bitcoin slipped to $83,000 Monday, fueling debate over whether the pullback is a healthy retest of its recent breakout or mounting macro pressure catching up with crypto.
Notable Statistics:
Coinglass data shows 143,870 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $531.47 million. SoSoValue data shows net inflows of $134.5 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Friday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net inflows of $86.95 million. In the past 24 hours, top gainers include Hedera, Quant and Algorand. Notable Developments:
XRP Chart Is ‘Enough to Make A Bet,’ Trading Legend Peter Brandt SaysBitcoin Falls 2% to $83,000: What Does Technical Analysis Predict?Strategy Buys 1,665 Bitcoin for $142.7M as Saylor Promises ‘Even More Orange’Bitcoin to Attract More Capital as Money Printing Continues, Analyst Says With Global Liquidity Above $103 TrillionBitmine Buys 17,362 ETH as BMNR Stock Holds $27Ethereum’s ‘Final Hurdle’ Before Bull Run: Analyst Spotlights Key Level — Vitalik Buterin Envisions ‘Cryptographic World Computer’Citi Taps Coinbase to Bring Stablecoin Payments to Large Institutional ClientsTrader Notes:
Scott Melker’s podcast with Bloomberg strategist Mike McGlone, former CEO CoinRoutes Dave Weisberger and former Coinbase executive David Duong highlighted that Bitcoin is down despite spot BTC ETFs having their strongest week since October 2025.
Strong ETF buying has not translated immediately into higher prices because investors around breakeven may be taking profits.
Bitcoin reclaimed the roughly $81,000 to $82,000 average ETF investor cost basis which may become an eventual accumulation zone.
Holding the $82,800 breakout area as support would strengthen the case that the recent decline is a normal retracement.
McGlone argued Bitcoin remains vulnerable, particularly if equities undergo a meaningful correction.
Treasury yields near multi-decade highs and continued Fed tightening are increasing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets.
Image: Shutterstock
Read Next
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Breez, a Bitcoin software provider focused on payments infrastructure, has introduced a new feature in its Breez SDK that allows users to receive stablecoin payments from more than 30 different networks directly into their bitcoin or dollar balance. The update addresses common usability issues with stablecoins, which usually require separate wallets and work on various blockchains, posing challenges for both crypto newcomers and seasoned users.
New cross-chain payments capabilityThrough the enhanced Breez SDK, applications can now enable users to accept payments sent in leading stablecoins USDT and USDC, supporting networks such as Ethereum, Base, Solana, and Tron. Recipients with a bitcoin balance can select both the sender’s network and the desired payment amount. After making a selection, the SDK generates a deposit address, calculates the incoming value, and notifies the sender, who simply pays from their existing wallet.
Payments are converted in the background by Flashnet, a payment conversion platform. The resulting funds are deposited either as bitcoin or as stable, dollar-denominated balances in the recipient’s non-custodial wallet, depending on user preference.
Mini dictionary: Breez SDK is a developer toolkit that enables applications to integrate bitcoin and Lightning Network payments using minimal code, eliminating the need for developers to build and manage the payment infrastructure themselves.
The rollout of stablecoin receiving follows the June launch of the send USDT/USDC function, offering developers a unified solution for moving stablecoins in either direction across most major blockchain networks.
FeatureBefore UpdateAfter UpdateStablecoin Payment DirectionSend onlySend and receiveSupported NetworksLimited30+ networksIntegrationManual for each chainSingle unified integrationFocus on usability and securityBreez has prioritized making bitcoin-powered apps feel familiar to regular fintech users by implementing features such as passkey login in place of seed phrases, instant onboarding through Cash App, and dollar-denominated balances. The latest stablecoin integration is part of ongoing efforts to break down barriers for mainstream use of bitcoin apps.
Breez’s reference application, Glow, launched in August, showcases the SDK’s functionality and demonstrates how multiple features can be layered for an improved user experience. Users can navigate between stablecoin and bitcoin payments within a single app to support a wide variety of everyday transactions.
Collaboration with Turnkey and broader adoption goalsIn July, Breez announced a partnership with Turnkey, a security infrastructure provider. This collaboration allows developers to implement non-custodial bitcoin services, even when running application wallets from their own servers. The solution addresses custody roadblocks that have deterred major consumer platforms from integrating bitcoin payments to date.
The non-custodial approach ensures that users retain full control over their funds, a key consideration for both compliance and security-conscious projects.
Users can now receive USDT or USDC from over 30 networks, including Ethereum, Base, Solana, and Tron, directly to a single bitcoin or USD balance, with no need to integrate a new blockchain. The value is transferred seamlessly through a streamlined process that feels like a regular payment app.
These enhancements further establish Breez as an innovator in the open-source Bitcoin ecosystem, pushing for a broad adoption of bitcoin and stablecoin payments through accessible developer tools and integrated solutions.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins experienced significant price increases in recent days. While this upward momentum has slowed, treasury companies have continued their purchases.
Firstly, Strategy, the world’s largest publicly traded Bitcoin holder, also made purchases this week.
According to a statement by Strategy founder Michael Saylor, Strategy purchased an additional 1,665 Bitcoin. This brings the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to 847,666 BTC. The company also repurchased $152 million worth of preferred shares in STRC.
Saylor noted that Strategy also holds $6.02 billion in assets, adding that the company’s dollar-denominated assets could cover current preferred stock dividends and interest payments for approximately 3.8 years.
Ethereum Purchases Continue! Bitmine, the world’s largest holder of Ethereum, also announced last week that it purchased an additional 17,362 ETH, bringing its total holdings to 6,001,302 ETH. According to the announcement, this represents 4.9% of the total circulating ETH supply.
The official statement also noted that Bitmine’s total assets, including cryptocurrency, cash, marketable securities, and strategic investment assets, have reached $17.2 billion.
This figure includes 6 million ETH, 213 Bitcoin, $672 million in cash and marketable securities, $180 million worth of Beast Industries shares, and $115 million worth of Eightco Holdings shares.
Bitmine Chairman Tom Lee stated, “Bitmine’s total ETH holdings have now surpassed 6 million. This is a tremendous achievement, accumulating this total in less than 15 months. We are already seeing the synergies and positive network effects of accumulating almost 5% of the total ETH supply. Furthermore, we continue to see positive signs that the crypto bull market, which began in late June, is continuing. In our view, institutions are still underinvested in cryptocurrencies, and we anticipate them increasing their positions in the final months of 2026. With just over a week remaining in the third quarter, Ethereum’s superior performance as a macro asset continues to strengthen. Throughout the calendar quarter, ETH has outperformed other macro assets by 6,728 basis points.”
Solana Procurement Announced Too! Last week, Nasdaq-listed company DeFi Development Corp. announced it had purchased an additional 47,706 Solana, bringing its total SOL holdings to 2.54 million. The company also stated that it generated additional SOL and commission revenue by using its SOL holdings for staking and operating its own validator.
*This is not investment advice.
Follow our Telegram and Twitter account now for exclusive news, analytics and on-chain data!
Crypto exchange Bitget is resuming withdrawals after a security breach affecting nearly $388 million in assets, as the attacker continues moving stolen crypto through THORChain.
Bitget said it resumed Bitcoin (BTC) withdrawals Monday after suspending them following last week’s security incident, with additional assets and networks set to follow over the coming days.
The Sept. 24 breach compromised part of Bitget’s hot and warm wallet infrastructure, while its cold wallets remained secure, according to the exchange.
Bitget later revised the stolen amount from $351.6 million to $387.5 million after accounting for additional transfers on Zcash and Tron.
Ether and USDT withdrawals next as security checks progressBTC withdrawals on the Bitcoin network and the BNB Smart Chain resumed first, Bitget CEO Gracy Chen said during a Monday ask-me-anything session.
“We restored BTC first because the withdrawal pipeline is the first to be completed,” Chen said, adding that Ether (ETH) and Tether’s USDt (USDT) would follow as security checks progress.
Under Bitget’s announced schedule, ETH withdrawals are set to resume Tuesday across Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Arbitrum, Base and Optimism, followed by USDT on Wednesday across Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Solana and Tron. Withdrawals for other assets and peer-to-peer services are scheduled to return Friday.
Source: BitgetThe schedule applies to all users, with no priority access for institutions, VIP customers or Bitget employees, Chen said.
THORChain says network halt cannot selectively freeze fundsBitget CEO Gracy Chen has called on THORChain, a decentralized protocol for swapping assets between blockchains, to refuse services to addresses linked to the attack.
Lookonchain reported Monday that the attacker was swapping Ether for Bitcoin through THORChain, as Arkham data showed ETH linked to the attacker flowing into THORChain vaults.
THORChain said Monday that its network halt is an emergency security mechanism that affects the protocol broadly and “is not a selective freeze of specific funds or an individual swap.”
Source: ArkhamCrypto author Anndy Lian said THORChain can halt trading, stop outbound transactions or pause a connected chain, but those measures affect users broadly. The protocol has no built-in address blacklist, he said, limiting its ability to block specific addresses.
Magazine: THORChain under fire over Bitget, ETH evolves beyond blockchain: Hodler’s Digest
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
Crypto exchange Bitget is resuming withdrawals after a security breach affecting nearly $388 million in assets, as the attacker continues moving stolen crypto through THORChain.
Bitget said it resumed Bitcoin (BTC) withdrawals Monday after suspending them following last week’s security incident, with additional assets and networks set to follow over the coming days.
The Sept. 24 breach compromised part of Bitget’s hot and warm wallet infrastructure, while its cold wallets remained secure, according to the exchange.
Bitget later revised the stolen amount from $351.6 million to $387.5 million after accounting for additional transfers on Zcash and Tron.
Ether and USDT withdrawals next as security checks progressBTC withdrawals on the Bitcoin network and the BNB Smart Chain resumed first, Bitget CEO Gracy Chen said during a Monday ask-me-anything session.
“We restored BTC first because the withdrawal pipeline is the first to be completed,” Chen said, adding that Ether (ETH) and Tether’s USDt (USDT) would follow as security checks progress.
Under Bitget’s announced schedule, ETH withdrawals are set to resume Tuesday across Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Arbitrum, Base and Optimism, followed by USDT on Wednesday across Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Solana and Tron. Withdrawals for other assets and peer-to-peer services are scheduled to return Friday.
Source: BitgetThe schedule applies to all users, with no priority access for institutions, VIP customers or Bitget employees, Chen said.
THORChain says network halt cannot selectively freeze fundsBitget CEO Gracy Chen has called on THORChain, a decentralized protocol for swapping assets between blockchains, to refuse services to addresses linked to the attack.
Lookonchain reported Monday that the attacker was swapping Ether for Bitcoin through THORChain, as Arkham data showed ETH linked to the attacker flowing into THORChain vaults.
THORChain said Monday that its network halt is an emergency security mechanism that affects the protocol broadly and “is not a selective freeze of specific funds or an individual swap.”
Source: ArkhamCrypto author Anndy Lian said THORChain can halt trading, stop outbound transactions or pause a connected chain, but those measures affect users broadly. The protocol has no built-in address blacklist, he said, limiting its ability to block specific addresses.
Magazine: THORChain under fire over Bitget, ETH evolves beyond blockchain: Hodler’s Digest
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
A wallet, associated with the Bitget hacker, has transferred approximately $6.3 million worth of ETH to BTC using THORChain.The wallet belonging to the Bitget hacker has transferred approximately $6.3 million worth of ETH to BTC through THORChain. The transaction was made amid Bitget’s CEO Gracy Chen requesting the decentralized network to cut off addresses that are connected to Sept. 24 security breach.
Bitget Hacker Swaps 2,390 ETH Into Bitcoin According to blockchain transactions data, the wallet made 27 swaps on Monday. In total, some 2,390 ETH were traded for around 75.2 BTC via THORChain, which is a decentralized crypto exchange. Only a single receiving address received the Bitcoin.
At the time of the review there were an additional 400 ETH waiting in a total of four transactions.
This was an activity that occurred from approximately 03:55 to 06:23 UTC. The majority of orders were for approximately 100 ETH. The cost of each batch, at current prices, was approximately $265,000.
Blockchain tracking platform Lookonchain previously spotted the wallet as part of the attacker’s operations.
With THORChain, users can transfer assets between blockchains without having to go through a centralized crypto exchange. With that set up, it will be more difficult to halt a transaction if the stolen funds are introduced into the system.
The swaps are still on-chain, though. This enables blockchain researchers and security teams to trace the funds.
For context, on September 24, Bitget experienced a massive breach with nearly $352 million stolen. The exchange has stated that the vulnerability has been discovered and patched. It has not revealed specifics of the breach of its security measures by the attacker.
Bitget has also shared addresses related to the attacker and declared a 5% bounty for any good faith attempts to freeze or recover the stolen funds.
THORChain Defends Its Decentralized Model Over the weekend, THORChain was called upon publicly by Chen as funds from the wallet kept moving on the chain.
“Our attacker addresses are publicly listed and actively tracked. We are formally asking THORChain to refuse service to these addresses,” she wrote on X. Bitget CEO Chen added, “Decentralization is a design principle, not a shield for facilitating known stolen funds.”
The request for a targeted freeze was denied by THORChain. The network’s emergency controls are not intended to block specific wallets, but rather the protocol itself, it said.
“A THORChain network halt is an emergency security mechanism designed to protect the protocol,” the team wrote. They further noted, “A halt is not a selective freeze of specific funds or an individual swap.”
According to THORChain, its controls have the ability to suspend swaps across the network or to limit activity on a specific blockchain. This would also impact on legitimate users.
It was previously suspended after it suffered an exploit from its own vaults that took approximately $10.7 million of its own money. Trading restarted on June 22, when the developer fixed the vulnerability.
Meanwhile, the trading limits imposed on the Bitget wallet also affected the hacker’s wallet. There were 100 ETH orders that were not completely filled due to minimum price requirements. Approximately 114 ETH went back to the wallet from which they were sent.
Bitget has begun restoring withdrawals after the September 24 security incident, starting with BTC on September 28.
The exchange has identified the attack path, remediated the vulnerability and confirmed that user balances remain unaffected, with a full security report expected this week.
Phased withdrawal resumption beginsBTC withdrawals on the Bitcoin and BSC networks resumed at 08:00 UTC on September 28, as scheduled. The resumption follows additional security work across Bitget’s withdrawal infrastructure.
Earlier the same day, Bitget CEO Gracy Chen addressed the incident, the withdrawal process and next steps during a live AMA.
Eight years of security and what comes nextThe September 24 incident is the first security incident of this nature affecting Bitget Exchange in eight years of operation. The vulnerability has been remediated, and no further unauthorized transfers have been identified since containment.
The security environment around digital assets has changed significantly over that period. Attacks have become more sophisticated, infrastructure more interconnected, and the consequences of a security failure more serious.
Bitget’s security framework has evolved alongside those risks. Over the past eight years, the company has strengthened its wallet infrastructure and risk controls, introduced monthly Proof of Reserves and established a dedicated User Protection Fund.
Bitget currently reports a comprehensive Proof of Reserves ratio of 127%, while the User Protection Fund stands at more than $464 million.
That record does not diminish the seriousness of the incident. It sets the standard against which Bitget’s response should now be measured.
How the attack happenedThe investigation found that the attacker exploited a vulnerability in a third-party security product to obtain high-level internal credentials. These credentials were used to send fraudulent withdrawal commands to the wallet system.
The resulting abnormal transfers bypassed risk controls. Private keys were not compromised, and cold wallets were not affected.
Bitget recognizes that the security of third-party systems integrated into its infrastructure forms part of its own security responsibility. Following the incident, the company has introduced stricter assessment criteria for third-party products, stronger controls around their deployment and independent verification for withdrawals.
It is also strengthening internal access controls, withdrawal verification and abnormal activity monitoring across the platform.
Investigation and recoveryBitget has confirmed that approximately $388 million in assets were transferred out during the incident. The figure reflects the latest reconciliation and classification of transactions associated with this incident.
Mandiant and SlowMist continue to support the independent forensic investigation. Their work covers the attack vectors and methods used, validation of containment and remediation measures, and asset tracing.
Bitget is also working with law enforcement, exchanges, blockchain projects, on-chain security specialists and other industry partners on tracing and recovery. Some affected assets have already been frozen, and Bitget has published identified attacker addresses and relevant tracing data.
Bitget expects to complete an official security report this week. Detailed findings will be disclosed through that report, with further material developments shared as they are verified.
Withdrawal scheduleETH withdrawals across Ethereum, BSC, Arbitrum, Base and Optimism are scheduled to resume on September 29 at 08:00 UTC. USDT withdrawals across Ethereum, BSC, Solana and Tron follow on September 30 at 08:00 UTC.
Other supported tokens, fiat and P2P services are set to resume on October 2 at 08:00 UTC. Withdrawal availability will continue to be reflected directly on the Bitget platform.
As of 09:00 UTC on September 28, 9,585 users had initiated withdrawals, totalling approximately 4,098 BTC since resumption. Withdrawal status is currently normal.
User and institutional programsAlongside the withdrawal resumption, Bitget is introducing two limited-time programs for eligible users and professional clients.
The Bitget Alliance Program allows eligible users to share in transaction fees generated through trading activity on the platform. It runs from September 28 at 08:00 UTC to October 26 at 08:00 UTC. Full details are available here.
Project Stand Together offers eligible PRO clients and market makers special fee discounts and extended PRO level protection. Preferential rates run from September 28 at 10:00 UTC to October 30 at 09:00 UTC, while PRO level protection runs through November 30 at 09:00 UTC. Full details are available here.
Bitget will continue providing updates as the investigation, withdrawal resumption and asset recovery progress.
Disclaimer
This third-party press release is published substantially as received and does not reflect BeInCrypto's editorial views. BeInCrypto has not independently verified its claims or assessed the suitability, legality or appropriateness of any referenced asset, product or service; publication is not an endorsement. The content is general information, not investment research, financial, investment, legal or tax advice, a personal recommendation, offer or solicitation. Verify all information and seek professional advice where appropriate before acting. Crypto-assets may result in total loss.
Tether and Shiga have announced plans to bring self-custodial wallets for USD₮, Bitcoin, and Tether Gold to individuals and institutions across Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Summary
Shiga plans two products: ENTA for individuals and businesses, and Pulse for banks and fintech companies. Users will be able to fund ENTA wallets with local currency, U.S. dollars, or Bitcoin. Institutional clients can use Shiga-managed infrastructure or run the wallet software in their own environment. Shiga says its Nigerian Digital Asset Intermediary licence remains subject to final approval. Tether said in its Sep. 28 announcement that both products will use its open-source Wallet Development Kit, or WDK. Shiga will offer one product directly to users and another to institutions building payment and treasury services for their customers.
The plan extends a relationship that began with Tether’s investment in Shiga Digital in June 2025. At the time, crypto.news covered the investment and Shiga’s existing services for African businesses, including virtual accounts, foreign exchange, treasury management and over-the-counter transactions.
Shiga’s ENTA will put three assets in user-controlled wallets Under the new plan, ENTA will serve individuals, high-net-worth users and businesses. Tether said customers will be able to add funds using local currency, U.S. dollars, or Bitcoin, then hold and transfer USD₮, Bitcoin and XAU₮ from self-custodial wallets.
The funding options and the assets held in the wallet serve different roles. A customer adding local currency, for example, would use it to fund access to the supported digital assets; the announcement does not say that ENTA will hold local currency as a wallet asset. Tether also did not give a launch date, list the countries where ENTA will first be available, or set out the fees customers would pay.
Shiga’s focus on cross-border transfers comes amid high remittance costs in the region. The World Bank’s remittance price report put the average cost of sending money to Sub-Saharan Africa at 8.46% in the third quarter of 2025, the highest average among the receiving regions it tracked. Neither Tether nor Shiga provided a comparable cost estimate for transfers through ENTA.
Tether chief executive Paolo Ardoino said WDK would let companies build products in which users retain control of their assets.
“Together with Shiga, we are bringing that infrastructure to markets where people and businesses face real challenges protecting savings and moving money across borders,” Ardoino said.
The three-asset approach gives customers access to a dollar-linked token, Bitcoin and tokenized gold within the planned product. Tether has also worked with Opera on MiniPay, a separate self-custodial wallet serving markets that include Africa. In February, the MiniPay wallet expansion added access to USD₮ and tokenized gold, according to the companies’ announcement covered by crypto.news.
Pulse will let institutions choose where to run the software For banks, fintech companies and other institutional clients, Shiga plans to offer Pulse as a platform they can adapt to payment corridors, treasury work and settlement flows. Chief executive Abiola Shogbeni said the company would tailor the product to each institution’s operations instead of supplying the same wallet interface to every client.
Tether said institutions will have two deployment choices. They can use WDK infrastructure managed by Shiga, or operate it in their own environment while keeping control of their keys, data, and funds. The second option is intended for clients with requirements governing where data is held and who controls the systems used to sign transactions.
WDK supplies the wallet software beneath both ENTA and Pulse. According to Tether, a single integration will allow Shiga to support the blockchain networks available through the toolkit. Tether describes WDK as open-source infrastructure for building self-custodial wallets, with support for assets including Bitcoin, USD₮ and XAU₮.
The institutional product is planned for the Africa–GCC corridor, but Tether has not named a bank or fintech company that has agreed to deploy Pulse. The announcement also does not identify an initial payment corridor or transaction volume for either product.
Within the Gulf, XAU₮ already has a specific regulatory designation in Abu Dhabi Global Market. In July, Abu Dhabi recognized XAU₮ as an Accepted Spot Commodity. That status permits firms with the relevant ADGM approvals to provide services involving the token; it does not grant Shiga or every firm in the financial center automatic approval.
Nigerian licence remains under review Shiga chief operating officer Dami Etomi said the company is in the final stage of approval for a Digital Asset Intermediary licence in Nigeria. If approved, the licence would authorize Shiga to provide regulated digital asset dealing, broking and custody services to individuals and institutions in the country. Shiga has not said that it holds the licence yet.
Etomi also said Shiga will operate ENTA on the platform it offers to institutional clients. Prospective Pulse customers would therefore be able to examine a live Shiga product using the underlying infrastructure, although the company has not specified when ENTA will go live.
For U.S. readers, the announcement concerns products planned for Africa and the GCC; it does not announce U.S. availability. U.S. Treasury’s August rulemaking proposal separately addresses when U.S. digital asset service providers may offer foreign-issued payment stablecoins. Tether and Shiga did not describe the planned products’ U.S. access or their treatment under that proposed rule.
Top 3 altcoins, Quant (QNT), Bitway (BTW), and Sui (SUI), rank among top seven-day gainers. QNT leads with a 300% rally, followed by BTW at 78% and SUI at 30%.
All three charts remain bullish. However, overbought readings and fading volume suggest the first week of October may bring tests of support.
Coin7-day gainChartOutlookMain riskQNT+307%weekly, breakout through three lower highsstrong, but deeply overboughtwide gap to $160 supportBTW+78%daily, broadening megaphonebullish, targets $1.69 and $2.14double bearish RSI divergence, fading volumeSUI+30%daily, Fibonacci recoverybullish, pullback to $1.12 likelydeclining volume, flattening RSIQuant (QNT) Breaks Three Lower Highs After 300% SurgeThe Clearing House selected Quant on September 24 to support tokenized deposit settlement across 25 major US banks. The deal triggered the largest weekly candle on QNT’s chart.
On the weekly chart, QNT broke through three lower highs. These sit at $101.87 from December 2025, $131.58 from July 2025, and $160.70 from December 2024.
Last week’s candle opened near $64 and closed at $286.64, a gain of roughly 350%. The price hit $373 before correcting about 27% to $271. QNT has since recovered to $284.30.
QNT weekly chart / Source: TradingviewThe weekly Relative Strength Index (RSI) reached 91 last week and has eased to 86. Both readings sit well above the December 2024 peak near 78.
A huge volume spike indicates strength behind the surge. However, the long upper wick shows sellers active near the highs. If a correction deepens, $160.70 is the first major support, roughly 43% below.
$QNT 160% up in 4 days. People should start accepting that we’re in the early stages of an Altseason.
I’ll be posting the next bullish altcoin charts I've on my radar, one by one, over the next few days.
— 𝕄𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕔ⓗ𝕖 🧲 (@el_crypto_prof) September 27, 2026 Bitway (BTW) Tests Its All-Time High Inside a Broadening PatternBitway builds strategy infrastructure that links on-chain liquidity with traditional markets. BTW also appeared in the previous edition of this series.
On the daily chart, BTW has been rising inside a broadening megaphone formation. The price set a new record near $1.35 and now trades at $1.33.
External Fibonacci extensions point to targets at $1.69 and $2.14. These imply potential gains of about 27% and 61%.
BTW daily chart / Source: TradingviewIn a correction, the first support sits near $0.80, just above the 0.5 Fibonacci retracement. The September 26 candle already wicked into this zone and recovered. A deeper pullback could test $0.50, just below the 0.382 retracement.
However, the RSI shows two drives of bearish divergence. Volume has also faded since August, which suggests the rally may be losing steam.
Sui (SUI) Price Faces Pullback Toward $1.12 After 0.786 RejectionSui gained after the Hashi protocol went live, allowing Bitcoin to serve as collateral on the network. The move also coincided with a broader market rebound.
On the daily chart, SUI reached the 0.786 Fibonacci retracement at $1.25 before pulling back. It now trades at $1.20.
A correction toward the 0.618 level at $1.12 appears likely. Deeper supports sit at the 0.382 level near $0.94 and the 0.236 level near $0.82.
SUI daily chart / Source: TradingviewA volume spike on September 21 confirmed the breakout. Since then, volume has declined while the price kept trending higher.
Still, the RSI shows no bearish divergence yet and holds near 70. Reclaiming $1.25 could open a path to the May high at $1.42.
Sui Basecamp in Singapore, scheduled for October 7 and 8, could act as a near-term catalyst.
Disclaimer
This Analysis reflects BeInCrypto's editorial interpretation of information and data available at publication and may become outdated. It is general and non-personalised, does not consider your circumstances, and is not investment research, financial, investment, legal or tax advice, an offer or a recommendation. Forecasts, targets, technical analysis and forward-looking statements are uncertain and may not materialise; past performance and indicators do not predict future results. References to assets, products or providers do not imply endorsement. Crypto-assets and financial products may result in total loss. Verify material information before acting.
Bitcoin is trading around $82,800, down more than 2% in 24 hours. Perpetual funding has turned negative and open interest has fallen to 652,000 BTC, suggesting traders are closing positions as sentiment weakens.Gold has dropped to around $4,150 an ounce, while the dollar index is above 101. Capital is fleeing the bitcoin BTC$82,982.30 futures market, and the traders still in are willing to pay to stay short.
That’s the message from key metrics such as open interest and annualized perpetual funding rates.
Open interest, or the number of active futures bets, stood at 652,000 BTC as of this writing, one of its lowest levels this year. The tally peaked at 800,000 early this year, according to data source Coinglass.
The slide reflects a capital exodus, characterized by traders staying away from leveraged plays despite the 40% rise in bitcoin’s price in the third quarter.
Further, perpetual funding rates have again flipped negative, hovering at an average of minus 0.3% across major exchanges. While every long is matched by a short, the two sides do not want the trade equally. This is where funding rates help. A negative rate shows that short sellers are the ones aggressively chasing the trade and are willing to pay a cost to longs or bulls to keep their bearish bets open.
In short, the latest negative rate implies bearish sentiment.
This follows a 2% bitcoin price drop to $82,800 24 hours after President Donald Trump declined to rule out further strikes on Iran before the U.S. midterm elections.
However, bitcoin is still more than $20,000 above its summer cycle low and is still the best performing asset of the third quarter.
BTC Open Interest (Coinglass)Gold under pressure as dollar risesBitcoin is not the only nursing losses.
Gold is also down 3% over the past 24 hours, trading around $4,150 an ounce. The bitcoin to gold ratio, which measures how many ounces of gold one bitcoin can buy, is approaching 20 which is on the verge of going positive for the year.
Meanwhile, the DXY index, which measures the dollar against a basket of major currencies, has climbed above 101, as U.S. Treasury yields continue to rise. The 10-year yield is above 5.2%, while the 30-year yield is above 5.51%.
A resilient U.S. economy may be supporting both the dollar and yields, although stubborn inflation concerns could also be pushing borrowing costs higher. Higher yields mean lower prices for bonds: TLT, an ETF holding long-dated US Treasuries, has fallen to around $79, an all-time low.
Rising yields also make interest-bearing assets more attractive relative to bitcoin and gold, which pays no income.
Related Assets
12345678910The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Sep 15, 2026
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Why it matters:
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
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.
Capital B, a Paris-listed Bitcoin treasury company, bought 13 Bitcoin (BTC) for €0.97 million. The purchase lifts its total holdings to 3,538 BTC.
The firm also reported a BTC Yield of 2.20% for the year so far. That metric tracks how much Bitcoin the company holds per fully diluted share.
Capital B Bitcoin Buy Lands Below Average CostThe company paid an average of €74,364 per coin this time. That sits well under its €87,805 average cost across the whole treasury, which cost €310.6 million to build.
That stash ranks second among European public companies, according to Bitcoin Treasuries. Only Germany’s Bitcoin Group SE holds more, with 3,605 BTC.
However, the market value tells a different story. The company’s own figures put the holdings’ net asset value at about €259.9 million, based on the previous day’s closing price. As a result, the treasury carries a paper loss of roughly €50.8 million.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin trades near $82,800, down 2.29% on the day, according to BeInCrypto data. Over the past month, it has gained about 7%.
Earlier in September, Capital B added 376 BTC for about €25.3 million, its largest purchase this year. Blockstream CEO Adam Back also put €7.6 million into Capital B that month.
Bitcoin (BTC) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto MarketsParis-based asset manager TOBAM supplied the cash through an at-the-market (ATM) agreement. Under this deal, Capital B issues new shares whenever the fund requests them.
Between September 14 and 22, three TOBAM funds took 172,978 shares at about €5.68 each. That price was a 3.8% premium to the prior closing price, the company says.
Blockstream Capital Partners remains the largest shareholder with 18.67% of ordinary shares. Back personally holds another 17.54%.
Swissquote Bank Europe executed the trade and holds the coins. The bank is licensed under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) rules and acts as Capital B’s sole custodian.
Other firms have used similar share-funded buying strategies this year. In addition, treasury firms kept accumulating coins through a volatile September.
For now, Capital B keeps adding coins below its cost basis. Consequently, each purchase slowly pulls that average lower. How fast it falls may depend on how much appetite TOBAM keeps showing for new shares.
Spot Bitcoin [BTC] ETFs saw weekly inflows worth $2.4 billion on the week ending the 25th of September.
This marked their largest weekly inflow since October 2025, which was strong enough to reverse their previously negative performance for 2026.
With this, Bitcoin ETFs were also able to push their year-to-date net flows to approximately $934 million positive.
Bitcoin ETF weekly update According to Farside Investors, between the 21st and 25th of September, BTC ETFs recorded strong but gradually declining inflows.
Source: Farside Investors That said, the total net inflows peaked at $999 million on the 21st of September, led by BlackRock’s IBIT with $381.4 million.
Fidelity’s FBTC followed the lead with $238.8 million, and ARKB joined the trail with $289.1 million in inflows.
Needless to say, inflows remained strong on the 22nd of September at $714.7 million, before falling to $346.9 million on the 23rd of September, $190.7 million on the 24th of September, and $134.5 million on the 25th of September.
Weak macroeconomic conditions do not add up Interestingly, this happened despite a weak macroeconomic backdrop, which remained challenging for Bitcoin.
According to AMBCrypto’s previous report, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield climbed to around 5.12% on the 23rd of September, its highest level since 2007, even as Bitcoin moved above $87,000.
At the same time, the Fed’s hawkish stance, persistent inflation concerns, and stronger September PMI data increased expectations of another rate hike.
Needless to say, all these factors have the potential to keep financial conditions tight and reduce liquidity available for riskier assets such as Bitcoin. For its part, falling Brent crude prices below $100 offered some potential relief on inflation, but oil remained elevated.
Yet, despite these headwinds—and the CLARITY Act’s failure to advance—Bitcoin still recovered from around $75,000 to above $87,000. And this was only possible because of the strong demand for Bitcoin ETFs.
Roadblocks remain However, the current market conditions are raising red flags as Bitcoin’s price was was trading at $82,956.98 at press time after a drop of 2% in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the Bitcoin exchange netflows chart highlighted a negative netflows streak, indicating that more BTC was moving out of exchanges than into them during this period.
Source: CryptoQuant But this in a practical sense is a good sign, as such withdrawals do reduce the amount of Bitcoin immediately available for selling.
Altcoin ETF past week performance While all this was happening around Bitcoin ETFs, other altcoin ETFs also remained positive in the past week.
Ethereum [ETH] ETFs recorded $689.88 million, Solana [SOL] ETFs followed with $188.22 million, while XRP ETFs attracted $75.59 million. Lastly, Hyperliquid [HYPE] ETFs also recorded positive inflows of $9.25 million.
Source: SoSo Value Overall, this shows that investor interest extended beyond Bitcoin, with Ethereum accounting for the largest share of the reported altcoin ETF inflows.
Final Summary The total net inflows peaked at $999 million on the 21st of September, led by BlackRock’s IBIT with $381.4 million. This happened despite a weak macroeconomic backdrop, which remained challenging for Bitcoin.
Crypto Week Ahead is a comprehensive list of what's coming up in the world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain, as well as the major macroeconomic events that will influence digital asset markets.
Crypto bulls are taking a breather following a strong rally, with bitcoin BTC$82,982.30 down roughly 1% since Friday and dropping more than 2% over the last 24 hours as it pulls back from the $84,000 threshold.
Investors are digesting the recent price surge while turning their focus to a packed macro slate following last week's hawkish Federal Reserve rate hike, which raised the benchmark target rate to 4%.
The macro calendar centers on midweek U.S. jobless claims alongside key updates on housing and durable goods figures. Meanwhile, cross-asset markets continue to evaluate the broader policy path in the wake of recent rate decisions from the Bank of Japan and Bank of England.
What to Watch(All times ET)
CryptoSept. 28: Solana opens the activation window for its major Alpenglow consensus upgrade, replacing TowerBFT with the new Votor protocol to reduce voting transaction overhead across the network.MacroSept. 29, 9:00 a.m.: U.S. S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index YoY for July est. 2.2% (Prev. 2.1%)Sept. 30, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. GDP Growth Rate QoQ Final for Q2 est. 1.5% (Prev. 2.1%)Sept. 30, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. Core PCE Price Index MoM for August est. 0.3% (Prev. 0.2%)Oct. 1, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. Initial Jobless Claims for period ending Sept. 26 est. 199K (Prev. 197K)Oct. 1, 10:00 a.m.:U.S. ISM Manufacturing PMI for September est. 54.8 (Prev. 54.6)Oct. 2, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls for September est. 84K (Prev. 162K)Oct. 2, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. Average Hourly Earnings MoM for September est. 0.3% (Prev. 0.3%)EarningsNone scheduledToken EventsGovernance votes and callsWorld Liberty Financial is holding a preliminary vote on its Governance Engagement Incentive Program, proposing a launch date of Oct. 1 to promote community voter participation through token rewards. Voting for the initiative concludes on Sept. 28.Balancer, which faces a potential shutdown, is voting on a protocol reincarnation proposal to fork its core architecture and transition to a new ecosystem. Voting ends Sept. 29.Decentraland is voting on a security response proposal following the theft of over 1,000 Decentraland Names from user accounts. The proposal requests an immediate investigation and calls for a temporary freeze or suspension of all smart-contract activity, affected accounts and secondary transfers related to Decentraland Names to prevent further transfers. Voting ends Oct. 1.UnlocksSept. 28: Canton CC$0.1347 to unlock 0.38% of its circulating supply worth $20.7 million.Sept. 29: Falcon Finance FF$0.1294 to unlock 2.39% of its circulating supply worth $9.73 million.Token launchesNo confirmed major token launches.ConferencesSept. 29-Oct. 1: Korea Blockchain Week (Seoul)AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
Related Assets
12345678910The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Sep 15, 2026
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Why it matters:
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
TLDR Michael Saylor posted an essay on X on September 26 calling for a “bill of digital rights” for digital assets. He listed five rights for individuals and companies: to create, issue, custody, transfer, and use digital assets. Saylor proposed a “de minimis” tax exemption for everyday crypto payments and criticized the CLARITY Act. He said digital assets could grow into a $100 trillion industry. Strategy holds 846,000 BTC worth $71.62 billion, while its stock fell 1.86% to $158.61. Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy, has called for a “bill of digital rights” to guide how the United States handles digital assets. He shared his ideas in an essay posted on X on September 26.
The essay is titled “Prescriptions for Prosperity in the Digital Economy.” It focuses on the legal freedoms that people and companies should have when using digital assets.
Saylor said he believes digital assets can grow into a $100 trillion industry.
Saylor Lays Out Five Digital Rights Saylor’s main argument is that artificial intelligence will greatly increase economic productivity. He says the financial system needs to change alongside it.
Because of this, he wants rules that protect freedoms rather than rules that focus on limits. “The age of Digital Assets and Digital Intelligence needs a bill of digital rights, not a bill of restrictions,” he wrote.
The essay lists five rights that Saylor says should apply to both individuals and corporations. These are the rights to create, issue, custody, transfer, and use digital assets.
Saylor argues that an asset’s economic value depends on what its owner is allowed to do with it. He says limits on how an asset can be used can also limit its economic potential.
He describes Bitcoin as “digital capital.” He wants banks to be able to hold Bitcoin for customers and offer loans backed by it under workable rules.
He also wants insurance companies to include digital assets on their balance sheets and in their products.
Tax Relief and Regulatory Changes Saylor also addressed taxes on everyday crypto payments. He says buying ordinary items with digital assets can force users to track capital gains or losses on each purchase.
To fix this, he proposes a “de minimis” tax exemption for ordinary digital asset payments. He wants a larger threshold that adjusts for inflation and removes the need to calculate each transaction.
Saylor called on the SEC, the CFTC, the Treasury, and the White House to remove unnecessary barriers. He wants them to create clearer paths for digital asset products.
He also criticized the CLARITY Act. He said the bill places too much weight on restrictions and argued that regulation should provide certainty without limiting innovation.
“Reaching that potential will require millions of people and companies experimenting with better ways to create and organize capital,” Saylor wrote about his $100 trillion goal.
Saylor’s comments come as Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings have reached 846,000 BTC. Those holdings are worth about $71.62 billion.
Strategy stock was trading at $158.61 at press time. That was down 1.86% in the past trading session.
The company’s Stretch preferred stock was trading at $98.54, up 0.23% over the same period.
Bitcoin was trading near $84,640 at press time. The price has climbed from about $75,000 in recent weeks.
US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) attracted significant attention last week, registering nearly $2.39 billion in net inflows. This surge in capital came even as Bitcoin’s price retraced part of its earlier rally, showing robust investor confidence in these products.
Consistent investor demand despite price volatilityThe Bitcoin ETFs maintained positive inflows over each trading session from September 21 through September 25. The strongest inflow occurred on Monday, reaching $999 million. Tuesday contributed $714.7 million, while subsequent days saw the pace slow to $346.9 million on Wednesday, $190.7 million on Thursday, and $134.5 million on Friday. These consecutive increases pushed the five-day net inflow total to approximately $2.386 billion.
This trend extended the consecutive inflow streak for US spot Bitcoin ETFs to seven trading sessions, highlighting persistent institutional and retail interest. Despite fluctuating cryptocurrency prices, demand for ETF exposure to Bitcoin remained strong.
ETF investors continued adding Bitcoin to their holdings throughout the week, undeterred by the asset’s price volatility and short-term declines.
Bitcoin’s price journey was marked by turbulence as it started the period near $81,200, briefly surged above $87,360, and then fell back to around $84,400 after a 2% drop on Wednesday. The cryptocurrency then hovered near $84,000 for much of Thursday and Friday, closing September 25 around $84,100. Over the weekend, Bitcoin stabilized and briefly traded above $85,100 before retreating.
BlackRock and Fidelity lead ETF inflowsAmong individual ETFs, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) made the largest impact, drawing about $1.16 billion in new investments over the five-day period. Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) followed with $701.6 million, while ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) attracted $294.7 million. Even on Friday, despite subdued inflows, IBIT managed to bring in $97 million and FBTC added $49.3 million.
Bitwise’s BITB saw a different trend, recording an $11.8 million outflow on Friday. This divergence among ETF funds reflects varying investor sentiments and positioning within the broader Bitcoin ETF landscape.
ETF5-Day Net InflowBlackRock IBIT$1.16 billionFidelity FBTC$701.6 millionARK 21Shares ARKB$294.7 millionBitwise BITB-$11.8 million (Friday outflow)BlackRock is one of the world’s largest asset managers, while Fidelity, also a major financial institution, oversees trillions in assets and is known for its retail and institutional investment products. ARK Invest is a prominent investment management firm focused on innovative technologies, and Bitwise specializes in cryptocurrency index and asset management solutions.
Throughout the week, ETF investors showed resilience by maintaining their allocation to Bitcoin exposure even as BTC prices fell from their recent highs. As of the latest session, Bitcoin traded around $83,070, reflecting a drop of approximately 2% over the past 24 hours following a weekend high near $85,100.
Bitcoin broke the 83,000 dollar mark on Monday after having again approached 85,000 dollars over the weekend. BTC fell to about 82,700 dollars on some marketplaces, erasing another part of its September rally. Nasdaq futures are also declining while oil is rising again. Tensions between Washington and Tehran return to the forefront.
In brief Bitcoin fell below 83,000 dollars after a peak near 85,000 dollars on Sunday. WTI rises around 93 dollars and Brent exceeds 105 dollars. Donald Trump did not rule out new US strikes against Iran. Bitcoin breaks the 83,000 dollar mark again The market had already experienced this dynamic. In early September, Bitcoin had fallen below 77,000 dollars after US strikes against Iran. Oil had then exceeded 93 dollars. This time, Bitcoin came with more margin. BTC had reached 87,374 dollars on September 21, its highest level since January. Even on Sunday, it rose back up to about 85,100 dollars. Monday’s session brought it back below 83,000 dollars, with a low around 82,700 dollars.
Nearly 4,700 dollars now separate the market from its recent peak. The movement also affects other major cryptos. Ether, XRP, and Solana are trading in the red, while Nasdaq futures were down about 0.7% at the start of the session.
Donald Trump said Sunday that he did not rule out new strikes against Iran, while believing that an outcome to the conflict remains possible. No new US attacks have been announced at this stage.
Oil puts pressure back on the markets Oil has reversed direction. WTI was trading around 93 dollars on Monday and Brent exceeded 105 dollars. Prices rebounded after Trump rejected an Iranian proposal aimed notably at moving toward a resolution of the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Nonetheless, Tehran and Washington must continue their exchanges.
For Bitcoin, this return of energy to the debate arrives after an already turbulent week. On Thursday, BTC had dropped to 83,508 dollars after its failure above 87,000 dollars. Nearly 583 million dollars of crypto positions were liquidated at that time.
The market had managed to stay above 83,000 dollars. This threshold has now briefly broken. Oil adds another difficulty. Sustained expensive energy can maintain US inflation, push bond yields higher, and complicate the next Federal Reserve decisions.
US yields are already rising. Bitcoin thus finds itself between several forces: profit-taking after its rally, high rates, and the return of geopolitical risk.
Bitcoin faces a very busy week The US calendar will not help much. Several economic indicators are expected this week, including data on inflation, manufacturing activity, and employment. Investors will mainly seek to know whether the Fed will need to further tighten its monetary policy.
The central bank has just raised rates by 25 basis points. The range now stands between 3.75% and 4%. Bitcoin had initially absorbed the decision relatively well. A few days later, BTC even rose back up to 87,374 dollars. Since then, the rise in US yields has already started to weaken this rebound.
The numbers tell the change of scenery quite well. 87,374 dollars on September 21. Nearly 85,000 dollars on Sunday. Less than 83,000 dollars on Monday. Bitcoin nevertheless remains significantly above levels near 75,000 dollars seen in mid-September. So it is not yet a complete erasure of the rally. But the 83,000 dollars for BTC no longer serve as an intact floor. And Iran returns at the worst time.
Maximize your Cointribune experience with our "Read to Earn" program! For every article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning benefits.
Join the program
A
A
Lien copié
Lydie M.
Enseignante et ingénieure IT, Lydie découvre le Bitcoin en 2022 et plonge dans l’univers des cryptomonnaies. Elle vulgarise des sujets complexes, décrypte les enjeux du Web3 et défend une vision d’un futur numérique ouvert, inclusif et décentralisé.
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
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 fell to $83,000, down 1.7% since midnight UTC, though smaller tokens took the brunt, the CoinDesk 100 dropping 2.6% to 1,874.56.Friday's leaders reversed hardest, the DeFi Select Index down 6.4% and the CoinDesk Computing Index 3.2% after both led last week's rotation.Brent crude rose above $100 after Trump turned down Iran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with gold, silver and U.S. equity futures all lower.Bitcoin BTC$82,982.30 fell to $83,000 on Monday, down 1.7% since midnight UTC and 2.1% over 24 hours, though it is the altcoin market taking the brunt of the damage, with 91 of the 100 CoinDesk 100 constituents lower on the day and the index down 2.6% to 1,874.56.
The unwind is almost a mirror image of Friday, with quant (QNT) falling 16% since midnight after rising 39% over 24 hours in Friday's session, indexing protocol token the graph GRT$0.03188 is down 12% having gained 14%, and tokenization token ondo ONDO$0.5204 is 12% lower. The sector indices that led the advance are leading the retreat, with the DeFi Select Index (DFX) down 6.4% and 7.3% over 24 hours while the CoinDesk Computing Index (CPUS) lost 3.2% and 5.0%.
The trigger sits in oil rather than in crypto, with President Donald Trump rejecting Iran's latest terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, conditions that included the release of frozen Iranian funds, the lifting of oil sanctions and an end to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. Brent crude has climbed back above $100 to $100.83, up 3.2% on the day, reversing Friday's move below that level.
Traditional assets are being sold with crypto, gold down 3.3% to $4,144, silver 5.1% to $61.00 and U.S. equity futures lower, S&P 500 contracts off 0.44% and Nasdaq 100 down 0.95%, while the dollar index firmed 0.06% to 101.09.
Derivatives positioningMarket-wide: Trading volume jumped 70% to $172 billion over 24 hours, while open interest (OI) fell 3% to $150 billion. Rising volume with falling OI points to positions being closed rather than new bets being placed.Taker flow: The 24-hour taker long/short ratio stood at 46.9% to 53.1% as of 09:50 UTC. Aggressive sellers have a slight edge.BTC OI drops further: Futures OI has dropped to 650K BTC, the lowest since March, as traders keep avoiding leverage. Funding rates are negative across major exchanges, so the positions that remain lean bearish.ETH and SOL follow BTC’s lead: Ether OI fell to 12.85 million ETH, down from 13.95 million on July 1 and a late-May peak above 15.65 million. That decline came even as ETH rallied 68% since July 1, which means spot buying led the rally rather than leverage. SOL futures show the same pattern.XRP OI rises: OI hit a four-week high of 2.46 billion XRP early today and has since eased to 2.37 billion.Whale bias: Binance whales, measured by their long versus short positions, are bullish on BTC, down from extremely bullish on Friday. They have flipped bearish on ETH and remain bullish on SOL. XRP is bearish again, though less so than Friday's extremely bearish reading.HBAR OI hits record high: OI surged to a record 2.30 billion HBAR while the spot price rose 48% in 24 hours, which suggests fresh longs. However, the 24-hour OI-adjusted cumulative volume delta is negative and annualized funding sits just above zero. Aggressive buyers are not powering the move, and shorts may be piling in against the rally.Volatility slightly up: Volmex's BVIV, the 30-day implied volatility index for BTC, rose slightly to 37.4% after bouncing off the sub-36% floor it tested last week. The move is small, and traders still expect calm markets. Ether's EVIV shows the same. Wall Street's VIX rose to 16 on Friday from under 14.Mixed volume profile in options: On Deribit, the $84,000 strike bitcoin put expiring Sept. 30 was the most traded contract over 24 hours. Put options are used to hedge against declines in prices for the underlying asset, in this case, bitcoin. For ETH, the $2,850 call expiring Oct. 20 led activity, which shows appetite for upside.Token talkHedera HBAR$0.1164 is the outlier by a distance, up 13% since midnight and 14% over 24 hours to $0.11, the only CoinDesk 100 constituent gaining more than 3% on the day. The token has been consolidating since a run from below $0.08 in the week of Sept. 19, and there is no fresh news behind Monday's move, though The Hashgraph Group listed its Hedera-based IDTrust identity platform on IBM's cloud catalog on Sept. 23.Friday's leaders have given back more than they made, quant (QNT) falling 16% to $240.59, the graph GRT$0.03188 12% and fartcoin FARTCOIN$0.1707 12%, with AI agent token kite KITE$0.1371 down 11% and modular data availability token celestia (TIA) 9.1%.DeFi is bearing the brunt of the reversal, uniswap (UNI) losing 7.9% to $8.91 and 11% over 24 hours, lending protocol token morpho MORPHO$2.5604 7.5% and 8.5%, and ondo 12% on the day, the sector index down 6.4% having risen 8.7% over the rolling day on Friday.Bitcoin cash BCH$309.30 has continued to unwind its CME-driven surge, down 7.7% to $306.69 and 10% over 24 hours, while sui SUI$1.1711 fell 6.2% and solana (SOL) 2.9% to $118.41.A handful of older layer-1s held up, algorand ALGO$0.1293 rising 2.3% and XDC network XDC$0.03483 2.3%, with just (JST) up 1.3% and IOTA MIOTA$0.05263 1.0%, all four also higher over 24 hours.CoinMarketCap’s “altcoin season” index remains inflated at 65/100, its highest total in more than three months despite Monday morning’s selloff.Related Assets
12345678910The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Sep 15, 2026
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Why it matters:
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
ETH, USDT and every other asset follow on a set schedule through Oct. 2, the exchange said, four days after attackers drained its hot and warm wallets.
Bitget reopens bitcoin withdrawals in phased restart after $388 million hack
Posted September 28, 2026 at 6:18 am EST.
Bitget reopened bitcoin withdrawals on Monday, the first step in bringing back a service the exchange has kept frozen since attackers took about $388 million from its hot and warm wallets on Sept. 24.
Withdrawals of BTC on the Bitcoin network began at 8:00 UTC “as scheduled,” Bitget said on X. The exchange said the flaw the attackers used “has been remediated” and that there were “no further unauthorized transfers identified following containment.”
Get Unchained’s crypto news in your inbox with the free Unchained Daily newsletter.
One Asset Group a Day The rest of the platform comes back in stages, under a timetable Bitget published on its support site on Sept. 26. ETH withdrawals on Ethereum, BSC, Arbitrum, Base and Optimism are set for 8:00 UTC on Tuesday. USDT on Ethereum, BSC, Solana and Tron follows at the same hour on Wednesday. Every other token, along with fiat and P2P withdrawals, is slated for Oct. 2.
Bitget’s notice said the order “applies consistently across users without preference.” Trading and deposits have stayed open, and users don’t need to do anything before their assets unlock, according to the exchange.
CEO Gracy Chen hosted a live AMA on X at 7:30 UTC on Monday to take questions on the incident and what comes next.
What Happened The attackers did not need Bitget’s private keys. Chen said on X early on Sept. 25 that “the attacker compromised a critical backend system within our wallet infrastructure, used it to spoof transaction data, and triggered our authorization process to move funds out.” Mandiant and SlowMist are helping with the investigation.
The exchange raised its loss count on Sept. 25 to roughly $387.5 million, up from a first estimate of $351.6 million, after adding transfers on Zcash and TRON. Chen has said the attack matched techniques used by North Korea-linked hacking groups.
Bitget says its User Protection Fund, which holds about $464 million, will cover the losses in full. It is also offering a bounty of 5% of any stolen funds frozen or recovered through voluntary efforts.
Related Listen: Inside the Coldcard Hack That Drained Over $100 Million in Bitcoin: Uneasy Money
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.
TLDR: Bitget reopened BTC withdrawals on the Bitcoin network at 08:00 UTC on September 28 as scheduled. The September 24 exploit drained about $388 million, the largest reported crypto theft this year. The attacker used a flaw in a third-party security product to obtain high-level internal credentials. The Bitget User Protection Fund, holding 5,500 BTC, will cover all losses from the incident. Bitget withdrawals have begun to resume following the September 24 security incident that drained about $388 million from the exchange.
The platform reopened BTC withdrawals on the Bitcoin network at 08:00 UTC on September 28, as scheduled. Bitget said it has remediated the vulnerability and identified no further unauthorized transfers since containment.
User account balances remain unaffected. The exchange also confirmed that the Bitget User Protection Fund will cover the losses in full.
Phased Schedule for Bitget Withdrawals Bitget said each blockchain must pass a series of security checks before it reopens. For this reason, the exchange is restoring services in stages. Bitget withdrawals on each network will open only after those checks are complete.
In a post on X, Bitget said it “has begun the phased resumption of withdrawals” following the incident. BTC withdrawals started at 08:00 UTC as planned. The exchange said the resumption “follows additional security work across Bitget’s withdrawal infrastructure.”
Bitget Reopens BTC Withdrawals After September 24 Security Incident
Bitget said it has begun a phased resumption of withdrawals following the September 24 security incident, with BTC withdrawals on the Bitcoin network reopening at 08:00 UTC on September 28. The exchange said the… pic.twitter.com/7D4ROX8q7T
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) September 28, 2026
Next, ETH withdrawals on Ethereum, BSC, Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism will open on September 29 at 8 a.m. UTC. USDT withdrawals on Ethereum, BSC, Solana, and Tron will resume at the same time on September 30.
Meanwhile, all remaining assets, fiat withdrawals, and P2P transactions will return on October 2. Bitget withdrawals will therefore be fully restored in four steps, according to the exchange.
How the Exploit Unfolded Unauthorized transfers began at around 6:31 p.m. UTC on September 24. They involved certain assets across multiple networks and originated from Bitget’s hot and warm wallet infrastructure. Its latest statement confirmed the $388 million figure but did not list the specific tokens.
The exchange said the attacker targeted a vulnerability in a third-party security product. This allowed the attacker to obtain high-level internal credentials.
According to Bitget, the attacker sent causing abnormal transfers that bypassed risk controls. Bitget stated that its private keys were not compromised. Cold wallets and user balances were also unaffected.
The $388 million loss is the largest reported crypto theft this year, above exploits on KelpDAO and Drift Protocol. The fund holds 5,500 BTC. CEO Gracy Chen previously said the fund would return to its $300 million baseline within a week.
Mandiant and SlowMist are assisting with further investigation into the incident. The exchange will also review how it assesses and deploys third-party security products.
Additionally, Bitget launched a bounty that pays 5% of any attacker funds frozen or recovered. However, it said it will not speculate about the attackers’ identity until the investigation reaches a firm conclusion.
The exchange described the attackers as “sophisticated” and “state-backed,” and it suspects North Korea. It said they know how to obscure stolen funds.
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.
“Uptober” remains a familiar phrase among cryptocurrency traders, reflecting the trend of strong Bitcoin performance in October. However, 2025 brought a notable exception to this seasonal pattern. Bitcoin began October 2025 at approximately $119,000 and continued its upward trajectory early in the month, surpassing its previous all-time high by more than $7,000 to reach just above $126,000.
ETF flows and macro shockThe initial strength was fueled by robust demand for exchange-traded funds, with US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs attracting about $4.7 billion during the first half of the month. These inflows supported market sentiment and contributed to Bitcoin’s record-setting performance in early October.
Yet, this positive momentum proved vulnerable to external shocks. A new trade dispute between the United States and China triggered a sharp risk-off shift across financial markets. This event led to the largest cryptocurrency liquidation on record at the time, reversing gains and impacting Bitcoin’s price dynamics.
After seven consecutive years of October gains, Bitcoin declined toward $105,000, ultimately closing the month down by about 4%. Altcoins suffered steeper losses, with Ethereum dropping nearly 7%.
Seasonal strength supported early gains, but a significant macro shock sent Bitcoin and altcoins sharply lower as October 2025 progressed.
Historical perspectiveDespite the setback, October has generally been a favorable month for Bitcoin. Reviewing the period from 2013 to 2025, Bitcoin finished higher in ten out of thirteen Octobers. The average gain for these positive months stood at roughly 19%, highlighting the month’s reputation for robust rallies.
This historical trend offers context but does not guarantee future outcomes, especially in the presence of unexpected macroeconomic disruptions.
October 2026 outlookAs October 2026 begins, the market mood has shifted considerably. Bitcoin posted a 9% increase in September, reaching an eight-month high above $87,000 after jumping 25% in August. Exchange-traded fund inflows have picked up again, and improvements in liquidity, combined with short covering, have further strengthened the current uptrend.
Several altcoins, including Solana, XRP, NEAR, LINK, and Zcash, recorded large gains in September. Ethereum also broke higher following its August rally, contributing to a broader sense of momentum in the crypto sector.
This environment sets the stage for both opportunity and risk. The market heads into October with considerable optimism, much of which may already be reflected in current prices. Sustained positive ETF inflows and stable macroeconomic conditions could support further gains, but an abrupt move higher may expose traders to the risk of heightened liquidations if leverage rises too quickly.
MonthBitcoin PerformanceKey FactorsOctober 2025-4%US-China trade dispute, ETF inflows, major liquidationSeptember 2026+9%ETF inflows, short covering, improved liquidityAugust 2026+25%Altcoin rallies, bullish sentimentUltimately, the experience of 2025 suggests seasonality may reinforce existing trends but cannot override major external shocks. October 2026 is off to a strong start, but the duration and sustainability of this positive momentum will be critical.
A Bloomberg analyst, stating that the expectation of a decline in Bitcoin continues, argues that Bitcoin has failed as a portfolio asset.
Bloomberg Intelligence senior commodities strategist Mike McGlone stated in a post on his X account that the performance of Bitcoin and other crypto assets in terms of portfolio management over the last decade or so should be questioned.
At this point, McGlone argued that digital assets have underperformed the Nasdaq-100 index on a risk-adjusted basis over the past decade, making Bitcoin a “failing” asset in terms of portfolio and risk management.
Higher Risk, Limited Additional Reward! According to McGlone’s assessment, the MarketVector Digital Assets 100 Index (MVDA), in which Bitcoin makes up approximately two-thirds, has lagged behind the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) since 2017.
One of the key points McGlone highlighted at this stage was volatility. The analyst noted that the MarketVector Digital Assets 100 Index (MVDA) has shown approximately three times more volatility than the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) since 2017, but that this higher volatility and risk haven’t resulted in a significant additional return in the long run compared to the Nasdaq-100.
McGlone interpreted this chart as indicating that crypto assets performed poorly in terms of risk and portfolio management.
Another element of McGlone’s analysis was the correlation between crypto assets and stocks. According to the analyst, high volatility could contribute to portfolio diversification due to the negative correlation with stocks. However, the positive correlation between digital assets and stocks did not provide a practical benefit for risk management. McGlone argues that this limits Bitcoin’s ability to function as a risk-reducing tool independent of traditional assets.
The MVDA index, in which Bitcoin has approximately 67% weighting, has lagged behind the Nasdaq-100 since cryptocurrencies entered the regulatory framework with the launch of CBOE and CME Bitcoin futures in 2017. According to the analyst, the MVDA’s superior performance against the Nasdaq-100 also ended after this period.
McGlone added that significant bullish catalysts, including the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs and the pro-cryptocurrency policy of the Donald Trump administration, are largely already priced in, making it difficult for crypto assets to deliver uniquely strong returns compared to traditional assets in the future.
*This is not investment advice.
Follow our Telegram and Twitter account now for exclusive news, analytics and on-chain data!
President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver an announcement from the Oval Office today, as per the White House. Markets are watching for any details of the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, latest US-China trade lists, and comments on artificial intelligence ahead of Tuesday’s “Golden Age” event.
President Donald Trump Announcement: What to Expect President Trump will make an announcement from the Oval Office at 2:00 PM ET on September 28. According to the White House official daily guidance, the event is open only to the White House press pool.
President Donald Trump’s Oval Office Announcement. Source: White House The strongest speculation is related to last week’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and a Sunday night dinner with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
The White House released the U.S.-China Board of Trade “30-for-30” lists. The two sides recommended nearly $30 billion in goods from each country to consider for reduced tariff treatment. The US products on China’s list include agricultural items, coal, timber, and medical equipment. The Chinese goods on the US list feature household items, textiles, fishing, and artificial flowers.
Officials have described the framework as a step toward more stable, balanced trade following the recent truce extension. Trump quoted the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as “tremendous progress” and “incredible.” He added, “Last 3 days have been amazing great meeting with President Xi!”
In addition, an outcome of Sunday dinner with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is also expected in President Donald Trump’s announcement today. Independent journalist Nick Sortor claimed Trump signaled that the big announcement on Monday is related to his meeting with Anthropic CEO, who clashed with the administration over AI safety and military uses.
The meeting occurred just before Tuesday’s Golden Age event in Washington, D.C. Notably, it will have guests including Elon Musk, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Anthropic co-founder Tom Brown, and Palantir’s Shyam Sankar.
Trump’s Recent Focus and Impact on Markets In recent days, Trump’s agenda has focused on the China relationship after hosting Xi Jinping, advancing AI dominance, and the US midterm elections. Notably, the Supreme Court has also given the Trump administration the green light to use a federal citizenship database to verify voters.
Meanwhile, Trump rejected Iran’s 7-day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, he expects talks with Iran to resume this week. Markets have shown mixed reactions to the de-escalation, with oil prices surging back to almost 96 per barrel today.
Futures tied to US indexes and Bitcoin slipped lower as the 10-year US Treasury yield climbed above 5.2% on Monday, the highest level since 2007. US dollar index (DXY) also wavered near $101 on expectations of a Fed rate hike.
Bitcoin price fell below $83,000 sharply after Trump rejected Iran’s proposal and the upcoming Oval Office announcement jitters. This pulled the broader crypto market down, erasing recent gains.
Also Check: Best Geopolitical Prediction Market Platforms
Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy, has urged US lawmakers to establish a comprehensive “bill of digital rights” to better govern and encourage the use of digital assets. Saylor published an essay on X on September 26 under the title “Prescriptions for Prosperity in the Digital Economy,” addressing both regulatory needs and the potential growth of the sector.
Saylor outlines digital rights for the crypto eraSaylor described artificial intelligence as a force that can significantly boost economic productivity and called for the financial system to evolve accordingly. He emphasized the importance of frameworks that defend personal and corporate freedoms, rather than focusing on limiting innovation. In his essay, Saylor stated, “The age of Digital Assets and Digital Intelligence needs a bill of digital rights, not a bill of restrictions.”
He identified five key rights — the ability for individuals and corporations to create, issue, custody, transfer, and use digital assets. Saylor argued that these rights underpin the economic value of assets such as Bitcoin and pointed out that unnecessary restrictions could stifle their potential. He characterized Bitcoin as “digital capital,” noting its capacity to enhance the broader economy if integrated effectively into financial infrastructure.
Saylor called for regulatory changes that would allow banks to hold Bitcoin on behalf of customers and facilitate loans backed by crypto assets. He also urged insurance firms to include digital assets both on their balance sheets and within their insurance products, integrating crypto more deeply into the traditional financial system.
Saylor emphasized that reaching the sector’s potential “will require millions of people and companies experimenting with better ways to create and organize capital.” He called for clear rules that safeguard digital rights and encourage innovation.
As digital assets expand, Saylor estimated the industry could grow to a $100 trillion valuation, provided rights are firmly protected.
Tax proposals and regulatory criticismsAddressing concerns over taxation, Saylor highlighted the obstacles everyday consumers face when making routine crypto purchases, especially because they must calculate capital gains or losses with each transaction. To address this, he proposed a “de minimis” tax exemption for small, routine digital asset payments, suggesting a flexible threshold that adjusts for inflation and removes the need for detailed calculations at the point of sale.
In his essay, Saylor urged US regulators, including the SEC, CFTC, Treasury, and the White House, to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers and establish a more predictable foundation for digital asset products. He specifically criticized the CLARITY Act, arguing that it focuses too much on restrictions, rather than providing certainty and allowing room for technological innovation.
Beyond regulations, Saylor’s recommendations imply the need for coordinated oversight and clarity across government agencies, enabling the digital asset industry to mature responsibly.
Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings and market contextStrategy currently holds 846,000 BTC, valued at approximately $71.62 billion. Despite this significant position, the firm’s stock slipped 1.86% to $158.61 in the latest trading session. Meanwhile, Stretch preferred stock saw a slight increase, trading at $98.54, up 0.23% over the same period.
At the close of the latest session, Bitcoin was trading close to $84,640, marking a climb from roughly $75,000 in recent weeks. Saylor’s advocacy for a new regulatory framework comes as the digital asset market shows both volatility and renewed investor interest.
Technical market developments often carry broader implications for investor behavior. In the meme token segment, internet trends continue to drive swift surges in value. For example, data supplied by Fomo App shows that a trade involving “Niu Lai” turned a $99 investment into about $370,000. Given such rapid shifts, monitoring not only price movements but also investor timing and token selections remains essential. Fomo App now offers a combined platform for token discovery and trading, highlighting social feeds, investor rankings, and timely trade notifications. The app aims to help users track the evolving world of meme tokens and keep pace with leading investors.
Daily inflows slowed as Bitcoin pulled back from above $87,100, while Ether and XRP ETFs also attracted fresh capital during the week.
US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded their strongest week of inflows this year, drawing $2.39 billion after adding $134.5 million on Friday.
The weekly total was the largest since the week ending Oct. 10, 2025, when net inflows totaled $2.71 billion, according to SoSoValue. It also surpassed the previous 2026 high of $1.92 billion recorded in August.
The funds’ year-to-date flows rose to about $926 million on Friday, recovering from a year-to-date deficit that reached roughly $5.55 billion in early July.
Daily net inflows slowed after they reached nearly $1 billion on Monday, while Bitcoin retreated from above $87,100. Bitcoin traded at about $83,116 at the time of publication, down 1.6% over the past 24 hours but still up 1.7% over the past seven days, according to CoinGecko.
Daily US spot Bitcoin ETF flows since Sept. 15, 2026. Source: SoSoValueThe Crypto Fear & Greed Index stood at 74, up from 70 a week earlier still in “Greed” territory, according to Alternative.me.
US spot Ether ETFs attracted about $690 million in net inflows last week, reversing roughly $140 million in outflows the previous week, while spot XRP ETFs added about $76 million, according to SoSoValue.
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph's Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research.
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 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) are moving to independently advance rules for the digital asset market.
This follows the U.S. Senate's September 15 vote to block the key Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (H.R. 3633). The bill fell short, with a 49–50 vote, amid disagreements over government officials' crypto holdings and stablecoin regulation.
Lawmakers' failure to pass the act left the industry without clear guidance ahead of the November midterm elections. In these circumstances, regulators have signaled that they intend to fill the legal vacuum using the administrative resources available to them.
HOT Stories
Welcome to another week of crypto building w/out constraints of Clarity Act…
SEC & CFTC already guiding the way.
Two years to upgrade financial system.
If last week is any indication, the politicians who voted against Clarity will be paying w/ stablecoins & trading tokenized…
— Nate Geraci (@NateGeraci) September 28, 2026 Without waiting for a compromise on Capitol Hill, the agencies have stepped up their own rulemaking efforts:
SEC initiatives: The commission is advancing a proposed Regulation Crypto Assets, which would introduce flexible registration exemptions for crypto startups, with limits of up to $5 million and $75 million. Public hearings on the proposal will continue through October 20. The shift in direction is also reflected within the agency: Commissioner Hester Peirce publicly called the previous hard-line approaches "infantilizing investors."CFTC plan: Commission Chairman Michael Selig confirmed that the agency is using its current authority to shape the market structure. The agency has already updated its rules for accounting for tokenized assets and sent a comprehensive regulatory proposal to the White House for approval.Project Crypto: The regulators' actions are being coordinated under an interagency agreement that divides digital assets into five basic categories, from digital commodities to securities.Business turns to lobbying as coins approach local highsThe bill's failure prompted leadership changes at major industry groups. Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger announced that she would leave her post on October 16; Kristin Smith will succeed her.
At the same time, major crypto firms are stepping up their direct influence on the electoral process. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and the Stand With Crypto alliance have launched a voter mobilization campaign, presenting fintech development as a bipartisan national security issue.
You Might Also Like
Financial markets, meanwhile, have responded to the regulatory shifts with measured optimism. Against the backdrop of news that the SEC and CFTC are ready to take charge, Bitcoin has remained stable, trading in the $84,000–$86,000 range.
Major altcoins, including XRP and NEAR, are also holding near local price highs. Holders are counting on agency guidance to provide the market with the legal clarity it needs more quickly and smoothly than the stalled Congress can.
Leading cryptocurrencies stagnated on Sunday as investors weighed ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations alongside a series of anticipated macroeconomic data.
Crypto Rally HaltsBitcoin slipped below $84,000 Sunday evening after briefly topping $85,000 earlier in the day. Ethereum wobbled between $2,667 and $2,720, while Dogecoin inched higher.
Over $190 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, split nearly evenly between long and short positions, according to Coinglass data.
Bitcoin’s open interest fell 0.50% over the last 24 hours and more than 11% over the past week. Binance whale derivatives traders flipped “Bullish” on BTC, while the retail crowd remained “Neutral.”
“Greed” sentiment prevailed in the market, according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index.
Top Gainers (24 Hours)
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.97 trillion, down 0.60% over the last 24 hours.
Read Next
Stock Futures SlideStock futures ticked lower late Sunday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures fell 152 points, or 0.30%, as of 8:49 p.m. EDT. S&P 500 futures slid 0.21%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures dropped 0.19%.
President Donald Trump said he had rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting, but hopes the two sides will reach an agreement before or after the midterms.
A busy week of key economic data lies ahead, with the August personal consumption expenditure price index due on Wednesday and the September jobs report on Friday.
What Lies Ahead for Bitcoin?Michaël van de Poppe, a widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader, identified $84,800 as the key resistance Bitcoin must break to resume its upward grind.
“If that breaks, I think that we’ll see a continuation towards the $90,000 levels,” Van De Poppe added.
Chartered Market Technician Aksel Kibar noted that Bitcoin’s weekly candle near $84,000-$85,000 “does not look like a decisive breakout.”
“Hesitant price action here can result in price returning inside the range,” the analyst added.
